Michelle Malkin » Announcing the Sammies Awards winners

Announcing the Sammies Awards winners

By Michelle Malkin • March 30, 2010 12:57 PM

I had the pleasure last year of attending the 2009 Sammies Awards ceremony in Chicago held by the Sam Adams Alliance. The awards honor the country’s finest in citizen leadership and political activism — and I met some amazing grass-roots leaders, entrepreneurs, creative artists and whistleblowers. The group has just announced the 2010 winners, including our friend and Tea Party foremother Keli Carender. More info on tickets for the awards ceremony on April 16 here. Congrats to all the winners!

The Sammies are awarded in six categories and include cash prizes totaling $20,000. The categories include Blogger, Watchdog, Video, Town Hall, Tea Party and the premier award, Modern-Day Sam Adams.

Brian Costin of Schaumburg, Ill., won the $3,000 Watchdog Award for advancing transparency and exposing waste in the village of Schaumburg. As a result of his work, the village shut down one of the country’s most lucrative red light cameras. Costin saved taxpayers $15 million after exposing a fraudulent tax-break scam and, moreover, built a government transparency website when the village rejected his transparency measures. His work has been featured on the local Fox and ABC affiliates, Chicago Tonight, as well as in the Daily Herald and Chicago Tribune.

John Papola of Verona, N.J. and Russ Roberts of Potomac, Md. won the $3,000 Video Award for their video “Fear the Boom and Bust,” which boils down the complex economic theories of John Maynard Keynes and F. A. Hayek into a highly entertaining 5 minute, 26 second rap anthem. With over one million YouTube views, the video has been translated into a dozen languages and won praise from PBS, NPR, CNBC, the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, among others.

Keli Carender, of Seattle, Wash., won the $3,000 Town Hall Award for challenging Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA) to personally take her $20 bill to pay for government health care, directly illustrating the demands the bill would make on taxpayers. Well-known as “Liberty Belle,” Keli has also been active in the Tea Party movement from its beginnings, and regularly blogs at Redistributing Knowledge. She has been featured in the The New York Times and on NPR.

Jamie Radtke, of Richmond, Va., won the $3,000 Tea Party Award for her work in creating a coalition of almost 40 Tea Party and Patriot organizations in Virginia under the banner of the Federation of Virginia Tea Party Patriots. In addition, Mrs. Radtke mobilized the Federation membership and business community to recruit backers for the Health Care Freedom Act and to secure final passage. The bill received bi-partisan support and is now being used by the Attorney General of Virginia to challenge the constitutionally of President Obama’s health care bill.

David Frazier, of Boise, Idaho, won the $3,000 Blogger Award for his blog Boise Guardian, which exposes government waste and malfeasance at the state and local level. Frazier, whose suit against the City of Boise resulted in the 2006 “Frazier Decision” that requires Idaho municipalities to get voter approval for long term debt, has become the top source in Idaho on issues of public debt and urban financing. His blog is cited in state and local media on a weekly basis.

Ed Osborne of Wilmington, Del. won the $5,000 Modern Day Sam Adams award for his vigorous defense of property rights against eminent domain in Delaware. Osborne gained notoriety as an activist when he and 61 other Wilmington business owners received notification that their businesses were on the city’s property acquisition list. Osborne resisted government offers for his land, and instead went on to lead a three-year battle in the Delaware General Assembly for legislation against eminent domain abuse. Despite heavy opposition and a gubernatorial veto, the legislation eventually passed, and transformed Delaware’s once-vulnerable property rights environment into one that protects private ownership.

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Comments

#1

On March 30th, 2010 at 1:04 pm, YTZGal said:

Thanks for posting this.
What an uplifting piece!
And you know what’s really got a smile on my face?
Every single one of them acted as individuals, not as part of some Soros-funded “grassroots” machine. That is why the Tea Party will prevail. It’s diffuse and local — which is also why it scares the Collectivists.
#2

On March 30th, 2010 at 1:32 pm, MarcoPolo said:

Brian Costin, the first guy mentioned, is apparently also running for Mayor:

http://www.briancostin2011.com/

Sounds like a worthwhile candidate!
#3

On March 30th, 2010 at 1:39 pm, Hangfire said:

I could use some Sam Adams right about now.
#4

On March 30th, 2010 at 1:43 pm, Virginia Patriot said:

Thank you for posting this, Michelle, very encouraging stories about individuals making a difference!
#5

On March 30th, 2010 at 1:56 pm, vinny said:

It is an uplifting piece. I wonder though how close we are to people disguising themselves and then goin on a path of destruction? I wonder how close we are to persuading our government officials through tar and feathers.
#6

On March 30th, 2010 at 1:57 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

The libs have their own Sammie awards, named after Sammy Davis Jr. and awarded to Democrat politicians who best sing and tap dance around Constitutional road blocks! I understand they’ve put in a call to the manufacturer for more.
#7

On March 30th, 2010 at 2:02 pm, love2rumba said:

I could use some Sam Adams right about now.

Winter Ale or Double Bock?
#8

On March 30th, 2010 at 2:12 pm, AlohaGuy said:

I could use some Sam Adams right about now.
Winter Ale or Double Bock?

