Water brand aims to tap anti-woke market: ‘Made from liberal tears.’

Published

2 years ago

October 31, 2023

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It’s water for the non-woke.

A Republican entrepreneur is launching Freedom2o, bottled water targeted at thirsty Republican voters and promising the taste of liberal tears.

Six packs go for $11.00 and hit the Internet on October 27 timed for the anniversary of one of Ronald Reagan’s most significant speeches and got a Times Square billboard debut too.

As for liberals: let them drink Perrier is White’s view.

White, 36, who has found success working in auto racing, video games and tech, came up with the idea for Freedom2o while on the sofa of her South Florida home.

I was watching the Republican debate and a light went on in my head, White told The Post. 6 Elizabeth White’s Freedom2o got a Times Square ad campaign starting on October 27 but slogans making fun of Joe Biden were turned down.Stephen Yang 6 The water is unashamed in its branding. White told The Post that at least one first amendment lawyer turned her down, for fear of appealing to the MAGA crowd. “We’re not even MAGA!” White said.Courtesy of Elizabeth White/ Freedom2o

They cut to a commercial and I saw so many people drinking water. But the water being consumed had no connection to the people drinking it.

“Kevin McCarthy was drinking Dasani — which is left, right and center. If he drank Freedom, I think he would still be Speaker of the House.

White says that the dearth of mainstream products aimed at conservative consumers is no accident. 6 Showing that they drink the way they think, members of the Log Cabin Republicans will be serving Freedom water at their upcoming gala.Stephen Yang 6 White is hopping to put up a billboard that has more of a political sting than the current one in Times Square.Courtesy of Elizabeth White/ Freedom2o

Companies today are scared to stand up for what they believe in she said. They are afraid to say they are conservative. They are afraid of the backlash from a loud opposition. Corporate executives feel pressure from the outside and think they need to compromise. We dont compromise.

Regarding the water itself, it comes from Freedoms bottling partners in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and California. White describes it as purified bottled water, with ionization and reverse osmosis.

Told that it originates in all red states except for one, she pointed out, Some parts of California are red.

Freedom2o water’s October 27 debut was by design. That date marked the 59th anniversary of Ronald Reagans national career-launching speech in which he warned the American people that it is a time for choosing between “the maximum of individual freedom” and “the ant heap of totalitarianism.

Clearly a fan of the movie-star turned president, and sharing in his sentiments, White recalled, He said in the speech that the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant but they know so much that isnt so. That speech parallels very well with where we are today. 6 White believes Kevin McCarthy would still be speaker of the house if he had shown his true political colors by drinking Freedom during the Republican debates. Stephen Yang

The bottle makes clear where White stands. Our labels speak for themselves,” she said. “This water aint woke, Water for deplorables and Drink this water or move to Canada.

However not all its messaging was approved for its Times Square ad campaign, with ads reading “Sip for Dick” with a picture of President Nixon and “This water isn’t sleepy” with a picture of President Biden both nixed.

White looked into getting legal assistance to clear any potential hurdles in terms of her sloganeering, but, as she discovered, when you sell a Republican message, attorneys dont always want to take your money.

I threw some of our taglines and slogans at a pretty famous first amendment lawyer in New York; we possibly wanted to put him on retainer,” she said. 6 White hopes that Freedom water stimulates political debate or can be used to “spray the woke away.”Stephen Yang

“He heard the lines and snapped, I dont want to help you perpetuate MAGA s**t. And were not even MAGA!

Was she put off by the response? Actually,” she said, “I loved it. It speaks to how triggering it is when you say what you really think or even if you just want to start a conversation.

And White is pushing all in on the triggering. We are selling trigger sprayers, she said. You can drink the water or use it to spray the woke away.

One group making Freedom2o their choice of thirst-quencher is the Log Cabin Republicans, the LGBT wing of the party.

it will be served at the organizations upcoming gala, to be held in the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Cali. Elizabeth is making a special run of the water for us, Charles Moran, president of the organization, told The Post. The bottles will say You dont have to be straight to shoot straight. It is a nod toward LGBT people being able to serve openly in the military.

Next up, she has her eyes set on no less a Republican stronghold than Mar-a-Lago. “Maybe we’ll send a case over,” White said. I can see the members drinking Freedom from champagne flutes.

UK

Starmer survives rebellion as watered-down welfare cuts pass key vote

Published

3 hours ago

July 2, 2025

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Starmer survives rebellion as watered-down welfare cuts pass key vote

Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial welfare bill has passed its first hurdle in the Commons despite a sizeable rebellion from his MPs.

The prime minister’s watered-down Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill, aimed at saving £5.5bn, was backed by a majority of 75 on Tuesday evening.

A total of 49 Labour MPs voted against the bill – the largest rebellion since 47 MPs voted against Tony Blair’s Lone Parent benefit in 1997, according to Professor Phil Cowley from Queen Mary University.

Politics latest: Chancellor left in ‘impossible situation’ after PM survives welfare rebellion

After multiple concessions made due to threats of a Labour rebellion, many MPs questioned what they were voting for as the bill had been severely stripped down.

They ended up voting for only one part of the plan: a cut to Universal Credit (UC) sickness benefits for new claimants from £97 a week to £50 from 2026/7.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the bill voted through “is not expected to deliver any savings over the next four years” because the savings from reducing the Universal Credit health element for new claimants will be roughly offset by the cost of increasing the UC standard allowance.

Just 90 minutes before voting started on Tuesday evening, disabilities minister Stephen Timms announced the last of a series of concessions made as dozens of Labour MPs spoke of their fears for disabled and sick people if the bill was made law.

How did your MP vote on Labour’s welfare bill?

In a major U-turn, he said changes in eligibility for the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability payment to help pay for extra costs incurred, would not take place until a review he is carrying out into the benefit is published in autumn 2026.

An amendment brought by Labour MP Rachael Maskell, which aimed to prevent the bill progressing to the next stage, was defeated but 44 Labour MPs voted for it.

A Number 10 source told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby: “Change isn’t easy, we’ve always known that, we’re determined to deliver on the mandate the country gave us, to make Britain work for hardworking people.

“We accept the will of the house, and want to take colleagues with us, our destination – a social security system that supports the most vulnerable, and enables people to thrive – remains.”

But the Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride called the vote “farcical” and said the government “ended up in this terrible situation” because they “rushed it”.

He warned the markets “will have noticed that when it comes to taking tougher decisions about controlling and spending, this government has been found wanting”.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “I wish we’d got to this point in a different way. And there are absolutely lessons to learn.

“But I think it’s really important we pass this bill at the second reading, it put some really important reforms to the welfare system – tackling work disincentives, making sure that people with severe conditions would no longer be assessed and alongside our investment in employment support this will help people get back to work, because that’s the brighter future for them.”

She made further concessions on Monday in the hope the rebels’ fears would be allayed, but many were concerned the PIP eligibility was going to be changed at the same time the review was published, meaning its findings would not be taken into account.

Her changes were:

• Current PIP claimants, and any up to November 2026, would have the same eligibility criteria as they do now, instead of the stricter measure proposed

• A consultation into PIP to be “co-produced” with disabled people and published in autumn 2026

• For existing and future Universal Credit (UC) claimants, the combined value of the standard UC allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year for the rest of this parliament

• The UC health top-up, for people with limited ability to work due to a disability or long-term sickness, will get a £300m boost next year – doubling the current amount – then rising to £800m the year after and £1bn in 2028/29.

World

Women’s Euros: Extreme heat warnings in place as tournament kicks off

Published

4 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Women's Euros: Extreme heat warnings in place as tournament kicks off

The Women’s Euros begin in Switzerland today – with extreme heat warnings in place.

Security measures have had to be relaxed by UEFA for the opening matches so fans can bring in water bottles.

Temperatures could be about 30C (86F) when the Swiss hosts open their campaign against Norway in Basel this evening.

Players have already seen the impact of heatwaves this summer at the men’s Club World Cup in the US.

It is raising new concerns in the global players’ union about whether the stars of the sport are being protected in hot and humid conditions.

FIFPRO has asked FIFA to allow cooling breaks every 15 minutes rather than just in the 30th minute of each half.

There’s also a request for half-time to be extended from 15 to 20 minutes to help lower the core temperature of players.

FIFPRO’s medical director, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, said: “There are some very challenging weather conditions that we anticipated a couple of weeks ago already, that was already communicated to FIFA.

“And I think the past few weeks were confirmation of all worries that the heat conditions will play a negative role for the performance and the health of the players.”

Football has seemed focused on players and fans baking in the Middle East – but scorching summers in Europe and the US are becoming increasingly problematic for sport.

While climate change is a factor, the issue is not new and at the 1994 World Cup, players were steaming as temperatures rose in the US.

There is now more awareness of the need for mitigation measures among players and their international union.

FIFPRO feels football officials weren’t responsive when it asked for kick-off times to be moved from the fierce afternoon heat in the US for the first 32-team Club World Cup.

FIFA has to balance the needs of fans and broadcasters with welfare, with no desire to load all the matches in the same evening time slots.

Electric storms have also seen six games stopped, including a two-hour pause during a Chelsea game at the weekend.

This is the dress rehearsal for the World Cup next summer, which is mostly in the US.

The use of more indoor, air conditioned stadiums should help.

There is no prospect of moving the World Cup to winter, as Qatar had to do in 2022.

And looking further ahead to this time in 2030, there will be World Cup matches in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The temperatures this week have been hitting 40C (104F) in some host cities.

FIFA said in a statement to Sky News: “Heat conditions are a serious topic that affect football globally.

“At the FCWC some significant and progressive measures are being taken to protect the players from the heat. For instance, cooling breaks were implemented in 31 out of 54 matches so far.

“Discussions on how to deal with heat conditions need to take place collectively and FIFA stands ready to facilitate this dialogue, including through the Task Force on Player Welfare, and to receive constructive input from all stakeholders on how to further enhance heat management.

“In all of this, the protection of players must be at the centre.”