kanecountypolitics.com

Presidential Primary Season Heating Up

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:59:02 -0600

The race to become the Republican nominee for President has shifted in to high gear as the candidates work Iowa to gain support for Tuesday’s caucus.
Some are more Pro-Life than others, their illegal immigration views differ, etc. and some have voting records that prove, or reveal, who they are.
I think all of the candidates understand we need fundamental changes in our fiscal policy and most have some good ideas for economic growth. BTW. I did not like Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan. One should never offer Congress a new source of taxation.
We can debate who the best or worst candidate is based on issues, but what I’m looking for is strong leadership skills. I’m not a strong supporter of any of the candidates, but agree all are better than what we have now.
The problem is neither candidate, in my opinion, has the gumption or support of Congress, to do anything more than tweak our fiscal policy. I don’t see any real change taking place until we elect people, throughout D.C. and our state capitols, willing to lead and set a high and universal goal of being fiscally thrifty.
The President can change the course we are on, but we need to change the practice and acceptance of corruption on Capitol Hill first. Are there really more than a handful of our current Congressmen worth keeping? Does anyone think John Boehner is a strong leader?
Congressmen buy voters, trade loopholes for contributions, and vote themselves power and wealth, with our money, as a standard practice and most are re-elected. Perhaps the problem is the voter, not the politician.
We need a new tax policy and must cut our budget to less than $2 Trillion annually so we can begin to pay down debt. Budgets need to start from zero, not the previous year’s total.
OK, enough ranting and raving. A quick view of my take on the candidates which is subject to change anytime.
Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich fall in to the “Don’t Trust” category. Fair or unfair, Mitt has changed his stances based on his audience and Newt is a D.C. insider who has been feeding off the taxpayers. I like Newt’s knowledge of the issues and he has a tack record of some success in budgeting and welfare reform, but I can’t get past his sleaziness. I like Romney’s confidence and ability to look at the nation’s budget as a business, but don’t know who the real Romney is.
I agree with Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann on most things, but they do not project themselves as “Presidential” or to be strong leaders. Both appear weak to me. Bachmann says the right things, but can she get them done? Santorum lost his last election. Bachmann especially, has sound fiscal goals, but is not connecting with the voters. Either could gain steam if they had Romney’s confidence and stature.
Ron Paul is one of the few politicians I’ve ever heard speak his mind with authority and confidence. I think he understands the fiscal problems we face and how to fix them. Looking at the field, Paul is the one not like all the others. That is attractive to a lot of voters because they are tired of being stabbed in the back by others pretending to believe in strong fiscal policy.
However, Ron Paul lost me when he said he would choose Dennis Kucinich as his Defense Secretary. That thought cements his weak stance on foreign policy. Kucinich is a nut. I do not want anyone with his views heading up our National Defense. I also think our economy will eventually suffer when we turn a blind eye to events overseas. I also don’t see Paul and Congress working well together.
That being said, I do not support George Bush’s foreign policy either. We need to take a hard stance with our enemies through strategic strikes when necessary and rarely with troops on the ground. Both policies are flawed and we need a strong leader at the Pentagon to figure it out.
Rick Perry is quite unimpressive. The exchange with Romney, in the debate, about the Romney book was childish on Perry’s part. He reminds me of a class clown. Perry is out for me. Can you imagine this guy negotiating with the Chinese? How has this guy won in Texas?
I don’t have a view either way about Hunstman. I like some of what he says, but having the NY Times promoting you cannot be a good sign. He hasn’t stood out among the others just as Bachmann and Santorum have failed to.
Race For 2012 has some fun looks at voting groups and current trends. It evens shows candidate Buddy Roemer on the rise.
I’d take anyone of the candidates at this point and would lean to Romney because he has the best leadership skills in the field. Ron Paul gets beaten up a lot, but I think he has a lot to offer and we need more politicians who can think for themselves. He would be one of the Congressmen worth keeping.
Either way, the Republican Party needs to focus on fiscal policy and how it relates to creating jobs. They also have to practice what they preach.
Congress and state legislatures have been the biggest obstacle to job creation thus far and the party needs to communicate that to the voter now so they understand the problem and want to vote for the Republican solution in November.

If Not Now. When?

Tue, 2 Aug 2011 21:37:30 -0500

Republican leadership was given a golden opportunity to rein in spending and change the way Washington does business, but caved under the pressure of the media and Democrat scare tactics.
The so called “Default” would have forced Washington to prioritize their spending and force both Parties to make a commitment to begin paying off our National Debt whether it was immediately or a date to be determined.
In the end, Republican leadership was more concerned about bad press and getting re-elected than they were about reducing the debt.
The deal does not reverse the National Debt, it only reduces the rate it increases. To add insult to injury, the deal is not front loaded so proposed cuts may not be implemented by future Congresses.
Republicans have to learn how to play the PR game like the Dems do. Raising the debt ceiling should not have been the central issue. Reversing the National Debt and spending trend should have been.
The message should have been If the current trend continues, eventually no one will receive benefits and they needed to lay out a plan for the items the government would pay first such as Social Security, veteran benefits, etc., incase a deal wasn’t reached, so the Dems could not leverage Social Security recipients against them.
They could also have proposed bringing spending back to Clinton administration levels, plus inflation, when both parties worked together to “balance the budget” and most approved of the economy.
Nearly every problem we have in our country today is caused by politicians. The only people that benefit from today’s deal are politicians because they can continue to spend and buy votes.
The longer Congress waits to address the problem, the harder it becomes to correct as we pay more and more to cover debt service.
If not today, then when will Congress put together a budget that reduces debt? My guess is never.

Tea Party Backed Congressmen Force Debt Ceiling Debate

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:09:26 -0500

The Debt Ceiling debate is still at the political forefront thanks to Tea Party backed Congressmen unwilling to accept Republican offers from Speaker John Boehner or Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Proposed plans, from both parties, are underwhelming. The Republican cuts are projected over several years and still allow excessive spending and higher debt.

The National Debt will spiral out of control without a real solution to change the way Washington spends. The budget has to be brought down to pre 2000 levels, with a serious plan to reduce the deficit each year.

One of those Tea Party backed Congressman Joe Walsh (IL-8) is speaking out about debt and big government. Walsh spoke in Aurora on July 9 at an event sponsored by the Tri-Count-Teas Tea Party, The Great Awakening , and the Kane County 9/12 Patriots.

Walsh wants a balanced budget amendment and believes Republicans must step up and deliver a solid plan to put spending back in line. He said the voters have given the Republican Party one last chance to fix the debt crisis and they cannot afford to blow it.

Walsh wants John Boehner to bargain with an upper hand because the Democrats’ economic plan of spending has failed. He also noted John Boehner has been in Washington D.C. too long. He said Boehner has lost touch.

Walsh may be running in the newly drawn 14th Congressional District if the new map holds up to court challenges. The Democrat drawn map, minus 1 seat, is designed to reverse the Republicans’ 11 – 8 edge in Illinois. The map is designed to pit incumbent Republicans against one another or to force them to run in unfamiliar districts. mchenrycountyblog has the proposed and current maps.

Congressional maps are redrawn every 10 years, with new Census information, by the state legislature and signed in to law by the Governor.

Walsh, who recently called the President a liar, in a youtube video, made similar statements on July 8. He said Obama is lying when he claims Social Security checks won’t go out if the debt ceiling is not raised. He also said Obama is in over his head and acts like a child.

Walsh talks about how we lose our freedom when government takes and spends our money. He said Republicans have to govern as promised and stop the Democrats’ big government agenda.

I heard Congressman Peter Roskum (IL-6) last month, at an event sponsored by the WestSuburbanteapartypatriots, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the contrast between the two men.

Both are Conservative, but while Roskum speaks in political generalizations, Walsh speaks forthright, without riding the fence. He offers real solutions to decrease spending and to restore a realistic budget to Washington D.C. He also talks about the problems, such as career politicians, unfriendly economic conditions, unfair legislation, and the corrupt nature of politics.

Walsh will be speaking at the Western Kane County Township Republicans’ annual barbecue dinner on Sunday July 31. Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) will also be on hand. It’s a great opportunity to hear both men’s take on Washington D.C.

WLS radio personality Dan Proft will also be on hand to speak (worth the price of admission by himself) and Republican State Senator Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale will speak as well.

U.S. Debt Understated

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:56:43 -0500

I heard the liberals bragging on Stephanie Miller’s “progressive” talk show last week that the debt has gone down since the Obama administration took office.
No joke! Bloomberg posted a story citing a 13% drop in the deficit because of larger treasury receipts this year, but a closer look tells a different story.
The budget shortfall of $1.26 Trillion this year compared to the $1.37 Trillion last year is hardly a victory. It’s nice that revenues have climbed, but the fact remains the government still spends far more than they take in.
news.com.au offers a different view from Bloomberg. They claim the federal government has understated the nation’s total debt by $900 billion and that it is as high as $200 Trillion when future obligation, such as Social Security and Medicare, are included.
Wait. It gets worse. The Congressional Budget Office, which typically underestimates true cost, estimates the national debt will be more than 100% of GDP in two years. presidentialdebt.org has a lot of stats if you’d like to see the numbers.
It won’t be long until all we can afford as a nation is the interest on the debt. Debt equates to greater taxation and servitude. Don’t hold your breath waiting for Congress to tell the truth about the debt. It is far worse than we can imagine.

France Bans Full Veils

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 11:17:48 -0500

France is likely to become the first European country to outlaw veils that completely cover the face. The Yahoo story cites the French people’s desire to protect their “values” and see the veils as conflicting with their culture.
The law, of course, will affect Muslim women and it will be interesting to watch it all develop. The French say they will enforce the rule with fines, including fines to those who force the veils on women.
It’s an interesting story. It’s hard to believe any European country, especially France, would make such a bold move, but I think the law is misguided.
The French, most likely, fear the increased presence of Islam and its oppressive customs, but Covering your face should not be applied to everyday life. it is a violation of personal freedom. The law should apply to specific circumstances such as driver’s license pictures.

Obama Still looking To Spend Way Out Of Economic Crisis

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:30 -0500

Is Barack Obama economically ignorant; or purposefully destroying our economy? The President continues to ask for spending bills under the pretense they will create jobs, even as the economy continues to stagnate under the current spending bills pushed through by Congress.
U.S. Conservative Politics sums up the President’s situation pretty well. Obama and his economic team can’t understand why the economy is still losing jobs after all the spending and government intervention.
The article also mentions Republican leader John Boehner’s call for changes to the Obama economic team. I disagree. Changing the pieces won’t work. The change has to be philosophical.

Even Mayor Daley Is Cutting Back

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 23:09:52 -0500

Clout Street has the following story.
Posted by John Byrne at 2:48 p.m.

Mayor Richard Daley today announced a plan to consolidate several city departments and eliminate positions in an attempt to drive down costs.

The General Services and Graphics departments will be consolidated. So will Cultural Affairs and the Mayor's Office of Special Events.

The Zoning Department and Department of Community Development also will be merged, Daley said.
Daley will include the consolidations as part of his 2011 budget proposal. The consolidations will take effect Jan. 1, Daley said at a City Hall news conference. The mayor did not say how many jobs might be lost and how much he hopes to save.
The mayor, who faces re-election in February, is trying to bridge a record $655 million budget gap.

Big Brother Driving The Automobile Industry

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:05:39 -0500

Energy scholar Donn Dears offers a succinct commentary on the Environmental Protection Agency’s desire to grade automobiles based on carbon output. Dears also discusses the goal of many in Congress to regulate and grade our homes energy efficiency as well.
The “Global Warming” movement is the epitome of Congress’ determination to control our lives. Even if “Global Warming” exists, Congress still lacks the authority to force the auto industry to build cars they want instead of what the consumer wants. They also lack the authority to punish citizens for using energy; or, in their opinion, for wasting energy.
Keep in mind that Cap and Trade may be dead, but it can still be implemented through the EPA. According to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling, the EPA can regulate carbon emissions.
If you get a bunch of loons, that think cows passing gas is going to burn up Earth, “Cap and Trade” type regulations will be forced on the public, by a government agency, without a legislative vote.
Certainly, some politicians probably believe in “Global Warming,” but for the most part, I think they simply see it as a new revenue stream. They’re using our own money to control us.
Should we conserve energy? Of course we should. Should we be forced to conserve energy and be punished financially if we choose not to? No way! Yet another negative result of our super-sized government.

Kane County Board/Circuit Court Clerk Battle Over Budget

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:01:21 -0500

The Daily Herald reports on the budget battle between the county board and Circuit Court Clerk Deb Seyller. Seyller is threatening to close the Circuit Court office in October for lack of funding while the board threatens to take her to court for exceeding the budget.
Seyller is asking for more funding to perform mandated functions required by court orders and the various layers of government, while the board refuses to increase funding, citing Seyller’s ability to perform the mandates previously without increased funding.
It appears the county board is irritated Seyller hired employees without their approval and Seyller explains the mandates must be performed.
Check out the Kane County budget. The county has its hands in education overview, homelessness, healthcare, and domestic violence.
The mandates required for the Clerk’s office may or may not be worthy causes, but nonetheless required. The problem is Kane County government, like state and federal, has become a welfare provider willing to take on debt and shortchange the necessary parts of government at taxpayers’ expense.