States

Congress - Conservatives - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Dick Durbin - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Journalism - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - Republicans - RightPundits.com - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Perry Parries Iowan’s Ire

August 10, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Texas Governor Rick Perry has made it known that he’s going to announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination for president at the Red State Conference in South Carolina on August 13, the same weekend as the Ames, Iowa straw poll. This didn’t sit well with the Iowa Republican blog. The paper called Perry’s timing a “slap in the face to Iowa Republicans.”

The Iowa GOP uses the well-publicized straw poll as a fundraiser for the party and it is also has a sort of pride of place being one of the early, notable primary time events. So, it is easy to see how the Iowans would be a tad upset that Perry decided to use another state on the same weekend to make his announcement. Iowa Republicans would naturally feel he should have used their own stomping grounds for his announcement…

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Children - Conservatives - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Elections - GOP - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Republicans - Scott Walker - SEIU - Senate - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston - Wisconsin

Unions Lose BIG In Wisconsin Recall Efforts

August 10, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Oh, the union thugs in Wisconsin will certainly try to act as if winning a mere two of the six recall elections of the Republican State Senators in the Cheese State was a big win… but it wasn’t. In fact, this recall nonsense shows that the union issues were a huge failure. After all, they even shied from using the union issues to push the recall efforts after they got going because they were looking like a losing issue.

In fact, the two Republicans that lost their effort to beat the recall were the two that were a bit odd as it is, so beating them doesn’t seem to be such a great triumph. And even at that the margins of defeat were not great. David Fredosso of the Washington Examiner puts it well:

In the end, the union-backed Democrats picked up only two state Senate seats in Wisconsin last night, at a staggering cost in time, effort, and of course money. One of the seats was solidly Democratic, held by a Republican due to an apparent fluke of nature. The other was held by an alleged adulterer who had moved outside his district to live with his young mistress, and whose wife was supporting his recall.

A Pyrrhic victory, there, for sure.

Unions and left-wing Democrat operative told us that the people of Wisconsin were furious at Governor Scott Walker and his GOP partners. We were told that “the people” would swarm to the recall election polls and throw the rascals out. But aside from the two problem children above, none of the elections were even close.
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Unions Lose BIG In Wisconsin Recall Efforts”

Abortion - Children - Crime - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Planned Parenthood - Sex Offenders/Rape - Warner Todd Huston

Pro-Lifers Get a Win in Illinois

August 9, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois pro-lifers have this year been pursuing several new bills in Springfield and at least with one initiative they have won the day.

Students for Life of Illinois reports that on August 4th, Governor Quinn signed HB2093 into law to become Public Act 97-0254.

This Act extends the list of persons required to report child abuse or neglect to include any physician, physician’s assistant, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, medical technician, certified nursing assistant, social worker, or licensed professional counselor of any office, clinic or physical location that provides abortions, abortion referrals or contraceptives. (Planned Parenthood and ACLU originally lobbied against this bill, btw)

This provides more protection to young girls who are victims of sexual abuse and whose abusers are using abortion to cover up their crime. The bill was inspired by the fact that Planned Parenthood has been shown to routinely cover-up sexual abuse of minors.

There are many more battles to fight, of course, but at least in this dismal state one bright spot has emerged. So, congrats to the supporters of the DCFS child neglect reporting changes.
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Pro-Lifers Get a Win in Illinois”

Budget - Business - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Government - Jobs - President - Republicans - Rick Perry - RightPundits.com - Taxes - Texas - Warner Todd Huston

Texan Rick Perry In For 2012 Election (All But Announced)

August 8, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Looks like Rick Perry, current Governor of Texas, is in for the hunt for the GOP nomination for president of the United States. At this point, he’s all but had his official announcement and word is that the announcement is to come Saturday.

Below is the first Perry campaign video and it is smartly focused on the incredible jobs record that Texas has amassed under Perry. After all, having created some 73 percent of all the new jobs in the country is a pretty amazing record.

Tag Line: It’s Time for America to Believe in Itself Again, It’s Time for Rick Perry…

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Tea Party Offers Free Road Trip to the Iowa Straw Poll

August 8, 2011 by

From the Chicago Tea Party…

The Chicago Tea Party will be coordinating a free bus trip to the Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday, August 13. The Iowa Straw Poll is a critical event in deciding who President Obama’s opponent will be in the 2012 election. It’s a fun event with a great atmosphere including music, entertainment, food and a chance to see and hear from the field of Presidential candidates.

You can register here now.

Who: People who want to chose a candidate who will uphold the Constitution and defeat Barack Obama in 2012.

What: Free bus trip to the Iowa Straw Poll on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, IA.

Where: Bus leaves from the Cumberland CTA Blue Line station parking lot, 5800 N. Cumberland, Chicago, IL 60631.

When: The bus begins boarding at 5:00AM and will leave the Cumberland CTA Station at 5:15AM

How: The road trip will include a free bus trip, free breakfast, free lunch at the straw poll, free t-shirt and free tickets to the straw poll. The bus is an executive coach bus with a restroom facility on board.

There will also be free adult beverages on the ride back home.

There will be several Chicago reporters covering our trip, so you may have multiple opportunities to have your voice heard.

Seating is limited, please register as soon as possible. The deadline to register will be Friday, August 12 at noon.

The trip is being sponsored by Strong America Now. Strong America Now is dedicated to educating and mobilizing Americans focused on eliminating the national debt and deficit using a proven waste-elimination process called Lean Six Sigma. Strong America Now wants to change the way Washington thinks about spending money, as do we.

You can register for the free road trip here now.

You must be an Iowa resident to actually vote in the straw poll, but you are welcome to attend and participate in all the straw poll activities.

Please call 773-599-0105 or email us with any questions.

You can learn more about TeaCon and purchase your tickets for TEACON 2011 at www.teaconmidwest.com.

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Policy Institute: A great, cost-cutting move for Chicago‏

August 7, 2011 by

Have you ever been stuck in downtown Chicago traffic and thought that the traffic control aides – the people with the orange vests and whistles – were making snarls worse?

We did and, after digging through government budgets, found that Chicago spent over $10 million on wages for traffic control aides in 2009. Our “Spotlight on Spending” from last October showed how to save money (and frustration) by scaling back the program. We’re pleased to note that this week Mayor Emanuel did just that, for savings of over $2 million.

Have you come across a state or local government program that doesn’t serve its intended purpose? I’d like to talk with you about it. Send me a reply email or call me at 217-528-8800.
Sincerely,

Mark Cavers
Government Reform Policy Analyst
Illinois Policy Institute
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Ill. Policy Institute: A great, cost-cutting move for Chicago‏”

Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Liberals - New Jersey - Sex Offenders/Rape - Warner Todd Huston

Democrat’s Excuse: When I Sexted Nude Pic of Myself, I Was Set Up

August 6, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here we go again, another sexting scandal perpetrated by a Democrat. But New Jersey Democrat Louis Magazzu, 53, had a darn good excuse for why his sexting of nude photos of himself should be ignored. He was set up, you see? Isn’t this like a crack addict blaming the crack?

Magazzu admitted readily enough that he sent to a woman he’d been texting for several years the nude pictures he took of himself with his cell phone. But apparently he felt we should cut him some slack because the woman gave the photos to one of his political enemies. She’s at fault… don’t you see?

Yep. She’s the bad guy here. “I did not know that she was working with an avowed political enemy to distribute these pictures,” Magazzu whined.
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Democrat’s Excuse: When I Sexted Nude Pic of Myself, I Was Set Up”

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

Bad Signs at the SOS March

August 6, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
“You can’t light a fire in an empty bucket” – Larry Sand

The Save Our Schools March, Rally and Pity Party went off as planned in D.C. this past weekend, although on a smaller scale than the organizers had anticipated. They thought they could attract 5-10,000 people, but according to Education Week, only 3,000 showed up. Of those 3,000, it is unknown how many were teachers.

