Publius+Forum

Conservatives - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - United Republican Fund - Warner Todd Huston

URF Launches Right Nation 2011 Website – Event Coming Nov 3-5

May 11, 2011 by

WINFIELD, IL – Yesterday URF launched a new website for Right Nation 2011, the biggest political event of the year occurring on November 3-5 in Chicagoland. The site can be viewed at www.RightNation2011.com.

Expanding on their success from 2010, when the first ever Midwest conservative convention drew nearly 6,000 paid attendees and coverage from over 50 media outlets, this year’s event will span three days.

Further information on Right Nation 2011 will be released in the coming months. Sign up at www.RightNation2011.com to receive updates as they are available.

About URF:

URF is a board-driven organization, started in 1934, that pools and invests its investors’ resources to advance conservative principles, policies, and people throughout the Midwest based on the URF LIFT principles of limited and ethical government, individual freedom and responsibility, free markets, and traditional American values. URF consists of United to Restore Freedom, a 501c3 non-profit, URF Action, a 501c4 non-profit, and United Republican Fund. Right Nation is a project of URF, and in 2011 is scheduled for November 3-5 in Chicagoland.

Alexander Hamilton - Congress - Constitution - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Federalism - Founders - GOP - Government - History - House of Representatives - James Madison - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Republicans - Senate

‘A Government of Laws, and Not of Men’: The Electoral College

May 11, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Nancy Salvato

In Federalist 51, James Madison writes,

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”

Madison’s concern is that, even though the people are sovereign, hold the ultimate authority over the government, there need be additional mechanisms to assist in preventing the possibility of power becoming consolidated within a particular faction of those charged with governing on our behalf. Should power become consolidated under one entity, and the faction abuse its authority, the people would be ruled through tyranny, denying them their ultimate sovereignty unless they take drastic measures to remove the authority from power.

Perhaps what Madison is saying here is better understood through an analogy of what can happen when those charged with looking after our best interests give greater concern to selfish motives. Until a child grows into an adult, he or she cannot make all the decisions associated with being grown up. In such a case, all power is vested in one or two parents who are expected to make decisions in the best interest of the child. Sometimes one or both parents make really bad decisions that can cause irreparable damage to a child. This might require a drastic measure, such as a child protective services agency stepping in to remove the child from the situation. James Madison feared that those in a position of power may not always put our rights first. This problem would become much worse, and more drastic measures would need to be taken, when all authority is vested in one entity that is in charge of all decision making, as in the situation of a child with abusive parents.

Continue reading “

‘A Government of Laws, and Not of Men’: The Electoral College”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Coal - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Energy - Free Trade - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Jobs - Liberals - Nuclear Power - Oil - Peter Roskam - Republicans - Taxes

Wanted: A Commonsense U.S. Energy Policy

May 10, 2011 by 2 Comments

By Congressman Peter Roskam (R, Ill.)

Americans have weathered one economic storm after another over the last few years. Yet, time and again, Washington policies have only made our families’ woes worse. From a failed trillion dollar stimulus to a healthcare overhaul that costs jobs and makes healthcare more expensive, Washington policies keep making it harder when Americans need the help most.

The latest: gas. Just as our economy is showing signs of recovery, gas prices are skyrocketing. In Chicagoland, a gallon of gas already costs over $4.50. That means pain for family budgets and employers trying to control costs and hire new workers. But smart federal policies can help. If we choose wisely, we can help lower energy costs for families with an all-of-the-above energy approach.

Taking advantage of America’s natural resources is a commonsense way to lower gas prices, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and create jobs here. Unfortunately, many refuse to listen to commonsense.
Continue reading “

Wanted: A Commonsense U.S. Energy Policy”

Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Republicans - Right To Work - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Republicans Fighting Their Own Right-To-Work Measures?

May 10, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Associated Press is reporting that resistance to right-to-work laws is coming from a surprising source in many states where the legislation has been lately introduced. It seems that Republicans themselves are divided on the efficacy of right-to-work laws and are busy obstructing other Republicans that are for such laws.

AP notes that only one state, New Hampshire, which has newly introduced the bill, has seen it pass the legislature but even that state still might find the thing vetoed by a Democrat governor. In several other states Republicans are bickering over the law stalling passage.

Maddeningly, AP reports that, “some Republican lawmakers who represent more heavily unionized areas have teamed up with Democrats to protect unions from the legislation.” Certainly Democrats that have for decades had their hands in the union till are against a right-to-work law, but that these liberal Republicans are also reticent to pass the economy-spurring law is infuriating.
Continue reading “

Republicans Fighting Their Own Right-To-Work Measures?”

Budget - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Freedom Works - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston - Washington D.C.

Union Thug Teacher Hopes Opponents Get Roughed Up by Teamsters

May 10, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Like any union thug, when confronted by someone that simply won’t bend to union will, why, the first thing they resort to is violence — or at least threats of same — and this union thug in Washington D.C. is no different than any other.

Caught at a protest arranged by unions to attack school choice, the cameras of some Freedom Works folks found a typical unionista that hoped the Teamsters would “kick the asses” of those that dare oppose the unions. She wished violence to descend upon anyone that wants kids to have a better education.

Naturally, this union creep also resorted to foul language.

Typical union thug.
Continue reading “

Union Thug Teacher Hopes Opponents Get Roughed Up by Teamsters”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Jobs - Liberals - Pat Quinn - Peter Roskam - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Thanks Governor Quinn: Illinois Loses Another Business and One More (Sears) on the Way Out

May 10, 2011 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Wisconsin is celebrating over the stupidity of the political class in Illinois, a state that is steadily destroying its business climate and mounting some pretty high tax rates. The town of Menasha, Wisconsin, though, loves Illinois because Prolamina Corp. has chosen it for a new flexible-packaging plant, one it is moving from the Land of Lincoln to Wisconsin.

Prolamina Corp. will begin building its new facility in Wisconsin in August. The facility will be serving the needs of the “tobacco, cheese, pouch materials, pet food, medical, produce and snack food markets.”

“The location offers lower operating costs, improved response times and lower freight costs to customers,” said Bevis, who started the company last year as Packaging Solutions Holdings Inc., Lake Forest, Ill.

So, Illinois has lost yet one more business. There has been a steady stream of business fleeing from Illinois.

This news comes as a prelude to reports that Sears is shopping for a new state to move to, as well.

Sears has its Headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago but is now considering a move out-of-state.
Continue reading “

Thanks Governor Quinn: Illinois Loses Another Business and One More (Sears) on the Way Out”

Budget - Connecticut - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Truth in Accounting Issues: Connecticut’s ‘Financial State of the State’ – True Tax Burden $63.5 Billion

May 10, 2011 by

Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting and the Comeback America Initiative released Connecticut’s “Financial State of the State.” After an intensive review of the State’s 2010 audited financial report the Institute determined the state is in a precarious financial position, because it does not have the funds available to pay over $63.5 billion of the state’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s* share of this financial burden equals $49,000.

Connecticut state law requires a balanced budget. “If governors and legislatures had truly balanced the state’s budget, no taxpayer’s financial burden would exist,” said Sheila Weinberg, Founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). She continued, “A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees’ retirement benefits, are pushed into the future.”
Continue reading “

Truth in Accounting Issues: Connecticut’s ‘Financial State of the State’ – True Tax Burden $63.5 Billion”

Anti-Americanism - Chicago - Children - Cook County - Daniel Clark - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Government - Liberals - Society/Culture - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Western Civilization

Totalitarianism For Tots: School lunches are just a start

May 10, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Daniel Clark

The prohibition on bagged lunches at Chicago’s Little Village Academy elementary school was not the result of Michelle Obama’s culinary reign of terror, as was widely assumed when it was first reported by the Chicago Tribune. In reality, the ban had been unilaterally enacted six years ago by principal Elsa Carmona. So, although there may be one little tyrant presiding over one little school, it is not indicative of a broader, nationwide campaign. Or is it?

Carmona’s edict has just become newsworthy because of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed by President Obama in December. That law has imposed far stricter nutritional standards on school lunches, while at the same time rejecting all standards of edibility. Because the kids won’t want to eat the gruesome grub, Little Village’s forbidding them from bringing lunches from home may lead to their refusing to eat lunch at all.

While touting the new rules, the White House posted a sample of a weekly elementary school lunch menu online. If we fed many of these same items to the terrorist detainees at Guantanamo, the ACLU and Amnesty International would scream brutality, and for once they’d have a point.
Continue reading “

Totalitarianism For Tots: School lunches are just a start”

9/11 - al Qaeda - Anti-Americanism - Education - Islam - Islamofascism - Military - Religion - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

U.S. University Giving Award to Anti-American, Terror Supporting Al-Jazeera TV

May 9, 2011 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Columbia University announced last week that its Graduate School of Journalism is awarding its highest award to America’s enemies, Al-Jazeera TV.

The university is awarding Al-Jazeera with its journalism award for the Arab-centric mid eastern “news” it has produced. Al-Jazeera is apparently being recognized for “singular journalism in the public interest.”

“Al Jazeera English has performed a great service in bringing the English-speaking world in-depth coverage of the turmoil in the Middle East,” said Nicholas Lemann, dean of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism.

So, once again we have a leftist American university turning its back on America this time to award its top honors to a foreign TV service whose goal includes the daily denunciation of the United States of America.
Continue reading “

U.S. University Giving Award to Anti-American, Terror Supporting Al-Jazeera TV”

Budget - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Education - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Liberals - Mexico - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

11 Illinois Republicans That Support Illegal Immigrant DREAM Act

May 9, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

When a communist newspaper celebrates the actions of Republicans, well, what more do you need to know how far off base a vote is? The People’s World is all excited about the fact that 11 Illinois State Senators voted to give freebie “scholarships” to illegal aliens to attend Illinois universities and schools.

Last week State Senate President John Cullerton’s Illinois state DREAM Act (SB 2185) passed with a 45 to 11 vote. This program sets up privately funded scholarships to upwards to 95,000 children of illegal immigrants so that they can attend schools in the Land of Lincoln.

Supporters claim that this was a no-brainer vote because no state money is used for this program. This, however, seems to be a falsehood. For one thing SB 2185 sets up a state commission which surely will cost the state to administer. Not only that but the law forces High School counselors to get special sensitivity training on the needs of illegal immigrants. Who the heck is going to pay for all that nonsense if not the local schools that will have to hire consultants to come in for these time wasting training sessions?
Continue reading “

11 Illinois Republicans That Support Illegal Immigrant DREAM Act”

Budget - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Pensions - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Pension Reform in Illinois: A Hard Job That Springfield Wants to Ignore

May 9, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Americans for Prosperity – Illinois has launched an effort to goad our lawmakers in Springfield to tackle the single most vexing problem the state faces: pension obligations.

AFP has launched a website called “Fix Illinois Pensions Now” to help inform and empower voters so that they might encourage their representatives to do the right thing and fix this mess now!

A second website to find important information can be seen at: www.illinoisisbroke.org.

AFP has partnered with The Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago and they have jointly produced an informative video on the effort.
Continue reading “

Pension Reform in Illinois: A Hard Job That Springfield Wants to Ignore”

al Qaeda - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Frank Salvato - Islam - Military - Osama bin Ladden - Pakistan - President - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Western Civilization

The Bin Laden ‘Get’: It’s Called Doing Your Duty

May 9, 2011 by

-By Frank Salvato

(Ed’s note: I was away during the week of bin Ladden’s long-awaited demise. So, that means all the folks that sent me pieces on bin Ladden are way late. I apologize for that, but there was no help for it as I was unable to post much during last week. Today will be for the several bin Ladden posts I couldn’t get posted.)

Osama bin Laden is dead, killed at the hands of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), commonly known as “DEVGRU” and informally by its former name, SEAL Team Six To be certain, justice has been served where Osama bin Laden is concerned. The murderer of the victims of September 11, 2001 – and myriad other innocent victims and military personnel – will stand in judgment for his actions, now answerable to a much higher authority. Make no mistake; this is a good thing, a very good thing. But it is a singular “thing” – a singular component in a much larger and more serious issue.

Pres. Obama took to the airwaves on May 2nd, shortly before midnight, and declared,

“Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children… at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.”

Continue reading “

The Bin Laden ‘Get’: It’s Called Doing Your Duty”

al Qaeda - Barack Obama - Islam - Islamofascism - Military - Nancy Morgan - Osama bin Ladden - Pakistan - President - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Western Civilization

Color Me Happy

May 9, 2011 by

-By Nancy Morgan

(Ed’s note: I was away during the week of bin Ladden’s long-awaited demise. So, that means all the folks that sent me pieces on bin Ladden are way late. I apologize for that, but there was no help for it as I was unable to post much during last week. Today will be for the several bin Ladden posts I couldn’t get posted.)

Color me happy. For the first time in over 10 years, crowds of Americans are waving flags and singing the Star Spangled Banner, celebrating an American victory – the death of bin Laden. Who’d a thunk? Just when I felt progressives had succeeded in turning America into a self-loathing, guilt ridden, multicultural sycophant to world opinion, I see hope that maybe our nation will be able to retain the pride in our accomplishments that has been under assault for so long. How about those Navy Seals?!!

I’m happy because it appears our military and intelligence agencies haven’t yet succumbed to political correctness and bureaucratic meddling. Instead of agonizing about Muslim sensitivities, they decided to take the kill shot and finally meted out justice to the man responsible for the deaths of thousands on 9/11. I’m smiling.

I’m so happy that I don’t even mind Obama taking credit for the operation that resulted in bin Laden’s death. I’m glad that I was wrong in my opinion that Obama would never willingly appear to offend any portion of the Muslim population. Obama’s statement, “Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan,” isn’t even offensive. Finally, he took a stand. Granted, it was a no brainer, but at least he appeared, for a moment, to be presidential. Finally.
Continue reading “

Color Me Happy”

al Qaeda - Alan Caruba - Barack Obama - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Islam - Islamofascism - Military - Osama bin Ladden - Pakistan - President - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Western Civilization

Jihad is Forever

May 9, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

(Ed’s note: I was away during the week of bin Ladden’s long-awaited demise. So, that means all the folks that sent me pieces on bin Ladden are way late. I apologize for that, but there was no help for it as I was unable to post much during last week. Today will be for the several bin Ladden posts I couldn’t get posted.)

Americans greeted news of Osama bin Laden’s death with a celebration of the payback it represents for the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001.

As former Vice President Dick Cheney said on hearing the news, “Today, the message our forces have sent is clear—if you attack the United States, we will find you and bring you to justice.”

This is part of the American psyche. A great power cannot allow itself to be attacked and harmed without rendering retribution. Every day bin Laden drew breath after 9/11 was a rebuke to America.
Continue reading “

Jihad is Forever”

al Qaeda - Barack Obama - Frederick Meekins - Islam - Islamofascism - Osama bin Ladden - Pakistan - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Western Civilization

Tweets Regarding Bin Ladin’s Demise

May 9, 2011 by

-By Frederick Meekins

(Ed’s note: I was away during the week of bin Ladden’s long-awaited demise. So, that means all the folks that sent me pieces on bin Ladden are way late. I apologize for that, but there was no help for it as I was unable to post much during last week. Today will be for the several bin Ladden posts I couldn’t get posted.)

Bin Ladin is supposedly dead. A million plus terrorists to go.

The death of Bin Ladin ends the war on terrorism the same way the capture of Saddam ended war in Iraq.

Now that Bin Ladin is supposedly dead, expect Qaddaffi to attempt to regain his crown as king of all terrorists.

Bin Ladin’s compound is surrounded by 18 foot walls. Can’t help but admire his taste in architecture and real estate.
Continue reading “

Tweets Regarding Bin Ladin’s Demise”

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

Teachers Unions Continue Their Assault on School Choice

May 8, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

CTA and CFT sponsor legislation that imperils charter schools in California.

On April 27, Rasmussen Reports released the results of a poll which addresses American voters’ sentiments about our public schools. Some of the more interesting findings are:

  • 72% say taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth from our schools, while only 11% think we are.
  • By a margin of 41-34 (25% were unsure), those polled said that spending more money on education will not improve student performance.
  • 61% said that public education had become worse over the last ten years.

Given the citizenry’s increasing disaffection with our traditional public schools, charter schools would appear to be a good alternative. Charter schools are public schools which are allowed to operate outside the boundaries of costly multilayered district bureaucracies and piles of restrictive union mandated rules and regulations.
Continue reading “

Teachers Unions Continue Their Assault on School Choice”

Barack Obama - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Michael Bresciani‏ - President

The 2012 Elections and the ‘Twenty Million Factor’

May 8, 2011 by

-By Rev Michael Bresciani‏

John McCain was beat by approximately twenty million voters in the 2008 election. Are those voters going to vote for Barack Obama again? If they do, the hardest question of all to answer is: why?

We now have a clear Obama track record and plenty of background and career information about the President that was not available or very clear prior to 2008. Now we see clearly that Mr., Obama has associated with former police station bombers, racist preachers and has created economic policy that threatens to bring our fiscal well being to its knees even before his term is up.

He has shown aloofness if not outright disdain for many solid time tested American conventions which include, but are not limited to, national prayer, the fight against abortion, strong adherence to constitutional law, and defense of marriage between one man and one woman. This list as already stated is by no means comprehensive. The rest of the story can be seen and heard any day of the week on any good newscast that is not in bed with the liberal media or in the President’s pocket.
Continue reading “

The 2012 Elections and the ‘Twenty Million Factor’”

Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Right To Work - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Member Fired By Union For… Organizing a Union?

May 7, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

This is always the most amusing sort of union story, but a union boss is mad at one of his members for organizing a union and allegedly fired him over it. Confused? I can understand why. After all, aren’t union members supposed to organize workers? So, how could a union member get fired for doing just that? Read on, McDuff.

As the story goes, one Mr. David Highnote seems to have gone out on a low note from the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU). Highnote recently filed an unfair labor practice charge against his union alleging that the ATU threatened him and then fired him for organizing other union members.

He wasn’t just organizing workers of businesses, however. Highnote was organizing the staff that works for the union itself.
Continue reading “

Union Member Fired By Union For… Organizing a Union?”

Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Liberals - Selwyn Duke

Importing Disaster: Demographic Changes Mean Democrat Future

May 7, 2011 by

-By Selwyn Duke

At a gathering some years ago, I had a political conversation with a man who had recently arrived here from Denmark. He was advocating his home country’s socialist system, which, of course, led to profound disagreement. He was good natured and cordial, however, so the debate ended on a polite note. Yet it also ended on an ironic one: When asked if he wanted to return home, his answer was no.

This is a common phenomenon. We see it, for instance, in liberal northerners who move to the South for the lower taxes and cost of living and greater freedom but then continue to vote for the kind of politicians who made the Northeast a nice place to leave. And while this befuddles many, it’s simply man’s nature. Of course people want that which is good, such as a better lifestyle, but wanting and attaining are two different things. Everyone wants good health, for example, but many nevertheless are too attached to unhealthful foods and practices to relinquish them. Oh, they might move into your healthy body if they could, but they would likely do to it what a government–subsidized project does to a good neighborhood.

Now, there is a reason why I’m talking about how a change in location doesn’t equate to a change in ideology. In the Financial Times recently, Richard McGregor reported on the latest population data, writing:
Continue reading “

Importing Disaster: Demographic Changes Mean Democrat Future”

10th Amendment - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Law - Liberals - Nanny State - President - Regulation - Republicans - Senate - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

Dear Federal Gov’t, Who Do You Think You Are?

May 6, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the main forces behind the Tea Party movement and the disgust that many Americans have with the federal government is its supreme arrogance and its constant unwanted and unwarranted power grabs. This is one of the things that the American people really need to put their attention toward reversing.

Perhaps it is just beginning?

Alaska, for instance, has just thrown its weight behind the opposition to the federal government’s obscene persecution of an Alaskan citizen who was arrested for violating rules that the federal government has imposed on those Alaskan waterways flowing through national parks.
Continue reading “

Dear Federal Gov’t, Who Do You Think You Are?”

Alan Caruba - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - EPA - FDA - Government - Liberals

Scaring Mothers and All Others – The BPA File, Part Four

May 6, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

In a revealing article in the April issue of The Atlantic, “Beyond BPA: Could ‘BPA-Free’ Products Be Just as Unsafe?” the effort to scare American consumers and others around the world comes full circle. In essence, the people and organizations behind campaigns to ban bisphenol-A (BPA) and anything made from plastic exist to frighten everyone about everything.

From the snake oil salesmen who pitched their phony medicines in the days of the early West to today’s purveyors of fear about a wide range of chemicals that protect health and extend life, the key element remains the same; they lie to enrich themselves.

As John Entine wrote in an article, “Scared to Death”, “When it comes to stories on so-called toxic substances, the public discourse seems infected by a malady worse than microscopic residues: chemophobia.”
Continue reading “

Scaring Mothers and All Others – The BPA File, Part Four”

Barack Obama - Budget - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Michigan - President - Regulation - Socialism - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

GM Exec: Reporting GM’s Failures Hurts… Republicans?

May 5, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In an odd turn of events, former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz thinks that anyone that criticizes GM is not only “mis-informed” but insists that those “foaming ideologues” that criticize the car giant are “damaging the Republican Party.”

It is interesting that an executive in the company derided as “Government Motors” is trying to direct attention away from his minders in the Obama administration and toward the opposing party, and just before a general election at that.

It is also interesting to see Lutz defending GM as the “future” of the car business. Lately GM has not been turning out the sort of products that puts the company at the head of much of anything.
Continue reading “

GM Exec: Reporting GM’s Failures Hurts… Republicans?”

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

The Intersection of U Street and Main Street Does Not Exist

May 5, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

The teachers unions’ radical agenda alienates them from the American mainstream

As I mentioned in last week’s post, during the week of May 9th, the California Teachers Association and many local unions, like the United Teachers of Los Angeles, will be taking to the streets in an attempt to convince legislators and citizens that cuts to education will not be tolerated by the unions. In other times this would be a winning strategy, but as shown by recent polls, the teachers unions are not the darlings of the public that they used to be.

While unionistas all over the country lament this loss of favor, they only need to look in their collective mirrors to understand why. They have managed to alienate too many Americans who previously had held them in a better light. The unions’ insistence on things like tenure and seniority privileges, which serve to protect only the bad apples, has begun to grate on the public. Additionally, the fact that they are tolerant of, and give outright support to extremist political causes is another reason the public is turning against them.

An example of the unions turn toward extremist politics took place last year in Los Angeles. Santee High School teacher and UTLA union rep Jose Lara took his students to Arizona on a “field trip” to protest Arizona’s new immigration law. In a YouTube video, Lara is seen standing in front of a wall-to-wall mural featuring a who’s who of murderous revolutionaries, including Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, while proudly displaying the motto Patria o Muerte, Venceremos!!! (Fatherland or Death, We Shall Overcome!!!). UTLA, while not a sponsor of the Memorial Day weekend trip, had no comment on Mr. Lara’s attempt to turn his students into an army of radical activists.
Continue reading “

The Intersection of U Street and Main Street Does Not Exist”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Jobs - Labor Law - Liberals - President - Public Employees Unions - Regulation - Right To Work - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Is Obama Planning to Impose DISCLOSE Despite the FEC, Congress AND The Supreme Court?

May 4, 2011 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

You may remember last year, when union-backed Democrats nearly passed the so-called DISCLOSE Act, imposing financial disclosure for companies, while excluding unions.

Well, the DISCLOSE Act is back…Sort of.

Based on pretty solid reporting by Pajamas Media and confirmed by Huffington Post, it appears that the Obama Administration is preparing an Executive Order to force portions of the DISCLOSE Act on all federal contractors.
Continue reading “

Is Obama Planning to Impose DISCLOSE Despite the FEC, Congress AND The Supreme Court?”

Budget - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Ethics - Frank Hyland - Government - Liberals - Taxes - Tea Party

We Are All Wisconsin Union Members

May 4, 2011 by

-By Frank Hyland

This is not an easy column to write. Normally the subject is a loon like Michael Moore and he has again done something that is easy to criticize. This one is about me, though, and — even more difficult — about you (the “You” writ large, that is). For this one, I had to spend considerable time in front of the mirror even after finishing shaving, and we all must do that to resolve this problem.

This is about being honest about ourselves to the point that it will hurt, at least in the pocketbook.

The biggest story, still ongoing, is about unionized state workers in Wisconsin. But other stories are related and need to be put in the same context. For one, a new poll says that almost two thirds of Americans think we’re on the wrong track; that figure will continue to rise along with gasoline prices. That many or more of us, though, want budget cutters to look elsewhere for the place to cut, as opposed to their own wallets. In truth, we are resurrecting that catchy jingle saying, “Don’t tax me. Don’t tax thee. Tax that man behind the tree.” It will not be easy, though, because another report to put in the same context is that more than one third of us receive our income from the US Government in one form or another. It is easy for me to say that I’m not on “welfare.” The trouble is that creative characterization of Federal Government programs over many decades has convinced many of us that we receive income from “entitlements” or because we show up at our desk every day in the public sector — the US Education Department, for example. We have come to believe, therefore, that we are entitled to the money. Less and less money will be available, though, as ten thousand or more people – read Baby Boomers – retire each and every day.
Continue reading “

We Are All Wisconsin Union Members”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Financial Reform - Free Trade - Government - Liberals - Republicans - Taxes - Thomas Brewton

Inflation At The Gate, The Fed Talks About Deflation

May 3, 2011 by

-By Thomas E. Brewton

While flooding the banking system with excessive amounts of fiat dollars, Fed Chairman Bernanke has talked endlessly about the need to avert deflation. Unspoken was the real reason: promoting inflation – robbing retirees and working people who are saving to support their retirements – in order to fund mounting federal debt.

It’s now clear that government stimulus spending, under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and unending expansion of the money supply by the Fed, have prolonged our agonizingly slow economic revival. That is hardly surprising, since no previous resort to Keynesian macroeconomics has worked as advertised. At most they have promoted stock market bubbles, and all such essays, beginning in the 1930s Depression, have led to continual and ruinous inflation.

The New York Times, the nation’s premier voice of socialist propaganda, admits in a front page, lead article that Stimulus by Fed Is Disappointing, Economists Say.
Continue reading “

Inflation At The Gate, The Fed Talks About Deflation”

Alan Caruba - Anti-Americanism - Biology - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Health - Liberals - Medicine - Science - Society/Culture - Technology - Western Civilization

Bogus Sex Scares Used to Ban BPA – The BPA File, Part Five

May 3, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

Over the course of the first four elements of The BPA File, we have documented a massive, global campaign to ban bisphenol-A, BPA, a chemical that has been safely used for more than a half century to protect metal and plastic containers for food and liquid against spoilage and the resulting hazard to health.

Every day, somewhere in the nation and the world, there is a constant repetition of lies regarding BPA They frequently target the fears of mothers of newborn infants, but also allege a wide variety of other health threats including a healthy sex life for men and women.

In the same fashion that the global warming hoax was spread and maintained by a campaign that asserted that everything from frizzy hair to blizzards was the result of a dramatic warming cycle that was either happening or predicted to happen, the effort to ban BPA uses the same technique.
Continue reading “

Bogus Sex Scares Used to Ban BPA – The BPA File, Part Five”

Afghanistan - al Qaeda - Barbara Boxer - CIA - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - Islam - Islamofascism - Liberals - Military - Navy - Pakistan - President - Republicans - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

Barack Obama Deserves Great Kudos For Finishing Hunt for bin Ladden

May 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The particular operation that finally got this murderous monster, Osamma bin Ladden, has been ongoing for four years. It started at the end of Bush’s term in office. It has finished with dedication under President Barack Obama.

Barack Obama was perfectly correct to send his Seal Team from Afghanistan and to avoid telling the Pakistani government that this operation was in the offing. Barack Obama deserves great credit for not bowing to Muslim entireties in Pakistan to keep them fully informed about our operations.

After all, the reason the hunt for bin Ladden has taken this long is not because Clinton or Bush were failures, but because every single time we told the Pakistani government that we were close to bin Ladden, the Pakistanis informed bin Ladden that we were on his tail and allowed him to get away.

The Pakistanis cannot be trusted in any way. Period. Obama was quite right to realize this.
Continue reading “

Barack Obama Deserves Great Kudos For Finishing Hunt for bin Ladden”

Alexander Hamilton - Anti-Americanism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Federalism - GOP - Government - History - House of Representatives - James Madison - Liberals - Nanny State - President - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Federalist Papers Identified How Democrats Would Destroy Us

May 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Our fourth president, James Madison, has been called the father of the Constitution for not inconsiderable reasons. Madison was highly educated, widely read, and well thought of. He was also a prescient man. Madison was so prescient that in February of 1788 he was able to describe the precise reasons why his beloved Republic would be faring so badly 222 years later in 2010.

Madison’s far-reaching delineation of our current troubles appears in the Federalist Papers, a document that Thomas Jefferson proclaimed “the best commentary on the principles of government ever written.” There in Federalist 62 — his explanation of the senate — we find an amazingly clear prediction of how badly we’ve gone off track in Washington D.C., not to mention our state and local governments.

Student of history that he was, Madison understood that democratic governments often suffer from the malady of unfaithful elected officials. “It is a misfortune incident to republican government,” Madison wrote, “that those who administer it may forget their obligations to their constituents, and prove unfaithful to their important trust.”
Continue reading “

Federalist Papers Identified How Democrats Would Destroy Us”

Anti-Americanism - California - Communism - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Liberals - Los Angeles - Socialism - Warner Todd Huston

About That Big L.A. May Day Parade… A BIG Bust

May 2, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Remember that L.A. May Day parade? It was supposed to be a big deal, you know? You see, there was supposed to be 50,000 protesters marching in downtown Los Angeles to protest over how rotten the U.S. treats illegal immigrants.

As JWF tells us, local LA TV was all about helping the purported 50,000 immigration protesters turn out its people to focus America’s attention on making sure illegal immigrants become fully legal. Nothing less than full amnesty will do.

Yep, 50,000. That’s a lotta folks. It would be a pretty big statement to have 50,000 protesters.
Continue reading “

About That Big L.A. May Day Parade… A BIG Bust”