This entry was posted on 4/13/2006 3:14 PM and is filed under Political Issues.
Like too few other Illinois citizens, on Tuesday, April 11, I signed in at the 156th annual Vernon Town Meeting as an elector (registered voter in my township). About twenty souls braved the lovely Spring weather to attend the annual township meeting, which is prescribed by Illinois Statutes.
While the meeting agenda was mostly dry financial reports, the meeting was an interesting glimpse of limited, grassroots local government. Township staff explained their government roles and gave reports on their activities during the past fiscal year. There were no controversies, no demonstrations, no anti-war protests... just competent local public servants reporting to the taxpayers on the valuable services they provide to our community. The electors present at the meeting voted on all resolutions brought before them, a fine example of grassroots democracy in action.
Other annual township meetings in Illinoiswere not so quiet. The Daily Herald reports on noisy debates at several Town Meetings in other counties.
In Springfield's Capitol Township, an anti-war protester from the leftist George Soros-funded Campus Progress, entered a motion to place an advisory referendum calling for the US to withdraw troops from Iraq on the township General Election ballot in November. The motion was passed by a majority of electors present, no doubt helped by a surprising number of organized anti-war attendees at the meeting.
At first blush, such apparently grassroots political activity might seem laudable, but one has to wonder how local Town Meetings have suddenly become a forum for organized left-wing anti-war protest groups. While one could applaud the efforts of young political activists like Michael Ziri, who led the Springfield referendum group, these actions, which are directly funded by Democrat Shadow groups, are hardly the stuff of grassroots politics. One need look no further than this Lowell Ponte article about Campus Progress to verify that fact: http://www.discoverthenetwork.org/Articles/cp.html
It turns out that the well-organized anti-war political apparatus behind these 'student groups' is actually filled with ex-Clinton administration Democrat operatives, whose real agenda is the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign. The Democrat shadow group's efforts include significant funding of anti-war protest groups. I find that approach to presidential politics curious, given the history of American voters rejecting Democrat candidates who they perceive as weak on national defense issues. So this liberal Democrat effort to unite the party mainstream with far-left anti-war groups may well backfire
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.
Like too few other Illinois citizens, on Tuesday, April 11, I signed in at the 156th annual Vernon Town Meeting as an elector (registered voter in my township). About twenty souls braved the lovely Spring weather to attend the annual township meeting, which is prescribed by Illinois Statutes.
While the meeting agenda was mostly dry financial reports, the meeting was an interesting glimpse of limited, grassroots local government. Township staff explained their government roles and gave reports on their activities during the past fiscal year. There were no controversies, no demonstrations, no anti-war protests... just competent local public servants reporting to the taxpayers on the valuable services they provide to our community. The electors present at the meeting voted on all resolutions brought before them, a fine example of grassroots democracy in action.
Other annual township meetings in Illinoiswere not so quiet. The Daily Herald reports on noisy debates at several Town Meetings in other counties.
In Springfield's Capitol Township, an anti-war protester from the leftist George Soros-funded Campus Progress, entered a motion to place an advisory referendum calling for the US to withdraw troops from Iraq on the township General Election ballot in November. The motion was passed by a majority of electors present, no doubt helped by a surprising number of organized anti-war attendees at the meeting.
At first blush, such apparently grassroots political activity might seem laudable, but one has to wonder how local Town Meetings have suddenly become a forum for organized left-wing anti-war protest groups. While one could applaud the efforts of young political activists like Michael Ziri, who led the Springfield referendum group, these actions, which are directly funded by Democrat Shadow groups, are hardly the stuff of grassroots politics. One need look no further than this Lowell Ponte article about Campus Progress to verify that fact: http://www.discoverthenetwork.org/Articles/cp.html
It turns out that the well-organized anti-war political apparatus behind these 'student groups' is actually filled with ex-Clinton administration Democrat operatives, whose real agenda is the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign. The Democrat shadow group's efforts include significant funding of anti-war protest groups. I find that approach to presidential politics curious, given the history of American voters rejecting Democrat candidates who they perceive as weak on national defense issues. So this liberal Democrat effort to unite the party mainstream with far-left anti-war groups may well backfire