ANDREA SHEA KING RETURNS WITH GUEST JOHN RUBERRY OF MARATHON PUNDIT

This evening on The Andrea Shea King Show, our little Radio Patriot will be returning to the airwaves from Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast area.  Andrea has been very busy with personal, family business as well as a trip to BlogCon over the weekend.

Joining Andrea tonight will be ChicagoLand blogger John Ruberry of the well known blog Marathon Pundit.  Ruberry will be giving his take on the BlogCon conference and Andrea will be giving her opinion of the largest gathering of conservative bloggers too.  Should be interesting and informative.  

In addition to BlogCon info, we'll be asking Ruberry to discuss a recent post at his site that covers the financial failings of his home state of Illinois.  According to Illinois officials, Illinois is way behind in paying people who do business with the state. And when I say "behind," I mean $9 Billion in BEHIND.  It's a financial train wreck and someone's going to be left holding the bill.  We're hoping Ruberry can shed more light on the subject as well as give us some insight into which state he thinks will win the race to bankruptcy! 

Ok, Andrea's back--tune in at 9 pm et for THE ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW


(Below: John Ruberry and Andrea at BlogCon 2012)

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION !!--IT'S "MARATHON PUNDIT VIDEO" COVERING THE FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL MESS IN ILLINOIS

John Ruberry at Marathon Pundit is covering one of my favorite topics: the fall of the State of Illinois. Using his new feature, Marathon Pundit Video, Ruberry covered Dick Morris high atop The John Hancock Center as Morris commented on the situation Illinois finds itself in. Now don't get me wrong, I like the state--I was born there--but what Illinois is going through financially is a lesson that we all need to learn.

Illinois and California are in the same financial boat, so to speak, and that boat is takin' on water in the form of debt and a shrinking tax base. There's no goin' back to the port to pick up more cash. There is no cash. The important lesson here, as painful as it is, is that progressive policies do not work , never have, and never will. They all end in financial catastrophe.

What Illinois and California are about to go through is the result of many years--decades--of liberal, progressive spending policies and sweetheart deals with the unions. The resulting financial carnage will not be pretty nor will it be easy to get through, except for the politicians who've brought us to the brink of ruin. Each of them, as well as their loved ones, will be just fine. One more thing to consider here: this carnage I speak of is unavoidable. When you're bankrupt, you're bankrupt. There's going to be a painful period of recovery, and that time is nearby.

As we observe Illinois and California go through the process of total financial collapse, know too that other states are not far behind. These are just two of the worst cases on record, and since I was born in one and live in the other, I pay particular attention to what Ruberry posts on the subject.

The takeaway for me is this: We're told over and over again that liberal, progressive spending policies have brought us to this point. This is true. But it isn't quite accurate to say only liberals--democrats--are the cause of this financial failure and breakdown of the system. No, there was another party involved here as well--the republicans.

Oh, really, you say? Unless the democrats have super-majorities, they must have cooperation from the party across the aisle for passage of these massive spending plans that are repeated year after year, decade after decade. It's not one year of ridiculous spending that brings a state or the Federal government to its knees, it's years of cooperation from both sides that has brought this horror story to your household.

Both republicans and democrats share the same set of sheets, they attend the same cocktails parties that you aren't invited to but get to pay for. In other words, you and your loved ones are the suckers who get to pay for this mess, suffer through the many years of recovery and all the while the MSM telegraphs to you that it's the other party's fault. Bullshit on that.

Criminals of this nature have no real allegiance to any party or country, and until you get that through your head, you and your loved ones are doomed. These son-of-a-bitches holding political power--no matter the party--should be in jail, or under the jail for putting in jeapordy the greatest nation known to mankind. If America fails, the world fails. And when that happens, then you'll understand the true meaning of suffering.

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Since we're speaking of John Ruberry and his Marathon Pundit blog site, I'd like to point out that John was linked in Andrea's Surfin' Safari column this week at WND. It was the lead story and it involves Derrick Bell and Critical Race Theory. So check out this week's Surfin' Safari.

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"ILLINOIS BUSINESS EXODUS"--John Ruberry

Since Illinois is my birthplace--and I do have a legit birth certificate to prove it--this piece by John Ruberry over at Marathon Pundit caught my eye.

It's a sad commentary on the deconstruction of the state and its relationship, or abuse, of some long standing Illinois business icons. Namely, Sears and Caterpillar. What's about to happen to these two corporations, and the state of Illinois, is just beyond me. What's this state thinking? What are the people thinking? Unemployment will rise even higher as the tax revenues are reduced to further lows.

Read "Illinois Business Exodus"

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ROCKFORD TEA PARTIER, DAVID HALE, LOCATED AWOL WISCONSIN SENATORS, JOINS ANDREA SHEA KING FOR A REPORT

Yesterday, when the Wisconsin legislature had a scheduled vote on a controversial budget item--union benefits--some of the democrat senators decided to head for the hills...of Illinois, that is. The Rockford Register Star reports.

Here's the deal: If the democrats aren't on the floor for the vote, the vote can't take place. Hence the travel plans.

The Wisconsin senators took to the highway, southbound to the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, crossed into Illinois and found a hideaway in the cozy "resort" city of Rockford. Once there, they were safe and sound. Or so they thought.

Enter one David Hale. A local Tea Party member, Hale heard that the AWOL legislators were holed-up in a Rockford motel. Hale traveled to the site and was able to locate, confront and shoot video of the lawmakers as they made a dash for the parking lot. The video is on it's way to going viral.

Tea Party Express III made a tour stop in Rockford back in April 2010. David Hale attended and was able to meet the entire TPX crew, headed up by Amy Kremer and Sal Russo. John Ruberry of Marathon Pundit attended and reported on the Rockford rally HERE and HERE. Teressa Monroe-Hamilton of NoisyRoom filed this report too. Andrea Shea King was there as well. *More on the developing Wisconsin situation at her site, The Radio Patriot.

Wisconsin state lawmakers making a mad dash across state lines to avoid a crucial vote on the state's fiscal problems is no laughing matter, especially to the tax payers of Wisconsin. But it does seem comical that a group of professional lawmakers would go to this extreme to avoid doing the job they were elected to do--to protect the interests of the tax payers of their state. In this case, however, it appears the union's interests are what the lawmakers are protecting.

This is a developing story. As of this writing, law enforcement officials have been sent to the home of Wisconsin's minority leader to make sure he attends the day's session. More on that as it becomes available.

*TONIGHT--THE ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW--9 PM ET

*GUEST: David Hale, Rockford Tea Party Member. Hale will walk us through the events that led up to his confrontation with the AWOL Wisconsin lawmakers at the soon-to-be infamous Rockford motel. As a Tea Party Member, Hale should get a medal for a job well done!

UPDATE: Jesse Jackson has arrived in Madison.

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TEA PARTY EXPRESS IV--"HONEST ABE" EDITION--Updated

Support THE TEA PARTY EXPRESS(click banner)

DAY TEN for TPX began in Paducah, KY, where Rand Paul stopped by to talk with the gathered crowd. Paul is one of the most popular candidates out there today--the media mobbed him. Later, TPX slid into the St. Louis area near the Gateway Arch. Speaking of the arch, Andrea Shea King was able to meet Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit. Pics too. Over at The Radio Patriot, Andrea has coverage here and here.

DAY 11 takes TPX IV into the belly of corruption--the state of Illinois. First stop, Springfield at 9 AM; then upstate to Frankfort for a 4 PM rally. Check the tour schedule for upcoming rallies in Michigan. (For TPX V, I'm suggesting we have a Hyde Park Rally on the schedule.)

BEHIND THE SCENES--A discussion took place in one of the lounge areas of a TPX bus. A passionate discussion about black conservatives and the black vote. Lloyd Marcus wrote it down and published it at American Thinker.

During TPX III, Andrea slept through St. Louis and missed the Gateway Arch. Not this trip, though. Below, Andrea and the famous 'Gateway to the West.' (NOTE: I have NEVER slept through St. Louis.)

TEA PARTY HD and LIBERTY.COM always bring you each rally "live" via your computer, with great shots of the stage show as well as interviews throughout the audience. Make it a point to tune in. Below, Tea Party HD hits the Nashville scene:

We're moving closer to the tour's end which means the election is just around the corner. According to officials at TPX, support for the latest fund drive is building fast. Let's keep it that way--CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING, ANYTHING--NOW!!

Terresa Monroe-Hamilton at NoisyRoom; John Ruberry at Marathon Pundit; Melanie Morgan.com and Barbara at American Freedom are still working daily to get the word out to a wider audience. Besides TPX updates, each of these sites have lots of interesting and informative posts. Stop by and take a peek see.

Tonight, from the Land of Lincoln, THE ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW will be on the air at 9 PM ET. If I have to be there, I think you should be as well. Besides, I might say something worthwhile.

Let's go shopping at the Tea Party Store--always open--24/7.

UPDATE: 11:15 AM PT--Andrea will soon have some interesting pics and info about her and others being interviewed today. Check back at Andrea's site.

UPDATE II: In the meantime, while I wait for incoming news from the TPX tour, I sometimes relax at the clubhouse. In this pic I'm displaying the 2nd Revolution Flag, and browsing through Burt Boyar's coffee table book of Sammy Davis, Jr's photography--"Photo by Sammy Davis, Jr." Great gift idea for the holidays.

UPDATE III: 12:45 PM ET--Gold Star Mom Debbie Lee being interviewed:

UPDATE IV: 12:50--Tea Party Express on stage in Springfield, Illinois:

ILLINOIS RADICAL JAN SCHAKOWSKY CAN'T HOLD UP UNDER QUESTIONING, MAKES QUICK EXIT--"I'M OUTTA HERE"

Marathon Pundit's congressional rep was confronted about health care and the constitution, and when asked about the Democratic Socialists of America, she fled the scene. Being questioned in this manner is new to these radicals. Gateway Pundit has the video.

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NOTE TO BROADWAY BANK: CHECK YOUR SHOE BOXES--updated

John Ruberry at Marathon Pundit keeps his finger on the pulse of Illinois politics better than anyone I know. If it has to do with Illinois, Ruberry covers it.

Today Ruberry is waiting for the Broadway Bank to close its doors. It seems the bank finds its ledger sheet a tad out of balance, and by tad I mean $85 million. And since this bank is located in Illinois and family owned, it comes as no surprise that a member of the family just happens to be the democrat nominee for U.S. senate.

All is not lost, though. The Broadway Bank has until Monday to locate $85 Million.

It's long been argued which state is the most corrupt. Most go with New Jersey, Illinois and New York. Folks with more history behind them almost always go with Massachusetts, specifically the Boston area. The Fitzgeralds or something like that. Since I'm not an expert on the beginnings or levels of corruption, I will defer to them on that point.

Inventing state corruption--or being the biggest and best at it--is one thing, perfecting the process of screwing your state all the time is quite another. Illinois, I think, has long been tops in this category. Corruption in Illinois is not only common and widespread, to some it's a fine art. The people of Illinois almost expect it.

As a youngster in Illinois, I always heard the name of a particular politician. He was skilled in the fine art of corruption. Without a doubt, he was a master. And he had a slogan as well:

"There's only one thing worse than a defeated politician, and that's a broke one."

To fully understand corruption and the state of Illinois, you needn't go any further than the master himself: Paul Powell. He could've held seminars: How to steal from voters AND get re-elected.

Mr. Powell, however, had one unavoidable failing: he died. But not broke. (TIME MAG, 1971)

*Ruberry's follow up story.

**It's now official: Broadway Bank fails. Chicago Tribune reports.

Reader Don sends this:

From the Obama Timeline (Parts I and II) at www.colony14.net:

Obama, his now-jailed money man Tony Rezko, and his Pentagon-bombing buddy William Ayers have all used the mob-tied Broadway Bank. Giannoulias was elected Illinois State Treasurer in 2006 largely because of Obama’s endorsement. (Obama supported Giannoulias when powerful Illinois Democrats refused to be seen with him. Obama called him “…one of the most outstanding young men I could ever hope to meet”—despite the candidate’s youth, lack of experience, mob connections, and Broadway Bank’s financing of Chicago crime figure Michael “Jaws” Giorango.) Obama’s first home in Chicago, a townhouse, was bought in 1993 with a loan from Broadway Bank—in a complicated deal which for several years left various names other than Obama listed as the owner. Giannoulias donated $10,000 to Obama’s campaign.

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The book pictured above: Paul Powell of Illinois: A lifelong Democrat

TEA PARTY EXPRESS III: "REAGAN COUNTRY" EDITION

*Please take a moment to say a prayer for the entire mining community in West Virgina, especially for those who've lost loved ones.

TPX III tour embed, Andrea Shea King--The Radio Patriot--reports on Day 10's stops at Evansville, IN, St. Louis, MO, Springfield, IL, all in one post. Great commentary with lots of photos! Santa Claus stopped by too... guess what everyone wants for Christmas this year?

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Terresa Monroe-Hamilton of Noisyroom sits up front in the Blue Bus as she provides readers with a complete round up of TPX links, including the latest TPX press release. She's driving the bus with this comprehensive report.

DAY 11--Tuesday--brings TPX III to rallies at Davenport, IA--10:00 AM; **Rockford, IL**--2:00 PM; Madison, WI--6:30 PM. All times CDT.

**Rockford**--John Ruberry of Marathon Pundit will be attending the Rockford rally. Ruberry has been of great assistance to the tour as it swings through the Big Ten States. Stupak, we're headed your way.

IMPORTANT links: TPX III, TPX TV, and TPX tour schedules. Check for upcoming rallies, and continue to file those reports. So far, you're making the MSM media crazy trying to keep up with you. Their "narrative" is falling apart a little more each day. Don't stop now!

*BREAKING NEWS* for the New York Times--TPX III goes hip-hop. Yes, one of their entertainers is a rapper--POLATIK performing in Little Rock. How racist can you be? And he's a HUGE hit to boot! Yo Yo!! Polatik on "Freedom." Check Polatik's site.


TONIGHT at 9 pm et, The Andrea Shea King Show broadcasts "live" from Madison, WI. Call in at 646-478-4604.

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS--HEALTH CARE PROTEST SHOWS THE LEVEL OF IGNORANCE WE'RE UP AGAINST

Big Government contributor Andrew Marcus documented the protest rally held outside Rep. Jan Schakowsky's office in Evanston, Illinois. Friday's turnout was small but the ignorance on display was monumental. "What's wrong with a little socialism?"

Morton Grove's John Ruberry--Marathon Pundit--was in attendance. Schakowsky is Ruberry's rep in congress, and he's interviewed as well. Good job, John!

GREATNESS IS BORN--RONALD WILSON REAGAN, FEB 6, 1911

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on this day, February 6, 1911, at 111 South Main Street, Tampico, Illinois. His birth took place in a second floor flat above the Pitney General Store. Morton Grove's John Ruberry traveled there one day and blogged about the experience. Also, Andrea Shea King has a wonderful video tribute to our 40th president along with a note to Mrs. Reagan: To Nancy, With Love.

Reagan is 99 today. I say "is" because in my mind Reagan is alive and well, always will be too. In my writings and conversations, I often refer to him. There's much to be said about a man of his ability, his sheer strength of will, determination and passion for this the greatest of nations. Not for one moment did Reagan ever let us forget the greatness of our nation, especially during the worst of times. He reminded us on more than one occasion that no matter the challenge before us, we as a nation could and would overcome. And we did.

Although he wasn't one of our nation's founding fathers, he was, without argument, one of our nation's re-founders. Upon entering the White House, he was of an age (69) when most are retired, or considering retirement. Not Reagan. He met our problems--and there were plenty of them--head-on, rolled up his sleeves and began working toward solutions on that long list of what ailed our floundering nation.

Before Reagan became president, Jimmy Carter was our nation's progressive leader. I was in my early twenties, fresh out of the army, in college, and followed Reagan day-by-day. And with each day I got more and more excited with the possibility of him taking back the House at 1600. To be honest, during the late '70's I was nearly embarrassed to be an American. I should never say such a thing but it was true. If you didn't live through the Carter years, you can't possibly understand my feelings.

But our greatest dream came true in November 1980. And at 12 noon, January 20, 1981, the celebration began--it was as if WWII had ended all over again. By 12:30, the oath of office was complete. Reagan, at this point, had done nothing as president, but our spirits were lifted to heights not known for quite some time. Life was good. Very good.

Reagan had a remarkable two-term presidency, and many of the benefits crafted by his administration weren't realized until after he had left office. However, we all knew why and how those accomplishments came about. As with any presidency, his too had its problems. But he was upfront and honest about them, and the American public knew and understood this. After all, Reagan, like all of us, was human.

HIS TEAMMATE AND LOVE OF HIS LIFE:

Ronald Wilson Reagan would never have become one of our greatest presidents without his teammate, the love of his life, Nancy Reagan. Whether it was in Sacramento or Washington DC, he didn't have a more ardent, supportive or protective person in his corner. Ronald Reagan was an outside-the-beltway kind of man. A politician, yes, but without Nancy at his side, he probably would've been just another actor and conservative speaker of the era. Not governor, not president.

Surrounding him, Ronald Reagan had some of the smartest, hardest working advisers. All tasked with crafting policies, speeches and events for him to attend. But not a one of them had half the sense Mrs Reagan had when it came to what was best for her man. Without a doubt, Nancy Reagan knew what was best for her husband--and she had no problem making it known. And don't think for a moment that those advisers weren't from time-to-time looking over their shoulders with an eye toward the First Lady as they put together some sort of policy or event for the president.

Mrs Reagan had more than one run-in with her husband's advisers, some are legendary. She usually came out on top too. Why? Because she knew what was best and she was determined to protect the man who lead our nation, the man she loved more than anything in life. The same man we loved and admired.

Our First Lady, Nancy Reagan, brought much to our White House. Just her name alone brings to mind words like class, style, beauty and loyalty. She brought all this to our House, and then some. She not only made our White House a thing of beauty, something to behold, to be proud of, to treasure, but she made our president look as grand as our president should look.

Just as President Reagan made us feel good about our nation, Nancy Reagan gave us a sense of comfort in knowing Ronald Reagan was well looked after. In his declining years, when he was no longer able to venture into the public's eye, Nancy Reagan made sure our re-founding president--one of history's greatest--was in the best of hands, being cared for every minute of the day, seeing that all his needs and comforts were met. As sad as I was about his illness, I took some comfort in knowing she was there for him. In a way, we were all there for him.

So, Mr. President, I salute you on your 99th birthday. I will always pray for you. I will always recall your words. And because of your words I will always have a keen sense of our nation's greatness and the possibilities it provides to us and the world.

And to Nancy Reagan, our Finest First Lady, I pray for you as well. I can't begin to thank you for all you've done, not just for our nation but for Ronald Wilson Reagan. I hope your days are filled with nothing but the goodness that life provides for us. God Bless You.

OBAMA, THE WON

The New Cultural Revolution, Andrea Shea-King reports.

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