Illinois Review

Public Affairs with Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin)

Barack Obama is Don Draper; Special Post-Speech Edition of the Teri O'Brien Show

by Teri O'Brien

Mix up that pitcher of martinis, brew up some strong coffee, or just bring a strong stomach as we deconstruct the Dear Reader’s latest bloviation, his campaign speech about Iraq tonight at 9 pm Central at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Teri-OBrien. I predict an orgy of cringe-inducing self-congratulation, in which this narcissistic former affirmative action Ivy League teacher’s pet rewrites history and proudly takes credit for presiding over the Iraq withdrawal time line that President George W. Bush established in December 2008.

I guess I can see why this unaccomplished empty suit needs to take credit for the achievements of others, and why he tries to run away from his embarrassing statements like saying the Iraq surge would never work, that couldn’t be more wrong if his name was Barry Wrongman, which actually wouldn’t be a bad alias, if he’s looking for to try a third name. He’s had at least two others, including the one on his birth certificate, which is …wait …oh never mind. 

The Rules Just Keep Getting Dumber and Dumber

By Ghost of John Brown

An ALL-ELECTRIC, let me repeat that, in case you skipped over it - ALL ELECTRIC car company has been cited $275,000 for failing to obtain a Certificate of Compliance from the EPA under the Clean Air Act.  Are there people that still wonder why business has not taken off lately?  Forget about tax incentives, stimulus money, etc., etc..  - how about just a little common sense from the regulators.  Is that too much to ask? In a similar story, which Rush talked about on his radio show, a tuckpointing business was fined by OSHA - you have to read the story - click here.  What is REALLY crazy about the original story is that Tesla received $465 million in loans from the Feds, they then turn around and give some of that back to the EPA for an Administrative fine.   Can we just make that a $464 million loan and call it even? Since Tesla has put about 1,000 cars out on the streets, that turns out to be about $500,000 per car.

Norquist calls on Quinn to pick flawed tax plan and stick with it

Today Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, called on Gov. Pat Quinn to be up front and honest about the true size of the income tax hike he has planned for Illinois families and job providers. In a letter to the governor, Norquist cited Quinn’s four separate calls for an income tax increase, each specific plan different than its predecessor.

Quinn’s different proposals, from Norquist’s letter:

•May of 2009: 50 percent income tax increase. This proposal would have increased the income tax rate from 3 percent to 4.5 percent and taken roughly $4 billion from the private economy near the peak of Illinois’ recession. It failed in the legislature, largely because of voter disapproval by a 30 point margin.
•March of 2010: 33 percent income tax increase.  Believing it was the size of his previous plan that turned off constituents, Gov. Quinn presented a scaled-down income tax hike that would have increased the rate to 4 percent, a $3 billion tax increase. This also went nowhere.

November's important "no" vote in the 3rd Judicial District

We always appreciate the context  former State Rep.Cal Skinner gives to current news.  On a recent post, he explains what happened ten years ago in a Supreme Court race and how things are different this time around in the Justice Kilbride retention vote ...

No opposition candidate will be on the ballot in the 3rd Judicial District.

But, there’s a hitch.

He has to get a 60% favorable vote to be retained in office.

Only rarely does a judge, a pretty low-profile office, get kicked out of office.

More HERE.

Kirk predicted to beat Giannoulias in November

Mark Kirk is predicted to win over Alexi Giannoulias in November, in today's Chicago Now ...

Stuart Rothenberg—a frequent guest on Sunday morning talk shows, an on-air election night analyst, and editor of the Rothenberg Political Report—is one of the go-to guys for nonpartisan predictions of political races. (The other is Charlie Cook). He said despite the résumé scandal that has dogged Kirk since Memorial Day weekend, the congressman should win in November.

“This cycle is bad for the Democrats and particularly bad for Illinois Democrats,” Rothenberg added, citing the ongoing Blagojevich trial, among other things. If the economic numbers in September and October are clunkers, then, he said, the Democrats are in big trouble. 

“Unless there is another question about Kirk’s integrity, character, which would change everybody’s opinion about him,” Kirk should emerge the winner, the analyst said.

More here.

Alexi Just Has to Play the Race Card

By Ghost of John Brown

See the video starting at 5:00 and then click "Continue Reading" for some comments.

 

So what did the Madigans know, and when did they know it?

These questions the IL GOP poses to the Madigans seem fair enough to us ... we'd actually like to know the answers, too.  We're tired of state policies being determined at the Madigans' dinner table.

Questions for the Madigan Family (and the Democrats) about the state payday loan legislation that wound up helping the Speaker’s son-in-law:

• Did lobbyist/son-in-law Jordan Matyas ever discuss his involvement with the legislation with either Mike or Lisa?
• If not, why not?
• How did Mike Madigan not know that Matyas’ client stood to benefit from the legislation?
• How did Lisa Madigan not know that Matyas was working with her staff to draft the bill?
• How can Lisa Madigan claim to be the state’s watchdog and not be aware of her future brother-in-law’s involvement?
• When did they learn of Matyas’ involvement?
• Does either Mike or Lisa believe there was a conflict of interest?
• What controls or procedure can be used to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future?

Victory is the Only Option

Schilling Questions Rep. Hare's Vote on H.R. 1586

from Schilling for Congress

EAST MOLINE, IL--Bobby Schilling, Republican candidate for Congress in the Illinois 17th District, recently came out against Rep. Hare's vote on H.R. 1586. The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Hare, doled out $16.1 billion to states in increased Medicaid reimbursements and $10 billion intended to create education jobs. However, the bill was paid for through several cuts to important programs. Over $2.2 billion was rescinded in Department of Transportation stimulus contracts ($76.4 million from Illinois contracts) and $47 million was raided from the Social Security budget. Schilling did not approve of these specific cuts.

"The payment strategy for H.R. 1586 is flawed," Schilling said. "I don't support raiding Social Security, and I certainly don't support taking funds away from crucial infrastructure projects. There aren't Republican roads or Democrat bridges, there is only American infrastructure and we need to be investing in it. There are plenty of other places to make spending cuts such as the $2.5 trillion healthcare reform, much of the $787 billion stimulus package, and the billions in taxpayer dollars wasted on government bureaucracy every year."