Schwarzenegger and China

Governor Schwarzenegger made a trip to China, to invole California is China's growing economy. China's economy is growing at a rate of 9.5% which is triple what the U.S. normally averages. The governor went to china to influence trade relations. One out of seven jobs in California is based on trade.

"China is one of California's fastest-growing trading partners and its more than 1 billion citizens represent an important market for California products and services," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "I am looking forward to a busy and substantive schedule that will grow our relationship with this important Pacific Rim partner, grow California exports and create jobs."

Schwarzenegger also promoted awareness for intellectual property rights (IPRs). Governor Schwarzenegger wants to work with the Chinese government to crack down on boot legging.

Personally I think if I read this article with another governor's name I would not care. However, since Schwarzenegger is involved I expect a gun fight or something along those lines. In my eyes, Arnold will always be the guy from Predator, Running Man, Terminator and my personal favorite Danny Devito's twin brother in Twins. It is difficult to shake those images of him because that is what I grew up on. Also, a recent poll states that a majority of California voters will not support Schwarzenegger for another term, so I guess the 'Terminator' will not " be back."

My commentary: With four of his pet initiatives voted down by the public on November 8, it is back to the drawing board for Governor Schwarzenegger. If the results of this trip to China are anything like President Bush's recent visit, then this too will also be a bust for the Governor. Schwarzenegger's sagging poll numbers coupled with a strong Democrat primary imply that the Governor may only be in office through 2006.

http://newsblaze.com/story/20051114083101nnnn.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Story.html

You Had Me At "Aloha"

Heather Ferrero weighs in with this bit of information from Hawaii:

This article focuses on the extreme price cost of energy use in Hawaii. The claim is that Hawaii is the most oil dependent state in our nation. This article focuses on The Economic Momentum Commission, which was founded by Linda Lingle in 2005. This committee was formed to sustain the state’s current oil prices and prevent further inflation and extreme taxation. The (PCU) Public Utilities Commission has evaluated the situation for peak users and has proposed a time/usage formula to ease pricing and encourage conservation. Also they have recommended that all new state buildings must meet energy efficiency standards. I feel that this article is very positive for Linda Lingle because her commission is for the Renewable Portfolio Standard. They are demanding action on renewable sources for energy. Voters that I know would love to see energy and oil prices decrease. This is a very big issue for the Hawaiian state and definitely will sway votes in her favor.

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?f6f4c2b3-26fl-4124-9144-e63caf7aaecb
http://www.emchawaii.com this is a dot com address connected to the news paper.

My commentary: Look for Lingle to win in a landslide in 2006. She has little opposition forming on the Democrat side in Hawaii. This is surprising since the state's two US Senators and two House members are Democrats and that the state voted for Kerry in the last presidential election.

What's Going On In Massachusetts?

Keiko Inoue checks in with this information from Massachusetts.

Article address:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/11/11/in_illegal_immigrant_fight_reilly_looks_beyond_law_enforcement_concerns/


Article title: In Illegal Immigrant Fight, Reilly Looks Beyond Law
Enforcement Concerns

Summary: Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, Republican Lt. Gov.
Kerry Healey and Gov. Mitt Romney held a debate on the bill that allows the
illegal immigrant children to pay in-state tuition fees at Massachusetts
public colleges or universities. Healey and Romney opposed this bill. Healey
said, "passing the law could also force the state to allow in-state tuition
for out-of-state students" and Romney said it should be national law because
America is the nation of immigrants. However, Reilly said that he could
understand how they struggle this tuition problem because he was the son of
Irish immigrants. He said he was asking for the change in the law because
it's not only the job of Immigration Service, but also their obligation to
educate children by laws.

Keiko's Comments: I think Reilly is right to stand for immigrants because bill is
really helpful for immigrant parents. Also, I think he is trying to be
kind to children and get their attention. It is a persuasive reason that
he had experienced this problem as immigrants. However, I hope the bill
should be national laws, which means I agree with Romney.

My comments: There are a lot of things going on here. Reilly could probably win the job of Governor in 2006. Romney is not going to run for re-election. Romney is a potential candidate for President in 2008. That is why he is talking about the national government getting involved in the immigration issue. He is setting an agenda for his presidential run.

Spitzer and Baxley in the News

"Eliot Spitzer"
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--politics-stars1120nov20,0,3427610.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

In this article from Newsday, it talks about how Hollywood stars endorse candidates that are running for office. This article mentioned that Democratic candidate for governor, Eliot Spitzer, has endorsements by Chase, actress Blythe Danner, environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and folk singer Pete Seeger. There are quotes from these stars, they state that they are honored to endorse him. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Spitzer because he believes that New York as a serious pollution problem and believes that Spitzer can fix that problem, among more then one hundred other Environmentalists
The main issue in this article is do we get sucked in because of stars and their views on the candidates. Is it all about vanity? DO they actual help the candidates? They brought up the example of John Kerry being out of touch with mainstream America because of his Hollywood endorsements.
I believe it is wrong for the Hollywood stars to be mocked, because people do not realize that they are actually helping. With the amount of money that they give to help candidates and organizations, people are getting help that they need. I do not agree that endorsements cause vanity, and do not cause voters to vote for someone just because their favorite star likes them. Therefore, if Eliot Spitzer has endorsements then I say more power to him.

My commentary: Eliot Spitzer is a rising star in the Democrat Party. He probably is the second most popular behind US Senator Barack Obama. The Republican Party is down in New York. Spitzer is likely going to be elected Governor in 2006.

"Lucy Baxley"
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/113066818057520.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

Indictment Rattles Race for Governor
In this article it talks about Don Siegelman and Lucy Baxley and if Siegelman's situation will effect him in the polls. Right now Siegelman is facing criminal charges and is still running for governor. He believes that he will win because he was the former governor, and he has many people behind him. Baxley is letting the public know that she has a clean slate and that she has never been investigated under anything, and though that is a good defense some people do not believe that she is firm on her stands and what she is going to do for office if she is voted in.

I have been reading a couple of articles on her, and I think that she needs to talk more about what she is going to do, and have some help from some people from her party. People want to know what she is going to do, and I think that she should focus more on that. Everyone already knows that she has a clean slate, so it is time to talk the issues.

My commentary: This is an interesting race. Both the Democrat and Republican primaries will be contested. In a normal situation, Siegelman would not be even considered for re-election. However, if Baxley does not focus on issues, Siegelman could regain the Democrat nod for Governor in 2006.

Oberweis for Governor

Courtesy of Michael Johnson.

From CBS2-Chicago: CBS2Chicago.com/topstories/local_story_31219104.html

The article is in regards to Jim Oberweis and the illeagal immigrants he had working at his store. I do not think this looks to good for Mr. Oberweis. When he came to our class one of the main things he talked about was his stance on illegal immigrants and how he was against them coming into the country. By the looks of it he is going to have to find some thing else to run on. Maybe he shuold change his stance from being against them to being for them or maybe he should just stick to making milk and leave the politics for someone with experience. He was also denied a US Senate nomination in 2004, because of his immigration stance. I think the time is right for Oberweis to change his stance on illegal immgration.

My commentary: With a race filled with conservatives and a popular moderate/liberal, the chances of Jim Oberweis getting the Republican nod for Governor are pretty slim.

Attorney General Madigan for Re-election

Sean Castle checks in with this story on Lisa Madigan:

This summary is from the Naperville Sun which reprinted the Chicago Sun-Times article concerning Amy Madigan’s re-election campaign. It can be found at: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/news/n14madigan.htm.

The Naperville Sun reports that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan kicked off her re-election campaign Sunday with $1 million in the bank and no primary challengers. Madigan, 39, who is the daughter of the Speaker of the Illinois House, Michael Madigan, may not need her father’s clout. Lisa Madigan’s accomplishments include: promoting new laws that help protect consumers against identity theft, requiring lifetime supervision of sex offenders, and restricting sales of over-the-counter drugs used to make methamphetamine. Madigan has also opposed utility rate hikes, sued a tobacco company for allegedly marketing to black children and fought efforts to locate the Emerald Casino in Rosemont, Illinois.

The article indicates that about 200 supporters attended Madigan’s re-election announcement Sunday at the Chicago Hilton. The crowd included Democratic aldermen, committeemen, legislators, and county officials. Michael Madigan was conspicuously absent. The article indicates that Madigan’s dad was busy babysitting her 10-month-old daughter, Rebecca.

The article states that Madigan does not appear to have any opposition in the March 21. 2006 Democratic primary. Possible Republican opponents in the general election include: Stu Umholtz, Tazewell County State’s Attorney, and Joe Birkett, DuPage County State’s Attorney.

The article suggests that the Republicans will question her objectivity because she will be on the same re-election ticket with Governor Blagojevich. Blagojevich is under federal investigation for his hiring practices, while Madigan is investigating whether the administration has traded appointments for campaign contributions. Republicans wonder how she can be objective as a prosecutor if she is on the same ticket as the “person they’re investigating.”

The article is very positive for Madigan. It highlights her accomplishments and does not stress the investigation of Blagojevich. It also puts a nice spin on Madigan’s relationship with her father. By having him home babysitting, it implies that he will not be directly involved with his daughter’s re-election campaign, and that they have a positive relationship, unlike Blagojevich’s relationship with his political family member (by marriage).

My commentary: Madigan is a virtual lock at this point for re-election for three reasons. One, her record is respected in the state. Two, the Democrat Party in Illinois is at its strongest now, coupled with a weak Republican Party in the state. Third, if Birkett wants to challenge Madigan, he must drop the bid for Governor immediately. Any time wasted on that race will hurt his chances if he wants to run for Attorney General again.

Topinka's In...

Brandy Witherspoon sheds some light on the race for Illinois Governor.

From the Columbia Chronicle...

http://www.ccchronicle.com/paper/opinions.php?id=1907

With Jim Edgar’s decision not to run for Illinois’ Governor, Judy Baar Topinka has declared that she will be yet another republican candidate in the 2006 elections. According to the Columbia Chronicle, Topkina’s “stiffest challenges” are former salesmen/businessmen, State Senator Steve Rauschenberger and Jim Oberweis. Although Judy Topinka has name recognition for job as State Treasurer, her association with the Republican National Party has also brought negative attention. The Columbia Chronicle made mention of her connections to indicted former Governor George Ryan, not to mention her previous support of controversial people like Allan Keyes and Jack Ryan, yet the article equally probes the other top candidates.
The article points out Jim Oberweis’s apparent doubled standards regarding his handling of the illegal immigration issue. He is being accused of having allowed illegal immigrants clean his store for $3.23 an hour. This comes after his 2004 commercial standing against illegal immigration. Reference is also made to Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich’s hiring practice scandal and Steve Rauschenberger’s support of replacing the theory of evolution with that of “intelligent design” in science classes. Each of the four cited candidates has notoriety damaging their candidacy, so there is no reason why Judy Topinka shouldn’t have a chance; even with the GOP’s dignity being dragged in the mud.
Judy Topinka is classified as a pro-life, gay-rights-supporting, social moderate, whose beliefs “…could appeal to more mainstream voters who don’t favor some of the hard right stances offered by Rauschenberger and Oberweis,…” as stated by the Columbia Chronicle.

Brandy's commentary: Although the article devotes quite a few paragraph to the other candidates, I feel it gives hope to Topinka’s campaign. I say “hope”, because I think it will be needed, once the Democrats and Republicans get a hold of her tarnished history. Most often, voters focus on the negative issues that turn them off of a candidate, and Topinka’s name is ridden with negatives, even in this optimistic article. Some of the other candidates have direct involvement in public scandals, which may be helpful throughout her campaign. I also agree with the Columbia Chronicle, that her open-minded stance on social issues could boost her approval ratings.

Overall, the article was non-biased, or could be called equally discriminative. Either way, Topinka’s only evident flaws are being a Republican and a corrupt-Republican-supporter.

My commentary: This is going to be a tough Republican primary. Along with Topinka, Oberweis, and Rauschenberger, are State Senator Bill Brady and businessman Ron Gidwitz. DuPage State's Attorney Joe Birkett has not formally entered the race yet. If Birkett runs, then the number of conservative candidates would total four (Oberweis, Rauschenberger, Brady, Birkett). Topinka needs to survive not only a conservative challenge, but also a challenge from the more moderate Gidwitz. Gidwitz who is polling in the low single digits, recently sent out his third piece of direct mail. This bit of Gidwitz information proves that (for the time being) he will not drop out of the race for Governor, even with the more well-known moderate Topinka in the mix.

Fieger's At It Again...

Casey Lisak checks in with a potential race for Attorney General in Michigan.

From the Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/politics/0511/16/A01-383807.htm

Two lawyers from Michigan, Geoffery Fieger and Lee O'Brien, blackmailed Attorney General, Mike Cox, because Cox was investigating a campaign contribution made by Fieger.

The article states that, "In a wild day of punch and counter-punch, the prosecutor ended his review of allegations that O'Brien and Fieger threatened to reveal Attorney General Mike Cox's extramarital affair unless Cox dropped an investigation into questionable campaign contributions made by Fieger."

Fieger plans on running for Attorney General and asked Cox to resign. Feiger is most famous for defending Jack Kevorkian. No charges have been filed against Fieger, but he has successfully stained Cox's image by bringing personal issues into politics.

"Cox said he hadn't decided whether to recuse himself from the lengthy investigation into Fieger's $453,000 donation to an unsuccessful campaign last fall to defeat Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen Markman." If he does, then it seems that Fieger wins, because Cox's name is stained and he doesn't get punished for a dishonorable act. I think Fieger sums it up best with the following statements. "This was never going to be a criminal prosecution," Fieger said. "This was nothing more than a political persecution."

Casey's commentary: Recently we covered ethics in politics, and what is acceptable and unacceptable. This scenario is definitely not acceptable.

My commentary: Fieger was the Democrat candidate for Governor in 1998. The candidacy was a disaster and an embarassment for the party that year. This race is going to be a mess, whether or not Fieger wins.

Introduction to the site

In the weeks to come, students from Moraine Valley Community College will be posting news online about the 2006 elections.

Moraine Valley is located in Palos Hills, Illinois. There may be a slight bias towards Illinois politics on the website, but there will be stories about other events in states that have elections in 2006.

Commentary will be provided by me and my students from time to time.

Hope you enjoy the site.