Illinois Review

Where's Weyermuller? At Navy Pier, watching Chicago Teachers' TIF Protest

By Mark Weyermuller - 

Another day, another protest. In Chicago, somebody is always complaining about something. Tuesday it was the Chicago Teachers Union. They were complaining about $55 million dollars that Mayor Rahm Emanuel used to renovate the food court at Navy Pier. The group displayed "golden hot dogs" as a symbol of the project. 

Navy Pier's food court was renovated with TIF money. Tax Increment Financing is a special funding tool used by the City of Chicago to promote public and private investment across the city.  The protests claim that Emanuel is "laundering" that money to Navy Pier rather than blighted neighborhoods of Chicago. Navy Pier is considered the largest tourist attraction in Illinois. The protesters referred to it several times as a "tourist trap" in their talking points. 

Di Leo: Transgender Issues and the US Military

By John F. Di Leo -

The people whining about the Administration’s latest decision – formally returning to the exclusion of "transgendered people" from the military - apparently don't understand what the military is for.

The Armed Services are not a corner bakery or grocery store. They’re not a school or customer service center, a factory or shopping mall. The military is not a social justice experiment.

The military is a collection of government departments, constitutionally chartered to do certain things that only the government can do (as opposed to things that are better done by the private sector): keeping our borders secure, engaging or defending against foreign threats, etc.

In the same way that your local police and fire department issue enlistment guidelines for potential applicants, there are certain conditions to meet, for anyone who wants to join up: physical ability, youth, training, mental health, etc. They perform physical and mental health checks to judge the applicants against these standards; people who don’t measure up simply cannot join.

Why Did the Democratic South Become Republican?

The south used to vote Democrat. Now it votes Republican. Why the switch? Was it, as some people say, because the GOP decided to appeal to racist whites? Carol Swain, Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, explains.

Governor Rauner calls General Assembly back into special session for school funding

CHICAGO - Frustrated that the Democrat leadership drags its feet in moving to his desk a bill that passed the legislature May 31st, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner called all lawmakers back to the State Capitol Wednesday. 

“Democrats have been holding this bill since May 31. Our families and students cannot wait any longer,” Gov. Rauner said. “We must act now, which is why I’m calling lawmakers back to Springfield for a special session. Our schools must open on time.”

Thorner/O'Neil: Immigration: An Issue of Importance to all Americans (Part 2)

By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil - 

Disagreements regarding Immigration issues have always existed; however, they have become particularly divisive recently. It is therefore wise to review our national history on the subject for more clarity as to what our wise forefathers thought on the subject.   America’s Founding Fathers did not encourage unlimited immigration, but neither did they prevent or discourage it by any federal legislation.  They believed most decisions should be left to individual states to regulate.

George Washington indicated that immigration should be limited to “useful mechanics and some particular descriptions of men or professions.”  Thomas Jefferson saw the new government as a unique combination of the freest elements of English law and political custom. He was concerned that unrestricted immigration of people from foreign lands unacquainted with the principle of representative government might undo the careful work of our Founding Fathers.

“Yet,” he said prophetically, “from such we are to expect the greatest number of immigrants.”

Government's ability to seize your property grows under Trump

Law enforcement’s ability to seize your property without a criminal conviction grew last week.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an expansion of the ability of law enforcement agencies around the country to receive funds through the use of civil asset forfeiture.

Civil asset forfeiture is the practice of law enforcement agencies seizing assets they believe have been used to commit a crime, including cash believed to have been obtained in illegal drug transactions. Property owners need not be convicted or even charged with any crime in order to have their assets seized.

Many states have passed reforms to limit the practice, but even in those states, agencies could still receive forfeited assets when they assist in a federal investigation. In 2015, President Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder had required law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant or file charges in order to seize assets. Those limited protections have now been reversed by Attorney General Sessions.

16th CD conservative voices frustration with Kinzinger

ROCKFORD - The longer GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-16) is in office, the further he moves from conservatives in his home district. 

At least that's what Rockford conservatives like Michael O'Toole think, and why O'Toole says he won't be voting for Kinzinger's re-election in 2018. 

Di Leo: A Debt of Honor to Illinois Creditors?

By John F. Di Leo - 

Let’s begin with a quick refresher: In July, 2017, the Democrat-dominated legislature of the State of Illinois, a state already suffering the loss of 95,000 residents per year, voted to override its governor and increase both the business and personal income tax by a third.

To be specific, that’s a 32% increase in the individual income tax, and a 33% increase in the corporate income tax…thereby adding to a regulatory and tax structure that’s already so crippling, it’s driving out people and businesses at a rate faster than any other state, even states as famous for such flight as California and New York.

Yes, there is voter fraud in Illinois, new database shows

Election officials at Illinois' state and several county levels shake their heads and refuse to cooperate with a new commission President Donald Trump established to scour the nation's voting rolls.

There's no problem here, and we're not cooperating, Cook County Clerk David Orr said in statement. The Illinois Board of Elections - headed now by prominent Republican Party official Bill Cadigan - echoed Orr's position. 

Still, a newly released voter fraud database includes over 100 individuals in Illinois that have been convicted of criminal activity surrounding the state's election process.

O'Hare worker seeking to "bury unbelievers alive" requests charges dismissed

CHICAGO - A Bosnian Muslim refugee and her five associates charged with attempting to provide support to ISIS invoked an unusual defense, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Mediha Medy Salkicevic has claimed that her support of ISIS constituted “legitimate warfare” and that she was waging war against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, just as the U.S. government is doing by supporting Syrian rebels.

