Taken for a Ride

So, after years of longing, you’ve finally got that new car you always wanted. You’ve scrimped and saved, but still couldn’t quite come up with all the cash required, so you raided your children’s savings, and even broke your grandchildren’s piggy bank. Even that wasn’t enough, so it was necessary to take out a 100 year loan, which your heirs will be obliged to pay off. No matter, you’re still eagerly waiting to take posession of those shiny new wheels.

The big day finally arrives, you show up at the showroom, and are somewhat dismayed to see that your new car appears to have been somewhat damaged in delivery. The dealer assures you there’s no problem, everything can be fixed.

As you drive home, you notice your new ride is running a little rough, pulling to the left, and seems to have a lot of rattles. Your seat is wobbling, and the radio only receives one station where some loudmouth is proclaiming you bought a lemon. It stalls, so you get a neighbor to help push it into the driveway.

An automobile consists of thousands of components, each of which has to not only function as intended, but must be installed properly, or the car can’t perform it’s intended purpose. You do a little research and discover your vehicle was built when management had locked out all the workers on the right side of the assembly line. To ensure the remaining workers wouldn’t be criticized for their work, all the lights were turned off while your car was being built. Inspectors were treated to a $300 million dinner, and your car passed through while they were out to lunch.

Now feeling somewhat disenchanted, you go out to the driveway, and open the glove box to retrieve your paperwork. Unfortunately, a spark plug was mistakenly installed in your gas tank, then accidently wired to the glove box lamp, and your brand-new car spectacularly bursts into flame.

Furious, you tow your flaming wreck to the dealer and demand satisfaction. He assures you all the components of a good car are there, it just needs some repair work. At this point, you have three choices:

1) Demand your money back, immediately, and in full.

2) Insist the car be returned to the factory, totally disassembled, and re-assembled correctly, with properly functioning components.

3) Allow the dealer to commence an unending program of incremental repairs (at your expense).

I can hardly wait to take my new HealthCareMobile for a spin.

Terry Smith

Lanark

Government’s Heavy Hand

Americans across the nation watched intensely as Congress debated and ultimately passed the onerous health care “reform” bill Sunday evening. One main point of contention is the idea that health care is a “right.” This is nothing short of socialistic propaganda. In America we understand that our rights come from God, not government. To see the difference in government-mandated health care and real rights, look at how they are exercised.

Historically, American citizens have been free to exercise-or not to exercise-their real, constitutionally protected rights as they see fit. The government does not compel citizens to attend church in the name of religious freedom. The government does not compel citizens to own a gun in the name of the Second Amendment. And the government does not force citizens to engage in the political process in the name of free speech.

In contrast, our “progressive” friends are eager to compel every American using the heavy hand of government to exercise their so-called right to health care. What is really at issue is not whether health care is “right” but whether citizens have a right to taxpayer-funded health care. What other cherished American “right” has ever required that we diminish another’s liberty? Does the right to free speech require newspaper owners to print every op-ed and editorial? Does the right to bear arms require the government to arm its citizenry? Does the freedom of religion require government-funding of churches, mosques and synagogues? Why then, does this “right” to health care require the government to take from some and give to others? When in the history of our country have we had to secure a right by trampling on the liberties of others? Yet this is exactly what is happening with this government takeover of the health care industry.

This new health care “right” will be forced on every American, and it will be made possible by taking from citizens “according to their ability” and giving to others “according to their needs.” Karl Marx would be proud.

David E. Smith, Executive Director

Illinois Family Institute

Tinley Park, IL

Tax Day Protest

The Sauk Valley Tea Party will be celebrating its one year anniversary this month with a tax day protest on April 15th. The event will take place at the intersection of 1st Ave. and E. 2nd St. in Sterling IL. (the north end of the Route 40, 1st Avenue bridge between Sterling/Rock Falls) from 5:00 – 6:30pm. After meeting at the intersection for 30 minutes at 5:00pm, the protest will move just west of the intersection to a small park located on the curve of Route 40 and E 2nd St, where speakers will address the group from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

For more information and a map of the location please visit: http:/www.saukvalleyteaparty.com. Bring your signs and join us as we raise awareness and make our voice heard though peaceful, non-violent protest.

If you’re concerned about out-of-control government spending, never ending growth of big government, ever increasing taxation, and continued movement away from our constitution and it’s founding principles, please attend this meeting. If you’ve seen Tea Party Protesters portrayed as “mobsters”, “Astroturf”, “paid protesters”, “right wing radicals”, “wing-nuts”, and “racists” by the liberal media, and you find it all just a little hard to believe, come to this meeting and see for yourself.

Over the past year I’ve been to several Tea Party Protests throughout Illinois. What I’ve consistently seen at each event are everyday concerned citizens. People like you and me who feel our government and elected officials are out of control and traveling down an unsustainable path. Men, women, grandparents, children, grandchildren, of all races, of all backgrounds, who feel the need to speak out and have their voices heard. Don’t fall prey to the “I’m only one person, I can’t make a difference” mentality. Please make the effort and join us on April 15th. We know that our voices can, and will be heard.

Remember, the Constitution begins with ”WE THE PEOPLE . . .”

Craig Dusing

Sterling, IL

Everybody’s Ganging Up on Tea Party

At the end of a long process of bribes and intimidation of lawmakers, the Obama administration and the Democratic majority in Congress have passed the healthcare bill, euphemistically named the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”

Now, unwilling to engage the opponents of the bill about its merits, Nancy and her minions have embarked on a vicious smear campaign. Did it ever occur to the media to ask Ms. Pelosi, “Why was it necessary for the delegation of black legislators to “run the gauntlet” through the Tea Party protestors, when all the other congressmen found easier means to enter the Capitol?” The answer should be obvious. Nancy believes that opposition to the socialization of America can only arise in the hearts of bigoted white males. The “Perp walk” of legislators through Tea Partiers was calculated to elicit a response of expletives and the “N word” on the part of the Tea Party. That it did not, despite press reports to the contrary, is obvious. Had anyone captured audio or video footage of the “N word,” it would be broadcast non-stop from dawn to dusk. Many of Nancy’s congressmen and women carried cell phone cameras, capturing the faces and voices of those whom they passed. No trace of swearing or the “N word” has yet appeared.

And why are the people who phoned congressmen, including the turncoat Stupak, and left threats against them necessarily Tea Partiers? Only because it serves the purpose of the progressives who have won a terrible victory in passage of healthcare legislation which raises everyone’s insurance costs, creates a massive entitlement for which we will pay four years before any benefits are received, and omits the most obvious tool for reduction of healthcare costs – tort reform.

Now, a new voice arises on the left. So scandalized are these tender hearted people at the “coarsening” of the national conversation by the Tea Party, they have vowed to target candidates favored by the Tea Party. They call themselves the “Patriot Majority PAC.” That’s right, a PAC, a Political Action Committee, able to throw money at races to defeat candidates favored by limited government advocates, including the Tea Party. I guess lefty George Soros had a few million dollars he had no use for.

Now it falls to those of us fighting the progressive takeover of America not to falter in our commitment, nor be fooled by a PAC naming itself “Patriot Majority.” We know what patriotism means. Patriotism abhors the brazen takeover of 1/6 of the economy by the federal government. Patriots will welcome the Tea Party Express April 6th at 10:00 a.m. in Davenport, Iowa, and in Rockford’s Davis Park at 1:00 pm. Some, in northern Winnabago County, will join Northern IL Tea Party members at the Rockton Community Center on Tax Day, Thursday the 15th at 5:30 for good food and fellowship, and speakers at 7:00. God Bless America!

Jane Carrell

Roscoe, IL

Capitol Report

By Jim Sacia, State Representative 89th District

Wednesday, March 24th. It came out of nowhere. The first I heard of it was when Sean Denny, the lobbyist for the Illinois Education Association (IEA) contacted me, asking me to oppose the bill. I’m referring to Senate Bill 1946 which is a major reform of our state’s pension systems.

There is a protocol and procedure for everything in Springfield, but when Speaker Madigan decides something will happen, in this case pension reform, suddenly and miraculously a bill appears; and so it was with Senate Bill 1946. All protocol went out the window.

The reforms impact thirteen of Illinois’ seventeen pension systems. It’s basically a concept I have supported for years - a two-tiered pension system. The federal government implemented a two-tiered system during my former life as an FBI agent. I know it works. In its simplest form, it does not affect current retirees or employees, and yes, it affects us, as elected persons, like it does everyone else. It pertains to new hires only. Under the bill passed by the General Assembly last week, new state employees hired or elected after January 1, 2011 will not collect full retirement benefits until age 67.

Why did this come out of nowhere all of a sudden? In a nutshell, the state is about to sell $1 billion in bonds to fund capital projects such as road and schools. The bond houses in New York had made it clear to David Vaught, the Governor’s budget director, that the state was in danger of a “double downgrade” to our bond rating as the sale approaches. “Such a downgrade would have put the state on par with California’s miserable credit rating and cost the state big money. New York demanded legislation that would save the state at least $100 billion, and Vaught estimates the bill passed last week will save far more than that.” That quote is from Capitol Fax, our daily “blurb” which is usually very well researched. I accept it accordingly. I do, however, expect our credit rating to receive a single downgrade.

Capitol Fax further stated “Adding insult to injury, Madigan’s proposal looked an awful lot like Senate Leader Christine Radogno’s bill. The furor was so intense it could’ve burned down a rainforest. The unions quickly switched from compromise to kill mode, but to no avail. They were literally steamrolled last week.”

The points here are simple:

#1 Bills are often stolen by the party in power.

#2 The wily old fox can make things happen faster than Sherman went through Atlanta. Statehouse watchers say it was an unprecedented ten and one-half hours total for the brand new bill to move through both chambers and on to the Governor.

We desperately need pension reform. In my one-on-one talk with the Governor last week, we both agreed it was something that absolutely had to happen, but the fact remains that only the Speaker could actually make it happen with such haste. Rich Miller said it best, everyone was “steamrolled”. There will undoubtedly be problems that legislators will be required to fix, but this is significant reform. It is long overdue and needed to happen.

I do, however, question the process. Cleverly, the bill also established a pension “holiday” for the Chicago Teacher’s Pension System, requiring a payment of only $187 million from Chicago Schools instead of the $587 they owe; a direct savings of $400 million. Is this for Chicago only? Imagine that.

As always, you can reach me, Sally or Barb at or e-mail us at . You can also visit my website at www.jimsacia.com. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.