Sherrod Brown votes to continue to waste taxpayer dollars

Today, the Senate voted on the “Gregg Amendment” No. 2361.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00281#state

This amendment would have stopped the use of stimulus money for “self-congratulatory signage” which allows the Federal government to “promote spending of taxpayers’ dollars on stimulus projects”; you’ve probably seen the signs along some of our local highways.

Senator Gregg stated that the cost of these signs could be between $6-20 million.

The final vote was 52 against this amendment; 45 for the amendment (2 did not vote—Senators from WVA).

Can you guess how our wonderful Senators voted?

Brown voted against, Voinovich voted for the amendment.

Question (which we intend to email Mr. Brown about): Why is it necessary to continue to waste taxpayer’s money on these signs?

Breaking: Senate votes to cut off federal funding for ACORN; Update: Child-Whoring Pimp Assistance 7 identified; Update: Brooklyn DA “taking a look”

Breaking: Senate votes to cut off federal funding for ACORN; Update: Child-Whoring Pimp Assistance 7 identified; Update: Brooklyn DA “taking a look”

posted at 6:03 pm on September 14, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) introduced an amendment to the HUD and Transportation appropriation bill to strip ACORN of all federal funding. A week ago, Johanns wouldn’t have gotten the amendment to the floor. Today, however, after three straight days of BigGovernment.com’s video exposés of ACORN offices in Washington DC, New York City, and Baltimore offering assistance to pimping, tax evasion, and trafficking in underage Salvadorean girls, Johanns not only got his vote — but he got an impressive bipartisan showing. The Senate passed the Johanns amendment 83-7.

At the beginning of the vote, it appeared that Democrats might resist. Initially, a half-dozen Democrats cast votes in opposition to the amendment. A few more cast votes against it as the rest of the Senate voted, but the tide appeared to shift. More and more Democrats signed onto the amendment, and votes started changing. One male voice could be heard in the chamber saying, “I want to change my vote!” Among those who changed their votes: Tom Udall (D-NM), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Herb Kohl (D-WI).

I do not have the official roll call record of the vote yet, but three of the seven Democrats voting against the bill were Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roland Burris (D-IL), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). I’ll get the rest in a few minutes, but it’s worth repeating what Jim Geraghty said on the Twitter stream: “Who were the seven Child-Whoring Pimp Assistance Program defenders?”

The big question will be whether the House follows suit. Nancy Pelosi may not be inclined to let an amendment come to the floor, but James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles may not be done yet, either. A few more of these videos and even Pelosi will have little choice but to slam the door on ACORN. The big test will be whether the Johanns amendment survives a conference committee. This isn’t over yet.

Update: Thanks to Sean Hackbarth, we have the list of seven nays on the amendment so that the Child-Whoring Pimp Assitance 7 can be publicly identified:

• Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• Roland Burris (D-IL)
• Robert Casey (D-PA)
• Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
• Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
• Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

So can we assume that Illinois and Vermont are especially sympathetic to child-whoring pimp assistance?

Update (AP): Man, this house of cards is toppling fast:

Meanwhile, Jerry Schmetterer, director of public information for the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, told FOXNews.com that officials will be “taking a look” into Brooklyn’s ACORN office.

“We are going to be taking a look at the situation,” Schmetterer said Monday.

A spokesman for Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said ACORN’S tax status as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization should also be probed.

“We’ve already seen the Census Bureau severe its tie with ACORN,” the spokesman, Kurt Bardella, told FOXNews.com. “Certainly, as an organization being subsidized by taxpayer dollars, their relationship with other government entities should be called into question, and whether or not it’s appropriate for them to receive taxpayer dollars.”

Obama’s Health Care Speech: A Common Sense Rebuttal

Obama’s Health Care Speech: A Common Sense Rebuttal

by Dallas Jenkins

My posts on this site have been and usually will be about film-making as a Christian and conservative in Hollywood, but because President Obama’s speech the other night was more about theatre and performance than actual policy (speeches have zero to do with the crafting of legislation, which is done in war rooms by politicians who care nothing about rhetoric), I figured I would chime in.

Here are a few of the President’s statements with a response:

“If companies don’t do right by their workers and offer them insurance…”

This comment drives me insane. Why is offering health benefits “doing right,” but not offering them “doing wrong?” Isn’t the fact that the company even hired them in the first place “doing them right?” Employees know what they’re getting when they get a job, and if they demand health coverage as part of their employment, they can go work for someone else if their boss doesn’t offer it to them. Purchasing health coverage for your employees is extraordinarily expensive; sometimes simply hiring the person is all an employee can afford.

And, by the way, offering health care to employees wasn’t always the norm. But eventually it became part of a job offer–”Instead of paying you $60,000 and you paying $10K a year for your health coverage, I’ll pay you $50,000 a year and give you health coverage, and then you won’t be taxed for that $10K.” It’s a privilege, a bonus, a cool thing…it’s not a RIGHT, and not offering it isn’t necessarily “doing wrong.”

“We will require everyone to get health insurance, just like many states force you to have auto insurance.”

Wow. He has big stones to say something like this. For one thing, the reason you’re forced to have auto insurance is to cover OTHERS, not yourself. You’re driving a big dangerous machine, and if you injure someone with it, you better have a way to guarantee payment. For another, auto insurance can be purchased across state lines, so you have true competition. Finally, and most importantly, you’re not forced to drive a car! So if you don’t own a car, you don’t have to get auto insurance!

What a horrible metaphor.

One other thing about forcing people to have health insurance; this, like forcing insurance companies to cover all this preventative stuff, and forcing people to participate in it, is such a nanny state – big brother mentality. Sure, it’s smart for people to be more preventative, but do we want government forcing it on us? Is this freedom? What’s next? Forcing people to work out three times a week and banning sugar? They’re already banning the sale of trans-fats in California and New York and are trying to legally force restaurants to put calorie information on the friggin’ menu.

Forcing people to purchase health insurance is lunacy (not to mention possibly unconstitutional), especially considering one of his reasons–”because when someone goes to the emergency room without insurance, we all have to pay for it.” Why is that? Why can’t they get billed? Why shouldn’t they be expected to pay for the cost of being treated? And if they literally can’t afford it because they never got insurance (low cost, high-deductible insurance that covers only big emergencies, like with auto insurance), there are charities/churches/private groups. And if those are unable, then there are extreme and rare cases in which the state can provide a safety net (like with welfare). But that should be the last resort, not policy.

“According to the Congressional Budget Office, only 5% of Americans will sign up for the public option.”

Nice little stat there, except he left out two things: One, only 15% of Americans don’t have insurance anyway (notice how he lowered the number of uninsured in this speech from 45 million to “over 30 million,” because he realized that the 45 million figure included illegal immigrants?), so a better way to say it would have been, “one in three uninsured will sign up for the government option. Two, the Congressional Budget Office he quoted is the same group saying his plan will operate at a deficit, which he denies. So why does he trust the CBO for the stat above?

“Public universities don’t hurt private colleges, so public insurance won’t hurt private insurance” (paraphrase).

Hmm. Well, that’s partly true, except the difference is that there are thousands of different public universities to choose from, which means they compete with each other, whereas President Obama’s proposing one government plan. Also, most public universities are state run and funded, not nationally run and funded. And again…NO ONE’S FORCING ANYONE TO GO TO COLLEGE, whereas President Obama wants to force you to have insurance, so again, it’s a crappy metaphor.

“You shouldn’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition.”

Then why ever get insurance in the first place? Oh, never mind, he’s going to force you to do it. Forgot that part.

“It will be against the law for an insurance company to drop you just because you get sick.”

It already is. Let me repeat that. It already is. As long as you make timely payments, it’s against the law for an insurance company to simply drop you because you got sick.

To close, President Obama has been making some very interesting statements about Medicare. I’ve been attacking Medicare in health care debates for awhile. I’ve used it as an example of a poorly run government program that should scare us from wanting government to have a bigger role (along with FEMA, DMV, post office, etc.). And my liberal friends usually respond by defending Medicare, pointing out its high approval ratings and efficiency. Well, I appreciated President Obama tonight acknowledging that Medicare is a problem, because he said that one of the biggest ways the government option would be paid for is with the elimination of waste and fraud in Medicare.

Get that?

We’re going to pay for this new big government program by eliminating all the mess and mistakes from the other one. Yes, the other program has wasted HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, enough to nearly pay for this new program, but trust me…we’ll do this one better.

President Obama said something similar about the post office, another government program we on the right attack. He said, “Government competition hasn’t hurt FedEx and UPS; in fact, it’s the post office that usually has the problems.” Um…so this is supposed to give us confidence in your new government program?

Not all President Obama said was bad. And of course, the beginnings and ends of his speeches are always great, and I’m guessing support for him and the plan will go up in the next week based on this speech. But most likely it’ll return to earth in a couple weeks, and we’ll be back where we started.

September 11, 2001 - We'll never forget!

This past summer, we visited Shanksville, PA and the memorial to the heroes of Flight 93. We thought we’d share a few photos with you as we remember all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

God Bless America








*In case you've never been here, the flag in the middle of this field marks the hallowed ground of Flight 93.

Sherrod Brown electronic town hall tonite 9/10 @ 6:30 pm

We just received this notice from Sherrod Brown:

As health insurance reform is debated in Congress, U.S. Senator Brown wants to hear from you. In addition to forums on health insurance reform Senator Brown held in Ohio during August, Senator Brown will hold an electronic town hall TONIGHT, September 10, 2009 from 6:30pm to 7:15pm. This forum will allow Ohioans from all across the state to participate and ask questions of Senator Brown directly. Senator Brown will answer as many questions as time permits.

You will be able to ask Senator Brown questions about health insurance reform during the LIVE E-TOWN HALL by sending your questions to townhall@brown.senate.gov. You can also send questions in advance by sending to the same email address.

For more information on Sen. Brown's views on health insurance reform, please click here.

http://brown.senate.gov/issues_and_agenda/stories/share/?issue_id=f565635b-e37a-45d3-b15f-edf6b930bd1a

To view the Live E-Town Hall tonight at 6:30pm, please click here.

http://brown.senate.gov/live/

Dem's not wasting any time!

Awhile back, we made the mistake of writing to Howard Dean about some ridiculous comment he made and now we are on their mailing list. The Dems sure didn't waste anytime sending this out to push their agenda:


I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical -- and I need your help.


Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you.


Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.


The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care.


Tonight, I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people.


We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo -- and those who put partisan advantage above all else -- will fight us every inch of the way.


We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential.


See my full plan and call on your representatives to support it:


http://my.barackobama.com/SupportReform


Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but Iam determined to be the last.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama



Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.org.

This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003



Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

Stop Ohio Republican Party from Disrespecting 9/11

Tea Party Patriot Action Alert

As we near the date of 9/11, the day of one of the most vicious attacks on American soil, many of us will be going to an event honoring the fallen, their families and the heroes of that day. As everyone did 8 years ago, and for some time afterwards, partisan politics were put aside and we came together as Americans. Our leaders acted in the best interest of America and “for which we stand.”

Unfortunately, as this fateful and sacred day in our country’s history nears, instead of being respectful by honoring, commemorating and remembering the victims and their family and instead of putting partisan politics away for a day, the Ohio Republican Party insists on donning their Elephant lapel pins and going to work.

In the most disgraceful way, the State Central Committee for the Ohio Republican Party will be meeting at 10:00AM on Fri. 9/11 at the Hilton Polaris (8700 Lyra Dr. / Near the Polaris Mall) to give out state party endorsements for the May 2010 primary.

After speaking with quite a few other Cleveland Tea Party Patriots (CTPP) who were also upset about this meeting, I contacted Chairman DeWine’s office to express our concerns. I identified myself as one of the CTPP coordinators, and that I was calling with some concerns about an upcoming endorsement meeting.

It was stated that we find it offensive, and most importantly disrespectful, that the OH GOP feels the need to hold partisan political meetings on 9/11 for the reason of giving out party endorsements. Surely, with the primary race over 6 months away -- there could be no rational or justifiable reason for giving out endorsements on this sacred day. (Or so I thought!)

Furthermore, it was stated that we feel party endorsements should not be given out in primary races and that the candidates should be elected on the merits of their accomplishments and/or their proposed platforms. I then requested, that if the endorsements must be given for primary races, that at least in good taste, the endorsement meeting should rescheduled for another day.

Since the OH GOP Chairman, Kevin DeWine, or his Executive Director, Jason Mauk, refuses to return calls, we are left to go by what was stated by DeWines office staff on his behalf....

In response to my above remarks it was confirmed the meeting is being held on 9/11/09, that the endorsement meeting will go on regardless of the date and something will be done to remember the victims. It was further stated by the Chairman’s office that, “the GOP Chairman in ALL 88 county’s and ALL of the members on the OH GOP State Central Committee felt the need to ‘direct’ voters in the primary on who to vote for and that is why the endorsements will be given.”

As we can clearly see, while the OH GOP claims they hear our Tea Party Patriot message that -- we are free-thinking conservative voters, we don’t need their direction & are tired of being told who to vote for -- their actions do not show it.

If you feel it is disrespectful and offensive to meet and give out party endorsements on 9/11 and you do not to need to be told who to vote for - we are urging you to contact the OH GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine, all 88 County GOP Chairman and all GOP State Central Committee members and ask that the endorsement meeting be canceled on this sacred day and no endorsements be given out for any primary races.

If the OH GOP Chairman DeWine refuses our requests we will request that any candidate, in honoring the victims and the heroes that stood up for our freedom on that sacred day, refuse the endorsement on the grounds that 9/11 should be national day of remembrance free of partisan politics.

Take Action:
---then forward this---

1.) Call OH GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine (614)228-2481

2.) Call your Republican Party County Chairman (from the list below). Leave brief message with your opinion on the endorsement meetings.

3.) E-mail members of the Republican State Central Committee. E-mail them as a group by copying / pasting their e-addresses:

1val@sbcglobal.net; acoughlin@neo.rr.com; Aesabath@aol.com; Bennett@ohiogop.org; betkitchen@aol.com; bjbinkley@msn.com; bryancwilliams@verizon.net; Burkeamb@hotmail.com; casey524@aol.com; cetodd1@aol.com; chairman@starkgop.org; christa.criddle@fuse.net; christim@fuse.net; cscal81@zoominternet.net; Curt3638_2000@yahoo.com; cwing@lakewoodrepublicans.org; dalefellows@sbcglobal.net; davebaileybadco@yahoo.com; dean@en.com; DGunning@ralaw.com; dhtalmage@voyager.net; djbjsherman@gmail.com; dmehaffie@woh.rr.com; doug@franklincountygop.org; dwjohnson@summitville.com; edonsim@aol.com; jadavidson@ameritech.net; JBecker@Fuse.net; jeantwinoaks@voyager.net; jowac@aim.com; kay1@zoomnet.net; kjohnston@insight.rr.com; lauragroux@hotmail.com; ledicesae@roppe.com; llf@bright.net; mark@compcoind.com; Montgomery@aol.com; nancegop@adelphia.net; NCLaria@gmail.com; nuts2u2@earthlink.net; Ohioandy@aol.com; owenhall@owenhall.com; payne@ohiogop.org; pflanaga@aol.com; ph@putnamtruckload.net; philbow@roadrunner.com; phog@northcoastwindandpower.com; phyllismosley1234@yahoo.com; randylaw4ohio@aol.com; rexdamschroder@yahoo.com; rhouck@willard-oh.com; seau@adelphia.net; Spaethchair@aol.com; srjones5@sbcglobal.net; Stewartd@mcohio.org; swain5030@yahoo.com; tmorgan@gradyhospital.com; mauk@ohiogop.org; gormley@ohiogop.org; chairman@ohiogop.org

Republican Party County Chairmen -

Find your county Chair & call him/her:

Allen Keith Cheney 419-228-7040 419-331-5655
Ashland Bob DeSanto 419-289-1710 419-289-1454
Ashtabula Richard Hornstein 440-992-4008 440-576-6925
Athens Pete Couladis 740-589-9914
Belmont Kent Moore 740-676-0206
Brown Paul Hall 800-525-4255
Butler Joseph Schwarz 513-893-5292
Carroll David Jones 330-735-2200
Champaign Ron Coder 937-653-6073 937-653-1477
Clark Dan Harkins 937-324-8482 937-307-0607
Clermont Tim Rudd 513-876-3466 513-732-1611
Clinton Roger Bennett 937-382-3778 937-382-3444
Columbiana David Johnson 330-223-1511
Coshocton David Burns 740-622-8960 740-622-2011
Crawford Don Long 419-562-8739
Cuyahoga Robert Frost 216-621-5415
Darke Gerg Fraley 937-548-0313
Defiance Jeffrey Strausbaugh 419-782-2625 419-784-3700
Delaware Teri Morgan 614-888-6085
Erie Jude Hammond 419-433-3031 419-627-6650
Fairfield Steve David 740-689-1746
Fayette Robin Beekman 740-426-6273
Fulton Sandra Barber 419-335-4428 419-337-9282
Gallia Lawrence Tawney 740-446-1856
Geauga 440-834-0680
Greene Marilyn Reid 937-431-5000
Guernsey Donald Brown 740-439-3443 740-432-5638
Hamilton Alex Triantafilou 513-381-5454
Hancock Rick White 419-422-3824
Hardin James Crates 419-675-7272 419-673-1129
Harrison Dennis Watson 740-968-0112
Henry David Grahn 419-592-5520 419-592-3503
Highland Kay Ayers 937-393-6512
Hocking Rod Hedges 740-385-6044 740-385-5392
Holmes Robin Hovis 330-674-3763 330-674-5000
Huron David Kniffen 419-668-4622 419-668-7576
Jackson Alan Stockmeister 740-286-2122
Jefferson Rick Desmar 740-283-3981
Knox Ken Lane 740-397-2462 800-307-8038
Lake Dale Fellows 440-352-0704
Lawrence Ray Dutey 740-532-1760 740-533-4308
Licking Richard Salvage 740-973-5440
Logan Robert Erwin 937-593-7120 937-593-9065
Lorain Robert Rousseau 440-235-6298
Lucas Bernadette Noe 419-842-1777
Madison Pete Kitchen 614-879-7044 614-879-6400
Mahoning Mike Smith 330-482-0200
Marion Karyle Mumper 740-389-4329 740-244-4344
Medina Ralph Berry 330-723-0415
Meigs Charles Barrett 740-742-2578 740-992-2911
Mercer Owen Hall 419-586-4078 419-586-7728
Miami John O'Brien 937-339-1112 937-332-6912
Monroe Roger Clause 740-567-3168
Montgomery Patrick Flanagan 937-434-0734 937-223-5200
Morgan Dean Cain 740-559-2248
Morrow Dan Osborne 419-947-3435
Muskingum Pat Hennessey 740-454-2841 740-454-1221
Ottawa Terry Lowe 419-898-0628 419-898-6874
Paulding Tony Langham 419-399-4933
Perry Dave Freriks 740-342-4130 740-605-0647
Pickaway Jeffrey Call 740-869-3884
Portage Norm Sandvoss 330-297-5718
Pike Doug Miller 740-493-2459 740-493-3199
Preble Hal Yoder 937-456-8148
Putnam Gary Grant 419-596-3327 419-596-3848
Richland Mike Smith 419-524-1808
Ross Ron Fields 740-775-2323
Sandusky Lee Shaffer 419-665-2316 419-332-1527
Scioto Dr. Terry Johnson Tjohnson@somc.org
Seneca Charles Knight 419-435-4000
Shelby Ralph Bauer 937-295-3714 937-497-7222
Stark 330-456-6333
Summit Alex Arshinkoff 216-650-5055 330-434-9151
Trumbull Craig Bonar 330-638-3251 330-392-2511
Tuscarawas Doug Wills 330-343-6131
Union Jim Westfall 937-642-0869
Van Wert Martin Burchfield 419-238-5198 419-238-6553
Vinton Patricia Napier 740-385-5898
Warren Les Spaeth previous 513-398-4761
Warren Tom Grossmann 513-357-9384 513-754-8660
Washington Marilyn Ashcraft 740-373-6830 740-732-2331
Wayne Jim Carmichael 330-264-4744 330-466-1474
Williams Bob Winzeler 419-485-3543 419-485-3147
Wood John Miller 419-354-5927
Wyandot Sherman Stansberry 419-294-3237

Go Get 'em Patriots!