This confirms it!

Yesterday I posted a piece about the 3rd District congressional race poll from the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, and voiced my concerns about it's validity. The second part of this poll, the Allen County sheriff's race, was released today. I am now POSITIVE that this is a flawed poll! I would expect to see polls showing a lead for Ken Fries; he's the GOP poster-boy for the "Good 'Ol Boys" here in Allen County. A lead, perhaps. . .but a rout, not on your life! It is absolutely impossible that Tina Taviano is polling only 16%, no matter how conservative this area may be.

She has ran a strong, effective campaign with full backing from the local party and a loyal group of supporters. I've NEVER worked for a political candidate before. I'm a quiet, introverted sort of guy. . .yet *I* walked in THREE parades for this extremely qualified lady! Everyone who has ever heard her speak has been swayed by her passion and knowledge of the office she seeks. She is, by far, the most qualified candidate for the job. Even Indiana Pundit, a local right-leaning blog, stated that "based on effort, Taviano deserves to win this one".

I am very proud of Tina and count her as a personal friend. I hope that enough people have experienced Tina's passion for the job that we can elect her as Allen County Sheriff on November 7th. If we do not, then it is truly a loss for all of Allen County.

Differences

Shamelessly stolen from the Third District Indiana Democrats website!

"The difference between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party is that everyone is welcome in the Democratic Party.

Because Democrats don't care if you are black, white, brown, or a nice shade of green.

We don't care if you pray in a church, a synagogue, a temple, a mosque, or just before a math tests.

We don't care if you are young, old, or don't want to tell your age.

We don't care what gender you are or what gender you want to hold hands with, as long as you want to hold hands!

We don't care about the size of your bank account, just the size of your heart; and we don't care where you are today, just where you dream you want to be tomorrow."

So come and join us, we think you will like the company.

3rd District Poll

I've just finished reviewing the poll put out by the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel today that shows Mark Souder with a 12 point lead over Tom Hayhurst and. . .that's GREAT news! Before you start thinking that I've been drinking the koolaid favored by the GOP crowd, allow me to explain my thoughts on this one:

1. A 52% rating for an incumbent, especially 7 days before election, is a strong sign that the incumbent is in trouble. Indeed, the RNCC and the Cook Report seem to subscribe to this same school of thought.

2. Even assuming that he holds 52% and wins, that would by far be the WORST showing he's ever had. He first won this seat with 55% in 1994. When he ran against another Republican, former Ft.Wayne mayor Paul Helmke, he pulled in 59%. Against a Republican. Read that again. If this poll is correct, he's pulling in 52% against a Democrat. A Democrat that he is erroneously trying to paint as a California liberal to frighten conservative voters at that.

3. Sources I have talked to indicate that this poll may be improperly weighted towards Allen County. Initially the pollster stated that they surveyed 400 people from the ENTIRE 3rd district. Today they said that they OVERSAMPLED Allen County to survey 400 for the Sheriff’s race (Results due out tomorrow). This may well render these results invalid. Which numbers were used? Were they merged?

4. Polls generally do not matter. Turnout matters. Particularly with a poll as tight as this one, in a mid-term election, with few races of big interest on a district-wide basis. Souder voters in areas where there are no other races of interest to them may very well be complacent and not even bother voting on November 7th. The Democratic base, on the other hand, is on fire. They will be at the polls come hell or high water. As will the conservatives and independents that Souder has turned off; I have spoken with many from these two groups and they are galvanized about removing Souder from congress.

5. Souder went negative right from the gate, and hasn't let up. While that may be red-meat for his base supporters (read "people who like to take polls cause they're fired up"), it has also had the unintended (or arrogantly discounted) effect of turning off large numbers of voters. These voters may not respond to polls, but they have been talking about their disgust. An analogy of this would be customers who are dissatisfied with service or products at a local store: a small minority of them will loudly complain to the manager or the company; while the rest simply don't return, frequent another business, and quietly tell their friends about their bad experience.

6. To win in the 3rd district, you need to either absolutely "own" the urban areas or "own" the rural areas and carry enough urban voters to put you over 50%. Souder seems to have been trying the second route, but he may have not put enough effort into Fort Wayne to carry him over the top. BTW, "effort" does not include constant drivel on the local puke-funnel (WOWO). That's merely preaching to the choir (and apparently converting a number of the choir into disgusted opponents).

7. This race will come down to this: the issues, and how you feel about who can best represent your position on them. If you feel that Mark Souder has and will best represent your best interests, then you will likely vote for him. The rest of us, the great disgusted majority, will be voting for Tom Hayhurst. We'll find out in just over 8 days from now. . .

Dr.Hayhurst strikes back!

Free Speech

(POP!) What was THAT?

THAT was the sound of Corporate America's muzzle slipping off of the right breast and reaching out toward the left. Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress.

The shift in political giving, for the first 18 days of October, has not been this pronounced in the final stages of a campaign since the Republican Revolution of 1994, when Republicans swept control of the House after 40 years in the desert. An analysis of 288 corporate PACS found at least 65 had increased their ratio of contributions to Democrats by at least 15%, including Sprint, UPS and Hewlett-Packard. “A lot will hold their powder for now,” said Brian Wolff, of the DCCC. “But after the election, we'll have a lot of new friends.”

Indeed, even Wal-Mart is building a bridge to Democrats, albeit a very slow-paced effort. “We have a two-year strategy to build up relationships with Democrats,” said Lee Culpepper,VP for federal government relations at Wal-Mart. “This wasn’t something that we decided in August that we needed to do and we ran out helter-skelter to try to do it.”

“The real story of the 2006 contributions is what happens in the early phase of 2007, with a change in party control,” said Bernadette A. Budde, Senior VP of the Business-Industry PAC. “There will be proverbial meet-and-greets all over town so we will have a sense of who these people are.”

Many of these meet-and-greet sessions will have a dual purpose: political action committees will offer contributions to help candidates wipe away debt their campaigns accrued during the race. Let us hope that newly elected progressives will follow the Sunlight Network's guidelines and avoid any K Street temptations. I have faith that they will, but they will do well to never forgot the lessons of the last 12 years.

Wanna see something REALLY scary?

I'm a Liberal

It's YOUR dime!

Mark Souder has fought to put Ronald Reagan on our dime coin. Tom Hayhurst will fight for your right to keep that dime! If you want to change Washington, you have to change who you send there: Vote for Dr.Tom Hayhurst on November 7th!

New Hayhurst ad

October Surprise (Local Edition)

This post is dedicated to Jill Kaduk: Way to work on the big guy, Jill! =)

Everybody's been anticipating an "October Surprise" by the GOP. I have just stumbled across the actual goods here in northeast Indiana! Andrew Kaduk is blasting Mark Souder AND agreeing with Tom Hayhurst! I don't recall licking any toads or small colored squares of paper this evening, nor have I popped any pills. I figure that I had better blog this, just for reference tomorrow, in case somebody slipped me a "roofie" and this is all just a wierd dream. . . Here are the actual excerpts from Andy's blog this week:

"Yeah, Marky Mark...our families are dying from old age, heart attacks, car accidents, lung cancer and a host of other problems...so why do you choose to be so goddamn picky about which of these evils the government should "fix?" Sorry, Mark, but although I find meth to be an absolute scourge, I find governmental overreach to be vastly more dangerous to millions of additional people."

"More from the WANE TV Souder v. Hayhurst debate:

Rep. Mark Souder (R[sort of]- IN): Jesus told me that internet gambling is the responsibility of the U.S. government to condemn and vilify.

Uhhh, ok. Never read that passage myself. Yeah yeah, that was paraphrased too. So what's up with Souder's incessant blathering about prostitution lately? He sure has been talking about it a lot. I don't recall any major prostitution legislation, unless it was bundled with a defense budget or something like that."

"Hayhurst puts a spotlight on one of the most fallacious arguments that plague the annals of that which used to be the Republican Party: Abortion. I will paraphrase (I don't have a transcript yet):

Hayhurst: "On this subject, my opponent completely abandons his professed conservative views, and says that he thinks the government should regulate and control the decisions of pregnant women."

Absolutely dead-nuts accurate! Way to go, Doctor Tom. This is really the heart of the issue for me: So-called Republicans are acting like the professors and legislators of morality, which is just fascism in disguise. A REAL conservative is not concerned with the medical treatment, status or morality of others, they wish only to uninvolve the government from such things."

Today's flashback video

Blame Chuck for this one! I had forgotten all about it. . hehehe

RNC pulls Ford attack ad

(From the NY Times blog)

Ken Mehlman, still asserting that he does not see racial overtones or racism in a national Republican ad against Representative Harold Ford Jr. in the Tennessee Senate race, announced late this afternoon on CNN’s SitRoom that the ad had been taken off the airwaves.

Mr. Ford’s campaign and many other people have been outraged, saying the ad attempts to pander to prejudice.

Mr. Ford’s opponent, Bob Corker, the Republican former mayor of Chattanooga, asked that the commercial be dropped late last week. But Mr. Mehlman insisted, even today, that because of campaign finance laws forbidding the coordination between national parties and independent expenditures, he had no authority to get it off the airwaves.

Asked again Wednesday afternoon, here’s what he said, courtesy of a CNN transcript:

Mr. Mehlman: As you remember I made some news last year when I spoke at the NAACP and as chairman of the Republican Party said it was wrong for Republicans did that in the past. I was condemned by some within my own party. I stand behind that statement. I would never countenance an ad that does that. I think what our party is doing is working to focus on the issues. The ad is down now. And the focus I think is going to be on taxes, it’s going to be on defense, it is going to be on judges and issues like that in the Senate race.

Wolf Blitzer: Looking at it now, knowing everything you know, was it a racist ad?

Mr. Mehlman: Again, I stand behind what I said before, which is as someone who is extraordinarily sensitive to it, I don’t believe that it was. At the same time there are good people on both sides who believe otherwise. I respect where they’re coming from. I hope they do the same with where I’m coming from.

He didn’t explain how he managed to get the ad pulled, or whether he circumvented all those technical issues in campaign finance laws that he cited repeatedly on Tuesday as obstacles to his getting involved in dealing with this commercial.

The video is available HERE (In case you've been living under a rock), and
the full story is HERE.

Crist denies tryst

Apparently there's something in the Floridian GOP water. Is any Florida Republican not involved in some sort of scandal or linked to someone notorious?

21-year-old GOP staffer Jason Wetherington, a rising young star in the Republican Party, has boasted of a sexual relationship with Charlie Crist, the frontrunner in the Florida governor's race who has repeatedly denied that that he is gay. Wetherinton told friends at separate social functions in August that he had sex with Crist, according to two credible and independent sources who heard Wetherington make the claim first-hand.

Wetherington, who recently worked as a field director for U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris and currently works for state representative Ellyn Bodganoff's reelection campaign, also named a man whom he said is Crist's long-term partner, a convicted thief named Bruce Carlton Jordan who also recently worked for Harris in her long-shot Senate bid. Jordan made headlines recently when the Miami Herald learned that the felon was working as Harris's travel aide. The Herald also noted that Jordan(42) was reported to be close friends with Charlie Crist.

Today's Quote

"Elections are only a few weeks away and it looks like the Republicans are going to lose a lot of them. I guess desperate times require desperate measures. [on screen: RNC's TV ad depicting another terrorist attack by Osama bin Laden, followed by a reminder to vote 11/7]. Let me get this straight. Osama bin Laden is threatening to attack America again, so what we should do is vote for the people who haven't been able to catch him for the last five years?." - Jimmy Kimmel

Two Tribes

Many of my fellow "boomers" only remember Frankie Goes to Hollywood for their single "Relax". If you were heavily into MTV (back when it mattered), you might also recall this classic and timely video from the early 80's:



This video VERY accurately reflects the world scenario as we were living it at that time. We all expected that someone would push a button somewhere and end our world at any time.

Stay the course

SH'yeah right. . .

It's the war, stupid. . .

The battle between Democrats and Republicans for independent voters is fierce this political season, with midterm elections only two weeks away. Unaffiliated voters will play a "pivotal" role on this Election Day, according to the Washington Post, because party loyalties on both sides are particularly strong this year.

Polls show the GOP definitively losing the fight for the independent vote, with independents supporting Democrats by a 2 to 1 margin. These voters are primarily opposed to Republican leadership because of dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq: only one-third of independents say the war is worth fighting, and many cite the war as the most important issue in the elections. Independents reflect a significant national trend: many Americans believe Iraq to be the preeminent issue, and most are not happy with the course of the conflict.

New "Haven" for political info

Roger McNett has been working diligently on his new site that promotes our local Democratic candidates. You will find tons of useful information and links to candidates home pages. In addition, Roger has promised an incorporated blog, "Roger's Observations" to be added to the site by 10/25.

Great job, Roger! You are now linked here under "Progressive Links" on the sidebar to the left. We truly appreciate your years of progressive activism, and are proud to be acquainted with you!

(Editor's note: This posting had absolutely nothing to do with any annonymous self-promotion of any sort whether actual or intended by persons who may or may not exist in reality. AWESOME!) lol

The Party system

Written by Stan Matuska.

I was thinking recently about the different parties that people associate themselves with.
I myself say I am a Democrat, but am I really? Are you of the same belief of the party you align yourself with? What does each party stand for? If a party isn’t either Democrat or Republican, then does it matter, since typically only Democrats and/or Republicans get elected into office?

Is a Libertarian a cross between a Democrat and a Republican? How is that party different than the Independent Party? Am I a Social Conservative? Maybe I’m a Moderate. No – I am a Democrat. At least that’s what I tell people. Am I a Democrat because I dislike the Republicans or because I believe in the Democratic views? Do I even know all of their views? Not really, but I am learning more and more each day.

You see, most people would not profess to not having a great deal of knowledge about their party affiliation, but not me. I am an open book as far as politics is concerned. I listen carefully, read cautiously, and watch diligently to learn all I can. I don’t understand all the party identifiers though: Moderate. Democrat. Conservative. Liberal. Independent. Republican. Libertarian. Maybe I’m not even a Democrat by definition!!!

I am going to share with you my core beliefs, and you tell me what party I belong to. How’s that for a post!

I was born and raised Catholic, but I am not a practicing Catholic.
I don’t care for abortion, but I don’t believe the government should intervene. I say leave it up to the parties involved.
I believe in an eye for an eye – so I believe in the death penalty.
I believe in the right to bear arms – but not bazookas
I believe the government should not meddle into our lives.
I believe if anyone commits a crime, then they should be punished accordingly.
I have mixed feelings about affirmative action. Good idea, but it has caused reverse discrimination in some cases.
I believe gay couples that live together for 10 years or more should have the same legal rights as married couples in the form of a civil union.
I believe marriage and divorce should come from the same institution. Why does the church perform the ceremony, and the government perform the divorce?
I believe drug use within the confines of your personal property should not be a crime.
I believe imminent domain is a very bad thing.
I believe the government should continue to allow a form of welfare, but only on a very limited basis. No free rides!!!
I believe we need to do more to clean up the environment.
I believe that all American citizens should know how to read and speak English.
I believe we need to overhaul the tax system.
I believe we need to stop shipping our jobs overseas.
I believe we need to increase the minimum wage.
I believe if you sue someone in court and lose, then you should have to pay all costs.
I believe we need to balance the budget.
I believe we need to stop the war machine.
I believe the little guy is currently getting shit on, and big business is getting most of the breaks.
I believe we need to stop selling America’s property and land to overseas buyers.
I believe in stem cell research.
I believe our country was founded on Christianity and we should be allowed to show it, speak of it and be proud of it. The government must not dictate or deny any religion, except where a law has been broken. You can’t say, “My religion allows me to beat my wife” and get away with it because of freedom of religious expression (as happens quite frequently).
I believe the government needs more oversight by its employer – the people.
I believe Bush is the worst President we have ever had.
I believe I am telling you way too much about me!!!

Ok, now it’s your turn. Am I a Democrat, Republican, Liberal, Libertarian, Conservative, Independent, Moderate, or Other?

Obama now considering '08 run

Sen. Barack Obama has just aknowledged that he is considering a run for president in 2008, backing off previous statements that he would not do so.

The Illinois Democrat said he could no longer stand by the statements he made after his 2004 election and earlier this year that he would serve a full six-year term in Congress. He said he would not make a decision until after the Nov. 7 elections.

"That was how I was thinking at that time," said Obama, when asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" about his previous statements.

"Given the responses that I've been getting over the last several months, I have thought about the possibility" although not with the seriousness or depth required, he said. "My main focus right now is in the '06. ... After November 7, I'll sit down, I'll sit down and consider, and if at some point I change my mind, I will make a public announcement and everybody will be able to go at me."

Obama was largely unknown outside Illinois when he burst onto the national scene with a widely acclaimed address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

In recent weeks, his political stock has been rising as a potentially viable centrist candidate for president in 2008 after former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner announced earlier this month that he was bowing out of the race.

In a recent issue of Time magazine, Obama's face fills the cover next to the headline, "Why Barack Obama Could Be The Next President." He is currently on a tour promoting his latest book, "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream."

On Sunday, Obama dismissed notions that he might not be ready to run for president because of his limited experience in national politics. He agreed the job requires a "certain soberness and seriousness" and "can't be something you pursue on the basis of vanity and ambition."

"I'm not sure anyone is ready to be president before they're president," Obama said. "I trust the judgment of the American people.

"We have a long and rigorous process. Should I decide to run, if I ever did decide to run, I'll be confident that I'll be run through the paces pretty good," Obama said.


HatTip: YahooNews

Why Air America Matters

-by Thom Hartmann

There are times when doing the profitable thing is also doing the right thing.

That's certainly what Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch thought when they lost an average of $90 million a year for about five years before the Fox News Channel became profitable. It's what Reverend Moon believes, as his Washington Times newspaper lost hundreds of millions of dollars and, according to some reports, even today continues to lose money. And its what the people who have made Air America Radio possible - names you probably wouldn't recognize because they've invested millions of their own money but don't seek the limelight - believe.

Each of these endeavors hit nail-biting times.

In Murdoch's early days building News Corp. (which then helped fund Fox News), as The Hollywood Reporter noted in a 2005 article:

"[C]orporate expansion and the stock market crash of 1987 conspired to create a financial crisis for Murdoch in 1990, when News Corp. reported revenue of $6.7 billion and saw more than $7 billion in debt come due. With News Corp. shares plummeting from $24 to $8 as a result of the Black Monday crash and Murdoch's buying sprees continuing unabated, creditors became nervous. A refinancing plan was put in place, but at the last minute, one small bank in Pittsburgh refused to go along with the scheme, demanding repayment of a $10 million loan.

"That $10 million loan nearly caused the entire collapse of News Corp.: An extraordinary race against time ensued in which Murdoch and his financial advisers struggled to convince the company's 100-plus creditors to agree to a deal by which they would all be paid at the same time. Only at the eleventh hour did the Pittsburgh bank capitulate, to Murdoch's great relief.

"The mogul managed to get through the ordeal without parting with substantial blocks of stock, which likely would have forced him to lose control of the company he created (a fate that befell his rival, Turner). At one point, though, Murdoch reportedly did have to sign over as security personal assets, including his New York penthouse."

There was, however, a happy ending (for Murdoch), which helped fund the money-losing Fox News Network:

"Today, the studio and the Fox owned-and-operated stations are News Corp.'s cash machines."

Brit Hume noted, in a 1999 interview with PBS:

"This operation loses money. It doesn't lose nearly as much as it did at first, and it's -- well, it's hit all its projections in terms of, you know, turning a profit, but it's - it will lose money now, and we expect for a couple more years. I think it's losing about $80 million to $90 million a year."

This is not, of course, to celebrate losing money. It's just a demonstration of the old truism that sometimes "it takes money to make money." And sometimes it takes money to make a difference in the world, as well.

While Fox News and The Washington Times have devoted themselves to promoting the interests of America's most wealthy, most of the programming of Air America Radio has been committed to discussions of labor, the middle class, and holding up the founding ideals of this nation.

These were best expressed by America's first liberal president, George Washington, when he said:

"As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality."

Liberal or conservative, the nation has often moved as its media has moved.

Rupert Murdoch's investment in Fox News not only produced profits for him, it changed America. As Richard Morin noted in The Washington Post on May 4, 2006, in an article titled "The Fox News Effect":

"'Fox News convinced 3 to 8 percent of its audience to shift its voting behavior towards the Republican Party, a sizable media persuasion effect,' said Stefano DellaVigna of the University of California at Berkely and Ethan Kaplan of Stockholm University.

"In Florida alone, they estimate, the Fox effect may have produced more than 10,000 additional votes for Bush -- clearly a decisive factor in a state he carried by fewer than 600 votes."

Similarly, Air America Radio may have had a significant effect in awakening people across the United States to positive liberal alternatives to the conservative vision of Fox and Bush. In a democracy, which depends on a vital and ongoing exchange of free ideas for its survival, this is essential.

It's a tragedy that for the lack of an investor the size of Rupert Murdoch Air America is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But its existence and ongoing presence in the marketplace is an essential part of the dialogue that is known as democracy.

In a letter about Shay's Rebellion, which some argued was incited by newspapers, Thomas Jefferson wrote:

"The people are the only censors of their governors; and even their errors will tend to keep them to the true principles of their institution. To punish these errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. The way to prevent these irregular interpositions of the people is to give them full information of their affairs, through the channel of public papers, and to contrive that those papers should penetrate the whole mass of the people.

"The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide, whether we should have a government without newspapers, ore newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers, and be capable of reading them."

Had radio existed in 1783, Jefferson would have probably expressed similar sentiments about it.

As Jefferson wrote in 1786 to his close friend Dr. James Currie, "Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost."

But ever since Ronald Reagan stopped enforcing the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1881, leading to an explosion of acquisitions and mergers, and Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, leading to an even more startling concentration of media in a very few hands, freedom of the press in America has become as much a economic as a political issue. This is problematic, because no democracy can survive with only one voice in the media.

Back in the years when I often visited Russia, the well-work joke that everybody knew had to do with the names of the two biggest newspapers, Pravda and Ivestia. "Pravda" is a Russian word that translates as "truth" and "Ivestia" means "news." The joke every Russian can recite from memory is: "There's no news in Pravda, and no truth in Izvestia."

As Russians well learned, single-party-news is corrosive to democracy. Jefferson made his comment about newspapers being vital to America just at the time he was being most viciously attacked in the newspapers. The core requisite of democracy is debate. When there's only a single predominant voice in the media, American democracy itself is at greatest risk.

Losing the voices of Air America would harm this nation, just as much as would losing the voices of conservative talk radio.
We need them all to really be America.

Thom Hartmann is a Project Censored Award-winning New York Times bestselling author of 17 books, and host of a nationally syndicated daily progressive talk show carried on the Air America Radio network. His most recent book is "Screwed: The Undeclared War on the Middle Class and What We Can Do About It."

Dr.Hayhurst is the "Wright" choice

(Editor's note: I have the good fortune of knowing Dr.Wright personally. I was pleased to see this effort from him in the Kendallville Sun, via Reverent & Free. Thanks, Craig!)

There are good reasons to vote for Hayhurst

To the editor:

This is an open letter to the voters of Noble and LaGrange counties. Many of you know me as an emergency physician at Parkview Noble (McCray) Hospital and the other hospitals of the Parkview system. Over the course of my 25 years of practice, I have had the pleasure of frequently working with Dr. Tom Hayhurst. I have gotten to know him well. Dr. Hayhurst is the Democratic candidate for 3rd District U.S. congressional representative.

There are a number of good reasons to vote for Tom Hayhurst. In Dr. Hayhurst's over 30 years of practice in pulmonary medicine in the Fort Wayne area, he has cared for patients from throughout the 3rd Congressional District. He has worked with patients and their families, shepherding them carefully through difficult, even critical medical, personal and family situations. He is not only intelligent, but he is compassionate and insightful. He knows the people of this region, and knows the needs and issues they care about as well.

As a physician, he is especially well versed on health care issues, which is a primary issue for many constituents. He will work to increase the availability of health care to those who now don't have it and add a great deal of cost to the system, as uninsured individuals.

He is a veteran, and led the battle to keep the Veterans Administration Hospital in Fort Wayne. No matter how you feel about the war in Iraq, because of their significant sacrifice, when our vets come home they should have our support. And they should have access to quality health care. Tom Hayhurst understands this.

Dr. Hayhurst believes in fiscal responsibility. He also believes in being responsible to generations to come. He will work to turn around the vast load of debt we are leaving our children. He is not a slave to big oil and will work toward energy independence in ways we have thus far failed to do.

He wants to return America to a position of strength and respect in the world, by collaborating with our allies through diplomacy, rather than alienating them through unilateralism. He will seek to keep our economy strong while improving the lives of those in need.

Some have asked about how Dr. Hayhurst will represent the 3rd District in Washington in the face of party-line pressure. Tom will not be lock-step with any party or any lobby. He is not desperate to be in the favor of any influential group in Washington, and therefore will represent the people of the 3rd District and vote his conscience rather than toe any party line or do the bidding of a rich lobbyist. He has shown, in his work as a city councilman in Fort Wayne, that collaborative efforts, across party lines, lead to better legislation.

Many of you who usually vote Republican have said, having an open mind, you would vote for a Democrat if the candidate is the most qualified for the job. Well, this is the time for you to take that step.

Tom Hayhurst is a man of integrity and experience. He is someone we can be proud to have represent us in Washington. He will not make embarrassing gaffs to the press. When he brings home funding, it will actually be in our district. When you see him in the press, it will be about an issue of substance, not about the naming of a road. His word is his bond: If he said that he would only stay in Congress for 12 years, after 12 years he would no longer be a candidate.

Tom Hayhurst knows the people of northeast Indiana. He will represent us well and is worthy of your vote.

Phillip Wright, M.D.

Fort Wayne

Souder predicts own demise?

Under the "things I found while looking for other things" category:

"If the vote were today, we would not hold the House," said Rep. Mark Edward Souder (R-Ind.), one of several Republicans in relatively safe districts running ads and sending mailings to voters to protect their seats. Souder, who easily won two years ago with 69 percent of the vote, said that if Democrats are successful in knocking off the three Indiana GOP lawmakers who are currently trailing in the polls, he could be washed away, too. "This is going to be for me an all-time Republican low in this district," he said.

I wouldn't worry too much about those other three districts, Marky:

"Among those where spending is heaviest are three races in Indiana, where Republican incumbents are running scared. More than $4 million had been spent there as of the beginning of the week".


INDIANA (2nd CD)
Research 2000 for the South Bend Tribune and WSBT-TV. 10/16-17. Likely voters. MoE 5% (9/15-17 results)
Chocola (R) 45 (42)
Donnelly (D) 50 (50)


Indiana State U for the Evansville Courier & Press. 10/5-12. Likely voters. MoE 3.9% (9/6-21 results, registered users)
Hostettler (R) 32 (32)
Ellsworth (D) 55 (47)

Well. . .here's another link that you might find useful:

Grabill, Indiana Real Estate
Find Grabill, Indiana, real estate, real estate agents and home values. Get access to new home listings in Grabill. Our free home price check features values for Grabill and other cities and suburbs in Indiana.

The Lone Conservative

Hat Tip to Sumo!

GOP approval at Record Low

According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released yesterday, the Republican party's approval ratings are at an all-time low, with approval of the Republican-led Congress at its lowest point in 14 years. With the mid-terms less than three weeks away, 47% of those polled said they were less in favor of keeping Republicans in control of Congress, compared to 14% who favored the status quo.

Only 16% approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest level since 1992. This is a full 8 points lower then the 24% job approval rating that the majority Democrat Congress had in October of 1994. Democrats lost 52 House and 8 Senate seats in that midterm election. Indeed, the poll would seem to indicate that people have been paying attention to the issues they are hearing about, rather than the usual spin.

Issues from Iraq, the new Woodward book on the BushCo's mis-handling of the war, and the unfolding scandal over Mark Foley's perversions and the cover-ups, are sticking with voters despite GOP attempts to divert attention elsewhere, anywhere. The poll numbers and Bush's own dismal approval ratings (mired in the 30% range) are an ominous sign for a party trying to retain control of Congress. The poll of 1,006 registered voters was taken from October 13-16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Tom Hayhurst on National Security

The #1 job of government is to protect America and keep it's citizens safe. No half measures will do. No excuses can be accepted. If we truly are to be the land of the free and a beacon of hope to the world, our elected leaders must act with renewed courage, especially in this time of war when the threat of terrorism breeds fear. Our leaders must work diligently to address our real security needs while honoring the core principles upon which our democracy is founded. Neither can be sacrificed.

As an Air Force veteran who stood to serve my country, I know the fight for freedom is a just and lasting cause. As a former member of the active military, I have been witness to the costs of duty and salute each day the bravery and skill of our men and women serving around the world. As a physician for over 30 years, I know how to make the tough decisions that ensure the well-being of my patients. As a local elected official, I know what it means to be accountable to the people I represent, the people who rely on me to solve problems and make our community stronger.

We live in a world growing smaller but more diverse each day. A one-size-fits-all national security policy is fundamentally inadequate. That is why this election is so important. We need leaders who will fight for truth, support our troops, demand sound, accountable plans of action, and invest in the safety of our nation. We need leaders who understand that there is a moral responsibility inherent in every choice they make.

Born of mis-information, built on mistakes, Iraq is a questionable war gone bad. But it is the war we made in a distant place with people we are now beholden to. We need leaders who will not shrink from this harsh reality. We need leaders who will live up to the values we profess, strive to find a path that protects America's interests, and refuse to flinch as we find a way to bring this mission to an end.

Debating the merits of going to war in Iraq must not distract us from this conflict's undeniable, horrific realities. We have troops on the ground and a country on the brink of civil war. Our soldiers need our help, and they need a plan. We need leaders in Washington who will demand a strategy that upholds the integrity and stability of Iraq as well as the security of the United States.

When I am in the U. S. Congress, I will:

• Make sure that everything possible is done to defend the citizens of this great country from any threats - whether external or internal.


• Stand firm in our war against terrorism and extremism.


• Work with the international community to stabilize Iraq, establish measurable goals for concluding the war, and promote the rebuilding of the country with Iraqi workers and Iraqi companies.


• Actively promote the adoption and implementation of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, the most concrete way we can make our nation more secure - a nation left vulnerable by five years or wrangling and inaction.
  

Cheney: Iraq is "going well"

Vice President Dick Cheney appeared on Rush Limbaugh's radio show yesterday, where the conservative host asked Cheney about mounting discontent among Americans with the war in Iraq. After admitting that there was "a natural level of concern," Cheney added, "If you look at the general overall situation, they're doing remarkably well."

His assessment seems unlikely in light of recent news out of Iraq, but moreover his words seem out of touch with American sentiment. Yesterday CNN released a poll that revealed public support for the war is at an "all-time low," with 64% of respondents saying they are against the war.

A few things. . .

- Conservative radio hosts are breaking with the Republican leadership in ways not seen in at least a decade, and certainly not since Rush Limbaugh’s forceful advocacy of the party in 1994 spawned a new generation of stars.

- GOP candidate Van Taylor (Bush's home district in TX) said Monday that when he decided to challenge U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, last year, “I was prepared to go it alone without any external support.” Now he may have to. The NRCC has pulled all advertising and financial backing for Taylor in his bid to oust Mr.Edwards.

- An event last night at Living Word Christian Center (Brooklyn Park, MN) featuring GOP Congressional Candidate Michele Bachmann could cost the church its nonprofit tax status. A personal endorsement from the pastor of the church, as well as Bachmann's own statements in her speech, appear to have violated regulations pertaining to partisan politicking by churches. Bachmann is in a tight race with Patty Wetterling, a race that's at the top of most election analysts lists in terms of importance and competitiveness.

- Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also are big supporters of alternative energy. The billionaires began driving hybrid cars shortly after they hit the mass market. Page also is among the investors in Tesla Motors Inc., a Silicon Valley startup developing a sports car that runs on electricity. Now Google is converting its renowned headquarters to run partly on solar power, hoping to set an example for corporate America. Godspeed and good luck tothem!

The notion that President Bush is not just in denial -- but is petulantly in denial -- is taking on greater credence thanks to two recent Washington Post stories.

Censorship in Georgia?

Woman Sues Over Ticket for Anti-Bush Bumper Sticker

Denise Grier, 47, of Athens, Ga., who got a $100 ticket in March after a DeKalb County police officer spotted her "I'm Tired Of All The BUSHIT" bumper sticker, has filed a federal lawsuit against the county. Although a DeKalb judge threw out the ticket in April because the state's lewd decal law that formed the basis for the ticket was ruled unconstitutional in 1990, Grier is seeking damages for "emotional distress" against the county, according to the lawsuit.

Grier is also seeking a declaration in the federal court that her bumper sticker is considered protected speech under the First Amendment because she is "uncertain and insecure regarding her right to display her bumper sticker in DeKalb County," according to the details of her lawsuit.

"This type of sarcasm in relation to political figures is as old as the country," said her attorney, Frank Derrickson. "We think this bumper sticker is just the latest example of this. We want to be assured that not just Ms. Grier but anyone who wants to have fun with the powers that be should be able to do that under the First Amendment." Derrickson said Grier still has the anti-Bush bumper sticker on her car, adding "I think she's got better ones than that, at least the ones that I saw".

G'bye Joe

Sen. Joe Lieberman likes it in the middle. . .and indeed committed to being there by running as an indy after his loss to Ned Lamont. He may as well have worn a bull's-eye on his back during a debate with his Democratic and Republican rivals Monday.

Joe, why are you surprised that Lamont and Schlesinger both teamed up on you? You picked your position; now lube up and shut up as you get pounded from both directions.

Democrat Ned Lamont fired away, calling Lieberman a career politician in lockstep with President Bush's invasion of Iraq, while long-shot Republican Alan Schlesinger warned moderates to consider Lieberman's record of voting mostly with Democrats. "I'm running against a career politician who says, 'Stay the course,"' said Lamont, echoing the anti-war mantra that propelled him to victory in the August primary. "It's time for us now to redeploy our forces." Trailing in the polls, Lamont hit back at Lieberman's charge that he is running a negative campaign. "It's not negative to say we've got to change course in Iraq," Lamont said.

Lieberman complained that Lamont is more interested in spreading blame than forging solutions to pressing problems. "His finger-pointing ... is the last thing Washington needs more of," said Lieberman, who has accused Lamont of running a harshly negative campaign.

The televised hourlong encounter also included Republican Alan Schlesinger, who saved his sharpest attacks for Lieberman. The two are vying for Republican votes.

DUH!

Schlesinger, recalling Lieberman's public scolding of former President Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal, sniped at the senator for being AWOL in Washington as North Korea pursued its nuclear ambitions. "The question should be why has Joe Lieberman over the last 18 years not been there on this issue," Schlesinger said. "Joe, you had more moral outrage about Mr. Clinton's indiscretions than about North Korea's nuclear proliferation."

He also branded Lieberman as part of what he called the "ostrich club" in the Senate. "They stick their head in the sand and hope something good will come out of it," the Republican said. Schlesinger cast himself as the lone conservative pitted against two liberals. "Don't listen to Joe's rhetoric, look at his voting record," Schlesinger said.

Lieberman has won support from some top Republicans. The White House has declined to support Schlesinger, 48, a former mayor and state representative.

Another DUH! Joe's been their bitch for several years now.

Lamont, 52, a wealthy cable TV executive who has tapped more than $8 million of his personal fortune to fund his campaign, cast himself as an outsider who would take on Washington's powerful special interests. "You need new people in Washington, D.C., a fresh perspective," he said. "Right now, we have a situation in Washington that's out of control."

Understatement of the year! We're taking back control of Congress this year, boys. Just sit back, powerless, as we cut the strings on your puppet regime, and return America to her former greatness. . .

America's Dumbest Congressmen

Good Evening, everybody. . .John Good here, filling in for Kasey Casem. Tonight's broadcast sheds a bright light upon our MIS-representation in Congress. RADAR ranks 'em, and we're counting 'em down. . .

Congress, as any CSPAN viewer can attest, has never been a bastion of intelligence. As far back as a century ago, Samuel Johnson was demeaning the nation's legislators as a "circus of rogues and fools." But when it comes to sheer stupidity, the men and women of the 109th have distinguished themselves as a breed apart.

Despite a notoriously compliant president and Republican majorities in both houses, they've spent over 600 days in session without conducting a shred of productive business, which is not to say they've just sat around. As the war in Iraq raged out of control, they futilely postured over an unconstitutional flag-burning amendment that was clearly destined to go up in flames. They rallied around the brain-dead Terry Schiavo after the Senate majority leader, watching her on television, claimed to detect signs of life. And their hijinks culminated this month with l'affaire Mark Foley, which raised the question of just who a guy needs to blow on the Hill to get the attention of the brain-dead House leadership.

But in a notably dumb year, perhaps the dumbest move came from Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, who sponsored a bill seeking $20 million in taxpayer money for a party to celebrate America's victory in Iraq. Not long ago such flagrant obtuseness might have ensured the senator a place on our annual list of America's Dumbest Congressmen. Alas, given this year's stiff competition, he didn't even make runner-up.

And now, on to our countdown:

Neo-cons

Perfect jam fer crusin' in yer neo-con tub-thumpa:

Dear Abby

Dear Abby,

I am a crack dealer in Bradenton who has recently been diagnosed as a carrier of the HIV virus. My parents live in a suburb of Tampa and one of my sisters, who lives in Sarasota, is married to a transvestite. My father and mother have recently been arrested for growing and selling marijuana and are currently dependent on my other two sisters who are prostitutes in Miami.

I have two brothers. One is currently serving a non-parole life sentence at Stark for murder of a teenage boy in 1994. The other brother is currently being held in the Manatee County Jail on charges of neglecting his three children.
I have recently become engaged to marry a former Thai prostitute who lives in Jacksonville and, indeed, is still a part-time "working girl" in a brothel.

My problem is this: I love my fiancée and look forward to bringing her into the family and of course I want to be totally honest with her. Should I tell her about my uncle who voted for Bush?

Signed,
Worried About My Reputation

Plane Crash!

Bush saves baby

A nice demonstration of Greg Lapast's book "Lap Dogs" (How the press rolled over for Bush)

Teen Terror Threat

Teen Questioned Over Bush Threats on MySpace

Secret Service Agents Remove 14-Year-Old Girl From Class

(From an AP report)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Oct. 14) - Upset by the war in Iraq, Julia Wilson vented her frustrations with President Bush last spring on her Web page on MySpace.com.

When 14-year-old Julia Wilson, left, found out that the Secret Service wanted to question her, she text messaged her mom Kirstie Wilson, "Are you serious!?!? omg. Am I in a lot of trouble?"

She posted a picture of the president, scrawled "Kill Bush" across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. She later replaced her page on the social-networking site after learning in her eighth-grade history class that such threats are a federal offense.

It was too late.

Federal authorities had found the page and placed Wilson on their checklist. They finally reached her this week in her molecular biology class.

The 14-year-old freshman was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents. The incident has upset her parents, who said the agents should have included them when they questioned their daughter.

On Friday, the teenager said the agents' questioning led her to tears.

"I wasn't dangerous. I mean, look at what's (stenciled) on my backpack - it's a heart. I'm a very peace-loving person," said Wilson, an honor student who describes herself as politically passionate. "I'm against the war in Iraq. I'm not going to kill the president."

Her mother, Kirstie Wilson, said two agents showed up at the family's home Wednesday afternoon, questioned her and promised to return once her daughter was home from school.

After they left, Kirstie Wilson sent a text message to her daughter's cell phone, telling her to come straight home: "There are two men from the secret service that want to talk with you. Apparently you made some death threats against president bush."

"Are you serious!?!? omg. Am I in a lot of trouble?" her daughter responded.

Moments later, Kirstie Wilson received another text message from her daughter saying agents had pulled her out of class.

Julia Wilson said the agents threatened her by saying she could be sent to juvenile hall for making the threat.

"They yelled at me a lot," she said. "They were unnecessarily mean."

Spokesmen for the Secret Service in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., said they could not comment on the case.

Wilson and her parents said the agents were justified in questioning her over her MySpace.com posting. But they said they believe agents went too far by not waiting until she was out of school.

They also said the agents should have more quickly figured out they weren't dealing with a real danger. Ultimately, the agents told the teen they would delete her investigation file.

Assistant Principal Paul Belluomini said the agents gave him the impression the girl's mother knew they were planning to question her daughter at school. There is no legal requirement that parents be notified.

"This has been an ongoing problem," said Ann Brick, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union in San Francisco.

Former Govs. Pete Wilson and Gray Davis vetoed bills that would have required that parents give consent or be present when their children are questioned at school by law enforcement officers. A similar bill this year cleared the state Senate but died in the Assembly.

Julia Wilson plans to post a new MySpace.com page, this one devoted to organizing other students to protest the Iraq war.

"I decided today I think I will because it (the questioning) went too far," she said.

Freddy Fender dead at 69

No more wasted days and wasted nights. Freddy Fender, who had suffered from lung cancer since early this year, died at noon today at his Corpus Christi home with his family at his bedside, according to a family spokesman. Like so many others in the country music industry, he had grappled with drug and alcohol abuse over the years. He was also treated for diabetes and had undergone a kidney transplant.

After some limited regional success and years of struggles, including time in prison, Fender hit it big in 1975 when "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" climbed to No. 1 on the pop and country charts.

"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" rose to No. 1 on the country chart and top 10 on the pop chart that same year, while "Secret Love" and "You'll Lose a Good Thing" also hit No. 1 in the country charts.

Fender was born Baldemar Huerta in 1937 in San Benito, the South Texas border town credited for spawning the Mexican-polka sound of conjunto. As a son of migrant workers who did his own share of picking crops, he was exposed to the blues sung by blacks alongside the Mexicans in the fields. Fender was proud of his Mexican-American heritage and frequently sung verses or whole songs in Spanish. "Teardrop" had a verse in Spanish.

After spending times in the Marines in the late '50s, he returned home and recorded Spanish-language versions of Elvis's "Don't Be Cruel" and Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell." The recordings were hits in Mexico and South America. In 1959, he signed with Imperial Records as Freddy Fender. Fender after his electric guitar, and Freddy because it went well with Fender.

Fender initially recorded "Wasted Days" in 1960. But an indiscretion involving marijuana possession placed Fender and his bass player in an Angola, LA prison for closde to three years. After his release came years spent in New Orleans working as a mechanic, taking some college classes and playing the occasional gig. He once said he sang in bars so dingy he performed with his eyes shut "dreaming I was on `The Ed Sullivan Show.'" Picking too many crops and guitar strings had left him with no sense of ever being able to reach the American dream.

But Fender got another chance when persuaded to record "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" on an indy label in 1974. The tune was picked up by a major label and went straight to the top,earning him the Academy of Country Music's best new artist award in 1975. He then re-released "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" and it climbed to the top of the charts as well.

Fender's later years were marred by health problems resulting in a kidney transplant from his daughter, Marla Huerta Garcia, in January 2002 and a liver transplant in 2004. Fender was to have lung surgery in early 2006 until surgeons found tumors.

"I feel very comfortable in my life," Fender told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times in August. "I'm one year away from 70 and I've had a good run. I really believe I'm OK. In my mind and in my heart, I feel OK. I cannot complain that I haven't lived long enough, but I'd like to live longer."

New TV ad from Dr.Tom Hayhurst!

Never Leave Our Troops Behind

Plutocraterpillar

When George W. Bush was asked about his favourite story from his childhood, he cited The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Amazon.com rates it as "baby preschool". It was published in 1969 when Bush was 23 years old. The book had a profound effect on him as explained in this parody.

The Lie Clock

A man died and went to heaven. As he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him. He asked, "What are all those clocks?"

St. Peter answered, "Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on Earth has a Lie-Clock. Every time you lie the hands on your clock will move."

"Oh," said the man, "whose clock is that?" "That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved, indicating that she never told a lie."

"Incredible," said the man. "And whose clock is that one?" St. Peter responded, "That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved twice, telling us that Abe told only two lies in his entire life."

"Where's President Bush's clock?" asked the man. "Bush's clock is in Jesus' office. He's using it as a ceiling fan.

Mark Foley & John Walsh

This one will not only give you the creeps, but piss you off as well! Hat tip to Chuck for finding this one:

Outing the GOP hypocrites

From U.S.Newswire:

Mike Rogers, the nation's top gay activist blogger, says he will out more Republicans on Capitol Hill each day for hypocritically opposing gay rights for political reasons when they themselves are gay -- starting with staff members, then turning to members of Congress and finally the leadership of the Republican Party.

Last night, Rogers posted the first two names of GOP staffers on what he says is his list of closeted hypocrites -- including one high in the office of House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) -- on his blog at blogactive.com. Rogers also wrote to the House Ethics Committee asking them to investigate the two men because as highly compensated staffers, they had "a vested interest in protecting closeted men like Mark Foley so the majority can remain in power."

A year and a half ago, Rogers blogged on Rep. Mark Foley's conflicted position as a secretly gay man who was voting and working against the gay community's interests.

Appearing on Fox News Channel's "O'Reilly Factor" earlier last night and last Thursday on MSNBC's "Tucker," Rogers said that he believes the stresses of being a closeted gay Republican contributed to Foley's predatory behavior toward House pages.

Also last Thursday, Rogers wrote to leaders of the Christian right in Western New York, asking them to join him in calling on Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) to come clean with constituents on why he did no more than pass the buck to Hastert after he learned of the Foley affair.

Anne F. Downey of North Boston, N.Y., the New York State director of Concerned Women for America, called Rogers back to say that her organization focuses on prayer -- specifically prayer for elected officials -- and that they would be praying for those involved in the scandal. She did not mention praying for the underage victims. The voice mail she left may be heard at http://www.blogactive.com/cwfa.mp3.

Rogers said he would continue outing closeted Capitol Hill Republicans who work against the gay community, despite their own sexual orientation.

"Those who equate being gay with immorality will be surprised just how diverse the House Republican caucus is when it comes to sexual orientation," Rogers said.

Hastert beached. .er. . .breached!

(From the Chicago Sun-Times)

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, with his job on the line because of the spiraling Mark Foley cyberspace page sex scandal, was duped Tuesday into letting a stranger into his Plano home -- a serious security breach.

Hastert literally let his guard down and allowed in his house a hustling, self-promoting evangelist little known in this country, the Houston-based K.A. Paul, who at 7:30 a.m. arrived at the speaker's home with a camera-wielding associate.

How Paul and his aide, Dennis Ryan, got to Hastert's door is a tale of apparent chance. How the publicity-hungry Paul and Ryan walked through it was a matter of a "frank discussion" later in the day with the federal security detail assigned to Hastert around the clock.

All top congressional leaders are provided security, with the protective force surrounding Hastert most visible because as speaker, he is the third in line to the presidency.

Hastert was led to believe he was meeting with a supporter. He was surprised to find out otherwise, the Sun-Times has learned. Paul said he asked Hastert to resign. He also said he prayed with the speaker and "laid hands" on him after a 40-minute meeting.

Read the full Sun-Times story here.

A letter from The President

Periodically, copies of letters from Republican officials fall into my little lefty hands. It's nice to know what they are up to, and often fun to add my comments. Submitted for your approval:

EMPHASIS MINE

Dear GOP Voter,

In one month, Americans will go to the polls to elect a new U.S. House and Senate, 36 Governors, and hundreds of state legislators.

Unless Diebold does their job, we may be in grave danger of losing everything that we have stolen from America over the last six years.

The November 7^th elections will determine the direction our nation will take, not just for the next two years, but for years to come.

My ass is out of here in 2008, but unless you act soon, they'll de-president me in early 2007!

That is why I am personally committed to helping our GOP candidates win. Laura and Vice President Cheney are also spending as much time as they can campaigning in every region of the country.

I know you keep turning down our offers of help in your campaignin', really, we have nothing more pressing to do! Dick and Bush are here to help yer electioning!

I hope I can count on you to help, too, by doing two important things:

(1.) Pull 'em down, and (2.) Bend over!

1. Make one last campaign gift to the Republican National Committee of $100, $150 or $200 to help fully fund our final get-out-the-vote efforts; and
2. Make certain you, your family and friends who support our bold, optimistic Republican agenda vote on November 7^th.

1. We need more of your money to take on these well-heeled liberal monsters! The money that they don't spend on chardonnay and caviar gets directly funneled to the ACLU!

2. Please share some kool-aid with your loved ones so that they too may be turned into sheep to be used for our purposes.

Will you help me and our Republican candidates again today? Your generous donation to the RNC is the single most important contribution you can make to ensure we maintain our GOP majorities in the U.S. Congress.

Diebold aint fixing these things for free, people! And we're running out of the kool-aid!

Voters have a clear choice to make on Election Day.

Yer either "with us" or "with the world". The world is bad, BAD! America MUST control the world with an iron fist, lest we fall into a 9/12/01 atmosphere, where even FRANCE like s us!

It’s a choice between Republicans who understand the most important responsibility we have is to protect and defend the people of the United States.

. . .from US.

Or Democrats who will wave the white flag of surrender in the global war on terror and deny the tools needed to achieve victory.

Those lousy Progressives will take us back to the days when the entire planet was behind us! SCREW France! Who cares about other countries, it's OUR planet NOW!

It’s a choice of whether we move forward with our pro-growth policies that have created more than 5.5 million new jobs since August 2003 and kept taxes low so you have more of your own money to spend and invest as you see fit.

Those minimum-wage jobs have more than made up for all of the high-paying factory jobs that we've outsourced overseas! And all of you people earning six-figure incomes DESERVE to keep more of yer HARD-EARNED income. SCREW those lower-income scum!

Or whether the opposition will turn back the gains we have made by raising taxes on working families and effectively economic growth.

THIS ONE can't even be doctored! SHEESH!

It’s a choice of whether we will continue to confirm judges to the federal bench who strictly interpret the Constitution, not legislate from the bench.

Apparently "strictly interpret" means SHRED.

Or whether Democrats will block our well-qualified nominees in favor of activist judges who want to invent new laws.

No, DUMBASS. We just want to ensure that YOU don't erase anymore of the rights guaranteed us by our founding fathers.

If the Democrats retake the U.S. House and Senate, they will immediately move to reinstate the failed policies of the past.

MY ASS will be TOAST! The constitution will once again be followed, and people will have rights! RIGHTS! We cannot risk that again!

Their policies will cost American jobs, weaken our nation’s security and devastate our economy.

They will return jobs to America, rejoin the global community, and basically fuck up corporatism! WE CANNOT allow this!

To meet the challenges of the historic times in which we live, we must elect Republican majorities to the U.S. House and Senate.

Retain. I meant "retain".

That means we must get every Republican, like-minded Independent, and discerning Democrat voter who supports our optimistic, hopeful agenda for America to the polls on Election Day.

Hi! Please have some kool-aid! What? No! It's free of charge (moohahhaha). . .Enjoy!

Please help today by sending one last campaign gift to the Republican National Committee of $100, $150 or $200. Simply return the enclosed form today with your contribution or go online at FRIGGEMAL.com/Campaign06. You can also call the RNC at 1-202-KOO-LAID to contribute by credit card.

HELP ME! OH, MY WORLD! MY WORLD!

Your contribution to the RNC will help pay for advertising, absentee ballots and the Get-Out-The-Vote drives that our candidates need to win.

Brainwashing people via the HAHA liberal media aint cheap!

The opposition and their liberal special interest group allies are leaving no stone unturned in their effort to distort our message of hope, freedom and opportunity.

These fuckers are ONTO US! WE NEED YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBERS and SECURITY CODES!!!

I am counting on active RNC Sustaining Members like you to give your support one last time. With your help, we can fully implement the policies that are the foundation of America’s continuing security, prosperity and stability.

"I don't wanna fade away" SEE how shameless we are?? We even quote that liberal Bruce Springsteen!

Time is short. I hope you will respond today.

"I'mmmmmmmmmmm mmeeeeelllttttttiiiiinnnnngggggggggg"! AAAAAHhhhhhhhhhh

Sincerely,

George W. Bush

Da Shrubinator

P.S. It is vital that we maintain our Republican majorities in the U.S. House and Senate. We must also elect more GOP Governors and state officials up and down the ballot. Winning is critical to keeping our bold, responsible agenda for America on track. I am counting on you to make a special last-minute campaign gift of $100, $150 or $200 to the RNC today to help win nationwide Republican victories. Thank you.

YOU, umm THEY are onto us!

Dr.Tom Hayhurst "on the air"!

This is the television spot that Dr.Hayhurst began running in the 3rd District yesterday:

Latest USA Today Gallup Poll

In case you missed the cover of USA Today this morning. . .

By Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A Capitol Hill sex scandal has reinforced public doubts about Republican leadership and pushed Democrats to a huge lead in the race for control of Congress four weeks before Election Day, the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows.

Democrats had a 23-point lead over Republicans in every group of people questioned — likely voters, registered voters and adults — on which party's House candidate would get their vote. That's double the lead Republicans had a month before they seized control of Congress in 1994 and the Democrats' largest advantage among registered voters since 1978.

Nearly three in 10 registered voters said their representative doesn't deserve re-election — the highest level since 1994. President Bush's approval rating was 37% in the new poll, down from 44% in a Sept. 15-17 poll. And for the first time since the question was asked in 2002, Democrats did better than Republicans on who would best handle terrorism, 46%-41%.

Souder hasn’t earned re-election

From today's Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:


Should make good on pledge to leave Congress

By Joseph Weiler







Hayhurst(L) and Souder(R)




Mark Souder is not the man to represent the 3rd Congressional District for the next two years. I believe Tom Hayhurst is a far better choice. For those of you who know me, you understand that this is not the knee-jerk opinion of another liberal letter writer.

For more than 20 years, I served as an editor of Fort Wayne’s conservative evening newspaper, the last decade and a half as its executive editor. I had a unique opportunity to meet with community leaders and everyday citizens to learn what they were working to accomplish and what they valued.

As executive editor, I was a member of the newspaper’s editorial board. I attended interviews with candidates, discussing and debating their strengths and weaknesses. I would measure what they had to offer against the needs and desires of voters. I would do my best to steer the newspaper’s endorsement to the candidates who demonstrated integrity, talent and a commitment to traditional conservative values. To me, those values included a love for our community, dedication to a smaller and less intrusive federal government, an understanding and appreciation for states’ rights and a commitment to and solid understanding that government is the guarantor of equal opportunity, not equal success.

Until my retirement in February 2003, the newspaper endorsed Souder for election each time he ran. However, were I casting my vote on that editorial board today, it would be a solid “no” for Souder.

He knows I feel strongly that he should have honored the pledges he made to the district when he first sought election. One of those was that he would serve for no more than 12 years. Well, his 12 years are up. Why is he running again? He says that because of congressional redistricting, which by law takes place every 10 years, he now represents a “new” district. But long before Souder made his 12-year pledge, he had become well schooled in the workings of Washington and was fully aware of the redistricting ahead. Were Souder a man of honor, he would value his integrity above re-election. It appears he does not.

But there is a more troubling aspect to Souder that makes me even more certain he is the wrong man for the job. Souder is among a key group of Republicans known as neoconservatives, or “neocons.” Playing on religious themes, they have appealed primarily to a group of conservative Christians who felt disenfranchised, particularly in the post-Reagan era.

Unfortunately, in appealing to this special-interest group, congresspersons such as Souder have felt free to shun all others, not listening to their concerns, not respecting their ideas and personal values, not including them among the constituents they serve.

And by this intentional isolation from all that they disagree with, the neocons have been among the primary instigators of the bitter politics that now, after almost six years of total Republican control, has left Washington in shambles. How sad that is.
In 2006, one cannot oppose the war in Iraq without being labeled a traitor; one cannot discuss equal rights of inheritance without being labeled a sodomite; one cannot question the curbing of our basic liberties without being called pro-terrorist.

In this atmosphere, little progress can or will be made in Washington. And Mark Souder is a key player in ensuring that no progress is made. This isn’t good for Republicans. This isn’t good for Democrats. This isn’t good for independents. And it certainly isn’t good for you and me.

I became familiar with Dr. Tom Hayhurst as a public servant serving on the Fort Wayne City Council. More recently, I talked one-on-one with him on a broad range of subjects from the war on terror to taxes to same-sex marriage. I am a longtime backer of conservative policies, so Hayhurst did not always agree with me. But on numerous occasions, he took the time to try to understand my positions, found key areas on which we did agree and promised to consider some issues I believe are important – for me and for you.

Whether you are a radical conservative or a liberal atheist or, like most of us, trying to survive somewhere between the extremes, it is time to vote for someone who will respect and listen to us all so that we can once again begin to listen to and respect each other.

Joseph Weiler retired as executive editor of the News-Sentinel in February 2003. He wrote this for local newspapers.

We're all in this together

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered – he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.

"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap-- alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house --like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.

In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life.

We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.