I just wanted to note that we've reached another milestone here at Team America with over 150,000 visitors to the site since our inception back in October 2007. Our all-time high daily traffic point was right before the February primary with almost 1,000 visitors on a single day, and almost 13,000 just for January 2010!
It's also interesting that it took us almost two years to reach 100,000 hits, but we increased that by 50% in less than six months. The momentum is with us and the GOP in 2010!
So, thanks for hanging out with us and reading Team America!
For those of you long-time fans who know the backstory of how Team America came to be, we have now handily overtaken our friend Ellen of the Tenth (despite her headstart of over two years) in terms of number of site visitors (this morning she was at around 142,500, according to her sitemeter).
Just in case anyone was counting. ;-)
Thanks again,
TA
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Being 'Too Inspiring' Is Not The Tea Party's Problem
Today's Wall Street Journal has a number of articles examining the impact of the Tea Party movement and its potential effect on several important upcoming primaries in Florida and Virginia, among other places, not to mention the November mid-term elections.
One front page article features a quote from my former law school pal Patrick Hughes, who ran a distant second to Congressman Mark Kirk in the U.S. Senate GOP primary here in Illinois:
"The problem with the tea-party movement is it has inspired too many candidates," says Patrick Hughes, a candidate with tea-party backing who was trounced by Rep. Mark Kirk in the crowded Illinois Republican Senate primary. "The movement will fail if it can't coalesce behind candidates who can win."
Leaving aside whether it's better to have your name mentioned in the WSJ, even if it refers to you as getting "trounced" (ouch), or not at all, Pat's analysis of the tea party "problem" misses the mark, at least as it played out here in Illinois, which might give some insight into the tea party's effect on other races elsewhere.
First, if we define the tea party "problem" as the fact that so far, it has been ineffective in electing a candidate to any major race that I know of (with the possible exception of Joe Walsh in Illinois' 8th Congressional District, and we can argue about Scott Brown, but we'll get to them in a minute), the biggest reason for that is that as an 'anti-establishment' movement, many people who have been recently attracted to the movement seem to eschew traditional politics and governmental intrusion on their lives, and have little experience in effecting political change. From what I can tell, many of these folks have never been heavily involved in politics at all before, aside from voting. If your primary motivation in getting involved in politics is to be left alone, likely once your anger dies down, you will go back to your normal life, which doesn't include a lot of attention or energy (or money) devoted to politics.
In general, that's the problem with 'reactionary' movements, the enthusiasm for which tends to trail off as people get over their umbrage at whatever motivated them in the first place. That's also why so-called "community organizers" (which our President spent some time as) actually have a job -- they basically need to convince people who didn't realize there was a problem (or weren't motivated enough to do anything about it) go out and mobilize for some kind of action.
The second issue is that, contrary to Pat's assertion, the tea party movement seems to have actually "inspired" few candidates. This was certainly the case in the U.S. Senate GOP primary. Of the many candidates in the crowded field, none of them originally announced themselves as the "tea party candidate" -- indeed, retired downstate Judge Donald Lowery announced his candidacy as a Republican even before GOP favorite Congressman Mark Kirk had announced, and before the tea party movement had caught much attention. Pat Hughes himself had originally branded his campaign as one of "mainstream Republican values" (and an anti-Mark Kirk) and came to embrace tea partiers only as a source of support, rather than as a fundamental affiliation of some kind. Going beyond Illinois and looking at races such as the Florida U.S. Senate GOP primary, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, the establishment candidate, is struggling with a surprisingly strong challenge from the more conservative Marco Rubio, but Rubio did not start out as a tea party candidate either. Among other strong Rubio supporters is conservative Senator Jim DeMint, who has been busy building up his own brand, with his Senate Conservatives Fund. (Interestingly, Hughes had desperately sought the endorsement of DeMint, but was unsuccessful due to Hughes' failure to present a viable conservative alternative to the more moderate Mark Kirk).
Rather than being "inspired," as Pat puts it, it seems that many candidates are simply trying to take advantage of the tea party movement as a (for now) motivated, excited base of support, while still trying to run under the mantle of the Republican party to also tap into the benefits of an established political party. Even candidates like Joe Walsh, in IL-8, who called himself a "tea party conservative first and a Republican second," still ran as a Republican and now, as the nominee, is reaching out to and embracing traditional establishment Republican support (and money). And while Scott Brown was claimed by the tea party as a major victory, the notion that the tea party movement actually was responsible for his victory is questionable at best, and now that Brown has become more correctly understood as a very moderate politician, willing to reach across the aisle when appropriate, many under-informed tea partiers improperly seem to think they were misled.
So, this brings us to the real issue here, which is that tea party movement can't seem to decide if it wants to be a traditional third party alternative to the GOP, which many of the tea party activists believe has left behind traditional conservative values, or if it simply wants to be an influential, but decentralized, political bloc, with nominal leaders like Sarah Palin channelling its energy and votes in a very personal, and largely race-by-race, manner. It's worth noting that even candidates like Rubio are still vying for the GOP nomination, and there seems to be very little support nationally for making the tea party a viable third-party alternative to the GOP. But the potential to split the Republican vote in many elections should have everyone worried. It's already happening in places like Ohio.
All of that means that if the Republican party wants to be successful this November, it is going to have to find a way to maintain its identity, while still attracting and energizing those who have embraced the tea party movement. As the WSJ points out, concerned Democrats are looking at the potential party division represented by the tea partiers, and will work overtime to exploit it:
Handicappers are predicting heavy Democratic losses in November. Democrats hope the tea-party surge will soften that blow by diluting Republican campaign coffers and pulling mainstream conservatives to the right, imperiling their chances in the general election.
"This is great news for us," says Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC has launched a Web site to highlight divisions in the GOP primaries.
Anything that the DCCC sees as a good thing ought to scare the bejeebers out of the GOP, so I am hopeful we can all figure out a way to leverage the energy and motivation of tea partiers in such a way that it adds to the resurgence of the GOP, and not torpedo it.
One front page article features a quote from my former law school pal Patrick Hughes, who ran a distant second to Congressman Mark Kirk in the U.S. Senate GOP primary here in Illinois:
"The problem with the tea-party movement is it has inspired too many candidates," says Patrick Hughes, a candidate with tea-party backing who was trounced by Rep. Mark Kirk in the crowded Illinois Republican Senate primary. "The movement will fail if it can't coalesce behind candidates who can win."
Leaving aside whether it's better to have your name mentioned in the WSJ, even if it refers to you as getting "trounced" (ouch), or not at all, Pat's analysis of the tea party "problem" misses the mark, at least as it played out here in Illinois, which might give some insight into the tea party's effect on other races elsewhere.
First, if we define the tea party "problem" as the fact that so far, it has been ineffective in electing a candidate to any major race that I know of (with the possible exception of Joe Walsh in Illinois' 8th Congressional District, and we can argue about Scott Brown, but we'll get to them in a minute), the biggest reason for that is that as an 'anti-establishment' movement, many people who have been recently attracted to the movement seem to eschew traditional politics and governmental intrusion on their lives, and have little experience in effecting political change. From what I can tell, many of these folks have never been heavily involved in politics at all before, aside from voting. If your primary motivation in getting involved in politics is to be left alone, likely once your anger dies down, you will go back to your normal life, which doesn't include a lot of attention or energy (or money) devoted to politics.
In general, that's the problem with 'reactionary' movements, the enthusiasm for which tends to trail off as people get over their umbrage at whatever motivated them in the first place. That's also why so-called "community organizers" (which our President spent some time as) actually have a job -- they basically need to convince people who didn't realize there was a problem (or weren't motivated enough to do anything about it) go out and mobilize for some kind of action.
The second issue is that, contrary to Pat's assertion, the tea party movement seems to have actually "inspired" few candidates. This was certainly the case in the U.S. Senate GOP primary. Of the many candidates in the crowded field, none of them originally announced themselves as the "tea party candidate" -- indeed, retired downstate Judge Donald Lowery announced his candidacy as a Republican even before GOP favorite Congressman Mark Kirk had announced, and before the tea party movement had caught much attention. Pat Hughes himself had originally branded his campaign as one of "mainstream Republican values" (and an anti-Mark Kirk) and came to embrace tea partiers only as a source of support, rather than as a fundamental affiliation of some kind. Going beyond Illinois and looking at races such as the Florida U.S. Senate GOP primary, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, the establishment candidate, is struggling with a surprisingly strong challenge from the more conservative Marco Rubio, but Rubio did not start out as a tea party candidate either. Among other strong Rubio supporters is conservative Senator Jim DeMint, who has been busy building up his own brand, with his Senate Conservatives Fund. (Interestingly, Hughes had desperately sought the endorsement of DeMint, but was unsuccessful due to Hughes' failure to present a viable conservative alternative to the more moderate Mark Kirk).
Rather than being "inspired," as Pat puts it, it seems that many candidates are simply trying to take advantage of the tea party movement as a (for now) motivated, excited base of support, while still trying to run under the mantle of the Republican party to also tap into the benefits of an established political party. Even candidates like Joe Walsh, in IL-8, who called himself a "tea party conservative first and a Republican second," still ran as a Republican and now, as the nominee, is reaching out to and embracing traditional establishment Republican support (and money). And while Scott Brown was claimed by the tea party as a major victory, the notion that the tea party movement actually was responsible for his victory is questionable at best, and now that Brown has become more correctly understood as a very moderate politician, willing to reach across the aisle when appropriate, many under-informed tea partiers improperly seem to think they were misled.
So, this brings us to the real issue here, which is that tea party movement can't seem to decide if it wants to be a traditional third party alternative to the GOP, which many of the tea party activists believe has left behind traditional conservative values, or if it simply wants to be an influential, but decentralized, political bloc, with nominal leaders like Sarah Palin channelling its energy and votes in a very personal, and largely race-by-race, manner. It's worth noting that even candidates like Rubio are still vying for the GOP nomination, and there seems to be very little support nationally for making the tea party a viable third-party alternative to the GOP. But the potential to split the Republican vote in many elections should have everyone worried. It's already happening in places like Ohio.
All of that means that if the Republican party wants to be successful this November, it is going to have to find a way to maintain its identity, while still attracting and energizing those who have embraced the tea party movement. As the WSJ points out, concerned Democrats are looking at the potential party division represented by the tea partiers, and will work overtime to exploit it:
Handicappers are predicting heavy Democratic losses in November. Democrats hope the tea-party surge will soften that blow by diluting Republican campaign coffers and pulling mainstream conservatives to the right, imperiling their chances in the general election.
"This is great news for us," says Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC has launched a Web site to highlight divisions in the GOP primaries.
Anything that the DCCC sees as a good thing ought to scare the bejeebers out of the GOP, so I am hopeful we can all figure out a way to leverage the energy and motivation of tea partiers in such a way that it adds to the resurgence of the GOP, and not torpedo it.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Strength of Obama Administration's Iran Policy Limited to the Least Willing UN Security Council Member
One of the planks of President Obama's campaign strategy was heavy criticism of the Bush Administration's foreign policy, which Obama often alleged had damaged the United States' standing in the world partially due to Bush's 'cowboy diplomacy.' The United States will rehabilitate its image in the world under my administration, Obama promised. The whole problem is that we simply haven't asked totalitarian regimes, like Iran, nicely enough to give up their nuclear ambitions or other goals deemed incompatible with the U.S.'s and our allies interests.
Well, it's over a year later, and we don't see a lot of increase in the United States' standing in the world community, in my view. The Obama administration is coming under heat (admittedly mostly from the right) because we seem to be placating our enemies and dissing our allies. Obama has turned the other cheek to these rogue nations, and they have pasted him on it.
Now, while the Obama administration has been talking very tough on new Iran sanctions, along the lines of those proposed many months ago by Congressman Mark Kirk, that would hit Iran where it would really hurt, the U.S. is now backing off the harshest sanction proposals because it does not appear that such sanctions would have the support of UN Security Council members like Russia and China.
It should not be a shock. Given that Obama soundly criticized Bush for his 'go it alone' when necessary approach to foreign policy, to now take any steps that don't have UN backing and might paint Obama himself as just as much of a 'cowboy' as Bush, well now, that would not do at all.
Interesting that billboards are now springing up with a picture of President Bush saying "Miss Me Yet?" I don't know if the billboard craze is going to catch on, but you may find a lot more people asking themselves that very same question.
Well, it's over a year later, and we don't see a lot of increase in the United States' standing in the world community, in my view. The Obama administration is coming under heat (admittedly mostly from the right) because we seem to be placating our enemies and dissing our allies. Obama has turned the other cheek to these rogue nations, and they have pasted him on it.
Now, while the Obama administration has been talking very tough on new Iran sanctions, along the lines of those proposed many months ago by Congressman Mark Kirk, that would hit Iran where it would really hurt, the U.S. is now backing off the harshest sanction proposals because it does not appear that such sanctions would have the support of UN Security Council members like Russia and China.
It should not be a shock. Given that Obama soundly criticized Bush for his 'go it alone' when necessary approach to foreign policy, to now take any steps that don't have UN backing and might paint Obama himself as just as much of a 'cowboy' as Bush, well now, that would not do at all.
Interesting that billboards are now springing up with a picture of President Bush saying "Miss Me Yet?" I don't know if the billboard craze is going to catch on, but you may find a lot more people asking themselves that very same question.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Lake County Republican Federation's Spring Gala Features Tim Pawlenty; Plus Garrett Watch Update
The Lake County Republican Federation will welcome Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty as the keynote speaker for its annual Spring Gala, to be held at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort on Friday, April 16th. As a top contender for vice-president as John McCain's running mate in 2008, many suspect he is positioning himself for a presidential run in 2012.Other expected guests are Congressman Mark Kirk, who is running for U.S. Senate, Joe Walsh, candidate for the 8th Congressional District, Bob Dold, candidate for the 10th Congressional District, and Bill Brady, candidate for Illinois Governor. Bob Cook, the new Lake County Republican Chairman, will do the time-honored ritual of introducing all of the elected officials in attendance (which means that almost everyone in the room gets acknowledged at least once, it seems).
Tickets for the 49th Annual Gala $100 each, with sponsorship levels at $250 (individual patron), $1,000 (dinner sponsor), $2,500 (patron sponsor), $5,000 (governor sponsor) and $10,000 (underwriting sponsor). Precinct committeemen, Election Judges and Members of the Lake County Young Republicans are only $75.
The cocktail reception begins at 5:30 p.m., and dinner begins promptly at 7:00 p.m.
I was over at the Marriott yesterday getting the menu finalized and I guarantee it will be yummy.
Call the Federation's new Executive Director, Chelsea Stanley, at 847-680-6680 for more information or visit the Federation website here.
Garrett Watch: State Senator Susan Garrett, who is being looked at very seriously as the Democratic potential nominee to replace pawnbroker Scott Lee Cohen, is trying to downplay the perception that she is the front-running candidate that will be chosen by Governor Quinn and House Speaker Michael Madigan. But TA's sources on the street say it's already a "done deal." So, which will turn out to be correct? We shall see, soon.
Also - Republican Assembly of Lake County Reagan Day Dinner: The RALC, which is the leading conservative Republican group in Lake County, will host its 8th Annual Reagan Day Dinner at White Deer Run Golf Course in Vernon Hills, this Saturday, March 27th, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Expected speakers are Bob Cook, the new Lake County Central Committee Chairman, and Bill Brady, candidate for governor. Tickets are $40 for RALC members, $50 for non-members. Call 847-367-5231 for more information. RSVPs are required.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
State Rep. Carol Sente Flip-Flops on National Health Care Support
What a difference a couple weeks make.
As we all stand waiting to see the fate of ObamaCare tomorrow (which is when most predict a final vote will be taken in the U.S. House), the Illinois General Assembly last week passed a resolution (HR0569) to support President Obama's plan to revamp and remake healthcare in his own vision, and which specifically stated: "we urge President Obama and the United States Congress to take immediate action to adopt meaningful heath care system reform in keeping with the Obama administration's articulated goals."
Most Republicans voted against the resolution, of course, and only a handful of Democrats (mostly vulnerable Democrats in suburban districts) also opposed it. Guess what newly-appointed State Represenative Carol Sente of the 59th Legislative District, a Democrat, did?
Sente voted no.
However, only weeks before, Sente had voted with the Democratic majority in the GA to kill a Republican-sponsored resolution opposing national heath care. So, interestingly, she seemed to vote in favor of national healthcare before she voted last week against it.
So, what gives? Is Sente shamelessly pandering to her constituents to bolster her "independent" credentials on a relatively unimportant vote? Or does she really think that ObamaCare will be the ruination of the nation? (Don't believe me? Check out this article which states that Caterpillar, a hugely important Illinois employer, estimates that ObamaCare will increase its costs by $100 MILLON (yes, million) a year).
If Sente is really against ObamaCare, she should put on her website all of the substantive reasons that ObamaCare is a terrible proposition, and she should be out there calling all of the Democratic Congressmembers like Bill Foster and Melissa Bean to convince them to vote against it.
Otherwise Sente is just another pandering politician who received "permission" from Speaker Mike Madigan to take a vote on a meaningless bill that she can use later when debating GOP nominee Dan Sugrue to counter claims she is in the pocket of the Democratic machine. Like any good lawyer, however, Sugrue will be well-prepared with the cross-examination points above to be able to show that Sente's claim of "independence" is just a claim, without any real proof to back it up. Let's hope voters are listening.
As we all stand waiting to see the fate of ObamaCare tomorrow (which is when most predict a final vote will be taken in the U.S. House), the Illinois General Assembly last week passed a resolution (HR0569) to support President Obama's plan to revamp and remake healthcare in his own vision, and which specifically stated: "we urge President Obama and the United States Congress to take immediate action to adopt meaningful heath care system reform in keeping with the Obama administration's articulated goals."
Most Republicans voted against the resolution, of course, and only a handful of Democrats (mostly vulnerable Democrats in suburban districts) also opposed it. Guess what newly-appointed State Represenative Carol Sente of the 59th Legislative District, a Democrat, did?
Sente voted no.
However, only weeks before, Sente had voted with the Democratic majority in the GA to kill a Republican-sponsored resolution opposing national heath care. So, interestingly, she seemed to vote in favor of national healthcare before she voted last week against it.
So, what gives? Is Sente shamelessly pandering to her constituents to bolster her "independent" credentials on a relatively unimportant vote? Or does she really think that ObamaCare will be the ruination of the nation? (Don't believe me? Check out this article which states that Caterpillar, a hugely important Illinois employer, estimates that ObamaCare will increase its costs by $100 MILLON (yes, million) a year).
If Sente is really against ObamaCare, she should put on her website all of the substantive reasons that ObamaCare is a terrible proposition, and she should be out there calling all of the Democratic Congressmembers like Bill Foster and Melissa Bean to convince them to vote against it.
Otherwise Sente is just another pandering politician who received "permission" from Speaker Mike Madigan to take a vote on a meaningless bill that she can use later when debating GOP nominee Dan Sugrue to counter claims she is in the pocket of the Democratic machine. Like any good lawyer, however, Sugrue will be well-prepared with the cross-examination points above to be able to show that Sente's claim of "independence" is just a claim, without any real proof to back it up. Let's hope voters are listening.
Friday, March 19, 2010
What Does Alexi Giannoulias Have In Common with Iran - They Both Have the Same French Banker (UPDATED)
As the next segment in the continuing saga of "interesting" relationships between U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias and his personal and family financial relationships, we are now learning, via the Weekly Standard, that his family's real estate investment company, Giannoulias Enterprises, obtained loans from a French bank known for financial ties to Iran's energy interests:
Although several legislative efforts in Congress are currently in the works to apply more sanctions to Iran, and although Giannoulias has called Iran “the greatest single threat to peace in the Middle East,” when it comes to his personal finances, however, Giannoulias does not apply the same standards.
Giannoulias owns stock in his family’s Giannoulias Enterprises, a limited partnership that owns several properties in Chicago. Giannoulias’s brother, Demetris, serves as the president.
In April 2007, Giannoulias Enterprises refinanced its real estate portfolio, taking out a $21.5 million, 10-year loan on six properties – four of them being the locations of the family’s Broadway Bank. With all the banks in the world to choose from, Giannoulias Enterprises selected the French investment bank Natixis – an institution with a long and public history of doing business in Iran.
Congressman Mark Kirk, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, responded:
“Once again, Alexi Giannoulias demonstrates a pattern of reckless decisions and questionable relationships,” campaign spokesman Richard Goldberg said. “Alexi Giannoulias pushed risky ‘hot money’ lending schemes at Broadway Bank and loaned millions of dollars to organized crime figures like Michael ‘Jaws’ Giorango. Now it appears Mr. Giannoulias’ family real estate portfolio is financed by a French bank known for its investments in Iran’s energy sector and connections to Iran's Central Bank. As a Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias says he supports divestment from companies doing business with Iran's energy sector; the State Treasurer should do the same with his personal finances.”
The Kirk Campaign also pointed out that:
On his campaign Web site, Alexi Giannoulias writes: "The U.S. government should publish a verified list of all companies doing business with the Revolutionary Guard and Iran’s energy sector so that Americans can make informed decisions about their investments."
Not only that, Alexi's campaign site states clearly that:
"The greatest single threat to peace in the Middle East is Iran. Iran’s funding and facilitation of terror, including through its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, greatly destabilize the region. Iran’s activities threaten not only Israel, but also the U.S. and the rest of the world."
So, um, why is his family doing business with a bank so closely invested in the success of Iran???
UPDATED: Republican Jewish Coalition Issues Statement:
RJC troubled by report that IL Senate candidate Alexis Giannoulias' family bank has financial ties to Iran
Washington, D.C. (March 19, 2010) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition released the following statement today:
The Republican Jewish Coalition is deeply troubled by a report today about Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat running for Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.
The report states that Alexi Giannoulias and his family financed their real estate holdings through a foreign bank that invests heavily in Iran's energy sector and the Central Bank of Iran.
As both state treasurer and a Senate candidate, Mr. Giannoulias is no doubt aware of the efforts to use sanctions against Iran - including freezing Iranian assets abroad and prohibiting investment in Iran's energy sector - to pressure the Iranian regime to halt its nuclear weapons development.
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Giannoulias' Republican opponent, has been a strong advocate in the U.S. House of Representatives for Iran sanctions.
Yet while Mark Kirk pushes for stronger Iran sanctions in Congress, Alexi Giannoulias does business with one of the worst offenders. The French bank Natixis held over $100 million in deposits from the Central Bank of Iran when the Giannoulias family took out a $21.5 million loan from Natixis to refinance its real estate holdings.
This raises serious questions about Giannoulias' credibility and judgment that need to be answered.
Although several legislative efforts in Congress are currently in the works to apply more sanctions to Iran, and although Giannoulias has called Iran “the greatest single threat to peace in the Middle East,” when it comes to his personal finances, however, Giannoulias does not apply the same standards.
Giannoulias owns stock in his family’s Giannoulias Enterprises, a limited partnership that owns several properties in Chicago. Giannoulias’s brother, Demetris, serves as the president.
In April 2007, Giannoulias Enterprises refinanced its real estate portfolio, taking out a $21.5 million, 10-year loan on six properties – four of them being the locations of the family’s Broadway Bank. With all the banks in the world to choose from, Giannoulias Enterprises selected the French investment bank Natixis – an institution with a long and public history of doing business in Iran.
Congressman Mark Kirk, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, responded:
“Once again, Alexi Giannoulias demonstrates a pattern of reckless decisions and questionable relationships,” campaign spokesman Richard Goldberg said. “Alexi Giannoulias pushed risky ‘hot money’ lending schemes at Broadway Bank and loaned millions of dollars to organized crime figures like Michael ‘Jaws’ Giorango. Now it appears Mr. Giannoulias’ family real estate portfolio is financed by a French bank known for its investments in Iran’s energy sector and connections to Iran's Central Bank. As a Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias says he supports divestment from companies doing business with Iran's energy sector; the State Treasurer should do the same with his personal finances.”
The Kirk Campaign also pointed out that:
On his campaign Web site, Alexi Giannoulias writes: "The U.S. government should publish a verified list of all companies doing business with the Revolutionary Guard and Iran’s energy sector so that Americans can make informed decisions about their investments."
Not only that, Alexi's campaign site states clearly that:
"The greatest single threat to peace in the Middle East is Iran. Iran’s funding and facilitation of terror, including through its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, greatly destabilize the region. Iran’s activities threaten not only Israel, but also the U.S. and the rest of the world."
So, um, why is his family doing business with a bank so closely invested in the success of Iran???
UPDATED: Republican Jewish Coalition Issues Statement:
RJC troubled by report that IL Senate candidate Alexis Giannoulias' family bank has financial ties to Iran
Washington, D.C. (March 19, 2010) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition released the following statement today:
The Republican Jewish Coalition is deeply troubled by a report today about Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat running for Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.
The report states that Alexi Giannoulias and his family financed their real estate holdings through a foreign bank that invests heavily in Iran's energy sector and the Central Bank of Iran.
As both state treasurer and a Senate candidate, Mr. Giannoulias is no doubt aware of the efforts to use sanctions against Iran - including freezing Iranian assets abroad and prohibiting investment in Iran's energy sector - to pressure the Iranian regime to halt its nuclear weapons development.
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Giannoulias' Republican opponent, has been a strong advocate in the U.S. House of Representatives for Iran sanctions.
Yet while Mark Kirk pushes for stronger Iran sanctions in Congress, Alexi Giannoulias does business with one of the worst offenders. The French bank Natixis held over $100 million in deposits from the Central Bank of Iran when the Giannoulias family took out a $21.5 million loan from Natixis to refinance its real estate holdings.
This raises serious questions about Giannoulias' credibility and judgment that need to be answered.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Mark Kirk Vows to Lead Effort to Repeal ObamaCare, If Passed
Congressman Mark Kirk, who has been a consistent and vociferous critic of the Obama administration's heavy-handed (and that's too generous a term) attempt to revamp healthcare in this country, has stated that he will lead the charge to repeal ObamaCare, should it become law.
The Chicago Tribune quoted Kirk as saying at an event last Friday:
"All of the pain of the bill is upfront, and all of the gain is later," Kirk said, according to an audio recording the Tribune obtained of a GOP event in Winnetka on Friday. "If we move to repeal this bill in 2013, all you're doing is removing the pain and not a single American would have benefited from it yet. And so, as your senator, I would lead the effort, if it passes, to repeal this bill."
So far, it doesn't seem like the Dems have collected all of the votes they need to pass their plan in the House, but no one is discounting the pressure that can be brought to bear (and clearly is being brought) by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama.
The Chicago Tribune quoted Kirk as saying at an event last Friday:
"All of the pain of the bill is upfront, and all of the gain is later," Kirk said, according to an audio recording the Tribune obtained of a GOP event in Winnetka on Friday. "If we move to repeal this bill in 2013, all you're doing is removing the pain and not a single American would have benefited from it yet. And so, as your senator, I would lead the effort, if it passes, to repeal this bill."
So far, it doesn't seem like the Dems have collected all of the votes they need to pass their plan in the House, but no one is discounting the pressure that can be brought to bear (and clearly is being brought) by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dan Seals Distances Himself from Obama Policy On Israel; Bob Dold Condemns "Rebuke" of Israel
Two-time loser Dan Seals, who is making his third attempt at the 10th Congressional District here in Illinois, and campaigned last cycle on the suggestion that he would be a rubber-stamp for now-President Obama's "agenda," has now found himself crosswise with the Obama administration's policies on two major issues.
First, you may recall that during the primary election, Seals ran to the left of State Representative Julie Hamos (a feat in and of itself) on the Afghanistan war, trying to appeal to the peace-at-all-costs left (shades of Lee Goodman, anyone?), and opposing Obama's escalation of the war (one of the few bright spots of Obama's fledgling foreign policy).
Now, Seals finds himself caught between trying to emulate Obama as much as he can (still trying to find Obama's coattails here in IL-10), but also needing to appease Jewish voters in the 10th that might not be all that happy about the Obama administrations vociferous objection to Israel's settlement policy and its claims that such action is standing in the way of the peace process.
The issue of striving for peace in the Middle East is no laughing matter, but I admit that it's fun to see Seals contort his desperate need to invoke Obama at every turn, but not offend an important constituency in the 10th District:
“As we move down the path of peace, it is crucial that the United States and Israel move in unison. While the United States remains totally committed to Israel’s security, I urge the Obama Administration to recognize the sacrifices that Israel is making to achieve peace in such a difficult situation. This administration must bring an end to unhelpful rhetoric and work to forge a stronger, more productive future in the spirit of the special relationship between our two nations.”
Doesn't say much, in my opinion. On the other hand, contrast Seals' milquetoast position with the much more forceful stance taken by GOP nominee Bob Dold:
“I have serious concern about the administration’s recent Israeli policy, tone, and tactics. Given our shared democratic values, long-time commitment to Middle East peace, and mutual strategic interests, it is wrong for America to distance itself from such a vitally important ally.” Dold continued, “In light of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s public apology, it is disappointing that the administration has continued to use this zoning dispute in Jerusalem as a pretext to increase unwarranted pressure on Israel. Instead, we need to focus on working with our Israeli partners to ensure Israeli security, advance the peace process, and prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.”
I especially liked Dold's insightful point about the Obama administration using the ongoing settlement issue as a sudden pretext to cover its shift in rhetoric and position towards support of Israel.
Sounds like the voters in the 10th District that are concerned with the direction the U.S. is taking towards Israel will have a pretty clear choice in November between Seals and Dold.
First, you may recall that during the primary election, Seals ran to the left of State Representative Julie Hamos (a feat in and of itself) on the Afghanistan war, trying to appeal to the peace-at-all-costs left (shades of Lee Goodman, anyone?), and opposing Obama's escalation of the war (one of the few bright spots of Obama's fledgling foreign policy).
Now, Seals finds himself caught between trying to emulate Obama as much as he can (still trying to find Obama's coattails here in IL-10), but also needing to appease Jewish voters in the 10th that might not be all that happy about the Obama administrations vociferous objection to Israel's settlement policy and its claims that such action is standing in the way of the peace process.
The issue of striving for peace in the Middle East is no laughing matter, but I admit that it's fun to see Seals contort his desperate need to invoke Obama at every turn, but not offend an important constituency in the 10th District:
“As we move down the path of peace, it is crucial that the United States and Israel move in unison. While the United States remains totally committed to Israel’s security, I urge the Obama Administration to recognize the sacrifices that Israel is making to achieve peace in such a difficult situation. This administration must bring an end to unhelpful rhetoric and work to forge a stronger, more productive future in the spirit of the special relationship between our two nations.”
Doesn't say much, in my opinion. On the other hand, contrast Seals' milquetoast position with the much more forceful stance taken by GOP nominee Bob Dold:
“I have serious concern about the administration’s recent Israeli policy, tone, and tactics. Given our shared democratic values, long-time commitment to Middle East peace, and mutual strategic interests, it is wrong for America to distance itself from such a vitally important ally.” Dold continued, “In light of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s public apology, it is disappointing that the administration has continued to use this zoning dispute in Jerusalem as a pretext to increase unwarranted pressure on Israel. Instead, we need to focus on working with our Israeli partners to ensure Israeli security, advance the peace process, and prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.”
I especially liked Dold's insightful point about the Obama administration using the ongoing settlement issue as a sudden pretext to cover its shift in rhetoric and position towards support of Israel.
Sounds like the voters in the 10th District that are concerned with the direction the U.S. is taking towards Israel will have a pretty clear choice in November between Seals and Dold.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Mark Kirk Launches His First TV Ad for the U.S. Senate Race: "Independent"
From the Kirk for Senate Campaign:
Kirk Launches First TV Ad: “Independent”
Congressman, Navy Veteran Opens General Election Highlighting Thoughtful, Independent Record - Promises to End Corruption
Stark contrast to Giannoulias Broadway Bank and Bright Start woes
Northbrook, Ill. – Five-term Congressman and Navy veteran Mark Kirk today unveiled his first general election television ad focusing on his thoughtful, independent record in Congress, long-time military service and a pledge to restore fiscal discipline and end corruption in Illinois.
The 30-second spot, entitled “Independent,” highlights Congressman Kirk’s independent and effective record including his support for stem cell research, strong defense of Lake Michigan, opposition to the “Bridge to Nowhere,” votes for lower taxes and 20-year service as Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer.
“The coming election offers the people of Illinois a clear choice to change direction,” campaign spokesman Eric Elk said. “Congressman Kirk brings a thoughtful, independent and effective record of standing up to special interests and party leaders to help Illinois families while Alexi Giannoulias brings a failed record of poor judgment, association with criminals and loss of public funds. Congressman Kirk wore the uniform of our country, fought for stem cell research and defended Lake Michigan from polluters while Alexi Giannoulias pushed risky ‘hot money’ lending schemes, authorized loans to organized crime figures like Michael 'Jaws' Giorango and wiped out $70 million in Bright Start college savings funds for Illinois families. After Rod Blagojevich and Roland Burris, we won’t get fooled again.”
“Independent,” which will air across Illinois, comes on the heels of new ethics woes for Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. One week ago, Crain’s Chicago Business reported the Giannoulias family could receive $10 to $15 million in tax benefits from the collapse of their family bank. On Thursday, one of Giannoulias’ top campaign contributors was arrested for bank fraud.
Kirk Launches First TV Ad: “Independent”
Congressman, Navy Veteran Opens General Election Highlighting Thoughtful, Independent Record - Promises to End Corruption
Stark contrast to Giannoulias Broadway Bank and Bright Start woes
Northbrook, Ill. – Five-term Congressman and Navy veteran Mark Kirk today unveiled his first general election television ad focusing on his thoughtful, independent record in Congress, long-time military service and a pledge to restore fiscal discipline and end corruption in Illinois.
The 30-second spot, entitled “Independent,” highlights Congressman Kirk’s independent and effective record including his support for stem cell research, strong defense of Lake Michigan, opposition to the “Bridge to Nowhere,” votes for lower taxes and 20-year service as Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer.
“The coming election offers the people of Illinois a clear choice to change direction,” campaign spokesman Eric Elk said. “Congressman Kirk brings a thoughtful, independent and effective record of standing up to special interests and party leaders to help Illinois families while Alexi Giannoulias brings a failed record of poor judgment, association with criminals and loss of public funds. Congressman Kirk wore the uniform of our country, fought for stem cell research and defended Lake Michigan from polluters while Alexi Giannoulias pushed risky ‘hot money’ lending schemes, authorized loans to organized crime figures like Michael 'Jaws' Giorango and wiped out $70 million in Bright Start college savings funds for Illinois families. After Rod Blagojevich and Roland Burris, we won’t get fooled again.”
“Independent,” which will air across Illinois, comes on the heels of new ethics woes for Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. One week ago, Crain’s Chicago Business reported the Giannoulias family could receive $10 to $15 million in tax benefits from the collapse of their family bank. On Thursday, one of Giannoulias’ top campaign contributors was arrested for bank fraud.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
More Broadway Bank Blunders: Major Giannoulias Contributor Caught Fleeing In Wake of Bank Fraud Charges
The news about the shady dealings of customers of Alexi Giannoulias's family Broadway Bank just don't stop coming. Today, the Sun-Times reported that Boston Blackie's owner Nick Giannis were charged with bank fraud by the Cook County state's attorney, and that Giannis was caught at the Canadian border with his Greek passport. Also, according to the Sun-Times, "Giannis contributed $115,000 to Citizens for Giannoulias between 2005 and 2008 alone and secured millions of dollars in mortgages with Broadway Bank, records show."
Congressman Mark Kirk released the following statement after the news broke:
“The check-kiting scheme conducted by a top Giannoulias contributor and Broadway Bank client appears to be part of a disturbing pattern of reckless business relationships, questionable banking practices and potentially illegal activity,” Congressman Kirk said. “Alexi Giannoulias should return the massive $119,800 in Giannis campaign contributions given Giannis was caught attempting to leave U.S. jurisdiction.”
Congressman Mark Kirk released the following statement after the news broke:
“The check-kiting scheme conducted by a top Giannoulias contributor and Broadway Bank client appears to be part of a disturbing pattern of reckless business relationships, questionable banking practices and potentially illegal activity,” Congressman Kirk said. “Alexi Giannoulias should return the massive $119,800 in Giannis campaign contributions given Giannis was caught attempting to leave U.S. jurisdiction.”
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
White House On Board With Alexi, Sort Of...
Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post reports that Robert Gibbs, President Obama's press secretary, gave Alexi Giannoulias, the Dem nominee for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat, a "tepid" endorsement yesterday after Giannoulias came to D.C. to meet with top Obama administration staff:
Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, the party's nominee for the state's open Senate seat, visited the White House Tuesday and picked up a somewhat tepid endorsement from press secretary Robert Gibbs. "Alexi Giannoulias is the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate and has the support and the backing of the White House," Gibbs said from the podium.
Cillizza also notes that Republicans "are growing increasingly confident" about Kirk's chances to wrest the seat away from the Dems in light of the Broadway bank troubles that continue to shadow Giannoulias.
Rasmussen also has a new poll out showing Alexi with only the slightest of leads over Kirk, 44-41, according to Rich Miller at Capitol Fax Blog. (note that his original source, Fox News, apparently misreported the numbers earlier as 42-41 Alexi/Kirk) Rich has a great wrap-up on this and more, so go check it out. As of this morning, Rasmussen did not have the poll numbers up on its website but I am assuming the gap between Kirk and Alexi is still within the margin of error.
Let's not forget that Illinois is a deep blue state, overall, and that Alexi is supposed to be WINNING. Kirk, not Alexi, is the underdog here, and as long as Kirk keeps pace with Alexi in the months leading up to the Blago trial, I think we're in pretty good shape.
Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, the party's nominee for the state's open Senate seat, visited the White House Tuesday and picked up a somewhat tepid endorsement from press secretary Robert Gibbs. "Alexi Giannoulias is the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate and has the support and the backing of the White House," Gibbs said from the podium.
Cillizza also notes that Republicans "are growing increasingly confident" about Kirk's chances to wrest the seat away from the Dems in light of the Broadway bank troubles that continue to shadow Giannoulias.
Rasmussen also has a new poll out showing Alexi with only the slightest of leads over Kirk, 44-41, according to Rich Miller at Capitol Fax Blog. (note that his original source, Fox News, apparently misreported the numbers earlier as 42-41 Alexi/Kirk) Rich has a great wrap-up on this and more, so go check it out. As of this morning, Rasmussen did not have the poll numbers up on its website but I am assuming the gap between Kirk and Alexi is still within the margin of error.
Let's not forget that Illinois is a deep blue state, overall, and that Alexi is supposed to be WINNING. Kirk, not Alexi, is the underdog here, and as long as Kirk keeps pace with Alexi in the months leading up to the Blago trial, I think we're in pretty good shape.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Dan Seals Grudgingly Gives Up Charlie Rangel Campaign Cash; What About the Rest?, Asks Bob Dold
Dan Seals, perennial candidate for Congress in Illinois' 10th Congressional District, has FINALLY bowed to years of criticism for his association with embattled House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, and stated he will give about $14,000 in contributions he received directly from Rangel.Not good enough, says GOP challenger Bob Dold. What about all the money that Seals has raked in from fundraisers sponsored or supported by Rangel, Dold wants to know. According to a Daily Herald article today, Dold pegs the appropriate amount at something much closer to $55,000.
Rangel has only recently taken a 'leave of absence' from his chairmanship of the powerful House Ways and Means committee after being admonished by the House Ethics Committee, and amid the continuing investigation into charges that Rangel abused his public position to raise corporate funds for a library bearing his name, illegally rented multiple rent-controlled apartments in Harlem, failed to disclose income from a property in the Dominican Republic and illegally stored a personally-owned vehicle in the House parking garage.
Dan Seals, of course, has a history of taking money from ethically-challenged Dem politicians, like the time when he took a campaign contribution from disgraced former congressman Dan Rostenkowski right in front of the students at his night school class at NU (yes, as we noted at the time, the check was actually from Rosty's wife, but even Seals didn't really try to hide behind that and eventually returned the check weeks later after the story broke).
So, what's Dan Seals going to do now that his cash pipeline from New York has been turned off at the spigot???
Locally: Team America congratulates new Lake County Republican Chairman Bob Cook of Wauconda as the new party central committee chairman, who was elected by acclamation at the GOP County Convention at Midlane Country Club in Wadsworth last night. Bob is a tireless worker and truly dedicated to the Republican cause, so he should do well. TA had a nice chat with Bob yesterday afternoon before the evening meeting and, if he won, Bob pledged to be a big-tent leader, and bring all of the GOP groups in Lake County together to the maximum extent possible to fend off the Dems. The Dems, of course, re-elected 20-year chairman Terry Link. Yawn.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Dan Seals Campaign Manager Fired?
One of the wonderful things about modern blog technology is that I can "see" every search that people use to find my blog. I don't often highlight that a lot for obvious reasons, as it gives me really good intel on what people are curious about out there that I've been known to pass along to various candidates campaigns from time to time. For example, many people use Google to search for "Team America Blog" to find this blog, either for the first time because they heard about it, or maybe just because they are just too lazy to add it to their "favorites" list. But many of the searches are much more interesting... and sometimes downright funny.
For example, here are some of the recent searches that came up with Team America as a hit in Google or other search engines, whereupon someone clicked on that result, which enables me to "see" their search, their IP address, their place of origin, and sometimes lots of other information:
"charlie rangel cash cow"
"fox news broadway bank"
"lake county casinos prostitution"
"dan seals human zombies"
"methadone clinics open on sunday"
"acorn and seiu"
"is dan seals a socialist"
and many others. Avid readers of the Blog will understand why this Blog would come up as a top result for many of those searches (although I can't seem to remember writing about casino prostitution... maybe they were interested in scoring over in Lake County, Indiana, since we have no casinos up here... yet). But lately, I have been seeing a number of searches for:
"dan seals campaign manager fired"
or some variation thereof. Usually when I see a lot of searches on a topic like that, that means there is a rumor floating around out there that people are trying to check out...
Anyone have any info on this potential development???
For example, here are some of the recent searches that came up with Team America as a hit in Google or other search engines, whereupon someone clicked on that result, which enables me to "see" their search, their IP address, their place of origin, and sometimes lots of other information:
"charlie rangel cash cow"
"fox news broadway bank"
"lake county casinos prostitution"
"dan seals human zombies"
"methadone clinics open on sunday"
"acorn and seiu"
"is dan seals a socialist"
and many others. Avid readers of the Blog will understand why this Blog would come up as a top result for many of those searches (although I can't seem to remember writing about casino prostitution... maybe they were interested in scoring over in Lake County, Indiana, since we have no casinos up here... yet). But lately, I have been seeing a number of searches for:
"dan seals campaign manager fired"
or some variation thereof. Usually when I see a lot of searches on a topic like that, that means there is a rumor floating around out there that people are trying to check out...
Anyone have any info on this potential development???
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