The Lottery Lease and the Discounts.

Thanks to the Hon. John Fritchey and his post over at Illinoize I was able to get a copy of the lottery sale RFQ.

First an explanation. Any deal like this has a NPV that is how much the cash flow over time is worth like an annuity, (that is $100 million from the lotto paid out over 20 years is not worth $100 million cash today) so the break-even (sort of) price is the NPV. So when I use the word discount that is an reduction in the price I would be willing to pay. Usually due to risk. Using a 3% growth rate of sales and consider the payout to the school fund to be the profit (the same ratio to sales as in 2005) in 75 years, the lottery would have total revenues of $552,603,678,353 and a total 'profit' $184,569,628,5569.



From the RFQ

The State currently contemplates that the Concession Agreement would include a revenue sharing arrangement with the State retaining a percentage of the Lottery's gross receipts in excess of historic gross receipts during a to be determined base year.

This could/should have an impact on the value of the deal. Unless you are giving me a decent inflation rate as part of the calc, this can end up a being a big risk in a 75 year deal. A few years of major inflation at the wrong time may mean I pay the state a decent chunk of my revenues forever, I don't really know how you price that in, but you have to price it in.

Next

The Concession Agreement will include operating standards related to the operation of the Lottery with which the Concessionaire will be required to comply. The Concessionaire also will be subject to a regulatory system of control and oversight by the State.

This one is going to cost you as well. Unless the regulatory structure is well defined in terms of rights and role this would also require a discount on the price. Why? If I buy the lottery I want protections against you using a regulatory club to bring me back to the table on the deal and/or taxing me to death.

Then a disclaimer

(iv) any unaudited financial information or other information with respect
to the Lottery at any time provided by the State or any of the State's Financial Advisors, legal counsel or other representatives is merely an estimate, assumes the successful implementation of the Lottery's long-term business objectives, is not compiled in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles and may not reflect the actual results of the Lottery's operations; and

This might be boilerplate, but if I am the one you start moving forward with on this I am going to have my auditor come in and run the numbers. This is too big of a deal to find an oops with down the road. If I can't do this, that's right a discount.

From the highlights.

Exclusive Long-Term and Defensible Franchise: As the sole and exclusive lottery in the State, there is no direct competition to the Lottery. The current legislative framework strictly limits the presence of gaming alternatives. The State anticipates a secure and defensible regulatory and concession framework will be established to maintain the Lottery's unique position as the exclusive lottery gaming in the State and will furthermore provide the concessionaire significant flexibility to operate the business within current law. It is anticipated that the concession term will be up to 75 years.

First question, how much of the 'significant flexibility to operate the business within current law' is dependent on current law? What are my redresses I get legislated out of business? We had a state house that voted to close all of the casinos last year. Unlike a road or a bridge a single action of the state legislature and a stroke of the governors pen can put me out of business or add a competitor.
What if casino gaming expands significantly?
What if you decide to tax me like you tax the casino folks?
What if other units of government start to tax lottery sales?

Your exclusive isn't worth much unless I have protections in the contract on it, even if I do it's a discount if I don't it's a huge discount. Why? Because this is a huge risk, I am at the whim of political opinion and will. If any factor is a showstopper on this whole thing, this would be it. Bottom line, as a buyer I don't know if I could trust the state. I would price the deal on the assumption that I will be out of the lottery with 25 years due to action by the state.

Significant Growth Opportunities: The Lottery’s per capita sales are below US averages, despite the State's per capita income being among the highest in the nation. The Lottery believes there are numerous opportunities to increase per capita Lottery spending and overall growth. For example, under the State laws and policies, the Lottery's sales force and management is currently not permitted to receive incentive-based compensation, which would reward expanded retail
penetration, higher sales, or enhanced profitability per customer. In addition, marketing expenditures remain approximately 1% of sales and have not grown since 2001 despite a positive correlation with sales. It is anticipated that the concessionaire would have flexibility to increase marketing expenditures and advertise through a wide variety of media so long as it is within the limits of state and national laws. In addition, we anticipate that the concessionaire could further drive sales growth through the application of the Lottery's recent market segmentation research, in order to reach a better understanding of and increase connectivity with Lottery patrons.

(Off the finances for a second) If increased marketing spending would help revenue why isn't the lottery doing that now? Also your sales force might sell more if they got paid more or if management was rewarded differently?

Back to finaces, a 5 year history of growth isn't enough to base the entire plan on. Also me doing all of the 'incentive' things is going to cost me more money. There is a finite amount of growth in this market without it becoming a social issue that you will end up legislating on me. As for the market segmentation data, that's great but will you let me really market to it? Even if it is awkward?
Then

Strong Economic Environment: Illinois has a strong and diversified economy. Measured by per capita personal income, Illinois ranks third among the ten most populous states in the US. The State's economy encompasses a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, transportation, technology, and consumer products. The State of Illinois is home to over 60 of the Fortune 500 companies in the US and is the 17th largest economy in the world if ranked as a nation. The State's population and personal income levels have grown substantially over the last five decades, and are projected to continue to grow at 0.7% and approximately 4%respectivelyspectively. The State currently has its lowest unemployment on record at 4.1%. This is largely due to an addition of 400,000 jobs since 2004, which represents the fastest groMidwesthe Midwest. The State of Illinois' size and relative economic strength further suggest the significant growth potential of the Lottery through increased market penetration.

Even if I buy all of that, it's a 75 year lease! Do you know how much enconomic conditions can change in 75 years? The growth numbers are from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Bureau of Econmoics Analysis, I'll ask my economist what he thinks about things 10 years out, after that it's vodo. Reguardless one things for certain, America is getting older and older folks will be spending less on the lottery.

If it has all this growth potential why aren't we doing a better job taking advantage of it? Oh yeah, we want a quick buck so we don't have to make hard choices today.

If you want a spreadsheet to run your own numbers send me an e-mail.

OneMan

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SEIU Illinois calls for city government that supports working people; 37 aldermanic candidates endorsed

Early voting starts next week and SEIU finally comes out with their endorsements. Here are the races where they take no sides,

SEIU made no endorsements in the following wards: 2, 5, 11, 17, 20, 25, 29, 34, 37, 43, 44, 46 and 50. The union also did not endorse in the mayoral or city treasurer races.

Considering Emma Mitt's high profile during the Big-Box debates, I find no comment in the 37th sort of startling.

As for the no comment on the mayoral race, I can't understand ducking a commitment there. Balanoff tells us,

"We need a city government that will be committed to raising the living standards for Chicago’s working people,” said Tom Balanoff, president of the SEIU Illinois Council. “That means living wages. That means affordable housing. That means good schools so that our children have the opportunity to succeed.”

I can't see how labor washing-it-hands of making the choice advances labor's cause. It doesn't fit the song I knew.

They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there.
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J. H. Blair.

CHORUS:
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?

But maybe for today's labor movement, waffling around is ok. Pick no sides; pick no losers.

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Goes to 11

Cross posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

The Semiannual disclosure reports are coming in for last fall's hot statewide and legislative races and it looks like there were 11 races over the $1M mark, not 10 like we earlier thought. Not everybody's filed, but by and large, our estimates were low. We found 10 races that we expected would show spending of more than $1M: the 22nd, 34th, 42nd, 49th, and 52nd Senate races, and the 71st, 91st, 92nd, 101st, and 107th House. It now looks like we missed the 33rd Senate race. Both losing incumbent Cheryl Oxley and winning challenger Dan Kotowski have filed, showing $1,152,662 in combined spending.

If you were watching fundraising totals last fall, there was one other race you might have thought could go over $1M: the race for Jay Hoffman's House seat. Combined, the two candidates showed over $1M in fundraising. But we didn't count it bas a million dollar race because Rep. Hoffman had all the money. The D2s now show that he didn't spend much. Challenger Carol Kugler spent $34K. Hoffman spent $541K, but that includes $61K in transfers to other candidates and $250K buying Certificates of Deposit at the DuQuoin State Bank, after the election. Over all, Hoffman reports raising more than he spent last fall. He ended the year with $970K available, including the CDs.

All reports should be filed by midnight tonight. We'll start analyzing the numbers as soon as they're all in.

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10th District Blog Off the FEC Hook

In a decision that should make political bloggers happy, the Federal Elections Commission denied a request for action for “failure to register and report” from Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna against

Tenth District Blog,(Link no longer working.)

The Illinois – 10 General Election Fund, a project of ActBlue, Matthew DeBergalis, treasurer and

The Committee to Elect Zane Smith, Barry J. Moltz, treasurer.

Here’s what the FEC press release said (more FEC information here):

The complainant alleged that the Tenth District Blog expressly advocated the defeat of Congressman Mark Kirk (IL/10), solicited contributions for the campaigns of potential Democratic opponents, and failed to include a proper disclaimer on these communications.

The Tenth District Blog was established by an anonymous person using Google’s E-blogger software, which is offered free of charge.

Both ActBlue and the Smith Committee denied any knowledge or contact with the Blog and stated that they had not received contributions from the Blog or through ActBlue.

Based on available information, the Blog did not appear to have made expenditures or received any contributions that would trigger political committee status. The Commission found no reason to believe any of the respondents violated the Act.

Always more at McHenry County Blog.

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Biden puts foot in mouth over Obama

Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del) formally entered the presidential race this morning.

The buffoon is not going win his party's nomination, he won't be the Democrats' choice for vice president.

I've always held that view.

But if I had any doubts about it, now from the New York Observer comes this Biden comment:

Mr. Biden is equally skeptical--albeit in a slightly more backhanded way--about Mr. Obama. "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," he said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Can you imagine the firestorm that would break out if a Republican presidential candidate made such a comment?

He says some (surprise!) stupid things about John Edwards and Hillary Clinton too.

As far as Biden's entry into the race, well, there goes the neighborhood.

Fox News just did a story on the piece, a Repubican operative called in "nuclear" for the Biden campaign.

Related posts:

Biden making it official for 2008 in his longshot bid

I almost forgot about this Biden boo-boo

Biden wants Confederate flag off South Carolina capitol grounds

Hat tip to Michelle Malkin for the story.

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Kudos to one of our favorites

Cross posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

Congrats to Mike Lawrence and the staff at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for their first 10 years. While we think of the Institute as the go-to place for thoughtful insights into campaign reform issues, this article in today's Daily Egyptian reminds us of all the other issues the Institute has tackled over the past decade. Here's to another 10 years, times 10!

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What's in a Name?

The Sun-Times reports that Governor Blagojevich signed a bill “requiring candidates who have changed their names within three years before running to have a ‘formerly known as’ under their name [on the ballot].”

It seems that a number of candidates for judicial offices in Cook County have changed their name to sound Irish, because, “candidates with Irish names…tend to sweep judicial elections.” Well now, thanks to a bill signed by the Governor and sponsored by fellow Illinoize blogger State Rep. John Fritchey, only truly Irish candidates get the benefit of such ridiculously thoughtless voting habits.

Seriously, isn’t the fact that voters are selecting judges based on ethnicity to begin with a much more disconcerting issue? Granted, I’m not sure much can be done about that. In a democracy, people are certainly free to base their vote on whatever superficial criteria they want. But how far should the state go to help them do so? Should we start including the race or religious affiliation of a candidate after their name on the ballot, in case someone wants to base their vote on that?

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Hastert Raises Cash and Questions with Recent Mailings

A story in today’s Roll Call (subscription required) reports that former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), who is expected to retire before the 2008 election, recently sent out a mailer soliciting funds for his campaign committee. The story goes on to explore the various reasons why “the Coach” may be loading up his coffers, and the circumstances under which he may pull the trigger on retirement

Hastert is clearly positioning himself to become a power broker in both his 14th District and throughout the state. In terms of his retirement, Roll Call notes that there are concerns a special election could lead to a free-for-all, and encourage a strong Democratic candidate (not mentioned by name, but presumably Aurora State Rep. Linda Chapa-LaVia) to enter a race that would otherwise require them to risk their current positions. I think they are right, and thus my original prediction that Hastert would force a special election was based on faulty and incomplete reasoning. In regards to the Republican nomination, they speculate that Hastert could follow the example of Illinois Democrats Bill Lipinski and Lane Evans, and run through the primary only to drop out and have his organization push for his chosen successor (reportedly Batavia Republican State Rep. Tim Schmitz).

As someone who was critical of Lipinski and Evans, I’d be very disappointed to see Hastert do the same, especially when there is an effective but far less objectionable alternative available. As Roll Call reminds us, "campaign finance laws allow Hastert to give unlimited soft-money donations on the state and local level in Illinois from his campaign committee." I think it's more likely that he will use his war chest to help Schmitz in a primary by shifting funds to local and state Republican office-holders who agree to endorse him.

Coincidently, such moves could also add some muscle to Hastert’s endorsement of Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney if the Illinois primary is moved up.

Also posted at the Grand Old Partisan of Illinois

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Sex Offender Work Places Available

Folks have long known that they can find out where released sex offenders live.

But, did you know that there is a file of where some of them work?

According to the State Police, “local police agencies provide the information and we print it as submitted.”

Here’s a question for you.

How much restitution does a person arrested of a sex crime have to make?

Should he—and the almost 120 who show up as McHenry County employees are all men—have the right to support himself and not be hassled at work?

Is working at a factory OK?

How about an auto dealership?

What about driving a limo?

Any problem with someone with such a conviction record working for a restaurant?

What about a retail establishment?

A printing company?

How about construction?

Landscaping?

Garbage collection?

A grocery store?

A moving company?

A carnival?

Physical therapy?

I know some of the employers and my guess is that some know the criminal background of the employee in question.

They are clearly giving a guy a second chance.

More always on McHenry County Blog. Fox News in Chicago found the data first.

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Progressive Self Image and What Shows Up.

Shaving is brutal. It reminds me that not only do I bear a striking resemblence to a fifty four year old, Mick-Mugged, saggy eyed, widow man, but I am that Caliban -with whiskers that need scraping - Damn.

Politically, I guess that my image pretty much lines up with what stares back at me at 5a.m. - not pretty, but shaved and ready for work. Good enough. Lifelong Democrat - but not enamored of the 'how can you think that?' crowd. I have always believed in XY&Z - my neighbor holds to EF&G - we cancel each other out the polls and he borrows my Miracle Grow Spreader and I keep the racket down.

In today's political climate - not good enough. That brings in the Progressive. The Progressive (Republican, Democrat, Green, Bullmoose, or LaRouchie)who demands that every person within shout distance gushes and oozes with the same pre-packaged enthusiasm that they have picked up from watching Bill Maher or listening to Rush Pill-Popper.

'Second Hand Smoke Will Kill Kids in Iceland Unless We Act in Illinois, People!' GOOSE LIVER EATERS ARE ANIMALS! IF One Licence Plate Says 'Good Day' What Is To Stop Mean Killers From Thinking It Must Be A GOOD DAY TO DIE AND YOU ARE NEXT! Take the Christ out of Christmas! Kosher Food Shouldnot be Displayed in a Public Place. Holocaust Deniers Are Smart! The Pledge of Allegiance is Fascist! Felons Know Justice! Bloggers Who Bash Bush are Morally Superior to Bloggers Who Do Obama-nations!

Progressives tend to see themselves as Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's great novel 'To Kill A Mockingbird' - strong, loving resolute and dedicated to Justice.
The problem is that they act like Ernest T. Bass from the Old Andy Griffith Show -Nuts and Obnoxious.

Disagree up a storm, but try not to worry about what I 'really think.' Who cares? Tom Roeser posted a question about the Madrassa education - kicked off a pretty good debate. Then the Progressive thinkers - Eric Zorn, SCAM, and the MidwestProgressive -whoever that is - tried to out do each other with invective. Disagree. MoveON! Instead the Progressive demands that Tom Roeser paint his house Red or Pink or Green.

Don't like Tom Roeser, don't read him. The Progressive response - "well, Roeser's dangerous!' To Whom, Cupcake? My How delicate you must truly be! Fragile. Gossamer Cuts Too, Honey. Plenty of journalists are taking shots at the best person in the Democratic Presidential Field - Barack H. Obama The H is for Hussain -Jeepers. Guess what the F in Patrick F. Hickey stands for ! Tom Roeser discussed the name Ok. One Progressive Clown demands to know what Tom's middle name is - Is it SATAN? STALIN? SANDBURG?' Be like Atticus. Be like Scout. Be Like Barack. Be like a Person who does not need to be taken away in cuffs, who shouts and screams, and uses bullhorns - No not Cindy Sheahan - Ernest T. Bass.

The thing is, when Ernest T. shaved and and got guss-ied up - he behaved pretty well - like a good neighbor.

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On Medical Liability Reform - the People Have Spoken

It’s been two years since the Illinois voter uprising that forced the Illinois legislature – and governor – to enact medical liability reform legislation.

Yet the full positive impact of those reforms has yet to be felt – due to uncertainty pending the trial lawyers’ challenge of the measure’s constitutionality in court.

Needless to say, the trial lawyer challenge was anticipated as soon as the governor’s pen signed the reforms into law. On November 20 of last year, the challenge finally came – in the form of a case filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County seeking to challenge the cap on non-economic damages ($500,000 for physicians and $1 million for hospitals.)

To be sure, the reforms have begun to work. According to a recent Crain’s article, "a number of (medical liability insurance) companies have cut rates in recent months, and new insurers are moving into Illinois after soaring malpractice claims chased many out five or six years ago."

In addition, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company, which provides malpractice coverage for 13,000 doctors, recently announced that it might add up to 400 new physician policyholders this year – four years after soaring medical malpractice insurance rates forced the company to stop accepting new business.

The plaintiffs’ bar, however, wants to turn back the clock on this progress. No doubt emboldened by the Illinois Supreme Court’s blockage of similar reforms in 1997, the trial lawyers are determined to protect their profits at the expense of Illinois families’ access to quality, affordable health care.

Despite progress, the uncertainty caused by the trial bar’s challenge has not allowed the state to climb fully out of its medical liability crisis. Lest we forget the full extent of the crisis, we should remember that just a few short years ago, all of southern Illinois was left without a single neurosurgeon; many pregnant women still are forced to travel to Missouri, Wisconsin or Indiana just to find an OB-GYN; Illinois doctors still pay as much as $100,000 more per year in medical liability insurance premiums than doctors in neighboring states.

The trial bar, however, is in a state of denial. They try to cast blame on everyone from the insurance industry to the doctors themselves. They try to hide the fact that many states have had successful medical liability reforms for years.

In California, for instance, the gold standard of medical liability reforms has been in place since 1975. While the reforms did not result in immediate rate reductions – medical liability premiums in that state have risen at a much slower rate than the rest of the country. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, while total premiums in the rest of the U.S. rose 1011% between 1976 and 2004, the increase in California premiums was only 309% over the same time period.

In Ohio, due to reforms enacted in 2003, the premiums of the five major state liability carriers rose only 6.7% in 2005, compared with a 20% raise in 2004, and a 30% increase in 2002.

In Texas, where comprehensive reforms have been passed in recent years, the largest medical liability insurers have slashed rates, and more than 3,000 new physicians came to the state.

Furthermore, numerous state courts, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia, have upheld legislation for caps on non-economic damages.

Bottom line – medical liability reforms work and there is precedent for them being ruled constitutional.

So why are the trial lawyers fighting these reforms so aggressively? Why did one trial lawyer I spoke with last week refer to them as “tort deform”? Why did the president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association recently declare a "crusade" against those who support civil justice reform?

Because it’s about protecting an Illinois medical liability system in which tort costs for medical-malpractice liability are a greater share of Illinois’ economy than of any state’s save New York’s.

It’s about protecting an American medical liability system in which 75% of medical liability claims do not result in any payments to patients.

Don’t be fooled by the national trial lawyer association’s advocacy Web site, "People over Profits." To those trial lawyers who fight against common sense reforms, it’s about profits, not people.

And the people of Illinois have spoken. They support reforms that bring fairness and common sense to our lawsuit system. They support medical liability reforms that protect due process for all Illinois citizens – plaintiffs as well as defendants.

The people have spoken. Now we await for this challenge to get to the Illinois Supreme Court for the ultimate decision.

