Want a friend in Illinois buy a dog

Geez, Obama bails out on his Church and Pastor, Durbin bails on Blagojevich... what profiles in courage our Senators.

An Illinois GOP Press Release... and he holds up George Ryan?

Senator says he has been troubled by Blagojevich allies currently facing legal battles


By David Mendell
Chicago Tribune reporter
May 30, 2008

Illinois' senior Democratic senator said Friday he had a much better working relationship with former Republican Gov. George Ryan than Democratic successor Rod Blagojevich.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, during a wide-ranging interview with the Tribune editorial board, also said he was "troubled" by some of Blagojevich's early appointments. Some of those appointees, Durbin noted, played prominent roles at the public corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich.

"You may assume—and it's natural that you would —that there's a closer working relationship with the governor and senator than there actually is. There isn't much," Durbin said, adding he's talked privately with Blagojevich only a handful of times since Blagojevich took office in 2003.

Durbin said he was particularly troubled by the appointment of Republican fundraiser Stuart Levine, who later pleaded guilty in a political corruption case. Durbin, who is running for re-election this fall, said he has never been close to Levine, though he acknowledged Levine gave $1,000 to his campaign fund in 2000.

"What's happened here was fairly obvious to a lot of us on the outside," Durbin said of the federal investigations of the Blagojevich administration.

Asked whether he should have registered his unease to Blagojevich about appointees like Levine, Durbin said, "When it comes to dealing with the state and all of the decisions involved in it, there's just so much I can do, to be honest with you."

Durbin's comments came as Steve Sauerberg, the senator's GOP challenger, has sought to link the senator to the beleaguered Blagojevich. "Dick Durbin's statement about his limited contacts with the governor is either an opportunistic lie or—if it's true—represents a total abdication of responsibility on behalf of the senior senator from Illinois," Sauerberg said in a statement.

As for how Ryan compares to Blagojevich, Durbin said he regularly received phone calls from Ryan as late as midnight to discuss public business. That never happens with Blagojevich, he said.

Read more...

Will ethics bill be “improved to death?"

By Patrick O'Brien
After a three-year battle, the imprisonment of one governor and federal investigations of another, state lawmakers took a step today toward taming Illinois' “wild west” reputation for political corruption.

But despite the General Assembly’s unanimous votes on the “pay-to-play” reforms, Gov. Rod Blagojevich may make changes to the proposal and send it into limbo again. “There’s a lot more that needs to be done,” said Rebecca Rausch, a spokesperson for the governor, shortly after the House vote.

One day after a tornado in the state capital, the measure’s sponsor saw reasons to be optimistic about the measure becoming law.

“The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and we finally passed a new ethics bill in Springfield,” said Rep. John Fritchey, a Chicago Democrat.

The plan would ban contractors with more than $50,000 in state business from donating money to statewide officeholders’ political campaigns.

The measure would not ban contributions to state political parties, a point of contention for Senate President Emil Jones Jr., a Blagojevich ally who said during committee that the bill could be “improved.”

“This addresses a very specific problem, the pay-to-play problem with contractors in state government,” said Cindi Canary, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. She added: “If you look at the Ryan Administration, and if you look at, particularly, Ryan when he was secretary of state, we saw a lot of this. This is not a new problem. Sadly this has been taken to somewhat of an art form in recent years, but this is something that has gone on for some time.”

Fritchey said the bulk of the reforms have already been enacted by all statewide executives on their own, with “one glaring exception,” the governor.

Rep. Jack Franks, a McHenry Democrat and frequent Blagojevich critic, said the governor hasn’t taken the active role in ethics reform that he promised in a 2003 speech. “I’m still waiting for that bill from the governor that would ‘rock the system’ and reform what we’re doing in Springfield.”

Fritchey said the measure’s Senate sponsor, Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, and Sen. Debbie Halvorson, a Crete Democrat, will call for a veto override in that chamber if the governor tries to change the bill. Fritchey expressed concern that the governor would try to “improve the bill to death” to defeat it.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 31, 2008

CBS2
-- Pfleger Mocks Clinton Losses, Then Apologizes From Pulpit At Obama's Church, Pastor Takes Shot At Hillary: 'I'm White. I'm Entitled. There's A Black Man Stealing My Show' - Jay Levine
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/fleger.obama.clinton.2.736268.html (Includes video clip)

ABC7
-- Cardinal calls Pfleger's remarks 'partisan'
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6175069 (Includes video clip)
-- Lawmakers get closer to state budget - Paul Meincke
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6175991 (Includes video clip)

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- FRONT PAGE WITH 8X8.5-INCH COLOR PHOTO OF CARDINAL GEORGE AND 2.5X2.5-INCH COLOR PHOTO OF PFLEGER: Cardinal clamps down on Pfleger Says rebel priest has promised not to campaign or talk about political candidates - Mike Thomas
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/980555,CST-NWS-priest31.article
-- Pfleger: Obama's painful new headache - Lynn Sweet
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/980550,CST-NWS-sweet31.article
-- Budget battle unable to weather the weather "99 Bottles of Beer" Storms drive lawmakers into Capitol basement - Dave McKinney Jaclyn Brenning
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/980726,CST-NWS-budg31.article
-- Feds raid union boss William E. Dugan's farm Allegedly used Local 150 resources illegally - Chris Fusco
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/980494,CST-NWS-dugan31.article

DAILY HERALD
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PHOTO OF PFLEGER: Presidential hopefuls can't keep followers on short leash Pfleger controversy again shows the challenges for hopefuls David Berry
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=201029&src=329
-- Pfleger mocks Clinton - AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200715
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Lawmakers look to boost school funding in marathon budget sessions - John Patterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=201091
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The Daily Herald is somewhat happy that DuPage County Board members froze their pay for the next 4 years and cut stipends and eliminated mileage reimbursements. But the Daily Herald is still not completely happy.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200702
-- Nominating petitions: Seeking political office in DuPage may get easier - Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200681&src=2
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Abortion promoting feminist Diane Niesman of Wheaton blasts McCain
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200084&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: To elect Obama, Tom Sulla of Palatine plays the "age card" big time against McCain
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200071&src=

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PFLEGER/JACKSON PHOTO: Cardinal George weighs in on Pfleger flap Priest agrees to 'not enter into campaigning' after Clinton remarks - Manya A. Brachear and John McCormick
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-obama-preacher-webmay31,0,1651452.story
-- FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PHOTO OF MICHAEL MADIGAN AND LOU LANG: In deadline push, legislators may leave budget cuts to governor Tornado sirens send lawmakers scrambling, delay final action - Jeffrey Meitrodt and Ray Long
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-state-budget-31may31,0,7133409.story
-- Pfleger's vile sermon - Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0531edit1may31,0,3599844.story
-- Durbin says ties to governor thin Senator says he has been troubled by Blagojevich allies currently facing legal battles - David Mendell
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-durbin-31may31,0,4114023.story
-- Dick Durbin on Obama, Pfleger and race
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/vox_pop/2008/05/dick-durbin-on.html#more
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Because of Obama's extreme anti-Republicanism, Tom Rajcan of Wheaton must not really be a Republican if he is "giving serious consideration to voting for" Obama.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-vp0531lettersamay31,0,1591619.story

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Budget deal reached Today’s the deadline for lawmakers to OK it - Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1870881504/Budget-deal-reached

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- ‘Clean car’ bill idles near state House floor - Paul Merrion
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29637&seenIt=1
-- State budget negotiators say deal in place - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29640

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Pontiac plans parade to support prison guards, reach lawmakers Planned closing means all inmates could be moved by February - Tony Sapochetti
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/30/news/doc48403fd5008ce892567092.txt
-- Illinois construction program continues to grow - Kurt Erickson
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/30/news/doc48408685830bf261049197.txt

PIONEER LOCAL
-- Roskam says his district's No. 1 concern is gas prices - Josh Singer
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/wheeling/news/979987,eg-roskamtalk-060508-s1.article

COURIER NEWS
-- Kane County Clerk's Office eyes 'vote centers' - Steve Lord
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/980393,3_1_EL31_A3VOTE_S1.article

KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE
-- Foster, Durbin cry foul over gas prices - Jonathan Bilyk
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/05/30/news/local/doc483fdc2c92e43586850580.tx
-- Lauzen questions IDOT budget - Kate Thayer
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/05/30/news/local/doc483fde4f3e1a0364393163.txtt

KANKAKEE DAILY JOURNAL
-- Martin Ozinga's faith pulling him to congressional race - Edward Felker
http://www.daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=421507

BALTIMORE SUN
-- Hastert's Prairie Parkway push: FOX eyes - Mark Silva
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/05/hasterts_prairie_parkway_push.html

LEGAL TIMES
-- Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert starts work on Monday as a Senior Adviser to Dickstein Shapiro's lobbying practice
http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2008/05/hastert-joins-d.html

SENATOR BILL BRADY
-- MAY 18, 2005 FLASHBACK: Lauzen, Brady, & Collins Springfield press conference RE: SB600 and return to direct election of Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee members
http://www.senatorbillbrady.com/pr/pr051905.doc

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Gambling with a crooked governor - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/gambling-with-a.html
-- The dizzying pace of our mounting state debt - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/the-dizzying-pa.html

ILLINOIS ISSUES & CAPITAL FAX
-- The Imperfect Storm- Bethany Jaeger
http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/imperfect-storm.html
http://capitalfax.blogspot.com/2008/05/imperfect-storm.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: PHOTO CAPTION: Rep. Mike Fortner, a West Chicago Republican, explains the physics of a tornadic cell to fellow legislators and lobbyists after a tornado was sighted in Springfield.)

EXTREME WISDOM
-- NEW BOOK: Illinois Deserves Better by Bruno Behrend and John Bambenek
http://www.extremewisdom.com/?p=1199

AMERICANS FOR TRUTH
-- VERY SAD: Hyatt Regency Chicago Hosts "International Mr. Leather" Perversion
http://americansfortruth.com/news/listen-online-hyatt-regency-chicago-hosts-international-mr-leather-perversion.html

CHICAGO MAGAZINE
-- The Friends of Obama - James L. Merriner
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2008/Obamas-Chicago-Posse/The-Friends-of-O/

NEW YORK TIMES
-- Pfleger's mocking of Clinton at Obama’s Church Reverberates - Susan Saulny
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/us/politics/31pastor.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=pfleger&st=nyt&oref=slogin

WASHINGTON POST
-- Hastert to Join Lobbying Firm Dickstein Shapiro
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/30/AR2008053002852.html

HOUSTON CHRONICLE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Houston Chronicle seeks to downplay the negative impact of Wright and Pfleger on Obama
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/5810470.html

NATIONAL JOURNAL
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: National Journal lists Bob Kjellander as a "GOP Political Insider"
http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/ip_20080531_6099.php

ABC NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Jake Tapper outrageously tries to equate New York Monsignor Josh Singer with Wright and Pfleger
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/monsignor-mocke.html (Includes outstanding video clip)

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
-- FOX News Documentary Shows Congressmen Sent Millions in Earmarks to Their Own Families A number of U.S. congressmen and their families — including former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert - have personally profited from congressional earmarks they slipped into federal legislation, a FOX News documentary reveals.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361061,00.html

THE HILL
-- Roskam’s wife paints intricate oil canvas for her husband - Betsy Rothstein
http://thehill.com/in-the-know/roskams-wife-paints-intricate-oil-canvas-for-her-husband-2008-05-21.html
(See page 34 of the May 22 edition for a 5X7-inch color copy of the painting. The painting, which depicts the Roskam team walking in a parade, includes Brigitta Johnson, David and Kirsten Mork, Jason Roe, the Roskams, Dean Thompson, Matt Vreisema, and many others.)

AFP
-- Clinton team demands Obama action on pastor attack
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5izZw_Pt7BvA5fS0GjNV4m7AcoW0g

CATHOLIC WORLD
-- Abortion: When law encourages violence - Francis Cardinal George
http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2008/0525/cardinal.aspx

Read more...

The imperfect storm

By Bethany Jaeger
A tornado warning interrupted the House and Senate this evening before they could debate larger portions of the state operating budget, further delaying the ability to approve a spending plan before the constitutional deadline of midnight Saturday.

We all had to head to the basement of the Statehouse, where tunnels connect buildings on the Capitol complex. Amanda Vinicky, reporter for WUIS public radio station out of the University of Illinois at Springfield, caught up with House Speaker Michael Madigan in one of the tunnels. We listened to her audio file. She asked the speaker about the status of the budget, the leadership style of the governor and the lack of trust plaguing the democratic process.

Madigan’s advice for others was to consider the past five or six years — and to “prepare for the worst.”

The General Assembly is expected to approve a state budget before the deadline, but the budget also is expected to contain a rather large hole. Madigan said the legislature’s job is to approve the spending authority. The actual spending is up to the governor. “If he feels that some of those numbers should be changed, he has a reduction veto.”

The state Constitution grants the governor the power to strike out portions of the budget or to reduce the amount of money dedicated to specific programs.

The lawmakers also are considering the capital plan drafted by former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard, who were recruited by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to bring everyone together on a multi-year plan for construction projects. Madigan has not attended any of the meetings with the negotiators and the other legislative leaders. Of the governor’s previous meetings, Madigan said, “I have found meeting with Gov. Blagojevich to be totally non-productive, and so we decided to take a different approach.” That included sending his majority leader, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, in his place.

The $31 billion capital plan has grown to $33 billion under the Senate proposal (see below). It now has a specific list of projects that would be funded, something legislators demanded before they could consider approving a deal. But rank-and-file legislators, particularly Democrats, continue to question whether they could trust Blagojevich to release the money for projects in their districts. Madigan reiterated the reason behind lawmakers’ hesitation: “It’s all about trust. It’s all about trust and whether people are prepared to trust Gov. Blagojevich and trust his record of broken promises.”

The legislative leaders are meeting with the governor in his Statehouse office as I post this. The Senate is expected to meet in committees yet this evening to discuss the capital plan and the proposed funding sources, including leasing the Illinois Lottery; expanding gaming to include a new and two additional riverboats, as well as expanding positions at existing facilities; and transferring money from the state’s Road Fund and the general fund. The House is done for the evening but will start with committees at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Expect a long day and night.

Here are a few other items of interest that unfolded earlier Friday:

Potential CeaseFire agreement
Rep. Susana Mendoza, a Chicago Democrat, said she’s able to vote for a state budget now that an agreement has been made with Senate Democrats to reinsert $6.25 million into the state budget for a CeaseFire, gun violence prevention program.

The CeaseFire campaign employs ex-convicts to work as mediators to diffuse tension in communities with “hot spots” of gun and gang violence. They also connect clients to community services for jobs, education and other social services. The program is administered by the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention located at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich last summer vetoed $6 million for CeaseFire from state budget as part of a series of budget cuts totaling about $460 million.

In early May, a Northwestern University study announced the program as successful in deterring gun violence. Professor Wesley Skogan at the Evanston school found that the number of shootings dropped between 16 percent and 34 percent in four Chicago neighborhoods with CeaseFire programs. Six CeaseFire communities saw a 42 percent average reduction in shootings during the first year of the program.

The study also shows that the program has lasting effects on such other challenges as getting jobs, returning to school or disengaging from gangs. Clients interviewed for the survey also reported that they built relationships with their mediators so that if, for instance, they felt tempted to use drugs again, they could call their mediator in the middle of the night.

The study concluded that the program saves the state and the taxpayers money by decreasing the number of emergency room visits and the number of criminals in the justice system.

Potential Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals
The state could garner up to $4.5 billion in federal funds over five years that Illinois would redistribute to hospitals, primarily facilities that care for the most needy patients. The legislature is advancing a plan that would need the governor’s signature and the feds’ approval.

About 200 hospitals in the state already have participated in a so-called hospital assessment program, collecting a total of $$2.3 billion over three years. That program is set to expire June 30. The plan approved by the House Friday afternoon (and expected to win Senate approval Saturday) would create a new program for the next five years.

The new plan would be larger than the existing program. It would distribute more than $640 million a year to the hospitals that voluntarily pay an assessment (a.k.a. tax) that leverages federal matching funds. This plan also differs in that more hospitals, particularly in the Chicago suburbs, would be considered “losers,” meaning they would pay out more than they collected in federal reimbursements. The feds view that favorably because the system would better redistribute the money to the most critical and needy hospitals in rural and low-income areas, says House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat.

She added the state also needs the plan because without federal approval, “we will be looking for substantial dollars to fill a very deep hole in the state’s Medicaid budget.”

Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, an Evanston Democrat sponsoring the measure in his chamber, said hospitals agreed to the plan. “Everybody recognized that we all have a stake in it together, and without this infusion of new federal Medicaid funding, many hospitals in the state will have to either curtail their services or close their doors entirely. And we simply cannot allow that to happen.”

That’s partially because without the program, hospitals on average would be paid only 64 percent of what it actually costs to deliver the care, said Howard Peters with the Illinois Hospital Association.

The state also leverages about $130 million that’s left over from the Medicaid reimbursement program to obtain additional federal matching funds. They must be spent on health care, including services for mental health, developmental disabilities and long-term care. Schoenberg said that he would like to use some of the excess money for substance abuse and treatment programs, many of which have long waiting lists. That would require legislative approval.

Just for fun
To the right: Rep. Mike Fortner, a West Chicago Republican, explains the physics of a tornadic cell to fellow legislators and lobbyists after a tornado was sighted in Springfield.

Read more...

Con Con Considerations: Presentation

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

The November ballot will ask voters whether Illinois should have a Constitutional Convention. A Constitutional Convention would be authorized to review any portion of Illinois' Constitution they wanted to -- and to propose an entirely new document, amendments to existing provisions, or additions of new materials.

But the Constitution also leaves much to the General Assembly to determine. Others have taken a position on whether or not there should be a Convention, and even on what issues a Convention should address if it is called. This page is less interested in what a Convention might accomplish as in how it might work.

Last in a series

The 1970 constitution provides that, at the conclusion of a Convention, "any proposed revision or amendments approved by a majority of the delegates shall be submitted to the electors [ie, voters] in such manner as the Convention determines, at an election designated or called by the Convention occurring not less than two nor more than six months after the Convention's adjournment." In theory, the delegates could approve a series of amendment or revisions, but not adjourn until the timing of an election. Moreover, the vote on their findings must be no sooner than two months after the end of the Convention, nor more than six months after the end, meaning that the Convention will likely determine whether the results are voted upon at a Special Election or a Regular Election. How should the final product be presented? As a single up or down vote, as a series of changes, or, as in 1970, a combination of the two: a totally new Constitution and a few separate votes on more controversial components?

How, and When, Should the Convention Present its Findings?

To Comment, please visit ICPR's blog.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 30, 2008

ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
-- Convention Committee on Rules and Procedures Ruling
http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/120269-Convention%20Committee%20on%20Rules%20and%20Procedures%20Ruling.pdf

CHAMPION NEWS
-- Champion News obtains list of delegates for the Republican State Convention in Decatur - Doug Ibendal
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1014
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1010 (A-G)
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1011 (H-K)
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1012 (L-P)
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1013 (Q-Z)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: We were finally able to obtain a statewide delegate list for next weekend's Republican State Convention in Decatur - no thanks to Andy McKenna's staff by the way. To the best of our knowledge, this is what the State Party considers to be the official certified list as of this date. As far as we know, as of right now Champion News is the only place where all Republicans can learn who will be representing them in Decatur. Needless to say, we don't pretend to vouch for the accuracy of anything coming out of this State Party these days. We're publishing what we've obtained, in the good faith belief it's as good as we're going to get at this late date. By our count, there are 1,268 names here. There is no way to tell from this list how many are delegates, and how many are alternates. But most are probably delegates. If every person listed here makes it to Decatur that would be a big increase in the turnout over the last convention in 2004. So this list indicates improvement, but we as Republicans should still be doing much better. Illinois law allows approximately 1,800 delegates this year, and the same number of alternates, for a total of 3,600 slots for the entire state. So 2,332 slots remain unfilled according to this list. In other words, nearly two-thirds of the opportunities available are going unclaimed. We'll keep you updated.)

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- Pfleger-ant foul Outspoken priest caught on video ranting about Hillary at Obama's church - Lynn Sweet
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/978604,CST-NWS-sweet30.article
-- Illinois Senate OKs $16 billion loan to bolster pension system But support may be lacking in House - Dave McKinney and Jaclyn Brenning
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/978981,CST-NWS-leg30.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Chicago Sun-Times steps up its efforts to demonize conservatives by saying Michelle Malkin is a racist
http://www.suntimes.com/news/douglas/978979,CST-EDT-douglas30.article

DAILY HERALD
-- FRONT PAGE: Illinois illegal immigrant mystery health tab - Nick Shields
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200153&src=2
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As the state's unpaid medical bills continue to climb, Illinois has enrolled thousands of undocumented immigrant children into Gov. Rod Blagojevich's All Kids insurance program, yet officials don't know how much taxpayers are spending on their care. "The figure is not available," Mark Iocca, an attorney handling information requests for the administration, said in responding to a Daily Herald legal request about those costs. A total of 1.4 million children receive state-provided health care under All Kids. Many of them were previously enrolled in Kid Care, which was folded into the new All Kids program in 2006. All Kids spent $1.85 billion on children's care in the 2007 budget year. Iocca said fewer than 4 percent of the enrollees were undocumented but said specific cost information was unavailable. He also said 2008 budget information was not available. The distinction is key as undocumented immigrants' health care generally is not eligible for federal Medicaid dollars. That means Illinois taxpayers foot the bill for the health care of undocumented children. Critics say such coverage expansions -- especially those with undocumented immigrants -- are overburdening a system that has long had problems paying medical providers on time.)
-- Lawmakers look to borrow $16 billion for pensions - John Patterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200234&src=109
-- Get fed up with our state officials - Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200223&src=
-- Bad policies to blame for gas costs, Durbin says - David Beery
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200125&src=2
-- Durbin says Clintons must unite party - David Beery
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200124
-- California revives gay marriage debate - AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=200043
-- DuPage Democrats accuse GOP board members of stifling public input - Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198623&src=2
-- Voter ID idea makes sense - Flo Brinacombe, Schaumburg
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199183&src=

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Another video from Obama's church - John McCormick and Manya A. Brachear
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/05/another_video_from_obamas_chur.html (Includes video clip)
-- Obama again apologizes for a pastor's comments - John McCormick and Manya A. Brachear
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-obama-preacher_frimay30,0,5467277.story
-- State budget may contain big boost for school funding But lawmakers still scrambling to finish work by end of month - Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-legis-30may30,0,2170713.story
-- NU grads say Daley too small for big day As commencement speaker, mayor a letdown, some say - Jodi S. Cohen and Brian Cox
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/content/education/chi-daley-northwesternmay29,0,1022702.story
-- NU president reaffirms Daley as commencement speaker choice Some grads had complained he was too small for their big day - Jodi S. Cohen
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-daley-northwestern-webmay30,0,2843823.story
-- Will County Board Republicans broke state law, Illinois attorney general says Secret ballot vote for new Forest District president violated Open Meetings Act, officials say
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-open-meeting_30may30,0,578508.story

ABC7
-- Pfleger apologizes for comments mocking Clinton
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6173741 (Includes video clip)
-- Lawmakers have 2 days to pass budget - Paul Meincke
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6173809 (Includes video clip)

NBC5
-- Pfleger's Fiery Sermon New Controversy For Obama Campaign Obama 'Deeply Disappointed' By Priest's Remarks
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16430456/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clip)
-- Northwestern University Students Say Mayor Not 'Cool' Commencement Speaker NBC5 Viewers Share Their Opinions In 'Soundoff'
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16422481/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clip)

CBS2
-- Pfleger Apologizes For Mocking Clinton - Jay Levine
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/fleger.obama.clinton.2.736268.html (Includes video clip)
-- Cheney Charges Up Republicans At NYC Fundraiser Vice President Stresses Importance Of Winning Congress & White House At $1,000-A-Plate Party In Manhattan - AP
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/vice.president.dick.2.736320.html

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Hurdles imposing for state budget Top negotiator in Senate says it’s on target, though - Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1218083973/Hurdles-imposing-for-state-budget

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Jeffrey R. Brown, director of the University of Illinois Center on Business and Public Policy, contends Illinois pension debt plan is merely 'gimmick' - Kurt Erickson
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/29/news/doc483f6702de82e230309542.txt
-- Some state budget headway made - Mike Riopell
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/29/news/doc483f66ad52d31132678153.txt

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Some legislators say they should not get pay raise - Adriana Colindres
http://www.pjstar.com/news_state/x138487550/Some-legislators-say-they-should-not-get-pay-raise

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Recommendation for ILGOP pro-life plank - Jill Stanek
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/i-appreciate-ch.html

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Obama’s 2006 choice not to transcend race: From small problems do big ones grow? - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/obamas-2006-choice-not-to-transcend.html

AMERICANS FOR TRUTH
-- Pro-Gay, Anti-Christianity - David R. Carlin
http://americansfortruth.com/news/pro-gay-anti-christianity.html

REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- McClellan's Book Rocks the Beltway: Problem Is, Who's McClellan and Who Cares? - Daniel T. Zanoza
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/05/mcclellan.html

TOM ROESER
-- Obama's invaluable lesson to both parties. How to raise big bucks on the internet.
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24594

TWIN CITIES
-- Unsettled state GOP kicks off convention - Bill Salisbury
http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_9420260

SAINT CLOUD TIMES
-- State GOP convention kicks off - Lawrence Schumacher
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080530/NEWS01/105300017/1009
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republicans will also revise and adopt a platform containing the party’s core principles and conduct other party business at the Mayo Civic Center this weekend.)

OLYMPIAN
-- State GOP in Spokane to decide election platform - Brad Shannon
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/463760.html

BRANSON DAILY NEWS
-- State GOP to descend on Branson - Dave Abner
http://www.bransondailynews.com/story.php?storyID=7585

HAWAII REPORTER
-- Hawaii GOP Convention - Majority and Minority Voices Heard - Stan Fichtman and Francisco Figueiredo
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?98c16256-c761-4b85-9e98-866228f0d8d6

NEW YORK SUN
-- Conservatives Mixed on Top McCain Policies - Russell Berman
http://www.nysun.com/national/conservatives-mixed-on-top-mccain-policies/78902/

WASHINGTON TIMES
-- Tancredo dedicated to immigration issue Gives up House seat to join front lines - Ralph Hallow
http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/may/29/tancredo-risks-his-life-for-immigration-issue/

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
-- Obama’s Church, Chicago Minister Pfleger Says Clinton Felt ‘White’ Entitlement
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/29/at-obamas-church-chicago-minister-says-clinton-felt-white-entitlement/

ABC NEWS
-- Priest and Obama Ally Pfleger Mocks Clinton's Tears from Obama's Church's Pulpit - Jake Tapper
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/priest-and-obam.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS
-- Obama distances himself from another clergyman, Pfleger - Caryn Rousseau
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hoD5UmGsKxR-pdYmCj3yYT19N_0wD90VN86O0
-- Illinois lawmakers advance some parts of budget
http://www.bnd.com/news/state/story/355143.html

WORLD NET DAILY
-- Hillary believed she'd win 'cause she's white' In Trinity sermon, Obama spiritual adviser Pfleger says Clinton thought 'black man stealing my show' - Aaron Klein
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=65625

NATIONAL REVIEW
-- Father Michael Pfleger, Surpassing Jeremiah Wright at Trinity
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTk3ZjhlZGI0ZTRlOTIyZmQ2NTJiMDU0N2RkNGU3ZGY=

CNS NEWS
-- VERY SAD: Obama Praised Wright, Criticized Traditional Black Churches on Homosexuality - Penny Starr
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200805/CUL20080529a.html
-- VERY SAD: Support for Obama, Anti-US Feeling Alive and Well in Europe - Patrick Goodenough
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200805/POL20080530c.html

TOWN HALL
-- Top Seven Reasons Why Barack Obama is a Weaker Candidate Than People Think - John Hawkins
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JohnHawkins/

HUMAN EVENTS
-- Missourians Reject Obama’s Brand of Radical Liberalism - Peter Kinder
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26720

ACCURACY IN MEDIA
-- It’s the Communism, Stupid - Cliff Kincaid
http://www.aim.org/aim-report/its-the-communism-stupid/

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
-- The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee Meeting - Ken Rudin
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90964838

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
-- Apologies for Slavery
http://www.ncsl.org/magazine/articles/2008/08SLJune08_StateStats.pdf

MSNBC
-- Another pastor complicates Obama’s campaign Priest mocks Clinton as feeling entitled to nomination because she is white
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24882600/

TIME MAGAZINE
-- Don't Link Obama to Former Radicals - Michael Kinsley
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1810338,00.html

LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- McCain's Web gap is showing The candidate is taking a serious drubbing on the most popular video-sharing service on the Internet -- and the virtual town square for millions of young voters. - James Rainey
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-onmedia30-2008may30,0,1110831.story

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- OUTSTANDING: Hultgren and Dillard join Birkett, Eckhoff, King, McBride, Olson, Fortner, Henry, Suess, Claar, and Carlin in sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade; all but $50 of the $1,300 cost has already been pledged - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, last year, Republicans Mary Jo Arndt, Alan Bolds, Fred Bucholz, Dave Carlin, Roger Claar, Franco Coladipietro, Mike Connelly, Paul Daniels, Kirk Dillard, Bob Earl, DuPage Young Republicans, Jim Flickinger, Mike Formento, Mike Fortner, GOPUSA ILLINOIS, Mike Gresk, Gwen Henry, Randy Hultgren, Bob Jacobsen, Chris Kachiroubas, Gary King, Mark Kmiecik, Bob Larsen, J.R. McBride, Debra Olson, Mike Prueter, Peter Roskam, Darlene Ruscitti, Leonard Sanchez, Ron Smith, Phil Suess, and Tim Whelan contributed a total of $3,300 to sponsor Big Queenie the elephant ($2,000) and the Chicago Highlanders ($1,300) in Wheaton's 2007 Independence Day parade. On Saturday, May 24, I asked them to consider again sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade. Outstandingly, already, Hultgren has pledged $150, Dillard $50, Birkett, $100, Eckhoff $50, King $100, McBride $50, Olson $50, Henry $150, Fortner $100, Suess $150, Carlin $50, and Claar $250.)

Read more...

2010 Democratic primary is like one huge Texas Hold Em tournament

I've been playing Texas Hold Em lately. Probably way too much for my own good, so if my analogy is strained, you know what to blame. But as we approach the 2010 Democratic primary, it's a huge poker tournament. Let me explain.

Eric Zorn kicks off the campaign season with his call for Attorney General Lisa Madigan to go all in and announce now that she is running for governor.  Think of the 2010 primary, as I have increasingly done, as a poker table. There are savvy players around the table. Lisa Madigan, Pat Quinn, Dan Hynes, Paul Vallas, Jack Franks, Alexi Giannoulias and, of course, Rod Blagojevich. These are all smart, aggressive, good players. And they are all holding their cards close to the vest.

Now, if someone bets hard (say, Lisa announces that she's all in, or Alexi announces he is running for sure), that will cause some players, even with good cards, to fold. No one is folding now. So who will go in first? If a player with a low chip stack goes all in (say, Jack Franks) and announces that he is running, will that cause anyone else to fold? Probably not. What if someone bets lightly by announcing an exploratory committee? Probably won't cause anyone else to fold. So who is going all in?

That's the delicious season of anticipation that we're in now.

Then the fun part is in the ripple effect. For the first time in a decade, lots of offices can open up. Senator Obama's seat will be open in 2010, as will every statewide state elected. So if both Dan Hynes and Pat Quinn run for governor, then Comptroller and Lt. Governor are both open. In other words, in one way or another, every part of the Illinois Democratic Party is around the 2010 poker table with seven different offices to fill, at least half of which are likely to be open seats. So everyone in the state gets to play. It's going to be very exciting.

People who are better at hold em than I am can explain how most of the game's success is in the strategy of betting. And over the next six months, we get to see how the best players in the party bet with the hands they've been dealt.

Cross-posted at Progressive Advocacy

Read more...

It's close

By Patrick O’Brien and Bethany Jaeger
The House and Senate may have drawn closer to agreeing on a state budget today, but it’ll come down to Friday and Saturday to find out whether the legislature is headed into overtime session.

Negotiators likely have found a common ground on school funding, which would increase by between $500 million and $530 million, according to Rep. Gary Hannig, the House budget negotiator. Higher education funding levels also are relatively close, granting nearly a 3 percent increase across the board. Budget negotiators need to work out funding levels for community colleges.

The main sticking point in the overall budget appears to be with the House Democrats, who want to increase spending for human services. But Hannig said the House tomorrow likely will present two more substantial portions of a budget that would represent an agreement between the chambers.

The House sent two smaller, less-controversial portions of the budget (here and here) to the governor this afternoon. They would fund such agencies as the Capital Development Board, the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission at mostly current levels.

“It’s more likely that we would take up the rest of the budget perhaps tomorrow,” Hannig said. That leaves tens of billions in spending still under negotiation.

Whether the final budget will be balanced is up to debate.

Rep. Renee Kosel, a New Lenox Republican, said this year’s budget process has made it impossible to know whether the Democrats’ plan carries a deficit. “I can’t tell you whether it’s a flat budget or whether it’s a balanced budget because we don’t have all the pieces,” she said. She added that increased education funding is necessary because of increases in enrollment.

Over in the Senate, Democrats showed a rare sense of solidarity as they approved two ways to plug a projected $500 million hole in the budget.

They had to scurry around the floor to ensure all their ducks were in a row to approve a $16 billion borrowing plan. They did. The plan would pump money into the increasingly expensive pension systems for public employees. They later approved a mechanism that would allow the governor to sweep about $500 million out of special dedicated funds, which would help put more money toward education and leverage up to $530 million in new federal matching funds.

All Republicans voted against the plans. That’s a sign that the pension deal faces a severe challenge in the House, where some Republicans would have to support it for the plan to pass. Quote Hannig: “It’s hard for me to see how you can find 71 votes out here. I have advised the Senate of the difficulty that they will face in the House.”

Senate Democrats defended the pension bonding proposal as a way to refinance $42 billion of debt at a lower interest rate, saving the state about $55 billion in the long run. It also would free up $500 million that otherwise would have been earmarked for the state’s contribution to the five pension systems next fiscal year.

Republicans dismissed the bonding scheme as risky for two reasons. Current market conditions can’t guarantee generous returns on investments, and the governor and the legislature can’t be trusted as they continue to fudge with the payment schedule set in the 1990s.

“This is more about budget relief than it is about fixing the pensions,” said Sen. Christine Radogno, a Lemont Republican.

Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson likened the plan to an “Enron borrowing scheme.”

The so-called fund sweeps legislation would not only leverage federal funds and free up existing state dollars, but it also would be restricted by federal rules on how they could be spent, said Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, an Evanston Democrat sponsoring the measure. He said the federal rules address the concern that the legislature relinquishes too much power to the executive branch.

Nearly 30 funds also would be prohibited from being swept. They include funds for veterans’ homes, teachers’ health insurance and public transportation needs, as well as a motor cycle riders’ safety training fund that landed in court last year.

The House would need a regular majority to approve fund sweeps, meaning Republican votes would not be needed if all Democrats were on board.

Read more...

Told You So

Even Stevie Wonder could have seen this one coming:

A temporary ban on an Illinois law requiring a moment of silence at the start of the school day was expanded Thursday to apply to all school districts across the state.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman will remain in place while a legal challenge alleging the law is unconstitutional moves forward.

As I've maintained from the onset of this issue, the underlying law was pointless and last year's amendment made it even worse. The bill that I sponsored this year, which was passed by the House before being taken hostage in the Senate would have fixed the problem, but once again, common sense failed to carry the day in Springfield.

So now we wind up just where I predicted we would, with dollars that should be going into classrooms instead going into courtrooms, all in the name of fighting for an unenforceable law with no penalty provisions. Political folly at its finest.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 29, 2008

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- KASS: While seeking a presidential pardon for the Republican Ryan, Thompson's firm is also representing the Democratic Gov. Rod "He's next" Blagojevich, who is under federal pressure. I've given Thompson credit for establishing the sleazy bipartisan combine that runs the state, and for helping to ruin the Republican Party.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass-29-may29,0,3274602.column
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Promoters of homosexual activity score wins in New York and California
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-gay-marriage,0,1238682.story
-- Sorry, but Mrs. Obama's fair game - Jonah Goldberg
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0529goldbergmay29,0,6064081.story
-- House Democrats: little chance of passing capital plan - Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/05/house-democrats.html
-- Governor optimistic on big plan Blagojevich pushes public works, but others seek exit - Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-legis-29may29,0,5709673.story
-- DuPage County Board freezes most members' salaries - Joseph Sjostrom
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dusalaries_both_29may29,0,7572615.story

DAILY HERALD
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The anti-conservative Daily Herald, anti-conservative George Ryan, anti-conservative Jim Thompson, and their supporters all blame all problems on conservatives and on conservatism. So it is puzzling that the Daily Herald says "George Ryan violated his public trust and wronged the people of Illinois he had promised to serve. To grant him special favors after all that would not only be unfair, it would invite the public's continued cynicism about our institutions of government." Maybe the Daily Herald is mad at George Ryan for getting caught and for causing so much bad publicity for anti-conservatives and for anti-conservatism.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199157&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: DAILY HERALD HIGHLIGHTS DEMOCRATS' AND RINOS' BELIEF THAT CHILDREN ARE HOPELESSLY PROMISCUOUS: Wheaton Warrenville School District 200: Wheaton Republican Mark Stern speaks in favor of continuation of abstinence-only sex education for middle school students. Milton Township Democrat Party Chairman Alicia Fitz and contraception education advocate Karen Henk speak against it.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199410&src=2
(FROM THE ARTICLE: "Hopefully most (students) will postpone sexual activity for many years, and a few will wait until marriage," read Henk's speech. "But the purpose of sex ed should be providing ALL of the tools necessary to help young people make responsible decisions." District 200 residents looking for a swift resolution will have to wait. The school board did not have an immediate response. However, school board President Andy Johnson did clarify that abstinence-only sexual education classes were not instituted by board policy. District staff in a separate interview on Wednesday clarified that abstinence-only sexual education is a federally funded program, but District 200 does not take any of those dollars. The current program has been in place for about four years now. Students receive further sexual education as part of their health curriculum once they get to high school. As in many parts of the country, the sex ed debate may inject a political element. Republican Mark Stern quickly rebutted Henk's comments, saying they were not in line with the beliefs of the District 200 community as a whole. Meanwhile, Democrat Alicia Fitz, who was also in attendance, said Henk's comments have wide support.)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Race based politics promoter Rueben Navarrette supports Obama's attacks on Dobbs and Limbaugh
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199152
-- Lawmakers racing the clock on budget - John Patterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199310&src=109
-- Bob Biggins arrested on DUI charge in Springfield - Amber Krosel
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199299
(FROM THE ARTICLE: "I made a serious lapse in judgment and sincerely apologize to my family and those I represent who may be disappointed today," Biggins said in a statement provided to the Daily Herald. "I take full responsibility for my actions and will face any and all legal consequences.")
-- Chaplin v. Rathje: State: Hand over supply receipts Water agency board member takes tiff over office supplies to attorney general's office - Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199211&src=2
-- Former COD chief steps back in for the interim McAninch returns to president's office - Catherine Edman
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=199290&src=2
-- Illegal immigration is costly for country - Nancy J. Thorner, Lake Bluff
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198174&src
-- The danger posed by drug companies - Jim Peterson, Hoffman Estates
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198634&src=
-- Same-sex rulings raw judicial fiat - Jim and Phyllis Finnegan, Barrington
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198635&src=

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The anti-conservative Chicago Sun-Times, anti-conservative George Ryan, anti-conservative Jim Thompson, and their supporters all blame all problems on conservatives and on conservatism. So it is puzzling that the Chicago Sun-Times says "Ryan doesn't deserve a get-out-of-jail card." Maybe the Chicago Sun-Times is mad at George Ryan for getting caught and for causing so much bad publicity for anti-conservatives and for anti-conservatism.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/977057,CST-EDT-edit29.article

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Pension reform bill advances to full House - Meagan Sexton
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1353502221/Pension-reform-bill-advances-to-full-House
-- Bush once sought Ryan’s help; it’s a lot different now - Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x65833310/Bernard-Schoenburg-Bush-once-sought-Ryan-s-help-it-s-a-lot-different-now
-- Prospects for Illinois Works are dim - Editorial
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x2031258155/Our-Opinion-Prospects-for-Illinois-Works-are-dim

CBS2
-- The Price Of Pampering At The Conventions? $500K
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/political.conventions.price.2.735075.html

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Auditor chides guv’s budget office for ‘poor example’ - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29611
-- Lawmakers hustle to craft spending plan - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29610

PIONEER PRESS
-- Mike Sweeney to lead Elk Grove GOP - Josh Singer and Kimberly Fornek
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/arlingtonheights/news/975881,ah-sweeney-052908-s1.article

BEACON NEWS
-- Birkett should now see there's no sure thing - Jeff Ward
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/opinions/973169,2_4_AU28_WARD_S1.article

NAPERVILLE SUN
-- College of DuPage president's contract terminated Trustees say removing Chand early was a mutual decision - Paige Winfield
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/976405,6_1_NA29_COD_S1.article
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Chand's departure came about as a "mutual agreement" he made with the college, board Chairman Mike McKinnon said in a written statement. David Carlin, another trustee on the eight-member board, also said the removal was a joint decision between Chand and the board. "Over the last couple months we've had discussions on different things," Carlin said. "It kind of played out as we were discussing things." The announcement came five days after a May 22 meeting during which the board conducted Chand's annual performance review. Carlin and McKinnon reportedly had a rocky relationship with Chand in recent months as they negotiated a $90,000 contract with Res Publica Group - a Chicago-based public relations firm. While Carlin declined to give specifics about any factors contributing to the decision, former board member Jan Herron said the announcement doesn't surprise her, based on the way the board leadership operated during her own tenure.)

REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- Obama, Dems, Media, In Denial: Wright and "Bitter" Flap Did Have Impact On White Voters - Daniel T. Zanoza
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/05/obama-dems.html

GOPUSA
-- Are Religious Conservatives And The GOP Headed For Divorce? - Deal W. Hudson
http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/guest/2008/dwh_05281.shtml

POLITICO
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: RACE BASED POLITICS IS EXTREMELY DIVISIVE: What types of enhanced preferential treatment will Democrats promise Native Americans to get their vote?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10676.html

TOWNHALL
-- Rachael Ray, Dunkin' Donuts and the Keffiyeh Kerfuffle - Michelle Malkin
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MichelleMalkin/2008/05/28/rachael_ray,_dunkin_donuts_and_the_keffiyeh_kerfuffle

ACCURACY IN MEDIA
-- Journalist Sympathizes With Illegal Immigrants - Bethany Stotts
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/journalist-sympathizes-with-illegal-immigrants/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- Obama's Revisionist History - Karl Rove
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121201747075327643.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

WASHINGTON POST
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: "Deeply flawed" Ben Pershing says that Oberweis is "deeply flawed"
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2008/05/follow_the_leaders_out_the_doo.html?hpid=news-col-blog
-- In Rebuking Minister, McCain May Have Alienated Evangelicals - Kimberly Kindy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/28/AR2008052803037.html

USA TODAY
-- Obama: A uniter or a fraud? Whether Obama would give America 'change we can believe in' is not knowable. But Bob Beckel and Cal Thomas believe one thing is certain: If he hopes to have a consequential presidency, bipartisanship provides the surest path.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080529/commonlede.art.htm

NEWS BUSTERS
-- What Happens When the Ex-Press Secretary Doesn’t Trash His Boss - Rich Noles
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/rich-noyes/2008/05/28/what-happens-when-ex-press-secretary-doesn-t-trash-his-boss
(FROM THE ARTICLE: LAUER: "I can't let you go without asking about Jeff Gannon who's the reporter, the Washington bureau chief for Talon News, found out now that he had an alias. That of course he was asking some very easy questions of the administration. When you were the press secretary, you stopped going to him for questions. Why did you do that and are you surprised they went back to him after you left?" FLEISCHER: "Well I stopped calling on him because I heard he worked for something called GOPUSA. And my line in the sand is that if you work for a political party or candidate you're not a reporter but I was assured that GOPUSA, despite its name, was not a part of the party. His editor called me to tell me that and I confirmed it with the Republican National Committee." LAUER: "Were you surprised that the, the current press secretary went back to calling on him?" FLEISCHER: "Well I do think that there is a slippery slope if government officials stop calling on reporters based on ideology. Because that room is home to a lot of colorful characters left and right. And I used to call them mainstream reporters first and then I tried to get to the colorful characters at the very end. 'Cause they too are entitled to questions and the government should not pick and choose reporters on the basis of ideology.")

ANDY MARTIN
-- Andy Martin sets hearing in Illinois GOP 'Rigged Convention' lawsuit
http://www.pr-inside.com/corruption-fighter-andy-martin-sets-hearing-r613240.htm

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- OUTSTANDING: Birkett, Eckhoff, King, McBride, and Olson join Fortner, Henry, Suess, Claar, and Carlin in sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade; all but $250 of the $1,300 cost has already been pledged - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, last year, Republicans Mary Jo Arndt, Alan Bolds, Fred Bucholz, Dave Carlin, Roger Claar, Franco Coladipietro, Mike Connelly, Paul Daniels, Kirk Dillard, Bob Earl, DuPage Young Republicans, Jim Flickinger, Mike Formento, Mike Fortner, GOPUSA ILLINOIS, Mike Gresk, Gwen Henry, Randy Hultgren, Bob Jacobsen, Chris Kachiroubas, Gary King, Mark Kmiecik, Bob Larsen, J.R. McBride, Debra Olson, Mike Prueter, Peter Roskam, Darlene Ruscitti, Leonard Sanchez, Ron Smith, Phil Suess, and Tim Whelan contributed a total of $3,300 to sponsor Big Queenie the elephant ($2,000) and the Chicago Highlanders ($1,300) in Wheaton's 2007 Independence Day parade. On Saturday, May 24, I asked them to consider again sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade. Outstandingly, already, Birkett has pledged $100, Eckhoff $50, King $100, McBride $50, Olson $50, Henry $150, Fortner $100, Suess $150, Carlin $50, and Claar $250.)
-- Gresk and Olson speak at outstanding Muehlfelt fundraiser Over 100 attendees include Bond, Bucholz, Carlson, Connelly, Crane, Dickson, Earl, Eckhoff, Edwards, Falbo, Fawell, Flickinger, Formento, Gilgis, Heidorn, Jacobsen, Keim, King, Larsen, McBride, Mitroff, Murphy, Rathje, and Smith - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Wheaton Mayor Mike Gresk and DuPage County District 4 Board Member Debra Olson spoke at an outstanding fundraiser for Milton Township Highway Commissioner Gary Muehlfelt Wednesday evening at Manhattan's Bar & Grill in Carol Stream. The over 100 attendees included Pat Bond, Fred Bucholz, Lori Carlson, Tina Connelly, Lynn Crane, Mary Dickson, Bob Earl, Grant Eckhoff, Chris Edwards, Sal Falbo, Blanch & Jeff Fawell, Jim Flickinger, Mike Formento, Kyle Gilgis, Chris Heidorn, Bob Jacobsen, Joe Keim, Gary King, Bob Larsen, J.R. McBride, Pam Mitroff, Barb Murphy, Louis Rathje, and Ron Smith. Sponsors included Bond, Dickson & Assoc, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Dreisilker, Rick & Kyle Gilgis, Mr. & Mrs. Bob Jacobsen, Joe & Helen Keim, J.R. McBride, Barb Murphy, and Hank & Lucy Stillwell.)

Read more...

A lot has to happen in three days

The governor’s office called it significant, and it is significant when major state government officials stand together in favor of the first major construction plan in nine years. But it’s also significant that House Speaker Michael Madigan wasn’t there. And although everyone present said they agreed on the general proposals for financing a capital plan, they’re still negotiating fine details that would have significant effects on construction projects for roads, bridges and schools.

As usual this time in the legislative session (three days left to act on a state operating budget before the Constitutional deadline and before Republicans get a seat at the table), lots of things are in the air. For instance, the House stripped most of the Senate’s version of a state budget and will import its own revised plan. The Senate, meanwhile, stripped numerous House-approved measures because they would have required all rules for new laws to be approved by the General Assembly. The rules currently are reviewed and approved by a much smaller panel. By the Senate rejecting the rulemaking provision, those measures have to go back to the House.

Separate from the operating budget is the capital budget. Gov. Rod Blagojevich made it clear this afternoon he is not tying the two together. That’s good news for those waiting for an agreed operating budget because the proposed capital plan involves controversial revenue sources that could take awhile to win the support of enough legislators. It would require the state to lease the Illinois Lottery for an immediate influx of cash, expand gaming to include new casinos and slots at racetracks and divert money from the Road Fund and the state’s general fund. See more here.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross said the legislators who might hesitate to support those revenue ideas might be willing to consider given the dire need. “Let’s be clear. Not every member of our caucus is going to support this. And that’s the case in all four caucuses, but we have gone nine years without capital. So you’re seeing a willingness and an openness for members to look at ideas that maybe they wouldn’t have embraced eight years ago.”

The Senate GOP Caucus added that it’s concerned about the integrity of the plan for distributing the money, according to Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson. He said he wants a “lockbox” provision to ensure money would go to the projects promised. And he wants remaining money, which he said was roughly $650 million, to go into a fund that would help offset the loss of revenue going to education — because if the state leased a portion of the lottery, which is supposed to help fund the state’s public education system, then the state would lose that constant stream of money). That’s still in negotiations, Watson said. “The bill is not final, but we hope that when we get it, we’ll have a comfort level that will enable us to support this. And I feel that it will.”

The governor says he’s not looking beyond May 31 and said it’s hopeful to get a capital plan and an operating budget done by then. Jones touched on an “Obama factor,” which means Illinois Democrats plan to campaign for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid before the Democratic National Convention in Colorado in late August. “We are currently working on the budget,” Jones said. “We are currently working on this capital plan. And we intend to be out of here because the next president of the United States will be looking for us in Denver.”

A Madigan spokesman wasn’t immediately available late this afternoon. I’ll add his comments as soon as I can.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 28, 2008

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- George Ryan maimed state GOP, and Bush must not kill it - John Kass
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass-28-may28,0,2750312.column
(FROM THE ARTICLE: "If the president commuted Ryan's sentence and released the convicted felon from prison, it would be another terrible black eye for the Republican Party of Illinois," said former state Sen. Steven Rauschenberger, a Republican. "It would remind everybody about the drawn-out trial, the whole process to rid Illinois of that kind of pay-to-play politics." Rauschenberger, president of the lobbying group Rauschenberger Partners, is a former conservative legislator who stood up to party bosses four years ago to run against Robert "Individual K" Kjellander for the post of national committeeman. Rauschenberger is again a candidate for that post. Kjellander has been mentioned, but not charged, in connection with "Operation Board Games," the federal investigation into the corruption of state pension fund investments and fixer Tony Rezko. Currently, as national committeeman from Illinois, Kjellander is responsible for helping plan the Republican National Convention, even as a jury decides Rezko's fate. "I would ask that President Bush not consider a pardon or commutation of sentence for Gov. Ryan," Rauschenberger said. "As a state, we've been through enough. As a party, we've been through enough.")
-- George Ryan hoping for help from Bush as high court turns him down - Mike Robinson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-licensesforsale-o,0,7067776.story
-- What the wise ones knew (RE: George Ryan) - Editorial
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/vox_pop/2008/05/what-the-wise-o.html
-- Illinois legislature passes tougher penalty for giving gun to minor Gov. Rod Blagojevich plans to sign measure sparked by violence against Chicago students - Ashley Wiehle and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-legis-28may28,0,5250919.story
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/05/lawmakers-pass.html
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: To promote abortion is to promote "unplanned pregnancies." VERY VERY VERY SAD: FROM THE ARTICLE: "About half of the 6 million pregnancies in the United States each year are accidents."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-birthmay28,0,5886954.story
-- Blagojevich asks for $20K to "co-chair" fundraiser
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/05/blagojevich-ask.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- BEYOND BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: ENTIRE FRONT PAGE WITH "LET HIM GO" IN BIG LETTERS, 6X9-INCH COLOR PHOTO OF GEORGE RYAN, AND 1.5X1.5-INCH COLOR PHOTOS OF JIM THOMPSON AND BUSH: Ryan's hope Ex-Gov. Thompson to seek presidential commutation for former governor - Natasha Korecki
http://www.suntimes.com/news/georgeryantrial/974133,CST-NWS-ryan28.article
-- Obama, McCain clash over cash Republican's maneuver avoids photo-op with Bush, Michelle Obama's Calif. event also off-limits - Lynn Sweet
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/973747,CST-NWS-sweet28.article

SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN
-- LaHood withdraws for state GOP post - Kenneth Lowe
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/05/27/breaking_news/doc483c854756519774541363.txt
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Former prosecutor Pat Brady of St. Charles and former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin are still vying for the position, which is now held by top Republican Bob Kjellander. Brady, who now works as a consultant, said he believes his chances have improved. ''I picked up a substantial amount of support here in the last few days with Ray's departure,'' Brady said. Rauschenberger said he isn't certain LaHood's exit will greatly affect his own campaign. ''I didn't know whether Ray was seriously invested in that race or not,'' Rauschenberger said. ''I think Ray's got other things he'd like to do.'' Rauschenberger, who ran for the position four years ago and won only one vote out of 19, said he warned of many of the problems he has seen in the committee over the last two elections.)

DAILY HERALD
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Outrageously, Wheaton City Manager Don Rose and his followers use "old standards for government takeover of private land" to take two historic buildings in the heart of downtown Wheaton from Robert Sandberg. Sadly, Rose, his followers, and those who dominate the Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC) vehemently disapprove of Sandberg. Sandberg a) is an older white male conservative Republican, b) has operated a patriotic men's clothing store in the heart of downtown Wheaton for many decades, and c) owns two homes in Diersen's precinct. In 2002, Diersen urged MTRCC to negotiate with Sandberg to use the first floor of one of his buildings for its election headquarters. Those who dominate the MTRCC were furious and continue to be furious. Rose calls the buildings "eyesores" and wants to tear them down to "add diversity" to downtown Wheaton. Sandberg says Roses' actions have "set his retirement back another 10 years."
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198343&src=2
(DIERSEN NOTE: Sadly, those who continue to dominate the MTRCC continue to argue vehemently a) that George Ryan and Scott Fawell are innocent; b) "conservatives" caused all of Ryan's, Fawell's, and everyone else's problems; and c) MTRCC's bylaws should not be posted on MTRCC's website.)
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PHOTO OF GEORGE RYAN: With latest rejection, Ryan's only hope is a presidential pardon - Rob Olmstead
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197964&src=109
-- Democrats pitch night, weekend meetings DuPage County Board candidates say board stifles public participation - Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198508&src=2
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD IN DUPAGE EDITION: DuPage County board freezes salaries - Jake Griffin
(Not posted as of 7:00 AM)
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PHOTO IN DUPAGE EDITION: College of DuPage President Chand ousted No reason given for sudden ouster - Catherine Edman
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198241
-- Time to get a handle on state pensions - Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198298&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Sadly, Democrats are having success in driving down "consumer confidence" to elect Obama
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=198221

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- The FINAL FOUR DAYS The countdown in the general assembly has begun. - Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/homepage/x2143028277/New-Lawmakers-back-in-town-face-deadline
-- Appeals panel allows lawsuit against governor - AP
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x501225498/Appeals-panel-allows-lawsuit-against-governor

ABC7
-- State lawmakers return to Springfield with deadline looming - Andy Shaw
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6167878 (Includes video clip)

CBS2
-- U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Ryan's Appeal Former Governor Now Serving 6 1/2 Year Prison Sentence - Mike Parker
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/ryan.supreme.court.2.733653.html (Includes video clip)
-- State Could Lose $9 Billion In Transportation Funding - Mike Flannery
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/transportation.funding.springfield.2.734104.html (Includes video clip)

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Gasoline taxes: No vacation? Blame a Democrat - Fran Eaton
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/eaton/973468,052808eaton.article
-- Our culture is being dumbed down - Carl Segvich
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/opinion/letters/971054,052708lettersgaymarriage.article

NAPERVILLE SUN
-- DuPage County Board votes not to get pay raises It forgoes travel funds, stipends, too - Page Winfield
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/973882,6_1_NA28_COUNTY_S1.article

LAKE COUNTY NEWS SUN
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rauschenberger to keynote June 10 fundraiser for Gray & Sugrue in Vernon Hills
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/973820,5_1_WA28_POLBRFS_S1.article

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Deadline looms over Springfield - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29588
-- Firm with a past gets state biz - Bob Tita
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29572
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Federal investigators also have probed an $800,000 fee that Bear Stearns paid to Republican power broker Robert Kjellander for helping the firm land the underwriting work on the state's $10-billion pension obligation bond deal in 2003. Mr. Kjellander has not been charged with any wrongdoing.)

ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH
-- Court slams door on Ryan appeal - Kevin McDermott
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/EB31BBE3C42F200A86257457001530C4?OpenDocument

BLOOMIGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Illinois Chamber of Commerce backs more gambling to fund road construction - Mike Riopell
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/27/news/doc483c91f80be5c121695326.txt

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- The proposed 2008 IL GOP Platform - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/the-proposed-20.html
-- Where's the family plank? - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/wheres-the-fami.html
-- National Committeeman: Some Data - John Ruskin
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/republican-nati.html
-- GOP Candidate Senger calls for 3 day budget browse - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/while-springfie.html
(DIERSEN NOTE: Rauschenberger attended this press conference.)
-- GOP candidate Forte-Scott calls for 3-day wait on budget - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/cook-county-can.html
(DIERSEN NOTE: Rauschenberger attended this press conference.)
-- Pastors have the freedom to endorse candidates - David E. Smith
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/pastors-have-th.html

CHAMPION NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Audio Clip: May 25 program with Rauschenberger and Abbott
http://www.championnews.net/talk/podcast.html

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Backpacking with State Rep. candidate Joan Solms (R) on School Choice and illegal immigrants - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-than-stephanopoulos-waxelrod.html
-- Berkowitz w/6th CD Col. Morgenthaler
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/way-better-than-softball-wchris.html

TOM ROESER
-- Obama is Surely Goofing Up His Campaign by Taunting McCain on Issues that Stir Up McCain’s base . . . The Hillary “Gaffe.”
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24591

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
-- GOP: Give Us Our Pork?
http://porkreport.blogivists.com/2008/05/27/gop-give-us-our-pork/

CAPITAL FAX
-- Illinois corruption update: Ex-Gov. Ryan runs out of appeals, ex-Gov. Thompson to ask for sentence to be commuted - John Ruberry
http://capitalfax.blogspot.com/2008/05/illinois-corruption-update-ex-gov-ryan.html

AFP
-- Bush hits trail for McCain, sparking Obama attack
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jLcRx3gxgBTEOEOBFnNigzgIBpLw

THE HILL
-- Danny Davis v. Bill Foster: Illinois Dems face off over bill on housing for ex-cons - Mike Soraghan
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/illinois-dems-face-off-over-bill-on-housing-for-ex-cons-2008-05-27.html

HUMAN EVENTS
-- Blue Dog Blues - Robert Novak
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26694

AMERICAN CHRONICLE
-- The Presumptive Republican Nominee and That Other Guy Ron Paul - Szandor Blestman
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/63099

NEW YORK TIMES
-- Ex-Governor George Ryan, Now in Prison, Sees Case End - Monica Davey
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/us/28ryan.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin
-- Stark Contrasts Between McCain and Obama in Judicial Wars - Neil Lewis
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/us/politics/28judges.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- At John McCain's fundraiser tonight, a pin can be had for $2,300 - Andrew Malcolm
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/05/mccain_money.html

ANGUS-REID
-- ONE MORE REASON TO VOTE FOR MCCAIN: Canadians Prefer Obama as Next U.S. President
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/30792/canadians_prefer_obama_as_next_us_president

JOURNAL GAZETTE
-- Colin "Powell confessed to feeling 'an intellectual emptiness' since leaving the government but claimed he’s filled that void with a gray Corvette."
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/BIZ/805280376

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- Why doesn't the Illinois Democratic Party proudly post its platform on its website? - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) posts its platform on its website at http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/348687-platform.pdf, but outrageously, the Illinois Democratic Party (IDP) does NOT post its platform on its website (DEAD LINK: http://www.ildems.com/platform/). Why is that? Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor is a member of the IRP Platform and Resolutions committee. Needless-to-say, the new IRP platform should provide a clear alternative to the IDP platform. I want to read the IDP platform because based on actions taken by the IDP, its platform outrageously calls for electing Obama, reelecting Durbin, attracting people to Illinois who lack education and/or job skills and/or people who have severe health, financial, and/or other problems; driving all taxpayers and all businesses out of Illinois; promoting Combine members; promoting corruption; promoting voter fraud; promoting socialism; promoting dependency on government; promoting illegal immigration; promoting amnesty; promoting more guest worker programs; promoting more mass immigration; promoting multilingualism; promoting abortion; promoting homosexual activity; abolishing the Second Amendment; driving Illinois into bankruptcy; joining with RINOs to blame all past, present, and future problems on conservatives; etc. I would greatly appreciate it if someone would email me (diersen@aol.com) or fax me (630-653-9665) the IDP platform. Outstandingly, the Champaign County Democratic Central Committee posts its platform at http://champaigncountydemocrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ccdems_platform_3_05_08.pdf. Undoubtedly, it is far less liberal than the IDP platform. Nevertheless, it calls for a "universal health care system," for "comprehensive health care that includes a woman's right to reproductive choice regardless of ability to pay," for "universal preschool education," for "comprehensive sex education," for "continuation of English as a Second Language and a bilingual education program," for "affordable housing," for "the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops" from Iraq, for ending"poverty," for "comprehensive immigration reform," for opposing "English Only legislation," for a "path to permanent legal residence" for illegals, and for "total equity in marriage, adoption and other family issues regardless of race or gender.")
-- OUTSTANDING: Fortner and Henry join Suess, Claar, and Carlin in sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade; over half of the $1,300 cost has already been pledged - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, last year, Republicans Mary Jo Arndt, Alan Bolds, Fred Bucholz, Dave Carlin, Roger Claar, Franco Coladipietro, Mike Connelly, Paul Daniels, Kirk Dillard, Bob Earl, DuPage Young Republicans, Jim Flickinger, Mike Formento, Mike Fortner, GOPUSA ILLINOIS, Mike Gresk, Gwen Henry, Randy Hultgren, Bob Jacobsen, Chris Kachiroubas, Gary King, Mark Kmiecik, Bob Larsen, J.R. McBride, Debra Olson, Mike Prueter, Peter Roskam, Darlene Ruscitti, Leonard Sanchez, Ron Smith, Phil Suess, and Tim Whelan contributed a total of $3,300 to sponsor Big Queenie the elephant ($2,000) and the Chicago Highlanders ($1,300) in Wheaton's 2007 Independence Day parade. On Saturday, May 24, I asked them to consider again sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade. Outstandingly, already, Henry have pledged $150, Fortner has pledged $100, Suess has pledged $150, Carlin has pledged $50, and Claar has pledged $250.)

Read more...

Illinois corruption update: Ex-Gov. Ryan runs out of appeals, ex-Gov. Thompson to ask for sentence to be commuted

En route to Mississippi I drove through Vienna (pronounced VYE-uh-nuh), Illinois, where I came across the Paul Powell Museum. A longtime Illinois Democratic politician, he was Illinois' Secretary of State when he died in 1970. Twenty years later, Republican George Ryan would be elected to the post.

Powell was possible the most dishonest Illinois politician ever, which is saying a lot. In many states, the Secretary of State's office is known as the department of motor vehicles. While Powell was Secretary of State, checks for driver's licences were made out to "Paul Powell," not "Illinois Secretary of State," or even "Paul Powell, Secretary of State."

After he died, over $800,000 in cash, much of it in a shoebox, was found in Powell's Springfield hotel suite. Powell never earned a salary of more than $30,000 a year. I wonder where that cash came from?

I was on tight schedule--I didn't want to be on the road while I took part in a teleconference--so I was unable to visit the museum, which is in downtown Vienna.

One day there may be a George Ryan museum in his hometown of Kankakee. Why I am I talking about the disgraced former secretary of state, who later became governor?

Because earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court, without comment, refused to hear Ryan's appeal of his 2006 racketeering and fraud conviction.

Ryan chose not to run for re-election in 2002, his successor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who lied to 12 million Illinoisans when he proclaimed "I will govern as a reformer," nervously awaits the jurors' verdict in the corruption trial of his friend and political confidante Antoin "Tony" Rezko. Another friend of the governor, Christopher Kelly, faces was indicted on tax charges last year. In the last two years, Blagojevich's campaign fund has piled up over $2 million in legal bills.

The Democrats control the each of the state's constitutional offices, and it hold a majority of both houses of the General Assembly. So it's up to the opposition, the Republican Party to fix things, right?

I still think so, but the Illinois GOP has to work on its image. Ryan's attorney is former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson, a Republican. And now that Ryan's appeals are exhausted, Thompson plan to ask President Bush to commute Ryan's prison sentence.

Yeah, he is Ryan's lawyer, but doesn't Thompson care about the state? Or the party? Folks watching the television news tonight, or reading tomorrow morning's papers, will have this image to digest. A former Republican governor asking the president to commute the prison sentence of another former Republican governor.

Thompson undoubtedly knows other lawyers. Why can't he ask one of them to represent Ryan. It's not about money, since I believe Thompson, whose image was tarnished while serving on the board of Hollinger, is representing Ryan pro bono.

If the Illinois Republican Party is going to, as I've phrased it in the past, "take back the state," we have to completely wash our hands of the mess of the George Ryan legacy. Thompson is not helping things.

Perhaps there is a museum board seat in Thompson's future.

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

Read more...

A lot can happen in five days

By Bethany Jaeger and Patrick O'Brien
A major piece of the Senate's version of a state budget is unlikely to advance, but that might not hold up the entire budget. The General Assembly has until midnight May 31 to approve a budget without needing Republican votes.

The Senate's plan to float a $16 billion pension bond scheme would refinance the state's five pension systems — which have accumulated more than $42 billion in debt — and pay them off at a lower interest rate. (See more details in our previous blog post.)

If approved, the deal would free up $500 million for legislators to spend in the next fiscal year that start July 1. If denied, the deal would leave a projected $500 million hole.

Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat, said informal discussions with House Democrats about the pension deal indicate it may be difficult to get Republican votes necessary to get a three-fifths majority in each chamber.

The sponsor, Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, said he has just begun the process of counting whether he has the votes in the Senate. The measure is still being changed and would need to go back to committee before even being called to the floor, leaving little time for the House to act on the same legislation before May 31.

Sen. Christine Radogno, a Lemont Republican, said one of the changes would give more authority to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Office of Management and Budget, which would prove controversial after recent allegations of scandals involving state contracts within his administration.

Even so, Harmon said lawmakers could approve a state budget by the end of the week even without a pension deal. “We need to get a budget done before the end of May, whether it includes pension obligation bonds or not. We need to get a budget done.”

Rep. Mark Beaubien, a Barrington Hills Republican, said the pension idea has a fat chance in the House. But he said the idea of advancing a bare bones budget without a plan to plug the projected $500 million hole also wouldn't fly. In other words, he said, they may need to start from scratch.

Rep. Bob Molaro, a Chicago Democrat, had a different take. He said a bare bones budget is the way to go. That would allow the General Assembly to come back in the fall to reconsider the size of any budget deficit. “That's an open question, how bad the budget hole is,” he said, later adding, “If it's still out there in November, we come back and figure out the revenue stream.”

Reconsidering a pension deal or any new revenue plan after November would ease some pre-election jitters about voting for something controversial. That would crack the door open a little further for such ideas as floating pension bonds or increasing state taxes. As Radogno said, if the pension deal failed, legislators could pull the sale of the dormant 10th casino license “out of a hat” in an attempt to balance the budget. That deal could be worth about $500 million.

Read more...

Con Con Considerations: Duration

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

The November ballot will ask voters whether Illinois should have a Constitutional Convention. A Constitutional Convention would be authorized to review any portion of Illinois' Constitution they wanted to -- and to propose an entirely new document, amendments to existing provisions, or additions of new materials.

But the Constitution also leaves much to the General Assembly to determine. Others have taken a position on whether or not there should be a Convention, and even on what issues a Convention should address if it is called. This page is less interested in what a Convention might accomplish as in how it might work.

Ninth in a series

How Long Should the Convention Meet?

There are no Constitutional restrictions on how long a Convention could meet. The Convention in 1920 met for months without producing any results. While the Convention must begin within 3 months of the selection of delegates, it could theoretically continue to meet indefinitely. Is there a point at which the public or the General Assembly should step in and prod them to a conclusion?

To comment, please visit ICPR's blog.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 27, 2008

CHAMPION NEWS
-- Steve Rauschenberger is no Bob Kjellander - Doug Ibendahl
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1009
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Over the weekend Bob Kjellander made about the nastiest personal attack one could make against another person. In the Sunday newspaper Kjellander is quoted essentially saying Steve Rauschenberger is like him. Ouch. Rauschenberger is of course running to replace Kjellander as Republican National Committeeman, a post (along with National Committeewoman) which is up for election at the State GOP Convention on June 6th and 7th. So the good news is Kjellander will soon be gone. The bad news is it won't be soon enough. According to the RNC's rules, the current National Committeeman and National Committeewoman serve through the close of the National Republican Convention in Minneapolis that takes place the first week of September. The newly elected National Committeeman and National Committeewoman therefore won't assume their offices for three more months. In other words, we still don't know who all the delegates are to our State Convention that begins in just 10 days, but we do know that Individual K will still be representing Illinois at the National Convention as an automatic at-large delegate. That's of course assuming our party officials don't find a spine and declare Kjellander ousted sooner.)

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- A New Argument About Immigration - Phyllis Schlafly
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/a-new-argument.html#more

CAPITAL FAX
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Concerning abortion, Paul Richardson confuses conservatism with libertarianism
http://capitalfax.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-anyone-small-c-conservative-these.html

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- $31 billion Hastert/Poshard tax and spend proposal: Watch your wallets - Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0527edit2may27,0,5922671.story
-- Indiana: Debate over illegal immigration legislation far from over - Mike Smith
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-capitoleye,0,48338.story
-- Club for Growth hits senators on climate bill - Jim Kuhnhenn
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-climate-ads,0,6815982.story
-- McCain says he and Obama should visit Iraq together - Liz Sidoti and Barry Massey
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-mccain,0,398025.story

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- John McCain on Barack Obama: 'He has wanted to surrender for a long time' - Liz Sidoti and Barry Massy
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/971072,mccain052708.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrat Party success in attracting illegals and in driving Illinois' economy down making it harder for teens to find summer jobs
http://www.suntimes.com/business/971446,CST-FIN-teen27.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrat Party success in attracting illegals and in driving Illinois' economy down results in record number of households getting food stamps
http://www.suntimes.com/business/currency/971673,CST-FIN-wallet27WEB1.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Falsani acknowledges that Democrats have at least temporarily abandoned their policy of demonizing veterans
http://www.suntimes.com/news/falsani/971105,falsani052708.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-American Jesse Jackson Sr. comes to the defense of anti-American Michelle Obama
http://www.suntimes.com/news/jackson/971443,CST-EDT-jesse27.article

DAILY HERALD
-- McCain found his domestic crisis in bogus global warming - John Stossel
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196706
-- 287(g) Program: Mayors say help not there
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197868
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Representative Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, wants to increase your heath insurance premiums
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197765&src=109
-- Democrat control ruining economy - Ronald Bove, Schaumburg
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196474&src=
-- Ted Cox column lacks fairness and insight - Scott Schmidt, Arlington Heights
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196469
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Dozens of local businesses are hosting special "Sex and the City" movie-related events this weekend. Will attendees be asked to disclose how many sexually transmitted diseases they have? How many abortions they have had?
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196659
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Daily Herald gets "suburban women" to promote their promiscuity. What about sexually transmitted diseases? What about abortions?
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196642

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Pension Pain: Fixing state plans won’t be easy Options available come at high cost, both financially and politically - Ryan Keith
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1867432050/Pension-Pain-Fixing-state-plans-won-t-be-easy
-- Abortion key topic in VP mix - Robert Novak
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions_columnists/x360361224/Robert-Novak-Abortion-key-topic-in-VP-mix

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
-- Roadblocks remain for capital plan Some lawmakers say $31 billion plan won’t be enacted until fall. - Andrea Zimmermann
http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x215045248/Roadblocks-remain-for-capital-plan

NAPERVILLE SUN
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Paige Winfield promotes Barbara Walters' upcoming Naperville visit. Will Walters elaborate on her "affair" during the 1970s with Black U.S. Senator Ed Brooke, a Republican from Massachusetts?
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/971371,6_1_NA27_BARBARA_S1.article
-- Birkett talks a different story when shoe's on the other foot - Tim West
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/west/969431,6_4_NA25_PAGE2COL_S1.article

COURIER NEWS
-- Hard up for cash in Kane Prosecutors, public defenders lowest paid in area - David Gialanella
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/971394,3_1_EL27_A1ATTORNEYS_S1.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrat Party success in attracting illegals and in driving America's economy down results in more food bank "clients"
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/971415,3_1_EL27_A2FOOD_S1.article

BEACON NEWS
-- Health, sex ed program heads to Aurora Robert Crown Center: Hinsdale-based agency sees need by kids here "The topics are grade-oriented and the center's Web site notes that during sexual discussions, which include puberty changes and how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, staff encourage abstinence." - Christine Moyer
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/971663,2_1_AU27_HEALTH_S1.article

CBS2
-- Foster hopes to create fund to help military family
http://cbs2chicago.com/illinoiswire/22.0.html?type=local&state=IL&category=n&filename=IL--MilitaryFamiliesF.xml
-- VERY SAD: TERRORISTS OVERJOYED: Veterans On Memorial Day Call For End To Iraq War - Mai Martinez
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/veterans.iraq.war.2.733206.html

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Roosevelt University promotes illegal immigration
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29571&seenIt=1

POST TRIBUNE
-- Media wrongly paint negative picture - Timothy Carroll, Munster
http://www.post-trib.com/news/opinion/letters/967896,letters.article

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Berkowitz with Rep. Durkin on Mckenna, Obama and much more
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-than-conaty-with-schakowsky.html

TERI O'BRIEN
-- Memorial Day is the Perfect Day to Remind the Left of What Patriotism is and isn't
http://teriobrien.webloggin.com/2008/memorial-day-is-the-perfect-day-to-remind-the-left-of-what-patriotism-is-and-isnt/

PEORIA PUNDIT
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The Peoria Pundit hilariously, outrageously, and falsely argues that the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) is controlled by its "right wing." The facts clearly show that for many decades those who really control the IRP a) despise conservatives and despise conservatism and b) spend most of their time working with Democrats to blame all past, present, and future problems on conservatives and on conservatism.
http://pundit.blogpeoria.com/2008/05/25/politics-moderation-takes-a-setback-as-lahood-exists-race-fornrc/

ANDY MARTIN
-- Andy Martin lawsuit knocks Congressman Ray LaHood out of RNC race Peoria congressman was 'front' for corrupt Illinois 'Combine' that corrupts and controls Illinois politics.
http://www.pr-inside.com/andy-martin-lawsuit-knocks-congressman-ray-r608847.htm

WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- Republicans Are in Denial K Street and "compassionate" conservatism ruined the GOP - Tom Coburn
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121184690228421415.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries

ABC NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Obama argues that Republicans have let veterans down
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/05/obama-tells-vet.html

REUTERS
-- Bush hits '08 trail; do Republicans want his help? - Jeremy Pelofsky
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN26355446

UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
-- Clinton, McCain, and Obama to be peppered on gay marriage
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/05/26/candidates_to_be_peppered_on_gay_marriage/4530/

BLOOMBERG
-- McCain Trumpets Independence From Bush, Except for Fundraising - Hans Nichols and Edwin Chen
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a62zxp30OASc&refer=home
-- Pork Projects Thrive in Democrats' Spending Scam - Kevin Hassett
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aRvCYI4iGAA8&refer=home

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
-- Bad News for GOP Can Be Good News for McCain - Froma Harrop
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/05/bad_news_for_gop_can_be_good_n.html

POLITICO
-- McCain makes waves in GOP punditocracy - Ari Melber
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10622.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican candidates, however, have found McCain is not quite as popular as the pundits say. Back in March, Republican candidate Jim Oberweis tried deploying McCain when Oberweis was heavily favored to replace former House Speaker Dennis Hastert in an exurban Illinois district. As a local ABC News affiliate reported at the time, “Oberweis is distancing himself from President Bush by emphasizing his endorsement from Republican presidential front-runner John McCain.” The candidates campaigned and fundraised together while Democrat Bill Foster returned fire with ads touting his endorsement from Barack Obama. Foster won by 6 points - in a district that reelected Bush by 10 points.)
-- Business to McCain camp: What role? - Jeanne Cummings
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10635.html

NATIONAL REVIEW
-- Obama, the Closer An eloquent clean cut black man is the perfect front man for the radical Left. - Kyle-Anne Shiver
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTNkNTU5MjE2MjUwNmQ2MWQ3YWRlYjhmNzQ4OTQyOGU=

NEWSMAX
-- Newsweek Poll: 11% Believe Obama Is Muslim
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Poll_Believe_Obama_muslim/2008/05/26/98917.html?s=al&promo_code=6301-1

ACCURACY IN MEDIA
-- McCain, Obama, & Clinton: The Candidates’ Communist Connections - Cliff Kincaid
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/the-candidates-communist-connections/

HUMAN EVENTS
-- Obama Whines Again - Lisa Richards
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26652

AMERICAN THINKER
-- A Grateful Nation Remembers - Nancy J. Thorner
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/05/a_grateful_nation_remembers.html

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- Why doesn't the Illinois Democratic Party proudly post its platform on its website? - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) posts its platform on its website at http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/348687-platform.pdf, but outrageously, the Illinois Democratic Party (IDP) does NOT post its platform on its website (DEAD LINK: http://www.ildems.com/platform/). Why is that? Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor is a member of the IRP Platform and Resolutions committee. Needless-to-say, the new IRP platform should provide a clear alternative to the IDP platform. I want to read the IDP platform because based on actions taken by the IDP, its platform outrageously calls for electing Obama, reelecting Durbin, attracting people to Illinois who lack education and/or job skills and/or people who have severe health, financial, and/or other problems; driving all taxpayers and all businesses out of Illinois; promoting Combine members; promoting corruption; promoting voter fraud; promoting socialism; promoting dependency on government; promoting illegal immigration; promoting amnesty; promoting more guest worker programs; promoting more mass immigration; promoting multilingualism; promoting abortion; promoting homosexual activity; abolishing the Second Amendment; driving Illinois into bankruptcy; joining with RINOs to blame all past, present, and future problems on conservatives; etc. I would greatly appreciate it if someone would email me (diersen@aol.com) or fax me (630-653-9665) the IDP platform. Outstandingly, the Champaign County Democratic Central Committee posts its platform at http://champaigncountydemocrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ccdems_platform_3_05_08.pdf. Undoubtedly, it is far less liberal than the IDP platform. Nevertheless, it calls for a "universal health care system," for "comprehensive health care that includes a woman's right to reproductive choice regardless of ability to pay," for "universal preschool education," for "comprehensive sex education," for "continuation of English as a Second Language and a bilingual education program," for "affordable housing," for "the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops" from Iraq, for ending"poverty," for "comprehensive immigration reform," for opposing "English Only legislation," for a "path to permanent legal residence" for illegals, and for "total equity in marriage, adoption and other family issues regardless of race or gender.")

Read more...

Confused...

Is anyone a small ‘c’ conservative these days?

I’m young and admit that my opinion is constantly developing, so I shy away from applying a political label to myself. Hell, it often changes hour to hour.

However, I’ve always been attracted to classic conservatism.

By that I don’t mean a strict adherence to all tradition…that is just silly. Instead, I like the conservatism based on doubt- understanding that no one person or group will ever ‘figure it all out.’ It draws a fine line between the legal world and the moral world. The conservative understands that the moral world is out of bounds for the government. History is littered with hundreds of millions of dead bodies at the intersections of government policy and morality policing.

A conservative, I think, places trust in the individual…they balk at the prospect of giving the government the task of enforcing morality.

How then can anyone who calls themselves a conservative want to give the government the power to decide the ‘right way to live’ for some individuals?

Specifically, I’m amazed at the opposition in this state to civil union/gay marriage legislation by those who consider themselves conservative. There is nothing conservative about it. If you take away the personal religious opposition, the argument against gay marriage crumbles.

How can a true conservative ever want the government to get in the business of choosing one group’s morality over another? Conservatives rally against income redistribution. Isn't morality redistribution just as unwarranted?

It should be a dinner table discussion, not a committee room debate.

But, I very well could be missing something here. Who knows. What am I forgetting?

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 26, 2008

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Obama, McCain to reach out to veterans today - AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-campaign-rdp,0,1430686.story
-- Wanted: Fiscally responsible politicians - Dennis Byrne
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0526byrnemay26,0,7731135.story
-- Waukegan, Carpentersville still awaiting training for immigration enforcement Mayors are frustrated with federal program, and one calls it 'window dressing' - Deborah Horan
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-immig-police-26-may26,0,6811266.story

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Teresa Puente promotes illegal immigration, amnesty, more guest worker programs, more mass immigration, again
http://www.suntimes.com/news/puente/970501,CST-EDT-puente26.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Tom Edwards of Lake View blasts Mary Mitchell for promoting race based voting
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/letters/970275,CST-EDT-vox26.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Allen Vander Klay of Wheaton blasts Neil Steinberg for promoting homosexual activity
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/letters/970275,CST-EDT-vox26.article

DAILY HERALD
-- Ideas sunk, stalled in Springfield - Amber Krosel
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197629&src=5
-- Route 53 plan is dead . . . or is it? Extension project has its champions - Joseph Ryan
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197598
-- Showing gratitude and respect More than 100 convene at DuPage County's Veterans Memorial - Hafsa Naz Mahmood
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197614&src=2
-- We must return to two-party system - Miriam Shabo, Illinois House candidate, Homewood
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196453&src=
-- Gay marriage: The people already have taken a stand - Steve Quick, Arlington Heights
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196454
-- The problem with Obama, McCain - Mike Baker, Schaumburg
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196456&src=

HERALD NEWS
-- War on the home front Biggert, Enger, and Harper argue over the fate of veteran care in Illinois - Robyn Monaghan
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/970361,4_1_JO26_VETS_S1.article

BEACON NEWS
-- Kane County faces its own budget crunch - Steve Lord
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/970451,2_1_AU26_KCTALK_S1.article

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Hastert-Poshard capital plan won't survive Statehouse mess - Rich Miller
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/miller/969298,052608miller.article

NEWS & OBSERVERER
-- Political hazards of pastors Obama, McCain both burned by controversial clergymen - Eric Gorski
http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1085371.html

TOWNHALL
-- Beware Obama's Bus - Guy Benson
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/GuyBenson/2008/05/25/beware_obamas_bus
-- How To Lose An Election - Harry R. Jackson, Jr.
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/HarryRJacksonJr/2008/05/26/how_to_lose_an_election

POLITICO
-- John McCain's GOP converts - John Feehery
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10488.html

RENEW AMERICA
-- Barack Obama's communist connections - Wes Veron
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/vernon/080526

WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- McCain’s Albatross: His Age and Party Ties to Bush - Peter A. Brown
http://blogs.wsj.com/politicalperceptions/2008/05/25/mccains-albatross-his-age-and-party-ties-to-bush/?mod=googlenews_wsj

NEW YORK TIMES
-- The White Working Class: Forgotten Voters No More - John Harwood
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/us/politics/p26caucus.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin

LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- Would-be reformers McCain and Obama challenged by lobbyist culture Campaigning without them is easier said than done, the candidates have shown. - Tom Hamburger, Chuck Neubauer and Janet Hook
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-lobbyists26-2008may26,0,489947.story

CBS NEWS
-- McCain Grilling For A Running Mate? Republican Presumptive Nominee's Friends Downplay VIP Barbeque, But VP Speculation Abounds
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/26/eveningnews/main4126388.shtml

ASSOCIATED PRESS
-- Pastors pose problems for McCain and Obama - Eric Gorski
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHhHwUiQEkde7OpL_jgNH-3eYhSAD90SOL4O0

REUTERS
-- Obama, McCain have "righteous" problems - Ed Stoddard
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2035177620080525

INDIANAPOLIS STAR
-- OUTSTANDING: "A Chevrolet Corvette will pace the field today for the fifth straight year." - Matt Baker
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080525/SPORTS0107/805250354/1052/SPORTS01

ANDY MARTIN
-- Is Senator John McCain risking another Republican sex scandal? Andy Martin says Florida governor brings 'blank canvas' to vice presidential weenie roast. Martin says Republicans have at least as many gay staffers on Capitol Hill as the Democrats; columnist suggests Republicans end their hypocrisy on sexual issues.
http://www.pr-inside.com/andy-martin-says-florida-governor-brings-r607784.htm

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- OUTSTANDING: Suess joins Claar and Carlin in sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, last year, Republicans Mary Jo Arndt, Alan Bolds, Fred Bucholz, Dave Carlin, Roger Claar, Franco Coladipietro, Mike Connelly, Paul Daniels, Kirk Dillard, Bob Earl, DuPage Young Republicans, Jim Flickinger, Mike Formento, Mike Fortner, GOPUSA ILLINOIS, Mike Gresk, Gwen Henry, Randy Hultgren, Bob Jacobsen, Chris Kachiroubas, Gary King, Mark Kmiecik, Bob Larsen, J.R. McBride, Debra Olson, Mike Prueter, Peter Roskam, Darlene Ruscitti, Leonard Sanchez, Ron Smith, Phil Suess, and Tim Whelan contributed a total of $3,300 to sponsor Big Queenie the elephant ($2,000) and the Chicago Highlanders ($1,300) in Wheaton's 2007 Independence Day parade. On Saturday, May 24, I asked them to consider again sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade. Outstandingly, Suess has already pledged $150, Claar has already pledged $250, and Carlin has already pledged $50.)

Read more...

Reform and Renewal Strikes Again - UPDATED

From the "Bobbi Steele's Got Nothing on Me" Department comes news that former Sen. Ronen is the latest to take a ride on the taxpayer-funded Pension Gravy Train Express.

Former state Sen. Carol Ronen's brief gig in Gov. Blagojevich's office has proven as lucrative as a win in the Illinois Lottery.

Ronen worked just eight weeks for the governor earlier this year, but that job will provide her with a windfall of at least $37,995 every year for the rest of her life.

Ronen's stint as a Blagojevich senior adviser is enabling the governor's onetime Senate floor leader to reel in a $102,000-a-year state pension. Ronen, 63, will earn 35 percent more in retirement than she did as a $75,301-a-year legislator representing part of Chicago's North Side lakefront.

Had Blagojevich not hired Ronen and she retired from the Senate at this time, her pension would be $64,005 annually.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that her shameless efforts to shill for the Governor as a political attack dog seem to be the only thing that anybody can point to that she did during her two-month stint as a 'senior adviser'. Par for the course I guess.

But there should at least be some kind of rule among pension hustlers that if you're going to pull a move like this, that you have the decency not to try to defend it. Carol must not have gotten that memo:

Ronen defended the money she will earn in retirement...

"My entire career has been devoted to public service, part of the time in the Legislature and part of the time in the executive branches of state and city governments," Ronen said. "My pension is based on all those years of service. It's not a scam."

Um, it may not be illegal, but it sure as heck is a scam. She's going to make more in retirement than she ever did while working. That doesn't fly in the private sector and it stinks in the public sector. I'm glad that at least that loophole was closed several years ago.

But unfortunately, the last laugh is once again on the taxpayers as Carol will be laughing her way to the bank. Year after year after year.

UPDATE - And from the "Timing is Everything" Department, we get another eye-opening look at just how bad Illinois' pension problems are.

In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Illinois taxpayers will be $200 deeper in debt.

The state’s pension debt will exceed $44 billion this summer, increasing at a rate of about $120 per second, according to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration.

The debt already tops $42 billion — enough to give every one of Illinois’ 12.8 million residents a check for $3,300 or buy 937,000 Cadillacs at $45,000 a pop.

The combination of debt in terms of both money and percentage gives Illinois the infamous distinction of having the nation’s worst pension problem, according to an Associated Press review of records and interviews with experts. And there’s no solution in sight.

You have to give the Administration credit, it takes a lot of testicular virility to dole out golden parachutes to loyalists and then talk about the need for pension reform.

To read or post comments, visit Open House

Read more...

Teenage Politicians

As always, I’m hoping to steal from the collective knowledge of all the folks who happen onto this blog. I have no problem with intellectual theft…everyone wins in the end, right? Ha.

Anyway, I am working on a project dealing with young elected officials. I’ve been scouring the academic and journalistic landscape on the topic. I have also conducted (and am still conducting) dozens of interviews with a variety of young officials, activists, and other experts in the political game.

We have an impressive array of young officials here in Illinois, but I’ve also had long conversations with young political leaders across the nation…the 19 year old mayor of a town of 30,000 in Conneticut, twentysomething state reps throughout the country, and others.

Here's a sample of some common themes that are developing. If you get the urge, please let me know if any of them jump out as particularly true, completely false, interestingly unique, or anything else.

1. The vast majority of young politicians have serious family connections. They are either related to elected officials or big time ‘players.’ Is this because having the connections helps them to win? OR Do the connections make more interested in politics than their non-political counterparts? Likely a mix of both?
2. Barring family connections, being ridiculously wealthy helps too. A lot. But family connections and wealth usually to go hand in hand.
3. Age itself doesn’t seem to be a barrier in the campaigns. Young candidates don’t lose more often that others…they simply rarely decide to run at all. Political scientists have shown that this is the same with women and minorities. We don’t have lower numbers of female and minority officials because they are beaten by white men; we simply have fewer female and minority candidates.
4. Most have careers outside of the political world. It’s not so impressive to say: I’m 22, just graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in political science, elect me. It sounds much better to say: I’m 22, just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education and am starting work teaching at a local school.
5. Young staffers rarely make the jump to the ballot. Sometimes they do…but not often. This is interesting considering many of the most politically active young adults end up in those jobs. Why do they rarely end up running, especially when that was often their original goal? Is it because you can’t get elected if you live in Springfield (or D.C.)? Is it because they become disillusioned? Is it because the job is a black hole sucking everyone onto an unalterable career track? I’ve talked with Rich about this one quite often.

Thoughts?

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 25, 2008

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- SCHOENBURG: "U.S. Rep. RAY LaHOOD, R-Peoria, has taken himself out of the running for Republican national committeeman from Illinois in favor of a trip to Lebanon."
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x215044382/Bernard-Schoenburg-LaHood-picks-visit-to-Lebanon-over-bid-for-RNC-post
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Illinois has three members on the national committee. One is state party Chairman ANDY McKENNA, whose term runs through 2010. However, neither of the others, BOB KJELLANDER of Springfield and MARY JO ARNDT of Lombard, is seeking re-election when their terms run out at the end of the Republican National Convention in September. Among candidates to replace Kjellander are PAT BRADY of St. Charles and former state Sen. STEVE RAUSCHENBERGER, R-Elgin. Among candidates to replace Arndt are DEMETRA DeMONTE of Pekin, the Tazewell County GOP chairwoman and a member of the Republican State Central Committee; CAROL SMITH DONOVAN of Chicago, another member of the central committee; and KATHY SALVI of Wauconda, who ran for Congress in 2006 and is the wife of former state Rep. AL SALVI. Brady is a former state and federal prosecutor now working for Deloitte LLP in Chicago. He has the backing of state Rep. JIM DURKIN, co-chair of the JOHN McCAIN presidential campaign in Illinois. Brady, a Bloomington native, also is the cousin of state Rep. DAN BRADY, R-Bloomington. Brady and Durkin were both assistant state’s attorneys in Cook County 10 years ago, when they both got involved in working for a McCain presidency. Brady’s wife, JULIE, is deputy co-chair of the McCain campaign in Illinois, and Brady is on McCain’s national finance committee. Brady thinks a national committeeman’s primary role is to raise money, and “in the state of Illinois, you raise money downtown, in Chicago.” He said he has business connections that he thinks “uniquely qualifies me to be able to raise funds.” Rauschenberger is now a lobbyist, and Brady said he has no interest in lobbying. Brady also notes that he worked as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., and now advises companies on how to avoid corruption. “I’ve been an anti-corruption guy my entire career,” Brady said. “Given the recent history in the party, I think that it sends a good message for somebody who is, first of all, in it to help the party, (and) secondly (who) has . . . an impeccable reputation and understanding of what ethical boundaries are.” Rauschenberger, 51, sought to become national committeeman four years ago, but got just one vote — from his own congressional district — out of a 19-member nominating committee. Rauschenberger says would have had more support, except that Kjellander “pulled a rabbit out of the hat” and got his longtime friend KARL ROVE, then President GEORGE W. BUSH Bush’s top political adviser, to speak at that gathering. This year, Rauschenberger is touting his understanding of the state and legislature as a 15-year state senator and two-time statewide primary candidate. “I do think I represent the kind of generational change that the Republican Party in Illinois needs,” Rauschenberger said. Rauschenberger also has a consulting practice that takes him to Washington, D.C., meaning it would not be a problem for him to attend RNC meetings there. An association representing the cellular telephone industry is his biggest client. He is also on the state lobbyist list, and — as has been pointed out in www.thecapitolfaxblog.com — does a bit of his work with Advanced Practical Solutions, the lobbying firm of MILAN PETROVIC, a top fundraiser for GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Rauschenberger said he is so listed because he gives advice and answers questions for a couple of clients including Elgin Community College. He doesn’t think it taints his GOP credentials. Petrovic has been identified in testimony at the TONY REZKO trial as being the top “bundler” of campaign funds for Blagojevich, with more than $1.9 million raised. “Anybody that’s going to do any kind of effective consulting in Springfield today has got to have an association with some of the Democratic firms,” Rauschenberger said. “This is not the kind of administration where it’s the power of ideas that persuade. I mean, if you’re not working with a Democratic firm . . . it’s pretty tough.” Rauschenberger is being backed by www.ChampionNews.net, an arm of the Family Taxpayers Network, a conservative group led by JACK ROESER. Roeser and Champion News have been critical over the years of Kjellander, who has made big money as a consultant for companies doing business with the state, even during Blagojevich’s Democratic administration. Kjellander said last week that when he was challenged in 2004 by Rauschenberger, “the main issue he used was that I was a lobbyist.” “I find it ironic that the former senator and his friends at the Family Taxpayers Network who’ve condemned me for five years for being a lobbyist now think that the future of the party should be in the hands of a lobbyist.” Roeser said Rauschenberger, as a senator, conducted himself in a way that did not yield allegations against him. And Roeser said Rauschenberger also hasn’t had the kind of windfalls that Kjellander has. He cited the $809,000 fee Kjellander received as a consultant to Bear Stearns, which got a key underwriting role for a $10 billion bond issue done by the Blagojevich administration in 2003 and a multimillion-dollar payout Kjellander got for helping Carlyle Group receive Teachers’ Retirement System money to invest. Kjellander says all his dealings were legal and aboveboard. But that’s not how Roeser sees it. “He’s part of the bipartisan culture of sleaze,” Roeser said. Meanwhile, DeMonte, 58, said she hopes to be national chairwoman to carry Tazewell’s GOP success to the rest of Illinois. ‘”I have been an effective county chairman in Tazewell,” she said. “We energize down here. We elect Republicans down here. We raise money down here.” In 2006 - a bad year for the GOP nationally - GOP county incumbents were re-elected in Tazewell County, and the party won two more seats on the county board and a judgeship.)
-- ‘Trust thing’ gets priority - Editorial
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x101657231/Our-Opinion-Trust-thing-gets-priority
-- Statehouse Insider - Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x1875001792/Statehouse-Insider-May-25

DAILY HERALD
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Illinois has nation's worst pension problem State's $42 billion debt is climbing by the second - Ryan Keith
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197304
-- Police at free gas stunt will cost Seals $2,200
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197394
-- No amnesty for illegal immigrants - Susan James, Maywood
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196464
-- Illinois' top export: federal tax dollars - Peter Brunk, Palatine
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196118&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Mary Wiley of Chicago wants everyone else to give her and everyone else free heath care. What is next -- free food, free clothes, free housing, free transportation, free entertainment, free everything?
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196452&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ron Coppel of Schaumburg blasts "the Austrians, the Hungarians, the French, the Poles, the Ukrainians, the Croats, and the Latvians," but he especially blasts the "Germans"
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=197165&src=
-- Obama can't expect his wife to be free of scrutiny in campaign - Kathleen Parker
(Not posted as of 7:00 AM)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The Daily Herald publishes the name, branch, rank, and town of the 144 Illinois service members who died in Iraq and the 14 who died in Afghanistan. The Daily Herald vehemently despises President Bush and argues vehemently that fighting terrorism in Iraq is not worth the cost. Did the Daily Herald publish the names primarily to honor the service members' sacrifice or to argue again for immediate withdrawal?
(Not posted as of 7:00 AM)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Big decisions ahead Candidates face tempting moves that could backfire - Steve Chapman
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0525chapmanmay25,0,1076497.column
-- Myths about the white male vote - Michael Tackett
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-finepoint_thinkmay25,0,923680.story

CBS2
-- Obama Blasts McCain On Veterans' Benefits - AP
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/barack.obama.john.2.732290.html

SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN
-- One week left to avoid another budget gridlock - Kurt Erickson
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/05/25/opinions/guest_columns/24553326.txt

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- It's crunch time at Statehouse - Doug Finke
http://www.pjstar.com/news_columnists/x1192324142/Finke-Its-crunch-time-at-Statehouse

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Save a few bucks; let government go broke - Tom Houlihan
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/houlihan/966978,052508houlihan.article
-- Is Illinois getting rich on gas taxes? - Guy Tridgell
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/968769,052508gastax.article

COURIER NEWS
-- Illinois pension problem has ugly ripples - Ryan Keith
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/963242,EL25_PENSION2_WEB_052508.article

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- For a Pro-Life Platform - Charlie Johnston
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/for-a-pro-life.html
-- My encounter with an Obamaniac - Jim Economos
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/my-enoucnter-wi.html
-- Bloggers focus on Obama and Ayers - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/bloggers-focus.html

ILLINOIS ISSUES
-- MARCH 2007 FLASHBACK: The Illinois GOP puzzles over ways to rebuild - Aaron Chambers
http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/features/2007mar/gop.html (Dead link but cached by Google)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The GOP has long been split between the social conservatives and members who take a more liberal approach to matters such as abortion and gay rights. Establishment Republicans tend to be more liberal on social issues, or they believe that such issues should not dominate a platform. They also tend to win statewide elections, and they control the party's statewide infrastructure. Conservative activists argue that establishment leaders overemphasize their push for a conservative social agenda in order to distract from their own shortcomings. "These people are characterless on any issue, and they're trying to run this right-to-life issue as being the only issue," says Jack Roeser, head of the Carpentersville-based Family Taxpayers Network. "They're nuts. It's only because they are totally broken on any kind of a value issue." . . . Roeser, on the other hand, would prefer to see a conservative's conservative like Lauzen advance in the Republican ranks. Opposition to abortion is, after all, a plank in the party's platform. . . "The Republicans had better have a platform with some decent values in it," (Roeser) says. "They better find parts of it that are relevant to what's going on in this state right now. And they better present a vision, or Republican voters are not going to come out.")

TH ONLINE
-- Hastert urges support of $31 billion plan Illinois political trust remains problem - Mary Rae Bragg
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=202919

CNN
-- Obama: Florida, Michigan are Clinton's 'last slender hope'
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/25/obama.election/?iref=hpmostpop

WASHINGTON POST
-- McCain says Obama and Clinton threaten gun rights - Caren Bohan
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/16/AR2008051603134.html

WASHINGTON TIMES
-- McCain and the black vote - Editorial
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080523/EDITORIAL/615783323/1013

NEW YORK TIMES
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD EDITORIAL MADE TO LOOK LIKE NEWS: Worries in G.O.P. About McCain Camp Disarray - Adam Nagourney
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/us/politics/25mccain.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1211718816-T3R0MJrtO80ocP0ko5HADQ

HOUSTON CHRONICLE
-- Romney says McCain wouldn't be 3rd-term Bush - Lorraine Woellert
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5799386.html

HERALD NET
-- Obama's foes gather mud to sling Some on the right say they have suspicions that the candidate has communist ties. - Dana Milbank
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080525/NEWS02/52623642

NEWS OKLAHOMA
-- Rallying points: McCain 'vision' is start of GOP platform - Editorial
http://newsok.com/rallying-points-mccain-vision-is-start-of-gop-platform/article/3247954/?tm=1211691621

AFP
-- Between McCain and Obama, it could get nasty
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i1RD9k-YXI0_Su-B9v80PUh0acug

WORLD NET DAILY
-- Obama's 'gay' problem Senator's appeal to LGBT crowd as sudden liability - Matt Sanchez
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=65122

OPERATION SUPPORT OUR TROOPS ILLINOIS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: GOPUSA ILLINOIS listed as a one star sponsor for the July 19 benefit concert in Wheaton
http://www.osotil.org/rockin2008.html

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- Outstandingly, the Illinois Republican Party posts its platform on its website, but outrageously, the Illinois Democratic Party does NOT post its platform on its website - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) posts its platform on its website at http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/348687-platform.pdf, but outrageously, the Illinois Democratic Party (IDP) does NOT post its platform on its website (DEAD LINK: http://www.ildems.com/platform/). Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor is a member of the IRP Platform and Resolutions committee. Needless-to-say, the new IRP platform should provide a clear alternative to the IDP platform. I want to read the IDP platform because based on actions taken by the IDP, its platform outrageously calls for electing Obama, reelecting Durbin, attracting people to Illinois who lack education and/or job skills and/or people who have severe health, financial, and/or other problems; driving all taxpayers and all businesses out of Illinois; promoting Combine members; promoting corruption; promoting voter fraud; promoting socialism; promoting dependency on government; promoting illegal immigration; promoting amnesty; promoting more guest worker programs; promoting more mass immigration; promoting multilingualism; promoting abortion; promoting homosexual activity; abolishing the Second Amendment; driving Illinois into bankruptcy; joining with RINOs to blame all past, present, and future problems on conservatives; etc. I would greatly appreciate it if someone would email me (diersen@aol.com) or fax me (630-653-9665) the IDP platform.)
-- OUTSTANDING: Republicans to sponsor Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade; Claar pledges $250, Carlin pledges $50 - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: Outstandingly, last year, Republicans Mary Jo Arndt, Alan Bolds, Fred Bucholz, Dave Carlin, Roger Claar, Franco Coladipietro, Mike Connelly, Paul Daniels, Kirk Dillard, Bob Earl, DuPage Young Republicans, Jim Flickinger, Mike Formento, Mike Fortner, GOPUSA ILLINOIS, Mike Gresk, Gwen Henry, Randy Hultgren, Bob Jacobsen, Chris Kachiroubas, Gary King, Mark Kmiecik, Bob Larsen, J.R. McBride, Debra Olson, Mike Prueter, Peter Roskam, Darlene Ruscitti, Leonard Sanchez, Ron Smith, Phil Suess, and Tim Whelan contributed a total of $3,300 to sponsor Big Queenie the elephant ($2,000) and the Chicago Highlanders ($1,300) in Wheaton's 2007 Independence Day parade. Yesterday evening, I asked them to consider again sponsoring the Chicago Highlanders in Wheaton's 2008 Independence Day parade. Outstandingly, Claar has already pledged $250 and Carlin has already pledged $50.)

Read more...

Arlene Jones musing on economic stimulus checks

Arlene writes on what she'll do with that check.

Lastly, I know if America's economy is suffering, Black America's economy is almost dead. I will make an effort to spend that money with a black business or a black person, like those who will be at the Juneteenth celebration on Chicago Avenue next month. I got an offer to renew my Jet Magazine, so I'll renew it for four years rather than two. I'm sending some money for the King Memorial in Washington so I can say when I see it that I helped to build it. Lastly, my handyman is going to make money doing some of the home repairs that I need done that I cannot do.

Chicago's got a ten-and-quarter percent sales tax now. If that isn't a crushing tax on the people I don't know what is. Best thing the County could do for any business is reduce this tax.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 24, 2008

CBS2
-- Critics Try To Make McCain's Age An Issue - Brian Montopoli
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/john.mccain.age.2.731213.html

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Outrageously, Democrats try to equate Hagee with Wright
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/05/obama_mccain_on_revs_hagee_and.html
-- Clinton apologizes for Kennedy comment - Mike Dorning
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-campaign24may24,0,3697484.story
-- Who's pimping whom? Senator Hendon wants your money - Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0524edit1may24,0,7206783.story
-- State Senate OKs limits on 'pay-to-play' politics - Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-campaign-cash24may24,0,7985403.story
-- St. Michael Catholic Church in Wheaton plaza is named in honor of fallen soldier Staff Sgt. Robert J. "Robby" Miller - David Thomas
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-wheaton-soldier-dedicationmay24,0,1955099.story

DAILY HERALD
-- DuPage gets a new judge: Karen M. Wilson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196954&src=2
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Daily Herald blasts DuPage County Forest Preserve Commissioners for giving "themselves a 3 percent raise every year for the next four years"
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196523
-- Plaza outside Wheaton school renamed to honor fallen soldier - Jack Komperda
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196673&src=2
-- Illegal immigrants do not have rights - John M. Rowley, Lombard
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196121
(THE LETTER: A recent Daily Herald article on immigration, which stated that activists plan to show that "their political power" exists, bubbles with antagonism. What political power do illegal aliens have? They don't legally have the right to vote. In fact, what right do they have to protest? They do so from a criminal perspective, as a result of breaking the laws of the United States. Persons who support those who break the law strongly establish the notion that legal as well as illegal individuals have the privilege to choose which laws they wish to obey. Such a flawed viewpoint creates an atmosphere of outrageous proportion. The legislators who stress amnesty are just attempting to cover their anti-American performance in failing to enforce the immigration laws passed by Congress. They are just as guilty as the illegal aliens whose illegal actions they choose to follow. Whom do they represent, legal citizens of the United States or every invader of a country founded on specific laws that govern our nation? "Reformation immigration laws" do not free those who have broken the immigration laws from criminal consequences. The Mexican protesters who chose to criticize American immigration laws demonstrated their dislike of the United States by flying Mexican flags above upside-down United States flags. They indelibly revealed their allegiance to Mexico and not to the United States. Their desire to protest should take place within Mexican borders and not in the United States. They should not hold small U.S. flags in their hands as they band together in false protest. It's time that cowardly legislators and administrative personnel who pursue illegal amnesty resign if they're incompetent to enforce the laws of the United States.)

CHAMPION NEWS
-- Mr. McKenna, tear down this stonewall! - Doug Ibendahl
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1007

LAKE COUNTY NEWS SUN
-- Fallout over Seals' cheap gas giveaway 'Campaign stunt that backfired'
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/968081,5_1_WA24_SEALS_S1.article

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Weekend negotiations on tap for state budget - Kurt Erickson
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/23/news/doc483741f3b825a750734731.txt
-- State lawmakers' pay raises might not get blocked - Mike Riopell and Kartikay Mehrotra
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/23/news/doc48374185ac902716199669.txt

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Don't trust state government Illinois needs a capital bill, but we doubt that leaders will spend money fairly, honestly - Editorial
http://www.pjstar.com/opinions/x1192323714/Dont-trust-state-government
-- Senate OKs pay-to-play measure Plan aimed at restoring public faith that state contracts aren't for sale - Ryan Keith
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1880508003/Senate-OKs-pay-to-play-measure
-- Senate approves several budget bills Democrats' plan would increase state spending in 2009 by $1.7 billion - Doug Finke
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1880508047/Senate-approves-several-budget-bills

PIONEER PRESS
-- Most suburban legislators give pay raise thumbs down - Irv Leavitt
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/evanston/news/968012,pp-payraise-052308-s1.article

LAKE COUNTY NEWS SUN
-- Protecting Identities - Nancy J. Thorner
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/opinions/letters/965937,5_4_WA23_LETTERS_S1.article

NEWS LEADER
-- Obama's deeds speak volumes more than his words - Sharon Ash
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080524/OPINIONS02/805240302/1006/OPINIONS

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
-- Barack Obama: Trail of Tall Tales
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/23/trail-of-tall-tales-barack-obama/

NEW YORK TIMES
-- Spotlight Recasts Church Leaders and Their Support - Laurie Goodstein
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/us/24pastor.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin
-- A Poll Finds Californians Still Oppose Gay Marriage - Jesse McKinley
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/us/24gay.html?scp=2&sq=gay+marriage&st=nyt

WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Again, the Wall Street Journal makes it clear that it a) despises America, b) despises Americans, c) despises the rule of law, and d) cares only about promoting cheap labor
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121158309540718721.html

NEWSMAX
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Obama urges Hispanics to blast Dobbs and Limbaugh
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Obama_Limbaugh_Dobbs/2008/05/23/98418.html?s=al&promo_code=62F1-1

TOWNHALL
-- The Rev. Wright Connection Still Haunts Obama - Michael Barone
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MichaelBarone/2008/05/24/the_rev_wright_connection_still_haunts_obama
-- Sniper Shooting Koran Hardly 'Criminal Behavior' - Diana West
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2008/05/23/sniper_shooting_koran_hardly_criminal_behavior

HUMAN EVENTS
-- Busting the Republican Brand - Lynn Woolley
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26622

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Outrageously, John W. Mashek tries to equate Hagee with Wright
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/mashek/2008/05/23/the-preacher-problems-of-mccain-and-obama.html

AFP
-- McCain's wife reports 6 million dollar income
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNTr2XvlE5aUz96hYLhc1XX64YMA

NEWSWEEK
-- The White Stuff A new Newsweek Poll underscores Obama's racial challenge. - Jonathon Darman
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138456

TIME MAGAZINE
-- "This is the century when white people will become a minority in this country. What that means is, right now, we need to have a clear picture of where we're headed." - Ben Jealous, newly named president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1808626,00.html

HAWAII REPORTER
-- Delegates to the Hawaii GOP Convention Were Not 'Gnats' - Laura Brown
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?31ee18c1-4096-45f8-ab09-a9fa800bfa64

HONOLULU ADVERTISER
-- "Republican leaders used scripts and cue cards to tell state convention delegates how to vote on the party platform. If sheep could vote in regular elections, the GOP might win a few seats in the Legislature." - David Shapiro
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080524/COLUMNISTS21/805240335/1190/LOCALNEWSFRONT

MSNBC
-- It ain’t that hard folks - make better cars Jay Leno advises Detroit on how to get Americans to buy American - Jay Leno
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24714435/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Nobody builds better trucks than the Americans do. Not even the Japanese build as good a truck as the Ford F-150 or the Chevy Silverado. It’s the same with performance cars. The Corvette Z06 has 505 horsepower, comes with a big warranty, and can hit 200 miles per hour. It weighs almost exactly the same as a half-million-dollar Porsche Carrera GT and gets higher mileage — 26 miles per gallon.)

Read more...

Scott Summers-Equal Opportunity Blaster

Yesterday, I ran a statement from 16th congressional district Green Party candidate Scott Summers. It blasted Don Manzullo for wanting to take the oil out of the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge.

Today he takes on Democratic Party candidate Robert Abboud for his emphasis on using nuclear power.

Congressional candidate
Robert Abboud:
All Nuclear, All the Time

On May 3rd, the Rockford Register-Star's Chuck Sweeny ran an article on my Congressional opponents, Don Manzullo and Robert Abboud, and their respective takes on energy policy.

(Memo to self: tell Sweeny that Summers is running, too.)

Wow. Abboud wants one hundred new nuclear power plants. Public-private partnership.

Well, I guess we all should have expected something like this from Abboud.

Don't get me wrong: Abboud strikes me as a highly intelligent man. He's a nuclear engineer. And of course he's going to be a proponent of new nukes. And as part of our three-way discourse in the 16th district this year, he has every right to put it out there for voters to consider.

But excuuuuuuuse me: one-friggin'-hundred? This is as preposterous as it is grandiose as it is ridiculous as it is irresponsible as it is reprehensible.

It will come as no particular surprise to my readers that I am adamantly opposed to the expansion of nuclear power.

Permit me to summarize the ways. For the sake of brevity, I'll limit it to the first one hundred and four.

Reasons 1 – 100. Memo to Abboud: What? What? You want to build one hundred new T-E-R-R-O-R-I-S-T T-A-R-G-E-T-S ????

Reason 101. It's over sixty-five years since Enrico Fermi's team split the atom at the University of Chicago. And we STILL haven't figured out how to store (much less dispose of, much less effectively reprocess) thousands of tons of highly radioactive waste.

Sorry, Bob: as a condition of even PROPOSING more nukes, it's up to proponents like you to have a plan for dealing with the (polite word) stuff. (Oh, and by the way: make the investors, and the stockholders of the utility companies, and their ratepayers – not the taxpayers – pay for it.)

Reason 102. No more subsidies to the nuclear industry for (a) research (b) construction and (c ) disposal. (See investor/stockholder responsibility. Geez, whatever happened to capitalism in this country?)

Reason 103. No more federal insurance caps on nukes: make the nuclear industry pay for its own insurance, at market rates -- if they can get it, that is.

Did you know that the federal Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act caps government insurance for each site at $300 million, plus operator contributions per reactor of $95.8 million? So in the event of an accident -- Three Mile Island, anyone? -- there's less than $400 million to go around. For an incident of such enormity, that's chump change, folks. That's less than two days of war in Iraq. And taxpayers – not operators -- are on the hook for over three-quarters of that pittance!

Reason 104. State insurance regulators should compel insurers to remove nuclear exclusions from policies – or at least offer an optional endorsement at a ridiculously high extra premium. (And did you know that, homeowners? If your home gets irradiated from a nuclear accident at oh, say, Byron, you probably have no coverage, because your insurer pointedly excludes nuclear accidents?)

And not only that: if you personally are lucky enough not to be too terribly irradiated, and can move a thousand miles away for the rest of your life, why, please, just keep paying your mortgage on your uninhabitable home. (Do you really think your lender is going to give you a break?)

Let's talk the obvious. Absent huge public subsidies, and absent a requirement that the nuclear industry (and not the public at large) come up with ways of storing the s**t, and absent the almost complete lack of financial liability in the event of an accident, nuclear energy simply would not be able to compete in the energy marketplace. (See “Whatever Happened to Capitalism, Continued”.)

For cryin' out loud, Mr. Abboud, it's time to STOP building more reactors! And if only we would let market forces rule -- there wouldn't BE any more reactors!

I'll speak on energy solutions in other posts.

This campaign could be fun to watch.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

Read more...

Welcome to the house of cards

By Patrick O’Brien and Bethany Jaeger
There are 1.7 billion reasons the House and Senate have their work cut out for them as they try to negotiate a state budget by the end of the month.

That’s the difference between the chambers’ closest budget proposals, according to Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat and the Senate’s lead budget negotiator.

Trotter also said the “Christmas tree” budget advanced by the House earlier this week would not be considered by the Senate. “It’s a non-starter,” he said. “We’re not going to that level whatsoever.”

The Senate’s budget plan, which advanced along party lines today, increases spending in some state agencies and modestly increases funding for education. But it depends entirely on the approval of a $16 billion pension bond deal that would go toward pension liabilities. But it also would free up about $500 million that otherwise would have gone into the state’s annual contribution to the five public employee pension systems. See more about how that would work in last night’s blog post.

Sen. John Sullivan, a Rushville Democrat, said the pension deal is far from done. “It’s absolutely going to be troublesome, especially in the House,” he said. “It’s going to be troublesome here as well.” If the deal fails, Sullivan added, the state could have to cut $500 million from state agencies.

Senate Minority Leader Frank Waston said the pension bonds don’t even live up to the obligations Democrats set for themselves in a 2003 deal. “Every year, we go through this,” he said during floor debate. “At some point in time, somebody’s going to have to pay. And unfortunately, reality has not set in, especially on your side of the aisle.”

The GOP voted against the plan because they said it was out of balance, partially because they think Democrats are misjudging the amount of revenue the state’s flagging economy can produce.

Sen. Christine Radogno, a Lemont Republican and budget negotiator, questioned Democrats’ priorities. For instance, they would decrease funding for teachers who work with students in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. “I don’t think the priorities are right at all,” she said. And if the pension deal fails, then the entire budget is out of whack.

Funding for the expansion of the LaSalle Veterans Home also was not part of the Senate’s plan. Sen. Gary Dahl, a Peru Republican, said it was an act of political retribution. “When you pick on my veterans, we’ve got a problem,” he said. “You’ve gone out of bounds on this one.”

The Democratic proposal would increase funding for veterans’ homes, including the one in LaSalle. But Dahl said that wouldn’t be enough to hire the number of nurses necessary to fill beds that are already available but unused. See the next print edition of Illinois Issues magazine, available in the first week of June, for more information about the funding crunch at all of the state’s veterans’ homes.

Trotter simply said the budget proposal lives within the state’s means. “This is the time to be responsible,” he said. “This is all we can afford.”

Here’s a few examples of the Senate’s version of a budget, which all agreed was a starting point:

• The Senate would spend $29 billion out of the state’s general revenue fund.

• The Senate budget relies on $1.73 billion in new revenues:
• $1.2 billion of that would come from such items as state tax revenues and the federal stimulus package.
• $530 million would come from fund sweeps of dedicated accounts. That would be split up: The Senate Democrats would use $260 million of that to collect federal matching funds to pay Medicaid bills, and then they’d spend $170 million on about two dozen school construction projects that were promised state funds about five years ago. It wasn’t specified how the remaining $100 million would be dispersed.
  

• It also relies on the $16 billion pension deal to free up $500 million that otherwise would have gone toward the state’s annual contribution.

• The Medicaid bills, however, continue to mount, although the Senate Dems’ budget proposal would not include new Medicaid programs. The payment cycle also would remain around 70 days on average, which is not an improvement.

• The Senate would increase education funding so that the minimum state aid per student reaches about $6,000. It also would increase money available for early childhood education programs and bilingual education.

• Neither chamber proposes closing any prisons.

Read more...

IL GOP Congress Critters Run Scared

the reality is setting in. barack obama is going to be the democratic presidential nominee, and he will have *long coattails* here in illinois. how long? well, we read that county commission candidates are worried:

"I could lose to Barack Obama," the board member whispered.

and they would be several slots down on the ballot. who's next, after the presidential nominees? yep, those congressional races. and the collar counties -- those counties that surround cook -- will be the places where an excited democratic activist and voter base will be felt the most.

the gallup polls graphic of the voter segments that are excited by obama the most tells it all:



we are not just talking about boosting turnout here -- which will undoubtedly happen, as well. obama is demonstrating exceptional appeal to men, voters with post-graduate degrees, and people who have monthly incomes in excess of $5,000. people we used to call the republican base.

they will be voting for barack and then looking at that next race on their ballot. why not a democrat?

so you can understand why mark kirk went absolutely ballistic that dan seals is making news. now we can all understand why kirk was apoplectic at this. kirk has led a charmed existence since his election in 2000. no one has held him to account for his votes to invade iraq, to trust george bush, to carry bush's water in the suburbs. kirk has been a good little soldier these last few years, leaving no impact on congress (or the north shore) -- so he's probably confused that people want to hold him accountable.

dan seals has done just that. gas was, seals reminds us, a mere $1.85 a gallon when kirk went to congress. $1.85 before we invaded iraq (immorally for those of us -- like our soldiers -- who take the just war tradition seriously). $1.85 before george bush started shutting out the international community and building his coalition of the bribed and the insignificant (was micronesia really willing?). $1.85 before abu ghraib, before gitmo, before the dollar fell to it's lowest point in my memory.

but mark kirk doesn't want anyone to hold him accountable! kirk takes money from big oil, but points to his meaningless votes to "reduce gas prices." mark kirk thinks voters are stupid.

wait, wait, don't step on my line!

two years ago, kirk kept saying that seals didn't matter, that he didn't pose a real threat. kirk said this over and over, pointing to the fact that the dccc wasn't supporting seals as proof. but seals proved more of a threat than kirk wanted, in a year when the democratic ticket was headed up by one of the nation's most unpopular governor.

this year, seals and his fellow democratic congressional candidates won't have the drag of rod blagojevich pulling them down. instead, an appealing democratic ticket will be lead by our favorite son.

If Obama beats Hillary Clinton for the nomination, Illinois voters likely will turn out in bigger-than-usual numbers to support the home-state candidate, said Wayne Steger, associate professor of political science at DePaul University.

Although voters in many Chicago suburbs often split tickets on Election Day, the enthusiasm Obama has generated could trickle down to lower-level races, Steger said.

"The potential for impact is huge," he said.

And it's not just Democratic turnout that could be affected. If John McCain cedes Illinois and focuses on other states, as the GOP did in 2000 and 2004, Republican volunteer and fundraising efforts might dry up in some areas, said Kent Redfield, a political science professor at the University of Illinois' Springfield campus.

That could lead to lower Republican voter turnout on Election Day, Redfield said.

"It will be more difficult to generate Republican activity and excitement at the state legislative and local level," he said. "You have the potential in the fall for another 2006-style wipeout."

so don't blame mark kirk for acting childish. he's looking at dan seals and sees the face of his successor. poor kirk. he never did anything to anyone!

if mark kirk can't see the connection between high gas prices and our invasion of iraq, he's the only one. if kirk doesn't understand the connection between high gas prices and the failed bush economic policy, he doesn't deserve to be in washington. if kirk can't believe that he should be held responsible for his votes in support of george w. bush, then he's in the wrong job.

but mark kirk isn't the only person who's feeling the heat. jerry weller is basically fleeing the scene (and, perhaps, the country). jim oberweis is being criticized by his own republican congressional leadership as a "weak candidate." and judy biggert is having trouble supporting mom and our veterans.

biggert's missteps (although, understandable, she was following the republican congressional leadership) has given scott harper a big enough opportunity that you could drive a truck through it (if you could afford the gas!). harper is only the latest democratic congressional candidate in illinois to have been put on the dccc's support list.

harper has been putting together a serious campaign, one the likes that biggert hasn't seen since she defeated peter roskam. he is helped greatly by the enthusiasm for the democratic party that has sprouted in dupage county (once the center of republicanism in illinois). it is a fact that biggert has never seen a serious field effort run against her. it is likely that she will try to ignore harper for as long as possible -- just as kirk made every effort to ignore seals in 2006. that kind of "rose garden" strategy worked in the last election cycle, when blago tempered democratic enthusiasm of their ticket. this year, barack obama excites illinois democrats.

harper, too, is taking biggert to task for her votes supporting the oil companies. there seems to be a theme here. take your frustration for the pain at the pump out on your republican congressman or woman. how's that for a democratic theme? frustrated by high gas prices? vote democratic. it's gaining local traction. if the petulant response of mark kirk is any indication, it's got republicans running scared...

Read more...

We've been here before

The Illinois Senate has passed an ethics reform package aimed at preventing pay-to-play politics that stain Illinois government. Even if the House approved the same exact language to prohibit state contractors and their families from donating to officeholders who grant the contracts, all eyes are on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to see not if, but how he’ll change the legislation to “improve” it.

“It’s a beginning, but it does not go nearly far enough,” wrote Rebecca Rausch, Blagojevich’s spokeswoman, in an e-mail after the Senate unanimously approved Sen. Don Harmon’s measure today. “We urge the House to take this opportunity to make the bill broader and more comprehensive.”

Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, said during floor debate that he intentionally kept the scope of the measure narrow to avoid curtailing speech, or preventing people from donating to political campaigns to show support. He also did not include a provision that would have prevented contractors from donating to statewide political campaigns, which also fund constitutional officers. That provision was desired by Senate President Emil Jones Jr., who called it a "loophole."

Democrats and Republicans lauded the effort and said this is a good first step, but it’s only a first step, as Sen. Christine Radogno said. She’s a Lemont Republican and persistent voice on ethics reform.

Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, an Evanston Democrat, said, “We have moved a major boulder off the road to achieve the level of progress that we hope to achieve.”

But he said before getting too self-congratulatory, legislators need to keep in mind there’s more to do: better define the roll of independent advisors in the executive branch and provide greater accountability and transparency for how pension investment decisions are made. Both target problems under the microscope at the federal corruption trial of Tony Rezko, an unofficial advisor to the governor who is charged with rigging state boards to steer state contracts to political campaign donors. The jury is currently deliberating whether federal prosecutors proved its case against Rezko.

Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson said he hopes Harmon’s measure does win House approval — Harmon said he felt confident the other chamber would concur with his changes — but Watson cast doubt over whether the reform would become reality. He spoke directly about Blagojevich. “I think [the governor] ultimately has to sign it," he said. "We don’t need any help, we don’t need an amendatory veto, we don’t need him to make it better.”

An amendatory veto would send the measure back to the General Assembly, where the two chambers continue to function as two gears — sometimes turning in sync but most often stopping the other from moving. Harmon said he’s also confident the measure would gain enough votes to override the governor’s changes.

We’ll update you when we hear back from the House sponsor, Democratic Rep. John Fritchey of Chicago.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 23, 2008

DAILY HERALD
-- GOP Senators Brady, Lauzen, and Pankau storm out of budget committee - John Patterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196226
http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/111
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Republicans left after the acting committee chairman – Elgin Democrat Michael Noland – cut off their line of questioning regarding ethics. "You're not going to respect one of us. You've disrespect all of us, just because you don't like the question that's being asked. When we don't say what you want us to say then you shut us down. I think it's dead wrong," said state Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican. State Sen. Bill Brady, a Bloomington Republican and expected GOP candidate for governor in 2010, led the exodus. The other Republicans -- including Roselle's Carole Pankau -- followed soon after. A Senate vote on the borrowing scheme is expected Friday. It’ll take 36 votes for approval in the 59-member Senate. Democrats have enough votes if every member supports it. The last time the Democrats did this, they needed Republican help and found a few GOP members willing to back the governor’s pension borrowing plan, including Hinsdale Republican Kirk Dillard.)
-- 10th Congressional District: Seals' political gas giveaway works $1.85 gas jams traffic, raises questions - Mark Zawistak
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196073
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: OUTSTANDING: The Daily Herald promotes Wheaton's Memorial Day parade which will have about 45 units and pass along or through Dr. Bob Krzyzewski's precinct 1, Dave Diersen's precinct 9, Ron Creswell's precinct 20, Craig Ellinghausen's precinct 65, Scot Krause's precinct 80, and Jeanne Ive's precinct 86. The parade starts at Memorial Park at 10:00 AM and end at Wheaton Cemetery at about 11:00 AM where a ceremony will be held. Needless-to-say, everyone is invited to watch the parade and ceremony. Hopefully, the Daily Herald will similarly promote Wheaton's Independence Day parade.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195685
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Cook County Clerk David Orr promotes voter fraud and class warfare. In America, there is absolutely no justification for refusing to have a photo ID.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195615&src=
-- "Recount:" Reopening political wounds - Ted Cox
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194568
-- Suburban officials resigned to "bare-bones" IDOT spending - Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=196214&src=5

NBC5
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Outrageously, for many decades, especially in Illinois, RINOs have worked with Democrats to galvanize voters against conservatism. Outrageously, the Democrat Party controlled NBC5 again uses quotes from Dillard to promote Democrat Obama. Outrageously, because of Obama's outrageous anti-conservative record, the only thing that Obama has shown that he can "galvanize the American public" to work against, is to work against conservatism. Why haven't Illinois Republican Party leaders blasted Dillard for his promotion of anti-conservative Democrat Obama?
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16364399/detail.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Those Close To Obama Say He's Ready Carol Marin Reaches Out To Friends Of Presidential Hopeful . . . Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard met the Chicago Democrat in Springfield. "I gravitated to him because we were both lawyers, with professional wives with two young daughters," Dillard said. . . . "Sen. Obama has the ability to galvanize the American public," Dillard said of Obama.)
-- Democrat 10th Congressional District Candidate Seals Offers Gas For $1.85
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16362595/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clip)

CBS2
-- Seals, Kirk Tangle Over $1.85 Gas Stunt GOP Congressman Charges Challenger With Vote Buying; Dems Call Claim Baseless
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/kirk.seals.gas.2.730392.html (Includes video clip)
-- 10 DuPage Co. schools take spots on Newsweek list - Justin Kmitch
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195966&src=2

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- McCain to show he's fit for the job stress of president - Jill Zuckman
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-mccain-health-onlinemay23,0,91265.story
-- 10th District candidate Dan Seals' campaign ploy offering cheap gas snarls traffic 10th District Democrat's cheap gas offer attracts many, but frustrates some - Susan Kuczka
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-tenth-gas-bothmay23,0,3184066.story
-- Pay increase for state lawmakers appears more likely Sen. Rickey Hendon says he won't allow up-or-down vote on legislative salary before end of May - Jeffrey Meitrodt and Ashley Wiehle
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-lawmaker-pay-raises-23may23,0,2519423.story
-- VERY SAD: Despite scrutiny, the cash rolls in Intimate Rush Street fundraiser brings together Blagojevich, lobbyist, contractor and tollway official - John Chase and Ray Long
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-blago-fundraiser-23-may23,0,3233350.story
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Very sadly, Timothy J. McNulty seems to argue that if you don't vote for Obama, you are a racist.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0523mcnultymay23,0,3487574.column

LAKE COUNTY NEWS SUN
-- Seals offers cheap gas, rips Kirk Incumbent's crew calls it 'vote-buying stunt' - Charlie Adelman
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/966296,5_1_WA23_SEALS_S1.article

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
-- House blocks measure to create a gas tax holiday in Illinois - Will Buss
http://www.bnd.com/homepage/story/347691.html

DAILY ILLINI
-- Politicians work to decrease record-high oil prices in Illinois - Jeremy Werner
http://media.www.dailyillini.com/media/storage/paper736/news/2008/05/23/News/Politicians.Work.To.Decrease.RecordHigh.Oil.Prices.In.Illinois-3375169.shtml
-- Gas tax holiday just fumes - Editorial
http://media.www.dailyillini.com/media/storage/paper736/news/2008/05/23/Editorials/Gas-Tax.Holiday.Just.Fumes-3375171.shtml

SUBURBAN LIFE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Republican Schillerstrom and Democrat Enger to speak at DuPage County Memorial Day ceremony Sunday, May 25, 11 AM
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/darien/archive/x101655445/County-to-hold-Memorial-Day-ceremony

WJBC
-- State Representative Dan Brady: Budget is a sham
http://www.wjbc.com/wire2/news/08104_Brady_Budget_WEB_001336.htm (Includes audio clips)

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- A virtual debate between Durkin and Dillard on Obama - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/virtual-debate-between-durkin-and.html

CHAMPION NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rauschenberger and Abbott on May 25 radio program, Lauzen on June 1 program - AM 560 WIND 8AM - 9AM
http://www.championnews.net/talk/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- 2008 Illinois Republican Party Platform: Should the Human Rights section be added back in? - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/should-the-huma.html
-- Update: National Committeeman & Committeewoman Bids - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/update-on-natio.html

AMERICANS FOR TRUTH
-- BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Latino Youth ‘Queer Prom’ in Chicago Sponsored by Adult Homosexual Bathhouse - Peter Labarbera
http://americansfortruth.com/news/latino-youth-queer-prom-in-chicago-sponsored-by-homosexual-bathhouse.html

CHICAGO DAILY OBSERVER
-- A Consumer’s Guide to Obama and the Company That He Keeps - Daniel Kelley
http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/a-consumers-guide-to-obama-and-the-company-that-he-keeps%2C1160/

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America promotes a) illegal immigration and b) disrespect for America's laws
http://archive.elca.org/news/releases.asp?a=3867

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
-- McCain Blasts Obama for Never Having Served in Uniform - AP
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/23/mccain-blasts-obama-for-never-having-served-in-uniform/

NEW YORK TIMES
-- Ellen Confronts McCain on Gay Marriage - Sarah Wheaton
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/22/ellen-confronts-mccain-on-gay-marriage/ (Includes video clip)

WASHINGTON POST
-- McCain Denounces Hagee - Juliet Eilperin and Michelle Boorstein
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/22/mccain_denounces_hagee.html?hpid=topnews
(QUESTION: Democrat and RINO political consultants tell Republican candidates that for every "conservative" that you throw under your bus, many many many Independents and Democrats will vote for you. By November 4, how many "conservatives" will have McCain thrown under his bus - over 100, over 1,000, over 10,000?)

LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- John McCain is releasing medical records, to a few Access to his history over the last eight years is restricted to a small group of reporters. The campaign has delayed releasing the files. - Maeve Reston
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-medical23-2008may23,0,4489839.story
CBS NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: You are not really a conservative if you take anti-conservative actions. Outrageously, to blast conservatives, anti-conservatives highlight the anti-conservative actions taken by Republicans who claim to be conservative.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/22/opinion/main4118368.shtml

ABC NEWS
-- McCain Rejects Hagee Endorsement and "Crazy" Comments on Holocaust - Jake Tapper
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/mccain-rejects.html

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
-- Obama's Independents Problem
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/05/22/obamas-independents-problem.html

GOPUSA
-- America's Best Days Behind Us? - Bobby Eberle
http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=716

NATIONAL REVIEW
-- Barack Clinton Obama What's “change” is old again. - Peter Wehner
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NzNjMmM4MDE0YjJkODg2YTQ3MjE2NjM4M2E4MDhjMzk=

THE HILL
-- GOP factions face off on abortion counseling - Alexander Bolton
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-factions-face-off-on-abortion-counseling-2008-05-22.html
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The Republican Party exists to advance its platform which is conservative. The Democrat Party exists to advance is platform which is liberal. Outrageously, increasingly, the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee recruits candidates who "fit their districts ideologically" rather than those who embrace the party’s platform.
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/big-tent-to-get-bigger-if-democrats-want-to-increase-house-majority-2008-05-22.html

TOWNHALL
-- Why I'm Afraid of a President Barack Obama - Sandy Rios
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/SandyRios/2008/05/22/why_im_afraid_of_a_president_barack_obama

HERITAGE FOUNDATION
-- How Illinois Will Be Affected by the Lieberman-Warner Global Climate Change Legislation - William Beach, Ben Lieberman, David Kreutzer, and Nick Loris
http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm1930-Illinois.cfm

CORVETTE FORUM
-- Investigators Release Reports on Obama's Communist Connections
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=2032828

STATE REPRESENTATIVE REBOLETTI
-- State budget is a "sham"
http://www.reboletti.com/articles/5-22-08.pdf

STATE REPRESENTATIVE SANDY PIHOS
-- Played Politics Negatively Affects University Students
http://www.sandrapihos.com/news.shtml

Read more...

The puzzle gets another piece

The Senate unleashed its $16 billion pension deal tonight in a tense but brief hearing. The House did not include a pension package in its series of budgets approved yesterday, indicating a rough road ahead for the plan that the governor has tried for two consecutive years.

The governor achieved a $10 billion pension deal in 2003, and higher than expected savings resulted. This time, market forces change the equation a bit.

Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, said the deal would take care of the next payment and reset a payment cycle set in 1995 for state contributions. The goal is to knock down Illinois’ $42 billion pension liability 11 years earlier than scheduled.

It’s “similar but not identical” to the plan floated in 2003. Gov. Rod Blagojevich secured a lower interest rate and generated money that could pay down the ballooning liabilities. But the plan had a twist. While it still ramped up payments in future years, the General Assembly allowed the governor to pay the required amount that year and then skip $2.3 billion in state contributions in fiscal years ’06 and ’07.

Harmon said this deal would only go into the state's five pension systems and would not include a “pension holiday.” Instead, he said it would ease the budget deficit. “It’s less money we don’t have.” He also said it would result in a $55 billion savings over the life of the bond issuance and allow a more manageable and regular payment schedule through 2038.

Senate Republicans on the committee, including Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, said the state still has the same unfunded obligation, $42 billion, and adds to its bond debt that it still has to repay. Counter to Harmon, Brady said the proposal would undercut the state’s payment by $500 million. If the state did nothing, the schedule calls for a $3.3 billion payment next fiscal year. Under the proposal, Illinois would contribute $2.8 billion, Harmon said.

Tension mounted as vice chair of the committee, Sen. Michael Noland, an Elgin Democrat, kept trying to cut off debate to avoid dramatics. It didn’t work, and Harmon invited more questions. In the end, Republicans walked out of the room to protest the 15-minute debate on a $16 billion proposal.

The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois opposes the new proposal because it lacks pension reforms that the group has called for for numerous years. The measure also pushes back the ramped up payments until later and sparks concern when playing with a significant amount of state dollars in the stock market, said David Eldridge, the group’s legislative director. In other words, there’s no guaranteed savings that the state achieved in the 2003 deal.

Some common ground
By Patrick O’Brien
Earlier Thursday, a Senate committee moved the budget proposals for 69 state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources and each statewide executive office. According to Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat and point person on the budget, most agencies would receive little or no increase over last year’s funding.

One notable exception is higher education. The House and Senate proposals are almost identical. State universities would receive a 2.8 percent increase, which follows years of stagnant funding or decreases.

The Senate’s higher education budget was a “very optimistic sign,” said Rep. David Miller, a Chicago Democrat. “There’s going to be some changes at the end, but we’re not simply starting from scratch.”

IDOT: It’s that bad
By Bethany Jaeger
The Illinois Department of Transportation will spend a majority of $10.9 billion on fixing existing bridges and repairing old roads during the next six years. It’ll spend a fraction, $633 million, on building new roads. Milton Sees, transportation secretary, said in a Statehouse news conference Thursday that lower-than-expected motor fuel tax revenues and increased costs of materials means state dollars buy less than they did a few years ago.

He said, it is that bad. “We continue to struggle with deteriorating roads, urban congestion problems and [miss] rural economic growth opportunities as a result of the situation we find ourselves in.”

The department has felt the effects of higher gasoline prices as drivers find ways to reduce their consumption, whether it’s by buying hybrid vehicles or just not driving as much, Sees said. And because the motor fuel tax is a flat amount per gallon, it doesn’t increase with the price of gasoline. “So as consumption goes down, our revenues decline along with that.”

According to Dick Smith, IDOT’s director of the office of planning and programming, the motor fuel tax usually generates about $1.2 billion a year. So a 1 percent decrease expected for the current fiscal year translates to about $12 million. The department expects only about 1 percent growth in revenues during the next six years, as well.

The $30 billion infrastructure program announced by the governor’s capital coalition Tuesday, would help, and Sees called it “doable.” (The six-year plan released Thursday does not depend on the approval of a pending capital plan.)

Sees said there is a specific list of projects that would be funded under a capital plan, but it’s a “working document that’s not ready for release.” He did say the projects would include adding lanes to relieve traffic congestion and building new interchanges along the state highway system. It also would provide some much-needed money for resurfacing projects that otherwise wouldn’t get attention in the six-year plan.

‘Pay to play’ may be voted on Friday
By Patrick O'Brien
The ethics measure that seeks to divorce state contracts from political contributions to officeholders may see a vote on the Senate floor Friday, according to Harmon, who also is sponsoring the reform package. He said Thursday night that he believes the plan would pass the House if it makes it out of the Senate first. A last-second change to include nonprofit groups cleared a Senate committee today, and Harmon said the bill won’t be further altered.

Read more...

Con Con Considerations: Vacancies

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

The November ballot will ask voters whether Illinois should have a Constitutional Convention. A Constitutional Convention would be authorized to review any portion of Illinois' Constitution they wanted to -- and to propose an entirely new document, amendments to existing provisions, or additions of new materials.

But the Constitution also leaves much to the General Assembly to determine. Others have taken a position on whether or not there should be a Convention, and even on what issues a Convention should address if it is called. This page is less interested in what a Convention might accomplish as in how it might work.

Eighth in a series

How Should Vacancies Among Delegates Be Filled?

Consider what to do should a delegate be unable to serve until the end of the Convention. The constitution provides that only that "vacancies shall be filled as provided by law." Currently, the law makes no provision for filling vacancies at a Convention. Should party leaders be allowed to fill vacancies as they do with legislative openings (note that this option wouldn't work if delegates are chosen in a non-partisan election)? Or should there be a special election? Should alternates be chosen by voters at the same time that delegates are elected, as with national party conventions?

On the subject of vacancies, are there any circumstances where a delegate should forfeit office? What of those who may be indicted for criminal offenses; should they leave office only if the allegation reflects on their official duties? Should they leave upon conviction or sentencing? Could a Convention expel one of its own members, and on what basis? (Members of the General Assembly , for instance, may be expelled upon the vote of two-thirds of the members of that chamber.) Are there particular conflicts of interest that should cause a Delegate to abstain from voting on any matters?

To comment, please visit ICPR's blog.

Read more...

Illinois Prison Drug Treatment Working?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Note that Chicago Tribune David Mendell reporter says the yard stick being used to measure success is the percentage of those on probation arrested.

The rumor mill says that parole agents have been advised not to find prisoners who go through Sheridan's program in violation of their probation.

I don't know if that is accurate, but, if it is, the reporter might find a different perspective.

“...total arrests of parolees had fallen 23 percent over those three years,” is the official line.

I wonder what anonymous parole officers would say.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 22, 2008

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- Ellen DeGeneres needles McCain on gay marriage - AP
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/964944,ellen052208.article
-- "Clinton's landslides in West Virginia and Kentucky are due in part to voters in those states being reluctant to cast their ballots for an African American."- Mary Mitchell
http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/964493,CST-NWS-mitch22.article
-- Senator Duckworth? - Michael Sneed
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/964328,CST-NWS-SNEED22.article
-- Peraica on beating traffic tickets - Steve Patterson
(Not posted as of 6:00 AM)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Illinois Senate Democrats 'realistic' budget proposal that would borrow $16 billion for pension plan House colleagues offer smorgasbord of spending measures - Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-state-budget-22may22,0,5310856.story
-- Blagojevich tells high court to lobby lawmakers for construction money - Ashley Wiehle
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/05/blagojevich-tel.html
-- 14th Congressional District: March special election drained county budgets - James Kimberly
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-special_election_costsmay22,0,7403806.story
-- Interim leader for DuPage courts is chosen: George Bakalis
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dupage_chief_judge_bothmay22,0,3543970.story

DAILY HERALD
-- No agreement yet on state budget - AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195267&src=109
-- 30th Senate District: Republican challenger Keith Gray to stay on ballot
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195368&src=3
-- George Bakalis appointed acting chief judge for DuPage County - Christy Gutowski
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194942
-- New name to be added to DuPage County veterans memorial - Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194788
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Daily Herald demonizes those who don't vote for Obama as being prejudiced
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195288&src=
-- It's fair to criticize Michelle Obama - Timothy D. O'Reilly, Chicago
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194772&src=
-- What's happened to my party? - John Culloton, Chicago
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194777&src=

CBS2
-- Report: McCain To Host Possible VP Candidates Republican's Advisers Say Gathering Is 'Purely Social'
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/mccain.vp.candidates.2.729803.html
-- House Advances Budget Plans But No Agreement Yet - AP
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/springfield.illinois.budget.2.729902.html
-- Truth In Politics: Illinois Gas Prices And Taxes - Mike Flannery
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/gas.prices.taxes.2.729939.html (Includes video clip)

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Illinois House GOP blowing steam on suspending gas tax - Kristen McQueary
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/mcqueary/964269,052208mcqueary.article

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Legislature 'resembles the government of Burma' Area GOP lawmakers again feel locked out of budget process - Adriana Colindres
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1880507443/Legislature-resembles-the-government-of-Burma

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
-- Dueling budgets from House, Senate Democrats - Doug Finke
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1874999750/Dueling-budgets-from-House-Senate-Democrats

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Gov. meets with lawmakers to push infrastructure expansion plan - Mike Riopell
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/21/news/doc4834d1df230bb467657265.txt

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- State House passes part of budget plan - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29531

OTTAWA TIMES
-- Can Illinois budget be resolved before June 1? - Stephanie Sievers
http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=359049

BEACON NEWS
-- My dinner with a wiser and humbler Oberweis - Jeff Ward
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/opinions/960107,2_4_AU21_WARD_S1.article

MEDILL REPORTS
-- Nuclear energy moratorium likely to hold fast in Illinois House - Phil Taylor
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=89857

BOND BUYER
-- Budget Impasse in Illinois - Yvette Shields
http://www.bondbuyer.com/$nocookies$/article.html?id=20080521KA91EW7Q

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- VIDEO CLIP: Blagojevich and Froehlich: Eerily Similar
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/blagojevich-and.html

CAPITAL FAX
-- VIDEO CLIP: Illinois U.S. Senate replacements
http://capitalfax.blogspot.com/2008/05/illinois-us-senate-replacements.html
-- Illinois House and Senate: Worlds apart - Bethany Jaeger
http://capitalfax.blogspot.com/2008/05/worlds-apart.html

REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- Chicago Mayor's Push for Casino Will Harken Back to Daley Sr.'s Mobbed-Up Past - Daniel T. Zanoza
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/05/chicago-mayors.html

FOX VALLEY MINUTEMAN
-- Minuteman are Alive - Jim
http://blog.foxvalleyminuteman.com/?p=101

HAWAII REPORTER
-- VERY SAD: Republican Party Leaders Blocked Important Debate on Platform at Hawaii GOP Convention - Michael G. Palcic
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?581bf95b-5b03-403e-95ad-5363de6583c0

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
-- Boehner to Take More Active Role in House GOP Campaign Efforts - Edward Epstein
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000002880675

POLITICO
-- Religious right feeling left out in race Christian conservatives who helped elect President Bush are wary of his would-be Republican successor, and now they’re feeling abandoned by Congressional Republicans, too. There are two sources of their unhappiness: Republicans didn’t rise up en masse last week when the California Supreme Court invalidated a ban on same-sex marriage, and the House GOP’s new family agenda focuses on pocketbook issues rather than moral concerns. - Martin Kady
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10542.html

RENEW AMERICA
-- GOP congressional disasters: the "McCain effect" - Chris Adamo
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/adamo/080522

HUMAN EVENTS
-- McCain’s Global-Warming Plan Upsets Conservatives - Robert Bluey
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26580

NATIONAL REVIEW
-- Free Rock Concert Preceded Big Obama Rally in Portland
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTQzYTM4YTUxYTViYjY1MDUxMjk5NjQ4ZGQ1ZGI5MDc

WORLD ON THE WEB
-- McCain's abortion views dissatisfy - Peter Jackson
http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/21/mccains-abortion-views-dissatisfy/

WASHINGTON TIMES
-- Republicans in disarray - Editorial
http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/EDITORIAL/779970584

NEW YORK TIMES
-- McCain Looks to Fill Ticket, and 3 Hopefuls Step Up -- Crist, Jindal, and Romney
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/22/us/politics/22veep.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin
-- McCain Set to Release Health Data on Friday - Elizabeth Bumiller and Lawrence Altman
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/22/us/politics/22health.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1211454115-DCEjho76VkFYm7GgHyoTpQ

LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- McCain get-together may be a tryout for running mate At least three high-profile Republicans, including Mitt Romney, will join the Arizona senator at his Sedona cabin for Memorial Day. - Maeve Reston
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-mccain22-2008may22,0,4355425.story

MSNBC
-- Online media changes political landscapes Obama has become a YouTube sensation while McCain lags behind - Steve Adubato
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24729135/

BLOOMBERG
-- Pelosi Says Women Won't Suffer a `Step Back' If Clinton Loses - Laura Litvan
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aPwXyHat6x9A&refer=home

ABC NEWS
-- Hagel Assails McCain; Lieberman Assails Obama - Jake Tapper
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/hagel-assails-m.html

CONGRESSMAN ROSKAM
-- Roskam Leads Effort to Bring Bi-Fuels to Suburbs
http://roskam.house.gov/FeaturedMedia/AlternativeEnergy.htm (Includes video clip)

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
-- Obama's Lobbyist Hypocrisy Do As I Say, Not As I Do
http://www.gop.com/news/NewsRead.aspx?Guid=5a27dc79-4108-4c80-950f-ce61ced209d4

Read more...

Worlds apart

By Patrick O'Brien
The two chambers of the General Assembly are negotiating budgets in two different universes.

The House advanced budget bills containing — by the Republicans’ count — an estimated $3 billion in additional spending.

House Speaker Michael Madigan said the budget process, which many Republicans said excluded them from the start, was open and transparent and reverted back to the process used before 1991. Madigan pointed out that two versions of the budget were presented, one that offered flat funding and one that increased funding for most agencies.

“You had your opportunity. You had your choice. What’s the complaint? There’s never been, since 1991, so much participation in budget making as there has been over the last several weeks,” he said.

The “opening up” of the process, however, could also generate election year ammunition to hurt vulnerable Republicans. By forcing them to reject the menu of budget options crafted exclusively by Democrats, their opponents could argue they failed to vote for any budget.

Republicans could still play a role in the budget process if Democrats of both chambers fail to send an agreed budget to the governor by May 31. GOP votes would be needed to get the three-fifths majority required after the constitutional deadline.

Rep. Jack Franks, a Woodstock Democrat who voted for some but not all budget measures Wednesday, said the battle has only just begun. “I think this is just the first salvo in what could be many budget bills going back and forth,” he said. “I don’t think anyone here believes that the stuff we voted on here today is going to be the final budget.”

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats …

Are basing their budget proposals on revenue estimates similar to those in the House, but they’re drafting a budget that would decrease funding in some state agencies and offer flat funding in others.

The Senate Democrats also are counting on almost $2 billion in additional “budget pressures” on top of state agency needs. These include new contracts for state workers, Medicaid funding to prevent doctors from waiting for state reimbursements and an $800 million increase in payments to the pension fund.

The Senate Democrats are working on a $16 billion pension bond deal for the state to address mounting liabilities, but they have not consulted with other legislative caucuses, according to Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat.

“It seems like we’re coming from this budget from entirely different perspectives. We’re not starting out on the same page,” she said. “I think what we have failed to do is establish priorities. I think that would make the budget come together.”

Read more...

Illinois US Senate replacements

I'm sure this has been discussed to death either here or on The Capitol Fax. Still what do you think would happen if Senator Obama is actually elected President of the United States? Would Blagojevich actually be able to appoint himself to the US Senate?

Look at what HotlineTV says about what's going on in Illinois.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 21, 2008

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Dennis Hastert, Glenn Poshard hammer out $31 billion (TAX, GAMBLE, AND SPEND) public-works proposal Former congressmen acknowledge 'trust factor' between Gov. Rod Blagojevich, lawmakers - Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-state-capital-plan-21may21,0,3962323.story
-- Michelle Obama is fair game - Carl F. Rollberg, CalumetPark
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-080520obama_briefs,0,4094642.story

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- John McCain calls Barack Obama 'tool of organized labor' - AP
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/959749,mccain052008.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Again, the Chicago Sun-Times makes it clear that it cares more about the illegals than it cares about the Americans who are harmed by the illegals
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/961638,CST-EDT-edit21a.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Greeley promotes Obama
http://www.suntimes.com/news/greeley/960984,CST-EDT-greel21.article

DAILY HERALD
-- Budget battles shaping up at the Capitol - John Patterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194543&src=1
-- Illinois House Republicans want gasoline tax holiday
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194540
-- Obama opposes rail deal - Chad Brooks
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194073
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rauschenberger to keynote GiffordSchool ceremony
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194571&src=1
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: J. Rasmus of Streamwood promotes homosexual activity
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194189&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Russell C. W. Crom of Mount Prospect promotes homosexual activity
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194195&src=
-- Courts can't alter gay marriage laws - Jim Finnegan, Barrington
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=194194&src=

NBC5
-- Lawmakers Aim For Budget Deal In May, But Hurdles Remain
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16342059/detail.html?dl=headlineclick

CBS2
-- Obama Reports $37M On Hand; McCain Has $22 Million - AP
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/obama.mccain.money.2.728881.html

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Illinois House wants gas tax holiday - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29506
-- Hastert, Poshard float $31B state (TAX, GAMBLE, AND SPEND) construction plan - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29519&seenIt=1

COURIER NEWS
-- Lawmakers seek temporary relief of motor fuel tax - Nicole Brooks
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/961423,3_1_EL21_A1GASTAX_S1.article

BUSINESS LEDGER
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Business Ledger promotes gambling in Villa Park
http://www.thebusinessledger.com/Home/Archives/CommentaryViewpoints/tabid/86/newsid415/353/Off-track-betting-a-plus-for-Villa-Park-redevelopment/Default.aspx

ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH
-- Poshard, Hastert push $31 billion (TAX, GAMBLE, AND SPEND) plan - Kevin McDermott
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/F25D98F6935A79E78625745000108171?OpenDocument

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Chris Simcox: Tales from the border - Rosanna Pulido
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/tales-from-the.html#more
-- House GOP candidates join call for gas tax relief - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/house-gop-candi.html
-- How do you spell R-E-L-I-E-F from gas tax? - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/how-do-you-spel.html

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Rep. Durkin w/Berkowitz on Obama, McCain and Impeachment
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/this-weeks-suburban-edition-of-public.html

TOM ROESER
-- Tony Peraica’s Stunning Command of CookCounty’s Governmental Affairs Warrants Election
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24583

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
-- Intolerant State Journal-Register Publishes Anti-Family (Anti-Natural Marriage) Marriage Cartoon Again - David E. Smith
http://www.illinoisfamily.org/news/contentview.asp?c=33898

CAPITALFAX
-- Trust plagues Goldie Locks and the three bears - Bethany Jaeger and Patrick O'Brien
http://capitalfax.blogspot.com/2008/05/trust-plagues-goldie-locks-and-three.html

CHICAGO DAILY OBSERVER
-- Exploring the nature of Illinois voters - Dennis Byrne
http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/exploring-the-nature-of-illinois-voters%2C1145/

THE HILL
-- Republican bloggers make push to replace Rep. Cole - Walter Alarkon
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/republican-bloggers-make-push-to-replace-rep.-cole-2008-05-20.html

WORLD NEWS DAILY
-- NARAL fuels pro-abort civil war Exclusive: Jill Stanek is A-OK with group's faithful fuming over Obama endorsement
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64824

POLITICO
-- Boehner, Cole to release GOP election plan - Patrick O'Connor
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10502.html

GOPUSA
-- VERY SAD: Amnesty Sneaking Back into Congress -- Again! - Bobby Eberle
http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=715

CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS
-- GOP Says Bring On Obama - Shane D'Aprile
http://www.campaignsandelections.com/stories/?StoryID=098E52A8-1422-17E0-F8F1354D496CF3F9

CBS NEWS
-- McCain on Kennedy: "The Most Effective Member of the Senate" - John Bentley
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/05/20/politics/fromtheroad/entry4111699.shtml

IN THESE TIMES
-- Fox News’ Criminal Pundits - James Thindwa
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3686/fox_news_criminal_pundits/

HAWAII REPORTER
-- More Than 600 Hawaii Republicans Wrap Up State Convention with Overwhelming Support for John McCain - Adam Deguire
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?8be0d031-187e-47e6-b964-cc204f8e5fcc

USA TODAY
-- VERY SAD: Yes, university women, there is a boy problem Males at all socioeconomic levels are falling behind in school. - Editorial
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/index.html#entry-50183156

BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS
-- Motorplex will add a lot to Corvette museum - Editorial
http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2008/05/20/opinion/our_opinion/opinion1.txt

AUTO SPECTATOR
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats demonize the "wealthy" in America as being conservative Republicans. But in reality, most of the wealthy in America must be liberal Democrats because for the fourth year in a row, wealth Americans ranked Porsche as the "most prestigious car available," then Lexus, and then Mercedes-Benz. If most of the wealthy in America were conservative Republicans, Cadillac would always be ranked first.
http://www.autospectator.com/cars/porsche/0040423-porsche-named-top-prestigious-luxury-automobile-brand-2008-luxury-institute

TAPROOT REPUBLICANS OF ILLINOIS
-- JUNE 2004 FLASHBACK: Illinois Republican Party adopts watered down platform, Rauschenberger bid to defeat Kjellander unsuccessful, Jack Ryan hosts leadership summit, Joe Morris organizes Chicago Conservative Conference, Jack Ryan's positions on the issues contrasted with Obama's, Obama admits that he opposes the war in Iraq, Kocan urges Dillard to not pander, Peter LaBarbera to speak at breakfast meeting, Teri O'Brien to speak at picnic
http://www.taprootgop.org/trumpet/June04.pdf

Read more...

Hastert bailing out Blagojevich

Hastert retired. He should stay at the farm.

Democrats gave us the mess in Springfield and it's their job to fix it. Not his.

Conceding that many state lawmakers just don't trust Gov. Rod Blagojevich, two former congressmen Tuesday unveiled a $31 billion public-works package to be paid for by leasing part of the lottery, giving Chicago a casino and allowing slot machines at horse-racing tracks.

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a suburban Republican, and former U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard, a Downstate Democrat, delivered the Blagojevich-backed plan to lawmakers, who immediately greeted its chances with skepticism as they try to finish a state budget in the next 10 days.

Considering the skepticism people in the 14th gave Hastert's endorsement of Oberweis, I don't see what trust Hastert is going to bring to any budget.

Read more...

Trust plagues Goldie Locks and the three bears

By Bethany Jaeger and Patrick O'Brien
Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert started and ended a Statehouse news conference Tuesday by underlining the General Assembly and the governor’s troubled task of enacting a capital plan:

“We have about $9.5 billion in federal trust funds for covering a lot of things —highways, water projects, airports, transit — that if we don’t pass a piece of legislation that meets this time period so we can get shovels moving, trucks moving on the highway and take advantage of this construction season, those dollars will start to diminish because the trust fund’s diminishing.”

The other problem is a lack of trust between Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the state legislators. They can’t a) agree on a way to generate revenue to pay for a capital plan and b) spell out how that money will be spent.

Hastert was appointed by the governor along with Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard to serve as a buffer and move along negotiations for a statewide infrastructure plan. Hastert described the meetings with the legislative leaders as Goldie Locks and the three bears. The “porridge was never exactly right for everybody.” They drafted a proposal that he said should be acceptable to all. He ended the news conference this way:

“Is this perfect? No. But it’s the best that we could cobble together … and I think it has a very good chance of moving if everybody comes to the table and works together in a process. Will that happen? I can’t predict that. Thank you very much. End of session.”

He and Poshard announced a $31 billion capital plan, up from the governor’s original $25 billion proposal, for everything from water and sewer projects to long-term road projects that have been on hold for years. It also would fund projects for higher education facilities, as well as early childhood education space needs, and many other state and local initiatives for economic development and transportation.

At stake is $9.3 billion in federal earmarks for state projects, which Poshard and Hastert said are dwindling and vulnerable if Illinois doesn’t put forth the matching funds soon. “If we can’t get the job done with what we’ve done in the last highway bill … we don’t have a ghost of a chance getting those numbers again.” Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Milton Sees said he expects to lose between $3 billion and $4 billion when the feds draft their next highway bill without a timely state match.

The proposed plan would generate those state matching funds by — this should look familiar — leasing the Illinois Lottery for immediate influx of cash; building a Chicago casino and expanding gaming, including slots at racetracks; diverting money from the state’s Road Fund, as well as the state’s main general fund, to back up the construction bonds.

The idea of leasing the lottery and expanding gaming, however, have gotten stuck in the legislative process before. And even if legislators trusted the governor to distribute the money as promised, they would risk alienating some voters by agreeing to privatize a state asset and expand gaming. On the other hand, they might win some supporters by rejecting the idea to raise taxes.

Trust is the underlying issue, however. Poshard said Democrats and Republicans in each chamber submitted priorities and requests, some of which were included in Tuesday’s proposal. But they also had the chance to weigh in on what it would take for them to trust the process of distributing the money, which Poshard and Hastert combined into “accountability provisions.” They include creating a “trust” fund (or lockbox) for revenue to be held until distributed, weekly leaders’ meetings, quarterly reports on status of the funds, a “good faith effort” on behalf of the governor to release the money as soon as money and spending authority are granted, and the trusty “memoranda of understanding,” essentially signed IOUs.

Quote Senate Majority Leader Frank Watson: “We need a lockbox that Houdini can’t get out of.”

But, here’s another telling Hastert quote: “The reason that we’re here is because there’s a stalemate, and we tried to come in —and sometimes fools rush in where angels fear to tread — but to try to bring the parties together. We have brought all five parties together, or, at least 4 and a half, at the table every day.”

Although leaders have been meeting with the governor and his negotiators since April, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan sent his majority leader, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, on his behalf. And Hastert said when he did meet with Madigan, Madigan listened but didn’t offer anything.

Meanwhile ...
The House started unveiling its version of a budget for the day-to-day operations of the state. That’s the annual budget as opposed to the multi-year capital budget. House Democrats, essentially, are advancing flat budgets for state agencies with some increases for union contracts and administrative costs. House Republicans, however, are banding together to oppose the plan.

Higher education is an exception in that it would get a 3 percent boost in funding, and
the committee unanimously advanced the higher ed budget plans.

We’ll have more on this tomorrow, when the Senate also could unveil legislation for its budget proposal.

Note: It doesn’t look like ethics reform will be called this week. We’ll keep you posted.

Read more...

GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - May 20, 2008

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH 8X8-INCH COLOR PICTURE OF BARACK AND MICHELLE HUGGING: Obama stands by his wife. Even though both Barack and Michelle are members of the same anti-white anti-American "church," even though Michelle only recently became "proud" of America, even though Barack uses Michelle furiously to promote his candidacy, even though Michelle would be America's First Lady if Barack wins, Barack "warns" Republicans to "lay off my wife." If elected, what else will Barack warn Americans to "lay off?"
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/958960,CST-NWS-sweet20.article
-- Anti-war protesters disrupt McCain here - Abdon Pallasch
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/958962,CST-NWS-mccain20.article
-- SNEED: It was a financial home run for John McCain at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Monday, where $400,000 was tossed into his campaign kitty. The event was co-chaired by his decades-long buddy Jack Sandner, attorney Ty Fahner and CME Group Vice Chairman Charlie Carey.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/958837,CST-NWS-SNEED20.article

ABC7
-- NEEDLESS-TO-SAY, VERY SAD: Activists protest Minutemen leader's speech at DePaul University - Kevin Roy
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6152573 (Includes video clip)
-- Obama tells Tenn.'s GOP: 'Lay off my wife' - AP
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/politics&id=6151215
-- John McCain visits Chicago - Ravi Baichwal
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6151475 (Includes video clip)

NBC5
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: NBC5 outrageously uses a "anti-immigration" instead of "anti-illegal immigration" in its DePaul v. Minutemen report
http://video.nbc5.com/player/?id=253211 (Includes video clip)
-- McCain Criticizes Obama Over Iran Comments McCain's Chicago Speech Interrupted By Protesters
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16326953/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clip)

CBS2
-- NEEDLESS-TO-SAY, VERY SAD: Speech By Minuteman Co-Founder Sparks Protest - Joanie Lum and Mai Martinez
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/depaul.immigration.protest.2.727233.html (Includes video clip)
-- GOP Power Broker Criticized Over Hotel Deal - Mike Parker
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/hotel.deal.cellini.2.727877.html (Includes video clip)

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Thin-skinned Obamas - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/thin-skinned-ob.html (Includes video clip)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Is Obama saying his wife is above scrutiny and not to be held accountable for reckless and insulting comments such as those she was video-taped saying on Hardball or at a huge Obama rally? Those Obamas are very sensitive and extremely touchy especially for two savvy professionals who want the nation to believe they are politically experienced and tough enough to lead a nation through perilous times. aren't they? Oh, that Barack and Michelle were as sensitive about and so loyal to the very nation they say they are ready to govern.)
-- Illinois GOP Convention Delegates: Sign in please - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/05/illinois-gop-co.html

TOM ROESER
-- DePaul Insists Conservative Alliance Must Pay for Security for Minuteman Leader. All the More Reason to Support the Alliance and “The Lincoln Park Statesman.”
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24578

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- ABC Filters McCain's Talk; Main Stream Media Continue to Give Obama a Pass - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/abc-filters-mccains-talk-msm-continue.html
-- Berkowitz w/ Morgenthaler on Roskam, the War, Abortion, the Fed, God and Gas Prices
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-than-chris-wallace-wobama.html

EXAMINER
-- McCain criticizes Obama over Iran comments - Libby Quaid and Mike Glover
http://www.examiner.com/a-1399348~McCain_criticizes_Obama_over_Iran_comments.html?cid=rss-Illinois_Headlines

NATIONAL REVIEW
-- Left in Church Deep inside the Wright Trumpet - Stanley Kurtz
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MjRhNDQ4MGFlYjk0YzUwNDk0MzYyNTE1ZDkwYmNmNDc=

DAILY HERALD
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PICTURE OF MCCAIN & LIEBERMAN: McCain blasts Obama in his hometown - Joseph Ryan
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193508&src=143
-- Greenberg has new campaign manager, Collin Corbett - Russell Lissau
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193537
-- Special election has Kane Co. elections dept. in $680,000 hole - Leslie Hague
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193599&src=2
-- A week after primary, former KKK member Byrd backs Obama - AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193953
-- VERY SAD: Many politicians favor amnesty - Flo Brinacombe, Schaumburg
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193645
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rick Biesada responds to Daily Herald Minuteman article
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193340&#storycomments
-- It's time to get to work on solutions - State Rep. Suzie Bassi, Palatine
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193647&src=
-- To win, GOP must get back to doing things right - Cal Thomas
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193682
-- Wheaton ready to celebrate 150 years - Hafsa Naz Mahmood
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=193908&src=2

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Farming for riches It's time to wean ourselves from huge crop subsidies and flawed policies that distort the markets and artificially raise prices for consumers. - John McCain
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0520mccainmay20,0,7518430.story
-- Clock ticking on state budget House, Senate must agree, then get governor's OK - Ray Long
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-20-legis-battlemay20,0,5197050.story
-- Ways to deal with Illinois' huge pension debt problem - Ryan Keith
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-legislatureampyou-s,0,1503080.story
-- Peraica v. Alvarez: Cook County state's attorney foes go back and forth on corruption - Hal Dardick
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-peraica-20-may20,0,814201.story
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Outrageously, Carlos Mock wants America to join Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, South Africa and Spain in promoting homosexual activity
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0520marriagemay20,0,1017793.story

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: E.J. Dionne promotes homosexual activity
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x194400651/EJ-Dionne-Voters-will-ultimately-decide-gay-marriage-issue

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Illinois can vote for con-con in November - Phil Kadner
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/kadner/958863,052008Kadner.article

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Guv's health care quest a road to ruin - Editorial
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?articleId=29852

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- House ready to pin down Illinois budget - Kurt Erickson
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/19/news/doc48322a1e35011894025060.txt

PIONEER LOCAL
-- Oak Brook Chamber talks taxes, Internet and the future - Jim Jaworski
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/clarendonhills/news/957838,ob-WEBchamber-051908-s1.article

BUSINESS LEDGER
-- Hastert, Poshard campaign for (TAX INCREASES AND) state roads
http://www.thebusinessledger.com/Home/Archives/InTheNews/tabid/85/mid/393/newsid393/350/Default.aspx
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: We hear of Republicans and “Republican-oriented” companies that gave to Gov. Blagojevich’s campaigns and of lots of GOP-ers who supported Barack Obama in his Senate run against carpetbagger Alan Keyes. We remember Mayor Richard Daley and former Gov. George Ryan being “buddy-buddy” until the now-convicted Ryan’s troubles landed him in federal court. We remember former GOP Gov. Jim Thompson heading Blago’s transition team when he first took office. Heck, Daley and Blago have sometimes seemed to be friendlier with so-called political enemies than with supposed allies in their own party, e.g., Daley vs. Jane Byrne, Blago vs. Mike Madigan, father-in-law Ald. Dick Mell, or almost anyone. But the bottom line is that politicians usually can recognize the bottom line, and whether that means money or power or influence or votes, the bottom line is still an outstretched hand and a palm upward waiting for the just share of the take. Regardless of party, that’s the cynical and inevitable view of politics in our state. Of course, once in a great while, kind of like even a blind squirrel sometimes being able to find an acorn, what’s good for the “combine,” or whatever combination of politicians from either party really runs Illinois, is actually also good for the people of Illinois. One of those instances came into play recently in Naperville where former Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Glenn Poshard, now president of Southern Illinois University, were the featured attractions as a “get out the roads funds” rally.)
-- Illinois needs to do its part to boost economy - Kirk Dillard
http://www.thebusinessledger.com/Home/Archives/InTheNews/tabid/85/newsid393/339/Default.aspx

HOUSE REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION
-- House Republicans fight for a balanced budget (Cross audio clip)
http://www.ilhro.com/press/view/article/house-republicans-fight-for-a-balanced-budget/

TAPROOT REPUBLICANS OF ILLINOIS
-- KOCAN REPORTS ON MAY 17 LAUZEN PRESENTATION: Stop stealing the money!
http://www.taprootgop.org/

REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- FairTax Resolution submitted to the Illinois State Republican Party Convention Below is the FairTax resolution I submitted to the Platform & Resolutions Committee of the Illinois GOP Party Convention. Marilyn Rickert, Illinois FairTax, President
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/05/fairtax-resolut.html

CHICAGO DAILY OBSERVER
-- Speaking of Energy, It's Time the GOP Showed Some on Gas Prices - Jim Leahy
http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/speaking-of-energy-its-time-the-gop-showed-some-on-gas-prices%2C1133/

CAPITOLFAX
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Rich Miller calls for his followers to reticule Alan Keyes
http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2008/05/19/question-of-the-day-527/

ABC NEWS
-- John McCain: Political Tightrope Walker? Trying to Appeal to Independents While Keeping Core Republicans - Jake Tapper
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4888329&page=1

WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- Obama Courts American Indians - Amy Chozick
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121124498372105711.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

NEW YORK TIMES
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: STRAIGHT FROM THE DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM: Outrageously, report a) blames female problems on males, b) blames minority problems on whites, and c) argues that giving preference to females does not harm males and that giving preference to minorities does not harm whites
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/education/20girls.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=lewin&st=nyt&oref=slogin

NEWSMAX
-- McCain Courts Leftwing Bloggers
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/McCain_Leftwing_Bloggers/2008/05/19/97215.html?s=al&promo_code=62A9-1

AHN HEADLINE NEWS
-- Rep. Boehner Says Cole Won't Be Replaced As Republican Campaign Committee Chairman - Kris Alingod
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010995486

BARRINGTON COMMUNITIES AGAINST CN RAIL CONGESTION
-- Communities Opposed to CN Merger Receive Support From Senator Obama Senator says railroad must absorb infrastructure costs associated with acquisition
http://www.fightrailcongestion.com/default.aspx

BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS
-- National Corvette Museum drag strip in works - Robyn Minor
http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2008/05/19/news/news3.txt

CNS NEWS
-- House GOP Outlook 'Worst Since Watergate,' Says Rep. Davis - Evan Moore
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200805/POL20080520a.html

POLITICO
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Tragically, the Democrat Party attracts minorities by demonizing conservatives and by demonizing conservatism. But wait, demonizing conservatives and demonizing conservatism is exactly what many Illinois Republican Party leaders, many Illinois Republican elected officials, and many Illinois Republican candidates have been doing for decades and continue to do.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10464.html

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- Roger Claar speaks at outstanding DuPage County Lisle Township Republican Organization monthly meeting; attendees include Bowler, Bucholz, Cassioppi, Connelly, Curran, Filipello, French, Fisher, Furstenau, Grogan, Guerin, Healy, Heap, Jorgensen, Kovacevic, Krause, Lofgren, Maher, Martinez, Ossyra, Popejoy, Prueter, Schultz, Siekmann, Stock, and Wozniak - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: DuPage County Lisle Township Republican Organization (LTRO) held an outstanding meeting Monday evening, May 19, at the Lisle Hilton. LTRO Chairman Mike Prueter conducted the meeting. Roger Claar gave an outstanding presentation. Attendees included Mike Bowler, Fred Bucholz, Gerry Cassioppi, Mike Connelly, John Curran, Lynda Filipello, Jay Fisher, Dorothy French, Dick Furstenau, Bob Grogan, Dan Guerin, Jim Healy, Bob Heap, Ann Jorgensen, Amy Kovacevic, Doug Krause, Carl Lofgren, Bill Maher, Liz Martinez, Rachel Ossyra, Ken Popejoy, Carl Schultz, Pete Siekmann, Rick Stock, and Joe Wozniak, Jr. &a