Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Another Two Years of John Shimkus

Not a good thing for the people of Illinois -- and the rest of the United States.

Be afraid.


Be very afraid.

Labels: , ,

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Bagwell Tabloid Online

U.S. House candidate Tim Bagwell, PhD (D-Olney), created a four-page tabloid filled with various veracious victuals to wet the appetites of IL-19 voters. Many copies have already appeared at homes throughout Central and So. IL.

If someone has missed it or lives outside of IL-19, here is the tabloid in it's entirety. It contains many wonderful tidbits that John Shimkus fans either choose to ignore or remain unearthly uninformed.

It is a wonderful introductory to the real John Shimkus. There is always more to add to the amphibological assistant supply officer.

Enjoy. A good read.

Labels: ,

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Ten Reasons to Vote Democrat

10. Federal user taxes on a gallon of gas is appropriate. It finances and maintains the vast American interstate automobile highway system. In addition, Democrats know that trying to reduce profit figures to a per-gallon average for gasoline is incredibly misinformed & typically right-wing obscuration. When gas prices are high, oil companies pay single-digit taxes. They have not paid 'high' taxes in 10 yrs. when a gallon of gas was $1.29.

9. A Democratic Majority does a better job of spending taxpayer money than a Republican Majority.

8. It is easier for people to use their Freedom of Speech to counteract the negative impact of the erroneously rewritten history lessons continually streaming from Lonesome Roads Beck and the malodorous bile of Boss Hog Limbaugh.

7. Democrats value Second Amendment rights and are ready to lock and load at any time to protect their sacrosanct First Amendment rights.

6. People are stewards of the Earth who should protect it for future generations by reducing their impact of global warming as much as possible.

5. Democrats protect women's reproductive sovereignty and their right to pay equity.

4. Democrats know that illegal aliens do not have legal rights to "free" federally-funded health care, education, and Social Security benefits.

3. Democratic legislators refuse to allow corporate CEOs to profit from destroying the financial livelihoods of their employees and retirees. They believe that corporations need to break even and provide for their employees and communities.

2. Liberal judges uphold the Constitution for the people not corporations. Right-wing kooks are incapable of remembering that the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and subsequent Amendments have never explicitly mentioned corporations.

1. The Democrat mentality is so firmly planted in reality that they could never accept the suffocating uber-conservative point of view of I'm OK, you're OK as long as everyone belongs to the right race, religion, ethnicity, & sexual orientation (additional caveats could appear without warning).

Conservatives are more than welcome to keep the Right-Wing Bill of Lies.

Democrats will keep all of their Constitutional Rights.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Arrogant Conduct Unbecoming

When John Shimkus (R-Collinsville) walked out on President Obama during his health care speech, many civilians thought it was nothing more than shear rudeness. Others knew better: A commissioned officer is an officer for life. Therefore, it was a public display of Conduct Unbecoming.

This is a pattern of behavior for Mr. Shimkus. It appears that ethics and laws are not applicable to him:

  • He rewarded his employee for violating federal laws.
  • He prefers protecting corporate titans rather than the citizens of IL-19.
  • He excuses his broken promises to the people.
  • He proudly misled a classroom filled with impressionable minds.
  • He vehemently admitted to not caring about his reprehensible actions as Chair of the Page Board.
  • He obfuscated during questions regarding $3,335,578 in federal funds he steered to the Save-A-Life Foundation (SALF) so U.S. House candidate Tim Bagwell, PhD (D-Olney) (a real congressman), did the job.
Mr. Shimkus provided The Southern with an interview justifying all his actions: Given what was said and what we were hearing, I think more people should have walked out, Shimkus said.

Obviously that is a prediction of future plans if the Republicans successfully control Congress in 2012. Not only is Mr. Shimkus planning a second walk-out, it will be a group effort. It is a bold move for a man who spent more time as an assistant supply officer than a platoon leader after completing his expensive taxpayer-paid West Point education and advanced Ranger training.

A debate? Why would Dr. Bagwell waste the time? Mr. Shimkus refused to respond to Dr. Bagwell's simple challenge of completing a questionnaire that is similar for Illinois candidates for lieuentant governor.

Labels: , , ,

Monday, October 18, 2010

All SALF Plans, No National Guard Training Funds, Complete Local Media Disinterest

U.S. House candidate Tim Bagwell, PhD (D-Olney), sent Rita Mullins, the former mayor of Palatine IL, and the president of a New Hampshire military subcontractor a letter requesting details regarding an alleged nationwide first aid training partnership between the controversial nonprofit Save-A-Life Foundation (SALF) and the U.S. National Guard.

The National Guard has no records for any training associated with SALF. No surprises there. Their reports to the Internal Revenue Service state the following:

$590,000 to train 170 emergency medical service providers as instructors at 33 military bases in 27 states AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MI, MS, MO, NJ, NM, NC, OK, OR, PR, SC, TX, WV, WI, WY to teach their 7,000 at-risk high school age students life supporting first aid training and provide all training equipment, materials, (and) testing supplies.

[. . .]

Save-A-Life identified Dare Mighty Things Inc., a Portsmouth, New Hampshire consulting firm, as the source of the funding and claims to have provided the training in partnership with the National Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe, a program intended to benefit young people at-risk. In 2007 Dare Mighty Things was awarded a 10-year, $50 million National Guard contract to oversee Youth ChalleNGe training programs.
John Shimkus (R-Collinsville) has already washed his hands of the matter with deafening silence. The oversight of federal funds in excess of $3 million is not his concern. He has decided that he needs to question implementation data on the health care law of Texas. Although he represents IL-19, it is obviously less important than other states.

With the exception of an article in the State Journal-Register in Springfield, IL, editors from the local news media refuse to print the story. Apparently they agree with the inconsequential Mr. Shimkus and have also decided that government oversight is a non-issue.

Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

John Shimkus Souvenirs

U.S. House candidate Tim Bagwell, PhD (D-Olney), addressed the audience at the Richland County Democratic Committee's pork-loin dinner and silent auction at Olney Veterans of Foreign Wars. It provided the opportunity to remind IL-19 voters about some lesser-known facts regarding their ever-obsequious John Shimkus (R-Collinsville):

  • He voted against including a bittering agent in antifreeze to prevent animals from drinking it.
  • He voted against pay equality for women.
  • He refused to request a federal investigation in the dubious Save A Life Foundation.
True. Each statement is fact. As a member of John Boehner's blithesome band of baseborn marionettes, he votes against the interests of IL-19. Nothing happens without prior approval from Mr. Big Boehner. After he instructed all House and Senate Republicans to vote NO on all bills, working Americans became America's Biggest Losers.

The people deserve someone representing them who actually works for them. Dr. Bagwell has the resume and has proven that he can do the job.

Labels: , , , ,

Sunday, October 10, 2010

An Example of a Real IL-19 Congressional Representative

U.S. House candidate Tim Bagwell, PhD (D-Olney), sent Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, a letter requesting an official investigation into the activities of the Save-A-Life Foundation. Three weeks before the election Dr. Bagwell is already working to protect the interest of the people of Central and So. IL. It is a job that John Shimkus (R-Collinsville) (i.e., Congressman Taxpayer Zero) refuses to undertake as a friend of corporate titans.

Taxpayers deserve government oversight to determine if over $3 million awarded to by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was spent properly.

SALF is currently under investigation by the Illinois Attorney General’s Charitable Trusts Bureau (CTB). Recent correspondence from the CTB indicates that SALF recently filed a zeroed-out annual financial report that failed to account for hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets as well as other discrepancies, one of which appears to be SALF’s failure to file a tax return last year with the Internal Revenue Service.
The state investigation is only concerned with Illinois-related issues. A separate federal-level investigation would focus on the $3+ million in federal tax dollars that the CDC awarded to SALF.

Dr. Bagwell's letter also requests a review into the relationship between SALF and Atlanta-based CDC Deputy Director Douglas R. Browne, SALF’s Corporate Treasurer from January 1, 2004 through September 17, 2009, when the foundation employees filed the paperwork for voluntary dissolution. There is a possibility that Mr. Browne’s responsibilities as SALF’s Treasurer could have included administering the taxpayer millions CDC awarded to SALF. A conflict of interest could exist if this information is accurate.


Every time John Shimkus has refused to act it costs the taxpayers money. Requesting a federal investigation is his job. It is due diligence. An MBA and his unremarkable tenure as assistant supply officer qualifies him for little more than auditing the toilet paper supply. Taxpayers deserve a refund for that expensive West Point education and advanced Ranger training.


Dr. Bagwell offers a stark contrast. He has the
experience to get the job done, to work for the people. He is already doing that work. He has all of his press releases available on his website.


UPDATE: The Hill's Healthcare Blog publishes an online article on Dr. Bagwell's request to HHS.

Labels: , , ,

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Congressman Taxpayer Zero from IL-19

US House candidate Tim Bagwell, PhD, sent a letter of concern to Rep. John Shimkus (IL-19) regarding $3,335,578 in federal funds he steered to the Save-A-Life Foundation (SALF), a shady nonprofit, according to a Democratic Party press release. The Chicago area 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization had a charter stating that it would provide first aid training to schoolchildren. Records from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show continued funding through at least mid-year 2007.

Since 2006, SALF has been the subject of numerous media exposes around the country, one of which reported a series of misleading claims and deceptive credentials that raise doubts about Save-A-Life's integrity, funding and training.

In his letter and at a press conference, Dr. Bagwell asked Rep. Shimkus two questions:

  1. Where did the money go?
  2. Why haven’t you investigated the allegations?
Through his staffer, the response appears below:
Congressman Shimkus has received your letter of inquiry. He supports the ongoing Illinois Attorney General’s investigation and believes that any criminal acts should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
He deflected responsibility without providing answers to either of the questions. Illinois Attorney General Madigan’s office protects IL tax dollars not the $3+ million in federal funds. With that, Rep. Shimkus has washed his hands of the issue and any federal oversight to adequately account for the taxpayer millions that SALF administrators spent.

Additionally, Rep. Shimkus has admitted that he was not made aware of any negative press surrounding the charity despite the score of media exposes about SALF. The elected representative for Central and So. IL who is supposed to act as a watchdog protecting their hard-earned money admits that for years he has been totally clueless to the myriad of research available.

Given Congressman Shimkus’ lack of knowledge and interest, Dr. Bagwell used his October 04, 2010, press release to inform constituents that he will send letters requesting an investigation to the U. S. Department of Justice and to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC. He is doing John Shimkus' job.

Dr. Bagwell will also send a copy of his request to The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste. It is the taxpayer watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., that named Rep. Shimkus a Taxpayer Hero in its 2009 Congressional Ratings. Obviously, their records are long overdue for an update.

The people of Central and So. IL should create a special award for Congressman Zero. He deserves the Taxpayer Zero Award. It is the perfect Shamekus Medal for someone who could not even qualify for his unremarkable tenure as assistant supply officer after completing his prestigious West Point education and advanced Ranger training.

Wasting taxpayer money is obviously a lifestyle choice for John Shimkus. It is an especially low blow to the women in IL-19 since he consistently voted against women's pay equity.

Labels: , , , ,


The views expressed on this site belong to the Philosophe Forum without responsibility for false speculation, erroneous comments, the inability to comprehend written English, complete confusion, or the views & opinions of any website linked to & from this page (contact them, leave me out of it). Please send your messages to this address. All email addresses are confidential, published with permission. The Fair Use Statement is at the bottom of the sidebar.