Hide Away In Rockford

H/T Hot Air

Cross Posted at Classical Values

The Wisconsin Legislators Are Gone

As you may or may not know 14 Wisconsin Senators were camped out in Rockford. The first mate and I had gone out today for a late Valentines Day lunch (we often celebrate holidays early or late depending) at Aunt Mary's on State Street which is owned by Sam from Albania. We had the best Reuben sandwiches in Rockford plus a really decadent chocolate fudge cake for desert. When we got back home we were really full and decided that a Valentines Day snuggle was in order. Yummy. We stared the snuggle at about 3:30 PM local time and I didn't get up until a little after 9 PM. And I look at my e-mail and all heck has broken loose. Tall Dave (who blogs at Classical Values among other places) sent me an e-mail with the Gateway Pundit link above. And there were others like these:

Patriot Action Network

Rockford Tea Party - Facebook

Plus my favorite link resource:

Instapundit

I was planning to make it to their hide out at the Clock Tower tomorrow and take some pictures so I decided to watch the local news for an update - something I rarely do - and found out that the Wisconsin guys had left town. Dang. But you know a man has got to know his priorities. My personal coverage of the event would have meant lots of blog hits. Snuggles (naked) with the first mate? Priceless.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

The Amazon Tax

It seems the State of Illinois is so desperate for revenue that it is instituting an internet sales tax.

CHICAGO, Jan. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Internet Tax Bill (HB 3659) was passed in the Illinois Senate on January 5, by the House of Representatives on January 6 and brought to the Governor, who may sign it into a law as early as Friday, January 7.

The tax legislation relates to out-of-state merchants like Amazon.com and Overstock.com that do not have a physical presence in Illinois but have relationships with Illinois advertisers and publishers like CouponCabin.com. By this law, these merchants are deemed to have a presence (nexus) in Illinois and are therefore required to collect Illinois sales tax.

The goal of this is to increase tax revenue for the state, but what has happened in the four states that have passed similar laws (New York, Colorado, North Carolina and Rhode Island) is that instead of collecting sales tax, these merchants have severed their relationships with publishers in that state. Twelve other states have rejected similar legislation.

In response to this Amazon sent me the following e-mail:

Greetings from the Amazon Associates Program:

We regret to inform you that the Illinois state legislature has passed an unconstitutional tax collection scheme that, if signed by Governor Quinn, would leave Amazon.com little choice but to end its relationships with Illinois-based Associates. You are receiving this email because our records indicate that you are a resident of Illinois. If our records are incorrect, you can manage the details of your Associates account here .

Please note that this not an immediate termination notice and you are still a valued participant in the Amazon Associates Program. But if the governor signs this bill, we will need to terminate the participation of all Illinois residents in the Associates Program. After that point, we will no longer pay any advertising fees for sales referred to amazon.com, endless.com and smallparts.com nor will we accept new applications for the Associates Program from Illinois residents.

The unfortunate consequences of this legislation on Illinois residents like you were explained to the legislature, including Senate and House leadership, as well as to the governor's staff.

Over a dozen other states have considered essentially identical legislation but have rejected these proposals largely because of the adverse impact on their states' residents.

Governor Quinn's office may be reached here.

We thank you for being part of the Amazon Associates Program, and wish you continued success in the future.

Sincerely,

Amazon.com

Here is the note I sent to the governors office:

Veto the bill.

I'm retired on Social Security and make a few dollars a month selling Amazon products. This is very helpful as I have a disabled son I have to take care of. This action on the part of the legislature is going to hurt my family greatly. You have no idea what an extra $20 or $30 a month means to my family.

If you would like to help out before the State of Illinois closes the window on my fingers order something from Amazon using this link:

Amazon.

I think the State of Illinois is doing its best to strangle business in the State. Once upon a time we had a fairly reasonable Republican government in this state. Until George Ryan ruined it for Republicans. The crook. Now all we get are anti-business Democrats. At least the Republicans had some idea that the goodies they were passing out had some connection to the productive economy. At least the Republicans before Ryan. It is Illinois after all.

Update: A nice link filled post on the subject from Backyard Conservative.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

After A Nail Biter Of An Election Night Illinois Has A Republican Senator

According to the Chicago Tribune with 97% of the precincts counted Republican Mark Kirk is going to be out next Senator - taking the "Obama" seat. Because of our election laws (and because he was also elected to fill Obama's unexpired term) he will be seated at once, lowering the odds of lame duck lameness. The results as of 11:32 PM CDT.

