Friday, March 25, 2011
Wisconsin or Illinois?
Most recently, the last 2 weeks have proven to be Wisconsin-type politics
brought to Grayslake.
Michael Carbone, school board member, was targeted and censured based
upon allegations only. He was not allowed any due process prior to the censure.
On the other hand, the school board president, Mary Garcia, and Sue Facklam,
the vice-president and secretary, have had charges filed with the state's
attorney's office. There is an investigation pending.
You have to ask...why was the school board so quick to censure Michael Carbone, and
investigating allegations into Mary Garcia and Sue Facklam?
The answer is simple and obvious: Michael Carbone has exposed the corruption and
cronyism that exists on the school board and within the district.
Michael has brought to light, through his efforts at making the district more
transparent, some of the old politics and favors that have permeated that school
district as well as others throughout this state and this country.
You have to ask yourself: what do they have to hide? Why fight the transparency?
What are they doing that they don't want to be found out?
Time for Mary and Sue to be held accountable.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Have a Cup of Joe with Joe Walsh at Angelo's in Woodstock
- Where: Angelo's Restauarant, 117 E. Van Buren St. in Woodstock
- When: 10:00 - 11-30 AM
- Details: Please join Congressman Walsh to discuss what's going on in Washington and Illinois' 8th District over a cup of coffee at this week's "Have A Cup of Joe with Joe."
Angelo's 117 E Van Buren St. Woodstock, IL 60098
Please bring your friends, neighbors and coworkers out with you. Joe looks forward to seeing you there!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Walsh on ABC News
In case you missed it, Congressman Joe Walsh was featured on ABC News This Week for a seven minute segment. Here is the link to view the segment:
http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/tea-party-freshmen-return-home-13012478
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
8th Dist. Town Hall
As your Congressman, my top priority is to ensure your opinions are heard in our nation's capital. Your ideas, thoughts and suggestions are invaluable as I work to address the issues confronting us in Congress.
Please join me at this Town Hall Meeting for a chance to share your thoughts on jobs, the economy, health care, and spending - nothing is off limits. My staff and I are here to serve you; please let us know how we can.
The town hall will be this Thursday, February 24th from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at
Harper College - Wojcik Conference Center
1200 W. Algonquin Road
Palatine, IL. 60067
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Dear John
“May you live in interesting times” is an old Chinese curse that many would say is happening now. If you think the world and national news does not affect you personally, that might be a mistake. I just came across a postcard from a tourist in Germany it reads:
“Dear John, Have had a nice trip so far. Good weather and good conditions otherwise. It does not look like war here.
Regards, Bill”
The postcard is dated 8/20/1939 and about 3 weeks later war broke out in Europe. World War II inflamed the world, killed millions, and touched everyone living in some way.
Today we have riots in Greece, strikes and protests in England, Government overthrow in Egypt, riots & bloodshed in other Middle East countries, back at home the Federal government is in more debt than it has ever had. Our own State government is deep in debt and only thinks of taxing and spending its way out.
Too many of us watch TV shows, ballgames, play video games, or just busy earning a living and taking care of the family to pay attention to world and national news. Most of our fellow citizens think there is nothing they can do that would change these problems that will not really touch their lives anyway.
Years from now will someone find another note from Bill to John today mentioning that everything looks good and there is no sign of trouble.
We can and must get involved, contact your representative in Congress and your representative in Springfield and tell them what you and your community needs.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
More Taxes
The economy of our State is at a disadvantage, the State Capital raises taxes while our neighboring states welcomes businesses and consumers from Illinois trying to escape higher Illinois taxes. Our State is broke and all the Democratic controlled Legislature can come up with is to raise taxes.
When will the day come when this State starts to have a government that watches over the assets of the people and stops treating tax dollars as something that must be disposed of in the best manner they see fit?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A New Year and New Opportunities
In the 8th Congressional District in 2010, we voted for "change" and to move in a new direction. I hope it is "change" we can count on, not the status quo.
Expectations are too high and accountability will be at the forefront of the voters.
First on the agenda - stop the spending. There is no reason spending has to be increased over the prior year just because the prior year's budget was used up. In a lot of cases, the budgets are used up so they don't lose the money going forward. If they have to find ways to use the money at the end of the year, guess what....they don't need all of the money they already have in their budget, let alone an increase.
Not only should spending increases be stopped, spending should be cut. Across the board cuts. It's not an easy decision, and I don't envy our new Congressman for having to make them. The bottom line is that we don't have choices in our homes when revenue slows down, we must cut our own spending.
We EXPECT Congress to act responsibly and do the same. We do not expect anything less than what we must do in our own homes. In fact, we expect them to do it in the "People's House".
Next up on the agenda - Obamacare. Defund, repeal, and replace are all musts. Taking a step back and looking at the make up of Washington D.C., we see a Republican House, a Democratic Senate and a Democratic Executive Branch.
Reality would say that the President will veto any repeal of his signature legislation, Obamacare. Unfortunately this is probably accurate, so we must continue to pressure ALL Congressmen and Senators to defund this slap in the face to the American people.
Only by defunding it can we hit the pause button. We will not be able to rewind this tragic bill unless we make changes in 2012. But those changes MUST start now. The Republicans in Congress must understand that they were the lesser of two evils in November's elections, not the choice many would make if given a more viable option.
Next on the agenda must be tax cuts. Holding the tax rates stable from 2001 and 2003 tax changes is not sufficient. A 2 year temporary hold on the tax rates only provides stability for Congress and Washington, D.C.
2 years is not a long-term solution to the joblessness, the economic rebound, or growth and entrepreneurship in the coming years. Anytime someone starts a business, there is budgeting and forecasting for the short-term, 1-5 years, and the long-term, 5-10 years or longer.
How can anyone budget and forecast anything when rates are unstable? Not only individual tax rates, but corporate tax rates. People are taxed at the corporate level, then taxed at the individual level, then taxed again on their discretionary income through sales tax, use tax, etc.
Finally, people are taxed again when they die. They are taxed again on all of the things they have already been taxed on TWICE while they were living.
Is taxing more stimulative? It only serves to fill the pockets of the out 0f touch politicians in Washington D.C. and in Springfield.
We, as the citizens of the 8th District, MUST pay attention to what the politicians are doing. We MUST hold them accountable, and we MUST be VOCAL. This is the only way they will know we are watching them. It is the only way to remind them that they work for us, not that we work to pay their salaries.
2011 promises to be an interesting year. We must not yield, we must not let up, and we must keep going.
If we don't, who will be to blame?
We, The People will be.