Sad.

My first car looked just like this....

And now, they are going to shut down Pontiac...... Sad.

Jody Harding on Blog Talk Radio.

Write in candidate for Mayor Jody Harding is on Wayne's Blog Talk Radio show.

Give it a listen.

Gay advocate website warns against moving to Wisconsin.

Queercents, a gay advocacy website is warning its readers against considering a move to Wisconsin, and nine other states, due to our current tax climate and the massive tax increases being considered.

When advocacy groups warn their readers about moving to Wisconsin due to our tax climate perhaps it is time for our state government to listen.

John I mean Bob or Sue or Ralph....

This just came to me in the email, thanks Bryan.

Hello...can I speak to Bryan or Judy

This is Bryan

Hi, I'm calling from the JOHN....I mean Bob Turner campaign...I'm sorry...can you tell me if you are supporting Bob Turner?

I'm undecided.

OK Thank you....
______

This call came from a J WAINRIGHT....man if Bob Turner doesn't even have people calling for him who know who they're calling for he's in trouble!!!

ALa

You could not be more right.

The Talk or the Walk?

To the naysayers who claim there is "no difference" between Racine mayoral candidates John Dickert and Bob Turner, you're all wet.

Yes, both are Democrats. I think that's where the similarity ends, though. Because two people are members of the same political party, it doesn't mean that one isn't a "be-er" and the other a "do-er."

I learned that in the legislature. I expected to be surrounded by motivated "do-ers," people excited to be there and to enrich and enhance the quality of life in our state. Well, no secret here, I was sorely disappointed.

Racine has a big choice to make in May. Do they bring on a "do-er" like John Dickert, or do they elect a "be-er" like Bob Turner? To illustrate my labels, here are a few examples from the recent debate held at Gateway. Note the reliance Turner places on his "experience" when asked what he's actually DONE during his gajillion years of holding public office...(emphasis in italics provided by yours truly.)

Question: Provide examples of what you've done.
Turner: I bring more experience than any mayor in Racine history. Other mayors, one thing they had in common, willing to listen. I was a sergeant in Army for four years; had top military clearance. (huh? When he was in the service 35 years ago he had top military clearance....and that is an example of what he's DONE for Racine?)
Dickert: With all due respect, Bob has a lot of experience. But we need leadership. Racine has consistently been one of the worst-rated cities for crime and jobs in Wisconsin. When we saw problems around St. Cat's, me and Uncle Jim went in and rehabbed houses... ditto on Sixth Street. It's not about what we talk about, it's what we do.

Follow-up to Turner: What are the specifics of your experience? (kudos to this moderator--for an actual accountability question!)
Turner: I have been a part of all decision making in Racine for past 28 years....finance chairman, lakefront development, when St. Mary's was moved, most all improvement downtown started years ago. I've been a part of every decision made in Racine over the past 28 years, the good and the bad. I can't be any clearer.

No, he can't be any clearer. Fact of the matter: as pleasant a guy as Bob can be, he hasn't done anything. The Capitol is filled with seat-warmers who make just as much money as the dedicated men and women who work hard to enact change. Note the lack of specific examples from a man who's had tremendous opportunity to help create a safe, viable community over the last 28 years. In fact, Bob's decisions (actual VOTES) in the legislature punished job providers with higher taxes, more regulations, less options to provide health insurance by allowing small employers to band together. He's a staunch opponent of changes in the bureaucracy of the school system. I mean STAUNCH.

So, at least I appreciate his candor in admitting he's been a part of the "bad" decisions as well as any "good ones." Let's check figures here: Racine's unemployment has increased over the last 28 years, the quality of our school district has been in strict decline, crime has increased, etc....Now, do I blame him for all of this? Of course not. But when he jumps in and claims how "experienced" he is and how he had a part in "every decision made in Racine," he inserts himself into the Accountability Line.

Here's a great comment from Dustin Block (one of my biggest fans while I was a Senator....I'm now removing my tongue from my cheek.):

Turner's line that he has an advantage because he has access to the Legislature's floor rings hollow. If access to the floor is so important, why didn't Turner get KRM passed as a legislator?

Right on, Dustin. I nearly laughed out loud at his bravado claim that he'll have "access to the floor." Who cares?! I watched former legi's skulk around the floor of the Senate during our session days, and it was more about catching up on gossip than any lobbying! Good God. He's ON THE FLOOR now! Bob, if you want something done, do it NOW!

I could go on and on here. As I tend to do with my posts--although, I think you have to grant me a quasi-pass, since I'm a woman and we tend to use more words than necessary...

Anyway, Racine can choose to continue the downward course they've been on for 3 decades by electing someone who claims to have "led" them on this same course for the same period of time. Or, they can choose someone else.

To the Jody fans who will jump on me for not including her in this post: It's only for the reason that I'm evaluating the debate from the other nite. Nothing else.

Love that Union mentality

At an electricity substation on a bleak industrial estate north of Paris a masked union militant is preparing to deprive a neighbourhood of power.

His colleague is outside, dragging nervously on a roll-up cigarette while keeping a lookout for police or security guards. “Get a move on,” he says. “And then let’s get out of here.”

A switch is pulled down, the door of the sabotaged transformer is locked and the two activists — employees of EDF, the French state electricity supplier — drive off.

In their wake hundreds of houses and a handful of businesses in Montigny-lès-Cormeilles are left without electricity for much of the morning.

It was the second time in a week that blackouts had hit the Paris region as striking gas and electricity workers adopted radical tactics to support their call for a 10 per cent pay rise and an end to outsourcing of jobs.

The rest.

Two polls

Drop by Dr. Mellisa's joint and answer these two poll questions.

If you could have prevented 9-11 by water boarding Mohammed Atta, would you have?

If you found out that an American agent could prevent a future attack with extreme interrogation, would you approve?

(I answered yes, yes)

Cops or Caterpillars?

There's been an interesting discussion occurring in the public realm regarding two public safety employee unions in Caledonia refusing to take pay cuts.

Since I'm a Republican, most of you would probably assume that I would automatically take an "anti-union" stance; lecturing how fortunate they are to have jobs with more security than the rest of us, great benefits, etc...

While I agree that pretty much ANYONE with a good, stable job is pretty fortunate right now, I'm struggling with the "take it or lose it" attitude toward our public safety employees at all levels of government. (Ahh, your stereotype of Republicans was wrong this time!)

Here's why: While I served on the DNR Board of Directors for 3 years, I was able to dissect the DNR's gajillion dollar budget. The word "million" was tossed about then like Obama tosses the word "billion" today. I saw our tax dollars taken (yes, TAKEN) from all of us to fund things like: what impact a bridge will have on the breeding habits of the toads in the water below, or studies to decide whether dredging a small lake to rid it of noxious weeds and allow it to be used by HUMANS is going to be allowed, etc....Or how about the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to eradicate the "non-native"(because we humans brought them over here) mute swan in order to favor the propagation of the nearly identical "native" trumpeter swan?

Side Note: this is a great example of the left's hypocrisy: the "illegal alien mute swan" is literally punished for being an "immigrant" in favor of the "native"--(dare I say Legal?)--trumpeter. Doesn't anyone else put this stuff together?!

So why do I bring these up? Because these are examples of money being taken from The Collective Pot and dished out to places that should be much lower in priority than public safety! It is all One Pot--a large portion of the money you pay to the state gets re-distributed to communities in whatever way the Governor sees fit. It's called: "Shared Revenue." (queue "Kumbaya" background music.) More state and federal money spent on these types of projects = Less money for local municipalities to spend on their needs. Especially the so-called "wealthier communities" who get less of their own residents' tax money back from the state during the re-distribution process.

It's really like a Big Pot of Stone Soup, and the "wealthier" communities (read: non-urban) get to chew on the rocks that are left over after the other communities have devoured the delicious broth.

Politicians have an amazing way of seperating these monies in their minds when budget times come around--quite unlike how the rest of us have to handle our own finances. How often have you heard state pol's say, "But it's being paid for with Federal Money!" (As if there exists a Federal Tree from which money falls like leaves in autumn....) Or how about local pol's saying "The State's gonna pay for it," when they want to buy more land to designate as "parks"--even though they have no money or plan to maintain the parks they have today.

Politicians at all levels need to remember they represent the SAME PEOPLE, and it's the SAME MONEY.

Public safety--police, fire, dispatch, rescue--needs to come first.

The next time a young family is watching their house burn to the ground, we don't want to have to tell them we couldn't afford to put it out quicker because we blew the money re-locating Butler Garter Snakes.

We need politicians (especially at the state and federal levels) who can prioritize and bravely say, "Our communities need money for more police and firemen. So, we're gonna have to let the mute swan and the trumpeter swan work it out--and may the best swan win."

Hey, maybe we could slap COEXIST bumper stickers on their backs?

Racine, Wisconsin Tea Party Highlights

Kudos to Matt Nelson for creating this video.

A must read....

Liberal Student Infiltrates Liberty University to Write Exposé and Discovers Intolerance...From the Left

AP's Jennifer Loven, ABC's Jake Tapper confronts Gibb's on Obama Admin $100 Million Budget Cuts

Who am I?

My revenues fell 28% over the prior year over year from March of '08 to March of '09.

Over the same time period my outlays rose 41%.

Got that? For every dollar I got a year ago, I now get .72 cents and now spend $1.41.

How long do you think I can sustain those numbers?

UPDATE: Lisa from Caledonia Unplugged got it, this is the Federal Government.

About that improving our international image thing....

Yeah, not so much.

Obamatrons

YOU deserve this.
The rest of us don't.

As of this posting - April 22,2009:
Partly Cloudy 43°F
Feels Like 39°F

Feel the warming.

Perhaps Perez Hilton would prefer this....

National service bill to get Obama's signature

By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer Ann Sanner, Associated Press Writer – 12 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The AmeriCorps program started by President Bill Clinton will triple in size over the next eight years, and tens of thousands of other Americans will soon see new opportunities to give back to their communities.

It's all part of a $5.7 billion national service bill President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign Tuesday to foster and fulfill people's desire to make a difference, such as by mentoring children, cleaning up parks or building and weatherizing homes for the poor.


$5.7 billion in new spending, 100 million in cuts...

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Headline: FBI's newest 'Most Wanted' terrorist is American

??????????????????????????

Must read post.

Zachary Wisniewski may have lost his race for a school board seat in South Milwaukee but he is digging in and asking for answers in regards to administrative pay increases in a tough economy.

Fantastic work Zach.

Note to Miss California:

It's not what you say, its how you say it.

We need to continue to strengthen families.
We need to crack down on men avoiding child support payments, ensure that support payments go to families instead of state bureaucracies or fund support services for fathers and their families.
Oh, and I oppose gay marriage.

Now, what, Perez?

Kitteh plays whack-a-mouse!

MRQ deep, yet not profoound.

Here Lie Disarmed Victims Kate.

"O" Conspicously Absent. Bruce.

black-suited Ninjas Aaron.

It's time to rumble. Paul.

Homo for Freedom ALa.

If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want... Jackie Chan.

I choose to be a moron Owen.

I want a pony. Lisa.

no more breathing or blowing bombs for me. Elliot.

I feel deficient Jib.

2 1/2 glasses of wine Abby.

the right to bear shoes Orbs.

hemming, hawwing, speculating, and procrastinating Brad.

I pay your salary TAB.

I just lost every gun-fearing lefty Jones.

Demented, delusional, and completely devoid of any intellect Jimi.

White Chick Protector of the Lowly Negro TBS

What exactly are you for? Trog.

I hope WalMart carries these fancy duds. Steve

TRQ

Redneck Birthday Kate.

ridiculous Twerminology! MKH

flash anyone Jimi.

Going Medieval. Ally

too busy writing today to write much. Michael.

is the nunnery all that bad? Blog Ciritics

We don't serve your type. Webmedia.

I'm not weird Chris from Racine.

the sound of jet engines kind of turn me on Deibert.

Effing economy. KB

works with cocktails. TAB

I almost miss Peoria The Chad.

deep, yet not profound Casper.

a bunch of wood! Badger Blogger.

Caledonia Schools Petition Drive

Posted on behalf of Brian Dey...

The Caledonia School District Steering Committee is hosting a petition drive, Saturday, April 25^th at the Caledonia Eastside Community Center, located at 6154 Douglas Avenue from 9:00am to 2:00pm.  The event is being held to for any residents who live with the boundaries of the Racine Unified School District who wish to sign the petition to create a Caledonia School District.

The Steering Committee and a number of volunteers have gathered over 2,000 of the necessary 9,700 signatures needed to present to the Racine Unified School District Board of Education by the July 1^st deadline.  This is not the official count, only the signatures in the Steering Committee’s possession are counted in this tally.  There are a number of volunteers that have been gathering signatures who will be turning in their completed sheets this weekend so the number should be much higher following this event.

The Steering Committee, with the support of Village President Ron Coutts and Village Trustees, has been moving forward in an effort to create a Caledonia School District that would begin operation as early as the 2011-2012 school year.

There will also be an opportunity to sign up for yard signs and to volunteer.

Brian Dey

President

Caledonia School District

Steering Committee

262-681-0661

bdey3@wi.rr.com

Uncle Jay Explains: Apr. 20, 2009

Extra good this week.

Guess the number,sU Edition:

0.0028%

this is too easy, I know.

Wrong Focus

There is outrage showing around the web today from the response of Miss California, Carrie Prejean, to a question in last night's Miss USA pageant. The question was about same sex marriage and came from gossip blogger, and radical gay activist, Perez Hilton.

Miss California stated that she believed marriage to be between a man and a woman. (Good for her)

Perez Hilton called her a dumb b***h after the pageant.

The young lady is entitled to her view, as is the ridiculous Perez Hilton of course.

What struck me about this story was...

How low has the Miss USA pageant gone when they have to use Perez Hilton as a judge?

Editoonial

Hey Wisconsin!

Your cellular and land line based phone bills are about to go up.

Silly Eugene.

The Journal Sentinel's racist columnist is out with his take on the tea party movement.

Not surprisingly when people stand up against big government waste Eugene says it doesn't matter.

But I really busted out laughing at this comment.

Most of these public spaces used for the protests, by the way, were paid for by government spending of our tax money, as well as the expense of cleaning the spaces after the crowds dispersed.

Old racist Eugene doesn't understand conservative protest. Dude, there were no cleanup costs. Unlike the usual mess left in liberal events, conservatives clean up after themselves.

Caption This.

Photo Credit AWL.

So....

Are we still going to meet with Iran without preconditions?

Rev. Dave King - Racine Tea Party

At least get it right. (And win some money)

Racine Journal Times: The event featured a series of speakers on the City Hall steps, including local conservative Fred Dooley, who runs a Web site called Real Debate Wisconsin. Dooley ripped the decision to spend $1.04 million in federal stimulus money on four hybrid buses, drawing guffaws from the crowd.

Racine Post: He also ridiculed the city's plan to spend more than $1 million on four 20-passenger hybrid buses -- $350,000 apiece -- which will be used on routes that often carry only three or four passengers. "Let 'em buy a minivan for $7,000" he said.

Am I ridiculing this plan? Yes.

What I was clearly doing there was providing one example of ridiculous government spending. Purchasing four buses for $1.4 million to service routes that only transport three to four people an hour is an absolutely ridiculous waste of our money. This is but one of millions of examples of wasting our tax dollars.

Remember folks, it's your money.

For the record, I clearly said $1.4 million, not more than a million or $1.04 million, can't these reporters get anything right?

Tell you what, find your own example of government waste of your tax money and send it in to the MacIver PI contest, if your example is judged the best of the month you will be rewarded with $500 cash.

To enter the MacIver PI contest just email your entry with your contact information to maciver@maciverinstitute.com .

However, if you win, and your honest, you'll report that income and probably wind up buying more hybrid buses with your tax money.

Good luck!

Racine Tea Party Videos.

Click the link.

You Humble Host at the Racine Tea Party

Twitter, schmitter...

I do not Tweet.
I do not follow Tweets.
This, however, seems to be the “wave of the future.”

But there is a blogger, I feel, that is ALREADY ahead of the curve.
About 90% thought provoking.
About 10% silly as hell.

But always brief – and a 100% a daily must read in my reader.

Keep up the great work, Elliot.