Now Congress Is Fighting Over Sports Teams

-By Warner Todd Huston

In one of those “it’s gotten so bad that…” stories, McClatchy’s James Rosen reported today that Congress is so rife with partisan warfare that they can no longer even agree to sign onto each other’s harmless resolutions that celebrate sports teams for one success or another.

“The once-routine resolutions honoring hometown squads or stars sailed through Congress for years with nary a discordant note or vote — but no more,” Rosen gravely wrote.

Rosen went on to reveal that our elected officials are finding resistance to their once easily passed resolutions meant to honor local, hometown sports teams in both the House and the Senate.

So what is going on?
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Now Congress Is Fighting Over Sports Teams”


Fake Michigan Tea Party Acting Spoiler for Republicans?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Back in May I posted a report on what seemed to be a fake tea party group circulating petitions in the state of Michigan to get themselves recognized as an official political party.

The group circulating the petition, Progressive Campaigns, Inc., had long-time connections to the Michigan Democrat Party and at that time no one in the various Michigan tea party groups had any knowledge of this new so-called Tea Party petition effort.

Now the Detroit Free Press is reporting that a United Auto Workers union member named Mark Steffek has filed papers with the state announcing that this so-called Tea Party has had a “convention” and is fielding a slate of candidates for the 2010 elections.
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Fake Michigan Tea Party Acting Spoiler for Republicans?”


Repub. Nat’l Committee Announces ‘November Starts Now’ Website

The Republican National Committee (RNC) released a new web page today to highlight President Obama’s mismanagement of the economy, reckless growth of government, and failure to deliver results for the American people. The website, entitled “November Starts Now” can be viewed here: http://www.novemberstartsnow.com/

“Barack Obama’s reckless spending and unchecked growth of government has failed to create real jobs for the American people and get our economy back on track. Instead of recognizing that his policies are only creating more economic uncertainty with high unemployment and record national debt, Barack Obama continues to force through his big-government agenda against the will of the people. It is clear that the $862 billion stimulus package has failed to create the jobs that the White House promised, and now the Obama administration is pushing for job-killing tax increases on small businesses all across the country. Barack Obama has lost credibility on the economy and voters are going to send a clear message in November that it’s time to change course by electing Republicans and taking back the House.” – RNC Chairman Michael Steele


Publius Interview: Herman Cain… for President?

Where ever Herman Cain goes he meets enthusiastic crowds. There is a reason for that: He is an incredibly dynamic man. He has a compelling life story and boy can he whip up a crowd! Every time I’ve seen him he has the folks on their feet in wild applause.

The Interview With Herman Cain, Part One

Part Two

Part Three

His resume is quite impressive, of course. After all, he was the man that was assigned stewardship of the troubled Godfather Pizza chain when he worked for Pillsbury Foods and turned it around into a money-maker when no one expected him to be able to do so. It became so successful that he was able to buy the chain and run it himself.
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Publius Interview: Herman Cain… for President?”


Tony Peraica: Local Flood Relief Assistance

From the office of Cook County Commissinoer Tony Peraica…

I would like to offer my gratitude to Cook County and local municipal officials in the 16th District for their efforts in addressing the massive flooding which occurred over the past weekend.

I am pleased that everyone came together and worked to help county residents, especially the elderly. County employees from the Sheriff’s Department, Office of Homeland Security, and my own staff were on hand to survey damage and provide needed assistance. While this was certainly an unfortunate event, it was heartening to see local officials, neighbors and friends helping one another in this time of need.
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Tony Peraica: Local Flood Relief Assistance”


WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign

-By Warner Todd Huston

Despite claims made earlier in his campaign, Democrat candidate for Senate Alexi Giannoulias has said that he’ll be quite happy to take campaign donations from lobbyists as he vies to take Barack Obama’s old Senate seat this year.

WGIL News reports that Giannoulias claimed earlier in the campaign that he wouldn’t take donations from lobbyists. However, Giannoulias limited the scope of that claim to encompass only federal lobbyists and political PACs. He has taken donations from state lobbyists.

The difference between a state lobbyist and a federal lobbyist seems vague with Giannoulias, but he claims there is a difference.
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WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign”


Mike Noland Thinks Outside Money Means ‘More Support’? Not From Voters it Isn’t!

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Daily Herald has an interesting story detailing the fundraising of the two candidates vying for the 22nd District State Senator seat in the Elgin, Illinois area. The story shows the anti-voter ideas in which Democrats wallow.

The piece reports that incumbent Democrat Mike Noland has raised $107,000 for his race for State Senate while his GOP challenger, Steve Rauscnehberger, has raised $71,000.

That seems like a horrible gap between incumbent Democrat and the resurgent Republican, doesn’t it? Dem. Noland sure sees it that way. “I just got more support, period, throughout,” Noland told reporters.

But does he have “more support”? Not from his actual voters he doesn’t. Tucked into the Herald story is this line…
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Mike Noland Thinks Outside Money Means ‘More Support’? Not From Voters it Isn’t!”


Dan Patlak: Empowering the Taxpayers

From Dan Patlak for Cook County Board of Review…

In the spirit of empowering taxpayers, we have released the first in a series of “Property Tax Facts” videos. This video series compliments our website’s new “Education Center”, and answers commonly asked questions about Cook County Property Taxes. If you have a question about property taxes please visit our web site at www.ElectPatlak.com and click on Ask Dan.
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Dan Patlak: Empowering the Taxpayers”


SouthTown Star Scolds Rep. Halvorson for Specious Attack on Opponent’s Military Record

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Southtown Star finally had enough of Congressman Debbie Halvorson’s illicit attack on her 11th District opponent’s military record and published a July 20 editorial saying so.

Halvorson jumped on the Mark Kirk bandwagon and tried to see if she could find any similar “lies” in GOP candidate Adam Kinzinger’s bio. Kinzinger is a Captain in the Air Force and flew missions in Iraq. His website bio stated his history as follows: “I now serve as a captain in the United States Air Force Special Operations Command flying reconnaissance aircraft.”

Halvosron is claiming that this is a “lie.” Why is it a lie? Because Kinzinger is not now engaged in that duty. And so, he’s a liar.

The Southtown is not amused. The paper says that whether he is now or just “was” doing that duty is immaterial.
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SouthTown Star Scolds Rep. Halvorson for Specious Attack on Opponent’s Military Record”


Wow: GOP Shilling Leading Dem. Hare in ILL 17th?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Jim Geraghty Campaign Spot blog post reporting that incumbent Democrat Phil Hare is down in the polls in his race for reelection to his 17th District House seat in Illinois.

It was widely assumed that Congressman Hare would easily win re-election, yet according to this poll he is losing to GOP candidate Bobby Schilling.

His GOP opponent, Bobby Schilling, hired Magellan Strategies to conduct a poll of the district. Magellan conducted an automated survey of 715 likely voters in the 17th congressional district of Illinois: “The interviews were conducted on July 12th of 2010. This [poll has] a margin of error of +/_ 3.6% at the 95% confidence interval. The survey results are weighted to reflect past turnout demographics from the 2008, 2006, 2004 and 2002 general election cycles.”

. . . Phil Hare’s image rating is “upside down,” with 27% of voters having a favorable opinion of him, and 41% having an unfavorable opinion of him.

Among all voters, 27% approve of the job Phil Hare is doing and 43% disapprove..

This is pretty big news if true.
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Wow: GOP Shilling Leading Dem. Hare in ILL 17th?”


(10th District) Robert Dold Radio Spot

Robert Dold is running to replace Mark Kirk who resigned his 10th District seat to run for Senate.

Dold’s calling himself a “social moderate.” I shudder hearing that. But he is running in a trending liberal district and that is how Kirk had to sell himself, too (and in Kirk’s case he more than a “social moderate.” He’s nearly a straight out liberal).

Anyway, Dold has a new radio spot…

Here is Dold’s website: www.doldforcongress.com


Ill Gov Race: GOPs Brady Has Bigger Bang for Fundraising Bucks

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ed McClelland over at NBC Chicago’s Ward Room blog makes a good point about reports of the two gubernatorial candidate’s fundraising. Both seem to be claiming to have $2.3 million on hand going into this leg of the campaign. But, McClelland makes the point that so far Brady’s $2.3 million is “bigger” than Quinn’s.

How is that?

Well, Brady has gotten the benefit of money from the Republican Governors Association for ads and whatnot while Quinn has not benefitted much from the Democrat Governors Association. That means that Brady doesn’t have to spend as much of his $2.3 million to reach voters as Quinn does.
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Ill Gov Race: GOPs Brady Has Bigger Bang for Fundraising Bucks”


A Misleading Story on ‘Facts’

-By Warner Todd Huston

On July 11, the Boston Globe featured a story on “facts” and how people just don’t seem to want to hear them when they intersect with closely held political opinions. The story has some interesting points to make, points that seem quite sensible, but there is no escaping the fact that the whole story is not only written from a left-wing perspective but is misleading in a central reality that is wholly ignored by the piece.

For the Globe, writer Joe Keohane laments that people with preconceived political opinions rarely have their minds changed when presented with facts contrary to what they imagine is true. “Facts don’t necessarily have the power to change our minds,” says Koehane. He concludes that “this bodes ill for a democracy” because voters are making decisions based on willful misconceptions.

They already have beliefs, and a set of facts lodged in their minds. The problem is that sometimes the things they think they know are objectively, provably false. And in the presence of the correct information, such people react very, very differently than the merely uninformed. Instead of changing their minds to reflect the correct information, they can entrench themselves even deeper.

Koehane goes on to quote researchers that have found that people don’t like to be confronted with how wrong they are and when facts contrary to their beliefs come up they often dismiss them out of hand whether true or not. In this way people don’t have to face up to truth when they are wrong.
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A Misleading Story on ‘Facts’”


Unions Holding Up Cash for the Troops

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last week the Washington Times had a story that should enrage every true American. The Democrat Congress is allowing Big Labor’s needs to come before the needs of our troops. The supplemental budget that Congress is considering is supposed to be about funding the troops and their efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but Democrats are more interested in how many payoffs for Big Labor they can stuff into the thing then in funding the troops.

Like most supplementals, this bill began with a singular purpose: paying war expenses. It since has been larded with billions in wasteful projects and programs designed to attract the vote of the left-of-center members with no fondness for the military. Among the House-approved giveaways are a $10 billion bailout for big-spending local governments, loan guarantees worth $9 billion for purported renewable energy, $3 billion for black farmers and American Indians who sued the government and $1 billion for summertime “youth activities.”

Even worse is the language to nationalize our first responders, policemen, and firemen. (As we talked about HERE)
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Unions Holding Up Cash for the Troops”


After Giving Raises, Now Ill. Gov Cuts Staffer’s Pay

-By Warner Todd Huston

If this isn’t a reed-in-the-wind sort of move, I’m not sure what is? If you’ll recall a few weeks ago Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was left trying to explain why he was giving his staffers big raises even as he was gallivanting about the state saying how we are out of money and that we’d need to cut the budget. Well this week he is cutting staffer’s pay giving them more furlough days.

After giving out raises, now Quinn is trying to save face from that tone deaf move and requiring his staffers to endure 24 furlough days this year instead of the previous 12 day cut.

And Quinn is now putting up a grand show of his seriousness on fiscal issues by hectoring every government office to make such cuts.
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After Giving Raises, Now Ill. Gov Cuts Staffer’s Pay”


(2nd District) Hayes: Position Paper on U.S. Defense

From the Hayes for Congress campaign (2nd District)…

CHICAGO: Republican nominee for Illinois 2ndCongressional District Isaac Hayes published his position paper on U.S. Defense Policy today, calling for the United States to continue to lead the world toward freedom and liberty.

American National Defense Principles

The American defense policy is to seek and support democracy and its institutions in every nation-state and culture across the globe, with the ultimate goal of ending tyrannical regimes around the world. Achieving this high goal is the work of current and future American generations. The United States is in the early years of a long and tough fight similar to what our country faced in the early years of the Cold War. The twentieth century experienced the victory of freedom over the serious menaces of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. Currently, a new totalitarian ideology threatens our freedom and democratic values and ideas around the globe. It is an ideology not based in a secular political philosophy, but in the extreme political and social beliefs of a religion. Its contest may be different from the old totalitarian political ideologies of the last century, but its means are similar: intolerance, terror, murder, enslavement, and total repression.
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(2nd District) Hayes: Position Paper on U.S. Defense”


(10th District) Dold’s Fundraising Report

From the Dold for Congress campaign (10th District)…

Yesterday we filed our second quarter fundraising totals with the Federal Election Commission. We raised approximately $561,000 and have $722,000 cash on hand, almost identical numbers to our opponent. We’re well-positioned to take Robert’s message to voters through television, radio and internet advertising, and we have to keep our fundraising push going strong!

Our grassroots volunteer team is also up and working hard for Robert in the district. We’re phone banking every day, and this week the team made more than 9,000 calls to 10th District voters. They gave out yard signs, campaign literature and thousands of bumper stickers across the District.
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(10th District) Dold’s Fundraising Report”


Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Hill is reporting that Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is having trouble raising money, which is amusing because as a failed banker he gave away millions to a pair of mobsters that never paid back the “loan”

The Hill reports that Giannoulias “struggled to raise money in the aftermath of his family bank’s collapse in April.”

Giannoulias has raised only some $900,000 since March 31 — the bulk of it in June. His Republican opponent, Mark Kirk, collected close to $1 million that same month. And Kirk was dealing with his own scandal — the fallout from inaccuracies in reporting his Navy service record at the time.

Giannoulias raised less than half of Kirk’s total, and the Republican now has almost a four-to-one cash on hand advantage.

If you’ll recall — and the Hill notes — that VP Biden recently ambled into town to raise finds for the Democrats “mob banker” but apparently even “no body messes with” Joe Biden isn’t able to help Giannoulias.
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Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?”


(2nd District) Hayes Condemns NAACP

From the Isaac Hayes for Congress campaign (2nd District)…

Republican nominee for Illinois 2nd Congressional District Isaac Hayes released the following statement regarding the NAACP’s vote to condemn the Tea Party movement.

“Today’s vote by the NAACP to condemn the Tea Party movement highlights its ignorance of the history of the Tea Party movement and reminds us it has not changed its tactics in 100 years. A quick survey of American history will reveal the first American to shed blood in the American Revolution was both a Tea Partier and Black by the name of Crispus Attucks.
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(2nd District) Hayes Condemns NAACP”


Sauk Valley News Poll: Randy Hultgren in the Lead (14th District)

The Sauk Valley News has a reader poll for folks to vote on for whom they’ll vote in the 14th District in the upcoming elections.

At the time I posted this Hultgren was in the lead over Democrat incumbent Bill Foster, the Green Party candidate Daniel Kairis, Libertarian Doug Marks and the ever popular “no opinion.”

I say we go hit up the poll and run up a good Hultgren total! Come on, folks. Go Randy Hultgren!

http://hultgrenforcongress.com/


(2nd District) Hayes New Video Ad: ‘Enough With The Lies’

From the Hayes for congress campaign (2nd District)…

The campaign committee for Republican nominee in Illinois 2ndCongressional District Isaac Hayes released the following video today challenging Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to tell the truth.

In the video, Jackson is heard saying he is not “aware” that he is Senate Candidate 5 in the Rod Blagojevich indictment. The very next day the Chicago Sun-Times confirms he is.

