illinoisreview

The IRLC baton is passed

Illinois Right to Life Committee announced in their most recent newsletter that after twenty years of faithful service, their longtime president Mary Ann Hackett is passing the leadership torch to a new leader, Mary Ann's daughter Rosemary. 

Illinois Review salutes Mary Ann for her years of faithful service to the cause of the unborn.  IRLC has faithfully worked over the past twenty years to educate the public about the tragedy of abortion and the value of human life. 

Mrs. Hackett leaves with these words:

"It is my belief that Roe v. Wade will be overturned, not making abortion illegal again, but returning the decision to the states.  The battleground for changing the laws on abortion, restricting its access and even hopefully making it illegal, will be fought at the state level in all of the states," she wrote in this month's IRLC newsletter.  "I am excited about the new team of officers at Illinois Right to Life who will be leaders in our state battle for the right to life. . ."

And what says more about a person's integrity in service than being able to entrust her own daughter with such a crucial task?  God bless you Mary Anne, and you Rosemary, now and in the coming days.

Pork Report snouts out budget fat

If you think you smell grilling pork steaks coming from your laptop, you're probably near Americans for Prosperity-IL's brand new blog, where the flame's been turned up on Illinois pork. 

Maybe you're as frustrated as we are with skyrocketing sales taxes, real estate reassessments and those irritating add-'em-up fee increases. If you are, you need to see where some of your money's going to get you ready to send a message to lawmakers this fall. 

Fewer things are more powerful at the ballot box than pocketbook issues, and Americans for Prosperity - IL is barbecuing irresponsible, out-of-control spending. They've been posting on their brand new blog a daily new Pork Report that should burn taxpayer frustration.

Both Ways Barack

Check out the new ad on www.BothWaysBarack.com. He's not a flip-flopper.

How very Clintonian.

by George Dienhart

Hypocrisy in the Democratic Party? Unthinkable? Ahhhh, yeah. It appears that Illinois Reason does not have an exclusive on hypocrisy- and John Edwards has set out to prove it.

I’m not sure that the latest Washington sex scandal will affect Edwards viability as a VP candidate. Democrats seem to gravitate toward liars and philanderers (Take a look at both JFK and Slick Willie if you need proof). I’m just wondering why no one is paying attention.  Yes, I know that the story broke in the National Enquirer. So did the Larry Craig story, and nobody questioned that.

Here is the Enquirer's version of what is going on in John Edwards' life. . .

Appel makes Cook County tax repeal senate issue

From the Appel for State Senate campaign:

Chicago — At a news conference Tuesday morning, 9th Senate District nominee Brendan Appel, along with Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, called on Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin to vote to repeal the 1% county sales tax increase his deciding vote enabled.

Obama's $5 million Olympic ad buy

Is he running for U.S. President or King of the World?

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama's campaign has bought five million dollars in advertisements to run on US television during the Olympic Games, an industry magazine said Thursday.

The ads will appear on the NBC network and its affiliated stations which are to broadcast the Olympic Games beginning August 8 in Beijing, AdAge said on its website.

Link: AFP: Obama buys 5 million in Olympic ads: report.

Con-Con Debate next week online or in person

The question will be on the November ballot, so it makes sense to become informed:  Should Illinois hold a Constitutional Convention in 2010? 

You're invited to a debate to be held next Tuesday night in Libertyville . . .

I said what?

by Jill Stanek

Archie will love this attention. It may give his blog a much needed traffic bump. Again, here's what I actually wrote.

244 Republicans Marched in McHenry’s Fiesta Days Parade

by Cal Skinner

With all the stir created by McHenry County Democrats about candidates not being allowed to campaign in the Algonquin Founders Day Parade this weekend, I thought maybe those planning to attend might like to see what they might be missing.

The photos here are from the last weekend’s apparently no - political - holds - barred McHenry Fiesta Days Parade. They were supplied by GOP parade walker recruiter, McHenry precinct committeeman and District 15 Grade School Board member John O’Neill.

244 Republicans, he reports.  250, if drivers are counted. . .

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - July 24, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 24, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

Issues Forum features IR Editor

Thanks to Issues Forum host Frank Avila for the opportunity to talk about a Christian conservative world view and how that affects one person's perspective on journalism and politics in Illinois.  Frank led the discussion, I simply followed and was honored he would invest one of his shows in such a way.

We hesitated to self-promote so obnoxiously, but I must commend Frank for being persistent to get me to talk about things I rarely speak about publicly.  I'd hate to face him in cross-examination if I was the one on trial.  Good job, Frank. 

Twiddling thumbs on gas prices

Don't know what to do . . .

Stop the "Coburn Omnibus"

From Freedom's Watch, help needed in the U.S. Senate:

We need your help today to stop wasteful government spending by contacting your senators and telling them to oppose the "Coburn Omnibus."

Americans are looking to Congress to move America toward energy independence and what does Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid do instead? He schedules a vote on an $11 billion pork barrel spending package - with no offsets!

That's right - another $11 billion added directly to the deficit. You won't believe the story.

Out of this world: IL-based Apollo 13 astronaut endorses McCain

LAKE FOREST, IL - Captain James Lovell of the famed Apollo 13 and Medal of Honor recipient Al Lynch along with a host of local and statewide vets joined forces to endorse fellow vet and Senator John McCain for U.S. President. The press conference was held at Lovell's Restaurant in Lake Forest.

"John McCain and I both know what it's like to be in challenging situations that require sound judgment and experience, and I firmly believe he clearly possesses the sound judgment and experience to lead this great nation forward," stated Captain Lovell. "John McCain is a man that has always put his country first. He is proud to honor and support his fellow soldiers and now it is our opportunity to honor and support him. I am proud to give him my endorsement and will do what I can to ensure he is victorious in November."

UPDATE 2x: ABC News: Fact or Fiction?

UPDATE 1X: Sorry, but the story sent to us and published earlier today has proven to be fiction rather than fact. . . and we're embarrassed we didn't run a Snopes check on it before posting on IR this am.    That's a mistake we hope not to make again, but if we do, we will stand corrected.

So, let's get back to the facts . . . which are often soooo much stranger than fiction anyway . . .

UPDATE 2X:  You've got to chuckle as we read the big news of the day throughout liberal Illinois-based blogs that Illinois Review's credibility is somehow hanging by a thread because we posted a bit sent in by an IR reader that proved to be  fiction rather than fact. 

As noted above, as soon as we recognized the error, we corrected ourselves and apologized.  Mistakes happen everyday in the MSM, and mistakes are corrected every day.  The work continues, however, lesson was learned. 

When we were fooled, we acknowledged it.  Don't you wonder when those starry-eyed Obama worshippers on the blue side of the blogosphere will admit that they've been fooled?

McCain and Viagra

by Jill Stanek

Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard CEO, has been touted as one of John McCain's potential vice-presidential picks.

But on July 7, Fiorina exposed herself as either a political airhead or saboteur by handing pro-aborts a wider opening to attack McCain than they could possibly have fantasized....

Parents vindicated for questioning mental health screening process

Today's "Always Right" column in the Southtown Star is about this crazy idea that kids should be screened for mental health issues without their parents' knowledge.  It shows how insane and irresponsible the State Legislature is for refusing to require parental involvement.  Our trusting kids are vulnerable to programs like TeenScreen. . .

Paranoid. Schizophrenic. Obsessive. Compulsive. Those are words normally used to describe mental health disorders. But just last year they were used disparagingly to describe Illinois parents who wanted to be notified before their children underwent mental health screenings at school.

They've got to feel vindicated this week because the state of Illinois received $10 million from the huge drug conglomerate Bristol-Myers Squibb. It was Illinois' portion of a $515 million lawsuit settling a broad array of civil allegations involving Bristol-Myers' drug marketing and pricing practices.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleged for four years Bristol-Myers pushed their antipsychotic drug Abilify onto child psychiatrists and pediatric specialists to use on children before the Federal Drug Administration authorized its use on minors.

Link: Parents vindicated for questioning mental health screening process :: The SouthtownStar :: Fran Eaton.

Photo from a 2006 protest

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - July 23, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 23, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

What is Kerry Trying to Say by Using a Racist Term?

by Mark Rhoads

Just imagine how most national news organizations and commentators would react if any Republican Member of Congress used a term often regarded as having insulting racial overtones such as "tar baby."  Let's see how the editorial writers of The Boston Globe, New York Times, and Washington Post or even The Chicago Tribune react to Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) using exactly that term in an interview today.  See http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=136513.

Kerry is not just any Democratic member of the Senate, he was the 2004 Democratic nominee for president and made an early endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama this year before Obama lost the Democratic primary to Sen. Hillary Clinton in Massachusetts.  In Kerry's defense, if he had been speaking seventy-five years ago, he might have been understood to be using the term in a more original connotation such as a "sticky" or difficult situation.

Coming soon: "Hype: The Obama Effect"

A movement is sweeping the nation. Frenzied crowds gather in every state. Young people chant and sing. Women swoon. The result is record voter turn out and a rare political enthusiasm. At the head of this unprecedented phenomenon stands a charismatic figure intent on becoming the President of the United States.

The cast includes:

Michael Barone, William Bennett, Ken Blackwell, John Bolton, Frank Gaffney, Jr., Karen Hayes, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Dick Morris, Robert Novak, Patrick O'Malley, Steve Rauschenberger, Rick Santorum, Jill Stanek, Shelby Steele, Armstrong Williams, Byron York

Barack Obama - On the Issues: Economy

by Matt Gauntt

Note to readers: This is the first of a continuing series on the proposed policies of Barack Obama. This series of reviews will be written by several different Illinois Review Contributors. We will take the issues as Senator Obama has laid them out on his website and other venues one at a time. Over the next few weeks, look for more in this series of articles.

The main stream media would like everyone to believe that those of us that don’t want Barack Obama to be President have that conviction because we are either racists or because we just like the status quo. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I don’t care if he is black, brown, yellow, red or green with purple polka dots. I care about his policies and his ideas for our country.

The simple truth, which those in the main stream media and apologists for Senator Obama don’t want to see or can’t admit, is that we have a profound disagreement with him on issues.

This is an incredibly profound time for our country. Never in the last 100 years, since we rose to be the pre-imminent superpower of the world, has our country’s place in the world become so precarious. We face the emergence of potential superpowers in China and India. A worldwide jihadist movement containing millions of people would like nothing better than to see our great nation end up as a pile of ash. We face a moral degradation of our youth that also does not have an appreciation for the work ethic that our parents were raised on. Over the next 20 years, we will either regain our focus, or we risk sliding into 2nd class status or worse.

This is a serious election for a serious leader. It is important that we look beyond star quality and platitudes and we examine the heart and intellect of those that would seek to lead us.

So, in that vein, let’s look at one aspect of Senator Obama’s vision for how to lead this greatest of countries.

McCain vs Obama: At the Pump

McCain's new ad . . .

What's your verdict -- effective, non-effective?

Ending 14 years with Farmer's Insurance

by Brad McGuire

For the past 14 years we have been with Farmer’s Insurance Group.   Until yesterday. 

I received our upcoming policy “adjustment”.   It is not a lot of money by today’s standards.  A mere $100 dollars or so.

That is not the point.  The point is…we have done nothing to incur a rate hike, yet the company lists “late payments reflected on your credit report”.

What???  I have an immaculate driving record, the last citation was in 1992 which “traffic school” cleared.  I have taught motorcycle safety for several years and incorporated those defensive habits with my four wheeled habits.

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - July 22, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 22, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• Pat Brady, McCain, Obama, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

• Pat Brady, McCain, Obama, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

Marty's On the Air

by Curt Mercadante

Last week, 11th Congressional District candidate Marty Ozinga went up with the first ad of the campaign to replace retiring Congressman Jerry Weller:

Oops! CBS can do it again, federal court says

CBS shouldn't pay fines for Janet Jackson's titillating exposure during the 2004 Super Bowl game, the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Monday. 

Today's decision overrules the Federal Communication Commission's ability to enforce broadcast obscenity laws, Concerned Women for America's national president Wendy Wright said.

"It is utterly incomprehensible that a court would decide that exposing Janet Jackson live on network television to 90 million viewers worldwide was not offensive," Wright said in a press statement.

Those Mean Rotten Rich People

by Matt Gauntt

"Earlier, Democratic candidate Barack Obama, speaking to supporters in Georgia, said McCain's proposed tax cuts will only benefit rich corporations."

"Don't Extend Tax Breaks for the Rich"

"And I understand that when the system teeters past the point of financial collapse, that those who suffer will not be the wealthy who have taken their tax breaks and moved their equity safely into off-shore mutual funds: it will be working people and those who depend on the safety net from government services."  Bill Foster website

"Obama indicated to reporters that his long-term goal to help pay for the programs amidst a weakening economy was to change the tax code to eliminate tax breaks for the wealthy and close loopholes for corporations."

OK, enough of this lunacy. For years and years, the left has put out this mantra of "the wealthy don't pay their fair share", and comments about mean, evil, wicked Republicans only want to protect the rich so that they don't have to pay any taxes, while the middle class gets stuck with the bills.

Oh, really?!?!

Beware of kids' mental health screening

The $10 million Illinois received from Bristol-Myers Squibb has rightfully reopened this mental health screening controversy.

Illinois was the national leader in this frightening trend. Inform yourself. Ask your kids if they've been asked these questions, and then tell us here at Illinois Review. This is an important issue we'll follow up on -- for the sake of our children.

Tell the ABA to Get Their Facts Straight on Domestic Violence

by Michael Burns

(CHICAGO) -- On June 2, 2008, the group Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting (RADAR) released two special reports, "Myths of ABA Commission on Domestic Violence," 1,2 that analyzed the 19 statements made in the flyer put out by the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Domestic Violence, "10 Myths about Custody and Domestic Violence and How to Counter Them."

Among the flyer's 19 claims, 11 were found to be false, three misleading, and three unsupported by existing research. Only two claims were found to be correct. And some errors are egregious.

Illinois gets $10 million in anti-psychotic drug company settlement

Last week, Governor Blagojevich and the State of Illinois got a check for $10 million from drug giant Bristol-Myers Squibb, ordered by the feds to pay out to states who had been affected by a broad array of civil allegations involving Bristol-Myers' drug marketing and pricing practices.

TampaBay.com reports Florida will get $21.5 in the $515 million global settlement and explains:

Among the other government allegations was that the company paid illegal kickbacks to physicians and other health care providers in the form of consulting fees, and advisory board positions — some of which involved travel to luxury resorts — to induce them to prescribe their drugs. The government also claimed the company set inflated prices for a wide assortment of oncology and generic drugs, and misrepresented its best price for an anti-depression drug, driving up costs to Medicaid.

For years, several of us on Illinois Review have been concerned about a movement pushing mental health screenings on children in Illinois.  Screenings lead to assessments, which lead to professional intervention.  All this often leads to more and more children and teens being put on medications unnecessarily. But to top it off, the whole movement has been financed and promoted by anti-psychotic drug companies whose businesses profit when doctors prescribe more and more.

More to come on this in this week's "Always Right" column in the Southtown Star.

The Gigantic Obama Flip Flop is Now Complete

by Mark Rhoads

I understand why conservatives don't trust Sen. Obama.  But I can't understand why liberals still do.  Obama's major claim to fame before the primary season was that he says he was opposed to the use of force against Iraq.  Say what?  Obama was a state senator in Springfield in 2003 when the war started and his opinion, whatever it was at the time, had no national policy consequences.  Lazy reporters are too busy fawning over Obama to ever find time to ask him how he could defend his position now.

