Remember how the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called Aaron Schock a hypocrite (back on June 25) for voting against a spending bill, but having an event to announce some local spending that was on the bill?
Schock points out that opposition to Democratic “over-spending” does not preclude him from advocating for his district. He says the DCCC is suggesting that if you don’t go along with its over-spending plans, your district shouldn’t get its fair share.
“For (the DCCC) to suggest that I should have to vote for something because there’s money in it for my district is akin to them thinking I should be bought off,” Schock said. “They’re encouraging unethical behavior by members of Congress.”
And I found WotS to be especially interesting today. Go read it.,
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) voted against H.R. 2454, the so-called “cap and tax” legislation, when it passed the House today. H.R. 2454 creates a national energy tax that will lead to higher energy prices and further job losses.
Schock supports the Republican alternative to this legislation, which would increase our energy supply through an ‘all of the above’ energy policy that develops more of our domestic resources, invests in renewable and alternative energy sources, offers incentives for better efficiency and conservation, and makes a renewed commitment to clean and emissions free nuclear energy.
“People in the eighteenth Congressional District of Illinois are hurting,” said Schock. “Just today it was announced that Peoria’s unemployment rate crossed into double digits for the first time in more than two decades. Yet still the House voted to add 3,100 of my constituents to the unemployment lines.”
“This bill asks America to pay more when they have less. For instance, this act will also cause electric rates to increase by $84 to $157 dollars per year,” continued Schock. “While this doesn’t sound like much, for someone whose job has just been moved to China, or India or some other environmentally lax country, it is far too great a price.”
“I agree that we need more renewable and green energy sources, but the way we will get there is by providing incentives to anyone who uses, produces, invests in or does research upon new energy sources, not through the penalties included in this bill,” Schock concluded.
Cutline: Congressman Aaron Schock joins Congressman Elijah Cummings on Fox Business on June 25 to discuss the Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s hearing on Ben Bernanke and Bank of America.
Schock makes a lot of sense here. There needs to be more Congressional oversight over the Federal Reserve.
Aaron Schock is getting some criticism from the Democrats for passing our money from a program he voted against:
In a stunning act of hypocrisy, Congressman Aaron Schock held a press conference with members of the East Peoria Police Department to “award” a $410,000 federal COPS Technology Grant that he voted against on the House floor. During the event, Congressman Schock claimed “here in East Peoria, the police department, they make great investments in their people, and it only makes sense to continue to invest in the technology and tools they have in order to keep the citizens of East Peoria safe and police officers safe in the line of duty.”
“Opposing much needed law enforcement funding is bad enough, but it is simply outrageous for Congressman Schock to then hypocritically take credit for securing the very money he voted against,” said Gabby Adler, the Midwestern Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Aaron Schock not only misled the people of East Peoria, he lied to the faces of the men and women of the East Peoria Police Department who put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect the community.”
The expenditure for East Peoria was inserted into the bill by Schock’s predecessor, Ray LaHood.
Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., had us laughing while talking at the MSNBC after-party about how great it would be for him to move into “The Real World” house. “You mean the Senate?” he snapped back, almost shocked he said it out loud, but causing hysterics all around. Schock kept the jokes going as he told us how he had to get all his friends to take down their pictures from Facebook, after the one of him laying in a bathing-suit got out to TMZ.
“That was from like two years ago…I have like a twelve-pack now,” he joked after some prodding from us.
Via Alibaba, it’s a video of Aaron Schock conducting a hearing. Since I give Peoria’s one and only congressman grief for sometimes using the novelty of his relatively young age to get publicity, I thought it only fair to show him actually at work and not answering questions about his abs.
This scintillating video is titled: “Impacts of outstanding regulatory policy on the biofuels industry.” The caption reads: “Question-and-answer event of Panel 1 conducted by Rep. Aaron Schock during a House Small Business Committee Subcommittee upon Regulations as well as Healthcare conference upon Impacts of Outstanding Regulatory Policy upon Small Biofuels Producers as well as Family Farmers upon May 21, 2009.”
So it’s a few weeks old. Still, it’s worth the wait:
And the answer is no. I didn’t watch it. I will tomorrow. Promise.
The following appeared in my inbox earlier today. My thoughts at the end:
“Thank you Mr. Chairman,
“I rise today in opposition to H.R. 626.
“Ladies and gentlemen what we do here in the United States House and United States Congress really sets a precedent. Not only for the people we employ as a federal government, but also who small businesses and large businesses around our country employ: the standards that we set, the expectations that we have in terms of benefits.
“And I like everyone else enjoy federal benefits. My employees here as a member of Congress enjoy our great benefits plan.
“Unfortunately, back home in central Illinois, my constituents there are not employed by the federal government. By and large they are employed by the private sector. And unfortunately, for them, this is a time for them not looking to expand their benefit programs, not going to their employers asking for more, but they’re thankful for the paycheck they’ve got.
“It seems to me a little disingenuous by those in support of this legislation that at a time we’re talking about stimulating the economy, we’re talking about feeling the pain of the American people, that we know that truth, that our constituents are having to do the opposite; they are having to cut back, they are having to do with less. And this bill and this measure seems to do the opposite.
“Expanding four weeks of pay of paid federal leave, will not only add a cost to the federal government by the Congressional Budgets Office’s own figures of $1 billion in costs over the next five years, but it will undoubtedly set a precedent for the private sector. And unfortunately, the private sector, they cannot print the money or tax the American people to pay for their benefits.
“The unemployment rate in my state in Illinois is just over 9 percent as of April. This includes over 24 thousand jobs laid off by my home town employer, Caterpillar. When I go back this weekend, I will not be able to tell those individuals who are now unemployed, not only do they not have a job, that my colleagues in this body, that our employees who have not felt the economic impact of a downturn, are not only getting to keep their job, but also have added benefits at the expense of them as taxpayers.
“I don’t know how we can honestly vote for more benefits, more pay and more costs to the federal budget at the expense of taxpayers and those people who are cutting back and losing their jobs.
“I urge a no vote. I yield back the rest of my time.”
Congressman Schock makes some valid points. People who do not work for the government don’t like having to pay taxes to that public servants can enjoy benefits that they do not get. I know I do not.
But is it true that all private employees do without this kind of benefit? I image there are some plans that do, I can’t imagine many do, and I can imagine those that do want to rid themselves of that cost.
But I really take issue with this statement: “And unfortunately, for them, this is a time for them not looking to expand their benefit programs, not going to their employers asking for more, but they’re thankful for the paycheck they’ve got. “
What’s he’s saying is that because the lousy economy has his constituents too frightened to ask for this benefit, don’t give it to federal employees. Besides the fact that the statement demonstrates a poor attitude about people who work for a living, it’s not completely accurate. Workers have felt afraid to ask for more for decades now. I’ve got a feeling that once the Employee Free Choice Act gets approved we WILL see more workers demanding more from their employers.
Schock says that it’s “unfortunate” (his words) don’t feel free in this economy to ask for me. Yet he doesn’t support EFCA, which would make it easier for workers to ask for more, once they’re in a union.
Federal employees would be eligible for four weeks of paid leave when they become parents, under a bill approved by the House on Thursday night, June 4.
The measure, which attracted the backing of 24 Republicans and passed 258-154, carves the four paid weeks out of the 12 weeks of unpaid leave that are available to all workers under the Family and Medical Leave Act. The paid leave is provided after birth, adoption or the placement of a foster child.
And my advice to Congressman Schock is to NOT mention a frightened-into-submission private workforce as a reason to not give benefits to public employees.
Aaron Schock is co-sponsoring legislation that he says will help veterans enter the business world:
Help Veterans Own Franchises Act will incentivize franchisors to offer veterans a discounted franchise fee
Schock and Boswell Introduce Legislation to Help Veterans Own Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. – Congressmen Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Leonard Boswell (D-IA) introduced legislation today that will help veterans purchase small businesses. The Help Veterans Own Franchises Act establishes tax incentives for franchisors who offer qualified veterans a discounted franchise fee.
“While franchise’s provide emerging entrepreneurs with important risk protections, a ready-made clientele, additional resources and guidance on how to operate a successful business within their community, these benefits are often outside the reach of veterans due to expensive franchise fees,” said Schock, a member of the Small Business Committee. “By providing an incentive for franchises to discount the franchise fee for veterans, we can grow our nation’s small businesses’ and stimulate economic growth.”
“I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to spur economic growth, create jobs and give life to the entrepreneurial spirit,” said Congressman Leonard Boswell, a 20 year veteran of the US Army. “This thoughtful legislation will help veterans in Iowa and across the nation become business owners. As a new generation of veterans returns home from Iraq and Afghanistan, I hope others in Congress will join me and my Republican colleague from Illinois in supporting this legislation putting Americans to work and making the dream of owning a business a reality for these brave young Americans.”
“As a new franchise small-business owner who has just launched a business in one of the most challenging economic environments this country has faced in a long time, the support this legislation offers is encouraging, especially to veterans who are preparing to re-enter civilian life,” added Navy veteran and Dunkin Brands franchisee Peter Turner. “We’re eager to begin the next chapter of our lives and take full advantage of the opportunities that we’ve helped defend while in uniform. Support such as these tax incentives gives us even more confidence to become entrepreneurs.”
Since 2002, over 1,200 veterans have purchased a franchise. The Help Veterans Own Franchises Act further encourages veteran small business franchise ownership by:
o Incentivizing franchisors to offer discounted franchise fees to qualified veterans
o Establishes a tax credit worth 50% of the total franchise fee discount offered by the franchisor to the franchisee
o The franchisor must use their existing franchise fee deal, offered to all individuals, as the base calculation
o The credit would be capped at $25,000 per unit
o Establishing a tax credit for the franchisee Veteran, equal to 25% of the remaining franchise fee.
o Eligibility for both the franchisor and franchisee is capped at franchise fees of $100,000.
I like THIS idea better than what we seem to be doing, and that’s just offering them health benefits at poorly-run VA hospitals, a free education that may or not help them, and giving them extra points on civil service exams.
His name is Aaron Schock and he is the youngest congressman at 27. With his good looks, he has been dubbed the “Brody Jenner of Congress.” (I’m not sure who should be offended, Representative Schock or Brody?) Even liberals have taken notice of Schock, voting him the “hottest freshmen” congressman. And even Stephan Colbert has a man-crush for the Schockster.
Being a 46-year-old guy, I had to ask … who the heck is this Brody Jenner person? From Wikipedia:
Sam Brody Jenner (born August 21, 1983) is an American television personality, socialite, celebutante, and fashion model. He modeled for Guess? before starring on the short-lived reality television series The Princes of Malibu. Since 2007, Jenner has been best known for being featured on the MTV reality series The Hills, as well as one of its spin-off series, Bromance.
And here is his picture:
Remind you of anyone?
Schock is more than just a pretty face in Congress. He’s still a freshman and it’s still very early in his first term, so there isn’t as huge record to judge his effectiveness as a federal legislator. Most of his press seems to focus on this fluff stuff, and occasionally on how he’s supposed to relate to younger voters:
While conservatives like Tony Blankley and David Frum have written for Huffington Post in the past, Republican Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) recently became the first active member of Congress to blog
— just after winning the site’s “Hottest Freshman” contest.
In his post, Schock wrote that while most Huffington Post readers “didn’t vote Republican,” he was determined to take a bipartisan approach in Congress. Similarly, Coburn made sure to mention the left’s critique of the Democrats’ health care plan in his piece — and also emphasized bipartisanship.
For the most part, Shock speaks and votes like a traditional GOPer. From the Peoria Times Observer:
Schock said he called the press conference to “express outrage” at the decision of the bankruptcy judge and the Presidential Auto Task Force to close dealerships.
“My frustration is not that companies are going out of business,” Schock said.
“My concern is (the government) has started to pick winners and losers.”
CNN has a profile on its Website about Peoria’s one and only congressman, and naturally, the focus in on his relatively your age and his upcoming birthday-party/fundraiser.
To which I say: Enough, already. We get it. It’s a play on the phrase “shock and awe,” which according to Wikipedia:
“… technically known as rapid dominance, is a military doctrine based on the use of overwhelming power, dominant battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force to paralyze an adversary’s perception of the battlefield and destroy its will to fight. The doctrine was written by Harlan K. Ullman and James P. Wade and is a product of the National Defense University of the United States in 1996.
And article says it the phrase was used widely by the military prior to the Invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Aaron Schock’s fans might like the term because it implies a action and strength, but I am sick of seeing it. Not because of any animosity toward Congressman Schock, but because I am just sick of seeing it in every friggin headline about the guy. We get it. “Schock” equals “shock.” Ha ha ha.
If you can’t think of a headline that, you know, sumarizes the content of the article, then go for the bad pun.
I realize that no amount of criticism is going to get MSM outlets like CNN to start doing articles of any substance about him. Maybe after his first scandal.
But until then, please layoff the hackneyed puns in headlines, OK. And that goes for bloggers, too. I did a Google search for “Schock and awe” and got 1,010 results, and MOST were of the blog variety.
Congressman Phil Hare (D-17th District) normally doesn’t miss an opportunity to dismiss Congressman Aaron Schock (R-18th District). But, hey, when it comes to pimping for the ethanol producing industry, they find common ground.
Schock and Hare Author Letter Advocating for Higher Ethanol Blends in Gas Letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner requests he makes financial assistance to automakers contingent upon their support of higher ethanol blends in gasoline
Washington, D.C. – Congressmen Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Phil Hare (D-IL) today authored a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to request he consider making financial assistance to troubled automakers contingent upon their support of higher ethanol blends in gasoline.
“By increasing the ethanol blends in gas we will simultaneously help our nation address climate change, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and increase green economic opportunities, all of which complement President Obama’s stated goals,†said Schock.
“More ethanol means more jobs in Illinois,†Hare said. “Increasing the ethanol blend is an important and overdue step that will help free us from our dependence on foreign oil, reduce global warming pollution, and protect consumers from spikes in gas prices.â€
The ethanol industry produced 9.2 billion gallons of ethanol last year, reducing oil imports by 321.4 million barrels. The use of this biofuel also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 48-59 percent when compared to traditional gasoline, according to a recent report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Additionally, the ethanol industry supported more than 494,000 jobs, putting an estimated $19.9 billion into circulation last year.
While impressive, the ethanol industry can contribute more if the automakers support the use of higher blends without negating the warranties of vehicles on the roads today. This further benefit would include the reduction of an additional 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year, the equivalent of removing 10.5 million vehicles from our roads. Furthermore, North Dakota State University estimates that increasing the amount of ethanol used in the U.S. will produce 136,000 new, good-paying jobs.
Currently, automakers provide warranties for their vehicles allowing ethanol blends of 10 percent. These levels were set 30 years ago in response to the levels allowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. At that time, little was known about the effects of ethanol in gasoline. Research currently underway has shown that the traditional, unmodified internal combustion engine can handle higher blends of ethanol. In fact, testing of intermediate blends of ethanol, by the U.S. Department of Energy found there to be “no adverse effects†associated with using higher blends of ethanol.
Here’s the straight dope: Ethanol sucks. It’s pollutes the air. By taking farming land OUT of the food production business, it raises food prices, increasing the amount of starvation in third world nations. Ethanol subsidies discourage growing food locally, which increased the amount of energy usage to transport food food. And the idea that we can ever make enough ethanol to replace gasoline is ludicrous.
Aaron Shock will be on Fox News Channel “Fox and Friends” morning show tomorrow, (Tuesday) at 5:15 AM (yikes!) Central time, 6:15 AM Eastern. This would be a good one for the TiVO!
Although it struggled in the beginning to plant its flag in Washington, D.C., entertainment news and gossip site TMZ has recently beefed up its efforts to pull back the curtain on our nation’s capital and its power players. A quick glance at TMZ.com might find one of its cameraman asking a congressman about Twitter or whether Rep. Aaron Schock has better abs than President Barack Obama.
POLITICO sat down with TMZ founder Harvey Levin on Thursday during his latest swing through Washington in order to find out: Is our fair city really that interesting?
This video is the result:
My two cents: Yeah, any publicity is good publicity, right? Sure it is. Just remember, what Harvey Levin and his ilk given, they can taketh away. His minions are making phone calls and rumaging through garbage cans to shed light on politicians’ policies on gun control or the stimulus package. They want to do to Aaron Schock and Nancy Pelosi what they did to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. In other words, he wants to use them and their reputations to make as much money as possible. As least FoxNews gives a rats ass about the issues, however biased it is.
This morning about 10:30 I got a call. It was a canned message about how Jehan Gordon has voted to give politicians raises. It went on to say that she has only been in office a little over 100 days and already she is voting to give herself a raise. It was a canned call and you were instructed to press 1 to be directly connected to object to her votes, etc..
Last time I looked the campaigning was over and we were supposed to move forward. Whether I voted for or against her is not important. The fact that they are still politicking all over the area is sickening. I got a call the other day from Aaron Schock, which was also a canned call. It said to talk directly to him and ask questions on his mobile Town Hall Meeting stay on the line and I would be connected. I’m sick of the campaigning and the rest of it. They are in office now get the job done and get off our backs.
And a follow-up email:
The phone number that the anti-Jehan call came from was:
616-980-2567
this is the search on it.
Caller Name: ELECOM | Caller Type: Unknown | Caller Number: 6169802567 | Caller Area: Grand Rapids, MI (980) I receive calls daily. The caller ID comes up as ELECOM.
So what does Grand Rapids, MI have to do with Illinois?
I did a “who called me” search for that phone number and it came back “TELECOM1.”
I found nothing revealing when I did a Google search. No doubt some of my politically connected readers can give me the skinny.
UPDATE 2: Rich Miller reports that the pay-raise blocking legislation in question was just a stunt:
In reality, the bill was only just introduced Wednesday – weeks after the deadline to pass House bills over to the Senate. It was a purely political move. Had the HGOPs introduced the legislation earlier, it might’ve had a better chance. It was nothing more than a stunt, which is why you didn’t see much reporting on it.
Funny how the GOP was able to get a robo call out to voters in Gordon’s District so quickly. Gee, you don’t think they knew in advance it would fail because it violated the rules, do you?
And about the raise … I got a raise too. During a recession, even. I imagine most of the people who work got a raise or will get one.
Any one of the GOPers who voted for this too-late legislation could have introduced it when it wasn’t too late. But they didn’t. Why? BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T REALLY WANT IT TO PASS. They wanted the raise, and they wanted an issue to hammer Dems on.
Pure hypocrisy.
UPDATE 3: Obviously, the call about Jehan Gordon was more troubling to me than the Aaron Schock call, which I happened to get on my cell phone. Nothing deceitful about Schock’s call at all. Sorry if I implied there was by not stating this earlier.
But I’m just as happy with my vote for Schock. In the following years as state representative, I don’t think there was a city function I went to where he wasn’t present. After seeing him at an Itoo Hall Lebanese dinner (a staple in Peoria, Ill.), I said hello, and thanks for coming, and he addressed me by name and asked about my family. I’d met him once or twice in my life, so, I don’t know how he did it. Months later, I sang the national anthem at a rededication ceremony for my high school’s practice football field, and he came to that. I told him how nice it was to see him out so often, and he replied, “My feeling is that complacency is for second-termers.†I haven’t seen him since, but he never made it to a second term. Instead, he ran for the U.S. House and won. I was in Idaho by then, but I followed the election back home, and I still would have voted for him. He’s a hard-working, dedicated person, and I have no doubt he’ll represent his constituents well.
For four days, he darted from Indiana to Florida to Virginia to Illinois, touting road projects, electric grids and school renovations as the elixir for the ailing economy. At his final stop, he lauded freshman Republican Rep. Aaron Schock, who urged him to “do the right thing for the people of Peoria.”
The next day, Congress approved the stimulus plan, Obama’s signature achievement so far. But Schock voted no, as did every House Republican and all but three in the Senate.
“He was simply doing his job,” the Illinois lawmaker says. “Simply put, the stimulus bill did not play in Peoria.”
It’s a late-February afternoon on Capitol Hill, and Dave Natonski, a scruffy young congressional aide with looks reminiscent of Jim on The Office, is losing his cool. He’s trying to locate 27-year-old U.S. representative Aaron Schock, six months his junior and yet the man he calls boss. Unlike Natonski, who has worked on the Hill for six years, Schock has been there only since January, having been elected to represent Illinois’ 18th Congressional District last November. It’s no wonder, then, that Schock is often accompanied by a staffer as he goes about his day, to make sure he doesn’t get lost like a grade-schooler on a field trip to the Smithsonian.
But today Schock has gotten separated from his babysitter and is late for an interview with a person no Republican politician keeps waiting: Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who—along with a camera crew—is cooling his heels in Schock’s office, which the crew has re-arranged for the shoot. Five minutes later, Schock finally arrives. “Oh my God, it looks completely different in here!” he says, then remembers to apologize for his tardiness.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates The Blog Peoria Project, which promotes community-based citizen journalism in his hometown, Peoria IL.
July 11-12, the Peoria PlayHouse will be soaring at the Prairie Air Show with engaging activities to entertain even the littlest pilots! Check out each of the PlayHouse Passport locations to have a passport stamped and receive a prize at the PlayHouse tent! Enjoy a weekend of airplanes and PLAY!
The fourth annual State Farm Tournament of Champions is a 4-day event that will take place on Thanksgiving weekend of November 2009. The dates of the event are Wednesday, November 23rd through Saturday, November 28th and will be held at Washington Community High School. The arena will play host to four separate national high school and prep school basketball challenges.
All sorts of site issues at http://blogpeoria.com ... admin pages white, 404 messages for individual posts. Lotsa fun. Oh well, off to work. 11 hrs ago
@dangillmor Why bother going anonymous? Reporters for MSM are stenographers, anyway. Lie to their faces, they won't check the facts anyway in reply to dangillmor22 hrs ago
RT @dangillmor Useful rule of thumb, with very few exceptions: When journos quote anonymous sources, assume the sources are lying. 22 hrs ago
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
