Andre Jacque for Assembly 2010 letter

Received this from Andre Jacque who is running for the Wisconsin State Assembly 2nd District seat in 2010.

Dear Friend,

I am excited to announce my candidacy to become the State Representative for Wisconsin’s 2nd Assembly District, covering portions of Brown, Manitowoc and Kewaunee Counties, and I humbly ask for your support in this effort.

This news may not come as a surprise, as many of you have long encouraged me to take this step when the right opportunity came along- that time has arrived.

I am proud to have the strong support of my family in undertaking this new adventure, and I am ecstatic about the overwhelming response I’ve received from the elected officials, candidates, volunteers and fellow Republicans I’ve had the honor to work with and for over previous campaigns.

While I have greatly enjoyed my past political involvement and continued career in public service, I am energized by the challenge of running for office myself. While the election will not take place until next November, it is critical for me to begin organizing and fundraising now to ensure the campaign’s success next year.

This is a very winnable race. The 2nd District is a fundamentally conservative district that voted 55% for George W. Bush in 2004, and 55.5% for J.B. Van Hollen in 2006, and gave solid majorities to U.S. Senate candidate Tim Michels and esteemed former Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Mark Green. By the numbers, this is the most Republican assembly district of the eight that fall wholly or partially within the borders of Brown County, and it ranks as the most conservative Wisconsin assembly district currently held by a Democrat (and a very liberal Democrat at that).

Being actively involved in civic and political issues since high school, when I spent many hours volunteering for Mark Green’s first congressional campaign, I have sought to create positive, effective change for my community, state and country within government. I have worked for local candidates with the hope of giving Wisconsinites a choice for candidates I believe in. My family and I now feel that the time has come for me to offer myself as a servant in the public arena in a new way. I am hopeful that with a lot of hard work I can bring our common values and common sense ideas straight from people like you to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

I have immensely enjoyed being involved in creating change in the community through my work with the Mayor’s Office and Brown County, past campaigns, and the wide variety of causes and valuable community organizations I have had the pleasure to work with. When I made the decision in college to bypass a career in medicine to pursue a vocation in public affairs, it was because of my belief that it presented the most effectual way to use my talents to help as many people as possible while staying true to my personal convictions. My hope is to bring taxpayer concerns and pro-family policy to the forefront of the public arena.

I believe there are workable solutions available that will improve our government’s efficiency and level of service without creating a hardship for taxpayers. I would like to see Wisconsin government rein in spending and return to a respect for all human life rather than job-killing taxes and liberal social agendas. We are taxing our best natural resources right out of this state…our people. Young families must be able to do more than survive financially; they must be given the chance to prosper. It is my goal to see the Wisconsin economy once again setting the standard for success, not struggling to catch up.

As you can see, I am passionate about the possibility of serving the people of this great state. But before I can serve, I must conduct a very aggressive campaign. My first –term Democrat opponent, Ted Zigmunt, is being carefully tended to by his party leadership in Madison. He will be well-funded and once again receive extraordinary financial backing from liberal special interests, including WEAC and the National Abortion Rights Action League– as thanks for his consistent liberal platform of income, property, business and sales tax increases, opposition to government spending limits, and support for abortion on demand. Following last November’s election, my opponent even told the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter that he wanted to focus on “restructuring the tax system” , rather remarkably adding, “I don’t know if anyone is paying more than they ought to.”

I see no need for my campaign to engage in “gutter politics”, as the simple philosophical differences between my opponent and I (and between my opponent and a strong majority of the district) can be made crystal clear through a positive campaign.

My opponent will be determined to prove that the perfect storm of conditions which narrowly and unexpectedly swept him into office at the end of last year is not a fluke. He will begin his own fundraising operation soon. He has not previously run the kind of aggressive, door-to-door campaign I will make the cornerstone of my efforts, however he will have ample opportunity to gain visibility through his elected office. For these reasons, I strongly feel that I must step forward now to grow the kind of grassroots and financial organization it will take to win the 2nd district.

To win this race it will take a very strong and dedicated grassroots volunteer organization. I am counting on you, my friends and family, to step forward. Whether it’s helping to knock on doors, place yard signs, participate in parades, make get-out-the-vote calls or use whatever additional special talents you may have, I’d love to have you on the team. With thousands of brochures and yard signs to purchase, scores of radio ads to place, and three counties to cover, I will need help. I am turning to the people who have known me the longest, who know me best, and am humbly inviting you to get involved in my campaign and make a difference.

Your early contribution, made payable to “ Jacque for Assembly”, will give our race a tremendous boost right out of the starting block. I firmly believe that we can raise the needed funds to keep pace with my opponent and get our winning message out. I know these are difficult times, and I hate to ask friends for money, but I can assure you that every contribution will be spent wisely and for maximum effect. Those who have worked with me on campaigns can testify to my ability to stretch a dollar. Your gift of up to $500 per person, or even $25, will help me raise the vital “early seed money” I need to successfully launch this campaign. Every contribution is greatly appreciated.

Our goal is to raise $12,000 by the end of the first campaign finance report deadline in June, and I humbly ask for your support in helping us rise to this great challenge.

There is a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a reply card enclosed that I hope you will use to return your personal check and help me in my journey to restore common values and common sense to the Wisconsin Assembly. Please feel free to reach me at any time on my cell phone at 920-819-8066 or via email at andre.jacque@gmail.com.

Thank you in advance for your encouragement, generous support, and prayers. Renée and I are both grateful for your friendship and wish you many blessings throughout this Easter Season!

Sincerely,

André Jacque
Republican Candidate for the Wisconsin’s 2nd State Assembly District

Authorized and Paid for by Jacque for Assembly, Robert Atwell, Treasurer

That says it all. Good day.

Kagen claims we are moving in right direction …

by continuing unprecedented spending that burdens future generations with more debt.

In case you missed it Congress passed the FY 2010 budget yesterday.  Congressman Kagen justifies voting for the $3.44 trillion budget.

“This budget plan is fiscally responsible and will enable us to work our way out of today’s recession,” said Kagen.  “I am working hard to invest our hard earned tax dollars in creating jobs and building an economy that works for all of us, while cutting our deficit over the long-term.”

“Everyone must understand that this will take time.  The President inherited a record deficit of $5.8 trillion.  We are now moving in the right direction.  This plan in an honest and transparent outline for building a better future for all of us.”

ROTFL.

First let’s get something straight.  The President did NOT inherit a record deficit of $5.8 trillion.  The Obama administration claims for the FY 2009 deficit, which he would have inherited, are $1.3 trillion. 

More to the point let’s be honest about who controlled the purse strings in Congress during this time when bailouts and stimulus bills were passed that caused it swell that high.

Congress, under Democratic control in 2007 and 2008, controlled the purse strings that led to the deficit Obama inherited.

As for being fiscally responsible, how is a budget that will cause the deficit to balloon fiscally responsible.

Finally how is that we’re moving in the right direction when we’ve saddled generations with debt due to reckless spending to the tune of $6.5 trillion in the last 100 days? 

How are we moving in the right direction when unemployment in the area is the highest in years?  How are we moving in the right direction when “stimulus” money is spent foolishly?  BTW where are the jobs from that?

You may think that this unprecedented spending is a movement in the right direction. You probably agree with Speaker Pelosi’s assessment.

“Today, for the first time in many, many years, we have a president’s budget … that is a statement of our national values.”

However I think this and this show the people of the 8th district feel otherwise and would agree it’s unaffordable.

“Unfortunately, on the president’s 100^th day, a Democratic budget passes with unprecedented spending and unprecedented debt that Americans cannot afford.  This budget is a blueprint for a country we haven’t seen before – a command-and-control economy with less freedom, fewer choices, and fewer opportunities.”

1st 100 days

So just what have the 1st 100 days of President Barack Hussein Obama’s administration brought us.

Mistakes

100 of them according to the New York Post (only 100??)

No accountability

Huge Debt

A mountain of $6.5 trillion was built

Broken campaign promises

17 that expired faster than milk

Arrogance

Or is it stupidity?

Of course pointing this stuff out may define me as … a right-wing extremist.

