Counter-Revolution
 |
| Timing is everything in Walsh flap Posted on Thursday, July 28, 2011 by Administrator From suntimes.com: Freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, a tax-bashing Tea Party champion who sharply lectures President Barack Obama and other Democrats on fiscal responsibility, owes more than $100,000 in child support to his ex-wife and three children, according to documents his ex-wife filed in their divorce case in December. The headline reads "Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh sued for $100,000 in child support". Silly me. I thought he was an Illinois Represenative. When did the Tea Party become the 51st state? You can read the whole thing here: http://www.suntimes.com/6720892-417/tea-party-rep.-joe-walsh-sued-for-100000-in-child-support
Walsh's response: "It is not lost on me that a court case filed almost 8 months ago regarding a marriage that ended more than 8 years ago would be brought up today. We are 72 hours away from one of the biggest decisions our country has to make about its financial future. I understand why this is a story and why the media has to ask me about it. I understood as a candidate, and I understand as a sitting member of Congress that the scrutiny of my personal life will be intense. This is a tough business. It’s also not lost on me that not everyone agrees with me politically, I am the tip of the spear in this current debate, and I will be attacked. Let me say this. I love all the members of my family past and present. I’ve always given everything I have to meet my financial obligations to my children and I will fight until my last breath against anyone who says otherwise. My children are truly the treasure of my life, which is why I’ve been trying to resolve this issue since January in a court of law, rather than drag my children into it. That is the appropriate venue and I will not discuss this private family issue in public. The people of Illinois’ eighth congressional district voted for me not because I’m wealthy but because they wanted a fighter in Washington. They did not vote for me because I was a career politician, but because they wanted one of them as their Representative in DC. They wanted someone to stand up to Washington and tell them the spending has to stop. This morning that is exactly what I am going to continue to do. I have tried to be the most accessible Congressman on the planet and I will continue to do so moving forward. These latest attacks against me are false and I will fight them in the appropriate venue. And as your Congressman I promise you that I am going to put my head down, get back to work and continue to fight for our freedoms and our children’s future. I’m not going to let some hit piece in the media deter me from that." Ladies and Gentlemen, The Petulant of the United StatesPosted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 by Coco Letterman Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” – Michael Corleone. I was enjoying a self-imposed retirement, content that the conservative movement was taking hold, and I decided my voice was no longer necessary. It seemed that the American people had risen up and started the long, arduous process of taking their country back – in spite of President Obama’s liberal policies. And then the debt ceiling talks started…and continued…and continued. I’ve been disappointed in Democrats and Republicans during this process – the talks by the Gang of 666 proposing a plan that would eventually raise tax rates on many Americans by eliminating some of the only tax breaks – mortgage interest tax credit, among others – that make the tax code even remotely palatable. Snitch McConnell also raised my ire with his ridiculous idea to give President Obama the ability to raise the debt ceiling on his own – with approval from Congress – giving him the responsibility to send us even further off the debt cliff into oblivion. Sure, if Obama was charged with the responsibility of raising the debt ceiling time and time again, he could be seen as an out of control liberal spendaholic (oops, too late!) and could give Republicans a political advantage for 2012 – assuming China hasn’t repossessed the country by then and ruled all elections null and void. But that didn’t even drive me back to the keyboard. I was still happy to reside on the sidelines, watching developments occur from my armchair quarterback position. Then I heard President Obama on Friday. Speaker Boehner – becoming increasingly frustrated over mixed signals, moved goal lines and opposing rhetoric from the White House – finally threw his hands up in opposition on Friday and gave up. He walked away from the most maddening deficit reduction and debt ceiling talks in the history of our government. In response, President Obama threw a temper tantrum, according to Jonathan Karl and ABC News: "We have now run out of time," a visibly angry Obama declared at a hastily arranged press conference in the White House briefing room. He said he has summoned Boehner, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to the White House for an emergency meeting at 11am on Saturday. "I expect them to have an answer as to how they will get this thing done over the next week," Obama said. Both sides agree that a proposal should be hammered out over the weekend. Respectfully, Mr. President, in the words of Jay Leno, what the hell were you thinking? For the last few months, we’ve heard the media raise a chorus about how important these debt negotiations were. We’ve seen our national debt spiral out of control, into waters so deep we can’t see the bottom from the top or the top from the bottom. The Petulant of the United States – if he’s going to throw a temper tantrum, he’ll be treated accordingly – is now willing to blame everyone else around him for his troubles.
Here’s what you have failed to understand so far, Mr. Petulant. World leaders don’t look to Speaker Boehner for leadership in this country. They don’t look to Mitch McConnell or Harry Reid. They don’t even look to Rahm Emmanuel. They look to you, Mr. Petulant. So, how dare you ask for congressional leaders’ plans for averting economic disaster. The last time I looked, Mr. Petulant, you lived in the big house at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Where’s your plan? I’ve checked the White House web site. I’ve looked all over the place. Not once did I find one substantive plan that would truly address these issues. Oh, I’ve heard you wax philosophic over the last few weeks about what we need to do as a nation – all in high-level terms. Give me something concrete, Mr. Petulant. Give me something I can look at and understand. Republicans have given me that. Whether I like the plan put forward by the Gang of 666, the plan from Snitch McConnell or the plan by Speaker Boehner, at least I can read them. Where’s yours? You’re the public face of this country, Mr. Petulant. You’re the face the world will remember as driving a stake in the heart of the global economy. The blood of this economic armageddon will be on your hands. Blame whomever you want; the facts are, you campaigned for this job. It’s not all about your wife asserting her food pyramid skills. You actually have to make some tough decisions. Time’s ticking, Mr. Petulant. Your drawing board is blank, and we have just over a week left. I know many of your economic and social policies reek of communism, but how about we avert that Chinese foreclosure of Mt. Rushmore for a little bit longer and you actually sit down with Republicans – and Democrats – and present some of your own ideas? Jimmy Carter has been viewed for years as one of – if not the – worst president of the 20th century. Thanks, Mr. Petulant, for setting the bar on that title for the next 100 years. As Arnold said to Maria before checking on the housekeeper, “I’ll be back…” Lack of pension fix in Illinois is whistling past the graveyardPosted on Monday, May 30, 2011 by J. Robert Gough by Marc Levine of the Illinois Policy Institute. From suntimes.com: Illinois’ runaway pension system is placing the state’s fiscal health in jeopardy. State contributions to the pension system have already crowded out payments to social service providers. But less focus has been placed on current state workers and teachers, particularly those with retirements more than a decade away. Their outlook is very much at risk, which is why their unions’ opposition to pension reform is contrary to their interests. Illinois’ pension system is hopelessly insolvent with about $60 billion of assets and $200 billion in “legacy” liabilities (using an appropriate discount rate). Illinois state workers and teachers currently have roughly 9 percent of each paycheck withheld and sent to the pension black hole. The premise is that the funds will be held by the pension system, invested responsibly, and used to make payments to the workers upon retirement. Unfortunately, pension officials are using those contributions from current workers to pay current retirees. Click here to read the entire piece. When it comes to guns, what is Michael Madigan afraid of? Posted on Thursday, April 14, 2011 by Administrator
Posted on Friday, March 11, 2011 by J. Robert Gough In response to the recent earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami warning Rep. Bobby Schilling is relaying the below information from the U.S. Department of State on how to get in touch with family and friends abroad.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
CONSULAR ASSISTANCE TO U.S. CITIZENS IN JAPAN
Online Information: Monitor travel.state.gov and tokyo.usembassy.gov websites for the latest updates.
Public Inquiries:
Posted on Monday, January 31, 2011 by Coco Letterman For politicos, last Tuesday night was must-see tv. It was the first real coming-out party for a president who’d been humiliated at the polls just two months earlier. President Barack Obama – Barry O. to you and me – faced a huge political test given by the American people. From a rhetorical standpoint, he didn’t disappoint. His rhetoric – his speechwriters – provided Congress and the country with the soaring commentary we’ve come to expect when he’s (tele)prompted properly. But as always, the devil’s in the details.
Barry O. sounded almost jovial, as though playfully jabbing Republicans and the American public over objections to Obamacare. He said:
Now, I’ve heard rumors that a few of you have some concerns about the new health care law…What I’m not willing to do is go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition. I’m not willing to tell James Howard, a brain cancer patient from Texas, that his treatment might not be covered. I’m not willing to tell Jim Houser, a small business owner from Oregon, that he has to go back to paying $5,000 more to cover his employees. As we speak, this law is making prescription drugs cheaper for seniors and giving uninsured students a chance to stay on their parents’ coverage. So instead of re-fighting the battles of the last two years, let’s fix what needs fixing and move forward.
Seriously, is Barry O. telling us that he hasn’t heard the calls of businesses – small, middle, and super sized – all crying “uncle” because of the slew of taxes and requirements made necessary by the new health care law? Did he not see the results of the November election? Those weren’t rumors; November’s election results were statements of fact.
The American people didn’t object in a whimper; we’re shouting from the mountaintops – ala Howard Beale – that we’re mad as Hell, and we’re not going to take it anymore. We’ve been screaming that from beyond the Potomac since he jammed through his health care package and his do-nothing stimulus legislation in his first two years in office. That screaming reached a crescendo in November at the ballot box, and the tools and resources are now in place to try to stop some of this madness.
Yet, on Tuesday night, this president stood before an American public which has been screaming for relief for nearly two years – or longer in some cases…and shrugged us off, almost as indifferent as a pitcher deciding he wants to throw a fastball rather than a curveball, and he buzzed us right under the chin. He told us that if we don’t like it, we’d better get over it.
Barry O. added that he would be willing to review elements of the law and potentially work to reform them – starting with a “flaw” in the law that created a huge accounting burden on small business owners. That’s nice. While the American business community will rejoice in hearing Barry O. is willing to peel off a small shred of this problematic law, his statement is akin to treating cancer with asprin.
Representative Paul Ryan’s GOP response was spot-on when he said:
What we already know about the President’s health care law is this: Costs are going up, premiums are rising, and millions of people will lose the coverage they currently have. Job creation is being stifled by all of its taxes, penalties, mandates and fees. Businesses and unions from around the country are asking the Obama Administration for waivers from the mandates. Washington should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. The President mentioned the need for regulatory reform to ease the burden on American businesses. We agree – and we think his health care law would be a great place to start.
Ironically, President Obama shifted from debate over his health care legislation – newly-repealed by the House – to the need to reduce debt.
We are living with a legacy of deficit-spending that began almost a decade ago. And in the wake of the financial crisis, some of that was necessary to keep credit flowing, save jobs, and put money in people’s pockets. But now that the worst of the recession is over, we have to confront the fact that our government spends more than it takes in. That is not sustainable. Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. They deserve a government that does the same.
Yes, Barry O. did go on to propose a spending freeze for five years – which ironically would stretch into the middle of a proposed Obama second term – but that’s like a fox eating all the chickens in the hen house and then saying he wants to manage the local KFC branch.
Also, attempting to freeze spending that’s already out of control and at astronomical levels is like saying you realize you’re driving a car and careening toward a brick wall at breakneck speed, but you promise you won’t go one mile per hour over 110 before impact.
In a line I’ve referenced before, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were concerned about swimming in the water at the foot of the cliff. What they didn’t realize was the fall was going to kill them. Again, wondering at what point you need to reduce spending is irrelevant until you push spending levels below revenue levels. Until, as a government, we spend less than we take in, we are still in the danger zone. Anything less is unacceptable.
Again, for support, I refer you to the words of Representative Ryan in the GOP response:
The facts are clear: Since taking office, President Obama has signed into law spending increases of nearly 25% for domestic government agencies – an 84% increase when you include the failed stimulus. All of this new government spending was sold as “investment.” Yet after two years, the unemployment rate remains above 9% and government has added over $3 trillion to our debt. Then the President and his party made matters even worse, by creating a new open-ended health care entitlement.
There was one point I did think Representative Ryan got wrong. He said, “What was a fiscal challenge is now a fiscal crisis.” Paul, with all due respect, it’s not a fiscal crisis. We’re in a full-blown fiscal meltdown. America, as we know it, is sinking into the abyss of debt. We’re taking on water at an extraordinarily frightening rate.
As health care costs continue to be shifted to the American public through the government as opposed to the private market, and as Barry O. believes a freeze in already skyrocketing, out of control spending is a marked improvement, we still have serious work to do to make this government live within its means. If it doesn’t start to do so immediately, soon it won’t be able to live within or meet its needs.
Olbermann: Good night and get lost Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 by Coco Letterman First, a heartfelt set of condolences and prayers are due to the families of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, her staff, Judge John Roll, nine year-old Christina Taylor Green, and others hurt or killed in the senseless, insane attacks this past Saturday in Tuscon, Arizona. Jared Loughner, the accused assailant, appears to be what profilers would label as the prototypical mass murder suspect – notes of hatred sprawled across a letter sent to him from the congresswoman’s office and neighbors and associates calling him a strange loaner who kept to himself. The purpose of today’s column, however, is not to crucify Loughner – there will be time enough to do that in days and weeks to come – but to instead respond to those who would label political pundits and yours truly, a mild-mannered writer hiding behind the hybrid name of two gifted late-night stars – the cause of Saturday’s crazed murder spree. Apparently, because I speak the truth as I see it and some are offended by it, I drove Loughner to a life of crime and helped serve as his inspiration for his carpet bombing of Giffords’ outreach event at the local Safeway. First, let me provide some background. Quincy is 1,460 miles from Tuscon, and it would take approximately 25 hours to reach Tuscon by road – and that’s without any pit stops. By air, it’s 50 minutes to St. Louis and nearly another three hours from Lambert Airport to Arizona. So, I think it’s pretty fair to say Loughner, Gifford, nor anyone else involved in Saturday’s tragedy ever read my column. I don’t cover a lot of local news for Tuscon; we’re not that close. Yet Keith Olbermann is leading the mea culpa charge regarding
the shooting on Saturday. Listening to his “Special Comment” on Sunday night,
you’d think Keitharoonie sold Loughner the gun he used in the crime, gave him
directions to the Safeway, or maybe introduced Loughner to Giffords and local
attendees before going to get a gallon of milk inside. “Here, once, in a clumsy metaphor, I made such an
unintended statement about the candidacy of then-Senator Clinton. It sounded as if it was a call to physical violence. It was
wrong, then. It is even more wrong tonight. I apologize for it again," Olbermann
said on Sunday evening. However, Keith is never completely wrong, you know. He claims complicity only so far, and then it’s someone else’s fault. He went on to say, “It is essential tonight not to demand revenge, but to demand justice; to insist not upon payback against those politicians and commentators who have so irresponsibly brought us to this time of domestic terrorism, but to work to change the minds of them and their supporters." My, but Keith, you can turn a phrase. And then, he went on to link the shootings to inflammatory rhetoric from commentators and politicians – but of course, it was only the conservative commentators and politicians. Of course. So, if I read this correctly, you’re blaming the Rush Limbaughs, Glenn Becks, Sarah Palins of the world…and even people like lil’ ol’ me…for the shooting on Sunday. Keith, you are absolutely skull fracturing nuts. Somewhere in that neurotic head of yours, you really think someone like me – or even someone with the national reach of a Limbaugh, Beck or Palin – had even the most remote ounce of influence on the nutjob with a gun in Tuscon? Will MSNBC just let anyone say anything these days? Since apparently you are so concerned about rhetoric that’s deemed “domestic terrorism” being directed at politicians and public servants, let me direct it right back at the one with the open mic. So, by your logic, I said something, it incited someone to think about their own actions, they acted upon it, and now I’m at fault. I see. So, Keith, you’re a former sports guy (now that virtually every major sports network – including your own NBC Sports – eradicated you from their airwaves), so let me give this to you in terms that even you can understand. I’m a big Rams fan. So, by your logic, back in 1999 before Kurt Warner first took a snap as a starter with the team, all those fans who cheered him onto the field for the first time are actually the reason why he was so good. So, actually, THEY are the reason he won the MVP and Super Bowl that year; not his own abilities, but theirs. Because, of course, without them cheering him on, he surely wouldn’t have acted as successfully as he did. Conversely, Alex Rodriguez really doesn’t go into a postseason tailspin on his own. It’s all those mean fans away from Yankee Stadium…and even those who boo him at home…who cause poor Alex to stumble and fail in October. Darn those fans. If only they knew how much they were contributing to Alex’s downfall. Your logic is not only flawed, but it completely disregards the volume of evidence that began surfacing even before Keitharoonie hit the airwaves Sunday night, linking this madman not to right-wing, but to left-wing extremists. Then, as time began moving forward even more, it became obvious this loon in Arizona was pretty much apolitical. He was just a nutjob. But this generation’s Edward R. Muttonhead would have none of that. “There must be a political angle I can exploit,” thought Keith. Here’s the thing, Keith – and there’s really no getting around this: you will say anything, do anything or publish anything to further your political agenda. But the most unethical thing anyone could ever do is attempt to benefit or profit from a tragedy…and yet, that’s where you are right now. Only the lowest forms of life would attempt to politicize something that obviously has no political angle to it; a public servant – not a Republican or a Democrat, but a public servant elected by the majority of citizens in a congressional district – was nearly assassinated on Saturday. Instead of further poisoning those waters you claim are already toxic, perhaps you should just do your job and report the news, not become part of it. Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 by Coco Letterman Continuing my Christmas gift to you – it’s time for the focus on Illinois. Tuesday we found out that Missouri and Illinois will both lose a Congressional seat as a result of the 2010 Census totals. We last spoke about Missouri’s potential loss of a seat – and the odds that Blaine Luetkemeyer would be the odd person out. One caveat: newly elected Vicky Hartzler may have a target on her back, but this is still Luetkemeyer’s decision – once Sam Graves tells him what to think. However, enough about Missouri. The facts are, the civil war that may soon be erupting in Illinois will make it prime time viewing. Illinois’ loss of a seat surely won’t be coming from Chicago. Population losses have come from downstate (i.e., anywhere south of Joliet), and that’s the place that will see a seat vanish. The $64,000 question is: Who will potentially have to fight for their seat against an incumbent? There are any number of contestants in this game. Let’s take them one by one: Adam Kinzinger – the newly elected Congressman in Central Illinois is an Iraq War vet and the kind of guy Illinois Republicans want to see in office: young, photogenic, no disfiguring scars and he can string sentences together and sound intelligent. He’s in a traditionally Republican district that Jerry Weller held for years before retiring in 2008. Debbie Halvorson held the seat briefly before getting skunked earlier this year by Kinzinger. Illinois Republicans believe he can hold the seat in that region for years. Don’t look for him to go away anytime soon. Aaron Schock – you’re kidding, right? This guy has his career attached to a rocket. Schock is unrelenting at campaigning and fundraising, and he has “the look” of a Congressman. Schock already has his filing fee ready for Dick Durbin’s senate seat in 2014. There’s no way Illinois officials are going to push this newly-appointed member of the House Ways & Means Committee out of a district just one general election prior to the political battle of the century (so far) in Illinois. John Shimkus – the veteran of the vulnerable. Shimkus has seemingly been around forever, but he was just first elected back in 1996. Shimkus is established and is reliable, and most importantly, his district was merged with former Congressman David Phelps when Illinois lost a congressional seat 10 years ago. They won’t pick on him again. And then we come to the default candidate: Bobby Schilling. Somewhere today, Phil Hare must be laughing in defeat. In his years with Lane Evans and then as a congressman in his own right, he never had to do what Bobby Schilling will have to do at the end of just his first term – run against Aaron Schock. That’s right. My money’s on Schilling being paired against Aaron Schock in 2012. With population drops throughout Illinois’ 17th District and in some of Schock’s home base of Peoria, look for Illinois to find a way to combine parts of – if not all of – the 17th and 18th districts into one large district in West Central Illinois. Welcome to DC, Bobby. You’d better raise a gob of money. The early money is on the photogenic Schock wiping the floor with the pizza-making, accountant-looking Schilling. Don’t get me wrong. In this corner of cyberspace, we love Bobby Schilling. Nice guy. Good morals. Ran a spirited and successful campaign against Hare. Smart, intelligent. But he’s got two years to enjoy DC before he comes home. Schilling’s advisors will tell you he’s fully prepared and committed to remain as the district’s congressman long after 2012, and there are numerous other options available for contracting the state’s congressional field. There are other options, yes. But there aren’t other viable options. And that’s where Bobby comes up on the short end of the stick. Wouldn’t that mean that Republicans would be losing their investment? All that money and energy they poured into promoting Schilling would go by the wayside, right? Not necessarily. Schock probably would run and win in 2012; I can even foresee Schilling stepping out and not running in a primary against Schock, allowing him to conserve as much money as possible for a general election run and for a 2014 showdown against Durbin. In return for stepping aside gracefully, Schilling would get Schock’s promise of an endorsement in 2014 when Aaron runs for senate and Schilling runs for his old seat, now stretching down through Quincy and near Peoria. Having him only sit out two years – and surely allowing him to jump back into the fray early in 2013 once Schock announces his senate election plans – lets Republicans keep their investment in his name ID with voters and the chance of running on a strong GOP ticket in 2014 with Schock at the top and Republicans again running for governor and numerous other statewide offices. The question is, would Schilling see the big picture and willingly step aside in 2012, knowing he would have a great chance to be West Central Illinois’ “go-to guy” when he returns to federal politics just two years later? Would he see the possibility of being Senator Aaron Schock’s congressman? Or, would he see the potential that exists if – heaven forbid – Schock would lose a senate race but Schilling win election back to his former seat? Would he know the weight he’d be able to carry at that point? I can’t answer that – and I don’t know right now that Schilling can knowledgeably answer that question. But he’d better start doing the research, and fast. Decisions will be made early next year, and the sooner he’s in a position to answer questions, the better.
Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 by Administrator by Dan Proft I recently attended a speech by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in
which he inadvertently provided some advice for the Illinois Republican
Party. Dan Proft (dan@danproft.com)
is a talk show host and political commentator for WLS-AM 890 (wlsam.com)
in Chicago and a Senior Fellow at the Illinois Policy Institute (http://illinoispolicy.org/). Posted on Friday, November 12, 2010 by Administrator by Dan Proft Amid the contentious debate as to how we improve public education in America,
there is one reality to which all parties subscribe: there is no substitute for
a quality teacher in the classroom. "In New York City in 2008, three out of 30,000 tenured teachers were dismissed for cause. The statistics are just as eye-popping in other cities. The percentage of teachers dismissed for poor performance in Chicago between 2005 and 2008 (the most recent figures available) was 0.1 percent. In Akron, Ohio, zero percent. In Toledo, 0.01 percent. In Denver, zero percent."
Newsweek reported, "Year after year, about 99
percent of all teachers in the United States are rated 'satisfactory' by their
school systems; firing a teacher invites a costly court battle with the local
union." Dan Proft (dan@danproft.com)
is a talk show host and political commentator for WLS-AM 890 (wlsam.com)
in Chicago and a Senior Fellow at the Illinois Policy Institute (http://illinoispolicy.org/). Posted on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 by Coco Letterman OK, I never saw that coming. I knew it would be a wave, but the special effects team in “The Day After Tomorrow” didn’t paint a wave as high or strong as we saw Tuesday night. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, President Obama’s policies were repudiated time and time again Tuesday night. And much like in 2006 and 2008 when Democrats reaped the benefits of an unpopular president and sputtering economy, Republicans stood with arms wide open Tuesday evening, welcoming the electorate into their tent in numbers not seen in generations. Look at results locally, and you’ll see unimaginable results. Phil Hare, benefactor of redistricting (or gerrymandering as the case may be) and successful campaigns run by Lane Evans for 24 years before he won the seat himself, coughed up the seat Tuesday night. He suffered from a case of Obamacare and Constitutional Indifference. The prescription? Take two years off and call Bobby Schilling if you need a tour of the White House or a U.S. Flag. Hare was trounced – absolutely beaten like a rented mule – throughout the district by Schilling. The congressman-elect actually won Rock Island County. Hare never stood a chance against the momentum that swelled against him in the days and weeks prior to the election. You could feel it slipping away, especially when he took to the airwaves, sitting in a deserted factory and appearing to claim that Washington was out of touch and turning against the workers of America. Hey, Phil. News flash. Between you and Evans, you’ve served West Central Illinois for 28 years. You’ve been in Washington. Your former boss was in Washington. Between the two of you, for many West Central Illinois constituents, you’ve come to represent Washington. People have come to dislike Washington. That’s why they came to dislike your policies. Phil’s not the only one who suffered a devastating defeat. Rather, he’s one of many. Republicans won more seats at any time and were the benefactors of a presidential repudiation unlike any other we’ve seen in nearly 80 years. In Missouri, Ed Martin – crucified by Democrats when he was former Governor Matt Blunt’s Chief of Staff – came within an eyelash of whipping Russ Carnahan. Across the rest of the state, Russ’ sister, Robin, was getting spanked in every single county of the state other than the Kansas City and St. Louis metro areas. Roy Blunt literally painted the state red on Tuesday night. Old man Ike Skelton – 34 years in Congress and head of the House Armed Services Committee – was decommissioned Tuesday night. Closer to home, Missouri Democrats in Northeast Missouri – remember, the area once known as Little Dixie – were just smashed apart. Rebecca McClanahan lost her state rep seat in Kirksville. Republicans won the state rep seat in the 1st District from Clark County south to northern Marion and west through Edina and Lancaster. Wes Shoemyer, the State Senator who patterned himself as a 21st century Wayne Cryts, was smoked by Brian Munzlinger. Pike County now has a Republican state representative, as voters told Terry Witte’s wife to go home. A Republican is Presiding Commissioner in Ralls County, where for years Republicans joked they had to get off the streets by sundown. And in Hannibal, there is a Republican state representative for the first time since the 19th century. Let me say that again – for the first time in well over 100 years. This is truly the dawning of a new day. But we’ll save a deeper dive into Missouri’s future for a future column. Back in Illinois, Adams County Republicans danced in the streets after big-time victories Tuesday night. Terry Asher spanked Reg Ankrom by over 7500 votes. Wonder how that yard sign stunt looks now? Other seats fell into Republican hands, including Debbie Niederhauser and others. You could almost feel the shudder run through Georgia Volm’s supporters when they watched returns as she barely – barely – eeked out a win. No Republican who ran in a contested race for a County Board position lost. And when you add that to Bob Adrian’s win, you just see how impressive the night was. But the big two in Illinois were splits for Republicans. Mark Kirk managed to hang on for a victory, but Bill Brady will likely lose the governor’s race. Just one question – who in the world was in charge of voter turnout predictions for Brady? I mean, he’s running against the Illinois’ Democratic Party version of Gerald Ford…and he loses? I hope the home construction business is in good shape in mid-Illinois; Brady will be quite busy doing that over the next four years. And how does a moderate conservative in Kirk win while a more conservative Brady loses? This sets up the future. First, who in the world can Republicans run in 2014 to face Quinn – or anyone – in a race for the state’s top office? If Republicans can’t win it in 2010 – hot off the heels of a disgraced, impeached Blago – what in the world can they do in 2014 to win? The more important question: Will it matter? The race for Illinois Governor may be the undercard for the Heavyweight Championship Bout elsewhere on the ticket: The race for U.S. Senate. Dick Durbin will be nearly two weeks away from his 70th birthday on Election Day 2014. Now, while 712-year old John McCain may want to run until he passes Methuselah’s age, I don’t know that our good ol’ Dick will want to take the plunge again, serving until he’s 76 years old. Which means there will be a gap at the top of the ticket. No one’s announced they’re running, but I’ll follow the political pundits who believe a heavyweight matchup of Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Republican U.S. Congressman Aaron Schock is in the future for 2014. And man, that will be one to behold. The popular, photogenic, upstart Schock versus the daughter of the most powerful man in Illinois politics today. Get your tickets early for that one. But much will happen before that. Not only will another presidential election come and go before 2014, but Republicans will be given a report card – a progress report – by the country’s voters. If Republicans fail in their attempts to roll back government spending and reel in runaway policies and programs, Democrats will once again see the pendulum come screaming their way on the political spectrum. If Republicans are successful in changing policy or in blaming their inability to do so on Democrats in Congress and on Pennsylvania Avenue, who only knows how bad the Democratic bloodbath might be at the polls in 2012. The race for 2012 – and in many ways for 2014 in Illinois – began Wednesday morning.
Who gets the good news come Tuesday night? Posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 by Coco Letterman
Nobody robbed a liquor store on the
lower part of town - “A Little Good News” by Anne Murray, 1983 Canadian songbird Anne Murray has two things in common with Phil Hare and congressional democrats. Each likes the Canadian health care system (though I’m simply guessing about Ms. Murray’s opinion), and each one of them sure could use a little good news today. Just one week out, RealClearPolitics.com polling shows Bobby Schilling with a 7 point lead, outside of the margin of error. While the last numbers were taken from a couple of weeks ago, not much has happened to move the race one way or the other in that time, but for Sugar Daddy Dick Durbin’s gifts to the Hare campaign just days before the polls open. Hare was already strong in that part of the district; that won’t help him much. The true game changer might have come had Quincy received some of that manna, and that didn’t happen. Who would ever have thought the Illinois 17th Congressional District, won by democrats even in the harshest of times and carried by Obama 56%-42% just two years ago would be days away from a possible turnover? Hell is moments from freezing over. But a week is an eternity. Bobby Schilling, as we’ve said before, needs to close fast and hard in order to be successful. Bobby, I know you or your campaign staffers are probably reading this, late at night when you’re trying to relax and find a moment to yourselves. Let me address you personally. Here are the three to-dos on the list you’ve got to do in the next 168 hours to win: First, rally the troops. The last few days require the most energy; it’s up to your campaign workers – but mostly you yourself – to energize your volunteers. Help them understand just 7 days of blood, sweat and tears remain before you cross the finish line as a congressman-elect. The motivated volunteers seem to always be the ones who are asked to do everything by everybody the last few days of an election. Focus their energies and give them clear tasks that have to be completed – specifically, getting their like-minded friends to vote for you. Second, win the ground game. Not only will union thugs’ money come blazing into the 17th District in the next few days over the airwaves, but their feet will also start beating on doors later this week – if they’re not already. It’s imperative that your volunteers hit the streets. Nothing – nothing – motivates people to vote more than personally being asked. Yes, some people view it as a nuisance, especially with all the noise in the last few days of a campaign. But you’d be surprised how many people listen clearly to see if they are ever asked to vote by a specific candidate. It’s time to make sure everyone you want to vote for you is asked to vote for you. You can’t talk to everyone in one week, Bobby, but talk to as many as you can, and dispatch the troops to do your bidding everywhere else. Phone calls are really nice; they cover a lot of ground fast. But the personal appeal has worked since the beginning of time. It ain’t goin’ away anytime soon. Third, and finally, be nimble but focused. This is truly what Bill Clinton called the Silly Season. Campaign operatives usually use this last week to rip the kitchen sink off the wall and throw it into play. You’ll see anything and everything tried over the next week. Be ready for the attacks; try to predict what Hare and his people will do and when they’ll do it, but don’t swing at the pitches in the dirt. Be ready for the attacks, but stay focused. Keep your eye on the finish line while you duck and dodge the bullets and other ammo aimed your way in the next seven days. Whether you agreed with him or not, Bill Clinton had some of the most admirable message discipline of any national candidate we’ve seen in the last 25 years. No matter what was thrown at him, it was always about “the economy, stupid.” Stay the course, don’t swing at the pitches low and outside, and be ready for the high, hard ones that buzz your chin. If Schilling succeeds on each of these three points, he’ll definitely be hearing some good news on the night of the 2nd. Phil Hare's not-so-very-good year Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 by Administrator By Bob McCarty for biggovernment.com: Barely one week before election day, it’s time to review what I like to call the “year of foolishness” lived out loud by U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, a liberal Democrat running for reelection in Illinois’ 17th Congressional District. On Dec. 16, 2009, Hare told Chris Matthews’ MSNBC audience he would welcome terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to Thomson, Ill., essentially placing “economic stimulus” for a small Illinois town above proven national security benefits of the secure facility in Cuba. Almost four months later, he uttered words that would elevate his nationwide visibility for all the wrong reasons: “I don’t worry about the Constitution to be honest.” On June 3, Hare was told by real veterans that he needed to stop calling himself a veteran and, a day later, news of his threats against a veteran made the news. Two months later, Hare was passed over for “promotion” when a Sgt. John F. Baker Jr. endorsed his opponent, Bobby Schilling. In response, one of his supporters devalued the Medal of Honor recipient in a letter to the editor of a district newspaper. Just when observers of the 17th CD race thought things couldn’t get much worse for Hare, one of his close supporters filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Aug. 27, claiming a pro-Constitution veterans group had violated campaign finance laws in the process of raising a whopping $6,000. On Sept. 19, in Moline, Ill., Hare was encouraged to “Keep on Digging!” after he told a local television station, among other things, that he was “tired of the death threats” and the “attacks on my family.” Sensing disaster a full month before the election, labor union leaders tried to offset the anti-Hare billboards that were springing up in the district by distributing propaganda to their members. Finally, just days before the election, Hare’s never-ending-rift with veterans surfaced again in the form of an open letter of disappointment regarding the rotund congressman’s latest screw-up: opting to name a veterans center after his old boss, Lane Evans, rather than a true war hero. The text of that letter appears below: As a Marine Reservist with the First Marine Division, I was activated to go to Korea in 1950. Among our group was Lt. Charles Hinman, who answered the call to duty during WWII and received a battle-field commission. During the Battle of Okinawa, Lt. Hinman carried the battle to the enemy forces with such bravery that he was awarded the Silver Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart for wounds received during the ferocious fighting. On February 10, 1951, Lt. Hinman was acting as an artillery forward observer when our combat patrol was ambushed by North Koreans. Lt. Hinman and the platoon leader were both severely wounded. However, Lt. Hinman took charge of the Marines, called artillery fire on the enemy’ s position, rallied the troops, and beat back the ambush thereby saving the patrol. For this act of gallantry, Lt Hinman was awarded his second Silver Star and his second Purple Heart. Marine veterans from WWII, Korean, and Vietnam, requested Hare name the new Navy/Marine Center at the Rock Island Arsenal, after Marine Major Charles Hinman. However, repeated phone calls from Marine combat veterans to Hare’ s office were completely ignored, and our letters unanswered. Instead of naming the center after a true Marine hero, Hare had this Hall of Heroes named after his friend and mentor Lane Evans, who never saw one day of combat. This is an insult to Veterans and Reservist. Phil Hare once again shows who he really stands for, and it’ s not veterans. Fred Frankville Citizens of Illinois’ 17th CD, please vote responsibly. ‘Nuff said about Phil Hare. Obama's epiphany: 'The same old tax-and-spend Democrat'Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 by Administrator President Obama Tuesday night at at town hall at George Washington University, via Jake Tapper, abcnews.com: The reflective tone, coming 20 days before the mid-term elections in which Perriello, Boccieri, Markey and other Democrats may way be shown the door by voters, is also seen in an interview with the New York Times that in the previous 20 months he let himself look too much like “the same old tax-and-spend Democrat,” that realized too late that “there’s no such thing as shovel-ready projects” and perhaps should have “let the Republicans insist on the tax cuts” in the stimulus. Read all of Jake's piece here. Phil Hare is in FantasylandPosted on Monday, October 11, 2010 by Coco Letterman I hope Bobby Schilling asked Phil Hare to bring back a set of mouse ears or some other Disney souvenir from his weekend trip, because Phil apparently spent it in Fantasyland. A few weeks ago you may have read my column comparing Phil Hare’s “I don’t worry about the Constitution” comments – circa 2009 – to comments made by Harold Volkmer in 1996 when he said, “I wish I paid more in taxes; I wish I paid a million dollars in taxes.” To that point, I said Phil’s constitutional crisis comments were the clearest indication that Phil Hare was out of touch with the everyday voter, including those residing within Illinois’ 17th Congressional District. I was so wrong. Phil outdid himself in an interview published this past weekend in a local newspaper. He’s completely ignoring the facts altogether. In the article – being used as an election preview for those who may have just realized they get to vote in less than a month – Hare again supported the failed stimulus package pushed by President Obama and Democrats in 2009. Phil apparently didn’t hear about a CBS poll last month where only 30 percent of Americans believe the stimulus package – championed by Obama and Democrats like our own Phil Hare as the economic jump start the country needed – actually helped the economy. That news and a resurgent public wanting to curb federal spending might give stimulus supporters pause. Not for our hero, Phil Hare! No sir – into the gap Fantasy Phil plodded, full force. Just listen to what he had to say in the earlier-mentioned weekend article regarding the depth of federal spending last year, including – get this – $12 billion in construction salaries: "It's wasn't enough, but it was a start and I think had we not done that I think we would have really, really continued to see job loss.” Yep. The federal stimulus package, composed of $1.2 trillion dollars – that’s “trillion” with a “t” – of our tax dollars apparently wasn’t enough for good old Phil. He thinks we should spend more. I’m sure those in his district concerned about future job losses or those already out of work are happy to know Phil doesn’t think $1.2 trillion in tax dollars is too much to throw at a failed program. It should’ve been more, darn it. He needs more of your tax dollars to give to places like Los Angeles, which is spending an average of $2 million dollars to create each and every stimulus job. For those of you who may be losing your job at Gardner Denver or other businesses in the 17th District that are shedding jobs, restructuring, or just closing completely, get in line to get your $2 million check from Phil. But wait, you’re asking – didn’t Phil say in the same article that we’re on the right track? Yep. Hare talked about job “growth” in the U.S: “Hare said the Democrats do not deserve the blame for a slumping economy. He said 1.4 million jobs were lost during the last three months of President George Bush's administration. In recent months the losses have been halted and jobs are being created, he said. ‘We've got job growth, we're heading in the right direction,’ Hare said.” First, Fantasy Phil inferred the job losses really picked up during the Bush administration. He’s right. The last few months of 2008 were a jobs bloodbath. However, the U.S. government – headed by Barack Obama – just announced underestimated the number of jobs lost in 2009. By how many, you ask? Just a small, small amount: 902,000! Oops. Our bad. I know I’m not a professional mathematician, but I’m pretty sure 902,000 in underestimated job losses is a bad, bad deal. Fantasy Phil also said that recently, the job losses have been halted and we’ve actually seen job creation. Fantasy Phil is a proud papa of jobs. Fantasy Phil failed to mention that in the economic numbers released on Friday (October 8), we found that for the first time since December of last year, the U.S. economy actually lost jobs in a month. The labor market is languishing, and unemployment is actually expected to tick up to 9.7%, the highest total since May. The sparse number of private sector jobs created in September isn’t even enough to get remotely excited. Is that seriously what Fantasy Phil meant when he said “we’ve got job growth” or “we’re heading in the right direction”? Going backward in job growth while we see unemployment creep back up toward double digit totals is the right direction? Phil completely shot past Harold Volkmer’s 1996 verbal faux pas and instead shifted into hyperdrive to a whole new level of ineptitude. It boils down to this: Phil wanted to compare the job losses in the last few months of the Bush administration to today’s “recovery.” The truth is, the numbers were horrible then, and they’re still horrible now with no real signs that anything’s going to change anytime soon. What the voters of the 17th District need to realize is that through the horrible economic news and numbers in 2008 to the horrible job loss news and numbers of today, for them there has been one constant that really hasn’t done anything to make any improvements for them whatsoever: Phil Hare. But at least Hare is aware of one thing: That he had the field tilted to his advantage and he's still about to screw the pooch. |
|
Showing 1 - 15 of 67 Articles | Page 1 of 5 |
Del.icou.us
Digg
Facebook
Newsvine
My Web|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|