New GOP 'Religious' Group Organizes Against....

...health care reform, affordable housing, rehabilitation for non-violent offenders instead of imprisonment, and fair treatment for immigrants.

and

legal restrictions on payday lending practices

Doesn't sound very Christian to me. To organize against an organization advocating those issues really means that this GOP 'Religious' Group is advocating for:

Keeping health care from the poor
Decent housing for the poor
Breaking up families by locking up non-violent offenders
Usury on those less fortunate

This is the message the GOP will carry into Nov 2010, and the vision they have for the Fox Valley, Wisconsin and America.

This is the vision of America they have when you hear the GOP talk about "pro-life/pro-family patriotic Christians" - they believe it is unpatriotic and un-Christian to be poor, non-white or down on your luck.

I am glad to have no part of it.

Poor Choice of Words, Pawlenty...

Pawlenty calls on conservatives to 'fight back' against Obama

He even compared Democrats to Tiger Woods, saying "we can learn a lot" from his news conference Friday.

"Not from Tiger, but from his wife," Pawlenty said. "She said, 'I've had enough.' She said, 'No more.' I think we should take a page out of her playbook and take a nine-iron and smash the window out of the big government in this country."

Is that really a good thing to say the day after someone flew their plan through the windows of a Federal Office Building?

A reminder for Gov Pawlenty:

The remains of two people have been found in an Austin, Texas, building where a man crashed a small plane, authorities said.

The identities of the two dead people have not been confirmed, the Austin Fire Department said in a statement. Two other people who were injured in the incident were taken to a hospital, and 11 others were treated for minor injuries, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said.

The 'Mt Vernon" Statement

Yesterday, Conservatives released what they are calling the Mt. Vernon Statement - a "defining statement of conservative beliefs, values and principles" that calls for:

A Constitutional conservatism based on first principles provides the framework for a consistent and meaningful policy agenda.

I thought that was an interesting proposition, but what is a "Constitutional conservatism?" Since the Tea Baggers and Conservatives throw around the Constitution and the Founding Fathers so much, lets see how much of their "defining statement" is in the Constitution. As Newt has pointed out: Words Matter.

So the question of the day is: Are the Mt. Vernon Statement's words in the Constitution? And if so, in what context?

The Mt. Vernon Statement calls for:

A Constitutional conservatism based on first principles provides the framework for a consistent and meaningful policy agenda.

- It applies the principle of limited government based on the rule of law to every proposal.
- It honors the central place of individual liberty in American politics and life.
- It encourages free enterprise, the individual entrepreneur, and economic reforms grounded in market solutions.
- It supports America’s national interest in advancing freedom and opposing tyranny in the world and prudently considers what we can and should do to that end.
- It informs conservatism’s firm defense of family, neighborhood, community, and faith.

Below are keywords from the statement, and if they are in the Constitution?

Conservatism: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Policy: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Limited: In the Constitution!
It is used to discuss Congress' Authority over Trademark and Copyright

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

Rule of Law: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Liberty: In the Constitution!
Used 3 places
First Use: To establish the reason for our government. Note, it is seven words away from welfare, don't tell Tommy Thompson.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Second Use: In the 5th Amendment, it ensures the Government cannot take away our life, liberty or property without due process (something we can all agree on). But, how can we be guaranteed life, but not access to healthcare? Just a thought for the times...

nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law

Third Use: This is my favorite for this exercise. "Liberty" is used in the 14th Amendment to define the rights of Amendment 5 (above) and the entire Constitution to "All persons born or naturalized in the United States." Please note that Hawaii is, in fact, a state. It also says that no state can "make or enforce any law" that takes the rights of an American Citizen away from them. (Once again, even if they were born in Hawaii.)

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Free Enterprise: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Entrepreneur: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Market: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Freedom: In the Constitution!
Used in the 1st amendment to ensure there would not be a national religion (kinda gets in the way of the faith remark), or to put down speech against the government.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Tyranny: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Family: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Neighborhood: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Community: Nope, not in the Constitution!

Faith: In the Constitution!

Used to describe the authority of the Federal Government to ensure the credit of transactions and relations between the states (an expanded federal big-gov't policy I am sure the Tea-Baggers would be against). Note: not a reference to religion.

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State

So, in review, the Mt. Vernon statement is, in fact, another meaningless statement from the Teabagger Right Conservatives distorting the Constitution they claim to uphold. The words used in the statement are either not in the Constitution, or are used for an entirely different context.

David Frum has more in the meaninglessness here.

Once again on the stimulus...

Click here for more.

Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing

The Menasha Attorneys who purchased the 'Impeach Obama' Billboard are distancing themselves even farther from the act.

In a recent article in the OshNW, Thomas J. Wroblewski once again declared he does not stand behind the sign's statement, and will not produce a single name of a small business owner who does.

Two Menasha attorneys linked to an Oshkosh billboard calling for the impeachment of President Barack Obama sought Monday to deflect the flak generated by the controversial sign.

Attorney Thomas J. Wroblewski said he and his father, Thomas S. Wroblewski, merely represent an unnamed company that rented the billboard and are not responsible for its message.

“It is nothing personal for my dad or me,” Wroblewski said. “It is a limited liability company that our firm represents. The company chose the location of the billboard and chose the language.”
...
Wroblewski said he could not divulge any details about the business owners.
“My instructions from my clients are not to disclose their identity,” he said.

Mr. Wroblewski also takes pains to let the press know that the message itself has no meaning:

He said the billboard, despite its language, is not meant to allege that Obama committed any particular impeachable offense.

The sign company that accepted the anonymous money fro the billboard also wants you to know they do not want anything to do with the message as well:

Jones Signs, which owns the billboard, sent a statement Monday afternoon to media outlets saying neither the company nor the Wroblewskis "necessarily agrees with the views represented on this billboard."

So, to summarize: this is an anonymous message that the agents admit has no truth or meaning by people not willing to stand behind it.

Why all the attention?

What we know:

FVB, LLC was organized as a Domestic Limited Liability Company by Thomas S. Wroblewski on 1/20/2010.

This was the only LLC organized by the Wroblewski's since WAES, LLC on 3/25/2009. It would seem this is the LLC that for the billboard.

It's Entity ID is F044362.

To get a copy of the "Articles of Organization - Domestic LLC - Form 502" from the state costs $170. I'm not willing to pay that.

If someone else has a way to get this, let me know.

WFRV Story

Here is the report:



My previous comments are here.

Winnebago County Democratic Party Endorses David Keck for Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Branch 5

Winnebago County Democratic Party Endorses David Keck for Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Branch 5

At the January 13th, 2010 party membership meeting, the WCDP endorsed Court Commissioner David Keck for Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge in Branch 5.

Mr. Keck spoke to the members assembled about his history as a public defender, Court Commissioner and one of the founders of the Winnebago County Free Legal Assistance Clinic that offers legal advice to those who are unable to afford legal services.

Mr. Keck also helped create a program with the Christine Ann Center to provide legal representation to domestic abuse victims who need to appear in court for restraining orders or stalking cases.

Mr. Keck focused on how these victims need the confidence and help from representation as they face their victims for often the first time after leaving.

Mr. Keck has a record as a Court Commissioner of judging cases based on the fact before him, not the people. This record coupled with the compassion he outlined in a recent Oshkosh Northwestern profile:

Keck said the programs ensure professional representation in court for that those without the financial means to hire an attorney. Going into a court proceeding without a lawyer and not understanding the legal proceedings is not fair to all parties involved, he said.

"Because of the way I do hearings and make decisions, I see a need for all people to get a chance to be represented," said Keck, who was a staff attorney with the State Public Defender's Office for 13 years before becoming court commissioner. "It's like being a referee of a game where one team doesn't know what the rules are. It's hard to be fair when one side doesn't know the rules to play by."

…is why your Winnebago County Democratic Party urges you to vote for David Keck in the Judges Primary on February 16th.

The Billboard... and how the stimulus and Democratic Policy helps my community and small business.

I just finished an interview with Channel 5 Green Bay about the 'Impeach Obama' billboard. They received a statement from Mr. Wroblewski, who purchased it.

The statement read to the effect that he did not purchase it, but made the purchase with funds from an anonymous LLC of 'small businesses.' He said that this LLC knows that President Obama has done nothing impeachable, but that they wanted to make a statement.

My response was that if this anonymous LLC does not want to come forward and say who they are, then the entire statement has the credibility of an anonymous blog rant. It should be discounted as such.

I then took the reporter, Olga Halaburda, on a virtual tour of how the stimulus and Democratic Policy helps our community and small business:

- The house next door to mine was weatherized through a program funded by stimulus dollars. It is managed locally by Advocap, who had to double their weatherization staff because of the stimulus funding. Advocap also has hired local heating contractors to ensure the goals of the program are met, creating more jobs and keeping people working

On top of this, my neighbor will save on heating bills immediately, freeing up that money to be spent on other needs, as well as reducing dependence on fossil fuels and improving our local environment.

The stimulus funding was overwhelmingly opposed by Republicans in Congress; without which, these jobs and savings would not exist.

- I purchased my house in January of 2009, qualifying for the homebuyers tax rebate. With this refund, we had all the floors on the first floor stripped, sanded and resurfaced. To do this we hired a local, small business from the Fond du Lac area.

The next purchase was new carpeting. This was purchased from and installed by Sundquist's Flooring. The owner of this business lives 4-5 block away from me.

We also re-did the stairs, built a new closet, purchased a new hot water heater and front door. All purchased from and installed (the water heater) by local businesses. All items that would not have been done without the tax credit.

The Homebuyer's Tax Credit "passed... with nary a Republican vote;" without which, these purchases and installations would not have been made,

- I asked Ms. Halaburda to take note of Racette Ford on her way back to Green Bay. I drive past it everyday for work. A short time after 'Cash for Clunkers' passed, they had a mostly empty lot after a long build up of cars. In a OshNW story no longer online, they (Racette) 'hailed' the program.

'Cash for Clunkers' passed with only "7 Republicans voting for it." Without which, those car sales would not have happened.

- I also pointed to the Winnebago County Jail, which she would also pass on the way home. We recently approved the purchase of an absorption chiller to cool the jail with excess heat from burning landfill gas.

This will also save fossil fuel and pollution immediately, as well as pay off the investment in utility bill savings to the county in a few years.

Without the green energy provisions of the stimulus bill, this purchase, which will be built and installed by workers and businesses, would not have happened. These savings to the county on utilities would not happen.

The stimulus funding was overwhelmingly opposed by Republicans in Congress; without which, these jobs and savings would not exist.

Overall, the policies of the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress are helping your neighbors, your local businesses, your local governments and your environment.

An anonymous billboard can not negate this fact.


Update - WFRV Story: