Month: November 2010

Anti-Americanism - Business - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Frederick Meekins - Free Trade - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Jobs - Liberals

Just How Far Do Hispanosupremacist Sympathizers Intend To Take Their Biblical Analogies?

November 19, 2010 by

-By Frederick Meekins

In a Sojourner’s blog post titled “Abraham, Joseph and Today’s Patriarchs”, David Vasquez of Luther College likens the plight of illegal aliens to the epic of the Biblical patriarchs.

Let’s examine the analogy for a moment.

Unlike the illegals of today, at no time did the Hebrew progentiors Abraham up through Joseph demand that those in the lands where they sought refuge cater to their preferences or change the fundamental tenets of these respective cultures in which these figures sought refuge.

Secondly, if one is going to compare the majoritarian English culture to that of the Pharaohs, it must be remembered that in the end Egyptian authorities prevented the Hebrews from leaving the empire. No one is preventing illegals from returning to their respective homelands.
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Just How Far Do Hispanosupremacist Sympathizers Intend To Take Their Biblical Analogies?”

GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Ron Sandack Chosen to Fill Vacated Ill. State Senate Seat

November 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ron Sandack, Mayor of Downers Grove, has been given the nod to fill the seat vacated by Dan Cronin (R, Elmhurst – 21st District) who is stepping into the Chairmanship of the DuPage County Board.

Sandack was chosen over Republicans Chris Nybo, Sandy Pihos, and activist Rafael Rivadeneira.

The seat State Senator Randy Hultgren holds is yet to be filled now that Hultgren was elected to Congress. Hultgren has announced that he will retain his seat until Jan 4 when he’ll vacate it to go to Washington.
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Ron Sandack Chosen to Fill Vacated Ill. State Senate Seat”

00Publius Contributor - Catholicism - Kevin Roeten - Religion

PEW Survey on Religion Wrong

November 18, 2010 by

-By Kevin Roeten

It is unfortunate Pew Research Center for the People & the Press does a religious survey, and gets most of its premises incorrect. First, they assume all religions are equal. Second, they fail to mention the largest religion in the US, even though their analysis concerns the population’s religious traditions.

Anyone who actively belongs to a religion should know about that religion. Very likely if you’re not Hindu, you won’t know Vishnu and Shiva are part of Hinduism history. When a survey says Americans don’t know much about religion, they’re talking about all religions as if they were all equal. How do you know anything about a religion to which you don’t belong?

Largest Religious Groups in the USA, from the Pew Research Center, says the Catholic population should be over 90 million Americans by 2011. With almost one third of the country’s population, they are the largest religion in America.
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PEW Survey on Religion Wrong”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Government - Law - Liberals - Nanny State - Regulation - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Congress Giving FDA Power Over Our Food

November 18, 2010 by

(The outrageous attacks by our government on our freedoms and liberties are coming in wave after wave. From attempts to take over the Internet, to attempts to eliminate free political speech with incumbent protection acts, to all manner of other usurpations, every day government is attempting wild power grabs. We are being attacked on every level. And now, the next outrage is this: in the guise of “food safety” the Senate has given the FDA unheard of powers over our food. Here is a piece on SB510 written by my friend Sarah Foster to inform you of this latest insanity.)

Congress Giving FDA Power Over Our Food

By Sarah Foster, NewsWithViews.com

Take a look at that picture with all kinds of good stuff – fruits, veggies, nuts, milk, and yogurt. Now imagine it with one of those red circles over it, the kind with a line through to indicate everything therein is banned or off-limits.

Hold that image in your mind because it’s what you can expect if the much-vaunted FDA Food Safety bill – now on the floor of the Senate — is passed into law. The wipe-out won’t happen right away, but it will happen – gradually, over the next few years.

Congress is back in session for mopping-up exercises following the elections, and it’s expected that the long-delayed Senate floor fight over the controversial measure will take place some time this week. That is, unless Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid postpones debate and the vote until later in the “lame-duck” session.

