Emanuel Pushing Anti-Teachers Union Line in Race for Chicago Mayor?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Rahm Emanuel is not the union’s favorite man. He has had union detractors since his days pushing the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) during the Clinton administration. Since then there have been other clashes between Emanuel and unions even as he served President Obama as his Chief of Staff. Now, as he takes after the Chicago teachers union, he seems to be tweaking unions yet again as he runs for the top seat in City Hall here in Chicago.

At least he’s consistent!

On January 10, while campaigning for Mayor, Emanuel laid out a few of his positions on Chicago’s failing schools. What he said is sure to upset the unions — not just that of teachers, either.
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Emanuel Pushing Anti-Teachers Union Line in Race for Chicago Mayor?”


Want to See Some Hate From America’s Left-Democrats?

-By Warner Todd Huston

The left is filled with vitriol and hate. The American left despises anyone that disagrees with them. The American left hates the Constitution because it stands in its way to remake America in its own image. The American left practices the politics of personal destruction. The American left has called for rioting, murder, and has commonly created images depicting the gruesome deaths of those on the right. The American left has engaged in riots, property destruction, assault, and criminal activity all in an effort to force their political opinions on the rest of us.

This can be said without the slightest fear of contradiction.

Want a few examples?
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Want to See Some Hate From America’s Left-Democrats?”


Addressing One of the Casualties of the 111th Congress

-By Frank Salvato

If you were to list all of the things that fell victim to the tyranny of Progressive leadership in the 111th Congress of the United States, chief on the list, in addition to ethics and constitutional process, is honesty. While it is true that honesty in politics – throughout the history of man – has always been wanting, it can be said with a high degree of confidence that not since the Wilson Administration has there been such a crisis in honesty in the United States government.

There is a tremendous difference between honesty in politics and honesty in government. We the People, to our own discredit, have become tolerant of dishonesty in the political process. Election cycle after election cycle we listen to the candidates – from both sides of the aisle – pontificate on what they will do if elected to office only to be showered with myriad excuses once they do get elected about how it is the corruption of the inside-the-beltway establishment that keeps them from delivering on their campaign promises and not a waning desire to achieve them, even as they literally become part of the very corrupt inside-the-beltway establishment they condemn. This is the “benefit” that We the People reap for allowing honesty to be abdicated by political candidates in the first place.

But honesty in government is quite another story. The American people may have a high tolerance for bastardized honesty in the political process, but we have always taken great offense – often to the point of anger and action – when dishonesty, often in the form of corruption, egregiously unethical behavior and/or illegal activity, is employed by our government.
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Addressing One of the Casualties of the 111th Congress”


Truth in Accounting Issues: Michigan’s ‘Financial State of the State,’ True Burden $50.1 Billion

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Chicago (January 6, 2011) — Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Michigan’s “Financial State of the State.” After an intensive review of the State’s 2009 audited financial report the Institute determined the State is in a precarious financial position because it does not have the funds available to pay more than $50.1 billion of the State’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s share of this financial burden equals $16,400.

Michigan state law requires a balanced budget. “If governors and legislatures had truly balanced the state’s budget, no taxpayer’s financial burden would exist,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). She continued, “A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees’ retirement benefits, are pushed into the future.” The Institute reviewed 2009 data because the September 30, 2010 financial reports for Michigan have not yet been made available. Weinberg added, “How can legislators and the governor be making decisions without timely financial data?”
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Truth in Accounting Issues: Michigan’s ‘Financial State of the State,’ True Burden $50.1 Billion”


Illinois: Our Last Chance to Stop the Highest Taxes in the World‏

From the Chicago Tea Party…

We can stop it…….

The Democrats don’t have the votes yet to pass their economy crushing, job killing, freedom stealing 75% tax increase. Governor Quinn, House Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton came to an agreement last week on the proposed tax increase, but they’ve been unsuccessful in convincing enough Democrat members of the House and Senate to support this man caused disaster. Here’s what has taxpayers and businesses across Illinois looking up moving companies:

  • Your personal state income taxes will go up by 75%, increasing to 5.25% of your income.
  • State corporate tax rates will increase to 10.9%, making the taxes on Illinois businesses the highest in the industrial world.
  • Cigarette taxes will go up by $1 to $1.98 per pack. Even if you’re not a smoker, this will cause more people to cross the border into Indiana, Wisconsin & Missouri to buy their cigarettes (and other products while they’re there), costing the state more revenue. Keep in mind that Chicago is the state’s largest border city.

We have a structural budget gap in Illinois. The total budget gap is running at a staggering 40%, but the solution is not raising taxes by 75%. The only approach we can count on to solve Illinois’ budget crisis is to stop spending. We need to tell our representatives that we want them to vote NO to tax increases, NO to more spending, NO to more borrowing and NO to new government programs.

Representatives you should target
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Illinois: Our Last Chance to Stop the Highest Taxes in the World‏”


GOP Leaders Respond to Arizona Crime

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over the weekend many of the leaders in the Republican Party responded to this criminal action perpetrated against a fellow member of Congress on Saturday. It is important that their words be heard because of the din of the Old Media and the Democrats is so loud as to have drowned out the sorrow that the GOP leaders exhibited over this incident.

For instance, from his home base in Shelbyville, Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had these words to say about the crime in Arizona:

“We are all still shaken by the shooting that took place in Tucson on Saturday, and we are thinking especially today about the six people whose lives were taken so senselessly. So I would again like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to all the families of those who died.

“Congresswoman Giffords is in critical condition but doctors are optimistic. Many others are out of critical condition and are recovering. I hope everyone will join me in praying for their recovery.

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GOP Leaders Respond to Arizona Crime”


Bill Gates Stymies Randi Weingarten’s No-Show Offense in One-sided Debate

-By Larry Sand

With a feeble offense (and virtually no defense), the union leader’s strategies help to keep American public education far from the goal line.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten has done it again. She agreed to compete on a level playing field – defending the teachers unions’ version of education reform – and the results were not pretty.

A joint interview printed in Newsweek between American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Microsoft’s founder-turned-ed-reformer Bill Gates ended with Weingarten on the losing end of the debate. This is not new, however, for the wrongheaded union leader. Last March, along with Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education, and Terry Moe, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a member of Hoover’s Koret Task Force on K-12 Education, I debated Ms. Weingarten and two of her hand-picked team members in New York City.
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Bill Gates Stymies Randi Weingarten’s No-Show Offense in One-sided Debate”


The Case Against ‘Experience’

-By Dan Proft

“Experience,” Oscar Wilde observed, “is simply the name we give our mistakes.” I was reminded of Wilde’s maxim while watching the recent Cathleen Black drama play out in New York City.

Black, the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, tapped by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to be the city’s public schools chancellor, has no experience in education apart from serving on the board of a charter school. Thus, according to United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, Black has “no qualifications to be the chancellor of the New York City school system.”

Education establishment figures such as Mulgrew are the same people who think University of Chicago economist Gary Becker shouldn’t be allowed to teach an Intro to Economics course in a public school without a teaching certificate. His Nobel Prize in the field just isn’t good enough.
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The Case Against ‘Experience’”


Unbelievable: Democrat Group Using Gifford’s Shooting For Fundraiser!

-By Warner Todd Huston

An extreme, left-wing Democrat group calling itself 21st Century Democrats has had the gall to send out an email blast using as a fundraising tool Saturday’s criminal shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona. Judge John Roll and four others were killed in the incident, one of them a 9-year-old girl, but these Democrats are ignorant enough to be using this incident to try and squeeze donations from its supporters. Some might think the action of 21st Century Democrats is itself a crime — a crime against decency.

The email blast sent out Sunday morning to its supporters tells members that “we don’t know yet” why Jared Loughner shot Gabrielle Giffords but goes on to lay the blame on Sarah Palin and Gifford’s opponent in the past election for using “violent imagery” in his campaign.
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Unbelievable: Democrat Group Using Gifford’s Shooting For Fundraiser!”


U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez endorses Gery Chico for mayor of Chicago

-By Warner Todd Huston

Interesting news, here, of the newest endorsement for Chicago Mayor. Congressman Luis Gutierrez has officially endorsed Gery Chico for Mayor. This is a big “get” for Chico.

I suppose it isn’t surprising that Gutierrez has turned against Emanuel. As we reported in Nov., there is no love lost between Rahm Emanuel and Rep. Gutierrez.

It is also telling that Gutierrez didn’t endorse Miguel Del Valle. There seems to be little doubt that the top three candidates are Emanuel, Carol Moseley Braun (whose campaign is troubled to say the least) and Gery Chico. If Gutierrez wanted to play a sly politics game he could easily have picked Del Valle to satisfy his Hispanic supporters and then casually switched to Emanuel (the power broker) once Del Valle quit the race (which it is highly likely he’ll do).

But Gutierrez picked Chico, a candidate that is actually in the running, showing that he does want to back a winner.
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U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez endorses Gery Chico for mayor of Chicago”


A 75% tax hike? Make Democrats Own It!‏

From For The Good of Illinois…

“The taxpayer: That’s someone who works for the government but doesn’t have to take the civil service examination.”
– Ronald Reagan.

Do Illinois Democrats hate the private sector? Yesterday, they put their cards on the table. They want to hike our taxes by 75%- a NEAR DOUBLING of the income tax! They will increase the corporate tax rate to 10.9% the second highest in the country! On top of all this, they plan to increase spending and borrow up to $20 Billion more!

Call your state representatives. Look up their name and phone number.

No Republicans should vote for the tax hike! Click here to read our message to all Republican legislators- MAKE DEMOCRATS OWN IT.
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A 75% tax hike? Make Democrats Own It!‏”


Don’t Give Springfield Politicians Any More Money‏

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

The fix is in. Democratic leaders want you to bail out their spending-and-borrow addiction with a massive tax hike.

The back room deal, announced late last night, would boost the state’s personal income tax by 75 percent − up to 5.25 percent from the current rate of 3 percent. You can find out exactly what this would mean to you with our UPDATED tax hike calculator. We will have that available on IllinoisPolicy.org this afternoon.

Consider this: A firefighter and a preschool teacher with two kids earning a combined $80,000 would pay $1,620 in higher taxes under the Quinn/Madigan/Cullerton agreement. That’s on top of the $2,160 they’re already paying in state income taxes. That’s food off the table, clothes off their backs and savings from college and retirement accounts.

Will you stand up to this injustice?
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Don’t Give Springfield Politicians Any More Money‏”


Even As Arizona Shooting Story Unfolds, Some Media Already Blaming Tea Party/Sarah Palin

-By Warner Todd Huston

Even as the early, sketchy details of the shooting incident in Arizona were still emerging some members of the left-leaning media were already trying to tie the killer to Tea Party activism in general and Sarah Palin in particular.

Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic.com was early to attempt to link lunatic killer Jared Loughner to the Tea Party, but he wasn’t the only one. The Washington Post’s Sandhya Somashekhar immediately attempted to color the story as an example of the “militant rhetoric” of the Tea Party movement and Sarah Palin.

Liberals on Saturday blamed the tea party movement’s sometimes militant rhetoric — for example, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s advice to her supporters via Twitter, “Don’t Retreat, Instead – RELOAD,” or Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R) advocating “second-amendment remedies” for some of the nation’s problems. Palin had also posted a U.S. map depicting crosshairs over the states where she hoped to oust Democratic incumbents. That map no longer appears on the Web site of her political action committee.

Additionally, within minutes of the attack, hard left-winger Paul Krugman of the New York Times asserted that the reason Giffords was shot was because her seat was not turned over to Republicans. Despite that no political motive was at all known, Krugman immediately asserted that it was the fault of the Tea Party and Sarah Palin.
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Even As Arizona Shooting Story Unfolds, Some Media Already Blaming Tea Party/Sarah Palin”


Illinois 75% Income Tax Hike on Hold, But Not For Long – ACT NOW!

-By Warner Todd Huston

Democrat Speaker of the House Michael Madigan adjourned the lame duck session in Springfield today without coming to a final floor vote on Governor Pat Quinn’s 75% raise in the State’s income tax. Obviously he didn’t have the votes to pass it.

Madigan and his waste-loving Democrats will spend the next few days twisting arms and pushing state legislators to sign onto the further destruction of the state’s finances all in an effort to continue giving paybacks and special, sweetheart deals to the State’s public employees unions.

The legislature may be reconvened Sunday to take a vote if Madigan can get enough votes together.

Republican Minority Leader Tom Cross said Friday that the Democrats have made little headway in identifying cuts in order to balance the budget. “They fall woefully short on cutting and committing to not spending new money. This is the exact reason we got into this mess…If they start spending and not cutting it will be the same mess next year and the year after.”
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Illinois 75% Income Tax Hike on Hold, But Not For Long – ACT NOW!”


Tell your lawmaker to vote NO on tax increases during lame duck session‏

From Americans for Prosperity, Illinois…

WOW! This year’s lame duck session in Springfield has been one of the most fast paced and productive sessions in recent memory. With only three days remaining, it appears that lawmakers will be receiving a formal legislative package that includes a request for a 75% increase in state income taxes.

It appears that the initial debate on the language will start in the House of Representatives. Our sources advise that Speaker Madigan is going to allow a straight up vote on the package. There is rumored to be 51 members in favor. In order to pass the House, the bill will need 60 votes. Therefore, it’ll be up to Governor Quinn to convince nine additional House members to move in favor of the tax hike. And so, this weekend, the hard lobbying will begin. The language of the full tax package is being drafted.

Below are the basic tenets of the package as we understand it today.
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Tell your lawmaker to vote NO on tax increases during lame duck session‏”


Rep. Giffords Shot in Arizona! (Update: Fed Judge Also Shot)

-By Warner Todd Huston

BREAKING: An obviously insane moron rushed up to a grocery store where Democrat Representative Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona, 8th District) was appearing and began shooting a pistol indiscriminately.

Several of Gifford’s staffers were hurt and the Congresswoman herself was rushed to University Medical Center in Tucson. Her condition is not yet known. One report has her having been hit in the head.

The assailant was tackled by bystanders and held for police.

UPDATE 01

Reuters is reporting that Rep. Giffords has died of her wounds.

UPDATE 2

…but KOLD TV News is saying the representative is still surgery.

UPDATE 3

Fox News just reported that Federal Judge John Roll was also shot in the attack. News is also out that representative Gifford is responding to questions from medical staff and is not as grievously injured as feared.

See further coverage HERE.
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Rep. Giffords Shot in Arizona! (Update: Fed Judge Also Shot)”


Chicago Mayor’s Race: De Jesus Drops Bid, Endorses Chico

-By Warner Todd Huston

Yet another announced candidate for Chicago Mayor has dropped his bid for the top seat. Wilfredo De Jesus announced Friday that he is giving up his quest and is throwing his support over to Gery Chico.

It really looks like a three person race at this point. Rahm Emanuel, Gery Chico, and Carol Moseley Braun.

If anyone is marking their race cards, an activity so woefully prevalent in Chicago, that leaves still campaigning:
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Chicago Mayor’s Race: De Jesus Drops Bid, Endorses Chico”


NoIllinoisTaxHike.com: Sign the No Tax Petition

Say No to the Illinois Democrats’ 75% Tax Increase

Sign the Petition at NoIllinoisTaxHike.com

Governor Pat Quinn, Senate President John Cullerton, and Speaker Michael J. Madigan (who’s also the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois) are trying to rush through a 75% Tax Increase in the final days of the lame duck session of the State Legislature.

This is the latest example of life in Illinois Madiganville.

While Illinois’ budget problems are grave, the answers lie in first attacking the excessive spending and enacting structural reforms that are needed before any new revenues are even considered. We cannot let the Democrats drive business out of Illinois and all of the jobs that go with it.

Madigan, Cullerton and Quinn talk a big game about reform and job creation, but they fundamentally lack the courage to make the tough decisions to put Illinois on solid financial footing. We are the only state in the union to push massive tax increases without accompanying spending cuts. Even other states with Democrat Governors like New York and California have recognized the need for cuts before tax increases. Reform exists everywhere but in Illinois Madiganville.

Please go to NoIllinoisTaxHike.com or to Madiganville.com to sign the online petition to send a strong and clear message to Springfield: Say No to the 75% Illinois Tax Hike!

Sponsored by the Illinois Republican Party. www.weareillinois.org

Please contact your State Representatives and tell them to VOTE NO on the tax hike. CLICK HERE for a list of our Illinois State Reps.


Rahm Emanuel – The Fix Is In‏

-By Nancy Morgan

I’m going to go out on a limb and make a public prediction. Rahm Emanuel will be Chicago’s next mayor.

How do I know this? I’m not an expert, political heavyweight or a Chicago insider. I know Rahm will soon be called “His Honor” because I have something all the experts and political pundits are lacking: common sense and an ability to connect the dots.

