Illinois Review readers, are you going to let Pro-life Pulse readers show you up? Jill just emailed me that she's just raised her Pro-Life Pulse goal for PASS up to $1500. Donations began to pouring in yesterday, Jill comments on IR post: "$1001: For another 25 years".
We can't fall behind, can we?
Continue reading "Come on, Illinois Review is falling behind" »
Scanning websites and blogs for interesting tidbits, I ran across this incredible quote this morning from our own U.S. Senator Dick Durbin in the Hartford Connecticut Courant.
At first glance, I thought he'd finally acknowledged what's happening in every major city throughout his home state, from the Granite City to Chicago to the huge new Planned Parenthood killing facility in Aurora.
But it wasn't human baby killing centers that horrified Durbin. It was the Oprah-revealed national scandal of puppy mills. As quoted by the Hartford Courant:
"It's outrageous. Those puppy mills should [be shut down] and the operators of them prosecuted, but [the U.S. Department of Agriculture] doesn't have enough resources," says Durbin. "And they're not being pushed in that direction. What we wanted to do was to develop basic humane standards [so dogs] are raised in a safe and humane environment.. ."
Oh, that our U.S. Senator was so concerned about little humans.
We're in May now, and as lawmakers begin settling down and focusing on the budget, the panic sets in as they scour the landscape for "more revenue, more revenue."
Let's see, it's an election year, so any sane budget discussion won't include the words "hike taxes." With buses of t-shirt clad citizens hauled in each week demanding more tax dollars for their pocketbooks or causes, you'll not hear "cut spending" mumbled either.
No, for more revenue what we'll hear is a call to "expand gambling." And that's when the tiny, but powerful, two-woman team from ILCAAAP does all they can to slow down yet another gambling expansion freight train as it barrels into Springfield.
Here's what ILCAAAP's warning us all about this year:
Continue reading "Budget time means gambling expansion threats" »
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for May 10, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
Continue reading "GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 10, 2008" »
Watch Congressman Tom Feeney's (R-FL) eloquent defense of the "forgotten man" on the House floor yesterday afternoon.
Feeney's speech was delivered in opposition to the Democrats' mortgage bailout bills that would expose innocent & forgotten taxpayers to over $300 billion worth of risk in order to bail out speculators and those who participated in mortgage fraud.
Can Illinois Schools Pass the ‘Open Book’ Test?
By Adam Andrzejewski
Requesting school district financial information under the current paradigm is intimidating and complicated. Parents have to travel to the district office during office hours (typically 8am- 4pm), file a Freedom of Information Act form, wait seven days, and possibly pay a fee to access any financial information of their district! Most parents work during these school office hours. What does a parent who works second or third shift do? What if you work two jobs?
Citizens should just turn their computer on and access the information!
by Cal Skinner
The McHenry County Board joined 70-some other Illinois counties in passing a resolution opposed to more gun control legislation.
In doing so, it broke new ground in the Chicago metropolitan area. It's probably explained by McHenry County's being the most rural of the six Chicagoland counties.
Winnebago County Board member Randy Olson wants his Rockford-area county to do more.
He and former Democratic Party County Treasurer and now county board member Doug Aurand want their county board to pass a resolution that allow his county sheriff to issue permits to citizens which would allow them to protect themselves with guns.
“We're basing this on the power of the sheriff,” Randy Olson told me.
Continue reading "Winnebago County Board Might Go McHenry County Board One Better" »
"Prolife" should mean more than thinking, talking, writing, voting and demonstrating against the death culture. It should also mean actively promoting life.
PASS and its ministries are doing just that, and are crucial to the welfare and future of Chicago's south/southwest suburbs. They've actively promoted life for the last 25 years, touching thousands upon thousands annually. The ministries survive only because of generous donors like you who share their passion for life and its impact on the future.
The 2007 death of 13 year old Schanna Gayden was memorialized last month in Logan Park. The tragedy might have been avoided had felons been required to reveal their immigration status as Rep. Randy Ramey's (R-West Chicago) HB 5756 would require.
Right now, Illinois judges are not encouraged to inquire immigration status and police are restrained from asking. Ramey's bill would protect innocents from dangerous criminals living in Illinois illegally. One of the accused in Schanna Gayden's murder is a 26 year old Kenyan whose student visa had expired. At the time this violent crime was committed, Mwenda Murithi's rap sheet reflected 28 prior arrests and four jail times. Yet no deportation.
These are the creeps Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights' attorneys are fighting to protect in their effort to stop HB 5756. See Illinois Review's post "What's Your Legal Status?" earlier this week. There will be more on this story in the days to come.
ABC 7 does a nice job on this story, but one crucial perspective was avoided -- it wasn't just gang warfare that killed young Schanna. It happened because the perpetrator escaped deportation with a faulty system used to bestow American constitutional rights on persons who are within out borders illegally. Why would anyone expect them to obey laws pertaining to guns or killing if they have no respect for the basic rule of law?
Call your House lawmaker and tell him or her to support HB 5756 by adding his or her name to the co-sponsor list -- it's a start to ending Chicago's out-of-control violence.
by Dan Proft
While Archimedes-in-a-pantsuit tries to rewrite the laws of mathematics, the rest of the nation has properly begun to weigh the Presidential contest between Sens. McCain and Obama.
Obama has, however, learned a valuable Clinton trick from this protracted primary--how to obliquely reference the "vast, right-wing conspiracy" to misdirect people's attention away from glaring, personal deficiencies.
During his victory speech in North Carolina on Tuesday night Obama said, "We know what's coming...the same names and labels they (Republicans) pin on everyone who doesn't agree with all of their ideas."
Actually, we have some new names and labels thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Obama's own words and ideas, as well as the Senator's cozy relationships with corrupt influence peddlers, domestic terrorists, and a hateful, bile-spewing spiritual advisor.
Everyone should have a small town hero who does his job with dignity and class and who quietly, but forcefully, accomplishes what he sets his mind to doing. When St. Francis Hospital in south Cook County's Blue Island announced Thursday they would remain open after all because a new owner had bought up the struggling facility, there was one key person who immediately came to mind as the unsung hero of the hospital's whole revival -- Blue Island's longtime Mayor Don Peloquin.
St. Francis is one of the state's first hospitals to have announced they were forced to shut down operations due, in most part, to Illinois' delinquency rate in paying its Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. Few non-profit hospitals are able to carry the debt and extend medical care to all the needy that enter its doors when the state ignores its promises.
Continue reading "Blue Island's Mayor Peloquin: Small town hero" »
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for May 9, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
Continue reading "GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 9, 2008" »
One of the Illinois Democrat Party's largest contributors - the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association - is getting serious about its desire to financially rape Illinoisans through the Structural Work Act (SB 1296), which, if passed, would open up an entirely new area for frivolous lawsuits in Illinois.
As example of the trial lawyers' tactics, Chris Bohlen - Corporate Counsel for the City of Kankakee, and a candidate for judge - announced at last night's Kankakee County Republican Central Committee meeting that the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association contacted him with the following threat: if the County Board passes the lawsuit reform resolution, they would give major contributions to Bohlen's opponent.
Apparently, the County Board is now fearful of the trial bar and considering pulling the resolution - not based on the merits of the resolution, but on fear stoked by the trial lawyers.
It's difficult to say which is worse: the trial lawyers making such a bold, arrogant political threat to a candidate for judicial office; or the county board considering giving in to the threat. Either way, it confirms again the fact that we all live in the State of Sopranos.
The town of Champaign has become a focal point over Illinois' hate crime law, which hikes prison sentences if the alleged crime is anyway associated with the class of citizens deemed special rights and protection under Illinois law.
The situation featured on Illinois Familiy Institute's website HERE is a test of the definition of hate crimes -- and the price to be paid for one 18 year old could be three years in prison.
Two young men -- one homosexual, one heterosexual -- tell very different stories about an argument that occurred late on a Friday night (April 11) in this college town, but only one -- the straight student-athlete -- faces a felony "hate crime" conviction with a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison.
Brett Van Asdlen faces a Class 4 felony hate crime after originally being charged with aggravated battery following an incident in which he pushed 20-year-old homosexual University of Illinois student Steven Velasquez to the ground. The critical question is: why did he push Velasquez and who was aggressor? Van Asdlen's family says it was Velasquez who -- after Brett made a comment about Velasquez and his homosexual partner -- first "got in Brett's face," to which Brett responded by pushing Velasquez away. Velasquez claims that Brett attacked him unprovoked because of his homosexuality.
Link: Illinois Family Institute.
by Mark Rhoads
My sister Cheryl Rhoads collects some political viewpoints from her students. CLICK HERE for the six-minute documentary.
from St. Rep. Mike Tryon's (R-Crystal Lake) newsletter Capitol Address today:
Since I began serving in the General Assembly, there have been several attempts by lawmakers to pass transparency legislation. Illinois residents are so tired of corruption in state government with our former governor serving prison time and our current governor under federal investigation. U.S. Attorney General Patrick Fitzgerald has called the Governor’s administration ‘pay to play on steroids.’ Due to increased infighting between the Governor and the state’s Democrat leaders, suspicion and distrust have replaced compromise and negotiation.
Everyone agrees on the need for transparency to break down the walls of secrecy and bring about real accountability to the process. But somehow, these pieces of legislation always end up lost in the shuffle. A parliamentary move to keep them in committee or a claim that previous transparency bills are not comprehensive enough has left this issue in limbo. Enough is enough. This year, I have introduced the most comprehensive piece of transparency legislation that would shed sunshine on state finances and end this culture of corruption once and for all.
Continue reading "A Call to Action: Web Portal Would End Culture of Corruption" »
by Ed Jahn
For several months since I first began to exercise my freedom of speech through the freedom of the press, I have observed many situations, regionally and nationally, which bring me, and others, to the point of frustration – we all see things falling apart –You can find it anywhere you look.
But I have a reason to be hopeful.
Admittedly, we face challenges now. Increased prices, at the gas pump, in the grocery aisle, and seemingly everywhere we look, are coupled with the mortgage crisis, job cutbacks or losses – Everyone is feeling at least a little pressure –
But I have a reason to be hopeful. . .
by Curt Mercadante
Much has been made of the "branding" of our presidential candidates - namely the two democratic candidates.
But perhaps no one's branding effort has been covered and fawned over as extensively as Obama. A recent Fast Company cover touted "The Brand Called Obama", and this recent article from PRSA's The Strategist Online discusses how "Obama and Clinton campaigns have become full-fledged brands."
Now, as you can see from this prior post, I'm clearly a biased individual when it comes to the presidential campaign, but I'd like to turn our attention to what I feel is a pretty impressive branding effort put forth by John McCain.
McCain's story of comeback and never-say-die attitude during the Primary has been covered extensively. He was out of money, operating on fumes, with a skeleton staff - and still managed to win the Republican Primary through sheer grit, hard work and tireless campaigning.
But it's also been covered extensively that McCain's "brand" within the Republican Party had been damaged by years of his "maverick" ways departing from the party's orthodoxy. That's an issue for another post.
by Mark Rhoads
With the help of a slow-witted political chattering class in the media, a major anti-reform power grab has succeeded in disguising itself as a reform movement in both parties. But it is has succeeded to a greater degree in the Democratic National Committee. In 2008, so-called "superdelegates" are non-elected current or former party or public office holders to whom the DNC awards the full power of actual elected delegates despite not being selected through primaries or caucuses at the state level. There are about 796 superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention---about twenty percent of all delegates.
Ironically, un-elected "superdelegates" from Michigan and Florida, unlike their counterparts who were actually elected by real voters, will be seated. Remember that the voters of Florida and Michigan are being punished for the inexcusable mortal sin of having violated the "Let's have a neat and tidy calendar of primaries and not upset Iowa or New Hampshire Edict" of the DNC. Not one reporter or pundit in 100 ever even asks by what moral or legal authority does the DNC get the right to overturn state laws. But unless the DNC is overruled by the convention rules committee, the votes of millions in Florida and Michigan will not count.
Continue reading "The Anti-Reform "Reformers" are Big Winners in 2008" »
GOP leaders are warning that this November is likely to be very tough on Republican congressional candidates because the NRCC is struggling to raise money. Part of the panic in DC is based on IL's 14th CD special election in March when Denny Hastert's seat went to a Democrat, Politico.com reports.
The story they tell on Politico about the 14th CD just isn't the whole story. The loss of the 14th CD was nasty intra-party struggles, not weak candidates or lack of money. Proving again Tip O'Neal's political wisdom that "All politics is local." The NRCC needs to be reminded they can't affect everything in a local race. Sometimes their nose-sticking in help isn't appreciated at all . . .
by Cal Skinner
Back in the 1990's, when genetic testing was being talked about, State Rep. Don Moffitt, a Republican from Galesburg, decided that its results should not be used for insurance purposes.
He passed legislation to that effect.
One of our colleagues was Judy Biggert of Hinsdale, who went on to be elected to Congress.
I read last week that Biggert had basically gained United States House approval of Moffitt's idea.
It was hailed as the first major civil rights legislation of the 21st century.
Congratulations, Don!
Continue reading "Don Moffitt's Anti-Genetic Testing Discrimination Idea Passed by Congress" »
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for May 8, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
Continue reading "GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 8, 2008" »
Congrats to Adam Andrzejewski - IR contributor and founder of For the Good of Illinois - on the The Daily Journal of Kankakee's endorsement of his efforts to "promote open government by having school districts and other entities post all their checks and transactions on the Internet".
Keep up the great work Adam!
Debbie Halvorson was stripped of her position as Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman today. No longer able to rubber-stamp the Blagojevich/Jones agenda, Halvorson is going to have to figure out how to serve her constituents the old-fashioned and honest way without her influence-peddling position.
Good luck with that Debbie!
UPDATE: Evidently, Halvorson' congressional campaign is uncomfortable with all the heat Halvorson is gettomg for chairing the Senate Rules Committee, where so many House bills and substantial Senate bills have been deep-sixed per Senate President Emil Jones' and the Governor's wishes. Rather than loosen up the process and let good bills out for a Senate floor vote, they've chosen to take Halvorson out of the kitchen. The whole maneuver is amazing because Jones commands a three-fifths Democratic majority in the Senate and could kill anything or pass anything that was voted upon if he had sufficient control of his caucus.
Halvorson needs a squeaky-clean image rather than the one-of-the-boys reputation she now has to win the Republican leaning 11th Congressional seat in the fall against newly-announced Republican candidate Marty Ozinga.
This development is great news for Ozinga.
The IL GOP just put out this statement: "After years of working to advance the interests of Rod Blagojevich and Emil Jones at the expense of her constituents, Senator Halvorson has now chosen simply to advance her own political ambitions.
"Unfortunately for Senator Halvorson the damage has been done.
"The voters of the 11th Congressional District will see right through this desperate attempt to distract the people from her long record of being Rod Blagojevich's go-to person in the Senate."
by John Ruskin
Since taking control of Congress, the Democrats have managed to bring us record high gas prices with record low dollar values, as well as inflation, food shortages, and a housing crisis. Yet all Illinois' Rep. Gutierrez is worried about is what the penny is made of. (see story here)
Looks like the nation is getting a taste of the same Democrat leadership that we've long suffered under here in Illinois.
by David E. Smith, Illinois Family Institute
Despite the widely circulated myth that 8-10 percent (or even more) of our nation's population is homosexual, a new study by New York's Hunter College has determined that less than 3 percent of Americans older than 18 identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual.
Ironically, the poll was funded by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation's leading homosexual activist organization in the country (with an annual budget of +$30 million).
Just last week, this small but vocal group of homosexual activists bullied the American Psychiatric Association (APA) into cancelling a symposium on homosexuality and faith. The event would have featured a wide spectrum of viewpoints -- including those of conservatives --on "reparative therapy."
Human Events has posted the Top 10 Tax Freedom States. Below are the 10 states that—due to lower state taxes—celebrate their state Tax Freedom Days the earliest. They are
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for May 7, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
Continue reading "GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 7, 2008" »
by Jill Stanek
On April 24, KS pro-life U.S. Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts issued a press release endorsing Steve Howe for Johnson County district attorney.
The release called the position an "open seat."
It is not.
Phill Kline is currently the appointed district attorney and has been urged to reconsider his decision not to run to retain his seat in November....
Kline is the only DA in the country with a pending criminal case against a Planned
Parenthood....
Brownback knows pro-lifers are encouraging Kline to stay... because many influential pro-lifers called him and asked him to wait for Kline to decide before endorsing. There was no hurry. The filing deadline is still over a month away....
But Brownback... endorsed Howe anyway....
The question is whose help does Brownback want?
RINOS and hacks want the Planned Parenthood investigation ended. They fear a run by Kline will stir more Democrats to vote than might otherwise.
by Phyllis Schlafly
Ben Stein is known to many as an actor on Comedy Central. But the funniest part about his latest movie called "Expelled" is not any clever lines spoken by Stein but the hysterical way the liberals are trying to discourage people from seeing it.
Stein's critics don't effectively refute anything in "Expelled"; they just use epithets to ridicule it and hope they can make it go away. However, it won't go away; even Scientific American, which labeled the movie "shameful," concedes that it cannot be ignored.
The movie is about how scientists who dare to criticize Darwinism or discuss the contrary theory called Intelligent Design (ID) are expelled, fired, denied tenure, blacklisted, and bitterly denounced. Academic freedom doesn't extend to this issue.
The message of Stein's critics comes through loud and clear. They don't want anybody to challenge Darwinian orthodoxy or suggest that Intelligent Design might be an explanation of the origin of life.
Continue reading "Ben Stein Provokes the Liberals' Wrath " »
By Mark Rhoads
A great deal of noise has been made by the Obama campaign about registering new voters and a flood of young voters coming into the process. We heard the same thing in 2004 when MTV launced a nationwide voter registration drive. But there is little evidence in either 2004 or the current primary season to support the idea that there are floods of new voters who are young that actually do vote on Election Day compared to percentages in previous years. In North Carolina last night, about 14 percent of Democratic primary voters were under the age of 29 according to CNN exit polls. In Indiana, 16 percent were under the age of 29. If you combine that vote with 24 percent in Indiana who were between 30 and 44, you get a total of 40 percent under the age of 44 to 60 percent age 45 or older. In North Carolina, the two groups under 44 were only 35 percent to 65 percent age 45 or older. A "youth vote" does not vote as a monolith. So far, the jury is still out on what the impact of new registrations among younger voters really is. It is one thing to register and another to actually vote.
Having watched Barack Obama’s speech in North Carolina, I’m struck by his claim that FDR talked to our enemies. Despite his premium education, the junior intellect from (D-Rezko) fails to remember that while the United States was “negotiating” with the Japanese on the weekend that included December 7, 1941, the Japanese diplomats were busy burning their code books.
The problem is the U.S.negotiates in good faith but our enemies take great advantage of our good nature. Get ready for Jimmy Carter’s second term.
Should judges be instructed by state law to ask convicted felons their immigration status?
"Yes, judges should ask immigration status," State Rep. Randy Ramey (R-West Chicago) told the House Homeland Security Committee during discussion on Rep. Ramey's HB 5756 last Wednesday.
"No, they should not ask," Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights' attorney Fred Sau said. "To do so requires them to self-incriminate and that's against the 5th Amendment."
According to a state law passed in 2003, judges are instructed to warn felons if they are to tell the judge they are in America illegally, they could face deportation and be denied re-entry into the country.
State Senator Wm Delgado (D-Chicago), the original sponsor of the 2003 judge admonition, disagreed with Ramey's effort and testified that there was no need to change the law as it stands.
State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-Addison) testified that while he was a prosecuting attorney in DuPage and Will counties, he witnessed judges admonishing as instructed by law, and then on most occasions ask the convicted person's immigration status after the warning, despite no requirement to ask any further questions. HB 5756 would require the judge to take one step more and ask the convicted person his or her immigration status.
HB 5756 passed committee along party lines, with the exception of Democrat Rep. Kenneth Dunkin (D-Chicago), who said he supported moving the bill out of committee, but wasn't sure how he would vote on the House floor.
Below are audio segments of last Wednesday afternoon's committee discussion. . .
Little by little, we're hearing just how furious state lawmakers are with deals that were apparently cut last Thursday and Friday to spare the Governor embarrassment of the recall amendment on this November's ballot. Democrats in the Senate fell two votes short of passing the recall referendum and Senator Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete), at the behest of Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), adjourned the week's session just in time for the Dems to head for Indiana to help the floundering Obama campaign.
Just what kind of Springfield deal or no deal re-runs were played? Here's what State Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Sycamore) suggests happened in today's newsletter:
It’s common knowledge how Senate President Jones twisted Democratic arms to defeat the elected official recall constitutional amendment last week despite overwhelming popular support for the measure. We are just now starting to hear about the promises made to get those “no” votes.
The truce in the Governor’s war on agriculture was pretty transparent. His office quickly announced the release of agricultural funding for Extension, 4-H, C-FAR, conservation districts and other ag programs. Just a few days ago he justified the withholding of nearly the entire budgets for these programs on the grounds that the state was broke. Governor, what changed in two days besides the vote on recall?
There are reports that efforts to close a state prison in a Democratic senator’s district were suddenly refocused on a prison in a Republican’s district when the Democrat failed to show-up for the vote on the recall issue. Other stories are circulating about moving an entire government department from Springfield to Benton, to help boost the local standing of a senator after his “no” vote. Stay tuned for more reports about wasting public funds.
Chip Bok's cartoon reminds us that today Vanity Fair hits the nation's storeshelves, and little girls all over America will not understand why they can't emulate their idol Miley Cyrus a.k.a. Hannah Montana and her provocative pose in this month's VF story "Miley Knows Best."
Right.
There's a controversy as to whether the photo Annie Leibowitz took of 15 year old Miley should be considered child pornography. If you missed it over the weekend, some of the concerns were included in this week's Southtown Star's "Always Right" column.
Newt Gingrich lists nine ideas in today's Human Events piece "My Plea to Republicans" of what Republicans could do between now and November to swing momentum back in their favor, including:
Lawmakers should begin demanding this type of dramatic changes at the state level. Let the Democratic leadership explain to the people why these issues aren't being passed in Springfield.
by George Dienhart
I say Paul’s campaign, because Congressman Paul has faced reality. He is on a book tour. The campaign, however continues. Paul has 4 million bucks in the back, and has pared his staff down to just 15 people. In a sign of his irrelevance, his campaign had to issue a statement yesterday reminding people that he is still in the race. Curiously, this is in direct conflict with what the candidate had been saying himself for weeks. They brag that he garnered 16% of the votes in the Pennsylvania primary- which is hardly overwhelming proof of a movement. So why go on?
The book tour. Congressman Paul is trying to utilize his in place campaign structure to promote his book. As long as he sticks around, the fringe media will adore him, and allow him the free promotion that his book needs. Congressman Paul has also stated he wants to go to the convention holding 50 delegates- he believes this can get him a prime time speech spot at the convention. This would amount to an infomercial for the Congressman’s book.
In the end, this isn’t about changing the Republican Party, or service to our nation. It is about amassing personal wealth by selling a book. It is sleazy enough, staying in the race to sell books, but I think he may be violating the spirit of campaign financing to do it. It is impossible to prove, and Paul is not likely to implicate himself. Therefore, the circus will continue its tour.
There is one other sleazy aspect to this. Paul has been telling his supporters that he is running to save the Republican Party. When I hear that, I always wondered if ran as the Libertarian Party candidate to save their party as well. This save the party talking point is clearly not true. His refusal to drop out after being soundly thrashed by Sen. McCain is evidence that Ron Paul is not a loyal Republican. He places his own wealth ahead of the Republican Party, and of America itself. That is not the act of a patriot. It is the act of a snake oil salesman.
Cross posted at Raw Meat for a Red State
With the U.S. Supreme Court's approval of Indiana's new photo ID requirement to be shown when voting, some lawmakers feel it's an excellent time for Illinois to follow suit. State Rep. David Reis (R-Olney) has been pushing this initiative in Illinois, and has been successful in getting HB 4403 through House committee.
Rep. Reis reports pressure needs to be placed on Democratic House members, as requiring voters to present a photo ID has historically been resisted by Democrats. Twenty other states require some form of voter ID. Illinois currently requires no proof of identification when voting.
Should voters be required to show a photo ID in Illinois?
If the polls are right, Hillary Clinton is likely to win the Indiana primary today and Barack Obama the North Carolina Democratic primary. Mathematically, it may be impossible after today for Clinton to grab the Democratic party's nomination without returning to pick up Michigan and Florida delegates who, thus far, remain in limbo.
Ad from the Clinton campaign running now in Indiana:
What do you predict will happen after today's primary? Will Hillary continue her push, hoping Obama will slip up yet once again? Will Obama glide to victory now, gathering up the Democrats' superdelegates -- 3 more which he grabbed in Illinois yesterday: State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, Mayor Daley and Cook County Board President Todd Stroger?
Who will emerge the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee and how will it happen?
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for May 6, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
Continue reading "GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 6, 2008" »
GOP presidential candidate John McCain and 24 Wisconsin GOP senators joined together Monday to protest the effect of the federal ethanol program on the cost of food, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports today:
"This subsidized (ethanol) program - paid for by taxpayer dollars - has contributed to pain at the cash register, at the dining room table, and a devastating food crisis throughout the world," McCain said in a statement.
Critics of the proposal said that too much attention was being placed on ethanol as a reason for rising food prices, and that not enough attention was being placed on the role that rising crude oil prices - which surged to $120 a barrel Monday - have played in driving up the cost of food.
"It's the wrong medicine for the problem," Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen said. "If we hadn't had the significant increase in renewable fuels that we've seen in the last five years, we would have higher gas prices today, not lower ones."
What are your thoughts? Is the federal ethanol program good or bad for Americans? How about Illinois farmers? How about your family budget?
From the Peraica for State's Attorney campaign:
CHICAGO, IL - Despite the recent tax increase that has given Cook County the highest sales tax in the country - State's Attorney candidate Anita Alvarez wants more. In her speech to the City Club of Chicago earlier today, Alvarez parroted the political insiders' party line by claiming her office doesn't have enough money to do its job ("Cook County State's Attorney Candidate Anita Alvarez Blasts County Board for Cutting Prosecutor Office's Budget", Michael Higgins, Chicago Tribune, 5/5/08).
Alvarez apparently missed the irony of the County Board passing that massive increase on the same day a federal court monitor released a report showing rampant illegal patronage hiring in county government.
Continue reading "Think You're Taxed Enough? Alvarez Wants More" »
CHICAGO, IL – Following is a commentary written by Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois Civil Justice League:
Usually this commentary concentrates on one of the sometimes-diverse matters affecting the civil justice system — mostly in Illinois, but sometimes nationally.
Legislative activities are usually at the top of the attention list, particularly when the Illinois General Assembly is in session, as it is now. Under current circumstances, the attention is usually defensive as a trial lawyer-controlled (or at least heavily influenced) legislature can determine the game to be played. Right now, our battle is fighting the restatement of the Structural Work Act in Illinois. Tomorrow it might be something else. On paper, the trial lawyer forces have the numbers to enact their agenda but when constituents (i.e. voters) get a chance to learn what is being proposed, sometimes the reaction from the folks back home results in some common sense thinking among legislators.
Sometimes, not always. . .
Continue reading "Jay Hoffman: Have We Found The Missing Link?" »
From the IL GOP:
With Halvorson's help stalling ethics reform, Blagojevich continues to rake in the cash
CHICAGO – As State Senator Debbie Halvorson prepares to take her victory lap for "helping" pass ethics reform, it's important to remember that it was Senator Halvorson who blocked ethics reform for more than a year ensuring Rod Blagojevich could keep raking in the dough from state contractors.
"If this ethics compromise passes it will not be due to the help of Debbie Halvorson," said ILGOP Spokesperson Lance Trover. "Senator Halvorson is truly shameless if she tries to take credit for helping pass ethics reform in Illinois since she is the one who personally blocked it for more than a year."
The Tribune reports federal prosecutors have rested their case today against accused Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko. The defense says they will call no witnesses in their client's defense.
Doesn't look good for Rezko. Apparently, all that fundraising didn't buy friendship from the governor, Barack Obama or his longtime business associates when Rezko needed them most.
Maybe pleading the 5th Amendment is not what Rezko's attorneys thought would be helpful to hear from Rezko's associates.
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for May 5, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
Continue reading "GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 5, 2008" »
Retiring Congressman Ray LaHood (R-18) won't be slipping into the IL GOP's National Committeeman position without some competition. At least three others are rumored to be interested in the spot: DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger, and Chicago attorney
