Marathon Pundit

Chicago's Roosevelt University offers "Occupy Everywhere" course

2012-01-31T22:54:00.005-06:00

Roosevelt's Loop campus, October 10, 2010

One of my teachers at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Illinois, Donald Steinhardt, once confided in class that he almost wasn't hired there because his alma mater, Roosevelt University, "was a little pink," in the words of a school board member. Pink as in pinko, meaning communist.

Well it was a lot pink--and apparently it still is. Although I'm glad Consolidated School District 230 offered him the job--he was one of the best teachers I had.

The Chicago Loop campus of Roosevelt, home of "Progressive Learning," which ironically is across the street from the spot in Grant Park where Occupy Chicago failed to set up a tent city, will be offering an Occupy class this semester.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Thirty-two undergrads are enrolled this semester in "Occupy Everywhere," a three credit political science course offered at Roosevelt University that takes a look at the movement and the issue of social inequality in the United States.

"I study social movements and this was something unfolding right in front of us," said Jeff Edwards, who is teaching the class. "We can take advantage of being in Chicago."

Last fall, Edwards watched Occupy Chicago's General Assembly gather outside his classroom to meet in Grant Park. The idea for the course was born, though he first wanted to make sure the movement had some staying power.

Students will read the Occupy Gazette, the movement's newspaper, and attend General Assembly meetings. Occupy Chicago leaders may present guest lectures.

New York University (NYU) is also offering an Occupy course. And for a brief spell, Columbia University was planning an Occupy movement class but administrators evicted the idea. The Ivy League school isn't as progressive as Roosevelt or NYU, I guess.

The Roosevelt course ends just before the G8/NATO summits in Chicago. The Sun-Times says students aren't required to join the leftist movement, but two admitted occupiers have signed up for Occupy Everywhere.

I can't think of a goofier way to waste student loan money. The higher education bubble continues to be strained.

Oh, Professor Edwards: I'd like to be one of your guest lecturers. If he's still alive, Donald Steinhardt will vouch for me. Among the topics in his class at Sandburg was--and I'm not making this up--Theater of the Absurd.

Technorati tags: Politics Chicago Illinois illinois politics occupychicago left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet chicago politics college education chicago southland orland park

NAT GAS Act naturally bad

2012-01-31T20:19:00.003-06:00

Americans for Prosperity argues, rightly in my opinion, that Congress needs to focus on simplifying our tax code, not picking winners and losers. Last spring a Republican and a Democratic member of the House introduced H.R. 1380, the NAT GAS Act. It proposes the expansion of tax breaks--and creating some new ones--for the sale, production, and the conversion of natural gas-powered vehicles.

We're not talking nickles and dimes. According to the Heritage Foundation, among those breaks are a $64,000 tax credit for each natural gas-powered truck and $100,000 for each fueling station.

AFP composed an open letter to Congress about this boondoggle, which you can read here.

Who could be a major beneficiary of this crony capitalism valentine?

Leftist gazillionaire George Soros is one, and another über-rich guy, T. Boone Pickens, who was blowing wind power down our throats four years ago, is another.

Technorati tags: Democrats politics economy government energy crony capitalism

Romney projected winner in Florida Primary

2012-01-31T19:02:00.001-06:00

Kennedy Space Center

Fox News is projecting that Mitt Romney will win the Florida Primary--the former Massachusetts wins all 50 of the Sunshine State's 50 delegates.

Newt Gingrich is expected to finish second, with Rick Santorum taking third, and Ron Paul in last among the active candidates.

Florida's Republican Primary is a closed race--Democrats and independents cannot cast a ballot.

Technorati tags: elections Politics news conservative florida politics florida republicans newt gingrich

NLRB overreach: Usurping edition

2012-01-31T15:35:00.003-06:00

Stone City, Iowa

Did President Obama usurp powers from the Senate with his so-called recess appointments? Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) thinks so.

From the Daily Caller:

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley accused President Obama of dictatorial behavior in a floor statement Thursday, saying that his recess appointments were not the first acts he has taken to circumvent the constitutional system of checks and balances.

"President Obama's decision to bypass the constitutional advice and consent of the Senate is not an isolated incident," Grassley said, according to prepared remarks. "It is merely the latest escalation in a pattern of contempt for the elected representatives of the American people and the constitutional separation of powers."

Obama appointed Richard Cordray as the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau while the Senate was in recess, after the Senate indicated that they would not confirm his nomination.

Grassley accused the president of "usurping legislative powers" by overriding and working around Congress when possible. This, Grassley argues, is in violation of the Constitution.

It's hard to believe, but Michigan is considering right-to-work legislation. However, however, of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, only the Great Lake State lost population in the last decade.

From the Detroit Free Press:

Another skirmish is expected today at the Capitol in an intensifying battle between the forces of management and labor in Michigan.

But as a Republican-controlled House committee prepares to pass four bills to weaken unions, many on both sides await a fight seen as the main event -- legislation to establish right to work in Michigan.

The push for a right to work law -- under which no one could be required to financially support a union as a condition of employment -- gained momentum this month when a similar measure won partial approval in Indiana. The Hoosier state is expected to become the first industrial Midwest state to approve such a bill, which awaits final approval of the Senate and Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Ahd what about Indiana?

ABC 7 Chicago:

An Indiana Senate committee has passed a right-to-work bill, and Governor Mitch Daniels says he is ready to sign the bill once it clears the full senate.

The bill is expected to clear the senate on Wednesday.

The right-to-work bill is controversial. Protesters were on hand at Indiana's state capitol for Monday's committee vote.

Indiana could be a right-to-work state as early as Wednesday. 22 states are already right-to-work states.

Which brings me to Illinois. From the Washington Examiner:

Folks in Springfield, Ill., witnessed a bizarre scene two years ago. Thousands protested outside the Capitol, chanting: "Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes!"
Springfield, Illinois
Who protests for higher taxes?

Government unions do. The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees helped organize the rally.

This is the new face of the union movement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this past Friday that union rates fell again last year. Fewer than one of every eight Americans now belong to unions.

The National Mediation Board bar is open!

SHOT:

Unions Say Workers' Rights Curtailed Under FAA Funding Deal

CHASER:

Union: ‘We Can Live Within’ Labor Rules In FAA Funding Compromise

Transportation Union Blesses Deal On FAA

More on the Employee Rights Act from the Washington Times:

When Congress approved the National Labor Relations Act (aka the Wagner Act) in 1935, it reformed and updated federal labor law to reflect the harsh realities of the American workplace at the mid-point of the Great Depression. Thanks to the Wagner Act, the labor movement was so strengthened that when union membership in the private sector of the economy reached its apogee in 1953, great industries like steel, railroads, autos and mining were dominated by Big Labor. But even then, barely more than a third of all private sector workers were union members. By the time the 21st century dawned, fewer than 10 percent of private sector workers belonged to unions.

It's been a different story in the public sector, which has been fertile ground for powerhouse unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees, National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers, and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Today, these Big Labor giants represent nearly 40 percent of all public employees and make up more than half of all unionized workers in the country. Being unionized puts these public employees in adversarial relationships with the taxpayers who fund their paychecks.

Only 23 states have right-to-work laws that protect workers who choose not to join unions, and federal employees are not even covered by these laws. The result is effectively a union shop for most public workplaces. But before unions win over a majority of government workers, Congress should quickly pass new legislation to update federal labor laws and regulations, much as the Wagner Act did in 1935. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C., have introduced just such a bill, the Employee Rights Act of 2012.

Workforce Fairness Institute: WFI Issues Comment Concerning Department Of Agriculture Labor Law Violations Rule Change

LaborUnionReport: #OccupyAFL-CIO? #OccupyDC Loads Up, Heads For AFL-CIO's HQ

OpenMarket: Michigan SEIU Scam the Product of Government Collective Bargaining

FreedomWorks: FreedomWorks, Dick Armey, Jim DeMint to Participate in Spartanburg Rally for School Choice on February 2nd

Technorati tags: michigan michigan politics Politics news labor unions organized labor Obama Barack Obama gop Congress

From the SRCC: Reminder about Obama and his promise on the deficit

2012-01-31T14:27:00.000-06:00

Yes, Candidate Obama promised to cut the deficit in half in four years.

From the Senate Republican Communications Center:

Reminder
President Obama Once Pledged To Cut The Deficit In Half By The End Of His First Term

PRESIDENT OBAMA: “And that's why today I'm pledging to cut the deficit we inherited in half by the end of my first term in office.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Fiscal Responsibility Summit, Washington, D.C., 2/23/09)

REALITY: ‘CBO Projects A $1.1 Trillion Federal Budget Deficit’ For 2012

“CBO projects a $1.1 trillion federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2012 if current laws remain unchanged.” (“The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2022,” Congressional Budget Office, 1/31/12)

“If the CBO estimate is correct, it would mean that the United States recorded a deficit of more than $1 trillion for every year of Obama’s first term. The deficit was $1.4 trillion in 2009, $1.3 trillion in 2010 and $1.3 trillion in 2011. The largest deficit recorded before that was $458 billion in 2008.” (“CBO Projects $1.08T Deficit, Higher Unemployment,” The Hill, 1/31/12)

Technorati tags: Politics Republican gop Senate Democrats Barack Obama Obama economy

Occupy occtrocities: Throwing condoms at Catholic school girls edition

2012-01-31T11:05:00.005-06:00

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Calumet, Michigan

Another bountiful harvest of occotrocities today. Not content with rioting, murder, topless dancing, arson, and thousands of arrests, the Occupy movement continues to lower itself. In New England some occupiers threw condoms at Catholic school girls at a pro-life rally.

I also have quite a bit about Saturday's Oakland Occupy mayhem.

Will Chicago top Oakland in May when the G8/NATO summit convenes?

And would you believe that one out of five Americans haven't heard of Occupy Wall Street?

Today brings you a record 45 occtrocities.

LifeSiteNews: Occupy Wall Street protesters throw condoms, drown out speakers at Rhode Island pro-life rally
iOwnTheWorld: Occupy Wall Street is about economics, right?
Say Anything: If you threw bacon at a Muslim you'd be called a racist
Gateway Pundit: #Occupy goons disrupt first-ever March for Life youth rally (Video)
Newark Post: UD survey indicates that 1 in 5 Americans unaware of Occupy Wall St. movement
Shouldn't all of them oppose it? San Francisco Chronicle: Occupy Oakland protesters split over violence
Weasel Zippers: Hapless Oakland mayor to ask "national" Occupy Wall Street leaders to help stop violent Oakland occupiers…
Hot Air: Occupy support drops more than 20 points in … San Francisco?
Daily Beast: Occupy Oakland's violent turn proves the movement has lost its way
Marooned in Marin: Debbie Wasserman Schultz refuses to apologize for slandering Tea Party, while Occupy Oakland comrades burn US Flag at City Hall & commit murder
Gateway Pundit: White House refuses to condemn #Occupy violence, deaths and mass destruction (Video)
CNN: Occupy DC camps remain as deadline passes
Daily Caller: Occupy DC protester: 'Michelle Fields is a c—!' [VIDEO]
Pundit and Pundette: Park Service's non-eviction of Occupy DC a success
Big Government: White House backs US Park Police in Occupy conflict–calls tolerance of protesters "appropriate"
Big Government: Martin Luther King's family halts Occupy event at Atlanta Memorial Center
Des Moines Register: Camping over for Occupy Des Moines
BBC: Bristol's College Green clean-up begins after Occupy eviction
BBC: Men arrested in Occupy London UBS bank eviction
Scotsman: Occupy protesters told stint at the Meadows will be short
Irish Times: Occupy Cork group leaves building after court move
World Socialist Web Site: Forty arrested at Cape Town Occupy
WVEC-TV: Norfolk considers ban on overnight camping on public property
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Seattle woman marries warehouse, the world makes jokes
It was an unmarried building. Verum Serum: Occupy vandals trash Seattle Wells Fargo branch
Goofy. 10News: Members of Occupy SD attempt to arrest Mayor Sanders
Newsbusters: MSNBC 'Now' panel bemoans how Occupy movement's 'moral argument' has been drowned out
OWS Exposed: Masked occupiers attack NYC cops with bottles during nighttime march
Gateway Pundit: #Occupy protester strangles parents – stuffs their bodies in the back of the PT Cruiser
KCAU-TV: Protesters look for way to remain at Lincoln spot
Daily Iowan: Occupy Iowa City or the world's worst homeless shelter?
I thought it was about greed. Spin: Jesse Jackson ready to Occupy the Grammys over controversial cuts
ConservativeHQ: A comparison of the Occupy movement and the Tea Party
Philadelphia Daily News: Occupiers knock down Dilworth fence
The people united will never be divided. OccupyPhilly: Arturas T, Rosenbacher traitor of Occupy Chicago and Anonymous
Big Government: Adbusters tells occupiers to take to the streets of chicago a la 1968
RomanticPoet's Weblog: Will Rahm Emanuel control "Occupy Chicago" or will he send a message
LaborUnionReport: #OccupyAFL-CIO? #OccupyDC loads up, heads for AFL-CIO's HQ
GoUpstate: Police break up Occupy Charlotte tent city
Fox News should have arrested them. Washington Examiner: Occupy DC protesters make 'citizens' arrest' of Fox News van
PJ Media Belmont Club: Occupy Wall Street, Down Under style
Class warfare playing out. Lonely Conservative: Democrats warn "middle class will be history" if Obama not reelected
Weasel Zippers: Video: Top Democrats supporting Occupy Wall Street…
Weasel Zippers: Separated at birth?…
Occupy Arrests: 6,455 arrests

Related posts:

Exclusive: G8/NATO protest spokesman says Adbusters not calling shots for May rallies

Occupy church occtrocities: Urine on a cross, theft of holy vessel, throwing Bibles at cops

Technorati tags: left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet
christianity culture faith religion new york city crime communism law legal ows catholic

Sign the WhiteHouse.gov petition against illegal recess appointments

2012-01-31T08:55:00.001-06:00

Since the White House is required to respond to any petition that receives 25,000 signatures, I recommend that you sign one at WhiteHouse.gov that calls for President Obama to rescind the four illegal recess appointments made earlier this month, including three to the National Labor Relations Board.

No one expects to change Obama'a mind, but let's at least force the hand of the White House and make the administration explain the so-called recess appointments.

Click here to sign--but before February 10.

Technorati tags: business news government politics labor unions nlrb

Exclusive: G8/NATO protest spokesman says Adbusters not calling shots for May rallies

2012-01-30T18:20:00.012-06:00

Occupy Chicago headquarters

On Friday Occupy Chicago held a press conference at their indoor headquarters in a loft inside an old factory on the city's South Side--and I was there.

And yes, leftist skeptics, not only did I RSVP for the presser, but I did so under my real name. Not all of my Occupy Wall Street reporting is covert.

This was a tedious self-assignment, I had to endure nearly 45 minutes of "99 percent this" and "1 percent" that. The latter bit of the conference did catch my interest--the "welcome" and "endorsement" statement from the Chicago Teachers Union that I reported on Saturday and the part about the G8/NATO Summit that will take place in mid-May about a mile away from the "OccuLoft."

A few moments before the
start of the press conference

Ahh...a mile away. What a coincidence. However, the city-authorized protest space will be at Daley Plaza in Chicago's Loop, which guarantees a traffic nightmare in downtown Chicago.

Speaking that day about the May protests was Eric Ruder, who I will return to in a couple of paragraphs.

Occupy Chicago, as with the rest of the Occupy movement, has roving targets for its rage. Protesting G8/NATO has been on its radar since at least late October. Liberal gadfly Andy Thayer, amidst cult-like chanting, barked out a demand for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to issue permits to the occupiers so they can "get within sight and sound of the G8 and NATO summits" at their Occupy City Hall rally two days before Halloween.

Last week the Canadian leftist magazine Adbusters, summoning the memory of the infamous 1968 Democratic convention riots, issued a call for 50,000 protesters to descend upon Chicago in May.

So when the press conference ended, I asked Ruder, "Is Adbusters calling the shots in regards to the G8/NATO protests?" His reply was a simple, "No."

Occupy Chicago wall poster

He said this movement is being led by the "Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda," (CANG8) which Ruder says is "an umbrella organization that was founded before Occupy Chicago." He added, "An introductory meeting was held in August." He's a spokesman for them.

This will be the first G8/NATO summit to be held concurrently in 30 years. Past G8 summits have attracted thousands of protesters for rallies that turned into riots. In his press conference statement, Ruder asserted the non-violent goal of CANG8, but when I asked him about the violence of the previous G8 protests, he intimated to me that one of his concerns is that the Chicago Police could go "bananas."

What?

Occupy Chicago wall poster

Ruder, who was quite pleasant with me--even after I identified myself as a conservative blogger, brought up a 2003 Chicago anti-war protest where hundreds of demonstrators were arrested and Lake Shore Drive was blocked. To this day there remains a lot of 'he said-she said' about this permit-less rally, but one stubborn fact jumps out. The protesters shut down the Drive. That road is a major Chicago thoroughfare--if you haven't been on it, think of it as a Chicago version of Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive in New York.

What if an ambulance needed to get through that night?

I just get the feeling--even though Ruder didn't say anything along these lines--that the G8/NATO protesters are looking for a confrontation. But he did say this, "We fear the aggressive police tactics we've seen in Chicago."

The Tea Party movement and the occupiers contrast in so many ways--I've written about those differences before and I don't see the need to repeat them in what is already a very long post. But here's another one: The Occupy movement has a big-time chip on its shoulder. For instance, look at that sign pictured above, it's on a wall inside the Occupy Chicago headquarters: "The government: Protecting and serving the shit out of you."

I've been to four Occupy Chicago rallies--although only one of those had mass arrests--and the cops were pussycats, in my opinion.

Adding to the suspicions of Ruder and other G8 protesters/occupiers is a post by Second City Cop, an anonymous Chicago Police blogger, which was completely misinterpreted by a WBBM-AM reporter who assumed he was advocating in favor of his fellow officers covering their name badges in electrical tape while on duty at G8/NATO. Odd thing: Second City Cop didn't write anything along those lines.

I expect riots in May, but not the Rodney King/Los Angeles variety, but more along the lines of what occurred in Oakland two days ago. Small, but horrible. The troublemakers could be anarchists who've never heard of CANG8, but hey, riots are part of the G8 experience.

As for the Occupy movement, one of their chants is "The people united will never be divided," but when what I call occtrocities happen, they are quick to point the finger and proclaim, "They're not with us." You can't have it both ways, folks.

But Ruder says he doesn't want violence--and I take him at his word. And if there is no violence, well, then he will receive my praise.

As for the loft, it's just an office. No one will be sleeping there, organizers say.

Related posts:

Video: Chicago Teachers Union organizer welcomes Occupy Chicago to new home

Exclusive Occupy Chicago video: Arrests on LaSalle Street

From RebelPundit:

Occupy Chicago eyes headquarters in striking distance of G8/NATO summits

It's official: #OccupyChicago feeble pawns of the NATO/G8 uprising

Technorati tags: Politics Chicago Illinois illinois politics occupychicago left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet chicago politics Rahm Emanuel g8

Oakland: 'Occupier' accused of strangling parents

2012-01-30T15:21:00.000-06:00

Wow...the occtrocities keep piling up.

From Fox Nation: 'Occupier' Accused of Strangling Parents.

Co-workers said Poff and Kamin were having some arguments with their son, some of it having to do with him spending too much time in the Occupy Oakland encampment, but nothing that sounded beyond the scope of typical teenage rebelliousness.

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime California san francisco oakland

Gambling with taxpayer cash: Another green stimulus flop

2012-01-30T14:42:00.001-06:00

South Las Vegas Boulevard last month

Among the reasons I'm confident that President Obama will be defeated this fall is that I expect a steady procession of green firms that benefited from the $862 billion stimulus to experience serious setbacks. Something along the lines of Amonix, which delivered the third bit of green bad news in just a week.

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Gust seven months after California-based solar power company Amonix Inc. opened its largest manufacturing plant, in North Las Vegas, the company's contractor has laid off nearly two-thirds of its workforce.

Flextronics Industrial, the Singapore solar panel manufacturer that partnered with Amonix to staff the new $18 million, 214,000-square-foot plant, laid off about 200 of its 300-plus employees Tuesday.

More...

Amonix received a $5.9 million investment tax credit through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act in 2010, and another $12 million in private capital helped finance the plant.

Meanwhile the White House is blocking the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Crazy.

Technorati tags: government energy keystone xl news current affairs Democrats politics economy jobs Barack Obama Obama green environment

NLRB overreach: Utah senators edition

2012-01-30T13:13:00.003-06:00

I've reported on the Employee Rights Act before. Here is some more information on this bill.

From the Washington Times:

In an effort to loosen labor's grip on workers, two GOP lawmakers want legislation that would require workers to re-affirm the existence of their unions with new votes every three years.

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah and Rep. Tim Scott of South Carolina are pushing the Employee Rights Act that also would place limits on strikes, how fast a union can organize and how membership fees may be used to support political candidates. The bill has yet to receive a committee hearing in either chamber.

"It's neither anti-union, nor pro-employer," Mr. Hatch told The Washington Times. "It's pro-worker."

The move comes as unions are showing new signs of a turnaround in growth. The number of members spiked by about 50,000 workers to nearly 14.8 million in 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That follows two years of declining membership, during which unions lost nearly 1.4 million workers.

The Salt Lake City Tribune reports on Utah's other senator.

President Barack Obama used his weekly address Saturday to rip Congress for blocking his nominees, focusing his ire on Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

Earlier in the week, Lee vowed to oppose all of the president's picks for open judicial and federal positions to protest the way Obama skirted the Senate to fill key jobs at the National Labor Relations Board and the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Lee responds. From The Hill:

"Sadly, the President has sought to make this a partisan issue; but the Constitution is not partisan. The Constitution does not allow any president, Republican or Democrat, to circumvent the Senate in making appointments, and I will resist, just as vigorously, members of my own party who would attempt to do the same thing," Lee said in a statement.

The bar is open.

Zion National Park, Utah

SHOT:

Number Of Unionized Workers In U.S. Grows

CHASER:

The State Of Union Paybacks

Let's have another:

SHOT:

Top Dem Miller Wants DOJ Probe Of GOP NLRB Member

CHASER:

Watchdog Says GOP Member Of Labor Board Wasn't Enticed To Resign

More from The Hill:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday that the courts will have to resolve President Obama's recent recess appointments and blamed the White House for the confrontation with lawmakers.

Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," McConnell said the president's recess appointments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) earlier this month was part of Obama's reelection strategy.

"We all know the president wants to pick a fight with Congress," McConnell said.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
The senator said the president cannot decide when the Senate is in session or in recess. He noted that there was litigation against the recess appointments at the NLRB and that he understood that there would be litigation forthcoming against the consumer bureau as well.

Would you believe that right-to-work is being debated in suburban Detroit? It is.

Detroit News:

Candidates were asked for their position on the right-to-work issue. [Gary} Glenn said he supported national right-to-work laws as a way to get Americans out of "burdensome work situations" and "bring jobs back to America."

[Pete] Hoekstra said he supports states handling right-to-work adding that reform is at the state level.

The Indiana House this week approved right-to-work legislation and the state Senate is scheduled to begin hearings on the bill Monday. On Saturday, a mix of union members and Occupy protesters from across Indiana marched through Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis in opposition to the state's proposed right-to-work legislation.

Big Government: SEIU confirms Democrat-Socialist Marxist connection

Labor Union Report: SEIU thugs accost Fresno County supervisor at McDonald's

Related posts:

Video: Chicago Teachers Union organizer welcomes Occupy Chicago to new home

New film narrated by Juan Williams rips Chicago Teachers Union

New book: Union rules undermined stimulus

Technorati tags: jobs economy news government politics labor unions nlrb south carolina Orrin Hatch Utah tim scott mike lee utah politics

Friday night Fast and Furious document dump: Holder knew about it months before he previously claimed

2012-01-30T11:27:00.001-06:00

The Obama administration loves Friday night. That's when they "dump" embarrassing news. Last Friday was not an exception. Attorney General Eric Holder knew about the shooting of Border Agent Brian Terry on the day he was murdered--he was murdered with weapons from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms botched Fast and Furious sting operation, according to emails dumped on Friday. ATF is part of Holder's Department of Justice.

In May, Holder testified to the House Judiciary Committee that he only learned about Fast and Furious "a few weeks" earlier. He later walked back that statement, stating it was a “couple months" prior.

Holder will be questioned by the feisty House Oversight Committee on Thursday. I'll be watching on C-SPAN.

Let the good times roll.

Technorati tags: politics news yes we can Republican gop Mexico méxico fast and furious news dump Congress Democrats

Occupy occtrocities: Occupier marries building edition

2012-01-30T10:09:00.002-06:00

This building is available for marriage

An occupier married a building in Seattle--no word on whether the union was consummated.

Lots of other stuff this morning. The smoke is still clearing from Saturday's Occupy Oakland riot, Occupy DC is about to be evicted, not-safe-for-work photographs, and sadly, more anti-Semitism.

Today's collection is comprised of a record 37 occtrocities.

Seattle Post-Intellegincer: Photos: Seattle woman weds doomed building
Weasel Zippers: Oakland police report more than 400 occupiers arrested during Saturday's protests…
Independent: Here we go again: Occupy march turns ugly
The Atlantic Wire: Occupy Oakland's raid on City Hall: The morning after
PJ Tatler: Occupy Pledge of Allegiance: "…and to the plutocracy for which it stands, the privately owned central bank, under the Jews…"
Not safe for work. Scared Monkeys: More from the Obama endorsed Occupy Oakland protests from this weekend … F#@k you pigs (VIDEO)
Pat Dollard: Live stream: Occupy Oakland – Two streams
Weasel Zippers: Raw video: Weapons seized from Occupy Oakland protesters after City Hall siege…
Gateway Pundit: Oakland Mayor Quan rethinks support for #occupiers after they break into City Hall & spray paint walls
MSNBC: Occupy DC faces 'noon' deadline to end camping
Big Government: EXCLUSIVE–Inside Occupy DC: 'Obama is not why the US Park Police are letting us stay'
Not safe for work. Washington City Paper: Photos: Occupy Alfalfa Club
Weasel Zippers: Occupy DC protesters protest against "one percent" outside event featuring Obama, glitter bomb Sen. Lieberman…
Washington Post: Tensions mount with arrest of Occupy D.C. protester and approach of deadline
Borderstan: Guest column: Occupy DC, let us have our park back
Wall Street Journal: 'Occupy' movement tries again in another park
KCCI-TV: Protesters arrested on Capitol grounds
Big Government: Occupy slams National Prayer Breakfast for '1 Percent'; will lead 'People's Prayer Breakfast' in protest
WROC-TV: Occupy Rochester supports Oakland comrades
BBC: Occupy Exeter to fight cathedral grounds eviction
Los Angeles Times: Sundance 2012: An Occupy movement (sort of) takes hold
WPRI-TV: Occupy Providence packing up Sunday
Jawa Report: #OccupyPajamas gets tased
Creative Loafing: Occupy Charlotte braces for the big eviction
CF News 13 Police: Occupy Tampa protester arrested for assault on TPD officer
Daily 49er: Occupy Long Beach continues despite low turnout
Buffalo News: Occupy Buffalo - how long?
NM Politics: Occupy Santa Fe needs to move differently
Student Life: Occupy the University meets in Mallinckrodt, few students attend
Guardian: Holed up in his hut: George, the last protester standing at Occupy Bristol
FrontPagMag: Will Occupiers get their violent Chicago riot?
Radio New Zealand: Occupy protesters out of square, a day after going back in
Guardian: Occupy London protesters evicted from City office block
Urban Infidel: OWS street graffiti: I see tent people
OWS Exposed: Occupiers vs. the Constitution (video)
Big Government: Racist Occupy Wall Street: Movement "clearly" has race problems says Occupy Newark leader
Occupy Arrests: 6,436 arrests.

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime California san francisco oakland new mexico law legal occupy dc Washington DC

From Gateway Pundit: St. Louis welcomes back troops from Iraq (Photos and video)

2012-01-30T09:38:00.001-06:00

St. Louis, population 320,000, hosted a "Welcome Home" parade for our heroes who served in Iraq. Over 100,000 patriots showed up to greet them. Gateway Pundit was there and took photographs and shot video of the celebration.

Technorati tags: news military Iraq St. Louis Missouri

Molly Brown House in Denver

2012-01-29T21:31:00.004-06:00

Some of the news coverage about the Costa Concordia disaster has drawn parallels to the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago. When I was in Denver in November, I saw the Molly Brown House, which is three blocks southeast of the state capitol. I arrived there shortly before 4:00pm--the last tour had already started.

Strangely, Brown, whose first name was Margaret, was not called Molly until after her death.

Brown of course was a Titanic survivor, played by Kathy Bates in the eponymous movie; she insisted on having her lifeboat return to rescue those passengers swimming in lifejackets after the ship sank.

With some embellishments, Brown's life story was told in the play and movie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Debbie Reynolds played the lead.

The house from the outside is beautiful--a couple leaving the home while I was taking this picture told me that the interior is worthy of the exterior.

Brown's husband purchased the home in 1894, it passed to Molly after his death and she owned it until she passed on in 1932.

Besides her Titanic fame, Brown was a social activist and a two-time candidate for the US Senate. As for the house, I don't believe she spent much time there. The Browns traveled a lot and the home was used as the governor's mansion for a spell. Eventually it became a boarding house.

Earlier posts:

Cherry Creek and a truss bridge in Denver
Denver: Confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek
On this day in 1864: The Sand Creek Massacre
South Platte River sunset
South Plate River in Denver
Veterans Day 11/11/11: Colorado's Veterans Monument

Technorati tags: travel travel blog colorado photography photos culture history denver colorado titanic italy italia

New book: Union rules undermined stimulus

2012-01-29T17:48:00.004-06:00

President Obama's $862 billion stimulus was a failure. If you need proof--here it is: Obama didn't mention it in his State of the Union address last week.

New York Post reporter Michael Grabell explores the flop in his book, "Money Well Spent?" He summarizes it in the Post today. This sentence jumped out at me:

Public transit advocates expected a windfall for bus companies like New Flyer in St. Cloud, Minn. But the transit money took longer to get out the door because every grant had to be reviewed by the Labor Department to ensure that it wouldn’t have a negative impact on transit unions.

There are two lessons here. The first is that like the radicalized-National Labor Relations Board, the Labor Department is a shill for the unions. Secondly, the Obama administration is so beholden to Big Labor that it undermined one of the major initiatives of the White House. If the union rule was part of the stimulus bill, well, the department could have asked for a waiver. Many of them were issued for ObamaCare.

We can't wait!

Technorati tags: stimulus public works Politics news Senate Democrats unions organized labor jobs economy

From Doug Ross: Photos: Occupy DC girds its loins for eviction tomorrow

2012-01-29T16:51:00.001-06:00

Today is the penultimate day for Occupy DC. Monday is eviction day.

Doug Ross visited them today and took photographs.

Technorati tags: left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet occupy dc Washington DC

Occupy occtrocities: Topless women and chaos in Oakland

2012-01-29T12:26:00.002-06:00

Monsanto plant, Constantine, Michigan

Saturday was a busy day for the Occupy movement. In addition to a flag burning, there was a flag burning, as well as assaults on police and of course, vandalism.

Cold weather hasn't ended female topless dancers within the movement.

And Occupy Monsanto was a flop.

In the related post, you can read about some unwelcome dinner guests in New Mexico.

Herald Sun: Topless Occupy protest for Obama party
NDTV: Topless protesters detained at Davos forum
American Power has the NSFW video from Davos: More topless Ukrainian protest ladies!
Gateway Pundit: Occupy Oakland goons throw rocks and flares at police…three officers injured
PJ Tatler: Occupy Oakland: "Now is the time to spread hate"
Sitting on the Edge of the Sandbox, Biting My Tounge...#Occupy Oakland: Feel the hate
AP: Oakland officials assessing damage after daylong Occupy protests, City Hall break-in
Weasel Zippers: Pic of the day…Occupy Oakland protester expresses his love for America, by burning the U.S. flag
The Blaze: 'Kill the police': Cops arrest hundreds of Occupy Oakland protestors after street clashes
Oregonian: Occupy Portland protesters march in solidarity with Oakland
CKOM Radio: 'Occupy' Monsanto from Regina to Saskatoon flop
New York Daily News: Arrests at Occupy party in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Business Week: Occupy London moves into Iraqi Rafidain Bank after UBS eviction
Weasel Zippers: Magazine that helped launch OWS calls on occupiers to come to Chicago during G8 summit in "tradition of" 1968 rioters…
Occupy Arrests: 6,319 arrests

Related post:

Video: Occupiers invade restaurant in Santa Fe, guest of legislator's eye injured

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime California san francisco oakland new mexico

Video: Occupiers invade restaurant in Santa Fe, guest of legislator's eye injured

2012-01-29T10:44:00.002-06:00

Those rude occupiers invaded a restaurant inside the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico four days ago. A group of legislators from both parties were dinner guests of American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a small-government organization.

The agitators threw 5 x 8 cards in the restaurant--phony invitations--the New Mexico Watchdog is reporting. One of those cards hit the eye of a guest of a Republican legislator, possibly injuring her.

And there is video of the rudeness.

As she's being hauled away, one occupier shrieks, "ALEC killed indigenous people!"

We are not dealing with rational people.

Roadhouse Roundup has more.

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime new mexico

Occupy Oakland: 300 arrests, US flag burned, cops assaulted, art vandalized

2012-01-29T10:03:00.002-06:00

Those peaceful folks with Occupy Oakland held a roving rally yesterday. Among the lowlights were 300 arrests, a burning of an American flag, broke into City Hall and stole some more flags, assaulted police officers with rocks and bottles, vandalized art, damaged fencing and construction equipment, and generally created havoc.

Oakland's hapless mayor, Jean Quan, who initially fawned over the radical leftists, still doesn't get it. She is blaming the mayhem on a tiny "very radical, violent" segment within the Occupy movement.

Three weeks ago Occupy Oakland held a "F*ck OPD" rally.

Related post:

Occupy Oakland rally flyer: "F*ck OPD"

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime California san francisco oakland

Video: Chicago Teachers Union organizer welcomes Occupy Chicago to new home

2012-01-28T21:33:00.007-06:00

In the new documentary A Tale of Two Missions, Juan Williams said, "If the Chicago Teachers Union would put as much effort into improving as they do into protesting, then perhaps Chicago wouldn't be so burdened by violence, crime, and lack of economic mobility all borne of bad schools."

Yesterday afternoon one of those protesters, CTU organizing coordinator Norine Gutekanst, gave a hearty welcome to Occupy Chicago at their new headquarters at a loft on the city's South Side. Over 300 Occupy Chicago members have been arrested since they started protesting in September; nationally, over 6,000 occupiers have been busted. In my opinion it's a group of lawbreakers.

In my video, Gutekanst selectively read from the Chicago Teachers Union endorsement of Occupy Chicago.

She left this part out:

Whereas, Chicago Teachers Union represents teachers, paraprofessional and school related staff and school clinicians who work with and are members of the other 99% of Americans who have experienced cuts in their pay through the Board's reneging of 4% contractual raises...

Hmm...why did Gutekanst omit that passage?

But she did declare, "We look forward to continued partnership with the Occupy movement."

I agree with what Gutekanst said next. "Our students, their families, and our communities deserve the resources necessary to enable them to get a world-class education."

But I have to return to what Williams asserted in the documentary: "If the Chicago Teachers Union would put as much effort into improving as they do into protesting, then perhaps Chicago wouldn't be so burdened by violence, crime, and lack of economic mobility all borne of bad schools."

This is the last day of National School Choice Week. And oh, does Chicago ever need choice.

Related post:

New film narrated by Juan Williams rips Chicago Teachers Union

Technorati tags: education labor unions politics news Illinois chicago democrat illinois politics chicago politics democrats chicago teachers union occupychicago left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet occupy chicago

Cain endorses Newt

2012-01-28T20:43:00.002-06:00

The Cain Train has set up a station with Newt Gingrich. The Hill is reporting that the businessman and former presidential candidate endorsed Gingrich at a Republican Party Lincoln Day banquet in Palm Beach.

Good news for Gingrich--but it would have been great news had Cain given his nod for Newt last fall.

