Free Republic

The number of children who died from abuse or neglect over the past five years in Illinois is higher than the state’s child-welfare agency has reported, according to new figures from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The number of deaths in that time is 455, DCFS officials said — which is 11 more than the agency previously counted. DCFS officials blamed errors in “the department’s tracking and reporting system,” including counting as a single death some cases in which more than one child died. Acting DCFS boss Denise Gonzales ordered an audit of the death statistics on...

The House of Representatives votes 298-to-112 to approve sweeping legislation to bring tobacco under control of the Food and Drug Administration for the first time. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/house-approves-plan-fda-regulatory-power-tobacco/

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved sweeping legislation to bring tobacco under control of the Food and Drug Administration for the first time.

Economy not all Uncle Sam needs to oversee Sunday, February 15, 2009 You know, maybe a little more “government oversight” is just what we need.As long as we do it my way.I was determined to have a good day last week, but that dream was cut off, literally, by one of the many people who still don’t understand what the sign “yield to ramp” means. Maybe they can’t read, I don’t know. But I do know that I’m getting tired of slamming on my brakes when I’m the one on the ramp, and I don’t think I’d mind your insurance...

Has Fred Thompson's entry into the presidential race got you wondering what a Thompson administration might look like? From a federal management perspective, it's an interesting question. Thompson would come into the job with a relatively large amount of experience in overseeing government operations, since he chaired the committee formerly known as Senate Governmental Affairs. In an Aug. 2001 column in Government Executive, Paul Light, now a New York University professor and then a vice president at the Brookings Institution, took a look at Thompson's tenure, taking note of his presidential prospects. At that point, the senator was weighing whether...

Buff and polish stunt proves need for health and safety regulationsIf Mike Fisher was hoping to gain sympathy for those tired of government red tape and bureaucracy by getting arrested Monday, he failed.A member of the Free State Project, Fisher arranged to give a fellow Free Stater a manicure outside the office of the State Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics. Doing so without a license, earned him a visit with a judge and two days in jail.Fisher had arranged the stunt to draw attention to what he called "out of control" licensing requirements by the state.As Free Staters, Fisher...