"The Mostests"

Ah, ending the year with a December 19th Crystal Lake sunset across Main Steet's big empty field that my 9 year-old son picked as prettiest.

As of the end of 2006, 2,182 articles have been posted since starting this blog in reaction to Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s and his city council’s promotion of Tax Increment Financing districts, which will increase taxes for all McHenry County property owners.

Last year Tribune columnist and blogger Eric Zorn asked for summaries of the year. The question intrigued me, so I submitted mine.

It was a lot of work, which probably explains why Zorn didn’t repeat the effort this year.

Last year I awarded a “Most Stunning Example of Left Stream Media Bias By a Reporter” award to a WTTW’s Elizabeth Brackett.

This year, the very day of Todd Stroeger’s ascension to his father’s ballot position for Cook County Board President, I was watching WTTW’s Chicago Tonight again and again heard something I could not believe.

Mispronoucing his last name, Carol Marin outlined the Democratic Party strategy to defeat Tony Peraica:

…there are plenty of Democrats out there who might want to protest by voting for you, but they see you as an anti-gay, pro-gun, anti-abortion (pause) guy in the bluest state and county in the state, so what do you have to say to them on the social issues that are going to make you attractive if they do decide to jump the traces?

Does this woman deserve the “Most Stunning Example of Left Stream Media Bias By a Reporter” award for 2006 or what? And maybe she should get the run-on sentence award of the year, although I'm sure I'm in the competition for that one.

This is the second time that a WTTW employee has achieved this distinction.

Oh, yes. The panel had three Democrats and Peraica. Pretty typical of political balance on most WTTW panels.

Incidentally, last year Marin won the “Most blatant defense of a future felon.”

That future felon, Tru-Link Fence guy Jim Levin was indicted two days after her 2005 Sun-Times column and pled guilty in early December of this year. He admitted to being a briber of Chicago School District procurement officers and to falsifying minority business partners.

I’ve noticed no follow-up, but her columns are not on my “must read” list.

Most Undercovered Story by Main Stream Media:

Developers’ and school vendors’ financing of school tax hike and bond referendum.

Oh, I readily admit that the Northwest Herald reporter Allison Smith broke its long-standing ignoring of this story with her excellent stories on the subject. She somehow infiltrated an early fund raising rally, revealing the Carpentersville School District 300 tax hikers goal of $153,000. She followed up, too. If only every local Northwest Herald education reporter would cover his or her district the way Smith covered District 300. Smith now works at a much higher salary the Carpentersville School District 300's media relation’s person. That's the school she covered previously.

Still, each of those almost “pay-to-play” or, maybe, “pay-to-be-able-to- keep-selling-homes” contributions deserves to see the light of day before the referendum. And that did not happen in the Northwest Herald, the Daily Herald or the Chicago Tribune.

But voters did see the direct mail pieces those contributions paid for.

(You might think that since most campaign spending completely ignores newspapers that they would have little to lose by reporting the contributions, but that ignores the tens of thousands of dollars of advertising revenue that the papers get from developers.)

And, as long as I am passing out kudos to reporters, surely, they are deserved by Daily Herald reporter Jeffrey Gaunt. I can’t begin to list the way he kept both District 300 and Huntley School District 158 on their toes--or, maybe, I should say “off balance”--by just reporting what they did. Click on Jeffrey Gaunt to see all the stories he wrote that I have referenced.

The two should share the award for "Reporters who gave the most fits to local school boards and administors."

I'm sure they would rather I call it, "Reporters who asked and wrote about the most probing and legitimate questions." OK, we'll call it that.

Runner up in that category should be Northwest Herald reporter Karen Long, who delivered an unwelcome article for Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley five days into the 8-day petition filing period for the spring election. (I'd love to know what was edited out of her article and whether Long will be allowed to follow up before the April election.)

More about what happened on McHenry County Blog in 2006 on New Year's Day.

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SEIU's adopt a block and free lance unionism

Arlene Jones, Percy Giles, and Emma Mitts will be contending with this effort by SEIU. (To my knowledge SEIU has yet to endorse any candidates yet -- correct me if wrong).

Join SEIU’s Adopt a Block Program and help shake up Illinois politics in ‘06 and ‘07!

The Adopt a Block program will be a lasting precinct based organization designed to maximize our ability to elect pro worker politicians.

The SEIU Adopt a Block program will identify union members who are willing to take ownership over their home precinct and get to know the voters that live there so that we can produce results that will help us to elect politicians that care about our families—working families—more effectively than ever before.

When you sign up to be an SEIU Block Captain you will receive a BLOCK CAPTAIN KIT and step-by-step instructions that show you how to build power for working people in your own neighborhood!

As an SEIU BLOCK CAPTAIN you will be a part of the SEIU political team, receive all the political news and learn how to:

Circulate petitions
Voter registration
Recruit Volunteers
Set up “Coffees”
“ID” and “GOTV” Voters

For more information, contact your union rep or Jasson Perez, Adopt-a-Block coordinator, at SEIU Local 73. Jasson can be reached at 312-981-2436, or jperez@seiu73.org.

I had hopes of Andy Stearn shaking up the union establishment a bit. I'd be real doubtful if they shake up Illinois politics much. I'd be more worried of politicians shaking my union down.

Reality is your SEIU neighbor likely to be holding a public service job and I don't know how convincing they're going to be talking to non-public sector workers working in our post-industrial economy.

This is something the living wage folks never quit get. We no longer have Donna Reed families in America with a breadwinner and stay at home mom and kids. We've got lots of single parents instead, with kids moving back and forth between care givers, and a lot of demand for part-time jobs and flexibility.

Go out to the cemeteries along Des Plaines avenue and you'll see the plot for Workmen's Circle. It's the same spirit of practical radicalism and unionism you find today with Sara Horawitz and the Free Lancer's Union. From a recent article on her in The Economist,

“I had an epiphany that existing labour laws and regulations didn't fit the way people were working,” she says. At Harvard's Kennedy School, she set about rethinking unionism from first principles. What do modern workers need? What gives a union power? She concluded that a union is a means for workers to join together to solve problems. To be effective it needs an economic model that makes it independent of government, employers and other institutions. And the biggest problem for freelancers? The lack of health insurance, which in America is mostly provided by employers, and only to permanent staff.

Not for nothing has Ms Horowitz been described as the “quintessential example” of a social entrepreneur—someone who applies the innovative spirit and business discipline of a Silicon Valley start-up to try to solve society's thorniest problems. After Harvard, with seed capital from some charitable foundations, she started a non-profit organisation in 1995 called Working Today to address the needs of freelancers, such as affordable health insurance. She quickly rejected the traditional union model of confrontation and charging membership dues unrelated to benefits received. Instead, with an un-unionlike enthusiasm for the discipline of the marketplace, she adopted a customer-centric approach. She would provide members with a menu of services that they could choose to pay for, thus generating the funds to spend on the union's advocacy of freelance-friendlier labour laws. (Freelancers in America are generally not entitled to unemployment insurance, for example, even if a job they have done for, say, 18 months comes to an end.)

After a couple of false starts, she found a way to use the bulk purchasing power of her members to drive down health-insurance premiums, ultimately by around 40%. In 2001, Working Today launched the Portable Benefits Network (renamed the Freelancers Union in 2003) to provide benefits including education and advocacy, as well as health care, to independent workers in New York's Silicon Alley technology district. Now the union's members—some 13,000 of whom buy its health care, some of them complaining that it is too basic even as they do so—come from industries ranging from finance and alternative health to technology and non-profit organisations. The union has annual revenues of $38m, of which $4m funds advocacy.

This is Walmart thinking on the economies of scale applied to the problems of working people. Go ahead and organize politically. Endorse Jones or Giles. But if you want to impact people's lives, then Tom Balanoff ought to consider making Unionism a lot bigger then just Illinois Democratic politics. Those SEIU shirts say We make Politics Work. Work for who is the question union members ought to ask.... and if politics is really enough.

Update: a footnote quote from Horowitz,

,...she says. Ironically this progressive idea is inspired, she says, by some past giants of American trade unionism, above all Sidney Hillman, president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, who created lasting institutions such as the Amalgamated Bank, Amalgamated Life Insurance and Amalgamated Housing. “Compared with the bosses of the firms they were going up against, the early labour leaders were the geniuses,” says Ms Horowitz. That is not something anyone would say of today's union leaders—with the notable exception, perhaps, of Ms Horowitz herself.

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Arlene Jones to run for 37th ward Alderman

She writes Improving the West Side - my passion in life in The Austin Weekly News.

This is my final column. No, the major newspapers didn't offer me a better job, nor was my contract up and my editors came to their senses and chose not to renew it. No, I'm not leaving to "spend more time with my family." In fact, for the next couple of months, I'll see less and less of them.

Four years ago, I wanted to make a difference on the West Side. I ran for alderman of the 37th Ward. I lost.

I am again going to run for alderman of the 37th Ward. You see, all the aldermanic seats are now open, and you cannot have a race without runners. So I will not write this column while running.

When I lost four years ago, rather than retreat, I was given the opportunity to write this column. I was given this opportunity because I wrote "so many" letters to the editor. If the reporting seemed unfair or if events in Austin weren't being covered, I was quick to send an e-mail.

I've followed her columns and while I probably disagree with her on everything National, I always wanted to hear her thoughts for local problems and issues. Ideas like developing the old Brach's Factory into an entertainment district. Here's more from her column,

I have never been at a loss for words. In Chicago, there is never a dull moment when it comes to politics. And for the West Side, well, we get left out all the time, or the coverage is negative. So it was important for me to want to highlight issues right here in the community.

My very first column asked a basic question: "Why do you live in Austin?" Three and a half years later, it's still a valid question. Some were born into this community. Others like myself, moved here on purpose. We recognized the value in the housing stock. We saw lots of parks and churches. If you don't know the history of Austin as a community, it was never a hick town that just got incorporated into Chicago. Instead, it was a planned community, a suburb of Chicago at one time with Austin Town Hall being the center of the community.

Over the years, I have tried to keep this column at the forefront of where the West Side is today-hence my e-mail address of westside2day***yahoo.com. Now let me make it perfectly clear: The understanding that I have of this side of town was not by accident. There were many Westsiders who came before me and who paved the way for me to have the vision that I have. And I keep them in mind whenever I sit down to write. People like the late great West Side activist Nancy Jefferson.

For a Westsider Today, Jones has a feel for the history of the West Side, and how it's always changing. A little more,

If you want to get a perspective on the history of the black West Side, then Dr. Christopher Reed of Roosevelt University is the person to call. His book, Beyond Chicago's Black Metropolis: A History Of The West Side's First Century, 1837-1940, proves that we've been a presence on this side of town for more than 150 years. The question still remains what our presence will be on this side of town when the 200th anniversary rolls around.

I am leaving this column, but my voice will not be silent. Instead, you can hear me every Sunday night on WPNA 1490 AM from 10 p.m. to midnight. I also have my website, www.arlenejones.blogspot.com. There, you will be able to read my current opinions, and you can even reply. Lastly, starting Jan. 2 until Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. I will do the conference call Monday through Friday. So my voice just won't be in this column, but it will still be out here.

For the conference, call 605/772-3200 (this is long distance, so use your cell) and enter the access code: 806598#. I can host up to 96 people.

I'll leave you with my favorite African Proverb, "On the Day of Victory, No One Will be Tired."

As for the next 50 years and the presence of African Americans on the West Side, of course they'll be a presence and like everyone else on the West Side they'll be rolling further West.

Mik Ryko once wrote the old neigborhood is the place eveyone loves and is trying to leave. Move out West and you find yourself bumping in to all kinds of West Siders, and the talk always turns to how things have changed. Cairo's Deli on East and Roosevelt is gone now, and new hi-rise condo's are being built down the block. It's a different kind of Roosevelt road now for sure.

Whether that is victory or not, I don't now; but I can promise you no one on the West Side is ever tired for long. It's a restless place. In a good way (mostly). Everyone figuring out an angle to get ahead, improve their lot, and find their own little victory.

So good luck to Arlene Jones!

xp at Bill Baar's West Side

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A Onezie

For those of you who think I think of nothing but politics.

You know what a “onezie” is, don’t you?

It’s a one piece outfit that a baby wears.

So, what happens when a Bear fan marries a Green Bay Packer fan and they have a child.

Someone goes out and buys a onezie with Chicago Bears logos.

Someone goes out and buys a onezie with Green Bay Packer logos.

Maybe the small person, a person with a sense of humor

Then, someone cuts the two onezies in half and sews them back together so that half consists of Bears’ logs and half of Green Bay Packer logos.

And, our message of the day is what it looks like.

Strangely enough, there’s a mirror image of this onezie back in the bureau.

There's political stuff at McHenry County Blog this long weekend, but you'll have to go there to find it.

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Overlawyered.com's 'Best of 2006' from Illinois

Overlawyered.com. is posting a month-by-month compendium of "Best of 2006" headlines, quips, quotes and other interesting stories related to legal reform/lawsuit abuse. So far, they're up to June. We've pulled the "Best of" from Illinois so far:

• Plaintiff can sue Illinois Burger King for being hit by car that crashed through restaurant.
• Plaintiff fakes injuries, wins millions, drives doctor out of Illinois.
• "Student Sues Illinois University After Deer Attack"
• Even Madison County asbestos juries have their limits.

To read or post comments on this post, visit Illinois Justice Blog.

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President Ford and Chicago

Thanks to Gaper's Block there were two articles about President Gerald Ford's Chicago connection. The 38th President of the United States passed away Tuesday night. There was an article from CBS2Chicago with an accompanying video and an article in the Daily Southtown.

The article in the Daily Southtown discussed his visit to Tinley Park to honor the local football team. The CBS2 article discusses him making a speech in Chicago granting clemency to those Vietnam War Draft Dodgers and the man we know today as Bush's Secretary of Defense who was once Ford's Secretary of Defense, former Illinois Congressman Donald Rumsfeld.

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Obama and the Trial Bar

AEI's Ted Frank has an interesting post at Point of Law about Barack Obama and the trial bar. Bottom line: does Obama's voting history show that he will side with the trial lawyers or with reformers on key civil justice reform votes:

In one of his first votes, Obama voted for the eminently sensible Class Action Fairness Act. This hypothetically annoys the litigation lobby (though they can be expected to support Edwards in 2008) and the cast of usual suspects who opposed the bill; one can also find various members of the lunatic left thoughtlessly buying the litigation lobby hype that this minor procedural reform protecting against abusive forum shopping by the plaintiffs' bar had much larger consequences, and thus expressing outrage against Obama for voting for it.

So Obama may have annoyed the lunatic left with his vote for CAFA. As a reform supporter, I'm far from convinced that this makes him someone willing to cross the plaintiffs' bar. Eighteen other Democrats also voted for CAFA. CAFA would have passed the previous Congress, except for its unfortunate timing arising just as Edwards had been named the vice-presidential nominee; Democrats fell into line and filibustered the bill to avoid having a civil justice reform pass at the same time, which might remind people of Edwards's unsavory means of acquiring his fortune on the backs of pregnant mothers and obstetricians. Obama didn't participate in the negotiations to get Democratic support, and he voted for every Democratic attempt to eviscerate the bill with amendments. Obama didn't break with the Democrats on any seriously contested tort reform measures: he filibustered medical malpractice reform, and was one of the votes to kill the asbestos reform bill (which effectively failed by one vote). Obama claimed to support medical malpractice reform in his Senate campaign (or, at least, made pro-reform swing voters think that he did), but, then, so did Kerry and Edwards in their 2004 presidential campaign.

So, Senator Obama, just where do you stand?

Original post by Curt Mercadante at Illinois Justice Blog.

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Eat the Press! Dining in 2007 & Tribune Can't Chew

Retired Cook County Sherrif Michael Sheahan said it best when it took a jury twenty husky minutes to toss a MacArthur Center for Justice fabricated charge of systematic torture of prisoners at CCDC about Chicago Tribune's Investigative strengths: The Tribune's investigative reporting skills are akin to bovine residue.

He's right. The 'hard hitting' Trib news hounds miss the story right under their noses; like Kass' staring at the Polish secretary's ring and 'seeing' the story, while allowing Frannie Spielmann to boat the bass about The Ice House connection to Joey the Clown.

Today, poor Dan Mihalopolos goes to one of the best lunch and banquet spots in the city of Chicago - The Crow Bar at 106th & Avenue C - and never gets to the bone of contention: Pat Carroll's fried chicken! Here read this:

Corruption probe another sad chapter
A `tired' neighborhood is now a hotbed of FBI activity, writes the Tribune's Dan Mihalopoulos

My God man! Pat Carrollmakes potato salad that would make the ACLU put up a Nativity creche! The fried chicken would make North Side gourmands forego Fois Gras without a stupid ordinance! Corned Beef Sandwiches as monstrous in size and scope as Mike Quigley's opinion of his intrinsic worth! Savory Soups that would make Danny Davis give up Kim Chee! French fries so saturated in ( transFatty? -no UltramontaneFATTY!) oils and salted, Brothers and Sisters, that Bobby Rush would forget that there ever was a communications industry coffer! Lord, Have Mercy!

Dan, Dan, you were so close to the bone and still missed the meat? Pat Bruno of the Sun Times, a man of taste, wit, sound judgment, delicate sensibilities, heroic instincts picked Cafe Koda a few blocks from this old fat boy's front porch as one of the Top Ten restaurants in Chicago.

Dan go back to Pat Carroll's and have lunch. Pat is always busy slicing and dicing;chopping and kneading; deep frying and baking for kids with cancer, families out of work, roofers who took a spill, and high school reading labs that have no books. His great restaurant and bar at 106th Street and Avenue C is place where every Chicagoan should order up Pat Carroll's Elysian fare- the proceeds are almost always going to some family in need - but Dan, like the Trib, don't get it - it's always right under their noses. That is why Mike Sheahan needed to point to their cowpasture.

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Obama and Rezko: Resko and Alsammarae and Stop the Killing, Start the Healing

The Obama-Rezko intern story made USA Today today.

As for the immensly intriguing Ahim Alsammarae story, I sent an email to Obama's office this AM asking for comment on the State Department's position expressed here,

U.S. officials in Baghdad and Washington, who could face the difficulty of balancing respect for Iraq's judicial system and sovereignty against concerns over a U.S. citizen's safety, have declined to say how they would respond if Alsammarae were to turn up in the United States.

But on Tuesday, a State Department spokeswoman went as far as to say that the U.S. government "supports the Iraqi government's effort to resolve the matter." She did not go into details about whether the U.S. would cooperate if Iraq calls for Alsammarae's extradition.

Dania Alsammarae, the daughter of the former electricity minister, said she has spoken with her father daily since his escape but he never has told her or other family members where he is or what he has been doing since fleeing Iraq.

"My dad wouldn't tell us any details but has been calling regularly to let us know that he continues to be safe," said the daughter, who lives in Dublin. "If the prime minister of Jordan is saying he is there, then I believe it to be true."

Dania Alsammarae has contacted both Durbin and Obama's offices for help securing her Father's release.

An Aihman Alsammarae was active in the anti-sanctions movement apparantly as a speaker from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee. Here's a link to "Stop the Killing, Start the Healing", part of the August 5-7, 2000 Mobilization against Sanctions on Iraq, held in Washington DC,

"We are destroying an entire society. It is as simple and terrifying as that." (Denis Halliday, former UN coordinator of the Oil-for-Food Program and Nobel Peace Prize nominee)

On 6 August 1990, the UN Security Council imposed a near total embargo on Iraq, the most comprehensive sanctions in modern history. Today those sanctions continue to kill innocent Iraqis while undermining the pillars of civil society. And since December 1998 the Iraqi people have faced regular bombing by American and British warplanes. Numerous sources estimate the death toll of sanctions and bombing to be over one million.

In response, a broad coalition of organizations and concerned individuals will converge on Washington, DC this August 6 to demand an end to this economic and military war carried out by the United States through the United Nations. Our message is clear and direct: "Lift the economic sanctions, stop the bombing!"

Aiham Alsammarae participated along with the actor Martin Sheen and British MP George Galloway.

I'll confirm next week with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee if this is the same Aiham Alsammarae wanted by both Iraq and for questioning by our Fitzgerald.

Update: "Jack" at the ADC's Dearborn Michigan Office confirmed the Chicago Alsammarae was an ADC board member.

The next question for Senator Obama to consider, should the Senate start investigating post-War Iraq, was why in the world Bremer appointed Alsammarae as Electricity Minister in the interim government given his pre-War position towards sanctions?

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Oberweis FEC Status Check

With Oberweis Dairy about to start running TV ads again and there being talk about Jim Oberweis running for Congress, if Denny Haster resigns, I thought I'd take a look at what happened to the FEC complaints made about the dairy's ads in 2002 and 2004.

Both those years, when Oberweis ran for the United States Senate, opponents charged him with using Oberweis Dairy ads to advance his candidacies.

The first, filed by Steven A. Leahy, Chief Counsel for the Republican Assembly of Illinois, complained of a “corporate contribution,” according to a Federal Election Commission press release.

That complaint was dismissed August 27, 2002.

During his 2004 campaign Springfield’s Sangamon County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Timoney filed another complaint.

FEC Public Information Officer Bob Biersack told McHenry County Blog, “We’re prohibited from discussing them.”

He was allowed to say,

We did in fact get a complaint and it has not been closed.

I called Timoney to ask him the most recent information he had.

His response:

I don’t have any information and the Federal Election Commission evidently does not provide an objector with the outcome of the investigation or complaint.

He did add that about once a year someone calls him to ask if he has heard anything.

No complaints were made to the FEC for the gubernatorial campaign because the Feds have no jurisdiction over state campaigns.

= = = = =
Photo of Jim Oberweis is on Paul Capiro's Family PAC cruise this summer. He is serving then state senate candidate Eric Wallace and Judge Don Weber's campaign manager Michael Galbreth.

This news was reported first on McHenry County Blog, where you can read of the resignation of Democratic Party Chairman Patrick Ouimet. Ouimet gave then-appointed State Senator Pam Althoff quite a run for her money two years ago.

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100 new laws beginning January 1

Illinois residents will see 100 or so new laws take effect on New Year's Day. All can be found at the Illinois Chanel, but some of interest to individuals might be these.

All homes must be equiped with at least one approved and fully operational carbon monoxide alarm and there must be one alarm within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping purposes.

Hospitals will be required to use itemized, easier to read bills and wait longer before they refer indebted patients to a collection agency.

Restaurant patrons will be allowed to take home leftover wine provided the wine is properly sealed.

Anyone convicted of littering along a highway will be required to maintain litter control, for a period of thirty days, over a designated portion of highway, including the site where the offense occured.

Condominium owners or condo associations may not adopt any rules which infringe on a resident's First Amendment rights, especially that of religious expression. This would be religious symbols of some type on the front door or in windows.

Sex offenders will be required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet while on parole.

Expands the Open Meetings Act to include electronic communications.

Much to digest before the 1st.

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Now Hiring

I got an e-mail pointing me to a TPMCafe sub-site appropriately named Your Massive Election Central Guide to Prez Campaign Staffs (re-affirming that there is now indeed a website dedicated to everything imaginable), which lists the personnel hired to date by the various campaigns (and potential campaigns) for President.

So with no particular point in mind, other than to pass on somewhat interesting information, here is the information from the site as it pertains to our native son. It is safe to say that this list will be growing quickly in the near future.

Barack Obama:

* Steve Hildebrand: accompanied Obama to Iowa and has been reaching out to potential staff behind the scenes, Daschle's campaign manager in '04 and Tim Johnson's in '02. Ran the Iowa caucuses for Gore in '00.

* Lou Susman: will fundraise for Obama if he runs, Kerry's national finance chair in '04, formerly worked for Vilsack.

* David Axelrod: media consultant, formerly worked for Vilsack and Edwards.

* Paul Harstad: pollster, formerly worked for Vilsack.

* Matt Rodriguez: "friend" of the campaign who helped staff Obama in NH, political director of Gephardt's '04 pres campaign.

* Jim Demers: "friend" of the campaign, NH lawyer and strategist.

* David Plouffe: consultant, senior strategist for Gephardt in '04.

* Julianna Smoot: Obama's senior advisers have reached out to her about fundraising, current DSCC finance director.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Daily Southtown: Illinois has a good stem cell bill

The Daily Southtown Editorial here.

A quote from Senator Shoenberg last April,

“This issue is one of the most morally compelling challenges facing those of us in the public arena,” said Schoenberg, the chief sponsor of two earlier legislative efforts to expand stem cell research that failed narrowly in the State Senate. “Millions of Americans are affected directly or indirectly by chronic illnesses and medical conditions such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s, cancer and spinal cord injury-- all of which have the potential to be cured by embryonic stem cell research.”

“We must succeed because we are not only rebuilding their bodies, but we are also cradling their souls.”

I'm not a Christian. I'm too secular for souls and Schoenberg sounds odd to me when he writes of cradling them.

I see humanity in an embryo though; a humanity which should be cradled. Not tissue to be harvested regardless of what good could for others could come of it.

Ryan Anderson wrote of the parable of the Good Soccer Mom in First Things.

She summed up her findings: A human embryo is a whole member of the human species. Each human being entered life as an embryo. And all human beings are subjects of profound, inherent, intrinsic worth in virtue of what they are, not what they can do. And if they are subjects of worth in virtue of what they are, then they bear this worth from the moment that they first come into existence.

One need not be Chrisitan to find talk of harvesting embryos for research and eventual commercial therapies (legitimate therapies and not the bogus ones sold now. Read LA Times: Outside the U.S., businesses run with unproved stem cell therapies ) very troubling.

The morality of it far clearer for me though then abortion. This seems to open up the potential for the grossest kind of human exploitation.

Update: Ryan Anderson writing in the Weekly Standard,

In July of 2005, the Slate magazine science reporter William Saletan argued in a five-part series titled "Organ Factory: the Case for Harvesting Older Human Embryos" that given the current acceptance of embryo destruction there is no reason to limit it to the early embryo. He pointed to studies from around the world arguing that seven-week old embryos are what researchers really want. And Saletan made the case that they should have them: "Don't be scared. We don't have to grow a whole new you. . . . an embryo cloned from one of your cells would need just six or seven weeks to grow many of the tissues you need. We already condone harvesting of cells from cloned human embryos for the first two weeks. Why stop there?"

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Oberweis Hits Airwaves Again

The Chicago Sun-Times’ man on the advertising beat, Lewis Lazare, reported Tuesday that Oberweis Dairy is about to start another round of television ads.

This one features a cow being interviewed by former U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis.

The nameplate of the person sitting next to him behind a desk in the photo the Sun-Times reads is Joe Oberweis.

So, where did the cow come from?

As luck would have it, McHenry County Blog has tracked down a herd of Holsteins where it might have originated.

It was not Harmilda, the plastic cow in Harvard, which bills itself as the Milk Capital of the World. . (The name Harmilda comes from Harvard Milk Days, I learned on the event’s web page.)

And its picture is probably not on the painting on the side of the building behind Hermelda at the corner of Ayer Street--which becomes the “Milky Way” early each June.

When I took office as McHenry County Treasurer in 1966, Shoppers Service was sending its shopper from Harvard every week. And every week at least one dairy farmer was holding an auction because he was going out of business.

So, the odds of the cow being from McHenry County are not high, although dairy farms do still exist.

I followed this cheese truck north to Wisconsin.

Actually, I was on another errand to Williams Bay and got lost trying to follow a detour in Walworth to Lake Geneva.

But guess what I found?

Part of a herd of cows that supply Oberweis Dairy hormone-free milk.

They were resting or peacefully grazing about as far from the highway as seemed possible.

And, believe it or not, the farmer was a Republican.

Just look at the yard signs out in front of his home.

I know the farmer's candidate for governor, Mark Green, fared no better than the man who buys his cow's milk.

Paul Ryan, candidate for Congress, got 63% of the votes cast.

His candidate for state senate, Neal Kedzie, won 2-1.

The Republican candidate for the state assembly. Thomas Lothian, had a closer call, getting under 54% of the vote.

First posted at McHenry County Blog.

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Reducing Crime

While it may not be an issue that grabs the attention of the public, it should be.

After nearly two years of closed-door study, a privately funded task force is sending a proposed rewrite of the state's criminal laws to Illinois legislators that would prune the massive code by about one-third.

A 1,100-page bill emanating from the Criminal Law Edit, Alignment and Reform Commission would simplify the statutes, cut many archaic references and make other corrections, panel members said. The criminal code was last overhauled in 1961, and lawmakers and governors have been tacking on amendments ever since.

There is one provision of the commission's findings that needs some serious scrutiny however, and that is this:

To curb future add-ons, the commission is expected to recommend the creation of an independent, advisory body that would evaluate criminal legislation for the General Assembly.

While this is a well-intentioned provision that is aimed at applying a throttle to the annual and ubiquitous flurry of 'get tough on crime' bills, I am not sure that having an external panel injected into the legislative process is a necessary or worthwhile precedent. Between legislators, staff, bar associations, interest groups, and the like, there should exist sufficient checkpoints to corral imprudent legislation.

But as my friend and colleague Rep. Bob Molaro points out, there is often a strong driving factor on the other side of legislative rationality.

Molaro, who chairs the House Judiciary II Committee, conceded that lawmakers tend to be prolific sponsors of crime bills. But he said they often pursue such measures with good intentions, on behalf of a constituent who has been victimized.

"Their heart's in the right place," the Chicago Democrat said. He added: "What am I going to say, it makes for a bad press release? It makes for a good press release."

The CLEAR Commission is comprised of some excellent members who have put in countless hours in order to restore some cohesiveness and consistency to our behemoth of a criminal code. I look forward to reviewing, and hopefully implementing, their final bill.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Fighting Dock Walls and some Wednesday shorts

Bill Dock Walls challenges the Mayor's nominating petitions. From today's Trib. Nice to see a politician who doesn't roll over to the opposition.

Supporters of mayoral challenger William "Dock" Walls filed objections Tuesday to the nominating petitions of Mayor Richard Daley, the first time since Daley became mayor that his petitions have been called into question.

Daley's campaign said it is confident in the validity of its petitions. But Walls said his supporters found a number of problems with the mayor's petitions, including the names of people not registered to vote and evidence of forgery.

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Aiham Alsammarae shows up in Jordan on a US Plane. From today's Sun Times,

His whereabouts had been unknown until today, when Jordanian Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit told reporters that Alsammarae "arrived in Amman as an American and on an American plane," an apparent reference to a U.S. military plane, the Associated Press reported.

"Jordan did not receive any demand from the Iraqi authorities" for al-Samaraie's extradition, al-Bakhit said.

But Lou Fintor, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, flatly denied the United States was involved in transporting Alsammarae anywhere or played any role in his escape.

"Wherever Mr. Alsammarae went, he did not get there with the assistance of the U.S. government," Fintor said this morning. "There's absolutely no truth whatsoever to these reports."

Can Fitzgerald fly someone over to Amman to interview him before someone packs off to Baghdad again?

Alsammarae has a Chicago story to tell and I'm afraid it's going to get buried.

Also followed by RYP over at Iragslogger; the only National group following this story besides some righty bloggers who suspect Dick Cheney is springing Alsammarae in return for contributions to the Bush campaign.

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Taxation in Bethlehem & Illinois

Considering the Christmas story starts with taxation, perhaps I should not criticize the Chicago Tribune for running Diane Rado’s Christmas Day story headlined,

Income tax hike in play for schools

with a subhead reading

Bipartisan caucus faces tough battle with Blagojevich

Still, must we think of taxes on Christmas?

I didn’t, as you can see from the date this is posted.

Of course, the Tribune didn’t think the tax hike threat was as important as U.S. Senator Barak Obama’s hiring a contributor’s kid as an intern, but such are the news judgments of Tribune editors.

The tax hikers have managed to convince even a savvy reporter like Rado to call them “tax reformers.”

And, doesn’t it figure that a Republican state representative (Robert Pritchard of Hinckley) is “a former school board member and chief organizer of the education causes?”

I see Hinckley is in DeKalb County. I suggest Rep. Pritchard might want to type his zip code into this tax calculator that Rado worked up in 2004. (If the link doesn't work, tell me in a comment what your zip code is and I'll post the results.)

Just in case Rep. Pritchard doesn’t want to go to link in the above paragraph, I have copied what the tax calculator says will happen to the tax bill of the average taxpayer in Hinckley, if Senate Bill 750 became law.

It shows a net income tax increase of 13% for Hinckley taxpayers. The dollar increase is estimated to be $728.

Rado reports that one of the caucus’ main goals is to reduce reliance on local taxes for schools.

I guess the education caucus members don’t understand that he who supplies the gold rules.

Kudos to Rado for pointing out—one of the rare times print reporters have done so—that increasing the state income tax rate from 3 to 5 percentage points is a 66 percent hike (actually, it rounds to 67%).

And our hero?

Governor Rod Blagojevich is about all we have.

No Republican is quoted as being against tax hikes. Good thing she or Ray Long, who assisted with the article, didn't call Jim Edgar. Thanks to Bill Barr for pointing out his continuing role as cheerleader for higher taxes.

Doesn’t that make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

Well, maybe fuzzy.

More at McHenry County Blog.

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GOP senators challenge Health Facilities Planning Board

The above headline from SJ-R today. Some quotes,

"We don't think the current board is as effective as it could be," said Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, chairman of the Republican task force.

"I personally think that the board insulates hospital executives and their board members from bad financial decisions by guaranteeing market share," said Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-Evanston, co-chairman of the legislative fiscal commission.

Empower consumers with mandated health insurance (instead of letting the uninsured put the risk and costs on Medicaid and charity) and we'll get demand for health care spread evenly accross populations without need for Illinois Pols and lobbyists to do planning for underserved areas (supposedly). We'll avoid the corruption and abuse the Pols can't seem to resist.

Don't renew this board.

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The Tax Onus

Republicans really ought to put a lid on Edger.

Here's quotes from him in today's SR_J on Pressure heats up for tax hike: Some feel raise is necessary to save state.

"It underscores just how bad things are financially when you have leading businessmen in the state coming out and saying we have to raise taxes," Edgar said. "It's the first time I can remember they've ever come out and said we have to do something."

"Even though they do not like the idea of a swap, the fact (the Civic Committee) said we have to increase the income tax and broaden the sales tax is an enormous step in what many of us think is the right direction," said former comptroller and gubernatorial candidate Dawn Clark Netsch. "It takes the onus off some members of the legislature." [my empahsis]

Edgar is skeptical.

"I think it gives people cover, but I'm not convinced it will be widespread enough in Springfield to get it done," [my empahsis] Edgar said. "I hope I'm wrong because I don't know how we keep going down the road we've been on."

Why should Edgar speculate? He didn't want to run again.

Illionis voters elected Blagojevich and veto-proof Senate; so please let Blagojevich, Jones, and Madigan explain expenses, revenue, and taxes.

We don't need to hear from the elder statesman or the Business crowd. It's the Democrats who told us how to save Illinois. Now they should deliver.

Hold officials responsible. Don't give them cover. That's what we've failed to do over and over again in Illinois. It's why what does get done in Illinois, is often not good.

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Ripped from the Front Page

Ever attend a Kids Christmas Pageant and think that you read an article about its theme before.

No, I’m not talking about some magazine article in which the liberal national news magazines do their best to shake the faithful with a “Was Jesus Really Born in Jerusalem?” or, worse yet, a "Was Jesus Ever Born?" piece or something like that.

This is one that could have been on that New York lawyer's show "Law and Order."

So, here’s the story line.

Kids put together their annual Christmas pageant, which has always been held in the town square for their Christmas pageant.

The mayor—a politically correct woman—is up for re-election.

The mayor decides she doesn’t want to offend anyone, so she tells the kids they can’t use the town square.

The kids decide to go door to door to ask people to call the mayor and urge her to change her mind.

First they go to a blasé rich people’s house. They attract them outside by singing carols.

The urbane husband asks the wife what the kids want, money?

“Here, give them $5.”

The kids say they don’t want money, they want the man and woman to call the mayor to allow them to put on their presentation in the town square.

The couple give no indication of following through.

They go to a second home and find two aging hippies.

These folks celebrate every holiday.

Their belief system consists of “Whatever.”

One of the youngsters observes that if one believes in everything, one really believes in nothing.

Finally, they find a mother with children asleep inside.

Her husband is the Armed Forces and she is horrified that the mayor has banned the play. She promises to call.

The next scene I remember is the mayor coming to tell children that she has changed her mind. She says has been getting phone calls all day, including one from her daughter.

The mayor's daughter is the mother with the sleeping kids and husband serving in the Armed Forces overseas.

The mayor has undergone an epiphany.

She doesn’t care if she loses votes.

It’s on with the show.

Not only can the show be put on at the town square, but the mayor wants to be in it next year.

So, it's on with the Christmas pageant, complete with Nativity scene.

= = = = =
I don't know all the names, so my apologies to those I leave out or misidentify.

In the top picture the children are shown "practicing" the show they are going to perform in the town square.

Part of the show included a chorus line. On the right is Gina Daleo. The other girl is Johanna Sveden.

The mayor was Megan Heidenreich.

The urbane couple were played by Julie Noack and Andrew Swlatly.

The hippies were Felicia Hornback and David Deemer.

The mayor's daughter was Jennifer Peterson.

Protraying Mary was Gabby Schweizer. Joseph was Brian Madigan. The shepherd was Sidney Schroepfer. Sarah Ripple was the angel.

Before the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake presentation the kids were in the community room practicing. For the finale, they couldn't remember the second verse. They certainly remembered during the show.

The photo under the Nativity scene and above this paragraph is of the rehearsal.

But, as someone mentioned at the reception (bottom right picture) after the show, there were no problems on the stage.

The title of the show?

"Miracle on Main Street" by Celeste Clydesdale, arranged by David Clydesdale, script by Mark davis & Celeste Clydesdale.

Renee Schultz was the drama director. Jeannie Patterson did the choreography. Lisa Bishoff was children’s director. Katrina Jackson was the music director.

Lessons in practical politics in church.

Lessons on so many levels.

Who would have imagined that?

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And if you would like to read about my encounters with God this year, you can do so on McHenry County Blog.

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FDR on Chistmas

From Jon Meacham in yesterday's WaPo,

Sixty-five Christmas Eves ago, on the South Portico in 1941, with Churchill at his side, FDR declared: "Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas Day signifies . . . Against enemies who preach the principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love and in God's care for us and all men everywhere."

For a nation at war, whatever our politics or our religion, it remains an ageless message.

Merry Christmas to you all.

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LA Times: What is it about Obama?

What is it about the National Press that they don't google around a bit. Here's the LA Times.

Giannoulias, Rezko, Todd Stroger.... Chicago ain't ready for reform and Obama bought it.

Abner Mikva of all people should sense something's not right here.

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Update: Joseph Aramanda about Obama in yesterday's SJ-R,

Aramanda said there was nothing wrong with Rezko recommending his son.

"That's done every day. I don't view that as newsworthy. I don't think it's inappropriate," Aramanda told the newspaper.

"It would be different if this was a high-paying job," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, there's no relationship between the internship and my business with Mr. Rezko."

Aramanda donated $10,000 to Obama in 2004 a year before his son took the internship. Aramanda has not been charged with any crimes.

But the internship, one of 98 Illinois spots from an application pool of 350, raises questions for Obama who has denied that he ever did favors for Rezko.

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Scrooge McDonald

So my wife stopped at McDonald’s for a Big Mac.

A sign said something like,

Ask for water and condiments at the window

There my wife asked for a glass of water.

“Five cents.”

“Five cents?”

“It’ll be five cents the next time,” the clerk responded.

There won’t be a next time,” my wife thought as she left the Rosemont McDonald’s.

= = = = =
And, if you are really into Scrooge, you should see this "Message of the Day" on McHenry County Blog.

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Sen Durbin should send these troops a card

Excerpts from a letter from Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu, U.S. Army (Ret.), mistakenly attributed Col. Wade F. Dennis, JTF GTMO, APO AE 09360 (he's the addressee your cards should be addressed too) posted at Democracy Project via Ratzinger Fan Club,

Instead of bullets and IEDs, troopers here duck noxious "cocktails" of the fab five: feces, urine, spit, semen, and vomit tossed into their faces. They don't receive Purple Hearts when an enemy detainee requests a comfort item then grabs the hand of the kind guard passing it to him and breaks the trooper's arm or wrist.

Do you want to guess who receives the Christmas and Holiday greetings here in Guantanamo? The terrorist detainees who are confined here to keep them from killing you and your families! Last year alone Guantanamo detainees received more than 14,000 cards, the vast majority from muddle-headed well-wishers and sympathizers. This year local authorities estimate the number may exceed 16,000! Some are addressed to the detainees by name or by their detainee number, available on the Pentagon website. Most are simply addressed to "Any Detainee at Guantanamo."

Like the other 40,000 or so pieces of detainee mail that transit the post office on the base the cards are distributed into the cells. The cards are passed out to the detainees by troopers who may themselves not have received any sort of greeting from home in a long time. Some of the troops here are wary about the way they are perceived by their friends and families at home. One officer said that "nobody in my family was in the military. None of my friends have the slightest clue of what we do here. They think I'm some kind of brutal jailor or something."

It's hard to blame the American public for being ignorant about real conditions here considering that their opinions are shaped in large part by politicians eager to score points against the president by trashing the soldiers at Guantanamo, or by a compliant media ready to believe and promulgate the worse without the trouble of fact-checking or balancing the story.

These troops have been called terrible names by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and by Ted Kennedy and John Kerry from Massachusetts. On the House side Nancy Pelosi and Jack Murtha act as if the troops are the problem and not the terrorists. No wonder some reservists who have returned from tours in Guantanamo to the States are reluctant to tell their friends where they served.

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It's your money folks.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's office dispatched two employees to Georgia last week to pick up new carpeting for the boss' inaugural.

Because it was worth $1,700 to have the new carpet in time for the inaugural.
Can't afford to pay doctors on time but we have money for this stuff. It's called Hubris people, please enjoy the next 4 years of it. If nothing else Citizens for White should pick up the tab for this one.

OneMan

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Texas Federal Court Restricts Direct Link to Webcasts

PaidContent.org posts on a court ruling that could have a severe impact on blogging (and probably new media, generally) as we know it. What ramifications would this ruling have on bloggers linking to any Web site that relies on ad revenue? I can't imagine this ruling holding up in higher court, but you never know. The courts are sailing in uncharted waters on this one:

A federal judge in Texas has ruled that it is unlawful to provide a hyperlink to a Webcast if the copyright owner objects to it, reports News.com. The lawsuit was against an aggregation website Supercrosslive.com, which was linking directly to the video/audio webcasts on Supercrossonline.com, which has the official rights for “Supercross” motorcycle racing events. SFX Motor Sports, a Texas company that owns the official site, contended that fans who go to its own website will see the names and logos of sponsors, but direct links to webcasts won’t bring up the sponsors.

Originally posted at Illinois Justice Blog.

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"Priceless"

With apologies to MasterCard.

McHenry County Blog’s article on the new recruitment pamphlet signed by McHenry County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Bill LeFew apparently got some ridicule from his fellow Republicans.

As I heard the story, it went something like this (I have embellished it somewhat):

Membership in the McHenry County Democratic Party – Free

Membership in the Green Party - $10 (with “a needs-based dues waiver”)

Membership in the Libertarian Party – $10

Membership in the McHenry County Republican Party - $15

Contact with McHenry County Republican Officials - Priceless

Maybe one had to be there.

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Kane County's Sheriff and any other shorts....

Seems Pat Perez made good on his plege to stop giving county cars as perks. From the Daily Herald,

Eight Kane County sheriff's office employees have 10 days to turn in the keys to their department-issued squad cars.

Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez said Thursday he ordered five corrections officers and three civilians to return the vehicles because they don't need them for their daily duties.
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It's nice to see guys secure enough to come out and admit this.
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Iragslogger posts a Aiham "The Chicago Way" Alsammarae sighting,

Former Iraqi Electricity Minister Aiham Al-Samarra'i was spotted at the American Embassy in Amman Thursday, according to Ali Al-Shabbout, official spokesman of the Public Integrity Commission in Iraq. Shabbout added that that the commission has contacted Interpol in order to issue an international arrest warrant for Samarra'i. Al-Samarra'i escaped his Baghdad Green Zone jail Sunday while awaiting trial on corruption charges.

Wonder who Alsammarae would call from there?
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See if they'll follow Rezko: Illinois Progressive Legal Action Center.
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A Blagojevich Press Release via Illinois Review,

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced $9.6 million for a new pilot program that will help provide supportive housing and services for approximately 170 young adults leaving the state’s foster care system, and for children being raised by relatives or other caregivers.
[****]
The pilot’s developers - Interfaith Housing Development Corporation of Chicago and their service provider partners, Sankofa Safe Child Initiative and Coppin AME Church - will select approximately 75 young adults aged 18-21 years who are transitioning out of foster care and 44 kinship families where the children are being raised by relatives to benefit from the program.

I understand a Kinship Family as a family sharing bonds of blood or marriage. If marriage is expanded to exclude same sex couples, would Coppin AME Church be obligated to accept those kinds of kin to keep the grant?

The answer to that question would guide my vote on a same-sex marriage proposal. It's the most fundamental issue of Church and State I've seen in a long time.
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In Chicago (and burbs) its all about does a guy keep up his property. That's all that counts. NYT Home in Illinois May Lure Fugitive Former Iraqi Minister

It was an unremarkable scene on Wednesday outside a gated community here where the former Iraqi electricity minister, Aiham Alsammarae, now a fugitive from justice, keeps a palatial house.

Having escaped from a Baghdad jail over the weekend in what he boasted was the “Chicago way,” Mr. Alsammarae, whose whereabouts are unknown, could have been on the way back here.

Or perhaps he had already arrived, enjoying the serenity of the leafy surroundings of the Covington subdivision, about a half-hour west of Chicago.
[***]
“He kept his house just like any other guy,” said Mr. Brugh, who works for Oak and Dale Properties, a management company. “He’d have to or else we’d be all over it.”

And the guy who helped Alsammarae escape claims he was canned for it: Local man says he was fired for protecting Iraqi prisoner

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More boneheadedness from Obama with Rezko

Clinton will clean Obama's clock with this stuff.

From today's Trib,

Political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko made a modest pitch to Sen. Barack Obama last year.Rezko recommended a 20-year-old student from Glenview for one of the coveted summer internships in Obama's Capitol Hill office.

The student got the job and spent five weeks in Washington, answering Obama's front office phone and logging constituent mail. The student was paid an $804 stipend--about $160 a week--for a position valued mostly for the experience it provides.
[***]
As the internship drew to a close in August 2005, the intern's father was cited in court records as an unnamed, unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged state government bribery scheme linked to Rezko. A news report about the court records identified him by name.

Obama's spokesman said Obama would not comment on the internship because he is spending the holidays with his family. But spokesman Robert Gibbs said the internship in no way contradicts Obama's previous statements that he has never done any favors for Rezko, given jobs to Rezko associates or been involved with Rezko "in any government activities of any sort."

Obama should just say it's the Chicago way.

Update: A little more from Gibbs in todays's Sun Times,

John Aramanda served as an intern for Obama for about a month in 2005, said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs. His father is Joseph Aramanda, a Rezko business associate who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal corruption case against Rezko. Aramanda has contributed $11,500 to Obama since 2000, Gibbs said.

"Mr. Rezko did provide a recommendation for John Aramanda," Gibbs said. "I think that it's fairly obvious that a few-week internship is not anything of benefit to Mr. Rezko or any of his businesses."

Missed the point here Mr. Gibbs. This story says Rezko's word counted for someting with Obama. That Obama valued Rezko's word.


xp Bill Baar's West Side

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Chicago Post Office Skips Even "Happy Holidays"

McHenry County Blog posted stamps and cancellations as a “Message of the Day” earlier this week.

The most Christmassy postmark found was “Happy Holidays.”

Today, the Skinner household received a card from Chicago and not even “Happy Holidays” was on the cancellation.

What is that all about?

First posted at McHenry County Blog.

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About 'Hellholes,' Jobs and the Illinois Economy

by Ed Murnane

The reaction from the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (and their allies) to last week’s announcement of the 2006 "judicial hellholes" was predictable. In fact, I was called for comment on the "reaction," even before the American Tort Reform Foundation’s report was made public. ITLA and their big brother, the American Association for Justice, didn’t need to see the report before attacking it.

And that is not surprising.

Since THEY are one of the primary reasons three Illinois counties are included in the list of six hellholes, it makes sense that they’d be unhappy to be blamed for the poor quality of justice. (Of course, judges have to assume some responsibility but without the trial lawyers’ and their creativity, the problems would not be of "hellhole" magnitude.

It’s too close to Christmas to get into a fire and brimstone (in keeping with the "hellhole" theme) reaction to ITLA’s reaction.

But here are a few observations.

* According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 3,141 counties in the United States. Do the trial lawyers think ATRA picked these three in Illinois because they don’t like Illinois? (If that’s the case, I’m offended since I’m a life-long resident of Illinois AND I happen to be on the ATRA board of directors (but not involved in the "hellholes" project)).

* Is it simply a coincidence that ATRA’s identification of three Illinois counties as the worst in the country parallels the Harris International Poll conducted for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that states Illinois has one of the most hostile legal environments in the United States? Or perhaps Illinois looks bad from different perspectives because it IS bad?

* Did ITLA and their allies have a similar reaction to another report issued last week that described the "virtually unabated loss of good-paying jobs in manufacturing (in Illinois)?" The report entitled "The State of Working Illinois 2006" said “between July 1990 and July 2005, the total number of manufacturing jobs in Illinois dropped by 24.6 percent. This represented a loss of over 225,800 jobs during the 15-year period, or about 15,000 manufacturing jobs per year. Moreover, just under three-quarters of this decline (162,400 jobs) was in durable goods manufacturing, long the mainstay of the state's economy."

* Does ITLA think excessive lawsuits and a high cost of litigation (see points above) have anything to do with a declining job base?

* The report (by a coalition of groups including the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Northern Illinois University's Regional Development Institute and a number of labor unions and community groups) also said this: "... the percentage decline in the number of manufacturing jobs in Illinois has been higher than both the national and regional average. The loss of those good-paying manufacturing jobs (which pay an average of about $660 weekly) cannot be offset by growth in service sector jobs, which pay about $524 a week. Those lower average weekly wages generally translate to less consumer spending, a less robust economy and a greater demand for government and human services."

* Does ITLA think Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis is wrong to be enacting procedural reforms in her circuit to improve the judicial environment in Madison County?

* If Illinois is losing about 15,000 manufacturing jobs per year, how many plaintiff attorney jobs are being lost? ITLA claims membership of "over 2,000 members." How many are being lost every year, or has the number of plaintiff’s attorneys been growing?

There were a few bright spots in the ATRA report:

1. Illinois only had three counties (of 102 in the state) on the list. The ENTIRE State of West Virginia ranked at the top.

2. Madison County is acknowledged to be improving. Anyone who pays attention to Illinois knows that’s true and Judge Callis and her colleagues deserve credit.

3. The Illinois Supreme Court is considered a "point of light" for several rulings that have been handed down. That’s also an accurate assessment.

Cross-posted at Illinois Justice Blog.

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Bollywood Friday - BollySanta gets down!

Proving once again that there is indeed a Bollywood clip for EVERY conceivable occasion, I give you BollySanta in all his glory!

From the movie Kalicharan.

Happy Holidays to my buddies and visitors at ILLINOIZE and CapFax!


Love,

Bridget

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Daley's Obama endorsement

Gotta wonder if Morris hasn't nailed it all here and explained the thinking behind all these Illinois Pols lining up behind Obama.

Obama isn't a mortal threat to Hillary Clinton's White House hopes - his potential candidacy may be just the gift she needs to assure her of the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Having the right opponent is one of the essentials to electoral success. In a primary, the right foe is someone who is strong enough to keep anybody else from gaining serious traction, but not strong enough to win. Obama seems to fit the bill.

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Alsammarae blog chatter

Lots of stuff on the blogs now about Alsammarae donating to Bush before and after Alsammarae's appointment as Iraqi Oil minister. Samples here, here, and here. These folks don't realize there's a combine in Illinois and our tradition is don't back no losers.

Independent Sentinel wrote,

...and is now a fugitive, on the run, from corruption charges.

Seems like a free-for-all out there, for corrupt bussines types, just like here.

The Bushites are creating a Capitalist nightmare in their own image, in Iraq.

More like Illinois's image.

I'm worried Alsammarae will be sent shackled back to Iraq before our Fitzgerald has a chance to talk with him about old friend Tony Rezko. From today's Sun Times,

Federal authorities in Chicago have expressed interest in Alsammarae's links to recently indicted businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fund-raiser for Gov. Blagojevich who won an Iraqi power plant contract while Alsammarae was electricity minister. The contract no longer is in effect.

Authorities here want to learn more about the deal because Rezko and Alsammarae know each other, and each has been accused of corruption, a source familiar with the investigation told the Sun-Times. Alsammarae and Rezko attended the Illinois Institute of Technology together in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

I hope Fitzgerald gets the chance to talk with Alsammarae for a long time. I'm worried it won't happen because the capitalist nightmare will silence the canary.

Update: Iraqsloger has an nice backgrounder on Alsammarae: The Nine Lives of Aiman Alsammarae.

He [Alsammarae]admits that his attempts to introduce groups who attack Coalition troops as political entities was not entirely altruistic since he declared in this Voice of America interview that he intended to run in the December 2005 elections. Ultimately, his attempts to reconcile with insurgents was a failed venture that resulted in a February 2006 attack on Alsammarae's convoy that he escaped but injured two of his security contractors.

