Illinois Review

Kirk signs AFP's No Climate Tax Pledge

Americans for Prosperity of Illinois announced today that they've been successful in getting Congressman Mark Kirk to sign a pledge to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue, unless it is offset by tax cuts equal to or greater than the revenues generated."  Kirk joins over 280 other lawmakers nationwide that have signed onto AFP's Climate Tax pledge.

Junkas endorsed by Frankfort GOP

from the Junkas campaign

Jeffrey L. Junkas (R-Tinley Park), Republican candidate for State Representative in the 37th District, earned the formal endorsement of the Frankfort Township Republican Organization at their most recent meeting.

Frankfort Township endorses Meers for Congress

from Meers for Congress campaign

The Frankfort Township Republican Organization endorsed local businessman Henry Meers for the GOP congressional nomination in the 11th District at their Tuesday, November 24th meeting.

Ryan disputes Dillard on DuPage polling

from the Jim Ryan campaign

We received several calls and emails this morning regarding a Daily Herald story this morning where state senator Kirk Dillard is quoted: "I'm 2-1 ahead of everyone else in DuPage County."

Our supporters wanted to know:  How can that be?  Jim Ryan is perhaps the most popular vote getter ever in DuPage County. The answer: It’s not even close to being true.

Here are the publicly released poll numbers in this race:

Comcast Political Update focuses on 2011 Illinois Redistricting

How important is re-districting to Illinois politics? "It's the root of all evil," State Senator Kirk Dillard says during this interview with Comcast's Paul Lesnick.

Recommended ideas are discussed in Part 2

Andrzejewski fact finds in Poland

from the Adam for Illinois campaign

Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski (ann-gee-EFF-ski) will visit the Republic of Poland as part of an economic and political fact-finding mission beginning November 28, 2009...

Which stores are "naughty," and which are "nice"?

If you go by Liberty Counsel's "Naughty and Nice" List of stores that refuse to use the word Christmas and those that openly celebrate Christmas, you'd think that Christians are winning the war to keep Christ in Christmas. 

After all, stores like Disney, Old Navy and Office Depot which use word "holiday," in their sales promotions are outnumbered almost three to one by stores like K-Mart, Menards, Macy's and Nordstrum's that openly use Christmas in their catalogues and in store promotionals.  There are 27 stores to avoid during the Christmas season if you prefer the use of "Christmas" over "holidays" while there are over 60 stores that are "nice" and celebrate Christmas.

Check out Liberty Counsel's list, print out and take it with you on your next shopping excursion.

Burris and Jackson make CREW's "15 Most Corrupt" list

Illinois Democrats continue to make news with their unethical behavior.  This week, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has included two Illinois federal lawmakers -- US Senate Roland Burris and US Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr  -- in their list of Congress' 15 Most Corrupt Members of Congress.

Both Burris and Jackson are deemed corrupt by CREW because of their affiliation with either getting or attempting to get Governor Rod Blagojevich to appoint them to fill Barack Obama's empty US Senate seat.

Burris has decided not to run for election in 2010 and Jackson has a Republican opponent -- Isaac Hayes -- in the November 2010 election.

The report on Burris is HERE and on Jackson HERE. 

IR asks Adam Kinzinger about Cap and Trade

Garrido insists: "I am a Republican"

from the Garrido for Cook County Board President campaign

SCHILLER PARK – John Garrido addressed rumors being circulated among Republican circles that he’s a Democrat “plant”.  He issued the following statement:

Attempts to try and make me look like a Democrat based on my primary voting record is laughable.  I am a Republican, have always been a Republican, and will always remain a Republican.

I have voted in two Democratic primaries.  In 2008, I joined over 100,000 Republicans in Ohio, 119,000 in Texas, and 38,000 in Mississippi who voted for Hillary Clinton to put Republicans in the best position to win in the general election.  I also voted for an Assistant State’s Attorney and friend running as a Democrat who was more than qualified for judge.

