Society/Culture

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Communism - Congress - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Elections - Family - Free Trade - Freedom - GOP - Health - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

TAPROOT: Christmas Candidate Forum

December 14, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Tonight I attended the TAPROOT Christmas event and listened to 15 Republican state-wide and DuPage County candidates all of whom came to address those gathered at the Hilton in Lisle to hear them speak. From Gubernatorial candidates, Senate candidates, judges and local county folks to… is it right to say Lt. Gubernatorial candidates? If so, it sounds odd… anyway, it was a whirlwind session of candidates and a good time was had by all.

If it could be said that there was a theme of the day then it had to be jobs and the economy. Every candidate had something to say about the subject that weighs so heavily on all of us.

15 candidates is a lot of folks to hear from and each got about 5 or 10 minutes to lay out their case and then a few minutes for questions. We were pleased to hear from two candidates for governor and there were quite a lot of candidates for Lt. Governor, as well, three in all. Three Senate candidates appeared, two Comptroller candidates, one Sec. of State candidate, one Congressional candidate, two judges and a DuPage County commission candidate.

Appearing in order were:

I know, phew!
Continue reading “

TAPROOT: Christmas Candidate Forum”

Anti-Americanism - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - Humor - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Rights - Socialism - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

This Leftist Drivel is Why Journalism is Dying

December 13, 2009 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Today I have read a piece of “journalism” by a freelance writer whose Slate article shows me why the profession has fallen on such hard times. The piece on fast food drive thru windows is not only pretentious but it is filled with enough fluff to stuff a mattress and leaves the impression that the writer thinks it all resembles wit. It simply amazes for its vacuous nature. And, worse, it doesn’t even pay off fulfilling the premise of its headline. In fact, it is so ridiculous for its assumptions and its presumption of surety that one wonders if the writer had ever even seen a fast food drive up window or met anyone that would use one before putting pen to paper.

Upon reading this self-satisfied piece of nonsense, my first guess was that this guy is a New York metrosexual that never met an honest to God drive thru window customer in his life. Naturally, it turns out our writer friend, Tom Vanderbilt, seems to fit right in with the pretentiousness of his namesake, the Vanderbilts. I don’t know that he is actually related to that famous upper crusty clan whose name he shares but a look at his bio causes one to suspect that I was right with my first impression. He’s written for such bastions of real America as The New York Times, Harvard Design Magazine, and Smithsonian Magazine. He is, of course, from New York City.

With that sort of pedigree we can most assuredly assume he speaks for all of America, and not just the nose-in-the-air set that looks down upon the rest of us in “fly over country,” right? Dream on.
Continue reading “

This Leftist Drivel is Why Journalism is Dying”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - California - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Founders - Frank Salvato - Free Trade - Freedom - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Religion - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - The Law

American Liberty v. Obama’s Social Engineering

December 13, 2009 by

-By Frank Salvato

After the General Election of 2008 I made a conscious effort to give President Obama a chance. I wanted to give him an opportunity to be true to his word; to prove that he was committed to governing from the center. I also wanted to demonstrate that I was not of the same ilk as the Bush-hating, “he stole the election,” fact-ignoring Progressive malcontents that served to divide the country over the eight years of the Bush Administration. But now, a year after the election, and as we approach a full year of the Obama Administration, it has become abundantly clear that Mr. Obama has abandoned almost all of his campaign promises (but for his commitments to the SEIU) and is governing from the far Left. He has instituted a campaign of social engineering that can only be described as a direct threat to liberty.

Liberty
Liberty is defined as, “freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.” It was the single most motivating factor in the American Revolution and war for independence. Our Founders and Framers risked their lives to free the people of what would become our nation from the elitist tyranny of King George and his court, a tyranny that choked liberty – personal and societal – dead.

In addition to the limitations placed on religious freedom and freedom of speech, taxation was excessive and exploitative and it was imposed without representation. Many of the colonists believed the denial of direct representation in the British Parliament was an illegal denial of their rights, as colonists were considered Englishmen subject to the king’s rule. Thus the credo, “no taxation without representation,” served as the rallying cry for Patriots in each of the thirteen colonies as they coalesced into a movement toward American independence.

Continue reading “

American Liberty v. Obama’s Social Engineering”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Health - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - SEIU - Senate - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Unions Again In DC Arguing Against ‘Cadillac Plan’ Tax

December 12, 2009 by

By Warner Todd Huston

The Associated Press reports the words of Lily Eskelsen, vice president of the National Education Association, who went to Washington D.C. to protest the so-called Cadillac healthcare plan tax currently in the Senate’s healthcare bill. “We should tax the millionaires, not teachers and bus drivers,” she told reporters.

This has been the constant refrain from Big Unions since Senator Max Baucus (D, Montana) included the taxing plan into his Senate version of Obamacare earlier this year. This 40 percent tax plan would kick in for any employee whose healthcare plan reaches $8,500 per year for individuals or $23,000 for families.

Of course, there is a fatal flaw in the Democrat’s assumptions of what this tax will do. As the AP reports, “The tax would raise some $150 billion over 10 years to help pay for the Democrats’ nearly $1 trillion health care bill.”
Continue reading “

Unions Again In DC Arguing Against ‘Cadillac Plan’ Tax”

Anti-Americanism - Campaign Finance - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - John Armor - Liberals - Society/Culture - State Government

Reading What Isn’t There

December 12, 2009 by

-By John Armor

As an avid follower of and writer on political and legal subjects for almost fifty years, I’ve gotten on many mailing lists from all parts of the political spectrum. This week I received the “2009 Scorecard on Campaign Reform” from an outfit named North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections. Sounds like God, flag, and Mom’s apple pie, doesn’t it?

I had never heard of this organization before. But there is a standard process I use to smoke out the bias, if any, in any new organization I hear about. My knowledge was new; the organization is, apparently, ten years old.

Step one: Who is running the organization? Neither the Director nor any of the thirteen members of the Board, are known to me.

Step two: What are they trying to accomplish? They want public funding of all elections in North Carolina, trying to build from the bottom up, from city and county elections. Okay, maybe that’s good or bad. Depends on the details, which are not clearly laid out. It looks like a plea for laws that provide every candidate with the same amount of support after they have raised a small, trigger amount of money privately.
Continue reading “

Reading What Isn’t There”

9/11 - Afghanistan - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Islam - Islamofascism - Liberals - Military - President - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - State Government - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

BG Exclusive: Confirmed, Obama Sending Terrorists to Illinois

December 11, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In a shocking news flash, BigGovernment.com has published a Department of Justice Memo that authorizes the Obama Administration to send terrorists into Illinois!

Via Obama Executive Order 13492, terrorists WILL BE SENT to Illinois.

Here is the text of that memo (download document here):

Thursday, December 10, 2009

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL                           



SUBJECT:  Directing Certain Actions with Respect to Acquisition and Use of Thomson Correctional Center



By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including by article II, section 2, clause 1 of the Constitution, which designates the President as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and by the Authorization for Use of Military Force, Public Law 107-40, 115 Stat. 224, I hereby direct that the following actions be taken with respect to the facility known as the Thomson Correctional Center (TCC) in Thomson, Illinois:



1.  The Secretary of Defense shall relocate detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Detention Facility to the TCC as expeditiously as possible, to the extent permitted by laws related to Guantanamo detainees, and consistent with the findings in, and interagency Review established by, Executive Order 13492 of January 22, 2009.



2.  The Attorney General shall as expeditiously as possible acquire and activate the TCC as a United States Penitentiary, which the Attorney General has determined would alleviate the Bureau of Prisons’ shortage of maximum security cell space and could be used for other appropriate purposes.  The Attorney General shall also provide to the Department of Defense a sufficient portion of the TCC to serve as a detention facility to be operated by the Department of Defense, to accommodate the relocation of detainees by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with paragraph 1 of this memorandum. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.



The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

So, what happened to all those Illinois lawmakers that were talking about having state hearings, discussions, and debates on the efficacy of this state exposing its citizens to terrorists? What happened to state officials having a word on the matter? Or is accidental Governor Pat Quinn and his pal President Obama simply going to decide to put these dangerous killers amongst us no matter what we have to say about it?

All questions that we apparently aren’t going to even be allowed to ask!
Continue reading “

BG Exclusive: Confirmed, Obama Sending Terrorists to Illinois”

Anti-Americanism - Blogging - Democrats/Leftists - Gays - Inernet - Liberals - Media Bias - Republicans - Society/Culture - Taxes - Tea Party - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

Liberal Website Wants ‘Teabaggers’ to ‘Die’

December 11, 2009 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The profane, but popular lefty site named “Wonkette” decided that it wants conservatives to die. Either that or it wants homosexuals that indulge a certain sexual practice to die, it’s a bit hard to tell.

In a post outrageously headlined “Teabaggers To Feign Death In Senate Offices, Because Of Whatever,” the Wonkette crew snarks that “teabaggers” will appear in the Senate and will “pretend to die, because they’re pussies, and won’t die for real.”

Now, there is a bit of confusion here, as you can readily see. None who are going to the Senate to protest the anti-American Obamacare policies that the Senate is trying to push through are “teabaggers.” They may be Tea Party goers, Tea Partiers, or Tea Partyists, but none of them are “teabaggers.” As many of you already know, a “teabagger” is someone that indulges in some crazy homosexual sex practice. Most assuredly no one going to D.C. for this protest will be under any apprehension that they will be doing so to highlight any aberrant sexual practice. Maybe an aberrant taxing practice, but not any aberrant sex practice.

So, we have that whole confusing terminology thing going on here.
Continue reading “

Liberal Website Wants ‘Teabaggers’ to ‘Die’”

2nd Amendment - Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Guns - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Jim Ryan: Cut Aid to Township Governments

December 11, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

At a sit down with the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board this week, former States Attorney Jim Ryan, candidate for the GOP nod for governor, said that one of his cost-cutting measures would be a state-wide cut back on state grants to local township governments.

The Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, in a report last February, said capping revenue sharing and grants to local governments could save up to $300 million a year. Ryan said state cutbacks on income-tax revenue to cities and counties “will put them on a diet and also save us money.”

I say, good idea! As The Better Government Association discovered last month, many of these Townships aren’t in any way needy of more tax money. In fact, many are awash in large, surpluses in their bank accounts even as they continue to tax us to death.

In fact ABC 7 and the BGA discovered that many of these fat-cat townships don’t even spend their large surpluses on the actual, lawful purpose for which townships were created for in the first place.
Continue reading “

Jim Ryan: Cut Aid to Township Governments”

Business - Children - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Family - Free Trade - Freedom - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Jobs - Rights - Society/Culture - Truth in Accounting - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston - Welfare - Western Civilization

An IPI Christmas: Feeding The Hungry, Bringing Opportunity to Developing Nations

December 10, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last night I was invited to attend a Christmas get together sponsored by the Illinois Policy Institute. This year’s theme was feeding the hungry in Africa and bringing economic freedom to developing nations. We heard some interesting presentations from Paul Wormley of the One Acre Fund as well as Tim Probasco of Opportunity International, both involved with helping subsistence farmers in Africa and India to become self-sufficient and to work toward creating financial success by selling their products at market. Both organizations take different approaches toward the same market oriented goals and both are efforts worthy of support. Best of all both organizations base their assistance on free market principles as opposed to mere charity work.

But, before the serious discussions of hunger in Africa and India and economic assistance to the impoverished began, we were serenaded by a charming group of kids from a local Chicago school operated by the KIPP: Ascend charter school program.


Continue reading “

An IPI Christmas: Feeding The Hungry, Bringing Opportunity to Developing Nations”

Ann "Babe" Huggett - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Europe - Free Trade - Liberals - Security/Safety - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - UN

Put The Blame On Santa Claus

December 10, 2009 by

-By Ann “Babe” Huggett


The Copenhagen Climate Summit imploded on its second day over the lethal ‘Danish text” leak of the draft agreement, which further empowers First World nations over the developing and undeveloped nations, sidelines the UN and dumps the Kyoto Protocol. As the screaming developing nations let off CO2 like weenies on a grill amidst all the limos and private jets of the attendees, the Northern hemisphere is gripped in Winter’s snowy embrace while it is still Fall. Global warming is dead and it’s too late to switch back to the Global Cooling of the ‘70s. The only control freak Globalist thing left on their humanity hating agenda is Climate Change with which to bludgeon us into shivering serfs.

The Summit started off with the usual political correct nonsense of Christmas trees being banned since it is a socialist rich, post Christian environment where nothing as crass as trees sacrificed for bourgeoisie sentimentality is allowed. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in the bizarro world of the socialist, it’s always Winter and never Christmas.
Continue reading “

Put The Blame On Santa Claus”

Barack Obama - Christmas - Democrats/Leftists - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - President - Religion - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Obama to Journalists: No Christmas Present For You

December 9, 2009 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is beginning to look like TheOne has just told the lapdog U.S. Old Media that he didn’t get them a Christmas present this year. Politico is reporting that the Obama Administration didn’t invite the average number of newsies to the White House Christmas Party and on top of that, even the ones that did get invited won’t be able to get their photos taken with Obama in a receiving line like they traditionally have because the president seems to have ditched the whole receiving line thing from the schedule.

Imagine the heartbreaking that is going on in those hoary Old Media circles. Imagine the gnashing of teeth and the wailing going on as they whine to their significant other that TheOne has forsaken them! It must be a caterwauling like you’ve never heard.

The Politico starts off its piece in perfect politically correct pitch by noting that reporters covering Obama always look forward to “The White House Holiday Party.” Didja notice Politico doesn’t say the White House Christmas Party? I thought you would. Anyway, shocking news has leaked out amongst the newsies that many of them weren’t invited to the White House Party this year like they have been in years past. Worse, the Prez has dumped that whole annoying having-to-meet-people stuff.
Continue reading “

Obama to Journalists: No Christmas Present For You”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Freedom - Liberals - Scott Cleland - Society/Culture - Taxes

Why Google is a Monopoly — Presenting the Case before the Federalist Society

December 9, 2009 by

-By Scott Cleland

Federalist Society Forum:

“Is Google Monopolizing Something and If So What?”

National Press Club, Washington D.C., December 7, 2009
Remarks of Scott Cleland, President of Precursor LLC

Thank you for the opportunity to make the case that Google is: A monopoly and a digital information distribution bottleneck; andiIs engaged in pervasive, predatory, anti-competitive behavior that is seriously harming competition, the quality and choice of information, and consumers.

I believe it is not if, but when, the DOJ will be compelled by the facts and the harms to competition to file a Sherman Section 2 monopolization case against Google.

I will make four points in my opening remarks.
Continue reading “

Why Google is a Monopoly — Presenting the Case before the Federalist Society”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Health - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Religion - Rights - Science - Security/Safety - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - UN - Warner Todd Huston

ClimateGate and the UN: New Red Scare over Green Lies

December 8, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Believe it or not, the UN just whined that climategate is the Russian’s fault. It appears that the United Nation’s position is that the obvious cover-up of the false doctrine that is global warming perpetrated by global warming “scientists” is not the fault of the lying scientists, but that of the assumed “paid” Russian hacker that hacked the globaloney scientist’s emails and exposed the cover-up to the world. Convoluted reasoning, no?

Remember when you were a child and your Mother discovered through hearing about it from the neighbors that you were doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing? Remember how instead of taking responsibility for your actions you cried that it wasn’t right that someone narced on you? Well, that is the same sort of childish, facile reasoning that the UN has employed to explain away this climaegate scandal.

Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, a vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), recently said that the hacked emails from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) were obtained and hyped by Russia in order to “destroy public confidence” in the “science” of man-made global warming… or is it now “climate change”? It’s hard to keep up with their constant name changing as they look for more sellable rhetoric.

Just like that kid that’s mad at getting caught but can’t see that he is at fault in the first place, the UN is now trying to get everyone to consider this as “hackergate” instead of climategate. Various UN folks are in essence telling us not to look “here,” but to instead look “over there.”
Continue reading “

ClimateGate and the UN: New Red Scare over Green Lies”

Barack Obama - Family - Freedom - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Race - Slavery - Society/Culture - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

Tiger Woods: Didn’t Join The Club?

December 8, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Now, I thought we wanted a world without color? I thought we wanted a world where “love” beat out misogyny, a world where people were “just people”? Yet we are still in an era where the Associated Press, with a serious tone and a straight face, reports the story of Tiger Woods daring to favor “white women” as paramours. And astonishingly it is Tiger that is portrayed as somehow in the wrong to like white women and the “black community” that somehow legitimately feels aggrieved? This after a presidential campaign where the Democrat’s lead candidate was often portrayed as “not black enough.”

I have been blogging since 2001 and in all that time you’ll find few stories about the adulterer du jour. Granted I am a politics blogger, but I didn’t even much care about the John Edwards debacle and I’ve but barely mentioned the Mark Sanford dust up. When it comes to this sort of stuff, I usually find myself bored with it all. On top of that, I have no interest in sports at all. I mean zilch.

So, why a piece about Tiger Woods of all people, you may ask? Because this racism racket has become the biggest hypocrisy of American culture, that’s way. It has become a fine-for-me-but-not-for-thee situation where the “black community” can advocate for separatism for themselves while excoriating everyone else for even daring to broach the subject. When the black community takes up the issue for itself everyone else is supposed to nod approvingly and say they are due the discussion because of “the past.”
Continue reading “

Tiger Woods: Didn’t Join The Club?”

Anti-Americanism - Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - GOP - Health - Illinois - Immigration/Immigrants - Liberals - Republicans - Rights - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - The Law - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

The Illinois GOP Has Difficulty Talking Immigration

December 8, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A recent round of posts between Gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft and Chicago Examiner website columnist Robert Moon of Macon County, Illinois shows the difficulty of trying to discuss immigration in Illinois today. Passions are high and it is hard to get past all the suspicion imbued in it all.

It all began with a segment of a Chicago radio broadcast in which Dan Proft addressed some of the more demagogic treatments of the immigration problem and echoed the worry made by many Republicans that the more wild-eyed treatments of the immigration problem is bound to force the GOP into permanent minority status due to the rising number of voters with Hispanic background.

Unfortunately, this snippet seems to do Proft’s full stance on immigration a disservice because it does not explain his larger views, some of which might tend to belie the initial impression. Mr. Moon construed Proft’s stance to be one of the “open borders” variety simply because the excerpt of Proft’s radio commentary appeared on the La Raza website (La Raza is a racist organization dedicated to taking back parts of the American south and all the south west for Mexico).

Moon mentioned that Proft has had “several pro-amnesty rants” featured on the La Raza website. I have tried to find these “rants” but have not located any so I cannot speak to this claim. If anyone has any links to these “rants” I’d like to see them. But if there are none (other than the one example), this single fact would tend to make Moon’s claim problematic.
Continue reading “

The Illinois GOP Has Difficulty Talking Immigration”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Liberals - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

$2,821 of Hot Sauce Bought By YOUR Illinois Taxes

December 8, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Kate Campigne Piercy, director of government reform for the Illinois Policy Institute, recently penned an interesting piece for The Chicago Sun Times that informed us all that the Illinois Commerce Dept. bought $2,821 worth of Hot Sauce during fiscal year 2009.

That’s not all, either.

What’s the need for a typewriter in a computer-centric world? The Illinois Employment Security Department spent $245.80 on a Brother ML100 Typewriter — in addition to $12,176.54 on a Canon Microfilm/ Fiche Printer.

The governor’s office shelled out $20,692.24 on “subscriptions.” The Commerce Department spent $3,770 for golf carts, $280 on soy crayons and $2,821 on hot sauce –all with Illinois citizens’ tax dollars. That must be some good hot sauce.

The good news is… well, some good news, anyway… we can now go to a new website where we can view these wastes of the taxpayer’s money so that we can have the ammunition we need to eliminate this wild spending and hold the politicians responsible to account.
Continue reading “

$2,821 of Hot Sauce Bought By YOUR Illinois Taxes”

Children - Christianity - Education - Family - Marie Jon - Society/Culture

A Wonderfully True and Uplifting Christmas Story

December 8, 2009 by

-By Marie Jon

As the story goes, it was about this time of the year when police officers received complaints about an apartment at the edge of the city. When they went to investigate, they came upon a flophouse. What they found inside was dank darkness. The sight that met their eyes was a bit atrocious. At one time, the place had been a dance hall. The sparkling globe lights were still clinging to the dilapidated ceiling. Inside, people were strewn across the filth and squalor. They were sleeping off their chosen substance-abuse hangovers. The stench was overwhelming.

The police quickly rounded everyone up. When the case finally came to court, an astounding story came to the surface. One of the derelicts said to the judge, “Your honor, I am an upstanding citizen of the community. I don’t use any type of drugs or alcohol. I was in that house merely to take care of others.”

The judge investigated the man’s claims and found them to be true. His name is of no importance to this story, but the people from the other side of town called him “Father God,” because of his compassion and kindness. He paid the rent so that these drug addicts and derelicts would have shelter. However, the man they so admired looked just like everyone else who had been thrown into the slammer.

Continue reading “

A Wonderfully True and Uplifting Christmas Story”

Budget - Business - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

It’s About Authenticity: Odd Video of William Kelly Surfaces

December 7, 2009 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

William Kelly is running for Illinois State Comptroller. We’ve highlighted him several times here and as long as he is in the news we will continue to do so. Sometimes, of course, the “news” is not all good. In fact, it looks like at least one person is passing around a compilation video showing Mr. Kelly over indulging some “adult beverages,” if you will, in his guise as TV sports show host.

The YouTube videos show Kelly really putting on the show and downing enough alcohol to float a battleship it seems. Let us assume he had someone to drive him home after the show that night! (We’re sure he did, of course)

As fun-loving, TV show host, of course, Kelly proves an interesting screen presence but his is certainly not the sort of behavior we are used to from our politicians. At some point I guess I’d rather see a guy in office that likes to have some fun once in a while than one that will end up in jail for corruption like so many of our less emotive sorts seem to end up.

And, one cannot do years of TV appearances without something coming back to haunt you, I’d suspect. My own writing has gotten me in trouble in the past, so I can relate — at least a little.

Still, I would be remiss in my reporting duties if I did not report the existence of these less than savory videos. So here are the two videos in question:
Continue reading “

It’s About Authenticity: Odd Video of William Kelly Surfaces”

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

11th U.S. Congressional and U.S. Senate Candidate Forum “Tea Party Style”

December 7, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of our local Tea Party groups is sponsoring a candidate’s forum On Dec. 9th. I find it a bit telling that these folks invited the local Democrats to participate in the forum and they all declined, yet all the republicans accepted the invitation. So, uh, what are the Dems afraid of?

Here is the press release for the event:

Sponsored by Joliet Tea Party & Homer/Lockport Tea Party
Wednesday – Dec 9th 6:00 – 9:00 pm
The Holiday Inn (Louis Joliet Ballroom) 411 S. Larkin, Joliet IL.

The Joliet Tea Party & Homer/Lockport Tea Party are joining forces once again and holding a “Tea Party” Forum for the 11th US Congressional and US Senate Candidates. Tea Partiers have asked the candidates to “hear their voices” and they have responded. Congressional and Senate Candidates are coming to our area for a Town Hall /Forum to answer some important questions and meet the people. The event is free, with live music, tea party slide show, Candidate Forum, Meet & Greet the Candidates, Streaming Video Live on the Internet, Cash Bar, and Fellow Patriots.
Continue reading “

11th U.S. Congressional and U.S. Senate Candidate Forum “Tea Party Style””

Anti-Americanism - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Free Trade - Freedom - Liberals - Ohio - Rights - Society/Culture - State Government - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

Ohio Election Fraud: Convicted Felons Illegally Worked for Anti-Smoking Initiative

December 7, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A just finished audit has shown that massive fraud and multiple violations of Ohio’s voting law has been uncovered in a recent ballot initiative effort. Among other violations, 47 felons were hired illegally by the advocacy group SmokeFree America to collect signatures for issue five, a ballot initiative to ban smoking in Ohio’s small businesses. Kidnappers, thieves and rapists were hired to collect signatures and addresses despite the fact that Ohio election law prohibits felons from working as petition workers. Additionally, the smoking ban was approved for being included on the Ohio ballot by state officials despite the fact that thousands of signatures were invalid and despite the fact that SmokeFree America did not meet lawful requirements. These violations were easily discovered and some of them were known by officials proving that complicit state officials quietly supported the ballot push and turned a blind eye to law breaking by the anti-smoking advocacy group.

Ohio election law prohibits convicted felons from working as petition workers, yet 47 felons have been discovered as employees of SmokeFree America in its Ohio effort. Of these felons several were convicted of rape, one accused of raping a child. Alarmingly, SmokeFree America exposed Ohio residents to rapists who were collecting their signatures and addresses! There were also forgers and thieves collecting signatures and addresses of Ohio residents. Other criminal actions by petition workers: arson, burglary, breaking and entering, weapons violations, kidnapping, drug violations, drug trafficking, grand theft, etc.

The petitions also had multiple violations of Ohio election law. Some petitions were signed by those paid to circulate the petitions — a violation of the law — and their addresses were given as hotels instead of the required permanent home addresses. Also some were out-of-state signatories instead of Ohio residents.
Continue reading “

Ohio Election Fraud: Convicted Felons Illegally Worked for Anti-Smoking Initiative”

Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Jobs - Liberals - President - SEIU - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

SEIU’s Calif. Vote Fraud

December 7, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over the last few months we’ve talked about several instances of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) committing vote fraud in elections for in-home helathcare workers to chose a union. We have also reported on the shaky UHW election in Dec. of 2008. (Here, here, and here) Even with those instances extant we have more SEIU vote fraud to report.

The SEIU is still perpetrating fraudulent elections, intimidating union voters, and trying to strong-arm members into accepting SEIU dominance despite what they may want. Recently the Wall Street Journal had another story detailing the SEIU’s un-democratic actions.

Among other things, the Journal is reporting that SEIU officials working with its sister union, California’s UHW, have been threatening deportation to Hispanic union members that were considering a vote for a new union going by the name National Union of Health Workers (NUHW).
Continue reading “

SEIU’s Calif. Vote Fraud”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Liberals - President - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Thomas Brewton

Bunkum-Babbling Ben Bernanke

December 7, 2009 by

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is a devotee of Keynesian economics, which is to say that he is incapable of learning from experience. Either he can’t comprehend that the Fed’s excessive fiat money creation always precedes bubbles of economic exuberance, or he insanely proposes to continue repeating the Fed’s cheap money policies, ever hopeful of a different result.

Establishment of the Federal Reserve System in 1913 enabled arbitrary and excessive inflation of the monetary base supplied to banks and other financial institutions. In every recession since 1913, especially the 1930s Depression and our current housing and subprime mortgage bust, Fed action made bubbles larger and more pervasive and made subsequent buble-bursts more devastating than they would have been otherwise.

Over a short six-year period preceding the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Fed doubled the lendable deposits of the nation’s banks. Other over-expansions of the money supply also led to the unprecedented inflation and high unemployment of the 1970s stagflation, to the 1990s dot.com boom-and-bust, and to the current collapse of housing and financial markets.
Continue reading “

Bunkum-Babbling Ben Bernanke”

Democrats/Leftists - Entertainment - History - Media Bias - Movies - Society/Culture - TV - Warner Todd Huston

New Rule of Thumb: History Only Happens in Our Lifetime

December 5, 2009 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

It’s a new rule of thumb, apparently, that history doesn’t matter. Fall of Rome? Who cares? WWII? What’s it matter? The Great Depression? Just a blip. It’s NOW that we care about, man. All that history stuff? Pffft. If it isn’t happening now, it doesn’t matter.

This notion that history is for the stuffed shirts of academe and that it doesn’t mean anything to modern, common folks always screams out when these woeful “Top Ten” lists start showing up in the media.

Today we have another example of this historically illiterate sort of list at Time Magazine’s website. There you’ll see history’s “Top 10 Mistresses,” but if you have even a cursory knowledge of history, you’ll also see that there is no sense of history in this list of “history’s famous mistresses.”
Continue reading “

New Rule of Thumb: History Only Happens in Our Lifetime”

Abortion - Anti-Americanism - Britain - Children - Christianity - Economy/Finances - Frederick Meekins - Liberals - Science - Socialism - Society/Culture

English Balls, Eco-Snitches & Filipino Whores: Headline Potpourri #11

December 5, 2009 by

-By Frederick Meekins

British Balls calls for mandatory sex education. The Secretary of Education there has announced that students over the age of 15 can no longer be exempt from compulsory instruction regarding human procreation and physical relationships. The parents of students failing to report to these classes could be fined or prosecuted.

Rosie O’Donnel denounced Glenn Beck as a carnival barker. If that’s the case, then as a lesbian, wouldn’t she be the bearded lady?

Cheryl Crowe is to be at National Christmas tree lighting. Wonder if this witch flew into town on a single sheet of toilet paper.
Continue reading “

English Balls, Eco-Snitches & Filipino Whores: Headline Potpourri #11″

Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - George W. Bush - GOP - Jobs - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - President - Republicans - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

A Tale of Two Presidents: How Media Treated Bush’s Unemployment #’s Compared to Obama’s

December 4, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

It never ceases to amaze me how differently the Old Media treats Republican presidents compared to how they treat Democrat Presidents during times of unemployment reporting. Today, in the vaunted era of Obama, the unemployment numbers for November 2009 have come out and it shows some of the highest unemployment numbers since the Great Depression. Despite that the Old Media seems to be playing this as a sign of optimism. Such optimism was decidedly not in the cards when that same Old Media was reporting rates during Bush’s years, however.

Let’s take two reports from The New York Times for example. One from September 7, 2002 in Bush’s first term and one from December 4, 2009, early in the Obama presidency.

In 2002, The New York Times reported Bush’s 5.7 percent unemployment rate, noting that it was a drop from 5.9 percent, with the following headline: Unemployment Fell in August, But Drop Is Called Insignificant.

For the Times, David Leonhardt started off on a sour note whilst reporting this drop in unemployment.
Continue reading “

A Tale of Two Presidents: How Media Treated Bush’s Unemployment #’s Compared to Obama’s”

Abortion - Anti-Americanism - Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - Society/Culture - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

8th District: Joe Walsh ‘Sets Record Straight’ On Pro-Life Issue

December 4, 2009 by

There has been some question on candidate Joe Walsh’s pro-life stance, so here is his “setting the record straight” message to try and settle the question:

You may have heard some rumor and innuendo over the past few days, writtennand spoken, trying to distort my position on the life issue. I would like to set the record straight.

For seven years, I have been pro-life without exception. I believe in the
sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. There is no
candidate in this race who is more pro-life than I am.
Continue reading “

8th District: Joe Walsh ‘Sets Record Straight’ On Pro-Life Issue”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Capitalism - Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Economy/Finances - Frank Salvato - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - President - Society/Culture - Taxes

Is the Constitution Just a Grand Suggestion?

December 4, 2009 by

-By Frank Salvato

Listening to the John & Cisco morning radio program here on Chicago’s WIND AM 560 this morning, I was suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. One of the hosts, John Howell, asked Chicago Tribune editorialists Clarence Page about a contentious issue; whether candidates for the office of President of the United States of America should have to present proof of citizenship before being allowed to vie for the office. Mr. Page’s answer was not only a slight to the Constitution; it placed him firmly in the camp of the constitutionally illiterate.

