Illinois Review

New Year Prayer for the Nation

"Almighty God, You have given us this good land for our heritage. We humbly ask You that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Your favor and glad to do Your will. Bless our land with honorable endeavor, sound learning and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitude brought here out of many nations and tongues. Endow with the Spirit of wisdom those to whom in Your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Your law we may show forth Your praise among the nations on earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble do not allow our trust in You to fail. Amen."

~~ by Thomas Jefferson, taken from "Prayers for Today," published by Leaflet Missal Co.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

By Mark Rhoads -

What is most surprising about the news on Christmas Day is not that President Obama and his family failed to attend any church service, but that his lack of attendance seemed so unremarkable to the secular news media that it went lagely unreported. Just as actions speak louder than words, so does the omission of actions speak louder than words.

Five Mainstream Republican Resolutions for 2014

By John F. Di Leo -

Every New Year’s, we write personal lists of resolutions for ourselves. Lose the weight, advance the career, learn a skill, write that book. A good concept, especially if we really do accomplish some of them!

But the problems America faces today aren’t going to be resolved that way. We are being impoverished by a leviathan state, and problems caused by government action can only be solved by government action.

There’s no point in my proposing any resolutions to the Democratic Party; as a non-member, I have no right to expect them to listen to me.

But as a lifelong Republican, I hereby respectfully submit my recommendations to the candidates, officeholders, and party leaders of the Republican Party, here:

Latest Candidate Withdrawals

Below is the list of candidates that have withdrawn since the filing period ended.

McLean County ex-recorder shows capitalist spirit in tough economy

Photo: The Pantagraph, David Proeber

ANCHOR, IL - On Nov. 6, 2012, after all the McLean County election results had been tabulated, conservative Republican Lee Newcom posted a message on his Facebook page: "I won my election but lost my job."

Newcom had been re-elected as McLean County recorder of deeds, but a referendum asking voters if the recorder's office should be eliminated also passed — 37,699 to 24,207.

Newcom asked if anyone had any ideas for a job.

The first to respond was a high school friend who owns an alpaca farm in California, suggesting he start one.

"I said that costs money and I don't know anything about alpaca farms," said Newcom.

But after a lot of research, help from his friend and a trip to the California alpaca farm, Newcom decided to try it out. A couple of weeks ago, he received his first herd of 15 alpacas — one of which he helped birth on one of the California trips. Her name is Katie, after Newcom's daughter, Katie, who is a full partner in the new business venture.

Rest at The (Bloomington) Pantagraph HERE

Ten resolutions to consider in 2014

By Irene F. Starkehaus -

No surprise to most of us, I guess. Fifty-four percent of Americans believe that 2013 was a particularly bad year and a full forty percent have declared 2013 to be a grand scale disaster for their families. So it has been written in the article entitled Excedrin headache No. 2013 (Washington Examiner). So it shall be done. I'm not being flippant either. Keep in mind that this Washington based paper had to look to an Economist/YouGov poll in order to figure out what the rest of us have been learning through life experience lo these many months. If that's not the best illustration of what is broken in Washington then I just don't know what is.

I suppose it is in the smallest way satisfying when the MSM confirms what conservatives have been saying right along in spite of all the .gov evidence to the contrary. Sadly, "I told you so" doesn't make up the household budget gap created by the Affordable Health Care Act that was established to make our health care more…affordable (I'm sorry. What was it about the Affordable Health Care Act that made you think it would be affordable?) and it won't produce jobs for the millions of willing producers who are stuck in a holding pattern waiting for the economy to return to what most of us consider normal levels of growth and prosperity.

Mainstream Media: Parroting A Christmas Present Or Two Or Ten

Your Money in Pictures: Each American’s Share of Publicly Held Debt

As Washington lawmakers continue to spend more and pile on debt, each American’s share of public debt has risen to $36,000—about six times more than in 1970—and is set to rise astronomically in coming years. Without reform, the government will have borrowed $135,547 in public debt for each American, or almost three times the current median income, by 2036. This chart shows that serious consequences lie ahead if the government continues on its current path of reckless spending with no reform in sight.

Chicago Transit Authority admits Ventra troubles meant $1.2 million in free rides

CHICAGO - Officials with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) admitted today that problems with their new Ventra fare system have cost taxpayers $1.2 million in free rides.

The CTA says it will pursue reimbursement from Ventra's vendor, Cubic Transportation Systems Inc., which indicated it will reimburse" the CTA.

The estimate covers the time period from Oct. 1 to Dec. 19. The CTA says more than 900,000 bus rides and 21,000 rail rides were free "because Ventra fare readers were not functioning correctly."

Not unlike government officials pronouncements about the Obamacare website, CTA officials say Ventra is doing better. They say performance has improved as it continues to monitor the new system.

Illinois Gaming Board calls video games that don't pay the government "illegal"

Illinois politicians decided to get rid of video poker machines that were unregulated and untaxed by the government. In turn, they legalized video gambling machines that were taxed and tightly controlled.

But this year, Springfield lawmakers quietly approved a one-sentence change to the law that may help usher in a new wave of slotlike machines -- even in Chicago and certain suburbs where citizens have voted "no" to legalized video gambling.

Already in several Chicago locations, the loosely monitored machines take cash, let users play slotlike games and cash out winnings. Machine owners say the games are legal because customers receive a coupon for online merchandise and can play for free.

But the Illinois Gaming Board issued a rare opinion this month declaring such machines illegal. Pointing to that opinion, a Chicago police spokesman said, "We have been actively looking into this issue."

Not surprisingly, a top crime watchdog group is warning that the machines will create exactly what lawmakers had pledged to eradicate: an underground gambling industry reaping millions of dollars with little government oversight.

More HERE

Illinois citizens to get breakdown of state spending in tax returns

CHICAGO - Republican State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka says Illinois residents will get a breakdown of state spending in income tax returns received in 2014.

Topinka announced the initiative on Monday. She says her office will also make the information available online.

Topinka says there shouldn't be a mystery when it comes to public dollars in the state. The tax return inserts will show what state agencies spend each year. It also gives a picture of the state's unpaid bills over time.

Politicians congratulate themselves as Illinois' past-due bills fall to a mere $7.6B

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Illinois will end 2013 with $7.6 billion in unpaid bills, a 15 percent reduction from a year earlier, officials claimed on Monday.

Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka had estimated the backlog would be closer to the $9 billion owed at the end of 2012. But an unexpected $1.3 billion infusion of tax payments from hard-working Illinoisans helped the government bring the number down slightly.

The debt equals approx. $590.06 for every man, woman and child in the state, or less than a week's work for an Illinois state legislator that makes an average of $67,836 per year for the part-time position.

More HERE

New director named to Illinois torture commission

CHICAGO - Barry Miller, a former assistant U.S. attorney, has been named the new executive director of an Illinois government commission that is suppose to investigate allegations of torture by taxpayer-funded Chicago police.

Miller starts his new taxpayer-funded position on Thursday. He's taking over after David Thomas stepped down in September because the panel wasn't alerting relatives of murder victims that the victims' cases were being examined. The law requires the commission do so.

Public support plummets when government unions strike

By Paul Kersey -

For decades, labor unions have used public demonstrations such as rallies, pickets or strikes to generate public support for their cause. But in 2013, unions learned the hard way that this strategy can backfire on them.

A recent poll by the Field Research Corp. showed public support of government unions in California plummeted over the past 2.5 years. Californians now believe unions “do more harm than good.”

As of December, 45 percent of registered voters in the state believed unions do “more harm than good,” whereas 35 percent believe they do more good. Incredibly, this amounts to an 11 percent decrease in favorability since 2011 when 46 percent believed unions did “more good than harm.” Essentially, the opinion of organized labor has flipped in the past few years.

GOP lawmaker pushes bill ending pensions quicker for corrupt officials

SPRINGFIELD, IL - State Rep. Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon) is pushing legislation that will expedite the process to terminate state-funded pensions for public official convicted of corruption.

Kay says he was moved to co-sponsor legislation in part because of a former county treasurer who was convicted of rigging tax liens. It was reported in October that ex-Madison County Treasurer Fred Bathon was still collecting a $90,000 pension. It was halted this month.

The law says public officials found guilty of corruption can collect pensions until sentencing. Kay's bill would allow termination at a guilty plea or conviction.

Rauner launches new ad about Illinois schools

The Rauner campaign launched a new television ad about Rauner's position on improving Illinois schools:

“I know the government union bosses will attack me for it, but I’ll keep fighting for better schools until every child in Illinois is given an opportunity to succeed,” Rauner said. “I’ll give parents more control and choices, reward the best performing teachers with merit pay, and challenge the bureaucracy and put more into the classroom.”

Truax releases top 10 Durbin blunders of 2013

DOWNERS GROVE - GOP candidate for U.S. Senate, Doug Truax released his top 10 Richard "Dick" Durbin "ridiculous comments or actions" for 2013:

1. Durbin repeated the same Politifact "Lie of the Year" about keeping your insurance under Obamacare.

2. Our senior senator got caught trying to intimidate the First Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.

3. Durbin spread a rumor about GOP leadership that proved to be false, then raised money off the lie and refused to apologize.

4. Tricky Dick is always lurking in the weeds to push new tax increases.

5. Durbin apparently doesn't understand the First Amendment applies to everyone, not just journalists.

6. Mr. Durbin doesn't understand the Second Amendment either; believes gun ownership "is not an issue of Constitution."

7. Durbin says driving hybrid cars prevents tornadoes.

8. Durbin holds "Stand Your Ground" hearing and gets dressed down by Sen. Ted Cruz.

9. Durbin inspires 10-part series on influential website Powerline titled, "Is Dick Durbin the Dumbest Democrat."

10. Durbin's economic prescriptions continue to drive people out of Illinois.

Dominick's employee suspended for YouTube parody

GLEN ELLYN - Glen Ellyn Dominick's employee Steve Yamamoto was suspended the day before his store closed for this parady video about Safeway closing 72 stores in Illinois, laying off 5633 employees.

Maybe Yamamoto's got a future in animation. After all, Illinois' elitist film industry taxes are meant to encourage creativity - just what he's good at doing. Evidently, Yamamoto's brazen sarcasm didn't set well with Dominick's executives.

Thorner: A Rational Look at Global Warming Defies Hype and Conjecture

By Nancy Thorner -

It was on September 27 that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) delivered to massive media coverage an unsettling message: Climate change is real, humans are the main cause of it, and unless we stop the warming of the planet, in 50 years life as we know it will be no more.

A little more than a week before on Sept. 18 a dueling climate change report was issued (published by Chicago's Heartland Institute) by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC), Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science. climatechangereconsidered.org

Heartland's NIPCC report, in keeping with past precedent, was not accorded the same fanfare as received by the IPCC report upon its release. To the contrary, media attention for Heartland's NIPCC report was practically nonexistent as was observed at the Sept.18th press conference held by Heartland in Chicago to announce the release of its report.

Duck Dynasty feud over political power, not equal rights

Townhall.com columnist Kurt Schlichter says the Duck Dynasty controversy should teach conservatives that Liberals will not win the culture war if conservatives fight back, something hard-working, family-focused taxpayers aren't proned to doing. Schlichter writes the feud was about political control, not equal rights:

This campaign is not being pushed by “gays” any more than other campaigns are pushed by “minorities” or “women” or “climate scientists” or whoever else is the day’s designated oppressee. They are pushed by leftists to achieve progressive ends. Leftists care nothing about gay people, or minorities, or women, or global warming. They care about their own power.

Remember, everything progressives tell you about protecting “free speech” and “diversity” is a lie. They don’t want free speech or diversity. They want a plodding, creepy conformity of thought – their thought. Free speech and diversity were useful to them before they gained cultural power; now that they have it, these quaint ideas are liabilities that must be stamped out before someone normal exercises them.

For too long, we have sat back and let these jerks try to dictate what we think, what we feel and what we say. But that’s over. We’re done. Just ask Cracker Barrel.

Late Deliveries and Misplaced Blame

By John F. Di Leo - 

Many are complaining this week – mostly the typically anti-business leftists, who can never resist a chance, legitimate or not, to attack the private sector – because some presents weren’t delivered by Christmas.  Some are even calling for class-action suits, perhaps because they think that this certain type of predatory lawyer needs a stimulus program.

Now, it should be obvious that there’s no conspiracy by the private sector to sadden spouses and children or to defraud businesses. A lot of orders were placed at the last minute, more than the transportation network could handle.  We could leave it at that.

But as long as some leftists are indeed trying to make it a political issue, let’s consider the real, legitimate political facts behind some of the various components to this issue, shall we? 

GOP Releases Kwanzaa Statement: ‘Reminds Us of the Great Diversity in America’

Photo: AP/Free Press, Zach Frailey

The Republican National Committee issued a statement marking the start of Kwanzaa on Thursday, offering best wishes to those observing the African heritage holiday at the end of a year in which the party said it needed to prioritize outreach in the black community.

“I want to extend my best wishes to all who are celebrating Kwanzaa,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in the statement. “For families coming together to mark the occasion, I hope it is a joyous time of celebration with loved ones–and a time of meaningful reflection ahead of the New Year.”

Kwanzaa was created in 1966 to “reaffirm and restore” observers’ “rootedness in African culture.” Its founder, Maulana Karenga, was convicted of felony assault charges in 1971 after a member of his black nationalist group, Organization Us, testified that he tortured her and another woman.

More HERE

Unexpected bill from IRS the next nightmare for Obamacare enrollees

Americans who think they’re benefiting from health insurance subsidies under Obamacare could end up having to repay that money when the next tax season rolls around.

Unless they’re lucky enough to stay poor.

According to a Politico report, the Obamacare provisions that provide subsidies for Americans making less than 400 percent of the poverty level have a boomerang effect if the recipients manage to improve their financial condition over the course of 2014:

They’ll end up owing the IRS money for the tax credits that were paid out for insurance premiums they received when times weren’t so good.

More HERE

Your Money in Pictures: Where Did Your Tax Dollar Go?

Wonder what happens to your hard-earned cash after you hand it over the IRS each year? Almost half goes toward paying for the ballooning entitlement programs—Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—a proportion that will only increase as the number of retirees expands in the near future. Even worse, your tax money only funded 70 cents of every federal dollar spent in 2012, meaning the remaining 30 cents was borrowed and tacked on to the massive national debt.

53% of likely U.S. voters say marriage is religious, not civil

Is the union of two in marriage more of a religious or a goverment institution? This was a hot topic in Illinois in 2013 - one that Illinois legislators narrowly decided the government can define as between two people of the same sex.

Nationally, the numbers are just as tight, with most voters now viewing marriage as a religious institution rather than a civil one. Indeed, most still overwhelmingly believe in the importance of marriage before having children.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters now view marriage as a religious institution, up from 48% in October.Forty percent (40%) consider marriage a civil institution, a five-point drop from 45% in the previous survey. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Illinois ranks as one of the worst out-migration states in 2013

United Van Lines released its 37th annual migration study to The Associated Press. The company tracks the states its customers move to and from over the course of a year.

Michigan was about evenly balanced between inbound and outbound moves. The state had 16 straight years of outbound migration and was tops in outbound moves from 2006 through 2009.

Oregon was the top moving destination for 2013, with 63 percent of interstate moves inbound. It had been runner-up for four straight years.

Oregon was followed by the Carolinas — South Carolina had the second-highest percentage of inbound moves, then North Carolina. South Dakota was fourth and the District of Columbia fifth.

At the other end, New Jersey repeated as the state with the highest percentage of outbound moves, with 63 percent, followed by Illinois, New York, West Virginia and Connecticut.

Your Money In Pictures: Sequestration Cuts Only 2.5 Percent of Spending

As it turns out, sequestration isn’t much of a “meat cleaver” after all. While the sequester is an imperfect mechanism to reduce spending, as the brunt of the cuts falls disproportionally on defense, it only amounts to a 2.5 percent reduction in spending over 10 years. This hardly lives up to the President’s warnings that the cuts would be “harmful” to the economy and would decimate government services. As you can see, the U.S. has a long way to go to rein in its growing spending.

Shazam! Liberal Death Star Reveals "Truth" About Benghazi Murders. It WAS the Video!

By Teri O'Brien -

The New York Times has a penetrating report out this morning, revealing everything you wanted to know about what really happened in Benghazi on September 11, 2012; that is, if you are hoping to bolster Hillary Clinton's presidential prospects in 2016. I thought it didn't make any difference at this point? What some East Coast Brain afflicted types still consider "the newspaper of record," and the rest of the country considers a joke, claims that we bitter clingers who suggested that the Obama administration, including its uber-competent Secretary of State, dropped the ball were wrong. It wasn't an al Qaeda attack, after all; that is, not CORE al Qaeda. No, your Honor, my client isn't a burglar. He's a robber, not a burglar.

Damning and Hopeful Lessons From the Duck Controversy

By Sam Pierce -

The saga of Phil Robertson's suspension from A&E's money making machine, "Duck Dynasty," has come to a happy ending (for the time being). The forces of good have won a battle against the wholly intolerant bullies who ironically push their ideas of "tolerance" and "anti-bullying." Perhaps the icing on the cake is the ignoring of efforts to capitalize by extortion whore, Jesse Jackson.

There are lessons that can be taken from the saga as it unfolded over the last couple of weeks. The lessons, which stem from something the pompous TOTUS reader in Hawaii might refer to as a "teachable moment," illuminate the state of at least three facets of our society and its culture. Two areas are painted with a damning brush as exposed by the various reactions to Phil's answer to the targeted question by the liberal ragporter. The third area is highlighted as a reason to not abandon all hope.

Chamber of Commerce and Karl Rove join to crush 2014 tea party candidates

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will spend a minimum of $50 million to “support establishment, business-friendly candidates in primaries and the general election, with an aim of trying to win a Republican Senate majority,” the organization announced this week.

In other words: Tea party candidates need not apply.

“Our No. 1 focus is to make sure, when it comes to the Senate, that we have no loser candidates,” said U.S. Chamber of Commerce political strategist Scott Reed, according to Breitbart News. “That will be our mantra: No fools on our ticket.”

The move would weed out candidates like Christine O’Donnell, Sharon Angle and Todd Akin, all of whom lost their respective Senate bids. But it also may have eliminated candidates like U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Meanwhile, Rove’s group, American Crossroads, will be operating more from the shadows this time. Both Crossroads and Conservative Victory Project, an affiliate created to elect centrist candidates, have opted to keep their names out of Kentucky’s Senate primary between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and tea party challenger Matt Bevin.

The move was prompted in part by the less-than-savory image Crossroads has developed with the GOP’s conservative base. Crossroads’ image was also tarnished by its lack of success in 2012. It had nothing to show in the win column after it and its affiliates spent nearly $450 million.

Quinn names concealed carry appeals board

Gov. Pat Quinn has named a seven-member panel to review objections raised by law enforcement to people who apply to carry a concealed firearm under the state’s new law.

The panel’s membership represents the state’s five judicial districts, including three from Cook County, and is supposed to include commissioners with judicial, prosecutorial, criminal justice and mental health treatment experience.

Appointed from the First District were Robinzina Bryant of Flossmoor, who was a special agent with the FBI; Dr. James Lewis Cavanaugh of Winnetka, a professor of psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center; and Virginia Wright of Palatine, who served as a special agent with the FBI.

Sergio Acosta of Elmhurst was picked to represent the Second District, which includes the west suburbs and north and northwestern Illinois. Acosta is the former Illinois Gaming Board administrator, and a partner with Hinshaw & Culbertson.

Rhoads: The Political Tower of Babel

By Mark Rhoads -

In the book of Genesis we can read about a post-flood human family that spoke only one language in the tower and city of Babel until the Lord confounded the humans so they could no longer understand each other and spoke many different languages and were scattered all over the Earth. American politics embraces the language of political confusion almost for its own sake.

Take a meaningless word like "reform" which literally only means to remake. But it sounds like something positive in political speeches. To make the concept seem even more fancy, sometimes a politician will call for "comprehensive reform" without having a clue as to what that really means either but it sounds significant.

Another meaningless word used by politicians is "affordable." No one deliberately bothers to define what that word really means because there is political advantage in letting it mean different things to different audiences so they can fill in the blanks themselves. What price point is "affordable" for one person may not be for a neighbor who makes less income.

Illinois entrepreneurs to celebrate New Year's Eve

Entrepreneur's Eve 2012

For the third year in a row, Illinois entrepreneurs and civic leaders will be ringing in the New Year at Entrepreneurs Eve 2013 (EE13). The brainchild of Collin Corbett, Jeremy Rose, and a small group of entrepreneurs, the gathering has grown to become an annual celebration and benefit event.

Co-hosted by over 100 businesses, including Google, NBC, Miller Coors, and Zipcar, this year's event will be taking place at the Waldof Astoria Chicago, and includes cocktails, hors d'ouevres, dinner prepared by Executive Chef Herve Cuyeu, music, dancing, and the traditional midnight champagne toast.

"We want to bring Chicago's leading entrepreneurs and leaders together and celebrate the American dream in all of us," said Collin Corbett, President of Cor Strategies, Inc. "We also want the energy of the event to be directed toward benefiting a larger cause."

The "larger cause" this year will be the Future Founders Foundation and the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center. The Future Founders Foundation is a non-profit organization that inspires low-income youth in Chicago by connecting students with mentors from various professions and providing engaging, project-based learning experiences for 2nd through 12th graders.

The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC) is another non-profit that supports entrepreneurs on their path to building high-growth, sustainable businesses that serve as platforms for economic development and civic leadership.

According to Corbett, some tickets for the EE13 event are still available, and can be purchased HERE.

New Illinois law makes flicking cigarette butts a felony, punishable with jail time

CHICAGO - Starting next year, Illinois law enforcement will not only be ticketing you for failure to wear a seatbelt or illegal use of a cell phone while driving, they'll also be stopping motorists who flick cigarette butts out their windows.

With former Democrat State Rep. Deb Mell's bill HB 3243 now law, flicking butts will cost you. A first time conviction is a class B misdemeanor with a fine not exceeding $1,500. A second conviction is a class A misdemeanor with a fine not exceeding $1,500.

Third or subsequent convictions will be a class 4 felony, punishable by a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment not less than one year and not more than three years.

Follow up story: "Butt flicking ban could end up costing Illinois taxpayers"

Check out below how your state representatives and senators voted:

Higgins: Duck Dynasty and Truth Win

By Laurie Higgins -

Duck Dynasty’s raggedy, curmudgeonly Phil Robertson has displayed a moral courage and boldness that should shame many (perhaps most) religious leaders in this country. And in so doing, he has won a huge victory for truth, religious liberty, and diversity. A&E has rescinded their arrogant, ignorant, and narrow-minded suspension of the family patriarch, Phil Robertson.

One of the many remarkable aspects of this brouhaha is the Left’s alleged indignation about Robertson’s crude language. His use of two anatomically correct terms to describe the preference most males have for normal intercourse gave “progressives” the vapors (Isn’t it the Left that believes it’s a moral imperative that preschoolers always use anatomically correct terms? No cute euphemisms for our two-year-olds. But heaven forfend that adults should use anatomically correct terms, especially when alluding to sodomy).

This prudery is remarkable from the crowd that worships at the altar of sexual deviance during annual public celebrations of homosexuality and cross-dressing and on many a family hour sitcom. Where were these paragons of linguistic virtue when a beloved homosexual character on Modern Family made a joke about “Sondheimizing” children?

I wonder if “progressives” got their undies in a twist over the title of the GQ Magazine interview that started this whole controversy: “What the Duck?” Oh, those clever wordsmiths at GQ.

More HERE

Former congressional candidate bids goodbye to Illinois

Rich Grabowski and Congressman Peter Roskam

From Rich Grabowski -

To the many friends, acquaintances and accomplices I have made here in Illinois over the past 47 years:

I want to take this opportunity to say goodbye.

For those who don’t already know, I have accepted a position with a company in Conroe, TX, about 20 miles north of Houston, and will begin my 2014 year there. I’m leaving the Chicago area on Friday, December 27th around noon. I will be working with Hydraulic Systems, Inc., a hydraulics company that manufactures, fabricates and services oil rig moving and raising equipment in the oil extraction industry.

I’m sort of saddened to leave Illinois, but the future is much brighter just up ahead.

I was born and raised, and have lived most of my 47 years of life, on the south side of the city of Chicago and in the nearby southwest suburbs. In all my years here, I never would have imagined the extent of the damage and the demise of this once great Midwestern state that I grew to like. To see what’s happening socially and economically, right under our noses and occurring in mine and my children’s lifetime, to our state now seemingly like a dead carcass run over several times being picked apart and devoured by the political vultures and the policies they’ve created that caused our state’s current brutal demise.

The state of the economy here in Illinois is heartbreaking. And it is perpetuated by the droves of politically influenced and government benefit driven low information voters who believe like sheep what their ‘leaders’ tell them, like the children following the tune of the Pied Piper, wearing their blinders 24/7/365 throughout the state. I can’t see this disastrous situation getting better here any time soon.

Businesses have been leaving Illinois at an alarming rate for the past five years now. It is not any longer, and leaders refuse to maintain this as a business friendly state. Each business that closes its doors and moves to another state takes with it on average between 50–100 jobs that will never return.

With a realistic unemployment rate of 16% in northeastern Illinois currently, and an outflow of jobs to other states, the deck is stacked against my kids finding gainful employment and moving out on their own by the age of 30. I have four teenagers who will soon be competing with 30, 40 and 50 year olds for even a simple McDonald's job right out of high school. I feel I have an obligation to my kids, in the very least, to put them in a thriving economic area where their talents, abilities and education will quickly and easily take them to where they will want and need to go to become successful. Remaining in Illinois did not provide that as a viable option to me.

Your Money in Pictures: Obamacare’s Barrage of Tax Hikes

Remember President Obama’s promise that he would not raise taxes on the middle class? Much like his pledge that Americans could keep their health insurance, this turned out to be another promise Obamacare was bound to break. As this chart shows, tax hikes included in Obamacare are huge and pervasive, amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars in new revenues. Since this chart was published, new numbers for Obamacare’s taxes have become available, and a study by The Heritage Foundation's Alyene Senger shows that Obamacare will impose even more in taxes—amounting to a whopping $771 billion in new revenue through 2022.

Rhoads: Push Back Against Secular Christmas

By Mark Rhoads -

I don't have hard data and can only offer anecdotes. But it seems to me that this year I heard many more people say "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays" than at any time in the last six years. Several factors might be at work that could explain why this  trend is growing and making a comeback.

First, it could be a reaction from Christians who have felt that their most sacred religious day has been marginalized in the public square by intellectually dishonest judges, academics, and pundits on the Left.

Second, it could be partly the result of more prominent Jewish commentators such as Dennis Prager saying that he is not and never has been offended by a Gentile who says "Merry Christmas" to him. Or it could be a combination of several different factors including old-fashioned common sense that just happened to mature simultaneously this year.

Obama hits the links for the 154th time of his Presidency…

An amazing amount of golf for a man who supposedly has the toughest job in the world. That many rounds (154) equals 2,772 holes. For good golfers, the average time to play a round is 4 hours, which means the President has spent more than 616 hours playing the game while in office.

What was the rest of his agenda for yesterday? From Associated Press:

December 27, 2013 (AP) - The president woke up early for a morning workout at a gym at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. After about an hour, Obama returned to his vacation home.

Obama then played golf at Koolau Golf Club in Kaneohe, a difficult, private course with scenic views against a backdrop of lush, green mountains.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn addresses convention of anti-gay Muslims

This week, Gov. Pat Quinn was a keynote speaker (see video below) at the MAS-ICNA Annual Convention held in Rosemont, Illinois. MAS is the Muslim American Society and ICNA is the Islamic Circle of North America.

What makes this interesting is that the ICNA is adamantly anti-gay marriage and has publicly condemned homosexuality as a sin. In a press release, the organization wrote:

"...marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman that serves as the basis for the family and thereby society. ...sexual relations can only be between a man and a woman within the context of marriage. ...The push to redefine the established institution of marriage and embrace homosexuality can only lead to the deterioration of the very structure of our communities and society as a whole."

There has been no comment from GLAAD, Equality Illinois, or other gay activist groups about ICNA's position, or about Gov. Quinn speaking at the organization's annual convention here in Illinois.

Democrat alderman files lawsuit alleging extortion

Photo: Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune / February 24, 2013

South Side Ald. Anthony Beale has taken the unusual step of filing a pre-emptive lawsuit against a former Chicago Public Schools principal who he says sought to extort $1 million from him and made false claims that he sexually harassed her.

The 9th Ward alderman’s suit alleges that an attorney for Dushon A. Brown, formerly the principal at Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, sent Beale and his attorney four letters and an e-mail during the past year that included the threat of civil litigation and a request for $1 million in damages.

In the correspondence, Brown’s attorney, Peter Katsaros, alleges Beale made unwanted sexual advances and worked with CPS officials to remove her as principal at Brooks.

MSNBC's Michael Eric Dyson calls Christianity anti-Semitic and homoerotic

In a desperate attempt to remain relevant in a 24-hour news business dominated by Fox News, MSNBC has once again resorted to outlandish claims and statements made by fringe individuals. This time it is Mike Dyson, who claims Christianity is anti-Semitic and homoerotic:

VanMetre: Fighting the progressive tax in Illinois

By Ben VanMetre -

The battle to raise taxes again is underway in Illinois. Politicians and special interest groups across the state have put a plan in motion to implement yet another income tax hike in Illinois – one that targets the state’s working- and middle-class residents.

Politicians already pushed through a record income tax increase in 2011. The problem is they failed to keep any of the promises they attached to that tax hike. Now, instead of being held accountable for those failures, they want to push taxes even higher in Illinois.

Here are the details on what’s happened so far:

Dillard trending in social media engagement

Gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard speaks to a more traditional crowd at Jorgio's in Wheaton

While the traditional indices of poll numbers, endorsements, and fundraising totals continue to be barometers of candidate viability and momentum, contemporary politics requires a new measurement -- social media use and engagement.

One of the social media vehicles Illinois politicos should watch is Facebook. As of the printing of this article, the number of Facebook "likes" each candidate has is as follows:

1. Bruce Rauner: 24,219
2. Bill Brady: 17,946
3. Dan Rutherford: 15,258
4. Kirk Dillard: 15,254
5. Pat Quinn: 12,914

Interestingly, recent statistics show that Dillard's Facebook page has been picking up "likes" or fans at a fairly fast clip; putting it on pace to soon surpass Rutherford and Brady. What makes this noteworthy is the fact that both Brady and Rutherford have had their Facebook pages up for at least four years, while Dillard's was created this past June.

However, a more relevant metric is the amount of "real [Facebook] fans", which is measured by taking the "talking about" number and dividing it by the total fan count. This provides the percentage of people actually engaged with the page. Right now those numbers stand at:

1. Dillard: 16%
2. Rauner: 13.2%
3. Brady: 5.8%
4. Rutherford: 5.3%
5. Pat Quinn: 3.6%

Illinois Review will be keeping an eye on the social media engagement of the gubernatorial candidates and will provide updated info as it becomes available.

Conservatives Fight For Choice, Not An Echo

By Nancy Thorner -

Conservative Republicans are often looked upon as irresponsible and right wing nuts until election time rolls around. We are then courted for our votes. In the aftermath we are expected to remain quite and obedient in the background, even though the principles we espouse and hold sacred within us (smaller government, less spending, adherence to social and moral values, liberty, and freedom of choice) are being disregarded and dismantled as our Constitution is likewise being torn and tattered.

Recently Republican House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio brought home how he views conservatives and conservative groups. Boehner roundly conservative criticized groups who had mobilized in opposition to the emerging bipartisan budget bill once news reports surfaced that it would undo sequestration spending levels in the near term. It was Boehner, however, who had broken his pledge made in 2010 by rushing the bill to the floor instead of making a bill available online 72 hours before a vote is held.

Groups roundly criticized by Speaker Boehner for mobilizing against the bi-partisan bill were Heritage Action and Americans for Prosperity. He went on to call these groups "ridiculous." Both organizations should be heralded rather than vilified for their action.

Craigslist offers used furniture, kinky sex, and jobs writing common core tests

By Eric Owens -

Craiglist is an amazing emporium. You can find a gently used banjo in Atlanta, for instance, or, in Chicago, several “full and sealed” Coke bottles from around the world.

Other advertisers are more adventurous. There’s a couple in Los Angeles “looking for a bi guy,” just to take a rather tame example. There’s some dude in New York City proposing to provide “snow” and “420″ — that’s illicit drug lingo — to a lucky “party girl.” And, of course, there’s a transvestite looking for a threesome “with a fun couple” in Houston.

Well, America, you can now add the opportunity to write Common Core test questions and lesson plans to the vast horn of plenty on offer at Craigslist.

As EAGnews.org explains, a company that generates all manner of education-related content has taken to the worldwide classified ad website looking for writers to create math test questions and math class instructions aligned with the Common Core Standards Initiative.

Quinn signs legislation giving homeowners more time to avoid foreclosure

CHICAGO - In preparation for the election next year, Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation to prevent lenders from selling a home if the homeowner is applying for federal mortgage assistance.

In a well-worn, liberal statement, the Chicago Democrat said "Illinois families must have access to the tools they need to protect their home."

A 2010 Illinois law allowed homeowners to block a foreclosure if they had applied for a modification and the home was sold in violation of the program's terms.

Because of the state's continued high unemployment during Quinn's term, the bill signed Thursday extends the law through the Dec. 31, 2015 deadline for the loan modification program.

New ObamaCare fees coming in 2014

WASHINGTON DC - The cost of President Obama’s massive health-care law will hit Americans in 2014 as new taxes pile up on their insurance premiums and on their income-tax bills.

The new taxes and fees include a 2 percent levy on every health plan, which is expected to net about $8 billion for the government in 2014 and increase to $14.3 billion in 2018.

There’s also a $2 fee per policy that goes into a new medical-research trust fund called the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Insurers pay a 3.5 percent user fee to sell medical plans on the HealthCare.gov Web site.

Americans also will pay hidden taxes, such as the 2.3 percent medical-device tax that will inflate the cost of items such as pacemakers, stents and prosthetic limbs.

Americans are currently allowed to deduct expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of their annual income. The threshold jumps to 10 percent under ObamaCare, costing taxpayers about $15 billion over 10 years.

Then there’s the new Medicare tax.

Under ObamaCare, individual tax filers earning more than $200,000 and families earning more than $250,000 will pay an added 0.9 percent Medicare surtax on top of the existing 1.45 percent Medicare payroll tax. They’ll also pay an extra 3.8 percent Medicare tax on unearned income, such as investment dividends, rental income and capital gains.

More HERE

Your Money in Pictures

The Heritage Foundation has developed five charts that shows "Your Money in Pictures." 

5. What If a Typical Family Spent Money Like the Federal Government?

While middle-class families are still plagued by a sluggish recovery in the Obama economy, this is what their finances would look like if they spent money like the government—and it’s not a pretty picture. Most families understand that it is unwise to constantly spend excessive amounts compared to what they take in, but the government continues its shopping spree on the taxpayer credit card with seemingly no regard to the stack of bills that has already piled up.

More HERE

ICYMI: Bill Kelly angers atheists; covers Chicago’s anti-Christmas display

Bill Kelly upset some angry atheists recently when he unfurled a banner heralding the existence of angels to cover up an atheist group’s neon “A” in Chicago’s Daly Plaza.