Illinois cigarette tax hike looms

Today was the busiest news day for me since then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested.

But a story from Wednesday's Quad City Times about Illinois' proposed cigarette tax hike still managed to catch my eye.

Lawmakers set up what could be a final vote before Illinois taxes on cigarettes are raised by $1 per pack.

A House committee voted 4-3 Wednesday to approve legislation that would raise the tax by 50 cents in September and 50 cents more a year later. All Democrats on the panel voted for the increase, and all Republicans voted against.

Democrats favor the tax increase, Republicans oppose it. 'Nuff said.

Earlier this month the federal government increased its tobacco levy by 62 cents.

Being the Marathon Pundit, I'm not a smoker. But the $1 a pack hike is a bad idea.

As I've explained in previous posts, tobacco taxes usually bring in less money than forecasted. Some smokers give up the habit.

Back to the Times:

Opponents say, however, that people quitting smoking might mean the state could take in even less money, despite the tax increase.

The state's share of cigarette taxes was last raised in 2002. But the state's take cigarette taxes has declined from $742 million in the 2005 fiscal year to $594.2 million last year.

Other revenue sources, meaning taxes, make up the tobacco tax shortfall.

Even though I'm a non-smoker, this effects me.

But not all smokers will quit.

Some will travel across state lines to buy cigarettes in states such as Indiana. When I lived in Chicago's southern suburbs, I knew a lot of smokers who made the short trip to the Hoosier State to buy cigarettes--smokes were taxed less there. But now Indiana cigarettes cost roughly the same as they do in Illinois--that will change if the Illinois tax is approved.

Who will get hurt the most? Illinois convenience store and gas station owners--cigarette sales account for much of their revenue.

Related posts:

The effect of those high cigarette taxes

SCHIP cigarette tax kicks in, Illinois considering add'l $1 a pack increase

Marathon Pundit attacks higher cigarette taxes

Technorati tags: Illinois Politics Illinois politics cigarettes smoking taxes business economy news government indiana

Souter retiring from Supreme Court

In a surprising move, Associate Supreme Court Justice David Souter will retire at the end of the court's current term in June.

Speculation is that Barack Obama will pick a woman to succeed the George H.W. Bush appointee. Souter ended up as a member of the liberal wing of the court, to the chagrin of conservatives.

Who will Obama pick? Well, former Weather Underground terrorist Benardine Dohrn, wife of Bill Ayers, is a Northwestern University law professor.

Technorati tags: law legal SCOTUS Bill Ayers terrorism Weather Underground democrats Barack Obama Obama Politics Bernardine Dohrn Northwestern University

Report from the bloggers' teleconference about card check

Even though today is a very busy news day, I made it a point to take part in a teleconference about the Employee Free Choice Act, better known as card check. Opponents of the bill call it the Employee FORCED Choice Act, because if it is enacted, it will take away a worker's right to a secret ballot when deciding whether to join a union.

Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) representative Mark McKinnon and former United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Statewide Organizing Director Rian Wathen each began the teleconference with opening statements.

McKinnon spoke first, and reaffirmed the general belief that EFCA is a terrible bill for business and will have a detrimental effect on the creation of jobs. But there is more to dislike in this bill, such as the "even more problematic" federal arbitration section. When labor negotiations break down, as they invariably do, McKinnon told participants that labor's hand is strengthened. If EFCA is made into law, a federal arbitrator will be appointed--a bureaucrat--it will be this person who makes the call on such issues as workplace conditions, vacation pay, and salaries. Some businesses, McKinnon cautions, "will simply close their doors and shut down" rather than have to deal with this kind of situation.

And as we all know, many businesses are only just getting by during this recession. They hardly need additional obstacles.

"Common sense officeholders," McKinnon explained about EFCA, "including Democrats that support labor, have said this is a bridge way too far."

Wathen took his turn. While admitting there are some labor "true believers," the former UFCW organizer and collective bargaining representative said union organizers "are salesmen, although they like to say they are not." He added, "They are selling hopes, dreams, and visions."

How are these organizers trained? Sales training, more specifically, Wathen declared, "emotion based training."

Which of course gives the union reps salespeople the upper hand during a presentation. Wathen didn't phrase it as such, but I'm going to: If you've ever been on the receiving end of a life insurance or time-share pitch, you'll know what workers are going through.

Organizers have a list of questions designed to move them down the emotional timeline to get them to commit.

What happens to organizers who sign up a lot of members? Well, just like successful sales people, they get promoted.

Just as there are disreputable sales people, there are organizers who cheat, using tactics Wathen calls "creative organizing."

Union organizers will give workers rides to work, or take them to a bar, get them drunk, and then get those needed card check signatures, or worse, they'll hide the card check literature within innocent looking pamphlets, which Wathen says SEIU is doing in California.

Whatever it takes to get ahead...

And once a worker signs a card check petition--in whatever form--they cannot rescind that action. You got that?

Current labor law allows a little more than a month's time where workers can weigh the benefits of joining a union--or not joining--by taking in information provided by their employer, the union, as well as conducting their own research. And then they vote--using a secret ballot.

Wathen added that "EFCA is not about workers' rights, it's not about increasing the middle class, what it's about is bringing revenue to organized labor."

The question and answer session followed, and my query was about union decertification. I mentioned that two years ago Treasure Island grocery store workers in Chicago were able to decertify UFCW by secret ballot. If EFCA is enacted, how would employees kick out a union?

Wathen replied there is no card check petition provision to decertify unions in the EFCA bill.

To give a union the heave-ho, current labor laws would stay in place.

But workers need a secret ballot vote for that.

Oh the hypocrisy...

Related post:

Report from the bloggers' teleconference about Employee FORCED Choice binding arbitration

Technorati tags: labor politics unions news SEIU California UFCW organized labor card check law

Ex-Chrysler car owner, Obama, announces bankruptcy of auto maker

"For too long, Chrysler moved too slowly to adapt to the future, designing and building cars that were less popular, less reliable and less fuel efficient than foreign competitors." That's what Barack Obama said today when announcing, in what has to be an unprecedented move by a president, that Chrysler has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

What makes Obama such an expert on cars? After all, until he was shamed into ditching the car two years ago, Obama owned a Chrysler gas-guzzler, a Hemi 300c.

Italian automaker Fiat may end up running Chrysler, although when the dust settles, the United Auto Workers union might control 55 percent of the the auto maker. Oh, how Obama likes to reward his labor pals! But majority ownership may not mean majority voting rights.

In the short term, it appears all of Chrysler's plants may close for a few weeks.

Related post:

Obama in full hypocrisy mode in comments about gas guzzlers

Technorati tags: Obama politics Barack Obama automobiles cars automobiles auto news unions news business

Former union organizer talks about card check

Look for a detailed post on card check later this afternoon--I just finished participating in a teleconfernce on what many are calling the Employee FORCED Choice Act.

But first, watch former United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) Statewide Organizing Director Rian Wathen discuss the problems with card check.



Technorati tags: retail business news economy UFCW organized labor card check

Cook County corruption update: Dunnings bailed her busboy out of jail four times

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, the man who Barack Obama enthusiastically endorsed in 2006, hired his first cousin, Donna Dunnings, to serve as the county's chief financial officer.

Two weeks ago, Stroger fired "Cuz" after it was discovered that Dunnings twice bailed out a former busboy, Tony Cole, who was serving as her assistant. Stroger hired Cole after meeting him at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse--where Cole was working.

CBS 2 Chicago has more:

Cole was fired from his $61,000-a-year county job after County Board President Todd Stroger found out that Cole had failed to report a past felony conviction for writing bad checks.

Stroger forced Dunnings, who is his first cousin, out of her post after revelations about Cole, including that she bailed him out of jail twice.

But court documents Wednesday showed that Dunnings actually bailed Cole out four times, at a cost of $4,000 in aggregate. The bonds were $250, $1,750, $750 and $1,250, according to court documents.

Cole was in court Thursday on a charge that he violated an order of protection filed by a woman he allegedly attacked.

It's believed that Stroger knew about Cole's criminal past in December when he received a criminal background check, but the former University of Georgia basketball player wasn't fired until April--when Dunnings was unable to post a high bond for Cole.

It's stories like this that compels me to call Cook County government the worst in the nation.

Related posts:

Hack that Obama endorsed bringing Illinois politics to new low
More on Stroger's cousin and her busboy
Todd "Corruption Tax" Stroger dragged into municipal election
Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED
More Cook County waste
Todd Stroger: More Chicago Democratic sleaze
Another update on America's worst government--Cook County
Rita Rezko's contribution to America's worst government, Cook County
The latest from America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Bid to rescind Cook County corruption tax fails: UPDATED
Revolt at the polls against the Cook County corruption tax called by Democratic reformer
T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America
Patronage hiring still thrives in Cook County
Another thing for Obama to be silent on: Cook County summer jobs going to pols' kids
Update on America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Palatine wants to secede from Cook County
Something else for Obama to be silent on: Chicago will have the nation's highest sales tax
Say no to higher Cook County taxes
No fat in Cook County budget?
Beavers leaves it to the race card as America's worst governmental body gets worse
Your Cook County tax dollars at work
Stop the proposed Cook County phone tax
"Is anyone watching out for Chicago taxpayers?"
Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?
Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up
Obama and Chicago's "We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent" culture
Cook County sues Cook County
My day as a Cook County juror

Technorati tags: Election Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County Stroger cronyism nepotism ruth's chris crime Obama politics Barack Obama

How much is UFCW spending on its Wal-Mart worker airlift?

A few years ago, around the time Wal-Mart was made an issue by unions and the Democrats, National Review wrote that the United Food and Commercial Workers had an entire department focused on the world's largest retailer. I bet it still does.

UFCW has an anti-Wal-Mart web site, WakeUpWal-Mart.

Hot Air asks some questions about "an airlift" of Wal-Mart workers to Washington:

At 10 am ET, 100 Wal-Mart workers from around the country will demonstrate in Washington DC to demonstrate for Card Check. They will complain about working conditions and wages, which should prompt reporters covering the protest to ask a basic question:

Washington, DC – Nearly 100 Wal-Mart workers from 17 states will come to Washington, DC this week for a national organizing committee meeting, and to brief Congressional staff on working conditions at America's number one private employer and why they need a union voice in the workplace.

Workers from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, will be available to speak to reporters following the briefing with Congressional staff:

WHAT: Briefing for Congressional Staff and Press by Wal-Mart Workers

WHEN: Thursday, April 30 at 10 AM

WHERE: Agriculture Committee Room, #328 Russell Senate Office Building

Despite Wal-Mart's long and well-documented history of anti-worker activities, associates say they are emboldened by the election of Barack Obama and the introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act in Congress. Ten of these workers shared their stories in a new video, released last week.

Wal-Mart Workers for Change is a new campaign made up of thousands of Wal-Mart workers joining together to form a union and negotiate better benefits, higher wages, and more opportunity for a better future.

The campaign is a project of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), America’s neighborhood union. The UFCW represents 1.3 million workers nationwide, with nearly one million working in the supermarket industry. Many of UFCW members also work at national retail stores such as Bloomingdales, Macys, H&M, Modell's Sporting Goods, Saks Fifth Avenue, RiteAid, CVS, and Syms.

But not Chicago's Treasure Island. That's because workers at the European-style grocery chain decertified UFCW in 2007.

I believe that in this Barack Obama-declared era of "transparency," now is the time for unions to disclose how much they spend on these quasi-political campaigns.

As I blogged last week, the Service Employees International Union was working to remove the Bank of America CEO from his job. SEIU has not said how much it is spending on this effort.

Related posts:

The good life of working for the UFCW
SEIU wants Bank of America CEO fired
Wal-Mart: Undercover journalist likes what he sees, and fighting "food deserts"
Wal-Mart ups charity donations
Wal-Mart America's most generous company, B of A second
Wake Up Wal-Mart has two empty bunks
My book report: The Wal-Mart Revolution: How Big Box Stores Benefit Consumers, Workers, and the Economy

Technorati tags: Wal-Mart retail business big box news economy UFCW organized labor card check SEIU

Biden gaffe alert: He tells family to stay off planes, subways

With the exception of washing my hands a bit more, I haven't changed the way I've been going about my life.

Leave it to Vice President Joe Biden to shoot his mouth off and sow the seeds of panic:

Biden said Thursday he advised his family to stay off airplanes and subways because of the new swine flu, a remark that forced the vice president's office to backtrack and prompted one airline official to complain about "fear-mongering."

"I would tell members of my family — and I have — that I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now," Biden said on NBC's "Today" show.

Biden, who has a reputation for off-the-cuff remarks, went beyond any precautions recommended by the federal government. In discussing his personal advice to his family, he said simply, "That's me."

Within two hours, Biden's office issued a statement backing off the remarks and suggesting he was talking about travel to Mexico.

It's not if, but when, the vice president's mouth ignites an international incident.

Mexico has subways?

Technorati tags: Democrats business Biden news Joe Biden travel travel blog

Gov. Rendell: Specter won't change his mind on card check

Newly-minted Democrat Arlen Specter won't change his mind on the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, better known as card check, so says Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

When card check came up for a cloture vote in 2007, Specter voted for it. But earlier this year, Specter said he was now opposed card check.



Technorati tags: Arlen Specter Pennsylvania democrats labor politics unions news business card check

Brothel interested in Blago for reality TV show

Disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich won't be a contestant on an NBC reality show--he's not allowed to leave the country--but a Nevada brothel is interested in having the hair-brained Democrat appear on different reality show.

You can't make this stuff up.

From the Daily Herald:

The Moonlight BunnyRanch, a legal brothel located outside Reno, Nev., has offered the impeached, ousted and indicted former Illinois governor an apprenticeship, where Blagojevich "would assist with hiring ladies in addition to facilitating with training and proper disciplinary action," Dennis Hof, owner of the brothel, said in a written statement.

The Moonlight BunnyRanch is featured in the HBO program "Cathouse."

But a spokesman for the former governor said this was just one of many offers he's received for Blagojevich and it's unlikely Blagojevich will take the apprenticeship.

"They did offer it to him but we're not taking it seriously," said spokesman Glenn Selig.

If he did, however, his willpower would be challenged daily by the women as they tried to bribe him to acquire finer rooms or better working hours and days off, according to the statement. Blagojevich would be paid "a handsome amount of money" for his work during the apprenticeship, Hof said.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats Chicago television entertainment corruption news television nevada hbo

Lewis out as chairman, still Bank of America CEO

In a follow up to a customer of posts I made in the last week, Bank of America CEO Kenneth Lewis has is no the longer chairman of America's largest bank.

The dramatic decline in BofA's stock values, and the handling of the Merrill-Lynch merger, is what led to Lewis' demotion of sorts.

It appears that the call by the Service Employees International Union for Lewis to be fired did not figure into the bank's decision.

Related post:

SEIU wants Bank of America CEO fired

Technorati tags: labor politics unions news SEIU economy Bank of America business banking

Eric Holder in Europe, looking for homes for Gitmo detainees

Shortly after being sworn in as president, Barack Obama announced that he'd be closing Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention center.

But as we all know now, the president didn't have a plan on what to do with those inmates--over 200 of them.

On his 100th day in office, Obama still doesn't have a plan, which is why his attorney general is in Europe looking for homes for the terrorists.

But France has agreed to take on Gitmo inmate.

Related post:

Virginia could be destination for Uighur Gitmo detainees

Technorati tags: Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror France francaise Français politique Obama politics Barack Obama

Joe Birkett video on Gov. Pat Quinn

DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2006, his Democratic counterpart was Pat Quinn--he's now Illinois' governor. As Rod Blagojevich's running mate, Quinn, who described his predecessor as "a person who's honest and (a man) of integrity" that year, was a beneficiary of the disgraced former governor's dirty campaign cash.

Click here for a Birkett video about Quinn.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics corruption Blagojevich Republican Joe BirkettPatrick Quinn

Obama's 100 daze

One hundred years from this day
Will the people still feel this way
And still say
The things that they're saying right now.
The Byrds, "One Hundred Years From Now," 1968.

One hundred years from now, Marathon Pundit successors will think that the 100th day of the Barack Obama presidency as not much to celebrate.

We're looking at rapidly expanding government, the threat of a massive energy tax, packaged as "cap and trade," crushing debt, appeasement of rogue states, and a presidency in constant-campaign mode. Did you see Obama's "100 Days" speech in Missouri this morning?

To paraphrase Joe Hill: Don't celebrate, don't mourn. Organize.

Technorati tags: news business economy energy cap and trade taxes Missouri Obama politics Barack Obama

What about the jobs lost by other races?

There's an old joke about the New York Times covering the end of the world. "World ends, poor and minorities hit hardest."

Which brings us to today's news about the job cuts at radio giant Clear Channel. But we're not talking about the Times.

Here are some headlines from around America:

Bloomberg: Clear Channel Communications Cuts 590 Radio Workers

Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Clear Channel cuts some Twin Cities personalities

Orlando Sentinel: Oddo, Bubba, Shot Doc, Alex Diaz -- all ousted in Clear Channel axings

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Clear Channel layoffs hit Milwaukee stations

And finally...from the Chicago Sun-Times:

Radio 'bloodbath': Clear Channel cuts 3 black female DJs

Technorati tags: media bias Business economy chicago sun times media race african american

Waxman's cap-and-tax bill delayed

The extreme left of the Democratic Party, emboldened by the election of Barack Obama, has been pushing a so-called climate bill, often called cap-and-trade, which the Republicans call cap-and tax.

But some Democrats, particularly those from northern industrial states, have balked at supporting what Rep. John Dingell of Michigan calls a "great big" tax.

And that's exactly what it is.

Rep. Henry Waxman represents a district that includes Beverly Hills, the type of place where impractical ideas such as cap-and-trade are the rage.

But Beverly Hills is not America, and Waxman, the author of the cap-and-trade bill, is learning this fact, as the Wall Street Journal reports:

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman delayed until next week further action on his big climate bill, amid sharp divisions among committee Democrats.

The delay indicates that the House Democratic leadership is having difficulty rounding up votes to move the bill forward, amid disagreements over which industries and regions of the country should bear the burden for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions. Democrats from industrial and coal-dependent states have expressed concerns that the climate bill would sharply raise energy costs and hurt the economy in their states.

"The hearings have spurred productive discussions between members on the legislation, which are continuing this week," Rep. Henry Waxman (D, Calif.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a memo to members.

Mr. Waxman and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D, Mass.), had scheduled to mark up the American Clean Energy and Security Act this week. The main provision of the bill would mandate major greenhouse-gas-emission cuts and require emitters to buy and sell the right to emit gases such as carbon dioxide. It would also require a rising percentage of power to come from renewable-energy sources.

Remember: Cap-and-tax. And unless you live like the Unabomber did in Montana, you will pay this tax.

Related posts:

Obama's proposed $3,600 per-family-energy tax

Senate passes anti-cap and trade amendment

The defanging of New Deal lion Dingell

Technorati tags: politics news business economy energy cap and trade taxes michigan environment Congress John Dingell Henry Waxman california

Helmut Jahn building in Niles, Illinois

I was driving west on Touhy yesterday on the Chicago-Niles border, when I thought the gray skies nicely complimented the Helmut Jahn-designed Shure building on the Niles side of the street.

The office seemed to be closed, there were only a few cars in the parking lot, and I was only able to take one picture when I noticed a security guard was coming my way.

I wasn't in the mood for a confronation, so I drove off.

Click on the below link--you can get a look at how the building looks from the opposite direction.

Related post:

Helmut Jahn's nearby building

Technorati tags: Helmut Jahn Architecture photography photo Niles Chicago illinois Shure

Virginia officials voice opposition to accepting Gitmo detainees

There was a popular bumpersticker in the 1970s, "Virginia is for Lovers."

Some public officials are saying "Virginia is not for Gitmo detainees."

I'm pretty sure a hasty census would discover almost all Virginia politicians oppose the proposed transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Old Dominion.

From the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star:

Sheriff Charles Jett and Supervisor Cord Sterling recently sent a letter to Obama expressing their concerns about using Quantico to house those detainees.

"We have not been made aware of anything officially," Sterling said, "but I thought we should make our position known."

Federal officials such as congressmen Jim Moran and Frank Wolfe already are working to keep those prisoners out of Virginia, but this is the first time a Stafford County official has taken a position on the record. Thursday's meeting, at 7 p.m. at the county administration building. will give the supervisors the chance to make a collective statement.

"I think the board should make its feelings known," Supervisor George Schwartz said.

Related post:

Virginia could be destination for Uighur Gitmo detainees

Technorati tags: China 中國 中国 Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror virginia jim moran

"Worst Republican senator" now a Dem

A few years ago, National Review dubbed Pennslyvania's Arlen Specter "The Worst Republican Senator."

CNN is reporting that Specter will announce that he's now a Democrat.

Why bother announcing? It's been obvious for years.

Good riddance.

Technorati tags: politics Arlen Specter National Review Pennsylvania democrats

Giannoulias quiet about $85 million loss in college investment program

During his campaign for Illinois State Treasurer--one in which the Chicago Democrat prevailed despite not having the endorsement of the state party's chairman--Alexi Giannoulias' mantra was "We need a banker as Illinois' state treasurer."

Giannoulias won his race, but three years later the boy-banker is about an $85 million dollar loss in what were supposed to be safe investments.

Greg Hinz has more in his Crain's Chicago Business blog:

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias' office has stopped answering questions about problems in the investment portfolio of the state's $2-billion Bright Start college savings program.

Mr. Giannoulias says his lawyer (Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan) has advised him to keep quiet, lest he undermine settlement talks with Bright Start manager Oppenheimer Funds, which he asserts may have violated its fiduciary duty by sticking money in risky mortgage-related securities.

There is some truth in that. The manager who ran Oppenheimer's Core Bond fund left the company earlier this year, and analysts at Chicago's Morningstar Inc. have said the fund was leveraged to the hilt. Ms. Madigan's office has put some limits on public comment.

But Mr. Giannoulias is exaggerating -- perhaps because the questions just keep on arising about whether he properly managed Oppenheimer, or just let it do what it wanted amid a rising number of red flags.

Giannoulias is a likely candidate for the US Senate in 2010, in just one month, Alexi proved he posseses at least some financial acumen, he raised $1.1 million.

Even in a big state like Illinois, that's a lot of cash.

Related post:

Alexi Giannoulias: Not so transparent

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Election Democrats Alexi Giannoulias senate banking oppenheimer funds

Two banks not out of the woods

The problems of our nation's top banks, at least with Bank of America and Citigroup, aren't behind us. Federal regulators have told them to raise more capital.

Technorati tags: news economy Bank of America business banking citigroup

Biden in Chicago, but Burris makes the gaffe

Our gaffe-prone vice president, Joe Biden, was in Chicago yesterday, attending a media event at the former Republic Windows and Doors factory, the site of a sitdown strike last winter.

Embattled Senator Roland Burris introduced his fellow Democrat, Senator Dick Durbin. But instead of referring to him as "Illinois' senior senator," Burris called him "the senior citizen of the great state of Illinois."

Burris is 71, Durbin is 64.

The factory is an inauspicious spot for the Democrats. The last public appearance by former Governor Rod Blagojevich before his December arrest was at a press conference outside the plant. Blago dared others to tape his conversations.



Technorati tags: Illinois Democrats Chicago Illinois Politics unions business Rod Blagojevich Roland Burris Durbin senate Biden news Joe Biden

Quinn reopens parks closed by Blago

I missed this story last week. Gov. Patrick Quinn reopened the state parks and historical sites closed last fall by his disgraced predecessor, Rod Blagojevich.

