Vernon Township GOP Blog

News and Views
2008 VTRCC Election Results
I am happy to announce that the Vernon Township Republican Central Committee remains in good hands.
 
At Monday evening's 2008 Vernon Township Republican Central Committee election, the Conservative Leadership Slate of candidates headed by incumbent Chairman, Don Castella won election to all four executive offices:
Chairman: Don Castella 70%
                Michael Kurman 30%
 
Vice-Chairman: Eric Burgess - 100%
 
Secretary: Elise Bouc - 100%
 
Treasurer: H. Shaw Clifton - 100%
 
Our committee members look forward to serving Vernon Township's Republican voters and candidates. As chairman, I intend to continue rebuilding the Vernon Township Republican Party by filling open precinct committeeman slots and recruiting Republican candidates, volunteers, election judges, and pollwatchers. I also intend to improve our communications, outreach, and fund-raising activities.
 
We face significant challenges in the 2008 General Election campaigns, and I look forward to meeting those challenges through hard work, careful planning, and better use of modern voter communication tools.
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Posted by Don Castella at 2/26/2008 1:46 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
I Agree With Dan Venturi about the Republican Platform
My Fellow Republicans, In yesterday's Daily Herald, Dan Venturi was quoted regarding the Republican Assembly of Lake County, “If you don’t agree with their [RALC] principles, then you’re a bad Republican.” I note his attempt to take criticism of his actions and decisions personally and disingenuously turn the discussion into one about supposed ideological differences rather than sticking to the issues raised about his decisions, actions, or omissions as Lake County Republican Chairman. If we analyze his statement in light of the clearly defined RALC Statement of Beliefs and Principles, which ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 11/14/2006 1:20 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Illinois and National Marriage Debates Converge
Monday, the U.S. Senate took up debate on the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA), which if ratified, would amend our U.S. Constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, thereby protecting the institution of marriage nationwide from the ravages of activist judges and homosexual attacks on morality. Politicians on both sides of the aisle are lining up for or against this proposed amendment. As usual, the ideological spin-doctors have been busy, particularly on the left where a propaganda campaign to smear the overwhelming majority of Americans who support traditional marriage as ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 6/7/2006 8:13 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Senator Chris Lauzen: Reckless Sale of State Assets
"One of the saddest personal tragedies in life is to see a person addicted to alcohol, drugs, or gambling destroy the financial base upon which his family relies. The way it usually goes is an initial euphoria of hype as he doubles the mortgage debt to mask the problem. The next step is running all his credit cards so high that his credit rating is severely damaged. Eventually, he begins to sell his most marketable family assets at flea market prices. And, during all this time, he refuses to admit that he even has a problem. The same is true about the current administration of the State of Illinois. Their addiction is..."
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Posted by Don Castella at 6/5/2006 2:50 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Blagojevich Gambles Children's Future on Lottery Sale
Since its 1974 inception, the Illinois State Lottery has provided gambling revenues of about $13 Billion to the Illinois Common School Fund (K-12) (NASPL data). In a May 23 news release, the Blagojevich administration stated: "Under this proposal, the Illinois Lottery would either enter into a long-term lease with a private entity or conduct an Initial Public Offering that would generate approximately $10 billion in proceeds." Under terms of his proposal, "...the lease would provide $4 billion towards a new $6 billion funding plan for schools over the next four years and guarantee a $650 million annuity to the Common ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 5/25/2006 10:09 AM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
2006 Vernon Township Republican Picnic July 22, 2006
I am pleased to announce the 2006 Vernon Township Republican Picnic, to be held from Noon - 6:00 pm on Saturday, July 22, 2006 at the Vernon Township - Prairie View Park Picnic Shelter, 16652 N. Buffalo Grove Road (formerly Port Clinton Rd), Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 (Just east of intersection of Main St and Buffalo Grove Road) Link to MAP HERE. The Picnic Shelter is adjacent to the Vernon Township - Prairie View Park Pool.
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Posted by Don Castella at 5/23/2006 7:01 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Chicago Tribune Story: "District takes aim at teens' Web posts"
Vernongop Editor's Note: Libertyville/Vernon Hills H.S.Dist. 128 message to students: We determine which of your behaviors and Internet speech are appropriate, not you, your parents, or society. Reporter Andrew Wang reports in a Chicago Tribune story today that Libertyville/Vernon Hills High School District 128 is considering the adoption of rules that would make students subject to disciplinary action including suspension of extracurricular activity privileges for items they post on blogs or Internet websites like MySpace.com. On its face, this action sets up High School District 128 as the final arbiter of student speech and behavior, even outside of the school ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 5/18/2006 12:39 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Pacific Research Institute: "Live Free or Move"
Jobs are flocking to low-tax states for a reason. Voters will elect governors in 36 states this year. And as they decide who to send to the governor's mansion, they will also be shaping the economic future of their state. On taxes, the gubernatorial candidates fall into one of two camps. Either they believe that the best way to close a budget gap is to raise taxes. Or, like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush have done from the Oval Office, they believe in ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 5/18/2006 11:46 AM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
An Open Letter to President Bush on Illegal Immigration
Mr. President, While I applaud your decision to place National Guard Troops on our Southern Border as a small first step toward addressing the illegal immigration problem, this effort strikes me as half-a-loaf masquerading as a solution. I take no small irony in that the actions of the National Guard will be limited to mimicking the efforts of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a group of patriotic Americans you chose to call "vigilantes". The Minutemen have succeeded despite Government efforts to undermine their activities. Without arrest and detention authority, the National Guard can do little more ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 5/15/2006 3:53 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Senate Immigration Bill Would Allow 66 Million New Legal Immigrants over the Next Twenty Years
If enacted, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (CIRA, S.2611) would be the most dramatic change in immigration law in 80 years, allowing an estimated 66 million persons to legally immigrate to the U.S. over the next 20 years—nearly one-fourth of the current population of the United States. Much attention has been given to the fact that the bill grants amnesty to some 10 million illegal immigrants. Little or no ...
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Posted by Don Castella at 5/15/2006 3:43 PM | View Comments | Add Comment | Trackbacks
Opinions expressed on Vernon Township GOP Blog are strictly the authors' and not those of the Vernon Township Republican Central Committee.
Contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Paid for by the Vernon Township Republican Central Committee. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections and the County Clerk is (or will be) available for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois, and from the Lake County Clerk Waukegan, Illinois.

Copyright 2006 Vernon Township Republican Central Committee. All rights reserved.