If the bill does become law you can say goodbye to farmers markets, organically grown produce, raw milk – the kinds of food increasing numbers of Americans have been producing and seeking out.
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Congress Giving FDA Power Over Our Food”

American Majority - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Liberals - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Building a Conservative Majority Starts at Home

November 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

If conservatives intend to translate Tea Party enthusiasm into actual power they are certainly going to have begin to put like-minded folks into office and not just at the federal level. Every office from dogcatcher, to city offices, to county and state offices needs to be filled with Tea Party advocates. Conservatives cannot expect an enduring governing capability by focusing solely on federal elections.

To that end, this week American Majority (AmericanMajority.org/) unveiled a new initiative to help train Tea Party groups to groom local candidates in order to build a more enduring conservative governing majority across the country. The project is called the New Leaders Project.

AM hopes to help local Tea Party groups to identify 10 new leaders in their local community to run for state or local office. “The program will help community leaders identify quality candidates while fostering a new era of accountability between voters and elected officials,” said representatives for the group.
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Building a Conservative Majority Starts at Home”

Business - Capitalism - Censorship - Copyright - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Inernet - Net Neutrality - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

Don’t Censor the Internet! STOP the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act

November 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The politicians are at it again. They never cease to amaze for their constantly revolving attempts to take over complete control of the Internet and everything connected to it. This time, in the guise of safeguarding copyrighted material, Congressional Democrats intend to introduce into this zombie session of congress the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA).

COICA would give the Attorney General the power to shut down websites accused of illegally distributing copyrighted material by requiring Internet Service Providers to block such sites from its customers.

Certainly, as a capitalist, I am solidly for protections against copyright infringement, but, as is the case with most things that government does, this bill goes that much too far and offers a threat to freedom of expression on the Internet.
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Don’t Censor the Internet! STOP the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Health - Liberals - Medicaid - Medicare - Socialism - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama’s Socialist-Admiring Medicaid/Medicare Chief Gets Hearing

November 18, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Donald Berwick, Obama’s nominee to head up the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, made himself infamous earlier this year when video came to light showing him telling a British audience how much he admired their socialist healthcare system because it “redistributes” the Brit’s wealth.

Berwick went all warm and fuzzy over the socialist features of the British National Health Service saying,“Any health care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized, and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional.” The Heartland Institute had an extensive report on Berwick’s British address back when the video first surfaced.

Recently Senator Jim Bunning (R, KY) challenged Berwick, who accepted a recess appointment after his initial nomination never came to a vote in the Senate. Republicans are concerned that a man so taken by socialist policies would be in a position to attempt to implement similar left-wing policies here.

Berwick was brought before the Senate on Wednesday and The Heartland Institute covered the hearing in a live blog. It makes for interesting reading.
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Obama’s Socialist-Admiring Medicaid/Medicare Chief Gets Hearing”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Regulation - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Unions Attempting to Take Away Public’s Right to Know in Illinois

November 18, 2010 by

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

Earlier this year, the House and Senate passed HB 5154, a union-backed bill which would permanently take government employee performance evaluations out of the public sphere. Read more about why this matters to watchdogs like you.

Governor Pat Quinn issued an “amendatory veto” that rightly narrowed the scope of the bill (only police performance records would be off limits). However, today the House voted to override his veto.

Our very own Director of Government Reform Kate Piercy notes, “If the Senate agrees, performance reviews will be sealed forever. Goodbye transparency.”
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Unions Attempting to Take Away Public’s Right to Know in Illinois”

Democrats/Leftists - Government - Illinois - Inernet - Liberals - Sam Adams Alliance - Warner Todd Huston

It’s the Sammies!!

November 18, 2010 by

Chicago-based Sam Adams Alliance is announcing its fourth annual Sammies awards…

On the heels of some of the most citizen-driven election results in decades, we’re proud to announce the contest opening for the 4th annual Sammies, our annual awards show recognizing America’s best citizen leaders.

In 2011, the Sammies will recognize their achievements with new categories, $60,000 in prizes, and the best party we have ever thrown! It all happens April 8, 2011 at Chicago’s Union Station. Get all the details here.

Nominate someone you know (or yourself) for a Sammie!

Get the latest on the Sammies, including announcements of featured speakers and nominees by following us on Twitter and Facebook.

Budget - Colorado - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Liberals - Taxes - Truth in Accounting - Warner Todd Huston

True Colorado Taxpayer Burden is $8.1 Billion

November 18, 2010 by

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Colorado’s “Financial State of the State”

Chicago (November 16, 2010) — Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Colorado’s “Financial State of the State.” After an intensive review of the state’s 2009 audited financial report, the Institute determined the state is in a precarious financial position because it does not have the funds available to pay more than $8.1 billion of the state’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s share of this financial burden equals $4,900.
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True Colorado Taxpayer Burden is $8.1 Billion”

Ann "Babe" Huggett - Congress - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Law - Liberals - Regulation - Senate - Texas

King Street Patriots of Harris County, TX Files Countersuit Against Democrats/Soros Funded Smear Machine

November 18, 2010 by

-By Ann “Babe” Huggett

Not willing to be victimized or intimidated by a spurious lawsuit claiming failure to register as a political corporation, reveal non-existent prohibited corporate campaign contributions along with its equally non-existent donor list brought against them by the Texas Democratic Party, the non-profit, 501(c)(4) organization, citizen-volunteer and citizen funded King Street Patriots, led by Catherine Engelbrecht, filed a countersuit in Austin on Monday, November 15 claiming defamation and requesting that those parts of the Texas election code restricting free speech be ruled unconstitutional.

The Democratic Party’s vehemence was triggered by the King Street Patriots’ dedicated uncovering of voter fraud on the rolls and its non-partisan True the Vote initiative, which seeks to assure fair and free elections for voters of all political parties through education and training of poll watchers and poll workers to look out for additional voter fraud at the polls.

Some of the election abuses uncovered and documented by the King Street Patriots have included multiple voter registrations, non-citizen voter registrations, fraudulent voter information, forged voter signatures, election officials verbally bullying voters to either change their ballot choices or vote a straight Democratic ticket up to and including actually manipulating the voting machines for the voters and elected officials, like Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, campaigning directly outside polling places. Other documented Democratic Party member abuses include a lunatic minister and a self-proclaimed leader of the New Black Panthers along with his henchmen entering polling places to verbally and physically intimidate poll watchers.
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King Street Patriots of Harris County, TX Files Countersuit Against Democrats/Soros Funded Smear Machine”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Health - Jobs - Liberals - Taxes - Thomas Brewton

A Liberal-Progressive Abstraction: Caring For The Little Guy

November 18, 2010 by

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Anthony Paletta’s book review describes urban renewal’s human costs.

Liberal-progressives are fond of grand, sweeping state-planning projects, conceived in abstraction by academic theorists. Their preference is for betting the house on one roll of the dice, for example, with Obamacare. No incremental, careful tests for them.

Still, so-called urban renewal projects, though on a smaller scale, command liberal-progressive planners’ attention. Why miss an opportunity to destroy a neighborhood and wipe out a few thousand local businesses?
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A Liberal-Progressive Abstraction: Caring For The Little Guy”

Anti-Americanism - Civil War - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - GOP - Government - History - Liberals - Republicans - Rush Limbaugh - Slavery - Society/Culture - Western Civilization

Salon’s Rant about Rush, Race and Reconstruction

November 18, 2010 by

-By Michael Zak

Today, Steve Kornacki, news editor at Salon, published a lengthy denounciation of the Republican Party, and of Rush Limbaugh specifically, on the subject of civil rights The title of the article is Dittoheads, race and denial. Kornacki makes a pretense of setting the record straight about the civil rights movement, but instead he imparts his own lefty spin. Rather than go through the article point by point, I’ll let just a few observations serve to illustrate the overall duplicity.

The very image atop his article is a lie. It portrays a Republican, Rush Limbaugh, on the Confederate flag despite the fact that the Confederates were Democrats.

Hey, Steve! How about speaking some Truth to Power? Your article should have admitted the fact that the Confederates were Democrats. You could also admit the fact that you, as a Democrat, are a member of the Party of Slavery, Jim Crow, and the Ku Klux Klan.

The historical argument he makes is based on another lie:
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Salon’s Rant about Rush, Race and Reconstruction”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Earmarks - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Mitch McConnell - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Senate Republicans Vote to Ban Earmarks

November 17, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, after Senate GOP minority leader Mitch McConnell agreed to go along with the anti-earmark policy that the Tea Party voters were urging, the Senate voted to ban earmarked spending.

Earmarks are those little spending clauses added to bills that otherwise have nothing at all to do with the earmark and are emblematic of the wasteful spending indulged by Congress.

According to Roll Call:

Senate Republicans threw down the earmark gauntlet Tuesday by adopting a resolution calling on Democrats to adopt a voluntary ban moments after they adopted an identical ban of their own.

The challenge, authored by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), calls for Democrats to swear off requests for “a congressionally directed spending item, limited tax benefit or limited tariff benefit” during the 112th Congress.

Adopted by voice vote by the Republican Conference, the challenge came shortly after GOP Senators agreed to an identical ban proposed by Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.). Although Sen. James Inhofe (Okla.) objected to the ban — and expressed his strong opposition to it during the GOP’s closed-door meeting — he did not block a voice vote on the measure.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has repeatedly dismissed demands for a moratorium on earmarks over the last several days.

Notice, folks, that the Democrats want to continue unabated the wasteful spending by our representatives in both the House and the Senate. Democrats live to waste our tax dollars.

It is heartening that the Republicans have heard the voters and are willing to follow that directive to begin the long, hard road to end wasteful spending. Certainly eliminating earmarks are a tiny step in the right direction, but it is a step and a welcome one, indeed.
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Senate Republicans Vote to Ban Earmarks”

Budget - California - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Sports - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

L.A. Sports Stadium Project More Important Than Libraries, Police, Firemen?

November 17, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The 2010 elections are now history. If there was any lesson from this Republican tidal wave that swept across the country it is that the vast majority of Americans are furious at the overspending and flawed leadership of our politicians. Voters are no longer so easily fooled by claims that wild spending sprees are beneficial. California was spared the GOP tidal wave but California voters of all stripes voted in droves to impose a high threshold on imposing any new taxes (what was LA turnout). In the City of Los Angeles real pain is being felt as libraries are shut down due to budgetary cuts with police and firefighters next on the chopping block. Yet even with all these cuts in services, politicians in the City of Los Angeles are still considering a multi-million dollar subsidy — using taxpayer dollars – for the problematic Staples NFL Stadium project.

Across the country voters are starting to veer away from supporting public money going to fund stadiums and other such entertainment projects. Recently the Wall Street Journal reported that, “taxpayers are opposing agreements to fund baseball projects after a decades long boom in publicly financed ballparks.” It appears that L.A. has not learned its lesson from November 2nd.
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L.A. Sports Stadium Project More Important Than Libraries, Police, Firemen?”

Cook County - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Joe Walsh - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Congressman Elect Joe Walsh: Let’s Take The Country Back

November 17, 2010 by

From Congressman elect Joe Walsh…

I’m pleased that the decision of the people of the 8th District voting on November 2nd has been confirmed. Representative Bean telephoned me earlier this evening and congratulated me for winning the 8th District seat in the United States House of Representatives. I am grateful to each and every individual who cast their ballot for me, and for all of the thousands of volunteers, Tea Party members, regular Republicans, friends and staff people that have made this victory possible. I congratulate Representative Bean on her vigorous campaign and thank her for her six years of public service.

With the voting and counting now complete, we can turn all of our energies to advancing the legislative agenda the people of the 8th District have told me to pursue: more responsive government, less borrowing against our children’s future, and a common sense approach to deal with the economic challenges facing our country. I will be busy here in Washington for several more days before returning to Illinois to personally thank all those who worked so hard to send me to Congress.

We have a lot to do, and I am eager to get at it.

Congressman-elect Joe Walsh will be holding a press conference on Wednesday, November 17 at 11:30 AM Eastern Time at RNC Headquarters.

Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Let’s Get SB600 Passed!

November 17, 2010 by

Doug Ibendhal wants us all to re-commit to getting SB600 passed. I am a big supporter of the measure, so I certainly agree with him on this.

The Illinois General Assembly goes back in session in Springfield this week (November 16-18).

SB600 passed overwhelmingly in the State Senate last year. We just need House passage and then it’s to the Governor’s desk. Pat Quinn is certain to sign the bill. His reformer talk would be over if he didn’t.

Please take a minute and contact your State Representative, whether Republican or Democrat, and urge passage of SB600.

You’ll find all of the contact information here (then page down).

Note that we’ve put all the email addresses for all of the State Representatives into user friendly blocks (one with all the Democrats and one with all the Republicans). Feel free to copy and paste the addresses into your email and contact all of them at once.

If SB600 doesn’t pass before the new General Assembly is seated in mid-January, then the whole process has to start all over again in the State Senate. Let’s not let that happen.

So far House Minority Leader Tom Cross has gotten his way. He and other GOP bosses have stonewalled SB600 for years. These power hungry Republicans don’t want you to have a voice in your own party. They don’t want accountability in the Illinois Republican Party and they certainly don’t want transparency….

Read the rest at Republican News Watch.

Budget - Chris Lauzen - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Pensions - Public Employees Unions - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Carnival Shell Game with Illinois State Pensions

November 17, 2010 by

From the office of State Senator Chris Lauzen (25th District)…

On November 4, 2010, all State Senators were called to Springfield ostensibly to vote on a $4B proposal to pay into state employee pension plans. The Democrat leadership had a political caucus off-site, but no vote was taken on the important fiscal matter, nor any other substantive issue.

Last year I believed Governor Quinn’s promise that he would spend approximately $3.5 Billion in borrowed funds wisely and, incredibly (for me), I voted “yes” to give him broad borrowing and spending authority. Unfortunately, that promise was broken and nearly all of that debt was used to pay for public employee pension deposits, while our schools languished and social service agencies were decimated.

Fool me once, shame on you – – fool me twice shame on me.

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Carnival Shell Game with Illinois State Pensions”

Budget - California - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Liberals - Nancy Morgan - Taxes

For your consideration: Why I Left California‏

November 17, 2010 by

-By Nancy Morgan

After living in California for 33 years, I finally decided to leave. I sold my business and my home and relocated to South Carolina.

I moved to California when I was 17. Like most of my fellow residents, I was busy living my life. I gave very little thought to politics, assuming that politicians knew best how to run the state. I wasn’t even aware of the difference between Republicans and Democrats. I would always vote, but with 20/20 hindsight, I see how my votes were manipulated and influenced by the overwhelmingly liberal media.

Until age 36, I pretty much followed the party line, believing what I saw on the news and read in the papers. I figured the ‘experts’ knew better than I, and was relieved not to have to form my own opinions. I relied on group thought, which is, or was, extremely pervasive in the Los Angeles area.

I remember hearing a talk show host describe how a school board in Torrance was successful in defeating a Christian candidate and remember feeling glad that there were others out there working to keep radical influences away from our children. I never questioned the premise that Christians were considered radical.
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For your consideration: Why I Left California‏”

Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Joe Walsh - Liberals - Melissa Bean - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Walsh Wins by 290 Votes in Ill 8th

November 16, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The ballots are finally all counted for the race for the 8th Congressional District in Illinois. Congratulations goes to Republican Joe Walsh who beat incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean by a scant 290 votes.

The vote tally has yet to be 100 percent certified, but it looks like Walsh is the winner.

This is quite a pickup for the GOP, too. Not only did party wonks assume that Walsh never had a chance to win this race and therefore didn’t give Walsh much help, the other side was so sure that Bean was a shoo in to be returned to Congress that they didn’t spend much money on her race either.

This one is a shock to just about everyone. One suspects even Walsh is surprised.

So, congrats to Congressman elect Joe Walsh, 8th District.
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Walsh Wins by 290 Votes in Ill 8th”

Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Fox News - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Media - Rod Blagojevich - Warner Todd Huston

Blago Calling Emanuel In Next Trial?

November 16, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Rod Blagojevich is saying he fully intends to bring Rahm Emanuel into court as a witness in the next phase of his corruption trial.

“Rahm is going to be a central witness in this case for us,” Blago told Fox News Chanel commentator Geraldo Rivera.

Geraldo wondered if this would be a major distraction for Rahm Emanuel next year as he runs for mayor as the second Blago trial will be occurring at the same time as the mayoral contest.

This is one thing that could portend trouble for an Emanuel run for City Hall. Of course, Emanuel has to get past the charge of non-residency and the perception that he is a carpetbagger from Washington, too. But… you know…

Anyway, if you want to watch a master of desperate spin, heeeeeeres Rod:

It most certainly will be interesting, though, to have a major candidate for mayor who is in the middle of a campaign for City Hall to be dragooned into a corruption trial. If the other candidates for mayor don’t press Emanuel to answer to just how much of Blago’s corruption Rahm knew about, when he knew it and how much of it he was involved in — and by extension the president himself — they don’t deserve to be on the ballot themselves!

