Archive for August 4th, 2008

I wrote an article recently offering commentary on Wal-Mart holding meetings with managers and impending union “card check” laws, where union bosses could put undue influence onto employees into signing their indentures. My response to “card check” was for Indiana to finally pass a Right to Work law.

Now, I see on the Indiana Chamber blog the chairman of the State Chamber has written a piece offering his insight into why Indiana needs a Right to Work law. Here’s some of the highlights:

“In a 2002 study entitled “The Effect of Right-to-Work Laws on Economic Development,” economist William T. Wilson of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy compared Michigan’s economic performance to right-to-work states. Wilson found that during the 30 years between 1970 and 2000, RTW states created jobs nearly twice as fast as did Michigan“

and

“There are practical reasons for Indiana to adopt a right-to-work law. First, Hoosiers agree with it. An overwhelming majority – 71 percent – favored or strongly favored right to work in a 2007 statewide survey”

“There is also the broader moral question of whether a Hoosier breadwinner should be forced to join and/or pay dues to a labor organization to get or keep a job.”

Paying dues which in turn contribute to anti-life and anti-freedom political candidates which the employee may not support.

Unions had their place in the early 20th Century, in the days of the GM “sit down strike” bringing increased employee compensation and awareness of safety into the industrial workplace. However that mindset has changed among employers, modern unions seem to operate as simply political contribution collectors from workers to contribute to anti-life socialist political candidates.

[H/T The Indiana Chamber Blog]

Recent Hoosier Access Radio interviewee Chad Miller and his campaign team have posted the latest in their YouTube ads for his candidacy for HD94

State Rep. Jackie Walorski posted this over at her blog Capitol Letters.

It seems surreal to be sending this blog about a “gun ban” in government buildings in the City of Mishawaka, but it’s true! The City of Mishawaka is hearing a second reading ordinance Monday night, August 4, at 7pm looking to ban firearms from all public buildings, including City Hall, Utility Building, Senior Citizen Center and the Library. The problem with a gun ban is that they don’t work and they only disarm law-abiding citizens.

As a State Legislator, I have been a leader in Pro-Second Amendment legislation and the US Supreme Court just ruled that we, as citizens, DO have the right to bear arms, and more importantly, defend ourselves.

Read more after the leap (more…)

Luke Puckett calls into Hoosier Access Radio and gives his thoughts on General Secretary Pelosi and her willing servant Joe Donnelly’s shutdown of the House with no vote on energy policy.

 

 Luke Puckett [8:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Just gotta say, Mike Pence has been everywhere during this GOP energy revolt.  And he’s got a great speech in the middle of this video from last Friday.

(H/T - the Heritage Foundation Twitter feed)

From the letters section of the Indianapolis Star:

Obama’s abortion vote leaves Hill to explain endorsement

Barack Obama opposed the Born Alive Infants Protection Act in the Illinois state legislature, a bill that would make it illegal to kill a baby that survives an abortion and is born. This is a window into Obama’s overall philosophy and his character. It indicates a radical pro-abortion ideology that shatters the myth of a moderate politician. It indicates a moral blindness to serious violations of basic human rights.

This is relevant for 9th District voters because Baron Hill endorsed Barack Obama just a few days before the Democratic Party primary in May. Obama’s opponent, a tireless advocate for “abortion rights” herself, voted for the Born Alive Infants Protection Act at the federal level. Hill decided, perhaps due to the enthusiastic support Obama has in Bloomington, to support an extremist who opposed closing a loophole to ban all infanticide.

Why did Hill endorse a radical who opposed a bill banning infanticide? Why did Hill, who claims to be a moderate, endorse a candidate who is anything but moderate? Baron Hill owes it to 9th District voters to answer these hard questions.

Scott Tibbs
Bloomington

Baron’s endorsement of America’s most liberal senator gives him a lot to answer for.

But Baron also has to answer for his own repeated votes to increase the funding for Planned Parenthood, to continue that funding when it could have been stopped, and to send our tax dollars overseas to fund abortions in foreign countries (also here).

Baron campaigned on upholding Hoosier values. The right to life for the most innocent among us is a fundamental value, and Baron has repeatedly acted against it. He has voted against it, and he has endorsed a presidential candidate who is even more radical when it comes to such simple and important Hoosier values as well.

George Stephanopoulos does not let up!  Yeah, not what I expected either.

What’s interesting is that she talks a lot about “big oil” pushing these votes for drilling yet she never mentions anything about the powerful environmental lobby that line the pockets of Democrats, like herself, that prevent these votes from taking place.

(See 2nd half of the interview below the fold) (more…)

Well, at least the Republicans are.  Normally August is considered a “District Work Period” or recess on the Hill.  But some Republicans are staying behind in DC because work still needs to be done.  So while Nancy Pelosi is working hard on her book tour and the other Democrats like our own Joe Donnelly and Baron Hill are kicking their feet up and “chillaxin” back here in in the Hoosier state, real members of Congress are putting off their recess because they know work isn’t done.  Many congressional Republicans came home over the weekend to spend time in the District, but then went back to DC to continue the fight against $4 (or more….I mean, how high does it have to go before someone acts!) gas.

Since Speaker Pelosi controls the cameras on the House floor and no other cameras are allowed in the House chamber, you can follow the action on the Floor in real time thanks to Congressman John Culberson and others via their Twitter feeds as well as Congressman Culberson’s Qik.com feed (yep, that’s live streaming video from his cell phone)

Welcome to Congress in real time!

I just read a most encouraging poll. It is a Rasmussen poll regarding the Presidential election, but it is not a tracking poll. It is a poll tracking the reaction of people to the recent ads/comments by the candidates that have brought a discussion of racism into the campaign. The ad that “started it all” is called “Celeb” (view video after the leap). And here is what I find encouraging:

Of those who have seen the press coverage of the ad, only 22% say that “Celeb” is racist, while 63% say it is not. At the same time, these people were asked if Obama’s dollar bill comment (that he doesn’t look like the Presidents on the dollar bill–his language, not mine) and 53% say it WAS racist and only 38% disagree. See the poll for some interesting crosstabs.

I am encouraged because even Democrats are having to admit to some pretty obvious things about who is bringing race into this campaign. I am also encouraged that McCain is apparently going to be able to attack Obama’s record without the electorate hanging a racist tag on him (the media, however…)

After the leap you can view both the “Celeb” ad that started this whole discussion as well as the follow up web ad “The One”. The latter ad is better, funnier, and demonstrates the presumptuousness of Obama–in his own words. Enjoy. (more…)