Bald Eagle swims to capture its prize; Conservatives must not give up either

I watched the following video clip with amazement. Since the American Bald Eagle is our national bird, I couldn't help but think of the symbolism of it all.  Watch.
The eagle would not give up. He/she needed to get that fish to feed itself and possibly its young.

It did not succeed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. try but kept at it until it succeeded.

But then the prize was too heavy to carry to safety in the traditional way. It had to do something I have never heard of or even knew was possible. IT SWAM with its WINGS as paddles!

Our liberties, our rights, our future, our constitution are all on the chopping block. We conservatives, who have been fighting against tyranny, have made a few valiant efforts to push back against those who would seek to change America as we know it. However, because we didn't prevail in the last presidential election, and many of our Republican representatives are backing down on fiscal restraint or standing up for our freedoms and Constitutional rights, we might feel like throwing in the towel on it all.

But keep fighting the fight to preserve our God-given rights.

Watch the eagle again, and take heart that sometimes the impossible is possible...if you don't give up.

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

Max Lucado's 40 Days of Prayer For USA starts today

What can Christians do for our nation? Pray!

Many of us do pray daily for our country and leaders, as directed in 1 Timothy 2:1-3:
"The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.  Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.” The Message translation

But if you haven't been in the habit of praying for our leaders and this election, Minister and author Max Lucado is urging those of us who believe in the God of the Bible to join him in 40 Days of Prayer For the USA, starting today until the election on November 6th. He also offers a pledge page if you would like to join with other like-minded people. (Only first name and last initial is made public).

Prayer points he includes:

Dear Heavenly Father,

You have given us this promise: ”...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

So, we pray to you. We turn from evil and look to you, our God. Please:

Unite us

Strengthen us

Appoint and anoint our next president

In the name of Christ we pray,

Amen

Some might be inclined not to pray or not even vote in this election, since the nominees don't share their faith. But keep in mind that when Timothy penned his exhortation to pray "for rulers and their governments to rule well", those rulers were Romans (pagans). We are to pray for those in authority over us. And as one of my pastors urged, we can and should vote for principle and character.

Max Lucado concludes his info page with this: "Like you, I am a concerned citizen. Like you, I believe in God’s power to heal our nation. But we must pray. 'You people who remind the Lord of your needs in prayer must never be quiet.' (Isa. 62:6)."

"Only God can unite us. Let's ask Him to do just that."

Pastor Max Lucado Launches 40-Day Prayer Campaign Ahead of Election

40 DAYS of PRAYER FOR THE USA

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

Without Castle Doctrine, could I protect myself? 2 UPDATES

If you live in Wisconsin, do you have the right to defend yourself from an intruder in your home, without fear of incurring thousands of dollars for legal fees in court later?

Suppose it is near midnight, and you are home working at your computer. It is quiet in the house but then you hear a noise coming from your garage. You decide to investigate. But when you open your garage access door, you discover 2 men standing inside. One is holding a crowbar.

Can you, as the homeowner, defend yourself and be within the law?

Well, in Wisconsin, that depends. Were they intent on causing you harm? Were you feeling threatened?

What if they were escaped convicts?

That may sound a bit far fetched, but that might have been my scenario, had I decided to investigate a noise coming from our garage area in 1995. (Thankfully, I didn't go check that noise out-- it didn't even occur to me it might be a burglar.)

We were in the midst of a major remodel on our Brookfield home, and our garage was removed. The only thing keeping intruders out of our house was a make-shift, ill-fitting piece of plywood with a hasp and padlock covering our home's doorway.

And my intruders? A pair of escaped convicts from a Wisconsin prison! Their stolen car broke down on the freeway near our home, and the two climbed the embankment and scouted the neighborhood for an easy car to steal. That would be ours. Not only was our old Oldsmobile parked outside, but it was also a model known to be an easy target for thieves. Added bonus for them: all exterior lighting had been removed for our remodeling project.

The noise? I believe they were trying to open our plywood door but maybe decided against a break-in and just took the car. They used a crowbar a workman left out to break a car window and the column, to bypass the ignition, and away they drove.

As it stands now in our state, "if a resident uses deadly or severe force against an intruder and claims self-defense against criminal prosecution, the burden of proof falls to the resident to prove the force was needed to prevent imminent death or substantial harm to himself or others."

So without a Castle Law, had they broken in my home, would I have to interview the two as to their intent before acting in self defense? Oh, so you are escaped convicts, but you just want my car? You aren't here to harm me? Well then, you should know our car uses a bit of oil.

The Castle Doctrine bill would "create an automatic presumption of immunity for the resident...", ensuring that "courts in most criminal and civil matters would presume that property owners using deadly force had acted reasonably against anyone unlawfully inside their residence, business or vehicle, whether they were armed or not."

Wisconsin's Castle bill, AB69, passed the Assembly yesterday. Next step would be to pass it in the Senate today. There is some speculation if that will happen or not, for if not today, then hopefully in the next session.

I hope we don't have to wait until next year to become the 32nd state to pass a Castle Doctrine protection. It's time Wisconsin officially made a man's home his castle!

Post Script: The Castle law was not voted on today by our Senate. According to Quorum Call at WisPolitics, it moves to Thursday's calendar.

UPDATE 2: The Senate passed the bill Thursday, with 1 amendment, by a 26-7 vote. It then went back to the Assembly for approval. Next step is for Gov. Walker to sign it into law.

*Our car was discovered very early the following morning by a Milwaukee patrolman, who noticed it parked near one of the criminal's last known addresses. The broken window and steering column attracted his attention. The patrolman looked up the registration and realized it was stolen. The police then informed us of its recovery and the unbelievable account of our escaped con car thieves! Since we didn't even know it was stolen, it took me a while to process what the police dispatcher was telling me at 5am.

More Reading: Assembly OKs 'castle doctrine' bill backing residents' use of force on intruder
Law-abiding citizens deserve protection
Assembly passes bill giving homeowners more authority to use deadly force

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Will "Firearms prohibited in this facility" signs come to Wisconsin? Senate committee approves Conceal Carry

One version of Conceal Carry passed the Wisconsin Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. So will these signs soon be seen in various public places in our state as they are in Arizona, a state that allows Constitutional Carry?

We recently spent a few weeks in Arizona and I admit, at first those signs were a bit of a surprise. We soon became accustomed to seeing them though, and we also adjusted to seeing someone's firearm peeking out from a jacket or even openly holstered on the hip.

One Navajo woman, at dinner with her family, had a belt on with bullets sheathed around her waist and a derringer where the buckle would be! (That was on the Navajo Nation--they have their own regulations there.)

We also visited some folks we know in Phoenix and found that the husband carried. He frequently went target shooting to keep his skills honed.

Did I feel threatened by the people carrying? Not at all. In fact, since I was a bit unnerved knowing armed illegals travel at will in the southern portion of that state, it was somewhat comforting to know that many Arizonans pack a piece.

Concealed Carry will pass in some shape or form here in Wisconsin. The question is what version--Constitutional Carry like Arizona and 3 other states or Concealed Carry with a permit as Utah does along with 43 others. Wisconsin is one of 2 states in our Union that doesn't allow Conceal Carry in any form.

I am torn as to which type of Conceal Carry law we should have. Before President Obama, I would have said sure, by permit is fine. But since our President is so eager to over-regulate firearms, including by means "under the radar" as he recently told James Brady's wife, Sarah, I don't know.

Since any responsible person would go for training before carrying a firearm, and background checks are done at the time of purchase*, I think I could be OK with Constitutional Carry. Criminals will disregard any regulations for permitting or background checks for purchase no matter what the Conceal Carry law states.

If you are thinking of carrying, you should check with your homeowner's insurance carrier to see if you need some extra liability insurance. The insurance issue was raised by one of the attendees at the Kooyenga Town Hall meeting.

In Arizona, we saw the "Firearms are prohibited in this facility" signs posted at numerous National Park Visitor Centers. National Parks recently changed their policy and now allow concealed carry of loaded firearms in the parks, using the gun regulations of the respective state.

We also encountered one of those signs at the Courthouse in Phoenix, a beautiful building I would have liked to have toured but was prohibited from entering. They wouldn't let me in because I was packing... a camera! (Cameras were not allowed inside.)

More reading:

WisPolitics: Senate committee approves conceal carry bill

Wisconsin would be among easiest states to conceal carry

Obama: We're working on gun control 'under the radar'

*Firearms purchased from a gun store require background checks. Some firearms can be purchased at gun shows and privately without a background check. But as someone who knows about guns told me, this can be very dangerous to do. If that firearm was used in a crime, I was told you could become involved in that crime even though you had nothing to do with it.

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

National Day of Prayer: Meet at Brookfield City Hall Plaza May 5th, 12:20pm

Thursday, May 5, 2011 marks the 60th Annual Observance of the National Day of Prayer, where people all over our country will meet at school and city flagpoles to pray for our nation.

This year's theme is A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD and the verse is from Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust."

I will be heading to the City of Brookfield's Plaza flag area (just north of City Hall) from 12:20pm to 12:40pm to pray for our community, state, nation, schools, leaders, servicemen, churches, and more. Hopefully, I won't be alone, but will meet others who who have come to pray for our country.

The National Day of Prayer website had this brief history of prayer in America under the heading Why Pray?:
"Prayer has always been used in this country for guidance, protection and strength-even before we were a nation or a handful of colonies. The Pilgrims at Plymouth relied on prayer during their first and darkest winter. Our founding fathers also called for prayer during the Constitutional Congress. In their eyes, our recently created nation and freedoms were a direct gift from God. And being a gift from God, there was only one way to insure protection-through prayer. "

Several years ago, their website gave this account of prayer in America: “The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln's proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer.”

I have attended several other N.D.of P meetings at Brookfield's City Hall Plaza* and found them to be an encouraging experience. Hope you will venture out and join me in praying for our country.


*Note: Meeting at City Hall Plaza is NOT a City of Brookfield activity. It is just citizens exercising their right to free speech in a public place.

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

Don't laugh, this is serious, Rand Paul is pro choice on toilets!

I think we could all use a little comic relief, so when I saw this caption on the Drudge Report, I had to snicker: Paul wants government hands off his toilet.

That's right. Newly elected Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky (Rep. Ron Paul's son) asked, "If the federal government can support abortion rights, why can't it also support light bulb choice."

I don't mean to diminish the serious side of Rand's inquiry, but it is a good question.

If you have shopped for incandescent light bulbs lately, you probably noticed that some higher wattage models are becoming scarce. (My personal favorite is the 150w large white globe bulb. It gives a nice even bright light for open ceiling fixtures, and because of its large size, the filament doesn't overheat--it lasts a long time. I can only find them at my trusty Elliot's Ace Hardware store.)

The article went on to suggest it was better not to "get [Paul] started about his toilet".

Rand Paul said, “'Light bulbs, refrigerators, toilets, you name it. You can’t go around your house without being told what to buy. You restrict my purchases. You don’t care about my choices. You don’t care about the consumer.''' (I would add phosphate dish-washing detergent to that list--you know, the kind that actually works.)

“'Frankly, my toilets don’t work in my house, and I blame you and people like you who want to tell me what I can install in my house,' Paul said."

As for our toilet, we are fortunate to still have our original model--very dependable.

I have heard stories of flushing tricks though: add a drop or two of hand soap to the water, flush twice (boy, that's a real water saver), throw a piece of toilet paper in at the last minute, etc.

When we still had rental property, we bought a new one for a bathroom we put in. It gave your feet a shower when you flushed!

I am hopeful that the conservatives will be able to repeal some of these anti-choice laws. Republican Senator Mike Enzi already introduced the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act which would put an end to the 2007 restrictions. Go for it guys!

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

"Hippie" Days are here again in Madison

Last April, I was privileged to visit my representatives after the April 15th Tea Party rally in Madison. It was my first time at our State Capitol (inside or out), and I was impressed by the artistry--its classic design, stonework, woodwork, sculpture, gilding, and murals.






Now to hear about the $7.5 million dollars* worth of damage from protesters taping protest signs on the Mankato limestone walls and marble trim, and to the floors from camping out, is heartbreaking. Marble and limestone are considered to be soft, porous stone, easily damaged by acids (spilled Coke is very acidic), staining, and glues. No wonder they have a "NO TAPING ON THE MARBLE" rule!

Take a look at the damage. (About half way through the news story.)

The photos and reports coming out of Madison reminded me of the Hippie days back when I was in college. It is one thing to make a shlook out of a field in Woodstock, for example, but in our state capitol?

Contrast Madison 2011 with these last 2 pictures taken after the 2010 Tea Party rally.
















Neat as a pin.


Yes, we have the right to assemble and to free speech, but can we please show some respect?

*Early estimates were $7.5 million. Now it seems the dollar amount might not be as much.


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

It's National School Choice Week - Register for Jan. 27th and/or Jan.31st events

Americans for Prosperity and National School Choice team up this week to bring you 2 National School Choice events in our area.

On Thursday, January 27th, from 6pm - 8pm, there will be a showing of "The Cartel", a movie that deals with the failure of public education--especially for minority students. It is free, but you must register. Wisconsin branch of the AFP, Fight Back Wisconsin website, states there will be a Town Hall Q&A connected with this movie showing too. Held at 1126 S. 70th Street, Suite S211, Milwaukee. (North of Greenfield Ave.) Call 414-476-7900 for more information.

The 2nd event is probably of more interest to those of us in the Elmbrook School District, since in general, parents are satisfied with our school system. This one is titled, The Education Revolution Tour: Restoring America's Exceptionalism. This Town Hall will be held from 7 - 8:30 pm on January 31st, at the Country Springs Hotel (2810 Golf Road) in Pewaukee. Call 414-476-7900 for more information. The meeting is FREE, but you need to register. (There is also a pre-Town Hall reception and photo op with Dick Morris and Vicki McKenna at 6pm, for a $59 registration fee.)

Why are they doing this? Because, as their literature and ads state, "American 15-year-olds rank 35th out of 57 countries in math and literacy, behind almost all industrialized nations!"

Never heard of National School Choice week? Don't feel badly. This is a new grassroots movement in our nation and this is the first of hopefully many more nationwide events of this kind.

The Heritage Foundation informs us that over 150 organizations nationwide are hosting events this week. "It’s a grassroots movement of national proportions to highlight the benefits of school choice and demand access to quality educational options. Speaker John Boehner, Newt Gingrich, Sens. Joe Lieberman and John McCain and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush – among many others – are all “in” for National School Choice Week.

And it’s a movement whose time has come. Nationally, thousands of children are trapped in more than 1,700 public schools labeled as “dropout factories,” in which less than 60 percent of students graduate within four years. But even for those students not assigned to the worst government schools, academic achievement has stagnated over the years, graduation rates have flat lined, and American students are out-competed by their international counterparts."

..."School choice is about freedom and opportunity. It’s about giving families options when it comes to their children’s education – from charter schools and private schools, to online learning and homeschooling." (My emphasis)

Whether we have children in school or not, the lion's share of our property taxes goes to funding public education. Shouldn't we at least educate ourselves about the other options out there for education?

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

Brookfield's proposed Target Store PUBLIC HEARING: Dec. 7, 7:45pm, UPDATE & maps

Would you want to help non-resident drivers cut through your neighborhood, just so they could get to a new proposed shopping center without using your closest busy main streets? Of course not.

Yet the Plan Commission and our City is doing just that with the new Target store proposal for the former Quebecor site on Bluemound, at the Brookfield/Wauwatosa border. Take a look.

The planners are promoting an additional, unnecessary, new street access point, running east/west from Columbia Blvd, (a purely residential street) to (and through) the new shopping center, when there is already adequate access from Bluemound Road!

And why are they pushing this? One reason is for people who might be playing baseball at Krueger Park, who MIGHT want to go to the new Target store after a game. They argue they need an easy way to get there from the park. (Rendering is from Ryan Co., the developer.)

So our planners, and some of the Aldermen on the Common Council, are willing to subject a quiet, single family, residential neighborhood to cut through traffic from the south, for all those who want to avoid the Bluemound and Elm Grove Road intersection. This would include Target Store bound traffic from Greenfield Ave to the south.

Who doesn't want this? Obviously, the neighborhood! But also the developer, Ryan Company.

It is my understanding that Ryan wants something that more closely resembles my cut-and-past efforts pictured here. Yellow indicates existing streets, orange would be new access with arterial lights on Bluemound. (Thanks to MapQuest satellite view and Ryan's rendering.)

Note that Columbia Blvd. does connect to Krueger Park. It would be very simple for those baseball players (who might want to shop after a game) to drive north on Columbia, turn right on Bluemound, travel 300 feet east to the new Target entrance, turn right, drive in and park.

As for the neighborhood itself, there are Greenway Trail connections for walking and biking there and from my neighborhood south of I-94. This system would also connect to the Trails in Wauwatosa. So there is pedestrian and bike access without using Bluemound Road.

This Public Hearing is primarily to change the LAND USE from Mixed to Retail. Remember the original plan was for high density housing? Translate: apartments. Believe me, Brookfield and the neighborhood is far better off with this being purely retail / business such as the Target, a restaurants and a bank. Brookfield doesn't need more apartments or condos that do not contribute enough in tax revenue to support the schools or services they use.

I might remind our new Mayor Ponto that he told me he had a strong desire to protect the single family home's property values. I would like to see Mayor Ponto take a leadership role in this and protect this neighborhood from this unwanted and unnecessary intrusion.

Please help your fellow Brookfield residents preserve their neighborhood from unwanted non-neighborhood related traffic by commenting tonight at the Common Council Public Hearing or emailing your comments to Lisa@betterbrookfield.com (She will forward them.) The Council will vote on this December 21st.

My Aldermen Lisa Mellone and Renee' Lowerr sent the following information in an email:
"Proposed Target Store update:

"This Tuesday, December 7^th at 7:45 p.m. in the Council Chambers at city hall, there will be a Public Hearing* (resident opportunity to provide public input) for a proposed land use amendment to city master and neighborhood Plans (details attached). This is the first step in the process to allow for the construction of a Target store on the site of the vacant Quebecor printing plant by Bluemound Rd. and 124^th St.

"Taken from the Common Council Agenda:

7:45 p.m. - Public Hearing: Request of Ryan Companies US, Inc., 50 S.

Tenth Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55403-2012, to amend the

City of Brookfield 2035 Comprehensive Plan and the 124th Street and

Bluemound Road Neighborhood Plan. These plan amendments would be

required to accommodate a proposed multi-tenant commercial

redevelopment at the former Quebecor property located at 12821 W.

Bluemound Road.

The Council will be asked to vote on the land use plan amendment on December 21st. This is not a vote on zoning, but a vote on land use. The rezoning process would begin early in 2011 and would include a second public hearing followed by a subsequent Plan Commission/ Council vote.

*Now is the time to voice your opinions on this project to the Council. We know there are mixed views around the immediate neighborhood (Columbia Gardens) on this proposal vs. the vacant Quebecor that now exists. However, there seems to be strong support in that neighborhood for NO CONNECTIONS TO COLUMBIA BLVD. when this site IS developed. It is important to these residents to keep cut thru traffic intrusion off of their narrow and hilly streets. We support that view point wholeheartedly and with vigor. Also, the developer does not favor a connection as there will already be 2 signalized connections straight to Bluemound Road to serve the development. Some Plan Commissioners and Council members feel differently and favor that connecti0on. Please consider making a statement at the Public Hearing or writing an email at a minimum. You can [email me] and I will forward to appropriate officials."

Target Plan Amendments 12-7-10 Download


Past Post: Can it be? A Target in Brookfield? How about Trader Joes too? (with photos)

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

Did NRA get in bed with Dems on DISCLOSE ACT & ditch 1st Amendment for others?

You may be in summer mode, but our Congress is on full tilt. The Disclose Act bill might come to the House floor Thursday. If not, then after the July 4th recess. Yes, that means calling your Representative! Our Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner's number is (202) 225-5101. UPDATE: Watch Congressman Sensenbrenner urge a NO vote on Disclose Act because it is unconstitutional.

The National Rifle Association, usually synonymous with Conservative values and protecting our Constitutional rights, seemingly had a weak moment when it appeared they crawled in bed with the Democrats to secure an exemption with the DISCLOSE Act.

The Disclose Act will circumvent the Supreme Court decision last January that allowed 501C4 groups, like NRA or 501C3 groups, like National Right to Life to communicate with their members and run political ads 90 days prior to election time.
NRA Executive VP LaPierre explained The Disclose Act exempts free media outlets like NBC, ABC, newspapers, etc., and politicians from restricted speech. According to LaPierre, he said he told Congressman Shuler (D-N. Carolina) they need to carve out every 501 C3 organization as being exempt from the restriction, but after the amendment was crafted, it turned out to just carve out NRA and a few others from the restriction.

Redstate disagrees with LaPierre's story in National Rifle Association's First Amendment Sellout. You can read it and the Newsmax one below and decide for yourself his role in the bill.

But whether the NRA was playing footsie with the Democrats on the DISCLOSE ACT to protect their 2nd Amendment rights, the bigger point is that DISCLOSE is a terrible bill. In Democrats 'Within Striking Distance' on Disclose Act, we learn the real reason for the bill:

"Heritage Foundation legal scholar Hans A. Von Spakovsky, a former member of the Federal Election Commission, tells Newsmax that the timing of the legislation indicates its true purpose is muzzling groups that otherwise might freely voice their opposition to Democratic policies in campaign ads.

The Disclose Act, also known as H.R. 5175, is written so that it takes effect 30 days after passage -- just in time to impact the November midterms."

This rushed time frame is not consistent with other election regulation laws. Von Spakovsky explains, "...because whenever a new statute gets passed on campaign finance reform, the FEC has the job of creating the regulations needed to implement the statute. There is just no way the FEC, which I served on for two years, could in two months come up with regulations to enforce this law."

Bradley Smith, a former Fed. Election Commission Chairman called DISCLOSE "one of the most partisan pieces of legislation to come down the pike." In another Newsmax interview, Smith indicated "the bill would shackle the political activities of corporations and associations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, while leaving unions largely free to influence political outcomes."

I agree with Heritage Foundation's legal scholar Von Spakovsky, "This is a bad law because it infringes on people's right to speak politically." Now do you want to make that call?

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

Call before 9:45am! State election law reform AB 895 automatically registers voters & hampers poll watchers

Bill AB 895 is whizzing through the State Legislature at an alarming speed, considering the negative impact to voters in our state. The bill is still in committee for another hour. They plan to vote on it at 9:45am, today, April 1st. (No, this is not an April Fools joke.) CALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS NOW!

Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs

• Sen. Spencer Coggs (D-Milwaukee), chairman and bill sponsor, (608) 266-2500
• Sen. Bob Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie), (608) 267-8979
• Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine), (608) 266-1832
• Sen. Alan Lasee (R-De Pere), (The number given is not working.)
  
• Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), (608) 266-7513
• Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville), (608) 266-7503
• Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston), (608) 266-2502
• Gov. Jim Doyle, (608) 266-1212

This Election Overhaul bill will automatically register voters when they get their drivers licenses or register their cars. Another thing it does is prevent poll watchers from challenging a voter unless that poll watcher actually lives in the ward they are watching. There is also an online registration confirmation provision. These measures make voter fraud easier.

I asked Spencer Coggs aid how they would prevent legal aliens, who got drivers licenses or purchased a car, from being registered to vote. He said he didn't think they could get a license. (Oh, brother.)

Besides the potential for legal aliens, what about illegals? I personally witnessed an attempt of an illegal to get a drivers license and saw how the DMV worker pretty much just told him he needed a better copy (in other words, a better forgery) of his social security card. I don't think we want the DMV determining who gets put on the voter rolls!

The confirmation process of the auto registration in this bill seems like a whole lot of gobbledygook to me. How about we just get a photo Voter ID law and call it a day?

More on this later. It will probably pass committee and be on the Senate and Assembly floor before we know it. Argh.

Sweeping elections overhaul moving through Legislature

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

Got Milk? Is it raw?

If you live in Wisconsin, more likely than not, that question is answered, no, ...unless you live on a dairy farm. If you don't live on a dairy farm, a consumer must go through ridiculous contortions to procure raw milk.

Some years back, it was legal to get raw milk if you were part owner of a dairy cow. Then that was deemed unacceptable. Some creative consumers and farmers then entered into a I know nothing relationship of just come into the cooler room, pick up the milk, leave the money in the secret spot.

All of that subterfuge is about to change. The Wisconsin legislature is entertaining allowing the sale of raw milk once again in our state: Modified raw milk legislation moves ahead: "The legislation [Senate Bill 434] is expected to be voted on by the full Assembly and Senate before the session ends in April." I am amazed that in this Nanny State environment the bill is moving forward.

I grew up drinking raw milk even though I did not live on a farm--I was a city girl. The Golden Guernsey dairyman delivered it to our house every week. (Remember milk chutes?) The certified milk came in glass quart bottles and was not homogenized*. It was delicious. The Golden Guernsey Dairy Barns that produced our raw milk were VERY clean and subject to a rigorous testing schedule.

Raw milk advocates cite it is a healthier choice because it is a living food. Conditions such as asthma, allergies, eczema and even Autism are said to improve if raw milk is consumed. Those conditions are certainly prevalent today. Raw milk opponents say it is dangerous because it can carry bacteria such as listeria, E. coli, and salmonella. I don't know if that was the case in the 1950s and 60s. Back then I just remember brucellosis being mentioned as a risk factor.

But is pasteurization a guarantee of safety? If you remember what we learned from the debate on whether to irradiate beef against E. coli, irradiation did not prevent post irradiation contamination. The same is true for pasteurization. Pasteurizing milk does not and cannot prevent post-pasteurization contamination, as evidenced by the periodic recalls of listeria and other bacterial contaminated pasteurized dairy products on the news.

The Real Milk website had an interesting paper on Raw vs. Pasteurized milk. I confess I did not read all 70 pages, but if this is a subject that interests you, take a look. Response to the FDA Anti-Raw Milk Point-by-Point Presentation "Between 1980 and 2005, 41 outbreaks were reported to the CDC attributing 19,531 illnesses to the consumption of pasteurized milk and milk products. This is 10.7 times the number of illnesses attributed to raw milk during the same period."

The key to raw milk safety is the cleanliness and quality of the dairy farm you are purchasing the milk from. The cows should be grass fed. The barn should be very clean (as was the case with Golden Guernsey). A smaller operation is probably better than bigger. The focus of their dairy should be selling milk raw. (I would not consume raw milk from a traditional dairy farm because their cleanliness standards are not the same.)

Are there risks involved? Yes. Are there benefits? Yes. Are there risks to consuming pasteurized milk products? Yes. Everything we do carries risk.

So, do some research and decide for yourself. I doubt any mainstream doctor would advocate consuming raw milk, but there are many D.O.s and Holistic type Doctors and Dentists who do. Interestingly, many of the voices I hear advocating raw milk do not approve of consuming pasteurized milk!

If this issue is important to you, contact your State Legislators: Assembly, Senate. We allow drug sales that carry benefit and risk; we allow selling cigarettes and alcohol that pretty much only carry risk. Shouldn't we be allowed to decide for ourselves on raw milk?


Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor am I in the health field. Outside of a college nutrition, physiology and anatomy, and genetics class, I have had no formal training in the health field. I do however use holistic and natural medicine practices for myself and family.

More reading:
Look at California, where raw milk is legal: "Except for a brief hiatus in 1990, raw milk has always been for sale commercially in California, usually in health food stores, although I can remember a period when it was even sold in grocery stores. Millions of people consumed commercial raw milk during that period and although the health department kept an eagle eye open for any possible evidence of harm, not a single incidence was reported. During the same period, there were many instances of contamination in pasteurized milk, some of which resulted in death."
Real Milk Website
Raw Milk Is Gaining Fans, but the Science Says It's Dangerous

*Homogenization is thought to contribute to heart disease because the process makes the fat molecule so small, it passed directly through the gut into the blood stream.

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

It was a BIG TEA PARTY, people are finally waking up

The September 12th Tea Party in Washington D.C. exceeded my expectations. Crowd estimates are all over the map, ranging from 10s of thousands, to 100s of thousands, to over a million. Crowd estimates have always been iffy; the Million Man March, for example, ranged from 850,000 to 1.9 million.

Whatever the numbers, the crowds were peaceful, from what I could glean, and the signs clever. One protester had a hearse with big letters on the side reading OBAMACAE. Another had a frowny face with tears that read: Worried Democrat. This was no AstroTurf, this was real grassroots.

Here are a few video clips and reports: Michelle Malkin: Yes, the picture is real, nutroots (great time lapse of crowd, photos, and crowd estimation chart at the end), MSNBC Tom Costello "Our own people think 100s of thousands",
Sen. Jim DeMint Corrects Fox News Crowd Estimate; Says There are "Hundreds of Thousands" at 9/12 March on Washinton - Video 9/12/09
VIDEO: Highlights from the 9/12 Taxpayer Tea Party March on Washington (This one had closeups of the signs.)

One thing I learned from my first venture in fighting city hall on a very local issue back in 2004, was that it takes a l-o-n-g time to get the information out and people to get up to speed. People are so busy these days, they often don't pay much attention to issues -- even when it affects their own back yards.

I also remember talking to a few homeowners the day before the vote for our 2008 $62 million dollar Elmbrook School referendum. These taxpayers either didn't know there was a referendum on the ballot or didn't look at the materials the school had sent out... yet. That referendum was for $62 million dollars and they couldn't be bothered?

Much the same happens with State and National elections. Election day comes and many voters haven't investigated the candidates beyond a campaign slogan or commercial. Life goes on and the ill informed voter goes on his/her merry way on autopilot, not to be bothered about it until the next election. (That is if they vote at all.)

President Obama won the 2008 election promising Hope & Change. The voters who didn't agree with his real agenda, but voted based on his campaign promises, hoped the change would be for the better. If Obama had not hit the ground running toward the left so vigorously, I wonder if we would have these Tea Parties today? If he would have taken a slower pace, maybe the whole taxpayer protest movement would have never gotten off the ground.

But slow paced, Obama is not. Between apologizing all over the world for America being America, his unprecedented spending, his promotion of Cap and Trade, and now his ObamaCare push, the majority of Americans are feeling very uneasy. They are realizing no matter how strong our economy, we cannot sustain this level of deficit spending. We certainly cannot afford this with a sick economy and high unemployment numbers.

People are snapping out of autopilot and realizing their liberty is at stake. They are now willing to inconvenience themselves and invest their time and money to travel to their state capitals and this past weekend, to their nations capitol, to let their government know this has to stop.

I venture to say, if people would have been paying attention all along, there would be no need for term limits or tea parties.

It is thrilling to see the crowds, peacefully assembling, as our Constitution allows, in our capitol cities. I can only pray it is not too late to turn this around.

When we studied the Revolutionary War in our homeschool, we learned about the Patriots that had the ability to ignite the public to action. They were called firebrands. Two come to mind: Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry.

Our 2009 Tea Party movement was sparked by Chicagoan Rick Santelli back in February. He isn't exactly a firebrand, but I would have to call him a spark or catalyst of the modern Tea Party movement. Rick has faded into the background, but the idea he kindled is alive and well.

A BIG thank you to all who have participated in Tea Parties and Town Halls this year. We all need to be informed and involved in local, state, and national politics. As we have found out the hard way, autopilot doesn't work too well!


Related reading: Tea Party Rally Sparks Dispute Over Potential Turnout, A House leadership aid warned fellow Democrats in a memo obtained by FOXNews.com that up to 2 million people may attend. But conservatives believe Democrats are playing an expectations game to claim the event was a failure.

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

Hoping for a really big Washington D.C. TEA PARTY - UPDATE

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin reported that as of "12:34pm Eastern: Police estimate 1.2 million in attendance. ABC News reporting crowd at 2 million." You can keep track of Tea Parties on the Tea Party Express blog

I've heard there is a March on Washington D.C. Taxpayer Tea Party planned for Saturday, September 12, 2009. Whatever push-back there has been on taxes, spending, Obamacare and Cap and Trade has been primarily from grassroots groups and Tea Parties, not the Republican party. Evidently, FOX and Glen Beck have been promoting the rally. A huge turnout would be wonderful.

From Free Republic: An Open Invitation to Attend the 9-12 Taxpayer March in Washington D.C.

"To: Patriots, Friends and Citizens…lend me your ears"

"On behalf of Grassfire and ResistNet members, I would like to extend an invitation for you to join with us for our March in Washington on September 12th. Our Mission is to present a unified voice of concern over the current administration’s policies regarding taxation, our economy, foreign and domestic policy, as well as our individual constitutional rights as American citizens."

...

"We are marching to protest the ever increasing tax burden that is being so unfairly placed on all of us to pay for the reckless decisions of a government gone wild. We refer to it as The Tax Payer March on D.C. It will begin at the Lincoln Memorial at 9:00am and culminate with a rally scheduled for 1:00pm at the Capitol Building. Our voices will be heard and our heads will be counted. If we are not willing to standup, walk and be heard than who will?"

"We are the Patriots of today. The future of our beloved country relies on each and every one of us and we must act now!"

If this Tea Party is anything like the others, the attendees will be just ordinary people concerned about their country's future. I hope the Tea Party march goes well and Congress gets the message.

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

Only the religion of Global Warming, Humanism, Evolution is allowed on PBS

PBS just announced they will not allow any new religious programing on their airwaves. Reason? Separation of Church & Stations!

Actually, this ruling was a compromise. At first the PBS board recommended that stations currently running sectarian religious programs would have their PBS affiliation severed if they did not drop that programming.

"The Public Broadcasting Service's board is to vote next month on a committee's recommendation to strip the affiliation of any station that carries "sectarian" content. Losing its PBS relationship would mean that a station could no longer broadcast programs that the service distributes, from 'Sesame Street' to 'Frontline'."

The board decided instead to allow present programming to continue but will prohibit new programming. Result? PBS [will] Begin Phasing Out Religious Programming From Airwaves.

Sadly, there was no need to make this change. "Federal law does not bar showing the services on public television, but PBS worries that the broadcasts have the appearance of an official endorsement from the network."

"Allowing such programming to air 'would cause the public's trust in PBS to erode, along with the value of the brand,' argued its Stations Services Committee, according to a report in the Current."

This is a stretch, but since PBS receives taxpayer support, the director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State reasoned that "you have taxpayers directly or indirectly subsidizing evangelism."

Of course no one ever worries that taxpayers directly or indirectly subsidize or endorse the religion of Global Warming, Humanism, or Evolution based programs so prevalent on PBS. It is OK to promote anti-Christian programming at taxpayer expense but not pro-Judeo-Christian programming?

Programming about religious topics is still allowed, but often I have found the majority of these programs have an anti-Christian bias.

Jay Weber talked about the PBS ruling this morning on his radio show. He reasoned that since many of these shows are available on Cable TV, why continue taxpayer funding of PBS?

I used to enjoy watching PBS programming such as This Old House, The Woodwright's Shop, Victory Garden, American Experience, etc. We don't have Cable TV, but I am willing to give up those favorites to end taxpayer funding of programming I do not support. How about you?

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