Illinois Review

RNC Chair in Chicago, says GOP has done lousy job reaching out to Hispanics

The chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) told a gathering of the nation’s Latino public officials Saturday that the GOP has done a “lousy” job reaching out to their community, but pledged that a new outreach campaign shows “we want to earn your trust, and your vote.”

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus also reiterated his belief in the need for “comprehensive” immigration reform but acknowledged he’s not a policy maker who can shape a plan for Republicans who control the House.

Priebus appeared before the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), which was holding its annual convention at the Swissotel in Chicago. ...More HERE

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus

Conservative group prepares to launch negative TV spots against Roskam

A group of conservatives is preparing to launch a series of negative TV spots in Illinois' 6th Congressional District aimed at Congressman Peter Roskam.

See ad: HERE

The ads are being run as part of a larger campaign directed at House Speaker John Boehner and the Republican leadership team, which includes Roskam who is Chief Deputy Whip.

According to one of the group's donors, the impetus for the campaign is the "House GOP's endless borrowing and debt-financed roll-out of Obamacare, which requires all employers to provide insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs." In addition, the groups is demanding that the House GOP immediately end government subsidies to Planned Parenthood.

The ads are expected to hit sometime before August.

Palin and Walsh float idea of conservatives leaving the GOP

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said on Saturday that if Republicans abandon conservatives, conservatives may have to consider leaving the Republican Party - sentiments also expressed by former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, who said something very similar while speaking at the Illinois Center Right Coalition conference yesterday. 

Palin was responding on Fox News to a question from a viewer, Josh Painter, who asked if she and conservative talk radio host Mark Levin would be willing to form a “Freedom Party” if the GOP continues to let down conservatives.

“I love the name of that party,” Palin said on Fox News on Saturday. “If the GOP continues to back away from the planks in our platform, from the principles that built this party of Lincoln and of Reagan, then, yeah, more and more of us are going to start saying, ‘You know, what’s wrong with being independent?’”

What do you think?

Dillard: If Proft opts out, only two conservatives in gubernatorial primary

West Side Blogger Bill Baar attended yesterday's Illinois Center Right Coalition convention where State Sen. Kirk Dillard made an unscheduled speech.

As reported by Baar, Dillard, who is running for the GOP nomination for Governor in 2014, told the audience he aligned perfectly with the conservative ICRC's agenda. He also stated that if Dan Proft opts to stay out of the primary there'd only be two such conservatives - himself and fellow State Sen. Bill Brady.

Dillard went on to say that between him and Brady, he is the only one electable in the general election. Dillard lost to Brady by less than 200 votes in the crowded 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary election. Brady went on to lose to Gov. Pat Quinn.

Speaking to IL Center Right Coalition in Elgin pic.twitter.com/vahPsQAIhK

— Citizens for Dillard (@KirkDillard) June 29, 2013

Immigration backers out-donate critics 24 to 1

The coalition of business and progressive groups that back the Senate’s far-reaching immigration bill gave politicians far more in donations than rival advocates for reduced immigration, according to a new report by MapLight, a group that tracks money in politics.

Legislators received donations worth $63.2 million from business and progressive groups in favor of an immigration rewrite, but only $2.6 million from opponents of the ”Gang of Eight” bill that passed the Senate by a 68-32 vote Thursday. The GOP-led House of Representatives is expected to take up a separate bill after the July 4 recess.

That 24 to 1 ratio doesn’t include the factions’ spending on lobbyists, advocates, pollsters, public relations agents, or TV advertising. ...More HERE

Facebook Bans Fox News' Todd Starnes Over Post Supporting NRA, Paula Deen, Jesus

After posting a message on his Facebook page (see below) supporting the National Rifle Association, Paula Deen and Jesus Christ, Fox News’ Todd Starnes found himself banned from the social media site and his post deleted, Fox News reported Saturday.

According to Starnes, the post went viral, generating hundreds of comments. But Facebook claimed it violated their rules and standards.

(Click graphic to enlarge)

Facebook has since restored the post. However, one has to consider how many others without the Fox host's visibility may be having their posts removed.

DOJ defunds youth programs that reference God

Illinois' Warner Todd Huston is reporting that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has summarily removed federal funding from two Louisiana youth programs because a local official refused to sign a pledge stating he would require the programs to ban mentions of God.

Julian Whittington, the sheriff of Bossier Parish, LA, told Fox News that Obama’s Justice Office of Civil Rights de-funded the Young Marines chapter and another youth program over mentions of religion. In the case of the Young Marine program, chartered in 1965, the funding was cut off because the group features an oath that mentions “God.” In the other case, it was because a program for at-risk youth featured a voluntary, student-led prayer session as one of its activities.

Sheriff Whittington says that the DOJ withdrew a combined $30,000 from the programs because the groups refused to remove God from their activities. The sheriff said this was evidence of the government’s “aggression and infringement of our religious freedoms.” ...More HERE

Obama’s Payback Scheme for “Unfair” Racist Amerika Succeeding Brilliantly

By Teri O'Brien - 

As the Lame Stream Media continues to operate as the PR shop for the Obama White House, distracting low and moderate information people with the shiny object of the week, be it Paula Deen’s crucifixion for the decades-old sin of using a word that is proudly included in the top ten hip hop songs in America today, the trial of the man who killed Barack’s pretend son, or the location of useful idiot/”29-year-old hacker” Edward Snowden, the country is gradually being transformed into a Cook County writ large.

For those of you unaware of what that looks like, it features crony capitalism, race-obsessed politics, corrupt political elites stealing the hard-earned cash of those unfortunate enough not to be in on the whole racket. The Obamacare train wreck was the first step, a massive income redistribution racket, premised on the belief that it’s “unfair” that those who work and achieve should be able to obtain better medical care than the wino pushing the shopping cart and muttering to himself, the illegal alien and his many relatives, or the shiftless serial sperm donor, his many baby mamas and their spawn.

Republican Congressman's Epic 1 Minute Obama Critique On House Floor

Speaking on the House floor, Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) delivered a scathing review of President Barack Obama and his administration.

H/T: The Western Center for Journalism

As Zimmerman trial continues, black conservatives encourage outreach to urban communities

While the George Zimmerman trial moved on to other witnesses, people are still talking about the dramatic cross-examination of the late Trayvon Martin's friend Rachel Jeantel. Stacy Swimp, a member of the Project 21 black leadership network, said the demeanor and language exhibited by Jeantel on the stand "was a clear manifestation of the cultural perversions that are normalized throughout many of our urban communities."

Swimp suggests that, rather than criticizing Jeantel's actions, Americans should be reaching out to urban communities to "promote spiritual revival" and help teach residents of the inner-city about things such as morals and fiscal literacy.

Photo: ABC News

Illinois' Ozinga Brothers, Inc. joins Hobby Lobby seeking exemption from Obamacare

Ozinga Bros., Inc., a respected Chicago-area ready-mix concrete company, has filed a complaint in federal court seeking an exemption from complying with what is known as the “employer mandate” in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as “Obamacare.” Working with the Thomas More Society, Chicago, and affiliated attorneys, Ozinga ownership has taken action to oppose the mandate that requires the company to pay for and include in their employee group health plans abortifacient drugs, to which the family-owned business is firmly opposed to for religious reasons.

The company, a premier Midwest supplier of concrete and building materials, filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, seeking an injunction or exemption from compliance with government directives they deem morally reprehensible.

Under the Obamacare mandate, Ozinga Bros. would be forced to provide coverage for drugs commonly referred to as “morning after” (Plan B) and “week after” (“ella”) pills, which are administered to induce abortions.

The Ozinga family, owners and managers of Ozinga Bros., Inc., have a Scripture-based belief that life begins at conception. Providing abortion‐inducing drugs stands in direct contradiction to essential tenets of their faith and their faith-inspired purpose in doing business. The company’s employees have been assured that Ozinga Bros., Inc. maintains the goal of continuing to provide its employees with high quality, comprehensive health insurance plans at a reasonable cost, but that it “cannot in good faith and conscience provide or pay for drugs that induce abortions.”

After pricing teachers out of jobs, CTU sets them up to receive government assistance

By Paul Kersey - 

Barring a dramatic shift, more than 800 Chicago Public Schools employees, many of them dues-paying Chicago Teachers Union members, will be without jobs when schools open in the fall.

But CTU, having collected more than $1,000 in dues per year from these people before pricing them out of their jobs, has made plans to help them out. The union is sponsoring an Emergency Resource Summit on July 1, where laid-off teachers will get help applying for unemployment insurance and state assistance with housing, retraining or medical services.

Gang of 8 Bill Trojan Horse For Dick Durbin's DREAM Act

By Ulysses Arn - 

The Gang of 8's amnesty bill and that whole Corker-Hoeven amendment debacle from last Friday into Monday night are the exact reasons why I support amending the US Constitution so that any bill has to be engrossed for a minimum of 90 days before it can be voted on(more on that here).

Just like with Obamacare we have been forced into passing a bad piece of legislation in order to read it and find out all the particulars about the Gang of 8's plans.

While these last several weeks has been focused on the border security and interior enforcement provisions of the Gang of 8's bill(or the lack thereof) plus the general fact that at least some 11 million illegal immigrants would get amnesty the public debate never had the chance to get around to what was the real driving force behind the Gang of 8; the fact that this amnesty bill is nothing more than a vehicle to ram-rod through Illinois Senator Dick Durbin's DREAM Act.

Now that Republican Senators John McCain(AZ), Jeff Flake(AZ), Lindsey Graham(SC), Marco Rubio(FL), Lamar Alexander(TN), Bob Corker(TN), Kelly Ayotte(NH), Hoeven(ND), Chisea(NJ)*way to go Chris Christie, Susan Collins(ME), Orrin Hatch(UT), Heller(NV), Mark Kirk(IL), and Lisa Murkowski(AK) have joined with Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer and the rest of the Democrats in passing the Gang of 8's amnesty bill which it turns out was nothing more than a Trojan horse to pass Durbin's DREAM Act, Durbin is gloating.

Thorner: The Archilles Heel in Education: the black/white achievement gap

By Nancy Thorner - 

Michael Bakalis, author of The Archilles Heel, was featured at The Heartland Institute Author Series on Wednesday, June 26. The title of Bakalis' book derives from Greek mythology as a metaphor for a fatal weakness as something having overall strength. According to Michael Bakalis, The Archilles Heel is "the seemingly inflexible academic achievement gap between white and black students in our nation's educational system."

In introducing Michael Bakalis, Joe Bast, CEO and President of The Heartland Institute, displayed a copy of "We Can Rescue Our Children: The Cure for Chicago's Public School Crisis - with Lessons for the Rest of American", published in 1988 by the URF Educational Foundation. The authors, Michael J. Bakalis, Joseph L. Bast, Herbert J. Walberg, and Steve Baer, were in agreement that the combination of parental choice and decentralization would produce systemic accountability while fostering both equity and excellence. Noted was that despite all the talk ensuing about the failing nature of the Chicago Pubic School System since the book was written 25 years ago, little change had taken place.

Moody’s: Illinois 2011 unfunded liability jumps by 65 percent

By Ted Dabrowski & John Klingner - 

Moody’s Investors Service reported that Illinois’ true unfunded pension liability in fiscal year 2011 was nearly 65% higher than the state’s official estimate.

In its report titled “Adjusted Pension Liability Medians for U.S. States,” Moody’s calculated the unfunded liabilities for Illinois’ three largest state-run pension plans at $133 billion, compared to the state’s official calculation of $81.3 billion.

Illinois’ pension funds use overly optimistic assumptions in calculating their unfunded liability, including an expected 8% yearly average investment return. The new Moody’s methodology uses more realistic market rates based on high-quality corporate bonds. The rate Moody’s used for fiscal year 2011 was 5.67%, resulting in a $52 billion increase in the state’s unfunded liability.

Rhoads: 98 percent of Americans are NOT gay

By Mark Rhoads - 

The modern news industry seems to often violate one of the classic rules of journalism that used to define a news story as something unusual such as a man attacking a dog instead of the other way around. But news coverage of the "gay marriage" debate has become so distorted that some consumers of news might think a much higher percentage of the population is gay than is really the case.

This week after the Supreme Court decision voiding the Defense of Marriage Act, the Google search engine, which owns You Tube, is hard at work pushing traffic to hundreds of videos that supposedly celebrate "pride," which Google and You Tube apparently define exclusively as pro-gay videos.

Illinois gay activists ask: Where's the money?

While celebrating this week's favorable Supreme Court rulings, Illinois' gay activists are now demanding their allotment of taxpayer money.

Writing in Crains, Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois (photo right), states he wants more government benefits "ranging from family unification for bi-national couples to [taxpayer-funded] Social Security survivor benefits to [taxpayer-funded] health care for a spouse. In fact, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 1,138 [taxpayer-funded] federal protections and programs are connected to marriage."

As one activist noted, "Cherkasov wants a piece of the pie. This isn't about love or equality, unless you're talking love of money and an equal share of government largess."

Crony Capitalism: Will Obama's carbon curbs cure Exelon's gas pain?

Exelon Corp. shares perked up after President Barack Obama announced his new carbon crackdown this week, a sign investors think stricter emissions limits will pump up the nuclear power giant's deflated profit margins.

The bull case for Exelon assumes Mr. Obama's push to limit greenhouse gases will force large numbers of coal-burning power plants to close, cutting electricity supplies and pushing up prices. Higher prices mean higher profits for Exelon, whose nuclear plants are largely emission-free. ...More HERE

Kirk votes for immigration reform

WASHINGTON - Illinois' US Senator Mark Kirk voted in favor of the immigration reform bill that passed the US Senate Thursday, despite efforts from conservative groups such as Heritage Foundation and Eagle Forum urging him to oppose the legislation. Kirk released a video with an explanation for his support for the bill along with this statement:

“The American system unlocks human potential faster and better than any other system,” Sen. Kirk said. “We are going to unlock the full American potential of 525,000 people in our state who will build businesses and boost the Illinois economy.”

Over the last two weeks, Sen. Kirk worked with his colleagues to improve the border security provisions in the immigration bill. Wednesday, the Senate adopted a “border surge” amendment to add 21,000 more border patrol agents, require the completion of 700 miles of fencing, implement an electronic entry-exit system at all air and sea ports and mandate the use of the E-Verify employment verification system by all employers.

The legislation will face stiff opposition in the Republican-controlled US House.

Women on the Right to Unite in new RNC coalition

WASHINGTON - Friday, the Republican National Committee will launch "Women on the Right Unite,"  a new coalition to corral resources from across the different GOP campaign committees with the mission of better supporting female candidates and lawmakers within the party.

“Women are essential to our success as a Party and as a country,” said RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day. “Combining all of the Republican resources from committees up and down the ticket, we will ensure we provide our women candidates the support, mentorship and resources to be successful both as they enter politics or seek higher offices.”

An autopsy report commissioned by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus following the election suggested that Republicans needed to change tone to win back female and young voters. 

The report also suggested that the party needed to do more to elevate female surrogates within the party and promote women to be included in messaging discussions at the RNC. Announcing the report's findings, Priebus admitted that some "biologically stupid" remarks by GOP candidates had alienated female voters.

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) will be participating in the new women's coalition

Harry Reid Struggles with English

By Mark Rhoads

Last Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) became impatient with Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) when Portman asked for a chance to vote on his amendment to the Gang of 8 immigration bill.  Here is what Reid said, "“I’ve been very patient today. But I’ve just about had it on this,” Reid said.“The senator from Ohio was offered to put this in the bill. He turned it
down.”  Can any IR reader diagram that sentence to find a subject and a verb?

Live coverage of Blackhawk Stanley Cup Celebration in Chicago

Friday, Chicago will celebrate the city's Blackhawks winning hockey's Stanley Cup with a parade that will begin as the team travels from the United Center starting at 10:30 a.m. Celebrations will finish with a rally in Chicago's Grant Park at 11:00. Players will move by double-decker bus through the parade route down Washington St. before snaking its way on to Columbus Ave. and finishing on Hutchinson Field -- on Grant Park's south end.

WGN-TV will provide live coverage HERE.

The news ... illustrated

Email proof: Obama tried to steer $10 million to Chicago nonprofit

It is being reported by the Daily Caller that while he was Illinois' U.S. Senator, Barack Obama attempted to steer $10 million in taxpayer money to a Chicago nonprofit under investigation for potential fraud, according to an email sent by the nonprofit’s then-director of operations.

Former Save-A-Life Foundation (SALF) director of operations Vincent Davis sent an email dated June 10, 2007 to Eric Brandmeyer, an official at an Illinois hospital, assuring him [Brandmeyer] that public funding for SALF would remain strong in the aftermath of a local media report on the group’s potentially fraudulent activities.

“All is ok regarding funding, and we are getting Obama to help push through our legislation for an additional 10 million which is part of the Homeland Security bill,” Davis wrote in his June 10 reply email.

See emails: HERE

SALF officials believed that their organization would be the intended recipient of at least $10 million in federal funding from the Community Response System Initiative (CRSI) Act of 2006.

As reported previously (HERE), Illinois' Democrat U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, a former SALF “Advisory Council” member, also urged a U.S. Senate subcommittee chairman to appropriate $1 million in federal funds for SALF in 1999.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin with SALF Founder Carol Spizzirri

The Save-A-Life Foundation is reportedly under investigation by the state's Democrat Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is the daughter of House Speaker Mike Madigan, and a possible candidate for Governor in 2014.

When it comes to job creation, Quinn ranks low among Governors

Job creation has been one of the weak spots in Gov. Pat Quinn's four years in office, according to a ranking of governors, published by Scott Thomas in On Numbers, a digital publication of Chicago Business Journal's parent company.

Quinn ranked 30th with a raw change in private-sector employment of 5,600 since taking office. The rate of job growth in Illinois since Quinn took office was 0.03 percent, compared with rate in job growth of 0.54 percent in the other 49 states. ...More HERE

Protestants now against coal?

According to the liberal group in Springfield, "Protestants for the Common Good," Protestants now oppose coal because downstate coal costs Illinois millions each year, according to a report by Downstream Strategies. The Common Good folks are working in coordination with environmentalists and the Obama Administration, who are also actively working against coal - aiming to shut down the coal industry.

Letter to the Editor: DOMA ruling will incite more hate from the Left

From David Smith - 

In spite of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision, marriage remains the union of husband and wife, a timeless and universal institution that connects children to their mother and father. All three branches of government, state and federal, should work to preserve our historic marriage laws — not undermine them.

Far too many people fail to understand the unique purpose and nature of marriage. It is the only relationship of interest to the government because it has the potential to produce children and is the best environment in which to raise the next generation of healthy and productive members of society.

It is deeply troubling to consider how these two rulings will advance the homosexual political agenda, and how it will lead to more anti-religious bigotry and persecution. While conservative people of faith and moral conscience should be able to freely exercise their religious beliefs, these newly manufactured rights are increasingly being used to quash individual liberties.

Must watch: Congressman Roskam opens a can of whoopass on the IRS (video)

Below is a video of Congressman Peter Roskam questioning IRS Principal Deputy Commissioner Daniel Werfel at a Ways and Means Committee hearing on the misuse of power of the IRS and their refusal to be forthcoming with information requests from Congress.

Durbin was for DOMA before he was against it

Democrats in the House and Senate have been quick to applaud the Supreme Court's decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — even though they voted for it back in 1996.

For example, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said yesterday's court decision marked a "great, historic day for equality" and called DOMA "absurd." Yet he voted for the act.

Other Democrats who voted for DOMA yet cheered its demise include Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Ben Cardin of Maryland - who both voted for the act while in the House - Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Patty Murray of Washington, Chuck Schumer of New York, and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

Inspector General: IRS flagged 100% Tea Party, Patriots and 9/12 applicants

The IRS flagged one hundred percent of the groups with "Tea Party," "Patriots" and "9/12" in their names Treasury Inspector General Robert George wrote in a letter this week to Michigan Rep Sandy Levin, a Democrat, The Hill reports. Despite claims to the contrary, progressive groups were not targeted, he said.

“Our audit did not find evidence that the IRS used the ‘progressives’ identifier as selection criteria for potential political cases between May 2010 and May 2012,” George wrote in the letter obtained by The Hill.

The inspector general also stressed that 100 percent of the groups with “Tea Party,” “patriots” and “9/12” in their name were flagged for extra attention.

House Republicans use video to pressure Democrats on student loan bill

The House Republican Conference today released a new video, “Action, Not Political Games,” that contrasts action in the Republican-controlled House versus what they call political gamesmanship in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Last month, House Republicans passed the Smarter Solutions for Students Act, which would prevent federal loan interest rates from doubling. With the deadline only three days away, Senate Democrats have not acted. In fact, President Obama threatened to veto the House bill and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said with unequivocal conviction, "I am not looking for a compromise." However, failure to act is putting students in danger of not being able to attend college.

Caprio: Congress must decide federal benefits for homosexual couples

By Paul Caprio - 

The Supreme Court established yesterday, as a qualification for receiving federal benefits by homosexual couples, the requirement that they be married in a state in which same sex marriage is legal. There are many qualifications for various federal benefits, and those who do not qualify are not victims of discrimination.

We always have a choice to live in one state or another where we believe the economic benefits are greater - i.e. Texas has no state income tax at all, yet many of us choose to live in Illinois where the tax is 5%.

It is now for the U.S. Congress to decide whether to extend federal benefits to those who are in civil unions. It was Congress who conferred these federal benefits in the first place and it is Congress which needs to decide future benefits for those who may presently have civil union status.

