Senator Bob Wirch is NO fiscal conservative!

Drill here NOW.

The crappy arguments continuing to be made by the Democrats that there is no point in drilling for oil no longer flies.

Drilling anywhere in our own country and using our own oil instead of the oil from terrorists countries will help America, not hurt it.

Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less

It is working. Keep up the pressure. Sign the petition demanding our lawmakers get us out from the thumbs of foreign government.

Demand that we drill here, drill now and pay less.

Alex Tianybok for State Assembly

To be announced this Saturday: Alex Tianybok will be throwing his hat into the ring to make a run against John Steinbrink for AD65

Please join Alex this Saturday:

PRESS RELEASE

EVENT : Campaign Announcement

DATE : Saturday, June 7, 2008

TIME : 10am

WHERE : Newman Park, Kenosha (76th Street and 35th Ave)

(bring your children)

Former Pleasant Prairie Village Trustee Alex Tiahnybok kicks off his campaign for CHANGE for the Kenosha/Pleasant Prairie/Bristol area (State Assembly District 65).

Tiahnybok will offer his pledge for work towards a better local and state economy -- bringing new and better jobs. In addition, he will pledge to keep tax dollars in the pockets of those who earn them; to preserve the integrity of the voting process; to improve education and to keep higher education affordable; to make English our official language, and to be available to interact and properly represent all citizens of District 65.

Son of Ukrainian immigrants, Alex and his wife, Gina, and their 2 children have lived in Pleasant Prairie since 2001. They have owned property here since 1993, and built a new home in 2001.

Alex has had a successful career in the chemical industry after earning a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University and later a Master's Degree in Business Administration from DePaul University. Growing up in Dixon, IL, hometown of President Ronald Reagan, Alex learned about conservatism couple with optimism, and has lived by those principles all his life.

He is now ready to share the experiences of his education and professional life in making Wisconsin a better place to live and for businesses to thrive.

Two great articles to read

Here are two great articles to read. One from a lefty and one from a righty-

Juan Williams, on the left, Wall Street Journal

To deal with this controversy effectively, Mr. Obama needs to give another speech. This time he has to admit to sins of using race for political expediency – by knowingly buying into divisive, mean messages being delivered from the pulpit. He has to say that, as a biracial young man with no community roots, attaching himself to Rev. Wright and the Trinity congregation was a shortcut to move up the ladder in the Chicago political scene. He has to call race-baiting what it is, whether it comes from a pulpit or calls itself progressive politics. And he has to challenge his supporters, especially his black base, to be honest about real problems at the heart of today's racial divide – including out-of-wedlock births, crime, drugs and a culture that devalues education while glorifying the gangster life.

Mr. Obama also has to raise the bar for how political criticism is handled in his camp. Step one is to acknowledge that not every critic is a racist. His very liberal record and his limited experience, like his association with Rev. Wright, is a fact, not the work of white racists. Just as he calls for the GOP not to engage in the politics of fear over terrorism, Mr. Obama needs to declare that he will refrain from playing the racial victim, because he understands such tactics will paralyze political debate and damage race relations.

continued...

Thomas Sowell, on the right, NRO

One of these candidates will determine what we are going to do to stop Iran from going nuclear— or whether we are going to do anything other than talk, as Western leaders talked in the 1930s.

There is one big difference between now and the 1930s. Although the West’s lack of military preparedness and its political irresolution led to three solid years of devastating losses to Nazi Germany and imperial Japan, nevertheless when all the West’s industrial and military forces were finally mobilized, the democracies were able to turn the tide and win decisively.

But you cannot lose a nuclear war for three years and then come back. You cannot even sustain the will to resist for three years when you are first broken down morally by threats and then devastated by nuclear bombs.

Our one window of opportunity to prevent this will occur within the term of whoever becomes president of the United States next January.

continued...

Feingold out on a limb

Way to go out on a limb Feingold-

Feingold Campaign: Senator Feingold endorses Senator Obama for president

"I congratulate both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on their hard fought campaigns.

I have had the good fortune of working with Senator Clinton and Senator Obama on a wide variety of issues. Either one would be an outstanding president for all Americans.

That took a lot of courage, huh?

What's happening?

The onslaught of festivals is beginning.

The Kenosha News has a very extensive list of what is happening in Kenosha and the surrounding areas.

Follow the link and check out the parties.

See you guys out there.

Let's have some fun.

Pints & Politics with Milwaukee County Executive

It is that time of the month again- see you there

Double click on image to enlarge

Government Giveaways- Larry Zamba Style

I often wonder if liberals spent their own money whether or not most of these government programs would be proposed.

As it is, the liberals have no problem spending the taxpayers money and then going back to taxpayers and demanding more.

Even as extreme as some liberal candidates can get with their campaign rhetoric, even I am stunned by the level of bogus government giveaways that the challenger for the 66th assembly district, Larry Zamba, is promising.

Check out these campaign promises(these are straight from his website):

Free college tuition for everyone.

Mr. Zamba says it is an investment not an expense. Common sense folks wonder how we are going to pay for this investment.

Free heath care.

Okay- Wisconsinites would actually only have to pay 4% for Healthy Wisconsin. However the reality is that in the district that Mr. Zamba is running in, many residents would have to pay two and half times more than anyone else will. The largest employer is district 66 is Abbott Labs, located in Illinois. In fact, a very large chunk of Kenosha County's population is employed in Illinois. These folks will be paying two and half times as much as everyone else. The Wisconsin resident/Illinois Employed will pay a full 10% from their paychecks.

Between you and your spouse you make $100,000 a year. You end up paying $10,000 a year. Your neighbor and his spouse makes $100,000 a year and he ends up paying $4000 a year. This is what the Democrats call fair? Worse yet, this will be government mandated and government controlled.

Here is another good one:

The government will buy back your inefficient vehicles.

For example, consumers could possibly receive $750 for every 1gal/100 mile
decrease in consumption. The government will find scrap dealers to dispose
of these inefficient old vehicles.

You give up your car old car that only gets 22 MPG and purchase a vehicle that gets 33MPG and the government will cut you a check for $24,750. If you are really smart, you can get a brand new fuel efficient car and the government will pay for it.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Zamba believes that you should get a $1000 tax credit for buying a hybrid. So now, you can buy a hybrid, get the government to pay for it and then get a $1000 tax credit to boot. Very cool.

I am not done yet. Mr. Zamba is proposing more government give aways.

Mr. Zamba wants to eliminate the QEO. That won't cost us much, will it?

$9000 tax credit for those utilizing solar power.

$.32 per gallon tax credit making your own fuel. (Seriously, try not to blow yourself up in your garage as you are attempting to make your own fuel)

"Hope" Plan for Tax Relief is a Scam

Thanks to the Club for Growth for this information, because Sen. Wirch is constantly touting how he is a supporter of HOPE.

In the upcoming fall elections, Wisconsin Democrats will be out touting their "Homeowners Property Tax Exemption" plan (curiously dubbed H.O.P.E). The plan was originally drafted as a change in the state's statutes, until the bill sponsors realized it was unconstitutional.
Of course that won't keep the Democrats from promising home owners a $569 tax cut even though it would take a minimum of four years, a successful statewide referendum and separate enabling legislation before they could deliver on their promise. Meanwhile Governor Doyle and the Democrats will continue to loosen spending caps on local governments while the costs of public employee benefits go through the roof.


The HOPE plan would exempt the first $60,000 of a home's value from the property tax by raising sales taxes on a variety of goods and services yet to be determined. Proponents of the plan will claim that they are closing corporate loopholes and making businesses pay their fair share of property taxes, but they only way they can possibly fund their plan is to remove tax exemptions on everything from haircuts and tax preparation to disposable diapers and prescription drugs.


Since the plan requires a constitutional change, a resolution would have to be passed by the Legislature in January of 2009 at the earliest and then again in January of 2011. If the amendment were approved by state voters in the spring of 2011, the legislature would be required to pass enabling legislation for the Governor to sign. Given that voters have twice rejected the same amendment, last time by a margin of 70%-30%, the best case scenario requires more than just hope. As Senator Clinton would say, it requires the willing suspension of disbelief.

So what are Democrats hoping?

• They HOPE you don't realize their plan is illegal
• They HOPE you don't mind waiting four years for property tax relief
• They HOPE you won't mind paying sales taxes on every good and service currently exempt
• They HOPE voters who rejected the same idea by 70-30% won’t realize this is the same scam
• They HOPE it works

Let them eat cake

Let's be honest, the reaction from some folks about the closing of the plant in Janesville has been cruel and heartless.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel gives us a ho-hum, Wisconsin will survive speech-

Communities recover from such body blows. Kenosha did after Chrysler closed a plant. West Allis did after industrial giant Allis-Chalmers withered and died in the 1980s. In the meantime, the state government can help displaced workers get new training if they need it and offer other assistance.

Manufacturing still has a future in Wisconsin, but manufacturing industries must look different than they have in the past to succeed.

Barack Obama is just clueless and heartless. He does nothing and says nothing to address the families who have had their livelihoods destroyed.

"Today's news is a painful reminder not only of the challenges America faces in our global economy, but of George Bush's failed economic policies," Obama said. "For eight long years, we've had an energy policy that funds both sides in the war on terror without promoting fuel efficiency or helping make our auto companies more competitive. That's part of the reason thousands of more Americans in Wisconsin and Ohio will no longer be able to count on a paycheck at a time when they're already being pinched by rising costs."

Perhaps Obama is not aware of the type of gas guzzling vehicles that has been Janesville's livelihood for many years.

In fact, it is Barack Obama and his party's refusal to let Americans drill for oil on our own land that has put all of those workers in Janesville out of work.

Obama and the Democrats have made us more dependent on foreign oil, not less.

Patrick McIlheran is correct when he states:

Obama is saying that the Americans who have been giving Janesville a great run for the past decade or so should have been stopped from doing that, should have been made to embrace high mileage and eschew big trucks earlier.

To Barack Obama, you just won your party's nomination on the same day that tens of thousands of Americans lose their livelihood and your response is....

Let them eat cake????

or better yet- blame Dubya.

When faced with very difficult questions on America's future, Barack Obama's answer is always the same- blame Dubya.

Just like his predecessor for the Democratic nomination, John Kerry, since Obama has no answers or any clue how to lead America forward, he just blames Dubya.

Wirch using scare tactics on seniors

Now the State Senator from the 22nd District, Bob Wirch, is using scare tactics on the senior citizens in Kenosha.

Wirch was talking to seniors at a gathering and LIED to them about Voter ID.

He told these seniors that Republicans wanted to charge everyone, including seniors, $50 to receive a voter ID, and the only way someone could vote is to have this so-called voter ID.

Anyone who knows anything about the voter ID amendment knows that a driver's license is a valid form of ID for voting. Any valid state-issued ID would be good enough to use for voting. There is no such thing as a specific voter ID. And if someone couldn't afford an ID Republicans offered a bill to have Wisconsin waive the fee for an ID.

So this is what Wirch has resorted to. Lying to seniors. And this is the man that has supposedly been working so hard to represent the 22nd District.

I just hope next time you tell this lie to seniors, someone gets you on video so we can show everyone what type of person you are.

Shame on you, Sen. Wirch, for using scare tactics and lying to senior citizens.

Say a prayer for GM employees

Like everyone else, I am disappointed about Janesville closing its GM plant. Of course, we could all see it coming, but it is disappointing non the less.

I am not sure if GM will ever go back to manufacturing all of the gas guzzlers again, so the plant may be permanently closed.

I suppose we can hope that some other manufacturer can step in, such as Hyundai or Toyota. It is also doubtful, the plant is almost 100 years old.

Say a prayer for all of the families affected by this.

Clinton maybe concedes, maybe not

Oh yeah- these headlines are as clear as mud:

Clinton set to concede delegate race to Obama

Clinton campaign says she not conceding Tuesday

Seriously, these two opposite news stories were posted within three minutes of each other.

.

KRM backdoor funding

It does not matter if the average southeast Wisconsin resident wants the KRM. It does not matter if we want tax dollars spent on moving the project forward.

In fact, your opinion does not matter one little bit.

The government will decide for you.

More directly, the governor will decide for you. He just handed another $6 million to the KRM.

The largest grant, for $6 million, will go to the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority for preliminary and final engineering to upgrade and rehabilitate existing tracks and make other improvements to sidings, stations and equipment facilities as part of the 33-mile KRM commuter rail extension from the City of Kenosha, through Racine, to the City of Milwaukee.

It has almost become useless to fight. The governor will do whatever is necessary to get the KRM folks the money they want.

Since the governor cannot get the funding by facing the people directly, he will continue to sneak this type of stuff past the people of southeastern Wisconsin.

Get used to it. Our state's elected leaders are going to ram this down our throats.

Guess what? You are still going to get stuck paying for it.

Meet Ben Bakke Tuesday Night

Come meet Ben Bakke, and see why everyone is so excited about the man running for 22nd District State Senator.


Ben is a fresh face with fresh ideas. He's a conservative leader who will properly represent the district with a new approach to old problems.

Blatant racism from Obama supporters

I am getting sick and tired of the blatant racism out of the Obama supporters.

When Barack Obama announced his campaign for president, you could anticipate that ugly racial stereotypes would rear up. You probably couldn’t anticipate that some of his strongest supporters would promote the worst of it.

I am getting tired of the message from the Obama camp that if you do not vote for Obama, you are a racist. If you do vote for Obama, you are allowed to be a blatant racist. Could someone explain that, please?

Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.

Sign Newt's petition to
Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.
A Real Change Campaign to Lower Your Gas Prices



The American Solutions web site is very interesting with information on the "Platform of the American People", a set of "tri-partisan" values, principles and solutions that will unite a majority of Americans and effect real change now.

At the Wisconsin Republican Convention we adopted 77 of the planks of this Platform.

Kenosha Parade Committee quits. ***Updated***

I am more than a little curious to see if the entire parade committee has quit one month before the Kenosha Parade will be held.

Our parade co-coordinator for the Kenosha GOP received this letter via email-

KENOSHA CIVIC

PARADE COMMITTEE

May 22, 2008

We, the Kenosha Civic Parade Committee, Inc. do hereby announce the closure of said Inc. Anyone wishing to create a new Parade Committee can do so by filing with the State of WI.

Any and all monies left in our corporation after all debts are paid will be returned to the City and County equally within 60 days of said closure.

Regretfully we are unable to put together the July 6, 2008 parade. Neither the funding nor the volunteers are available.

Sincerely,

Kenosha Civic Parade Committee, Inc

Officers & Board of Directors

Mona McDermott

Bernadette Lasky-Loewen

Anthony Bisciglia

Elizabeth Fountain

Norman Buchholz

Marilyn Spaulding

Of course the entire letter could be fake- I just do not know.

I am attempting to find out more information.

There have been issues, but the talk has always been that the parade this year would go on as planned.

As a city alderman, this really concerns me.

I will update as I get more information.

***Updated***

It is true. The parade will still go on. The city will be handling it, instead of the parade committee.

From the K-News-

The Kenosha Civic Veterans Parade Committee decided last week to dissolve its corporation, a few weeks after committee Chairwoman Mona McDermott said she was stepping down from that post. A notice from the committee said it was disbanding because there was not enough money and volunteers to put on the parade.

McDermott became committee chairwoman after the 2004 parade. She and other committee members have had to deal with public fallout -- both supportive and negative -- from alleged mismanagement of parade funds by the former chairwoman, Fran Puidokas, and clashes with local veteran’s groups.

The status quo is not an option

The Wisconsin State Journal had a great opinion piece about Rep. Paul Ryan's "Roadmap to America 's Future"

The status quo is not an option

A Wisconsin State Journal editorial

If you are 30 years of age or younger, pay close attention.

If the federal government maintains the status quo in spending, it will virtually assure that just when you are in your peak earning years, around 2030, your taxes will be at least 33 percent higher than they are now.

Click here for the entire piece.

This piece is right on the money. As a woman in her 30s, I know this is the future for my generation. Hopefully politicians are listening, because we need this reform. I know I'm putting into Social Security, but I'm not relying on getting any when I retire. My generation needs to stand up and say, "Fix it NOW!"

The book

Much fuss is being made out of Scott McClellan's book. It has added to the water cooler talk at work.

My opinion?

I could not agree with John McCain more:

Asked in the interview about the new book by former White House press secretary Scott McClellan, and whether its revelations gave him pause about how the Iraq war was presented to the public, McCain said: "I would point out that people ought to, if they have strong objections, their obligation is to voice their objection at the time."

Yep. For a man who had so many problems, he stayed on the job for a long time not saying a single word.

Then he decides that when he can make a ton of money, suddenly he finds his principles. That is just not good enough.

Either McClellan had no principles during his time at the White House or he has no principles now. Neither one is impressive.

11th?

We are the 11th highest taxed state in the nation and folks are proud of this?

Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, also praised the drop in rankings. Doyle has
generally opposed sales, income and corporate tax increases, though last year he
sought tax hikes on cigarettes, hospitals and oil companies.

"He's consistently committed to responsible budgeting," Doyle spokesman Lee
Sensenbrenner said of the governor. "Here you're seeing those results."

Unfortunately for the governor, it also became painfully apparent even yesterday that our deficit climbed even higher. Announced just yesterday, Wisconsin has added $800 million to our deficit.

It is the second time state government has asked to borrow up to $800
million to cover cash-flow problems; the first time was in 2002.

How can you not get excited about that?

$800 million in debt, but yippee, we are only the 11th highest taxed state in the nation!

So let me ask- do you think Wisconsin’s tax climate has gotten any better or do you believe that other states have just gotten worse?

Common sense thinking people are well aware of the real answer to this question.

Of course Wisconsin’s tax climate is not getting better. In continues to get worse even as people continue to make excuses.

Our governor likes to claim that he is in favor of responsible budgeting. The truth be told, our current budget is held together by nothing more than accounting gimmicks.

For example, one of this budget’s accounting gimmicks is the $200 million in the transfer of funds from the patient’s compensation fund. This is money that our state government had no right to have.

Another gimmick, borrow money now and pull the money out of the next budget, not this one.

Not one word has been written for the 2009-2011 budget and yet we are already spending millions of dollars into that budget.

I do not care how many different ways the governor spins, you cannot have a massive budget hole totaling over $650 million and just make it disappear. As I have said before- there are only two ways to fix the budget problems- either we cut spending to match the revenue generated or they raise taxes to generate more revenue.

This is not rocket science.

Even with this latest budget repair, we are in the same precarious position we were in last year. We have borrowed money we cannot pay back. We continue to expand programs that we cannot afford. We have created programs we cannot afford. We have spent money we do not have.

Nothing has changed.

We have a fiscally irresponsible state government that is lead by a man that has the incredible ability to hide the truth from the taxpayers.

The real truth about Wisconsin is that we live in a tax hell, run by a government that cannot keep its hands out of our pockets.

When does a gaffe become flat out lying?

For months we have heard about Barack Obama's gaffes.

My question is when do people finally stop calling them gaffes and start calling them lies?

Definition:

gaffe: A blatant mistake or misjudgment.

lie: Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression.

Originally, when I heard the story of Obama's uncle liberating Auschwitz, I thought that it was no big deal. Yes, he did get the story wrong, but it was just a mistake.

Now, as it turns out, this was not the only "gaffe" made during that speech. He also made a "gaffe" about his grandfather's military service.

World Net Daily

During the Memorial Day speech in New Mexico, Obama suggested his grandfather, the late Stanley Dunham, engaged in combat. But the Democratic senator's autobiography says his grandfather never saw "real combat." Also, Army records apparently contradict Obama's claim his grandfather signed up the day after the Pearl Harbor attack.

Obviously, some of this stuff begins to fall under the definition of lying, and not a simple gaffe.

Once again the definition for lie: Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression.

So, is Obama attempting to deceive or give the wrong impression?

You bet he is and it is not the first time! (i.e. Reverend Wright, NAFTA, Selma march, etc...)

If he did it, good for him

Completely lost on the Canadians is what Obama was actually saying. Instead, their focus has been on who leaked a memo that made Obama look bad. Their focus is completely lost on the fact that Obama was talking out of both sides of his mouth.

