"That's Saul, folks!"Michigan Republican Party Blog

Unfunded Pension Liabilities A Huge Threat

State's finances worse than governor reveals

Michigan's continuing budget problems have dominated news out of Lansing. But there are other ways than an annual budget to look at a state's financial position. When Michigan's overall financial picture -- in essence, its balance sheet -- is examined, the state's condition is even more dire.

State government is required to issue a comprehensive annual financial report. It looks at state government as a whole -- its assets, its liabilities and all of its funds. Viewed as a single entity, Michigan's governmental activities at the close of the 2006 budget year had an accrued deficit of $1.7 billion, up from $932 million in 2005. Deputy Oakland County Executive Robert Daddow has looked at the report, and he is alarmed. According to the financial report, the School Aid Fund at the end of the last fiscal year owed $1.7 billion to other state funds.

State officials contend that this is simply a matter of timing, with School Aid revenues coming in after the close of the budget year, necessitating borrowing from other funds. Daddow, however, argues that it reveals that the state is in a serious cash-flow bind. For several years, the state has not made full payments to its pension funds. According to the notes to the state's financial statement, unfunded liabilities for the state employee pension system have grown to $2.5 billion at the end of the 2005 budget year from $1.3 billion at the end of the 2003 fiscal year For education employees, the unfunded liabilities have grown to nearly $10 billion from $6 billion. Local school districts have the obligation to fund school retirement, according to Daddow.

But the two most recent annual financial reports indicate that over the last four years they have under-funded their pension systems by more than $800 million, he notes. State budget officials contend that the pension funds are in good shape. And it's true that pension systems are like mortgages -- they don't have to be paid off immediately. But if they are consistently under-funded, there will be a day of reckoning, not unlike a foreclosure.

The state doesn't yet have to account for its total liabilities for retiree health benefits. Those cost the state and school districts more than $1 billion last year. Unlike pensions, retiree health care costs can be funded on a pay-as-you-go basis. But if the state and schools wanted to put aside money for future health care liabilities, according to Daddow, they might have to spend three times as much each year. All of this information could be used to argue for a tax hike. But should a government that has let its financial situation slide to this situation be given even more money to mismanage? Instead, the state's grave financial condition must be used as a lever for drastic changes -- pay freezes, hard bargaining on benefits, spin-offs of government programs to the private sector and whatever else is needed to bring Michigan's government operations in line with its revenues.

This government should not be rewarded with a bailout. Or nothing will change.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?/20070430/OPINION01/704300312/1008

Articles of Interest 4-30-07

MORNING UPDATE:

We start the week with more stories about iPods…but Democrats want to make it clear that even though they were holding an iPod, they didn’t “mean” an iPod…

Michigan Republicans have started selling their Legacy Brick program.  Check it out.

Listen to the “Big Show” tomorrow, Tuesday with Mark Brewer and myself.

Here is a short write up sent by the Livingston County GOP..congrats!!!

THE REST OF THE STORY:

As stories hit the papers about how students are actually using iPods to cheat in school, Democrats and liberals were upset that anyone assumed they had any intention of buying iPods for students…even though they were holding an iPod when they held the press conference to announce their proposal for more “technology” but not the iPod they were holding and showing the press during their announcement.

Got it?

Here are a couple of stories you have to see on the how students are “using” iPods:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/democrats_ipod_.html

To get more information about the Michigan Republican Legacy Brick Fund  please goto:

http://www.migop.org/legacy/

Listen to our weekly debate/discussion between Democrat State Chairman Mark Brewer and myself every Tuesday morning, between 9:05am - 10:00am, as we discuss the issues of the day.

The show is NOT recorded, but you can listen to it live at the stations listed below.

"The Big Show with Michael Patrick Shiels" on the Michigan Talk Network:

WJIM 1240 Lansing
WTRX 1330 Flint/Saginaw
WMMI 830 Mt Pleasant
WKMI 1360 Kalamazoo
WSCG 1380 Greenville
WBCH 1220 Hastings
WODJ 1490 Muskegon
WWKK 750 Petoskey
WJML 1110 Petoskey
WDJM 1320 Marquette
WIAN 1240 Ishpeming

Message from :Livingston County Lincoln Day dinner was a success!!  We raised money for the county party and had a great time doing it.  The response to Mitt Romney's speech was very positive and we look forward to meeting more of the candidates in the months to come.

A special thank you to Lana Theis for all of her hard work!  Great job!  Thanks to Earl and Rosemary Lafave for the outstanding VIP reception!  Thanks also to Paul Fryatt and Bruce Hundley for the ad sales, Susan McDonald for the auction and Harvey and Vicki Fyke for selling the most tickets.  Debbi Drick did a great job with the national anthem (as usual) and Chuck Gaidica was a terrific emcee.  Last but not least, thanks to Stefani Zimmerman and the Romney team for your help in making this a big success!  I'm sure I am missing people, so just let me say thanks to you all!

Congratulations to Cindy Pine for receiving the Woman's Republican award and Kamille Karlson for being our grassroots supporter of the year.

Saul Anuzis

Islam: Something to Think About & Understand

SENSE OF UMMAH

The Trouble With Islam

Sadly, mainstream Muslim teaching accepts and promotes violence.

BY TAWFIK HAMID - WSJ Opinion Journal 15APR07

Not many years ago the brilliant Orientalist, Bernard Lewis, published a short history of the Islamic world's decline, entitled "What Went Wrong?" Astonishingly, there was, among many Western "progressives," a vocal dislike for the title. It is a false premise, these critics protested. They ignored Mr. Lewis's implicit statement that things have been, or could be, right.

But indeed, there is much that is clearly wrong with the Islamic world. Women are stoned to death and undergo clitorectomies. Gays hang from the gallows under the approving eyes of the proponents of Shariah, the legal code of Islam. Sunni and Shia massacre each other daily in Iraq. Palestinian mothers teach 3-year-old boys and girls the ideal of martyrdom. One would expect the orthodox Islamic establishment to evade or dismiss these complaints, but less happily, the non-Muslim priests of enlightenment in the West have come, actively and passively, to the Islamists' defense.

These "progressives" frequently cite the need to examine "root causes." In this they are correct: Terrorism is only the manifestation of a disease and not the disease itself. But the root-causes are quite different from what they think. As a former member of Jemaah Islamiya, a group led by al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, I know firsthand that the inhumane teaching in Islamist ideology can transform a young, benevolent mind into that of a terrorist. Without confronting the ideological roots of radical Islam it will be impossible to combat it. While there are many ideological "rootlets" of Islamism, the main tap root has a name--Salafism, or Salafi Islam, a violent, ultra-conservative version of the religion.

It is vital to grasp that traditional and even mainstream Islamic teaching accepts and promotes violence. Shariah, for example, allows apostates to be killed, permits beating women to discipline them, seeks to subjugate non-Muslims to Islam as dhimmis and justifies declaring war to do so. It exhorts good Muslims to exterminate the Jews before the "end of days." The near deafening silence of the Muslim majority against these barbaric practices is evidence enough that there is something fundamentally wrong.

The grave predicament we face in the Islamic world is the virtual lack of approved, theologically rigorous interpretations of Islam that clearly challenge the abusive aspects of Shariah. Unlike Salafism, more liberal branches of Islam, such as Sufism, typically do not provide the essential theological base to nullify the cruel proclamations of their Salafist counterparts. And so, for more than 20 years I have been developing and working to establish a theologically-rigorous Islam that teaches peace.

Yet it is ironic and discouraging that many non-Muslim, Western intellectuals--who unceasingly claim to support human rights--have become obstacles to reforming Islam. Political correctness among Westerners obstructs unambiguous criticism of Shariah's inhumanity. They find socioeconomic or political excuses for Islamist terrorism such as poverty, colonialism, discrimination or the existence of Israel. What incentive is there for Muslims to demand reform when Western "progressives" pave the way for Islamist barbarity? Indeed, if the problem is not one of religious beliefs, it leaves one to wonder why Christians who live among Muslims under identical circumstances refrain from contributing to wide-scale, systematic campaigns of terror.

Politicians and scholars in the West have taken up the chant that Islamic extremism is caused by the Arab-Israeli conflict. This analysis cannot convince any rational person that the Islamist murder of over 150,000 innocent people in Algeria--which happened in the last few decades--or their slaying of hundreds of Buddhists in Thailand, or the brutal violence between Sunni and Shia in Iraq could have anything to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Western feminists duly fight in their home countries for equal pay and opportunity, but seemingly ignore, under a façade of cultural relativism, that large numbers of women in the Islamic world live under threat of beating, execution and genital mutilation, or cannot vote, drive cars and dress as they please.

The tendency of many Westerners to restrict themselves to self-criticism further obstructs reformation in Islam. Americans demonstrate against the war in Iraq, yet decline to demonstrate against the terrorists who kidnap innocent people and behead them. Similarly, after the Madrid train bombings, millions of Spanish citizens demonstrated against their separatist organization, ETA. But once the demonstrators realized that Muslims were behind the terror attacks they suspended the demonstrations. This example sent a message to radical Islamists to continue their violent methods.

Western appeasement of their Muslim communities has exacerbated the problem. During the four-month period after the publication of the Muhammad cartoons in a Danish magazine, there were comparatively few violent demonstrations by Muslims. Within a few days of the Danish magazine's formal apology, riots erupted throughout the world. The apology had been perceived by Islamists as weakness and concession.

Worst of all, perhaps, is the anti-Americanism among many Westerners. It is a resentment so strong, so deep-seated, so rooted in personal identity, that it has led many, consciously or unconsciously, to morally support America's enemies.

Progressives need to realize that radical Islam is based on an antiliberal system. They need to awaken to the inhumane policies and practices of Islamists around the world. They need to realize that Islamism spells the death of liberal values. And they must not take for granted the respect for human rights and dignity that we experience in America, and indeed, the West, today.

Well-meaning interfaith dialogues with Muslims have largely been fruitless. Participants must demand--but so far haven't--that Muslim organizations and scholars specifically and unambiguously denounce violent Salafi components in their mosques and in the media. Muslims who do not vocally oppose brutal Shariah decrees should not be considered "moderates."

All of this makes the efforts of Muslim reformers more difficult. When Westerners make politically-correct excuses for Islamism, it actually endangers the lives of reformers and in many cases has the effect of suppressing their voices.

Tolerance does not mean toleration of atrocities under the umbrella of relativism. It is time for all of us in the free world to face the reality of Salafi Islam or the reality of radical Islam will continue to face us.

Dr. Hamid, a onetime member of Jemaah Islamiya, an Islamist terrorist group, is a medical doctor and Muslim reformer living in the West.

Articles of Interest 4-29-07

555 Days until election day.

MORNING UPDATE:

Governor Mitt Romney spent the last two days in Michigan visiting with Republican activists and keynoting 4 different Lincoln Day Dinners…and I thought I was crazy.

I spoke at the Van Buren County and St. Joseph County GOP Lincoln Day dinners yesterday.

Senator Harry Reid’s treasonous public positions laid out…the more you know, the more you’ll believe he should resign!

And when you thought the iPod story couldn’t get any better…Democrats just keep giving!?!

I see that the governor is suggesting that the state’s deficit problems only amount to $40 per person.  That’s an interesting calculation, suggesting that every Michigan citizen should pay an equal amount to fund the state’s budget.  If she is really serious about this approach, I’m sure she would be able to find lots of Republicans who would be interested in speaking with her about that.

If she is proposing that we finance state government on a straight “per-capita” basis, then wouldn’t this be the ultimate “flat tax”?  I don’t know about you all, but I could REALLY get behind an idea like that.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

With Governor Mitt Romney in town making the rounds around the state Friday and Saturday, Republicans had a busy start for the weekend. He went after Pelosi and Reid pretty hard on partisan foreign policy.  The Governor quoted Arthur Vandenberg saying "politics must stop at the waters edge".  The Governor was well received and helped local parties raise record amounts of funds for the upcoming election year.

I spend Saturday on the road as I headed out to St. Joseph County GOP’s Lincoln Day program during lunch.  Congratulations to Chairman Robert Sills and his crew for a job well done.

Afterwards, we had a series of meetings to discuss strategy and goals for the upcoming election cycle.

I ended the evening at the Van Buren County GOP Lincoln Day dinner.  A great and enthusiastic turnout as Republicans prepared for victory next year.  Chairwoman Sandra Hanson and her team put together a great event!  Congressman Fred Upton made both events and Matt Hall joined us in St. Joe.

