Free Trade

Adam Kinzinger - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - FCC - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Inernet - Liberals - Net Neutrality - Peter Roskam - Policy - President - Republicans - Socialism - Taxes - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

House Votes to Curb FCC’s Internet Power Grab

April 11, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

We’ve been writing about Obama’s attempt to take over control of the Internet for some time, now, and there is at last a bit of good news on that front. The House of Representatives has passed Congressional Resolution, H.J. Res. 37 aimed at preventing the FCC’s wild, unconstitutional powergrab.

Chief Deputy Whip Congressman Peter Roskam was in favor of this move and released a statement that said:

The FCC’s decision to prohibit America’s Internet providers from managing content on their own networks is a colossal mistake that will hurt job creation and innovation in one of our most vibrant industries. These new regulations are a solution in search of a problem. America’s Internet companies – from large enterprises to tiny garage start-ups – are examples of what can happen when government stays out of the way. The Internet is an engine of innovation and economic growth essential to America maintaining its qualitative edge. Net Neutrality rules will only stifle competition, hurt job creation and provide huge disincentives to innovate – so I urge the FCC to rescind these rules immediately.

Likewise, Congressman Adam Kinzinger voted yes on the resolution.
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House Votes to Curb FCC’s Internet Power Grab”

Bobby Schilling - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Jobs - Liberals - PLA - Public Employees Unions - Regulation - Republicans - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Why Did 17th District’s Schilling Vote For 2 Pro-Union Amendments?

March 14, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Newly minted Republican Representative Bobby Schilling from Illinois’ 17th district recently voted in favor of two pro-union amendments in Congress and the votes have caused some folks to go scratching their heads in trying to figure out why he did it.

Schilling ran as the business-oriented candidate against long-time Democrat incumbent Phil Hare, so his two pro-union votes are odd in light of his late campaign rhetoric. So, the Quad-City Times contacted Schilling’s office to find out what was going on.

Schilling’s office replied that one of the votes was simply a mistake. But the second vote Schilling stands up for unapologetically.
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Why Did 17th District’s Schilling Vote For 2 Pro-Union Amendments?”

Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - PLA - Republicans - Senate - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Just Can’t Win Dept: Unions Honor Traitor Republicans, Dems Call Unions Traitors

March 14, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Traitors to the right of them, traitors to the left of them, traitors in front of them… behind them, around them within them… in the they-just-can’t-win department, unions held a soiree for the traitor Republicans that voted in favor of some of the pro-union provisions in last week’s temporary budget and their pals in the donkey party were heehawing in rage to beat the band over the whole thing. The news is quite revealing in a number of ways, really.

On March 10 Politico reported that 15 labor groups held a little “thank you” party on Capitol Hill for those Republicans that voted in favor of the few pro-union amendments to the CR. Only those Republicans that voted in favor of the unions were invited.

Of the pro-union amendments, one would have repealed the Davis Bacon prevailing wage law and the second would have prohibited the federal government from observing project labor agreements (PLAs). The latter failed by a 210 to 210 tie vote. Some Republicans claimed that they voted in favor of the PLA amendment by accident due to the flurry of amendments offered in a short space of time before the votes came due.

Democrats on the Hill were not amused by the union’s reaching out to the GOP, though.
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Just Can’t Win Dept: Unions Honor Traitor Republicans, Dems Call Unions Traitors”

Alan Caruba - Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Liberals - President - Socialism - Taxes

Duped! Relentless Marxist Deception

March 13, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

“The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But, under the name of ‘liberalism’, they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.” Norman Thomas, former U.S. Socialist Party president candidate

Those of my age—I am in my seventies—have a strong recall of the Cold War, fought from the end of World War Two in 1945 until the fall of the infamous Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. We grew up knowing that the Communists—Marxists—were the enemy.

All throughout that period, American liberals—Leftists—did what they could to ridicule efforts to rid the government of Communists, attacked those like Sen. Joseph McCarthy who spoke out against them, defended the likes of Fidel Castro who turned Cuba into a prison-state, and worked to “improve” U.S.-Soviet relations.
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Duped! Relentless Marxist Deception”

Barack Obama - Bill Clinton - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Energy - Free Trade - George W. Bush - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Oil - President - Regulation - RightPundits.com - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Clinton Blasts Obama’s Foot Dragging on Oil Drilling Permits

March 12, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Interestingly at the end of last week during the IHS CERAWeek conference held in Houston, Texas, former President Bill Clinton said that Obama’s constant delays on issuing offshore oil drilling permits was “ridiculous.” With this one might be able to claim that Bill Clinton is a “drill, baby, drill” booster, just like Sarah Palin!

Politico is reporting that Bill Clinton agreed with fellow speaker former President George W. Bush on many of his points concerning the oil and gas industry and agreed that the hurdles that Obama’s government have been thrown up before them are ill advised.

“Bush said all the things you’d expect him to say” on oil and gas issues, said Jim Noe, senior vice president at Hercules Offshore and executive director of the pro-drilling Shallow Water Energy Security Coalition. But Clinton added, “You’d be surprised to know that I agree with all that,” according to Noe and others in the room…

Clinton said there are “ridiculous delays in permitting when our economy doesn’t need it,” according to Noe and others.

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.
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Clinton Blasts Obama’s Foot Dragging on Oil Drilling Permits”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Free Trade - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Inernet - Jobs - Liberals - Pat Quinn - Taxes - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

ILL Gov. Quinn Signs the Boot Out Internet Companies Law

March 11, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois’ Democrat Governor Pat Quinn has signed the so-called Mainstreet Fairness Bill brought to him by the Illinois General Assembly. The bill forces all Internet companies to charge Illinois’ 6.25% sales tax whether they are based in the state or not.

Quinn signed the bill in the last few days before it would have gone into force anyway.

The nation’s largest Internet-based business, Amazon,com, said it would cut ties with all its affiliates in Illinois if the bill became law. No word if they are following through on that threat, yet, but Amazon has cut ties in some states that have instituted similar laws — though it has stayed in other states that have done so, New York in particular.

Several Illinois-based Internet companies have warned the state that if the bill became law they would pull up stakes and leave the state.
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ILL Gov. Quinn Signs the Boot Out Internet Companies Law”

Budget - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Free Trade - Liberals - Resa LaRu, "Warchick" Kirkland - Taxes

UPDATE!! Produce Starting to Rot But Prices Barely Coming Down

March 10, 2011 by

-By Resa LaRu Kirkland

So I was at the store tonight, and fortunately, my favorite produce clerk was there. The Roma Tomatoes were holding steady since I wrote on them earlier in the week, so we talked plums for a bit.

My life is plum exciting…yours is about to be too.

There were two kinds there, the black (left) and the red (right.) Neither of them were particularly big individually…plums usually are pretty small.
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UPDATE!! Produce Starting to Rot But Prices Barely Coming Down”

Budget - Capitalism - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - Paul Ryan - PLA - President - Public Employees Unions - Republicans - Stimulus - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston - Wisconsin

Why Did Rep. Paul Ryan Vote for Destructive Union Giveaway?

March 8, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Wisconsin’s Republican Representative Paul Ryan is one of the most well known budget hawks in Congress today. Yet seeming to defy that reputation last week Ryan voted against putting a halt to a budget bloating union giveaway. So what happened?

The amendment was an effort to end project labor agreements on federal construction projects in 2011. This is the sort of thing one would think that every Republican would naturally vote for. Yet the final vote left the tally standing at a tie which meant the measure failed to pass. Twenty-six Republicans voted against this good amendment, Ryan being one of them.
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Why Did Rep. Paul Ryan Vote for Destructive Union Giveaway?”

Adam Kinzinger - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Colombia - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - GOP - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Panama - President - Republicans - South Korea - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Kinzinger Votes to Cut $4 Billion to Keep Government Open, Urges Obama to Act on Trade

March 2, 2011 by

From the office of Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger (11th District)…

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) released the following statement on today’s bipartisan House vote to cut $4 billion in government spending and keep the government open through March 18, 2011.

“Today, the House passed legislation that cuts $4 billion in wasteful spending and will keep the government running for another two weeks. It is high time that we cut up the government’s credit cards and draw a hard line to stop the government from overspending which is hampering job creation.