The second half of the video shows Jackson at a press conference where he said, “I did not initiate or authorize anyone at anytime to promise anything to Governor Blagojevich on my behalf.” But on July 7, 2010 the Chicago Tribune reported testimony from the Blagojevich corruption trial that placed Jackson at a meeting where Indian businessman Raghuveer Nayak told Jackson, “I will raise a million if he appoints you to the Senate seat.”

.

This statement appears on the Citizens for Isaac Hayes website at:
www.isaac4honesty.com.


WATCH: Governor Quinn: ‘But that’s just how it works…’

From Bill Brady for Governor and the Illinois GOP…

Pay hikes for state government executives during a fiscal crisis is outrageous, but Governor Quinn? He defends his executive pay hikes, telling viewers on Chicago Tonight, “… that’s how it works.”

If Pat Quinn is serious about controlling state spending, he should immediately enact a wage freeze on state government payroll, and reverse his pay hikes for his executive staff today.


Chicago Young Repubs Video: Aaron Schock, Isaac Hayes, Joel Pollak

From the Illinois Review YouTube Channel:

U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock joined U.S. House candidates Joel Pollak and Isaac Hayes in pumping up a Chicago Young Republican VIP reception Friday night before joining over a thousand CYRs in the group’s 2010 Summer Membership bash at Chicago’s Cubby Bear, across from Wrigley Field.


Sharron Angle For Senate Ad: Harry Reid’s Unemployed Nevada

Republican Sharron Angle is trying to unseat Senate Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid. in Nevada. Her poll numbers look good so far.

Here is her first TV ad: Help is on the Way!

Defeating the Democrat Majority leader would be sweet, indeed. I hope everyone supports Sharron Angle.

http://www.sharronangle.com/


(2nd District) GOPs Hayes: ‘Jackson at Head of Table When Blago Bribe Conspired

From the Hayes for Congress campaign (2nd District)…

CHICAGO: Republican nominee for Illinois 2ndCongressional District Isaac Hayes released the following statement following testimony from the Rod Blagojevich trial placing Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. at a meeting where cash in exchange for the U.S. Senate Seat was discussed,

“Today, we again heard damaging testimony belying Congressman Jackson’s claims of innocence in the Blagojevich Senate Seat scandal. We can now place Mr. Jackson at the head of the table when this conspiracy was first discussed. According to testimony by Rajinder Bedi, on October 27, 2008 he met with Congressman Jackson and his supporter Raghu Nayek at the 312 Restaurant in the loop. During this meeting at which Jackson was present, Nayek asked Bedi to send word to Blagojevich that he would raise a million dollars for Blagojevich if he would appoint Jackson to the Senate seat.
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(2nd District) GOPs Hayes: ‘Jackson at Head of Table When Blago Bribe Conspired”


This Month’s YouCut: Stop Obama’s Mandated Union Fees That Drive Up Construction Costs

-By Warner Todd Huston

In case you aren’t aware of the House GOP’s YouCut program, it is a website where the GOP offers ideas that can help cut the budget and we (the voters) get to vote on our favorite ones. This voting, in turn, helps the GOP leadership focus on just what cuts the American voters want to prioritize.

Our favorite one this week is the removal of Obama’s mandated PLAs.
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This Month’s YouCut: Stop Obama’s Mandated Union Fees That Drive Up Construction Costs”


Fmr Congressman Porter Endorses Dold for 10th District

-By Warner Todd Huston

The GOPs Robert Dold just picked up a strong endorsement. Former Congressman John Edward Porter has announced his backing of Dold who is running for Porter’s old 10th District Congressional seat.

Porter initially backed Party favorite Beth Coulson in the primary and could have just taken a pass on this election, but he did chose to endorse Dold giving the first time candidate the seal of party approval.

Porter said of Dold: “Robert Dold is an independent Republican who mirrors the values of the 10th District. He will be a voice for common-sense, small-business thinking with a moderate stance on social issues such as choice and the environment.”

For more information on the Dold campaign, visit his website at: www.doldforcongress.com.
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Fmr Congressman Porter Endorses Dold for 10th District”