January 16, 2010

Bonfire tea party has a message for Washington: NO!


Organizers of Saturday's first-ever Bonfire TEA Party had hoped 500 people would show up at the farm of organizer Lora Halberstadt's parents in Franksville.

They were satisfied five or six times over. Crowd estimates varied between 2,500 and 3,000 -- it was impossible to count all the people, young and old, who crowded onto the lawn of what used to be a working farm. The bonfire was off in one corner -- it burned throughout the chilly afternoon and definitely was the place to stay, except that the speakers were on a stage facing in the other direction.

Joe Gamble leads the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance

The afternoon got off to a late start; buses were unloading people more than 20 minutes after the scheduled 3 p.m. beginning but singer Cheryl McCrary kept the growing crowd entertained with patriotic songs.

The speakers had similar messages: no to President Obama's healthcare plan; no to big government and taxes; no to climate change legislation; yes to the "the people" retaking control of the government.

Applause lines were plentiful -- they went to statements in favor of the Bill of Rights, gun ownership, term limits. One Wisconsin politician got more than his share of boos -- the mere mention of Sen. Russ Feingold galvanized the crowd, over and over. There were many flags waving, and many picket signs. The present administration took most of the lumps, but there was at least one sign knocking "Repulicrats."

Because Racine TEA Party, sponsor of the event, has a non-partisan designation, politicians and candidates from all parties were invited to make short statements. Feingold was invited, but he turned down the invitation; had he come he would have met a number of candidates who are running against him. TEA, by the way, stands for Taxed Enough Already.

Joe the Plumber

Star of the rally was Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, a k a Joe the Plumber, who came to fame during the last presidential campaign after questioning candidate Obama and later campaigning on behalf of John McCain (whom he later criticized). But his message Saturday was that the words "liars and thieves pretty much describes all politicians." Wurzelbacher spoke in favor of education and reading, carrying a large book bag to the podium -- books as varied as a biography of John Adams and novels by Ayn Rand.




Rev. David King, Rep. Robin Vos and WISN's Vicki McKenna


Larry Gamble, a retired Air Force Lt. Col., spoke on behalf of the Oath Keepers, which is comprised of military, police and firefighters who list the orders they will not obey: such as orders to disarm the American people, conduct warrantless searches on Americans, impose martial law on any state. (More here.) He noted that the Bill of Rights requires the "consent of the governed," and said "the governed are fed up."

Milwaukee Pastor David King, in his invocation, expressed the hope "that this nation will once again be for the people and by the people." He urged citizens "to take this country back."

Mark Block of Americans for Prosperity, which co-sponsored the bonfire tea party, noted the growth of such events since the first ones last April. (Racine's was on April 18; see here.) "If elected officials aren't listening," he said, "they will in November."

Adele Weeks, a teacher, spoke about climate change -- Al Gore's was another name guaranteed to garner a boo or a laugh -- and pointed out that the data from the University of East Anglia in England had been thrown away and misrepresented. She said CO2 -- a target of climate change legislation advocates -- "is beneficial to mankind."

State Rep. Jim Ott, R-23rd District (and former weatherman), ridiculed Gov. Jim Doyle's legislative proposals for windmills and the adoption of California emission standards with a comedy skit involving the governor and frozen grapefruits falling on his head in Florida. He said the governor's windmill plan involves generating more expensive electricity, and then buying it back and calling the purchase job creation. "It's feel-good legislation," he said. As for Doyle's plan to have the DNR administer the new regulations, Ott noted that "the DNR is having trouble merely counting the number of deer we have."

Racine County Board Supervisor Van Wangaard (a candidate for the state senate) condemned the present state budget, saying it added $3.2 billion -- "billion, not million" -- in new taxes and fees. "We need to take back our government," he said, asking if there was anyone in the audience who had received a 6.2% raise this year, like the state's. No one raised a hand. "We are being taxed enough already," he said. "Let's send a message."




Robert Taylor
, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from the U.S. Constitution Party, echoed the "take the country back" message, but then went far beyond the norm with a call to make English the official language of the U.S., dissolve all laws relating to the ownership of firearms, end the federal income tax, and on and on -- far longer than the allotted three minutes per speaker. "We need to get Washington out of our schools and leave education to us," he said. "We need to get the U.N. building off American soil..."






Dave Westlake, another candidate for Senate -- he's the Republican who campaigns in blaze orange -- told the crowd "the Founding Fathers would be proud of you. If they knew what was going on today, they'd be ashamed.... If they'd see a 2,000-page healthcare bill, they'd say, 'Burn, Baby,Burn.' If they'd see the efforts to control our lives, they'd say, 'Burn, Baby, Burn.' ..."

Terrence Wall, a third Senate hopeful, said, "The American dream is being taken away from us by Washington." Sen. Feingold, he said, "campaigns one way in Wisconsin; then votes another way in Washington (doing what Nancy Pelosi says)." Wall, noting that Feingold had been invited to Saturday's event, said, "he doesn't like to listen." Wall owns property that Feingold leases for an office, and he laughed that the senator's aide tried to get out of his lease after Wall announced his candidacy. Whatever else happens, Wall said, he enjoys seeing Feingold's rent check each month.

Rob Kieckhefer asked of Feingold, "Who does this arrogant ass work for? He doesn't work for 'we the people.' "

Dr. Traci Purath, a neurologist who practiced in Ireland, compared that country's socialized medicine to the U.S.'s ... and found it wanting. "There's not enough to go around under socialized medicine," she said. She said Wisconsin and Ireland have comparable populations -- but there are 65 neurosurgeons in Wisconsin, but only 9 in Ireland. "There will never be another tax cut in the U.S. if this healthcare bill is passed," she said, because people will object to money being taken away from medical care.

State Rep. Robin Vos, R-Caledonia, criticized the Obama healthcare bill, saying it would not reduce costs and gave away "60 billion to the unions."

Vicki McKenna, the Milwaukee talk radio host, said "nobody would have believed that over 3,000 people would gather" like this.

158 comments:

  1. wow, over 2000 people. thats quite a surprise. Thats a lot of angry middle aged white people.

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  2. The IQ of that crowd is roughly equivalent to that of a gaggle of silverback gorillas.

    I wonder if they ever stop to consider how ignorant and pathetic they are?

    Probably not...

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  3. Old, angry, and snow white. Somebody called it'

    WhiTEA! WhiTEA!, WhiTEA!

    ....and yes, they professed their hatred for Mexicans too

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  4. Yes the days of the Dems holding power in Madison, Washington and even Racine are numbered.

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  5. Good coverage and well written. Nice piece.

    SDJ

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  6. ANON 9:23

    If you agree with what the Obama administration and Rham Emanuel are doing to America than you are the one with a low IQ. We're taking back our country from socialists like you.

    "You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before. "
    Rahm Emanuel

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  7. Is it true that only white meat turkey sandwiches were allowed by the TEA Party?

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  8. Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    Both are not white
    So for the TEA Party will not do

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  9. Hey socialist lefties. We are coming for you.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiM6JAQZwHI

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  10. Any chance for a politician to open their mouths too!

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  11. I will volanteer to build the next fire. That was to small to keep 20 people warm. A real bondfire starts with at least 15 ft pile of good long burning wood which I would supply.

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  12. Took a look at pics.....it was white out conditions as predicted by WISNowwhite

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  13. For people that want to take back the country, they sure as hell look like people that are running it! Midfle aged, white, and wealthy. It shouldn't come as a surprise then when their plan is to say no to everything and keep things the way they are.

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  14. Lots of left wing hate on display as usual.

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  15. That is all they know.

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  16. Hilarious pic of David King and Vos above. Vos looks like he is yelling out for security.

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  17. We can neither be taxed at 100% nor at 0%. What we need is confidence that common good services necessarily provided by the government are as few and provided as efficiently and honestly as possible. We don't have that today - it is our #1 need. I would think 90% of us could agree on that. Freeze everything now, get a handle on it, and run it better. Then we can argue about where between 0% and 100% later.

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  18. They came, they whined, they left.

    So what really was accomplished?

    Let's put all this into perspective. As of 2008 there were 199,510 people in Racine County. Let's just say 3000 people did attend this thing. That means only 1.5 percent of Racine County came out and shared their anger. And that makes headlines? And they would have been happy with .25% percent attending with 500 people?

    Whats wrong with this picture?

    People, the media will always run with any story that has controversy. Whether it is the major networks, CNN, the Racine Post or Fox News, they all have the motive to gather ratings. Don't let this small amount of spin make you think there is this huge movement brewing. The numbers speak for themselves.

    When people attend to share something without anger but something positive, that is when I will take notice. But I doubt the media would cover that.

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  19. for ur information.. there was plenty of whites, blacks, mexicans and asians there. so how ignorant are u? and they werent all middle aged, there were all ages and children too!

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  20. The only thing that will matter is when the votes are tallied next election -- These whiners cry about everything -- their radios are tuned to 620 for there daily brain washing.

    Thompson ran Wisconsin into a bottomless money pit -- George Bush's people did the same.

    Obama -- is going win again.

    Why is it Democrats rarely whine about Taxes -- It's that same old GOP battle cry -- ME ME ME! MY MY MY! MINE MINE MINE!

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  21. I'm a new reader of RacinePost and was at the event. I'm impressed with the reporting...factual summary of the event without spin. Refreshing.
    But the readers/posters!? What a bunch of nasty angry racist crab-asses. Hate white people and have absolutely nothing intelligent or educated to say; just insults of others' views.

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  22. Nice to know that because I dislike Obama I am a hater. Guess I should stop donating blood and helping at the Food Back.

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  23. 8:00a.m. well said!

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  24. Why is it that when people are concerned with how their future is going to look they are labeled as a Rep.? I was at the TEA Party and consider myself to be Independent! So all you far left, windup doll socialist, Liberals go "F" youeself!

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  25. The reason that it was mostly white people is because no entitlements were being granted at the event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  26. I love these guys! Their brand of right-wing idiocy will drive the GOP candidates to the fringe right and scare voters in the Fall, thus minimizing losses in the House for the Dems. Keep it up you crazy fools! Crazy it up all you can!

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  27. I'm moving to Canada so Obama man can't take my money, which I've worked hard for all my life.

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  28. I know the TEA movement isn't your political position at the Post but the coverage was still well done.

    For those who think this anger is isolated, think again. For those on the left who think this is all aimed at them, think again. For those on the right who think this is just for them, think again. If there was ever a time for a strong independent movement, this is it. Both parties have failed the average American in the last 15 plus years.

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  29. Amen. what this country needs a NO party...Get rid of the parties and vote for the people that elected you. I have had many conversations with politicians of all levels and they have told me that this and this is right but they have to go with the party...F that, you were voted in to protect and fight for MY rights! not the Dems, or Reps...
    Most I have met are in it for them first, their party second, and you and I last...Stop the Madness Now!!

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  30. Anon, 8:17 said, "The reason that it was mostly white people is because no entitlements were being granted at the event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

    You mean like Social Security, Medicare, VA benefits, Farmers' Home loans, VA home loans, FDIC insurance, unemployment, disability, mortgage tax breaks, 401k deferrals, cadillac health care plans or capital gains tax forgiveness?

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  31. It's amazing to see the left come out swinging with the line about old, angry and WHITE. Directly from Chris Matthews and indirectly from Rahm Emmanuel and Barack Obama. The theme of course is that anyone who opposes Obama is by default racist. Sorry, people just aren't buying that one anymore.

    This crowd of 2,500 was just as "diverse" as the "crowd" of 50 or so Voces organized to demonstrate in front of Paul Ryan's office or the 35 or so who did their so, so meaningful 350.org candlelight vigil last month at Monument Square.

    The tables have turned. By saying that, I must be white, angry and ignorant?

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  32. Name me ONE positive thing Obama has done for this country! Just one!

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  33. Was Mayor Dickert there? Probably not! He raised my home's property taxes $900 and my grandchildren go to private schools. I am tired, I should say we are tired of paying increased taxes for less services. Dickert must really be one phone call away from Obama because they are trading tips on how to bankrupt an economy.

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  34. GOD BLESS AMERICA

    -- FOR THE FREEDOM WE ALL HAVE --TO SAY WHAT'S ON OUR MINDS!!!!

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  35. Yeah well Dickert should be removed from office as soon as possible. This city is gone straight to hell under him and he continues to do nothing but give sweetheart deals to all his friends. He should be the first to go, C-Ya Dickert!

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  36. Anon, 10:03,

    Don't look now, but Obama just saved capitalism for you, just as FDR did before him, only it took Roosevelt a little longer.

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  37. OK lefty Cowards,aka "Anonymous"
    First lets see you socialist's pull together 3000 of your lemmings to endorse ObamaScare.
    You tried with that pathetic "health-care" rally this summer and after speaking to all the fringe health care providers that paid for booths there they expressed to me they were against the health care plan. Then they called the police on me because I was standing on the side walk. The police thought you were nuts too.
    The TEA Parties are much different from the lefties that gather,

    1. We don't get PAID.
    2. We don't beat up or bight off body parts of our opponents.
    3. We don't use race to divide and keep people ignorant but instead open all folks eyes to the truth.
    4. We look at our country and government as people with representatives and not a Government with Tax Slaves.
    5. We believe in equal Opportunity
    for all individuals, not equal rewards for all no matter an individuals efforts.
    6. We believe in teaching a person to fish for themselves where as you like to take fish away from the fisherman and give them away to those who don't know how and still label the fisherman as the bad guy.
    My Comment: You rasist's who continue to lie to Black's, Mexican's and all other non-white races, trying to convence them that we are rasists, should take a very close look at what your doing because if you think they are angree with us, just think of what they will do to you as they learn the truth.
    Just one question. Why doesn't the lefties ever have a march in favor of their communist agenda? Just curios.
    See ya later Anonymous Cowards.

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  38. We're gaining a better understanding of what it takes to wake Randy from the dead.

    And I must say that so far his ramblings haven't been up to their usual standards. His heart just doesn't seem to be in it. These look more like last gasps of defeat, rather than all that hope and change babble to which we've been subjected in the past.

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  39. True Freedom1/17/2010 11:00 AM

    I hate politics. It brings out the worst in people. For some, it makes them dumber. They blindly follow a political party, repeating the rhetoric, believing everything they hear in the media, at work, in church, at school… These are the people who we have to fear. For they are the majority, the ones who can’t think for themselves.
    Be thankful we have the freedom to blog or attend TEA parties. And don’t take it for granted that we will have that freedom forever. Read the constitution, look up the issues, and hold your politician accountable.

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  40. Anon, 10:47,

    Hypocrisy and ignorance often wake me up, especially on a Sunday morning. Hypocrisy of a bunch of people who typically benefit from government most complaining of too many government benefits, and ignorance of the same bunch who call the president a socialist when he just saved the cornerstone of capitalism, the banks.

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  41. Tarp was Bush Randy...

    And now Obama wants to still penalize even those banks who paid back their loans with interest...

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  42. Anon 9:23

    IQ=a gaggle of silverback gorillas?

    I was there, and I have two advanced degrees; What have you got?

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  43. Nice job on the coverage, Racine Post.

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  44. Anon 11:18

    "Why is it Democrats rarely whine about Taxes"

    Because they don't pay any - or if they do, they are certainly not paying as much as the middle class.

    The super-wealthy - Soros, Buffett, et al - were just as likely to have voted for Obama. They don't care, as they are able to shelter their wealth, and their income from taxes. It is the poor suffering middle class, which is trying to accumulate wealth (for the nefarious purposes of funding their own retirements and their own children's educations) which is suffering under Obama. Obama said "spread the wealth" but he meant "spread the income" - and those of us who work hard, went to school, and built our careers are somehow blamed for the failings of the lazy and the parasitic.

    We're sick of it. We're done paying for you losers. Our society is wealthy enough to provide long term support those who are legitimately unable to work. The rest of you can go to hell.

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  45. I'm not sure why people are thanking the Racine Post for doing a good job. They ALWAYS do a good job of reporting.

    And the pictures say it all by the way. This was a county Republican meeting. They have nothing to do with the city of Racine and have done nothing to help the city of Racine.

    Crybabies of the highest order and no shame. You're mad that Wall Street is making money? wtf? Your party catered to them for years and still does! Some of you will say that you're not Republican. Well, it doesn't matter because that is the way you will vote.

    You're all being used by these conservative imposters to get what they have always wanted. Power.

    Do you think these morons will go into office and all of a sudden start implementing everything you want? Get real. Governing is different than campaigning. Conservatives got mad at Bush, Liberals got mad at Obama.

    The realities change the rule. The rest is ideology and wishful thinking. In the end, you will have no impact or voice. Same as now.

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  46. Anon, 11:05,

    Good. Keep reminding Tea Party folks how much Bushies like banks.

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  47. Americans for Prosperity paid for this shindig.

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  48. The lefties always launch personal attaks on people with whom they disagree, so I will do one on them.From my experience with these dopes most of them have never done an honest days work in their life or got their hands dirty except trying to grab something free. Any service in the military would be completely alien to them. Rather they are content to let the productive members of society support them.They are so dumb or miseducated that they actually believe that the laws of Physics can be repealed or "ammended" or changed by executive order by their hero Marxist bum Obuma. I hope you Tea Pary people can kick these subversives out.

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  49. teabaggers are the cancer that is killing the Republican Party.

    I love it.

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  50. This appears to me to be a large group of "me, myself and my family, and I" thinkers. Doesnt' matter that we have millions of children without health coverage HERE in the U.S. to them. This is a sad article, on the state of the majority of the Republican mind. I HEARD Rush Limbaugh myself state ( in an interview on TV) that a true Capitalist is not interested in Humanitarian thinking, or taking care of others. It's not part of Capitalist thinking. That thought process blew me away with disbelief.

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  51. Randolph = GAY

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  52. I be likin' mys free handouts....keeps it a comin' folks.....

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  53. ~I was there, this crowd was NOT racially diverse unless you count on one hand.

    ~Official English Language? LOL. I'd say most of these teabgger posters will qualify for ESL classes right away.

    ~A think tank headed by Joe the Plumber: heaven help us all.

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  54. It's unfortunate that Anon 1.16-9:23 that count their IQ with only their single middle finger.

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  55. The comments on the Journal Times site continue to improve while the anonymous sniping here sinks lower and lower....

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  56. Just as the Founders warned. Split people into factional parties and they will be at each others' throats while party leaders of either side reap the benefits. Thus the call for small, limited government. Ingenious documents the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. More people should read, understand, and live by them rather than believe the blather that either political party spews. Look at yourselves. Are you honestly happy year after year with the vulgar name calling? If so, what shallow, shallow lives. It is government that promotes such behavior. Reduce government, you reduce the behavior. Quod erat demonstrandum.

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  57. How much did Joe the Plumber get paid for this appearance?

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  58. I place a complaint here regarding the racist comments being posted. Racism is when you bash the color of a person. Whatever color the racist has a rant against. Let's not allow this posting site to denigrate to that level. I'm new to this site and I'm shocked the webmaster would allow these racist rants to be constantly posted.

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  59. For all the people whining about the fantastically successful event, if you don't agree with the Tea Party participants, then go make your own little rallies. This is America. You can voice your own opinions by gathering. Funny... We don't see that happening, because the majority of this nation is in the Tea Parties. Those opposing are a slim frail minority of malcontents.

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  60. Joe didn't get paid. Believe or not, some people in America still take action because they know it's right, not because they want more money.

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  61. Poor little rich boy Randy, living on his wealthy estate in an elite neighborhood, always crying crocodile tears for the huddled masses who he wouldn't let soil his doorstep, but they can mow his lawn.

    Ultimate hypocrite.

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  62. Has anyone actually read all these postings? For the most part, it is the triumph of infantilism over intelligence; name calling. Shame on you tea partiers for playing their game. Imagine an objective person reading these posts without your responses. They would have to conclude that the authors are quite unhinged. As an objective observer, would you follow them and their philosophy? If you fear some may be swayed by their school yard taunts, shame on you again. Every time you respond you give them credence. They’re infants. Take their toys away: ignore their comments; which means make your comments positive about your beliefs and philosophy and not in response to anything they say. Beliefs and philosophy. That is what will win converts.

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  63. Funny how this movement never actually does anything. They are the white knights of meetings. Let's say the Republicans take Over the State and national government. So what. That happens all the time. One party rules, people get tired, and then the other party wins.

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  64. I agree with Scott. We should not stoop to the level of the infantile liberal "progressives". I worked in the event and in fact helped with the traffic and parking. It was a steady stream of cars from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. People are tired of out-of-control spending. We are tired of our government taking liberties away and tossing our constitution and bill of rights away as if they do not exist. Massive taxes are coming to the middle class despite promises to the contrary. I have family in Italy and I have seen first-hand the atrocities of government-run healthcare. Joblessness is worsening, our dollar is collapsing, and down with it our economy. Businesses are not hiring because there are so many regulations coming their way they do not know what to expect.

    Any politicians that do not listen to their constituents will lose their jobs. Plain and simple. Change is coming. Scott Brown is gaining in the polls in Massachusetts. I think there is going to be a lot of turnover in Congress this year.

    We need to return to our roots and the principles that this country was founded on. I see a lot more poverty in other countries, low home ownership, high taxation, and a lot of government intervention and control into people's lives. There is nothing progressive about it. We are lucky to be living in this country and can ill-afford to import the failed ideologies of socialism, communism, liberalism, and marxism.

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  65. Down With Dickert!

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  66. Orbs - you might be acting a bit too harsh toward Randy. His house is OK, but it's no Tara or Wingspread. The neighborhood is above average for Racine. There are probably even a few conservatives within shouting distance.

    It's the beliefs and philosophy that are a lot more frightening than the socio-economic stuff. Even scarier is the fact he used to have a pretty big platform from which to espouse them. Alas, he still has the Post. But then, so do you and I.

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  67. Addendum to Orbs - We can all blog at the Post, but most of us don't have the juice of the JT Alumni Association.

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  68. If people here are angry now read this short article I just came across:

    "The USA is (financially) insolvent. Given the technical definition this is a widely accepted view on Wall St as our debts are greater than our assets in financial terms. What is not widely accepted, (and hopefully will remain a minority view for some time), is that because continued servicing and retiring of our debt is completely energy dependent, the paper claims extant in our system will eventually, sometime this decade, be reset, i.e. most paper wealth we recognize today will be lost. The same goes for most other OECD countries. This system reached a fiat credit climax after supplementing energy gain with increasing amounts of debt and we're now left with a modus operandi of extend and pretend until the system breaks and/or something new emerges. This does not imply that our future productive capacity is insolvent or that civilization is doomed--only that the current claims structure will undergo a wrenching rebirth.

    Basically, if we add up the 'financial' net worth of the USA, and subtract out the financial debt owed by the government, households, corporations, household net worth, we get in the neighborhood of negative $40,000,000,000,000. (This includes the unfunded future liabilities like Medicare/Medicaid which are unlikely to change much because they are already expressed as a Net Present Value.) This also includes a substantial amount of built capital in the form of houses, corporate tangible assets etc. (without which the amount would be even more negative). We already require new debt dollars to the tune of ~$4 for every new GDP $. As global oil becomes more scarce, we will have to increasingly pay for it with more and more debt so that the next time we see $150 oil, we'll be generating $6-7 debt dollars to generate a new GDP dollar. Barring some unforeseen white swan, this is a financial death spiral, not for civilization or the country, but for the currency and financial system we currently use. The changeover may be bad or it may not - it depends how we prepare and react when the debt jubilee arrives, either piecemeal or in one fell swoop, sometime this decade."

    ---

    The way I see it, it makes no difference who is in power. We are all in trouble. The next few years should make us really think how are we going to deal with this instead of just complaining about it. We need some positive plans, we need to start getting along and we need to stop this pathetic name calling we see here. Otherwise, how do we have a future?

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  69. "He raised my home's property taxes $900 and my grandchildren go to private schools."

    Umm, that is a pretty good trick, considering Racine's taxes only went up 1.4%. Your city taxes would have to have been $64,000 (and your house worth $5.8M) for 1.4% to be $900. No wonder your grandchildren go to private schools.

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  70. When you live in a small apartment in the inner city, Randy's home is a palace. He always claims to speak for me and my neighbors, but I never see him in the hood fighting our fights. Reminds me of that Joan Baez parody:

    ♪Pull the trigger, ni**ers,
    We're with you all the way,
    Just across the bay...♫

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  71. Nicest thing about the teaparties is that they are non-partisan. Yes, both sides try to use them to their advantage, but both sides, Democrats and Republicans have screwed up this country. And will continue to do so. They both want government to control everything. Americans are not impressed. Therefore the teaparties.

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  72. So Orbs, am I less of a person if I don't live in your so called 'hood? Judging from the below the soapbox, it appears that I am.
    Why is this?

    SDJ

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  73. i admire the optimism but i don't agree with a lot of what the tea party has to say. im all for the 2nd amendment. i agree that no one person should have to pay more in taxes just because they make more, but at the same time these are desperate times and it may be necessary to get the country out of this hole. when a select group of people are in control of the money in this country, it is a select group that holds the power. the only entity to regulate that is the federal government. i also think that hindering legislation on global warming could hinder not only the human race but our economy. this past decade has been the warmest on record. are we going to take a chance and say this is simply a global cycle? 50 years from now we might not be thinking that way. also, why would you want to put a road block on innovation? i thought innovation and ingenuity were part of the reason this country has thrived over the last century. if someone can make something cleaner and more efficient, why not? wouldn't that lessen our dependence on foreign resources if we're self sustaining and working with renewable energy? and finally the health care reform is far FAR from perfect. i hope dearly it doesn't get passed in it's present state, but something has to be done. insurance companies and big pharma are raping this country, people are losing everything, including their own lives. i hope people are actually educating themselves and not only following what they see on a 24hr news network (any of them).

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  74. Was Mayor Dickert there? Probably not! He raised my home's property taxes $900 and my grandchildren go to private schools. I am tired, I should say we are tired of paying increased taxes for less services. Dickert must really be one phone call away from Obama because they are trading tips on how to bankrupt an economy.

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  75. In response to Anon 12:06 - How beautiful it would be if we could just help each other and take care of each other. If we were more concerned about how to heal our communities, less people would be throwing bonfires to figure out how to take healthcare away from children.

    Also, the tea baggers want to take their country back? What?!! They think America belongs to them??? Read the history books! Europeans stole this country from American Indians. (Who weren't so arrogant to believe American belonged to even them either).

    The only thing we can count on is our own effort to help others.

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  76. Spent most of our time near the bonfire. Here are some thoughts & more pictures from that perspective:
    http://libertyslogic.blogspot.com/2010/01/racine-tea-party-bonfire-roars.html

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  77. I want a strong defense for my country … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want my garbage picked up … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want the police to come when I call … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want kids to go to school … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want people to have enough to eat … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want homeless people off my street … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want kids to get health care … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want old people secure … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want sick old people cared for … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want bad guys locked up … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want streets and roads … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want more jobs … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want disabled people helped … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want college for smart kids … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want natural disasters fixed … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want more teachers … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want more police officers … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want safer food … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want sewers … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want clean water … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want clean air … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want a strong economy … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want peace … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want snow and ice cleared … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want everything I have now and more … but I don’t want to pay for it.

    Tea, anyone?

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  78. Abbreviated version: I've got mine. I don't care about you. Get off my lawn.

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  79. The irony of what these people are doing is astonishing. These people must have completely misinterpreted or ignored nearly every single aspect of civic life in the last decade.

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  80. Randolph PWNED Tea

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  81. Randolph, you the man....

    Like I said before:

    They came, they whined, they left.

    They accomplished absolutely nothing positive.

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  82. Racine Post did an outstanding job on the coverage. Too bad these people came out for really nothing. When you really think about it, it was nothing. Nothing accomplished. Everyone goes back home and blogs. No one really reads most of the blogs. The JT blogs is truly pathetic. I wonder about the IQ of those bloggers AND those at the tea party.

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  83. Abbreviated Version:

    We'll be taking our country back, now. Thanks for your efforts, Socialists, but you've screwed things up royally. Hopefully, we grown-ups will be able to fix it.

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  84. Hope you all have a great day celebrating the life and achievements of REPUBLICAN Dr. Martin Luther King.

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  85. Randolph, keep 'em coming! The right wing nut jobs have no answers or reasonable responses. Although it's not fair to get into a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent, they keep asking for more - so keep 'em coming.

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  86. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 8:12 AM

    "The IQ of that crowd is roughly equivalent to that of a gaggle of silverback gorillas. I wonder if they ever stop to consider how ignorant and pathetic they are?"

    Proof that the left can be just as dumb as the right. Do you really think that throwing around insults is going to attract people to your cause?

    I would agree that the Tea Party movement is somewhat unfocused, and lacking in intellectual heft, but how is that different from most left-wing protest movements we have seen over the last 20 years? If anything, it is interesting to see a conservative push into a realm that has traditionally been exclusively left-wing. Most likely, any criticisms you have of the Tea party movement are mirrored in left-wing protests.

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  87. My favorite comment is from the guy who is moving to Canada to escape high taxes...Good luck with that Buddy. And enjoy the socialized medicine you're new higher tax rates will pay for.

    Second favorite is the visual of the extra from the cast of Deliverance in the photo of the bonfire. Way to represent dude!

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  88. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 8:20 AM

    "We can neither be taxed at 100% nor at 0%. What we need is confidence that common good services necessarily provided by the government are as few and provided as efficiently and honestly as possible. We don't have that today - it is our #1 need. I would think 90% of us could agree on that. Freeze everything now, get a handle on it, and run it better. Then we can argue about where between 0% and 100% later."

    Most rational comment on this post. Unfortunately, many of the Tea Party people just seem to become knee-jerk anti-government types. I worry that the more extreme rhetoric will prevent us from having any good fiscal reforms.

    If the past few election should have taught us anything, it is that a good chunk of the country is sick of both extremes.

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  89. 8:14 -

    It's called sarcasm you douche bag!

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  90. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 8:26 AM

    "I want a strong defense for my country … but I don’t want to pay for it.

    etc etc."

    I would agree with that criticism somewhat (but only somewhat), but I don't actually see the Democrats actually proposing a rational budget either. Their motto right now seems to be "I want universal health care ... but I wll have my children and grandchildren pay for it. etc etc"

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  91. I don't believe the majority is extreme. Technology has just provided a new way to hear from people who want to be vocal about a subject. Those here are those extremists on both sides thrashing themselves around.

    Who benefits? The Racine Post of course. Who in the right mind would keep this type of programming if for no other reason than to increase readership. This stuff sells to those who find this entertaining. So, don't put much stock into it. Just consider the source.

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  92. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 8:35 AM

    "I was there, this crowd was NOT racially diverse unless you count on one hand."

    Dosen't that pretty much describe Racine County? Not exactly a land of diversity here.

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  93. Can't wait until Wednesday to see the Dems start to implode, if Brown wins or even comes within a few points Obama will lose even more support

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  94. When you have your quadruple by-pass do you want the staff in the OR to be the most diverse or the most talented?

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  95. AFP contributed, yes and many thanks to Mark Block. With that said an equal amount of money and ALL of the volunteer time came from just ordinary citizens concerned about the OVER spending and the grab for more federal power and control of our lives.
    Obama just happens to be the President now. I'm all for paying taxes for services I actually receive but I'm not for paying for things I won't get. Social Security is 7 Trillion in the hole and Medicare is 36 trillion in the hole. I have been paying the federal government for these programs for 40 years and now the federal government is telling me they can afford health-care. I'm sorry but I like to get what I paid for first before they try to sell me something else I won't see. This is NOT about any one politician or party.
    Let me ask all of you this.
    If you were paying your city property taxes and the garbage was piling up, the fire department doesn't respond, teachers don't show up for school and the roads don't get plowed, would you be pissed?

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  96. All you need know about liberal elitism is right here on display.

    Insult those who do not agree with you.

    Charge racism where no evidence is present to support that charge.

    Claim those who have the courage to stand out and make their voice heard are stupid.

    This is what you have all done. And you wonder why the American people are running hard away from you?

    Frankly I love it, keep it up, that type of behavior is sending the middle to the right.

    The middle, those that sway elections.

    You left wingers are on the verge of losing Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat and you have no idea why.

    You have control of Congress and the White House you can't get anything done and still you blame the other side.

    You refuse to accept responsibility for you own actions and the people (remember them?) have learned that Hope and Change really meant a massive expansion of government power and the Nations debt. And that my friends is not what they thought Hope and Change was.

    Go ahead keep it up and you will really have some wounds that need licking come November.

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  97. Randy never met a government program he didn't love.

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  98. 8:26

    Squeal like a piggy. Sounds like you like the other kind of teabagging

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  99. Where were all you teabaggers 1, 2 or 3 years ago? The banking crisis, housing crisis and unemployment started under Bush. Economists have been shouting for years this was going to happen. And what did McCain have to say: "the fundamentals of our economy are sound."

    Bush ran us into the ground and left it to Obama to clean up.

    We averted a complete economic crash in the beginning of 2009. It took years to create and it's going to take years to fix.

    What you need to ask is why Americans for Prosperity is so eager to funnel money into this "movement"? You cannot honestly believe that the group of billionaires who make AFP possible are doing for the glory of the people.

    You guys like to follow the money: follow your own.

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  100. "If you were paying your city property taxes and the garbage was piling up, the fire department doesn't respond, teachers don't show up for school and the roads don't get plowed, would you be pissed?"

    Yes, and a massive tax cut will solve that problem. You know, the kind of tax cuts that nobody ever pays for in their budgets. The mythical tax cut that will all of a sudden make everything better.

    Sorry, but that is plain ignorant. Massive tax cuts lead to deficits.

    The Tea Party has no answer for this. Their main solution (tax cuts) makes their main problem (deficit) worse. And yet you let these fake politicians get up there and feed you this bs line time after time.

    What do you really think will happen in WI for example, if Republicans take office? Do you really think Badger Care will be eliminated to save money? Do you think the bus system will be shut down?

    You people are out of your minds. These fake heros like Vos and Vanwhatshisface don't have the balls to do anything like that and they would be tossed out on their rear ends for even trying.

    That's reality, and if I were you, I'd start demanding answers to the real questions. If you call yourself a party of the people then you have an obligation to understand how the people would be affected by their stupid campaign one-liners.

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  101. Anon 10:35, many of us were speaking out about too much spending in the Bush admin, you just did not hear.

    By the way when Bush and McCain were sounding the alarms about Fanny & Freddy they were told by Dems to shut up. Those same Dems refuse to accept any responsiblity for the housing collapse which started all of this mess.

    And by the way, tax cuts have led to increased revenues by fueling growth every time it has been tried.

    How is the Wisocnsin model of increasing taxes working? Clue, it isn't.

    We need real cuts not a slowdown of growth.

    Government has grown beyond our ability to support it.

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  102. Anonymous, 9:34, said...
    "Randy never met a government program he didn't love."

    Medicare Advantage should go. It's a wasteful, expensive way to provide Medicare, but when the Democratic bill included the cuts, the Republicans screamed bloody murder. Hopefully, the health care bill will finally pass to eliminate this example of wasteful government spending and so much more.

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  103. Under Bush and GOP control, 2 wars were begun and not paid for. Massive tax cuts (primarily for the wealthiest) were not paid for. Republican, Orrin Hatch said that, during the Bush administration, "it was standard practice not to pay for things."

    Who did you THINK was going to pay? We'll just gut our infrastructure, schools, police and let our cities and towns devolve into chaos. While Dick Armey from Freedom Works and David Koch from Americans for Prosperity laugh all the way to the bank.

    Teabaggers have bought such a load of crap from these guys it's unbelievable. Ooooooh the government is bad! Yeah, well it will be the only thing left to protect us from banksters and corporate dictators.

    You guys have been bought and you don't even know it.

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  104. Sigh

    Can't any of you people see you are talking past each other? Doesn't anyone have the capacity to listen anymore? What ever happened to compromise during discussion? Does it always have to be black and white? My way is the only way to see things? Sheesh. If so, God help us.

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  105. Jack Kemp proved that tax cuts increase revenue. Sounds backwards but is true. More money for business to spend equals more jobs equals more revenue for the government. You may have your opinions but the numbers do not lie.
    This country (both parties) just needs to lay off the spending.

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  106. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  107. [Sorry, I wrote the wrong info. on the previous post and I removed it] I'll try again.

    In reading these comments in which some are constructive and some are not, it seems clear that the anger and lack of civility on all sides will not help resolve any of the issues that most concern us.

    Republicans, Democrats and Tea Party people share a number of concerns like the economy, spending and unemployment that must be resolved at the state and federal level. The reasons for how we got here are complicated and the burden of blame is broad.

    What remains is what we're going to do about it. How will we get there in a virtual stand-off? And how can one side move toward the other with such animosity?

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  108. Rees Roberts1/18/2010 12:36 PM

    I only hope that we can begin to tone down the words like we were talking to someone across from you. The ole saying is actually true. We get more results from honey than from vinegar.

    There are good points being made here on both sides. We just need to acknowledge the good points from the totally unreasonable ones. If we can successfully use this method in this thread maybe we can use it in future discussions with success.

    Think about the power of the Internet if a large number of users start being agreeable even if agreeing to disagree about something. But then think about how powerful it would be if we found we could agree on something and it grew out of being civil with each other. They call that consensus. Wow, we could actually start something that could be a trend to watch all over the country. A seed has to be grown someplace. Why not here?

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  109. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 12:37 PM

    "Jack Kemp proved that tax cuts increase revenue. Sounds backwards but is true."

    Not that simple. Even the most ardent supporters of supply side economics and the Laffer Curve would say that at a certain point tax cuts will decrease revenue. It is all about finding the pivot point, where further tax increses discourage economic activity and tax revenue begins to fall.

    The Republican supply siders of the late 1970s wer not really inherently anti-tax. Reagan, Kemp, et. al. just argued that tax had gone beyond the pivot point, and that government revenues could be maximized by lowering tax rates. They were not big advocates of going below this pivot point...they just wanted to make the tax system as efficient as possible.

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  110. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 12:43 PM

    "What ever happened to compromise during discussion?"

    Compromise has been redefined as 'unprincipled'.

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  111. Just made a quick general statement. Thanks for clarification. We will be rocketing past that pivot point (and much worse in this state).

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  112. I know Kelly, let's threaten boycotts against businesses that have the audacity to allow people to buy something push a couple of tables together and talk...

    All hail the Queen of hypocrites.

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  113. "Think about the power of the Internet if a large number of users start being agreeable even if agreeing to disagree about something."

    A very good point that too many people misuse to score small points and vent. Things could actually get done is people stopped calling names.

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  114. Did anyone ask these politicians for State government what they would have done with the budget? Revenue was down....what would they have cut and how would they pay for the reduced taxes they always talk about?

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  115. Wow! We know we're making progress when Kelly and Reese are begging for mercy.

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  116. Oh ya, like that angry middle aged white guy, the Reverand David King, oh wait, no, he's African American. I guess anger towards Obama DOES extend accross all people.

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  117. Conservatives DESTROYED this country. Every conservative administration since Nixon has EXPONENTIALLY increased our debt (worse than ANY liberal). Conservative policies have KILLED the jobs in this country, selling out working class Americans so that the wealthy can exploit poor foreign labor.

    At every junction of the past 40 years, the conservatives have sided with the rich interest groups and against the working, taxpaying middle class. Forty YEARS only interrupted by 4 years of "southern liberal" Carter and 8 years of "moderate" Clinton (who went along with the policies of his conservative congress). And LOOK AT THE RESULT. The middle class is on life support. The economy is a ruin.

    The Obama administration is our LAST CHANCE to restore BALANCE to this economy. It is our LAST CHANCE to salvage this country.

    A conservative comeback now will be the end for the middle class. The end for America.

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  118. Teabaggers:
    How does this graph make you feel?
    http://lanekenworthy.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/slowincomegrowth-figure1-version1.png

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  119. Anon 4:22. Obama is going to out defecit spen All eight years of Bush in his first year.

    If you are concerned about spending you sure aren't making sense.

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  120. 4:53 -
    We are left with no choice in 2010. Thanks to 40 years of mismanagement and waste, our only hope for long term stability is short term spending. Liberalism was the only thing holding back the deficit for 40 years while Republicans fed the wealthy with government money and mutilated the middle class with regressive taxation.

    Obama will NOT be responsible for more regressive taxation. Nor will he continue to feed the greedy from the public funds. Nevertheless, money must be spent to solve the crisis.

    It's actually quite simple. When an economy is strong, you should cut spending and pay down debts. For forty years the conservatives failed in this. If the American voters are foolish enough to reverse the 2008 results, then that is exactly what conservatives will continue to do once this economy is stable.

    For forty years, the FACTS bear out this truth.

    For forty years, the only ideology with ANY responsible action toward fiscal issues has been the liberals and the Democrats.

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  121. Anon, 4:22 actually is correct, if you can get by his rhetoric.

    Republican presidents back to Reagan cut taxes for their friends with little or no notice of how it affected deficits.

    Bill Clinton was the last president to bring any sanity to the situation, of course, cutting deficits and debt.

    We have a different situation now, however, with such a severe economic downturn. The only way to counter it, short of total war mobilization, is to enhance government spending in other areas to stimulate the economy.

    Once that happens, the deficits will right themselves with enhanced economic activity.

    But you need the stimulus first.

    Now, some Republicans say they think that stimulus can come from further tax cuts, but that hasn't worked in the past. Most of the so-called stimulus never happened because the profits were simply banked by private individuals and investors. That method, when tried, has only significantly increased ballooning deficits over time, while only benefiting the relatively few and the wealthy.

    On the other hand, broader government spending stimulus has successfully ended one Depression and, most recently, staved off another.

    It is strange that supposedly middle-income teabaggers don't see how they're being misinformed and then used by the Republicans and their special interests.

    The supposed solution - cutting taxes for the wealthy and cutting programs that primarily benefit the lower- and middle classes, will continue to put them further and further behind in their personal economic struggles.

    But it's not unusual for Republicans, special interests and their hirelings to offer such simplistic bromides to mislead the public.

    Otherwise, we'd all be Democrats, of course.

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  122. Well, Randolph. The truly sad part of the Republican story is that in their minds, they're not "misleading" the public. They genuinely believe that if we just stick with the plan that we've gone to for the last four decades, that things might eventually turn around.

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  123. Anon, 5:17,

    You give them too much credit. Nobody can drink - or smoke - that much tea.

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  124. I'm offended by the term "tea baggin'". We all know that is a sexual description / position where one places his nuts on the chin area of his sexual partner. Can we use another term please? I'm appalled. Where's the decency? Damn Dems.

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  125. That's right 6:29. Just change the subject. Just ignore the decades of failure of conservative policy.

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  126. It would appear, 6:44, that 6:29 just has other things on his mind right now.

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  127. It would appear, 6:44, that 6:29 just has other things on his mind right now.

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  128. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 7:21 PM

    "Bill Clinton was the last president to bring any sanity to the situation, of course, cutting deficits and debt."

    This should be amended to say...'Bill Clinton aided by the Republican Congress elected in 1994 was the last president to bring any sanity to the situation, of course, cutting deficits and debt.' There was no action on deficits and the debt for the first two years of the Clinton administration when the Democrats were in charge of Congress.

    Of course, a booming economy made this pretty easy. Neither party has shown any discipline in bad times.

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  129. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 7:24 PM

    "We have a different situation now, however, with such a severe economic downturn. The only way to counter it, short of total war mobilization, is to enhance government spending in other areas to stimulate the economy."

    Well, this is not a statement that is universally agreed upon by economists. But, even if it is true the stimulus money has to spent on the right things to jump start the economy, and not mostly pork to special interest groups like we had earlier this year.

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  130. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 7:28 PM

    "Liberalism was the only thing holding back the deficit for 40 years while Republicans fed the wealthy with government money and mutilated the middle class with regressive taxation."

    1. All spending bill originate in the House.

    2. Out of the last 40 year Democrats have controlled the house for 28 year, and the Republicans 12.

    Hmmmm...seems to me the the Democratic party has been pretty complicit in everything that has happened in the last 40 years.

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  131. Tim,

    The important thing is to get the stimulus through the economy fast. If anything, they're spending it too slowly, but hiring cops and teachers puts money into circulation pretty fast. The tax breaks for businesses will take a little longer but will work if tied to actual job creation. Road projects work pretty fast, too. The overall package seems to be split roughly in thirds, among direct aid, targeted tax cuts for businesses that actually create jobs and grants and loans. By all accounts, the economy is improving, but since unemployment's a lagging indicator of recession, that'll still be the last thing to turn around, unfortunately. Interestingly, they didn't pick a big-government WPA or CETA type program this time, probably because they thought it would take too long to work.

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  132. Tim,

    Most often, presidents drive the spending or the saving. Witness Reagan's big defense build-up and 600 ship Navy. I don't think the House would have come up with that on its own. Maybe it was a good idea. We won the Cold War, but cutting taxes at the same time was counterintuitive and probably just plain dumb.

    Similarly, George W. Bush pushed massive military spending for two simultaneous wars, also while cutting taxes.

    You just don't cut taxes during wartime, hot or cold. You raise taxes during wartime and borrow the rest through "liberty bonds" and such sold to the public.

    That's how we paid for World War II, despite record deficits, and emerged as the strongest, most powerful country and economy in the world.

    Aside from Clinton shutting down "welfare as we know it," nobody's really made a rational economic policy decision in decades.

    Until Obama, of course.

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  133. ... oh, can credit Reagan with putting Social Security on a much more secure footing with modestly increased payroll tax.

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  134. ... oh, and I was too harsh. Nixon's earned income tax credit for poor people, notably expanded by Reagan, probably lifted millions out of poverty. Perhaps one of the best ideas of the century.

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  135. So you are saying conservatives are compassionate? That can not be true! According to a lot of people here we are reckless, racist, ignorant, anti-patriotic, etc...
    Conservatives and liberals want the same for everyone. Both have the same destination but disagree on the path to get there. To hear people talk to each other with such rage is ridiculous and needs to stop if we want to solve our problems.

    SDJ

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  136. Tim the Shrubber1/18/2010 8:38 PM

    "Most often, presidents drive the spending or the saving. Witness Reagan's big defense build-up and 600 ship Navy. I don't think the House would have come up with that on its own."

    No, probably not. The House would have decided on a 600 ship Army.

    Still, the 600 Navy would not have happened with out the without the approval of the majority party in the House and the majority party in the Senate...especially the House. Every financial decision that can be laid at the feet of Reagan has to be equally attributed to Tip O'Neil or James Wright. Budgets didn't happen without their support.

    And I don't seem to remember that 'No new taxes' idea working out too well for Bush I. The Speaker of the House Foley pretty much handed the President his ass on that one.

    There has probably been far too much talk about the 'Imperial Presidency' since FDR, and the powers of the President have been overstated. Sure, nobody is a Speaker like old Joe Cannon these days, but the Speaker of the House is still the second most powerful person in DC.

    The President always has a partner in crime on the budget, and over the last 40 years it has usually been someone from the other party.

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  137. Good point, SDJ. It's when organizers prey on people's prejudices, or when party zealots control the agenda that progress can't happen.

    I truly feel for all the Republicans that voted for recapitalizing the banking system and the stimulus package because they honestly knew it was absolutely necessary for the country. Now, they'll go back to their districts and get pummeled in primaries by ideologues who attack them from the right for wasteful, deficit spending.

    Similarly, for all the Republicans who've championed health-care reform over the years, but couldn't touch that third-rail this time because of party-driven propaganda.

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  138. Fair points, Tim, fair points.

    I'd like to think, rather, that there could be something positive in that kind of bipartisan agreement, if intellectually and fiscally sound.

    There was a bipartisan health-care bill to be had, for example, but the ideologues simply wouldn't permit it, for fear of handing a "victory" to a president they don't like.

    In the old days, they'd thrash out such things as Social Security or civil rights. The fights could be bitter, but, ultimately, folks of good conscience could see their way to clear to vote for a compromise bill fashioned around a majority, for the good of the American people.

    We need those kinds of representatives again, from both parties.

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  139. Tim, that logic is ridiculous. The budget has always been written by the Executive and his Budget office. Congressional additions to that budget are always limited to less than 1% of total spending.

    This is a failing attempt to deflect blame away from your beloved conservatives.

    They built our 10 trillion dollar deficit by policy and mathmatics, emptying our treasury to the rich and well-connected, using OUR good credit to finance the risky endeavours of their corporate allies. And now they want you to give them power again.

    And you seem quite ready to oblige. It's hysterical really.

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  140. Randy said - - "It's when organizers prey on people's prejudices, or when party zealots control the agenda that progress can't happen".

    . . . sounds like the perfect description of the Obama Administration and its allies.

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  141. Tim the Shrubber1/19/2010 8:32 AM

    "The budget has always been written by the Executive and his Budget office. Congressional additions to that budget are always limited to less than 1% of total spending"

    That would be true, except it isn't.

    All budgetary power resides in Congress, and in particular the House of Representatives. Consider the following from the Constituion...

    1. Article I Section 7: "All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills."

    2. Article II Section 8: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

    "To borrow money on the credit of the United States;"

    The President has no Constituional powers that even compare to that when it comes to the Budget.

    So, how does this work in reality?

    1. The President and Executive branch do not write the budget. Instead the Executive branch writes a request that they proposal to the Congess. Using the terms 'request' and 'proposal' are no accidental. Congress is under no compulsion to follow this proposed budget. They could write their own budget from scratch and there is not a thing the President could do about it. (Of course, this would probably go over really poorly with the public, so not Congress would actually do that.)

    2. Then each house of Congress drafts, debates and passes budget resoultions.

    3. Differences between the resoultions are worked out in a conference committee, a conference report is issued, and then both houses vote on the conference report. If it passes in both houses the budget process is done.

    Note: Note, these are binding resoultions, so Congress is rule bound to follow them. However, they are not law do not require a Presidential signature.

    If no new spending and/or changes to spending are included in the budget, then the process is done. If there is new/changed spending, then appropriation bills must be created (starting in the House of Reps), passed by both houses of Congress, and then signed by the President.

    Consider that process for a moment. The President is really an outside player in the formal process. What power the President has comes from the ability to use the bully pulpit of his/her office to affect public opinion.

    ----

    "This is a failing attempt to deflect blame away from your beloved conservatives."

    Considering Congress has been contolled by both parties during times of bad budget spending, I don't see how this would deflect blame from conservatives.

    If anything, your unwillingness to admit that both sides of the political spectrum have been abhorrent stewards of the public finances show an extreme bias on your end.

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  142. "If anything, your unwillingness to admit that both sides of the political spectrum have been abhorrent stewards of the public finances show an extreme bias on your end."
    BINGO!

    SDJ

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  143. Tim the Shrubber1/19/2010 9:08 AM

    "I'd like to think, rather, that there could be something positive in that kind of bipartisan agreement, if intellectually and fiscally sound."

    ...

    "In the old days, they'd thrash out such things as Social Security or civil rights. The fights could be bitter, but, ultimately, folks of good conscience could see their way to clear to vote for a compromise bill fashioned around a majority, for the good of the American people."

    I agree that would be great, but I also think you are wishing for a myth. The golden times past also came at a huge price that few people really acknowledge. Congress in the 50s and 60s was a much different beast that it is now...much less open and democratic. Do you really want to return to a time when backroom deals are the only way to get stuff done and the Speaker and committee chairs dominate all action in the houses? We have these bitter public debates now because we can...in the past the powerful few in Conrgress were so dominant that the debates did not even exist.

    From a political institution standpoint the Civil Rights debates were amazing because they were a direct challange to the Southerners that chaired powerful committees. It began a shakeup of the instutuiton that has not really settled down even today. (Of course, a couple of 60s Supreme rulings regarding Congressional Distirct boundaries helped this along also. They broke up what could be considered 'rotten bouroughs' across the country, making Congress much more competitive.)

    Congress has always been an ugly institution in its processes, but I am not sure that democracy is ever pretty.

    I do think however, a lot of the rancor has been amplified by the 24-hour TV news stations. Their need for conflict to fill their broadcasts pretty much rewards ugly behavior from all sorts of political actors. Joeseph McCarthy would have loved it.

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  144. I don't get it. Our country is now worth less than it owes, our government has just mortgaged our future to the tune of $400,000 for every houshold and the liberals find this acceptable??
    This is how Americans voice their views and as far as I am concerned , it's about time. 10% of the people pay almost 90% of the taxes. These are those people. We have seen the other side and they pretty much look the same, except they all seem to have their hand out.

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  145. First, I wish those of you who can't write an intelligible sentence would just keep your fingers away from the keyboard. My goodness your apparent ignorance overshadows your opinions!

    Second, those of you who blame the country's problems on a party or a president (just because they differ from your viewpoint) are whiners. A lot of the U.S.'s problems were created by terrorists, natural disasters, incredibly GREEDY corporate criminals, incredibly GREEDY companies, incredibly GREEDY & STUPID consumers, incredibly LAZY governmental parasites, incredibly IMMORAL lifestyles and laws, and incredibly IRRESPONSIBLE and UNETHICAL government representatives.

    I would most certainly elect a black president if he had true intelligence, integrity and Christian morals and beliefs--like Alan Keyes.

    But NO-O-O-O-O! That would put too many restrictions on evil people. They want to kill Innocent Babies, remove any reference to God from every public place, and misappropriate the power they possess. Shame on Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and Freedom From Religion people!!

    Obama is not a Christian, even though he purports to be! Don't you realize that radical Muslims have infiltrated every aspect of our society and will pull the trigger or press the button whenever their leader says to?

    Obama sounds and acts like a Socialist and a Muslim (not a Christian). Muslims are allowed to lie in order to promote their religion. Nothing will stop Obama and his agenda unless WE THE PEOPLE get involved!

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  146. "Obama is not a Christian, even though he purports to be! Don't you realize that radical Muslims have infiltrated every aspect of our society and will pull the trigger or press the button whenever their leader says to?"

    You might want to talk to your doctor about one of the following: clozapine (Clozaril), loxapine (Loxitane), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and quetiapine (Seroquel). Don't dispair, paranoia can be treated with modern antipsychotic agents.

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  147. Pete or Justin - when are you going to limit the amount of words on a post. Some of these posts are ridiculously long!

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  148. Is Rev. King black? He looks red, white , & blue to me.

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  149. The really is question is?

    HOW MANY OF THESE TEA PARTY PEOPLE WERE RACINE COUNTY RESIDENTS???

    My guess is --- many of these TEA PEOPLE came to Caledonia to be with their flock.

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  150. I'm the person who should preview before posting LOL

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  151. Look at all the lefties doing exactly what they constantly accuse conservatives of: racism. What a bunch of pathetic hypocrites you liberals are.

    So, here's a bone for you: Yes, we middle aged, angry white people are sick and tired of carrying your pathetic, lazy, hand-out, play the system, "I'm so poor and I'm a minority or piece of white trash and you owe me" asses.

    But, it's not just us middle-aged, angry white folks that feel that way. So do the elderly whites, the hard working conservative blacks, the legal taxpaying Hispanics, and everyone else who works hard and pays taxes. The gravy train is about over for all of you lazy slugs who lay around getting fat with your hand out for a monthly check, just because you CAN get it. Do you slackers ever think of the truly needy people who are legitimately physically or mentally challenged and how YOUR drain on THEIR resources effects them? I think not. You have no consideration for anyone but yourselves.

    And believe me, we are getting sick and tired of seeing you welfare thieves riding around in better cars than us average hard working taxpayers can afford. We’re tired of seeing you smoke $65 per carton name brand cigarettes, buying liquor and filet minon on your “food stamp” cards, and walking around with $300 cell phones stuck to your ears, not to mention the amount you spend on drugs. It’s time to start qualifying the people who are receiving welfare and getting rid of the defrauders.

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  152. `At any rate I'll never go there again!' said Alice as she picked her way through the wood. `It's the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!'

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  153. I think that's a wrap.

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  154. Senator Brown - just the start!

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  155. THIS WAS SO GOOD IT HAS TO BE RE-POSTED---> THANK YOU!!! Randolph

    I want a strong defense for my country … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want my garbage picked up … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want the police to come when I call … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want kids to go to school … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want people to have enough to eat … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want homeless people off my street … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want kids to get health care … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want old people secure … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want sick old people cared for … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want bad guys locked up … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want streets and roads … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want more jobs … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want disabled people helped … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want college for smart kids … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want natural disasters fixed … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want more teachers … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want more police officers … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want safer food … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want sewers … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want clean water … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want clean air … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want a strong economy … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want peace … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want snow and ice cleared … but I don’t want to pay for it.
    I want everything I have now and more … but I don’t want to pay for it.

    Tea, anyone?

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  156. Of course it's a bunch of middle aged white people there...

    Who else do you think pays for the Mexicans and the blacks social programs?

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  157. 10/37
    You are far too emotional and lacking in fact. The fact is that taxes have to be raised only if spending goes up. Cutting taxes has to go hand in hand with lowering costs. I'm not saying eliminate anything unless it is a proven waste of money. All I'm saying is Nobody gets a raise, no new social program, no increased spending on programs, cutting pay on ALL the politicians, no increases to pay for government workers, NO programs open to illegal aliens, identify and cut wasteful spending & fraud, eliminate all unions from government payroll workers, and last but not least, sell all city government controlled real-estate.
    Now as far as your personal attacks which are generated by your own frustration of not being able to elevate to an intelligent conversation, please save it for when your face to face with me.

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