The $14,000 Question: Was Senator Jacobs Bought by Big Energy?

Albracht: “If Governor Quinn has a dog in this fight, Senator Jacobs has four.”

MOLINE, IL–Despite a veto from Governor Quinn, Senator Jacobs continues to lobby for SB1652, also known as the “Smart Grid” bill, which would allow energy companies to automatically raise their rates over the next ten years without oversight from the Citizen’s Utility Board. Opponents to this bill have argued that this would put an unfair burden on the consumer.

Senator Jacobs recently told Continue reading


The $14,000 Question: Was Senator Jacobs Bought by Big Energy?”


Polls Show Ohio and Penn. Voters Say Obama Doesn’t Deserve Reelection

-By Warner Todd Huston

CNN is reporting that Obama “has his work cut out for him” if he wants to get reelected in 2012 and a poll of Ohio and Pennsylvania is the evidence.

There has been a lot of speculation on how bad things are looking for The Obammessiah these days. Even Democrats are afraid that it is looking bad for Obama winning a second term…

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.


NYTimes Sunday Review Again Pushes Lie that Billionaires Run Tea Party

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is a lie that serves as the left’s basic narrative for the birth of the Tea Party movement and this weekend it was The New York Times’s turn to push that lie claiming that the Tea Party is “led by veteran conservative activists and bankrolled by billionaires.” This bull hockey (yes, I said bull hockey) can’t be debunked enough, because to undermine the legitimacy of the Tea Party movement, extremists and left-wingers that pretend to be journalists push this lie for all its worth.

Left-wing Georgetown Professor Michael Kazin, who masquerades as a history professor by day, penned this latest piece for the Times pushing the left’s favorite false narrative about the Tea Party movement. The piece, lamenting the loss of the spirit of activism and protest in the American left, revealed a professor paid for by our tax dollars longing for the days of the violent, anarchist protests of the early 20th century.

Kazin cries that the left has lost its umpf and wails that “the Tea Party rebellion” has instead come to the fore.
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NYTimes Sunday Review Again Pushes Lie that Billionaires Run Tea Party”


Kosher Tea Unites Tea Partiers With Jewish Community

-By Warner Todd Huston

Freedom Works initiated Kosher Tea, a way to connect Tea Party groups with Jewish groups in order to facilitate some common efforts on conservatism, pro-Israel policies, and economic freedom.

www/KosherTea.org
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Kosher Tea Unites Tea Partiers With Jewish Community”


State Senate Candidate Arie Friedman Comments on Illinois Deepening Debt

From the campaign for State Senate of Arie Friedman…

“The news for job-seekers and employers in Illinois just doesn’t seem to get any better,” said Dr. Arie Friedman, Republican candidate for State Senate in the 29th District, southeast Lake County and Wheeling, Palatine, Northfield and New Trier Townships in northern Cook County.

“The jobs climate in our state is closely tied to the fiscal condition of the state government itself,” said Friedman, “as Illinois continues to rate red alerts about the state budget deficit and the state’s growing debt.”

Friedman cited Monday’s report by the Civic Federation documenting Illinois’s deepening debt, even in the wake of increased state revenue from the personal and corporate income tax hikes passed by Springfield Democrats in January.
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State Senate Candidate Arie Friedman Comments on Illinois Deepening Debt”


New Lenox: Reenlistment Ceremony of Luis Mejia, Officiated by Congressman Adam Kinzinger

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over the weekend I was invited to the reenlistment ceremony of Aviation Structural Mechanic, Third Class Petty Officer (AM3) Luis Mejia, a resident of New Lennox. Coming off eight years, Meija, 43, reenlisted for another six and for his ceremony he asked 11th District Congressman Adam Kinzinger to conduct his Monday ceremony.

Mejia served one year at Camp Bucca, Iraq in 2007 and as the congressman and he were talking they realized they served at the same time in the same place in Iraq. “We probably saw each other,” Kinzinger said.

Currently, Mejia serves out of Great Lakes Naval base.

As Congressman Knizinger addressed the friends and family gathered to witness Meija’s reenlistment he noted that this county has “been at war for a decade.”
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New Lenox: Reenlistment Ceremony of Luis Mejia, Officiated by Congressman Adam Kinzinger”


Assistant Republican House Leader Jim Durkin Endorses Dillard

From the campaign to re-elect Kirk Dillard, Illinois State Senate…

At a recent Republican meeting, Illinois State Representative and Assistant Republican House Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) endorsed Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) in Dillard’s race for re-election to the 24th Senatorial District.

