Illinois Review

Unborn experience pain before 20 weeks, neurologist testifies

WASHINGTON - Tuesday, Congress will vote on legislation that would restrict abortion after 20 weeks, when pain and neurological evidence shows unborn babies experience pain. Dr. Maureen Cordic of the University of Utah School of Medicine testified before Congress in May on when babies experience fetal pain:

More at LifeNews.com

Durbin: Immigration bill doesn't need 70 votes

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Monday that the so-called Gang of Eight immigration reform bill has already been so weakened by concessions on border security that it would be a "big mistake" to push for 70 votes, according to The Hill.

Durbin responded with a firm "no" when asked on CBS News whether the bill needed more than 70 votes.

"We need 60 votes by the Senate standards," he told CBS, as quoted by The Hill. "The more the better though. I just don’t want to compromise the values in this bill." - TPM, 6/17/13

3 Things You Should Know About the Supreme Court and Voter ID

Yesterday, the Supreme Court handed down one of its first major decisions of this term, striking down Arizona’s measure requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Media reports are already off base in interpreting this decision, says Heritage legal expert Hans von Spakovsky. Here are three things to know about the decision.

1. This is not a voter ID decision.  This decision has to do with voter registration, not the act of voting. Von Spakovsky explains:

In 2004, Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum that had two major components: voter ID for in-person voting and a requirement that anyone registering to vote provide proof of citizenship. The voter ID provision was not before the Supreme Court and is alive and well in Arizona. (emphasis added)

Although it did not strike down the provision that requires a photo ID for in-person voting, von Spakovsky said “the Supreme Court came down on the wrong side of election integrity” with this ruling.

More Illinois counties okay right to carry, towns consider firearm bans

CHICAGO - Illinois jurisdictions are aiming at each other over firearms, as the number of county state's attorneys authorize the right to carry concealed weapons grow while cities and towns consider ordinances banning firearms move in the opposite direction.

The number of counties that are allowing the right to carry is now five, while the 7th US District Court of Appeals delays a federal decree ordering Illinois to become the last state to eliminate the ban on concealed weapons. State attorneys in White and Clinton counties have joined Randolph, Tazewell and Madison in laying out simple requirements allowing concealed carry, including possessing FOID cards and carrying for self-defense. UPDATE: Peoria County added to this list Monday, as well.

At the request of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the Governor has until July 9th to determine whether he will sign into law legislation that passed the Illinois General Assembly before it adjourned May 31st. The right to carry was to have been enacted June 9th, and Monday AG Madigan asked for another extension on the delay.

At the same time, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's anti-gun effort in cities and towns has forced at least eight city councils to place a firearm ban on their agenda - many to be voted upon this week.

Skokie, Oswego, Highland Park, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Lake Forest, Mattawea and Waukegan councils are being asked to restrict firearms in their towns. 

Revolutionary War enactment at Wheaton's Cantigny Park

Ives, Morrison, Oberweis and Tillman push pension overhaul

CHICAGO – As the General Assembly prepares to discuss the state's $100 billion prension crisis in this week's special session called by Gov. Pat Quinn, a group of lawmakers held a press conference today to present their pension reform plan they say would cut the pension liability by nearly half and protect the benefits earned to date by current government workers.

State Reps. Tom Morrison and Jeanne Ives, with State Sen. Jim Oberweis, have introduced House Bill 3303 and Senate Bill 2026, which they argue:

• Saves Illinois more than $221 billion over the next 30 years
• Is constitutional because it banks and protects the benefits that government workers have earned to date
• Ends the repayment ramp, and established a flat-rate payment schedule to retire Illinois’ pension debt and pay off benefits earned to date by current workers and retirees
• Going forward, current and future government workers would earn retirement benefits in a self-managed, 401(k)-style system. They would receive a generous 7 percent employer match every single paycheck after they contribute 8 percent (most workers currently contribute 9 percent)
• Does not affect current retirees, but protects and pays what they have earned.

Commenting on HB 3303, Representative Jeanne Ives stated, “This is the only pension bill that calls for real reform. Illinois must end its dependence on the defined benefit pension system and move to a 401(k)- style defined contribution system. Let’s start our talk on Wednesday with this bill as our base.”

Reid Keeps up His ENDA the Bargain

In the midst of so many crises, it's comforting to know that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is focused on what matters: genderless bathrooms. Unfortunately, that's just one effect of a sweeping proposal that could destroy personal freedom in the American workplace. On Flag Day, Reid saluted the rainbow flag instead of Old Glory, becoming the 50th cosponsor of the Senate's latest Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), one of the most anti-business policies this Congress will consider.

After two decades of debate, the legislation has new legs under President Obama, who said earlier in the month that the Senate needs to get the measure "done now." Like most liberals, Harry Reid disguises the bill as an anti-discrimination policy when in fact, the bill itself discriminates against men and women who oppose cross-dressing or blatant homosexuality on the job. Although some people defend it as an innocent piece of anti-prejudice legislation, ENDA creates special employment protections solely on the basis of a person's sexual preferences. Businesses would be forced to comply (or face penalties), regardless of the impact on their organization.

Quinn signs fracking bill

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Gov. Pat Quinn signed the fracking bill today.

"This is a monumental achievement for economic development and jobs in Illinois. Hydraulic fracturing will create good-paying jobs and reduce our reliance on foreign source of oil," said Mark Denzler, vice president & COO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and a co-founder of the pro-fracking GROW-IL Coalition. "We applaud Governor Quinn and members of the General Assembly for developing a strong regulatory framework that will allow industry to flourish while protecting the environment."

"Good paying jobs are on the way for the working men and women of organized labor," said Michael T. Carrigan, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. "Hydraulic fracturing regulations will stimulate the economy and provide protection for our environment. We thank Governor Quinn for signing this bill."

First Lady scams another getaway

By Teri O'Brien - 

As has often been noted, the Obamas are "historic," because of their race. I suppose that's true, but I think they are "historic" in another, and related, way. They are the most successful race hustlers in American history, using their black skin privilege to really get back at Whitey, by enjoying their well-deserved reparations. Rev. Wright must be so proud!

I wonder if Mooch ever feels any pangs of guilt over her slave ancestors. They suffered the pain of the lash, but that eventually allowed her to exploit her supposed victim status and live an affirmative-action assisted life of privilege and luxury greater than any human being in human history has ever experienced.

The latest chapter in "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous-Michelle Obama edition" is her taking advantage of the G-8 summit to score a trip to Ireland and Germany. As usual for the First Klingon and her huge entourage, this excursion is no low budget getaway. From The Independent IE:

Former Chicago alderman guilty in federal bribery case

Former Chicago Ald. Ambrosio Medrano (photo right) is likely headed back to federal prison after a jury found him guilty Monday of conspiring to pay a bribe.

Medrano, 59, showed no reaction as the verdict was announced at the end of a two-week long trial. He was previously convicted in 1996 of accepting a bribe. ...More HERE

Did Quinn offer taxpayer-funded projects in exchange for gay marriage votes?

CHICAGO - Reports of Gov. Pat Quinn offering Illinois House members various taxpayer-funded projects in exchange for their votes in favor of gay marriage were rampant in the final days of the last Illinois General Assembly session.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) | AP

In fact Rich Miller, a Democrat insider, wrote about the Governor's "arm-twisting" to try and get the 60 votes needed to pass the same-sex marriage bill last month. Miller wrote:

Gov. Pat Quinn knew that African-American House members were reluctant to support the bill, mainly because of pressure from their churches. So, why did he pick a nasty fight with the Black Caucus over Medicaid? Quinn was offering projects to Republican legislators to entice them to flip, but Quinn couldn’t find a few million Medicaid dollars to help poor people get wheelchairs and preventative dental care? That late session fight over Medicaid spending was counterproductive. Instead of using the disagreement to his advantage, Quinn dug in his heels and so did the Black Caucus, which also initially refused to support a gay rights measure several years ago after being cut out of a gaming expansion bill.

It is believed that at least seven House Republicans were called to the Governor's office and pressured to flip their votes from "nay" to "yea." One of those legislators was State Rep. Norine Hammond. 

Illinois Review asked Hammond if she was, in fact, offered a four-lane highway or an interchange to flip her vote on gay marriage from "no" to "yes". She refused to talk. Instead, her secretary wrote "The representative has no comment." 

State Rep. Jil Tracy was another one believed to have chatted with the Governor. We asked Rep. Tracy the same question. More silence. 

US Supreme Court says states can't require proof of U.S. citizenship to register

WASHINGTON –  The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states cannot on their own require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.

The justices voted 7-2 to throw out Arizona's voter-approved requirement that prospective voters document their U.S. citizenship in order to use a registration form produced under the federal "Motor Voter" voter registration law.

Federal law "precludes Arizona from requiring a federal form applicant to submit information beyond that required by the form itself," Justice Antonia Scalia wrote for the court's majority.

Brady isn't governor today because of Chicago election fraud, author says

By Nancy Thorner - 

State Senator Bill Brady won the 2010 gubernatorial election, former State Senator Roger Keats emphatically alleged last week during a Chicago book tour, and Pat Quinn is governor today only because election fraud in Chicago and Illinois is prevalent and widespread.

"Bill Brady won the election. Even the media realized what had happened, but said nothing," Keats said. "Brady knew it was hopeless to try to overturn the election, as those entities involved with deciding close elections were composed of majority Democratic members."

State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), who is expected to declare soon another try at the governor's seat in 2014, confirmed that Keats' allegations aren''t as far-fetched as they might sound.

"After a very close election in November 2010, there was a suspicion that voter fraud had taken place, but how would we prove the presence of fraud?" Brady said.  

2010 GOP Candidate for Governor State Sen. Bill Brady with Lt.Gov candidate Jason Plummer

Arn: The GOP Death Spiral Is To Follow Lindsey Graham

By Ulysses Arn - 

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is of the opinion that to defeat his Gang of 8 amnesty plan for immigration reform will lead to a death spiral for the Republican Party. Graham said on NBC's Meet The Press, "After eight years of President Obama's economic policies, and quite frankly foreign policy, people are going to be looking around," he said. "But if we don't pass immigration reform, if we don't get it off the table in a reasonable, practical way, it doesn't matter who you run in 2016. We're in a demographic death spiral as a party and the only way we can get back in good graces with the Hispanic community in my view is pass comprehensive immigration reform. If you don't do that, it really doesn't matter who we run."

Fox News-Graham: Blocking Immigration reform death spiral for GOP

That is total poppycock. Should conservative Republicans in the Senate and House stand strong and defeat this effort to grant amnesty, which is what the Gang of 8 plan is, the GOP will not enter into or continue on a death spiral, it will breathe some life into the party as the Republican base gains some confidence in the party gain.

Schock with Larry King on privacy concerns

Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock discusses privacy threats in a technological age with Larry King.

Happy Father's Day

Was Obama's Dithering “Decision” to Jump Into Syrian Mess Another Shiny Object?

By Teri O'Brien - 

Remember the swooning and slobbering that we endured after Barack Obama’s Cairo speech in 2009? Back then, the brilliant pundits predicted a beautiful new era of peace, love and understanding in the centuries-old powder keg that is the Middle East, simply because of the majestic and healing presence of the magnificent new president. Flash forward to today, and face the ugly, and very obviously predictable, reality of that region: the Muslim Brotherhood large and in charge in Egypt, Libya so dangerous that after our ambassador and three other Americans were murdered there last year, the FBI had to wait 2 weeks to investigate, and Syria exploding, with Iran and Russia turning the tide in favor of Bashar Assad. It has been nearly two years since Barack Obama stated “Assad must go!” Apparently, the Syrian dictator and the game-changing allies who are helping him win didn’t get that memo. They appear to be immune to Barack’s alleged irresistible charm and persuasion. After dithering for nearly two years, and probably egged on by Bill Clinton’s calling him a wuss, our Dear Reader finally acted decisively, sort of. He demonstrated courageous leadership by striding to the podium to announce that Assad’s actions will not stand! Not really. Actually, he sent some guy named  Ben Rhodes out to make the announcement. Ben Rhodes? Who is he? Are you freakin' kidding me? I half expected a reporter to ask him a question and have him reply "I don't actually work here, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night." It would have been like George W. Bush sending Barney’s dog walker out to announce the beginning of the liberation of Iraq. Was this somewhat ill-formed new policy announced to divert attention from Barack and Michelle’s latest effort to enjoy their well-deserved reparations, a little excursion to Ireland, followed by a $100 million trip to Africa on our dime?

Putin Is a Common Thug

By Mark Rhoads - 

If the story is true that Vladimir Putin stole a Superbowl ring from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft in 2005, then he is nothing but a common criminal. If it is also true that former President George W. Bush tried to pressure Kraft to cover up the crime, then shame on Bush who is guilty of aiding and abetting a crime for which any American would go to jail if found guilty.

Peter Roskam on Protecting our Soldiers

Just in time for Father's Day

Up until now, Dads were left out of the pregnancy experience. Huggies has developed a belt that allows dads to experience the baby movements his baby's expectant mother feels. Just in time for Father's Day.

How fitting. At the very time Congress is considering legislation to ban aborting babies after 20 weeks because of the pain they experience during their brutal deaths, Huggies' new product reminds us that expectant moms are very aware of a baby's activity from 12 weeks on. Abortion ends that bond tragically, part of the emptiness and guilt most abortive mothers experience for years after their "choice" to end that baby's life. 

And just in time for Father's Day. Perhaps it's time fathers step up to protect their babies - even before they can see and hold them. Huggies just unexpectedly brought it all together.

Congressional staffers desperate to escape Obamacare

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers and staffers in D.C. are doing all they can to escape Obamacare, Washington Times columnist Charles Hurt writes:

“If the issue isn’t resolved, and massive numbers of lawmakers and aides bolt,” Politico reports, “many on Capitol Hill fear it could lead to a brain drain just as Congress tackles a slew of weighty issues — like fights over the tax code and immigration reform.”

Oh my! What would we do without this “brain trust” handling all our weighty issues? I don’t know. But I do know what happens when we do have them. We get Obamacare. And it is so terrible they would rather quit their jobs than join it.

Rep. John Larson, a Connecticut Democrat who helped craft Obamacare for suckers all across America, complained to Politico that “this is simply not fair to these employees.”

What? The health care system YOU created for Americans is so terrible and so expensive that it is “simply not fair” that you should all be on it? Voters in Larson’s district should immediately begin a petition to have the man removed from office. What criminal hypocrisy.

And what devastating, willful ignorance. But here in Illinois, liberal special interest groups and lawmakers moved Illinois onto the Obamacare fast track with the passage of SB 26, which passed with only Democrat, not Republican, votes in either Illinois chamber. Democrats own it.

Report: Mosques exempt from gov’t surveillance

According to an online editorial in Investor's Business Daily, mosques have been off-limits to the FBI for almost two years. Since October 2011, says that report, surveillance or undercover sting operations in mosques have been prohibited without high-level approval from a special oversight body at the Justice Department dubbed the "Sensitive Operations Review Committee."

The panel was reportedly set up because of complaints from Muslim groups about sting operations conducted by the FBI, which were very effective in disrupting dozens of Islamic terror plots against the homeland - and just months after the ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations sued the FBI, asserting that infiltration and monitoring of Los Angeles mosques violated the civil rights of Muslims in that area.

The op-ed says no one knows the makeup of the Sensitive Operations Review Committee because the names of its members and staff are kept secret.

Chicago forum to discuss the dangers of Islam

CHICAGO - The challenge of political correctness as it relates to radical Islam is fast becoming the greatest threat to freedom of speech in America, silencing scores of those who seek to speak the truth.

With this critical issue in mind, The Chicago Leadership Forum with David Horowitz Freedom Center is hosting a forum in Chicago this coming Tuesday with Frank Gaffney, Jr. and Andrew C. McCarthy, who will participate in a discussion about what they call: "The Real Civil Rights Issue of our Time."

Farmers or Handouts? (video)

Dillard makes it official: Throws his hat in the ring for 2014 gubernatorial race

Another politician throws his hat in the ring for the Illinois’ governor’s race.

State Senator Kirk Dillard told Paul Lisnek this morning on WGN Radio that he’s ready to run.

Dillard is the third Republican to announce his bid to become the Governor of Illinois. State Treasurer Dan Rutherford and businessman Bruce Rauner also are in the race for the party’s nomination.

Superman Joins a Union (video)

The Man of Steel is forced to join a union - and keep within his union-required, life-saving boundaries. Comedian/pundit Steve Crowder makes poignant points with his YouTube "Superman Join a Union" 

Bayne attacks Senger in race to be GOP nominee for 11th CD

NAPERVILLE - Radio talk show host Ian Bayne (photo upper right) appears to be taking talk show rhetoric to the congressional campaign level. Friday, he took on a female GOP primary hopeful State Rep. Darlene Senger (photo bottom right), somewhat crudely comparing her to the 11th CD's current Congressman, Democrat Bill Foster:

"Darlene and Bill Foster may have different sets of private parts, but they seem to agree more than they disagree."

Thus, it seems, the newly-drawn 11th CD starts off a Republican Primary for 2014. Three Republicans - State Rep. Darlene Senger, radio talk show host Ian Bayne and Caterpillar executive Chris Balkema - have all filed candidacy papers with the FEC.

Bayne went on the attack Friday with a press release blaming "Republicans like Darlene Senger" for the government using secret data against opponents.

"Darlene Senger supported nine tax hikes, voted for red light cameras, supported driver's licenses for illegal aliens, and she's supposed to be one of the good guys?" Bayne wrote. "And voters aren't supposed to have lost faith in Republicans? Who is fighting for American values?"

Bayne, who describes himself as a talk show host, a partner in a detective agency, a principal in a real estate valuation company, and a professional actor, focused his criticism on Senger and didn't mention Balkema.

Senger's campaign had no response.

Bost could challenge Democrat Congressman Bill Enyart in 2014

CARBONDALE - Renowned for last year's passionate speech against the frustrating House Democrat regime at the State Capitol, State Rep Mike Bost (R-Carbondale) could be setting his sights eastward to Washington DC. The 52 year old lawmaker is deciding whether he'll run for his 10th term in the Illinois House or challenge freshman Democrat Congressman Bill Enyart in the 12th CD.

When asked about it, Bost said, "I have not yet made that decision. When I do, I will certainly let you know."

That's a definite "maybe, maybe not," but it's definitely not a "No, I'm absolutely not." And Rep. Bost is known for not mincing words.

Bost is part of Minority Leader Tom Cross' leadership team and is often called upon to present the Republican point of view on legislation before the House. The conservative URF Action's legislative scorecard rates Bost with a 72 over the last six years. A certified firefighter, Bost is married with three children and lives in Murphysboro.

Enyart succeeded retiring Congressman Jerry Costello in 2012, defeating 12th CD Republican Jason Plummer. The National Republican Congressional Committee is interested in challenging what they see as a vulnerable Enyart in 2014, and will likely invest resources in the 12th CD race, depending on the Republican candidate that emerges. Plummer has not yet expressed interest in running for the seat again in 2014.

Rockford Christian School part of Global Innovation Award Ceremony

Rockford Christian School's Royal Narwhals will be in Washington D.C. this coming Monday and Tuesday, June 17 & 18 for the Global Innovations award ceremony. The school's Robotics Team placed in the top 3 in the world for their invention – the Magnetic Plug Adapter (MPA).

Close to 2,000 teams from around the world competed. The winner will be announced at the U.S. Patent office in Alexandria, VA on Tuesday, June 18 at the Global Innovations Award Ceremony.

The team of students, under the direction of Rockford Christian teacher/coaches and parent volunteers, participate in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Robotics Program. Each year this International competition poses an innovation problem for the students to solve. This year they were presented with “Senior Solutions”. They were to come up with an invention to aid senior citizens. At the senior expo students witnessed an elderly man having trouble plugging in his computer, so they decided to come up with a solution to help. After brainstorming ideas, the team came up with the concept for the Magnetic Plug Adapter.

The middle school students on this team are: JJ Bergstedt (7th), Connor Ciembronowicz (7th), David Gartner (7th), Konnor Gottfred (7th), Leah McInerney (7th), Dalton Morris (7th), and Grant Singer (8th). Their coaches are Middle School Science teachers, Mike Manke and Julie Rohl. Mrs. Rohl was awarded National Teacher of the Year by the Challenger Learning Centers sponsored by NASA in May.

O'Brien: Sen. Rubio’s “Eddie Haskell” Moment

By Teri O'Brien - 

Back in the day, when he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) was a Tea Party favorite, a rising star in the Republican Party, and widely considered a probable 2016 presidential candidate, notwithstanding the fact that, like Barack Hussein Obama, he is not an Article II “natural born citizen” because both of his parents were not citizens of the United States at the time of his birth. Not that anyone cares about that fact, or any other provision in our outdated Constitution, written over two centuries ago by a bunch of slavery-enabling DWEM (Dead White European Men). Once Barack Obama was allowed to not only run for, but also assume the office of President of the United States, that ship sailed, and the idea of attempting to enforce Article II was as dead as those afore-mentioned drafters of that ncreasingly irrelevant document.

