Central Illinois Votes 2004

Peoria County State's Attorney

2004-10-18T01:59:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

The county's top prosecutor, seeking a fifth term in office, faces a challenge Nov. 2 from a Mossville lawyer who says he'd file more charges and work closer with area police if elected state's attorney.....

......"Our police officers have not been given serious consideration and allowed to make recommendations in deciding who to charge," he said. "The efforts of the police and taxpayers' money that is spent on investigations is often tossed aside because charges are not filed by the office of the state's attorney."

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Lyons, 48, has been the state's attorney for nearly 16 years and formerly served on the Farmington School District 265 School Board for a decade.

He counts his achievements as state's attorney as including the "careful and successful hiring of commendable" prosecutors from a shrinking pool of interested law school applicants and creating specialized units for domestic violence, drug court, investigations and drug money forfeiture......

....."I describe the state's attorney's office as a 'legal emergency room' because good plans can easily be sidelined by a startling homicide, a City Hall scandal, political changes, a criminal escape and so on," he said.

Why would I, a Republican, vote for Kevin Lyons in this race? Quotes just like the last one. I now, I know. It's totally the wrong reason, but that guy really is Mr. Soundbite. I remember watching on TV some of the things he came out with at the Jarvis Neely trial last summer and it was brutally honest. I don't really think Lyons is doing a bad job....of course, I don't know of 98% of the cases the State's Attorney's office tries. Like I've said before, I don't know how to vote for a State's Attorney. Most people that vote against an incumbent have been prosecuted against. I would say most people just vote for the incumbent just becasue.....why fix it if it ain't broken?

Fieldcrest School District 6 Referendum

2004-10-18T01:55:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

Fieldcrest School District 6 residents will get a second shot Nov. 2 at approving a tax increase to raise more money for their children's education.

District officials say voters must approve the 55-cent referendum to help keep the district financially afloat until 2008 and bring in an estimated $531,000. The maximum tax rate in the education fund would increase to $3.52 from the current rate of $2.97.

"If land values start to increase and we still hold expenses down, then the district can be in the black for a longer period of time," Superintendent Michael Stagliano said........

......"The board has demonstrated to the voters that they have made the tough calls in cuts by cutting $1,177,000 in the past two years," Stagliano said. "The 55-cent increase is more palatable and affordable than 90 cents."

Yeah, I don't know. Most people are ANGRY right now about school funding. I don't think schools should be asking tax payers for more, but Fieldcrest HAS made cuts and they're getting by this year. I always wonder what will happen if voters keep rejecting referendums....will schools just close? Then what? parents are going to be even angrier......

If the referendum fails, Stagliano said fees for extracurricular activities will continue, elementary class sizes could increase, elementary art and physical education classes would not be reinstated and the district likely would have to borrow more money.

Oh well. As long as the kid can read, write and do a little math...they'll make it...they might be fat, but is it our schools responsibility to keep kids then?

Putnam County State's Attorney

2004-10-18T01:30:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

(Norman) Raffety, who had been elected to five consecutive terms beginning in 1980, was edged out in the 2000 Democratic primary by Mindy Sammons. She later was defeated by (James) Mack, a Peru native who had been practicing privately and serving as an assistant public defender in Putnam County for the previous five years.

Mack says he's proven himself to be an effective and more aggressive prosecutor than his predecessor as reflected in both the number of felony cases prosecuted and the convictions in comparable 42-month periods of their respective terms.

"Through the hard work of law enforcement and the assistance of the community, I have raised the felony conviction rate 31 percent, while prosecuting 64 percent more cases as compared to the prior office holder," Mack said. "I feel like I'm a tough-on-crime prosecutor, no matter what your name or background is."

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Raffety disputes his opponent's claims of being a more aggressive prosecutor. If there have been more felony cases, that's simply an indication the crime rate has been increasing in recent years, he said.

"That means there's even more of a need for real experience in a prosecutor," Raffety said.

"I think Mr. Mack is still in the early stages of his learning curve."
Raffety added he has gotten some additional and extremely valuable experience in that regard in his role as an assistant state's attorney in Lee County. He said the volume and diversity of cases he's handled will make him an even better prosecutor in his home county.

Yeah, I was kinda leaning with Raffety on that......more crime equals more convictions. Guess you'd have to pull the police records from the county to see who's the better prosecuter

Peoria County Board District 10

2004-10-18T01:22:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

"I want the people in District 10 to be more informed of what's going on in the County Board," said (John "Corky") Birdoes, 50, of 5113 N. Martha St. "Being a taxpayer and seeing it in the newspaper, it's too late."

If elected, he would knock on doors and talk to more constituents, informing them of issues the County Board will be voting on and asking what they care about.

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It's not that simple, said (Jeffery) Riggenbach, 45, of 521 W. Stonegate Road. The Peoria County Board has always been a relatively low-profile elected office. He talks to community groups anytime he is offered the chance. But sending out routine mailings to every resident in the area is something he can't afford.

And furthermore, Riggenbach said, it's unfortunate, but most people don't know who their elected officials are, from Peoria City Council members to state and federal representatives.
But he wants the people of District 10 to know he's fighting for their interests and will continue if elected to a second term.

That's it? Your running on that? Your right, I don't know who my board member is. In fact, I just had to go find my voter registration card to see if this was my district.....I don't really care. The county board doesn't effect the people of Peoria as much as the City Council does.

Both he and Birdoes support ongoing consolidation efforts between the city and county and a regional economic plan. They both support the county-run Bel-Wood Nursing Home and want to see it continue to improve its patient care and budget bottom line.

So, it's a push

Peoria County Board District 16

2004-10-18T01:17:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

(Eldon) Polhemus, 69, of 4516 Hanna City/Glasford Road, Hanna City, has been on the board for 16 years and wants to keep doing what he's doing.

"I just think experience counts," he said. "I've got experience on the board, and I know the county very well."

He wants the chance to finish the work he's started as chairman of the County Board's facilities committee in setting a 10-year capital improvement plan.
Among his other works, he said he played a significant part in putting plans into motion for the sheriff's department to use the county landfill site for ATV training. Polhemus also wants to establish a firing range there for the deputies.

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Forrest's goals are more broad. He wants to see the County Board get more involved in regional economic plans, such as the Port Authority and the MedTech District.
And though his district is rural, Forrest, of 209 N. Daniels St., Elmwood, doesn't think that takes anything away from its right to have a voice in area matters.

"It doesn't cost the taxpayers a dime for my big mouth to be there, advocating for the rurals," he said.

If elected, the first thing he would do is organize a Peoria County Rural Prosperity Forum and invite local civic leaders, elected officials, school, church and business leaders, parents, volunteers and anyone else interested in getting together for an all-day brainstorming session.

I'm pretty sure Polhemus just secured his reelection by getting the Zoning Commission to deny recommendation for I-74 Raceway Park. As much as I'm against the denial, I think he made the right political move. Especially when his opponent is talking about getting involved in the Port Authority and Med-Tech District. Explain to me exactly how the peopl of Brimfield, Elmwood, etc will be effected by the Med-Tech District in Downtown Peoria? Not a good way to run for office.

Peoria County Board District 6

2004-10-18T01:12:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

Both candidates for Peoria County Board District 6 on Nov. 2 are in favor of consolidating government services, support the county-run nursing home and want to see economic development grow.

What they disagree on, however, is the style a politician should take to get it done.
Democrat G. Allen Mayer, 1111 W. Ridge Road, will again challenge incumbent Jeff Lickiss, 907 Stratford Drive, to represent a district roughly bordered by Lake Street on the north, North Street on the east and Interstate 74 on the south and west. In 2002, he lost to Lickiss by 52 votes.

As a board member, Lickiss cites his commitments as: opposing property tax increases, exposing and eliminating wasteful spending, supporting community growth and economic development, improving the living and financial conditions of Bel-Wood Nursing Home, listening to taxpayers' concerns and "doing what is right even if it is unpopular with powerful politicians."

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Mayer feels he has the expertise with government to be on the County Board. What sets him apart, he thinks, is his willingness to listen to all the residents in his district.

"I think that for a challenger, I obviously have an awful lot of experience in government and public policy," he said. "I am not a bomb thrower. I'm someone who works to build coalitions, to listen. That's a much more effective way to lead."

The obvious difference between these two are people skills. Lickiss is not always the easiest guy to get a hold of or talk to, but actions should always speak louder than words and Lickiss does have a pretty good record on the board. What the board accomplished with Bel-Wood last year was quite impressive and Lickiss was a major part of that.

Mayer really has no track record with the public. He works in Dan Hynes office right now, but that's really not qualifications enough to lead the district. His people first approach is a good idea, but not something I think is 100% necessary to be a public leader.

Peoria County Circuit Clerk

2004-10-18T01:10:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

Just as she did two years ago, Mischele Arbogast believes her 20 years of professional office experience and 25 years of customer service skills make her the best qualified candidate for Peoria County circuit clerk.......

........In the time since, Spears, 46, counts among his achievements improving the cost effectiveness of his staff, establishing an Internet payment option and introducing a traffic amnesty program that officials estimate should bring in about $800,000 in back traffic and court fines by years' end.

His goals for next term include improving staff training, enhancing the computer system and instituting telephone payment for fines, fees and costs.

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Arbogast, 45, an administrative assistant in the county zoning office, plans to increase training and put in new computers and software and also put out customer service comment cards and invite the public to suggest changes for easier access to the circuit clerk's office.

They both sound like they have the same goals to me. Not sure how to vote in this one. Have I mentioned I hate county these partisan county elections. What freakin difference does it make to me if there's a Republican or Democrat in office? They're not policy makers.

Peoria County Coroner

2004-10-18T01:05:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

Both candidates for Peoria County coroner on Nov. 2 feel their education and experience gives them the edge over their opponent.

Republican Johnna Ingersoll has been a deputy coroner for the past 15 years, the last seven as chief deputy coroner. Beyond that, she's supplemented her high school education with scores of death investigation courses. She's one of only six people in the state - and fewer than 100 nationwide - recognized as a board-certified Medicolegal death investigator.

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Democrat Steve Schmidt has worked for the Peoria County Sheriff's Department for more than 26 years, the last 20 as an accident investigator. He has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville and has completed 15 hours of graduate work.

Don't you think Johnna's experience and education is enough to elect her? She's kinda been screwed over for the last year with Dan Heinz pending retirement. The Peoria County Board wouldn't let him retire because the Dems on the board were worried about Johnna running as an "incumbent" and it'd give their candidate a disadvantage. The only disadvantage the Dems have is Johnna has the freakin credentials to be a coroner. Mr. Scmidt may be working on it, but right now, Johnna's more qualified and this is one of the races where the more qualified candidated NEEDS to win.

Among the poor decisions, he (Schmidt) said, was Heinz's decision in the face of budget cuts to discontinue use of a private service to remove bodies from crime scenes. Schmidt believes having coroner's office staff members perform that task ties up time they could be using to investigate cases.

The coroner could, and should, do a better job of ensuring there is enough money in his budget to provide the highest level of services. Schmidt believes he can do this, and without a tax increase.

Guess that's why I'm not a CSI. I would think you'd want the coroner to remove the body so they can control how it is handled so it doesn't hamper an investigation.....but, then again, I'm not an officer, coroner or investigator, so I really don't know anything about this.

Marshall County State's Attorney

2004-10-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

via Peoria Journal-Star

The race for Marshall County state's attorney has heated up a bit in the wake of appointed office-holder Paul Bauer's refusal to meet challenger Matt Kidder in an open debate.

"I'm amazed that somebody running for office is not willing to go in front of the voters and say, 'This is why you should vote for me,' " Democrat Kidder, 30, said Friday.

"I don't think (a debate) would be beneficial," said Republican Bauer, 40.

HA HA HA HA. I'm sure Bauer isn't much of a politician so the only person it would be beneficial to is himself, buty you would think lawyer's would be great debaters.

Bauer, who was appointed to the job last year to replace the retiring Donald Knuckey, said in an interview that, "The citizens of Marshall County already know the issues." And there's no reason for the candidates to debate, he maintained, because "state's attorneys are not policy-makers."
"My opinion on an issue really doesn't have any impact," Bauer said.
Kidder called that statement "absolute nonsense," pointing out that state's attorneys make such crucial decisions as whom to charge, what crimes to charge them with, what plea bargains to accept and what cases to take to trial.

Good points from both sides. State's Attorney's are always hard races for me to decide. Exactly how do you vote for a State's Attorney...I guess I usually just vote down party lines which is NOT the correct way to do it.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-10-16T21:15:00.000-05:00

Via HOI

U.S. Senate Candidate Barack Obama was in the Twin Cities on Thursday to show his support for congressional candidate Tari Renner.

Well, why not? Obama doesn't have to run his own race anymore.

Both Obama and Renner say they want voters to know they plan to stay united not only through this race, but also through their terms in office if elected.

“Politics is not an individual sport, politics is a team sport. And if I’m going to be successful in Washington, then I’ve got to have a team of democrats going with me to Washington that can help me carry that progressive banner,” says Barack Obama, U.S. Senate Candidate.

“I support Barack Obama's smart corporations plan, I’ve offered to introduce the house version of that, which says we do not have to give corporate incentives for sending jobs abroad, but to create jobs in America,” says Tari Renner, Democratic Congressional Candidate.

Working together is nice.....I guess....and I do like Obama's smart corporations plan....I guess

Renner is running against current 11th District Congressman Jerry Weller.

His campaign tells Hoi-19 News Renner is trying to distract voters from the issues by constantly attacking him.

This tag sums up the race as I know it. So now I know two things abour Renner. He likes Barack Obama and doesn't like Jerry Weller.

Illinois Senate District 47

2004-10-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

Via KHQA

The fight for the Senate seat in the 47th district is getting fiercer by the day, and looks to continue on that track.You could say State Senator John Sullivan and his opponent Tom Ernst don’t agree on many issues.......

..... “As an independent voice, he has not stood up for Western Illinois values. He’s never stood up and said no to the governor’s issues when he’s disagreed with them,” said Ernst.

WHY! HOW HAS HE NOT STOOD UP FOR WESTERN ILLINOIS? WHY CAN'T KHQA ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?

I know this whole story is about mudslinging, but hell, prove it!

2004-10-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

Via KHQA

Andrea Zinga’s campaign for Congress brought her to Macomb Wednesday.Zinga unveiled her 10-point plan for education in the 17th district.One issue that she addressed is the No Child Left Behind Act.She says that some changes need to be made in the program, especially concerning the district’s diverse non-English speaking populationZinga would also like to work with legislators to ensure that colleges keep getting the federal dollars they need.

We all know No Child Left Behind is flawed and needs work. Typical TV story...says nothing important. The obvious was stated and I have several questions...like, what IS this 10 point plan?

US Senate

2004-10-16T21:04:00.000-05:00

Via WEEK

Michelle Obama says without money Illinois students cannot do well in the classroom.''We can talk about moral aspects of education and the need for communities to embrace young people but the reality is it takes resources to educate kids and we need to change our priorities,'' says Michelle Obama.Obama says one way to change the education system is to get more advocates at the senate level.

Wow, this is an outstanding idea! You don't think every Senator WON'T tell you that education is important? Alright, everyone who has an idea on how to get money to schools please stand up. Thank you

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-10-16T20:59:00.000-05:00

Via WEEK

The race for the 92nd house seat in Illinois has taken a turn. Both candidates are now accusing the other of going negative.Democratic incumbent Ricca Slone ended a political forum Thursday night almost apologizing for the direct mail ads her campaign is sending out this week. It's a flyer with a distorted picture of Aaron Schock's face on both sides, suggesting he has a shocking agenda.''I feel bad about it. Wish we didn't have to do it. But they've been beatin' on me for three weeks. So its got to be done.... I think a lot of what's been said is not accurate. It is either distorted or just false,'' said Slone.Schock said, ''Her latest radio ad suggests I have secrets of some kind. Personal secrets, and leaves it open ended. I don't know where she's headed there. But again, it doesn't talk about the issues. And ultimately when Election Day comes, and its over, that is what is going to matter, is where people stand on the issues.''

