Senate

Budget - Business - Campaign Finance - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Free Trade - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - Pensions - President - Public Employees Unions - Senate - Socialism - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

In 2011 Public Employees Unions Must Be Targeted for Elimination

January 5, 2011 by

-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”

Barack Obama - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - George W. Bush - GOP - Government - Health - House of Representatives - Law - Liberals - President - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Fox News’ Kirsten Powers Falsely Claims Bush Supported Earlier End-Of-Life Law

January 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On the Sean Hannity Show on Fox News this week, Democrat Kirsten Powers offered some misinformed political analysis. Naturally, her analysis heavily favored the Obama administration’s goals. On the Dec. 27 show Powers insisted that inflamed talk about Obama’s “death panels” was nothing but a cynical spin meant to attack Obama because, she asserted, back in 2008 Bush and his administration supported the end-of-life provisions.

Where was your outrage in 2008 when the Bush administration said that Medicare would reimburse end of life counseling?

Well, was this to be true it would be awfully dishonest of Republicans to be opposing Obama’s death panels now when Bush wanted the same thing, right? Yes, it sure would. Sadly for Powers’ failed analysis, Bush vetoed the very bill she claimed his administration supported.
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Fox News’ Kirsten Powers Falsely Claims Bush Supported Earlier End-Of-Life Law”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Communism - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Mark Mattingly - President - Senate - Socialism - Taxes

Russians Living In The USA Recognize The Rush To Marxism

January 2, 2011 by

-By Mark Mattingly

There are other countries besides the USA that have gone down the Primrose Path to Marxism, and Russia is one of those countries. While there are no Russians left alive who can remember the insurrections of 1917, the February Revolution and the October Revolution and the political and doctrinal underpinnings thereof, there are indeed many Russians who can remember what it was like to live in the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) under what we in America term as “Communism” or “Marxism”.

Some Russians who fall into the category of “been there and done that” when it comes to Marxism currently are part of the Staten Island community in the New York City metro area, and they recognize that where the USA is heading is where Russia has been already, and they don’t want to go there. The Russians are apparently aligning with the Republican Party here in the US. If We The People can somehow put enough pressure on the GOP to abandon the RINO principles (which look too much like Democrats for my taste) and go to true Conservatism then the Russians’ affiliation with the GOP will be a constructive one in the long term for them and for all of us as well. Drawing on their experience and heeding their warning is a great place to start.
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Russians Living In The USA Recognize The Rush To Marxism”

Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Health - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obamacare: When Obama LIKES Imposing Higher Costs on ‘The Poor’

December 31, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

My friend George Scoville, who works for the CATO Institute, asked a question that really does go to show the left’s hypocrisy. This time the question reveals a “feature” of Obamacare that tends to expose hypocrisy so large that an ambulance could drive through it. (See how I said “ambulance” there to keep with the whole medical theme?)

Scoville was issued a letter from his insurance carrier that informed him that new government regulations was forcing them to eliminate a whole bunch of non-prescription items that used to be eligible to be paid for by his Health Savings Account (HSA). The new rules are forcing the insured to go to a doctor to get a prescription for things like acid reducers, baby rash ointment, eye drops, feminine anti-fungal products, lice treatments and a whole bunch of other stuff.

So now Scoville and his fellow insured patients will have to go to a doctor to get a prescription for lice treatments? For stool softeners? The insured patients will have to make a $50 or $75 doctor appointment to have their insurance cover a $3 bottle of nasal spray?

This outrageous cost hike is ridiculous, isn’t it?
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Obamacare: When Obama LIKES Imposing Higher Costs on ‘The Poor’”

Campaign Finance - Crime - Delaware - Elections - GOP - Government - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Christine O’Donnell Responds to Rumors of Investigations

December 29, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Word has run like wildfire through the Internet that former GOP Senate candidate for Delaware, Christine O’Donnell, is under investigation for misuse of campaign funds. O’Donnell flatly refutes the claims and says that these rumors were started by operatives of the establishment of both parties in Delaware, rumors meant to prevent her from ever running for office again.