Sixth District Chairman Gerry Hildenbrand spent most of the day with me as we traveled through his district and discussed how we can turn our MORE Republican votes in their area to help the statewide efforts next year.  We have plans!

Senator Harry Reid’s comments continue to be nothing less than treasonous.  The more you find out about what he is publicly saying, how our enemies are gleefully using his words against us, and the affect he is having on our military men and women overseas…you’ll be even more convinced he should resign!

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/democrats_play_.html

Just weeks after the Michigan Democrats suggested we give every high school student an iPod as a means to “investing in technology” and learning in school…we get even more information on how useful iPods truly can be in the classroom.

The state is in a financial crisis, we are short revenues for some of the most “basic” services and are debating multiple Democrat proposed tax increases…and Michigan Democrats want YOU to pay for other kids iPods too?!?

You have to see this story!!!

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/democrats_ipod_.html

On the way home we had a video conference with several party leaders and made plans for the week to come.  Enjoy your Sunday…I’ll be working on my “honey do” list for the rest of the day!

Saul Anuzis

Articles of Interest 4-28-07

556 Days until election day.

MORNING UPDATE:

Governor Mitt Romney has been on a two day whirlwind tour around Michigan meeting with Republican activists throughout the state.  He'll be in Genessee, Eaton and Ingham counties today.

If you haven’t met Congresswoman Jean Schmidt…you should.  See below.

How come when the Republicans will do only spending cuts and no tax increases, the Governor gets to call them "extremists" for not budging, but when she will do only tax increases and no spending cuts and refuses to budge no one is calling her extremist?

Here’s my commentary on  “Compromise & Bipartisanship” that ran on this last week’s Michigan Matters with Carol Cain:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/compromise_or_b.html

Right to Work proposals, discussions and “a, ah” moments are popping up everyday around Michigan as we continue to lose jobs.

There was a great program on “blogging” played on this week’s Off the Record.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is the newest member of the House of Representatives and was elected to Congress in one of the toughest races we’ve had.  You want to talk about being proud to have her on our side!!!  See this short video:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/the_gentle_lady.html

There are those who say we should just “work together” and take the easy way out.  If we are not willing to stand up for some fundamental principles and fight the fight on behalf of taxpayers…why are we Republicans in the first place?

Here’s my commentary, a bit rushed on my part, called  “Compromise & Bipartisanship” that ran on this week’s Michigan Matters with Carol Cain:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/compromise_or_b.html

More and more folks are talking about the idea of joining the majority of other states across our country and passing some form of “Right to Work” proposal.  Basically, this provides for union membership to be voluntary and makes it harder for union bosses to blackmail job providers in Michigan…which is one reason so many are choosing other states to locate in.  Here’s a good editorial cartoon that makes the point:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/right_to_work.html

This weeks Off the Record did their show on “blogging” with two of our conservative bloggers Bill Knowling (www.lunchbucketconservative.com) and Nick DeLeeuw (www.rightmichigan.com) .  They were joined by a couple of liberals as well and did a good job explaining the role blogging and the internet plays in politics today.  You can see the show on the internet at:

http://wkar.org/offtherecord/program.php?num=2007-43

Democrats have now waiting until over half the budget year is over and have not taken the steps necessary to live within our means.  That means we are in for much more drastic cuts then would have been necessary if the Governor and her budget office had been honest and responsible with the budget from day one.

Follow the debate, get the facts, understand what’s behind the numbers and why we are where we are today.  While the Democrats spin “crisis” let us remember it’s their lack of leadership, programs and management that put us in this position.

We won’t be fooled again!

Governor Mitt Romney has been on a two day whirlwind tour around Michigan meeting with Republican activists throughout the state.  He'll be in Genessee, Eaton and Ingham counties today.

Saul Anuzis

Democrat's iPod Scandal Continues!!!

Democrats Just Don't Get It???

Students are using ipods to help cheat in school. This comes out after Michigan State Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon discussed a state funded ipod for every student. Wonderful! Our tax dollars to help students cheat.

http://www.wflx.com/Global/story.asp?S=6435153&nav=2JWi

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-04-27-ipod-cheating_N.htm

Democrats Play Politics with the War on Terror

Baghdad Harry shows the Democrats True Colors...any and/or all of them?!?

In a great article about Senator Harry Reid, Human Event's Amanda Carpenter lays out the case of Reid's multiple positions on the war.

To see the full article goto:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20444

Here are some key Reid moments/flip-flops/Democrat leadership examples:

After breaking from the Republicans’ weekly policy luncheon on April 24, Cheney told reporters Reid was campaigning against the war for political gain. “Sen. Reid himself has said the war in Iraq will bring more his party more seats in the next election,” Cheney said. “It is cynical to declare that the war is lost because you believe it gives you political advantage.”

“I think that he [Justice Clarence Thomas] has been an embarrassment to the Supreme Court.” --NBC’s "Meet the Press," December 5, 2004

“I'm not a big Greenspan fan -- Alan Greenspan fan. I voted against him the last two times. I think he's one of the biggest political hacks we have in Washington.” --CNN’s "Inside Politics," March 3, 2005

"The man's [President George W. Bush] father is a wonderful human being. I think this guy is a loser." --Speech at Del Sol High School May 7, 2005

"When he [Bill Frist] got this job, he had had limited experience on the Senate floor, and he was leaving. He had term-limited himself. So he has no institutional integrity. ... He doesn't feel as strongly about the Senate. He does whatever the White House wants him to do.” --Washington Post, December 19, 2005

“Can you think of one thing that has gone right in Iraq? And I'm having -- searching and I'm having trouble finding that.”-- Press conference, September 19, 2006

'I'm going to throw bombs sometimes -- I'm going to be conciliatory other times.”- New York Times, November 10, 2006

“We're not going to do anything to limit funding [for the war] or cut off funds, even though there are some on the outside who suggest that.” --Associated Press, November 29, 2006

“Just as with Vietnam, there was never a time when funds were cut off from Vietnam. And I don’t think anyone can find a war that this country was engaged in where the funds were cut off. No one is talking about cutting off the funds.” --"The Charlie Rose Show," March 5, 2007

“Reauthorization [of the war] isn’t such a good idea, more than likely. I think probably what might be better is to specifically do away with the authorization whatsoever, period. And then just assign specific legislative authorizations to what the troops there could do. Get rid of the original authorization [of the war]. --"The Charlie Rose Show," March 5, 2007

“I am pleased to cosponsor Senator Feingold’s important legislation…. If the President vetoes the supplemental appropriations bill and continues to resist changing course in Iraq, I will work to ensure this legislation receives a vote in the Senate in the next work period.”-- Joint statement issued by Feingold and Reid on April 2, 2007.

"The American people, I repeat, have to understand what is happening. It is not worth another drop of American blood in Iraq. It is not worth another damaged brain." --interview with Ed Schultz, April 2, 2007

“We’re going to pick up Senate seats as a result of this war. Senator Schumer has shown me numbers that are compelling and astounding.” --Press conference, April 12, 2007

“I support, with Senator Feingold, legislation that would start redeployment in 120 days, and there would be a cut-off date April 1, 2008. I support that. And there will be a time when I’m going to be looking to Senator Feingold and others for a time to do that.” --Press conference, April 19, 2007

“Now, I believe myself … that this war is lost and that the surge is not accomplishing anything.”-- Press conference April 19, 2007

“No one wants us to succeed in Iraq more than Democrats.” -- Speech on the Senate floor, April 20, 2007

"General Petraeus, the commander on the ground, has said so himself. Twenty percent [of the war in Iraq] can be won militarily and 80 percent has to be won through our diplomatic efforts, politics, and economics. I repeat: the only way to succeed lies through a comprehensive political, diplomatic and economic strategy. So says the commander on the ground there, General Petraeus." -- April 20, 2007

CNN: [President Bush] has also said that General Petraeus is going to come on the Hill and make it clear to you that there is progress going on in Iraq, that the so-called surge is working. Will you believe him when he says that?

REID: “No, I don’t believe him.” --CNN’s Situation Room April 23, 2007

REPORTER: The Vice-President suggested you've been inconsistent in your position [on Iraq], changing, he said, three times in five months, from no cutting off of funds, to funding with limitations, to now cutting off funds --

REID: I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody who has a nine percent approval rating. --Press conference, April 24, 2007

The Gentle Lady for Ohio...Oh Yeh!!!

Right to Work???

Right On!!! Granholm Excuses Waste

Fri, Apr 27, 2007 at 9:36 AM

Richard Burr

Granholm excuses waste of tax dollars

When Gov. Jennifer Granholm accuses Senate Republicans for having an "extremist ideology" because they don't want to kick troubled taxpayers with a tax increase, she has essentially become a shill for a school lobby that won't cut the fat.

She ends up defending school board members who abuse school tax money to apparently make a steady stream of personal cell phone calls. She looks the other way as school board members took a luxurious trip two weeks ago to San Francisco for a national conference. She runs interference for teachers and other school employees by not tackling their gold-plated health care and pension benefits, which are slowly but surely bankrupting school districts and the kids she claims she wants to help.

Granholm played a nice election-year con game (as pointed out here by colleague Daniel Howes) by increasing student aid (which the GOP went along with) when the money wasn't there to support it and then blaming Republicans for balking at increasing taxes to deal with the problem. An outside reader who e-mailed me compared the situation to a kid who kills his parents and then pleads for mercy from the judge -- because he is an orphan.

Bill Clinton played a slightly different game of chicken with a Republican Congress and got away with it. But Michigan has been in a recession -- really a depression now -- for too long for people to buy Granholm's tactics. Maybe Bill will pass her some advice at the NAACP dinner in Detroit on Sunday.

And if Senate Republicans are extremists for rejecting her service tax wallop, then what does that make state Sen. Glenn Anderson, the UAW Democrat from Westland who also voted against her service tax? In her power base of Wayne County, no less?

http://info.detnews.com/weblog/index.cfm?blogid=9716

COMPROMISE or BIPARTISIANSHIP?

I had the "final viewpoint" on Carol Cain's Michigan Matters show. 

Articles of Interest 4-27-07

557 Days until election day.

MORNING SUMMARY:

A flock of small jets took flight from Washington Thursday, each carrying a Democratic presidential candidate to South Carolina for the first debate of the political season.

No one jet pooled, no one took commercial flights to save money, fuel or emissions!!!

Granholm rips Republicans for an “extremist ideology” for opposing her reckless tax and spend policies…bring it on!!!

Why would PBS EXCLUDE the film Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center" ?  There is a great discussion linked below.

The Majority Accountability Project was launched this week as an on-line clearinghouse of information on the House and Senate Democrat majorities.  A great resource and tool.

Sanilac County GOP Lincoln Day dinner was held in Sandusky last night.  We had a great turnout with guests from several counties and a commitment to win the “thumb” back as a Republican area!

Listen to my Michigan Public Radio interview on the Presidential process and  fundraising here:

http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2007/04/interview_saul_.html

We now have a Michigan Republican store online to buy various Republican goods…see the write up and link below.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Democrats have their first debate/forum…hypocrites, everyone of them!

No one jet pooled, no one took commercial flights to save money, fuel or emissions!!!

Democratic presidential hopefuls flashed their anti-war credentials at last night’s “debate” and heaped criticism on President Bush's Iraq policy in their first debate of the 2008 campaign.  No surprises…but scary…a foreign policy of Reid style “surrender”.

In a WOOD TV 8  & AP interview Governor Granholm ripped the Republican Senate for having an “extremist ideology” for opposing her reckless tax and spend policies?!?

Wow…the Governor has lost it and/or once again is trying to use scare tactics and blackmail to attempt to get the legislature and taxpayers to support her tax and spend policies.  Even though the Constitution requires her to live within a balanced budget.

Let’s get the facts straight:

The Governor knew about the budget challenges when the fiscal year started and chose NOT to do anything about it until after the elections…getting re-elected was priority one.

The Governor could have frozen the budget for this year to “adjust” for projected budget shortfalls and avoided some of her threats and cheap politics.

The Governor has provided NO leadership since the election.   While “Rome” burned, she had inaugural parties, went to Europe and sent folks to China…living in a state of denial.

The Governor expanded government spending, made horrible political decisions, showed no willingness to make any tough decisions and is forcing us into this crisis.

This budget “crisis” fall squarely on the shoulders of Governor Granholm who has refused to make the right or tough decisions…rather is attempting to blackmail the citizens of Michigan into a tax increase of draconian cuts for political advantage.

Governor Granholm could have:

1) Proposed a balanced budget based on revenue shortfalls without assuming new taxes.

2) Required MEESA/MEA to competitively bid our health care for a $400 million saving.

3) Privatizes health care deliver for state prisoners and save $180-$300 million.

4) Bid out food service for state prisoners like Oakland county and save $100 million+.

5) Stop double dipping state pensions/state salaries for her executive office employees.

6) Not hire just about every losing Democrat candidate for cushy state jobs.

7) Not threaten to lay off state troopers and close local post and then move their headquarters downtown at an EXTRA cost of $5 million a year.

8) Worked with “her” Democrat collegues to put together a plan they could vote for.

9) Not hire an $80,000 Chief of State for the First Gentleman who has NO role in state government.  An intern should be able to “staff” his “role”.

10) Address government inefficiencies and waste before she tries to blackmail Michigan’s taxpayers…

So please…before the Governor throws a “public fit” and calls Republicans standing up for the tax payers  “extremist idealogues”…she should do her constitutional duty and live within a balanced budget…it her job…it’s in the Constitution!!!

Islam vs Islamist is a film that PBS should show.  The American people deserve to see and understand what is going on around the world.

This is an appropriate time and place for members of Congress to chime in and let PBS know they need to offer fair and broad based coverage on this subject.  This is an outrage and we should not let it drop.

For a great discussion on the subject goto:

http://www.redstate.com/blogs/haystack/2007/apr/25/islam_vs_islamists_we_report_you_cant_decide

Many people in Washington have been noting how there is a deep partisan digital divide between Republicans and Democrats. I agree. As Republicans, we need to level-the-playing field through a smarter, more effective use of available (and forthcoming) technologies.

I’ve personally been using web cameras and Skype to better connect with Republicans in the UP, have started connecting with Gen Next Republicans through Facebook, and will continue to be a Republican voice in the blogosphere. But I’m not going to rest on my laurels.

www.migop.blogs.com

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=706855190

And fortunately, Republicans have a new ally in the modern world.

The organization, the Majority Accountability Project - http://MajorityAP.com – seeks to help bridge that digital divide and is worth noting. MajorityAP.com will be an independent, Internet-based news and research service and will be an on-line clearinghouse of information on the House and Senate Democratic Majority, and conduct its own investigative stories available to the public, on-line community and the mainstream media.

As the Weekly Standard wrote about MajorityAP.com on Wednesday, “There's no question that one important reason for Democratic success in 2006 was the issue focus, fundraising, and organization of the left. While there are many bright folks working at a number of sites to use the web to generate votes for conservatives and Republicans, one startup worth looking at is the Majority Accountability Project… I suspect that Majority AP will play a significant role in holding the feet of the new leadership to the fire.”
I’m going to keep a close eye on MajorityAP.com and hope you will too.

Check it out at:

www.majorityap.com

The presidential election may be a year from now, but the candidates are already raising money in Michigan, big time. And so far, the candidates winning the money game aren’t the ones at the top of the polls. Here is the Michigan Public Radio interview with Jack Lessenberry:

Jack Lessenberry Essays and Interviews - http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/

Now Open: The Michigan Republican Party Online Store! Our secure, user-friendly site offers a variety of Republican items, including sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, travel mugs, and more!  Perfect for personal use, holiday presents, or volunteer gifts, our items will allow you to confidently display your Republican pride. Visit www.migop.org/store to view, purchase, or comment on our selection of unique Republican items.

Saul Anuzis

RNC Talking Points for Dem Forum in SC

SOUTH CAROLINA DEBATE: W2W4

A Quick Guide On "What 2 Watch 4" At Tonight's

First Democrat Presidential Debate
______________________________________________________

Will Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Adopt Her "Southern Drawl" For Her Debate In South Carolina?

"New York's Illinois-Born Senator" Adopts "Southern Drawl" For Alabama Rally. "Senator Clinton may have drawn rousing ovations during her appearances at civil rights rallies in Selma, Ala. ... but it was not what she said that stirred the most buzz yesterday - it was how she said it. A 27-second snippet of audio clips ... showed New York's Illinois-born senator adopting a Southern drawl during parts of her speech at a Selma church." ("Clinton Stirs Buzz On The Web With Her Southern Drawl," The New York Sun, 3/6/07)

MSNBC's Tucker Carlson: "Hillary Clinton morphs into Scarlett O'Hara. Well, she talks like her anyway." (MSNBC's "Tucker," 3/5/07)

Will Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) Show Up With A New Makeover?

"Amid The Nearly $3.3 Million In Travel Costs, Equipment Rental Fees And Salaries Listed On Presidential Candidate John Edwards's Most Recent Campaign Finance Filing, A Few Expenses Stand Out." (Robin Givhan, "Primping For President: A Little Dab'll Do Ya," The Washington Post, 4/20/07)

"They Are The Ones Incurred At Designworks Salon In Dubuque, Iowa, Torrenueva Hair Designs In Beverly Hills, Calif., And The Pink Sapphire Salon And Spa In Manchester, N.H." (Robin Givhan, "Primping For President: A Little Dab'll Do Ya," The Washington Post, 4/20/07)

Edwards Paid $800 For Two Haircuts And Over $400 On Makeup In The First Quarter Of The Year. "The campaign paid $800 for two haircuts from the Torrenueva salon. Designworks provided $248 worth of camera-ready makeup. And Pink Sapphire was called on two occasions for Edwards's makeup needs at $150 and $75 a visit." (Robin Givhan, "Primping For President: A Little Dab'll Do Ya," The Washington Post, 4/20/07)

What Part Of His Resume Will Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) Exaggerate?

"[Sen. Obama] Has ... Shown A Tendency Toward Seemingly Minor Contradictions And Rhetorical Slips That Serve As Reminders That He Is Still A Newcomer To National Politics." (Mike Allen, "Rookie Mistakes Plague Obama," The Politico, 3/26/07)

Obama Said His Parents "Got Together" And He Was Born As A Result Of The Selma March. Sen. Obama: "Because some folks were willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama, Jr. was born. So don't tell me I don't have a claim on Selma, Alabama." (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks At Brown Chapel AME Church, Selma, AL, 3/4/07)

"Earlier In The Day At A Prayer Breakfast, The Illinois Democrat Said: 'If It Hadn't Been For Selma, I Wouldn't Be Here.'" (Anne E. Kornblut and Peter Whoriskey, "Clinton, Obama Link Selma March To Present," The Washington Post, 3/5/07)

But Sen. Obama Was Born In 1961, 4 Years Before The 1965 Selma March.  "Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961." (Obama For America Website, www.barackobama.com, Accessed 3/6/07; Anne E. Kornblut and Peter Whoriskey, "Clinton, Obama Link Selma March To Present," The Washington Post, 3/5/07)

At A Recent Fundraiser, Obama Claimed He Was A "Constitutional Law Professor." "'I was a constitutional law professor, which means unlike the current president I actually respect the Constitution,' Obama told an audience at a campaign fundraiser." (Brendan Farrington, "Obama: Bush Fails To Respect The Constitution," The Associated Press, 3/30/07)

But On The University Of Chicago Law School Website, Obama Is Listed As A "Senior Lecturer In Law (On Leave Of Absence)." (University Of Chicago Law School Website, http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/obama, Accessed 3/30/07)

"In Academia, There Is A Vast Difference Between The Two Titles. Details Matter." (Lynn Sweet, "Obama's Book: What's Real, What's Not," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/8/04)

Will Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) Arrive At Debate On A Horse, Helicopter, Or Corporate Jet?

Richardson Used State Helicopter To Go Horseback Riding At A Ranch. "The New Mexican's Mitote column of Sept. 21 reported the governor had taken a state helicopter to go horseback riding at The Chama Ranch of Santa Fe art and real-estate investor Gerald Peters." (Tom Sharpe, "Helicopter Flight Raises Questions," The Santa Fe New Mexican, 10/10/03)

Use Of Helicopter Cost Taxpayers $2,500. "According to the report, a high-tech Blackhawk helicopter scheduled for a training trip from Santa Fe to Carlsbad on Sept. 6 [2003] was diverted to Chama at Richardson's request -- a cost to taxpayers of $2,500 -- on a day when a state police helicopter often used by Richardson was grounded for maintenance." (Tom Sharpe, "Helicopter Flight Raises Questions," The Santa Fe New Mexican, 10/10/03)

Richardson Has Taken Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars In Free Flights From The World's Largest Smokeless Tobacco Firm. "Gov. Bill Richardson has taken tens of thousands of dollars worth of free corporate jet flights from the world's largest smokeless-tobacco company in his role as head of the Democratic Governors Association." (Jeff Jones, "Smokeless On These Flights," Albuquerque Journal, 5/14/06)

Will Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) Proclaim That He Is A "Northeast Liberal" ... Again?

Biden Is A "Self-Described Northeast Liberal." (Valerie Bauerlein and Lee Bandy, "Thousands Pay Respect To S.C.'s History Maker," The [Columbia, SC] State, 7/2/03)

Richmond Times-Dispatch Referred To Biden As "Liberal Icon." (Editorial, "History Lesson," Richmond Times-Dispatch, 9/15/02)

The New York Times' David Brooks Referred To Biden As A "Liberal Hawk." (David Brooks, Op-Ed, "Too Quiet On The Home Front," The New York Times, 3/20/04) 

Will Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Be Asked To Show Identification Before Being Allowed On Stage?

"More Problematic Is The Fact That Dodd Is Not Well Known Outside The State, Except To C-SPAN Junkies." (Howard Reiter, Op-Ed, "Is Dodd A Contender?" Hartford Courant, 1/14/07)

"[D]odd [Is] Barely Registering In The Polls." (Adam C. Smith, "Biden And Dodd Have Been Around And That's Good," St. Petersburg Times, 4/22/07)

"'Where's He From? Vermont?' Party Activist David Dew Whispered, As The Connecticut Senator Addressed A Small Lunchtime Group." (David Lightman, "Dodd's Quest: A Long Haul," Hartford Courant, 1/16/07)

Articles of Interest 4-26-07

558 Days until election day.

MORNING UPDATE:

Senator John McCain formally announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President. 

House Democrats proposed the SIXTH Democrat tax increase…Governor calls it a “good compromised”…because she compromised with herself and other Democrats?

Last night I drove back and forth to the Leelanau County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner…great event with a record crowd…and excited activists!

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Senator John McCain joined the “official” field of Presidential candidates seeking the Republican nomination.  Senator McCain has been a frequent visitor in Michigan and helped our state and local parties, not to mention specific candidates, in both financial and campaign assistance.

Attorney General Mike Cox is chairing the Senator’s efforts here and Michigan and has assembled an impressive team of operatives and fundraisers.  Jim Nicholson is chairing the finance effort and has some our state’s top fundraisers as part of their team including Ambassador Ron Weiser, Harvey Gainey and others.

Governor Granholm endorsed a House Democratic replacement plan for the expiring Single Business Tax on Wednesday as the Tax Policy Committee scheduled a hearing on a number of bills in the package for Thursday.

Are we really convinced we need a “replacement” tax?

The Democratic plan incorporates a 6.95 percent business income tax coupled with a .488 percent tax on net worth.  The “revenue-neutral” plan would also provide about $700 million in credits for Michigan-based companies.  Should the tax bring in 10 percent or more than expected revenues, a rebate would be triggered for the subsequent tax year to businesses that claimed credits for things such as compensation, investment and research and development.

A “net worth” tax is full of possible complications, incentive to mislead and under many  circumstances, could be very punitive.  Many farmers have a high net worth because of the land and equipment they own, but often times have very tough cash flow situations.  Again, we’ll have to see the details.

Overall and interesting approach…funny that the Democrats had to compromise with each other to come up with a proposal….the good news is NOW Republicans have a shot at it and maybe we can make it workable.  The key is in the details…lets wait and see.

I would argue we should continue to force substantial, real reforms before we “replace” or increase any revenues to the state.  We need to make Michigan competitive again…a Democrat’s proposal for a “revenue neutral” tax is ALWAYS suspect…it probably means there is a tax increase hidden in there if we don’t catch it.

Leelanau County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner had a great event with a record crowd…and lots of excited activists and volunteer.  We had a group of Young Republicans from the local High School and many longtime activists from around the state that tend to end up “north”.  Congratulations on a great event!!!