Citing several pieces of landmark legislation sponsored by Sen. Dillard, including most recently a Internet Portal Act to disclose, on-line and in real-time (www.OpentheBooks.com), every salary, contract, tax break and tax deadbeat, Durkin said, “Sen. Kirk Dillard is the voice of families in Illinois and we must return Kirk Dillard to Springfield so we can draw on his valuable experience in creating jobs to get Illinois working again, protecting our families, controlling our out-of-control state budget and providing accountability in state government.”

Durkin then added, “Kirk knows Western Springs and our area well. He was instrumental in garnering the funds to replace the dilapidated Oak Street Bridge so that area residents have access to Hinsdale Hospital in case of emergency.”
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Assistant Republican House Leader Jim Durkin Endorses Dillard”


Ron Paul: NOT a Serious Candidate

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ron Paul is not serious about running for president nor is he a serious candidate even were he to be so inclined. But serious or no, he is a horrible candidate regardless.

Now, there may have been a time a decade or so ago when Ron Paul really thought he had a shot at being elected the president of the United States but that time has long ago passed into history. His last several campaigns were not serious efforts.

Let’s take Paul’s unserious campaign effort first, before I get to his amazing unsuitability for the White House.

The idea of having a national campaign organization to propel a candidate to winning primaries is predicated on reaching out to local state and country party organizations, working with them on ideas, and bringing some of those local political operatives into your own primary effort. This practice then extends your influence and helps bring ground troops to your game, folks that are influential in each sector of the country, folks that will presumably bring voters to your candidacy.
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Ron Paul: NOT a Serious Candidate”


Cross Files Bill to End Pension Perks‏

From Illinois GOP House Leader Tom Cross…

In response to a series of news reports in the Chicago Tribune on WGN-TV this week, uncovering huge pension hikes under the guise of public service, we filed a bill (HB3813) to close the little known loophole that nets some Chicago city workers tens of millions in pension bumps at the end of their careers.

Click here to watch WGN-TV’s coverage of our bill filling.

Click here to read the Chicago Tribune’s story.

“This is a huge slap in the face to taxpayers that government in cooperation with its employees comes up with a scheme, that is currently allowable under state law, to boost pensions sky-high,” said Cross. “This practice needs to stop—immediately—and we will file a bill today, so that this provision in state law cannot be abused.”
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Cross Files Bill to End Pension Perks‏”


Video: Speak Out And Support A Balanced Budget Amendment‏

From the office of Rep. Randy Hultgren (Ill., 14th District)…

A balanced budget amendment (BBA) to our Constitution is a permanent solution to our nation’s fiscal crisis to legally force future Congresses and Presidents to stop spending money they don’t have. Earlier this week I sat down to share my thoughts about a BBA and why it’s so important for the future of our country.

America Speaking Out (ASO), www.americaspeakingout.com, is an online community aimed at giving you a voice and the power to set the agenda in Congress. Through ASO, you can express your opinion about the BBA, which will be voted on in the House this fall.

I encourage you to visit www.americaspeakingout.com now to express your opinion about a BBA. It is through the support of the citizens like you that a BBA will become a reality – bringing much-needed certainty to the small business community, putting an end to the out-of-control spending, and restoring accountability to Congress.
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Video: Speak Out And Support A Balanced Budget Amendment‏”


Kinzinger/Gonzalez Amendment Adopted into TRAIN Act Forces Agencies

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill., 11the District)…

To Assess Consequences of EPA Regulations for U.S. Energy, Manufacturing & Jobs

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-11) along with Congressman Charles Gonzalez (D-TX) today offered a bipartisan amendment to the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts to the Nation (TRAIN) Act, H.R. 2401. The Kinzinger/Gonzalez Amendment would give Americans the opportunity to receive an explanation of the costs and job impacts associated with a new EPA regulation on gasoline before it can be enforced. The amendment was adopted and the TRAIN Act passed the House with bipartisan support.

Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a “Tier 3” rulemaking that would further reduce sulfur levels in gasoline to an average of 10ppm – this is a 70 percent change from today’s already low levels. In 2004, Tier 2 rules reduced sulfur by 90 percent from 100ppm to 30ppm. The Kinzinger/Gonzalez Amendment forces the EPA to ensure that the economic and job impacts of the Tier 3 regulations are thoroughly analyzed and reviewed.
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Kinzinger/Gonzalez Amendment Adopted into TRAIN Act Forces Agencies”


Former Elmhurst Police Chief Millner Endorses Dillard

From the reelection campaign of Senator Kirk Dillard…

At the York Township Republican Committeemen meeting, Illinois State Senator and long-time Elmhurst Police Chief John Millner (R-Carol Stream) endorsed Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Westmont) in Dillard’s race for re-election to the 24th Senatorial District. Millner is also a Past President of the Illinois Police Chiefs Association.

