Steele Elected New RNC Chair

Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele holds a gavel
after winning election to head the Republican National
Committee Friday in Washington. (AP Photo)

Republicans Pick Steele as Next Party Chairman

Personal History and Life Story

10 Things You Didn't Know About Michael Steele

Victory Speech Video


TTFN,

Jim

Obey CAUGHT Sending Pork To Family

As reported by the RPW:

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Research Briefings

Madison

01.30.2009

Dave Obey: Putting (His) Family First

by RPW Communications

“The American people want a plan to stimulate the economy and bring their jobs back. They cannot afford a trillion dollar scheme to use their hard-earned tax dollars to take care of the Democratic leadership’s friends and family...”

Amid doubt that his nearly trillion dollar "stimulus" plan would do much to help the economy come reports that House Approriations Chairman Dave Obey may have improperly pushed some of the pork in his son’s direction.

According to news reports, questions surround more than $2 billion for the National Parks Conservation Association – an organization whose chief lobbyist is Obey’s son, Craig Obey.

“As our country discusses the best plan of action to get the economy moving again, the mere appearance of impropriety is a drain on taxpayers’ confidence. Spending a trillion dollars of the taxpayers’ money is a dangerous action to begin with. Pork or pet projects have no business being included,” said Mark Jefferson, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

The $2 billion Obey included for his son’s association would be a huge windfall for a group whose yearly budget is $2 billion. The wisdom of directing any money there as part of a jobs creation act is debatable; however, there are also questions of how the group would even be able to spend the money fast enough to make a difference. The Senate bill allows $802 million for the same group.

“The American people want a plan to stimulate the economy and bring their jobs back. They cannot afford a trillion dollar scheme to use their hard-earned tax dollars to take care of the Democratic leadership’s friends and family,” said Jefferson. “Obey’s constituents and the taxpayers across this country deserve better.”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Those of us who live in the 7th District always knew he was involved in these sorts of things but he has finally gotten called out on it in the national media for once.

What Dave Obey has done along with what Rod Blagojevich has done illustrates the difference between Democrats and Republicans on 'Family Values'. When Republicans say, "Family Values" we mean ethics and morals, when Democrats say it they mean 'sending something of value to my family like a favor, a job or a government contract'.

More coverage of the Dave Obey scandal:

Stimulus bill has money sought by lawmaker's son

Is There a Family Connection in Some of the Stimulus Spending?

GOP wants investigation into lobbying by Obey’s son for Obama’s spending bill

EXCLUSIVE: Stimulus has plum for lawmaker's son

A few years back at a Republican event I was at one of our Republican congressmen said to me, "Jim, there are really 3 political parties in Washington, the are Democrats, there are Republicans and there are Appropriators." He went on further to say how both Republicans and Democrats often changed after spending several years on the appropriations committee. Well, according to U.S.News & World Report,

"Nancy Pelosi may be the top House Democrat, but Obey, as the party's top appropriator, is in the center of the action, with direct sway over the power of the purse."

Who is Dave Obey's top contributer? Farallon Capital Management located in San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi's district. Thomas F. Steyer, a senior partner at Farallon Capital Management, gave $1,000 to Nancy Pelosi and $5,000 to her PAC.

It seems clear to me that when you connect the dots and follow the money, the desires of San Francisco, not Northern Wisconsin, are driving Dave Obey's agenda and he is only looking out for #1.



TTFN,

Jim

Thanks Guys!

Thanks Paul, thanks Jim, Thanks Tom,

Thanks for not voting for the 'stimulus package'



Yeah, that one. It's a 'package' all right, but it ain't no economic stimulus!

So,

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!


           Paul Ryan                     Jim Sensenbrenner                           Tom Petri

We know that the 'stimulus' package has a hole in the bottom of it anyway with a diameter of about 488 feet:

244 big spenders standing in a circle times the average human width of 2 feet

244bs x ahw = 488 feet

Notice too how 'Big Spenders' and 'Bull S***' have the same mathematical value of BS?

Of course I didn't use 'Washington math' so the hole in the package could be exponentially LARGER once bureaucrats, lobbyists and staffers are included.

But they knew that, so thanks again guys.

TTFN,

Jim

Update On Meriter Hospital - Abortion Related Story

Greetings,

This is an email sent out by WFC (Wisconsin Family Council) I think it speaks for itself:

- - - - - - - - - - - -

We've proved once again that the multiplied power of one really does work!

Yesterday at the noon press conference at the state capitol, the pro-life coalition that is working to stop a plan to have the UW-affiliated Madison Surgery Center do abortions on unborn babies as far along as 22 weeks gestation, announced that we were presenting over 20,000 signatures to Meriter Hospital, the UW Hospital and Clinics and the UW Medical Foundation!

Wisconsin Family Council collected over 6200 of those signatures! The thanks goes to every person who took time to sign the petition and to send it to others. If you were one of those, know that your efforts are paying great dividends--and that it was my honor to represent you at the press conference yesterday.

All the groups circulating the petition did a great job--and that type of cooperation and coordination reminds us that when we work together on these types of issues, things happen! In this case, we sincerely hope and pray that it will result in thousands of babies being saved from the atrocity of a truly untimely and cruel death. Regardless of the outcome, we know that everyone has worked hard and pulled together--and the organizations considering this atrocious plan know we've been busy.

The press conference was excellent! A number of individuals spoke, including 2 doctors, one of whom uses Meriter Hospital for his practice, a couple of current patients of the involved hospitals and clinics, representatives from the organizations in the coalition, and Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend).

Click here for WFC's press release about the conference and the petition delivery. Click here for pictures from the day's events.
Edited video from the press conference will be available on WFC's home page soon.

Following the press conference, representatives from Wisconsin Family Council, Pro-Life Wisconsin, Wisconsin Right to Life, and Vigil for Life took boxes of the signed petitions and delivered them to the administration at Meriter Hospital. We told them we'd be sending more in the days ahead! So, if you haven't signed the petition yet, it's not too late! Click here to sign right now!

We know the UW Hospital and Clinics board will meet next Wednesday, February 4, to consider this plan and to get input from people on both sides of the issue. We are not sure when the UW Medical Foundation, Meriter, and the Madison Surgery Center boards will act on this proposal. Stay tuned for future updates.

In the meantime, there are still at least two things you can do to make a difference on this life and death matter:

1) Pray that God will intervene and work in the hearts and minds of the decision makers.
2) Attend the rally this Saturday, January 31 at the Library Mall on the UW Madison campus. The rally starts at 12:15 and will be concluded by 1:30. The Library Mall is at the end of State Street (heading away from the capitol), between Lake and Park Streets. Parking is available in the Lake Street ramp. Please join us for this important event!

A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone who has already helped in any way on this issue! Be encouraged--your voice is being heard! And you are being faithful in showing up, speaking up and standing up for human life--our great God's crowning creative act!

For life and families,




Julaine K. Appling, CEO
Wisconsin Family Council
www.wifamilycouncil.org

"Dedicated to strengthening and preserving marriage, family, life and liberty in Wisconsin"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I would add that you should only sign this petition (a different one from the national FOCA one) if you live in Wisconsin, for the petition to have the proper impact, it should be signed by Wisconsin residents only.

I will also note that the weather for the rally taking place on this upcoming Saturday will actually be warm by Wisconsin winter standards, the predicted high will be 35 degrees and the low 22 with partly sunny skies so the Lord is giving us good weather for those interested in attending.

TTFN,

Jim

On Illinois Bumpers Everywhere?

By now you think they'd sell like hotcakes.

TTFN,

Jim

Democrats + Our Money = Goofiness

Cost of Stimulus Legislation: $825 billion

$335 million to help prevent STD's (give rubbers to poor people for free) was part of it but got pulled when it got held up to the light of day (average Americans found out). Pelosi defended it saying contraception is good for the economy. Well, maybe in 'Frisco where they are used as frequently as Kleenex and Tylenol but the rest of America is a little more reserved. I guess for Pelosi, subsidized condoms would be 'pork' in more way than one.

President Obama has said that his proposed stimulus legislation will create or save 3 million jobs. This means that this legislation will spend roughly $275,000 per job. Average household income in the U.S. is $42,000 a year - between 1/6th and 1/7th of that amount. While reading the 647 page bill, I noticed there are some very large sums for buaeucratic 'Inspector generals' and their staff:

Department of Agriculture—Office of Inspector General’’, $22,500,000.

Department of Commerce—Office of Inspector General’’, $10,000,000.

Department of Defense—Office of the Inspector General’’, $15,000,000.

Department of Education—Departmental Management—Office of the Inspector General’’, $14,000,000.

Department of Energy—Office of Inspector General’’, $15,000,000.

Department of Health and Human Services—Office of the Secretary—Office of Inspector General’’, $19,000,000.

Department of Homeland Security—Office of Inspector General’’, $2,000,000.

Department of Housing and Urban Development—Management and Administration—Office of Inspector General’’, $15,000,000.

Department of the Interior—Office of Inspector General’’, $15,000,000.

Department of Justice—Office of Inspector General’’, $2,000,000.

Department of Labor—Departmental Management—Office of Inspector General’’ $6,000,000.

Department of Transportation—Office of Inspector General’’, $20,000,000.

You get a real sense of Democratic priorities here when Transportation gets 10 times more than either the Department of Justice or Homeland Security, nevermind the original idea for $335 MILLION for rubbers! The party of Clinton still live on, only the deck chairs appear to have been rearranged.

Seriously though, what we have is a government jobs bill that grows the government bureaucracy. Not one that builds roads or bridges primarily (the typical Democratic staple) but one that fills desks with people pushing paper and generating red tape. I mean, if the average American family earns $42 K, why do we need to spend $275 K per person? For the 6 to 7 bureaucrats per normal citizen who will administer it?

There is also $75,000,000 - that's Seventy-Five M-I-L-L-I-O-N dollars to help people quit smoking. If I go to opensecrets.org, will I find that hypnotists were major contributors to the DNC or what? Who stuck that one in there? Now quitting smoking would be a good thing for plenty of people but should the government spend that kind of money on it? Is the prescribed method known to be highly effective? Is this really government's role?

Entire Bill Here.

TTFN,

Jim

Fight FOCA ! ! !

Watch this:



What FOCA does:

*Overturn all restrictions on abortion in all 50 states

Do I really need another bullet?

Sign the petition and tell a friend, someone's Life depends upon it.

TTFN,

Jim

PS: President Obama, not all promises are worth keeping.

Obama's (Cough, cough) Stimulus Plan

IT'S CHRISTMAS IN JANUARY!

It really boggles the imagination but basically while past stimulus plans gave tax breaks to individuals (who spend it) and businesses (that creates jobs/employment) this stimulus package mainly grows the government bureaucracy. This bill reminds me of the 1994 Crime Bill which was loaded with pork like midnight basketball programs.

Big winners: education, labor and government workers (rewards to unions):

Infrastructure
$30 billion: Transportation projects
$31 billion: Construction and repair of federal buildings and other public infrastructure
$19 billion: Water projects
$10 billion: Rail and mass transit projects

Education
$41 billion: Grants to local school districts
$79 billion: State fiscal relief to prevent cuts in state aid
$21 billion: School modernization ($15.6 billion to increase the Pell grant by $500; $6 billion for higher education modernization)

Read it all here and here.

We were warned.

TTFN,

Jim

Obama Ain't No Jesus - What they said . . .

Greetings,

Michelle Malkin picks up a terrific insight from Gerald Warner of the London Telegraph.

Yes it is interesting that President B.O. (or B.S. if you prefer) who was heralded as Jesus-like is behaving more like King Herod who committed mass-murder and ended his life as a diseased megalomaniac.

The Obamas' (Barack & Michelle) stance on abortion may cause a health care crisis. Not long ago the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops decided if it is a 'choice' between keeping hospitals open and being forced to perform abortions - they will close U.S. hospitals - 12.5% of all U.S. hospitals. in all 50 states. That is:

615 Hospitals
+
404 Health Care Centers
1,509 Specialized Homes

Barack Obama's Abortion Position Could Result in Closing Catholic Hospitals
http://www.lifenews.com/nat4527.html

Catholic Bishops Discuss Abortion and Obama in First Post-Election Meeting
http://www.nrlc.org/news_and_Views/Nov08/nv111208.html

This is the game of chicken that our newly elected president is already engaged in with religious Americans, forcing us to either do what is against our conscience or get out of the game altogether. Not exactly along the lines of 'What Would Jesus Do?' is it?

But then, Obama ain't no Jesus.

TTFN,

Jim

No Bible At 2nd Swearing In For Obama

Greetings,

I think our new President needs to do it one more time.

The 1st time Barack Obama was sworn in, he and chief justice Roberts fumbled the wording of the oath. The 2nd time they did it, they did it with no Bible:

Portents of things to come?

TTFN,

Jim

Obama - The 'Youth' President - Not So Fast

Greetings,

Everybody says Obama appeals to young people - maybe some but not all. When I picked my kids up yesterday from school - the younger kids had to watch the inauguration but older kids were given a choice. My oldest (14, 8th Grade) who HATES Math chose to do her math rather than watch Barack Obama get sworn in. I would not have minded it if she had watched, I personally watched it til noon (as an observer, not a celebrator) but I am happy that with only 1 avenue of protest given to her she exercised her right to abstain from watching - made me proud!

Locally John McCain lost by about 2,000 votes here but while we had about a 1/2 a dozen teenagers going door-to-door for the party here, I never saw any young people going door-to-door for the local Dems.

If the economy tanks and Obama raises taxes and spending, his 'Coolness' may bring a much more lukewarm response 4 years from now from children and parents alike.

TTFN,

Jim

Lighter Side - The Obama Speech-Generator

Greetings,

I got this one from Todd. It is much like the word games a school teacher made you play in gradeschool where you punch in the nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc., but this is a web page that generates it:

http://www.atom.com/spotlights/inauguration_speech_generator/

***WARNING!***

This thing can be w-a-y too much fun so don't get started unless you got some time to waste, you will send yourself into stitches. :-)

TTFN,

Jim

Mixed Feelings About Today

Greetings,

Today will be a historic day as America has it's 1st African-American (or 'Black' if you prefer) President sworn in. As someone who admires the Abolitionists and the role they played in the Republican party, as someone who is the descendant of a Union soldier and who has a relative who was involved in the civil rights movement in the 1960's, I feel that today is a watermark in our nation's history. That said I have mixed feelings. As a Republican activist (I am the county chairman in my area) I supported John McCain and the GOP by working 30 to 40 hours a week in our headquarters and did much door-knocking and literature dropping for the party, spending time away from my family and my business to get John McCain and Republicans up and down the ticket elected. I was then and am now very suspicious of Barack Obama's associates. 1st Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers, now the 'politicos' Blagojevich & Burris.

As one could predict, Michelle Malkin is positively verklempt over Barack Obama becoming the 1st Black President. I offered her these words of comfort,

"My President Is Black? Well, sort of. What we have here is a classic example of the "Free Rider" problem - the free rider problem exists when people enjoy the benefits of government provided goods independent of whether they pay for them. Barack Obama is neither a Republican (the party that freed African slaves and had the 1964 Civil Rights law built into it's platform since the 1860s) nor is he a descendant of African slaves. Thus he is not part of the political party which gave 'blacks' freedom & equality nor is he related to anyone who suffered under it. Barack Obama is a 'Free Rider' reaping all the benefits and having paid none of the cost."

An interesting irony indeed is it not? History is full of them.

For now, his supporters and others momentarily taken with our new President (including some conservatives with their brains caught in the headlights) will swoon and be charmed but it won't last forever. Right after the media elected Bill Clinton it tore him (and Hillary) down. Obama has some really big challenges like gracefully bringing our troops home from the Middle East without emboldening terrorists and doing as little harm as possible to the economy. Quite frankly, even a milquetoast Republican would have better solutions because he would have the correct ideology to fix our current problems and would tread very, very carefully. Barack Obama will have to completely chuck liberal ideology in order to fix our current problems and his voting record suggests otherwise.

What we need now is more Adam Smith and less John Maynard Keynes. We need to make deeper tax cuts, drill more here in the USA, maintain a muscular foreign policy, maintain and build a strong intelligence community, keep our military strong, and have social policies which favor the traditional family.

One idea whose time has most certainly arrived is the end of all race based preferencial policies. If Barack Obama can win in Iowa and across the nation (my home state of Wisconsin included) then it is time for the politics of race to be dismantled. My generation was raised to be tolerant and inclusive and my children even more so. The 1964 Civil Rights bill should stand but all preferential policies should be repealed. The Republican Party has always favored equality of opportunity, just not a forced equality of of outcome. For example:

14. That the Republican party is opposed to any change in our naturalization laws or any state legislation by which the rights of citizens hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands shall be abridged or impaired; and in favor of giving a full and efficient protection to the rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or naturalized, both at home and abroad. - 1860 Republican Party Platform

7. Resolved, That the Government owes to all men employed in its armies, without regard to distinction of color, the full protection of the laws of war—and that any violation of these laws, or of the usages of civilized nations in time of war, by the Rebels now in arms, should be made the subject of prompt and full redress. - 1864 Republican Party Platform

Second—The guaranty by Congress of equal suffrage to all loyal men at the South was demanded by every consideration of public safety, of gratitude, and of justice, and must be maintained; while the question of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs to the people of those States. - 1868 Republican Party Platform

Third. Complete liberty and exact equality in the enjoyment of all civil, political, and public rights should be established and effectually maintained throughout the Union, by efficient and appropriate State and Federal legislation. Neither the law nor its administration should admit any discrimination in respect of citizens by reason of race, creed, color, or previous condition of servitude. - 1872 Republican Party Platform

Here you can see the Republican Party from it's inception has always favored the policies which eventually came to their natural culmination in the 1964 Civil Rights Act . . .but somehow the Democratic Party took the credit because Kennedy was assasinated and LBJ passed it as JFK's legacy even though he needed a substantial number of Republican votes to pass it because most southern democrats would not.

It is noteworthy that a much more qualified candidate lost to one with far more charisma. In laymens terms, the majority of the country was far more comfotable having a beer with Obama than McCain. This means the old barrier of 'race' while no longer a barrier. There may be lingering sentiments of racism, but it is with a minority of Americans because many Americans (myself included) voted for McCain not because of race but because of political ideology and therefore the number of people in this country who voted against Obama due to race is now the minority - and that is how it should be because racists are brain dead and the idea of race-based inequality is both un-American and un-Christian.

My other misgivings about Barack Obama were aired following the election and so I won't repeat those here. But lastly I will say that we seem to be heading back to big government - i.e. - Socialism and that too is both un-American and un-Christian. Some will say those are loaded things to say but America is a capitalist country because capitalism is consistent with individual freedom and personal responsibility. When we give up those political virtues, we cease to be American. As for being un-Christian, socialism is premised on faith in the state rather than the providence of a caring God who created us and watches over us. To trust in the state is to trust in man and that is why you can never have 'socialism with a friendly face'. Socialism always will lead to totalitarianism.

So while Barack Obama may be a historic figure as our 1st President of African descent, he may be clinging to policies which are frankly, inimicable to Americanism and belong on the ash-heap of history.

TTFN,

Jim

Back From Hiatus

Greetings,

I am back from my post-election hiatus and ready to write on the right again. Pun intended.

1st off, Thank you President Bush. America has been safe for over 3000+ days. After eight years of the slackest security standards in the history of the country as well attested by government servants such as Gary Aldrich, Edward Timperlake and William Triplett II - President George W. Bush and his team reestablished security at home, rounded up the bad guys, overturned two dictatorships and took the fight to the enemy rather then sit back and wait for the enemy to strike us.

As a typical Wisconsin snob, lately as I have watched the news over the last month all I have been able to say is, "Typical Illinois" while watching the Blagojevich scandal unfold.


Little Brother Big Brother?

Ah, but who cares about Blago right? Wouldn't we all like to be at that swinging party of the Potomac for you-know-who?



NOT.

TTFN,

Jim