Illinois Review

Gen. Clark's Trial Balloon

by Mark Rhoads

On Sunday, June 29, former Gen. Wesley Clark said to CBS News moderator Bob Schieffer,  "He (McCain) has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world, but he hasn't held executive responsibility," Clark said. "That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded _ that wasn't a wartime squadron."

Hmmmm.  Let's think now.  What exactly is Obama supporter Wesley Clark laboring to say this time?  That John McCain lacks "executive responsibility" because he did not command a squadron in wartime but only in peacetime and therefore that peacetime executive responsibility does not count?  Or is he trying to say that McCain lacks "executive responsibility" compared with freshman Sen. Barack Obama who just has oodles and oodles of experience in executive responsibility as "a community organizer?"  It was a position that Obama says he held between college and law school from the middle 1980s in Chicago and few people can remember or fully explain just what the duties of that job were or who Obama reported to or what if any evaluation forms might exist about his tenure.

Tribune's call to repeal the 2nd Amendment

Today's Chicago Tribune's editorial blasting the Supreme Court's Heller decision was so stunning it was mentioned on national talk shows. One commentator said it was as embarrassing as someone dancing around in their underwear...and the Chicago Sun-Times is the one that proclaimed itself liberal recently! 

What does that tell you about the northern Illinois' dinosaur media and why it's on its way to becoming extinct? Here's the editorial -- tell us what you think...and tell us what you told the Tribune!

Repeal the 2nd Amendment

No, we don’t suppose that’s going to happen any time soon. But it should.

The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is evidence that, while the founding fathers were brilliant men, they could have used an editor.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

If the founders had limited themselves to the final 14 words, the amendment would have been an unambiguous declaration of the right to possess firearms. But they didn’t and it isn’t. The amendment was intended to protect the authority of the states to organize militias. The inartful wording has left the amendment open to public debate for more than 200 years. But in its last major decision on gun rights, in 1939, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously found that that was the correct interpretation...

No, this isn't a June 30th joke...read the rest of this ludicrous opinion piece here.

Obama's Real Mentor

by Ralf Seiffe

Pundits have recently enjoyed easy work in predicting the sort of administration each of the presumptive presidential candidates would lead.  They point to earlier presidents as models of prospective bad behavior; Democrats say McCain would be a mere extension of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’s current resident while Obama’s detractors foresee a second term for Jimmy Carter.  McCain’s record argues against the Bush connection and he’s demonstrated his character with a long history of Senate votes, however faulty.  Obama’s lack of a voting record makes the Carter analogy rank speculation but his personal record points to another failed presidency--that of  our twenty-ninth, Warren Gamaliel Harding.

Planned Parenthood loses

Wish this kind of sanity and common sense were found in Illinois, but alas, it can be found only in South Dakota.

Despite Planned Parenthood's resistance, South Dakota's abortionists will now be legally required to inform expectant moms contemplating abortion the truth about what happens during the procedure. . .

The information the woman must be provided includes the knowledge “that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being” and “that the pregnant woman has an existing relationship with that unborn human being and that the relationship enjoys protection under the United States Constitution and under the laws of South Dakota.” Further, she must be informed “that by having an abortion, her existing relationship and her existing constitutional rights with regards to that relationship will be terminated.”

No, not that! the so-called women's rights group Planned Parenthood said.  As reported by the Catholic News Agency:

You and Yours owe $14,000

The independent watchdog group Institute for Truth in Accounting has something to say about Comproller Hynes report on the state of Illinois' finances:

"As they saying goes, 'better late than never,'" commented Sheila Weinberg, founder & CEO of the Northbrook-based Institute for Truth in Accounting.  "When the legislature and Governor were formulating the State budget, they should have known that we were almost $70 billion in the hole."

The report, which was issued almost a year after the State's fiscal year end, indicated that each Illinois household share of the State's debt is more than $14,000, totaling $69.7 billion.  This debt includes $42 billion owed the State employees' pension funds and $24 billion of health care benefits promised to retired State employees.   

Debbie's Double-talk: Special Interests

The Ozinga campaign points out opponent Debbie Halvorson's double-talk about taking money from special interests, her current bit-chomping issue:

In a fundraising email today, Debbie Halvorson vows to eradicate the influence of the special interests in Congress:

"…we know that with your help in the next 24 hours we will have the resources to kick special interests out of the halls of Congress…" (Halvorson fundraising email, 6/30/08)

But Halvorson is clearly the special interest candidate in this race. In 1998, she received one of the largest lobbyist gifts to any single lawmaker – a $489 TV given as a Christmas gift. Halvorson was flattered, and she only gave the gift back after the media reported on it.

Environmentalism for Conservatives

by Matthew Gauntt

A good friend of mine, who is a regular commenter to this website, and I were driving around the western part of Aurora several months ago. He kept pointing out, "right over there was where I used to fish", "I used to go hiking over there", etc. This is the area around Orchard Road south of I-88.

We got to talking about the fact that Democrats and "environmentalists" have taken the mantel of conservation and that we shouldn’t allow them to do this. As Republicans and as conservatives, we have the right and enjoyment of the planet as much as everyone else. However, conservatives and Republicans are usually just in a reactionary mode when it comes to talking about conservation and environmentalism.

What should conservatives be doing and saying when it comes to environmentalism?

Obama, the LGBT rights supporter

If there were any questions about Barack Obama's position on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) rights, a note reportedly from the presidential candidate to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club should settle the matter:

Second Amendment decision: A No-Brainer

by Rick Biesada, Federal Observer

Back in the 60's, while we still had statesmen holding public office, our streets were relatively safe. We never locked our doors at night. Nowdays, with idiots holding seats in public office... it's Katie bar the door!

It is astounding to me that the Supreme Court would have to affirm the intent of our founders reasoning for making the Second Amendment an individual right, where self defense is necessary and essential to a citizen's well being.

What should really worry us, is the fact that four out of the nine Supreme Court Justices do not recognize the concept of individual rights. They bow at the alter of socialistic, International Law, and collective rights, established by the world Communist's and the Hutu and Tutsi Tribes. They should be barred from the court for dereliction of duty, as they sit in breach of their oath to uphold the United States Constitution.

The Supreme Court held that gun bans are illegal last week... duh... it's about time.

Obamatopia

H/T Mark Johnson's ILGOPnet.com

The right to defend

from IR Reader Ron Pence: 

DISCLAIMER: Don't try this today folks, Mayor Daley will have YOU arrested!!  Wow, just think, there was a time, when a law-abiding citizen in Chicago, did have rights!! --- r.p.

As reported by the Chicago Daily News, sister paper of the Chicago Sun-Times:

Yes, Non-Citizens can cast enough votes to alter election outcomes.

by Mark Rhoads

In the 1960s, there was a well-known story around the country about the late Mayor Richard J. Daley.  He was one of only three surivors that included Daley, Senator Paul Douglas, and Gov. Otto Kerner when their plane crashed on a desert island with only food and water enough to sustain one man until help could arrive.  Douglas said he should have the provisions because he was a high-ranking federal official.  Kerner said a governor could appoint a senator and therefore protocol said he was higher in rank.  The mayor suggested that they settle the matter by taking a vote and Daley won 9 to 2.

The post below asks the question "Could Non-Citizens Steal an Election?"  In theory, yes.  But the question needs a little more explanation because anti-vote fraud laws and regulations in Illinois and other states are almost never self-enforcing.  Fraudulent registrations and fraudulent votes usually need to be challenged in an effective adversarial system between two parties.  Due to the weakness of the Illinois Republican Central Committee, such a system does not now exist in Illinois to a sufficient degree so as to guarantee legal voters that their votes will not be substantially diluted by illegal votes.

Could non-citizens steal an election?

With the excitement over yesterday' s immigration rally in Chicago and voter registration being offered at the event, questions were raised on Illinois Review Friday about how the Chicago Board of Election doesn't plan to verify whether those registered Saturday are legal U.S. citizens.  According to Illinois law, we were told, all are accepted on the honor system.  Chicago GOP's Tom Swiss told us Friday he intends to protest voter registrations submitted from Saturday's rally.

As reported on Illinois Review in 2006, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugee Rights were active in registering voters leading up to the Roskam-Duckworth 14th congressional race.  We suspect the same will be true in Joliet and some of  the more populated areas of the 11th CD, where Democrats are hoping to grab yet another seat from Republican control. 