GDP numbers show Stimulus bill an economic policy disaster

Marc Savard press release on the recently released GDP numbers:

The GDP number just released shows what an economic policy disaster the so-called Stimulus Bill Congressman Kagen and Speaker Nancy Pelosi forced through the Congress is.Congressman Kagen recently stated that “he could already see the effects of the stimulus package making a difference here in the 8th District.” With the Brown County unemployment rate rising, and the economy continuing to contract, the reality of the situation completely contradicts the head in the sand attitude of Congressman Kagen. The stimulus bill has not worked, and won’t work. It was cynically passed under crisis to increase the power and reach of the Federal Government, not to help those who are feeling the effects of shrinking economic activity. In reality, the federal government is a drag on the economy and is taking too much of our hard earned tax dollars out of the 8th District and employing government workers in Virginia and Washington DC. I say leave the income and assets of the residents of the 8th District right here to begin with, and we will do much better than what Congressman Kagen’s and Nancy Pelosi’s policies have created.  

Wednesday Hero 04/29/09

This Week’s Post Was Suggested & Written By Mary Ann

Sgt. Kenneth G. Ross
24 years old from Tucson, Arizona
7th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment
September 25, 2005

“He believed in serving his country,” said Ross’ father, David C. Ross. Gary Anderson, Ross’ best friend and an Army infantry veteran who served nine months in Afghanistan and 11 months in Iraq during his active duty stint, was a classmate of Ross at Marana’s Mountain View High School. “You know, I heard this news of Ken and I broke down and cried hysterically,” said Anderson, now a firefighter for the Ak-Chin Indian Community in Maricopa. “He loved everyone; everyone who came in contact with him loved him. He’d always help everyone out that he could.”

A 1999 graduate of Mountain View, Ross played drums in the marching band and orchestra, his father said. Ross enlisted in the Army right after graduation. “He just wanted to take part in history,” Anderson said.

At the time of his death, he was a helicopter mechanic — acting as a door gunner on his last mission, his father said. SSgt. Ross was killed when his helicopter went down southwest of Deh Chopan, Afghanistan. Also killed in the crash were Sgt. Shawn A. Graham, Warrent Officer Adrian B. Stump, Sgt. Tane T. Baum, Chief Warrent Officer 2 John M. Flynn and Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.

Along with his father, SSgt. Ross is survived by his mother, Mary Ross, 57, and his sister, Stephanie Ross, 30. “I know his last thoughts were for everybody else and not for himself,” Anderson said. “I know he wanted to make sure everybody was safe and would go home.”

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Green Bay jobless rate hits 13%

The highest rate in 19 years.  Ouch.

The city of Green Bay’s unemployment rate reached a 19-year high last month, increasing to 13 percent from 11.9 percent in February.

The March unemployment rate is the highest recorded in Green Bay between 1990 and the present, according to state Department of Workforce Development statistics. The previous high was the February rate of 11.9 percent. The lowest rate, 3 percent, came in September and October 1999.

More than 1,000 people in the Green Bay area joined the unemployed in March, according to the latest report from the state Department of Workforce Development.

The Green Bay metro rate is just shy of 10%.

The unemployment rate in the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area — which includes Brown, Oconto and Kewaunee counties — was 9.2 percent in March, meaning 15,699 people out of 171,128 available workers were without jobs. The unemployment rate was 8.4 percent in February and 4.9 percent one year ago.

“Wisconsin counties and local areas, like the state, are feeling the impact of the global economic challenges facing everyone,” said Roberta Gassman, Workforce Development secretary.

The statewide rate – 9.4%

Statewide, the unemployment rate rose to 9.4 percent in March from 8.8 percent the month before. That’s the highest rate in 26 years and amounts to about 290,000 people without jobs out of a workforce of 3 million.

Kagen voted for this spending

H/T to Shoebox for pointing out these bills.

The following two bills passed the House yesterday. Congressman Kagen voted “Yes” on each one.

The first bill is H.R. 388, The Crane Conservation Act of 2009.

To assist in the conservation of cranes by supporting and providing, through projects of persons and organizations with expertise in crane conservation, financial resources for the conservation programs of countries the activities of which directly or indirectly affect cranes and the ecosystems of cranes.

According to the bill summary prepared by the Congressional Research Service this Act:

Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance for approved projects relating to the conservation of cranes, using amounts in the Crane Conservation Fund established by this Act.

Allows a project proposal to be submitted by: (1) any wildlife management authority of a country located in the African, Asian, European, or North American range of a species of crane that carries out at least one activity that affects crane populations; (2) the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and (3) any person or organization with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of cranes.

Establishes the Crane Conservation Fund in the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
Authorizes the Secretary to convene an advisory group representing public and private organizations actively involved in the conservation of cranes to assist in carrying out this Act.

The amount established by this Act – $5 million over 5 years.

The second bill is H.R. 411, The Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009.

To assist in the conservation of rare felids and rare canids by supporting and providing financial resources for the conservation programs of nations within the range of rare felid and rare canid populations and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of rare felid and rare canid populations.

According to the bill summary prepared by the Congressional Research Service this Act:

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance for projects for the conservation of rare felids and rare canids. Authorizes the Secretary to convene an advisory group of individuals representing public and private organizations actively involved in the conservation of felids and canids.

Restricts the use of grants for captive breeding or display purposes.

Establishes in the Multinational Species Conservation Fund as a separate account the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund.

Defines “rare canid” to: (1) mean any of the canid species dhole, gray wolf, Ethiopian wolf, bush dog, African wild dog, maned wolf, and Darwin’s fox, including any subspecies or population of such a species; and (2) exclude any subspecies or population that is native to the area comprised of the United States and Canada or the European Union.

Defines “rare felid” to: (1) mean any of the felid species lion, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, Iberian lynx, and Borneo bay cat, including any subspecies or population of such a species; and (2) exclude any species, subspecies, or population that is native to the United States and any tiger.

Authorizes the Secretary to convene an advisory group, to assist in carrying out this Act, consisting of individuals representing public and private organizations actively involved in felid and canid conservation.

Requires the Secretary to initiate a study of felid and canid species listed under the IUCN Red List (the Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World Conservation Union) that are not rare canids and rare felids to determine: (1) the conservation status of the species in the wild, including identification of those that are critically endangered or endangered; and (2) any such species that should be made eligible for project assistance.

The amount established by this Act – $5 million over 5 years. Which by the way doesn’t include the study of felid and canid species.

That’s right people of the Wisconsin 8th Congressional District, our Congressman, in a time of economic downturn, voted to spend at least $10 million of YOUR money to take care of cranes, cats, and dogs in other countries. Do you consider it a wise use of YOUR money, if it ultimately passes the Senate and is signed by President Obama?

Congressman Kagen can you explain these votes??

“Not all of us are hypnotized”

Three words – SHE GETS IT!

Pink slips for Washington if they don’t get the message of “we the people”, a great idea!

Appleton WI 2009 Tea Party – Video

This is awesomely done with photos from the Appleton Tea Party.

more about "Appleton WI 2009 Tea Party – Video", posted with vodpod

Says it all. Next up an Independence Day Tea Party? Stay tuned.

Another Tea Party and more

Kudos to the local Appleton paper for interviewing Jim Steinke, organizer of the hugely successful Appleton Tea Party.  A wide range of topics were covered.

Jim Steineke put on a party last week to give a voice to those who think government is spending too much of our money.

His Tea Party rally Wednesday in Appleton drew a crowd that by some estimates topped 2,000. Steineke, the Vandenbroek town chairman and an Outagamie County supervisor, said Tuesday that he wanted to provide an outlet for people who are increasingly dissatisfied with the direction of the federal government and show them that they can make a difference in pushing for change.

What Jim wanted to accomplish with the Tea Party.

Being in local government, I’ve seen people become detached from their governments, whether it’s local, state or federal. They’ve kind of drifted away. They don’t feel like their voice can make an impact. So this event was a way to show people that we can all come together, we can have one voice on an issue. I think people have finally gotten to the point where they want to force their elected officials to start listening. They’re real interested in getting involved in their government because they can see it spinning out of control. They see themselves losing the kind of America they grew up in and they’re nervous about it.

The overall idea behind the event was to gather as many like-minded people together as we could, people who are frustrated with the direction of the country. That’s not just the direction of the country in the last couple months. It’s over the last few years. These people are frustrated and they want their government back. So we wanted to gather all these people in one place and show the elected officials out there that, hey, there is a big contingent involved that’s concerned about the direction and want to change it.

The central issue of the last Tea Party – Lack of accountability with government spending and taxes.

Overall, that was the main focus of our event. It seems like, every time you open up the paper, it’s one billion-dollar bailout after another. There just doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of accountability. They seem to be continually tossing money at issues without any real results and without any real accountability. They talk a good game, that there’s going to be accountability and there’s going to be follow-up, but I just don’t think we can believe it.

The Appleton Tea Party was a starting point.

This shouldn’t be looked at as, we made our point and now we’ll quietly file away. I think it’s real important to capitalize off of people’s frustration and continue that momentum and continue to build a coalition of people who are willing to stand up, who are willing to write letters to their elected officials and make calls.

I think the big point we want to focus on is it’s a good start. From the people we had give their e-mail addresses, we essentially figured about 1,500 people. From that, we’re going to try to build a broader coalition.

These days, I think the reason people don’t get involved is, one, they don’t feel officials are listening, but, two, it’s hard. It’s a lot of work to research these bills, see what’s before the state or federal government. So what I’m going to try to do is get out and do all that background for them. Once we get this coalition together, give them the e-mails. Tell them, “This is before the state Legislature. This is before the federal government. You might want to know about it.” And if they’re interested, pass it along and make it easy for them to contact their legislators. Make it easy as possible for them to stay involved.

Attention Congressman Kagen and those who believe in continuing to lead this country down it’s current path: another Tea Party is in the works!

Yeah, there’s actually been a big call for another one here in the Appleton area. So tentatively, we’re looking at on or before July 4. They’re doing some more nationally around that time as well. So we’re looking to build off this one.

And more than Tea Parties is in the works.

We’ve already created a Facebook group and we’re on Twitter. We’re going to start building off this, getting together some smaller groups to talk about issues and talk about what’s next and how to move forward. There’s going to be more organization. The first event was trying to get all these people all in one place and then, from there, we can go to building some more organization.

Rebutting the misconception being painted by the MSM and others on the left that the Tea Party movement is bashing only President Obama. And that they are right-wing funded.

I think that’s the way some people are trying to paint this movement and, honestly, I can only speak for our event. We were strictly nonpartisan. There were five or six speakers and every single one of them mentioned both parties as the problem. That’s not always the way it comes out. We can’t have control over every single person in the crowd. There were some anti-Obama signs and things like that. Well, that’s the nature of it. He’s the top guy right now. But when I was talking alone, I mentioned the fact that this was both a Republican problem and a Democratic problem, and a Washington problem. It’s not just one party or the other. Both parties have been in control the last couple of years. Both parties have screwed this up.

So at any opportunity that I have to talk about this with the groups that we’re organizing, I tell people it is a nonpartisan thing. Everybody should feel welcome here. If you’re concerned about the spending, if you’re concerned about your kids’ future and what it’s going to hold for them, these are groups for you. Whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican or an independent, we’re all there for the same reason.

It is a struggle getting that out there because there is a perception that these Tea Parties are funded by right-wing groups. If they are, I never got the check (laughs). What little we did have to pay for it came out of my own pocket.

And just to re-iterate the point for those that continue to miss it. The Appleton Tea Party was a NON-PARTISAN event.

That was my main goal in this whole thing, to make it nonpartisan. I told people when I asked them to talk that that’s the way it was going to be. I didn’t want anybody getting up there, saying, “Democrats are evil, Republicans are great and we should all vote Republican.” That’s not the way we wanted to do it. It was strictly about the policies and the issues. I think we accomplished it.

There was one comment from one of the speakers that was pulled out from the speech that made it look bad. But overall, every other speech, and even that speaker, took both parties to task for their failures.

Nice to see that the local Appleton paper decided to do a follow-up and not just ignore the Tea Party.