Harry Reid’s Push To Nationalize ALL Cop/Firemen Unions

-By Warner Todd Huston

Senate Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid is quietly trying to nationalize rules governing every police, fire and first responder union in the nation. Through the benignly named Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R.413) Reid wants all first responders represented by collective bargaining rules emanating from Washington D.C. Naturally he thinks that it is necessary as a matter of national security.

Reid is pushing this monstrosity as a major sop to his union supporters who will greatly benefit from nationalized rules for police and fire unions. This plan would replace with federal rules all state laws on collective bargaining between state and local governments and their first responder unions and would greatly empower unions to dictate pay scales and benefits on a national level.

Imagine the loss of control that local governments will face when first responder unions no longer have to deal with local rules and laws but can force a federal one-size-fits-all style rule on all local governments. Local governments will no longer be able to determine pay scales and benefits and will lose control of their own ability to budget. Reid’s plan will also completely remove the ability of voters to have any say in local matters as a top down control from Washington will rule the day where it concerns local police, fire and other first responders.
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Harry Reid’s Push To Nationalize ALL Cop/Firemen Unions”


Gay Blogger Claims Mark Kirk (R, IL) Told Him He’s Gay

-By Warner Todd Huston

Michael Rogers has made an unsavory name for himself “outing” gay politicians. Today he has targeted for his next “outing” operation GOP Illinois Senate candidate Congressman Mark Kirk. It’s something Rogers says he’s known since 2004.

Why has Rogers waited some six years to “out” Kirk? Because, Rogers says, Kirk recently announced his support for the Pentagon’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that keeps gay members of the military serving under a cloud of silence about their sexual preferences. Kirk has said that he does not want DADT repealed and Rogers thinks that is an affront to Kirk’s supposed gay compatriots.
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Gay Blogger Claims Mark Kirk (R, IL) Told Him He’s Gay”


GOP Governor candidate to speak to Schaumburg Twp. GOP

Sate Sen. Bill Brady, the Republican candidate for governor, is scheduled to speak Wednesday night, June 2, to the Schaumburg Township Republican Organization. The candidate and issues forum will convene with a social hour 6-7 p.m., followed by the meeting at Pop’s Pizza, 817 East Nerge Road, Roselle.


Hultgren for Congress: 3 Upcoming Parades, 2 Ways to Help and 1 BIG Endorsement!‏

From the Hultgren for Congress campaign (14th District)…

My strong record of fighting for job creation and economic growth, while reducing the tax burden for individuals and businesses, has earned our campaign for Congress the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce!

But, the most important endorsement I can receive is yours, which is why I need you to come out and show your support THIS WEEKEND in 3 upcoming parades!
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Hultgren for Congress: 3 Upcoming Parades, 2 Ways to Help and 1 BIG Endorsement!‏”


Rand Paul’s Inadvertent Warning to Tea Partiers and Conservatives

-By James Simpson

Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in Media and America’s Survival has a post at News With Views about Rand Paul’s now infamous gaffes on the Rachel Maddow Show. In it he warns that some of Rand’s libertarian views could put him at odds with conservatives on a variety of issues and open him to criticism from all sides.

According to Kincaid, “The libertarian movement was the product of seminars held by the far-left Institute for Policy Studies back in the 1960s and 70s.” And while libertarians are good on fiscal matters, because they believe in limited government, their isolationist positions on national defense, if adopted, would provide opportunities for our enemies to flourish and grow in the vacuum created by our absence.
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Rand Paul’s Inadvertent Warning to Tea Partiers and Conservatives”


Kirk Bio Wrongly IDs Military Award, is That Worse Than ‘Mob Banker’ Alexi’s Financial Failures?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Representative Mark Kirk (R,IL) has admitted that the bio on his webpage has had to be altered to reflect a change in the identification of a military award it had previously accredited to him.

Kirk’s bio page originally claimed that he had been awarded the U.S. Navy’s Intelligence Officer of the Year award. This, however, was in error. It appears that his unit received this award, he did not individually receive the citation.

Kirk told the press, “upon a recent review of my records, I found that an award listed in my official biography was misidentified.” According to Navy records the Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor Award was issued to the entirety of the Intelligence Division Electronic Attack Wing at Aviano.

Kirk’s opponent, Alexi “the mob banker” Giannoulias has played this up as a major transgression, of course. Amusingly, Giannoulias comes from the same leftist wing of the Party that is currently excusing Connecticut Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal who didn’t just goof up a particular award he was given but completely lied about his service as a Marine in Vietnam… as in he never served in Vietnam.
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Kirk Bio Wrongly IDs Military Award, is That Worse Than ‘Mob Banker’ Alexi’s Financial Failures?”


What is a Right?

-By Michael Zak

Civil rights. Inalienable rights. Human rights. Animal rights. Individual rights. Group rights. God-given rights. Sacred rights. Natural rights. Positive rights. Negative rights. Children’s rights. Parent’s rights. Patient’s rights. Property rights. Personal rights. Basics rights. Fundamental rights.

Just what is a right? Can some rights be more basics or fundamental than others? Which is more important, a basic right or a fundamental right? Do the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few? Are rights absolute? One could assert whole new kinds of rights and then argue about where they fit in among all the other rights. How about essential rights, or core rights, or perhaps preeminent rights?

Definitions of the nature and origin of rights vary widely – from a gift from God, to one of Thomas Jefferson or James Madison’s tenets, all the way down to “a good thing” – but these disputes can be left to theologians and historians and scatterbrains. Let constitutional scholars debate the fine points of original intent or understanding — of each delegate? or the drafter of a particular clause? or the Convention as a whole? or Congress? or the ratifying state conventions? What really matters is how rights function within our constitutional system.
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What is a Right?”


Rep. Biggins Votes for Illinois Pension Bailout, Should he be Thrown out of GOP Caucus?

-By Warner Todd Huston

State Representative Bob Biggins (R, Elmhurst) was one of two Republicans to vote yes on a bill to borrow $3.7 billion to shore up state pension funds this week. The vote caused tongues to wag that the retiring representative was offered a job or some other goodies by the Illinois Democrats through Governor Quinn’s offices to change his previous vote to side with Quinn.

It isn’t that Biggins sided with Democrats and against the Republican leadership, but that he ducked a meeting with his own caucus in order to hide away in Governor Quinn’s office with chief of staff Jerry Stemer raises eyebrows.

For his part Biggins claims he was offered no incentive to change his “no” vote to a “yes.”
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Rep. Biggins Votes for Illinois Pension Bailout, Should he be Thrown out of GOP Caucus?”


Tea Party Pushes Idaho Dark Horse Republican to a Primary Win?

-By Warner Todd Huston

State lawmaker Raul Labrador beat party establishment pick Vaughn Ward to win the Republican nomination for U.S. Representative for Idaho’s 1st District this week. While Ward was supported by the national party, Labrador received the support of Idaho’s largest Tea Party Group, Tea Party Boise. The question that immediately comes to mind is just what effect did the Tea Party group’s support have on the race?

Labrador won in a 47.6 percent to 38.9 percent tally on Wednesday afternoon. Sadly it was again a low-turnout at the polls.

Late in the race Tea Party Boise endorsed Labrador as campaign troubles mounted for party pick Vaughn Ward. Labrador had trouble throughout raising money, but still won the primary. One wonders if the support of Tea Party Boise was enough to bridge the money gap for Labrador?
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Tea Party Pushes Idaho Dark Horse Republican to a Primary Win?”


Shame: Nine GOP Reps Supporting Union Bailout

-By Warner Todd Huston

For decades unions have mishandled their pension funds. These funds have been embezzled into the pockets of union chiefs, they have been wasted on needless expenses, and have been spent away on left-wing political causes not to mention simple mismanagement and bad investing. It has gotten so bad that few union pension funds for the rank and file members are adequately funded and retirement money for millions of union member’s is now at risk — naturally the separate pension funds for union bosses are almost universally in the black.

So, what’s the solution? What will befall the retirement funds of these poor rank and file union schlubs? As far as Illinois Representatives Aaron Schock and Peter Roskam and seven other Republicans are concerned you and I should bailout out these union thugs that have filled their pockets with their member’s retirement funds by giving them our tax dollars in a bailout plan supported by the Obama administration.

Apparently union crooks and neer-do-wells are too big to fail and Reps. Schock and Roskam think that our taxes should go to reward the criminal behavior and neglect by union bosses.
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Shame: Nine GOP Reps Supporting Union Bailout”


Tea Party Board Endorses Ben Loyola in VA 2nd District GOP Primary

-By Norvell S. Rose

(VIRGINIA BEACH, VA) – MAY 26, 2010 – Following lengthy and vigorous investigation and deliberation, the Hampton Roads Tea Party (HRTP) Board of Directors endorses Ben Loyola in the GOP primary in Virginia’s Second Congressional District.

“After thoroughly and thoughtfully evaluating the GOP candidates vying for the Second District nod,” says HRTP Founder and Chairperson Karen Miner Hurd, “the Board has decided to make a clear declaration of its support for Mr. Loyola.”

“The Hampton Roads Tea Party was created to fight back an overreaching, corrupt, and obese government – at all levels,” says Hurd. The Tea Party movement, including the Hampton Roads Tea Party, holds both the Republicans and the Democrats accountable for the current state of the Nation. The political elites are not listening to the people who pay their salaries. In 2010 we have an opportunity to send representatives to Congress who WILL listen and who know that they are obligated to the people – the voters – not to a political machine.”
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Tea Party Board Endorses Ben Loyola in VA 2nd District GOP Primary”


GOP Will Repeal Obamacare if They Take Control of House

-By Warner Todd Huston

Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) told reporters that the Republicans are “committed to repealing the health care law” if they take back control of the House or Representatives in November.

Boehner was touting the GOP effort AmericaSpeakingOut.com. Earlier today Representative Peter Roskam debuted his op ed about the effort here on the blog.

Please do take advantage of this opportunity to make your voice heard by our GOP leaders.
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GOP Will Repeal Obamacare if They Take Control of House”


AmericaSpeakingOut.com: Listen, Learn and Lead

-By Representative Peter Roskam (R, IL)

If you’ve noticed the uproar around the country over the direction America is heading, you are one step ahead of the Democratic Majority. It appears everyone from Nancy Pelosi to the intern answering the phones has their fingers in their ears and their eyes clamped shut when it comes to responding to the will of the people. Unfortunately, their mouths are still working overtime.

Alexander Hamilton stated the fact best: “Here, Sir, the people govern.” Congress would be wise to listen to the American people. Thankfully, in our social media age, it’s possible for Congress to be wise in ways almost unimaginable a few years ago.

Today/On Tuesday, May 25th, I joined my colleague Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), in a major national announcement unveiling an exciting new project we are spearheading called “America Speaking Out.” This effort will equip men and women all across America to dramatically affect the direction of our country by offering solutions to the tough challenges we face. This initiative draws on first-of-its kind technology to enable a meaningful two-way conversation about the policies our nation needs to pursue to get back on the right track.

Active, enthused participation is perhaps the hallmark of successful democracies. Through AmericaSpeakingOut.com, and through in-person town halls in congressional districts across the country, House Republicans can now engage the American people in the process of governing like never before.
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AmericaSpeakingOut.com: Listen, Learn and Lead”


Rep. Jesse Jackson Endorsing Republican Mark Kirk?

-By Warner Todd Huston

The final answer is, “no,” Chicago-based Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is not endorsing a Republican to take Barack Obama’s old Illinois U.S. Senate seat. But Jackson is making news by seeming to be toying with the idea of abandoning the troubled Democrat candidate, Alexi Giannoulias.

And, in the end, that’s all this is. It’s Jesse Jackson, Jr. employing the ages old Chicago Democrat game of fishing for payoffs.

The game goes like this: Long-time Democrat strong-man wants a pay off of one kind or another so he pretends he might support someone surprising, someone that isn’t the expected pick. Party bigwigs rush to payoff said strong-man so that he will support the usual suspect. Strong-man gets big rewards and ends up supporting the usual suspect anyway.
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Rep. Jesse Jackson Endorsing Republican Mark Kirk?”


Hayes Calls Jackson’s Endorsement of Kirk ‘Shenanigan to Regain Independent Voters’

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

CHICAGO: Republican nominee for Illinois 2ndCongressional District Isaac Hayes released the following statement in response to Jonathan Allen of Politico reporting Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D) is considering an endorsement of Rep. Mark Kirk (R) in the IL U.S. Senate Race:
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Hayes Calls Jackson’s Endorsement of Kirk ‘Shenanigan to Regain Independent Voters’”


A Tale of Two Book Banners: Palin Ripped, Kagan Excused

-By Warner Todd Huston

Comparisons are always a great way to show how differently the Old Media treats conservative and leftist politicians in America today and Obama’s nomination of the Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court gives us another opportunity to see the Old Media’s penchant to excoriate a Republican’s actions while soft peddling and excusing away similar actions by a left-winger.

In this case, it is instructive to see how the Old Media treated the claim that Sarah Palin banned books from the Wasilla library when she was mayor and today how it is treating the recently highlighted Supreme Court arguments made by Elena Kagan that the government could ban books under the McCain-Feingold Act.

After McCain picked Governor Sarah Palin for his number two slot during the 2008 campaign for president the Old Media lit upon a story that said Sarah Palin tried to ban books from the Wasilla library when she was mayor there in 1996. A list of the supposedly banned books was even bandied about by the left-wing blogs causing a ruckus in the media but it turned out the list had books on it published years after Palin had left the Mayor’s office. The list was a fabrication and was lifted from a website that detailed the books that had been banned at one time or another, in one place or another, over the last 100 years.

As it turned out the whole story came from another former Wasilla mayor. He claimed that Palin had asked a Wasilla librarian “how she could go about banning books.” No books were banned, no list was made and Palin said she was asked by a constituent to look into how a book might be removed for its “objectionable material.”
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A Tale of Two Book Banners: Palin Ripped, Kagan Excused”


Old Media: Democrats = Moderate, Republicans = Extremist

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is interesting to see how the Old Media constantly spins American politics, but one thing underlies the media’s conception about current events. The Old Media’s base assumption is that the left is “moderate” but all on the right are “far right.” This concept serves as the benchmark for almost every single analysis of American politics. It’s the assumption they nearly all start with as they analyze modern politics.

Ron Fournier, Washington bureau chief for the Associated Press, recently penned an analysis of Washington perfectly infused with this benchmark assumption. In early May Fournier wrote a knee slapper that claimed that there is “no place to go for moderates” because the US political scene is headed for “extremes.” And why is it headed for “extremes”? Likely it’s because it looks like the GOP is on the ascendance and the left is in retreat. But according to Fournier it’s because “moderates” are being chased from the parties.

Fournier thinks that “extremes” are befalling American politics because Charlie Crist of Florida was somehow “chased out” of the Florida Republican Party. He also points to Arlen Spector’s ship-jumping move from GOP to Democrat as evidence that the “extremes” are winning. For balance he tries to use the case of former Democrat, now independent, Joe Lieberman as an example of a “moderate” Democrat chased from the Democrat Party. These examples, Fournier posits, is proof that “compromise” is being killed in politics today.
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Old Media: Democrats = Moderate, Republicans = Extremist”


Tea Party Board to Announce Endorsement in VA 2nd District Race

(VIRGINIA BEACH, VA) – MAY 24, 2010 – Continuing to build upon the strength and momentum of successful Tea Party activism around the country, the Board of Directors of the Hampton Roads Tea Party (HRTP) will announce its candidate endorsement in Virginia’s Second District Congressional race. The candidate backed by the HRTP Board will be made known during the HRTP-sponsored radio show, FreedomWize, on Wednesday, May 26, between 10-11AM. FreedomWize airs each Wednesday morning on WYRM, AM1110.

