Illinois Review

What Is Impeachment? (And How Does It Work?)

You're hearing a lot about impeachment in the news, but what is it and how does the process work?

The Madness of Crowds: The Weaponization of “Identity”

G.K. Chesterton once observed that the “special mark of the modern world is not that it is skeptical, but that it is dogmatic without knowing it.” His point was that moderns have forgotten that they are assuming what they believe to be a given. “In short,” he concludes, “they always have an unconscious dogma; and an unconscious dogma is the definition of a prejudice.”

That’s why I love Chesterton. If you didn’t know he wrote that a century ago, you’d think he was talking about today. Plus, he was always grumpy, so he’s a lot of fun to read.

Marco Rubio’s myopic capitalism

Americans are searching for answers for the disintegration of the family, falling participation in religious and civic institutions, drug dependency, suicide, and economic dislocation. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., believes he has found the answer to the social crises of our time in Catholic social teaching. He describes his own reading of Catholic social teaching as “Common-Good Capitalism,” drawing principally on Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum emphasizing both the need to focus on the common good of all citizens and the intrinsic dignity of work that each contributes to our communities.

IL GOP US Senate candidates spar over immigration issue

IL GOP U.S. Senate candidates (l to r) Mark Curran, Peggy Hubbard, Robert Marshall, Tom Tarter

TINLEY PARK - Immigration and amnesty were hot topics at a forum among IL GOP U.S. Senate candidates Thursday night in Tinley Park, Illinois. Republican candidate Peggy Hubbard, a veteran and former law enforcement officer from the Belleville area, stirred a curt response from her opponents when she accused "several" of her primary opponents as being "for amnesty."

IL GOP suburban org holds early 2020 primary straw poll; picks break IL GOP mold

Bremen Township GOP chairman Kevin Suggs with GOP U.S. Senate candidate Peggy Hubbard

More to come ahead on Illinois Review, including audios of the candidate forum.

TINLEY PARK - In a straw poll after one of the IL GOP's first 2020 primary season candidate forums, an audience in Chicago's southern suburbs chose as their favorites two African-American women, a businessman running for office the first time, and two experienced politicians.

For those observing, the results were quite a change from the Illinois' Republican Party they once knew. 

"I think we got a great insight into the candidates tonight, to get a flavor of who they are and what they stand for," said Bremen Township GOP Chairman Kevin Suggs. "So now I think we just need to have more exposure and people will be able to make the right choice March 17th." 

All but one of the GOP candidates in the straw poll are vying for the chance to take on longtime-entrenched Democrat incumbents in the November 2020 general election. 

Di Leo: "Earning My Vote" and Other Misconceptions

By John F. Di Leo - 

In the fall of 2019, Republicans suffered a few serious defeats: Democrats won governor races in Kentucky and Louisiana, and consolidated the state legislature of Virginia. 

Too many Republican voters in both states told pollsters and reporters that the Republican candidates just hadn’t "earned their votes."  They hadn't made the case for election, or reelection, or they'd lost the glow they used to have.   Oh, these voters still consider themselves Republican, and voted Republican for other races, but since these particular Republican candidates didn’t "earn their votes" they denied them the prize of victory, allowing an opposition with whom they disagree on virtually everything to win instead.

Where's Weyermuller? Hearing what Democrat presidential candidate Andrew Yang has to say

By Mark Weyermuller -

Democrat Andrew Yang visited Chicago Thursday to make his pitch to become president of the United States. He did a live taping of the “The Ax Files with David Axelrod.”  The event was attended by about 300 people, mostly students.  It was held at Mandel Hall on the campus of the University  of Chicago. Axelrod runs a group there called The Institute of Politics. Here is a clip from the show:   https://youtu.be/9yHQWz-flZs

Andrew Yang made national news when asked about the impeachment of President Trump. He said he supported it but it was a mistake for the Democrats to pursue it. He later in the interview said he wanted to be the nominee against Donald Trump. With that he appears to show that he expects President Trump to remain in office through November 2020.

Thorner: Is the USMCA America's European Union?

By Nancy Thorner -

According to the official USTR: "Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, the United States has reached an agreement with Mexico and Canada in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a mutually beneficial win for North American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses. When finalized and implemented, the agreement will create more balanced, reciprocal trade that supports high-paying jobs for Americans and grows the North American economy."  (Until there is a Congressional vote on the new, balanced USMCA agreement, NAFTA remains in effect.)

USMCA was released early on October 1, 2018 on the USTR website for the public to read. As to the size and scope of USMCA, the government site lists all 34 chapters and their annexes. In total, the USMCA is a whopping 1,809 pages —1,572 pages for the treaty itself, 214 pages for annexes, and 23 pages for side letters. In comparison, NAFTA was over 1,700 pages long — 741 pages for the treaty itself, 348 pages for annexes, and 619 pages for additional footnotes and explanation.

Chick-Fil-A’s Surrender Will Only Empower Liberal Bullies

By Kay Cole James - 

As we head into the Christmas season, religious liberty in America continues to be under attack, and it’s not just about whether people can say “Merry Christmas” in public places.

With the recent controversy over Chick-fil-A bowing to pressure to end its financial support of charities the far left has labeled as “anti-gay,” organizations that dare to hold onto certain deeply held religious beliefs will likely be punished for it.

The Loss of Our Watchmen’s Moral Authority

One symptom of a society in crisis is the unreliability or even corruption of its own auditors.

After all, when the watchmen have lost moral authority to watch, who can be believed or trusted? Or, as the Roman satirist Juvenal famously put it, “Who will guard the guardians?”

It was recently reported that FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith altered an email to bolster a suspicious FBI effort to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrant authorizing the surveillance of Carter Page, a onetime employee of the Trump campaign.

If true, Clinesmith helped the FBI successfully delude the court into granting what was likely an illegal request to spy on the Trump campaign. Clinesmith was reportedly expelled from special counsel Robert Mueller’s legal team for cheering on opposition to the Trump presidency by writing “Viva la resistance!” in a text message discussion.

More HERE

Do classical liberals ‘pave the way for white nationalists’?

Matthew Schmitz, a senior editor at First Things and self-described “socialist Roman Catholic,” recently wrote an article titled “How classical liberals paved the way for white nationalists” in the Catholic Herald. Schmitz has little use for “classical liberalism,” a philosophy that upholds the inalienable rights of humanity and limits the role of the state. How, then, does he link limited government to a totalitarian ideology?

Ford v Ferrari and the virtue of courage

There is a scene in the terrific new film Ford v Ferrari where Henry Ford II grills his lieutenant Lee Iaccoca about the failed bid to acquire Enzo Ferrari’s racing car enterprise. Ford learns that Ferrari has a message for him, and Iacocca dutifully delivers: “He said Ford makes ugly little cars in ugly factories.”

Rep.Skillicorn warns about parking tax hike in New Year

CRYSTAL LAKE – If that $35 a day parking fee discourages you from making a trip into Chicago, parking will cost $2.10 more in a month - yet another reason to avoid the traffic and the headaches. 

A new parking space tax is set to go into effect on January 1, 2020 and State Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-Crystal Lake) says the tax will cost more than people think and the money from the parking tax will not be used to pay for roads.

“Parking is already expensive enough especially in the City of Chicago,” Skillicorn said. “In addition to having the third highest gas tax in the country, Illinois residents are now going to have pay more to park their vehicle. Parked or moving, Illinois is making it tougher for Illinois families to own and operate a vehicle.”

The Gettysburg Address: 272 Words Every American Should Know

156 years ago, President Lincoln gave a short speech dedicating a cemetery for soldiers at the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 272 words, he captured the values that make our nation so unique — values that Americans have fought and died to uphold — and why we must work to ensure America endures future tests and trials, however dreadful they may be. We choose to recall those words of that speech.

The Myth of Voter Suppression

Do Republicans win elections by preventing minorities from voting? The Left says yes, but the data says no. Jason Riley, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, settles the argument with hard evidence, separating fact from fiction.

UPDATE: 6 GOPers file to fill retiring John Shimkus' 15th CD seat

UPDATE: As of Board of Elections' office closing Monday, six Republicans and three Democrats have filed to succeed retiring Congressman John Shimkus. (see names below)

SPRINGFIELD - Thus far, three Republicans filed petitions Monday morning to be the GOP candidate to compete for Congressman John Shimkus' 15th CD seat in 2020.

The downstate district is currently one of Illinois' most conservative - and is expected to be drastically redistricted after the 2020 Census.

UPDATE: Cook Co GOP condemns Nazi filing again in IL's 3rd CD GOP primary

UPDATE: Monday, Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison released a statement condemning Arthur Jones' candidacy. See statement below.

CHICAGO - He says he left the Nazis in the 1980s, but Arthur Jones of Lyons, IL still denies the Holocaust and despises Jews. These days, he says he's a patriot.

And despite being condemned by the Illinois Republican Party in 2018 when he challenged 3rd CD Congressman Dan Lipinski, Jones just submitted petitions once again to run in the GOP 2020 primary in an effort to go to the US Congress.

Chicago mayor fires police superintendent for cause, effective immediately

Fired Eddie Johnson (left) with Mayor Lori Lightfoot (center) earlier this year

CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot held a press conference Monday morning to announce she had fired Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson "for cause," "effective immediately." 

Johnson had announced earlier this year he would be retiring effective January 1, 2020, but that wasn't soon enough for Lightfoot.

Four IL Republicans file to challenge Durbin in 2020

SPRINGFIELD - As of noon the last day that 2020 GOP primary candidates can submit petitions to be on the ballot, four Republicans could be on next March's GOP primary statewide:

• former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran,
• Springfield area cancer surgeon Dr. Thomas Tarter,
• Belleville area former veteran and law enforcement officer Peggy Hubbard and
• Glenview businessman, as well as former President of the Polish American Congress – Illinois Division Casey Chlebek. 

Whichever of these Republicans that wins the March 2020 primary will challenge US Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin in the November 2020 presidential election. 

The 75 year old Durbin first was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois in 1996 - defeating Republican Al Salvi with the help of former President Bill Clinton at the top of the ticket. 

14th CD's new rep featured in Time's 100 Next list

First term US House member Lauren Underwood is representing an Illinois congressional district that voted for Donald Trump in 2016. She was swept into office in 2018 as part of the Democrat Blue Wave that hit the Land of Lincoln, bringing with it a Democrat governor and an even stronger Democrat-controlled legislature. 

Born in Mayfield Heights, Ohio in 1986, the 33 year old Underwood has become a rock star among Leftist political circles - and is featured in Time Magazine's 100 Next list released last week. 

Presidential primary candidate Cory Booker, also a US Senator from New Jersey, wrote the piece about Underwood in the Time tribute. Booker writes that she's the youngest African American woman elected to Congress and that  

She has stood up to fight for families in her district and across the country: for an end to the gun-violence epidemic; for an economy where everyone has access to opportunity; and for every person’s right to quality, affordable health care, regardless of pre-existing conditions.