Conservatives

Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Conservatives on FaceBook Getting Some Notice

January 10, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston


The new FaceBook group called Illinois Conservatives is getting some more notice. Channel 17 in Rockford did a news piece on the group (see video here and here’s the written report that aired). We discussed the group last month.

These are a bunch of young guys that got together to start their FaceBook group in the hopes that they’d be able to serve as a place to go to find out what conservatives are running for office in Illinois. They have also started to endorse particular candidates and have been amazed to find that candidates are seeking them out for their endorsement.
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Illinois Conservatives on FaceBook Getting Some Notice”

Budget - Congress - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Elections - Florida - GOP - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Republicans - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Time: Conflating Big Spending With ‘Moderate’

January 10, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the tricks that the Old Media consistently uses to paint conservatives as walking on the dark side is to call Republicans who lean left “moderates,” while those who lean to the right are “right wing” or “hardcore” Republicans. This media-speak reserves the harsher words for conservatives and makes anyone on the right seem like an extremist, yet paints the center-left as being on the side of the angels.

It’s a subtle flavoring of rhetoric that leads the reader to a prearranged conclusion as opposed to a reporting of the facts. A recent Time Magazine article by Tim Padgett on the Republican primary Senate campaign between Florida’s Charlie Crist and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio is a perfect example of this.

To Time the primary fight between Rubio and Crist is apparently one of light versus dark, the evil extremist “right wing” siding with Rubio against the nice, “inclusive” moderates supporting Crist. But with this characterization, Time is misrepresenting the political battle between Rubio and Crist. Unfortunately for Time’s agenda, the argument in Florida between Rubio and Crist has little to do with moderates, inclusion, or big tent politics but has everything to do with economics. Rubio is a fiscal conservative while Crist, the incumbent governor, has been a profligate spender.
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Time: Conflating Big Spending With ‘Moderate’”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Speech - Freedom - GOP - Illinois - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Crain’s Chicago: Earring Wearing ‘Journo’ Attacks ‘Tea-Baggers’ and Conservatives

January 9, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Crain’s Chicago Business has just gotten into the business of indulging in foul, sexually charged name calling, apparently. Yes, you can mark Crain’s Chicago Business as only the latest news outlet to decide it’s funny to call conservatives “tea-baggers.” It’s a name that lefties have been tagging the movement with all winter, one derived from the sexually perverse homosexual practice.

This time it’s the self-assumed humorist and political columnist Greg Hinz who thought it was hilarious to call an Illinois gubernatorial candidate a “Tea-bagger.” In a blog post about candidate for Governor Adam Andrzejewski, Hinz broke out the funny bone and titled his offering, “Tea-bagger Andrzejewski goes for GOP gov’s gold.”

Now, without a doubt Greggie Hinz thinks he’s a laugh riot over at Crain’s Chicago Business. He must. After all, it is a laugh riot when a 60-something-year-old white, bald man wears an earring, isn’t it? (as can be seen in his blog photo) It must serve as his statement of “irony.” It’s his sign to those he meets that says, “Hey, dude, I’m a fun, funny guy.” Of course, it’s not really taken that way, sadly for Greggie. No, instead of being tragically hip, it’s just tragic. Speaking of hips, I hope this elder Crain’s jokester walks carefully on all this Chicago winter ice. We don’t want gramps to fall down and break his. And I hope Greggie walks carefully in those jester’s shoes with the curled up toes with the bells on them. It could be hazardous, ya know?
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Crain’s Chicago: Earring Wearing ‘Journo’ Attacks ‘Tea-Baggers’ and Conservatives”

2nd Amendment - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Crime - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Federalism - Founders - Guns - Liberals - New Hampshire - Patriotism - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - States Rights - Supreme Court - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

New Hampshire Makes to Outlaw Federal Agents?

January 8, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Imagine a state law that says that any federal agent that comes into said state and runs afoul of a new state law should be considered a felon! Well, that is what New Hampshire is about to do if HB1285 passes during the coming 2010 legislative session.

HB1285 is another one of those laws that exempts all firearms and firearms accessories that are made in a state from certain federal restrictions if they remain in that state. Several states have made attempts to implement these 10th Amendment laws and New Hampshire intends to be one of the next to do so.

Thus far Montana and Tennessee have passed their own firearms freedom acts and thirteen or so other states have introduced or are introducing laws that exempts local firearms industries and accessories as well as in-state firearms owners from overweening federal gun banning laws.
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New Hampshire Makes to Outlaw Federal Agents?”

Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Cook County - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Patrick Hughes: Senate Candidate Calls for Term Limits

January 7, 2010 by

A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate is vowing term limits.

Businessman Patrick Hughes says the seat for which he is running has turned over regularly over the last two decades, but that’s not the norm. “What’s happened with this Senate seat is unusual, and maybe beneficial for the people of Illinois, but across this country and in Congress, it’s entrenched interests,” he said. “You know how difficult it is to beat an incumbent typically, and that just leads to people being in Washington for too long.”

Hughes says if he’s elected, he’ll work to enact term limits for everyone. As for himself, he says he wouldn’t serve any more than two terms.
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Patrick Hughes: Senate Candidate Calls for Term Limits”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - GOP - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Republicans - Rights - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Tea Party - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

Tea Party Debate Continued: My Reply to Steve McQueen of BigGovernment.com

January 7, 2010 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

In what I suppose is round three, I’d like to take a moment to reply to the criticism of my Tea Party article which was titled “Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We Could Make in 2010.” That criticism is penned by my fellow BG contributor, Steve McQueen whose piece titled “For Tea Parties, Bigger Is Not Better” I think missed my point. Worse I feel his piece helps the left to further splinter the right in a small way.

Certainly we on the right need an open and vigorous debate about what the Tea Parties are and how to make the best use of them, but we should have this discussion in the spirit of cooperative debate instead of the sort of isolated attacks employed by McQueen. What I mean is that if Mr. McQueen had some issues with my piece and questions about my meaning, the proper strategy would have been to email me and ask. We could then have had a debate, and perhaps joined together in a piece for BigGovernment.com that would clarify both our positions in the best effort toward harnessing the Tea Party energy to the best effect. Instead he rushed to print without a single attempt to contact me. This, I believe, only helps the left in that it gives the appearance of internal strife instead of a united front. After all, I would guess that Mr. McQueen and I are both after the same end goal of success of conservative principles in government and society alike.

In my piece I spoke of mistakes and this I think is another one of them. Too many of us Internet pundits are talking past each other and are too quick to look for that next “thing” that will get us noticed. Too often we are “Frumming” each other, in other words always attacking each other. Instead of seeking to find common ground so that we can build up our side we are sniping at each other.

Still, I think McQueen makes a few perfectly agreeable points despite that he so badly misconstrued my actual reason for writing my original piece. But like many out there that only read my provocative headline and didn’t bother to actually read the rest of the piece, McQueen assumed I was attacking the Tea Party movement itself. In fact, there is not one stitch of criticism of the actual Tea Parties in my piece. I have no complaints about them except in as much as questioning how we harness their energy going forward.
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Tea Party Debate Continued: My Reply to Steve McQueen of BigGovernment.com”

Barack Obama - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Democrats on Rasmussen Polls: The Numbers Ain’t Right and The Question is Flawed

January 4, 2010 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Politico published a Jan. 2 we-shoot-the-messenger styled story about lefty bloggers and Democrat activists who are upset that the Rasmussen polling group has so often found numbers trending in support of the GOP position. Not only has Rasmussen found that Obama’s approval rating is going down steadily, but it has been finding that Republicans and Republican backed ideas are in ascendance. The left, though, is crying foul.

But the interesting thing about the story is that the complaints of the leftists don’t seem to hold water at least if we take Alex Isendtadt’s Politico piece as a case in point. Oh, there’s lots of complaints, lots of claims that Rasmussen is some Republican operative (even though the firm has never worked for a partisan purpose or a specific candidate), and doubts galore, but there just doesn’t seem to be any there there.

Apparently one of the left’s complaints is “the way the firm frames questions.” Politico gives this example:
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Democrats on Rasmussen Polls: The Numbers Ain’t Right and The Question is Flawed”

Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

We Choose Dan Patlak for Cook Board of Review — Sean Morrison is NO Republican

December 31, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huiston

Fran Eaton has a very good bit of reporting in the SouthTown Star this week about the controversy over the claim by candidate Sean Morrison that he is a Republican. Morrison is running in the primary as a Republican for the Cook County Board of Review and faces Dan Patlak of Wheeling.

As Eaton notes, however, this Morrison fellow has rarely voted as a Republican and, while he’s donated to the National GOP, he’s also donated thousands of dollars to Illinois Democrats. So how is this guy a sudden candidate for Republicans?

Morrison claims he’s always been a Republican and has only donated to local Democrats because where he lives a “viable Republican organization did not exist.” He also claimed he donated to Democrats because of his business interests. Morrison is CEO of Alsip-based Morrison Security.

Eaton diplomatically ends her piece expressing that she still has “questions about Morrison,” but I don’t think I’ll be as gentle. Morrison is no Republican, never was, and is obviously a Democrat plant meant to try and ace Dan Patlak out of his nomination.
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We Choose Dan Patlak for Cook Board of Review — Sean Morrison is NO Republican”

Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Dodge Campaign: What Is Kelly Crying About?

December 29, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Tuesday, the William Kelly for Comptroller campaign issued a press release demanding that State GOP leaders denounce the candidacy of his rival for Comptroller, Jim Dodge. Kelly was exercised over the “smear tactics” that he claimed that the Dodge campaign was employing to best Kelly at the polls. All of this hullabaloo caused the Dodge campaign to wonder, with no little amusement, what Kelly was “crying about”?

After the ruckus that was raised by another quixotic candidate, that one being Senate candidate Andy Martin, who launched radio commercials outing one of his rivals as a homosexual, the State GOP denounced the outrageous behavior in the ads. This party sponsored denouncement prompted Kelly to call for a similar denouncement of his own rival in his race for comptroller.

Kelly’s press release said that with the aid of well known Chicago conservative activist Jack Roeser the Dodge campaign was engaged in a “smear campaign,” and cited the passing around of some video clips of Kelly’s late TV sports show as an example.
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Dodge Campaign: What Is Kelly Crying About?”

Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Senate - State Government - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Stop Mark Kirk Rally, Jan 5th

December 29, 2009 by

The Folks at ChampionNews.com are supporting a Stop Kirk effort and a rally will be held Jan. 5th in Woodbine, Illinois. Kirk is wrong for this state for sure, so here is the info for the event…

Call the neighbors and wake the kids, it’s time to Stop Mark Kirk

Here’s a group that gets it. The Will County Tea Party Alliance (Joliet Tea Party & Homer/Lockport Tea Party) is hosting a Stop Mark Kirk Rally on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:30 PM at the Woodbine Country Club in Woodbine, Illinois. Admission is FREE.

You can find all of the details here. Mark Kirk’s leading Republican opponent Patrick Hughes will be there.
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Stop Mark Kirk Rally, Jan 5th”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Elections - Founders - Freedom - GOP - House of Representatives - Jeff Lukens - Liberals - Republicans - Rights - Senate - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - The Law - Western Civilization

The Choice Between Prosperity and Decline

December 29, 2009 by

– By Jeff Lukens

This land of a free people and a free-market economy has generated a great wave of innovation that has benefited all of humanity. The essence of freedom and prosperity that moved around the world in past 200 and some years has been driven primarily by the United States. With our economy now stagnating, it has become more important than ever to return to the basic Constitutional freedoms that have made prosperity possible.

My son came home from college to visit recently. After some time of catching up on things, the conversation turned to topics that interest him — and that means all things electronic. He explained to me why I needed the latest operating system update for the computer and how properly to configure the surround sound system for the HDTV. I could barely keep up with it. Somewhere in the conversation, it occurred to me that in the long view of human history, we have come a long way in a very short time.

Think about it. In the 1600s, the ships that brought the first settlers to our shores, and tools for tilling the soil they brought with them, were not much more advanced than those used by people thousands of years before. In the relatively short time since their arrival in the New World, there has been an explosion in technology and the standard of living for ordinary people.

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The Choice Between Prosperity and Decline”

Anti-Americanism - Campaign Finance - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Republicans - Senate - State Government - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We’ll Make in 2010

December 28, 2009 by 6 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

It’s the end of 2009, the “aughts” are over, and we are about to embark on a new year — and what else are they but the “aughts”? Well, besides mostly a horrible and thankfully passed decade. In any case, we are at the end of the year and that means two things: lists about this year and predictions for the next. I’ve chosen the prognosticator’s art for this piece with the subject of what will likely be our biggest failure or mistake in 2010: the Tea Party movement.

We all know that just saying the words “Tea Party” is enough to raise American’s blood pressure. Some will become suspicious or even enraged by imagining I am about to attack the Tea Partiers, some on the left will be filled with disgust even thinking about the Tea Partiers at all, and still others will get their blood up thinking about why the Tea Party movement started in the first place. For 2009 “Tea” and “Party” were two words that raised American’s passions in a myriad of ways, for sure. That won’t change in 2010.

But with the Tea Party movement we are likely headed for a huge mistake in 2010, one that I fear will stretch into 2011 and one that has the potential to hurt us all, right, left and center — but especially right.
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Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We’ll Make in 2010″

Anti-Americanism - Chicago - Conservatives - Constitution - David Huntwork - Democrats/Leftists - Founders - History - Liberals - Religion - Society/Culture

Why I Signed The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience

December 28, 2009 by

-By David M. Huntwork

It is one thing to judge, and another to excuse. The Manhattan Declaration does neither. I found this to be a rather profound statement by a large number of Christian leaders taking a stand for the foundations of civilization, the family, and the sanctity of human life. People of faith have to work together to preserve and protect the fundamental principles of morality from those who seek to destroy them. This declaration brings together numerous Catholic bishops, Orthodox clergy, and Evangelical leaders and as an evangelical Christian I will gladly partner with other types of Christians on the common concepts that form the backbone of Christianity.

From ManhattanDeclaration.org:

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

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Why I Signed The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - California - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Elections - Free Trade - Freedom - GOP - House of Representatives - Immigration/Immigrants - Liberals - Republicans - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

Rep. Brian Billbray: Rep. Gutierrez is Creating the Next Wave of Illegal Immigration

December 16, 2009 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Representative Luis Gutierrez (D, IL) will introduce another stab at “comprehensive immigration reform” this month and it’s been given another one of those Orwellian names that you know means the opposite of what it says in the title. Gutierrez is calling this mess the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009, or the CIR ASAP — in other words Comprehensive Immigration Reform ASAP.

The simple fact of the matter is that, regardless of the name, this legislation will do nothing whatever to help our security or our prosperity. In fact it will damage both.

In his press release touting this bill, Gutierrez said the following:

“We have waited patiently for a workable solution to our immigration crisis to be taken up by this Congress and our President,” said Rep. Gutierrez. “The time for waiting is over. This bill will be presented before Congress recesses for the holidays so that there is no excuse for inaction in the New Year. It is the product of months of collaboration with civil rights advocates, labor organizations, and members of Congress. It is an answer to too many years of pain —mothers separated from their children, workers exploited and undermined security at the border— all caused at the hands of a broken immigration system. This bill says ‘enough,’ and presents a solution to our broken system that we as a nation of immigrants can be proud of.”

This morning I spoke to Representative Brian Billbray in that nation’s capitol and found him chagrined by the whole thing. Billbray is the Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus and is from California’s 50th District which is situated in the San Diego County area.
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Rep. Brian Billbray: Rep. Gutierrez is Creating the Next Wave of Illegal Immigration”

Christianity - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Founders - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes

For the General Welfare, or an Encroachment on Rights?

December 16, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Taking Metra usually affords me a solid 20 minutes to read on my Kindle during my commute home and I relish that pause from responsibility to research many of the topics on which I write. Tonight’s train ride, however, provided an unanticipated diversion during which I mused on a variety of scenarios that left me pondering. What percentage of the population would place such scenarios under the category of an encroachment on one’s individual rights in the guise of the public interest or visa-versa? The catalyst for the redirection of my concentration was correlated to one particular passenger who seriously compromised my efforts to focus on the inner workings of the Executive Branch of our government. Due to the exercise of her individual rights, and some really “gawd-awful” perfume, I determined to leave my seat -preferring to wait in an icy cold vestibule until the train reached my stop.

Though I felt frustrated and put out by someone whose liberal use of perfume almost immediately gave me a piercing headache, I recognize that it is well within her right to wear the stuff. What I would often prefer from my fellow passengers is very different from what I can reasonably expect from my fellow passengers. This is not the first time my olfactory organ has been overwhelmed by the odors I confront as I make my way home. Who can account for what one delights in eating? Though it is not permitted on the train, people consume anything from fried chicken to Asian Cuisine on the BNSF Line, with complete disregard for those around them. Some of the extremely inconsiderate sit down next to a complete stranger and proceed to gorge themselves. Others have no compunctions about what falls to the floor or is left behind on the seat. What bothers me most is the co-mingling of smells in a confined area. It is the opposite of appetizing, and usually has the effect of making me want to, in the words of Garth from SNL’s Wayne’s World, “hurl”.
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For the General Welfare, or an Encroachment on Rights?”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - Freedom - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

A Message to Senators Landrieu and Reid form the Louisiana Tea Partiers

December 14, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

This past Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in the pouring rain in New Orleans, Louisiana, to tell Senator Harry Reid (D, Nev.) and Senator Mary Landrieu (D, Loius.). As you may know, Senator Reid was supposed to attend a fundraiser in New Orleans, but canceled his plans to attend when he started taking heat for “asking Republicans for the weekend off.” [The Hill Blog also covered this]

Once again we see Harry Reid’s hypocrisy. but the tea party folks won’t let him forget it! News is Reid is having trouble with his Nevada reelection bid, too. Wouldn’t it be grand if another Senate Majority Leader was Daschled!


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A Message to Senators Landrieu and Reid form the Louisiana Tea Partiers”

Conservatives - Constitution - Cook County - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Endorsements for Put-Back Amendment Grows

December 14, 2009 by

Press release from the Put-Back Amendment campaign:

The Put-Back Amendment is the only amendment that will bring real reform to Springfield. It enacts 8 year term limits so we no longer will have lifetime politicians who hold a death grip over the state. It ensures fair elections by ending gerrymandering, reforms ballot access laws and allows independents full access to the ballot. It promotes real legislative reform by requiring 7-day public viewing of all legislation and 25 of 177 legislators can force an up or down vote on any legislation so leaders can no longer exercise complete control of the legislative process.

You can learn more about the amendment here. To get this on the ballot, we need 500,000 signatures and we need your help to gather them after the New Year.

Jim Oberweis, Other Political and Civic Leaders Endorse Put-Back Amendment!
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Endorsements for Put-Back Amendment Grows”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - California - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Founders - Frank Salvato - Free Trade - Freedom - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Religion - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - The Law

American Liberty v. Obama’s Social Engineering

December 13, 2009 by

-By Frank Salvato

After the General Election of 2008 I made a conscious effort to give President Obama a chance. I wanted to give him an opportunity to be true to his word; to prove that he was committed to governing from the center. I also wanted to demonstrate that I was not of the same ilk as the Bush-hating, “he stole the election,” fact-ignoring Progressive malcontents that served to divide the country over the eight years of the Bush Administration. But now, a year after the election, and as we approach a full year of the Obama Administration, it has become abundantly clear that Mr. Obama has abandoned almost all of his campaign promises (but for his commitments to the SEIU) and is governing from the far Left. He has instituted a campaign of social engineering that can only be described as a direct threat to liberty.

Liberty
Liberty is defined as, “freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.” It was the single most motivating factor in the American Revolution and war for independence. Our Founders and Framers risked their lives to free the people of what would become our nation from the elitist tyranny of King George and his court, a tyranny that choked liberty – personal and societal – dead.

In addition to the limitations placed on religious freedom and freedom of speech, taxation was excessive and exploitative and it was imposed without representation. Many of the colonists believed the denial of direct representation in the British Parliament was an illegal denial of their rights, as colonists were considered Englishmen subject to the king’s rule. Thus the credo, “no taxation without representation,” served as the rallying cry for Patriots in each of the thirteen colonies as they coalesced into a movement toward American independence.

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American Liberty v. Obama’s Social Engineering”

Business - Children - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Family - Free Trade - Freedom - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Jobs - Rights - Society/Culture - Truth in Accounting - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston - Welfare - Western Civilization

An IPI Christmas: Feeding The Hungry, Bringing Opportunity to Developing Nations

December 10, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last night I was invited to attend a Christmas get together sponsored by the Illinois Policy Institute. This year’s theme was feeding the hungry in Africa and bringing economic freedom to developing nations. We heard some interesting presentations from Paul Wormley of the One Acre Fund as well as Tim Probasco of Opportunity International, both involved with helping subsistence farmers in Africa and India to become self-sufficient and to work toward creating financial success by selling their products at market. Both organizations take different approaches toward the same market oriented goals and both are efforts worthy of support. Best of all both organizations base their assistance on free market principles as opposed to mere charity work.

But, before the serious discussions of hunger in Africa and India and economic assistance to the impoverished began, we were serenaded by a charming group of kids from a local Chicago school operated by the KIPP: Ascend charter school program.


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An IPI Christmas: Feeding The Hungry, Bringing Opportunity to Developing Nations”

Blogging - Conservatives - Illinois - Inernet - Republicans - State Government - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

Publius Forum at Lucky 13 on Illinois Top Blogs

December 9, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

It’s the end of the year and that means LISTS! Over at Illinois Observer, David Ormsby has assembled the rankings of the top 50 Illinois websites and Publius Forum shows up at number 13 on that list.

Seeing as how we few, we unlucky few conservatives in Illinois live in a bloo, bloo state, it is not surprising that most of the sites are lib sites. But there are some great conservative sites represented in the list, as well.

Here are the conservative/libertarian blogs as they appear ranked (the number to the right is the Alexia ranking):
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Publius Forum at Lucky 13 on Illinois Top Blogs”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Capitalism - Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Economy/Finances - Frank Salvato - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - President - Society/Culture - Taxes

Is the Constitution Just a Grand Suggestion?

December 4, 2009 by

-By Frank Salvato

Listening to the John & Cisco morning radio program here on Chicago’s WIND AM 560 this morning, I was suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. One of the hosts, John Howell, asked Chicago Tribune editorialists Clarence Page about a contentious issue; whether candidates for the office of President of the United States of America should have to present proof of citizenship before being allowed to vie for the office. Mr. Page’s answer was not only a slight to the Constitution; it placed him firmly in the camp of the constitutionally illiterate.

When asked if vetting candidates for national office, specifically the presidency, wasn’t something that all Americans could agree upon, Mr. Page replied:

“You can never please some people, as you can see. I know Liberals who believe John McCain should be challenged because he wasn’t born in the US, because he was born in the Panama Canal Zone and…ah…they will point to different constitutional loopholes…ah…that they say would disqualify him. I remember George Romney, Mitt’s Dad…ah…went through the same thing…ah…back in the 60s. As far as I’m concerned, why can’t Madeleine Albright be a good president even though she wasn’t born a citizen? Or the governor of Michigan right now? This is the kind of thing…folks are kind of groping for any reason to disqualify a president or presidential candidate that they don’t like and…ah…I just find it to be a specious debate…I think we’ve got more important issues to worry about…maybe that’s just me (laughter).”

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Is the Constitution Just a Grand Suggestion?”

Budget - Censorship - Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - President - Republicans - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica Tweets The Veto Session (Tax Roll Back Succeeds)

December 1, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is a really fascinating series of tweets from Commissioner Tony Peraica as he participated in the latest Cook County Board meeting. Today (Dec. 1) Board President Todd Stroger tried to cajole the board into upholding his veto of the roll back of his implementation of the highest tax rate in the country. Peraica is against the tax and since the State Legislature ended the four-fifths rule, lowering it to three-fifths to overturn the president’s veto, the fight was on.

Anyway, here are the tweets that Peraica posted during the debate and they are a fascinating peak inside a board meeting during this important vote. Luckily, the final outcome is victory for the tax roll back. It’s only a roll back of half a penny, but it is a start and it is the first time a board president’s veto has been rolled back in anyone’s memory.

  • Chairman Daley has now started the Finance Committee meeting and has started the process WITHOUT Todd Stroger. This is novel.
  • Stroger and Collins are still holed up in his office. Major arm twisting is going on. We’ll have to look at Com. Collin’s face upon entry.
  • It”s now over ONE hour since the time for meeting of the Board to start, but, Stroger and Collins are STILL NOT HERE. Highly Suspect!
  • Storger and Collins are still talking in his office. It’s been now ONE HOUR and FIFTEEN minutes. This is beginnig to look very fishy.

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Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica Tweets The Veto Session (Tax Roll Back Succeeds)”

Children - Conservatives - Constitution - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Put Back Amendment News

December 1, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

John Bambeneck is making headway with his Put Back Amendment and recently appeared on WCIA 3 News.

CHAMPAIGN–John Bambeneck says the state capitol is hopelessly broken. He says we send 177 legislators to Springfield, but power is only vested in the four leaders at the top. That’s why he’s proposing a package of reforms and calling on citizens to back him up. There’s a running list of petitions on his website called “The Putback Amendment.” He wants more transparent government. That means 7-day public viewing of all legislation before lawmakers vote. Plus he’s setting out to do away with a centralization of power. No more house and senate: Just one chamber. And no more than eight years in office. “They stagnate,” he said of lawmakers who’ve held the same post year after year after year. “They stop solving problems and start having more of a factory mindset.” “It’s not healthy from an organizational prospective to have the same person doing the same thing for decades on end,” he added.

Bambeneck references the Speaker of the House who’s held his post for almost 30 years. He says there’s a reason why we’ve term-limited positions like the presidency.

Representative Bill Black appreciates voters coming up with ideas for change. He says what Illinois has gone through is depressing. We have one governor in prison and possibly one on the way, but he says it isn’t the House of Representatives that got our state into trouble. In fact, it’s the House that brought about Blagojevich’s impeachment.

Chicago - Conservatives - Constitution - Cook County - Elections - Illinois - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Constitution Party: Randall Stufflebeam for Ill. Governor

November 30, 2009 by

From the Stufflebeam campaign…

We had a great time in Alton yesterday (Saturday, November 28) and I am really proud of the organizers of this tea party that had a focus on the youth. You can read the Alton Telegraphs report below.

I had the opportunity to speak, not as a candidate, but as a “Constitutionalist.” I opened my speech with this phrase, “In just a little over three years from now, we will be celebrating the 100th year anniversary of the day that tyranny got it’s foothold here in America.” On February 3, 1913 the 16th Amendment (Known to most people as the “Income Tax Amendment”) was declared to have been ratified. Then on April 8, 1913, the 17th Amendment was declared to have been ratified. Interestingly, in October of the same year, the Federal Reserve Act was ratified. Can you connect the dots?
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Constitution Party: Randall Stufflebeam for Ill. Governor”

Anti-Americanism - Children - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Elections - Founders - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

