Illinois Review

Di Leo: Truth, Lies and Journalism in decline

By John F. Di Leo - 

Kamala Harris' Eligibility Question and the Brick Wall of the Cancel Culture

What is truth?  This can be a challenge, but no matter whether one is a journalist, politician, mechanic or baker, it should be everyone’s quest.  In Western Civilization, from religion to science to philosophy, one of the key goals in life is the search for objective truth, however elusive though it may be. 

What is a lie?  Is it simply the opposite of truth?   

Not necessarily.  This can be harder to determine, in fact, because to be a lie, there must be intent behind it.  A statement or belief may be honestly held, but still be wrong.  Is it then a lie? 

So what do we do with the world of opinion, that broad realm in between?  Time was, a newspaper tried its best to put objective truth on every page but one: the editorial page was the home of the in-between, the opinion, the presently unprovable but fervently believed. 

How Pritzker's effort to change Illinois' tax system will kill jobs in Rockford

From the NoProgressiveTax.com website: 

Twenty-eight years ago, Teresa Beach-Shelow and her husband, Thom, started Superior Joining Technologies, Inc. (SJTI), in their garage. They had a vision of a family-run business where their employees were like family, helping make important decisions and one day taking over the company.

Now, with the State of Illinois threatening yet another tax increase this November with the progressive tax on top of the devastating effects of COVID-19, that dream is in serious jeopardy.

“I’m just heartbroken,” Beach-Shelow said. “We’ve always wanted to pass our business on to the local community. We love that we can support our local school system, community college, and workforce.”

This isn’t the first time the State of Illinois has made things more difficult for the Shelows. Five years ago, when they began considering where SJTI would expand for the fourth time, they had to decide whether to stay in Illinois or cross nearby state lines into Indiana or Wisconsin.

How Attacks on Faith, Family, and Conscience Threaten All Our Freedoms

During these tumultuous times, as practically every American institution comes under attack from the far left and its allies, two of our most essential values seem to be especially targeted in an effort to “transform America.”

Those values are faith and family, the two essential pillars that serve as true stabilizing factors in any society.

The attacks on faith and family seem to be relentless.

More HERE

4 Points in Understanding China’s Goal for Meddling in US Elections

FBI Director Christopher Wray reportedly provided a detailed classified briefing to the Senate Intelligence Committee last week on election meddling by China.

Also, on Friday, William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, issued a public statement with details of how China, Russia and Iran were targeting the U.S. elections.

The Chinese communist regime’s interference includes hacking local voter registration databases and trying to influence members of Congress, Axios reported. 

Wray’s briefing also came as the Chinese state-owned TikTok, an increasingly popular social media app believed to be a potential tool in election interference, not only faces a U.S. ban but may be sold to Microsoft or another American company. 

Experts say China would not be able to change votes cast by Americans. But this could be cyberwarfare that the United States might not be prepared for, and could create chaos and lack of trust in the integrity of the election results. 

Here are four potential ways China could interfere in American elections. 

More HERE

Pastor John MacArthur & Grace Community Church Sue State of California

Illinois-based Thomas More Society Protecting Church Against Unconstitutional and Unreasonable “Health" Restrictions

Thomas More Society Special Counsel Jenna Ellis and Charles LiMandri filed suit in the Superior Court of the State of California County of Los Angeles on behalf of Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church against Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and other California and Los Angeles County public health officials.

The suit seeks to prohibit California from enforcing its unconstitutional and onerous coronavirus pandemic regulations against Grace Community Church and seeks a judgment that the health orders violate the California Constitution.

The complaint states that the American people have begun to see that they are being cheated by their own government. “They have witnessed how the onerous restrictions imposed on them by public officials to allegedly fight the COVID-19 pandemic simply do not apply to certain, favored groups. When many went to the streets to engage in ‘political protests’ against ‘racism’ and ‘police brutality,’ these protestors refused to comply with the pandemic restrictions. Instead of enforcing the public health orders, public officials were all too eager to grant a de facto exception for these favored protestors.”

Wind Subsidies Are Killing Eagles

Your tax dollars are being spent by the billions to subsidize wind turbines, which are killing 600,000+ birds every year including eagles, rare owls, and migratory birds. Is this really environmentally friendly?

Ricky Gervais: Censoring Speech Is Dangerous

Ricky Gervais has become one of the most vocal defenders of free speech—and he CRUSHES IT 💥 So well said.

Do We Have to Destroy the Earth to Save It?

Do wind turbines and solar farms hold the keys to saving the environment? Michael Shellenberger, founder of Environmental Progress and noted climate activist, used to think so. Now he’s not so sure. He explains why in this important video.

59% say Biden's running mate likely to be president within four years

WASHINGTON - Tuesday, Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden tapped US Senate Kamala Harris (D-CA) to be his vice-presidential running mate in November 2020.

That pick may be much more important than previous elections because most voters think it’s likely Biden's pick will be president within the next four years if Biden is elected in November.

Ives says 6th CD has a choice: Law and order or Mob Rule

NBC News photo

WHEATON - Chicago's weekend lootings and 6th CD Congressman Sean Casten's silence on the matter provoked a response from Republican challenger Jeanne Ives. 

“The choice we have in 2020 is clear: Law and Order or Mob Rule. Sean Casten has been silent on the violence and looting in Chicago, in Naperville, and in his own hometown, Downers Grove," Ives said in a statement issued. "He has been silent on the corruption in Illinois Government. He can’t defend any of it. And he won’t do anything to change any of it."

Citing COVID, state cancels downstate major shooting, field trial events

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Tuesday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced the cancellation of World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC) shooting and field trial events scheduled for September and October due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Projected attendance for some of our upcoming events could violate social distancing and crowd size requirements included in Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan,” said Colleen Callahan, director, IDNR. “While cancelling these events was an extremely difficult and painful decision, as the pandemic continues and cases increase in southern Illinois, we know it was the right decision and the best way to protect the health and safety of attendees, volunteers and staff. We look forward to working with the hosting organizations to accommodate these events when we move to the other side of this crisis.” 

