Decidedly center-right. A blog of generally thoughtful political commentary with a little barbed humor thrown in for good measure. BEWARE! If you are rhetorically sensitive or thin-skinned - just don't read any further. Truth can be offensive! WEASEL WORDS / LEGALESE: All views expressed are the author's alone (even if others may heartily agree) and this blog does not necessarily reflect the views of the local, state or national Republican Party (although they frequently might). Nuff said!
In a room filled with no smoke (except perhaps the smoke emitted from Dan Mielke's ears) Sean Duffy was overwhelmingly endorsed by the members of the 7th Congressional District Republican Party. In stark contrast to the NY-23 race in which the RINODede Scozzafava was chosen by a handful of party bosses, Duffy (a Conservative Republican) was endorsed by 406 delegate votes (84%) -vs- delegate 78 votes (16%) for Dan Mielke. After several procedural and time-wasting votes, Duffy earned that 84% on the very 1st candidate endorsing ballot.
I had the honor myself to both speak in favor for the endorsement and to cast my ballot for Sean in the endorsement. Just before the balloting when Sean Duffy said he would accept the endorsement the room filled with electricity and many conservative activists in attendance uttered words like "Yesss!" and "Finally!" There was a real feeling among many of the delegates present that the wheels of history were being set into motion. This election cycle, this candidate, Sean Duffy will topple one of the most out-of-touch members of Congress, Dave Obey, author of the failed $787 billion dollar (so-called) 'stimulus' bill.
Our story begins with someone calling me and asking me if I knew where Dave Obey would be. I didn't know I said but I would look into it. I live in Merrill in Lincoln County Wisconsin (important background info to keep in mind) and congressman Obey was supposed to appear in Merrill today.
1) 1st I called congressman Obey's office in Wausau, I was first told no and then told their computers were down (sounds familiar doesn't it?) and the lady on the phone could not access the information.
2) 2nd I called congressman Obey's office in Superior (no answer).
3) 3rd I called congressman Obey's office in D.C. which put me on hold for over 5 minutes (I hung up).
4) I called Melissa Schroeder's house (Lincoln Co Dems Chair) and was told they knew nothing but politely referred me to the Wausau office and even offered to give me the number.
5) I called the Vice-Chair's home and got the answering machine.
6) I next called WJMT Radio and they knew nothing either.
7) I then called the Merrill Courier and they also were not told anything about congressman Obey coming to Merrill.
8) I next called the Merrill FOTO News and the lady I spoke to there also had not heard of it.
9) I tried Mayor Doug Williams office and his secretary was not aware the congressman was going to be here.
10) I called 3's Company on a whim because that is where the local Dems meet and the person on the phone didn't know anything.
11) I called a reporter (I'll protect my source) at the Wausau Daily Herald and he knew something but was not at his desk so he referred me to a colleague at the paper and voila! That person told me everything I needed to know - the event was at the Merrill Area Public School Administration Building.
12) I called the Merrill Area Public School Administration Building and asked the operator who referred me to "the person who can help you". I asked that person (an unidentified woman) who said yes it was there (in the present-tense) with a few "education administrators" and I asked if the event was open to the public and she hesitated and said eveyone who was there had been invited.
So the event was by invitation-only. Did congressman Obey rent the room? Were campaign checks accepted? Aren't there campaign finance laws about political events in taxpayer supported buildings like the Merrill Area Public School Administration Building? Why was it not listed on the event calendar?
I'll tell you why. Because after 40 years of breathing the rarefied air of our Nation's Capitol, Dave Obey is out of touch with the majority of his constituents and only feels he needs to hobnob with the people of his choice - to hell with the ordinary folks who elected him. Also as an elected lawmaker, he may feel since he writes the laws that he is above the law.
After 40 years of really good luck (no real serious challenges save maybe 1994) with opponents the hubris that surrounds and pervades congressman Obey's head must be substantial.
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Amid the tranquils sweet around, and to my own design, I built me castles of a towering height, And thereto did my pleasures and my rising hopes resign, Thought that these bulwarks would resist all might.
