Congratulations Mr. Steele

Blueprint Chapter1

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Politics & Governmen Other michael steele Republican Party

Today brings more good news

Michael Steele becomes first black RNC chairman

"The Republican National Committee has picked Michael Steele, a black man from a traditionally Democratic state, to be the new face of the party as the GOP forges a revival following a second straight electoral drubbing. "

Michael Steele was my choice for GOP chair. I just might start sending them money again. He's a good guy who might revive our party. Congratulations Mr. Steele !!!!!!

Quinn to review Blago's decisions — including Pontiac prison

And more good news.

"Quinn said he'd also review major decisions made by Blagojevich, such as a plan to move the Illinois Department of Transportation from Springfield to southern Illinois, to decide if they should stand.

That also applies to the Blagojevich administration's plan to shutter the Pontiac Correctional Center, he said.

Quinn made it clear that because of his new job, multiple changes are on the horizon for state government.

More than a dozen shuttered state parks and historic sites that closed Nov. 30 should be reopened "with dispatch," he said. Blagojevich ordered them closed because of budget problems."

GOOD NEWS already from Gov. Quinn

Found this in today's Peoria newspaper. I'm printing parts of it rather than just a link because it's "bleeping golden."

Quinn expected to reopen parks, address conservation issues

By JEFF LAMPE

Journal Star

Posted Jan 29, 2009 @ 06:56 PM

PEORIA —

Closed parks will likely be reopened.

Direction of the Department of Natural Resources will be reviewed.

And $16 million in federal funding for conservation that hangs in limbo will be promptly addressed.

Those are among the reasons many members of Illinois’ conservation community is optimistic about Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn replacing Rod Blagojevich as governor.

“I think given Quinn’s past performance over the last six years conservation will finally have a friend in the governor’s office,” said Claudia Emken, associate director of conservation for The Nature Conservancy in Illinois. “That’s something we haven’t had in six years.

Quinn has said he will immediately review the status of 11 state parks and 13 historic sites that were closed under Blagojevich Nov. 30. Senior policy adviser Marc Miller said Quinn plans to open those parks and historic sites “as soon as possible.”

In regards to the DNR, Quinn said he would “promptly review the DNR director’s position.” That may be bad news for former representative Kurt Granberg, whom Blagojevich appointed as DNR director on Jan. 16.

After Granberg’s appointment, Quinn said: “We have had a long line of professional politicians in the DNR and the agency needs someone with a natural resources background. Someone who understands hunting, fishing, hiking, camping bird-watching and being a good steward of natural resources.”

Quinn also has taken an active role in attempting to head off the possible loss of $16 million in federal funds for fish and wildlife projects. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it will withhold money if Illinois does not restore $9.25 million to six funds that receive money from hunting and fishing licenses and related fees.

The deadline is Feb. 1. Quinn recently wrote to the USFWS seeking a 90-day extension to “finalize a remedy.”

The Illinois House and Senate have passed supplemental appropriation bills that have not yet been sent to the governor’s office for a signature. Quinn has said he will sign the bill upon taking office.

59-0

ARE THOSE DAYS OVER?????

Senator Meeks said it best. "We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden."

Finally some sanity just might settle over Illinois.

I watched the presentations before the Illinois State Senate yesterday--all day. I was very impressed with Mr. Ellis the House prosecutor and the speeches of some of the senators--in particular Senator Watson and the Senator who represents Springfield (who represents the State of Illinois employees Rod-Blo called lazy, and who by the way REALLY hated him, especially for not living in Springfield). They used their allotted 5 minutes wisely. It was humorous to listen to the righteous indignation of some of the Demon-crat senators who were SO SURPRISED that Rod-Blo was dishonest. Ya sure. YOU SUPPORTED HIM, YOU LOOKED THE OTHER WAY WHEN HE DID ALL THOSE HORRIBLE THINGS AND YOU LET THIS GO ON. In particular, you guys elected Emil Jones to be your Senate President, and he was the biggest Rod-BLo enabler. So you guys, you Demon-crats should be ashamed of yourselves, but FINALLY you did the right thing and ousted this cancer from the Governor's office. FINALLY.

But it's time to move on.

1. Illinois is billions of dollars in debt
2. Illinois is misspending the taxpayers' hard earned money
3. Rod-Blo closed many state parks--the jewels of our state because he stole the money that should have been used to keep them afloat.
4. Illinois is the laughing stock of the country.

Ok, Governor Quinn, our prayers are with you. Don't disappoint us. Right this ship and surgically remove Rod-Blo's cohorts from state employment. Redirect the stolen millions to the right destinations. Get some integrity back to our State House. AND LIVE IN THE GOVERNOR's MANSION. We're paying for it for gosh sakes. Start by respecting the privilege of being governor and the people of this state who have been insulted and embarrassed by Rod-Blo for too long. Let's roll up our sleeves and get going.

Here's some links to stories about yesterday's action by the Illinois State Senate.
1. Senate votes 59-0 to impeach Blagojevich
2. The FamilyCare controversy Blagojevich forget to mention (good story! READ THIS ONE)
3. Impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been removed from office
4. 'Ordeal' comes to an end as Blagojevich removed
5. Our Opinion: Blagojevich's final act -- a rerun -- is fitting (Here's my favorite part of that editorial: "Here was the man who has been told repeatedly that he can call witnesses in his defense — just not those who will be called in his pending criminal trial — claiming again that he had been barred from calling any witnesses in his defense. Here was the man we heard Wednesday on surveillance tapes negotiating a campaign in exchange for signing a bill claiming that what we heard was merely what all politicians do to raise campaign money. Here was the man who got rejected from Harvard claiming he therefore was forced to attend “more modest schools” — those would be Northwestern University (annual tuition and fees: $50,779) and the Pepperdine University School of Law in hardscrabble Malibu, Calif. (annual tuition and fees: $59,260)."

Ya, I'd sure like to have had the opportunity to go to or send my daughter to those "modest schools" but no, we didn't have the money. Everyone in my home is a product of state education, and by gosh, we've all done pretty well. I'm very grateful to the taxpayers of Illinois who financed my undergraduate education tuition, and I hope I served them well for all the years I was employed as a teacher. I hope I have honored them by working hard every day and providing an exceptional product (my teaching) in a non-political unbiased manner. So ROD-BLO, that cr*p about "modest schools" was just another example of your lies in an attempt to characterize yourself as this common-man victim. Nobody bought it--thank goodness. GO AWAY--leave us alone. You've left one h*ll of a mess for us to clean up.


Chris Britt's cartoon from the Springfield Journal-Register for Jan. 30, 2009.

Could TODAY be Blago's last day as governor?

LET'S HOPE SO

I don't know about you, but I'll be watching the Illinois State Senate today. Blago has decided to grace us with an appearance--but it was AFTER Senator Cullerton (who used to be Blago's buddy--how things change) called Blago out as a liar. Yep, it was pretty clear he did that. So Blago will provide his "closing argument" this morning around 11:00 am or so. At 10am the Senate Prosecutor will be giving his closing argument and Blago will follow. Should be quite a show.

Also, last night I got a "unknown caller" telephone call (my caller ID listed that as the caller) from Ill. State Senator Chris Lauzen (whom I like and admire). He had around 500 people on the line in a "town hall" type meeting. He asked a number of questions you could respond to by pressing 1-2-3. I pressed 1 for every one (adequate information presented, vote to convict, vote to bar him from further elections, vote to convict even if he resigns). The VAST majority of people voted the same way. I was impressed with Senator Lauzen's polite presentation but REALLY disappointed he kept discussing whether he should vote to "impeach." CHRIS--Blago has ALREADY been impeached--YES, you should vote to CONVICT. I also was astounded by the lack of knowledge of his callers--most did not understand this is a political process, not a criminal trial. They had no understanding of why US Attorney Fitzgerald didn't testify or provide all the tapes or all the witnesses. DUH--Fitzgerald obviously does not want to jeopradize his case because he's probably pretty confident BLAGO IS GOING DOWN - to prison - after the trial. Most people on this call had not idea all that Blago had done to warrant impeachment and conviction. I DID--I watched the proceedings for the last 4 days and even though I'm probably pretty politically savvy I had no clue how many times he had violated the law, lined his own pockets, and screwed the people of this state. He took money from the Veterans' Hospital for gosh sakes--money the Illinois State Legislature appropriated NEVER got to to where it was supposed to go because he "redirected" it wherever he wanted. He entered into contracts WITH NO authorization--he spent OUR money WITH NO authority. He SCREWED US out of millions, and every person who voted for him should be screaming "I'M SORRY."

So folks, maybe this should be a lesson--make sure and be careful with your vote. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Last night the House of Representatives passed No-bama's MASSIVE PORK bill which will bankrupt this country for generations---so think about those votes. Sometimes you need to get your head out of your a*s before your cast that ballot. It ain't about change---it's about responsibility.

Illinois--land of blithering idiots

That's what EVERYONE nationwide must think of us courtesy of Blago's press rampage yesterday. OH MY GOD, what an embarrassment this guy is.

Well, if you want to watch the proceedings in the Illinois State Senate you can by going to this link:
ILLINOIS STATE SENATE LIVE
(roll your mouse over the link and click on it and you'll get the live video-occasionally it flips to a picture of an empty Senate--don't worry, it goes back to the live coverage)

If you watch it for a while you'll see that ALL the arguments Blago has made (in his whining victim fashion) about how unfair this proceeding is are total bullsh*t. I don't know how much more professional they could be considering they're dealing with a snake. Granted, many of the Demon-crats in the State Senate could be considered crooked themselves, but not one of them has fallen to the level of Rod-Blo.

Oh ya, if anyone saw Geraldo Rivera on Neil Cavuto's show on Fox News Channel (here's the link: Geraldo on Cavuto)yesterday (Neil is one of my MOST favorite people on television--love his show) you know what an idiot Geraldo is. Hey buddy, you don't have a friggin' clue what goes on here in Illinois. Why don't you keep looking for Capone's vault you moron.

How soon can we get rid of the Blago signs over the tollway and at every highway entering Illinois?

But this one is priceless.

Did anyone see that Blago press conference this afternoon? All I kept thinking was, "This is psychotic." Fox News (national edition) carried it live and I watched it there. Shepherd Smith was awesome, making comments every now and then (he just couldn't stop himself) that were just what I was thinking (like "he's living in Blago land"). Unbelievable. And tonight there's a BREAKING NEWS item on the Chicago Tribune that Blago's lawyer, Ed Genson, has resigned from his case altogether. Would you want to work for him? He can't keep his client quiet--he keeps blabbing and just digging a deeper and deeper hold for himself. Geez, and this guy actually graduated from law school? Pepperdine must be cringing.

Look at the map

So it's mostly a "red" America (people who voted Republican) and we still couldn't elect a Republican president in 2008. Sickening....

So what's the first things No-bama did?
1. Sign an order to close Guantanamo (Where we gonna put all those killing creeps? Hey No-bama, how about Joe Biden's home town? He surely won't be there much.)
2. Tell the CIA to stop using "aggressive interrogation" methods (no more loud music--sorry guys)

Ya, great day for America. Now, don't you feel so much safer because America has turned into a touchy-feely nation. And when all those bad guys realize what a bunch of saps now occupy the White House they'll be very happy to do their dirty work on us again. Geez, what a crock.

Ice Cream &The Election - From a teacher in the Nashville area

Thanks to Karen for passing this along....

Who worries about "the cow" when it is all about the "Ice Cream?

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year. The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother. The day arrived when they were to make their speeches Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.

Everyone applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream." She sat down. The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream." She surely could say more. She did not have to. A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it? She didn't know.

The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream. Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.

Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and fifty-two percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream. The other forty-eight percent of us know we're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess.

Patricia Blagojevich fired from fundraising job

From tonight's Chicago Tribune: "Just months after launching a new career as a fundraiser for a Chicago homeless agency, Illinois First Lady Patricia Blagojevich has been fired.

On Tuesday, the board of the Chicago Christian Industrial League exercised the termination clause in Blagojevich's contract with the agency, interim Executive Director Mary Shaver confirmed Wednesday. Shaver said she could not discuss why the board fired Blagojevich because it is a personnel issue."

From tonight's Sun-Times: "The Sun-Times reported that, in each of Patti Blagojevich’s first three months on the job, the Christian Industrial League brought in $10,000 to $15,000 a month — the same as it did before she started, according to president William Good." So in other words, they were paying her $100,000 a year and got zippo for it. I'd say that was, at the least, some lousy job performance. Yep, I can see why she got fired.

Maybe she can file for unemployment....

If you ask it you get accused of horrible things

But here's the question: Was Obama elected because he's black--or was it one of the primary reasons?????

Well, just came across a great article by Juan Williams in the Wall Street Journal. Go to this link: Judge Obama on Performance Alone - Let's not celebrate more ordinary speeches.

"There is a dangerous trap being set here. The same media people invested in boosting a black man to the White House as a matter of history have set very high expectations for him. When he disappoints, as presidents and other human beings inevitably do, the backlash may be extreme..."

"There is a lot more at stake now, and to allow criticism of Mr. Obama only behind closed doors does no honor to the dreams and prayers of generations past: that race be put aside, and all people be judged honestly, openly, and on the basis of their performance.

President Obama deserves no less."

I like the article and agree with much of Mr. Williams said. Here's a question: Would he have been elected, or even nominated, if he were white? Good question, but no one will ask it in the media (other than Rush Limbaugh) because they're all "so enlightened."

What was the good news of January 20th?

Well, for the people of Illinois it was this:

Rod Blagojevich gets fingerprinted again

"Accused governor visits pretrial services office in federal courthouse"

Let's hope we can rid ourselves of this guy by the Super Bowl. Ya, then there would be a reason to celebrate.

How do you get a plane out of a river?

The wreckage of US Airways Flight 1549 is lifted from the waters of lower Manhattan Saturday.

Here are the names of the brave crew of this US Airways flight that saved the lives of all the passengers on that plane. Please notice that all of them are not newbies in the airline business. I think I would really rather fly with an experienced pilot rather than some fresh young face.

Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger, III, age 58, joined US Airways (PSA Airlines) in 1980. He has a total of 19,663 flight hours.
First officer Jeffrey B. Skiles, age 49, joined US Airways (USAir) in 1986. He has a total of 15,643 flight hours.
Flight Attendant Sheila Dail, age 57, joined US Airways (Piedmont Airlines) in 1980 and has more than 28 years experience with the airline.
Flight Attendant Doreen Welsh, age 58, joined US Airways (Allegheny Airlines) in 1970 and has more than 38 years experience with the airline.
Flight Attendant Donna Dent, age 51, joined US Airways (Piedmont Airlines) in 1982 and has more than 26 years experience with the airline.

Here's a link to a story about Captain Sullenberger. Apparently he "...runs a safety consulting firm in addition to flying commercial aircraft. He had been studying the psychology of keeping airline crews functioning even in the face of crisis..." I'll bet those people on board are darned grateful he has a 2nd job.

Hero Pilot Studied Airline Crisis Management

And a bit more about the pilot: "Sullenberger is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and received masters degrees from Purdue University and the University of Northern Colorado." Also: "Sullenberger earned a master's degree in industrial psychology from Purdue in 1973."

He searched that plane TWICE before leaving it. What a guy.

And this guy says just what I think about John McCain

Also from Illinois Review, but instead of linking this I'll post the whole thing. Like him I got an e-mail from John McCain (my candidate in the presidential election by default since we couldn't get a REAL Republican nominated) asking for a donation to his new "Country First" PAC. No, thank you John. You won't be getting any of my money. Since YOUR people chose to publicly gossip (aka LIE) about Sarah Palin following YOUR loss you have abdicated ANY future support for any candidacy you might attempt. The only reason you got as many votes as you did is BECAUSE of Governor Palin, so yes, Senator McCain, it's time to GO AWAY. I don't want you cooperating with the Demon-crats, or preaching about bipartisanship (also known as throwing away your principles for some camera time). I think jeopardized any Republican victories for years to come with your failed candidacy and your "let's work together" (also known as throwing REAL Republicans overboard). You may say it was all about service to your country, and I respect that, but it would have been better judgment to take a step back and do what was best for your country (and therefore your political party) by supporting a better candidate and giving America a chance to practice all those principles our forefathers (and the creators of American Democracy) believed in and incorporated into the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Ok, so much for my rant---here's Sam Pierce's piece about McCain, and I'm sure he puts many things we're all thinking about so much better than I could.

Friday, January 09, 2009

A Plea To John McCain

by Sam Pierce

Is John McCain emboldened by the calls for the Republican Party to move to the center or “reform” as David Brooks would suggest? Is that why he is still imposing himself upon the party? I had hopes that if we conservatives held our nose and supported John McCain (once we were so rudely stuck with him) that he would have the decency to exit the stage if he lost. Throughout the painful campaign he made statement after statement that seemed to scream “Barack Obama will be the next President of The United States of America” and now he has started a PAC.

The only way I would donate to John McCain’s Country First PAC is if he were putting country first and planning to use the donations to supplement his immediate retirement! Undoubtedly this PAC would be more aptly called “McCain First” and will work toward reaching accross the aisle … and smacking conservatives in the mouth. David Brooks might think the Republican Party needs to unite behind amnesty for illegals, closing Guantonomo Bay, letting “independents” and Democrats pick our nominees, and helping “Big Brother” Barry succeed in his massive power grab, but that sounds like surrender to me.

Mr. Brooks and his fellow “reformers” can’t seem to comprehend that we were stuck with exactly their type of candidate in the recent presidential election… and now we are stuck with Barack Obama! John McCain was the epitomy of their movement so I respectfully issue this plea to Senator John McCain:

You have served your country. Thank you for your service. Now please put your country first and go away!

Every instance of McCain reappearance is a slap in the face to those who stood behind him in spite of our principles and in the response to admonishments from his apologists. In 2012 will we once again be told to fall in line behind a doomed RINO candidate as he (or she) offers himself up as the sacrificial lamb to “Big Brother” Barry? Will we once again be subject to the hysterical whining such as “if you don’t vote for (insert RINO here), you are voting for Obama!”?

The Electorate Has Spoken

You have to read this article posted at Illinois Review by Sam Pierce. He really expresses what many of us are feeling now about our incoming president. I can't remember being this depressed about an inauguration since Bill Clinton (STILL not having sex with that woman, and I'm not too sure he KNOWS what sex is--other than groping some dummy) became president. Yuck.

I love these quotes from the article:

• "I would say that the upcoming nightmare is indeed historic, but only because it is the inauguration of an unbelievably bad candidate that should have never stood a chance to win election to high office."

• "Yes, the electorate has spoken and this Tuesday a nation begins to pay for their expression of insanity."

• “What if” pondering: I wonder what could have been if “Big Brother” Barry had not been effectively running unopposed in the general election. “What ifs” serve no purpose other than the necessary reminder of the tragic chain of events that culminated in what could be a catastrophe (at least for liberty.) What if Mike Huckabee, Charlie Crist, the RNC, and the ridiculous primary system hadn’t come together to ensure an Obama victory by allowing a John McCain nomination? Even worse, Obama was such a bad candidate that even John McCain stood a chance until the (convenient for Dems) economic crash occurred.

Yep, he's all about change. That's what we'll have left in our pockets after he increases our taxes.

Andrew Wyeth dies at age 91

From the NYT: "Andrew Wyeth, one of the most popular and also most lambasted artists in the history of American art, a reclusive linchpin in a colorful family dynasty of artists whose precise realist views of hardscrabble rural life became icons of national culture and sparked endless debates about the nature of modern art, died Friday at his home in Chadds Ford. He was 91."

From his website (one of my favorites of his collections):

"The Helga Pictures" are a fantastic compilation of tempera and dry brush paintings, watercolours and pencil studies secretly created within a span of over fifteen years. Andrew Wyeth created over two hundred and forty individual works of neighbour Helga Testorf from 1971 to 1985 without telling a single person, including his wife. He stated that he would not have been able to have finished the project with everyone looking at it.

Prussian-born Helga Testorf was thirty-two when she met Andrew Wyeth. They met while she was helping to look after a friend of Wyeth's who had also been a subject for some of his works. Helga had never modeled before but agreed to become his subject. What started out as an acquaintance evolved into a long-time friendship. She enjoyed the long, pensive hours she spent modelling for the artist. She became so comfortable with the artist that often she would lie sleeping while he painted her.

The Helga Pictures depicts a persistence of vision and technique from a perspective that is both objective and personal. They were not meant to be a psychological portrait of a person rather the study of the effects of light on a woman's body.

My mother is a watercolor artist, so this following quote by Wyeth speaks to me:

"With watercolour, you can pick up the atmosphere, the temperature, the sound of snow shifting through the trees or over the ice of a small pond or against a windowpane. Watercolour perfectly expresses the free side of my nature." - Andrew Wyeth

Miracle on the Hudson

They're hoisting that US Airways plane out of the Hudson River in New York City today. WOW--what an event. THANK GOD for that awesome pilot--Captain Chelsey Sullenberger. Here's a picture of the guy who is the hero pilot. Let's not forget his co-pilot, who I'm sure played a huge role in this as well as the flight crew. Next time I get on a plane I'm going to listen to ALL the safety instructions.EVERYONE got off this plane safely--not one person died.

This is a MIRACLE.

Do you love to dance when no one is looking?

Occasionally when everyone is away I dance. OH COME ON--everyone does it, and if YOU don't you SHOULD. DANCE like no one is looking. You'll feel better about everything. Believe me on this one....

Great You Tube Video - Watch it - You'll be happy you did

Alfonzo Rachel

Alfonzo Rachel, the founder of Macho Sauce Productions, was born July 8, 1972 on Grissom AFB Indiana, but has been in SoCal since diaperhood. Another kid whose mother raised him alone, lived in hard spots such as Delman Heights in San Bernadino. Rachel's mom wanted to get him out of the hood, and the hood out of him, so they moved to low income housing outside of Palm Springs. Rachel also has three older sisters who during those times more often stayed with other family members. The move was culture shock for Rachel, as he was now going to school with privileged rich white kids. Rachel kept a chip on his shoulder, and didn't try to fit in. Instead, he immersed himself in music, and psychotropic drugs. This formula coast Rachel his graduation. It was a sobering failure, and Rachel stopped using drugs. Rachel's pursuit of music lead him to Venice Beach, where he wandered through Ghost town trying to keep the music together, and floated through Hollywood, still falling short of his musical aspirations. Rachel came back to the Palm Springs area to continue his martial arts training, and education, made a new flame out of an old one, married her, and opened his own martial arts school. The school left them broke after two years, so he closed it down. Realizing that he used his gifts for his own satisfaction, Rachel now uses his talents to satisfy the Giver. Rachel's work since coming to Christ has gained positive feedback from Ann Coulter, Michelle Malking, Mark Levin, and many others.

Orson Bean's wisdom

If you go to Andrew Breitbart's "BIG HOLLYWOOD" website (linked here) you'll get some pretty good stuff. Today there's a piece by Orson Bean that I found very inciteful. The title is:

An Emptiness Only the Holy Spirit Can Fill

Read it. If you believe in God (why anyone wouldn't I have absolutely no clue) you'll find that it's meaningful. My favorite quote? Here it is: "I believe there’s an emptiness in all of us that only the Holy Spirit can fill."

When I sit in mass on Sunday I feel whole. Maybe that's not something that non-religous people can understand. But anyone who grew up going to church gets it.

Some more from the Orson Bean article:

"The reason I became a Christian is the same reason I became a conservative: I paid attention. I watched to see what worked. If a loving Creator designed the whole mishbooker, it all makes sense. If it happened by accident and coincidence (quadrillions of coincidences), it’s nuts. So, I felt the urge to write about it, to share the so-called Good News.

God is being siphoned out of the public arena. People don’t even say God bless you when you sneeze anymore. I want to be able to lay a Merry Christmas on someone without its feeling like a political statement.

I think God loves to hear little kids laugh at fart jokes. He didn’t just make sunsets and bluebirds, He made hot babes. And dirty old men like me. That’s the modest message I’ve set out to tell the world: you don’t have to be Ned Flanders to be a Christian."

On the Bush Presidency

I don't usually insert articles on this blog, but today as I was driving I tuned into Mike Gallagher's show (on WIND Am 560) I heard him read an article written by Andrew Roberts in the Telegraph, published in the United Kingdom--London, specifically. It touched me, and since we're just days before the inauguration of the new president it's only appropriate someone showed some perspective in light of all the wackos still calling for investigations and whatever vindictive stuff they can accomplish against President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Interesting how it's someone from England being the voice of reason here. Well, it's a great article, and here are some "clips" from it. If you'd like to read the entire thing please go to this link: History will show that George W Bush was right

"...In the avalanche of abuse and ridicule that we are witnessing in the media assessments of President Bush's legacy, there are factors that need to be borne in mind if we are to come to a judgment that is not warped by the kind of partisan hysteria that has characterised this issue on both sides of the Atlantic.

The first is that history, by looking at the key facts rather than being distracted by the loud ambient noise of the 24-hour news cycle, will probably hand down a far more positive judgment on Mr Bush's presidency than the immediate, knee-jerk loathing of the American and European elites.

At the time of 9/11, which will forever rightly be regarded as the defining moment of the presidency, history will look in vain for anyone predicting that the Americans murdered that day would be the very last ones to die at the hands of Islamic fundamentalist terrorists in the US from that day to this.

The decisions taken by Mr Bush in the immediate aftermath of that ghastly moment will be pored over by historians for the rest of our lifetimes. One thing they will doubtless conclude is that the measures he took to lock down America's borders, scrutinise travellers to and from the United States, eavesdrop upon terrorist suspects, work closely with international intelligence agencies and take the war to the enemy has foiled dozens, perhaps scores of would-be murderous attacks on America. There are Americans alive today who would not be if it had not been for the passing of the Patriot Act. There are 3,000 people who would have died in the August 2005 airline conspiracy if it had not been for the superb inter-agency co-operation demanded by Bush after 9/11.

The next factor that will be seen in its proper historical context in years to come will be the true reasons for invading Afghanistan in October 2001 and Iraq in April 2003. The conspiracy theories believed by many (generally, but not always) stupid people – that it was "all about oil", or the securing of contracts for the US-based Halliburton corporation, etc – will slip into the obscurity from which they should never have emerged had it not been for comedian-filmmakers such as Michael Moore.

Instead, the obvious fact that there was a good case for invading Iraq based on 14 spurned UN resolutions, massive human rights abuses and unfinished business following the interrupted invasion of 1991 will be recalled.

Similarly, the cold light of history will absolve Bush of the worst conspiracy-theory accusation: that he knew there were no WMDs in Iraq. History will show that, in common with the rest of his administration, the British Government, Saddam's own generals, the French, Chinese, Israeli and Russian intelligence agencies, and of course SIS and the CIA, everyone assumed that a murderous dictator does not voluntarily destroy the WMD arsenal he has used against his own people. And if he does, he does not then expel the UN weapons inspectorate looking for proof of it, as he did in 1998 and again in 2001.

Mr Bush assumed that the Coalition forces would find mass graves, torture chambers, evidence for the gross abuse of the UN's food-for-oil programme, but also WMDs. He was right about each but the last, and history will place him in the mainstream of Western, Eastern and Arab thinking on the matter.

History will probably, assuming it is researched and written objectively, congratulate Mr Bush on the fact that whereas in 2000 Libya was an active and vicious member of what he was accurately to describe as an "axis of evil" of rogue states willing to employ terrorism to gain its ends, four years later Colonel Gaddafi's WMD programme was sitting behind glass in a museum in Oakridge, Tennessee.

With his characteristic openness and at times almost self-defeating honesty, Mr Bush has been the first to acknowledge his mistakes – for example, tardiness over Hurricane Katrina – but there are some he made not because he was a ranting Right-winger, but because he was too keen to win bipartisan support. The invasion of Iraq should probably have taken place months earlier, but was held up by the attempt to find support from UN security council members, such as Jacques Chirac's France, that had ties to Iraq and hostility towards the Anglo-Americans.

History will also take Mr Bush's verbal fumbling into account, reminding us that Ronald Reagan also mis-spoke regularly, but was still a fine president. The first MBA president, who had a higher grade-point average at Yale than John Kerry, Mr Bush's supposed lack of intellect will be seen to be a myth once the papers in his Presidential Library in the Southern Methodist University in Dallas are available.

Films such as Oliver Stone's W, which portray him as a spitting, oafish frat boy who eats with his mouth open and is rude to servants, will be revealed by the diaries and correspondence of those around him to be absurd travesties, of this charming, interesting, beautifully mannered history buff who, were he not the most powerful man in the world, would be a fine person to have as a pal.

Instead of Al Franken, history will listen to Bob Geldof praising Mr Bush's efforts over Aids and malaria in Africa; or to Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of India, who told him last week: "The people of India deeply love you." And certainly to the women of Afghanistan thanking him for saving them from Taliban abuse, degradation and tyranny.

When Abu Ghraib is mentioned, history will remind us that it was the Bush Administration that imprisoned those responsible for the horrors. When water-boarding is brought up, we will see that it was only used on three suspects, one of whom was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, al-Qaeda's chief of operational planning, who divulged vast amounts of information that saved hundreds of innocent lives. When extraordinary renditions are queried, historians will ask how else the world's most dangerous terrorists should have been transported. On scheduled flights?

The credit crunch, brought on by the Democrats in Congress insisting upon home ownership for credit-unworthy people, will initially be blamed on Bush, but the perspective of time will show that the problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac started with the deregulation of the Clinton era. Instead Bush's very un-ideological but vast rescue package of $700 billion (£480 billion) might well be seen as lessening the impact of the squeeze, and putting America in position to be the first country out of recession, helped along by his huge tax-cut packages since 2000.

Sneered at for being "simplistic" in his reaction to 9/11, Bush's visceral responses to the attacks of a fascistic, totalitarian death cult will be seen as having been substantially the right ones.

Mistakes are made in every war, but when virtually the entire military, diplomatic and political establishment in the West opposed it, Bush insisted on the surge in Iraq that has been seen to have brought the war around, and set Iraq on the right path. Today its GDP is 30 per cent higher than under Saddam, and it is free of a brutal dictator and his rapist sons.

The number of American troops killed during the eight years of the War against Terror has been fewer than those slain capturing two islands in the Second World War, and in Britain we have lost fewer soldiers than on a normal weekend on the Western Front. As for civilians, there have been fewer Iraqis killed since the invasion than in 20 conflicts since the Second World War.

Iraq has been a victory for the US-led coalition, a fact that the Bush-haters will have to deal with when perspective finally – perhaps years from now – lends objectivity to this fine man's record."

BRRRRRRRRR......it's COLD

Thanks to Cal Skinner (my old boss) for this graphic I saw on his blog this morning. Sure sums up the insanity of the Al Gore driven global warming crapola.

Who do you think should be the new GOP Chairman?

Here's an article from ILLINOIS REVIEW on the subject:
Conservatives begin to line up behind Ken Blackwell for RNC Chairman

Go to this link for background on the candidates: The Race for RNC Chair

Here are the candidates:
1. Katon Dawson
2. Saul Anuzis
3. Ken Blackwell
4. Michael Steele
5. Chip Saltsman
6. Mike Duncan

Perhaps the most visible and (in my opinion) outstanding spokesman for the Republican Party (and the one who makes the most sense) during the last election was Michael Steele (click on his name for a link to his website). Who is the current GOP Chairman you ask? Well, it's Mike Duncan, and the fact that most people don't know that shows you how absolutely ineffective he has been. So after they finally get this settled (and hopefully Michael Steele wins) you might reconsider sending the GOP some money. I haven't sent them anything--they've been so incredibly disappointing that I haven't thought they've earned my trust and my $. Hopefully they can get their act together and restore the GOP to a position that's competitive with the Dumb-ocrats. These next couple years will be very challenging. The Dumb-ocrat propoganda machine (aka the FAR LEFT LIBERALS) will be in full swing in allegiance with the MSM (Main Stream Media) so REALLY think about everything you hear from them for some time.

Eerie Illinois Senate beginnings....

Why waste time watching those phony awards shows?

You know what shows you want to watch on television or what movies you'll shell out 8 or 10 bucks to see, so why do we need a bunch of snooty foreign press guys to tell us what's good or bad? Well, I did see a snippet of Ricky Gervais (love him) on the Golden Globes last night--no, not the awards' show, but a bit of his presentation on the news this morning. Well, here it is. He's a funny guy, and tells it like it is. Enjoy.

Who knew Orson Bean was a conservative?

Check out this blog entry written by Orson Bean.

Courage by Orson Bean

"My wife and I just finished watching the HBO miniseries JOHN ADAMS. How brave our founding fathers were. And their fellow colonists as well. Children were not coddled. They learned at their parents’ knees that life was hardscrabble and nothing came easy. Freedom was worth fighting for. Divine Providence was what they relied on, but they knew that God demanded that they do their parts. No sense of entitlement, just hard work, struggle and fighting for what you wanted. And if it didn’t come, no whining, just rolling up of sleeves and starting over."

Your new car--courtesy of the U.S. DEMOCRATIC Congress

Blago is impeached

And then he goes on television and defiantly says nothing he's ever done is impeachable because he did it all for the "people."

He's deranged.

Read the Chicago Tribune Story by clicking HERE.

Andy McKenna, the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party made a statement on this:

"After six years of enabling and endorsing Rod Blagojevich, the Democrats who run this state waited until Illinois faced national embarrassment to act and are now voting to impeach a governor they worked to re-elect only two years ago," McKenna said in a statement. "To make matters worse, these same Democrats have fed this crisis by refusing to strip the governor of his appointment powers, and are helping to seat Blagojevich's hand-picked and tainted choice for United States Senator."

Read the Sun-Times Story by clicking HERE.

The only bright spot out of this--finally Dick Durbin has developed a spine (WOW--AMAZING SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT!!!)--here's the story about how Roland "WOW WHAT AN EGO I HAVE" Burris won't get his dream seat (he plotted with RodBlo for) in the U.S. Senate.

Durbin: Senate won't seat Burris without signature

"U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says Roland Burris won't be accepted as President-elect Barack Obama's replacement in Senate without the Illinois secretary of state's signature."

PLEASE Jesse White--don't cave--don't sign the paper and give RodBlo the satisfaction of defying the people of the State of Illinois any more than he already has.

Blago impeachment nears

Watched as the Illinois House of Representatives committee voted to recommend impeachment to the full House. It was interesting to watch all those Democrat members speak with such righteous indignation about RodBlo--about all his failings and how he has driven our state into the horrible financial condition we're in. WHAT A JOKE. Where were they when he committed all those sins? Why didn't they do something about it years ago? Why did they sit passively when he flaunted the law, stole the publics' trust? Were they profiting from his political exploitation or were they just quiet so they could stay in power?

So it's a joke--we know that, but I'm hoping the joke will be on them when election day comes in 2 years--when maybe the voters of Illinois will FINALLY get a clue and take their responsibilities seriously.

Take a look at these stories about today's events:

1. Speaker Madigan predicts full House will impeach Blagojevich

2. Ex-advisor to panel: Order Blago to get psych evaluation

3. House panel votes unanimously to recommend Blagojevich's impeachment

Governor could be impeached by the end of the week

DO IT NOW--stop delaying, stop the political wrangling.

Get rid of this guy now. Our state is sinking fast, and we're going broke QUICKLY.

Get it over with NOW.

LAUGHING STOCK

That's what Illinois is.

Ok, come on--the best we have to offer is ROLAND BURRIS?
Remember this:

Burris sought death for innocent man

How many times did DuPage County REFUSE to admit Rolando Cruz didn't murder Jeanine Nicarico, and then as Attorney General (he was a joke in that position too) he insisted on his staff prosecuting Cruz AGAIN. ("Burris' role in the Cruz case was "indefensible and in defiance of common sense and common decency," Warden said. "There was obvious evidence that [Cruz] was innocent.")

I was watching an interview of Congressman Mark Kirk on WTTW's Chicago Tonight and he talked about being assigned to a position in Afghanistan in his role as a current member of the military. Watch the interview with Phil Ponce--he said when he was asked where he was from by someone (non-American) in Afghanistan they laughed when he said Illinois. OH COME ON--even in Afghanistan they're laughing at Illinois.

Burris is a joke.
Illinois is a joke.
RodBlo is a criminal and of course a joke.
Illinois owes MILLIONS to hospitals, doctors, etc. and isn't paying because we're BUSTO financially.

IMPEACH BLAGO QUICKLY PLEASE. Make this misery end.

But we're still going to be "represented" in the US Senate by two idiots. Everyone who voted for a Democrat should be ashamed of themselves. Remember, they're laughing at us around the world. That's what you did with your vote.

Things that make you go "hmmmm"

• The way the national news media is handling the RodBlo arrest and subsequent controversy. They just don't get it, and they certainly don't know how to pronounce his name.
• The appointment of Roland Burriss--the guy is clueless that he's just a pawn in this whole thing. Did you see the picture in yesterday's paper of his "final resting place" monument? Look up the word HUBRIS in the dictionary and you'll see his face.
• How California is drowning in debt and they just don't see that illegal immigration is costing them $10 Billion a year. California is the most illegal immigrant friendly state. They don't enforce any federal laws on illegal immigration and they'll drown in debt as a consequence. What a joke.
• The "BREAKING NEWS" banner on the Chicago Tribune--their version of breaking news was that his highness Obama left his vacation in Hawaii to return "home" to Chicago. WHO CARES???? Did ya know he has kids and it's so horrible that he has to stay in a hotel starting Sunday because his girls start school Monday. WHO CARES???
• The fact that the only Big Ten football team that could win a bowl game so far is the University of Iowa. Makes me happy my Illini didn't qualify for a bowl game. Saved us lots of money.
  
• All the stores in the Fox Valley that are going out of business. I feel bad for the folks losing their jobs, but seems like many of those stores had merchandise that was priced way to high anyway. Ya gotta know your market, and I'm not sure many of them did. I got some fairly good deals at Linens & Things but never would have paid the "sticker" price on those items before. Note: the "dog hair" vacuum cleaner I bought there at the store-closing-sale is awesome! It really sucks (literally)!
  
• Maybe Wrigley Field is cursed. Even the Blackhawks can't win there. Makes ya think!
  

A great one from the Washington Times

I love reading much that Wesley Pruden writes. Check out this link and get ready to chuckle.

One of my favorite parts:
"Perhaps Barack Obama will lift the gloom on Inauguration Day, when he walks across the Reflecting Pool without getting his feet wet, and his aides and acolytes walk among the throng with a hot lunch for the multitudes, abundance transformed from five barley loaves and two small fishes just taken from the Potomac. (It's what real Messiahs do.) But if the peddlers of gloom, doom and drear are correct, we expect too much of a mere president, even of Mr. Obama. Underneath that handsome façade he's probably only human." (I don't think his voters think he is human--haven't you seen the Montel Williams ads on tv for the Obama coin? The fawning and ooohing is nauseating.) .....

And more from Pruden: "The polite word for all of this is, of course, bullshine, peddled before in days of yore." I think I'd use the real word to describe it. Ah Wesley, I love your cynical view.