Illinois Review

Illinois House supports more gambling - five new casinos and race track slots

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois House passed yet another massive expansion of gambling Monday, allowing slot machines at racetracks and airports, five more casinos -- including one in Chicago, Lake County, the south suburbs -- and all for the sake of paying down unpaid bills, State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Chicago) told House members.

Towns with already struggling casinos weren't supportive of the new licenses and expected the competition the drain potential gamblers resulting in less revenue and staff layoffs.  

SB 744 passed the Illinois House in a close 60 to 55 vote, with Republicans and Democrats both supporting and opposing.  The bill, sponsored by Democrat senators Terry Link and Donne Trotter and Republican Dave Syverson, is likely to be heard for concurrence in the IL Senate Tuesday.

The state's recent expansion of video poker gambling in liquor-selling restaurants is still in the regulation process, as the Gaming Commission works its way through mounting obstacles.

What kind of people are we?

by Sam Pierce

Today is Memorial Day and most of us seek to honor those who gave everything for our nation. The men and women to whom this day is dedicated sacrificed their lives on our behalf. They went off to serve their country and left behind parents, spouses, siblings, and children... some of whom would never get the opportunity to know their fathers or mothers. There is no greater sacrifice than that of those who lost their lives fighting our wars.

This piece is not about our fallen heroes. It is about the rest of us. We know what kind of people we lost in military action. What kind of people are we, the civilians? For what do we stand? What are we sacrificing? To what do we believe we are entitled? Who do we believe is responsible to provide us that which we believe is our due?

They Fought for Us

Soldiers Coming Home

"I Honor Back"

Memorial Day

They Gave All

Trace Adkins - Arlington

Welcome Home

Please Remember Me

Remember

Memorial Day

Remembering Them

IL Senate Dems fail to borrow Quinn's additional $6.2 B

SPRINGFIELD - The first of an expected four bills that would have given permission to Governor Pat Quinn to borrow $6.2 Billion to pay off overdue obligations failed Sunday night on the Illinois Senate floor.  

State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) spelled out three points of opposition to the idea of more borrowing while debating the first piece of legislation, SB 342:

LauzenSB342

SB 342's Senate sponsor Senator John Sullivan (D-Quincy) responded, a bit frustrated with the resistant Republicans saying "Not paying our bills is hurting our state," and that "This is not new debt ..."  Sullivan lists at the end of his call for the vote several groups that supported the Governor's plan to borrow $6.2 billion -- groups like teachers' unions and state workers' unions -- that have the most to lose if the state is unable to pay their bills.  Sullivan commented:

SullivanSB342

SB 342 was then voted upon, and it fell short with 19 for, 23 against and 4 present votes.  The Senate adjourned abruptly after SB 342 was defeated.  Back to the drawing board for Senate Democrats that urgently need budget passage before the clock strikes midnight Tuesday night.

UPDATE: IL House rejects Senate workers comp changes

SPRINGFIELD -- The Democrat-controlled Illinois House rejected workers comp changes the Illinois Senate overwhelmingly accepted Saturday.  Needing 60 yes votes, House sponsor John Bradley, who successfully passed the workers' comp "nuclear option" Saturday night, failed to deliver the Senate's suggested changes with 55 yes, 39 no and 19 voting "present."  

UPDATE:  Senator Raoul won't rule out calling Rep. Bradley's abolishment of worker comp system for vote.

IL Sen Dems Tweet: "Sen. Raoul says House vote frustrating after bipartisan support in Senate on workers comp reform."

The roll call on HB 1698 concurrence is HERE.

More to come ...

Will Sarah Run? Today on Teri O'Brien

by Teri O'Brien

This week we’ll be talking about Campaign 2012. Sarah Palin continues to play the Lame Stream Media like a fiddle. Do you think she’s running for president? Do you want to see her enter the race? Can she win the nomination? More important, can she defeat Barack Obama? What impact would her entry into the race have on the other candidates, including alleged “front runner” Mitt Romney?

Watching Mitt is like watching last century over-the-air networks trying to drum up enthusiasm for summer reruns of shows we didn’t want to watch the first time. Even Chris Matthews admits that Gov. Palin is a charismatic, interesting figure who generates the excitement that seems to be missing from the rest of the field, yet some other democrat strategists like Andrea Mitchell seem to be relishing the possibility of running against her.

One prominent GOP commentator, “well-respected,” by which I mean beloved by the media for her turncoat statements and behavior, blames Gov. Palin for her dating problems. Perhaps, or perhaps it’s the fact that her room-temperature level I.Q. and her TMI remarks about her sex life are a turn off. Is she, in the word of the week, a “slut?” And is that a bad thing?

Tom Roeser, "Mr.Conservative," RIP

by Chris Robling

Mary Anne Hackett sent a note at 11 this morning that said Tom Roeser's passing was announced at the 9 am liturgy at St John Cantius today.

Please pray for Lillian, his wife, and for the four beautiful children of their marriage, Tom Jr., Michael, Mary Catherine and Jeanne.

IR Editor's note:  Tom announced his retirement from radio just last week, and his radio talk show home at WLS AM 890 features a biography of Roeser's amazing career HERE.  He would have been 83 years old in July.

Workers comp reform passed to gov amidst debate over degree of reform

SPRINGFIELD -- During Saturday's Senate floor discussion on workers compensation reform several senators rose to express his or her views on Senator Kwame Raoul's HB 1698 before the vote of 46 to 8 with 2 not voting.   Senator Raoul did not take kindly to his opponents' criticism:

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More below the fold ...

Vote Fraud and A Lesson from History

By John F. Di Leo

What can today's patriots learn from Cato the Elder?

The year is 150 B.C.  Cato the Elder has been a Roman senator for some forty years.  He’s a good senator, and a heck of an orator.  Old he may be, but he can’t retire; he has a mission:  He must convince Rome to go to war with Carthage.  Again.

There have already been two Punic Wars, and they have been taxing for the Senate and People of Rome.  There are many reasons to go to war again, some very good, some bad.  Carthage remains a rival on the seas, a rival in trade… and Carthage still engages in the horrible practice of feeding children to a furnace, as food for their satanic “god.”  All this must stop.  But the people don’t want war; only Cato does.

So Cato has made it his mission in life.  Every speech he gives – on agriculture, on the budget, on taxes, on spending, on requisitions for the troops, on cobblestones for the roads, no matter the topic – he always ends the exact same way, with conviction: “…and furthermore… Carthage must be destroyed!”

On Redistricting and politics

Ms. Janet Silosky gave this testimony at the Will County Board's May 25th redistricting hearing

With malice toward none, and respect for all, I am here today to voice my objection to the proposed re-districting plans. Many may not know of this meeting, nor care, if they did. They most certainly would not be interested in the power-grab this plan affords.

But I do care. Furthermore, this plan is not compact, as maps statewide are required - section3, Article 4 of the Illinois State Constitution. The township I live in would be cut in four, not to mention the village, itself. What could possibly be the rationale? What this jigsaw of a puzzle does do, is afford a 2-1 Democratic majority where none was before. I wonder if this wasn't the original intent? Actions speak louder than words.