Many of the protesters carried signs which pretty much captured their reason for supporting the event. Essentially, the messages can be broken down into two basic areas. The first were in the political-economical realm:
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Bad Signs at the SOS March”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Lake County - Nanny State - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Debt Ceiling Increase Shows Failed Leadership Lake County Tea Party Calls Increase Irresponsible and Hypocritical

August 6, 2011 by

From the Lake County Tea Party…

(Round Lake, IL – August 2, 2011) Lake County Tea Party today called the deal to raise the U.S. debt ceiling and any increase in deficit spending “a failure in leadership.” The Lake County Tea party maintains that the administration will not be able to successfully stabilize the economy through greater debt.

Tea Party Chairman Lennie Jarratt recalled a statement by then-Senator Barack Obama in March, 2006, during a previous debate on raising the debt ceiling. “Senator Obama stated that “the fact that we are here today to debate raising American’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies.’” Jarratt pointed to the irony that the country’s debt has multiplied under the Obama Administration. He noted that the Tea Party is committed to educating voters on the virtues of fiscally responsible government at all levels and that “robbing Peter to pay Paul” is irresponsible.
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Debt Ceiling Increase Shows Failed Leadership Lake County Tea Party Calls Increase Irresponsible and Hypocritical”

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Truth in Accounting - Warner Todd Huston

Truth in Accounting Exposes ‘Unbalanced’ Budgets

August 5, 2011 by

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Report Identifies Five Sinkhole States and Five Sunshine States

Chicago, (August 3, 2011) – While Congress debated legislation that includes a federal balanced budget amendment, many pointed out that 49 out of the 50 states have that same legal requirement. However, a new comprehensive study by non-partisan Institute for Truth in Accounting reports most state balanced budget laws have not worked, because past governors and legislators have not used truthful accounting to calculate their budgets. This lack of transparency has concealed a total of $1 trillion of outstanding bills.
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Truth in Accounting Exposes ‘Unbalanced’ Budgets”

Budget - Congress - Conservatives - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Joe Walsh - Liberals - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Joe Walsh’s Interview With Ginni Thomas of The Daily Caller

August 5, 2011 by

From the office of Rep. Joe Walsh (Ill., 8th District)…

Leaders with Ginni Thomas: Rep. Joe Walsh

One Republican freshman from Illinois has the audacity to tell the president he lies, to tell Chris Matthews he bullies guests, and to say the Tea Party movement seems bigger than either the Republican or Democratic parties.
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Joe Walsh’s Interview With Ginni Thomas of The Daily Caller”

Congress - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Liberals - Redistricting - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Rep. Tim Johnson Says Redistricting Challenge Useless

August 4, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Today the bulk of the Illinois GOP delegation to Congress put out a letter decrying the badly gerrymandered recreation of Illinois’ congressional districts. The redistricting mess was denounced by every Illinois Republican Congressman but one.

Recently, a lawsuit has been filed to fight the redistricting that Illinois Democrats pushed through to fruition. The letter from the GOP delegation supported the lawsuit saying, “We look forward to an impartial hearing in court that exposes the fatal flaws in the Democrats’ Illinois congressional redistricting scheme and recognizes the fact that creating fair, compact, and representative congressional districts is not only possible, but necessary.”

One Illinois GOP congressman, though, did not sign onto the letter. That one Republican was Representative Tim Johnson (15th District) of Urbana, Illinois.
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Ill. Rep. Tim Johnson Says Redistricting Challenge Useless”

Aaron Schock - Adam Kinzinger - Anti-Americanism - Bobby Schilling - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Joe Walsh - Peter Roskam - Redistricting - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Statement of GOP House Members from Ill. on the Proposed Congressional Map Filed Today in Federal Court

August 4, 2011 by 1 Comment

“The Fair Map filed in federal court today proves that it is possible to create congressional districts that respect both constitutional and democratic principles. More importantly, this map stands in stark contrast to the contorted map passed by the Democrats, which is so gerrymandered that it can have no goal but to maximize partisan advantage by disregarding the will of Illinois voters.

“The Fair Map specifically addresses the problems with the Democrats’ map by providing a second district for the state’s growing Latino population, creating district lines that satisfy the tests for compactness, and protecting communities of interest by keeping them wholly within individual districts.

“We look forward to an impartial hearing in court that exposes the fatal flaws in the Democrats’ Illinois congressional redistricting scheme and recognizes the fact that creating fair, compact, and representative congressional districts is not only possible, but necessary.”

Rep. Peter Roskam (Il-6)
Rep. Joe Walsh (Il-8)
Rep. Robert Dold (Il-10)
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Il-11)
Rep. Judy Biggert (Il-13)
Rep. Randy Hultgren (Il-14)
Rep. Don Manzullo (Il-16)
Rep. Bobby Schilling (Il-17)
Rep. Aaron Schock (Il-18)
Rep. John Shimkus (Il-19)

Business - California - Democrats/Leftists - Electric - Energy - Ethics - Government - Liberals - Natural Gas - Oil - Warner Todd Huston

Before Pipeline Explosion Calif. Utility Spent Millions on Political Campaigning

August 4, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Back in September of 2010, a gas pipeline running underneath the city of San Bruno, California ruptured. The resulting explosion killed eight people. A recently finished investigation has revealed safety and engineering failures at many levels but, sadly, even the state agency charged with investigating seems to be hoping that the failures are hushed up. Why? Politics, of course.

Dennis Wyatt of the Manteca Bulletin read the new report issued by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the government agency charged with investigating the failures that led to the disaster, and he finds that the CPUC report “comes off more of a lapdog” than it does a watchdog of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

The failed pipeline was built in 1956 and ran under the intersection of Glenview Drive and Earl Avenue in a residential section of the city. The section that failed (Line 132) exploded killing eight people and destroying 38 homes. 70 more homes were damaged by the explosion, 18 were left uninhabitable.
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Before Pipeline Explosion Calif. Utility Spent Millions on Political Campaigning”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - Illinois - Jobs - Liberals - President - Republicans - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Tea Party-Haters Attack Chgo Business For Event Countering Obama B-Day Bash

August 4, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

William J. Kelly of Chicago organized an event at a business across the street and about a block down from the venue where President Obama held his birthday bash/fundraiser. Naturally Chicago’s anti-Tea Party set were furious at the business and used threats and intimidation to stop Kelly’s event.

Kelly called the event “Jobs Bash 2011,” and intended to highlight the fact that, while America was losing jobs by the millions, Obama cared more about keeping his own job than he was in helping Americans keep theirs by holding a high dollar donor event in the Windy City only days after signing a bill to put all Americans further in debt.

Of course, we were told during the eight years of the Bush administration that protest was the very essence of patriotism, but since Obama was elected the left has suddenly been all upset at anyone that wants to “speak truth to power.” This was seen by the good folks at Chicago’s Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, one of the city’s best sports for jazz music, when the lefty haters came out of the woodwork to complain that the lounge was to host Mr. Kelly’s event.
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Tea Party-Haters Attack Chgo Business For Event Countering Obama B-Day Bash”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Music - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Dismal Illinois Political Climate Spawns Song

August 4, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Singer/songwriter Jim Gwynn was so incensed last January by the increase in Illinois taxes ushered in during the dead of night by a recalcitrant and failure-filled Illinois General Assembly that he wrote a song to express his dissatisfaction.

“I had some anger. I got a little warm inside and sat down and wrote the song,” Gwynn said.

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Dismal Illinois Political Climate Spawns Song”

Adam Kinzinger - Budget - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Kinzinger Discusses Details of Debt Limit Plan on Hannity‏

August 4, 2011 by

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R, Ill 11th District)…

Last night, Congressman Adam Kinzinger joined Sean Hannity on FOX to discuss the details of the debt limit plan, which cuts more than it increases, controls future spending, and does not raises taxes on American families or job creators.

“The President in January said ‘raise the debt limit and no spending cuts.’ [House Republicans] did exactly what we said we’d do – We didn’t raise taxes and we cut more than we raised the debt limit by.
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Kinzinger Discusses Details of Debt Limit Plan on Hannity‏”

1st Amendment - Blogging - Civil Rights - Computers - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Free Speech - Government - Inernet - Liberals - Maryland - Technology - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

Freedom of Speech Wins: Baltimore Politician Drops Lawsuit Against Blogger

August 3, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Examiner blogger Adam Meister was doing what bloggers do, namely posting the info that “journalists” refuse to write about. In this case, back in March, Meister found that a Baltimore Councilwoman was living in a different district than she claimed she was living in. As a result, the politician tried to sue the blogger for his posts.

City Councilwoman Belinda Conaway filed a lawsuit demanding an idiotic $21 million in damages for Meister’s expose of her true primary residence. But this week Conaway abruptly dropped her suit against the blogger.

Through public records, blogger Meister discovered that Conaway lives in Randallstown and not Baltimore, the city she was elected to represent. Conaway has, though, claimed she lives in an extended-family household in Baltimore.

Meister disputed Councilwoman Conaway’s claim and he posted tax information where Conaway claimed for tax purposes that Randallstown, not Baltimore, was her primary residence.
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Freedom of Speech Wins: Baltimore Politician Drops Lawsuit Against Blogger”

Conservatives - Elections - Government - Illinois - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

John Bambenek: The Status Quo is Unacceptable‏

August 3, 2011 by

From the John Bambenek for State Senate (52nd District)…

It’s been a little over a month on the campaign trail and I’ve been meeting lots of great people in Champaign and Vermilion counties. Everywhere I go, people are concerned about the state’s financial mess and looking for a Republican who will fight for our conservative values in Springfield. A few recent news items shows that the status quo is unacceptable.

  • Governor Quinn recently vetoed a health insurance bill that would have required him to provide fair health insurance options for downstate state employees.
  • Governor Quinn unilaterally ended contracts with Catholic Charities because they referred gay couples looking to adopt to other agencies, even though that arrangement has been in place for years.
  • More businesses have announced they are leaving or are considering doing so, including CME, which you may know as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. It’s a said day when the Chicago Merc is thinking about moving its operations out of Chicago.

And the list goes on. Now is the time for bold and committed conservative leadership who will take on the status quo that is driving jobs from our state. From my perspective, I want a state where my children will find the same (or better) opportunities than I have had and today, it looks like that might not be the case. I will fight for our families in Springfield and fight to eliminate the crippling tax burden on our families and small businesses.
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John Bambenek: The Status Quo is Unacceptable‏”

Americans For Prosperity - Elections - Warner Todd Huston - Wisconsin

AFP: Join GOTV At-Home Phone Banks NOW!‏

August 3, 2011 by

From Americans for Prosperity — Illinois…

As you may have heard, Wisconsin will be holding a series of recall elections in the coming weeks, and as we know, voter turnout is typically low during recall elections. The Wisconsin chapter of AFP launched a large scale nonpartisan Get-Out-The-Vote program that utilizes one of the most efficient and effective at-home phone bank systems available. This technology provides activists throughout the country an opportunity to use their own telephone to encourage Wisconsin voters to turn out on Election Day for the upcoming recall elections.

Thank you for your dedicated efforts in the past. Will you help AFP make calls again? Your help will make a big difference in ensuring as many voters as possible get to the polls.
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AFP: Join GOTV At-Home Phone Banks NOW!‏”

Anti-Americanism - Communism - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Liberals - Socialism - Warner Todd Huston - Washington D.C.

Video: Leftists Embarrass Themselves at Protest

August 2, 2011 by 1 Comment

On July 28th, several unions and liberal advocacy groups came together on Capitol Hill to protest. It wasn’t just a protest on the events surrounding debt ceiling drama. As is so often the case with liberal get togethers, their participants were upset over a wide array of topics, from the war to proposed changes to Social Security and Medicare. They also came to listen to avowed Communist and former 9/11 truther Van Jones speak.The MRCTV crew couldn’t resist. We high tailed it to the Hill to interview these folks and give them an opportunity to speak their minds on camera.All was going swimmingly until some of the events organizers caught onto the fact that many of the folks who we were talking to, were totally embarrassing themselves…

Read the rest at MRCTV.org.

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Ronald Reagan - Taxes - The Heartland Institute - Warner Todd Huston

At Heartland’s Celebration of Milton Friedman’s 99th Birthday

August 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last week I attended a great talk given by University of Chicago economics professor Allen Sanderson in celebration of economics giant Milton Friedman’s 99th birthday. The talk was sponsored by the Chicago-based Heartland Institute.

We are humbled by the fact that in his life and long career at the University of Chicago, Friedman declared himself a friend and fan of our organization, calling us “a highly effective libertarian institute.” Today’s luncheon address was delivered by University of Chicago economics professor Allen Sanderson, who was a colleague of one of the brightest minds of the 20th century. We’ll have video of Sanderson’s entertaining and enlightening presentation up on our website next week.

Professor Sanderson was a colleague and friend of the great economist and related several funny and interesting stories about his days with the Friedman’s.

The Free Lunch Myth

Reason Magazine Celebrates Friedman

Ronald Reagan on Milton Friedman

Visit The Heartland Institute for more interesting and edifying videos and information.
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At Heartland’s Celebration of Milton Friedman’s 99th Birthday”

Aaron Schock - Adam Kinzinger - Bobby Schilling - Budget - Congress - Conservatives - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Peter Roskam - Randy Hultgren - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

How Did The Illinois GOP Delegation Vote on Boehner’s Debt Bill?

August 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

So, it was claimed to be the end of the world if Congress didn’t vote on the debt bill. But not every Illinois Republican voted to support GOP leader and House Speaker John Boehner’s bill. Let’s see how the Illinois GOP delegation voted, shall we?

The most vocal opponent of the bill was the 8th District’s Joe Walsh. He said that he could not, in good conscience, vote yes on the bill. Amusingly, he said in a radio interview on WLS that if he saw Speaker Boehner headed his way with the intent to change his mind, he’d turn and run the other way.

To his credit, Walsh did not try and claim that he would stand fast in the face of a direct Boehner appeal, but he did say that he was voting his conscience regardless.
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How Did The Illinois GOP Delegation Vote on Boehner’s Debt Bill?”

Adam Kinzinger - Budget - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Kinzinger Statement on the Revised Budget Control Act

August 2, 2011 by

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R, Ill. 11th District)…

Washington, D.C. – Today Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) issued the following statement in support of the revised Budget Control Act. The measure passed the House by a vote of 269 to 161.

“Over the course of seven months, House Republicans have changed the conversation in Washington from where to spend, to where to cut and how much. This legislation reverses the failed trajectory of our country.

“The bipartisan approach forces Washington to maintain a strong focus on cutting spending and includes much of the same framework as the House-passed bill. It cuts more spending than the increase in the debt limit and it does not raise any taxes.
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Kinzinger Statement on the Revised Budget Control Act”

Budget - Chicago - Dan Rutherford - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Nanny State - Pat Brady - Pat Quinn - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Tom Cross - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Budget Deficit: Worst of the Worst

August 1, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois ended 2010 as the most indebted state in the union. Sadly, not a thing has been done so far in 2011 to make it better. Instead, it will get worse.

As State House News reports, the state rings in at number 50 in the nation’s most broke states.

Illinois owed $37.9 billion more than all of its assets combined, including cash, investments and property, as of July 1, 2010, according to a recent statewide financial audit by the Illinois Auditor General William Holland and Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.

So far and just like the states unpaid vendors, even taxpayers expecting refunds got stiffed because the state somehow forgot to put $1.4 billion in the refund fund for taxpayers that overpaid their taxes. Now those awaiting refunds will have to wait.
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Illinois Budget Deficit: Worst of the Worst”

Business - Capitalism - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Free Speech - Illinois - Jobs - Labor Law - Liberals - Regulation - Rights - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Member Fined $300K Just for Finding Work!

August 1, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The lesson: if you are a union member, better to sit on your rear-end and do nothing than find gainful employment.

A poor Chicago-area carpenter who was sick and tired of waiting for his useless union to find him work struck out on his own and got a job with a non-union shop. Big mistake. Once the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters found out they tried to fine him $300,900 for having the gall to find work on his own.

Carpenter Nathaniel Musser is not sitting around and taking this outrageous treatment handed him by the feckless union, either. He’s filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the union with the National Labor Relations Board which will come up in mid-August.

If were Mr. Musser, though, I would not hold my breath that Obama’s union-sold NLRB will side with the poor, put upon worker here. This is the same regulatory board that extra-constitutionally decided that it had to power to prevent Boeing from opening up a new plant in any U.S. state it wanted to merely because the NLRB thought a few union jobs in Washington State might be at risk.
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Union Member Fined $300K Just for Finding Work!”

Americans For Prosperity - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Joe Walsh - Liberals - Redistricting - Republicans

About The New Illinois 8th District

August 1, 2011 by

-By Collin Corbett

When Joe Walsh narrowly upset Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean by 290 votes in last year’s 8th Congressional District race, many insiders assumed that he, along with most of the other Illinois GOP freshmen, would be on the chopping block in the looming Democrat gerrymandering process. True to assumptions the new Congressional map, which could be overturned in court but will likely hold up, draws Walsh out of his current district and makes the 8th District an open seat.

To give you a picture of the new 8th District, here are some important figures to consider:

  • Demographics
  • Increased from 8% to 12% Asian
  • Increased from 17% to 27% Hispanic
  • Increased minority voting population 13.92% overall
  • Voting Trends
    • Went 61.5% for Obama in 2008
    • Went 48.1% to 43.6% for Brady in 2010
    • Went 51.1% to 43.3% for Kirk in 2010
    • Went 55.2% to 39.7% for Rutherford in 2010
  • Geography
    • Comprised roughly of 51% Cook, 40% DuPage, 9% Kane
    • Contains roughly 56% of the old 6th, 26% of the old 8th, 5% of the old 10th, and 13% of the old 14th
    • Kane County portion heavily blue, DuPage County portion fairly red, Cook County portion leans slightly red

    At quick glance, the numbers pulled by Brady, Kirk, and Rutherford in 2010 in the new 8th might lead one to believe that a Republican starts with an advantage. However, the combination of a strong Democrat field, a (so far) weak Republican field, a favorable election year for Illinois Democrats with Obama at the top of the ticket, and demographic trends in the district favoring a minority and/or female candidate lead many to believe that this seat currently leans towards a Democrat pickup.
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    About The New Illinois 8th District”

    Budget - Congress - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

    Rep Dold Calls for Big, Bold Bipartisan Plan‏

    August 1, 2011 by

    From the office of Rep. Bob Dold (Ill, 10th Dist.)…

    This morning I spoke with Fox News and called for a “big, bold bipartisan plan” to resolve our nation’s debt ceiling crisis. Click here to watch the video, then visit my website to give me your feedback.

    For another look at my desire to craft a solution based on compromise, please read the editorial that appeared in Thursday’s Daily Herald.
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    Rep Dold Calls for Big, Bold Bipartisan Plan‏”

    Adam Kinzinger - Budget - Congress - Economy/Finances - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

    Kinzinger Opposes Legislation that Fails to Offer Spending Cuts Greater Than Debt Limit Increase

    August 1, 2011 by

    From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL, 11th Dist.)…

    Legislation authorizes largest debt limit increase in history

    Washington, D.C. – Today Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 2693, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s debt limit increase plan that fails to offer spending cuts greater than the increase and authorizes the largest debt limit increase in history. The measure failed in the House by a vote of 173-246.

    “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s plan offers phantom savings, accounting gimmicks and hands a blank check to the President, signed by the taxpayers. It fails to cut more in spending than it increases in the debt ceiling and the deep slashes to our defense, threaten the security of our country.

    “General Martin E. Dempsey, President Obama’s nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also cautioned that these cuts to the military budget would be ‘extraordinarily difficult and very high risk.’

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    Kinzinger Opposes Legislation that Fails to Offer Spending Cuts Greater Than Debt Limit Increase”

    Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Florida - GOP - Government - Liberals - Marco Rubio - President - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

    Sen. Marco Rubio: ‘The President’s Plan is a Blank Sheet of Paper’

    July 31, 2011 by

    “With No Budget In 822 Days, Dem Leaders Try To Force Last-Minute Debt Vote.”

    “This has been the plan all along, by the way. The plan all along was not to take a position, to let the days count down until we got to this point with 72 hours to go, and then force a vote on something that they wanted… You want to know why people all across America get grossed out by politics? It’s by watching this kind of stuff happen.”