How did Mitch and the Moneymen think of Deceased Lake County Republican Chairman Curley?

So Mitch, Rokita, and all the money guys at Friday night's fundraiser were all in the area Saturday.

Saturday was the memorial service for Lake County Republican Chairman Curley.

None of them showed up for the memorial.

That just goes to show what they thought of Curley.

New Chairwoman Kim Kulll was at the fundraiser Friday night, and was scheduled to speak at the memorial, but didn't show up. I wonder what the deal was with that.

Mike Kotso running in the First House District

I had heard that Mike Kotso was running against Lawson in the first district, and he was at the fundraiser on Friday. I was introduced to him, and he is running.

So Buzzcut trumps Frugal Hoosiers.

I believe that Kotso's old man used to hold the seat.

I actually saw him going into the bathroom at Dante's pizza on Saturday night as I was picking up my pizza. Small world.

Buzzcut gets drunk with Mitch

So I went to Mitch's fundraiser in Chicago. It was a VERY productive use of my time.

In addition to Mitch, I met and talked with the following people:

1) SOS Todd Rokita.
2) Former Speaker of the House Denny Hastert.
3) Hastert's son, who is running for his dad's old seat.
4) Former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson
5, 6, 7) 3 Republican candidates running for Illinois governor.
8) Valpo Mayor Costas
9) Indy Mayor Ballard
10) Indiana State Republican Chairman Murray Clark.
11) Lake County Republican Chairwoman Kim Krull
12) Minority Leader Brian Bosma
13) Republican Candidate for the 19th district Luke Abbott

and a few others that I can't recall right now (well, there WAS an open bar).

Dan Dumezich was there, he pretty much was the mastermind behind the fundraiser, it was his law firm that the event was at. Pretty nice digs they have there, I guess selling the Tollroad was lucrative for them.

Someone I was talking to, who is close to Dumezich, said he dropped out of the Senate race because Bayh is polling very well right now. So even though Dumezich had just as much money as Bayh, he thought the race was insurmountable.

What do rank and file Republicans want?

A Washington Post poll finds that what critics call "The Party of No" pretty much sums up what rank and file Republicans want from their party.

No bailouts.

No socialized medicine.

No cap and trade.

No amnesty.

Republicans (and Independents) are angry. It would behoove a candidate for office to reflect this anger.

And who is angrier than Buzzcut?

Colorado GOP shows the way

Like Mitch, the Colorado GOP is gunning to take back state government.

They're embracing Tea Partiers and running a statewide "Contract with America" type program:

Key Points from the Colorado GOP's 'Platform for Prosperity'

Oppose efforts to increase taxes and fees unless they're put to a popular vote

Restore a cap on state spending

Invest in roads, bridges, higher education and workforce training

Support a law to make health insurance portable from job to job

Allow patients to purchase health insurance across state lines

Promote responsible development of Colorado's energy resources

Expand charter schools

Require employers to verify that their workers are in the U.S. legally

Prohibit state grants for women's health care to any organization that also provides abortions

Oppose future stimulus bills

Sounds good to me! I'll ask Mitch if he's going to get something like this going in Indiana.

Why didn't Mitch recruit Buzzcut?

Commenter Briefs allerted me to a new website Frugal Hoosiers which is a clearinghouse for Republicans trying to take back the Indiana State House.

I'm kind of miffed that "18 quality candidates" have already been recruited to run in Democrat districts, and I never got a call from Mitch. Well, no one ever said I was a quality anything.

I did get a call from the St. John Republican Chairman on Saturday, seeing if I was interested in running against Mara Reardon.

Unfortunately, I'm working on a project that will have me working 85 hours a week next September, October, and November. Not really any time for campaigning in a work schedule like that.

Also, I'd hate to have to delete this blog. ;) It's therapeutic to be able to say what I really think about things, without having to filter it through the "what will the voters think" filter.

What is Mitch Daniels doing fundraising in Chicago?

The last few weeks, Mitch Daniels PAC has been advertising for a fundraiser in the Times. The fundraiser is taking place in Chicago, in the law offices of the guys that arranged the Tollway sale. If I'm not mistaken, Dan Dumezich works there.

I've been wondering what Mitch's angle is for this fundraiser. First of all, why is it in Chicago, and what is he raising the money for?

The answer to the first question is pretty obvious. Chicago is where the money is. These lawyers made a boatload off the Tollway sale, the least they can do is kick some back to Mitch.

But what is Daniels raising money for?

Speculation is that it's for a Presidential run.

Well, now we know what Mitch says it's for: winning the Indiana House back by Republicans.

I'm more than likely going to go to this. $200 is a lot, but you get to rub shoulders with some big wigs. I've never met Dumezich, I'd like to size him up, especially now that we know he's not running for the Senate.

Incompetance in Calumet Assessors office will cause ALL Lake County tax bills to be late.

How cool would it be if the DLGF removed the Calumet assessor from office?

From comments to various stories about assessments, it appears to me that the Calumet Assesors office is particularly bad. For example, I've heard that, even after you challenge your assessment and win, the next year they go right back to the bogus assessment. You need to continually fight your assessment with these people.

The DLGF does have the power to remove him from office for incompetance. I'd love to see that happen.

Interesting that the guy is so bad, yet voters voted to keep him around last year. We, in North Township, were a lot smarter and got rid of our assesor.