Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Shameful Obama Presidency MUST End











Time to back your bags, Barry Soetoro. You are clearly not qualified to run a lemonaid stand, much less a nation.

Go back to your community organizing, whatever that is.

Maybe you can organize a community to play golf, or eat a dog, or lie about what they heard in a hateful church, or give long-winded teleprompter speeches of empty rhetoric, or break promises, or take expensive vacations.

Those seem to be your only skills.



Obama Green Energy Failures


Some investors pick winners and also losers. Seems like Obama picks only losers. Or should we say, Obama invests taxpayer dollars in companies that supported his campaign?

Obama is not "brilliant". In fact, his actions show that he is a long, long way from even being considered intelligent. Don't look at where a person claims they went to college. There are ways of cheating and graduating from prestigious universities, but be dumb as mud.

Look at their statements and behavior, their opinions and decisions.

Here are just some of the green energy boodoggles and unwanted products that Obama has wasted your hard-earned money on, even though he was warned they were poorly managed and on the brink of bankruptcy:

First Solar
Solyndra
Abound
Chevy Volt
Solar Trust of America
Fisker
A123
Sempra Energy
Ener1
Beacon Power
Evergreen Solar
SpectraWatt
Solar Reserve
Nevada Geothermal
Weatherization Assistance Program
Sun Power
FutureGen


Ex-Mayor Lowell "Bud" Grieves Take on Bustos




On the Editorial page of today's Peoria Journal Star, Ex-Mayor Bud Grieves writes, "I have met and talked with Cheri, and she has ASSURED me she will work hard to find bipartisan solutions--particularly on a way forward to reduce our debt."

Grieves, a Democrat, believes what everyone should believe: what someone tells them face to face. He says he has not met (or talked) to Bobby Schilling, but he has a severe handicap by Schilling being "caught up in the Tea Party ideology".

"Assured" Bud says. Case in point. When a weak Peoria Public School district #150 school board hired Kay Royster as Superintendent, I met personally with Mrs. Royster in her office for about an hour. I was so impressed, I had her speak to my social club -- where she put stars in the listeners eyes and received a big round of applause.

Remember what happened to her? She left District # 150 in a bigger mess, before she was urgently invited to seek another position. She did with the same results she had BEFORE she was hired by Dist. #150..

So Bud meets "Cheri" as he calls her and is convinced she will do what she says when she gets elected.

Interesting. I supported Grieves when he ran for mayor with a letter to the editor of the Journal Star. I later wrote, "Alas, Bud failed in the opinion of most who voted for him."

For those of you who don't remember Mr. Grieves, I kept a bit of his record. He threw his support to Dave Ransburg who easily defeated Sandburg, and Ransburg, in turn, was easily defeated by Jim Ardis, our current mayor.

Grieves

(1) bragged of his support for the money-losing Peoria Chiefs stadium ballpark,

(2) was enthusiastic about the attendance disappointing Peoria Riverfront Museum,

(3) he claimed the city would buy the water company in his term, they, of course, didn't.

(4) he had questionable ties to G and G Packet Co. that he sold to his family members

(5) he backed into a light pole while "drunk"

(6) he helped convene a "as a power broker" support the the bankrupt FireFly

(7) he wanted to increase property taxes in October 1999, then reversed himself in Jan of 2000

(8) he wanted higher parking fees downtown to drive away what little retail business was left downtown

(9) he strongly supported the RiverPlex which has never been able to even meet the principal and interest on the millions of dollars it still owes on the building of the RiverPlex

(10) he proposed the $5 million dollar gift to Midtown (now an abandoned, former Cub grocery business).

The Journal Star wrote this about him on January 15, 2000, "he is at risk of becoming the mayor who tries everything and accomplishes nothing."

And this former resident of Peoria County who now lives in Fulton county (lower taxes) is advising the voter to vote for a Democrat he has met and talked to?

Hmmmm. Nice try. Not impressed.


Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Romney investments vs Obama investments


Here's a quick, easy guide to show you the solid companies that Romney's Bain Capital invested in -- compared with the horribly managed green energy boondoggles that Obama invested in, even though he was told they were bad investments.

Payback to supporters. It's as simple as that.

Now: who is more qualified to get America back in business?

Do you want a president who generated billions...or one who wasted trillions?

Monday, October 29, 2012

Lies, Damned Lies and U.S. Politics



Terry Riley from New York writes, "I won't call Obama a lair, despite his claims that: "We've got shovel ready projects all across the country."

"We'll go through our federal-budget - page by page- line by line- eliminating those programs we don't need".

It is sure taking him a long time since there hasn't been a federal budget in at least the last three years, my comments.

"I never heard Jeremiah Wright say those things." -- But Obama sat in Wright's church for 20 years. Obama never heard Wright say hateful things against America or white folks? Did Obama sleep through the fiery shouted sermons?

"I'll cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term." "If you like the health-care plan you have you can keep it." "I don't want to pit red America against blue America."

He said if elected, "We will be able to look back and tell our children--this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."

He was right on slow but it was the economy. And he sure hasn't slowed the Atlantic Ocean.

"Health care bill negotiations will be transparent and  broadcast on C-SPAN". Didn't happen.

"I'll close Gitmo." Didn't happen.

"I'll pass comprehensive immigration reform." Didn't do it.

Though all are untrue, the problem is that he believes what he says.

I say he doesn't know what be believes and if he has beliefs, he doesn't believe what most of us believe that we are not heading is the right direction.

Four more years of ObamaBeliefs, it will be too late to right the ship in my lifetime.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Obamnesia




"A chronic case", says WSJ Columnist Kimberley A. Strassel on 10/26/12.

Quoting her and knowing she is ACCURATELY  quoting Obama, or BO, the Mouth, as history will describe him 25 tears from now, while the dreamers and the hands-out people today hang onto his every word without  actually hearing a word he is saying.


Ms. Strassel  puts his  ACTUAL quotes in print:


"I happen to be proponent of a single-payer universal health care program"

--Illinois state Senator Obama, June 2003


"I have not said that I was a single-payer supporter."

--President Obama, August 2009.


""Leadership means the buck stops here.....I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit"

--Senator Obama , March 2006.


"It is not acceptable for us not to raise the debt ceiling and to allow the U.S. government to default."

--President Obama, July 2011.


"I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and I would fight efforts to prohibit such marriage.s"

--Obama questionnaire response, 1996, while running for the Illinois state Senate.


"I  believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor or gay marriage."

--Senator Obama, November 2008, while running for president.


"It is important for me to go ahead and confirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married"--President Obama, May 2012.


"We have an idea for the trigger.....Sequestration"

--Obama Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew in 2011, as reported in Bob Woodward's "The Price of Politics."


"First of all, the sequester is not something I have proposed. It is something Congress has proposed"

--President Obama, October 2012.

"If I am the Democrat nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicy financed general election"

--Senator Obama, July 2008.



"We've made the decision NOT to participate in the public financing system for the general election"--

"I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign"

--Senator Obama, June2008


"The way the Bush has done it over the last eight years is.......(he) added $4 trillion by his lonesome, so that we may now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back....That's irresponsible. It's unpatriotic"

--Senator Obama 2008.


"I don't remember what the number was precisely....We don't have to worry about it short term".

--President Obama, September 2012, on the debt figure when he took office (10 trillion) and whether to worry about today's $16 trillion figure.


"Senator Hillary Clinton believes that ...if the government does not force taxpayers to buy health care, that we will penalize them in some fashion. I disagree with that."

--Senator Obama, January 2008, opposing the individual mandate for health insurance.


"I'm open to a system where every American bears responsibility for owning health insurance"

--President Obama June 2008, supporting the individual mandate.


"Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times when America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive"
--President Obama, April 2009 in France


"Nothing Governor Romney has said is true, starting with this notion that of me apologizing"

--Barack Obama when he went on a global apology tour.


"The problem with a spending freeze is you're using a hatchet when you need a scalpel"

--Senator Obama, September, 2008.


"Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years"

--President Obama, January 2010.


"So if someone wants to build a coal-fired plant, they can, it's just that it will bankrupt them"

--Senator Obama, 2008, on his plans to financially penalize coal plants.


"Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long time solution"

--Senator Obama, August 2008.


"Here's what I've done since I've been president. We have increased oil production to the highest levels in sixteen years. Natural gas production is the highest it's been in decades. We have seen increases in coal production and coal employment"

--President Obama---October 2012.



"If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one term President"

--President Obama September 2009.


CONCLUSION:

Would you even trust this guy to go out on a date with your 16 year old daughter? Let alone reelect him to another term as president of the probably still greatest nation on earth?

Good grief. Please pass this on to all who may not vote this year, Democrats with common sense and all Republicans and Independents and all who supported Ron Paul in the primary and most all to those who won/t vote for Romney because of his religion.

Good grief again.


Saturday, October 27, 2012

Progressive Case Against Obama




Here is the left-leaning Salon blog network -- and they're bashing Obama.

Many conservatives think that far left liberals hate Obama because he's not liberal enough. This is only partially true. Many "progressives" and socialists despise Obama for his undeclared, unaffordable, immoral warmongering. They reject Obama for his allegiance to Wall Street and oligarchy.