Our gut feeling on that was confirmed when we ran across a column written in the then-brand new Progress Illinois blog by ICIRR's ED Joshua Hoyt, who claimed Bill Foster's victory over Jim Oberweis in March's special election in the 14th CD, based on the huge Latino voter turnout in Aurora.  Hoyt wrote:

On March 8, Foster won the race with a convincing 5,000 vote margin, 53 percent to 47 percent. Dozens of Latino and immigrant activists were working to “Get Out The Vote” for Foster on Election Day and it is well worth noting that Foster carried the heavily Hispanic City of Aurora with a 3,200 vote margin.

This victory shows that a reasonable, solution-oriented approach to immigration combined with a hard offense on Republican hypocrisy can successfully neutralize accusations that Democrats are soft on illegal immigration – even in a Republican-leaning district. It is possible to do this without alienating Latino voters or pandering to the climate of hate that has engulfed the debate on immigration.

Read it for yourself HERE.

Is it possible that non-citizens illegally registered to vote could steal an election?  What should be done about this possibility -- anything? 

Mississippi to crest in Grafton today

The Mississippi is expected to crest in the tiny town of Grafton, Illinois Sunday.  Earlier this week, the town appeared almost deserted as folks gathered together away from flood waters, waiting for the rain and river to subside so they could salvage as much of their summer tourism revenue as possible. 

Grafton folks are fairly used to the challenges of living in a fishing town.  They survived the '93 flood. Thus far, this year has been just another tough one. 

A few photos of Grafton, IL taken this past week . . .

Woodstock Mayor Testing Waters for State Rep bid

by Cal Skinner

McHenry County Blog has hypothesized that a run for statewide office could be in the future for Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks.  If so, taking the district back would become a high priority goal of the local and state GOP.  And, because there is no heir apparent to Franks in the Democratic Party, that goal could be achieved.

I had thought that anyone interested in running when the seat is vacated by Franks would be likely to run this year.  Even though probably losing, that would have been a way to build a network of supporters and build name recognition, but Franks got a pass from the Republican Party for the second election in a row.

So, if one wanted to run as the GOP candidate for Franks' seat in 2010, but didn't want to run against him, what would one do?

Ozinga parades in 11th CDs LaSalle County

LA SALLE COUNTY, IL - 11th Congressional District candidate Marty Ozinga had the opportunity Saturday to spend time with La Salle County voters in their own backyard. In Ottawa, Ozinga joined in with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first Lincoln-Douglas Debate at Washington Square, the site of the historic first debate.

Ozinga then spent the afternoon walking in the Lions Fest Parade in Earlville with Little Leaguers, firefighters and horseback riders. The parade, which was sponsored by the local Lions Club, gave Marty the chance to chat with parade-goers about the issues that matter to them. Over the next few months, he hopes to become more familiar with the people of La Salle County.

New School – New Model – New Partnership --could School Choice be just around the corner?

submitted by Susan Emily Jordan, Oak Park, IL

This past week I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Christ the King, the new Jesuit College Preparatory School in Chicago’s Austin area.

While CTK awaits the building of its new campus, it will open its doors on a temporary site this August. Since CTK will follow the Cristo Rey model of work-with-education, students will allocate five days every month to part-time jobs: this will pay for 75% of their $10,000 annual tuition. Already more than 30 Chicago area corporations have signed up to participate.

The question remains: Who verifies who's qualified to vote?

When Chicago GOP's Tom Swiss alerted IR to the possibility that Cook County was sending voter registrars to a huge immigration rally this weekend, it reminded us of the serious allegations we ran across in 2006.

In August of 2006, we first realized the heated nature of registering illegal aliens to vote while working on a registration drive among churches in the 6th CD.  When IR questioned a report in the Chicago Tribune about Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-4th CD) encouraging illegals to register to vote, a blog controversy erupted as Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights blasted us for daring to ask a question about illegal activity in voter registration.

Cal Skinner told the story of what happened with the ICIRR HERE, and comments led to more controversy as the ICIRR filed a complaint with DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett's office.

Heller decision propels gun owner lawsuits in Illinois

The Will County Grassroots affiliate of the Illinois State Rifle Association is surely ecstatic this weekend, celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court's decision this week in favor of individual gun owners' rights.  We join them in saluting constitutional freedom and hopefully anticipate Second Amendment legislation passing in our Illinois General Assembly.  The right for individuals to bear arms should confirm the right to carry in Illinois.

This week's split decision determined by swing voter Justice Anthony Kennedy emphasizes the importance of who will appoint the next Supreme Court justice, likely within the next four year -- a President Barack Obama  or a President John McCain.

Immediately after the Supreme's decision was announced, the National Rifle Association brought the decision straight to Illinois, where they filed suit against Illinois cities with handgun bans -- including Chicago and three suburbs.

Chicago and the Chicago Board of Education filed a 55-page joint amicus brief in support of Washington DC in the Heller decision.  Chicago's attorneys argued the Second Amendment wasn't as iron-clad as the First Amendment (freedom of the press/religion/speech), that their handgun ban was constitutional, that the Second Amendment right was based on a federalism, promoting state's rights.

McHenry County Young Republicans Meet

by Cal Skinner

More information from Brent Smith about the Young Republican meeting last Wednesday.

Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the folks he says were there: 

Greg Austin, Mandy Boyd, Nathan Boyd, Patty Boyd, Scott Breeden, Geri Davis, Dan Duffy, Jennifer Gibson, Lee Jennings, Jake Justen, Kathy Kuchta, Brett Leifer, Kevin Love, Pam Palmer, Sandy Perdue, Preston Rae, Dan Ryan, Dan Regna, Brian Sager and Drew Veeneman.

I recognize a state senate candidate, a county board candidate not previously mentioned, a township supervisor, a township trustee and GOP township central committee chairwoman, a mayor, a former countywide primary candidate and a second countywide official on the ballot not noted previously.

Labels: Brent Smith, Brian Sager, Dan Regna, Kathy Kuchta, McHenry County Young Republicans, Pam Palmer, Preston Rae

Capital controversies part of Illinois' roots

Illinois' history is fascinating, as we were reminded this week when Illinois Review stopped by Vandalia to take some photos of our state' s second capital.  Seems our state's individualism and feistiness goes way back to our political roots.   

Indeed, Illinois' early settlers moved northward from its first capitol in southern Illinois' Kaskaskia, down the Mississippi from the expanding St. Louis settlement.  As the state's numbers grew, folks moved towards Vandalia and up to Springfield.  At the same time, Chicago -- the  muddy, dirty town sitting on Lake Michigan -- was one of the state's later population centers. 

Vandalia's historical site today is the fourth building in which the Illinois General Assembly convened. From 1820 to 1823, a simple two-story structure hosted state lawmakers until it was destroyed by fire.  In 1824, a second building was constructed for $15,000.  Soon after the second Vandalia capitol was built, Illinoisans began lobbying to move the Capitol to a more central location, farther north. 

Culture of death overtaking hospice?

by Bill Beckman

Attempts have been made to legalize assisted suicide in California, but so far they have failed, leaving Oregon as the only state to enter that brave new world. The latest news from California mentioned a bill promoting euthanasia. What is that about?

In fact, the bill in question seeks to require medical providers to provide information and referrals to hospice whenever a terminal diagnosis is made. From the introductory text of California bill AB 2747, it states:

This bill would provide that when a health care provider, as defined, makes a diagnosis that a patient has a terminal illness or makes a prognosis that a patient has less than one year to live, the health care provider shall, upon the patient's request, provide the patient with information and counseling regarding legal end-of-life options, as specified, and provide for the referral or transfer of a patient if the patient's health care provider does not wish to comply with the patient's choice of end-of-life options.

Offensive or just funny?

Israel's Yes Cable TV advertises HD-TV. Offensive or just plain funny?

IUOE Local 150's Dugan retires after feds raid

Nowhere in the IUOE Local 150's press release announcing President Bill Dugan's retirement is the recent raid by the feds' as reported May 31, 2008 in the Chicago Sun-Times:

Dugan -- who at that time denied any wrongdoing -- is a former Republican appointee to government boards that oversee Illinois casinos, the CTA and the state's tollway system. He has retained Joseph Duffy, the same lawyer who is defending indicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko, to represent him, said James M. Sweeney, vice president of Operating Engineers Local 150. The union represents 22,000 heavy-equipment operators. Its leaders were not surprised by the searches by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

UPDATE 1x: Registering illegals to vote?

To register to vote in Illinois, you must be 18 years old and a citizen of the United States. Elementary voter law, right?  Someone needs to tell the Chicago Board of Elections.

Tom Swiss and the folks at ChicagoGOP.com have a right to be upset if indeed the Chicago Board of Elections is sending state/city employees to register illegal immigrants at a Chicago New American Democracy Day rally Saturday. 

More to come. . .  in the meantime, pick up the phone and call the Chicago Board of Elections and ask them if tomorrow they'll be registering illegals. . . the phone # is (312) 269-7984.

UPDATE 1:  We called  the CBOE and asked whether they were sending staffers to register voters at the New American Democracy Day and she said they were not. 

Then, when we asked how those doing the registration at this rally would be able to verify whether those registering were legal or illegal immigrants.  We got two different answers.  The person in the "election judge" department told us she assumed immigration papers would be presented at the time of voter registration.  When we were transferred to someone in the registration department, we got a different answer.

"Look, voter registration is on an honor system.  If a person registers to vote and says he or she is a legal immigrant, we believe them," she said.  "If they say they're registered to vote, and their names are listed on the voter rolls, judges nor anyone else has the right to question their immigration status."

In other words, people in the United States illegally are being granted participation in our democractic voting system based on their "honor." 

Charter school hires convicted felon as asst. principal

While visiting with a couple of Republican county chairmen downstate this week, they pointed out a story about what happens to Metro-East area Democrats when they serve time in federal prison  for participating in illegal election activities. 

In the case of East St. Louis Democratic committeeman Charlie Powell, he gets hired as an assistant principal at a local charter school!  Couple of things -- don't the Democrats have direct elections and isn't there a law against any school administration hiring a convicted felon as assistant principal?  Are these people out to destroy charter schools or help them? 

Check out this story in the Belleville News Democrat . . .

Indiana loves Illinois economic policy, state senator says

Indiana loves what Illinois has done for their state's economic development, Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) told a crowd in western Illinois Thursday evening. . .

Watson said while at a Chicago reception he was introduced to two economic development officials from Indiana.

"They said, 'We want to thank you, because what you've done in Illinois, we could have never done for ourselves. You've created more jobs in Indiana because of your policies in Illinois.' "

Watson told State Senator Gary Dahl supporters that about that time he got a call from the Governor and handed the phone over to one of the Indiana reps to pass along appreciation first hand. 

The rest of the story is on The Times' website HERE.

Tell the Chicago Police to enforce the law

If you're thinking of visiting the gorgeous Chicago lakefront this weekend, you might be interested in knowing you're see several key politicians who will be participating in one of the year's biggest parades -- the annual  Gay Pride Parade.  This year, a gay Marine leading the way to overturn the U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy will be the Grand Marshall.

If this year's Gay Pride Parade follows tradition, Chicago Police will look the other way as lewd and obscene sexual behavior goes on along the parade route and on the parade floats themselves.  Illinois Family Institute is asking concerned parents to call Chicago Police and demand they enforce decency laws Sunday afternoon in downtown Chicago.  Sad day that citizens have to ask law to be enforced . . . from an IFI report:

Among the featured cars , floats, and walkers this year will be: the Mayor's Advisory Council, Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine, Obama for America Campaign, Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, Illinois State Senator Sara Feigenholtz, U.S. Congresswoman Jan Shakowsky, Illinois State Representative Julie Hamos, Illinois State Senator John Cullerton, Illinois State Representative John Fritchey, Illinois State Representative Jeff Schoenberg, Lesbian/Gay Police, Lambda Legal, ACLU, Illinois Department of Human Rights, American Veterans, etc. -- all of whom should be acquainted with the Chicago Public Morals law, but who obviously will not move to see that it is strictly enforced for these special citizens.

Will all these "pro-family" Democratic lawmakers push for deceny law enforcement Sunday?  We'll see.

Aurora blog tells all within city limits

Aurora citizens should be paying close attention to the Open Line blog focused on raising questions about Mayor Tom Weisner's controversial campaign fund-raising practices.  Open Line writes today that Weisner is fighting a city ordinance that would limit campaign contributions from businesses with city contracts while failing to promote another effort to restrict campaign self-financing.

Add Open Line blog to your favs, especially if you're interested in politics in one of Illinois' most populated cities outside Chicago.  What happens there is precedent-setting and demands attention.

CNN taps IR contributors

Illinois Review is so proud of our great bevy of generous contributors who keep news traffic moving at our state's "crossroads of the conservative community." 

Last week Rosanna Pulido was featured on CNN's national Lou Dobbs' as well as another news show on John McCain's visit to Chicago and his controversial outreach approach to the Latino community. 

Today Jill Stanek is scheduled to talk about Barack Obama and the Born Alive Infant Protection Act on Wolf Blitzer's "Situation Room" at 4:00 PM  CST.

Senger endorsed by Chamber in 96th

Despite the Democrat in the 96th House District boasting on her website as being an active member of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, the group's PAC endorsement went this week Republican candidate Darlene Senger to succeed retiring State Rep. Joe Dunn (Napervlle).

Senger is one of eight conservative Republican candidates the United Republican Fund is promoting in 2008.

See below . . .

Paying kids under the table

by Eunice Conn

What? Minimum Wage at $3.35????? Yep! That’s what it was in 1982. I had an idea.

As my husband, Don, and I were walking to the restaurant next door to the office building we owned, I saw pop bottles, papers, junk, etc. around our building. As we were eating our lunch I told Don wouldn’t it be nice if we could hire high school kids during the Summer for about $2.50 an hour to clean up this mess. They’d have a few extra bucks, it would keep them busy and out of trouble and I’d have time to do what needed to be done, rather than be a garbage collector.

It just so happened that we were going to be in Washington, DC in a few weeks. I presented the idea to Congressman John Porter. Thus HR6319 was introduced.

What happened next really opened my eyes as to how things work in Washington.

Public policy groups calls governor's budget "cuts" more political theatre

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Policy Institute, a non-partisan liberty based public policy organization, has called on the Governor to end the political theatre and get serious about eliminating wasteful, unnecessary spending from the budget. The Governor's proposed cuts are directed more at political opponents than protecting the taxpayers of Illinois. According to the State Comptroller's office, state revenue has increased by nearly $5.5 billion (5.5% per year) from 2003-2007. Illinois has been receiving record revenues for years, and to call this budget battle a crisis is not just inaccurate but misleading to the taxpayers.

The cost of unity

Dana Summers

Do You Know Who Tim Gill Is?

h/t to Dave Smith

Perkins Asks Obama: When Does Life Begin?

h/t to Dave Smith

Sen. Obama Has Skillfully Played Not One, But Many Different Race Cards

by Mark Rhoads

Sen. Barack Obama started out the primary season in January by appealing to white Democrats in Iowa who were attracted to a candidate that they thought appeared to transcend old racial identity politics and who could be accepted or rejected on terms that had nothing to do with race.  At that time, Sen. Obama did not have the absolute lock on black voters that he later achieved since some black officials and voters supported Sen. Hillary Clinton. Unfortunately for Mrs. Clinton, former President Bill Clinton tripped over his own remarks in late January by trying to downgrade an Obama victory in the South Carolina primary.  Bill Clinton tried to marginalize the Obama victory by pointing out that Rev. Jesse Jackson had also won the 1984 and 1988 Democratic primaries in that state for a similar reason that he had a solid support from black voters.  This perfectly true remark was twisted by the Obama campaign into an example of Bill Clinton being a racist just for making that comparison.  Race card number one was well played.

Fallout on Tim Johnson FISA Vote

by Susan Ryan

He gets a thumbs up here and here in the Champaign News-Gazette for his lone Republican vote against the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  In a N-G editor (Tom Kacich) piece yesterday (June 25), Congressman Tim Johnson's spokesman Phil Bloomer rightfully said:

"The way he voted is really the most conservative vote he could have taken.  He's always been a civil libertarian and he's always been concerned that this trampled on people's constitutional rights.  He's talked to a  (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) judge about this."  That would be US District Judge Harold Baker of Champaign.

Democrat Among Candidates at McHenry Co Pro-Life Event

by Cal Skinner

The most interesting political development at the Resurrection Center Pro-Life Victory PAC Pig Roast was the appearance of Dave Bachmann, Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County Coroner.

Drive thrus could be endangered

Should drive-thrus be banned for the environment's sake?  Madison Wisconsin's Planning Commission is responding to environmentalists protesting idling car's carbon monoxide's polluting emissions as their drivers sit at Starbucks and McDonald's waiting for their meals.

Your thoughts . . . should drive-thrus be banned for the good of the environment?

Southtown Star: State government's pandering could be dangerous

Wednesday's "Always Right" column in the SouthtownStar focused on Illinois becoming the Midwest's land of milk and honey for illegal immigrants . . .

Downstate levees aren't the only endangered holdbacks Illinoisans are dealing with these days.

Throughout the state, from every border, we're threatened by illegal activity to which our governor and state Legislature have strategically opened the floodgates. As a result, they've taken the pressure off neighbors as Illinois absorbs the heartland's influx of illegal immigrants.

I've already heard from Midwest Coalition to Reduce Immigration's Dave Gorak, who was kind about the column, but made some additional excellent points . . .

Stop the Debate, it's not welcomed

by Rosanna Pulido

Chicago alderman wants you to stop all debate about illegal immigration. In fact so does Joshua Hoyt and the rest of the clowns over at ICIRR Don't t talk about how you are losing your job to an illegal alien work force. Don't talk about the 3.5 billion dollars that Illinois taxpayers are spending on services for illegal aliens per year. No, no, no,you cannot do that or you are gonna be in trouble with Mayor Daley's sanctuary city buddies.

While calling for an end to hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric, the resolution reaffirms the City’s support for humane, practical solutions to the immigration issue. “Our city has stood by immigrants, and has consistently supported legalization of hardworking undocumented immigrants and other reforms,” said Alderman Flores.

Sandbagging in Hardin, IL commences

The people in Hardin IL will begin sandbagging to protect their town against the Illinois River, which is slowly rising as the Illinois now has begun to back up into the area.  Mel's and his Hardin neighbors now face what their neighbors in Hamburg have faced over the last week.

According to IR contributor/reader Joyce Morrison

The rain north of here last night raised the crests predicted on our levee as well as the Mississippi.   We are getting more seepage which is very uncomfortable....and we have more rain in the forecast.  3-8 inches of rain fell i n central MO last night and it will cause the Mississippi to rise.  Heavy rains are predicted for Iowa.  Not a good forecast.  Those poor people in Hamburg...

The photos to the right were taken Tuesday evening in Hardin, IL.  In the closeup section, you can see the area's bridge over the Illinois.  Flood level is 18 feet, but area predictions are now for a crest Saturday at 31 feet. 

Hardin is he nearest town to Hamburg, IL, where sandbagging was going on last weekend to protect their little town . . . more photos later today. 

Check out other IR on-location flood stories earlier this week.

Loyalty oath still stirs consternation for sandbag volunteers

You'll remember last week, when Hardin, IL's First Presbyterian Church Pastor Paul Frazier (to the left in the photo) expressed outrage about being asked to swear allegiance to the U.S. when he volunteered to help a sandbagging effort in nearby Hamburg?

Thanks to our good friend Joyce Morrison, we had a chance to speak with Pastor Frazier personally this week and he was still perturbed about IEMA's oath.  He said he had since been interviewed by various MSM sources and heard from others who had different experiences in other sandbagging efforts.

"I've talked to others who were sandbagging in Quincy, and no one up there was required to promise they were not terrorists against the United States," Frazier said over dinner at Mel's Riverdock Restaurant Tuesday evening.  "I helped in '93, and nothing like that was mentioned.  It was insulting."

  The Illinois Emergency Management Agency's so-called loyalty oath was reported HERE last week on Illinois Review.  When Rev. Frazier refused to sign IEMA's oath, he was told to report his refusal to the State Police before getting to work.  The police acknowledged his refusal, and allowed the reverent to assist anyway.

The allegiance to the U.S. volunteers in Hamburg were asked to sign is outlined on page 238 in Federal Emergency Management Agency's handbook HERE.

We had a chance to talk to the mayor of Hamburg about the oath, and explained his understanding of why sandbag volunteers were asked to sign the loyalty oath.  More coming from this week's IR  Illinois trip . . .

(Illinois Review.com photos)

Get ready for Minimum Wage increase

by Eunice Conn

Whoopee!! On July 1, Illinois minimum wage will go up to $7.75 - an increase of 25 cents. In 2007 it was estimated that 650,000 people in Illinois fell into that category. So we’ll use that same figure here.

That means another $520. for the employee for the year. Sounds good.  But . . .

IR on the road continued . . .

Illinois people are amazing.  Sure, that's a "duh," but the more Illinoisans we meet, the more amazed we are.  Last night in the little Calhoun County town of Hardin, IL, we had some delicious Illinois River cooking at Mel's Riverdock Restaurant, just feet away from the shrinking shoreline parking lot (Check out photos to the right)

"If the river crests two feet higher, we'll be flooded Thursday," the owner's wife said.  "We went through this just days before opening here in '93.  But we're fifteen years older.  I just don't know what we'll do if the river crests like they're predicting."

Mel's is the Hardin community watering hole, and last night business was brisk, but not as busy as it had been in the past week.  Hundreds of folks had come through Hardin on their way to sandbag in Hamburg, Illinois over the weekend.  IR visited Hamburg where the now-infamous loyalty oath was signed before volunteers could sandbag.  More on that later. . . photos, too.

Check out living on the water's edge just 1/2 mile downstream from the Joe Page Bridge in Hardin, Illinois. 

The people in Hardin are amazing.

Michigan Petition is Democrat Ruse

by John Ruskin

In what could be a preview of things to come in Illinois, the Democrats in Michigan have launched a petition that would drastically reduce the size of Michigan state government.

Sounds like a conservative small government play...right? Wrong.

The petition was written by the Michigan Democrat Party Chairman, is being pushed by an obscure group, which is run by a former Democrat legislator/activist, and funded by unknown sources. If successful, it would allow the Democrats to legislatively - rather than electorally - take over Michigan.

See full story here.

What the media is ignoring about the teen pregnancy pact

by Jill Stanek

Time magazine revealed last week at least eight students at Gloucester High School in MA have entered into a "pact," according to Principal Joseph Sullivan, to get pregnant and raise their babies together....

Sullivan has now gone mum, certainly after school and city lawyers told him to shut up.

It's no wonder Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk disallowed Sullivan from speaking at her June 23 press conference, telling the world he had gone "foggy in his memory," and there was "no evidence" of a pregnancy pact....

Kirk tried to shift blame for the pregnancies to state and federal government funding reductions "resulting in cuts to programs and services... including support for health education."

Not so fast. Last spring, MA Gov. Deval Patrick rejected $700,000 in free money for abstinence teaching from the federal government. Meanwhile, Patrick approved a budget increase of $800,000 for comprehensive sex ed funding, bringing the total to $3.8 million annually....

Drugs and School Employees

by Cal Skinner

The Northwest Herald had an interesting article by Kevin Craver and Jillian Duchnowski on how few school districts in McHenry County require new teachers to pass a drug test. Since Huntley School District 158 is now in negotiations with teachers, I wonder if its board will raise the issue?

You know, to protect the students.

Chances are recreational drug users are inclined to pass along their values to students.

Planned Parenthood Hits Suburbia

by Bill Beckman

The headline in the June 23rd Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reads "Planned Parenthood Hits Suburbia."  Now we have public admission from Planned Parenthood that they are targeting the "well-to-do" suburbs as they "follow the population" to find customers "who can afford to pay full price."  Planned Parenthood leaders "aim to rally support with upbeat marketing" and attract new customers with locations "in shopping centers and malls." Steve Trombley, the top executive in Illinois, observed, "I like to think of it as the LensCrafters of family planning." 

Planned Parenthood has "opened more than two dozen quick-service 'express centers,' many in suburban shopping malls.  Some sell jewelry, candles, books and T-shirts, along with contraception."  Leslie Durgin, a senior vice president at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains observed, "It is indeed a new look...a new branding, if you will."