Upcoming events: Scrolls, Vukmir/Sensenbrenner Town Hall, Civil War Encampment, Nat. Day Prayer, Garlic Mustard Weed Out

There are a number of special events on my calendar for the next 2 weeks that I wanted to share with you. (I will try to post more about each individual event later.)

One thing I would love to mark on my calendar would be the date businessman and Oshkosh Tea Party founder Ron Johnson announces that he is running for U.S. Senate against Russ Feingold. If you haven't heard, State Senator Ted Kanavas just announced he is NOT running.

Here is what is on my calendar:

1. Tuesday, April 27th, 7:30pm: Dead Sea Scrolls presentation, by Dr. Jastram, at Concordia College.
2. Saturday, May 1st, 9am: Town Hall Meeting with Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner and State Representative Leah Vukmir, at the Elm Grove Village Hall.
3. Saturday and Sunday, May 1st & 2nd, 10am - 4pm: Civil War Encampment at Brookfield's historic Dousman Stagecoach Inn ~ The 2 day event includes craftsmen, soldier camps, skirmish, cannon fire, President Lincoln, fashion show, worship service, and more! We had quite an interesting conversation about President Lincoln with the embalmer at a past encampment.
   
4. Thursday, May 6th, Noon to 12:30pm: National Day of Prayer gathering at City Hall Plaza flags. Post from last year's event
   
5. Saturday, May 8th, 9am - noon: 6th Annual WEED-OUT Garlic Mustard Pull at Mary Knoll Park ~ The Garlic Mustard is coming up early this year. In fact, it is already blooming in places. Check out last year's post for more information, links and pictures: Mary Knoll "Weed Out"
6. Don't forget Mother's Day on Sunday, May 9th!

So that is what is on my dance card. Hope you can make some or all events and be sure to say hello if you see me.

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Ron Johnson would be my ideal candidate for US Senate

The big question on conservative minds in Wisconsin is, Will businessman Ron Johnson throw his hat in the US Senate ring this week?

Governor Doyle's Commerce Secretary, Dick Leinenkugel, announced Monday that he IS running, get this, as a Reagan Conservative! (He couldn't be any worse than Russ Feingold, and he promises to repeal ObamaCare and be against High Speed Rail--for now.)

State Senator Ted Kanavas is expected to announce he is NOT running against Feingold. (He confirmed that Tuesday morning.)

So that leaves Ron Johnson. Now, I don't want to give the impression Ron is my last choice, because Ron is my FIRST choice!

If you recall, I first mentioned Ron Johnson as a possibility in early April: Run, Johnson, Neumann, Grothman, Kanavas, Leibham, RUN! Spare us from Leinenkugel. (Notice, I gave him top billing.)

In that post, I suggested people call Ron to urge him to run. "If Mr. Johnson is indeed as described above, I could get behind him. Maybe you would like to contact him? I found this phone number on the internet for Pacur [his company]- (920) 236-2888."

Well, I followed my advice and called. Ron returned my call and we had a nice conversation. He is strongly considering running. He emphasized that if he would, it would be as a Citizen Legislator, not a Career Politician. Since that time I spoke with him again and have emailed a little. He seems to be just what we are looking for.

I have included an excerpt from my April 15th Madison Tea Party Report, so you can familiarize yourself with Ron Johnson too. He later sent me the link to his Tea Party Speech:

"There were many great speakers, some known to me--some new. I was excited that Ron Johnson from the Oshkosh Tea Party addressed the crowd. Johnson is the Oshkosh businessman I am hoping will throw his hat into the U.S. Senate ring to run against Russ Feingold. Ron emphasized the need for Citizen Legislators rather than Career Politicians. He gets it. Ron Johnson's speech."

So, now we wait. All I can do is repeat, Run, Ron Johnson, RUN!

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Do it yourself Tiramisu, really!

Tiramisu is one of those desserts that has been gaining in popularity in recent years. My first experience with this coffee infused, creamy delight was from a vendor at Italy, at Disney World's Epcot. Once tasted, I was hooked. It was heavenly.

But could I make it myself? Why not?

You will need a double boiler and approx. 3 quart size spring form pan or Trifle type glass bowl. You could also do it individually in pretty stemmed glasses.

Here is the recipe* I used, along with my comments in italics.

Classic Tiramisu ~ Serves 10 - 12

The Ingredients:
6 egg yolks (you may freeze and save the egg whites for future desserts such as Schaum Torte)
1 1/4 C sugar
1/1/4 C mascarpone cheese**
1 3/4 C heavy whipping cream - I used 2 Cups (1 pint) total of regular pasteurized, NOT ULTRA pasteurized, saving some for garnish.
2 packages of Lady Fingers - 6 oz total
1/3 C coffee liqueur - I used 1 T coffee liqueur + brewed espresso to make 1/2 cup total liquid
Sweetened whipped cream for garnish
Unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish
Chocolate curls for garnish

The Procedure:

1. Place bowl you plan to whip the cream in, in the refrigerator. A chilled bowl and beaters (you will put those in later) are essential for whipping cream successfully!
   
2. Combine the egg yolks and sugar and whip until thick and lemon colored, about 1 minute.
3. Place sugar/egg mixture in the top of a double boiler over boiling water.
4. Reduce the heat to low immediately and cook 8 - 10 minutes, while stirring constantly! I use a silicone rubber scraper to stir, that way you completely scrape the bottom of the pan with each swipe.
   
5. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
6. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat well.
7. Wash off beaters and place in refrigerator to chill a bit.
8. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-whip or you will make butter. Having the cream, bowl and beaters very cold helps prevent this. Save about 1 1/4 Cups of the whipped cream for garnish.
   
9. Fold the majority of the whipped cream into the cooled egg yolk mixture and set aside. I usually first put a little whipped cream into the yolks/cheese and fold to soften the mixture, then fold in the rest of the whipped cream.
10. Add about 1 to 2 Tablespoons of confectioners sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the reserved whipped cream and whip just until mixed. Refrigerate and save this for the garnish.
    

Assembling the Tiramisu:

1. Open the lady finger packages and split the fingers apart.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a 3-quart bowl or spring form with the ladyfingers, uncut side out.
3. Brush cut edges of ladyfingers with the coffee mixture
4. Spoon half of the egg yolk/cream mixture into the ladyfinger pan/bowl.
5. Repeat, placing more ladyfingers on top of the 1st layer of egg/cream, espresso, and remaining egg/cream mixture. Smooth out top surface.
   
6. Put unsweetened cocoa into a small sieve and evenly sprinkle on top of Tiramisu.
7. Pile the sweetened whipped cream in the center or in dollops on each individual serving. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. I like Dove brand dark chocolate bars for this. Curls work better when chocolate is at room temperature. Use a potato peeler to run down edge of chocolate bar.
8. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (don't let wrap touch top) and put into refrigerator.

Serving Tiramisu:
Some people slice it like a cheesecake; some spoon it like a Trifle. It is rather dependent on which type of pan/bowl you assemble it in. If you have stemware, it could be assembled for individual servings in goblets.

We found out the Tiramisu was actually better the next day. The ladyfingers soaked up the moisture and developed a melt in your mouth texture. If delaying serving, you may wish to wait to garnish with the whipped cream and sprinkle with the cocoa and choc. shavings until the day of serving.

So give Tiramisu a try. I have made it twice. It usually commands a high price when at a restaurant and frankly, it is still pretty expensive to make at home. The mascarpone cheese is pricey, about $8.00, as are the ladyfingers. But considering the cost per slice at a restaurant runs $5 - $8, making it yourself is still cheaper. (I purchased the mascarapone cheese and ladyfingers at Grasch Foods. Once I even found the cheese at ALDI!)

Cost saving measures:
The ladyfinger package I purchased also included a do it yourself mascarpone cheese substitute recipe, but I have not tried it. It calls for 1 8oz package of cream cheese, 1/4 C sour cream and 2 Tablespoons of whipping cream. Mix until blended and fluffy. If I ever try the homemade, I will try to post a review.

For an alternative for ladyfingers, I'm thinking you could make your own sponge cake, bake in a jelly roll pan, and slice up into strips? Maybe it could be baked in round cake pans and layered as a torte? There is an easy recipe in Betty Crocker for a sponge cake cake roll. I think that would work great. A Tiramisu cake roll? Maybe next time!

Buon Appetito!

*I looked on the Internet, found a recipe, and purchased the ingredients. But when I really read through the recipe, it seemed a bit out of order. It called for whipping the egg yolks after cooking! How would that work? Must be a mistake.

There was a recipe on the ladyfinger package that affirmed my suspicions--the Internet recipe was incorrect. (I would have made the ladyfingers too but was pressed for time.) The ingredients were identical to the Internet version, just the procedure was different.

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Concordia's Dr. Jastram discusses first-hand experience with Dead Sea Scrolls, Tuesday, April 27

This Tuesday, April 27th, at 7:30pm, the Creation Science Society of Milwaukee will present a discussion on THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, given by Dr. Nathan Jastram, Ph. D.

What makes this presentation unique, is that Dr. Jastram actually worked directly with the Scrolls and published a first edition of their contents. He currently is Chair of the Department of Theology and Philosophy at Concordia University in Mequon. His talk will include discussion of "his experiences with the Scrolls, along with their historical and theological significance."

From the CSSM website: "'Many years ago, I worked with the Dead Sea Scrolls in Jerusalem, piecing together fragments of the book of Numbers from Cave 4. On February 5 and 6, it was a great pleasure to introduce the Milwaukee Public Museum’s exhibit of the Scrolls and other archaeological objects to many people in the area, and to discuss how they contribute to our knowledge of the Bible,' said Dr. Jastram."

Whether you have already seen the Milwaukee Public Museum's special Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible exhibit, are planning to visit, or just interested in the Bible and history, Tuesday's presentation at Concordia should prove beneficial. (MPM's Scrolls exhibit runs through June 3rd.) The Scrolls have been dated from 150 BC - 70 AD.

Dr. Jastram's talk is free and open to the general public. It is being held in the Lake Shore Room at Concordia University, just a little north of I-43 and Mequon Road. See map for specifics with map of campus (at bottom). The Lake Shore room is at the midpoint of the campus, southwest of the Chapel.

More on the Scrolls
I went to see MPM's Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible exhibit and found it very interesting. Many other photos and archeological artifacts are also included along with the scrolls.

A few of my favorites were the film footage of the early "experts" with the scrolls. One clip showed a priest who was standing, rolling up the ancient scrolls on his stomach, much like you might roll up a long towel! Check out the photos of the researchers smoking over the Scrolls. They also uses Scotch Tape on some of the fragments.

As for the artifacts, look for the Ossuaries (small limestone bone burial chests), from the time of Christ. One was from Simon of Cyrene, the man the Romans forced to carry Jesus' cross in the Bible. What a coincidence to find a burial box with just that name and that of his son, Alexander (unusual for a Jew), just as mentioned in the Matthew 27:32, Luke 23: 26 and Mark 15: 21.

As I posted in February, my Sunday School teacher, Dr. Gary Gulan, offered a presentation at our church on the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has now posted some of the information from his presentation on his website: Beyond the Pulpit. The Scrolls pages are listed under the category, Articles, then Archeology.

Tuesday night's talk at Concordia offers a rare opportunity to hear from someone who has actually worked with the Scrolls. I think it should not be missed.


Will you see the Dead Sea Scrolls? Want to learn more?
Local scholar to discuss first-hand experience working with Dead Sea Scrolls
Video of Dr. Jastram’s Dead Sea Scrolls Presentation at CUW.
Stunning "Dead Sea Scrolls" a trove of history


Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Thanks for making calls to Madison that "don't work", THEY DID!

What a great Earth Day; I got my wish and more: NO GLOBAL WARMING Bill, NO VOTER FRAUD PROTECTION Act, and NO RTA. I almost can't believe it.

And why did I receive such a great gift? Because of all the calls, emails, letters and visits to our State Legislators. You know, the calls that don't work.

Bottom line? We were spared these bills thanks to those of you who did waste your time calling and going to Madison. So THANK YOU.

Another thank you goes to Talk Radio* for getting the word out.

Republican Senate Leader Scott Fitzgerald mentioned yesterday** that it was the calls that made the difference. For example, in Democrat Jim Sullivan's office, the call record was running 10 to 1 AGAINST the Voter (Fraud) Protection Act.

The same was true in the Assembly. Representative Leah Vukmir stated, "Thanks to your calls and emails, we managed to stop some of the worst legislation of the session. ...The calls and email from constituents sent a very clear message through the halls of the State Capitol and legislators became very wary of taking bad votes on these bills."

I have to think the other sobering moment for our more liberal legislators was the size of the TEA Party crowd last Thursday (April 15) and the number of attendees who stopped into their representatives offices to leave their vote NO sentiments. (Photo: Tea Party attendees look up their reps. office number inside Capitol.)

Of course the Liberal Legislative Phoenix could always rise from the ashes to call an extra session and try and revive these top 3 bills (and others), but at least for now they are dead.

Some bad bills did make it through Madison. Maybe the worst being the Ethanol Mandate 408 / SB 279, which I think requires increasing the total % consumed for ethanol to 50% by 2015 and for bio-diesel to 25% by 2015. Nobody likes the stuff and since it is harmful to most engines and yields abysmal mileage, I don't see how this will work.

Increasing those covered under BadgerCare via BadgerCare Basic Plus also passed. (FYI, Medical Marijuana and the Green Cleaning Product mandate failed, but so did AR-21 to have Wisconsin challenge Constitutionality of ObamaCare. Raw Milk passed.)

So we cannot rest on our laurels. We must stay involved. Work for conservative candidates so we can Remove the liberals, Repeal the bad legislation, and Restore good LIMITED government!

Imagine the kind of government we would have today, if people were always this engaged at the State and Federal level?

Representative Leah Vukmir and Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner will be holding a Town Hall meeting at the Elm Grove Village Hall on May 1st at 9AM


Past Posts: Wisconsin Legislature's last stand - Global Warming, Voter Fraud, RTA - Call now!
News from Rally against Vote Fraud at Milwaukee City Hall
Follow the money: Why are Potawatomis pushing Clean Energy Jobs Act?
Call NOW: We can't afford Doyle's AB 649 Global Warming/Clean Energy Jobs Act

*I often listen to Jay Weber and Vicki McKenna. When legislation is pending, Mark Belling** is also helpful.

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Happy Earth Day - Go Diesel!

Today is Earth Day. It is also Vladimir Lenin's birthday.

What would be my perfect gift for Earth Day? To learn that Wisconsin's Assembly and Senate failed in passing Gov. Doyle's Global Warming Bill! It looks like I just may get my wish, but it isn't over until the fat lady sings, as they say.

Many of the measures environmentalists push to save the earth are in fact harmful. Ethanol and CFLs come to mind. Hybrid cars have a huge carbon footprint, if you factor in the manufacturing and battery disposal.

So here is my Earth Day tip: Go diesel for your car. Seriously. I am not being flip. Clean diesel is not only is very clean but it will save you money if you drive a lot.

We took the plunge last fall and purchased a VW Jetta SportWagen TDI (diesel) car. It is so clean, it qualified for an Advanced lean burn technology vehicle credit, the same type of tax credit that hybrids did. Unlike a hybrid, diesels last a l-o-n-g time. They like to be driven.

Did we purchase the car just to get the credit? Of course not. It was a nice bonus though. We bought the car because we like road trips and my former PT Cruiser got an abysmal 21mpg if going downhill, with a tail wind, on the highway. (It's about 18mpg at home.)

The Jetta was touted at 42mpg Hwy, 30 city. (Some drivers report 55-60mpg hwy.) Mine isn't broken in yet, but since the weather warmed up, I have been getting 38-40 at home and 45.6mpg out to say, Thiensville (some freeway, some streets).

Is it smelly? Noisy? No. I don't think you would even know it was diesel until you stepped on the accelerator. (They really go!)

Europeans have been driving diesel for a long time. Their fuel costs are so much higher than ours that they must get the best bang for their buck. Maybe now that Volkswagen is building a plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, they will have more of a presence here in the states. Maybe diesel will catch on here too.

Don't expect to do any great negotiating on price though. These cars fly off the showroom floor. We spotted one being unloaded at Concours Motors in Glendale, but it was sold out from under us. In some areas of the country, there is a $3,000 add to the sticker price.

So you see, by choosing clean diesel, I am greener than some of you think. My idea of green though is saving money! ;-)

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Wisconsin Assembly Update: Working night & day - RTA, Global Warming, Voter Act on hold, Wood stays

It was a l-o-n-g day, or should I say night, for Wisconsin's Assembly. They worked through the night and still were at it this morning, I heard on Jay Weber this morning. Remarkably, the bottom line is the 3 worst bills, Voter Protection, Global Warming, and Creation of RTA, weren't voted on. (Keep those calls coming--see below.)

The Voter (Fraud) Protection Act, AB 895 / SB 640 did not come up for a vote as expected, nor did the Global Warming Bill, AB 649 / SB 450. It seems the Democrats were too busy duking it out all night to bring them to the floor. (Thank heavens!)

The creation of a RTA was dealt a severe blow by my Representative, Leah Vukmir, who I am dubbing, Vukmir the Valiant. Vukmir pretty much killed the bill with an amendment that would require a binding referendum for Milwaukee County voters to approve raising the sales tax by .05% before a RTA could be created. She was joined by Democrats David Cullen (Wauwatosa, West Milw.) and Tony Staskunas (West Allis) in that amendment. It passed 52/46. That was encouraging.

This also puts Senator Jim Sullivan, who represents pretty much the same area, in an opposite position of his Assembly counterparts.*

Speaking of the Senate, it seems the Senate Democrats don't think they have the votes to pass Global Warming and Voter Protection. Since Leader Russ Decker wants to spare his Senate Democrats from voting on something they can't pass, these might not come to the floor either. (Oh, I hope, I hope.) At least that is what Jay Weber and J.R. Ross indicated on Jay's radio program this morning.

If you remember, I wondered yesterday if that was the reason Jim Sullivan was now against the Voter Protection act.

The other hot topic was what to do with Jeff Wood, the Democrat with 3 DUIs. The Assembly voted to censure him, not expel. (It's all about protecting the majority--they might need him to vote on Thursday.) "Disgusting"

The Assembly worked almost 24 hours straight, thankfully, they have to call it quits for the day. Voter Protection, Global Warming (being pushed hard by the Potawatomis) and RTA, among others, could all come back on Thursday.

The Senate isn't in session today but is meeting later this afternoon at 3pm to set the schedule for Thursday, their last day? Of course, the Senate could go into extra innings, so to speak. But at least for now, it is not as dire as I had thought.

But don't count these bills dead yet. Both houses could pull it together and pass it all.

Keep calling! The only reason these things haven't passed so far is the pressure from the public! Senator Jim Sullivan District 5, (608) 266-2512 or (866) 817-6061.

If you don't live in Brookfield, find your Senator and Representative and tell them to vote NO, especially if your Senator is Jeff Plale District 7, (608) 266-7505, John Lehman District 21, (608) 266-1832, or Tim Carpenter District 3, (608) 266-8535.

*Thanks Jay Weber and J.R. Ross! Listen to the first few minutes of each part of the 2nd hour for more details. Hour 2: Part 1 and Part 2

One Day Left in Wisconsin Legislative Session: A bill by bill description and status. Unfortunately, the new Ethanol mandate passed. (Good reason to remove & repeal!)

Past Posts: Wisconsin Legislature's last stand - Call now!
Follow the money: Why are Potawatomis pushing Clean Energy Jobs Act?
Call NOW: We can't afford Doyle's AB 649 Global Warming/Clean Energy Jobs Act

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Good morning, Mayor Ponto

This morning marks the first morning of our new mayor's 4 year term. Last night Brookfield's new Mayor and reelected Aldermen were sworn in.

There are no new faces in the council chambers this term, just a new seating arrangement! (Alderman Nelson might be feeling a little lonely though, since his former seat mate moved up to the mayor's chair.)

There seems to be a lot of good will behind this new mayor, which is a very refreshing change. I think people are looking forward to having a mayor who really is the mayor.

Mayor Ponto has my good will as well; I wish him much success. The next 4 years won't be easy.

Post Script: Big night for District 4, Alderman Nelson reelected as Common Council president.
Details on Ponto swearing in Tuesday night, " 'This is truly what I wanted to do at this point in my life,' Ponto told the crowd after being sworn in by Judge Jeffrey Warchol. 'I will do the very best I can. I will not let you down.' "


Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Wisconsin Legislature's last stand - Global Warming, Voter Fraud, RTA - Call now!

This week might mark THE MOST COSTLY week in the Wisconsin Legislature; the week our Representatives and Senators vote on several very controversial bills. Our Legislators are wrapping up their last week in Madison for this session, rapid firing 80-some bills to the floor a day.

Oh, if we could just send them home today!

It is difficult to say which are the worst bills of the lot, but the Global Warming, now called Clean Energy Jobs Bill AB 649 / SB 450 is coming to the Assembly this morning. It is thought there are enough votes to pass the Assembly. This bill is not only costly in terms of increased utility costs for all Wisconsinites, it also will cost our state in LOST JOBS. NO manufacturing company will want to locate or stay in a state that has higher utility costs than its neighbor.

From Brookfield's Representative Leah Vukmir: (My emphasis throughout) "The legislation has been widely panned by business groups representing a large sector of Wisconsin's economy and scholars alike. By going it alone to curb global warming, Wisconsin stands to lose tens of thousands of jobs and increase energy prices for consumers - from the gas at the pump for your car to the natural gas to heat your home."

From Brookfield's Representative Rich Zipperer: "If enacted, this bill will require power companies to invest approximately $15 billion in new equipment, and it will increase their fees by $700 million annually. All of those mandated costs will be passed on to energy users, increasing the cost of electricity for families and businesses. Independent studies have suggested such increases will drive over 40,000 jobs from our state as companies move manufacturing facilities to states with lower taxes and lower energy costs."

In the Senate, passage is not such a sure thing. If you live in Senator Jim Sullivan's District, give him a call: (866) 817-6061. I spoke to the aids in his office last week, and they said he was still reading through the amendments. Some of the Senators, like Senator John Lehman (608) 266-1832 Or (866) 615-7510 are in swing districts and also facing stiff reelection. Call them!

Even worse than the Global Warming Bill, is the Voter Protection Act AB 895 / SB 640. This one has been dubbed the Voter Fraud Protection Act by many.

Rep. Vukmir calls it the Vote Fraud Encouragement Act:

"[A few] weeks ago, a group of Democrats introduced legislation that will discard and rewrite nearly all election law in Wisconsin in favor of so-called reforms to encourage higher voter turnout and address alleged "voter intimidation".The legislation can only result in government-encouraged vote fraud."

"In a letter to legislators, Attorney General, JB Van Hollen said that the legislation would make fraud more likely", because for one," 'It populates the registration list with unregistered voters, increasing the potential for fraud, when our desire should be to have an accurate list that is neither over inclusive nor under inclusive.' "

"Additionally, a last-minute provision added by Sen. Lena Taylor would allow national, not-for-profit, community organizations [like ACORN] to access sensitive citizen information from state databases."

When I stopped in to see Senator Sullivan after last week's TEA Party, his aid Ashley informed me that Sullivan was OPPOSED to this bill. This came as quite a surprise since when I had called the week before, he still was undecided. This change makes me wonder if, like with the State Budget, Sullivan was given permission to vote no, because he is facing stiff competition from Vukmir? Or, are there not enough Senate votes to pass and so no one wants to be seen as supporting if they all aren't supporting? Or, is he truly against it? (I hope it is the latter.)

Anyway, the Voter Protection Act is THE MOST IMPORTANT of all the bills flying through Madison this week. If this passes, I believe it significantly reduces the chances of fair elections and encourages voter fraud.

There is also the RTA, which will add another .05% sales tax to Milwaukee County. Senator Sullivan favors creation of a regional RTA, which would include that .05% tax for Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties too.

Other bills include: Ethanol Mandates, Expanding Hate Crimes, mandating Licensed Dietitians be the only ones who can give aid at a health food store, and my favorite, National Popular Vote.

All we can do at this point is call our Senators and Representatives and tell them to vote NO!
I know we are all weary with all the calling, but hopefully, it is the last week!

Sources: VCY Homefront Legislation pending for the week
Rep Vukmir's Legislative Update
Rep. Rich Zipperer's Taxpayer Alert

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Tea Party Report & Crashers: I smelled them before I saw them

Yesterday, I attended my first State Capitol Tea Party. The weather was glorious and spirits were high. I was fortunate to be fairly close to the front, just a bit back from a center camerawoman.

Thousands* of people stood for a few hours in front of the Capitol in Madison, listening to various speakers. The warnings that Tea Party Crashers would infiltrate our ranks didn't seem to apply, at least not yet.

There were many great speakers, some known to me--some new. I was excited that Ron Johnson from the Oshkosh Tea Party addressed the crowd. Johnson is the Oshkosh businessman I am hoping will throw his hat into the U.S. Senate ring to run against Russ Feingold. Ron emphasized the need for Citizen Legislators rather than Career Politicians. He gets it. Ron Johnson's speech.

Area resident Mike Dean** shed his usual cool, calm demeanor, and spoke passionately about how a constitutional government, of limited powers, that unleashes the individual, is in fact the last best hope for mankind...and about individual hard work, reason, self reliance, the human spirit, our God given rights of life, liberty and the sacred duty to use them wisely.

About an hour into the Tea Party, I noticed a woman, carrying a sign, weaving her way through the crowd, toward the front. (Pictures are in slide show) Her sign read: "Cut off my reproductive rights and I will cut off yours." I'm not sure where that is in the Bill of Rights.

As we were watching former Governor Tommy Thompson get around to telling us what a great Governor he was (he also praised the Tea Party movement), I noticed a definite change in the air quality! Someone very near me had been drinking and smelled strongly of rancid cigarettes. I turned to see a couple that looked very out of place. The young woman had a few facial piercings and was holding a "Hooray for Russ" sign.

I really wouldn't have cared (at least we were outside and the wind helped dissipate the odor), but they were talking loudly, keeping me from hearing what I hoped would be Thompson saying he wasn't going to run for U.S. Senate. Some told them quiet down, and they replied they had a right to be there. (They did) Someone asked her if she paid any taxes yet. She replied she had a Master's Degree. (Is that an answer?) I think I muttered that they needed to be respectful of others trying to listen.

She then yelled, "We won the election", as if that justifies rudeness? I was a bit concerned that a ruckus might erupt and turned to video their actions in back of me. Someone touched her on the shoulder and her guy started to say, don't touch her. She then said something to quiet him down and he questioned her with something like, I thought you wanted to raise some (swear word)? Let's just say their actions smelled as much as they did. They left shortly after Thompson finished.

Saving the best for last, Vicki McKenna finished up the speaker line-up. That woman can rouse a crowd!

The crowd was very polite and well behaved--even when dealing with the crashers. The Tea Party closed with 2 rounds of the crowd enthusiastically singing, "God Bless America". I couldn't help thinking how appropriate the words from that song were for the situation we find ourselves in today. "God bless America, Land that I love, Stand beside her, and guide her, Through the night with a light from above..." I think all there would say an Amen to that.

It was a great day. I am glad I went. These people are energized to work on campaigns this fall.

Post Scripts: After the Tea Party, my friend and I moved up front to go into the Capitol. Milwaukee God Squad Pastor David King was still near the podium, so we told him how we enjoyed his speech. After some hugs, he modestly said something about how, the glory belongs to God. That statement made me like him even more.

*We were told the crowd numbered 10,000-12,000, and that we were the 3rd largest state capitol Tea Party in the nation.

**Mike Dean is a member of my church and is part of the First Freedoms Foundation. He appeared at the Tea Party as a private citizen.

Thank God for Tommy Thompson's Family "It's time for new voices and new faces," AMEN!

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

News from Rally against Vote Fraud at Milw. City Hall - Correction & Update

Flier from werewatchingwisconsinelections.org

This morning someone informed me that there would be a noon rally today against Vote Fraud at Milwaukee's City Hall. (It was also posted on This Just In.)

Here is their report from that event: (My emphasis throughout)

"There were only about 25 people there but an African American man spoke out against Rep. Coggs, [Senator]Lena Taylor and other city government officials for being in favor of this bill. Rebecca Kleefisch also spoke (she used to be on WISN TV and is actually running for Lt. Governor ). One other guy spoke and said they were looking for someone from Lena Taylor’s district to start a recall petition against her. She is in charge of the election commission [CORRECTION: Taylor is NOT the Chairman of the Election Committee; It is Coggs who is Chairman of the Senate Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs Committee] and [Taylor] I believe is a sponsor of the bill."[She is.]

"[The flier above is] a copy of the literature they passed out and I spoke to two female retirees who said they are part of the organization and have been attending some of the hearings in Madison. One of the ladies told me they have never been involved in politics before but decided to get involved to see what they could do to stop voter fraud in WI. (This was even before the AB 895 bill.)"

Thank you, Downtown Roving Reporter, for sharing that info. Call Citizens for Responsible Government at 414-573-8709 for more information.

VCYHomefront said this about SB-640 & AB-895: "Some have also dubbed this the ACORN Assistance Act due to a last minute amendment given by Senator Lena Taylor that would give a nationally focused non profit community organizing group access to the entire Dept. of Transportation database to help people register to vote. This database used to belong only to the State of Wisconsin, but now would be open to groups in the entire country."

This piece of legislation is a travesty and moves us in the wrong direction. We already have very liberal voter registration laws--what could be easier than registering at the polls? What Wisconsin really needs if a Photo Voter ID law.

All we can do at this point is call our Senators and Representatives and tell them to vote NO!

UPDATE: I met one of the members of We're Watching Wisconsin Elections today on the bus going to the Madison Tea Party. Turns out, we have met before. Small world.

After the Tea Party, I went into the Capitol to visit my reps. Jim Sullivan wasn't in, but I stated my opposition to the Voter Protection Act and Green Jobs Bill just the same. The aid told me Sullivan was NOT supporting SB 640! Hmmm, more on that later.

State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen's Letter to Senator Decker, Senator Fitzgerald, Speaker Sheridan and Representative Fitzgerald

We're Watching Wisconsin Elections

Past Post: April 15th Madison Tea Party against Voter Fraud Protection Act, Global Warming Bill & taxes

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

No more Midwest & AirTran ranked No. 2

Yesterday came the no surprise announcement, Republic will rename Midwest, Frontier. I was privileged to fly Midwest 3 times in their grander days. Those wonderful Midwest meals and comfy wide seats vanished during the belt-tightening and take-over eras but still remain legendary. Who would have thought that in today's tightwad era, airlines would propose charging for a carry on or using the restroom!

Sadly, it was logical that the Midwest name be scrapped too, since the ammenities that branded them as something special had long since vanished. The only vestige to remain of their heyday is the chocolate chip cookie.

Also this week came the news that AirTran airlines was ranked as Number 2 in airline quality (For comparison, Frontier was ranked 7th).

This is good news because AirTran flies out of Milwaukee. In fact, AirTran announced last December that they were making Miwaukee a second hub. "AirTran Airways...announced that the airline will open both a pilot and flight attendant base in Milwaukee to support its increased operations. ... The flight bases will be opened in April 2010 and will consist initially of 50 pilots ... and a minimum of 50 flight attendants..." (My emphasis throughout)

The new AirTran Hub would add 100 jobs to start. AirTran's Marketing Senior Vice President said, "As we continue to grow our Milwaukee operation, we have reached a point where we need to add flight crew bases in Milwaukee to make our airline more efficient... These new Milwaukee jobs further demonstrate our commitment to Southeast Wisconsin."

I don't fly often - maybe once every 1 or 2 years? But I like AirTran because they offer inexpensive, nonstop flights to Orlando. They have been on time and my limited experience has always been good. Also, for people like me, who don't travel for business, they have a rewards plan to save up for a free flight. (My family flew free a few years back to Disney via their A+ Rewards program.) They also offer a credit card that offers points toward free flights. As I often say, AirTran: Great airline - Stupid radio ads!

A few years back, when Midwest spurned AirTran's take over overtures, I owned a bit of Midwest stock when there was that push for Milwaukeeans to buy stock to help the company. (It still remains my most fun venture in the stock market--ever. I am don't gamble Vegas or lottery style, but I invested a few hundred dollars when the stock was a dollar-something, held the stock for a while, and then sold it when it topped 2 digits.) At the time, I thought AirTran would be a good candidate for obtaining Midwest. They seemed committed to staying in Milwaukee.

I wonder if the former Midwest employees would agree?

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

UPDATE: April 14 Rally, April 15th Madison Tea Party against Voter Fraud Protection Act , Global Warming Bill & taxes

UPDATE: This Just In from Kevin Fisher's blog, "Citizens for Responsible Government to Join with Other Concerned Citizens to Rally Against Vote Fraud" at NOON TODAY, April 14th at Milwaukee City Hall Rotunda. Contact CRG at 414-573-8709 for more information.

This Thursday, April 15th, conservatives from all over Wisconsin will gather at the State Capitol for a really BIG Tea Party to protest some last minute ram-it-through liberal legislation and high taxes. This is the 1st anniversary of last year's Tea Party Tax Day rallies at the State Capitol and around Wisconsin. Bus service is available if you wanted to leave the driving and parking to someone else. Go to Fight Back Wisconsin for details.

The 2 bills that come immediately to my mind are SB 640 / AB 895, the Voter Protection Act (scroll almost to bottom of post), a.k.a. Voter FRAUD Protection Act, and the SB 450 / AB 649, Wisconsin Clean Energy Jobs Bill, a.k.a. Wisconsin GLOBAL WARMING Bill. Both are terrible bills for Wisconsinites. On second thought, maybe we should call the gathering, The Madison Teed Off Party?

If passed, the Voter Protection Act will make voter registration automatic, grant permanent absentee status, and enable satellite voting stations for early voting. These measures will make voter fraud even easier to commit. The Green Jobs/Global Warming Bill will increase the cost of energy in Wisconsin. We cannot afford either bill.

This kind of legislation makes you wish you could just send the Wisconsin State Legislature home early, doesn't it? Most of us would be willing to pay them for the year if they just promised to stay home instead of jamming these horrible bills down our throats.

Call your state legislators a.s.a.p. about the Voter Protection Act. I doubt my State Senator Jim Sullivan will listen to our pleas to vote no on SB 640, but at least your calls become part of the public record. Senator Jim Sullivan (866) 817-6061, Senator John Lehman (608) 266-1832 Or (866) 615-7510. Like Sullivan, he is facing a tough reelection.

Come to Madison if you can!

Taxpayer Tea Party, The BIG One
April 15th, 2010
11:30AM - 1PM
(Buses leave about 2 hours earlier from Milwaukee area)
Sponsored by Americans for Prosperity & Tea Party Associates
State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin

More Reading: Massive Push to Facilitate Vote Fraud in Wisconsin Underway

VCY Homefront: Busy Legislative Floor Period Ahead

Please Make Calls From Now Until 4/22/10 AGAINST Wisconsin's Voter Registration "Reform"

Past Posts: State election law reform AB 895 automatically registers voters & hampers poll watchers

We can't afford Doyle's AB 649 Global Warming/Clean Energy Jobs Act

Follow the money: Why are Potawatomis pushing Clean Energy Jobs Act?

From the 2009 Tea Parties: Ants, Grasshoppers, and April 15th Tea Parties

The Tea Party report & photos: local, state, and national

Possible American extremists according to Homeland Security

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Run, Johnson, Neumann, Grothman, Kanavas, Leibham, RUN! Spare us from Leinenkugel

For the first time in a long time, Wisconsin's US Senate seat is there for the taking. All we need is a credible candidate. So where, oh where, is that candidate?

We have 2 in the running: Dave Westlake and Terrance Wall. Bless them for stepping out there but each has flaws: Westlake isn't doing fundraisers and Wall has a tax perception problem. (He is not delinquent in paying; he avoided paying state income taxes by using legal depreciation allowances.) Because Wall has run some good ads, he is better known than Westlake.

This week we learned that Dick Leinenkugel, Governor Doyle's Commerce Secretary, just announced he was throwing his hat in the ring...but as a Republican? The guy who went to Spain to buy the 2 choo-choo train engines from TALGO*, with no bids, is going to run on the more conservative side of the ticket? OH, PLEASE.

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson has been rumored to be our winning candidate for months, however, I don't consider him my ideal or even acceptable candidate. Could we have counted on Tommy, the creator of Wisconsin's BadgerCare health insurance plan, to vote against its BIG Federal brother, ObamaCare? Could we count on him to vote to REPEAL and REPLACE ObamaCare?

Thompson could win we are told, he polls at 45% to Feingold's 33% but he is NOT the conservative candidate I would embrace. Shame on him for putting his desire to bask in the lime light of will he run ? above what is good for our state and nation.

So who do we have as possibilities?

There is Ron Johnson, a 55 year old Oshkosh business man, who according to the JSOnline article is, "...president and co-founder of PACUR, a [plastics] manufacturing company in Oshkosh. He described himself as a conservative with no prior political experience who is fed up with the 'loss of freedom' in the United States, including passage of health care reforms under President Barack Obama. He said he had resources to help fund a campaign if he gets in." (My emphasis)

If Mr. Johnson is indeed as described above, I could get behind him. Maybe you would like to contact him? I found this phone number on the internet for Pacur - (920) 236-2888.

Who else? My first thought is Mark Neumann. He certainly has name recognition. Although I am not wild about his somewhat supportive ethanol stance (in that it is good for Wisconsin's corn producing farmers) and some of his campaign tactics against Scott Walker, instead of beating up Scott Walker, how about him setting his sites on knocking out US Senator Russ Feingold?
I do appreciate his petition against ObamaCare, which is both a Federal and State government issue.

Mark Neumann could really play hero here and graciously bow out of the governors race to enter the US Senate race, for the good of the people of Wisconsin.

3 State Senators also come to mind: Senator Ted Kanavas - Brookfield, Senator Glenn Grothman - West Bend, and Senator Joseph Leibham* of Sheboygan. Of the 3, Grothman is better known to me because he is often interviewed on local radio talk shows. Glenn seems very comfortable speaking out for conservative issues.

Charlie Sykes, WTMJ's talk show host was again mentioned by Mark Belling, and I don't think Belling is just trying to get rid of his competition. Instead, I think it shows how dire our lack of a real candidate is.

I would really hate to have Republican and conservative Wisconsinites snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory again by not having a great contender in this race against Feingold. The US Senate seat is ripe for the picking.

PLEASE, could someone viable run?


*Mark Belling was talking about Wall, Westlake, and Leinenkugel yesterday. I had forgotten Leinenkugel was part of the Spain enteourage. Mark also mentioned the 3 State Senators and Sykes as possibilities (though I thought of Kanavas and Grothman for some time). If no one else steps forward, I will vote for Wall in the primary.

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation