States

Associated Press - Barack Obama - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Immigration/Immigrants - Journalism - Judges - Law - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - Regulation - South Carolina - The New York Times - Warner Todd Huston

Media Forgets to Mention S. C. Immigration Law-Blocking Judge is Obama Appointee

December 23, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the Old Media’s favorite ways of attempting to hide the ideological track of a story is to somehow forget to mention to which party someone in the news hails or owes fealty to. In this case it is what they don’t report that misleads. This week we find a classic what-they-don’t-say story concerning the judge that blocked sections of South Carolina’s new immigration law.

For those unaware, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel temporarily blocked segments of South Carolina’s new immigration laws because he claimed that some of its provisions impinged on federal prerogatives, things over which the state has no jurisdiction.

The South Carolina law was opposed in court by Obama’s left-wing, activist Department of Justice headed by Eric “Fast And Furious” Holder and a gaggle of civil rights groups and Judge Gergel agreed with these attackers issuing an injunction to stop implementation of the provisions in question.

The Old Media reported a lot of details in the story, of course. We learned all about who opposed the provisions, who scoffed at the injunction, in what District Judge Gergel hailed, and in some of the reports we even get to hear what Republican South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley had to say about it all. But one thing few of these news outlets seemed to report might help readers understand the decision better.

Judge Richard Mark Gergel is an Obama appointee.
Continue reading “

Media Forgets to Mention S. C. Immigration Law-Blocking Judge is Obama Appointee”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Dick Durbin - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Journalism - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Senator Dick Durbin: Pants on Fire

December 23, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Senior Senator, Democrat Dickie Durbin wants you to know that the fact that the Democrats have not passed a full, working budget in over 900 days is all because of those wascally Republicans.

Never mind that the Democrats have had the majority for over three years in the Senate, never mind that before the 2010 midterm elections they had 100% control of both Congress and the White House… it’s all them gosh darn Republican’s fault.

Never mind that they passed the boondoggle healthcare bill that will cause the U.S. to go bankrupt, never mind that Obama has gotten all his little sops to Big Labor to spite the faltering economy, never mind…. well, never mid all the things the Democrats seemed to have no problem getting done, they just can’t get that danged ld budget passed.

The fact is, Democrats are playing politics with one of the only real Constitutional duties they have, creating and passing a federal budget. Yet, the Old Media allows Obama to stand before the American people and pretend that he and his party are the ones interested in fiscal sanity? This is why our politics is so messed up. The Democrats operate on bald faced lies and the Old Media allows them get away with it.
Continue reading “

Senator Dick Durbin: Pants on Fire”

9/11 - Afghanistan - al Qaeda - Anti-Americanism - Boston - CAIR - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Islam - Islamofascism - Jihad - Liberals - Massachusetts - PCism - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

Boston University Muslim Chaplin Raising Funds for Al Qaeda, Mass. Pols Embrace Him

December 21, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Abdullah Faaruuq, a Muslim “spiritual advisor” and chaplain from Boston-based Northeastern University, was a key speaker at a fundraiser for al Qaeda’s Ma Barker, the criminal female terrorist named Aafia Siddiqui, also known as “Lady al Qaeda.” This man, Faaruuq, is living off American taxpayers yet advocates for his followers to use “the gun and the sword” to advance Islam in America.

The fundraiser for Siddiqui was held at the Islamic Center of Worcester, Mass. on Dec. 8 with the stated goal of raising $30,000 to assist this female terrorist convicted in 2008 of attempting to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.

As Steve Emerson of Family Security Matters reports, Abdullah gave Siddiqui high praise.
Continue reading “

Boston University Muslim Chaplin Raising Funds for Al Qaeda, Mass. Pols Embrace Him”

Education - Mormons - Religion - Resa LaRu, "Warchick" Kirkland - Washington

So Now A School Says We Can’t Even Discuss Religion in Private?

December 21, 2011 by

-By Resa LaRu Kirkland

So my youngest son Cody, who is a Senior at Moses Lake High School, is a budding Chef. He joined the afterschool Culinary Team through SkillsUSA last January, and right off the bat won an alternate spot in the Washington State competition. He has been winning ever since. (Take THAT Charlie Sheen.)

This past summer he helped set up and work at the new Chief Academy Cafe, an off-campus student-run cafe (the only one in the nation) where kids learn how to set up a business, deal with local codes and sanitation, order supplies, wait on customers, cook the food and try recipes, etc. It is a fantastic experience, especially for a young man who has chosen that career path. On top of that, the Cafe makes a tidy profit for the district. Yup, it’s a bastion of Free Enterprise at work. Other districts should take note!