Roskam: IRS is an agency out of control

Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam is featured in a National Review story today about the IRS scandal and his determination to get to the bottom of the agency's problematic activities. Monday, IRS acting chief Danny Werfel issued findings on the agency that aggravated Roskam, who is now fourth in the US House GOP's leadership.

Werfel’s 83-page report, released on Monday, concluded, based on the IRS’s internal investigation of the matter, that the targeting of tea-party groups resulted from “significant management and judgment failures” but that “we have not found evidence of intentional wrongdoing by IRS personnel.” Werfel also indicated that he is relying on Congress and the inspector general’s office to conduct interviews with his employees and to get to the bottom of the problem.

Roskam has little patience for what he considers the report’s vagueness and sidestepping. The report, he says, articulates the problem at the heart of the IRS: government gone wild. The agency is “incapable of getting to the bottom of a discipline problem, a wasting of taxpayer funds problem, a lying to Congress and the American people problem.” In short, “an agency that is out of control.”

Swinging Justice Kennedy Told Us 17 Years Ago He Favored Gay Marriage

By Teri O'Brien - 

Yesterday's Supreme Court decision requiring the federal government to pay federal benefits to couples in so-called same-sex "marriages" was no surprise. After Justice Kennedy's ridiculous, emotionally-driven opinion in 2003's Lawrence v. Texas, a case that invalidated state laws against sodomy, it was only a matter of time, provided that Swinging Tony was still on the Court. Now, predictably, the Supreme Court has jumped the shark.

How nauseating was it to see moronic militant homosexual advocates trot out the predictable drivel that recognizing homosexual "marriage" is wonderful for "the children?" We all know that liberals seeking to destroy traditional institutions, trample on our liberty and confiscate our property never fail to use "the children" as a justification, but it was particularly offensive here, since it is manifest that the best thing for children is to be born to a married man and woman and to grow up in their home.

Toxic unions robbing workers

By Paul Kersey - 

A recent Google Consumer Surveys poll shows that a third of union household members would quit their union if it weren't for the fact that doing so would cost them their jobs.

Because Illinois lacks a Right-to-Work law, thousands of workers are forced to pay dues or fees to a union that they don't believe in. Sometimes those same unions make outrageous demands that cost workers their jobs anyway.

But there are no ways that workers can take a stand against union extremism and limit the damage that forced unionism does in their communities.

Illinois: Driving people to drink

Arrests for driving under the influence increased nearly 40-percent in Peoria in 2012, compared to the previous year. That's according to a survey conducted by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists.

The group says 426 people were arrested in Peoria for DUI last year. Springfield and Decatur joined Peoria in the top five of the list, which excludes Chicago's more than 3,000 arrests.

DUI arrests were also up in the Town of Normal. Police there reported 322 arrests last year, an almost 10 percent increase from 2011.

Caterpillar CEO Urges Illinois Businesses to Back State Pension Reform

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) Chairman and Chief Executive Doug Oberhelman called on Illinois business executives Wednesday to ramp up pressure on state legislators to pass a pension reform plan for state employees.

Mr. Oberhelman said businesses in the state have been too passive in advocating for a comprehensive bailout plan. He said business executives should call or write their legislators to stress that Illinois can no longer delay action on a reform strategy.

"Businesses have to stand up and do that. Businesses and job creators need to he heard," said Mr. Oberhelman during a speech at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting in Chicago. "Our pension system is in very deep trouble."

Illinois's pension shortfall has nearly tripled in the past decade, to $96.8 billion, largely because the state has underfunded its system while approving increases in retiree benefits. Illinois's credit rating is the lowest among U.S. states. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services recently said without action the state's rating could fall to the triple-B category that only three states have reached in the past 50 years. ...More HERE

Illinois’ seemingly endless appetite: another $1.3 billion borrowing

By Ted Dabrowski - 

As if Illinois didn’t have enough debt to deal with, the state borrowed another $1.3 billion yesterday. The state says it needs the money for infrastructure projects.

Illinois tapped the bond markets despite the current fallout from the state’s failure to reform pensions and the recent bond market instability, which drove states like Georgia, New Jersey and Minnesota to delay their bond sales. In response, investors penalized Illinois heavily, demanding record-high interest rates in exchange for parting with their money.

Bonds due in 25 years yielded a 5.65 percent interest rate. That’s 160 basis points above the rates paid by AAA-rated states, matching the record high Illinois set in January 2011. And 10-year bonds were sold at a yield of 165 basis points above AAA-rated states. 

Illinois Pays 17% More Than in April for $1.3 Billion Muni Sale

Illinois paid 17 percent more in extra yield than in April as it issued $1.3 billion of general obligations, less than a month after lawmakers failed to bolster the nation’s worst-funded state pension system.

The deal was Illinois’s first since its credit rating was cut after legislators left the state capital on May 31 without striking a deal on retirement costs. The issue included uninsured bonds maturing in July 2023 that yielded 4.46 percent, down from 4.56 percent in preliminary marketing, data compiled by Bloomberg show. ...More HERE

Gay couples can now immigrate, get benefits, under DOMA ruling

The Supreme Court’s ruling that the federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional should immediately open up immigration benefits to same-sex partners in states where their unions are recognized as marriages.

The 5-4 decision ruled that federal benefits pertaining to marriage couples cannot be denied to same-sex couples who are married, and that states can recognize those marriages. The issue at hand was an inheritance case, but analysts said the ruling signals the same principle applies to all federal benefits such as Social Security and taxes. ...More HERE

Brady announces 2014 bid for governor

By Mark Weyermuller - 

State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) announced Wednesday morning at The Witt Hotel in Chicago that he is running for the 2014 Republican nomination for governor of Illinois. Brady gave a short speech, then took questions.  

Cook County Property Taxes Increase to Pay Government Pension Millionaires

CHICAGO - Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today released the results of its study of the Cook County Pension Fund (CCPF) top government pensions.

“There are 276 Crook County pensioners getting over $100,000 in annual pension payments taking the total for the state over 10,000”, according to TUA president, Jim Tobin. “The average retirement age of these 276 retirees is only about 60 with an average estimated lifetime payout of $4.7 million.”

“As Crook County property owners receive their property tax bills next week, they need to remember two things: 80% of the property taxes they are about to pay is used to fund the salaries and benefits of the government employees, and second, the legislators we elected have failed to reform the very system that siphons away our wealth for their own benefit.”

Alarming Supreme Court Marriage Decisions

By Laurie Higgins - 

Today in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage for federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman, is unconstitutional. This decision compels the federal government (i.e. taxpayers) to provide  federal benefits to homosexual couples who have “married” in states that have jettisoned sexual complementarity from the legal definition of marriage. This decision does not require states to legalize same-sex “marriage.”

In a scathing dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia excoriated the presumptuousness (and incomprehensibility) of the majority opinion:

This case is about power in several respects. It is about the power of our people to govern themselves, and the power of this Court to pronounce the law. Today’s opinion aggrandizes the latter, with the predictable consequence of diminishing the former. We have no power to decide this case. And even if we did, we have no power under the Constitution to invalidate this democratically adopted legislation. The Court’s errors on both points spring forth from the same diseased root: an exalted conception of the role of this institution in America.

More HERE

Will Illinois Be Saved by a Committee? That Never Happens, Right?

From the Illinois Opportunity Project - 

Everyone knows that Illinois has a big problem with its pension obligations. The simple version of what happened is this: The Illinois public sector employees unions and their allies in Springfield have granted themselves far more pension money than the state can possibly pay for. So, there are no happy solutions to be found. Either the retirees get less money, or the taxpayers pay lots more money, or some combination of the above.

Politicians like to say happy things to their supporters. But the happy talk in Springfield has now stopped. Illinois’ pension obligations are now so gosh darn big that someone is going to have to come up with a way to pay them, or reduce them, or something. “Pension reform” has to happen, whatever it is, and soon.

The Illinois House and Senate knew Illinois’ pensions were in a state of crisis last year. But they couldn’t get themselves to do anything about it, and they went home in January. Then, they had the entire session this year, and Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton each passed a proposed plan in their own chambers. But they did not reach a solution that could pass both houses.

Civility and impropriety following SCOTUS decision

The Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki, the Bishop of Springfield, made the following statement about the Supreme Court's rulings today:

"As in the case of Roe v. Wade striking down abortion laws 40 years ago, the United States Supreme Court has again usurped its legitimate prerogative through a raw exercise of judicial power by giving legal protection to an intrinsic evil, this time by striking down the Defense of Marriage Act in the case of U.S. v. Windsor and in refusing to take up the defense of Proposition 8 in California in the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry.

These hollow decisions are absolutely devoid of moral authority. It is becoming increasingly and abundantly clear that what secular law now calls “marriage” has no semblance to the sacred institution of Holy Matrimony. People of faith are called to reject the redefinition of marriage and bear witness to the truth of Holy Matrimony as a lasting, loving and life-giving union between one man and one woman.