“After thoroughly and thoughtfully evaluating the many candidates vying for the Second District seat,” says HRTP Founder and Chairperson Karen Miner Hurd, “the Board has decided to make a clear declaration of its support for one of them. This decision has not come easily,” adds Hurd. “But so many of our members have asked for guidance in this critical contest, we felt it our duty to let people know what we believe. While the Board of Directors doesn’t necessarily speak for the 2000+ members of the Hampton Roads Tea Party, we do want to speak to them,” Hurd explains, “as well to anyone else interested in better understanding the crowded race.”
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Tea Party Board to Announce Endorsement in VA 2nd District Race”


(Ill.) Brady Campaign’s First Step At Serious Campaign for Gov.

-By Warner Todd Huston

Not long ago, I asked someone, anyone, to take control of Bill Brady’s gubernatorial campaign. It looks like my wish is fulfilled because Senator Brady has hired a new press secretary, and one with some major experience at that.

The new media boss for Brady is one Patty Schuh, who has worked for the Illinois GOP for 25 years. Schuh started with the state party in 1985 and was until this month the press secretary and assistant to Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno. Schuh also worked for James “Pate” Philip when he was president and minority leader of the Illinois Senate.

Schuh, a Chicago native, is a mass communications graduate of Illinois State University and worked as a news director for radio stations in Macomb, and then as political affairs director for Morton Buildings Inc. in Morton before joining the Senate staff.

This is a very good development. Through the grapevine I was hearing that Brady’s campaign was arrogantly ignoring every snippet of advice that so many top operatives were offering them and the result has been multiple mistakes, the sort that a well controlled campaign could easily have voided.
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(Ill.) Brady Campaign’s First Step At Serious Campaign for Gov.”


Obama’s Hawaii Home Now Represented by a Republican

-By Warner Todd Huston

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Hawaii’s First Congressional District will be represented by a Republican. Charles Djou has won the special election to take the seat that lies in the same district in which President Obama’s Hawaiian home sits.

Mark this as the second Republican pick up of a highly symbolic Democrat seat; the first being the loss of Teddy Kennedy’s Massachusetts Senate seat. Kennedy was widely touted as the “lion of the Senate” and it was easily imagined that his party had a lock on his seat. Republican Scott Brown disabused them of that silly notion.

As I wrote on May 6, there are three more symbolic seats that as things stand right now Republicans could conceivably take away from the Democrats.
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Obama’s Hawaii Home Now Represented by a Republican”


Hayes Applauds Rejection of Gitmo Transfer to Thompson

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

CHICAGO: Republican nominee for Illinois 2nd Congressional District Isaac Hayes released the following statement today following the House Armed Services Committee rejects the plan to shift terror detainees to Illinois:

“I applaud the House Armed Services Committee for unanimously approving legislation that bans spending on any facility inside the United States to house Guantánamo detainees. From the very beginning this ridiculous idea was opposed by the American people. At a time when the federal government refuses to do anything to secure our borders, transplanting high-risk terrorists near Chicago would have resulted in a welcome mat for Al-Qaeda. These terrorists should remain exactly where they are – far from the American people and far from the possibility of escape.”

For more information, please go to: www.isaac4honesty.com


Congress Says There’ll Be No Illinois Gitmo

-By Warner Todd Huston

In an interesting development the House Armed Services Committee unanimously approved of legislation that would block Gitmo, Illinois from coming to fruition. In fact, they’ve blocked any Gitmo terrorist from being transferred anywhere into the interior of the USA. This is a blow to Obama’s desires to shut Gitmo down and to bring terrorists to a prison near you.

Wednesday the committee approved a defense bill for 2011 that includes language to prevent moving detainees into any US facility inside our borders and also blocked any funding to even study the possibility.
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Congress Says There’ll Be No Illinois Gitmo”


Don’t Come Home ‘Til Your Job is Done

From the Office of State Senator Chris Lauzen (R, Aurora)…

In ancient Sparta, Spartan mothers commanded their soldier sons, “Come home victorious, or come home on your shield.”

