Rally in support of Jerry Bader

An organized protest is in the process of being planned to show support for Jerry Bader and his radio program on WTAQ, a station of  Midwest Communications.

When: Saturday, November 14 at 10:00 am

Where: Midwest Communications

1420 Bellevue St Green Bay, WI

 

More details to be posted as they become available.

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Jerry Bader suspended

Green Bay talk show host Jerry Bader has been suspended by Midwest Communications.

WTAQ talk show host Jerry Bader has been suspended for the next two weeks. General Manager Duke Wright made the announcement Thursday morning. Bader is suspended for an online story this week on Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton and her reasons for dropping out of the gubenatorial campaign that has since been retracted. A decision on his future with WTAQ will come then. For now, comments and opinions can be shared by calling 435-3771, extension 2027. (Source: WTAQ)

Why?  Where’s the explanation from Midwest Communications as to why this decision has been made?  Is there intimidation coming from liberals who want to silence a “conservative” voice?

I’m not saying Jerry didn’t make a mistake going with the report as he did.    But that being said I have to agree with Kevin over at Lakeshore Laments.

I seriously believe he had the facts to back up his report when he posted it.

The severity of the action taken by Midwest Communications is questionable and points as well to a double standard if in fact there is pressure coming from liberals behind the scenes.

The liberal MSM reports rumors, innuendos and misinformation about conservative politicians on an almost daily basis.  Are they suspended or placed under “status review”?  Do they issue retractions and apologies the way Jerry did when he found out his sources gave him “bogus” information?

The answer is NO!

Midwest Communications needs to show that it has a backbone and not give into those who want to silence “conservative” talk radio.  In other words keep Jerry Bader on the air!

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Wednesday Hero 10/28/09

Spc. Justin Slagle

Spc. Justin Slagle returns to Forward Operating Base Lane in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter after an air assault mission in the Zabul province of Afghanistan, Oct. 15, 2009. Even as leaders in Washington struggle with the next steps in Afghanistan, troops there are moving to better protect the Afghan people by separating them from Taliban influence and intimidation.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army

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.

Taking care of business

Having finally had the opportunity to see the Phantoms in action I can say this team is good. It’s obvious why it’s riding a 9 game win streak.  The 13-time Bay Conference champions showed why they won a share of the Bay title for the 4th consecutive year in a 1st round playoff game against Clintonville.

Image via Wisconsin High School Helmets (www.mghelmets.com)

Any hopes the Truckers had of an upset were quickly dashed as the Phantoms struck less than 2 minutes into the game.

Linssen’s 68-yard touchdown strike to Travis Mason, who got open behind the defensive back at midfield as the pass arrived, three plays in set the tone for the one-side game.

“It was a good confidence builder,” Linssen said. “It gave the defense confidence to go out there for their first drive, too, with the lead. It was nice to have.”

And the defense responded as the Phantoms built a 20-0 1st quarter lead.

Working in sync with an offense that scored touchdowns on its first three possessions — fullback Trevor Cherney scored on a pair of 1-yard runs — the West De Pere defense forced five straight three-and-outs by the Truckers (5-5) to start the game.

In fact the Truckers had a measly 59 yards total offense for the game.

“We felt we were ready,” West De Pere linebacker Ben Jensen said. “We knew they were a big running offense. We knew they hit hard. We were ready for them.”

West De Pere linebacker Zak Rottier foiled the Truckers’ best chance to put up points on offense when he intercepted an underthrown pass in the end zone late in the first half.

For the Phantoms even trickery worked though Halloween isn’t until Saturday.

West De Pere capitalized after the Rottier takeaway by covering 80 yards in only seven plays to extend its lead to 27-0 just before halftime.

The touchdown came on a hook-and-ladder play. Linssen threw a 6-yard pass to Mason on the outside at the Truckers’ 25. Mason flipped the ball to Bellmore a yard behind, and Bellmore scored on the 26-yard run. (Source: West DePere rolls over Clintonville in D3 – Green Bay Press-Gazette)

The end result a 35-7 victory that moves them closer to their goal of a state title.

