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

Gravel Pits in McLean County, Illinois "Deja vu all over again"

By Kathy Michael | 09/13/09

Gravel pit proposals continue to be a hot topic here in McLean County, Illinois. I'm working for the opponents to a proposed gravel pit. Having been raised on a farm I'm fully aware and respectful of property rights. If my father's land had been sitting on millions of dollars of gravel, I'd have assumed he would have the right to mine it. In this instance however, the gravel pit would be directly across the street from an... read more »

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

Blagojevich Saga: Key trial figure found dead: Chris Kelly, age 51

By Kathy Michael | 09/12/09

From the Chicago Tribune Sources say they've been notified key Blagojevich probe figure is dead Two sources with knowledge of the situation told the Tribune today they have been notified that Christopher Kelly, a key figure in the federal corruption probe into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is dead. The Cook County medical examiner’s office today confirmed that a body identified as Christopher Kelly was brought to the morgue from... read more »

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

PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND

By Kathy Michael | 09/12/09

EDITOR'S NOTE: There is a "912 Club" Tea Party at Miller Park today at 1:00 p.m. Also, on September 18th at the Lafayette Club in Bloomington, Illinois, Freedom Night is being held from 6-9:00 p.m. Learn about your freedom, rights and the Constitution. Go to this link for details for this Avanti's catered event. Your ticket price of $10.00 will include dinner, several guest speakers, Jazz Singer Kathleen... read more »

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

What makes a Leader we will Choose?

By Kathy Michael | 09/08/09

By Contributing Writer, John C. Ackerman What makes a Leader we will Choose? By John C. Ackerman The other night (7-27-09) I was watching a political discussion when something caught my attention. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer asked commentator Bill Maher about the resignation of Sarah Palin, and whether she had a future as a presidential candidate. Maher answered that she might have a future as such, but also took the opportunity to mock the... read more »

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

Tea Party in Bloomington IL Draws Huge Crowd and NOT organized by the GOP

By Kathy Michael | 09/07/09

Over 2,000 people attended the National Tea Party Express event at Miller Park in Bloomington Illinois early this evening. The National Tea Party Express, is on it's way to Washington D.C. This group will make a total of 33 stops between Aug. 28 and Sept. 11. There will also be a national protest in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 12. This event is not organized by the GOP, as erroneously reported in the Pantagraph today by... read more »

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

Chicago Tribune poll: Obama support a bit shakier than expected in Illinois

By Kathy Michael | 09/03/09

From the Chicago Tribune tonight: Tribune poll: Obama support a bit shakier than expected in Illinois Barack Obama support a bit shaky in Illinois, Tribune poll finds President has 59% job approval rating in home state By Rick Pearson Tribune reporter Though Illinoisans displayed a measure of pride when Barack Obama was elected to the presidency almost a year ago, rising unemployment and his push for a controversial health-care reform... read more »

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

"The Real Town Hall Story" From McLean County, Illinois

By Kathy Michael | 09/03/09

FOX, MSNBC, O'Reilly, Hannity, Rush, Olbermann and Maddow can't sell advertising if they don't have headline grabbers. That speaks volumes about them but also about us who tune in, in record numbers. This column today by E.J. Dionne, Jr. in The Washington Post is so true, and is substantiated right here in McLean County with the Town Hall Meetings of Congressman Tim Johnson (R); and 11th Congressional candidate Adam... read more »

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

MoveOn.org Healthcare Event in Bloomington Draws Small Crowd

By Kathy Michael | 09/03/09

9/3/09 UPDATE: Our newspaper reports this a.m. a "crowd of 150 supporters" were at the moveon.org vigil. Three of us counted the crowd at 81; and we stayed through for some of the speakers. The three of us are actively involved in the local GOP in McLean County; and nearly life-long residents of the area. None of us recognized a familiar Democrat face in the audience. In talking with some local Dems.... read more »

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

Tea Party Express Coming to Bloomington, IL This Sunday

By Kathy Michael | 09/03/09

This Sunday, at 5:00 p.m. at Miller Park in Bloomington, the Tea party Express will be stopping by on it's National Tour. The Tea Party Express coming to Bloomington on 9/6 has announced that members of the national media will be traveling with them: Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, New York Times, and NPR! Tea Party Express Message Rolls Across America From Sacramento, the Tea Party Express rolled on to Reno, Nevada, and then Las Vegas and... read more »

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

It's The Debt, Stupid!

By Kathy Michael | 09/02/09

By Contributing Writer Smileys Pundit Are you mad as hell? Or are you willing to take it some more? A little math with recently released economic numbers may help you decide. The Obama administration has recently conceded the correctness of the CBO's10-year debt projection at 9 trillion dollars ($9,000,000,000,000). One useful way to get some perspective on... read more »