Related posts:

Some more Blago damage: Park closings

Tourism down 13 percent at Ill. historic sites in 2008

Technorati tags: culture politics Illinois Democrats Illinois Politics Patrick Quinn travel travel blog Blagojevich

Morton Grove Trillium time

Spring time means it's time for trillums, a simple designed but enchanting flower.

As for the "tri" in trillium, it's because it comes in threes--three petals, three leaf-like bracts.

This photograph was take in Morton Grove's Linne Woods, which is named for Carolus Linnaeus, who was born as Carl Linné. The great scientist gave trillium its name.

Technorati tags: Illinois photography photos Morton Grove nature Linnaeus Carl Linné wildflowers botany

McConnell rips Obama foreign policy

Senate Republicans are of course fewer in number in the 111th Congress, but since the remaining GOPers are on average more conservative than the Republicans in the old Congress, their message is more focused.

Proof in point comes from Glenn Thrush's Politico blog:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is giving low grades to President Obama on foreign policy, accusing him of an addiction to "fresh starts" with adversaries.

In a major broadside on the Senate floor Monday, McConnell ripped into Obama on a variety of fronts — his Hugo Chavez handshake, his vow to shutter Gitmo and, above all, his decision to release Bush-era memos outlining harsh interrogation methods used on terror suspects and possible congressional probes into the issue.

Weakening our tools of intelligence through an investigation of the intelligence community and other key decision makers would, by definition, make that pledge impossible to fulfill. It would also serve to divide us, I fear, at a time when we must continue to present a united and determined front to our enemies. ... In my view, the commander in chief has an obligation to unify the country while we are at war and at risk. Looked at in this context, attacking each other on these issues is not only counterproductive, it’s dangerous.

Related posts:

McConnell: Don't close Gitmo

Sen. Mitch McConnell on card check

McConnell lashes out on the stimulus bill

Technorati tags: Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama Republican McConnellhugo chavez

Report from the bloggers' teleconference with Sen. Kit Bond

A couple of hours ago I took part in a bloggers' teleconference with Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO).

Protecting America was the main topic this afternoon. As regular readers of this blog know, the Obama administration's policy on releasing details regarding the enhanced interrogation techniques has been anything but consistent.

Bond hit the ground running during the call, telling bloggers, "We're seeing national security decisions made based on politics, not what's in the best interest of keeping Americans safe." Bolstering his point, the senator cited the upcoming closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention center--without a backup plan, the release of the CIA enhanced interrogation memos--without explaining the effectiveness of these controversial techniques, and finally, the administration has decided to make public photographs of War on Terror detainee abuse.

Bond then rhetorically asked, "What is this administration's strategy regarding the terrorist threat and keeping America safe?"

During the question and answer, Bond brought up the strong influence that George Soros and MoveOn.org have on the administration and its decision process, and the ongoing suffering by some Democrats of Bush Derangement Syndrome. He also reminded listeners that unlike the Bill Clinton way of treating terrorist attacks as "individual criminal acts," after 9/11, President Bush decided to use our intelligence and military resources to protect us.

"What is their strategy to keep us safe?" Bond again asked. Throwing insults at Bush, he reasoned, is not the for the way for the administration to go.

Related post:

Senators Thune and Ensign blast spending in bloggers' teleconference

Technorati tags: Republican news Missouri Obama politics Barack Obama kit bond bush derangement syndrome Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror

Virginia could be destination for Uighur Gitmo detainees

I wonder if Barack Obama would have won Virginia--the first Democrat to do so since 1964--had he told Virginians they could be hosting a dozen or so accused War on Terror veterans?

The Obama administration is edging toward taking some Guantanamo prisoners to the U.S., most likely to Virginia. They are Chinese Muslims known as Uighurs, and their supporters say they never should have been at Guantanamo in the first place.

Technorati tags: China 中國 中国 law Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama

Teleprompter-in-chief malfunctions

Barack Obama, our teleprompter-in-chief, experienced a malfunction.

Click here.

Hat tip to Say Anything.

Technorati tags: news Democrats politics Barack Obama obama

Obama politicking on swine flu

Like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama has problems with switching out of campaign mode, as Dow Jones informs us:

Obama, who said he is receiving regular updates from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control, used the outbreak of an example of why the government should boost investment for science and technology. He disputed the notion that the U.S. should rein in spending on science as it fights the recession.

"Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been," the president said. "And if there was ever a day that reminded us of our shared stake in science and research, it's today."

Obama said he will seek to devote more than 3% of gross domestic product to research and development, a level he called the largest commitment to science and innovation in U.S. history.

The president never misses an opportunity to plug his big government agenda.

On a related note, health care professional Skye of Midnight Blue posted must-read information on swine flu.

Technorati tags: health care news health Democrats politics Barack Obama flu influenza obama bill clinton

Horse slaughter ban causing serious problems for horses

The well-intentioned drive to ban the slaughter of horses in the United States has created a new problem--cruelty to horses.

Two years ago my post, "Last US horse slaughterhouse shut down, unwanted horse problem will worsen," led to the most non-Bill Ayers related comments in the five year history of Marathon Pundit.

(The comments are archived in the Haloscan format.)

In that post I wrote that because the option to sell horses to meat processors was gone--horses would suffer. My prediction was that unwanted horses would be set free and left to fend for themselves in the wild.

Which is happening.

The last horse slaughterhouse processed 1,000 equines a week.

The horse lovers--Oh, I'm not a horse-hater--responded that there is a large network of horse shelters that can take care of those horses.

I'm going to tell you about a story that has not gotten much attention media attention--outside of Nebraska. A Sand Hills man who ran the unfortunately named 3-Strikes Mustang Ranch was arrested earlier this month for animal cruelty. 200 horses, many visibly malnourished, were moved to a nearby county fairground.

At least sixty horse carcasses were found in pits on the property.

The Scottsbluff Star-Herald has a series of articles about the 3-Strikes Mustang Ranch.

Lynn Safranek of the Omaha World-Herald also covered this story; she spoke with Jamie Sich, who is the president of the Nebraska Horse Council.

Sich's personal view is that slaughterhouses are needed in the United States to handle old, sick and unwanted horses.

After the U.S. slaughterhouses were closed, the demand for horses dropped and unwanted or unusable horses flooded the market.

Because kill buyers set the bottom market prices, the prices for all horses went into free fall. A horse that may have been valuable several years ago is worth half as much today.

Lower demand has left breeders with an unexpected surplus of horses they had hoped to sell but now must raise.

I hate to say it, but I told you so.

Some American horse still end up getting processed for human consumption--these animals are shipped to Canada or Mexico. A bill pending in Congress would ban the transport of horses to foreign meat processing plants.

Meanwhile, several states are exploring ways to reopen American horse slaughterhouses.

Related posts:

No home on the range: Domestic horse slaughter ban one year later

Horse of a different color on abandoned equines story

Abandoned horses in Eastern Kentucky

Hey, another horse slaughter post

Last US horse slaughterhouse shut down, unwanted horse problem will worsen

Technorati tags: horses animal rights business economy horse animal cruelty Congress Nebraska Nebraska Sandhills

Idaho: The Land of Lincoln

Yes, it's true. Idaho is the Land of Lincoln, at least that's what author Dave Leroy believes. He is the chairman of the Idaho Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

The Idaho Statesman tracked down Leroy, and he commented on a Boise statue of our 16th president.

A new plaque on the base quotes Leroy as saying that "more than any other state, Idaho is related to Lincoln."

That might get an argument in Kentucky, where he was born, or Illinois, where he lived and is buried. Leroy stands by the statement, however, saying the Great Emancipator was just passing through those other states, but he created Idaho.

"And now it says so on a bronze plaque, so it must be true," he said. "It's not just some fleeting Internet thing."

Related posts:

Thirty hours in Lincoln's Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site's log cabin
"My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place"
My Mississippi Manifest Destiny: Jonesboro, site of the third Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Technorati tags: Abraham Lincoln history Americana Lincoln bicentennial illinois Kentucky idaho boise

Obama ripped in his old community organizing neighborhood

Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) visited Chicago's South Side yesterday. The embattled Burris got an earful from residents--but not about himself.

President Obama got his start as a community organizer in Roseland, but a few dozen residents gathered there Saturday gave the new commander-in-chief a failing grade for not doing enough to tackle urban problems during his first 100 days in office.

"Some of us who worked with him from the beginning of his career through the presidency are not satisfied," said community activist Mark Allen. "Some of these streets are worse than they were when he walked down these streets."

Allen noted that Obama's "urban policy" on his Web site pledges to support programs such as CeaseFire, an anti-gang violence program in the city which hasn't gotten any federal stimulus money.

"How can you model yourself after CeaseFire if CeaseFire has no money?" Allen asked.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris Obama politics Barack Obama Chicago

Flashback: Congresscritter Schakowsky on Blago

Earlier this month my far-left congresscritter, Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston), received national attention after she called the Nationwide Tax Day Tea Parties "shameful" and "disgraceful."

Illinois' indicted ex-governor, Rod Blagojevich, is surely disgraceful and shameful.

Here's what Schakowsky said about her fellow Democrat in 2006:

We do have a working relationship, and we have a long-standing friendship... I agree with him on his priority of health care and applaud him for the work he has done as the health care governor.

Blago was impeached for his health care policy abuses.

And...

For tomorrows primary election, here are the candidates in contested races that I am supporting...Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Schakowsky's husband, ex-con Robert Creamer, was a top Blago campaign staffer in 2002.

Hat tip: ...With Both Hands.

Related posts:

Schakowsky considering run for Burris' Senate seat
Punishing the Blago enablers, part one: Jan Schakowksy
Spotlight on Schakowsky exposes an earmark problem
Blagojevich-enabler Schakowsky voted "present" on 2007 House Christmas resolution
Report from The Bench: Chicago scumbags gather at Obama rally
Liberals laud book by ex-con husband of Rep. Jan Schakowsky
Rep. Schakowsky: Let your moonbat flag fly
Leftist congresswoman wants to reinstate "Fairness Doctrine"
Ex-con and congresswoman's husband Creamer taught at Camp Obama
Cong. Schakowsky: Choosing her anti-semitism battles
Cong. Schakowsky's husband enters federal prison

Technorati tags: Schakowsky Jan Schakowsky Congress politics Illinois politics Democrats corruption blagojevich april 15 tea party taxes Robert Creamer

Illinois Blogger Meet-up in Downers Grove on May 8

DuPage County will be the place for to be for Illinois blogger on May 8.

Here's the official invite:

Illinois Blogger Meet-up & SamSphere
A Free! New Media and Blogging Workshop

SPONSORED BY:
The Sam Adams Alliance & Illinois Review

May 8th from 10:00am-4:00pm

Carlucci Restaurant

1801 Butterfield Rd
Downers Grove, IL 60515
(630) 512-0990

Register Here! (Free for Bloggers)

New media technology is becoming increasingly important to our jobs as responsible citizens. The work bloggers, wiki editors, and social media participants are doing is important to promote government transparency and to draw in more liberty-minded activists and citizen leaders.

In an effort to build relationships, the above mentioned sponsors have partnered with the Sam Adams Alliance to present Illinois Blogger Meetup & SamSphere- a one-day event aimed at helping selected political bloggers network with each other and build a stronger community.

This event is designed to bring activists of all sorts together to find out where their missions and goals align and create a community of liberty-oriented activists who will work together to amplify the pro-liberty message online and offline.

The conference will take place next month on Friday, May 8th at the Carlucci Restaurant in Downers Grove, IL.

For questions, please contact Emily Zanotti, Director of Web Strategies at the Sam Adams Alliance.

Phone: 312-920-0080 or Email: emzanotti@samadamsalliance.org

I'm looking forward to being there and meeting my fellow bloggers.

Technorati tags: Media Chicago new media blogging blogs politics Illinois Illinois Politics

Universal health care warning: Pregnant Englishwoman denied free dental exam--because she can't prove pregnancy

Get ready for stories like this one from London's Daily Mail if the Democrats bring universal health care to the United States:

A mother-to-be has been turned down for free dental treatment - because the surgery will not accept that she is expecting.

Sarah Luisis, 27, who is five months pregnant, has been told she needs to provide more proof that she has a baby on the way.

That is despite the fact that she has a big bump, a doctor's certificate, antenatal notes and ultrasound pictures of her unborn child.

But she didn't have the necessary Maternity Exemption Certificate from the National Health Service.

Technorati tags: UK Britain health care news health universal health care health care reform Democrats

Nonsense from a South Dakota AFL-CIO official about card check

Mark Anderson is the president of the South Dakota State Federation of Labor AFL-CIO and he's saying some really crazy things. His group's cherished bill, the Orwellian-named Employee Free Choice Act is on the ropes. Not a single US Senate Republican will vote for what's better known as "card check," Democrats such as Diane Feinstein of California and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas are bailing on it.

So it's understandable that labor big shots are acting in a desperate manner.

A petition drive is underway in the Mount Rushmore state to put to a vote--a secret ballot vote--a proposed amendment to the state's constitution that would make it law that workers must decide through a secret ballot whether they want to join a union.

Sounds fair to everyone. Except to union leaders such as Anderson, who spoke with the Rapid City Journal:

Anderson said opponents often latch onto the secret ballot issue to claim the card check method is undemocratic.

"So when you hear all the hoopla, from the employers' side and the opponents, I think that's a bald-faced lie," he said.

Anderson added, "It has nothing to do with the democratic process, it has nothing to do with democracy."

Hmmm...

Ready for class warfare? Where is our money going?

"Nowadays, it's not equally distributed," he said. "It's going mostly to the top."

Onetime Republican US Senate candidate Joel Dykstra is a petition organizer, and he declared, "We're not anti-union. We just believe employees should have the right to select their representation by secret ballot."

Makes sense to me.

Related post:

AFL-CIO meeting at luxury hotel in Miami Beach

Technorati tags: democrats elections South Dakota Politics unions news business card check afl cio

Chinese Gitmo detainees may be coming to a town near you

Expect to hear a lot more about this story.

The Los Angeles Times gets the ball rolling:

The Obama administration is preparing to admit into the United States as many as seven Chinese Muslims who have been imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay in the first release of any of the detainees into this country, according to current and former U.S. officials.

Their release is seen as a crucial step to plans, announced by President Obama during his first week in office, to close the prison and relocate the detainees. Administration officials also believe that settling some of them in American communities will set an example, helping to persuade other nations to accept Guantanamo detainees too.

But the decision to release the Chinese Muslims, known as Uighurs, is not final and faces challenges from within the government, as well as likely public opposition. Among government agencies, the Homeland Security Department has registered concerns about the plan.

The move would also incense Chinese officials, who consider the Uighurs domestic terrorists and want those held at Guantanamo handed over for investigation. U.S. officials no longer consider the Chinese Muslims to be enemy combatants and fear they would be mistreated in China.

Although they are Chinese citizens, these Uighurs view themselves as residents of "East Turkestan." They were captured in Pakistan, after receiving military training in Afganhistan by a Uighur separatist.

Albania has accepted a few Uighurs but doesn't want any more.

Related post:

McConnell: Don't close Gitmo

Technorati tags: China 中國 中国 law Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror Democrats Obama politics Barack Obamavirginia

Hack that Obama endorsed bringing Illinois politics to new low

When I speak with someone who lives outside of Chicago area about what is the hot-button political issue here, the answer is Todd "Corruption Tax" Stroger, Cook County Board President.

Yep, one guy...he's an issue.

Oh yeah, Rod Blagojevich is still snickered about, but politically Blago is in our collective rear-view mirror. But whenever Cook County residents go shopping, they're reminded about Stroger's corruption tax.

Here's what Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn, a liberal, wrote after Barack Obama co-wrote an endorsement letter for Stroger three years ago:

The letter, which puffs lots of hot air into the saggy balloon of Stroger's legislative resume, refers to him as "a good progressive Democrat" who will "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."

Todd Stroger was a "strong voice" in Springfield, the letter says. He has "worked assiduously" for the poor as an alderman. Yet, of course, the record reveals that Stroger is an unimaginative legislative drone whose reform credentials are wholly imaginary--an unlikely trailblazer to a new era.

Last week Stroger fired Donna Dunnings, his first cousin, who served as Cook County's chief financial officer. Twice Dunnings bailed out Tony Cole, her $58,000-a-year assistant, after he violated an order of protection.

But Stroger is the one who hired Cole, a former college basketball player, after "The Toddler" met him at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Cole was a busboy there. Yep, a busboy.

After Cole was hired, a criminal background check was performed and handed to Stroger last December--but he wasn't fired until earlier this month.

In an op-ed today, here's what the Chicago Tribune wrote:

We don't know if the hapless Stroger understands that he's in the most perilous moment of his ill-starred tenure. Democratic committeemen slated him for board president in 2006 because he would sustain county government's two key missions: the employment of patronage workers in the thousands, and the awarding of insider contracts in the millions. His brazen, needless raising of the sales tax has yielded still more of the revenue flow that keeps this Chicago machine fortress standing erect.

A new era? You bet.

Meanwhile, thanks to Stroger, Chicagoans pay the nation's highest sales tax, 10.25 percent. Suburban Cook residents like myself pay "only" 10 percent.

Stroger is up for reelection next year.

Related posts:

More on Stroger's cousin and her busboy
Todd "Corruption Tax" Stroger dragged into municipal election
Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED
More Cook County waste
Todd Stroger: More Chicago Democratic sleaze
Another update on America's worst government--Cook County
Rita Rezko's contribution to America's worst government, Cook County
The latest from America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Bid to rescind Cook County corruption tax fails: UPDATED
Revolt at the polls against the Cook County corruption tax called by Democratic reformer
T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America
Patronage hiring still thrives in Cook County
Another thing for Obama to be silent on: Cook County summer jobs going to pols' kids
Update on America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Palatine wants to secede from Cook County
Something else for Obama to be silent on: Chicago will have the nation's highest sales tax
Say no to higher Cook County taxes
No fat in Cook County budget?
Beavers leaves it to the race card as America's worst governmental body gets worse
Your Cook County tax dollars at work
Stop the proposed Cook County phone tax
"Is anyone watching out for Chicago taxpayers?"
Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?
Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up
Obama and Chicago's "We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent" culture
Cook County sues Cook County
My day as a Cook County juror

Technorati tags: Election Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County Stroger cronyism nepotism ruth's chris crime Obama politics Barack Obama

Patti Blagojevich was asked to do reality show

Rod Blagojevich's foul-mouthed wife was asked to appear on the NBC reality show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!"

Three days ago a federal judge turned down Blago's request to travel to Costa Rica for show tapings. Network officials have asked Patti Blagojevich to sub for hubby.

But she says "No." She doesn't want to eat bugs.

Blago was indicted earlier this month on more than a dozen corruption charges.

UPDATE 9:46am: Although he won't be appearing on "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here," Blago is still promoting the show.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats Chicago television entertainment corruption news costa rica Blagojevich

Misleading story about Wichita Tea Party

I met Bob Weeks of Voice For Liberty in Wichita last weekend; he was in the Chicago area for the Sam Adams Alliance conference.

He has a post about the Wichita Tax Day Tea party that caught my eye. Democrat Robert Tillman announced a couple of days ago that he's a candidate for Kansas' Fourth Congressional District, currently held by Republican Todd Tiahrt. But Tiahrt, who defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent in 1994, is running for the US Senate next year--Republican Sam Brownback's seat.

In my opinion--not that he'll care--Tillman is off to a bad start. He explained to Wichita Eagle that the "final straw" that pushed him to run for Congress was that Tea Party, about which he said, "Confederate flags (were) flown at the Republican tea party, and signs announced their disapproval for the amount of the stimulus package that so many other people are looking forward to for help in this Bush recession."

But in his blog, Weeks scoured through 360 photographs he took at his hometown Tea Party, and he spotted just one rebel flag.

Weeks then called candidate Tillman, who told him that he saw "at least two" stars-and-bars flying.

There were 2,000 people at the Wichita Tea Party--but two rebel flags.

Misleading.

Weeks cites an informal survey by a television reporter about the Wichita event, out of 100 attendees, 46 percent identified themselves as a Republican.

Hardly a Republican Tea Party.

For the record, I didn't see a single Confederate flag at either Chicago Tea Party.

Related post:

Western Holiday Motel in Wichita

Technorati tags: Kansas Wichita tea party media bias politics Election Democrats Congress

Blago: Judge saved me from eating bugs

Most politicians have a degree of narcissism. Disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich has plenty to spare. The Chicago Democrat appears to be on another media tour--this morning he was a guest on "The Today Show."

Shouldn't he be at home with his crayons and writing that book he's promised us?

On Tuesday Blago appeared in federal court, where a judge denied his request to travel to Costa Rica to appear on the reality show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here."

At that Tuesday hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel expressed some concern that Blagojevich might not come back for his political corruption trial and suggested he could make best use of his time by going through the evidence against him so he might see just how much trouble he is in.

But this morning, Blagojevich said he didn't think the judge had said he was a flight risk. But he conceded: "The judge did save me from eating bugs."

He added he still had not given up hope of playing some sort of role on the TV show, even though NBC has said it wouldn't move production of the show to the U.S. to accommodate Blagojevich. He said he was flying to Los Angeles this morning for discussions.

Asked by host Meredith Viera if he wasn't damaging his credibility and perhaps "making a fool of himself" by pursuing ventures such as the reality show, Blagojevich pretty much ducked the question.

Note to Blago: Prison food isn't much better than those Costa Rican bugs.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Election Democrats Chicago television entertainment corruption news

Registration closed for the 2009 Chicago Marathon

Hopefully people who read my Chicago Marathon post this morning were able to register for the 26.2 mile race on October 11.

An hour ago I received an e-mail that race officials have closed registration for this year's event.

If you choose to run for an affiliated race charity, you can still make it to the starting line on race day. Go to the Chicago Marathon official web site to learn more.

Technorati tags: Chicago Marathon running marathon run Chicago illinois sports athletics

Classic conservative quotes

John Hawkins of Right Wing News has put together two collections classic of conservative quotes.

Click here for the first 40.

And here for the next 25.

Technorati tags: conservative history culture politics society

Another Tea Party tune: The Kinks' "Have a Cuppa Tea"

The Kinks' were one of rock's greatest acts. But if "You Really Got Me," "Lola," and "Come Dancing" are the only Kinks songs you know, man, you are out of it.

So today we move from Tax Day Tea Parties to the tune, "Have a Cuppa Tea."

As for this song, it's from the band's foray into country-rock, "Muswell Hillbillies,"
a 1971 release.



Most of the Kinks' songs, including this one, were penned by Ray Davies. I don't know his politics--libertarian would be my guess--but this stanza from the song seems to have been written for last week's Nationwide Tax Day Tea Parties.

Whatever the situation whatever the race or creed,
Tea knows no segregation, no class nor pedigree
It knows no motivations, no sect or organization,
It knows no one religion,
Nor political belief.
Have a cuppa tea, have a cuppa tea.

By the way, Mancow Muller, who spoke at last week's Chicago Tea Party, is a huge Kinks fan.

Related posts:

Chicago Tax Day Tea Party

Mancow at the Chicago Tea Party

Tea Party tune: Chambers Brothers' "Time Has Come Today"

Sitting by the riverside and a great Kinks album

Ray Davies: Still around and enjoying "Life after Breakfast"

Technorati tags: The Kinks Ray Davies music rock British Invasion mancow tea party chicago Illinois

Dems' phony outrage on interrogations

The Democrats are on a phony outrage media tour about President Bush's aggressive interrogation techniques. The Washington Times sheds some light on the issue:

The CIA briefed top Democrats and Republicans on the congressional intelligence committees more than 30 times about enhanced interrogation techniques, according to intelligence sources who said the lawmakers tacitly approved the techniques that some Democrats in Congress now say should land Bush administration officials in jail.

Between 2002 and 2006, the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees "each got complete, benchmark briefings on the program," said one of the intelligence sources who is familiar with the briefings.

"If Congress wanted to kill this program, all it had to do was withhold funding," said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the closed-door briefings.

Those who were briefed included current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia and Rep. Jane Harman of California, all Democrats, and Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama and Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, all Republicans.

Although he supports Barack Obama's ban on torture, Dennis Blair, a top CIA official, says valuable intelligence was gained by the aggressive interrogations during the Bush presidency.

Technorati tags: Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama war on terror CIA usa law legal

Al Qaeda In Iraq's leader caught

Good news in the Middle East this morning. The leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, has been arrested.

Two years ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) declared the war in Iraq was "lost."

Technorati tags: politics news Iraq العراق Senate Harry Reid democrats

Chicago Marathon almost sold out

This year's Chicago Marathon is nearing capacity, as an e-mail I received warns, "Only a few thousand Open registration entries remain for the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon."

I'm signed up, it will be my 20th Chicago Marathon.

Related posts:

Scenes from the 2008 Chicago Marathon--from a participant

Finished another one: 2008 Chicago Marathon

T-shirts of the 2008 Chicago Marathon: Part One

T-shirts of the 2008 Chicago Marathon: Part Two

2008 Chicago Marathon: Elvis is everywhere!

Technorati tags: Chicago Marathon running marathon run Chicago illinois sports athletics Bank of America

Gov. Quinn refuses to apologize for calling Blago honest

Twice Patrick Quinn was Rod Blagojevich's running mate, a beneficiary of Blago's dirty campaign cash. The second time around, Quinn said his fellow Chicago Democrat was "honest." Reasonable people knew better then. But Quinn, who succeeded the disgraced Blagojevich as Illinois governor, refuses to apologize, as the Chicago Tribune reports:

"No, I don't think apologies are necessary," Quinn said after an Earth Day event at the Executive Mansion. "I think, what we want to do is, if people find out things that aren't right, you roll up your sleeves and you correct them. That's what I have believe in all my life."

Quinn defended Blagojevich as they sought re-election in October 2006--just weeks before voters went the ballot box and five months after federal investigators revealed they were investigating "endemic hiring fraud" in the Blagojevich administration.

Quinn, then lieutenant governor, maintained Blagojevich had "always been a person who's honest and one of integrity."

Since moving into the Illinois Executive Mansion, Quinn has proposed a 50 percent state income tax increase.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats corruption Blagojevich news illinois politics Patrick Quinn graft taxes earth day

Down to the river

We'd go down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we'd ride
Bruce Springsteen, "The River," 1980.

Actually I was alongside the North Branch of the Chicago River during my 10 mile run late this afternoon.

I took this photograph in Niles' Bunker Hill Woods, just south of Touhy Avenue.

Technorati tags: Chicago River rivers Chicago Illinois photography photos Niles nature

Obama's muddled interrogation policy puts Americans at risk

It appears that lawyers will be America's first line of defense during this era of "change." Which means Miranda rights and rules of discovery, not saving lives, will be the centerpiece of Barack Obama's anti-terror anti-man caused disaster policy.

We've tried that before--the Bill Clinton administration went down that path after the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. And we know what happened eight years later.

As AP noted yesterday, last week Barack Obama said CIA agents who carried out interrogations based on what they were told was legal "will not be subject to prosecution." He added, "This is a time for reflection, not retribution" and "nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past."

But in an another piece, AP analyzes:

No wasting time digging up the past? So much for that.

President Barack Obama said Tuesday that his attorney general would determine whether anyone from the Bush administration broke the law by crafting a legal rationale for drastic, demeaning interrogations of terror suspects. On the surface, it was a pragmatic call: Let the Justice Department lawyers check it out.

Seems innocuous. But Obama's flip-flop has blindsided CIA operatives assigned to protect Americans. "Am I going to be indicted?" they will wonder. And what if agents interrogate a terror man-caused disaster suspect on what they believe is legal...and two years later the interpretation of the law changes?

"Am I going to be indicted?"

Let me remind you: These men and women are dedicated to the protection of 300 million Americans.

Why the flip-flop? The radical group MoveOn.Org, financed by George Soros, launched a petition drive a few days ago demanding that Attorney General Eric Holder investigate "the architects of Bush's torture program."

Now that we are almost 100 days into the Obama presidency, one problem has developed for the Democrats. Republicans in Congress are united against the president. Yes, the Dems control both chambers, but Obama can hardly claim to be a post-partisan president--something he said we would be.

And Obama can't abandon the far-Left. It was they who gave Obama the initial critical mass of support that led to his victory in November.

Smart politics? Perhaps.

But the ultimate responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens.

And I prefer a confident CIA to be our first line of defense--not lawyers.

UPDATE April 23: Barack Obama says he has ruled out prosecuting interrogators. Still, the goal post has moved once.

Technorati tags: Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama war on terror CIA usa Flip flop law legal moveon

Post Tea Parties: What's next

Ned Ryun of American Majority appeared on Neil Cavuto's Fox News last week and discussed what needs to be done "after the Tea Parties." Of last week's protests, Ryun said out of these Tea Parties can come a new generation of leadership." Click here to visit "After The Tea Party."

Hat tip to Voice For Liberty in Wichita.

Technorati tags: politics Election tea party april 15 taxes

Obama's proposed $3,600 per-family-energy tax

John McCormack wrote an important story for the Weekly Standard on how liberals, including MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, are desperately trying to discredit a study that says the average American family will pay over $3,000 in annual taxes if Barack Obama's cap and trade tax is enacted.

But, as the saying goes, a lie can make its way halfway around the world while the truth is putting its shoes on. During a lengthy email exchange last week with THE WEEKLY STANDARD, MIT professor John Reilly admitted that his original estimate of cap and trade's cost was inaccurate. The annual cost would be "$800 per household" for a family of four, he wrote. "I made a boneheaded mistake in an excel spread sheet. I have sent a new letter to Republicans correcting my error (and to others)." (His corrected estimate translates to $512 if you use the Republican figure for average household size--2.56 people.)

While $512 is significantly more than Reilly's original estimate of $215, it turns out that Reilly is still low-balling the cost of cap and trade by using some fuzzy logic. In reality, cap and trade could cost the average household more than $3,600 per year.

The $512 paid annually per household is merely the "cost to the economy [that] involves all those actions people have to take to reduce their use of fossil fuels or find ways to use them without releasing [Green House Gases]," Reilly wrote. "So that might involve spending money on insulating your home, or buying a more expensive hybrid vehicle to drive, or electric utilities substituting gas (or wind, nuclear, or solar) instead of coal in power generation, or industry investing in more efficient motors or production processes, etc. with all of these things ending up reflected in the costs of good and services in the economy."

In other words, Reilly estimates that "the amount of tax collected" through companies would equal $3,128 per household--and "Those costs do get passed to consumers and income earners in one way or another"--but those costs have "nothing to do with the real cost" to the economy. Reilly assumes that the $3,128 will be "returned" to each household. Without that assumption, Reilly wrote, "the cost would then be the Republican estimate [$3,128] plus the cost I estimate [$512]."

Cap and trade is nothing but a steep energy tax, and unfortunately, most Americans have never heard of it. That has to change.

During the presidential campaign, Obama said that 95 percent of Americans would receive a tax cut during his presidency. But if you drive a car, use electricity, or heat your home, you will pay Obama's energy tax.

Technorati tags: news Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama energy environment oil cap and trade taxes

America's worst mayor update: Melton will skip Jackson debates

Two years ago Reason Magazine dubbed Jackson, Mississippi's Frank Melton "The Worst Mayor in America."

In 2006, Melton directed a motley group of teens with arrest records and cops, armed with sledgehammers, to destroy a duplex that he thought was a crack house. There was no warrant. Because of that incident, Melton faces a federal civil rights trial next month. The first one ended in a hung jury. Melton was acquitted in a criminal trial.

Also next month, Melton will face voters in a Democratic primary. But the mayor, who once declared that the problem of saggy pants was more important than the US Constitution, will skip the candidate debates. The first debate is tomorrow, Melton will attend a fundraising event instead. Well, at least he doesn't need "a hug."

Related posts:

"Worst Mayor in America" back on Dem Primary ballot

Mistrial declared in trial of "The Worst Mayor in America"

Jury deliberates in trial of "The Worst Mayor in America," Frank Melton

Technorati tags: Mississippi news Democrats politics frank melton election civil rights law

Fidel criticizes Obama's 'superficiality’

Has it occurred to Barack Obama that the reason some countries are rogue nations because they are led by irrational people? Probably not. Perhaps, unlike Jimmy Carter, he'll learn.

Fidel Castro said Tuesday that President Barack Obama "misinterpreted" his brother Raul's sentiments toward the United States and bristled at any suggestion Cuba should free political prisoners or reduce official fees on money sent to the island from the U.S.

Fidel Castro met with Chicago South Side Congressman Bobby Rush and members of the Congressional Black Caucus two weeks ago and expressed admiration for Obama. But in an essay posted on a Cuban government Web site, Castro blasted the new U.S. president for showing signs of "superficiality."

He also wrote Obama "without a doubt misinterpreted Raul's declarations."

Raul Castro said last week that Cuban leaders would be willing to sit down with their U.S. counterparts and discuss "everything," including human rights, freedom of the press and expression, and political prisoners on the island.

Technorati tags: Cuba cubano Castro Fidel Castro current events Raul Castro politics Barack Obama Obama

Couldn't their parents afford a baby name book?

A Daily Herald story about a busted meth lab caught my eye, since methamphetamine production, thankfully, is not epidemic in the Chicago area.

But in Des Plaines, which is two towns west of Morton Grove, there is one less meth lab.

But the town does have two brothers named Alberto.

Two brothers, Alberto Melencio I, 40, and Alberto Melencio II, 38, lived at the home and were charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver, police said. (Edgardo) Sagado, who lives in the 8900 block of Kennedy Drive in unincorporated Des Plaines, was charged with obstruction, resisting arrest and unlawful use of a weapon.

Boxing great George Foreman has five sons named George. His tongue in cheek explanation is, "In this career, you have to prepare for long term brain damage."

Meth users end up with messed up brains.

Technorati tags: illinois chicago Northwest Chicago Suburbs des plaines meth drugs crime

Illinois: Land of the Stimulus

Hoo boy! I should be celebrating all of these wonderful road projects coming to Illinois. On the other hand, I'd prefer a massive tax cut--not the $400 miserly "rebate" touted by disgraced CNN reporter Susan Roesgen at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party.

Luckily Illinois, even in the rural area, is populated enough not to have a "road to nowhere" built. I think.

Here's what McClatchey says:

When President Barack Obama proudly announced last week that the government had approved its 2,000th transportation project under the economic stimulus plan, he hailed it as a moment "when a generation of Americans seized the chance to remake the face of this nation."

Many of those Americans apparently live in Obama's home state of Illinois.

The Obama list included 249 Illinois projects, far more than any other state. Six states — Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Alaska and Idaho — had no projects when he spoke, although Georgia has since added 22 projects, and the list has grown to 2,163.

The Illinois collection was explained by Marisa Kollias, a spokeswoman for the state transportation department: "We do have a new governor and a new secretary and they've been working diligently."

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Peoria is the Secretary of Transportation. He has repeatedly denied steering projects to his home state.

Cary Leahey, an economist at Decision Economics hit the nail on the head, "They knew the system," he said, referring to top administration officials.

Of course most of them are from Illinois, predominately Chicago, the place where the political term "clout" was invented.

Technorati tags: Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats chicago government politics Barack Obama Obama economy

Tonight: Marathon Pundit on Patriot Games Radio

Tune in tonight when I will be the guest of Boston Patriot on Patriot Games Radio on BlogTalkRadio.

My part begins at 9:15pm Eastern, 8:15pm Central. There will be a call-in number. Click here to learn more. The show begins an hour earlier.

As always, I'll be talking about the corrupt nature of Illinois politics--and maybe some Tea Party stuff.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats Chicago radio Blogtalk Radio Illinois Politics Blagojevich

Blago no go for Costa Rica

If it was Costa Rico instead of Costa Rica, my headline would be an award winner. That being said, it's time for another update on America's favorite hair-brained ex-governor, Rod Blagojevich.

CBS 2 Chicago reports that the Chicago Democrat will not be able to appear on the NBC reality TV show, "I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here." Blago would have earned at least $60,000 to comb his hair in a Central American rain forest.

A judge has ruled that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich may not go to Costa Rica to take part in a reality TV show, because the judge doesn't think the former governor will come back.

Judge James B. Zagel also said in court that Blagojevich is broke, and taxpayer funds will have to be used for his criminal defense.

Now I wish the judge had let Blago do the show.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats chicago law legal crime entertainment television

Morton Grove Indian trail marker

Native Americans would sometimes tie a sapling to a nearby branch to mark the direction of a trail. According to Morton Grove: 100 Years, this bent tree, pictured yesterday, is a survivor from the pre-European settlement era.

The tree can be found near the corner of Beckwith Road and Nashville Avenue.

Click here for more on Indian trail markers.

Technorati tags: Illinois Morton Grove trees photography photos Native American

AFSCME among groups calling for firing Citigroup board members

The Service Employees International Union wants Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis to be fired. Not to be outdone, Bloomberg is reporting that the largest government union, AFSCME one of the organizations calling for the dismissal of several Citigroup board members.

"If there were a board Hall of Shame, Citi's would be in it," said Richard Ferlauto, AFSCME's director of corporate governance and pension investment. "The board has failed, and the directors have contributed to the lack of oversight."

Washington-based AFSCME opposes the re-election of Michael Armstrong, a former AT&T Inc. CEO; Alcoa Inc. Chairman Alain Belda; John Deutch, a former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director; Andrew Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemical Co.; Xerox Corp. CEO Anne Mulcahy; and Judith Rodin, president of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York. RiskMetrics has advised voting against Armstrong, Belda, Deutch and Mulcahy. Glass Lewis urges shareholders not to re-elect all six directors opposed by AFSCME and to vote against Parsons, a former CEO of Time Warner Inc. who has been on the Citigroup board since 1996.

The board members are expected to survive the challenge, but Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner might end up firing them anyway--the federal government will soon be the largest shareholder of Citigroup.

Related posts:

SEIU wants Bank of America CEO fired

Those darn government unions...

Technorati tags: labor politics unions news SEIU AFSCME economy Bank of America business banking citigroup

Not change I can believe in...

Quite a bit has happened in the last few days in this era of "change."

President Barack Obama warmly shook hands with Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez, someone who called former President Bush "the devil," and Obama an "ignoramus."

Obama sat quietly while Manuel Ortega, who once tried to force communism on Nicaragua, gave a 45 minute anti-US rant.

Yesterday, the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with whom Obama wants to negotiate with--sans preconditions--gave a long anti-Semitic speech--at an anti-racism conference no less.

This is not change I can believe in.

Technorati tags: farsi iran Persian خبر سياسی زنان venezuela hugo chavez Ahmadinejad nicaragua politics Barack Obama Obama

An example in liberalthink

In the below paragraph, the Chicago Tribune's Mary Schmich gives us a perfect example of liberalthink:

Americans want high-speed trains. A lot of people just don't know it yet because they've never experienced one.

Let me translate: Schmich is telling morons like myself that what I'm too addle-brained to venture an opinion on this subject.

True, unlike Schmich I've never traveled on a high speed train, but American high speed rail is something I can live without. You see, Mary, I'm concerned with how much it's going to cost. I'm an adult, and quite sometime ago I realized that I may want a lot of things, but I can't afford them all. So I make decisions on what I need and what I don't.

Unfortunately the Barack Obama administration, with the exception of national defense, wants to spend money on whatever thrills them. And a high speed rail network means more than quick trains. It would be a goverment run enterprise staffed by federal employees, represented by government unions.

When high speed rail is presented that way, you'll be surprised, Mary, how few people want it.

Related post:

Those darn government unions...

Technorati tags: economy stimulus hsr transportation high speed rail mary schmich chicago tribune trains unions

Morton Grove Magnolia Monday

I just got back from a 10-mile run, and I was graced by the doughboy monument in front of the Morton Grove Public Library. That's a magnolia tree in the background.

Related post:

Veterans Day, 2008

Technorati tags: Illinois Morton Grove magnolia trees photography photos statue

MSM whiffs on Tea Party coverage

The American Thinker's Kyle-Anne Shiver scolds the mainstream media over its coverage of last week's Tax Day Tea Parties:

In all my years of watching news coverage in America, I don't believe I have ever witnessed more condescending, amateurish, purely politicized reporting than what just transpired among the liberal MSM covering America's Tax Day Tea Parties. The Tea Parties represented a very significant news event.

Whenever close to 300,000 middle-class Americans put their productive lives on hold on a midweek workday, make original signs with their own hands, and travel miles and miles to stand with other private citizens just to demonstrate their anger with government, in more than 300 cities from coast to coast and everywhere in between, that's NEWS. Yet, many local newspapers - even the Boston Globe for crying out loud! - pettily refused to even cover their local protests. When every news channel - except the only one thriving on the block, Fox - finally decided to cover the events, it was with derision, mockery and elitist condescension.

Note to MSM: This is why you're going broke.

The puerile, vulgar humor of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and CNN's Anderson Cooper, targeting the most clean-cut, rancor-less groups of protesters possibly ever assembled in the U.S.A., was the kind of thing one would expect on an adolescent playground when the teacher isn't listening. I personally polled 16 friends and relatives, aged 23 to 66, and not a single one of them had ever even heard the sexually perverse phrase regarding tea bags, which peppered Maddow's and Cooper's primetime rants.

Oh, how the MSM loves to bring up that act when "reporting" on Tea Parties. Even the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn joined in.

Would Maddow, Cooper or Zorn have the guts to bring up, you know, in front of these kids, who I met at the Chicago Tea Party?

Related post:

Chicago Tax Day Tea Party

Technorati tags: Politics tea party news government taxes Chicago Tribune eric zorn Chicago mainstream media journalists

Obama's anemic budget cutting drive

Barack Obama will order his cabinet to cut a combined $100 million from their budgets.

Every little bit helps, but it is indeed a little bit. $100 million is what the federal government will spend on interest per day over the next 10 years just on the stimulus bill.

Technorati tags: economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Bank of America posts higher than expected profit

Saturday night I blogged that the Service Employees International Union wants to fire Ken Lewis, BofA's CEO.

This morning the bank announced that its first quarter earnings exceeded expectations.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based company earned $2.81 billion after paying preferred dividends, or 44 cents per share, compared with a profit of $1.02 billion, 23 cents per share, in the year ago period. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected profit of 4 cents per share.

Look for the radical union to push for Lewis' dismissal, as SEIU continues to hawk card check.

Related post:

SEIU wants Bank of America CEO fired

Technorati tags: Bank of America business banking labor politics unions news SEIU card check

Illinois Holocaust Museum opens

Just a few miles from home, the Illinois Holocaust Museum opened in Skokie. The town just east of Morton Grove was once the home of thousands of Holocaust survivors.

I'm off work on Wednesday and Little Marathon Pundit has an early release day, so we might go there that afternoon.

Today's grand opening included speeches from Bill Clinton, Governor Patrick Quinn, and embattled Senator Roland Burris.

Technorati tags: holocaust מדינת Jewish Skokie Illinois Roland Burris Patrick Quinn chicago Bill Clinton museums

Jan Schakowsky's shameful, despicable husband

Tom over at the Chicago News Bench has a collection of links about the ex-con husband of congresscritter Jan Schakowsky, the shameful and despicable Robert Creamer.

Technorati tags: Schakowsky Jan Schakowsky Congress democrats politics liberal Illinois Robert Creamer tea party Illinois Politics

Patriots descend on Philadelphia for Tea Party

As long as we are on the subject of patriots--scroll down one post--Skye of Midnight Blue has a report on Saturday's Philadelphia Tea Party.

Related post:

Chicago Tax Day Tea Party

Technorati tags: philadelphia Pennsylvania Politics tea party news government taxes

Happy Patriots' Day!

What exactly is Patriots' Day? It's a state holiday in Massachusetts that marks the first battles of the American Revolution, Lexington and Concord. The battles took place on April 19, 1775, but since 1969 it's been commemorated on the third Monday of April--which is tomorrow.

Patriots' Day is also when the annual Boston Marathon takes place, some runners wear tricornes; the last time I ran Boston, I encountered a participant dressed as Old North Church. The organizers of the first Boston race in 1897 toyed with the idea of having the course of the race run through Lexington and Concord and ending in Boston, but the lack of train-lines, and the relative proximity of the two towns to Boston, led to the choice of a different route.

The battles are difficult to summarize, but I'll do the best I can.

On April 18, British General Thomas Gage left Boston with a force of redcoats with the goal of capturing Samuel Adams and John Hancock as well as seizing colonial weapon caches.

Aided by a light signal from the steeple of Boston's Old North Church, colonial riders Paul Revere and William Dawes warned militias of the advancement of Gage's army. Brutal fighting took place in Lexington and it appeared the British would rout the patriots as they marched towards Concord. But colonial reinforcements beat back the British, and the redcoats retreated to Boston.

The Revolutionary War had begun.

Happy Patriots' Day!

Technorati tags: Boston Marathon Boston history on this day massachusetts uk revolutionary war

SEIU wants Bank of America CEO fired

As I told you yesterday...expect more posts about SEIU, a group Pat Hickey calls "ACORN with an advanced degree."

My headline is not misleading. And don't laugh, the Boston Business Journal says SEIU called for the dismissal of General Motors Chairman Rick Waggoner--and we know what happened to him.

First GM, then Bank of America?

The Service Employees International Union, an organization with more than 2 million members, and Change To Win Investment Group, a union pension fund that owns BofA shares, are making the BofA effort a top priority for the next two weeks. Union reps will appear on TV news shows and produce YouTube videos, circulate "fact sheets" on the bank, host petitions and protests outside bank offices and offer to make disgruntled BofA employees available to reporters to push their message.

And that message?

SEIU is collecting thousands of "taxpayer proxies" that call for BofA CEO and Chairman Kenneth Lewis to be fired. Organizers plan to deliver them to BofA headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., on April 29 before the bank's annual meeting that day. BofA is the largest bank in Massachusetts, ranked by deposits.

"Taxpayers are now the biggest shareholders in the bank," says SEIU executive Stephen Lerner, referring to the $45 billion in government capital on BofA' books. "Every taxpayer should have the opportunity to vote."

Why is SEIU picking a fight with America's largest bank?

Believe it or not, it involves the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, better known as card check, an issue that BofA has not taken a position on.

However, because of its high-profile, the bank is a fat target for the radical union--bankers are not exactly popular these days. Who better to single out than the Bank of America as SEIU seeks to advance class warfare...oops, I mean "leveling the playing field."

It doesn't stop there. SEIU envisions dues-paying unionized bank teller filling its treasury--which will allow it to further advance its expanding agenda. There are no unionized banks.

Speaking of money, SEIU hasn't disclosed how much its spending on this campaign.

Related posts:

Has SEIU's Stern gone too far?

Those darn government unions...

Card check update: "A mortal threat to American freedom"

Blagojevich and union "card check"

Wal-Mart America's most generous company, B of A second

LaSalle Bank, owner of the Chicago Marathon, being sold to Bank of America

Technorati tags: Bank of America business banking labor politics unions news SEIU card check

Hey. I am at the Renaissance Northbrook with bloggers Bob Weeks, Doug Welch, Dr. Melissa Clouthier, and Earl F. Glynn. They are here for the Sam Adams Alliance banquet.

CNN Chicago Tea Party attackee identified

Hot Air has the scoop, again, and they have a great post about Norman, the man badgered by the now-vacationing Susan Roesgen at Wednesday's Chicago Tax Tea Party.

Norman's a blog reader. Cool.

As you know, I was at the Chicago party, and while the crowd was spirited, it was not hostile--So if anyone wants to claim the Tea Partiers were looking for a fight--they're wrong. Although I did not see the confrontation--I was on the north side of the plaza, Norman was on the south side.

Let me debunk Roesgen's "point" about how we're all getting tax rebates from the federal government. First of all, the Tea Party was not just about taxes, or Obama, but about the expansion of government and the lack of accountability of elected officials from both parties.

Assuming Norman is a Chicago area resident, there's a good chance that like myself, he lives in Cook County. I live in Cook, and I pay the nation's second-highest sales tax. Chicagoans--the city is the Cook County seat--pay the nation's highest sales tax.

Read the below posts for more, but news just today broke about Cook County Board President Todd Stroger hiring a busboy to work for the county. Quickly he became a $58,000 administrative assistant for Donna Dunnings, the county's chief financial officer; she is also Stroger's first cousin. Dunnings twice bailed her ex-busboy out of jail. As for Stroger, he effectively inherited the job after his father suffered a massive stroke. The elder Stroger won the Democratic Primary in 2006 for County Board president a week after he was stricken. Then he withdrew from the general election and party bosses placed "The Toddler" on the ballot. Cook is a Democratic county, but when it looked like Republican Tony Peraica could win, Dem heavies, including Barack Obama and Dick Durbin, threw their support behind Stroger II.

We could have Tea Parties just about Stroger here.

Roesgen, you just don't get it.



Hat tip to Backyard Conservative.

Thanks to Cal Skinner of the McHenry County Blog for pointing out a bad link.

Related posts:

More on Stroger's cousin and her busboy

Tony Peraica at the Chicago Tea Party: UPDATED

Technorati tags: politics Election Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County Stroger cronyism nepotism tea party ruth's chris crimemedia bias CNN

More on Stroger's cousin and her busboy

Out of five million Cook County residents, County Board President Todd Stroger, who Barack Obama enthusiastically endorsed in 2006, "The Toddler" chose his first cousin, Donna Dunnings to serve as chief financial officer.

That's why I call Cook County government America's worst.

Former University of Georgia basketball player Tony Cole was Dunnings' administrative assistant, he was making $58,000 a year.

Here's what the Chicago Sun-Times says:

Stroger personally hired Cole in October after meeting the then-busboy while dining at Ruth's Chris Steak House in River North.

That's right. A busboy.

More..

Cole got promoted to higher paying county jobs even though he was arrested in November and again in January for violating an order of protection against an ex-girlfriend that he pleaded guilty to punching in the face.

Dunnings put up Cole's bail both times he was arrested for violating the protection order. On Nov. 20, Dunnings paid $1,000 to bail Cole out of jail. And on Jan. 23 — after Cole's total bond was increased to $40,000 — Dunnings put another $3,000 of the bail on credit cards, according to court records.

Cole said Dunnings bailed him out because he she was his boss and he "begged and begged and cried and cried and told her I would pay her back." She described herself as a mentor and boss to Cole — nothing more.

Sheesh! Perhaps we should organize another tea party just on this pathetic joke known as Cook County government.

As for Cole, he was fired last week for not disclosing his past criminal convictions. Maybe Ruth's Chris Steakhouse will take him back.

Back to the County...don't the jackals who run it do background checks on the people they hire?

Retail chains do.

Stroger asked for Dunnings resignation yesterday, she complied.

Related posts:

Todd "Corruption Tax" Stroger dragged into municipal election
Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED
More Cook County waste
Todd Stroger: More Chicago Democratic sleaze
Another update on America's worst government--Cook County
Rita Rezko's contribution to America's worst government, Cook County
The latest from America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Bid to rescind Cook County corruption tax fails: UPDATED
Revolt at the polls against the Cook County corruption tax called by Democratic reformer
T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America
Patronage hiring still thrives in Cook County
Another thing for Obama to be silent on: Cook County summer jobs going to pols' kids
Update on America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Palatine wants to secede from Cook County
Something else for Obama to be silent on: Chicago will have the nation's highest sales tax
Say no to higher Cook County taxes
No fat in Cook County budget?
Beavers leaves it to the race card as America's worst governmental body gets worse
Your Cook County tax dollars at work
Stop the proposed Cook County phone tax
"Is anyone watching out for Chicago taxpayers?"
Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?
Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up
Obama and Chicago's "We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent" culture
Cook County sues Cook County
My day as a Cook County juror

Technorati tags: politics Election Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County Stroger cronyism nepotism tea party ruth's chris crime

Eric Odom at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party

On my left is Eric Odom of the DontGoMovement and the administrator of Wednesday's Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party.

Photo courtesy of the Morton Grove Voice.

Technorati tags: chicago Illinois april 15 tea party taxes

Has SEIU's Stern gone too far?

Stern, ADJECTIVE: stern·er, stern·est
Hard, harsh, or severe in manner or character: a stern disciplinarian.

Yesterday I wrote about alleged Service Employee International Union (SEIU) chicanery involving a state of California home health care program.

Today I'm going to delve into SEIU cannibalization within organized labor, courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun. Andy Stern is the president of SEIU. Four years ago he pulled SEIU out of the AFL-CIO and formed his own group, Change to Win. Now he wants to grow to win. At the expense of other unions.

Stern's efforts to realign labor affiliations — to the benefit of the SEIU — is "a naked power grab," says John Wilhelm, who once headed the Culinary Union in Las Vegas and now is co-president of Unite Here, whose numbers have been significantly sapped by the SEIU.

Wilhelm accuses Stern and the SEIU of attempting a "hostile takeover of another union's jurisdiction in a way that is unprecedented in the modern labor movement."

Unite Here, a consortium of food service and textile unions, is part of Change to Win, but that hasn't stopped Stern and SEIU from stealing members from that union.

More...

It's almost like you invade another country, occupy parts of it and then extend the olive branch and expect the people you are trying to bring to the negotiating table to be pleased about the circumstances,” says Steve Early, a labor commentator and former union official whose book on the American labor movement, "Embedded With Organized Labor," is due out next month. "More and more, the ends justify any means in their minds."

Critics of the SEIU, including Early, suggest that the SEIU's vaunted growth has come at the expense of worker contracts and strong locals. SEIU's "growth at any cost" strategy, they say, includes making concessions on benefits and working conditions in exchange for organizing rights.

The Sun article misses one key point. SEIU's chief goal is not better working conditions and higher pay for its members, but more dues-paying members to fill its treasury. Money of course is power, and SEIU uses that power to curry favor from Democratic politicians.

A bigger union also means more foot soldiers to staff campaign offices and "get out the vote" efforts. Grateful office holders then reward SEIU with preferential treatment, leading to more growth within SEIU which leads to...

Related post:

Those darn government unions...

Technorati tags: labor politics unions news Democrats corruption SEIU California Las Vegas

Obama ties his own hands on terror

Gen. Michael Hayden was the director of the CIA for the last few years during George W. Bush's presidency; Michael Mukasey was Hayden's counterpart during roughly the same period at the Department of Justice.

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed titled The President Ties His Own Hands on Terror, the two men criticize a move made by their old boss' successor:

The Obama administration has declassified and released opinions of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) given in 2005 and earlier that analyze the legality of interrogation techniques authorized for use by the CIA. Those techniques were applied only when expressly permitted by the director, and are described in these opinions in detail, along with their limits and the safeguards applied to them.

More...

Soon after he was sworn in, President Barack Obama signed an executive order that suspended use of these techniques and confined not only the military but all U.S. agencies -- including the CIA -- to the interrogation limits set in the Army Field Manual. This suspension was accompanied by a commitment to further study the interrogation program, and government personnel were cautioned that they could no longer rely on earlier opinions of the OLC.

Although evidence shows that the Army Field Manual, which is available online, is already used by al Qaeda for training purposes, it was certainly the president's right to suspend use of any technique. However, public disclosure of the OLC opinions, and thus of the techniques themselves, assures that terrorists are now aware of the absolute limit of what the U.S. government could do to extract information from them, and can supplement their training accordingly and thus diminish the effectiveness of these techniques as they have the ones in the Army Field Manual.

Moreover, disclosure of the details of the program pre-empts the study of the president's task force and assures that the suspension imposed by the president's executive order is effectively permanent. There would be little point in the president authorizing measures whose nature and precise limits have already been disclosed in detail to those whose resolve we hope to overcome. This conflicts with the sworn promise of the current director of the CIA, Leon Panetta, who testified in aid of securing Senate confirmation that if he thought he needed additional authority to conduct interrogation to get necessary information, he would seek it from the president. By allowing this disclosure, President Obama has tied not only his own hands but also the hands of any future administration faced with the prospect of attack.

The point of using these harsh techniques is not getting confessions, but to extract intelligence that will protect Americans.

But Obama's move will please his supporters in Europe.

Technorati tags: law War on Terror Democrats Obama politics

Tony Peraica at the Chicago Tea Party: UPDATED

On my right is Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-Riverside), who has been at the forefront in opposing County Board President Todd Stroger's corruption tax.

Earlier that day Peraica proposed a complete elimination of the one-percent county sales tax increase that burdened Chicagoans with the highest sales tax in the nation.

Stroger, who will run for reelection next year, is backing a 0.25 percent decrease.

Cook County's chief financial officer is Donna Dunnings, she's Stroger's first cousin.

Stuff like this just doesn't happen in other places.

Photo courtesy of the Morton Grove Voice.

UPDATE 10:40am CDT: Wow, look at the story I missed from this morning's Chicago Tribune! Dunnings resigned yesterday because of a controversy regarding a fired County patronage worker.

Stroger asked for Dunnings' resignation and she agreed because of allegations that would hurt her ability to do her job, Stroger told the Tribune this morning in a telephone interview. Dunnings could not immediately be reached this morning.

Stroger declined to elaborate on the allegations, but said they were made by a man who was given a patronage job with Stroger's administration late last year. Stroger fired the man after learning he had a felony criminal conviction, said Sean Howard, a Stroger spokesman.

The man then made "explosive" and "not flattering" allegations against Dunnings, Stroger said.

Stroger said he could not provide details of the relationship between the man and Dunnings, but said she has bailed the man out of jail several times over a monthslong span.

Hat tip to Pat Hickey of ...With Both Hands.

UPDATE 11:05am CDT: Marathon Pundit reader Mike sent me this Daily Herald account:

Cook County Chief Financial Officer Donna Dunnings, the cousin of President Todd Stroger, resigned abruptly this week after it was learned she had bailed a favored employee with a criminal record out of jail several times, a county spokesman said Friday.

The employee, Tony Cole, was hired by Stroger upon the recommendation of Louisiana State University basketball coach Dale Brown, said county spokesman Sean Howard.

"The kid appeared to be very bright, very smart," said Howard.

According to a media report, the county knew of a 2002 charge of aggravated assault with intent to rape in Georgia when it hired Cole. The charge was eventually dropped, but it resulted in Cole being kicked off the University of Georgia basketball team. Cole, however, had not told the county of a Georgia conviction for writing bad checks. Because he didn't disclose that, spokesmen told the Chicago Sun-Times, he was fired last week from his $61,000 a year human resources job in the highway department.

Not only has Stroger's life been made more complicated by Cole, so has Coach Brown's.

Louisana...isn't that a corrupt state as well?

Related posts:

Todd "Corruption Tax" Stroger dragged into municipal election
Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED
More Cook County waste
Todd Stroger: More Chicago Democratic sleaze
Another update on America's worst government--Cook County
Rita Rezko's contribution to America's worst government, Cook County
The latest from America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Bid to rescind Cook County corruption tax fails: UPDATED
Revolt at the polls against the Cook County corruption tax called by Democratic reformer
T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America
Patronage hiring still thrives in Cook County
Another thing for Obama to be silent on: Cook County summer jobs going to pols' kids
Update on America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Palatine wants to secede from Cook County
Something else for Obama to be silent on: Chicago will have the nation's highest sales tax
Say no to higher Cook County taxes
No fat in Cook County budget?
Beavers leaves it to the race card as America's worst governmental body gets worse
Your Cook County tax dollars at work
Stop the proposed Cook County phone tax
"Is anyone watching out for Chicago taxpayers?"
Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?
Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up
Obama and Chicago's "We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent" culture
Cook County sues Cook County
My day as a Cook County juror

Technorati tags: politics Election Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County Stroger cronyism nepotismapril 15 tea party taxes tony peraica

Whither Gitmo--What is the Obama administration's plan?

Although the conservative blogosphere, and to a lesser extent the mainstream media, has focused on a despicable and shameless report from the Department of Homeland Security warning against possible "right wing extremist" groups populated by War on Terror veterans, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said something quite troubling on Good Morning America Thursday:

You know, the former vice president is just wrong. And, you know, we don't need Guantanamo, which is what he's talking about, to be safe as a country, or as safe as we can be, in a world where there's an ever-changing threat environment.

Click here for the video.

Unfortunately, there is no workable back-up plan for the "New Gitmo," whatever that turns out to be. Our allies don't want the Gitmo detainees, nor do the most-discussed domestic destinations, Florence, Colorado and Leavenworth, Kansas.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) phrased the Gitmo dilemma well last month:

The issue is we have the worst of the worst at Guantanamo. These are the worst terrorists you can imagine. We let some of these suspects down there go, 12 percent of them have gone back to the battlefield and have tried to kill Americans. And some succeeded in killing Americans. We know that no one has ever escaped from Guantanamo. And so if you are going to make a hard decision to close Guantanamo by a certain date, then you need to answer the question, what are you going do with them?

I don't think the Obama administration knows what to do. What is their plan?

Well, the Obama-ites have shown they know how to do one thing: Spend money. When Congress reconvenes next week, they'll vote on an $80 million supplemental funding request by the administration so it can shutdown the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

But is it too much to ask for a plan before we hand over the cash?

Technorati tags: law Gitmo guantanamo War on Terror Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama Kansas Republican McConnell colorado janet napolitano

Leftist congresscritter calls Tea Parties "shameful" and "despicable"

My odious congresscritter, Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), called yesterday's Nationwide Tea Party protests "shameful" and "despicable." I'm not surprised, the Evanston Democrat is one of the few members of Congress who is more left-wing than Barack Obama.

I saw Schakowsky on Fox 32 Chicago last night attempting to explain her way out of her obnoxious comments. Like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, she claimed that this is a false grass roots movement, aka astro-turfing, something that Barack Obama adviser David Axelrod is an expert in. (Schakowsky didn't mention that last part.) She also said that the Tea Parties, just as Pelosi did, had been hijacked by the Republican Party.

Kids...today's phrase is "Democratic Party talking points."

Oh, and their statement(s) are false. For instance, Republican National Committee Chairman asked if he could speak at the Chicago party. He was told "No."

Astro-turf this, Jan and Nancy.

Here are my talking points: For starters, Schakowsky's politico husband, Robert Creamer, is an ex-con who served five months in federal prison three years ago for kiting checks while serving as the executive director of a consumer advocacy group, the Illinois Public Action Council. Schakowsky was not implicated in the scheme, but she was serving on the board of directors when the crimes took place.

In 2002, Creamer was a top staffer for the Rod Blagojevich gubernatorial campaign.

Do you want more? Scroll down and start clicking.

Related posts:

Schakowsky considering run for Burris' Senate seat
Punishing the Blago enablers, part one: Jan Schakowksy
Spotlight on Schakowsky exposes an earmark problem
Blagojevich-enabler Schakowsky voted "present" on 2007 House Christmas resolution
Report from The Bench: Chicago scumbags gather at Obama rally
Liberals laud book by ex-con husband of Rep. Jan Schakowsky
Rep. Schakowsky: Let your moonbat flag fly
Leftist congresswoman wants to reinstate "Fairness Doctrine"
Ex-con and congresswoman's husband Creamer taught at Camp Obama
Cong. Schakowsky: Choosing her anti-semitism battles
Cong. Schakowsky's husband enters federal prison

Technorati tags: Schakowsky Jan Schakowsky Congress politics Illinois politics Democrats corruption banking blagojevich april 15 tea party taxes

Do you know this man?

One of the top organizers of the Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party just sent me a Facebook message. He's hoping to find out the identity of the man harassed by a rude CNN reporter at the Chicago party:



E-mail me at john.ruberry@sbcglobal.net if you know.

UPDATE 5:15pm CDT: Marathon Pundit reader "Yo" says Hot Air has more on that CNN "reporter," Susan Roesgen.

Technorati tags: chicago Illinois april 15 tea party taxes media bias CNN

Those darn government unions...

The involvement of what I call "government unions," such as the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) in the political process, including donating money to candidates and supplying volunteers to campaigns is an issue I'll be paying close attention to beginning, well, now. What this involvement means is that SEIU, as well as AFSCME, are lobbying within government for more government, which means of course, higher taxes, and in my opinion, worse government.

California has a home health care program, In Home Supportive Services, that receives over $5 billion in state funds; it's one of the Golden State's fastest growing programs, which is saying a lot--California is deep into a runaway spending binge--thanks to the Democratic-controlled State Assembly and Republican-in-name-only Arnold Schwarzenegger, California's governor.

There are allegations that because there is so much cash flowing into In Home Supportive Services that rampant fraud. Some people aren't sick, others are ill, but are being cared for relatives who have full-time jobs elsewhere. Some receiving "care" are dead.

The Los Angeles Times has more:

Some critics of the program say politics has blocked efforts to combat fraud. The program has become a steady source of revenue for the Service Employees International Union, among the most powerful interest groups in the Capitol, as well as a second union, the United Domestic Workers of America.

Under the program, people receiving care are entitled to hire whom they wish at government expense. Most hire their relatives, because family members are often the most appropriate to provide the needed round-the-clock feeding, changing, bathing and other care. Wages range from $8 to $14.68 an hour, depending on the county. Those workers are required to pay monthly union dues that total millions of dollars. The SEIU, for example, collects nearly $5 million a month from its 223,000 In Home system members.

The unions donate heavily to the campaigns of Democrats who control the Legislature and organize get-out-the-vote efforts on their behalf.

"There is a huge amount of money flowing to unions from this vast pool of workers they have been able to organize," said Sen. Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto). "Anything they see as a threat to that income stream they are going to challenge and use the political muscle they have to do it."

The best way to end these atrocities is to expose them. Just as bloggers, conservative politicians and the media have done with ACORN. Indicidentally, SEIU and ACORN work together a lot.

Remember what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant."

Lets disinfect these government unions. Starting now.

Related post:

Report from the bloggers' teleconference about Employee FORCED Choice binding arbitration

Technorati tags: labor politics unions news ACORN Democrats corruption SEIU AFSCMECalifornia

Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party roundup

Here are some reports from other bloggers about yesterday's Nationwide Tax Day Tea Parties:

McHenry County Blog: Crystal Lake, IL
TrogloPundit: Madison, WI
ThirdWaveDave: Sacramento
Ocean State Republican: Providence
Backyard Conservative: More Chicago
Freedom Folks: Video from Chicago
RightWingSparkle: Houston
Stix: St. Louis
Respublica: More St. Louis
The Palmetto Scoop: South Carolina
Political Mafioso: Phoenix
NowHampshire: Concord, NH
Atlas Shrugs: New York
Voice for Liberty in Wichita: Barack Obama's grandfather's hometown, El Dorado, KS
Uranian Observer: Everett, WA
Pundit and Pundette: Washington DC
Melanie Morgan: San Francisco
Midnight Blue: (Great national collection)

Many of these blogs have multiple Tea Party posts, so click on their respective home pages to see more.

If you want your blog included here, e-mail me at john.ruberry@sbcglobal.net.

The photograph was taken by my niece at the Roanoke Tea Party. She says 1,000 patriotic Virginians turned out.

Technorati tags: chicago Illinois april 15 tea party taxes

Chicago Tax Day Tea Party

What a difference six weeks makes. I was pleased when 400 patriots showed up to protest high taxes and Barack Obama's expansion of government--in the president's hometown on February 27.

But today at noon over 2,000 freedom lovers showed up in Chicago's Loop to do the same thing--only more loudly.

American and "Don't Tread on Me" flags, signs--both handmade and professionally printed, people wearing patriotic garb, as well as boisterous "USA" chants all added to the festival atmosphere at the Kluczynski Federal Building Plaza.

The Heartland Institute's Brian Costin served as the event's master of ceremonies, and after the singing of the National Anthem (Do they do that at ACORN rallies?), syndicated radio host Mancow Muller grabbed the microphone for a wild verbal ride.

Mancow thanked "the almighty God for the making of this day." He liked the signs, singling out ones featuring Ayn Rand as well as a couple of others: "How dare you steal my future," and "Don't spread my wealth, spread my work ethic."

Muller's deep baritone scolded the members of America's most notorious community organizers: "Hi ACORN...you are a morally bankrupt organization and you're going straight to hell." A few ACORN-bots were there to protest the rally.

And then he mocked the president's message: "This is the greatest country in history of the world, now join me as I change it."

Mancow's speech then took a surprising turn. Noting that he had never seen a crowd filled with so many people like himself, Mancow asked the crowd to turn to people next to them, and introduce yourself. Which everyone did. Maybe not everyone. I couldn't see what the ACORN protesters were doing.

John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute also spoke, and he channeled the crowd, "The politicians are failing." He then led a "We must lead" chant. It's the people, not the politicians, who must lead, Tillman declared. He has a web site, Wemustlead.com, and he encouraged the crowd to e-mail him at john@wemustlead.com. And then....he gave out his cell phone number. Which I'm not going to post. But I have it.

Kristina Rasmussen, who is also with the Illinois Policy Insitute, reminded the crowd, almost all of whom were from Illinois, that Governor Patrick Quinn wants to raise state income taxes...I just paid mine a few hours ago...by a whopping 50 percent. Rasmussen's work has appeared in the National Review Online, the Washingon Post, CNN and Investor's Business Daily.

Other speakers included Fox News Contributor Jonathan Hoenig of Capitalistpig.com, Americans For Prosperity's Joe Calomino, and Eric Odom of the DontGo Movement--He's a co-founder of the Tax Day Tea Party organization.

There is a post office on the south end of the plaza. It was filled with people--mailing their income taxes. How is that for irony?

Chicago's Tax Day Tea Party was a success. Several people I spoke with confided to me that not only had they never attended a protest before, they had never even considered going to one. Until today. It was a friendly crowd, and as far as I know there were no fights--there were a couple of verbal altercations I witnessed when the few liberals in the crowd spoke up. Oh, the Ron Paul people rubbed a few people the wrong way. As for the police, it was probably one of the easiest large protest assignments they've ever had.

The Chicago event was just one party. During his turn at the mike, Odom, who of course is a very reliable source on Tea Parties, announced there were 763 of them today.

UPDATE April 16: A reader corrected me on the location of that post office, it's on the west end of the plaza.

Technorati tags: chicago Illinois april 15 tea party taxes mancow ron paul Obama Barack Obama patriotismamerica ACORN Patrick Quinn

Mancow at the Chicago Tea Party

Sorry for the delay in posting my Chicago Tax Day Tea Party pics. I had to file my income taxes.

The first speaker at the party was nationally-syndicated Chicago-based talk radio host, Mancow Muller.

That's "The Cow" about five minutes before he kicked off the Tea Party.

More posts coming.

Technorati tags: chicago Illinois april 15 tea party taxes mancow

I'm riding on an el train--I am on my way home from the Chicago Tea Party. It looks like we got 2,000 patriots. Great event. Mancow Muller was the highlight of the rally.

Mancow Muller is speaking at the Chicago Tea Party. He is trashing Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.