This was the old version of the British Empire’s declaration, “Victory or Death”. The modern Illinois version of this refrain, contained in hundreds of recent emails, letters and calls to my office from recently concerned Illinois constituents. Citizens and editorial boards warned, “Don’t leave Springfield until you produce a responsible balanced budget!”
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Don’t Come Home ‘Til Your Job is Done”


10th District: GOP’s Bob Dold on Jobs

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

Our National unemployment rate rose to 9.9% last month and the unemployment rate in Illinois is even higher, now at 11.5%. There is some good news in these numbers as our country created 290,000 net new jobs in April, and there is evidence that workers who had given up seeking work reentered the search for employment.

There remain, however, an unacceptable number of people unemployed. We must not accept this as a “new normal” and herald an economy that leaves millions of people without work. Our Federal government deserves much of the blame for the slow recovery of our jobs market.
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10th District: GOP’s Bob Dold on Jobs”


NPR Tries to Cast Rand Paul as KKK Sympathizer

-By Warner Todd Huston

On the day after his historic primary win, National Public Radio rabidly went after Rand Paul, newly minted GOP nominee for Kentucky Senator, trying to make him out to be a KKK sympathizer or perhaps a racist that would have agreed to keep Jim Crow alive and well in 1964. This rabid, left-wing attack is uncalled for and, further, is meant only to stir anti-Republican hatred and not to help voters discover anything relevant about nominee Rand Paul.

Nearly at the top of the interview the host of NPR’s All Things Considered tried to paint Mr. Paul as some sort of hater that would have opposed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Catch this loaded and irrelevant question by NPR:

You’ve said that business should have the right to refuse service to anyone and that the Americans for Disabilities Act, the ADA, was an over reach by the federal government, would you say the same by extension of the 1964 Civil Rights Act?

Paul gave a very good reply but the best thing he said was that he hadn’t read through the entire 1964 legislation because it had been passed 40 years ago and didn’t have any role in today’s campaign. And that is just it, isn’t it? The 1964 Civil Rights Act is ancient history as far as current politics goes. It is fully accepted and is not a law in dispute, nor does it have any part in current political discussion. The law is fact the legitimacy of which no one questions. Talking about the 1964 Civil Rights Act is not relevant alt all to today’s issues.
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NPR Tries to Cast Rand Paul as KKK Sympathizer”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 13 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – The Palatine Tea Party will debate Melissa Bean on any of the Healthcare topics covered in her letter to constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. Anytime and any place. If she has read the Healthcare bill and understands its parts then she should not have an issue with this open debate. It’s time for her to actually prove if she understands what she voted for and not hide behind talking points. It’s time to directly talk to the constituents in district 8.

Failing to accept this debate will clearly indication she voted YES on the Healthcare bill affecting all the people in district 8 without reading and understanding the Healthcare bill and can not even debate her own letter to the constituents in district 8 that she is to represent.

Palatine Tea Party


Pundits Missed that Illinois Started Tea Party/Anti-Establishment Primary Revolt

-By Warner Todd Huston

Political pundits and poll watchers all across the nation are abuzz with the “tea party win” of Rand Paul, winner of the Kentucky primary for U.S. Senator. Mr. Paul was not the party favored candidate but was supported by Kentucky’s Tea Party movement and this is being hailed as something of a first, an example that the incumbents are in trouble and the establishment is on the outs with voters. But the pundits seem to have entirely missed that this trend started in the nation’s first primary in Illinois back in February.

Three primary races in Illinois gave the first hint that the establishment candidates were going to find it hard sledding in 2010 because in the Illinois 14th, 10th and 8th Districts every party establishment candidate lost his or her primary and a tea party candidate or outsider won.

To be sure, the Illinois GOP is not much in favor with any of its voters, but the Illinois GOP has been nothing if not a power party that was always in the past able to force its own special picks down everyone’s throat in the Land of Lincoln. The 2010 primary, however, showed a chink in that armor.
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Pundits Missed that Illinois Started Tea Party/Anti-Establishment Primary Revolt”