The mainstream media paints a picture of Obama as being a populist, a "man of The People", a "champion of the poor and minorities". Nothing could be further from the truth.

For example, the latest Obama TV commercial "Your First Time" with Lena Dunham compares voting for Obama to losing your virginity.

For many Democrats, women are just vaginas in need of contraception, abortion, and deflowering. They even make demeaning, sexist remarks like "Vote with Your Lady Parts". This is the Democrat War on Women.

QUOTE

Barack Obama is the president who hired as his lead economic advisor Larry Summers, a man famous for arguing that women are genetically predisposed to being bad at math. Unsurprisingly, Anita Dunn, a White House adviser, later called the Obama White House a “hostile work environment” for women, in large part because of the boys club of Rahm Emanuel and Larry Summers. 

-- Mark Stoller, "The Progressive Case Against Obama", Salon (Oct. 27, 2012)

END QUOTE

You should examine some of the progressive and far left critiques of Obama. Sometimes it is far more scathing than Hannity, Rush, Glenn Beck, or other conservative pundits.

The rank and file followers of the DNC are not informed about Obama's many broken promises and failed programs. The progressives are keeping vigilant watch and are exposing more than Fox News does in many cases.

Here is "The Progressive Case Against Obama" by Mark Stoller. Mark Stoller, you are a Great American.

A few more excerpts to whet your appetite:

There are many good arguments against Obama, even if the Republicans cannot seem to muster any. The civil liberties/antiwar case was made eloquently a few weeks ago by libertarian Conor Friedersdorf, who wrote a well-cited blog post on why he could not, in good conscience, vote for Obama. While his arguments have tremendous merit, there is an equally powerful case against Obama on the grounds of economic and social equity.

So why oppose Obama? Simply, it is the shape of the society Obama is crafting that I oppose, and I intend to hold him responsible, such as I can, for his actions in creating it....Not, what did Obama try to do, in his heart of hearts? But what kind of America has he actually delivered?

The bailouts and the associated Federal Reserve actions were not primarily shifts of funds to bankers; they were a guarantee that property rights for a certain class of creditors were immune from challenge or market forces. The foreclosure crisis, with its rampant criminality, predatory lending, and document forgeries, represents the flip side. Property rights for debtors simply increasingly exist solely at the pleasure of the powerful. The lack of prosecution of Wall Street executives, the ability of banks to borrow at 0 percent from the Federal Reserve while most of us face credit card rates of 15-30 percent, and the bailouts are all part of the re-creation of the American system of law around Obama’s oligarchy.

Look at the broken promises from the 2008 Democratic platform: a higher minimum wage, a ban on the replacement of striking workers, seven days of paid sick leave, a more diverse media ownership structure, renegotiation of NAFTA, letting bankruptcy judges write down mortgage debt, a ban on illegal wiretaps, an end to national security letters, stopping the war on whistle-blowers, passing the Employee Free Choice Act, restoring habeas corpusand labor protections in the FAA bill. Each of these pledges would have tilted bargaining leverage to debtors, to labor, or to political dissidents.

Under Bush, economic inequality was bad, as 65 cents of every dollar of income growth went to the top 1 percent. Under Obama, however, that number is 93 cents out of every dollar. That’s right, under Barack Obama there is more economic inequality than under George W. Bush. 

Many will claim that Obama was stymied by a Republican Congress. But the primary policy framework Obama put in place – the bailouts, took place during the transition and the immediate months after the election, when Obama had enormous leverage over the Bush administration and then a dominant Democratic Party in Congress.

The rest of Obama’s policy framework looks very different when you wake up from the dream state pushed by cable news. Obama’s history of personal use of illegal narcotics, combined with his escalation of the war on medical marijuana (despite declining support for the drug war in the Democratic caucus), shows both a personal hypocrisy and destructive cynicism that we should decry in anyone, let alone an important policymaker who helps keep a half a million people in jail for participating in a legitimate economy outlawed by the drug warrior industry. 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Presidents Most All Had Nicknames - Need One That Can Be Used in Polite Company




We had "Stonewall, Honest Abe, Tricky Dicky, Bushie and Georgie, Cal, FDR, Teddy, Bobby, etc," but I don't recall one for Barack Hussein Obama that has been used by the media. BHO doesn't ring like FDR, Stonewall might be pretty good but that nickname is already in use. Tricky could be used again as that would be appropriate. But an insult to the Nixon relatives.

What was his nickname in school? Everybody that was anybody had a school nickname, My dad was Donat Widmer, nicknamed Tony by everyone in the community. So I was called Doughy, Doughnut, Dwony, Charlie, after I wrote for a Charles Atlas Body Building pamphlet, Wid, Widdy, Merle the Pearl and Coach, later on old Coach, and a few I can't remember. Or want to forget.

But what about Obama? I decided in polite company that he should be called  "BO" Obama, not to be translated into BOO except perhaps on Halloween. Or unless he would be reelected and that would be scary.

What do you think? Hey, Bo, has a pretty good sound.

Hm.

Of course, we know his real, legal name is Barry Soetoro. He took on this name of his step-father, Lolo Soetoro, in 1966 in Indonesia and never had it legally changed. He was called Barry Soetoro during most of childhood and teenage years.

Liberal Press -- Benghazi? Why, That's Old News to the Libs




What Happened to the Headline....?



Remember the prominent headline: "Bush Lied and People Died" ?



Where is the headline:

 "People Died and Obama Lied and Lied, and Lied" 

????

The Libyan terrorists who stormed the US consulate in Benghazi were chanting "Obama Obama, we have a million more Osamas" in response to Obama, Biden, and the DNC relentlessly chanting "General Motors is alive and bin Laden is dead."

The radical Muslims were burning photos of Obama in the streets. They hate Obama's warmongering and drone attacks that kill innocent civilians.

Where is the mainstream media? They're busy ignoring this and showing Obama on Leno and Letterman and The View. They are protecting and promoting Obama. Obama is their favorite celebrity. They don't care what Obama says or does, they doggone it just adore the man.



Obama's Failed Benghazi Cover Up



Grassfire Nation Update:

Dear merle,

During the seven-hour terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, that saw U.S ambassador Chris Stevens sodomized and murdered, President Obama did not intervene -- despite the fact that State Department officials were aware of what was taking place and were watching the assault on our consulate in real time!

Even worse, the very next day, Obama jetted off to a fund-raising event without adequately addressing and properly managing the crisis!

In the subsequent weeks, the American people have listened to the deceptions, misleadings and outright lies of this administration. While the President and others in his administration do their best to try to limit the damage, there's one thing they can't ignore ... FOUR AMERICANS ARE DEAD.


Many are calling this cover-up worse than Watergate and are appealing to House and Senate leadership to compel the Obama administration to fully disclose what they knew and when they knew it.

+ + NO MORE LIES!

Tomorrow (Friday, October 26), Grassfire Nation representatives will be on Capitol Hill hand-delivering more than 75,000 petitions -- each calling for a full and thorough investigation into the events surrounding the terror attack in Benghazi.

As powerful as this delivery will be to Congress, we are looking for key members of our team to help amplify the demands of the American people by sending personalized faxes directly to key lawmakers in both the House and the Senate prior to our delivery tomorrow.

Go here now to schedule your faxes for immediate delivery.

Mounting pressure on House and Senate leadership, as well as key committees, by grassroots Americans is critical if the truth behind Obama's lies is to surface. But they need to hear from you now!

Our exclusive FaxFire system gives you unprecedented access directly into the very offices of your Senators and Representative, as well as those making decisions about an investigation.

Be part of the first wave of grassroots outrage by going here now and scheduling your faxes for quick delivery.

Then, after scheduling your faxes, help us mobilize an additional 10,000 citizens by forwarding this message to your friends and family members. Urge them to take immediate action by going here to be included in this delivery.

Thank you for standing for the truth.

Grassfire Nation

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline to be included in this delivery is 10 a.m. ET, Friday, October 26, 2)
+ + + + +
Grassfire Nation, a division of Grassroots

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Donald Trump Explains Obamacare



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 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?




PRM Lack of Transparency and Lack of Funding?



Back on July 10, 2010. Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman wrote a letter to Peoria County Board Chairman. Tom O'Neill stating the following, "I think we all agree that it is critical to ensure at least a $5 million endowment to the Peoria Riverfront Museum before groundbreaking and to that end, Caterpillar is asking Peoria County to commit its full referendum-approved $40 million.(Actually, at the end of 2010, the County had approved $41.6 million)

Between NMTC (NEW MARKET TAX CREDITS), (more taxpayer dollars), grants, (more taxpayer dollars) additional fund-raising, our target will be $8 million to further fund the endowment.

This funding, together with Peoria County's additional $5.3 million, $37.7 million was the original commitment from the county, would fund the project and provide the desired endowment".

This is all very interesting in lieu of my knowledge that only $2.3 million toward an early estimate pf $14 million, had been raised by 12/31/10.

To my knowledge no NMTC funds were raised.