With 97% of precincts reporting:

Kirk (R)
1,717,193   48.3%

Giannoulias (D)
1,638,323   46.1%

This was a real nail biter. Earlier in the evening with of 26% precincts reporting Giannoulias was winning over Kirk by 57% to 38%. It had me worried until about 10:30 local time when the numbers started shifting.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

My Picks For Illinois

Vote for the Republican. Top to bottom.

Yeah. I know. Some of them are not so good. And some of them are bad. The alternative is worse. Besides sometimes a sound political thrashing wakes up the thrashed. And sometimes they just buy off the new guys. But every once in a while it works. In the current climate I think it is worth a shot.

All You Need To Know In Illinois

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Rockford Tea Party Pictures 6 April '10

About 1,000 people at Davis Park as we arrive:



A view of the Rock River. The day started out cloudy.



As the day went on it got sunnier and the crowd got larger. At the peak I'd say there were 2,000 to 3,000 people in attendance. The organizers predicted 1,000.



An old friend of mine from my Libertarian Party days:



The crowd has definitely gotten larger.



I liked This Sign:



The other side of the sign:



One of the Bikers that escorted the Tea Party Buses to the park. The gentleman is a Marine Corps Veteran.



A good time was had by all.

And don't forget:

Click on the above image and learn how to spread it around.

Update: 6 Apr '10 2352z

Here is a video by Bill Whittle on what the Tea Party is about and what you should do. About 4 1/2 minutes and well worth your time. And the video pretty much explains what today's rally was about and what it was like and he wasn't even there. And in line with what Bill suggests (go to a Tea Party), I like Tea Party Patriots for information. There are other places. Find one you like and keep in touch.

Further update: 7 Apr '10 0024z

I got this link for a series of April 15th rallies in Illinois at today's gathering: illinoistea.org.

Rockford Is Improving

According to our local paper, fondly called The Red Star, only 25% of house sales in the area are foreclosure sales. Except that I know for a fact that the banks are putting off foreclosure as long as possible so as to avoid as long as they can booking the losses.

In Boone, Ogle and Winnebago counties in February, just 62 of the 243 recorded sales were from bank, mortgage or government agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs.

That was the lowest number of bank-owned property sales in a month since December 2008.

The flood of foreclosures in the country has been largely to blame for falling prices, because the homes are usually sold at steep discounts. Real estate experts think prices won’t rise with any regularity again until we cycle through the millions of distressed properties in the U.S.

Unfortunately, February’s decline in foreclosure sales is most likely an anomaly. The number of new foreclosure cases being filed continues to rise.

And we haven't even started to tear into the commercial real estate bubble. It is only a matter of time. And then the housing market will re-collapse.

Good times? Only if you like breaking records. Take unemployment in the area.

Local economists weren’t the only ones shocked by the jump to the Rockford area’s January unemployment rate.

It was the highest year-over-year increase in the nation.

The metro area’s unemployment rate was 19.7 percent, a 5.8 percentage point increase, higher than all 372 metro areas in the country, according to an analysis released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two other Illinois metros made the list of top five biggest increases: Peoria tied for second with a 5.5 percentage point increase, and Decatur was close behind with a 5.2 percentage point increase.

Rockford also had the fifth-highest unemployment rate of all metro areas, outpacing rust belt mainstays such as Flint, Mich., Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., and Detroit.

As far as the statistics go I'm not counted. I'm retired on Social Security. And my mate? She works for the school system so her job will be one of the last to go.

And what is one of the biggest problems our city faces? Public employee pensions.

The debate over how to balance the city budget without cutting services has now zeroed in on the budget’s ticking time bomb: pensions.

Mayor Larry Morrissey, in his State of the City address earlier this month, got everybody’s attention with one example:

A 25-year-old police officer hired today at base pay and receiving an annual 3 percent wage increase and required step and longevity increases, with no promotions, will pay $304,506.25 toward his or her pension throughout a 30-year career. If the officer or the officer’s spouse lives 30 years after retirement, he or she will receive a total of $5.8 million, from employee and city contributions and investment returns to the pension fund.

Now, multiply that by the number of police officers and firefighters the city expects to employ in the next 30 years. Right now the number is 549.

The city’s annual pension obligation — the amount the state says it must pay into three separate state-mandated retirement systems for its union employees — jumped from $11.3 million in 2009 to $12.8 million this year to a projected $16.3 million in 2011.

But at the same time, money coming into the city’s general fund fell from $112.4 million in 2009 to $110.1 million in 2010.

