Illinois Review

IR Looks back to 2007, pushes forward in 2008

We here at Illinois Review wish a very Happy New Year to all our Illinois Review readers and a big thank you to each of our IR contributors who so generously stirred conservative discussion over the past year.  It's been an exciting twelve months.

Illinois Review drew national attention in 2007 for Jill Stanek's posts on the HPV vaccine mandate for young girls ("IR gets national attention," "Debbie does... ??," "Debbie does, II" and "A vaccine-induced nightmare") and international notice for IR's pieces on Barack Obama's church teachings ("IR focus on Obama gets picked up by London paper,"  "Obama's church teachings discussion opened in Tuesday's Trib").

Local Democrat keys young Marine's car

by George Dienhart

News broke yesterday that local scumbag, Jay R. Grodner, was upset at Sgt Mike McNulty. Sgt McNulty is a local Marine who is about to leave for his second deployment to Iraq. Scumbag Grodner allegedly keyed McNulty’s car. He also allegedly told the young Marine "You think you can do whatever you want with Department of Defense license plates and tags".

Marine harassed by Chicago lawyer

This is one of those local stories that should spark a national new media swarm.  This hits close to our home, as for the next 12 months, we have a mini-van sitting in our driveway with two "Army wife" decals prominently displayed on the back window.  It's our daughter's, and we're hosting her while her hubby performs his third tour in Iraq.   

Blackfive, a terrific Chicago-based military blogger broke the story this weekend.

Fred Thompson on Fox News Sunday

by George Dienhart

Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson was interviewed on Fox News Sunday. As always, he clearly enunciated good conservative common sense. In my endorsement, I ranked him highly in foreign policy. I did not expect the world to prove my point as quickly as it did with the death of Benazar Bhutto. Senator Thompson’s response on a question about the Bhutto assassination clearly illustrated why I support him for president. He gets how important the Global War on Terror is. To illustrate my point, Senator Thompson stated in an interview with Chris Wallace, “This (Bhutto assassination) is part of a global conflict. We have had war declared on us by radical Muslims”

Senator's petition problems cause chain reaction

Louis Atsaves ("Frustrated in Lake County") asked us to point out a Waukegan News Sun editorial this weekend,which indicates Democratic Senator Terry Link's petition filing problems may not yet be over -- but what happens next may ultimately be up to how much political fraud his constituents will tolerate. 

Congratulations to the great job local area Team America 10th CD bloggers are doing to expose this atrocity.  An appeal has been filed by Link's Democratic primary opponent, and the Waukegan News Sun demands an explanation as to what's going on:

2008 New Year's Resolutions to Strengthen Illinois

From the Sauerberg for U.S. Senate campaign:

As 2007 draws to a close, I thought it was important to share with you my 2008 New Year's resolutions to strengthen Illinois.  We have an historic opportunity this year to change direction - we have an opportunity to return Illinois values to Washington by electing a new U.S. Senator. 

The career politicians have had their turn at the wheel and the results have been disastrous.  My campaign is about offering real solutions to the challenges we face as Americans and as Illinoisans. 

Below you will find my New Year's resolutions, a positive blue print for improving the lives of the hard-working men and women of Illinois.  If you agree with me - that we can do better than politics as usual in Washington and Springfield - then I urge you to join me and CONTRIBUTE to my campaign.

IR FEATURE: Where Are All The "Heroes" Now?

by Ralf Seiffe

The week I graduated from high school in 1971, a series of articles appeared in The New York Times reporting the origins and facts concerning the Vietnam War.   Known as the “Pentagon Papers,” these documents became one of the primary sources demonstrating the duplicity of the Johnson Administration’s conduct of the war.  They became a talisman for the Left and helped enlist many in its effort to sabotage the war. 

Regardless of what one may think of the content of the Papers and their effects on the war, their publication demonstrated the importance of a free press by revealing the true nature of government when its interests conflict with the public’s right to know.  In just over two weeks after the first installment appeared, the Nixon Administration moved to enjoin The Times from publishing additional stories and less than a month later, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the injunctions were unconstitutional prior restraint. 

All this may seem like ancient history, but stay awake because Illinois’ own Tricky Dick Durbin is restraining an important government document with potentially damaging information and its cover-up may have great bearing on the 2008 presidential campaign.

Fred addresses Iowan voters

by Eric Wallace

Listen up Illinoisans this message is for us as well. We need to inject this solid conservatism into our state party, candidate for governor and legislative offices.

Strong leadership comes from solid principles which Fred exemplifies. We need a person like Fred in the White and in the Governor's mansion. So as God blesses America, I ask for a double portion for Illinois.

I am Eric Wallace and I approved this common sense, right on target conservative message :-)

The question of the week: Can Huck hang on?

Politico.com asked the question this weekend "Can Huck hang on?" as to whether Mike Huckabee will endure the media's scrubbing behind the ears and whether his campaign's inner turmoil will get him through a victory in Iowa's caucuses Thursday.

Admittedly, there's some pretty nasty mudballs to dodge:

Sex Equality: A Ridiculous Concept

by George Kocan

A recent Daily Herald editorial laments that “only” about one of four school superintendents in Illinois are women. Yet, in the very same newspaper, men dominate the high level positions. Only one woman, out of five places, works at the CEO level, and only one woman, out of 6 places, serves on the Editorial Board. 

Iowans plead "Get Outta Our Town"

Hilarious little ditty from the heart of Iowa . . .

H/T Jennifer Baty

2007 Gone . . . in a puff of smoke

by the Chicago Tribune's Dick Lochner

Too close to call in Iowa

RealClearPolitics.com's Iowa polling wrap-up indicates clearly that next Thursday's Democratic and the Republican presidential primaries are both just too close to call.

Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards are all within the margin of error on the Democrat side.

Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are neck-in-neck among Republicans, with John McCain surging since this week's crisis development in Pakistan.

Check out the Republican poll listing here and the Dems' here.

Romney in trouble with Topinka

Now we know why Judy Baar-Topinka is backing Giuliani over Mitt Romney. 

Giuliani and she agree on "most issues," she told Andy Shaw this morning on ABC Chicago 7's News Views, but that's not the big determiner.

Topinka complained this morning that Mitt Romney and the Republican Governor's Association promised her $3 million for her 2006 bid for governor against now-scandal-plagued Rod Blagojevich, and then failed to deliver.

"I kept waiting for the money, and it never came," she told Shaw. 

Then she suggested that Romney used that $3 million to kick off his own presidential primary.

Eww. . . the wrath of a scorned, red-haired Republican woman.   

If Topinka has any influence in Illinois, Romney will lose big time on February 5.  The question is, does she have any influence? 

Davis: Bush bad, Obama good

For all of you Republicans in the 7th CD, your Congressman Danny Davis gives two reasons today on The Hill's blog why he's working so hard for Barack Obama . . .

Here's a hint:  It's because George Bush is SO bad and because Barack Obama is SO good.  Convinced yet?

BTW, only two candidates are listed in the 7th CD race.  Two Democrats:  Chicago's Davis and Oak Park challenger Robert Dallas.  There will be NO Republicans at the U.S. Congressional level on the 7th CDs February 5, 2007 GOP primary ballot. 

Just as there are NO Cook County Republicans challenging Jesse Jackson Jr in the 2nd CD, Luis Guitierrez in the 4th CD or Rahm Emanuel in the 5th.  Unknown GOP candidates are listed as challenging Bobby Rush in the 1st CD, Dan Lipinski in the 3rd and Jan Schakowsky in the 9th.   

If you're a Democrat, you gotta love running for office in Cook County.  Maybe "running for office" is the wrong term.  Maybe "a walk in the park" would be more appropriate?

Link: The Hill Blog.

The 2nd Day ‘til Tax Day

From the Illinois Beverage Association:

Just 2 more days before Chicagoans begin being taxed 5 cents per bottle on their bottled water.  Did you know...

In two days, the state of Illinois is going to ban smoking in bars and restaurants for health reasons, yet the city of Chicago is going to impose a tax on a healthy product in bottled water – sending an incredibly mixed message. Do our city leaders care about healthy lifestyles, or their bottom line? 

Underdog. Saving the World, One Paul at a Time!

by Cal Skinner

There was a lot of heavy snow that I shoveled Friday night before we went out to dinner at the Crystal Lake

Country Club. I was really tired and slept as late as I can remember.

Undoubtedly part of the reason was because of the barbecued ribs and the rest of the food I stuffed down my gullet.

As I was finishing the ribs off for lunch, I got to page four of Saturday’s Chicago Tribune and, lo and behold, there was a big, 856-word article on libertarian Republican Party primary candidate Ron Paul, headlined, "Paul aims outside the Web; The Internet brought him millions, but Main Street needed for votes."

The blotch on the article next to the Iowa voter’s photo is barbecue sauce.

McCain after Romney

Charlie Wilson's War goes on

Tom Hanks' and Julia Roberts' new release "Charlie Wilson's War" tells the story of a real bigger-than-life Texas Congressman who used his political power and persuasion to fund the Afghans' 1980's resistance to Soviet domination.

And it's the intriguing story of Charlie Wilson itself that steals the spotlight away from Oscar winners Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and  Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose performances are stellar, but pale in comparison.

Homeschool Politics

by Susan Ryan

As I'd posted before, there have been some serious questions about Governor Huckabee's record as a 'homeschool champion'. There have been many articles highlighting the 'homeschool support' for Huckabee.  A lot of those assumptions from the media about The Homeschool Community stemmed from the Home School Legal Defense Association's endorsement of Governor Huckabee's candidacy.

Let's note that HSLDA itself estimates only an approximate 5.6 % HSLDA membership in the entire Illinois homeschool community. This should make much of the media feel a bit inadequate with their shallow research based on assumptions.

At the same time, the media also thought that the tiny homeschool minority's supposed support of him was significant because homeschoolers are known as politically savvy advocates who most importantly, vote. One piece of this story that wasn’t covered concerned the HSLDA-PAC’s Director, Ned Ryun. Ned Ryun was also the Director of Generation Joshua. Was is the key word as he is not with HSLDA anymore as noted on his blog.

The 3rd Day ‘til Tax Day

From the Illinois Beverage Association:

Just 3 more days before Chicagoans begin being taxed 5 cents per bottle on their bottled water.  Did you know...

Roughly 4,500 Chicago-area jobs, which account for $270 million in wages, are owed to bottled water producers. (Source: John Dunham and Associates, 2007) These jobs are held by real, working families – truck drivers, mom-and-pop store owners, grocery clerks, bottling factory workers – all of whom would be at risk at a time when the economic and job security concerns are growing in America. Our industry is going to stand up for these workers and their jobs – as well as the contributions they make to the Chicago economy – and file a lawsuit in early January against the city seeking to have the tax invalidated.

Playing cards

cartoon by Jack Ohman

The Freedom House Map of the World

By Mark Rhoads

Back in 1941, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie, the 1940 Republican nominee for president who ran against FDR, were two of the key bipartisan founders of the Freedom House Foundation in New York which tracks the status of freedom for individual citizens in nations around the world. The criteria for freedom include the right to vote, the rule of law, civil liberties, and other factors. If you would like to read some good news, in spite of all the troubles in the modern world, the current world freedom map shows a great deal of progress has been made in expanding freedom since President Ronald Reagan first took office in January 1981.

Sour grapes and mother's milk just don't mix

Money, the saying goes, is the mother's milk of politics.  Finding out who's getting that enviable nourishment can lead to frustration and a mouthful of nasty-tasting sour grapes for those not so fortunate.

So is the case with GOP U.S. Senate candidate from Illinois, Andy Martin.

Martin, who pulled in less that 5 percent during his recent bid to be the GOP for U.S. Senate in 2004 and Illinois governor in 2006, is evidently still angry about the IL GOP's recent decision to endorse Dr. Steven Sauerberg over him for the February 5, 2008 GOP primary.  Martin's now turned to throwing everything possible at IL GOP Chairman Andy McKenna. 

Obama defends Axelrod

Is Axelrod right?

The Tribune's Swamp is discussing today comments made about Hillary Clinton by David Axelrod, Barack Obama's Karl Rove, twisting primary opponent Clinton's U.S. Senate vote authorizing the war in Iraq.

"Barack Obama had the judgment to oppose the war in Iraq. And he warned at the time that it would divert us from Afghanistan and Al Qaeda, and now we see the effect of that," Axelrod said. "... Sen. Clinton made a different judgment. Let's have that discussion."

Let's join the Democrats' discussion here. After all, either Obama or Clinton could be our next commander-in-chief, as well as theirs. 

There's lot of differing views on this issue, even among conservatives.  One of our IR commenters, "Jerry," wrote that the IR editor holds the "decidedly Bushian view" on Pakistan. I'm still trying to determine what Jerry meant by that, but I find his comments fascinating. He said he holds to the "Bolton" view.

One U.S. Senate Candidate's Take on Bhutto Assassination

by Cal Skinner

Friday, Illinois Republican U.S. Senate candidate Andy Martin sent out his take on the murder of Pakistan's leading advocate for democracy. Martin has spent time in the region.

Thought you might be interested in the views of the candidate "whose name must never be mentioned."  It's entitled: "A TRAGIC DAY FOR PAKISTAN, AND FOR U. S. FOREIGN POLICY: WHO KILLED BENAZIR BHUTTO?"

Bhutto is gone- what are the stakes for America?

by George Dienhart 

In the past 24 hours, many words have been used to describe Benazir Bhutto. Martyr. Politician. Pakistan’s last hope of democracy. For Americans, the most important description is “Major loss in the Global War on Terror”.

Ms. Bhutto was a moderate of great influence in a nation that is now wildly spinning toward Islamic fundamentalism.  The loss is regrettable, as is all lost human life. It also sharply illustrates the differences between politics in the United States and Pakistan. Our Presidential aspirants are always greeting people out in the open. They shake hands, slap backs and generally kiss the ass of anyone willing to have their ass kissed. It is a time-honored tradition that works. People like to feel important. A handshake from a presidential candidate can serve that purpose.

It is a little different in Pakistan. A handshake from Benazir Bhutto gave people hope. Not the homogenized hope sold by Obama, but real hope that things could be better. Hope that they would once again start to rebuild a society racked by corruption and greed. Hope that they could take back their country from a powerful military and corrupt fundamentalist warlords. I believe she knew how important this hope was. As she stood up through the sunroof of her limo, shaking hands- offering hope- she was murdered. She was murdered while standing up in a bullet proof, bombproof limo. She was murdered trying to offer her fellow Pakistani’s hope.

Thompson's Iowa close: "The real conservative choice"

Dillard questions wisdom of gambling expansion

Kudos to Senator Kirk Dillard, whose Daily Herald letter today is a pleasant surprise.  After scoring a measly 25 on the United Republican Fund's 2007 session end legislative scorecard, he calls on the legislature to "rethink" exposing Illinois to more gambling addiction: 

The 4th Day ‘til Tax Day

From the Illinois Beverage Association:

Just 4 more days before Chicagoans begin being taxed 5 cents per bottle on their bottled water.  Did you know...

Roughly 4,500 Chicago-area jobs, which account for $270 million in wages, are owed to bottled water producers. (Source: John Dunham and Associates, 2007).

These jobs are held by real, working families – truck drivers, mom-and-pop store owners, grocery clerks, bottling factory workers – all of whom would be at risk at a time when economic and job security concerns are growing in America. Our industry is going to stand up for these workers and their jobs – as well as the contributions they make to the Chicago economy – and file a lawsuit in early January against the city seeking to have the tax invalidated.

Picking a prez candidate post-Bhutto

Today's assassination of Western-influenced, democracy-advocating Islamic moderate Benazir Bhutto in volatile, Al Qaeda-harboring, nuclear-stocking, unstable Pakistan dramatically emphasizes the urgent need in 2008 of an American leader who:

1. is familiar and comfortable with foreign relations (or has about him or her a council of competent foreign policy experts);
2. maintains a cool head when faced with political crisis that could threaten world peace;
3. understands the difference between terrorism and crime (and the different response each demands);
4. commands the respect of our nation's military forces and
5. sees the urgency and overall need to promote democracy in foreign countries (because our nation's welfare and security depends upon it).

Which candidate -- Democrat or Republican -- do you think demonstrates those five different characteristics?  Which ones don't?

Does today's developments change your mind as to your February 5 prez pick?  If so, why?  If not, why not?

Mitt Romney's Christmas Present to the 'Gay' Lobby Should End Support

by David Smith

Peter LaBarbera, longtime pro- family advocate and founder of the Republicans For Family Values website, is calling on pro-family leaders who have endorsed Mitt Romney to withdraw their support for his candidacy in light of his recent comments on NBC's "Meet the Press" supporting pro-homosexual "sexual orientation" state laws.

"Mitt Romney's Christmas present to the homosexual lobby disqualifies him as a pro-family leader," LaBarbera said. "Laws that treat homosexuality as a civil right are being used to promote homosexual 'marriage,' same-sex adoption and pro- homosexuality indoctrination of schoolchildren. These same laws pose a direct threat to the freedom of faith- minded citizens and organizations to act on their religious belief that homosexual behavior is wrong.

Is Arnold's SANE Act sane or insane?

In the middle of Illinois' first hectic politics-immersed, early primary holiday week, 8th Congressional District GOP primary candidate Ken Arnold rolled out his 21st detailed proposal to solve national and regional problems.  This week, Arnold gave specifics on what he would do to de-politicize the holidays with his State Allotment in National Elections (or SANE) Act.

Arnold suggests in 2012 scheduling primaries in groups of five states, and -- this is not a joke -- drawing from a hat (held by the Supreme Court Chief Justice) to determine the order of those groups' elections.

More details of Arnold's creative proposal are below.  You gotta give it to him for verbalizing the problem, sitting down to think about it and then proposing an idea.  It's just not clear how SANE or INSANE Arnold's SANE Act really is.

Arnold ran as one of six candidates in the GOP's 2006 8th CD primary, from which David McSweeney emerged as the party's nominee.  McSweeney was defeated in the general election by Democratic Congresswoman Melissa Bean, who defeated former Congressman Phil Crane in 2004.

Ready to vote?

It's hard to believe, but Illinoisans can begin voting via absentee ballot today for the February 5 2008 party primaries.   To vote on what is being called "Super Duper Tuesday" or "Tsunami Tuesday," with 22 other states throughout the nation, you will need to request either a Republican or a Democratic ballot.

But before you decide which party's election you'll participate in, you'll need to be 18 years on election day, an American citizen, a resident of your precinct for 30 days and, of course, registered to vote by January 8, 2008 (although a grace period on voter registration at your county election board is extended to January 22).

How does one register to vote in Illinois?   

A Conversation with Benazir Bhutto

Mrs. Bhutto was listed as the 7th most admired woman in a CNN/Gallup Poll earlier this week. 

This particular speech was recorded at the Council on Foreign Relations this past August.

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto dead

Disturbing news out of Pakistan this morning. . .

A party security adviser said Bhutto was shot in neck and chest as she got into her vehicle to leave the rally in Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad. A gunman then blew himself up.

From the Associated Press, a Chicago Tribune story here.

Benazir, 54, was an American ally and a candidate for Pakistan's prime minister election to be held January 8.

The 5th Day ‘til Tax Day

Just 5 more days before Chicagoans begin being taxed 5 cents per bottle on their bottled water.  Did you know...

Chicago’s new bottled water tax will disproportionately hurt low- and fixed-income families, who spend a greater percentage of their income on food and drinks. This includes senior citizens. In fact, the burden of a beverage excise tax is 3 times greater for low-and fixed-income families than for the average household. (Source: US Department of Labor Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2005).

Because of the harmful burden this tax will cause retailers, mom-and-pop grocers, consumers and low-income families – The Illinois Retail Merchants Association, the Illinois Food Retailers Association, the American Beverage Association, and the International Bottled Water Association will file a lawsuit in early January against the city seeking to have the tax invalidated. We’re going to stand up for our customers and our employees and not just accept this tax without a fight.

Source:  American Beverage Association

Romney's not-so-figurative speech

Nationally-syndicated columnist Star Parker points out inconsistencies in Romney's "Faith in America" speech, and why the surge in surprise GOP candidates such as Mike Huckabee here. 

Maybe someone should point out that along with adultery, murder, stealing and abusing God's name, "bearing false witness" or lying is "No-No" number 9?

Apparently when Romney said, “I saw my father march with Martin Luther King,” in his much publicized “Faith in America” speech, this was not exactly true.

It appears that not only did Romney not see this, but there is serious doubt whether his father ever indeed did march with Dr. King. Romney now says that he meant this “figuratively.”

Link: Romney symbolizes GOP's problems | The San Diego Union-Tribune. 

Don't forget about Fred

Thompson's newest ad . . . here.

Will a Dark Horse Take the Republican Reins?

This week's column is an incredible history lesson about the 1880 Republican convention, and something Mrs. Schlafly has been hinting at for over a year could happen in 2008 . . .

by Phyllis Schlafly, EagleForum.org

Although the next presidential election won't take place until November 2008, and the nominating conventions won't convene until next August and September, the media have been covering the candidates all through 2007 as though they were running a horse race. What is it about presidential politics that evokes horse-race metaphors?

Huckabee taxed by another Club for Growth ad buy

Umm...you don't call Club for Growth names and get away with it. 

They've just thrown another $175 k into Iowa to run this ad against Mike Huckabee, who's running neck-in-neck with Mitt Romney in next week's GOP caucus polls.

They're just so . . . admirable

A new CNN/Gallup poll says these are the top five most admired men alive today:

 

And here's the top five most admired women alive today:

Illinois is represented by Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey.   

Where do these men and women stand in your list of "most admired"? and who would you list as your "most admired" from Illinois? 

Barack in 2016, Young says

Listen to former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young's controversial comments at www.Newsmakerslive.com about why he prefers Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in 2008, saying Obama needs to mature and develop a protective network around him.

Young says he's concerned because people in Chicago tell him they don't know of anyone 'around Barack'.

This is the interview where Young says "Bill Clinton is every bit as black as Barack," and the "Bill has probably had more black women than Barack . . ."

Clarence Page has written about this today in his syndicated column here.

Frustrated in Lake County

From frustrated IR Reader/Lake County Republican Louis Atsaves:

Dear Illinois Review Editor,

It took me a while to figure it out, but the so-called conservative community wears the same blinders that the media wears when it comes to Democrat fraud and corruption.

Political New Years' Resolutions

by George Dienhart

Time for this years political New Years Resolutions. Enjoy!

Rudy Giuliani – “I resolve to not wear any more dresses, at least not until after I am elected.”

Bill Clinton- “I resolve to vote for Obama- it’s about the only thing left I can do to hurt Hillary’s campaign.”

Pimpin' for Paul

If you're looking for a special treat this New Year's Eve, Nevada's Bunny Ranch is offering a two-for-one deal if you come in and say you're "Pimpin' for Paul." Ranch owner intends to raise funds for his prez pick.

Gay rights activists fight proposed health care plan for HIV-afflicted illegals

On Christmas Day, a day newspapers editors know few want to think about politics, the Tribune ran a controversial story about the gay/lesbian rights movement pushing for the rights of HIV-afflicted illegal immigrants. 

Spotlighting Victoria Arellano, a transvestite who died from HIV while being held as an illegal immigrant, gay activists are struggling to be accepted within immigrant circles.  These activists are fighting for health care for illegals and marital status for homosexuals:

The 6th Day ‘til Tax Day

It’s December 26th.  Just 6 more days before Chicagoans begin being taxed 5 cents per bottle on their bottled water.

Did you know...

On the day after Christmas, many Chicagoans are throwing away wrapping paper, boxes and bows. What they shouldn’t be discarding is their plastic water bottles.  That’s because plastic water bottles are 100 percent recyclable. Bottled water, like many food and beverages, is packaged in PET plastic, one of the most recycled plastic resins in the world.  The easiest and best way to limit the environmental impact of bottled water is not to tax it – it’s to put that fully recyclable product in a recycle bin.

Source: The American Beverage Association

41 days 'til Tsunami Tuesday, absentee voting starts Thursday

Illinois will be one of 23 states selecting party presidential nominees on Tsunami Tuesday, February 5, 2008.  Absentee voting begins Thursday, December 27, 2007.