The teacher, whom I’ll call Mr. F, runs the cafe and teaches the students what they need to know in the restaurant business and the best ways to cook and bake. Cody loved it so much he signed up for the Cafe for his second hour of class as preparation for his final year on the Culinary Team next semester. He’s even creating a dish with the help of Mr. F for his big Senior Project.

Continue reading “

So Now A School Says We Can’t Even Discuss Religion in Private?”

California - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Larry Sand - Liberals - Los Angeles - Public Employees Unions - Teachers Unions - Unions

Tenure for Teachers: Enough is Enough

December 18, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

Every year untold thousands of school kids are harmed by teachers who shouldn’t be allowed in a classroom. Parents must be given an opportunity to send their children elsewhere.

A teacher arrives at work high on drugs…daily.

A teacher regularly flies into rages, terrifying kids and coworkers.

A teacher talks in explicit terms about sex to the students.

A teacher makes constant sexual advances to other teachers.

A teacher doesn’t teach her students anything.

These are a few of the teachers that new Perth Amboy schools superintendent Janine Caffrey has to deal with on a daily basis. She is quick to point out that most teachers are committed and talented, but there are a few….

The evil here is tenure or permanence, which in New Jersey bestows a position for life on teachers after just three years on the job. (It’s even worse in other states – in California, for example, a teacher can get into the untouchables club after only two years.) Tenure for teachers would be nothing more than a bad joke if it didn’t destroy the education experience for tens of thousands of children who are subjected to incompetent/cruel/perverted people on a daily basis.
Continue reading “

Tenure for Teachers: Enough is Enough”

Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Hate Crimes - House of Representatives - Liberals - New Mexico - Race - RightPundits.com - Warner Todd Huston

Being a Democrat Means Never Having to Say ‘Sorry for That Racial Slur’

December 17, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, maybe you might have to apologize, but you certainly don’t have to pay any political price for your racial slur… if you’re a Democrat, that is. Witness the incident in New Mexico where a Democrat called her Hispanic descended, Republican Governor “the Mexican” on the floor of the House of Representatives and paid no price for it.

As it happens, New Mexico Democratic state Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton was a tad upset over an investigation into her salary by KRQE-TV at the end of October. Apparently Stapleton was continuing to accept her salary as an administrator of an Albuquerque public school while at the same time serving as a State Rep, a no-no according to the rules.

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Government - Liberals - Nanny State - Public Employees Unions - RightPundits.com - Scott Walker - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston - Wisconsin

Unions Acting Like Unions Harassing Teacher Supporting Gov. Walker

December 15, 2011 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Kristi Lacroix, a Wisconsin teacher, appeared in a political ad produced by education reform supporters of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Now, her union is retaliating against her so harshly that she is considering quitting her job in public education because of the harassment.

As Kyle Walker says in the video, this is typical Alinsky tactics with a “fire Kristi” movement drummed up by union thugs to force the poor woman to quit her job. People that used to be her friends, used to be her coworkers are attempting to destroy her life just because of her political position….

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.

Budget - California - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Larry Sand - Liberals - Los Angeles - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions

The Route to Teacher Union Extinction: Is the Other Shoe Dropping?

December 13, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

In addition to online learning, Democrat’s abandonment of their traditional union allies could put an end to the educational status quo and decimate the teachers unions

In my October 18th post, I wrote about Terry Moe’s book Special Interest: Teachers Unions and America’s Public Schools. I specifically addressed that part of the book in which he builds a scenario for the eventual undoing of the teachers unions. One of the two ways he claims this will happen is via technology, in the form of online learning. The other route to marginalization is the realization by Democrats that education is really a civil rights issue and that they are morally bound to get on board with reform and choice. By adopting this position, they will be abandoning their longtime political allies – the teachers unions.

As with the rapid ascent of online learning, Moe’s second nail in the unions’ coffin is picking up speed. In a recent Huffington Post entry, Joy Resmovits addresses the “new education lobby.”
Continue reading “

The Route to Teacher Union Extinction: Is the Other Shoe Dropping?”

Anti-Semitism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - DNC - Elections - Florida - GOP - Hamas - House of Representatives - Islamofascism - Israel - Liberals - Republicans - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

My Video At Heart of Controversy in Florida House Race

December 12, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Apparently, a video I made in Denver is at the heart of a controversy in a race for the House of Representatives in Florida.

While at Blogcon 2011 I had the opportunity to interview Karen Harrington, a Republican candidate for the 20th District House seat now held by Debbie Wasserman Schultz — who is also the Chairman of the Democrat National Committee. I made a video of that short interview as I have so many other candidates.

In our interview Harrington, recently endorsed by GOP Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, went through some of the points she’s been campaigning on and since the 20th District has a large and active Jewish community, the issue of Israel naturally came up. It was during that segment of our little video that she said a few things that the media are attacking her over.

What got Harrington some special focus was her reply to my question about Israel:

Debbie’s latest thing as well as her lack of support for Israel — is ’cause she has to stand by this president — she also has blamed the Republicans for the creation of Hamas — that’s been her latest thing. This president asked them to stop building in the settlements, asked them to return to the ’67 borders and just the other day was caught with (French President Nicolas) Sarkozy saying negative things about Israel. This is a country and a nation that needs to stand by Israel as our history has shown us to. And Debbie supports this president and his policies, and you are right — Israel has become more endangered over there because of our approach and lack of strong support of Israel.

The St. Petersburg Times took issue with various parts of Harrington’s statement but the paper’s main problem was with the claim that Wasserman Schultz has blamed Republicans for the creation of Hamas. Of that they rated Harrington’s claim “false.”
Continue reading “

My Video At Heart of Controversy in Florida House Race”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - California - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Los Angeles - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Even NY Times Doubtful About California Boondoggles

December 10, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

You know a government project is headed for disaster when even the New York Times becomes skeptical about it.

In a recent article, the “newspaper of record” interviewed several public officials, transportation experts and historians who raise “serious objections” about the viability of California’s High-Speed Rail project — a project created by a ballot initiative.

Each critic cites cost overruns, inflated ridership projections and questionable travel routes as reasons why this transportation project a ballot measure funded by taxpayers is going to cost billions more than expected — and literally create a road to nowhere. This revelation comes at a time when the state is already facing financial Armageddon.

“…several experts suggested that the train would never attract the promised ridership…” the article said. “Low ridership would undercut the economic and environmental benefits that are part of the argument for the project.”

Worse, those tasked with planning and running the new high-speed rail project are scheming instead of planning. One of the serious questions about this project is where the construction is set to begin. The first leg is being started in an area of low population density among people who have little interest in using the railway.
Continue reading “

Even NY Times Doubtful About California Boondoggles”

Anti-Americanism - Anti-War - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Ethics - Government - Iowa - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Society/Culture - Teachers Unions - Warner Todd Huston

ISU Lecturer: Patriotism Excludes People At Bottom, Troops Don’t Need Care Packages

December 9, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Thomas Walker, lecturer in the intensive English and orientation program at Iowa State University, is disgusted over all this fawning over “the troops.” And so, to vent his disgust, he took to the letters to the editor pages of The Iowa State Daily. What Walker gave us is yet another screed from an extremist, left-winger being paid our tax dollars to “teach” our children his brand of hate for America.

What stirred Walker to spit his venom was a generally benign little program to assemble care packages for our soldiers overseas put on by ISU’s college Republicans. For five years the college Republicans have raised funds to buy socks, wet wipes, shampoo and other sundries for the troops. This year they raised the second highest amount of all the chapters.

But this feels-good story didn’t warm Thomas Walker’s heart, nosiree. University lecturer Walker was filled with disgust at the display of concern for our soldiers. So, Walker took to his pen — and his Thesaurus — to lambast this horrid display of patriotism perpetrated by these nasty college Republicans.

To get the full flavor of his bile, one must see the whole letter.
Continue reading “

ISU Lecturer: Patriotism Excludes People At Bottom, Troops Don’t Need Care Packages”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Cook County - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Jobs - Joe Walsh - Republicans - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

FULL VIDEO: Rep. Walsh Picks 8th District for 2nd Run

December 9, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Thursday night I attended the Chicago Tea Party meeting which featured a jazzed up first term Congressman Joe Walsh who came to announce in which District he’d take a crack at running to affect his reelection to Congress. Without stringing you along, Walsh chose the newly redistricted 8th for his run.

The Chicago Tea Party event was held at Chicago’s famous Cubby Bear restaurant right across the street from The Cub’s Wrigley field stadium.

With the Democrats in control of how Illinois’ electoral map was redrawn — due to the fact that the Illinois GOP has practically no power at all in the state — Walsh became the chief target that Democrats wanted to eliminate for 2012. Walsh’s home is currently in his 8th District, but redistricting casts his home into the 14th District, a district that is already represented by Randy Hultgren, also a solid Republican (and also a freshman congressman To boot).


A full House for Joe’s announcement at Chicago’s favorite Cubby Bear Pub

Initially Walsh announced plans to primary Hultgren and run in the newly jiggered 14th District. But as the weeks rolled on that prospect seemed an increasingly dismal idea. To primary another Republican would have meant a very, very bloody primary fight, one that would do neither Hultgren nor Walsh — nor Republicans for that matter — any good at all regardless of who won the primary.

This led Walsh to a hard decision and that is what brought him to the Cubby Bear that night.
Continue reading “

FULL VIDEO: Rep. Walsh Picks 8th District for 2nd Run”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Chicago - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Los Angeles - President - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago: Terrorists Celebrated by Tax Funded Organization

December 7, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois Humanities Council is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with an auction fund-raiser. A good cause you might ask? Well, perhaps, but one of the items the council is auctioning features a special dinner with notorious domestic terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn.

Why is a tax-funded organization celebrating the lives of these admitted and unrepentant domestic terrorists? That would be quite a good question.

As Illinois Review notes, we the taxpayers have been floating this IHC group with our tax dollars. “While Medicaid providers wait and wait to be reimbursed from the state,” IR says, “certain vendors don’t have much trouble getting their taxpayer funds every year. Such as the Illinois Humanities Council. Since 2007, the Council has been the beneficiary of $4,189,582, compliments of Illinois taxpayers.”

Once again we see how the left supports terrorism and propagates hate for our own system and country by celebrating murderers such as Dohrn and Ayers, two people that have never apologized or shown any remorse for their part int he death of a police officer.
Continue reading “

Chicago: Terrorists Celebrated by Tax Funded Organization”

Anti-Americanism - Chicago - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Judges - Rod Blagojevich - Warner Todd Huston

Ex Governor Blagojevich Gets 14 Year Prison Sentence

December 7, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

I won’t waste too much time on this — still it is something that should be put on record here at the blog — but former Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich has been sentenced to 168 moths, 14 years, in federal prison for his corruption.

In his statement before sentencing, Blagojevich apologized for his “unintended” actions, and said that as governor he should have known better. Rod even had his kids plea for leniency. Judge Zagel didn’t seem to think that the ex-guv’s apology was sufficient enough to lighten the sentence, however.

Sadly, the baneful influence of Blagojevich isn’t over just because he is now headed to prison. “The people that enabled him, all these guys are still in power,” GOP Chairman Pat Brady lamented on WLS radio after the verdict was announced. “As long as you have Mike Madigan and his absentee Attorney General daughter Lisa in office none of these problems will be fixed,” he said.

The Illinois Policy Institute also notes that Blago’s destructive “fiscal legacy is alive and well.”

Rod Blagojevich’s tenure as governor of Illinois will have a lasting effect on the state’s reputation and fiscal condition. From January 2003 to January 2009, Blagojevich made headlines for his sensational comments, political feuds and backroom deals. After being arrested in December 2008 on charges of political corruption, the Legislature removed him from office the following month. He since has been convicted on federal criminal charges.

See the full Ill. Policy Institute report HERE.
Continue reading “

Ex Governor Blagojevich Gets 14 Year Prison Sentence”

Adam Andrzejewski - Budget - Education - Ethics - For The Good Of Illinois - GOP - Government - Government, Ill. County - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Rep. Roger Eddy- Total Tax-Paid Compensation of $283,520 Plus

December 6, 2011 by

-By Adam Andrzejewski

“IT’S JUST WRONG.”

For 2011, Eddy has a total compensation package funded by Illinois taxpayers of over $283,520 per year. When our Freedom of Information Requests are fulfilled regarding his government health benefits and his accumulated “bank account” of unused sick days, we will update our analysis. We anticipate his annual compensation will exceed $300,000.

For the past 30 years, Roger Eddy has served in public education. Beginning as a teacher and coach, he has lived his new American Dream.

For the past 16 years, Eddy has been the superintendent of rural Hutsonville School District Unit 1. For the past 9 years (2003), Eddy has also been an elected Republican State Representative. The median Hutsonville household income is $32,500. Located four hours south of Chicago, it’s situated in the Wabash River Valley of East-Central Illinois.

Roger Eddy is a poster boy example of Illinois public greed…

Be sure and read the rest of this entry at For The Good Of Illinois.

Budget - California - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Larry Sand - Liberals - Los Angeles - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions

Indoctrination: A Must Read For Parents, Taxpayers and Everyone Else

December 6, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

To a large extent, the progressives have taken over American education, are transforming it and are doing it in plain sight

Indoctrination: How ‘Useful Idiots’ Are Using Our Schools to Subvert American Exceptionalism is an invaluable book written by Kyle Olson, founder and CEO of the Education Action Group, an organization that is on the frontline of education reform and a champion of school choice.

In this brief and very readable book, Olson describes the ways that the progressives in our society have taken over K-12 education. They have been running most of our elite colleges and schools of education for years now and this step is in keeping with their plan to transform America.

As a public school teacher whose career spanned four decades, I have seen the long march first hand. Perverting the traditional purpose of American education (which has been to make better and more educated citizens), progressives have been inspired by the theories of Paolo Freire, a Brazilian socialist who saw everything through a Marxist class warfare lens.
Continue reading “

Indoctrination: A Must Read For Parents, Taxpayers and Everyone Else”

Abortion - Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Jobs - Joe Walsh - Liberals - McHenry - Republicans - Taxes - Tea Party - The Heartland Institute - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Values Voters Forum: Rep. Joe Walsh, State Rep. Morrison, More

December 4, 2011 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Saturday morning, Dec. 3, I attended an event put on in Carpentersville, Illinois by Allen Skillcorn. The Illinois Value Voters Forum was billed as a forum on social issues, but it was also a great opportunity to have a nice friendly chat with several Illinois politicians on a variety of issues, not just those “values” issues we generally associate with social conservatism.

Results of Straw Poll Below the Fold


The Panel

Panelists included 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh, 54th District State Representative Tom Morrison, former State Rep Penny Pullen (currently of the Life Advocacy Research Project), and Bruno Behrend who was on hand to represent Adam Andrzejewski’s Open The Books Portal Project, a website where you can learn how much your public officials are making off the taxpayers. Along with the panel above, quite a few local officials and candidates in the hunt for the GOP nomination in their district also came out to meet and greet attendees.


Allen Skillcorn introducing Rep. Joe Walsh

Rep. Joe Walsh and Bruno Behrend

The first question posed by moderator Skillcorn was “when does life begin,” a common enough question for the values crowd. Ever the rebel, Congressman Walsh went on a ten-minute discussion on why we need to change Congress to GOP control and why we need to send “the right kind of Republicans” to Washington. But, after the stump speech, he did answer the question: “at conception,” of course.

The rest of the panel generally agreed with that, but I’d like to dwell a bit on Walsh’s stump speech. He reminded us of the fiscal disaster that this nation faces and he said that we should not forget that “the Republican Party helped us get here and we have to say that forcefully and respectfully.”

But Walsh saw a “revolution” stirring with the Tea Party and the 2010 midterm vote, one that has “only just started.”
Continue reading “

Illinois Values Voters Forum: Rep. Joe Walsh, State Rep. Morrison, More”

Anti-Americanism - Business - Crime - Detroit - Jobs - Michigan - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

More Union Workers Caught Blowing Weed on Break Time

November 29, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Not long ago a series of Detroit sting-styled TV News reports found autoworkers getting high and drunk during their lunch breaks. Now WJBK has found the same problem with the union workers at an aerospace factory.

Tower Defense and Aerospace Factory Workers Party at Lunch: MyFoxDETROIT.com

The company claims it has “been investigating” the employees. But the fact is, if these workers were not protected by unions they’d have been properly fired the second management realized that they were doing illegal drugs on company property during their break time.

It shouldn’t take a TV expose for a company to be able to fire criminals! But that’s what happens with unions. They protect criminals.
Continue reading “

More Union Workers Caught Blowing Weed on Break Time”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - California - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Larry Sand - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions

California’s Looming Fiscal Disaster: Sunlight and an Informed Public are the Best Disinfectants

November 29, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

With the state and various cities on the brink of insolvency, it’s imperative that the electorate become more informed and demand that school districts and teachers unions do their negotiating in public.

This past Sunday’s Los Angeles Times above-the-fold headline screamed “Voters back tax hikes for schools.” It was déja-vu all over again. As I wrote in September,

“… a poll which is biased and does not take into account the knowledge of the people being polled is misleading and dangerous. The public is led to believe that the responders are perceptive and knowledgeable, when in reality so many are not.”

(And I could have added that a poll that misleads or misinforms its respondents is the most dangerous of all; I’ll address that shortly.)

The Times article reported that a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences/Los Angeles Times Frequency Questionnaire released last week showed that 61 percent of those surveyed said they would pay higher taxes to boost school funding.

As I read those words, I wondered,
Continue reading “

California’s Looming Fiscal Disaster: Sunlight and an Informed Public are the Best Disinfectants”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Constitution - Daniel Clark - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - Massachusetts - President - Senate - Socialism - Taxes

Sour Mash, Bitter Man: or, Hit the road, Jack Daniel’s

November 28, 2011 by

-By Daniel Clark

If you read the label on a bottle of Jack Daniel’s (not that one happens to be handy), you’ll see that it’s made in “Lynchburg (Pop. 361).” Perhaps this should be updated to say, “at least one of whom is a raving Communist lunatic.” That person is Charles Rogers, a “concerned citizen” who has proposed a measure, passed by the Moore County Council (no relation to Michael), requesting permission from the Tennessee assembly for a referendum to impose a new “barrel tax” on the famous whiskey manufacturer.

Supposedly, Rogers wants the tax in order to pay for infrastructure projects, but he let the real reason slip when, according to an October 21st Fox News story, he explained, “We are entitled to more money from the only industry in the county. They created the image of this little old hamlet down here being the place where this fantastic whiskey is being made, and the people didn’t realize what was going on.” O, the exploitation!

Jack Daniel’s general manager Tommy Beam responded that the company is already heavily taxed, and that, being the county’s largest employer, it has expanded the tax base dramatically. The population of Lynchburg is now actually close to 6,000 (The 361 figure on the bottle is from the time that the label was trademarked, about 50 years ago). In addition, the distillery brings in an estimated 200,000 tourists every year. This demonstrates a point that ought to go without saying, which is that a successful industry is beneficial to the community in which it resides. Yet Rogers treats Jack Daniel’s as if it were a deadbeat, failing to pay its “fair share” to the local government.
Continue reading “

Sour Mash, Bitter Man: or, Hit the road, Jack Daniel’s”

Budget - Business - California - Capitalism - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Government - Jobs - Liberals - RightPundits.com - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

California: Death Valley Days All Over

November 27, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Death Valley is one of America’s most inhospitable places. These days it appears that there’s no accident that Death Valley is situated in California as the whole state is beginning to resemble a desert. More people are now leaving the state than are moving to it, taxes are driving businesses to other states, the state legislature is horribly corrupt and wasteful, and the future looks dark for the state once regaled as the land of milk and honey.

A recent piece in the LA Times found it worrisome that the state is not only losing middle and lower class white workers to other states, but even immigrants, the former population demographic that was growing, are no longer considering California as a final destination.

The Times notes that the 2010 census found that more Californians left the state than people from other states moved to the state, the latter number being a 100 year low. “The most recent census,” the Times wrote, “was the first in a century in which the majority of Californians were native-born.” This reflects that California is not gaining new citizens…

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.

California - Education - Larry Sand - Los Angeles - Public Employees Unions - Teachers Unions

Teachers are Overpaid and Underpaid

November 21, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

A new study claims that public school teachers are overpaid. Are they? Depends.

An ongoing whine from teachers unions and their fellow travelers is that public school teachers don’t earn enough money. But according to Andrew Biggs, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute scholar and Jason Richwine, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, it is just not true. In fact, in a recently released study, they find that teachers are overpaid. Typically teachers have many perks like excellent healthcare and pension packages which aren’t counted as “income.” Armed with facts, charts and a bevy of footnotes, the authors make a very good case for their thesis. For example, they claim,

“Workers who switch from non-teaching jobs to teaching jobs receive a wage increase of roughly 9 percent, while teachers who change to non-teaching jobs see their wages decrease by approximately 3 percent.
“When retiree health coverage for teachers is included, it is worth roughly an additional 10 percent of wages, whereas private sector employees often do not receive this benefit at all.
“Teachers benefit strongly from job security benefits, which are worth about an extra 1 percent of wages, rising to 8.6 percent when considering that extra job security protects a premium paid in terms of salaries and benefits.
“Taking all of this into account, teachers actually receive salary and benefits that are 52 percent greater than fair market levels.”

Needless to say, the usual suspects are none too pleased with the report. A teacher-blogger going by New York City Educator calls his piece, “‘That’s Just Mean’: Bullies at the Heritage Foundation.” Okay, whatever.
Continue reading “

Teachers are Overpaid and Underpaid”

Banks - Business - California - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Taxes - Transparency - Warner Todd Huston

California Ballot Boondoggle Sends Tax Dollars Out of State

November 20, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Despite all the talk of fixing it, California’s budget is still a mess. One of those “fixes” was implemented last summer when the state Legislature increased revenue projections by $4 billion to avoid balancing the budget. Of course, the problem with using such “phantom money” is that it often has a habit of disappearing when you need it most. And it has disappeared just when money for schools is needed. Now deep cuts are on the table. The people lose again.

Naturally the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office recently reported that the state will receive virtually none of the $4 billion in projected revenue, forcing the state to make some tough decisions in the coming weeks. On the table are major cuts to the education budget, including shortening the school year by a week, not to mention cuts to in-home healthcare programs, and programs for people with developmental disabilities.

Obviously Californian’s budget needs all the help it can get but it looks like it’s business as usual in Sacramento. For instance, an upcoming ballot measure sponsored by a career politician would baffle anyone that truly understands the mess California is in. The so-called California Cancer Research Act coming before voters in June, asks California voters to raise taxes by nearly $1 billion for a whole new perpetual bureaucracy. That is unacceptable to voters. Maddeningly this new program doesn’t even guarantee that the money will be spent in the state! Apparently former state Sen. Pro Tem Don Perata, the career politician pushing the measure, thinks Californians who already paying some of the highest taxes in the nation should reach deeper into their pockets just to potentially send that money across state lines to benefit others. And all the while the budget for the education for those same taxpayer’s kids is about to be slashed.

So, what is the “solution” proposed by Democrats in Sacramento? Raise taxes, of course.
Continue reading “

California Ballot Boondoggle Sends Tax Dollars Out of State”

Budget - California - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

California Drowning in Budget Waste and Abuse

November 19, 2011 by

-By Matthew Cunningham

Think you came up a bit short trick-or-treating this year? It’s nothing compared to California, whose revenues in October came in $800 million below projections. Overall, California is about $1.5 billion in the red for the current fiscal year, which may trigger some nasty cuts to schools and public safety if revenues don’t start pouring in soon.

Of course, California didn’t get into these dire straits by accident. Years and years of reckless overspending pushed the state over the fiscal precipice resulting in the sorry state of affairs we’re seeing today. Apparently, despite billions in cuts to education and other critical programs, some people still haven’t gotten the message. Consider the so-called California Cancer Research Act, pushed by a former legislator. This nearly billion dollar tax increase not only would duplicate existing programs, but would spend up to $16 million annually on additional overhead and up to $117 million a year for new buildings and facilities. In short, it would create another new bureaucracy to pay for, even though we can’t pay for the programs already on the books.

California dug itself into the hole it’s in by giving in to wild spending schemes time and time again. Perhaps this June, voters will finally get the message.
Continue reading “

California Drowning in Budget Waste and Abuse”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Jobs - Kirk Dillard - Liberals - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois CAT Dealer: Illinois’ Worst Business Climate Getting Worse

November 17, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Wednesday I attended a “government day” event at Patten Industries, a 78-year-old Illinois Caterpillar dealer situated in Elmhurst, a northwest suburb of Chicago. The event, led by current General Manager Garrett Patten, featured a discussion on the severely unfavorable business climate in Illinois and why the state is lagging so horribly behind the leading economic indicators of every surrounding state.

Patten Industries has been guided by four generations of Pattens, the company having been founded by B. C. Patten, Sr. in 1933. But Illinois has not been good to the company or its employees over the last decade or so. Unfortunately, the company has gone from employing some 700 employees in 2006 to only about 400 today due to the harsh economic climate in the Land of Lincoln.

This contraction is most certainly not something the Patten family wanted to see happen to their long-standing Illinois-based company. Patten Industries has faced a whole host of negative forces causing them to scale downward. And Patten is just one of many Illinois businesses facing the same problems — problems faced in much less severity by businesses in other nearby states.

Even as many corporations are just starting to see an upturn in their fortunes, Illinois government has set up so many hurdles to growth that other states are either taking our customers or even welcoming Illinois businesses themselves as new residents.

Garrett Patten says that at least three major problems face Illinois businesses. Workman’s comp, labor unions, and corporate taxes.
Continue reading “

Illinois CAT Dealer: Illinois’ Worst Business Climate Getting Worse”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Colorado - Communism - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Denver - Ethics - George Soros - GOP - Government - Liberals - Socialism - Taxes - War On Drugs - Warner Todd Huston

Denver Protest Shows Incoherence of ‘Occupy’

November 15, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over this past weekend several hundred conservative bloggers, writers, political operatives, and Tea Patiers got together in Denver, Colorado to attend a conference aimed toward helping these activists be more effective n their efforts. But conservative activism wasn’t the only theme on the schedule when the event was crashed by denizens of Occupy Denver who came to protest. What they came to protest was a tad unclear, but isn’t that just of a piece with the whole Occupy “movement”?

The event, Blogcon 2011, was organized by Freedom Works and featured seminars on Website SEO, use of Youtube and Facebook, information on which candidates Freedom Works is supporting in the upcoming GOP primaries, panels of bloggers telling their story, and the like.

What it wasn’t was attended by Washington’s policy makers or catering to the rich and famous! The folks at these events are most assuredly not members of the so-called one percent. They are work-a-day folks that just happen to be interested in conservative ideas. Essentially the participants at Blogcon 2011 were similar to the Occunuts that invaded their event in that they are all citizen activists.

But that didn’t stop the Occupiers from attacking Blogcon 2011 hopeful of disrupting the event. Two separate times Occupiers came to Blogcon to yell their empty slogans, chant their prosaic chants, ply their “mic check” silliness, call names, threaten violence, and in general act like children.
Continue reading “

Denver Protest Shows Incoherence of ‘Occupy’”

Business - California - Capitalism - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Energy - Ethics - Liberals - Natural Gas - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Rancho Cordova Blast Fine Too Low to Assure Future Public Safety

November 15, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In 2008 a pipeline operated by Pacific Gas & Electric exploded destroying several homes and killing 72-year-old Wilbert Paana. Since that time authorities have been attempting to determine what sort of fines PG&E should face for its negligence. Recently administrative law judge John Wong proposed that a fine of $38 million — and an end to the whole matter — would be enough. But is this enough to assure the protection and safety of California’s ratepayers?

To his credit, Judge Wong rejected an even lower proposal of a $26 million fine noting that if found guilty the utility would face at least a $97 million if found guilty of all the charges and safety violations leveled against it. Yet, he’s willing to let PG&E get away with less than half of what it could face were it to go the distance in the courts.

Whatever is fair or not, though, one thing must be noted. PG&E’s board recently rewarded CEO Peter Darbee with a $35 million severance package even though he presided over multiple violations of safety including that Rancho Cordova incident that took the life of Mr. Panna, not to mention eight more deaths in the San Bruno incident. He also headed up the utility as it wasted $46 million on the ballot initiative Prop 16 which was an attempt to enshrine in law PG&E’s California monopoly.
Continue reading “

Rancho Cordova Blast Fine Too Low to Assure Future Public Safety”

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - DNC - Elections - Florida - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Harrington Looking to Topple Debbie Wasserman Schultz

November 15, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

I was able to take a few minutes to interview Karen Harrington, a candidate for a Florida House seat. Oh, she’s not running for just any House seat. She’s running to topple the odious Debbie Wasserman-Schultz — mouth of the Democrat National Committee.

Harrington ran against Wasserman Schultz in the 20th District in 2010 and lost pretty handily. But her 40 percent vote total was one of the strongest showings of a Republican in a long time in that heavily Democrat leaning district. According to her polling she is doing even better this time now that the Obama economy has hurt so many.

Harrington also has a large dose of support from the Jewish community due to the failure of the Obama administration’s policy on Israel.

I found Harrington to be engaging, serious, and well informed. Let’s hope she can topple one of the worst Representatives in Congress in 2012.

Harrington’s website can be found at: www.karenforcongress.com. On Twitter she is: karen4congress.

Or, if you’d rather, you can connect with the Harrington campaign by going to www.firedebbie.com
Continue reading “

Harrington Looking to Topple Debbie Wasserman Schultz”

Anti-Americanism - California - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Ethics - Larry Sand - Liberals - Los Angeles - Public Employees Unions - Teachers Unions - Unions

Fake Teacher Evaluation Racket is Busted in Los Angeles

November 14, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

Parents sue the LA school board and teachers union, forcing them to obey a law that they have ignored for 40 years.

There is nothing new about unions bullying weak-kneed school districts, but this may be the mother of all abuses– for forty years, school districts and unions have collaborated to break the law in California. According to the Stull Act (Section 44660 of the state’s education code), part of a teacher’s evaluation is required to include a student achievement component, but this has not happened anywhere in the state. Last week, after consulting with EdVoice, a reform advocacy group in Sacramento, parents of some students in Los Angeles Unified School District sued the school district and teachers union for what amounts to a dereliction of duty. While the lawsuit is aimed at LA, it will have state-wide ramifications.

Originally enacted in 1971, the Stull Act, named after State Senator John Stull, was amended in 1999 to include,

“The governing board of each school district shall evaluate and assess certificated employee performance as it reasonably relates to:

The progress of pupils toward the standards established pursuant to subdivision (a) and, if applicable, the state adopted academic content standards as measured by state adopted criterion referenced assessments….”

In other words, a part of a teacher’s evaluation is supposed to be contingent on how well his students do on state mandated tests. This is hardly a radical notion, as half the states in the rest of the country now evaluate teachers in part by student performance on these tests.
Continue reading “

Fake Teacher Evaluation Racket is Busted in Los Angeles”

Budget - Congress - Conservatives - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Joe Walsh - Randy Hultgren - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Freedom Works Picks Walsh Over Hultgren for 14th District Primary

November 12, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Denver, Colorado- Max Pappas, Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs at Freedom Works, has announced that the FW candidate evaluation committee has chosen to support Congressman Joe Walsh in the upcoming 14th District GOP primary.

Pappas appeared at Blogcon 2011 as a member of a discussion panel focused on the suitability of the various 2012 primary candidates when the discussion turned to the Illinois 14th District.

Pappas said that in a survey of 80 votes, Joe Walsh only voted badly on one. “Walsh is with us 99.9% of the time. Hultgren only 60%,” Pappas said.

The only vote that Freedom Works disagreed with Walsh on was his vote favorable to Big Labor. Walsh voted against a right-to-work measure making that the only strike against his record.

Going solely on voting record, then, Freedom Works is supporting Joe Walsh for the 14th District primary.
Continue reading “

Freedom Works Picks Walsh Over Hultgren for 14th District Primary”