Let me do the multiplication for you. And to make it easy we will say the obligation is $5 million for 550 people. That would be around $90 million a year in a city whose budget is $110 million a year. A total 30 year obligation of $2.75 billion. Roughly.

That is unsustainable. And that which can not be sustained will not be sustained. I see bankruptcy in the city's future. Some improvement.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Treasurer's Treasury Will Fail

Fox News is reporting that the bank owned by the family of Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias will fail.

Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias says things don't look good for the struggling bank his family owns.

Giannoulias told the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board Wednesday that it's likely the bank his father founded 30 years ago will fail.

Broadway Bank entered into a consent decree with regulators in January and has 90 days to raise about $85 million in new capital. The bank also has to deal with bad assets and improve its management.

Ah. Yes. Most unfortunate. But there is a kicker:

Giannoulias touted his banking experience when he was elected Illinois state treasurer in 2006.

I'll bet he doesn't do that again.

Unfortunately for Giannoulias it looks like it is already too late.

Democratic Illinois Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias spent 10 hours on Wednesday in eight interviews with Chicago print and broadcast outlets, taking questions about his family owned Broadway Bank. Giannoulias, 33, was a loan officer at the bank before he was elected treasurer in November, 2006.

A loan officer? Aren't those the banking guys who decide who is credit worthy and who is not? Yes they are.

If it is Illinois (and especially Chicago) the boyz at Hill Buzz have the best rumors around. Check this one out:

The rumor today in Chicago is that Alexi Giannoulias is going to be forced to step aside as the Democrats’ nominee for the Senate race to fill Roland Burris’ seat upon retirement. Not to “spend more time with his family”, as slimeballs like this usually say, but because the criminal enterprise his family runs, the mob’s bank, Broadway Bank, is collapsing.

It’s coming out the Giannoulias family siphoned more than $70 million from the bank, to pay their back taxes, and to pretty much recreating the HBO series “The Sopranos”, all around Chicago.

There is absolutely nothing good we can say about Alexi Giannoulias, except that it’s nice he’s not a twin, and great he’s fathered no children. Perhaps, dare we dream, his genes will end with him.

Former Senator John Edwards is going to be indicted soon, for misappropriation of campaign funds. We wonder if an indictment of the Giannoulias Family is all that far away: how can they just take $70 million out of a bank? That has to be illegal.

How can Democrats think they can run this man for the Senate when the mob bank his family runs is going under, and all its secrets will be revealed once the government seizes it?

Things sure will get messy, once taxpayers realize government funds will be going directly to Giannoulias, to bail his family out…with tax dollars also going to mobsters, since those are Giannoulias’ clients…and they will be the ones the government bails out when it takes over Broadway Bank.

Not only will the White House own General Motors, but it could end up running the Chicago mob, too.

Which just emphasizes the substance of a bit I wrote a while back, Government is a Criminal Enterprise.

So other than the mob how is Illinois doing? Not so good.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed cutting spending and raising taxes to deal with one of the biggest state budget crises in the nation, but his plan will likely be unpopular with some voters and lawmakers during a tough election year.

Illinois's deficit through mid-2011 is estimated at $11 billion to $13 billion—close to 50% of the expected $26.7 billion in available revenue for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1. That is among the worst such percentages among states. Health-care and social-service agencies routinely wait three months or more for the state to pay its bills.

The state pension system also is the worst-funded in the U.S. Illinois borrowed nearly $3.5 billion last year to make its annual pension payment. State auditors estimate that the pension systems are underfunded by $62 billion.

Jeeze. It looks so bad that Illinois may go down before California. And raising taxes on business? Swell. Illinois already has too many businesses. And no doubt too many jobs.

The unemployment rate in Illinois is back over 11 percent. New data released today by the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows that non-farm payroll fell for the 23rd straight month and the jobless rate jumped to 11.1 percent, the highest it's been since 1983.

That report was from late January. I haven't heard of much improvement since then.

Fortunately The Madam who is speaker of the house (see Parliament of Whores) says the Democrats are not in crisis.

- Obama has to buy a Congressman's vote by appointing his brother to the Federal Apellate Court

- Charlie Rangel (D-Ghetto) has to step down from Ways and Means due to bribe taking

- Mary Landrieu (D-Mardi Gras) is the poster child for "Buy My Vote Please" on ObamaCare

- Congressional approval rating (Pelsoi's leadership) is lower than the outside temperature at the North Pole

- One DEM Congressman changed parties

- Congressman Massa (D-Blow Job) is leaving office having sexually harrassed a MALE employee

Not in crisis? OK maybe the crisis is over and we can all attend the burial in November. Sadly the Jefferson/Jackson Day dinners they used to hold will be sparsely attended. But they haven't honored the frugality and limited government of Jefferson and the militancy of Jackson for a very long time.

When Ali Babba is the Treasurer of Illinois and wants to be governor you can see a party that has lost its way. And it is not like we won't have other thieves to contend with. As my grand pappy Max used to say about politicians, "they are all crooks". The question is are they bringing 40 thieves with them or 40,000?

I think this video is an excellent illustration of the errors of the Illinois crooks. "Never underestimate the mark." Or as William Burroughs liked to say: The Marks Are Wising Up.



H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Eating Our Seed Corn - Illinois Version

I got this via e-mail.

As we approach the spring semester I write to inform you of the current financial situation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

As is the case with all public universities in the state we currently face a cash crisis. In the current fiscal year that commenced on July 1, 2009, we have only received 7 percent of our annual appropriation from the state. As I write this letter the state of Illinois owes the University more than $436 million of its appropriation. That number increases every month.

As a response, we have instituted a number of measures on campus to ensure that we have the necessary resources to get through the semester with an eye to confronting a similar fiscal shortfall in the next fiscal year. Our faculty and administrative staff will begin mandatory furloughs in February. (A furlough is a leave of absence without pay.) We have also been cutting costs at all levels of the university and we are looking at ways we can consolidate services to garner even more savings. Finally, we continue to draw on cash reserves, but these are finite and we can no longer continue to go down this path.

Please understand that we are doing everything we can to protect our students - our number one priority - from the impact of these cost-cutting measures. We believe that each fiscal decision we make must not compromise the education of this state's greatest assets, its daughters and sons.

You can also find the e-mail online at The Quad

In many ways the University System is obsolete. An online learning system would allow students to go at their own pace and eliminate the need for keeping so many buildings (for classrooms) operational. Teachers in courses that don't require labs would only need an office plus a high speed internet connection. Lectures could be done by video.

The time is coming. I don't believe the pain is sufficient yet for a complete rethink.

Kirk Dillard

Kirk Dillard May very well be the Republican candidate for Governor. The above video tells you all you need to know.

H/T Dana Loesch at Big Government.com

Illinois Governor's Race 2010

It looks like Adam is endorsed by a Cold War Hero.

Breaking news: Lech Walesa, Nobel Laureate and former President of Poland, has endorsed Republican candidate Adam Andrzejewski (and G F ski) for Illinois Governor.

From The American Spectator:

It’s not every day that a Nobel Prize winner becomes involved in a U.S. election, but Lech Walesa — famed for his Cold War leadership of the Solidarity movement in Poland — will be campaigning this week for a GOP gubernatorial candidate in Illinois.

The former Polish president will be the keynote speaker Friday at a Chicago luncheon fundraiser for Adam Andrzejewski, one of four Republican candidates for governor in Illinois.

Here is Walesa's endorsement letter:

To the People of the Great State of Illinois

It is with great pleasure that I wholeheartedly endorse Adam Andrzejewski for the office of Governor of the State of Illinois. In writing these words I feel particularly touched because, sadly, it is so seldom in the United States that a Polish son becomes involved in politics. But I do not endorse Adam only because of his Polish roots.

I applaud Mr. Andrzejewski’s commendable effort to bring real reform to politics. His insistence on transparency in public life are badly needed not only in the great state of Illinois, but in any democracy. I have heard that Adam’s opponents criticize his lack of political experience. I still remember when some 30 years ago, my opponents were similarly critical of my lack of political background. History has shown, however, that in order to create real change, new factors are sometimes necessary.

Adam Andrzejewski can be that factor for the State of Illinois.

I do hope, that what Adam Andrzejewski can bring change when elected for the office of Governor of the State of Illinois.

Lech Walesa

Former President of the Republic of Poland

My mate was asking me who I liked in the Republican Primary. So I did some research and it looks like Adam is it.

Now do I think he is God's gift. Hell no. But I have grown tired of the current brand of crooks. Time to try a new brand.

The fact that he is supported by the Quincy Tea Party doesn't hurt.

On Friday, January 22, 2010 the Quincy Tea Party packed the house at our Meet and Greet held at the Quincy Holiday Inn featuring a candidate forum that resulted in four candidates signing the Tea Party's Conditional Endorsement.

To view the contents of the QTP Conditional Endorsement click here.

The event featured Adam Andrzejewski candidate for Governor, Don Tracy and Jason Plummer both running for Illinois Lt. Governor, and Kathleen Thomas who is running for United States Senate. These candidates made the commitment to the Quincy Tea Party to support the conservative principles outlined in the groups document.

The QTP also unveiled it's yard sign campaign called the "Tea Party Difference."

I hope Adam lives up to his billing. The Quincy Tea Party site has links to the various candidate www sites. And the sign?

Email Them if you are interested in a sign. Tell them Simon sent you.

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Murder Suicide

The head of the Chicago Board Of Education, Michael Scott, is dead.

Sources told the Chicago Sun-Times that Scott had a gunshot wound to his left temple and police discovered a .380-caliber gun underneath his body, which was found 30 feet from his blue Cadillac.

Terrible. But there are suspicious circumstances.

Scott reportedly disappeared from his Chicago home Sunday.

Emergency responders pulled the body out of the river at 4:30 a.m. local time Monday, after receiving a tip, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Joe Roccasalva told MyFoxChicago.com.

So was it murder or suicide? Or murder followed by suicide. Or suicide followed by murder?

Why was Scott "despondent"?

Scott had been Mayor Daley's go-to guy for a long time. Over the summer he told the Chicago Sun-Times that he had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury investigating how students were selected for the system's elite selective-enrollment high schools, MyFoxChicago.com reported.

Scott said he had done nothing wrong, the Web site reported.

Chicago residents grew angry when Daley appointed Scott to serve a second stint as school board president. Scott had recommended that sports agent Rufus Williams succeed him, but Williams resigned under pressure and Daley re-appointed Scott to head the school board and oversee the city's public schools — a top Daley priority, MyFoxChicago.com reported.

"My wife and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Michael Scott," Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger said in an e-mail statement released Monday.

Chicago is famous for mob bosses sending condolences to the family of some one they have ordered killed. However, one should beware of guilt by association. Just because Mr. Stroger is from Chicago, as is our President, there is no reason for guilt by association with a city known for its gangster past.

As far as I know Mr. Stroger is nothing like Alexi Giannoulias who is running for Obama's old Senate seat if he can win the Democrat nomination.

Before he promised to raise funds for Obama, Giannoulias bankrolled Michael "Jaws" Giorango, a Chicagoan twice convicted of bookmaking and promoting prostitution.

Giannoulias is so tainted by reputed mob links that several top Illinois Dems, including the state's speaker of the House and party chairman, refused to endorse him even after he won the Democratic nomination with Obama's help.

Thank the Maker that an honest politician from Chicago has become President. The country would be in really bad hands if we had gotten the other kind.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Mark Kirk Rumors

Hill Buzz has an interesting rumor about personal information that could be used against Mark Kirk in his run for Obama's old Senate seat.

Since Burris is not seeking election, we hope Republicans win Dr. Utopia’s old seat, because that would sure be a wonderful victory for Michael Steele and the RNC’s Senate team. And it would infuriate the White House. The trouble is, Republicans are running a fatally flawed candidate in Mark Kirk, who will be outed spectacularly by Democrats during the general election — using ammunition Kirk’s estranged wife has been feeding Dem operatives during their messy divorce. It’s deja vu to the Jack Ryan for Senate campaign all over again (remember, that’s how Dr. Utopia won his Senate seat…by releasing the pervy sex details actress Jeri Ryan used against Kirk in their divorce). Kirk does not respond well on his feet: instead, he starts telling military stories from his time in Afghanistan and seems to think you won’t notice that he’s not addressing whatever it is you want to talk about. A lot of politicians do this, but Kirk’s not good at it. Too clumsy and obvious. When he’s outed next year, he will probably do more of this, and fumble and bumble his way to a Jack Ryan-Alan Keyes debacle.

I lived and voted through the Keyes-Ryan-Obama debacle.

Keyes was so bad (he disowned his own daughter when she came out as a lesbian) that I had to vote for the Communist over the Theocon. As did a lot of others who voted in that race. I would hate to see a repeat of that debacle.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

SEIU Factor In Illinois Senat Race

Illinois Republicans are making efforts to connect the Democrats to the SEIU in the race for Obamas old Senate Seat. Roland "I am not a crook" Burris (D - Crook County) is currently keeping the seat warm.

Illinois Republicans are using a union endorsement Democrat Alexi Giannoulias received Thursday to again try to make disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich a central figure in the U.S. Senate race.

The powerful 170,000-member Illinois chapter of the Service Employees International Union endorsed Giannoulias, the state treasurer, in his bid for President Barack Obama's old Senate seat, and Republicans jumped at the chance to point out the union's ties to Blagojevich.

SEIU was one of the largest contributors to Blagojevich's campaigns before lawmakers removed him from office in January after his arrest on federal corruption charges that included accusations he tried to sell or trade Obama's Senate seat to enrich himself.

One of the things Blagojevich wanted, according to a federal indictment, was a high-paying job at a union organization affiliated with SEIU. Tom Balanoff, president of SEIU's Illinois chapter, has said he will make a good witness for the prosecution at Blagojevich's trial.

The GOP suggested the endorsement reflected badly on Giannoulias and pressed him to explain why he would accept it.

As I predicted earlier today the SEIU is the next target in the effort to pull down the ACORN family. What I did not expect was that the shots would come from the GOP. I figured it would be Breitbart or Beck leading the charge.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Roland Burris Is Not A Crook

Roland Burris is not a crook and in so far as we know neither is Mr. Obama. Let me revise that remark. It looks like Burris may be a crook from Crook County. That would be Chicago for you folks not from the area.

CHICAGO – Sen. Roland Burris promised to "personally do something" for Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund while pressing for the then-Illinois governor to appoint him to President Barack Obama's former Senate seat, according to a wiretap transcript released Tuesday.

"Tell Rod to keep me in mind for that seat, would ya?" Burris tells Robert Blagojevich, who headed his brother's campaign fund, in a Nov. 13 phone conversation secretly taped by the FBI.

The remark came after Robert Blagojevich urged Burris to "keep me in mind and you know if you guys can just write checks that'd be fine, if we can't find a way for you to tie in."

"Okay, okay, well we, we, I, I will personally do something, okay," Burris says.

Earlier in the conversation, Burris and Robert Blagojevich explored the possibility that Burris might raise campaign money on a larger scale.

"I know I could give him a check," Burris said. "Myself."

I wonder if he had to pay the new guy? Governor What's His Name who probably is as pure as any Chicago politician ever gets. How pure is that? Well far be it for me to cast unwarranted aspersions on Chicago politicians. And especially not our esteemed President.

I can tell you what my mom says about politicians in general though. "They are all crooks." She learned that from her father, who of course was my grandfather.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Harry Reid Puts In A Bid

If Harry Reid had a voice in picking Illinois' next junior Senator it would not have been Roland Burris.

Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn't want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones.

Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Sources say the Senate majority leader pushed against Jackson and Davis -- both Democratic congressmen from Illinois -- and against Jones -- the Illinois Senate president who is the political godfather of President-elect Barack Obama -- because he did not believe the three men were electable. He feared losing the seat to a Republican in a future election.


Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero confirmed that Reid (D-Nev.) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) -- the new chief of the Senate Democratic political operation -- each called Blagojevich's campaign office separately Dec. 3. Sources believe that at least portions of the phone conversations are on tape.

Ah. The tale of the tape. We will have so much to look forward to in the coming year. It should keep Obama and the Democrats busy with distractions for quite a while.

John Kass of the Chicago Tribune has a really funny column up. He starts a little slow with this opening but it gets much better as it goes on.

Roland "Tombstone" Burris goes to Washington this week as part of the Illinois political freak show, and many of us back home will watch it and feel like cringing, at least at the beginning.

Who among us could not wince at the prospect of Tombstone standing before news cameras, his head bobbing, smiling amiably, chattering nonsensically as is his way, insisting he feels no shame. All he wants is to become a United States senator, and he kissed a tainted hand to get there.

His fellow Democrats may be ready to bar his entrance to the Senate chambers, and politicians will be ready, even eager, to play the race card again. If this happens, the man who sent Tombstone to Washington, Gov. Rod Blagojevich will glory in his opportunity to speak directly to his future jury pool.

So why is Kass calling Burris "Tombstone"? Glad you asked.

Tombstone wants to carve "U.S. Senator" into the side of his granite mausoleum, where he's carved his other accomplishments and minor offices so that his fame will endure forever and ever, the decorated crypt providing a worrisome glimpse into the man who would make federal law.

Well there is way more and the comments are most excellent. Especially from the ones who believe that the Smartest President Elect Ever™ never was involved in any of the shady dealings in Chicago.

Let me say that there only three kinds of politicians in Chicago:

1. Those who have not been caught
2. Those doing time
3. Ex-cons

So far the Smartest President Elect Ever™ falls in the first category. For how long no one knows.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Bent Burris For The Illinois Senate

Bent Rod Blagojevich plans to name Roland Burris to the US Senate seat vacated by Mr. Obama who plans to carry on as the Most Corrupt President Elect Ever™ although I might hasten to add that there is no proof, so far, that Mr. Obama who came up through Chicago politics and who was heavily involved with convicted Chicago fixer Tony Rezko has done anything for which he can be indicted. There are hints though. Like the deal Mr. Rezko was involved with for the purchase of Mr. Obama's house. And a very nice house it is.

Ignoring threats from the U.S. Senate Democratic leadership to block his pick, Gov. Blagojevich this afternoon said he's appointing Roland Burris to President-elect Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.

"The people of Illinois are entitled to have two U.S. Senators," said Blagojevich, whose arrest on corruption charges earlier this month places Burris' appointment under a cloud. "If I don't make this appointment then the people of Illinois will be deprived."

He is quite right about the people of Illinois being deprived. Deprived of the chance to vote for the crook of their choice. A shame really.

During a downtown news conference, Blagojevich called Burris, 71, an individual with "unquestioned integrity" and a "senior statesman of Illinois."

That is Chicago speak for "more corrupt than most and possibly soon to be indicted".

"I have faith in the record I have accomplished in the past four decades," Burris said. "I am humbled to have this opportunity. I will uphold the integrity of this office."

Which is Chicago speak for "With Blago tainted by the scandal I had an opportunity to get the Senate Seat at a discount, which is an offer I just couldn't pass up."

Burris and his lobbying/consulting firm have donated about $15,000 to the governor's campaign fund. His firm has done work for the Illinois Department of Transportation under Blagojevich, and a law-firm to which he is "of counsel" has been a recipient of state bond business.

Burris, however, ridiculed reporters who asked questions about whether his relationship with the Blagojevich administration might have played a role in the governor appointing him. Burris said the two talked about the appointment Sunday night.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) made a surprise appearance at the press conference to give Burris a vote of confidence and urge the U.S. Senate not to stand in Burris' way.

It is imperative the Senate have an African-American replace Obama, Rush said.

Bobby is an ex-Black Panther who has gone far in Illinois politics. Interesting that Mr. Obama's seat is now considered a wholly owned subsidiary of the Black folks from Chicago. Don't you think that a racial spoils system is a tad unseemly Mr. Rush?

And note the rather small campaign donation Mr. Burris gave Blago in the past. I told you he was getting the seat at a discount.

Well the Democrats in the US Senate are not happy. If Burris takes his seat it makes them look more corrupt than usual. And you know, that would not be good for their chances to hold on to power and pass out the goodies to their favored friends for more than the next two years.

Before the Blagojevich and Burris news conference, which was aired live on multiple national news channels, Democratic leaders in the Senate issued a statement saying any Blagojevich appointee would not be seated. And the leaders urged Blagojevich to resign.

"It is truly regrettable that despite warning from all 50 Democratic senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety," the statement read.

"We say this without prejudice toward Roland Burris's ability, and we respect his years of public service. But this is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat. Under these circumstances, anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus."

The statement said the Senate is preparing to embark on "one of the most important debates of the year outlining an economic recovery plan to create jobs and invest in America" and Illinois needs two sitting senators "without delay."

Why yes. The Democrats are working on a Christmas Tree of a bill and it would taint the procedure of ratifying the thievery to have a man appointed by some one even Democrats consider an inept crook voting in favor of the theft.

Well the deal is the Democrats just want all this to go away. You know in the words of our Most Corrupt President Elect Ever™ "it is a distraction". So what is their proposed solution? Rather simple really. Some other Democrat needs to appoint the crook who will replace Mr. Obama. No reason Blago deserves any of the swag after all the embarrassment he has caused.

"We again urge Gov. Blagojevich to not make this appointment," the Democratic leadership said. "It is unfair to Mr. Burris, it is unfair to the people of Illinois and it will ultimately not stand. The governor must put the interests of the people of Illinois and all Americans first by stepping aside now and letting his successor appoint someone who we will seat.

And of course no election for the people of Illinois. They might do the unthinkable and elect a Republican crook. It has happened before.

So why would Blago want Burris? Maybe Burris owes him a few favors.

In 2002, Burris became a lobbyist and has had a portfolio that has included Commonwealth Edison, Comcast and the state's funeral home industry. His lobbying firm, Burris & Lebed Consulting, of Chicago, also has snared $294,545 in state contracts under Blagojevich since 2004, state records show.

He, his lobbying firm and his law firm, Burris Wright Slaughter & Tom, have contributed $20,296 in cash and services to Blagojevich's campaign fund since 2002. The most-recent contribution, $1,000, came last June. It was already widely known at the time that Blagojevich was a target of federal investigators.

It never hurts to have a Senator you can count on.

So what do the Illinois Republicans think about all the goings on?

Statement from Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna on Roland Burris Senate Appointment:

“Illinois Republicans were the first to demand Rod Blagojevich have nothing to do with appointing our next United States Senator.

“Because they went back on their word and refused to strip Blagojevich of his appointment power and pass a special election, Illinois Democrats have created yet another constitutional crisis for Illinois.

“Blagojevich Democrat Roland Burris is emblematic of the old-school, pay-to-play culture that has plagued Illinois for generations and this appointment is another embarrassment for the people of Illinois.

“Once again, Blagojevich Democrats have failed the people of Illinois by refusing to strip Rod Blagojevich of his senate appointment power and blocking a vote of the people.”

In Illinois speak "The Democrats are blocking the Republican's chance to capture the seat two years early. And besides it would make one more Republican the Democrats would have to buy to get legislation passed in the US Senate. Which of course proves the whole undemocratic nature of the Democrat's move."

My hope is that they keep this whole farce going for at least two years and the legislature in Washington is forced to do nothing. Maybe the thievery can be slowed some, for a while. It couldn't hurt.

H/T Backyard Conservative who has even more dirt on Burris.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Friends Of Saudi Arabia

It looks like ole Billy Boy Clinton is doing real well for himself.

Now that Bill Clinton has released the list of his 205,000 donors who have given close to $500 million to his library and foundation, it is clear why he resisted releasing the list while his wife was running for president.

Compelled by the Obama transition team to make it public as a condition of his wife's appointment as secretary of state, it becomes clear that the list is a virtual encyclopedia of conflicts of interest for the husband of a senator, to say nothing of the husband of an incoming secretary of state.

Every one knows money doesn't buy influence in Washington. That kind of stuff only works in Illinois.

Specifically, Clinton got:

Between $10 million and $25 million from:

-- The government of Saudi Arabia

Between $1 million and $5 million from:

-- Friends of Saudi Arabia

-- The Dubai Foundation

-- Saudi businessman Nasser Al-Rashid

-- Saudi tycoon Sheikh Mohammed H. Al-Amoudi

-- Former Lebanon Deputy Prime Minister Issam Fares

-- The government of Kuwait

-- The government of Qatar

-- The government of Oman

-- The government of Brunei

-- The Zayed Family, rulers of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates

He also received between $500,000 and $1 million from Saudi businessman Walid Juffali.

That kind of money can buy an awful lot of books. I wonder what Bill will be reading? Maybe he is studying to become a mining engineer.

The list reveals another key center of conflicts of interest in Kazakhstan, the former Soviet Republic, now home to some of the world's greatest mineral deposits and ruled by a corrupt dictator, Nursultan A. Nazarbayev, who according to The New York Times has all but quashed political dissent."

Clinton visited Kazakhstan and met with its president on Sept. 6, 2005, accompanied by Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra. Soon after, Giustra was awarded a highly lucrative contract to mine uranium there. Now, lo and behold, Giustra turns up having given the library and foundation $10 million to $25 million and the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative-Canada gave $1 million to $5 million more. And Clinton got $1 million to $5 million from Laksmi Mittal, the fourth wealthiest person on the Forbes billionaire list and a member of the Foreign Investment Council in Kazakhstan.

In addition, Clinton further fished in troubled waters by taking $1 million to $5 million from Victor Pinchuk, the son-in-law of the controversial former president of Ukraine.

You know. I'm beginning to think Obama doesn't care a bit about being President. All he has to do is stick out the job for four or eight years without creating too much havoc. The real money is in being an ex-President. Especially if you can get your wife elected Senator. Dick Durbin can probably be induced to resign in 2014 if Obama loses in 2012. I wonder how much the seat will be worth then? And if Obama lasts until 2016 his old seat will be available. How fitting. Carol Mosely Braun II. Or III depending on who gets the seat next. Is Valerie Jarrett still in the running?

A Voter's Guide To Illinois Politics

There are two kinds of politicians in Illinois. Crooks and those who haven't been caught.

When voting in Illinois how do you know which candidate is the most honest? The most honest candidate is not on the ballot.

How can you tell which is the crookedest candidate? Easy: the crookedest candidate is the reform candidate.

Cross Posted at Classical Values