Cantor-sponsored job fair turns out thousands in Chesterfield

Congressional Whip Eric Cantor (R-7th CD) sponsored a job fair Monday ... and thousands of unemployed Virginians turned out at Chesterfield County's Clover Hill High School.

Tyler Whitley wrote in the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Cantor, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, worked the crowd by moving along the long line to shake hands and chat with the job-seekers.

He has been a leading critic of President Barack Obama's $787 billion economic-stimulus package; when asked yesterday if the big demand for jobs at the fair showed the need for the stimulus package, Cantor replied, "It shows it's a flop."

With reps from 86 organizations such as Home Depot, MeadWestvaco, and the Air Force, the job fair also offered information about writing resumes and how to avoid foreclosure.

Those working booths included Linwood Cobb, fellow State Central Committee member and chairman of the 7th Congressional District:

Linwood Cobb, a Henrico County businessman and political ally of Cantor, was operating an employment booth on behalf of Mainline Supply Co. "It's very sad -- there are a lot of professionals here," Cobb said. He had interviewed a chemical engineer looking for work.

The job fair received kudos from attendees:

In the Richmond region, the jobless rate was 8.4 percent in June, almost twice the rate of a year ago and higher than the state average of 7.3 percent.

And even churches are laying off people. Jo Blandford will lose her job in religious education at Grace & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Richmond at the end of this month because of downsizing.

She said was pleased with the fair. "It was very professionally done," she said.

IBD: "Bush-whacked"

Taking a cue from his dad, the 41st president of the United States, former President George W. Bush went quietly into the night when he retired from the White House, leaving the spotlight and allowing Barack Obama to step into that leadership position.

President Bush probably would have remained quiet ... except Barack Obama began to bash the Bush administration. Kind of a low blow when you slam someone knowing pretty well that they are not going to slam back. (What is it with Democrat presidents that they cannot accept responsibility and not blame the previous White House tenents?)

Investor's Business Daily took note in an editorial today:

After being pummeled by his successor, the 43rd president ends his silence on America's slide into socialism and timidity. He reminds us leadership is not something that comes off a teleprompter.

Perhaps tired about being publicly blamed by the current administration for all our current ills, Bush spoke out in Erie, Pa., on Wednesday at the 104th annual gathering of the Manufacturers and Business Association.

President Bush stood his ground against Obama and the current out-of-control White House by addressing the stimulus bill, Guantanamo, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, terrorism, and more. Good editorial.

I miss having John Wayne in charge of the ranch....

Passing the buck ...

It is the month of August; a resort town sits next to the shores of a lake. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.

Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town.

He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 dollar bill on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.

The hotel proprietor takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the butcher.

The Butcher takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the pig raiser.

The pig raiser takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.

The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the town's prostitute that in these hard times, gave her "services" on credit.

The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 dollar bill to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.

The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 dollar bill back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.

At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 dollar bill, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.

No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the United States Government is doing business today.

H/T Shak

RedState alerts voters ... stop European bank bailouts

From Erick Erickson at RedState....

The Blue Dog Democrats are wavering on supporting H.R. 2346, the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act. How do I know? Sources tell me Rahm Emanuel is trying to sweeten the package.

Remember: H.R. 2346, the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, will provide funds to the International Monetary Fund to bail out European banks. We can stop it.

Call their local offices. Tell whoever answers the phone that you want your Congressman to vote against H.R. 2346, the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act.

BE QUICK ABOUT IT. WE CAN'T WASTE ANY TIME.

Virginia:

Glenn Nye - VA-02
757-326-6201
757-789-5092
202-225-4215

Tom Perriello - VA-05
434-293-9631
434-791-2596
434-392-1997

Support GOP candidates ... curb spending

By Suzanne Curran
Conservative Activist
Shenandoah County, VA

I support the Open Forum by Sen. Mark Obenshain and Del. Matt Lohr that explained solid reasons for opposing federal stimulus money and its federal interference (“Kaine Is Wrong On Unemployment,” April 27, Harrisonburg Daily News Record).

Virginia’s budget is in dire straits due to unrealistic expectations by the Kaine Administration. Many budget items have been reduced for lack of revenue. Federal “stimulus” funding is a one-time paycheck. Next year, who will pay for programs underwritten by that money? The Virginia General Assembly will be required to find state tax money to cover them.

The people who are ridiculing our dedicated elected officials for opposing the one-time funding will ridicule them again for not “finding” the money to keep the programs funded with new permanent tax dollars.

The Virginia Constitution requires a balanced budget. We pay as we go in Virginia. The Democratic Kaine Administration has based its budgeting on unrealistic assumptions. Do you believe in July 2009, just two months from now, Virginia’s tax revenues will grow at an annual rate of 4.5 percent? If they do not, the budget will not balance.

Do you know an economist who will predict that we will reach those revenue projections in 60 days? Virginia’s revenue was down 15 percent in January as compared to January 2008; down 13.6 percent in February, and, according to newly released data, down 13.9 percent in March for a total decline of nearly 14.2 percent from first quarter 2008 receipts. Some economists predict we will enter fiscal 2010 with higher unemployment.

Many of our immediate financial and job needs for Virginia could be greatly reduced if we would drill for natural gas and oil offshore. The oil and gas business produces extended employment and small business opportunities that surround that industry. Democrats say no.

Exxon employees who live in Malaysia next to the South China Sea work on offshore platforms 30 days then get 30 days home. Their salaries are excellent. Communities that surround their compound receive new revenue from taxes; local businesses have new patrons with money to spend. I visited there many times and I never saw a hint of a platform on the horizon, while that platform’s underwater stanchions created a rich reef-like world for marine life! But Democrats say no.

A drive through Timberville recently was so sad. Mason Motors is out of business; Broadway Ford out of business. How many jobs were lost by their closing? Their cute ad jingles on WSIG were a source of information and provided for employment at the radio station. Certainly, my son’s business, selling new car warranty insurance, has lost several dealership clients across Virginia. No one thinks beyond the immediate business closing, and, it affects so many others in an ever-widening circle.

This destructive debacle is a result of voters’ being either uninformed or misinformed. Obama told everyone during his speech at James Madison University that the Constitution is a “flawed document,” basically negative, and he was going to change it. He is?!

We need a statewide strategy to defeat the galloping, Obama-led, Democrat interlopers who say “the federal government is here to help.”

To quote Ronald Reagan, “The federal government is not the answer, it is the problem.” This version of federal governance is a problem as far as the eye can envision into several generations of our several great-grandchildren. To repeat Lohr and Obenshain’s piece, “Hang on, this may be a rough ride.”

To ease the pain for our Commonwealth, vote for Bob McDonnell for governor, re-elect Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and send Matt Lohr, Chris Saxman, Steve Landes, and Todd Gilbert back to the House of Delegates to continue their fight for a government dedicated to lower taxes, better jobs, and less regulatory interference in your places of business.

We do not need to take more federal government money with strings attached.

Suzanne Curran is the 2009 Volunteer of the Year for Americans for Prosperity.

VA business leaders speak up, thank Republicans

Speaker Bill Howell addressed a news conference earlier this week with remarks about Virginia's unemployment benefits. He was joined by business leaders from throughout Virginia including Donnie Caffrey, owner and president of Good Foods Groceries; John Nicholson, co-owner of Company Flowers; Debra Girvin, president of Lochlyn Company; and James Hatcher, president of Pleasant Hardware.

In a press release:

Standing united in support of policies that help people in need, encourage job creation and promote sustainable economic growth, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William J. Howell (R-Stafford) and House Republican Majority Caucus Chairman Samuel A. “Sam” Nixon, Jr. (R-Chesterfield) today joined with business owners and employers from across Virginia to detail the positive impact on job retention and creation of Virginia Republicans’ recent actions on unemployment insurance. At the April 8 reconvened session of the 2009 General Assembly, the House of Delegates approved a temporary 13-week extension in unemployment benefits, lowered health insurance costs for laid-off workers and small business, and rejected amendments by Governor Kaine to SB 1495 that would have permanently expanded state unemployment insurance benefits resulting in higher per-employee taxes for Virginia businesses.

“Republicans know that a robust, growing economy is key to helping laid-off workers, families and taxpayers who are hurting, thereby freeing businesses and entrepreneurs to invest in job creation and expand opportunities,” remarked Speaker Howell. “Virginia businesses that will create the jobs necessary to return our economy to prosperity understand that permanently expanding our state unemployment insurance system will result in higher taxes on jobs, creating a disincentive for new hires and business investment. Acting in a caring and responsible manner, Republicans have taken appropriate steps to assist unemployed Virginians during this economic recession. But, we also recognize that the goal of a laid-off worker is not a short-term government check, but rather a full-time job in a thriving business. I appreciate the support of so many Virginia business owners and leaders. Together, we are going to continue working to create jobs for Virginians and revitalize our state’s economy for the long-term. That’s the top priority for Republicans.”

Republicans are looking out for the long-term interests of Virginians.

Feinstein votes ... husband's company benefits?

Conflict of interest? Big time.

So you think socialism is okay? Read this....

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class.

The class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said ok, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism.

All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little. The second Test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would ultimately fail because the harder to succeed the greater the reward but when a government takes all the reward away; no one will try or succeed.

H/T to Joy

Obama: "Absolute confidence in soundness of U.S. investments"

The Chinese are nervous:

[China's Premier Wen Jiabao] told reporters in Beijing on Friday that he was concerned about China's huge stake in the US economy as it endures the worst crisis in generations.

"We have lent huge amounts of money to the United States. Of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets," Wen said.

"To be honest, I am a little bit worried and I would like to ... call on the United States to honor its word and remain a credible nation and ensure the safety of Chinese assets."

Barack Obama said:

... China could have "absolute confidence" in the American economy....

The world markets shuttered at those comments:

Wen's comments caused a stir in global markets, and were the latest disturbance to the critical US-Chinese relationship early in Obama's administration.
...
The Chinese reportedly are concerned about the enormous amount of borrowed money, including Obama's nearly 800-billion-dollar stimulus, being used to boost US growth.

Concerns are flaring in China that the stimulus plan could hurt dollar-denominated assets, with some observers urging China to cut US Treasury holdings, the official Xinhua news agency said last month.

Domestic critics have charged that, as a developing country, China should be investing at home instead of subsidizing the world's richest country, or else diversifying into other foreign assets.

H/T to DK

More consequences of huge government bills

Fellow Valley blogger Jim Patrick from Shenandoah County says it loud and clear:

The problem is not Democrats. It’s not Republicans. The problem is 1,000 pages of garbage —written by special interests— that nobody in Congress has read through. Again.

Call your Congress critturs and ask them to defeat this monster.

He is talking about the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009:

Buried in its thousand-or-so pages, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (S. 22) has provisions that provides for potential civil forfeiture when a person picks up, moves, takes, trades, sells, or gives away a “paleontological resource.” You can loose your car for the kids picking up a neat rock.

It gets worse. Read his well-written post here.

So much for Dems promising transparency....

After passage of the huge stimulus/pork bill by Democrats on Friday, Donald at the American Power blog in California wrote A fundamental reworking of our priorities:

This morning's Wall Street Journal cuts right to the chase in their editorial, "1,073 Pages":

Democrats rushed the bill to the floor before Members could even read it, much less have time to broadcast the details so the public could offer its verdict.

So much for Democratic promises of a new era of transparency.

That's exactly what Democrats do not want, transparency.

Read the rest of the post plus the comments.

Imagine for just one minute ... think back over the past eight years ... if George W. Bush and the Republicans had rammed through a huge pork bill after saying three days before that they would allow 48 hours to provide the bill could be seen by the American public, and then passing it less than 24 hours after it came out of the printing office.

Yeah ... you don't have to think for a minute, do you? The media would be screaming bloody murder. But all we hear with the Democrats in control is ...

... deafening silence.

Conservatives opposed to wasteful spending

By Jim Gilmore
Virginia Patriot Blog

People in Washington like to throw around elegant economic theories while debating the needed economic stimulus. But whether they’re Keynesians or supply-siders, conservatives or socialists, none seem to be focusing on what state governments need and could actually make use of to help them through these tough times.

We conservatives aren’t opposed to a stimulus package. We’re opposed to waste, to further government interference in our economy, and want only to make sure the government takes action that is right, not simply expedient.

Read the complete story at Human Events.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

Call Mark Warner's office TODAY ... save Va's right-to-work status

Please call Mark Warner's office today and ask that he vote NO on the stimulus bill. There are numerous reasons why it should be voted against but one is the possibility of Virginia's right-to-work status being removed for any federally-funded projects in Virginia.

Mark Warner: (202) 224-2023
Jim Webb: (202) 224-4024
White House: (202) 456-1111

PLEASE ... call NOW!

Update: I called Sen. Warner's office and had to leave a message. When I contacted Sen. Webb's office, a young lady actually answered the phone and I asked that she pass along that I would like the Senator to vote "NO" on the stimulus bill. She asked for my zip code and thanked me.

PLEASE CALL. The bill didn't come out of the printer's until 11 pm last night which did not allow for 24 hours to read it much less the required 48 hours. Our Congress is voting on a bill that is 1,000 pages long. They have no idea what all is in this oink-oink package.

Live now: AFP tele-town hall conference

Going on live now ... over 10,000 Americans across the nation joined Americans For Prosperity president Tim Phillips, Virginia Congressional Whip Eric Cantor (R-7th Cognressional District), and the Wall Street Journal's Steve Moore for a tele-town hall that answered questions about the stimulus bill and other issues of interest to voters. They provided up-to-the-minute intelligence and details on the eve of Congress’s final vote on the Pelosi/Reid/Obama trillion dollar "Stimulus" boondoggle.

Questions asked from throughout the country were answered by the three gentlemen ... everything from why there is no transparency of the stimulus bill, how small business owners will survive, to how bad the economy will get with the passage of this bill, to thanking the Republicans for standing up against the bill, and much more.

One caller said we've lost the battle but not the war, and wanted to know how to get the word out through the grassroots. The answer: call-in radio shows, letters to the editor, talk to 10 people a day about the importance of being engaged, sign the No Stimulus petition, call your representatives.

The House has set their vote for early afternoon tomorrow. The Senate vote appears to be set for late tomorrow afternoon or early evening. That gives us 24 hours to keep up the pressure. We must keep fighting back, and turning up the heat on our elected officials.

This fight has been taken to the center of the national stage, even when nobody thought it could make a difference. AFP's NoStimulus.com campaign is having a big impact, turning public opinion strongly against the Pelosi/Reid/Obama trillion-dollar debt and spending scheme.

Already, the NoStimulus.com petition drive has 418,343 signers and the number is climbing by the hour! That's right -- last Friday at a news conference with Senator DeMint to turn in the initial round of petitions the number was at 69,487 and one week later it's 418,343 petition signers!

Thank you for doing your part in this crucial battle.

Arrogant politicians ... not listening to the voters

Callers into Rush Limbaugh's radio show today voiced outrage at the stimulas (pork) bill that was being passed in Washington. Here is one such caller:

CALLER: Yes, sir. Thank you. I just wanted to share that I was so frustrated this morning and yesterday trying to voice my displeasure with our Senator Arlen Specter's decision to vote for the impulse bill.

I couldn't get through e-mail, couldn't get through phone, was always busy, said the voice mailbox was full, so I got to the point where I took the copy of my e-mail to Arlen Specter's local office, and I just had to register my protest about his arrogance and for not hearing the voice of the voters of Pennsylvania.

It's just frustrating beyond belief. And although they have a count of the number of calls that have come in and e-mails, I said there's just no way you could know how many calls and e-mails haven't gotten through, and they said they're swamped, and I said, "Obviously there's a lot of people that don't want to see Arlen Specter vote for this bill." And they said, "That's true, there are a few that are for it, but most are against." And I just thought it was arrogance.

RUSH: I heard yesterday that the calls coming into Washington offices are hundreds to one against this. It's rivaling the amnesty bill and so forth. I can't explain it to you.

Even after Senator Specter understood this morning what health care provisions are in this -- I can't explain this to you. I could try to come up with something pithy that would rely on the fact, well, they made a commitment before they knew what was in it, or they were hounded by the press, or who knows what. But it's a crying shame when this thing wins 61-37 and it passed with three Republicans.

These guys in the Senate had a chance to distinguish themselves like the Republicans in the House did, and they might be relying also, John, on the fact that they can straighten this out in conference. Susan Collins actually said that there's some things in this she doesn't like and if they don't get fixed in the conference committee with the House version of this bill she's not going to support it, so we'll see.

We are at this point because of the three "Republicans."

Rush ... more on stimulus bill

Rush Limbaugh from today's show:

RUSH: Let me correct myself again, on the final Senate vote I mistakenly it was it was a slam-dunk of 67-31 on the final Senate vote.

It was 61-37, and without the three RINO Republicans, Collins, Snowe, and Specter, this thing would not have passed.

These three Republicans, by the way, were hounded by the Drive-By Media, "How can you let Obama fail, the new president?" They were just hammered by the media, and they buckled to the pressure. So now the whole thing goes to the conference with the House. I ask again: "Where's the saucer? Where is the damn saucer? The Senate's supposed to be the saucer that cools the overheated stuff in the cup which comes from the House." There's no saucer. The Senate didn't slow anything down! They didn't get deliberative. Nobody knows what they've signed here, as is evidenced by national health care provisions being in the stimulus package.

Does anyone know what all is in that stimulus package?

Rush and the stimulus bill....

From Rush Limbaugh on today's show:

RUSH: In the stimulus bill, the Porkulus bill which has passed the Senate 61-37 [which means it could not have happened without the three RINO Republicans]. Now it goes to the conference report where hopefully somebody will be able to slow this down and stop this insanity. In this Senate bill, there is the nationalization of American health care. There is a new bureaucracy created, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, which will monitor treatments to make sure that your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective regarding your treatment. It's going to be just like the UK! When you go to the doctor, your doctor is going to have to consult either a book, a computer program, or maybe even make a phone call to find out what kind of treatment you can get and how much to charge for it based on how much the government's going to reimburse him for it. As such... The author of this plan, by the way, is former senator from North Dakota -- or South Dakota, I'm not sure which one; I get them confused -- Tom Daschle who asks for airtime for this message.

RUSH: It's in the Senate bill, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology.

National Coordinator of Health Information Technology. Be afraid, America.

Traitor Republicans

When I first heard from a friend that three Republicans had broken from their colleagues and lined up with Barack Obama on the stimulas package, I quickly named them. Their past is much of the same. NewsMax.com wrote:

Three liberal Republican senators — Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Pennsylvania's Sen. Arlen Specter — who pledged their support this weekend to President Barack Obama’s massive stimulus bill are drawing the wrath of many conservatives.

As news filtered through the media that a "deal" had been cut with the defecting GOP Senators — giving Democrats the 60-plus votes they need to overcome a Republican filibuster — Republican officials and pundits expressed outrage.

The bolting senators cited soaring unemployment numbers, the country's worsening recession and the fact they cut about $100 billion off of the Senate Democrats' proposed plan as key factors for their decision to betray the GOP Senate caucus to join with the Democrats.

But critics note that the Democratic "compromise" plan comes in at $827 billion — $8 billion more in spending than the already bloated House bill that called for $819 billion in new spending. They also note the so-called stimulus bill offers little immediate relief to the economy. According to a Congressional Budget Office report issued last week, only a fraction of the stimulus will be spent in 2009.

Though weekends are noted for slow news cycles, Collins, Snowe, and Specter already are finding they are under hostile fire, lambasted on conservative Web sites throughout the weekend and the subjects of angry calls by many of their constituents, according to reports.

“Arlen Specter is DONE,” wrote a blogger named steelfish on the FreeRepublic Web site. “He won his last primary by less than 1 percent against a real conservative of Pat Toomey. And only because the President Bush came to PA and campaigned for him. He is DONE.”

Specter is up for re-election in 2010. Washington Republican strategists tell Newsmax this weekend that Specter's defection has sealed the deal: he will face a primary for the GOP nomination.

"We don't care if we lose the Pennsylvania Senate seat to the Democrats," one Washington strategist told Newsmax. "Better to remove Fifth columnists from the party."

The sentiment was echoed in chat rooms and blogs across the web.

“They are frauds. RINOS" Republicans in Name Only, wrote a blogger named Croupier101 on the Fox News blog site.

Conservatives are fed up. Here is contact information for these three traitors:

Olympia Snowe - Maine
(202) 224-5344

Susan Collins - Maine
(202) 224-2523

Arlen Specter - Pennsylvania
(202) 224-4254

Tonight I see where Leslie Carbone is also upset and writes:

If two of these three traitors had voted against cloture, the bill would not be moving forward.

A final vote is expected tomorrow. Please contact your Senators and urge them to vote against this government stimulus bill. If you live in Virginia, your Senators are:

Jim Webb
(202) 224-4024

and

Mark Warner
(202) 224-2023

This has got to stop.

"The American Spirit vs. the All-Mighty Government"

From Bobby Eberle at GOP USA....

The [stimulus] bill should be defeated, and NO Republican should support it. But rather than going line by line and showing just how bad it is, I believe we should all look at it from a higher level and see how this bill perfectly defines what the socialist mindset is all about. If you've ever had a hard time explaining the difference in political philosophies to your friends or co-workers, just point them to this bill. It is truly the American spirit vs. the all-mighty government.

Read the entire article here.