Ryan vs Bachmann? You make the call.

Some of the media-driven bruhaha that has dropped straight down out of the punditsphere involves the unusual joint Republican rebuttal of President Obama's SOTUS last Tuesday evening. In pretty much back-to-back fashion, Representative Paul Ryan, up and coming GOP young gun from Wisconsin; and Representative Michelle Bachmann from Minnesota, influential member of the TEA Party Express, and leader of the TEA Party Caucus gave opposition responses to President Obama's State of the Union Address. Very rarely have members of a party distinctly given two rebuttals to one State of the Union Address, especially in a situation where the second rebuttal was not officially sanctioned by the Party Brass. So the

Ryan delivered an inspiring, Reaganesque, 10 minute speech that emphasized the free enterprise and limited government principles that have made America great and have been and should continue to be the solutions to the problems our Nation currently faces. Bachmann said nothing to counteract anything that Ryan said and in fact complemented it by offering solid numbers and policy suggestions that the President should definitely undertake to exercise real solutions to these problems.

"These budget debates are not just about the programs of government; they’re also about the purpose of government.

So I’d like to share with you the principles that guide us. They are anchored in the wisdom of the founders; in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence; and in the words of the American Constitution.

They have to do with the importance of limited government; and with the blessing of self-government.

We believe government’s role is both vital and limited – to defend the nation from attack and provide for the common defense … to secure our borders… to protect innocent life… to uphold our laws and Constitutional rights … to ensure domestic tranquility and equal opportunity … and to help provide a safety net for those who cannot provide for themselves.

We believe that the government has an important role to create the conditions that promote entrepreneurship, upward mobility, and individual responsibility.

We believe, as our founders did, that “the pursuit of happiness” depends upon individual liberty; and individual liberty requires limited government."

He then wrapped up his speech describing how the growth of Government and the deficit due to the actions of previous Congress and administrations has failed millions of people and how these principles of free-enterprise system and limited Government, as well as other conservative values, will be the principles that will solve the problems facing our Nation both in the present down the road:

"We believe a renewed commitment to limited government will unshackle our economy and create millions of new jobs and opportunities for all people, of every background, to succeed and prosper. Under this approach, the spirit of initiative – not political clout – determines who succeeds.

Millions of families have fallen on hard times not because of our ideals of free enterprise – but because our leaders failed to live up to those ideals; because of poor decisions made in Washington and Wall Street that caused a financial crisis, squandered our savings, broke our trust, and crippled our economy.

Today, a similar kind of irresponsibility threatens not only our livelihoods but our way of life.

We need to reclaim our American system of limited government, low taxes, reasonable regulations, and sound money, which has blessed us with unprecedented prosperity. And it has done more to help the poor than any other economic system ever designed. That’s the real secret to job creation – not borrowing and spending more money in Washington.

Limited government and free enterprise have helped make America the greatest nation on earth."

Bachmann began her speech almost immediately with a presentation of numbers and how the unemployment and big Government growth that had initiated during the Bush administration, completely exploded from the beginning of the Obama's stay at the Whitehouse and has continued. She used a chart that marked the unemployment rate from in 2001 through 2011 and used it to make a correlation and then offered solutions the President could undertake that would add some credibility to the statements he made during the SOTUS.

"Obamacare mandates and penalties may even force many job creators to just stop offering health insurance altogether, unless of course yours is one of the more-than-222 privileged companies or unions that has already received a government waiver under Obamacare. In the end, unless we fully repeal Obamacare, a nation that currently enjoys the world's finest health care might be forced to rely on government-run coverage. That could have a devastating impact on our national debt for even generations to come.

For two years, President Obama made promises just like the ones we heard him make tonight. Yet still, we have high unemployment, devalued housing prices and the cost of gasoline is skyrocketing. Well here are a few suggestions for fixing our economy:

• The president could stop the EPA from imposing a job-destroying cap-and-trade system.
• The president could support a Balanced Budget Amendment.
• The president could agree to an energy policy that increases American energy production and reduces our dependence on foreign oil.
• The president could also turn back some of the 132 regulations put in place in the last two years, many of which will cost our economy $100 million or more.
• And the president should repeal Obamacare and support free-market solutions, like medical malpractice reform and allowing all Americans to buy any healthcare policy they like anywhere in the United States. We need to start making things again in this country, and we can do that by reducing the tax and regulatory burdens on job creators. America will have the highest corporate tax rate in the world. Think about that. Look no further to see why jobs are moving overseas.

We need to start making things again in this country, and we can do that by reducing the tax and regulatory burdens on job creators. America will have the highest corporate tax rate in the world. Think about that. Look no further to see why jobs are moving overseas."

Bachmann, then ended her speech with a Reaganesque inspiration of her own, pledging a renewed Republic has just begun.

"I believe that we are in the early days of a history-making turn in America. Please know how important your calls, visits, and letters are to the maintenance of our liberties. Because of you, Congress is responding and we are just starting to undo the damage that's been done the last few years. Because we believe in lower taxes. We believe in a limited view of government, and exceptionalism in America. And I believe that America is the indispensable nation of the world. Just the creation of this nation itself was a miracle. Who's to say that we can't see a miracle again?

Ryan, who is Chairman of the House Budget Committee, is a rising GOP star whose work on the budget and his commitment to conservative values and principles has some urging a bid for the Presidency in 2012. He is a huge part of the Republican conservative operation and clearly is embraced as part of the Establishment. His Road Map for America, which outlines many conservative budget principles and contained some ideas about privatizing Social Security, that wasn't entirely embraced in all forms by the GOP leadership in the last election. But make no mistake that he is a heavy hitter in the New Congress, especially with the crop of TEA-party inspired candidates who pledge to stick to their guns.

Bachmann is one of the leaders of the 40-member TEA party caucus in the House of Representatives and a member of the TEA Party Express. It was Amy Krener, one of the leaders of the TEA Party Express who connected with Congresswoman Bachmann on first broadcasting the Internet rebuttal on the TEA Party Express Website. The TEA Party Express has never promoted positions outside of the Republican Party platform and aside from putting their weight behind a few candidates in Senate races that didn't quite have all of the credentials to pull out national victories, they're largely responsible for a great number of House gains for the GOP last fall. Their presence as a national outfit working in concert with the Republican grassroots has been nothing but positive for the Party. Their mission is solid. Some of the House Leadership have been quoted as saying that her dual rebuttal the other night was "unusual" or "out of the ordinary" and that's what some of the national media has glommed on to in claiming that her supplement to Ryan's message was upsetting and annoying to the GOP. But if anyone were to take a listen to both presentations, they complement one another and not contradict and they certainly don't make conservatives or the TEA Party look bad at all. If anybody in the GOP is truly upset about this development and wish to make this general non-crisis a into a continuing non-story, then they weren't conservative to begin with.

A great thanks to Chip Hanlon's Red County Blog http://www.redcounty.com/content/text-paul-ryans-gop-rebuttal and to NPR http://www.npr.org/2011/01/26/133230238/transcript-tea-party-response-from-rep-bachmann for the text from the various speeches.

The SOTUS: President Obama, will you keep your promises?

As a candidate for President of the United States in 2007 and 2008, Barack Obama made a slew of campaign promises to both liberals and conservatives in various settings that didn't survive the swear-in ceremony on the west side of the Capitol building. Chief among them being:

Going through the federal budget line-by-line and eliminating programs that don't and making sure that those that do work better and cheaper.

Reforming the use of large numbers earmarks in federal spending bills.

Eliminating capital gains taxes for small businesses.

Televised congressional negotiations on the Health Care Bill on C-SPAN.

Spending cuts.

Calling out and publicizing misspent government money.

Not hiring lobbyists as administration staff.

Open transparency including listing of tax breaks and earmarks in spending bills online and a 5-day Internet public comment after passage non-emergency bills before being signed into law.

Into this cauldron, enters the President's third State of the Union speech and the speech, while taken on its face, was one of his more inspiring and clearly more centrist speeches, a little delve into the fine details reveals a very common thread to some of the very same campaign promises pre-POTUS Obama made to the Nation, that when donning the POTUS cap, clearly entered into some state of post-candidate amnesia:

But now that the worst of the recession is over, we have to confront the fact that our government spends more than it takes in. That is not sustainable. Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. They deserve a government that does the same.

So tonight, I am proposing that starting this year, we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years. Now, this would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and will bring discretionary spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was President.

Now, most of the cuts and savings I’ve proposed only address annual domestic spending, which represents a little more than 12 percent of our budget. To make further progress, we have to stop pretending that cutting this kind of spending alone will be enough. It won’t.

The bipartisan fiscal commission I created last year made this crystal clear. I don’t agree with all their proposals, but they made important progress. And their conclusion is that the only way to tackle our deficit is to cut excessive spending wherever we find it –- in domestic spending, defense spending, health care spending, and spending through tax breaks and loopholes.

This is the same talk again that you used during the campaign. You practically sold independents on the concept that he would be a fiscal conservative who wouldn't play second fiddle to John McCain and then when you arrived in office the first major legislative accomplishment was to sail through the $787 stimulus plan loaded with earmarks and pet projects and ballooned the deficit. You make overtures that you need to make deeper cuts and to give more consideration to non-discretionary spending. It's hard to tell if this is just nothing more than rhetorical bluster of the same kind you offered about fiscal responsibility during his candidacy.

But to help our companies compete, we also have to knock down barriers that stand in the way of their success.

For example, over the years, a parade of lobbyists has rigged the tax code to benefit particular companies and industries. Those with accountants or lawyers to work the system can end up paying no taxes at all. But all the rest are hit with one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and it has to change.

So tonight, I’m asking Democrats and Republicans to simplify the system. Get rid of the loopholes. Level the playing field. And use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years –- without adding to our deficit. It can be done.

This sounds familiar along the lines of your proposal to eliminate the capital gains taxes for small businesses. It hasn't been done. The idea is a great overture if carried out. Simplifying the tax code would be a huge favor all businesses and corporations. Conservatives have been calling for both ideas to be implemented for years. What's interesting to me is that liberals seem to focus on is that biggest problem coming from the tax code seems to be from loopholes and that any reduction in tax rates leads to an increase in the deficit. The biggest problem with the tax code, Mr President, is that it is too complicated and punitive. And while reducing taxes technically leads to an increase in the deficit short-term, it really doesn't in the big picture because it leads to more revenue coming into the government. The real issue that drives up the deficit is unchecked spending. Obviously, if the government spends more than it takes it, and then borrows to make up the difference then the deficit will increase. But if the government cuts taxes, how can that truly drive up the deficit? One can't spend what one doesn't have.

In the coming year, we’ll also work to rebuild people’s faith in the institution of government. Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you’ll be able to go to a web site and get that information for the very first time in history. Because you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists, I ask Congress to do what the White House has already done -- put that information online. And because the American people deserve to know that special interests aren’t larding up legislation with pet projects, both parties in Congress should know this: If a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, I will veto it. I will veto it.

To reduce barriers to growth and investment, I’ve ordered a review of government regulations. When we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them. But I will not hesitate to create or enforce common-sense safeguards to protect the American people. That’s what we’ve done in this country for more than a century. It’s why our food is safe to eat, our water is safe to drink, and our air is safe to breathe. It’s why we have speed limits and child labor laws. It’s why last year, we put in place consumer protections against hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies and new rules to prevent another financial crisis. And it’s why we passed reform that finally prevents the health insurance industry from exploiting patients.

Here's the transparency angle again and vetoing earmarks. It was great the first time, though I didn't believe it. The second time, I'm definitely not I'm buying it either. You'll definitely have to prove it to me on this one, Mr President. You can put Web sites up like recovery.gov all over the place and play with numbers; claim transparency, claim you'll notify us about legislation that contains pork and earmarks that you said you wouldn't sponsor but did over and over again, tell us you'll fix burdensome regulation that you've proffered up since the first days you were in congress and then tell us you'll fix it. And in the end words mean things, particularly if they're meaningless from the outset, and especially when they're unfulfilled.

Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. And I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. I know that debate will be difficult. I know it will take time. But tonight, let’s agree to make that effort. And let’s stop expelling talented, responsible young people who could be staffing our research labs or starting a new business, who could be further enriching this nation.

While I agree with you, Mr President, on giving foreign workers or students who don't overstay their visas a fair chance to stay in the US and find a job, I do not agree that children of undocumented workers should necessarily have the same benefit on taxpayer dollars. Your statement about addressing the millions of undocumented workers living in the shadows reeks of mass amnesty for illegals and that, Mr President, has been a plank in your party's platform for quite a while, and like the last attempt you made to force amnesty upon us in 2007, you can be sure this would be a difficult debate for you in 2011 too.

The third step in winning the future is rebuilding America. To attract new businesses to our shores, we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information -- from high-speed rail to high-speed Internet.

Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a “D.”

We have to do better. America is the nation that built the transcontinental railroad, brought electricity to rural communities, constructed the Interstate Highway System. The jobs created by these projects didn’t just come from laying down track or pavement. They came from businesses that opened near a town’s new train station or the new off-ramp.

So over the last two years, we’ve begun rebuilding for the 21st century, a project that has meant thousands of good jobs for the hard-hit construction industry. And tonight, I’m proposing that we redouble those efforts.

We’ll put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and bridges. We’ll make sure this is fully paid for, attract private investment, and pick projects based [on] what’s best for the economy, not politicians.

Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail. This could allow you to go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some trips, it will be faster than flying –- without the pat-down. As we speak, routes in California and the Midwest are already underway.

Within the next five years, we’ll make it possible for businesses to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98 percent of all Americans. This isn’t just about -- this isn’t about faster Internet or fewer dropped calls. It’s about connecting every part of America to the digital age. It’s about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers and small business owners will be able to sell their products all over the world. It’s about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning building onto a handheld device; a student who can take classes with a digital textbook; or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with her doctor.

At the California Institute of Technology, they’re developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they’re using supercomputers to get a lot more power out of our nuclear facilities. With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I’m asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. (Applause.) I don’t know if -- I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re doing just fine on their own. So instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, let’s invest in tomorrow’s.

Now, clean energy breakthroughs will only translate into clean energy jobs if businesses know there will be a market for what they’re selling. So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: By 2035, 80 percent of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources.

Some folks want wind and solar. Others want nuclear, clean coal and natural gas. To meet this goal, we will need them all -- and I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen.

So the answer to all of our pressing infrastructure needs is high-speed rail and high-speed Internet. And who is going to pay for that? And we've already tried the whole infrastructure angle with the 2009 Economic Recovery and Investment Act, not even half of which has been implemented and with nearly a trillion dollars having been spent. Where are all of the infrastructure jobs? I don't see the shovel-ready construction crews tackling the crumbling roads and bridges across America in mass numbers. They don't exist. Thousands of construction jobs? That's all we could muster from a trillion dollars? And now you're going to propose that we rebuild more infrastructure and this time it's high-speed rail and high-speed Internet? President Obama, you just proposed that we make cuts in spending and curb the national debt and you'll have to make sacrifices in the Federal budget like all Americans have to make sacrifices in their budgets. How am I supposed to believe you if you're going to propose another government-led spending boondoggle like the federal stimulus bill? High-speed rail is a localized means of travel that will cost a lot of money to build and maintain and large numbers of people will not be using it on a regular basis. We prefer our cars. Why not use the power of the free-enterprise system and then unleash incentives for businesses to develop their high-speed Internet networks and let it transpire on its own. It'll save a lot of money. And Mr President I do agree with what you say about an "all in one" energy policy but you've already made promises about nuclear energy and clean coal technology before, including in your SOTUS address last year, so should I believe you this time too? And then you want to punish the oil companies, the only current purveyors of relatively cheap energy, by taking away their tax incentives. They already pay massive taxes and it's extremely expensive to drill for oil as it is so they're not raking in the dough like you seem to think. It's one thing to make profits by raw numbers but it's another thing to look at where those profits go. If a business doesn't reinvest its profits, it will die. Where is the proposal that we drill on more domestic land where it is less risky and less expensive so that we can achieve greater energy independence right now and alleviate rising fuel costs so that we can achieve an even quicker recovery of the economy? You call it yesterday's energy. Well, it seems to be rather relevant today. And 1 million electric cars by 2015? Are you going to upgrade the electrical grid infrastructure that has been allowed to age and languish due to the efforts of environmental radicals so that said electrical grid can support said electrical cars? Sounds like a fantasy world with a fantasy ending.

A lot of your speech, Mr President, was loaded with great applause lines and inspiring conjecture and if you had made good on all or most of your previous promises, I would be quite willing to take you at your word and be proportionately inspired. But something about your past rhetoric and corresponding behavior makes me completely doubt a lot of what you said and your actions will have to prove to me beyond a doubt that you are willing to make good on your promises in 2011.

It's Official: Reince Priebus, new RNC Chairman

The Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman who helped oversee the groundbreaking elections of Sean Duffy and Ron Johnson is taking his skills to the national stage. Wisconsin's own Reince Priebus officially beat out six other candidates to become Republican National Committee Chairman on Friday afternoon. Priebus, who has been Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair for nearly 4 years, now replaces the embattled Michael Steele who withdrew in round 4 of the ballot process after not being able to gain enough votes to win re-election. The 168-person Republican National Committee conducts its balloting in a round-by-round format with each prospective candidate able to remain in the running from the start of the vote until they no longer are able to draw enough votes to mathematically attain a majority win. Once ousted, each candidate then is able to focus on throwing their support behind one of the remaining options. Priebus secured his victory with 97 votes in the 7th round, long after Steele had been retired and had thrown his own weight behind RNC official Maria Cino. The win was the end game in a complicated series of closed door maneuvering that defines the RNC chairmanship election. Reince never trailed in votes throughout the day and had entered round one of balloting with a total of 44 official commitments. Over the next 6 rounds, the series of contenders fell by the wayside, with ever-shifting enclaves and behind-the-scenes deal-making swelling his vote total into the 7th round where he was finally able to break the barrier, leaving his closest competitor, Michigan's Saul Anuzis, with 43 and Cino with 28.

Priebus threw his hat in the ring on December 6 of 2010. Being from Wisconsin and up against several long-entrenched members of the RNC, his victory seemed like a long shot, but his personal skills and organizational prowess including his experience in running Michael Steele's 2009 campaign to become Chairman helped solidify inner connections and though he didn't have a great showing in the debate round of the proceedings on January 3, he was able to secure the commitments to help him win on Friday.

"Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus will make an outstanding chairman for our national party," Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said in a press release when Priebus announced.

"Our success in Wisconsin this year is due in large part to Reince's leadership in joining with the grass-roots movement that swept Wisconsin and our nation, bringing major Republican gains on November 2nd. Reince made our state party all-inclusive, and led the charge to successfully take back the governor's office, a U.S. Senate seat, two U.S. House seats and both chambers of the statehouse.

Reince embraces conservative principles and has an established track record of outstanding communications, fund-raising and grass roots organization. He is exactly what the national GOP needs: a skilled and proven leader who never forgot the roots of the party."

Priebus' leadership style would be a great departure from the former Chairman Steele's, which is exactly what many in the Party have been clamoring for. Steele's out-in-public facade may have been a distraction from the meaningful, in-the-trenches organizational functions that are looked at as being the most vital to the RNC chairmanship. In Wisconsin, Priebus organized a massive grassroots phone and door-to-door ground campaign that led to the State being one of the top get-out-the-vote networks in the country. Aside from helping to result in the elections of the aforementioned Duffy, Johnson, and Reid Ribble for national offices, it also resulted in a complete flip in the Governorship and the State Houses from Democratic majorities to steep Republican. His roll-up-your-sleeves philosophy may be just what the Party needs going forward as the RNC faces daunting challenges with the 2012 Presidential elections looming, the Establishment and Tea Party wings having to Unite behind a common candidate, and the Committee being 20 million in the hole after the 2010 election cycle in combination Steele's fundraising gaffes and fiscal mismanagement. Priebus' first tasks will be to rebuild relationships and coffers.

“Now is the time for the committee to unite,” he said in his victory speech according to the The Daily Caller. “We must come together for the common interest.”

“With that in mind,” he continued, “I want you to know, that I am here to earn the trust and support for each and every one of you.” He added, “And I’m going to start working right now as your chairman.”

“We all recognize that there’s a steep hill here ahead of us. The only way we’ll be able to move forward is if we’re all together.”

"As Reagan said, our nation is that shining city upon a hill and we must work to keep it that way,” Priebus continued, saying that he would do everything possible, with the help of the committee “to be sure that our Republican presidential nominee has the organization in place to beat Barack Obama."

Priebus, a Wisconsin native, was born in Kenosha and received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and English from the UW Whitewater, served as a staffer in the Wisconsin legislature for a year, and then attended the University of Miami where he obtained a law degree in 1998. He interned for the NAACP in Los Angeles and went to work at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in Milwaukee once out of law school. He ran for State Senate in 2004 where he unsuccessfully challenged Democrat Robert Wirch and then ran for Wisconsin Republican Party chair in 2007 and won as the youngest person ever elected. He additionally became general counsel for the RNC in 2009.

RNC Elections 2011

I'm glad that (despite getting a late start today) I started following [and live-Tweeting] the #RNCChair race, while all the candidates were still in; Thanks to Colin Hoffman (of the Missouri CRs), for the quick heads-up.


A hearty congratulations to REINCE PRIEBUS, on winning Chairman of the Republican National Committee!!

Thanks so much, also, to Chairman Michael Steele, for his service, to our party, and our conservative GOP causes.

There are other #RNC11 races still taking place, however. Congratulations to Sharon Day, for being elected National Co-Chair!!

Right now, incumbent RNC Treasurer Randy Pullen (of Arizona) is seeking re-election, against challenges from Ron Nehring (CA) and Tony Parker (DC).

Many of us in the Midwest are closely watching the RNC National Secretary election, in which Demetra Demonte (IL), is running, against Dee Dee Benkie (IN).

I assume that that election will be up, next.

Lame ducks: Working past midnight (to finish screwing our state)

Amidst the blizzard (which started yesterday, as unfortunate-Governor Pat Quinn's Inaugural Ball was wrapping up!), and has continued, through now...
...the Illinois General Assembly is still in session.

Today (well, now yesterday!) is the last day of the lame-duck session.

