Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 7 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“With this legislation, insurance companies will be banned from dropping coverage or increasing rates arbitrarily after a claim from an employee. Premium increases will be more predictable as they will need to be justified bases on paid claims.”
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 7 of 13″


Could Someone PLEASE Take Control of Bill Brady’s Campaign

-By Warner Todd Huston

I think Bill Brady will be a fair governor if he wins office in November. But he’s never going to get there unless he stops making all these foolish mistakes on the way to election day. Already he’s made at least three faux pas that alone are not that bad but added together they make his campaign look hapless, un-tethered to common sense. So far it’s just not very effective campaigning.

Right out of the box, as soon as he won the primary, Brady pushed forward with a bill to re-open a mass puppy killing facility for a veterinarian from his district. Brady obviously felt that re-opening the puppy euthanasia facility would be an economic boon to his home district as well as sever to help a local constituent. But what ever the reason that Brady supported this bill, the fact that one of the first things he did after he won his party’s nomination for governor was to announce a bill for killing puppies en masse is just an inept move.

Should Brady have still been just a State Senator, few would have made too much of this bill but that he had become the nominee for his party that safe anonymity goes away. The Old Media was sure to pounce on such a tone deaf, misstep. And pounce they did. The result was that Brady backed off his support for re-opening the puppy gas chamber. This messy situation could have been avoided if his campaign was on its toes.
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Could Someone PLEASE Take Control of Bill Brady’s Campaign”


Putback Amendment Doesn’t Get Enough Petition Signatures

From the Putback Amendment effort…

I wanted to send you a quick note letting you know how our efforts faired. Unfortunately, we did not acquire enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot this year. No one is more disappointed in that result than I am.

For perspective though, to run for Governor (or any statewide office) you only need 5,000 valid signatures. Of the 11 candidates in the established parties who ran in the primary, at least 7 of those PAID signature gatherers. We need 100 times that and did not have the political parties supporting us and we had nominal funds to work with.
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Putback Amendment Doesn’t Get Enough Petition Signatures”


Candidate & Activist Training — Special Media Panel With WIND’s Guy Benson/WYLL’s Sandy Rios

Special Media Panel Announced at May 15 Activist Training Featuring Sandy Rios and Guy Benson

Americans for Prosperity is thrilled to announce that conservative talk radio hosts Sandy Rios and Guy Benson will be featured speakers during our May 15 activist/candidate training class in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

Both radio hosts will participate in a panel titled, “Freedom Fighters or Angry Mob?: How the Main Stream Media Covers the Tea Party Movement.” The discussion will be followed by a short Q & A session.

It is imperative that all attendees pre-register to attend the May 15 activist/candidate training class, as seating is limited.

Please pre-register NOW and join Sandy Rios, Guy Benson, Americans for Prosperity and American Majority for a full day of training and lively discussion.
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Candidate & Activist Training — Special Media Panel With WIND’s Guy Benson/WYLL’s Sandy Rios”


Chicago TV Reporter Clueless On Gun Buyback Program

-By Warner Todd Huston

Some of my colleagues on the web are saying that Fox News Chicago reporter Tera Williams “revealed her bias” about the relative efficacy of Chicago’s absurd gun buyback program.

In yet another TV report on this meaningless program, reporter Williams was interviewing a Chicago resident on his thoughts about the whole thing. The resident told her, “it’s a good way to start,” to which Williams said “Something’s better than nothing, right?”

Well, no it’s not, Ms Williams. This program has been a complete failure for making a dent in the violence and shootings in the City of Chicago. While other great cities of the nation have seen falling murder rates over the last decade, Chicago has seen its rate rise. Even as this waste of money and time of a program was started in 2006, the murder rate has not been positively affected by the program. In fact, this year the city has already experienced over 100 shooting deaths and we aren’t even at the half way point in the year yet.

But, I am not going to say that Williams’ empty-headed statement is proof of her bias in favor of the program. I’d say it is more like her utter cluelessness of how ineffective it has been.
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Chicago TV Reporter Clueless On Gun Buyback Program”


Bloomington Paper Takes Odd Swipe At Kinzinger’s Military Service

-By Warner Todd Huston

On May 6 the Bloomington Pantagraph took an odd swipe at GOP candidate for the 11th Congressional District Adam Kinzinger’s military service in a brief story that reported that he’d been called to active duty.

Kinzinger, a Captain in the U.S. Air Force, was called to active duty and the paper duly reported that fact in a short report. But an odd thing happened between the editor and printer. First of all the paper didn’t detail Kinzinger’s rank, bad enough I know. But the 6 short paragraph story ended with this line:

He often touts his military experience on the campaign trail in the once reliably Republican district.

Just what the heck is all that supposed to mean? Kinzinger “touts” his military experience? Does he not really have any such military experience, Pantagraph? Are you claim he is lying or making more of it than it is? Do you have any examples of Kinzinger making light of his service or using it unduly? Why the negative connotations here? Unless, of course, you have an ulterior motive of place doubt in the reader’s mind?
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Bloomington Paper Takes Odd Swipe At Kinzinger’s Military Service”


SB600: Let Illinois GOP Voters Control Their Own Party, Not the Insiders and Bigwigs

-By Warner Todd Huston

We’ve talked about SB600 many, many times here on the blog and with the end of the legislative session in our Springfield-based Capitol coming to an end, we need to make another push for this worthy bill.

SB600 would return to Illinois’ Republican voters the responsibility to again vote for their own members of the state central committee, a vote that was taken away from us by the good old boy network of the Illinois GOP powermen in the 1980s. As it stands today only GOP committeemen may vote for the members of the state central committee, the group that controls the agenda for the state party. This insider’s control of the central committee has taken away from the voters the right to affect what their own party does. SB600 would cancel this backroom dealing and again see state central committee members go before the voters to gain their positions.
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SB600: Let Illinois GOP Voters Control Their Own Party, Not the Insiders and Bigwigs”


Surviving Trauma Might Depend on Where You Live in Chicago Area

-By Warner Todd Huston

Fox News did an interesting report a few days ago that showed that most Chicago-Area Emergency Rooms are not properly equipped for trauma cases. It seems that it might depend on what part of the city you live in if you will survive a car crash, falling off a building, a gun shot or other such life-threatening trauma. Naturally, if you live on the north side you have a better chance of finding a good emergency trauma center than if you live on the south side.

Fox reports that one of the few southward trauma centers is Advocate Christ Medical Center of Oak Lawn.

The main problem is, of course, money. An unfortunately large number of trauma patients are not covered by insurance and when these patients come through a hospital and are treated for their expensive injuries, the hospitals eat much of the costs of care. The state does pay hospitals a small portion of the costs of indigent care, but by no means do hospitals get their costs satisfied in total.
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Surviving Trauma Might Depend on Where You Live in Chicago Area”


CBS News (Chicago): The ‘We Won’t Report The News if it Hurts Democrats,’ News

-By Warner Todd Huston

CBS News decided that if certain aspects of the race for Illinois Senate between Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi “The Mob Banker” Giannoulias threaten to make news, why the good folks at CBS Channel 2 News will just refuse to cover it.

I have to say, I find it interesting that CBS News has decided what it will deign to cover and what it won’t. I am wondering if the rest of us hoi polloi were to chose that track at our places of employment. Don’t like mowing a lawn, cleaning a toilet, doing that boring expense report, talking to the boss… well, follow the Channel 2 method and just refuse to do that part of your job!

Must be nice to pick and choose the parts of your job that you will deign to do, eh?
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CBS News (Chicago): The ‘We Won’t Report The News if it Hurts Democrats,’ News”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 6 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“Starting in 2014, those limited to the Individual market will be able to choose from a variety of benefit plans in a state-wide Exchange. By pooling together, they will have more benefit options, volume pricing, and reduced risk. An Estimated 31,500 uninsured Eighth District families will get access to affordable coverage.”
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 6 of 13″


PC-a-paloosa: Cook County Board Pushes Anti-Arizona and Pro-Affirmative Action Measures

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here we have Cook County Board President Todd Stroger spending as much cash on his family, offices and friends as he can before he gets canned from his high position in government, here we have the County budget coming in at $3 billion, the Board constantly squabbling over massive tax hikes — hikes they thankfully didn’t implement this budget cycle — and so many things going on that are supremely important yet the County Board is wasting time trying to pass anti-Arizona rules and setting up new offices to implement affirmative action measures.

In talks about new red-light cameras that are little else but cash machines that sap money from the citizens straight to government pockets while providing little by way of safety, it occurred to a pair of pro-law breakers on the County Board that they should exclude the Arizona-based company that was in the running for the county’s red-light camera business.
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PC-a-paloosa: Cook County Board Pushes Anti-Arizona and Pro-Affirmative Action Measures”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 5 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“A man unable to start his own company because his pre-existing condition makes it IMPOSSIBLE to afford health insurance in the individual market. Moms and dads who have been laid off from work, dreading the expiration of COBRA benefits and access to health insurance for their families.”

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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 5 of 13″


Last Minute Anti-Gun Bills In Springfield

From the NRA-ILA

While the Illinois General Assembly tries to complete its business this week, anti-gun extremists are putting on a desperate push to pass attacks on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

As mentioned last week, House Bill 5849 and House Bill 5480, both sponsored by State Representative Harry Osterman (D-14), are expected to be debated on the floor, along with the amendments previously discussed.
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Last Minute Anti-Gun Bills In Springfield”


Update From the Institute for Truth in Accounting

Weinberg Attends Peterson Foundation Fiscal Summit

On April 28th, Sheila Weinberg attended the Peter G. Peterson Foundation ‘2010 Fiscal Summit: America’s Crisis and A Way Forward,’ a meeting to launch a national bipartisan dialogue on America’s fiscal challenges. The Fiscal Summit included a range of voices including keynote speaker former U.S. President Bill Clinton, OMB Dir. Peter Orszag, Alan Greenspan, Paul Volcker, former Treasury Sec. Robert Rubin and Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan.
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Update From the Institute for Truth in Accounting”


Tea Party Patriots Gathering in Springfield Tomorrow

There will be a gathering of Tea Party folks in the Illinois capital in Springfield tomorrow…

Hundreds of concerned citizens are set to gather Wednesday, May 5 at 12:00 noon CDT in front of the Capitol in Springfield to oppose unsustainable state government spending and Governor Quinn’s proposed 33% income tax increase. After the rally, the citizens will enter the Capitol at 1:00 p.m. to meet with their representatives from the House and Senate.
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Tea Party Patriots Gathering in Springfield Tomorrow”


The Campaign to Stop Stroger’s Lame Duck Spending Spree

-By Warner Todd Huston

Todd Stroger lost his bid for re-election to his position as President of the Cook County Board. Since he lost that primary, Stroger has stepped up his efforts to spread County cash to all his buddies in a last ditch, lame duck campaign to reward his friends and family before he’s out of office for good.

Led by Commissioner Tony Peraica the County Board has been racing to put an end to this wild, lame duck spending spree. They have voted to put a limit on the spending that Stroger can indulge.

Sadly, this is what we have come to expect from Chicago politicians. Whether on the way out or on the way in, they all too often use their offices as a cash machine for friends and family.

Fortunately some, like Peraica, valiantly fight in the public’s interests. but it is up to we voters to pay attention to what our elected officials do and it is incumbent upon us to do something about it.
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The Campaign to Stop Stroger’s Lame Duck Spending Spree”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 4 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“Across the district, I’ve heard of countless health care challenges families have been struggling with: A mother fearing for her son’s life because he’s hit his lifetime cap on benefits at age 14, contemplating bankruptcy to provide him care. A man unable to start his own company because his pre-existing condition makes it impossible to afford health insurance in the individual market. Moms and dads who have been laid off from work, dreading the expiration of COBRA benefits and access to health insurance for their families. I’m proud to have voted to end these uniquely American stories.
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 4 of 13″


5th District Ratowitz: Democrats in Congress Failed to safeguard the Gulf Coast

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

David Ratowitz, Republican Candidate for Illinois’ 5th Congressional seat, demands accountability from Democrats in Congress for their failure to safeguard the Gulf Coast

U. S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL – 5), claims “Democrats in Congress have spent the last four years rehashing lost political fights of the past instead of governing 21st Century America. We have the capability to contain and minimize damage from an oil spill, Democrat failures to realistically address America’s energy policy are the cause of the current oil spill calamity.”

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5th District Ratowitz: Democrats in Congress Failed to safeguard the Gulf Coast”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 3 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“After deliberate review of the final legislation in relation to (the concerns of the people of the 8th district) I supported it (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) because it will provide the health care security, affordability and choice families and businesses seek, while utilizing the private market-not a government takeover-and yielding a significant federal deficit reduction of $1.3 trillion…”

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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 3 of 13″


Legislative Update: Springfield Lawmakers Passing the Buck

This was sent out by Americans for Prosperity Illinois, but I want to be sure and direct your attention to the info about SB 2494, the school voucher bill. This is a very important bill that is soon to be considered in Springfield. This bill would be good for education in Illinois.

It appears that the legislative leaders will once again fail to show the courage to make the tough decisions and will be passing the buck to Gov. Pat Quinn forcing him to decide funding levels for most state programs in FY 2011 and more than likely authorizing more borrowing. In a recent Continue reading


Legislative Update: Springfield Lawmakers Passing the Buck”


Scott Lee Cohen Runs for Ill. Gov. as Independent

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, it seems to be official. Former Democrat Lt. Gov. primary winner, Scott Lee Cohen, is running for governor as an independent.

Cohen told Fox News that he is “tired of waste and mismanagement” in Illinois government. and that is why he’s running. He told the media that he may not be perfect, but he’s been honest with the people.

Cohen needs to get 25,000 signatures on his petition by June 21 to have his name added to the ballot.

It ought to be interesting, eh?


Troubles Mount for Walsh Campaign (R, 8th District) — Walsh MUST Step down NOW!

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last December Joe Walsh, the primary winner for the GOP nomination for the 8th District Congressional seat, lost his campaign manager Keith Liscio. Liscio quit the Walsh campaign over unpaid consulting fees adding up into the thousands. Now two more top campaign operatives are quitting Walsh’s campaign adding to worries of financial problems, missed filing dates for federal paper work, and other questions of Walsh’s suitability for office.

Richard Cape and Ted Livengood, the campaign manager and field director respectively, have announced that they are quitting the Walsh campaign. In a recent email to supporters and media both the pair have also said they no longer endorse his candidacy. In the email are listed quite a few questions that have come to trouble Cape and Livengood about candidate Walsh.
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Troubles Mount for Walsh Campaign (R, 8th District) — Walsh MUST Step down NOW!”


Ill. Alliance for Growth: Illinois Cigarette Tax Will Hurt More Than Just Smokers

From the Illinois Alliance for Growth

Lawmakers Should Consider Downstream Economic Impact on Border Communities; Jobs

(Springfield, Ill.) Don’t tax me, don’t tax thee…tax that man behind the tree has risen to the level of a colloquialism when used by opponents of cigarette tax hikes. It’s an informal way of saying that going after smokers is the majority picking on the minority. A quick google search of the phrase will prove the point.

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Ill. Alliance for Growth: Illinois Cigarette Tax Will Hurt More Than Just Smokers”


5th District Ratowitz: Where Does Rep. Quigley Stand on Taxing Retirement Savings?

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

David Ratowitz, Republican Candidate for Illinois’ 5th Congressional seat, demands to know: where does Mike Quigley (D IL-5) stand on taxing retirement savings?

U. S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL – 5), wants to know: “where does Mike Quigley stand on taxing retirement savings? Just this week, Democrats in Congress said they wanted to tax IRA and 401(k) retirement accounts. Obviously, Mike Quigley doesn’t care about us, otherwise he would oppose tax increases that target our retirement savings and destroy jobs in the District.”
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5th District Ratowitz: Where Does Rep. Quigley Stand on Taxing Retirement Savings?”


Walsh: Not a Perfect Candidate, but the Perfect Candidate to Defeat Melissa Bean

From the Walsh for Congress Campaign (8th District)…

8th District Republican Congressional Nominee spent an hour last night speaking with, listening to, and answering questions from more than 100 Eighth District residents at a candidate forum last night.

“I am not a perfect candidate,” Walsh said, “But I am the perfect candidate to defeat Melissa Bean,” he said to great applause from the audience.

“I wasn’t the establishment choice,” Walsh said. “And the fact that I am neck-and-neck with Rep. Bean in the polls makes those who benefit from the status quo nervous. That’s okay. I’m not going to make the same mistakes Melissa Bean has made by putting her political party ahead of her district. You elected me and it is your interests that will fight for and your values that I will represent in Congress.”
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Walsh: Not a Perfect Candidate, but the Perfect Candidate to Defeat Melissa Bean”


Illinois School Fund ‘Money Laundering’ Bill Passed by Both Houses

-By Warner Todd Huston

Unfortunately a bill that will allow schools to pull a bait-and-switch and pilfer funds that are supposed to go for other things and apply those funds to unapproved building projects has now passed both houses in Springfield. This means that schools might now be able to take funds that are supposed to be used for specific things and pour them into building projects (or any other use) for which the schools did not get voter’s approval. I wrote about this bill on April 28.

The way our system is supposed to work is that schools that want major new building projects or other such high ticket needs must go before the voters for a bond issue, for taxes to be raised. The voters say yes and taxes are raised or bonds issued to satisfy the school’s needs. But if voters say no, then the schools are supposed to do without. That is they way democracy is supposed to work.

But lo and behold special interests and consultants that make their living off our schools by consulting them on bond issues and spending plans wrote HB6041 that convinced lawmakers to allow schools to raid specified funds any time they feel like doing so and use those funds for whatever they want to use them for. This is now misappropriation of funds made legal.
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Illinois School Fund ‘Money Laundering’ Bill Passed by Both Houses”


Illinois, The Time to Act is Now!

From Americans for Prosperity, Illinois…

We’re at the time in the legislative cycle when the Illinois General Assembly will engage in a flurry of activities that may produce bills the public and for that matter lawmakers have never seen, bills that may request spending of billions of our tax dollars, bills that can become laws in a blink of an eye. Next week brings along certain legislative deadlines for the reading and passage of “Substantive” bills.

Please contact your lawmakers today.
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Illinois, The Time to Act is Now!”


Call the neighbors and wake the kids, it’s SB600 time!

-By Doug Ibendahl, Republican News Watch

The Illinois General Assembly is tentatively scheduled to adjourn by May 7th (a week from this Friday). That’s an early date, and it may not happen, but that’s the goal.

It’s a good time to make another push for final passage of SB600. Recall the bill passed overwhelmingly in the State Senate last year. We still need House passage.
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Call the neighbors and wake the kids, it’s SB600 time!”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 2 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“After deliberate review of the final legislation in relation to (the concerns of the people of the 8th district) I supported it (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) because it will provide the health care security, affordability and choice families and businesses seek, while utilizing the private market-not a government takeover-and yielding a significant federal deficit reduction of $1.3 trillion…”
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 2 of 13″


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 1 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“After deliberate review of the final legislation in relation to (the concerns of the people of the 8th district) I supported it (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) because it will provide the health care security, affordability and choice families and businesses seek, while utilizing the private market-not a government takeover-and yielding a significant federal deficit reduction of $1.3 trillion…”
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 1 of 13″