The plain truth is that if those federal lawmakers who voted against the use of force got their way in 2003, Saddam Hussein and his two murderous sons would still be in power today.  Obama cannot now say Iraq is not better off with Saddam gone since the world knows better and certainly Iraqis do.  He cannot now say the surge did not work against Al Qaeda in Iraq since it very clearly did work.  About 26 million people in Iraq today are safer and more free in 2008 than they were under Saddam in 2002 because George W. Bush and Tony Blair were stubborn and God bless them for their stubborness.

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - July 21, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 21, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• McCain, Obama, Operation Support Our Troops Illinois, Wheaton, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 21, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• McCain, Obama, Operation Support Our Troops Illinois, Wheaton, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

• McCain, Obama, Operation Support Our Troops Illinois, Wheaton, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

McCain and Obama agree to first joint appearance, and it's at church

Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain will make their first joint public appearance at Lake Forest California's Saddleback Church on August 16, Pastor Rick Warren announced today after confirming with both campaigns.

The forum will be a two-hour televised conversation between the two candidates, with questions posed by Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church's 22 thousand member congregation and best-selling author of The Purpose-Driven Life. 

Warren said he intends to raise the topics of poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate and human rights among others.

Your prediction:  Which of the two will benefit more from this appearance -- Obama or McCain?  If you were McCain's political consultant, would you advise him to do it?  Who will reach more potential voters in this setting, McCain or Obama?

More details in the press release below . . .

Are you voting for Obama?

Are you as a conservative thinking Barack Obama may be your choice in 2008? 

At least one conservative leader has taken the plunge by faith into Obama's promise for change:  Once the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's chief economist and a contributor to the House GOP's 1994 Contract for America, last week longtime conservative activist Larry Hunter endorsed Barack Obama. 

In a New York Daily News commentary he wrote:

UPDATE 1X: IR contributor on Sunday's World News Tonight

ABC World News Tonight will feature a piece on the "Sanctuary Movement" llegal aliens that are being allowed to skirt their deportation orders by taking sanctuary in churchs across the U.S. Tonights report will focus on Rev Coleman's church in Humbolt Park and IR Contributor Rosanna Pulido will share her thoughts on ICE's new unofficial policies. ABC World News tonight is seen on Channel 7 at 5 pm.

UPDATE 1x:  Story and video found HERE.

It's Sunday

We can gripe and groan about the way things are, but there's really so much to be thankful for living "in the land that is plentiful," where "the streams of abundance flow" -- America.

Governor accuses Hospital of violating the Law

by Rosanna Pulido

No, you did not see the story covered by English speaking media, but it's here on Illinois Review. HOY news paper covered the story and it is a story worth covering, especially because this insanity has been crippling Hospitals across the nation for years.

The story is about an 18 year old illegal alien that the University of Illinois Hospital is refusing to treat. WHY? The Cost that will have to be absorbed by the hospital.

This is translated for you from Spanish to English by Babel Fish....

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - July 20, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 20, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• Operation Support Our Troops Illinois and Wheaton, Illinois
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

• Operation Support Our Troops Illinois and Wheaton, Illinois
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

Harvard Jr. High transforms into Mexican consulate

This weekend, a Harvard Illinois public school was transformed into a Mexican consulate as it hosted a drive to issue the Mexican matriculae to area illegals and register new voters.

According to Midwest Minutemen, vanloads were brought to the registration drive provided by LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens.  The Midwest Minutemen estimate that by the numbers of persons entering the school over the last four days, over 800 Mexican matriculae were issued.  A staffer at Harvard's soon-to-open Castle Bank requested the school's use.

Harvard is located just south of the Wisconsin border in McHenry County.  As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 7,996 people, 2,610 households, and 1,853 families residing in the city.  The racial makeup of the city was 76.25% White, 0.85% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 18.76% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.81% of the population.

Below you'll read unedited Field Reports from those who've been on the scene.  We've also posted some of the photos Evert Evertsen, secretary-treasurer of the Midwest Minutemen, is circulating widely to his mailing list.

Blagojevich's BF responds (kind of)

Friday afternoon, Illinois Review received a note from State Rep. Paul Froehlich, unhappy about IR posting the "Rod's BF Froehlich" YouTube video. He listed several points he thought we should know "just in case facts matter."  We thought posting those points would be fair and balanced and provoke interesting insight into Republican Anita Forte-Scott's challenge in the 56th District, so we requested permission to post his reply.

But once-Republican, now-Democrat Froehlich rejected our offer to publish his comments verbatim, and unless he changes his mind (been known to happen before), you'll be unable to read his response posted publicly here on Illinois Review.

Suffice to say, Froehlich is still simmering in the self-righteous soup he concocted as he voted last week with his House Speaker Mike Madigan against Blagojevich's capital plan, which would have been funded by expanding gambling.

The rise and fall of The Jerk

Just a ray of hope for bummed-out conservatives who see liberal Democrat Naven Johnsons gloating all around us these days . . . don't despair, the party will eventually be over.

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - July 19, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips for July 19, 2008 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:

• Dillard, McDonald's, Birkett, McCain, Obama, Blagovich, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

• Dillard, McDonald's, Birkett, McCain, Obama, Blagovich, etc.
• Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
• Republican Party platform issues including promoting a strong national defense, respect for the rule of law, individual responsibilitiy, traditional values, etc.
• Illinois budget problems and more. . .

Springpatch facilities

Radio Silence on the Illinois Jobless Rate

by Curt Mercadante

So, the Illinois unemployment figures came out yesterday - and they weren't good.

In a state with a Democrat governor, a Democrat senate, a Democrat house, a Democrat treasurer and a Democrat comptroller, wouldn't you think our state Republican candidates and elected officials would be bending over backwards to beat those jobless figures over the head of the opposition?

Well, unless they're doing it in private (which kinda defeats the purpose), I'm not seeing it.

I sign up for most every email list I can.  I checked my inbox.  I checked my spam filter.

Nothing.

Apologies to Carly Simon: A Liberal Ode to Barack

by Mark Rhoads

With apologies to Carly Simon, this song is dedicated to the poor heartbroken "progressives" who used to think they knew where Obama stood on the issues last spring before he flipped and flopped all over the map after he got enough delegates to be nominated.

You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your flag pin strategically absent from your lapel
Your suit was imported from Italy
You had one eye in the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte
And all the liberal girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and

You're so vain
You probably think this campaign is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this campaign is about you
Don't you? Don't you?

IL 2008 RNC delegate list made public

The list of delegates and alternates that will be representing Illinois Republicans to the National Convention in September has just been made available to Illinois Review by the IL GOP:

Download 2008_national_convention_delegate_list.xls

26 Illinois Starbucks to close

All you self-righteous caffeine addicts who laughed at tobacco addicts enduring withdrawal as Illinois public smoking went into effect January 1 will be faced with your own denial trauma in the days to come. 

Today, Starbucks announced the list of 600 non-profitable stores it will be shutting down over the next few months.  600 stores means a possible 6000 part-timers or more nationwide out of work and thousands of mocha latte grande addicts homeless and wandering. 

Dunkin Donuts' has to be beside themselves today. 

The list of 26 closing Illinois Starbucks stores is below:

A letter from Barry O.

by Barry O (as told to George Dienhart)

Hi all. I am very excited to share this very special list with all my fans. I see that 9 of the readers have already fainted, so let’s give them some room. Can somebody get them some water?

There has been some recent confusion here at the Illinois Review, so I thought I’d provide this quick reference of my stance on some of today’s most important issues. I think these viewpoints best illustrate my vision of change for America.These changes were reported in the Washington Post, taken verbatim. It is the  February 25, 2008 edition; Page A04: