Illinois Review

Tracy: Illinois Democrats Launch a Cultural Revolution

By Don Tracy - Chairman, IL GOP

In these head-spinning times, first principles about government are all in play: what it’s for, and how it relates to the people.

Not long ago, Democrat and Republican politicians and activists differed over priorities: More guns or more butter?  Today, the parties differ more fundamentally over the purpose, role and function of government itself.

The foundational view that government should be of, by and for the people is rooted in the idea that each human being has equal standing, with the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This view, largely held by Republicans today, holds that government exists to serve people, not rule over them. We put our faith in the common wisdom of voters and believe representatives should serve the people who elect them.

By contrast, progressives believe that elected representatives should “lead” people, not serve them. They scoff at equality and believe some people are morally better, more enlightened, and awake to social injustices — and that government and activists composed of these people should drive change. This is evident in the progressive attitude toward common people (viewed as “deplorables” who “cling to guns or religion”) and the casual casting of moral aspersions at traditionalists (labeling them “racists,” “Nazis,” “haters”).

The Inflation Iceberg Beneath The Economic Waves

Source: AP Photo/Richard Drew

Despite assurances from the Biden administration that this new 'inflation' situation is only temporary, the ‘signs and portents’ suggest something much more ominous.

On May 12th there was finally some of that much talked about “unity” in the country. However, unity, like everything else in life, has to be judged from a perspective of good or bad. This unity came from both left- and right-leaning news outlets. It was good; in that they all agreed that something bad just happened. It was also bad; in that something bad just happened. That bad something was the 4.2% jump in “inflation” in April as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

More HERE

Biden’s Budget Proposal Includes Major Expansion of IRS

President Joe Biden’s budget proposal includes funding increases for several government agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Biden proposes to give the IRS $13.2 billion next year, an increase of $1.2 billion, or 10.4 percent, over this year’s appropriation.

The IRS collects taxes and enforces tax policy in the United States. The funding increase is intended to intensify enforcement efforts. In a statement, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the funding request would make things “fairer.”

More HERE

Lifson: Is Fauci Now the Deep State's Fall Guy?

By Thomas Lifson - 

The writer, “Sundance” of The Last Refuge, looks into something that also puzzled me: why were multiple FOIA requests for the emails of Dr. Anthony Fauci all released at the same time, and why now?

Using his time-tested technique of constructing timelines and comparing the current FOIA release with another key FOIA release, he constructs a thought-provoking theory. As so often in the past, he sees a tacit plot behind the events that capture so much attention.

More HERE

Prager: The Single Best Thing Americans Can Do to Retake America

By Dennis Prager - 

The most frequent question people pose to me is: What can I/we do to fight back against the nihilistic anti-American destruction of virtually all the country’s major institutions?

There is an answer.

The single best thing Americans can do to counter the left-wing attack on America — against its freedoms, its schools, its families, its children, its governmental institutions, its sports, its news and entertainment media, its medical establishment, the CIA, the FBI, the State Department and the military — is to take their children out of America’s schools.

More HERE

Climate Realism: Western Drought Is Nowhere Near Historic

Yahoo News is promoting the false claim that human climate change is responsible for a historic drought covering California and the Western United States.

Although drought conditions have persisted for a couple of years now across portions of the Western United States, droughts in the dry West are common and research shows much larger, longer-term droughts have occurred there historically. Because current conditions are not outside the historic records of drought, there is no evidence human greenhouse gas emissions are contributing the current drought.

More HERE

America the Outlier: Voter Photo IDs Are the Rule in Europe and Elsewhere

Photo ID is common throughout the world. John R. Lott Jr. writes:

Democrats and much of the media are pushing to make permanent the extraordinary, pandemic-driven measures to relax voting rules during the 2020 elections – warning anew of racist voter “suppression” otherwise. Yet democracies in Europe and elsewhere tell a different story – of the benefits of stricter voter ID requirements after hard lessons learned.

A database on voting rules worldwide compiled by the Crime Prevention Research Center, which I run, shows that election integrity measures are widely accepted globally, and have often been adopted by countries after they've experienced fraud under looser voting regimes.

Biden Budget Could Collapse U.S. Economy

President Joe Biden has released his budget for the new fiscal year. The price tag for Biden’s budget is a whopping $6 trillion, and it includes absolutely massive increases in domestic spending.

Among the laundry list of big-ticket items proposed by the Biden administration are $174 billion for electric vehicles, $100 billion to expand high-speed internet, $200 billion for “free” universal pre-K, and $109 billion for “free” community college.

To partially offset the gargantuan costs of these programs, Biden wants Congress to increase taxes by $3.6 trillion, including one of the largest tax hikes on corporations in U.S. history. (The corporate income tax rate would increase from 21% to 28%.)

The tax increases on corporations and some small business owners wouldn’t come close to covering the costs of Biden’s budget, and they might be enough on their own to trigger a recession. After all, America is, in case President Biden has forgotten, still in the midst of recovering from one of the largest economic catastrophes in world history. You don’t need to have a brilliant economic mind to know that raising taxes on job creators while millions of people are out of work doesn’t make much economic sense.

More HERE

We Deserve the Truth About COVID-19 Origin

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world -- possibly forever. Over the past year, Americans were forced to adhere to social distancing guidelines, an untold number of small businesses were shuttered, and social gatherings were basically eliminated. Together, these draconian rules (and many others, such as wearing face masks everywhere) attempted to create a “new normal.”

Thankfully, we are closer to the end of the pandemic than the beginning, principally due to Operation Warp Speed. Yet, many unanswered questions remain. Perhaps the most important of all is: What is the actual origin of COVID-19? And could another pandemic be in the offing?

Currently, the origin of the COVID-19 virus is unknown. But we do know there are substantial risks associated with gain-of-function research projects the U.S. government has funded in China for years. And there is growing concern COVID-19 could have been unleashed on the world due to a lab accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China.

More HERE

Di Leo: Our First Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday

By John F. Di Leo - 

On July 4, 1776, the United States of America declared themselves free and independent states, commencing a long journey to give the world a shining example of a nation in which limited government existed solely to secure the liberty of its individual citizens.

This journey took a long time to accomplish. First, a War of Independence, then an economic retooling of the nation, then a long fight to find some way to eliminate the inhuman way that one class of Americans – the slaves - were treated under the law.

Some call slavery “the original sin” of the American republic. This is unfair, as slavery had always existed in almost every country on earth, and still exists today in dozens and dozens of countries. The popular presentation of slavery as a peculiarly American crime against humanity is both utterly wrong and thoroughly malicious in its intent.

Central Illinois District 87 becomes center of controversy over "Woke" curriculum

Becky Swan (seated) confronted by retiring public school teacher at District 87 meeting

UPDATE: See Tweet below of what happened at Thursday night's (June 17th) meeting at the same School Board. 

BLOOMINGTON - When Bloomington District 87 Board issued a statement this past Monday reprimanding "a large group of citizens" that spoke out against mask mandates, sex education and critical race theory curriculum at the Board's June 9th meeting, they made it clear they intended to ignore those taxpayers, parents and concerned individuals. 

After applauding those that spoke up in support of their Board's positions, they dug deeper: "This tense board meeting will not distract us from carrying out our mission to promote mutual respect and an appreciation for student and staff diversity in order to provide a supportive learning environment in which all students can succeed." (Bold letters were included in Board's message) 

The public scolding was provoked by questions raised by an area mother, business owner and taxpayer Becky Swan, who was given five minutes during the Board's public comment period wherein she referred to the district's new sex education curriculum and a call for action distributed by a new action-oriented group called Breakthrough Ideas.

Thorner: Important Recommendations for Meaningful Election Reform

By Nancy Thorner - 

John Droz, Jr., a physicist and Environmental Advocate, puts out a free Media Balance Newsletter covering COVID to Climate as well as Energy to Elections.

Droz is the editor of the Newsletter, but it is a collection of materials received from many good people.  Check out the links for the Newsletter's 2020 archives and 2021 archives.  If you'd like to subscribe, simply email John at "aaprjohn" at "northnet" dot "org".

On June 9, 2021, Thorner received John's latest Newsletter informing her that his new "Post-Election Audits Report" had just been released.  The report is of great importance because the future of our nation depends on Election Reform.  It is not yet too late for states to:

1. genuinely audit 2020 election results, and

2. upgrade their laws to incorporate meaningful audits in the future.

Thorner: Explosive new book About Karl Marx sets forth the Left’s Plan for America

By Nancy Thorner -

 

Author Jim Simpson notified me last week that his paperback book, Who Was Karl Marx: The Men, the Motives, and the Menace Behind Today's Rampaging Left had been released. James Simpson is an investigative journalist, businessman and former economist and budget examiner for the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Since 1995, he has written non-fiction articles for various periodicals based both on his experiences in government and business, and a longstanding interest in public policy.

 

Amazon offers the following blurb about Who Was Karl Marx?

The Left is rampaging across our nation today. Portland, Oregon is burning and many other cities face continuous looting, rioting and destruction. And while the Antifa/Black Lives Matter mob is wreaking havoc, destroying businesses and neighborhoods, leaders in those communities have taken an inexplicable hands-off attitude, even to the point of restraining a police response. Meanwhile, the Democrat Party, Big Tech, the media and institutional Left have turbocharged censorship and vilification of their political enemies. How did we come to this, who caused it, what are their motivations and how do we stop it?

Rock Bottom

How progressive reforms helped level a historic part of black Detroit. Howard Husock writes:

The Supreme Court will soon consider whether to take up the long-awaited Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard case, which pits Harvard’s race-conscious admissions process against a group of Asian-American applicants who don’t fit into Harvard’s idea of “favored minorities.” The central idea behind the case is whether Harvard’s use of race to create what it sees as a “diverse” class runs afoul of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

If there is one area in which the American elite seems to be moving in lockstep, it is increasing racial diversity. Many Fortune 500 businesses now operate Diversity and Inclusion offices. Every selective college is quick to tout its “diverse student body.” These initiatives sound good in theory, but the movement for racial diversity too often comes at the expense of hiring or admitting the most qualified candidate. Increasingly, the qualified candidate who gets denied is Asian-American—member of a minority group still considered, for diversity purposes, not in need of rescuing.

The ‘chicken and egg’ interplay of religious liberty and economic freedom

The contributions of religious life to economic prosperity are increasingly evident, prompting many to study the relationship between the two. A recent study from Canada found that religion adds billions to the economy. In the United States, research has shown much of the same, pointing to growth that outsizes that of the world’s leading companies.

What’s less explored are connections between the underlying freedoms themselves, which many believe to be mutually reinforcing and indivisible.

“Both economic and religious freedom tend to exist together in the same societies,” writes Jay Richards in Acton’s collection of essays, “One and Indivisible.” “They are both based on the same principles; they tend to reinforce each other; and over the long haul, they arguably stand or fall together. As a result, when Catholics and other Christians surrender economic freedom, they unwittingly surrender their religious freedom, as well.

In a new research paper, “Religious, Civil, and Economic Freedoms: What’s the Chicken and What’s the Egg?”, Christos Makridis of Stanford University goes a bit further down this path, exploring “whether religious freedom is the driver of economic freedom – or whether it is the other way around.”

More HERE

BREAKING: Illinois biz groups call on Pritzker to slow down costly energy proposal

While all businesses and most homeowners will be directly affected with higher energy costs, at least thirty Illinois business groups signed onto a letter Monday asking Governor Pritzker to "delay [the energy] legislation and meaningfully engage the consumers, business owners, organizations and municipalities that will be saddled with the costs."

At least one other group - the Technology & Manufacturing Association - is being added to the effort, the coordinator Ryan McLaughlin told Illinois Review: 

Dear Governor Pritzker:

In 1997, Illinois deregulated the energy market resulting in billions of dollars in savings for homeowners and businesses. Our low-cost energy prices and reliable grid have been cited by governors time and again as reasons why businesses should stay in or relocate to Illinois.

Twenty-four years later, instead of building on this strength, the proposed energy legislation being circulated will be the largest rate hike on consumers and businesses in history. At least as it has been described to us by several of those who have been fortunate enough to be included in the discussions.

People are quitting their jobs instead of returning to pre-COVID schedules

Today's hot topic in business circles are that people are quitting their jobs instead of going back to normal, after the pandemic caused many to reassess their life priorities.  Some estimate over 4 million have quit their jobs already this year - looking for something that allows more flexibility and/or less pressure. 

Here's a chart from a Wall Street Journal story dated June 13, 2021: 

Court documents suggest US government may have agreed with Big Tech to censor disagreeable speech

In case you missed it, documents filed last month in a Massachusetts lawsuit claims the US government may have made a formal agreement with the internet titan Twitter and possibly others to censor disagreeable speech. From the NC Daily Gazette: 

Nobody can deny that there has been a massive amount of censorship taking place in the social media arena but what some have only suspected to be true is that the government is behind it. That is, until now. The Montana Daily Gazette, one of our sister publications, first reported that Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai publicized court documents that prove the U.S. Government entered into a formal agreement with Big Tech to censor speech they did not agree with.

As Montana Daily Gazette reported, the combined federation of Big Tech companies is, effectually, a monopoly holding at least 90 percent of the current combined market share in social media. These would include such companies as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and other tech companies that make sharing viewpoints in the public square available to its users.

The court documents are viewable here: https://u8z8g8c2.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/11889-Supplemental-Memorandum-Playbook-Filed.pdf  

Beckman: Is it okay to be white?

Istock photo

By Hank Beckman - 

Is it OK to be white?

The question is legitimate but asking it has our progressive friends very upset.

Persons unknown have in recent years been affixing that very statement on those ubiquitous “Hate Has No Home Here,” signs that began popping up all over the Chicagoland area in the wake of Donald Trump’s election in 2016. 

The sentiment has also been posted at various colleges sites around the country, prompting the usual wails of anguish from those triggered by an idea that hasn’t been approved by their school’s diversity czars.

I first heard about the phenomena shortly after the Bad Orange Man’s election when on my Facebook news feed there popped up a complaint about how affixing the question to the signs was “problematic.”

Illinois ranks as #2 state where Americans don't want to live

IllinoisReview.com photo 

CHICAGO - Two-thirds of those moving in the state of Illinois are outbound, and one-third are inbound, making it the #2 state where people don't want to live, the Vacation.com website is reporting Monday morning. 

Only New Jersey has a slightly worse ranking between those that are leaving the state and those moving into the state. 

"While some states are experiencing a phenomenon known as a 'brain drain,' meaning an exodus of highly-educated people, Illinois is actually experiencing the opposite. Tons of super smart people are deciding to start their lives in Illinois, along with thousands of people ages 18 to 34," the assessment says. 

But Illinois made it to the second to worst state on this list for other reasons.