Why Conservatives Have Trouble Getting Elected

November 28, 2009 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The reasons that I could never get elected to any government position is the same reason why conservatives have a tough time getting elected and, if they end up elected, can’t govern in this era of the ill-educated voter. First I’ll lay out my main principles…

Leave me alone
Stop taxing me
Shove your regulations

That’s about it. Though there are complexities and nuance contained in them, these are the main tenets of modern conservatism simply put. And therein lies the problem. How can one get elected when his basic tenets are that government should do less, stay out of our lives, and mostly go unnoticed and unseen? In essence a conservative is saying: “Elect me and I’ll do nothing for you.” It’s a tough message to sell in a day when people have lost touch with the American principles that are contained in those very tenets.
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Why Conservatives Have Trouble Getting Elected”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Cook County - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

10th District: Bob Dold Supports Bank Bailouts

November 28, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Of the Republicans running for the 10th District seat, Bob Dold is one of four, the others being Beth Coulson (the party favorite), Bill Cadigan (endorsed by former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger), and Dick Green.

Dold recently participated in a short phone conversation with Jeff Berkowitz of the Public Affairs Show the upshot of which seems to show that Dold supports the Bush/Obama bank bailouts.

Dold told Berkowitz that he thinks government needs the “ability to make sure that we’re stabilizing the banks.” Now, a conservative would far more likely say that no bank or business is “too big to fail” and that the only way to truly stabilize the banking system is to let banks that make bad choices suffer the consequences of their choices, not buoy them up and give them free money from the taxpayers so that they are insulated from those bad choices.
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10th District: Bob Dold Supports Bank Bailouts”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Capitalism - Censorship - Communism - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Free Speech - Freedom - History - Liberals - Socialism - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

The End of History or a History of the End?

November 24, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A few years ago, Francis Fukuyama was widely criticized for his book claiming that mankind had seen “The End of History.” Fukuyama contended that liberal democracy had won the debate over which system was best and, therefore, there was necessary no more “moving forward” for man’s social order. While Fukuyama might have thought the question of the best system was settled — that being the Western democratic system — what good does a great system do if no one is aware of it? Unfortunately, we are quickly nearing a time in our schools where any knowledge of our political system or western history is going untaught. It’s so bad that most standard history courses are disappearing from our universities to be replaced by specialties about minorities or single subjects like “genocide” or “homosexual studies.”

Of course, much of the criticism of Fukuyama’s premise was based on a mistaken reading of what he said, but with this failure to teach proper history to our students we might be seeing at least one reason to doubt that liberal democracy is strong enough to stay as top dog, regardless of its efficacy. The liberal democracy as being practiced in the U.S., for instance, is weakening to the point of frivolity, one prone to a breakdown from within, and this lack of a useful education is just another example of this societal crash. Dangerously, proper history is being taught less and less in our universities.

Not long ago, an ominous article in the New York Times reported that specialty courses and professors now far outnumber standard history.
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The End of History or a History of the End?”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Freedom - GOP - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Patriotism - President - Republicans - Rights - Security/Safety - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - The Law - Western Civilization

An Abridgement of Constitutional Rights

November 24, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

The objectives for the United States Constitution are outlined in its preamble. Read it putting emphasis on the action verbs.

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America…”

All the objectives for the Constitution were chosen carefully and reflect the concerns which surfaced around The Articles of Confederation, this country’s first Constitution.

Read this again, but with a renewed emphasis on certain elements.
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An Abridgement of Constitutional Rights”

Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - Senate - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

McKenna the ‘Outsider’?

November 23, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Andy McKenna recently vacated the Chairmanship of the Illinois Republican Party where he presided over the loss to the GOP of every statewide office. He was its Chairman for four years. It was recently hinted by new GOP Chair Pat Brady that McKenna is the favored candidate of the National Party in the race for Governor. It seems like Andy McKenna has the inside track on his late-emerged campaign for governor.

… yet McKenna is styling himself as an “outsider”?

In his newest ad appearing on both TV and radio, McKenna calls himself “Honest, outsider businessman Andy McKenna.”
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McKenna the ‘Outsider’?”