Illinois Review

Kids These Days

by Sam Pierce

What is wrong with kids these days? The ungrateful little punks should be ashamed of themselves. No, I'm not talking about the little wannabe thugs who wear their pants below their butts or the wannabe starlets/streetwalkers who wear... well, usually not enough. I am not referring to those who talk back to their parents or do not behave in class.

The brats I'm talking about are much worse! These are the selfish little trolls who don't know their purpose. Take my kids, for example. I have seven and only the oldest has a job, and it is part time! I'm not sure who is to blame for this outrage. Someone should be ashamed, however. At the very least, my thirteen and 11 year old children should be pulling their weight.

Canadians are Smarter Than We Are

By Ghost of John Brown

Over the last few weeks, liberals across the egalitarian spectrum have been going crazier than Cardinals fan trapped in Wrigleyville over the possible cuts to the Federal budget.  They have cried about all of the jobs that will be lost because of the debt ceiling deal, how we are driving seniors over the cliff, we'll make them eat dog food, and more people will be listening to Lady Gaga.  OK, I made that last one up but it sounds like a plausible end of the world scenario.

Facts are a hard thing when it comes to liberals.  If only we had a lesson from history about how a similar country faces rising debt, high unemployment and a lagging economy.  If only we could look to such a country and figure out what they did as an example.  Where, oh where could we do that?  Maybe Canada.

Tim Johnson Position on No Vote for Boehner Plan

by Susan Ryan

U.S. Rep. Timothy V. Johnson issued the following statement after voting in opposition to the debt reduction plan put forward by House Speaker John Boehner on Friday.

Rep. Johnson Statement on Boehner Plan

            “I have the greatest respect for Speaker Boehner. I believe he was the only person in leadership to act in good faith in these negotiations. I supported his Cut, Cap and Balance proposal a week ago and sincerely believed that was a way forward.

            “This latest proposal, however, is a shadow of that effort. It promises cuts in the years ahead but as any of us who have any experience in the process knows, there are no guarantees that those cuts will actually occur.

Why Hultgren voted Yes on Boehner's plan

WASHINGTON - Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet asked Congressman Randy Hultgren why he voted "yes" on the Boehner bill Friday afternoon after repeatedly leaning no.

"I didn't change, the bill changed," Hultgren told me outside the House chamber after Boehner squeezed out his face-saving rollcall. To win votes, including Hultgren's, Boehner added language to start the process of sending a balanced budget amendment to the states for ratification.

And then he added:

True or False? CPAC purges gays, Birchers

Matt Lewis reports:

According to official letters obtained by The Daily Caller, the gay conservative group GOProud and the ultraconservative John Birch Society won’t be co-sponsoring the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2012....

Laater, Matt updated his post to read "Update: GOProud's Chris Barron emails..."

Lauzen considers congressional bid

The Kane County Chronicle writes this morning that State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) hinted to supporters in an email that he's considering another bid for Congress - and this time he may be challenging a fellow Republican incumbent in the newly-drawn 13th CD - U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert.  Lauzen told supporters via email that he will make his plans for the future known at his upcoming annual Porky Pig picnic.

Quinn vetoes state employees health care plan extension

Governor Pat Quinn has vetoed a bill that would have allowed Illinois employees and retirees to keep their current health care coverage for another two years. State Rep. Jason Barickman says the veto wasn’t a surprise, but he says it’s still disappointing.

“He (Quinn) certainly signaled his opposition early,” he said. “Our hope was that with the large show of support in favor of this bill by upstate and downstate lawmakers … he wouldn’t veto this.”

Illinois is currently under a 90-day contract extension with current health insurance provider Health Alliance. After September, the state will go with Blue Cross Blue Shield as its sole health insurance partner. Critics say the Blue Cross Blue Shield doesn’t cover doctors and programs across the entire state.

via WJBC.com

Leadership call at WH goes unanswered

by Chris Robling

Fun with Marj Halperin, Robin Baumgarten and Tom Negovan on WGN-TV Friday morning:

Statewide News Headlines

by Zach Pratt for July 30, 2011

End of 2010 Fiscal Year, State Deficit: Out of 50, Illinois comes in 50th Place

State Treasurer Rutherford: Hoping for the Best, Preparing for the Worst

Quinn Vetoes Employee Insurance Measure

Private Scholarships to Help Immigrants, Legal or Not, Attend College

State Expands Medicaid

Dold statement on Boehner bill

Statement from Congressman Robert Dold (R-10) on the Budget Control Act of 2011

Congressman Dold issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Budget Control Act of 2011:

“Today I voted in support of the Budget Control Act of 2011.  I believe that we need to raise the debt ceiling and I also believe we must get serious about balancing the budget, cutting spending and paying down our skyrocketing debt. We need a bold, bipartisan plan to move forward.  As a small business owner I know that uncertainty hinders job creation.  We must do all that we can to put our nation on a fiscally sustainable path to give to job creators and entrepreneurs all across the country confidence to grow their businesses, invest and create jobs.”