Rahm Emanuel is the quintessential political insider. He is one of the premier power brokers of the notoriously corrupt Chicago political machine. The same machine that was responsible for a lowly community organizer named Obama going from unknown nobody to President of the free world in the space of a few years.
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Rahm Emanuel – The Fix Is In‏”


New Website: Repeal Obamacare, No More Obamacare

-By Warner Todd Huston

American Solutions has started a new website to push the anti-Obamacare issue. Obviously the House will likely do a good job pushing repeal measures but the problem will be the Senate. This site will focus on those recalcitrant Senators that might try to hamper the movement to repeal.

Repeal Obamacare

On the site you’ll find a petition you can sign to let your voice be heard.

There is also a .pdf file that you can download to give you and your friends some info on what you can do to advance the case.

Repeal Obamacare
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New Website: Repeal Obamacare, No More Obamacare”


Jailed Ill. Gov. Released for Sympathy Visit with Dying Wife

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is being reported that jailed former Illinois Governor George Ryan is being allowed a sympathy visit with his dying wife, Laura Lynn. The former governor will be allowed a 2-hour-long visit Wednesday.

Ryan’s lawyers have for months been trying to get the disgraced governor released from jail to be with his dying wife, but to no avail. They have been successful, at least, in arranging this last visit.

The government, however, has not extended any special favors to Ryan. His last visit with his wife went through the normal procedures for such requests.
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Jailed Ill. Gov. Released for Sympathy Visit with Dying Wife”


The Repeal of DADT: To March or to Sashay into the Future?

Paul A. Ibbetson

On December 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law that repeals the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gays wishing to serve in the military. DADT was enacted by President Bill Clinton in 1993 and was a considered by many liberals a compassionate turn from the military’s previous ban on gays’ serving in the military. In a somewhat ironic turn of fate, in order to move the homosexual agenda forward Barack Obama would have to classify the social engineering escapades of Bill Clinton to be barbaric. At the repeal signing President Obama said that the new law would strengthen the country’s national security and upholds the values that the military fights to defend. He also spoke about the new law allowing skilled homosexuals who were previously turned away from the military to now join the American fighting forces and increase the ranks of our national defense.

To the case that Barack Obama makes for radically altering the standard of operations for military service, the President stands in complete opposition to the belief system of the founding fathers and the traditional standards of this country. How far is the gap between the value system that guides the current President on the issue of homosexuality in the military than that of the founding fathers?
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The Repeal of DADT: To March or to Sashay into the Future?”


Rep. Blackburn Introduces Bill to Preempt FCC Internet Takeover

-By Warner Todd Huston

Representative Marsha Blackburn (R, TN) has introduced a bill to preempt the December power grab by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski and she has made the bill bipartisan with the support of Democrat Dan Boren (Oklahoma).

Blackburn’s bill would place all rules governing the Internet in the purview of Congress and would take the issue out of the hands of the FCC. She is reporting that 60 members support her bill to halt the FCCs efforts to take control of the Internet without legislative action.
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Rep. Blackburn Introduces Bill to Preempt FCC Internet Takeover”


William Daley, New Obama Chief of Staff

-By Warner Todd Huston

The AP is now reporting that President Obama is, indeed, hiring Chicago Mayor Daley’s brother, William, as his newest White House Chief of Staff.

“President Barack Obama has chosen Daley, a former commerce secretary, to replace interim chief of staff Pete Rouse,” says the APs Ben Feller.

The question from the conservative side of the aisle will be one of how this news will be received by the left. Will leftists celebrate their Obammessiah’s choice? Or will they stick to their anti-corporate “principles” and denounce the move?

After all, Bill Daley is a major player at JPMorgan Chase having joined the company in 2004 and has been the president of communications of SBC since 2008. If the left is to stand on principle they should take this news badly.

My guess is, however, the left’s purportedly hard held “principles” will evaporate in their blind support for Obama. Likely the left will grumble a bit and otherwise ignore the whole deal.

Hypocrites, for sure.
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William Daley, New Obama Chief of Staff”


Great Oceanic Garbage Patch Not So Large As Thought

-By Warner Todd Huston

Remember the floating patch of plastic garbage swirling in the Pacific Ocean between California and Japan that was claimed to be “twice the size of Texas”? Well if Texas is the size of, well, Teaxs, it turns out that the plastic patch isn’t quite so large. Like most of the wild-eyed claims by enviro-Nazis it has been discovered that claims about the size of this environmental disaster are greatly exaggerated.

A new study of the swirling plastic garbage patch by Oregon State University professor of oceanography Angelicque White has revealed that claims that the thing is “twice the size of Texas” is simply hyperbole and that the patch is likely only one percent that large.
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Great Oceanic Garbage Patch Not So Large As Thought”


In 2011 Public Employees Unions Must Be Targeted for Elimination

-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”


The Missing Link in the Evolution of Barack Obama

-By Selwyn Duke

One of the problems with the idea of “American exceptionalism” is that it exacerbates a kind of complacency common to man. This is the phenomenon whereby people often view themselves as exceptions, saying, after some tragedy, for instance, something such as “I never thought it could happen to me.”

On a national level — and this especially plagues great nations — this manifests itself in the notion that “it” could never happen here. Oh, the “it” could be descent into tyranny, domination by a foreign power or dissolution. Or, maybe, it could be the election of a leader who is a Manchurian candidate, a traitor within, someone bent on destroying the nation that gave him everything. That…“it”…couldn’t happen here. In fact, the idea is so preposterous to many Americans that, if such a threat loomed, they would never see it coming. And they would call a person who warned of it a nut.

So I want to present you with a hypothetical. Let’s say a leader were elected who had, during his childhood, been mentored by an avowed Nazi. Let us further say that his guardians had chosen this mentor for him, indicating that they likely were sympathetic to the man’s beliefs. Now, let us say that upon reaching college, this future leader gravitated toward Nazi professors. Moreover, we then find out that a man who knew the leader as an undergraduate and was, at the time, a Nazi himself, said that the leader was “in 100 percent, total agreement” with his Nazi professors and was a flat-out Nazi who believed in old-style Brownshirt tactics.
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The Missing Link in the Evolution of Barack Obama”


Take Action: No Tax Increase in Springfield

From Americans for Prosperity Illinois…

To contact your lawmaker today and ask him/her to vote “NO” on tax increases during the lame duck session in Illinois click here: http://www.capwiz.com/americansforprosperity/issues/alert/?alertid=21319501&type=ST

It’s no secret that the state of Illinois is in a fiscal crisis. It’s taken about ten years of pay-to play politics, sweetheart deals, poor public policy decisions, and the complete mismanagement of state funds to get us to this point.

Illinois’ budget deficit is approximately $14 billion, the state’s pension and retiree health care debt is approximately $130 billion, unfunded Medicaid liability has doubled since 2007 and Illinois’ unemployment rate has hovered around 10% for the last two years. Yet, state government continues to spend more than it takes in (an average of $3 for every $2 it receives from our tax dollars).
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Take Action: No Tax Increase in Springfield”


GOP’s Speaker-To-Be Boehner Already Bowing to Democrats in House?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Think of this scenario: Your party has been swept into office with the biggest majority in generations. The majority of Americans think the country is on the verge of emergency and want things fixed pronto. And you are poised to become the next Speaker of the House. So what do you do? A). Steel your party for the hard and fast work to come, or B). Announce you are handing power over to the losing side, the one responsible for most of the recent destruction of the country the voters are upset about?

Well, if you are the Republican’s John Boehner, presumptive Speaker of the House, apparently it’s “B” because John Boehner is announcing that he intends to hand unprecedented power to the left with new House rules as soon as he takes the speaker’s gavel. Have Republicans learned nothing?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Boehner intends to implement a power-sharing policy that will give the minority party more power than its ever had in the House. Why would he do this? God only knows.
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GOP’s Speaker-To-Be Boehner Already Bowing to Democrats in House?”


Want Proof That Our Legislature is too Often Filled With Idiots?

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Chicago Tribune had one of those ubiquitous year-end pieces to inform us about how some thing or another ended up as the year came to a close. On Dec. 30 the Trib gave us a little round up of some of the really stupid, useless, pointless new laws that our wonderful state representatives in Springfield worked so hard to give to us in 2010.

As the Trib notes, our state budget is in practical bankruptcy and while our stalwart politicians have failed to do a single thing about it, they haven’t been completely idle. Oh, no. They’ve been very busy with the important work of the state.

Yes, they’ve been diligently working for you and me, don’t you know? They have been hard at work passing those most important laws, new rules that will surely make all our lives better.
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Want Proof That Our Legislature is too Often Filled With Idiots?”