Do they make a Breakfast Patriot? It’s early here…
#9

On March 30th, 2010 at 2:15 pm, swede said:

Do they make a Breakfast Patriot? It’s early here…

Buck up, man. In college we had warm beer and cold pizza for breakfast, and it was…well, awful. Maybe some SA on your cereal?
#10

On March 30th, 2010 at 2:46 pm, wren said:

CONGRATULATIONS to all!

Especially to Keli Carender aka “Liberty Belle” who inspired us all by organizing that first Tea Party in Seattle!

We all need to keep up the good fight for our Freedom!
#11

On March 30th, 2010 at 3:31 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

Sammie, Sammie
I’d walk a hundred miles
for one of your smiles
My Saaaaaaaammie
#12

On March 30th, 2010 at 3:34 pm, kudafa said:

Since a few entries have broached the Sam Adams beer idea, I do have a question about Koch, the founder of the Sam Adams Brewing Company. Is he in fact a liberal? He did go to Harvard, so it is easy to make that assumption. If anyone knows the answer to this bit of trivia, i sure would like to know. Much is riding on this. If he’s a lefty, I swear off his products, & just go with Yeung Ling from now on.
#13

On March 30th, 2010 at 4:10 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

Opps-no Samuel Adams beer 4 me

Jim Koch
Boston Beer Co founder and brewer
Political contributions

From Kerry to Miss Hillary and Shovel Ready Teddy. Some may think “Shovel Ready Teddy” is a tad harsh so for them I shall say “Splash”.
#14

On March 30th, 2010 at 4:32 pm, emjem24 said:

Congratulations to Keli aka “Liberty Belle.” She makes me proud as someone who has become increasingly aware that Obeyme would rather the US be like the Old Europe of failed policies and politics rather than a New Way Forward that respects individualism, entrepreneurial spirit, and freedom.

She demonstrated a lot of courage to challenge the prevailing view that the health care nightmare won’t be taking from the middle class to give to those unwilling to succeed and prosper. Keli, you make me proud. Again, congratulations.
#15

On March 30th, 2010 at 4:37 pm, kudafa said:

AZ—thanks for that link. Contributions of $850.00 for Republicans, $60,525.00 for Democrats. The 850 isn’t even chump change. Forgoing his beers will not be a problem–never much liked them anyway. But in all sincerity, there is no reason to buy the products or services of liberals. A boycott makes sense to me. So, ask everyone to join me in NOT buying those products/services.
#16

On March 30th, 2010 at 4:42 pm, T-Bone said:

That means no more Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream?
#17

On March 30th, 2010 at 4:49 pm, kudafa said:

T-Bone–there must be some sacrifice. Aren’t Ben & Jerry’s also in New England? Do I detect a pattern of liberal ween-ness from that part of the world? I do recall when B & J were caught red handed making more in income than their promised socialist worker’s paradise plan. I believe they said they’d never take more than a 7:1 pay ratio. And there was the Great Endangered Specie thing where they used products they swore never to use.
#18

On March 30th, 2010 at 5:13 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

On March 30th, 2010 at 4:42 pm, T-Bone said:

That means no more Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream?

Go ahead but do so discreetly-wearing an Obama T-shirt, button and hat while holding Bwarny Fwranks hand.
#19

On March 30th, 2010 at 7:21 pm, TooMuchTime said:

Too bad. I actually like Sam Adams Boston Lager. Not anymore.

The real Samuel Adams would spit on any of today’s democrats. They all stand for big government, massive bureaucracy, burdensome regulation, and confiscatory taxes.

Koch making money from capitalism, to elect socialists, so they can kill capitalism.

Makes sense to me. NOT!
#20

On March 30th, 2010 at 10:01 pm, jangar said:

Sam Adams…my favorite mass produced beer! Don’t much care who makes it and why…it gets flushed soon anyway.

Yeung Ling

Ohhh, now you’re talking!
#21

On March 30th, 2010 at 11:53 pm, plymouthacclaim said:

That economics rap is pretty good.
Gonna share that.
#22

On March 31st, 2010 at 5:39 am, love2rumba said:

Yeung Ling

Isn’t that a double positive?

Jim Koch
Boston Beer Co founder and brewer
Political contributions

Fiend. I will go enjoy a Mike’s Hard Lemon, instead.
#23

On March 31st, 2010 at 9:10 am, rightwingrocker said:

Our esteemed hostess is clearly deserving of this honor!

I’d nominate myself, but all I have is a silly platform.

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
#24

On March 31st, 2010 at 9:13 am, rightwingrocker said:

Sam Adams…my favorite mass produced beer! Don’t much care who makes it and why…it gets flushed soon anyway.

An excellent brew indeed.

The best shelf beer however, in my opinion, is Stone IPA, brewed by Stone Brewing Company in San Diego.

Give it a try!

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
#25

On March 31st, 2010 at 9:20 am, rightwingrocker said:

Winter Ale or Double Bock?

Samuel Adams best brew is by far the Noble Pils, at least from those I’ve tasted thus far. I’ve not had the pleasure of their entire line.

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com