Capitol Letters

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:32:00 +0000

It’s been a busy few weeks in Michiana and around the State. I have had the privilege of touring the State with several grass roots groups, vigorously fighting a government take-over of our health care system. I have been involved in 5 town hall mtgs locally, 3 rallies from Indianapolis to Bloomington to Columbus, Indiana. I’ve been to DC to lobby Sens. Evan Bayh and Richard Lugar and Rep. Joe Donnelly and ask them to vote “NO” on the public option/government run health care program. And, the good news is that WE, the American people, are winning this issue! We’re NOT winning because big organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA) and the AARP are helping with their powerful organizations and countless dollars. We’re winning this battle because of you!

From coast to coast, Americans are showing up in an absolute “ground swell” of spontaneous opposition to a takeover of our entire health system by big government. I saw it happen in Kansas a few weeks ago when 1,500 people packed an auditorium to express their disdain for their US Senator. I’ve seen it happen all over Indiana. And, while in DC, the Halls of Capitol Hill were packed with Americans who took time and spent their OWN money to fly-in and encourage their Representatives to vote NO.

As President Obama declared this morning that HE will now “engage” on this issue and push even harder…that is a signal to all of us across the State to “re-engage”. Every Congressman that was brave enough to hold town hall meetings when they were back in their districts heard loud and clear that Americans want the US Government to take their hands off of their health care. Now that members of Congress are returning to DC, they have to answer to their other bosses, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama. They need to keep hearing from us…by phone, email or written letter. Liberty and freedom reign when the American people stay engaged and let their voices ring!

There is another issue to watch closely at the Federal Level. A Senate bill is quietly moving along that would transfer the power and authority of Internet regulation from Homeland Security to the White House…need I say more? This is being billed as a “cyber safety” issue but it is clear in the bill that the President, at his discretion, can shut down the entire Internet system that every residential, business, private customer uses if there is an “emergency”. It’s a fairly scary concept because the word, “emergency” isn’t defined. I’m keeping my eyes on that one.

I have been named to the Summer Study Committee of the Legislature to study the topic of Alcohol and all issues relating to alcohol bills. We begin next week and are looking at the issue of whether or not to overturn the Sunday sales concept of alcohol in Indiana, selling cold beer in convenience stores/gas stations, liquor permits, etc. It should be an interesting issue and one that will definitely result in legislation in the January session.

I am continuing to work on bills that I will file or co-sponsor in the next session. If there is an issue you want addressed in the upcoming session…now is the time to act. Call or email me and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for staying plugged into the process.

You can also follow me on Twitter: jackiewalorski or connect with me on Facebook!

Elkhart's Dometic Corporation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:51:00 +0000

Today’s announcement of “new jobs” at Elkhart’s Dometic Corporation, by Governor Mitch Daniels, was quite an interesting one. I was sitting on the front row flanked by media behind. As the Governor began speaking about the importance of “in-sourcing” jobs from Sweden, Mexico and China he boldly declared, “this proves my point that you bet we are competitive and that’s how we’ll rebuild America’s economy…bring those jobs back here to our soil.” OK, I’m paraphrasing a bit, but that was the point. It struck me that the Governor sounded like he was addressing a national audience, a national press corps and that he was confident in his approach to fixing an ailing national economy and that today was proof that it can be done…yes, it can be done, Gov. I commented to a friend of mine, “Sounds like the Gov is running for President”! Ironically, the sitting President is coming here tomorrow…I wonder how boldly and confidently he’ll be declaring the economic turnaround with proof that his plan is working or will work? Could we actually be looking at a Presidential ticket with our Gov on it? Anything’s possible in Indiana…we may have just seen a sneak peek of that today. Could our Gov actually run for President? Yes, he can…..if he wants to.

Rally During Barack Obama's Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:31:00 +0000

Barack Obama is coming to town! Let your voice be heard! This will be the ONE and ONLY opportunity for Michiana to respond to the President's visit.

A rally will be held to refute three nationalized issues that will affect our area greatly; Cap & Trade, Card Check and Government takeover of your PRIVATE HEALTH CARE.

The rally will be at Nelson's Golden Glow Headquarters at 607 Nelson's Pkwy, Wakarusa, IN 46573 at 1:00PM, BUT you MUST be there between 10:30-11:00! After 11:00 Barack Obama's secret service will be barricading the streets and you will NOT be able to get in. The press conference will be outside and it will take place REGARDLESS of the weather, make sure you come prepared rain or shine. This will be our chance to gain NATIONAL MEDIA EXPOSURE.

If you are OPPOSED to these critical issues, then this will be YOUR ONE opportunity to stand up, voice your opinion and get your message across to DC.

Call Congressman Donnelly and Senator Bayh

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Call Congressman Joe Donnelly and Senator Evan Bayh and urge them to vote NO on Barack Obama's Socialized Medicine bill!
Joe Donnelly: 202.225.3915
Evan Bayh: 202.224.5623

2 Day DC Trip to Stand up Against Socialized Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Here is a brief summary of the 2-day “fly-in” to Capitol Hill yesterday, asking our US Representatives and Senators to vote “NO” on Socialized Medicine/National Health Care. Contrary to what the President said last night on TV, the reality on the Hill is that there is virtually no chance of killing this bill only slight modifications they are willing to make to it. The most devastating part of this bill is the issue called, “public option”. The public option is the absolute CORE of National Health Care. This option will force small employers and a great deal of larger employers to cut employees, go out of business, or force their employees into the “public option” when in reality there will be no option at all.

My husband and I lived in this type of health care in the European Union and it is a first class disaster. The most vulnerable people in a government run system are the people that get sick! The young and old or people in the middle with chronic or incurable conditions quickly lose access. That’s the reason why people in other countries will sell their houses and make life-altering adjustments to get the money to come to the US to access state-of-the-art health care.

The second issue I learned about yesterday is the issue that is pure socialism and NEVER works; it is called “price-fixing”. The Government would set the price at which reimbursement would be paid for a patient’s care. For example, the bureaucrats in Washington, DC would decide how much you will pay for an office call to your doctor, for a CT scan if you need one, an MRI, or a hospital stay. As a legislator, I can tell you that the government has been up to $10 million dollars in default to our local hospitals right here in Michiana and our entire coalition of elected officials go and fight to get their money, and that’s ONLY to pay for the back log in Medicaid payments. Forcing all Americans on to a government run system that has not adequately run ANY health program efficiently is an impending nightmare.

Thirdly, we all know there is no such thing as “free” health care….nothing is free. This program has a price tag of more than $1.5 trillion dollars. One Congressman told me yesterday that he was excited about trimming $1 billion dollars off of that $1 trillion dollar price tag…sorry, but there is a long way to go between a billion and a trillion and it will have to be paid for in tax dollars. We cannot afford “free” health care.

I left there yesterday with a sense that, unless the American people rise up and say, “no way”…this is going to pass in some type of modified form. This certainly isn’t a partisan, political issue, this is about our families and our own lives. I implore you to pass this email around, call Rep. Joe Donnelly and Senator Evan Bayh and tell them to vote NO…not to modify the bill but to vote NO and start over.

If you have questions about this issue for me, email me back and I will get you an answer. I don’t want to see the lives of Hoosiers and Americans jeopardized over an “experiment” that hasn’t worked in any country…let alone the greatest country on the face of the earth!

Please call today and keep calling.

Thank you!

Jackie Walorski
State Rep., Dist. 21

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:37:00 +0000

Thanks to those of you that called or emailed me about the issue of printing same sex marriage photos in The Truth. I did an interview yesterday morning on WFRN and it sounds like hundreds of people responded. You might want to check out The Truth’s editorial today, it seems as though they are rock solid in their decision and are amused at the response of those that disagree with their decision. You can still call and give your opinion; it seems as though they are tracking the responses.

I spoke with Managing Editor, Greg Halling, to express concern as to why they would publish something that isn’t legal here and in today’s editorial they equate this decision with printing birth announcements even if the babies are born “out of wedlock” but being born out of wedlock isn’t illegal and the birth is still recognized by the State as legitimate. It’s the voters in Indiana that choose the laws and the community standard by which we live and are governed. Mr. Halling’s number is 574-294-1661, the CEO of Federated Media which owns The Truth is Mr. John Dille 111, and he can be reached at 574-295-2500.

On another issue, PLEASE take another minute and again, call your Congressman, either Joe Donnelly or Mark Souder and express your NO vote on the Nationalized Health Care issue. The President declared last night that he wants this program on the fast track and on his desk by August….that means a vote in less than three weeks. This issue will probably be decided by the Blue Dog Democrats, of which Joe Donnelly, is one. It is critical that we don’t let the best health care system in the world be dismantled by a government takeover.

My husband and I know, first hand, what it’s like to live in a country with socialized medicine and it’s horrific. When we were missionaries in Eastern Europe, nearly every nation used the same, broken model of socialized medicine and the only way they could contain cost, was to limit access. Therefore, the minute a citizen went from the “asset” side to the “liability” side, getting health care was nearly impossible. Doctors quit working because they made no money, conditions rapidly deteriorate in hospitals when no new ones are built and equipment isn’t replaced because of lack of funds. “Important people or VIP’s” will have connections to move to the front of the line, if there is a special need, while others wait for months. The actual “value” we place on life in this country will completely deteriorate.

As a legislator, I am involved in this same situation, as I battle for constituents’ lives when they fall through the system of Medicaid. When it’s Friday at 5pm and some bureaucrat hasn’t filed a paper, or lost it on their desk, or an “I” isn’t dotted or a “T” crossed and an ill person is denied access to their doctor, their prescriptions…when those moments happen, you need an elected official whose willing to move mountains on behalf of helping people in need. Elected officials at the State and Federal level do this every day. We all have staffs who know how to intervene in these critical situations because they happen all the time. These situations will multiply by the millions with government making decisions about the lives of individual Americans.

Ask your Congressman to slow this train down, regroup and come up with a plan that maintains private insurance and protects individual choice. This is still the United States of America but if we sell out our own, individual futures to the government as the banks and auto industry have done there won’t be anyone left to “bail” us out when this program fails, it will cost actual lives…..that cost is too high.

Please call Congressman Joe Donnelly today at 202-225-3915 or locally at 574-288-2825 and call Congressman Mark Souder at 202-225-4436 or locally at 574-533-5802. We only have a small window of time to hold off a government takeover…this is by far the most important issue facing our fellow citizens today. Thank you!

Reminder to those of you walking with me in the Elkhart County 4H Fair Parade, we will be meeting at 12:30 in the LinWay Shopping Center parking lot and the parade begins at 1:30pm. Please feel free to bring a friend! It should be a beautiful day and there is usually 30,000 people on the parade route! See you on Sunday!

Thank you.

Jackie Walorski
State Representative

Write your US Congressman & Senator..Be a Voice!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:17:00 +0000

Everywhere I have been this weekend, I am being asked the question, “What are we going to do about Obama completely taking over everything we are doing and everything we have? I tell them to call their US Congressman and US Senator and start rattling their cages over these concerns, such as: astronomical debt, never to be paid off in our lifetime; socialized medicine; nationalized companies and tax increases quickly approaching at every level. They look at me with almost blank stares and start talking about how powerless they feel.

In the meantime, the South Bend Tribune is reporting today that Obama’s team has “volunteers”, or perhaps paid ACORN employees, canvassing the West Side of South Bend….knocking on doors, just like a political campaign, “selling” Obama’s national health care to the neighborhood.

On the State side of “politics”, House Speaker Pat Bauer is in that same paper bashing the budget that was just passed in the Indiana General Assembly, complaining that it didn’t spend enough money even though, he, as House Speaker, controls every single bill that comes to the floor for a vote. The only way to “spend” more money in Indiana is to raise taxes so there is more money to spend and we said NO which protected taxpayers. So, today, Bauer is actively “selling” his opposition to a budget that he allowed to pass!

On the local side of politics this morning, there is the St. Joseph County Council and the City of South Bend using “scare tactics” to raise the Option Income Tax this upcoming week. South Bend is threatening to layoff and cut off their own vital first responders in order to get their residents to beg for another tax. Why is it that Mishawaka’s mayor just cut their budget, laid off 25 people, left 10 other positions empty and balanced their budget and didn’t touch one police officer or firefighter?

Why are these community leaders using scare tactics and running their tax increase campaigns like political campaigns? It’s interesting that at the National, State and Local level….there is a common thread running through all of the political rhetoric that is tied to either your health or your pocket through new, massive taxation….it seems to be fear and intimidation of working Hoosiers and Americans.

When rational discussions don’t produce the results that the other side wants, they resort to what they know best, winning elections through fear. So, while the other side is running campaigns on national health care, raising taxes at every level…it’s about time OUR side shakes off this “fear” and gets moving.

Instead of feeling powerless and overwhelmed, let’s grab ourselves by our bootstraps and engage in this battle before we lose it! I encourage every Hoosier to “wake up”, reach deep inside of your selves and emerge with a resolve like a pit bull that “enough is enough” and we’re taking our role seriously as a voter and a Hoosier. While the other side is knocking on doors, we should be doing the same. While the other side is filling up local newspapers with their “spin” and rhetoric…we should be sharing our opinions by the thousands! While the other side is raising money, gearing up for the 2010 elections….we should raise more…let’s embrace capitalism, not run from it! Let’s embrace the issues of today and confront them head on…not give into fear!

This week, write your US Congressman and US Senator and tell them to vote NO on National Health Care, Cap and Trade and massive tax increases…also write to your local papers and tell them the same thing! Show up at the Council meetings in St. Joseph County and express your opinion on raising taxes without budget cuts!! Rise up and be an active participant in this battle and engage the other side on the front line!

Budget Passes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:05:00 +0000

The 2009 Special Session of the General Assembly is over and the budget is passed and signed into law. Thank you to every one of you who got involved, called the Speaker’s office and exerted significant pressure to get a budget passed before the State shut down.

There’s good and bad in every budget. I didn’t write this budget nor was I at the table, as a minority House member but there was a great deal of collaboration between the House Republicans, Senate Republicans and those Democrats that wanted to be involved. The budget puts us in a stable position as our economy continues to fluctuate. More importantly, this budget does not set us up for a massive tax increase by spending down every stabilization fund. It also has cut nearly 10% from every State agency, which I believe is important. Thanks again to all of you for getting involved in the process, it made a difference!

Just a reminder: I will NOT be in the Walkerton Parade this weekend, on Friday, July 3rd. I had to previously cancel my spot in the parade because we were told to cancel ALL plans and plan on being in Indianapolis all week and possibly into the weekend. Thanks to those of you who were going to walk, but I will not be there this year.

The next parade is the BIG one at the Elkhart County 4H Fair on July 19th. I need as many walkers as possible there. Either call my voicemail at 574-293-6622 or email Rebecca@faulknerstrategies.com to confirm for that parade!

Thanks again and have a GREAT 4th of July weekend!

Jackie Walorski
State Representative, District 21

CANCELLATION NOTICE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Due to the uncertainty of being in session I will no longer be attending the Walkerton Parade this weekend. Pat Bauer has yet again brought session to a screeching halt. I will continue to do my best at keeping you informed on whats going on during special session! Thank you to everyone for your continuous support. Please stay tuned for the next parade date!

URGENT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:56:00 +0000

URGENT: Please call Congressman Joe Donnelly right now and urge him to vote NO on the Cap and Trade bill, which will be voted within the next hour! This bill is a HUGE utility tax increase for all Hoosiers and completely hurts our State’s job forecast. I hardly ever ask you to get involved in a federal issue but this is critical and so is Obama’s health care plan. I’ll send more on that as that vote gets closer. But, today, if we stand together and reach out to ALL of our Indiana Congressmen, but especially in Northern Indiana, ask Joe to vote NO.

Also: for those of you who heard me LIVE on WFRN this morning, we have a new abortion clinic opened in Fort Wayne, Indiana that is performing “chemical” or “medical” abortions using RU486 and a combination of drugs that induce miscarriages to be done at home. This “take home abortion kit” has successfully skirted virtually all of Indiana’s laws that protect young girls and adult women from the risks of infection and complications that arise from botched abortions. Stay tuned on further legislative measures that we will be taking to change this situation.

Finally: Call House Speaker Pat Bauer and tell him to QUIT playing political games with YOUR tax money and to get a budget passed and END this special session of the General Assembly!!! The Governor has now embarked on a mission around the State to ask House Democrats to vote with their districts and not their “boss” so we can pass a responsible budget that doesn’t raise taxes.

This is an important hour for America as we look squarely at the Cap and Trade bill, a HUGE utility tax increase and at the State level…another giant tax increase if we don’t pass a responsible budget NOW.

I have already called Rep. Joe Donnelly and am hoping you will do the same. This is important.

Thank you very much.

Jackie Walorski
State Representative

Special Session Update & Parade Walkers!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:13:00 +0000

Today is Monday, June 22 and we were just notified that the House will be in session tomorrow at 4:00pm. The Indiana Senate is voting, and will probably pass, the Governor’s budget tomorrow afternoon. Once that budget is passed, it will go to a Conference Committee, just like a regular session where the “negotiating” or “compromising” begins. Currently, the House Democratic budget that they passed last week, on a party-line vote, is unbalanced and spends down all of the State’s reserves AND the Major Moves Trust Fund. There are rampant rumors floating around that House Speaker Pat Bauer intends to drag out this Conference Committee and refuse to settle on a responsible budget that will protect Hoosier families. If we don’t have a budget passed by the end of June we, again, float in “unchartered” waters into more political mud. My goal is to have a budget that is honestly balanced that does not set us up for a tax increase next year. I’ll keep you posted this week as events continue to unfold.

On another note, summer parades begin!! I would enjoy the opportunity to have you join me in walking or riding bikes for the upcoming parade season! Saturday, June 27th, is the Lakeville Parade, and lineup is at 8am, and the parade begins at 9am. The parade lines up behind the Subway Shop on US 31 South and ends at Newton Park. The following Saturday, July 3, the Walkerton Parade is an evening parade, line up at 6:30pm, parade begins at 7:30pm, and begins at Urey Middle School and ends at the High School. Sunday, July 19th the Elkhart County 4H Fair Parade is HUGE and begins at Noon at the Linway Plaza in Goshen. I might be riding my bike this year in some of the parades but we’ll have a truck with water for the walkers and candy for the kids. It’s always a lot of fun!

Please RSVP for any parades to Rebecca@Faulknerstrategies.com or call and leave me a message at 574-293-6622.

Thanks and stay tuned!

State Representative Jackie Walorski

Update #2 from State Representative Jackie Walorski

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:55:00 +0000

Today we were actually in session over an hour! Unreal, since the last two days were six minutes total. We’ll be voting on the House Democrat’s, horrific, unbalanced, one-year budget tomorrow. They spend down all of the revenue, the reserves AND the Major Moves Trust Fund and set up Hoosiers for a HUGE tax increase in 2 years. Needless to say, I will be a resounding “NO” vote!

We also found out that there is a tax increase coming into St. Joseph County through a new Regional Transportation Board AND we beat down an amendment offered by a local House Democrat that would have had a $2million dollar earmark for another Community Center in South Bend. I, along with 5 other Republican colleagues, raised so many questions and objections to “earmarking” when we need to be “cutting” that Bauer killed Niezgodski’s amendment by pulling it off the table.

We are back in session tomorrow at 10 am and it will be interesting to see what the vote is on this first round of a horrible budget. I will be shocked if the Democrats have 51 members to vote on a bloated, overspent, pork barrel budget. We’ll see.

Thanks for all of your comments and feedback. By keeping up the pressure on lawmakers, especially the Speaker, we can make a difference in these next 2 weeks!

Thanks Again and Stay Tuned!

Jackie Walorski

State Representative

District 21

Special Session Legislative Update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:50:00 +0000

Dear Hoosiers,

The Special Session of the General Assembly has become a 3-ring circus….under the direction of the ringleader himself, Speaker Bauer. It is due to his theatrics during the regular session that we’re even in Special Session….costing more taxpayer dollars. Now, he’s in charge of yet another 3-ring circus and this one is in full swing.

Let’s be clear why the Governor called the Legislature into this session…to pass a balanced budget. To simply pass a budget that only spends as much money as it takes in. Instead, Bauer has brought other issues to the table that absolutely could and should wait until January. One ring of the circus is going to introduce and debate a CIB bailout bill that will include more gaming in Indiana and they might even have a gaming bailout bill. Another ring is taking direct fire at FSSA and the Governor, again wasting more time and taxpayers money on an issue that could and should wait until January.

While the rings are spinning the clock is ticking. Monday, Day 2 of session, the House was due to convene at 1:30 p.m. but the Speaker didn’t “convene” us until 4:50 p.m.…we sat there in Indianapolis, at taxpayer expense, for 3 ½ hours! So, when we did convene we said the pledge, signed in our attendance and adjourned in 4 minutes.

One might think that perhaps the Speaker of the House is intentionally wasting time and money so that it will be impossible to have a budget by the end of June and then blame the Governor for shutting down the State of Indiana. I can assure you that if he keeps wasting time and money and we have no budget…the blame will end up squarely on the shoulders of the Speaker who seems to be orchestrating pure “chaos” for the sake of political gamesmanship.

Hoosiers should be outraged. I am. Yesterday, I left my house at 9:00 a.m. and returned home at nearly 10 p.m. and was in session for 4 minutes. It’s these kinds of antics that erode the public’s trust in government and lead to higher taxes and less accountability.

Stay Tuned,

Jackie Walorski

2009 Legislative Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:51:00 +0000

Well...it's not over yet!! The 2009 General Assembly is going into overtime because I, along with more than 70 other House members, voted to kill a budget that overspent your tax dollars by nearly $1Billion dollars!! With the confirmation yesterday of the latest revenue forecast, showing Indiana losing another $255 million dollars, had that budget passed, we would be looking at a $1 billion dollar structural deficit in the next budget cycle. This is YOUR money and I not only voted NO but led the charge in our House caucus to vote NO.

Unlike our friends at the federal level, we absolutely cannot SPEND our way out of the financial tight spot we are in...the only way to balance the budget is to spend less than we are receiving in revenue, which means cutting more spending out of the plan. I believe taxpayers have had enough of government spending their hard-earned money!

At the hands of the Speaker of the House, businesses also got blasted this session with the largest tax increase in the history of Indiana ! During a recession and a 20-yr. low in the economy....this Democratic House voted to INCREASE taxes on ALL businesses by $315 million next year and $365 million dollars the following year to "aid...not FIX" an ailing Unemployment Compensation Fund. I voted NO to protect the struggling companies in Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties ...we MUST do a better job of protecting and creating jobs!!

The Speaker of the House was also successful in killing any conversation about property tax caps, the protection of traditional marriage amendment and he killed ALL pro-life bills.

The Governor will be calling the Indiana House and Senate back into session in the next few weeks to hopefully pass a leaner budget that protects taxpayers.

There were a variety of other bills that passed this session. I co-authored HB 1468 which has become known as the "puppy mill bill". I had worked for 6 months to craft legislation that would bring some accountability to the "bad actors' in the commercial dog breeding world while not promoting heavy-handed government. We were able to deliver on that by giving the Attorney General the authority they needed to seek uncollected or unpaid sales and income tax on this multiple billion dollar industry. We also included in that bill increased animal cruelty statues that will allow local prosecutors to handle complaints of animal cruelty and neglect. That bill generated more input from Hoosiers than any other bill including the budget this session. People are passionate about their animals...on both sides of the issue.

Thanks again for all of your comments and concerns this session. If you want to give me input on the upcoming special session, as it pertains to the budget, please do! I am coming down on the side of "less spending"....I hope you are too!

Stay tuned.
Jackie Walorski
Indiana State Representative

Vermont Another Glaring Example of Indiana's Need for Marriage Amendment

noreply@blogger.com (Timothy Wesco) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

On the heels of the Iowa ruling last week overturning a state law banning same-sex marriage, on Tuesday Vermont’s House of Representatives overturned Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of law allowing same-sex marriage. Vermont now joins Iowa, Massachusetts and Connecticut as states permitting non-traditional marriage.

“This is yet another egregious example of elected officials betraying our American values,” Rep. Walorski said. “Indiana must act — and now. Passing a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage will keep Hoosier values safe from activist judges and interest groups.”

The Defense of Marriage Amendment so far has been unsuccessful in the Indiana General Assembly. If the resolution is passed by two consecutive, separately elected General Assemblies and Hoosier voters as part of a referendum, it would become part of the Indiana Constitution.

Thirty states, comprising almost two-thirds of the country’s population, have approved constitutional amendments defining and defending marriage.

“I am absolutely confident the Defense of Marriage Amendment would have overwhelming bipartisan support in the House,” Rep. Walorski said. “Today’s events in Vermont should be clear and convincing evidence of why it’s needed.”

Speaker Bauer has taken the position Indiana does not need a constitutional amendment on marriage and has successfully blocked the full House of Representatives from voting on it.

The Indiana Senate has passed the Defense of Marriage Amendment four times — 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 — but the state House has passed the amendment only once, in 2005, when Republicans were in the majority.

Democratic Claims Outageous

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Well, surprise, surprise...the State Democratic Party is on the attack regarding the Planned Parenthood investigation. Are you thinking that they are finally outraged at video tapes taken in Bloomington and Indianapolis Planned Parenthood Clinics showing blatant disregard for the statutory rape and sexual abuse of a 13-yr. old minor and the protection of a 31-yr. old criminal?? Oh no, you've got to be kidding...they're attacking me for having the audacity to ask for a formal investigation of the agency that is overlooking rape.

Is it any wonder that the State Democratic Party has stood silent as the entire nation has followed the unfolding of this unbelievable story in Indiana...the cover up of a rape allegation from an agency receiving multiple millions of federal Medicaid dollars?

It was certainly interesting to learn that of the three people that probably read this blog, the State Democratic Party seems to be following every word I say and are expending time and energy in doing so. Makes me think there must be some big announcement coming in this investigation, if they are going to this extent to create a smoking mirror and diversion. Maybe it's time they focus on something that really matters...not personal attacks on a legislator but safety of Hoosier young people at the hands of Planned Parenthood.
Jackie Walorski

Kudos to Emergency Responders!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:43:00 +0000

Kudos to the Emergency Responders from all over Elkhart, St. Joseph & LaPorte Counties for braving yesterday's paralyzing, freezing rain storm. I haven't seen the kind of damage brought by freezing rain with the closure of US 31, Indiana Toll Road and the US 20 Bypass in decades.

There were dozens of accidents on the US 20 bypass and when the police barricaded the entrances, trying to shut off traffic, there were several reports of people getting out, moving the barricades and getting on the ice rink to drive! Unbelievable. In the midst of traffic accidents everywhere, our Emergency Responders do what they always do...their best to protect all of us, even the wild ones who insist on driving in treacherous conditions.

I'll bet some legislator will have a new law, ready for the books, about driving around barricades in emergencies! Just kidding. It's just another example of the inability to legislate common sense..even if it means saving lives or saving us from ourselves!

A huge thank you to every responder who risked their lives to save dozens of Hoosiers.

Jackie Walorski

Updated Alert

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:09:00 +0000

Last week I asked Attorney General Steve Carter to investigate Planned Parenthood of Indiana, based upon an undercover "sting" operation on video that had a supposed 13-yr. old Hoosier girl impregnated by a 31yr. old man. The employee of Planned Parenthood in a Bloomington Clinic, was caught on tape, advising the girl to cover up the statutory rape..a felony and advised her to go out of State to get an abortion because of Indiana's parental consent law.

At midnight last night, another video tape was released, this time showing the same girl talking to two different Planned Parenthood employees, this time at an Indianapolis Clinic. The answers the girl received were virtually identical...cover up the crime, get an out of state abortion and circumvent Indiana's laws and leave a sexual abuser lose to commit another crime.

Seeing these events occur at two different locations in Indiana and seeing 3 different employees react in virtually the same manner, showing a blatant disregard for all Indiana laws pertaining to protecting minors from sexual abuse, today, I called for the "defunding" of Planned Parenthood of Indiana.

Attorney General Steve Carter is investigating the Planned Parenthood allegations and I asked him to now widen that investigation and also look into the possibility of Medicaid fraud. Today, I also asked FSSA Secretary to immediately cease the distribution of all tax payer funds, including Medicaid Reimbursement dollars, to Indiana Planned Parenthood. As an agency contracted to do business in Indiana and receive Medicaid dollars, they should be held accountable for upholding all State laws that pertain to them.

This story has flown into the national spotlight because of the blatant disregard for Indiana's law regarding the protection of minors. I believe, that irregardless of your view of the pro-life/pro-choice question, this is now a matter of public safety. We have to commit to protecting young women in this State.

You can check out these appalling videos on my website. www.jackiewalorski.com It's time to stand up and bring this type of contempt and blatant disregard for the law to an end.

State Representative
Jackie Walorski

Second violation prompts Walorski to call for Planned Parenthood's defunding.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:37:00 +0000

At midnight last night, there was yet another undercover "sting" video released on the antics of Planned Parenthood of Indiana. This time the city was Indianapolis and there were two employees that encouraged a supposed 13-yr. old girl to NOT report a statutory rape by a 31 yr. old man and they encouraged her to go out of State to get an abortion where there are not parental consent laws.

Last week I asked Atty. General Steve Carter for a full investigation of this agency. Today, I am asking Carter and FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob to suspend Indiana Planned Parenthood's funding until a complete investigation into Medicaid fraud can be completed. If this agency isn't complying with State laws and yet receiving millions of tax dollars, there should be an investigation.

More importantly, I hope that Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi will investigate this since there was a cover up of a felony crime, caught on tape...now in Marion County. How many more counties and how many more girls, victims of sexual abuse, are caught in this trap? This second tape now appears to show a pattern of training for Planned Parenthood employees....cover up abuse, don't report a crime, send the young victims out of State. This is appalling.

Planned Parenthood~No protection for Women

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:13:00 +0000

Late last week I sent a letter to Attorney General Steve Carter asking for him to formally investigate Indiana's Planned Parenthood Agency. I did so after viewing the "sting" operation video tape that was released to the world via the Fox News Program, Bill O'Reilly. I was appalled at the reaction of a PP employee to a supposed 13-yr. old Hoosier girl who had been the victim of a statutory rape, by a 31-yr. old man, a felony in Indiana. The PP employee overlooked the crime, covered up a felony and then advised the young crime victim to go over the State lines to get an abortion where no one would know and back into the arms of a sex abuser.

Where has the State of Indiana drifted to, if we cannot stand up for the personal protection of our young women? Domestic violence in Indiana, and nationwide, is often unreported or under reported and claims thousands of women as victims. Here, caught on videotape, was yet another potential victim and thousands of Hoosiers are standing by silently as this kind of crime is covered up.

I hope, during this Season when we are celebrating life, we add common sense, "personal protection for young Hoosiers" to our list of things we are praying for. Wake up Hoosiers...this catastrophe at Planned Parenthood is symbolic of anyone and everyone's daughter.

Jackie Walorski

Indiana Planned Parenthood Covers up Sexual Abuse of 13 year old.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:48:00 +0000

Another outrageous move by Indiana Planned Parenthood! Caught on an undercover videotape, an Indiana Planned Parenthood nurse advises a 13-yr. old girl, who admitted becoming impregnated by a 31 yr.old man, to lie about the man's age, lie about statutory rape, told her how to get an abortion out-of-state and circumvent Indiana's abortion & informed consent laws for minors. I, as a State Representative, sent a letter of "outrage" today to Indiana Planned Parenthood and demanded answers to, what appears to be appalling treatment of a minor and victim of a crime. I also suggested they immediately terminate that employee that offered to cover up a felony. I also plan to address this issue and their newly launched, "gift certificates for abortions" in the upcoming session.

Indiana Planned Parenthood Covers Up Sexual Abuse of 13-year Old

In the meantime, please read the article below, click on the link to LifeSiteNews.com and see the video for yourself...it's very disturbing this happened in Bloomington, Indiana. Feel free to call Indiana Planned Parenthood and express your opinion, 317-637-4343.

State Representative Jackie Walorski

Read Full Article Here

Thank you...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:21:00 +0000

A huge thank you to House District 21 for giving the opportunity to serve them and all of Northern Indiana for another 2 year term. I am honored and thankful to be here to stand for working, middle class Hoosiers with common sense and strong family values. Thank you to every one of you who helped with yard signs, helped with other friends' campaigns and became a strong team. We won last night with 17,580 votes and my opponent had 424. Thank you to every one of you for making a difference.

Now, the work at hand is bringing jobs into Northern Indiana and pushing alternative energy legislation that works for us and brings jobs here. We have a great deal of work to do, but I am thankful you're standing with me as we move ahead. Thanks again.

PS....ALL Walorski yard signs need to come down. If you see one, please grab it! We'll be getting the large 4 x 8 signs out this week, but little ones need to be picked up where ever they are. Thanks again. See you soon.

Country First

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:03:00 +0000

With only a few days left before the most important election in our lifetime and rhetoric flying at rapid rates, I just wanted to take a quick second and observe something fairly interesting. No matter which poll you look at, it shows this nation extremely divided over the presidential race between McCain/Obama.

Interestingly enough, for all of the record millions of dollars raised and spent by Obama and the antics of the pathetic media, marching like soldiers to the beat of Obama's drum, still nearly HALF of this country isn't budging or moving Obama's way. The heart and soul of our country isn't marching to Obama's drum..we are hard working, middle class Americans who believe in God, Guns and Country and aren't impressed with the American Idol type of hype that has flooded the air. We're the ones who work hard for our money and don't take kindly to government "redistributing it" to others.

This year, as in the past two or three Presidential elections, about 10% of voters are deciding the fate of our nation. Most of our nation hasn't moved an inch. Some of the liberal factions have moved further left but this time the media is unashamedly with them. Some on the right have moved further right as well.

But for the majority of us, we're right here, we've always been here and we'll remain here... standing on the driving principles that founded this great nation and we won't be talked "down to" or talked "into" anything else.

We're proud, hard working Americans and this is OUR country. We're the ones that have the guts to keep fighting. Afterall 10% is a small battle when there's at least 49% of us!! Keep fighting, keep working and keep believing. Country First.

Ladies & Gentlemen... Start your engines...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:36:00 +0000

Ladies & Gentlemen...start your engines!! We're now racing toward a wave of pure Socialism in the United States! It started with Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama's mandate for Universal Health Care...a completely failed system globally. Government has never done a good job of taking care of people, it cannot even take care of itself..I don't want the government in charge of my life or the lives of my family.

Now, we're talking about the government buying actual "interests" in our banking system! A nationalized banking system, nationalized health care...what's next??? Americans...wake up! Are we really going to let FEAR take over and give away your rights, your country and your kids future! The United States of America does not need to abandon our Constitution for a trial run into a quasi form of Socialism. We don't need "cradle to grave" intervention by a heavy-handed, giant government..let America be America the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Don Henley wrote a song for the Eagles back in the 1980's called "Dirty Laundry". It says, "the bubble-headed, bleached- blonde comes on at 5, she can tell you 'bout a plane crash with a gleam in her eye".... move up the clock about 25 years and it's still the same media, with a gleam in their eye as we're inches away from pulling the rug out from underneath this great nation.

Wake up voters..or the morning of November 5th will be a nightmare.

New On-Line Contribution Opportunity!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:26:00 +0000

With only 27 days remaining before the most important election in our lifetime, I need your help more than ever. Today, you can assist me as I continue to fight for our family values, better jobs and more money in our pockets. The battle that we are in is real, the stakes are high and we're making a real difference together. I need your help today. If you can give today, check it out. It's safe, secure, easy and it will make a significant difference. "
Sincerely,
Jackie Walorski