745,000 pennies I coulda saved...

But they were never my pennies to begin with, right?

According to Forbes, Obamacare will increase health care costs for the average family of four by $7,450 before 2022.

Yowza!

Meanwhile, our wonderful Congresswoman Cheri Bustos is fighting for the military! Or something. It sounds like she's leading the charge to prevent a government shutdo-NOPE. She voted for a government shutdown so she could protect this wonderful "tax" called Obamacare.

Thanks, Cheri. My middle class family really appreciates it.

Respect

So on Wednesday, our favorite Congresswoman Cheri Bustos joined fellow congressional members at a 9/11 memorial service in Washington, DC.

And while the names of the dead were being read...

Cheri Bustos was texting. Or tweeting. Or maybe she was playing online poker with John McCain. Needless to say... wow.

Stay classy, Cheri.

Cheri Bustos is MIA

Very good letter in the Argus/Dispatch yesterday about Cheri Bustos' habit of being "missing-in-action."

It's actually becoming somewhat of a joke.

Bustos had the opportunity to vote to fund the Rock Island Arsenal... she doesn't show up.

She had the opportunity to vote for a budget (six of them!) and finally stand for something... she votes no.

She has had eight months to hold a town hall to listen to her constituents... she has held zero.

I hear she's a good fundraiser, though, so at least there's that. Unfortunately, that does no good for her constituents, who are left out in the cold with a "missing-in-action" congresswoman.

Cheri, get your priorities straight!

Cheri Bustos Shows Extremist True Colors

Tonight, Rep. Cheri Bustos showed her true colors. While often speaking of seeking "common-sense solutions" and "bipartisanship,"Bustos cast her most extreme vote yet. Bustos voted to allow late term abortions, even at the point in which the unborn child can feel pain.

With her vote tonight, Cheri Bustos voted against 80% of Americans who believe that late term abortions should be banned. Bustos voted against protecting millions of innocent lives from the excruciating pain that SCIENCE has proven the unborn can feel at 20 weeks.

Maybe if Bustos hadn't received almost $600,000 from pro-abortion groups and donors, she could have voted with 80% of Americans who support this "common-sense" bill.

Cheri Bustos Votes to Support Millionaires, Billionaires and Big Oil

I just read the Congressional Progressive Caucus "Back to Work" budget. You can read that here: CPC Budget

On the campaign trail we heard Cheri Bustos say the following would be her principles in Congress:

1. Ensure that millionaires and billionaires pay more of their fair share of taxes.
2. End tax breaks and incentives for big oil companies and companies that ship jobs overseas.
3. Protect Social Security and Medicare.
4. Cut down on waste, fraud and abuse.

If those were her principles, then why did she vote AGAINST the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget? According to their website, their budget would do the following:

1. Enact a Fair Individual Tax:

• Immediately allows Bush tax cuts to expire for families earning over $250K

• Higher tax rates for millionaires and billionaires (from 45% to 49%)

• Taxes income from investments the same as income from wages


2. Enact a Fair Corporate Tax:

• Ends corporate tax bias toward moving jobs and profits overseas 

• Enacts a financial transactions tax

• Reduces deductions for corporate jets, meals, and entertainment 


3. Protect Health Care:

• No benefit cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security 

• Reduces health care costs by adopting a public option, negotiating drug prices, and reducing waste and fraud


By voting against this budget, it's safe to say that Cheri Bustos isn't really against low taxes for millionaires and billionaires. It's safe to say that she's okay with tax breaks for big oil companies. She's also open to cutting social security and medicare. She doesn't prioritize cutting government waste. She clearly doesn't think that tax breaks for companies that outsource are that big of a deal either, otherwise she would have voted for this bill.

Cheri should explain why she didn't support this bill. Exactly what was in it that she disagreed with?

At the bare minimum, the local media in her district should be asking these questions.

Rep. Cheri Bustos: Budget Nihilist

From Wiki:

Nihilist may refer to:

• one who believes existence has no objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value, see nihilism

I recently stumbled upon this entry from RedState.com: Rep. Bill Owens: Budget Nihilist .

It said exactly my thoughts regarding my own member of Congress, Cheri Bustos.

From the talking points we heard on the campaign trail and her family history, blue dogs like myself knew that Cheri Bustos wasn't interested in actually fixing any of the problems in DC.

With her father being the chief of staff to high profile U.S. Senators and one of the biggest lobbyists in the country, we knew she was only interested in getting elected and then re-elected.

That's why when she had the chance to support a budget to fix America's deficit and fund transportation projects that our district desperately needs, she took the stance of a budget nihilist.

Out of the 4 Democrat budgets and 2 Republican budgets, Cheri Bustos voted against all of them.

By not submitting her own plan to Congress and rejecting all proposed budgets, Cheri Bustos told our district that a budget doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter if America gets out of debt. It doesn't matter if we fix our roads or bridges. It doesn't matter if the Rock Island Arsenal employees get sequestered. It simply doesn't matter.

If she believed it mattered, then she would have voted for a plan or submitted her own. But rather than putting our district -- no, no, OUR FAMILIES who depend on jobs, defense, and transportation ABOVE her re-election plans.

Phil Hare didn't care and Cheri Bustos doesn't either.

Bustos' First 3 Bills Have 0% Chance of Passing

So the fabulous Rep. Cheri Bustos has now introduced 3 bills since her inauguration in January. Problem is...according to Govtrack.us, they all have a 0% chance of passing Congress and 2 of the 3 have only a 1% chance of making it out of committee...

What's funny...Bustos had this to say about Bobby Schilling when he had only been sworn in for 5 months:

"My problem with Bobby Schilling is that he has yet to pass a single bill, a single bill. I don't think he's even passed a single bill out of committee yet."--Cheri Bustos at her campaign announcement in June 2011.

What's funnier...Schilling actually did pass legislation within his first 5 months...Bustos just wasn't familiar with how Congress works. Instead of passing a bill directly out of committee, Schilling instead positioned himself on the Armed Services conference committee and included 3 of his first bills into the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011, which was signed into law by President Obama. How a freshman Congressman managed to pass legislation without having babysat for one of the most powerful Senators is a question only Cheri Bustos can answer.

Will Bustos pass a bill by June? We'll see. But right now, it looks like she has a 0% chance.

That was quick...Bustos Loses Key Staffer After Just 30 Days

QCNews.org has the story here --- http://QCNews.org

But I guess Jerry Lack, Rep. Cheri Bustos' District Director, has turned in his two week notice. Lack, who is generally a well respected and pleasant person, told a QCNews.org source that he felt Bustos was not prioritizing the in-district operations like she was with the DC office.

Has Bustos "gone DC" already?

That was quick.

More on the Bustos illegal coordination allegations...

I don't know how this skipped my radar, but it did.

Apparently, Bustos and House Majority were also accused of coordination before election day -- click here to read the story in the Galesburg Register-Mail. The Bustos campaign uploaded b-roll footage to YouTube, which was, in turn, used in a House Majority Pac advertisement to support her.

The Schilling campaign filed a claim with the Federal Election Commission, but it was thrown out because YouTube is considered the "public domain" and there was a lack of evidence to prove coordination between the two groups.

Considering the fact that John and Ali Lapp are married and involved in both organizations (respectively), isn't it pretty clear that there was some type of coordination? Don't think they could have possible coordinated between the campaign and the House Majority Pac? Here are some easy ways they could have hypothetically "coordinated" but not "coordinated."

Ex. 1
John Lapp, at the dinner table with his wife Ali, gets a call from Cheri Bustos. Ali overhears him say, "Oh no! That's horrible! You mean we don't have enough money to put on TV in Rockford this week? Well I guess we will just have to pull our ads down..."Ali Lapp then proposes to have House Majority Pac purchase ads in Rockford attacking Bustos' opponent.

Ex. 2
John Lapp "forgets" and leaves polling and messaging data on the desk in the family office room. Ali, accidentally looks at it, thinking it is from House Majority Pac. Ali Lapp then uses that information to tailor an effective message, without having to pay for polling data.

It's not hard to put this all together and understand what really happened. The local press should at least ask tough questions.

At the very minimum, it was inappropriate and a conflict of interest for Ali Lapp to spend money on races that her husband was involved in. How do we know that he isn't promising outside help to his clients as an incentive to sign with him?

Illinois Review: CONGRESSWOMAN BUSTOS GRATEFUL TO NANCY PELOSI'S PAC

From Illinois Review:

Quad Cities - Newly-elected Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) says she's indebted to Nancy Pelosi's House Majority PAC for helping her and the Democrats win back the seat Republican conservative Bobby Schilling won in 2010. She's included in the House Majority PAC's new ad boasting about the Democrats eight pickups in 2012, but no, she's not asking for donations in the ad. That would be illegal.

Most certainly Bustos knows she also has Illinois House Speaker and Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Mike Madigan to thank for drawing the district's new boundaries to make it more Democrat-friendly. Sounds like she doesn't credit Madigan with too much campaign dollar help, though.

And we thought candidates weren't supposed to coordinate efforts with Super PACs. Silly us.

Did Cheri Bustos Illegally Coordinate With Super-Pacs?

So Bustos is in a new ad thanking the House Majority Pac for running ads during her election last fall. You can see the ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JFEFqNheQ

While it's weird and somewhat disturbing that she is thanking anyone but her supporters and the voters of the 17th district, I found something even more disturbing...

On Twitter this AM:

@nathanwurtzel do they point out that her GC was married to the head of @housemajpac
— Bobby Schilling (@reelectbobby) January 29, 2013

So Bobby Schilling is suggesting that Bustos' campaign was being run by the spouse of House Majority PAC. I did a little research and this is what I found:

1. According to the Federal Election Commission, Cheri Bustos paid Ralston-Lapp Media a total of $55,782 during the 2012 election cycle.

2. Ralston-Lapp Media is run by John Lapp who served as Bustos' general consultant for the 2012 cycle. Lapp was a critical partner to Rahm Emanuel in the 2006 mid-term elections.

3. John Lapp is married to Ali Lapp.

4. Ali Lapp runs House Majority Pac, which spent almost $600,000 to get Bustos elected.
SOURCE: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/167011-lapp-bringing-dems-back-from-the-brink
SOURCE: http://www.opensecrets.org/races/indexp.php?cycle=2012&id=IL17

5. Further, Ralston-Lapp makes no mention of Bustos on their site. You'd think that they would be promoting the heck out of her since she was one of their only successful House races this cycle.
SOURCE: http://www.ralstonlapp.com/what/

Was their coordination between the Bustos campaign and House Majority? Or did Ali Lapp just over hear her husband talking the phone about where they needed more ads to be played? Sounds like a "wink-wink" and "nod-nod" set up if you ask me.

I guess it's only considered "dark-money" when you don't coordinate.

ObamaCare Could Put 163,000 Illinois Seniors’ Medicare Benefits at Risk: Will Bustos Join the Fight to Protect It?

Washington Democrats Make Defending ObamaCare a Top Priority This Election Year Despite Its Record Unpopularity

WASHINGTON --- As Cheri Bustos' Washington Democrat allies prepare to ramp up their election year defense of the government takeover of healthcare, it should be remembered that the 163,000 Illinois seniors that are on Medicare Advantage health plans will be particularly hard hit under their big-government law. The government healthcare takeover is paid for in part by nearly $200 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage programs, which means seniors currently on these plans could find their benefits at risk. Since House Democrats are on the front lines defending their big-government healthcare takeover this year, will Bustos join them and accept these consequences for seniors in Illinois?

“Cheri Bustos' House Democrat allies call their government takeover of healthcare their ‘crown jewel’ and have made it clear it is their top priority to defend it this election year,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “But is Bustos willing to help them when 163,000 Illinois seniors could suddenly find their health benefits at risk because the government healthcare takeover was paid for in part with drastic cuts to Medicare?”

There are currently 163,000 seniors in Illinois who rely on Medicare Advantage benefits. (“Total Medicare Advantage (MA) Enrollment, 2011,” The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Accessed 5/2/12)

The government takeover of healthcare’s cuts to Medicare could put Medicare Advantage benefits at risk:

“Seniors in a number of states risk losing their Medicare Advantage benefits because of cuts in President Obama’s healthcare reform law, according to a new report from Avalere. The law contains about $200 billion in direct and indirect cuts to private Medicare plans through 2017.” (Julian Pecquet, “Report: Healthcare law cuts put Medicare Advantage benefits at risk in some states,” The Hill’s Healthwatch Blog, 3/12/12)

House Democrats in Washington are on the front lines of defending their government healthcare takeover this year:

“The law is divisive, and in swing states it’s an albatross for Democrats including the president and some of his Senate allies. So that leaves the House Democrats, many hailing from safe liberal districts where the health care law is popular, to soldier on like a lonely battalion defending the law and reminding the public of its benefits.” (Jonathan Allen, “The Obama Vacuum: House Dems defend health-care reform,” Politico, 3/21/12)

ObamaCare Could Put 163,000 IL Seniors’ Medicare Benefits at Risk: Will Bustos Join the Fight to Protect It? http://ow.ly/aGiIW #gopcodered

###

Millionaires, billionaires, and big oil companies

Have you heard Cheri Bustos lately? She sounds a little something like this:

"Millionaires! Billionaires! Big Oil Companies! Bobby Schilling is the incumbent congressman. Billionaires. Big Oil Companies. Millionaires."

Just for the readers reference, Bobby Schilling is a small business owner, a pizza shop owner actually. 

Cheri Bustos on the other hand is the former marketing director for Iowa Health Systems and made $306,000 her last year there.

Bustos isn't fooling anyone.

Will Bustos Learn from the Democrats Solyndra Stimulus Disaster?

Illinois Democrat’s Washington Allies Remain Desperately Committed to their Fatally Flawed National Energy Policy

WASHINGTON --- Cheri Bustos' Washington Democrat allies promised jobs and energy independence when they passed their massive $800 billion stimulus, but it became increasingly clear that gambling with taxpayer dollars was going to cause more harm than good. Despite the obvious lessons learned from the unprecedented spending spree, would Bustos also cling to these failed stimulus spending policies like her prospective Democrat leaders after they gave Americans the Solyndra bankruptcy scandal and record-high energy prices?

“Cheri Bustos can now see exactly how her Washington Democrat leaders’ stimulus spending spree led to failures like the Solyndra bankruptcy instead of economic recovery and energy independence,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “With this in mind, will Bustos join her Democrat allies’ efforts to continue the same energy policies that gave Americans the $535 million Solyndra bankruptcy, record-high energy prices and broken promises?”

A former FBI agent hired to investigate the Solyndra bankruptcy concluded the Obama Administration was well aware of the risk when they decided to gamble with millions in taxpayer-funded stimulus loans:

“The Department of Energy was fully aware of the risks in backing Solyndra Inc., a start-up company that pocketed a half-billion dollar DOE loan but never turned a penny in profit before shutting its doors, concludes a former FBI agent hired to examine the company’s books…

“In fact, records show, the Energy Department supported the Solyndra financing in the early days of the Obama administration in the face of criticism from officials within several wings of government — the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Treasury and DOE. ‘This deal is NOT ready for prime time,’ one OMB employee wrote March 10, 2009, government emails show. Ten days later, energy officials announced Solyndra was in line to be the first company to secure a green energy loan guarantee.” (Ronnie Greene, “Department of Energy knew of Solyndra risks, former FBI agent finds,” iWatch News, 3/29/12)

And Democrats remained committed to their stimulus energy flops after they managed to achieve little except burning through taxpayer money:

“Week after week, Romer would march in with an estimate of the jobs all the investments in clean energy would produce; week after week, Obama would send her back to check the numbers. ‘I don't get it,’ he'd say. ‘We make these large-scale investments in infrastructure. What do you mean there are no jobs?’ But the numbers rarely budged.” (Jordan Weissmann, “There Are Way Fewer Green Jobs Than You Think,” The Atlantic, 3/26/12)

I do not like that Cheri - i - am

I do not like her ridiculous demands.

Anyone else get phone calls from Cheri Bustos demanding large amounts of money for her campaign? She doesn't even ask for it, she demands it. What a "servant" of the people.

Tip for Cheri...DECAF Coffee!

Another reason I am voting for George Gaulrapp.

I've got friends in Peoria who are voting for Gaulrapp because they don't like that Durbin kicked out Sen. Koehler.

I pray to God that my sources are correct and that the Queen of Des Moines is down in the polls.

Cheri and Emily: Best Friends Forever

Check out this story from Monmouth:

Greg Aguilar:

"Voters need to follow the money trail. Where is the money coming from? That is where the loyalty will be when they get to Washington. With EMILY's List she (Bustos) will have to fight for partial-birth abortion and for minors to have abortions without parental consent. That just scares me."


It's true. Bustos is completely tied to EMILY's list and will be FORCED to fight for partial birth abortion and for minors to have abortions without parental consent.


This type of extremism is worrisome. She definitely is a poor candidate to face a moderate like Schilling in the general election.

< 3 Best Friends < 3

Another reason I'm not voting for Cheri Bustos: Sheila Simon.

Illinois Democrats have ruined this state, yet they are the first people to line up behind Cheri Palin-Bustos' campaign.

Cheri Palin

Is it me? Or does Cheri Bustos remind a lot of people of a democratic version of Sarah Palin? Sarah couldn't handle being governor, so she resigned early. Cheri couldn't handle 2 meetings a month on the city council, so she resigned.

I guess maybe Palin is actually more qualified than Bustos.

Good bye Cheri Bustos, hello Cheri Palin!

Lies my former alderman told me

When is Cheri Bustos going to be called out on her blatant lies?

She claims to have "wide, grassroots financial support" but received $71,000 from the ABORTION industry?

That's right. EMILY's List -- the most far, left abortion group in the Nation is pouring tens of thousands into Cheri Bustos' campaign account.

Why is the ABORTION industry pouring money into a Western Illinois congressional race?

Furthermore, why is Cheri accepting money from a group that only endorses pro-abortion women who favor absolutely no restrictions on abortion? Does Cheri stand against ANY restrictions on Abortion? Including parental notification, partial birth abortion bans, taxpayer funding bans?

Why is Cheri running on ABORTION rights anyways? Is that really the most important issue in this election?

The bullish*t begins

I'll be honest.

I had high hopes for this next election. As I've stated before, I was raised in a blue collar home that tended democrat but we also didn't like gay marriage or abortion.

Since these candidates have come out, it's been nothing but disappointment. Why?

Dave Koehler didn't have the balls to stand up for his own personal convictions against a powerful U.S. Senator.

Cheri Bustos has turned into a horribly negative, unfair and destructive special interest candidate.

Aguilar and Gaulrapp can't raise a damn dime.

This is fine by me. I was going to support Schilling in the end anyways because of his reasonable support for PLA's. But how disappointing.

It's looking like Bustos will be the nominee. Are Democrats in Illinois that stupid that we are going to nominate a corporate queen who made millions off of the health care industry?

Even Jacobs (as much of a joke he is) would have been an interesting race.

Of course, my personal favorite was Mark Schwiebert. If he had the balls to run, he would've given Schilling a run for his money. Schwiebert is good when it comes to gaining crossover support from independents and even some right wingers. Maybe next time Marky!