A Union Thug Emails Me

January 21, 2011 | Filed Under PCism, Society/Culture, Unions, Warner Todd Huston, Western Civilization | 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Usually when union thugs email me the content it not suitable for a general audience as their missives are so filled with venom and foul language. But I just got one that I can safely post for all ages.

Now, I am also quite pleased with my reply, so I am posting that as well.

Union thug Mr. sbandos writes:

Its always been my observation of people who are against labor unions as much as you are , are usually people who never had to put in a good day of hard labor in their life.

Of course, sbandos is an idiot. I suppose this union thug assumes I am some rich dude that never had to work for my country club life and my trust fund. My bank account would beg to differ and so would my first two kids that hardly ever saw me until they were older for the over time I was putting in just trying to pay the bills. But, hey, union thugs don’t need facts. They have their thuggery to warm their tiny brains.

I really liked my response, though. Here it is:

It’s always been my observation that people who are for labor unions as much as you are, are usually people that once put in a good day of hard labor and got in a union so that they’d never have to do it again.

Sometimes I kill me.
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An ‘Open Letter to the DuPage County GOP’ Protesting Sen. Scott Brown Visit?

January 21, 2011 | Filed Under Conservatives, DuPage County, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Republicans, Scott Brown, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is an interesting note from Frank Napolitano of the DuPage Conservatives. Apparently, the DuPage Conservatives are none too happy that a mushy-middleman like Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is coming to speak to the conservative heart of collar counties.

I’d certainly agree with Mr. Napolitano that Scott Brown is in no way a conservative. I can’t imagine anyone mistaking him as one, either. He’s no more conservative than, say, oh, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney happens to be. I guess the main difference between Brown and Romney is that Brown admits to being a mushy-middleman whereas Romney is one, but won’t admit it. But… well… back to the subject…

Mr. Napolitano is wondering why Brown is speaking before an otherwise pretty conservative area of our fair state? I have to say, I wonder the same thing.
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Leftists: What is the More Logical Influence?

January 21, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Journalism, Liberals, Media, Media Bias, Richard Little | 1 Comment

-By Richard J. Little

While we have been inflicted with the vile spectacle of indecent Leftist politicians and their willing accomplishes in the media incessantly propagating their chosen fictional narrative (i.e. that the violence was the fault of the Tea Party, Sarah Palin, or at the very least “heated” political rhetoric by anyone who dared oppose them) of the tragic killings of six innocent victims in Arizona, a much more likely “influence” then politics or political ideology is being willfully ignored by the left and hastily overlooked by most on the right.

Now I am not one to buy for a second that people commit crimes due to “collective” influence from “society”, the media, or politicians. Every rational being who is sane has control of his own actions and has a choice in a free society whether or not he will act in manner that violates the rights of others (after all, that’s what crime is – a violation of your rights. Crime is using force, fraud, or theft to violate another inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness i.e. property. All just and fair laws in a free society are simply codification of the protection of these rights in specific circumstances). What matters, at the end of the day is that the individual chooses to behave in manner that violates the rights of others. Their thoughts, motivations, or influences – whatever they may be – can illuminate their state of mind but they can never serve as justification for or proof of guilt for a crime. Only cold, hard, factual evidence of an individual’s behavior matters in a legal and moral sense when convicting a person of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Roskam: Votes Have Been Cast‏

January 21, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Congress, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Health, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Nancy Pelosi, Peter Roskam, President, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From Congressman Peter Roskam (Ill., 6th District)…

Last night the House of Representatives passed the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, 245 – 189. The “yea” votes included every House Republican and three Democrats. Read more about the vote from the Wall Street Journal by clicking HERE.

This is a victory for all Americans who believe that lowering health care costs and easing taxpayers’ burdens are critical to a sustainable health care system and economic prosperity in our country. However, the work is far from over – we still need to provide real solutions to meet those objectives.
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Truth in Accounting Issues: Nevada’s ‘Financial State of the State’ – True Tax Burden $4.3 Billion

January 21, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Nevada, Taxes, Truth in Accounting, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Chicago (November 29, 2010) Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Nevada’s “Financial State of the State.” After an intensive review of the State’s 2010 audited financial report the Institute determined the State is in a precarious financial position because it does not have the funds available to pay more than $4.3 billion of the State’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s share of this financial burden equals $5,000.

Nevada state law requires a balanced budget. “If governors and legislatures had truly balanced the state’s budget, no taxpayer’s financial burden would exist,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). She continued, “A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees’ retirement benefits, are pushed into the future.”
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China Scenario Overwhelms US in Taiwan Strait

January 20, 2011 | Filed Under China, Kevin Roeten, War on Terror | Comments Off

-By Kevin Roeten

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) claims the Chinese Air Force Could Overwhelm Opponents – Patriot Update in a battle in the Taiwan Strait. Even with a 6 to 1 kill ratio by American jets, a Rand simulation program in “war gaming” still reveals that the Americans would lose. This was revealed in an interview with Aviation Week (1/9/11). Even with all American missiles spent with a kill, more Chinese jets would presumably be available to wreak mass havoc.

That scenario is not likely true if all of China’s arsenal of jets are not in the near vicinity of Taiwan.

But for ballistic missiles—those able to traverse continents—their speed (10-15,000 mph) and nuclear capability–would cancel out sheer numbers of attacking ‘bogies’. The scary part is what President Obama presently knows.

He knows that American technology with missiles enables a spot on a “bullet” to be hit by another “bullet”. He knows that America has demonstrated its ability to shoot down any incoming missile with a non-aggressive missile that could destroy the interloper with the sheer speed of contact. Read more

Rahm’s Operative and Union Each Trying to Buy Chicago City Council

January 20, 2011 | Filed Under Carol Moseley Braun, Chicago, Cook County, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Gery Chico, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Rahm Emanuel, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

A political operative tied directly to Rahm Emanuel has raised $1 million to back Emanuel friendly candidates for City Council, reports The New York Times. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is investing over $2 million also to buy candidates that favor their issues. Both are struggling to buy a City Council loyal to them in hopes of emulating outgoing Mayor Daley’s lock on power.

The Emanuel effort is being led by former Daley aide and Emanuel congressional campaign manager Greg Goldner. Goldner is grandiosely calling his fundraising effort For a Better Chicago. By “better” he means for a Chicago that will be at Rahm Emanuel’s beck and call.

Amusingly — nay perhaps insultingly — Goldner is insisting that his new effort has no connection with Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel’s campaign has also said that For a Better Chicago is not connected to his campaign.

… And I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
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The do’s and don’ts of Sheriff Dupnik: Another ploy to silence conservatives

January 20, 2011 | Filed Under Arizona, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Paul A. Ibbetson | 1 Comment

Paul A. Ibbetson

The recent shooting in Tucson, Arizona, that critically injured Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords as well as killing six other innocent citizens brings the nation again to attempting to find reasons where they are least likely to be found. At this time authorities are still discovering many of the details; however, it has been reported that the shooter in the incident, Jared Lee Loughner, was a mentally unstable individual.

In almost all cases that involve the taking of an innocent life, the quest to find the answers as to why such atrocities take place is never adequately found. This comes in part because there is no answer for loved ones being prematurely taken from this earth that can ease the pain for those that remain. We all know and have grudgingly come to accept the nature cycle of life and the shooting in Arizona violates all that we hold acceptable when it comes to death. Unfortunately, the case of the Arizona shootings is at risk of being misdirected from honoring the dead and helping to heal the injured to promoting political agendas based on a false premise.
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Roskam Votes To Rescue Economy From Job-Destroying Healthcare Bill

January 20, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Capitalism, Congress, Conservatives, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Health, House of Representatives, Illinois, Jobs, Liberals, Peter Roskam, Regulation, Republicans, Taxes, The Law, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Congressman Peter Roskam (Ill., 6th Dist.)…

Rep. Peter Roskam: “[Americans] understand that what has to happen is that businesses have to be able to thrive, and to hire, and to grow and be dynamic. If we repeal this and replace this with the type of thoughtful healthcare initiative that is going to be forthcoming, I think we will do a world of service to everybody that we’re trying to help, and that is to change this economy so that people want to hire again.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, the House of Representatives voted 245 – 189 to pass H.R. 2, repealing the Democrats job-destroying Healthcare bill. Earlier today, Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL), the Chief Deputy Whip of the House Republican Majority, released the following video of him speaking on the House floor, and in his office, in favor of repealing the healthcare bill:

“I’m Congressman Peter Roskam, and I’m in my office here in the United States Capitol getting ready to go upstairs to the House floor.

“It’s a historic day in Washington D.C. It’s a day that is a reflection of all of the work, all of the energy and all of the speaking out that’s happened for the past year essentially. Without question the American public have said, ‘we don’t want this healthcare law jammed down our throats because it’s having an adverse impact on job creation, it’s making healthcare costs go up – let’s drop this thing.’
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Big Bonding‏

January 20, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, For The Good Of Illinois, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Michael Madigan, Pat Quinn, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From For The Good Of Illinois…

“You can’t be for big government, big taxes, and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy,” Ronald Reagan.

Springfield just hiked your taxes while increasing spending and ignoring any spending cuts.

Even after the largest tax hike in Illinois history, the budget still has an estimated $2 billion shortfall. What’s the plan to cover this shortfall? A pay day loan – $14.2 billion of new government debt. If you want to see significant cuts in Illinois spending, make sure you stop the massive “Big Bonding”. Click here to find out why.

Don’t let them stick you with their bill.
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Truth in Accounting Issues: Alabama’s ‘Financial State of the State’ – True Tax Burden $19.9 Billion

January 20, 2011 | Filed Under Alabama, Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Chicago (November 29, 2010) Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Alabama’s “Financial State of the State.” After an intensive review of the State’s 2009 audited financial report the Institute determined the State is in a precarious financial position because it does not have the funds available to pay almost $19.9 billion of the State’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s share of this financial burden equals $15,400.

Alabama state law requires a balanced budget. “If governors and legislatures had truly balanced the state’s budget, no taxpayer’s financial burden would exist,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). She continued, “A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees’ retirement benefits, are pushed into the future.”
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Obama Now a Regulation Slayer? Hardly!

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Business, Capitalism, Constitution, Democracy, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, NLRB, PLA, President, Public Employees Unions, Regulation, Taxes, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Tuesday, President Obama had an op ed published in the Wall Street Journal. In it Obama insisted that our economy has been hurt by “unreasonable burdens on business” and that the regulatory sector had “gotten out of balance.” He promised that he’d make efforts to trim away regulations costly to business. While the sentiment is certainly a good one, it strains credulity to imagine that Barack Obama would be the one to make those cuts especially in light of the huge regulatory state that Obama has spent enlarging at every opportunity over the last two years.

To be sure Obama needs to gain the confidence of the business community. After all, as far s the business sector is concerned Obama has considered them his number one enemy since he began running for president back in 2006. The economy has stalled precisely because everyone is afraid of what punishment via his regulatory powers that Obama will next mete out to them.

But Obama claims he’s going to change all that and just in time for him to ramp up his 2012 reelection campaign, too. He’s signed an Executive Order, he says, in order to “strike the right balance” between regulation and business success.
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Obama to Sue States to End Worker’s Right to Secret Ballot

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Arizona, Barack Obama, Budget, Capitalism, Card Check, Congress, Democracy, Democrats/Leftists, DOL, Government, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Liberals, Nanny State, NLRB, President, Public Employees Unions, Regulation, Right To Work, South Carolina, South Dakota, Taxes, Unions, Utah, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Barack Obama has given more payoffs, sweetheart deals, and new favorable regulations to Big Labor than any president in history. They should love him for his incredible largess. Next, in his never ending quest to harm the business community, defy the will of the voters, and give his pals in Big Labor paybacks, Obama’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — a federal labor regulatory agency — is about to sue any state that dares attempt to protect the right of workers to have secret ballots in their workplace elections. The states have made the mistake of sponsoring worker’s ballot protection laws.

Recently the NLRB announced its intentions to sue Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah because those states had the gal to implement constitutional amendments to their state constitutions guaranteeing that workers have a right to a secret ballot in union elections.

With this the Obama administration is moving to deny workers their right to a secret ballot, a right that has been sacrosanct in democracies for hundreds if not thousands of years. Why does Barack Obama want to take away the right to a secret ballot? Because his union pals don’t want workers to feel safe voting against a union.
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If Loughner’s Favorite Movie was Anti-Fox News, How Could he be ‘Influenced’ by the Right’s Rhetoric?

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Arizona, Censorship, Crime, Fox News, Guns, Journalism, Liberals, Media, Media Bias, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over at The Other McCain a salient question has been asked. There you’ll see a story about a segment of the film that we’ve come to understand was Arizona killer Jared Loughner’s favorite movie, Zeitgeist, and in that clip we can easily see that the film claims that Fox News acts as “the men behind the curtain.” Fox is criticized by this film as manipulators of the news and one of the conspiratorial evils of the world.

So, that being the case, how is it possible that the left can continue to claim that Jared Loughner was somehow “influenced” by conservatives, by Fox News, by Talk Radio, by Sarah Palin and those on the right when his favorite movie scaremongered people into a hatred of Fox News and the right?

Further, we understand that Zeitgeist posited that Bush knew that 9/11 was coming, that Bush was part of it. This is further evidence that if Loughner was influenced by anything it was left-leaning progressive ideas far more than conservative ones.

And yet, the Old Media is ignoring all these truths. McCain says:
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Do We Need ‘Civil Disobedience’ In Illinois? One Blogger Thinks So

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois State Government, Indiana, Liberals, Republicans, Taxes, Tea Party, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Tom Mannis of Chicago News Bench says the time has come for civil disobedience in Illinois. With the recent steep climb in income taxes bequeathed us by Illinois Democrats it is painfully obvious that our politicians in Illinois don’t care much about us. It is obvious, too, that they have a single-minded intention to destroy every last job in the state… well, except, perhaps, the jobs offered by state government and the odd union and ACORN office, anyway.

Sure the Illinois GOP voted against the giant tax hike. But some feel that was just a smoke screen and that they are secretly happy with the move.

For his part Mannis wonders where the heck the Tea Party was during this recent wild tax hike. “In Illinois,” he says, “they seemed to be asleep at the wheel in the days leading up to voting in the State Legislature for one of the worst tax hikes ever.”

But civil disobedience?
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Tweets Regarding The Arizona Shooting Tragedy

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Frederick Meekins, Government, Liberals, Media | Comments Off

-By Frederick Meekins

An assassination attempt was made against an Arizona Congresswoman. What freedoms will Americans be coerced into surrendering as a result? In a press conference, the sheriff there has already blamed talk radio for the tragedy.

A Fox News talking head made a fuss about Gabrielle Giffords being the first Jewish woman elected to Congress from Arizona. Would the assassination attempt be less tragic if it had been on a Christian man?

In analyzing the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, blame is not placed on the gunmen for this evil deed but on politics becoming “too personal”. But aren’t the liberals the one that made it that way in their efforts to control every facet of existence?

Maybe political rhetoric would not have grown so intense if the government had done its job of securing the borders and minding its own business as to what type of toilets we have in our homes, what kind of lightbulbs we decide to illuminate them with and what kind of food we decide to stick in our mouths.
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The Debate Begins Today‏

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Congress, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Health, House of Representatives, Illinois, Liberals, Peter Roskam, Regulation, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Congressman Peter Roskam…

This is an important week in Washington. As Congress goes back to work today following the tragic event in Tuscon, we do so with a critical task at hand: debate and vote on repealing Pelosicare.

Today, 200 economists sent an open letter to House and Senate leadership highlighting the law’s negative economic impacts on our country. These respected economists include former Congressional Budget Office directors, Federal Reserve economists, White House officials, and a Nobel laureate – and they’ve recognized what the American people already know. Pelosicare is bad for employers and detrimental to job growth in America.
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‘Hard Truth’: Emanuel and Freddie Mac

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Banks, Barack Obama, Capitalism, Cook County, Democrats/Leftists, Gery Chico, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Rahm Emanuel, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

Mayoral candidate Gery Chico has some “hard questions” about Rahm Emanuel’s connection to failed financial giant Freddie Mac…

Time for Emanuel to tell “hard truth”

Chico: “Chicago can’t afford a mayor who looks the other way!”

(CHICAGO) With former president Bill Clinton stumping in Chicago for Rahm Emanuel today, mayoral candidate Gery Chico asked Emanuel to tell the truth about his tenure on the Freddie Mac board, to which Clinton appointed Emanuel in 2000. Under Emanuel’s watch, an Enron-type scandal took place costing taxpayers more than half a billion dollars, according to news reports.
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Truth in Accounting Issues: Minnesota’s ‘Financial State of the State’ – Minnesota’s True Tax Burden $10.3 Billion

January 19, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Minnesota, Taxes, Truth in Accounting, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Chicago (November 29, 2010) Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Minnesota’s “Financial State of the State.” After an intensive review of the State’s 2010 audited financial report the Institute determined the State is in a precarious financial position because it does not have the funds available to pay almost $10.3 billion of the State’s commitments as they come due. Each taxpayer’s share of this financial burden equals $5,600.

Minnesota state law requires a balanced budget. “If governors and legislatures had truly balanced the state’s budget, no taxpayer’s financial burden would exist,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). She continued, “A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees’ retirement benefits, are pushed into the future.”
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Chicago: Dumped Mayor Candidate Gets Injunction to Stop Ballot Printing

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Chicago, Cook County, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is an interesting little story in the Chicago Mayor race, one it seems that the Old Media is ignoring. It involves a candidate who was improperly thrown off the ballot getting awarded an injunction to stop the printing of the election ballots.

In December Chicago businessman Tom Hanson was kicked off the ballot by election officials because they claimed he never filed his Statement of Economic Interest. Hanson, however, has the receipt for that filing and the clerk that took his filing also claims she filed it. Apparently the filing was “lost.”

In Chicago, a lot of things that Democrats don’t like seem to get “lost.”

Hanson is a Chicago businessman and heads Hanson Commercial Real Estate company. He is also on the board of directors for numerous not-for-profit foundations that help inner city school children. Hanson ran against Rahm Emanuel for Congress in 2008.

Now a court has agreed that the printing of the election ballots should be halted until his filing can be cleared up and his status as a candidate can be properly decided.

Visit www.hansonformayor.com for more info on the candidate.
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Our Out Of Control Courts: Bankruptcy Courts Now Deciding Cases on Feelings?

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Judges, Law, Liberals, Supreme Court, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the issues that many conservatives have focused on is our out of control court system and the constant judicial overreach that occurs therein. Here we have yet another case of a court insinuating itself into an area in which it previously never had purview and if this decision stands it will open our courts to a flood of court shopping that will turn our legal system further down the wrong road.

At least since the forced busing case of 1971 and the Roe v Wade abortion case, conservatives have been complaining about judges taking undue powers unto themselves. For decades these power mad judges have been expanding their reach to control our lives until even our state and federal legislatures have seemed to give up their rightful role as lawmakers. Once again we have a judge that has reached beyond his proper role.

The case in question is Marshall v. Marshall and, yes, once again Anna Nicole Smith is going before the U.S. Supreme Court — and from beyond the grave at that. The reason a Smith matter is again before the SCOTUS four years after her death is because one of her cases was decided by a federal bankruptcy court in California on reasons that had nothing at all to do with technical bankruptcy rules. The case before the SCOTUS would determine if the bankruptcy court acted properly.
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Newspaper Ignores Facts in Teacher’s ‘Vagina Dance’ Song Controversy

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Children, Democrats/Leftists, Education, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Journalism, Liberals, Media, Media Bias, Newspapers, Teachers Unions, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

It isn’t just national issues that the Old Media misreports. As we focus on the “big” stories of the day, we often overlook the local scene and the left-wing excuse for “reporting,” therefrom. This is a perfect example of that.

Imagine you are a sophomore in high school and your sex ed teacher forces you to prance about your classroom singing and dancing to “The Vagina Dance” in a puerile attempt to teach the parts and functions of the female sex organ. Worse, imagine you are a male student in a classroom of such an unhinged teacher? Well, we don’t have to imagine it too hard because this exact situation has happened in a classroom in the Chicago, Illinois suburbs. But don’t worry. Chicago’s Old Media is all about reporting this incident honestly. Well, if honestly means to ignore relevant facts and shore up support for the out of control teacher and smooth things over for the school, that is.

Early this month, parent Robert King, whose son goes to Crystal Lake’s Prairie Ridge High School, complained to school authorities over the inappropriate teaching methods of health teacher Jacqulyn Levin. As a teaching tool Levin used “The Vagina Dance,” a song replete with dance steps and arm movements, and required her entire co-ed class to participate in it – all to the tune of The Hokey Pokey, no less. As it happens King’s son was uncomfortable being required to prance about the room, arms emulating fallopian tubes, and singing about vaginas, so the parents complained.
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Obama’s Labor Dept: If You Let Girl Scouts Sell Cookies, You HAVE to Let Unions Come in Too

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Capitalism, Children, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Government, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Liberals, NLRB, President, Rights, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Everyone loves Girl Scout cookies, right? What could be more American? It’s a right of passage for many young girls to set up a folding table in front of a local business and sell their little cookies and what American doesn’t get a warm feeling in their heart when they see those peppy little ones chirping out, “would you like to buy some cookies?” Who could be against that? Who would want to set up a situation where Girl Scouts would be turned away from their traditional cookie-selling outposts?

Apparently the Obama administration.

At least one sector of America isn’t so fond of the ability of Girl Scouts to sell their wares unhindered, it seems. When the Obama administration’s Department of Labor and his National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) look at Girl Scouts, they don’t see cute little children taking their first steps toward adulthood, they see opportunity for a union powergrab.
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Education Reform – Teacher Union Style

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Children, Democrats/Leftists, Education, Government, Government, Corruption, Larry Sand, Liberals, Public Employees Unions, Teachers Unions, Unions | Comments Off

-By Larry Sand

Union leaders have nothing to offer in matters of education reform.

In an absurd editorial, two Los Angeles Unified School District teachers last Friday — both United Teachers Los Angeles chapter chairs — wrote what was supposed to be, in part, a nastygram to LA’s Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The op-ed, entitled Pipe Down, Mr. Mayor (the name in the print version), takes the LA mayor to task for criticizing the union for which he used to organize. Referring to ed reform, he had called the union’s leadership “the most powerful defenders of the status quo” at a conference in Sacramento last month.

The two angry unionistas attempt to convince Times’ readers that the union is behind some really terrific “progressive” education reforms.

They start off with the usual whine about cuts in education funding, but in the next breath they state that Gompers Middle School “has spent thousands of dollars on classroom libraries for students who have limited access to quality books.” Hasn’t this always been the purpose of school libraries? And by the way, where are the cuts?
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Illinois Truth in Accounting Workshop Educates Legislators‏

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Chicago, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Taxes, Truth in Accounting, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Institute for Truth in Accounting…

Illinois Reps. Karen May & and Tom Morrison Support The Truth in Accounting Act

Illinois Rep. Karen May (D-58th District) and Rep. Tom Morrison (R-54th District) joined Sheila Weinberg, CEO and founder of Institute for Truth in Accounting at a December Legislative Workshop in Highwood. The group discussed the Illinois budget, governmental accounting rules and the use of ‘political math’ to balance the budget.

Weinberg highlighted how ‘political math’ is used to disguise Illinois’ true ‘Financial State of the State.’ ‘Over the years budget shenanigans have been used to hide more than over $120 billion of state employees’ retirement and other costs,’ Weinberg added.
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Update on the Tax Increase

January 18, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Michael Madigan, Pat Quinn, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education Coalition…

Thanks to all of you who helped to send over 5,500 emails via our “No Taxation Without Education” campaign. Unfortunately, we got taxation without education and just a “promise” from our Governor to include $250 million for education in this year’s budget. Of course, we won’t believe that until it’s in writing. There was some support for increased money for education in the state senate, led by the Black Caucus, but we were told in Springfield that Mike Madigan and the House were not supporting additional money for education or anything else and wanted new revenue to go towards paying off our roughly $15 billion in debt and $8 billion in late bills, and that’s what we got. There was another opportunity for education money through the cigarette tax which would have generated $377 million for education but this was voted down in the House as well with only 51 legislators in support, and 60 votes needed to pass. While this isn’t the outcome we wanted, this $6 billion in new revenue to pay down our debt will likely result in fewer cuts to CPS next year. Clearly, we can’t be content with this and we need to continue to do everything we can to advocate for improved and sustainable funding for education in Illinois.

As you all know, we are currently 49th in the nation in terms of state spending on education. Our state covers roughly 30% of the cost of educating a child, as compared to about 50% on average. Local municipalities are left to fund the rest through property taxes, resulting in unsustainable and inequitable funding.
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‘Historian’ Douglas Brinkley: Obama ‘Like’ Martin Luther King

January 17, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, CNN, Democrats/Leftists, Government, History, Journalism, Liberals, Media, Media Bias, President, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Radio talker Rush Limbaugh got in dutch with Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer for saying that Obama supporters were “slobbering” over his address at the pep rally/memorial sponsored by the University of Arizona for those fallen in the Arizona shooting. But “slobbering” is nothing compared to historian Douglas Brinkley’s hyperbolic praise. Brinkley absurdly said that Obama was “Martin Luther King-like” in his efforts.

Brinkley’s blinkered assessment was originally reported by CNN’s Krsiti Keck immediately after the speech. His comments were coupled with those of several other commentators and published under the headline, “Obama’s Tucson speech: Inspirational, but tone surprised some.” Brinkley made himself look simply silly with his comments.

“I thought President Obama did a wonderful job this evening. I thought that he really brought people together. I mean, when he, in the middle of the speech, said, ‘Gabby opened her eyes, Gabby opened her eyes,’ & you could almost hear a Martin Luther King-like inflection — And he carried that throughout a lot of the speech.

“I was, like David Gergen earlier, a little put off by the atmospherics, 14,000 cheering people. But the president, I think, worked his way into that atmosphere. So, by the end of it, you could almost feel people hugging in the excitement, in the warmth & the love in the arena.”

There is little doubt that the atmosphere of this memorial cum pep rally was nearly as bad as that of the Wellstone funeral of 2002. The University of Arizona set the tone badly right at the beginning by treating the whole thing like an Obama campaign appearance. U of A President Richard Shelton’s introduction of Obama, for instance, was wholly inappropriate for a memorial.
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Ex-Black Panther, Current Politician Bobby Rush Uses MLK, Giffords to Call for Gun Control

January 17, 2011 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Anti-Americanism, Arizona, Chicago, Constitution, Cook County, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Guns, House of Representatives, Illinois, Liberals, Martin Luther King, Jr., PCism, Race, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston, Western Civilization | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Bobby Rush always did have a lot of stones. He went from being an outlaw and criminal member of the Black Panthers in Chicago to being a legitimate, elected Congressman from the self-same city. Now Rush is hiding behind both the crime in Arizona and Martin Luther Kin, Jr. in order to push his anti-constitutional gun grabbing agenda.

Yep, a lot of stones.

Rush’s office published a blog post on The Hill’s Congressional blog section for January 16. It isn’t likely that Rush himself wrote the thing, of course, but it is published under his name and carries his imprimatur, so it doesn’t matter who wrote it. What matters is that Rush is using MLK for cover for a gun grab. What matters is that he, like so many other left-wingers, is using Gabrielle Giffords’ shooting to serve his political agenda.
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Attacking the Family: Making the Terms ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ Passé

January 17, 2011 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Selwyn Duke, State Department | Comments Off

-By Selwyn Duke

It seems that our neutered, post-Christian culture just can’t do enough to vindicate Muslims’ accusation of Western decadence. And the latest affront to common sense and Truth is an attack upon the family: The State Department will remove the terms “father” and “mother” from passport applications and replace them with “gender neutral terminology.” Reporting on the story, Fox News writes:

“The words in the old form were ‘mother’ and ‘father,’” said Brenda Sprague, deputy assistant Secretary of State for Passport Services. “They are now ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two.’”

A statement on the State Department website noted: “These improvements are being made to provide a gender neutral description of a child’s parents and in recognition of different types of families [emphasis added].”

Improvements? A real improvement would be eliminating the Brenda Spragues from government.
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Miss America 2011 Slams WikiLeaks as ‘Espionage’

January 16, 2011 | Filed Under Afghanistan, Anti-Americanism, Constitution, Crime, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Islamofascism, Journalism, Media, Media Bias, Military, Patriotism, Regulation, Society/Culture, Terrorism, Transparency, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston, Western Civilization | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

The new Miss America Pageant winner, Cornhusker Teresa Scanlan, wowed judges with her black bikini, her piano playing, and her silky blond hair. She’s the youngest winner ever at 17, her theme this year was eating disorders, and she also criticized WikiLeaks as “espionage.”

Scanlon said that she wanted to become a lawyer because she wanted to help change the negative perception that people have of lawyers.

“At this point, attorneys and politicians are looked down on and have terrible reputations for being greedy and power hungry and I really think it’s important for people who have their heart and mind in the right place get into those powerful positions,” she said to the media.
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