Salkicevic was working for a cargo company at Chicago’s International O’Hare Airport when she was arrested in 2015. Investigators allege she said she wanted to “bury unbelievers alive” and kill infidels.

Rauner's prolife communications staffer gets support from prolife group

UPDATE: Since publication, Illinois Right to Life has notified us that we missed their early support of Ms. Carl. We stand corrected. Their comments are below.

CHICAGO - While as a whole Illinois' prolife movement remained silent when a new communications staffer for Governor Rauner was under attack from Democrats and pro-abortion Leftists, Brittany Clingen Carl finally found outspoken support from Illinois Family Institute's Laurie Higgins.

Chicago media - hysterical over sudden staff changes at the governor's office - searched the internet for anything that would embarrass the governor's office about those changes. They believed they hit a jackpot when they found Carl's pro-life comments on a blog she wrote for prior to her taking the job with Governor Rauner. The scandalous comments were found on a conservative blog called "Reclaiming Feminism."

Ives warns: Suburban taxpayers teed up to bail out Chicago's $17B school debt

WHEATON – Friday, State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) called on Governor Rauner to veto SB1-- a bill that she says would reroute state school funds to pay down Chicago Public Schools’ massive debt, resulting in higher suburban property taxes.

“This bill would enshrine into state law that suburban taxpayers bail out corrupt and mismanaged Chicago Public Schools (CPS) over the next generation,” Ives said.

Earlier this week, Rauner promised to veto segments of the measure when the Senate sends it to his desk.

Thorner & O'Neil: Keep America the nation our forefathers gave us (Part 1)

By Nancy Thorner and Bonnie O'Neil -

President Barack Obama publicly stated:

Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation – at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

The President’s statement seems to indicate a change has happened in America. However, the facts indicate the President misspoke, as they do not verify his claim when one considers the percentage of each of these religions in the United States are compared to the vast majority who identify as Christian.

Stand for Children pushes for Rauner to sign education funding bill

CHICAGO - The education activist group "Stand for Children" is calling on Governor Rauner to sign into law education bill SB 1. Governor Rauner said this week that while he agrees with 90 percent of the bill, he plans to amendatory veto the measure because it includes what he considers an unfair partial bailout of Chicago Public School teachers pension fund. 

If the governor were to amendatory veto SB 1 like he says he will, the Illinois General Assembly will be asked to override the veto, requiring a three-fifths vote that would demand Republican support in the Illinois House.

What if your boss took away your last raise?

SPRINGFIELD - From an Illinois taxpayer's Facebook post Friday morning, as paychecks begin to reflect Illinois' latest 32% state income tax hike: 

If your boss took away a well-earned raise weeks after it appeared on your paycheck, you'd be upset and demand justice. Why should it be any different when Illinois lawmakers vote to take away your raise with another state income tax hike?

It's time the people of Illinois take these tax hikes just as personally and respond with righteous indignation. After all, politicians are taking your hard-earned money to make up for their poor judgement in spending and favoritism to their buddies. 

Thoughts? 

Pregnancy Centers Win Second Injunction against Illinois Abortion Referral Mandate

CHICAGO — A federal court ruled this week that a law the Illinois General Assembly passed and Republican Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law last year, the measure will be withheld from enforcement because it restricts free speech rights.

Mathieson: The Big Myth of Health Care. Busted

By Nancy Mathieson

As the U.S. Health Care debate rages on, we now know Americans view health care services and what we’re paying for them in many ways. You rarely hear a consumer say they have exactly the health care they need, or their services are a bargain. It’s a brand-new world from a generation ago, when the cost of care wasn’t a huge portion of the family budget or a regular source of consumer outrage.

What has changed? According to Dr. Kevin Wacasey, a physician at the Colleyville Medical Clinic near Fort Worth, Texas, the dominance of the insurance industry over you and your health care provider has created a cultural sea-change in how we view health care. Unlike other items we purchase (and health care is undeniably a large purchase), we no longer comparison shop, haggle on prices, or demand services before we walk away.

Former Chicago Republican tributes friend and Clinton adversary Peter Smith

Peter Smith's death was ruled a suicide, and that should be believed, friend says

BOCA RATON - Larry Horist, who now lives in Boca Raton, Florida was a conservative Republican that for years was active in Chicago political circles. Last week, he wrote a tribute on his Facebook page about an old friend that found his way into headlines when he was found dead in a Minneapolis apartment. 

The person Horist wrote about was Chicagoan Peter Smith, who had just told a Wall Street Journal reporter he tried to obtain Hillary Clinton's emails from Russian hackers in the last weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith's death in May was ruled a suicide last week and launched a conspiracy theory that Horist says should be ignored. 

Cook County Clerk blasts fellow Dem county assessor: There is a property tax crisis

CHICAGO - A leading Cook County Democrat showed a ripple in the state's seeming impenetrable Democrat force this week when Cook Clerk David Orr issued a statement concerning questions being raised about his fellow Democrat Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios' property tax values.  

Orr is also upset that Assessor Berrios has made promises of process improvements, but they haven't come to fruition. But it should be noted Orr has already announced he's not seeking re-election after 26 years of holding the office.

We'll let Clerk Orr speak for himself so it doesn't appear we're coming up with "fake news": 

IL House Dems flaunt those misguided GOP budget votes

CHICAGO - While those 15 Illinois House Republicans continue to defend their decision to betray taxpayers and vote to support a 32% state income tax hike, Illinois House Democrats are delighted that those Republicans gave them "bipartisan" bragging rights on passing a budget. Nobody can just point to the Democrats as tax hikers.

They're taking their message to Twitter and dragging those poor Republicans along with them.