In an email to supporters, O’Donnell and her staffers said that claims she is under investigation are nothing but “unfounded rumors” and she has not been contacted by officials about an investigation. She also vowed to fully cooperate if authorities do contact her.

O’Donnell’s campaign manager, Matt Moran, claims that the rumors were started by a disgruntled former campaign staffer and pushed by “the George Soros-funded CREW” organization in an attempt to “intimidate and threaten Christine, even after the election.”

O’Donnell herself added:
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Christine O’Donnell Responds to Rumors of Investigations”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Frank Salvato - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Senate - Taxes

Those Damn Rich People

December 26, 2010 by

-By Frank Salvato

Throughout the debate over the extension of the tax rates, aka the Bush tax cuts, we have witnessed a concerted effort by Democrats and Progressives to demonize the wealthy. This demonization has crossed over into the on-going argument over the Estate Tax, aka the Death Tax. At every turn we are made to feel that the wealthy have no right to “monopolize” all of their riches when government could use a goodly portion of that wealth to “help” the down-trodden, the disenfranchised and the less fortunate. Truth be told, the government can’t do anything equal to what the wealthy in the private sector do to “help” those individuals.

Before we get into the issue of the rich and their wealth, let’s dispense with the myth that government can create jobs. Oh sure, the government can create employment through expanding the reach of government; by expanding government as an entity, but those jobs require an increase in taxation on the rank-and-file citizenry in order to cover the paychecks issued to those government workers. Government – aside from the blood-money interest produced by TARP and the ill-gotten gains of government through the hostile takeover of General Motors – cannot create wealth, ergo; it does not have the ability to amass wealth in order to expand; in order to create jobs. Simply put, when government creates a job, that employee is paid by the taxpayer, not the government; that employee is paid by the private sector.

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Those Damn Rich People”

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Earmarks - Economy/Finances - GOP - Government - Liberals - Oklahoma - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

The Most Wasteful Government Spending of 2010

December 22, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Senator Tom Coburn (R, OK), a medical doctor by trade, has put out a report that details some of the worst government waste of 2010. His “Wastebook 2010: A Guide to Some of the Most Wasteful Government Spending of 2010” was released on his website on Dec. 20.

Coburn’s released statement laments the waste.

“As 2010 ends, millions of Americans are still struggling to find work. Even those lucky enough to have jobs have had to tighten their belts. Yet, Congress continues to find new and extravagant ways to waste tax dollars. In today’s economy, we can’t afford to spend nearly $2 million to showcase neon signs no longer in use at Las Vegas Casinos, nor can Congress and federal agencies afford to spend nearly $1 billion a year on unnecessary printing costs.”

“Our national debt is the greatest threat to our national security according to our own military leaders. Well-intentioned people across the political spectrum will argue about the best way to get us back on track. But we can all agree that cutting wasteful and low priority spending from the budget is not only sensible, but essential.”

“I hope this report will give taxpayers and concerned citizens the information they need to hold Washington accountable. As dysfunctional as our politics can seem, our system still works when ordinary citizens get informed and engaged.”

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The Most Wasteful Government Spending of 2010″

Associated Press - Budget - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - GOP - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Journalism - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Republicans Block DREAM Act, Another Old Media Lie

December 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Old Media is up to its old tricks again, this time making the GOP the fall guy for the failure of the latest immigration bill. Nearly every news outlet is reporting that the Republicans have blocked the DREAM Act, many of these reports even say so right in the headline. The truth, however, is not that the GOP blocked it, but that the Democrats didn’t get all its own members to vote for it.

In fact, if the Democrats could have gotten five more of their own members to vote “yea” the bill would have passed cloture. As it happened they had five members vote no and one didn’t vote at all. If the Democrats could have marshaled all its strength it would have won the day. This is rightfully a Democrat failure, not a GOP blocking, as it should be remembered that the Democrats still have the majority in Congress, enough that if they’d have stayed together on this they could have won.
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Republicans Block DREAM Act, Another Old Media Lie”

9/11 - Anti-Americanism - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Guantanamo Bay - Illinois State Government - Islam - Islamofascism - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Military - President - Regulation - Religion - Security/Safety - Senate - Taliban - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston

Democrats Slip Bringing Terrorists to American Prisons into Defense Bill

December 17, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Senator Mark Kirk (R, IL) is raising a red flag over the defense bill because the Democrat led House of Representatives and Democrat led Senate has slipped in a provision that would allow accused terrorists to be housed in prisons in the interior of the United States.

In an apparent effort to get around the President’s decision to ignore his own deadline to shut down the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba terrorist detention facility, the Democrat leadership included the provision in order to give terrorists and detainees in Guantanamo a place to go so that the Cuba-based facility can eventually — and sooner rather than later — be shut down.

Senator Kirk blew the whistle on this horrible idea and vowed to put a hold on the defense bill until that part gets stripped. Kirk appeared on Chicago’s WLS radio and told hosts Don and Roma why he wanted to put the bill on hold.
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Democrats Slip Bringing Terrorists to American Prisons into Defense Bill”

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - GOP - Government - Liberals - Mitch McConnell - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Sen. GOP Minority Leader McConnell’s Remarks After Sen, Reid Pulled Omniporkulus Bill

December 16, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

After Senate Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid decided he’d better put off a vote on the pork-stuff Omnibus Spending Bill, Senator GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had a few words to say about the situation on the floor of the Senate.

“And so what we ended up with, Mr. President, was this, this almost 2,000-page omnibus appropriation bill which we only got, it was yesterday? Yesterday. And so the point here is the work that the Appropriations Committee did in many respects was squandered because the full Senate didn’t do its job. And this is precisely the kind of thing the American people have gotten tired of. And so I think the message we ought to take out of this is that next year we’re going to listen to the American people, we’re going to do our work, do it in a timely fashion.”

“I don’t agree with the priorities we’ve had here in the Senate about what things are important. And as a result of not doing the basic work of government, here we are at the end struggling with this issue.”

“Now, there’s only one reason why cloture is not being filed and the Majority Leader, to his credit, already said it — he doesn’t have the votes. And the reason he doesn’t have the votes is because members on this side of the aisle increasingly felt concerned about the way we do business.”

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Sen. GOP Minority Leader McConnell’s Remarks After Sen, Reid Pulled Omniporkulus Bill”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Earmarks - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Pelosi - President - Regulation - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

A Detailed List of Earmarks in The Omnibus Spending Bill

December 16, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Pork, pork, pork. It’s enough pork to make a Southside Chicago BBQ joint greasy with envy. Yes, it’s a bacchanalia of pork spending and earmarks in the Omnibus spending bill, for sure, and we now have the database to prove it.

Senator Tom Coburn has posted a Google Spreadsheet data base document on line and there you can see how much the earmark costs us, where it is going, and which of our congressmen asked for the earmark.

There’s One million, five hundred eighteen thousand dollars for animal vaccines in Greenport, New York. There’s three hundred grand for the study of phytoplankton in Boothbay, Maine. Millions going to various drug enforcement programs across the country. Ten mil is being shelled out to the “John P. Murtha Foundation” for… well, just because John was such a prince of a guy. There’s a mil six hundred thou for the “Brain Safety Net,” so that brains can be safe… and stuff. Lots of cash for the study of renewable energy, various road and bridge projects, and educational efforts. Even more cash to the Department of Energy for the “Office of Science” because, well, only government can do science, ya know?

So far there have been 6,715 earmarks attached to the Fiscal 2011 Omnibus Spending bill that Congress is now considering.
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A Detailed List of Earmarks in The Omnibus Spending Bill”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Ethics - Government - Jobs - Liberals - President - Regulation - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Reid Still Looking to Introduce Forced Unionizing Bill

December 16, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

As we discussed a few days ago, Senate Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid still intends to push the bill that wold nationalize all police and firefighter unions.

The bill is titled the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S 3391) and would force all local, city, county, and state police and firefighter unions to operate under nationalized union rules created by union bosses based in Washington D.C. This bill would take away the power of local governments to control their own first responders and this would necessarily take away all power from you, the voters, too.

Reid tried to get cloture on this one last week but did not get it done. We are still on the watch for him to push this abomination against local control at any time.
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Reid Still Looking to Introduce Forced Unionizing Bill”

Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - DuPage County - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Kane County - Mark Kirk - Randy Hultgren - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

(Video) Townhall Meeting With Mark Kirk and Randy Hultgren, Saint Charles, Illinois

December 13, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Dec. 11, 2010, I attended a townhall meeting held in the 14th Congressional District featuring Congressman-elect Randy Hultgren and newly minted Senator Mark Kirk. The event was held in the theater of a local high school in Saint Charles, Illinois.

The afternoon started out with an address by Senator Mark Kirk who already was sworn in for an interim term and will be starting his first full term as senator in January. After Kirk finished his opening remarks, Mr. Hultgren spoke and then there was some time for questions for the audience.

Kirk spoke for a strong defense, he spoke for fiscal responsibility and he spoke against the DREAM Act. For his part, Mr. Hultgren didn’t have much to say past his recently successful campaign talking points. But that is to be expected since he has not yet been to Washington to be involved in the issues in our nation’s capitol. Hultgren won’t take office until Jan. 5. Both men strongly spoke in favor of repealing Obamacare.

I have video of both men’s comments. I took the video with my hand-held Flip cam so it may be a bit shaky here and there. (And on the Kirk video I had to set the camera down for half a minute to turn my phone off as I got a call in the middle of his remarks. I thought I had turned it off, but obviously forgot to do so! So my apologies there.)

Here is the video of the two gentleman’s remarks…
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(Video) Townhall Meeting With Mark Kirk and Randy Hultgren, Saint Charles, Illinois”

Congress - Conservatives - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Mark Kirk - Randy Hultgren - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Rep. Randy Hultgren Townhall Meeting Sat. Dec. 11

December 10, 2010 by

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

These past few weeks have been focused on the economy and impending tax hikes that go into effect on January 1st.

Please join Senator Mark Kirk and myself for a town hall meeting TOMORROW, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11th from 12:00-1:30 p.m. at the Norris Dellora Cultural Arts Center.

1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles, Illinois (CLICK HERE FOR A MAP)

I hope to see you tomorrow and I look forward to talking soon.

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Congress - Constitution - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Federalism - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Morgan - PCism - President - Republicans - Senate - Society/Culture - Taxes - Western Civilization

Woe Is Me!

December 9, 2010 by

-By Nancy Morgan

In today’s America, feelings have replaced facts as our governing policy. Shame has been relegated to the back of the bus and squeaky wheels have been given the place of honor.

Merit has been replaced by grievance mongers. Accomplishment and material success are vilified as having been attained on the backs of the have-nots. And that’s not fair!

In a rush to attain unearned moral virtue, millions of Americans have bowed to the PC police and advocated issues about which they know nothing in a desperate attempt to appear relevant, compassionate and non-judgmental. Useful idiots reign supreme.

We now see our elected officials on the floor of Congress debating who has come from the most humble background, as they wage a war on those greedy rich people in an effort to show how compassionate they are.
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Woe Is Me!”

Anti-Americanism - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Liberals - Mexico - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Coalition of Hispanics Against the DREAM Act Rally in Washington

December 8, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On the steps of the Cannon Building in D.C. a group of Hispanic leaders gathered to express their opposition to the Democrat’s Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2010, the DREAM act.

As this coalition explained it, “The DREAM Act would provide certain minors who are illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they attend college for two years or join the military. There are an estimated 12-20 million illegal immigrants residing in the United States. Proponents and Democratic leaders have pushed hard for the bill’s passage and a House vote is expected later this week.”

According to congressional statements and the Migration Policy Institute, if passed, the bill could potentially grant amnesty to as many as 2.1 million illegal immigrants. With unemployment officially at 9.8% this is a huge mistake. “I think progressives and conservatives alike can agree on the need to support working and middle-class citizens during a depressed economy,” said Leah Durant, Executive Director of Progressives for Immigration Reform. “This bill would provide in-state tuition rates and residency benefits to illegal immigrant students when many Americans are hurting the most. What makes sense is for America’s jobs and tuition benefits to be reserved for people who are legally entitled to compete for them.”

Rosanna Pulido, Chicagoan and one-time candidate for Congress (5th District) was in attendance and said the following:
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Coalition of Hispanics Against the DREAM Act Rally in Washington”

Barack Obama - Budget - Capitalism - Congress - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Police - President - Regulation - Republicans - Security/Safety - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Wed. in the Senate: Reid to Try and Force Cloture Votes on DREAM Act and Forced Unionization Act

December 7, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Call Your Senator Tell Them to Vote NO on DREAM Act and Forced Nationalized Unionization of Police/Firemen

From contacts in the Senate we’ve learned that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, Nev.) will likely on Wednesday (Dec. 8th) try and bring a cloture vote on The DREAM Act and the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act in order to grab as much power for his supporters as he can before his power is weakened starting in the next congress.

Quite despite the obvious will of the American people as evinced by the last election, Reid intends to push these unpopular bills anyway. While Americans professed their desire to extend the Bush tax rates and for congress to address the floundering economy, the business that voters really want taken up is being put on hold as Harry Reid endeavors to give more payoffs to his union pals and his pro-amnesty supporters.
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Wed. in the Senate: Reid to Try and Force Cloture Votes on DREAM Act and Forced Unionization Act”

Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Happy As Hell About That Tax Deal With GOP

December 7, 2010 by

This just in, President Obama was thrilled to announce the deal he made with the Republicans to further cement Bush’s legacy tax rates.

Why, just look at the giddy happiness with which he made the announcement…

ACORN - Budget - Congress - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Lobbyists - President - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Waste: Feds Gave ACORN Half a Million for ‘Fire Prevention’

December 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Jonathan Strong of the Daily Caller has another sad tale of massive government waste involving the criminal group ACORN.

Everybody knows about ACORN, the dead, but not really dead activist group charged with all sorts of improprieties and illegalities, the most significant of which is voter fraud, including registering Mickey Mouse to vote.

But how did ACORN, a “grassroots reform” group, get grant money reserved mostly for local fire departments to do “fire prevention” work?

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Waste: Feds Gave ACORN Half a Million for ‘Fire Prevention’”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - GOP - Illinois - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Video - Warner Todd Huston

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) Delivers Weekly GOP Address On Preventing Tax Hikes

December 4, 2010 by

In the Weekly Republican Address, newly-elected Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois says, “Last month, the American people sent a clear message to Washington: spend less, borrow less and tax less to put America back to work.”

Sen. Kirk expresses his disappointment that leaders in Congress have not heeded this message. “The current leaders of Congress should not move forward with plans that were just rejected by the American people. These leaders should not raise taxes and risk another recession. Instead, Congress should reduce spending and prevent another tax hike on American taxpayers.”

Sen. Kirk emphasizes, “Congress should set its highest priority on preventing the massive tax hike currently scheduled to hit our economy on January 1st.”

He also calls for “bipartisan solutions to cut federal spending” and suggests some ideas for tackling the “mounting debts [that] pose a clear and present danger to our future.”

Anti-Americanism - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Frederick Meekins - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Senate

Boob Love, Pink Cleats & The Williams Fiasco: Headline Potpourri #17

December 3, 2010 by

-By Frederick Meekins

Students sue for the right to love boobs. Or at least there was a case filed for the right to wear a t-shirt attesting to such fondness in regards to breast cancer awareness. Will there be parity for testicles along with the opportunity to wear paraphernalia referencing the bawdy vernacular often used to describe those bodily organs.

If Michael Kinsley is going to look down his nose at Marco Rubio for insisting that America is the greatest country in history, perhaps in the spirit of international balance, perhaps Kinsley and his family should be sent to take the place vacated by Rubio’s family in Communist Cuba. Am sure Kinsley’s Parkinson’s will get the treatment it needs under the wonders of Castro’s glorious healthcare program.

Of course it was a miscarriage of justice to waterboard Khalid Muhammad. Interogators should have instead used the same rusty knife on him that he used to hack off Daniel Pearl’s head.
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Boob Love, Pink Cleats & The Williams Fiasco: Headline Potpourri #17″

Budget - Business - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Pensions - President - Public Employees Unions - Senate - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Lame Duck Threat to Bailout Union Pensions

December 2, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Connie Hair has an informative piece at Human Events about what Democrats are hoping to do in the next few weeks in this lame duck session by pushing another big union bailout.

In October, Sen. Tom Harkin (D, Iowa) heard witnesses advancing the “Guaranteed Retirement Account” (GRA) idea authored by left-wing activist and purported “labor economist” Theresa Guilarducci.

As an aside, Guilarducci being called an “economist” is an hilarious conceit. She is nothing of the kind but is merely a big labor activist disguising herself as an “economist.”

Anyway, the Democrats would love to slip this budget busting nonsense past the American people in this zombie congress. Here is how Hair defines the policy:
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Lame Duck Threat to Bailout Union Pensions”

9/11 - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Labor Law - Law - Liberals - Lobbyists - Nevada - Police - Security/Safety - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Now That He’s Won, Reid’s Paying Back Unions

November 30, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Harry Reid survived his brush with electoral death winning yet another term as Nevada’s Senator. Reid knows what side of his bread is buttered, too. Big Labor gave him millions in campaign donations and Reid knows who he owes — or rather who owns him. Now that he’s fairly won he’s promising his patrons in Big Labor that he intends to push one of their favorite laws.

Reid has said that one of his first priorities will be to push a cloture vote on the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S.3992) that he ramrodded earlier this year.

This act is focused on the unionization of the nation’s police, firemen and other first responders. It 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.
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Now That He’s Won, Reid’s Paying Back Unions”

Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Shane Cultra Takes Rutherford’s 53rd District State Senate Seat

November 21, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Dan Rutherford was the State Senator from the 53rd District, but with his recent election to our state treasurer’s office, that left his seat empty. Since a Republican held that seat the local Republican Party was given the task of choosing someone to replace Rutherford and fill out his term.

After much wrangling and many hats in the ring, the Party chose Shane Cultra of Onarga to be the man sent to Springfield.

It was a crowded field of nine Republicans vying to take Dan Rutherford’s empty seat. In the running were Gary Manier, David Zimmerman, and John Ackerman of Tazewell County; Matt Sorenson of McLean County; Jason Barickman, and John Bambenek of Champaign County; Scott McCoy and Mike Stoeklin of Livingston County; and finally Cultra of Iroquois County. Keith Sommer of Morton dropped out of contention recently due to his wife’s illness.

Cultra is strongly supported by the United Republican Fund and rated at “90” by that organization.
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Shane Cultra Takes Rutherford’s 53rd District State Senate Seat”

Allen West - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Martin Luther King, Jr. - PCism - Race - Republicans - Senate - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

The Beginning of the End of The Race Card?

November 20, 2010 by

We are seeing it more and more: black Americans decrying other blacks for throwing the race card.

Here is a great and encouraging video of Congressman elect Allen West talking about the issue with Juan Williams on Fox News.

(H/T HotAir.com)

Budget - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

States that Force Union Membership Losing Population to Those that Don’t

November 19, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Americans for Tax reform have done a study (download .pdf) that shows a very interesting trend. States that are losing population the fastest are predominantly those that force employees to join unions as a condition for employment while those that are growing are mostly states that feature right to work rules.

Because congressional representation is measured by population, those states whose population has shrunk will lose seats and those that are growing will gain them. ATR looked at those states losing congressional seats in the coming reapportionment and compared them to states that are gaining seats and found some interesting things where it concerns taxes and unions.

The average top personal income tax rate among gainers is 116 percent lower than among losers. The total state and local tax burden is nearly one-third lower, as is per capita government spending. In eight of ten losers, workers can be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. In 7 of the 8 gainers, workers are given a choice whether to join or contribute financially to a union.

