Illinois Review

Nationwide effort to place cameras in the classroom launches

SACRAMENTO -- As education throughout the United States suffers the effects of an increasing ideological and cultural divide, more parents, students and educators are calling for a simple, technological fix: cameras in the classroom.
 
Capitol Resource Institute (CRI) and Nevada Family Alliance (NFA) are leading a nationwide campaign calling for cameras in all K-12 public school classrooms, CamerasInTheClassroom.org.
 
"This is not only a call for transparency in what is being presented to our children, we believe it is a valuable tool for creating a safer learning environment. Cameras in every classroom will help restore the cooperative process between parents and educators in teaching our children," said Karen England, Executive Director of CRI.

Rossi: President Biden's Disastrous Inflation Will Hurt You & Your Family

By Randy Rossi - 

Democrat Joe Biden has only been president for roughly 10 months but he has already caused massive damage to America, our reputation, and the future’s of our children. But a lot of that damage has not been personally felt yet by the average American. Biden’s disastrous, unpatriotic, and embarrassing retreat from Afghanistan caused world wide damage to America’s reputation, honor, and world peace; but the average American has not felt the pain yet.

The incredible chaos that Joe Biden has caused at our southern border by promoting anarchy and open borders has not impacted the average American yet, but it will. The Biden administration’s attack on our traditional American values and freedoms should be obvious to all Americans but it has not affected their lives yet.

Illinois Review contributor John F. Di Leo featured with Mark Vargas on AM 560 The Answer's "Mark My Words"

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS - John F. Di Leo - a longtime contributor to Illinois Review - was featured Sunday night on Mark Vargas' "Mark My Words" AM 560 radio show. Di Leo spoke about the current hot topic "Supply Chain Crisis."  John's part in the show starts at right 51:49 below ...

John, a transportation expert for over 30 years, was also recently featured in the Technology & Manufacturing Association's News Bulletin on the topic of the Supply Chain Crisis.

Dr. Eric Wallace speaks with Dr. Alveda King on the topic of abortion

CHICAGO - Dr. Eric Wallace - a conservative well-known in Illinois - launched a new video series "Kingdom in Konflict" with Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, who is an outspoken advocate for life. 

"Is it possible to regain legal protection for the most innocent?" Dr. King discusses the question in an interview with Dr. Wallace, who also publishes Freedom's Journal Magazine.

Thorner: Common Sense Protects Borders and Nations

Yahoo News image

By Nancy Thorner - 

 

Eleven times between May and Sept. 2021, Croatia has pushed back against illegal migrants at four locations along the country’s border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their riot police carried out the push backs as part of a national strategy code named “Koridor”, which is part-funded by the EU. 

 

Greece and Romania have also carried out hundreds of what’s claimed to be illegal pushback operations at the European Union’s external borders since early 2020 as part of a “violent campaign” to deny access.

 

The findings, recently published by the Amsterdam-based investigative news organization Lighthouse Reports, reveal that masked security forces and police units in the three EU member states have repeatedly taken coordinated, clandestine action to prevent asylum seekers from crossing their borders.

Libertarians nominate 2022 gubernatorial candidate

SPRINGFIELD - The Democrats' nominee in the 2022 gubernatorial election will be incumbent JB Pritzker. The IL GOP has several that are vying for the chance to challenge Pritzker in 2022: State Senator Darren Bailey, former State Senator Paul Schimpf, businessman Gary Rabine, and the latest entry entrepreneur millionaire Jesse Sullivan.

How much of a difference could a Libertarian candidate make in 2022? Here's how the vote went in 2018: 

The Time to Fund New Universities Is Now

The morale of a nation is ultimately a question of spirit rather than matter. James M. Patterson writes:

The publication of God and Man at Yale in 1951 announced an enduring theme of modern American conservatism. In his bestselling book, William F. Buckley, Jr. condemned universities for their failure to preserve traditions of learning in favor of godless preening. The villains of Buckley’s polemic were a callow faculty freeloading off the institutional capital the university had accrued over the centuries. Countless articles and books have made much the same argument ever since. Indeed, conservatism in America itself owed something to the universities and their leftward turn in the decades following World War II.

The social significance of universities changed during the same period, too. Rather than serving as a preserve of the elite, higher education became a middle-class entitlement. Increasing enrollment and growing government funding for large-scale research shifted the balance of power away from the university’s traditional mission with its old-fashioned scholars to a new class of administrators, who pursued institutional efficiency and satisfaction of a wide range of stakeholders.

