McCain Town Hall Pictures

I was fortunate enough to go to the town hall event in Racine with Sen. & Mrs. McCain today. Here are a few pictures:

Sen. Barack Obama's answer to meeting energy demands

No need to drill for oil, just inflate your tires.

So what is worse- the fact that the fawning media will just ignore this ridiculous statement or that Obama actually made this statement?

Is the buzz coming back?

Since I am one of the very few conservatives in southeast Wisconsin that is not at the McCain event at this very moment, I thought I would carry the mantle for conservatives during this lunch hour.

Being the chair of the Republican Party of Kenosha County, I have had several opportunities over the last several months to sit back and see what kind of traction the conservative movement is gaining or losing.

For months it was easy to see many dispirited folks. Let's face it, so many people did not pick John McCain as their first choice in this area. This area seemed to be more of a Fred Thompson/Mitt Romney area. When these two exited the race so early, folks became more dispirited. Slowing the tide was has been changing for John McCain. For many of us, the tide was moving way too slow.

But I have to say now, something has happened in the last month that has changed this election for conservatives.

Perhaps it was the drill here initiative started by Newt Gingrich that has fired up the conservatives.

Perhaps John McCain is talking a lot more about the issues that are important to conservatives such as tax cuts and earmark reform.

Perhaps is the obnoxious pro Obama media.

Perhaps is was the world tour that was launched by Barack Obama.

Something has triggered the conservatives. They are getting fired up now in southeast Wisconsin.

Even today's event kind of took me by surprise. The moment I sent out a blast email announcing it on Sunday night my phone started ringing. I had not even finished writing the second email group before folks were calling and asking for tickets. There were no actual tickets, but we RSVP'ed for them to the state.

My phone had not stopped ringing for the last several days. Normally I plug my cell phone in to be charged and stick it in my desk drawer. I normally just let my answering service pick it up and they leave a message and I call them back.

My phone has been ringing so much in my desk drawer that my co-workers are now cracking jokes. I have heard from people that I have not seen or spoken to in the last 4 years.

I know a hoard of Kenosha and Illinois residents hauled themselves to Racine today and I am looking forward to hearing of their experiences.

Sure, there are still a few folks that have swallowed their bitter pills and still are holding on to their anger, but I see very few of them anymore.

Whatever it is, let's keep it going.

If we cannot keep it going, we could be stuck with a guy who thinks inflating your tires will solve America's energy problem.

Swoon... Sigh... Oh Congressman...

Sorry Congressman Ryan, you can bet your last conservative dollar we may poke a little fun at you when you get back to Wisconsin. This will be fun.

Seriously- You made the list of The Hill's "50 Most Beautiful People on Capital Hill 2008".




I am certain the Congressman will not get too excited, Nancy Pelosi made the list last year.

President Obama

Okay, now this is fun stuff.

Dana Milbank from the Washington Post is catching all kinds of flack today for an article he wrote on "President Obama Continues His Hectic Victory Tour".

Milbank takes a shot at President Obama's arrogance and the Daily Kos crowd goes ballistic.

And when I say ballistic, these types of comments from the Obama faithful implying racism once again:

chynna12169 wrote:

"Presumptuous" code word for "uppity black man" if he was white he would be described as "Presidential".

7/30/2008 7:39:57 AM

Typical tactic, insult their beloved and the liberals scream racism.

Yes- Barack Obama is the most arrogant man to ever run for President in America. I am not sure if history can find another man who won their party's nomination who is as arrogant as Obama. I just do not think that person exists.

Just the comments made by Obama in the last couple of days include:

Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, "This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for," adding: "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

and another:

Barack Obama told donors at a Monday night fundraiser just across the Potomac River from Washington that “the odds of us winning are very good."

But even if you can set aside the World Victory Tour, the fawning media, the belittling of Americans clinging to their God and guns, the case for Barack's arrogance is still staggering.

Start with the very thought that a man, after serving in office for a total of 143 DAYS as a US Senator thinks so much of himself that he believes that he has the best qualified person to be the President of the United States. His supporters believe that if you question this man, you are a racist.

Folks you cannot get more arrogant than Barack Obama and his supporters.

To not even be allowed to question Obama's creditials or qualifications for the Presidency without being shut down and labeled a racist is the height of arrogance.

After all, "they are the ones they have been waiting for"!

Does He Have a Raffle License?

From the Obama campaign:

Backstage with Barack

If you make a donation in any amount before midnight on July 31st, you could be selected to travel to Denver for the last two days of the convention -- including the huge event at the open-air stadium on the final night.

Ten supporters from all over the country will be selected to go Backstage with Barack.

We'll provide airfare, accommodations, and two days of convention activities for each supporter and their guest -- including a private meeting with Barack before his historic speech.

Is it legal to require someone to pay to enter a contest? Do the words "no purchase necessary" ring a bell?

Did the campaign get a nation-wide license for this "raffle"?

Barry states:

There are no strings attached.

Except for the fact you have to give him money. -- No strings, though.

The Consent of the People

"The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the consent of the people. The streams of national power ought to flow from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority."

-- Alexander Hamilton (Federalist No. 22, 14 December 1787)

Senator Stevens indicted

Senator Stevens was indicted today. It has been a long time coming.

This is the Republican Senator from Alaska that appears to represent everything that the Republican party stands against.

His "bridges to no-where", millions in earmarks and constant investigations make it impossible to constantly defend his actions.

Worse yet, the man simple refuses to change the way he does business.

I suppose it could be his age(84) or the fact that he was involved in Alaskan politics even before Alaska was a state, that shows his absolute inflexibility.

Even when challenged by his own Republican supporters, he has refused to change. He still defends the "bridge to No-where" and still is one of the largest earmark senators in the US Senate.

Sorry- but Americans deserve better representation that this.

And the Democrats ran him off anyway

A new report out today proves that America's first Hispanic in the highest position ever attained in government was run out of town by bloodthirsty Democrats going after George Bush.

WASHINGTON - Top aides to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales broke the law by letting politics influence the hiring of career prosecutors and immigration judges at the Justice Department, says an internal report released Monday.

Gonzales was largely unaware of the hiring decisions by two of his most trusted aides, according to the report by Justice's Office of Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility.

Unless these idiot Congressmen can actually prove that Gonzales ordered his aides to act inappropriately- the democrats need to issue a full retraction and apology for smearing his name and reputation for their own political gain. If the Democrats do not issue a retraction or an apology, they should be charged with the same crimes they are accusing the aides of committing.

Of course- the Democrats will not apologize to Gonzales, in fact, they are still accusing him of lying.

Congressional investigators said they also were considering asking the Justice Department to pursue perjury charges against Goodling, Sampson and possibly Gonzales as a result of their spoken or written congressional testimony during House and Senate investigations last year. Lying to Congress is a crime.

Clearly they still have no evidence that Gonzales had any clue this was going on. There is even less evidence that Bush knew anything about this.

Sen. Feingold is not listening

I recently e-mailed Sen. Kohl about the price of gas and this is the response I received from him:

Thank you for contacting me in support of expanding domestic oil drilling. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

I am working to increase domestic oil production. At a May 21, 2008, hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on "Exploring the Skyrocketing Price of Oil," I asked oil executives to explain why their companies are only developing 12 of the 42 million acres of federal lands that they are leasing. The executives could not come up with a good explanation. In addition, oil companies are only developing 8 of the 38 million acres of offshore leased areas. With over 100 billion barrels of oil and gas resources under federal lands and waters that are being leased or are available for leasing, Congress must properly encourage their development. This is why I have introduced the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act, which says that if oil and gas companies want to lease additional federal lands, they must either be producing oil on or diligently developing their existing federal leases, or they have to give up those leases. This is a responsible way to increase production and keep the private sector accountable for production.

I agree with you that with fuel prices soaring to record highs and many Americans struggling to pay for these costs, Congress needs to act. There are things we can do to provide some short-term relief, such as no longer filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and preventing market manipulation. We recently made some progress in both of these areas. I am pleased that H.R. 6022, which would stop the government from taking oil off the market to fill the SPR this year, was signed into law on May 19, 2008. In addition, I cosponsored the Oil and Gas Traders Oversight Act (S. 577), which would help ensure that the trading of oil and other energy commodities is subject to federal oversight by requiring the reporting of all trades. This legislation was included in the recently enacted version of the Farm Bill.

These are positive steps, but much more needs to be done. On July 22, 2008, the Senate voted, with my support, to begin consideration of S. 3268, the Stop Excessive Speculation Act of 2008. This bill takes steps to increase transparency and oversight of the energy futures market. Unfortunately, a minority of Senators blocked an effort to actually vote on this legislation.

We need to make long-term changes to our energy policy too, because the facts show that even if we drilled every corner of the country, and offshore too, that wouldn't significantly reduce gas prices. Given ever-increasing global demand and predictions of continued skyrocketing oil prices, we need to transition to renewable energy and alternative fuels, while encouraging energy efficiency and conservation. I am pleased that Congress enacted an energy bill last year that starts us down this path. I will continue to support both short-term and long-term solutions to our nation's energy needs that protect American consumers while working to break our addiction to oil.

Thanks again for contacting me. Please feel free to do so in the future on this, or any other issue of concern to you.

To which I replied to him this on July 25th:

Dear. Sen. Feingold,

It is obvious you and the Senate Democrats are not serious about actually lowering the price of gasoline for hard-working Americans. You are continuing to propel myths about drilling, so you can hide behind those myths and not take any action.

Point 1:
The estimates on the amount of oil available in the million acres leased to oil companies have been derived by assuming that the unused acres can produce the same amount as those acres being used. However, much of the land leased to oil companies has already been explored and determined not to carry enough recoverable oil to justify drilling. This is in stark contrast to the other 97% of currently banned offshore resources and areas with shale oil, where enormous quantities are known to exist.

Do you believe you understand better than petroleum engineers how we obtain oil from drilling?

Point 2:
The SPR contains approx. 3 days of oil supply. How will that effectively reduce prices at the pump?

Point 3:
When analyzing the effect of speculators on the price of oil it is important to distinguish between the activity of a healthy commodity futures market and “over-speculation.”

A healthy commodities futures market responds to the supply and demand realities of actual commodity suppliers and consumers. As Robert Murphy from the Institute for Energy Research explains, a healthy futures market can be a stabilizing influence on oil. By buying when prices are low and selling when prices are high, speculators actually push up the low prices and push down the high prices. America wants a healthy futures market on the price of oil.

So oil speculation does play a role in the price of oil. Single-day price spikes from supply disruption fears, for example, are often the work of speculation, but the price typically readjusts. The key question, then, is if “over-speculation” is occurring. “Over-speculation” in a futures market is when activity in the speculative markets themselves cause an artificial, higher demand for a commodity that does not reflect the demand of actual consumers. This causes an artificial, real-world price increase.

So have oil speculators distorted the global demand for oil, leading to the sharp price rise?

The data suggest not. If the price of oil truly was above the natural level dictated by supply and demand, we would see an increase in global inventory of oil. This is because when prices rise, production increases and consumer demand falls. If the speculative markets were adding extra demand to the market, all that oil purchased would have to be stockpiled somewhere. However, there is no evidence of any such hoarding, meaning that commercial consumers are purchasing every barrel produced. By definition, that means that the price is in line with real-world supply and demand. Despite the rise in prices, consumers continue to buy, meaning supply and demand fundamentals are in line. This means the speculative markets are functioning as they should and are not having a distorting effect on the price of oil.

Furthermore, long-term bets that the price of oil will rise rather than fall on the New York Mercantile Exchange have dropped over four fold since the price of a barrel went above $100. Traders are now shorting oil almost as much as they are betting on its price increase in the long term. Again, this data suggests that the speculative markets are functioning as they should.

So if the energy futures markets are operating as they should, passing new laws outlawing or more heavily regulating these markets will do nothing to lower the price of oil in the intermediate or long term. In fact, it would likely have two effects that could actually drive up the price of oil.

First, new regulations would reduce the stabilizing impact futures markets play on the price of oil described above. Second, they would likely drive energy futures markets outside of the United States, where they would be even less regulated than before. The loss of this financial activity would hurt America’s already sluggish economy, weakening the dollar even more. Considering that the decline of the value of the dollar has been estimated to account for as much as 30% of the recent surge in oil prices, the long run effect of would be to raise the price of oil even more.

So if you want the price of oil to be more volatile and ensure that Dubai and Singapore become the future centers of commodities trading, passing new laws heavily regulating the energy futures trading is a great idea. However, it will not lower gas prices.

Point 4:
In oil shale alone, found in the Green River Formation in parts of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming, the U.S. has approximately 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil, or over three times the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia. This comes from a midpoint estimate in a 2005 RAND study done at the request of the Department of Energy, and a higher end estimate puts the number at over one trillion barrels.

Furthermore, there are vast areas of the United States and its outer continental shelf where it is illegal to even look for oil. Exploration routinely yields additional resources far larger than initial estimates.

Resources from oil shale and additional oil resources that are likely to be discovered are not included in the estimates of American oil supplies.

Point 6:
When President Bush lifted the Executive Ban on drilling, prices dropped over 25 cents in less than a week. Don't tell me drilling wouldn't reduce the price of gas, because this lift on the ban proves exactly the opposite.

Point 7:
Nobody is suggesting that our nation’s energy strategy should be solely dependent on domestic production of oil. We all recognize that alternative energy sources – such as wind and solar - need to be developed. But more American oil must be a part of an American energy solution. As Rep. Paul Ryan and other Republican members of Congress have suggested, use the profits from domestic drilling to pay down the national debt and fund research and development of new alternative energy sources. But partisan Democrats such as yourself refuse to listen to ideas such as Rep. Ryan's because you can't stand that a Republican may have and idea to get us out of debt and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

I'm tired of all the Democrat lies about this subject. It is time elected officials listen to the MAJORITY of the citizens of the United States, instead of the special interest groups that fund your campaigns. If Democrats don't listen to the citizens, they will hear their cry on Nov. 4th when they are elected out of office.
DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS.

This is the response I received from Sen. Feingold on July 28th:

I recently e-mailed Sen. Feingold about drilling for our own oil. This is the response I received on July 25th:

Thank you for contacting me regarding high fuel prices. I appreciate hearing from you, and I share your concerns. With fuel prices soaring to record highs and many Americans struggling to pay for these costs, Congress needs to act.

There are things we can do to provide some short-term relief, such as no longer filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and preventing market manipulation. We recently made some progress in both of these areas. I am pleased that H.R. 6022, which would stop the government from taking oil off the market to fill the SPR this year, was signed into law on May 19, 2008. In addition, I cosponsored the Oil and Gas Traders Oversight Act (S. 577), which would help ensure that the trading of oil and other energy commodities is subject to federal oversight by requiring the reporting of all trades. This legislation was included in the recently enacted version of the Farm Bill.

These are positive steps, but much more needs to be done. On July 22, 2008, the Senate voted, with my support, to begin consideration of S. 3268, the Stop Excessive Speculation Act of 2008. This bill takes steps to increase transparency and oversight of the energy futures market. Unfortunately, a minority of Senators blocked an effort to actually vote on this legislation.

I am working to increase domestic oil production. At a May 21, 2008, hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on "Exploring the Skyrocketing Price of Oil," I asked oil executives to explain why their companies are only developing 12 of the 42 million acres of federal lands that they are leasing. The executives could not come up with a good explanation. In addition, oil companies are only developing 8 of the 38 million acres of offshore leased areas. With over 100 billion barrels of oil under federal lands and waters that are being leased or are available for leasing, Congress must properly encourage their development. This is why I have introduced the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act, which says that if oil and gas companies want to lease additional federal lands, they must either be producing oil on or diligently developing their existing federal leases, or they have to give up those leases. This is a responsible way to increase production and keep the private sector accountable for production.

We need to make long-term changes to our energy policy too, because the facts show that even if we drilled every corner of the country, and offshore too, that would not significantly reduce gas prices. Given ever-increasing global demand and predictions of continued skyrocketing oil prices, we need to transition to renewable energy and alternative fuels, while encouraging energy efficiency and conservation. I am pleased that Congress enacted an energy bill last year that starts us down this path. I will continue to support both short-term and long-term solutions to our nation's energy needs that protect American consumers while working to break our addiction to oil.

Thank you again for contacting me. I encourage you to do so in the future.

He obviously cared about my concerns enough to e-mail me the same response twice. It's obvious Democrats -- controlled by special interests -- are NOT listening to their constituents and are just spewing the mantra told to them by the DNC and special interest groups.

This is the guy representing Wisconsin's working class in Washington?

While he drives around in a car paid for by the hard working taxpayers, and fueled with money coming out of my paycheck, he had the nerve to tell me all this CRAP and not accept blame (the Democrat controlled congress) for the price of gas.

Thanks for nothing Russ.

Sen. Kohl is not listening

I recently e-mailed Sen. Kohl about the price of gas and this is the response I received from him:

Fuel prices are too high and I welcome the opportunity to update you on recent activity in this area.

On July 25, 2008, the Senate considered S. 3268, the Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008. I supported this bill because I believe greater transparency and market vigilance is essential for consumers. Unfortunately S. 3268 was derailed on a procedural basis. I was disappointed, but will continue working toward sensible energy solutions.

Many factors have contributed to our current energy predicament. Over the long term we will not have true energy security unless we embrace conservation, develop alternative fuels, and limit our economic exposure to wild fluctuations in petroleum prices.

For these reasons, I have supported new incentives for wind and solar energy. I have also pushed to make Wisconsin home to a new U.S. Department of Energy renewable fuels laboratory. We must use a variety of tactics to find energy sources beyond foreign oil.

Enforcement of Antitrust laws is also a necessary step. As Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, I have authored legislation to make OPEC subject to U. S. antitrust law.

Where traditional oil and gas development on federal lands is concerned, I believe we need to take a balanced approach. In 2005, I voted in favor of opening off-shore areas to oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. While traditional petroleum development can be achieved in an environmentally sound manner, expanding domestic production alone will not insulate our nation from world oil prices. We need to be cautious of allowing short-term economic considerations to take precedence over the long-term health of the environment. That's why I have worked to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and continue to support further efforts to protect this pristine area.

High fuel prices put our economic security at great risk. While Congress does not have the authority to set gas prices, please know that I am working to provide relief. I appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts on this issue and will certainly have them in mind as the Senate continues to work towards a comprehensive national energy policy.

Sincerely,
Herb Kohl
U.S. Senator

Obviously Sen. Kohl doesn't get it either. But, when you're richer than the next 5 richest senators combined, who cares what the cost of gas is.

Obama's big plans/few details

I cannot believe it took the media this long to pick up on.

Barack Obama is full of vague promises with few details.

The media are so excited to report on Obama's plans, but they have no details for the plans. They bust on folks like Clinton and McCain to drive down their numbers and drive up Obama's.

It suddenly dawned on someone at the AP that Obama really has no plan, he is just full of hot air:

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's bid to place a new Social Security tax on very high incomes is either a bold or foolhardy plan, depending on who critiques it.

But its potential impact is almost impossible to gauge because he is providing few details on basic questions such as what the tax rate might be, what types of income would be taxed and how the taxpayers' benefits would be affected.

The Democratic presidential candidate says he would work with lawmakers from both parties to resolve such matters. Voters generally applaud bipartisan cooperation, but they apparently will go to the polls this fall with only a vague notion of what Obama has in mind.

Obama made headlines June 13 when he called for a Social Security payroll tax on incomes above $250,000 a year. Currently, the tax is levied only on the first $102,000 of each worker's income. That covers the entire salary of most Americans.

By the way- if you collect SS on every dime made by folks making over $250K a year, that means the system will have to pay out based on these incomes too.

If you only pay into the system at $102K a year, then you will only be paid out based on this number, no matter how much a person made a year.

SEIU/Unions contribute to Democrats or else

The SEIU union is up to it again. Every single member is required to donate to their PAC to help get Barack Obama and other Democrats elected.

You have no choice. It is part of their new constitution that you contribute.

Wall Street Journal

The mighty Service Employees International Union (SEIU) plans to spend some $150 million in this year's election, most of it to get Barack Obama and other Democrats elected. Where'd they get that much money?

That's a question the Departments of Labor and Justice are being asked to investigate by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Specifically, the labor watchdog group wants Justice to query a new SEIU policy that appears to coerce local workers into funding the parent union's national political priorities.

The union adopted a new amendment to its constitution at last month's SEIU convention, requiring that every local contribute an amount equal to $6 per member per year to the union's national political action committee. This is in addition to regular union dues. Unions that fail to meet the requirement must contribute an amount in "local union funds" equal to the "deficiency," plus a 50% penalty. According to an SEIU union representative, this has always been policy, but has now simply been formalized.

Just cough up the cash folks, you have no choice. If you dare fight them, they have control over your job. I know, I know- unions are supposed to protect your job- but who is really fooled by this thinking. Let's stop pretending that they cannot get you fired if they so choose.

I want to know how the unions are allowed to get away with this. How is this legal?

This is not the American way.

I know that many like to say that America was built on the backs of labor and I am sure it was.

America was built on the backs of hard working laborers, not the labor unions.

I know the unions like to tell us that you would never get a day off nor would you have medical coverage without them, but is that really true?

I know that a massive majority of Americans are not union workers and most are given a day off and they have medical coverage. So explain that way of thinking.

I fully support employees banning together to stand up for themselves, but what right do the unions have to strong arm their members?

How are these tactics any different than the ones the unions used to stand against?

Unions were formed to protect workers against the strong armed tactics of corporations, so what is up with this?

I like labor unions and I am glad we have them. However, I do not like this. This type of strong armed bullying behavior is exactly why unions were formed in the first place.

How many excuses is that now, Obama?

At the rate the Obama campaign is spinning his "refusal to meet the troops" story, it may be hard to keep up.

His first excuse "out of respect for the injured troops" he canceled.

When that story did not fly, it is now the fault of the Pentagon.

Absolutely no one, not the Pentagon, attempted to stop Obama from visiting the troops.

He was told he could not make it a campaign event, which is perfectly understandable. He certainly could bring his senate staffers, but no campaign staffers.

So what is the problem?

No cameras equals no interest in US troops?

What is wrong with just bringing his wife and visiting the troops?

This has done nothing more than prove that the Obama campaign cooked up the entire trip as a media event.

Obama's only interest is himself. I guess if the troops get in the way of his victory lap around Europe, well, too bad- he does not have time for them.

Stop the mute swan killings

I know to some, the killing of mute swans in Southeast Wisconsin is not a big issue.

However, it has lit a fire in Kim Roper and many residents in Kenosha County.

I have grown to admire and respect a woman that saw an injustice and decided it was high time for someone to fight the powers that be.

Of all the government power brokers to take on, Kim has been motivated to fight the powerful DNR.

The DNR answers to no one. At least this is what they want you to believe.

Ultimately they decide what projects proceed and what projects do not. There is zero consistency in their policies.

It makes you wonder if there is some money or "grants" exchanging hands that seem to loosen the DNR willingness to make a deal.

Now I do not have any evidence of this, I am just wondering.

Yesterday, Kim Roper lead the charge to have a small park dedicated to stopping the killings of mute swan. Kenosha News story link.

What seems like a small issue to some is really a big issue for others. I admire their fight.

Repeal th Minimum Markup Law

He ventured forth to bring light to the world

I was listening to Jay Weber this morning as he read this on the air. I was laughing so hard that I literally missed parts of it.

I am pretty certain no America media personality would be able to get away with this type of satire, but in the UK...

Apparently, there are plenty of folks not in love with the great Obama messiah.

I found the Gerald Baker story here:

And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.

The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow.

When he was twelve years old, they found him in the temple in the City of Chicago, arguing the finer points of community organisation with the Prophet Jeremiah and the Elders. And the Elders were astonished at what they heard and said among themselves: “Verily, who is this Child that he opens our hearts and minds to the audacity of hope?”

In the great Battles of Caucus and Primary he smote the conniving Hillary, wife of the deposed King Bill the Priapic and their barbarian hordes of Working Class Whites.

In the great Battles of Caucus and Primary he smote the conniving Hillary, wife of the deposed King Bill the Priapic and their barbarian hordes of Working Class Whites.

And so it was, in the fullness of time, before the harvest month of the appointed year, the Child ventured forth - for the first time - to bring the light unto all the world.

He travelled fleet of foot and light of camel, with a small retinue that consisted only of his loyal disciples from the tribe of the Media. He ventured first to the land of the Hindu Kush, where the

Taleban had harboured the viper of al-Qaeda in their bosom, raining terror on all the world.

And the Child spake and the tribes of Nato immediately loosed the Caveats that had previously bound them. And in the great battle that ensued the forces of the light were triumphant. For as long as the Child stood with his arms raised aloft, the enemy suffered great blows and the threat of terror was no more.

From there he went forth to Mesopotamia where he was received by the great ruler al-Maliki, and al-Maliki spake unto him and blessed his Sixteen Month Troop Withdrawal Plan even as the imperial warrior Petraeus tried to destroy it.

And lo, in Mesopotamia, a miracle occurred. Even though the Great Surge of Armour that the evil Bush had ordered had been a terrible mistake, a waste of vital military resources and doomed to end in disaster, the Child's very presence suddenly brought forth a great victory for the forces of the light.

And the Persians, who saw all this and were greatly fearful, longed to speak with the Child and saw that the Child was the bringer of peace. At the mention of his name they quickly laid aside their intrigues and beat their uranium swords into civil nuclear energy ploughshares.

From there the Child went up to the city of Jerusalem, and entered through the gate seated on an ass. The crowds of network anchors who had followed him from afar cheered “Hosanna” and waved great palm fronds and strewed them at his feet.

In Jerusalem and in surrounding Palestine, the Child spake to the Hebrews and the Arabs, as the Scripture had foretold. And in an instant, the lion lay down with the lamb, and the Israelites and Ishmaelites ended their long enmity and lived for ever after in peace.

As word spread throughout the land about the Child's wondrous works, peoples from all over flocked to hear him; Hittites and Abbasids; Obamacons and McCainiacs; Cameroonians and Blairites.

And they told of strange and wondrous things that greeted the news of the Child's journey. Around the world, global temperatures began to decline, and the ocean levels fell and the great warming was over.

The Great Prophet Algore of Nobel and Oscar, who many had believed was the anointed one, smiled and told his followers that the Child was the one generations had been waiting for.

And there were other wonderful signs. In the city of the Street at the Wall, spreads on interbank interest rates dropped like manna from Heaven and rates on credit default swaps fell to the ground as dead birds from the almond tree, and the people who had lived in foreclosure were able to borrow again.

Black gold gushed from the ground at prices well below $140 per barrel. In hospitals across the land the sick were cured even though they were uninsured. And all because the Child had pronounced it.

And this is the testimony of one who speaks the truth and bears witness to the truth so that you might believe. And he knows it is the truth for he saw it all on CNN and the BBC and in the pages of The New York Times.

Then the Child ventured forth from Israel and Palestine and stepped onto the shores of the Old Continent. In the land of Queen Angela of Merkel, vast multitudes gathered to hear his voice, and he preached to them at length.

But when he had finished speaking his disciples told him the crowd was hungry, for they had had nothing to eat all the hours they had waited for him.

And so the Child told his disciples to fetch some food but all they had was five loaves and a couple of frankfurters. So he took the bread and the frankfurters and blessed them and told his disciples to feed the multitudes. And when all had eaten their fill, the scraps filled twelve baskets.

Thence he travelled west to Mount Sarkozy. Even the beauteous Princess Carla of the tribe of the Bruni was struck by awe and she was great in love with the Child, but he was tempted not.

On the Seventh Day he walked across the Channel of the Angles to the ancient land of the hooligans. There he was welcomed with open arms by the once great prophet Blair and his successor, Gordon the Leper, and his successor, David the Golden One.

And suddenly, with the men appeared the archangel Gabriel and the whole host of the heavenly choir, ranks of cherubim and seraphim, all praising God and singing: “Yes, We Can.”

How tacky is Wasserman?

This garbage is getting old from Wasserman. He continues to imply that Alberta Darling is not healthy enough to do the job.

Does he think he is getting anywhere with this message.

Press release- Senator Alberta Darling

“Sheldon Wasserman issued a press release recently stating the following
lies and innuendos about me and my campaign:

My opponent likes to tell people she is ‘out knocking on doors.’ But
voters know the difference between riding in a car watching staff drop off
taxpayer-funded road maps that people did not even ask for and actually knocking on doors and talking to people.

“I take great offense to Sheldon Wasserman’s false accusation that I am not
actually knocking on voters’ doors, and his continued insinuation that I
am too sick to run for office and restricted to campaigning from a car.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m physically fit and in
very good health despite what Sheldon Wasserman would lead people to believe. I
knock on hundreds of doors every week. My campaign helpers can all attest to
this fact, the thousands of voters’ whose doors I’ve knocked on can attest to
this fact, and even numerous Assembly candidates whom I’ve run into while doing
doors can attest to this fact.

This is beyond the pale. To imply that someone is too sick to run for office, especially when they are perfectly healthy is gross politics.

This is dirty campaigning and I am willing to bet that the people in the district will seriously punish Wasserman for this.

I can be Commander in Chief

Barry says: See, I can be Commander in Chief- check out my salute!





I will be honest. I have no idea what he is doing here. I do not think I have turned on my TV for over a week.

What is he doing here- anyone know?

It reminded me of John Kerry's salute.

The Socialists love him

Hat Tip Lance Burri at Badger Blog Alliance

This wonderful lit piece from the Obama Campaign.

Written in German for a campaign rally in Germany.

A trip, by the way, that is not paid for by the Obama campaign. Instead, our tax dollars are paying for Barack Obama to hold his campaign rally.


I have already seen some of the liberals getting defensive stating that this is not a campaign rally being held in a foreign country that the taxpayers are paying for, but official senate business.

However, someone is going to have to explain why it is that the Obama campaign is boasting about this lovely flyer in Germany.

It is posted on his website.

Now I ask you- How well do you think the independents in Kansas will like this? How about Wisconsin?

This world tour poster will make the rounds over the next several day. How will the Americans react?

After all, he is running for President of the United States not Germany, right?

DNR Prison

Okay- I confess, I might be a criminal.

Of course, it was purely an accident.

A few months ago, I purchased a compact fluorescent bulb. I was climbing the ladder to put the new bulb in and accidentally dropped it. It broke, so I tossed it in the garbage.

I did know that CFLs had mercury in them, but I figured, since the bulb was already broken and the hazardous material already released into the air, it would be okay to toss the bulb.

Now I find out from listening to Vicki McKenna’s show from a couple of days ago, this was not the proper way to dispose of the bulb.

Oops. Imagine the shame I feel right now.

It was kind of hard not to get the giggles as I was listening to Vicki’s podcast.

Immediately my mind took off and I was picturing myself sitting in a DNR prison.

As I sit, waiting to be processed through the DNR prison system, a fellow sitting directly to my left asks, “What are you in for?”

I answer “Failure to properly dispose of a CFL. I got 8-10. You?”

He answers “Illegal incandescent bulb trafficking and failure to acknowledge global warming. I got a mandatory 15 for it.”

Sitting right next to my new DNR prison buddy was another gentleman. He pipes in “I am in for obstructing a DNR officer.”

Curiously I asked “Really, how did that happen?”

He tells me “I stood in between a DNR officer and certain death for a mute swan. The DNR officer was attempting to blow the brains out of a beautiful mute swan. I just could not stand back and let this beautiful innocent creature be killed by a DNR officers just because the swan was not native!”


“Sentence”? I ask.

“LIFE!” he exclaimed.

Wow, remind me to never get in between a mute swan and the DNR!

Go ahead and laugh my conservative friends, but you know that some liberal is reading this right now and thinking “Hmm, what a great idea. DNR prison!”.

Average gas prices since Dems took over

I guess this graph says it all.

How pathetic. The Dems were going to save us all, remember?

Property taxes- no kidding!

Yet another study out showing that Wisconsinites pay an incredible amount of their paychecks towards their property taxes.

Report: Wisconsin property taxes among highest

MADISON, Wis. (AP)
-- A new report says Wisconsin homeowners pay the ninth highest property taxes
in the country.

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report found Wisconsin property taxes
averaged 4.4 percent of personal income in 2006. The national average was 3.5
percent.

The study looked at 2006 property taxes because those were the most
recent available for all 50 states.

Northeastern states had the highest property taxes, with New Hampshire
leading at 5.7 percent.
The report says Wisconsin has been in the top 10 for
22 of the past 47 years, despite attempts at relief.

The state was ninth in 2005 and eighth in 2004.

This will come as no shock to most of you:

The report also shows Wisconsin property taxes rose 5.7 percent in 2008. That's
the largest single-year increase since 2005.

Wasn't Doyle the governor in both 2005 and also now in 2008?

Wasn't Senator Bob Wirch the state senator for the 22nd district during this time also?

Of course they were.

Right now, Senator Wirch and his minions are running all over town making the claim that under his leadership, our property tax ranking have been dropping.

Of course, you cannot get any more deceitful than Wirch is being with us. Property taxes have risen year after year after year, but he has the gall to run around telling people our ranking is dropping. Technically true because many states were increasing property taxes faster than Wisconsin and they passed us, we did not drop.

Well now what will Senator Wirch say? We have gone from 11th last year to 9th this year.

It is time for the light of the truth to shine on Senator Wirch's illustrious head.

Repeal the Minimum Mark-Up law

This is great news. Hopefully Governor Doyle will listen to Rep. Kramer and Rep. Vukmir and call a special session to repeal the minimum markup law. After all, it was deemed unconstitutional over a year ago.

LEGISLATORS ASK FOR REPEAL OF MINIMUM MARKUP LAW
Reps Kramer and Vukmir are asking Governor Doyle to call a special session of the Legislature to vote on a repeal of Wisconsin’s minimum markup law. The request comes after the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics released new data showing the Consumer Price Index increased 1.1% in June, an annual pace of 5%

Kramer, Vukmir and Sen. Carpenter introduced AB-820, the Competitive Marketplace Act, during the past session. The bill would, ”repeal the current price increase requirement and modernize Wisconsin’s statutes to reflect a century of anti-trust case law and experience from the Federal Trade Commission.”

According to a release from Kramer and Vukmir, “Enactment of AB-820 would allow consumers to take advantage of $4 prescription drug programs, ensure that fuel and food prices in the state are competitive and allow retailers to price their merchandise according to the market forces, not an arbitrary formula established by state government.”

A spokesperson from Rep. Kramer’s office said, “The legislation (AB-820) stands on its own merits. We think this legislation is the perfect fix, or at least the framework to start from.” Sen. Carpenter had not been contacted by Kramer or Vukmir’s office, but he said, “I support repealing the minimum markup laws and support calling a special legislative session to do the job. With the current out of control gas prices minimum markup laws are an unnecessary burden that we can’t afford. Whether by special session or in the upcoming legislative session I will continue to support repealing the minimum markup laws. We need relief at the pump and this is one way we could help.” in response to the press release and request for a special session.

The minimum markup law, passed in 1939, mandates retailers include a minimum price increase on gasoline, and prohibits the sale of goods below cost.

1939- and this stupid law is still on the books costing Wisconsinites millions and millions a year.

Media bias- they are not even trying to hide it anymore

After the New York Times hailed Barack Obama and his "new plan for Iraq" a week ago, they have now refused to publish an article written by John McCain.

The media bias is running rampant. The three top network anchors packed up their belongings and traveled to the Middle East for Barack Obama's World Tour.

Now this?

From the Drudge Report:

An editorial written by Republican presidential hopeful McCain has been rejected by the NEW YORK TIMES -- less than a week after the paper published an essay written by Obama, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

The paper's decision to refuse McCain's direct rebuttal to Obama's 'My Plan for Iraq' has ignited explosive charges of media bias in top Republican circles.

'It would be terrific to have an article from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama's piece,' NYT Op-Ed editor David Shipley explained in an email late Friday to McCain's staff. 'I'm not going to be able to accept this piece as currently written.'

Apparently they want McCain's article to mirror Obama's.

All the cool kids are going...

Are you?

I'm going, see you guys there.

Double click to enlarge photo

Obama's disconnect from the military

I love this photo.

Released by the Obama campaign no less on his travails through Afghanistan.

Let's start with the basics:

This is not exactly a packed gymnasium of cheering soldiers.

Look at the massive distance between him and the soldiers. (Was Obama afraid he would get military cooties if he got too close?)

The "crowd" is barely three people deep. (My guess is there were more media darlings than soldiers)

What is up with that "Oh God, what am I doing here look on his face"?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This picture shows the massive expanse of space between America's military and Barack Obama. Clearly there is a huge disconnect here.

Thanks to the Obama campaign for releasing this photo. Priceless!



My guess is the Obama camp will be smarter about releasing these types of photos in the future.

Federal Government Gas Tax increase????

Are you kidding me?

Not only have the tax and spend liberal democrats running the country put a cabash on a gas tax holiday, now they are telling us they need to increase the gas taxes!

Now, lawmakers quietly are talking about raising fuel taxes by a dime from the current 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents on diesel fuel.

Now, why in heaven's name would they do something like this when gas prices are already at record highs?

Well, you see- prices are so high that people are driving less. Since people are driving less, the are collecting less money on the taxes they already have in place.

In fact, these goofs are suggesting that they raise the current federal gas tax of $.184 per gallon all the way up to $.40 a gallon. More than double the federal gas tax we already pay!!!

The nonpartisan National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission concluded in a report this year that the U.S. needs to spend $225 billion annually over the next 50 years to create a highway and transit system capable of sustaining strong economic growth. Current spending, at federal, state and local levels, is about $90 billion a year.

Among other revenue-raising possibilities, the commission recommended gradually increasing the current federal fuel taxes to 40 cents a gallon.

Oh my goodness- it is time to get these idiots out of office right now.

In less than two years, the Democrats have managed to destroy the American auto industry and the American airline industry.

What else are we going to let them destroy?

How many times has it been proven that when you decrease taxes, regular Americans spend more. When they spend more, you collect more in taxes.

Hey Obama- how are the air raids and killing of civilians going?

Now that Obama is in Afganistan- perhaps he will be able to find out if the troops are just air raiding villages and killing civilians.

A year ago, Obama was making this very same claim.

Perhaps now, he will have to admit he was wrong on the Afgan issue also.

Welcome relief

There has been some welcome relief at the gas pump over the last few days.

In the last few days, a barrel of oil has dropped in price by almost $20, from $147 a barrel a week ago to around $128 yesterday.

So what catastrophic event took place that would cause the price of oil to drop that much in one week?

President George Bush announced that he was lifting the Presidential moratorium on drilling oil here in the US.

After all of the hullabaloo from the Democrats stating that gas would only drop $.05 even if we did drill for all right here in the US, was nothing more than a bunch of bunk.

Last Saturday, I bought gasoline at $4.129 a gallon, today- if I head over to Lou's I will pay $3.899. A total savings of $.23 a gallon.

Just the mere thought of Americans being one step closer to drilling their own oil, dropped the price down. Not one extra drop of oil was drilled when the President made his announcement, still the prices plummeted.

Of course, all of that can be reversed if the obstinate Democrats continue their ban on drilling for American oil.

You can see the quandary the Democrats are in. The people that poured billions of dollars into getting Democrats elected and reelected do not want America to be energy independent. They want Americans to rely on the government to meet their every need.

Still, the American people, who actually elect them into office are struggling. A mere $.23 a gallon is not nearly good enough.

The price of a gallon a gasoline when the Democrats took control of the Senate and Congress in 2007 was $1.75.

The total failure of the Democrat leadership, under Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, costs the American people thousands every single year. Between the more than doubling of gas prices and sky-rocketing food costs, it is not like people have not noticed.

To hear the Democrats talk, this was all the fault of the oil man sitting in the White House.

Well, the oil man sitting in the White House has done his job to bring relief to the American people, where are the Democrats?

Alberta Darling- Priceless

After the slimy sleazy games that Sheldon Wasserman was playing by trying to make Senator Alberta Darling appear as if she is too sick to serve the people of her district, this story is priceless.

Mark Belling podcast


Absolutely priceless, Senator Darling.

Democrats think you are an idiot

"Use it or lose it"

When it comes to oil exploration, the Democrats are pretending that they are doing something.

They are telling the oil companies either use the land they are currently leasing or lose the lease.

There are a couple of problems with this.

There is already a law telling oil companies to use the land or lose the lease.

The next problem is that if there was oil on this leased land, the oil companies would already be drilling for it.

DUH!

The Democrats honestly believe this will distract Americans into believing they are actually attempting to do something about drilling in the US.

Even the AP is not buying this line of garbage from the Democrats. Check this out

Seeking to blunt GOP efforts to permit oil exploration off Atlantic and Pacific coasts, House Democrats are pushing legislation they say would spur oil drilling on already available lands in Alaska, the West and the western Gulf of Mexico.

Yes, the AP is right- the Democrats are attempting to stop GOP efforts to drill for more oil in America.

"Democrats brought forth their 'Use It or Lose It' bill without knowing it was already the law of the land," said GOP Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo. "Today we're reminded that the majority's efforts to 'unlock' NPR-A are about as necessary as passing a bill ordering the sun to rise."

Hey Congressman Blunt, don't tempt they Democrats. They may actually write a bill demanding the sun to rise.

Democrats are scrambling to appear pro-drilling — hence the "Drill Act" title for Thursday's bill — even as their leaders appear dead set against reversing the long-standing drilling bans along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

The AP even called the Democrats on the bogus name of the bill- "Drill Act". This act is blocking drilling.

As usual, it is Bush's fault.

"The administration's responsibility was to protect the American people from this kind of gouging, and they did nothing," said Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. "So today they're trying to deflect the very legitimate criticism of, 'What did you do on the watch?'"

Dear Sen. Feingold,

With the rising prices of gas hurting all the citizens of Wisconsin, I ask you and your colleagues lift the ban on offshore drilling. This ban is hurting all U.S. families and should be lifted. The time is NOW, no more excuses and misinformation coming from Democrats including yourself. Drill here. Drill now. That is what the majority of citizens want.

You tell 'em, Vicki

On yesterday's show, Vicki McKenna called out the corn growers that are running false ads about ethanol and corn.

The corn growers are attempting to tell people it is not their fault that prices are so high for food and fuel

Take a listen to the podcast.

Let the Free Market Produce More Energy

Senator John Cornyn posted this yesterday at Red State.

If you have not already signed the petition, feel free to do so now.

I want to begin by congratulating the entire RedState team on a great looking
new version of the site, and by wishing them a happy 4th
birthday.

President Bush has taken an important step to lower gas prices. But
now Congress needs to get out of the way and let the free market produce more
energy.

The U.S. is the only country in the world that refuses to develop its
own natural resources. We have placed 85 percent of our best energy lands off
limits. Yet we are willing to enrich foreign governments—including some that
foster anti-Americanism—instead of helping ourselves.

At last, some Democrats are finally getting the message. The ice around their rigid anti-U.S. production position is starting to crack. (It is mid-July, after all.) At least
ten Democratic Senators are now making statements amenable to offshore
exploration.

But the Democratic leadership is delaying energy-related votes.

They evidently fear these proposals could pass. At this rate, I suspect
Republicans are going to do better in this fall’s elections than most pundits
assume.

I’m backing several bills to move America closer to energy independence. They include the Gas Price Reduction Act, to facilitate offshore and western shale exploration. The U.S. is well on the way toward transitioning away from over-reliance on fossil fuels. I support aggressively pursuing every source of energy—including nuclear, clean coal, shale, wind and solar. We need it all. But as we move toward alternatives sources, our infrastructure relies on traditional energy.

The Democratic leadership thought it could skate through this crisis by relying on shopworn ideas that are proven losers—such as taxing American energy companies, suing OPEC and investigating so-called “price gouging.” These proposals would do nothing to lower gas prices. They would increase our dependence on foreign oil.

