Illinois Review

A Gentle Giant goes home ... Scott Thomas

Scott Thomas, 56, first became known to Illinois conservatives when he succeeded Sandy Rios on the afternoon drive home slot on the Chicago Christian station WYLL AM1160 in 2003. Scott was an effective spokesman for the conservative movement as a radio host, and as man of God went he went fulltime into the ministry.  During 2006 before becoming a pastor, Scott was an active contributor to Illinois Review.

Scott Thomas was a huge man, both physically and spiritually. He had a heart for good and was an encouragement to all he met.  He went home to be with his Lord this morning after a long battle with cancer. Dave Weiser, Scott's producer, reported on Facebook that Scott was in a lot of pain these last two weeks.  We grieve the loss of this giant of a man and know that God is welcoming home an effective representative of Himself. 

Time to charge lawmakers for entering the Capitol

SPRINGFIELD - Remember those Saturdays when your family packed into the station wagon and headed to the state parks to catch up with those cousins you hadn't seen for years, to grab a taste of Aunt Hazel's potato salad and Uncle Chuck's barbeque? While the kids played volleyball, the adults sat around and talked hour upon hour and the day finished up with those crazy family photos?

Well, things could be different next year if State Rep. Joann Osmond's (R-Gurnee) bill to charge admission to state park passes the Illinois Senate this session. As if the gas to get to the park isn't high enough, now she wants Illinois taxpayers to cough up more money to enjoy the facilities they already own.

Des Plaines abortion clinic closed due to substandard facilities

DES PLAINES - Yet another Illinois abortion clinic closed its doors late last year, soon after the Illinois Department of Public Health finally began quietly inspecting abortion facilities, some of which had not been visited by the state in over a decade.

Up until the IDPH began inspecting in 2011 after the Pennyslvania "house of horrors" was discovered, Illinois girls and women were consistently exposed to substandard abortion facilities in Rockford and Lincolnwood. The same is true of a third clinic in DesPlaines, a place called Dimensions, one of five abortion clinics owned by abortionist Vinod Goyal.

One Mega Millions winning ticket bought in Illinois' Red Bud

Somebody that bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket in downstate Red Bud, Illinois is very happy this morning.

Illinois' winning ticket was sold in the small town of Red Bud, near St. Louis, and the winner used a quick pick to select the numbers, Illinois Lottery spokesman Mike Lang said.

The Mega Millions $640 million prize has winners in three different states - Illinois, Maryland and Kansas - the Springfield Journal-Register says.

Think of the STATE TAX DOLLARS the Illinois General Assembly NOW has to spend after last year's 67% tax hike!

Illinois House spends time outlawing sex with corpses

While Illinois teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, the Illinois House voted unanimously to outlaw sex with corpses. If the bill passes, sex with a corpse would be a Class 2 felony with a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

Democrat State Rep. Daniel Beiser is sponsoring the legislation and says, "It's all out of respect for the deceased" - a hilarious statement given Beiser's and his fellow legislators' ongoing "disrespect" of every living Illinoisan.

More HERE

Now illegal for Illinois candidates to switch parties during election

Yesterday Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn suddenly signed HB 2009 into law. The bill amends the Illinois election code to prevent a potential candidate from switching parties during a general election cycle.

The urgency seems to be about former Cook County GOP Executive Director Tom Swiss, who ran as a Democrat in the March primary, losing to State Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago), now under investigation for allegedly taking a $7,000 bribe just weeks before the March primary. The Democrats are concerned that Swiss is considering switching back to the Republican Party to oppose Smith in the November 2012 General Election.

Roskam on the House GOP Budget (video)

Durbin and Kirk support NATO Summit resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released the following statement today after the Senate passed by voice vote a resolution supporting the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Chicago:

"The NATO security alliance remains the greatest combined force for good in world history, defending our freedom and democracy around the globe," a Kirk spokesperson said. "We know Chicagoans will warmly welcome our NATO allies in May and foster an environment for a successful summit."

TSA featured in Security Theater (Video)

Schakowsky's convict husband now heading Americans United for Change

By Peter Bella -

CHICAGO - Robert Creamer, the husband of Democrat congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, is a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty to defrauding banks out of 2.3 million dollars in a check-kiting scheme along with violations of federal tax laws. The crimes were committed in relation to running his failing non-profit organization, paying his salary, and keeping him in the manner to which he was accustomed. 