When asked if vetting candidates for national office, specifically the presidency, wasn’t something that all Americans could agree upon, Mr. Page replied:

“You can never please some people, as you can see. I know Liberals who believe John McCain should be challenged because he wasn’t born in the US, because he was born in the Panama Canal Zone and…ah…they will point to different constitutional loopholes…ah…that they say would disqualify him. I remember George Romney, Mitt’s Dad…ah…went through the same thing…ah…back in the 60s. As far as I’m concerned, why can’t Madeleine Albright be a good president even though she wasn’t born a citizen? Or the governor of Michigan right now? This is the kind of thing…folks are kind of groping for any reason to disqualify a president or presidential candidate that they don’t like and…ah…I just find it to be a specious debate…I think we’ve got more important issues to worry about…maybe that’s just me (laughter).”

Continue reading “

Is the Constitution Just a Grand Suggestion?”

Ann "Babe" Huggett - Islam - Islamofascism - Religion - Socialism - Terrorism - Uncategorized - Western Civilization

Iran Demands Nurses In Bolivia Wear Hijabs

December 4, 2009 by

-By Ann “Babe” Huggett

On Wednesday, November 24, Iranian demands that female nurses don the hijab in response to Iran’s providing $1.2 million for funding of the new El Alto city hospital in Bolivia sparked a national outcry among women’s rights advocates within Bolivia. In an international teleconference in La Paz held between Bolivian President, Evo Morales, and Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to celebrate the hospital’s opening, nurses were shown wearing hijabs as part of their new uniform regulations.

This imposition of political Islamic pseudo-religious attire from another country is causing a rift within Bolivian political ranks. Even though the Morales administration is the profoundly socialist MAS party, the Iranian demand is still seen as an affront on Bolivian cultural integrity especially in a country with a Roman Catholic majority.

Lourdes Millares, the Deputy for the Democratic and Social Power Party called the Iranian hijab demand, “…an assault on the dignity of women…” and excoriated Morales for, “…submission to the rules of another government.”
Continue reading “

Iran Demands Nurses In Bolivia Wear Hijabs”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - GOP - Illinois - Liberals - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Policy Institute Update

December 4, 2009 by 1 Comment

Nothing to See Here, Folks…
The leaked e-mails of the Climategate scandal have been nothing short of stunning—except, of course, to the true believers in the White House. You can watch Obama’s press secretary Robert Gibbs in full denial mode by clicking the image above. Meanwhile, stay tuned for our newest report, set for release next week, which shows the direct consequences of cap and trade schemes for Illinois.

That Better Be Some Spicy Hot Sauce!
In 2008, Illinois state government spent $7,875 on “bird testing,” $20,692.24 on “subscriptions” for the Governor’s office, $3,770 for golf carts, $2,822 on hot sauce, and $280 on soy crayons – all funded by Illinois taxpayers.
Continue reading “

Illinois Policy Institute Update”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Jobs - Liberals - President - Socialism - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Job Summit: Another Manufacturer Opts Out of U.S.A.

December 3, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

With President Obama carrying on his “jobs summit” this week blaming business for “not hiring enough workers,” it is interesting to see the reaction of at least one major U.S. business to the Obama administration’s actions during this economic downturn.

On November 11, David N. Farr, Chairman, CEO and President of Emerson Electric Co., announced at the Baird 2009 Industrial Conference in Chicago that President Obama has succeeded in chasing his multi-billion dollar industry right out of the U.S.A. Why? Onerous regulation, high taxes, and the over $1 trillion Obama debt should be reason enough for any business to consider shutting down U.S. facilities and seeking greener pastures overseas says Farr.

The federal government is “doing everything in [its] manpower [and] capability to destroy U.S. manufacturing,” says David Farr, chairman and CEO of Emerson Electric Co., in a presentation at the Baird 2009 Industrial Conference in Chicago Ill., on Nov. 11. In comments reported by Bloomberg, Farr added that companies will continue adding jobs in China and India because they are “places where people want the products and where the governments welcome you to actually do something. I am not going to hire anybody in the United States. I’m moving. They are doing everything possible to destroy jobs.”

During his slide show on the state of Emerson’s business, Farr noted that the “unprecedented job loss experienced in this recession will result in a much slower U.S. recovery” and the federal government is making matters worse. The slide reports that the job loss this time is by many magnitudes worse than previous recessions. Noted are job losses from several recessions: 1980 with 1 million jobs lost; 1982 with 2.8 million; 1990 with 1.5 million; 2001 with 2.7 million. Finally Farr notes that we’ve seen a whopping 7.3 million lost thus far (and climbing) in this 2008-2009-2010 recession.
Continue reading “

Obama Job Summit: Another Manufacturer Opts Out of U.S.A.”