Eighth Annual RALC Ronald Reagan Day Dinner features Brady and Cook

 The Eighth Annual RALC Ronald Reagan Day Dinner was held on Saturday, March 27, at the White Deer Run Golf Club in Vernon Hills.  Eighty five Republicans attended. 

 

Raymond True, Chair of the RALC, welcomed everyone to the event which honored the memory of our great President, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the only United States President born in Illinois.

 

After the invocation by Republican Assembly Chaplain, Glenn Stewart, and the Pledge of Allegiance by Gene Dawson in keeping with tradition, Raymond True quoted from Regan’s farewell address to the Nation:  “As I walk off into the city streets, a final word to the men and women of the Reagan revolution, the men and women across America who for eight years did the work that brought America back.  My friends:  We did it.  We weren’t just marking time.  We made a difference.”

 

True reminded those assembled that President Reagan was a humble man who communicated solutions to problems by using the language of common sense and patriotism.  Mr. True then went on to thank all RALC members,  friends of the RALC, Young Republicans, 9/12 members, and Tea Party members for their continued and unwavering commitment to the Conservative movement in Illinois and for their commitment to carry on the work of President Reagan.

 

As in years past, Raymond True shared a letter written by Wren Powell, Executive Assistant to Nancy Reagan, followed by a gracious letter sent by Nancy Reagan to be read at the RALC dinner honoring her husband.  Since next year will be the year to celebrate the 100th birthday of President Ronald Reagan, Ray True was informed that requests for letters should be made a month or two in advance because of the number of requests anticipated in 2011 to honor Regan’s 100th birthday.

 

Republican Gubernatorial candidate, Bill Brady, spoke early on while dinner was being served, as he had another engagement scheduled for later on in the evening.  In introducing Senator Bill Brady, Ray True gave Brady the highest praise possible by commenting that Bill Brady was “one of us.”

 

Brady related how he was honored to be the Republican nominee for governor as one who will represent the Republican Party in the image of Ronald Reagan.  As a boy, even before he could drive, Brady told how his parents hosted the first fund raiser for Ronald Reagan.  Continuing, Brady spoke of the impact Ronald Reagan had on the lives of so many individuals because of his class and character, attributes that must be reestablished in order to return Illinois to the land of liberty and personal responsibility.

 

Jim Brady told of being in Washington, D.C. last week, and that it was a sad day when Democrats maneuvered a power grab in order to pass ObamaCare.  Brady emphasized that Republicans must work hard to elect every Republican on the ticket.  He does see a pickup of four seats in Illinois for the U.S. Congress. 

 

Upon asking the guests if Illinois would be better off if Governor Quinn raised taxes by 66%, the answer was obvious.  Illinois overtaxes and over regulates.  In the words of Bill Brady:  “Only by doing away with the bureaucracy that control Illinois will Illinois be able to lead in economic recovery.”

 

In his closing remarks, Brady reported that Illinois is no longer a blue state.  The latest poll shows him fourteen points ahead of Governor Quinn.

 

After a buffet supper, Raymond True introduced, in alphabetical order, elected and party officials who were in attendance:

 

Lou Atsaves – Moraine Township Chairman

The Honorable Jimmy Booras – Chief Judge of Lake County

Bill Brady – Candidate for Governor

Don Castella – Vernon Township Chairman

Bob Churchill -  (All positions) Former Republican Majority Leader, County Chairman and Candidate for the 8th Congressional District

Bob Cook - Current Lake County Chairman

Dr. Bill Dam – Former 8th District State Committeeman and former Mayor of Fox Lake

Gene Dawson – 8th District State Committeeman and Barrington Township Supervisor

Keith Gray – Former Candidate for State Senator and Current Trustee of the Roundout School District

Tom Morrison – Candidate for 54th Representative District

Ann Oakley – Cook Memorial Library Trustee

David Pfeifer – Waukegan Township Chairman

Rosanna Pulido – Twice Republican Candidate for the 5th Congressional District

Maria Rodriguez – Mayor of Long Grove and Recent Candidate for the 8th Congressional District

Connie Shanahan – Freemont Township Chairman

Ed Sullivan Sr – Village of Mundelein Trustee

Eddie Sullivan Jr – State Representative for the 51st District and Freemont Township Assessor

Joe Walsh – Candidate for the 8th Congressional Districtt

Terry Weppler – Mayor of Libertyville

 

Chairman True expressed pride in the number of officials present who were members of the RALC, after which he introduced Bob Cook, Republican Lake County Chairman. 

 

Bob Cook expressed his excitement to be at the event as Lake County Chairman in a role that will help decide the future direction of the Lake County Republican Party.  The RALC was pleased to have two RALC members as candidates for Lake County Chairman, Don Castella and Bob Cook.  Bob Cook became Chair to replace Dan Venturi after Don Castella graciously dropped out of the contested chairman race.

 

Cook didn’t mince words when he informed precinct committeemen present that this will be a busy year for them and how they will be asked to do a lot more than in past years.

 

Bob Cook’s expectations included:Republican attendance is important at the Lake County Republican picnic at the Serbian Monastery on September 10.

1. Republicans should support the golf outing at White Deer Run Golf Club this summer.
2. Republicans should attend the upcoming Republican Gala in April at the Marriott in Lincolnshire.
3. Membership in the Republican Federation is a must.
4. Republicans should support and join the RALC, the biggest grass roots organization in Lake County.
5. Precinct leaders must knock on doors and talk about our great candidates.

Bob Cook had these announcement to make: 

• 400 committee precinct men will be expected to sell 10,000 raffle tickets to raise money for the Republican Party.  The prize for selling the most raffle tickets is a 5 day, 5 night all expense paid vacation in Hawaii.
• Fifty new precinct committeemen were appointed.  This is the first time in years there is a Township Chair in each Lake County Township. 
• A new premium fundraising event is being planned – an Octoberfest.  Such an event could raise $500,000.  Cook realized a half million dollars was ambitious to achieve in the first year, but Bob Cook likes to think big.
• A new group is being organized with a target date of May 1st called ER (Energized Republicans).  Open to precinct committeemen, it will be a grassroots activist group that will work out of the Federation Heaquarters on Peterson Road to help Republican candidates get elected. 

In conclusion, Bob Cook informed those assembled that he would like to end the term RINO.  Cook further told the gathering that it would be great if this country could stop killing babies, but the goal is to get there.  According to Bob Cook, it can’t be done unless we win.  Bob Cook asked those present to remember that we are all Americans and all Republicans, and that as a group we must support the Republican Party and ALL our great candidates.

The evening ended with a silent auction of 82 items which was enjoyed by all.

 

The Flourishing of Statism

Three days after the triumphant victory dance of Congressional Democrats after passing ObamaCare on March 21, the most far reaching and ill-conceived entitlement program in this nation’s history, The Wall Street Journal reported that Social Security will be paying out more this year than it will be taking in.  In other words, Social Security is bankrupt.  This was not supposed to happen until at least 2016.

The misconception of a locked box, with money paid into it by workers over many years accumulating so benefits can be theirs in retirement, is non-existent.  All the Social Security money has been used to finance other government programs.  Left in the imaginary box are only IOU’s.

Every past entitlement program has ended up costing many times more than the projected cost.  It is a pipe dream that ObamaCare can promise to insure 30 million more individuals and yet manage to save money in the process.

Unbeknown to most Americans is that a silent monster looms menacingly over U.S. government finances.  By 2020 it is predicted that Social Security, Medicare and interest on the debt will gobble up every single tax dollar.  This silent monster will continue to grows every year and will eventually create a financial tsunami.

With the passage of ObamaCare, the mask has finally come off in exposing Democrats for whom they and what they are all about.  They are for Statism, the practice that vests economic control in a centralized state government.

Statism might be compared to a cancerous growth which has attached itself to this country. This cancer is now in the process of metastasizing.  As it grows and expands, it will rob the American people of their freedoms and the ability to invest in and be part of the free enterprise system which has enabled this nation to prosper since its founding over 230 years ago.

In that  Democrats are willing to ignore the financial tsunami they are creating, favoring Statism instead, by ramming through ObamaCare against the will of the majority of the American people, should raise a red flag to all Americans.

In order to save our Constitutional Republic so future generations of American can enjoy all the blessings granted under God, Statism must be stopped in its tracks, for Statism forms the basis of Socialism.  Hopefully enough Americans will rally to the cause to take their country back, so a political tsunami will occur in November.

Might Democrats fear ObamaCare?

If ObamaCare is such a good plan, why are legislators in the U.S. Congress able to keep their health care benefits for life, even if defeated or leaving office voluntarily, while the American people have no choice but to live with ObamaCare?

Also, why are the bulk of provisions stipulated in ObamaCare which will prove most onerous to the American people not scheduled to go into effect until 2013?  Could it be that Democrats don’t want to mess up the reelection of Barack Obama in 2012?

Noteworthy is that Democrats in the Senate rejected every amendment proposed by Republican senators on Wednesday, March 24, to their ObamaCare bill.

One defeated amendment might come back to haunt the Democrat’s in November.  The amendment would have banned pedophiles, rapists, and sex offenders from receiving government funded Viagra.

How will the Democrats explain this egregious vote to the American people?

Illinoisans will pay dearly for ObamaCare

It is a misconception that the reconciliation bill got rid of the Cornhusker Kickback.  What is really did was to extend the additional Medicaid funding Nebraska received to every state.  But here is the catch.  Starting  in 2015 federal Medicaid funding will be greatly cut, resulting in further financial strain on already bankrupt state governments.

According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the Democrat Congress’s health care plan will cost Illinois over a ten year period 169,000 jobs, require $4,418 per person in Illinois to fund the plan, and result in shrinking the state’s economy by 5.1 percent.  All this at a time when Illinois has a FY2011 budget shortfall of $4.7 billion, a $6 billion of accumulated past debt, and $83 billion in unfunded pensions!

Those truly concerned about health care costs should open their minds to alternative ideas of patient-centered reforms that save money, reward individuals for good health decisions, and focus on doctors, patients, and quality care.

ObamaCare is not the answer to better health care.  It is not a catalyst for real change, but rather a cementing of this nation’s descent into an European-sytle welfare state.

ObamaCare, a cruel hoax

Late in the evening of Sunday, March 21, in a narrow and partisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a monumental and outrageous piece of sausage making that is both diabolical and disingenuous.  The health care bill is a cruel hoax on the public who supports and an affront to the majority of Americans who oppose.

Aside from the deliberate lies about no changes to your favorite health care provider and coverage, any plan that claims to be financially neutral with ten years of taxes and six years of benefits is unethical and repugnant. 

And what about these shenanigans?   To keep the COB estimates below $1 trillion, the health care bill cuts Medicare by $500 billion, a cut that would be folly for legislators to make.  Then there is the Dr. Fix of $250 billion that is not even on the balance sheet.   

Consider also the 17,000 new IRS agents to enforce the mandates that individuals either buy insurance or pay a fine.  The added cost is a mere $21 billion, but who’s counting? 

Notably absent in the health care bill are real cost containment reforms.  The serious alternatives offered by Republicans for genuine health care reform were rejected out of hand.

The American public witnessed on March 21 the first step to a public option followed by the governments of Canadian and the UK through mandated programs. 

Scary is that even if the 2010 Congressional elections prove to be carnage for Democrats, there is still a far leftist in the White House.  Nothing can change until Obama breaks his veto pen or is voted out of office in 2012.  Even then entitlements are nearly impossible to remove. 

Americans should care that their Constitutional Republic is being destroyed, to be replaced by greatly expanded government power and control that will fundamentally change this nation and result in crippling and unsustainable debt for future generations of Americans.

North Suburban Symphony partners in a “Diverse Generations” concert with Lake Forest High School orchestra students

On the afternoon of Sunday, March 21, a noteworthy orchestra concert, Diverse Generations, was  presented in the Lake Forest High School Auditorium at 1285 N. McKinley Road, Lake Forest.   The North Suburban Symphony, a community orchestra of 35 volunteer musicians based at Gorton Center in Lake Forest, with roots dating back to the Lake Forest Chamber Orchestra organized in1955, and who has enjoyed an association with the Lake Bluff Park District since 2001, partnered with student musicians of the Lake Forest High School Orchestras to blend their talents in making music together.

The combined concert in no way was meant to pit one orchestra against another; instead, it was a display of unity and cooperation in a community that values and supports a fine orchestra program and which is also home to a non-professional, all-volunteer community orchestra.   Such a partnership has great potential value, as it enables high school orchestra members to learn and perform repertoire that might otherwise be impossible.  Also, student musicians do graduate and go off to college to pursue careers.  Community orchestras function as avenues through which students, as adults, can continue to play their instruments.

It was last year that Ron Arden, now in his third year as Music Director and Conductor of the North Suburban Symphony, approached Robert Bassill, Director of Orchestras and Theory at Lake Forest High School for the past seven years, about the possibility of a joint orchestra concert with the North Suburban Symphony as part of its 22nd 2009-2010 Concert Season.   Robert Bassill and Ron Arden already knew each other professionally, but, as music educators, the idea of combining students with more seasoned players seemed the right thing to do.  Thus the Sunday, March 21th concert became a reality.

While North Suburban Symphony players started rehearsing for the March 21st concert during the second week of February, Robert Bassill’s preparation of his Lake Forest High School orchestra students began in January.  When asked if his students were excited about playing the concert, Mr. Bassill had this to say:  “Yes, they are a little nervous about not being good enough, but they are excited!”  Concerning talent, Robert Bassill feels that talent is a misleading word and that anyone who works hard while learning a musical instrument can be a top musician at the high school level.  As such Mr. Bassill is proud of his students and their levels of musical achievement.  His students are often the same as those who excel in other areas. 

Two combined orchestra rehearsal for the March 21st concert were held back to back on Thursday and Friday nights, March 18 and 19, so players could get to know each other and deal with balance and ensemble playing.

As a cellist in the North Suburban Symphony, I can attest to the musical talents of Robert Bassil’s LFHS string players.   Paired with a student cellist, I was both pleased and amazed that my student partner, and the students I observed all around me, were enthusiastic, well prepared, extremely talented, and pleasant to “old folk” like me. 

It is a credit to the Lake Forest School System that stringed instruments are introduced and emphasized beginning in the 4th grade  I was informed by SarahTruding, who heads the string program at the Deer Path Middle School, that 90 fourth graders were started this school year at Lake Forest’s three elementary schools — Everett, Sheridan, and Cherokee — and that between the 4th and 5th grades it is expected that 65% of the students will continue to play their instruments.  

Sarah Truding further told me that 200 string students are presently participating in her orchestra program at the Deer Path Middle School (5th – 8th), and that 85% of her 8th grade string students will continue orchestra when they enter high school. This is a record to be proud of, for without feeder groups of students from one grade level to another, there can be no successful orchestra program at the high school  level.  Another achievement deserving  praise is that since 2002 the string program in the Lake Forest School District has tripled. 

For the May 21st concert, Robert Bassill was able to add roughly 33 violins, 10 violas, 11 cellos and 5 bassists to the NSS string section.  Also given a chance to perform with North Suburban Symphony players were LFHS brass, woodwind and percussion players.  When possible, each high school musician was paired with a North Suburban Symphony player.

Ron Arden and Robert Bassill shared the podium.  As both conductors are fine string players and musicians in their own right, Ron Arden sat in the orchestra to play viola when Robert Bassill was conducting.  Bassill did the same but played the violin during Arden’s time on the podium.

Robert Bassill began the concert by conducting Concerto Grosso by Ralph Vaughan Williams, scored for String Orchestra in five movements.  String players from Robert Bassill’s two Lake Forest High School Orchestras were on stage with   NSS string players (Mr. Bassill has two high school orchestras — the more advanced Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Orchestra).   It was Bassill’s desire to make sure that all of his string students had the opportunity to work with the NSS. 

Following the Vaughan Williams selection,  Ron Arden led a chamber work, Le Bal de Beatrice D’este, scored for wind, brass, and percussion by Reynaldo Hahn.  Reynaldo Hahn is not a composer known to many individuals, even professional musicians, but the music was delightful, very much in the French style, although Hahn was Venezuelan-born and then French naturalized. The six movement of Le Bal de Beatrice D’estra were sweet, lyrical and easy to listen to.  Only one of Robert Bassill’s orchestra members performed in the Hahn selection, Christian Schmidt, percussionist.  The other instrumentalists were mostly first chair players from the NSS.  It was felt by Mr. Bassill that his kids would be maxed out if also asked to prepare the Hahn selection.

After intermission, the audience experienced for the first time ever, the merging of  Robert Bassill’s Symphony Orchestra with the full NSS, numbering more than 100 musicians on stage, in a performance of Beethoven’s glorious Symphony No. 5, Opus 67, in C Minor.  Robert Bassill conducted movements one and two of the Beethoven.  Ron Arden took over the baton to conduct movements three and four. 

There was excitement in the air with the final chord of Beethoven’s 5th.  Given the way the audience responded, there is every expectation there will be more partnerships in the future with the Lake Forest High School Orchestras and the North Suburban Symphony.  Hopefully this concert will be the beginning of a good and lasting relationship in a community that values music in the life of their children and a community orchestra that is pleased to have Lake Forest as its home.

For any adult who has a desire to take up their instrument and start playing again, perhaps the NSS is the place for you?  Talented high school instrumental players are also welcome to join the NSS. 

For information about the North Suburban Symphony check out  www.northsubsymphony.org. 

Lake Bluff constituents greet IL state representatives, Garrett and May, with a barrage of pointed questions

On Saturday, March 20, Majority Caucus Whip and state Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, 29th District, and state Rep. Karen May, D-Highland Park, 58th District, co-hosted a constituent outreach meeting from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Community Room of the Public Safety Building at 45 E. Center Ave. in Lake Bluff.  Fifty plus well informed and interested citizens attended what turned out to be a contentious meeting with Garrett and May over the mismanagement of state government, the unfunded pension fund, and the inability of Springfield legislators to come to grips with the critical financial situation in Illinois.

The object of their joint Town Hall meeting was to have constituents inform Sen. Susan Garrett and Rep. Karen May where to put their emphasis in Springfield and for thoughts about what type of programs they might explore.  This was accomplished almost immediately when Garrett and May asked for questions from the audience, which were addressed through a show of hands.

Early on Senator Garrett responded to published articles stating that she was being considered for Lt. Governor by saying that she was just one of 250 individuals being considered for Lt. Governor.  Even so, Susan Garrett did say that she has a different vision of the role of the Lt. Governor and that she would emphasis job creation through programs to train a qualified work force.

To the credit of both Garrett and May, little was said about the bills they had been successful in either introducing or having passed in the Senate and House, although Rep. Karen May did speak about her House Bill 636 which passed on Friday, March 19.  The bill created a 2-tier benefit structure for newly hired employee and included changes to members’ normal retirement ages, pension formulas, final average salaries, maximum annuities, cost of living adjustments, maximum pensionable salary, and survivor annuities.  Even so, many present did not think May’s House Bill 6368 went far enough for solving the whopping $83 billion in unfunded pensions.

It was explained by Karen May that Illinois has five pension systems and that the pension bill passed on March 19 deals only with state employees and those in the state educational system.  When brought up why the state pension system couldn’t be changed over to a 401K pension plan system, Garrett responded by saying, “There is a perception that this may not be a stable place to put money.”  To which the original questioner responded:  “Why must we support pensions of state employees when our own pensions are not similarly guaranteed?”  As a retort, Garrett reminded those gathered that a giant step had been taken and that this is the first time in a decade that the Senate has come up with a bill for pension reform.

Regarding the 33% tax hike announced by Governor Quinn on March 11 in his proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget, Senator Garrett came out firmly against the tax hike until meaningful cuts were made. When asked for a show of hands of those who supported Quinn’s tax hike, only five individuals responded accordingly.  One concerned citizen said that she wouldn’t mind paying more in taxes if she knew where the money was going, but that the reputation of Illinois is the “farce” of the fifty states.  Emphasized time and again was that throwing more money at something doesn’t make a better product.

A concerned business owner told how businesses like his are being driven out of Illinois and out of this country in order to compete.  When the business owner brought up the corporate tax rate here in IL as being higher than in other states, Karen May responded by saying that Illinois is extremely aggressive in attracting new businesses and that the corporate tax rate here in Illinois in lower than in other states, i.e:  California, 7.6%.   The business man’s response to Karen May was that the corporate tax on businesses in IL is assessed using a different formula than the one in CA.

Karen May also refuted that Illinois ranks 48th in the nation in job creation.  May questioned where the contributor of the statistic had obtained his information.  His reply: “From the Illinois Policy Institute.”  Karen May’s response:  “Illinois is not as bad off as CA, NY, and NJ in job creation.  We are where we should be.”

The deficit problem was brought up time and again.  One concerned citizen spoke of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that reported Illinois as having the largest deficit of any state, with California coming in second.  When asked how the General Assembly was going to deal with the state’s $100 billion deficit problem, Karen May remarked that there is a the need for bi-partisan support to get things done.  One citizen attendee expressed disbelief and promptly informed both May and Garrett that in both Springfield and Washington, D.C. the Democrats are in the majority, and how Democrats can get what they want done without support from Republicans.

It was further pointed out that the budget mess wasn’t a recent happening.  There were good times of economic growth — the recession only kicked in two years ago — yet debt accumulated because more was spent than was taken in.  As it stands now, this year’s FY 2011 budget anticipates spending $4.7 billion more than anticipated revenue, which Quinn wants to borrow to make up the shortfall.  There is also an additional accumulated past debt of $6 billion and $83 billion in unfunded pensions that must be addressed in Springfield.

A remark by Susan Garrett was quite problematic when she suggested that Democrats didn’t create the debt problem.  Instead, It was caused because there was not enough oversight by Illinois legislators.  Senator Garrett then spoke about her bill to prioritize agency spending so each agency could go back and give a list to the General Assembly of the state’s most  critical programs.  Garrett does feel that one size doesn’t fit all and that the same cuts across the board for all agencies would be inefficient and ineffective.

It was pointed out that legislators, while attempting to deal with the budget problem, are at the same time proposing new spending programs.  Both Garrett and May denied this was happening.  Pointed out, however, is that a bill to support state funding of abortions was passed last week (There is already state funding of abortions.  The bill recently passed prevents abortion funding from being taken away in the future.).  To pro-choice Karen May this was acceptable because “there are many poor people living in some areas of Illinois.”

Toward the end of the 1-1/2 hour session these two topics were briefly discussed:

1. It was suggested that Karen May, a leader in the Green Movement and an advocate of wind turbines and solar energy, vote against the lifting of the moratorium on the building of new Nuclear Plants here in Illinois out of fear that the federal loan program set up to build new Nuclear Plants would fail ($2 billion was allotted for each new plant, while a Nuclear Reactor now costs $10 billion to build), leaving Illinois to absorb the government’s default.   Brought up was that Illinois  has two Nuclear Plants at Zion, Illinois, which were prematurely shut down even before their licenses had come up for renewal in 1998.  These could be opened again at a  fraction of the cost to build a new Nuclear Plant.  Nuclear Energy is the way to go.  It is a source of green energy and the entire world is powering up with nuclear energy, while the U.S. is powering down.
2. Garrett and May were asked what they thought about the Fair Map Amendment which proposes to put the drawing of legislative districts into the hands of an independent commission to prevent gerrymandering, so incumbent legislators don’t win 98% of the time.  Both May and Garrett expressed reservations against the Fair Map Amendment.  May didn’t think a fair commission could be found to draw the legislative district.  Garrett, on the other hand, felt her fellow Democrats would come up with a plan that is much better than pulling a name out of a hat to decide redistricting.

Immediately following the Lake Bluff Forum, Senator Garrett and Karen May travelled to Highland park to co-host a Town Hall meeting at the Highland Park Police Department.

Will this nation’s Republic survive Sunday’s assault?

A cartoon by the renounced political cartoonist, Jack Higgins’, of the progressive and left-leaning Chicago Sun-Timeson Thursday, March 18, was more than thought provoking. 

 Higgins expressed truth that should be obvious to all, using but one frame to express his cartoon message. 

The sick patient in bed, rather than representing the Statue of Liberty, was but a symbol of this nation’s Constitution.  Doctor Obama, with his clipboard in hand, was declaring death to our Constitution in a caption which read:

        ”Look, you’re over 200 years old and becoming a burden.  I deem it’s time for you to pass.”

With President Obama’s push for a vote on health care reform this weekend, Obama has demonstrated once again that he shows little respect for our Constitution and deems it flawed and antiquated. 

Why else would Obama be acting against the will of the people, and disregarding the Constitution in the process, if the take over of one sixth of the government through a government-run health care program wasn’t Obama’s real objective?

May enough Americans wake up to admit that what they thought was hope and change is not what they had bargained for when electing Obama president in Nov. of 2008.  

If the American people allow this to happen, America, as we know it today, will cease to exist.   Our Republic will be relegated to the dustbin of history, to be replaced by a “nanny” big government-Socialist type of government.

Such a government will kill the “can do” spirit and the “enterprising” nature of the American people, traits that have made this nation great and the envy of the world

History proves it can be done!

On Wednesday, March 17,  it was reported that the Chicago jobless rate in January soared to near 12% and to 12.2% for the rest of Illinois.

On the same day I read a report telling how 100,000 supporters of illegal alien amnesties plan to descend upon Capitol Hill on Sunday, March 21 to influence Congress into passing their open borders agenda later this year.

Under pressure to fulfill a campaign promise, the Obama administration is actively working on immigration reform, insisting there is no way the 12 million plus illegal aliens now living in this nation can be deported.  Is the Obama administration not aware that three presidents in the last century did deport illegal aliens?

During the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover ordered the deportation of ALL illegal aliens to make jobs available to American citizens that desperately needed work.   Similarly Harry Truman deported over two million illegals after WWII to create jobs for returning veterans.  Then again in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower deported 4 million Mexican nationals in “Operation Wetback” so American WWII and Korean veterans had a better chance at jobs.

The Pew Hispanic Center in April of 2009 reported that there were 450,000 illegal aliens living here in Illinois.  If illegals aliens could be deported back then it could be done today, given the dismal unemployment rate here in Illinois and all across the nation.

It is fact that this nation pays more in welfare to illegals than it would cost to deport them.

Isn’t it  time that career politicians work for the American people instead of lobbyists and big business who put their financial gains above the best interests of their nation and the American people?

Global warming is a hoax on the American people

www.madisonrecord.com | www.stclairrecord.com
Mar. 17, 2010 | Metro East’s Legal Journal

Arguments > Letters to the Editor

Global warming is a hoax on the American people
3/7/2010 8:19 AM   -Letters to the Editor

To the editor:

I read with interest the Chicago Tribune’s editorial of Wednesday, Feb. 17, “Global doubting.” Although the editorial admitted that “the U.N. panel’s credibility is heavily damaged,” it later left open for debate the critical question of “what can and should be done to slow global warming.”

The Tribune based its editorial on the 3,000-page U.N. issued report which was found to contain false claims after the U.N report had stated unequivocally that long-term global warming could not be disputed and that if left unheeded it would result in catastrophic civilization-destroying events.

Unmentioned in the Tribune’s 2/17 editorial is the admission by Professor Phil Jones, Director of the prestigious Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, that there has been no statistically significant warming in the past 15 years. Jones further conceded the possibility that the world was warmer in medieval times than now, which suggest that global warming may not be a man-made phenomenon. This sounds like fraud to me and what appears to be a hoax on the American people.

More and more evidence is surfacing against global warming claims. Even so, those dedicated to the cause are not about to let it go. Global warming has become like a religion to them and a means through which to implement their ideology of socialism. This ideology calls for government control over the American people through regulation and taxes, directed toward the replacement of free enterprise and capitalism with government-owned entities.

Cap and trade, if enacted, would speed this nation along a pathway already advancing toward socialism and away from the principles of our Constitution.

For those individuals who are on the fence or just wish to learn the facts from experts about global warming, it would be wise to visit the Heartland Institute website at heartland.org. Chicago’s Heartland Institute, a leader in exploring the issue of climate change, will be hosting its fourth international conference on climate change from May 16-19 in Chicago. This conference is open to the public and will feature 70 of the world’s leading experts on climate change as speakers and panelists.

It is telling that on Feb. 17 there was news that ConocoPhillips, BP, and Caterpillar had dropped out of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership. These prominent companies were part of a coalition of corporations and environmental groups that were pushing Congress to pass cap-and-trade legislation.

With this important defection from the USCAP, may other companies soon follow suit. Cap-and-trade legislation would unfairly penalize industry, impose huge taxes upon the American people, and result in the loss of jobs at a time when both jobs and the economy are foremost on the minds of the American people