Amer. For Prosperity Illinois: Regional Defending American Dream Summit, Wisconsin Dells

AFP-IL is partnering with AFP-WI in hosting a Midwest Regional “Defending the American Dream Summit” and You’re Invited! Join like-minded folks from throughout the Midwest. Learn more about the value of citizen activism and the tools AFP offers to effect change in your communities.

The date is set! Saturday, March 13th, 2010. The Regional Defending the American Dream Summit will be held at the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. The list of speakers, training classes and special guests are growing. Rest assured, the event will be dynamic, informative and great fun! To Learn more and to register for the event click here.
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Amer. For Prosperity Illinois: Regional Defending American Dream Summit, Wisconsin Dells”


Gallup Report Indicates Andrzejewski Would Be Most Likely To Succeed In November General Election

From the Adam Andrzejewski for Governor campaign…

Andrzejewski Embodies Conservative Principles, Traditional American Values—

Keys To Winning the Majority in the General Election

Elmhurst, IL: As more political independents find themselves gravitating toward the conservative platform, Adam Andrzejewski emerges as the most likely candidate to reflect that trend. Andrzejewski’s endorsements and support derive from the strongest voices of conservatism, a clear indication that he represents the people and organizations who will determine the outcome of the general election.
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Gallup Report Indicates Andrzejewski Would Be Most Likely To Succeed In November General Election”


Chgo Trib Wants ‘Reform,’ Yet Endorses Machine Candidates

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Dec. 27th, the Chicago Tribune sternly scolded our Illinois political class saying that we need “reform” in Illinois. The Trib announced that with all the past corruption they’d had “enough.” And they promised to launch a “pre-primary push to elect better” politicians.

Well, who could disagree with that? Illinois has one of the most corrupt, most indebted, least transparent, most inbred political scene in the country. It is rife with corruption on both sides of the political divide and we are ripe for change. So, yes, we all can agree with the Chicago Tribune that we need to clean up this political cesspool. The “Chicago Way” that has now invaded Washington D.C. should be eliminated back here at home.

So, hear, hear, Chicago Tribune. We agree. You are a fast friend to the weak and downtrodden. A champion of the common man. A paragon of reform, etc., etc.

Yep, all that horn tootin’ was great, Trib. So, let’s see how you did with picking candidates to endorse
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Chgo Trib Wants ‘Reform,’ Yet Endorses Machine Candidates”


Unintended Consequences: Balkanizing the Internet

-By Scott Cleland

The big missing part of the policy debate over how to best ensure continuation of an open Internet, i.e. through existing policy or the FCC’s proposed preemptive regulations, is what makes the Internet universal?

The Internet is near universal because it is entirely voluntary. All of the Internet’s signature elements are voluntary, not mandated by government(s).

Internet Protocol (IP) is a networking protocol that became universal precisely because it offered the ability for everyone to communicate in basically the same “language.” No one was required to use/adopt IP; people voluntarily adopted it because it was better and offered the most universal networking opportunity. Moreover, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), whose “mission is to make the Internet work better,” is an entirely voluntary collaborative process that functions outside of any government(s) control.

The Domain Name System (DNS), essentially the Internet’s address system, rapidly became universal precisely because people voluntarily recognized its essential value and adopted it. No country owns, controls or approves the Internet’s addresses; it’s a voluntary market process.
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Unintended Consequences: Balkanizing the Internet”


Cook County Official Arrested for Misuse of County Funds

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is being reported that on Jan. 14 the superintendent of the Cook County Regional Office of Education, Charles Flowers, was arrested for giving “large cash advances” to his sister and girlfriend.

Apparently, Flowers has been a long-time troublemaker cloaking himself in the guise of an elected official. In 2006 Flowers somehow beat incumbent Robert Ingraffia (Republican) for the office yet even as he prepared to take his new office Flowers seemed to imagine that he was going to also keep his seat on the District 209 School Board.
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Cook County Official Arrested for Misuse of County Funds”


8th District: Joe Walsh calls on Melissa Bean to explain what is an ‘extreme candidate’

From the Joe Walsh for Congress campaign…

Lake Zurich: Joe Walsh, candidate for Congress in the 8th Congressional District, is calling on Melissa Bean to be more specific about what issues she views as “extreme”. In a recent e-mail blast to her supporters Bean refers to the Republican Primary field of candidates as possessing “extreme right wing views.”
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8th District: Joe Walsh calls on Melissa Bean to explain what is an ‘extreme candidate’”


14th District: Hultgren Signs Club For Growth’s ‘Repeal It’ Pledge

From the Randy Hultgren for Congress campaign…

State Senator Randy Hultgren today signed the Club for Growth’s “Repeal It” Candidate Pledge. In doing so, Senator Hultgren promised to the voters of Illinois’ 14th Congressional District that he would work to repeal any government takeover of health care.

“I have consistently opposed the Obama/Pelosi plan to nationalize our health care,” said Hultgren. “Congressman Bill Foster stood with Nancy Pelosi and against the people of Illinois when he voted for this terrible legislation.”
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14th District: Hultgren Signs Club For Growth’s ‘Repeal It’ Pledge”


Dillard Outlines “Best in Class” Education Plan

From the Kirk Dillard for Governor campaign…

Helping Students Succeed for the Jobs of Tomorrow

(Peoria, IL) – Republican candidate for Illinois governor Kirk Dillard today called for more local control for school districts and a greater emphasis on math and science as part of his “Best in Class” Education Plan.
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Dillard Outlines “Best in Class” Education Plan”


5th District: David Ratowitz Picks Up Two More Endorsements

From the David Ratowitz for Congress campaign…

“David Ratowitz brings experience from multiple sectors of the economy, credibility from serving his nation in the Army, and the courage to make the IL-5th not only respectable again, but winnable for Republicans.”

CHICAGO – January 14, 2010 – U.S. House candidate David Ratowitz (IL-5) has received the endorsements of Republican Liberty Caucus of Illinois and Loyola College Republicans officer Brian Williams.
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5th District: David Ratowitz Picks Up Two More Endorsements”


Illinois Policy Institute: State of the State is…?

The State of the State is…
Yesterday, Governor Pat Quinn gave his “State of the State” address—and, by pretty much all accounts, Illinois has seen better days. John Tillman appeared on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight last night to give his assessment of Governor Quinn’s speech. You can watch by clicking the video above.
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Illinois Policy Institute: State of the State is…?”


A likely Story: Cook County Dems ‘Forget’ Carter on Mailer

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Cook County Democrat Party sent out a direct mail piece early this week that listed all the Democrat presidents that brought “prosperity” to this country. Oh they are all there, FDR, Truman, Kennedy, LBJ, Bill Clinton… uh, wait. Isn’t one of ’em missing?

You guessed it, Jimmah Carter, the worst president in American history, was left off the list of illustrious “prosperity” bringers. Oopsie.

The nitwit that commissioned the flyer, Democrat Party Chairman Joe Berrios, claims that it was the printer that goofed it up and that he had Carter on the original piece before the printer sent it to press.

I submit that Joey is a liar. I’ve worked with printers since 1979 and they do not edit customer’s art work. In fact, printers usually have a fairly extensive proofing process where they attempt to get the customer to sign off on samples before they go to press in order to avoid a dissatisfied customer making them reprint the whole thing for free over a missed item, a garbled format, or even bad color.
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A likely Story: Cook County Dems ‘Forget’ Carter on Mailer”


Coakley Bodyguard’s Beer Hall Push Prime Example of Democratic Thuggery

-By Ann “Babe” Huggett

Upon leaving a Democratic fundraiser at a bar in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday evening, January 12th, Massachusetts Attorney General and Senatorial candidate Martha Coakley received what may be a fatal body blow to her campaign when her bodyguard pushed hard to the sidewalk an accredited Weekly Standard reporter, John McCormack, for daring to ask tough and probing questions when he had the chance.

The bodyguard in question wasn’t just your average Democratic rent-a-thug either. He is none other than Michael Meehan, a highly placed operative within the Democratic National Party and the communications expert for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). He was an advisor to Senators Kerry and Boxer, was Chief of Staff to Senator Cantwell and was a political director for former Senator Daschle when he was Senate Majority Leader. Now Meehan, besides currently acting the goon for Coakley, is an Obama-appointed nominee to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) whose stated mission is to provide, “an example of a free and professional press” to the world at large and which oversees the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.
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Coakley Bodyguard’s Beer Hall Push Prime Example of Democratic Thuggery”


Ill 22nd Dist. Steve Rauschenberger: Opportunist Wegman Withdraws

-By Warner Todd Huton

Early in December I wrote a piece asking why Sandy Wegman of Elgin was still in the race for the 22nd District State Senate slot even though long-time Republican Steve Rauschenberger was again running for the job?

Well, it looks like she finally realized that she isn’t wanted on the ballot and has officially withdrawn her name from the ballot.
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Ill 22nd Dist. Steve Rauschenberger: Opportunist Wegman Withdraws”


Chicago’s Sam Adams Alliance is Hiring

The Sam Adams Alliance is looking for students and recent grads with a passion for advancing free-market principles and policies.

We currently have full-time and part-time internships available for the spring and summer semesters in the following areas (click on each for more information):
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Chicago’s Sam Adams Alliance is Hiring”


Ill. GOP Chairman Reacts to Guv’s State of State Report

-By Warner Todd Huston

Just got a reply to Governor Pat Quinn’s laughable State of the State address issued by Chairman Pat Brady of the Illinois Republican Party…

“Governor Quinn’s State of the State address today exemplifies the Illinois Democratic Party’s disconnect from reality. We are a state on the verge of financial collapse. A laundry list of government created jobs, government programs and a bail-out from the Federal Government is not a serious approach to economic and fiscal recovery. We can’t wish away a $90 billion unfunded pension liability.”

“The People of the State of Illinois will have a clear choice in November between the failed policies of the Quinn/Blagojevich/Madigan single-party rule Democrats and the fiscally responsible approach to running this state articulated by each of our Republican Gubernatorial candidates.”

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Ill. GOP Chairman Reacts to Guv’s State of State Report”


Coakley’s Democrat Operative Knocks Over Reporter, Coakley Lies About It

-By Warner Todd Huston

An operative for the Martha Coakley campaign, Democrat for Massachusetts Senate, assaulted a reporter from the Weekly Standard Magazine last night. The Weekly Standard has the dirt.

As it happens long-time Democrat media operative Michael Meehan knocked over the reporter and then, after he rose, continued to push the reporter down the street pretending that he was “helping” him up. This video clearly shows the assault on the reporter…

As I said, all the details of the assault was posted by the assaulted reporter, John McCormack, at the The Weekly Standard.

It’s all an example of the rough and tumble way that Democrats operate: Is there a reporter asking tough questions? Knock him down and prevent him from asking the candidate questions. It’s all very typical Democrat ignorance, typical Democrat hate for a free press, and for a typical Democrat desire to shield their candidates from the people. So, it’s nothing surprising to see a Democrat operative trying to beat someone up for daring to ask a question of a Democrat candidate. Democrats are thugs. Always have been. From the days when Democrats were slave masters wielding the whip against slaves that dared raise their heads, to the hanging tree upon which Democrats hanged “uppity” blacks during the early 1900s, to the streets of Selma where Democrats beat civil rights protesters, to the mean streets of modern day Massachusetts, Democrats have always used violence to get their way.

And now comes news that Senate candidate Martha Coakley is lying about the incident. In a bald-faced lie, Coakley is saying she had no idea what was going on. She didn’t see it. She missed the whole thing. Gosh, she is just completely unaware of what happened, dontcha know?

The Boston Herald just reported that Coakley is playing innocent.

“I know there were people following, including two from the Brown campaign who have been very aggressive in their stalking. I’m not sure what happened. I know something occurred, but I’m not privy to the facts. I’m sure it will come out, but I’m not aware of that.”

She isn’t “aware” of the “facts”?

LIAR!!

She was standing right there watching the incident!

Want proof? Here is an AP photo showing Coakley two feet away and watching HER operative attack the reporter…

Martha Coakley is a liar. It’s just that plain.

Just one more reason that citizens of Massachusetts should vote for Scot Brown for Senate. He doesn’t beat up reporters. www.brownforussenate.com.
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Coakley’s Democrat Operative Knocks Over Reporter, Coakley Lies About It”


EARLY VOTING IS ON!! Vote in the Illinois Republican Primary Today

-By Warner Todd Huston

You don’t have to wait until February 2 to cast your vote in the Illinois Republican Primary.

That’s because Illinois Early Voting has begun – and you can cast your vote now!

That’s right, in Illinois you can vote early between now and Thursday, January 28. To find your local Early Voting location(s), click HERE.

You don’t need a reason to vote early – other than the fact that it makes voting more convenient to you.

Beat the long lines – and potential bad weather on Election Day – and vote early. You just need to be a registered voter and have a government-issued photo ID (such as a Drivers License).

NOTE: In Illinois, there is no such thing as a “Registered Republican,” “Registered Democrat,” or “Registered Independent.” If you’re registered to vote, you can vote in the Republican Primary and help choose our winning team for 2010!

If you are not registered to vote but meet the legal requirements to become a registered voter, you can register and vote at your County Clerk or Election Authority office until Thursday, January 28 under the “Grace Period” registration system. Contact your County Clerk or Election Authority for more information.


62nd District: Eagle Forum of Illinois Endorses Paul Mitchell for State House Seat

From the Paul Mitchell for the State House campaign…

Gurnee-IL: Eagle Forum of Illinois yesterday announced its endorsement of businessman Paul Mitchell in his race for nomination to the Illinois House in the 62nd District. “I am thrilled to receive Eagle Forum’s endorsement,” said Mitchell this morning. “The Eagle Forum is not only a powerful force in Illinois, but across our nation in the effort to foster conservative values in government,” Mitchell said. “I’m honored to receive this endorsement and proud to stand with the Forum in its efforts to strengthen families, fight for life, and protect our freedoms.
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62nd District: Eagle Forum of Illinois Endorses Paul Mitchell for State House Seat”


Fiscal Realism: Interview With Adam Andrzejewski Candidate for Illinois Governor

-By Warner Todd Huston

First of all, I know it looks impossible to even say, so let’s clear up that last name. It’s pronounced An-gee-ef-ski. I know, I know, that means here in Illinois we could possibly go from a Governor Blagojevich to an Andrzejewski. But the difficult last name should stand as the only similarity between the two men, for Adam seems to have some ideas on how Illinois might get out of its fiscal nightmare. I interviewed him not long ago and he had some very interesting thoughts on how to fix Illinois. (adamforillinois.com)

In fact, Andrzejewski has already made some headway in shining the sunlight of accountability on various sate and local agencies through his self-funded program — self-funded to stay independent, he said — dubbed “For the Good of Illinois.” Andrzejewski has been at the vanguard of encouraging school boards and county governments in Illinois to put their check registries and finances on the Internet for all citizens to see. In fact, his catch phrase is “every dime online in real time.”

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Fiscal Realism: Interview With Adam Andrzejewski Candidate for Illinois Governor”


Book Review: What Are These Tea Parties About, Anyway?

-By Warner Todd Huston

A new book about the Tea Party movement — and a movement it really is — will soon be hitting the shelves. “A New American Tea Party” penned by John M. O’Hara, one of the many folks that helped bring us some of those protests in early 2009, is a book that hopes that the reader will come away understanding and appreciating the Tea Party movement as a truly grassroots happening, a spontaneous outpouring of interest backed by true red, white and blue American ideals.

Author O’Hara, himself an early Tea Party organizer in Washington D.C. and the Chicago area, answers several questions with the book: what sparked the Tea Parties; is the name “Tea Party” itself a proper sobriquet; what do they mean; what does the future hold; and how do you make more?

The first thing one might notice is that O’Hara writes in a crisp, conversational style with short subchapters. This makes it ideal for reading bits at a time. This is not a dense treatment and I think his style makes the book very accessible to people of all ages — without talking down to the young or dumbing it down for the more advanced reader.
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Book Review: What Are These Tea Parties About, Anyway?”


8th District: Joe Walsh announcing Support and Endorsements

From the Joe Walsh for Congress campaign…

Joe Walsh continues to receive endorsements and support in his race for Congress. The following is an initial list of endorsements, further endorsements will be forthcoming:
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8th District: Joe Walsh announcing Support and Endorsements”


Video: Coakley Buys her Union Support

-By Warner Todd Huston

Queen of the Internet tubuals, Michelle Malkin, published a letter from a Massachusetts reader that revealed the extents that unions are going to in order to keep in Democrat hands the Senate seat that Teddy “the lesser” Kennedy held. This seat appears increasingly at risk, though, if the latest polls are any indication. Unions are rallying to support Democrat candidate Martha Coakley, but it doesn’t seem to be helping.

This video shows that union members admitting that they are being paid to stand and rally for Democrat Coakley.

Not realizing he was being video taped, a member of the “Sheet Metal Workers” union, Local 17, admitting that he was being forced to come down to hold a sign, but he’s at least being paid $50. He also openly admits that he’s voting for Brown, then promptly “high-5’s” Angel.

By the way, it might not have been much help that candidate Coakley misspelled the name of her state in her TV ad recently! Hat tip to JammieWearingFool for that hilarity.
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Video: Coakley Buys her Union Support”


Dillard Renews Ethical Judgment Charge at Debate

From the Kirk Dillard for Governor campaign…

Important Party Nominates Candidate Who Can Win in Fall

Illinois Republican candidate for governor Kirk Dillard today renewed his charge that Andy McKenna’s ethics violation sends the wrong message to voters and contrasts sharply from Dillard’s record as a leader on ethics reform. GOP officials announced last week that McKenna, while Chairman, used party funds to further a possible run for political office.
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Dillard Renews Ethical Judgment Charge at Debate”


Dodge for Comptroller: Winning more Endorsements

From the Jim Dodge for Comptroller campaign…

Jim Dodge, Republican Candidate for Illinois Comptroller, earned another round of endorsements from Republican rank and file organizations. The Illinois Center Right Coalition and the Republican Assembly of West Suburban Cook County endorsed Dodge for Illinois Comptroller in the February 2, 2010 Republican Primary. Lockport Township GOP organization announced its recommendation for Dodge, as well.

“I am appreciative of these organizations’ support. This shows Party members want to bring integrity and competency back to state government to make a clean break from the politics of the past,” said Dodge. “They want someone who will be tough and stand up for the citizens of Illinois and not conduct business as usual in Springfield.”
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Dodge for Comptroller: Winning more Endorsements”


Our Interview With Republican David Ratowitz, 5th District Candidate for Congress

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last Sunday on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism my cohost and I, Ann “Babe” Huggett, interviewed 5th District Congressional candidate David Ratowitz. The 5th District is the Chicago seat that Rham Emanuel once held. Ratowitz is a former Army Ranger and is now a Chicago lawyer. His website is www.ratowitzforcongress.com.

For more of our shows go to our BlogTalRadio page at Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism.


Unpatriotic Illinois Business Owner Flies Mexican Flag

-By Warner Todd Huston

An owner of an apartment complex in Rolling Meadows, Illinois has decided to fly the Mexican national flag side-by-side with the U.S. flag, both on 30-foot flag poles and both at the same height. Apartment owner Mike Sparks says he’s doing it as an advertisement of sorts to entice Mexican immigrant tenants to come live in his apartments.

Local residents, however, are not as enticed by Sparks’ anti-American advertising campaign and say that he should follow flag codes which often state that the U.S. flag should always be higher than a flag of any other nation.

This flag argument comes up a lot. The problem here is that the so-called flag codes are not enforceable by authorities. In essence, they are customs and suggestions, not legal requirements. The simple fact is the U.S. flag codes are not laws and carry no penalty for violation. It may be a case of there-outta-be-a-law, but the fact is there are none.

The fact that the apartment owner didn’t really violate an actual laws, though, does not detract from his un-American attitude. It is patently obvious that Mr. Sparks does not see any reason to revere the U.S. flag enough to bow to tradition and place the foreign flag at a lower staff. And that isn’t the only problem with this situation.
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Unpatriotic Illinois Business Owner Flies Mexican Flag”


Unions and Corruption Plague Chicago’s Convention Business

-By Warner Todd Huston

Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center is one of the largest convention halls in the world. With a total of 2,670,000 square feet of exhibition space and clocking in at a building cost of nearly one billion dollars it had better be one of the biggest, after all Chicago does do things big. Sadly that includes big corruption and unfortunately that corruption is turning “the city that works” into the city that lost its jobs.

This week Chicago’s Mayor Richard “King” Daley railed against the conditions that have made Chicago’s convention business a wreck these days. Along with Governor Pat Quinn, Daley has unveiled new work rules that would prevent unions from striking and would change union policies so that the high, high costs of bringing a convention to Chicago might come down.

Naturally, Daley was too weak-kneed to assign the blame where it mostly belongs: unions. Even as all his fixes center on alterations in union operations, Daley refused to say this is mostly the fault of the overweening and costly unions.
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Unions and Corruption Plague Chicago’s Convention Business”


Stroger Ad Goes for the Race Card

-By Warner Todd Huston

Blogger Bill Baar of Bill Baar’s West Side ran across an interesting flier being distributed by the Todd Stroger for Cook County President campaign. And it’s all about the race card.

Yes, baby Stroger is going for the slavery/racism angle in order to convince folks that they’re all out to get him.
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Stroger Ad Goes for the Race Card”


Blago: Dats Right, I’m Blacker Dan Obama!

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ah, Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich… if he isn’t a blooming fount of idiocy, well, who is?

In an upcoming interview Blago gave to Esquire Magazine he proclaimed that he was “blacker” than Barack Obama.

Here’s the full quote:
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Blago: Dats Right, I’m Blacker Dan Obama!”