Illinois Review

When Good News is Bad News

Amazing. Rep. Clyburn admits here that good news from Iraq and General Petraes could mean bad news for Democrats. 

Link: Hot Air » Blog Archive » Clyburn: It would be a “real big problem for us” if Petraeus’s progress report is good.

"There will be a time when loud-mouthed, incompetent people seem to be getting the best of you. When that happens, you only have to be patient and wait for them to self destruct. It never fails." -- Richard Rybolt

Hat/Tip:  IR Reader Jerry Hurtubise.

Will The Right Man or Woman Please Stand Up In The 14th CD

by Lee Newcom

OK.  Here goes.  Another one of those pieces where I stick my head in the guillotine and wonder why I keep getting people I like mad at me, by writing something a lot of people are thinking but no one who is friends with them wants to say.

I know Jim Oberweis and I know Chris Lauzen.  They are both good men, and both passionately want the Republican nomination for the 14th Congressional District to replace Dennis Hastert.  Either would make a good congressman.  I will heartily support either as the nominee.  Both are the wrong candidate as is Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns.  The astonishing fact is, all over the nation Republican congressional candidates are not raising money. The reason, they are part of the old GOP generation who are not exciting anyone.  The donors are not giving, the leadership has no plan.

What are needed are fresh, young faces.  People who are passionate, committed and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (update: and I add conservative, not a Mark Kirk).  People who will run on victory platforms, leading us to victory instead of defeat.  LEADING instead of reacting politically. It is difficult for me to believe that there is not one good, qualified, articulate veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan, in that great district, who can excite and lead people.

Ah for a party that was well lead and would seek out and promote candidates like that, instead of thrilling and self congratulating themselves over a new website and thinking they can manipulate voters because the primary date was changed.  Those are the panacea of people who are not and cannot recognize leadership. Leadership is not manipulation of voters or political slight-of-hand.  It is built on the conviction of ideas and the courage to charge when others are saying wait.

What's my point: would someone please find that candidate, recruit them to run and work your heart out to see them elected.

Only in America

by Eunice Conn

I saw it on FOX news this morning and just shook my head!

A nine year old boy sued his parents because in 2001, when he was 3 years old, he suffered brain damage in a car accident in which they did not install his car seat properly.

He got $100,000 from the parents’ car insurer.

It also "hit a blog.” Check it out:  http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=12716

For Those Who Enjoy the Language

from John Ruskin

Some fun with the English language:

• Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine.
• A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking.
• Dijon vu - the same mustard as before.
• Practice safe eating - always use condiments.
• Shotgun wedding: A case of wife or death.
• A man needs a mistress just to break the monogamy.
• A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
• Dancing cheek-to-cheek is really a form of floor play.
• Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
• Condoms should be used on every conceivable occasion.
• Reading while sunbathing makes you well red.
• When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.
• A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two tired.
• What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead give away.)
• Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Take a Swing at Lawsuit Abuse!

The Illinois Civil Justice League (ICJL) and Schaumburg Flyers minor league baseball team are teaming up to raise awareness of the need for common sense lawsuit reform ...

Wednesday, August 22 will be "Lawsuit Reform Awareness Night" at Alexian Field in Schaumburg as the Flyers take on the Gary SouthSoure RailCats. 

The first 1,500 fans will receive scratch-and-win tickets for the opportunity to win one of 75 .mp4 digital music/video players with the Flyers and ICJL logos. 

After 30 years, the Real Dennis Miller

At 53 years of age and after 30 years in show business, comedian Dennis Miller is comfortable in his own skin.  And it’s for the first time in his life, so he says. 

Making his national debut in 1985 as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, hitting the Las Vegas live act circuit, hosting a television news talk show and co-anchoring Monday Night Football, Miller says that if his current daily radio gig ends, things will be different.

“This time, if I’m fired, they will be firing the real Dennis Miller,” he recently told a invitation-only Chicago audience while in town to raise funds for military families. 

It took a national trauma, not the typical religious experience, for Miller to finally discover himself.  He hasn’t been “born again,” he irreverently jokes.  “I’m just arrogant enough to say I did it right the first time.”

NYTimes Swoons over Obama . . . again

The New York Times' Obama-gasm stories are getting higher and higher on the Illinois U.S. Senator.  Writer/swooner Janny Scott's job in Monday's story "In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd" must have been to "acquaint" Americans with the unknown Obama by exploring his years in the Illinois Senate . . . and touches on the strife within the Chicago black caucus.

New alliance pressures for governor's health care plan

Talk about liberal hypocrisy. "Separation of church and state" is the leftist ACLU whine conservative Catholics and evangelicals hear when they try to affect abortion, same sex marriage and pornography before our legislators.

Apparently, different issues demand different rules. Liberals are absolutely comfortable when sixty pastors converge on the Capitol to demand education funding as they did last week.

But it gets even more hypocritical. This week, a union local and United Congregations of Metro East joined hands as the "Alliance for Justice." The partnership formed to pressure state lawmakers to support the Governor's expensive demands: his Illinois Covered health care plan and more public school funding.

The "A" Governor and our $$

The Kankakee Daily Journal editorial board is losing its cool with Hot Rod Blagojevich.  They say he likes to govern alone and that he is aloof (another "A" word, they say . . .)

How about some other words that start with "A" that describe our governor? 

Absent . . . Abnormal . . . Abominable . . . Aboriginal . . . Abrasive . . .

Link: From today's Daily Journal.

Another "A" list word -- aloof -- seems to fit Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. It's as if he doesn't care what ordinary taxpayers have to kick in. His basic premise seems to be: You just have too much money -- let's take it away from you.  . . .

Money, it seems, is a funny thing. If you're in the hard business of earning it, $600 for makeup appears ridiculous -- out of touch. If you're thinking of taxing people and businesses for fresh billions of dollars, what's a couple hundred? Remember, this is the governor who tried to tack a Gross Receipts Tax onto Illinois business. He was also ready to sell the lottery.

Weller and Biggert Endorse Giuliani for President

From the Giuliani Presidential Committee:

New York City – The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee today announced U.S. Representatives Jerry Weller and Judy Biggert endorsed Mayor Giuliani for President of the United States.  Both Illinois U.S. Representatives join State Representative Tom Cross, State House Republican Leader and Rudy’s Illinois State Chairman, in supporting the Mayor.

“As Mayor of New York, Rudy proved he is the strong leader with the executive experience we need to lead our nation,” said Congressman Weller, who serves on the House Ways and Means Committee.  “I share Rudy’s commitment to fiscal discipline and to making America energy independent. Rudy is the one candidate that can accomplish these goals.”

“Rudy showed the whole country that he can lead during difficult times.  It will be an honor to campaign for him in Illinois and communicate his optimistic vision for America to voters,” said Congresswoman Biggert. 

Weller and Biggert join a growing list of 16 other U.S. Representatives supporting Mayor Giuliani.

Lauzen Wins Illinois Review Poll

by John Ruskin

Looks like Sen. Chris Lauzen won Illininois Review's poll asking who should be the GOP nominee in the 14th Congressional District. The results are below. And can be found here.

Cigarette tax hike sure to worsen revenue shortage

by Steve Stanek, guest contributor

Leave it to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the General Assembly to address a terrible problem by making it worse.

To help close a gaping budget hole and provide for universal health care and other huge new spending plans, Illinois lawmakers are considering a 90-cent tax hike on each pack of cigarettes. They are also considering allowing every county to enact cigarette taxes up to $2 a pack.

Experience apparently means nothing to these people.

To see the probable results of such tax hikes they need look no farther than Cook County, which doubled its cigarette tax to $2 a pack in 2006. Despite the tax increase, Cook County has come up millions of dollars below cigarette revenue projections.

Here’s what Cook County Board President Todd Stroger said in his 2007 budget address: “Of the $500-million projected shortfall we have all inherited and must now eliminate, shortfalls over two consecutive years in hospital fees and cigarette taxes contributed $155 million and $60 million, respectively. In other words, more than 40 percent of the shortfall we now face is related to hospital fee and cigarette tax revenue assumptions.”

Late Nights with Hillary

Late night host quotables:

Hillary Clinton said that her childhood dream was to be an Olympic athlete. But she was not athletic enough. She said she wanted to be an astronaut, but at the time they didn't take women. She said she wanted to go into medicine, but hospitals made her woozy. Should she be telling people this story? I mean she's basically saying she wants to be president because she can't do anything else."
-Jay Leno

"Top Democrats have mixed feelings about Sen. Hillary Clinton running for president. Apparently, some Democrats don't like the idea, while others hate it."
-Conan O'Brien

"In a fiery speech this weekend, Hillary Clinton wondered why President Bush can't find the tallest man in Afghanistan. Probably for the same reason she couldn't find the fattest intern under the desk."
-Jay Leno

School Readiness: A Phony Issue?

From Rockford's Howard Center:

Although Congress claimed in 1965 that Head Start would reduce juvenile delinquency, poverty, and dependency, the preschool initiative that today costs $7 billion a year has yet to demonstrate any lasting boost to the educational outcomes of at-risk children.

Nevertheless, welfare-state advocates are now pushing for public preschool for all children, claiming it will dramatically improve educational achievement. Yet a study by the Goldwater Institute of Arizona warns that the public should not fall for the curve ball this time, finding not only that pre-K programs offer questionable educational value, but also that no crisis even exists to justify such action.

McHenry County GOP Factions Trade Barbs on State's Attorney Race

by Cal Skinner

There’s a new way to test campaign themes and charges. It’s the comment section in the Northwest Herald. The NW Herald published a story about a McHenry County attorney named Daniel Regna. The article, by Brandon Courtre, says that Regna is a former assistant state’s attorney.

I confess to having never heard of him. He is the fourth name that defense attorneys in McHenry County have put forth as a potential opponent to Republican McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.

Sweet on Obama

by Teri O'Brien

I think we were all taken aback last January when we heard Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times lament the fact that she couldn’t follow Barack Hussein Obama into the health club locker room for reasons only she could explain (and to my knowledge, hasn’t.) If you don’t remember, here’s part of her report:

“Obama's physique is old news to Chicago Sun-Times readers. I've worked out several times next to Obama at the East Bank Club, but alas, could not follow him into the locker room. My colleague Neil Steinberg did and reported on Jan. 6, 2006, that the undressed Obama "doesn't have enough fat on his body to make a butter pat."”

Gen. Patton and the War on Terror

by John Ruskin

Pankau: Utility compromise okay, August 6 state government shutdown possible

From State Senator Carole Pankau's (R-Addison) July 27th newsletter . . .

Thursday things started to happen. There were more committee meetings in one day than we have had in the past week. But the biggest action came with the billion dollar ComEd rate relief bill being approved by the House and Senate on Thursday.

Dennis Miller's Reid Rant

Just in case you missed Dennis Miller taking on U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. . . here it is. 

Let's just hope he puts his crosshairs on Dick Durbin next. 

Miller is featured daily now on 560 AM WIND from 9 am to 12 noon.

Republicans to Initiate Recall Process

For the sake of all Illinoisans who would love to move on from this incessant Ground Hog Day-like  "Nightmare on Second Street" (where the state Capitol is located) of reliving yet another week of phony, Blago-produced so-called "special sessions" to discuss the budget -- word is that while over 2000 have signed a petition for the IL House to "Impeach Blagojevich," another movement is reportedly in motion to adopt the ability to recall the governor.

State Senator Dan Cronin told the crowd in Addison Saturday that this year's elongated legislative session demonstrated the Democrats' plan to change Illinois government.  Cronin said this year's overtime session was an effort to turn lawmaking into a fulltime process, one that would keep legislators in Springfield year around.

The DuPage lawmaker said that this week there would be a big announcement by Republican lawmakers to re-initiate the process of recall. 

Record-setting ketchup packet raises funds for Collinsville school

A sign of the times desperate need for light-hearted, good news . . .

Over the weekend, national and international news featured Collinsville Illinois' attempt at setting the record for the world's largest Heinz ketchup packet (something similar to the one pictured right).

Hillary's Cleavage

by George Kocan

In her latest column, feminist Ellen Goodman (“Focus on Hillary’s policies, not on her neckline”) has focused interest on Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s cleavage.

Goodman complains about fashion cops like Robin Givhan’s (who!?) emphasizing the senator’s feminine side, writing about “a small acknowledgement of sexuality and femininity.” 

After many unnecessary words, Goodman concludes with the probing question, “the question is not whether a candidate can show a hint of breast but whether you can have breasts and be president.” 

The correct answer to the first part of the question is NO.

Hope for Iraq?

The New York Times allows opinion space to two analysts who bring back a surprising analysis on the war in Iraq  . . .

Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily “victory” but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with.

Link: A War We Just Might Win - New York Times.

H/T IR reader Pete Speer

Americans sour on Congress

Americans aren't happy with the President or Congress these days. . .

PUBLIC SENTIMENT CONTINUES TO SOUR on Congress, the latest George Washington University Battleground 2008 Poll finds. A huge majority of 71 percent of voters surveyed believe their representative puts partisan politics ahead of them, the university reported.

Krause not to seek re-election

The Governor's strategy to fight until the bitter end to get his universal health care package could be beginning to take its toll on the morale of state lawmakers. 

Daily Herald's Eric Krol says that today he talked with State Rep. Carolyn Krause, who confirmed that she will not run for re-election in 2008.

The 69 year old Mt. Prospect attorney has been a state rep since 1993.

Krause joins State Rep. Patricia Lindner and Joe Dunn as those who will not return to Tom Cross' GOP House caucus.  Last month, State Rep Paul Froehlich switched parties from Republican to Democrat.

It's what they do with what they've got

Stirring up yet another hornet's nest that needs to be poked, this week's Star column challenges those sixty black pastors that converged on the State Capitol this week to stop being used by teachers' unions.

No legislator contemplating re-election wants to register a vote against more tax dollars for public schools or to appear insensitive to education funding inequities. After all, doesn’t more money to public schools mean better education?

Which begs another question: Just how much is enough?

The good-hearted pastors who rightfully are concerned about their communities’ children and their futures should stop allowing themselves to being used as pawns by teachers unions.

It’s not how much the schools get, pastors. It’s what they do with what they’ve got.

Link: With school funding, it’s how the money’s used :: Fran Eaton :: THE STAR :: OAK FOREST.

Where Eagles may fly in the GOP prez primary

In January, Illinois Review reported state leaders of the conservative Eagle Forum agreed that none of the Tier 1 Republican presidential candidates were acceptable.  Each had problems on social issues or were weak on immigration or Constitutional issues. None were acceptable.

(See "Conservative women say no to all GOP prez suitors") 

At that time, Phyllis Schlafly encouraged conservatives to hold back endorsing any Tier 1, with hopes of Tier 2 candidates having a chance to emerge. 

Apparently, Schlafly has found one Tier 2 candidate acceptable.  She showed her cards last week at a conference in Texas as explained below, a piece by Accuracy in Media's Cliff Kincaid.

Understand -- not one word that Phyllis Schlafly speaks publicly is not perfectly calculated . . . It appears the GOP prez primary is a L-O-N-G way from being decided.

Schlafly, president of Eagle Forum, highlighted the role of Democratic Party foreign policy specialist Robert Pastor in the unfolding plan. Pastor helped lead the campaign to surrender U.S. control of the Panama Canal through the Panama Canal Treaty, a development that has taken on added significance in view of the fact that a Chinese firm, Hutchison Whampoa, now controls not only the ports at both ends of the Panama Canal but ports and terminals in Mexico. The company has close ties to the Chinese regime.

Speaking at the same conference, Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Republican presidential candidate, said unfair Chinese trade was decimating America's industrial base and that the communist regime was using "crisp new American trade dollars" to build up its war machine.

Schlafly came close to endorsing Hunter for president, declaring, "Wouldn't it be wonderful to have him in the White House?" She said he was "right on every issue" and "he's the only one of all the candidates who talks about the jobs issue, and I think that is the coming big issue in the next election." Her remarks followed Hunter's speech.

Link: Selling America to Communist China - July 23, 2007. 

Froehlich Sponsors New Tax Bill

by Jennifer Millhouse, new IR contributor

Thinking about buying property in Chicago? You'd better hurry up. If the Regional Transportation Authority and the democratic caucus in Springfield have their way, soon property owners will be shelling out even more in taxes.

Representative Paul Froehlich (D-Schaumburg) is a House co-sponsor of Senate Bill 572, and buried deep within the bill is legislation (as amended in the House), which if passed, would funnel more money to the RTA in the form of an additional $3 per $1,000 of real estate transfer tax for properties bought and sold within Chicago. This additional tax would generate an estimated $99,000,000 in revenue.

Currently, buyers in Chicago already pay a whopping $7.50, and sellers $1.50, per $1,000. This bill would bring that total to $12! For comparison, the real estate transfer tax in New York City is $4 per $1,000 up to $1,000,000 of property.

SB0572 could have detrimental effects on the real estate market in Chicago. With the housing market on the decline, and the effects of the sub-prime mortgage fallout, residential and commercial buyers in the Chicago area continue to head to the collar counties for lower tax and price values. It's a challenge for sellers in this market to create enough economic incentive to attract buyers and this tax will make selling property in Chicago even more difficult.

We already know that the RTA is notorious for mismanagement, inefficiencies, waste and corruption. Don't you want to know why our lawmakers are proposing to throw more of our money at the problem? I know that I do. Let's give them a call, shall we?

Trucker campaigns to send Durbin home

Republicans in Illinois will have a primary in 2008 to determine who will faceoff with Minority Whip U.S. Senator Dick Durbin in the general.

Thus far, a family physician and a West Point graduate have indicated they are vying for the chance to take on one of the nation's most strident liberals, Illinois' Durbin. 

Early on Mike Psak, holding an MBA and a BS in Math/Computer science, said he was in.  Psak brings a completely different perspective to the race. 

From the American Daily, an online news source . . .

. . . [T]he state of Illinois that seems to have found one such “every-man”, an American trucker named Mike Psak, has joined in the Senatorial race against liberal Democrat incumbent, Dick Durbin.

Psak, who holds a Masters in Business Administration from DePaul University and a bachelors of science in math/computer science from the University of Illinois, grew weary of the daily grind of sitting within the confines of his four-walled office. The open road called and Psak joined tens of thousands of hard working American truckers delivering food, fuel and other goods across the United States.

The five years spent on the road was eye opening to Psak, as he was able to visit with local residents, read the local papers. It was this experience that solidified Psak’s belief that Washington was not in touch with the average American voter. He knew what he had to do.

Link: Mike Psak - American Trucker Runs for US Senate Seat in Illinois - Guest - Jul 29, 07.

Death Comes to Aurora

by John Ruskin

CitizenLink has the following on its website:

Abortion Clinic Sneaks into Chicagoland

Norquist warns IL GOP lawmakers to reject any tax increase

Republicans who lose their brand as tax fighters and government limiters endanger more than just their own elected positions, they threaten the credibility of their political party brand and the nation's economic future, nationally-renowned conservative Grover Norquist said at a meeting in Addison Saturday.

It's not rocket science, it's a simple marketing principle, Norquist warned.  Just don't ruin the brand.

"If you picked up a Coke bottle and saw a rat's head in the bottom, you'd never think about Coke the same way again," the founder of Americans for Tax Reform told a crowd of 100 Saturday.  "Ruining a brand is not a victimless crime.  Republicans who vote for a tax increase of any kind -- no matter how small -- endanger the Republicans' established brand of always being for limited government and lower taxes."

Obama and Clinton's war of words

From Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mike Luckovich

Just some facts

by Eunice Conn, new IR Contributor from Ogle County

I’m humbled, to say the least, that I was asked to opine on Illinois Review. However, rather than starting out giving my opinions (of which I have MANY) I thought it would be beneficial to give you some facts.

Most of you reading this are involved somehow in the political process. so I hope you will heed what I write.

I’d like to give you the reasoning behind why you should respond to those e-mails you get saying “Call your Congressman.”

Liberals Representing the "Little People"

by John Ruskin

Human Events came out with their list of the Top 10 Highest-Paid Union Bosses. You know, the people who claim they're soooo concerned about the working man. The ones who shake down their members and then funnel the money to lefty liberal Democrats.

The top ten highest-paid union mob bosses are:

GOP lawmakers support utility rate relief bill

House Republicans were all over the board this week as 15 voted to support SB 1592, Ameron/ComEd's $1 billion rate relief compromise along with the establishment of a public utility oversight board. 

Some downstate lawmakers said it was the best offer we'd see this session, and had to go back home to constitutents with something in hand to respond to up to 300 percent increases this summer on electric rates. 

Other Republicans said the deal wasn't enough to offset a rate freeze, and still others rejected the idea of government oversight of a private company.

GOP House supporters included Bost, Cole, Coulson, Cultra, Durkin, Hassert, Bill Mitchell, Moffitt, Munson, Myers, Pritchard, Reboletti, Sommer, Tracy and Jim Watson, who also signed on as the only GOP co-sponsor.

In the Senate, six GOP senators supported SB 1592 when it came back for concurrence with the changes made in the House:  GOP senators Cronin, Dillard, Millner, Pankau, Peterson and Risinger. 

All other GOP senators voted "No", with Senators Luechtefeld, Radogno, Rutherford and Sieben listed as "Not Voting."

No Democrats opposed the measure in either house.

Tribune Finally Finds Oberweis Fine

by Cal Skinner

I had the story about the $21,000 fine imposed on Jim Oberweis by the Federal Election Commission on January 24h.

I went to the source and found out from Oberweis himself. He told me that his decision was made from a cost-benefit point of view. It was cheaper to pay the proposed fine than the lawyers.

The Chicago Tribune's Rich Pearson ran the story July 27th. Here’s what the FEC said about Oberweis yesterday:

Pants Lawsuit Is Symptom of What's Wrong with Tort System

By Maureen Martin

Roy Pearson, the Washington D.C. judge who sued his dry cleaners for $54 million over a lost pair of pants, has become the poster child for frivolous litigation. His notoriety is well-deserved, and his case is important.

On June 25, the D.C. trial court tossed out Pearson's individual consumer fraud case, entering judgment for the defendants, the Chungs. The court had previously rejected Pearson's attempt to convert the case into a class action on behalf of thousands of other potential plaintiffs.

This is encouraging, but the case isn't over yet.

Romney leads in Iowa caucus poll

Mitt Romney's camp is happy about a new poll published on Tom Bevan's Real Clear Politics. com today, putting Romney ahead at 25% in the upcoming Iowa Republican Caucus straw poll, with Thompson at 14, Giuliani at 13 and McCain at 10.

Romney's not letting Giuliani's media-fed "electability" trash talk push him around, either.  Today the Romney camp pointed to an AP story about Giuliani's comments as to judicial qualifications and the campaign adds the following talking points. . .

Cruising in Ft. Lauderdale and Chicago

Watch the video here of Mayor Jim Naugle apologizing to the people of Ft. Lauderdale for not clamping down sooner on gay men involved with public restroom sex and not alerting citizens as to the the explosion of AIDS cases in the area.  A website Mayor Naugle points to lists 13 pages of locations where gays "cruise" for anonymous sex partners.  Two of those listed were Ft. Lauderdale city parks and two others are area Home Depots.

Mayor Naugle has been inundated with threatening messages from Ft. Lauderdale's gay community.  Link: Fort Lauderdale mayor issues apology, but not to gay community -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com.

Which led me to think "What makes anyone think this isn't happening in Chicago?"  Pete LaBarbera has been telling us for years that gay bathhouses are popular because of the anonymous sex that goes on in them. 

But it's not just the bathhouses.  It's public areas.  Anonymous sex is called "cruising" by the sex culture and two years ago, Montrose Harbor's Magic Hedge was in the news as 70 gay men were arrested for public indecency.

Fran Eaton Is "A bully"

Wow, is my backside stinging.  The editor of The Sun Times News Group's The Star, where I write a column every other Sunday, allowed local leftist Paula Morris to spank me and sit me in the corner with a featured guest column yesterday. 

She's angry about my July 15th column. . .

A little inspiration

For all our fellow America lovers, despite how she so often disappoints us, angers us and frustrates us, she's still the best place to spend our time on earth.

Clips from The Patriot.

God bless the USA.

New Dirksen cartoon library online

Illinois history buffs should be delighted with a newly-unveiled online resource featuring editorial cartoons about our state's very own Everett Dirksen. 

From the new website's "about" page: 

Editorial cartoonists loved Everett Dirksen (1896-1969)—his position of influence as Minority Leader in the Senate (1959-69), his way with words, and, of course, his distinctive appearance. Over the years, Senator Dirksen’s staff compiled a scrapbook containing more than 300 editorial cartoons. Topics covered include Vietnam, civil rights, Republican Party politics, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, reapportionment, Taft-Hartley 14(b), school prayer, Dirksen’s recording career, Senate procedures, congressional pay, presidential appointments, and Dirksen’s legacy. Naturally, cartoonists also used these topics to depict Dirksen’s relationship with President Lyndon Johnson, with his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, and with the Supreme Court. In addition, cartoonists sent Dirksen between 50 and 60 original sketches on equally diverse topics.

Breyer undermining Roberts

by Jill Stanek

From The Politico, yesterday:

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) plans to review the Senate testimony of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel A. Alito to determine if their reversal of several long-standing opinions conflicts with promises they made to senators to win confirmation....

The idea for a review came to Specter when he said he ran into Justice Stephen G. Breyer at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado.

Breyer, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, drew attention last month for suggesting that Roberts and the conservative majority were flouting stare decisis, the legal doctrine that, for the sake of stability, courts should generally leave past decisions undisturbed....

IL Budget woes: possibly "Spender-itis" or "Squander-itis"

An appropo quote from our own illustrious U.S. Senator Everett Dirksen, almost 50 years ago:

But I think ever so often, we must stop, look, and listen; and I do so now, because -- in the language used by my distinguished friend, the Senator from Minnesota -- I think I am one of those who has "budget-itis"- which was the term he used.

Mr. President, I must say that I have never had "spender-itis"; I have never had "squander-itis." But I freely admit to having "budget-itis"; and there is a reason for it -- because I have watched this Government in its every function grow.

[Congressional Record, May 20, 1959, p. 8615]

Evidence mounts that legal abortions are not safe

by Bill Beckman

Can we cover this subject too much?  Abortion supporters certainly do not think so.  They always go back to the same argument that illegal abortions are dangerous and women are dying because of them.  In nations where abortion is against the law (such places actually still exist), abortion advocates demand that abortion be made legal so it will be safe.  They trumpet large numbers of deaths from illegal abortions.

In fact, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a co-founder of NARAL who did many abortions himself before his conversion to defend life, long ago refuted the totally false claim that large numbers of women are dying from illegal abortions.  He revealed that abortion advocates just invented claims that 5000 to 10,000 women were dying annually from illegal abortions in the U.S.A.  Actually, 39 maternal deaths were recorded for 1972, the year before Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide.  Abortion advocates continue to use the same tactic with false statistics worldwide as their primary justification for making abortion legal.

Big Labor, Big Money

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members have filled the halls of the state capitol every week this session, demanding the state budget (and we taxpayers) raise their hourly rate. 

When Illinois tipped the scales toward having more people work in the public sector over private sector, maybe we didn't realize that we helped increase the number of SEIU members to 165,000 members in Illinois alone.  (Photo from SEIU Illinois Council website)

Bloomberg joins Obama in support for teacher merit pay

Obama let this genie out of the teachers' unions bottle last week, and NY Mayor Bloomberg picked up on it . . . the radical concept paying teachers based on their effectiveness versus seniority.

This could fascinating chink in the teachers' unions armor -- and a Democratic presidential candidate willing to poke at it.  On EdWeek blogger predicted when teacher union members return to work in the fall, Obama will lose support.

Osama and Saddam link proven by ABC News

It is amazing how much information there is out there that shows the Democrats and the news media contradicting themselves. This video is from 1999. It establishes a clear relationship between Osama and Saddam and it verifies at least one of the reasons we invaded Iraq. Judge for yourself.

So who lied? Who's lying now?

Border reform not a priority for Democrats

Hillary told immigrant rights activists last weekend that she would do her best in the first year of her presidential administration to enact "comprehensive immigration reform" and Barack Obama assured them he would "get it done" right away.

Illinois' U.S. Cong. Rahm Emanuel, architect of the 2006 Democratic House takeover says immigration reform is off the federal legislation table until the second year of a Democratic presidential term, say 2009 or 2010? 

New primary date benefits one Democrat, all Illinois Republicans

Guest commentary by IL GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr.

During the previous legislative cycle, the Illinois General Assembly, in an attempt to help Illinois Senator Barack Obama, moved the date of Illinois’ Presidential Primary up from its normal time in March to February 5, 2008.  While the chief intention behind instituting this change is to help a native Democrat Senator, a benefit to Illinois Republicans has arisen as well.