Illinois Review

Life w/o limbs

This morning at Parkview Church in Orland Park, we had a special guest speaker -- 24 year old Nick Vujicic.

Here's a 5 minute clip of one of his other appearances earlier this year. Take a moment to watch, you'll be fascinated.

Tell 'em to vote "No" on Cook County tax hike

Our friend John Ruberry over at Marathon Pundit has asked us to join him in a rampage against Cook County's proposed sales tax increase to be voted on Monday.  If passed, Cook County's sales tax would be the highest in the nation. 

Ruberry has called on Barack Obama to return to the scene of last year's crime, when he stuck his national nose into local elections and endorsed Todd Stroger for Cook County Board President (among other disastrous recommendations). 

More Democrat Lies

by John Ruskin

Presidential wannabe John Edwards told an MTV/MySpace audience that: "Pretty soon we're not going to have any young African-American males population in America".

Another liberal Democrat lie. Plain and simple. And National Review's Jim Geraghty did some number crunching to prove it.

It's Sunday

Let's go to church  . . . at least with Elwood and Jake . . .

Thompson at 26, Giuliani 22

Fred Thompson leads in the GOP primary polls, says this week's Rasmussen Reports.

For the seven days ending September 23, 2007 show that Fred Thompson earns 26% of the vote while Rudy Giuliani attracts 22%. They are followed by John McCain at 14%, Mitt Romney at 12%, Mike Huckabee at 6%, and four other candidates who split 4% of the vote while 17% are undecided. Those other four candidates, mentioned by name in the polling question, are Sam Brownback, Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter, and Tom Tancredo (review history of weekly results).

Link: Rasmussen Reports™: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a mid-term election.. 

Stop . . . Think it over

Oak Lawn's getting some chuckles about their new secondary stop signs . . .

Obama supports deception and death

So he wants to be president. . .

Barack Obama supports Planned Parenthood's right to lie on village applications and the right to end the lives of tiny, innocent human Americans.   And he's flaunting his moral superiority as being "visionary" and "unifying"? 

"Power to the People" Rally -- Sept 26, 2007

In case you missed it . . .

See also Ingraham's push to return "Power to the People" and Ingraham visits Illinois conservative battleground.

Gagging for dollars hits Chicago's North Shore

Republican incumbent Elizabeth Coulson has her work cut out for her to maintain her North Shore seat.  Her Democratic challenger 30-yr-old Daniel Biss and his online-fundraising skills (including humor and inter-tainment) were featured in Friday's Wall Street Journal.      

Will on NY Times and MoveOn

by John Ruskin

If you've not already seen it, George Will has a must read on the illegal campaign contribution activity taking place between the ultra-left New York Times and George Soros-funded MoveOn.org.

The piece can be found here.

GO CUBS GO!

PREDICTION: WORLD SERIES CUBS VS RED SOX, CUBS WIN

Congrats, Cubs! Central Division Champs!

And of course, congratulations to Cubs' former chairman Andrew McKenna, IL GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr's dad . . .Maybe this means good things for Republicans this year, too?

Roskam in/on Jeopardy?

by John Ruskin

Seems Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam was on Jeopardy.

Hillary Clinton: 'Cash, baby!'

by Collin Hitt

Earlier this year, Bill Baar blogged about my idea for an 'earned education tax credit' - an annual $4,000 refundable tax credit for every student in Illinois under the age of 23.

"My wife is a follower of Mike Ryoko and thinks higher education a waste and kids better off investing their college nest eggs in down payments on a two-flat.

So if we tweak Hitt's proposal here to a $4k credit to every Illinois young-adult for the four years between 18 and 22, that can be invested in education, or a business, or a two-flat; don't we have a program here worthy of Norman Thomas? Not exactly a guaranteed income, but a nice start in life, and without need of a bureaucracy too manage it.

Sounds progressive to me. In fact downright Red. I wish McGovern would have latched onto some of the ownership society ideas conservatives have taken from him..."

Baar should be excited, then, with Hillary Clinton's new proposal for a $5,000 baby bond:

Top 10 Political Contributors and Who Gets Their Money

by John Ruskin

Human Events' latest Top Ten List are the 10 most generous contributors to political campaigns from 1990-2006, according to the most recent data from the Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org). Also given are the percentages of those contributions that went to Democrats and Republicans. (Information on contributions to 2008 presidential candidates is not yet available for all organizations.).