Technorati tags: politics Republican gop elections 2012 herman cain politics newt gingrich republicans

Oakland cops use tear gas against Occupy mob

2012-01-28T19:05:00.001-06:00

Perhaps the most brutish of the Occupy groups is in Oakland. They are stirring up trouble again tonight, AP is reporting that a mob of 2,000 had to be subdued with flash grenades and tear gas after they tried to knock down a fence and take over a vacant building. Fox News says some police officers have been injured--the occupiers were throwing objects at them.

At least 19 of the peaceful protesters have been arrested.

Oakland's inept mayor, Democrat Jean Quan, was initially supportive of Occupy Oakland.

Related post:

Occupy occtrocities: 6,000 arrests edition

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime California san francisco oakland

New film by Juan Williams rips Chicago Teachers Union

2012-01-28T16:58:00.007-06:00

Today is the last day of National School Choice Week and I want to get a couple of more entries posted about it here tonight.

My friend Andrew Marcus directed the Juan Williams-narrated A Tale of Two Missions.

"Even America's best public schools in the most affluent areas are falling behind when compared to schools in the rest of the developed world," Williams states early on.

A few moments later he adds, "No single entity benefits more from the current system than the teachers unions. They obstruct and resist education reform whenever and however it is tried."

Watch the abridged internet version of the documentary:

Williams looks at Chicago unionized-schools and compares them to a successful charter high school, Noble, while dispelling myths about why they succeed--such as charter schools "pick and choose" their students. With the exception of siblings, Noble's students are selected by lottery.

Noble graduates 99 percent of its students, Chicago Public Schools only graduate 56 percent of their students. The Chicago Teachers Union's answer to any problem is always more money. But the CTU is a big part of this mess. Williams calls it "a teachers union that is so radically politicized that it has become dysfunctional."

Without union red tape to contend with, charter schools have fewer rules. Or in the words of one union protester in the film, "They have less rules." I hope that rabble-rouser isn't a grammar teacher.

The Marathon Pundit Family lived on Chicago's North Side until 1999. "We have to get out," I told my wife then, "we can't send our daughter to Chicago's public schools."

I'm so glad we left.

Hat tip to Big Government.

Related post:

Video: Chicago Teachers Union organizer welcomes Occupy Chicago to new home

Technorati tags: education labor unions politics news Illinois chicago democrat illinois politics chicago politics democrats

BoDeans: Closer to Free

2012-01-28T15:04:00.001-06:00

Best known for its being on the Party of Five soundrack, BoDeans' "Closer to Free" stands up on its own as a rousing tune.

Over the next few months I'll be featuring Wisconsin bands for my Saturday Musical Selection as a show of support to Governor Scott Walker in his battle against Big Labor--the BoDeans come from Waukesha.

Technorati tags: videos rock music rock music entertainment bodeans waukesha wisconsin

Occupy occtrocities: 6,000 arrests edition

2012-01-28T12:07:00.005-06:00

Police at Occupy Chicago

As you will read below, the Occupy movement celebrated its 6,000th arrest this week.

Today I report on more arrests, evictions, and other occtrocities, including a story about a man who was arrested while dressed as Lady Gaga.

Los Angeles Times: Occupy D.C. protesters warned: Stop camping or risk arrest
AP: Occupy Charlottesville protesters found guilty of trespassing
AP: Final Occupy Reno protester arrested
Guardian: Occupy protesters evicted from empty London office block
BBC: New Occupy protest in City of London sees three arrests
Weasel Zippers: OWS-founder and class warrior Elizabeth Warren: "I think it's wrong" the way Romney earns his income…
Gateway Pundit: Multimillionaire leftist Elizabeth Warren says she's not wealthy (Video)
Park Record: Lady Gaga-dressed man arrested at Occupy protest on Main Street
AP: Oakland officials warn Occupy protesters they won't allow group to take over vacant building
Newsbusters: WashPost columnist: Occupy DC protesters just like Yogi Bear
Conservative Byte: Winter thaw: Occupy plotting spring chaos
The Occupy movement slams Citizens United, but...The Lonely Conservative: Obama and Democrats slam PACs and secret money while creating their own secret money PACs.
FrontPageMag: Soros's 'glee' over OWS violence
Ed Driscoll at PJM: Steal this book!

Related posts:

Occupy movement arrest total now over 6,000

Homeless man dies at Occupy Claremont, 10th death for movement

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business ows crime California san francisco oakland washington dc lady gaga

Weekly GOP Address with Marco Rubio

2012-01-28T09:10:00.001-06:00

Florida Senator Marco Rubio presents today's Weekly GOP Address. He speaks of President Obama's failures.

"Yes, this President inherited an economy where unemployment was too high, but over the last three years he's made it worse." Rubio says "Today our unemployment rate is higher than the day he took office. In fact, since he took over, it's been stuck over 8 percent every single month.

"This President didn't talk about his record for one simple reason; he doesn't want you to know about it."

Technorati tags: politics florida republicans democrat news marco rubio florida politics

Illinois college tuition increases going for pensions, not to benefit students

2012-01-27T20:52:00.003-06:00

While rising tuition costs are a problem, it's best that we look a the causes. Here's one.

From UniversityBusiness:

Illinois' 12 percent increase in higher education spending this year isn't going to benefit students. Instead, the additional funding for fiscal 2012 is going into the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) to address its underfunded pension program.

More...

SURS, which is responsible for the pensions of the state's university employees, is facing an unfunded liability — how much it owes in benefits compared with how much assets it has on hand — of $17.2 billion, according to its 2011 annual report.

Those tuition hikes aren't "for the kids."

Technorati tags: politics Illinois illinois politics education college pensions

Occupy movement arrest total now over 6,000

2012-01-27T18:20:00.006-06:00

Occupy Denver arrest, Nov 11, 2011

After hovering just under the 6,000 arrest mark for a week, the Occupy Wall Street movement roared past it yesterday, thanks to 37 busts at a Brooklyn protest. The Occupy Arrests site now lists 6,025 confirmed arrests.

As I've said many times before, I'm still waiting for that first Tea Party arrest.

On Tuesday, there was another Occupy death, it was the movement's tenth fatality.

Sexual assaults are among the crimes that have been reported at Occupy camps. You can read about the OccuArsonist here. And you can learn about one of the Occupy assaults on a police officer here.

Pictured is an Occupy Denver arrest that I witnessed.

To post this entry on Twitter or Facebook, click on one of the links on the left.

Related post:

Homeless man dies at Occupy Claremont, 10th death for movement

Technorati tags: politics left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet business denver colorado occupy denver ows brooklyn crime

Video: Ex-NLRB head rips proposed new union harassment weapon

2012-01-27T17:41:00.001-06:00

I was watching Fox News yesterday afternoon when Peter Schaumber, the former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, appeared on Neil Cavuto's Your World where he talked about the radicalized-agency's next move--allowing union bosses to collect worker phone numbers and email addresses from employers for their organizing campaigns--without their permission.

It's a perfect harassment tool for Big Labor.

"Workers have a right to be left alone," Schaumber told Cavuto, "they have a right not to be harassed during a union organizing campaign."

On a worker's first day on the job, personal contact information is given to employers for just one purpose--so that employee can be contacted when there is an emergency.

Schaumber called the Obama-appointees to the NLRB "union advocates." He added, "They want to stack the deck in favor of unionization."

The Workforce Fairness Institute is also covering this issue.

Technorati tags: Politics unions news organized labor jobs economy law legal business nlrb

Tea Party Express returns with Florida Primary tour

2012-01-27T16:25:00.002-06:00

Marathon Pundit with
Andrea Shea King,
Rockford, IL

The Tea Party Express, America's Freedom Caravan, will tour the Sunshine State for a Florida Primary trek that begins Saturday.

Here is the itinerary:

Saturday, January 28
9:00 AM – Jacksonville Rally (11437 Central Parkway, Jacksonville FL 32224)
1:30 PM – Winter Park Rally (1815 State Road 436, Winter Park, FL 32792)
7:00 PM – West Palm Beach Rally (Howard Park – 1302 Parker Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33401)

Sunday, January 29
1:30 PM – The Villages Rally (Location TBA)
4:00 PM – Gainesville Rally (Location TBA)

Monday, January 30
12:00 PM CST – Panama City Rally (Location TBA)
5:00 PM CST – Pensacola Rally (Jerry’s Cajun Café – 6205 North 9th Ave, Pensacola, FL 32504)

All times are local. My good friend Andrea Shea King will once again be embedded with the TPX.

On her blog, Andrea states, "They say the Tea Party movement is dead? Hah! We're just getting started!"

The Tea Party movement is absolutely not dead. If we don't hold as many rallies as that leftist group, it's because we bother with such mundane details as acquiring permits.

Technorati tags: elections Politics news conservative freedom tea party andrea shea king florida politics florida

NLRB overreach: More pushback edition

2012-01-27T13:53:00.001-06:00

Washington Circle, Wash. DC

"And it was inevitable that some of these people pushed back..."
The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury.

Time for more pushback.

From Business Week:

Senate Republicans are weighing a plan to block most of President Barack Obama's federal appeals court nominations starting in June or earlier in response to the recess appointments he made this month.

The idea was discussed at a private retreat of Senate Republicans on Jan. 25 at Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington. The option of stopping all consideration of executive and judicial nominees didn't get as much support as a more modest reaction to Obama's recess appointments, which included the installation of Richard Cordray as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, senators said.

Broadly blocking nominees "was discussed, but we're also very aware he would like us to play into his narrative, and we're not going to take the bait," said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, referring to Obama’s rhetoric about a "do-nothing" Congress.

"There will be a response, but it will be measured and appropriate," Cornyn said.

Obama also illegaly appointed three board members to the National Labor Relations Board, including two who had not been vetted.

At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing yesterday, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) blasted those appointments.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) also blasted the illegal appointments. From The Hill:

"Reversing years of precedent, the administration is asserting that the executive branch now has the authority to decide when the Legislative Branch is or is not in session," he said. "This presumptuous action by the president goes far beyond the limited powers he is granted by our Constitution.

"It is an affront to the democratic checks and balances as established by our Founders, and it constitutes a gross violation of precedent set by those who have come before us."

My neighbor to the east will soon be a right-to-work state.

CBS News:

In the end, they just didn't have the votes.

For two legislative sessions, Indiana Democrats fought the divisive labor measure known as right-to-work. They offered amendments aimed at changing the bill. They sought to put the issue before voters in a referendum. And in their most high-profile gambit, House Democrats staged occasional boycotts to deny the Republican-dominated chamber enough members to conduct business.

But that all ended Wednesday when the minority party acceded to the mathematical reality of the Republican's 60-40 majority in the chamber. Democrats showed up, and the Indiana House voted 54-44 to make Indiana the 23rd right-to-work state.

It is the latest successful legislative push targeting union power following a Republican sweep of statehouses in 2010, and if Gov. Mitch Daniels signs the bill as expected it will make Indiana the first Rust Belt state to ban contracts that require workers to pay mandatory union fees for representation.

This week is National School Choice Week.

Big Government: Gov. Jindal Calls for Expanded School Voucher Program, New Charter Schools and Tenure Reform

Technorati tags: Politics news labor unions organized labor Obama Barack Obama gop Congress

Spanish-language conservative talk radio show debuts

2012-01-27T12:26:00.000-06:00

Here is an interesting development and more evidence that not all Hispanics are Democrats. Most of them, in fact, are social conservatives.

From Politico:

A former Bush administration official is launching a Spanish-language talk-radio show in hopes of bringing a conservative political message to a medium popular with many Hispanics.

"It will be like Rush Limbaugh but with a little Piolín flavor," said host Alfonso Aguilar, referring to the godfather of conservative talk and the country’s dominant Latino broadcaster.

Last Saturday, Aguilar began what will be a weekly, hourlong show in 11 top Univision radio markets by interviewing Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio. An interview with Newt Gingrich will air Saturday morning, just four days before Florida’s primary. The show airs live and features newsmaker interviews as well as listener phone calls.

It;s the first national conservative talk show in Spanish and the idea is to reach Hispanics on a station that draws millions of listeners — but doesn't often include a conservative perspective.

In a few years you might be able to trace the birth of Hispanic conservatism with the debut of this show.

Technorati tags: florida republicans democrat news newt gingrich marco rubio florida politics

Occupy occtrocities: Chicago pawns edition

2012-01-27T10:24:00.002-06:00

Pawns on a chess board...

Is Occupy Chicago a pawn in the G8/NATO game of life? Find out below.

And a local newspaper tried to obscure it, but I still uncovered the story of the 10th Occupy movement death.

As always, I have more reports on arrests and evictions.

AP: Idaho House votes 54-16 to boot Occupy Boise
I thought it was about greed. VTDigger: Occupy Burlington says SHUT DOWN VT YANKEE!
As I was saying...Ward Room: Adbusters 2ants 50,000 G8/NATO protesters in Chicago
Ditto. The Villager: Occupy demands reversal of the Citizens United ruling
RebelPundit: It's official: #OccupyChicago feeble pawns of the NATO/G8 uprising
Auckland Now: Occupy Auckland arrests top 21
The Tennessean: Occupy Nashville camping on public land could be banned
BBC: Sheffield Cathedral Occupy eviction trial set for 21 February
LifeSiteNews: Why does Occupy Wall St. support Big Abortion?
AP: Video: 26 reportedly arrested at Occupy Wall Street foreclosure auction blockade
Sad, but true for now. Publius Forum: Conservatives: Occupy Wall Street shows how we can't get our message out over old media din
The people united will never be divided. Daily Iowan: Fight reported at Occupy site
Big Journalism: APM's Marketplace promotes Occupy, defends Alinsky
Press Democrat: Occupy Santa Rosa protesters appear in court on bank arrests
AP: Occupy protesters moving to Iowa Capitol grounds
Occupy Arrests: 5,984 arrests.

Related post:

Homeless man dies at Occupy Claremont, 10th death for movement

Technorati tags: communism international Politics Chicago Illinois illinois politics occupychicago left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet chicago politics

Homeless man dies at Occupy Claremont, 10th death for movement

2012-01-27T09:09:00.002-06:00

A homeless man, Phillip Greene, was found dead at the Occupy Claremont camp three days ago in suburban Los Angeles.

A police seargent told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, "But he is not part of the Occupy camp."

Gregory Toliver, who the paper says is a member of Occupy Claremont, tells a different story in a Daily Bulletin video.

"We lent him one of our empty tents to sleep in...we set him up in one corner or another of this site," Tolliver said. "He like all of the homeless people here has been dependent upon us for friendship and care and concern," he added.

It's a sad ending to a tragic life.

And it is an Occupy movement death--he camped there, he died there--which the paper is obscuring. Greene was the brother of a journalist at the Daily Bulletin, who is also now deceased.

There have been 10 deaths since the Occupy Wall Street movement began in September.

Technorati tags: ows Politics left wing extremists current events news california politics california occupywallstreet

Will Obama's EPA ditch common sense on forestry water ditches?

2012-01-26T21:07:00.004-06:00

Upper Peninsula of Michigan

In his third State of the Union address, President Obama again talked about job-creation. But his radicalized Environmental Protection Agency continues to assault the job creators.

In the Washington Examiner, David Freddoso explains a possible new front in the war on prosperity.

If jobs are on President Obama's mind, he should care about the U.S. logging industry. In 46 of the 50 states, forestry ranks in the top 10 manufacturing industries. It employs about 2.5 million Americans and pays $87 billion in wages annually. Its annual sales are $230 billion, including exports of roughly $35 billion.

Those jobs and that revenue now face a man-made crisis -- more specifically, a Big Green environmentalist-made crisis. Obama's administration could weigh in on either side.

For 35 years, the Environmental Protection Agency has understood silviculture -- the act of harvesting trees, as opposed to processing them -- to be an agricultural activity, not a manufacturing one. The distinction is vital because of particulars in the Clean Water Act. Runoff from "point-source" manufacturing facilities (including saw mills) is closely regulated. Permits are required, and an involved monitoring and remediation process is prescribed.

On the other hand, the "natural runoff" from forest roads -- basically mud puddles that accumulate in ditches -- has never required such permits or monitoring. It is cared for through what is known as "best management practices."

And the EPA just might see an opportunity to attack an industry, logging, that their fellow leftists detest.

Liberals love the courts--they discovered decades ago that it's easier to enact unpopular laws in the courtroom than in the legislature. "[T]the EPA has been misinterpreting its own rules for 35 years, and that, in fact, forest roads must be regulated in similar fashion to factories and power plants," Freddoso writes about how the outlier 9th Circuit Court of Appeals views this dispute. And the Obama EPA might end up concurring.

The expense of the litigation alone could kill the logging industry in the United States. And if the EPA requires permits for these ditches, American forestry could be chopped to pieces.

Forestry jobs pay well.

But for the Obama administration, it's more important to "fundamentally transform America."

Technorati tags: politics economy gop epa

Illinois after tax increase: Wrong way on unemployment

2012-01-26T17:39:00.003-06:00

The Illinois Policy Institute took a look at state-by-state unemployment figures for 2011. It discovered that only four states saw an increase in that measure last year. And it was the state that hiked its personal income tax rate by 67 percent and the corporate income tax rate by 46 percent that saw the biggest jump in the jobless rate.

Illinois--you are going the wrong way.

Technorati tags: Politics illinois Illinois Politics business economy illinois policy institue

Another green stimulus failure; Americans for Limited Government statement

2012-01-26T16:18:00.004-06:00

One day after my congresscritter, Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) dismissed the Keystone XL pipeline by ludicrously claiming, "Twenty thousand jobs is really not that many job and investing in green technologies will produce that and more," Ener1, a green firm that received $118 million in stimulus cash filed for bankruptcy.

Americans for Limited Government issued a statement about this latest failure:

As early as 2008 an investment advisory firm, Citron Research, issued dire warnings about Ener1, saying the company was "just a corporate shell company with a long history of failed businesses based on exaggerated promises," citing the company's long and shady history. When it was proposed that the 'stimulus' be used to give $118.5 million to Ener1, Americans for Limited Government worked with media to help expose this bogus firm for what it was. Predictably, it turns out those warnings were correct, unfortunately for taxpayers.

First Solyndra, now Ener1. Who is next?

Related post:

Lib Dem Schakowsky on Keystone XL: "Twenty thousand jobs is really not that many"

CBS News: 11 more Solyndras

Technorati tags: government energy keystone xl Schakowsky Jan Schakowsky news current affairs jobs Politics Chicago Illinois illinois politics current events chicago politics Indiana Democrats politics economy jobs Barack Obama Obama green environment

NLRB overreach: Second verse same as the first edition

2012-01-26T14:26:00.007-06:00

Second verse same as the first.
"Henry the Eighth, I Am." Herman and the Hermits
and numerous others

President Obama's illegally recess-appointed National Labor Relations Board members represent his second Big Labor-favoring packed generation on that panel.

And yes, it's second verse, same as the first.

In Illinois, the Teamsters union used its muscle to put an alleged mobster back on the state payroll.

From Fox News:

The chairman of the National Labor Relations Board hopes to have another round of regulations in place by the end of the year that would make it easier for unions to establish and win representation elections in workplaces.

Undeterred by Republican protests, Mark Pearce said he will urge the board to approve the new rules now that it has a full component of five members after President Barack Obama bypassed the Senate to fill three vacancies.

"We keep our eye on the prize," Pearce said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Our goal is to create a set of rules that eliminate a lot of waste of time, energy and money for the taxpayers."

One change Pearce wants is requiring businesses to hand over lists of employee phone numbers and emails to union leaders before an election.

Bad news for union members. More annoying phone calls during dinner could be coming your way.

About those illegal appointments...from Politico:

Citing Congress's constitutional prerogative to set its own rules, Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) has asked President Barack Obama to revoke appointments he made over the winter break and revisit his legal counsel's determination that he had the right to make such "recess" appointments even when the House and Senate were meeting regularly for pro forma sessions.

"The president's recent appointments are unconstitutional and are an egregious example of executive overreach," Rokita said in a statement announcing that he and 26 co-signers had sent a letter to Obama on the matter late Monday. "While the president may view the Constitution as an impediment to his agenda, we are asking the president to uphold his oath to protect and defend the Constitution. We urge him to retract his appointments and refrain from attempting to circumvent the Constitution by making appointments while the Senate is in pro forma session."

The Hill:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) on Tuesday asked Attorney General Eric Holder for all documents and other information related to the Obama administration's decision to make four recess appointments when the Senate was not in recess.

In his letter to Holder, Smith argued that the appointment of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the three appointments to the National Labor Relations Board were "unprecedented," because the Senate was not in recess.

"[T]he Senate, which has the power to determine the 'rules of its proceedings,' did not believe it was in 'recess' for purposes of the recess appointments clause during the relevant time period," Smith wrote.

My taxes, which went up dramatically last year, pay the salary of an alleged former mobster in Illinois.

From Fox 32 Chicago:

Fox Chicago's investigators have learned that the state of Illinois has been ordered to re-hire a former mob bookie, and cut him a check for more than $100,000.

Ralph Peluso was fired in 2010 after we started asking questions about how he landed on the state payroll.

He is now back on the job, thanks to the powerful Teamsters union.

Peluso allegedly took plenty of bets during his long career as an outfit bookmaker. But even he may be stunned at how he beat the odds and scored a major payday at the expense of Illinois taxpayers.

Speaking of the Teamsters...

New York Daily News: Teamsters lawyer Kevin Clor pleads not guilty to ripping off union for $211,000

To my east, Indiana will probably become a right-to-work state soon.

Northwest Indiana Times:

The Indiana Senate will act on House-approved right-to-work legislation next week, culminating in a possible final vote Wednesday before the Legislature breaks for the Super Bowl.

The Senate Pensions and Labor Committee is scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. region time Monday to review House Bill 1001, right-to-work legislation that is nearly identical to Senate Bill 269, which passed 28-22 on Monday.

If, as expected, the committee approves the House version, the measure would be eligible for amendment on the Senate floor Tuesday.

National School Choice Week posts:

Illinois Review: School choice is long overdue in Illinois

Say Anything: Obama's school attendance mandate is a sop to the teachers' unions

Big Government: New film skewers Chicago Teachers Union, explains stakes of contract negotiations

Big Government: Michigan union bosses hate school choice

Illinois Policy Institute: National School Choice Week - Michael Medved: "Let the money stay home!"

Technorati tags: michigan michigan politics Politics news labor unions organized labor labor day Obama Barack Obama teamsters gop Congress

Thin-skinned Obama challenged by AZ guv Brewer at airport

2012-01-26T12:52:00.006-06:00

Brewer responds to Obama

Americans elected a thin-skinned president in 2008. At what is normally a friendly ceremony, President Obama confronted Republican Governor Jan Brewer during his campaign-style tour through swing states yesterday.

From Politico:

"He brought up my book. And he was a little tense. I asked him if he read my book, 'Scorpions for Breakfast' and he said he read the excerpt and he didn't think that I was very cordial," Brewer told radio host Mike Broomhead on KFYI radio. "He was somewhat thin-skinned and a little tense to say the least. I was trying to be very calm."

"The book is factual, the book is true," Brewer repeated on Fox's Greta Van Susteren show. "I don't know why he was surprised by my book but he evidently is and he's very thin-skinned in regards to it."

Brewer and Obama reportedly got into a disagreement upon the president's arrival in Phoenix Wednesday, over Brewer's recent 2011 book. In her book, Brewer describes two meetings with the president — once at the White House in 2010 and once at Arizona State University. In the book, she describes being 'lectured' by the President over immigration.

There are two lessons here. Obama doesn't like to be challenged and the GOP nominee needs to do that to him this fall. Also, his sensitivity explains why he surrounds himself with sycophants such as Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod. Those who challenge him, for instance Rahm Emanuel or William Daley, find themselves no longer working at the White House.

Heckuva way to run a county...

Technorati tags: news Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama immigration news arizona current affairs laws legal

Poll: Walker beating back challengers in Wisconsin

2012-01-26T12:07:00.002-06:00

It's an early poll, but Governor Scott Walker is holding off potential challengers in hypothetical recall matchups in Wisconsin.

From a Marquette Law School survey:

Walker 50 percent-44 percent against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
Walker 49 percent-42 percent against former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk
Walker 49 percent-43percent former Congressman David Obey
Walker 50 percent-40 percent against state Senator Tim Cullen

Walker has better name recognition yes, but those one million petition signatures won't count in an election.

Technorati tags: elections Politics news wisconsin wisconsin politics

Occupy occtrocities: DC showdown edition

2012-01-26T10:08:00.007-06:00

Washington Circle, Wash. DC

Will the National Park Service finally evict Occupy DC from its illegal encampment at McPherson Square?

What use are laws if they are not enforced?

Plus as always, arrests and evictions, and a video that shows occtrocities in Boise.

Human Events: Occupy DC and Obama administration showdown looming
Whose streets? Our streets! Washington Post: Occupy protesters won't be counted as homeless
Washington Post: National Park Service defense of Occupy action is a muddle
Washington Examiner: D.C. Chamber joins call to evict Occupy
CBS DC: Mayor Gray still wants Occupy DC out of McPherson
The people united will never be divided. BuzzFeed: Occupy DC activist accuses Van Jones, MoveOn of smear campaign
Oregonian: At least four arrested as Occupy Portland demonstration takes to streets
Poling's home was the target of Occupy protesters. Register-Guard: City pays $13,000 for Poling; the Eugene councilor says the police overtime pay and fencing were necessary for his family's safety
Can they symbolically leave? Boston Herald: Maine occupiers: Encampment is our symbol
Daily Tar Heel: Charlotte City Council ends Occupy encampment
Examiner: Occupy Charlotte is an idea that endures
Here's something we can unite on! SFWeekly: Occupy My Street: S.F. woman starts petition against out of control parking tickets
Actually, except for the terminology of one charge, none of these are "weird." AtlanticWire: The weirdest things Occupy protesters get arrested for
Trespassing. San Francisco Chronicle: Occupy Oakland says it will seize vacant building
KGO-TV: Occupy Oakland protesters may target Oakland Airport
WPRO-AM Providence: Occupiers claim victory, to "temporarily" suspend camp
Idaho Statesman: Idaho lawmakers hear about incidents and costs at Occupy Boise
KTVB Boise: State accuses Occupy campers of vandalism, trespassing and theft

Lots of plastic container drumming? Music Week: Members of Occupy London announce first record label release
I thought it was about greed. Mondoweiss: Occupy AIPAC now has 100 orgs behind it (and neocons try to block its appeal to 'Jewish liberals')
As I was saying...Kent News: Occupy movement targets Turner gallery
Try eBay. Kotaku: The Occupy movement needs an arcade cabinet. Help it get one.
Hot Air: Contrary to Occupiers' claims, camping is not a First Amendment right
OWS Exposed: 'Revolution': New Occupy anthem tells protesters to 'speed-up momentum' (video)
Denver Post: Occupying a cliché
Death and Taxes: Was Obama's State of the Union address a shout-out to Occupy?
Big Hollywood: Redford's Sundance brand: The epitome of one percent perks

Related post:

Scottish Occupy protester arrested for destroying menorah

Technorati tags: left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet crime communism law legal occupy dc Washington DC

Scottish Occupy protester arrested for destroying menorah

2012-01-26T08:44:00.003-06:00

Occupy Chicago, November protest

Earlier this week I wrote about occupiers in America stealing a holy vessel from a church, urinating on a cross, and throwing Bibles at police officers.

It's not just Christianity being assaulted by OWS.

Last month a menorah was destroyed by an Occupy protester in Edinburgh, Scotland. He appeared in court last week and has been charged with "vandalism aggravated by hate," the Jewish Chronicle is reporting. Although a member of a synagogue in the Scottish capital says that the occupier's goal was to sell the aluminum for scrap.

Perhaps. But I'm sure the brute was aware that the menorah was a sacred object. The stench of anti-Semitism has pervaded the Occupy Wall Street movement since its founding in September.

Last month a menorah was damaged in Denmark by a member of Occupy Copenhagen.

Nothing is sacred to the occupiers--themselves excluded, of course.

Related posts:

Occupy church occtrocities: Urine on a cross, theft of holy vessel, throwing Bibles at cops
"Occupy Wall Street not Palestine" teach-in held in Milwaukee
Occupy Las Vegas Obamaville and its Palestinian flag
Video: Norman Finkelstein's supporter with Occupy Denver and Israel's "creation" of Hamas
Video: OccupyChicago anti-Israel rant
Month after 49 occupiers arrested for storming church owned lot; NY Episcopals praise OWS

Technorati tags: left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet
christianity culture faith religion Jewish Jews crime communism law legal ows culture uk Scotland

Lib Dem Schakowsky on Keystone XL: "Twenty thousand jobs is really not that many"

2012-01-25T15:27:00.004-06:00

Illinois' unemployment rate is 9.8 percent, which is more than a percentage point higher than the national rate.

But my congresswoman, liberal Democrat Jan Schakowsky, dismisses our nation's largest 'shovel-ready' project, the Keystone XL pipeline which will create 20,000 jobs and bring petroleum from friendly Canada and lessen our dependence on oil from the Middle East and Venezuela. Keystone will also create 100,000 support positions.

On Don Wade & Roma's WLS-AM show this morning, Schakowsky told the hosts, "Twenty thousand jobs is really not that many jobs [emphasis mine] and investing in green technologies will produce that and more."

Listen here. The crucial segment comes in at the 6 minute mark.

But the federal government sunk over a half-billion taxpayer dollars into Solyndra, which is closing its doors. The crony capitalism solar panel firm could be just the first of many green failures.

Last week in front of a crowd at 'Occupy the Dream' on Chicago's North Side, Schakowsky shouted, "We can put people to work!"

We sure can put people to work, Jan--by building Keystone XL. But Schakowsky prefers to gamble on uncertain green ventures. And even if green energy works, we should still pursue an 'all-of-the-above' approach to energy production.

Lest you think I'm being selective about my editing of this video, RebelPundit has a longer version of Schakowsky speaking at 'Occupy the Dream' on his blog.

UPDATE 5:30pm CST: My good friend Joel Pollak has more on Schakowsky and those 20,000 jobs in Big Government.

Technorati tags: economy government energy keystone xl Schakowsky Jan Schakowsky news Canada current affairs jobs Politics Chicago Illinois illinois politics occupychicago left wing extremists current events occupywallstreet chicago politics

From Doug Ross: Say, didn't Illinois just try Obama's "tax the rich" crap last year? And didn't it fail, miserably?

2012-01-25T13:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, as Doug Ross phrases it, Illinois' "temporary" income tax is a fiasco. Say, didn't Illinois just try Obama's "tax the rich" crap last year? And didn't it fail, miserably?

But after one year, the "temporary" tax hike hasn't lowered the amount of unpaid bills. And my state's credit rating has since been lowered by Moody's. Illinois has the nation's lowest credit rating.

Technorati tags: Illinois illinois politics gop government politics

Rent-a-protesters in Chicago

2012-01-25T10:54:00.002-06:00

Rent-a-mob, or rent-a-couple of protesters, was a going concern in Chicago earlier this month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported yesterday.

Always contentious hearings on whether to close failing Chicago schools have taken a bizarre twist this year with charges that cash-strapped residents were hired as "rent-a-protesters" and given pre-made signs and pre-crafted scripts to support school shakeups.

Two men told the Chicago Sun-Times they showed up to apply for financial help with their energy bills at the Englewood office of the HOPE Organization headed by Rev. Roosevelt Watkins III, only to be offered money to attend school-related "rallies" held Jan. 6. Watkins denies they were paid to protest, saying money paid was for training.

Both protesters said they didn’t realize until the last minute that they were supposed to support school closings. One said he was promised $50 to speak at a rally "for schools," but was stiffed $25 after Watkins complained he had publicly revealed at the hearing he was "compensated" for speaking.

HOPE also bused protesters in.

In today's Sun-Times, other ministers said that paying prosters is not a common occurence in Chicago.

I have my doubts.

Video: OccupyChicago protester is a paid volunteer, UPDATED

Technorati tags: Politics Chicago Illinois illinois politics current events chicago politics current affairs culture faith religion

Occupy occtrocities: National Park Service edition

2012-01-25T09:39:00.001-06:00

The head of the National Park Service was grilled by the House Oversight Committee yesterday about why the Occupy DC movement is allowed to camp at McPherson Square near K Street.

Will they be booted? Maybe.

Today we have a few British occtrocities and an Irish one.

AFP: Occupy DC faces no-camping clampdown 'very soon'
Atlantic Wire: Cracking down on Occupy DC will be a huge headache for the Parks Service
Weasel Zippers: National Park Service director admits they haven't enforced camping ban on Occupy DC because they fear violent reaction from protesters…
Bloomberg: U.K. act to stop Occupy-style protests at venues of London Olympic games
BBC: Occupy protesters to leave St Andrew Square in Edinburgh
Bloomberg News: UBS protesters may be evicted after Occupy London drops appeal
Ireland, too. JOE: "Scruffy" Occupy campaigners becoming a right pain for businesses
Weasel Zippers: MoveOn.org: Obama's State Of The Union proposals "Truly a huge victory for the 99% movement"…
OWS Exposed: The first Occupy candidate: Nate Kleinman
KIVI-TV: Occupy Boise anti-camping bill passes committee, now moves on to full House
De-Occupied: Lexington Herald Leader: Police clear Occupy Lexington encampment after it's found unoccupied
KTVN: "Occupy Reno" leaving Moana Pool
OWS Exposed: Robert Redford claims Sundance (the corporate sponsored playground for celebrities) is for the ’99 percent’
Hippie alert. Treehugger: Yoko Ono delivers "peace postcards" to Occupy Wall Street protesters
Warning! Parody! The Heckler: Mets' Pelfrey attacked at Occupy Wall Street after trying to hand out signed baseballs
Big Journalism: One Occupier's sad story of foreclosure is a bit less sad than reported by the press

Related post:

Video: Joe Walsh questions NPS director on Occupy DC; occupiers get port-a-potties cleaned out by NPS

Technorati tags: politics occupywallstreet left wing extremists current events politics Chicago illinois communism news joe walsh Northwest Chicago Suburbs elections tea party law legal occupy dc Washington DC

Heroes: Navy SEAL Team Six free two hostages

2012-01-25T08:08:00.000-06:00

The heroic Navy SEAL Team Six, which killed Osama bin Laden last year, rescued two hostages held by Somali pirates, and American and a Dane. Nine pirates were killed.

There is good news this morning.

Technorati tags: Republican politics military defense news denmark danmark terrorism current affairs

Report from the media call with Adam Kinzinger on the State of the Union address

2012-01-24T23:41:00.010-06:00

Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)

About a half hour after tonight's State of the Union Address, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) held a media call about the president's speech.

Naturally in a state with a jobless rate higher than the national unemployment rate, jobs will be a topic. "We have the highest corporate tax rate in the free world," Kinzinger said. That makes American manufacturers uncompetitive overseas which of course hinders job growth. Large corporations--Kinzinger mentioned General Electric--can afford tax attorneys to find tax loopholes. Small firms aren't so lucky, but Kinzinger viewed this dilemma as an opportunity for bipartisanship. "So I think an area that we can work together on is tax reform," he commented.

Energy is an opportunity for job creation and this is an area where Kinzinger and Obama differ. Last week the president killed the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have created 100,000 jobs. Kinzinger favors Keystone.

Ohio, IL, 11th cong. district

Since late last year it's been clear that the president's campaign strategy will be to run against Congress. Which could pose a challenge in regards to getting things done in 2012.

"Well if you're willing to work with Congress," Kinzinger remarked, "it's going to be hard to run against us."

What is going to happen?

Of the plans Obama outlined tonight, Kinzinger offered, "There's a realistic side of me that says maybe it's just rhetoric, but the hopeful side says we can find some areas on which we can work together."

But Kinzinger later said of Obama's speech, "I think he is setting up his reelection message, and frankly I want to hear him set up a governing message because we still have a country to run for the next year."

I asked the House freshman about the Republican response to the president's address--a great one, in my opinion--by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. He brought up Social Security reform and made the suggestion that perhaps sending Social Security checks to the very rich is something that should be reconsidered. Kinzinger called it "an idea that is worth talking about."

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Technorati tags: Republican Congress news chicago politics Chicago illinois illinois politics adam kinzinger chicago southland gop Congress government energy keystone xl

George Allen statement on the State of the Union address

2012-01-24T22:18:00.002-06:00

George Allen, a Republican candidate for Senate in Virginia, issued a statement about tonight's State of the Union address.

Tonight, millions were hoping to hear President Obama deliver a new vision for a better future for our nation and our economy. Instead, we heard campaign-type promises and advocacy for the same failed agenda. The sad facts remain that his Administration's counter-productive energy, as well as regulatory, tax and spending policies have Americans enduring 35 straight months with unemployment over 8 percent, high gasoline prices costing us $30 more for each fill-up and downgraded creditworthiness for the first time in U.S. history.

I envision a better future than what we are experiencing now in the "State of our Nation." In the heart and spirit of the American people, there is a reservoir of optimism and belief in our ability to achieve the American Dream. Americans share my view that we should be limited only by our imagination, ingenuity and hard work. We must provide Americans with a competitive advantage for more jobs and investment; unleash our plentiful energy resources and creativity; and rein in the overreaching, overspending federal government.

I wish the President's actions truly followed Abraham Lincoln's words of limited, focused government. The chief responsibility of the federal government is our national defense and we all appreciate our troops, veterans and their families.

While his statement regarding energy efficiency in buildings is a worthy goal, I also hope he will allow Virginia to produce natural gas and oil off our coast.

While many people in today’s America have already seen their dreams diminished, I firmly believe the fight for our future can be won. We can spark a genuine comeback for America with empowering tax, regulatory and energy policies that help us recapture the promise of the American Dream for future generations and ourselves. With the right leadership for proven solutions, we can send the message to the world that "America is Open for Business, Again!"

Technorati tags: politics virginia george allen virginia politics sotu senate Republican

IL GOP statements on State of the Union

2012-01-24T21:49:00.002-06:00

Fulton, IL, 16th cong. district

Some Illinois Republican members of the House of Representatives have issued statements about tonight's State of the Union address.

First, Rep. Don Manzullo of Egan:

If the president is serious about wanting to help our employers put Americans back to work, he must stop talking about the two things that will keep Americans on the unemployment lines and extend our difficult times – tax increases and excessive government regulations. Employers are not going to create jobs when they could face huge tax increases and unnecessary regulatory burdens in the near future. We need to reduce the cost of doing business in this country and help make our employers more competitive so they can expand and create jobs. My American Jobs Agenda offers solutions that would put our great nation back on the path to prosperity.

The president also needs to get serious about cutting wasteful Washington spending and shrinking the size of government so we can strengthen our economy and give our employers the confidence they need to invest in their businesses. Today marks the 1,000th day the Senate has gone without passing a budget. That's unacceptable. I strongly encourage the president and Senate Democratic leaders to take a look at a budget I supported last year – the Republican Study Committee budget – that would have cut $9.1 trillion over the next 10 years while strengthening Social Security, saving Medicare, reforming the tax code, and balancing the budget in 9 years. It's time for Washington to start living within its means and end the massive borrowing from China and other countries that is saddling future generations of Americans with massive debt.

From Robert Dold of Kenilworth:

"Coming from a large manufacturing district, I was pleased that the president focused on manufacturing and job-training. I was also pleased to hear the president mention Master Lock, headquartered in Illinois' 10th District, for their work to bring jobs home," said Dold. "Everyone can agree that jobs and the economy are the most important issue facing our country today, so now is the time to work together, find common ground, and start moving our nation forward. The president must work to unite the country, not divide it. We need to focus on putting Americans back to work and start putting people before politics and progress before partisanship."

And finally, from the House Chief Deputy Whip, Peter Roskam of Wheaton:

I was hopeful for tonight's speech, but unfortunately, it was a missed opportunity to turn the page on three years of broken promises and failed policies. Rather than commonsense solutions, Americans heard a campaign speech of broad platitudes supporting the same policies that have made our economy worse. The President spoke about American energy yet didn't reverse his indefensible decision to deny the creation of 20,000 new private-sector union jobs from expanding the Keystone Pipeline. And while he spoke about taxes and jobs, he missed an incredible opportunity to push for comprehensive tax reform – a proven solution that could unite this entire country and unleash American business innovation – last passed in an election year. Republicans stand ready to work the White House and Senate Democrats on genuine solutions that would help small businesses. A good place to start is with the nearly 30 House-passed jobs bills gathering dust in the Senate.

UPDATE 11:10pm CST:

I'm going to have more from him in a few minutes, but Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Manteno also released a statement tonight.

Under the Obama Administration, our national debt has increased by $4.6 trillion – which means every man, woman and child’s share has increased by nearly $14,000 since Obama took office.

In his 2011 State of the Union speech, President Obama warned that "at stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else." This is a fear I hear nearly every day in Illinois. That's why I was deeply disappointed to see the president's administration block the Keystone XL Pipeline - particularly after his own jobs council yesterday called for an "all-in approach" to energy policy that incorporates expanded oil and gas drilling in addition to advancing energy projects such as pipelines.

This pipeline would directly create 20,000 manufacturing and construction jobs and 118,000 total jobs. In addition, we would see 830,000 barrels of safe and secure oil each day from our friends to the north, which means we will need less oil from countries we can no longer rely on and are not friendly to the interests of the United States.

Unfortunately, like tonight's State of the Union address, the Keystone pipeline is a missed opportunity and is yet another major example of the President placing politics before the people. The fact is that someone will benefit from the oil out of Alberta. If it's not the United States, it will be China - and it will be American businesses and consumers who will suffer the consequences from our inaction.

We can't continue to follow the same failed agenda that has driven job creators further into doubt and uncertainty. The road to refueling our economy and creating jobs means tackling our debt head on, simplifying the tax code, reducing onerous regulations, and increasing domestic energy production, making our nation more energy secure, which would help lower costs at the pump and create jobs here at home.

In just one year, the new House Republicans have fought to put the brakes on the Obama administration's spending spree. We've changed the conversation from how much to spend to how much to cut. We've also made clear to the president that it is high time that we cut up the government's credit cards and draw a hard line to stop the government from overspending, which is hampering our economy's ability to grow and thrive. We must get the government to stop spending more money than we take in and focus our efforts toward growing the private sector, where jobs are created.

Technorati tags: Barack Obama Obama economy sotu politics news Republican Congress Illinois illinois politics dupage county peter roskam gop Congress government energy keystone xl Canada Chicago North Shore bob dold current affairs Obama Barack Obama manzullo

From the SRCC on SOTU: Six things you won't hear tonight

2012-01-24T19:41:00.001-06:00

Do you know what you won't hear tonight? The Senate Republican Senatorial Communications Center does.

Six Things You Won’t Hear Tonight
Six Things President Obama Has Mentioned In Previous State Of The Union Speeches That He Probably Won’t Repeat Tonight

A Reference To This Pledge

2009 SPEECH: “Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office.” (President Obama, Remarks To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Because…

The FY2011 deficit is $1.299 Trillion, the second highest in U.S. History.(Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11)

Faux Outrage Over Campaign Politics

2010 SPEECH: “…what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/27/10)

2009 SPEECH: “I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger, or yield to the politics of the moment.” (President Obama, Remarks To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Because…

“Obama Speech Seeks to Frame Election.” (“Obama Speech Seeks To Frame Election,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/24/12)

·         “…nearly every aspect of daily life in his West Wing is influenced by a campaign mentality…” (“Obama's Big Campaign Speech: SOTU,” Politico,1/23/12)

Praise For Solyndra

2010 SPEECH: “You can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy… in the California business that will put a thousand people to work making solar panels.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/27/10)

Because…

“Even with the federal help, Solyndra filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection… and laid off its 1,100 employees.” (“Obama Admin Reworked Solyndra Loan To Favor Donor,” The Associated Press, 9/16/11)

·         “Solyndra was the first company to be awarded a federal loan guarantee under the stimulus, worth $535 million. Taxpayers are likely to end up on the hook for much if not all of that amount, a highly embarrassing development for President Obama because he was among the company's biggest cheerleaders.” (Editorial, “Solyndra And The Stimulus,” The Los Angeles Times, 9/2/11)

Deference To His Fiscal Commission

2010 SPEECH: “…the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will continue to skyrocket. That's why I've called for a bipartisan fiscal commission… This can't be one of those Washington gimmicks that lets us pretend we solved a problem.”  (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/27/10)

Because…

President Obama’s “budget all but ignored the recommendations of Mr. Obama's bipartisan debt commission…” (“GOP Denounces Absence Of Entitlements Overhaul,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/11)

Promises To Close Guantanamo

2009 SPEECH: “That is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay…” (President Obama, Remarks To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Because…

“…strong bipartisan opposition in Congress.” (“Official: Closing Gitmo Prison Can Be Done By Jan.,” The Associated Press, 8/9/09)

This Is Our Sputnik Moment

2011 SPEECH: “This is our generation’s Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/25/11)

Because…

“Obama Bids Farewell to Space Shuttle as Florida to Lose Thousands of Jobs” (“Obama Bids Farewell To Space Shuttle As Florida To Lose Thousands Of Jobs,”Bloomberg, 4/29/11)

·         “Is Obama grounding JFK’s space legacy? …the voyage is over. John F. Kennedy would have been sorely disappointed.” (Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, And Gene Cernan , “Is Obama Grounding JFK's Space Legacy?,” USA Today,5/24/2011)

Technorati tags: Politics Republican gop Senate Democrats Barack Obama Obama economy sotu

Video: Joe Walsh questions NPS director on Occupy DC; occupiers get port-a-potties cleaned out by NPS

2012-01-24T16:40:00.002-06:00

National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis testified in front of the House Oversight Committee about Occupy DC's rat-infested camp near the capital's K Street lobbying hub.

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) question Jarvis on a statement he made earlier, that the group was being treated "differently" because 'Occupy' was in the group's name.

The McPherson Square "Obamaville" is one of the few Occupy camps left in the country. There has been speculation that the group has been getting special treatment because of its far-left political stance.

Jarvis backtracks a bit, but then the Tea Party freshman from Chicago's northwestern suburbs plays a video made by his staff where the occupiers laud the helpfulness of the NPS, which clean out their port-a-potties three times a week. "The Park Service has defended our right to be here," one occupier said.

The director is planning a clampdown of Occupy DC, but Jarvis fell short of doing what most municipalities have done: tell them to leave.

Technorati tags: politics occupywallstreet left wing extremists current events politics Chicago illinois communism news joe walsh Northwest Chicago Suburbs elections tea party law legal occupy dc Washington DC

NLRB overreach: State of the Union edition

2012-01-24T15:06:00.007-06:00

Keeping an eye on Las Vegas--south strip

Despite what you will hear tonight during President Obama's State of the Union address, unless you are one of the favored castes of the White House, such as Big Labor, the state of the union is not sound.

We start with an op-ed from Fred Wszolek of the Workforce Fairness Institute in Townhall:

As President Obama steps before the nation tonight, he will deliver a report to the American people on the condition of our country. The speech is the equivalent of Super Bowl Sunday for politicos in Washington, D.C. Commentators, policy experts, lobbyists, flacks and many others will be combing through the speech seeking mentions that affect clients or favored issues.

What Obama won't tell the nation is that he has served as the most pro-labor president in American history. He has delivered a series of giveaways to union bosses that should make even labor's most enthusiastic supporters blush. And in the process of giving away the store to his top campaign contributor, Obama has hung workers out to dry, placed unnecessary job-killing burdens on employers and sent a message to the business community that it can go to hell.

Looking at the last year alone, Obama re-nominated labor radical Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in spite of the fact that both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate opposed his nomination. The White House then proceeded to submit a budget that increased funding to regulatory agencies in spite of a massive budget deficit and poll after poll showing Americans wanted less restrictions on employers, not more.

In March, the NLRB ruled the employees of lessees had a right of access to the private property of the owner to organize workers and distribute materials to the general public without regard to whether other less-intrusive means were available.

Roll Call writes about those so-called recess appointments.

Senate Republicans at their retreat this week are expected to consider ways to take a stand against the White House and Senate Democrats after four controversial recess appointments were made earlier this month, Senate Republicans said today.

"It's going to be discussed" at the Republican retreat Wednesday, said Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. "I don’t know what's going to be done, but it can't be just Chuck Grassley ... and a couple of other people."

On the Senate floor, Grassley said that President Barack Obama’s recent recess appointments are “a matter of concern to my Republican colleagues, as it should be for all Senators; we must consider how we will respond to the president and restore a constitutional balance."

Did one union cave in on a long-running election dispute?

From The Hill:

The compromise on labor rules for transportation workers contained within the deal to approve a long-term extension of funding for the Federal Aviation Administration is acceptable to at least one key union, officials with the group said Monday.

Lawmakers agreed to a deal last week on the rules for workers covered under the Railway Labor Act, which includes some airline workers, to organize unions after fractious negotiations held up a multi-year funding bill for the FAA for the better part of a year.

Under the agreement, the percentage of a company's workforce that would have to be in favor of a vote on unionization changed to 50 percent from 35 percent before an election could be called.

The Washington, D.C.-based Transport Workers Union said it would be OK with the new rules if it meant ending the string of short-term extensions of the funding for the FAA, which is expected to reach 23 this week as lawmakers iron out the final details over their compromise. The agency's current short-term funding measure had been expected to run out Jan. 31.

More...

Jammie Wearing Fools: Stunner: New York Union Thugs Accused of Harassing Non-Union Employees

Hoosier Access: Right to Work Legislation Advances

Labor Union Report: Las Vegas Organizing Dispute Debate: Stations Casino v. Culinary Union

Big Government: WI State Senate Recall Petition Rife With Invalid Signatures, Duplicates, and Errors

Big Government: Obama and NLRB Continue to Cost Union Jobs

This week is School Choice Week.

Illinois Review: Teachers Union Rewards Republicans for "No" Vote on School Choice

Weasel Zippers: Report: Michigan Union Manual Instructs Teachers How To Use Children As "Propaganda"…

Big Government: James Carville Wants School Choice! & Other News From Nat'l School Choice Week!

Big Government: Union Bosses Against School Choice

Big Government: Judge Orders Bailout of Union-Dominated School District

Big Government: Juan Williams Skewers Chicago Teachers Union in New Film

Technorati tags: politics Democrats economy business law legal nlrb business education labor Nevada entertainment las vegas

Obama talks tough on jobs, but let 1,200 of them escape to Brazil

2012-01-24T13:33:00.001-06:00

While job growth in the private sector continues to be anemic, as he has in prior State of the Union addresses, President Obama will brag about job creation. Tomorrow he will go on a campaign-style tour.

From Bloomberg:

Obama will leave tomorrow morning for a three-day trip to Iowa, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Michigan, all battlegrounds in the election.

To talk about manufacturing, Obama tomorrow will stop at Conveyor Engineering & Manufacturing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which makes screw-type conveyors for moving materials such as feed, grain and chemicals for farming and processing facilities.

Later in the day he is scheduled to visit Chandler, Arizona, about 20 miles southeast of Phoenix, where Intel Corp. has a manufacturing plant. The world's largest chipmaker says the facility employs 9,700 people.

But President Obama, as I noted in this blog, chose to bypass a reliable American manufacturer, Hawker Beechcraft, for the contract to build its new light attack aircraft, to Embraer, Brazilian firm.

It will cost America 1,200 jobs.

More from Fox News:

Related post:

Answers needed on Obama admin's decision to outsource the next generation of light attack aircraft

Technorati tags: business air force aviation military defense brazil brasil unemployment

Buffett bashing: Crony capitalism and debunking the myth about his secretary

2012-01-24T12:56:00.001-06:00

BNSF coal trail, Colorado plains

Despite President Obama's denial of the jobs-creating Keystone XL pipeline, some of that oil will likely make its way south to the United States--by rail. That option will be more expensive. One of the beneficiaries will be the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the majority owner of that line is Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. The Omaha billionaire is a big supporter of President Obama.

Buffett and Obama have been bemoaning that the billionaire's secretary (By the way, do you really think he has just one?) pays a higher tax rate than Buffett.

Not so fast, says AP:

President Barack Obama says he wants to make sure millionaires are taxed at higher rates than their secretaries. The data say they already are.

"Warren Buffett's secretary shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than Warren Buffett. There is no justification for it," Obama said as he announced his deficit-reduction plan this week. "It is wrong that in the United States of America, a teacher or a nurse or a construction worker who earns $50,000 should pay higher tax rates than somebody pulling in $50 million."

On average, the wealthiest people in America pay a lot more taxes than the middle class or the poor, according to private and government data. They pay at a higher rate, and as a group, they contribute a much larger share of the overall taxes collected by the federal government.

The 10 percent of households with the highest incomes pay more than half of all federal taxes. They pay more than 70 percent of federal income taxes, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Technorati tags: Obama politics business warren buffett barack obama economy jobs economy government energy keystone xl news Canada crony capitalism

Video: Roskam on State of the Union gives advice to Obama

2012-01-24T11:52:00.001-06:00

While discussing tonight's State of the Union address on Bloomberg TV, House Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (R-IL) offers advice to President Obama on what he should say.

"Look, the solutions that I have offered as president for the past two and a half or three years, haven't worked. Let's move forward and lets move forward in a bipartisan way," Roskam said. "And I think the country is aching for that kind of leadership--and I hope [the president] does that."

Technorati tags: Barack Obama Obama economy sotu politics news Republican Congress Illinois illinois politics dupage county peter roskam gop Congress

Romney releases tax returns

2012-01-24T10:36:00.000-06:00

There are no real bombshells in the tax returns Mitt Romney released late last night. The former Massachusetts governor will write a check to the IRS for $6.2 million in taxes, he earned $42.5 in 2010 and 2011, a rate of 14 percent. As this is investment income, that percentage is not unusual.

As there is not a lot of "there" there, I have to wonder why Romney fumbled his responses to questions about his tax returns.

I'm not the only one thinking along this line.

Technorati tags: politics news Mitt Romney Republican 2012 gop government taxes

Occupy occtrocities: We are leaving edition

2012-01-24T09:34:00.005-06:00

Chicago Marathon, 2010

The first story reminds me of an Occupy chant. One! We are the people. Two! We are united. Three! The occupation is not leaving.

Well look at the first story--they folded in New York. And look at the second.

Hey Brazil: Get ready for company.

And as always, arrests and convictions.

Business Week: Occupy Wall Street drops challenge to Zuccotti eviction
National Post: Occupy Toronto abandons plans to contest latest eviction order
Salt Lake Tribune: Occupy SLC activist arrested at Sundance Film Festival
Houston Chronicle: Gunman at Occupy Houston site incompetent for trial
Gateway Pundit: #Occupy criminal movement releases screwball revolution anthem (Video)
Freedom Is Just Another Word: Soros: Occupy to turn violent
Weasel Zippers: Occupy Wall Street contingent heading to massive anti-capitalist form in Brazil…
Big Government: Unions and rebranded ACORN behind violent Occupy San Francisco clashes with police
Charlotte Conservative News: Occupy Wall Street idiots, part 3
I thought it was about greed. Contra Costa Times: Occupy Long Beach rallies about WikiLeaks case
As I was saying...Salt Lake Tribune: Occupiers widen focus to societal issues
Along those lines...Gapers Block: Eye on #OCHI: Focus on free speech
Huffington Post: Three Occupy members arrested blocking Boca Raton bridge outside GAIM conference
Media Research Center: Musicians (and Moore) capitalize: 'Occupy This Album'
Belfast Telegraph: Traders want protesters to leave
Limerick Leader: Occupy Limerick protesters move out of makeshift camp
Big Government: President Obama's State of the Union & 2012 campaign based On Occupy’s 'income inequality' messaging
Atlas Shrugs: Occupy AIPAC next step for hate group
Weasel Zippers: Pic of the Day: All aboard the Occupy Express…
Gateway Pundit: Glitter, shouting, tackled protesters: Screaming #Occupy goons dragged from Santorum event in Florida
Amazingly, no arrests. KLCC Radio: Occupy 'Ninjas' protest in downtown Eugene
The Lonely Conservative: Unions plan to Occupy the Super Bowl to protest right to work
Charlotte Observer: Charlotte City Council OKs expanding police power during DNC
American Power: Occupy's inequality push misses real problem: Per capita income has fallen over five years
Occupy Arrests: 5,980 arrests.

Related post:

Indiana Senate approves right-to-work bill

Technorati tags: left wing extremists current events socialism occupywallstreet crime communism law legal ows brazil brasil

Failure: 1,000 days since Senate passed a budget

2012-01-24T08:18:00.003-06:00

President Obama is campaigning against a "do-nothing" Congress. Fine. But he needs to mention that the US Senate, which is controlled by the Democrats, last passed a budget 1,000 days ago.

As for the White House, it was supposed to have issued its budget proposal on February 6, but yesterday it announced that they need another week. Last year's budget, which of course was never enacted, was also delayed.

But the president has several campaign-style appearances tomorrow and has been a prolific fundraiser for his reelection effort and his party.

UPDATE 10:15am CST: The National Republican Senatorial Committee has a new ad, 1,000 Days.

And Virginia GOP Senate candidate George Allen issued a statement about this failure:

Passing a budget is the most basic and fundamental responsibility of any business and legislative body, along with the Executive. Yet today marks 1,000 days since the U.S. Senate has met their responsibility. In that time Washington has added $4.1 trillion to the national debt, punted on nearly every effort to restrain spending and the U.S. economy has been downgraded for the first time in history. It has been over two and a half years since our nation had a budget. It is time for Washington to be held accountable.

There is a way back to fiscal sanity in Washington and it starts with a comprehensive budget reform plan that includes a Balanced Budget Amendment with taxpayer protection, as well as presidential line-item veto authority. In addition, I have long advocated for what I call the Paycheck Penalty Act to withhold a Member of Congress' pay if they fail to complete annual appropriations bills on time.

Washington has demonstrated time and again that it is incapable of policing itself when it comes to spending our taxpayer dollars. Virginia families, businesses and our state all have to balance their budgets and live within our means; it's time for Washington to do the same.

Technorati tags: politics current affairs news elections Obama Barack Obama democrats

Two Occupy Boise sex offenders testify in favor of keeping state capitol camp open

2012-01-23T21:50:00.002-06:00

Two convicted sex offenders testified in front of an Idaho House committee today, asking the legislators not to ban camping on the state capitol grounds because they would have no where else to go.

From AP:

"They gave me a tent, a few warm blankets. Now they're my family -- and my town," said Glen Edward Garity, a 41-year-old registered sex offender. "This gave me a new meaning to stay out of prison."

Garity, convicted in 1991 of lewd conduct with a child under 16 and released last year, was among more than a dozen people to testify in favor of leaving what Occupy Boise backers call a "vigil site" in place.

Another registered sex offender, Louis Scruggs, said he found a home among the Occupy Boise site's homeless, adding that he, too, is fearful closing the encampment will leave him without a place to sleep because some homeless shelters won't accept him.

"Basically, I feel helpless," said Scruggs, 34, convicted of lewd conduct in 1998. "I leave it in your hands, ladies and gentlemen, my fate."

The creeps did their time--they were not given a life sentence.

But the third paragraph states "some homeless shelters won't accept him." Not all of them. And the logic of this ex-con is bizarre: The legislators need to keep the state capitol Occupy camp open--so ex-con sex offenders have a place to stay.

Idaho: Do what just about every other jurisdiction has done--shut down the Occupy camp. Camping is not free speech.

Technorati tags: news Idaho boise current events left wing extremists socialism occupywallstreet sex offenders crime communism law legal

Media bias: Anti-Scott Walker headline in Wisconsin

2012-01-23T20:58:00.003-06:00

A tipster sent this headline my way, which comes from the Janesville Gazette: Former Walker Associate Has Preliminary Hearing.

Janesville is in southern Wisconsin.

The story refers to Tim Russell, a former staffer of Scott Walker. The investigation involves a non-profit Russell headed; he was appointed by Walker to that job while the Wisconsin governor was serving as Milwaukee County Executive.

Gee, do you think the Gazette headline a story this way? Former Obama Associate Begins Prison Sentence in Pekin. Which Tony Rezko did this month.

Of course not. And the mainstream media didn't even bother to report on Rezko's change of address.

Warner Todd Huston has this to say about this topic in the Publius Forum blog: Guilt By Association Used by Old Media Only to Hurt Republicans

Along those lines, this story from Big Journalism is worth your while too: Local Wisconsin Media Downplays Pro-Walker Rally

Related post:

Exclusive: Obama crony Rezko begins federal prison sentence in Pekin, IL

Technorati tags: elections Politics news wisconsin wisconsin politics Tony Rezko Rezko Rezko janesville