GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - June 22, 2007
GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips include stories and op-eds on topics such as
- Illinois proposed 1-month long emergency budget
- Possible budget plan cut back
- Obama's "potentially serious problem" with Tony Rezko
- Republicans supporting a tax increase?
and more . . .
ABC7
-- Illinois officials plan one-month emergency budget - Andy Shaw
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=politics&id=5410469 (Includes video clip)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: One risk with the plan is that it removes the pressure for officials to reach a compromise. That could mean the deadlock over a long-term budget drags on all summer. "It's a possibility," acknowledged House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego. "If things continue the way they have been, I think the odds are great.")
NBC5
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: OUTRAGEOUS: NBC5 shamelessly promotes another amnesty, more guest worker programs, and more mass immigration
CBS2
-- Blago Announces Temporary Budget Deal Deal May Prevent Government Shutdown - Mike Flannery
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/local_story_172184041.html (Includes video clip)
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- Gov, leaders move to keep state government running Accord on 1-month budget puts dent in impasse - Dave McKinney
(FROM THE ARTICLE: While little headway was made on finding new dollars for Chicago-area rail and bus service, a surprise development emerged from Senate President Emil Jones, who floated the possibility of granting Cook County Board President Todd Stroger power to pick at least one of four suburban Cook RTA board seats. Those seats presently are occupied by Republicans. A Jones aide said he backs the idea because county board chairmen in the collar counties can make direct appointments to the RTA board, but Stroger cannot. "DuPage has an appointment, so why shouldn't the Cook County president have an appointment?" Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said. But House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) called the idea "alarming" and promised to fight the plan. "I hope that's not an attempt at some type of city power grab on the RTA, but we'll wait and see how it goes," Cross said.)
-- It's time to do a deal on Illinois budget Quiet effort to do end run around gov might bring end to stalemate - Rich Miller
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Budget progress temporary State leaders agree to OK 1-month plan - Ray Long
(FROM THE ARTICLE: House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego raised the idea of a stopgap budget during talks Thursday, drawing support from Democrats and Senate Republican leader Frank Watson of Greenville. . . . Cross said he hoped Democrats were not trying a "city power grab.")
-- Land of Lincoln's earmarks: Our lawmakers go shopping - Jim Tankersley
DAILY HERALD
(FROM THE POSTING: This year, spurred by a congressional push for more transparency in earmarking -- and led by Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who was the first to out his list this week - five members of the Illinois delegation released their earmark wish-lists for full public viewing: Emanuel, the Democratic conference chairman; Republican Reps. Peter Roskam, Judy Biggert and Mark Kirk; and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who appears to be the only senator running for president to release his list so far.)
-- Earmark blarney - Editorial
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: "Sunshine is the best disinfectant," U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) declared last week, standing up for transparency on the subject of "earmarks," those often-parasitic local projects that lawmakers like to slip into federal spending bills. "I've always believed in full disclosure, and have always attached my name to the projects I request for our district." What Weller meant to say, his office explained Wednesday, was that those proposals should be scrubbed down only after the House approves them. Who wants to answer a lot of pesky questions in advance?)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: (McKenna approved?) comments on the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Reform Illinois Tour meeting Monday evening in Lisle from Eric Krol, one of two political reporters given special treatment before, during, and after the event: Lauzen v. Oberweis; direct election of IRP State Central Committee members; few Hispanic-Americans, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, etc. attend the event; Pankau's and Sheahan's strong participation; Dillard's and Schillerstrom's non-participation; etc.
-- Hynes plays politics with information on state pay -
(FROM THE ARTICLE: His political career stuck in neutral, it appears the best Hynes can hope for is Barack Obama to get elected president. Then he could ask Blagojevich to throw him the bone of Obama’s seat. Failing that, Hynes waits for Secretary of State Jesse White to retire or Attorney General Lisa Madigan to run for governor. Beats holding a checkbook with no money, I suppose.)
-- Deal would keep state running over July - John Patterson
-- West Chicago residents protest video store’s porn Pickets walk at Family Video - Rupa Shenoy
(DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, even though RINOs, Democrats, and Libertarians object, all municipalities, especially each and every municipality in conservative Christian Republican DuPage County, should ban pornography.)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: All 450 Family Video stores have a backroom selection, except in cases where a municipality bans pornography, he said. That made Dean turn from writing to the company to writing West Chicago officials. Initially, Mayor Mike Kwasman was worried about infringing on constitutional liberties. “I’m not going to start burning books in the middle of the street,” he said. Still, Kwasman said the company has drawn his ire by rebuffing attempts to discuss the matter. Now the mayor is considering a city law that would mandate locked doors or closed-circuit television surveillance that is actively monitored. “I’m going to ask the city council to come up with a program or a plan,” he said.)
-- Youth prison teachers decry cutbacks -
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “This is a travesty,” said state Rep. Dennis Reboletti, an Elmhurst Republican. “These juveniles are sitting there basically on dead time. They’re not getting the counseling services they need, the skills they need to help them return back to a productive life.” Other area lawmakers including state Reps. Linda Chapa LaVia, an Aurora Democrat, and Patricia Reid Lindner, an Aurora Republican, offered similar criticism.)
-- A bit of turbulence for Obama and team - Editorial
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: But Obama’s largest and most potentially serious problem from recent days lies in information reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. First, the Sun-Times reported week that several years ago Obama wrote a letter in support of housing project — one with apparent merit — that netted now-indicted Democratic fundraiser Antoin Rezko a healthy developer’s fee. The newspaper later reported that Obama has received more money by way of Rezko contributions and fundraisers than he previously had said. Nothing in these recent reports establishes duplicity on Obama’s part. But for the health of his campaign, he ought to recognize that Rezko is radioactive and that there’s no benefit in folks finding out about additional Obama-Rezko connections in dribs and drabs. Maybe there’s nothing more to hear. Maybe we’ve now seen and read it all. But if not, then the sooner the candidate lays bare every possible connection and bit of history with Rezko, the sooner, presumably, he can put it behind him and the better off he’ll be.)
-- Schools do not need more money - Richard Kaiser, Elk Grove Village
NAPERVILLE SUN
-- Blagojevich spends as Pace suffers Governor spends tax dollars flying despite budget woes - Paige Winfield
(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/438770,6_1_NA22_BLAGO_S1.article)
(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/438770,6_1_NA22_BLAGO_S1.article)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Naperville's legislators describe Blagojevich's attitude in Springfield as "disinterested and disengaged" - even "hypocritical." "I'm absolutely disgusted ... I've never seen the government so ineffective as it is right now," said State Rep. Jim Meyer, of Naperville. "The people of this state are being hurt. The governor needs to be engaged, and he needs to be engaged right now." Instead, Blagojevich chooses to spend most of his time working out of his office in Chicago while the governor's mansion in Springfield lies empty. "We've been down here almost six months and really only in the last few weeks has he been showing up," said State Sen. Randy Hultgren, of Wheaton. "It feels frustrating and hypocritical in a way, because we've been down there, and he really hasn't been part of the process." During an eight-flight stretch, Blagojevich averaged less than five hours in Springfield per trip. "A lot of times he'll fly down there and then fly right back up," Hultgren said. . . But sparked by Blagojevich's frequent commutes, a bill is being pushed by Hultgren and other Republicans that would impose the same rules on the governor. "(His trips) don't seem right, don't seem fair," Hultgren said. "It's just very wasteful and doesn't make sense." Meyer said that by oscillating between Chicago and Springfield, the governor wastes legislators' time and diminished the possibility that a budget will be passed by the beginning of the new fiscal year July 1. "It doesn't do us any good to come down to Springfield until the governor is ready to sit down and discuss a long-term budget," he said. The General Assembly has extended its session into July twice since 1990. Meyer said this year will be the third July extension if Blagojevich continues his typical pattern of involvement. "(Blagojevich) seems to want to play Russian Roulette with the budget," he said. "He's not part of the problem, he is the problem." The Democratic-controlled House on Wednesday assigned for a committee hearing a Republican-sponsored resolution, introduced May 31, calling on Blagojevich "to reside in Springfield, ready to negotiate" on the budget during the overtime session.)
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Budget plan cut back - Doug Finke
(FROM THE ARTICE: "I don't think anybody wanted to go down that road," said House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego about the possibility of a government shutdown. "My read on it was there was a strong commitment by everybody to do this." . . . Despite pledges from everyone to keep state government operating, there are potential pitfalls. The governor and leaders must still agree on what should go into a bare-bones budget, whether it's for one month or one year. They acknowledged that a number of issues must be negotiated, such as whether the budget should include money to cover union pay raises set to go into effect July 1. "That's to be negotiated, but I would assume anything that takes place July 1, if it's an increase in salaries, that would be included. Should be," said Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson of Greenville.)
-- Balancing duties of a journalist and citizen - Phil Luciano
(FROM THE ARTICLE: I come from the mindset that reporters are citizens, and we should engage in the voting process. If it matters, I'm a registered Republican - not that I drink the conservative Kool-Aid. Rather, I live in Tazewell County, where the general election for county offices often has no Democrats. Races get decided at the primary, so I take a GOP ballot. You can call me partisan. I call it practical.)
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
-- Lawmakers, governor reach deal on a 30-day budget - Erik Potter
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/DC22C4BE4200AE0586257302000AF94E?OpenDocument
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Without a new temporary or permanent budget bill in place, the state's spending authority will expire on June 30 — the end of the current fiscal year — and prevent paychecks from going out to state workers and Medicaid reimbursements from going out to hospitals and eventually would lead to a government shutdown. "This was inevitable," said House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, of the plan to pass a temporary budget. "You're either going to shut down government or you're going to have this discussion.")
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Governor's commute costing taxpayers $6,000 per trip - Kevin McDermott
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/06/22/news/doc467a8da55d8da339513208.txt
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/06/22/news/doc467a8da55d8da339513208.txt
-- Governor, lawmakers agree to pass emergency budget - Kurt Erickson
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “It’s no frills,” added Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville. “It’s basically just keeping the system going.” The situation now facing the General Assembly mirrors 2004, when a stopgap budget kept state government operating while negotiations continued after the new fiscal year began July 1. A final agreement was reached about three weeks later. House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, called the decision a promising development after weeks of gridlock. “If we have a government that doesn’t shut down, it’s a positive thing for every Illinois resident,” Cross said. The leaders are at loggerheads over how much money to spend on schools, health care and state employee pensions. The threat of entering the fiscal year with no budget in place was beginning to hit home for many Illinoisans, said state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington. “People are extremely concerned and worried,” Brady said. “They want to know that there is leadership in Springfield.”)
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- GOP chief McKenna senses 'appetite for change' - Bernard Schoenburg
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Factions remain within the GOP, as some conservatives think the state central committee and McKenna haven't adhered to party principles. "We've formed an advisory council of conservative coalition groups to find ways that we can constructively help each other and work together," McKenna said. "I think that's been very well received." DIERSEN: Illinois Republican voters who have demonstrated by not only their words, but by their actions that they are "conservative" a) "think the state central committee and McKenna haven't adhered to party principles" and b) seriously question the motives, efficiency, and effectiveness of McKenna's and Curtin's formation of their "advisory council of conservative coalition groups.")
STAR NEWSPAPERS
-- Society loses as perception of Dad shifts to Homer - Fran Eaton
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Over the past 50 years, America’s views toward the traditional family dramatically swung away from the wise, patient Ward Cleaver perception of fathering in the 1950s to today’s stupid, clumsy Homer Simpson caricature. Those pop culture icons did not provoke the societal shift; they simply reflected it.)
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: "Republican" Jim Ryan supports a $5.5 billion tax increase
ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
-- Will the Governor Keep His Promise & Veto HB 1124? - Daniel T. Zanoza
FAMILY TAXPAYERS NETWORK
-- Truth in Accounting required from Illinois General Assembly Republicans
NEWSMAX
-- Zogby: Bush, Congress Mishandling Immigration
THE REALITY CHECK
-- Just Say “NO” to Bush And Amnesty - Christopher Adamo
FRONT PAGE
-- BEYOND TRAGIC: The Preferences Are Coming – Twelve Million of Them - Lloyd Billingsley
TANCREDO (YOUTUBE)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R04JADtIKi0
CHICAGO SUBURBAN NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: OUTRAGEOUS: Chicago Suburban News promotes anti-Bush fundraiser; organizer Slovick equates Bush with King Richard the Third
http://www.chicagosuburbannews.com/glenellyn/homepage/x398631777
DUPAGE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
-- Fred Spitzzeri of Naperville installed as President of the DuPage County Bar Association
http://www.dcba.org/releases/060807a.htm
(DIERSEN: Per Mr. Spitzzeri, among the many elected officials present at the June 7 installation were some 18 local judges, Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas, Regional School Board Superintendent Darlene Ruscitti, Senator Dan Cronin, Naperville Assessor Warren Dixon, Road Commissioner Stan Wojtasiak, Township Clerk Carol Bertulis, Lisle Township Clerk Rick Tarulis, and Naperville Trustees May Yurgaitis and Gary Vician.)
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
What should political reporters and journalists disclose? - Dave Diersen
One of my professional certifications is CPA - I favor full disclosure. I am one of the very few, if not the only, political reporter/journalist in Illinois who publicly states his political affiliation (Republican) and political philosophy (conservative). In addition, I fully disclose that I am the Chairman of one of the oldest conservative Republican organizations in Illinois -- TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois -- and an elected Republican Precinct Committeeman since 2000. Not surprisingly, all the political reporters and journalists in Illinois say they are against corruption, fraud, waste, and abuse. But outrageously, as everyone knows, while virtually all the political reporters and journals in Illinois say that they have no political affiliation and say they have no political philosophy, they have made it very clear that they are Democrats if not liberal Democrats. I believe that all political reporters and journalists should be required to disclose their political affiliation and political philosophy at the beginning of each article they write. One way to do that is to require a disclosure like (D-Liberal) after their name like you often see after the name of an elected official, for example, Peter Roskam (R-Illinois). Readers can then better assess the fairness, objectivity, completeness, timeliness, etc. of the article. Of course, misrepresenting your true political affiliation and/or political philosophy is a very serious offence. Also, obviously, candidates, elected officials, political party leaders, and their operatives want news and commentary that favors them and disfavors their opponents. Obviously, how candidates, elected officials, political party leaders, and their operatives treat political reporters and journalists says volumes about them. Over the years, the anti-conservatives who continue dominate the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) require the IRP to reward anti-conservative reporters and journalists and to punish conservative reporters and journalists. Obviously, it is improper for candidates, elected officials, political party leaders, and their operatives to reward or to punish political reporters or journalists to manipulate their reporting and opinions. Which political reporters and journalists will the IRP reward and punish at its June 25 forum in Peoria?