“However, two weeks worth of spending cuts is simply not enough to sustain our economy, which is why ten days ago, the House passed H.R. 1, legislation that would fund the government through the end of the 2011 Fiscal Year.
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Kinzinger Votes to Cut $4 Billion to Keep Government Open, Urges Obama to Act on Trade”

AFSCME - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Elections - Ethics - Free Trade - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Regulation - Security/Safety - SEIU - Taxes - Teachers Unions - The Law - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Hate is What Unions Sell

February 24, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

This situation in Wisconsin has brought out the truth about unions: they peddle hate. Unions are exactly what Democrats try to claim the Tea Party is, a hate-filled, uncivil, mob of name callers. Unionistas use hateful and violent rhetoric, they call everyone that opposes them Hitler and they lie about their ultimate goals.

Many of you out there may be saying that we shouldn’t hold the obscene actions of a few bad Wisconsin teachers against the whole of uniondom. But we don’t have to restrict ourselves to Wisconsin to see this sort of hateful, violence themed rhetoric.

Yesterday, for instance, Massachusetts Democrat Representative Michael Capuana told a union crowd that sometimes the protesters have to “get a little bloody” on the streets to prove their fealty to the unions.
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Hate is What Unions Sell”

Barack Obama - Budget - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Regulation - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Defunding Obama’s Union Led Regulatory Army

February 23, 2011 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

You might recall that with great fanfare and the slobberingly positive coverage by the Old Media, President Obama made Reagan-like and claimed that he thought it was time to get rid of the regulations strangling American business. Since that time he’s met with businesses and pretended to suddenly be a pro-business, pro-economic growth president. His actions, however, give the lie to his sudden turn around from anti-business to pro-business man. Thankfully the GOP is making to help the president become what he’s selling himself as, despite his best intentions.

One of those ways that the GOP is assisting Obama to become business friendly — no matter how much Obama hates the idea — was announced last week by John Kline and the Republicans of the Education and the Workforce Committee of the House of Representatives.

Subcommittee Chairman Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) announced the closer scrutiny that the GOP intends to level upon the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal entity that is supposed to act as a mediator for disputes between labor. That closer scrutiny is a result of Obama’s appointees moving the NLRB from mediator between business and labor to outright advocate in favor of Big Labor.
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Defunding Obama’s Union Led Regulatory Army”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Free Trade - GOP - Government - Jobs - Liberals - President - Republicans - Taxes - Transparency - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

How Obama’s Big Labor Pals Warp the System

February 17, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last September the Senate refused to reverse a rules change made out of pocket by Obama’s National Mediation Board. The rule change reversed a 75-year-old practice and made it possible to unionize a company even if less than half of its employees wanted to be unionized.

Previous to the rules change, any company in the transportation industry (rail, airlines, etc.) that had employees wanting to unionize had to count 51% or more of its employees voting in favor of the union. It seems only natural, after all, that a union should not be able to force itself on employees unless the majority wills it, right? As it happens the union stacked NMB summarily changed the rules so that a company could become unionized by a majority of those voting at the time instead of a majority of a company’s employees. That means if a company has 100 employees but only forty were present at the vote, then only 21 employees voting yes would force a union on all of them.
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How Obama’s Big Labor Pals Warp the System”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Free Trade - Gery Chico - Government - Illinois - Jobs - Liberals - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Rhetoric Against Rahm Emanuel Heats Up

February 17, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

At a recent rally for Chicago Mayoral candidate Gery Chico, the head of the Operating Engineers Local 150, James Sweeney, said that Rahm Emanuel was a “Judas” to the union cause. Now Emanuel, himself Jewish, is attempting to make this common phrase into some sort of anti-Semitic attack on him.

During the rally, Sweeney attacked Emanuel’s long record of supporting the North American Free Trade Act (NATFA) that he helped Bill Clinton pass in the 1990s.

We don’t need to be told that there’s an economic problem, we live it every day. Rahm Emanuel doesn’t live it, he’s nothing but a Wall Street Judas… a bag of silver that he collected when he went and passed NAFTA. That’s exactly what he is.

For his part Emanuel is saying the whole thing is “blatantly antisemitic.” But come on. It is obvious that Sweeney had no intent to inject any anti-Semitism into his campaign rally when he said that Emanuel was a Judas to unions. Using the term Judas is a common term that properly fits any situation and isn’t just a Jewish reference.
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Union Rhetoric Against Rahm Emanuel Heats Up”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Media Bias - President - Regulation - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Now THERE’S Chutzpah: Obama Claims He hasn’t Raised Taxes?

February 8, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

John Kartch over at Americans for Tax Reform found President Obama’s claim that he hasn’t raised taxes a bit, shall we say, quixotic. At one point in the interview with Obama conducted by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and shown on Sunday, Obama stated bald faced that he didn’t do so. The truth seems to be a different animal, however.

Employing his best preacher’s alliterative mode by repeating it twice, Obama told O’Reilly, “I didn’t raise taxes once. I lowered taxes over the last two years. I lowered taxes for the last two years.”

But did he hold the line on taxes? Kartch shows that Obama’s claim does not hold water. In fact, “just sixteen days into his presidency,” Kartch reminds us, Obama raised taxes on tobacco by 156 percent! Then came Obamacare, little else but a defacto tax hike in at least a dozen areas.

And then there is the smoke and mirrors:
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Now THERE’S Chutzpah: Obama Claims He hasn’t Raised Taxes?”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Cap and Trade - Capitalism - Climate Change - Coal - Democrats/Leftists - Energy - Environment - EPA - Free Trade - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Nuclear Power - Oil - President - Regulation - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

First Obamacare Waivers Now EPA Rules Waivers

February 3, 2011 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Obama Administration is quickly becoming the most corrupt administration in American history. Recently we reported about the mounting number of waivers that Obama is giving his union pals and union supporters so that they can get away from having to suffer under his Obamacare law and now the president’s jobs-killing greenhouse gas rules levied upon the nation using his fiat EPA powers are also being set aside for his best buddies. Naturally, all those getting these big waivers were big donors to Obama’s campaign.

At this point we are up to over 700 Obamacare waivers given to his union pals and other campaign donors and now the EPA has announced the first waiver for the new greenhouse gas rules that really haven’t even been implemented exactly yet.

Timothy Carney reports that General Electric has been the lucky, lucky recipient of a waiver for Obama’s EPA rules. Yes, very lucky, indeed.
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First Obamacare Waivers Now EPA Rules Waivers”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Free Trade - GOP - Government - Liberals - Mitch McConnell - Nanny State - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston - Washington D.C.

Senate’s Repeal Healthcare Vote Failure Further Makes Lie to Term ‘Conservative Democrat’

February 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Newly minted West Virginia Senator, Democrat Joe Manchin, ran for office denigrating Obama’s take over of our national healthcare system with his Obamacare law. Tonight he and other so-called “conservative Democrats” in the Senate got a chance to prove that they were, indeed, as conservative as they claimed to be by voting to repeal Obamacare. Not one of them made that vote, however.

In a vote strictly down party lines, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R, KY) repeal measure lost in a 51 to 47 vote. It needed a 60 vote super majority to pass.

McConnell did not likely expect his measure to pass, to be sure. His aim was meant at the very least to put everyone in the Senate on record as to where they stood on Obamacare. This isn’t the last word on the debate, either, as Republican Senator John Cornyn (Texas) vowed that this fight was not nearly over.

Within minutes after the vote, on the GOP’s Senate Twitter feed, Cornyn talked of the battle to come. “These are the first steps in a long road that will culminate in 2012 where we will continue to expose the flaws in this bill,” he said.
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Senate’s Repeal Healthcare Vote Failure Further Makes Lie to Term ‘Conservative Democrat’”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - China - Democrats/Leftists - Free Trade - George W. Bush - Liberals - President - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Allows Anti-American Song to be Played at State Dinner for China

January 23, 2011 by 5 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Epoch Times has a stunner of a story for January 22. Unbeknownst to most Americans, China insulted the United States right in front of Obama and the world by having its nationalist pianist, Lang Lang, play a Chinese propaganda song that called Americans “jackals” during the Chinese sponsored concert during the recent state dinner in Washington D.C. Chinese nationalists have been hailing this stick in the eye of the U.S. since it occurred at the state dinner on January 19.

There is little doubt that Obama knew this was going to happen, but that he had no problem with it fits neatly with his world apology tour, his three years of apologizing for the United States in foreign lands, his bowing and scraping (literally) before kings and tyrants the world over, and his constant need to punish this country.