Calling Dillard one of Illinois finest legislators, and a friend of all of the communities in DuPage County, Millner cited Dillard’s accomplishments, especially in the areas of accountability/transparency, fiscal policies and law enforcement.

“Sen. Kirk Dillard is the voice of DuPage County in Springfield and we must have his valuable experience in stopping the tax, spend and borrowing agenda,” Millner said.
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Former Elmhurst Police Chief Millner Endorses Dillard”


Kinzinger, House Energy and Commerce Committee Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent U.S. Cement Plant Closings and Save Jobs

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R, 11th District)…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed bipartisan legislation known as the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11), who serves on the Committee and is an original co-sponsor, says the bill would protect domestic cement manufacturing and tens of thousands of American jobs.

Kinzinger made the following remarks in his opening statement:

“Last September, the EPA released new regulations on the American cement industry. These new requirements will cost $3.4 billion, close 18 of America’s 100 cement plants, and leave 20,000 Americans without jobs.

“When this rule is in full effect and the plants are closed, where will America purchase its cement? From China, a country that is producing cement with zero environmental safeguards? With the increased demand in China global hazardous pollution will rise with these new rules.

“This bill gives regulators time to develop practical rules for cement manufacturing facilities and will protect jobs in the cement industry, the manufacturing industry, and the construction industry that could otherwise be sent overseas. Enough is enough. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan legislation.”

The Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 was first introduced on On July 28, 2011. The legislation would grant federal regulators more time and guidelines to develop achievable rules governing emissions from cement manufacturing facilities. This necessary extended timeline would prevent plant shutdowns, while protecting jobs. Estimates confirm that recent rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could result in shutting down nearly 20 percent of the nation’s cement plants in the next two years, driving up the price of cement, increasing imports, and eliminating thousands of jobs.
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Kinzinger, House Energy and Commerce Committee Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent U.S. Cement Plant Closings and Save Jobs”


A Blueprint for Illinois Job Creation

From the Illinois House Republican Caucus…

We traveled around Illinois this week introducing our new jobs plan to several communities in an effort to become more competitive with other states in order to retain and grow jobs.

Media Round-up:

We’ve all seen the news. Mounting debt, sluggish consumer confidence, zero jobs created in August – the first time since World War II that the U.S. economy had a net zero jobs created for a month – and the Illinois unemployment rate at a staggering 9.9%, nearly a full point higher than the national average.
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A Blueprint for Illinois Job Creation”


Chicago: Union Members Collect Millions in Tax $$ With Sweetheart Pension Deal

-By Warner Todd Huston

Now this is the sort of corruption we are used to seeing in Illinois, eh? This week the Chicago Tribune and WGN TV has found up to 23 retired union operatives that are collecting millions in taxpayer dollars because they had pals in government tweak the state’s pensions laws to favor them.

These former government workers that were government union members got pliant politicians to alter the pensions laws to say that their pension remuneration would be calculated not on the lower pay they received when they retired from government, but from the much higher salary they received when they worked as union operatives. These folks worked as union bosses at the same time as working on the clock for government.

The “luck” of former union boss and Dept. of Streets and Sanitation worker Thomas Villanova is a typical example. Villanova last worked full-time for the city in 1989 and made $40,000-a-year. But he was also a union big wig making $198,000 annually upon his retirement in 2008 at age 56. His city pension, it appears, was calculated on the union salary of $198,000 instead of his real salary of $40,000 — itself obviously a no-show job in the first place.

Villanova stands to make millions off the taxpayers.
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Chicago: Union Members Collect Millions in Tax $$ With Sweetheart Pension Deal”


Did 85 Democrats Vote In Favor of Government Shutdown?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Back on August first the whole country was waiting for the House of Representatives to raise the debt ceiling and offer a continuing resolution to prevent a feared government shutdown. That was done with the support of 95 Democrats who claimed they were desperate to prevent that shut down. (Relevant amendment)

However, in a follow up vote on Sept. 21 on another bill (H R 2608), 89 of those same Democrats reversed their vote and have essentially voted in favor of a government shut down by voting “no” on the latest continuing resolution to keep the government’s doors open.

Of course, Democrats voted against this bill because increases in budgets (such as that for FEMA) were offset with cuts in other areas. Democrats simply want to increase spending without the fiscally responsible act of cutting spending elsewhere.
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Did 85 Democrats Vote In Favor of Government Shutdown?”


Rep. Walsh WILL Run Against Hultgren in the New 14th District

-By Warner Todd Huston

I spoke to Rep. Joe Walsh in Lake Villa, Illinois this past weekend and one of his first questions to me was about running against Hultgren in the new 14th District. Obviously the question was weighing heavily on him that weekend.

I told him it would be a tough fight but that I felt Joe had gone a long way to get his name recognition up in his first big year in D.C. Other than that, I had no advice on whether or not Joe could win there.

Well, now Congressman Walsh has made the final decision and will run against Republican Randy Hultgren in the new 14th District.
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Rep. Walsh WILL Run Against Hultgren in the New 14th District”


Now Is the Time

-By Frank Salvato

Unless you’ve been living under a soundproofed rock for the past two and a half years you know that the approval rating for our nation’s politicians is pathetically low. President Obama’s approvals are hovering around 44 percent while Congress’ approval rating hardly shows-up on the radar screen at 13 percent, and rightfully so. Those elected to federal office (and for that matter, the many State houses) have ignored the basic responsibilities of their offices – to represent their constituencies – and have, instead, arrived inside the Washington DC beltway to execute their stations in the best interests of their political parties and associated special interest groups.

Incredibly, some in the political talking-head and spin doctor class try to explain away the dismal approval ratings as repercussions from the maladies of our time; they try to rationalize that the cause of public discontent, where their elected officials are concerned, is more about an unsophisticated and less realistic interpretation of all the bad news emanating from across the world. These contentions might very well be true if it weren’t for the truth of extremely elevated non-approval ratings received by the elected class. President Obama’s negatives are over 50 percent and Congress’ negative rating is at a stunning 83.5 percent. In fact, the only leader not to have a negative rating over 50 percent is House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), who stands at 41 percent.

Keep in mind that, traditionally, approval ratings can bounce up and down quite erratically, but once a voter has established a negative view of a candidate it is very hard to flip that view to the positive. It is for this reason that a unique opportunity presents itself; an opportunity that even the doomed politician can use to throw a lifeline to his or her legacy.
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Now Is the Time”


Illinois Jobs Need to be Job One

-By Illinois GOP House Leader Tom Cross

For nearly 100 years, Modern Drop Forge employees have been manufacturing metal forging tools in Blue Island. In August, the company announced it was moving to Indiana and taking 240 jobs with it. The reason: Illinois’ “poor business environment”–specifically, workers compensation laws and high taxes.

How many more companies and good jobs are we willing to let go before we get serious about workers compensation, regulatory, tort and tax reform?

In January, after Illinois’ governor and Democrats in the General Assembly passed the largest income tax hike and corporate tax hike in state history, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels actively began recruiting Illinois businesses. He isn’t alone. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey came to Illinois and ran TV ads after the tax vote marketing his state to businesses.
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Illinois Jobs Need to be Job One”


Cliff Surges for IL Senate Comments on Illinois’ Business Climate

From the campaign of Cliff Surges for Illinois State Senate, 33rd District…

The Chicago Tribune recently reported that Illinois is ranked among the three worst states for business, according to a survey of U.S. corporate executives. Illinois’ business climate consists of many more problems than a 67% income tax increase. Career politicians statewide have failed to properly address worker’s compensation, spending reform, and have continued with government barriers to job creation.

“The last thing people in the 33rd Senate District need is another career politician in Springfield. Voters need a State Senator with experience and knowledge in creating jobs, paying our bills, and improving our economic climate,” says Clifford Surges.

Current leadership has come up short and has promoted a poor substitute for the pro-growth policies that remove barriers to job creation. People in the 33rd State Senate district, who live from Geneva and St. Charles up north to Crystal Lake and Huntley, demand better.

http://www.cliffsurges.com/


Intimidation: Obama’s Dept. of Labor To Supply Replacement Worker’s Names AND Addresses to Union Thugs

-By Warner Todd Huston

“Since 1975,” a study of union violence says, there has been “more than 9,000 reports of union violence.” With that in mind, wouldn’t it scare you if you were told that your name and address would be made public knowledge if you were hired as a temporary or replacement worker during a union strike? If you had any sense you sure would.

Well, now that is exactly what the Obama administration wants to do. Obama’s Department of Labor wants to make a new rule that businesses must disclose the names and addresses of individuals that are hired during strikes to replace unionized workers, whether permanently or temporarily.

With the long, long history of murder, property damage, beatings, and general harassment that unions have engaged in since unions came to this nation, the idea of having a worker’s name and address released to these union thugs so that unions can create hit lists of employees to attack is unconscionable.

Obama plans to put the property, family, and the very lives of thousands of workers in danger just so he can again give a big payoff to Big Labor.
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Intimidation: Obama’s Dept. of Labor To Supply Replacement Worker’s Names AND Addresses to Union Thugs”


Roskam Statement on Obama’s Debt Plan

From the office of Rep. Peter ROskam (Ill., 6th District)…

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06), issued the following statement in response to the President’s debt plan:

“It is disappointing that with our economy on the verge of a double-dip recession President Obama is proposing trillions in higher taxes. Small businesses are already begging for mercy from Washington’s high tax and regulatory environment. Higher taxes – and the uncertainty caused by the threat of them – is the last thing American small businesses and job creators need to endure. It’s unfortunate but this latest proposal is predictably sad and sadly predictable from an Administration that has over-taxed, over-regulated, and over-spent our way to nine-percent unemployment and $14 trillion in debt.”

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Roskam Statement on Obama’s Debt Plan”


Run for Republican Precinct Committeeman

-By Doug Ibendahl

In 2010 there were a total of 6,705 precincts in Illinois. (That’s across the state’s 101 counties other than Cook County. Cook has a unique legal structure and neither political party elects Precinct Committeemen there as explained below.)

Of those 6,705 precincts: 3,440 had no one running for Republican Precinct Committeeman in 2010. That’s a 51% statewide vacancy rate.

It also represents a major lost opportunity for thousands of Republicans and our entire Party. It’s unacceptable, and it’s a big reason why good Republican candidates are losing winnable races to the Democrats in Illinois.
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Run for Republican Precinct Committeeman”


Hultgren Huddle: Americans Speak Out‏

From the office of Rep. Randy Hultgren (Ill., 14th District)…

“I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government; I mean an additional article taking from the Federal Government the power of borrowing.” –Thomas Jefferson, 1789

“Only a constitutional amendment will do the job. We’ve tried the carrot, and it failed. With the stick of a Balanced Budget Amendment, we can stop government squandering, overtaxing ways, and save our economy.” –Ronald Reagan, 1982
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Hultgren Huddle: Americans Speak Out‏”


Rep. Walsh: Obama’s Jobs Speech, It Was Political

From Rep. Joe Walsh (Ill., 8th District)…

Last week, I announced that instead of attending Obama’s political speech, I would host a small business job forum. I told you I would not be a political prop in Obama’s latest campaign game.

It looks as though I have been proven correct.

The Democratic National Committee just released their latest web ad promoting Obama. What is the topic? You guessed it: Obama’s joint session. The video is titled “14 Months”, the remaining time until the next election. As reported by “The Daily Caller”, it is evident the ad’s purpose is to raise money for the democrats.
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Rep. Walsh: Obama’s Jobs Speech, It Was Political”


Friedman: Over 105,000 Jobs Lost Since January Tax Hikes

From the Dr. Arie Friedman for Illinois State Senate campaign…

Illinois lost another 16,183 jobs in August, according to figures released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Illinois State Senate candidate Arie Friedman called the report “another call to action by state policymakers to repeal those ill-considered income tax hikes they passed last January.”

“What is it going to take to alarm our elected officials in Springfield?” asked Friedman. “The Democrats are not grasping the true meaning of Illinois’s steady drop in jobs. What will it take? Do they have to lose their own?”
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Friedman: Over 105,000 Jobs Lost Since January Tax Hikes”


Peter Roskam: Creating Jobs‏

From the office of Rep. Peter Roskam (Ill, 6th District)…

America needs real solutions that will help private-sector businesses grow and create jobs. Yet, even with 9+ percent unemployment, Democrats continue to force Washington-imposed excessive regulations on our economy.

The disappointing reality is that what may seem like a faceless regulation to most actually has a devastating effect on our local economy and our everyday lives. Read my latest op-ed in the Chicago Sun-Times about the severe effects of what excessive Washington-imposed regulations are doing to Chicago-area jobs.
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Peter Roskam: Creating Jobs‏”