Illinois Review

What's Congressman Casten doing to resolve these problems?

WHEATON - "Tell Congressman to stop the impeachment," an internet ad funded by the Club for Growth released last week says.

With health care costs rising, drugs poisoning our communities, turmoil across the globe not being addressed by the Democrat-controlled U.S. House, nothing's been done to straighten out these issues, the ad says. 

The Democrats' distraction from those issues is the impeachment that Sean Casten fully supports.

Rep. Chris Miller: Governor’s police and fire pension ‘reform’ not the solution Illinois needs

OAKLAND – A plan to consolidate 650 downstate pension funds passed the Illinois General Assembly during last week's veto session, but that plan was met with skepticism from many Republicans that simply don't trust Illinois Democrat fix-it schemes.

State Representative Chris Miller (R-Oakland) says he voted against the Governor’s scheme to consolidate the 650 downstate police and fire pension funds because giving the state control of local pension funds sounded more like a scam than a reform.

“I have heard from many of my local police and fire departments and the idea of turning the management of their pension funds to the state of Illinois is something they have zero interest in seeing happening,” Miller said. “It may be the greatest reform in the history of reforms, but there is no trust in the state to manage these funds. It is just like what President Reagan said, ‘the nine most terrifying words in the English language are I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

Should the US open its doors to "climate migrants" and their additional CO2 emissions?

CHICAGO - Heartland Institute's Justin Haskins responded to Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' suggestion that the US should open its doors to at least 50,000 "climate migrants" each year on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show last week: 

After Illinois' 2018 passage, ERA supporters push measure that could endanger women

D.C. - Laws at the state and federal levels that specifically protect women are endangered - thanks to state lawmakers in Illinois that voted to support the Equal Rights Amendment last year.

Laws that provide protections and benefits that can only be taken advantage of by females could be overturned if wording that requires men and women be treated equally are amended to the U.S. Constitution. Laws that require nursing areas for breastfeeding women, special protections for pregnant employees and other benefits of which only women can take advantage could be disqualified. so speculated Eagle Forum Illinois' lobbyist in 2014. 

Constitutional attorney Sharee Langenstein said "The ERA would prevent states from making any distinction between men and women. WIC would be gone. Protections for pregnant and nursing women would be gone," Langenstein said. "Women would be drafted, and would be put on the frontlines at the same rate as men. Women already have 'equal protection' under the law. Why do we need to strip away our equality in favor of androgyny?"

The issue took another step towards reality last week. With Illinois passing the ERA last year, the ERA movement boasts they are one state away from the required number of states to amend the Constitution.

Constitutional attorney Sharee Langenstein said "The ERA would prevent states from making any distinction between men and women. WIC would be gone. Protections for pregnant and nursing women would be gone," Langenstein said. "Women would be drafted, and would be put on the frontlines at the same rate as men. Women already have 'equal protection' under the law. Why do we need to strip away our equality in favor of androgyny?"

The issue took another step towards reality last week. With Illinois passing the ERA last year, the ERA movement boasts they are one state away from the required number of states to amend the Constitution.

IL GOP launches "Illinois Democrat Crime Ring" website

CHICAGO - "The Democratic Party of Illinois is nothing more than a vehicle for no talent cronies and grifters to reward friends, wield power, and personally profit from public office." 

Those are the introductory words found on the IL GOP's new website www.Demcorruption.com to expose epidemic of Democrat corruption.

It goes on. 

"Each week brings with it news of federal investigators engaging in a wide-ranging corruption probe that has already yielded indictments for two Democrat state legislators and the most powerful Chicago alderman, among others. The ongoing stream of FBI warrants and subpoenas tell the story of a political machine run amok, engaging in blatant, wide-ranging corruption without concern for consequences," the intro says.

Rossi: AG Barr's Sneak Preview of Explosive IG Report

By Randy Rossi - 

Any American paying attention to the Dem’s attempt to impeach Donald Trump in their “Stalinistic” impeachment hearings regarding a “Perfect” phone call Trump had with the new president of Ukraine has to wonder why they are spending so much time and American resources to go down this ridiculous path. Anybody who has actually read the transcripts of that call knows that President Trump said and did nothing wrong and the president of Ukraine said multiple times that the call was pleasant and he felt absolutely no pressure from President Trump. Why is “Comrade” Shift using this immoral, shameful, and dictatorial process which will clearly fail to try and impeach President Trump?

Thorner: The Deep State's Unconstitutional Political Game

By Nancy Thorner - 

Why would specific, politically powerful Democrats want to drastically change the U.S.A.? 

Our current government, as observed through the Marxist influencers within the Democrat Party, are proposing and leading this nation into one that our forefathers warned us against?   Legislators in the Democrat Party disrespect and purposely demean President Trump and have likewise convinced many registered Democrats that Trump was not duly elected as president.

It is a given that the Democrat Party's platform and plans for this nation are at odds with those promoted by the Republican platform and President Trump; nevertheless, verbally disrespecting a duly elected president of the United States should not be centered on “feelings,” nor about party preference.  All American citizens have a responsibility to respect election results as set forth in our Constitution.  It is the Electoral College, not the popular vote, that determines presidential elections.

14th CD GOP candidate Jerry Evans proposes plan to stop human trafficking

WARRENVILLE - Republicans in the 14th CD will have an array of candidates to choose from next March if every one that has declared an interest in challenging Democrat Lauren Underwood gets on the 14th CD's GOP primary ballot. 

That remains to be seen - but one GOP candidate that hasn't made much noise yet - Jerry Evans - released a detailed plan to combat human trafficking Monday. Evans' ideas to stop human trafficking include:

What Happened to California Republicans? A Lesson for Illinois' GOP.

Originally printed by The Daily Signal

By Victor Davis Hanson - 

From 1967 to 2019, Republicans controlled the California governorship for 31 of 52 years. So why is there currently not a single statewide Republican officeholder? California also has a Democratic governor and Democratic supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature. Only seven of California’s 53 congressional seats are held by Republicans.

In 1994, then-Gov. Pete Wilson backed Proposition 187, which denied state social services to undocumented immigrants. The spin goes that it backfired, alienated the Hispanic community, and thus marked the road to Republican perdition.

Not quite.

2019 Illinois Corruption Tracker

Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy at least $550 million per year. But the size and scope of government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans.

What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved in what appears to be one of the most wide-ranging federal corruption investigations in state history.

The Illinois Policy Institute has developed a report that is a continuously updated list of individuals and organizations that have been questioned, targeted, investigated, indicted or convicted as part of law enforcement’s anti-corruption activity in Illinois in 2019.

Check it out HERE.

China Poised to Benefit If Ukraine’s Western Relationships Fray

Ukraine is vital to U.S. national security. Nolan Peterson writes:

China has been steadily increasing its economic clout in Ukraine through a broad gamut of infrastructure investments and other economic initiatives. This year, China overtook Russia as Ukraine’s top trading partner, underscoring a landmark shift in economic ties between Kyiv and Moscow.

Ostensibly, China is grooming Ukraine to become a key node in Beijing’s One Belt, One Road trade route across Asia to Europe. China also has its eyes on Ukraine’s military hardware and agricultural exports.

52 Trillion Reasons to Oppose M4A

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a leading contender for her party’s 2020 presidential sweepstakes, recently released her long-awaited Medicare for All plan. Warren estimates her grandiose plan would cost a mind-blowing $52 trillion over its first decade, give or take a trillion.

But wait, it gets better—or much worse, depending on your political perspective. According to Warren, who has a long history of telling tall tales, “My Medicare for All plan gives everyone good insurance and cuts their health care costs to nearly zero - without increasing middle-class taxes one penny.” Obviously, this seems way too good to be true. 

Actually, Warren’s entire plan, including her absurd assertion it will be “paid” for, is patently ridiculous on its face. As Ronald Reagan would say, “There you go again.”

More HERE

Ives: Illinois Political Oligarch Retires

This morning, Former State. Rep. and Congressional Candidate Jeanne Ives released the following statement regarding Senate President John Cullerton's retirement from the Illinois General Assembly:

‘Quite frankly, I don't think you can use the word 'crisis' to describe it (unfunded pension liabilities) at the state level. It's something we have to deal with, but it's not something that we're on the verge of bankruptcy on.’- John Cullerton, 2013

November 15, 2019 - Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, announced yesterday that he will retire from office in January 2020.

Jeanne Ives, Republican Candidate for Congress (IL-06), issued the following statement regarding Cullerton’s departure from the General Assembly: “Retirements are cause to recall a man’s record. Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, told the Sun-Times Cullerton led the Senate “with honor and distinction.” He said he has seen firsthand ‘the integrity, honesty, and humor that [Cullerton] brought to the responsibilities his office entailed.’ 

“I see it somewhat differently.