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And the always civil response from the Left: 

Fuck him “@capitolfax: #twill Springfield Bishop: Supreme Court ruling “absolutely devoid of moral authority”: http://t.co/oilXOehSnP”

— Beth Unkraut (@mrsfloyddog) June 26, 2013

NBC's David Gregory: "Who is a journalist may be up to debate"

One “Meet the Press” David Gregory interviewed the journalist who broke the NSA snooping story to the world, Glenn Greenwald. Since then, Greenwald and his informant, Edward Snowden, have been the center of conversation.

During Sunday’s interview, Gregory, seemingly trying to play Devil’s advocate asked: “To the extent that you have aided and abetted Snowden, even in his current movements, why shouldn’t you, Mr. Greenwald, be charged with a crime?”

As Onan Coca wrote: "It was a remarkable moment seeing one respected journalist essentially join the Obama administration and argue that this other journalist had done something wrong by uncovering the unconstitutional goings-on at the NSA. Greenwald, obviously offended, responded that Gregory had embraced the Obama administrations talking points and that “it means that every investigative journalist in the United States who works with their sources, who receives classified information is a criminal…”

Gregory retorted, “Who is a journalist may be up to a debate…”

The Obama Scandals

By Nancy Thorner and Jane Keill - 

President Barack Obama’s administration currently has 15 Cabinet Departments (State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security) and 7 additional positions which have Cabinet-level rank (White House Chief of Staff, EPA, Office of Management & Budget, US Trade Representative, US Ambassador to United Nations, Council of Economic Advisers, Small Business Administration) plus the National Security Administration, NSA, which is really a part of the Department of Defense. 

Out of the 15 Cabinet Departments, there are currently 7 which have on-going scandals of which the American people may, or may not, be aware.   In addition, there are 2 actions going on within the Cabinet-level ranks, which are of questionable nature.  While some of these activities were begun under the Bush administration, they have exploded exponentially under Obama’s direction.  Bush has unfortunately been blamed for everything bad that has happened during Obama’s administration.  Isn’t it ironic that suddenly because Bush did it (NSA scandal), it’s acceptable for the current administration to do likewise?  (The same excuse is claimed with the drone program which has also grown enormously with extended range under Obama.)

IRS credit cards used for wine, pornography

An agency watchdog reported Tuesday that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allowed workers to use agency credit cards to buy wine for an expensive luncheon, dorky swag for managers' meetings, romance novels, diet pills, an online pornography.

IRS employees used agency credit cards to make more than 273,000 purchases totaling nearly $108 million in 2010 and 2011, according to the report by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration. ...More HERE

Illinois Family Institute responds to SCOTUS rulings

Dave Smith of the Illinois Family Institute responded to the SCOTUS' rulings:

The U.S. Supreme Court, our federal and state governments should work to preserve the marriage laws in Proposition 8 and DOMA -- not undermine them. It's abundantly clear they don't understand the unique purpose and nature of marriage. It is the ONLY relationship of interest to the government because it has the potential to produce children and is the best environment in which to raise the next generation of healthy and productive members of society. 

Moreover, the Court trampled on 'we the people' and ignored the constitutional authority of the American people to determine marriage policy. We will continue to stand up for marriage as the union of one man and one woman because of the reality that children need and deserve both a mom and a dad. Neither are expendable.

Lastly, these rulings advance the homosexual political agenda, and will lead to more anti-religious bigotry and persecution. While conservative people of faith and moral conscience should be able to freely exercise their religious beliefs, as guaranteed by the First Amendment, these newly manufactured rights are being used to quash individual liberties.

RTA: Not so fast on deal for Metra ex-CEO

John S. Gates Jr., the head of the RTA said Tuesday that he has ordered a review of whether a controversial 26-month severance agreement that could reap former Metra CEO Alex Clifford (photo right) up to $750,000 is “fiscally prudent.’’

Meanwhile, a key lawmaker said he wants to haul the entire Metra board in front of two legislative committees to explain why it gave Clifford such a lucrative golden parachute when he wasn’t entitled to any severance under his contract.

In response to the large severance package granted to outgoing METRA CEO Alex Clifford, Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks and Republican State Rep. David Harris have called on METRA to ensure that Illinois taxpayers and fare-paying commuters are not forced to cover the cost of Clifford’s golden parachute.