Illinois Review

Budget Balancing Grows More Challenging with Inaction

By State Rep. Bob Pritchard -

Governors and legislatures are wise to be cautious about taking actions that could damage the economy.  Inaction in Illinois, however, is having the same effect.  As Governor Quinn prepares for his annual budget address on March 6, he will have to face the increased costs from his inaction--and that of his party--on implementing reforms in the FY2013 budget and passing pension reforms.

Information from the House Revenue and Finance Committee points to over $1 billion of increased costs in this budget year due to the failure of the Governor to implement reforms directed by the legislature.  Add another $1 billion in projected spending due to the failure to pass pension reform.

Four black Republicans speak out against status quo in 2nd CD

CHICAGO - Four courageous souls are vying Tuesday on the 2nd Congressional District's Republican ballot to challenge in April whoever Democrats pick as their primary winner. All this campaign activity is to replace the resigned and disgraced former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.  

Those persons whose names are on the GOP primary ballot include Paul McKinley, Lenny McAllister, Beverly Reid and Eric Wallace. All four are black and it is possible that the winner of the Democrat primary could be the only white candidate in the race - former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson. 

     
(McAllister, Reid, McKinley, Wallace pictured above)

"Debbie could win because there's so many blacks on the ballot and they're dividing up the vote," a 2nd District black leader told Illinois Review Monday. But it's not unusual that any leader with such dreaded news would refuse to go on record. The southside Chicago community from which he comes is tight and the leaders ostercize those who speak out against the status quo. 

Walsh tops Illinois Congressional delegation in Club for Growth 2012 ratings

WASHINGTON - Tuesday, the Club for Growth released their annual congressional member rankings on issues relating to limited government and economic growth. The highest ranking member for 2012 was former Congressman Joe Walsh, who ranked the 15th highest with a score of 94.

“2012 was a difficult year for economic freedom,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “Whether it was the GOP’s support of massive tax increases or the constant assault on liberty by the Obama administration, the pro-growth caucus in Congress has a lot of work to do in 2013. The Club’s scorecard is intended to help our members and the general public understand who talks a good game on limiting government and passing pro-growth policies, and who backs up their words with votes. We urge the next generation of conservative leaders to keep up the fight in the 113th Congress.”

Additional CTA cameras cost taxpayers, but fail to reduce crime

Even with $26 million in taxpayer-funded, high-resolution cameras finally in full force last year, reported crime at CTA rail stations rose 21 percent, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis shows.

And compared with 2010 — well before most of the CTA’s current 3,600 rail station cameras were installed — station crime was up 32 percent. ...More HERE

Political theatre: Illinois Lincoln impersonator to lobby Washington

An actor who portrays President Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield is travelling to Washington, DC to lobby for museums on Capitol Hill.

Actor Fritz Klein (photo right) is portraying Lincoln at Museums Advocacy Day on Tuesday morning. The federally funded American Alliance of Museums is bringing more than 300 museum professionals from 45 different states to press lawmakers for more support.

Klein plans to make the case for the educational and economic benefits of U.S. museums, and will also perform as Lincoln for students at Washington's Brent Elementary School on Tuesday.

The Feared Sequestration is really just 2.3 percent

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's own administration came up with the idea of sequestration two years ago, and now that the cuts are scheduled to take place on March 1, panic has set in as the White House realizes that not only will major cuts take place at the Pentagon, but in other parts of the budget. Parts of the budget that may sever the depth of government dependency so many voters have come to rely upon.

So, the President has taken to the road, campaigning to put pressure on Congress to stop the sequestration he started. Congressional leaders are frustrated because he's leaving town rather than discussing the budget, and they fear the American public will turn on them completely while the President and Mrs. Obama are out among the people, bolstering their public approval numbers. 

GOP responds to Obama's anti-sequester campaign (video)

The Republicans are starting to push back on President Obama's anti-sequester campaign, releasing a video today calling on Senate Democrats to pass a replacement for Obama's sequester and for Obama to stop traveling around the country and insted make a trip to Senate President Harry Reid's office down the street from the White House.

The Sequester: Worse than the Mayan disaster or manufactured hype

By Nancy Thorner -

As is the standard these days with so many low-information Americans, all they know is that something they are to dread, a sequester, is set to take effect on Friday, March 1, unless a deal is reached. And what makes so many Americans perceive that failure to reach a deal will usher in devastation of a catastrophic nature? Might is be because President Obama has been pounding home the horrendous effects of the sequester upon this nation, abetted by the mainstream media, should sequester become a reality on Friday. 

Among many of Obama warnings: Furloughs of 800,000 civilian Pentagon employees; Air traffic controller furloughs resulting in three-hour waits at airports to clear security; 1,000 FBI agents laid off; fewer police and firefighters on the street; tens of thousands of parents will have to scramble to find childcare for their kids, and thousands of teacher and educator layoffs. Still not satisfied with his veiled threats, on Tuesday (Feb. 16), Obama plans to head to a shipbuilding yard in Newport News, Virgina, (a defense heavy region) to highlight how potential job losses could negatively impact the economy of the region.  

R&D flees Chicago

The Chicago region has experienced a massive decline in private investment in research and development, according to a new report by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Once one of the nation's top R&D manufacturing centers, Chicago has taken a nosedive in the last decade — losing almost half its R&D jobs, the study says. There were just under 30,000 such jobs in 2002 and just more than 15,000 in 2011.

“Overall the region is seriously underperforming in research and development, or R&D, compared to its historic strengths in the field,” the report states. ...More HERE

Illinois Family Institute releases video of traditional marriage rally in Springfield

Preceeding today's hearing on marriage redefinition in the Illinois House, the Illinois Family Institute released a video yesterday about it's February 20, 2013 rally for traditional marriage where thousands of people descended on the Illinois Capitol to express their opposition to the legislation.

North Carolina license for illegals program a precursor for Illinois

As Illinois prepares to issue drivers licenses to illegal aliens, a similar driver's license expected to be issued to illegal aliens in North Carolina has prompted some state lawmakers and immigrant rights groups to voice concerns over the the format. The proposed license has a pink stripe and the words "No Lawful Status" on it.

Cinthia Marroquin, a 22-year-old Raleigh resident, said even if she is able to get the license, she is worried about presenting a license declaring she has "No Lawful Status" at a police roadblock or while writing a check at the grocery store. "Having that license is just going to show everybody you're here illegally, just buying a beer or writing a check. You don't know how people might react."

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina also takes issue with the designation. "North Carolina should not be making it harder for aspiring citizens to integrate and contribute to our communities by branding them with a second-class driver's license," said ACLU attorney Raul Pinto.

Expect the same issues and objections to arise soon here in Illinois. ...More HERE

Falvey appointed Lyons Township Republican Committeeman

Cook County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Del Mar (photo right) announced the appointment of Jim Falvey as the new Committeeman in Lyons Township.

Jim “will do an excellent job building the Republican organization in Lyons Township and strengthening Republican efforts in this important township,” said Del Mar. “I made this appointment after he was unanimously recommended by our review committee, who interviewed several supremely qualified individuals for the position. It is our hope that all of these individuals will work with Committeeman Falvey to accomplish the important tasks ahead as we prepare for an election where we will have the chance to elect a Republican Governor to lead Illinois back to prosperity.”

Stand by your man: Emanuel backs McCarthy despite remarks, criticism and murder rate

Despite Chicago Police Chief Garry McCarthy's comments about the Constitutional rights of legal firearms owners, increasing criticism about him by African American aldermen, and a skyrocketing murder rate, Mayor Rahm Emanuel gave McCarthy his “100 percent support” at a press conference today.

“Both Garry McCarthy, Al Wysinger (First Deputy Police Supt.) and the entire leadership in the police department have my 100 percent support,” Emanuel told the media.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy shadowed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Two weeks ago McCarthy told WLS's Bill Cameron he strongly believes legal firearms owners who lobby their elected representatives or who donate money to political campaigns are engaged in corruption that endangers public safety. He went on to say the U.S. Constitution limits citizens to owning smooth-bore muskets and supports mandatory liability insurance for firearm owners as well as the mandatory application of GPS tracking devices to civilian owned firearms. (listen below)

McCarthyWLSAM

Walsh: What a Bunch of Media Hypocrites!

By Joe Walsh -

Over six weeks ago, I asked Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady to step down after his public comments on same-sex marriage. My request had nothing to do with Pat Brady — who’s a good guy — and it had nothing to do with the issue of same-sex marriage. There are plenty of Republicans who support traditional marriage, and there are plenty of Republicans who support same-sex marriage.

Brady needs to resign not because of where he stands on marriage, but because, as the party chairman, he needs to publicly support the party platform which he helped draft last year or keep quiet. Pat, not once, not twice, but three times, publicly rebuked the party platform and publicly rubbed Republican noses in it.

That’s not right for the party chairman to do, no matter what the issue is. The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald and others know this, but they continue to use this dispute as a way of claiming that it’s all about same-sex marriage. They try to portray Republicans as intolerant on the issue of same-sex marriage. They are practically giddy about this.

Genoa-Kingston Student Told To Cover Marine Shirt Or Be Suspended

By Ulysses Arn -

Today a Genoa-Kingston Middle School student’s parent is claiming that a teacher ordered his son to cover his US Marine themed t-shirt or be suspended. Dan McIntyre says that his son Michael has wore the shirt to school many times in the past and that he is a big fan of the branch of the US military.

Dan McIntyre says that, “A teacher noticed the guns on the shirt.” He went on to say that the teacher said there was a school policy against the image of a gun. Michael complied when the teacher asked him to turn the shirt inside out. However, Dan says that he son was still reported to the schools principal.

Exporting radicalism: Bill Ayers to be featured speaker at Minnesota University

Chicago's William Ayers will be on the Minnesota State University Moorhead campus this week for a public speech and meetings with faculty and students on how to incorporate social justice issues into curriculum.

Ayers, 68, co-founded the Weather Underground, a group that in the late 1960s and early 1970s bombed government buildings – including the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol and the New York City Police Department.

Since then, he’s become a self-proclaimed expert on education reform and was a taxpayer-funded professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He's also a close friend and confidante of President Barack Obama.

Where there's one, there are more: Local Grocer Bilks Food Stamps Program $844,000

A former Waukegan grocer was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison Monday for defrauding government and nutrition programs.Khaled Saleh, 48, the owner of Sunset Food Market in Waukegan, Illinois was charged with illegally exchanging cash with customers using food stamp cards and nutrition coupons during an undercover investigation.

Khaled, along with his wife, Fatima Saleh, 37, acquired more than $844,000 paying customers approximately half the value in cash for goods purchased at other stores using their benefits. They then re-sold the same items in their store at a substantially higher price. ...More HERE

Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund goes five years with no growth

By Jonathan Ingram -

The Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund, or CTPF, lost money last year.

Although pension trustees predicted the fund would earn $778 million in fiscal year 2012, the fund actually lost more than $38 million. The system posted an investment return of -0.4 percent, far below the 8 percent expected. That brings the five-year average return to exactly 0 percent.

Unfortunately, when investment returns come in under projections it falls on taxpayers to make up the shortfall. The more than $800 million of missing investment income will be added to the unfunded liability, and Chicago taxpayers will be paying more and more money during the next 30 years to make up for the poor returns.

Chicago-style "Pay to Play" emerges in DC with OFA

WASHINGTON - The Obama Administration has turned its campaign network into Organizing For Action (OFA), and is raising $50 million to push the president's liberal agenda. How do they plan raise the money? For a mere $500,000 contribution to OFA, one can attend quarterly meetings at the White House and be invited to other advocacy planning sessions. In other words, for a steep price, donors will have access to the Obama Administration - commonly referred to in Chicago as "pay to play."

Shocking, MSNBC's Chuck Todd says...and hypocritical. We here in Illinois wonder...what took him so long? Obama's scheme seems eerily similar to Rod Blagojevich's pay-to-play schemes. Maybe it's simply "unethical" in DC to employ such tactics - something Rod Blagojevich defended "as the way things were done" until the cell was latched behind him. Chicago now on the Potomac.

Illinois House GOP Introduces ‘Pro-Growth’ Jobs Package

Illinois State Representative Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon) and Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) with fellow legislators and members of the business community revealed a pro-growth jobs package today at the Illinois Capitol.

According to the House GOP, the package is aimed at making Illinois job creators more competitive with Illinois’ border states by reducing start-up costs for small businesses, eliminating job-killing policies, speeding up the approval of state permits and licenses, rolling back taxes, making research and development tax credits permanent, implementing workers’ compensation reform, and restoring fairness to Illinois’ court system.

“The pro-growth jobs package is necessary at a time when many people are looking for work,” said Rep. Dwight Kay. “Job creators are looking for a place to stay, expand, and grow. We have an educated workforce ready to go to work. Illinois is home to one of the best infrastructures and we are the financial capital of the Midwest. Putting people back to work will provide opportunity and grow our economy. Jobs equal revenue and Illinois desperately needs more revenue without raising taxes.”

ILGOP postpones reception honoring Exelon's John Rowe

CHICAGO - IL GOP Chairman Pat Brady notified ILGOP officials over the weekend that a reception to honor Exelon's retired CEO John Rowe scheduled for March 19 has been postponed. The event, which was to have been attended by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and was supposed to have raised $250,000 for the party March 19th. 

The event postponement, sources report, was due to the State Central Committee scheduling a meeting in Tinley Park March 9th to discuss the possible ousting of Chairman Brady over the supposed gay marriage flap. But others wonder if there was more to the postponement than meets the eye. 

In addition to Illinois Review's report that Rowe had given significantly more support to Illinois and Chicago Democrats than to Republicans, in 2012 the New York Times pointed out that under Rowe's leadership, Exelon employers had donated over $395,000 to Barack Obama. 

Rauner joins GOP speaking circuit

QUINCY - Chicago businessman Bruce Rauner told Quincy area Republicans Sunday that he's exploring a bid for governor of Illinois, and said he's been on a listening tour throughout the state. Rauner's is part of the traditional pre-election year Lincoln Day Dinner circuit. Others exploring a 2014 bid that joined Rauner in Quincy were State Senator Kirk Dillard and State Treasurer Dan Rutherford. All their speeches were posted HERE

Another speaker, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, suggested that Bruce Rauner funded recent anti-Aaron Schock ads that have been running in his district. Schock has hinted he's interested in a gubernatorial bid as well.

Louis Farrakhan: Chicago Gang Members Can Serve As Protectors For Nation of Islam

According to published reports, Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan told more than 7,000 followers Sunday he was planning to reach out to gang leaders to help "protect" the Nation of Islam.

At the Nation of Islam's 'Saviours' Day convention' Farrakhan called for African Americans to pool their money and buy as much land as possible, in order to "control means of production." He also announced he plans to contact Chicago gang leaders and recruit their members to "protect" any land the Nation of Islam might buy in the future.

Louis Farrakhan | AP

According to Farrakhan, gangbangers are "natural soldiers" and could be taught "the science of war" to become protectors of the Nation of Islam's assets.

Pro-family forces take aim at State Rep. Ron Sandack over same sex marriage vote

As the battle over redefining marriage moves to the Illinois House this week, pro-family groups are taking aim at Republican State Rep. Ron Sandack (photo right).

Calls recorded by conservative activist Sandy Rios, and paid for by Illinois-based Family PAC (listen below), are being made to Sandack's constituents. Pro-family organizations are concerned that Sandack is preparing to break his campaign promise to oppose same sex marriage in Illinois. According to sources, Sandack has told colleagues he now intends to vote for bill, which has already been approved by the Illinois Senate.

Rios call to Sandack constituents

LGBTQ group claims Illinois Latino leaders advocate same-sex marriage

According to LGBTQnation.com, a group of Latino leaders has said legalizing same-sex marriage in Illinois would strengthen families and is “the right thing to do.”

Basing their support on "love" and "discrimination," the letter sent to lawmakers yesterday urged them to approve the same sex marraige bill proclaiming, “no member of anyone’s family, whether they’re gay or straight, should face discrimination when they hope to marry the person they love.”

Some named signers included such left-wing "leaders" as City Clerk of Chicago Miguel Del Valle, Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum Sylvia Puente, and Jesse H. Ruiz, Vice President of the Chicago Board of Education.

However, public opinion polling has consistently shown that a large majority of latinos oppose same sex marriage.

Illinois unpaid bills to hit $22B by 2018

A report from the Chicago-based Civic Federation predicts that Illinois' backlog of unpaid bills will reach nearly $22 billion within five years without legislative action to hold down pension costs.

The watchdog group notes some improvement since last year when it was forecasting a $35 billion backlog in overdue bills. The improved outlook is largely because of $1.6 billion in Medicaid cuts Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law last year.

Civic Federation President Laurence Msall says Illinois lawmakers need to restructure its pension systems because they are keeping the state in what he calls "its fiscal downspin."

UNO scandal spreads to Mike Madigan

Not surprisingly, llinois House Speaker and state Democrat Party boss Mike Madigan — long-time friend to Chicago’s United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) — had a campaign fund-raiser last Oct. 30 hosted by UNO's chief executive, Juan Rangel, and its lobbyist, attorney Victor Reyes. The event was lucrative, with UNO contractors writing checks for more than $24,000 to campaign funds controlled by Madigan.

Of course, Madigan had helped the charter school organization get a $98 million taxpayer-funded grant in 2009, without any requirement for competitive bidding on the work. However, as the Sun-Times recently revealed, millions of dollars from the grant ended up going to family members of UNO’s political allies and to a top executive of the group, Miguel d’Escoto and his brothers.

Now the Sun-Times reports that after the Madigan benefit, a bill was introduced in Springfield on Jan. 2 that would have provided another $35.2 million in taxpayer money UNO was seeking to build more charter schools. The author of the bill, state Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), says she's unsure who added the UNO benefit into the bill, which would assist UNO with two more charter schools in Bedford Park, on property in Madigan’s district that Rangel hopes to get annexed by the city of Chicago. ...More HERE

Illinois Speaker of the House and Democrat Party Boss Mike Madigan | AP

Could Ammunition Hoarding be Justified?

By Nancy Thorner and Ed Ingold -

Barack Obama has a past history of seeking strong gun control laws, which supersedes the present focus of attention being directed on the gun "problem" by the White House. 

Consider the availability of ammunition. Harkening back to an Obama Colorado campaign speech in July of 2008, in a deviation from his prepared text Obamaremarked: "We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." This statement caused numerous writers to speculate that Obama was eluding to some kind of national Obama para-military force.

White House spins 'possible' effect of sequester cuts on Illinois

As part of its public relations effort to turn up the heat on Republicans in a standoff with President Barack Obama over taxes and spending, the White House on Sunday spelled out dire state-by-state impact of spending cuts now mandated by law to start March 1.

According to the Obama Administration, if the sequester happens "Illinois would lose more than $58 million in federal education funding this year, about 14,000 of the state's civilian Defense Department workers face furloughs and O'Hare International Airport could see customs delays of four hours or more unless Congress acts soon to avert mandatory budget cuts, according to the White House." Details of the spin can be found HERE

Michelle Obama Hijacks Oscars: Like Finding a Rat in the Bottom of Your Salad Bowl

By Teri O'Brien - 

Perhaps owing to my extremely low expectations, for most of last night’s Oscar broadcast, I was pleasantly surprised by Seth MacFarlane’s mediocre performance, which was lame as I expected, but not quite as crude and obnoxious. He was sort of like a game show host who laughed a lot at his own jokes. I will say that I thought the sock puppet “Flight” was one of the funniest things I have ever seen on an awards show in years, which, granted, is a very low standard, so there was that, but that happened within the first 20 minutes of the show, and by the time over 3 hours had passed, the satisfaction provided by that little morsel had worn off. If I wore a watch, I would have been looking at it after the first hour.

2nd CD to pick primary candidates and Jackson successor Tuesday

CHICAGO - Tuesday, both the Democrats and the Republicans will pick nominees for the April General to replace former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. Jackson. Last week, Jackson together with his wife, former Chicago alderman Sandi Jackson, pled guilty before a federal Washington DC courthouse, facing time in prison for misspending campaign funds and filing misleading tax returns. The Second Congressional District's Democrat primary has become contentious in the last few weeks, and after the dropping of two state senators from the race, the leading contenders of the remaining 15 Democrats appear to be former State Rep Robin Kelly, Alderman Anthony Beale and former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson. 

Black leaders speak out in favor of 2nd Amendment

WASHINGTON - Several national black leaders gathered last week at the nation's capitol to express their support for gun rights and the Second Amendment - BELOW:

Give An Inch to Gun Control Activists ...

By Jan Silosky - 

The opportunity the Sandy Hook Massacre provided the Democratic Party continues its push towards doing away with the 2nd Amendment, in reality if not in fact, and  has a multitude up in arms - no pun intended.

Missouri Democrats attempt to pass a bill in which gun owners must willingly surrender certain fire-arms, or be charged with a felony with no reparation for legally bought personal property, is just one such example. Here in Illinois, Cook County's States Attorney, Anita Alvarez is on record as saying that she did not believe anyone but police should ever be allowed to own a gun. The strict gun laws in Cook County now jeopardized by the Federal Appelate Court ruling, brought forth the reponse last week from Paul Castiglione , a representative for Ms. Alvarez, that this ruling to be "not binding" on the state.

It looks like someone in the States Attorney's office has determined Cook County to be a law unto itself.

Recording of Chicago top cop gun comments made public

The recording of Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy claiming that lawful firearm owners are agents of political corruption has been made public - listen below.

McCarthy, who spoke with Bill Cameron on WLS AM 890 last Sunday, expressed his conviction that firearms owners who lobby their elected representatives or who donate money to political campaigns are engaged in corruption that endangers public safety. He also went on to express his belief that judges and legislators should rely on public opinion polls - rather than the law - when interpreting the Constitution.

After dismissing the citizen's right to redress grievances, McCarthy took aim at the 2nd Amendment, opining that it limits citizens to owning smooth-bore muskets and supports mandatory liability insurance for firearm owners as well as the mandatory application of GPS tracking devices to civilian owned firearms.

Gov. Pat Quinn, Chicago Policy Chief Garry McCarthy, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel | nwi.com

McCarthyWLSAM

Did State Sen. Sandoval pull a "Joe Paterno" regarding Catholic abuse?

By Sean O'Leary -

During a heated moment in the debate over legalizing gay marriage in Illinois, State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) either lied about, or turned a blind eye to, child abuse. In his speech on the Illinois Senate Floor, Mr. Sandoval said "I ... witnessed  personally in my eight years in the seminary, you know, homosexuality, alcoholism and even men that were pedophiles. The church and its leaders who didn't provide any support to these good men of faith allowed them to ruin the lives of many of our loved ones."

Sandoval admitted he "witnessed" pedophiles. This begs the question, if he had knowledge of pedophilia, what exactly did he do about it? Did he do a "Joe Paterno" and look the other way, or did he report what he saw? If he failed to report the child abuse then he bears the same responsibility the leaders of the church do.

Illinois State Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero)

And what about the senator's comments in the Chicago Tribune about the closing of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary. "The school is important symbolically. I am offended as a Catholic and a former seminarian," Sandoval said, vowing a fight to save the seminary. The school "has been part of the fabric and the successes of the time."

The article notes that Mr. Sandoval sent his son to the same school. So it begs the question, if the seminary was laden with pedophiles and alcoholics, why would he advocate keeping it open...and enroll his son?

Robling: The truth behind the Brady/Clarke broil

By Chris Robling - 

Jerry Clarke is nursing a grudge because he blames his loss to Rodney Davis on Pat Brady. Thus, his attempt to try and oust Pat Brady as Party Chairman has as much to do with the gay rights bill, which I oppose, as the Man in the Moon. (See: Illinois GOP State Central Committee calls meeting March 9th to oust Chairman Brady)

Pat Brady is the most effective chairman we have had since Harold Byron Smith, and in some ways I think he has surpassed Mr. Smith's impressive achievements. This attempted putsch, which I believe will be put down, is utterly unworthy of any party that wants to compete for the Governorship in 2014.

Our fellow Illinoisans are jobless to an almost unprecedented degree. Families fear for their ability to afford college, let alone retirement. Their state government betrays instead of serves them. Corruption reigns in the fetid dung heap of Springfield where cynical devotion to the Third House of Illinois Government, AFSCME, eclipses any effort at reform. Democrats run amuck, unchecked, untethered and uncaring for the suffering they inflict on the beleaguered taxpaying families of the Prairie State. It is a cruel game where insiders win and regular folks pay.

Thorner & Ingold: Gun Violence is a Disease?

By Nancy Thorner and Ed Ingold - 

The liberal-intellectual community plays on the  technical illiteracy of the general population. They use half-truths and vague conclusions, couched in jargon, to promote their viewpoints.

In the coming days you will most likely hear a great deal about the danger of keeping a firearm in the house as the gun violence debate rages on in Congress. President Obama, in a plan presented last month to reduce gun violence, resolved to order the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to resume scientific studies on the issue, after such research was banned since the mid-1990's.

Dutch debate three or more gay parents per child

NETHERLANDS - The Netherlands legalized same sex marriage in 2001, twelve years before the discussion made its way to the Illinois state legislature.  However, that 2001 decision didn't end the need to revisit the controversy in the Netherlands. It's actually become more complicated as the Dutch Parliament is now debating whether they should legalize three or more parents per child:

Tip of the hat to Mundelein Culver's manager

MUNDELEIN - The lesson to this story is what our moms always used to tell us: "Be nice always, you never know who's watching." This co-owner and manager of a Culver's in Mundelein became a Facebook hit this week just because he was patient and kind to customer. Here's what was written on the Facebook page about Chris Searles:

“I took this picture at Culver’s in Mundelein and I hope this employee doesn’t mind that I post this, but I wanted to share an awesome story. The customer he is speaking with is a special needs man, and I watched and listened from my booth as he patiently and politely spent about 15 minutes answering all of his questions. He asked about the menu, prices, and even this employee even went as far as to retrieve a detailed menu so that he could explain some of the nutritional facts.

“This employee could not have been more polite and at no time appeared rushed, even though other customers were waiting in line. I wish I could have gotten his name, but he was not wearing a name tag. I did go on to the Culver’s website and left my comments, so I hope he gets the recognition he definitely deserves. Sir, I tip my hat to you and pray more people follow your lead in life. Thank you. Feel free to share this, maybe it will make its way back to this employee!”

H/T Lake County County Clerk Willard Helander's Facebook Page

The truth comes out: new pension proposal includes making 2011 tax hike permanent

By Ben VanMetre -

Illinois House Deputy Majority Leader Lou Lang, D-Skokie, wants to hike taxes to avoid meaningful pension reform. Lang’s solution is to keep income taxes up statewide as a “reform” for Illinois’ pension systems, which are underfunded by $209 billion. He introduced legislation Wednesday, Feb. 20, that would make the record 67 percent income tax hike from 2011 permanent and use the higher taxes to make pension payments.

Making the tax hike permanent was only a rumor until this point. But now the rumor has materialized into an actual threat. And Lang thinks it’s a no-brainer: “I don't think there’s anyone in this building who doesn't believe we need to extend the income tax increase.”

Unfortunately, Lang is not alone. State Rep Elaine Nekritz, D-Des Plaines, said, “Including the income tax increase as part of the solution, to me, is already being part of the solution … It’s actually how we’re making the pension payments right now.”

It’s true that nearly the entire 2011 tax hike was used to pay for pensions. In fact, 80 cents of every tax-hike dollar went to pay government worker pensions in 2012.

Has Your Mayor signed onto Bloomberg's anti-gun coalition?

CHICAGO - Not only does New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg want to buy up the 2nd congressional district on Chicago's southside, he's taking his anti-gun message to fellow mayors through the nation. Bloomberg's "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" campaign has signed on 850 mayors from 44 states, including 33 mayors from Illinois cities and towns.  

Bloomberg's "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" purposes to:

Senate Week in Review: Pensions, budgets, unions and gerrymandering

By State Sen. Jim Oberweis -

One day after a House lawmaker proposed a pension reform plan that would rely on the indefinite extension of the Democrats’ 2011 income tax hike, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute released a poll revealing that the vast majority of Illinois voters oppose a permanent increase in the income tax.

And, as the Governor prepares for a March 6 budget address, the Senate and House Republican Leaders have sent him a joint letter warning that failure to follow through on cost-saving measures in the current fiscal year will result in even greater challenges for the next budget year.

Also during the week, attorneys met in court Feb. 20 for a hearing on four lawsuits challenging a recently-approved state law eliminating free health insurance for some state retirees, Gov. Pat Quinn agreed to dole out pay raises to one Illinois union, and new Congressional corruption charges underscore the negative impact of gerrymandering in Illinois.

ILGOP State Central Committee calls March 9th meeting to oust chairman Brady

CHICAGO - It is being reported that the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee has called a closed door meeting March 9th to discuss ousting party chairman Pat Brady. 

After several weeks of consternation, seven members of the State Central Committee signed onto a letter requesting the meeting: Jerry Clarke of the 15th CD, Chris Kachiroubas of the 6th District, Gene Dawson of the 8th District, Bobbie Peterson of the 11th District, Jim Oberweis of the 14th District and Bob Winchester of the 19th District, Mark Shaw of the 10th District.

ILGOP Chairman Pat Brady | Photo: Illinois Family Action

Brady called the committeemen's actions "misguided" and "a huge setback for the party." "It will do irreparable harm to our brand," he said. "I don't understand (this) but I respect the process." ...More HERE

UPDATE: Illinois Review contributor Chris Robling responds in Saturday's op-ed "ROBLING: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE BRADY/CLARKE BROIL" 

LaHood calls McCarthy remarks a 'slap to the face' of 1.3 million Illinoisans

According to State Sen. Darin LaHood, firearm owners should begin to feel a little easier as Illinois moves closer to some form of concealed-carry legislation after a federal court in Chicago rejected the Illinois Attorney General’s challenge to the 180-day mandate. The same court issued the December ruling to force the Illinois General Assembly to pass legislation enacting concealed-carry.

On the topic of firearms, LaHood objected to comments that were made by the Chicago Police Superintendent on a Sunday morning radio program. CPD boss Garry McCarthy alleged that firearm rights groups were corrupt and obstructing efforts to enforce public safety. "Superintendent McCarthy’s comments were inflammatory and simply wrong. He is already on record being anti-gun or anti-Second Amendment and now he attacks the citizens’ First Amendment rights to speech and petition government," said LaHood.

"In Illinois, 1.3 million people hold FOID cards and so McCarthy’s comments were a 'slap to the face,' of one-tenth to our population," added the state senator. "I believe that as gun owners, self-protection advocates and sportsmen, we are on the cusp of having Illinois in line with the other 49 states. It is too bad that is has taken action by the United States Supreme Court and lower courts to reaffirm an Illinoisan’s 2nd Amendment rights, but we are close to firearm equality."

AFSCME memo releases new details on potential strike

Paul Kersey -

The Herald and Review has managed to get ahold of a new bulletin from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, to its members. This new message indicates that the union is getting closer to calling for a strike, and gives the union’s rationale for a walkout, revealing some very useful facts on the state of bargaining:

NRA Thunders Home Principles With Emotional New Ad

The NRA has launched a new ad focused on Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and other elite politicians who they say are trying to marginalize the law-abiding, average American.

Reluctant Chicago Democrats change tune on concealed carry

By Benjamin Yount -

Democratic leaders in Chicago admit that they cannot ignore a federal court’s ruling that Illinois must allow some people to legally carry a weapon in the state. But that doesn’t mean they support concealed carry.

Chicago aldermen, Chicago police officers, and even the head of Cook County government all told state lawmakers Friday morning that while the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that concealed carry should be legalized, Illinois lawmakers can craft a very tough law.

“Elementary, secondary and higher education buildings should be a gun-free zone,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (photo right) told lawmakers. “Government owned and operated buildings should be gun-free zones. … One should not be able to possess a weapon in a hospital or a nursing home. Houses of worship should be gun-free zones.”

Preckwinkle also wants local governments, notably Cook County and the city of Chicago, to be able to opt out of any statewide concealed-carry law. ...More HERE

Emanuel's new speed camera company may post video on YouTube

The new red-light surveillance company Mayor Rahm Emanuel has chosen to install additional cameras around schools and parks may be allowed to put embarrassing videos of private citizens up on YouTube.

American Traffic Solutions, the Arizona company that won the lucrative Chicago contract, boasts of having a YouTube Channel that recently topped one million views. The company says the purpose is public safety education. “We use it [YouTube] with our customers and as a company to help alert people to the dangers of speeding and red-light running,” company spokesman Charles Territo said Friday.

Interestingly, Michael Alvarez, an elected member of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, is a registered lobbyist for American Traffic Solutions, and recently contributed $10,000 to Emanuel, who is counting on up to $30 million in fines this year from the speed cameras, which means they will need to be installed quickly. ...More HERE

George Washington, Keeper of the Peace

By John F. Di Leo - 

A year into his second term, President George Washington celebrated his 63rd birthday on February 22, 1794, and received one of the best birthday present any head of state ever received. The new minister from France, Jean Antoine Joseph Baron Fauchet presented his credentials as the new ambassador from France, replacing the troublesome Edmund-Charles Genet at last.

Citizen Genet was many things. A child prodigy, fluent in six languages by age twelve, he was born at Versailles in 1763, the only son of a French civil servant. Genet served as court translator in his youth and was then sent to the embassy to Russia, at St Petersburg, at age 25. While serving thusly as a French diplomat, Genet proved so undiplomatic that Empress Catherine the Great had him ejected in 1792, declaring him persona non grata, famously saying that his further presence at the Tsarist court would be “not only superfluous but intolerable.”

Fortunately for him, however, the government he served had changed while he was in Russia; France was now ruled by the Girondists. This new regime loved their bold young anti-monarchist ambassador, and sent him right on to the United States, where he arrived to the immediate public acclaim of huge, excited, and misguided crowds. 

Exelon's John Rowe contradicts the Illinois GOP platform...again?

CHICAGO - In March, the Illinois GOP will be hosting a unique reception to honor Excelon's retired CEO John Rowe. The high-priced event will also be attended by the Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.  

The event is raising eyebrows among Republicans, who are curious as to the ILGOP's sudden interest in Rowe. A review of Rowe's contributions revealed he has been far more generous to Democrats and the Democratic Party than to Republicans. He's written significant checks to Rahm Emanuel, Jesse Jackson Jr., Chicago alderman Ed Burke and his Burnham Group.

Since his retirement, Rowe has been making his political views public through opinion pieces published in Chicago news sources. Friday in Crain's, he re-interated his disagreement with the Illinois Republican Party's platform plank upholding immigration law, encouraging legal "front door" policies and de-incentivizing those who would sidestep America's lawful immigration process. He also wrote of his efforts to work with business owners and former Governor Jim Edgar to promote "sensible immigration reform":