Come on kids, GROW UP! This has gotten real childish with multiple TV and Radio ads slamming each other. Does anyone actually know what either candidate stands for or do we just know why we shouldn't elect one of them?

US Senate

2004-10-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

Via WICS

Illinois Senate Candidate Alan Keyes' 2000 presidential cmapaign has been fined for campaign finance violations.The campaign admitted accepting contributions around 170-thousand dollars more than the individual donation limit.The campaign also acknowledged taking at least 15-hundred dollars in anonymous contributions.And in a separate development, an ethics group filed a complaint alleging misconduct by his current campaign.

Well, more good news coming out about our fine Republican Candidate for US Senate. This has nothing to do with his 2004 campaign.......yet

Illinois House of Representatives District 88

2004-10-16T20:51:00.000-05:00

Via WJBC

The Republican candidate and a Green Party candidate for a state representative seat debated issues last night at Illinois Wesleyan University. State Representative Dan Brady says there's a problem with seniors affording health-care in Illinois. Green-party candidate Phil Huckelberry is running against Brady for the 88th District seat. Huckleberry says health-care is not a free-market...instead it's run by corporations who aren't providing enough coverage for patients.Huckelberry says the corporate take-over has created a closed market and the government should get involved to fix the problem if necessary. The two are expected to square off at least one more time before the end of the month.

Well, I will side with Huckelberry on this one if what he says is true....BUT the government should NOT take over a health care system. I think we're just going to have to face it, healthcare is getting more expensive....why MEDICAL MALPRACTICE! Maybe we start there and then work back and maybe, maybe things will work out.....but if Mr. Huckelberry is right, maybe the government should impose "sanctions" on these companies.

I should try and get to the next debate between these two to see more on what they have to say....again, I'm not in the district and I know Dan Brady pretty well, so I'd vote for him anyway there are some things Huckelberry is hitting on that sound good.

US Senate

2004-10-16T20:48:00.000-05:00

Via WMBD Radio

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Alan Keyes staked out sharply different positions on the Iraq War and health care Tuesday in their first face-to-face debate. Keyes praised U. S. policy in Iraq and said America must feel free to use military force against other countries even if it's not certain they pose dangers to America. The former ambassador also suggested his opponent lacks the experience to understand how to respond to international terrorism. But both men generally stayed away from direct attacks on the other. Obama said the Bush administration bungled the war in Iraq. The state senator from Chicago also called for expanding existing government health insurance programs to help more people obtain health care.

I know, I know, I'm way behind on this. I've been busy and well, this debate really bored the hell out of me. They talked about the war way too much instead of talking about domestic issues. I was pretty annoyed with the moderator who kept cutting Keyes off. I may not like the man, but let him speak, damnit. Nothing we haven't heard on the stump for the last few months.

President of the United State

2004-10-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Via WMBD Radio

The Fox television affiliate in central Illinois will show a controversial documentary later this month that focuses on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's opposition to the Vietnam war. Sinclair Broadcast Group has asked its 62 television stations across the country to air the film before the November Second election. Democratic Party officials and some U-S senators object to the move. They call it an illegal in-kind contribution to President Bush's campaign. The show, "Stolen Honor - Wounds That Never Heal," will be on Fox 43 a week from Friday at 7:00 p.m.

OK, so I had to weigh in on this. This is just the GOP's answer to Michael Moore's "Farenheight 911. The difference. Sinclair is calling this news while Moore called it a Documentery. Both are 100% wrong. They're political propaganda. Moore lied throughout his "documentery" and I'm sure Sinclair will as well. Just don't watch it. That's the best thing you could do to Sinclair. Protesting will only draw more attention to it. I know a group is planning on protesting outside WYZZ?WMBD's studio on University on Friday.....I also happen to know the other two stations, two radio stations, and two papers are planning on covering.....exactly what Sinclair wants.

US House of Representatives 15th District

2004-10-16T20:27:00.000-05:00

Via Decatur Herald & Review

U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Champaign, and his Democratic challenger, Dr. David Gill of Clinton, largely agree on the issues facing Congress and voters this fall.

Um....that ain't really good, is it?

That is where their agreement ends as they diverge on solutions to problems facing the nation and the residents of the 15th Congressional District they seek to represent for the next two years.

Well, at least they can see the problems...

Johnson sees the issues as bolstering national security and the nation's ability to maintain freedom from terrorism at home and abroad, creating jobs and improving the economy and dealing with rising health care costs.

Gill, an emergency room physician at Dr. John Warner Hospital, Clinton, is making affordable health care the core of his campaign. He also sees job creation and retention as key needs, as is heightened security in the face of increasing terrorism worldwide.

ok. Well, I'm definately for Johnson so far.......

Health care is an issue that does not lend itself to an easy solution, Johnson said.

Use of health savings accounts and the advantages of those to individual citizens should be expanded, Johnson said. Important legislation passed the U.S. House to create an association health care program under which 20 or 30 small businesses could pool together across state lines to take advantage of economies of scale to buy health insurance, he said.

A Congressional Budget Office report stated that plan would provide coverage to only about 600,000 additional workers and would cause premium increases for many small businesses, which would force some workers to drop coverage they now have.

and the other side

Gill advocates the program proposed by Physicians for a National Health Plan, which he said the CBO twice has given favorable reviews. He said the plan would save between $130 billion and $180 billion annually in health care costs and would be funded by a 2 percent income tax and a 7 percent payroll tax on businesses.

I'm still NOT in favor of any national health care plan no matter what they say about it

On the Iraq war....

The United States should give the Iraqi people their resources, primarily oil, and see what they can work out with United Nations help, Gill said.

SCREW THE UN!!! If they didn't want to get involved a year ago, they shouldn't get involved now. Hell, the UN is just another extension of the US anyway....but with more people to screw things up. The Iraqi people should get their oil and see what they can do with it....but WITHOUT the help of the UN.

The United States must withdraw from NAFTA or renegotiate its position within that agreement, Gill said. It must enforce fair trade with the nations with which it deals, only doing business with countries that have policies against slave and child labor, he said.

Yeah, this is probably one issue I'll take the Democratic side on.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-10-16T20:19:00.000-05:00

Via Decatur Herald & Review

"He (Lane Evans)has a progressive, degenerative disease that is impairing his effectiveness," Zinga said. "He is not a leader. He is a follower. He is not proactive, but reactive."While the disease has slowed him over the past eight years, it has not stopped him from performing his duties, Evans said. If Democrats win control of the U.S. House, he will become chairman of the veterans affairs committee, where he is the ranking minority member, he said.

I thought we were done talking about his Parkinson's, Andrea?

The key issue in this district this cycle is jobs," Zinga said. "I haven't seen any sort of a strategic vision or long-range plan from the congressman on this. There has to be a sense of being ahead of the curve instead of behind it."

Evans stood in front of the closed International Harvester plant in Rock Island during his first congressional campaign and said he would bring jobs back to the facility, Zinga said. The still-empty plant was torn down this year, she said.

How can you argue with that? It's kinda like "No new taxes!"

Evans said the adoption of free trade agreements is hurting America."

We need common-sense legislation to change the free trade agreements," Evans said. "We need to back off the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Let the international community help pay for these mutual agreements."Evans said he will work to strengthen trade unions as a means of helping American workers.

We do need a common sense approach, but that doesn't bring jobs. How exactly will he work to strengthen trade unions and how will that increase jobs? The 17th District (which includes Galesburg that has lost 2 major manufactures) has a whole lot of empty manufacturing facilities. Not being from that district, I can think of Case, International Harvestor in both Rock Island and Canton (which was finally torn down and the city is trying to redevelop on it's own), Maytag, and pretty soon Butler.

Both candidates support improvements to locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, though those projects have recently been called unnecessary by a government review panel.

Evans said the work is vitally important to improve the area's infrastructure and create badly needed construction jobs.

Zinga said the river projects would provide an estimated 48 million man hours of construction work. She said one of her goals when she gets to the U.S. House is to be named to the transportation committee, not only because of the lock and dam projects, but also because of a need for more four-lane highways in the area.

I'm all for jobs, but let's not build just to build. Yes, your creating jobs and paying wages to those people, but at the same time, your wasting tax dollars which they are paying.

US House of Representatives 19th District

2004-10-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

via Decatur Herald & Review

Democrat Tim Bagwell of Olney is fighting an uphill battle in his campaign against U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, for the 19th Congressional District seat in the Nov. 2 general election.....

..."Medical liability is by far the biggest crisis facing the 19th District and the state of Illinois," Shimkus said. "If we lose one more OB/GYN physician, we're hurting. In the Metro East area of St. Louis, 160 physicians have left in the last several years. There is no neurosurgeon south of Springfield."

Better start looking at malpractice insurance and caps then.....

Bagwell does not view dealing with malpractice caps as a leading issue. He said he does not favor caps on pain and suffering awards but rather would like to see administrative procedures put in place to curtail filing of frivolous lawsuits and penalties for lawyers who do so.

No, we need caps. When people realize they can only get $10 instead of $100, they won't be pushing to sue unless they 100% sure they physician screwed up in a way that could have been prevented. There will always be lawyers who will find ways around wording in the "penalties" Bagwell speaks of.

Improving the economy and creating jobs are at the top of Bagwell's priority list.Bagwell proposes creating jobs by obtaining more federal funding for highway construction on projects such as widening U.S. 50 to four lanes from Lebanon to Lawrenceville and U.S. 51 from Pana south to connect with Interstate 64.

Money from where? Will adding another Interstate really bring in more jobs over the long haul? Yeah, it will bring in jobs for the construction of this infrastructure, but the roads have to lead to a business eventually.

Shimkus said the national economy is improving, but the Midwest lags behind, and Illinois has its own problems with lack of industrial growth.

"Our worker compensation laws are not comparable to surrounding states with higher premiums," Shimkus said. "Illinois also is a litigious state. There also is uncertainty for businesses on fees and regulations. I hope as the national economy improves, it drags us in a positive direction."

If we can improve the state of business, maybe then we can go after worker comp laws and
such, but first, we have to make sure we're not putting business out of business. I've been injured on the job before...it sucks! I got probably half of what I would have earned and medical expenses. I was forced to use vacation and sick days just to get paid for most of it, but I also know the company I was working for at the time was struggling. It's no excuse, but a lawsuit probably would have put 100+ people out of work and the company. I sucked it up, got better, went back to work for a while and then found something better.

Bagwell said a consensus must be developed on dealing with health care, then a decision can be reached on how to fund the program."Every advanced industrial country has universal health care except the United States," Bagwell said. "We might have an economic boom in health care. Those jobs don't go overseas."

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Do you really want politicians deciding on your healthcare instead of physicians or experts in the field? Do you really want your health care decided in a back room somewhere in Washington where a decision will be made down party lines? HELL NO!

US Senate

2004-10-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

Via Champaign News-Gazette

"You can lie about somebody. You can mischaracterize your position. You can go back on your word. You can spend all your time tearing somebody down instead of doing something positive," (Barack) Obama said. "There is no other realm in our lives that that would be acceptable. It inhibits people from trying to introduce any complexity into the conversation, because as soon as they say anything complex, it will end up in a television ad or in a mail piece that makes them look like they're crazy."

Man, he just hit a point about the thing that bugs me the most about politics. For the most part, most races have stayed clean this year, but Alan Keyes has gotten nasty as has the Illinois House of Represetnatives race in District 92 between Aaron Schock and Ricca Sloan. Why does mudslinging have the remain a part of this process?

"When I heard Jesus Christ wouldn't vote for me, I wanted to ask my opponent who his pollster was," Obama joked. "I wanted to connect with him, because there are so many more important questions. Am I going up or going down? There's the eternal life thing.

Yeah, no kidding. And how exactly does Alan Keyes know how a carpenter who lived 2000 years ago would vote? Just being a carpenter means if he were alive today he'd probably be in a union and the chances are, he WOULD vote for the Democratic Obama

Illinois Senate District 38

2004-10-16T19:49:00.000-05:00

Via Morris Daily Herald

Long-time self-employed businessman Gary Dahl used experience and advice in formulating a 12-point, state-wide jobs proposal.............

............Dahl said his plan would restore Illinois’ image as a pro-jobs state by rolling back environmental permit fees, as well as tax hikes and fees passed the General Assembly passed in 2003.

Also, the plan would restore the Employee Training Tax Credit and eliminate the natural gas tax, as well as the state’s inheritance, or death, tax on family-owned businesses and farmers.

Tax increases would be frozen for five years, and a new service tax would be defeated. Small businesses would gain a new healthcare insurance tax credit, and they and their employees would have more choices in healthcare coverage.Medical malpractice reform would cap awards for pain and suffering and reduce frivolous lawsuits.

His plan would increase investment in job-training programs at community colleges, institute Truth in Budgeting legislation and protect the state road fund from further raids.In addition, the plan would aid agriculture by expanding markets for ethanol and other products; find new value-added uses for crops; reject efforts to create a new sales tax on feed, seed and fertilizer; and restore funding to AgriFirst.

The plan would strengthen laws that give Illinois companies preference in state government bidding contracts.

Probably the most probing part of his plan, Dahl noted, would be establishment of a jobs task force to promote regional job growth.

I'm usually pretty in favor of giving business tax breaks, but this may be too much. The plan is to give business A LOT of tax cuts. If you cut taxes, where does the state's money come from? The state is also in a little money trouble and losing this tax money would have to be made up somewhere.

It's an issue of who would benefit the most? Would the state benefit from job growth under this plan? Would the increase in jobs make up for the loss of taxes? If that's the case, this is a good idea, but I would think it would take an awful lot of business to make this worth it.

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-10-07T01:42:00.000-05:00

Via WMBD Radio

If elected to office, the Republican hopeful in the 92nd district race for state representative wants to enact a new program to help people buy cheaper prescription drugs. Aaron Schock got the idea from a Maryland website called "Prescription Drug Price Finder." Schock says Illinois would create a website where Illinois residents could comparison shop in their own towns. The website would ask where you live and would then give you a list of pharmacies in your area.Schock says research in Peoria alone says prescription drug prices vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The republican polled 11 different places that sell prescription drugs.

Oh my gosh! A LEGAL idea to the prescription drug problem. Why the heck not try it? At least we, as a state, won't be doing something illegal.

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-10-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star

When Barack Obama comes to town, Ricca Slone usually is somewhere nearby.

It's not hard to figure why. Obama is a widely popular Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, and Slone is a friend in need.

Even when Slone missed a recent Obama event because it fell on a Jewish holiday, she still got a plug from Obama, who said he wasn't prompted to do so.

"I want to do anything I can do to help (Slone) and local Democrats," Obama said, because "one of the things you learn when you're in government is that it doesn't do you much good to be there if you don't have some strong allies who can help you make it happen."

What would be nice is if Obama would actually stay in Illinois to do that. Sloan could probably get a little rub from Obama....although I'm starting to wonder if her opponent can pull off the win. This association can't do any harm to her campaign

So stated, but Schock, 23, is certainly mounting a challenge with some big names of his own.

Jim Edgar is endorsing him in radio ads even though Schock has met the former governor only a couple of times. Furthermore, a Winnebago full of House Republicans rolled into town midweek to show support for the young Schock and even campaign with him door-to-door.

The RV included House Republican Leader Tom Cross, who said, "We think (Schock) has a good shot of winning, and we're here to encourage him and support him."

Yeah, Schock has more big name support than he knows what to do with. Problem is, do people in the 92nd District care? This is Republican politics. My guess is someone handed Jim Edgar is itinerary for the day and it said "Photo shoot with Aaron Schock" Edgar said, "Who?" His aides just told him to do it....it be in his best interest. I bet Alan Keyes doesn't even know how to spell Schock's name.....:)

Tazewell County Recorder of Deeds

2004-09-30T14:26:00.000-05:00

Via Pekin Daily Times

Ruby Schmick

"I'm an innovative thinker, a courteous person. I find those two traits to be paramount in leadership. This is a campaign of contrasts. We are talking about new leadership, new ideas, new policies, new procedures, new attitudes. Not everything needs to be changed, but a lot needs to be improved," (Ruby) Schmick said.

"I plan to be a hands-on, full-time, all-of-the-time every-day recorder. I will work till the work is done. I'll have the work done by deadline. My bills and my financial reports will be turned in on time. I'll work with the County Board, and I will attend all department head meetings," she said.

Schmick is an attorney who's worked in all the surrounding counties. I guess that qualifies her for this position....I guess. This is another one of those cases where I don't like vague answers. What needs to be changed. What needs to be improved and more importantly, if I were a voter in Tazewell County, how will this effect me? I couldn't find that anywhere in the article. Also, why do you have to say your going to be "hands-on, full-time"? Isn't that your job?

Robert Lutz

In describing the philosophy by which he does his job, (Incumbent Robert) Lutz said, "I firmly believe that if you're elected to a position of public trust, like I am, you should be true to that trust, you should live that trust. That's why I work 45 to 50 hours a week at this job. I'm in every morning at 7:15, 7:30 at the very latest. The office is open from that time forward. I'm the last one to leave at night, and I work almost every Saturday anywhere from two to four hours, simply because the work is there and I want to do a good job, and I've never been a clock watcher."

That sounds to me like someone who's "hands-on, full-time" to me. From what I understand about this position, you really need someone who's dedicated to the job. My opinion, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Sometimes I wonder what the need is to make this an elected official. Is this office really that political?

Various Tazewell County Races

2004-09-30T14:14:00.000-05:00

Via Pekin Daily Times

Several local incumbents running unopposed for reelection spoke Tuesday at the Southside Business Association's Candidate's Night, asking for voters to continue to support them, or addressing issues of concern to them.

Circuit Clerk

"I do have the luxury of running unopposed, but I do want you to know that I do have campaign promises. I've been making this same campaign promise -- this is my fifth time to run -- and every time I have told my voting public that I will continue to be dedicated and work hard," (Pam) Gardner said......

........."My office is always open to the public. Come in any time -- I'm always thrilled to give what I call a 25-cent tour, but I waive the quarter because you pay your taxes. I'm very proud of my staff of 39, very proud of all that we do for the courts and to serve the judges here in Tazewell County," Gardner said.

I obviuosly don't live in Tazewell County, but I do have some dealings with Ms. Gardner and I can tell you she's a geniunly nice person. I know it's a job I wouldn't want and one that's greatly underappreciated.

State's Attorney

"Certainly this job, every day that I show up to work, there is something useful to do ... One job that I never enjoyed was one that I had in high school, where they would give you 'busy work.' And that's one thing that I will tell you, I never have busy work with this job. There is always something important to do every day that I come to the office," he (Stewart Umholtz) said.

Another man I really like. Stu gives it to your straight and he's very passionate about his job. I really enjoy these next comments about the war on terror

"I think our country is struggling as to whether to treat terrorists as criminals, or treat them as war combatants. Myself, I'd rather treat them as war combatants, because I don't think our criminal justice system is designed to deal with terrorists.

"I heard it explained in this way: When you talk about sporting events, you know you always like to play a home game. When we're talking about this, we never want to have a home game. We want to have them all away games, so that we don't have to fight this right here," Umholtz said.

"I'm hopeful that that will continue. It scares me to death that these things could start happening here, today, and we're working hard to be prepared for
that. We're working very closely with our federal government and state government.

"One thing that has happened, which is tremendously beneficial, and something that is a dramatic improvement from the time that I first began as a prosecutor back in 1985, and that is that after Sept. 11, we have much better working relationships between local police, state police, all the different federal agencies. We even have federal agencies that work together now -- it's amazing," he said.

Now, that's interesting. I personally agree with him. Terrorists don't deserve the same rights as the "common criminal" While Stu finds it easier to work with law enforcement since 9-11, in my profession, I've found it much, much harder.

Coroner

When Tazewell County Coroner Robert Dubois retired three months early Aug. 31, the Tazewell County Board appointed his Chief Deputy Coroner Dennis Conover to fill out the remainder of Dubois' term. Conover won a three-way primary race in March to become the Republican candidate for coroner, and is running unopposed.

"This month has flown by. We've been very busy, training a secretary, a chief deputy and a deputy coroner, and then we have these homicides to contend with," Conover said, referring to a task force formed Monday to investigate the deaths of five women whose bodies were found in rural Tazewell and Peoria counties.

"Things are going very well in the coroner's office. I'm looking forward to the election in November, and getting on with four years of more investigative work in the coroner's office," he said.

Very busy man right now. It's almost a good thing he's running unopposed so the office can concentrate on the three homicides that they've been working on. Conover's a strange man, but a good one. He would have my vote.....if I lived in Tazewell County.......and he had an opponent.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-09-29T01:41:00.000-05:00

Via WJBC

The Democrat running for the 15th Congressional Seat says his opponent, Republican Tim Johnson, made a big mistake when he voted for the Federal No Child Left Behind Act. Dr David Gill says his goal, if elected, would be to completely overhaul the federal guidelines.Gill says a school district MIGHT have a great school...but all it will take is ONE bad standardized test score in ONE student subgroup and the school district would technically be a failure. Johnson has said he would like to see the No Child Left Behind act changed too...Gill says Johnson should've never voted for it in the first place. Gill will be speaking to local educators at an Ice Cream Social on public education tonight.

Hey, the idea sounded good at the time. We know now it was a good idea with bad execution. However, we DO need to hold the schools responsible which is what No Child Left Behind attempts to do. It just punishes the schools for minor infractions instead of waiting for something worth punishing for

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-09-29T01:31:00.000-05:00

Via LaSalle News Tribune

The campaign manager for the challenger in a congressional race says U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller is ducking a debate with Bloomington Democrat Tari Renner, but Weller’s campaign manager says it isn’t true.Weller’s campaign manager says both sides agreed separately this month to a debate on Oct. 27. Campaign manager Steven Shearer said Weller might consider more debates with Renner, but he also said that depends on how long Weller needs to stay in an extended fall session to deal with recommendations in the Sept. 11 Report.

yeah, yeah, yeah. Weller's afraid. We get it. If Weller won't debate, let the voter's decide. I think Renner's get anxious and maybe a little scared that he isn't going to get the votes he needs even with all the attacks on Congressman Weller. Maybe, just maybe, people are getting tired of political attacks and will vote for Weller in spite. Who knows? The October 27 debate should be worth the price of admission. There will also be others on the ticket that night.....Johnson v. Gill I know of for sure.

Illinois House of Representatives District 75

2004-09-29T01:21:00.000-05:00

Via Morris Daily Herald:

Republican candidate Doug Hayse vowed again Monday he would resign as Morris police chief if elected state representative Nov. 2.“I’ve stated re-peatedly I will resign as chief when elected state representative,” he said Monday afternoon during a press conference in which he asserted the Democratic Party was spreading slander and lies about his candidacy.

Why does a condidate have to come out and reassure people that he will resign as police chief if elected? Doesn't that tell you the man is committed to the district if he'll give up a job like Police Chief of Morris? It's not like he is the chief in his opponents (Careen Gordone) hometown of Coal City.

Another ridiculous attempt by the democrats in this state to attack something meaningless because they know the Republican candidate has an edge. If you can't beat 'em, do your damndest to make them look bad.

Illinois House of Representatives District 106

2004-09-29T01:15:00.000-05:00

Via Galesburg Register-Mail

State Rep. Keith Sommer, R-Morton, sees more than just a highway when he looks at Interstate 74. Sommer was in Galesburg Monday to present his Illinois Corridor 74 concept, which would combine the strengths of the cities along I-74 to help economic development efforts.

Who? You never hear anything from Keith Sommer and I think it's kind of funny he would go all the way to Galesburg (which is Don Moffitt's district) to talk about something like that instead of doing it in Morton where he's from.....how about talking with Peoria's politicians and trying to get something done.

Sommer is not suggesting creating another layer of bureaucracy. He simply wants the cities to cooperate.

"I think a mistake some have done is to make a super-governmental entity. ... I don't want to do that," he said.

Sommer wants officials in Bloomington, for instance, to tout the qualities of Peoria or Galesburg if Bloomington doesn't have exactly what a company requires.

"We can't be parochial," Sommer said. "We need to combine our assets and, as one person has said, check the egos at the door. ... We'll just all benefit from an exchange of ideas."

Great idea, but first we have to get these cities to stop competing with each other. Hell, East Peoria and Peoria can't get along....how are they supposed to get along with Bloomington and Normal who can't get along?

President of the United State

2004-09-29T01:09:00.000-05:00

Via PJStar via AP

Although Democrat John Kerry still holds a lead in Illinois, President Bush is gaining support among the state's voters, particularly among independents, a new poll released Monday shows.....

The Tribune/WGN-TV poll found that 49 percent of registered voters favored Kerry, down from 52 percent a month ago. Bush had the support of 40 percent, up from 38 percent last month.

It was the first time Kerry's support in a Tribune/WGN-TV poll had fallen below 50 percent in Illinois since he won the Democratic presidential nomination.
And, for the first time this year, the poll showed Bush leading among the state's independent voters, with 43 percent to 40 percent for Kerry. In August, Kerry led among independents 42 percent to 35 percent.

YAY! Now maybe the candidates will show up in Illinois and John Edwards snuffing 300+ people at CIRA in Bloomington will bite them in the ass. I think it would be a riot to watch some of the reporters in Peoria try to inteligently interview the President.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-09-24T01:45:00.000-05:00

Via Renner For Congress Newsletter:

Tari Renner announced his economic stimulus plan this week with a three city tour across the district. Fighting for fairer trade, tax incentives, and ending corporate welfare, Tari Renner promised to help export American products, not American jobs.
Tari Renner's Plan to Create Quality Jobs for Illinois:
-Create Good-Paying American Jobs
-Cut Middle-Class Taxes and Raise Middle-Class Incomes
-End Corporate Welfare
-Close tax loopholes for U.S. companies relocating abroad-Revitalize our manufacturing base by lowering tax rates on all domestic producers
-Enact new tax cuts to create manufacturing jobs in America
-Enact new jobs tax credit-Hold outsourcing manufacturers accountable
-Refuse government contracts to companies who have outsourced more than 100 workers in the last year

Everything looks good on paper and I'm sure sold on this one........but it's a lot hard to do than just writing it down. It's still my idea to tax the hell out of any company that leaves the US then sells products here, but that sounds good on paper too....how it would implemented, I have no idea.

President of the United States

2004-09-24T01:42:00.000-05:00

Via WICS

A federal appeals court has refused to give independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader a spot on the Illinois ballot.The three-judge panel said Nader's lawsuit against state election officials who turned him down came too late.

Damn. I even signed the petition...just cause I think anyone who wants to run should be allowed to. It's really not a good system we have here in Illinois......just ask the Liberterians, they bitch and moan about it all the time.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-09-24T01:37:00.000-05:00

Via WQAD

Zinga has vowed that - if elected - she will push for the passage of five congressional acts that offer veterans financial support, as well as backing our active duty forces.

" I will steadfastly vote to give our active duty military personnel the arms materials and intelligence they need to carry out their mission and get safely back home," she explained, "Because the best way to have more veterans is to see that they get the tools they need to get the job done.

The Congressional Acts Zinga is backing include:
Veterans' compensation cost-of-living adjustment act
Homeless veterans assistance reauthorization act
Department of veterans affairs nurse recruitment and retention act
Veterans earn and learn act
VA home loan guaranty increase

More and more everyday she's starting to win me over....I'm not in the 17th District though. Ms. Zinga has drastically turned her campaign around from being one attack after another to actually coming up with new ideas she'd like to do if elected......not all of them are great, but at least she's generating ideas now.

President of the United States

2004-09-24T01:25:00.000-05:00

Via Quad Cities Online

In Iraq, Sen. Edwards said his running mate would work to create an international coalition to lessen the U.S. military presence, speed reconstruction and increase training of Iraqi police to assure Democratic elections next year.
"George Bush made this mess, and he can't fix it," Sen. Edwards told the crowd. "We know what needs to be done offensively, and we know what needs to be done defensively."

How many times must I say this. SCREW THE WORLD! Peace solves nothing. We're in it now. If you wanna help, great, jump in and help, but don't pussy out and pull your troops in two months. If we allow an "international coalition" we have to many chiefs and not enough indians. Who gets a say over how troops are used? It will just cause more problems.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-09-23T01:59:00.000-05:00

Via Canton Daily Ledger

"We have the quality of life here in the 17th District that other Americans are seeking, but we need to make it better. We are not getting the leadership we need right now in Washington."
To Andrea Zinga, those words sum up the reasons she is running for the U.S. House seat for the 17th District in Illinois.
"For the past 22 years we have had a weak link in office," she said. "We have had ineffectual leadership or no leadership at all."....................

"Lane Evans (D-17th District) stood in front of the plant in Canton and said we must bring back jobs. Twenty-two years later, the plant is being demolished."
"I commend the city (of Canton) for getting on with a plan for developing the site," Zinga continued. "But the city has been doing it by itself. You have to be in touch with what is going on in the district, not just sit in Washington. You not only have to know what is happening, you have to have long-range plans for bringing in jobs and training for future jobs."

Issues! Issues! Issues! Finally, Zinga has brought something out to prove she's not only going to run against Evans disability. She brings some good stuff to the table here. In fact, Canton just lost out on the movie theatre that was going to build on the old IH lot, so there is still a lot to be done with that huge property in the middle of town.

While jobs are the major issue, Zinga said infrastructure also needs to be addressed, particularly the need for a major highway in the district.

This is desperately needed. It is damn near impossible to get from Peoria to Macomb quickly.....and it's not that far away when you think about it. Just getting from Peoria to Canton is a pain in the butt. Taking US 24 takes forever. You get behind one car doing 45 and your screwed for 20 miles.

US Senate

2004-09-23T01:44:00.000-05:00

Via Champaign News-Gazettte

In a race where the media attention has focused on their major-party opponents, U.S. Senate candidates Jerry Kohn and Albert Franzen had the stage to themselves for most of a candidate forum Sunday afternoon. Democratic candidate Barack Obama did not attend the debate. Republican Alan Keyes showed up just before the debate ended.......

....... "The government was created to defend people's rights, not fund people's projects," Kohn said. "I think I would be unique in the Senate. I would not propose any spending bills."

How'd I miss that. I thought the government was there to make sure our economy survived and to make sure the peopl eof the this country felt safe and had a comfortable life.

And if citizens don't pay as much in taxes for the government to provide services, they will have more to give to charities, he said. "In a free society, Americans have always been charitable," Kohn said. "Charitable organizations are more efficient, more compassionate, and run by people who really care rather than bureaucrats trying to save their jobs."

This is just flat out dumb. The people that give to charities are the ones that will always give to charities. If people had more money, they'd buy crap they don't need. I still find this funny that Liberterians really believe the government should do nothing but sit there and look pretty and let all us common folk fight it out for ourselves..

Franzen disagreed, saying the poor need government help. "There are 44 million Americans without health care, and we're providing 25 million Iraqis with health care today. Charity begins at home. We have to take care of our own," Franzen said. "A lot of farmers, a lot of people who are self-employed, small businesses, have no way to negotiate lower (cost) health care plans."

Well, the poor also need to get off their lazy asses, get out there and make something of their lives. Some people, I understand, really do have a hard time making ends meet. Most of the poor are poor by choice. Work is hard, so they don't do it.

President of the United States

2004-09-23T01:24:00.000-05:00

Via John Kerry newsletter:

This election is about choices. The most important choices a president makes are about protecting America at home and around the world. A president's first obligation is to make America safer, stronger and truer to our ideals.

That's true and I'm happy with the job the current President has done.

Three years ago, the events of September 11 reminded every American of that obligation. That day brought to our shores the defining struggle of our times: the struggle between freedom and radical fundamentalism. And it made clear that our most important task is to fight and to win the war on terrorism.

In fighting the war on terrorism, my principles are straight forward. The terrorists are beyond reason. We must destroy them. As president, I will do whatever it takes, as long as it takes, to defeat our enemies. But billions of people around the world yearning for a better life are open to America's ideals. We must reach them.

Then give money to our troops in Iraq. Your telling Al-Sadr isn't a terrorist?

That means we must have a great honest national debate on Iraq. The president claims it is the centerpiece of his war on terror. In fact, Iraq was a profound diversion from that war and the battle against our greatest enemy, Osama bin Laden and the terrorists. Invading Iraq has created a crisis of historic proportions and, if we do not change course, there is the prospect of a war with no end in sight.

Wow. That's kind of misstatement. "crisis of historic proportions" Why is it liberals don't/didn't see Hussein as a threat?

This month, we passed a cruel milestone: more than 1,000 Americans lost in Iraq. Their sacrifice reminds us that Iraq remains, overwhelmingly, an American burden. Nearly 90 percent of the troops -- and nearly 90 percent of the casualties -- are American. Despite the president's claims, this is not a grand coalition.

Still less than we lost in one battle in most wars

Falluja, Ramadi, Samarra, even parts of Baghdad -- are now "no go zones" -- breeding grounds for terrorists who are free to plot and launch attacks against our soldiers. The radical Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, who is accused of complicity in the murder of Americans, holds more sway in the suburbs of Baghdad.

Grow some balls. Get in there and take these guys out. Stop playing nice and start bombing if that's what it's gonna take. The US needs to take al-Sadr.

Unemployment is over 50 percent. Insurgents are able to find plenty of people willing to take $150 for tossing grenades at passing U.S. convoys.
Yes, there has been some progress, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our soldiers and civilians in Iraq. Schools, shops and hospitals have been opened. In parts of Iraq, normalcy actually prevails.
But most Iraqis have lost faith in our ability to deliver meaningful improvements to their lives. So they're sitting on the fence instead of siding with us against the insurgents.

Because the President's hands are tied. Congress is not letting the President do what needs to be done to get Iraq to where it needs to be. It's gonna cost money. If the UN pussies would get off their hands and realize this HAD to be done, this could move along much faster. The only other smart man in the world right now is Tony Blair.

President of the United States

2004-09-23T01:15:00.000-05:00

Got lots of Badnarik news today from newsletters over the past couple days. First thing, be sure to check out his re-vamped website by clicking the link above.

Our drug policy continues to threaten Americans -- mostly younger Americans -- with harsh punishments for actions which ought not to be considered crimes at all.

Yeah, then there'd be even more trash on the street than there is now.

As a presidential candidate, my focus is unlike that of my opponents. It's on the future. YOUR future.As president, I'll work to re-orient American foreign policy to a non-interventionist, pro-defense standard, making American civilians safer and putting American military personnel to their legitimate work of defending our nation, not invading other nations. I'll veto any bill which introduced a military -- or civilian -- draft.

NO NO NO NO NO NO. Defensive nations get bombed. Aggressive nations are feared. In a study I saw last week, President Bush would lose every country in Europe except Poland if this was a world-wide election. That's a GOOD thing. People fear the US. We have the best military in the world. Don't let it sit idle if there are things we can do to better ourselves. However, I do agree with that last sentence. A draft should be a last resort and only if our soil is being threatened.

As president, I'll take concrete steps to end the failed and vicious "war on drugs." I'll pardon all non-violent drug offenders in the federal prison system. I'll veto legislation containing funding for prosecution of the war on drugs. And I'll lobby congress to repeal the unconstitutional drug laws which have torn the very fabric of American society.

Please! Put drug dealers back on the streets so our children can throw their lives away and become a drain on society. PLEASE!!!

As president, I'll insist on a balanced federal budget -- and on a much SMALLER federal budget which leaves more money in your pocket. You earned it. It's yours. You should be able to keep it.

Yeah. Good luck. We earned that money, but we also rely on the government for certain things. We need roads, protection, and so many other things the government provides for us. As much as we all hate paying taxes, they're not a bad thing

Michael Badnarik will be debating David Cobb again. This time at the University of Texas at Austin. Bush, Kerry, and Nader were all invited, but won't be attending.

Appellate Court District 3

2004-09-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

Via HOI

The meeting also hosted the introduction of two appellate court candidates. Mary K. O’Brien and Jim Right. Both say they want voters to get to know them.

“I’m very proud to say I’m the only campaign to receive a recommendation rating from the judges and lawyers through the district. My opponent did not receive that rating,” says Jim Wright, Appellate Court Candidate.

“I hope that you know that my life experiences have shown me to be fair, to be impartial, and to always make sure people know they have a fair shake, whether they come from money or whether they come from political connections,” says Mary K. O’Brien, Appellate Court Candidate.

Nice job by HOI to include the two judge candidates in their coverage of the League of Women Voter's gathering Saturday morning. Neither say anything worth commenting on.....just wanted to point out there was a race.

US Senate

2004-09-19T21:40:00.000-05:00

Via HOI

The Maryland native has been campaigning for just a few short weeks now, but hopes people in Illinois give him a fair chance.“My strong belief that government should be limited and that the real engine for developing our society and its hopes is the real genius of our people,” says Keyes.

Can you really trust the dumb people in this country? Just look what happened in California when we let them decide who their governor is.

“Alan Keyes is pro-life, he's pro-marriage between man and a woman. These are things that frankly people in our county believe in,” says Demetra DeMonte, Chairperson of the Tazewell County Republicans.

Yeah, so am I and I'm not voting for him.

But Keyes and his supporters say polls are inaccurate.“He is (so) close to winning our state. Because of Central Illinois and Tazewell County, it will be a big part of that win,” says DeMonte

“The Illinois Republican Party invited me in from Maryland to do a job of work that they believe serves the best interest of the people of Illinois. I think more and more people are realizing that is the truth,” says Keyes.

Yeah......and Britney Spears is lying in my bed waiting for me to get done with this crap right now.

President of the United States

2004-09-19T21:30:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal-Star from the Associated Press........I missed Dick Cheney in DeKalb..couldn't afford Dennis Hastert's price.

Cheney also reiterated his now familiar refrain that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has been indecisive on the war in Iraq.
He said Kerry was critical of primary rival Howard Dean for saying it was "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time," but has used that phrase himself recently.

Of course he has. Kerry says what his audience wants to hear and it's starting to catch up with him. It looks like Illinois may become a battle ground state after all.....the gap is closing.

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-09-19T21:16:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Journal Star

Both state Rep. Ricca Slone and Republican challenger Aaron Schock said they oppose gay marriage, but Slone said she doesn't think there should be a constitutional amendment banning it.
"I think this is a very difficult issue and a very emotional one, but my feeling is that the state Constitution should not be amended to either permit or to prevent gay marriage," said Slone, D-Peoria, speaking at a sparsely attended public forum hosted by the local chapter of the League of Women Voters.
Saying it's a "very difficult issue and a very emotional one," Slone added she does not "personally favor (gay marriage) at all." But she said she has supported on several occasions an amendment to the Human Rights Act that would have added sexual orientation to the law that now makes discriminating on the basis of race, gender, religion, age or disability illegal. The law does not include the right to marriage.
In a very short response, Schock said he agreed with Slone that the gay marriage debate likely will be decided by the federal government and in
the courts. Still, Schock would vote in favor of ratifying an amendment to the federal constitution.
"Generally speaking, I do … not support gay marriage in Illinois, and that's my position on gay marriage," he said

I've already commented on this issue a few times......Look at some old stuff. I'm with Schock on it, but probably not for the same reasons.......guess this disproves the rumors Schock is..............eh, yeah...

You know, the more I read of this article. The less I learn. Everything in the article I've already talked about at one time or another with these two candidates. Nothing new was brought to the table.

Illinois House of Representatives District 103

2004-09-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

Via Champaign News Gazette

Plans to discuss a voluntary spending limit for the 103rd District legislative race have been scrapped, and the candidates are blaming each other. Republican candidate Deborah Frank Feinen initially proposed such a limit last month, but state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-Urbana, said she could not agree to the deal unless certain changes were made. The duo had scheduled a meeting for Sept. 20 to negotiate a possible compromise, which Jakobsson canceled late Wednesday night.

Damn. And this was such a good idea. Run on issues and not money. The gist of the rest of the article is that Feinen sent out campaign literature with Jakobsson's voting record and Jakobsson viewed that as negative campaigning....they were going to agree not to use money to negatively campaign, so Jakobsson called off the meeting.

Illinois House of Representatives District 105

2004-09-19T21:01:00.000-05:00

Via Champaign News-Gazette

Ask almost anyone about Shane Cultra, and they will tell you he is a family man through and through. "He's a very family-oriented person," said state Sen. Rick Winkel, R-Urbana. "He puts family first, which I greatly respect." With no election opponent this fall, Cultra will have lots more time to spend with his family before the General Assembly resumes in veto session in November. A Republican in his first term as state representative, Cultra has made it a priority to come home to his wife of 29 years and their four children every night, even though many Illinois lawmakers choose to stay over in Springfield on busy session days......

..... No one else jumped in the race, so Cultra ran unopposed for his first term in the House. And this fall, he will run unopposed again. "This time, I was less surprised," he said. "You would figure that you would have an opponent in a redistricting. Once you got established, and you are doing a credible job, it is less likely that someone would run against you."

Fairly odd for a conservative, but one of the reasons I like the guy so much. I've actually dealt with Mr. Cultra on occassion. Very cool guy. I have a buddy who lives in that district and we thought about a run in the primary against him. Decided not to because Cultra has been doing so well serving the 105th District.

Cultra said he is well-suited to represent his district because he is a small-town guy, with small-town values and an understanding of agriculture and small business. "The district is very agriculture-oriented, small towns, and it is just identical to the area that I live in and grew up in," he said. "So I am very comfortable going anywhere in this district and relating to the people, because basically how they look at things is pretty much how I look at them, so I know where they are coming from when they have a problem."

Definately true. Alan Keyes is proving you can't run for election and do it successfully when a city boy steps into an area with a lot of farms.

"I personally believe that we introduce a lot of needless legislation," he said. "You've got the legislators down there, and they feel like they've got to introduce something and some of them, I don't feel, are very choosy about what they are trying to do. And I think the people would be better served if we weren't in Springfield as much as we are. We need to concentrate more on the budget and not try to intrude so much on peoples' everyday lives and regulating business to death."

Let's give him a few more years and make sure the guy still thinks like that.......maybe he'll have a challenger in 2006........

President of the United States

2004-09-19T20:49:00.000-05:00

Two different newsletters from the Micahel Badnarik camp this weekend.

Few places are as haunted by the ghosts of American freedom as Boston Common. Standing quietly, one can almost hear the mingled sounds of musketry from the Boston Massacre, the tramp of British feet departing for Lexington and Concord, Prescott's calm command to "wait until you see the whites of their eyes.""This place is just suffused with the echoes of freedom," says Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik. "Sam Adams led the Boston Tea Party out of Old South Church in 1773; Paul Revere's lanterns hung from the steeple of Old North Church; Revere and Adams are buried nearby at the Granary. William Lloyd Garrison preached his first anti-slavery sermon at Park Street Church. You couldn't swing a cat on Boston Common without hitting all of those places."It's only natural, then, that Badnarik relishes speaking here as well. And speak he will, at Saturday's 15th Annual Freedom Rally, sponsored by the Cannabis Reform Coalition and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Tens of thousands of Americans attend the Freedom Rally each year in support of ending the war on marijuana."The drug war is one of the last things one would associate with the Common," says Badnarik, 50, of Houston, TX. "Boston's a seafaring town. The area around the Common was once devoted primarily to 'ropewalks' -- factories for making rope out of hemp. Before Garrison turned Park Street Church into an anti-slavery hotbed, it was briefly a canvas factory where hemp was turned into sails for the USS Constitution."As a Libertarian, Badnarik advocates lifting the ban on industrial hemp -- and on its cousin, marijuana.

No matter how you look at it, this sounds BAD for Badnarik. HIPPIES DON'T VOTE!! All the regular folk know what a nuisance marijuna is and legalizing it's cousin will only make things worse. The bluebloods will never let that happen. Our country is almost being overrun by hippies WHO DON'T VOTE!! That's why you see tens of thousands of people protesting outside the RNC, yet George W. Bush ahead by 14 points in the polls.

No issue is more sensitive -- and few issues are more troubling to Libertarians -- than the role of government in family life. On the face of things, the federal government has an even smaller role in that area than it does in most, and I favor keeping Washington out of issues like defining and licensing marriage, regulating homeschooling, mandating childhood vaccinations or using tax policy for "socially engineering" the makeup and function of the family.

Why would the government want to make sure that all of it's citizens can read, write, and GET A JOB!? Why would the government want to stop the spread of disease? Why would the government want to make sure that every kid gets a PROPER education? We have enough people on welfare.....we don't need more because their parents decided they didn't want to send the kid through school.

However, there are some areas of family life in which the federal government arguably has a role to play. The Constitution ordains that all Americans receive the equal protection of the law, and it prohibits involuntary servitude. In both of these areas, the federal government has failed America's families and, in particular, its parents.

Parenting is NOT involentary servitude. Parenting is a CHOICE.

Equal protection of the law pre-supposes fairness for those coming before the bar of justice. Yet in divorce proceedings, the states routinely award custody of minor children to one parent or another, relegating the other parent to the status of "second-class citizen" -- not because the latter parent has been convicted of any crime, or found unfit, but because of a prejudice in favor of father or mother as the best "single" parent.

So how does the kid go to school? If his mom lives in let's say Peoria and dad in Peoria and they have "joint custody" The kid goes to Peoria one week and Bloomington another week? Makes no sense.

US House of Representatives 18th District

2004-09-16T01:22:00.000-05:00

Via WEEK

The democratic challenger for Ray LaHood's 18th district congressional seat is running, by his own admission, a largely money-free campaign.So, Steve Waterworth is trying to win votes meeting by meeting.The 56-year-old Mason County native Wednesday night was talking to the Heart of Illinois Sierra Club.Waterworth is a self-proclaimed ''farm boy'' who believes LaHood has turned his back on environmental issues.''I always thought Ray was the kind of person who would stand up for the environment,'' said Waterworth. ''But he's voted to open up the Alaska oil fields. He's voted to let roads go into our national wilderness areas. And I'm against that.''Waterworth served in the Air Force and the 182nd Air Lift Wing Reserve Unit. Waterworth said the war in Iraq has been a huge mistake.

Come on....farm boys can't be Democrats. I actually went to this tonight. It was the first chance I've had to see Steve Waterworth and unfortunately, he didn't impress me. I really don't think he's going to give Ray LaHood much of a challenge.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-09-16T01:13:00.000-05:00

Via Daily Vidette

IWU Political Science Professor and Democratic candidate in the 11th Congressional District Tari Renner is seeking volunteers for his campaign."We'll take anyone who wants to volunteer, students, professors, the janitor, if you can count to four we want you in our office," campaign coordinator Josh Worell said."Renner's race is the most competitive race in Illinois and the tenth most likely pick-up in the U.S. House for Democrats," Worell said.

I've been following all the races in Central Illinois and I'm not sure I would call the 11th District the most competitive race in Illinois. What about the 17th District? The Weller/Renner race has been about 100% mudslinging.....and the mud's coming from a Democrat!

"Students should volunteer because the current incumbent [Republican Jerry Weller] is an extremist," Worell said."He votes 0 percent with the environment and 0 percent with labor, his home county has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state," Worell said.

And the mud continues to fly!

US Senate

2004-09-15T23:59:00.000-05:00

Via Daily Gazette

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes said there is only one way to fight terrorism. "We must get to the terrorists before they get to us," said the former U.N. ambassador and Maryland resident who opened the Republican Party headquarters in...

Then get your ass over to Afganhistan and get 'em! That's a pretty obvious statement in my opinion and the exact reason we went after Sadam Hussein.

President of the United States

2004-09-15T23:54:00.000-05:00

Via John Kerry Newsletter:

George Bush and Dick Cheney wake up every morning with their fingers crossed, hoping the American people will ignore their miserable record, forget their trail of failures, and fear the future. But with your help, we are going to make sure that the American people see through their bluster and posturing, and see what a mess they have made.

And John Kerry and John Edwards wake up every morning hoping the American people have forgot about their flip-flopping and that whole Vietnam thing.........eh?

President of the United States

2004-09-15T23:51:00.000-05:00

Via Michael Badnarik Newsletter:

The battle for ballot access is clearly unfair, and unconstitutional. The Constitution only provides the following requirements to be President:No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.Draconian ballot access requirements are merely a tool imposed by the duopoly to prevent our voice from being heard. It is like forcing us to run twenty miles just to get to the marathon.

Waaahh. Third party candidates waste valuable space. Make them earn their spot, so every Tom, Dick, and Harry don't run. Badnarak will be lucky if he gets three percent of the vote. Would that really be worth all this time and money? I ask the same of Ralph Nader. Why the hell does that guy keep running? Please, instead of throwing your money away, GIVE IT TO ME!

President of the United States

2004-09-14T02:01:00.000-05:00

Via Michael Badnarik Newsletter:

Government often prepares the way for oppressive legislation by exaggerating a current danger, or by rhetorically turning harmless people and things into bogeymen. Certainly this has been the case with industrial hemp. Although it includes a technical exemption for hemp, The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 generally treats hemp like marijuana, its psychotropic cousin. Smoking industrial hemp to "get high" yields about the same result as smoking the evening newspaper; and while the government contends that hemp can be useful as camouflage for marijuana growth, even laymen can easily distinguish between the two. What makes current federal policy so tragic is that industrial hemp is estimated to have 25,000 constructive uses. Indeed, until recently the qualities of perhaps the world's most useful plant were widely understood and utilized. Ironically, in early 17th Century America, laws existed REQUIRING farmers to grow hemp. Later, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both left glowing references to the plant in their writings. Hemp even has a record of heroism: During WWII, the U.S. war effort needed hemp-based supplies so badly that it instituted the "Hemp for Victory" program. The beginnings of today's repressive policies were already in place by the late 30s, as a result of propaganda efforts waged against hemp by the petro-chemical and timber industries. However, when America's very survival was threatened, the government exempted farmers and their sons from military service if they'd agree to grow it.

You know, I don't even know how to respond to this. In Badnarik's views, will regulation be tight? Will police officers be trained to distinguish between hemp and marijuana. I'm no pot smoker, but hemp and marijuana look the same to me.

Seriously, I'm just gonna stop before I get off on a rant.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-09-14T01:55:00.000-05:00

Via Terri Renner Newsletter

Help me carry my message to every house in the district. For far too long the people in Illinois' 11th District have been represented by a congressman working for corporate special interests rather than addressing the concerns of hardworking Americans. We have had a congressman more interested in Guatemala City than Coal City. We deserve better. Unlike Jerry Weller, I want to work with the people in this district. Unlike Jerry Weller, who caters to corporate Washington insiders, I promise to throw open the doors of the capitol. I want to work with you to improve our country's economy, healthcare and education systems. I want to work with you to create jobs and protect our children.

This stuff is so formatted it's ridiculous. The first time ANYBODY runs for ANY office, they say they are going to be "for the people"......then the kickbacks start.Just once, I'd like to see a campaign that tells me REALISTICLY what a candidate is going to do....not vision.

Illinois House of Representatives District 87

2004-09-11T20:24:00.000-05:00

Via Lincoln Courier

State Rep. Bill Mitchell told about 20 people attending his town meeting in Atlanta Thursday night at the Atlanta Fire House he would follow up on at least two concerns aired by residents.

The Forsythe Republican said he would learn more about one woman’s report of a sharp enrollment drop in Olympia schools. The woman, who would not identify herself, told Mitchell she "heard we lost a minimum of 300 students in one year to private education," mostly in the Hopedale area.

"Three hundred students? That was huge. That’s a tremendous problem," Mitchell said. "I’m going to check on the 300 figure.

"That would be devastating," he said, referring to state aid for the district, downsized from eight to five schools this year because of financial shortfalls.

"State aid, state dollars, follows kids," Mitchell said, but added that the aid does not follow the kids to private schools or those home schooled.
The 300-student decline was an exaggeration, however. It’s more like 250 students over two years, according to Olympia School District figures.

O.K. Pretty simple here. Hopedale begged to keep their building open. They are in the process of pulling out of Olympia and moving to Delevan. IT'S YOUR OWN DAMN FAULT!!!!!! You had TWO chances to keep Hopedale in the district. Losing 300 students is going to KILL Olympia school district, but the voters did the talking at the ballot box. They're getting exactly what they asked for. There's nothing Rep. Mitchell can do for this district. They sealed their own fate.

FYI, Bill Mitchell is currently running unopposed in the 87th District.

Illinois Senate District 47

2004-09-11T20:18:00.000-05:00

Via Macomb Journal

Tom Ernst, the GOP candidate for the Illinois State Senate, had to make his way past construction crews Thrusday morning in front of Chandler's Neighborhood Bar and Grill in Macomb, to hold his press conference on road construction.Alongside State Rep. Rich Myers (R-Colchester) and State Sen. Dale Risinger (R-Peoria), Ernst urged Illinois law makers to support Constitutional Amendment 62, that would free up money for road construction.
"We've had over $2 billion created in new spending by this administration and $750 million has been taken from road funds," Ernst said. "The governor (Rod Blagojevich) has been taking this money and using it as a piggy bank for the Chicago controlled projects."

You'd never know that in Peoria :) No seriously, the infastructure is too important to our economy to be taking money away from. STOP BUILDING PLANTERS WITH NEEDED MONEY!!!!

US House of Representatives 15th District

2004-09-10T01:56:00.000-05:00

Dr. David Gill made a rare McLean Co appearance today, so let's look at how the media covered it.

Via WJBC

The Democrat running against Republican Incumbent Tim Johnson for the 15th Congressional District says the U-S needs to fix its healthcare system....especially when we spend twice as much as any other country on healthcare. Dr. David Gill tells WJBC's Williams and Whisman the only way to fix the system...is by implementing a single-payer universal health care system. But Gill says despite how it looks on the surface, his plan is NOT socialized medicine.Gill, along with Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn held a press conference this afternoon...in response to last week's announcement that Medicare premiums will increase by 17.5%.

Need more information. This is the first I've heard about this plan and I'm intrigued.

Via HOI

“(I want a) universal coverage single, national healthcare plan, the likes of which we've never seen here in America, but which every other country in the world has. You know here in America, we get really bad bang for our buck when it comes to healthcare,” says Dr. David Gill, Democratic Congressional candidate.

We have the best doctor's in the world, right? I don't think that's really a bum deal. The best costs more, eh? But I do want more insight on this plan of his.

President of the United States

2004-09-10T01:34:00.000-05:00

Via QC Time

New documents unearthed in the midst of the presidential campaign fill in some blanks but raise other questions about the sometimes mysterious and spotty story of President Bush's military service during Vietnam when he won a coveted spot in the Texas Air National Guard and avoided the war.

Reviving issues that have shadowed his political career, the documents show Bush ignored a direct order from a superior officer and lost his status as a Texas Air National Guard pilot more than three decades ago because he failed to meet military performance standards and undergo a required physical examination.

But the authenticity of the memos was questioned Thursday by the son of the late officer who reportedly wrote them. One of the writer's fellow officers and a document expert also said Thursday the documents appear to be forgeries.

So, the Dems got desperate after the post convention bounce put Bush up by almost 12 points. Really, they're always going to "find" more to this story because someone is going to fabricate it. You know, I don't really care about Bush's OR Kerry's military record. All of that happened 30 years ago. People change. It's obvious Bush probably liked to party a little in his youth and why not? I do. Most people I know do. If I were to run for President, would that be used against me? I hope not, but I know it would. I've never been in a wreck nor have I DUI, but I have been drunk plenty of times. Things I did as 18 are embarrassing to me now that I've grown and matured.

People change....move on and look at what both guys have done recently

President of the United States

2004-09-10T01:30:00.000-05:00

Via Michael Badnarak Newsletter

Some politicians think that the Second Amendment is obsolete. Some politicians think that the Second Amendment is for duck hunters and competitive shooters. But one presidential candidate knows who the Second Amendment is for: Everyone, especially those who, disarmed, face victimization."The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is the cornerstone of civil society," says Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian Party's 2004 presidential nominee. "It's the ultimate recourse, not only against foreign invasion or repressive government, but against bigotry when bigotry becomes aggression."Pink Pistols, a national organization dedicated to educating the alternative sexual community on the need for armed self-defense, has endorsed Badnarik's candidacy.

Hehehehehe....that's kinda funny. The NRA, the organization that supports EVERYONE'S second amendment freedomes, endorses Bush while the Pink Pistols endorse a third party....maybe because Bush is against gay marriage. Congrats to Badnarak for getting Bush's sloppy seconds. hehehehehehehe

President of the United States

2004-09-10T01:27:00.000-05:00

Via Kerry/Edwards Newsletter:

At the first presidential debate, George W. Bush will have to answer to the American people for four years of failed policies and broken promises.

And John Kerry will have to answer why he flip flopped on war issues and so on and so on.....

But make no mistake, George Bush is a skilled debater. In fact, he has never lost a debate in his entire political career. George Bush has had his four years, and he has squandered them by taking us in the wrong direction -- wrong on jobs, wrong on national security, wrong on health care, wrong on education, wrong on the environment, wrong on Iraq. W is wrong

Huh. I'm one of those "us" this paragraph is referring to. I don't feel he's squandered anything. He was right on a lot of stuff......including Iraq!

Anyway, first debate....September 30

US Senate

2004-09-09T01:58:00.000-05:00

Lots of Obama stuff today

Via WMBDRadio:

U.S. Senate candidate Barrack Obama brings his plan cut to health care costs to Peoria. Obama addressed a lunchtime gathering at Childer's Eatery Wednesday. The democrat says his plan would provide a tax credit to small businesses to defray the cost their health premiums if all their workers get health care coverage. Obama also wants to invest in improved medical technology he says will result in reducing the need to medical malpractice insurance. Obama says the number of people in the U-S with health insurance coverage has gone up from 41-point-2 million in 2001 to 45-million in 2003.

Via WMBD
Democratic US Senate candidate Barack Obama stopped in Peoria today to tout his plan aimed at helping small businesses provide affordable healthcare to employees. Obama wants to give tax credits for businesses that provide health insurance for all their employees. He says businesses would use an insurance pool that would give them better purchasing power. While Obama focused on health care, he did address recent comments made by his republican opponent Alan Keyes. Obama says it`s Keyes doing all the mudslinging. He says he`s run a clean, positive campaign.

I don't get it. What is his miracle plan. Stop after stop he says he has a plan to defray health costs. It's something I would really like to see on paper because no one else has been able to figure this out yet. Times change. Prices go up. We have to deal with it if we want to live in this type of society. Tax cuts are not an option. Do you really think that money will go into GOOD healthcare? Most companies will do what ever they need to do to get by and then pass the rest of the savings into their pockets.

WEEK adds more

On Tuesday, republican candidate Alan Keyes says Obama has been pushing his health care plan recently because he has neglected the issue in the past.''In his eight years as a state senator he has done nothing to address healthcare. Republican leadership have taken charge of the issue, I've noticed Obama has not been a part of that effort,'' said Keyes.But Obama today in Peoria said that's not how it was, ''I've spearheaded an effort to provide healthcare for children who did not have it before. I also helped pass drug card legislation.''

Ah, again he-said/she-said crap. Obama only talked about children. What about adults? What about seniors? It's nice he's thinking of the children, but there are more people who need affordable health care.

HOI went to a different stop and has a totally different story

Republican Alan Keyes and Democrat Barack Obama do not agree on many issues, but when they are talking ag policy to a bunch of farmers, it is hard to tell them apart.

HUH?! Did this guy listen to what they said? I wasn't there, but I highly doubt this was the case....anyway

Keyes said, “The bedrock foundation of America’s economic strength, success and survival is the success of our agriculture sector."

Of course he did. He's running for Senate in a state that heavily relies on agriculture for income. I really wish I had the whole speech sitting in front of me.

Obama said, “All farmers want is a fair playing field. We produce more than any other country on earth. But we can't have a situation in which our products aren't allowed in their countries and their products come in here anytime they want."

So other countries are smarter than us. There's certain things from other countries we can't live without. We've gotten to used to it, so these other countries have our nuts in a vice. Who needs corn? You can grow that just about anywhere. Kudos to the other countries for exploiting the system. Now, Senator, figure out a way to provide the same quality prodcuts that other countries do so we don't have to depend on them!

So, after WHOI said they agreed, the Pantagraph says they don't.

"I am not fond of the World Trade Organization (a coalition of countries governing international trade). In multilateral agreements, 40 to 50 percent of America's clout gets left behind because other countries form powerful opposition," said Keyes. "We fight over Cuban access for crumbs when trade to China and Japan is not open. Free trade is not. It's managed trade." Keyes said bilateral trade agreements between the United States and another country would yield better trade deals for U.S. farmers and manufacturers. Keyes said he favors tariffs on goods entering the United States from countries who have unfair trade advantages. ............................................

..................... Obama, a state senator from Chicago, countered, "I will fight for increased market access, including Cuba. The swift completion of the latest WTO talks will reduce trade barriers."

Why do we need a trade organization? Why not just use Keyes idea. We work with the countries we want to work with on our own terms not someone else's.

For Paul Hahn of Mackinaw and Gerald Thompson of Colfax, Wednesday's forum was the first opportunity to hear the candidates discuss agriculture.
"They are both great orators. Keyes seemed more passionate. Obama was more studied," said Hahn, owner of Mackinaw Valley Vineyard & Winery. "Both are city boys. They're both trying, but neither showed me a whole lot on agriculture because they lack the background."

Ain't that the truth. Both guys probably saw live cattle for the first time today.

The Pantagraph article does kind of bail out HOI near the end.

While the candidates revealed major differences on ag policy, they found common ground for:
• More agricultural research money to boost alternative uses of agriculture products.
• Increased reliance on renewable fuels, such as corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel.
• Immediate upgrades of locks and dams on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
• Seeking a post on the Senate Ag Committee.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-09-09T01:45:00.000-05:00

Via Peoria Jounral Star

About eight years ago, at a parade in Galesburg, U.S. Rep. Lane Evans realized something wasn't right.
"I had problems waving my hand," the Rock Island Democrat recalled in a recent interview from his Galesburg office. "It just suddenly happened, and it shocked me."
Evans later was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system characterized by tremor and impaired muscular coordination.
These days, Evans moves slower than he used to, and his speech is somewhat muddled. Parkinson's also has weakened his eye-hand coordination, and mundane tasks such as opening a car door now require his full concentration.
Though some days are tougher than others, Evans, who is seeking his 12th term in the House, said he's still fit for the job.
But in this year's election, Evans faces a Republican challenger, former television news anchor Andrea Zinga, who thinks he is no longer healthy enough to effectively represent the 17th District, which includes all or portions of Fulton, McDonough, Warren and Knox counties.

...............................

Yada, yada, yada. This article just goes on and on about Evan's disability. Doesn't say anything useful about the race. What a waste of space. Terrible journalism at it's finest. You know what folks....the issues don't matter anymore. Feel sorry for this guy because he has Parkinson's and his opponent made a comment about it nine months ago and vote for him. He may screw you with taxes and may not care enough about Homeland Security to show up on time for a meeting that he scheduled.....but he's got Parkinson's.

President of the United States

2004-09-09T01:34:00.000-05:00

More on John Edwards visit Tuesday. Unlike the TV and Radio stations, the Pantagraph can sneak into events unnoticed and get sound.......like they did at the fundraiser yesterday. Here's what they had to say

Via Pantagraph

"Despite the extraordinary service of our men and women in the military, Iraq is a mess, a mess by any measure," Edwards said.
"What the American people are learning is that we have now surpassed a thousand casualties. We lost more men and women in August than we did in July. We lost more in July than we did in June. And not only that, North Korea and Iran have moved forward with their nuclear weapons development program on this president's watch," he said.
The count of Americans killed in Iraq stood at 1,003 as Edwards spoke briefly to about 200 supporters at a fund-raising event Tuesday evening at the rural Downs home of Bloomington lawyer David Dorris.

So, what? I've said it before and I'll say it again. In wars past, we've lost more soldiers in one battle than we have in a year and a half .

Edwards, who was greeted by about 300 supporters at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington earlier in the day, took a jab at Republican Vice President Dick Cheney. According to Edwards, Cheney said "something to the effect that if you didn't vote for George Bush and him in November and America was hit by another terrorist attack after that, that the American people are to blame.
"That kind of scare tactic is way past the line," said Edwards, a U.S. senator from North Carolina. "The truth of the matter is that keeping the American people safe, safe from terrorism, safe from these extraordinarily dangerous people who confront us every day, is not a Republican issue. It is not a Democratic issue.
"What it is is an American issue, and George Bush and Dick Cheney ought to know that."

Oh come on! Cheney saying what he did is no worse than calling Bush a liar. Cheney's remarks never once mentioned John Kerry or John Edwards. What Cheney is talking about is putting an administration, ANY administration, in office that will pick up and possibly change things that the Bush/Cheney Administration has started. It could be dangerous to change leadership at this current point in time. That's what Dick Cheney's trying to say.

Edwards said Bush may soon become the first president since Herbert Hoover to finish a term with job losses. The economy has experienced a net loss of more than 900,000 jobs since Bush took office, he said. Kerry, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, has said jobs created in that time pay far less than the lost jobs.
"The president of the United States said one thing -- one -- in his convention speech that I agree with," Edwards said. "He said he wanted to be judged on his record. The facts are really overwhelming. During the four years that George Bush has been in office, 5 million Americans have lost their health care coverage, 4 million Americans have fallen into poverty. ... A typical family's income (is) down $1,500.
"We have 35 million Americans living in poverty every day," Edwards said. "We have got to make a real effort to lift these families out of poverty, not because it's a great political issue, but because it's wrong, and we have a moral responsibility to do something about it."

Who do you believe and how do you prove it. That's what I want to know. The Bush Administration is saying they've created more jobs than those lost. The Kerry campaign is saying the opposite. Someone PROVE to me who's right.

Edwards called for a raise in the minimum wage, an end to tax cuts for U.S. companies that move jobs overseas and stronger enforcement of trade agreements to stop foreign countries from manipulating their currencies to sell cheap goods in the United States.

Raising the minimum wage will cost jobs......although I do agree with the second part of that statement. Companies that move American jobs out of the country need to punished.....SEVERLEY for moving jobs.

US Senate

2004-09-09T01:11:00.000-05:00

Via WICS

Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Alan Keyes criticized his rival's use of language on the campaign trail.He says Barack Obama recently vowed not only to win November's election, but also to give the conservative from Maryland "a spanking".Keyes says Obama's use of the work "spanking" was the language of slave holders.An Obama spokesman acknowledges Obama made the comment but says assertions that it was racist are ridiculous.

That's just so ridiculous. Everything Obama says is a "slave holders" position or word or whatever. Have I thanked the IL GOP Central Committee lately for giving us this nutjub (not a slaveholder's word...my own!)

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-09-09T01:08:00.000-05:00

Via HOINews

Medical malpractice insurance premiums have sky rocketed and Senate candidate Aaron Schock is making sure the issue isn't ignored.Schock is urging Governor Rod Blagojevich to bring legislators back to Springfield for a special session. He says the rise in premiums have forced doctors to quit practicing in Illinois, leaving families without quality healthcare.The Peoria Medical Society supports Schock's proposal of medical malpractice reforms including caps on non-economic damages.Schock says neighboring states like Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin have caps on medical malpractice awards and have seen premiums stabilize or decrease.

Special session?! Are you serious? What does that cost the taxpayers? $17,000 a day? The next session starts in a few months. Get yourself elected and come out swinging in January. I think caps are a good idea, but come on man, no more special sessions this year. Just get yourself elected before you started ordering the governor around.

US Senate

2004-09-07T23:54:00.000-05:00

Via QCTimes

People already are talking about presidential prospects for Barack Obama, an Illinois state senator now vying for the U.S. Senate. He drew hundreds at two Labor Day events in the Quad-Cities, the Rock Island County Democrats' annual picnic at Illiniwek Park in Hampton and a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People event at Sunset Park in Rock Island. Some came because they wanted to see the man who wowed Democrats and Republicans alike when he spoke at the Democratic Party National Convention. In Hampton, Mr. Obama said he was "glad that speech struck a chord." "But a 15-minute speech is the easy part," he cautioned. "The hard part is actually getting the work done." He asked listeners at both events to "kick off your bedroom slippers and put on marching shoes" and help elect him and other Democrats in November.

Is this man just that humble or is he good at what he does? I can't tell. As the election gets closer, I still don't know who I'm voting for. I know who I'm NOT voting for *cough*Alan Keyes*cough*

President of the United States

2004-09-07T23:39:00.001-05:00

John Edwards was in Bloomington today. I was there. What a huge disappointment. He was 1 1/2 hours late. He got off the plane, shook hands for 5 minutes, then jumped in his motorcade and went off to collect his money. Here's a whole bunch of articles on it...

HOI:

Hundreds of people came together today here in the Heart of Illinois to get an up close and personal look at Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards.Edwards was in the Twin Cities for a special campaign stop.Voters from all across the Midwest made their way to Bloomington today to Edwards, and he definitely left an impression. People of all ages waited patiently on the tarmac at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington for a chance to rub elbows with a man who could be the next vice president on the United States--John Edwards.And for some, it was an emotional experience.“It was breathtaking because I’ve been here since 1:30 this afternoon, waiting to see him. I drove down from Chicago,” says Joy Williams, a democrat from North Chicago. And as Edwards worked his way through the crowd quickly, a certain 6 foot 8 democrat managed to make an impression on the Vice Presidential Candidate. “He was working his way through the crowd and he was seeing all the heads and when he came to me, he asked me how tall I was!” Says Mike Frerichs, a democrat from Champaign. And a lot of people say it's personal attention like this that shows why Edwards, as well as Kerry, are a perfect pair to run the country. “We know it’s important to hit all the states but we were thrilled he could stop in for a few minutes, a few hours in our area,” says Terri Jordan Lantz, a democrat from Bloomington. And for many who turned out, this could be the last time they see Edwards in person before the November elections, and by then he and Senator Kerry could be in the White House.After meeting supporters at the airport, Edwards attended a private fundraiser in Bloomington

Not much to this article. Sets the scene pretty good, but didn't add anything that I didn't see there

WEEK

The conventions are over and the campaigning is getting into full gear with central Illinois a part of the plan. Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards is making a swing through McLean County Tuesday afternoon. He is visiting an old friend and raising money while polls show his party falling behind the republicans.Edwards was supposed to fly into Bloomington around 4:20 p.m., but is running about an hour behind. He is planning on meeting briefly with supporters before heading to a private fund-raiser at the home of lawyer David Dorris.He and Dorris are friends and that has brought Edwards to the Twin Cities several times. Dorris hosted a similar fund-raiser in December that brought Edwards and musician John Mellencamp to his home in rural Downs, southeast of Bloomington.

Eh. At least HOI posted a story AFTER Edwards arrived. Nothing interesting in this either

Nothing from WMBD or WJBC

WMBDRadio

Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards flew into Bloomington Tuesday afternoon for his third campaign stop in just over a year. Edwards was greeted by more than 200 supporters waving Kerry-Edwards signs and chanting "help is on the way." He spent about five minutes shaking hands. But he made no public remarks before being whisked off to an invitation-only fundraiser for a ticket that's lagging in the polls. About 200 people are expected at the private event in the home of Edwards' friend David Dorris of Downs, a fellow trial lawyer who hosted a similar fund-raiser in December. That event brought not just Edwards, but also musician John Mellencamp.

Straight off the AP. Are the "journalists" who were out there so pompous that they are at home crying right now because John Edwards refused to talk to them?

This is pathetic coverage. HOI's was by far the best. Nice job from Monica Landeros to realize that the world doesn't owe her because she's a "reporter" and just because Edwards didn't talk to her doesn't meant there's not a story.

President of the United States

2004-09-06T01:41:00.000-05:00

Via Michael Badnarik Newsletter:

Our government's response has been to take it out on innocent Americans as well as the rest of the world. The Patriot Act directly attacks our most fundamental rights. This is the penalty our government imposed upon us for our suffering as a direct result of the 9/11 tragedy. Remember that Kerry voted for the Patriot Act, Bush signed it into law - and Michael Badnarik has pledged to repeal enforcement of the Patriot Act on his first day of office.

It's a double edged sword and in a time of uncertainty, it may not be a bad thing. If the government enforces the Patriot Act, they're infringing on our rights. If they let another terrorist on a plane or take photographs of a building they will use to blow it up, they didn't do their job.

Trust me on this, I'm part of the media. I know what a pain in the ass the Patriot Act is, but I'd rather have a proactive government than one who waits for something to happen.

Our government has decided to punish our youth, as well. At this moment, it is reported that 982 of our children have died because they were sent into harm's way to risk their lives in order to protect the interests of big government. Remember that Kerry supported Bush's War of Aggression - while Michael Badnarik finds it both unconstitutional and immoral.

More people died in one day at one battle in World War II than have died in the entire year and a half we've been in Iraq. The goal of the war was to get an evil dictator out who was killing thousands of innocent people....the same as the reason for the Invasion of Europe. The difference, in WW2, we were saving Jews....this war, we're saving Muslims, so the Western world doesn't care and calls it immoral. No one is being forced to go to Iraq that didn't sign up for it. We haven't started a draft yet.

Even more deplorable, we are taking out our aggression on the citizens of Iraq. While no clear death toll exists, it is estimated that between 11,793 and 13,802 Iraqis have died as a result of our actions. All of these needless deaths occurred, yet no WMDs or link between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein was ever found. While Bush and Kerry argue about who will be the tougher war president, Michael Badnarik pledges to be our peace president.

At least we're not blinding dropping bombs like the Germans did in London. If we're killing Iraq's, they're in the way. I'd don't want a pussy in the White House. I want someone who's going to defend the country.

This is all being done by both Republicans and Democrats in your name, and in mine. It is critical that we send not just our elected officials - but the entire world - the message that our government does not reflect the will of the American people.

That's why George Bush is leading the most recent poll by 12 points while Michael Badnarik is yet to get five percent.

If anyone cares, Michael Badnarik will debate Green Party Candidate David Cobb Monday at 1pm on C-Span. The big two were invited, but did not attend. David Cobb

US Senate

2004-09-06T01:24:00.000-05:00

Via WJBC

U-S Senate candidate Alan Keyes is accusign his Democratic rival Barack Obama of having a "Marxist socialist" voting record.In an interview, Keyes said Obama's record is that of a"hard-line, academic, Marxist socialist, who wants a governmenttakeover of health care."Asked about the remarks, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said Keyesappeared to be interested in "name calling."Keyes also stood by statements that raised eyebrows at theRepublican National Convention this week, saying it would have beendishonest of him to curb his comments.Some G-O-P delegates were stunned by his remarks in defense ofthe platform's opposition to gay marriage. He began his defense bysaying those who practice gay sex are guilty of "selfishhedonism."

I've tried to stay away from this Alan Keyes stuff because I'm so damn mad at the Illinois GOP for picking this guy. Now, I don't support Gay Marriage either, BUT I would never say the things he did about them. I don't have a problem with Gay people, I just don' t think they should get the same benefits as heterosexual couples do. Why? Easy. Heterosexual couples have an important job......recreation. Homosexual couples can't do that. Heterosexual couples usually involve children, therefor, they need the extra help that the benefits provide for them. Homosexual couples are often just two people. If they were living alone, they would be the same as living together. They don't have a family to support....just each other.

I also don't agree with a national healthcare....but I wouldn't call it "marxist socialist" This guy....seriuosly, if he was white, he'd have the NAACP on his back.

US Senate

2004-09-06T01:20:00.000-05:00

PVia WMBD

Democratic US Senate candidate Barack Obama is spending Labor Day weekend with a trip to Central Illinois. Obama stopped by the local 974 union hall in East Peoria. A picnic was held there for new members and retirees. The state Senator`s message...he cares about the people of this state and he knows we want change. He says he wants change as well.He also commented on President Bush`s recent speech at the Republican national convention.Obama`s biggest concern...Bush`s record on jobs. Obama is running against Republican Alan Keyes in the election.

Next time, Obama should try preaching to the choir. Just once, I'd like to hear one of these politicians step back and tell the East Peoria UAW to suck it up. They could be like Mitsubishi or Maytag. What happens in Caterpillar gives them what they want then in two years, Cat is having financial problems and has to start laying people off. What if that money that Cat had to fork over for health insurance would keep jobs? Would the UAW then give up the health insurance? I don't think so.

US House of Representatives 15th District

2004-09-06T01:07:00.000-05:00

Via Pontiac Daily Ledger

Congressional candidate Dr. David Gill and supporters from the Livingston County Democratic Party will be marching in .......

...."We will do well in Livingston County because, quite frankly, my platform attracts people from both political parties," Gill said in the news release. "The last time I was in Pontiac, a farmer and lifelong Republican approached me and said that he was voting for me because, as a farmer, it was simply unaffordable to have good health insurance these days."

Gill, 44, an emergency room physician, said he started running for public office as a result of his desire to fix the health care system in the United States. "I joined a group called Physicians for a National Health Plan many years ago and I patiently waited for Washington to fix this problem. Finally, though, I realized that it will never be repaired until we send representatives to Washington who really understand the problem, who actually work within our healthcare system each and every day.

Ah yes, and Dr. David Gill will be the answer to rising health care costs. Yup. There will never be National Health Care. The government would put too many companies out of business. Everyweek, I look at my paycheck and groan because so much money is taken out for health care. It just burns my ass when people are asked to pay for their healthcare and they strike because of it.......(sorry, this somehow got off on a Cat rant.)

US Senate

2004-09-01T00:16:00.000-05:00

Via WEEK

Some uneasy moments Tuesday for the head of the Illinois Republican party at the Republican National Convention.Judy Barr Topinka was holding an impromptu news conference when Senate Candidate Alan Keyes pushed in and took over.Topinka had finished telling reporters that right wing Republicans do not win elections.

GOD I HATE THIS FREAKIN GUY!! SERIOUSLY, HATE HIM!! This is after he ignored the Illinois Delegation at the Convention to focus on the national media and contributors from out of state.....who can't vote for him.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-09-01T00:11:00.000-05:00

Via WEEK

''The way that Mr. Weller is a Congressman is pretty much mirroring the way he does fundraising. Basically, if you get a thousand dollars, you can talk to your Congressman,'' said Renner.

Renner is referring to Representative Jerry Weller's success with high-dollar fundraisers in unique settings like rock concerts. Still, Renner has collected nearly a quarter of a million dollars at low-key events so far.

Wow. Harsh. But seriously, that's the way things are. Republicans always have high dollar contributors while Democrats depend on many small donations.

''If you like the prescription drug plan that's basically been written by the drug company's for Medicare, then Jerry Weller's your guy. If you believe we need to negotiate with drug companies, then I would ask for your support.

ooooh. Look at this. An actual issue. The ONLY one brought up in the whole story.....we end on this crap, yet again

For his part, Weller scoffs at Renner's criticisms, including the questioning of the Republican's engagement to a Guatemalan political operative. Still, newspapers that have endorsed Weller in the past are asking the same questions. Does the relationship pose a potential conflict of interest? Is it appropriate considering the woman's father is a former dictator? It is not the cornerstone of the campaign, but Renner admits it could give him a boost at the polls.

So, how are we any better off by reading this article? Yet again, we're not. We still don't know what Terri Renner supports. We just know who Jerry Weller is marrying.

US Senate

2004-08-29T21:28:00.000-05:00

Via Aledo Times Record

The Mercer County Republican Party will hold its annual barbecue fundraiser Aug. 27 from 4-7 p.m. in Central Park.Candidates, spouses and helpers will be serving the public starting at 7 p.m.

U.S. Representative candidate Andrea Zinga will be on hand and Dr. Alan Keyes, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate has been invited to attend.

But why in the world would Alan Keyes campaign somewhere that isn't in Chicagoland?

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-08-27T01:58:00.000-05:00

More Lane Evans....this time from the Canton Daily Ledger

Evans said he was asking voters to consider the current administration's record and the benefits now being offered to the wealthy, upper class of taxpayers. "I'm not talking about the hard working men and women but the ones who receive undeserved corporate fees and tax breaks."

Yada, yada, yada....yawn.

Evans added he wanted the public to push President Bush to speak on the real issues of public security, such as the war in Iraq and troops being exposed to dangerous situations without the proper equipment and training.

How about talking to your candidates about NOT FUNDING THEM AFTER SENDING THEM OVER THERE?!

US House of Representatives 15th District

2004-08-27T01:51:00.000-05:00

Via Pontiac Daily Leader

"I don't intend to have an extensive radio or television campaign process," Johnson said about his re-election effort. "We don't intend to spend a huge amount of money on this campaign, and I don't think those campaign plans will change between now and November."

That's confidence folks.

Johnson said he's met (Dr. David) Gill only once, for about 30 seconds in St. Joseph, where Johnson recently hosted a top Agriculture Department official. "He seemed like a very nice gentleman," Johnson said of Gill. "I know virtually nothing about him. He's been polite to me, but frankly kind of below the radar screen, so I don't know if the campaign will ever get in high gear."

Yeah, I've kinda been saying that for a while. Gill is almost ignoring Bloomington-Normal. He's only been there twice and won't be back until the debates in late October

Johnson was asked about the recent experience of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., in being temporarily denied boarding a flight. "I've been selected more than once," Johnson said about being chosen for an inspection before boarding one of his frequent flights between Washington and airports in his district. "But I didn't feel it was inconvenient -- and I know of some members of Congress who get irritated when that happens. I don't think that I am any different from any other passenger, and when those things happen I simply comply with what they ask me to do."

So, what? They want to put these rules in place but don't want to be subjected to them?! Screw that! I don't want to be pulled aside in an airport either, but that's the way our paranoid society works now.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-08-27T01:37:00.000-05:00

Got a couple of Lane Evans stories today from the Galesburg Register Mail

Rep. Lane Evans, D-Rock Island, hosted the first online town hall meeting Tuesday from his office here........

........Evans said he found the session enjoyable. The question that surprised him the most asked if he supported issuing a Cold War medal for honorable service during the Cold War era. Evans said he supports the idea.

Wow. Now there's an idea I don't think has ever been brought up before.

Also, here's another one on overtime law

Even though it does not affect people living in Illinois, Rep. Lane Evans, D-Rock Island, had a news conference at his office here Tuesday morning denouncing the new federal overtime law that went into effect Monday.

The new law eliminates overtime for people earning more than $100,000 a year and mandates overtime pay for those earning less than $23,660. Evans said eliminating the possibility of overtime pay for workers earning between $23,660 and $100,000 will hurt the economy. With overtime pay, those workers have more money to spend, so they buy more, which improves the economy, he said.

You know what? It may just be the bitterness in me, but anyone earning over $100,000 a year shouldn't be complaining that they're going to lose a few bucks. Seriously, do you know how much extra money I would have laying around if I have $100,000/year? I make $21,000 and I've always gotten overtime. I NEED that overtime money just to survive in Peoria. I bust my ass and work as much OT as I can just so I can do the things I enjoy. Could I live on less. Yes, and I have. Those people making $100,000 may have to spend one less weekend on the yacht....you know, I've never even been on a yacht.

Screw those guys!

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-08-27T01:29:00.000-05:00

Here's what I TRIED to do yesterday.

From the Peoria Journal-Star

During the first public debate for the 92nd District race, state Rep. Ricca Slone said her experience in Springfield would make her a more effective lawmaker, while her opponent, Republican Aaron Schock, questioned her effectiveness.
"I can tell you that when I started eight years ago, I knew a lot less about the process than I do today," Slone said during the Wednesday debate at the Lariat Steakhouse sponsored by the Downtown Peoria Kiwanis Club.

I sure hope so. Hell, two weeks after I start a job I know twice as much as what I knew when I started.

Schock, the president of the District 150 School Board, criticized Slone's voting record and her inability to stand up to Chicago interests.

"I think first and foremost you have to have a lawmaker who will stand up to the Chicago lawmakers ... who will say no to Speaker Michael Madigan," he said, referring to the powerful Chicago lawmaker who has presided over the House for years. "Representative Slone has served for four terms … and I think it's a fair question for voters to ask 'What have we gotten in return?'"

YES! YES! YES! Why is it only Republicans see this problem (except for Alan Keyes and the GOP Central Committee)? There is more to Illinois than Chicago.

Schock also attacked Slone, a Democrat, for having voted for a number of initiatives that he said have hurt businesses, such as the fee increase for trucking companies that operate within the state.

This really is a bad idea. Why your candidate for US Senate is talking about keeping jobs, the state Democrats are pushing them away. Trucking jobs are important to this economy....especially down here in central IL.

The pair also sparred on how to lower the cost of prescription drugs, with Slone saying she agreed with Blagojevich's initiatives to help citizens import drugs from Canada, where they are typically cheaper, and Schock saying lawmakers should not be urging citizens to break the law. The federal Food and Drug Administration has said that importing drugs from foreign countries is illegal and potentially unsafe.

"I think if anybody had ever been harmed by drugs imported from Canada, we all would have heard about it," Slone said.

That's a pretty weak and irresponsible argument, isn't it? Well, we didn't know steriods were bad at the time and now we test to make sure people dont' use them. Wouldn't it be better to be safe than sorry when talking about drugs? Why not work within in the US to get prescription costs down. How? I don't know. There has to be a way though.

President of the United States

2004-08-27T01:22:00.000-05:00

Via Badnarak Newsletter:
The first multi-party presidential debate of the 2004 election cycle comes to New York on August 31st. Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate, and Green Party candidate David Cobb, have confirmed that they will participate in the event, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Sts. Cyril and Methodius church, 502 West 41st Street.

Other presidential candidates, including President Bush, Democratic challenger John Kerry, Constitution Party candidate Michael Peroutka and Independent Ralph Nader have been invited to participate, as well.The debate will be moderated by Walt Kane of News 12 New Jersey and Robert Richie of the Center for Voting and Democracy.

"President Bush and Senator Kerry have been involved in 'sensitive negotiations' over debates for some time," says Badnarik, 50, of Austin, Texas. "But it isn't rocket science. We've secured a location, moderators, and a format that gives every candidate a chance to address the issues. If Bush and Kerry want a debate, they've got one. If they don't -- well, that's a statement in and of itself.

"The debate, which will be preceded by an all-candidate press conference, allows each candidate a five minute opening statement, a three minute closing statement, and two minutes to answer questions posed by the moderators and the audience. The debate will be open to the public, without "set-asides" for the campaigns. "In other words," says Badnarik's communications director, Stephen Gordon, "the real public, not the fan club, will have a chance to grill the candidates."

I would put money on Bush and Kerry NOT showing up. For one, it involves third party candidates. Why would Bush and Kerry waste the time with them? The race is between the Democrats and the Republicans.

Second, no set aside questions. This could really, really ugly. A liberal will get up and grill Bush about the war and a conservative will get up and grill Kerry about Vietnam. We don't need that. Those people only want one thing and that is to cause trouble.

We all know what the "skeletons in the closet" are in this campaign. Debates should be civil and a war or words between the candidates about the ISSUES......not the dirt. If Badnarak, Cobb, Pertrouka, and Nadar could do that, then let them in....but more than likely, it's just an attempt to try and publicly humiliate the two major candidates.

Illinois House of Representatives District 101

2004-08-26T01:33:00.000-05:00

Via WCIA

Republican state representative candidate Scot England says if he`s elected, he`ll vote to force the Governor to live in Springfield. Governor Blagojevich lives in Chicago, but England says he should have to live in Springfield when the General Assembly is in session. England says that would help avoid costly overtime sessions like this year.

"We have a governor who is allergic to Springfield. Anything south of Kankakee is beneath him, and that needs to change," England said.

The governor says Chicago is his home, and he`ll continue to live there.England, a former TV reporter, wants to represent the 101st District. He`s running against incumbent State Representative Robert Flider.

YES!!!!! I want to move to Champaign just to make sure this guy gets elected. If Blagojevich were elected President (God forbid) would he still choose to live in Chicago or would he move to Washington? Pretty sure we know the answer to that. Hey, people in the 101st! MAKE SURE THIS GUY GETS IN!!!!

US Senate

2004-08-26T01:20:00.000-05:00

Via WICS

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Alan Keyes yesterday criticized his rival Barack Obama's stand on handgun control.Keyes singled out Obama's opposition to loosening existing firearm restrictions, saying such opposition makes Illinois residents more vulnerable to criminals

Oh yeah. This guy's too much. Criminals don't get their guns from gunshops. They get them on the black market. Loosening restrictions would make it easier for hunters and LEGITIMATE gun owners to get firearms.....not criminals.

Seriously, I thought this guy was supposed to be a Gun-totting conservative.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-08-26T01:13:00.000-05:00

Via Decatur Herald & Review

U.S. Rep. Lane Evans found out firsthand Wednesday what Faith in Action of Macon County is all about as he made a friendly visit to an 80-year-old local veteran.What the Rock Island Democrat and former Marine discussed with the 80-year-old remained private because the man did not want any publicity.

Huh. Wonder what the point of this article was. I know Lane Evans is really interested in what's going on in Decatur. Whenever you do an interview with the man and mention, "Galesburg, Quad Cities, Macomb, Canton...." he always throws in "Don't forget about Decatur." It is cool to see him doing things like this, but it does no good to the voters if we don't know why he was there. It raises more questions than it answers.

Really, this is like the Dennis Kucinich visit to the UAW Hall in East Peoria. Thanks to a PJ Star reporter, the media wasn't allowed in for his speech. It was more like "Hey, look who's here, but we're not gonna tell you what he's saying."

If you keep going in the article, you get to this.....

Evans said he worked for a community services program, the Western Illinois Legal Assistance Fund, for about 18 months after graduating from law school.

"We worked on problems that individually and collectively needed help," Evans said. "The value was in the one-on-one association.

"Being Catholic helped him form his positive efforts to help the poor and disabled through the legal assistance program, Evans said.

I guess if being Catholic is important to you, this might help you make a decision.....I guess

Illinois House of Representatives District 92

2004-08-26T01:06:00.000-05:00

Ricca Sloan and Aaron Schock debated yesterday at the Lariat Club in Peoria. Let's look at what the TV stations had to say.

Via WEEK

For the first time in eight years, voters have a choice in the 92nd district state representative's race. And on Wednesday the candidates faced-off for their first debate. Speaking before the predominately conservative Downtown Kiwanis Club, incumbent Democrat Ricca Slone and Republican challenger Aaron Schock talked about education funding, the state's finances and the healthcare crisis.Schock is the 23-year-old President of the Peoria School board who earns a living as a landlord.Slone is a 57-year-old mother of three who has spent most of her career in public service.

Huh. Well, I guess I really don't have anything to say about this. The story they ran on the 11:00 newscast was much more detailed.

HOI and WMBD both had pretty good stories, but neither are on their websites.

WMBDRadio doesn't have anything, so I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow's PJ Star and try this one again.

President of the United States

2004-08-25T02:01:00.000-05:00

Via Michael Badnarik Newsletter:

The generally accurate and credible website at http://thegreenpapers.com has up-to-date data on ballot access for the presidential race. An overview of their results provide:
Name----------------Party(ies)-----------States------Write-in---Possible electoral votes
Michael Badnarik ----L--------------------35----------0-----------360
David Cobb----------G, Write-In----------23----------2-----------246
Ralph Nader----------R,I,Write-In----------5----------2------------75
Michael Peroutka-----C,US Taxpayers,I---22----------0-----------223

What I find funny is Ralph Nader is having a harder time than the other three. Has anybody really heard anything about the Constitution Party and Michael Peroutka? You only need 270 electoral votes to win, right? Badnarik can technically win. Cobb and Peroutka are pretty damn close. And for as much as the Liberterians wine, 35 out of 50 states ain't too damn bad.

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-08-25T00:02:00.000-05:00

Lots of different stuff on Jerry Weller today....let's start with WJBC

Schools such as Heartland Community College could see enrollment jump if Congress passes legislation that one lawmaker also thinks could help laid-off Mitusbishi workers. The Train Act -- for technology retraining and investment now -- would give companies or individuals between $8,000 and $10,000 for education or training in technology based skills.Heartland Community College President Jon Astroth says it might convince some students to specialize in Industrial Technology but he sees bigger enrollments from companies interested in expanding employee skills.Congressman Jerry Weller thinks some Mitusbishi workers could benefit with help to get new skills to land another job.A lobbyist for the high-tech industry says the legislation will begin to help prepare the country for a predicted need of 2-MILLION more high tech workers within just four years.

C'mon now. This is 2004. People should know how to run a computer and set their VCR by now. But, any incentive for employers to hire is worth a shot. There might be a lot of middle aged workers who could benefit from this program, but it's a short term solution. Most of the people being laid off at Mitsubishi are laborers. They're not going to want to sit in front of a desk. This area needs LABOR jobs.......not desk jobs. Eventually, the workforce will be replaced by kids who know this tuff and there will need to be a new incentive for employers.

Via WEEK

11th district Congressman Jerry Weller, who faces a tough fight from Democrat Tari Renner, wants to stand out from the competition. Not just the competition from Renner, but the competition from all of the candidates seeking donations on Capitol Hill.So, for a suggested donation of $1,000, representatives from political action committees and other supporters can take in a rock concert or a night at the museum with Weller.....

.....''We had an event at the Rialto Theater this past year where my supporters were able to take in a musical as well as support the candidate of their choice,'' said the republican from Morris.And it's working. Weller's campaign says more than two-thirds of the dollars raised for the five-term Republican in the first half of this year came from tie-in events like the one at the Rialto.

Wow. Interesting story and not a bad idea either. Give the people something in return for their money.

President of the United States

2004-08-24T23:47:00.000-05:00

Via The Dispatch

Despite the partisan crowd, Mr. Cheney fielded pointed questions along with softball comments. On the topic of gay marriage, he pointed out that one of his daughters is gay and admitted his stance is different from that of President Bush. He thinks states should determine the sanctity of same-sex relationships, but that the administration's policy is for a constitutional amendment.

I'm pretty sure he has an opinion that he's not sharing because it's not the same as President Bush's. Anyway, I disagree with him on this. It shouldn't be state-to-state, it should be a national policy. Just think, if you could legally get married in Iowa, but you live in Illinois, that puts Illinois in quite a position. Legally, you are married. The state of Iowa recognizes you as married. What is the state to do. Say no your not married or honor the licsense from Iowa? When you move from state to state, heterosexual couples do not need to get a new licsence.

A policy of deterrence like the one used in the Cold War is no longer appropriate, Mr. Cheney said, pointing to military action in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"I don't think the United States can go forward from this point on prepared only to use military force after being attacked," he said. "President Bush has said we will not seek a permission slip to defend the United States of America."

Nor should we wait to be attacked. We waited on September 11 and liberals blame George W. Bush for not being proactive. He was proactive in Iraq and liberals still slam him. We have the greatest army in the world. If we bombed at will, NO ONE could stop us.

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-08-24T00:46:00.000-05:00

Via Canton Daily-Ledger

The House Democrats will be kicking off their "Voices of Heartland Tour" with Rep. Lane Evans hosting the first online townhall meeting. It will give small town and rural America an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns to leading lawmakers on issues important to them. Rep. Evans will host the first from his office in Galesburg at noon (CST) on Tuesday, Aug. 24.

"Lane Evans is one of Congress's biggest advocates for the veterans and military families. He also represents a largely rural district which makes him the perfect person to host the first online townhall meeting," stated Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi who invited Evans.

Damn....what a cool idea.

http://demcaucus.townhall.house.gov

US House of Representatives 11th District

2004-08-24T00:34:00.000-05:00

Via LaSalle News-Tribune

On the 146th anniversary of the first Lincoln-Douglas Debate in Ottawa Saturday, Tari Renner, the Democratic nominee for the 11th District Congressional seat, addressed questions concerning his views on economic policies and other topics in the city’s Washington Square.Renner said he had hoped to use the anniversary to start a series of debates with his opponent, U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Morris). The congressman, however, was unable to attend the event. Weller’s office had previously stated it was first notified Tuesday of Renner’s call for the debate.Renner said he realized the notice was short for the congressman, although he did not think it was prohibitively short.

He's never taken part in a debate before, huh? These things are so well choreographed that there is now way they could have gotten ready in less than a week. The whole idea is to NOT look stupid and entering a debate this late would have done just that.

He then went on to actually talk about the issues at this debate turned stump

Renner also said the country needs to re-evaluate all of its trade agreements.“[Trade agreements] need to promote fair trade, not free trade at all costs,” he said.

Renner said while he believes globalization could have immense benefits for all nations in the future, he thinks protections need to be built into trade agreements to ensure that the workers are paid a living wage and that environmental rules are followed.

Well, we can't make other governments enforce the same rules we do. And we do live in a free market society. I mean, this fair trade idea is one of those that look good on paper, but when prices start going up, people are only going to complain. Why buy a Sony when you can buy a Soni? We're too much of a materialistic society for free trade. Right now, if we're getting 3 apples from Mexico for the price of one from California, which one are you going to buy? The ones from Mexico. Now, if we make the price of the apples from Mexico the same as the ones from California, which are you going to buy? Probably neither because when you used to get three, now you can only get one.....your going to be a little upset at the produce grower.

President of the United States

2004-08-24T00:20:00.000-05:00

Got newsletters from both today....lets break them down.

First, John Kerry's

On Saturday afternoon, we released a new Internet ad about the lies being spread by the so-called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." We asked you to call on George Bush to stop using campaign shills to smear the record of John Kerry and other Vietnam veterans. Your response was amazing -- more than 150,000 of you signed our petition. Incredible!

Eh, Kerry's using this issue to take steam away from the RNC next week.

You sent a powerful message to the media, the Bush campaign, and the public: The American people are tired of the lies being told about John Kerry's service in Vietnam.

Your right.....I am. So who's telling the truth here. You know, President Bush did release his military records, why hasn't John Kerry? Also, do I want a hippy as the Commander-in-Chief? He did come back from Vietnam and talk about how bad the government was, etc.

Now on to George W. Bush's newsletter "written" by his daughters. After some pretty soft stuff about how great their dad is, they "write"

We know that when you get to know his record as President, you too will feel compelled to participate in this year's election - and hopefully get involved in the campaign, too. We know it can be hard to find time to think about politics. We just graduated from college and are perfectly aware that schoolwork, parties, and extra-curricular activities keep students busy, away from campaigns and voting booths. In the last election, less than half of 18- to 24-year-olds were registered to vote, and only 32% of them actually did vote. Sadly, many Americans our age did not take advantage of their right to vote.

I would totally party with these girls. The President and his family remind me so much of my own. They didn't grow up eating cavier like Teresa Hines Kerry.....I'm pretty sure they know what Chili is....and they've probably been to Wendy's a few times. They have problems as a family. The girls are typical college girls. They're not Chelsea Clinton. They're just like the girls I went to college with. Unfortunately for them, they're actions are always in the spotlight. They don't act any different than anyone else and that's why I like this family.

We are asking you to get involved with this campaign not only because it is the most critical election of our lifetime, but also because we have the ability to positively change our future.

Yeah, don't we hear that every four years.

United States President

2004-08-22T21:51:00.000-05:00

Via Nader/Camejo Newsletter:

Here's a question: what competition, occurring every four years, attracts the attention of the world over and is becoming increasingly commercialized? We're talking, of course, about the American presidential race.

Wow. So the Presidential Election is becoming like the Olympics....which is funny I mention that because later in the newsletter.......

The 2004 Olympic Games are being hosted in the birthplace of democracy. Here at home, the worthy tradition of fair play in competition—a pillar of democracy—is being compromised by political sabotage.

EVERYTHING is becoming more commercialized. The Olympics are the worst. The Presidential election is pretty close behind. I can see how a third party candidate can say that. As I've said before, I'd rather someone waste a vote on a third party than voting for someone or something they don't believe in. Ralph Nader is NOT going to win this election, but there are thousands of people out there that believe the same things Ralph Nader believes. If they want to vote for him, they should be able to. They shouldn't be forced to vote for "the lesser of two evils"

US House of Representatives 17th District

2004-08-22T18:44:00.000-05:00

Via Galesburg Zephyr

(Andrea) Zinga, last week, proposed a federal constitutional amendment that would allow the Senate to reverse court decisions by a two-thirds vote.......

Zinga’s proposal is not new, according to (Politcal Science Professor Lane) Sunderland. "Sen. Robert LaFollett once proposed an amendment allowing two-thirds of the Senate to overrule a court decision. Robert Bork supported an amendment to allow a simple majority of each house to override any federal or state court decision." Both went nowhere.

Because it's not a good idea. Where's the check's and balance system in this proposal? Why even have the Supreme Court? If the court says something that congress passed is unconsitutional, congress can basically say screw you...we want it, we're passing it.

US Senate

2004-08-22T18:39:00.000-05:00

Via Springfield Journal-Register via Associated Press

With less than three months until Election Day, U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Barack Obama holds a hefty lead over his Republican opponent Alan Keyes, according to a new poll.
Nearly two-thirds of the 700 likely Illinois voters who were polled said they support Obama while 24 percent said they support Keyes.

Yeah, because Obama's running for State of Illinois Senate.....Keyes is running for the State of Chicago.

Fieldcrest School District 6 Referendum

2004-08-22T18:33:00.000-05:00

Via HOINews.com

The Fieldcrest school system is asking voters to reach into their pockets and approve a 55 cent property tax increase on the November ballot.School leaders say since 2002, close to $1.2 million has been cut from the district's budget.Thursday night, the school board unanimously decided to approve the measure.They say the extra money will help offset cuts to district funds.

They tried this last May. It failed then, it will fail this time. Again, what's more important....education or music? Make the cuts that you don't need.

Illinois House of Representatives District 88

2004-08-22T18:30:00.000-05:00

Via HOINews.com

Representative Dan Brady has a new challenger for his seat this year.Phil Huckleberry is a Green Party candidate.He says his biggest campaign platform is reforming the state education system.Schools currently get most of their money from property taxes.Huckleberry says that is too inconsistent for much of the state.He said, “Illinois is the worst state in the country in terms of discrepancy between poor districts and rich districts and we have to fix it. All of our children deserve a quality basic level of education and we're not doing it right now."Huckleberry says he would like to raise income taxes and give that money to schools.

Don't we already have enough problems with raising taxes? If that's the only solution he has, he's doomed. How about cutting non-essential state jobs? How about trimming salaries and voting down raises for legislature. There are so many other ways to get money for education. As a state, we need to get our priorities straight. Would we rather plant flowers in Bloomington or educate our kids. It's not that hard.

US Senate

2004-08-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

Via Keyes 2004 Newsletter

Early yesterday morning in Springfield, Dr. Keyes met with and addressed the Republican County Chairmen's Association and the Republican State Central Committee. He then mixed and mingled and gave two incredible speeches to hundreds at the Fair. Some who heard Dr. Keyes' speak said he gave the "most inspiring speech" they had ever heard. Others commented, "We've got to get this man elected!"

And there were many others that probably said "This man is nuts!"

Keyes stressed the importance of voting for candidates who will uphold morality, for candidates who will protect the lives of our unborn children, for those who have the character and integrity to stand against the wind of political corruption -- and he challenged all to vote for those things that are right.

The State of Chicago will do well with Alan Keyes. Now for the state of Illinois.....???

Let's look quickly at Alan Keyes upcoming events schedule

Aug. 21 - Lake Forest*

Aug- 27 - Mercer County Bar-Be-Cue (Keyes attendance not confirmed because...........)
Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO at 10:00*

Aug 29 - Addison Township Parade

August 31 - Hannity and Colmes Fox News Channel*

September 4 - Henry County Hog Day Parade
Henry County Meet the Candidates (appearance not even confirmed)

September 6 - Naperville Parade with Speaker Denny Hastert

September 8 - Evening in Bloomington

September 9 - Republican Professional Network -Chicago *

September 10 - Pre World Trot Day Benefit - Marion*

September 11 - Patriot's Day - Wheaton*

September 14 - Will County GOP Golf Outing

September 19 - New Trier Republican Organization Picnic

September 20 - Day in Rockford.

*appearance confirmed

EVERYONE ONE OF THOSE GODDAMN CONFIRMED APPEARANCES IS IN FREAKIN CHICAGO!!!!!!!! Why does Alan Keyes need to campaign on Hannity and Colmes? or Bill Maher's show? Get your ass down here and tell US what your going to do!

Illinois House of Representatives District 103

2004-08-21T16:28:00.000-05:00

Via Champaign News-Gazette

Republican Deborah Frank Feinen has challenged state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-Urbana, and Socialist Equality Party candidate Thomas Mackaman to limit spending in their 103rd District House race to $200,000 each between Sept. 1 and Election Day.

"There are lots of reasons to do it, but I think the primary one is the idea that it costs $500,000 to be elected in a district the size of Champaign-Urbana is outrageous," Feinen said on Friday. "And I really believe that that much money allows the focus to come away from issues and presents the opportunity to the campaigns to really start smearing their opponents, and I don't think that that's what elections should be about."

What an OUTSTANDING idea. Let's see if the voters will vote on the issues instead of who has the slickest campaign. Too bad all elections weren't like this. And surprisingly, this idea came from a Republican! Let's see if the other two guys will do what she asks or continue spending money. Of course, the incumbent will probably be against the idea since she probably has a pretty easy time getting money.

US Senate

2004-08-20T01:38:00.000-05:00

Via WEEK

U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes took the time to get in a jab against his democratic opponent. Keyes calls Barack Obama a candidate with 'no substance'.

''They have put up a candidate who does not have in fact what it takes to face the challenge of Alan Keyes much less the challenge of the United States senate.. and so what do they want to talk about. They just want to talk about extraneous things that have no real bearing on the people of Illinois,'' said Keyes.

Does Alan Keyes always talk about Alan Keyes in first person?

At the state fair Thursday afternoon Keyes said he no longer supports getting rid of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

As a candidate for president in 1996, Keyes called for abolishing the Ag Department.

Well, DUH! Agriculture is the heart of Illinois' economy. Of course he's changing his mind because no one in their right mind would vote for someone who opposed agriculture

President of the United States

2004-08-20T01:36:00.000-05:00

Via WCIA

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader may not be a choice for voters in Illinois in the November elections. The Illinois Board of Elections says the Nader campaign didn`t submit enough valid signatures to qualify for the election. The board says only 20,182 signatures were valid -- short of the required 25,000.But, Nader`s attorneys are appealing the board`s decision, hoping for a reversal.

Eventually, there's going to be enough lawsuits this gets changed. The Liberterians have sued...now Ralph Nader. Just give it up. Let these guys on the ballot. Let people vote for whom they want to vote for.....not the lesser of two evils.

Illinois Senate District 53

2004-08-20T01:28:00.001-05:00

Via Pontiac Daily Ledger

As a way to alleviate overcrowding of Illinois' maximum security correctional facilities, Sen. Dan Rutherford, Chenoa, (R-53), is advocating the opening of Thomson Correctional Center in Thomson.

This correctional center was completed on schedule in August 2001, but has yet to be opened. The prison, a state-of-the-art facility, requires that approximately $50 million in funding be appropriated by the state before the facility commences operation.

Some state officials advocate closing several state prisons and relocating the inmate population to the newer facility in Thomson. Rutherford had an opportunity to visit the dormant facility on Aug. 18, and said he agrees that Thomson is state-of-the-art.

"Nevertheless I am opposed to shutting down fully operational correctional facilities, especially in light of the system's overcrowding, simply to open Thomson," said Rutherford.

"I do not believe that it is necessary to shut down one facility just to transfer them to another facility," said Rutherford. "It seems infinitely more reasonable to open the Thomson facility as a way to eliminate the overcrowding at all other state prisons. Simply transferring some of the inmates from other Level 1 facilities into Thomson will save the state money and create safer conditions for the prison guards and staff."

I'm a big fan of Dan Rutherford, but I think this time he's just telling people what they want to hear for the sake of saying it. Thomson was going to replace Pontiac.....which Rutherford faught very hard to keep open. I highly doubt the governor is going to find $50 million dollars to open one prison without shutting down another.

FYI, Dan Rutherford is also running unopposed at this point.

US Senate

2004-08-20T01:23:00.000-05:00

Via Champaign News-Gazette

Illinois Democrats brushed aside the intraparty squabbles that marked a record-overtime legislative session this summer to unite behind U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama and the party's presidential ticket at the Illinois State Fair Governor's Day rally. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Senate President Emil Jones and House Speaker Michael Madigan, who continued bickering even during the Democratic National Convention late last month, were all singing the same tune on Wednesday: get out the vote and elect John Kerry, John Edwards and Obama.

Well, at least the Democrats can agree on something. They know they have the right man going into the election unlike another major party in Illinois.