Archive for October 23rd, 2008

From the Indy Star:

Zoeller’s style and approach to the job are less dramatic than Pence’s. But, as mentioned, he has a record of quiet and effective service on his side.

Zoeller promises to target sexual predators and root out public corruption. He also wants to expand an existing identify-theft program and protect teachers from nuisance lawsuits.

Both candidates are clearly qualified. The choice comes down to whether Pence’s vision of a much larger influence of the attorney general on the local level is a better approach than Zoeller’s strategy of continuing but enhancing the office’s traditional functions.

The Star favors Zoeller in part because of his record of success. But also because his understanding of the attorney general’s role appears more realistic than Pence’s.

From the NWI Times:

(Read what other papers are saying including my thoughts after the leap) (more…)

We’ve seen the reports of various activities by the other side - graffiti, vandalism, arson, and the possibility of assault. And I highly doubt their leader will call the doers of these deeds out on it. After all he did say “Get in their faces”.

Now hear this - if you’re tempted to start stealing the other side’s signs or committing vandalism in retaliation for them stealing or vandalizing ours, DON’T!! We’re REPUBLICANS. We don’t resort to tactics like vandalism, arson, theft, threats of assault and battery, and other “get in their faces” tactics the other side employs.

Stay vigilant. Stay alert. Stand your ground.

A Florida GOP Chair reports his house being shot at since placing McCain yard signs in his yard. Less that two weeks left. I hope to [Insert name of the Deity of your choice here] nobody gets killed between now and then. And some wonder why I pack a Glock 19.

(More below the leap)

(more…)

Whoever did this needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law!

From WTAE 4 in Pittsburgh:

Richard said the robber took $60 from the woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim’s car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using the knife to scratch the letter “B” into her face, Richard said.

This simply goes beyond defacing property and yard signs to assault.

I guess at least Mike Montagano isn’t living up his cushy lifestyle in his parents basement.  Geez, I own my house and my own car (though it’s not a snazzy H3 Hummer, it’s only a 2001 Honda Civic).  I guess that makes me more qualified than Mike Montagano to run for Congress

Mike Montagano:  Thanks Dad!
Montagano’s Home,Taxes Paid by his Father, FEC Complaint Filed

Washington – Fresh out of law school, 27 year-old Mike Montagano has no job and modest savings.  But that hasn’t stopped him from living the high life.  His new H3 Hummer, his impressive $326,000 house, and $33,500 in contributions to his own campaign are evidence that he’s living it up – so who’s paying the bills?

Montagano graduated from Indiana University Law School in 2006.  After a short stint with an Indianapolis law firm, he moved to the Third District to become a candidate for Congress.  By April 2007, Montagano reported in his FEC disclosures only two bank accounts valued at less than $15,000 and no other assets or income.

Over the next three months, however, the Congressional candidate contributed over $30,000 to his own campaign.  He was the proud owner of $326,000 home by mid-July.  According to documents filed with the Elkhart County Recorder, dad Joe Montagano purchased the property with son Mike.  Three months later, Dad and Mike jointly took out a mortgage for $226,000.  Dad then paid Mike’s $716 property tax bill in November, all while serving as Mike’s campaign Treasurer.

Unfortunately for Mike, he didn’t spend enough time studying campaign finance law in Bloomington.  Purchasing a home, co-signing a mortgage, and paying tax bills for a candidate are a big no-no and wildly exceed the maximum $4,600 contribution limit allowed by law, which today earned Montagano a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission.

“People in Indiana are losing their jobs, homes, and savings, but Mike Montagano wouldn’t know,” said NRCC spokesman Brendan Buck.  “His parents bought a house for him and even paid his property taxes.  Still relying on dear old dad, Mike Montagano’s not worried about the economy, so how can hard-working Hoosiers expect we will worry about them in Congress?”

Didn’t even pay his property taxes?! Has this kid even had a chance to grow up yet? How can he even be a serious candidate for congress?

McCain Ad “I am Joe”

(H/T - Red State)

We need to keep in mind just what is at stake in this election.

Compare the video below, to these.

Baron Hill, Mike Sodrel, and Eric Schansberg met in Jasper at the Vincennes University campus there on Tuesday evening to face off. There were plenty of cameras, but no non-media recording and no lie detectors.

The debate was impactful and revealing, at least for those that saw it (which is probably a distinct minority of voters; likely Baron’s intention from the start).

Your humble correspondent was present, and I liveblogged the entire thing. I didn’t have a chance to post it until now, because I typed it into a Word file rather than attempt to post and continually update that post live (too big a chance for an error or something resulting in the browser or the internet eating my work).

The debate had two segments. For the first (televised) hour, the candidates were each on stage individually for twenty minutes with a panel of three questioners. During the second hour, the candidates shared the stage and took questions from the audience. The audience was not friendly to Baron Hill; the questions were not to his liking (which was a distinct change from a number of the panel questions, which were frequently dainty softballs).

I have four posts linked after the fold about this (one for each candidate’s segment and one for the audience question period).

(Read about each candidates Q&A after the leap) (more…)

Are you getting tired of all the polls? Interesting though, I’ve never been called. I guess roughly 2 million households with phones in our state, let’s say go back 4 elections, 10 major polls, 10 months per election, 4 weeks per month, making 3000 calls to get 1000 answers, registered (only 50% of population) … i should have a 3 in 1 chance of getting called. NEVER! Makes you wonder who they call? Who actually pick up?

18 year old on cell phone? Nope
Text message 20 year old at college about home election? Nope
Gather door to door input from 25 year old single woman who works two jobs? Nope
How about young family with caller ID who put kids down at 8:30 p.m.? Nope
I got it, retiree visiting grandkids during summer, then snowboarding after Thanksgiving? Nope
Employee at work? Nope

Who do the pollsters actually talk to? More eerie, do the polls tell people how to vote, because we’re such followers we tend to vote for the “winner” so we look cool?

(Read more after the leap) (more…)

I’ve decided that FSSA made one major mistake when they modernized the way they handled food stamp applications and related matters.

They should have never renamed the job titles of the workers in the local offices. They aren’t called case workers anymore and Sen. Vi Simpson can’t stand it.

In yesterday’s Medicaid Oversight Committee meeting Simpson said she “wouldn’t be happy until we returned to having case workers”. She says that applicants can’t talk to a human.

Let me be clear Senator Simpson, there are still local welfare offices. Applicants for welfare can still go to them. They can still talk to a real human being. They can apply in person. They just have a different title.

Senator Simpson, just because these folks don’t work for the state doesn’t mean they aren’t human. I know that as a lefty you believe businesses are inhumane, but I hope you can at least admit that a business’s employees can still be human.

So, Mr. Roob, maybe you should just instruct the IBM team to call these folks case workers. Perhaps then it could be driven into Simpson’s head that they are still there.