McHenry County Blog

Mike Tryon

It was “just” a surplus property issue.

Should it take approval of the Illinois General Assembly to dispose of surplus property worth more than $1 million?

But House Bill 4744 was aimed by Crystal Lake State Representative Mike Tryon directly at the Democratic (and some regional Republican) Party politicians promoting turning maximum security Thomson Correctional Center into terrorist central.

How creative!

President Barack Obama, Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin think it is such a wonderful idea.

But, led by not-yet-nominated-for-U.S.-Senate Congressman Mark Kirk, Republicans, including Congressman Don Manzullo, in whose district the prison is located, attacked the idea, not once, but repeatedly. All over TV.

Liberals pooh-poohed the unreasonable fear of opponents. When Manzullo pointed out that the terrorists would likely be tried in Rockford, the Obama Administration rushed in with the alternative that the courtroom would be behind the prison’s walls.

Then the would-be Christmas airplane bomber turned out to be from Yemen, the same country as most of the Guantanamo terrorists President Obama wants to transfer to Northwestern Illinois.

Byron nuclear power plants as seen from Interstate 39, upwind from McHenry County.

That got me thinking about

those Byron nuclear power plants we see on our annual pilgrimage to the Springfield Old Capitol Art Fair.

A terrorist act there releasing radiation would float right over McHenry County.

Enter Tryon with his bill.

It got out of committee, indicating House Speaker Mike Madigan’s approval.

And, it passed overwhelmingly. 81 of 116 voting “Yes.”

Today must be “GOP Congressional Criticism of President Barack Obama’s stimulus program.” (Note Congressman Peter Roskam’s press release on the same subject here.)

Manzullo: Three Million More Americans Out of
Work on 1st Anniversary of Failed Stimulus Bill

WASHINGTON – Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) today said the $862 billion stimulus bill he opposed a year ago has failed miserably in its primary objective – to create jobs for Americans. Instead, Congress and the President should focus on helping the private sector put Americans back to work.

When the stimulus bill was enacted one year ago today, the Administration claimed it would create 3.5 to 4 million jobs.

In reality, another 3 million Americans lost their jobs since then.

In addition, America’s unemployment rate rose from 7.6 to 9.7 percent since that time.

The big problem is that less than 5 percent of the bill was for job-creating infrastructure spending.

The vast majority was spent on expanding and creating new social programs that are not heavy private sector job creators.

And because of the record spending, the budget deficit has surged past $1.4 trillion and our national debt is beyond $12 trillion.

In fact, the fastest growing part of the President’s just-released budget is interest on the national debt, which is estimated to be more than $800 billion annually by 2020.

Instead of continuing the out-of-control government spending that doesn’t create jobs, Manzullo has offered a plan to help the private sector expand and put Americans back to work. If more Americans work in the private sector, they would pay the taxes necessary to sustain public sector jobs.

Manzullo’s American Jobs Agenda focuses on helping employers cut costs, become more competitive, and create jobs through tax incentives, lower health care and energy costs, leveling the international playing field, and helping employers export more overseas and sell more to the government.

“From the beginning, we knew the $862 billion stimulus would fail its primary purpose to put Americans back to work because so little of it was focused on private sector job-creation. In fact, we have lost 3 million more jobs since it was enacted a year ago,” Manzullo said.

“Government can’t create self-sustaining jobs. We need to focus on helping the private sector become more competitive so they can expand and put Americans back to work. One answer is my American Jobs Agenda, which gives our employers tax incentives, cuts health care and energy costs, levels the international playing field, and helps our employers export more and sell more to the government.”

Here’s 16th District Republican Congressman Don Manzullo’s reaction to the Stare of the Union Address:

Rep Manzullo Responds to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

(WASHINGTON) Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) tonight issued the following statement responding to President Obama’s State of the Union Address to Congress and the nation:

“It’s good to hear President Obama talk about the need to help create jobs in America. But I’m concerned his fix will involve more deficit-hiking government spending. We have actually lost 3 million jobs since the President signed into law the failed $862 billion stimulus bill, and our national debt has surpassed $12 trillion.

“We need a colossal change in thinking here, and I implore President Obama to halt the ineffective government spending that is burdening future generations with debt, and instead focus on helping the private sector create jobs.

“At a minimum, Congress needs to stop pursuing job-killing legislation – like the health care and cap and trade bills – that would put another 8 million Americans out of work and hike taxes and health and energy costs for Americans.

“My American Jobs Agenda offers a host of legislative avenues to help create economic opportunities for our employers to put Americans back to work.”

When on house of a legislative body like Congress passes one version of a bill and the other passes a different version, a conference committee is set up.

When W. Robert Blair was Illinois House Speaker from during my first term in Springfield (1973-75), there were actual meetings. I had some bills that went to conference committee and was actually put on the committee.

Later speakers just had staff members bring around whatever they wanted to put on the House floor for a vote soliciting signatures of reliable conference committee appointees.

According to an NPR segment I heard yesterday, most of the differences in the health care reform legislation will be decided by having a Democratic Party staffer from the Senate meet with his or her counterpart from the House.

The major differences will be determined by actual Democratic legislators meeting in person, but behind closed doors.

The Democratic Party apologist being interviewed said that was fair because no Republicans in the Senate and only one in the House had voted for the bills in question.

I seem to remember a campaign pledge from President Barack Obama that such negotiations would be held in public. C-SPAN coverage..

Now comes 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo with a call for negotiations to be in open session. Here is his press release:

Manzullo Signs Petition to Force Open Health Care Talks
Resolution would require Democrat leaders to negotiate bill in public

[WASHINGTON]  Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today joined many of his colleagues in signing onto a discharge petition that would force Democrat leaders to come out from the shroud of secrecy and start negotiating the massive health care bill in public.

The resolution, H.Res. 847, would require Congressional Democrat leaders and the Administration to start negotiating the health care bill in a public forum open to the media.

So far, 151 Members of Congress have signed the petition. Once that number reaches 218, Democrat leaders would have to open the talks to the public.

Since the House and Senate approved different versions of the bill in November and December, Democrat leaders from the House, Senate and Obama Administration have been holed up behind closed doors trying to work out a compromise version of the bill to present to the President for his signature.

On the campaign trail last year, then-Sen. Barack Obama pledged that

health care reform negotiations would be broadcast on C-SPAN so the “American people will know what’s going on.”

On Dec. 30, C-SPAN called on congressional leaders to carry out President Obama’s “C-SPAN pledge” and allow coverage of the health care talks. Two weeks later, the talks are still behind closed doors.

“In all my years in Congress, I have never seen an issue that has invoked as many constituent calls and as much emotion as this health care issue.

“It has the potential to affect every American and dramatically change the way health care services are paid for and delivered in our country. With this much at stake, Democrat leaders should honor the President’s campaign pledge and allow C-SPAN coverage of the negotiations so all Americans can see what could affect them for the rest of their lives.”

The following press release arrived last night after I had moved onto other things:

Manzullo Responds to President’s Address on Afghanistan

[WASHINGTON]  Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) tonight issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s address to the nation on the War in Afghanistan:

“President Obama tonight gave Americans a frank assessment of our challenges in Afghanistan. His plan to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan comes at a critical time in America’s war against the terrorists. 

“We cannot let Afghanistan become a haven for terrorists again.

“I look forward to hearing more in detail from the Administration about this new strategy. As a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I will be briefed in more detail tomorrow by Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Defense Gates, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen, who will all testify in front of our committee.

“As always, my first concern is with our brave fighting men and women who are overseas risking their lives each day to protect our families and our freedoms back home. Our prayers are with them and their families – as well as those heroes who paid the ultimate price – as they carry on their mission to defend the United States of America.  I will review the President’s plan with them in mind.”

The following press release has been received from 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo:

Manzullo Concerned with Administration’s Decision to End U.S. Missile Defense Program in Eastern Europe

[WASHINGTON] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) issued the following statement today in response to the Obama Administration’s decision to end America’s missile defense program in Eastern Europe.

Manzullo is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he serves as the lead Republican on the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment and a member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade:

STATEMENT

“I am disappointed by the Obama Administration’s decision to end America’s missile defense program in Eastern Europe.

“The defense system is needed to protect the United States and Europe from Iranian missiles, and it is critical to our security.

“We should not make national security decisions based on inaccurate assessments of Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons or as a result of opposition from the Russian government.

“The real goal must be to stop Iran’s drive towards nuclear arms.

“Thus, I strongly hope the President will do more to urge Russia to support meaningful multilateral sanctions meant to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear arms.

“Today’s announcement does nothing to achieve this goal.”

I’ve just finished watching Glenn Beck’s Fox News show.

He had another undercover video shot by James O’Keefe.  The first two were in Washington, D.C, and Baltimore.

Instead of investigating ACORN, Maryland authorities are threatening prosecution for eavesdropping.  Five years in jail.

O’Keefe told Beck he would be willing to go to jail to protect his country, which is what he thinks he is doing by exposing the corruption in the mega-community organizing group.

Today’s footage is from California.

The ACORN worker admits she shot her ex-husband.

Really.

Here’s the transcript of the program: “ACORN REPRESENTATIVE:
‘I in my life have been abused, also. I mean just with an ex‑husband, a husband, you know, that just beat the hell out of me, you know, a few times and then, you know, I killed him. But it ‑‑ I don’t think that that’s a nice thing. I don’t think that ‑‑ ‘

“JAMES: ‘You killed him emotionally?’

“ACORN REPRESENTATIVE: ‘No, I shot him.’”

I can’t wait to see if ABC World News runs anything tonight.

And there’s even an Illinois angle.

Of the seven United States Senators who did not vote to deny ACORN federal funds, our two were among them.

Given how close former community organizer President Barack Obama is to ACORN, I guess I should not be surprised that Dick Durbin and Roland Burris were two of the seven.

Nothing on ABC, but the San Bernardino Sun posted at about 7 PM this article in which

ACORN office supervisor Christina “Spach said Kaelke pretended to cooperate with O’Keefe and Giles because she feared for her safety…

“‘She was in an office all by herself,’ Spach said. She felt unsafe in their company…’

“‘Her husband is alive and well,’ Spach said.”

Let’s see what happens next.

Hot on the conclusion of President Barack Obama’s attempt to resuscitate his health care package was the following press release from 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo:

Manzullo Urges President to Consider Bipartisan Alternatives to Make Health Care More Affordable, Accessible to Americans

[WASHINGTON] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) issued the following statement tonight in response to President Obama’s address to Congress on health care reform:

“I know there are problems with our health care system–

• problems with too many Americans unable to get insurance because of pre-existing conditions,
• problems with too many arbitrarily dropped from their coverage, and
• problems with too many unable to afford the growing cost of health insurance.

“I have worked hard to try to solve these problems and I will continue to seek solutions.

“Unfortunately, the bill before us in the House causes more problems than it solves.

“As Chairman of the House Small Business Committee from 2001 to 2007, I held hearings throughout the nation and championed legislation to make health care more affordable and accessible to Americans.

“In the House, we passed bills to allow small employers to band together and purchase health insurance through national associations, and to place common sense limits on huge medical lawsuits.

“Unfortunately, we fell a few votes short in the Senate and the reform efforts ended.

“My advice to the President is to start over on health care reform, reach out to Democrats, Republicans and Independents, and let’s work on some alternatives we can all agree on to strengthen our health care system.

“We can adopt bipartisan measures to reduce costs and make health insurance more available to the uninsured without adding billions to our deficit, placing millions more jobs at risk, and threatening the private insurance millions of Americans enjoy.

“The key is, we must work together.”

I failed in my attempt to get in touch with Harvard School District 50’s superintendent, but I did connect with high school Principal Rob Zielinski.

He told me,

“We’ll run it through out Social Studies Department.

“It’s not going to be a general through the entire building. It’s certainly part of history.

“We’re not requiring all our students to watch it. If the kids want to watch it, fine.

“We’ll keep a recording of it.”

Here is what McHenry High School District 156 has on its web site about President Barack Obama’s speech to captive audiences in schools throughout the nation:

“Information Regarding President Obama’s Address to School Children on September 8, 2009

“As a matter of good instructional practice, teachers preview materials to determine their applicability to course curriculum before they use them in classes.

“Therefore, District 156 will not be participating in President Obama’s live broadcast scheduled for Tuesday, September 8.

“After previewing a recording of the broadcast, some teachers may find that the President’s message has a connection to their course content and may elect to use all or part of the presentation in future lessons.

“In accordance with district practice, any student who does not wish to participate may be offered an alternate assignment.

“Parents with questions or concerns should contact the District 156 Board of Education office at 815-385-7900.”