Ingraham's push to return "Power to the People"

Reading Laura Ingraham's Power to the People reminds one those classic scenes when a beaten and bloodied Rocky returns to the boxing ring corner between rounds to a cool, refreshing drink, the swab of a soft, dry towel and the "get-back-in-there-and-fight" pokes of coach Mickey who simply won't let his fighter quit.

Anyone can go on and on about how bad things are today for conservatives, but it takes a special perspective on the world and our nation to find a way out of this mess.  Syndicated talk show host Ingraham does just that in her New York Times #1 bestseller.

Four IL U.S. Reps support MoveOn.org

While frequent IR visitor Bill Baar found it particularly interesting that Illinois Democrats -- Emanuel, Jackson and Lipinski (as well as Downstate's Phil Hare) -- joined Republicans in the U.S. Congress to condemn MoveOn.org's treacherous ad in the New York Times, conservatives might find it even more astounding that we had several Illinois Democrats refuse to condemn them. . .

Voting "NO" (supporting MoveOn.org) besides U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, were U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, Luis Gutierrez, Bobby Rush and Jan Schakowsky. 

Hillary Exposed

by John Ruskin

Take the time to watch the video below. If you've not seen it, it's a must watch:

U.S. Senate Passes 'Hate Crimes' Bill

by David E. Smith

How did Illinois' Two Senators Vote?

Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate voted today to pass Senator Ted Kennedy's "Hate Crimes" legislation which would add federal penalties for crimes involving sexual orientation or gender identity, giving special protections comparable to that given race and religious belief.

So, You Want Govt. Run Health Care?

by Greg Blankenship

Well... this is what you can expect from it.

From my piece:

"The big flaw in government-run health care is that the government can’t create health care or health insurance, it can only redistribute resources. Inevitably, with government dominating the health care system, politics will play a role in health care provisioning. It’s naïve to think otherwise, especially in a state with Illinois’ history of corruption. And there is plenty of evidence from other countries to show that inevitably politicians will pick winners and losers.

Gambling at your fingertips

How bad can this get? Republican leaders Tom Cross and Frank Watson are on board with Senate President Emil Jones and Governor Blagojevich, extolling the miracle cure for roads and bridges the expansion of gambling in Illinois will be. Only Speaker Mike Madigan is resisting the compulsion to gamble Illinois' future on the biggest expansion of wagering in Illinois history by calling for...take a breath...hearings.

If HB 2035 passes, not only will Illinois get 3 new casinos -- possibly in your own neighorhood -- but we won't even be forced to leave our homes to bet on horse races in another state...Wagering at your fingertips -- 24/7.

To limit or not to limit terms?

A new book released Sept 2007 discusses the impact of legislative term limits...a policy which, of course, Illinois has not embraced. Should we?

Ingraham visits Illinois conservative battleground

Reminiscent of a Hollywood starlet visiting the troops in battle, national radio talk show host Laura Ingraham delighted several hundred battle-worn Illinois conservatives Wednesday night promoting her New York Times' #1 best seller "Power to the People." 

Ingraham, who's heard daily on Chicago's AM 560 WIND, told the crowd that a movement of citizens passionate about protecting traditional families, limiting government and holding politicians' accountable for their actions was the hope of America. 

Minutemen Back In McHenry Co. with Sheriff Dan Beck Seminar

by Cal Skinner

And at McHenry County College, would you believe?

The Minuteman's last scheduled seminar was pretty much shut down by the Crystal Lake Police's informing the Holiday Inn that it would cost $3,500 for police services because of the McHenry County Peace Group's announced demonstration at the intersection of Three Oaks Road and Route 31.

Subsequently, the Peace Group held a seminar on immigration at MCC. 

Now, the Minuteman Project has apparently gained similar access to college facilities.  At least that's what the following press release leads me to believe: "The Illinois Minuteman Project welcomes Sheriff Daniel Beck to McHenry County College"

Deep-voiced men 'have more kids'

Ah-hem, gentlemen...another interesting study to discuss. In your experience, do you agree with this study's findings? Tenors? Basses? What say ye?

Men with deep voices tend to have more children than those who speak at a higher pitch, scientists say.

Their finding is based on a group of hunter-gatherers in Tanzania known as the Hadza, who can be studied without bias because they use no birth control.

Males who hit lower notes as they talked had about two more children on average than squeaky speakers.

Link: Deep-voiced men 'have more kids' -- Signs of the Times News.

Novak predicts Dem pickup in 11th CD

Robert Novak predicts a possible Democratic win next year in Jerry Weller's 11th CD and a surprising Democratic takeover threat in Ray LaHood 18th CD...

See below the fold.

Peoria City Council to State Lawmakers: We Need Lawsuit Reform Now

by Curt Mercadante

The Peoria City Council last night passed - on a vote of eight to three - a resolution urging lawmakers in Springfield to "enact meaningful, comprehensive lawsuit reform to protect our county's employers, workers and consumers."

A coalition of Illinois business organizations, including the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, Illinois Civil Justice League and Illinois Chamber of Commerce, today lauded the City Council for its efforts.

Blago's hospital budget cuts pay for health care

If you've sat in or participated in one of the state budget hearings being held throughout the state, we'd like to hear your impressions. 

Last night at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, State Reps. Al Riley, Will Davis, George Scully and David Miller heard complaint after complaint about how Governor Blagojevich's $463 million budget cuts were going to effect community services.

Newt's answers for America tomorrow

Newt Gingrich's "American Solutions for a Winning Future" workshops will unveil Thursday evening this and will continue Saturday for four hours. 

You can view the nationwide broadcasts on cable tv, online or even at numerous gatherings throughout Illinois. Check out the workshop's format here. Find a gathering place to watch the workshops with others nearby here.

Think Newt's still thinking about the White House in 2008?

Praying for their schools

“Gather. Unite. Pray. Come Together” (John 17:20-23) was this year's theme for See You at the Pole scheduled for Wednesday, September 26 at schools throughout the United States and in many other countries.

Did kids pray at your local high school this morning?  Should they? 

Governor Blagojevich chose to veto legislation that would have set aside a moment of silence each day in public schools.  "Separation of school and state" was his reason.  Any thoughts on whether kids should pray or set aside a moment of silence in their school days?

See more about this year's emphasis below the fold . . .

Planned Parenthood's free publicity

by Jill Stanek

If the Aurora Planned Parenthood site in the Illinois prairie lands is ground zero, then the Denver Planned Parenthood site in the Mile High City is sky zero.

Last month, with a reporter in hot pursuit, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains was forced to come clean about its secret purchase of a city block of property and plans to break ground on a 50,000 square foot mega-mill this November.

Sauerberg Unveils Healthcare Plan

(Waukegan, IL) - Standing outside of a suburban medical office in Hinsdale, Steve Sauerberg, M.D., a Republican candidate for the United States Senate unveiled his healthcare plan - entitled "Your Healthcare, Your Choice."  "My prescription for reform is straightforward.  My plan empowers families and individuals and trusts them to make their own healthcare decisions, not nameless, faceless government bureaucrats in Springfield or Washington.  My plan doesn't rely on layer after layer of new, ineffective government bureaucracy," said Sauerberg. "Instead, my healthcare plan employs free-market principles and the private sector to create a system that emphasizes individual and family ownership, restrains runaway costs, increases consumer options, reigns in the burden that frivolous lawsuits impose on consumers, removes barriers to cutting edge innovations, and most importantly provides access for all Americans to affordable and high quality healthcare."

I'm with stupid

by Jill Stanek

Video by Jeff at ChicagoProLifeActivist from last night's Aurora City Council meeting. Speaking is Gay Bruhn, vice president of communication for Illinois NOW, and a resident of Aurora:

Pull the plug on the public school monster

The Tribune did everything possible to spin the figures on Illinois standardized testing scores this week, but they finally did get to the point, after doing all they could to avoid it: a meager 30 percent of Illinois public school system's kids are faring well academically.

Finally, in the fourth paragraph, we find the truth tucked in . . .

Despite the progress, pupils in Illinois, and nationwide, still struggle with the tough national exam. On average, about 30 percent of pupils in Illinois—and the U.S.—showed proficiency on the tests.

Note the normally unacceptable editorializing with the words "struggle" and "tough," setting up the sympathy for those poor little students. They're really not failing, its the mean old tests that make us think they're not doing well.

Whoops - Gemini: for-profit; Planned Parenthood: nonprofit

by Jill Stanek

Opponents hammered the following information over and over at last night's Aurora City Council meeting.

Disovered by a pro-life attorney yesterday was Aurora zoning ordinances specific to nonprofit medical buildings. The rub is that Planned Parenthood's created front company, Gemini Office Development, LLC, is a for-profit company, and PP is a nonprofit company.

Madigan moves to dismiss Gov's lawsuit

Madigan pushed back in Sangamon County courts Monday with a 58-page response saying the Governor's suit should be thrown out and hinted that he just may have gone too far by filing a lawsuit. . . the General Assembly will return next week for a two-week fall veto session.

"The governor's actions are far beyond the bounds of political gamesmanship," Madigan wrote in a 58-page response to the lawsuit, which Gov. Rod Blagojevich slapped on him a month ago for refusing to call special sessions at the specific times Blagojevich wanted during the General Assembly's record-breaking budget stalemate.

"Though his means may be the legal mechanism of a lawsuit, his ends traverse into a dark realm that ultimately seeks to replace the rule of law with rule by a single man," said the response filed Monday in Sangamon County Circuit Court.

Link: Madigan contends Blagojevich suit seeks 'rule by a single man'.

You could win a Sammie . . .

If you get a real kick out of filing FOIAs and finding out how your city administrator wasted $100k last year, you could win a Sammie.

If you hang out the second Monday of every month at your local school board meeting and have copies of the minutes for the last two years to expose the hanky-panky that's been going on, you could win a Sammie.

If you love to spend cold, dark, rainy nights scouring the State Board of Elections' contribution filings and lining up those numbers with how that legislator votes, you could win a Sammie.

If the whole city council moans audibly when they see you darken the doors of City Hall every time the council meets, you could win a Sammie.

What's a Sammie?  It's a $5000 award Sam Adams Alliance will be giving to people just like you who are making a difference in their local communities by shining light on hidden little government secrets and then letting the world know about it through an online site, a unique event, via video or even by blogging.

Laura Ingraham in Hoffman Estates Wednesday night

Congratulations to national talk show host Laura Ingraham, who's brand new book Power to the People hit the New York Times #1 Bestseller list this week.

On AM 560 WIND from noon to 2:00 daily, Ingraham's one of America's most sought after conservative commentators, and she's a woman, too.  A real rarity in conservative circles.

Tickets are still available to meet Laura in Hoffman Estates 7:00 PM Wednesday evening.  Don't miss it!  Contact AM 560 WIND to reserve your spot.

Reply to Daily Kos

by Joseph Bast, president, The Heartland Institute

On September 22, the liberals at Daily Kos finally noticed a series of ads saying “Global warming is not a crisis” and challenging Al Gore to debate his critics. The ads had already been running for six months in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Times.

The Daily Kos posting—a long essay by “A. Siegel”—is standard fare for the global warming alarmist crowd, less-than-half informed and mostly rocks and dirt thrown at anyone who questions their green religion. The essay attacks Václav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic, who is featured in the latest ads, and The Heartland Institute. It ends with this sober warming: “[T]his ad is a fundamental threat to the future, to all of us, to all of US.”

Let’s set a few things straight. First, the previous ads in this series politely challenged Al Gore to debate his challengers, including Dennis Avery, Lord Christopher Monckton, and Chris Horner. We are hardly alone in wondering why Gore refuses to debate his critics; an online petition asking Gore to debate Lord Monckton, at http://www.petitiononline.com/agdgw/petition.html, has 4,973 signatures.

Romney At The Chicago Club

by Jason Bonham

I had a chance to attend a press conferance with Mitt Romney at the Chicago Club last Friday.  I have been slow to figure out the new technologies on my new Mac, so I am slow to get this up. So I hope you enjoy the titles I added, it took a lot of time! Needless to say it wasn't the most groundbreaking  news conference, but you do have Mitt answering to his relationship with Kjellander.

Here are two of the videos:

Think Tank Birthday

by Greg Blankenship

If you wanted to come to yesterday's five year anniversary luncheon in Springfield and were unable to attend,  Bernie Schoenburg has a good roundup on the day's events.

And watch this site in the very near future for video of House Republican Leader Tom Cross, who introduced Grover. Leader Cross was the recipient of quite a few kudos for his anti-tax efforts this year.  All in all, both Grover and Leader Cross made it a wonderful event.  Both of these men were very gracious with their time and I want to publicly want to thank them both.

If don't feel like reading or watching, you can listen to the WLS pod cast get an idea of what was discussed.

Finally, to get an idea on what we mean when we talk about transparency in government check mapyourtaxes.com.

Sick Perverts in San Francisco

HUNTINGTON, Conn., Sept. 25 /Christian Newswire/ -- Once again, San Francisco prepares for the perverted Folsom Street Fair where homosexuals, sadomasochists and others gather for public displays of nudity, beatings, group sex and public masturbation -- PART TAX PAYER FUNDED -- with police just standing by and watching.

This year, "Perverts Without Morals" chose to deliberately mock Jesus Christ, Christians and The Last Supper, by depicting half naked homosexuals, leather men and women as the 12 Apostles, and display sex toys in place of the bread and wine.

Move America Forward.org moves forward

Move America Forward stopped in Niles Illinois on September 11, 2007.   

See Illinois Review's video tribute "Honoring the Troops."

For two weeks Gold Star Mom Debbie Lee and Blue Star Mom Deborah Johns led a pro-troop caravan of vehicles that traveled more than 4,500 miles across this country in the "Fight for Victory Tour." They held 27 pro-troop rallies in cities across America, with their objective being to stop Senator Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from undermining our troops in Iraq.

Jim Ryan Endorses Giuliani for President

Former State Attorney General Joins Rudy’s Illinois Campaign

Lisle, IL – The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee today announced the endorsement of former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. Ryan, the 2002 Republican nominee for Illinois Governor, is currently a Benedictine University professor. 

Another View concerning the Jena Six

By Eric M. Wallace, PhD

Last week I gave my views concerning the Jena Six. This morning I came across Thomas Sowell's article entitled Law Versus Mob Rule. He makes some good points in comparison to the Duke case but fails to understand that the circumstances are different here. No one is arguing that Mychal Bell is innocent. The questions and concern are about the severity of the punishment and whether he received a fair trial.

Dueling Dems

This morning, reading about Madigan's ongoing state budget hearings objecting to the Governor's $463 million cuts here and there, and now the Governor responding with his own press conferences to pressure Speaker Madigan to hear a $25 billion capital bill paid for by three new casinos, I was reminded of the only other time I've ever seen a similar competition between Democrats. 

Here it is . . . and it's just as bizarre.

Planned Parenthood fights health care standards in Missouri

Planned Parenthood's credibility is in the gutter these days.  While they say they're trying to protect women by putting bulletproof glass in their Aurora facility, they're fighting a new Missouri law requiring clinics performing five or more abortions a month to adhere to "ambulatory surgery facilities'" standards. 

Planned Parenthood filed suit to stop the new law's enforcement.   A Missouri judge ordered a stay to allow negotiations between Planned Parenthood and the state.

Showdown in DC

by David E. Smith, Illinois Family Institute

The freedom of religion and religious expression is heading for one of the biggest showdowns of its kind in American history in Congress.

Leading liberals in Washington D.C. continue to insist that hate crimes legislation will do nothing to silence or intimidate Christians. However, examples already abound in Europe, Canada, and even the United States, of what happens when hate crimes laws are passed.

Additionally, the transcript of a Congressional hearing where the proposed federal hate crimes legislation was being debated revealed, in no uncertain terms, that a federal hate crimes law COULD be used to target ministers preaching from Bible passages which call homosexuality sin.

Hate crimes legislation penalizes politically-incorrect beliefs, attitudes, and thoughts, rather than actual crimes. These beliefs and thoughts are identified by minority of homosexual activists who want to intimidate people of faith, especially Christian conservatives, who oppose public celebration of homosexuality.

Let me perfectly clear: violence against any person should be punished to the fullest extent of the law -- including violent crimes against people because they are "gay." But "hate crime" legislation creates additional layers of crimes by making unpopular ideas a basis for harsher treatment in criminal proceedings.

Let's make sure that we punish the perpetrator for his/her actual crime, not for specific thoughts that may or may not be behind the crime.  Call your U.S. Representative and ask him/her to vote against the "hate crime" bill.

Aurora's community leaders speak out

The unity and commitment of Aurora's community leaders to stand against their town becoming the Midwest's abortion center with Planned Parenthood's $7.5 million 22,000 sq ft facility is unprecedented.  Listen to energized community leaders that are encouraging others to launch opposition to Planned Parenthood abortuaries nationwide today.  Over 89 cities will be initiating 40 day prayer vigils in front of their local Planned Parenthood centers.

Only fools fall for casinos' bait-and-switch

Kentucky's governor's race has become a one-on-one game of chance between a candidate who is fighting Kentucky gambling and his opponent that extols gambling's virtues.

The sole anti-gambling lobbyist in Missouri's Capitol shares with Gov Fletcher the bait-and-switch game St. Louis area casino owners are using  to expand gambling in Missouri in a video-taped interview below. . .