Illinois Review

Conservatives steam over Sauerberg staffer

IL GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Steve Sauerberg stunned social conservatives last week when he announced the addition of a homosexual rights activist as his campaign's new press secretary.  Christopher Barron, 36, was point man for the Log Cabin Republicans in their 2004 campaign against President George W. Bush's effort to add a federal marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

After discussion about the revelation broke out last week on Illinois Review (see "Sauerberg: Personnel is Policy"), state pro-family leaders -- including talk show host Sandy Rios and national activist Peter LaBarbera -- voiced outrage Monday on the air over Sauerberg's apparent political snub.

"It is inconceivable that Steve Sauerberg would so needlessly alienate the pro-family conservative base in Illinois by hiring a veteran homosexual activist for his campaign," said Peter LaBarbera, founder of Republicans For Family Values (www.rffv.org).

Within weeks of President Bush's amendment announcement in 2004, Barron and the Log Cabin Republicans launched its first ever $1 million ad campaign criticizing the president's effort and ultimately withheld endorsing Bush in his 2004 presidential re-election bid.

The LCR ad was designed to embarrass Bush by purposely pitting the President's position in support of the marriage amendment directly against his VP Dick Cheney's 2000 debate comments . . . 

More below the fold . . .

Sauerberg Announces $1M Personal Loan to campaign

From the Sauerberg campaign --

(Lombard, IL) - Today, U.S. Senate nominee Steve Sauerberg, M.D., announced he had made a $1,000,000 personal loan to his campaign.  "I am making this loan to my campaign because I am committed to returning Illinois values to Washington in November by defeating Dick Durbin," said Sauerberg.  "This loan is a down-payment on my commitment to voters to break the power of the special interests in Washington and to restore their faith in our legislative and political process."

Dr. Sauerberg is a family physician from LaGrange, Illinois, who has built a successful family medical practice over the last 25 years.  "I have worked hard to build a small business and have been blessed to have been fortunate enough to be successful," continued Sauerberg.  "Now I want to give back to the people of Illinois.  I am not going to Washington to line my pockets or the pockets of my friends and family - I am going to Washington to represent the people of Illinois and fight for their interests."

Stop the Martyrdoms

Over the weekend, a link to an incredibly disturbing video entitled "Fitna," about radical Islamic teachings came to our attention HERE.  Then today a list of grave Islamist attacks are reviewed in Doug Bandown's "Stop the Martyrdoms," in the current issue of the American Spectator:

• Last year in Turkey five Islamic extremists bound, tortured, and killed three Christian religious workers.
• In Malaysia the nation's highest court ruled that a Christian convert could not change her official religious affiliation without a ruling of apostasy in Sharia court -- punishable by death or prison.
• Earlier this year Christian converts in Bangladesh were beaten and expelled by Muslim villagers.
• Last year in Sudan demonstrators demanded death for a British teacher -- convicted and then deported -- for allowing her students to name a teddy bear "Mohammed."
• In 2006 the Afghan government, which survives only because of allied military forces, sentenced a Christian convert to death, before allowing him to emigrate for reason of "mental illness."
• In Nigeria last year a Muslim mob murdered ten Christians, injured scores more, and destroyed nine churches in response to a claim that a Christian student drew a cartoon of Mohammed on the mosque wall at school.
• In Iraq in early March the body of kidnapped Chaldean Archbishop Paulus Faraj Rahho was discovered. Up to half of the prewar community of 1.2 or so million Iraqi Christians have fled abroad.

Politically-correct side-stepping around radical Muslims' jihad on Westerners enables attacks like these to continue. 

Link: The American Spectator.

Gov's office sought favorable vote for hire

AP's coming out with a possible smoking gun on the governor -- at least his legislative liaison . . .

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. --Gov. Rod Blagojevich's legislative aide told colleagues he might get a favorable vote from a senator if the administration hired the lawmaker's secretary, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.

The November 2003 e-mail from Joseph Handley to Blagojevich's patronage office seeks confirmation that the administration planned to transfer an Agriculture Department employee, Tim Kraft, to the transportation agency - into a position that by law should be filled on merit, not politics.

Taking his place would be Rhonda Wood, secretary to then-Sen. Larry Walsh.

"If this can be confirmed, it helps me w/Walsh on important vote," Handley, then Blagojevich's legislative liaison, wrote in the e-mail obtained by the AP.

Larry Walsh is now chairman of the Will County Board.

Link: AP: Gov's office sought favorable vote for hire.

Another small step for homosexual rights

If you think Chicago teachers aren't paid enough, you'll be thrilled about the new benefits they'll be getting if State Rep. Greg Harris' (D-Chicago) HB 4731 passes in the House. 

With HB 4731, in addition to the health benefits they're already getting, Chicago teachers' survivor and death benefits will be able to be bestowed upon same sex domestic partners, as well.  Before the March 13th House committee hearing, Rep. Harris -- the only openly gay House member -- included opposite sex partners in the bill's language.   Now the definition of domestic partners applies to same sex partners only.

If you're wondering how HB 4731 defines as a domestic partner, here it is:

"Domestic partner" means an individual of the same sex as an unmarried teacher who (1) is involved with the teacher in a long-term relationship of indefinite duration; (2) has resided together with the teacher at the same address for at least 12 months; (3) is not related to the teacher by blood to a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which they legally reside; (4) is not married to any other person; and (5) has an exclusive mutual commitment to the teacher in which they agree to be jointly responsible for each other's common welfare and to share financial obligations.

This is nothing but another incremental effort to force hard-working taxpayers to subsidize homosexual rights.

Opening the Adoption Pandora's Box

Over the weekend, State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz's proposal to open adoptees' birth records sparked a story in the State Journal Register and attention on Illinois Review here.

Looking a little more into HB 4623's text, Rep. Feigenholtz hopes to change 12 different sections of adoption law, some of which will make not only the adoptee's original birth certificate accessible, but court documents and any other records surrounding the adoption, as well.

Thinking more about this, it occurred that a dilemma is likely to arise for same sex couples whose adopted children will be especially curious as to who their birth parents were and the circumstances surrounding their births.  Two mothers or two fathers listed on a birth certificate will demand more information. 

A woman's right to protect herself should not be infringed

Unlike the Indiana woman recorded on the YouTube audio above, law abiding women in Illinois are defenseless outside their homes.

The Lane Bryant killer, who shot and killed five women in broad daylight six weeks ago remains on the loose. Police have a description from the lone sixth survivor who now hides in protective custody and whose life has been dramatically altered because she went shopping one Saturday morning. 

A Tinley Park squad car was in the shopping center's parking lot at the same time the attack was underway.  By the time one of the victims' 9-11 call was transferred to that officer and he had time to respond, the store manager, who had whispered a desperate plea for help, was dead and the killer had escaped out the store's back door.

Illinois women need the right to protect themselves.

What's in Your Wallet?

by Susan Ryan

What's in your wallet? 

Actually, if you're in school, there doesn't have to be a question. If SB 2170  passes, kids' wallets and purses and any student personal effects can be inspected by school authorities and teachers without any notice or consent. 

It's sponsored by Senator Matt Murphy of Palatine.  Here's the synopsis, and the emphasis is mine:

Barack ******* Obama apology #78

Cord blood stem cells irony

Shortly after our newest granddaughter was born two weeks ago, I watched as one of the delivery room nurses withdrew four vials of cord blood from the severed umbilical cord.  In the midst of the post-birth excitement, she and I spoke briefly of the value of those cord blood vials to stem cell research. 

With the news that researchers are finding yet another disease cord blood stem cells may potentially help, that fresh experience replayed in my mind this morning.  Researchers now believe umbilical cord blood stem cells may be instrumental in finding a cure for victims of Alzheimer's disease.  That's added to a growing list of other cures researchers are finding with cord blood stem cells.

Should adoptees' birth records be kept secret?

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz has been pushing for more access to adoption records for years.  Herself an adoptee, Feigenholtz is frustrated that Illinois currently allows access to only the amended birth certificates with adoption parents listed, not the original birth parents. 

Scott Summers Running for Congress on Green Ticket

by Cal Skinner

Last Thursday, the Green Party's 16th congressional district committee met in Belvidere and, as readers of McHenry County Blog might expect, nominated McHenry County College Board Trustee as its candidate.

This was not Summers first attempt to get on the ballot. He filed for office at the same time as the power party candidates incumbent Don Manzullo (R-Egan) and Robert Abboud (D-Barrington Hills). One of Abboud's contributor-neighbors filed an objection to Summers' petition signatures. The challenge succeeded.

"Drillbit Taylor": teaching bully battling

Perhaps it was that expectations for Owen Wilson's new movie Drillbit Taylor were so low that we came out of the theatre last night mildly delighted.

It wasn't that the film was so hilariously funny, it wasn't. It was Drillbit Taylor's refreshing underlying message that boys need to learn to handle life like real men, not feminized wimps.

IL Lawmaker Robbed of $7

We're happy to learn Rep. Younge is okay after this scary ordeal yesterday . . .

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — A 77-year-old Illinois state representative is happy to be alive after a man with a gun pushed his way into her home and robbed her of $7.

Wyvetter H. Younge was not injured in the robbery that occurred around noon Friday.

Perpetuating racial division

David Johnson, a columnist for the Southtown Star, is also a professor at Harvey's South Suburban, a state-funded community college.  Our tax dollars are going to pay for a man who teaches racial anger and resentment, as in today's column (below).  His support for Jeremiah Wright's "chickens" condemnation is stunning.  Understand, the vast majority of students at South Suburban are minorities struggling to make better lives for themselves. 

This ongoing pent up anger being taught at South Suburban will do nothing more than perpetuate racial hatred and bigotry. 

Obama explains Wright to "The View" girls

Some religions are evidently more tolerated than others.  For instance, yesterday on "The View," presidential candidate Barack Obama explained his toleration of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's outrageous racist teachings, but says if Wright wasn't retiring, he would have left the church.  Denial to get out of a major jam.

Obama's hoping to put this controversy to bed, but The View interview didn't do it, and obviously, his Pennsylvania speech didn't either (see below the fold) . . .

More religious intolerence in San Francisco

by David E. Smith, Illinois Family Institute

Another example of religious intolerence by liberals happened this past Easter weekend in San Francisco. On this significant Christian holiday, homosexual activists known as the "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" held its blasphemous 2008 "Hunky Jesus" competition.

The contest involves costumed and near-naked men vying for the title of best-looking Jesus. This year the finalists included Doublecross Jesus (two saviours strung up on two conjoined hot pink crosses) and Hunky Cheese-us, a trio of cheese- themed messiahs, with the winner announced as Michelangelo Jesus.

The First Official TV Ad of the General Election

And it comes from the Republican nominee:

Ignoring a major contributing cause doesn’t help find solutions

by Bill Beckman

Both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times carried reports on March 26th regarding a study presented in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.  What got their attention was a study about the long-term impact of premature birth.  The Sun-Times summarized key findings as “children born early have higher death rates in childhood and are more likely to be childless in adulthood.”   The Tribune summary was even more ominous, stating “Infants born prematurely are much more likely to die during childhood and, if they survive, much less likely to have children of their own in adulthood.”

College kids report disturbing behavior

A group of college kids has banded together to report to the school administration any of their peers who are exhibiting strange or disturbing behavior. 

The Kentucky panel, called Students of Concern, held its first meeting last week and will convene at least twice a month to talk about students whose strange or disturbing behavior has come to their attention.

Manipulation of religious service

by David E. Smith, Illinois Family Institute

This past Sunday, parishioners at Holy Name Cathedral who were attending Easter Sunday Mass were rudely interrupted by six anti-war activists who splashed fake blood on themselves and those unfortunate enough to be sitting near them.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the "protesters were all charged with felony criminal defacement of property and two counts of simple battery for defacing church property and the worshipers' clothes with the fake blood." Cardinal George had a great response to this foolish act by saying, "It's an act of violence to come among a group of believers and try to manipulate worship to your own purposes, no matter how noble and good they are."

(YouTube video below the fold . . .)

Froehlich promotes special rights for hookah smokers

After helping to lead the way last year for the statewide smoking ban, seems State Rep. Paul Froehlich's (D-Schaumburg) found there's some smokers in the state who he thinks should have special rights -- those into hookah smoking.

Despite the fact the Mayo Clinic says hookah smokers absorb more tobacco than regular cigarette smokers, Rep. Froehlich has now decided there's certain constituents who should not be denied the cultural experience of social hookah smoking -- that's unhealthy and well, anti-multicultural, therefore politically incorrect, you see.

Lipinski Chief of Staff Boasts About Earmarks

When Congress returns to DC next week, staffers expect this week's Roll Call's piece about Cong. Dan Lipinski's 3rd District chief of staff Jerry Hurckes to get more Capitol Hill attention. Congressional rules bar staffers from flaunting their federal influence to bully their way around back home, and Hurckes is on the hot plate for allegedly doing just that.

Angered and insulted by fellow Oak Lawn trustees investigating whether the city should have their own lobbyists to bring needed federal funds back into the district, Hurckes soundly panned the idea at a recent city council meeting, and then proceeded into claiming responsibility for a litany of federally-funded earmark projects.

McCain: Man in the Arena

Your thoughts?

Don't kid yourself: 1 hour won't save world

by Dan Proft

Earth Day. Live Earth. And, now, Earth Hour.

The latest bright idea from the country that gave us "Crocodile Dundee" is to have everyone across the globe turn off their lights for an hour at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Apparently, a bunch of neo-Luddites in Sydney did this last year and it made them feel good about themselves, so they've decided to give the rest of the world a chance to achieve a similar sense of self-worth.

McCulloch's jobs program backfires

More about Rod McCulloch's perjury conviction concerning hiring homeless guys to circulate candidate petition signatures here . . .

Sauerberg: Personnel is Policy

It was recently announced that Christopher Barron, who has been a consultant to U.S. Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg, is now his press secretary. Interestingly, Barron was the national political director of the Log Cabin Republicans (LCRs) in 2004 when the organization withheld endorsement and launched a series of negative ads against the President because of his promotion of a federal amendment to protect the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. In fact, Barron himself was responsible for those ads and the damage they did not only to Bush, but to the image of the Republican Party.

Sauerberg's choice of staff is...perplexing. And seems to be a clear message to Republicans - and conservatives - that he's not interested in their principles, opinions, and dare we say...votes!

Schillerstrom, Blagojevich, and the Cost of Illinois Educrats

by John Ruskin

Some headlines from today:

Schillerstrom's win-win deal (Chicago Sun Times)
Seems that DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom (aka Boss Hogg) has a conflict of interest. Schillerstrom's law firm - Ice Miller - just happened to make $66,000 last year from their ongoing representation of the DuPage Housing Authority, whose board is appointed by....you guessed it....Bobby Schillerstrom!

Obama fails in facing challenge posed by pastor's demagoguery

From today's SouthtownStar's Always Right column . . .

"We can do that. ... But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change."

It's true, Sen. Obama, racial strife will not cease if we as a nation don't directly face destructive teachings, such as those emanating from mosques and churches, including the one with which you so proudly identify. While Wright has every right to preach as he wishes in his pulpit, we have a responsibility as fellow citizens to challenge irresponsible demagoguery.

Homeschool Ruling Vacated; Court Will Reconsider

Pacific Justice Institute has just received word that the court ruling which declared most forms of homeschooling unlawful in California has been vacated. This means the Rachel L. decision, which has sparked a nationwide uproar, will not go into effect as it is currently written. The Second District Court of Appeal has instead decided to re-hear the case, with a new round of briefings due in late April. It would likely take the court several additional months to schedule oral argument and issue another decision.

Blue Dog Dem follows Obama

Must be tough to be a conservative, pro-life Blue Dog Democrat. One of Congress' most conservative Dems has committed his superdelegate vote to Barack Obama. So a prolife Democrat is backing the U.S. Senate's most liberal member. Evidently, being a good Democrat is more important than life itself.

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Rep. Dan Lipinski, one of the latest Democratic superdelegates to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president, said Wednesday that statements made by the senator's former pastor "were not helpful for our country" but Obama is what the nation needs.

Lipinski, a second-term congressman who represents an ethnic melting pot in southwest Chicago and its southwest suburbs, said he decided to support Obama two weeks ago when the senator called for the first time to get his backing.

Link: Superdelegate Illinois congressman backs Obama - Examiner.com.

Any idea who Republican-turned-Democrat State Rep. Paul Froehlich is backing -- Obama or Clinton? If Froehlich, who tries to play the conservative Democrat card, is anything like Lipinski, we can expect him, too, to back an Illinois winner. No choice -- it'll be Obama.

Conservative Blacks call for apology from Jeremiah Wright

CHICAGO, March 26 -- Conservative black Americans, often the target of ridicule by Barack Obama's pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, insist their voices be heard in the ongoing race relations discussion, Dr. Eric Wallace, founder of Wallace Multimedia Group, said today.

"Rev. Wright's uncomplimentary comments about accomplished national black conservatives such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas reveal an ideological struggle among African-Americans," Dr. Wallace said. "He owes black conservatives an apology for insulting all of us when he mocked Dr. Rice and Judge Thomas."

Peraica Introduces Resolution to Rescind Cook County Home Rule

Would Put Referendum on County's November 2008 Ballot

CHICAGO, IL – Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica announced today that he will put forth a resolution at the April 9, 2008 County Board meeting that provides for a November 2008 ballot referendum calling on the Illinois General Assembly to rescind home rule for Cook County.

“Cook County is the only Illinois county with home rule authority – and that authority has been abused by political insiders who continue to enact oppressive taxes on the county taxpayers,” said Peraica.  “Home rule allows a governing board like the Cook County Board of Commissioners to vote to raise taxes without seeking voter approval.  I believe that Cook County has abused the home rule powers granted by the 1970 Illinois Constitution, and that Cook County's home rule powers should be repealed.”

Rescinding Cook County’s home rule authority would require voter approval for future tax increases.  In the recently passed FY 2008 budget, the Cook County Board passed a massive half-billion tax increase to shore up an alleged $280 million deficit.  On the same day this tax increase was enacted, a federal court monitor’s report lambasted the county for continued rampant illegal patronage hiring.

Attacks on Candidates’ Place of Worship Should be Off Limits?

Chicago Theological Seminary's WideOpenThinking.org blog doesn't sound too wide open thinking to me.  On today's blog posting, a PhD student and adjunct professor at Elmhurst College declares candidates' places of worship off-the-table for political analysis and public criticism.

Umm. . . Ms. Lovelace, tell Barack Obama that.  He's the one who opened this can of worms.  He's the one who talked about the importance of his place of worship and his pastor in his books, and reached out specifically and early on into the religious community to refocus the social justice issue into political remedies. 

Still, I'm honored to be placed among the list of Obama critics as she does so below:

If attack one must, then keep them focused on the candidates. However assaults hurled at a candidates’ place of worship, such as the ones against Trinity Church by individuals such as MSNBC’ s Tucker Carlson, Illinois Review editor Fran Eaton, Fox’s Sean Hannity, Slate.com’s Christopher Hitchens, The View co-hosts, The Wall Street Journal and Good Morning America are not only repugnant to the journalistic standards these entities claim to uphold, but reveal more about the character of the ones doing the disparaging than the object of their contempt. It is time to call a ceasefire on attacks on candidates’ places of worship.

Link: Attacks on Candidates’ Place of Worship Should be Off Limits | Wide Open Thinking.

Keyes bolts GOP; announces yet another presidential bid

On April 15, Alan Keyes will announce he is defecting the GOP to join the Constitution Party and will begin circulating petitions to be on the November 2008 ballot as the party's presidential candidate.

Liberal flame throwers like to call us racists for publicizing so much on Illinois Review about Barack Obama and his black liberation theology-teaching pastor and church, and at the same time, they also ridicule IR editor's regrettable month-long, non-paid campaign position as Alan Keyes' coalition coordinator in his 2004 U.S. Senate bid here in Illinois.

For that reason, it seems incumbent upon us to offer our good-hearted, well-intentioned Illinois Constitution Party friends a word of caution: 

Homeschooling, the Culture War, and the 2008 Elections

by Virginia Armstrong, Ph.D., National Chairman, Court Watch

On February 28, a three-judge California appellate court ruled that under California law, "parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children." This judicial war on homeschooling in California is a particularly egregious example of the threat posed by judges to the Judeo-Christian worldview on which the Constitution and American culture were founded and from which we have grown to greatness.

The In re RACHEL L. et al. decision is rooted deeply in Humanism's diabolical desire to take over America, and to seize the education system as a major weapon against the rest of the culture. Humanists have been infiltrating the public schools for decades, and have openly admitted their goals. "Education is thus the most powerful ally of Humanism, and every American public school is a school of Humanism." This assertion is not from a 2008 publication by the American Humanist Association. Rather, the statement appears in a 1930 publication, entitled Humanism: a New Religion, by Charles Francis Potter.

Ben Stein challenges Darwinism

Ben Stein's "Expelled" will premiere April 18th in many other states, but is currently not scheduled for Illinois.  That needs to change. . . Anyone want to take on the challenge of bringing it here?

Correction:  I missed the website's option of finding theatres categorized by state . . . sorry.  There are 16 different Illinois locations listed:

Update 3x: Obama Pastor cancels speeches...now it's the Italians

Besides pulling out of a scheduled speech in Tampa Tuesday, Barack Obama's controversial pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright has canceled weekend speaking engagements in Fort Worth and North Texas, citing security reasons . . .

Cosby told the Chronicle that Wright cited three reasons for canceling: "the safety of the institution to which he has been invited; the safety of his family, which has been placed in harm's way; and for his own safety."

Are they suggesting lives have been threatened, or is the real concern now about the security of his most famous parishioner's political future?

Top Ten Signs the Government is Spying on You

by John Ruskin

David Letterman's "Top Ten Signs the Government Is Spying on You."

10. You turn on television and see a live feed of your shower

9. While you're ordering pizza, mysterious voice on the phone tells you to forget the mushrooms

8. There's been an ice cream truck parked outside your house for 9 months

Why I am for John McCain

In June 2007, "With Both Hands" blogger Pat Hickey, a longtime Democrat, chose Republican John McCain to be his presidential pick in 2008.  It was lonely supporting McCain last summer and fall when things looked pretty dim for McCain's chances, but Hickey stuck with it.

Hickey represents a growing number of Democrats who are solid, hard-working taxpayers and very uncomfortable with the radical leftists who've taken over the party of his father and grandfather.  Hearing Pat's perspective may give us some insight into how John McCain could reach out to the middle and pull in the independents and conservative Democrats who are feeling more and more disenfranchised by a party that has left them. . .

Continue reading below the fold . . . and be nice.

The language of the liberal Democrat

by George Dienhart

There are certain phrases that liberals have used to gain credibility with other liberals. The Democratic Party has a long history of twisting and distorting facts to support their agenda. Today. there is a hot, new rallying cry for liberals- 100 years. Quoted out of context, repeated ad nauseum and not even the slightest bit relevant, it is the perfect rallying cry for the Democratic Party. Let us remember previous public affairs efforts launched by the Democrats in a similar vein:

“Halliburton”- I got so sick of hearing this from liberals I used to work with, that I started yelling “Halliburton!” every time someone made any somewhat ridiculous claim or comment. I am not sure they got the connection I was trying to make, but at least they stopped complaining about Halliburton.  Here is what we need to know about Halliburton:

Things are bad for GOPers, but not all bad

If you're tired of reading about how bad the Illinois Republican Party is these days, a quick browse of Politico.com's "GOP state parties are in dire straights" today may make you feel a little better (if you're miserable and you like company) or a whole lot worse (if you hoped every other state was better off than us)  . . .

Nepotism, Hate Crimes, and Taxes

by John Ruskin

Some interesting news stories you may have missed:

Stroger cousin defends her pay raise as county chief financial officer
Todd Stroger's cousin - who he made the county's chief financial officer - defended her pay raise Monday by casting herself as the victim of her critics motivations.

Hate crimes panel has no members
While Blagojevich's hate crimes panel hasn't met in two years, its executive director, Kimberly M. White continues to draw her $96,000 annual salary. Perhaps they should ask Rev. Jeremiah Wright to join.

Sales tax holiday could help back to school budget
Illinois moms and dads could see cheaper prices on back-to-school items this August under a plan state lawmakers pushed at a news conference Monday at St. Clair Square mall. How about a tax relief plan for everyone?

College Costs: I Can’t Afford My Kids Anymore!!!

by Matthew Gauntt

As a proud father of two, I am typically more excited for their successes in life than in my own.

They are a constant source of joy and pride. Trouble is, I can’t afford them anymore. They’re cute kids, so if anyone wants to make me a good offer, I’ll consider it.

Why have I come to this conclusion? Well, I saw this article today regarding a proposed 8% increase in tuition at the University of Illinois.

I am terrified. The first of my two little treasures will start college in about 5 years. If none of you can come up with the appropriate funds to purchase them, I will need to consider living in a cardboard box down by the railroad tracks so I can afford to send them to a fine college. If you want to consider making an offer, please send me a copy of you tax return from last year, and a 10% deposit and I’ll send you a picture of the little darlings for your consideration.

Declared dead, but alive

How ironic. A 2006 Illinois law makes a person's decision to donate their organs legally binding over the wishes of the surviving family. Just as Secretary of State Jesse White pushes for victims' rights to donate their organs is in motion, this strange story comes along.

It's so eerily like the sleeper fright flick this year -- "Awake . . ." 

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Four months after he was declared brain dead and doctors were about to remove his organs for transplant, Zach Dunlap says he feels "pretty good."

Dunlap was pronounced dead Nov. 19 at United Regional Healthcare System in Wichita Falls, Texas, after he was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident. His family approved having his organs harvested.

Link: The Associated Press: Man Declared Dead Feels 'Pretty Good'.

New Proof of Reagan's Wisdom

by Phyllis Schlafly

The U.S. Navy gave Ronald Reagan a dramatic 25th anniversary gift on February 21. A Navy missile raced into outer space and destroyed an orbiting satellite, thereby providing new proof of the vision President Reagan proclaimed in his then-sensational televised address on March 23, 1983.

While the Navy SM-3 missile didn't knock down an incoming nuclear missile, the direct hit on a satellite proved again that our anti-missile technology is mature and reliable, and that an effective anti-missile system is within our grasp. Traveling at 6,000 miles per hour after being launched from a cruiser in the Pacific, the SM-3 missile was even more accurate than anyone had predicted because it struck precisely at the satellite's dangerous fuel tank.

The successful kill of the satellite also confirmed the ability of the SM-3 to intercept at a higher elevation than had ever been tested before. It revalidated the Bush Administration's expenditure of $10 billion a year on anti-missile defenses.

Link: New Proof of Reagan's Wisdom.

A sign of hard times: Eating at Mickey Ds

With gas prices approaching $4 a gallon, mortgages tightening, job market touchy, taxes and groceries skyrocketing, families are cutting back everywhere they can.  For some, it's eating out more often at Mickey D's, causing their sales to shoot up by 12 percent over this time last year.  But at McDonald's and other fast food places, where the prices are a little lower for a family of four, the fat and caloric intake soars . . .

What changes is your family making, if any, to tighten your budget belts?  Are you feeling the squeeze?

Link: The SouthtownStar :: Lifestyles.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Broker?

by Mark Rhoads

Over a period of 17 days from June 24 to July 9, 1924, the longest poltical convention in American history took place at Madison Square Garden in New York.  After a marathon of 103 ballots, John W. Davis, a little known former Congressman and Solicitor General from West Virginia, was nominated for President by the Democratic delegates after supporters of other candidates just got tired and started leaving New York to go home.  Now that was a "brokered convention."

Political journalists of 2008 think that "a brokered convention" is the worst thing that could befall the Democratic National Convention when it meets in Denver in August.  Why?  Most politcal conventions before the TV age assembled without a pre-determined nominee.  In those days when primaries were far fewer, the delegates did their job which was to represent the voters from their districts.  Circumstances change.  Primary voters who voted a half year before the convention might have a change of heart in light of later news and they would be foolish to lock in a decision on their delegates who might want the flexibility to correct a mistake. 

Celebrating White Culture

by John Ruskin

With so much discussion about black culture and the context of Obama's beliefs as expressed by his pastor and mentor Jeremiah Wright, I thought might be time for us to better understand white culture in America.

Perhaps the best primer on this subject is the blog Stuff White People Like. This is indeed a rich source for those non-whites unfamiliar with white culture. However, it is also valuable to those whites wishing to better contextualize themselves within American society.

As the author explains, the blog "is a scientific approach to highlight and explain stuff white people like. They are pretty predictable."

I couldn't agree more. White culture in America is undoubtedly banal...but deliciously funny.

The No-Show Illinois Holiday

by Adam Andrzejewski

“It is the public policy of this State that public bodies exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business and that the people have a right to be informed as to the conduct of their business.” (5 ILCS 120/1)

Little noticed in Illinois, National Sunshine Week (from March 16-22) passed non-eventfully.

Sponsored by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.  At www.sunshineweek.org, there is a listing of websites, organized by state, dedicated to transparent and open government.  According to the Sunshine list, Illinois has only one such website:  Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s self-titled site, namely Ensuring Open and Honest Government.

According to the Elmhurst Press, published by Suburban Life Newspapers, "Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan bills herself a champion of open government and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reform."   It would serve the state of Illinois well if Madigan would actually live up to her billing and champion open government and FOIA reform.  However, a review of freedom of information requests received by her office in 2006 and 2007 reveals that she is late almost half the time in responding to information requests.