As ATR notes, this shows that conservative fiscal policies spurs economic growth, creates jobs, and helps a state grow.
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States that Force Union Membership Losing Population to Those that Don’t”

GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Ron Sandack Chosen to Fill Vacated Ill. State Senate Seat

November 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ron Sandack, Mayor of Downers Grove, has been given the nod to fill the seat vacated by Dan Cronin (R, Elmhurst – 21st District) who is stepping into the Chairmanship of the DuPage County Board.

Sandack was chosen over Republicans Chris Nybo, Sandy Pihos, and activist Rafael Rivadeneira.

The seat State Senator Randy Hultgren holds is yet to be filled now that Hultgren was elected to Congress. Hultgren has announced that he will retain his seat until Jan 4 when he’ll vacate it to go to Washington.
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Ron Sandack Chosen to Fill Vacated Ill. State Senate Seat”

Ann "Babe" Huggett - Congress - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Law - Liberals - Regulation - Senate - Texas

King Street Patriots of Harris County, TX Files Countersuit Against Democrats/Soros Funded Smear Machine

November 18, 2010 by

-By Ann “Babe” Huggett

Not willing to be victimized or intimidated by a spurious lawsuit claiming failure to register as a political corporation, reveal non-existent prohibited corporate campaign contributions along with its equally non-existent donor list brought against them by the Texas Democratic Party, the non-profit, 501(c)(4) organization, citizen-volunteer and citizen funded King Street Patriots, led by Catherine Engelbrecht, filed a countersuit in Austin on Monday, November 15 claiming defamation and requesting that those parts of the Texas election code restricting free speech be ruled unconstitutional.

The Democratic Party’s vehemence was triggered by the King Street Patriots’ dedicated uncovering of voter fraud on the rolls and its non-partisan True the Vote initiative, which seeks to assure fair and free elections for voters of all political parties through education and training of poll watchers and poll workers to look out for additional voter fraud at the polls.

Some of the election abuses uncovered and documented by the King Street Patriots have included multiple voter registrations, non-citizen voter registrations, fraudulent voter information, forged voter signatures, election officials verbally bullying voters to either change their ballot choices or vote a straight Democratic ticket up to and including actually manipulating the voting machines for the voters and elected officials, like Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, campaigning directly outside polling places. Other documented Democratic Party member abuses include a lunatic minister and a self-proclaimed leader of the New Black Panthers along with his henchmen entering polling places to verbally and physically intimidate poll watchers.
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King Street Patriots of Harris County, TX Files Countersuit Against Democrats/Soros Funded Smear Machine”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Earmarks - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Mitch McConnell - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Senate Republicans Vote to Ban Earmarks

November 17, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, after Senate GOP minority leader Mitch McConnell agreed to go along with the anti-earmark policy that the Tea Party voters were urging, the Senate voted to ban earmarked spending.

Earmarks are those little spending clauses added to bills that otherwise have nothing at all to do with the earmark and are emblematic of the wasteful spending indulged by Congress.

According to Roll Call:

Senate Republicans threw down the earmark gauntlet Tuesday by adopting a resolution calling on Democrats to adopt a voluntary ban moments after they adopted an identical ban of their own.

The challenge, authored by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), calls for Democrats to swear off requests for “a congressionally directed spending item, limited tax benefit or limited tariff benefit” during the 112th Congress.

Adopted by voice vote by the Republican Conference, the challenge came shortly after GOP Senators agreed to an identical ban proposed by Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.). Although Sen. James Inhofe (Okla.) objected to the ban — and expressed his strong opposition to it during the GOP’s closed-door meeting — he did not block a voice vote on the measure.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has repeatedly dismissed demands for a moratorium on earmarks over the last several days.

Notice, folks, that the Democrats want to continue unabated the wasteful spending by our representatives in both the House and the Senate. Democrats live to waste our tax dollars.

It is heartening that the Republicans have heard the voters and are willing to follow that directive to begin the long, hard road to end wasteful spending. Certainly eliminating earmarks are a tiny step in the right direction, but it is a step and a welcome one, indeed.
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Senate Republicans Vote to Ban Earmarks”