Archive for July, 2009

Posted by State Representative Kevin Petersen, July 31, 2009
 

Wisconsin’s current shoreland zoning rules have been in effect since January of 1968.  They regulate the development within 300 feet of a river and 1,000 feet of a lake or the flood plain high water mark, whichever is greater, in all unincorporated areas of the state.  Like most government regulation, the rules cause discontent for property owners and regulators.  

 

Since 1998, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been working on a rewrite of Wisconsin Administrative Code, Natural Resources Chapter 115 (Shoreland Zoning).   According to the DNR, the new rule, a product of tens of thousands of public comments and numerous statewide hearings, would protect lakes and rivers by providing more flexibility for property owners and by streamlining the permitting process.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by ERICA WERNER, Associated Press, July 30, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House, Democratic leaders and four fiscally conservative House lawmakers worked out a deal Wednesday to move ahead on sweeping health care legislation.

The agreement would allow a committee vote, preserving momentum on President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.

The deal calls for exempting more small businesses from a requirement to offer coverage, trimming subsidies to help people buy health insurance, and making any government-sponsored insurance plan negotiate payment rates with medical providers — instead of dictating them. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Christopher G. Adamo, July 30, 2009

The Republican Party continues to amass expertise in losing elections. Its current reticence in getting behind the momentum of Sarah Palin, now the former Governor of Alaska, unequivocally proves the point.

Many have postulated in vain as to why such an energizing presence in the party has been soundly rejected by its “inner circle.” Yet despite phony attempts at eloquence and deep analysis, it is clear that somehow, the basic integrity and common sense that Palin exudes are themselves the offending factors. All of that “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” rhetoric may look good engraved on the monuments and surely sounds good in campaign ads, but this is just not how things are done in Washington anymore. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Bobby Eberle, July 29, 2009 at 7:32 am

The debate over Barack Obama’s health care plan continues. Senators are trying to cut deals and members of the House of Representatives are doing the same. Democrats are trying to push through a massive government plan that will cost Americans billions and billions of dollars all because Obama wants to take power away from the people and put it in the hands of government.

Throughout this debate, the voices of seniors have been strangely and disturbingly silent. Do they not know the details of ObamaCare? Are they so enamored with this “nice, young man” that they don’t even look at what the plan has to offer? ObamaCare has a strong message for seniors, and it is one they shouldn’t ignore: If you are old in America, then don’t get sick… you’re not worth the cost. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Michelle Malkin, July 29, 2009

Six months into the Obama administration, it should now be clear to all Americans: Hope and Change came to the White House wrapped in brass knuckles.

Ask the Congressional Budget Office. Last week, President Obama spilled the beans on the “Today Show” that he had met with CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf — just as the number crunchers were casting ruinous doubt on White House cost-saving claims. Yes, question the timing. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Bobby Eberle, July 28, 2009 at 7:36 am

President Barack Obama has been taking his lumps. His sky high approval rating has been steadily falling, and his massive spending and fondness for big-government programs are starting to reveal his true colors to the American people. Then, of course, there are his plans for health care. The plan continues to be attacked by Republicans and “blue dog” Democrats, and more Americans are fearful that with the government involved, health care will only get worse.

With all this going on, it sounds like the perfect time for a presidential distraction, right? Notice how when things get going tough for a president, there always seems to be something that pops up to divert attention and make him look more presidential? Based on several comments I’ve received, there are some who believe Obama’s comments about race and police actions were meant as a diversion. Somehow, I don’t think the reaction was what Obama had in mind. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by State Representative Kevin Petersen, July 28, 2009

On November 7, 2006 Wisconsinites voted 1,264,310 to 862,924 to define marriage in this state as being solely between one man and one woman.

Specifically, the Wisconsin Constitution was amended to say, “Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state.” The ballot question and new Constitutional language even went as far as to state that a legal status “substantially similar” to marriage shall not be recognized in Wisconsin. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Bobby Eberle, July 24, 2009 at 7:33 am

There are a few issues that rise above the rest for me. One of those is race relations, and how those on the left view “equality.” We are all supposed to get along and treat each other fairly, right? Yet, the liberals attempt to do this by treating people unfairly. With racial preferences, different racial and ethnic groups are given favor over others. This is fair? This is equality? I’m sick of it. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Michelle Malkin, July 22, 2009

Big Nanny Democrats want to ration health care for everyone in America — except those who break our immigration laws. Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee defeated an amendment that would have prevented illegal aliens from using the so-called “public health insurance option.” Every Democrat on the panel voted against the measure.

Nevada GOP Rep. Dean Heller’s measure would have enforced income, eligibility and immigration verification screening on all Obamacare patients. Unlike most everything else stuffed into the House Democrats’ plan, the citizenship vetting process would not have required building a new bureaucracy. Heller proposed using existing state and federal databases created years ago to root out entitlement fraud. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Bobby Eberle, July 22, 2009 at 7:05 am

The Associated Press describes Barack Obama’s first months as president as a wave of “hope and optimism that washed over the country.” The wording, of course, is misleading. Since almost half of the country did not vote for him, I surely would not say that “the country” was singing kumbaya when he was sworn into office.

Regardless of the wording or how the media choose to describe Obama, the reality of his presidency is starting to sink in. Hope and change? Americans are starting to see that what they hoped for was not this kind of change. As the latest polls are revealing, as with any good wave, this one is starting to crash. Read the rest of this entry »