Illinois Review

Time to question the Chicago Hispanic media’s interests

by Robert Enriquez, GOP candidate for Secretary of State

A focused silence dominates the Chicago Hispanic media. It is surprising too, since everyone knows the political processes in Illinois have evolved as they excitedly declare that, “Hispanics everywhere are participating in greater numbers.” Going all the way back to 1818, not one of the 37 Secretaries of State of Illinois has been a Hispanic so one would think that an endorsed major party Hispanic to that office would cause a stir. Many people remember when Michael Howlett ran for, and became the 33rd, Illinois Secretary of State. The Irish media retold with pride he was the son of immigrants. To say nothing of how the African American media reacted to the arrival of our incumbent Secretary of State. These media outlets were delighted, and who can blame them?

Illinois' Alex P. Keaton all grown up

18th CD's U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock is featured this weekend in a Daily Caller bio, where the reporter describes him as "Alex P Keaton all grown up," when reviewing how Schock got started into business when in fifth grade and into politics just out of high school.

He views himself as a Ronald Reagan/Jack Kemp hybrid, with Reagan’s conservatism and Kemp’s chutzpah. “When I was in the state Capitol I had a very Democratic district, had the most Democratic district in Illinois, outside of Chicago. It had never been held by a Republican until I won it and beat an eight-year incumbent to get there. In my district there were 40,000 voters, 20,000 on food stamps, a huge union presence and my effort was, ‘Look, you don’t have to agree with me, I just want a forum. I just want to tell you why I’m running and see if we cant agree on some issues.’ And what I found was I could vote against things like the raising minimum wage … and go back and explain to them why it didn’t make sense to raise the cost of labor, what it meant to the jobs and the economic activity in the area and they understood it.”

Obama Throws Rangel Under The Bus

By Mark Rhoads

President Barack Obama told CBS News yesterday that it's time for the 80-year-old former Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) to end his career "with dignity."  Too late.

"I think Charlie Rangel served a very long time and served-- his constituents very well. But these-- allegations are very troubling,"  The Obama statement came after eight House Democrats also called on Rangel to resign his seat in Congress rather than face a full trial by the House Ethics Committee.

Bus, Meet Rep. Rangel, Mr. Rangel, Meet the Bus.  Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) will be under there with you shortly to keep you company.

One in three say Blago ethical as other politicians

Illinois voters are pretty cynical when it comes to evaluating the ethics of its politicans.  One in three say Blago's not much different than other Illinois elected officials, but two out of three say he's less ethical.

A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 59% believe the former governor is less ethical than his peers. Only two percent (2%) say Blagojevich is more ethical.

These results are similar to those found in December 2008, just after Blagojevich was arrested on charges including an attempt to sell the state's U.S. Senate seat recently vacated by President Obama.

Last month, 57% in the state said the impeached governor should go to jail.

Why Illinois Will Remain a Powerful Magnet for Illegals

by Nancy Thorner

Even before the  Arizona immigration law was to take effect on Thursday, July 29, Judge Susan Bolton, despite the fact that the Arizona law was written to conform to federal law, issued a temporary injunction against the most crucial aspect of the law which allowed police to determine the immigration status of people they stop and suspect of being in the U..S. illegally.

Although a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll of July 16-21 reported that the Arizona law is supported by twenty-four percent of Hispanics and sixty-one percent of white respondents, Chicago's Mayor Daley still had some choice words to say the morning after Judge Bolton's temporary injunction.  Among them were:  "We are a nation of immigrants."  In the eyes of Mayor Daley there are no illegal immigrants!

Video: Sen. John Millner on taxes

Sen. Matt Murphy at Sen. James Meeks' Salem Baptist Church

Cronin law will bring accountability, transparency to DuPage Water Commission

Legislation sponsored by State Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst) was signed into law on Friday, and is anticipated to increase transparency and oversight at the DuPage Water Commission.

Sen. Cronin introduced Senate Bill 580 (PA 96-1389) after an independent audit revealed evidence of serious mismanagement by the DuPage County Water Commission. The Senator said that his primary goal was to sunset the sales tax collected by the Water Commission. The tax will sunset on June 1, 2016.

“My number one priority was to sunset the sales tax, which this new law will do. That doesn’t often happen, so I consider that a significant accomplishment,” Cronin remarked. He went on to say that SB 580 is a different, more responsible, approach to government.

New Pawlenty Video

from Chris Robling

I am not supporting one candidate for president. I think we should all encourage all of the possible candidates. I am on Tim Pawlenty list and I received this video from his campaign today. Very solid.

Does Pop Culture Matter?

by Mark Rhoads

When President Obama told Joy Behar on "The View" on Thursday that he did not know who the MTV Reality Show character of "Snookie" was, I was happy and hoped he was telling the truth because I would hope the President has more important ways to spend his time than watching a show called "Jersey Shore."