Free Republic

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is eyeing a laundry list of tasks as it seeks to pull together a legislative package to prevent future insurrections. The committee for months has touted the legislative purpose to its investigation — a key detail as various subpoena recipients have sought to skirt compliance with the panel.

The Democratic Party's midterm prospects have been hampered by President Joe Biden's low approval rating, high gas prices, and an unsteady economy, but the tables may be turning in a more favorable direction for the party just months before the heated 2022 midterm elections. Political pundits have predicted a red wave, but the mood of the electorate may be shifting in the closing months before November. On Thursday, the Cook Political Report deemed Senate control this fall a "toss-up," following recent polls that suggested several Republican candidates are trailing behind their Democratic opponents in key races.

Democrats, months away from the midterm election where the GOP is favored to take back the House, are looking to pass bills to show they have been able to do something productive for the country while having total control of Washington, DC, as Republicans also look to put them on the record opposing hard-line bills. As Politico pointed out, the Democrats have used this past week to pass legislation on a wide range of areas by playing “whack-a-mole” with the multiple national crises, such as a shortage of baby formula, skyrocketing inflation, and high gas prices, so they can buff...

On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” New York Times columnist David Brooks said that in an ideal world, if the abortion issue is put to state legislatures, “we would wind up where Europe is” on abortion “where they say, there are strong arguments here, let’s try to find some way to reconcile.”

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) WAKE UP AMERICA! THERE IS NO POLITICAL SOLUTION TO OUR COUNTRY’S SPIRITUAL PROBLEM.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday named addressing the censorship of conservatives and conservative viewpoints as a top legislative issue to “get right” moving forward. DeSantis, an ally of President Trump, spoke at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Policy Orientation in Austin, Texas, on Thursday and said that the country must “really think deeply about if we are a disfavored class based on our principles, based on having conservative views, based on being a Christian, based on whatever you can say that is not favored in Silicon Valley.”

Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "If we work our butts off to make sure that we take back all three chambers of Congress — Uh, rather, all three chambers of government: the presidency, the Senate, and the House." The 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, judicial.

Full Title: Terrifying insights into climate change could build legislative momentum for emissions cuts, researchers argue New research in climate science indicates that extreme events, such as heat waves, the collapse of major ice sheets, and mass extinctions are becoming dramatically more probable. Though cuts in rising emissions appear unlikely with the stalled 2015 Paris agreement, University of California San Diego scientists argue that new developments present an opportunity to shift the politics around climate change. For the first time, scientists can make a strong case that no one is exempt from the extreme and immediate risks posed by a...

On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to roll back federal regulations. And at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February, chief strategist Steve Bannon said that the goal of the administration was the “deconstruction of the administrative state.” Trump has delivered on those pledges, signing over a dozen laws reversing Obama-era regulations, marking the most substantial legislative achievement of his first 100 days in office. Politico has downplayed Trump’s slew of repeal laws, describing them as “the only substantive bills Trump has signed so far.” And, in keeping with a media-wide effort to separate Trump from his...

Don't lose sight of how things work This will probably be one of the most not-read commentaries on this site, because it is not politically sexy or provocative. It’s just a reminder of how our political process works, but too many people seem to go brain dead when patience is required, or get emotionally stressed over the small stuff. We have three co-equal branches of government, the Executive (headed by the president), the Legislative consisting of the House and the Senate, and the Judicial. It’s called a system of checks and balances even if we do not always agree with...

Legislative vs. Administrative There are times in the process of learning something when I feel I have learned enough to feel confident I have a grasp of the topic. Not so much learning that I feel comfortable sharing what I’ve learned with others. I am on the cusp of such an event. That event is coming to grips with what the Progressive Movement’s political agenda. I feel I have a handle on the basic tenets of Progressive Movements. However, I now find myself informed enough to engage in a discussion regarding the Progressive Movements notion of bringing about change administratively...

Saturday, the funeral services of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia will be held in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. at 11 a.m. ET.

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin pro-life groups are gearing up for another legislative session, with plans to push for a new ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and to revive a host of initiatives that went nowhere last time around. The pro-life lobby scored a huge victory last session when the GOP-controlled Legislature passed a law requiring abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Republicans retained their majorities in the Assembly and Senate in November’s elections, setting the stage for more wins for anti-abortion groups. Republican leaders aren’t publicly committing to anything, but Democrats are already fuming....

It’s interesting that some of those who would make the “living Constitution” argument seem most anxious to put the old parchment to rest. “What’s coming will be painful, frustrating, and dangerous—and it will illustrate a constitutional malfunction unforeseen in 1787,” Garrett Epps writes in The Atlantic. “The country will survive, and it’s possible it can even make progress—but at tremendous cost in polarization and missed opportunity.” “The country is like a car driving with the handbrake on: Any movement forward will be accompanied by smoke and internal damage.”Epps is a professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Baltimore. “So...

Another underreported fact from Tuesday's election is the extraordinary night Republicans had in winning state legislative seats. The GOP now controls two thirds of state legislative houses – 66 of 99 (Nebraska's legislature is unicameral).  They upped the number of states where they control both house and senate to 24 – one more than they had before the election.  And according to this article in Vox, they cut the number of Democratic-held legislatures from 14 to 7. Republicans made historic gains in state legislatures in 2010. They held on in many states in 2012, or made up for losses...

Open Letter to the Legislative Tyrants of Connecticut. An Open Letter to the Legislative Tyrants of Connecticut.Sent via email. To the CT State Senators And Representatives who voted Yes on "An Act Concerning Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety, also known as Public Law 13-3 or Connecticut Senate Bill No. 1160," 3 April 2013.And, yes, I said tyrants. You bought it, in the form of the woefully misnamed "Act Concerning Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety," you own it, you are certainly -- if you get your way -- going to pay for it like it or not, so...

The president used his weekly address to the American people to demand that Congress meet its two responsibilities: “pass a budget on time and pay our bills on time.” Despite Republican attempts to defund his signature healthcare reform law, the president promised that the next phase of the law will kick in on October 1 “no matter what.” “I will work with anyone who wants to have a serious conversation about our economic future,” Obama said. “But I will not negotiate over Congress’ responsibility to pay the bills it has already racked up. I don’t know how to be more...

For Washington, this is definitely not the best of times. The town is suffering from a power outage. The evidence is hard to miss, from Washington’s weeklong struggle to cope with storm damage that knocked out electricity across the region to President Obama’s inability to awaken the economy, as reflected once again in June’s pathetic jobs report. To make matters worse, Washington is out of sync with the country, at least with the noncoastal parts. The usual response is to unleash the president so he can rally America to Washington’s purposes. But the bully pulpit hasn’t been effective since Ronald...

Candidate for Senate Dan Liljenquist (left) pledged to The New American that should he be elected to the U.S. Senate he will offer legislation explicitly repealing the indefinite detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In a press conference held on April 24 at 2:00 p.m. (MDT), the former Utah State Senator and current GOP challenger to six-term Senator Orrin Hatch described the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA as “an overreach and a violation of the Bill of Rights.” He said that had he been in office when Congress voted to pass the NDAA he would have...

Clive, IA --(Ammoland.com)- Caucus season is upon us and while Second Amendment issues are being discussed by presidential candidates, it’s extremely important for us to be active in the local party caucuses on Tuesday, January 3. IFC and NRA do a tremendous amount of heavy lifting to advance your rights at the Capitol, but ultimately it’s the grassroots efforts of our members that really make the biggest difference. For example, IFC members utilizing our Action Center: * Accounted for the bulk of e-mails received by legislators when we achieved victory with Shall Issue in 2010. * Helped us get behind...