State Policy Groups

Blogging - Freedom Works - Inernet - New Media - Technology - Warner Todd Huston - Washington D.C.

BlogCon 2010

September 10, 2010 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Pictured (left to right)= Robert Stacy McCain (The Other McCain), Joe Schoffstall (Media Research Center Employee), Cheryl Karounos Prater (PraterPost), Warner Todd Huston (PubliusForum), Stephen Green (VodkaPundit)

I am here at Blogcon 2010 at the Sheraton Crystal City in the environs of Washington D.C. The event is being sponsored by Freedom Works and spearheaded by the indefatigable Tabitha Hale.

This is the first time that I know of that some of the biggest names in center-right blogging have gotten together to mingle and meet. (With no attempt to be an extensive list and in no particular order) We have Stephen Kruiser, GatewayPundit’s Jim Hoft, Lee Doren, Mary Katherine Ham, Melissa Clouthier, John Hawkins, Matt Lewis, Jason Mattera, Steve Green, Scott Ott of Scrappleface…too many to name, really.
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BlogCon 2010″

Conservatives - Freedom Works - Warner Todd Huston

Blog Con 2010, Washington DC Sept. 9-12

September 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Wednesday afternoon I will be winging my way to the Nation’s Capital to attend Freedom Works’s Blog Con 2010

Hope to see you all there.

Are you a blogger? FreedomWorks is hosting a blogger conference on September 9th-12th in Washington, DC would love to have you here! The conference will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City. There are a limited number of rooms available at a discounted rate, so register now and contact Tabitha at thale@freedomworks.org for details!

FreedomWorks has worked hard to be a resource for activists, and we’re now trying to extend a hand to bloggers. There will be no registration fee this year, and it is open to all bloggers (and those who facilitate them). Feel free to pass along to blogger friends!

If you are in need of financial help, please email me a quick write up of your situation, including a link to your site. Let me know what your focus is (your niche, if you will) and your ultimate goal with your blogging. We’ll work to help as many as we can.

Thanks to the loverly Tabitha for helping to arrange my attendance at this great event.

AFL-CIO - Business - Capitalism - Free Trade - Jobs - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - SEIU - The Heritage Foundation - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Hypocrisy Is Big Labor’s Big Problem

September 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Deroy Murdock over at the National Review has a great column detailing a dozen or so instances of rank hypocrisy perpetrated by unions. Deroy says that for all of Bog Labor’s yammering about worker’s right: “Such class-warfare sloganeering would be easier to stomach if Big Labor were internally consistent.”

Murdock gives all sorts of examples of unions violating their own supposedly closely held tenets. From unions firing employees for trying to organize the union’s own office workers, to unions using non-union labor to build their own offices, unions prove to be filled with liars and hypocrites.

Check out Deroy Murdock’s piece, “Hypocrisy Is Big Labor’s Big Problem .”
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Hypocrisy Is Big Labor’s Big Problem”

Conservatives - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Tea Party - United Republican Fund - Warner Todd Huston

Five Reasons to attend Right Nation 2010

September 7, 2010 by

-By Fran Eaton

There are many reasons why concerned voters should attend Right Nation 2010 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates September 18th, but here’s five:

1. It will take conservatives, Tea Party independents and Republicans to work together like never before to break free of the suffocating Democratic Party machine in Illinois on November 2.

2. It will take unprecedented energy, support and unity among those diverse factions to take advantage of this historical opportunity to turn our state and nation in the right direction.
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Five Reasons to attend Right Nation 2010″

Illinois Policy Institute - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Policy Institute: Say It Ain’t So!‏

September 5, 2010 by

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

“Spend More…Tax Less”
That’s the prescription from departing White House economist Christina Romer, who makes a call for more stimulus projects in her farewell speech. We shouldn’t worry about massive deficits, she argued—despite unprecedented outlays of funds, she explained, “most actions should be paid for over time.” Comforting, right? You can watch a portion of her remarks by clicking here.
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Illinois Policy Institute: Say It Ain’t So!‏”

Budget - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Taxes - Truth in Accounting - Warner Todd Huston

FOX Chicago Sunday: Sheila Weinberg of Truth in Accounting

September 3, 2010 by

Some great video featuring the founder of The Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Sheila Weinberg, of the Institute for Truth in Accounting, tells FOX Chicago Sunday why she thinks the state’s financial problem is much worse than politicians and the media are reporting.

The Institute for Truth in Accounting is a watchdog group that analyzes the true financial picture of private and government entities.

Americans For Prosperity - Democrats/Leftists - DuPage County - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Warner Todd Huston

AFP: Attention all DuPage County members!

September 2, 2010 by

From Americans for Prosperity…

Americans for Prosperity Launches Grassroots Effort Against Schillerstrom’s Proposal to Borrow $70 million From DuPage County Taxpayers

-A mobile billboard critical of Schillerstrom’s proposal runs TODAY–

CHICAGO – While concerns about rising public debt and out of spending is at an all-time high, you’d expect elected officials to give pause before approving any plans to increase the debt obligation of government and further burden taxpayers.

This unfortunately does not appear to be the case with the DuPage County government. DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom is once again pushing his board to approve a massive capital plan that will ultimately cost DuPage taxpayers nearly $125 million. Out of nearly two-dozen projects, only five are road projects that will actually improve the county’s infrastructure.
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AFP: Attention all DuPage County members!”

Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Illinois - Illinois Chamber of Commerce - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Lobbyists - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Let’s Honor Illinois Workers by Putting Them Back to Work

September 2, 2010 by

From the Illinois Chamber of Commerce…
What Issues Are Most Important to You?

Dear Friends,

This Labor Day weekend, Illinois legislators will out in full force, claiming to be pro-jobs.

But we know better. If they are all pro-jobs — then why do we have such a dismal jobs climate? Why does our economy continue to suffer?
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Let’s Honor Illinois Workers by Putting Them Back to Work”

Business - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Health - Indiana - Liberals - Taxes - The Heritage Foundation - Warner Todd Huston

Video: Ind. Gov. Mitch Daniels Says Obamacare Has Devastating Consequences

August 27, 2010 by

Governor Daniels also offered an op ed to go with his video…

We’ve been through a global recession. Now we’re fighting through a stalled recovery. Revenues are the lowest they’ve been in half a century. Their finances a wreck, many states have effectively sunk into bankruptcy.

Indiana is still afloat. In fact, we’ve fared better than most. We continue to meet our obligations without raising taxes, and the reserves we carefully built and protected will get us through the downturn.
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Video: Ind. Gov. Mitch Daniels Says Obamacare Has Devastating Consequences”

Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Policy Incident: Life Gets Cartoony‏

August 27, 2010 by

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

Blago’s Last Frontier?
Just when you thought Rod Blagojevich had hit every media format on earth—the Today Show, Jon Stewart, Esquire magazine, and the national Sunday talk shows—he shows up in international animated specials. This short but dramatic take on the Blago saga is definitely worth a watch—although we don’t think they really quite captured the essence of his hair.
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Ill. Policy Incident: Life Gets Cartoony‏”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Taxes - Truth in Accounting - Warner Todd Huston

Truth in Accounting: Illinois’ Budget Study Completed

August 25, 2010 by

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting

US Chamber of Commerce Looks for Solutions to Looming States’ Pension Crises

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s National Chamber Foundation and the U.S. Chamber’s Labor, Immigration & Employee Benefits division co-sponsored an event on July 30th underscoring growing budgetary pressures state and local governments are experiencing. The current economic downturn is underscoring the increasing retirement cost included in government budgets, due to increased pension benefits.
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Truth in Accounting: Illinois’ Budget Study Completed”

Budget - Business - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Health - Heritage Foundation - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Video: Where’s My Congressman?

August 23, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Why are Democrat Congressmen avoiding Summer townhalls? Here is a little explanation of that…

Featuring Clint Howard, little brother of the very liberal Hollywood director Ron Howard, this film does a great job skewering the Democrats. Brought to you by Heritage Action for America.

Americans for Tax Reform - Budget - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Happy Cost of Government Day, America!

August 19, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Every year Americans for Ta Reform announces the day when the average American has finally finished paying his share of the cost of government and every year it seems to occur later in the year. This year the date has been pinpointed as today, August 19. (Download study HERE)

Imagine that, folks. We now work for three quarters of the year to pay for government! We don’t start working for ourselves until the middle of August! This is intolerable.

And with Barack “emperor” Obama in office we are sure to see this date advance even later by next year.

According to ATR:

Every year, the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation and the Center for Fiscal Accountability calculate Cost of Government Day. This is the day on which the average American has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of the spending and regulatory burdens imposed by government at the federal, state, and local levels.

In 2010, Cost of Government Day falls on August 19. Working people must toil 231 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government – 8 days later than last year and a full 32 days longer than 2008.

In other words, in 2010 the cost of government consumes 63.41 percent of national income.

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Happy Cost of Government Day, America!”

Children - Dan Proft - Education - Illinois - Public Employees Unions - Teachers Unions - The Heartland Institute - Warner Todd Huston

Teacher Quality Focus of ‘Rhee-form’ for DC Schools

August 19, 2010 by

From Dan Proft for the Heartland Institute…

Programming Note: Join Bruce Wolf and me every Saturday from 12noon-2pm on WLS-AM 890 (wlsam.com) for our perspicacious perspectives on the pressing issues of the day.

Teacher Quality Focus of ‘Rhee-form’ for DC Schools

Washington, DC public schools have an acute problem with juvenile delinquency.

Trouble is, the problem isn’t with the students but rather the supposed grown-ups in charge of the Washington Teachers Union (WTU).

Once thought to be an unlikely laboratory for school reform, the District’s success with school vouchers, begrudgingly recognized even by the Obama administration, its high incidence of children attending charter schools (35 percent) and its outspoken Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee have made Washington, DC a bellwether for K-12 reform.

But none of these gains have come without incident. And the latest battle between Rhee and the WTU over the firing of bad teachers is no exception.
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Teacher Quality Focus of ‘Rhee-form’ for DC Schools”

Americans For Prosperity - Barack Obama - Warner Todd Huston

Obama blasts AFP – We ARE making a difference!!!!!…Never give up-NEVER!!!

August 13, 2010 by

From Joe Calomino, Director of Ill Chapter of Americans for Prosperity…

President Obama Insults Americans for Prosperity’s 1.2 Million Activists in Fund Raising Speech

With his poll numbers dropping rapidly because of his big government agenda, the President is now making shrill, desperate attacks on Americans for Prosperity and our 1,200,000 AFP grassroots activists across the nation.
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Obama blasts AFP – We ARE making a difference!!!!!…Never give up-NEVER!!!”

Americans For Prosperity - Elections - Illinois - Liberals - Warner Todd Huston

Americans For Prosperity, Illinois: It’s Time to Get to Work… November is Coming!‏

August 11, 2010 by

Join Americans for Prosperity, Glenn Beck, Right Nation 2010
September 18, 2010 at the Sears Centre Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois…

Americans for Prosperity is proud to announce its partnership with Glenn Beck and Right Nation 2010. Join us for an unprecedented event featuring national conservative organizations and popular political & media personalities in the 10,000-seat arena.

Americans for Prosperity is offering an EXCLUSIVE Pre-Ticket Sale! (For more information click here)
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Americans For Prosperity, Illinois: It’s Time to Get to Work… November is Coming!‏”

Budget - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Pat Quinn - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Policy Institute: Hospital Rationing?‏

August 6, 2010 by

“Wedding of the Decade of the Century of the Millennium”
Well, it’s official—the dog days of summer are here. August, long known as a “slow news month” in the media business, often features some of the goofiest television news of the year. Exhibit A: the oft-breathless yet incredibly nonspecific national coverage of Chelsea Clinton’s recent wedding. You can watch Jon Stewart skewer the national media’s latest late-summer masterpieces.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Wedding of the Decade of the Century of the Millennium
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Will a Hospital Be There When You Need It?
How many hospitals does the Land of Lincoln need, and who gets to decide? In Illinois, the process is far more complicated than you might think—and, unfortunately, it also restricts access to health care across the state. Read more here.
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Ill. Policy Institute: Hospital Rationing?‏”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Taxes - The Heartland Institute - Warner Todd Huston

Heartland Institute’s Bruno Behrend On WLS Radio Tonight, 6PM Central

August 1, 2010 by

Bruno Behrend – Heartland’s Director for the Center for School Reform, liberal Robert Creamer and Tea Party activist Tim Krulidis will be the guests on Bruce DuMont’s Beyond the Beltway. A wide range of issues relating to America’s deficit, taxation, and spending will be discussed.

Sunday, August 1st, 2010 at 6:00 PM CST
WLS Radio – 890 AM in Chicago (see link below for syndicated stations)

If you want to enjoy a great radio show with one of America’s best show hosts, you can’t do better than taking 2 hours to listen to Bruce DuMont’s “Beyond the Beltway.”
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Heartland Institute’s Bruno Behrend On WLS Radio Tonight, 6PM Central”

Budget - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Taxes - Truth in Accounting - Warner Todd Huston

Truth In Accounting’s Sheila Weinberg on CSPAN

August 1, 2010 by

From The Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Sheila Weinberg, Founder & CEO of the Chicago-based Institute for Truth in Accounting, spoke at the Private Solutions in Public Sector Pension Plans conference held by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Her speech highlighted the need to bring FACT based budgeting (download .pdf) to state budget processes.

Her speech starts at the 16:00 minute mark in the video that can be viewed from the CSPAN library. Other speakers at the event included David Walker, President of Peter G. Peterson Foundation, State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-IL), Andrew Biggs, Resident Scholar-American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Dana Bilyeu, Chief Executive-Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada, Jack Dean, Editor-Pension Tsunami, President, Fullerton Association of Concerned Taxpayers, Ray Scheppach, Executive Director-National Governor’s Association, and Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow- The Hudson Institute.

Banks - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Franklin Deleno Roosevelt - Free Trade - Government - History - Liberals - President - Regulation - Taxes - The Heartland Institute - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston - WWI - WWII

Heartland Institute Luncheon: This Recession Caused By Over-Regulation Not Market Failure

July 30, 2010 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

I just returned from a nice little luncheon given by the Heartland Institute (www.heartland.org) in beautiful downtown Chicago, Illinois. The purpose of the gathering of free-market supporters and like-minded individuals was to celebrate the life’s work of famed economist and Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman.

The principal speaker was Richard H. Timberlake*, student and friend of the celebrated economist and an accomplished free-market economist in his own right.

I’ve done several such events for some of the conservative think tanks and state policy groups in the Windy City and I enjoy these events in Chicago because I always get the uneasy feeling that our little conclave of right-thinking fellows well met is the last vestige of civilization and that we are putting on the timbers to secure the gates as the barbarians mount their attack. The barbarians of which I speak are, of course, the city full of Democrats and socialists that looms on all sides surrounding our little events.
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Heartland Institute Luncheon: This Recession Caused By Over-Regulation Not Market Failure”

Budget - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

The $41.8 Million Cow-Milking Machine‏

July 30, 2010 by

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

The “Me First” Rally
If you’ve been watching New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in action, you know he doesn’t mince words. In this MSNBC clip, you can watch him take on what he sees as a “me-first” mentality in his home state. New Jersey, like Illinois, is battling a massive state budget crisis—but unlike Illinois, it isn’t considering a massive tax hike. You can read the latest on that development below.
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The $41.8 Million Cow-Milking Machine‏”

Budget - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Policy Institute: Paris Hilton Can Do It, But…‏

July 27, 2010 by

Say What?
The government’s recent bailouts of major auto companies (including GM and Chrysler) were controversial, to say the least. But to some DC politicians, they’re also apparently confusing. Watch Harry Reid’s claim that the bailouts “probably saved Ford”—which didn’t take any bailouts—by clicking here.
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Illinois Policy Institute: Paris Hilton Can Do It, But…‏”

Americans For Prosperity - Nevada - Warner Todd Huston

Final Report: RightOnLine 2010

July 26, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Pictured from the left: Robert Bluey [Heritage Foundation], Guy Benson [Chicago Radio Host], Ed Morrissey [HotAir.com], and Warner Todd Huston [PubliusForum.com]

I just flew in from Las Vegas where I attended Americans For Prosperity’s RightOnLine 2010 conference. As always, it was an uplifting experience, educational, and a whole lot of fun. I caught up with old friends, met with business partners, and made new friends.

For those unaware of what this whole RightOnLine thing is, think of it as an activist’s training program. If you attend you’ll find sessions and panels that range from such introductory programs as “Blogging 101” ad “podcasting 101,” to more in depth online activities as “Citizen Journalism” and “Global Warming and Energy Policy.” It really is a worthwhile endeavor and if the conference ever comes to a town near you, please do yourself a favor and attend.
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Final Report: RightOnLine 2010″

Adam Andrzejewski - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - For The Good Of Illinois - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Warner Todd Huston

Suburban Mom Beats Chicago Machine‏

July 26, 2010 by

From Adam Andrzejewski of For the Good of Illinois

One month ago, For the Good of Illinois returned to promote self-governance in Illinois by engaging, educating, and empowering citizens to demand limited, accountable, and transparent government of, by, and for the people.

As part of this mission, we launched For the Good of Illinois PAC to allow our members to support viable candidates at the state level who believe in the principles of limited, accountable, and transparent government.

One of our first candidates, Cedra Crenshaw, quickly became the target of the Chicago Machine. Cedra’s opponent, Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi (IL-43rd), unleashed top election lawyer, Michael Kasper, to unjustly knock Cedra off the ballot on a 2-1 party line vote by the Will County Board of Elections.
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Suburban Mom Beats Chicago Machine‏”

Americans For Prosperity - Warner Todd Huston

I’m Headed to Vegas… the RightOnLine Conference

July 22, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In about a half hour I am off to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the RightOnLine Conference.

I have a bunch of posts scheduled to auto post over the next few days, but it remains to be seen how much I can post while I am away. I hope to get some posts up about the conference but I can’t promise anything.

Anyway, “I’m leaving on a jet plane,” in a few hours.

I’ll be seeing many of you out there, I’m sure…

American Enterprise Institute - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Card Check - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Jobs - Labor Law - Liberals - President - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Unemployment - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

AEI: More Unions Means Fewer Jobs

July 22, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In April Lee Ohanian of the American Enterprise Institute published a paper on the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) that is a must read. But this month he published a shorter piece that is just as interesting. In it, Ohanian claims that if we increased unionism as the Obamaites want to do, we’d actually lose jobs; 4.5 million of them to be precise.

Obama has spent his entire year in office (hard to believe this much destruction only took a year) looking for ways to pay unions big dividends and despite that Congress has been dragging its feet on unions’ most cherished legislative agenda, the EFCA, Obama has been bending over backwards for them (as we discussed here).
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AEI: More Unions Means Fewer Jobs”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Policy Institute: Soda Tax Talk Bubbling Up Again

July 16, 2010 by

From Kristina Rasmussen of the Illinois Policy Institute…

Talk of a soda tax is bubbling up again:

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Feel like you’re taxed enough already? More could be coming. There’s an early push to explore taxing soft drinks that are sweetened with sugars – all to get you to stop buying them. CBS 2’s Kristyn Hartman reports it’s all about obesity.

A coalition of groups is in the very early stages of mapping out a plan to fight fat in Illinois. Sugared beverage consumption has tracked with rising obesity rates – so it’s getting some attention.

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Ill. Policy Institute: Soda Tax Talk Bubbling Up Again”

Barack Obama - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Health - Heritage Foundation - Liberals - President - Taxes

Obama’s ‘Keep Your Doctor’ Lies

July 15, 2010 by

The Heritage Foundation wants to repeal Obamacare…

Repeal Obamacare from Heritage Action for America on Vimeo.

The Heritage Foundation recently launched a sister organization, Heritage Action for America. Heritage Action is leading a national campaign to repeal Obamacare.

Join the fight to repeal Obamacare with your donation to Heritage Action for America.
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Obama’s ‘Keep Your Doctor’ Lies”

Budget - Chicago - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Policy Institute: With Friends Like These…

July 9, 2010 by

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

Ooh, That’s Awkward
America is a great country, full of wonderful people…but we should probably beef up on history classes. Last weekend, Jay Leno took a quick walk to find out how much his fellow Americans really know about Independence Day. The results?
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Ill. Policy Institute: With Friends Like These…”