The song was titled “My Homeland” and is famous for appearing in the Chinese propaganda movie Battle on Shangganling Mountain, a film about the Korean War. In the song, American troops are called “jackals” that are “greeted” by Chinese “hunting rifles.”
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Obama Allows Anti-American Song to be Played at State Dinner for China”

Budget - Business - Campaign Finance - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Free Trade - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - Pensions - President - Public Employees Unions - Senate - Socialism - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

In 2011 Public Employees Unions Must Be Targeted for Elimination

January 5, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the biggest recurring themes in union reporting these days is music to the ears of any fiscally responsible American. It seems almost weekly that we are seeing stories that recount the ire being directed at public employee unions. Let us hope that this reporting is the first ripples of an anti-union tidal wave that will sweep public employee unions from our governments drowning in union-created red ink.

One of the latest is an editorial out of Wisconsin by the Lakeland Times’ Gregg Walker. Walker kicked off his piece with exactly the sort of sentiment that we should hope will lead to an end to public employee unions.
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In 2011 Public Employees Unions Must Be Targeted for Elimination”

AFL-CIO - Anti-Americanism - Free Trade - Jobs - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Anti-American Activist Attacks AFL-CIO’s ‘War Against Developing Countries’

January 3, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Once in a while it is fun to check in with the anti-American left, a political side that is usually blindly pro-union. Once in a while they go off on a fun tangent attacking their own, however, and when that happens it’s time to get out the popcorn to watch the fireworks.

This time an anti-American activist named Nick Egnatz wrote a review of a book titled AFL-CIO’s Secret War against Developing Country Workers (Lexington Books, 2010) and he’s both fired up against the AFL-CIO and troubled by his own alarm at a union. It’s funny stuff.
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Anti-American Activist Attacks AFL-CIO’s ‘War Against Developing Countries’”

Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Entertainment - Free Trade - Jobs - Theater - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Stagehands Extort Hundreds of Thousands From Theater Goers

December 30, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

If there never was a story that explains how unions are really little else but a criminal extortion racket, the story by James Ahearn in the New Jersey Began Record helps explain it for us. Ahearn’s piece headlined “For Backstage Labor, Rich Rewards,” informs us that some stagehands in New York theater make upwards to $422,000 a year in salary — and that doesn’t include benefits.

These positions are not as highly skilled as brain surgeons, to be sure, yet these guys make hundreds of thousands a year to move chairs, rearrange scenery, raise curtains, and what have you. Why the absurdly outsized pay scale? Threats of strikes shutting down Broadway and its multi-million dollar industry is why.

Ahearn reveals that one mere stagehand makes $422,599 a year, plus $107,445 in benefits and deferred compensation, another makes $290,000, and two carpenters and two electricians made about $400,000 a year with benefits to work the theaters of New York.
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Stagehands Extort Hundreds of Thousands From Theater Goers”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Children - Constitution - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Jobs - Warner Todd Huston

Capitalism 101, A Video Series by Leon Weinstein

December 22, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Presented here is the first episode of Capitalism 101, a series intended to help parents teach their children of the virtues of capitalism and liberty.

According to series creator Leon Weinstein, “I am trying to teach adults how in an entertaining and engaging way to pass on their children why capitalism is important to THEM, and why without liberty THEY will be deprived of many things they (and we) take for granted.”

Leon Weinstein is an author and former citizen of communist Russia. His past work, The Capitalist Guidebook, is a tour de force apologia for capitalism, western civilization in general and the U.S.A. in particular.

Associated Press - Budget - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - GOP - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Journalism - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Republicans Block DREAM Act, Another Old Media Lie

December 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Old Media is up to its old tricks again, this time making the GOP the fall guy for the failure of the latest immigration bill. Nearly every news outlet is reporting that the Republicans have blocked the DREAM Act, many of these reports even say so right in the headline. The truth, however, is not that the GOP blocked it, but that the Democrats didn’t get all its own members to vote for it.

In fact, if the Democrats could have gotten five more of their own members to vote “yea” the bill would have passed cloture. As it happened they had five members vote no and one didn’t vote at all. If the Democrats could have marshaled all its strength it would have won the day. This is rightfully a Democrat failure, not a GOP blocking, as it should be remembered that the Democrats still have the majority in Congress, enough that if they’d have stayed together on this they could have won.
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Republicans Block DREAM Act, Another Old Media Lie”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Property Taxes - Taxes

I’m a Writer, Not a Financial Planner

December 14, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Like many Americans, I searched for a new job in 2010. Although I wasn’t unemployed at the time of my search, I concluded that it was in my best interest to find a job with a company that offered more stability and in which my job skills would continue to be valued. When I was offered a position which fit my criteria, with room to grow, I opted to take it. This meant no longer living near family and friends, which would be hard. Thankfully, they were supportive of my decision and agreed this would be best. There was one other hurdle. I would need to sell my home.

Very quickly we realized the extent of the economic recession in Illinois, as there was no way our house would sell without our owing money. Like many Americans, we had three options. We could default, we could rent and try and ride it out, or we could short sell. Since we had invested a good sized down payment into the house, defaulting or short selling were not our first choices. We decided to rent if we could find a tenant.

Surprisingly, we did find a tenant who would pay us the same amount that would be required of us to rent a home out of state. Though we would have to continue to supplement the cost of our present mortgage because we would not be renting the house for the amount of our mortgage payment, we would not lose money. We could just hold the house until things got better. The Universe seemed to be smiling on us.
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I’m a Writer, Not a Financial Planner”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - China - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Jeff Lukens - Jobs - Liberals - Taxes

Could China’s Instability Threaten America?

December 12, 2010 by

– By Jeff Lukens

China’s double-digit economic growth over the past thirty years has been breathtaking. Growth has limits, however, and China may soon be reaching them. With worldwide recession, and inflation coming to the yuan, a slowdown in China’s growth is increasing probable. If China experiences any let up in growth, the nation’s internal stability becomes a concern. The modern western trait of rising expectations has set in with the populace. By their sheer numbers, any setback in the standard of living could ominously jeopardize the nation’s political and economic structure — and affect us as well.

Beijing has established, over the years, an integrated economy with surrounding Asian nations equal in size to that of the United States. They have the technological and financial advantages of a modern economy, and with their huge population, the cost advantages of a developing one.

But China has problems too. Part of their insecurity stems from a dependence on foreign sources for raw materials. China imports about half its oil, for example, and the vast majority of that comes from tankers that pass through the strategic chokepoint at Strait of Malacca near Singapore. And to reach Africa or the Persian Gulf, they must cross a vast Indian Ocean heavily patrolled by the U.S. and Indian warships.
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Could China’s Instability Threaten America?”

Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Free Trade - GOP - Government - Health - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Regulation - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

The Case for Reform by Stand-Alone Legislation

December 11, 2010 by

-By Frank Salvato

The healthcare reform bill, officially titled The Affordable Care Act, was a stunning 1,018 pages long. The stimulus bill – the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act – weighed in at 1,079 pages. And the American Clean Energy & Security Act, or cap and trade bill, passed the House at a length of approximately 1,500 pages. Omnibus bill this, comprehensive bill that…have you ever stopped to wonder why Congress produces such grotesquely long pieces of legislation? The answers are several and all disturbing but there is a way to reduce the length of legislation while assuring transparency and accountability in government: stand-alone legislation.

Forget for the moment the legalese required to enshrine a piece of legislation into law and pay no attention to the fact that Congress passed legislation mandating the use of “plain language” for the Executive Branch agencies, those status quo elements of Congress who produce behemoth pieces of legislation do so to hide things. Be they earmarks, pork, vote-for-mine-and-I’ll-vote-for-yours quid pro quo or votes that would see their constituencies preparing recall petitions, establishment members of Congress routinely attach bills and amendments to legislation that have nothing to do with the original bill and they do so to hide “politics as usual.”

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The Case for Reform by Stand-Alone Legislation”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Jobs - Liberals - PLA - President - Taxes - Unemployment - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Another Big Labor Union Payoff: Obama Adds $3.3 Million to Construction Project

December 9, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The government is over spent. This single fact is beyond dispute. Even Democrats say so. We have but to recall that Democrat after Democrat attempted to run for office this last election by claiming fealty to small government, cost cutting, and lower spending. So with all this small government/low spending fever sweeping the political classes, what does Barack Obama do? He forces policies on federal building projects that inflates costs by the millions. And why would he do this? As a payoff to unions that gave him millions in campaign contributions, of course.

The latest bloated price tag for a federal project is that of the Lafayette Federal Building in Washington D.C., a project that has seen costs rise at least $3.3 million thanks to Obama’s payoffs to unions. That’s right in a day when we are drowning in government overspending, Obama is making sure costs rise, not insuring that they fall.

