Jimmy Stewart vs Charlie Wilson vs Jim Traficant vs Dennis Spisak

I've been doing some thinking recently about the 6th district and our disastrous Congressman Charlie Wilson.

Then with Jim Traficant's release from prison and his admittance that he is thinking about running for Congress....that would make an interesting race. One that could be won by a Republican.

You'd possibly have:

I: Traficant
G: Spisak
R: Stewart
D: Wilson

Who but Jimmy Stewart would come out ahead at the end of that race?

Here's why:

Traficant will pull votes from the northern counties. Especially among the so called Reagan Democrats and union members. If he could pull just 10% of the vote in the northern counties, that would be a game changer.

Dennis Spisak pulled 2% of the vote in 2006 and 5% in 2008. 3 reasons why he'll do better this year if he runs:

1. In 2006 the loons on the left wanted to vote for Strickland over the "evil" conservative Ken Blackwell. Wilson benefited from Strickland's coat tails. This gubernatorial election will not be so great for the socialists' chances. Especially since Kasich is already leading Strickland and the primaries haven't even happened yet! This leads me to believe that any obligation to vote for the democrat because he has a chance to win will be out the window. The green, earth first, "humane" society, tree huggers, car haters, coal haters, etc... will be free to vote their consciences. These people will vote for Spacick. Also, in 2008 Obama was on the ticket and dems were fired up to vote for him....for some reason....this brought lots of democrat voters to the polls. This is not the case now.
   
2. Spisak is on the ballot as a Green candidate. Not an independent. The above mentioned list of freaks will know who to vote for (if they have a question about who the green's are endorsing) because he's on the ballot as a Green candidate.
3. Charlie Wilson voted against the Cap and Tax bill. This enrages the loony left and then numbers 1 / 2 (above) come into play. Wilson's vote will give votes to Spisak in Athens and the commune communities around Amesville and other coal hating folks in the 6th.

Jimmy Stewart will do well in the southern counties (where he is well known and liked) and will pick up the GOP vote in the northern counties. If all he had going for him was this, he could win this under these circumstances. However, considering in one of the worst years to run as a Republican 2008, the GOP candidate (Richard "Dick" Stobbs, former Belmont County Sheriff) received 33%.....this was a candidate that was little known and little financed....under the absolute worst conditions the GOP candidate still received 33%. In 2006, Chuck Blasdel (former Ohio House member from the 1st district) received 38% of the vote against Comrade Wilson. Another little known and little financed candidate....and a bad year for Republicans.
So given that Jimmy Stewart is well known in his former House district and that he just won the 20th Senate district, he is a known entity with lot's of name ID. He also is rated A by the NRA and is endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life organization. Yes, the 6th district is a conservative district. Which is why Charlie Wilson pretends to be one.
All this being said, Jimmy Stewart should receive as a base vote around 40-42%. Then depending on his fundraising and campaigning, adding to that. Which he is a fund raiser and campaigner.


Which brings us to Charlie Wilson. Comrade Wilson has both the left and the right mad at him. (search Charlie Wilson on this blog and you'll see what I'm talking about) His vote for the so called "stimulus" bill has lost him support on the right. (remember, he pretends to be a conservative) and his vote against the Cap and Tax bill has the left angry with him. The only group he'll really be able to rely on are the dems that vote dem because, well they've always voted that way. Traficant will eat into this group up north.
This on top of the fact that he's never had to really fight to keep his job. Does he really even know how to campaign? He had to run as a write-in in 2006's primary due to not collecting 50 valid signatures for his petition.



So, if Jim Traficant were to run in the 6th district as an Independent, I do believe Jimmy Stewart would have a very good chance of winning. Due to the Spisak getting 7-9% and Traficant getting 1-2%. The assumption being (I think it's a fair assumption) that most of these votes would come from Wilson. If Stewart were to keep the 40% base and possibly add to it, it would turn to the GOP column.

I also think he'd have a decent shot even if "beem me up" were not to run. Looking as it does right now that 2010 could be a good GOP year.

One last thing. Can you imagine the attention a race like this would draw?

Jimmy Stewart running against ex-con Jim Traficant running against Charlie Wilson (I'm not Joe Wilson, or Charlie Wilson for that mater, but I voted to increase our national debt by the trillions) running against loony Spisak!

Athens County democrat party ethics

Dispatch stories here and here.

"The chairwoman of the Athens County Democratic Party has been indicted on theft-related charges involving campaign contributions.

A grand jury indicted Susan Gwinn, 55, of Athens, on Thursday on six counts: two of theft in office, two of falsification and one each of money laundering and unauthorized used of property. The indictment was released yesterday."

Comrade Charlie Wilson bragging about paying people not to work

My comments in red

Dear Friends,

Earlier this week I voted to extend unemployment insurance benefits to those hit hardest by the recession. H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Act of 2009, will extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks to workers in high unemployment states (thank you Ted Strickland and Ohio's high taxes....which are used to pay for unemployment.....a little chicken and the egg thing) who are about to run out of benefits. It overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 331-83.

Ohio is currently facing a state average of 10.8% unemployment (641,000 jobless workers) (partially because we continue to pay people not to work, why look for a job?), with over 11,000 jobless workers expected to run out of unemployment at the end of September. In Ohio’s Sixth District, the unemployment rates range from 9.5-16.6% as of August 2009. This extension will ensure that these workers will be able to continue providing for their families. (it also ensures that some of them will not look for work, since they are being paid not to....)

In these tough economic times (because of your spending and Ohio's high taxes), extending unemployment benefits is one of the most efficient and fast-acting ways to stimulate our local economies. (or taking money from those that work and giving it to those that don't) According to Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Economy.com, an independent economic research firm, every $1 spent on unemployment benefits generates $1.63 in new economic demand. (this has got to be the dumbest thing I've heard even Charlie Wilson say. If paying people not to work gives a 163% return on the investment, why not ban jobs altogether and pay everyone not to work!) The families receiving these checks are going out in their communities and paying for groceries, filling their cars up with gas, and buying school supplies.

And one thing I want to note, this bill will not add to the deficit. As a Blue Dog Democrat, this is very important to me. (you've got to be kidding me! after voting for the stimulus bill? He actually claims he's against adding to the deficit?) The bill simply extends the federal unemployment tax, something that has been in place already for over 30 years. (typical talk for a democrat "the bill simply extends the federal unemployment tax" It's simply a tax, you know? By the way, extending a tax means it's a tax increase. Again, taking money from those that work and giving it to those that don't.)

I was proud (we've got the picture, comrade) to vote for this legislation--another crucial step in providing immediate relief and stability to those families struggling to make ends meet and getting our economy back on track.

Sincerely,

Charlie Wilson
Member of Congress
Ohio's Sixth District

Why is it the media are slow to admit that guns save lives

I wonder why WTAP can't just say what happened. Surely they know.....or at least most of the mid Ohio valley know what happened.

They tip-toe around the facts by saying:

"as the investigation continues into the shooting death of a Pettyville man."

"On Sunday, authorities say Christopher Dickel was shot and later died at the Mineral Manor Apartment Complex."

Here's what really happened.

An argument ensued over a girlfriend. A phone call was made to the home (where the shooting later occurred) and a death threat was made on one of the occupants of the apartment.

A gang of thugs made good on their promise of arriving at the apartment and attempting to kill one of the occupants.

To their surprise, after they broke down the door to the apartment, the first one through the door was shot, then shot again because he didn't go down with the first shot (a good reason to own firearms with a larger caliber than 9mm).

The rest of the thugs stepped over the body of their just dead friend and proceeded to fight with the occupants of the apartment.

2 observations on this:

1. The news "media" hate giving credit to guns saving lives.
2. A 9 round 12 gauge shot gun with 00 buckshot would be a much better home defense weapon than a 9mm handgun.

Why is the FOP endorsing and campaigning for gambling?

Here's a report from NBC4i.com. Looks like there is at least one reporter in the state that still can ask questions.....even though he got no answers.

Why is the FOP actively supporting gambling in Ohio? Surely there's more to it than the increase dues from more police officers that will be needed to combat the organized crime element of gambling.

There has to be more to their support that just that.

How to delay an economic recovery

Pay people not to work.

The House easily approved a bill last night that will extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks to more than 65,000 Ohioans.

Why is it that no one considers the unintended consequences?

Housing bubble blame

Knight Kiplinger's column here. Well worth the read.

As is Thomas Sowell's book, The Housing Boom and Bust.

Kasich answers gun ban vote question....sort of.

previous posts on this subject: here / here

Former Ohio GOP Chairman now gambling pimp

Pretty sad. Getting paid to go 100% against your party's values. I have no confidence in the GOP to speak for me when it comes to gambling.

Cleveland.com story here.


This is one reason to oppose expanded gambling in Ohio. The buying of politicians (regardless of party) and organized crime.

Gambling does not create "new" money. It just recycles it from the gambler's pockets to the casino operator's......along with state government and corrupt politicians.

Another reason is that anytime you can keep money away from government, no matter where it comes from, it is a good thing.

I always thought there was something about Bennett that was sleazy....

Unintended consequenses....or not

The government's perverse desire to punish success.

Forbes.com story here.

Finally something to agree with Obama about

Times online story here

The decision not to base US missiles in eastern Europe is a good one. If Poland and the Czech Republic want a missile defense system, they should purchase it and run it themselves.

The argument that they were to be used against North Korea and Iran's missiles was far fetched.

Everyone knows that they were there for Russia.

Why do we want to antagonize Russia? It's becoming more capitalist by the day. (While we're heading the other direction towards socialism)

Here's part of Washinton's farewell address....and yes, it still applies today.

36 The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connexion as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop.

37 Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.

38 Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course. If we remain one people, under an efficient government, the period is not far off, when we may defy material injury from external annoyance; when we may take such an attitude as will cause the neutrality, we may at any time resolve upon, to be scrupulously respected; when belligerent nations, under the impossibility of making acquisitions upon us, will not lightly hazard the giving us provocation; when we may choose peace or war, as our interest, guided by justice, shall counsel.

39 Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice?

40 It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world; so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronizing infidelity to existing engagements. I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy. I repeat it, therefore, let those engagements be observed in their genuine sense. But, in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them.

41 Taking care always to keep ourselves, by suitable establishments, on a respectable defensive posture, we may safely trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies.

Self promoting politicians never change, regardless of party

If you were wondering why the government seems to think it needs to put up signs on projects stating that this project is funded by the "American Recovery Act", you're not alone.

Just another dollar wasting pat on the back for our "law" makers.

Washington Times story here

""These are self-congratulatory signs; they're political signs. They're so that lawmakers can pat themselves on the back," he said. "But these signs cost money. Actually, when you add them all up, they cost a lot of money."

Some localities have objected to the signs, arguing that they would rather spend the money on more projects. But Mr. Gregg said one community in New Hampshire was told no sign, no money for their original project.

"We do enough self-congratulating around here. They shouldn't make the taxpayers pay for it," he said."

No Charlie, you're no Joe Wilson

Our Congressman Charlie Wilson wants folks to know that he is not Congressman Joe Wilson.

No Charlie, no one would confuse you with someone that could call a liar a liar.

While Joe Wilson fights our Disaster-in-Chief, Charlie Wilson rides around in Air Force one with him.

Charlie Wilson is too busy spending the country further into debt.



Too busy giving your tax money to convert human urine into some sort of fuel.

Charlie Wilson brags about voting for the disastrous "stimulus bill" while unemployment is almost 10% nationwide and 14% in Ohio....higher than that in his own district......and it continues to rise after this "stimulus". Which leads one to think that his vote had the effect of making the economy worse off.

Joe Wilson voted against the "stimulus bill".

Charlie Wilson holds "news conferences" at gas stations to complain about the high gas prices, yet does not say a word of support for drilling in Alaska.

Joe Wilson supports drilling in Alaska.

Too busy to sign on as a cosponsor of HR 1207. The common sense bill that would allow an audit of the Federal Reserve. Yes, that's right, there are no external audits of the Fed. The same fed, with it's cheap interest rates and fiat money that causes our business cycles...boom / bust cycles.

Joe Wilson is a co-sponsor.

Don't worry Charlie, no one could confuse you with Joe Wilson!

The Dispatch is usually better than this

Here they have a story about the GOP "securing" and "choosing" a candidate to run in the 18th US Congressional district.

Hmmm. Hasn't Jeanette Moll be campaigning for this office for some time now? Yet, according to the Dispatch....the GOP just now has found someone to run?

All one has to do is a Google search of 18th district candidates and you'll see that there was already a candidate.

It's bad enough that the GOP feels that the primary voters are not smart enough to choose our own candidates that they have choose them for us and spend the rest out of contention.......it's really bad when the Dispatch starts doing the GOP's work for them.

None of this is to say that Sen Gibbs would not be a great US Congressman for the 18th. It just seems that anytime the GOP (State GOP on RNC) gets involved we always end up with the less conservative candidate.....which is OK if you are a Bob Taft Republican. The 18th isn't filled with a bunch of flaming moderates, however.

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