But, lo! they fell in ruined heaps, and mighty was the fall, And my bright hopes lay ruined at my feet, And the deluding dream of fancy passed away, and all The scenes so fair did from me now retreat;
Like as the mirage travellers see upon the desert waste, In view where cooling waters seem to rise, And which the body longs to reach, the parched tongue to taste-- Alas! alas! such fancy is not wise.
How much would it take to make Providence a national leader in life sciences research? According to city leaders, about $460 million in public and private investments over the next five years. and The proposal is a follow-up to House Appropriations Chairman David Obey’s November tour of the Jewelry District. That tour, led by Kennedy and Cicilline, was meant to show the Wisconsin Democrat what federal investment has done to help grow Rhode Island’s research and science institutions and to stress the need for increased federal funding for the state’s economic future.
Is this guy off his rocker? Did he think we were not watching? Did he think the 'folks back home' in his district would never know, never learn about this trip?
My favorite part of the whole article? The article's first words are Dave's name and job title! No s***!
PROVIDENCE — U.S. Rep. David R. Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, toured four major research institutions in the city’s Jewelry District on Friday along with Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, Mayor David N. Cicilline, Governor Carcieri and other state leaders.
That was the 1st paragraph - and there is more. Here's another great quote,
The purpose of the tour was to show Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat, what federal investment has done to help grow Rhode Island’s research and science institutions and to stress the need for increased federal funding in the life sciences for the state’s economic future, according to Kennedy, who is also a member of the appropriations committee, which oversees the federal budget.
But it does not stop there, read further,
Obey, following the two-hour tour, seemed supportive of the state’s vision. The district is a “solid engine for growth,” he said. “This is a good investment for Rhode Island. We need to be doing dozens of these in the U.S. as a whole.”
He supports Rhode Island's vision - what about Northern Wisconsin Mr. Obey?
A little while ago in an email sent out on November 29th by the Mielke campaign (i.e. - by Dan) Dan Mielke asserted,
"John McCain is known for not being a true conservative. In fact, he was a moderate in many ways. In 2007 & 2008, I fought against McCain regarding the McCain/Kennedy bill promoting amnesty for illegal immigrants. I also strongly opposed his liberal stand on abortion. During his campaign for President, he promised to tote the line on conservative values because he knew we would not tolerate anything less. It did not work. In 2008, I voted for Sarah Palin and not John McCain."
Never mind how goofy that last sentence sounds since Palin was McCain's running mate.
About a week and a half later on December the 10th, Sean Duffy was being interviewed by Pat Snyder and Tom King on 550 AM and a caller named 'Bill' called in praising Dan Mielke and took a swipe at John McCain saying,
"I don't want another Dave Obey with a Republican name. I don't want a Tommy Thompson or McCain or a 'big-tent' Republican. I want a conservative . . ."
Sean Duffy responded saying,
"I'm a true conservative and if you have a concern about John McCain, you should look at the buttons that Dan Mielke had out last year that he distributed throughout the campaign cycle that said, *McCain/Mielke* and he gave them to everyone in the party - so he's tied himself to John McCain. If you believe in John McCain's conservative principles - and I uh, use that term loosely, then vote for Dan Mielke but it's Dan Mielke who tied himself to John McCain with those uh, with those political buttons."
After that broadcast there was some chatter about this among party chairs in the district. Many of us recalled that long before McCain had picked Palin as his running mate, back in the early winter of 2008 when we had our 7th District convention there were piles of McCain/Mielke pins on every table! Sure enough look what has now popped up:
Seems Dan made so many there were at least 2 different types:
Some with thin lettering and some with smaller, bolder lettering.
I wonder how Dan's friends in the Constitution Party will feel about this? I mean Dan said,
"John McCain is known for not being a true conservative. In fact, he was a moderate in many ways. In 2007 & 2008, I fought against McCain regarding the McCain/Kennedy bill promoting amnesty for illegal immigrants. I also strongly opposed his liberal stand on abortion. During his campaign for President, he promised to tote the line on conservative values because he knew we would not tolerate anything less. It did not work. In 2008, I voted for Sarah Palin and not John McCain."