Lastly, there is something amusing about a Chicago Mayor in a corruption imbroglio before he even gets elected, too. If that isn’t a typically Chicago mess, what is?
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Blago Calling Emanuel In Next Trial?”

Congress - Cook County Board - DuPage County - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Korean War - Peter Roskam - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Congressman Roskam Commemorates Veterans Day From Korea

November 16, 2010 by

From Congressman Peter Roskam…

Joins His father, a Korean War Veteran, At President Obama’s Remarks to Troops at Yongsan Garrison

SEOUL, Korea, Nov 11 – Congressman Peter Roskam issued the following statement in commemoration of Veterans Day:

“It is a privilege to be in Korea today with my father on the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War – a war which he fought bravely in to preserve freedom and halt the advance of Communism. My father, V.R. Roskam, has received an outpouring of thanks and appreciation from Koreans everywhere we’ve visited the last week. It’s a powerful lesson: the sacrifices our men and women in the Armed Forces have made to preserve freedom in almost every corner of the globe, even decades later, are not forgotten. The bustling capital city of Seoul, home to 12 million people, is testament to the generations of Americans who have helped ensure the existence of whole nations of free people.
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Congressman Roskam Commemorates Veterans Day From Korea”

Arkansas - Budget - Liberals - Taxes - Truth in Accounting - Warner Todd Huston

True Arkansas Taxpayer Burden is $2.47 BILLION

November 16, 2010 by

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Arkansas’s “Financial State of the State”

Chicago (November 15, 2010) — Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Arkansas Financial “State of the State.” After an intensive review of the state’s 2009 audited financial report, the Institute determined the state is in a precarious financial position because it does not have the funds available to pay more than $2.4 billion of the state’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s share of this financial burden equals $3,300.

Arkansas law requires a balanced state budget. “If governors and legislatures had truly balanced the state’s budget, no taxpayer’s financial burden would exist,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). She continued, “A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees’ retirement benefits, are pushed into the future.”
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True Arkansas Taxpayer Burden is $2.47 BILLION”

Budget - Chris Slavens - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Earmarks - Economy/Finances - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Republicans - Senate - Taxes

GOP Must Return to Consistent Conservatism

November 16, 2010 by

-By Chris Slavens

Republicans are feeling pretty good about themselves. In addition to picking up sixty-one seats in the House and gaining control of that legislative body for the first time in four years, they now control a majority of the states, and are poised to give themselves a long-term advantage by redistricting next year. The White House and Senate are still in Democrats’ hands, but the voters overwhelmingly rejected one-party rule, and Republican politicians clearly believe that the American people are on their side.

They couldn’t be more wrong. The GOP is fractured, like a fragmented vase held together by tape. It made it through the election by riding a wave of antiestablishment anger; many voters, especially independents, did not so much vote for Republicans as they voted against Democrats. Americans wanted to say “no” to liberal socialism, and did, but Republicans now have to offer the electorate something to say “yes” to. Unfortunately, they can’t seem to agree on what that something should be.

There is an ideological rift in the Republican Party, a division that could prove to be fatal if those in control refuse to release their stranglehold on power. There are the old Republicans—the establishment—who first feared the Tea Party, then attempted to infiltrate and control it, and the new Republicans, a far more ideological bunch who would rather drive their own party into the ground than see it head in the wrong direction. These conservative idealists want the best for their country, and view the GOP as a means to an end. Like a tool, the party will be used to complete a task. And, like a tool, it will be discarded if it doesn’t get the job done.
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GOP Must Return to Consistent Conservatism”

Journalism - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - Warner Todd Huston

Right-Wing Conspiracies: Dancing With the Stars and Now… The Dictionary?

November 15, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The wild-eyed, conspiro-nuts of the far left have been waxing goofy over claims that there simply must be a vast right wing conspiracy because Palin moppet Bristol Palin continues to scoot by ad stay on the Dancing With the Stars show. Well, now I’d guess they have a new conspiracy to launch: the New Oxford American Dictionary has just named “refudiate” its word of the year.