Saul Anuzis

Articles of Interest 4-25-07

559 Days until election day.

MORNING SUMMARY:

Democrats in Congress continue to play partisan politics with our national defense.  Their reckless gamesmanship is putting our fighting men and women in harms way.

Democrats refuse to meet with General Patreaus…nothing more than politics.

PBS is not willing to show the documentary “Islam vs Islamist” which is about voices from the Muslim center.  This is an outrage and makes no sense???  Call your local PBS station and ask them why…and encourage them to show the film.

MajorityAP.com is an independent, news service focusing, like a laser, on House and Senate Dems – telling the stories that the MSM won’t tell.  See below.

The Senate passes budget bill sent over from the House….but that still leaves $62 million shortfall in school aid budget…a time/opportunity to force reform!  Republicans offered a “reasonable” per pupil cut…but the Governor stalls.  See why below.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

The Democrats in Congress know the President will veto their “cut and run” bill.  It’s nothing more than pure politics.  Enough House Republicans have a signed letter of enough members of Congress to uphold the President’s veto.

The Democrats are doing nothing more than pandering to their left wing base.  While doing so, there are sending the WRONG message to our enemies.

If we don’t fight the war there…we will be fighting it here.

The Democrats refuse to meet with the President and General Patreaus…why wouldn’t they listen to the General they unanimously approved to take over the war effort?

The terrorists want to destroy western civilization, as we know it.  Give them a bank, Iraqi’s oil fields, and you can guarantee a well financed enemy that will cost us many times more than dealing with the currently situation at hand.  We need to help Iraq’s government and security forces stabilize their country.

PBS is not willing to show the documentary “Islam vs Islamist” which is about voices from the Muslim center.  No one can figure out the politics other than PBS is afraid of the radicals and don’t want to cause an uproar…you mean like taking over a country or two.  Killing hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens?

Call your local PBS station and ask them why they will not show “Islam vs Islamist” and encourage them to reconsider their position.

The Majority Accountability Project (MAP), an independent, internet-based news and research service, will make its debut on April 23 at www.majorityap.com. Founded by two Capitol Hill veterans, MAP will be an on-line clearinghouse of information on the House Majority, and conduct its own investigative stories available to the public, on-line community and the mainstream media.

MAP will be an on-line clearinghouse of information on the House Majority, and conduct its own investigative stories not being done by the mainstream media, or the liberal-dominated internet news services. MAP will compile and maintain comprehensive records on members of the Majority, such as house votes, campaign financing, district activities, policy positions and public statements.

Check it out at:

www.majorityap.com

After much rangling, the legislative leaders have come up with a bi-partisan short-term fix to the budget shortfall for this year…yet leaving $62 million shortfall in school funding.

This is an opportunity to force some kind of reform at a time when entrenched bureaucracies at the local school district and union boss level are holding back on any meaningful changes.

Here's the politics.  The Governor wants to raise taxes.  It really is that simple.

She has known since January that the school aid fund was short.  The law requires her to notify schools and adjust funding as soon as she becomes aware of a problem.  She did not.  She waited and waited.

Then in March she sends a letter saying "come on guys...you need to fix this".  And then waits some more.

So now, the Senate passed a plan that would reduce funding per pupil by $34.  The House passed a plan that would reduce it $36 per pupil.   But neither will happen because the Governor now wants to wait until May so the cut number can get even bigger.

In her mind, the bigger the “cut” number the better her chances of pushing a tax hike.   If the problem is solved now, the urgency for a tax hike goes away.

I would argue if the Governor continues to play these games…EVERYBODY is going to be mad with her…either way this gets “fixed”, I think taxpayers would argue there needs to be some reforms.

We shouldn’t be playing “chicken” with our children’s education!?!

Saul Anuzis

Articles of Interest 4-24-07

560 Days until election day.

MORNING SUMMARY:

Stateline.org runs a story about Michigan being in a “one state recession”.  Link and more below.

Judges agree to not use cars for personal use.  Granholm soliciting other “easy” savings from state departments…about 6 months late, but better late than never.

State Senator Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) announced that he has cut 22% from his office budget for this year’s first quarter and returned it to the state treasury. The $14,121 savings comes after Patterson’s pledge to cut his own salary in half if his colleagues agreed to do the same.  Now that’s leadership…Governor Granholm???

The Democrat run Congress is preparing to deliver a message of surrender just as General Petraeus arrives in Washington this week to brief the commander in chief and members of Congress on the war?

Democrats take on the President for the sake of partisan politics, pandering to their left flank, probably without an exit strategy of their own?  We all lose on this one?!?

THE REST OF THE STORY:

There is a very interesting story and stunning graph about the shape Michigan is in.  Stateline.org publishes a story about Michigan being in a “one state recession”.  To see the graph and story goto:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/one_state_reces.html

Top state officials are getting rid of their state provided vehicles and the Granholm administration will announce Tuesday new rules covering use of state vehicles and limits on reimbursement to employees who use their vehicles.

Chief Justice Clifford Taylor said he and his colleagues would be turning in their state vehicles on June 1.  Court of Appeals judges were also expected to agree to the same move Tuesday.  Attorney General Mike Cox said he would be moving even more quickly.

These kind of “easy” cuts should have taken place 6 months ago.  There are all kinds of savings that could have been implemented at the beginning of the fiscal year.  Instead, the Governor and the Administration have continued to spend taxpayers money while knowing that the state would have a shortage of revenues.
State Senator Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) announced yesterday that he has cut 22% from his office budget for this year’s first quarter and returned it to the state treasury. The $14,121 savings comes after Patterson’s pledge to cut his own salary in half if his colleagues agreed to do the same.

Michigan’s citizens are fed up by the lack of progress on the budget and it’s long overdue for elected officials, department heads and state employees to start leading by example,” Patterson said.

“I’ve cut or have proposed cutting over $50,000 from my own office budget.  I’ve cancelled my legislative office’s newspaper, magazine and newsletter subscriptions that will save over $1600.  And I am reiterating my call for all elected officials in all branches of state government as well as state employees to cut their office budgets by at least 10% and to join me in returning one-half of our yearly salary to the state treasury.

Last week, Senator Gerald Van Woerkom (R-Norton Shores) joined Patterson in taking a leadership role and returned $13,524 that had been allocated to running his office.

How about the “First Gentleman’s Office” or the “double dipping” of salaries and pensions in the Governors office???

Senator Harry Reid, now referred to by many as “Baghdad Harry” and Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi have announced they will pass a bill to require the pull our of American troops from Iraq starting October 1.

Why…under who’s advise…with what alternative plan…NONE.

The Democrats are playing the lowest form of politics by putting our men and women serving our country overseas at risk.  They unanimously vote to send General Petraues to Iraq to implement a new plan and the cut the legs out from under him.  Shameful.

It’s outrageous, if not treasonous.  Partisanship should stop at our waters edge.  Starting a pull out by fiat on October 1…just because they decided to do so is irresponsible.

They know they can’t override the President’s veto, this is nothing less than political pandering the Democrat party’s far left wing.  But at what cost?

By signaling to our enemies that we don’t have the political will to fight, we are in effect signaling surrender.  Turning over the oil fields of Iraq to terrorists and their allies in Iran is suicidal.  If we leave before the Iraqi government and army are in control, the terrorist will rejoice in their victory, refinance their efforts and surely follow our forces home.

We fought the fight against terror there, so we wouldn’t have to fight it here.  Now the Democrats and their pandering gamesmanship put America at risk.

Saul Anuzis

One State Recession

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=197521

Wednesday, April 11, 2007
"One-state recession" hampers Michigan
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer

The state’s political leaders are under pressure to soften the economic blows, but the downturn in the economy means there’s less money in state government’s coffers to fight back.

The state is nearly broke and is bracing for a possible partial shutdown in May. Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) and Republicans legislators in charge of the state Senate are at odds over how to turn the ship around. The governor stresses investing more in education and job training to develop a talented work force, funded by a new tax on services, while GOP leaders are calling for tax cuts and a leaner state government to lure more business.

Most observers expect a mix between the two approaches to emerge at the Statehouse. But the longer it takes to forge an agreement, the more the state could suffer. The state’s credit rating has slipped on Wall Street, and uncertainty over the tax climate threatens to scare away new businesses until the budget crisis is solved.

“No CEO wants to commit to a state that cannot get its fiscal house in order. And no business can afford to make investments in a place where education, public safety and health care risk being gutted by deep cuts,” Granholm said in her radio address last week.

Republican legislators have balked at Granholm’s plans to tax services such as legal work, cable TV and even bowling at 2 percent. They’re calling for cuts in funds for schools and local governments, reductions the governor opposes.

“At some point in time, people are going to have to accept the fact that we don’t have money. We just don’t have the kind of money (Granholm) wants to spend,” Senate Majority Leader Michael Bishop (R) said in a telephone interview Tuesday (April 10).

Both sides are trying to revive a moribund economy that, unlike the national economy, never recovered from the 2001 downturn.

The main reason for the sluggish economy is that the Big Three automakers – General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler – are losing ground in the U.S. market, said Dana Johnson, the chief economist for Comerica.

Indeed, the domestic automakers claimed 53.7 percent of the market in 2006, compared to 73.7 percent in 1993. In the last six years, Michigan’s vehicle production dropped 27 percent, enough to account for 120,000 lost jobs.

Past downturns in the auto industry led to higher unemployment rates in Michigan, but they didn’t last as long and the job losses weren’t permanent, as they likely are this time, said Douglas Roberts, director of Michigan State University’s Institute of Public Policy and Social Research.

Previous contractions came when Americans stopped buying cars generally, but, this time, the layoffs are the result of Americans buying fewer domestic vehicles, he explained.

Comerica’s Johnson said that state government could help Michigan’s economy recover but that 80 percent of the task will fall to private business.

He said the most important thing for political leaders to do is provide certainty for businesses by deciding how it will tax corporations after Dec. 31.

Last year, Republicans, who then controlled both the House and Senate, pulled the plug on the state’s main business tax without figuring out how to replace the $1.9 billion it generated every year. So starting in 2008, the tax cut will leave a gaping hole for a state that spends $41.7 billion a year.

Even sooner, lawmakers must figure out how to find $686 million in cuts or new revenue to keep the state in the black for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. The state is running out of quick fixes.

During the downturn, legislators in recent years already have resorted to several one-time solutions, including depleting the state’s rainy day fund, refinancing bonds, renegotiating employee benefits and raiding accounts set aside for special purposes.

“Not only are we running out of those one-time or short-time solutions, but we’re finding they’re not even coming close to covering the size of the shortfalls,” said Greg Bird, a spokesman for Granholm’s budget office.

Comment on this story in the space below by registering with Stateline.org, or e-mail your feedback to our Letters to the editor section at letters@stateline.org.

Contact Daniel C. Vock at dvock@stateline.org.

Articles of Interest 4-23-07

561 Days until election day.

MORNING UPDATE:

Baghdad Harry shows Democrats true colors.

Will Governor Granholm show any leadership?  Can the Democrats come up with a plan they can all agree on?  Who should Republicans negotiate with?

So, what have we learned about John Edwards?

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/john_edwards_fe.html

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/04/john_edwards_ho.html

THE REST OF THE STORY:

First, Senator Reid of Nevada claims we have “lost” the war on terror.  His flippant comments make Jane Fonda sound patriotic.  Fellow Democrats refuse to condemn and/or retract his statements.  Instead, they are “re-defining” what he meant.

Oh, don’t worry…we heard it, our enemies heard it…America heard it.

Between the Democrat leadership’s blunders…their relentless pandering for votes…they continue to re-define themselves as the same old Democrats that couldn’t win an election.

I find it fascination that the Democrats have to run as conservatives, promise fiscal restraint, strong defense and more traditional values…pull the wool over the voter’s eyes…and now they are back!

Pay attention folks…if it looks like a Democrats….spends like a Democrats….wants to raise taxes like a Democrat…and puts our country at risk like a righteous Democrats…it’s the same old Democrats that don’t deserve to get elected.

They will say one thing…and do another!

Saul Anuzis

John Edwards Feeling Pretty

John Edwards House...the other America

Nice house...28,220 sq ft....$400 haircuts.

The fact he's a successful trial lawyer who's made millions is OK.  It's his hypocrisy that drives me nuts...somehow he complains about the "two Americas" and says he'll represent the "working class" against who...himself???

Another rich, righteous liberal Democrat...not worth the risk?