So while McCain was running as the pro-amnesty candidate, months before Sarah Palin was on the ticket, Mielke (who says he is opposed to McCain-Kennedy) was pairing himself up with McCain? Does Dan Mielke expect me to believe he is anti-McCain when he spent (presumably) donated campaign dollars or even his own money to make these pins identifying himself with McCain? If Jim Traficant were here he'd say, "Mr. Speaker - Beam Me Up!"
Dan Mielke has lied about his support for John McCain. What else has he lied about?
Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters. - Abbie Hoffman
In order to cover up for the failure of the first stimulus bill, Dave Obey has just helped pass a more modest (cough, choke) second stimulus bill. But democrats are not calling it that, they are calling it an 'omnibus' bill - one that costs $447 Billion. Congressman Obey also arranged to hand out $11 Billion in earmarks in fiscal year 2010. How does congressman Obey think we will pay for it when his usual partner in crime Speaker Nancy Pelosi killed his war tax?
I mean when Obey goes left of Nancy Pelosi - can he still really be representing central and northern Wisconsin? Dave Obey seems stuck in a rut, his answer to every problem is to tax or spend. He doesn't seem to have much imagination for any other ideas. I mean with guys like Dave Obey around, we'd have more fiscal sanity if Doctor Evil were in charge of the Federal Budget:
We don't have to take this much longer though, we have a choice. On December 16th in 1773 was when the first BostonTea Party. Go to StrikeABlowForFreedom.com and contribute to his challenger Sean Duffy. Duffy is a movement conservative. He is a 4 term District Attorney in Ashland Wisconsin who has spent the last 7-8 years of his life locking up the bad guys. Duffy is a father of 5 with #6 on the way. His beautiful and talented wife Rachel just recently wrote a book on being a stay at home mother.
I've had the pleasure to have known Sean since 2003 as a Republican Party activist. Sean is a family man who has strong conservative values all-around, especially in regards to the rule of law as well as economics and values. Maybe I'm a little biased having known Sean, but don't you think this is *the kind of guy we need* as an antidote to the corruption, expediency & end-justifies-the-means mentality of Obey & Obama? I sure do.
Want to make a statement? Give $12.16 in memory of the date of the Boston Tea Party. Can't do that much? Give $5. You can do better? Give $50 or $100. Whatever, just give Sean something so he can charge on to beat Dave Obey - the chairman of the appropriations committee who has shepherded every bailout, every porkbarrel project, every penny of wasteful spending since the Democrats took control of the House.
TTFN & God Bless,
Jim
PS: This blog is the sole work of the author and the author alone and not the work of or opinion of any political party or campaign committee.
Only a guy who feels so secure in his seat in Congress could propose the things Dave Obey proposes. I mean - this is a guy who pitches his own record albums on a campaign website:
Far Left: Dave Obey
1st he passed that $787 billion blunder we now jokingly call the 'Stimulus Package', now while we are in the height of a recession, he decides we need to raise taxes to pay for the war in Afghanistan. There are several good reasons to do this (from his point of view):
1) It silences critics on the right, after all, supporting the troops is patriotic right? Who would not support that?
2) He already passed a $787 billion stimulus bill, voted for national healthcare (TRILLION$) and all that spending is supposed to be "deficit neutral" right? So this is a tax to make sure we don't create a deficit by spending extra on national defense.
Here is the quote that tells it all:
"On the merits I think it's a mistake to deepen our involvement. But if we are going to do that, then at least we ought to pay for it. Because if we don't, if we don't pay for it, then the cost of the Afghan war will wipe out every other initiative that we have to rebuild our economy," he said. "Ain't going to be no money for nothing if we pour it all into Afghanistan."
But don't take my word for it what Congressman Obey's cheif concerns are, read his own words:
"We have spent the last year in Congress debating how we will pay for health care reform, which is expected to cost nearly a trillion dollars over the next ten years. The Congressional Budget Office is earnestly measuring the cost of each competing health care plan, and has had most of Congress twisting themselves into knots in order to keep the health care bill deficit neutral. Shouldn’t it be asked to do the same thing with respect to money spent on the current wars? We have already spent nearly a trillion dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - an effort that’s been paid for with borrowed money - and another ten years would cost about a trillion more. If we keep that up, it will devour our nation’s ability to address virtually any other priority." - emphasis mine
Are we talking about the war on terror or healthcare? It's hard to tell going by Dave Obey's favorite newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle:
"He said the ten-year cost of the war clocks in at $900 billion, about the size of the Democratic health care legislation."
He said?
And that 1st quote came from the 'Health Care Arena' section of Politico. So the image I'm getting is that National Defense (a priority outlined in our Constitution) takes a backseat to healthcare (something not addressed in our Constitution). I got a news flash for congressman Obey - If the Nation is not safe, what we pay the doctor, dentist or our insurance companies won't matter!
To put words in Dave Obey's mouth, "If we blow money on a silly war, there will be no money for our newly created and very expensive social programs, especially MY stimulus bill!"
Oh come on now congressman, you are more creative than that, you'll get the money from somewhere right?
Now that's the creativity that made the Democratic party great!
And my true favorite for the day from the Los Angleles Times which basically shows that congressman Obey is an aging hippie, molded by the Viet Nam era politics:
"David Obey came to Congress in 1969, a young Democratic congressman from Wisconsin, opposed to the Vietnam War and mindful of the funding it was draining from Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs.
Watch this video. In it you find some interesting admissions if you pay attention. The president says the 'Recovery Act' helped "stabilize state budgets" and that in turn helped save the jobs of state employees. Not one word about how the Recovery Act created new private sector jobs or grew small businesses, only that stabilized state budgets, saved state employee jobs and created some infrastructure jobs (temporary road construction) which will go away once the work is completed. In other words, Dave Obey'sAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was a $787 billion stopgap bill - and that is allowing for the best possible construction. Since the bill really only helped state employees and unions (those road construction jobs) it could be construed as a special interest porkbarrel pay-off. Detractors will say he also talked about Tax cuts - but notice how unenthusiastic he looks when mentioning it as if talking about it were obligatory and he just wanted to get it out of the way. On the other hand, he seems to think that stabilizing state budgets with federal money (the only time he looks really animated) was a worthwhile accomplishment!
Since I'm not an adviser to Dave Obey and his staff does not seem to be giving him good advice (or he is so foolish himself he isn't accepting good advice, another sign he needs to go) he is out attacking the results of his own bill. Yes, that is right, he is attacking the outcome of his own legislation. I don't know why because months ago he reassured us that mistakes would be made but, "So what" as he said right?
If Dave Obey's projected response was "So what?" then what are we worried about right?
My favorite Dave Obey fix-my-bill-before-the-people-figure-this-out quote comes from the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune:
"The inaccuracies on recovery.gov that have come to light are outrageous, and the administration owes itself, the Congress and every American a commitment to work night and day to correct the ludicrous mistakes," Obey said in a statement issued late Monday.
Translation: How dare the bureaucracy mess up my bill!
There were some things I left out of my previous post because I thought it was long enough. If you dig deeper, Van Jones' Apollo Alliance also is dug deep in Wisconsin through an organization called COWS (Center On Wisconsin Strategy) all the way to the governor's mansion.
The report was pegged to legislative consideration of AB15, a bill adopting recommendations from Gov. Jim Doyle’s Task Force on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency calling for the state to get 10 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015. Less than two percent currently comes from renewable sources.
State officials said today the report reinforces the governor’s commitment to growing the economy and making the state more energy efficient.
“It’s right in line with a lot of the things Gov. Doyle has been trying to do,” said Aaron Olver, executive assistant in the Department of Commerce.
Doyle has previously called for state government to get 10 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2006 and 20 percent by 2010.
Nothing wrong with pursuing alternative energy, what is wrong is the Democratic Party picking winners and losers rather than letting the market decide.
The Apollo Alliance, one of the best progressive ideas of the millennium, gained some important new supporters last week. Six new Democratic governors--Rod Blagojevich (IL), Jim Doyle (WI), Christine Gregoire (WA), Ted Kulongoski (OR), Janet Napolitano (AZ), and Brian Schweitzer (MT)--joined an earlier three--Jennifer Granholm (MI), Ed Rendel (PA), and Bill Richardson (NM)--in embracing the Alliance's goal of achieving sustainable American energy independence within a decade.
Hmmm, so we've got Rod Blagojevich, Jim Doyle, Janet Napolitano & Bill Richardson here . . . I just can't make this stuff up folks. An impeached governor, a lame duck, last term unpopular gov and 2 Clinton cronies - all allied with this Apollo Alliance which used to have Van Jones as one of it's 'award winning' members - and yes, Van Jones is involved with COWS.
Now let me be perfectly clear, I'm not opposed to alternative energy or Green Collar jobs at all, those are something beneficial. What I am opposed to is the Democratic Party putting more and more restrictions in the form of laws (like Cap & Trade - a law passed to make Al Gore rich!) and regulatory rules that will punish energy industries such as oil, gas, coal & nuclear power and pass laws and ease regulations on ones that they favor rather than letting the free market decide.
It is also just plain sinister to manufacture an energy crisis and keep oil prices artificially high by not allowing for more drilling in places like Alaska and off the Gulf of Mexico where EVERYONE who has not been hiding under a rock KNOWS there is plenty of gas & oil!
But instead Doyle & the Democrats pass laws and start initiatives that favor Green Collar jobs over other businesses they don't like:
Ostovich opened the doors of her home in the 3200 block of S. 6th St. to U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Gov. Jim Doyle and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore Friday. The politicians toured the house to see an example of the home-weatherization program that's about to get a boost in funding from the federal economic stimulus package.
Yeah - the stimulus package that was written by either Dave Obey or the Apollo Alliance - or both.
Keep in mind these numbers are to the best of my ability to datamine the web, they could be even higher. What or who is Farallon Capital Management you may be asking? It's led by Thomas (Tom) Steyer, one of these twisted guys who embraces both liberalism and capitalism. Probably because Steyer is a protege of a Clinton crony, Robert Rubin (of Goldman Sachs fame).
Now who might you ask is a prominent member of the Apollo Alliance?
Yup - self-avowed Black Nationalist & Communist Van Jones, now Barack Obama's 'Green Jobs Czar'. Like hey, he's both a Czar and a Communist - how cool is that? This guy obviously did not go through any standard White House FBI background checks or Congressional 'advice and consent', besides the above he is also a '9/11 truther'. But let's not dwell on that, what is even more shocking is this guys ties to power at the highest levels of our government.
Guess what member of Congress has been going to the Aspen Institute for years?
Click on photo below for clearer, larger pic:
and years:
and compare to top:
So is it safe to assume that Dave Obey was present at the Aspen Istitute event where Van Jones received his 'Individual Thought Leadership' award? Did Congressman Obey take part in voting for Van Jones to receive that award? If so, on what basis?
While Apollo focuses on maintaining consensus, the Breakthrough Institute aims to compete on the terrain of concrete and controversial legislative proposals. To wit, it has been collaborating with the office of Senator Barack Obama on a bill it hopes he will propose later this year known as the Automotive Competitiveness and Accountability Act. It would relieve the pressure on U.S. automakers to bankroll the rising costs of legacy health insurance -- an expense that doesn't burden their foreign competitors -- and, in exchange, obligate them to invest heavily in energy-efficiency technologies and comply with substantially more aggressive fuel-economy standards. It represents a new way of thinking about environmental policies, says Hendricks, “offering a bailout to the [auto industry] from these hugely debilitating health costs they're grappling with but linking it to an accountability for achieving public purposes.” From Shooting the Moon by Amanda Griscom Little September 18, 2005
Now who started all these bailouts in the 1st place? You may say Bush did and that would be somewhat true but who's advice did he follow to bail out the banks and the auto industry?
In Sean Duffy and Dan Mielke, Wisconsin Republicans have two very different political candidates vying for the nomination to challenge the 40-year Democratic incumbent in 2010.
Like no kidding! Normally we have these gentlemanly ‘beauty pageants’ where there are no significant policy or personal differences. You often have a choice between a State Senator –vs- a Mayor or something like that. Here we have real contrast in age (Duffy-38, Mielke-55), experience (Mielke-Farmer, Duffy-District Attorney), electability (Duffy-elected unopposed 4 times, Mielke-perennial candidate) and 'style' (Mielke-blue collar/farmer, Duffy-white collar & rural 'good ole boy' jock).
“ . . . Dan is a Republican and he is a candidate. So is Sean Duffy."
And Dan provides great contrast to his brother opponent Dave Obey . . .
"If (Mielke) wants to run in this process, he needs to run a clean campaign," Monson said. "He's attacking me, attacking (people in) county parties. Dan Mielke is out there personally attacking people in different ways. Is that the kind of candidate we want?"
Consider this some free advise (if you are reading Dan) as someone who has gone through campaign school with the MNGOP, the RPW, the RNC & GOPAC – you don’t win elections by tearing apart county party organizations and interfering with their internal affairs. A candidate’s job, his or her J-O-B is to win people over not tick them off everywhere you go, especially party activists who do all the volunteer work.
The State Wisconsin Constitution Party has endorsed Dan Mielke
as their candidate of choice to challenge Dave Obey in 2010.
The Constitution Party believes in strong moral conservative values with an emphasis on upholding and defending our Constitution.
Over the years, some have criticized other conservative parties for dividing the conservative vote.
The Constitution Party has taken the initiative to counter this claim by openly endorsing me, a Republican candidate, thus showing that they truly put
“Policy Before Politics”.
And I am proud to be their candidate of choice.
Thank you.
I am being challenged this year
On a sad note, I must mention that I do have a challenger on the Republican ticket this year.Apparently our impressive run last year has emboldened others to run as well.Personally, I believe a strong unified effort would have been the preferred approach, but as Republicans we do promote and believe in fair and open elections, so we should accept this as part of our nation’s system and press ahead to a victory.On a positive note, Sean Duffy and I are quite different, and thus offer the voters a choice as to what type of candidate they really want in Washington.
I am personally asking my supporters to keep their support for me clean and out in the open.
•I do not approve of back room deal making in an effort to attempt to eliminate the other candidate.
•My opponent has the right to compete with me fairly and out in the open, so the public can make a free and fair choice.
•I believe strongly that any effort of support for me should be open, honest and before the public. Our differences and backgrounds are open for public view and ok to bring up.I will not condone or approve of trying to hide those aspects from the public. Feel free to mention our differences, promote my values, and explain why you prefer me over Sean.
• Because we are both running on the Republican ticket, I believe that the RPW and the RNC should allow this primary to take its course.I do not support any early endorsement from the state or national party to eliminate a candidate prior to the primary.We claim to be for the people, thus we should practice what we preach.
•I am open to public debates and open forums with my opponents Dave Obey and Sean Duffy.
•I do not approve of causing damage to or stealing of signs, disinformation campaigns, whisper campaigns or any other type of secret manipulation to hurt an opponent.If you cannot say it publicly and out in the open, please don’t say it.
With that said, let me also say regarding Dave Obey and Sean Duffy that I will campaign aggressively.Our nation needs strong aggressive candidates who will stand up for our nation and its Constitution.I will not be a weak candidate.
•I have no problem with openly exposing our differences in character and values.
•I have no problem bringing up areas of concern that I feel could have an impact on our job as Congressmen.
•I have no problem openly and aggressively fighting for what I believe in and openly resisting what I do not agree with.
•I will openly and aggressively tear apart what I believe to be weak arguments and faulty reasoning.
Please understand I am NOT a politician.
•I am an American citizen who has lived and worked in the real world.
•I am not a celebrity or an athlete, but a businessman and a family man who believes the average citizen needs true representation.
•I am not a lawyer or a career politician, but an average American like most of you.I have raised my children, and now is the time for me to do my tour of duty.
•As a grandparent, I see the importance of fighting to maintain a free nation for future generations.
•I believe in a free nation under God where all Americans are represented and protected from oppression and government enslavement.
• My loyalty is to this nation and its Constitution, not a political party.My intention is to be a statesman, not a politician.
•While we may differ with others in our views and ideals we should not be isolationists that oppress those we disagree with.We don’t want it done to us, so we should not do it to others.
It is my prayer and hope that God will once again grant us a free and prosperous nation
If you are supporting me in the primary, please email me and let me know.Your support and help is needed and appreciated
Email me at
DANIEL@DANIELMIELKE.COM
Sincerely,
Dan Mielke
www.danilemielke.com
715-344-4104
715-572-0801
Paid for by Citizens for an Open and Honest Government Supporting Dan Mielke for Congress
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Also from his website:
April 2009
4/3 Antigo Gun Show in Antigo, WI
4/15 AfP Tea Party in Madison, WI
4/15 Tea Party in Wausau, WI
4/18 Constitution Party of WI State Convention
4/23 Wausau Business Expo in WausauWI
4/24-25 Ashland Gun Show in Ashland, WI
4/28 HopePregnancyCenter Banquet in WausauWI
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But wait there's more, read the blog entry of a Constitution Party candidate Kevin Thompson:
Candidate Endorsement–The State Committee leadership debated and voted to endorse Dan Mielke, 7th Congressional District representative running against Democrat incumbent-way-too-long David Obey. Dan joined CPoW at our State Convention. Usually, the decision on whom to endorse is handled by the Campaigns and Candidates Committee, which vetted Dan and found him to be in accord with our party’s platform and the US Constitution, which he will fiercely defend should office. However, as Dan Mielke is running as a Republican, we decided that a vote to endorse him should go before the entire State Committee.
So Mielke is a stealth Constitution Party candidate running on the GOP ticket. Don't believe me? Read further:
I know that not all of you will agree with this decision or at least will have reservations about it, so maybe these next points will provide food for thought and explain things in detail:
We don’t have to endorse any candidates we don’t choose to. But Dan, a member of this party contacted me and as chairman, I work for the membership so naturally I took his request under advisement. Another point: Dan took the initiative to contact us; he didn’t expect us to contact him.
To be endorsed by our party you MUST be a party member. Membership conveys to the State Committee and fellow members that you agree with our platform. Had Mr. Mielke not been a member and proved, not just said, but proved to us he agrees with our platform, that would have ended any talk of a possible endorsement right then and there. The membership requirement is a protection for our platform I heartily support and will NEVER want to remove. It’s our party and we have a responsibility to protect it the way we feel best so it can continue to be an uncompromised tool for liberty.
Dan had to be vetted by the Campaigns and Candidates Committee just like any other candidate. We don’t support just any warm body for office. If the C & C Committee hadn’t liked Dan’s answers to their vetting questions, that would have ended the endorsement too.
Remember we did at one point have a candidate for the 7th congressional district in Rob Taylor. But after heard Dan Mielke was running, he freely decided to run for US Senate as a CPoW candidate instead so he wouldn’t bleed votes away from a constitutional conservative. Rob’s choice works fine for us. And I would say as Mr. Taylor vouches for Mr. Mielke’s character so we have that protection as well.
This blog entry shows a level of more than just surface coordination, a Mr. Rob Taylor decided to run for Senate rather than the House in order to accommodate Dan Mielke's run against Dave Obey - a courtesy Mr. Mielke won't return to his former Republican 7th District ChairmanSean Duffy who is now running against David Obey after Mr. Mielke only received approximately 39% of the vote:
Mielke has ran and ran and has never been elected to office, Duffy on the other hand is so popular locally that he has ran unopposed three consecutive times, 2004, 2006 & 2008.
Duffy The fact that Mielke is frustrating the efforts of a clearly electable candidate of the Republican Party while coordinating & accommodating one of a rival conservative party demonstrates Mr. Mielke's real loyalties.
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