MMXII - More Libs Goodbye

FORGET ABOUT THE 3 AM PHONE CALL ...

2011-09-16T10:05:00.001-04:00

"Jobs ... Added or Saved" - Sound Familiar?

2011-05-10T16:48:00.000-04:00

~~General~~ Gov't Motors Co. confirmed press reports that it plans to invest about $2 billion in 17 U.S. manufacturing sites over the next few years. According to GM CEO ~~Barack~~ Daniel Akerson:

We are doing this because we are confident about demand for our vehicles and the economy. The new investment is on top of the $3.4 billion and more than 9,000 jobs that GM has added or saved since mid-2009.

Is it just me, or does the timing and language (sounds a lot like the "created or saved" phrase coming out of Washington) of this announcement sound a little too political?

General Motors plans to invest $2B ("that's a b") in manufacturing sites because it is "confident" about demand of its vehicles. Although Daniel Ackerson did manage to admit that "[w]e don't want to get in over our heads in the supply and demand curve."

Confidence? Maybe it's more about the Obama administration's lack of confidence in the U.S. economy and its reelection chances. Remember, the election is less than 17 months away, unemployment is 9% (underemployment is what, near 20%?), and union support is crumbling (example after example.)

The National Portrait Gallery - Size Matters?

2011-01-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

1/20/11 - House GOP Lists $2.5 Trillion in Spending Cuts, including ...

National Endowment for the Arts - $167.5 million annual savings!

In case you haven’t heard … President Obama’s new budget includes a big increase for the Smithsonian Institution. The museum complex will receive a record-breaking $797.4 million in 2010. Apparently, $761.4 million in 2009 just wasn’t enough. With so much of our money going here, it got us thinking - is the Smithsonian Institute fair and balanced?

To answer this question, we visited the popular Portraits of the Presidents exhibit at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in downtown Washington and snapped a few pictures. The pictures speak for themselves, and the cliche “one picture is worth a thousand words” definitely applies.

According to the Smithsonian:

"The presidency has been a major focus of American political life ... presidential portraits have from the outset attracted popular interest. ... It is no surprise, then, that presidential portraiture has been a major collecting concern at the National Portrait Gallery ever since it opened its doors in 1968. ... In the selection of portraits on view here, some are more sophisticated and striking [might those be the Democrat presidents??] than others [hmmm … Republican presidents]; some are quite rare or altogether unique; some are calculated to impress us with their gravity while others are warmly intimate. ....”

Really? Here is what we saw.

President Clinton
It is easy to see why the recently unveiled President Clinton portrait has been generating a lot of attention lately. The portrait is quite “striking” ... occupying nearly an entire wall from floor to ceiling!

Presidents Bush 41 and 43

Portraits of Presidents Bush 41 and 43 are standard size and hang together on a wall that adjoins the Clinton wall.

Comparison of Presidents Bush and Clinton

President Reagan
A portrait of President Reagan is standard size and hangs alone on a wall that adjoins the Clinton wall (apologies for the blurry photo).

Comparison of Presidents Reagan and Clinton
President Clinton’s portrait is on the far left (no pun intended) side of the photo.

President Carter
A portrait of President Carter, like Clinton, occupies nearly an entire wall from floor to ceiling.

President Nixon
A portrait of President Nixon hangs on the opposite side of the Carter wall. The Nixon portrait is quite small (we were unable to find a smaller presidential portrait in the gallery) and dimly lit. Probably just a coincidence … Or maybe this is what they meant by “warmly intimate.”

Comparison of Presidents Nixon and Carter
The portraits of Presidents Carter and Nixon hang on opposite sides of the same wall.

President Kennedy
A portrait of President Kennedy, like Presidents Clinton and Carter, occupies nearly an entire wall from floor to ceiling. The Kennedy portrait is brightly lit even though it is located just a few feet from the Nixon portrait.

President Eisenhower
A portrait of President Eisenhower is standard size, like fellow Republicans Bush and Reagan, and shares a wall.

Comparison of Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy

So is the Portraits of the Presidents exhibit at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery fair and balanced? You be the judge.

***

Obamacare - The Day After

2010-11-16T15:52:00.001-05:00

We were told Obamacare was going to help the “less fortunate” amongst us have access to healthcare. We were also told that those of us who wanted to keep our doctor … could. (Nevermind that Obamacare ignores addressing the ever-increasing demand of medicalservices on a dwindling supply of medical practitioners.) Not soaccording to the letter that I received from my doctor today.

Apparently, my primary care doctoris switching to a membership based practice. Why? In his word,"[u]nder the current healthcare system, it's becoming increasinglydifficult for doctors to provide the kind of personal attention andindividualized care that's the hallmark of a top medical practice. Manydoctors are instead forced to run their practice like an assembly line,squeezing in as many patients visits into a day as possible."

Not stated here is that along withan increase in government mandates and patient demand come price caps on whatdoctors can charge. Therefore, the cost of renderings service is often muchgreater than what a doctor can ultimately charge.

So, how is my doctor responding tothe rising costs? Get this … for the "small membership fee" of $60per month (40% of my monthly insurance premium) I will have doctor priority forappointments, email/voicemail contact with the doctor, and personalized carecoordination. All of which I would expect from my doctor with the fee myinsurance pays. Anyways, here’s what the letter states:

Top physicians implementmembership practices in order to provide more personalized care to theirpatients including having more time to focus on prevention and wellness. The select few patients invited to join Privia are uniquely committed to theirpatients and are known for going 'above and beyond' in making sure theirpatients get the best available care. The modest monthly membership fee enablesthese top physicians to have access to the latest technologies, and give themthe time needed to provide patients the highest levels of individualattention.

So what if I don't join this club? Sure … I can always continue to use my current insurance plan. But as the letterstates:

Your doctor is committed tothe membership practice model and is asking all current patients tojoin. Unlike with concierge medicine, if you do not join you maystill see your doctor in the office. Over time, as the membershippractice fills up, you doctor may ask non-member patients to see anotherprovider in the office for routine visits - which may include a physicianassistant or nurse practitioner.

So my initial takeaways are:

We see an influx of patients, morethan we are built to handle
We will give you more access andcare if you pay outside of our normal fees
Despite claims that Obamacare wouldget more people access to healthcare (link above), doctors are getting around it and makingit more difficult for the poor to get access to healthcare (membership club)
The poor who are insured will havetheir access to healthcare reduced since they are less likely to pay for thesefees
The HMO model is spreading

This is yet another example of thefailure of government mandates. Once again, elections haveconsequences. Unless something is done quickly … one of the consequences from’08 might be trickle up poverty.

- GUEST POST (The Turbanator)

Reagan asked ... We Delivered !!!

2010-10-26T18:49:00.001-04:00

November 2nd

2010-10-26T18:35:00.000-04:00

We have identified 50 congresspersons in the United States House of Representatives who must be voted out of office on November 2nd because they furthered the radical left wing agenda in 2009 against the interests of their constituents. We identified these congresspersons based solely on their 2009 voting records and the historical voting patterns of the congressional districts they represent.

These 50 earned a place on our list because ...

(1) they voted for at least 2 of 3 bad bills (Stimulus, Cap-and-Trade, and Obamacare) last year, and

(2) they represent a district where McCain received at least 45% of the vote in 2008. A few others (Bean, Driehaus, Foster, Kildee, and McNerney) made the list even though their district bucked historical trend by only supporting McCain with 43 or 44% of the vote (below our 45% threshold)

Leave us your comments and click on the email link below to forward this chart to your friends ...

2012

2010-10-26T18:20:00.001-04:00

"Contribution to Humankind"

2010-03-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

Senator Inhofe (the only Senator with a perfect conservative score in 2009): “Defeating Barbara Boxer Is Not a Victory, It’s a Contribution to Humankind” (Audio) [Gateway Pundit]

Question (at 13:35 mark): Senator, I was wondering, I know you and Barbara Boxer have butted heads a few times and it looks like the election (in California for US Senate) is getting pretty close. Do you have any comments on that?

Senator Inhofe: The only problem with that election out there is she’s the beneficiary of three Republicans who are trying to beat up each other. I wish we had one Republican. Frankly, I don’t care who it is. I used to say, “Defeating Barbara Boxer is not a victory, it’s a contribution to humankind.” We need to get her defeated by anyone who’s out there. So I hope the strongest one who would wage the best campaign against her would go ahead and win.

(click here for audio)

Obama Now Selling Judgeship for Health Care Votes?

2010-03-03T19:20:00.004-05:00

If at first you don't succeed, then BUY, BUY again!

It's Wednesday night (party night at the White House) and Barack Obama is hanging out with ten House Democrats who voted against the health care bill in November at the White House.

One of those members is Jim Matheson, representing Utah's 2nd District. Jim has already voted against his own party's reform plan twice. First, in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Second, on the floor of the House, saying it didn't do enough to control long-term costs. So, what would make him change his vote this time around? Could it be that Obamacare 3.0 promises to control long-term costs? Or could it have something to do today's White House press release?

“Scott Matheson is a distinguished candidate for the Tenth Circuit court,” President Obama said. “Both his legal and academic credentials are impressive and his commitment to judicial integrity is unwavering. I am honored to nominate this lifelong Utahn to the federal bench.”

As reported by the Weekly Standard, the timing of this looks suspicious, especially in view of Joe Sestak's recent claim that he was offered a federal job not to run against Specter in the Pennsylvania primary.

You be the judge (no pun intended!).

The “most ethical Congress in history.”

2010-03-01T18:21:00.000-05:00

Yeah Right ...

Who is our Daniel Hannan?

2010-02-26T16:51:00.000-05:00

"The truth [Congress] is that you have run out of our money!"

My Friends, JD Could Derail the Straight Talk Expresss

2010-02-24T13:53:00.000-05:00

02.24.10 Update: Romney Takes Sides

Romney endorses McCain over J.D. in the Cactus Contest. Why? Did McCain dig up some dirt on him in the '08 primary? Here's what Rush thinks:

I like Mitt Romney, but I think he’s risking his career over a guy, endorsing McCain, who is so out of step with what’s going on right now. McCain’s always conservative when he’s running for reelection in Arizona. The tea parties have produced a wave of conservatism that have swept Republicans-in-name-only aside. I understand Palin endorsing McCain. She’s got no choice. Loyalty, plus if she doesn’t the media will cream her, “Oh, he’s good enough to be president but you won’t endorse him to be Senator?” And it’s understandable Romney would endorse Brown, but I don’t understand Romney endorsing McCain. I just don’t think it’s going to fly. These endorsements are unnecessary. What is there to gain by this? Look, it’s unfortunate, but people are weeding themselves out of the process all the while engaging in this kind of behavior. So in one sense it has a cleansing aspect to it…
This is what I’m telling you now, I tried to say that the Republican Party is trying to fight this off right now, they’re trying to fight off the tea party people. They’re trying to avoid being run over by them. Nobody is willingly going to give up a position of leadership they think they hold and a lot of people, it’s very difficult for people to change their core. Now, again, with Romney endorsing McCain, this is all about the future. This is Romney wanting McCain’s endorsement in 2012 if he runs for president. This is all about Republicans hanging together and this is one of the things that irritates people, especially new arrivals, to what is considered to be the same old politics. It is tone deaf, it’s suicidal, at least it seems to me, but at least you find out where people think things are important early on in a process like this so it’s got its value even though it does make you mad…
Okay, so imagine you got this tent, and we all know that McCain is still ticked off that he didn’t win the presidency, and he’s still ticked off that he had to fight so hard to win the nomination. So 2012 comes along, let’s say McCain loses the Senate run, so now he’s out there really ticked off, and some people just might — just throwing this out there, I’m not trying to convince you of this. I don’t even know if it’s true or even accurate. But maybe they’re just figuring down the road they’d rather have McCain not outside the tent throwing bombs at ‘em, rather have him inside the tent doing whatever he’s doing, I think either way it’s irrelevant because I think you’re right, the era of McCain’s over.

MMX FLEXer Kathleen from AZ writes:

The race is on!

Can it be that the Straight Talk Express will be derailed? A real contest is emerging at long last. The US Senate seat held for so many years by John McCain, hero, former US Congressman, former Republican Presidential nominee, is being contested by former US Congressman JD Hayworth. What makes this primary compelling this time, is the mood of the electorate. Most indications are that public opinion is moving Right. The Senator may be vulnerable.

What bodes well for the Senator is that Republicans are taking a stand and throwing their weight behind the incumbent. Sarah Palin, so admired by much of the conservative constituency, is going to campaign for the sitting Senator. Scott Brown, the much hailed upset winner is Massachusetts, recorded a voice message to Arizona contributors to his campaign. In the message he thanked the contributors and asked them to support John McCain. Given these endorsements, one might think the Senator is a shoe-in for the Republican nomination. But the Senator should not count his chickens just yet.

As Arizona voters reflect on their candidate choices, other factors may be so potent as to mitigate these endorsements. First, though preferred by the media as a reasonable Republican, real conservatives find his tendency to be the “maverick,” a title in which he trumpets as a qualification, a disqualifier. Should he win the Republican nomination, which is tantamount in Arizona to winning in the general, the conservative agenda will likely be compromised again. Why? Due to the Senator’s age, it is likely this will be his last run for office. He will no longer need to consider how his vote will play back home and so will be unrestrained in his naked desire to be well regarded by the press nationally, ensuring multiple invitations to be a guest on opinion new shows. The electorate be damned.

His positions on immigration (better known as amnesty), freedom of speech (or lack thereof i.e. McCain-Feingold), the global warming hysteria, (and if you believe the gossipy new book “Game Change” McCain suggested Joe Lieberman as a running mate on his Presidential ticket,) belie his self-described “Conservative” bona fides. These positions and choices, are antithetical to core conservative values.

Additionally, and it goes without saying, but is only fair and right to say that John McCain is a bona fide war hero. As a POW he endured horrific treatment and throughout, though the opportunity to be released was presented, chose to eschew special consideration due to his connections as the son of an Admiral. However, this experience has clouded his judgment in that he actually suggested that water boarding is akin to torture. Most Conservatives see this as a technique to obtain vital national security information, which does not actually inflict pain or lasting physical harm. Without the utilization of this technique, lord knows (and John McCain) what other attacks would have been successfully carried out by Al Queda.

The problem primary conservative voter’s face though, is that the primaries in Arizona are Open. (Secretary of State Ken Bennett 7-27-9:… and then especially in Arizona, you have the phenomenon that, because you are allowed to vote in the open primary except for the presidential preference primaries, which did catch a few voters off guard this year. A lot of independents who were used to being able to vote in statewide and legislative offices, were caught off guard and not allowed to vote in the presidential primary). This has effectively ensured Senator McCain’s nomination in the past. Democrats, knowing that their candidate will not win in the general, use their vote in the Republican primary to influence the outcome. Thus a moderate like John McCain will receive ample support from the Democratic base. With the mood of the electorate these days we shall see if that works for him this time around.

The latest Rasmussen polling shows the sitting senator has an advantage but JD is not foolhardy. He just announced his intention to run for the nomination. The hope is that he has some internal indications that suggest Senator McCain may no longer be able to motivate the squishy middle to show up and vote for the “Maverick.”

Here’s hoping the independents vote conservative as we know the senator won’t!

_____________________________________________________________

John McCain running from [his friend] JD Hayworth?

"Getting Jobbed"

2010-02-22T13:18:00.003-05:00

Eric Cantor (R-VA) issued the following news release that contrasts the Democrats' $862 billion failed stimulus with the reality faced by millions of Americans.

Here is a list of congressmen that MUST GO for passing the failed stimulus:

1. Adler, John, New Jersey, 3rd 2. Arcuri, Michael A., New York, 24th ~~3. Baird, Brian, Washington, 3rd~~ 4. Bean, Melissa L., Illinois, 8th ~~5. Berry, Marion, Arkansas, 1st~~ 6. Bishop Jr., Sanford D., Georgia, 2nd 7. Boccieri, John A., Ohio, 16th 8. Boucher, Rick, Virginia, 9th 9. Carney, Christopher, Pennsylvania, 10th 10. Chandler, Ben, Kentucky, 6th 11. Dahlkemper, Kathy, Pennsylvania, 3rd 12. Driehaus, Steve, Ohio, 1st 13. Etheridge, Bob, North Carolina, 2nd 14. Foster, Bill, Illinois, 14th 15. Giffords, Gabrielle, Arizona, 8th ~~16. Gordon, Bart, Tennessee, 6th~~ 17. Grayson, Alan, Florida, 8th 18. Hall, John J., New York, 19th 19. Halvorson, Debbie, Illinois, 11th 20. Hill, Baron, Indiana, 9th ~~21. Hodes, Paul W., New Hampshire, 2nd~~ 22. Kagen, Steve, Wisconsin, 8th 23. Kildee, Dale, Michigan, 5th 24. Kilroy, Mary Jo, Ohio, 15th 25. Kirkpatrick, Ann, Arizona, 1st 26. Klein, Ron , Florida, 22nd 27. Kosmas, Suzanne M., Florida, 24th 28. Kratovil, Jr., Frank M., Maryland, 1st 29. Markey, Betsy, Colorado, 4th 30. McMahon, Michael E., New York, 13th 31. McNerney, Jerry, California, 11th 32. Mitchell, Harry E., Arizona, 5th 33. Mollohan, Alan B., West Virginia, 1st ~~34. Moore, Dennis, Kansas, 3rd~~ 35. Murphy, Patrick J., Pennsylvania, 8th ~~36. Murtha, John, Pennsylvania, 12th~~ 37. Oberstar, James L., Minnesota, 8th 38. Ortiz, Solomon P., Texas, 27th 39. Perriello, Tom, Virginia, 5th 40. Pomeroy, Earl, North Dakota, At-Large 41. Rahall, Nick, West Virginia, 3rd 42. Rodriguez, Ciro, Texas, 23rd 43. Salazar, John T., Colorado, 3rd 44. Schauer, Mark, Michigan, 7th 45. Skelton, Ike, Missouri, 4th ~~46. Snyder, Vic, Arkansas 2nd~~ 47. Space, Zachary T., Ohio, 18th 48. Spratt, John, South Carolina, 5th 49. Stupak, Bart, Michigan, 1st 50. Teague, Harry, New Mexico, 2nd 51. Titus, Dina, Nevada, 3rd 52. Walz, Timothy J., Minnesota, 1st 53. Wilson, Charles A., Ohio, 6th

Click here for comments.

Obamacare 2.0 - Three Card Monte

2010-02-22T11:01:00.000-05:00

BIG Government takes on big business ... or so it is spun. The LSM is predictably eating up the latest Obamacare populist sales pitch:

The Obama administration will pitch legislation today that would allow the government to block excessive health insurance rate hikes, an administration official says. FULL STORY

Meanwhile, the devil is in the details. This disastrous package includes (see Drudge):

BACKDOOR FIX: 'Funds will be transferred to the Social Security Trust' if necessary...
PRESIDENT'S 'HEALTHCARE' PROPOSAL SUMMARY USES WORD 'TAX' 35 TIMES...
'Increase in Fees on Brand Name Pharmaceuticals'...
Broaden 'Tax Base for High-Income Taxpayers'...
Orders 'Comprehensive Database' On Health Claims...
FORCED: 'Raises percent of income assessment that individuals pay if they choose not to become insured'...

Like the game of three-card monte, the lastest spin on Obamacare 2.0 has only one objective: to trick or lull Americans into accepting government run health care despite overwhelming opposition. The latest pitch of preventing "excessive health insurance rate hikes" is carefully crafted to persuade people that they need the Government to protect them from “bad” insurance. However, once the Government dictates what insurance plans must cover (what they must not exclude), there will be dramatic price increases because companies will be forced to give up using their risk-based approach to underwriting, which keeps premiums down. The private insurance industry will predictably collapse and private healthcare will be finished in America. The protectionist subterfuge hides the dangers until it is too late. Read more ...

We Need To Clean Up Washington!!! 11.02.10

2010-02-19T13:51:00.005-05:00

It's going to take more than a "mop" ....

... to Clean Up Washington

Pelosi's Picks

2010-02-18T18:23:00.001-05:00

According to the Politico, the following reps have been bought and paid for by Nancy Pelosi:

Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.), Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.), Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), John Hall (D-N.Y.), Bill Owens (D-N.Y.), John Spratt (D-S.C.) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Tex.)

Leave us your thoughts ...

Hey Congress ... It's too late to apologize

2010-02-18T17:24:00.002-05:00

It's too late ... these Congressmen must go in 2010

Let us know what you think ...

QUOTE OF THE YEAR

2010-02-16T11:29:00.003-05:00

"But if Icould create one job in the private sector by helping to grow abusiness, that would be one more than [the Democrat controlled] Congress has created in the lastsix months."

- Democrat Evan Bayh

2010-02-15T14:51:00.002-05:00

Click for news/analysis of "Must Go" Congressmen

(searchable by Congressman and regularly updated)

List of "Must Go" Congressmen:

-- click on name for MMX FLEX spotlight --

1. Adler, John, New Jersey, 3rd

2. Arcuri, Michael A., New York, 24th

~~3. Baird, Brian, Washington, 3rd~~

4. Bean, Melissa L., Illinois, 8th

~~5. Berry, Marion, Arkansas, 1st~~

6. Bishop Jr., Sanford D., Georgia, 2nd

7. Boccieri, John A., Ohio, 16th

8. Boucher, Rick, Virginia, 9th

9. Carney, Christopher, Pennsylvania, 10th

10. Chandler, Ben, Kentucky, 6th

11. Dahlkemper, Kathy, Pennsylvania, 3rd

12. Driehaus, Steve, Ohio, 1st

13. Etheridge, Bob, North Carolina, 2nd

14. Foster, Bill, Illinois, 14th

15. Giffords, Gabrielle, Arizona, 8th

~~16. Gordon, Bart, Tennessee, 6th~~

17. Grayson, Alan, Florida, 8th

18. Hall, John J., New York, 19th

19. Halvorson, Debbie, Illinois, 11th

20. Hill, Baron, Indiana, 9th

~~21. Hodes, Paul W., New Hampshire, 2nd~~

22. Kagen, Steve, Wisconsin, 8th

23. Kildee, Dale, Michigan, 5th

24. Kilroy, Mary Jo, Ohio, 15th

25. Kirkpatrick, Ann, Arizona, 1st

26. Klein, Ron , Florida, 22nd

27. Kosmas, Suzanne M., Florida, 24th

28. Kratovil, Jr., Frank M., Maryland, 1st

29. Markey, Betsy, Colorado, 4th

30. McMahon, Michael E., New York, 13th

31. McNerney, Jerry, California, 11th

32. Mitchell, Harry E., Arizona, 5th

33. Mollohan, Alan B., West Virginia, 1st

~~34. Moore, Dennis, Kansas, 3rd~~

35. Murphy, Patrick J., Pennsylvania, 8th

~~36. Murtha, John, Pennsylvania, 12th~~

37. Oberstar, James L., Minnesota, 8th

38. Ortiz, Solomon P., Texas, 27th

39. Perriello, Tom, Virginia, 5th

40. Pomeroy, Earl, North Dakota, At-Large

41. Rahall, Nick, West Virginia, 3rd

42. Rodriguez, Ciro, Texas, 23rd

43. Salazar, John T., Colorado, 3rd

44. Schauer, Mark, Michigan, 7th

45. Skelton, Ike, Missouri, 4th

~~46. Snyder, Vic, Arkansas 2nd~~

47. Space, Zachary T., Ohio, 18th

48. Spratt, John, South Carolina, 5th

49. Stupak, Bart, Michigan, 1st

50. Teague, Harry, New Mexico, 2nd

51. Titus, Dina, Nevada, 3rd

52. Walz, Timothy J., Minnesota, 1st

53. Wilson, Charles A., Ohio, 6th

_____________________________
"Should Go" Congressmen:
54. Childers, Travis, Mississippi, 1st

The 50 "MUST GO" Congressmen in 2010: Click here to see how they voted on stimulus, cap-and-trade, and obamacare.

Spotlight on Mississippi's 1st District

2010-02-15T14:14:00.005-05:00

Travis Childers (MS-1) is not one of the "MUST GO" congressmen targeted by MMX FLEX. The reason … he voted against cap-and-trade and Obamacare in 2009. However, this should not save him in 2010. To borrow a statement from Mo Brooks (running for AL-5th):

“His vote for [Speaker Nancy Pelosi] has rendered almost every other vote [Travis Childers] has cast meaningless because his vote for Speaker predetermined the outcome of almost every other vote he has cast or will cast. ... You can’t be a conservative and vote to empower Nancy Pelosi, [Democratic Rep.] Barney Frank and everyone else of their political persuasion.”

Especially in MS-1, which is a heavily conservative district … voting for McCain by a 25-point margin in 2008.

The local GOP is fired up about taking back this seat … especially after Childer's vote for the economic stimulus package. Three high-profile candidates facing off for the GOP nomination are state Sen. Alan Nunnelee, former Eupora Mayor Henry Ross, and Fox News political commentator and conservative author Angela McGlowan.

Alan Nunnelee, who bills himself as the “true conservative,” has a strong base of support, receiving financial support from Minority Leader John Boehner, NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, and Governor Haley Barbour. With views like this, we aren’t surprised:

I believe that if you allow individuals, families and small businesses to keep more of their hard earned money they will create the stimulus that our economy needs without placing a huge burden of debt on our children and grandchildren.

While I believe Government should be limited, it does have a role - it can create an environment (through regulatory and tax policy) where small businesses, which are the engine of American job growth, can thrive.

Henry Ross, a retired Naval Reserve Commander and former mayor of Eupora recently announced his candidacy and intention to restore the conservative pillars of American society:

“I want to fight to restore the pillars of faith, family, and freedom on which the founders established this nation. These pillars have provided a strong foundation, but today they are in danger. If any one of them falls, we’ll lose our country. We need conservative fighters, who are willing to pay a political price, if necessary, who will do whatever it takes, to restore the pillars of American society.”

Angela McGowen, former Fox News commentator, conservative activist and author of "Bamboozled: How Americans Are Being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda," is getting a lot of positive attention after her recent announcement. We’re not surprised after hearing her stirring speeches in front of tea-party crowds over the past several months. However, Angela’s supporters may take a second look after listening to her candid views on the 2nd Amendment.

MMX FLEX is impressed with all three candidates (maybe not McGowen’s 2nd Amendment stance) and believes that the time has come for the voters of MS-1 to take a vote away from Pelosi.

Spotlight on Virginia's 5th District ("game changer")

2010-02-15T11:37:00.002-05:00

02.15.10 Update: Perriello-si voted for cap-and-trade legislation. We're not the only one saying that this was a terrible vote for VA-5... listen to democrat , Travis Childers (MS-1):

"I could not in good conscience vote for a bill that could significantly raise costs for hard working American families and producers - specifically the agriculture industry - during today's difficult economic times.

"For American agriculture and American families, higher energy costs could considerably outweigh potential benefits. These costs will be passed on to agriculture's production inputs, and businesses will pass on the cost of emision allowances to consumers, creating a rippling effect that makes total costs and potential benefits impossible to measure. Having no way of knowing the ultimate cost for both families and industries, I felt it was irresponsible to vote for the bill.

Additionally, the bill will likely have a disproportionate effect on energy consumers in the South. It is a well-known fact that Southern energy suppliers have fewer opportunities than their counterparts in other regions to develop alternative sources, which puts them on an unlevel playing field and creates higher bills for Southern families."

If Perriello-si isn't listening to his constituents or fellow democrat colleagues ... then who is he listening to ???

02.12.10 Update: Perriello's numbers are awful (click here). Approval at 42% and disapproval at 46%. For Perriello “to be in this position this far out against an opponent who most voters don’t yet know, I think bode incredibly poorly for him,” said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Andy Sere. Remember, Perriello-si voted for the trifecta, including obamacare ... which only 32% of his constituents favor. This should be the #1 issue in 2010. Looks like the experiment is over.

02.04.10 Update: Perriello-si voted against raising the debt ceiling (Nancy already had the votes in her back pocket) and for PAYGO legislation.

“I broke with my party and voted against this bill because we simply cannot take on more debt without a plan to pay for it,” Perriello said in an e-mail. “For years, neither party has provided a plan for bringing this vicious cycle to an end, and that must stop.”

That's courage, Tom. Now we can forget about your recent votes for the failed stimulus, cap-and-trade, and obamacare. Right.
_____________________________________________________________

“Seeing how closely divided his district was [in 2008 when he only won by 0.229% of the total vote], you'd think maybe Perriello would have adopted a more moderate or center-right independence. But he hasn't … He's done actually the complete opposite. His daily mantra is to poke the people in the district in the eye.” – Chris LaCivita, political stragetist.

In 2009, “Must Go” Congressman Tom Perriello voted lockstep with Pelosi for the $787B “stimulus” plan (where are the jobs?), cap-and-trade legislation (skyrocketing electricity rates aren’t the answer), and government-run healthcare (your constituents don’t want it).

So, it should come as no surprise that the latest unemployment numbers for VA-5 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics don’t look good. In fact, the average unemployment rate in Perriello’s district has increased to roughly 16% … and 20% in the Martinsville.

In a recent interview, Tom Perriello (D) said he’d like to see the rate drop below 10 percent, but didn’t know how likely that was to happen.

“I really don’t know,” Perriello said. “I’m not even trying to be coy. I would say it’s probably a coin flip.”

To say the least, the voters in the 5th district deserve a better response than that. After all, you told them that the stimulus plan would be a “game-changer” and that it would bring relief to the 5th district. You also told them that cap-and-trade and government-run healthcare was about “creating jobs and competitive advantages” … and that they need to understand that these were “economic votes.”

The voters do understand that the Perriello-experiment has failed. Perriello's three legislative wrongs did not right the 5th district's economy ... especially not in Martinsville, Virginia.

MMX FLEX reports that the following candidates will face off in the May 22nd primary for the opportunity to challenge Perriello:

• Kenneth Boyd (R)
• Ron Ferrin (R)
• Robert Hurt (R)
• Jim McKelvey (R)
• Michael McPadden (R)
• Feda Kidd Morton (R)
• Laurence Verga (R)
• Jeff Clark (Independent)
• Brad Rees (Independent)

We have not endorsed any candidate at this time.

Click here to leave us your comments.

Spotlight on Missouri's 4th District (SPIKE IKE!)

2010-02-13T19:20:00.003-05:00

There is a lot of talk that Ike Skelton can't be spiked from office this November. People say Ike is too powerful (Chair of the House Armed Services Committee), too senior (34 years in Congress), too rich (raising big money) ... and that we should not waste our time and resources on defeating him. This same defeatist rhetoric was said about Jack Brooks (TX-9) in 1994.

Who is Jack Brooks? Brooks was the was the most senior Representative to have ever lost a general election. He served Texas for more than 40 years. At the time of his defeat, he was powerful (Chair of the House Committee on the Judiciary after having served as Chair of the House Committee on Government Operations), very senior (40 years in Congress), and very, very rich (known as one of the richest men in Congress, having acquired a number of banks and other businesses during his years in office). Interestingly, he was in the motorcade carrying President John F. Kennedy when Kennedy was assassinated and famously photographed aboard Air Force One when Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President.

If the powerful, senior, rich, and famously photographed Jack Brooks could be defeated in 1994, then Ike Skelton can surely be defeated in 2010.

____________________________________________

Sir Isaac Newton famously said: “What goes up must come down.” While he was referring to an apple falling from a tree, the same principle should apply to the political fortune of his namesake Isaac Newton “Ike” Skelton IV in 2010.

Ike’s been in Washington for a long, long time. 34 years. However, his time in Washington should be up in November.

You see, Ike (“Must Go” Congressman) recently voted for both the failed stimulus plan (where are the jobs, Ike?) and cap & trade. This can’t be popular in a district that gave Obama 38% of its votes (and voted for Bush over Gore and Kerry almost 2-1).

David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party agrees: “Skelton is no longer the conservative he once claimed to be. Instead, he has become more partisan, more liberal, and more out-of-touch with the people he represents…it is easier for Skelton to say ‘yes’ to Nancy Pelosi in Washington, DC, than to do what is best for his constituents in Missouri.”

Nevertheless, Ike’s camp will no-doubt attempt to spin him as a conservative-independent “delivering for the people of Missouri.” Heck, they may even drag out some outdated newspaper headlines, such as this one from the Kansas City Star on August 1, 1996: Skelton fires back that he is a conservative and points out that Congressional Quarterly recently rated him the most conservative of the non-Southern Democrats in the House.

The trouble with such spin is that – in the “Show Me State” – Ike’s recent voting record is all the people in his district need to see in order to send a new representative to Congress in 2010.

Two Republicans aiming to unseat this "Must Go" Congressman are Bill Stouffer (current state senator) and Vicky Hartzler (former state representative). The primary election is on August 3rd.

Both are campaigning on Ike’s role in advancing the Pelosi-Obama agenda.

Since Nancy Pelosi has been Speaker… he has voted with her 95% of the time…That does not represent the 4th Congressional district. – Bill Stouffer.

Ike [Skelton] has had the cover, for many years, of either a Republican President or a Republican Congress and he hasn’t had the opportunity to vote on some of these radical procedures and plans that are now being put forth by [U.S. House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi, and [U.S. Senate Leader] Harry Reid, and President Obama … Now that those radical proposals are on the table we’re seeing that he’s not standing for up us. - Vicky Hartzler

MMX FLEX is impressed with both candidates and believes that the time has come for the voters of Missouri’s 4th Congressional district to SPIKE IKE and send somebody to Washington that represents Missouri, not Pelosi.

Click here for comments.

Dead-Duck Democrats and Obamacare - Jeffrey H. Anderson - Critical Condition on National Review Online

2010-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dead-Duck Democrats and Obamacare - Jeffrey H. Anderson - Critical Condition on National Review Online

Spotlight on New Hampshire's 2nd District

2010-02-11T13:00:00.003-05:00

Things are looking good for Republican Charlie Bass (R) in the race for New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District. He leads Democrats Katrina Swett (huge supporter of Obamacare) 37-30 and Ann McLane Kuster (supported by NOW) 38-28.

NH Senate:Ayotte (R) 46%, Hodes (D) 39%

Former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte is the strongest Republican challenger to "Must Go" Congressman Paul Hodes (backed by NARAL!!) in the race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Judd Gregg. The latest Rasmussen Reportstelephone survey of likely voters in the state shows Ayotte leading Hodes 46%to 39%. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate, and 13% are undecided.

Hodes leads against Republicans Ovide Lamontagne, an attorney who ranunsuccessfully for governor in 1996, and Bill Binnie, a successful NH businessman.

Spotlight on Ohio's 16th District

2010-02-10T10:37:00.002-05:00

02.10.10 Update: Paul Schiffer pledges to oppose amnesty in any form for illegal aliens, and to push for the enforcement of America’s laws. Click here for press release.

____________________________________________
Hey folks, there is a lot to be excited about in Ohio's 16th Congressional District - a seat held by the GOP for 58 years before John Boccieri's 2008 victory. Two highly qualified candidates, Jim Renacci and Paul Schiffer, will be facing off in the May 4th GOP primary for the opportunity to challenge the freshman "Must Go" Congressman who voted for the Stimulus and Cap-and-Trade (in the Rust Belt state!!) bills. MMX FLEX is impressed with both candidates but has not endorsed either at this time. Here is some information about these two outstanding candidates:

Jim Renacci - Jim is pegged as a "Contender" by the NRCC in its "Young Guns" program, making him one fo the top 14 challenger candidates in the country. He has decades of business experience, founded a successful management business, and has been a successful sports entrepreneur as an owner of the Arena Football League's Columbus Destroyers. And most importantly, he spent the last four years as mayor of Wadsworth, Ohio (population 18,437). Learn more about Renacci here.

Paul Schiffer - Paul is a passionately conservative ex-marine and veteran talk radio host who can be heard exclusively on RightTalk radio. He is a leader in the Prolife movement in Ohio. In an effort to show his commitment to "hit the ground running" when he reaches Washington, his team has already developed legislation to repeal the EPA global warming regulation calling carbon dioxide a "pollutant." In April 2004, Schiffer played a key role in bringing together the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. And today he was endorsed by John O'Neill, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Leader. Learn more about Schiffer here.

Click here to let us know what you think.

VOTE THEM OUT!!!

2010-02-09T13:29:00.003-05:00

These 50 earned a place on our list because ...

(1) they voted for at least 2 of 3 bad bills (Stimulus, Cap-and-Trade, and Obamacare) last year, and
(2) they represent a district where McCain received at least 45% of the vote in 2008. A few others (Bean, Driehaus, Foster, Kildee, and McNerney) made the list even though their district bucked historical trend by only supporting McCain with 43 or 44% of the vote (below our 45% threshold)

Please leave us your comments about the list and click on the email link below to forward this chart to your friends and family ...

In Honor of Super Bowl XLIV ... Some Tough Talk From "Must Go" Baron Hill (IN-9th)

2010-02-07T13:47:00.002-05:00

In honor of Super Bowl XLIV, we want to remind folks about "Must Go" Baron Hill from Indiana's 9th Congressional District (voted yes to every bill bill, including the one last week to increase the national debt ceiling by $1.9 trillion, while representing a district that gave McCain 59%).

Let's hope the voters deliver this Congressman a "remember me" hit in November like New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams promises to deliver to Peyton Manning tonight.

Baron Hill's tough talk:

Greg Williams' tough talk

It looks like Hill is going to need more than tough talk to beat Mike Sodrel this time (5th time they've squared off for Indiana's 9th District):

FDL/SurveyUSA, 1/16-1/18, 600 likely voters, margin of sampling error ± 4.1%

41% Baron Hill (D)

49% Mike Sodrel (R)

10% Undecided

Happy Birthday, Ronald Reagan!

2010-02-06T13:23:00.000-05:00

February 6, 1911

Let's campaign against all of the "Must Go" Congressmen with Reagan-like passion ... otherwise, "history might record us as jelly beans."

Other People's Money

2010-02-04T17:27:00.004-05:00

The House passed H.J. Res. 45 by a 217-212 margin. All Republicans voted against the bill. The bill increases the current statutory debt limit by $1.9 trillion, the largest one-time debt limit increase in our nation’s history.

Click here for comments.

Why Won’t Obama and the Dems Trust A Man With Two First Names?

2010-02-04T12:17:00.018-05:00

Leona Helmsley, the billionaire hotel queen, once famously kidded: “Never trust anyone with two first names.” Sadly, it appears that Obama and the congressional Democrats are taking her joke literally by shamelessly ignoring Paul Ryan’s (WI-1) comprehensive fiscal plan for America.

Ryan, a ranking member of the House Banking Committee, put together a detailed plan for reforming Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and the income tax. His plan is called "A Roadmap to America's Future, Version 2.0" and even has its own website. Why Version 2.0? Because Obama and the congressional Democrats ignored his original plan introduced in 2008 … (of course, debating Ryan’s plan would be contradictory to their portrayal of the GOP as the party of “No” (click for DNC web ad video). Plus, Version 2.0 “reflect[s] the dramatic decline in our nation’s economic and fiscal condition."

Through Ryan’s relentless efforts on cable television (see below) and in the editorial pages, his plan has finally gotten the attention of the White House. White House budget director Peter Orszag said on Tuesday that the Ryan Plan is “a dramatically different approach” from their own. Under Ryan’s plan, Orszag said, “much more risk is loaded onto individuals.” In other words, Statists fear individualism.

Ryan says it best:

"I'm one guy from Wisconsin with a small staff, and if I can put out a plan that solves our fiscal crisis, surely the head of our government can do the same."

We hope that Obama and the congressional Democrats (including “Must Go” Congressman Alan Grayson) begin trusting this man from Wisconsin with two first names. To read a side-by-side comparison of the House Republican alternative to the Democrats’ government takeover of health care, click HERE.

Click here for comments.

50 "Must Go" News

2010-02-03T09:37:00.002-05:00

- Strange News ... PR firm Murray Hill, Inc. (corporations are legal persons) plans to challenge Chris Van Hollen (MD-8, virtually untouchable) in November. This PR stunt may not get far considering the firm is only 4 years old and minimum age for congress is 25!

- Jim Traficant: "I'm Going To Run For Congress."

No money, no campaign team, but he has his toupee. With that, Traficant announced today in Akron that he is running for Congress. "I'm a capitalist," he said. "I don't like an economy that rewards dependency, penalizes achievement, subsidizes illegitimacy and chases jobs overseas." His old seat is currently occupied by Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who had been one of his aides. Tim Ryan is not one of our 50 Must Go Congressmen, but come on …. how fun would it be to put Traficant back in office!

Traficant hates the government but loves America.

Happy Birthday Ayn !!

2010-02-02T15:18:00.002-05:00

Today would have been best selling author and visionary Ayn Rand's 105th birthday. Ayn is perceived by some as "the most important communicator of conservative ideas to the America people."

Ayn viewed government as having three specific and limited tasks: (1) to defend the nation from foreign enemies, (2) to police the nation against crime, and (3) to enforce voluntary contracts between free parties. So it is not difficult to see why she is more popular today than ever before given the recent power grab by our federal government (e.g., the stimulus plan, bank bailout program, cap-and-trade, and obamacare).

Her most famous novels, Atlas Shrugged (which parodied FDR's support for things like collective bargaining and wage and price controls during the Great Depression) and The Fountainhead, have reappeared on best seller lists and are selling at record levels. Plus, she is a cult hero at Tea Party rallies across the country - where countless people carry handmade signs asking: "Who is John Galt?" John Galt is NOT one of our 50 "Must Go" Congressmen. Instead, he is the character in Atlas Shrugged who personifies capitalist idealism.

In memory of Ayn Rand, please take a minute to visit the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI)), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Irvine, California, which works to introduce people to Ayn Rand’s novels, to support scholarship and research based on her ideas, and to promote the principles of reason, rational self-interest, individual rights and laissez-faire capitalism to the widest possible audience.

Help PPP-Perriello

2010-02-02T10:43:00.002-05:00

Public Policy Polling (PPP) put up a poll on their website asking where they should poll this week. Go to http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/ and vote for Tom Perriello (VA-5), one of our 50 “MUST GO” Congressman in 2010. We will be spotlighting Tom in the coming days.

Debate: Dutch v. Out of Touch

2010-02-01T23:54:00.000-05:00

Ronald Reagan v. Barack Obama on socialism,
healthcare, liberty, and our Consititution.

Leave us your comments.

Thank You Nancy ...

2010-01-29T17:44:00.012-05:00

Another reason MMX FLEX is targeting 50 "Must Go" Congressmen:

Spotlight on Georgia's 2nd District

2010-01-29T12:36:00.005-05:00

Sanford Bishop: The Georgia Lap Dog

Georgia’s 2nd District is “represented” by “Must Go” Congressman Sanford Bishop, a 9-term self-identified conservative Democrat and member of the "Blue Dog" Coalition. Georgians may love their Bulldogs and even put up with an occasional Blue Dog...but that affection does not transfer to lap dogs ... especially lap dogs (like Bishop) who voted for the radical Obama and Pelosi agenda.

Bishop voted party-line for the Stimulus, Cap-and-Trade, and Obamacare! According to the Washington Post, Bishop voted with the majority of his Democratic colleagues a whopping 97.7 percent of the time. The number of congressmen with a more liberal record can be counted on one hand. Oh yeah, and don't count Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank ... he actually has a more conservative voting record than Bishop!

So how can anyone believe Bishop when he says:

"My vote doesn't belong to Nancy Pelosi and it doesn't belong to Barack Obama. It belongs to the people in the 2nd District of Georgia."

Merle Black, a political science professor at Atlanta's Emory University, said a final vote on health care would be a defining moment for Bishop if he backed a plan with Obama's criteria in it - "He'll basically be seen as an Obama liberal in that district. This could be the most crucial vote he casts."

We shall see in November … Let’s hope that the voters in GA-2^nd ignore Bishop’s rhetoric this time and hold him accountable for his voting record.

Georgia State Representative Mike Keown is challenging Bishop. Mike is a former mayor of Coolidge and currently serves as the vice chairman of the Special Rules committee in the Georgia House. He also serves on the Education, Health and Human Services, and Natural Resources and Environmental committees. Please visit his website to learn more about him (he rides a motorcycle, drives a dirt track race car on Saturday nights, has a permit to carry a concealed weapon ....)

This race should be fiercely competitive throughout the year … Stay tuned.

Click here for comments.

SAVE THE DATE !!! 2010 Primary Elections

2010-01-29T11:34:00.005-05:00

You asked for it and now we have it. A complete listing of dates for 2010 primary elections.

Click on the below image to find out when your state votes!

Illinois... it looks like you're up first !!!

Spotlight on North Carolina's 2nd District

2010-01-28T10:41:00.005-05:00

BROKEN RECORD in North Carolina !!!

Unfortunately, this record has nothing to do with the Tarheels.

The NC unemployment rate jumped to a record 11.2%.

Bob Etheridge (NC-2^nd) gets our vote as MVP for this record-breaking performance. You see, Bob voted for more debt (stimulus), higher energy prices (cap & trade) and increased health care costs (obamacare). Unfortunately for Bob, his constituents are not very enthused about his MVP award. Remember, nearly half of them voted for McCain a short while ago.

Bob is another politician who says he is a pro-business Democrat. However, voting for cap & trade legislation is anti-business. It causes energy rationing, leading to higher prices and ultimately fewer jobs in North Carolina. According to the Heritage Foundation, GDP loss from cap and trade alone would be $161 billion in 2020, which means a loss of $1,870 per household per year. Under that scenario, the average monthly energy bill for a North Carolina family would double. Barack Obama even agrees: “Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates ‘would necessarily skyrocket’ .. they (energy providers) would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.”

Somebody needs to remind Bob that these consumers are also his constituents and that there is absolutely nothing “pro-business” about taking $1,870 from each of their households per year.

MMX FLEX reports that four candidates, Jay Johnson, Dan Mansell, Frank Deatrich and Renee Elmers, will face off in the May 4th GOP primary for the opportunity to challenge Bob Etheridge, the 50 "Must Go" Congressman. We have not endorsed any candidate at this time.

Click here to leave us your comments.

Spotlight on Virginia's 9th District

2010-01-27T11:10:00.003-05:00

"As your next Governor, I will make the top priority bringing jobs and opportunity to every region of Virginia." - Gov. Bob McDonald.

Too bad Rick Boucher (VA-9th) is making Gov. McDonald's task more difficult. You see, Rick (one of our 50 "Must Go" Congressman) put the Pelosi/Reid agenda ahead of his constituents when he voted for the failed stimulus (where are the jobs?) and the cap-and-trade (don't you represent a coal-heavy region in southern VA where 6/10 votes went to McCain in '08?) bills in 2009. Rick's voting record proves that there is no such thing as a moderate democrat. Rick's rhetoric over the years has been nothing but hot air.

It doesn't look like Virginian's are showing the love for "Rate-Hike" Rick ... there is even speculation that he will retire rather than face the voters in VA-9. Potential challengers, especially if he steps down, include state Sen. Wampler (his father lost his seat to Boucher in 1982) and state House Majority Leader Griffith (one slight problem: he doesn't live in the 9th, although he's apparently within walking distance of the district lines). The challenger will be decided on May 22nd.

NRCC spokesman Andy Sere notes "The environment in the district is just incredible." However, Rick's retirement is no sure thing, as of September 30th he had $1,701,000 cash on hand. Stay tuned …

Watch Rick claim (with a straight face no less!) that "there is not a penny of tax in this legislation" when explaining the Cap-and-Trade bill he voted for. Unbelievable.

Spotlight on Pennsylvania's 10th District

2010-01-26T17:09:00.005-05:00

If you thought that the race for Ohio's 16th Congressional District - a seat held by the GOP for 58 years before John Boccieri's 2008 victory – was interesting, then take a look at what is taking shape in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District.

The 10^thdistrict is “represented” by Chris Carney (D), a "Must Go" Congressman who voted for the Stimulus (where are the jobs, northwest PA?) and Obamacare bills in 2009. This district gave President Bush 60% of the vote in 2004 and McCain 54% of the vote in 2008. It is also a district where (judging by the state’s 2008 democratic primary results) President Obama is not particularly popular.

So, it should come as little surprise that the GOP is aiming to retake this seat in 2010. Reports are that U.S. Attorney Tom Marino will enter the race. His name should sound familiar, because House Republicans unsuccessfully attempted to recruit him in prior election cycles. According to one insider, successfully recruiting Marino “continues the trend of capable GOP challengers lining up against incumbent Democrats who have had an entirely too easy time in previously Republican districts."

Marino is expected to make a formal announcement in Williamsport on Wednesday (January 27^th)

Leave us your comments on this race.

BREAKING NEWS: "Must Go" Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR) Is Announcing Retirement

2010-01-25T15:31:00.000-05:00

Update:~~Dem sources confirm to Hotline OnCall~~ ~~that~~ Rep. Marion Berry (one of the Blue Dogs) will announce his retirement ~~tomorrow~~ today.

The 7-term Dem won more than 60% of the vote in every re-election bid. But he represents a district that gave McCain (R-AZ) 59% of the vote in 2008 and voted for the Stimulus and Obamacare. No campaign rhetoric - even with Obama's former campaign manager David Plouffe now overseeing the Dem races - could overcome Berry's 2009 record.

We expect Plouffe to nudge out several other Dems who walked the Obama / Pelosi plank while representing McCain districts. Stay tuned.
_________________________________________

Update: Challenger Rick Crawford's Statement

"I respect Congressman Berry’s decision to retire and applaud his many years of public service. I will continue to run a strong campaign based on creating jobs, reducing the deficit, and representing Arkansas values. We can’t afford Obama’s liberal agenda and I am ready to go to Washington to be a check and balance on the liberal Congress."

Check out Rick Crawford here.

_______________________________________

Update Update: Berry's Parting Shot At Barry (the Blueberry Blame Game Begins)

The Politico is reporting:

“I’ve been doing that with this White House, and they just don’t seem to give it any credibility at all,” Berry said. “They just kept telling us how good it was going to be. The president himself, when that was brought up in one group, said, ‘Well, the big difference here and in ’94 was you’ve got me.’ We’re going to see how much difference that makes now.” [snip]

“I began to preach last January that we had already seen this movie and we didn’t want to see it again because we know how it comes out,” said Arkansas’ 1st District congressman, who worked in the Clinton administration before being elected to the House in 1996... "I just began to have flashbacks to 1993 and ’94. No one that was here in ’94, or at the day after the election felt like. It certainly wasn’t a good feeling.”

Spotlight on South Carolina's 5th District (Spratt)

2010-01-23T19:44:00.024-05:00

Hey Spratt....Why'd you vote for that, and that, and that???!!!

Yesterday, Spratt made it on our list of MUST GO congressmen because of his votes for stimulus (where are the jobs?), cap & trade (do the people in the 5th district really want their electricity bills to "skyrocket?"), and obamacare (nail in the coffin).

Today, Spratt's home paper took notice and called him out for "bowing to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi."

Mick Mulvaney (state rep) is gunning for Spratt's seat. Mick is a "traditional" conservative and not afraid to take Spratt to the matt. In his own words:

I am a Republican, but more than that I am what I call a "traditional" conservative. I believe that government serves a very important, but very limited purpose. Sometimes that puts me at odds with Democrats, sometimes with Republicans. That's fine with me. My first priority is to the folks in Lancaster and York Counties, and to the principles we share: limited government; fiscal restraint and lower taxes; personal responsibility; strong educational opportunities; and a focus on private enterprise to provide jobs and create wealth.

We haven't seen any polling on this race. However, Public Policy Polling (PPP) does have a poll out asking readers which Congressional race they should poll next. If enough of us go to their Web site (http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/01/pick-house-district.html) and vote for SC-5 (John Spratt), then maybe we'll see some results soon!

Click here to let us know what you think of this important congressional race!

Unbelievable. Does Spratt even care what he votes for?

~~01.26.10 UPDATE:~~
OUR COMMENTS MADE THE DIFFERENCE! PPP is set to release polling data on this race. Even better....PPP looked at Spratt's approval, what his constituents think of Obama and health care, and where Spratt stands relative to challenger Mick Mulvaney.

01.26 UPDATE II:
National Republicans to run television ad against Spratt during the State of the Union - Ad blasts Spratt for introducing procedural move would get around the need for a 60-vote majority to hold off Republicans

01.27 UPDATE - PPP Poll released today
"Spratt's going to have to fight a lot harder than usual to keep his seat this fall but early indications are that 28 years of service aren't going to get done in by his health care vote."

MUST GO Congressmen - Phase II

2010-01-21T11:56:00.003-05:00

The "Must Go" Congressmen - Phase II

We are receiving a lot of positive feedback about our initial MMX FLEX CHECKS list of Congressmen that "Must Go" in November. Thank you and keep sending us your thoughts.

For those of you wondering why your Congressman was not included in our initial list (aka, Jane from Palm Beach ...no worries, Ronnie made the list), check our Phase II listing below. These Congressmen made our Phase II list because they (1) voted for at least 2 of the 3 big bills last year (stimulus, cap&trade, obamacare) and (2) represent a district where McCain garnered between 45 and 49% of the vote in 2008 (in a so-called historic and once-in-a-lifetime election).

Click image to enlarge and feel free to e-mail this page around by clicking the button below.

MUST GO Congressmen - Phase I

2010-01-21T11:53:00.003-05:00

The "Must Go" Congressmen - Phase I

MMX FLEX has identified 24 "Must Go" Congressmen who must be defeated in November. These 24 Congressmen made the list because they (1) voted for at least 2 of the 3 big bills last year (stimulus, cap&trade, obamacare) and (2) represent a district that McCain carried in 2008.

MMX FLEX will be working with challengers and GOP/Libertarian/Tea Party activists in each of these congressional districts throughout the year in order to provide you with the latest news, polling, and analysis. It is no secret that politics is more than local, which makes who gets elected in the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri (yeah, that's you Ike) as important to the West Virginian as the Missourian. Because of this, success in 2010 requires a coordinated effort and an informed public like never before.

We will be identifying additional Congressmen tomorrow who voted for at least 2 of the 3 big bills and represent a district where McCain garnered 45% of the vote - remember, he got nowhere near that amount in New Jersey and Massachusetts (and just 46% in Virginia) ... Stay tuned.

Click on the image.

Spotlight on Ohio (Kasich & Portman)

2010-01-19T18:21:00.009-05:00

2010 Governor/Senate Poll - Kasich & Portman Ahead in the Buckeye State !!!

Coming Soon: MMX FLEX CHECKS on Kasich & Portman!

~~UPDATE:~~ ~~Voin -"O"- Switch ???~~ ~~(getting to 60)~~

Ohioans overwhelmingly disapprove of Obamacare. (We will be following him closely when he leaves office ...)

UPDATE UPDATE: Voinovich will not switch over and vote for Obamacare ... "That’s out of the question -- I am not a vote for the health care bill, period,” he told reporters."

Spotlight on Michigan's 7th District (Schauer)

2010-01-19T13:03:00.007-05:00

"WOLVERINES!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Schauer is latest Dem to trail in upcoming election

Maybe it has something to do with his votes for Stimulus (where are the jobs?), Cap & Trade (remember, this is Michigan!), and Obamacare (need I say more?).

Three strikes and you're out...even in a district that went for Obama 54-46 in 2008!

Bottoms up MMX FLEXers ... Lessons Learned?

2010-01-16T11:13:00.016-05:00

The National Prohibition of Alcohol began 90 years ago today (1920-1933). Referred to as the "noble experiment" - it was undertaken to reduce corruption, lower taxes, and improve health. [sound familiar?] Depite such nobel intentions, the experiment failed [21st Amendment] ... affirming sound economic theory, which predicts that prohibition of mutually beneficial exchanges is doomed to failure.

This is a fitting example of what the government will wind up doing to our health care down the road if we don't stop them. Obamacare will prohibit buying what you want and mandate what you don't want. Dr. Paul Hsieh points out some scary aspects of the House health bill (HR 3962) and the Senate health bill (HR 3590):

Under ObamaCare, patients will be forced to pay for certain kinds of medical care whether they want it or not — thus raising their health care costs.

And patients may not be able to pay for some medically necessary care outside of government-set guidelines, even if they want to — a clear violation of the rights of patients and doctors to contract for medical services on any terms they find mutually acceptable.

On this anniversary, let's raise a glass to Scott Brown and his incredible campaign and hope for lessons learned. Cheers!

SEIU, Obama, and Coakley ...

2010-01-13T14:57:00.004-05:00

SEIU supports Obama in presidential run; Obama stimulas gives lots of cash to SEIU; Obama needs 60 votes in Senate; Coakley is in trouble in Massachusetts; SEIU Goons Place $685K ad buy for Coakley; Hmmmm...you do the math.

MMX FLEX

2010-01-13T13:10:00.001-05:00

MMX FLEX blog is up and running ...