Creamer is now leading a multi-million dollar non-profit group called Americans United for Change. The group is backed and financed by the usual progressive suspects, National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Service Employees International Union (SEIU), MoveOn.org, Occupy Wall Street and other progressive groups.

The purpose of this enterprise is to force so-called super PACs to disclose their donors. They are offering a $25,000.00 bounty to the first employee of a corporation who can prove their corporation secretly donated to a political non-profit organization during the 2012 campaign.

Creamer is a member of the Chicago Democratic Machine, known as the Chicago Democratic (Crime) Family. He was a political consultant to recently imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich, a friend of political consultant David Axelrod, and mentor to current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who started his political career working for one of Creamer’s non-profit organizations.

Of course, the groups supporting Americans United for Change, and Americans United for Change itself, are hiding behind the same non-disclosure they want to impose on others. Therein lies the brazen hypocrisy of progressives, the Democrats, and the left in general. More HERE

Thorner: Mr. President, tell us your real Energy Policy?

By Nancy Thorner -

As defined in a previous Illinois Review article of several days ago, despite President Obama's unwillingness to accept what is obvious, more drilling is the answer as the "Silver Bullet" for this nation to achieve energy independence and prosperity.

Other factors contributing to the high cost of gasoline here in Chicagoland and which have helped pave the way for what are record high or near record high gas prices are: 1) Boutique Gasoline Blends, 2) Oil as a Commodity, and 3) High gas taxes.

Mega Millions lottery jackpot reaches record $640 million

CHICAGO - Illinois gambling officials launched its online lottery sales the same week the national Mega Millions lottery jackpot reached a record $640 million. An incredible coincidence, isn't it?

But retail sales of lottery tickets reached $2.3 million while the internet sales peaked at $64,000 on Thursday, Illinois lottery sales showed, bringing the total of Illinois' new online lottery sales since Sunday's launch reaching $425,000 in five days.

The drawing for the Mega Millions grand prize will be held Friday night. If the winner decides on a one time payout, the prize will be $462 million. Must be 18 or older to play, and officials say any winner not of legal age will not receive a prize. (As if any parents would turn down that kind of money if their kid won the Mega Millions using their credit card without permission. In that case, the parent would find unauthorized purchases on their credit cards made by their own underage kids and be stuck with the bill. Oh, but that would never happen.)

New Customs Rule Would Treat Same-Sex Couples As Families

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration proposed on Tuesday to recognize same-sex couples as families on customs forms, a small but significant step, supporters said, toward equal recognition by the federal government.

"It's very insulting to come to the United States as an American citizen with your partner or your spouse and be told you cannot be treated as a family," Steve Ralls, a spokesman for Immigration Equality, said of the rule. "It is a symbolic step forward toward making sure that gay and lesbian couples will no longer be subjected to a different standard and they're no longer invisible in the process."

The proposed rule change, which was posted to the Federal Register website on Tuesday, would expand the definition of a family for the purpose of customs forms for entering the United States. More HERE

Illinois debtors could escape prison time

SPRINGFIELD - On Thursday, legislators voted 107-0-1 to approve House Bill 5434 to stop Illinois residents from being sent to jail when they cannot pay a debt. Over the last year, Attorney General Lisa Madigan has learned that residents in roughly a third of Illinois’ counties commonly face incarceration when they fail to appear in court in response to a previously entered order to pay a debt. Madigan’s office found that in many of these cases, the notices of the court hearings were mailed to addresses that were no longer valid, leaving many debtors unaware of the hearings. In spite of the failure to notify the debtors, courts frequently have issued bench warrants for the missing debtors’ arrests.

"Creditors have been manipulating the court system to extract money from the unemployed, veterans, even seniors who rely solely on their benefits to get by each month,” Madigan said. “Too many people have been thrown in jail simply because they’re too poor to pay their debts. We cannot allow these illegal abuses to continue.”

More HERE.

Kinzinger advocates "Path to Prosperity" budget on House floor (video)

WASHINGTON - Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) spoke on the U.S. House floor in support of Congressman Paul Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" budget Thursday.

U.S. Defense Department Announces Step Toward the North American Union?

According to the New American, another step toward the North American Union (NAU) was announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense in its press release noting the “inaugural trilateral meeting” of North American defense ministers in Ottawa, Canada. It was attended by Canada’s Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay, Mexican Secretary of National Defense General Guillermo Galvan, and Mexican Secretary of the Navy Admiral Mariano Mendoza, along with U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

The communique was about “defense,” “threats” and “security,” which the publication believes helps to sell the idea of the NAU to the American people. More HERE

NBC5 hails Madigan as Congressional king-maker

NBC5 gushed over liberal House Speaker Mike Madigan; crediting him with changing the face of Congress by citing Sabato's Chrystal Ball Crystal Ball that's predicting the Democrats will take four seats now held by Republicans: in the 8th District, Tammy Duckworth will defeat Rep. Joe Walsh; in the 10th District, Brad Schneider will defeat Rep. Bob Dold; in the 11th District, Bill Foster will defeat Rep. Judy Biggert; and in the 17th District, Cheri Bustos will defeat Rep. Bobby Schilling. In another close race, the 12th District, Crystal Ball favors Brad Harriman over 2010 Republican Lieutenant Governor nominee Jason Plummer.

Time will tell.

Illinois House keeps university worker tuition benefit

The Illinois House killed legislation Thursday that would have put limits on a tuition break program for employees of the state’s public universities. The proposal mustered just 25 ‘yes’ votes of the 60 needed for passage. It would have limited the current 50 percent tuition cut to families with household incomes of $50,000 or less. More HERE and the roll call is below:

Rhoads: My Favorite Proverb

By Mark Rhoads -

The normal focus of IR is politics but since social and cultural issues have played an increasing role in political debates, a once-in-a-while spiritual reference should not be out of place here. Whenever I become overly worried about negative political or cultural trends in the news, I find some peace in the old King James translation of Proverbs 3:5-7

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Panel: Cut regional supers, don’t eliminate

A special commission is recommending the General Assembly and Gov. Pat Quinn cut the number of regional school superintendents from 44 to 35. The move would save an estimated $1.5 million and could avoid a situation similar to last year when Quinn tried to eliminate all the offices in order to save about $12 million during tough budget times. The recommendation, which is expected to be forwarded to the legislature Friday, did not outline which of the offices would be eliminated. That decision would be left up to counties and would likely not take effect until 2015. More HERE

Illinois pension reform measure passes House

A local government that gives an ex-lawmaker a fat paycheck would have to pick up the costs of any automatic increase in his state pension under a proposal the House passed overwhelmingly Thursday…The move came months after the Tribune disclosed a pension windfall for former Democratic state Rep. Robert Molaro of Chicago. Molaro nearly doubled his state-supported pension to more than $120,0000 a year because he worked one month as a well-paid aide to Ald. Ed Burke, chairman of the City Council Finance Committee. More HERE

Judge upholds denial of NATO march permit

A city of Chicago administrative hearing judge has upheld the denial of a march permit for NATO protesters. Administrative Law Judge Raymond J. Prosser delivered his ruling late this afternoon, backing the city’s claim that a parade through the heart of the Loop on the first day of the NATO summit would create an unnecessary public safety risk. More HERE

Lott: It's not about "Stand Your Ground"

In the National Review Online, author John Lott Jr gives an excellent four-paragraph tutorial on the importance of "Stand Your Ground" and "Castle Doctrine" self-defense Second Amendment laws and why the Trayvon Martin case is not about either of those principles:

Prior to the spread of “Stand Your Ground” and “Castle Doctrine” laws, citizens who wanted to defend themselves from a criminal had to retreat as far as possible and then announce to the criminal that they were going to shoot. But obvious problems arise: Forcing a victim to take time to retreat can put their life in jeopardy, and a prosecutor might argue that a victim didn’t retreat sufficiently. There have been many cases where victims have been chased and knocked down a couple of times before firing in self-defense, and yet prosecutors claimed that the victim still could have done more to retreat before firing their gun.

Social media passwords are none of employers' business, House says

SPRINGFIELD - Employers will be prohibited from asking job interviewees for their social media passwords, if Rep La Shawn Ford's HB 3782 passes the Senate like it did the House yesterday, and the governor agrees:

The legislation, approved 78-30, would prohibit employers from demanding passwords or ordering workers and applicants to sign into their accounts for management to review them.

Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said his bill recognizes that people should not have to open up every aspect of their lives to get a job.

"This is a right to privacy, and it sets the agency or any employer up for a lawsuit," Ford said.

State Senator Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) is picking up the bill in the Illinois Senate.  Here's the House roll call ...

Abortionists continue to stop women's health bill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- A legislative battle over abortions and ultrasounds has reached the Illinois House floor.

Abortion opponents want to require that women be given the option of seeing an ultrasound image of their baby before undergoing an abortion. Unlike proposals in some other states, it would not force women to obtain an ultrasound.

Abortion-rights advocates are fighting the bill. They proposed a series of amendments Thursday that were meant to kill the idea, including making men view a video on the side effects of Viagra and other erectile-dysfunction medications.

The House overwhelmingly rejected the amendments.

But the sponsor postponed action on the underlying bill. Democratic Rep. Joe Lyons of Chicago said some backers were absent, so a vote will be taken later.

Katy Perry video: Pro-women, pro-military? Or both?

Katy Perry's new video "Part of Me" is creating a stir among young women. Is it pro-woman or military propaganda like columnist Naomi Wolf thinks, writing:"I really want to find out if she was paid by them for making it," Wolf wrote on her Facebook page. "It is truly shameful...I would suggest a boycott of this singer whom I really liked - if you are as offended as this glorification of violence as I am." 

Volt needs recharging? Illinois, 350Green and 7-Eleven's got it

CHICAGO - Following the Obama Administration's lead in using tax dollars to subsidize and promote environmentally-friendly companies, Thursday, Governor Pat Quinn flaunted Illinois taxpayers' investment in constructing electric vehicle (EV) stations along Illinois tollways and ing Chicago.

“We want Illinois to be the greenest state in America,” Governor Quinn said. “By installing the largest network of cutting edge fast-chargers, Illinois will continue to support green jobs and provide people with environmentally-friendly and affordable travel options.”

Rhoads: RINO Budget Fails, Tea Party Wins

By Mark Rhoads -

The fake bi-partisan budget inspired by the Simpson-Bowles Commission that included full funding for Obamacare and was co-sponsored by Congressman Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) and Congessman Cooper (D-Tennessee) failed in the U.S. House on Thursday by a vote of 38 in favor to 382 against so the RINOS will have to wait for another day to beat the Tea Party.

Democrat Blames Rush Limbaugh for Primary Loss

Bill Sarto, a Democrat who lost in the primary race for Kane County chairman, said Rush Limbaugh is at least partly responsible for the March 20 result.

Sarto ran against Sue Klinkhamer, whom he said benefited from a backlash over comments the conservative radio commentator made about women and contraception.

“Sue Klinkhamer can probably give Rush Limbaugh an assist here,” Sarto said.

More HERE

Illinois Policy Institute analysis of the House Budget: Still too big

By Kristina Rasmussen, Illinois Policy Institute -

Last year's state budget was a failure. Despite a record tax increase, the bill backlog skyrocketed and Illinois' credit rating plummeted.

This afternoon, a budget framework passed the Illinois House with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, it adopts an overall spending target that is still far too high. What is good about the budget is that it acknowledges the overwhelming burden of Illinois' unsustainable Medicaid program and takes steps to slow the growth of the unpaid doctor bills. But it fails to show signs of reducing state pension costs and appears to leave other opportunities for savings off the table.

Ultimately, this budget framework is only sustainable in future years through more tax increases. But that's not what Illinois needs, so that's why the Illinois Policy Institute was in committee this morning to register our opposition to a spending plan that is still too large.

So how can Illinois move forward? The Institute has outlined a $7 billion plan to turn around the state in our recent Budget Solutions 2013. Our budget plan:

Learning Four Lessons from Obamacare

By John F. Di Leo -

Even before the Supreme Court issues its ruling this June, we have learned a great deal from this process. The long history of Obamacare, hopefully already entering its final months, has been as instructive to the student as it has been devastating on the economy. These are certainly not the only lessons we have learned from it, but here are a few worth remembering.

Legislation Has Consequences

Even though Obamacare was frontloaded on taxes and backloaded on benefits – it wouldn’t provide a single dollar of real benefits for four years – its effect on the economy was instantaneous. Within two months of passage, dozens of public companies had quietly (or sometimes not so quietly) announced that they had to recalculate their future profit margins downward. 

Meat Loaf is a dish best served hot

By Cranky Housewife -

Relax. Just because I'm a housewife doesn't mean I'm going to offer you my recipe suggestions. Although, now that I'm thinking of it…no, no. Sorry. Today, we instead talk of blacklists and the consequences surrounding the delegation of the Right's cultural participation inside the ongoing national dialog by bowing to the artistic geniuses who consider themselves left of center. You know – the great thinkers who gave us Lady Gaga, Two and a Half Men, and The Underwear Dare.

Oh, sure. You've got your occasional Bruce Willis or Dennis Miller or Patricia Heaton who break out of their shackles in unstoppable glory to delight audiences everywhere with their artistic acumen, but how often does that really happen? Mostly, we see the Elizabeth Hasselbecks of the world who act as diplomatic envoys into a cultural universe that is simply too cool for traditional values. Ah, yes. Elizabeth - blissfully incapable of holding her own in a room of bullying Leftists, always demurring in timid acceptance of her role as stupid Republican, never quite capable of making a valuable point in defense of conservative ideology…it couldn't be a better set up for the Left's Punch and Judy show if they had scripted it…which they did.

Manzullo works to reauthorize U.S. Export-Import Bank

WASHINGTON  –  Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., and Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Ill., today introduced a bill to reauthorize the U.S. Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank to avoid a credit crunch in trade finance and grow U.S. exports. The bank, whose authority expires May 31, helps finance sales of U.S. goods overseas. 

“Exports create jobs in Washington state and across the nation. The Export-Import Bank is an essential tool that allows our exporters, large and small, to sell their products overseas,” Larsen said. “The Export-Import Bank has been a huge success story, financing billions of dollars of U.S. exports each year and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. Failing to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank would have disastrous consequences for American manufacturers.”

Rhoads: Mitt's Secret Meeting with Newt

By Mark Rhoads -

Newt and Mitt met in secret in New Orleans at Mitt's hotel on the morning of the Louisiana Primary last Saturday on March 24 and I am guessing that advancing the conservative ideals of Rick Santorum or shaping a conservative platform was not on the agenda. Newt's million-dollar debt for his visits to zoos around the country while his Newt staffers were never paid might have been on the agenda.

Hultgren Applauds House Passage Of Path To Prosperity Budget

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) today released the following statement after voting for the House Republican Path to Prosperity budget proposal.

“The Path to Prosperity is a bold framework that has the potential to save America from a dismal, Greece-like future of overwhelming debt,” said Hultgren. “I’m proud to support our Path to Prosperity: It cuts spending, shrinks the federal government, gets Americans back to work, and begins the long-overdue process of reforming our byzantine tax code, all while protecting seniors, veterans, and those struggling to make ends meet. With a national debt of more than $15 trillion, and unemployment stuck above 8 percent for more than three straight years, it’s clear that the Washington policies of borrowing, spending, and taxing have failed.

Walsh Votes to Save Medicare

WASHINGTON DC -Thursday Congressman Joe Walsh voted in favor of the Republican Budget, the only budget which saves Medicare, actually balances, and puts our country on a path to solvency.

Walsh stated: “Everyone, Republicans and Democrats alike, knows that Medicare will end in 8 to 10 years if we don’t fix it. Only the House Republicans have put forth a budget to fix it and save it, not the Democrats and certainly not the President.

Roskam: Genuine budget solutions Americans need

WASHINGTON – Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) issued the following statement today after House Republicans passed the Path to Prosperity Budget Resolution.

“Our nation is facing the most predictable debt crisis in history – we either manage our debt now or our debt manages us forever. Yet even on the verge of this crisis, the White House continues to push an unserious budget that would never balance and didn’t get a single vote in the House. Senate Democrats refuse to offer their own plan, last passing a budget when Rod Blagojevich was indicted three years ago. 

“The House Republican budget manages our debt now so that future generations aren’t saddled with crushing debt that prevents them from having the same opportunities we’ve had. It offers honest solutions that tackle the growing debt, preserve and strengthen Medicare and other safety-net programs, and fundamentally reinvigorate the economy with comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform and policies to lower energy costs for American families. These are the types of genuine solutions that Americans need and future generations deserve.” 

Ryan: A budget that trusts the American spirit

WASHINGTON DC - Thursday, during the U.S. House budget debate, Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin articulated the basic principles of conservatism, including affirming that American's natural rights "come from God and nature, not government."

Morthland Passes Bill to Toughen laws against Human Trafficking

SPRINGFIELD - Wednesday, State Representative Rich Morthland’s (R-Cordova) bill on Human Trafficking passed the Illinois House on a vote of 82-32.

House Bill 5482 would make Class 1 felony of human trafficking or involuntary servitude convictions a non-probationary offense. In metropolitan Chicago, 16,000 to 25,000 women and girls are involved in the commercial sex trade annually. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, because of its strategic location and importance, is considered a highly used transit location by traffickers to transport victims and disperse them as needed to other cities and states.

Morrison School Relief Bill Killed in Committee

SPRINGFIELD - A largely party line vote blocked a bill to provide financial and regulatory relief to local school districts in yesterday’s Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. State Representative Tom Morrison’s (R, Palatine) bill had backing by the Illinois School Management Alliance and provided schools with more options when coping with the state’s perpetual late payments.

“Illinois is in a fiscal mess, and it trickles down to our local governing bodies,” said Morrison. “We need to dramatically cut the unfunded mandates on our schools. When the state mandates that a school district meet certain standards but then fails to fund them, the school district should not be obligated to pick up the tab.”

House Bill 4850 allows school districts to discontinue certain state mandates when faced with delayed or nonpayment by the state of Illinois. Morrison claims his bill would allow local school districts more authority in allocating their budgets, and he vows to continue for its passage despite this set back.

Obamacare Decision Now in Supreme Court’s Hands

By Mike Brownfield for Illinois Review -

For the past three days, the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court heard a series of arguments on Obamacare — what promises to be one of the most seminal decisions in the Court’s history. Now that the dust has settled, it appears more than likely that President Obama’s signature health care law is on the verge of being struck down — perhaps even in its entirety.

The challengers to the law include more than half of the States of the Union, the National Federation of Independent Business, and private parties, while the Obama Administration is standing in defense of it. Having heard arguments on Monday on whether a law called the Anti-Injunction Act would bar the Court from considering whether Obamacare’s individual mandate to purchase health insurance is unconstitutional, the Court on Tuesday moved on to examining the mandate itself and whether Congress vaulted across the Maginot Line of constitutionality when it imposed the mandate on Americans.

Health care fate rests with Supreme Court

By Fran Eaton -

Last Friday's Religious Freedom rallies and the Supreme Court's awaited decision on Obamacare's HHS mandate are the topics of today's Southtown Star's "Always Right" column ...

Chicago-based Prolife Action League initiated the national rally because it was outraged by the Obama Administration’s sweeping decision to reject religious teachings and demand all employers provide health care insurance that pays for abortions, contraceptives and sterilizations.

“Not only will Catholic institutions be forced to provide services that directly contradict the teachings of their faith, but — more alarmingly —the federal government is claiming the right to decide for religious institutions what constitutes their ministry,” the Prolife Action League wrote.

The Cincinnati Religious Freedom Rally drew 500, New York City 900 and Detroit 1,000. In Fort Lauderdale, 300 Floridians stood outside the Broward County Federal Building. Among the ralliers was former Saturday Night Live comedienne Victoria Jackson.Another woman carried a homemade sign especially poignant for the southern Florida region saying, “Without religious freedom, we are Cuba.”

Stand up for Religious Freedom Rally recap (VIDEO)

On March 23rd, 2012, over 60,000 Americans gathered in more than 140 cities across the nation to protest the HHS Mandate, which violates the religious freedom of millions of Catholics. Take your stand at http://www.standupforreligiousfreedom.com

Schilling: Humble Beginnings

By Christie Schilling (wife of U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling) -

It's been three years since Bobby and I took on this new challenge of campaigning and being a congressional family. From the very beginning, the people of this area have been warm and welcoming. Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike have made a wonderful and positive impact on our family.

Our family life isn't that different from other families. The obvious difference is the sheer number of us—Bobby and I have 10 wonderful children and two grandchildren. We work hard, we love God, we love America, and we love each other.

Medical Ethics: It's a Brave New World

By Ghost of John Brown -

The development of scientific advancement has always been cast in the light of the moral implications that those advancements cause.  During World War 2, arguably the most influential rocket scientist that the Germans had was Wernher von Braun.  Exasperated by what he saw within the Nazi regime, von Braun defected to the United States.  He was quoted as saying:

"We knew that we had created a new means of warfare, and the question as to what nation, to what victorious nation we were willing to entrust this brainchild of ours was a moral decision more than anything else. We wanted to see the world spared another conflict such as Germany had just been through, and we felt that only by surrendering such a weapon to people who are guided by the Bible could such an assurance to the world be best secured."

While von Braun's concern was warfare, perhaps one of the greatest ethical concern over the next few decades will be genetics.

New "Bullying" bill passes Illinois House

By Laurie Higgins - 

How did they vote?

IFI strongly opposes the bill proposed by lesbian activist State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago). Sixty votes were needed to pass this bill in the Illinois House, and it passed yesterday by a vote of 61-49-2. It will now be considered in the Illinois Senate. Look at the official roll call below to see how your state representative voted on HB 5290, or click HERE to download it.

Lest anyone be deceived about the central goal of Illinois’ anti-bullying laws, remember that homosexual activists created the original anti-bullying law, served on the task force charged with making recommendations for implementing the anti-bullying law, and sponsored the anti-bullying bill that just passed in the House. 

Here are a few of the problems with the bill: 

Trayvon Martin "hoodie walk" planned for Springfield Saturday

SPRINGFIELD - Congressman Bobby Rush (IL-1) took the "hoodie walk" to the U.S. House floor Wednesday, and the Springfield Journal Register says a "hoodie walk" is planned for Saturday afternoon in the state capital. 

A “hoodie walk” in honor of Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot in Florida, will start at 4 p.m. Saturday in front of the Old State Capitol. Registration begins at 3 p.m. 

The walk will begin at Sixth and Washington streets and end at Comer Cox Park, Martin Luther King Drive and Adams Street. There also will be guest speakers. The event is being organized by Shantell Dent. The public is invited to participate.

Here's what happened late last week in North Miami when local high school students walked out of their classrooms, demonstrating their support for Trayvon Martin, a high schooler allegedly gunned down by a community watcher in Sanford, Florida:

CPAC-Chicago registration is now open

If you missed this announcement in the middle of the primary chaos, pay attention now - CPAC-Chicago will be Friday June 8th at the Rosemont Convention Center in Chicago's western suburbs.  Right Nation and Heartland Institute is co-hosting this exciting event and it's one you won't want to miss!

Register today on the CPAC-Chicago website HERE.  And see you there! 

Illinois Senate primaries stir controversy, but little change

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois' intense March 20th primary activity reflected the re-districting chaos that takes place every ten years after census results come in. With the Democrat Party controlling the General Assembly, the Governorship and the Illinois Supreme Court, the new map boundaries achieved their desired results - strengthening the Democrats' stronghold on the state and stirring Republican intra-party contests that in some cases became very bitter.

But the same nasty atmosphere appeared in some Democrat races where Senate incumbents were defeated in the primary - specifically Democrat incumbent state senators Annazette Collins in the 5th District and Mike Boland in the 46th. 

The Republican Senate primaries showed the remap mixing of Senate and House districts, where House members chose to challenge longtime Senate veterans, and in one case, pitted GOP Senate colleagues against each other. Senate veterans won re-election over House members, except in the 53rd, where State Senator Shane Cultra lost to freshman State Rep. Jason Barickman.

RINOS to Tea Party: Drop Dead

By Mark Rhoads

RINOS led by Congressman Steve LaTourette of Ohio are about to throw away the 2010 election victory of Tea Party conservatives and the GOP House majority that came with it.  LaTourette is presenting one of those fake bipartisan budget deals that RINOS always fall for.  It includes full funding of 1.6 trillion dollars for Obamacare.