Illinois College Republican Federation Statement on Northwestern Univ. Scandal

Photo: Mark Weyermuller

What the Radical Left lacks in employability and maturity, it makes up for with its impressive ability, despite all odds, to continue to outdo itself. 

Just last week at Northwestern University, Leftist activists engaged in another instance of what they like to call “protest” against former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Those with common sense and a mastery of the complex and mysterious tool that is the dictionary, however, know “insanity” when we see it. 

A “protestor” doesn’t attempt to break into a room they are prohibited from “by climbing through windows and pushing their way through open doors.” Nor does a “protestor” “[yell] through cracks in the doors” at those inside. Those in the know like to call those actions “trespassing” and “public nuisance.” Big words, for sure. 

West suburban gang leader arrested; feds say he attempted to aid ISIS

LOMBARD - Jason Brown, of the western suburb Lombard, was arrested Thursday for allegedly attempting to send financial support to ISIS, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting Friday. 

Brown, allegedly the leader of the AHK street gang in Bellwood, is also known as “Abdul Ja’Me.”

The Sun-Times says Brown gave $500 cash three times to a person working confidentially with law enforcement. Brown, 37, understood the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in active combat in Syria. 

More information to come ...

Thorner: Time to exit the U.N.

By Nancy Thorner -

The United Nations was established after World War II with the aim of preventing future wars, succeeding the ineffective League of Nations.  On 25 April 1945, 50 governments met in San Francisco for a conference and started drafting the UN Charter, which was adopted on 25 June 1945 and took effect on 24 October 1945, when the UN began operations. It is the largest, most familiar, most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organization in the world, headquartered on international territory  in New York City; other main offices are in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna and The Hague, according to Wikipedia.

Opposition to the U.N. is not new and has been around since its beginning.  As to the public, in 2013 a Media and Public Opinion Research Group poll found that 38% of Americans would like less involvement with the UN.  But despite public criticism, a non-partisan poll conducted after the 2016 election found that a majority of Americans (88%) did support active engagement in the United Nations.

Amid statewide corruption probe, IL Senate President announces retirement

SPRINGFIELD - Just as the Illinois Senate adjourned from its last veto session for 2019 Thursday, the buzz started that Senate President John Cullerton had decided to retire. Before long, the 70 year old Chicago Democrat, who has been in the Illinois General Assembly for 41 years, confirmed the rumors.

After serving as Senate President for 11 years, Cullerton decided he wanted to "spend more time with his family." In a statement, Cullerton said: 

I’m ready to embark on a new course. I’ve been promising my wife, Pam that I would retire:

• after 39 years of duty ...
• when I turn 70 …
• when we had a Democratic governor …

So now, after 41 years in the legislature and 40 years of marriage, I’m finally going to live up to my promise to retire.

Springfield insiders were taken off guard. 

Questions arose immediately.

Would You Rather Save $10.46 or $500?

Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats have been promising universal healthcare, which will supposedly save more than the $30 trillion to $40 trillion it will cost. Or if the cost is Warren’s $52 trillion, we’ll import more (rich?) taxpayers.

The various plans would end private coverage, later if not immediately, and replace it with a government-controlled, taxpayer-funded program.

One frequently touted benefit is the purportedly low administrative overhead of Medicare, and the end of profits to investors (such as your pension plan) in private companies.

Since their inception, however, Medicare and Medicaid have been plagued by waste, fraud, and abuse, variously guesstimated to be 10%, 20%, or more. Despite an escalating war against doctors, these estimates remain the same.

More HERE

Federalizing day care is a terrible idea

Presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., has unveiled a proposal to centrally plan the family by expanding the school day. She claims that, “aligning school and work schedules is an economic growth and child development strategy.” It betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the economy and the proper role of the state in it. Harris’s plan would disrupt the current commercial provision of childcare, decimating the daycare industry, and undermine the non-commercial networks of interdependent social institutions which are currently working, unnoticed in the econometric data, to help raise and care for children. It would shift this burden to public schools, already struggling in their primary mission to educate children, which are increasingly expected to be solely responsible for raising and caring for children.

More HERE

Illinois Preachers, Petitioners, and Protesters

From Mauck & Baker, LLC - 

What can Illinois Christian evangelists, petition passers, and Trump protesters all get behind?

The answer would be free speech, as yet another group has now objected to the City of Chicago’s rules in Millennium Park where officials continue to violate this fundamental right. The City is now fending off legal action from three different groups whose rights have been infringed: