Illinois Review

Illinois becomes sixth civil union state

Illinois statewide officers celebrate civil union signing

CHICAGO -- Most of the state's major officer holders were present at the signing of the civil unions legislation Monday, including Governor Quinn, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, State Comptroller Judy Baar-Topinka and State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who is said to be considering a bid for governor in 2014. 

From ChicagoPride.com:

Gov. Quinn then recognized State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka and State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, both Republicans who supported the bill. "Civil rights transcend political partnerships," he said. 

Rutherford was the last to address the crowd. 

Obamacare: Unconstitutional

From TheRightSphere.com:

This time the judge hearing the case threw out the entire law. It’s a long read, but worth it. Judge Vinson lays out the history and legal precedents behind the Commerce Clause and its original intent. To bottom line it for you, he completely dismantles the Progressive case for everything they’ve done since the New Deal.

I was almost moved to tears when I read this on Page 42:

Roskam applauds Vinson ruling on Obamacare

Chief Deputy Whip Rep. Peter Roskam (IL-06) responded to a Florida judge's ruling today to declare President Barack Obama's healthcare plan overhaul unconstitutional.

“I applaud Judge Vinson’s ruling against Obamacare today," Roskam stated in a press release. "The healthcare overhaul not only destroys jobs, increases costs and taxes for consumers and employers, and reduces the quality of care, but its mandates on individuals, employers, and states are also unconstitutional. The American people and American job creators overwhelmingly oppose the overhaul and can’t afford it. The House of Representatives has already passed legislation to repeal the job-destroying law – I urge the Senate to follow suit and allow an up-or-down vote.”

Braun calls mayoral opponent "crack abuser"

Good 'ol Marathon Pundit tells it like it is.

From the inauspicious location of the Trinity United Church of Christ--yes, President Obama's old church--former US Sen. Carol Mostly Clown, make that Carol Moseley Braun, referred to a minor candidate for mayor of Chicago--a position Braun is seeking--as a crack abuser. And would you believe that the target of Braun's accusation, Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins, is a community organizer? Ya gotta love Chicago.

"Patricia, the reason you didn't know who I was for the last 20 years is because you were strung out on crack," Braun scolded. "I was not strung out on crack. I don't have a record."

Oh, Carol Mostly Clown certainly has a record--not a good one. As for Van Pelt Watkins, she admits to being a former marijuana and cocaine abuser, but she says she has been clean for 32 years. And crack cocaine didn't exist 32 years ago.

Boehner Applauds Ruling on Job-Destroying Health Care Law, Calls for Expedited Review

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement welcoming U.S. District Court Judge Robert Vinson of Florida’s ruling that the job-destroying health care law is unconstitutional, and calling for expedited review of his decision:

“Today’s decision affirms the view, held by most of the states and a majority of the American people, that the federal government should not be in the business of forcing you to buy health insurance and punishing you if you don’t.  It’s not only unconstitutional, it’s also unaffordable.  This job-destroying health care law remains a major source of uncertainty for small businesses, which is why all parties involved should request that this case be sent to the U.S. Supreme Court for a swift and fair resolution.  Of course, the easiest way to protect the American people from this job-destroying health care law is to repeal it so we can start over with common-sense reforms that lower costs and protect jobs without unconstitutional mandates, new taxes, and costly penalties.  The House has passed legislation to do just that, and I hope that Senate Democratic leaders will bring up the measure for an up-or-down vote.”

UPDATE 1x: Federal judge rules Obamacare "VOID"

Illinois' governor nor attorney general have hinted at any interest in joining 26 other states opposing the health care plan's federal mandate to be imposed on its citizens.  Will they now?

A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the president’s health care overhaul, “Obamacare,” is unconstitutional. The judge based his ruling on the unconstitutionality of the law’s individual mandate. The ruling affects the 26 states who had joined together to file a case against the law, but also has implications for the entire country.

via TheBlaze.com

UPDATE:  Declared VOID.  Florida Federal Judge Vinson wrote:

IL Supreme Court Chief Justice Kilbride's biggest contributor

With several crucial decisions facing the Illinois Supreme Court, drawing headlines and the Court's members being elected by district voters, who financially backed the candidates, bought ads, campaign collateral and paid staff for the campaigns is relevant and pertinent.

The only Illinois Supreme Court justice up for election or retention in the 2010 cycle was Illinois' 3rd District Thomas Kilbride, first elected in 2000.  In order to be placed back on the Supreme Court, 60 percent of the district's voters  had support Kilbride's retention.  Of the 513,808 3rd District voters that expressed their opinion in the hotly contested race, 338,520 or 65.88% supported returning the newly-elected Chief Justice to the state's highest bench.

Kilbride received support from several Democratic candidates, construction labor unions, AFSCME, the American Federation of Teachers and the most --$1,375,000 from the Illinois Democratic Party at the direction of House Speaker Michael Madigan -- Attorney General Lisa Madigan's father. 

House Speaker Madigan was key in pushing through the now-stalled 96th General Assembly's HB 255, along with Senate President John Cullerton.  The Democrat Party-backed governor and attorney general has filed appeals to the Supreme Court to overrule the lower appellate court's decision that HB 255 did not hold to the single subject rule.   

Why Left Wing Ideologues Can Never Be Happy

By Mark Rhoads

The election of President Barack Obama in 2008 was supposed to be like crossing the Jordan River for many on the Left and delivery to the promised land.  I realize they might not appreciate the religious meaning of that exact metaphor but there should always be room for a little humor on IR.  President Obama and very liberal congressional majorities during his first two years out voted GOP opponents and delivered on a wide range of long-term goals for the Left and yet millions of people in his former core constituency are still unhappy no matter what Obama says or does to try to please them.  Why is that? 

Will Madigan's Supreme Court investment pay off?

The Vending Times reports that House Speaker Mike Madigan's confident the $31 billion capital bill will survive at Illinois' Supreme Court level. Between Daddy Madigan and AG Daughter Lisa, they're working hard to convince us they're not concerned at all, that the survival of video gaming statewide is a sure bet. And why wouldn't they be? After all, they've stacked the deck in their favor.  From the Vending Times:

Following the Jan. 26 appeals court verdict, state Attorney General Lisa Madigan quickly filed a motion for an immediate stay of the ruling, pending an appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court. Gov. Pat Quinn, who signed the original omnibus bill, said he would file the appeal right away. Observers said a ruling on the stay motion could be issued as soon as Thursday, Feb. 3.

A spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said legislative leaders expect the state Supreme Court will eventually find that the omnibus bill did not violate constitutional requirements. Everything in the bill is related to a plan to raise $31 billion to build roads, bridges and schools statewide, he said.

So why are the Madigans so confident?