H. R. 2642 Backstory

Once upon a time, Rep. John Shimkus (IL-19) stood before a classroom of eighth-graders at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Collinsville. He talked to them about his feelings regarding the vote of present on floor of the House.

He described it as wimpy and not something that he does. Actually, his record says he does on more than one occasion. He just chooses to not admit it.

His present vote on May 15, 2008, showed his typically complete lack of dishonorable non-support for the U. S. military. H. R. 2642 authorized funding for the Iraq War. There was nothing honorable in this man's intentions. He voted present in a coordinated effort to deny the military the funding they need in Iraq. He was also one of the instigators:

House Republicans spent much of last week battered by events: the Vito Fossella scandal, the special election loss in Mississippi and the questions that swirled around House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) and NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.) in the aftermath.

But for a brief moment Thursday afternoon, the party’s rank-and-file members took matters into their own hands and pulled off an impromptu protest vote that derailed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s carefully calibrated plans for the Iraq war supplemental.

[ . . . ] A few hours before the House was to vote on $162.5 billion in emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence (R) approached California Rep. Jerry Lewis (R) on the House floor to tell him that he was interested in bringing down the bill.

Pence is an outspoken conservative who has railed against earmarks; Lewis is the top Republican on the panel that doles them out. But the two men found common ground on the supplemental. Pence thought Republicans would be providing Pelosi a free ride by lending their votes to a war funding bill that many Democratic members wouldn’t support. Lewis was angry that Pelosi had circumvented the regular committee process, including a hearing before his own Appropriations panel.

Lewis, who had been meeting privately with Boehner, told Pence that he’d already asked leadership to help him defeat the bill.

[ . . . ] Boehner’s top floor aide, Jo-Marie St. Martin, reviewed the roll calls for previous House votes on clean funding for the war, and she showed both men that 140 Democrats typically voted against them, meaning the Republicans could defeat the funding bill by simply voting present.

[ . . . ] Boehner then gave Pence the task of securing support from three of the most influential Republican voices on military matters: California Rep. Duncan Hunter, the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee; Texas Rep. Sam Johnson, who spent seven years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam; and Florida Rep. Bill Young, the top GOP lawmaker on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees defense spending. In Boehner’s eyes, Young, the ranking Republican on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees defense spending, was the key to securing support among fellow appropriators.

By this time, other members were getting involved. Lewis was recruiting other appropriators to help build support for the plan, while Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk was reaching out to fellow moderate Republicans. Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who heads the Republican Study Committee, was polling conservatives. Even Johnson told Pence during the early-afternoon vote that he would support the move if others followed suit.

[ . . . ] Kentucky Rep. Hal Rogers, one of the most senior members of the Appropriations Committee, worked his colleagues on the floor, as did Illinois Rep. John M. Shimkus, a West Point grad who served in the Army Reserve for more than 20 years. Now the leaders were working hard to tell members to vote present.

During the vote, Boehner stood in the second row, where members often vote, telling any lawmaker who asked that he supported the plan. Boehner stayed calm as the uproar within his party mounted all week, and that afternoon he simply watched the confusion unfold around him on the floor.

At one point, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) — apparently assuming that Republicans would switch their votes when the time came — approached Blunt in the well of the House to tell him that any members changing their votes should do so on the computer voting machines in the back of each chair, and not by lining up to do it on one of the little green cards at the rostrum. Republicans had lined up in the past to hold a vote open in protest, and Hoyer did not want to keep members on the floor any later than necessary, because most were rushing to the airport for flights home.

[ . . . ] The final result: The amendment authorizing money to fund both wars died on the House floor. The vote was 141-149, with 132 Republicans voting present and most Democrats voting against it.

The Senate is expected to add the money back to the package this week, but the defeat has created a few additional hurdles for majority leaders. Most of the Republicans who voted present last week have no plans to do so when the broader package comes back to the House.

After the vote, Hoyer approached Pence in the center aisle of the House floor and told the Indiana Republican that the move was really dumb.

Pence responded that he was only trying to prove that an overwhelming majority of Democrats don’t support money for the troops — a point he thought would be lost in headlines about the House approving more money for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hoyer was dismissive, so Pence told the majority leader that he was only trying to follow the example of Democrats during their final year in the minority.

And what was that? Hoyer asked.

Never stop fighting, Pence replied.

This was nothing more than petulant children throwing a temper tantrum at the expense of the U. S. military -- and John Shimkus was at the center of it all.

John Shimkus

• Wimp
• Liar
• Disgracing the uniform he pretends to wear
• Embarrassing the state of Illinois

A veteran's perspective.

No Window Space with Brand Obama

If the signs in the office windows are any indication then down ticket democrats better hope for a Hillary Clinton victory rather than Barack Obama.



The Obama campaign operates in the context of Illinois' own brand of campaigning. Most of the nation is unaware of the refusal of the Illinois Democratic Party to participate in the 50 state strategy of Howard Dean. This means no DNC operatives on the ground in Illinois and no local candidate access to the Voter Activation Network. All this stems from Chicago dominated machine politics that systematically excludes any nominee of the people who is not approved by the established party.

This exclusion becomes so trivial as to extend to being allowed on the podium with incumbent Democrats at the State Fair and the display of signs in local headquarter buildings.

We can see this problem in the upcoming Indiana Primary, represented by a set of photographs submitted from Terre Haute. The Obama office window has no local candidate signs, while the Clinton offices allow local candidates to place their signs. Word from people who witnessed the exclusion of local signs at the Obama office in Terre Haute was that we don't get involved in local or regional races.




The abuses of the Illinois machine have been well documented. At the 2006 state fair celebration of Governor's day at the Agriculture Director's lawn at the fair grounds in Springfield the two Democrats challenging Ray LaHood and John Shimkus (both Republican's districts encompassing sections of Springfield) were not invited onto the stage while a gang of local Cook County candidates pontificated to a crowd of locals who had not interest in Cook County's elections. Though Senator Obama's campaign was not involved in the state fair decision, the exclusion is typical of the top-down machine politics of Illinois and can be found in the Obama campaign.

In 2006 Obama appeared on behalf of an appellate candidate in a district that corresponded to much of same territory as the 19th Congressional district of John Shimkus (R) and his challenger Danny Stover (D). Supporters of Stover were not allowed into the building with Stover signs. Only the signs of the appellate candidate and Senator Obama were allowed.

In Illinois politics are machine driven and top-down. Candidates are commodities and brands which cannot be associated with lesser-valued brands such as challengers to well-heeled Republican colleagues. Earlier in his candidacy Senator Obama was fond of repeating that he was new to the ways of Washington, but knew enough that the ways of Washington must change. Down ticket Democrats need to seriously consider whether they want that change to look anything like the Chicago and Illinois machines.

An April Health Care Forum

Dr. Pamella Gronemeyer and Downstate Democrats For Change are hosting a free health care forum on April 12 at the Gateway Convention Center from 10AM to 1PM. It is entitled Here Today, Gone Tomorrow -The Healthcare Crisis in America.

They have some great speakers scheduled. They are inviting the general public and will serve snacks. Attendees can also watch SICKO after the forum for free in the same room. Please contact Pam at 618-973-3584 for additional information.

Please note that they have not invited any politicians since this forum will help the public realize how bad it is and what they need to demand from their candidates. Unfortunately, those demands fall on the deaf ears of Rep. John Shimkus (IL-19). Many of his constituents have put the Republican on Wanted posters. They are long overdue.

• For the senseless deaths of 4,000 of our brave young soldiers and 1 million Iraqi women and children.
• For throwing away $562 billion of our taxes.
• For tripling gasoline prices to nearly $4.
• Congress could end the Occupation of Iraq today by cutting all funds.
• So why is John Shimkus giving Bush $102 billion more of our taxes?!?

Check out the website OutOfIraq.org for more information.

Richardson Endorsement for the Right Stuff

Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) formally ended his campaign for president. The good news is that he remains on the Illinois ballot for the February 05, 2008, ballot. For the past two weeks, the media has given him so much attention because they are all curious about a potential endorsement. Not endorsing anyone is the smart move. That is exactly what Gov. Richardson has decided to do for now -- not endorse any Democratic candidate for president.

Instead, he chooses to continue endorsing the issues and priorities that his campaign raised first a year ago. The South Carolina debates proved that the remaining three Democratic candidates have adopted and maintain Gov. Richardson's positions. Once everyone argued vehemently against everything that are in the best interests of the public trust. Now those interests are an accepted part of the discussion:

• ending this war -- now,
• developing policies for greater energy independence, bringing Americans home from the Mideast -- now,
• developing policies for greater energy independence,
• creating universal health care,
• improving education,
• providing scholarships for public service.

Gov. Richardson is enjoying the job he loves as governor of New Mexico (and the only Democratic candidate to campaign throughout the year with executive experience) yet it sounds like he never left. He has successfully influenced the Democratic platform in important ways:

1. It is the sign of a genuine leader.
2. It is the sign of a person who knows how to initiate real change.
3. It is the sign of the best person for the job!

His name is on the Illinois Primary ballot. People can still vote for him (and his delegates)!

Registration Continues to Vote Early, Vote Often

Early voting (i.e., 2005 Illinois House Bill 1968, 10 ILCS 5/19A) for the February 5 (aka Tsunami Tuesday) Illinois Primary begins Monday, January 14, 2008, and ends Thursday, January 31, 2008. Voting registration continues during a grace period through January 22.

The General Primary Election is February 5. The ballots will include candidates for U.S. Senate, Representatives in Congress, and State Senators and Representatives in the General Assembly. With the exception of Cook County, primary voters will elect precinct committeemen. Chicago voters will elect ward committeemen. Referenda could appear on the ballots as well. All voters will elect delegates to the National Nominating Conventions. They can either declare a party affiliation or request a nonpartisan ballot only.

Early voting in St. Clair County is easy. In almost all cases, the early voting centers will be different from the voters' regular polling place. Absentee voting laws in Illinois remain in place, and it has already begun. Information on the locations of early voting centers and absentee ballots should contact their county clerks and other election authorities across the state.

There are safeguards in place to eliminate fraud. Voters casting an early ballot must do so in person and display a valid identification (i.e., a current driver's license, a state-issued ID card or another government-issued ID with a photograph). This requirement is stricter than other identification requirements for casting a ballot on Election Day. Anyone voting during the early voting period cannot vote again on Election Day, and all ballot counting occurs after the polls close on Election Day.

Voting is a responsibility and a privilege for American citizens. Every eligible voter should submit a ballot. In the Democratic Party, the field of candidates will look like it is limited to just two or three candidates. Primary voters need to remember that their candidate is still on the ballot, and they can still vote for the person. For example, Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) has ended his campaign. That will not stop the more informed voters from wisely casting their ballots for him.

The Board of Elections has all the information.

Bill Richardson Remains on the Ballot

Gov. Bill Richardson ends his presidential campaign today after the New Hampshire Primary. Of all the candidates, he has the best resume with the most impressive qualifications for the oval office.

He portrayed his campaign as a job application for president, and ran clever ads that showed a bored interviewer unimpressed with his dazzling resume. The commercials helped fuel his move to double-digit support in some early state polls, and advisers argued he was poised to move past former vice presidential nominee John Edwards for the role of third-place challenger.

Unfortunately, New Hampshire voters and people with too much money choose to listen to lots of pretty talk from an arrogant politician selling snake oil public policies about change that will not measure up in the long term. It is rather oxymoronic for a status quo Chicago Machine politician to pitch change. Not so long ago voters fell for the campaign rhetoric from a Hollywood actor with an excellent speaking style and very bad policies.

The good news is that Bill Richardson remains on the Illinois Democratic Primary ballots. People can still vote for him!

A vote for Bill Richardson is an intelligent vote in the best interests of this country.

A vote for Barack Obama is a vote against democracy.

Bill Richardson Remains Viable

There were five activists from Illinois that spent the week in Iowa to support Gov. Bill Richardson's presidential campaign. The amazing experience proved that nothing is set in stone. He remains a presidential candidate, quite viable, electable, in fourth place, and in New Hampshire.

History is consistent when it comes to the political arena (i.e., inevitable change). Also, MSM headlines are filled with half truths & whatever looks good in print.

Gov. Richardson really did accomplish a lot in Iowa since he had the resources to run a very competitive campaign. He mobilized nearly 20,000 voters and took 7 percent of the caucus-goers in the first round. The unique nature of the Iowa caucus process and the unexpectedly large turnout meant that he could not maintain all of those votes into the final round.

The five Illinois voters traveled to Iowa to meet Gov. Richardson and listen to him in person. They also had the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with members of his cabinet and his staff. He is now the only 2nd-tier candidate to continue and has been in New Hampshire since 3 a.m. today. Even after a very full, very long day yesterday, he scheduled events all day today including a television interview.

The lesson learned from Iowa is that the 2008 presidential race is still very fluid. The New Hampshire voters are re-thinking their positions in light of what happened last night. For them, what happens in Iowa stays in Iowa. New Hampshire voters do their own thing. It is a completely different audience. Suddenly, inevitable is not so inevitable anymore.

Gov. Richardson made the Final Four. The MSM might even broadcast more of his responses during tomorrow night's debate. Without a doubt, he is the best person for the job.

History has proven that change without experience never works. The results are worse than before. Voters in the past have kept senators on The Hill -- where they belong -- to earn the generous salaries taxpayers provide them. Two of the presidential candidates have now returned to their jobs. Unfortunately, Illinois has to continue playing the waiting game and has yet to see any bang for it's Obama buck.

Bill Richardson deserves the Party nomination.

Illinois taxpayers deserve a refund.

Fundraising Events for Joe McMenamin

It is that time of the year again. The end of another fundraising quarter, and Joe McMenamin, the Democratic candidate for IL-19, has fundraisers scheduled.

Sources say that Sangamon and Madison counties are interested and have endorsed him early. This is only the beginning. Having a Sangamon County candidate should engage the party and encourage the local swing voters since Republican gerrymandering has split Springfield so that it does not have its own Congressman.

Joe hopes to challenge Rep. John Shimkus (R-Collinsville) on November 04, 2008. There are plenty of reasons why Joe is the better person for IL-19. The dubious distinguished Republican incumbent congressman

• gave Illinois the Mark Foley scandal and does not care about it,
• does not know the difference between baseball and a war,
• believes that selling public land for $5 an acre is a good thing for the people,
• convinced his Commander Guy friend to reduce restrictions on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants,
• sends young Illinois men and women to war without ever having living through the experience himself,
• pretends Social-Darwinism is a good thing,
• accuses senior citizens of causing the deficit,
• does not like children and animals,
• is a genuine hypocrite, and
• is nothing more than a garden-variety Party hack pretending to be his own man.

Joe is a very strong candidate, and Illinois deserves more than bupkis.

Contact Joe or access his ActBlue webpage with your donation today!