Now the accusation is out the Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner's son was the one who leaked the information to the media that Obama was talking out of both sides of his mouth.

Fingers are pointing at Conservatives close to Stephen Harper for leaking a diplomatic memo that badly embarrassed Barack Obama and put Canada's vital cross-border interests at risk. Multiple sources say the Canadian note questioning the Democrat frontrunner's public promise to reopen NAFTA was leaked from the Prime Minister's Office to a Republican contact before it made American headline news.

At first, the Obama team lied about their contact with the Canadian government about NAFTA. The Obama team lied to America about it's stance on NAFTA. Obama stood right in front of the voters in Ohio and bald faced lied to them about his position on NAFTA. He told the voter of this country that he would fight to renegotiate NAFTA and then secretly approached the Canadian government, who was upset over Obama's statements, telling them that he had no intention of changing NAFTA. Obama was talking out of both sides of his mouth for political gain.

Somehow, the Canadian media want to make this about the person that leaked the information as opposed to the NAFTA deal that could severely damage their country and it's citizens.

Instead of demanding the truth out of Obama, they are demanding to know who got Obama in trouble.

If Frank Sensenbrenner did indeed leak the information to the media- good for him. Barack Obama is a candidate, not the President. This is not information that should have been protected by the Canadian government or the US government.

The idea that information should not have been leaked because it makes Obama look like a liar is ludicrous.

Clearly the Canadian media are more interested in protecting their favorite candidate Obama instead of telling the truth. The fact is that if Obama does indeed want to change NAFTA, the financial interests of the Canadian people would be damaged. Instead of protecting their own interests or the interests of fellow Canadians, the Canadian media are attempting to protect their favorite candidate, Barack Obama.

So far, Obama has received the endorsement of Hamas, Fidel Castro, the Canadian media and many in the American media.

Now that is something to hang your hat on, huh?

It is very sad that Obama not only lies to the American people, but many in the media are fighting like dogs to protect Obama's right to lie.

Good grief.

It's about unity and positive change

It's about unity and positive change or maybe not.

Every vote counts or maybe not.

Rules are rules or maybe not.

This whole Florida/Michigan thing is just entertaining to watch. Democrat vs. Democrat. Protests and counter protests.

You have got to read the comments in this post.

I did not think it was possible for Hillary supporters and the Obama supporters to get nastier with each other. Turns out they can.

If Hillary was up in the delegate count, she would probably be reacting the same way as Obama.

For Obama to continue to make the claim that he is about unity and change while this farce continues is just a joke.

What has become painfully clear is that the Democrats have brought America racism and sexism to it's highest level of hatred in years. This from the Democrats who call themselves progressive. The Democrats have taken us backwards.

The nomination is not about unity and change it is about hatred and the political status quo.

The nomination is not about counting every vote, they just want to count the votes they like.

A REALLY good day to be Republican

Of course every day is a good day to be Republican, but yesterday, Memorial Day, was a REALLY good day to be Republican. The Republican Party of Kenosha County was in two parades yesterday, one in Silver Lake and one in Twin Lakes.

It was great to have spectators cheering for REPUBLICANS!!!!
Yes, there are Republicans in Kenosha County!

Here is a picture of our float and the group of Republicans that walked in the parade. Note we have flags and are thanking our veterans, you won't see that on the Dem's float.


Ben Bakke, Republican candidate for Senate Seat #22, had his own banner and walked in the parade, too. "Little Ben" (catching a ride with dad) was a big hit in the parades.


Because we're the party that truly cares about the young ones, we even had a few riding on the float.



You don't need a license to vote or drive this ...


It's pretty sad when the man running against Samantha Kerkman is hanging out more with our float (on his Segway, of course) then the Dem's float. Does that say something? Maybe it's because we were handing out candy and getting cheered, not jeered, like the Dems.

I'm so glad this was NOT our float.
Where is its head? Maybe it's up its a** ...

Obama, flip flopper

What has become painfully obvious, Obama may not actually be a flip flopper, he is even more dangerous than this.

Obama has spent the last several weeks making bold statements. The problem is the following day, Obama will make contradictory statement to his original statement.

Highlighted in this Charles Krauthammer article-

Having lashed himself to the ridiculous, unprecedented promise of unconditional presidential negotiations -- and then having compounded the problem by elevating it to a principle -- Obama keeps trying to explain. On Sunday, he declared in Pendleton, Ore., that by Soviet standards Iran and others "don't pose a serious threat to us." (On the contrary. Islamic Iran is dangerously apocalyptic. Soviet Russia was not.) The next day in Billings, Mont.: "I've made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave."

Now again, another bold and contradictory statements on consecutive days, highlighted by Jack Kelly-

Mr. Obama told Walter Pacheco of the Orlando Sentinel last Thursday he'd personally meet with Mr. Chavez:
"One of the obvious high priorities in my talks with President Hugo Chavez would be the fermentation of anti-American sentiment in Latin America, his support of (Marxist narco-terrorists) FARC in Colombia, and other issues he would want to talk about," Sen. Obama said then. "It is important to understand that ignoring these countries has not led to improved behavior on their part and it has not served our national security interests."
But in a speech in Miami the very next day, Mr. Obama said any Latin American government that supports FARC (the Spanish acronym for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) should be isolated.

"We will shine a light on any support for the FARC that comes from neighboring governments," Mr. Obama told the Cuban American National Foundation. "This behavior must be exposed to international condemnation, regional isolation, and -- if need be -- strong sanctions. It must not stand."

ABC's Jake Tapper was confused. "So he will meet with the leader of a country he simultaneously says should be isolated? Huh?"

One day one thing, the next day something totally opposite.

The problem has now become that he says these contradictory things so eloquently, that way too many folks in the media continue to choose to ignore the contradictions.

We are about to put our lives into the hands of a new leader, and this is the type of man the Democrats choose to nominate?

Hypocrisy, thy name is Barack

WE Energies total rip-off

Due to no fault of the customers, the WE Energy meters are broken, so they plan on "estimating" how much more money is owed them.

At least 21,000 We Energies customers are getting hit with unexpected bills totaling about $3 million after broken meters failed to accurately report natural gas usage this winter.

I guess WE Energies can pretty much estimate whatever they feel like, huh?

Seriously, who is going to stop them?

The game is on

Here are the state legislature races highlighted in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-

State Senator Bob Wirch vs Ben Bakke

I'll remember these words, Mr. Childress-

"(Hansen) really fits the district well," said Jason Childress, director of the state Senate Democratic Committee. "We're watching the Wirch seat. We're not losing a lot of sleep over it."

Based on Senator Bob Wirch's reactions so far this election season, Wirch is already losing sleep over this race.

Senator Alberta Darling vs. Sheldon Wasserman

Senator Dan Kapanke vs. Tara Johnson

Senator Sheila Harsdorf vs. Alison Page

Senator Dave Hansen vs. Chad Fradette

Jim Holperin vs. Tom Tiffany (for Breske's Senate Seat)

Jessica King vs. Tim Lakin (for Roessler's Senate Seat)

The state assembly races are a lot harder to figure out.

So far, the races that I am particularly interest in are a little more local to Kenosha.

My number one priority is protecting Rep. Samantha Kerkman. She is running against ultra liberal Larry Zamba.

Former Rep. Debi Towns is running against current Rep. Kim Hixson. Hixson beat Towns by 38 votes in 2006.

There are also a couple of Republicans that have announced they are running in Kenosha for the other Assembly seats held by Democrats in Kenosha. One is for Rep. Jim Kreuser's seat that will be challenged by Jeff Cassity, maybe others. The other seat to be challenged is held by Rep. John Steinbrink.

I need to get a government job

Seriously.

After watching this entire debacle, which JB Van Hollen is facing right now, I realize that I need to get a government job.

There is just absolutely no way possible to ever lose that job. Once you have the job, apparently it is yours for life.

For example-

Complaining about your boss behind his back is perfectly acceptable.

Complaining about your boss and emailing your co-workers is also perfectly acceptable.

Undermining your boss is perfectly acceptable.

Hiding information from your boss is perfectly acceptable.

Encouraging your co-workers to hide information from your boss is perfectly acceptable.

Threatening your boss with physical harm is perfectly acceptable.

Threatening your co-workers with physical harm is perfectly acceptable.

Oh, we must not forget that if for some reason, you do not make it though your two-year probation and are sent back to your other perfectly good government job, you must go running to the media to do whatever you can to embarrass and undermine your boss. After all, a government probationary job means that you are entitled to that job for life also.

Note to self: Get a government job and you will be set for life.

Does anyone know where I can pick up an application?

It is called Leadership(for those who do not recognize it)

It may be hard to recognize, but it is called leadership.

Lately, not only the national GOP, but all across the state of Wisconsin, real leaders are difficult to find.

I know it is an election year and very few folks are willing to stick their neck out and lead this state into better direction.

Yesterday, Congressman Paul Ryan broke with the status quo, stuck his neck out and proposed a new plan to address America’s looming fiscal crisis. It is called “A Roadmap to America’s Future”.

Now whether you agree or disagree with the plan, you cannot deny someone finally stepped up and showed some leadership.

These days it is becoming more and more difficult to address the real problems of this state or this nation because too many lawmakers are running for office on a continual basis.

After the entire budget repair fiasco, I have become convinced that Wisconsin has an extreme shortage of leaders.

Not a Republican or a Democrat in our state legislature took a strong stand and lead their fellow lawmakers during the budget repair process.

Sure there were folks like Rep. Nass that got all huffy and puffy, but that is not leadership. He offered up nothing to move the debate forward. We already have plenty of backseat drivers and we do not need more.

What I truly wanted to see was someone willing to take a bold stand, buck the status quo and actually offer up a plan to fix our state budget. This was Rep. Huebsch’s responsibility, but he cannot do it alone.

We have a state that is billions of dollars in debt and our legislators just continue add to that debt.

Governor Doyle, because he is not running for re-election, pretty much got a free pass and could do whatever he wanted to do with this budget repair bill.

The Governor pretty much did what he wanted with the exception of the hospital tax.

The budget repair bill that was passed by the state legislature was pretty much vetoed and reworked by the governor. The legislature could do very little about it.

The Democrat’s leadership faired no better that the GOP. Governor Doyle trounced right over the top of all of them also.

We have plenty of elected officials that talk the talk. They tell the electorate exactly what they want to hear.

What we do not have are elected officials that will walk the walk.

Most Wisconsinites could tell you exactly what it would have taken to fix the budget fiasco. It is time to cut spending. Yes, that does indeed mean that programs will be cut, employees will be cut and people’s feelings are going to hurt.

This is the reality that is taking place all across Wisconsin at this very moment.

Every single Wisconsinite is facing the same fiscal decision.

Due to the horrible gas prices, do I take that trip over Memorial Day weekend, like I do ever other year?

Small business owners are asking themselves whether or not it is time to lay off an employee or two.

This is life. This is reality.

It is time for someone in our state legislature to break with the status quo, just like Congressman Paul Ryan did, and lead us in a better direction.

Our future is at stake in Wisconsin.

Where are the leaders?

A plan for America's future

Earlier today, GOP Gal posted "A Roadmap for America's Future" that was in the Kenosha News this morning, started by Congressman Paul Ryan.

I just received an email to a website that provides a ton of details.

Check it out:

"A Roadmap for America's Future"

As a nation, we are in some serious trouble.

Over the last 40 years, American politicians have made commitments to the American people that absolutely cannot be sustained.

Entitlement programs have ballooned into a massive burden that we cannot pay for.

America has fallen behind in the global race for jobs and job security.

Just like Wisconsin legislature and governor did last week, American politicians have just continued to push our debt out further and further. Someday that debt will have to be paid.

For all the baloney talk that we hear from today's presidential candidates, not one single candidate has any plan for the future. They have nothing. Obama and Clinton continue to promise more and more in entitlement programs, even though we cannot pay for the ones we have. (ie. universal health care) Adding to our debt and entitlement programs does nothing more than make the future more bleak and unsustainable. McCain has promised to stop the tax increases and the massive pork barrel spending, which will help, but that is still not a plan for the future.

Congressman Paul Ryan has launched a program that has a good chance of fixing our massive debt, job problems and sustaining entitlement programs.

There is no instance fix, but it is a plan. Something that few others have even attempting to launch.

One thing is clear, this plan is a start of a conversation that Americans must have.

Americans must plan for the future and that conversation needs to start now.

Check it out.

Any questions, email him. His offices are very good about responding.

CongressmanPaul.Ryan@mail.house.gov

Rep. Ryan's "Roadmap for America's Future"

Congressman Ryan has done it again. His forward (not progressive) thinking and genuine care for America has prompted him to write a new comprehensive reform package that will stabilize government taxing and spending for future generations.

Click here for an article from the Kenosha News about a preview of this program entitled, "Roadmap for America's Future."

Thank you Paul, you give hope to a generation of Americans who believe, even though we've been putting money into it, we won't be getting any Social Security. Once again Rep. Ryan makes me proud to have him as my Representative.

Making it interesting

Hillary Clinton sure is making it interesting on the democrat side of the aisle.

According to all of the media pundits, she is though. Done. Toast. Kaput. Nothing left in the tank.

Yet, even yesterday she managed to clobber in Kentucky, beating him by about 250,000 votes and she lost Oregon by about 71,000 votes.

I don't care how many different ways Obama tries to spin this, Hillary has supporters and lots of them.

If every vote is counted, as the democrats love to say, Hillary is defeating Obama in actual votes by around 100,000.

If George W. Bush was not a legitimate winner of the election in 2000 because he did not win the popular vote, as so many Democrats love to claim, how is it that Obama is the legitimate winner of the Democrat primary?

Even if you want to apply the electoral college to Obama's and Clinton's wins, Hillary clearly defeats Obama. She has won all of the big states with big electoral votes except Illinois.

If the Democrats 2000 arguments were applied to 2008, Clinton would be the clear victor.

But hey, we all know that Democrats like to change the rules of the game when things do not turn out the way they like.

Out of commission

Sorry folks, I have been out of commission for the last several days.

I have been through the most painful ordeal of my life.

Now that I am medicated and full of pain pills, life is good.

One lousy tooth and I thought I would end up in the hospital.

By the way, no photo id, no medication. That is how it works, folks.

I am more than a little curious how all of the so-called "disenfranchised" elderly and poor manage to have a photo ID for medication, but cannot supply photo ID for voting.

The argument of our governor and his democrat lackeys is an absolute crock.

Sykes is right- The People have spoken

Since I rarely get a chance to listen to Charlie Sykes because of my day job, the only time I have an opportunity to see what folks are talking about is from his blog-

California's Supreme Court decision today is a cautionary reminder of why judicial appointments and elections matter.

Elections do matter.

But in California, the constitution says what the Supreme Court says it does. And the court’s majority was not constrained by notions of judicial modesty.

Which brings us back to Wisconsin.

In 2006, Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage, despite claims from Governor Doyle and others than the measure was unnecessary because statutory bans (like California’s) were in place.

But even with the constitutional ban, it is not hard to imagine that Wisconsin’s own high court might have handed down a California-type ruling, if incumbent Louis Butler had been re-elected this spring. (It could have found a procedural defect in the wording of the constitutional amendment; or invalidated the amendment on federal constitutional grounds.)

Admittedly, given the constitutional provision, the Wisconsin court would have had a higher hurdle than the California Court.

But our court has been nothing if not creative in its jurisprudence. With Butler on the court, the liberal majority had moved hard to the left, aggressively ignoring precedent and substituting their judgment for legislative decisions and acting as a “super-legislature.” On issues ranging from crime to tort litigation, to constitutional interpretation, the court’s sweeping departures from past practice drew national attention.

Continued...

Since Obama brought it up...

H/T HotAir

Since Obama took offense to something the President said yesterday, all it did was resurrect the debate once again:

Would Obama meet with terrorist nations without preconditions?

Obama and his pundits are running around today claiming that Obama never said he would meet with Iran without preconditions and that the right and the President are just distorting what he said:

New York Times

Susan E. Rice, a former State Department and National Security Council official who is a foreign policy adviser to the Democratic candidate, said that “for political purposes, Senator Obama’s opponents on the right have distorted and reframed” his views. Mr. McCain and his surrogates have repeatedly stated that Mr. Obama would be willing to meet “unconditionally” with Mr. Ahmadinejad. But Dr. Rice said that this was not the case for Iran or any other so-called “rogue” state. Mr. Obama believes “that engagement at the presidential level, at the appropriate time and with the appropriate preparation, can be used to leverage the change we need,” Dr. Rice said. “But nobody said he would initiate contacts at the presidential level; that requires due preparation and advance work.”

Clearly Obama is stating today that there would be conditions to meeting with Iran, but check out the Barack Obama's presidential webpage:

Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.

Just in case Obama's own webpage does not convince you that he would negotiate with the terrorist country Iran, here is a You Tube video where he claims "I would" negotiate with terrorist nations:

The politics of victimhood

I know Barack Obama is just victim.

He is defending himself against a supposed attack by President Bush-

In a speech to Israel's Knesset, Bush said: "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along.

"We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

Obama responded with a statement, seizing on Bush's remarks even as it was unclear to whom the president was referring.

"It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence to launch a false political attack," Obama said in the statement his aides distributed. "George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the president's extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel."

As sensitive as Barack Obama is, you would think he was a girl.

Of course, Obama just ended up opening himself to real comments after feigning indignation towards the President:

Still, even as the White House said Bush meant no dig at the Democrat, Perino couldn't resist the opportunity to get in a small one.

"I understand when you're running for office you sometimes think the world revolves around you. That is not always true. And it is not true in this case," she said.

In Columbus, Ohio, the GOP's nominee-in-waiting, John McCain, told reporters he took Bush at his word that he wasn't referring to Obama — but he also used the opportunity to portray Obama as naive, inexperienced and lacking judgment.

Obama is desperately trying to make himself look credible by pretending the President is so worried about him that he would attack him.

Just add self centered and egotistical to Obama's list of not so endearing traits.

Sign the Voter ID petition today

A friend of mine spoke to Senator Leibham’s office about the Voter ID Amendment and was told that there is still a small amount of time to pass the Voter ID Amendment.

As long as the legislature is still in session we still have a chance at getting the State Senate to finally vote in this issue.

So, since Patrick’s petition on the drunk driving issue stirred so much energy and helped get our legislators moving, we thought perhaps a petition would at least catch the attention of the Wisconsin state senators.

Sign the Petition today and email it to your friends.

As the petition states- this is not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue- this is a Wisconsin issue.

Once again- sign the petition today and pass it around.

So why did you vote for it?

No one seems to be happy about the budget repair bill.

Republicans are not happy

Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, said he was disappointed neither party had the backbone to further address the state's debt.

"That budget package is nothing more than a version of the movie 'Groundhog Day' - only a smaller package," Kedzie said. "We continue to repeat history by borrowing, stealing and running away from the true issue, and that's cutting spending in state government."

Democrats are not happy

Kreuser said lawmakers missed opportunities to make the deal better by imposing a new tax on hospitals to generate more federal money or paying for a new commuter rail line connecting Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee.

The governor is not happy.

As he has repeatedly for the past several weeks, Doyle said he has "significant problems" with provisions in the Legislature's proposal to push $125 million in school aids off into the next biennium.

So why in the world did you guys pass this thing????

A Budget Fix? Stand Tall Republicans

I think it is pretty safe to say that this budget fix really doesn’t fix anything.

Of course most of us knew that nothing would be fixed.

The budget repairs are nothing more than a shell game.

Disguising tax increases, budget shortages, increasing our debt and borrowing from areas that cannot afford to give up their dollars, does nothing to actually fix the problem.

The problem is the budget is too high; currently we will not be bringing in enough money to cover for the shortages in the budget.

It is so simple to understand, in order to pay the bills with under the current level of spending the state legislature needs to either increase revenue (increase taxes) or cut spending.

It is just that simple.

This budget proposal really does very little of either one of these.

Because the liberals hate Walmart, they increased their taxes by $15 Million. As I was talking to someone yesterday, the ink will not even be dry on the new budget before Walmart has figured out a way to not have to pay this tax either.

Rumor has it that there were $69 million in spending cuts. I cannot see it, but even if you give them the benefit of the doubt, there is still a problem.

$69 million worth of cuts and $15 million in new taxes does not add up to a fix for a $500 million budget shortfall.

I certainly understand the quandary that the legislators are in. Either they increase taxes or they cut programs. Both reactions to the budget means political suicide, or at least that is the perception. In politics, perception is reality.

This past Monday, after a couple of city council meeting, I did battle with a very nice gentleman on this very subject. This nice gentleman very methodically explained to me why it was necessary to continue to increase taxes, even during this economically trouble time.

You see, he explained, when the price of gas goes up on our pocketbooks, then the price that the government is forced to pay also goes up. Unless government continues to raise your taxes, then they will not be able to keep up with increased cost themselves.

He further explained that health care costs are going up and taxes just had to go up or there was no way to keep up with these changes.

Over and over I listened to excuses as to why taxes just had to give up.

I finally asked the nice gentleman how were taxpayers supposed to keep up with not only their own increased health care cost and gas costs, plus they had to more in taxes to the government? He could not answer me.


Even as reasonable as some of these arguments may seem from the tax and spend liberals, we, as Republicans, need to be true to our word and fulfill the commitments we made to our constituents.

When running for office, we all made the commitment not to raise taxes and that we needed to cut spending. We ran as fiscal conservatives and we were elected because of we promised to be fiscal conservatives.

In this economic downturn the absolute worst thing for a government to do is increase taxes and increase spending.

Now that the time has once again presented itself, we still have conservatives that are having a tough time doing what is right.

We made the commitment, now we must follow through.

This is not only true of Republicans, but many Democrats made the same promises to their constituents.

My state senator, Bob Wirch, actually calls himself a fiscal conservative, as do many other democrats.

Well, this is a chance for all true fiscal conservatives to stand up.

Will you keep your promise to the taxpayers or will you continue to make play these shell games?

Budget repair bill

I received this from the Wheeler Report.

This is the most comprehensive document I have seen to date describing the details of how the budget repair bill is being worked out:

DETAILS OF BUDGET REPAIR BILL PROVISIONS

The following are the provisions of the budget repair bill agreement to be considered by a conference committee today, the Senate (at 11 a.m., Tuesday) and the Assembly (no specific time set yet):

• DOA secretary authority to lapse or transfer funds to the General Fund. Require $69 million during each year of the 2007-09 and 2009-11 fiscal biennia. This is in addition to the $200 million included in Act 20.
• Limitation on lapse from DOT. Limit transfer from DOT to $50 million; require any lapse be from SEG appropriation for state highway rehabilitation. Authorize $50 million General Fund-supported GO bonds for state highway rehabilitation program.
• Transfer of Real ID implementation funds. Prohibit JFC from providing an appropriation to supplement to DOT to supplement cost of implementing Real ID. Increase estimated transportation fund appropriation lapses by $9.5 million in 07-08, $12.2 million in 08-09 to General Fund.
• DOT highway fund program funding adjustments. Provide increases of $20 million in 07-08 for major highway development program and $56,967,500 in 07-08 for state highway rehabilitation program (FED).
• County transportation aid payment delay to fund state highway maintenance. Permanently delay the April quarterly county general transportation aid payment until July and provide additional funding for state highway maintenance in 08-09.
• Transportation Fund deficit. Reduce funding by $28 million SEG in 08-09 for major highway development program and provide a corresponding increase from SEG-S (currently authorized transportation revenue bonds) in 08-09.
• Property tax exemption for low-income housing. Modify property tax exemption for educational, religious and benevolent institutions, women’s clubs, historical societies, fraternities and libraries to extend to low-income housing and exclude low-income housing from the “rent use” requirement under current law.
• Exemption for non-profit camps from town sanitary district or town special assessments. Extend current law exemption for eligible farmland from special assessments for construction of a sewerage or water system by a town sanitary district or a town to camps.
• Utility aid hold harmless. Modify Act 20 changes to the utility aid component of the shared revenue program that will take effect in 2009 by creating a hold-harmless payment for qualifying municipalities.
• Payment of premiums for health or long-term care insurance coverage of retired public safety officers. Authorize DETF to pay premiums for any health care coverage or long-term care coverage for a WRS annuitant who is a “public safety officer” from the individual’s retirement annuity or deferred compensation accounty.
• “Custody” of persons on probation, parole or extended supervision related to escape. Modify current law related to crime of escape by defining “custody” to include actual custody or authorized physical control.
• Equalization Aid payment delay. Delay general school aid equalization aid payment by $125 million to the first Monday in July.
• Four-year-old kindergarten phase-in. Require the program to be available to all eligible pupils. Other requirements.
• Budget stabilization fund transfer. Transfer $57 million to the general fund.
• Statutory Balance. Reduce required statutory balance to $25 million for 07-09.
• Tobacco Securitization. Increase transfer from permanent endowment fund to MA trust fund by $209 million in the biennium (from $50 million annually under Act 20 to $309 million in 08-09).
• Tobacco use control grants. Increase funding for the grants by $250,000 in 08-09. (Current base is $15 million annually).
• MA benefits funding reduction. Reduce funding for MA benefits by $24.4 million to reflect savings DHFS (renamed Dept of Health Services, effective 7/1/08), to reflect savings expected to be generated in the program.
• Training requirements for long-term care insurance. Revise current law relating to the date by which individuals must complete an initial training program before they can solicit, negotiate, or sell long-term care insurance.
• Expand telephone solicitation (Do No Call) program. Include cell phones.
• Non-resident snowmobile trail use stickers. Increase fee for annual non-resident snowmobile trail use sticker to $35 effective July 1, 2008.
• Control of invasive species. Restricts possession, release, control, storage, sale or transport of any fish or viable fish eggs that are of an invasive species.
• Child care subsidies. Provide $18.6 million for direct child care subsidies under the Wisconsin Shares program. The money is for an anticipated shortfall in the program and covers holding of slots.
• Deductions for rental payments and interest payments to related entities. Under state individual and corporate income and franchise taxes deductions claimed for certain rental and interest payments by businesses to related entities be added back when computing state total income. (REITs)

Throw another bucket

Throw another bucket of water and see if that works

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Karen Carpenter, Texas.

I cannot be there to celebrate this day with you, but I love you and miss you.

Pork at what price?

I just received this e-mail from Congressman Ryan's office. This is why voters in the 1st District keep voting for Rep. Ryan. He's looking out for us and our wallets. (Too bad our State Senator isn't doing the same.)

Wisconsin’s 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan introduced legislation today that would impose a one-year earmark moratorium and strengthen the paychecks of American families. With the savings from this break in pork-barrel spending, Congress would provide some relief at the pump this summer and make much needed investments in our nation’s infrastructure. “The Gas Tax Relief and Earmark Moratorium Act of 2008” was unveiled at today’s Joint Hearing before the House Budget Committee and House Transportation Committee, which focused on financing infrastructure investments.

Ryan’s proposal would suspend the Federal 18.4-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax for the high-demand summer months. Today’s announcement coincides with news that the price of a gallon of gas in Southern Wisconsin has set new record highs, averaging roughly $3.80 per gallon in some areas. With the revenues saved from the earmark moratorium, his bill would replenish the Highway Trust Fund, a critical source of funding aimed to strengthen our nation’s infrastructure. The Gas Tax Relief and Earmark Moratorium Act would go a step further by shoring up the fund’s projected shortfall for the coming fiscal year.

Ryan’s earmark moratorium adheres to the reform efforts of Representatives Jack Kingston and Frank Wolf. The Kingston-Wolf proposal would conduct a full study of the broken practice of earmarking, bring greater transparency to these spending projects, and bar any new earmarks until the system is fixed. Ryan’s one-year earmark moratorium would provide an estimated $14.8 billion of additional revenue, more than enough to provide Americans relief at the pump and replenish the Highway Trust Fund so that road repairs can continue. Additional earmark savings would be dedicating to reducing the deficit. Challenging his colleagues again on the scourge of pork-barrel spending, Congressman Ryan issued the following statement:

“The decisions made by Congress on taxes and spending impact the paychecks of working men and women. By clinging to this broken earmark practice, Congress is picking pork over paychecks, and pork over potholes. Simply saying no to earmarks for the remainder of the year could give folks in Wisconsin some relief at the pump this summer and fix the Highway Trust Fund’s deficit. I am hopeful that Congress will give up its addiction to pork and address the concerns of the American people.”

AD66 Race "It's all about me"

While looking for Larry Zamba's stands on the issues, I found this on his MySpace page:
So Larry, to quote your MySpace page "It's all about me!"

Note to candidate: When a public official, it is not "all about you". It is all about the constituents you represent. That is why an official is in the office they hold -- to represent constituents. Now we know where Mr. Zamba stands.

And last time I checked, Mr. Zamba is 50 years old, not 100.

As I scrolled further down his MySpace page, this caught my eye:


On a personal note:

Mr. Zamba is old enough to be my father. To read someone who is 50 (100) is into the White Stripes and the Chili Peppers is just iky. Larry, act your age. It's not cool to try to "be cool" when your 50 (100). It's just creepy.

EDITED 5/11/08:

If you click on the above link you will see Mr. Zamba changed his MySpace page. After his ranting comment, and the comments received, he must have had a change of heart. Too late, Larry, we already know that "it's all about (you) me".

Kenosha's Underworld and Mob Ties

Think I am joking?

This is so embarrassing-

Corrupt?

Mob ties?

Underworld?

So whom are they talking about?

Kenosha’s corruptness

Kenosha’s mob ties

Kenosha’s underworld

An article out today from PA.

Whether anyone wants to recognize it or not, the Dennis Troha debacle is damaging Kenosha.

Here is what they are saying:

Underworld figures:

Pennsylvania gaming regulators didn't know about Wilkes-Barre slots
operator Mohegan Sun's relationship with a corrupt developer in Wisconsin.

The board suspended the gaming license of Mount Airy owner Louis
DeNaples when he was accused of hiding his connection with reputed underworld
figures. No such action has been taken against Mohegan yet, but the company did
cut its ties to the developer.

Mob ties:

But an investigation by Wisconsin authorities revealed wrongdoings and mob ties
going back long before the partnership began in 2002.

More later. I don't have the heart right now. This is my home, for heaven's sake.

Same Day Voter Registration Nation Wide

Wisconsin's same day voter registration works so well Sen. Feingold wants to make it happen nation-wide

click here for a link.

Feingold said same-day registration has worked well in Wisconsin for more than 30 years.

Oh, yeah, that's right, we don't have a problem with voter fraud in this state.

Get a clue Russ.

Is she America's most unhappy woman?

For a woman who is living the American dream, she could not be more miserable about it.

It is simple amazing to me that Michelle Obama is so unhappy.

Worse yet, she is on the verge of becoming first lady and she is still resentful of America and feels she has not been treated fairly.

From Byron York, The Hill

I took in the Michelle Obama Show this week in Charlotte, N.C.

The wife of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was in town for an election-eve
get-out-the-vote rally, to make sure that Obama voters were fired up and ready
to go for Tuesday’s primary.

Usually, such events are rah-rah, go-team affairs. But Mrs. Obama’s
appearance was a little different.

It was an hour-long tale of resentment and anger.

First, she complained at great length that her husband had been treated
unfairly in the Democratic presidential race. Every time he made a move forward,
she said, “they” — she never spelled out exactly who “they” were — moved the
goalposts a bit farther away from him.

Continued...

Is Hillary Really Out of the Running

Food for thought ...

Everyone seems to forget about the Florida and Michigan delegates. I think Hillary wants to take this to the end so she can seat these delegates and have the majority of the popular vote.

Comments and thoughts anyone?

Wirch a leader in campaign money from outside Wisconsin

RACINE COUNTY — Local Democratic legislators received more campaign money from outside Wisconsin than Republicans last year

click here to read the story in the Racine Journal Times

If Wirch is Kenosha County born and raised, why does he need so much money from out of state?

Maybe he doesn't knock on that many doors, and just likes to say he does ...

The Actual Cost of "Healthy Wisconsin" (updated)

After obtaining some more information, I have some new numbers for un"Healthy Wisconsin."

According to a report by the Taxpayer's Alliance (2006 data) 90.6% of Wisconsin residents have health insurance.

100% - 90.6% = 9.4% do not have insurance.

State population: 5,609,705 people

5,609,705 x 9.4% = 527,312 people do not have insurance

UPDATES:

of the 527,312 people, we can break it down further:

40% (210,925 people) are uninsured for 6 months or less (between jobs, etc.)

25% (131,828 people) are eligible for other programs but aren't enrolled (1/2 the children who qualify for BadgerCare aren't enrolled)

33% (174,012 people) choose not to have health insurance (known as the "young invincibles.")

527,312
-210,925
-131,828
-174,012
-----------
10,547

10,547 people in this state don't have access to health insurance.

$15,400,000,000 Cost of "Healthy Wisconsin"

$15,400,000,000 / 10,547 = $1,460,130.84

$1,460,130.84 That is what we, as taxpayers, are going to pay per actual uninsured person to health care coverage through "Healthy Wisconsin."

Thanks, Bob Wirch. This truly does show how much of a "fiscal conservative" you really are -- not at all.

Are you tired of the D.N.R.'s bullish ways?

Click on flyer to enlarge-

Senator Wirch serves on the Environment and Natural Resources Committee overseeing the D.N.R. and its policies.

Call Senator Wirch at 608-267-8979 and tell him your thoughts on the D.N.R.