The left is all ready to call in Jesse Ventura and his TV crew of Conspiracy Theory on this one. After all, it must be a vast right-wing conspiracy if a real-life dictionary is to be seen giving such as Sarah Palin the benefit of its validation.

ABC News reports:

Sarah Palin has officially changed the modern lexicon, one tweet at a time. While one might expect the New Oxford American Dictionary to refudiate the former Alaska governor’s favorite verb, today they embraced it, announcing “refudiate” as the official 2010 word of the year.

The left must be at its lowest point emotionally.

First they are tossed out of office in a landslide, and then THIS!

It’s an outrage, I tells ya.
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Right-Wing Conspiracies: Dancing With the Stars and Now… The Dictionary?”

Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Liberals - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Sunshine Review Launches Online Transparency Platform for Legislators and Activists

November 15, 2010 by

From Sunshine Review…

Platform and model legislation endorsed by leading state legislators

Sunshine Review, the nation’s leading state and local government transparency advocate, launched SunshineStandard.org, an online platform for legislators and activists that will act as the national guide for launching reforms to expand the information available on state and local government web sites so that Americans may better hold elected officials accountable.

“Most state and local governments do not embrace transparency,” said Mike Barnhart, President of Sunshine Review. “Even fewer proactively share information.” Transparency exists largely at the munificence of officials, with the burden of negotiating complex and costly FOIA petitions resting squarely on the shoulders of citizens and journalists.
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Sunshine Review Launches Online Transparency Platform for Legislators and Activists”

Anti-Americanism - Anti-Semitism - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Liberals - PCism - Republicans - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization - WWII

Who REALLY Throws Around The Terms Nazi and Fascist

November 15, 2010 by

Jeff Dunetz has a timely reminder of just who it is that goes around calling everyone Nazis all the time (hint, it ain’t the Tea Partiers, conservatives or Republicans).

There are legitimate cases of people inappropriately throwing around the terms Nazi and Fascist, even using them to accuse the President, but that was a different President. Sadly Media Matters, and other Progressive Organizations have been silent about these inappropriate charges.

Chicago - Cook County - Danny Davis - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Gery Chico - Illinois - James Meeks - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Mayoral Contest Begins: Gery Chico Calls for 10 Debates

November 15, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, the field of contenders for Chicago’s mayoral election is taking shape. Hats in the ring currently were tossed by James Meeks, Danny Davis, Miguel del Valle, Carol Moseley Braun, and of course Rahm Emanuel.

Then there is former school board chief Gery Chico. Chico claims that over 50,000 voters signed his petition as he filed them on Monday morning. Chico says “the time to debate is now.”

Mayoral candidate Gery Chico called for at least 10 debates in the neighborhoods of Chicago on Monday, after filing his petition signatures at the Chicago Board of Elections. Chico filed 50,254 signatures and will unveil the first major proposal of the campaign this week.

“I am calling for all the candidates to commit to at least 10 debates in Chicago’s neighborhoods before the election,” Chico said. “The future of our city is at stake and Chicagoans deserve nothing short of a full and vigorous debate of the issues. Let’s debate ways to create more jobs, make our streets safer and fix education and let’s debate them now because Chicago needs a mayor who is ready on Day One.”

My guess is that Rahm will do his best to ignore all contenders and assume the mantle of clear winner. I’d also guess he will refuse all debates until very close to the end of the campaign.
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Chicago Mayoral Contest Begins: Gery Chico Calls for 10 Debates”

9/11 - Barack Obama - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Islam - Islamofascism - Jobs - Liberals - President - Terrorism - TSA - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

A Unionized TSA Will Make Our Airports Less Safe

November 15, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Everywhere you turn the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) is getting lambasted. If it isn’t people refusing to abide by TSA directions, it’s stories of a “backlash against body scanners” because of the abusive treatment that TSA employees are doling out to travelers. People are becoming fed up with the whole edifice. But imagine how much worse this situation will get if the TSA is allowed to unionize?

Well, if Obama has his way this is exactly what will happen. Evidence his Federal Labor Relations Authority ruled last Friday that the TSA could, indeed, vote on union representation.

This decision opens the possibilities that the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union could vie to represent the 50,000 employees of the TSA.
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A Unionized TSA Will Make Our Airports Less Safe”