Own a business in Illinois? You're now a COVID mask enforcer

CHICAGO - As of today, Illinois business owners have an additional task: enforcing a rule Governor JB Pritzker asked the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules set in place Tuesday. If the businesses do not enforce the mask rules, they could face up to $2500 in fines or time in prison.

Business groups such as the Technology & Manufacturing Association and the Illinois Food Retailers Association pleaded with the six Democrats and the six Republicans on the committee to reject Pritzker's mandate.

Six Republicans supported State Rep. Steve Reick's (R-Woodstock) motion to suspend Pritzker's rule. Five Democrats opposed Reick's motion. Eight votes were needed to cancel Pritzker's mandate - thus, the rule is in effect.

Rossi: COVID 19-Sweden Got It Right, the Rest of the World Got It Wrong!

By Randy Rossi - 

Well folks the hard data is in and the facts prove that Sweden made the right decision not to shut down its economy and not kick its children out of school unlike the rest of the world which did those shut downs and caused massive damage to its people. You are probably shocked by this because Sweden’s success has not been reported in the vast majority of the news.

Let me provide you some hard facts that will stun you. Sweden made the decisions not to shut down its economy and not to kick its kids out of school and instead focused on isolating vulnerable older retired people. The result has been that Sweden has less COVID 19 deaths per 100,000 people than Belgium, the UK, Spain, and Italy which did shut down their economies and kick their kids out of school. Shouldn’t that be headline news? On top of that, while Sweden’s economy has only seen a 8.6% drop, the EU has seen a 11.9% drop, Spain has seen a 18.5% drop, France a 13.8% drop, and Italy a 12.4% drop because they shut down their economies. Shouldn’t that be headline news? On top of that, those countries that shut down their economies and kicked their kids out of school have seen massive increases in depression which has increased deaths by suicide, drug overdoses, and domestic violence. Sweden has not. The majority of Swedes support their country’s decision not to shut down their economy and their schools.

Thorner: Vaccine Not An Elixir for COVID-19

By Nancy Thorner -

As drug makers race to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus, several legal questions are emerging.  Could the U.S. government require people to get it? Could people who refuse to roll up their sleeves get banned from stores or lose their jobs?

According to Dov Fox, a law professor and the director of the Center for Health Law Policy and Bioethics at the University of San Diego, the short answer is "yes."

Fox noted authorities in the United States have never attempted to jail people for refusing to vaccinate, but other countries like France have adopted the aggressive tactic.

Chicago looting was "a reparation," BLM organizer says; Families with ill children frightened

CHICAGO - Widespread looting this past early Monday morning was simply "reparation," a Chicago Black Lives Matter organizer shouted at a rally outside a South Loop police station. 

“I don’t care if somebody decides to loot a Gucci’s or a Macy’s or a Nike because that makes sure that that person eats. That makes sure that that person has clothes,” Black Lives Matter activist Ariel Atkins said, local media reported.

“That’s a reparation,” she said. “Anything they want to take, take it because these businesses have insurance.”

But not just Gucci's, Macy's, Nike or Tesla were damaged and looted Monday morning. So was the Ronald McDonald House near the Lurie Children's Hospital, where 30 families were staying with their seriously-ill children. 

The families were frightened and very concerned as to whether the looters would endanger them, a staff member told local news. The Ronald McDonald House posted on Facebook Tuesday:

 

‘Philadelphia Statement’ Defends Free Speech From Cancel Culture

Asserting that cancel culture has put freedom of expression in crisis, a statement initially signed by 45 prominent individuals from universities, think tanks, and other organizations asserts that expressing “ideas we find offensive is not an act of ‘violence.’”

Called the Philadelphia Statement, the 845-word document says in part:

Fact: CO2 Feeds the Entire World

Watching a child grow is seeing carbon dioxide in action. Plants turn CO2 into the food we eat to live and grow on. “You can’t live on air” is a common saying but that is just what we do; we live on air and water.

Few people appreciate this amazing fact, that CO2 in the air is the global food supply. Our meat, fruit and veggies, also our candy and ice cream, milk and wine, are built almost entirely from carbon dioxide and water. Everything we eat and drink.

More HERE

NY Primary ‘Mess’ Seen as Omen for Big Problems With Mail-In Voting in November

The more than 84,000 mail-in ballots that were disqualified in the June 23 primary in New York—where two congressional nominations were just decided this week—underscore prospective problems posed by the universal mail-in voting being called for by liberal politicians for the November elections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The massive problems with the primary in New York’s 12th Congressional District raise alarms over the prospects for a debacle on a multistate level, not only in the presidential election, but in Senate and House races, governorships, and other elected offices as well.

More HERE

Business owners ask for support in stopping Pritzker's COVID mandate fines

CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker wants Illinois business owners to face Class A Misdemeanor charges if they do not enforce COVID mask-wearing on their premises.

In order for this to take place, the governor has directed the Illinois Department of Public Health to refile an emergency rule. That rule must pass the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), which meets Tuesday this week. 

A Class A Misdemeanor could lead to up to 364 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $2500.

IL GOP asks: Is Pritzker Covering Up Madigan Patronage Hiring?

CHICAGO - Monday morning, the Illinois Republican Party continued its call for Governor Pritzker to stop defending House Speaker Mike Madigan, who is reportedly being investigated by the Feds.

They pointed to a Chicago Tribune editorial that recalled how Republicans called for the resignation of their party's then-serving Governor George Ryan when he was under investigation in the late 1990s. 

The IL GOP press release: