CHICAGO - Thirty-one males, ranging from 17 to 41, and three females, ages 26 through 31, were shot and wounded over the weekend in Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods. One female, age 29, was shot and killed in the South Shore neighborhood. While the statistics are grievous, they were markedly less than last weekend's numbers. Altogether thus far in August 2018, 27 Chicagoans have been shot and killed, 151 shot and wounded making the total of 178 shot in the first half of the month.
Chicago's killing spree is once again the focus of national news - while Chicagoans celebrate the Cubs in 1st place on the city's safest north neighborhoods, things are very different in the city's south and west neighborhoods. (For those not familiar with Chicago's geography, there are no "eastern residents" - Lake Michigan is Chicago's eastern neighborhood.)
Is it fair to say the whole city is amid "killing fields"? According to a map posted on "HeyJackass.com" - no, not really.
By Nancy Thorner -
An email circulating last week contained powerful truths that drew my attention. When a subsequent email corrected the original version's incorrect attribution, it stirred my curiosity to find out more about the piece entitled "The Civil War" and its author, Daniel Greenfield.
I found Greenfield wrote and delivered the commentary during the South Carolina Tea Party Convention Speech in January 2018. The original is titled, “The Second Civil War.” In it, Greenberg points out that America is in the midst of another civil war. This time the conflict is over whether the American people are going to govern themselves, or are they going to be governed? Are we going to have a government "of the people, by the people and for the people"? Or are we going to be ruled from the top by elites - the kind of government that most countries have where a few special people decide what’s best for everyone?
Continue reading "Thorner: Is America in the midst of another Civil War? " »
CHICAGO – State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) announced Monday that he will ask Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) to give the appropriate Senate committee subpoena power to force Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials forward if they continue their silence amidst numerous incidents of sexual abuse, harassment, and assault within CPS, as reported by Chicago media.
A July 25 letter to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPS Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Janice Jackson, from Republican senators asked several follow-up questions after CPS officials testified before a joint Senate and House hearing in Chicago. As of August 13, neither the Mayor nor Dr. Jackson have responded to these inquiries. CPS has also provided very little information in response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from the media.
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois taxpayers should be relieved to learn their hard-earned tax dollars will not be used to silence sexual harassment victims, as they were found to be used at the federal level last year.
HB 4243, introduced by State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills), was signed into law Friday by Governor Rauner. The new law prohibits the use of state funds to pay for silence or inaction related to an allegation or investigation of sexual harassment against a member of the General Assembly. The prohibition includes the district office allowances given to members to use largely at their discretion.
Continue reading "New law bans state tax dollars being used to silence sexual harassment victims" »
WASHINGTON - In light of former White House employee Omarosa's new book that accuses President Trump of being out of control of his staff, unstable and dysfunctional - and an array of other allegations, evangelist Alveda King released this statement Monday morning:
I've been praying hard about the Omarosa situation.
I and a colleague had an opportunity to sit down with her at the White House a few months ago. I also had a few moments to chat with her on the President's Tour of the African American Museum, and had a photo with her in the Rose Garden at the signing of the religious freedom executive order.
At no time, on any of these occasions, did Omarosa express any of the concerns we are hearing about now. To the contrary, it's such a shame that we live in a society where someone would be comfortable writing and saying things like she is doing for money.
Policing the internet for offensive speech is a fool’s errand. But, writes David French, there is a body of standards that social media companies could apply to their platforms instead:
The good news is that tech companies don’t have to rely on vague, malleable and hotly contested definitions of hate speech to deal with conspiracy theorists like Mr. Jones. The far better option would be to prohibit libel or slander on their platforms.
By John F. Di Leo -
It is an election year, so the news concerns elections.
But not just the candidates, the campaigns, and the issues… if you look closely, you’ll also find news about the election process itself, how it is changing, and how it is being corrupted… sometimes in secret, sometimes as blatantly as can be imagined.
This week, for example, we learned of Willie Wilson, a Chicago millionaire running for mayor. He’s a generous man; he writes checks and throws around hundred-dollar bills at Chicago speaking events like Shriners throw candy at parades. He says he views it as charity; nobody has a right to tell him what to do with his money. But is it cynical to say that, as a mayoral candidate handing cash to prospective constituents, it looks like he’s buying votes? There are ethics rules for a reason, after all.
Continue reading "Di Leo: Another Election Year, Another Array of Election Abuses" »
BLOOMINGTON - Good Morning America host Amy Robach had to apologize two years ago for slipping on what is considered a racial slur, "colored people," and it just may be that WGLT's new reporter Amy Cullen may have to follow Robach's lead.
Friday morning WGLT featured a story about Bloomington-Normal Unit 5 School District not having a fair distribution of African-American teachers in their schools that raised eyebrows downstate. Cullen's original version said:
The story went on to see the term used again:
After a Facebook reader pointed out the term's use and asked that it be changed, the editor stepped in. The sentences are now modified, the piece says, to reflect more "precise" quotes.
Continue reading "Bloomington news station raises eyebrows with use of racial slur" »
CHICAGO - Chicago native and Obama hoops buddy Arne Duncan is on the lecture tour promoting his new book "How Schools Work," a memoir of his time as US Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration. This week, Duncan told an audience that Donald Trump doesn't want an educated workforce that would challenge his position, and that Trump's desire to promote school choice is evidence of that.
A Washington Post story reports:
Duncan criticized the Trump administration’s emphasis on school choice as “a small strategy” rather than an overarching goal, before taking aim at the president himself.
“I’m not sure President Trump wants to have the best-educated workforce,” Duncan said. “I think it doesn’t play to his authoritarian tendencies.”
Those who've reviewed Duncan's book say Duncan learned nothing about how parents view schooling as secretary of the nation's education department. In fact, Duncan's comment that he regrets no pushing harder for Common Core - an education experiment that flopped nationwide.
By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold -
The National Rifle Association (NRA) filed suit against the State of New York, Governor Cuomo and the NY Department of Financial Services (DFS) in Federal District Court, for allegedly blacklisting the NRA with various insurance and financial institutions.
Companies providing insurance and banking services have been threatened with “regulatory action” if they continue to do business with the NRA. Why? Because the Governor wants to silence the NRA for their stand on defending the Second Amendment, and feels he has the public support for this (alleged) unconstitutional action. This may well constitute extortion under the color of law. (Hobbs Act, 1951).
Continue reading "Thorner & Ingold: NRA Sues New York State for Insurance Blacklisting" »
Within a 12 hour time frame this week, Apple, YouTube, Spotify and Facebook censored controversial website Infowars. Alex Jones' commentaries were disagreeable for the most part, but being a social conservative news site that works hard to provide our conservative audience with news that would interest them, we understand what it is like to provide information in a Leftist state. It's not easy.
Illinois Review is in 100% agreement with Michael Tracey's Tweet above. We can't help but think of German Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemoller's powerful exhortation to not remain silent when injustice in perpetrated on those with which we don't see eye-to-eye:
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
It is also incumbent upon freedom-loving voters in Illinois' 5th CD to know their Congressman Mike Quigley pressured a Twitter exec about a Tweet of which Quigley did not approve, as noted in the video "The Purge" below:
By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil -
It makes no sense to only complain about the negative problems and immoral laws that have been enacted by our government. We must have viable solutions to restore America’s former moral strength. Many of us knew something had been going astray within our society for a while, but opinions vary as to why it was allowed, how it was done, and who presently is able to correct the mistakes that have been made. America has become politically polarized and morally challenged, making progress at any level of government difficult. Nevertheless, concerned patriots understand that correcting mistakes of past governments has never been more important. Perhaps the distrust of Americans regarding their leaders’ immoral decisions is the reason Donald Trump was elected President.
Leftists have introduced and promoted much of what our forefathers would consider immoral laws that are detrimental to our personal and/or national future. The most obvious examples have been banning God from our public schools, supporting abortion rights, and equating homosexual to heterosexual marriage. They have changed our country and put us on a track toward a serious decline.
Continue reading "Clarion Call to Church Leaders as November mid-year election draw near" »
As thousands of African migrants land on the golden beaches of Spain, old Europe shows the signs of fatigue. In August, most of its politicians are on holiday. Every summer, for nearly six weeks, Brussels officials cannot be bothered to ponder the future of the European Union.
In the meantime, in Mediterranean countries, the youth seem to be haunted by the same pressing question: “Will I get a proper job?” In Greece, unemployment stands at 42.9 percent; in Spain, unemployment is 35 percent; in Italy, it is more than 30 percent. Compared to the recent performance of the U.S. economy, such figures are perplexing. They indicate the existence of a severe threat to political stability and social cohesion. In both economic and existential terms, joblessness is a serious matter. Why? Because a job provides, not just an income, but also a sense of purpose. It is not government handouts or parental support that make young people happy, but personal responsibility and a deep-seated conviction that the fruits of one's labor make the world a better place.
According to official statistics, by late April 8.5 percent of the eurozone population was out of work. There are nearly 4.5 million young persons under 25 who are unemployed in the EU – a figure to which Angela Merkel added a few extra million refugees. This number does not include undocumented immigrants.
More HERE
SCHAUMBURG - Democrat State Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg) is being challenged by a more experienced Republican candidate in 2018 - Jillian Bernas.
Bernas ran her first time two years ago, and lost in the northwest suburban district by 5,000 votes - 11 percent. This time she's hoping to take advantage of the public's distaste of House Speaker Madigan and turn the 56th House District red.
Bernas is holding a fundraiser Thursday night August 9th, 2018, featuring former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka at Ditka's Restaurant in Chicago. For more information, visit her Facebook Page.
Continue reading "GOP House candidate to raise funds with Coach Ditka Thursday night in Chicago" »
Photos provided by Rep. Skillicorn's office
Crystal Lake, IL – State Representative Allen Skillicorn (R-Crystal Lake) offered free Conceal and Carry Training for 66th District constituents in July. Seventeen participants received their certificates.
Gary Daugherty of the Firearm Safety Institute conducted the training for Skillicorn's classes.
“I really appreciated the Representative having the courage to offer this kind of class at no cost to his constituents. It tangibly demonstrates his commitment to the Second Amendment in a way I haven’t seen from other representatives in Illinois,” Daugherty said.
Continue reading "17 in McHenry County complete free conceal carry classes offered by state rep " »
The Buckeye Institute has helped two teachers opt-out of union membership:
The Buckeye Institute is representing Boyd Bradbury, a professor at Minnesota State University Moorhead, who was a full member of the Inter Faculty Organization; and Jonathan Reisman, an associate professor of economics at the University of Maine at Machias who served as the Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine’s grievance officer.
Continue reading "Public employees are starting to assert their rights under Janus" »
LAKE BLUFF - Incumbent State Rep. Scott Drury tried to run for attorney general rather than re-election in the 58th House District, but he was tossed off the Democrat ballot before the spring primary. Independent and feisty Drury, who has been a thorn in House Speaker Mike Madigan's side for the last few years, won't be on the General Election ballot in November.
It appeared Democrat newbie Bob Morgan was going to get a free ride to the Illinois House when Republican Cindy Masover dropped out in mid-July, but a week later a Lake Bluff estate attorney stepped up and will be challenging Morgan in the General - a chance for the Republicans to pick up a seat in Chicago's northern suburbs.
Rick Lesser, a successful small business owner and one of the leading estate planning attorneys in Illinois, announced his candidacy Monday for Illinois State Representative in the 58th District - with the blessing of Lake County Republicans.
Continue reading "Lake Bluff Republican steps up to fill void in 58th House race" »
C.J. Ciaramella reports on a victory against asset forfeiture in Albuquerque:
A federal judge has ruled that Albuquerque's civil asset forfeiture program violated residents' due process rights by forcing them to prove their innocence to retrieve their cars. Under civil forfeiture laws, police can seize property suspected of being connected to criminal activity, even if the owner isn't charged with a crime.
Continue reading "Asset forfeiture creates an unconstitutional profit incentive" »
Lollapalooza posted photo by @rhackleman
CHICAGO - The first weekend of August every year in Chicago is the city's biggest and best annual music festival - where thousands gather at Grant Park near the Lakefront.
Just a few miles away south and west of Lollapalooza, the weekend saw little dancing as 62 Chicagoans shot and 12 killed during one of the year's deadliest three days - dubbed "Shootapalooza" by HeyJackass.com.
Continue reading "Chicago dances through deadly "Shootapalooza" weekend" »
Food stamp work requirements have a big loophole. Jamie Hall writes:
Current regulations allow geographic-area waivers to be based on a percentage above the national average unemployment rate—allowing for the most part, the same areas to qualify for waivers year after year. This happens because the unemployment rate in counties tends to rise and fall with the national unemployment rate, with counties remaining in roughly the same order relative to one another over time. As shown [...], 34.2 percent of low-income people live in areas that are never waivable, 35.2 percent live in areas that are occasionally waivable, and 30.7 percent live in areas that are usually waivable. Among that latter group is the 6.2 percent of low-income people who live in areas that, under current regulations, could have been exempted from work requirements in every single year since the government began to collect local-area-unemployment statistics. In other words, had the current SNAP work requirements been in place since 1992, and had states requested all available waivers, about 6.2 percent of work-capable potential SNAP recipients without dependents would have never been required to look for work even once in order to receive benefits for nearly three decades.
Continue reading "Geographic-Area Waivers Undermine Food Stamp Work Requirements" »
By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold -
The trial of Paul Manafort, who joined Donald Trump's presidential campaign team in March 2016 and was campaign chairman from June to August 2016, is off to a disturbing start. Even more striking is that the Manafort case is a fourteen year old case. Nothing could be found at the time to indict Manafort, but fast forward to July 26, 2017, when FBI Agents took an unusually tough approach in executing a search warrant dealing with potential financial crimes by Paul Manafort by busting into his home in a pre-dawn raid with guns-blazing tactics as Manafort and his wife were asleep in bed. Manafort's wife was even searched for weapons.
Continue reading "Thorner & Ingold: Prosecution Overkills, Abuses Power Against Manafort" »
Cutting health care spending is not hard—if you are willing to accept the pain of price controls. Charles Blahous of the Mercatus Center estimated this week that Bernie Sanders’s proposal for “Medicare for All” would add $32.6 trillion to the federal budget over 10 years. Blahous also projected that the corresponding reductions in private health care spending would produce a net reduction in national health expenditures of $2 trillion over the period. Sanders himself touted that finding as a validation of his plan.
While the plan’s approach to cost reduction might fail, the bigger problem is that it might succeed. Bennedic Ippolito explains:
SPRINGFIELD - Since Florida enacted the "red flag" law last March, more than 450 people have been ordered by local judges to surrender firearms to local law enforcement, citing safety risks filed with the courts.
“In all, we’ve taken in about 200 firearms and around 30,000 rounds of ammunition,” a Pinnellas County officer told ABC News.
Last month, both Democrat and Republican lawmakers sent to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner a similar "red flag" bill, which he signed into effect.
Personal Defense World describes Illinois' law:
HB 2354, also known as the Lethal Violence Order of Protection Act, authorizes a court to remove firearms, a FOID card and a CCW license from a person who poses 'an immediate and present danger of causing personal injury to himself, herself, or another by having' a gun in his or her possession. The person who petitions to have the firearms removed can be a law enforcement officer, family member or a dating partner. The gun seizures can be issued by a judge ex parte, meaning without the subject of the order being present.
“Today I signed legislation to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would use them to commit acts of violence against themselves or others, after proof is provided,” Rauner said on Twitter.
Gun control activists applauded the 13th state enacting a "red flag" law. Illinois' gun confiscation on the "red flag" complaints will begin January 1, 2019.
By John Di Leo -
On August 3, 1492, Cristoforo Colombo (yes, you non-Italians spell it Christopher Columbus) set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, with three ships – the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria – headed for Asia.
And he might have made it, too, eventually… if the Western Hemisphere hadn’t been in the way. As it was, he gets the credit for discovering the Americas (even if a clever cartographer named Amerigo Vespucci grabbed up the naming rights first).
Would some other European eventually have had the same idea, twenty, fifty or a hundred years later? Certainly. Eventually, the Europeans were bound to land in the Americas. But the fact that it was Columbus, working for Spain, who set a number of dominoes falling in a specific way, one that has changed history forever.
Continue reading "Di Leo: From Palos de la Frontera, Westward Bound" »
Mashable photo
By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold -
Seven states and Washington DC sued and successfully obtained a restraining order against release of plans to make firearm parts using 3D printers. The restraining order from U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Seattle puts that plan on hold for now. As Lasnic stated, “There is a possibility of irreparable harm because of the way these guns can be made."
Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson called the ruling “a complete, total victory.” “We were asking for a nationwide temporary restraining order putting a halt to this outrageous decision by the federal government to allow these 3D downloadable guns to be available around our country and around the world. He granted that relief,” Ferguson said, at a news conference after the hearing. “That is significant.”
Predictably, most involved are Blue states which come down against private firearm ownership whenever possible: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Maryland, New York and the District of Columbia, but Illinois has also joined in with the crusade.
Continue reading "Thorner/Ingold: 3D printer firearm parts much to do about nothing" »
Since time immemorial, the Western tradition has considered true education to encompass not just instruction in a given subject matter but the cultivation of students’ virtue. Aristotle considered the acquisition of virtue to be a life’s goal which, if achieved, would result in the greatest happiness. The virtuous man, he wrote, “is his own best friend … whereas the man of no virtue or ability is his own worst enemy.”
The biblical tradition instructs parents to “train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Even American pragmatic educational philosopher John Dewey had room for some level of virtue; since the factory worker must obey, students must learn the virtue of obedience.
The wider culture needs virtue education, because a free society relies on certain bedrock moral principles being inculcated and incarnated. We need business men, doctors, lawyers, plumbers, electricians, and grocers who act with the honesty which allows the free market to thrive. Virtue, character, ethics - these things matter profoundly, and it is one of the tasks of education to transfer the system of values from one generation to the next.
WASHINGTON - Not only is the world nudging towards a trade war with tariffs on steel and aluminum, there's a war bubbling to the surface between "free traders" and "fair traders" in the Republican Party and its conservative supporters.
The billionaire Koch Brothers - who have supported and applauded many of President Trump's policies and appointments - are in full disagreement with his trade policy, and have released an ad campaign criticizing tariffs.
"American trade - free trade is essential to prosperity. Tariffs are not the answer," the ad says.
Continue reading "Koch Brothers launch campaign against Trump's tariffs" »
CHICAGO - Most property taxpayers grin and bear tax hikes, thinking they're paying for municipality services or better taxpayer-funded schools for the kids. Illinois Policy Institute released a new study Wednesday stripping away the confusion about property taxes, how they've hiked in Illinois over the last decade and how they were spent.
Analysis of state and local government records over the last two decades reveals most of the property tax increase between 1996 and 2016 was caused by:
"Traditionally, residents expect property taxes to fund services that improve neighborhoods and raise home values," Illinois Policy Institute writes. "Instead, this report finds that less than half of every additional dollar levied in property taxes since 1996 went to the delivery of services that improve home values."
From Sauer's Facebook page
BARRINGTON - Republican House Leader Jim Durkin response to State Rep. Nick Sauer's ex-girlfriend's accusations that the state lawmaker posted nude photos of her online without her consent was immediate. Durkin announced Sauer would be resigning Wednesday.
"The allegations that have come forth against Representative Nick Sauer are troubling," Durkin said. He will be resigning from office today. We should allow the proper authorities to conduct their investigations."
As soon as the allegations were made public in POLITICO, Sen. Melinda Bush, a Democrat that co-chairs the Joint Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness and Prevention and serves on the Anti-Harassment, Equality and Access panel formed earlier this year, called for Sauer to step down.
Continue reading "State rep to resign Wednesday after nude photo accusations" »
Continue reading "New Elmhurst state rep rejects state pension, healthcare coverage" »
Every congressional district gets a tax cut in 2018. Economic modeling by Kevin Dayaratna, Parker Sheppard, and Adam N. Michel finds that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will benefit the typical taxpayer in every congressional district:
Due to the TCJA, the typical household in every congressional district will see a reduction in tax liability in 2018. Nationally, 89 percent of Americans will see either a tax cut or no change. Approximately 4 million more low-income filers will not pay any income taxes in 2018. [...]
Continue reading "Tax Cuts in Every Illinois Congressional District" »
BARRINGTON - In the 98th General Assembly session just before State Rep. Nick Sauer was elected to represent Illinois 51st House District, Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a stiff "revenge porn law," making it a Class 4 felony to disseminate private sexual images without consent. The punishment is one to three years in prison, with a $25,000 fine.
According to POLITICO Wednesday, 35-year-old Sauer is being accused by an ex-girlfriend of setting up a fake Instagram account, pretending to be her, and sharing with men nude photos she had sent to Sauer while they were dating.
UPDATE X1: Republican House Leader Jim Durkin says Rep. Sauer will be resigning sometime Wednesday.
Benjamin Franklin made an interesting comment as he left the Conference of patriots who had just determined the type of government for the new nation. Asked what had been decided, Franklin responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil -
Donald Trump winning the presidency may one day be compared to our early forefathers fighting and winning the war for our independence against the British. Logic screamed there was no way that an ill-equipped, sparse military could win even one battle against the mighty English military forces, and certainly it appeared they had no chance to win the war. Some say their success was no less than a miracle.
The same could be said about Donald Trump’s winning the race for President of the United States. He had never entered or won a single political contest in life, and yet won the 2016 Republican primary over 16 other excellent candidates, some of whom had held important political positions, and went on to win the Presidency by defeating Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Amazingly, Trump did this without help from the media.
Continue reading "Thorner/O'Neil: We Were Given a Republic, but Can We Keep It?" »
Visit www.taxesandjobs.com for a state-by-state and district-by-district breakdown of the Trump/Republican tax cuts and their economic effects.
Construction has stalled on the Obama Presidential Library until at least 2019 while the federal government reviews a rental scheme that allowed the Obama Foundation to build its library in the middle of a historic park and around major streets on Chicago's South Side.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the Obama Foundation won't give a specific timeline for construction but expects to begin building in 2019, more than two years after the project was unveiled. The library campus, which includes a digital archive of former president Barack Obama's papers, meeting rooms, sports facilities, and a branch of the Chicago public library, is slated to open in 2021.
More HERE
A message from the New Trier Republican Organization notified members of longtime Republican leader Tolbert Chisum's death last Saturday in Houston, Texas:
Tolbert was deeply committed to the GOP, having served as New Trier Township GOP Committeeman, the Chairman of NTRO, and a State Central Committeeman. Although he moved back to Texas several years ago, he remained involved in NTRO activities whenever he was in Illinois.
Tolbert served in the Marines and later attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. While living in Texas, Tolbert met and married his longtime wife, Carrie. He was a proud father and a grandfather to three grandsons.
NTRO was not the only beneficiary of Tolbert's generosity. Throughout his life he volunteered in his community and served on many boards and committees in various capacities, including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, the Metropolitan Club, Village of Kenilworth, The Chicago Sunday Evening Club, SouthWest Benefits Association, Rotary Club of Beaumont, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, The Institute for Truth in Accounting and Athletes Against Drugs. He was also an active member of the Kenilworth Union Church.
Anyone who knew Tolbert will remember his booming voice and his hearty laugh. He was a man who embraced life, and he leaves behind many friends and colleagues who will miss him.
Rest in peace, Tolbert.
CHICAGO - The Democrat seeking to oust GOP Congressman Peter Roskam believes abortion is a medical procedure like gall bladder surgery - a comment Roskam immediately rejected during a debate last week in Chicago.
For the first time in several elections, the Illinois Congressional District once represented by Henry Hyde could fall into Democrat hands, political analysts are saying. Indeed, the current 6th CD map is starkly different that the one Henry Hyde represented. It contains a substantial part of Democrat-controlled Cook County and a portion of Lake County in addition to the eastern part of DuPage County.
By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold -
It was on Friday, December 22, 2017, when President Donald Trump signed into law H.R. 1, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. H.R.1 makes widespread changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Almost all of its provisions, including a lower corporate tax rate of 21% and lower individual income tax rates, go into effect Jan. 1. See here to view H.R. 1.
The legislation was passed on fast track. Introduced in the House of Representatives on Nov. 2, 2017, it passed on Nov. 16, 2017. The version the House passed repealed the medical expense deduction, as well as many other individual tax deductions, and further reduced the number of individual income tax brackets from seven to four.
Continue reading "Thorner/Ingold: The Truth About Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" »
Nothing epitomizes the American Left’s intellectual dishonesty better than its use of the word “free” to accompany some government giveaway. Be it “free” college or “free” health care, there is nothing remotely free about the transfer of costs from one group of Americans to another.
Additional Democrat-sponsored wealth transfers are on the horizon. In Chicago, Alderman Ameya Pawar has proposed legislation that would provide 1,000 families with a universal basic income (UBI) of $500 per month. “Nearly 70 percent of Americans don’t have $1,000 in the bank for an emergency,” Pawar declared. “UBI could be an incredible benefit for people who are working and are having a tough time making ends meet or putting food on the table at the end of the month.”
UBI is not a new concept. As columnist Nathan Heller points out, magistrates from the English village of Speenhamland tried a version of it in 1795, spurred by a price rise in grain that was increasing poverty, even among the gainfully employed. By 1834, for a variety of reasons, “everyone agreed” the program had failed.
In modern day America, the bogey man is automation. Citing companies like Tesla, Amazon, and Uber, Pawar posited that many jobs sustaining middle-class employment will become obsolete, and that more unemployed Americans will fuel political polarization. “We have to start talking about race and class and geography, but also start talking about the future of work as it relates to automation. All of this stuff is intertwined,” Pawar asserts.
Pawar should also be talking about how a nearly bankrupt Illinois has the worst credit rating in the nation; its Democrat-led legislature has failed to address retirement-system debt that has skyrocketed to nearly $11,000 for every man, woman, and child in the state; and that Moody’s Investors Service stripped Chicago’s bonds of their investment-grade status — prior to the UBI giveaway Pawar envisions.
More HERE
DePaul University professor Jason Hill warns that college campuses are "becoming national security threats" because "leftist professors" are turning them into "propaganda machines" that teach students "to hate this country."
Hill contends that the best solution is to defund universities and "rebuild them with conservative principles" such as individualism, capitalism, and self-reliance.
More HERE
CHICAGO - Last Friday, Illinois Review shared a letter Chicago GOP Chairman Chris Cleveland wrote to Cook County GOP committeemen concerning a proposal Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison attempted to make to the organization's by-laws making it easier for Democrats to gain official standings in the party structure.
Committeemen from only 29 wards or townships attended Wednesday night's meeting - far less than the number required for a Cook County GOP quorum. Five of those attending were proxies that could not vote on a bylaws change. Thus no vote on a by-law change was held.
In a response sent to committeemen, Cleveland said those in attendance did pass a resolution reaffirming its commitment to the principle that only genuine Republicans should hold office in the Republican Party, and that the Chicago Democrat Machine's attempt to infiltrate the party is unacceptable.
Continue reading "Cook County GOP settles bylaws controversy" »
