Free Republic

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal appeals court has rejected a stay of execution for Crips co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams, who is scheduled to die after midnight. The court's decision comes a day after the California Supreme Court refused to grant a stay of execution for the convicted killer meaning the former gang leader who became an outspoken critic of gang violence will be executed early Tuesday unless the governor grants clemency. Williams' supporters also made another pitch directly to the governor Sunday to spare his life, telling Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a letter that they had a new witness who...

It is virtually impossible to have a debate about the American healthcare system without someone mentioning the Canadian alternative (socialized medicine, with the government acting as a single payer and no private alternative system available). Exalted by the likes of idealistic liberals, the Canadian system often gets touted as a more humane alternative to the American scenario since it offers that glorious-sounding fantasy of “universal coverage.” The only trouble, of course, is that Canadians face intolerable waiting times that compromise their health and quality of life (and sometimes their very lives themselves). The situation has gotten so severe that now...

A report recommending hundreds of ways to streamline state government is ready, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will keep it under wraps until lawmakers pass a budget, so as not to derail an agreement, an administration official said Monday. "Essentially, it's complete," communications director Rob Stutzman said of the California Performance Review report due Wednesday. "We don't want people playing politics with it, is what it boils down to. "It deserves more than that, and God knows we'll get out of here a lot quicker this week if we don't give legislators something to play with." The governor did, however, release...