His troubles were just beginning. The predominately Shia government filed charges of corruption, when Alsammarae's returned to inquire about the nature of the charges were, he found himself surprised to be held in a Green Zone prison awaiting trial.

Got to admit, he sounds awfully Chicago; larger than life. I hope he makes it home to write a book... although I'm not sure how much of it I'd believe.

Update: A little more from Pioneer Press,

So now Dania and other family members are pleading with American government officials, including Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, to intervene and ensure Aiham's safety.

"We are hoping the State Department will step in and save his life," said Dania, who recently returned home to Oak Brook from a medical school in Ireland.

Christina Angarola, spokesperson for Durbin, declined to discuss specifics, but said the senator is actively communicating with the State Department about Aiham's safety.

"We are in frequent contact with the Department of the State to check up on this," Angarola said.

Update: Biden's blog posts on the story too.

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New Sanity Squad podcast on Obama mania

Who better than four mental health professional to investigate the phenomenon known as Obama mania? This week's edition has a cold-stricken Neo-Neo Con joined by Siggy, ShrinkWrapped, and Dr. Sanity.

Shrinkwrapped compares Obama to a backup quarterback on a losing football team, since he's always the most popular player on that team--until he gets in a game.

Citing a recent Clarence Page column, Dr. Sanity views Illinois' junior senator as a flesh-and-blood Rorschach ink-blot test. Democrats see in Obama what they want to see in a presidential contender.

Siggy as always is the most outspoken, he compares Barack to "a good looking girl sitting at the end of the bar with a low-cut dress," when all around are "faded whores"--retread candidates. But Siggy adds, "The Republicans have the same problem."

Although, I have one complaint with Siggy. He thinks the politics in Chicago are corrupt. Where did he get that idea?

Oh, not by name, but the Rezko deal is briefly referred to in the podcast.

Listen or download here. Free subscriptions are available at the iTunes web site.

To comment on this or other posts, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Privatized Fire Department Rolls

Newly appointed Lakewood Fire Chief Tony Huemann garnered unanimous “conditional” membership for his new ire department in McHenry County’s Mutual Aid Box Alarm System on Wednesday afternoon.

While the organization’s members, primarily fire chiefs, seemed to share the concern voiced by Crystal Lake Fire Chief Jim Moore about the Lakewood response plan, they passed a motion to grant membership based on Lakewood’s meeting these conditions by the next (end of February) MABAS meeting:

· Obtaining fire fighting equipment
· Having a fire station up and active
· Having a personnel-on-call roster
· Having box cards (a list prioritizing how many pieces of equipment and personnel that neighboring fire departments can count on using in an emergency)
· Having communications
· Agreement to pay MABAS fees

One chief noted that conditional membership is “actually protecting ourselves.”


Another condition was suggested, but rejected:

A report on how much Lakewood assisted other departments between now and the February meeting.

One chief noted that such a study might be “discriminatory.”

And, as Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Chief Lloyd Laufer put it,

"If they check me, I might be in trouble.

"If they call, we’re going,” he said of his totally volunteer department.

Indeed, during the discussion--with Huemann out of the room--several chiefs declared they would assist Lakewood, regardless of whether it was accepted into MABAS.

Earlier one chief said, “Whether they’re in this system or not, we’d help a stricken community." He did add, “I don’t want to take command. I don’t want that liability.”

At one point early on, Huntley Fire Chief Jim Saletta committed his department to assisting Lakewood whether or not it was allowed to join the mutual assistance pact.

Woodstock Chief Ralph Webster said, “We’d be hypocrites if we didn’t admit that we send men to communities that don’t have staffing” (problems), noting it was “not too long since we couldn’t (cover) our town."

Apparently Webster worked previously with Huemann during the 23 years the new Lakewood chief was with the McHenry Township Fire Protection District, because he added,

"I think Tony is a man of integrity."

“Like Jim Saletta says, I’m going to go if there’s a need,” the Woodstock chief concluded.

One chief sitting in front added,

“We’re going to go if there’s a need.

"We can’t not go.”

And, that seemed to be the general attitude of these professional fire fighters.

They didn’t put it this way, but it seemed obvious to me that they fight fires, they don’t play politics.

The Lakewood chief did seem to reveal that the January 1st starting date was troubling him.

"Our target date is January 1st. January 1st is going to be a difficult target to meet.

"We have asked for an extension. Crystal Lake and Lakewood are communicating."

Crystal Lake Chief Moore offered more reservations, including for the safety of his men if they were called to help fight a Lakewood fire.

This is the first time a new member has been admitted to MABAS.

As one chief observed, “We’ve gone down. We’ve never gone up.”

= = = = =
Since this is the first MABAS meeting I have attended, I cannot identify all the speakers by name. If anyone would like to email me who said what, I'll be happy to add the identifiers.

The top picture is of Lakewood Village Fire Chief Jeff Huemann. The shot of the room during the presentation is next.

Below that is a picture that shows Barry Valentine questioning Huemann with (from left to right at the front table) Huntley Fire Protection District Chief Jim Saletta, Valentine, and MABAS President Cary Fire Protection District Chief Jeff Macko.

Huntley Fire Protection District Chief Jim Saletta is next, on the left. Woodstock Fire Protection District Chief Ralph Webster is seen talking to Jeff Huemann after the meeting adjourned. Next on the right can be seen Crystal Lake Fire Chief Jim Moore.

Finally, there are informal shots of those attending after the meeting was adjourned.

Click to enlarge images. Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

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Mickey Kaus's Obama Problem

from Slate,

After reading up a bit on Barack Obama for a temporarily-aborted bloggingheads segment, my tentative working thesis is this: He's too damn reflective! And introspective....
[***]
I'm a "character" voter, not an "issues" voter. But the way you reveal your character is by grappling with issues, not by grappling with yourself. Anguish is easy. Isn't it time for Obama to start being ostentatiously reflective about policies? That's what you want from a Harvard Law Review type.

I fear Obama reflects and introspects so much because there is a good deal he would rather not talk about instead.

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The Crumb gets more Public Crumbs - Show Bryan the Money, Arne, and Watch His Bodycount!

"I serve at the pleasure of the governor," Mr. Samuels acknowledges. "I'll do the job and, when it's time, get out of the way." Those steeley-eyed clauses dripped from the pages of one of Crain's Under 40 lists some time after Bryan Samuels helped kick dirt on a saint.

Mr. Samuels did his level best to smear a dedicated guardian of Illinois children and to dismantle the work of Father John Smyth at Maryville, in DesPlaines, Illinois.Now, Arne Duncan, Chicago CPS CEO has given this civic crumb a sinecure - well, hell, it seems that old Bryan ducked from one flame-out sinecure into a more thickly padded one - one padded with public bucks. Merry Christmas!

It sure seemed to me, in the endless news reports and Paul Meinke shill-work, that, with sanctimonious mouthings about concern for the children, Samuels effectively destroyed the one place in Illinois where children had a shepherd and a steward. Maryville and Father Smyth could not say no and the Department of Children and Family Services of Illinois exploited that option for decades until Samuels, following the lead of Jess McDonald and the lads at ACLU created a media smoke screen that allowed DCFC an open portals to 'privatization' and the death of 53 Illinois children on Bryan Samuels' watch. Couldn't get a comment from old Bryan

Now, Arne Duncan has created a sinecure for one of the real villains in Illinois political culture. Arne, when old Bryan 'gets out of the way' better duck, chump.

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Chicago Tribune Reporter's Story A Real Christmas Present

I work for Leo High School on the south side - the home to many Chicago Firemen and especially the greatest fireman of all, retired Commissioner James T. Joyce - and Chicago Tribune reporter Tracy Dell'Angela's 12/21/06 story 'Fired Up for Service' is especially wonderful at a time when readers are avalanched with sagas of lazy, violent, self-absorbed people - young and old. We get daily treatments of the whinners like Rosie, Oprah, The Donald, 'Tank,' Lohan, Paris, and assorted other materialistic losers. Dell'Angela's story of a real hero, eighteen year old Keith Thornton is an inspiration. Here is a quote from a young man who has volunteered thousands of hours of his free time to help Chicago Firefighters help Chicagoans.

"There's no guarantee I'm going to be a firefighter," he said. "But it was never about the money. It was about helping out. I would definitely say the Fire Department has kept me on track. A lot of my friends used to do drugs and drinking, but I would talk to them about what I do here, and I tell them, `You can do whatever you want in life.'"

Says it all. Tracy, you made a huge fan in this reader. Read this great story!


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0612210052dec21,1,3629467.story?coll=chi-newslocal-hed

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Schakowsky's surprize and where'd Illinois Greens go?

A funny from SoapBlox Chicago on Schakowsky's response to a question about the DCCC defeating progressive candidates in Democratic primaries,

Much to my surprise, Schakowsky's response was highly defensive, suggesting I was wrong to criticize "The Party." I responded that I thought people like me who went out canvassing for Democratic candidates every weekend were part of "The Party." So Jan revised her comment to the "Party Leaders."

At this point, I asked whether, given recent history, the DCCC shouldn't get out of the business of opposing locally-supported progressive candidates. Again to my surprise her answer was simply "No." (After this, the moderator stepped in and Jan took another question.)

*********************************
Where have Illinois Greens gone? Check their sites and they've gone silent: here, here, and here. They had a success and deserved to celebrate with the big party, but that doesn't mean go AWOL after the party's over.

We have elections coming up in Chicago. They might want to at least comment on the candidates. They're non-partisan elections but one candidate may be a little more Green friendly then the other. I'd like to know Whitney's thoughts.

Update: Greens sprouted! Via Rich here in a letter to the Trib responding to Paul Froelich's letter. But it's really not enough. The Greens need to apply this talk to Chicago.

About Froelich, he hit it on the nail. Here's my comment over at Illionis Review,

Every Conservative who's a member of a mainline church with a Social Justice committee should join it. Bush's whole presidency is about Social Justice.

I belong to a Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee and I point that out, and also point out Joseph Bottum's New Fusionism.

Immigration is part-and-parcel with globalization and free trade. The free movement of labor is just as important as the free movement of goods and services.

Every citzen from signatory country of CAFTA / NAFTA should have free access to US labor market. (And American retirees should have the option to go South and retire in the Mexican sun with some assurances of legal security in their topsey turvey system down there.) If a person has a legit job offer in the US, they should be free to come.

So tear down the wall. That seems a perfectly conservative position too me.

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Alsammarae: he did it the Chicago way

from the Trib,

In another phone interview, with The New York Times, Alsammarae was asked how he got away and he recalled a line about Al Capone in "The Untouchables," saying that he had escaped "the Chicago way."

Great... just great... He says he's on his way back to Oak Brook so now the Feds will have to contend with extraditing him back to Iraq.

"I think it would be the crime of the century if they were to send me back to Iraq or refuse me," he said. "People wouldn't allow it. I have contacted senators and congressman to help me. I am coming back to Chicago. It is my home."

Update: More from yesterday's NYT,

Despite the charges against him, Mr. Alsammarae said he did not believe that the American authorities would arrest him in Chicago. “I hope they are smarter than that,” he said.

I'd worry more that they're so smart they'd rather not have him talking to Fitzgerald about Rezko, and will want to send him back to Iraq instead. That could be the Chicago way too.

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Condemnation TIF in Arlington Heights

At the Monday night Arlington Heights village board meeting, 77 demonstrators held a candle light vigil outside the Senior Citizen Center where the meeting was being held.

I wrote a background story last week that might be of interest.

They organize under the Coalition to Save International Plaza. The shopping center, incidentally, is owned by Asian-American Su-Chuan Hsu.

Covering the demonstration so well was photo journalist Windypundit.

He has so many good photos, some of which I am posting to encourage you to look at them all.

Windypundit has become the web site of choice for those who want to put a face on the buildings local municipalities want to demolish.

Now, some councils like Crystal Lake have pledged not to use its condemnation powers in Tax Increment Financing districts like Vulcan Lakes.

We’ll see what happens when the last couple of small businesses along Route 14 refuse to sell to the clout-heavy developers picked by Mayor Aaron Shepley and the city council.

In Arlington Heights, Windypundit reports that one candidate for the village board is opposing the forcible taking of property. His name is Phil Walters and you can see him addressing the board earlier this week.

= = = = =
In the top photo a businessman holds up a handmade sign which says,

OUR PROPERTY
TODAY YOUR
PROPERTY TOMORROW
TAKE A STAND
FOR FREEDOM

In the picture with the candle, the group's organizers are asking people for their names and contact information so they can be mobilized for future action. In the photograph on the lower right is village board candidate Phil Walters.

Posted on McHenry County Blog first.

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Tank Johnson's "Second" Chance

"Shortly after noon, police responded to Roosevelt Center for Adult Education, 978 Haskel Ave., in reference to an anonymous tip regarding a student with a gun. Rodrick F. Lyke, 17, was found in a classroom.

After speaking with Lyke, police determined that he was armed with a 38-caliber handgun. Police said Lyke never displayed the weapon or threatened anyone. Lyke was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and failure to carry a firearm owner’s identification card. He was lodged in the Winnebago County Jail, where he is being held on a $50,000 bond...Lyke is suspended pending a recommendation from the Roosevelt principal for expulsion.”

- The Rockford Register-Star, December 12, 2006

"Chronic misfit defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who has been arrested three times in the past 18 months (most recently for six misdemeanor weapons violations), received a slap on the wrist Tuesday from the Bears.

Amid speculation that he could be released or at least be inactivate for the remainder of the 2006 season, Johnson instead was given a one-game suspension by the team and will be back on the field for the regular-season finale Dec. 31 at Soldier Field against the Green Bay Packers. He will not be paid this week, unlike last week when he was placed on the inactive list."

- The Daily Herald, December 20, 2006

Something is deeply, deeply wrong here.

Before I say anything else, I must point out that the headline for the Daily Herald story is “Bears Give Tank a Second Chance.” Excuse me, but if he’s been arrested three times in the past year and a half, then this would be his fourth chance, by my count.

Now, I’ll admit that I don’t know if Rodrick Lyke is a Bears fan or not. And I can’t say that there is any direct link between his behavior and that of any specific celebrity or potential role model. But the juxtaposition of these articles says a lot about our society’s priorities and values.

There are plenty of ridiculous examples of zero-tolerance gone wrong in our country, but I pointedly chose Lyke’s story because it does involve a serious situation that certainly should be dealt with severely and judiciously. In my opinion it’s not only unfair, but also counterproductive, to let a school board ruin the prospects of higher education and a good career for a 17 year old but accept the Bear’s decision to simply give a slap on the wrist to a repeat-offending adult for what is ostensibly the same crime.

After all, zero tolerance, as a disciplinary policy, has a lot more to do with deterring behavior than actually correcting it. Offending students are “made an example” for others, in an effort to discourage them from pushing the envelope of acceptability. But talk about mixed (and downright unfair) messages! Imagine the impact it might have on students if they got a “second chance” from their school, but learned that the their ability to make a living with the talents God gave you could be ruined if they didn't shape up and live within the law as an adult? We might never know for certain if that would or would not discourage any kid from bringing a gun to school; but I’ve got to think that it would be more effective than the reverse, which is what we are doing now.

Read this and other posts at the Grand Old Partisan of Illinois

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The Nativity Story" preview now playing in Daley Plaza

As I noted on Marathon Pundit a couple of times this month, a German-American group organized its annual Christkindlmarket, a Christmas celebration, in downtown Chicago.

One of the sponsors of this year's event is the film "The Nativity Story."
A trailer of the film was being shown at Christkindlmarket, until the City of Chicago Department of Special Events told the festival organizers to stop playing it. First, the department said the trailer was "insensitive to the many people of different faiths." Its explanation shifted to this retort: the film is "too commercial." The latter stand didn't prevent the McDonalds Thanksgiving Parade from taking place in Chicago last month.

But at today 11:00 am Chicago time, the trailer will return.

From a TC Public Relations press release.

City Reverses Position on Showing of Religious Movie Trailer at Annual Christmas Market

(Chicago...Media reports around the world have covered statements by Jim Law, Chicago’s executive director of special events, where he said that a trailer for the movie The Nativity Story could not be shown at a Christmas festival in downtown Chicago. Law stated that the trailer would be "insensitive to the many people of different faiths." Now to show that the cinematic version of Jesus’ birth is welcomed in Chicago, a group of Christians that see the trailer as religious expression have convinced the City of Chicago to allow them to show the trailer. The Christian supporters are Jim Finnegan, one of the sponsors of the manger on Daley Plaza , and Civil Liberties for Urban Believers (CLUB) an association of Chicago churches. The trailer will run from 11 am Wednesday, December 20 through Christmas Day on Daley Plaza located at 50 West Washington Street in Chicago. Press conference at 11 am on Wednesday, December 20th.

"For years I’ve had the privilege of being involved in presentation of Chicago nativity scene that displayed at Daley Plaza. Showing The Nativity Story trailer after Chicago officials had first declared that there was no room at "Daley Plaza Inn" represents a victory for all civil liberties and a welcomed accommodation that brings the message of the Messiah’s birth to life," said Jim Finnegan.

"While the City of Chicago certainly should not endorse religious speech, the Constitution and a number of Supreme Court decisions make clear that citizens and private organizations have a right to religious expression in the public square," said John Mauck with Mauck & Baker, whose firm worked with Finnegan, CLUB, and the Chicago-based Thomas More Society to file for the permits to show the trailer, "Ironically, this past summer, despite many people being offended by the governmental endorsement of the Gay Games, the City of Chicago promoted that event enthusiastically. In contrast we had to work hard and threaten litigation to overcome the City's initial prohibition against a private group showing people the Savior of the world in a public place. Hopefully Chicago will stop discriminating against religious speech."

The right to show this trailer was settled in 1989 when Jennifer Neubauer, then a private lawyer and now chairman of Thomas More Society, filed a federal lawsuit and won a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction from Chief Judge James B. Parsons of the U.S. District Court in Chicago, prohibiting any discrimination against private religious expression on Daley Center Plaza, a traditional public forum. The court granted permission to erect religious displays on public property without discrimination against expression on account of religious content. "The reason we can now see a manger with Jesus, an Islamic Crescent and a Jewish Menorah is because of that court case back in the 1980's. Freedom of religious expression in the public square is protected as one of our most fundamental rights under the First Amendment," said Tom Brejcha, Chief Counsel, Thomas More Society of Chicago.

To comment on this and other posts, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Alsammarae's on the run...

Today's Sun Times: Iraqi with ties to Rezko escapes Baghdad jail.

Former Iraqi electricity minister Aiham Alsammarae, who has a home in west suburban Oak Brook, has escaped from a Baghdad police station, according to an e-mail he sent to the Chicago Sun-Times and others Tuesday.

"Hi, I am OK and out of their reach," Alsammarae wrote in the e-mail, which came in response to an e-mail the newspaper sent him several days ago.
[***]
"I said it before and I say it again: There is nothing [no case pending in the court that] required me to stay one day in the jail. . . . They make me wait for another 8 days . . . planning for more lies until they get the chance to kill me!!!" wrote Alsammarae, a dual U.S.-Iraqi citizen who left his Downers Grove engineering firm in 2003 to join Iraq's transitional government.

"So, this is why I decide to hit the road and safe [sic] my life for the sake of my family and Iraq."

Alsammarae did not answer the Sun-Times' questions about an Iraqi power-plant contract that is of interest to U.S. authorities in Chicago.

I hope he doesn't get killed 'cause I sure want him back talking in Chicago.

Dick Durbin wants to talk about soldiers abusing prisoners in Iraq. He should also be asking about Chicagoans fleecing Iraqi's in Iraq.

Update: as reported in the NYT and then VOA on Alsammarae from June of 2005. Makes you wonder who he would seek sanctuary with if not the US Army.

Update: Wonder how Durbin and Obama responded to the family's request for help.

The families have also reached out to the offices of Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, all in hopes of keeping him out of a prison run by the Iraqi Interior Ministry.

The Shiite-dominated ministry has a notorious reputation, and serious charges of extortion, torture and murder have been lodged against the security forces. Earlier this month, a police brigade was taken off the streets after some members were suspected of taking part in the kidnapping of more than 20 workers at a Baghdad meat-processing plant. Seven workers were later found executed.

As he sat in the police station Friday, Alsammarae said that his only hope now is for the U.S. government to intervene on his behalf. Even if U.S. officials wanted to get involved, any act on Alsammarae's behalf could be seen as heavy-handed interference in a sovereign country.

Update: Good background in the NYT from Dec 15th.

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Ricca Slone Speaks in McHenry County

At the Crystal Lake Kiwanis Club meeting two weeks ago, former State Representative Ricca Slone (D-Peoria) gave a talk on water.

Since leaving the legislature, she has moved back to Chicago and is working for the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

With water wars breaking out in McHenry County, her message was not a political one.

Rather it had to do with the necessity for water conservation in McHenry County.

The reason is pretty obvious, but, for those who don’t know that McHenry County will never get Lake Michigan water, there it is.

All of Lake Michigan’s water is spoken for. Illinois only gets so much and the users are pretty much determined.

“If you’re not getting Lake Michigan water, you’re not going to get Lake Michigan water,” she said.

(Now, it is true that Chicago could free up some water by actually metering it and charging according to usage, but I’m not holding my breath.)

McHenry County is destined to get its water from wells.

Slone argued for

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.

And her message was short and direct:

Without changes in current usage, there won’t be enough water.

She pointed to the Baxter & Woodman study that shows McHenry County is “already drawing down more than 90% of what is available” in Algonquin and Grafton Townships.

And, the Catch-22 of development is that it “greatly affects ground water. Impermeable surfaces cover re-charge areas” for shallow aquifers.

And, she pointed out, water that could be used to re-charge aquifers often literally goes down the drain, ending up in the Gulf of Mexico, instead of the ground under McHenry County.

She pitched “water conservation plans” for local governments.

One example of what one might include is simple enough.

Did you know that top loading washing machines use more water than ones where the door opens in front?

My family has owned both, but I certainly hadn’t figured that out.

Slone suggested that agreements with new developers could require that they install front loaders, instead of their more water-using counterpart. Every load of wash would save more than half the water used by some toploaders, she said.

Annual water savings?

5,000 gallons.

And, that’s not counting energy savings, if one uses heated water.

Other suggestions include water permeable tile, rather than asphalt. (That fights with the desire not to let oil products enter the aquifer, however.)

Posted first at McHenry County Blog.

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Knox College Strikes Again

Here in Galesburg, we are simple people. Most people only know about our little town because of all the factories that used to be here. We are a local example of the nationwide phenomenon. Yet somehow, Knox College, our private liberal arts college, has put us in the spotlight again. Two years ago they asked a then State Senator to speak at graduation. By the time he spoke, Barack Obama was well on his way to the insane media hype we all 'enjoy' today. For last year’s graduation, the college asked a then Daily Show correspondent to speak. By the time he spoke, Stephan Colbert had launched his show to national prominence. This year who did Knox decide to get? None other than President Bill Clinton.

Political leanings aside, this is yet another great win for Galesburg. The increased attention it brings to the town is always good. For the people of the town, they once again get to see someone speak that they most likely wouldn’t see. (Though Clinton was in Galesburg in 1995) It is a tremendous honor for Knox College as they get to add to their list of prestigious speakers. It will help them recruit new students and faculty as they show themselves to be a top tier college.

So mark your calendar folks. June 2nd is not too far away.

Cross Posted at Political Wasteland

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The Dog that Didn't Bark

Some folks are all in a lather over the meeting between Denny Hastert, Andy McKenna, Tom Cross and Frank Watson over the weekend. I'm not sure why anyone thinks they should be invited any time prominent officials get together in small groups to chat, but I'm aware that if the papers reported that any one of these people had coffee at Denny's this morning, some folks would call it the "Moon Over My Hammies Conspiracy" and demand to know why they were not invited.

If excitable types could stop the hyperventilating for just a little, it might dawn on them that one name was prominent in its absence: Bob Kjellander. Chew on that one for a while.

And please, please, please....would all my fellow reform conservatives figure out that, while corruption and venality have cost us dearly; unrelenting stridence, overblown rhetoric, and general nastiness are not going to bring us out of the wilderness. In fact, it has kept us here far longer than we should be. I am dead serious here...would my fellow conservatives please stop and take a look at themselves - and in this Christmas season rediscover the value of a little grace, a little humility, and a little prudence?

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Durbin and Torture

From today's Sun Times,

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois asked the Justice Department on Monday for an update on its progress prosecuting government employees who were accused in at least 17 cases of abusing detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So why doesn't Drubin call a hearing on the Burge Report? Or maybe look into why Cook County is the only County in Illinois where politicans run the Juvinile Detention Center. Pat Murphy writing in the Trib,

Not only is this the way that it is handled in all but one county in Illinois, it is the way it is handled in many major metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles. Politicians in these jurisdictions recognize that the best people to work with delinquent and troubled kids are those who have dedicated their lives to this task. Who better to be in charge of a detention center for children?

But, of course, political leaders in Cook County do not see it that way. Cook County is the only jurisdiction in Illinois, and one of the very few in the U.S., where the detention center is run directly by a politician--the president of the Cook County Board.

The county's chief judge, the juvenile court judges and the juvenile probation department have nothing to do with running the detention center.

I do not write this article to criticize the patronage system. It's just that patronage does not work very well when it comes to providing the type of expertise in employees that troubled kids need.

I've got far more confidence in the Army's ability to police itself on abuse then Cook County.

And there's plenty of Fed funds and Fed Grants going to both County and City Gov for Durbin to have plenty or reason for asking what's going on.. plenty.

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Big Brother’s Name is Blago and his Tribune Is, Well, Tribune

With apologies to Saint Luke.

At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an order that all people in the countries under Roman rule must list their names in a register. This was the first registration; it was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to their own towns to be registered.

That’s what I thought of as I read the Chicago Tribune’s editorial entitled, “An Rx for health coverage.”

The editorial explains,

...every Illinois resident would be required to have insurance...

And, how, may I ask, will Caesar Blagojevich know if someone has not signed up for insurance?

Will there be an annual census decreed by Caesar Blagojevich?

After everyone is identified and catalogued by type of insurance, will future iterations of state control require insertion of microchips with our health history?

Just wondering.

First posted at McHenry County Blog.

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Reviewing the 94th's GA's Education Accomplishments

It isn't pretty:

"The 94th General Assembly has adjourned. They have left public education as it was when they first convened. In Illinois, 50 percent of black students will fail to graduate high school. Ninety-four percent of Chicago public school students will never earn a college degree. Rural schools are closing.

Suffice it to say, 2005 and 2006 were hardly banner years for education reform in Illinois. Rather than challenge the status quo and rethink public education in Illinois, leaders in Springfield proffered a number of “reforms” that can be called disappointing, at the very least."

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Gingrich: The Obama Experience

I almost spit out my coffee when I heard this on Meet the Press:

FMR. REP. GINGRICH: I—look, I’ve known Al Gore for many, many years. If he runs, he’ll be a serious contender, but I think he would be fourth on that list of plausible people. I actually think Barack Obama’s having as good as run as anyone could hope for, and he’s doing it by being positive, by being engaging, and by being above all the negative Washington-based, you know, this morning’s hotline nasty attack, you know, e-mail kind of stuff. And I think if he can sustain that, despite the best efforts of many of my good friends in the media to drag him down to mere issues, he could become very formidable.

MR. RUSSERT: Does he have enough experience to be president of the United States?

FMR. REP. GINGRICH: Well, Abraham Lincoln served two years in the U.S. House, and seemed to do all right.

Meet the Press wasn't the first time we've heard Obama compared to Lincoln. We also heard it on CapitolFax, and the other day future Obama for President consultant David Axelrod made the implicit comparison, when he said what this country really needs right now is a unifier.

It's going to be pretty tough for the right wingers to snipe at Obama's lack of incumbency when Gingrich is comparing him to Abraham Lincoln.

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Illinois, the Ukraine, stem cells, and the left

Suprized Jill hasn't hit us with this yet. Let me. And let me refer you back to some British Communists writing in the British Medical Journal.

Although most of the ethical debate has focused on the status of the embryo, this is to define ethics with no reference to global or gender justice. There has been little or no debate about possible exploitation of women, particularly of ovum donors from the South. Countries of the South without national ethics committees or guidelines may be particularly vulnerable: although there is increasing awareness of the susceptibility of poorer countries to abuses in research ethics, very little has been written about how they might be affected by the enormously profitable new technologies exploiting human tissue. Even in the UK, although the new Medical Research Council guidelines make a good deal of the 'gift relationship', what they are actually about is commodification. If donors believe they are demonstrating altruism, but biotechnology firms and researchers use the discourse of commodity and profit, we have not 'incomplete commodification' but complete commodification with a plausibly human face.[my emphaisis]

It's not just an issue of the Christian right. The potential is there for the most appalling kind of exploitation of the most helpless people.

I hope Leader Cross knows what he's bringing with this issue.

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I'd like to thank the academy ...

Time magazine has decided that ordinary folks who participate in the "information age" deserve the same honor that has gone to "men oft he year" like Franklin Roosevelt, Lech Walesa and Hitler.

I'm guess I'm supposed to feel honored, along with the 10 million other bloggers, but then I remember that this list includes Vonster. It's sorta like those feel-good athletic events for kids where everyone gets the same trophy. Yes, aren't we all just special.

Time honored "The Computer" back in 1982. I suppose it was time to get around to honoring the people who use them.

Next year's winner? Everyone on Earth who breathes oxygen.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.

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Will Bill Cellini Be Crystal Lake Election Issue?

A close observer of Crystal Lake city politics told me today that it looked like the election for Crystal Lake City Council race was going to be a real race.

There are three incumbents up for re-election:

Ellen Brady- Mueller,

Cathy Ferguson and

Howie Christensen.

All have filed for re-election. (The relative size of the photos indicates nothing more than I have not mastered the technique to make them the same size.)

Two challengers also have already filed:

Carolyn Schofield, 1580 W. Crandon Court, and

Brett Hopkins, 689 Tomahawk Lane.

But “word on the street,” to put in the words of the person I talked to, is that more are circulating petitions.

No official word on whether anyone will challenge 2-term Mayor Aaron Shepley.

Except for his enthusiastic support of the Gay Games, Shepley has pretty much managed to avoid controversy until last Friday.

That's when the Northwest Herald gave him (and, by extension, the sitting council members) for having picked the team headed by Springfield’s successful businessman and backroom Republican politician Bill Cellini to handle the $100-plus million Vulcan Lakes Tax Increment Financing District.

If you were running for office, how would you like to have that story on the front page of your home town newspaper the morning of the 5th day of an 8-day filing period?

I’m told that Cellini was the main man in his group’s presentation to the city council.

Friday, I observed that this pretty enormous TIF district has become intensely political…as one might expect with so much money at stake.

Will there be enough candidates to require a primary election?

If so, it will be a very light turnout, so the best-organized candidates will come out on top.

But, with controversy comes opportunity for challengers.

And with political insiders from afar being favored on such a large project, it is likely that word-of-mouth is working overtime among Crystal Lakers.

Not a good sign for incumbents when there is a negative twist.

Published 1st at McHenry County Blog.

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Person of the Year: You

We should really be proud of ourselves. Yes we should because of the fact that we here at Illinoize use the internet, we (or should I say you and you know who you are) have become Time magazine's person of the year. We should really give ourselves a round of applause because we deserved it. Here's a little obout ourselves...

The tool that makes this possible is the World Wide Web. Not the Web that Tim Berners-Lee hacked together (15 years ago, according to Wikipedia) as a way for scientists to share research. It's not even the overhyped dotcom Web of the late 1990s. The new Web is a very different thing. It's a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter. Silicon Valley consultants call it Web 2.0, as if it were a new version of some old software. But it's really a revolution.

And we are so ready for it. We're ready to balance our diet of predigested news with raw feeds from Baghdad and Boston and Beijing. You can learn more about how Americans live just by looking at the backgrounds of YouTube videos -- those rumpled bedrooms and toy-strewn basement rec rooms -- than you could from 1,000 hours of network television.

And we didn't just watch, we also worked. Like crazy. We made Facebook profiles and Second Life avatars and reviewed books at Amazon and recorded podcasts. We blogged about our candidates losing and wrote songs about getting dumped. We camcordered bombing runs and built open-source software.

America loves its solitary geniuses -- its Einsteins, its Edisons, its Jobses -- but those lonely dreamers may have to learn to play with others. Car companies are running open design contests. Reuters is carrying blog postings alongside its regular news feed. Microsoft is working overtime to fend off user-created Linux. We're looking at an explosion of productivity and innovation, and it's just getting started, as millions of minds that would otherwise have drowned in obscurity get backhauled into the global intellectual economy.

Who are these people? Seriously, who actually sits down after a long day at work and says, I'm not going to watch Lost tonight. I'm going to turn on my computer and make a movie starring my pet iguana? I'm going to mash up 50 Cent's vocals with Queen's instrumentals? I'm going to blog about my state of mind or the state of the nation or the steak-frites at the new bistro down the street? Who has that time and that energy and that passion?

The answer is, you do. And for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, Time's Person of the Year for 2006 is you.

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Obama watch: More Tony Rezko

Originally posted on Marathon Pundit.

Washington Post writer Peter Slevin does a sort-of follow-up story on Howard Kurtz' piece that appeared in the Post earlier this week.

Slevin does a pretty good job summing up the Rezko (and Stuart Levine, a Republican) pay-to-play schemes that eventually got both men indicted for fraud.

Levine later pleaded guilty, and he is now cooperating with federal authorities, causing many sleepless nights for Illinois political insiders.

What both Kurtz and Slevin miss in their stories is that shortly after Democrat Rod Blagojevich was sworn in as governor in 2003--but probably before--it was common knowledge in Springfield that Rezko was the "go-to" guy for access to "Blago." Especially if you donated money to Blagojevich's political fund.

I like this paragraph from Andy Shaw of ABC 7 Chicago, from October, 2006:

Rezko is one of few private Illinois citizens who can walk past the governor's security detail and whisper in Blagojevich's ear. Rezko had access to Blagojevich and donated at least $49,000 to his campaign fund through personal and corporate names since 2004. Having money and having access to politicians goes hand-in-hand in Illinois, according to Paul Green, Roosevelt University political science professor.

What does this have to do with Obama? Well, until late 2004 Barack Obama was an Illinois state senator. Could someone so brilliant as Obama been oblivious to Rezko's prominence in the eyes of the governor? I'm not claiming that Obama knew, or would be expected to know of Rezko's alleged illegal activities, but an odor has surrounded Rezko since Governor Blagojevich was sworn in almost four years ago.

The initial Obama-Rezko (actually Rita Rezko, Tony's wife) real estate deal took place in the summer of 2005.

As for the Tony Rezko intrigues that got him indicted, US Attorney Patrick "Fitzmas" Fitzgerald called it "a pay to play scheme on steroids."

Steroids, both real and metaphorical, will get you noticed. But did Obama miss something?

From Slevin's Washington Post article:

Obama said that he was unaware of Rezko's brewing troubles in 2005 and that Rezko sought no favors. He described himself, after eight years in the Illinois Senate and two on Capitol Hill, as careful to live within strict ethical boundaries -- refusing to allow lobbyists to pay for meals, for example, and reimbursing people for golf outings.

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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McHenry Co GOP Seeks Help

Thursday night I was opening Christmas cards and letters that I usually don’t see until well after Christmas.

One was from a McHenry County Republican precinct committeeman.

Inside was a December 1st letter from McHenry County Republican Chairman Bill LeFew, who is also McHenry County Treasurer.

The letter is addressed to all GOP committeemen.

I’ll type in again, so it will be internet friendly.

I’ll cut up the 5 paragraphs to make it easier to read:

Join the McHenry County Republican Party!

In view of the election results it is obvious that we need to do some serious rebuilding of our Party.

We need new, active members who have the enthusiasm to help us prepare for future attacks by the County Democrats.

With this in mind the McHenry County Republican Party is embarking on a membership drive and contest. We are enclosing three flyers, complete with application forms.

Please try to recruit at least three active members for the Republican Party.

When you mail the completed forms to Headquarters with checks attacked, please include your name. When you have recruited three members we will send you additional forms for future use. The initial term of membership will end on 12/31.07.

The top three Committeemen in memberships submitted will receive cash prizes.

The amount will depend, of course, on the total number of memberships received.

Prizes will be awarded at the 2007 Lincoln Day Dinner Dance to be held on Saturday, February 10, 2007. Details on that event will be posted to the website soon. www.mcgog.org.

In addition the top three committeemen in memberships submitted will receive complimentary tickets to the dinner dance.

We encourage you to contact area businesses and professionals to participate on the sponsorship level.

The flyer is self-explanatory, there are many benefits to being an enrolled member of the Republican Party.

· Members will receive reduced price invitations to Republican events and will be able to participate more fully in the activities of our Party.

· Members will also receive a monthly newsletter.

This program provides an opportunity for you as a committeeman to recruit helpers in your precinct who can assist you in your precinct work.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please feel free to contact either Geri or me at Republican Headquarters (815) 344-4559 or via email at landon@me.net.

So, the Republican Party is admitting its efforts this last election were deficient.

I guess that’s a start.

Certainly, the Republican precinct committeemen in the district where the Democrats elected Jim Kennedy to the county board did not blitz it three times for Perry Moy and Tina Hill, as Democratic Party Chairman Patrick Ouimet claims his Democratic Party precinct committee did. (I have since talked to one citizen in that county board district who did not receive any literature from Kennedy's campaign at the door, so, perhaps, Ouimet was exaggerating slightly.)

And the party chairman wants committeemen to recruit helpers at a minimum membership fee of $15.

Knowing how the party leadership likes to purge those who are not lock-step with their program, I wonder if the members signed up by precinct committeemen not “with the program” will end up being precinct committeemen opponents in future primary elections.

But, “They wouldn’t do that to me,” to put it in the words of one township assessor whose township was overassessed by county officials a long time ago.

Right.

Now you can read the surprising mark-up by one precinct committeeman of the inside of the enclosed pamphlet. (Since it was given to me and I don’t think it was a recruiting effort, I guess that means one precinct committeeman won’t be getting more pamphlets.)

Posted first on McHenry County Blog, where you can read of a second Bill Cellini connection to Crystal Lake today.

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Bollywood Friday - "Rock and Roll!"

I realize this one is kind of long, but it's worth it! Pay special attention to the 5:00 mark...they're "not done yet". ;)

Happy Bollywood Friday!

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Tribune’s Eric Zorn Picks Up on Ralphie

In Friday’s blog, Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn runs an article about The Atomic Toy Store in Galena, Illinois.

The store is run by my son’s Cub Scout den leader, David Rokusek.

This past week, Rokusek convinced his son Jacob to imitate Ralphie, the star character in the movie classic “A Christmas Story.”

That’s the movie where Ralphie wants a Rough Ryder Daisy BB Rifle in the worst way.

Imagine sitting still for a couple of hours in a store window with people looking at you.

You can see the other pictures at McHenry County Blog. I like the one with the tongue “frozen” to the pole.

There’s also a story about Bill Cellini’s involvement in Crystal Lake’s over $100 million Vulcan Lakes TIF project.

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John Dickerson: Barackwater

From Slate yesterday,

Of course, if Rezko tells a different story to investigators or Obama's statements turn out to be unture, that's it for him—you can't run for president on your keen judgment and then show a lack of it by lying and covering up.

A lot of us waiting for that Rezko story. I have a feeling Illinois is going to reach out to the National Democrats these next two years. And it's all the work of Peter Fitzgerald. Talk about one guy making a difference.

Update: Ken Silverstein's Barack Obama Inc. from the November Harpers is online now here. Here's a paragraph with new found meaning for me,

The senator was running a bit late; but when he finally glided into the auditorium, escorted by an assortment of aides, he was greeted by a tremendous swell of applause as he took to the stage. Dressed in a brown jacket and red tie, Obama approached the podium, flanked by two giant screens enlarging his image, and began a softly spoken but compelling speech that recalled his own days, after his graduation in 1983 from Columbia University, as a community organizer in poor neighborhoods of Chicago. “You’ll have boundless opportunities when you graduate,” he told the students, “and it’s very easy to just take that diploma, forget about all this progressive-politics stuff, and go chasing after the big house and the large salary and the nice suits and all the other things that our money culture says you should buy. But I hope you don’t get off that easy. There’s nothing wrong with making money, but focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a poverty of ambition.”

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TIF Condemnation Threatens Immigrants in Arlington Heights

It’s nothing new that municipalities are driving out successful businesses that do not maximize sales tax revenue for the local town.

I first ran across this phenomenon in Marengo when the son of a man whose father had just built a new trucking terminal in Cicero told me that the property was being condemned so Cicero could allow in big box stores that would generate more sales tax.

Now, the Village Board in Arlington Heights is trying to condemn International Plaza, a strip mall located on Golf Road where it intersects with Arlington Heights Road using the condemnation powers it derives from formation of a Tax Increment Financing district.

And you know what a fan I am of TIF districts.

At least in this county, the cities and villages (Richmond is heading in that direction with the help of the McHenry County Board and McHenry County College) flocking to this device to steal money from school and other local governmental districts and raise my taxes haven’t gone the eminent domain route yet.

The International Plaza is occupied by numerous immigrant-owned specialty stores. It’s the closest thing to the United Nations in the northwest suburbs.

Yet Arlington Heights wants it to be more white bread. A Super Target would be better than the diverse shopping opportunities now available.

The owner of the plaza stated that when the village designated this thriving specialty mall blighted” in 2002 it was 97.75% occupied!

That’s not an indication of blight in most people’s eyes.

At a Tuesday meeting of the “Coalition to Save International Plaza” a
determined group of merchants and minority business owners made plans
to defend their property rights which are under assault by the village.

A legal challenge has been brought by the owner of the X-Sport health club to remove this designation. A decision is expected this month

But the Arlington Heights shop owners want to cover all bases.

They’ve decided to engage in a high visibility publicity campaign to try to shame the village for their actions just in case the legal challenge is unsuccessful.

The group will be conducting a candle light vigil to protect property rights this Monday, December 18th, at 6:30 at the Senior Center where a village board meeting is scheduled. The senior center is located at 1801 W. Central Road.

Scott Bludorn, the 2004 Libertarian Party candidate for state representative against Republican State Rep. Sid Mathias and then ran against him in the GOP primary in 2006, getting 46% of the vote, is deeply involved in the fight.

Bludorn’s playing the role of citizen activist that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich advised for local politicians.

There was also talk of publicizing a national boycott of Target for their role in this situation at the recent meeting.

More information can be found in this 2002 Daily Herald article.

Photos from Windy Pundit.com, posted October 10, 2005.

Posted first at McHenry County Blog.

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Draft Obama ad

This ad by the Draft Obama campaign is set to run in New Hampshire soon. Not bad, but they could have used audio from more than just The Speech.

Update: As several people have pointed out to me, the audio is from several sources not just The Speech. My mistake.

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Kass Behind the Mask - One Father's Son Is An Ink-Slinger's Grist

In one of his poignant 'true grit' journalist columns several years ago, John Kass chilled readers with an icy story of intimidation - it might have actually happened the way he describes it.

Today, 12/13/2006 he had another in which the hard-boiled columnist waits in the rain - just like Allan Ladd, and almost as tall.

Here read both.http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-020422kassduffs,1,7007989.column?page=1&coll=


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0612130303dec13,0,4667746.column?coll=chi-ed_opinion_columnists-utl

At the end of his earlier column, one that impacted on Kass personally and benefited him publicly, he made this challenge to bad guys and ne'er-do-wells:

'People who don't like what I write complain to me personally all the time. Sometimes they get angry, even tough guys get angry, but I don't write about it.

But don't mention my children or my home. Ever.

I thought that was against the rules.

It could have been a threat. Or simple stupidity. Or it could have been panic brought by a federal grand jury. I can't say.'

Okay, so in today's column he brings in another man's child in an effort to shame what appears to be a pretty solid conscience into 'talking to Kass.' Jesus what a gold-plated and talented jerk!

In August 2005 Torres was sentenced to two years in prison for pocketing more than $56,000 in bribes from at least 30 trucking companies. He didn't fight.

"From the day I walked into my attorney's office, I told him I did not want to fight this whatsoever because I was guilty," Torres said at sentencing. He didn't like telling his then-9-year-old son "that I had done something wrong when my child looked up to me and thought I was Zeus."

Out there wet on Ashland, I wasn't looking for the god of lightning. Instead, I was looking for Torres, who hung out at Tavern on Rush, fortifying himself nightly, waiting for the federally inevitable."

I guess another man's little boy is fair game. Like I said, there are bigger jerks, but John Kass will do nicely.

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The Page Scandel: What did Emanuel know and when did he know it?

Gateway Pundit writes Swamp Politics: The Democratic Coverup of the Foley Affair.

Update: Here's a Progressive Bloggers take on the story. Here's a taste of it but read the whole thing,

This is a story I have been looking at since Dave Lutrin started telling me how Emanuel and his bullyboys were trying to drive him out of the Democratic primary. At the time I was very aware that the entrenched incumbent in a very Republican south-central Florida district was gay. But it was no secret from anyone, except of course the suckers and rubes who vote in the district, that Foley was a flaming homosexual who was out of control and couldn't keep his hands off young men. It was over a year ago I started writing about Foley and young military boys. What I didn't know at the time-- but, we now find out (despite his earlier public denials on TV)-- is that DCCC head Rahm Emanuel was aware at least since 2005 that Foley was molesting young male pages. Emanuel, every bit as bad a scumbag as Foley and the GOP leadership who covered up for Foley, did nothing to protect the young pages from predators like Foley and Arizona Republican Jim Kolbe (who was also preying on them). Instead he decided to use the info as ammo in his partisan war to win a seat from the Republicans.

Update: Also check Dick Polman: Rahm Emanuel gets Clintonesque about Mark Foley

I started to wonder about Emanuel when I reached page 45 of the report, and read that some of Foley’s emails had been forwarded, in autumn 2005, to a staffer on the House Democratic Caucus, who in turn shared them with Matt Miller, the communications director of the House Democratic Caucus, who in turn shared them with the communications director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. As Miller testified, “I gave them to him…with the understanding that [the DCCC communications director] is someone that talks to reporters all day….maybe there's a way that he could get the - you know, that he could give them to a reporter.”

Rahm Emanuel was the DCCC flak’s boss. Emanuel’s name does not appear in the Ethics Committee Report, but it strained credulity to believe that the DCCC flak would not give a heads-up to the top DCCC honcho. Which, it turns out, is exactly what happened – as evidenced by this report the other day on the CNN website:

Check the link for the rest.

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Tom Dart - Cook County Jailer

He’s the new Cook County Sheriff and former co-chairman of the Prison Reform Committee that I served on in the Illinois General Assembly.

When I read Rummana Hussain’s Sun-Times story on December 7th, I thought that some of the ten points that were listed sounded like things that had been discussed in our committee.

I saw my seatmate and co-chairman Tom Johnson’s idea of working with “faith-based groups to increase mentoring for inmates to reduce recidivism.”

In the installation of “a comprehensive video surveillance system at Cook County Jail,” I saw something that I tried to get for the Illinois prison system to increase accountability of the staff and cut down on rape in prison. (I was just going through my prison files for a Medill journalism student doing a story on HIV in prison and saw a files marked “Blind Spots.”)

How about “an internal hotline so employees can report suspected corruption?” That might send an appropriate message to staff from the new sheriff in town.

“Video visitation” is a good idea “so families can visit with detainees from remote locations.”

I didn’t know Cook County didn’t use closed-circuit TV for preliminary court hearings, but that’s one of Dart’s goals. It's done in state prisons.

Often public officials don’t know where they get their ideas.

I really doesn’t matter, as long as they do the right thing and Tom Dart seems to have started off in the right direction.

More on McHenry County Blog, including the age of Crystal Lake, the lake.

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Dock Walls: tough on crime

I remember when crime was the conservative's issue. Now ex-Harold-Washington-aid and Mayoral Candidate Bill Dock Walls is telling me Mayor Daley is letting killers go free citing a Pam Zekman story.

From my latest Walls email.

According to Pam Zeckman, WBBM Channel 2 Investigative Reporter, over the past several years the City of Chicago Police Department has classified far fewer deaths as homicides than the Chief Medical Examiner of Cook County has found and recorded. Daley's police initially classify murders as "Death Investigations" and later insist strangulation and stabbing victims died of natural causes. Despite the efforts of police personnel to dispute the Medical Examiner's findings, Dr. Edmund Donoghue insists his findings are accurate.

If Dr. Donoghue is correct, Chicago Police are allowing hundreds of people to get away with murder. These killers, who are not being sought by police, need not fear ever being caught, accused, tried or convicted. In fact, these killers are free to roam the streets and possibly kill again.

Although Police Superintendent Cline has indicated he will assign one of his top deputies to examine the cases in question, I am not satisfied that this investigation will be done in good faith, nor in a timely manner. I am concerned that during this election season the Daley administration will attempt to stall this investigation or sweep the ugly truth under the rug.

Mayor Daley should immediately appoint a blue ribbon commission to reconcile the last 6 years of city homicide statistics. Furthermore, Daley should not announce any re-election plans, nor should he submit Nomination Papers, until this matter is satisfactorily resolved.

This apparent systematic underreporting of murder to bolster the Mayors image is serious. Daley shoulders the responsibility for placing all Chicagoans at risk. It is another example of Daley administration corruption with great potential to hurt average people. Daley should get no satisfaction or reward from putting people at risk.

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Lawyers Start Medical Malpractice Insurance Firm

It appears that top-ranking association lawyers have a new tactic.

They are going to try to drive down medical malpractice rates in Illinois by going into competition with the Illinois State Medical Society’s dominant insurance company.

That’s the company that made enough money to give ex-Crystal Laker Don Udstuen a bonus (deferred compensation) of almost $4.9 million when he resigned in disgrace after turning state’s evidence when the feds figured out he took bribes as a McHenry County Board-appointed Metra Board member.

Associated Press reports,

"...legislators approved some limits on lawsuit awards but also strengthened state oversight of doctors and insurers. The major insurer, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Co., was forced to promote competition by opening its ratemaking formulas to other companies."

State Representative Jack Franks (D-Bull Valley) is vice chairman of the new company, Doctors Direct, Inc.

Herb Franks, Jack’s father, is a former president of the Illinois Bar Association.

AP reports the son said,

"It's certainly not a vendetta; we're not mad at them. But we see an opportunity here and we can fill a need that's desperate in this market."

More Jack Franks and other McHenry County news at McHenry County Blog.

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Progressives and Machine Democrats

progressives and machine democrats in Chicago/cook have the same goal in campaigns and elections: to put together the right coalition of blacks, browns and whites to win.

A post over at SoapBlox Chicago.

It's true and startling to a guy like me who grew up admiring Paul Douglas and Leon Despres.

If progressivism only means winning elections -yes, I know, that's important- it just doesn't seem very progressive anymore.

Wade through the post and comments and you'll find few Progressives questioning this mating.

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Charting a Republican Revival

Midweek next week each day will get a little longer than the one before it. Yet despite the extra sunlight each day, the temperature will keep getting colder for almost a month and a half.

Ten years ago, when Republicans seemed nearly as dominant in state politics as Democrats do now, I argued that the Republican Party was actually very weak, hollowed out by too many years of top-down leadership that had sapped it of its vitality while the grass roots withered from neglect and indifference. It was just a matter of time before it all came tumbling down. It was our Republican October, each day already dwindling down to nothing, while some of us were beguiled by the warmth that was the inertial residue of the sun's labors in May and June.

Our December came in 2002. Despite the progressively worse cycles of 2004 and 2006, already the days are getting longer for Republicans.

Regardless of what anyone thought about the Alan Keyes selection, what was notable was that the Republican State Central Committee made it; it was not dictated to them from above. Whether their decision was right or wrong, they were no longer merely the governor's supper club. This year the County Chairman's Assn. has shown signs of renewed life and vigor. Across the state Republicans are talking again about what must be done to win elections, rather than arguing over which crony will get the spoils. Having no spoils to divvy up does tend to focus the mind.

People can criticize Republican Chairman Andy McKenna, but he has improved relations and communications with the grass roots. The State Central Committee is becoming a real working body on his watch. John Tsarpalis is the finest Executive Director in memory.

Yes, serious problems abound. Two years ago Alan Keyes led the ticket. He tanked badly and moderates pointed to conservatives and said, "Loser!" This year Judy Topinka led the ticket. She tanked badly and conservatives point to moderates and say, "Loser!" For a long time some conservative factions have busied themselves seeking Republicans to purge rather than Democrats to defeat. Though they have not been quite as publicly prickly about it, the old moderate establishment spent as many years relentlessly trying to deny any conservative any seat at the table. A conservative cannot win this state without moderate support. A moderate cannot win this state without conservative support.

National Committeeman Bob Kjellander has become a cancer on the party. (Full disclosure here - I sat on the committee two years ago that recommended his retention. I voted in favor of it. I was wrong). He needs to find a graceful way to move on. If he doesn't, he will force State Central Committeemen to either repudiate him and refuse to deal with him or see their own heads on the chopping block. Karl Rove is genuinely his old school chum, but for many reasons, that does not carry as much weight as it once did. But when the need comes for such changes, it would be useful if discussion about them was rational and civil, rather than at the top of our lungs. Two years ago, every credible alternative that was approached declined, voicing no interest in a volunteer job that might find them with an angry mob demanding their head on a pike a few years down the line. The sole alternative we were offered started his presentation by explaining he didn't really want the job.

There are moderates and conservatives who understand all this. Republicans do not win issueless elections. Neither do they win elections when their standard-bearer spends his time with his face contorted in rage condemning fellow Republicans to outer darkness. In 2008 Sen. Dick Durbin is up for re-election. It will be a tough race. But if the Republican nominee is either a cheery conservative who emphasizes his positive agenda or a moderate who does not embrace the far-left agenda on abortion and gay marriage, Republicans will have a fighting chance - and that will bring out Republican voters that will bring gains in down-ballot races regardless of the ultimate outcome at the top of the ticket. If not, we Republicans will be doomed to spend another cycle pointing fingers at each other and accurately crying, "Loser!"

We don't have to have a Republican June to be successful next cycle. But it would be nice to get to March or April. It's been January long enough.

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Second in Command

Last week, Stateline.org had an article on the role of Lieutenant Governors across the country, and their varying roles in different states. In part, the article states that:

Lieutenant governors were more likely than any other officeholders to ascend to a governorship from 1980 to 2006, according to a study released Dec. 5 by the Florence, Ky.-based National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). During that time period, about 25 percent of lieutenant governors became governor, whereas about 1 percent of state lawmakers became governor, the report said...

“In the last four to five years, I think you’ve seen a distinct trend in lieutenant governors becoming very visible and incredibly active in the day-to-day governance of their states,” she said.

Many governors relied heavily on their lieutenants after the states faced budget crunches earlier in the decade, Hurst said, and also when they first had to confront homeland security issues after the 2001 terrorist attack. Using lieutenant governors to tackle those comparatively new problems was a “natural next step,” she explained.

Chi agreed that more lieutenant governors have been playing more visible roles in recent years, but said he thought the degree of their prominence varies widely among the states. In states such as Indiana and Minnesota, the lieutenant governors play a “dual role” as both the governor’s next-in-line and the head of big cabinet departments, he said. In others, they serve in a ceremonial capacity and are often simply waiting for the opportunity to serve as governor, he said.

Forty-two states now have a lieutenant governor; New Jersey will elect its first in 2009.

In 24 states lieutenant governors run on the same ticket as governors, but in 18 states they run independently. Of the eight states with no lieutenant governor, Maine, New Hampshire, Tennessee and West Virginia put the presidents of their state senates first in line to succeed the governor. In Arizona, Oregon and Wyoming, the secretary of state is responsible for taking over.

Now I happen to think a lot of Pat Quinn, our LG, and think that he has been a sincere and passionate advocate for countless causes. But at the same time, without naming names, we have also had our share of lackluster LGs.

While I could argue both sides of this issue, I think that there is a legitimate debate as to whether it makes sense to have a Lieutenant Governor in Illinois, and if so, what the role of the office should be.

While we're kind of on the subject, I think an equal debate could be had as to whether we should have a separate Treasurer's office and Comptroller's office. Bills have previously been filed on the issue, but the discussion has never gotten any real traction.

Just some thoughts.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Obama's ready...

Call me cheezy, but I thought this was great.

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McHenry Demo Chairman Disagrees with Me, Too

In a comment to my article suggesting that State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Bull Valley) “lost face” when his former employee Mary Margaret Maule failed to win election to the McHenry County Board, party chairman Patrick Ouimet wrote a comment that deserves to be an article.

Here it is:

I must respectfully disagree with the proposition that State Representative Jack Franks "lost face" with respect to Mary Margaret Maule's County Board District 4 race.

Mary Margaret ran one of the finest campaigns in 2006 and is one of several bright young stars of the McHenry County Democratic Party's future.

In my opinion, Mary Margaret would have won her race had the McHenry County Democratic Party adequately staffed District 4 with Democratic Precinct Committeemen to assist her campaign. In other words, it was not the fault of the candidate or Representative Franks. Rather, the McHenry County Democratic Party bears sole responsibility for the outcome.

This is evidenced by the fact that in District 5, the Democratic Party had 28 of the 32 precincts in that District fully staffed with Democratic Precinct Committeemen. I know first hand that those Precinct Committeemen blitzed and canvassed each of District 5's precincts no less than three times for all Democratic candidates including but not limited to Jim Kennedy who was victorious in his race.

Conversely, the Democratic Party could only staff 4 of the 34 precincts in District 4 with Democratic Precinct Committeemen. As a result, Mary Margaret did not receive the amount of assistance that Jim Kennedy did in District 5 from a fully staffed field operation's team. Had the Democratic Party done a better job staffing District 4's precincts, I have no doubt that Mary Margaret would be sitting on the McHenry County Board today.

Accordingly, State Representative Franks did not "lose face" in District 4, the McHenry County Democratic Party failed to provide a superbly qualified candidate with an adequate field organization staff which she deserved. And I can assure you that that failure will not occur twice in my administration.

Wishing you and all of your readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Respectfully,

Patrick M. Ouimet
Chairman - McHenry County Democratic Central Committee

I am curious if anyone reading this had a County Board District 4 Republican precinct committeeman visit their home. Did anyone campaign door-to-door for Tina Hill or Perry Moy. (I'll bet Hill at least covered her own precinct.) I mentioned a volunteer in this article who was apparenly rejected as a Republican precinct committeeman when he attempted to fill one of the Grafton Township precincts.

I would also be interested in receiving any of the Kennedy blitz pieces, which I assume had something positive to say about him. By publishing such I could even up the record of his campaign.

= = = = =
The photo of Kennedy was taken after the McHenry County Board swearing in ceremony.

And did you know Jack Franks and other attorneys are forming a medical malpractice company?

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ex-Alderman as Philosopher King

from CBS,

Former Chicago alderman and Cook County commissioner William Beavers, who was among the 200 people who attended the announcement, said he doesn't believe the scandal will hurt Daley, noting that federal prosecutors have investigated City Hall before.

``You've always had scandal; you always will have scandal because everybody's not honest,'' he said.

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Holiday blogger bash

I'm thinking we should have a party, so I'm throwing it together at the last minute because, well, I just didn't think of it sooner. Besides, I think I'm obligated to throw a party since I won the Illinois Times' best blogger award.

So, let's do it this Wednesday night starting around 7-ish at Two Brothers, 309 E. Monroe St., Springfield.

This invite is open to all Capitol Fax subscribers, Illinoize bloggers, Capitol Fax Blog commenters, independent Springfield-area bloggers, and just plain ol' dedicated blog readers. It'll be a mostly cash bar, but I'll definitely pick up at least a few rounds and maybe some pizzas if people get the hungries.

I know it's extremely late notice, which means I'm running the risk of nobody showing up (that's why I chose a relatively small venue), but I'm in the mood for a party. Is anyone interested?

[Cross-posted at the Capitol Fax Blog]

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Obama ouch: Barack skewered on his lack of experience

While much of the nation succumbs to Obama-mania, there are a few voices of sanity out there.

Former Bill Clinton advisor Dick Morris--who is no fan of Hillary--co-wrote an article that appears in today's FrontPage Magazine with Eileen McGann.

From that article:

In reading Senator Barack Obama’s #1 bestseller, The Audacity of Hope, one begins to wonder whether he is another cynical politician or just a helplessly naïve neophyte.

After a few chapters, one actually has the audacity to hope that it is his inexperience — and nothing sinister — that accounts for his sometimes silly and often misleading narrative. Anyone who is that naive should not be a U.S. Senator, much less the president.

Obama is a uniquely charismatic candidate who has catapulted into second place among Democratic primary voters, forcing Hillary Clinton to hastily abandon her coy pretense that she hasn’t made a decision about whether to run. He inspires people by his story, his demeanor and his message.

But if his book offers a window into the real Barack Obama, one thing is certain: He has a long way to go before he is ready for the presidency. He's only been in the U.S. Senate for two years and before that, he was a state senator and a professor of constitutional law. He's never been an administrator, met a payroll, developed a budget, or solved a crisis. It's not only his greenness that sends out warnings; at times, he doesn’t seem to grasp the implications of all that he writes. At other times, his words have a distinct disconnect with his actions and legislative record.

In short, Obama's never really run anything. He can do something about it--but it means postponing his presidential plans for a while. He can run for governor of Illinois in 2010. Obama's only 45, he's got a lot of time left.

To comment on this and other posts, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Does Obama know who votes in a Democratic Primary?

I wonder if he understands who he'll be running against. Via Illinois Review

In the segment narrated by Fox News' Carl Cameron, possible Democratic presidential primary candidate Barack Obama remarked:

"Are there those voters who won't vote for me because I'm African-American? Yes . . .of course, they're likely to be the same ones who won't vote for me because of my politics. . . "

He would have done well to fall back on Charles Krauthammers column: Obama Can Win by Losing.

Of course there is racism in America. Call me naive, but I believe that just as Joe Lieberman was a net positive for the Democrats in 2000 -- more people were attracted to him as a man of faith than were turned away because of anti-Semitism -- there are more Americans who would take special pride in a black president than are those who would reject one because of racism.

And then move on to the next point which is what Obama really needs to overcome 'cause Clinton will rake him over the coals on it.

These are strong reasons for Obama to run.

Nonetheless, he will not win. The reason is 9/11. The country will simply not elect a novice in wartime.

It's wartime Senator. Keep talking like this and you'll lose either way.

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Now You See It...

From tragedy springs renewed controversy. In the aftermath of Friday's law firm shooting, the Illinois State Rifle Association has announced that it is renewing efforts to legalize concealed carry in our state.

Executive Director Richard Pearson (who is actually a very nice guy) issued a statement which said in part:

One has to wonder how the outcome may have differed had any of the law office staff been trained and licensed to carry a defensive firearm. Unfortunately, the answer to that question will remain unknown as Illinois is one of only 2 states in the nation that prohibit law abiding citizens from carrying firearms as a means of self defense. Indeed, the outcome would be hard to predict, but at least the people in that office would have been given a fighting chance to survive.

In response to Friday's tragedy, the Illinois State Rifle Association will be drafting legislation that will provide well trained, law-abiding citizens the opportunity to carry defensive firearms. That legislation will be introduced into both chambers of the General Assembly early next year.

Whereas those lobbying against concealed carry laws can muster only invective and hyperbole to support their opposition, the facts undeniably demonstrate that reduction in violent crime accompanies the implementation of laws allowing citizens to carry defensive firearms. It is time for the Illinois General Assembly to recognize that citizens can be trusted with the awesome responsibility of defending themselves, their homes, and their families.

I understand the arguments, I have read John Lott's work, yet I remain unpersuaded. While I acknoweldge that the gun control pendulum may have overswung in certain instances, I simply cannot fathom a net societal gain stemming from the allowance of concealed carry, especially in urban areas such as the one I represent.

I will try to monitor this post, but I have a hectic couple of days ahead, so feel free to debate this amongst yourselves if you're so inclined.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Is Oak Forest serious?

Politicians continue to bewilder me. Today's Daily Southtown has an article about the Oak Forest City Council wanting to start levying new utility taxes.

"The city aims to reduce property taxes by 10 percent, while adding taxes on natural gas and electricity based on usage, Oak Forest controller Colleen Julian said."

Well, the 10% property tax cut is a good thing but they are trying to claim the new utility taxes on natural gas and electricity is a "tax swap". Then the numbers come out.

"Oak Forest would lose $747,000 in property tax revenue but would generate about $1.2 million from utility taxes, Julian said.

That means $453,000 more money for the city's emergency reserves, which is where the money would go."

Aha. And just how long would that 10% reduction in property taxes last? 2 years if they are lucky?

But the most telling information comes at the end of the article.

"However, city officials hope the change will spread the tax burden more equally among homeowners and renters."

At least they are smart enough to know what this plan would do. It shifts the tax burden from homeowners to renters. From the richest (who will get a tax decrease) to the poorest (who will get a tax increase), in other words. And precisely when electricity rates are going to increase, Oak Forest is going to pile on that electricity rate increase with a new electricity tax. They are hoping the new electricity tax isn't noticed as much when the rates also increase I bet. They are probably right.

Are they trying to drive up the cost of living for renters in Oak Forest and drive the poor out of town? Are they trying to make it even harder for single moms to put food on the table and spend quality time with the kids? That's exactly what this tax shift from the rich to the poor will do and they should be ashamed of even considering it. They should cut the fat from their budget, especially at the schools, and cut the property tax 10% so more poor can afford to own a home.

Bremen High School District, that includes Oak Forest, has 80 teachers and administrators making more than $100,000 a year. 19.8% of their staff. The average salary is $78,588.

And the Oak Forest City Council wants to sock it to the poor people with a new electricity tax when electricity rates are about to increase? That's just sick.

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Peas in Our Time

I've just waded through the Iraq Study Group's report and recommendations. Dear God! At least when network TV forces us to suffer through such sustained banality it has the decency to toss in a few babes in bikinis.

A couple of their notable recommendations:

1) Iran should "...stem the flow of arms and training to Iraq..." and should "...respect Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

2) Syria should agree to a peace deal with Israel, quit interfering in Lebanon, cease aiding Hezbollah, and convince Hamas to recognize Israel's right to exist.

3) Osama bin Laden should write "I will not fly planes into buildings" 100 times on a blackboard. (They would have made it 1000 times, but did not believe that would pass judicial review).

4) Cats and dogs should get along with each other.

Believe it or not, I only made up two of the above recommendations.

Can you imagine if Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt had authorized a commission to develop a plan for ending World War II and it had come back with recommendations such as, "Germany should respect its neighbors territorial integrity and be nice to Jews" and "Japan really, really needs to take a timeout."? In those days, even the New York Times still had enough grey matter it probably would have asked, "Say what?"

Apparently James Baker, Lee Hamilton, Sandra Day O'Connor et. al. thought they were competing in a beauty pageant and the more mushy, meaningless tripe, the better. If we give them all a tiara and a bouquet of roses, do you think they might go quietly away?

Having wasted my morning on that, I intend now to do something useful...maybe pop in a tape of "Girls Gone Wild" while envisioning whirled peas.

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Trib’s Affair with Obama

Saw Neal Gabler on Fox TV last night say the Trib Editorial on Obama was a Republican Paper setting up a weak Democrat candidate for a fall in a run for President.

And Roeser flips over the Trib's Editorial as a betrayal,

Still, the “Tribune’ plays the Axelrod game that here is a Bambi like innocent post baby-boomer who is unlike Hillary Clinton, a baby-boomer tied down with all those pesky baby boomer issues.

Until your stupid editorial came out, I never fully comprehended how totally bankrupt your editorial policies are.

I have a feeling, like a lot of people, the Trib just likes Obama --Axelrod or not-- and just think he should make a try.

I do too. Rich wrote about his Dad's enthusiastic response meeting Obama. I've seen the same thing. But I also saw the same-guy-on-the-street say this morning he was a little tired of seeing Obama all over the place.

Hillary will take him apart in the primaries. Maybe Gabler is right.

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Jack Franks Disagrees

After State Rep. Jack Franks finished talking to Republican County Chairman Bill LeFew and McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, he was standing next to me waiting to get into the courtroom where the new 22nd judicial circuit would be celebrated. (Franks sponsored the bill, but was not allowed to speak.)

So, I asked him what he thought of my belief that he had “lost some face” when McHenry County Board candidate Mary Margaret Maule had lost her county board race in the McHenry-Wonder Lake-Richmond-Spring Grove area.

The congenial Democrat, who sent out an endorsement letter and walked precincts for Maule, disagreed.

“She carried every precinct I walked,” he told me.

My guess would be that 8th congressional district Congresswoman Melissa Bean probably carried most of those precincts, too, because he was campaigning for her as well.
Should we therefore conclude that if Jack Franks is willing to knock on doors that incumbent Republicans are in danger?

Perhaps the Franks’ coattails are not strong enough (should I say, “yet?”) to work with direct mail, but will work if he walks a neighborhood.

More about McHenry County politics on McHenry County Blog.

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A Wild Week of Obama-mania "News"

Okay, seriously now……

I actually like Barack Obama. Granted, I didn’t vote for him; but I am (particularly in comparison to Dick Durbin) somewhat proud to call him my Senator. I read his book, and found that he has some interesting and important things to say. And if he runs – more power to him!

As I’ve said before, what bothers me about Obama-mania is the degree to which the media is not simply reporting it, but rather creating it. What evidence is there to support this? Well, consider the past week. Locally, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board and Illinois political guru Rich Miller published editorials essentially encouraging an Obama run. Nationally, there have been stories in the Washington Post and on NPR’s All Things Considered program. None of these stories or commentary mentioned any of the numerous polls taken regarding a potential Obama candidacy. Since they won’t, I will. A quick glance at pollingreport.com shows that Obama (despite popular myth) trails potential GOP candidates Rudy Giuliani and John McCain by double digits. He also constantly ranks behind Giuliani, McCain, Clinton, Rice, Edwards and even Al Gore when people are asked whether or not they would like to see the above mentioned run for president.

The NPR story really got under my skin, because I pride myself on being a Republican who actually enjoys their programming (particularly Saturday mornings) and is honest enough to admit that their ‘liberal bias’ is often overstated. But Mara Liasson’s report entitled "Barack Obama, Still on the Rise" was anything but serious, objective journalism. She claims that "some people who have met him say Obama has a powerful, even mesmerizing effect," then backs that up with a sound bite from Donna Brazile. To support the claim that there is a broad, grassroots movement supporting an Obama run, she interviews a computer programmer who started a "draft Obama" website, but who has admittedly also volunteered for other Democratic presidential candidates in the past. Most infuriating is Liasson’s attributing the "dismissive" assessment of Obama as a "blank canvas where people project their desires" to "a Republican," when almost the exact same sentiment and wording was used by The Nation’s David Sirota!

Perhaps there is something "special" and "unique" about Barack Obama. One thing is for certain, he definitely gets a special and unique sort of treatment from the press. Hopefully, this will be the last post I have to do about Obama for a while. Hopefully I will have spurned some of the professional political reporters out there to look at the polls and give us an honest assessment of what’s going on out there. If there is something "centrist" and "unifying" about Obama, they need to stop basing their stories on the anecdotal evidence of adoring supporters who will be voting for the Democratic nominee whomever he or she is. Give us the facts, and let us decide if Obama really is the "real thing."

Also posted at the Grand Old Partisan of Illinois

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Chicago Tribune buries story on mall bombing plot on page 17

Granted, it was a very busy news day in Chicago and Illinois yesterday. But Chicago's most-read newspaper has some explaining to do, in my opinion, over its burying of a story that's dominating the national news.

The Chicago Tribune's headline story was the downtown Chicago office tower shootings--three people died. Below the fold, there is a second story about the incident. Also below the fold was another big story with a local angle, the House ethics committee scolding of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Plano Republican, over the Foley scandal, accompanied by an article about a recently discovered rare photograph of Abraham Lincoln

Up on top of the paper is a story about a tragic car accident--which unlike the Hastert and office shootings got little national attention.

But another local story that's getting massive national notice is the news that a Muslim convert, Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef, allegedly plotted to set off bombs at Rockford's CherryVale Mall. Shareef was arraigned in federal court yesterday afternoon--that's when the story broke.

It was huge news yesterday and still is today. But the Tribune chose to dump it deep inside its print edition, on page 17, in the Metro and State section.

To me, that's very odd. Could it be that the Tribune is afraid of charges of spreading "Islamophobia" by groups such as the Council on American Islamic Relations?

To comment on this and other posts, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Better Late Than Never

I've gotten several requests to post last week's press release about closing the Cook County pension loophole, so here you go:

Fritchey, Claypool Seek to End Pension Boondoggles

Measure Would Close Existing Loophole

State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago) and Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool (D-Chicago) announced plans today to introduce legislation in the Illinois General Assembly closing the pension loophole used by retiring Cook County Board President Bobbie Steele to double her annual pension.

Steele resigned the county commissioner seat to which she won re-election on November 7, so that she can collect a retirement benefit based on her four month salary as President ($170,000) instead of her salary as county commissioner ($85,000). The move will boost her annual pension to $136,000 a year, with annual cost of living increases as well. Steele’s exercise of the pension law loophole will likely cost taxpayers in excess of $1 million in additional pension payments.

Six years ago, the General Assembly amended a nearly identical passage in the state pension law that applies to elected officials in every county in Illinois except Cook County. The amendment based pension payout on the average highest salary over a four-year period and not the final salary at the date of employment termination. Fritchey’s amendment would require Cook County to follow the same rules as the rest of the state.

“When you have a system that is ripe for abuse, it should come as no surprise when it gets abused,” said Rep. Fritchey. “Taxpayers in Cook County deserve the same accountability from their elected officials as do the taxpayers in every other county in Illinois. Closing this loophole is one step in that direction.”

Claypool noted that pensions for elected officials are by far the most generous—and that the addition of “sweeteners” or loopholes in the laws has often added even more generous returns to enterprising politicians.

“Politicians have consistently rigged the pension laws for their benefit, leaving taxpayers holding the bag,” said Claypool.

Both the Sun-Times and Tribune have revealed similar pension abuses. Former state Senator and County Commissioner Ted Lechowicz, for example, retired with a $130,000 pension despite never making more than $61,000 as an elected official. Similarly, former Sen. Art Berman’s yearly pension is $164, 612, almost three times higher than his salary with the state. Berman paid $109,292 into the state pension plan in his 31 years in the Senate.

After public disclosures of such pension manipulations, the General Assembly amended pension laws to prohibit similar abuses for officials elected after the date of the law. The Illinois Constitution prohibits pension rights from being modified retroactively.

In 2005, Cook County had $2.2 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, up from $85 million in 1996. The state is no better off. Years of scrimping on contributions, coupled with benefit increases, has left Illinois with an estimated $45.8 billion pension shortfall, which is among the worst funding records in the county according to the Chicago Tribune.

-30-

To read, or post, comments, visit Open House

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Running Man

I am passing along the following at the request of good friend and State Comptroller Dan Hynes. (I will briefly add that among the many qualities that I admire about Sen. Obama is that, despite the unimaginable amount of attention and adulation that has been lavished upon him, he is as solid and genuine now as he was when we served together in the General Assembly. No small feat. He is indeed a unique man in unique times that demand a unique man.)

Dear Friends,

I would like to first thank you again for your support in securing my re-election as Illinois State Comptroller. Because of your help, I will continue fighting for working families, life saving medical research and real ethics reforms in Illinois. I am excited and invigorated for another term as your State Comptroller. However, the reason for my letter today is to ask for your help in what seemed like a very unlikely scenario 2 ½ years ago.

Many of you probably remember that I ran for the U.S. Senate against Barack Obama in the 2004 Democratic Primary, along with several other candidates. While we both ran spirited campaigns, Barack's message of hope and change in Washington captivated voters across Illinois. While I was disappointed in our second-place finish, I quickly realized that Barack had the capability of offering our country something more.

As Barack's opponent in 2004, I had a unique perspective to observe Barack emerge from a State Senator from Chicago into what can best be described as a national phenomenon. Throughout our 2004 campaign, I was able to witness firsthand how people from all walks of life were drawn to Barack and his message. Like many other Americans, I witnessed the culmination of Barack's emergence at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when his keynote address captured the sense of hope and optimism that people across the country have long been yearning for.

Since he was elected to the Senate, Barack has proven himself as someone who tackles difficult issues, successfully works in a bipartisan fashion, and isn't afraid to articulate his true convictions. The real belief that Barack could serve our country well as President was never more evident than during his trip to Africa this past summer. The images of thousands of people flooding the streets in adoration of the Illinois Senator made me realize that not only can we count on Barack on the domestic front, but he can restore the United States' image around the globe.

It was for these and other reasons why I decided to write Senator Obama in September and urge him to run for the President of the United States.

On the eve of his first trip to the state of New Hampshire, I encourage you to join me and other Americans in demonstrating to Senator Obama how much support he enjoys in Illinois. Please go to www.runobama.com and sign the petition urging Senator Obama to run for President of the United States. You can help the folks at runobama.com achieve their goal of 10,000 signatures to present to Senator Obama this Sunday when he arrives in New Hampshire. Together, we can ensure that we have the best candidate in 2008 who will be able to bring positive change for all Americans.

Thank you and God bless you and your family during this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Daniel W. Hynes
Illinois State Comptroller

To read, or post, comments, visit Open House

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Wannabe Terrorist's Own Words About Jews, DeKalb Courthouse and Cherry Vale Mall

Wannabe terrorist Talib Abu Salam Ibn Sareef, a black 22-year old Rockford male, discussed

· stabbing Jews at the synagogue down the street from his mosque,

· attacking the DeKalb County Courthouse & smoking a judge and

· detonating hand grenades in Rockford's Cherry Vale Mall,

all in the name of Allah, which was recorded by the man he thought was his co-conspirator.

A statement from FBI Agent Jared Ruddy, with the Counter Joint Terrorism Task Force, was presented in court used against Derrick Shareef, the name used in the paperwork.

If you are into what he said, important parts of which the papers are leaving out, you can find it on McHenry County Blog.

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Rockford Terrorst Planned to Shave Body, Cut Jihad Tape

A 22-year old black male named Derrick Shareef was arrested Wednesday in Rockford after trading stereo speakers for 4 hand grenades and a hand gun.

Shareef made the trade with an undercover federal agent.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says,

Shareef allegedly planned to set off grenades at the CherryVale Shopping Mall… The mall was among several potential targets that Shareef allegedly discussed during the course of the investigation – the others were primarily local government facilities.

The government buildings mentioned in the federal document are “courthouses, city hall, government places, government facilities.”

The government press release says an acquaintance identified as “CS” pointed Shareef to the undercover agent.

On December 1st, the release says, CS and Shareef “discussed shaving their body hair and meditating to prepare for an attack.”

On December 2nd,

…Shareef and the CS each videotaped each other making statements that, according to the complaint, are commonly made by individuals planning attacks on civilians as part of violent jihad.

“Shareef and the CS arrived at a store parking lot on Walton Road in Rockford, where the undercover agent was already waiting, about 12:25 p.m. on Wednesday,” where he was arrested.

The complete U.S. Attorney's press release in on McHenry County Blog.

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Hare vs. Colbert???

The Quad Cities area has been discussing the possibility of newly elected 17th district representative Phil Hare being asked to appear on the Colbert Show's segment 'Better Know A District.' The real media has latched onto the story as well as the blogging community.

I personally think it can be a good experience provided someone knows what they are getting into. Colbert definitely tries his best to make a fool out of his political interviewees. Though prospects for the interview aren't lloking good.

Congressman-elect Hare said today he was considering the appearance but was leaning toward turning down Mr. Colbert, who skewers right-wing talk show hosts with his 'O'Reilly Factor'-style persona.

Would you want your representative featured? Why or why not???

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Health Care Task Force on adequate Health Care

I thought the Gov told us Illinois had the best system in the US but it seems like the Adequate Health Care Task Force is going to recommend a Mit Rommney style mandated insurance program to get Illinois to adequate. From Crain's yesterday on the report to be presented in Jan 2007.

A state task force on Thursday recommended a far-reaching reform of Illinois' health care system that would require most employers to offer medical coverage and calls for $3.6 billion in new state spending.

The plan also recommends an "individual mandate," which would require every state resident to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty. People who make less than 400% of the federal poverty line would qualify for some state subsidies. For an individual, 400% of the poverty line is currently $39,200.

The proposal comes from a 29-member panel created through a 2004 law that set as Illinois' official policy "to insure that all residents have access to quality health care." The task force, appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the four legislative leaders, will report its recommendations to the General Assembly in January.

The hefty price tag could make the proposal a tough sell in Springfield, where lawmakers face difficult funding choices for education, mass transit and the state's pension system.

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Commercial Club's Report and fleecing Illinois

Spontaneous Solutions said,

Oh, I get it. Our political leaders have mismanaged the state therefore the taxpayer should have to pay more. A lot more

Illinois voters must look like real babes to Pols after this past election. Just ripe for the shake down.

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Another Chicago Democrat Gets Jail

He cut his deal with the Feds in early May of 2005, but Chicago Bill and Hillary Clinton buddy James Levin, did not get sentenced until Dec. 6, 2006.

Chicago media did not cover the Los Angeles trial where the deal was made public.

That’s despite defendant Hillary Clinton fundraiser David Rosen’s and witness Levin’s being Chicagoans.

Levin’s agreement to turn state’s evidence was first reported by the New York Sun on May 12, 2005. The Chicago Tribune did not run a story until May 30th.

Levin is a Clinton donor, major Democratic fundraiser and onetime owner of Chicago’s "Thee Doll House" go-go bar.

Rosen was charged with 3 campaign reporting felonies connected with a celebrity-filled Hillary Clinton fundraising event, but found not guilty.

Before that, Levin had already cut his deal for defrauding the Chicago School District on minority preference fraud in the supplying of fencing.

Rosen’s attorney said Levin was cooperating because he could get 5-20 years and that jurors should not believe him because he was testifying only to get a lower sentence. The New York Times reported the charges were “conspiracy, bribery or fraud.”

Levin described Rosen as "my mentor in politics, basically," again, according to the New York Times.

And, Levin, former owner of Tru-Link Fences & Products Company and Tru-Link Commercial, Inc., did get a lower sentence—6 months.

On June 24, 2004, the Chicago School District said this about Levin and those associated with him in a default judgment:

Hearing officer found that the Respondents’ business conduct was of a deceptive nature and demonstrated a lack of business integrity and honesty…participated in a scheme to defraud the board by allowing Tru-Link…to obtain thousands of dollars …for fencing work by falsely representing that minority subcontractors performed work on fencing contracts.

The December 6th plea agreement indicates

· Levin admited to fraudulent use of the name of a minority subcontractor in his plea agreement to whom he paid $3,000.

· Another $84,604 was paid to the owner of a woman business owner in connection with a Chicago Schools’ snow removal contract for which her company did no work.

· $76,000 more was supposed to go to another woman business owner in a contract, which is not identified, but $55,000 of it could not be cashed because the account had been closed.

Posted 1st on McHenry County Blog, where McHenry County's veterinarian admits no cats have had rabies in the last 15 years. Rabies protection is supposedly the reason for the county cat tax.

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Never Forget

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ICC to investigate Ameren

From The Southern,

SPRINGFIELD—Ameren's struggle to restore power to storm-ravaged sections of Illinois is drawing intense scrutiny in the state Capitol.

In action Wednesday, the Illinois Commerce Commission began gathering information to launch an investigation of Ameren's much-criticized recovery effort, which has left tens of thousands of Illinoisans without electricity for the second time in a year.

''No utility can totally prepare for this type of storm, but we have an obligation and responsibility to question whether Ameren fully planned its response and recovery from a logistical standpoint,'' said ICC member Erin O-Connell-Diaz.

I told the folks over at SoapBlox Chicago Illinois should Nationalize the Utilities if they're such evil players in the economy and that got a nice response. But I suppose the risk there is our Governor would put a Rezko like character in charge of power just like in Iraq.

I'll wait for the ICC's report.

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Sun Times to Blagojevich: stanch the wounds

From the today's Sun Times Editorial. I wonder if people write this off as rants from Capitalists at the Commercial Club or just most don't read Editorials.

The message to the governor, the Legislature and Illinois citizens is brutal: "Illinois is headed toward financial implosion." And the messengers include some of the most august civic leaders and corporations in the state, all of whom belong to the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago. They say unless something is done to curb government costs and increase government revenues the state is headed toward financial devastation that will sink future generations.

The reforms aren't particularly complicated although the politics of implementing them sure is. But many other states have been through pension and school reforms. There is no shortage of good ideas here; just will.

Still, it is Blagojevich who is going to have to stanch the wounds. The programs the Civic Committee looked at include state pension plans, state employees' medical insurance, Medicaid and education. The committee says the cure won't be simple but it can be accomplished through a combination of changes to government programs and increases in the income tax and corporate tax and an expansion of the sales tax.

To Blagojevich this will be anathema: He has consistently promised not to raise taxes, but if the Civic Committee is right he may not have a choice. But state workers and their unions must realize that any tax increase can only be done in tandem with changes to government programs. "We need a tax increase but we also need reform [in the way government spends]," says W. James Farrell, retired chairman of Illinois Tool Works, who headed the committee. "Taxpayers are paying for generous benefits for state employees," he added, benefits very few taxpayers enjoy themselves, including rich pension and medical plans.

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Tribune exaggerating the "enthusiasm" Obama generates

The Chicago Tribune editorial board says Barack Obama should run for president in 2008, (hat tip to Rich Miller) because "after the divisive events of the last decade, the nation may be ready for a voice that celebrates our common values instead of exaggerating our differences." They may be right, but I take issue with their singling out Obama as singularly being able to bring "an approach that transcends party, ideology and geography" to the campaign.

A recent Gallop Poll shows that more "adults nationwide" would "like to see" John McCain (56%), Rudy Giuliani (55%), John Edwards (45%) and Hillary Clinton (44%) run for President than Obama (38%). So why is Obama being championed by the Trib as an "enthusiasm" generating "centrist" while Giuiliani is dismissed as "polarizing?"

I'm not saying that the Trib is wrong to promote Obama as a possible candidate. But their promotion of him as uniquely qualified to end the bitter partisanship of the last 10 years just don't hold up to scrutiny. In many ways, the Tribune (like other media outlets) is not promoting Obama's "transcending" appeal - they are helping to create and preserve it.

Would I be complaining if it was McCain or Giuliani benefiting from this sort of editorial fawning? Probably not. But at least I'd be able to help defend it up with some facts and figures, not just the journalistic puffery of the same outlets that are doing the editorializing.

Also posted at the Grand Old Partisan of Illinois

Poster's note: I didn’t want to do back-to-back Obama posts. Had I know that the Trib was going to release this editorial today, I would have held off on what I wrote yesterday for another time and finished one of the other essays I'm working on. (I don’t want to get a reputation for being “obsessed” with bringing down Obama here).

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Concealed Carry Cedes the Day to Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence

“Okay, my hat is off to ICHV Exec Director Thom Mannard,” writes Concealed Carry, Inc., president John Birch in his press release announcing the shutdown of his gun rights organization.

“I started Concealed Carry, Inc. because I felt I had identified a reasonable, and achievable goal for gun owners in Illinois - a Concealed Carry Weapons law,” Birch wrote McHenry County Blog.

“Nine years later I understand how Illinois works.

“What seems logical in the real world, has no bearing on the Illinois political landscape.

”I lacked money. I lacked connections. In the end, I lacked success. You pay to play in Illinois and I was a fool to think otherwise,” Birch concluded.

As I understand its history, Concealed Carry was conceived out of frustration with the Illinois State Rifle Association.

Illinois remains one of the few states where women cannot carry personal protection on dark urban streets as a deterrent to rapists and muggers.
If only a few well publicized women did that, it would at least keep the rapists and muggers nervous.

The "feel good"opposition to allowing such personal protection is hard to understand.

I remember Michigan—a state demographically like Illinois--passed such legislation right before I ran for governor as a Libertarian.

There were going to be shoot-outs in the street, according to opponents.

Of course, none of that happened in Michigan or other states because those getting permits are law-abiding people.

The proportion who lose their permits because they break a law is less than the impurities in Ivory Soap.

Enough of my thoughts. You can find President John Birch’s admission of defeat in Illinois on McHenry County Blog here: Fellow subjects of the State of Illinois.

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The Heralds Notice

I guess I’m as surprised as the Northwest Herald reporter was at the Gay Games when I wanted to take his picture.

He was unused to being the center of attention, apparently used to determining who got attention.

When I first asked whom I had to contact to take pictures at a county board meeting when the county cat tax was being considered, I was told it was Board Chairman Ken Koehler. And I would have to put it in writing.

Since the meeting about the county cat tax had already begun, I realized quickly there was no way to get permission that day, so I just skipped the meeting.

After all, the building inexplicably has deputy sheriffs standing guard (what are they protecting?) with signs saying they reserved the right to search any bags. I figured that meant camera bags, too.

Actually, I didn’t give the denial much thought until after I asked permission to take pictures of the members being sworn in yesterday and was turned down.

I wrote up a little story and then it occurred to me to call the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and see what Lisa Ma