If they were raised, it never appeared in the JS. Also, it never appeared in the JS that the County evidently did roll over another $5+ million, in addition the the aforementioned $5,3 million Cat request, which was granted, to the PRM to do with it as they pleased, but believing that the PRM would probably roll this money over to the endowment, bringing it to $7+ million and additional funds possibly from the d$10 million or more that Dave Ransburg promised to personally raise, to a grand total endowment of around $9+ million, short of the original  14 million and still short of the reduced inadequate figure of $10 million.

The lack of transparency in the funding of the museum has been notably an embarrassment to many members of the community.

The PRM and JS have consistently stated the overall cost of the downtown project as $136 million. Deduct Cat's $37 million Visitors Center, leaves the museum costing $99 million with more than $65 million funded by the taxpayers including a figure ranging from $12 million - to $18 million from the City of Peoria alone. (Originally, before IMAX was lost and space reduced, the private sector was to pick up 66% of the costs of the museum.

Some miss in projections!!

Easy to figure: $41.6 for certain coming from the sales tax referendum, using a figure between a former City Managers $18 million figure and Mayor Ardis figure of $12 million, or $15 million from the city, your money, approximately $10  million from the IHSA, NASA, plus more than another half a dozen various grants, all taxpayer money, plus interest being paid on the $41.6 million sales tax referendum loan (the $41.6 or more had to be borrowed and is being paid back as the Sales Tax revenues come in over the next 20 years: yes there SHOULD be a surplus collected to be used for other County projects.

This "magnificent" project was so long in the making because of lack of financial commitment on the elite who promised much but contributed so little.

Don't blame Caterpillar. Under the circumstances they did more than Ransburg, Richerson or other movers and shakers, only to learn that the projected attendance has been dropped by 60,000..

And we also have the excitement of how BelWood will meet projections, (they already draw over $3 million in property tax revenues yearly to break even in the current building) the fabulous new hotel and the $100 million or more unpaid investments in our schools and libraries.

I am criticized for not jumping in with both feet to support the PRM.

But I did -- until I began to check the records, and saw that the promised funding didn't develop and the County Administrator, now Peoria City Manager, convinced the County Board to own the museum building which is turning into the risk that I foresaw.....

Last Saturday: 2.000 people visited the museum

On Sunday: only 500.

What does that tell you?


Caterpillar Expands in Three RTW States - Renovates in Peoria

Cat continues to construct a new plant near Athens, Ga. while ramping up a new plant in Victoria, TX. and at another plant near Winston-Salem, N.C while renovating a 1929 building in E. Peoria. Cat  stock has lost $33 a share this year and predicts $3 billion less revenue for 2012 and predicts flat demand for 2013.

Some layoffs are scheduled for November-December in E. Peoria and other locations not made public in any of the news I read or hear.

On Oct. 14, the JS stated that general admission to their new $37 million (original commitment was for $51 million) Caterpillar Visitors Center wing of the boondoggley Peoria Riverfront Mausoleum (er, Museum) would be $7 for adults with a limit of four children under the age of 12, free.Seniors, 55 or older and active and inactive military veterans, $6. Free admission for Cat individual employees, retirees, dealers and customers.

PRM - One Person's Viewpoint



Forwarded email message sent to me by a friend.

Merle:

QUOTE

They went low-rent crass Peoria insult...don't promo the Peoria Riverfront Museum by side jabs at Peoria itself.

Positive overall. [?]

I know what they meant, but still...that's been an undercutting theme and overall tone with Peoria Riverfront Facebook, insulting elitism...

"The big guys at Smithsonian love us...we are too good for Peoria, you River-Rat in-breds won't ever fully understand or appreciate us."

That's been their marketing push from day one, least by my perception.

Both needed an hit-ground-running event to draw over just the "opening"... predictable 100 miles away but I bet in the "build it, and they will come" rush, it was wholly unforeseen...

Caterpillar could care less about attendance numbers...not their focus, sales tool. Weak effort for all their resources tho, imho.

Peoria Riverfront Museum is just Emperor Lakeview in New Clothes.

For all the Press Ink, Billboards, Community pushes and downtown Construction...somehow the PRM marketing failed, no buzz, no one talking about it...imho.

I think this is going to be a long-term thing...2 to 3 more years to develop.

CAT - We are Only Here to Sell Stuff and unlike John Deere and most other corp. "Museums", we make you pay for the "experience". Free tix for VIPs galore, however, total in-crowd feel.

Teen-age, young college kiddo 'Tour Guides' [docents]  that don't know anything, theater ushers really, [all they can do is point you to the bathrooms] -- made it feel amateurish.

Not really a destination, more a walking product brochure.

Peoria Riverfront Museam - The usual decades-long bad Lakeview, only in a new suit. Pretentious, smug and faux artsy, with vast credit-stealing and land-grabbing, yet still feels half-cooked always.

Can't really put [this mess] into words, but closest I can approach.

END QUOTE

PRM Revised Attendance Projections



You didn't really expect me to come out and say, " I told you so, didn't I".

I'll just invite you to read any or all of my 25 blogs about the Peoria Riverfront Museum (PRM) by entering  "PRM" or "Peoria Riverfront Museum" into the search box above my profile in my blog sidebar.

Considerable research went in to my blog posts including the fact that almost all museums start drawing LESS visitors after the first year or so.

So the 180,000 is still a guess but even so minus 60,000 admissions fees is a large number affecting the $14 million a year in new revenues brought to the County, as estimated by the two Bradley professors who I contend live in "ivory towers".

Especially since there is no proof of any adequate endowment to make up the now larger than expected losses.

NOTE: Peoria Journal Star reports that only 2,500 people showed up at the PRM last weekend. 2,000 people came on the grand opening ribbon cutting on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. Then attendance plummeted to only 500 the next day, on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012. That steep decline seems to indicate that word of mouth publicity is more negative than positive.

Peoria Riverfront Museum attendance figures include family memberships meaning that a family of four making four visits a year, 16 entries, is still only four visitors added to attendance, not 16 new visitors.

Not a single dollar added in admissions fees. It also means less visitors staying overnight in our hotels and if they spend money eating out, that's still money they most likely would have spent anyway.

So figures lie and dreamers figure, to alter the old saw a bit.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

MoveOn is freaking out about Romney triumph



You remember the left wing group MoveOn, don't you? The phrase comes from their insistence that people move past Bill Clintion's perjury and adultery, just "move on" to other issues.


From the MoveOn About page:

[QUOTE]

MoveOn.org Civic Action was started by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Although neither had experience in politics, they shared deep frustration with the partisan warfare in Washington D.C. and the ridiculous waste of our nation's focus at the time of the impeachment mess.

On September 18th 1998, they launched an online petition to "Censure President Clinton and Move On to Pressing Issues Facing the Nation." Within days they had hundreds of thousands of individuals signed up, and began looking for ways in which these voices could be heard.

[END QUOTE]

So today a friend, who covertly monitors MoveOn by subscribing to their email newsletter, got this message from them today.

I had to chuckle as I read this missive. It is truly funny. MoveOn is suffering from insomnia, fear, anxiety, all because their precious Barry Soetoro aka Barack Obama, may not be re-hired as president.

I would call this an alarmist reaction. "Donate money to us, so we can get to sleep at night, having sweet dreams of Obama totalitarianism ruling over the USA."

Blame your candidate. He has failed miserably, he lies constantly, and he has publicly stated he wants to "downsize" America. His friends are Communists, he is a puppet of Valerie Jarrett from Iran, and he is subservient to George Soros, green energy con artists, and the globalist agenda.


[QUOTE]


Dear MoveOn member,

I'm freaking out.

Despite President Obama and Vice President Biden dominating the past few debates, the race is still incredibly close.


It's scary. 

And I'm not sleeping much any more. 

This whole election is coming down to which side can turn out the most voters. 

And the only thought that helps me fall asleep--rather than staying up worrying--is that I know I can count on MoveOn members like you, Henry, to step up and help us win. 

We're making election calls to fellow MoveOn members in swing states and key districts and asking them to volunteer to make sure voters get to the polls.


Can you join us? 


 Yes, I can make some calls.



Thanks for all you do.


--Robin, Amy, Milan, Ryan, and the rest of the team


[END QUOTE]


ALSO SEE:

Huffington Post: "Debate: With Little Mention of Afghanistan or Drones, Obama Avoids Hard Questions"




Monday, October 22, 2012

Worry? Do the Next Four Years Look Better to You Than the Last SIX Years?

Forwarded to me by a friend. If your answer is yes, vote for the Socialist or Marxist.




[QUOTE]

Merle

Subject: Charts are good!

Here's some stats I was not fully aware of .... something to think about.

A picture is worth a thousand words . . . again, I wish the campaign would be this clear in their presentation.

This is an eye opener not good... why is the cost of fuel so high? speculators, big oil and .... unbearable..... nearly doubled in 4 years proud moment if you're a socialist why work when its free. socialism on the rise.......and yet -- government expanded.

Of course..... it takes more idiots to do the work of 1 who is going to pay for the food stamps, health care, illegal immigrants, and the rest of the free stuff ? Not good! outrageous, don't they take enough money from us already.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? Send copies of this letter to at least two other people. 100 would be even better. = =

[END QUOTE]











Demo Desperation Days




[QUOTE]

Merle --

This week alone, the other side is expected to spend $57 million on TV advertising against us. It gets worse: We just learned that Mitt Romney and the Republicans started this month with a $34 million cash advantage.

This election is already extremely close. And because we've never seen this level of overall spending in a presidential race -- especially right at the very end like this -- we don't know exactly what it could do. It can't be good.

 If we don't close the gap starting today, none of us should feel confident about how November 6th will play out. According to our records associated with this exact email address: --

Total you've donated for the 2012 campaign cycle: $0 --

Your most recent donation was: $0 --

Suggested donation today: $5

Please donate $5 or more today to close this gap before it's too late.

This week should serve as a wake-up call for every Obama supporter. We don't have to spend more than them, and we won't. But we can't get crushed on the airwaves without fighting back and expect this to be easy or go our way in less than three weeks.

 If Barack Obama loses to the other side's cynical strategy, so does our way of doing grassroots politics. The President doesn't have anyone else waiting in the wings -- you are it. Please don't wait any longer. Donate $5 or more today: 

[URL deleted]

Close-the-Gap

 Thanks,

 Rufus Rufus Gifford

National Finance Director Obama for America

 -------- If you have given and it's not reflected above, it may be because you gave offline, with a different email address, very recently, or somewhere other than Obama for America or Obama Victory Fund -- thank you again, and our apologies if the above does not match up with your records.

[END QUOTE]


Isn't that pathetic? The DNC is freaking out because the Republicans have more cash. Maybe the RNC raised more funds because they have a better message for America.

There's more bad news. The DNC has a pile of unpaid bills. Can you say "reckless Democrat spending"? Ho ho ho. Merry Get Rid of Obama Mas Everyone. I hope Obama at least paid off Hillary Clinton's campaign bills before they ran into the ditch.

Check out the dire financial straits the Democrats are in:

"Charlotte DNC Committee Comes Up $12.5 Million Short"



.

Obama Campaign Manager Keeps Me Informed





[QUOTE]

Merle,

We just learned from campaign finance reports that the Romney campaign and the Republican Party entered October with $34 million more to spend than we had.

That's a problem.

You and I and so many others have worked too hard for too long to let the other side snatch this away from us at the end. But that's exactly what will happen if folks don't get on board before it's too late. 

I will not stand for it. You shouldn't either. So let's close this gap -- chip in $5 or more right now.

Many, many people will be negatively affected if Mitt Romney is allowed to implement his extreme policies. But it falls to those of us who own this campaign, and built it from the ground up, to make the decisive push. 

Please don't wait any longer to take ownership of this campaign -- it's never been more urgent: I'll update you soon with more, and thank you.

Thanks,

Juliana

[END QUOTE]

Dear Juliana:

I'll pass it along with my check to Romney.

Merle

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Downsizing Garage Sale This Saturday




Come to my garage sale on Saturday, 8:00 AM -1:30 PM at 612 W. Collingwood Cr., Peoria, IL. Right inside Edgewild subdivision.

Antique office items including:

 a turn of the century drawing board from Keystone Steel, 

old office machines,

stacking chairs like new,

 antique chairs,

light fabric arm chair by Taylor.

combination removable top dining, poker and bumper pool table, (54" dia)., 1960 vintage,

books galore,

old Saturday Evening Post, Life and Time magazines,

old records (some children's) and player,

Chicago Cub men's size 1993 Rawlings baseball uniform,

golf items,

heavy duty antique wire cutter,

antique baseball bat,

old post cards,

mans complete tuxedo, worn twice and dry cleaned, complete with 15 1/2 by34 sleeve shirt and Florshiem dress shoes worn twice,

some Bradley Basketball men's and women's items,

old Bradley prints by Bill Hardin and postcards,

1980's Labor Newspapers,

cigar boxes and labels,

antique wood boxes,

and much more.


Old American made Marbles and old stamps by appointment.


Please pass on to friends who might be interested. Ad in Journal Star today, Friday and Saturday newspaper.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Fisker Automotive Another Obama Plug-In Failure



As I predicted, this recipient of $529 million loan courtesy of Obama, the DOE and you, had their credit line from the government frozen in 2011.

Now the company that was to supply the batteries for Fisker, A123 Systems, Inc., has filed for bankruptcy, joining a long list of Obama's $2.4 billion green energy product failures..

Shades of FireFly here in Peoria, a no fail battery project that went belly-up - see my several articles on this boondoogle - that was supported by everybody who is "supposedly" anybody in Peoria and the State of Illinois who claimed FireFly to be the best thing that hit Illinois since George Ryan and Blago were elected governors.

 To the tune of unknown millions of dollars of taxpayer dollars. Huge loans from "cheerleading"  China to the U.S. to "lend lend us billions"  that we will probably never be able to pay back while China and other foreign countries help support and encourage these boondogles.

When I wrote my blog on Fisker, some wise guy accused me of not supporting industry. He was sure wrong there, I just don't support the stupidity now reigning in D.C.

Change? ABOB: Anybody but Obama and Biden.

Romney and Ryan will hopefully bring some "fresh air" to the country. Get out the vote or for at least 53% of the of us patriotic voters will get more "hot air" and worse for another dreadful four years.

WSJ: "A 123's Flop"


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

JS Reports That the AP Reports That the Chicago Riverwalk Would be Expanded



Here is the typical Democrat expanding on the project:

"Rahm Emanuel said he charged the Chicago Department of Transportation with finding CREATIVE ways to finance Chicago Riverwalk construction.

The department is seeking FEDERAL funding."

My, how creative can those Democrats get???

Read the Chicago Tribune "Chicago Floats Vision for Riverwalk".

Also learn about Rahm Corruption in the Chicago Reader's "While You Were Distracted by NATO..."

"Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire"



A somewhat disappointing Town Hall debate.

The moderator is to be congratulated for doing the best job she could do under the aggressive tactics of both the challenger and the incumbent. Two very large egos, one with success in the private sector and one bent on government control of this nation.

A lot of truth stretching. Especially by Obama as he didn't and doesn't have much of a success story on which he could honestly brag.

Obama constantly used his favorite redundant declarations, "It is very important to understand" (no I don't) and, "move the economy forward" (which he hasn't) and "nobody cares more about _______ than I do" (that is very debatable). He used his usual demagoguery to throw out figures that were at most, half-truths.

Outrageous that Obama kept calling terrorists "folks". He said he'd seek justice for "the folks who messed with Americans" at the Benghazi embassy in Libya. No Obama: they are TERRORISTS who KILLED Ambassador Stevens and other brave Americans.

Obama lied about the Benghazi cover-up, which is far worse than Watergate. Obama seems to be making Hillary Clinton fall on the sword for Obama. Rush Limbaugh claims this is probably because Obama is paying off Hillary's 2008 campaign debts. She owes Obama big time.

The fact remains: Susan Rice and Robert Gibbs of the Obama camp were trotted out for days and days, reciting the "it was a spontaneous protest about a video" lie, when the State Department claims they never gave that as the reason for the Libyan embassy attack. But Obama doesn't attend security briefings. He's too busy golfing, campaigning, and hanging around millionaire elites like Hollywood celebrities (so-called).

I think Romney lost a little of his "coolness" after Obama made some serious misstatements especially on the tragedy at Benghazi.

It was wonderful hearing Romney quote Joe Biden's gaff about how "the middle class has been buried these last 4 years". But why didn't Romney preface the remark with "As your own Vice President has stated...."??? Romney missed opportunities to be really tough and triumphant, without looking like a bully or braggart.

Most of the 90 minutes was spent on the same statements I have heard over Obama's 45 months in office and what Romney said he would do to create more jobs and reduce unemployment.

I'm not sure how NRA took Romney's position on "automatic weapons already banned" which is not a true statement and no mention of those who collect all kinds of dangerous weapons as a hobby. Nor did Romney use the term that it isn't guns that kill, it is people who use any weapon  to kill or severely maim.

Romney had to be politically correct and could not attack the belligerent unions in the public sector, especially in the public schools.

Obama conceded that millions of "low skill jobs" will never return to America. So what are those with low skills supposed to do? Collect food stamps and apply for fraudulent "mental disability" seems to be the Obama solution.

Obama could not explain why there are 600,000 jobs requiring skills not available that can not be filled by the unemployed. No mention was made of the generally poor performance of the public school system except to encourage more parental involvement, more married "with children" families and hiring more teachers.

It is my firm belief that from Obama's previous statements that he believes that more teachers and new schools (infrastructure) would solve the question of why 600,000 jobs go unfilled with 23 million people unemployed.

Jobs going overseas? Romney missed the opportunity to make an "off-hand" comment that many foreign companies have established themselves in the U.S.A. and employ hundreds of thousands of our workers.

OK, past my bedtime but I conclude that polls will remain about the same with neither party, if they are HONEST could for see this debate as making any appreciable swing in voter sentiment.

Summation: Romney could have done better but I know it is hard to keep cool when so many outright lies and misconceptions need to be confronted. He came close at times, but couldn't quite close the sale

As the JSEB will say in a couple of days that Obama had a slight edge over Romney. I would say the opposite and wish that Romney would have had the opportunity to explain the 47% which i've stated who he really included on my of my recent blogs.