Congress cannot repeal the law of supply and demand. I’m currently hosting “Energy Independence Days” on my Web site, including new online interactive features, video messages and guest posts. We’re building momentum toward real energy independence solutions. The initiative has generated record traffic on our blog. It’s more proof—if any is needed—that Americans want action on gas prices from the Democrat-led Congress.

I appreciate Erick Erickson and other Redstate hosts for the opportunity to communicate with your online community. Please join me at http://www.johncornyn.com/posts this week, and share your thoughts on the growing need for real energy solutions.

I'm done

I am done listening to it all.

I don't care if Favre plays for the Packers this year. I don't care who's fault it is. I don't care if he is traded or released.

It is not to say that I am taking Thompson's or McCarthy side of the issue. I don't care about them either.

Quite frankly, right at this moment, I have no interest in following the Packers this year. Why would I?

The entire fiasco has ruined the season for many.

I'm done!

Reagan was Right!

“Those who would trade our freedom for the soup kitchen of the welfare state have told us that they have a utopian solution of peace without victory. They call their policy ‘accommodation.’ And they say if we only avoid any direct confrontation with the enemy, he will forget his evil ways and learn to love us. All who oppose them are indicted as warmongers. They say we offer simple answers to complex problems. Well, perhaps there is a simple answer—not an easy one, but a simple one—if you and I have the courage to tell our elected officials that we want our national policy based upon what we know in our hearts is morally right... [E]very lesson in history tells us that the greater risk lies in appeasement, and this is the specter our well-meaning liberal friends refuse to face.” —Ronald Reagan

Obama is not flip flopping- it is called nuancing!

Barack Obama needs to stop talking about Iraq. Every time he does he looks like a blithering idiot, a flip flopper or a liar.

In another attempt to clear up the mixed messages that Obama is sending out on Iraq, Obama gave another speech yesterday.

By the end of the day yesterday, John McCain and every single conservative columnist had launched into Obama.

Once again Obama proved to be inconsistent, unrealistic and literally on the verge of lying about his previous hard core stances on Iraq.

Even his liberal columnist defenders were having difficulty in defending the garbage spewed by Obama. This particular liberal columnist has taken to calling the lies and the flip flops from the Obama campaign- nuancing.

Nuancing???

I don't buy the notion, advanced by the McCain campaign, that Barack Obama has been flip-flopping on Iraq, that he has been cutting and running from his long-held antiwar convictions. And I will shortly demonstrate how he has remained broadly consistent. Having said that, however, there's no doubt that Obama is currently doing some nuancing.

Definition of nuance: a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude

I am not sure how any columnist, even a liberal one, can justify this statement made by Obama and now his flop to the center as a nuance:

I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse: I think it takes pressure off the Iraqis to arrive at the sort of political accommodation that every observer believes is the ultimate solution to the problems we face there.

There is no nuance to this statement. It is statement telling the world that the SURGE WILL NOT WORK.

Rep. Paul Ryan on CNBC

Rep. Paul Ryan was on CNBC this past Monday to talk about his "Roadmap for America's Future."

Click here to see the segment.

Thanks again Rep. Ryan for trying to get Congress to address this looming problem we in the younger generation are facing.

Defending Some Kenosha Democrats

I know it may seem unusual, but I am going to defend a couple of Kenosha Democrats. No, I have not lost my mind and gone liberal on you, but there are some good, kind and decent Democrats in Kenosha that I know pretty well.

Two of the candidates that have spent the last several months working their tails off to run in the democratic primary for the #64 Assembly seat, had their legs cut out from underneath them last week.

Last Monday, out of the clear blue, former congressman and 64th district assemblyman, Peter Barca, decided that he wanted to run again for his previous spot as the 64th District representative. This is a giant step backwards politically for Mr. Barca. After all, he was a congressman before Mark Neumann crushed him in 1994. Peter Barca had virtually disappeared from the limelight since then.

It certainly startled many folks in Kenosha.

I, like most, found out on Monday night, but clearly this had to have been planned before Monday of last week. Barca had his papers filed and all signatures collected within a few hours on Monday.

With this little stunt pulled by former Congressman Peter Barca against members of his own party, it makes you wonder if his ego is so gigantic that he wants to be the center of attention in Kenosha politics or if this move is just a stepping stone to something greater.

Either way, I feel for the two gentlemen, County Board Supervisor Jim Huff and Alderman Mike Orth, who have done everything they should have been doing over the last several months. To find out on the last day to file papers that you could get beat by a bigger name in Kenosha, even though that person showed no interest in running, just really is not fair.

I know what kind of hard work and sacrifice it is to campaign. It just does not seem right to me.

With Barca's name recognition, he is virtually a shoe in. Unless one of the other two candidates finds a way to run to the middle and decides to play the moderate. In that case, they may pick up the 40 % conservative votes in Kenosha and launch themselves past Barca. That will take some real magic, but it is possible.

Of course, whether or not the Democrats treat each other fairly is not my problem.

I am done feeling sorry for the Democrats now.

I have had my own problems over the last week.

I will share them with you soon.

Device explodes on Kreuser property

From today's Kenosha News:

A homemade explosive device was detonated on the lawn of County Executive Jim Kreuser's house on Sunday night.

But Kenosha Police believe the location of this incident was purely random.

Police were called to the area, 14th Place and 35th Avenue, around 10:15 p.m. for what was believed to be a gunshot.

Click here for the rest of the story.

It is unbelievable someone would do something like this. I hope the Kreuser family isn't too shaken up about this, and that life gets back to normal for them.

No more excuses, Congress

For years, Democrats have been making excuses as to why the price of gas is going though the roof. They have also been making excuses as to why it is not their fault that gas prices are so high. One of those excuses is that there was a presidential moratorium on drilling.

President Bush just took that excuse away from today. The presidential moratorium has been lifted on drilling.

WASHINGTON - In another push to deal with soaring gas prices, President Bush on Monday will lift an executive ban on offshore drilling that his stood since his father was president. But the move, by itself, will do nothing unless Congress acts as well.

Now the only thing standing in the way of more oil production right here in the US are the Democrats in Congress.

There are no more excuses.

Obama policy: Which way is the wind blowing?

This could get ugly

RIP Tony Snow

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tony Snow, a conservative writer and commentator who cheerfully sparred with reporters in the White House briefing room during a stint as President Bush's press secretary, has died of colon cancer, Fox News reported Saturday. Snow was 53 years old.

You are not the President yet, Obama...

I know Obama"the messiah" does not like to be told no, but some things are sacred.

Reuters

Wilhelm's deputy Thomas Steg on Wednesday made clear that Merkel frowned on any speech by the U.S. presidential candidate at the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of German unity trapped in a no-man's land by the Berlin Wall during the Cold War.

Steg said Merkel was not happy to see the Brandenburg Gate used for "electioneering", calling the idea "odd".

Faking a presidential seal by the Obama campaign is one thing, but stomping through Europe as if you are president is something entirely different.

What an egotistical jerk Barack Obama has turned out to be!

GOP wants your help in writing national platform

From an e-mail I received about the GOP Convention:

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Today, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, Platform Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.-22) and Platform Committee Co-Chairman U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (N.C.) announced the launch of www.GOPPlatform2008.com, the first, entirely web-based initiative that allows voters across the nation to actively participate in the development of the 2008 Republican Party Platform.

"For more than 150 years, Republicans have met every four years to adopt a platform that outlines the principles and policies upon which the Party stands. We are proud that the development of the 2008 Republican Party Platform will be more interactive, inclusive, and open than any other in political history," Duncan said.

"Today, new and innovative technology allows us to engage those who have not been involved in the political process before," said convention President and CEO Maria Cino. "Here at the 2008 Republican National Convention, we also remain committed to engaging as many Americans as possible through numerous interactive initiatives."

"We are seeking the most input through this historic opportunity to use a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week Internet town hall," McCarthy said. "We know Washington is not a place for solutions, so we are reaching out across the nation to create a forward-looking platform rooted in our core values with solutions that create prosperity today and for the next generation."

Burr said, "We are excited that this process will facilitate greater transparency and participation in the development of the 2008 Republican Party Platform than ever before. The Platform Committee will form the foundation for our future and this innovative tool will allow people with all points of view to participate in this critical discussion."

This process, unique to the Republican Party, will allow voters to provide input on a variety of issues important to the American people. Creating an account on www.GOPPlatform2008.com allows voters to have full, interactive access to the Web site. Account holders can use the text and video submission tools, participate in in-site polling, and monitor individual entries on a personalized index page. Every submission will be catalogued and reviewed leading up to the official Platform Committee meetings at the end of August in Minnesota to ensure every participant's voice is heard.

As part of its efforts to hold the most technologically savvy convention in GOP history, the 2008 Republican National Convention remains committed to providing increased interactive accessibility to millions of Americans through numerous innovative initiatives including social networks, YouTube, Ustream.tv, and through the convention blog found here.

Come on all you conservatives, let's help write a conservative platform based on our beliefs and values!

Is it working?

It could be working.

Congress is finally starting to reconsider drilling for oil in the US.

In the stages of grief, denial gives way to anger and then to bargaining.

It may be an apt metaphor this week, as Democrats’ long-held opposition to expanded offshore oil drilling succumbs to the political realities of $4-per-gallon gasoline.

Now before you get too excited, the Sierra Club is getting fired up also. You know they will never loosen their throttle hold on the Dems.

Green lobbyists say they’re punching up education campaigns this week, giving top focus to members who appear to be wobbly on the drilling issue.

“The bottom line is, politicians who are trying to sell offshore drilling as a quick fix are not looking at the core of the problem — years of failed energy policy,” said Greenpeace senior legislative coordinator Kate Smolski.

Clinging to my God and my gun and my anger...

I know that it has been since Saturday since I last posted.(GOP gal has been posting) Normally I do not go that long in between posts.

Quite frankly, I was tossed under a bus(not literally) this week and I thought it best to stay away from blog for a few days in fear that I may say something I might regret later.

I wanted to post this afternoon because I know that my Mom and Dad read my blog.

My Mom and Dad are headed out of the country tomorrow carrying with them an evangelical message to the people of Romania.

I so admire my parents, who, at this time in their lives, still feel the call to bring a positive message of real hope(not the fake Obama message of hope), love and forgiveness to the people of the world.

Please join me in saying a prayer for a great trip and a safe return for my parents and those they are traveling with.

New logos revealed

It's official! The new logos and slogans for the conservatives and progressives have been revealed.

Here is the conservative logo:

"Sticking our necks out for the American taxpayer"

Here is the progressive logo:

"Belly-up to the government trough."

Congressional Approval Rating at All-Time Low

The approval rating of the congress is 9%.

Americans’ view of Congress hit an all-time low in June, sliding into single digits for the first time ever, according to Rasmussen Reports polling data.

Click here for the rest of the story

I know what you're thinking...

Gas prices at $4.25 a gallon.
STILL can't drill for more oil.
Value of the American dollar in the toilet.
Social Security solvency problem not solved.
"PayGo"

How can the approval rating be at 9%? Apparently 9% of the population have no clue what's going on in this country. That number seems way to high to me. Oh wait, that's right, that 9% number is all the moonbats who still blame Bush.

At least I have Rep. Paul Ryan representing me. I approve of the job he's doing, and his "Roadmap for America's Future." (I do not want to see any post bashing his plan while not giving any ideas on how to fix the problem. As Paul says "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.)

Vote Corey Hart into the All Star Game

You want to talk about experience, Obama?

Any questions?

Wouldn't this be nice

Obama soliciting lobbyist money

Despite the pious stance by Obama and his campaign, he is still actively courting lobbyists and their money. So much for banning lobbyist' money, huh???

Robert Novak's column:

Obama's GOP Lobbyist

The Republican lobbyist who was solicited for contributions by Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign a month ago has received a second request for money from the Democratic presidential candidate, who has banned lobbyist money from supporting his candidacy. The second try was made after no response to the first attempt. As did the first solicitation, the second letter signed by Obama asked the veteran Republican donor and fundraiser for a contribution "to change the way business is done in Washington."

The lobbyist's only contributions to Democrats have been to two powerful committee chairmen -- John Dingell (Energy and Commerce) and Charlie Rangel (Ways and Means) -- in order to open their doors to his clients. The lobbyist figures that the Obama campaign lifted his name from Dingell and/or Rangel money lists.

Perhaps the media can truthfully start reporting on the matter now that Obama has been caught more than once doing this.

Were they paying attention?

I sit here attempting to figure out if the editors at the MJS are just not paying attention or they are so stuck on there own liberal agenda, that they are willing to financially damage the city they live in.

Newspapers used to be the reflection of city or town they print in. With today's editorial you have to wonder where the editor's heads are located.

Once again, they are pushing for a sales tax increase and are doing it under the ruse of "Let the voters decide".

Perhaps the MJS did not notice that the voters have decided. Over and over the voters in Milwaukee have rejected the notion of more tax increases.

Barely more than three months ago the voters outright decided once again that they wanted Scott Walker as their county executive. The election was not even close.

The editorial board needs to get this though their heads:

The voters have elected Scott Walker to Milwaukee County Executive for three straight elections based on his "no tax increases" policy.

For over six years, the MJS has been ramming their tax increase agenda down the throats of their readers to support more transit and more money for parks.

For six years, the MJS has impaled Scott Walker on his "no tax increase" pledge. They have attempted to embarrass, humiliate, conjole and insult Scott Walker into bending to there will to increase taxes.

Scott Walker has just ignored the MJS' editors and so have the voters in Milwaukee County.

No campaign was more difficult to overcome than this last one run against Scott Walker.

State Senator Lena Taylor has a high profile job and name recognition, the full backing and financial resources of the governor, the full backing and resources of the Wisconsin Democrat Party, the full backing and the financial resources of liberal 527 groups and the full backing of the media.

All Lena Taylor had to do was convince the voters to allow her to raise taxes, just a little to support better transit and better parks.

The very same issue the editors are pushing were the very same issues Lena Taylor was running on just three months ago:

MJS

The race heated up a bit in recent weeks, with more than 20 debates and joint appearances in which Walker and Taylor took opposing views on nearly every issue. Taylor portrayed Walker as underfunding parks, social programs and bus service. Taylor argued that she had superior credentials, including a law degree.

So what has changed in the last three months that would convince the MJS editors to once again begin an all out assault on Scott Walker and the taxpayers to raise taxes?

Some of the new county board supervisors can be intimidated into over-riding Scott Walker's veto of the new sales tax.

It is doubtful that the taxpayers of Milwaukee County have changed their tune on tax increases.
But hey, MJS and County Supervisors, keep on ignoring the will of the people. We will see have far that gets you.

It got Lena Taylor crushed in the last election, we will wait and see if the taxpayers have changed their minds in the last three months.