Risinger Endorses Murphy for Lt. Governor

from the Murphy for LG campaign

PEORIA - State Senator Dale Risinger announced today that he is endorsing State Senator Matt Murphy for Lt. Governor.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Matt Murphy is the right person to lead our Lieutenant Governor's Office," said Risinger. "Matt's ability to transcend partisan politics and focus his efforts on lowering taxes for Illinois families makes him a perfect fit for that office."

Tracy to pursue Workers' Comp reforms

from the Tracy for Lt. Governor campaign

Springfield, IL –Don Tracy, Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, has unveiled his plans to retain and attract jobs to Illinois though a number of workers’ compensation reforms.

“No one can argue that it’s expensive to do business in the state of Illinois,” said Tracy. “Through personal and professional experience, I can tell you that workers’ compensation costs in Illinois are a critical barrier to our state seeing a dramatic increase in jobs. Workers’ comp costs truly affect the bottom line of businesses, which is why we must take steps to address the rising costs, much like Missouri did in 2005.”

Gitmo lawyer to promote detainee poems, rights in McHenry Co

Tea Party activists and protesters are being summoned to McHenry County to oppose the local community college's Student Peace Action Network keynoter Thursday night at 7:00 PM.

Marc Falkoff, an assistant professor at the Northern Illinois University College of Law and attorney for seventeen Guantánamo prisoners, is co-author of "Poems from Guatanamo: where is the world to save us from torture?"  Falkoff is sure to be stirring sympathy for his clients -- some which presumably could be moved among the 100 Gitmo detainees to Thomson Illinois -- as he promotes his collection of prisoner-authored poems Thursday night at McHenry County College.

An Open Letter to Our U.S. Senators, from a Patient

by John F. Di Leo

Do you like your job?

Yes, I'm talking to you, Senators Durbin and Burris, Kohl and Feingold, Lugar and Bayh... all one hundred of you members of the world's smallest club. You didn't join that club just for the cocktail parties.  Oh, sure, they're fun -- the reporters and sycophants fawning over you, the free food and drink, rubbing elbows with people more intelligent than you are, more likable, more successful in business or the arts. It must be exciting to be part of that scene. But that's not why you're there.

Being in the Senate is more than that.  You do take your job seriously.  You do care about the votes you cast.  Oh, not every one of them -- you can just let the party whip guide you on the unimportant stuff.  But you care about the big issues; that's why the people sent you there.  You're in Washington, the most important city on earth, for the big stuff -- peace, prosperity, justice.  And you're a true believer -- in conservatism, in liberalism, in moderation, whatever -- so you want to do the right thing for that cause, for your supporters and voters, when it really counts, anyway.

Climategate grows in spite of USA MSM Reluctance to Cover Story

by Mark Rhoads

The London Times reported on Nov. 29 that:

"SCIENTISTS at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have admitted throwing away much of the raw temperature data on which their predictions of global warming are based."

"It means that other academics are not able to check basic calculations said to show a long-term rise in temperature over the past 150 years."

"The UEA’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) was forced to reveal the loss following requests for the data under Freedom of Information legislation."

A Global Financial Crisis on the Horizon?

Your thoughts...is this information mass hysteria, a real possibility, or simply a hoax to promote a controversial cable news personality? 

An "inconceivable" Cheney bid in 2012

Why would Christopher Barron use up political chits to promote for president in 2012 one of the most despised American politicians in recent history?  That's the first question that crossed our minds while skimming a press release sent into Illinois Review Friday night from Mr. Barron, entitled "Draft Cheney 2012."  Barron's press release was featured in a brief Chicago Tribune story Saturday.

Barron's name has appeared on Illinois Review before.  In March 2008, we wrote about his involvement in Illinois Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg's campaign.  We suggested that it was ill-advised to incorporate public relations' advice from Barron, whose claim to fame was heading up the nation's Log Cabin Republicans for a couple of years and orchestrating a million dollar campaign against President George W. Bush's support of a federal constitution ban on gay marriage. 

Needless to say, Mr. Barron had little use for Illinois Review after that post, and well, we all know how Dr. Sauerberg's challenge of Dick Durbin went. 

Which raised the question with us about why Barron would head up a group to draft Dick Cheney in 2012.

No Christ in White House Christmas this year?

If you, like us, have received aforwarded email about the White House not allowing religious-based themes on its Christmas tree ornaments this year, it's just another eRumor going around.  We'll admit it's a believable one, knowing the Obamas as well as we do in Illinois.  However, the White House denies such a letter was sent out from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But there's a possible plausible connection to the eRumor, as the website TruthorFiction.com explains:

Russian authorities focus on Muslim radicals for train bombing

Friday night of Thanksgiving weekend, close to 30 Russians were killed and as many as 100 were injured as they rode home from work on the popular Nevsky Express, 200 miles northwest of Moscow. A bomb with the force of 15 pounds of TNT left a five-foot-deep crater, officials said. Another front in the War on Terrorism re-emerges in Russia:

Russian authorities named no immediate suspects or motive. But the investigation was expected to focus on Muslim radicals, who have stepped up attacks this year in a separatist insurgency in the volatile North Caucasus region, including Chechnya and neighboring Ingushetia and Dagestan.

If their involvement is confirmed, the attack on the Nevsky Express would mark a bold escalation by rebels, who the Kremlin and its main ally in the region, the Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, insist are on the run and all but defeated. It would also signal a potential return to the violence that terrorized Moscow and other Russian cities in the first half of the decade.

More on this underreported tragedy and its possible sources in a Washington Post story HERE.

Feminists Are Still Unhappy

from Phyllis Schlafly

All this self-psychoanalyzing of women's attitudes appears to have been triggered by a study released earlier this year by the National Bureau of Economic Research and published in the American Economic Journal. Called "The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness," this report concluded that women's happiness has measurably declined since 1970. Since this study covers the same time period as the rise of the so-called women's liberation movement, the feminists recognized it as a challenge to the goals and alleged achievements of their movement.

The authors, University of Pennsylvania economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, advanced a theory that the women's liberation movement "raised women's expectations" (sold them a bill of goods), making them feel inadequate when they fail to have it all. The authors also presented a second theory that the demands on women who are both mothers and jobholders in the labor force are overwhelming.

A more realistic explanation is that the feminist movement taught women to see themselves as victims of an oppressive patriarchy in which their true worth will never be recognized and any success is beyond their reach. If you believe you can never succeed because you are a helpless victim of mean men, you are probably correct.

Global Warming: Goofiness Coming to Chicago on Monday

by John Brown's Ghost

I guess the nutty environmental types haven't seen that the "science" behind all their passion is turning out to be as solid as a bowl of Jello on Mercury.  If you have the good fortune of being in downtown Chicago on Monday (ha ha, I'll be in rural Pennsylvania), you can participate in the "March on Chicago's Climate Criminals".  If you would like to, you can attend the "Mobilization Organization Meeting" on Sunday and afterward be treated to a free Vegan dinner - oh boy - yummy, yummy.  Sorry, I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots.  Besides, there is recent study that talks about how much methane cows put into the atmosphere.  Since methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, I think I'll sit at home and eat a steak - just doing my part in keeping those evil cows from destroying the planet.

I completely agree with them on one thing:  cap and trade is a system set up to make profit for corporations and will do nothing to reduce emissions.  We disagree on the alternative to Cap and Trade, but 50% agreement isn't bad.

If you happen to be in downtown Chicago at that time, feel free to take some photos and e-mail them in to Illinois Review.  My guess is that there will be about 15 people protesting. Just be careful - a lot of these wacko environmentalists don't bathe on a regular basis, so just keep your distance - use a telephoto lens.

Meet US Senate candidate Judge Don Lowery

Before seeing this interview by Scott Doody of WINI Radio in Carbondale, IL. in late November 2009, many have never met or heard about GOP U.S. Senate candidate Judge Don Lowery from the Springfield area Dixon Springs ...

Two segments with Judge Lowery follow on YouTube.

Illinois Review asks Bob Schillerstrom about state budget cuts

As part of our ongoing series of questions and answers with 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidates, we asked DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom what cuts he would make to shrink state government, and he answered...

More questions with other GOP candidates for governor on Illinois Review HERE and HERE.

Double-dipping Dems on township doles

ABC7's Chuck Goudy ran an important story Thanksgiving Eve that most viewers missed.  It's about townships, the amount of tax dollars they rake in, what they're for and why the whole system is nothing but a dole for favored political insiders -- including an array of Democratic double-dippers.

But the ABC7 I-Team and the Better Government Association have discovered that Cook County townships have stashed away a fortune in tax money. They are sitting on more than $100 million in taxpayer funds - collected but unspent.

For more than a century in Illinois they have been the core of government as local as Main Street; providing services for people who lived far from major cities. But that description no longer applies to townships in Cook County where multi-taxed residents often don't even know what a township does.

Goudy interviewed two township supervisors, but didn't mention they are both also state lawmakers -- making them double-dippers, living lucrative lives off unknowing taxpayers -- specifically State Rep. Al Riley and State Senator Lou Viverito.  He also forgot to mention another double-dipper, State Senator Maggie Crotty, who is Bremen Township's supervisor.  All Democrats -- rarely challenged in elections -- and all living off unsuspecting, overburdened township taxpayers.

More HERE.

Obamacare Omen from the U.K.

by Sam Pierce

The FFT (Feckless Fifty-Two point seven percent of those who voted in the 2008 election) have set the car on fire, cut the brake lines, and pushed it off the plateau and it is barreling down a steep slope. There is an occasional explosion as the flame reaches certain areas. Some of the explosions are set off with the help of RINO ignition sources such as Mark Kirk and his seven fellow Cap and Traitors. Other explosions are set off solely by chain reactions inherent with Dimocrat majorities, such as the deadly votes to imprison Americans in a system of socialized medicine.

Can there be hope for those (American citizens) trapped in the burning vehicle? Some of the FFT are awakening and now depress the brake pedal with all their might. Alas, they have cut the brake lines, what did they expect to happen? Of course, some assisted in the severing of the lines at the direction of those they trusted without any thought for potential consequence. The hope now lies in obstacles and fire suppression systems. The obstacles must be such that they do not cause a hard impact and the final deadly explosion. They must slow the vehicle and bring it to a stop by reducing its momentum. The fire suppression system must remove the fuel if possible, and deprive the growing blaze of the oxygen it requires.

by Sam Pierce

The FFT (Feckless Fifty-Two point seven percent of those who voted in the 2008 election) have set the car on fire, cut the brake lines, and pushed it off the plateau and it is barreling down a steep slope. There is an occasional explosion as the flame reaches certain areas. Some of the explosions are set off with the help of RINO ignition sources such as Mark Kirk and his seven fellow Cap and Traitors. Other explosions are set off solely by chain reactions inherent with Dimocrat majorities, such as the deadly votes to imprison Americans in a system of socialized medicine.

Can there be hope for those (American citizens) trapped in the burning vehicle? Some of the FFT are awakening and now depress the brake pedal with all their might. Alas, they have cut the brake lines, what did they expect to happen? Of course, some assisted in the severing of the lines at the direction of those they trusted without any thought for potential consequence. The hope now lies in obstacles and fire suppression systems. The obstacles must be such that they do not cause a hard impact and the final deadly explosion. They must slow the vehicle and bring it to a stop by reducing its momentum. The fire suppression system must remove the fuel if possible, and deprive the growing blaze of the oxygen it requires.

Judging Clarity

by John Ackermann

At a recent local candidate forum, a local judicial candidate grabbed my attention with his stump speech. For those of you not familiar with that term, stump speech came about from the political campaigns of the 18th and early 19th centuries before technology aloud for the broadcast of candidates’ speeches. At that time, candidates would go from town to town repeating the same speech and in order to been seen and heard by all, they would simply pull over a barrel, or stand on a large rock, or in many cases find the nearest stump to stand on to address the crowds. Thus, today whenever we hear a candidate find a speech or even just a phrase or two that works for them and they use it throughout the campaign, we call it a stump speech.

Berkowitz Interviews 10th CD GOP candidate Bob Dold

During a recent interview, Public Affairs Jeff Berkowitz asked 10th CD Republican Bob Dold what he would have done had he been in Congress during the bailout vote ...

Jeff Berkowitz: …if you had been there [in Congress]… in the Fall of 2008 when President Bush, Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chief Bernanke recommended the 700 billion dollar bailout, do you think you would have voted to support that?

Bob Dold [Kenilworth], 10th Cong. District Republican Primary candidate: That’s a great question, Jeff, and I think there certainly needed to be some stuff done for the—it’s tough for me to be the you know, I guess we should say it’s easier for me to be the Sunday morning quarterback-- but at the time, certainly something needed to be done to make sure that the banks stabilized. I’m not so sure that in terms of the dollars that we had allocated for the TARP funds—and that they were originally targeted for the banks-- and we decided to use them for a bunch of different things. So, I would have voted at that point in time to do what was necessary to try to stabilize the banking system so that it didn’t spiral out of control and we had basically banks with “going out of business,” signs.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, does that mean that yes, you would have supported the bailout, as pronounced at the time?

Giannoulias follows Andrzejewski's example and opens tax returns

Even though they're from two different political parties and running for two different statewide offices, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, State Treasurer Alexi GIannoulias is the only statewide candidate that's followed Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrezjewski's example of making his income tax returns available for media scrutiny. 

Today's Chicago Tribune says almost all of Giannoulias' personal wealth has come from his family business - Broadway Bank- and an inheritance from his father.  Four years of tax returns show that Giannoulias' income dropped dramatically last year, as banking stocks plunged.

We are aware of no other statewide candidate but Andrzejewski that has made his income tax returns available via the internet.

An inconvenient truth

The War on Christmas vs. the War on Thanksgiving

by Gary McCullough, director of Christian Newswire

Throughout history there exists an ongoing battle over what cultures celebrate and why. In recent American history the battle lines are often described as pro and anti-Christian.

America once was content in allowing civil authorities to select and define its holidays. With the increasing influence of groups which use the courts to challenge any comingling of religion and the function of government, the definition of the some of the nation's holidays have become a war zone.

And while most Americans think of Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas as Christian holidays -- history is clear that Easter and Christmas were originally pagan celebrations, stolen and redefined.

Happy Thanksgiving from the "Chicago 9"

from the Proft for Governor campaign

Policies advanced and supported by the nine Chicago Democrats who control $70 billion worth of government and 125,000 public sector jobs in Illinois have destroyed this state's economy.  Those 9 Chicago Democrats:  Pat Quinn, Lisa Madigan, Jesse White, Dan Hynes, Alexi Giannoulias, Mike Madigan, John Cullerton, Richard Daley and Todd Stroger.  Business and families are fleeing Illinois like it is on fire, driving unemployment up to 11% statewide and a staggering 16% in Rockford.  It will get worse until we get better public policies.

Chicago Nativity Scene Returns to Daley Plaza

On Saturday, November 28th, at 11:00 a.m. families will gather in Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago, to celebrate the annual dedication of the Chicago Nativity Scene. "The Nativity Scene has been an annual tradition in Daley Plaza since l985 when the beautiful life size crèche was first displayed," said Terrance Hodges, co- chair of the Nativity Scene Committee.

"This remains the sole religious expression of Christmas on a government plaza in downtown Chicago," said Hodges. "The God Squad, a group of volunteer tradesmen, will erect the stable and install the lighting as they have for the past 23 years."

Happy Thanksgiving, circa 1939

Global Warming: Hacked Data Just Keeps Giving

by John Brown's Ghost

Much has been made in the blogosphere about the hacking of data from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia.  You may have seen my article from the other day on the subject.  If you failed to come here to Illinois Review EVERY SINGLE DAY, like you are supposed to, and missed it, you can read it by clicking here.  (Your undying loyalty is all we ask - pretty simple).

Most of the article the other day focused on some of the e-mails that went back and forth between various "scientists" (termed VERY loosely.  Kind of like calling Rod Blagojevich a "public servant").  However, just like a speed boat racing through the frozen North Atlantic on jet fuel would learn, that was only the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to e-mails, some of the data that has come to light has been the actual data files that have been used to project those drowning coastlines that Al Gore got all misty-eyed about.  Of particular interest is a "read me" file called "HARRY_READ_ME.txt", which presumably was written by Ian "Harry" Harris, a staff member of CRU.  A "readme" file is a small text file that programmers use to include notes about how programming or data manipulation has been conducted.  Just think of it as a daily diary - computer style.

Remarks by the President on Pardoning of the National Turkey

from the White House website

THE PRESIDENT:  Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.  Welcome to the White House.  On behalf of Sasha and Malia and myself, we're thrilled to see you.  I want to thank Walter Pelletier, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and Joel Brandenberger, its president, for donating this year's turkey.  His name is "Courage," and he traveled here from Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he was raised under Walter's own precious care.

(Turkey gobbles.)

THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  (Laughter.)

Our Unprecedented President

by John F. Di Leo

On November 25, the day before Thanksgiving, an article appeared in Politico entitled "The White House's Unprecedented Use of 'Unprecedented,'" by Carol E. Lee.  The article proceeded to take on the President and his administration for exaggerating, well, nearly everything they do.  Not a partisan article, but it honestly challenged some claims, and outright refuted a number of whoppers, calling out the adminstration on the extent to which they'll stretch definitions to make it seem like their latest decision, activity, speech, dictate, or program is really "new and improved."

The shocker isn't that the article appeared on the web -- the Right has been irritated by this administration's abuse of "unprecedented" and "historic" claims for a year now -- but that Yahoo picked it up as one of the featured stories of the day.  Millions of nonpolitical types who use Yahoo as their default web browser were greeted Wednesday by this frank and reasonable hit piece, not on the president's positions themselves, but on their spin, and on his cult of personality, which is far more important right now.

A Thanksgiving Revival

by Nathan Tabor

This past year has been a tough one for many, if not most, Americans. While fighting two fronts in the war on terrorism, we've had to contend with economic turmoil, soaring unemployment, political division and a growing sense that America's best years are behind us.

However, this Thanksgiving holiday provides America with an opportunity to reflect on our Thanksgiving history and tradition while giving thanks to God for seeing us through another year. In spite of our current strife, we should thank our Lord for his grace (giving us what we don't deserve) and mercy (not giving us what we do deserve).

More Fake Global Warming Data in New Zealand

By Mark Rhoads

Give dishnoest scientists enough rope, and they might hang themselves.  Following the Climategate scandal at the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in the UK, on Wednesday came revelations of more fake global warming data at The New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.  All this fakery is coming as President Obama prepares to go of all places to Copenhagen for a UN summit meeting on what?  Yes, the global warmng forecasts that we now know are based on fake data.  There has been almost no global warming according to honest temerature data for the last 11 years.  But all of Al Gore's hysterical claims of rising ocean levels and poor polar bears losing their homes on the ice is starting to look like nonsense that cannot be supported by any real data that has not been manipulated.

Happy Thanksgiving

 
 

PC Thanksgiving revision

How liberals celebrate Thanksgiving ... really funny, eh?

Republican, not Greenie nor Dem, says 56th GOP candidate Forte-Scott

Having Green Party activist Rob Sherman dub Republican primary candidate Anita Forte-Scott "the worst candidate ever" wasn't what was on the 56th State Rep district candidate's mind today when she talked to Illinois Review.  The Schaumburg resident's emphasis was to squelch any rumors that she was interested in running for the Illinois House in 2010 as anything other than a Republican.

"I attended the Green Party meeting in October because the Cook County co-ordinator named Walter invited me to come and talk about environmental issues," Forte-Scott said.  "Despite what Mr. Sherman thinks, I didn't go there with the intention of winning the Green Party's endorsement.  I simply responded to an invitation."

Forte-Scott said any impression that Sherman may have that she invited herself to meet with the Green Party is faulty. 

"The meeting was held a week before the petition drive was over.  It was held at the Schaumburg Library where I serve on the trustee board," she said, "so I thought it would be good to go, make sure they knew we invited open dialogue with anyone at the library, and that they'd want to hear what type of pro-environment activities were being offered in the Schaumburg area."

Sherman had a different take.

Kirk Statement on Resignation of Defense Official Responsible For Gitmo Move to Thomson

NORTHBROOK, Ill. - U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk today released the following statement following news that the defense official charged with moving the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to Thomson, Illinois – Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Policy Phillip Carter – unexpectedly resigned on Friday.

“Last Thursday, members of the Illinois congressional delegation submitted specific security and legal questions to the Secretary of Defense on issues surrounding the proposed military detention of Al Qaeda detainees on U.S. soil.  We now understand that the key official responsible for answering our questions resigned the following day. Phillip Carter’s resignation raises further questions.

“Key questions for Illinois remain, including:

Are Dems scared or just bluffing?

Democrats are either hedging their bets on keeping Obama's US Senate seat in Illinois, or they're bluffing. An Associated Press piece says:

The Obama administration has even expressed some uneasiness about Democrats' ability to keep the seat away from Republicans in the wake of Blagojevich.

"Obviously there is an added burden, but not an insurmountable one," top Obama adviser David Axelrod told The Associated Press.

But Blagojevich isn't the Democrats' only hurdle, said Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle. Del Valle on Tuesday endorsed former city of Chicago inspector general David Hoffman, one of Giannoulias' Feb. 2 primary opponents.

"It's a rough political climate," del Valle said. "President Barack Obama is not having an easy time these days even though he's doing exactly what people like me want him to do."

So what do you think? Are they really concerned, or are they just bluffing?

Dodge launches ad, takes swipe at Topinka

Hynes proposes 'preferences' for college entrance

Democratic candidate for governor Dan Hynes outlined a plan yesterday to give veterans preferential treatment when they apply for college. Given his Party's history, one can assume he means "preferences" for those veterans who have he requisite "clout" with the appropriate Democrat politician.

Look mommy, the polar bears are flying

The enviro-terrorists are obsessed with the polar bear. Even in the wake of Climategate, they resort to killing the animal in order to propagandize their manufactured crisis of global warming. Below is their latest:

Gordon gets on ballot, thanks to Chicago machine

Morris, IL -- The Chicago Machine and its endless surplus of political workers have once again delivered for Careen Gordon who’s facing a heated re-election race for 75th State Representative against a family business owner and longtime Morris resident Sue Rezin.

Cook County and Chicago residents are listed as circulators for 117 of the 137 petitions Careen Gordon filed for office, according to Illinois State Board of Elections.  Voters who live outside of the district in Will County also circulated an additional eight petitions on behalf of Gordon.

Vote "NO" on Cap and Trade

from Americans for Prosperity

Over the last year, Americans for Prosperity has criss-crossed the nation holding rallies featuring AFP's 7-story high hot air balloon emblazoned with our message: "Cap-and-Trade means higher taxes, lost jobs and less freedom."

Now, with the battle over climate change at a fever pitch, Americans for Prosperity is launching a $1 million television advertising effort to further drive home their message.

Health care story paints Tea Partiers as heartless

The recent townhall on health care held in U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski's south Chicago district stirred a huge controversy over the experience shared by the woman below. At least one local journalist used the emotiomal exchange to paint local Tea Party participants in a negative light, as insensitive and cruel.

We know Illinois provides Medicaid for all expectant mothers that are uninsured, but the tragic case shared below indicates the mother was "uninsured," and therefore her care was minimal at the time she needed it most. However, the woman did get health care at a local hospital, where a $1.5 million bill was incurred, and will fall on the back of taxpayers anyway.

Are Tea Partiers, as Kristen McQueary wrote, becoming hard-hearted about these situations? Or should the response have been different?

Chris Matthews Worries About KSM Getting an ACLU Lawyer

by Rhonda Robinson

Will Barack Hussein Obama become just another name in the long list of defamed, failed, and corrupt Illinois politicians? Will he follow in Governor Blagojevich’s footsteps as another Democrat whose party abandoned him? Has his fall from political grace begun?

In the short span of time this administration has been in power, it has raised many questions in the minds of average Americans about the role of government, its competency and constitutional authority. In a rare flash of rationality, Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s Hardball had some questions of his own: