McCormick is taking on Steve Kagan’s fiscal irresponsibility directly.  The text of the letter:

It seems as if Rep. Steve Kagen hopes his constituents don’t actually look at his voting record. In his guest commentary on Feb. 10, Kagen, D-Appleton, said that “we must all live within our means” and went on to claim that he has been working to make sure government is living within its means. This is simply another case of a shyster politician saying one thing and doing the complete opposite.

Only a few weeks after President Obama’s inauguration, Kagen voted in favor of $742 billion in new spending and a $410 billion omnibus appropriation. Kagen has voted in favor of nearly every single spending bill since then. Kagen has no one to blame but himself as our country’s deficit climbs by trillions of dollars.

It is unacceptable for Kagen to work tirelessly to increase spending in an effort to curry favor with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi only to send articles home to Wisconsin touting his imaginary fiscal responsibility.

Terri McCormick
GRAND CHUTE

Many stories are circulating about the huge upset from Massachusetts — where the seat held by the late Senator Ted Kennedy for all those years was supposed to be passed on to another Democrat.  The election that shocked the country caused a cataclysmic earthquake that has taken the political establishment and Washington pundits by storm.

Even they don’t know what to expect after Republican Scott Brown won in Massachusetts.  Brown said, “It’s the people’s seat!” and he was right.  The common sense voters of Massachusetts — just like the people of New York 23 — made a conscious decision rarely seen in American politics: They voted to take back their government!

During this election year of unpredictable and pendulum-swinging races, it’s interesting to gauge the expectations of both political party elites.  Take New York 23 — a special election that was supposed to be an easy victory for the Republican nominee.  A group of twelve political elites chose a candidate they thought would fit the more liberal New York State Congressional District and showered the appropriate big cash on the communications, staffing, and polling for the candidate.

The National Barometer according to recent McClatchy Polling Congress has a negative 74% approval rating with all sitting incumbents. The Massachusetts election was not ‘just about healthcare’ rather it was about the lack of overall trust on the issues – all of them.

The problem? The voting public appeared more conservative than the Republican Party in New York.  The Republican nominee eventually dropped out of the race and endorsed … the Democrat.  There was a conservative in the race who narrowly was defeated, but Tea Party activists and voters gave their concerns a real voice.

The bright Massachusetts and New York patriots decided that the political class who had been deciding their elections were not conservative enough — not constitutional enough — and certainly not in support of limited government … enough!

Enough was ENOUGH!  The proverbial Harry Truman quote “I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!” came to life and millions of disenfranchised voters suddenly regained their voice.

What drove the American people first in the Empire State, and then in the state where the Boston Tea Party took place — was desperation. The people knew they needed “game changers” and not “game players” any longer.

These game changers — folks with courage and principles — are needed more than ever in the Congress to represent the will of the people and bring our government closer to home.

It has happened before – ‘The Reagan Revolution,’ that is conveniently forgotten by some – moved more independents and democrats into voting for a republican than ever before in our nation’s history.

According to Rasmussen Polling just released 67% of male voters are so angry with the lack of leadership in congress that they will throw ‘all incumbents out!’ A non-traditional third party — the “sleeping majority” — is now completely and utterly awake!

Some of the leaders of this wide-awake majority – call themselves the Tea Party – with the goal of delivering ALL of the Congressional seats back to We the People.

It’s our turn in Wisconsin.  For those that believe in smaller government, telling the truth, and listening to the will of the people in their Congressional Districts, the Elections of 2010 are an exciting time. For those that have been promising ideas for ten years and more have hit the panic button.

September 14, Wisconsin Primary Day will mark the impact of this epic ‘we the people’ election cycle. At least it will in one turbulent congressional seat that has shifted from safe republican to democrat for the past two cycles.

It is this author’s opinion that every Congressional seat — most especially our home seat in Wisconsin 8 — is the People’s Seat.  In the election of 2010 – ‘Let the People Decide!’

Terri McCormick is an author, business owner, teacher, Conservative Leader, and Candidate for US Congress in Wisconsin’s Eighth District.

APPLETON, Wis. — Three local business leaders announced their support for Terri McCormick’s bid for Congress against Steve Kagan in Wisconsin’s Eighth district today.  They include Larry Bilotta of the Fox Cities, Paul Rauscher of Green Bay, and Douglas Maki of Appleton.

“I have watched Terri’s career closely and know that she will do what she has always done: solve problems with free enterprise thinking,” said Larry Bilotta, the founder of Life Discoveries, which helps couples reinvigorate their marriages. “Terri is not just another average Jane who believes she can succeed in Washington. This is a person who has proven herself in Madison for three terms,” he continued. “If you want someone fighting in Washington for term limits to keep powerful political careers from taking over our country, you want to support Terri McCormick.”

Supporter Paul Rauscher, President of the manufacturer EMT International, Inc. in Green Bay, endorses Terri because he is “very impressed by Terri’s views on limited, but effective government.” Says Rauscher, “Terri’s belief in the free market is just what this country needs. She realizes that we need to curb spending if the next generation is going to have any chance at a good quality of life.”

Manufacturing executive Doug Maki says, “Terri comes from a very strong background of business and understands the crisis that losing more business and industry would cause. I’ve been in manufacturing for 45 years as an engineer, manager, and executive and have lived in Appleton for over thirty years,” and so Maki “fully supports Terri McCormick due to her very strong passion of continuing prosperous manufacturing in our state and in particular Northeast Wisconsin.”

McCormick served in the Wisconsin Assembly, representing district 56 including parts of Appleton and Oshkosh, from 2001 to 2007.  She was also a Truman scholar nominee and is a small businesswoman and teacher. Representative McCormick has a track record that includes reducing health care costs for businesses, pioneering Wisconsin’s charter school legislation, and upholding her original term limits pledge.

To learn more about Terri McCormick or to join the campaign, visit http://www.TerriMcCormickforCongress.com.

Only a few weeks after President Obama’s inauguration Kagen voted in favor of $742 billion in new spending and a $410 billion omnibus appropriation. Kagen has voted in favor of nearly every single spending bill since then. Kagen has no one to blame but himself as our country’s deficit climbs by trillions of dollars.

This outrageous spending cannot continue. Send me to Washington and I’ll initiate and push legislation that will immediately return all unspent stimulus money back to the taxpayers. I’m a Constitutional Republican, and, unlike Steve Kagen, I have a record of curbing government expansion and spending.

It is unacceptable for Kagen to work tirelessly to increase spending in an effort to curry favor with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi only to send articles home to Wisconsin touting his imaginary fiscal responsibility. Join me and we’ll send Steve Kagen home in November.

Terri McCormick is an Author, Educator, Conservative Leader and current Republican candidate for United States Representative for the 8th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Contact McCormick via her Web page http://www.TerriMcCormickForCongress.com

She is the only candidate in our state who has been endorsed by LibertySlate.com.  She also has been endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus and expects to soon receive support from the RightMarch PAC — which supports conservative candidates in targeted Congressional primaries.

Terri McCormick needs your help to beat the establishment Republicans running against her in the primary.  On Wednesday, February 17 there will be an online MoneyBomb to support Terri and other pro-limited government candidates.

We hope you’ll take the time to sign up to receive Terri’s newsletter at http://www.TerriMcCormick.com/ and donate to her campaign on February 17.  Please RSVP on Facebook to donate at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=279237769835.  You will be reminded on February 17 to give your most generous contribution to Terri’s campaign.

Also, please join Terri’s group on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129431708408 .

Let’s add a principled, integrity-driven leader to the Wisconsin Congressional delegation!

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Republican Eighth Congressional district candidate Terri McCormick, a former State Representative who pioneered legislation on health care and education policy in the state legislature, has received the support of two grassroots conservative groups this week.  The Republican Liberty Caucus, a 527 membership organization dedicated to restoring constitutional principles to Wisconsin government and the RightMarch PAC, a Political Action Committee that represents conservative voices in Republican Party primaries, have each endorsed McCormick.

“Terri McCormick is a practical, solution-focused leader who will bring common sense and commitment to limited government to Washington,” said Dave Nalle, National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC), which has 5,000 members.  The RLC was founded in 1991 to promote individual liberty, limited government, and free enterprise among Republican Party officials; identify and support candidates sympathetic with these ideals; and encourage Caucus membership among Republican Party registrants, officials, and officeholders.

“It’s time to stop sending Congressmen and Senators to Washington in the hopes that they will represent our conservative values, only to see them retreat from what is good and right,” according to William Greene, Chairman of the RightMarch PAC.  Terri McCormick has a track record that includes reducing health care costs for businesses, pioneering Wisconsin’s charter school legislation, and upholding her original term limits pledge.  “In Terri we have a candidate who is principled, driven, and fearless about taking on the Big Government crowd in Washington,” said Wisconsin RLC Vice-Chair Michael S. Murphy of Milwaukee.

“I am so honored to have the support of grassroots conservatives like the members of the Republican Liberty Caucus and the RightMarch PAC donors,” McCormick said.  “This campaign is about challenging the status quo and bringing forth solutions.”

Terri McCormick served in the Wisconsin Assembly; representing district 56 including parts of Appleton and Oshkosh, from 2001 to 2007.  She is a Truman scholar nominee, teacher, and small business owner.

According to the LibertySlate 2010 project, “LibertySlate.com was founded to direct constitutionalists and small government advocates to liberty-loving candidates for Congress in 2010.  Wisconsinites are lucky to have a candidate in the Eighth Congressional district who is fully committed to our agenda of constitutionally limited government and personal freedoms.  Terri McCormick is a former State Representative who needs our help to fend off seven primary opponents.  She has name recognition throughout the district and a record to back up her platform.”

Please give $25, $50, $100, or your most generous donation on February 17.  Please RSVP on Facebook to donate here.  You will be reminded on February 17 to give your most generous contribution to Terri’s campaign.  Also, please join Terri’s Facebook group on Facebook here.

According to LibertySlate 2010, “It’s time to add a principled, integrity-driven leader to the Wisconsin Congressional delegation!”

APPLETON, Wisconsin - Former State Representative Terri McCormick was interviewed by Judge Andrew Napolitano’s FOX News program “Freedom Watch” which will be aired this Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:00pm CDT. McCormick was selected to appear on the show because of her record as a Constitutional Republican and track record on free market and limited government issues while in public office.

McCormick’s passion is to bring government back to the people and represent her neighbors in the Eighth district. Her legislative priorities in Congress will include working to cut government spending, reducing the national debt, expanding educational opportunities, reforming the health care system, increasing transparency and accountability in Congress and introducing federal term limits legislation.

McCormick served in the Wisconsin State Legislature in the House, representing the 56th State Assembly District including rural and urban areas surrounding Appleton and Oshkosh, from 2001 to 2007. In 2006, she upheld her original term limits pledge of three terms and ran for U.S. Congress.

She was also a Wisconsin Truman Scholar, National Scholar Nominee, a small businesswoman and teacher.

“Judge Napolitano is not only a legal scholar with a brilliant mind, but he also served as New Jersey’s youngest life-tenured Judge. I was honored to speak to the Judge about this campaign to return government to the people of Wisconsin’s Eighth district,” said McCormick.

To learn more about Terri McCormick or the campaign, visit www.TerriMcCormickforCongress.com. To view McCormick’s interview with Judge Napolitano, visit http://freedomwatchonfox.com/category/show-archives/.

Josiah Schmidt: What compelled you to enter elective politics?

Terri McCormick: I am running for the Eighth Congressional District in Wisconsin because our country needs a solution-focused leader with principles and integrity.  My passion in life is to make a difference for the people around me – my neighbors and community. My track record as a legislator, small business owner, and teacher empowers me the know how to get the job done.   There are a lot of individuals who say things and promise things come election time.  It is quite different to actually have a track record of success that points to integrity leadership and putting people first.  At this time in our history it is critical that we elect individuals who will do as they promise and have the experience and know how to slice through the bureaucracy, red tape, and corruption that has caused the crisis we face in our economy, jobs, and banking system.

Josiah Schmidt: What are some of the most important issues to Wisconsinites right now?

Terri McCormick: There are two overriding issues that must be addressed from an economic security standpoint; First is the condition of our economy. It is heartbreaking to see the loss of jobs and healthcare and the effect this has had at the expense of families across our state. The reports of bankruptcy, foreclosure and families living on food stamps alone paint a picture of despair. Secondly, the monetary policies that have led to an unfair tax system as well as financial instability in the investment market must be addressed as well. An overgrown bureaucracy, overspending and lack of accountable fiscal policy leadership has stifled entrepreneurship and with it, job growth.  I will fight to get the government off the backs of the people of Wisconsin, so that we can get our state and nation working again.

Josiah Schmidt: How did you come to hold such a liberty-oriented philosophy?

Terri McCormick: I have been taught as a child the sanctity of the words: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights of; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” As children we were asked to recite the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  We were instructed that the Constitution was our contract with the government as a free people.

Later I studied James Madison and the philosophies and works that he used to author the United States Constitution. Madison has been the most influential founding father in my life as his mentor in envisioning the checks and balances within the United States Constitution, Aristotle. As a Scotch-Irish American, we were raised to respect the ‘right of freedom.’ And as a daughter, grand daughter, and great grand daughter of veterans … I know the price of freedom all too well.

Josiah Schmidt: What do you offer that your opponents do not?

Terri McCormick: Too often political promises become the byproduct of wanting to be in office, rather than represent the people who elect us. I believe in citizen leaders who bring to office a life time of experience and expertise in the private sector. My background also includes a record of reform that has impacted the jobs expansion in the state of Wisconsin.  Bills authored and passed, like: the Small Business Regulation Reform, The Competitive Prescription Drug Purchasing Pool, and the first Charter School Law – written when I was in the private sector as the First Wisconsin Charter School President for the State of Wisconsin.

Josiah Schmidt: What’s the first thing you’ll do when you get into Congress?

Terri McCormick: Study, listen and work hard!  I will work each and everyday to serve the people of the Eighth Congressional District in Congress.   I will begin by building coalitions to enact an agenda that will do three basic things:

1. Enact a commission similar to the Grace Commission under President Ronald Reagan that would address waste, corruption, and inefficiency in government.

2. Take a look at congressional benefits and make sure they are more closely aligned with the private sector; the Congress needs to learn to model the actions of which it speaks.

3. We need to put the people of the U.S. first and foremost before a ‘political class’ of government employees by enacting term limits on the Congress.

Josiah Schmidt: What will you do as a US Congresswoman to help create more jobs in Wisconsin?

Terri McCormick: Fostering a climate where jobs can be created is my number one priority, because my neighbors here in Wisconsin are suffering high unemployment and one of the most unfriendly business climates in the country.  When government is limited, the free market has an opportunity to reward innovation and ingenuity. I will keep my no tax increases pledge by looking for waste, fraud and ineffective practices in government. Government can be run like a business – we just need to replace ‘business as usual’ politics. When government isn’t taking money from the people in our country, small businesses and entrepreneurs will have the capital to reinvest into the economy to create jobs. (85-90% of all new jobs are created by small businesses.)

Josiah Schmidt: As a US Congresswoman, what will you do to help relieve the burden on small business owners in Wisconsin?

Terri McCormick: As a member of the National Federation of Independent Business, I plan to use my office as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives to cut through the bureaucracy and red tape that over-bearing government regulation causes. For example, the Small Business Regulation Reform Act that I authored in the Wisconsin State Legislature requires that all bills proposed must be accompanied by an “economic impact statement” on businesses that are affected by the proposed bill. Imagine how many needless laws and regulations would be placed on the business community that ‘grows jobs’ if lawmakers were required to first judge the impact their laws had on businesses and jobs!  I will work to expand the Small Business Regulation Reform Act to the federal level to increase accountability and help small businesses grow in Wisconsin and elsewhere across the nation.

Josiah Schmidt: What do you know about Gary Johnson?

Terri McCormick: Gary Johnson was a great Governor in New Mexico, who vetoed many spending bills that would have increased government scope. Gary Johnson stands up for individual liberty and limited government.  Governor Johnson has put forth a vision through his Our America Initiative that places individual responsibility and limited government ahead of government control and bureaucracy.

Josiah Schmidt: Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

Terri McCormick: Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your questions.  Ron Paul and Gary Johnson supporters should look into this campaign in the Wisconsin Eighth district.  It’s a conservative, independent-minded place where people have common sense and strong views.  Your support will be needed to win my eight-way primary and general elections.

Josiah Schmidt: Where can people go to find out more about you and contribute to your campaign?

Terri McCormick: Please visit http://www.terrimccormickforcongress.com to learn more about the campaign, hear my introduction, and connect to me on Facebook and Twitter.

News release originally published on Johnson For America Blog.