Interestingly, it’s not the Constitution or the rule of law that may deal the death blow to Sen. Rubio’s Oval Office ambitions. It’s his unfortunate and disappointing duplicity on the issue of amnesty for illegal aliens. Newsflash to Senator Rubio: Some of us speak Spanish, and for those who don’t, there’s the Google Translator. Regardless of which one you use, you can see the man that we once viewed as a defender of the country we grew up in talking out of both sides of his mouth over the last few weeks on the issue of “comprehensive immigration reform.” During an appearance last Sunday, 6/9/13 on Univision, speaking in Spanish, the baby faced Senator said:

Googlegate…oh, what a tangled web – part three

By Irene F. Starkehaus -  

Conservatives as a voting bloc have yet to figure out how to reconcile the values that a candidate declares on the stump to what his intentions are once he gets swept into office on a conservative platform. Let us be clear. Reagan's words have been pilfered by the RINOs on multiple occasions for the sole purpose of gaining power when they have no intention of following through on their election promises. ~part two

Conservatives recognize the challenges that we are facing politically, but still fail to produce a meaningful plan for energizing people to vote for our preferred solutions to the troubles our nation faces. We are guilty of the worst kind of crisis resolution when it comes to facing down the growth big government. We long for solutions, but our go-to strategy for breaking the Left's stranglehold is to unearth the outmoded bones of compromise that were fashioned for resolving conflict with people who don't view the US Constitution as an obstacle. We expect that our concessions with progressivism will produce happily-ever-afters and kinship with the opposition party and we are stunned when this strategy doesn't work.

A great example of this is Marco Rubio – rising star of the conservative coalition…rarely do we find such a person who is capable of so articulating conservative values, but he doesn't want to be accused of heartlessness when it comes to dealing with illegal immigration so what is his solution? Give Dems everything that they want and hope they will reciprocate our good faith compromises? Good heavens, why would they? But his answer to that question is, "Trust me. I'm not going to do anything that will hurt America's future."

Foster, Enyart vote no on funding for U.S. combat troops

Illinois Democrat Congressmen Bill Foster (IL-11) and Bill Enyart (IL-12) yesterday voted to cut funding for combat troops fighting overseas. Both Foster and Enyart supported the Van Hollen amendment to the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would cut the authorized Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding level in the bill by over $5 billion. The OCO funding in the NDAA is authorized specifically to support operations in Afghanistan and the global war on terrorism, replenishes readiness accounts used in prior years to cover underfunded war costs and goes directly to combat troops on the ground for military equipment operation and maintenance.

“Bill Foster’s and Bill Enyart's reckless votes to cut funding intended for our combat troops fighting terrorists overseas is disturbing and indefensible,” said NRCC Communications Director Andrea Bozek.

Republican Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06), who voted for the funding, released the following statement on the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 and his amendment:

Sebelius and Pelosi "get down" at the Capitol

Who says these liberal ladies aren't hip? Catch a glimpse of Speaker John Boehner's face and his obvious disbelief at what he's seeing - among historic Congressional patriots' statues. There's US Secretary of Health Services Kathleen Sebelius and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi dance and sing "Stop in the Name of Love." Maybe they should stop in the name of decency.

Tazewell becomes third Illinois county to permit right-to-carry

PEORIA - If you're in Tazewell County, State's Attorney Stewart Umholtz announced Friday he's allowing you the right-to-carry so long denied to Illinois citizens statewide. All you need is a Firearm Owners' ID, required for any gun purchase in Illinois.

"A citizen who wishes to exercise their Second Amendment right to carry a firearm outside of the home for self-defense should not be placed in the situation where they fear prosecution if they exercise a Constitutional Right," the prosecutor said in a news release. 

Tazewell County makes the third county allowing the right to carry. Madison and Randolph Counties enacted a similar policy earlier this week, with specific regulations guiding law enforcement.

A federal court ruling directed the state to enact a right-to-carry law by June 9th. Since then the US 7th District Court of Appeals granted Governor Quinn an additional 30 days to review consensus right to carry legislation the Illinois General Assembly passed to his desk hours before the May 31st adjournment.

Special interests and Illinois legislators stop deportation of illegal alien

Israel Lopez Bautista, an illegal alien from Guatemalan who was arrested here by immigration agents for having returned to the U.S. after being deported, was released without bail yesterday after complaints by relatives and activists.

At a press conference held on Thursday, supporters demanded that Lopez be released, noting that he has three U.S.-born children, so that he could spend Father's Day with his family.

Lopez was held until Thursday afternoon at the Dodge County detention center in Wisconsin, while activists sought to get Illinois legislators to intercede with ICE on his behalf.

LaHood: Concealed-Carry Legislation far from perfect

By State Sen. Darin LaHood - 

Two weeks ago, the General Assembly passed legislation to make Illinois the final state to have some form of concealed-carry law on the books. As a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, this was not an easy of a vote as you might think.

I have said for weeks that this legislation is far from perfect, but it is a huge step forward because Chicago-area legislators were forced to consider a proposal which further acknowledges your and my basic self-defense rights.

My vote in support of the concealed-carry legislation in House Bill 183 was difficult because, from a purely Second Amendment point of view, I know there are many gun-rights advocates who feel like the proposal fell far short of what they wanted. I understand and share that point of view.

Gay activists march on African American State Representative's office

ROCKFORD – A handful of gay rights activists marched outside State Representative Chuck Jefferson’s office yesterday. Jefferson (photo right) is one of the lawmakers who says he hasn’t decided where he stands on the issue of marriage redefinition.

Representative Jefferson has been a consistent no-vote for gay marriage in Illinois. "We wanted a chance to get out here and show him that he has constituents here who believe in equality,” said Bob Black, one of the organizers.

Photo via gay activist @WaymonHudson

Feeling harassed by political enemies? Maybe it's all that NSA data snooping

There is little public support for the sweeping and unaccountable nature of the National Security Agency surveillance program along with concerns about how the data will be used.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters nationwide believe it is likely the NSA data will be used by other government agencies to harass political opponents. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 30% consider it unlikely and 14% are not sure.

Government surveillance program may result in Chicago terrorist going free

CHICAGO (AP) - A defense attorney says prosecutors haven't denied that an expanded U.S. phone and internet surveillance program triggered an investigation that led to terrorism charges against a Chicago-area teenager.

Thomas Durkin has told a federal judge he needs to know how the government compiled evidence against Adel Daoud resulting in charges that he tried to set off a bomb in Chicago.

In a Wednesday filing in U.S. District Court in Chicago, prosecutors indicated the evidence against Daoud was gathered using traditional methods.

The expanded surveillance program has stirred debate over personal privacy rights versus national security needs.

Durkin says the filing's language suggests the program may have triggered the investigation into Daoud. If so, Durkin wants the case thrown out on constitutional grounds.

Prosecutor's spokesman Randall Samborn declined comment.

Stantis: Illinois' GOP candidates for Governor (cartoon)

Quinn encourages use of taxpayer-funded LINK cards

CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn (D) is encouraging Illinoisans to use of the state's LINK card programs as a way of stimulating the Illinois economy.

According to the Governor, the taxpayer-funded state food stamp program "invests back into local economies." Presumably through a government-controlled weath transfer system that takes taxes from working families and redistributes them to individuals specified by the state government.

Quinn's announcement came as part of a coupon program LINK is currently running.

"Chicago electorate is docile and dumb," Chicago Confidential author says

By Nancy Thorner - 

Part of Chicago's ongoing corrupt reputation can be attributed to the city's "docile and dumb" voters, former state Senator Roger Keats and author of Chicago Confidential said Wednesday at Heartland Institute's ongoing author series.

"Chicago has an electorate that is docile and dumb, despite living in the most corrupt big city in the country and the most corrupt state in America," Keats said. "I haven't been able to figure out why voters don't care." 

Corruption is rampant and ignored in Chicago, gangs rule the streets, lawmakers fight among themselves while the state drowns in debt, and to complicate matters, current Illinois' Governor Pat Quinn is missing in action, he said.

Having served as a state senator during three different decades, Keats saw two governors, 15 fellow lawmakers and 100 plus judges and court personnel, as well as countless government employees, land in jail. 

Hold your holsters: Illinois concealed carry not likely until 2014

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Watchdog - 

Just because Illinois lawmakers approved concealed carry legislation last month don’t expect residents to legally carry a gun anytime soon.

In fact it may be next year before Illinois gun owners can put a pistol on their hip.

“It all depends on what Gov. Pat Quinn does,” said Todd Vandermyde, a NRA lobbyist who has waited years for Illinois to finally allow law-abiding gun owners to carry a firearm. “He could sign the (legislation), he could veto it, or he could amendatory veto it.”

If the governor signs the legislation, the Illinois State Police would then have 180 days to set up a system to allow concealed carry. Legal gun owners could be carrying a pistol by January 2014.

But it could be spring or even summer 2014 before gun owners could carry in Illinois, if the governor vetoes the proposal, or changes the legislation with an amendatory veto.

Obama says he's "not giving up" on gay marriage in Illinois

At a Gay Pride reception held at the White House yesterday, President Obama reiterated his support for marriage redefintion in Illinois.

“I'll continue to support marriage equality and states' attempts to legalize it, including in my home state of Illinois. We're not giving up on that,” he said.

Secret Service Questions Man After Anti-Obama Twitter Posting

Remember when you lived in that America where you had freedom of expression? Well, it’s easy to imagine that the old America doesn’t exist any more with the story of the Secret Service agents that harassed a Twitter user because he dared criticize President Obama.

Tom Francois is an outspoken critic of President Obama on Twitter and has some 12 thousand followers that watch his every Tweet. (@Tom_Francois) But apparently his fans aren’t the only ones hanging on his every Tweet.

As Tom found out, the Secret Service has blown in a “follow” to Tom’s feed, too. But instead of laughing as Tom makes funny photoshopped, anti-Obama images and reveling in Obama’s many scandals, the Secret Service was watching and making plans to come pounding at his door to harass him for his political opinions. ...More HERE

Illegal aliens may now apply to Loyola med school

Hoping the move spreads to the rest of the medical community, Loyola University School of Medicine is now welcoming applications from Illegal aliens.

“We’re happy to be the first, but we hope we’re not the last,” Linda Brubaker, the school’s dean said on Thursday.

Loyola is waiving legal residency as a requirement and is working to help students receive taxpayer-funded loans for tuition and fees from the Illinois Finance Authority.

Illinois politicians force Anheuser-Busch to sell distributor

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) signed into law Thursday alcohol distribution legislation that will force Anheuser-Busch to sell its stake in City Beverage, its largest distributor in the Chicago area.

House Bill 2606 reinforces the state's three-tier distribution system, which requires the manufacture, distribution and retail sales of alcohol be split among separate business interests, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Anheuser-Busch has until Jan. 1, 2015, to sell its stake.

State Universities Retirement System provides model for Illinois pension reform

By Ben VanMetre - 

The Illinois General Assembly is gearing up for a special session to discuss pensions next week because of lawmakers’ reform inaction during the recent spring session, which resulted in back-to-back credit rating downgrades.

The debate during session will likely be over which of two plans will solve Illinois’ crisis – House Speaker Mike Madigan’s proposal or the one introduced by Senate President John Cullerton.

The irony of the crisis is that a model for pension reform already exists and operates in Illinois. And no one is talking about it.

Martire pushes to make 67% income tax hike permanent

CHICAGO - Center for Tax and Budget Accountability's Ralph Martire (photo right), who's been pushing for Illinois to abandon its flat tax for years in favor of a progressive income tax system, is now urging the Illinois General Assembly to make the 2011, 67% income tax hike permanent. "Nobody likes taxes," he starts out saying. Maybe that's everybody else but Mr. Martire. He writes:

"Nobody likes taxes. But everybody should be thankful Illinois increased its income taxes in 2011.

Here's why. Illinois lawmakers just enacted a General Fund budget for fiscal 2014 that starts July 1. Even a cursory review of that budget makes three things abundantly clear. First, a structural imbalance between revenue growth on one hand and service-cost growth on the other continues to plague state government."

Tapped out taxpayers shoulder more and more of the costs of teacher pensions

By Ted Dabrowski - 

Teacher contributions to the Teachers’ Retirement System, or TRS, have gone up by 100 percent since 1998. But taxpayer contributions to teacher retirements have gone up by 400 percent since then.

In 2012 alone, Illinois taxpayers contributed $1.6 billion more to TRS than teachers did. And the disparity between taxpayers and employee contributions is projected to get worse. Between 2013 and 2045, taxpayers can expect their annual contribution to TRS to increase by 260 percent, to $9.8 billion. Employee contributions, on the other hand, will rise only 142 percent, to $2.4 billion.

Higgins: Ignorance Wins in Hadley Middle School Book Controversy

By Laurie Higgins - 

On June 10, the Hadley Middle School Board of Education in Glen Ellyn reversed its prior decision to exclude the obscene and sexually graphic The Perks of Being a Wallflower from its independent reading program. This second vote was 6-1 infavor of retaining the book, with the lone wise and courageous opposing vote coming from school board president, Sam Black.

The school board voted to strengthen the parental notification letter that goes out to parents at the beginning of the year by adding a euphemistic caution, warning parents that particular books contain “mature” content. Yes, nothing says “maturity” quite like masturbating with a hot dog, homosexual sodomy between teenagers, and the use of obscene language.

For a parental notification letter to be meaningful, it should avoid vague and euphemistic language like “mature content.” Teachers should include clear and explicit descriptions of the “mature  content.” For example, in the case of Perks the notification should state that the book includes obscene language and depictions (in some cases graphic depictions) of masturbation, homosexual sodomy, heterosexual teen intercourse, incest, rape, and bestiality.