McHenry County Blog

The latest press release from Congressman Don Manzullo:

Manzullo: US Must Strengthen IP Provisions in
TPP Trade Talks to Help Create American Jobs

[WASHINGTON] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today urged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others in the Obama Administration to demand strong intellectual property protections in the multilateral trade agreement the United States is negotiating with several Asia-Pacific nations.

U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo, Attorney General Fepuleai A. Ripely - the acting governor, and Congressman Faleomavaega Eni on Friday, Feb. 25th, at the Governor. Photo used by permission of Samoa News. Photo credit: Fili Sagapolutele.

Manzullo, who led a Congressional delegation to New Zealand and Australia last week to help negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) fair trade agreement, shared his concerns today with Secretary Clinton, who was testifying before a House Foreign Affairs Committee about State Department priorities this morning.

During talks last week, Manzullo and his colleagues expressed serious concerns with proposals by some negotiating partners to eliminate the patentability of software and weaken trademark protection for certain products, as well as the absence of robust investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms to protect American investors.

Secretary Clinton told Manzullo today that she shared his concerns and would work with him to ensure these topics are addressed in future negotiations. Click here to see a video of the exchange between Clinton and Manzullo, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

“I call on the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to uphold the core values that make America the most innovative and entrepreneurial country in the world. Protection of intellectual property rights is a fundamental requirement for any trade negotiation.”

“The TPP must be a high quality agreement that protects American interests and creates jobs. Any agreement that is sent to Congress that does not fulfill these basic requirements will not be met favorably.”

The TPP is a nine country trade agreement that seeks to eliminate tariffs, boost exports, and reduce barriers to international business. The TPP is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Chile, Brunei, Peru, and the United States. President Obama is expected to finalize negotiations with the other TPP countries by the end of 2011 before sending the agreement to Congress for ratification.

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Congressional Letter sent to Secretary Clinton Condemning Rice’s Proposed Anti-Israel Concessions at U.N.

Walsh: “[This]…is an unprecedented and startling shift in U.S. foreign policy.”

Washington D.C.— This morning, Congressmen Joe Walsh (R-IL) and Joseph Crowley (D-NY) sent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a bi-partisan letter (attached) urging her and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to abandon U.S. efforts to appease Arab states and to veto the upcoming Security Council resolution condemning Israel. 110 Democrat and Republican members co-signed the letter.

On Tuesday, Ambassador Rice informed several Arab governments that the United States would support a Security Council statement condemning Israel and its construction of new settlements.

Besides the three signatures you see on this page (click to enlarge), I count 88 more on six additional pages.

Although the Arab States are rumored to have rejected the concession, it signaled a fundamental change in US foreign policy, which hitherto had always supported Israel, its key partner in the region. This concession comes as mass protests have thrown the Middle East into turmoil.

“That the Obama Administration is even considering publicly condemning Israel, let alone actually drafting such a statement, is an unprecedented and startling shift in U.S. foreign policy,” said Walsh. “The Administration should not be compromising our allies in back-room deals. It is dangerous, irresponsible, and entirely unacceptable, especially when it concerns Israel.

“Israel is and has always been our key ally in the region. It occupies a critical position in the Middle East, and now, with mass protests throwing the entire region into turmoil, its security is more important than ever. Ambassador Rice’s concessions represent an alarming change in U.S. foreign policy. We need to stand with and support our ally Israel, not throw it under the bus. Only our unconditional support of Israel will lead to peace in the region.

”As a Member of Congress, I cannot and will not tolerate any U.S. officials appeasing Arab states at the expense of Israel. The U.S. must veto the upcoming Security Council resolution and condemn any further statements against Israel at the U.N.”

In June, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton extended federal employee benefits to homosexual couples.

That’s not expensive to do because there aren’t many applicants.

But there’s that “equal protection under the law” question.

And, guess who’s bringing it up.

It’s heterosexual couples.

Folks who are living together, but not married.

With a national perspective is Ile de Veer, from Mercer consulting: “almost all public employers who extend benefits to same sex partners also offer them to unmarried, opposite sex couples,” the indirect quote in last Sunday’s Chicago Tribune says.

Naturally, conservatives are saying, “Told you so.”

read the bumper sticker as were heading west on Route 62 after eating at Port Edward on Mother’s Day.

Beneath in teeny tiny print is “Thank you Bill.”

It reminded me of the 1964 buttons that read,

read the bumper sticker as were heading west on Route 62 after eating at Port Edward on Mother’s Day.

Beneath in teeny tiny print is “Thank you Bill.”

It reminded me of the 1964 buttons that read,

Primary election night was not a good one for State Representative Jack Franks.

Oh, it was OK as far as his nomination for state representative was concerned.

Hard not win a non-contested primary.

But he was also on the ballot for delegate to the Democratic National Convention pledged to United State Senator Hillary Clinton.

Look at the election returns:

(WON) Charles E. Jefferson (Obama) 41,173
(WON) Mary Tuit (Obama) 40,057
Eleanor (Bobbie) Colbert (Obama) 35,520
(WON) Sunil Puri (Obama) 35,520
Victory Bell (Clinton) 25,694
Jack Franks (Clinton) 25,229
(WON) Barbara A. Giolitto (Clinton) 24,044
Martha P. Logemann (Clinton) 23,695

According to Republican Party rules, the four Barack Obama delegates would have won. After all, they got the most votes.

But the Democrats play by proportional representation rules, which I freely admit to not completely understanding. Since Clinton got more that 15% of the vote, she was entitled to one delegate.

The winners were the first male for Obama, the first female for Obama, then the next male for Obama and, finally, the first female for Clinton.

Two men, two women.

And, even though Franks and the other Clinton-pledged male on the ballot ahead of him got more votes than the first Clinton woman, she gets to go to the convention representing the 16th congressional district.

As an aside, I’d observe that the Democratic Party does not seem too democratic.

But, not to worry. The state Democratic Party came to the rescue of Jack Franks.

And to rescue of 16th District Clinton supporter Victory Bell.

The Obama and Clinton campaigns agreed the following seven party leaders and elected officials pledged to Clinton would be named delegates:

Victory Bell
George Cardenas
Kevin Conlon
Jack Franks
Sylvia Leonberger
Shirley McCombs
Alice Palmer

Click to enlarge the images.

Primary election night was not a good one for State Representative Jack Franks.

Oh, it was OK as far as his nomination for state representative was concerned.

Hard not win a non-contested primary.

But he was also on the ballot for delegate to the Democratic National Convention pledged to United State Senator Hillary Clinton.

Look at the election returns:

(WON) Charles E. Jefferson (Obama) 41,173
(WON) Mary Tuit (Obama) 40,057
Eleanor (Bobbie) Colbert (Obama) 35,520
(WON) Sunil Puri (Obama) 35,520
Victory Bell (Clinton) 25,694
Jack Franks (Clinton) 25,229
(WON) Barbara A. Giolitto (Clinton) 24,044
Martha P. Logemann (Clinton) 23,695

According to Republican Party rules, the four Barack Obama delegates would have won. After all, they got the most votes.

But the Democrats play by proportional representation rules, which I freely admit to not completely understanding. Since Clinton got more that 15% of the vote, she was entitled to one delegate.

The winners were the first male for Obama, the first female for Obama, then the next male for Obama and, finally, the first female for Clinton.

Two men, two women.

And, even though Franks and the other Clinton-pledged male on the ballot ahead of him got more votes than the first Clinton woman, she gets to go to the convention representing the 16th congressional district.

As an aside, I’d observe that the Democratic Party does not seem too democratic.

But, not to worry. The state Democratic Party came to the rescue of Jack Franks.

And to rescue of 16th District Clinton supporter Victory Bell.

The Obama and Clinton campaigns agreed the following seven party leaders and elected officials pledged to Clinton would be named delegates:

Victory Bell
George Cardenas
Kevin Conlon
Jack Franks
Sylvia Leonberger
Shirley McCombs
Alice Palmer

Click to enlarge the images.

For all those folks who think that Hillary Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s visions of health care are for you, consider this story.

The granddaughter of an acquaintance and her her family live in Canada.

The granddaughter and her mothers came to Illinois to visit this Easter.

But, it wasn’t to celebrate the Holy Day with the family.

It was because the granddaughter’s toe got hurt.

It wasn’t healing.

Her mother took her to her Canadian pediatrician.

The pediatrician said she had to see a specialist. The wait was so long and the mother cared so much about her daughter that she decided to come south for medical care.

In order to prevent the long delays the Canadian system entails, the little girl came back to Illinois to see a specialist.

Maybe if the Democrats impose a similar system next year, we can go south of the border for better care.

= = = = =
On top is the Health Canada home page.

Oops, it looks like another photo got posted by mistake. Later this week, you will see how I used to symbolism of Keely Cat’s doing his duty. Since it might be appropriate for this story, I left it in.

For all those folks who think that Hillary Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s visions of health care are for you, consider this story.

The granddaughter of an acquaintance and her her family live in Canada.

The granddaughter and her mothers came to Illinois to visit this Easter.

But, it wasn’t to celebrate the Holy Day with the family.

It was because the granddaughter’s toe got hurt.

It wasn’t healing.

Her mother took her to her Canadian pediatrician.

The pediatrician said she had to see a specialist. The wait was so long and the mother cared so much about her daughter that she decided to come south for medical care.

In order to prevent the long delays the Canadian system entails, the little girl came back to Illinois to see a specialist.

Maybe if the Democrats impose a similar system next year, we can go south of the border for better care.

= = = = =
On top is the Health Canada home page.

Oops, it looks like another photo got posted by mistake. Later this week, you will see how I used to symbolism of Keely Cat’s doing his duty. Since it might be appropriate for this story, I left it in.

I’m pretty sure I heard or read this somewhere before, but it’s always good to hear it again.

Buried in an article by Bob Sector and John McCormick headlined,

by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright,
is this paragraph:”

On another subject, Obama said he was impressed with the efforts of the U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald, whose office is prosecuting Obama friend and fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko. If elected president, Obama said, he would retain Fitzgerald (emphasis added).

Obama also took a shot at opponent Hillary Clinton:

”He said Chicago doesn’t have the franchise on political corruption. ‘Sen. Clinton comes out of New York,’ he said. ‘There are apparently some issues there as well.’”

Here are Obama’s words on Fitzgerald take from the Chicago Tribune transcript of the meeting:

Tribune: In the question that Bruce [Dold, Tribune editorial page editor] asked about the difficulties of coming up in Chicago and in the Chicago political way. When you were here several months, maybe a year ago, you said either here or I forgot outside or where outside, I think it was right here in the room, that if you were, you know, that you would reappoint or seek to maintain Patrick Fitzgerald as the United States attorney. . . .

Obama: I think I said it here in the boardroom

Tribune: Given the investigations that are going on now, if you’re elected president.

Obama: I still think he’s doing a good job. Yes.

Tribune: Would you keep him? And why would you keep him?

Obama: I think he has been aggressive in putting the city on notice and the state on notice that he takes issues of public corruption seriously.

Tribune: Does that position of wanting to keep the prosecutor in the job, does that, perhaps do you think it threatens or compromise any other political entities here in Chicago.

Obama: I can’t speculate on that . . . I can’t.

Tribune: I can.

Obama: You can, yes. [laughter]

I trust the Chicago Tribune will pin down Clinton when she comes to town.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain promised me that he would keep Fitzgerald in a Union League Club meeting I was invited to attend in February 2007. He told the Tribune, as well.
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The photo of Barack Obama is from his campaign web site.