Illinois Review

Di Leo: The Painter and the Shutdown

By John F. Di Leo - 

As we watch our jobless claims skyrocket, our businesses close, and our government print currency in an effort to make us feel better about it, this may be a good time to take a step back, and consider what economic activity really is, at its heart.  What is money?  How is wealth created?

It’s a complex question, but as bureaucrats crank up their printing presses and argue about where to send those crisp new dollar bills, we may be better off taking a step back and considering the subject “from 30,000 feet,” as the saying goes.

The Parable of the Painter

A man bought $10 worth of paint and canvas, and went to spend a sunny day at a local park.  He set up his easel at a spot with a good view, and went to work on a scene.

At the end of the day, just as he was finishing up, a passerby saw his work, and was impressed. The passerby paid him $500 for the painting, on the spot.

This is wealth creation.  The painter – through use of his creativity and skill – transformed $10 worth of materials into a $500 product in the span of a single day.

Rep. Cabello: Illinois must fight releasing prisoners during COVID-19 pandemic

Rep. John Cabello

By State Rep. John Cabello (R-Rockford) - 

The Coronavirus pandemic is not only a threat to our health and economy, but now is becoming a threat to our public safety and criminal justice system. A group of "civil rights" lawyers has filed a class action lawsuit demanding that prisoners "... who are elderly and medically vulnerable, and those with pathways to release, must be released now." The lawsuit is directed at Governor J.B. Pritzker and Rob Jeffreys, the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The Governor needs to fight this lawsuit.

People go to jail for a reason and that is to serve a sentence that was determined in a courtroom. Those "sentences" are the part of our criminal justice system where a punishment for a crime is handed out publicly so that others in our society who may be thinking about committing a crime will be deterred because they know the system will punish them. Deterrence of crime is a public safety issue and anything that compromises our system of justice is a threat to public safety.

Political analysis says Illinois Republicans could lose even more in 2020

NOTE: Illinois Review offers a platform for conservatives to share ideas, information and opinions. Opinion pieces are not to be considered Illinois Review's position or opinion on topics our gracious contributors submit to share with our readership. We encourage responses and comments in support or opposition.

Opinion analysis by Cor Strategies - Collin Corbett, Founder & President -  

Like you, we’re hunkered down at home quarantining ourselves to do our part in reducing the spread of COVID-19. But what does a company full of politicos that just finished a Primary Election do when they’re put on a stay-at-home order?

We start looking at election results – and by looking, we mean analyzing in depth. And, unfortunately, this 2020 Primary Election has shown some alarming trends Illinois Republicans should be worried about when it comes to voter turnout.

As unemployment claims stack up in Illinois, application problems persist

State Rep Blaine Wilhour 

(The Center Square) – A growing number of out-of-work Illinoisans are frustrated with the state's unemployment application process, which has buckled amid a record number of claims.

Illinoisans trying to file for unemployment benefits found the Illinois Department of Employment Security website temporarily down for part of Thursday.

One employee working valet at a live performance venue said the night a major comedian was set to take to the stage, she was told it was canceled because of restrictions on event sizes. She had to tell guests for 90 minutes the show was off and she’s been out of work since with no luck getting unemployment...

...State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said people have been forced out of their livelihoods because of the government-imposed shutdown in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and they’re frustrated with the inability to file for unemployment. 

Read the rest on Center Square

Thorner/Ingold: More COVID-19 data needed to determine US future

NOTE: Illinois Review offers a platform for conservatives to share ideas, information and opinions. Opinion pieces are not to be considered Illinois Review's position or opinion on topics our gracious contributors submit to share with our readership. We encourage responses and comments in support or opposition.

By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold - 

Tuesday, March 31, 2020, was promoted as the day when facts and figures would be presented to the public during the daily televised White House COVID Task Force news briefing to demonstrate why President Trump extended the stay-at-home timeline to the end of April. See here the Tuesday, March 31st news briefing.

At the March 31st news briefing, President Trump's task force unveiled grim projections of the pandemic’s toll on American lives. Trump was accordingly advised by his health experts that 100,000 to 200,000 people could die even if the restrictions remained in place. Thorner and Ingold, hoping to hear and see concrete and convincing information, were disappointed at what was shared by doctors Fauci and Birx and what was missing.

986 new COVID cases in Illinois; 42 additional deaths

SPRINGFIELD – As the number of test results increase, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Wednesday (4/1) 986 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 42 additional deaths.

How to apply for coronavirus small business loan

A substantial number of Illinois Review readers are small business people that may need information on how to access the federal government's $2.2 trillion relief package signed into law last week. The Federalist provides this quick review: 

Included in the federal government’s $2.2 trillion relief package to blunt the economic damage caused by the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic is $300 billion in aid for America’s small businesses and their employees...

Small businesses that employ 500 employees or fewer are eligible for a 100 percent federally guaranteed loan through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program. Businesses can borrow up to 250 percent of their average monthly payroll expenses, up to a total of $10 million. If they keep all of their employees, the entirety of the loan will be forgiven, effectively making the loans into grants.

More details on how to apply, whether or not you're eligible and other important factors are included. Worth the time to check out.  HERE: The Federalist 

A sample application form is HERE

Smith: What are Governor Pritzker's priorities?

NOTE: Illinois Review offers a platform for conservatives to share ideas, information and opinions. Opinion pieces are not to be considered Illinois Review's position or opinion on topics our gracious contributors submit to share with our readership. We encourage responses and comments in support or opposition.

By David E. Smith, Exec Dir of Illinois Family Institute - 

In the midst of the COVID-19 craziness, it is alarming to recognize there are many who are willing to use our current health crisis for their own gain and/or agenda. As these snollygosters and media types grandstand, I cannot help but think of Rahm Emanuel’s infamous quote, “Never let a crisis go to waste.”

Ironically, Emanuel first used that phrase in 2008 during the nation’s financial crash and then again last week in response to our nation’s coronavirus emergency. Is it a repackaging of one of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals, in which he writes “in the arena of action a threat or a crisis becomes almost a precondition to communication”? I’ll let you decide.

The truth is, the board and staff here at IFI are deeply disturbed to hear the incessant petty partisan criticisms of the Trump Administration by political leaders and media pundits who only seem interested in stoking anxiety and exacerbating division among the American people. In that regard, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker has made a name for himself as one of the nation’s chief nitpickers over the last several weeks.

The rest of the commentary HERE.

Schlafly & Thorner: Liberals Impede COVID-19 Treatment

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By Andy Schlafly & Nancy Thorner - 

Hydroxychloroquine is an approved medication that China, India, and various researchers have recommended for treating the Chinese  coronavirus. So why can’t numerous Americans exposed to the disease obtain this or other promising treatments as people in China and India can?

Liberal regulators impede access to this medication, abbreviated as "HCQ," in the United States. Democratic Nevada Steve Sisolak issued an executive order Tuesday prohibiting use of HCQ to treat coronavirus outside of hospitals, despite Sisolak being neither a physician nor playing one on television.

And he is not the only liberal impeding treatment of coronavirus.

Social media censorship: Regulation or innovation?

It is unlikely conservatism will overcome the Left's dominance of the news media. But if conservatives want their truths told, they will have to create more content, resist censorship, find sources of revenue, and claim their place in social media. There is reason for optimism.

More HERE

Illinois to open 3000-bed care at McCormick Place for COVID-19 patients

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Monday announced plans to temporarily convert part of the McCormick Place Convention Center into an Alternate Care Facility (ACF) for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms who don’t require intensive care. The additional capacity at McCormick Place will build on efforts taken by the State and City to aid in the response to COVID-19 related cases by relieving pressure on the hospital system by freeing up beds for more patients with severe COVID-19 cases in anticipation of the surge in positive COVID-19 diagnoses to come.
 
“Based on science, data, and the guidance of health experts, our approach to fighting this virus is two-pronged: suppress the spread and increase hospital capacity to meet the need,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “A critical component of increasing our capacity is identifying and building out additional facilities across the state to support our existing hospitals and healthcare system. In partnership with the City of Chicago and the U.S. Army Corps we are planning to increase capacity, so we’re prepared to treat patients and save lives.”

Beckman: We're Americans. We've got this.

NOTE: Illinois Review offers a platform for conservatives to share ideas, information and opinions. Opinion pieces are not to be considered Illinois Review's position or opinion on topics our gracious contributors submit to share with our readership. We encourage responses and comments in support or opposition.

By Hank Beckman - 

When I was in fourth grade, my family sat in front of the television one October night and listened as the president told us that the Soviet Union had snuck nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles away.

It was one of the first big news story of my life, and it made a significant impression. It sounds a little morbid now, considering the gravity of nuclear war, but it seemed so exciting, what with the newspapers running graphics showing which cities were in range of the missiles, the excited conversations among the adults on the block, and the Nuns at Resurrection Grade School leading us in prayers for our country and our president.

(They would have no doubt urged prayer for any president, but this particular president being the adored John Kennedy might have been responsible for saying an additional Rosary or two)

Thorner: Is the Coronavirus Eroding Our Freedom?

NOTE: Illinois Review offers a platform for conservatives to share ideas, information and opinions. Opinion pieces are not to be considered Illinois Review's position or opinion on topics our gracious contributors submit to share with our readership. We encourage responses and comments in support or opposition.

By Nancy Thorner -

Climate change panic is causing us to destroy our ability to produce efficient and affordable energy, endangering the energy grid needed to power civilization, throwing hundreds of thousands out of work, and causing social havoc for future, if not dubious, environmental gains.

The current hysteria of the Covid-19 panic is causing society to shut down in front of our eyes. Our entire way of life is being upended, if not suspended. The difference between it and Climate Change is merely the speed with which we are willing to pay a price. More here and here

Conservatives Are the Real Environmentalists

Environmentalists are certain conservatives don’t care about clean air and clean water; that they’re happy to trade the planet for profit. Is it true? Do conservatives really care more about green pockets than green forests? Michael Knowles offers a much-needed new perspective.

How to turn social distancing into love

The most ubiquitous phrase popularized by the coronavirus epidemic, “social distancing,” carries connotations of shunning or anti-social behavior. The isolation of the elderly particularly tugs at our heartstrings. The widely shared photo of 88-year-old Dorothy Campbell speaking through a nursing home’s window to her 89-year-old husband, Gene, poignantly depicts the deep-seated need for human contact amid the obstructions of anti-virus protocols.

But distancing in a time of global pandemics preserves life. As such, it should be seen as a form of “applying love through prudence,” writes Dustin Siggins at FoxNews.com. “And in doing so, it offers an amazing opportunity for those who care about the elderly to find new ways to love them.”

Cong LaHood comments on CARES Act, explains key points

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressman Darin LaHood (R-IL) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act —Coronavirus (COVID-19) relief legislation by voice vote. This is the third legislative relief bill Congress has passed to deliver support for states, small businesses, workers, and health care professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response.

“Central and west-central Illinois are feeling the impact of the COVD-19 outbreak, as schools close, businesses shut down, our health care system feels strain, and people lose jobs. This uncertain time requires Congress to take swift and decisive action to support workers and families. The CARES Act will stabilize an uneasy economy, put money in the hands of families and workers who need it most, support Illinois’ unemployment program, and deliver resources to health care workers and hospitals on the front lines fighting to combat the coronavirus.

Illinois surpasses 3000 COVID-19 cases

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Friday announced 488 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including eight deaths.  Approximately 86% of fatalities are among patients 60 years of age and older.

Thursday, Illinois reported 673 cases and 330 Wednesday. 

The numbers are to be expected to go up as more and more Illinoisans are being tested for COVID-19. However, as the number of confirmed cases dramatically goes up each day, the daily number of fatalities has thus far not paralleled the case increase.

Bureau, Henry, and Iroquois counties are now reporting cases.  Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,026 cases, including 34 deaths, in 40 counties in Illinois.  The age of cases ranges from younger than one to 99 years.

Congressman Bost explains his support for CARES Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US Congress passed via voice vote the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide relief to families, small businesses and hospitals impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The bill provides direct payments of $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for couples, and $500 per child. It expands unemployment benefits for workers who are self-employed or are independent contractors, and funds loans to businesses so they can continue paying employees. The CARES Act also includes critical funding for hospitals, local responders, PPE, veterans’ health care, and treatment and vaccine research.

State Reps Halbrook, Miller call on Pritzker to propose plans to bring businesses back online

SHELBYVILLE – The shutdown of small businesses throughout Illinois is creating panic and uncertainty and State Representatives Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) and Chris Miller (R-Oakland) say Governor JB Pritzker needs to present a plan for bringing businesses back online.  (Halbrook (r) Miller (l) in photos) 

The two downstate lawmakers said in a statement Friday, “When this crisis first emerged, there was a great deal of uncertainty. We did not know how widespread this disease would be and we did not know what parts of the country would be the most affected. It made sense at the time to shutdown large gatherings and to ask people to stay home.

Illinois upgrades unemployment claims process during COVID19 surge

SPRINGFIELD – Thursday, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced they are taking additional steps to address the unprecedented volume of unemployment benefit claims the department has fielded as a result of COVID-19. 

To date, the department has taken several steps to improve the unemployment benefit claims process via the online portal and the call center.