Up next for the soaring Phantoms: the Tritons of Green Bay Notre Dame.

 

 

What I was reminded of …

when reading this in Doug Hoffman’s op-ed.

It’s principle over party.

It’s a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party. It’s a fight for fiscal responsibility and the return of common sense to those who govern us.

This is a fight for our children’s future. It’s a fight for America. (Source: Take back the Party! – NY Post)

Flashback to January 2008 when Fred Thompson was about to end his Presidential campaign.  The blog Land of Da Free put together this video.

That video still applies today.  Just put in the RINO’s in Congress and the RINO candidates backed by the GOP at the start of the video.  Then put true Reagan conservatives like Sarah Palin, Doug Hoffman, Jim DeMint, the movements (Tea Party and 9/12) at the end.

The Republican Party didn’t listen back then.  Will it listen now?

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A fight for America

A great op-ed piece by NY-23 candidate Doug Hoffman.

An ordinary citizen wanting to ensure others have a shot at the American dream:

You see I’m not a professional politician; I’ve never sought elected office. I grew up poor in Saranac Lake, in the heart of the Adirondacks. My siblings and I were raised in a single-parent household by our mother. We worked to help her pay the mortgage. But, like so many others in this great land, I worked hard, got a good education, did a six-year stint in the military, married, landed a good job with a “big eight” accounting firm and started living the American dream.

It’s funny what can happen in America, when you are able to dream and have the courage to follow your dreams. At 27 I was hired as controller of the organizing committee for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Three years later I bought the accounting firm that employed my mother. Now I have six offices spread across the northern reaches of New York and a dozen other small businesses in the Adirondacks that employ my wife, children and hopefully someday, my grandchildren. I am living the American Dream.

The reason I’m running for office is to ensure that others share the same opportunities.

Unlike many in Washington or state governments across this great nation, Doug recognizes what is lacking – COMMON SENSE!

Sadly, that dream is quickly becoming a nightmare. Unemployment grows, our economy is in crisis, and our elected officials seem out of touch with reality. Government in Albany is a disgrace; it’s the most dysfunctional in the nation. New York has six statewide elected officials, only two of them have been elected by the people. Three of the remaining four hold office as a result of the scandals, sexual and financial, that forced a governor and a comptroller to resign.

It’s just as bad in Washington. The Obama administration suffers from the illusion that the way you solve problems, both social and economic, is to throw money at them.In the meantime, Congress fiddles while our economy burns. They lack common sense.

They don’t seem to get it that increased spending leads to higher taxes and fuels a projected $9 trillion deficit. That earmarks and pork-barrel spending might be beneficial to their political careers, but are devastating to the taxpayers who foot the bill. They are oblivious to the fact that tort reform, cutting of waste, and the introduction of free-market solutions are the ways to lower the cost of health care. That Obama-care will only lead us down the slippery slope to socialized medicine.

They are addicted to spending. When they run low on funds they simply create a new tax or raise an old one.

Like many Americans Doug is mad as hell about where the current path this country is headed down and the losses of freedom that are resulting.  Doug chose to do more than voice his dissatisfaction, he chose to run for Congress.

Taxes, the deficit, red tape and regulation are breaking the back of the nation, mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren.

Americans have had enough and are vocalizing their anger in town hall meetings and on the streets of Washington. They are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore!

That’s why I am running. I am one of them!

Freedom is what Americans want. Economic freedom to reap the rewards of the free enterprise system, personal freedom from the intrusion of big government in our lives, freedom from the nanny state that is being forced upon us.

However Doug isn’t running as a Republican, he’s running as a member of the New York Conservative Party.  Here’s why:

I’m a lifelong Republican running as the nominee of the New York State Conservative Party. I didn’t leave the Republican Party, the party left me. The GOP bosses in New York and Washington felt the candidate needed to be as liberal as possible. They picked a professional politician, with a voting record more liberal than 46 Democrats in the New York state legislature. They threw principles out the window. Their candidate has voted for increased spending, higher taxes, gay marriage and abortion. She supports “Card Check” (EFCA) and is supported by trial lawyers, gay activists and Big Labor. In 2008 she ran on the line of the radical left Working Families Party, ACORN’s political party in New York.

In other words the Republican Party once again threw its principles “under the bus”, believing the route to election is to act more like the liberals.  As Doug points out at the end of his op-ed, he is not alone in his battle.

The battle I wage is not a lonely one. Like-minded citizens in the district, the state and the nation have joined me in this fight.

It is a battle that has been joined by current and former elected Republican officials, conservative activists and members of the ever-growing Tea Party and 9/12 movements. And if the GOP picks liberal candidates for the midterm congressional elections next year, they may find that there are a lot more people out there like me who won’t go along. We are not going to win by becoming more like the Democrats. We’re going to win by standing up for our beliefs.

It’s principle over party.

It’s a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party. It’s a fight for fiscal responsibility and the return of common sense to those who govern us.

This is a fight for our children’s future. It’s a fight for America. (Source: Take back the Party! – NY Post)

Wonder if there’s someone with Doug’s principles running in the Wisconsin 8th District? I think there is … and I’ll reveal who I think it is in the next few weeks.

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Has the base found it’s champion?

Image via Wikipedia

Dr. Clouthier, in an op-ed over at Pajamas Media, makes the case that it has.  And that champion is Sarah Palin.

She’s shown that one doesn’t need the press (ie – the state-run media) to get a message out.

First, she has, since stepping down as governor, started to communicate with the people not through the press but around the press. In other words, she’s speaking directly to the people through social media. She has had a couple well-timed and well-placed op-eds that have helped define policy arguments. However, most of the time she’s talked to the people via social media. (It should be noted that she’s been silent on Twiiter for some time — something I hope she’ll change soon.) This has had the benefit of letting the press know that she does not need them. Rather than go the Obama route and deny what is perceived as the one “enemy” to her aims, Sarah denies nearly everyone. And why not? The press trashed her with risible lies. Why give a dying breed ratings when she can reach the people herself?

Then there’s the underestimation of her power by her own party.

They underestimated her star power. They misjudged her almost as badly as the left did; they thought she was just some feather-headed lightweight who would be nice arm candy for John McCain. She’d win the women vote because women are so stupid; ovaries are enough to win them over was the idea. Turns out that Sarah Palin was formidable because of the strength of her ideals, not just because of the strength of her beauty. And don’t forget the strength of her spine. This gross miscalculation has put the Republican Party at odds with their one star candidate.

Not surprising considering it underestimated how ticked off its own base is at it.

The Republican establishment made another miscalculation last year. They underestimated the resolve and force of the tea party movement. These folks are ticked. They are angrier at the Republican establishment than they are at President Obama and his Marxist minions. In fact, this trouble was brewing all through the presidential campaign and even before. It all started, really, with the notion of “compassionate conservative” — an idea both insulting and inherently false. Conservatism is compassionate. Conservatism is something to be proud of, not something to hide.

So the Republicans have seemed as stunned with the tea partiers as the tea partiers are stunned at their party. The grassroots folks have had it. They’re tired of being disrespected. They’re tired of being told to pipe down and go along to get along when the candidates the party picks stink and then lose. (Source: Sarah Palin Strikes Back – Pajamas Media)

They’re also looking for a champion who can help steer the Republican Party back to its conservative roots.  By going against the establishment this week, Sarah Palin showed she is that champion.  She’s willing to stand up for conservatism when the elitist establishment won’t.  Unlike the Republican establishment she realizes what needs to be done to take this country back.

Perhaps that’s why Josh Painter over at Texas for Sarah Palin made this point recently.

Call Sarah Palin a political child of Reagan, one of his disciples, a soldier in his army or whatever allegorical device works for you. The bottom line is the same: Reagan showed everyone how he led his revolution, but many seem to have forgotten. Not Sarah Palin. She has studied Reagan’s blueprints and committed them to memory. She’s the contractor who can win the bid to reconstruct his coalition. All she has to do is submit it. The construction workers are ready to get on with the job. (Source: Sarah Palin: Political Progeny of Ronald Reagan – Texas for Sarah Palin)

The question is will the Republican Party listen to Sarah Palin and its base, now that a champion has drawn the line-in-the-sand?  Will it finally wake up and start choosing conservatism over Democrat Lite?

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R.I.P. Helen Bies

Republican Party activist Helen Bies has died at age 84.

She started her political career working for Barry Goldwater’s campaign for U.S. president in 1964.

She later co-chaired Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaigns in 1976, 1980 and 1984 and was a key manager for Lee Dreyfus‘ gubernatorial campaign in 1978.

She served on the Republican National Committee from 1980-1992 and was a delegate to several Republican national nominating conventions.

She was a member of the Electoral College in 1980 and 1984 and was appointed by President Reagan to the Commission on Presidential Scholars from 1981-88.

Although officially retired in 1992, she remained politically active throughout her retirement years.  (Source: GOP activist Helen Bies dies – Fox 11)

Condolences to the Bies family.

Allegience to conservative principles

Image via Wikipedia

That is what Sarah Palin showed this week.

Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has endorsed a third-party candidate over the GOP-backed contender in New York’s congressional special election, saying her own party has abandoned its core values.

The former Alaska governor, who was Arizona Sen. John McCain’s running-mate last year, said Thursday she was backing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over Republican Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava in the 23rd Congressional District race.

Palin said Hoffman, a businessman, stands for Republican principles — smaller government, lower taxes and a commitment to individual liberty — and that Scozzafava is more aligned with Democrats.

It’s not just Sarah Palin that has shown that allegience though.

Hoffman has been labeled a spoiler by some, but he’s looking more like a contender lately, with support from prominent Republicans, including former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, who endorsed Hoffman on Friday.

“The other candidates in this race are far too similar in their records and stated support for much of the Democrats’ agenda in Washington,” Forbes said. (Source: Palin backs 3rd party candidate in NY House race – AP)

It’s Sarah’s endorsement via a note on her Facebook page that’s garnered the most attention though.

A good round-up of reaction to Sarah’s endorsement can be found here and here.  A sampling of the round-up:

“This is a good example of [Sarah Palin] understanding something that seems lost on most politicians. The tea party movement and the general disaffection of the electorate isn’t necessarily pro-Republican, and unless the GOP realizes that and start standing for principle, they are simply going to continue to be marginalized.” (Joshuapundit)

“Sarah Palin’s decision to endorse the Conservative Party candidate over the Republican nominee in a special House election in upstate New York is the latest example that the former Alaska governor’s allegiance is to her conservative principles rather than the edicts of the party.” (Chris Cillizza)

“Sarah Palin puts forth her argument for her NY – 23 position on social media site, Facebook. Newt, otoh, has his posted internally on his own association’s site. Does that tell us anything about where both are coming from today, about which is actually more in step with today’s culture and electorate?” (Dan Riehl)

“She said this summer that she would work for the election of conservative candidates regardless of party, and now she’s backed up those words by standing against her own party to support a candidate she can believe in.” (The Spyglass)

“Palin’s quote of Ronald Reagan’s timeless speech ‘A Time For Choosing’ makes it clear that she has chosen to stand apart from the GOP leadership.” (Another Black Conservative)

Ian Ransom points out that the endorsement was a “daring line-in-the-sand” to the GOP leadership:

The brilliance of this trigger-pulling comes at an ideal moment for Palin and for the teetering party. Make no mistake: instead of throwing herself under the bus (as some in her own party would like), Palin’s invocation of Reagan-conservatism in connection with such a move generates light that will be very difficult–and unwise–for waffling GOP leaders to ignore, even in the midst of their thickening fog. (Source: Palin shows true grit with Hoffman endorsement – Texas for Sarah Palin)

Josh Painter, in a post on the same site, may have summed it up best:

With her endorsement of Doug Hoffman, Sarah Palin has taken a stand in solidarity with the gathering storm known as the grassroots movement in this country. The disaffected conservatives, conservative libertarians, common sense independents and blue collar Democrats (aka Reagan Democrats) who are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore always seemed to us to be former Governor Palin’s natural base constituency. These are the the people who have turned out for TEA parties and Townhalls across the country, but there are many more of them who were not able to demonstrate, but feel the pain none the less. It’s a big step for the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate to take toward earning their trust as the national public figure who best voices their concerns.

As for the Republican Party, its establishment has refused for too long to listen to the rank and file, and now it has officially been put on notice by Sarah Palin. Hopefully, it will finally pay attention to the voices of the people. (Source: Some Personal Thoughts on the Endorsement – Texas for Sarah Palin)

Proof that despite the best efforts of liberals and RINO’s that true conservatism will win out in the end.

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Congress and exemptions

Interesting piece on Congress and exempting itself from laws.

Most Americans think that all citizens should have the same rights and privileges, and that the same laws should apply equally to all. So it is that the president has just one vote in any election, as does the grocery clerk. And the Treasury secretary or chairman of the Ways and Means Committee must pay taxes just like anyone else (well, more or less).

But one powerful group in our democracy rarely misses a chance to exempt itself from laws that apply to the rest of us. We’re talking about members of Congress. Most seem to think it’s just too inconvenient to have to abide by those pesky laws they foist on the rest of us.

A prime example of this is unions and rules.

As my colleagues James Sherk and Ryan O’Donnell point out in a recent Heritage Foundation Backgrounder,many members of Congress can advocate new laws to push workers into joining unions with enthusiasm because their own congressional employees do not and will not have the right to form a union.

It is time for Congress to work under the same rules it imposes on the private sector. If members think that the burden of these unionization laws is not excessive, then they should apply them to their own offices. If they are not prepared to do that, they should not impose them on businesses in Main Street America.

So folks like Steve Kagen want to impose new rules that won’t apply to his own employees.  What’s up with that?

It seems that Congress — at least for their own offices — understands the downside of unionization.

Yet members of Congress who support the current bills — which would do such things as end secret ballots in labor elections and in other ways push workers into unions — claim that the proposed laws would actually improve the workplace without curtailing workers’ rights or burdening employers.

If that is so, they should be happy to add an amendment at last permitting their own staffs to unionize under the NLRA.

How about it Congressman Kagen?  You support the Employee Free Choice Act, so why not propose that amendment permitting your staff that freedom?

Perhaps this is why not.

It would be interesting to see just how gung-ho about promoting unionization these members would be with that equal-treatment requirement in place. Would they accept the idea that their offices could be unionized merely if a majority of their staff were pressured into publicly signing cards — the so-called “card check” — rather than voting for a union in a secret ballot? That’s what one major proposal would mean for private businesses.

And another thing, the NLRA current definition of “supervisor” means that managers cannot be included in a union. But one of the union-backed bills before Congress would eliminate this definition. This means that congressional chiefs of staff or legislative directors would become part of the bargaining unit. So automatic seniority, rather than decisions by a senator or congressman, would generally determine who got such promotions, as well as pay rates and job classifications. Let’s see how many lawmakers would tolerate that.

But that shouldn’t matter Congressman Kagen.  If it’s such a great thing to force changes to unionization rules on companies across the country, it should be great to apply those same rules to your staff.  (Source: Hill is above the (labor) law – Heritage Foundation)

Unless of course you think there are two sets of rules in America, one that applies to your constituents and one that applies to members of Congress.  Would that make you a hypocrite, an elitist or both?

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