While we failed (which I'm reminded of, about every day!) to win the Office of Governor, and also failed to win enough seats, to take control of the State Senate, nor the State House, we did make significant gains, in both of those Chambers.

During the fall veto session, the IL Dems passed some horrid legislation. They've had another lame-duck session, this week and last, in which they helped screw our state some more (like with that "Amazon.com tax" - for which they had some GOP assistance)... and are now staying up late, to push through the crown jewel of their wreckage - a massive INCOME TAX HIKE!

They are trying to get this rammed through, before the new Republicans are sworn in tomorrow (which would now be today!) at noon, on our capital-city (UIS) campus.

Earlier this evening, the tax-hike plan passed the Illinois House, by a vote of 60 to 57.

The debate, in the State Senate, is still underway.

Follow it (audio or video) live:
www.ilga.gov/senate/audvid.asp

And follow:
http://twitter.com/ILSenateGOP
http://twitter.com/SJRthedome

Merry Christmas

For Our Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to observe religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2011, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures.

For Our Republican Friends: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may God bless you and yours in 2011.

This time of the year is about change; it's about the future. We look at the New Years celebration as a change of the year and look forward to all of the exciting things to come that year. But Christmas is also about a change - it's about a change in the World for the rest of the future, not just a year. When Jesus Christ was born in a manger, it signified a change; it was the start of a beautiful future full of possibilities that last much longer than a year, but an eternity. So, this holiday season, don't just look to 2011, but look to the future. And the future is bright. In this Christmas and Holiday Season, let's work to change the future and change the World. And we as Republicans, can do just that if we stay focused, stay energized, stay loyal, and remain the best party on Campus. Look to the future, my friends. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

(Jeffrey Isbell, a pentecostal minister, is a former UIS College Republican and field representative for the College Republican National Committee.)

Mayor Tim Davlin

Mayor Tim Davlin

Though I missed a friend's call this morning (which I'm assuming was regarding this same news), I woke up today (after sleeping in too late, once again!), as a couple of service workers were at home, one of whom asked the other if he'd heard the news today, regarding Mayor Tim Davlin; he said he'd been getting messages about that, all day. "That's crazy," they remarked.

I thought that the news may be regarding some policy or personal-based development (several such items had recently been in the news). When doing a web search on my Blackberry however, I was shocked at what it actually was.


Our Mayor, here in the (Illinois) capital city, was found dead today, of an apparent suicide (though the cause of death is uncertain, at this point). The Illinois State Police, from what I've read/heard, called a press conference, but didn't reveal any information.


I have been a critic of the Mayor (and our successful (College Republicans!!) actions in the last Municipal elections probably didn't make him too happy!), but he was a decent guy, who had tough decisions to make, and faced a lot of heat, from his fellow Democrats, in addition to Republicans. The Mayor was also respected by people, across the board.

====> Mayor Davlin's activities were being nationally-watched, on two major occasions during the 2007-2008 election season; Both Barack Obama's presidential announcement, and his VP (Biden) announcement, were done from the Old State Capitol. (I don't think the Obama campaign ever fully reimbursed our City, for this; That bill is probably still due... Which seems to be a prominent type of problem, for this administration!)

I will post more on this, as the situation develops...

For now, please keep the Davlin family in your prayers.

Thanksgiving Day 2010

It's been awhile since I've done a Thanksgiving blog entry. In my prior posts, I'd featured a moving prayer, from the great(!) columnist Michelle Malkin:

Thanksgiving Prayer 2002 (Link annotations were added by me; Here's another version)

Michelle often writes poignant pieces; Here are her columns, for this occasion, from 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (great advice; Was thinking of this, this morning!), 2008, last year... and this time: "Giving thanks for American ingenuity"


from Thanksgiving 2010...

Giving Thanks for Liberty and Freedom, U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Private Property and the First Thanksgiving, The Show-Me Daily

Video: A Thanksgiving Tribute to Property Rights, Reason TV

From our old friend Dan Flynn: Socialism Didn't Work at Plymouth Plantation, Either

And Rush Limbaugh's classic commentary

NRO Symposium: Giving Thanks

‘Where Do We Get
These People?’, Rich Lowry
The First Thanksgiving, Frank Miniter
Thanksgiving for the Bill of Rights, John Hayward
A Grateful Nation, Newt & Callista Gingrich
A Tale of Two Colonies, Gary Galles, Ludvig von Mises Institute

- For which we give thanks
- God returns to Obama's Thanksgiving proclamation

A Thanksgiving Sacrifice
While we celebrate our national holiday in the warmth and comfort of homes, the men and women of our armed forces serve at grave peril in faraway places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The History of Thanksgiving
TH Radio: Thanksgiving is the least corrupted of the major holidays. It seems to have retained its essential spirit untainted, or at least not completely distorted by the forces of commercialization and secularization.

This Thanksgiving, Serve Gratitude, Rebecca Hagelin
Pro Patria: America, 'Tis of Thee We Sing, Ross Mackenzie
Still Thankful, Cal Thomas
Thanksgiving for Leaders, Jackie Gingrich Cushman
Thankful for a Bygone Era & New Dawn, Armstrong Williams

Remember Whom to thank, Joe Farah
Thanksgiving: The Inoculation Against Fear and Worry, Jane Chastain
Be thankful for technological bounty, Phil Elmore
Thanksgiving wishes from Avenal State Prison, Jack Cashill
Happy "Starvation Day" (A lost Thanksgiving lesson), John Stossel (H/T: Bill Hobbs, Phil Kerpen)

Vote for the Turkey, Skyla Freeman
Happy Thanksgiving, Erick Erickson, Red State


Giving thanks to Whom thanks is due, Illinois Family Institute
A Special Thanksgiving Message, Traditional Values Coalition
Lame Ducks Talk Turkey, Family Research Council

(Note: The above 3 pieces were included, in defiance of the liberal, money-grubbing Southern "Poverty" Law Center.)


a few selections, from Thanksgivings past:
Don't wait to be thankful, Cassandra Walker
In Defense of Traditional Thanksgiving History, Josh Claybourn
America Rocks! The Greatest Country the world has ever known, Ted Nugent
See Ted Nugent's piece, for this year!
The Truth about Thanksgiving and Free Markets, Richard J. Maybury
The Real Meaning of Thanksgiving, Joseph Farah

What Thanksgiving Means to America, from the late Rev. Jerry Falwell

Immigrant Religious Extremist Group Signs Manifesto (1620)


And last (for Thanksgiving 2010), but not least:
A Thanksgiving Message to all 57 States, Sarah Palin (H/T: Jimmie, via Dean in Waukesha)

Obama: Let's have a bipartisan Thanksgiving

Top 10 reasons for conservatives to be thankful, Kenneth Hanner

Both parties have reason to give thanks, Politico (H/T: Saul Anuzis)

One year ago, we were involved in the major GOP wins in Virgnia and New Jersey, which were viewed as key, towards this year's bellwether elections. This month's elections were similarly-thrilling to those across the country - though for those conservatives in my state, it was a mixed bag.

But nonetheless...
Whether for 2010, 2009, 2008/2006, or any other year - The message remains the same:

No matter what happens, with these types of issues and events, it cannot be denied that we all have a GREAT DEAL to be thankful for!

During recent months, and in prior years--within our local, national, and international politics, within our "Web2.0" networks, and within the public arena--there has been a great deal of arguing, attacking, flaming, antagonism, and ill will that has been expressed by many individuals and groups. We have also celebrated many major election victories, even while facing policy-related setbacks, and destructive policies, at the national (and statewide) levels... not to mention the current socio-economic times. [And for those who are students, there are of course the usual (upcoming) concerns, but also, things we need to be doing, over "Fall Break."]

But now is not the time for angst, or for worry, or overwhelming frustration with others, or with the contemporary issues facing our country, our community, or our lives. Nor is it even the time for fiercly-positive dialectics, regarding these issues (or other matters, that may cause disputes, like when at today's family gatherings :-).

Now is the time to give thanks - To give thanks that we live in a society in which we can have these debates and discussions legally and freely, and in which we can praise or protest the policies and policy-makers that affect our society and our lives today. And it is a time to give thanks to our brave current and former soldiers - those who sacrifice their time, services, livelihoods, and sometimes, a great deal more - to defend our country and our citizenry. And above all, it is time to give thanks to our Lord and Creator - for all that he has done - for us, for our nation, and for the world in which we live.

Have a great Thanksgiving - and may your holiday be cheerful and pleasant. Best wishes to you and yours for an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend as well.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

(And don't eat too much turkey... ;-)

The Most Ridiculous Attack Yet

In politics, seeing unfair & unfounded attacks against elected officials & candidates is all-to-common, and (despite myths to the contrary) has been so, since our nation began.

One paradigm shift that has definitely taken place, of late however, is the hostility towards religion - especially Christianity - in the public arena.

Still, I have been extremely-surprised, seeing the nature of the attacks, against U.S. Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL).



The Congressman has been one of the [increasing!!] number of GOP elected officials who use Twitter, and the related "Web2.0" networking services. On his Twitter page, you will frequently see Bible verses.

So far, nothing unusual, right?

Note: I know Congressman Shimkus, and I also know longtime reporter for the State Journal-Register, Bernie Schoenburg. And I have been fans of both. I was quite disappointed therefore, to find, in Mr. Schoenburg's column from a few months ago, that he was criticizing the Congressman, for Tweeting Bible verses.


The Post-Election [intra-party] elections
This seemingly-noncontroversial matter has arisen again this month, because the Congressman is notably seeking the Chairmanship of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee.

Check out this "news" article, from the prominent national Hill newspaper.
(Fortunately, the comments section there appears unanimously on the side of common sense!)


I was alarmed, after doing a quick web search the other night, and seeing that this silliness seemed to have spread, throughout the web. In looking back, I saw that a lot of the criticism is regarding Congressman Shimkus' opposition to the global warming alarmism. That attack is also wrong, though not as absurd as the aforementioned one!


**Best of luck to U.S. Congressman John Shimkus, in his bid to become Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Commerce and Energy!!


Note: As said in the sidebar here, all blog entries reflect only the views of their author.

Giving Thanks

I am so very thankful for our great United States Military. Without which, we would never be able to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Because of the United States Military, I can, if I so desire, go at 4:17 in the morning to a 7-11 and get a Slurpee. No other country in the world can say they have those freedoms and liberties. I know it doesn't seem like much, but when you really look at it, it is a lot.

Mike Pence for 2012?

In 2006 after the Republicans lost the House of Representatives in a blood bath of an election, Mike Pence was sounding the rally call, putting front and center what the Republicans had done wrong.

"Our opponents will say that the American people rejected our Republican vision," he remarked during his run for the House Minority Leadership position. "I say the American people didn't quit on the Contract with America, we did. And in so doing, we severed the bonds of trust between our party and millions of our most ardent supporters."

On November 17 of that year, John Boehner won the election by a sweeping margin and has been House Minority Leader ever since. Between Boehner, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Pence, the House Republicans have a rising new crop of leadership ready to take the reins in the event that control is handed back to the Party. Pence himself has an election on his hands for 2010, a serial de-ja-vu type of affair against a familiar opponent in Barry Welsh, who also ran against Mike in 2008 and 2006 and lost both times. According to Welsh, 3 times is a charm but it appears that in this year of political conservative ascendancy, Pence's seat has been proclaimed totally safe for another go-round (D.C's Political Report).

This term in Pence's District should be his 6th, but it nearly was a Senate battle that Mike was involved in. Earlier this year, Pence was running against Democrat freshman incumbent Evan Bayh for the Senate seat that he captured in 2004. A Rasmussen telephone poll
on January 25th showed him leading Bayh by 3 points but Mike declined soon afterward, deciding to pursue instead the grand probability that the House would regain Republican majority and he'd have a new go at leadership possibilities.

Born in Columbus, Indiana, (WIKIPEDIA) Mike is one of six children, attending Columbus North High School, graduating from Hanover College with a Bachelor of Arts and the Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis with a Juris Doctorate. He was an attorney and became a radio host of The Mike Pence Show based out of WRCR-FM in Rushville, Indiana. He actually made his first attempts to run for congress in 1988 and 1990, against Phil Sharp and lost both, even with the blessing of Ronald Reagan. It was a decade before he ran again, this time in 2000, when Republican David McIntosh vacated the 6th congressional seat and ran for governor. The decade has gone to Pence ever since. He formerly was leader of the Republican Study Committee and now chairs the House Republican Conference, which officially is the 3rd highest leadership ranking in the House. A winner of numerous conservative awards and honors, Pence has brought his conservative ideals to the forefront of a new generation of Republican leadership.

Mike and his wife Karen have three children, Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. They live in Columbus, Indiana.

I interviewed Mike at a recent fundraiser for Wisconsin candidate Dan Kapanke, who ran against Ron Kind in the 3rd District. At the time, Pence was crisscrossing the country, lending his hand to every possible race, both big and small, to help turn tide in the November 2 election.


1. YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A CHRISTIAN FIRST, A CONSERVATIVE SECOND, AND A REPUBLICAN THIRD. HOW DOES THIS PHILOSOPHY GUIDE YOUR BELIEF AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM INDIANA?

Well, back when I was talk radio show host in the 1990s, people used to call my show and say, "I've been listening to you for a while, are you a conservative, a libertarian, or are you a neoconservative?" And I would say "I'm a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican in that order" and the way I tried to build a career over the past 10 years is on the basis of that foundation, where my faith instructs me in the conduct of my office, my family, or in policies effecting our values, that's what leads. But I'm a deeply committed conservative and that comes before party affiliation and at times I've had to do battle with leaders of my own party or a President of my own party on spending issues where I thought Republicans were walking away from the principles of limited Government. But beyond my core values and ideals, I'm proud to be a Republican, particularly these days when I see the Republican Party coming back to the principles that minted our national Governing majority and I think that's why the American People are giving us a second look.



No matter where Mike leads, it's a win for the Republican Party!

2. HAS IT BEEN INTIMIDATING FOR YOU BATTLE AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR OWN PARTY?

Well, I will say that when I arrived in Washington in 2001, Scott, I never imagined that my toughest battles would be against members of my own party but, you know, when the Bush Administration came to power and their first priority was a massive expansion of the Federal Government, the Department of Education with No Child Left Behind and then there was a massive expansion of entitlements with the Medicare prescription drug bill, we saw a doubling of the national debt, an earmarking culture, and the Wall Street bailout. I just knew, my first obligation was to stand on the conservative principles that I'd run on, to stand on the conservative principles that I'd run on, the conservative principles that I'd been advancing for so long in my life. So in one sense it was easy, because it was just about letting my "yes" be yes and my "no" be no. In another sense it was at times difficult because it's hard to look your friends in the eye and it's hard to look a President you admire in the eye and say, "I can't go with ya."

3. YOUR'S, PAUL RYAN'S, AND JOHN BOENHER'S NAMES HAVE COME UP REPEATEDLY AS CANDIDATES TO BECOME POTENTIAL SPEAKERS OF THE HOUSE IN JANUARY. CAN YOU TELL ME WHO YOU BELIEVE IS THE MOST QUALIFIED AND WHY?

I think John Boehner will be one of the most conservative and most effective speakers in modern Congressional history and I strongly support John as speaker. Let me say as I stand here in Wisconsin that we have no brighter light in Congress than Paul Ryan. He's been a visionary on budget issues and I consider him a cherished friend.




Mike with Dan Kapanke(WI 3rd District Congressional Candidate, left) and guest

4. AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU HAVE IN IN MIND TO PROMOTE CONSERVATIVE IDEALS IN THE EVENT THAT REPUBLICANS REGAIN THE MAJORITY?

If Republicans are given a second chance to lead the Congress, jobs have to be job one. We have to take immediate and decisive action to make sure that no American sees a tax increase in January of next year. Immediately after that we have to take strong steps to put our fiscal house in order. We have to confront this era of deficits, debt, and bailouts and end it once and for all and then at the end of the day we have to do those things that Congress is charged to do. We have to stand with our troops, we have to defend our values in the way that we that we appropriate the People's money. But jobs clearly, and spending are, clearly, are the most urgent issues facing America today and that is where Congress, under a Republican leadership, will focus if we're given the opportunity to lead.

5. TO HAVE BEEN IN CONGRESS FOR 10 YEARS AND TO HAVE WON MANY AWARDS, HOW HONORED ARE YOU TO HAVE SERVED IN THIS CAPACITY FOR SO LONG?

Well, it's been the greatest privilege in my life to represent my hometown in Washington DC. I had the dream of becoming a congressman when I was a little boy growing up on 31st street with a cornfield in my back yard. It's really, not too much time goes by that I find myself walking up the steps of those Capitals and find myself glancing at the dome and I just thank God that my family and I have had the privilege to serve in such a time as this and to be able to be here in Wisconsin standing with people of character like Dan Kapanke and to be on the cusp of what could be a great victory for conservative values is not only a great privilege, but a great joy.

----------
Update: It has been reported from news outlets on November 3 that Mike has resigned his post as chairman of the House Republican Conference, possibly to give himself more time to prepare for presidential run in 2012.

MONEYBOMB: Rev. Isaac Hayes for Congress!! - As done before, we CAN pick up this Dem seat!

Like the "Massachusetts Miracle" earlier this year... We have a RARE opportunity to pick up Democrat seat!!


10/13 "Moneybomb" for Rev. Isaac Hayes

This is the year for GOP pick-ups in [what were once] "safe" Democrat seats! In the last comparable year (1994), Chicago powerhouse Dan Rostenkowski was [shockingly!!] defeated for re-election, by his Republican opponent. [LA Times: GOP 'David' knocks off 'Goliath']

We now have another situation, in which a scandal-plagued Democrat Congressman can be ousted.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. has a 72% UNFAVORABLE rating!

Leading pollster & analyst Dick Morris said that IL's 2nd Congressional district is now in play due to the amazing effort of GOP nominee Rev. Isaac C. Hayes, and the sex and dirty money scandals of incumbent Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.


Rev. Hayes needs your help to defeat this dirty pol -- go to www.isaac4honesty.com to make a donation or volunteer now!!





Listen in the video above to this wonderful riff by Hayes at the Cook County GOP Convention:

"President Ronald Reagan once said, 'there is sin and evil in the world, and we are enjoined by Scripture to fight it.' Reagan was talking about the Soviet Union. But he may has well been speaking about the South Side of Chicago."

And

"Senate Candidate #5 has the wrong idea of what it means to be a Congressman. He should go back to his cronies in Chicago and tell them Chicago's sons and daughters are his no more -- they are free. We must fight for every neighborhood, every precinct and every block in this district and we will win."

Hayes is a modern-day Braveheart -- slaying the dirty, sexy, money grubber Jackson. He's the long sought conservative solution to the corruption of Junior Jackson and the Chicago Democrats, and is endorsed by the American Conservative Union (ACU), the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), and the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA). Volunteer or DONATE NOW online!!




Let's throw everything we have @ Junior Jackson NOW -- www.isaac4honesty.com



Related news:

NBC Chicago: Overnight change: Isaac Hayes' phone now ringing!
NewsMax: "Hayes could be poised to score a major upset."
Black Voice News: Will the Real Congressman Jackson Stand Up?
Hill News: Race of the Day: IL-02
Medill Reports: IL-02 race now on GOP radar
Windy Citizen: Challengers: Jackson's More Vulnerable After New Allegations
Chicago Now: Hayes offers Jackson free lessons in Hindi language
RedState.com: "When you're given a free shot, you should take it."

Washington Post: GOP gains traction in Jesse Jackson Jr.'s district

Chicago Tribune: Somebody brought it on
("He has a safe seat. You would think." ;-)

MARY FALLIN - LADY OF FIRSTS FOR OKLAHOMA

Mary Fallin's next success could be the election victory this fall that would make her the State of Oklahoma's first female governor but as a public servant, she has already accomplished a series of "firsts" in her own right.

She was the first woman Lieutenant Governor for the State of Oklahoma, initially elected in 1995 and serving until January 4, 2007 when she was officially sworn in as the first woman from Oklahoma to serve in the US Congress since Alice Mary Robertson broke the gender barrier in 1921. But if victory in her campaign is just about a series of "firsts" it is lost on Mary.

"I am thrilled to be back in Oklahoma," she was quoted as saying at a civic luncheon in the February 17, 2010 edition of the Urban Tulsa Weekly. "I had to go back to Washington, D.C. to vote very quickly this week but any time I can hurry right back to Oklahoma it's a good day. Our people here in Oklahoma are a little bit different than those folks up in D.C. . ."

"The American people are mad. They're very concerned. They don't like deficit spending. They don't want more taxes. They need a job. They want to make their own decisions about health care. They don't want some federal bureaucrat in D.C. making that decision. They're fighting mad."

Since winning her June 18 primary in Oklahoma, ousting her strongest primary challenger in State Senator Randy Brogdon, and capturing the prized endorsement of Sarah Palin, Mary's campaign has been rolling on into the late summer, focusing it's efforts squarely on her Democratic challenger, Jari Askins; another woman who, ironically, serves almost as Mary's alter-ego, having been appointed to take her place as Lt Governor in 2007 by current Democratic Governor Brad Henry.

Born in Tecumseh, Oklahoma on December 9, 1954, (WIKIPEDIA), Mary's political rearing started early in her life as both her mother and father served terms as mayor of Tecumseh as conservative Democrats. Mary was first registered as Democrat, but transitioned to the Republican Party while she was a student at Oklahoma State University. After starting her life out working as a state employee for the Oklahoma Department of Securities and in hotel management in Oklahoma City, Mary was alarmed by the Democratic-dominated Legislature's anti-business climate. She first hit the political scene when she was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1990. She served 2 terms from 1990 to 1994 where she was recognized by the American Legislative Exchange Council as Legislator of the Year and named Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business. She ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1994 and rode into office along with Frank Keating's Republican Administration in 1995.

In her 12 years as Lieutenant Governor, Mary served as president of the Senate and on 10 boards and commissions. As a small business advocate in the Keating cabinet she was also instrumental in initiating several economic development events including the first-ever Oklahoma Aerospace Summit and Expo; and Small Business Day and Telecommunications Day at the Capitol. She also hosted the Lieutenant Governor’s Invitational Turkey Hunt. After the Oklahoma City bombing, she formed a task force to rebuild the childcare center lost in the destruction. Additionally, she also initiated Project Homesafe, a gun safety program that has distributed more than 80,000 free cable gun locks to Oklahomans. She then ascended to the aforementioned position of congresswoman when elected in 2006, campaigning for Ernest Istook's 5th District seat after Istook embarked on his ill-fated run for governor against Brad Henry. For her work on behalf of the people of Oklahoma and her conservative values, Mary has been named a “Hero of the Taxpayer,” a “Friend of the Wildcatter” and been recognized by Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council with the “True Blue” award. She has a lifelong score of 96 from the American Conservative Union, the highest of any Congressman in the Oklahoma delegation.

Mary joined me this week to answer my questions about her accomplishment, her campaign, and the issues facing Oklahoma in this historic election cycle.

1. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES SPECIFICALLY FACING THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA TODAY AND WHAT ARE THE CORE VALUES OF YOUR CAMPAIGN?

I’m going to have two issues that I will treat as priorities on Day One of my administration. The first is jobs. We need more and better jobs in this state if we are going to move forward, generate tax revenue for essential services, and increase the quality of life for our citizens. There are a lot of things we can do to get there. One is to create a governor’s task force to look into Oklahoma’s tax code, our rules, our regulations and our government bureaucracy, to find out how we can be friendlier to small business growth and development. We can’t expect the businesses here to thrive or to attract new ones when we are tripping them up with unnecessary regulations, government red tape and punitive taxes. We’ll also need to look at the rising cost of worker’s compensation costs and revisit lawsuit reform. Finally, we’ll need to continue to improve our education system, so that we can produce the kind of highly skilled, educated workforce that attracts good jobs.

Secondly, we’ll need to balance the budget, and we’ll need to do it without raising taxes (which would drive jobs and investments out of Oklahoma).To do that, we need to be committed to fiscal restraint. We’ll need to make tough choices. And equally important, we’ll need a modern, efficient and effective state government. Our state agencies operate like 8-track players in an iPod age. They are out of date and inefficient. When I’m governor, we will immediately move to modernize our agencies, consolidate resources where we can, and trim our operating costs.



Mary has the perfect combination of executive and life experience for the governorship!

2. YOU ARE RUNNING AGAINST CURRENT LT GOVERNOR JARI ASKINS. CONTRAST YOURSELF WITH JARI AND TELL ME WHAT IT IS THAT SHE HAS DONE ALONG WITH GOVERNOR BRAD HENRY THAT HAS BEEN BAD FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA?

I plan on running a positive campaign focused on my vision for the state and my plan to move Oklahoma forward and help our families and our small businesses. That means creating jobs, balancing our budget and, lastly, standing up to Washington’s painfully misguided agenda.

I think on that last point, the lack of leadership in this state has been particularly troubling. When President Obama was passing an unconstitutional, job-killing health care bill, I was the only candidate in this race standing up to the president and his agenda. When the president was trying to tax and spend his way to prosperity and economic recovery, I was the only candidate in this race saying “that won’t work.” I think the choice in this election is pretty clear: if you don’t like Washington’s ‘tax and spend,’ liberal agenda and want a leader who is going to stand up to it, I’m your gal.

3. REGARDING QUESTION 1, BRAD HENRY HAS PROVEN TO BE A POPULAR GOVERNOR FOR OKLAHOMA. HAS THIS PRESENTED EXTRA CHALLENGES FOR YOU IN THE RACE AGAINST JARI ASKINS?

No. This race is going to be about who the voters think will create jobs and restore fiscal discipline to the capitol, and it’s going to be about who can offer something different from what President Obama and Washington have been pushing on us. I have the experience to run this state, the vision to make a more prosperous Oklahoma and I am the only candidate who can credibly say they offer something different than the failed policies being pursued by the national Democratic Party. As lieutenant governor, I served under Brad Henry and I have a great deal of respect for him. But voters are looking for something different in 2010, and I am offering them a chance to change course and to get this state back on track.



Mary is the next leader of Rebublican for a new generation.

4. YOU HAVE SERVED AS A CONGRESSWOMAN FOR OKLAHOMA DISTRICT 5 FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS AND BEFORE THAT LT GOVERNOR OF OKLAHOMA FOR 12 YEARS. WHAT HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED IN YOUR TENURE IN THE CONGRESS THAT HAS HELPED PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR RUN FOR GOVERNOR?

Unfortunately, what I experienced in Washington was the sense that our nation’s capitol has become too partisan, too overrun with special interests and too willing to waste taxpayer dollars to help people in Oklahoma.

That’s why I’m coming home. Washington is not going to solve our problems; we are going to have to do it ourselves on the state level. I’m ready to lead Oklahoma forward and, when Washington pushes Oklahoma in the wrong direction or tramples our rights, to very forcefully say “no.”

5. YOU WERE RAISED IN TECUMSEH, HAVE BEEN REGIONAL MANAGER OF A HOTEL CHAIN, AND HAVE SEVERAL CHILDREN. WHAT KIND OF VALUES HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TAKE INTO EACH OF THESE SITUATIONS AND HOW WILL THEY SERVE YOU WELL AS GOVERNOR OF OKLAHOMA?

I think the values my mother instilled in me – hard work, self reliance, civic duty and my faith in God have always guided me as a public servant. Those are the values I have tried to pass onto my children.

As far as my life experiences, I think I’ll be able to represent the people of Oklahoma well because I’m one of them. I grew up in a small town and I loved it. I went to school here. I worked in the private sector and I understand how things like rising health care costs can crush a small business. I’m a mother, and I know what it takes to raise a family – the hard work, the sacrifice and the joy that comes with helping your children grow up and become adults.

I’ve had the honor of serving the people of Oklahoma as their lieutenant governor and as a United States Congresswoman, and I’ve worked every day to earn their trust and to give back to this state. I can guarantee the people of Oklahoma that, if I have the great privilege of serving as governor, no one will work harder for them or care more about this state than I will.

JB VAN HOLLEN CHIEF LAW ENFORCER FOR WISCONSIN

Since 2006, Attorney General JB Van Hollen has been a one-man crime-fighting force in the State of Wisconsin and after 2010, he's hoping he will no longer have to fight alone. The long time District and US Attorney is not only running for reelection himself but is also looking forward to the distinct possibility of having a Republican Governor, a Republican Legislature, and a Republican Senate. After all, after having to fight the Doyle administration and the Wisconsin legislature for 4 years, the job can only get easier.

Born John Byron Van Hollen on February 19, 1966 (WIKIPEDIA) in the town of Chetek John C and Rosella Van Hollen. John C., a realtor and Korean War Veteran, also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1966 to 1970. J.B. grew up in Chetek and later in the Town of Delta in Bayfield County. A graduate of St Olaf's University (Northfield, Minnesota) in 1988 with an undergraduate degree in political science, he went on to obtain his law degree at the University of Wisconsin Law School 2 years later. According to his Website (biography) although he was courted by several law firms, J.B. actually began his career as an Assistant State Public Defender in Spooner, Wisconsin. In 1991 Van Hollen became a federal prosecutor as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. In 1993 Governor Tommy Thompson appointed Van Hollen to the position of District Attorney in Ashland County. He stepped down 6 years later to pursue other life interests, but a short time later Governor Thompson appointed him to serve as Bayfield County District Attorney. He was reelected with bipartisan support. He became well-known when President George W Bush appointed him US Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin in 2002 and his reputation as a star law enforcement official climbed to new heights. As the US Attorney for 44 counties in Wisconsin, JB coordinated a massive sting operation in Hayward, using 100 members of law enforcement to crack down on gangs, drugs, and guns. Through multiple levels of agencies, dozens of search warrants were executed simultaneously and dozens were arrested with the average federal prosecution resulting in a several-year federal prison sentence. In turn, the evidence collected helped to solve a homicide case. He under-spent his budget during all three of his years as U.S. Attorney. The number of criminal cases filed by his office increased by 15% in 2002, 7% in 2003, and 23% in 2004 totaling a 53% increase during his tenure. He initiated Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal effort to reduce violent gun crime by enforcing the numerous laws already on the books. In its first year, Van Hollen worked in Rock County to prosecute individuals for gun crimes ranging from being a felon in possession of firearms or ammo to use of firearms during violent felonies, resulting in an average prison sentence of more than five years. Van Hollen later expanded the effort to Dane County and several multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement groups in rural Wisconsin. Firearms prosecutions nearly tripled during his tenure.

In 2006, he decided to run for State Attorney General. He overtook Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher and won the nomination. In the worst of circumstances for Republicans, he won the Attorney General election by beating Democrat Kathleen Falk was the only Republican in the nation that year to win a statewide seat held by a Democrat.

When not involved with the rigors of running the Attorney General's office, JB enjoys running, biking, hunting swimming, skiing, basketball and golf. He has run two marathons and completed the 2003 Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon. He is a member of Ducks Unlimited, Grouse Unlimited, National Rifle Association, Wisconsin Sporting Heritage, Inc., and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He also has been involved with the Freemasons for a large part of his life, becoming Master Mason in 1985 and Grand Master of Masons in 2007, serving in this capacity into 2008. JB and his wife, Lynn, live in Waunakee and have two children, Byron and Madelyn.

JB has been campaigning hard around Wisconsin. His Democratic challenger, Democrat Scott Hassett, has yet to be heard from. Determined to be a vital cog in the resurgence of conservative governing in 2011, JB talked to me about his campaign, the state of ObamaCare, and his experiences as Wisconsin Attorney General over the past 4 years.

1. YOU HAVE SERVED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF WISCONSIN UNDER DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP FOR 4 YEARS. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAS FRUSTRATED YOU THE MOST OVER THOSE 4 YEARS?

I think basically 2 things: It is very frustrating to me when a liberal Governor like the one we have doesn't prioritize something as fundamental as public safety. Protecting our freedoms and liberties in this country is the most important thing that our government can do and yet overall spending during tough times went up and yet overall spending for public safety, law enforcement, and my Department of Justice budget went down and when we're trying to do so much good to help protect our citizens, having our spending priorities being so off-kilter is frustrating. And the other thing is the lack of respect for the Rule of Law. Politics, has, unfortunately played a role in our ability to do the best we could for the State of Wisconsin, whether it be our ability to join with Arizona to defend against the Federal Government in a lawsuit or to file briefs on the 2nd Amendment with the Supreme Court or a lawsuit on ObamaCare, the reality is that the Governor has let politics stand in the way of our doing our job to defend the state. Those two things are very frustrating.



JB is the chief law enforcement officer for the State of Wisconsin!

2. THERE IS ANTICIPATION FOR WISCONSIN TO HAVE THE FIRST REPUBLICAN-LED GOVERNMENT IN MANY YEARS. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THAT SITUATION?

I'm hoping that we can accomplish what Republicans as a whole set out to do and that is to limit the size of Government but when we do limit the size of government, we have to make sure that we maintain our priorities as well. I have a great concern that Republicans may think that reducing the size of government may mean we make across-the-board cuts and reduce the size of every aspect of government. Well, that's not what we as conservatives, believe. We believe that we need to cut spending completely in some areas, considerably in other areas, and sometimes even increase spending in priority areas; areas where the government does need to be involved in our lives and I am hoping that when we get Republican control of the Governor's office, over the legislature, that we are going to be able to focus on government as a whole and make wholesale changes versus across-the-board cuts.

3. IN YOUR TIME AS STATE AG, WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING YOU'VE EXPERIENCED?

You know, there have been so many things that have been incredibly rewarding but I think that the most satisfying has been getting rid of the backlog of DNA evidence in our crime labs. Not only had every Attorney General candidate for decades run on the promise of getting rid of the backlog, every Attorney General had promised to get rid of the backlog and when I had inherited it, it was escalating horribly out of control and we needed to address it and we needed to address it promptly. We not only got rid of the backlog of DNA in the crime labs but we did it only partially by putting resources after the problem. A big part of what we did was by putting more efficiencies and technologies in the way we did business in the Department of Justice so that we got more bang for the taxpayer buck and so in the in process of helping law enforcement with perhaps the most significant law enforcement tool that has come along in our lifetimes, we were able to do it very efficiently economically, as well, and it is hard to not consider that to be the greatest success.



JB is out campaigning hard for this fall\'s election turnaround!

4. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE STATE OF YOUR LEGAL CHALLENGE TO OBAMACARE? WHAT ELSE IS BEING DONE AROUND THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW TO COMBAT THIS LEGISLATION?

Well, we're in a holding pattern in Wisconsin right now, as most people I think, are now aware. As Attorney General of the State of Wisconsin, I have considerable power and authority but it is still limited. And as a conservative, I hold myself to those limits and I don't believe that government should grow beyond what the law entitles us to do. And, suing over ObamaCare is simply something that I have limits placed on me to do and it was necessary for me to get approval from either the governor or one of the bodies of the legislature to bring this lawsuit. We submitted an 8-page detailed memorandum of law indicating why we should bring this suit to all three of them. All three of them declined it and so now, as along as the Legislature and the Governor's office is controlled by their current leadership, we are out of luck when it comes to Wisconsin joining a lawsuit or initiating a lawsuit over the Federal Health Care law. However, when we get a new governor and at a time when we are going to have a new make-up in the Senate and a new make-up in the Assembly we are going to renew our requests, as long as I am Attorney General, and I would suspect that we would be able to get that request granted, in which we will be able to join an ongoing lawsuit or file a lawsuit ourselves. Otherwise there is a consortium of states whose Attorney's General have gotten together and brought a single lawsuit on the behalf of a multitude of states in the State of Florida and we actually could actually join that as well. Thus far, neither of these suits have progressed very far and there is certainly more than enough time to get involved.

5. YOU ARE A HUGE 2ND AMENDMENT PROPONENT. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF CONCEALED CARRY AND CLEAR UP ANY MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT IT?

First with regard to the 2nd Amendment, I'm a huge proponent of it for a number of reasons. First of all I believe in the Rule of Law and it's a significant part of our Constitution. Second of all, of course, when people lose the ability to defend themselves, we become subject to the whims of others who want to violate our freedoms and liberties and we become subject to the whims of government if they are going to abuse their power and authority and so the 2nd Amendment is vitally important to me and we've done a lot in my Administration to advance the cause of gun rights and 2nd Amendment rights in Wisconsin. And I am for concealed carry as well. And I think there's a bit of mis-perception out there that people are in greater danger but in the 48 States that permit law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons, there is absolutely no anecdotal evidence to suggest whatsoever that, that is the case. The opponents of concealed carry will be the first one's to tout examples of problems if there were any. The reality is that Government's role is to protect its citizens and if we have a law in the State of Wisconsin prohibiting law-abiding citizens from carrying concealed weapons, if that is not doing anything to protect citizens, if it's not necessary to protect citizens, then by all means Government should get out of our lives. So I'm a big fan of the 2nd Amendment but I'm also a big fan of making sure the Government doesn't interfere in our lives when they can find or show no legitimate reason to do so. With regards to the Concealed Carry law in Wisconsin right now, there is no justification for it existing.