Barack Obama’s political tin ear is nowhere better revealed than in his constant payoffs to Big Labor. One of Obama’s very first actions, for instance, was to write an Executive Order that forced all government building projects to follow union marching orders in pay scale, work rules, and pension payouts by imposing Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on all of them.
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Another Big Labor Union Payoff: Obama Adds $3.3 Million to Construction Project”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Peter Roskam - President - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Rep. Peter Roskam: What You Need to Know About the Deficit Commission‏

December 8, 2010 by

From the office of Representative Peter Roskam…

Recently, President Obama’s Deficit Reduction Commission put forth a plan to address our country’s staggering deficits and national debt. The plan did not receive enough votes to make it out of it’s own committee and into Congress, but it does provide an important opportunity to discuss a critical economic issue – spending.

Although the report does recognize the need for spending restraint in Washington, particularly focusing on the federal bureaucracy, it also advocates for raising taxes at a time when Americans can least afford it. For all of my observations, click below to watch my interview on Fox News Chicago:
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Rep. Peter Roskam: What You Need to Know About the Deficit Commission‏”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Climate Change - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Environment - Free Trade - Government - Law - Liberals - Mexico - Nanny State - President - Regulation - Science - Society/Culture - Taxes - UN - Unions - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

UN Climate Summit, Cancun, Mexico: Climate Conmen Sending You Back 100 Years

December 6, 2010 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

As most of you know last week I was down in Cancun, Mexico reporting on the U.N. Climate Change Summit (officially called COP16/CMP6). It was several days of sun, surf, and U.N. conmen. I am back in the saddle here at home but Friday I went from the warm white sands of Cancun back to the cold white snow of Chicago. Where’s all that global warming when you need it?

At least I have the modern conveniences of natural gas to keep my house warm and coal and nuclear-fired electric to power my electronic entertainment and work devices both. Unfortunately, if the con in Cancun is successful we may no longer have such luxuries.

One of the last places I visited in Cancun was the Villa de Cambio Climatico — or in English the climate change village. The exhibit was sponsored by the Mexican federal government and was set up in order to indoctrinate Mexico’s school children in the ways of environmental hokum.

At the exhibit we found what was presented as the ideal eco-friendly house. Of course, it was suitably small as the enviro-Nazis most certainly don’t want anyone enjoying a bit of elbowroom in their homes though it did have space for a few modern niceties. It had a tiny computer area, an actual flush toilet, and a four-foot-tall refrigerator that looks like it might be able to store enough food for two or three days.
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UN Climate Summit, Cancun, Mexico: Climate Conmen Sending You Back 100 Years”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Free Trade - Government - Illinois - Jobs - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Unions Leaders Not Thrilled With Rahm Emanuel

December 6, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Most Chicagoans are assuming that former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will become the next mayor of Chicago. But while the perception might satisfy many folks in the Windy City, at least one powerful Democratic sector isn’t so sure they are happy with the whole idea. Chicago’s union leaders are not very fond of the distempered former Chief of Staff.

Big Labor has been put off on Emanuel since he helped Bill Clinton get the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) passed in the 1990s when Emanuel was a Congressman from Chicago’s 5th District.

Emanuel also has a history of dissing Big Labor. At least he’s put other interests ahead of Big Labor enough times that labor leaders are not overly fond of the diminutive candidate.
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Chicago Unions Leaders Not Thrilled With Rahm Emanuel”

Budget - Capitalism - Computers - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - FCC - Free Trade - Government - Inernet - Net Neutrality - Taxes - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

FCC Chief Still Pushing Net Neutrality Without Congressional Action

November 19, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

With the recent midterm election and the resulting GOP tidal wave that is about to inundate Congress, many people have wondered aloud if net neutrality was dead? Well if FCC Chief Julius Genachowski has his way, net neutrality will be implemented by fiat when he has his agency simply change rules without involving congress at all.

The results of this election doesn’t even seem to be giving FCC Chairman Genachowski the slightest pause. Reports are that he is still working on a proposal for the FCC to take over the Internet and implement net neutrality anyway.

In The Hill, Genachowski is quoted saying that he fully intends to bring these rules to fruition.
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FCC Chief Still Pushing Net Neutrality Without Congressional Action”