Republicans

Congress - Elections - Health - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

8th District: Maria Rodriguez To Host Townhall (Repub. Opposing Rep. Bean)

November 5, 2009 by

Maria Rodriguez, a candidate for the GOP nomination for the 8th Congressional District hoping to face Rep. Melissa Bean (D), will be holding a townhall meeting this weekend, November 7th.

The event will be held beginning at 3PM at Hackney’s restaurant in Lake Zurich.

Hackney’s
880 N Old Rand Rd Lake Zurich, IL 60047
(847) 438-2103

Rodriguez has recently begun her second term leading the Village of Long Grove and has an economics degree from the University of Illinois.

Rodriguez’ website: www.mariarodriguezforcongress.com

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

David Ratowitz Vows to Support State and Individual Sovereignty Rights

November 5, 2009 by

Illinois Congressional District 5 challenger signs Tenth Amendment Center Pledge

David Ratowitz, candidate for U.S. Congress to represent Illinois’ 5th Congressional District, today signed the Tenth Amendment Center’s 10-point pledge for prospective and current federal officeholders. The pledge aims to bolster support for the 1791 Bill of Rights component that affirms the U.S. Constitution’s principle of federalism, stating that, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
 

“The reason that our founding fathers signed the Constitution and deliberately limited the power of the central government was to prevent just the sort of government-induced breakdown that we face today,” explains Ratowitz. “As a nation of free and independent citizens, we must choose elected officials who pledge to uphold the established laws of the land and honor local authority.”
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David Ratowitz Vows to Support State and Individual Sovereignty Rights”

Anti-Americanism - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - Health - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Republicans - Rights - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

House to Vote This Weekend?

November 5, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Apparently, Speaker Pelosi is getting a bit concerned that this healthcare fight is getting out of her control (do ya think?) and she wants to force a vote through this Saturday.

For his part, Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) says, HR 3962 is a “freight train of runaway federal spending, bloated bureaucracy, mandates and higher taxes.”

Pence is correct that the iron boot of Obama’s government will come down on the necks of each and every citizen if these mandates and this government intervention comes to pass. Obamacare will make healthcare more expensive, harder to get, and of lesser quality. In truth, there is no other possible outcome as has been seen in every country that has tried it already.

Mike Pence on the House Version of Obamacare:


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House to Vote This Weekend?”

Capitalism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Energy - Free Speech - Free Trade - GOP - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Last Thoughts on SPN 2009

November 5, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Some final thoughts on the State Policy Network‘s 17th Annual Conference.

It was invigorating to be able to share a conference with so many folks of like mind, a conservative, free market, liberty-minded mien. And with nearly 500 participants, the biggest conference they’ve yet had, it was something very worth attending if you are interested in furthering these sorts of policies among the various states.

But I have to say one thing that this conference proved and it is something that is, in the end, detrimental for the country. This was a 500 person conference where each participant spent no less than $1,000 to attend, many spent far more. There we saw free market think tanks from every state all trying to find ways to defeat the extreme Obama left. We have all this effort, all this money, all this time spent to defeat liberalism all in evidence at the conference. While that is good because it needs to be done, the sad thing is that it has to be done in the first place. The fact that this conference gets bigger every year and that more and more people from across the country have created state policy organizations to fight the un-American left is sad, when you get right down to it.
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Last Thoughts on SPN 2009″

Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Security/Safety - Senate - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Mark Kirk’s Yo Yo Campaign (Plus Did He Ask for Palin’s Support or Not?)

November 5, 2009 by

**Now with Updates**
-By Warner Todd Huston

Only a few months ago, Representative Mark Kirk voted for Cap and Tax… er, I mean Cap and Trade. Conservatives and Republicans in general lit into Kirk with a vengeance. Then he started running for the Senate and at a subsequent September 5 campaign stop he reversed himself and decided he wouldn’t support Cap and Trade.

Kirk is not a strong pro-life supporter, he is bad on the Second Amendment, Kirk is only middling on free trade, and he has drifted back and forth on sometimes support for Obama’s left-wing, big spending agenda in Washington.. though he is sometimes good on national defense. In all, Kirk is not quite as bad as N.Y. 23’s Dede Scozzafava, but he is no Illinois Dough Hoffman if you want a current analogy.

Now comes a November 4 report by the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza that Kirk sent a memo to Fred Malek attempting to get Governor Sarah Palin’s endorsement for his (Kirk’s) Senate run. Cillizza claims that this Kirk request shows Palin’s power and Kirk’s worries for his campaign.
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Mark Kirk’s Yo Yo Campaign (Plus Did He Ask for Palin’s Support or Not?)”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - GOP - Health - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - President - Republicans - Senate - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Supreme Court - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Pelosi Health Care Bill Raises Taxes $730 Billion

November 5, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

From the Mark Kirk Campaign:

On Thursday, I introduced the Medical Rights and Reform Act (H.R. 3970) – a centrist alternative for health care reform that lowers costs and expands coverage without raising taxes.

When Speaker Pelosi unveiled the final version of her government health care bill (H.R. 3962), she told us it cost less than $900 billion. Hours later, the Congressional Budget Office reported the bill would actually cost $1.05 trillion.

Take a look at the following list of tax increases we found inside Speaker Pelosi’s 1,990-page bill — nearly $730 billion in new taxes on individuals and small businesses.

Top Ten Tax Increases Included In H.R. 3962
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Pelosi Health Care Bill Raises Taxes $730 Billion”

Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - GOP - Health - House of Representatives - Journalism - Liberals - President - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

SPN 2009 Conference: Final Day

November 4, 2009 by 8 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Wednesday session began with a breakfast address by James K. Glassman the former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State during the George W. Bush administration. He spoke on Internet freedom (as opposed to net neutrality) and expressed his hope that a thousand Internet flowers would bloom without onerous regulation squelching it all. (I’ll add some photos later once I return home. All the camera stuff is packed up for the trip home at his time)

Mr. Glassman is about to begin his new role as the executive director of the forthcoming George W. Bush Institute to be housed in Dallas, Texas at the soon to be built G.W. Bush library.

I asked him if he could keep in mind the danger that state taxation presents to the Internet and urged him not just to focus on the federal threat that the Obama administration is presenting at this time. He agreed and I am hopeful that this subject will form a part of his future strategy.
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SPN 2009 Conference: Final Day”

Democrats/Leftists - Family - Gay Marriage - Liberals - Republicans - Rights - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Maine Rejects Gay Marriage

November 4, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The news for Republicans and conservatives was pretty good with most of the elections yesterday with a landslide for the Virginia GOP and a great win in New Jersey. Conservatives and Republicans did well in other parts of the country, too. One of those other areas was in Maine where the voters rejected a gay marriage proposal.

Voters in Maine repealed a state law that allowed gay marriage, becoming the 31st state to reject gay marriage via popular vote.

As of USA Today’s report, with 87% of the votes tabulated, the opponents of gay marriage had 53% of the vote.

Nearly every state that puts this issue up to the voters finds the majority opposing gay marriage. In Maine’s case, the law was put in place by the state legislature and Tuesday’s vote was the first time the voters got a chance to put in their say on the matter.
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Maine Rejects Gay Marriage”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Liberals - President - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Cook County Board President Race: Who’s In, Anyway?

November 3, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here are the candidates as announced and filed running for Cook County Board President.

Republicans
John Garrido – Policeman and lawyer ( garrido2010.com/)
Roger Keats – Securities Industry (www.keatsforcook.com/)

Democrats
Dorothy Brown – Clerk of Circuit Court of Cook County (Friends of Dorothy Brown)
Danny Davis * – Congressman (www.davisforpresidentofcookcounty.com/)
Terrence O’Brien – President of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (www.obrienforcookcounty.com/)
Toni Preckwinkle – Chicago Alderman (www.tonipreckwinkle.org/)
Todd Stroger – Cook County Board President (strogerforpresident.com/)

Green Party
Tom Tresser – Community organizer, arts activist (www.tom2010.us/)
Sean Burke – Research and development
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Cook County Board President Race: Who’s In, Anyway?”

ACORN - Business - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Education - Illinois - Republicans - Sam Adams Alliance - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

State Policy Network Conference Update

November 3, 2009 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

I have been ensconced in meetings on grassroots organizing, fundraising, tech and all sorts of things here at the SPN 17th annual conference in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina organized by the State Policy Network. I have to thank my host Adam Radman, Programs and Communications Manager of Americans for Tax Reform, for giving me this great opportunity to network with state policy organizations from every state of the Union.


The opening speech was given by Robert Levy, Chairman of the CATO Institute. He spoke on Libertarian-conservative perspectives on federalism, the enumerated powers in the Constitution and the possibilities of tort reform. Annoyingly a fellow in the audience asked of Levy why we should favor federalism over liberty. Levy patiently explained that the talk he gave was narrowly constrained on the topic and wasn’t in any way meant to posit that federalism was more important than freedom and liberty. There’s always one in the crowd, isn’t there?
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State Policy Network Conference Update”

Budget - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Education - Free Trade - Freedom - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

The 17th Annual State Policy Network Conference

November 2, 2009 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The first half of this week I’ll be attending the State Policy Network’s annual meeting, this year in Asheville, North Carolina. It is being held at The Gove, a fantastic (and huge) hotel/resort complex here in the beautiful North Carolina hills.

I will be attending all sorts of interesting seminars on the New Media, organizing, funding, etc. It’s a pretty jam packed schedule, so I am not sure how much time I will have for reporting back.

The Gove is a testament to American can-do spirit that has been stifled by government today. This humongous complex was built by a family in a years time with the aide of one steam shovel and a crew of men with mules, pulleys, and ropes.

In any case, I hope to get back to the hotel here and write a bit about the first day later tonight.
____________
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.

He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston

Fair Use: This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in my efforts to advance understanding of political, human rights, economic, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. I believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research, educational, or satirical purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site/blog for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Budget - Conservatives - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Big Wigs

November 1, 2009 by

Dan Proft whacks away at newcomer to the Governor’s race, Andy McKenna:

Andy, if the wig fits, wear it

Illinois is in a quiet state of crisis. I say a quiet crisis because through years of corruption and neglect, the conditions have been created for Illinois’ financial collapse. The day of reckoning has not yet come but the numbers clearly indicate that it is coming if evasive policy action is not taken.

When it comes and those left in Illinois are forced to confront $20 billion in structural debt and $80 billion in unfunded pension obligations, the consequences won’t be quiet at all. The cacophony will be heard in every business and every home in Illinois, its percussion will be felt by every family and it will resonate through generations.

This campaign has been beating the drum to call attention to the quiet crisis that has been cultivated by Chicago Democrats and ignored or papered over by go-along-to-get-along Springfield Republicans, and I will do so again.
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Big Wigs”

Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Liberals - Republicans - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Right To Work Prez Calls Out Newt’s Hypocrisy

October 31, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

National Right to Work President Mark Mix is calling on Newt Gingrich to rescind his endorsement of Dede Scozzafava, the liberal candidate chosen by New York’s GOP powermen for the special election for the 23rd District Congressional seat. The reason? Scozzafava is a supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act and Newt has said he isn’t.

Liberal Republican Scozzafava has announced her support of the EFCA and its card check feature, a bill that will give unions a free hand to intimidate workers during the election period for voting on union representation. On the other hand, Newt Gingrich is in such opposition to card check that he once sponsored a petition against the EFCA.

Back in March, Gingrich created a video for American Solutions decrying card check and informing the viewers that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost with card check. Newt strongly supported the American Solution petition drive titled Freedom Not Fear drive.
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Right To Work Prez Calls Out Newt’s Hypocrisy”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - GOP - Health - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - President - Republicans - Socialism - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Rep. Mark Kirk: What’s Inside the Pelosi Health Care Bill?

October 30, 2009 by

Representative Mark Kirk (R, Ill) has sent out a letter with his take on Obamacare…

Yesterday, Speaker Pelosi introduced her health care bill (H.R. 3962) and I introduced a Republican alternative (H.R. 3970). I believe we should pass some key reforms and reject others because they will harm our health care and our economy. Here are the reforms that I am backing:

1. The Medical Rights Act: Prevent the government from interfering with the decisions that you and your doctor have made about you and your family’s care.

2. Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse: Save billions in improper fraudulent payments.

3. Reducing Expensive Defensive Medicine: Lawsuit reform and fully electronic medical records to avoid duplicate tests and procedures.

4. Lowering Insurance Costs: Give Americans the right to buy insurance from any state in the union; provide tax breaks to individuals buying their own insurance; and innovation programs to eliminate pre-existing conditions.
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Rep. Mark Kirk: What’s Inside the Pelosi Health Care Bill?”

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

5th District: Ratowitz Picked Nationwide ‘Freedom’ Fund-Raiser

October 30, 2009 by

“ThisNovember5th” mass fund-raiser boosts nationwide slate of limited government activists seeking elected office in 2010.

CHICAGO – October 28, 2009 – David Ratowitz, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Illinois’ 5th District, is among 19 conservative candidates taking part in a national donation drive on November 5. The candidates, hailing from points across the United States, are seeking office at local, state and federal levels, many for the first time. All have made formal platform commitments to cutting taxes, eliminating national debt and working for a more limited federal government.

“It is certainly an honor to have been selected to participate in this collaboration,” remarks Ratowitz. “Our campaign is enjoying a warm reception here in the Chicago area. It is encouraging to see similar enthusiasm from voters across the country.”
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5th District: Ratowitz Picked Nationwide ‘Freedom’ Fund-Raiser”

Anti-Americanism - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - House of Representatives - Liberals - Media Bias - Race - Republicans - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

MSNBC: Pushing the Claim that Republicans Were Against 1964 Civil Rights Act

October 30, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On MSNBC on October 27, Rachel Maddow interviewed Jane Hamsher, well-known Hollywood roustabout and left-wing blogger for FireDogLake.com. The subject was the progress of Obamacare in the Senate and Senator Joe Lieberman’s warning that he might join a Republican filibuster of the Baucus bill if it contained the so-called public option.

During the discussion, however, Hamsher went off on a tangent about the 1964 Civil Rights Act and made the allusion that the famed anti-civil rights Dixiecrats joined Republicans to stand in the way of civil rights during the 1964 debates.

Maddow: Let me ask you about the statistic I attributed to you in my intro there – I know you have been doing some digging on this issue – of a Democrat joining a Republican filibuster. How, how unprecedented would a move like this be for Senator Lieberman?

Hamsher: Well, we have seen a number of the other party cross overs…well we remember the Dixiecrats joining the Republicans in the sixties on civil rights filibusters …

Naturally, host Maddow did not correct Hamsher’s misleading claim that the GOP stood in the way of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In reality, Republicans were great supporters of the legislation. Leave it to MSNBC to continue the left’s favorite myth that Republicans are against civil rights for blacks.

Of course, the truth is that the 1964 Civil Rights Act saw strong Republican support. In fact, of the total number of Republicans then serving in Congress support never dipped below 70% on any of the final vote counts. The original House version got 80% GOP support, the Senate version got 82% and the final vote in the House was 82% of Republicans in support. On the other hand, Congressional Democrats never saw higher than 69% of its membership in support of civil rights for blacks.
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MSNBC: Pushing the Claim that Republicans Were Against 1964 Civil Rights Act”

Congress - Cook County - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

8th District: Mr. Walsh Goes to Washington

October 29, 2009 by

Eighth District Republican Congressional Candidate Joe Walsh was invited to Washington, D.C. on October 28 to meet with top GOP officials to discuss his campaign.

Mr. Walsh was invited to the nation’s capitol by Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Chief Deputy Whip for the GOP in the House and Recruiting Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. In his role as Recruiting Chairman, Rep. McCarthy is tasked with identifying qualified Republican candidates who can defeat incumbent Democrats in November 2010.

While in D.C., Walsh met with Illinois Representative Peter Roskam and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence.

Walsh is running for the Illinois seat currently held by Rep. Melissa Bean.

Joe Walsh’s campaign website at www.joewalshforcongress.com.
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8th District: Mr. Walsh Goes to Washington”

Chicago - Conservatives - Constitution - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Efforts for Reform: The Put Back Amendment

October 29, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrezejewski and several other key leaders joined Main Street Campaigns in endorsement of the Put Back Amendment ( www.PutBackAmendment.com) on Thursday, October 29, 2009.

“The people of Illinois have waited long enough for reform. Voters are tired of legislative loopholes and political practices that lead to unfair policies and corrupt our government,” said Main Street Campaigns Executive Director Will O’Brien, a Democrat.

“The time has come to give Illinoisans the chance to truly change and reform the infamously corrupt system we have had for far too long,” said John Bambenek, author of the amendment and Main Street Campaigns Political Director.

The amendment will feature four needed reforms to clean up state government, including:

  • Term Limits
  • Seven-Day Public Viewing of All Legislation
  • End Gerrymandering
  • Equal Ballot Access

View the amendment at www.PutBackAmendment.com.
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Efforts for Reform: The Put Back Amendment”

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

Former Ill. GOP Chair McKenna Announces Bid for Guv

October 29, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, he’s done it. Yesterday former State GOP Party Chairman Andy McKenna formally announced his bid to snare the GOP nomination for governor.

McKenna has launched his campaign with a video he is calling “Hair Today,” a slam on former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s well-known, finely-coiffed hair. The ad also highlights the governors that have ended up in prison for their corruption.

Yucking it up, for sure.

Ask me, McKenna is no solution to Illinois’ troubles. As the past GOP party chairman, McKenna presided over the loss to the party of every major state office and he led the party to a new level of irrelevancy in the Land of Lincoln. And the way he’s handled this campaign is already suspect.
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Former Ill. GOP Chair McKenna Announces Bid for Guv”

1st Amendment - GOP - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

David Smith and 1st Amendment Violations in Maricopa County, Arizona Update

October 28, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Man, this story is really flying. As I reported earlier, my friend Ken Marrero over at Blue Collar Muse posted an interesting if not entirely infuriating story about GOP officials coming down on other officials and certain county employees for having the gall to talk to those eeeevil Arizona bloggers that have been doggedly reporting the corruption stories of county officials.

Lots of others are picking up the story now. Here is a list of some of them:

I’ll update as I find them.

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Health - Liberals - President - Republicans - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama’s Healthcare Failures

October 28, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Is Obama “Nixonifying” the White House? Many think he is…

During the campaign, Obama promised transparency on healthcare as he is wont to do. So far, all the Democrats have done, however, is meet behind closed doors. That’s bad enough but as the days pass we are discovering that the White House has assembled its own Nixonian enemies list.

Apparently, this is a video that the GOP leadership played for Senate Republicans during a recent policy luncheon to help them in their deliberations. These videos are not often seen outside the offices of the Senate.

Senator Kyle mentioned this during a press conference today:

…we saw a little film clip of the president during the campaign, in his shirt sleeves, out talking to a group of folks. He said, “When I’m elected president you’re going to see this health care legislation written in the open. It’s going to be on C-SPAN, and you’ll be able to see all the different people arguing to see whether they’re on your side or they’re on the side of the drug companies and the insurance companies and so on. But you’ll be able to see that process on C-SPAN.

Republican senators and members of the media highlight President Obama’s failure to live up to his pledge to conduct health care negotiations in full view of the public. Senators and media members also highlight the White Houses alarming tendency to seek to punish those who dont share its views.


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Obama’s Healthcare Failures”

ACORN - Anti-Americanism - Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - State Government - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Durkin and Connelly move to overturn Quinn’s EO 09-15

October 28, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Review has some great news on the Gov. Quinn/ACORN/SEIU front. As we’ve discussed many times here, Gov. Quinn authored Executive Order 9-15 that tried to unionize in-home healthcare workers that get a stipend from the state to care for their own family members. I’ve been working with Americans for Tax Reform to sponsor an investigation into the millions of state dollars that end up with the unions and ACORN. Our effort can be seen at SayNoToACORN.com.

It looks like several state pols have finally taken notice of Gov. Quinn’s stealth sop to unions and ACORN and are sponsoring a resolution to begin the process to stop it. Illinois Review takes it from here….
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Durkin and Connelly move to overturn Quinn’s EO 09-15″

1st Amendment - Blogging - Computers - Conservatives - GOP - Inernet - Republicans - State Government - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

Clueless Arizona GOP Heavies Demonizing Bloggers?

October 28, 2009 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

My friend Ken Marrero over at Blue Collar Muse has posted an interesting if not entirely infuriating story about GOP officials coming down on other officials and certain county employees for having the gall to talk to those eeeevil Arizona bloggers that have been doggedly reporting the corruption stories of county officials.

GOP officials of Maricopa County have been in a bit of trouble recently having been accused of wasteful spending, power grabs and criminal investigations. Marrero even notes that there is a Twitter feed used to needle these officials called CorruptAZSupes.

The barbs have been coming fast and furious and County Manager David Smith has decided to try and stop the bleeding. So, did Smith decide to clean up the Supervisor’s office? Nope. He’s decided to attack Republicans that have talked to the press and the bloggers. Classic shooting the messenger mistake.
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Clueless Arizona GOP Heavies Demonizing Bloggers?”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - GOP - Health - Liberals - President - Republicans - Senate - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Gov. Pawlenty Goes Off on Obamacare

October 28, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty delivered a red meat assessment of Obamacare and it appears he doesn’t like it much. Pawlenty slammed Obamacare as a “bait-and-switch” and said the president is “corrosive to freedom and liberty.”

In a NewsMax interview, Pawlenty really went after Obama serving a hearty dish of red meat to conservative voters across the country. Gov. Pawlenty is widely considered a prime candidate for president in 2012.

Pawlenty calls President Obama a “movement liberal” and says he’s “projecting potential weakness” to the world with his foreign policies.

“His solutions are federalization of policy, spending way beyond anything we’ve seen in terms of deficit or debt levels, spending the country into bankruptcy,” Pawlenty says. “And what’s behind it is a philosophy that government knows best, a nanny-state mentality on domestic issues that will ultimately be corrosive to the other pillars of our country — to markets, private enterprise, individual responsibility, freedom and liberty.”

As to Obamacare, Pawlenty calls it a bait-and-switch.
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Gov. Pawlenty Goes Off on Obamacare”

Abortion - Chicago - Conservatives - Cook County - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Repub. Assembly Endorses Candidate That Quit Weeks Ago

October 27, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois Republican Assembly proudly announced today, October 27, that it is endorsing DuPage County resident Peter Breen in his race for the Illinois House seat in the 41st District.

Great.

One problem: Breen quit the race on October 6.

The IRA was enthused by Breen’s candidacy because he “has been involved in pro-life issues to enforce the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995.” I was also heartened to hear of Breen’s positions and with his role as the executive director of the Thomas Moore Law Society I also felt he was an attractive candidate.

Unfortunately, we won’t get a chance to vote for Mr. Breen… at least not this time. Breen announced on October 6 that he has decided not to give up his work with the Thomas Moore Law Society and is, therefore, abandoning his campaign for the 41st District House seat. He explained why on his campaign blog:
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Ill. Repub. Assembly Endorses Candidate That Quit Weeks Ago”

Congress - Cook County - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

7th District: Joe Walsh Campaign Hires Media Consultant

October 26, 2009 by

Jamestown Associates Boasts Impressive Campaign Win Rate

Lake Zurich, IL — The Joe Walsh for Congress campaign has hired Jamestown Associates of Princeton, New Jersey to provide consulting and media services in Walsh’s race for the 8th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Melissa Bean.

Jamestown Associates is responsible for more primary wins for Republican candidates than virtually any firm in the country, including a 7-way 2008 primary in New Jersey CD07 and a primary against an incumbent in Maryland CD01. Jamestown will be providing strategic counsel to the Walsh campaign as well as producing television, radio, direct mail, and Internet advertising.

Candidate Walsh says of his new advisors, “I am absolutely thrilled to be working with the team at Jamestown Associates. Like the rest of the 8th District, I’ve had enough of business as usual in Washington, and the folks at Jamestown understand our message and have produced some incredibly compelling messaging. I’m convinced that they can do what it takes to make sure our “had enough!” message is heard and delivered in a meaningful way in this race.”
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7th District: Joe Walsh Campaign Hires Media Consultant”

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

Rasmussen Shows Dems Down in Illinois

October 23, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A recent Rasmussen poll shows that incumbent accidental Governor Democrat Pat Quinn is not doing so well with Illinois voters. It also shows that Illinois voters favor a generic Republican over a generic Democrat.

Former Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn, who succeeded to the state’s top office following Blagojevich’s impeachment, is expected to seek a full term as governor next year. Forty-five percent (45%) of Illinois voters approve of the job Quinn has been doing in his short time in office, but 53% disapprove, including 25% who strongly disapprove. In August [LINK], 47% approved of Quinn’s job performance while 49% somewhat or strongly disapproved.

Just 16% of Illinois voters share a very favorable opinion of their governor, while 18% view Quinn very unfavorably. Those numbers are a slight improvement from August, when only 11% viewed Quinn very favorably and 20% shared a very unfavorable opinion.

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Rasmussen Shows Dems Down in Illinois”

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

IL District 5 Challenger David Ratowitz Statement on Congressional Countrywide Scandal:

October 23, 2009 by

IL Rep. Mike Quigley is Faking Reform

CHICAGO – October 23, 2009 – Republican challenger for U.S. Congress in Illinois District 5 David Ratowitz released the following statement today with regard to the Countrywide Financial scandal currently under investigation in Congress:

“Once again Mike Quigley fakes a stand on reform. As a member of the House of Representatives, Quigley’s statement on an internal Senate investigation has no force or relevance. Quigley’s refusal to weigh in on similar investigations of House members, such as Charlie Rangel (D-NY), where his voice would make a difference, is a stark demonstration of Mike Quigley’s insincerity when it comes to good government.”

Attorney, Army veteran and conservative activist DAVID RATOWITZ is running for U.S. Congress (IL-5) in February’s Republican primary on a platform of limited government, fiscal discipline and accountability, and individual liberty. Learn more about his campaign at www.ratowitzforcongress.com.

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

Ditka NOT Supporting Hughes? What The…

October 23, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Looks like candidate Patrick Hughes has made a big UhOh when he claimed that former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka endorsed him at a fund raiser last month. Hughes put out a press release touting the purported endorsement and featured the announcement on his website, too. In fact, Hughes even claimed that Ditka was ready to serve on the Hughes for Senate finance committee.

As it turns out, Ditka’s office is denying that da coach agreed to serve on any finance committee nor that he even officially endorsed Hughes. A blog called Team America’s 10th District Blog does a good job assembling all the disparate sources and claims of the story.
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Ditka NOT Supporting Hughes? What The…”