Rossi: America Is Waking Up to President Biden’s Severe Damage to Our Republic

By Randy Rossi - 

As painful as things have been for patriotic conservative Americans as we watch the Biden Administration cause massive damage to our great republic and our children’s futures, we just got some good news. The massive pain that Democrat President Joe Biden, his clueless administration, and his socialist Democrat allies are causing to our great nation are being noticed by a growing number of Americans. Sadly as many experts say, it usually takes great pain to wake people up to reality and a new October 6th Quinnipiac University poll  shows a huge drop in President Biden’s approval ratings across the board in America due to the pain he and his administration are bringing to America. That bad news for President Biden is even being shared on the liberal “Fake News” sources that usually try to hide bad news for Democrats.

Here are some stunning results of that new Quinnipiac Poll that bring hope to loyal patriots as we begin to approach the 2022 midterm elections that may be the most important elections in decades that can save our great republic:

Subject                                  Biden Approval          Biden Disapproval

Overall approval rating           38%                            53%

Biden admin competence        42% (competent)        55% (not competent)

Good leadership skills             41% (yes)                   56% (no)

That is the “Big Picture” and it shows a dramatic drop in President Biden’s approval with the American people. That 38% overall approval rating is ten points down from President Obama’s approval ratings at the same time in his presidency and a huge drop since February. This is good news because it shows that American voters are paying attention to the disaster that President Biden, his administration, and Democrats in the House and Senate are bringing to America which is now causing serious pain to the average American. That poll provides even more proof of the damage and pain that “Senile” Joe and his administration are bringing to the average American. Here are some examples of that pain and it gets worse as you go down the list:

IDPH adopts CDC's recommended definition for "school outbreak" of COVID

From the Illinois Department of Public Health Friday afternoon - 

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to adopt the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists’ (CSTE) guidance for PreK-12 school-associated outbreaks.  Previously, CDC recommended that two cases associated with a school would constitute an outbreak.  The new national recommendation that Illinois is adopting defines a school outbreak as either (1) multiple cases comprising at least 10% of students, teachers, or staff within a core group or (2) at least three cases within a specified core group.  A core group means only those individuals who were together during an exposure period.  For example, this could be limited to a classroom, a sports team, before/after school care, performing arts, or other groups and likely does not apply to the entire school population. 

More information about school outbreaks, exclusion, guidance, and Frequently Asked Questions can be found on the IDPH website on a new COVID-19 Youth and School Resources page, including youth vaccination rates by county, youth cases over time, and youth emergency department visits.  https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/youth-school.html.

Liberty Counsel: Military, Federal Employees and Civilian Contractors Sue Biden

A statement distributed to the press from Liberty Counsel - 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Liberty Counsel has filed a class action lawsuit against Joseph R. Biden, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Defense Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on behalf of members from all five branches of the military -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard -- federal employees and federal civilian contractors, who have been unlawfully mandated to get the COVID shots or face dishonorable discharge from the military or termination from employment.

The military plaintiffs include two Navy SEALs, a Navy EOD Officer, a Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer, a Navy Chaplain, two Marine Lt. Colonels, two Marine Lance Corporals, an Air Force Major, an Air Force Technical Sergeant, an Army National Guardsman, an Army Colonel, and a Coast Guard Lieutenant.

The non-military plaintiffs include a Department of Defense contractor who has conducted Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) quantitative and qualitative assessments and studies, whose assessments are briefed to DOD senior leadership to inform decisions on future employment, allocation, and procurement; a federal civilian engineer employed by a large military defense contractor that provides LCD screens used in United States Armed Forces aircraft; a federal civilian contractor employer whose company develops and supports military weapons systems, including current and next generation land vehicles for the Army and next generation Navy vessels; a federal nuclear contractor employee who is a young woman opposed to abortion and who desires to have children of her own one day; and a Department of Energy Civilian Nuclear Tech who works at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Democrats' Congressional Map Proposal: "A Complete Joke." "A Slap in the Face."

CHICAGO - Friday, Illinois Democrats released the Congressional District map they want for the next ten years, and it's an embarrassment, Republicans are saying - especially those that will be directly affected by its bizarre appearance and its heavy emphasis on Democrats gaining more power for a Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress.

Illinois Democrats would likely control 14 of Illinois' 17 Congressional Districts as the map is currently drawn. 

“As expected, our lying Governor teamed up with state Democrats to draw a shameful, partisan gerrymander in a desperate attempt to keep Nancy Pelosi in power. This proposed map, along with this entire redistricting process, is a complete joke. It’s clear Governor Pritzker and the Democrats will stoop to any low if it means they can keep their corrupt system going," said GOP Congressman Rodney Davis (IL-13)

GOP Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) is also unhappy with the map.

Freedom Initiative Network hosts black conservative David J. Harris, Jr. October 20th

ROLLING MEADOWS - Freedom Initiative Network will host black conservative rising star David J. Harris, Jr. October 20th at Meridian Banquets in Rolling Meadows, and they're offering a 25% discount if ticket buyers use the CODE FIN. 

David Harris Jr is an entrepreneur, author, and podcast host that delivers thought-provoking and engaging presentations that challenge audiences to pay attention to important political, social, and economic issues. He has shared the stage with many notable individuals, such as Kirk Cameron, Dinesh D'Souza, Candace Owens, and Charlie Kirk. Reaching millions of people through his social media channels, radio show, and book, Why I Couldn't Stay Silent, David strives to break down the racial, political, and assumptive barriers that are currently causing division throughout our nation. Taking a stand for the Constitution and freedom of every American, he frequently appears as a guest on Lou Dobbs Tonight, Fox & Friends, and several shows on the OAN Network.

Harris will be joined by several other conservative leaders. Buy Tickets HERE and use the code FIN to get a 25% discount. 

View a recent David J. Harris Jr video on Rumble:

 

Parental Notification prior to abortion could be threatened in next week's veto session

Weill Cornell Medicine News image

SPRINGFIELD - The last time the Illinois General Assembly made any move towards protecting unborn babies was in 1995 - just after the 1994 Republican political tidal wave hit Illinois, allowing both the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House to be controlled by Republican majorities - and for a bill requiring parental notification before a minor can abort a baby. 

That was then - 26 years ago. Since then, court battles kept the law from being in effect until a few years ago. Since 1997, the legislature has been controlled by the Illinois Democrats and their radical abortionist leadership. Illinois - the most abortion-offering state in the Midwest - has a legislature that wants to change or eliminate the parental notification law.

Di Leo: Evening Soup with Basement Joe: Solyanka Soup and Inflation Woes

 

By John F. Di Leo -

Introduction: Imagine, if you will, an alternate universe in which a confused old man - Joe Buckstop - stumbles into the presidency, and spends his entire term in his basement. Each evening, an aide walks downstairs and serves him his bowl of soup, and engages him in conversation about current events, in a losing effort to keep his mind hale. Tonight's episode is an excerpt from the ongoing series, "Evening Soup with Basement Joe," by John F. Di Leo, a fictional chronicle of the events of 2021, a political satire available in paperback or eBook from Amazon.

 "Good evening, sir! I have soup!"

 

"And I have a headache. Leave me alone."

 

"Don't you want your soup, sir?"

 

"Of course I want my soup. Just don't want to talk to anybody."

 

"Oh, I see. Dale Carnegie is alive and well, I see."

 

Thorner: Timeline for Stranded Cargo Ships

By Nancy Thorner - 

9/27 Report

Dozens of container ships stuck outside of ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California because of shortage of trucks and drivers in the USA to collect goods.

The boats carry everything from clothing, furniture to electronics. Experts point out that delays are a global problem and consumers could  suffer delays in their deliveries for the Christmas celebrations.

10/8 Report:  Over 1,000 Crew Members Are Stranded 

"The $14 trillion shipping industry, responsible for 90% of world trade, has left in its wake what appears to be a record number of cargo-ship with crew members still aboard as castaways. Wall Street Journal Report 10/8/21 detailed some of the shocking reports of tanker crew members left adrift after companies abandoned vessels or sold or transferred them, or couldn't pay mounting debts, while trying to survive oftentimes on little food even while moored close to resort locations in places like Dubai - or in other cases floating off the Suez Canal or at Black Sea ports. [..]"

Joe Morris: Breaking the Establishment's "Rules"

Joe Morris, chairman of the board of The Heartland Institute, takes the stage at Heartland's 2021 Benefit Dinner to discuss why it's imperative that Americans break the unspoken rules elites and the establishment want us to live by. Joe explains how the mainstream media is an extension of the government, highlighting how media outrage is not indicative of public sentiment.

Democrats Propose Massive Taxes on Cigars

House Democrats’ plans to pass a combined $4.7T budget reconciliation and infrastructure package foundered last week, resulting from a rift between moderate and progressive Democrats. President Joe Biden has committed to working on a compromise this month, which is further complicated by the reluctance of Senators Manchin (D-WV) and Sinema (D-AZ) to consider a spending package that size with numerous policy conditions attached.

Senate budget reconciliation rules constrain how much the bill can add to the deficit, so draftees seek “pay-fors” to lower the net cost. Some of the proposed tax provisions come from Senator Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) Tobacco Tax Equity Act, which the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation recently estimated would raise $96B through massive increases on tobacco products. The legislation proposes, among other things, a 1,000 percent tax increase on premium cigars. The bill would achieve this by changing the tax basis from a percentage of the import price to a weight-based tax.

For decades, the primary arguments in favor of increased tobacco product taxes have been the public health costs of smoking-related illnesses and deterring youth consumption. Since 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have regularly released a joint study called the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, described as “a national longitudinal study of tobacco use and how it affects the health of people in the United States.” The Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) also published an April 2018 article, “Association of Cigarette, Cigar, and Pipe Use With Mortality Risk in the US Population,” using data from the U.S. Census National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS).

The evidence from these studies strongly suggests there is no correlation between the vast preponderance of premium cigar smoking and public health costs and youth consumption.

More HERE

Malkin: Comply or Die: Vax-Partheid in the Operating Room

Leilani and Jaimee told me they were informed by one of the transplant coordinators that if they didn’t submit to the COVID-19 jab, their transplant "journey would come to an end." In other words, a death sentence.

By Michelle Malkin - 

For nearly 20 years, I’ve reported on America’s medical welcome mat for chronically sick illegal aliens. Under a 1986 federal law, “unauthorized immigrants” with conditions such as kidney disease and cancer cannot be denied emergency room care, regardless of their immigration status or inability to pay. Open-borders politicians insist health care is a “right” that every last border-jumper is entitled to — and that every last American taxpayer must subsidize.

According to estimates from 2019 cited in a recent study published by the American Journal of Kidney Disease, there are between 5,500 and nearly 9,000 illegals with kidney failure in the U.S. There’s now a COVID-era push to provide them not only with emergency-room dialysis (at an estimated cost of $400,000 per illegal alien per year) but also with outpatient dialysis under Medicaid. Conveniently, the United Network for Organ Sharing and Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network do not document immigration status, so there are no reliable estimates of exactly how many illegal aliens have received organ transplants in the U.S. At least one scientific journal article identified 400 illegal aliens who had received kidney transplants since 2005 — most in California at taxpayer expense.

Keep all this government-backed generosity for illegal alien patients in mind as I tell you about the plight of Leilani Lutali, a law-abiding American citizen and Colorado Springs executive recruiter diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease last November. Her condition worsened over the summer, leading her to medical providers at UCHealth in Denver to begin discussion of an organ transplant. Blessed with a close-knit network of friends through her local Bible study, Leilani found a living donor in Jaimee Fougner, a former Air Force medic, triathlete and medical assistant who has spent more than two decades in the health care field.

More HERE

Hope for America’s Future Fades

Americans have lost hope in the nation’s future since last year and only a third now believe the country’s best days are ahead.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that only 33% of American Adults now say America’s best days are in the future. That’s a steep decline from last November, when 47% of Likely Voters believed the nation’s best days were still ahead. As recently as April 2019, an absolute majority (54%) of voters saw America’s best days in the future. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 U.S. American Adults was conducted on October 3-4, 2021 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

h/t: Randy Rossi

Upper Midwest Law Center files lawsuits over CRT in workplace

Can a company discriminate against their employees based on the color of their skin in 2021? One of Minnesota’s most storied corporations, Honeywell, Inc. believes it can.

Honeywell fired Chuck Vavra this summer for refusing to buy into a company-sponsored CRT narrative that accused this mild-mannered engineer of being part of an oppressor class, simply because he is white. Vavra pushed back against this racist accusation and another narrative that portrayed his black colleagues as victims who can’t act in their own best interest.

That sounds too familiar for those of us following the divisiveness occurring in Minnesota schools, as teachers classify students by their skin color and make broad generalizations based on their oppressor/victim status.

A lawsuit being brought by our friends at the Upper Midwest Law Center on behalf of Vavra and another employee will test a simple legal theory: can you be treated differently in the workforce based on the color of your skin? Their press release is below.

More HERE