Cross-posted by Curt Mercadante at Illinois Justice Blog.

To view or post comments, visit Illinois Justice Blog.

Technorati Tags: Medical Liability, Trial Lawyers, Illinois Politics, Tort Reform

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February primary bill has been filed by Madigan, Boland and Flowers

Speaker Madigan filed (with Mike Boland, the chamber's leading election reformer and Mary Flowers -- potentially a sign that she'll be the new Chair of the Election and Campaign Reform Committee?) HB 426, a bill that would move the entire primary (not just the presidential primary) from the third Tuesday in March to the first Tuesday in February. The bill is also a permanent bill, and not just a one-time-only move for 2008. It applies to gubernatorial years (2010, 2014) as well as presidential years.

You might call this the Help Barack Obama bill, or the Make Illinois Voters Relevant to Picking the President Bill, but in any event, the bill has been filed, I predict it will be signed into law and I think for 2008, that's a good thing. For other years (that is, when Barack isn't running for president), I'd rather have nice weather for elections, as I don't like walking in the cold, so if it was up to me, I'd move the primary to June or September. And I'd imagine most campaign workers would agree with that sentiment (ignoring the speculation on how cold weather might impact election results).

It's up to the DNC and the RNC to force through a later presidential primary schedule for 2012. Party rules dictate how presidential nominees are selected, and party rules allow states to schedule their primaries on the first Tuesday in February that will help select delegates to the national convention. If you think this is too early to have a huge primary election (since California and a few other big states are also moving to the first available slot), and that nine months is a long time for the two presumptive nominees to battle it out, then tell Howard Dean and/or Mel Martinez, as well as the Illinois members of the DNC and/or the RNC to push through even tougher party rules now.

John Fritchey has some thoughtful posts on the topic here, and a few groups are pushing some innovative reforms for presidential primaries, including the American Plan and the Secretary of States' Rotating Regional Plan.

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Tribune joins the push for a 5% (or so) income tax for smarter schools statewide

Today the Tribune's editorial board starts calling for a 5% (or so) state income tax to invest a good chunk of the 2 or 3 billion in new revenue into K-12 education.

One particularly nice part of the editorial is the call for voters and legislators to consider the investment in the entire state, and not just how they would come out under any change.

There is a corrosive habit of citizens, and their politicians, to weight only what a different funding scheme would mean for their communities.

Illinois needs to outgrow this penchant for school financing that can't look beyond economic self-interest. There are plenty of reasons for Effingham taxpayers to care about Hinsdale school children, for Hinsdale taxpayers to care about Harvey school children, for Harvey taxpayers to care about Effingham students. We've just never acknowledged as a state that the future economic health, workforce and leadership of Illinois depend on better educating all of our children. And yes, all children can learn.

This echoes of Obama. I recall one of the themes of his Senate campaign: "When a grandmother on the South Side has to choose between her food and her medicine, I am poorer for it. When a child can't breathe at night because of asthma, I am sicker for it. It is the belief that I am my brother's keeper."

This is a welcome change, as the last time a shift towards statewide funding of education got some traction (SB 755 was voted out of committee in 2006), the Trib ran a front-page story detailing exactly how each school district would make out, comparing the income tax increases the taxpayers would pay (while not noting the federal offset) versus the likely increase in school district revenues. That was a particularly chilly day at the Statehouse and the Trib's hostility was one reason no other Senate Republicans jumped on board the bill. Hopefully the editorial board will sway the news editors a bit this time.

Leadership in 2007 on investing in education is going to be far more decentralized than in previous years. The Governor has boxed himself out of much discussion of the income tax hike that's necessary for statewide funding for education with his needless campaign pledge not to raise the income or sales tax. President Jones has shown every indication that he intends the Senate to take the lead on crafting a smart solution, even prominently quoting the state constitutional provision that reads "The State shall have the primary responsibility in funding education" in his inaugural program. House Democrats were the last chamber that voted for an income tax increase for education, not to mention the almost dozen House Republicans who voted for the income tax increase in the last 90s without one losing a re-election contest on the issue.

And ultimately, the will for an income tax increase for smarter education will come (or not) from us: citizens who tell our legislators that, if they can hire excellent teachers for Illinois kids, we're willing to pay a 5% (or so) income tax.

Cross-posted at DJWinfo

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The End of Murder?

Los Angeles Weekly has a great cover story on murder, but unfortunately only compares LA to New York. I'd like to learn more about murder-reduction (or, dare we dream, murder-elimination) strategies.

The two things that seem to make the most sense to me in reducing crime are more police officers and more cameras in high-crime areas. Cheaper education programs, like Big Brothers, that help to raise children away from becoming criminals, also seem like smart investments.

The cost of violent crime is so high and so difficult to compute. The LA Weekly article cites at least $1,000,000 per homicide to the LA city government in police work, legal-system costs and lost business activity. As I recall from law school, juries in civil cases tend to value a life at between 3 and 6 million dollars when measuring compensation. And how do you measure the emotional impact of losing mother or son or friend to homicide?

If anyone knows how Illinois rates relative to the other 49 on crime-prevention strategies, I'd be very interested to learn from you.

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Emil Jones on IDOT's Tim Martin's good job: Sometimes yes, sometimes no

Emil Jones on Martin in today's ST story on Martin's resignation from IDOT.

But Martin's tenure was rocked by questions over alleged hiring improprieties, mismanagement and massive cost overruns on Dan Ryan Expy. reconstruction.

Last year, Senate President Emil Jones gave a mixed review of Martin's performance when asked whether he thought Martin had done a good job. "Sometimes yes, sometimes no," Jones said.

Jones becoming a real sage on the prarie. I watched his interview with Paul Lisnek on comcast public access channel and he starts to grow on you. I wish comcast would make these transcripts available on line.

Today's Trib on Martin too.

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Edward Ugel in NYT: The Lottery’s Next Big Loser: Illinois

I think this is free view. A friend emailed the column to me this AM.

In essence, Illinois wants what virtually every lottery winner wants: the money up front. Although now some lottery winners can take a large lump sum right away (of course, much less than the supposed value of the winning ticket), for years they were paid their jackpots in annuities over 20 or 25 years. There’s a major difference between getting a million dollars right away and getting 20 annual checks for $100,000 or so. Yes, both amounts are considered fair, but the lump sum is much preferable: you don’t have to wait to buy your mansion, or (more prudently) you can invest it, earn interest on it, and be protected against inflation.

I worked for a company that searched out winners who didn’t have the option to receive their winnings in a lump sum or had chosen not to, and who then had spent themselves into short-term debt and needed money before the next annual payment. We were happy to buy their future payments in exchange for quick cash, at a handsome profit to ourselves.
[***]
At the core, all these people acted as if they had received the money up front rather than over time. You may scoff, but do you think you could win the lottery and wait patiently for 20 years while your ship comes in? Good luck.

And now the Illinois officials are acting just like any spendthrift winner who’s being paid over time. Like many of my former clients, Illinois is selling its future in order to fortify its present. But an individual who burns through his lump sum in a few years will bear the consequences of his actions. That’s not the case for Illinois: the officials who would enjoy the $10 billion windfall will be out of office decades before the 75 years is up. And instead of giving up annuities of ever shrinking value, as a lump sum winner does, Illinois is giving up an ever growing stream of revenue — the state’s lottery revenue increased 15 percent from 2003 to 2005.

I hate it when we midwesterners look like bumpkins but with the Gov we've got now, I'm afraid that's what we are.

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Novak: Obama won't be Rahmed down Emanuel's throat

Five years ago when Rahm Emanuel was in a heated primary race for the open seat in Illinois' fifth district, the then-little known Emanuel was often referred to by voters as "that Clinton guy."

Emanuel was a very early-supporter of Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign, and was a Clinton White House staffer for five years.

Flash forward to 2007: To a person, Illinois' Democratic elected officials who've declared their 2008 support have hopped on the Barack Obama for President bandwagon. So has the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Rep. Emanuel is acknowledging feeling pressure to support either the Clinton or Obama campaigns.

But columnist Robert Novak claims that Emanuel will stick with his first political love, the Clintons.

From Novak's column on Saturday:

Sources close to Sen. Barack Obama are sure that Rep. Rahm Emanuel will not support his fellow Illinois Democrat for the presidential nomination but will back Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Toll Bridges Across the Fox

How desperate must Kane and McHenry Counties be for additional road capacity.

McHenry County has enacted a 4-cent local Motor Fuel Tax.

Kane County levies 2-cents.

Although both counties have experienced incredible growth, state government has been unwilling to step up to plate, so to speak.

That hasn’t stopped state government from making little-used highways, such as Route 67, which runs from East Moline almost to East St. Louis four-lanes. At some points, the last time I checked there were fewer than 5,000 cars per day.

Usually, 4-lanes are considered merited when the traffic count reaches 20,000 vehicles each day.

So, as with mental health services and schools, if McHenry County is willing to tax it citizens more than other counties, it surely is less deserving of state aid.

To put it bluntly, politicians figure we don’t need help.

So, I guess I should not be surprised that Kane County is considering doubling its county MFT so it matches McHenry County’s.

But, Elgin’s Daily Courier had this shocker Thursday:

Kane County is considering tolls on the bridges it clearly needs.

Do those of us who live in the Fox River counties just look like sheep waiting to be sheared?

Or have we grown so much tax wool for the rest of the state that it is taken for granted that we are stupid enough to build toll bridges across our little river.

Missouri officials considered a toll bridge over the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area, but Illinois politicians won’t stand for that. A semi-rational argument is that would just keep the non-toll bridges overcrowded.

Anyone want to bet that toll bridges over the Fox won’t be used less than nearby non-toll bridges?

Or are we so desperate that we’ll pay them to get home faster?

= = = = =

The drawing of the proposed Stearns Road bridge comes from the Kane County Transportation Department web page. More news on McHenry County Blog this weekend.

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Take it to the Bank

State Treasurer Alexi Gianoullias is wasting no time translating campaign commitments into action. On his first full day in office, he signed an executive order implementing numerous ethics reforms for his office, (many of the tenets of which are set forth in my HB1, the 'pay to play' bill).

He is now turning his sights to improving our lagging Bright Start college savings plan.

As succinctly stated in the article:

Bright Start — under a seven-year contract with one firm since its inception — has consistently been outperformed by plans sold by other states...As of the third quarter of last year, Bright Start's returns ranked 47th out of 48 similar plans nationwide, according to Joseph Hurley, chief executive of SavingforCollege.com, an independent group that analyzes college savings plans...Hurley's group also ranks Bright Start worst in overall usefulness among Illinois' two other college savings plans and lower than many other states' offerings.

One can't help but wonder if Illinois families are getting short-changed at the enrichment of the fund manager for these past many years:

And the fees collected by the fund manager, Legg Mason, rank among the highest for college savings plans, according to investment analysis firm Morningstar Inc...The program handles more than $2.1 billion in more than 141,000 accounts. It allows investors to spread their money across eight different funds, six of which are owned by Legg Mason. (emphasis added)

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel:

The contract expires in March, and Giannoulias has narrowed the field to two firms competing for the new contract... In order to vet bidders, Giannoulias assembled a group of private investment managers to evaluate offers.

Retaining experts to increase the benefits to families saving for the education of their children is not only a sound idea, it is one that is long-overdue. Good job AG.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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SEIU and the Working Class

I've been waiting for SEIU's aldermanic endorsements now that they're building a machine like organization,

McMullen said SEIU has a clear goal. “There hasn’t been a strong model for any organization to mobilize voters besides the Democratic machine. SEIU is trying to set up a political organization that is machinelike in its structure,”

I've yet to see anything at the State Council's site as of this am. Instead I keep getting this,

Clock is ticking on first 100 hours in new Congress; SEIU members fight for middle class agenda.

Unions used to be for the Working Class. College radicals used to shun the middle class. Sincliar Lewis ridiculed the middle-class in Main Street.

If pressed, I'll admit to belonging to Orwell's lower-upper-middle class but it's an identity I don't wear on my sleeve.

So I'm curious who SEIU sees below the middle class and whether SEIU intends to fight for them too.

John L. Lewis said of the working class,

I have pleaded (labor's) case, not in the quavering tones of a feeble mendicant asking alms, but in the thundering voice of the captain of a mighty host, demanding the rights to which free men are entitled."

SEIU may have gone too middle class to thunder like Lewis, but tell us the middle class champions you're going to endorse; and the lower class those champions may leave out of their agenda. Those folks might need a modern day John L. Lewis.

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Danny Davis and Dock Walls

Obama endorsed the Mayor but Danny Davis is listed along with Bill Dock Walls on my latest email from Dock.

Tom Roeser came out for Davis for Mayor once.

My wife sang in an Christmas Pageant where Davis read from the bible. He sure sounded like the voice God to me. Sadly, Dock's going to need a lot more than Danny Davis and his forums.

As one member of the audience stated it is time for us to clean house. We encourage voters to examine all the facts before placing your vote and not to just vote based upon popularity or eloquent speeches. Instead, place your vote on facts not emotion for the people are perishing for lack of knowledge.

Unity in Chicago means don't back losers. That's a faith impossible to overcome.

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Illinois To Lose Another Congressional Seat

Projecting population trends among the 50 states redistricting consultant Clark Bensen of Polidata Incorporated predicts that Illinois will be among the state that lose representation in the United States Congress.

For all but one decade I have lived in Illinois, its relative share of the country’s population has declined enough for us to lose a congressman.

There were

· 25 during the 1950’s
· 24 during the 1960’s
· 24 during the 1970’s
· 22 during the 1980’s
· 20 during the 1990’s
· 19 during the 2000’s

Other projected losers:

Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York (-2), Ohio (-2) and Pennsylvania

If the Democrats will just raise our income taxes 67%, maybe we lose two seats.

Winners?

Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Texas (+2) and Utah.

Thanks to Paul Richardson at Capitol Fax Blog for the tip pointing me to The Thicket story by Tim Storey.

Posted first at McHenry County Blog, a blog that does not go to sleep over the weekend.

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Bollywood Friday - The hills are alive...

...with the sounds of BOLLYWOOD! Apparently the kids "want to go to America" while the adults say "give me my India, I love my India". It doesn't take long for the kids to come around and love India, too. As well they should!

Look for the funny Bollywood cowboy at the end ;).

From the movie Pardes.


xoxo,
Bridget

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A Soros spot for the Obama campaign

Almost lost amidst the madrassa, or I should say, the debunked madrassa story, is some news on the fundraising front on the Democratic side of the 2008 presidential election.

Running for president is increasingly expensive. For a serious campaign, it's accepted as fact that $100 million will need to be raised--and that's per candidate. That comes out to $274,000 per day.

If you're a Democrat, one reliable source of funds is Hollywood. It's worked for both Clintons.

But as AP reports, Sen. Barack Obama is now tapping into that wellspring of cash, including individuals such as Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen of the Dreamworks movie studio. All three men are past supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The Dremworks trio is hosting a $2,300-a-head fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton Hotel next month. But that event is for the cheapskates. After the Hilton event, those who've pledged to raise $46,000 for Obama get invited to a private dinner at David Geffen's home.

(For those trivia buffs out there, you'll want to know that $46,000 is more than the estimated net-worth of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who is also running for president.)

Hollywood hasn't completely given up on Hillary, Elizabeth Taylor yesterday announced her support for Hillary.

That brings us to a New York Times story on George Soros:

George Soros, the billionaire New York philanthropist, has made maximum donations in the past to both candidates, for instance, and last week he faced a choice: support Mr. Obama, who created his committee on Tuesday, or stay neutral and see what Mrs. Clinton and others had to say. In this case, Mr. Obama won.

Mr. Soros sent the maximum contribution, $2,100, to Mr. Obama, the first-term senator from Illinois, just hours after he declared his plans to run.

"Soros believes that Senator Obama brings a new energy to the political system and has the potential to be a transformational leader," said Michael Vachon, a spokesman for Mr. Soros.

But with Soros, a billionaire currency speculator, his $2,100 check to Obama is probably just the beginning of his involvement in Election 200--and perhaps the Obama campaign.

In the last presidential campaign, Soros in his quest to see George W. Bush defeated, donated heavily to left-wing political groups. He gave $3 million to the Center for American Progress, $5 million to MoveOn, and $10 million to American Coming Together.

Soros brings a lot of money to the Democrats, but he also brings a lot of baggage.

In 2002, the billionaire was found guilty of insider trading in France.

In 2003, Soros blamed the policies of Israel and the United States for the rise in anti-semitism.

Soros holds many controversial views.

From Peter Schweizer's 2005 book, Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy:

This reformed capitalist wants to fight capitalism, reverse globalism, and soak the rich with steep income and inheritance taxes. He also wants to legalize drugs, promotes unfettered immigration, and advocates euthanasia and assisted suicide. Among his other causes are abortion rights, atheism, sex education, gun control, and gay marriage.

Soros' Quantum Fund deserves a close look, although it's difficult to do just that. Although Quantum's offices are in New York, it's incorporated in the Netherland Antilles, which allows Quantum to avoid US taxes and SEC oversight.

More from Schweizer's book:

His ultrasecret, unregulated fund avoids not only the SEC but also public scrutiny. No one knows who his investors are, though many believe they include some of the wealthiest people in the world, including Saudi princess, royal families in Europe, and the superwealthy in Latin America. Even employees at Soros Fund Management in New York do not know the names of many of the people they are making money for. They are simply given coded Swiss bank accounts.

Yes, there are other offshore currency funds. But if Soros didn't invent the practice, he certainly perfected it.

Unfortunately, Soros' shady reputation gets little play in the mainstream media--they support many of causes the billionaire backs.

There's something in Obama that Soros likes. It could simply be that he believes the Illinois senator has the best chance to win in 2008.

But don't look for Soros' cash to be an issue in the Democratic primaries and caucuses, since the other Democratic candidates still hope to bathe themselves in the billionaire's bundle.

However, if Obama is the Demoratic nominee next year, it's a safe bet that his Republican counterpart will make the name of George Soros a familar one among voters.

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Blue State Blues

Tuesday, I ran a story about a Federal Judge’s having ruled that Secretary of State Jesse White had to issue “Choose Life” license plates, if 850 people wanted them.

I headlined my story,

Jack Franks Off the “CHOOSE LIFE” License Plate Hook

Thursday, Tribune columnist Eric Zorn writes that he is in favor of getting rid of all specialty plates.

Zorn doesn’t come right out and say, “Regiment them all,” but that would be the result.

No individuality at all.

And, why?

So pro-lifers in Illinois can’t demonstrate their commitment on their license plates.

I would suggest that we have a contest.

Let the pro-choicers pick any slogan they want for a license plate.

How about “Choice!”

Maybe they will give their money to adoption agencies, too.

Let’s see who can sell the most license plates.

But, before ending this article, let me quote Zorn’s the part about State Rep. Jack Franks:

"Law enforcement officials tell me over and over that they don't like [specialty plates]," said state Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), who says he's proud to be the bottleneck denying applications as chairman of the House State Government Administration Committee. "They're confusing."

I have a related observation.

Have you ever noticed how many cars in Illinois don't have front license plates?

The logical suggestion was made to get rid of them. Lots of states have done that.

That would decrease the cost and increase the net tax take, since license fees surely would not be cut.

The law enforcement community made similar comments about front plates to me that they made to Franks about the specialty plates.

It would be harder to catch crooks.

I asked Algonquin Police Chief Russ Lane, who headed the police chiefs association at the time, I believe, to ask his board members, who favored front and back plates, to tell me how many citations they had issued for failure to have a front plate.

There were very, very few.

I reasoned that if the police thought front plates were important that they would surely write tickets to the large number who didn't have one.

The lack of enforcement led me to decide one back license plate was enough.

Since then, however, I've found a reason for two plates.

I saw a license plate reading device at work in a TV show about a Canadian police force testing it.

The device read the plates of cars on both the highway and in parking lots. While the news camera was on, the policeman found a stolen parked car. Since people park both ways in parking lots, for the device to work best, two plates would be needed.

But, back to the reason for this story--Jack Franks' commnents to Eric Zorn.

Ever since his first campaign in 1998, Franks has said he was “pro-choice.”

Franks has had an almost perfect pro-life voting record, however.

I figure he just wants to polish up his credentials with the pro-choice crowd.

That’s a must if one is ever going to run for statewide office.

More on McHenry County Blog.

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Can I bum a smoke mister?

But don't light up in Kane County buddy.

The St Charles Sun on the proposed smoking ban for the Tri Cities. It may expand to all Kane County.

In two weeks, the city councils in Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles may be voting on the same ordinance to ban smoking in public places, including public restaurants and bars. Council committees in Batavia and St. Charles already have taken public testimony on a draft ordinance, and Geneva's council heard testimony at its Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night (Jan. 22). All three cities have posted draft copies of the ordinance on their Web sites, and are taking e-mail testimony there, too.

And their editorial today backs it up.

I quit a pack a day in Oct 1986. I would appreciate smoke free restaurants and taverns, but this sure smacks of big brother. I've got Senator Obama telling me how to be a Dad, and now St Charles tells me Dad can't have a smoke; at least in the gin mill.

What's Rich Whitney's stand here: guns but no cigars?

Update: from the The Nicotianist Fellowship

"My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass"

(Deuteronomy, Chapter 32, Verse 2)

Guess it's a Church vs State thing too.

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Whitney Writes for McHenry County Defenders

I had wondered if Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney had made any impact on his natural and well-organized McHenry County constituency—the McHenry County Defenders.

I have often characterized the McHenry County Defenders as the largest and best-organized political organization in McHenry County.

While they do not participate overtly in partisan elections besides running candidates’ forums once in a while, when a local group feels aggrieved, it’s often the Defenders they turn to.

And, the Defenders are capable of giving fits to local and county governmental entities.

Currently, they have taken up the cause of a Burton’s Bridge neighborhood threatened by a building as big as a Jewel store “to serve commercial building businesses and to develop a storage facility for commercial equipment and vehicles,” as an article by neighbor Lori McConville writes.

Nevertheless, I was surprised to see

A Call to Action

by Rich Whitney
2006 Green Party candidate for Governor

on the front page of “Nature Matters,” the quarterly newsletter of the McHenry County Defenders. It goes on for two and one-have pages.

And, I learned its writing was solicited by the Defenders.

I haven’t read it yet, but wonder if Whitney will attend the Saturday, February 10th annual pot luck dinner meeting at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in McHenry. (It’s “members only,” so, if you want to attend, get yours dues check in.)

If he came, he might be able to stimulate some members to run for county board in 2008 as Green Party members.

He might even be able to recruit enough precinct committeemen to form a real party in McHenry County.

Bill Baar at Illinoize points out that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an article about the opportunities by Adam Jadhay.

It starts,

Wanted: One candidate for the U.S. Senate, 19 for the U.S. House, 118 potential state representatives, dozens more wannabe state senators, hundreds of potential county officials.

And as many as 11,692 precinct committeemen, among other vacancies. Interested applicants should contact the Illinois Green Party.

Phil Huckelberry is the party's candidate recruitment guy. Anyone know how to get in touch with him?

Whitney received 10,750 votes for governor in McHenry County. In contrast, I got 3,903 in 2002 as the Libertarian Party candidate.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

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Barack Obama (D-Daley)

Barack Obama endorsed Mayor Richard M. Daley on Monday, saying among other things that the city had made great strides in overcoming corruption. Forgive Obama, he hasn't been in the state much since being elected senator.

Just where does Obama see improvement? Daley is now finishing his worst term since the one in which more than 700 people died in the 1995 heat wave that he so badly mismanaged. Perhaps Obama hasn't heard of the Hired Truck Scandal, or that Robert Sorich, the mayor's former patronage chief, is on his way to jail. And that's just the top of the shitpile; there are also the revelations of Daley's extensive patronage machine; stalled efforts at CPS and CHA; a CTA that is literally running off the rails; soaring property taxes; and the stain of that pesky Burge Report, whose whitewashing managed in reverse to make the mayor look guilty.

Now, to be sure, Obama's endorsement had very little to do with Daley's re-election campaign (except to help satisfy the mayor's thirst to positively crush his opponents and critics), but everything to do with Obama's presidential campaign.

And that's what's troubling.

For all his talk of representing a new kind of politics, Obama's every move smacks of business-as-usual. It's not just that his endorsement of Daley - just days after Hillary Clinton announced she was joining the race - sends a message to the city's big money people and other players still on the fence that there will a price to pay in mayoral vengeance should they side with Clinton over Obama.

It's that it puts to rest any doubt that Obama is anything but at the center of the same old machine, the same old fundraisers, the same old tactics, and, in the end, the same old cynical political calculations.

Obama has now endorsed Richard M. Daley, Todd Stroger, Alexi Giannoulias, and, just to be clear about all that against-the-war-from-the-beginning talk, Joe Lieberman. He made a real estate deal with Tony Rezko, and now is trying to tap Carl McCall, the former New York comptroller whose fingerprints are all over the Stuart Levine pension fund scandal. His advisors include Bill Daley and the telecom lobby.

So just what kind of new politics does Obama represent? Better manners?

*

It didn't appear in the print version of the Sun-Times article, but the paper's original Web report about Obama's endorsement of the Daley included this anecdote of Obama trying to weasel out of some fairly innocuous comments he made about the mayor in 2005.

"In August 2005," Fran Spielman wrote, "Obama nearly ran into trouble with Daley when he hedged on whether he'd support the mayor for re-election in light of the corruption investigations at City Hall.

"Asked then if he planned to support the mayor or if the corruption probes might have given him pause, the senator replied, 'What's happened - some of the reports I've seen in your newspaper, I think, give me huge pause.'

'An hour later, he called the Sun-Times saying he wanted to clarify his remarks. Obama said the mayor was 'obviously going through a rough patch right now.' But he also said Chicago has 'never looked better' and that 'significant progress has been made on a variety of fronts.' The senator said then it was 'way premature' to talk about endorsements because the mayor had not yet announced his candidacy.

"Daley didn't hold a grudge against Obama. He reportedly concluded that the freshman senator had been trapped by a loaded question."

Yes. Asking if the corruption surrounding the mayor gave him pause certainly is loaded.

Barack Obama: A kinder, gentler old politics.

*

"I don't understand how Sen. Obama could look at this administration and see a cleaner government," challenger Dorothy Brown said.

That's because you're not supposed to look at this administration head-on, you're just supposed to kind of glance at it from the side and then turn away really quickly and get back to admiring the flowers.

*

"Obama also endorsed Daley's running mates, whom he described as old friends," Spielman reports. "They are City Clerk Miguel del Valle and Treasurer Stephanie Neely."

Obama also shares a media advisor with Daley in David Axelrod. And Obama's wife, Michelle, used to work for the mayor.

Barack Obama (D-Daley).

*

Do you think Obama encouraged Daley to debate his opponents for the first time in his mayoralty?

*

Do you think Obama, who has been a Wal-Mart critic, asked the mayor about calling proponents of the big-box ordinance racists?

*

"Mayoral challenger Dorothy Brown said Obama's endorsement of Daley flies in the face of remarks the senator made about corrupt politicians during a fiery Martin Luther King Day speech in Harvey," Spielman reported.

But just what did Obama say?

From the Daily Southtown:

"There are a lot things Harvey needs," Obama said. "Some folks here in city hall think that maybe the office that they possess is because they are so special, it is supposed to be a place where they can help their family and their friends instead of helping the people who elected them."

Gee, whose administration does that sound like?

Beyond that, Obama's Harvey appearance raised questions - again - about his choice of political friends.

*

See also "The Trouble With Obama."

*

Cross-posted at The Beachwood Reporter.

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Syverson: I was against tax increases before I was for them.

Berkowitz has it. Sen. Syverson also says he wouldn't sign a pledge to constituents to oppose any and all tax increases:

"Jeff Berkowitz: Is that a problem with the Republican image? Should Republicans take the pledge? Would you take the pledge not to raise the income or the sales tax?

Sen. Dave Syverson: No.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you don’t believe in that?

Sen. Dave Syverson: No, because as a conservative, it doesn’t mean that you’re—it means doing the right thing. Every generation in this country, the leaders have sacrificed so that the next generation could have a better life. This is the first generation we have elected officials who are saying: we don’t care about the next generation. We’re going to spend today. We’re going to..."

There's just one problem. Syverson took the pledge in 1992 and has been listed as a signatory since. I confirmed that Americans For Tax Reform has his pledge on file. Here's the list of all state signatories.

Now, 1992 was awhile back, but if he can't recall such a solemn pledge then perhaps he's been in office too long. Either that, or the guy has personal integrity issues.

UPDATE & CLARIFICATION: An anonymous commentor tells us that 1992 was a long time ago. And mentions anulment or divorce as ways of getting out of other pledges.

When a candidate signs the pledge he or she is informed in writing that to get out of the pledge you simply let ATR know and hold a joint press conference with Grover Norquist announcing that you want out of the pledge and you intend to vote for tax increases. Senator Syverson hasn't done that. Holding to anon's analogy, Syverson is more of adulterer. That doesn't get you out of the marriage. It just means you are a bad person.

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About those discs…

Cross posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

The news that the Chicago Board of Elections released information "ideal …for identity theft" on as many as 1.3 million voters has gotten a lot of coverage in the traditional media and on-line. Most of the coverage has focused on the personal privacy aspects of the release. There's another angle to it, though, as related to election law, and that hasn't gotten covered. These are just questions; we aren't saying conclusively that mistakes were made. And yet the current explanation leave open a series of concerns.

First about the scope of the release. Press reports suggest that data on about 1.3 million voters were on the files, which were initially released in late 2003 and early 2004. The Chicago Board of Elections website notes that there were 1,334,909 voters registered for the March, 2004 General Primary Election. So is it accurate to say that data on all registered voters was on those discs? As a mitigating factor, it's worth noting that not all voters gave their full Social Security numbers when they registered; many, especially those who registered with motor voter forms, gave only the last four digits of their social security numbers or their drivers license numbers, which may mean that identify theft is less of a concern for them than for others. But still, do the discs include every voter in the City of Chicago in late 2003?

If, indeed, the file includes every voter in the City of Chicago, then it's got some interesting names. Just to give a sense of the scope: the mayor and all of the sitting aldermen are probably listed. The Speaker of the House and the Senate President, among other legislators, who now may want to change the laws to prevent this from happening again. All of the statewide constitutional officers, and about a third of our congressional delegation would be there. Press reports suggest that lawsuits have been filed in state and federal court; if the discs included all voters, then it's likely that most of the Circuit's trial judges, and also most of the District's appellate judges, are on these discs. Heck, three-fourths of the state Supreme Court are likely included.

Press reports also suggest that about a hundred copies of the discs were distributed in "late 2003 or early 2004" and the Tribune notes that another half dozen or dozen were distributed recently. If that's accurate, was the Chicago Board of Elections giving out three-year-old data recently? Last October, they announced (PDF) new voter registration totals, including 61,875 new registrations since the 2006 March Primary. Were those not included in the "recently distributed" file? If not, that's lucky for the voters who weren't included, but why were some candidates and campaigns given old data? Were other candidates and campaigns given newer data? Or was the same mistake repeated in all discs distributed over the last three years?

An amendment to Illinois election law, PA 93-574, which took effect in August, 2003, said that Boards of Election could give electronic data files only to candidates and committees. We assume, then, that the 100 or so discs that were distributed in late 2003 and early 2004 went to the campaigns of sitting aldermen and city-wide officials, and some ward committees. In July, 2004, PA 93-847 changed the law to allow distribution of electronic data to governmental entities for governmental purposes. Did anybody else get this data? If so, were they also given the older 2003 version of the data or did they get newer data? Did any of their discs include social security data?

Finally, the stories suggest this but don't say explicitly, so it bears asking: did discs distributed to any of the 264 candidates who filed for Chicago office in December all contain the same current data, without social security numbers?

The release of voter files that include social security records is troubling on many levels. Privacy is certainly one of them. But there are other aspects to the release of this data that deserve explanation.

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$400,000 School Superintendent Saga Continues

First let me concede that the Elgin School District 46 is the second largest in Illinois. In the 1970’s I represented its west side in the Illinois House.

But, surely there is a disconnect between the school superintendent, the school board and the taxpayers.

Today those who run the Elgin Schools displaced those in Carpentersville District 300 in the “Let’s Criticize the Schools” coverage in the upper Fox River Valley.

Yesterday, Elgin’s Courier News told of school board member Daniel Rich’s resignation in protest of pending school board action, which he said would bring School Superintendent Connie Neal’s compensation package to $400,000.

Today, the Courier’s headline is

Neale-Rich pay dispute heats up

I wonder why.

“I’ve been getting the same raise that the teachers have been getting,” reporter Erin Calandriello writes, noting that all U46 employees got a 5.95% pay raise last year.

Think people reading that second paragraph information will be a bit angry that the government employees got probably twice the raise they did, twice the increase in the cost of living?

Speaking of her critic, Neal observes,

“So, perhaps he didn’t understand the process,”

because the three-year school board member was attending his first superintendent’s salary negotiation meeting.

Supt. Neale also admitted giving 10 top assistants “$5,000 bonuses and that’s on top of the $30,000 to $50,000 increases in their salaries over the next few years,” Rich is quoted as saying.

Neale said that was “absolutely not true.”


Ex-school board member Rich retorted,

If she’s going to tell me she didn’t mean what she said and that none of what happened and that whatever perception I had was off, people are going to know she’s lying.

You can’t keep kicking things under the rug.

The public is crazy if they reseat any of those board members.

Also today, the hotly competitive Daily Herald’s Emily Krone got on the story.

Her lead is just superb

Six school board members called it an acknowledgment of a job well done.

Superintendent Connie Neale called it routine.

Former school board member Dan Rich, who resigned in protest Monday, called it a shakedown.

District teachers called it outrageous.

Krone reports the $43,000 pay raise would be retroactive to July 1st of last year.

So, what would you do with a $20,000 check?

And what about this “school superintendents-eyes only” information that was in Neale’s memo?

customary acknowledgment of performance success for superintendents is a tax-free, 10 percent to 20 percent bonus, when major accomplishments are made.

That’s sounds like something Diane Rado of the Chicago Tribune should do a statewide story about.

The memo also noted,

for the past two years her salary ranked 40th and 56th in the state.

How sad.

$242,000 just isn’t enough.

Since neither reporter talked to taxpayers, I expect a third round of stories soon about how the people who pay Neale's salary feel about her getting a raise that is a large part of their annual salary.

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How true stay Illinois Greens?

Adam Jaday writes Strength in '06 poses new challenge for Illinois Green Party in STLtoday.com. A nice example of success bringing a whole new set of headaches.

One pain will be how to stay pure Green (what ever that may be; Greens are going to have to tell us) given the need for new members.

Nick Cohen wrote a few days ago this column: Don't you know your left from your right? Cohen concluded this about the left,

It is not novel to say that socialism is dead. My argument is that its failure has brought a dark liberation to people who consider themselves to be on the liberal left. It has freed them to go along with any movement however far to the right it may be, as long as it is against the status quo in general and, specifically, America. I hate to repeat the overused quote that 'when a man stops believing in God he doesn't then believe in nothing, he believes anything', but there is no escaping it. Because it is very hard to imagine a radical leftwing alternative, or even mildly radical alternative, intellectuals in particular are ready to excuse the movements of the far right as long as they are anti-Western.

It's going to be interesting to see if Illinois Greens crash, or find growth attracting protectionists, isolationists, and libertarians they never realized they could get along with before. I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen. A shared disgruntlement with the status quo can build odd friendships.

No one's advocating nationalization of Walmart today. Socialism is dead. Greens are free to go lots ways now and I'm curious what they'll pick.

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Cook County Budget Cuts

The Sun Times closing thought on Stroger's cuts to Cook County's budget.

There are growing rumblings that the drastic cuts are simply an effort to push the County Board to initiate tax increases to lessen the pain.

Feel like a shakedown?

Update: Larry Suffredin wants thoughts.

I expect that the Public Hearings this year will be different from past years in that the Board for the first time will have to function as a real legislative body. In the prior years the Public Hearings were used as pep rallies for the proposed budget and discussion of changing priorities was stifled. This years hearings will have to finish the “Target Adjustments” and create a spending plan that matches a new style of what services are core needs for our citizens.

I encourage all citizens to attend the Public Hearings and to speak out on issues that concern them. I will work to strengthen our revenues and better refine more efficient ways of providing service. As the President said in his address his responsibility is complete with the presentation of the Budget. The Board’s responsibility to finish this Budget in a fair and just manner has just begun.

Update: The Daily Southtown,

Some non-union county employees will be asked to take up to 20 unpaid furlough days under the proposal, said Stroger, who promised to take them himself.

Moon lighting at a big box not a bad strategy for replacing income lost during down time.

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Numbers Game

As somebody pointed out to me about my last post, despite what was in the New York Times article, the State has put out a Request For Qualifications, not an RFP, to gauge interest in selling off the Illinois Lottery.

I stand corrected.

But some of the language in the RFQ is kind of interesting in and of itself. One part promotes the deal by telling potential bidders that they can use market research performed for State to, um, better target customers.

In addition, we anticipate that the concessionaire could further drive sales growth through the application of the Lottery’s recent market segmentation research, in order to reach a better understanding of and increase connectivity with Lottery patrons.

While that sounds like, and is, standard business practice, as I alluded to in the last post, I do not think that heightened efforts to pray on the lower-income population segment that makes up a good chunk of lottery players is going to sit well with a lot of community activists and gaming foes. There are members of the Legislature that would be willing to stand up to this type of targeting by the Lottery. They would have no say in predatory practices by a private vendor.

It also is sounding like a good part of the profitability for bidders will rest by simply having fewer winners.

The concessionaire will also have flexibility in structuring individual game pay-out ratios, limited by a 50% aggregate pay-out ratio floor...Prize payouts (presently amount to) 58.1% of total revenues. (emphasis added)

That amounts to a 14% reduction in pay-outs, far from a negligible number.

Another nugget is that the State is about to get closer to the old-school numbers game business.

The Lottery is about to launch a raffle game with limited tickets and several $1 million winners. It is anticipated that the raffle tickets will sell out in two to three weeks.

That would leave us about two steps away from New York's underground policy rackets. (I know that it's not at all a similar game, but I'm just trying to make a point.) But, that might not be so bad after all:

Over the years, this form of storefront wagering has served as something of a shadow Lotto for thousands of New Yorkers who would rather enjoy better odds than the myriad legitimate games offer - not to mention take their winnings home tax-free.

Now I realize that I may be being unduly harsh on this whole concept, but I don't believe that I am alone in my view on this issue.

Increased targeting of low income players + reduced odds of winning + uncertain long-term benefits to education funding...It just doesn't add up to a good deal for Illinoisans.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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State of the Union mini-review

This is a madrassa-free post.

Well, this year's State of the Union address was pretty similar to last year's--2007's version had the novelty of course of Bush addressing a Democratic majority Congress and a woman--for the first time---sitting behind the president.

My favorite part? I saw it twice. Senators Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy sitting next to each other--with Senator Hillary Clinton directly behind Obama.

I was driving home from work listening to CBS Radio's coverage before Bush spoke; they made a point of mentioning that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. was one of the early arrivals who snatched a coveted aisle seat. Sure enough, after the president finished, there he was chatting with Jesse Jr.

Junior learned a lot from his old man.

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

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SSNs on Voter Lists, Bad idea.

Rich and some others have had some stuff about the Chicago voter lists containing SSNs.

As someone who gets voter lists, the last thing I would have ever wanted to even see on these lists was an SSN. Why, simple because you can't do anything with it (so it's just extra information to deal with) and also because something like this could happen (someone realizes you have it) and it's just awkward.

Also in terms of it's only X disks, don't kid yourself this information gets shared and not everyone with a computer is smart enough (or makes the effort) to keep something like this off of a walklist the make up or a copy of the voters in area X they give to a candidate or volunteer.

I am confident this information has been copied a bunch of times. If something is being done with it, who knows. I am willing to bet that the data has traveled to a bunch of people who did not get the original disks.

I don't think I have ever seen it in any of the lists I have ever gotten and if I did I would just pull it or make it all 9's if for no other reason than my own protection.

OneMan

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YES!

[Hat tip: Diane]

Hey, at least it'll distract us from that goofy Obama madrassa stuff.

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A Losing Ticket

The article in today's New York Times about selling off the Illinois Lottery was full of surprises. The first surprise was the lead reason being offered by the Administration for the proposal. In the words of budget guru John Filan:

“This is fundamentally a retail business, and governments are not equipped to manage retail businesses,” said Filan. “Gaming is getting so competitive around the world that we’re worried our revenues could go down unless there is retail expertise to run the lottery.”

Unless you've been living under a rock (a rock outside of Illinois, no less), the main thrust of the idea, and its timing, was widely accepted to rest in mollifying the threatened gubernatorial bid of Sen. Meeks by finding quick cash for education.

I suppose that I could have missed something, but this is the first time that I have heard that the sale is intended to boost ticket sales, something that I don't think will sit real well with those concerned about the inherently regressive nature of the lottery.

The next thing that surprised me was this short sentence:

The deadline for bids is Feb. 20.

Again, unless I have missed something, a sale of the lottery would require authorization by the General Assembly. I literally have not spoken with more than two legislators who support such a plan. The main reason tends to be that the sale provides short-term dollars but no long-term support for education funding, and will ultimately leave us worse off than we are now.

How anybody could place a realistic bid in such an uncertain, if not downright adverse, political climate escapes me.

But even if the state and the school kids don't come out ahead at the end of the day, there are at least some winners under the proposal:

Goldman Sachs and UBS are advising the state of Illinois.

So a bold-sounding plan that will likely go nowhere and generate no income for the State, may in fact wind up costing us money.

What a surprise.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Jack Franks Off the “CHOOSE LIFE” License Plate Hook

As chairman of the committee to which the “Choose Life” license plate bill was assigned, Bull Valley’s State Representative Jack Franks has angered pro-lifers by refusing to allow it to reach the House floor for a vote.

He has been vulnerable to a political attack that he is against adoption, since that is where all of the money raised above the cost of the plates would go.

The proponents of the Choose Life license plates in Illinois went to court saying that they were being discriminated against.

And, in an opinion dated January 19th, Federal Judge David H. Coar, ruled in favor of the Choose Life folks and against Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.

By doing so, Judge Coar has eliminated the need for legislative action on the issue, thus letting legislator Franks off the hook.

You can read the opinion, which is provided by Capitol Fax Blog.

To qualify for the issuance of the Choose Life plates, organizers have to sell 850.

Think the pro-lifers won’t be able to do that?

35,000 have signed a petition saying they want them.

And the judge had a good sense of timing, didn't he?

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

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Presidential Hopefuls Unlikely To Be Tort Reformers

The presidential campaign field is filling quickly but tort reform advocates shouldn't spend much time looking for a candidate who will give reform as high a priority as current President George W. Bush.

Bush, a strong reform advocate as governor of Texas, placed medical malpractice and class action reform high on his list of objectives and was successful in pushing the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, which he signed on February 18, 2005.

Bush signed the law just six weeks after he had visited with doctors and hospital officials in Madison County to stress the need for medical malpractice reform. While med-mal reform has not been successful at the federal level, Illinois legislators did pass a med-mal reform bill several months after the Bush visit and Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed it into law in August.

This commentary is prompted by a column in today's Crain's Chicago Business which appears below. Crain's Washington editor Paul Merrion reports on the voting record of Sen. Barack Obama on business issues. I pointed out that Obama was a supporter of an ICJL-backed class action reform bill while he was in the Illinois General Assembly and that I had advised some of our allies in Washington that he might be a supporter of the Class Action Fairness Act mentioned above.

He was and he voted for the bill on February 10, 2005.

Obama also voted for the Common Sense Consumption Act, a law prohibiting lawsuits against fast food restaurants based on claims of injury resulting from obesity, weight gain or other health issues.

But while Obama clearly has demonstrated a willingness to listen and not respond to the demands of trial lawyers in every instance, it is hard -- or impossible -- to find other actions that would brand him as a "tort reformer." In fact, as the Crain's article indicates, Obama's record has turned increasingly hostile toward the business community in recent years.

Two other Democrats in the growing presidential candidate field have clearer anti-reform records. Former Sen. John Edwards, the Democrats' candidate for vice president in 2004, is a personal injury trial lawyer and his views and performance are well known. Sen. Hillary R. Clinton of New York, the latest Democrat to officially enter the race, is a major beneficiary of trial lawyer campaign contributions. In one direct comparison, while Obama voted for the Class Action Fairness Act as described above, Clinton voted against it.

Views of Republican candidates are less defined (or known). Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a likely candidate, tried to kill the Class Action Fairness Act by attaching a global warming amendment to the bill. Neither Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, nor Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas have any reference or hints to civil justice reform on websites advocating their candidacies.

With the giant issues of Iraq and the mid-east, terrorism and immigration reform facing voters, it is doubtful that civil justice reform will be heard in many debates unless the reform movement -- that means organizations like ours -- force it to remain an issue.

Cross-posted by Ed Murnane at Illinois Justice Blog.

To view or post comments, please visit Illinois Justice Blog.

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Definition of Madrassa

From the OED (Subscription Required)

1. In Muslim countries: a school of Islamic theology and law; (also more generally) a school (esp. a secondary school) or institution of higher Islamic education.

1616 R. JOHNSON tr. G. Botero Relations most Famous Kingdoms (rev. ed.) 345 And to the trayning vp of these professors, there are certaine Houses (or Colledges) called Medressæ in Constantinople, Adrianople, Burssia, and other places. 1662 J. DAVIES tr. A. Olearius Voy. Ambassadors 214 We..found that it was a School or College, which they call Mandresa, of which kind there are very many all over Persia. 1662 J. DAVIES tr. A. Olearius Voy. Ambassadors 333 They [sc. the Persians] have their Colleges, or Universities, which they call Medressa. 1687 A. LOVELL tr. J. de Thevenot Trav. II. 80 Lodging Rooms for the Scholars of the Medrese. 1819 T. HOPE Anastasius (1820) III. xi. 271 His fortune was spent in placing me in a Medressé. 1834 J. MORIER Ayesha I. xii. 269 The medresseh, or school, which adjoined the principal mosque. 1841 Penny Cycl. XX. 375/2 (Samarcand) The mesids (lower schools) and medresses (high schools or colleges). 1876 A. ARNOLD in Contemp. Rev. June 47 The Madrassee or mosque school of Ispahan. 1882 E. O'DONOVAN Merv Oasis xvi. I. 276 Within sight are three medressés, or collegiate institutions, for the instruction of Turcoman students for the priesthood. 1920 Blackwood's Mag. Dec. 750/1 The ‘universities’{em}‘Medarsas’{em}of Fez and Marrakesh..are now open once more to the Christian visitor. 1923 G. CASSERLY Algeria To-day iii. 58 There is a finely-built Medersa or theological college for Mahommedans. 1968 Vogue 15 Apr. 124/2 Fès, the ancient university city of Morocco..this crowded ancient place of mosques and medersas. 1992 Gourmet Sept. 156/1 Above us rose centuries-old buildings, now decrepit and black with soot, including the mosque and madrasa (theological school) of Sultan Barquq, built in 1386.

2. In other Muslim communities (esp. South Africa, in form madressa S. Afr. /m{schwa}{sm}dres{schwa}/): a Muslim school, operating after normal school hours and teaching children subjects such as Islamic history, Islamic belief, and the reading, memorizing, and reciting of the Qur'an.
1881 HUNTER in Encycl. Brit. XII. 774/2 The Calcutta madrasa for Mahometan teaching. 1949 E. HELLMANN Handbk. Race Relations in S. Afr. 582 The Muslims have their mosques and madressas where religion is formally taught to the young and old. 1979 S. Afr. Panorama Dec. 25 Muslim educational institutions such as the madressas attached to the mosques. 1998 Sunday Times (Johannesburg) (Electronic ed.) 28 June, Not only is she an accomplished horsewoman, but she has also mastered Arabic and taught at a madressa.

It's quite clear that some aren't going to accept that the definition of madrassa precludes the Besuki Primary School that Barack Obama attended from being a madrassa, but so goes it with the postmodern concept of truth being relative.

Madrassas are age old institutions that train Muslims in Islam. Since the late 1970s, the Saudis have exported a type of madrassa that espouses a radical form of Islam based on Wahhabism, but the level of ignorance about the basic idea of what a madrassa is quite high with Moonie owned and operated Insight magazine trying to claim that Obama may have attended a radical madrassa funded by the Saudis in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Unfortunately for Insight and others pushing this story, the Indonesian press already found out what school Obama attended that was predominantly Muslim and it was Besuki Primary School in the Mentung District--apparently a public school. David Axelrod responded to Eric Zorn with information about the religious instruction. Even more amusing is what Axelrod added which is that Besuki taught comparative religion. How un-Islamist like.

That this story ever got enough traction to make it on to even Fox is bizarre given it appears no one spreading the claim even tried to talk to someone from Obama's office. Zorn also tracked down a variety of places trying to sell the rumor and it appears that we'll be hearing this one for the next two years--primarily from people who don't know what a madrassa even is.

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Where's the Party (Going)?

The contest to replace the recently departed Tom Lyons as Cook County Democratic Party Chairman has taken some interesting twists and turns. First, a number of likely candidates made it very clear that they had no interest in the position.

Then, Board of Review Commissioner Joe Berrios emerged as leading (only?) contender for the post. Things heated up when west side powerhouse Alderman Ike Carrothers, who had reportedly thrown his support behind Berrios, announced that he too was vying for the spot.

And amidst some very active lobbying on behalf of Berrios and Carrothers, and some potential tension between African-American and Latino committemen, Rep. Lou Lang, who recently became the Niles Township Committeeman, is announcing that he too is seeking the post.

The contest certainly gives the committeemen something to think about. The biggest point of discussion has been why anybody would want the job. Many organizations are in disarray, and any County infrastructure is essentially non-existent. Accordingly, a lot of people envision the job as being a thankless one consisting of fundraising and headaches.

The latent enemy of a local Party organization has been various competing personal agendas and a certain level of distrust among many committeemen. But as the traditional (by Chicago terms) Democratic apparatus continues to erode, the focus needs to turn to ideology and methods to identify, attract and energize Democratic voters.

This would be a great opportunity for a discussion about what the County Party should look like and what it should be doing to help generate interest and expand the base in these changing political times in which we find ourselves.

It will be interesting to watch how coalitions come together or fall apart leading up to the selection of the new chairman. It will be more intriguing to see what happens to the County Party in the future.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Barack Obama, a madrassa, and an e-mail: UPDATED

Okay, it's time for me to talk about the Barack Obama madrassa story. Based on your source, Barack Obama attended a Muslim school, that is a madrassa, while living in Indonesia with his Kansas-born mother and her Muslim Indonesian second husband for two years--the other two years the future senator attended a Catholic school there. Or he went to a Muslim school all four years in Indonesia.

According to his book Audacity of Hope, Obama lived Indonesia for four years, 1967-1971. In the book, Obama doesn't get specific about his schooling there, writing:

Without the money to go to the international school that most expatriate children attended, I went to local Indonesian schools and ran the streets with the children of farmers, servants, and clerks.

Barack's father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr. was raised a Muslim, but according to the Illinois senator, the elder Barack was an atheist.

Both Obama Sr. and his mother, Ann Dunham, are deceased.

Obama's stepfather, Lolo Soetoro--I don't know if he's still living--is generally described as a non-practicing Muslim in the few sources where I can find mention of him.

Then there's the e-mail with the heading, "Let Us Remain Alert!" The e-mail can be found in this Nation article.

In essence the e-mail portrays Obama as a Muslim "Manchurian Candidate" brainwashed by Wahhabi extremists at his madrassa, and that he could be a threat to the United States if he wins the presidency. Problem: Saudi Arabia, home of the extreme form of Islam known as Wahhabism, didn't have the money to fund Muslim schools outside its borders until OPEC began its continuing and unfortunately successful policy of price gouging in 1973.

By that time Obama was living in Hawaii with his maternal grandparents, attending an elite private school.

As far as I can ascertain, Obama was brought up as a secularist. He recently told the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board:

My faith is complicated by the fact that I didn't grow up in a particular religious tradition.

Last week Insight Magazine published an article on Barack's madrassa past, and claims the information on Obama came from the Hillary Clinton camp. But what's in the Insight article matches what's in the "Let Us Remain Alert!" e-mail. But who wrote the e-mail and started distributing it? Is this the first dirty trick of the 2008 presidential campaign?

I received the e-mail several times; the first time was two weeks ago. The Obama people undoubtedly got it too, and in a possible counterstrike, managed today to get this Chicago "free registration required" Tribune article about the church where Obama is a member, the Trinity United Church of Christ, into the paper on the front page, below-the-fold.

The large South Side Chicago church gets a lot of inspiration from the late 1960s "Black Power" movement.

The term "Audacity of Hope," Obama wrote, comes from sermon by the church's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright.

I instantly noticed two glaringly obvious errors in the Fox & Friends report on Obama and his madrasssa schooling. Steve Doocy says that Obama lived in Indonesia for a decade--and as I stated earlier, Obama lived there for only four years. Brian Kilmeade claims that Obama's use of composite characters in his first book, Dreams from My Father, was first noticed by the Chicago Tribune, and the paper blew the whistle on him.

But as Obama writes in the introduction of that book:

For the sake of compression, some of the characters that appear are composites of people I've known, and some appear out of precise chronology. With the exception of my family and a handful of public figures, the names of most characters have been changed for the sake of privacy.

I'm reading Dreams from My Father now.

Barack's full name is Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. Over the last month, much has been made of his middle name. While discussing this with a friend of mine this morning during weekly downtown running get-together with some friends of mine, "Hussein" came up.

And one of my buddies responded, "But he didn't choose that name."

I still believe Obama's biggest hurdle to overcome is the well-documented muck of Illinois politics, as I blogged last week.

Hat tip to Pat Curley of Brainster for the Fox & Friends link.

UPDATE Jan. 22: While plowing through Dreams from My Father, I discovered that Obama's stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, died many years ago of liver disease.

About Soetoro's faith: Here's what Obama wrote in the same book:

Lolo followed a brand of Islam that could make room for the remnants of more ancient animist and Hindu faiths. He explained that a man cold take on the powers of whatever he ate: One day soon, he promised, he would bring home a piece of tiger meat for us to share.

Earlier this morning, Fox & Friends did a follow up story on their Friday report, the one available from YouTube. They said that the Obama camp said it was "completely false" that Obama attended a radical Islamic school. Also, Hillary Clinton's staff denies feeding the story to Insight Magazine.

UPDATE Jan. 23: CNN sent reporter John Vause to Obama's old school yesterday, and Vause discovered, as I stated above, that the school is not a Wahhabi-inspired institution. CNN tracked down an ex-classmate of the senator, who described the school as "general."

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Lisa Madigan Softens Her Abortion Image

Attorney General Lisa Madigan had the hardest of images among pro-lifers when she first ran for statewide office in 2002.

The rumor was that she would try to shut down crisis pregnancy centers.

Not only didn’t she take any such step, which would have completely outraged the pro-life community, but now she has taken action that will please pro-lifers.

Lisa Madigan has agreed to do her job to enforce the soft parental notice law that was passed in the mid-1990’s. (Here's how an underage pregnant girl could avoid the law.)

Politics certainly makes strange bedfellows, as the cliché goes.

More takes like this on McHenry County Blog, where the fight against the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax continues, even if the Democrats are willing to join the effort and you can find something Governor Rod Blagojevich could put on his pro-life resume, if you look closely at Sunday's postings.

Serioiusly.

Well, maybe not completely seriously.

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"Oh boy, this is going to be great!"

First Sneed had a hint of it

Hmmm . . .Dear me. There are rumbles Gov. Blagojevich has been making disparaging comments in public about state House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Rich has provided some more when he reported on a press release from Gov. Blagojevich where he suspended a predatory lending act that Speaker Madigan was a big sponsor/fan of. Seriously however what was the downside of at least starting the pilot program.

Is the Governor trying to get back at Lisa for her having to do her job when it came to parental notification and FOIA stuff? Is he trying to take the speaker down a notch?

I also suspect Mike's folks are looking at the Gov's D-4s and will be more than happy to feed any useful information to reporters.

As a Illinois Republican I have to admit the immortal words of Flounder from Animal House came to mind. "Oh boy, this is going to be great!"

I would put my money on Mike, heck he might take him out just for pure sport at this point.

OneMan

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The New Aurora - no Burnham on the Fox

Take a look at the pictures in The Beacon's story of Shodeen's plans for the new downtown Aurora. It's huge and doesn't look like it does anything to take advantage of the river front.

They should have considered Burnham and Ward's fight to keep the lake-front forever open, free and clear

OpenlineBlog.com posts on Chip Valor's charges that the planning process was sure far less than clear or free,

Now, Chip Valor, a local businessman who is familiar with Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner's methods from dealing with him in early 1990's on the Downer Place Lofts project when Weisner was a city employee, has come forward with serious complaints and wants to see the city void the deals made with Shodeen.

Valor says Weisner's office ignored other proposals and ideas for the land and instead had an exclusive process with Shodeen. The city is also accused of violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act, which should come as no surprise to those familiar with the Weisner administration.

I'm not reflexively anti-development. We in metro Chicago constantly tear down and build anew. But developers best remember one attraction for many of us who moved out here were the long walks and bike rides along the Fox. We're losing that now in many spots.

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Nixonian style democracy at District 150

Get a load of the weasel words coming out of Peoria School District 150 now that the word is out that the administration has picked Manual High School for closure.

"At this point, the superintendent has made no formal recommendation regarding the closing of any high school, nor has he polled any board members regarding this topic," according to a written statement Hinton's office issued this afternoon.

The Journal Star rushed a breaking news update into its Website, and characterized the statement as a denial of "reports" that Hinton is suggestion Manual be closed to help eliminate the district's budget deficit.

How like the Nixon administration during Watergate scandal. The Washington Post or some other newspaper would print some damaging information, but all that the rest of the nation saw wasn't the Associated Press version of the original story, but the White House denial. The Journal Star was one of those newspapers that played along back then, and things haven't changed all that much.

The problem is that NOTHING in this statement contradicts ANYTHING in WMBD 1470's report. WMBD's story includes includes Hinton's statement that he isn't polling members. The article didn't say he was polling members, but was meeting with them to discuss his decisions about what to recommend to the board. And what's the purpose of denying that there's been no "formal recommendation" (a term that has no real definition in this context, anyway) about what high school to close, if any. The question instead is if and when Hinton will put his recommendation into an action item on the agenda of some future board meeting.

The WMBD report -- which is a billion times more credible than anything coming out of School District 150 -- also said the vote could come next month and the that if it passes, there's not going to be a Manual High School next year.

Next month? And the district is pretending like no one is even discussing this out loud? These people have learned nothing from the Glen Oak School debacle. They are doing all the discussion on this behind the scenes, and they want the first public comment on this to happen on the very day a fleshed out final proposal is presented to the board, to be voted upon that meeting or the next. The school board wants to, once again, make it difficult for those inclined to oppose closure to mount any kind of resistance. If the timetable is accurate, it's a certainty that District 150 has no interest in giving the public time to digest this news and ask intelligent questions or independently research the pros and cons.

They are The District. They know best.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.

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Macomb Daily Reports, “State Dems accused of illegal mailings”

Republicans are claiming the state Democratic Party is saving local county board candidates 8.2 cents for every direct mail piece.

Using the state party’s bulk mail permit, mailings for local candidates cost 9.1 cents each, instead of 17.3 cents.

Now before you Democrats have a snit fit, this is about what the Michigan Democratic Party is doing to Republicans at the county board level across the big lake.

I don’t know if Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Mike Madigan has done this in Illinois, but if anyone reading this has information of his branching below the state legislative level, I’d surely appreciate an email to McHenry County Blog.

In any event, the Macomb Daily article is instructive of how a state party can save local candidates money.

The article says that the exchange of money to pay for the postage was less obvious this year than in 2004, when Republicans made their first complaint to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Instead of coming from individual candidates, as it did in 2004, in 2006 it came from the Macomb County Democratic Party, writes reporter Chad Selweski.

The Democrats’ effort in Macomb, located northeast of Detroit, was successful, giving them a pick-up of one seat. They now have 18 out of 24 on the county board.

= = = = =
Much more on McHenry County Blog this weekend.

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No ethnics in Bridgeport Village please

Heard this story on NPR racing around in the car today. Here's the version in the Sun Times,

The luxury homes in developer Thomas Snitzer's Bridgeport Village next to the Chicago River were selling like hotcakes, but Snitzer allegedly lacked one key ingredient.

Grease -- for the palms of the 11th Ward, that is.

And those palms rose up to slap him down -- with ferocity, according to allegations in a lawsuit filed in federal court here Thursday.

The racketeering lawsuit filed by Snitzer contends a top political aide to the mayor, Tim Degnan, and one of Degnan's trusted lieutenants, developer Thomas DiPiazza, tried to shake down Snitzer by demanding favors, kickbacks and a promise not to acquire certain land in Bridgeport that politicians had promised to other developers. Bridgeport has turned into one of the hottest neighborhoods for new housing in Chicago.

When Snitzer refused most requests, the city shut his project down for alleged code violations and went to extraordinary lengths to drive him from the multimillion-dollar development, the lawsuit says.

The radio said one of Degnan's requirements was a limit on the number of ethnics at Bridgeport Village. Hope that's not a shot at Bridgeport's Lithunian Health Food Restaurant. That's my favorite stop for saurkraut soup.

Dock Wall's latest email tells me,

Daley, a lame duck mayor weakened by Federal investigations, can no longer rely upon his traditional means of support: The Sorich conviction sent a clear signal to city employees they may go to jail for doing Daley's dirty work; The Shakman Decree says Daley can't hire, fire or promote people for political reasons, therefore, city employees are not motivated to organize or canvass for his re-election. Daley can't reward people who do political work, or punish those who don't; No one is willing to work for him for free. Because of scrutiny by the Feds, the Hispanic Democratic Organization is not canvassing for Daley. For the first time in history, the powerful Chicago Federation of Labor has decided not to endorse Daley (this may be the biggest blow of all). Absent city employees and HDO, there is no way Daley can win without CFL foot solders and phone banking.

William Dock Walls, the most qualified candidate for Mayor since Harold Washington, will win by a landslide with your support.

I don't know Dock. Habits are hard things to break.

Update: China Town Frankie P writes an excellant post on the Bridgeport Ethos. HT Irish Pirate over at YoChicago

Update: No anon comments on this one. Thanks

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Bollywood Friday - Bollywood Dancers Local 2

Bollywood dancers of Local 2954 celebrate the recent Chicago Federation of Labor endorsement of 50th ward aldermanic candidate Greg Brewer. You may ask, "Bridget, what the hell does Bollywood have to do with Greg Brewer other than the fact that you work for Greg and love Bollywood?". I admit, this is a shameless plug. But, the 50th ward does include the international marketplace that is Devon Avenue, where Bollywood is a staple of the local economy.

In case you're terribly gullible, Chicago Bollywood Dancers aren't unionized. Yet.

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City of Peoria doing pretty good imitation of fascism

Oh, good God.

I read this, and I thought the Journal Star was getting its information from some raving, paranoid lunatic. But it's apparently true: The Peoria Police Department is going around telling used book stores that they have to keep detailed records of all book transactions, which includes making photocopies of the drivers' licenses of the people who sell them books.

I have now seen it all. I might as well just shut this blog down. It is impossible to parody Peoria any more. This city is a parody of itself.

Apparently, this law has been on the books for years in Peoria. Now all of the sudden, someone in city government -- the police, the story says -- has decided to start enforcing this law.

Folks, I an NOT one of the people who cry that the police ought to have better things to do with their time when they make arrests for minor crimes. But for crying out loud people! Is THIS how the city wants to devote precious police manpower? Making sure they know who "sold" used copies of old paperback romances to the Book Rack? What's the going price for one of those bad boys anyway? A buck? Two bucks? Is there an epidemic of book thievery going on? I kinda doubt it, considering all I ever seem to get in exchange for MY used books is store credit.

Is there no one in City Hall who has the slightest sense of history? Keeping a registry of what people are reading sounds like something they did in Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union. Fascism is supposed to be dead, although communism is thriving in out beloved sister city in Red China.

Is there no one -- perhaps in the city's legal department for example -- who has the slightest grasp of the 1st amendment issues involved in this registry?

From a purely business standpoint, is there no one involved in the city's economic development office who might stand up and say this is probably the biggest bundle of red tape the city has ever dumped on small businesses?

And frankly, anyone who could put this plan into motion without realizing there would be an outburst of incredulous outrage is someone who is probably just too plain dumb to hold a job with the city of Peoria. On second thought, it would take someone who works for the government to think was a good idea.

I would suggest that someone ought to be fired for this, but as last month's botched snow removal proved, it is impossible to be so stupid and so incompetent that the City of Peoria will risk a lawsuit by firing your sorry ass.

Good grief.

I've never been happier to live in Pottstown.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.

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Armed Aldermen

And women.

The latest example is Arenda Troutman.

“She just wanted to feel safe,” says the friend who gave it to her.

Now, if she had been smart enough to register it, she would have been legal.

That’s because Chicago aldermen have given themselves the right to carry guns.

If you an ordinary resident of Chicago, you cannot protect yourself.

But your alderman can.

So, don’t get too uppity.

I knew one alderman who got elected to the General Assembly who was armed in Springfield.

I don’t know if he took his gun with him to the chamber, but during the 1970’s another Chicago legislator most assuredly did.

Do you know which, if any, state representatives and senators are carrying guns today?

It’s a good thing that Alderwoman Troutman kept her gun at home. It’s difficult imagine where she would put it when she goes dancing. (Photo from her campaign web site.)

To provide a little balance, I’ll link to the story about the female Cook County Correctional Officer who left her gun—she had permission to have it because she had been sworn in as a deputy sheriff—in her unlocked glove box.

When I read the story yesterday, it was not clear that her 6-year old grandson had shot himself.

I thought of the bill I got to the House floor in the late 1990’s that would have allowed correctional officers and retired lawmen to carry guns. It failed after the NRA opposed it because it did not include everybody. The highlight of the after dinner debate was when one drunken Democrat spoke incoherently against it.

I introduced the bill because some prison guards at Stateville had been followed back to their Chicago and suburban home neighborhoods and attacked by gang members whose jailed friends apparently had not received enough "respect" in prison.

More of this kind of stuff at McHenry County Blog, where this was first posted.

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Cole-Simon Showdown Looms in Carbondale

Illinois Rte. 13, the main east-west drag through the southern Illinois City of Carbondale, in Jackson County, is like a boulevard straight from an old Frank Capra movie. Entering students at Southern Illinois University (SIU) have to be struck by the small-town charm of the dual one-way streets housing a business distrinct in between.There are ample shopping and dining opportunities in what will be their home for four years. Few cities in the state are surrounded by so many state parks, lakes, wildlife refuges and nature preserves. And for those who pine for an occasional night in the big city, St. Louis is only an hour and a half away.

But in the early years of the decade, many had come to think a sort of 'Potterville' was beginning to intrude on their wonderful life. Some shops had closed down leaving only blight behind. Housing starts had slowed to barely one a month. Ugly, unkempt vacant lots, broken windows and peeling paint were becoming an ever more common eyesore. For most, if you didn't have a job at the University or the hospital, you were either a student or unemployed. Business owners complained that the city wasn't interested in helping them - and more businesses were looking for a way out than were looking for a way in.

Though Jackson County is conservative territory Carbondale, like most college towns, leans Democrat. Though city elections are non-partisan, the mayor's office was almost always held by a Democrat.

But in 2003, then 30-year-old Brad Cole thought he saw an opportunity, both for himself and the city. Cole had received both his undergraduate and law degrees from SIU. He served a term as student body president there in the early 90s. He had a good feel for the school and its culture. He had served as a deputy chief of staff to former Gov. George Ryan, so he had a feel for politics. Cole believed that reigniting economic development was key to putting the city on the move again. To do that one had to treat business owners as partners rather than adversaries. He was also convinced that students at SIU should be treated as residents of the city, not as transients. So he launched his uphill campaign for mayor, rallying both business leaders and, surprisingly, college students behind his bid.

It worked, but just barely. Cole eked out a nail-biting victory of just a few hundred votes and set to work on the revitalization he had promised.

By all accounts, including many local otherwise left-leaning blogs, his tenure has been a huge success. He established the city's first-ever tax-increment financing (TIF) district and used it to clean up 30 acres of downtown blight, transforming it into prime real estate. Housing starts are up to 200 per year, more each month than were started each year when he took over. To underline the common missions the city and SIU share, all campus property was annexed into the corporate city limits. Cole got $750,000 in state grants to start work on a central public safety center. He had originally proposed eliminating the city's share of property tax while a member of the city council and has kept that tax off the books during his tenure. He promises that as long as he is mayor the city will not collect a property tax.

The coalition of university students he rallied around him was not just a one-time stunt to get elected. Since starting his term he has regularly appointed students to local boards and commissions.

"I believe the college students should be treated just like any other resident," Cole commented, adding it would be foolish to waste the great resource those students represent during the time they are part of the community.

In perhaps one of the most intriguing developments - and one particularly appropriate to building a vibrant central city in a college town, Cole plans to make all of downtown, including public parks, WiFi accessible.

Meantime, to keep economic development simmering and relations with the business community strong, Cole started a Business Development Roundtable with members from local government, industry, retail and the college which meets quarterly.

Cole plans to duplicate the same coalition that got him elected the first time around, only this time with the added benefit of a record to run on - and one that has seen dramatically improved relations between the city, the people who do business there, and the university.
Jackson County Republican Chairman John Tourville thinks it will be a hotly contested race, as the city has traditionally leaned Democrat, but believes Cole's successful tenure has done a lot to make the race more manageable. Perhaps a notable tealeaf to be read is that while in most places in 2006, Republicans were being washed away in a Democratic tidal wave, Jackson County made Republican gains, including the pickup of an open county board seat previously held by Democrats. Significantly, that seat included precincts in the City of Carbondale.
Tourville knows how important the mayor's seat is and promises that the Republican Committee will actively work for Cole. "We will work hard for him," Tourville said.
Carbondale holds a non-partisan primary on Feb. 27. The top two vote-getters in that battle will face each other on April 17. Though three other candidates have filed, everyone expects the ultimate battle to be between Cole and Sheila Simon.

Simon is the daughter of the late Sen. Paul Simon. She has served as a city council member for the last three years, working on both the planning commission and energy and environmental advisory committee. She is an attorney who has taught law at SIU for the last seven years. Before that Simon was an Asst. State's Atty. and worked in private practice. Surprisingly, to this point, though she has been running since last summer, Simon has offered no specific criticisms of Cole's tenure or specific plans on what she would do. (Not to worry for those who think I am too partisan - at the end of this I will print the website addresses for both Cole and Simon. You can judge for yourself.) But that is not to say she is anything other than a formidable candidate. Besides being listed as a key target for 2007 by the Illinois Democratic Network, the Democrats are marshalling their big guns on her behalf. Both Democratic Senators, Dick Durbin and Barack Obama have already been out on her behalf.

Locals, though, are puzzled by the high-profile support of former city planner Tom Redmond on her behalf. Many consider his chilly and sometimes adversarial relations with the business community as one of the reasons Cole won the first time.

A quick survey (by NO means scientific) of locals - and peeking into local blog sites indicates that unless Simon gets specific and offers some compelling reason for change, Cole should win re-election, provided he runs a solid campaign and doesn't get swamped by outside money.
For more information on the candidates, visit Brad Cole's website at www.teambrad.com and Sheila Simon's website at www.sheilasimon.com.

Cross-posted at www.illinoisreview.typepad.com

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JUSTICE SPOTLIGHT: The Creator of "Wacky Warning Label" Contest

This is the first in what we hope will be a regular series of Q&A's with policy and opinion leaders who are making a difference in the fight for common sense lawsuit reforms. This week, we had the opportunity to interview Bob Dorigo Jones, president of Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (M-LAW). Bob is the brainchild behind M-LAW's annual "Wacky Warning Label Contest," which garners major national media coverage each year. This year, he released "Remove Child Before Folding, The 101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever" - a hilarious new book based on M-LAW’s annual warning label contest.

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Q: How long have you been doing this contest?

BDJ: M-LAW’s Wacky Warning Label Contest started in 1997. The first year, the contest winners were selected by the host of a new afternoon radio program on WJR, AM-760 in Detroit: Mitch Albom (the same Mitch Albom who went on to author three of the bestselling books of the past decade including Tuesdays With Morrie). For the past six years, the winners have been selected by the audience of the popular Radio Hall of Fame personality, Dick Purtan, on WOMC 104.3 FM in Detroit from a list compiled by M-LAW.< Q: What was the impetus to start doing it?

BDJ: M-LAW started the Wacky Warning Label Contest because we thought we could use humor as a hook to engage the media and the public in a more serious debate about how excessive litigation is harming our society. People love reading about these wacky warnings, and they want to hear the stories behind them and about loony lawsuits.

However, most people tune out conversation about tort reform either because it’s confusing or they’re too busy to listen. We use the media attention from the contest to increase awareness about how groups like the Girl Scouts and Little League are hurt by high litigation costs, and about how consumers ultimately pay for lawsuit abuse.

Most people want to learn more about the need for legal reform when they understand it’s a family and community problem, not just an issue for insurance and tobacco companies and big corporations.


Q: How many contest entries do you get in a given year? How do you choose the ones that you publicize - or that went into the book?

BDJ: An average of 150-200 people from around the United States send M-LAW wacky warning labels each year. For the contest, we choose labels that give consumers obvious, common sense advice or warnings and that were likely placed on products in response to a lawsuit or because of a concern about lawsuits. We do not accept warnings that warn against a risk that isn’t common knowledge. A warning on a fishing lure with huge hooks on it that says, “Harmful if swallowed,” qualifies, whereas a warning on a box of PMS Midol that says, “Do not use if you have an enlarged prostate,” doesn’t. The Midol warning may be funny, but the risk of prostate damage from using the product isn’t common knowledge.


Q: The Wacky Warning Labels contest gets a lot of attention- and garners a lot of laughs from the public. On the other hand -doesn't the fact that there are so many of these warning labels each and every year say something about our culture?

BDJ: Yes, that’s exactly why we sponsor the contest. Product makers have to constantly look over their shoulder for the next lawsuit in our society, even if they haven’t done anything wrong. In a nation where someone can dunk a ball while playing basketball, catch their teeth in the net, then sue the company that makes the nets and walk away from the lawsuit with $50,000, there is something very wrong with the courts. That someone would file such a frivolous lawsuit says something about our culture, but the fact that a judge didn’t dismiss it and penalize the person who filed it says something, too. We want to change that and put common sense and personal responsibility back to work in the civil justice system.


Q: Do you think there's a disconnect in the public between seeing these labels as outrageous ...and understanding the underlying reason we have so many of these labels?

BDJ: Yes, but many people are so busy with their jobs, family and other things that they don’t have time to stop and consider the fact that these labels are all around us because of the constant threat of lawsuits facing manufacturers. However, that is changing because of our contest and the efforts of others involved in legal reform.


Q: Other than their sheer comic nature - what is the real cost to society of these wacky warning labels?

BDJ: As fear of litigation continues to make these kinds of warning labels necessary, and as labels become longer and more absurd, there is a real concern that fewer people actually read them. After all, why spend the time reading warnings about risks that are common sense? Therefore, the personal injury lawyers who say they are protecting consumers by filing frivolous lawsuits that lead to these kinds of warnings are actually hurting public safety efforts in the long run. That is the real cost to consumers.


Q: Have you ever been threatened with lawsuits by any of the wacky label "offenders"?

Banish the thought! No. Actually, M-LAW has been thanked by some of the product makers for using the contest to highlight the erratic nature of the legal system that forces them to put these kinds of warnings on their products. They understand that we hold this contest to educate the public. We’re not making fun of the manufacturers; we’re highlighting a broken legal system. If more people in our society understand that litigation is such a problem that the maker of a wood router has to put a warning on its product saying, “This product is not intended for use as a dental drill,” legal reform is more likely to happen. When that time comes, wacky warning labels won’t be necessary.


Q: In terms of media coverage, Web site hits, etc. ... what is the "return on investment" of M-LAW doing this project?

BDJ: M-LAW simply could not afford to buy the kind of media coverage generated by the Wacky Warning Label Contest. Aside from the cash prizes, there is very little cost. In addition to the public education value, the contest has created opportunities for M-LAW to work with other groups like the American Justice Partnership and Common Good on projects that will provide benefits to families and communities. This contest has opened a lot of doors for our small organization, and we’re working hard to make the best use of these opportunities.


Q: On your Web site, you have a button people can click if they are a"Lawsuit Abuse Victim." Has this been effective in finding real victims of lawsuit abuse?

Absolutely! As I mentioned above, one of the benefits of the contest is that it opens new doors and allows us to partner with other efforts, and the American Justice Parntership’s Victims Project is a great example of that. In a two-day span after M-LAW announced the results of our contest this January, our website was visited by more than 100,000 people. Many of those people shared stories with us about how they were victimized by lawsuit abuse, and we will be using these stories with the AJP to help policymakers understand that common sense legal reform is needed.


Q: M-LAW has recently been heavily involved in the fight to protect Michigan's FDA defense law. How is that fight progressing? How might that effort spill over into a broader effort by the trial bar?

Michigan’s FDA defense law provides reasonable protection from lawsuits for those who make the medicines that help make us healthy or keep us healthy. The personal injury lawyers argue our society would be better off with contingency-fee lawyers filing more lawsuits against an already beleaguered industry. We disagree very strongly with that and believe recent lawsuits based on junk science illustrate the need for tough laws in this area.

The FDA is extremely careful about approving medicine, so much so that some patients who don’t have time to wait for the FDA’s lengthy approval process to run its course go to other countries for medicines and treatments.

As a father and a husband, health care is one of my top concerns, and the last thing I want to hear if someone in my family becomes ill is that the medicine they need isn’t available because a pharmaceutical company decided to halt research due to fear of lawsuits or because litigation costs robbed them of needed investment money. That happens today, but if more states had a law like Michigan’s, which provides protection for drugmakers – and penalties if a company defrauds the FDA – we would all be better off.

Many political pundits believe the personal injury lawyers’ efforts to repeal this law will meet with more success in the next two years because so many of the new Democratic House Majority’s campaign victories were heavily financed by members of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association. We are hopeful that reason will prevail, and we are working with groups like the Manhattan Institute to educate policymakers about the benefits of the current law.


Q: Looking more broadly at the national and state-based effort to enact meaningful legal reforms ... there has been significant media devoted recently to the notion that the trial bar may be losing the legal reform battle. Do you think this is true or false? In your opinion, when will the fight for legal reform truly be won?

BDJ: Those who support legal reform are definitely making progress, but I think we have a long, long way to go before we can say the trial bar is losing the battle. There has been incremental progress in certain areas of the law, but businesses, medical professionals, community groups and others in most parts of the country are still very vulnerable to a paralyzing meritless lawsuit at any given point in time. If we were to go around the country and ask those who are most vulnerable to being sued if they feel like they’ve beaten the trial bar, I believe we would hear a resounding “No.”

However, I believe the trial bar is losing the American public because the public is becoming more aware that we – as a nation – are not better off for living in the most lawsuit-plagued society on earth. We pay more for products and services, we lose out on some innovative consumer products, and the constant threat of a lawsuit is discouraging volunteers from becoming involved in certain things. The problem is that the trial bar spends millions of dollars to help elect judges and lawmakers who are sympathetic to their views. Until reformers can match their clout either through public education, funding support or other proactive means, the road to reform will be a long one.


Q: Anything else that you want to add?

Yes, we encourage all of your readers to go buy a lot of copies of our new book, that "Remove Child Before Folding, The 101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever" is based on M-LAW’s Wacky Warning Label Contest.

Seriously, we are very pleased that one of the largest publishers in the world, Warner Books, published this book and that it will introduce a whole new audience to the wackiness of our legal system and the need for reform. After reading the book, you won’t know whether to laugh or cry about the state of America’s legal system.

This inexpensive book is available at all major bookstores and can purchased online by clicking here.

It’s the perfect gift for any consumer, business person, lawyer, doctor, professional, grandparent and student. Did we leave anyone out? We should also mention that all the royalties from the book go to support non-partisan efforts to restore fairness and reliability to the courts.

See pictures of the outrageous labels that won this year’s contest and enter a label to win the $500 grand prize by going to our website at: http://wackywarnings.com/


Q: Thank you.

BDJ: Thank you for the opportunity, especially considering our Detroit Tigers unseated your White Sox as the American League Champions last year. Glad you don’t hold a grudge against a Detroit guy! Of course, the White Sox actually won the World Series when they got there, so we know how good you are!

To read or post comments, visit Illinois Justice Blog.

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Paper Tigers

Cross posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

ICPR supports protecting the integrity of elections. We believe that candidates should demonstrate a level of popular support before they can be listed on the ballot. We believe that election officials should do what they must to ensure smooth-running elections. And we believe that voters have a right to know about candidates' personal finances generally and their campaign finances specifically.

We are troubled, though, by media reports of candidates being knocked off the ballot for failing to cross every t and dot every i when they file petitions. What began as a process to ensure that voters would see only candidates making serious runs for office has in some places devolved into a process that ensures that voters see only the names of incumbents.

In at least three instances, candidates for office in Chicago, Decatur and Forest Park were thrown off the ballot for failing to file the receipt for their Statement of Economic Interest along with their petitions. In each of these instances, the candidates claim that they did in fact file the Statements of Economic Interest prior to filing petitions, ensuring that voters had access to the same information about them as about other candidates. But due to clerical error, a misunderstanding of Illinois' election law, or forgetfulness, they did not file the receipt for the Statement along with their petitions. And for that reason alone, they won't be on the ballot.

It's hard to see how the public interest is served in this instance by denying voters the chance to see these candidates on the ballot. Illinois' Constitution requires that candidates file Statements of Economic Interest and says that any candidate who fails to do so forfeits the right to appear on the ballot (office holders, too, forfeit their office by failing to file). But these candidates did file the Statement. It's only in statute that the law directs election authorities to deny candidates a spot on the ballot for not filing the receipt.

These rules seem arbitrary and intended for some purpose other than protecting the integrity of the election, especially since some flaws can be fixed after the petitions are filed while others, like the Statement receipt, cannot. The goal of the election is to give voters a choice among serious, credible candidates to select who is best fit to hold office. The rules should not be used unreasonably to narrow that choice to one between the incumbent and nobody else.

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Mr. Skinny kneels before the Tall One

I don’t know if my contact within the Barack camp is O’full of it, but Mr. 73% may tour Lincoln’s tomb during his Springfield Presidential announcement.

I suggested last week that all REPUBLICAN Presidential candidates must travel to papa Lincoln’s tomb to reflect on why we are Republicans and how we have deviated from the ideals of the party he created.

Apparently, one candidate really liked my idea: but it was DEMOCRAT Obama, who may beat every GOP pretender to the punch and launch his Presidency with Lincoln’s legacy and tomb as a backdrop.

I promise you this: if Barack tours Lincoln’s tomb, I may vote for the Skinny One.

I have always like him personally, but touring the tomb shows class and a reverence of history that transcends party lines.

CP: Illinois Shadow

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Why Campaign Finance Reform?

Cross posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

Papers around the state have touted the need for campaign finance reform. The Bloomington Pantagraph editorialized this weekend, "Putting limits on donations made by individuals, parties, corporations and political action committees to political campaigns may not end corruption in Illinois. But it would be a good start." Jim Muir's Sunday column in the Southern quoted John Jackson, a visiting Professor at SUIC, "this bothers the people of Illinois and the indication is that we are very skeptical and quite cynical, and probably campaign finance is the number one reason behind that skepticism and cynicism… As a people we are very skeptical that [elected officials] come awfully close to being for sale." And the Rock Island Argus and Moline Dispatch wrote that pay to play reform "is essential to restore faith in a state government that many consider one of the most corrupt in the country."

We agree with all of them. Illinois' campaign finance rules are the most wide-open, least regulated in the nation. Any candidate can take as much money from any donor as they can persuade the donor to part with. And the result is voter cynicism about the conflict between constituents and contributors for official's loyalties.

Campaign finance reform is nobody's top issue. Most people assume government will be well-run and responsive to voters concerns. When it's not, however, voters start asking why they're not getting what they deserve from their elected officials. By allowing specialized interests to target huge donations -- not just tens of thousands of dollars at a time but multiples of average annual household earnings -- to candidates for office, Illinois' Election Code fosters the impression that bribes and campaign donations are the same thing. To restore public faith in government, and to make clear that constituents matter far more than contributors each and every time that an elected casts a vote, Illinois must change the way campaigns are funded.

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Alsammarae's back home

And no response to my email to Obama's office if he supports Iraq's efforts to get him back.

From KansasCity.com: Former Iraqi electricity minister returns to Illinois home, (Originally in the Chicago Tribune)

After spending four months in an Iraqi prison and pulling off an audacious jailbreak, Aiham Alsammarae flew quietly back into Chicago and was behind the desk of his Downers Grove, Ill., engineering firm Tuesday.

In an hourlong interview, the former Iraqi electricity minister who is still wanted on corruption charges in his native Iraq gave new details of his escape. The dramatic jailbreak included a high-speed run to the Baghdad International Airport, a private jet that flew him out of the country and back-channel talks with Iraqi political leaders on how to extricate himself.

The Iraqi judge overseeing the case expressed surprise that Alsammarrae had turned up in Chicago, and vowed to take "all legal measures" to return him to Iraq.

and a little more...

Alsammarae, who has long been friends with indicted political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, also sought to distance himself from allegations that he oversaw Rezko's bid to build a power plant in northern Iraq.

Alsammarae said he learned through news reports that federal authorities are interested in speaking to him about his relationship with Rezko, but he said that authorities have made no attempts to contact him. The two have been "good friends" since they met while studying for advanced degrees at the Illinois Institute of Technology in the late 1970s, Alsammarae said.

The power plant was never built and Rezko's $150 million contract is no longer in effect. Alsammarae declined to give further details about the project, but said that he would be willing to speak with federal authorities about it. He added that the project was under the Kurdish Regional Government authority and outside his purview.

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Another Potential Flip-Flop Documented—School Districts

I've been covering Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley's flip-flop regarding not using condemnation on an over $100 million Tax Increment Financing district, so when this Carpentersville School District situation came up, I thought it deserved a story.

Jeffrey Gaunt, the Daily Herald reporter has set the stage for documenting “a possibility (of) directly contradict(ing) statements Arndt, Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates and former school board President John Court made before last spring’s election.”

By now Carpentersville School District 300 and Huntley's 158 officials must wish Gaunt would be transferred to another reporting beat, don’t you think?

In a Tuesday article, Gaunt calls the three school officials on considering using a high cost borrowing method called “capital appreciation bonds.”

I can’t improved on Gaunt’s definition, so I won’t try. They are

bonds (that) allow school districts and other taxing bodies to delay loan interest payments.

In the short term, the bonds allow the taxing body to hold down tax rates.

But in the long term, those delayed interest payments are compounded, and taxpayers end up footing even larger bills.

Gaunt and fellow reporter Emily Krone (who covers the Elgin School District) did a splendid analysis of high cost bonds, which was unfortunately published after the election at which all sorts of bond issues were on the ballot, if memory serves me correctly.

In any event, the three District 300 folks told the Daily Herald’s editorial board they would not use such high cost bonds.

But, now they’re considering it, supposedly, because the big, bad state government did not come through with a state subsidy.

Of course, anyone with a brain knew that the state was in financial trouble and was unlikely to be able to afford continuing the huge subsidies the Capital Development Board had previously paid.

The administrators said the District 300 Board of Education would make the decision.

Again, stating the obvious.

Now I’m beginning to wonder if this is where the money will come from to buy Summit School.

And, guess who was representing William Blair & Company at District 300?

It's that smiling blond who was at Crystal Lake School District 47's board meeting in December. I learned her name is Elizabeth Hennessy.

She is also the consultant for Grayslake School District 46, which is backing off on promises to abate property taxes, according to Daily Herald reporter Lee Filas' story today.

The headline on the Grayslake story:

Grayslake school board rejects earlier pledge of tax rebate

The result:

the district will keep the $6.9 million it collected over the state-imposed debt limit as part of the $23.2 million referendum that funded construction of Prairieview and Frederick schools.

= = = = =

The top photo is of District 300 Superintendent Kenneth Arndt. Second is one of Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates conferrering with Tom Hay, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.

The bottom head shot is of Wm. Blair & Company consultant Elizabeth Hennessy.

Posted first at McHenry County Blog where you can read about the 62 million internet prescription doc from Crystal Lake who just got sentenced in Iowa.

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Obama and Islam

I sat throught the Martin Luther King sermon at Chuch Sunday and the unmentioned guy who crossed my mind as best living up to Martin Luther King's legacy, but failed to cross my minister's lips, was Ayat-Ullah Ali Al-Sistani.

Here's a quote from the petition to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize,

We belong to various religious, ethnic and various professions and system of thoughts – however, we united in respecting social peace and brotherhood of all races and cultures of Humanity.

Mr. Sistani gave Muslims all around the globe a good example how to follow peaceful ways to resolve complex social-political challenges that face them, condemning terror and emphasizing to Millions of Muslims to follow rules of law and respect to humane, peaceful methods and civic norms to promote social peace and political-civic peaceful practices in the Iraqi , Muslim and Int’l societies. We deeply believe that the contribution of Ayat-Ullah Ali Al-Sistani has helped Iraqi society to avoid civil and multiethnic violent conflicts that terrorists intended to draw, and by this he has promoted peace and respect to human brotherhood in Iraq, the region, and all over the world- and that is why we believe Al-Sistani deserves the Nobel prize for Peace.

I sadly suspect Sistani was the furtherst man from Senator Obama's thoughts MLK day. Here's Eric Krol's column and a quote where the Senator tells us,

...Obama said he thinks a majority of the Senate will agree by week’s end to a nonbinding resolution against President Bush’s plan to send more troops to Iraq.

“That will give us, I think, the impetus and the political symbolism to then start pursuing a more concrete plan to constrain the president,” said Obama, who is calling for the immediate draw down of troops from Iraq.

Senator Obama surrounded himself with lots of Christian symbols Monday. I hope the politics of constraining Bush don't lead him to betray Muslim allies who honor King's legacy at risk of their lives better than many of us in Illinois.

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Crespo Steps Down from Village Board

From the Daily Herald:

Crespo gives up village board

Newly elected state Rep. Fred Crespo resigned his post as a Hoffman Estates village trustee on Monday, setting the stage for the battle to replace him on the increasingly fractured board.

The announcement marked a change of course for Crespo, who said last month that he would keep his trustee seat until sometime this spring.

After beginning his term in the house last week, though, Crespo said he realized that keeping both jobs would be unrealistic.

"I've found out quickly how much work it is to be a state rep," Crespo said. "It would just be really hard to devote the amount of time to the village board that it deserves."

Mayor Bill McLeod accepted Crespo's resignation letter, calling him a friend and "one of the most thorough and hard-working trustees I've ever had the privilege to serve with."

A wise and selfless move by Crespo, who is sure to be a top legislative target in 2008. I wish it were a precedent for Illinois lawmakers, who've often held onto multiple elected positions in the past, due to loopholes in state law. I can't remember them all now, and some are surely good people, but it doesn't present the best image of "public servants."

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All Systems Are Go

Just got done with a conference call with Senator Obama and a 100 or so supporters. Having known him for a decade now, I still can't help but be struck by how well he has absorbed the incredible amount of attention that has been heaped upon him. The man still sounds as sincere today as he did in 1996.

He told the group that he and his family are eager for what the future may hold. He spoke of making an announcement February 10 in Springfield, and of the desire to focus on a grassroots campaign fueled by 'excitement' and the 'sense of possibility'. This is the same fundamental theme that was the backbone of his Senate campaign and that lit up the country at the national convention.

I don't know what the campaign may bring, but I feel very confident that Barack's presence will elicit a debate and optimism that has been lacking for far too long.

For those looking for more information about the campaign or wanting to see the latest videos, visit www.barackobama.com.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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State Party Sets a Tone

The Illinois Republican Party's State Central Committee evoked cheers and jeers last Saturday by formally calling on National Committeeman Bob Kjellander to resign and by suspending the ability of two organizations, the Republican Assembly of Lake County (RALC) and the Forum of Independents and Republicans of Schaumburg Township (FIRST), from using the name, 'Republican', in official documents.

Both actions may be largely symbolic. Kjellander insists he will not resign regardless of who calls for it. While FIRST has been quiet, the RALC and its supporters have been screaming about the rebuke. Unless the State Republican Party is prepared to file suit for infractions, there is probably little recourse against either organization continuing to use the word 'Republican' in general usage.

But that is not to say the party's actions are futile. In the course of the meeting, Chairman Andy McKenna announced he will form a Republican Study Group to help chart a course for the future. He plans to appoint members to this group from various existing activist groups and officials from around the state. The idea is to expand the party's outreach and develop a plan that engages all authentically Republican groups, so as to begin healing the fissures that have so damaged the party in recent years. McKenna also indicated he plans to rely much more heavily on the Republican County Chairmans' Assn. than the party has in the past.

This is a very good development. The Republican Party was being hollowed out in the many years the State Central Committee was treated as a mere figurehead body to be manipulated by shadowy power brokers. Astute observers were able to predict the demise of the party a decade ago just based on that fact. A political organization that operates exclusively from the top down is an organization that is headed for a fall, no matter how powerful it seems. A political organization that works effectively from the bottom up is on the road to recovery, no matter how weak it seems. If these become genuine task forces, rather than pr task forces, the party is genuinely on the road to recovery.

Yet if the party is to expand its outreach in a divided time, it is appropriate (perhaps even vital) for the party to establish what is and is not acceptable behavior.
Whether or not he has done anything wrong, Kjellander has become as much the poster boy for Republican profiteering politics as Gov. Rod Blagojevich is for Democrats. His continued presence in a high level role almost certainly damages Republican fortunes in Illinois. In fact, the high level role he is playing in Mitt Romney's campaign for president significantly reduces Romney's chances of winning the Illinois primary.

The penchant of FIRST and RALC to spend their time working the politics of the grudge against fellow Republicans damages Republican chances in general wherever they operate. (Full disclosure - I had been a member of the RALC for the last two years. I allowed my membership to lapse this year. Though I agree with the organization's written principles, its principle officers seem obsessed with accomplishing through various forms of litigation what they can't accomplish at the ballot box - and that usually translates into far more attacks on fellow Republicans than on Democrats).

The fact is if you want to get a demolition crew all you have to do is hang around any street corner and you'll find plenty of qualified people in short order. If you want to find architects and a construction crew you'll have to spend a little more time and be a lot more picky. We already have more than enough people on Republican demolition crews. The State Party did well in establishing that what we want is a committed construction crew.

Cross-posted at www.illinoisreview.typepad.com

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Chicago big box wage dispute highlights union fibbing

Last year in Chicago a union-backed proposal to impose a minimum wage only on big box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target was vetoed by Mayor Richard Daley.

The Chicago City Council was unable to muster up the votes to override his veto.

It's election time again in Chicago--next month the first round of municipal elections take place.

Organized labor hasn't forgotten about "big-box." And I haven't forgotten about some comments made by a top Chicago union official made last summer.

Originally from the Chicago Sun-Times and reposted here. The quotes come from Ald. Bernard Stone:

"The unions have backed aldermen against the wall. They've threatened to fund opponents against them and to solicit opponents to run against" those who dare to oppose the big-box ordinance, Stone said

"I'm not stupid. I know certain aldermen have been threatened. That's the type of campaign the unions have run. I think it's despicable what's been done. They figure they've got us by the short hairs."

Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon, who has led the charge for the big-box ordinance, emphatically denied strong-arming aldermen.

"I can categorically tell you that the Chicago Federation of Labor has not made any threats to any alderman at any time," Gannon said.

From today's Chicago "free registration required" Tribune:

"We've got a fight on our hands on every issue that we bring over to City Hall these days," said Gannon, who leads the Chicago Federation of Labor.

As the Feb. 27 elections for City Council approach, Gannon and other labor leaders are working to elect new aldermen who will be friendlier to labor and more independent of the mayor. With the unions certain that Daley is headed toward an easy win, the battles over council seats could be the biggest races in town.

The tipping point for many labor organizations was Daley's veto last year of a proposal to raise wages for employees of "big box" retail stores such as Wal-Mart.

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

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SEIU and the Aldermen

The Trib today on Election heightens Daley-labor strain: Unions are backing council hopefuls who will stand up to him.

Their targets are Madeline Haithcock (2nd), Dorothy Tillman (3rd), Darcel Beavers (7th), George Cardenas (12th), Shirley Coleman (16th), Howard Brookins (21st), Daniel Solis (25th), Ted Matlak (32nd), Emma Mitts (37th), Burton Natarus (42nd), Vi Daley (43rd) and Bernard Stone (50th). They also are supporting a candidate for the 15th Ward seat vacated recently by Theodore Thomas.

Though the SEIU has backed challengers in many of those wards, union officials say there is more than one acceptable alternative in some races and they are waiting to see who will emerge as the most viable candidates.

I don't know how fearful I'd be of an institution that sits back and waits for viable candidates to emerge.

Are SEIU's friends that hard to see in these races? Or is SEIU just foggy about what it means to be a friend of Labor?

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On Having to Provide Policy Suggestions

There is an interesting comment from “respectful” yesterday under my McHenry County Blog posting on the Democrats wanting to raise taxes:

Tell us how to meet our obligations to the pensions, Medicaid, and other entitlements without raising taxes and without going deeper into debt?

Of course, I did this in 2002 when I ran for governor as a Libertarian.

Look at this chart.

It includes both general fund and the capital budget from Fiscal Year 1992 through FY 2002. Do you notice that Governor George Ryan had figured out he had to cut spending?

(Guess how many of the budgets I voted for my last four years in office.)

Maybe George was too late for the downturn in revenues, but he did figure it out.

That allowed Democratic Party candidate Ron Blagojevich to energize the state employees whose institutional jobs were threatened. Anyone want to figure out which institutions Ryan closed (or budgeted to close), plus built, but never opened, that Blagojevich promised to keep open, re-open or open for which Blagojevich’s promises went by the wayside?

Since then, general fund revenues have gone up, what, about a billion a year? (I haven’t kept track.)

But so has spending.

And that is a basic problem for taxoholic and spendaholic Democrats (and Republicans, if the shoe fits). They have spent even when the money was not there. Here’s a 12-step program I suggestion in 2002 for the taxoholics in Springfield.

So my solution then was basically to stop spending more money and let revenues catch up.

File your condemnation below or on McHenry County Blog, where the rest of the article is located.

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Sen. Obama in Harvey

From The Sun Times

"If I recall Dr. King, he wasn't hanging out in Manhattan. Dr. King was not in Beverly Hills. Folks said 'Why are you going to Harvey? Harvey has lots a problems.' I said that why I'm going to Harvey."

No OneMan was not at the event I was out of town. I did grow up right by Harvey (Dolton), so I know the area and know a bit about the issues facing the area. Will this silence some of the critics?
The audio from the Sun Times.

A bit more over at OneMan's Thoughts
OneMan

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Katrina Case a Victory for all Consumers

Big Business loves to blame individual victims for "frivilous" lawsuits clogging the courts.
Panera Bread's lawsuit contending that a burrito is really a sandwich remind us that it's more often big business that is responsible for clogging our courts with frivolity.

One of the outrages following Hurricane Katrina (atop the failure of the federal government to plan, prepare for, and execute a response to the long-awaited storm) was that consumers were forced to go to court to collect from their own insurance companies. Insurers claimed that Hurricane Katrina was in fact a Flood Katrina, and floods were not covered by their policy.

On Thursday, consumers scored a major victory against State Farm Insurance, when a federal judge ordered $223,292 in economic damages and a jury ordered $2.5 million in punative damages to a Mississippi couple whose home was wiped out by the storm. Of course, the normally litigation-hating insurance company is planning on dragging out the case and delaying justice by filing an appeal. Still, the case could have implications for thousands of other State Farm policyholders wiped out by Katrina:

The Broussards' case isn't directly involved in recent settlement talks between State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and policyholders' lawyers.

People with direct knowledge of the settlement talks told the Associated Press this week that State Farm, Mississippi's largest home insurer, is considering paying hundreds of millions of dollars to settle more than 600 lawsuits and resolve thousands of other disputed claims.

Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, an attorney who represents 639 State Farm policyholders in the settlement talks, said he doesn't know how the judge's ruling on Thursday will affect the negotiations.

Randy Maniloff, a Philadelphia-based lawyer who represents insurers and has closely followed the Katrina litigation, said Senter's ruling is a "huge verdict" for homeowners even if the jury didn't award punitive damages.

"That settlement is looking awfully good for State Farm now," he added.

Hood, a Democrat, called the refusal of insurers to pay claims, and efforts to coerce policyholders into signing forms stating damages were caused by flooding (or their payments will be withheld) "contrary to public policy" and "unconscionable." In addition to State Farm Fire and Casualty Co., Hood has also named Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co. in the suit. That's right, the "Good Hands" people.

The case is the most recent reminder for consumers everywhere that the insurance industry's long-running p.r. campaign against plaintiffs' attorneys is built on a foundation of sand, mud and muck. Insurance companies are the ultimate "fair weather friends"; they love us as long as we're paying our premiums, but when we come to collect on our coverage, they're nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, recent cases like the Vioxx-caused death of a triathelete and aerobics instructor remind us that trial lawyers are easy to hate until you need one.

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19th Ward Alderman Ginger Rugai's Night- The Proof is in the People!

The Bears really worked over the pace-makers and central nervous systems of Chicago from Noon to about Three O'Clock on Sunday January 14th. But the pay-off was in the playoff advance - Read Chicago Sun Times Mike Mulligan's account of the working-man Robbie Gould's ethic on page 4.

As former construction worker Gould was sealing the deal, the crew at the sprawling Bourbon Street restaurant/Sports bar/Concert Venue/banquet hall/Third-Airport was preparing for the residents of the 19th Ward for Alderman Ginger Rugai's Campaign Kick-off. Valet's worked at the double-quick, security guards roamed the massive parking lot on 115th Street between Central Park on the west all the way to Kedzie- east. It was beginning to shower rain and getting colder. Parking for the Bears Game was probably a cake-walk compared to this venue.

Your Faithful Correspondant and his date Salma Hayek were a bit late getting there and arrived at 4P.M. along with many Bear's Fans from the Ward. Salma was a good sport and did not mind the stretch of the legs from Kedzie to Bourbon Street entrance, where we were greeted at the Door by Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart who bussed this reporter enthusiastically and cordially took the first three fingers of Ms. Hayek with courtly deference to her beauty and her age. He did not remark, mercifully, that I was on the arm of a much older woman than normal. A true gentleman and a master of political grace. Tom asked about my Republican brother-in-law with whom Tom worked to fight predatory lenders while Tom Dart made himself remarkable as one of the best Legislators in Illinois. 'Mike is still a Republican, Sheriff, but sends his warmest regards.'

Once inside the massive party facility I was crushed with familiar faces from morning Mass, Kennedy Park Softball ( Czar Tim Manahan and his lovely child bride), the usual pundits of 'coffee and' at Kean Gas including Big Mike Hughes, recently retired from CPD, tree-trimmers, street sweepers, bankers, lawyers, teachers of Public and Catholic Schools, and exotic beauties that somehow through prayer and the arrested boyish inclinations married these guys against all good sense and proportion. Salma paled and fussed with her long dark curls and fumbled for make-up, when I introduced her to the radiant wife of Jack Kelly, Maureen the Director of Communications for St. Xavier University. How, that particular Moon Mullins look-a-like snared Maureen is beyond this reporter's small powers.

There were more people from Mount Greenwood, Morgan Park, Beverly (North, Proper and West) that Bourbon Street looked like the Moscow subway on Vodka Give Away Day! About 1,500 people it seemed. Crushed up ahead of me was Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias who graciously tasked his driving skills through the North Side and the Bears Game crowd to attend. I introduced Salma and she was smitten by the old-world grace, manners, and youthful beauty our Illinois' Treasurer exuded and began to look askance at the Everyman drudge squiring her to the buffet table laden with delicaies of every savory known to South Siders - :'Ooooo Italian beef - try the Jambalaya and . . . Salma, Salma?' Lost in the throng. Alexi? Well, first things first.' I plunged the plastic cutlery into the Italian beef glistenng with hot Giardinara and was immediately transported to Xanadu or Taylor Street. While coming down, I watched the happy crowd.

There was Alderman Ginger Rugai working a room of friends like it was her basement or the opened massive showrooms of McCormick Place. Union guys, the women who manage Trading Companies at the Merc, CBOE and direct lawfirms. I stood around with a plate of Italian Beef and Hot Giardinara looking for Salma, but imagined that she had locked into a discussion of 'fiscal responsiblitities' with Skinny Sheahan and the Treasurer. I hooked up with two women from Mount Greenwood who have been working with Ginger on improving Mount Greenwood Park: the ice rink; the new White Sox Kids Training Camps & etc. but they noticed that I was distracted. 'We saw the girl you came in with, kind of old for you -she's heading to the John with some of the girls - they're doing an assesment for her - dishing the dirt - common knowledge stuff - I wouldn't worry.'

Nor, Did I. This event spoke volumes about what is best in political life - friendship, long memories of kindnesses performed: Ginger at both nights of my wife's wake nine years ago, Senator Ed Maloney showing the kids at Leo High School how to nail a three pointer, while wearing a suit and wing-tips, benefits for sick little kids, and memorial for little angels who have gone back to God - Maeve McNicholas Playground at Beverly Park. The proof of politics is the people. I felt great.

Alexi Giannoulias gave me the high sign and I waved back and he steered Salma back to me and my re-stocked plate of Bourbon Street Goodies. We talked about the core issues of this campaign. Ginger has many, many friends and two other guys are running against her. Salma looked into my eyes - deeply and sadly - 'You are going back to the buffet, that's three that I know of.' I smiled my best Ronald Coleman grin, ' It is my dear, it is. The numbers only make the joy more wonderful.' Salma understood and crooked her head ever so delicately, 'You seem Ok; I'm going to Corrigans with some of the girls.' She did understand.

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About selecting judges in Illinois

The first announcement of candidacy for 2008 was made in Illinois last week and no, it did not involve Sen. Barack Obama. His may come this week.

What happened last week was an announcement by a newly-appointed Appellate Justice in the Fifth Judicial District who indicated as his appointment was announced that he would seek election to a full term in 2008. There's nothing unusual about that and we'll comment on that race a little lower in this commentary.

Several judicial vacancies have been filled recently, the latest by the Supreme Court at the recommendation of Justice Lloyd Karmeier. Within the past few weeks, the Court also has filled three vacancies in the Third Judicial District, confirming judges nominated by Justice Thomas Kilbride.

The Illinois Constitution gives the Supreme Court the authority to fill vacancies created in all Illinois courts (including the Supreme Court itself). Traditionally, vacancies in the appellate and circuit courts are filled when the Supreme Court accepts the recommendation of the justice who was elected from the district in which the vacancy occurs.

It's not the worst system of filling judicial vacancies, but it's not the best either.

In fact, Illinois' system of selecting judges -- including filling vacancies -- is in need of major repair.

Presently, we are one of 14 states that select judges through partisan elections. In Illinois, judges get on the ballot the same way candidates for state representative or county sheriff get on the ballot. They circulate nominating petitions to compete in the partisan primary elections and the winners of the primaries (Democrat vs. Republican) square off in a general election. The judicial part of the ballot is at the bottom and is frequently ignored -- in part, most likely, because people know little about the candidates and we no longer have straight-ticket voting in Illinois.

Because we treat judges as politicians for election/selection purposes, and because Illinois has virtually no limits or restrictions on political campaign contributions, the cost of judicial elections has been creeping up.

"Creeping" is an understatement. The cost of judicial elections in some areas and for some judicial positions has been soaring.

In the last two judicial election cycles, Illinois set what are considered to be national records for (1) the most expensive Supreme Court race (Karmeier vs. Maag in 2004); (2) the most expensive Appellate Court race (Stewart vs. McGlynn in 2006); and (3) the most expensive Circuit Court (trial court) race (Hylla vs. Weber in 2006).

At the risk of appearing biased (we'll take the risk), we'll put the blame for the escalation of costs squarely on the shoulders of the plaintiffs' bar.

For years, trial lawyers have been the largest -- in some races the only -- significant campaign contributors. It made sense for several reasons, including the fact that the trial lawyers have so much at stake in who is wearing the black robes and because they generally have plenty of money to invest in their hand-picked candidates.

And by controlling -- or at least strongly influencing -- the election process, they have been able to influence (control?) the court room process.

The serious escalation in judicial election spending, at least in Illinois, came when the business community and doctors and common citizens decided they didn't like what was happening in court rooms so they chose to get involved, including financially.

There's a news commentary from the Southern Illinoisan this weekend calling for campaign finance reform. It specifically refers to the 2004 Supreme Court race.

There also is an editorial from the Bloomington Pantagraph calling for campaign spending limits.

But the editorial commentary this past weekend that is most significant was in the Belleville News-Democrat commenting on the appointment of Judge James Wexstten of Mt. Vernon to the Fifth District Appellate Court.

By all reasonable standards, Judge Wexstten has been an excellent judge. He has been elected chief judge by his peers, he has served as president of the Illinois Judges Association, and he was overwhelmingly retained (73%) by the voters in the Second Circuit last November.

The News-Democrat commended Justice Lloyd Karmeier, a Republican, for selecting Judge Wexstten, a Democrat, to fill the vacancy and Wexstten announced that he does plan to seek a full term, which means he may face a Democrat primary challenge.

And the editorial suggests that may be Wexstten's biggest problem because he is viewed as a moderate and has been supported by -- heaven forbid -- the Illinois Civil Justice League (ICJL).

Another news item included favorable comments from new Appellate Justice Bruce Stewart and the spokesperson for Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan so perhaps common sense might prevail.

The ICJL and JUSTPAC, our political action committee, won't take positions on 2008 elections until 2008 but the prospect that a highly qualified judge may have political problems in a partisan primary election is a strong argument for Illinois to stop electing judges and enact one of several systems of "merit selection" that many states use.

The solution to cutting spending in partisan judicial elections is (1) don't have partisan elections and (2) don't even have elections.

Judges should be appointed. If Illinois voters say "yes" to the call for a Constitutional Convention next year, that could be the most important reason.

Cross-posted by Ed Murnane at Illinois Justice Blog.

To read or post comments, visit Illinois Justice Blog.

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Dems Want to Raise Taxes

Over the weekend, AP sent out an “analysis” by Christopher Wills entitiled,

Top Ill Dems offer 3 goals, 1 fix: Taxes

What a surprise.

Of course, there is a war going on in Springfield, a source at the nexus of the battle tells me.

So, maybe, the taxpayers will luck out.

But, if they don’t, the real question is whether Republicans will be stupid enough to provide the votes to pass tax increases.

Another question is how many people will decide to move out of the state.

The daily shots against the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax continue on McHenry County Blog.

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Thirty hours in Springfield, Illinois

Ten days ago Little Marathon Pundit and I travelled to Springfield, the capital of Illinois, and of course, the hometown of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln.

A while back, I received a chain letter e-mail titled "You can tell if you're from Chicago if..."

One of the replies was, "You've never been to Springfield."

Such was the case with this lifetime Chicago area resident until ten days ago.

Last fall, en route to Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park, the Marathon Pundit family visited the Abraham Lincoln sites in Kentucky. We saw the birthplace site, and the rebuilt cabin and farm-plot where the Lincolns lived from 1811-1816.

That whetted the appetite of my daughter, 10 year-old Little Marathon Pundit. She told me that during the recent Christmas break that she wanted to travel to Springfield.

Mrs. Marathon Pundit had to work, so it would be just the two of us.

Approaching Springfield from the north on Interstate 55 makes chronological sense in regards to the life of Abraham Lincoln. The future president first lived apart from family in the short-lived town of New Salem--which is just south of Petersburg in Menard County.

Lincoln lived in New Salem--the abandoned town has been rebuilt and is a state historical site--from 1831-1840. Lincoln had a series of different jobs while living in there: railsplitter, storekeeper, state legislator, and surveyor. During his stint as a surveyor, Lincoln mappped out the aforementioned village of Petersburg.

That's Little Marathon Pundit in front of a rebuilt New Salem structure.

New Salem has an excellent visitors center, a small museum, and a 200 person capacity theater which shows a twenty minute video about Lincoln's time there.

The theater looks like it's built for the convenience of students on field trips from St. Louis, Peoria, or Champaign. Most schools were on break two weeks ago--Little Marathon Pundit and I were the only ones there watching the video.

To appreciate the Springfield Lincoln--and the presidential Lincoln--it's a good idea to include New Salem--located just twenty miles northwest of Springfield--on your itinerary.

After New Salem, it was on to Springfield. In the wintertime, many of the Lincoln sites close at either 4:00pm or 5:00pm, so since we arrived in Springfield shortly before 4:00pm, we just drove through the town.

Besides being the state capital--and its Lincoln heritage--Springfield is known for one other thing, its contribution to the culinary world, the horseshoe sandwich.

In the late 1990s, I briefly worked at a downtown Chicago hotel owned by a man who wanted to make the horseshoe sandwich the signature dish of his inn. During my time there, I had my one and only horseshoe.

There are variations on the recipe, but the sandwich consists of two hamburger patties (or slices of ham) on a couple of slices of Texas toast, smothered by Welsh rarebit sauce and a massive pile of french fries. It's a cholesterol bomb and a colon killer.

Luckily for the already-challenged waistlines of Chicagoans, the horseshoe never caught on at the hotel, so the sandwich that seems to be thrown together from other dishes remains contained within the Springfield area.

Driving through Springfield, you're reminded of the horseshoe sandwich. The city doesn't have a consistent architectural style and it really isn't much to look at. Oh, there are nice buildings here and there, but the good parts don't add up to much.

But we were in Springfield to see the good parts.

We stayed that night in a hotel on the southern end of Springfield, amidst a bunch of labor union offices, but in reality probably lobbying outposts set up to influence the city's chief export: government.

The next day, Little Marathon Pundit and I made the Abraham Lincoln home, pictured on the right, our first stop.

I blogged about that part of the trip in greater detail here. The only home Lincoln ever owned isn't very big, we were in and out of the house in about twenty minutes.

Then on to the centerpiece of all-that-in-Lincoln in Springfield: The Abraham Presidential Library and Museum. The complex opened in 2005. Supporters view the museum as fun and interactive, scholars sneer at it, calling it "Disney-fied." The museum and library was originally planned as a modest tribute to the Great Emancipator, however, the "Disney" element took over and the finished product came in way over budget.

A week ago I blogged about the politics of the Lincoln museum, which you'll find here.

That being said, the museum is terrific, worth every dollar over budget. Damn the scholars, but we live in a time where people expect to be entertained while learning. Not a lot of people can be expected to pull off Interstate 55 just to see Lincoln's eyeglasses. The museum is well visited, the day after Little Marathon Pundit and I were there, the 1 millionth visitor walked through it's entrance.

There we are among the "Disney" Lincoln family mannequins. On the far left is a lurking John Wilkes Booth.

A couple of theater presentations offer talking holograms--one features ghostly images of soldiers as well as Lincoln.

A history professor may not like it, but on the other hand, there are more ten year-old kids out there than history professors. Besides, the professors would expect to be let in for free.

Another interesting exhibit is of Tim Russert's "television coverage" of the contentious, four-way 1860 presidential race.

Across the street from the museum, which disgraced Ill. Governor George Ryan dedicated in 2002--but it didn't open until 2004--is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. It's a scholar's haven there, with millions of pages of Lincoln and other Illinois historical documents.

After the library, we headed over to the Old State Capitol, and across the street to Lincoln's Law Office.

By the time we left the office, it was almost 5:00pm, and most of the Lincoln site were closed--So it was time to head home.

There are things we missed: They include the current state capitol building, Lincoln's tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery, a Frank Lloyd Wright Home, the governor's mansion, and a lot of neat little diners that may--or may not--serve horseshoe sandwiches. Route 66 went through Springfield, and some local businesses, looking beyond Lincoln, are attracting venturers from the Mother Road.

Those we'll catch next time. Yes, we'll be back.

To comments, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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The Meter's Running

When are all holidays not created equal? Apparently, when revenue is at issue.

For some reason, I was looking at the closures for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday.

When I looked at the list below, something caught my eye:

- Schools: Chicago public schools will be closed. Most suburban schools will be closed; check with the local district office.

- Government offices: Federal, state, county and city offices will be closed.

- Postal service: All post offices will be closed, and mail will be collected on a Saturday schedule; only express mail will be delivered.

- Courts: Federal, state and county courts will be closed, except for Cook County Central Bond Court.

- Banks: Most banks will be closed.

- Financial markets: At the Chicago Board of Trade, all floor trading will be closed and electronic trading will resume at normal evening times. At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, all floor trading will be closed and electronic trading will observe an abbreviated schedule.

- Parking: Chicago meters need to be fed.

- Transit: Pace, Metra and CTA will operate on their regular weekday schedules.

The reason that this jumps out at me is that these federal holidays are often days for families, (and many civil service workers I guess), to take in much of what the City has to offer in the way of museums, cultural institutions, and the like. Why not let them park for free for a couple of hours?

For those that aren't aware of it, the only Chicago Parking Meter Holidays are the following:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

I am keenly aware that, as is the case with many units of government, Chicago is not exactly flush with cash these days. But I don't really think that letting the public park for free on federal holidays ranks up there as one of the leading budget pressures. Let 'em park.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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Kjellander, Obama and the activists, and any other shorts before the Bear's game

via Sun Times

The state's central committee approved a motion encouraging Bob Kjellander to resign as an Illinois member of the Republican National Committee based primarily on a ''loss of confidence of leadership,'' GOP leader Andy McKenna said.
[***]
Kjellander, afterward, immediately dismissed any suggestion that he vacate the four-year post he was elected to by delegates to a state convention in 2004. He said he intends to serve his term, which expires in 2008.

''The reason I'm not resigning is because I have done absolutely nothing wrong,'' Kjellander said.

Nothing right either; and that's reason enough to resign.

via UK Times

They figure out what we in Illinois have long known: Obama's charm lost on America's black activists.

Civil rights leaders who have dominated black politics for much of the past two decades have pointedly failed to embrace the 45-year-old Illinois senator who is considering a bid to become America’s first black president.

At a meeting of activists in New York last week, the Rev Jesse Jackson, the first black candidate to run for president, declined to endorse Obama. “Our focus right now is not on who’s running, because there are a number of allies running,” Jackson said.

via Arlene Jones for 37th Ward Alderman A grocer's brutal murder causes Jones to rethink her position on guns.

The issue of public safety must be addresseed. The CAPs program doesn't work like it should and some people have a dumb campaign going on called "Stop Snitching".

Many people fear reprisal if they report crime and criminals to the police. I support the idea of a local witness protection program that can relocate people just like the federal goverment does.

Somebody knows who did this and we need to drop a dime on our criminal elements. Today the grocery store owner - tomorrow the homeowner?

I also feel that we need to revisit the ordinance that says you can't own or register a handgun in Chicago. I support citizens who underto training the right to have weapons in their homes. And judging from what I heard New Years Eve, there are a lot of them out there.

via AlderTrak Aldertrack links websites for candidates in all 50 wards. I can spend hours here. Some gems:

Carl Segvich running against Jimmy Balcer in the 11th quotes Plato: The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men – Plato

In the 37th, Tommy Abina wraps himself in the flag, and Percy Giles has a Revolutionary Platform.

William Banks in the 36th has a nice feed with latest news. Nick Sposato links the crime stats for the 36th at his site.

No one has a website in the 24th. May be not make political sense, but Lawndale is going to take off soon.

John Pope in the 10th has a nice site but not many links under the Press or Policy options (and why an empty link to demographics?) But it's a lot more webpage then his opponents are putting up here and here.

You don't see anyone touting SEIU endorsements on these sites. So it's a little mystifying to me on how this effort is playing out in the wards. Interesting because the challangers I've stumbled accross here talk about crime more then Big Box wages.

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Making Illinois voters relevant to picking the president is a great Madigan move

Speaker Madigan's first substantive proposal in the 95th General Assembly was to move the 2008 presidential primary to its earliest possible date (according to DNC rules): February 5, 2008. The move is motivated by a desire to boost the prospects of the only presidential candidate from Illinois: Senator Barack Obama. (Potential pre-campaign website at www.Obama4America.com)

I think it's a great move. The rules that govern how to pick a president are stacked up to diminish the voice of Illinois citizens. First our primary (currently scheduled for mid-March) comes too late for us to influence the nominee; then the winner-take-all rule that most states use for the Electoral College means that all the extra votes in November for Obama (assuming he's the nominee) go to waste and do not help to elect him.

Moving our presidential primary to February will also help the moderate Illinois Republicans mitigate the more radical southern wing of their party by giving Illinoisians more clout in the Republican presidential nomination, which will likely help nominate a better Republican. That's also a good thing for the country.

Representative John Fritchey in his blog (now named Open House) notes that having two primaries (one presidential in February, another in March or perhaps later for everybody else) might serve to depress turnout for the non-presidential primary. Fair enough, but I still think a relevant presidential primary is a good move. And besides, we should just follow Australia's lead and require all citizens to vote. (No one would have to cast a vote for any particular race, but just like jury duty, it should be a price of citizenship to show up, take a ballot, and turn it back in, with or without any votes cast).

I'm glad that Speaker Madigan took the initiative with a bold move to improve our election system. I hope it inspires similar bold thinking among the rest of the General Assembly.

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Through the Grapevine

Just came across this story about the successes of Illinois' wineries, so I thought I would pass it along:

(AP) A new study shows that Illinois' wine industry is ripening by the minute.

The survey by wine industry analysts MKF Research finds that the number of wineries in a state long known for Abe Lincoln, coal and corn has grown more than five-fold in the past 10 years.

The study was released this month by the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association. It shows that Illinois has 68 wineries, and about 10 of them have opened in the past 18 months. Just a decade ago, the state had about a dozen wineries.

Illinois also has 450 grape growers.

The study found that 69 of the state's 102 counties have at least one vineyard, and more than a third of the counties have at least one winery.

About 1,200 acres statewide are devoted to growing grapes, with each acre producing about three tons of fruit. That's up from just 140 acres a decade ago.

The report shows that Illinois' wine industry has a statewide economic impact of $253 million dollars and generates $31 million in wine-related tourism.

Several years ago, many people were skeptical as to the viability of Illinois vineyards, but a story like this one helps remind you of just how diverse our state's economy really is.

From agriculture to technology to manufacturing, we possess one of the strongest cross-sections of economic opportunity of any state in the country. It is essential for the members of the Legislature to recognize this fact, and to put aside regional and partisan differences in order to allow and encourage our full range of economic engines to perform at their fullest.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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City of Chicago should ban Starkist Tuna

Seems like an alderman should bring a resolution to ban Starkist products from Chicago. Mayb the Gov will want to ban them from all Illinois.

via Wash Times

House Republicans yesterday declared "something fishy" about the major tuna company in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district being exempted from the minimum-wage increase that Democrats approved this week.

"I am shocked," said Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican and his party's chief deputy whip, noting that Mrs. Pelosi campaigned heavily on promises of honest government. "Now we find out that she is exempting hometown companies from minimum wage. This is exactly the hypocrisy and double talk that we have come to expect from the Democrats."

[***]

Some Republicans who voted in favor of the minimum-wage bill were particularly irritated to learn yesterday -- after their vote -- that the legislation did not include American Samoa.

"I was troubled to learn of this exemption," said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, Illinois Republican. "My intention was to raise the minimum wage for everyone. We shouldn't permit any special favors or exemptions that are not widely discussed in Congress. This is the problem with rushing legislation through without full debate."

A spokeswoman for Mrs. Pelosi said Wednesday that the speaker has not been lobbied in any way by StarKist or Del Monte.

Seems like a natural for Gov Blagojevich or the City Council to ban and restore our faith in the Democrat's promise.

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Bollywood Friday - "Astram"

Bollywood was the only thing missing from Ald. Arenda Troutman's incredibly entertaining press conference yesterday. Who'd be thinking about indictments with these two bringing down the house? Or, rather, the whole city of Chicago!

From the movie Astram.

xoxo,
Bridget

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Bush v. Lincoln: The Thin Line Between Foolishness and Wisdom

Once again, the professional fools at the Daily Show show more wisdom than the media's wise-men.




The Daily Show piece is a subtle warning to those who care about Lincoln's legacy: When pundits favorably compare George Bush to Abraham Lincoln, they not only improperly elevate Bush, they also unfairly diminish Lincoln.

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Primary Colors

The Speaker's proposal, made during his inaugural address, to move Illinois' presidential primary from March 18 to February 5 certainly caught a lot of people, including the Obama campaign, off-guard.

And there is enough speculation as to the motivations of 'He Who Does Nothing Without a Plan', that I am not going to add my own theories to the mix at this point (although I do have some good ones).

I wholeheartedly agree that the present system puts waaay too much emphasis on states that are non-reflective of the country as a whole, while at the same time relegating other significant states to irrelevance when it comes to selecting presidential nominees.

But at the same time, I also am wary of the costs and logistics of having a presidential primary at a different time from the primaries for the rest of the elected offices. It is hard enough to get people to vote as is, and I think that a bifurcated primary would only serve to further depress turnout for 'down ticket' races.

Instead, I'll invite you to think about a plan offered several years ago by the National Association of Secretaries of State which involves rotating regional presidential primaries. The proposal divides the country into four geographic areas (Eastern, Southern, Midwestern and Western) and rotates which region would vote first each March. The other regions would hold their primary elections in April, May, and June. A different part of the country would vote first once in each sixteen year cycle.

Under the plan, traditional early primary/caucus states New Hampshire and Iowa retain early election status so that under-funded and less widely known candidates will still have an opportunity to compete through retail one-on-one politics rather than the costly media-driven campaigns that are required in larger states.

The NASS plan would create four primary regions:

Southern Region

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Eastern Region

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Midwestern Region

Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Western Region

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Guam.

Now under this plan, once every 16 years, we would have a primary as late as June, which many good government advocates would like, but does not sit well with many party regulars. Personally, I think that a campaign is a campaign, whether your primary is in February or June. And having less time between a primary election and a general election may in fact provide for a more concentrated campaign.

While I am not sure that the NASS plan is the best idea out there, I do think that is is preferable to our present system.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

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IPA's Worsty Awards

Rich Miller mentioned the Illinois Press Association's Worsty Awards in one of his Capitol Fax posts today which made me curious about the entire list. I detailed them on my site, but if anyone is interested in the top ten Illinois "worst offenders" in the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act they can be found here.

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AARP Is Right

Congressional Republicans made a big mistake, in my opinion, when they decided not to use the huge purchasing power of the federal government in the senior citizen drug program they enacted.

Democrats argued that would be logical.

The American Association of Retired Persons (open to membership to anyone 50 and over) ran a full page ad in Sunday’s edition of the Chicago Sun-Times

The headline is

"Medicare has 43 million members. And zero bargaining power when it some to prescription drug prices"

A credible argument can be made that AARP is pretty much an arm of the Democratic Party, but even the Democratic Party is right once in a while.

Illinois has long utilized the savings produced by bulk purchasing for state government and, if they desire to piggy-back, local governments.

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Did Skinner really say the Democrats are right? What else might he be saying at McHenry County Blog?

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Mayor Davlin puts IRV on the April ballot to enfranchise overseas voters

Great news: Mayor Tim Davlin earned City Council approval this week to place instant runoff voting on the April ballot for overseas voters!

That means Springfield citizens will be the first in the state to have the chance to implement a ranked ballot.

Right now, overseas voters are disenfranchised from the April election, because there simply isn't enough time after the February primary to print, mail and return the ballots before the April election. The solution to this administrative problem is instant runoff voting: the clerk sends the overseas voter two ballots in January, a regular February ballot and a special ranked ballot for the April election. Since the voter won't know when he casts his vote in January which candidates will survive to the April election, all candidates are listed and he ranks his choices. The ballots are sealed separately and mailed back before the February election, ensuring that the voter is no longer disenfranchised. When the April election comes, the vote goes to the candidate on the April ballot with the highest rank. In other words, if his first-choice didn't make it to the April election, then his vote goes to his second-choice candidate (and so on).

Instant runoff voting is used for overseas voters in Louisiana, Arkansas and South Carolina, but Springfield would be the first city to use it in Illinois. San Francisco, Minneapolis, Davis, Oakland and Burlington all use IRV as well.

Mayor Davlin deserves a ton of credit for aggressively working to enfranchise overseas and military voters. You can hear him make the pitch for IRV at the Public Affairs Committee meeting of the City Council on January 8 here. Mayor Davlin's press release is here. The Springfield Journal-Register blurb on the vote is here and a longer article is here. I hope Springfield voters will approve the measure in April, which would then go into effect for the 2011 municipal election.

[cross-posted at DJWInfo]

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Senator Obama: We're not going to baby sit a civil war

It's not exactly how I would haved described what the United States is doing there today.

To use the words baby sit; although I understand Obama's point and perhaps it sends a needed message to the Iraqi Government that the American people have limits.

I remember meeting Veterans of the Spanish Civil War here in Chicago in the 1960s. Sometimes over at the Guild Bookstore at Halstead near Armitage.

They volunteered to fight in a Civil War most Americans preferred the United States sit out. The sides were just as morally murky in the Spanish Civil War --Republicans allied with Stalinists just as we have an Iraqi Government using Shia militias-- but they fought with the Republicans and I admired them for it.

Here are the words of an Iraqi Communist Party member today. He serves as Iraq's minister of Science and Technology. Raïd Fahmi in an interview with the French Communist Party paper L'Humanite as translated in the American Communist Party's Political Affairs, said,

What we need, is for those who support the independence of Iraq, and this country’s development, wherever they may be in the world, to express their solidarity for those who are fighting for these objectives. Unfortunately, stances have been taken by some of these forces which play in favor of political currents which are opposed to democracy. On the one hand, they talk about democracy and secularism, but in fact, they take positions which weaken, rather than reinforce the democratic and progressive trends in the country. It’s possible to establish a frank and sincere dialogue with the range of progressive forces, in Iraq and throughout the world, in a mutually respectful manner. This should be done with a view to achieving our shared goal for a peaceful, independent, unified and federal Iraq. We totally assume our choices and our politics because our primary responsibility is to the Iraqi population.

So besides telling this Comrade the American People have limits, it would be nice to have heard Senator Obama send him a message of our solidarity too, and not choose words that ...weaken, rather than reinforce the democratic and progressive trends... because ultimately we can't sit out from the Civil War. We learned that in Spain.

xp Bill Baar's West Side

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Leading by Leadership

Cross-posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

Governors across the country are beginning their new terms with bold visions of improved ethics and campaign finance systems in their states. In Ohio, Gov. Ted Strickland signed orders on his first day in office to limit gifts from lobbyists and mandate ethics training. In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist signed orders to enhance transparency and hold his office more accountable. In New York, Gov. Elliot Spitzer started his term by signing new executive orders to restrict campaign contributions to the governor and lt. governor and close the revolving door between government and lobbying firms. To our north, Gov. Jim Doyle yesterday called the Wisconsin General Assembly into special session to deal with ethics legislation.

But not so in Illinois. Five of our six statewide constitutional officers highlighted their intentions to improve ethics in their new terms. The governor was the only one who stood silent on the issue.

Governor Blagojevich won a second term with a smaller percentage of the vote than did President Bush. Both began their second terms claiming that victory gave them a mandate. It might be more accurate to say that, rather than a mandate, both have an opportunity to govern. President Bush failed to address the underlying concerns voters had about his first administration and his recompense was the loss of both chambers of Congress. Governor Blagojevich must address widespread unease with how his campaign warchest has been funded and how that may have influenced the way his administration has developed policy, let contracts, and hired board and commission members. While the legislative map makes loss of even one chamber unlikely in Illinois, voters and legislators are watching to see how honorable the new administration will be.

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Build a School in African for $12,500

It doesn’t have to cost the $40 million that Oprah Winfrey spent.

Illinois North Shore resident Lynn Cole heads up RISE International. She can show you how you can build a school in Angola for $12,500.

Actually, the residents there do the construction. You provide the financing.

Groups associated with high schools like New Trier, Wheeling and West Chicago, plus churches have done the heavy lifting to raise the $1.3 million spent so far.

When the Angolan school year begins in February, 150 schools built with help from RISE will be staffed with Angolan Ministry of Education teachers.

Naturally, I had to ask what could be done with $40 million. Cole’s answer:

"With $40 million we could do amazing things.
"I think we could change a country with $40 million."

Cole and her husband Andrew were inspired when they went to Angola, her husband’s birth place, as part of their 25th wedding anniversary celebration."

And in case the last name sounds familiar, Andrew’s father is Moody Bible Institute’s Pastor Donald Cole.

You can let her tell the story and see lots more pictures by going to McHenry County Blog.

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How Green is 19th Ward? Or Blowing the Pipes on the Green Candidate

A Couple of weeks ago,Rich Carnahan wrote about what he called Tier One City Council Races - races where the incumbant is deemded to be vulnerable. Pretty solid stuff.

http://www.gapersblock.com/airbags/archives/tier_one_races/

I noticed one of the comments belonged to 19th Ward Aldermanic Loser and soon to be the Lar Daley of the Ward , John Somerville's Campaign Manager, Josh Kilroy. With the earnest breathlessness that belongs to owners of hyper-dilated eyes, Josh wedges in:


Hey Rich, you left the 19th ward off your list of tier 1 races. Ginger Rugai is very vulnerable and John Somerville, who got 42% of the vote last time, is better organized and better-funded this time around. Keep an eye on this one.

Josh Kilroy
Campaign Manager
Friends of John Somerville

I was immediately reminded of the Green Party Gospel slingers that encorpified during the recent election and one named Squidschi's bragging up the advent of 'grassroots' Greenery on the local political scene.

Well, hush my beak, if old Josh Kilroy's breathless posts bragging Noam Chomsky and Bush bashing and Green Candidate( formerly known as Red) Rich Whitney tub-thumping!
Have a peek!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IllinoisGreensTalk/messages/6101?viscount=100

Well, I'll be dipped and rolled! John Somerville Democratic Candidate for 19th Ward ( again) with a Green Party Campaign Manager? How about that?

Is Josh Kilroy, Somerville for Alderman of 19th Ward the same The Green party Kilroy?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IllinoisGreensTalk/messages/6101?viscount=100

Now the 19th ward gets pretty doggone Green in March, but Somerville will have lost the election to Tim Sheehan or Incumbant Ginger Rugai by then. This Blogo-sphere does make our world a liitle bit closer. Josh, if you are the Green Josh, welcome to the neighborhood. Koda is a great restaurant; Cork and Kerry is second only to Keegan's and County Fair features the best corned beef in Chicago hand made by Limerick Born Butcher Mike.

The south side Parade is always the Sunday before St. Paddy's Day. Lot's of Green; but, not a whole hellofalot of Greens, if you know what I mean. Oh, and Josh, don't paint your face Green, only six year olds and visitors from Lake County and such places do that- Hey, leave it pink: from the election!

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Why Not a Chicago Income Tax?

Since Mayor Richard Daley is so anxious to raise state income taxes, might I suggest that he lower his sights?

He doesn’t really need all of that money.

A portion will do.

Why not just have the aldermen impose an income tax?

To make the locals happier, throw in those who work in Chicago.

Or maybe he could just tax the income of those evil suburban commuters who make Chicago work.

Perhaps he should re-visit his days as a 1970 constitutional convention delegate.

Why settle for all the nuisance taxes, like the head tax and the $50 one ex-Chicago McDonald’s operator told me she had to pay for each of her driveways every year?

Why not tax the income of people working in Chicago?

Consider the following Section e of Article VII of the Illinois State Constitution, especially the second part:

A home rule unit shall have only the power that the General Assembly may provide by law (1) to punish by imprisonment for more than six months or (2) to license for revenue or impose taxes upon or measured by income or earnings or upon occupations.

The stars are aligned.

The Democrats control every branch of state government.

Why not ask the General Assembly and governor to give Chicago the power to levy an income tax?

A price could be found for the Downstaters, I’ll bet.

And, boy, would it be fun to see the suburban Democrats squirm when their votes are needed to pass the bill.

Of course, there is that war going on between the House and the Senate.

Guess there's no ideal time.

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First posted on McHenry County Blog.

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Obama and the Laborers' Union Ed Smith

When you run for political office, sometimes you have to hold your nose when supporters come your way.

Such is the case with the Laborers Union, which is believed to be one of the most corrupt unions in the country.

Back to my continuing book report of Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope.

We're up to page 237, and Barack Obama--accompanied by his fellow Democrat Dick Durbin, are in Cairo (pronounced KAY-ROH) Illinois, which is located at the spot where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet.

Ed Smith, who lives near Cairo, is the Midwest Regional Manager of the Laborers, International Union of North America. What brought Obama and Durbin to Cairo in 2004---when Obama was running for his Senate seat--was a barbecue organized by Smith.

Obama is amazed by the size of the turnout at the barbecue/political rally--as well as the big turnout among whites--Cairo has an unhappy history of racial conflict.

From his book:

No doubt many of them were there because Ed Smith, one of the most powerful men in the area, wanted them to be there; others may have been there for the food, or just to see the spectacle of a U.S. Senator and a candidate for the Senate in their town.

Let me add some stuff Obama left out:

In 2000, Smith was a candidate to be an Al Gore delegate at the Democratic National Convention. In Alexander County, where Cairo is and Smith lives, an alleged vote-buying scheme took place.

From the Southern Illinoisan in 2005:

A saga that began more than five years ago amid accusations of voter fraud in Alexander County has resurfaced in Pulaski County Circuit Court in the form of a civil lawsuit naming numerous high profile defendants and asking more than $2.5 million in compensatory damages.

More...

Allegations surfaced in mid-February 2000, only days after absentee voting began in Alexander County, that people were being paid to vote for specific candidates. Several courthouse employees reported witnessing numerous absentee voters carrying small pieces of paper with four numbers - 35, 64, 83 and 104 - written on them. It was also reported that voters were being paid $3 to vote after they returned to a parking lot adjacent to the courthouse.

The four candidate names that corresponded with the numbers on the primary ballot were McGinness (83), Woolard (64), McRoy (104), and Smith (35). Smith was a candidate to be a delegate for Al Gore at the 2000 Democratic National Convention; the others ran for the offices indicated. All four were victorious in the primary.

After complaints were registered, the Illinois State Board of Elections and the Attorney General's office both conducted investigations prior to the primary election. The investigations centered on a political action committee that was operated through Laborers Local 773 in Cairo.

Ed Smith is one of the defendants named in the suit. I don't know the status of the case--but I'm interested in finding out.

According to Smith's online biography, Smith joined Local 773 when he was 13, and he was the business manager for the local from 1976 until 1994.

As I noted last week, in Audacity of Hope, Obama has taken a few swipes at Wal-Mart, presumably because of the non-union status of its workers.

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

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Most Politicians are Ho's

Cross-posted from ICPR's blog, The Race is On:

There were two big news events yesterday. The first started at 7 am when federal agents arrived at the door of Chicago Ald. Arenda Troutman and