Friday, January 27, 2012

Wise Words to the Republicans

I suggest donors to the Republican Party put their dollars to work making sure they hold the House and take the Senate. No way are any of the slightly jaded "four horseman" going to beat the worst president the populace elected in my lifetime.

Maybe in 2016 the Republicans can come up with a new voice who can be elected. Fortunately, this family has enough assets and income to make it five more years. I believe my direct relatives will make it also.

Sure, I'll vote for the Republican candidate that is selected in Tampa. So will all my family and most of my friends. But, the dice are loaded, lies, make no difference and Obama has convinced the faithful the skies were never more blue. Obama has the charm of the old time door to door drug & "snake oil" salesman. People bought then and are still buying now only the selling is done by flying all over the country and dominating almost all the pictorial media.

And the left wing liberals are having a field day. Think how many days they will have when Obama and most unions unleash their hoards of cash.

I am going to slow down my blogging and enjoy some warm weather again. If you don't read the Wall Street Journal you are missing out on reading the best columnists in print today. Fox TV is the best political media to view. And yes, I do believe it is REASONABLY "fair and balanced".

Local news is pretty much the same except I do wish the vendors would get paid more promptly by the state. What a mess this state is in but Republicans, you will not elect a Republican governor so here again, I suggest trying to win as many local and Springfield representatives as you can. Just be sure they aren't as big spenders as the Democrats.

On so many of the other issues like the ball park, libraries, and park district that I have written about, time will tell although my predictions on some have come true, moreso for one than the others.

Obama and the Democrats Solar Thing

Forwarded to me by a friend. Sad.

Merle

The Solar thing just got a little more interesting.......REALLY!> > >



>
> The Tonopah Solar company in Harry Reid's Nevada
> is getting $737 million from Obama's DOE as part of the so-called energy initiative.
>
> The project will produce a 110 megawatt power
> system and employ 45 permanent workers.
>
>
> That's only costing us $16 million per job
>
>
> One of the investment partners in this endeavor is
> Pacific Corporate Group (PCG).
>
> The PCG executive director is Ron Pelosi, who is the brother to Nancy 's husband.
>
> Just move along folks.....nuthin' goin on here.
>
>
> EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW HOW THEIR MONEY IS BEING STOLEN
> SO FORWARD THIS TO EVERYBODY.
>
>
> Google Tonopah Solar company and see for yourself.
>
>
> >

Friday, January 20, 2012

Obama- Note Who He Didn't Threaten

Passed on to me by a friend. I believe these comments are noteworthy.

Merle

It's incredible that 42% of Americans think that this unqualified, incompetent, dishonorable, ego-driven fraud is doing a good job. Take a
moment. Admit it to yourself. You know who his supporters are. They are the people that YOU support.

From now thru November 2012 this should be required weekly or at least monthly reading BY ALL WHO VOTE!!!

Did you notice who Obama threatened when he wasn't getting his way on raising the debt ceiling? He threatened to not pay:

Social Security Retirees, Military Retirees, Social Security disability and Federal Retirees.

- Now..let this sink in really good -

- He did not threaten to stop payments to illegal aliens

- He did not threatened to take frivolous benefits such as Internet access away from violent inmates

- He did not offer to fire some of the thousands of unnecessary federal employees that he hired

- He did not offer to cut down on his or his wife's frivolous gallivanting around

- He did not threaten to not pay the senators and representatives or any of their staff

- He did not threaten to take benefits away from welfare recipients

- He did not threaten the food stamp programs

- He did not threaten to not pay foreign aid

- He did not threaten to cut back on anything that involves his base voters

- The list could go on and on. He is in full political re-election mode!

• Why are we allowing this person to destroy this wonderful country with his selfishness and his lies?

• His type of change is killing our country. He needs to be stopped and only our votes can stop him.

• Do not forget about his tactics when it's election time. Vote Obama out of the Presidency in 2012.

LET'S MAKE 2012 - THE END OF AN ERROR!

We the people are coming

Only 86% will send this on. Should be a 100%. What will you do?


I did.

Merle

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Add Merle Widmer to Your Favorites

If you find some of my blogs of interest to you, why not add http://widmer-peoria-watch.blogspot.com to your "Favorites" list.

If you are interested in certain blogs like Pacifism or Socialism just type in a key word on my "search bar" appearing above my profile and it should bring up most of the blogs I've written on the subject. Some of my most factual locally are PRM and PPD.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Free Market Capitalism is the Best Path to Prosperity For All

So says Larry Kudlow of CNBC. So say all of us who are highly concerned about this countries slow slide to Socialism. I, and many others believe that the Republicans will not put up a candidate who can beat Obama. Obama is what I call an entrenched incumbent, hateful of Wall Street and anti-business except for the big businesses that he has benefited and have and will still support him. (think George Soros and G.E.'s head honcho).

I'm going to type in an article by Rick Moranis, a writer and an actor. Read it all the way through. I think his thinking is great.

Title; "Capitalism and My Discontents". Here it is.

"This morning, while I was grinding my blend of French, Colombian and Italian coffee beans, it occurred to me that I could be doing harm to the coffee shop and diner businesses in my neighborhood by making my own coffee at home. Might I have a responsibility and obligation to consume their product, either within their premises or brought right to my doorstep by one of their speedy, undocumented delivery men?

I also wondered whether still using my old, reliable German-brand coffee grinder, manufactured in China, might be an unpatriotic betrayal of American kitchen-appliance makers by choosing not to buy their Chinese-made grinder.

As I poured some house-brand almond milk into my homemade granola, I thought about the depressed demand and earnings on the higher-priced product manufacturers that I wasn't patronizing, their resulting order and production declines, and the backlogged inventories and possible layoffs of their factories.

How much of this country's economy am I personally destroying by my consumption preferences? I honestly never intended to do so much harm.

I ran a hot iron quickly over the front of a previously worn shirt, saddened at the thought of the jolly staff at my local dry cleaner who will suffer because of my initiative and tolerance for rumpled, moldy aromatic haberdashery.

I jumped into a cab, thinking about the MTA"s budget deficit and my part in not helping to reduce it.

The traffic was terrible. Here is was, going nowhere, idling in a quick-ticking metered medallion taxi, driving up the price of oil, edging the country further into runaway inflation while spewing noxious fumes into the precious air around me. I am such a horrible person.

The driver, a pleasant Middle-Eastern man who I did not suspect was part of, or supporting any terrorist organizations, was sipping a very large cup from one of several dozen popular coffee shop locations within a three-block radios of my home. I was pleased that at least one of us was supporting the hardworking baristas of this great nation.

I wondered out loud if the driver thought the price of his beverage would be higher or lower if baristas were unionized. He told me that in his country only men could be baristos and if a woman was caught even trying to be a baristas she would be roasted, percolated and covered in scalding, foamy mother goat's milk. He said "Only America is free. Only America is great, God bless America."

It sounded a bit suspicious to me. Was I seeing something? Should I say something? I threw him a 10-spot and decided to walk. I wondered how much of that 10 would wind up in the hands of our sworn enemies and felt a pang of pride in the dedication of our defenders.

A terrier on a long leash attached himself to my slacks. I shook hiom off and admonished the mink-wrapped diva at the other end of it letting her cherished little mutt-child attack an innocent at will. She accused me of being grumpy as I stared at the dog's mangy coat, imagining her wearing it as a hat. Shouldn't dog owners be required to get licenses, I though. Think of the revenue! The new agencies that would employ people! But wouldn't that increase the cost of government and create even more waste, fraud and corruption? I am such a confused and horrible person.

My cellphone rang. It was my mother in Toronto, telling me she was on her way home from her ophthalmologist, where she had a 7:00 A.M. appointment - the only time to go without having to wait 5 hours to see him. I thought about how lucky we are in the country to not have to to wait 5 hours to see a doctor. Unless you're poor sick people. I must not use my secular humanism as an excuse for not tithing, especially while t's still deductible.

I finally reached my office and opened my laptop. More shocking, breaking new to be read. More informed opinions; opinions to be listened to. More critical issues to consider and debate. Now, in this year-the most important election in our lifetimes. And I feel so utterly confused.

Tonight, I'll stay home and watch all the news channels. That will clear things up. I'll order in. And tip big!"

I thought this was sadly funny. Evidently the WSJ thought it was interesting. You read it in today's edition. Along with, "A Short (Sometimes Profitable) History of Private Equity" by John Steele Gordon. Too bad 'liking to fire peorple' is taken out of context and will be used widely by Democrats who know that most of their voters have trouble reading a whole sentence.

Us Lucky Guys!!

Forwarded to me by a good friend. Would you guess she is a woman??


Merle

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:

Men Are Just Happier People --
What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack...
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you,
He or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough..
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes..
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, even decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives
On December 24 in 25 minutes.
___________________________________
Men Are Just Happier People
NICKNAMES
If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba and Wildman.

EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS
A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.
The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.


MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!


SO, send this to the women who have a sense of humor and can handle it .... and to the men who will enjoy reading it.

Pressure Mounts to Evict Occupy DC

Article in the WSJ 1/17/12. It's about time. Here are some statistics forwarded to me by a friend.

Merle

Occupy Party vs Tea Party Comparison

The Democrats and the liberal media have said that the Occupy Party was a civic group "just like" the Tea Party.
I report......you decide.......

REPORTED OCCUPY PARTY TEA PARTY
ARRESTS 4149+ 0

RAPES 12 0
DAMAGE $10,000,000.00 $0
PUBLIC DEFECATION YES NO
ANTISEMITIC RANTS 12 0
COST TO TAXPAYERS ( by 11/9) $19,327,487.00+ $0
PUBLIC MASTURBATION 3 0
MOLOTOV COCKTAILS THROWN 10 0
FIGHTS STARTED YES NO
CHILDREN EXPLOITED YES NO
POLICE CARS DAMAGED 2 0
PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS YES NO
DRUG POSSESSION ARREST YES NO
CONCEALED WEAPON ARREST YES NO
DRUG OVERDOSE YES NO
THEFTS YES NO
BURGLARIES YES NO
VANDALISM ARREST YES NO
TRESPASSING ARREST YES NO
NON FATAL SHOOTINGS 1 0
PUBLIC URINATION YES NO
URINATION ON OTHERS YES NO
ISRAELI FLAGS BURNED 2 0
AMERICAN FLAGS BURNED 1 0
AMERICAN FLAGS DANCED ON 1 0
AMERICAN FLAG DESECRATION 25 0
FELONY ASSAULT ON AN EMT 1 0
HEAD/BODY LICE OUTBREAKS 1 0
TUBERCULOSIS OUTBREAKS 1 0
MURDER 1 0
SUICIDE 1 0

SHOTS FIRED AT WHITE HOUSE 1 0
SCABIES OUTBREAKS 1 0
OBAMA ENDORSED IT YES NO
PELOSI ENDORSED IT YES NO
CAIR ENDORSED IT YES NO
SOCIALIST PARTY ENDORSED YES NO
NAZI PARTY ENDORSED YES NO
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ENDORSED YES NO
COMMUNIST PARTY ENDORSED YES NO
BIDEN ENDORSED YES NO
HUGO CHAVEZ ENDORSED YES NO
BLACK PANTHERS ENDORSED YES NO
HEZBOLLAH ENDORSED YES NO
MARXIST UNION ENDORSED YES NO
9/11 TRUTHER ENDORSED YES NO
BOLSHEVIK ENDORSED YES NO
IRAN GOVERNMENT ENDORSED YES NO
AYATOLLAH ENDORSED YES NO
NORTH KOREA ENDORSED YES NO
FARRAKHAN ENDORSED YES NO
NATION OF ISLAM ENDORSED YES NO



Oh yes, I see the similarities now��..



=

Some Simple and Obvious Facts

Forwarded to me by a friend. Who said it doesn't matter. If it is only 3/4 right, that is still better than Obama's half-truths and outright lies.

Merle

Let me get this straight . . .
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care
plan we are forced to purchase and
fined if we don't,
Which purportedly covers at least
ten million more people,
without adding a single new doctor,
but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents,
written by a committee whose chairman
says he doesn't understand it,
passed by a Congress that didn't read it but
exempted themselves from it,
and signed by a Dumbo President who smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who
didn't pay his taxes,
for which we'll be taxed for four years before any
benefits take effect,
by a government which has
already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare,
all to be overseen by a surgeon general
who is obese,
and financed by a country that's broke!!!!!
'What the hell could possibly go wrong?'

Monday, January 16, 2012

Obama Supporter Sends His Recommendation - TIC

However, my friend recommends a change. So do I. If the Republicans can get their act together, it can happen. In the meantime far right Rick S. should drop out along with Newt and Perry should go back and continue to govern Texas.

I know quite a bit about Texans, I lived there two years. They are ok people but Perry hit the "Peter Principle".

Merle

Let's look at the Historical First's of this “President”:

* First President to refuse to show a valid Birth Certificate.
* First President to apply for college aid as a foreign student, then deny he was a foreigner.
* First President to have a social security number from a state he's never lived in.
* First President to Preside over a Cut to the Credit Rating of the United States Government.
* First President to Violate the War Powers Act.
* First President to Orchestrate the Sale of Murder Weapons to Mexican Drug Cartels.
* First President to be Held in Contempt of Court for Illegally Obstructing Oil Drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
* First President to Defy a Federal Judge's Court Order to Cease Implementing the 'Health Care Reform' Law.
* First President to Require All Americans to Purchase a Product From a Third Party.
* First President to Spend a Trillion Dollars on 'Shovel-Ready' Jobs--and Later Admit There Was No Such Thing as Shovel-Ready Jobs.
* First President to Abrogate Bankruptcy Law to Turn Over Control of Companies to His Union Supporters.
* First President to Bypass Congress and Implement the DREAM Act Through Executive Fiat.
* First President to "Order a Secret Amnesty Program that Stopped the Deportations of Illegal Immigrants Across the US , Including Those With "Criminal Convictions".
* First President to Demand a Company Hand Over $20 Billion to One of His Political Appointees.
* First President to Terminate America's Ability to Put a Man into Space.
* First President to Encourage Racial Discrimination and Intimidation at Polling Places.
* First President to Have a Law Signed By an 'Auto-pen' Without Being "Present".
* First President to Arbitrarily Declare an Existing Law Unconstitutional and Refuse to Enforce It.
* First President to Threaten Insurance Companies if they Publicly Speak out on the Reasons for their Rate Increases.
* First President to Tell a Major Manufacturing Company In Which State They Are Allowed to Locate a Factory.
* First President to File Lawsuits Against the States He Swore an Oath to Protect (AZ, WI, OH, IN, etc).
* First President to Withdraw an Existing Coal Permit That Had Been Properly Issued Years Ago.
* First President to Fire an Inspector General of Ameri-Corps for Catching One of His Friends in a Corruption Case.
* First President to Propose an Executive Order Demanding Companies Disclose Their Political Contributions to bid on Government Contracts.
* First President to appoint 45 'czars' to replace elected officials in his office.
* First President to Golf 73 separate Times in His First Two-and-a-Half Years in Office.
* First President to hide his medical, educational, and travel records.
* First President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for doing NOTHING to earn it.
* First President to coddle America's enemies while alienating America's allies.
* First President to publicly bow to America’s enemies while refusing to salute the US flag.
* First President to go on multiple Global apology tours.
* First President to go on 17 'vacations', including 'date nights' paid for by the taxpayer.
* First president to blatantly "Bribe" a state to vote his way on a bill.
* First President to trade books with Hugo Chavez and then pat each other on the back.
* First President to consider his own military, returning from battle, as "terrorists".
With so many, ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO HIS CREDIT JUST IMAGINE WHAT HE COULD DO WITH A SECOND TERM!!! "

Corruption does not require a face, only an important position.











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Expanding Davis-Bacon Afffected the Cost of the PRM And All Other Recent Public Projects

Possibly 70% of the voters are not aware of the Davis-Bacon Act that requires any construction project receiving federal subsidies to pay "prevailing" wages-meaning union wages-to its workers. Economists have shown repeatedly that the artificial floor of the Davis-Bacon Act freezes low income laborers-primarily black and Hispanic-out of competition with their union counterparts. Small business contractors are especially hurt by compliance costs.

Davis-Bacon also dramatically increases the cost of government projects, amounting to a mandate for more spending-and all for the sole justification of the Unions. Since approximately 20% of construction workers are unionized, it is easily seen how the cost of government projects are drastically more costly.

Locally, in 2010, an unsuspecting group of Republican Peoria County Board members voted for a carefully conceived action by the Democrats, led by Board Chair Tom O'Neill, that in effect caused all the non-unionized pavers doing business in Peoria County to be unionized. The board minority Republicans were unsuccessful in getting the action repealed. I understand at least one of the larger pavers caved in and unionized while at least on of the local pavers went out of business.

Not too long ago, when the Peoria Riverfront Museum's weak board was approached by the local unions offering to donate approximately $500,000.00 to the museum in return for the museum to be built with all union labor, the museum board gladly agreed. Almost immediately, the cost of the museum building jumped around $10 million, this jump explained by the Caterpillar liaison as supposedly higher material costs, especially steel.

Whether the union has made good on this pledge, the JS, strongly in favor of this downtown project, has never been reported. As if the JS cares or has enough experienced investigative reporters.

The new Bel-Wood Nurisng Home rose dramatically in cost as this building is built by all union labor as sub-contractors must pay prevailing union wages.

If Obama, the Democrats and the Senate, control this country for the next 5 years, the cost of federal as well as all public projects will steadily rise, driving more businesses overseas at the same time there is a "patriotic" appeal to bring the jobs back from overseas. As if hundreds of thousands of Americans here in the U.S. are employed by foreign owned companies was not a fact.

The union push to buy American made goods will largely fail; it is a bad idea in the first place as other countries will retaliate. In Peoria, the effect of all the public building taking place, will continue to cause fees (the garbage tax, golf fees, Peoria Counties recent $350,000.00 rise in local fees, etc.) will eventually see this county as among one of the most highly taxed counties with not much "free" being offered by the taxing bodies.

Not to be overlooked are the rapidly rising public unfunded pension costs and the large amount of empty buildings in Peoria, a deteriorating infrastructure with flat population growth and more property tax appeals such as the money losing Peoria Chiefs Baseball investors.

Union Victory Adds to Ohio's Fiscal Problems

*****************************
From Education Week [American Education's Newspaper of Record], November 16, 2011, Volume 31, Issue 12, pp. 1,26-27. See http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/11/10/12election.h31.html?print=1
*****************************
Ohio Vote on Bargaining a Union Victory-For Now

Republicans chastened after attempt to restrict union rights, but issue far from settled


By Michele McNeil

Voters in Ohio sent an unequivocal message to that state's Republican governor and lawmakers last week that they went too far in reining in collective bargaining for teachers and other public employees. But analysts say the conflict between the GOP and teachers' unions in Ohio and elsewhere is not over.

By an overwhelming, 22-percentage-point margin, Ohioans-even in heavily Republican counties-repealed Senate Bill 5, enacted earlier this year. It was a resounding defeat of a law that stripped teachers and other public employees of most collective bargaining rights, and many predicted the vote could have ripple effects in other states that have engaged in high-profile battles with unions, such as Wisconsin.

The message from unions now is: "Mess with us, cross us, and we will come after you, and you will pay the political price," said Patrick McGuinn, an associate professor of political science and education at Drew University, in Madison, N.J.
Analysts predict the power struggle will continue, however, with Republicans likely to modify their strategy, including by taking smaller bites at collective bargaining by public employees.


The Ohio referendum, known as Issue 2, was perhaps the most closely watched ballot fight of the 2011 off-year election season nationally. But voters in other states made important decisions, too, as governors in Kentucky and Mississippi were elected, and Republicans took control of Virginia's legislative and executive branches for just the second time in more than a century. In addition, the state teachers' union in Michigan prevailed in a recall of a key state legislator.

The Ohio law was pushed through the state's GOP-controlled legislature in March with strong Republican support, including from Gov. John Kasich, who was elected in 2010. That's the same year Republicans took control of both chambers of the legislature.

In school districts, the measure would have blocked bargaining over class sizes, school assignments, and provisions that restrict principals from assigning workloads and job responsibilities. It would have forbidden districts to give preference in layoff decisions to teachers with more seniority, a provision similar to those approved in a number of other states this year, such as Florida and Idaho. The law also would have created a merit-pay system for teachers, though it was unclear how educators' performance would be judged.

After years of being virtually untouched because of their formidable political force, public employees' unions this year were on the receiving end of a flood of far-reaching policy fights to restrict their power, in states including Wisconsin, Idaho, Indiana, and New Jersey.

Labor Pushback

But the unions have responded fiercely.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers, billed the Ohio statute as an assault on the middle class-a common theme that's been playing out in campaigns at all levels, including in the 2012 presidential race.

"Ohio voters made it clear to them that there is a price to pay for turning your back on the middle class," Ms. Weingarten said in a statement after the vote.

In Wisconsin, after pushing through legislation earlier this year that effectively ended collective bargaining in that state for most public employees, including teachers, Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who was elected in 2010, is now the subject of a recall effort. If a petition drive is successful-and many predict the Ohio vote will help buoy that effort-his job could be at stake in next year's election.

Also in last week's elections, in Michigan, the Republican chairman of the House education committee, Paul Scott, was recalled after being targeted by the Michigan Education Association for weakening teacher tenure and cutting education funding.
But those efforts don't mean the collective bargaining issues are going away, education and political experts say.

Elements of Ohio's SB 5 likely will be re-envisioned and packaged differently there and even in other states, said Frederick M. Hess, the director of education policy studies for the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank.

"Americans have never been radicals," said Mr. Hess in an postelection seminar in Ohio sponsored by KnowledgeWorks. SB 5 was a "smart, thoughtful, and well-considered" way to empower state and local officials to solve budget problems, argued Mr. Hess, who writes an opinion blog for Education Week's website. But, he added, people don't want to be "pushed too fast and too far."

Mr. McGuinn of Drew University agreed in part, saying that Republicans are likely to tackle smaller pieces that attack specific problems, such as rising health-care costs among public employees.


"There will probably be less of a frontal assault," Mr. McGuinn said.

What's Next

Gov. Kasich hasn't signaled his next steps in Ohio.

"I've heard their voices," he said in a press conference after the referendum, speaking of the voters. "As a result of that, it requires me to take a deep breath."

For the governor, part of SB 5 was a money-saving initiative. Gov. Kasich had argued that the law would drive down costs for taxpayers by phasing out expensive concessions made to unions during the negotiating process. His administration had estimated that the law would save local governments, including school districts, more than $1 billion per year by reducing health-care costs, requiring employees to contribute more to their pensions in some cases, and doing away with automatic salary increases.

Without it, Gov. Kasich said, state officials will try to work with local governments to deal with budget crunches. But, he said, "there's no bailout coming, because frankly there's no money. It's going to be very important for local communities to continue to deal with their cost challenges."

The unions acknowledge there are legitimate issues that need to be addressed, and that state and local governments are still struggling.

"There are other ways to raise revenue than to take a potshot at the unions," said Lily Eskelsen, the vice president of the 3.2-million member National Education Association, during the Ohio seminar, without getting specific. "We have a financial crisis. What a wonderful opportunity to blame people like teachers for causing a crisis that, of course, Wall Street greed caused."

Despite the overwhelming rejection of the collective bargaining law, last week's election in Ohio wasn't a slam dunk for Democrats. Ohio voters, by an even bigger margin, approved a constitutional amendment requiring the state to opt out of certain parts of President Barack Obama's health-care program, dealing a blow to Mr. Obama in a swing state as he faces a tough re-election battle.


Mixed Messages


In addition, Ohio can't be compared with a lot of other states because of its deep history of labor activism and heavily blue-collar workforce, both of which helped defeat the collective bargaining law, Mr. McGuinn pointed out.

Two other states had more-predictable election-night finishes.

In the two governors' races decided Nov. 8, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, who had been running far ahead in the polls all along, was re-elected in Kentucky, and Mississippi voters elected Republican Phil Bryant after fellow Republican Haley Barbour was barred from running because of term limits.

But in Virginia, Republicans-who already control the governor's office and the House of Delegates-seized effective control of the Senate with a 20-20 split, in which the Republican lieutenant governor would break any ties. It represents only the second time in more than a century that the GOP had so much power in that state, local media reports say.
------------------------------
PHOTO SIDEBAR: Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich wipes his brow during a news conference at the Ohio Statehouse on Nov. 8 in Columbus. The state's new collective bargaining law championed by Kasich was defeated after a campaign that pitted firefighters, police officers, and teachers against the state's Republican establishment. -Eric Albrecht/Columbus Dispatch/AP
-------------------------------
PHOTO SIDEBAR: Patricia Frost-Brooks, left, president of the Ohio Education Association, hugs Courtney Johnson, an 11th grade teacher from Ironton, Ohio, at a victory party in Columbus, Ohio, after Senate Bill 5 was defeated on Nov. 8. -Tony Dejak/AP
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Assistant Editor Sean Cavanagh contributed to this story.
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Jerry P. Becker
Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction
Southern Illinois University
625 Wham Drive
Mail Code 4610
Carbondale, IL 62901-4610
Phone: (618) 453-4241 [O]
(618) 457-8903 [H]
Fax: (618) 453-4244
E-mail: jbecker@siu.edu

United States Downhill Slide

Christopher P. Lucia from Vancouver, Washington couldn't have said it better. He is quoted, "We will never cut our way to prosperity," (quoting Jeb Bush)yet immediately contradict themselves, stating that we should reform (cut) Social Security and other entitlements programs. Calling it reform gives the politicians cover, but everyone (??, my question marks) knows what must be done.

We also need to cut restrictions on free trade, cut regulations on businesses, cut control of the public sector labor unions over municipalities and teachers labor unions over our education system.

S pro-growth strategy of cutting will ion fact lead to prosperity and it is easy to distinguish from Obama's administration laggard strategy of spend, regulate and spend more."

No governmental body can tax, raise fees, over-regulate, enforce the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage act, make tax reporting more difficult, give public unions more poser, etc., and while spending more than they take in.

Declining Nations - Under Current leadership, the United States of America is Rapidly Declining

This email has been floating around the internet for some time. Since I agree, I'm putting it in this blog.

Merle
In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of

Edinborough, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some
2,000 years prior:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a
permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until
the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts
from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for
the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with
the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal
policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of
history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations
always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
>From dependence back into bondage."
The Obituary follows:

Born 1776, Died 2008
It won’t hurt to read this several times.

Here are some interesting facts concerning the last
Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Obama: 19 McCain: 29
Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000 McCain: 2,427,000
Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million McCain: 143 million
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Obama: 13.2 McCain: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was
mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country.

Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income
tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."

Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the
"complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy,
with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached
the "governmental dependency" phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal
invaders called illegal's - and they vote - then we can say goodbye to the
USA in fewer than five years.

If you are in favor of this, then by all means, delete this message.

If you are not, then pass this along to help everyone realize just how much
is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom.

This is truly scary! Of course we are not a democracy, we are a
Constitutional Republic. Someone should point this out to Obama. Of
course we know he and too many others pay little attention to The
Constitution.

There couldn't be more at stake than on Nov 2012. If you as concerned as I am please pass this along.

Why Obama Will Win In November - The Main Reason

Sent to me by a friend. This may not be a true story but this is the point I've blogged on many times.

Merle

THE COW AND THE ICE CREAM

ONE OF THE BEST EXPLANATIONS
OF WHY OBAMA WON THE ELECTION




--From a teacher in the Nashville area - -
"We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching 3rd 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 and he sat down.

Now is was Olivia's turn to speak.

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 would say more. She did not have to.

A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure. But no one pursued that question. They took her at her word.

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 51.4 % of the people reacted like nine year olds.

They want ice cream.

The other 48.6% percent know they're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess."


This is the ice cream Obama promised us!





Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone that they have not first taken away from someone else.

Did you vote for the ice cream?



THAT, MY FRIEND, IS HOW OBAMA GOT ELECTED

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Peoria Public School District #150 is Selling School Buildings

On 1/6/12, JS reporter Chris Kaegard reported that Peoria Public School District #150was in negotiations to sell their Loucks' School building and their Columbia School building to PSCI (Quest).

That Harrison and Blaine-Sumner are also on the market was reported on 1/10/12 by JS reporter Pam Adams, under the heading "District #150 to sell two of its buildings", Blaine-Sumner and Kellar East.

If good business judgment had been used, Kellar East should have been put on the market as soon as Kellar West was expanded. Also, Blaine-Sumner should have been put on the market years ago.

Also, the old Harrison School building was sold for $10 a few months ago. Was the request to sell put out to bid? Also, I'm surprised that Peoria Landmark members didn't claim the distinctly unique old Harrison School as a public landmark. It will also be interesting to see what eventually happens to the old Harrison; whether it be demolished as reported, used, or abandoned.

Good questions. Hopefully some of the unused #150 buildings of land should appear on property tax rolls as the district reports it has other empty buildings that could be sold.

Bradley University - Some History

This local university has many outstanding leaders and has graduated many an outstanding citizen and is a large asset to this community. My decision to no longer donate to this university started back in the days of the firing of head men's basketball coach Joe Stowell, Sr., and and the subsequent removal of Coach Joe Stowell, Sr. as head women's basketball coach in favor of a female coach.

At one time I was Vice-President of the Chiefs club in charge of fundraising. Upon the hiring a "person of interest" to succeed Stowell as head men's BB coach I stepped off the board.

Later on the hiring of Jim Les as head basketball coach, a player with NO coaching experience added to my concerns about the BB program. Some of you may not be aware of the NCAA investigation of Bradley and the resignation of Coach Dick Versace. As to Les, the disaster I predicted happened with his dismissal after last season.

If you go to my profile you will note a "Search Bar" in the upper right hand corner. If you type in "Bradley" you will find approximately 25 blogs I have written on Bradley University. One I should have blogged on was alleged insider information that was alleged to have been given to at least one real estate investor prior to start of construction of the new $100 million+ renovating and construction near culmination on campus.

Also some distrust of what some of the liberal "educators" were teaching young people as one Professor told a social gathering that he teaches his students that "there are no truths", my interest in being head tennis coach when my tennis competitor friend and former Bradley tennis coach, suddenly passed away. I apparently lost the job when I indicated I could raise $10,000 for tennis. The AD must have been afraid that the money I raised would have detracted from the men's BB program that has been "king of the hill", moreso, since the days of Bradley football star and later head football coach, Billy Stone.

My decision not to donate to Bradley is personal but I still watch with great interest the "goings on" on the hilltop.

You may find my pst blogs on Bradley interesting.

Stephanie Aaron Has Good News

Say all you terrific downstate Illinoisans,
Are you intrigued by the subject line? Well, those of you who know me will know how shocking this news truly is: you can now find me on Facebook. Yes, it's true! I just published a musician page about 45 minutes ago, and you are invited and welcome to check it out and see the beginnings of my foray into the 21st century. I still don't know what any of it means or how to do very much besides post pictures, but hopefully others will be contributing to my - wall? is that what the kids call it? Anyway, check it out if you are more internet-savvy than I am and see how I'm doing.
The OTHER news (less shocking and much more fun as far as I'm concerned) is that I am going to be performing at the Contemporary Art Center in Peoria this Friday, January 13th from 5:30 to 7:30 with my faithful friend Larry Harms. Many of you know the drill: it's Live at the Five Spot; you get your ticket at the door (10 bucks for nonmembers and 7 for members) with a little bit of a price break for students and seniors. Bring your favorite bottle, bring a little nosh (cheese and crackers is always my favorite) and relax with us before the frenzy of the weekend begins. I would love to see a room chock-full of good people!
As always, you should feel free to email me (especially those of you who don't do Facebook). My new CD is going to be out this spring, and the nice folks at the CAC are scheming with me to have a CD release event in April. I can't wait!!
Hope to see you Friday,
Stephanie

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Fact is, Obama Has Succeeded

So says Democrat commentator Donna Brazile in a column in today's JS. Among the many accomplishments Obama has accomplished all by himself is "Making Israel Safer" and "Creating more jobs in three years than Bush did in eight". What she leaves out is that the overwhelming majority of jobs Obama has created have been in the public sector while running up the National Debt to $16+ trillion and growing daily.

The list of things Obama has done in three years that are proving to be detrimental to this country would fill up half the JS editorial page.

That the demagogue will be reelected, I have little doubt. Surveys indicate that as many as 57% of our populace has some connection to those employed in the public sector. As I warned years ago in a LTE to the JSEB, 2/26/98, "Our Dependence on Government is Increasing" in which I stated, "Unfortunately our local (State and national) politicians have a history of not seeing a federal grant they didn't like".

We have been sliding down the "slippery slope" to Socialism for a long time as I pointed out in one of my other LTE"s to the JS in the 1990's. We have been building an attitude of "if we don't take it someone else will".

What does one expect that many of the last two generations have been doing. It's called "taking" and running the risk of not being caught.

Where is it taking us??

Bradley University - Another Reason I've Stopped Supporting This Institution

To know that retired Bradley Professor Barbara Penelton has been spewing racially divisive half-truths to hundreds of black and "bleeding heart" students for all these years, makes me a little ill.

I suggest the MLK Committee bring back Bill Cosby. I bought a ticket just to hear him. He told the black elite why so many blacks are unemployed and in prison. But the black elite, sometimes similar to some of the Republican elite, believe they know what the problem is. They don't realize that "the enemy is them".

Obama's Hairdo

I know it's hard to notice his haircut because his mouth is always open. But he has a new "do". It appears to be a cross between a do-rag and and Islamic cut.

Interesting but then maybe he just has a new barber.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Obama - The Shifty Charismatic Demagogue

Never forget that Obama was mentored by his pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright for many years. A careful study of his actions and statements indicate that Obama clearly plans to bring this country down to an egalitarian status so that someday he will be elected as president of "one World".

Merle

The following is a narrative taken from a 2008 Sunday morning televised "Meet The Press'.



From Sunday's 07 Sept. 2008 11:48:04 EST, Televised "Meet the Press" THE THEN Senator Obama was asked about his stance on the American Flag.



General Bill Gann' USAF (ret.) asked Obama to explain WHY he doesn't follow protocol when the National Anthem is played.



The General stated to Obama that according to the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171...



During rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed, all present (except those in uniform) are expected to stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Or, at the very least, "Stand and Face It".



NOW GET THIS !!






"As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as taking sides". "There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression.." "The anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all that sort of thing."