Americans for Prosperity offers you 3 options to learn more "about the serious threat global warming alarmism poses to our prosperity, including legislation being considered by Congress that would more than double gasoline prices."

 All take place at Miller Park on July 26, 2008, 2pm start, 6pm game time. 

  The Tailgate party, Brewer ticket and Hot Air Tour Event is $21 per person. Tailgate and Hot Air Tour (no game) is $10. Hot Air Tour alone is FREE!

 Registration may be done online. Email any questions to Brenda Baas at brenda.baas@afphq.org or call 414-475-2975.

 Fight Back Wisconsin's Phil Williamson will be circulating his domestic oil drilling and oil refinery petition at the Hot Air Tour too, or you may sign online.

"Waterford native Phil Williamson is fed up with high gas prices; and is circulating petitions to get the attention of Congress."

We the people of Wisconsin would like to inform our elected officials in Washington that we are at our wits end with the financial burden that the high prices of oil and gasoline are causing. We insist that they vote for the exploration and drilling of oil in the United States and our boundaries (land and sea), and we insist that they allow new refineries to be built.

"If you don't sign up, please don't complain to me about how high gas prices are."
Phil Williamson

"Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org "

Americans for Prosperity is also the creator of the Defending the American Dream Summit 2008 scheduled for Washington, DC this October.

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

Drill Here is now over the 1.3 million mark. The goal is 3 million signatures by the Democratic and Republican Conventions. 

Links: 

If you've ever planned a road trip, mapping your route ahead of time makes a big difference: which way will allow you to travel with the least amount of traffic, major city rush hours, or road construction? Often a little planning ahead can save hours being stuck in a traffic jam. Certainly there is no sense to chart a course leading to a bridge closed for repairs. No reasonable person would say, the only bridge ahead is closed, but we'll make such good time before the bridge, we'll pick that route anyway.

Yet this is what our government is doing by ignoring the coming Social Security/Medicare crisis. Politicians don't want to deal with that reality. They know it is going bankrupt, but their attitude is, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. "There is a growing, bipartisan consensus about the greatest threat to our nation's long-term economic prosperity: the explosion of entitlement spending." (Ryan)

Last week, Congressman Paul Ryan proposed his "Roadmap for America"--a very practical and pretty painless way to shore up Social Security, Medicare, and the tax code. Ryan is planning the future path for America that allows us to make good time and still cross that bridge in the future, and he does it without massive tax increases. He said in an interview:

I am raising the same rate of tax revenue as today, but I am preventing them from doubling in the future. I am proposing to tax 18.5 cents out of every dollar to run the government as opposed to 40 cents out of every dollar. Spend the money more intelligently. The 1st $39,000 (after deductions) for family of 4 is tax free. After that, the first $100,000 is taxed at 10%.

Ryan also bravely addresses Health Insurance and Medicaid in addition to Social Security, Medicare, and Tax Reform. Simply ignoring these pending problems will not make them go away. Ignoring these entitlements just increases the problems and costs. Hopefully Ryan's route will Not be A Road Less Traveled:

There is no threat to our nation’s fiscal health greater than the coming deficits from unrestrained growth in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Already Social Security and Medicare consume 7.5% of our GDP. Unless changes are made that figure will jump to 13% by 2030.

Bravely stepping in to offer a policy solution, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has introduced a plan he calls “A Roadmap for America’s Future.” 

Read through Congressman Paul Ryan's plan in the Wall Street Journal: How to Tackle the Entitlement Crisis for Health Insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, Social Security, and Tax Reform.

We cannot afford to ignore this any longer. Our children are the ones who will pay for our failure to deal with these growing problems. Ryan writes:

According to the Congressional Budget Office, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the rest of government will consume nearly 40% of the economy by the time my [Paul's] three young children reach my age (38). This will require more than doubling the average tax burden of the past 40 years just to keep the government afloat. Continuing down this path will eventually strangle our economy.

Once we come to that "bridge", there is no easy way to cross it. The time to deal with it is NOW! The question is: Do we have any politicians brave enough to do the right thing?

Congressman Paul Ryan is a member of the Congressional Budget Committee and the Ways and Means Committee.

Don't forget the Music Concert to Benefit Chinese Quake Victims, Saturday, May 31st, 10AM - 1PM, Brookfield Civic Plaza

Links:

Here is a little news for residents to our north, Randy Melchert* is running for State Assembly, 24th District. That area starts just north of Lisbon Road on up to Pioneer Road and from 124th St. west to Hillside Road and includes Butler, Menomonee Falls (most), Germantown, Hubertus and Colgate.

Suzanne Jeskewitz, the current area's representative, announced earlier this month that she would not be running again.

If you live in the 24th District, Melchert will start collecting nomination signatures on June 1st. The primary is September 9th. Check out his website:

"Melchert envisions a pro-life, pro-family, pro-growth Wisconsin. Melchert will be working to make Wisconsin an economic greenhouse attracting high quality corporations, jobs, and families. As posted on his website (www.randymelchert.com) Wisconsin has the seventh highest state and local tax burden according to The Tax Foundation. Melchert believes we need to stop raiding settlements and reserved funds to pay for our out-of-control budget. With aggressive spending controls we can begin to reduce taxes, and thereby revitalize the state economy."

His blog, Randall Melchert for Assembly Blog has interesting (and disturbing) postings containing graphs and information on how Wisconsin is losing jobs and increasing taxes and debt. This would be of interest to all Wisconsin residents, not just those in the 24th District.

Wish we had more like him in Madison! 

*I have known the Melchert family for 8 years. 

Don't forget the Music Concert to Benefit Chinese Quake Victims, Saturday, May 31st, 10AM - 1PM, Brookfield Civic Plaza

Links:

Just when I finally think I can stomach a McCain presidency, John goes and does something else that makes me shake my head in disgust.

McCain just joined 23 other senators in asking the EPA to reconsider some pollution standards. Good, I thought. Then right on the heels of that positive action, McCain still is talking Cap and Trade.

Oh well, he is still better than the alternative. But now this. The possibility of a McCain/Huckabee ticket.

Reason? To woo evangelical voters like me. With the Huckster? Ugh. McCain just alienated me again!!!

If McCain wants to woo the greatest number of evangelical voters, all he has to do is pick a true social and fiscal conservative as a running mate. Someone we would like to see as the next president in 2012. That is NOT Huckabee. 

First rule in picking running mate: First, do no harm.

Possible running mates better than Huckabee: J. C. Watts Jr. (He was even a Southern Baptist Youth Minister for 7 years),  Bobby Jindal, Paul Ryan, hey, even Haley Barbour is looking good compared to Huckabee.

If the conservatives squash Huckabee like they did Harriet Miers, McCain might come to his senses. Let the squelching begin. 

Links:

Feeling a little low after this week's Super Tuesday results and Romney's campaign suspension?

Maybe what you need is a little shot in the arm tomorrow at the Americans for Prosperity, Defending the American Dream Summit, February 9, 2008, 9am to 5pm at the Country Springs Hotel. (Just off I-94 in Waukesha, 2810 Golf Rd.)

You can still register online. The cost of $29 for adults and $15 for students includes lunch.

Blogs: Brookfield7, Fairlyconservative

Links: Betterbrookfield,  Vicki Mckenna