Kathy Michael

Member For

1 year 6 weeks

Website:

McLean County Pundit

Contact:

Red County Editor -
McLean County, IL
kathymichael@verizon.net

BIOGRAPHY

Kathy Michael, founder of mcleancountypundit.com and President of Michael Consulting, is a political and business consultant from Bloomington, Illinois. She has served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman, and on the McLean County GOP Executive Committee. She is a regular political commentator on WJBC (1230) radio, and has provides a weekly political commentary on conservative radio Cities 92.9. She also writes a weekly email political newsletter, The Michael Report.

Kathy created her local blog when spending concerns in McLean County, Illinois were increasing; including questions about delays in the releasing of financial statements from the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, which billed as a money-maker, still today is a huge financial drain on the city. The Coliseum issue alone caused those on the City Council who voted for this project, to be defeated. Kathy was Political Consultant and Campaign Manager for five successful City Council elections whose victories changed the face of the City Council from liberal spending Democrats, to conservative Republicans.

The beginning of the grassroots training which helped determine Kathy’s success in campaign consulting came from work with GOP candidates including Bob Dole, Ronald Reagan, IL Congressman Tim Johnson and IL Supreme Court Justice Ben Miller (retired), who pulled off an upset Primary victory for the high court. Having grown up in central Illinois, in the small town of Lexington, in farm country in McLean County, Kathy learned early on that talking with people, going door-to-door and shaking hands with the voters was the way to win elections. That’s still the way to win, she says. It’s all about grassroots.

In 2004, Kathy was appointed McLean County Campaign Co-Chair for Bush, and that year saw the largest turnout of Republican voters in McLean County’s voting history. Other successful campaign management work included hotly contested races for State’s Attorney and Sheriff. In McLean County, Kathy has a 10-2 win/loss record.

As President of Michael Consulting, Kathy’s most recent work included lobbying successfully for local businesses and residents against a gravel pit proposed in McLean County, and helping to get a form-based code zoning proposal put on hold in Bloomington/Normal, which would have had a negative effect on existing business owenrs.

Kathy is nearing completion of her first book, “So You Want To Run For Office? A Beginner’s Guide,” due to be published in 2010 and is proud to be a contributing writer for Red County.

COMMENTARIES

Holder-Dumber Than A Rabbit

By Kathy Michael | 11/19/09

By Contributing Writer Smileys Pundit This is the first of what I hope to be several postings regarding Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) and four of his fellow terrorists in federal court in New York for the 9/11 attacks. This focus will focus on the logic (or lack of it) in Holder's decision, based upon his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Holder had told the Committee that... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Healthcare Reform Bill Passes In The House

By Kathy Michael | 11/07/09

A SQUEAKER: THE VOTE: 220-215 They needed 218; they got 220. The landmark health-care reform bill now goes to the Senate. The Stupak Amendment, which took federally-funded abortions out of this bill, was considered the key in getting the final needed votes to get to the 218 needed to pass. GOP Chairman Michael Steele says, "If the Senate has any common sense at all, this bill won't see the light of day." You knew House... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Illinois: The Candidates. . . the Polls. . . the future of the GOP

By Kathy Michael | 10/27/09

My Cities 92.9 Commentary this morning: Well, the first day to file nominating petitions to run for office in 2010 was yesterday. Let's do a rundown right after we talk about recent opinion polls. Last week, there was a poll showing current Governor, Democrat Pat Quinn, with a sizable lead over his Primary challenger, State Controller Dan Hynes. I thought that a bit odd, since Quinn has been pretty much a train wreck. ... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

If JFK Were BHO

By Kathy Michael | 10/22/09

By Contributing Writer, Smileys Pundit [The inaugural address of John F. Kennedy stands out for its eloquence. The substance of that address is far different from the ideas of our current, also eloquent, president. I sometimes wondered what JFK's address would have looked like had it been given by Barack Obama. I think it might have read like... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Illinois State Treasurer's Race Gaining National Attention: Mitt Romney and now Karl Rove?

By Kathy Michael | 10/22/09

What's the only Illinois statewide constitutional office with an uncontested Primary race? What GOP statewide candidate had Mitt Romney come in for a fundraiser, and now rumor has it this race has caught the eye of another national GOP icon. I hear Karl Rove is coming in for him in a northern suburb in November? Answer: State Senator Dan Rutherford What Governor came from the Illinois State Treasurer's office?... read more »

1 Comment | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Form-Baed Code (again) and Illinois Candidates For Governor-13 and counting

By Kathy Michael | 10/20/09

There are many of us who will not go away, when it comes to fighting against a form-based code mentality along the Main Street Corridor, in Bloomington/Normal. (Highway 51-Main Street) The several town/city/county/university plans in an around Bloomington/Normal and McLean county, which all include the words "form-based code", won't go away either. To many business and residents along what is termed the Main Street... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

It's Not a Moral Compass Compass

By Kathy Michael | 10/13/09

By Contributing Writer, Smileys Pundit The excuses for Roman Polanski's behavior advanced by the Hollywood glitterati are remarkable for their number and their lameness. However, in this moral quagmire, one person's defense, Whoopi Goldberg's, stands out for its vacuity. On one episode of "The View," Polanski's plight (being held by the Swiss government pending resolution of the extradition proceeding brought by those... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Lyndon Obama

By Kathy Michael | 10/06/09

By Contributing Writer Smileys Pundit Afghanistan is on a course to become the 21st century’s Vietnam, not because it has to be, but because we again have a Commander-in-Chief who can’t or won’t do what it takes to prevail. The parallels between the situations are significant enough to warrant, not only comparison, but despondency. Look first to parallels... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Bomb Plots in Illinois Capital and Congressman Aaron Schock's Illinois Office Thwarted by FBI

By Kathy Michael | 09/25/09

Yesterday, the FBI foiled plots to bomb Federal Building in Springfield, our Illinois State capital; as well as that of the office of our youngest Congressman Aaron Schock. By BERNARD SCHOENBURG THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER Posted Sep 24, 2009 @ 01:41 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A 29-year-old Decatur man arrested on charges of attempted murder of a federal employees and attempting to use... read more »

1 Comment | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Fox Creek Elementary School Saved From Gravel Pit

By Kathy Michael | 09/15/09

From McLean County, Illinois No gravel pit across the street from our elementary school. Or, so it would seem right now. I hear this saga may not yet be over, even though it appears to be. More on this later as it, or if it indeed, develops. You know how rumors are. As we wrote about in the past, McLean County is awash in gravel; the controversy arises when gravel pit developers want to mine a pit close to a school or... read more »