Illinois Review

Illinois 11th CD candidate signs ATR's "No Tax" Pledge

AURORA - Yesterday 11th CD GOP candidate Ian Bayne signed the American for Tax Reform (ATR) pledge not to raise taxes if elected to Congress.

"Today I signed Grover Norquist's taxpayer protection pledge," Bayne said. "I'd rather be signing a pledge to cut taxes because that's what needs to be done."

In a press release, Bayne took swipes at his fellow GOP candidates; writing that State Rep. Darlene Senger has supported tax increases, and that Grundy County Board member Chris Balkema has never held elected office.

The news ... illustrated: Pension Attention

Smith: What the [Un]affordable Care Act Has Already Accomplished

By G. Keith Smith, M.D. -

Lest we get too excited about all of the bad news surrounding the unworkability of what I call the Unaffordable Care Act (UCA) or ObamaCare, we should remember that this law has already achieved much of what its architects intended—if you agree with me that the purpose of the law was to:

• line the pockets of certain connected cronies
• create an industry-wide consolidation in the insurance and hospital business
• inject mass chaos into the already dysfunctional medical marketplace
• generate fear amongst physicians such that many would succumb to the hostile takeover offers of the rich hospitals
• implement the most egregious breach of patient confidentiality by collecting private health information and records

If this was the purpose, then the bureaucrats would declare their efforts a success even if the whole thing is repealed at this point.

The UCA is crony capitalism at its finest. How would you like to own a company whose product people are forced to buy? Sound like a money-maker? How about electronic medical records? While there was a limited market for these products, the mandatory purchase made many of these software giants unfathomably rich. The principal of Epic, one of the largest manufacturers in the Health Information Technology (HIT) sector, was one of the authors of UCA. And let’s not forget health insurance. Insurance stocks soared when “Robed Roberts” ruled on the constitutionality of UCA.

Senger officially launches campaign for Congress

NAPERVILLE - At a press conference this morning in Naperville, State. Rep. Darlene Senger officially launched her campaign for Congress.

“Only through change in Washington and by changing our congressman, will we be able to restore hope and opportunity,” said Senger. “My over 20 years of service to our community on behalf of taxpayers, families, and seniors has given me insight into the concerns, challenges and issues we all face.”

Senger explained her campaign platform as job creation, Social Security protection, improved educational opportunities, and reducing the size of government.

In a press release, the State Rep. noted: “We are fortunate to have the potential for a world-class technology corridor in our community, and we should be providing an environment in which our manufacturing sector can grow and expand, but only if we stop politicians and bureaucrats from over-regulating, over-taxing and just flat out killing new jobs here at home. We can become one of the most economically innovative and diverse regions in the nation but only if we all work together to change the nonsense coming out of Washington.”

Meet Chad Koppie, candidate for U.S. Senate

By Ulysses Arn - 

Chad Koppie is no stranger to statewide races in Illinois having run for the US Senate or Governor on multiple occasions as a Republican, Independent, and as a part of the Constitution Party. Currently Chad serves on the Kane Country regional school board and is seeking the GOP nomination for US Senate in 2014 to challenge Senator Dick Durbin.

Since Chad wants to take on Dick Durbin in the general election I asked him if he thought Durbin was beatable?

"Mr. Durbin is very vulnerable. He doesn't deserve another term. The damage that he has done to the United States of America is immeasurable. He's been an Obama supporter big time and he actually helped Mr. Obama to the presidency. There are a lot of people unhappy with the situation the Tea Party movement is out there and viable and well so he could very well be turned out of office."

U.S. Rep. Roskam: Curb An Out of Control IRS

Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (left) with House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy

By Congressman Peter Roskam - 

Recent stories out of Washington center around a bureaucracy run amok. At the IRS alone, scandals vary from millions spent on wasteful junkets, to the targeting and harassment of individuals and certain groups based on their religious and political beliefs, and the mismanagement and illegal release of confidential information. In an age of big government, federal agencies have grown larger and more powerful. Faceless, unelected and largely unaccountable bureaucrats are acting as both judge and jury for too many Americans caught in the crosshairs.

Congress must put a check on Executive Branch agencies and end this ridiculous behavior. This week, in an effort dubbed “Stop Government Abuse Week,” the House of Representatives is advancing a bipartisan package of ten common-sense bills, each focused on restoring accountability, loosening the grip of the bureaucracy and putting power back in the hands of individual Americans.

Two of my own bills will be voted on as a part of the effort to stop government abuse. First, the Stop Playing on Citizen’s Cash Act--better known as the SPOCC Act--takes direct aim at the expensive junkets and ridiculous Star Trek-themed videos that have wasted millions of taxpayer dollars. My bill halts IRS conference spending until a list of real fixes are made in agency management. Additionally, my Taxpayer Bill of Rights bill will ensure IRS officials know and abide by a common-sense code of conduct when interacting with taxpayers, such as the right for taxpayers to be informed, assisted, heard, and for their information to be kept confidential. On the heels of shocking allegations of IRS officials targeting individuals based on their political or religious beliefs, it is time to put real checks on this out of control agency.

Currently, the IRS is on deck to play a lead role in enforcing nearly 50 different aspects of the president’s health care law.  Not only will the IRS collect new Obamacare taxes, the agency will be expanding its powers outside of typical IRS functions, from enforcing penalties on individuals, approving health care plans and maintaining a database of personal health information from millions of Americans. The Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act will also be considered by the House and will shut this troubled agency out of implementing the healthcare law and out of your personal health care choices. With its already long track record of abuse, taking the IRS out of Obamacare implementation and your personal healthcare decisions is a no brainer.

Federal agencies have the ability to regulate matters both large and small and there are few American’s whose lives aren’t in some way impacted by this new, bigger government. The increasing size and role of the bureaucracy leaves the door open to a runaway government, rife with waste and abuse. Congress must step in to ensure accountability and reinforce the rights of individuals and taxpayers. This week’s Stop Government Abuse effort is an important first step in tipping the balance of power back to the people with another round of legislation set for the fall. We need a government that is responsive to taxpayers, not a government that hurts the very people it is supposed to serve.

Cook County sheriff forms team to seize revoked FOID cards

CHICAGO - In an effort to get guns out of the hands of dangerous people, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has set up a new team to seize revoked Firearms Owner Identification cards and any firearms obtained with them. 

FOID cards are issued by the Illinois State Police, who first perform a check of the applicant on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), an electronic database maintained by the FBI. Grounds for disqualification include a conviction for a felony or for an act of domestic violence, a conviction for assault or battery within the last five years, or being the subject of an order of protection.

The police also check an Illinois Department of Human Services database, to disqualify any applicant who has been adjudicated as a mental defective, or who has been a patient of a mental institution within the last five years. Mental health professionals are required to inform state authorities about patients who display violent, suicidal or threatening behavior, for inclusion in the Human Services database.

Recently, the Illinois State Police told Illinois Review that if a health professional reports to the DHS a person dangerous to himself or others, the ISP's system is updated hourly, and an effort to confiscate the FOID card and any guns obtained with that card sets into motion. 

Higgins: Two Brief Answers to Marriage Questions

By Laurie Higgins - 

In more than a few articles, I have included questions regarding marriage that should be posed to our lawmakers by their constituents and the press, and which all conservatives—including conservative lawmakers—should be able to answer. We have received numerous requests for answers to these essential questions. Each day this week I will attempt to provide brief responses to each of the questions. Brevity and my own intellectual limitations guarantee a degree of inadequacy, but my hope is that even with those limitations, the answers will be helpful. Portions of these articles appear in previously posted articles by this author.

What is marriage? Does it have any inherent features or do we create it out of whole cloth? Why is marriage limited to two people?

When “progressives” argue that marriage is centrally or solely constituted by love and composed of two people, they are asserting that marriage has a nature that society merely recognizes. In other words, marriage in their view is not created out of whole cloth. Marriage, in their view, has an inherent nature, which is a claim with which conservatives would agree.

Cooler Chicago temps, fewer shootings over last July 2013 weekend

CHICAGO - Over an unseasonably cool weekend Chicago boasted only ten shootings. The chart below is not a temp chart, but certainly resembles one. July murders are still ahead of June's, 48 to 45.

from www.heyjackass.com 

Durbin challenger Doug Truax on Obamacare (video)

CHICAGO - Doug Truax, recently announced 2014 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, spoke Sunday morning with Chicago Fox News about the challenges implementing Obama's national health care system - an effort incumbent U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has enthusiastically supported.

Diaper DC: A Good Government Movement

By Sam Pierce - 

There are a plethora of complaints about our federal and state governments. I think we can ignore the complaints from those who believe government is too small or does not do enough, as those complaints are equivalent to lamenting that the level of damage is too low. On the other hand, reasonable complaints, those dealing with big spending and overreach, need to be addressed. The problem with addressing those complaints is that too often, those who complain don't really want to stop the actions they decry... or they seek to only limit those governmental oversteps that don't comport with their personal philosophies or desires.

Focusing on the federal government first, we must examine the means to a good government end. Perhaps we don't need to engage in root cause analysis, at least not initially, to stem the flow of waste, burden, and strangling regulation from those who enjoy the power and perks of federal elected office. I think the late Ronald Reagan was on the right track when he uttered the following:

Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.

RONALD REAGAN, New York Times, Nov. 14, 1965

Thorner: Unabomber victim David Gelernter details America's dismantling - Part 2

By Nancy Thorner - 

Not all was rosy in the time of "Mom and Apple Pie."  As such author David Gelernter didn't discount some of the problems that the era faced in the years spanning the late 50's to 1975. Racial bigotry was bad. Anti-Semitism was also prevalent and was given even greater importance by Gelernter than racial bigotry.

By 1975, however, the major goals of the cultural revolution had taken place and a new elite had taken charge in what had been a gradual step-by-step process over a period of years.

How did this happen?  It came about through a two-step process:  

Illinois dives into Obamacare while taxpayers urge slowdown in DC

CHICAGO - While those concerned about Obamacare are urging DC lawmakers to shut down funding, repeal and permanently stop the nation from plunging fully into government-controlled health care, Illinois has already dived into the Affordable Care Act, with Governor Pat Quinn leading, and Democrat lawmakers alongside, pushing the rest of the state in with them.

Last week, Governor Pat Quinn signed into law SB 26, which, his press release says, enacts "a critical part of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) by making Medicaid coverage available to all low-income adults in Illinois."

“In the home state of President Obama, we believe access to quality health care is a fundamental right and we proudly embrace the Affordable Care Act,” Governor Quinn said. “Thanks to this law and our shared commitment to increasing access to health care coverage in Illinois, the people of Illinois will be healthier and have a higher quality of life.”

Sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Senate Bill 26 will make Medicaid coverage available to adults with annual income below 138 percent of the federal poverty line, which is $15,860 for individuals and $21,408 for couples. The measure is expected to enroll 342,000 people by 2017.

DiLeo: Revolutions in Judgment, Past and Present

By John F. Di Leo - 

The President of the United States is committed to supporting the rebels in Syria, in their effort to overthrow the vicious dictator Bashir Assad. No one on earth –not his people, not the authors of a dictionary, not his closest friends, would ever argue the point. He is a vicious dictator, a malevolent cancer on the map of the middle east.

So the American President commits to sending American aid –guns and ammo, technology and funding – to support the rebels trying to pull this vicious dictator off his perch. But who are these rebels?

They are loosely known as the Free Syria Army, a collection of militias that oppose Assad’s alliance with Iran and support of Hezbollah. Sound good so far? Well, keep listening. The FSA is essentially a collection of Muslim Brotherhood terror bands, a coalition of Sunni muslim groups that want to replace the bloodthirsty dominance of the middle east by Shi’ites with uncontested bloodthirsty dominance by Sunnis. The rebels are the Morsi wing, the Bin Laden wing – a more modern, more so-called religious version of the Saddam Hussein side of this endless struggle. 

Surviving diplomatic officer waited 20 hours for help on Benghazi rooftop

WASHINGTON - On September 11, 2012 three diplomatic security officers defended the Benghazi consulate from three rooftops. Tyrone Woods and Glen Dougherty were killed, and a third - unknown to most Americans before this weekend - David Ubben survived with life-threatening injuries to his leg. Sources say Ubben waited for 20 hours to be rescued from the rooftop, and for the last 10 months he's been cared for at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda.

Catherine Herridge of Fox News reported on the breaking story Saturday morning, just days after President Obama accused Republicans of obstinately focusing on "phony scandals."

H/T Gateway Pundit

O'Brien: Why Isn't Black on White Crime "News?"

By Teri O'Brien - 

The Zimmerman verdict has given the race industry, which sadly includes the Attorney General of the United States and his boss, Barack Obama, ample opportunity to lament the ongoing “racism” of Amerika, and inspired some of the most idiotic statements ever broadcast on television, including by jurors who seem compelled to tell their “stories,” for some inexplicable reason. Yet, stories about black on white crime get no traction in the legacy media. Why is that the case? We’ll ask the author of the best-seller, White Girls Bleed A Lot: The return of racial violence and how the media ignore it.,  Colin Flaherty.

Anthony Weiner’s Tuesday’s cringe-inducing press conference, left many wondering what is the real story behind America’s new “power couple,” and the “good wife” Huma? Is she a loving supportive parter, or an ambitious enabler? Isn’t it amazing how, suddenly, the public is supposed to be concerned about a politician’s private life? Weren’t we told in 1998 that behavior that was just “about sex” was irrelevant to evaluating a person’s qualification for high office? What’s changed?

Map shows Illinois lost $29 B in last decade due to tax and labor policies

Travis J. Brown's study "How Money Walks" explains how billions of tax dollars shifted from some states to others as taxpayers migrated from 1999 to 2010. Showing in a deep red on the resulting map, Illinois was found to be one of the nation's biggest losers, with over $29 billion leaving during that time span, according to the IRS' adjusted gross income figures. Illinois lost the most to Florida ($6.7 Billion), then Arizona, California, Wisconsin and Texas. 

"How Money Walks" emphasizes a magic formula for state growth: 1. Lower taxes and 2. Good labor policy. That means business owners being free to hire and fire the people, combined with no income tax or low taxes. 

An interactive map pointing out gains and losses by county is available HERE.

"Gang Up on the problem, not each other" march in Chicago

CHICAGO - WIND 560 AM radio talk show host Joe Walsh and wife Helene joined Project HOOD organizer Pastor Corey Brooks in a "Let Us Live" Peace March Saturday, concluding with a sit-in at downtown Chicago's Tribune Center.  Protest march signs said, "Gang up on the problem, not each other," and the pastor Tweeted the following during the march:

Pastor Corey Brooks with Joe Walsh

State Rep Mike Bost to announce 12th CD bid Monday

MURPHYSBORO - The passionate, energetic State Rep Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) that got so upset with House Speaker Mike Madigan in 2012 he ranted on the House floor "Let my people go!" will be shifting to a new challenge in 2014 - running for the 12th CD.

Bost, who has been in the Illinois House since 1995, has been tossing around the decision for months, and apparently has decided he's ready for DC, if he can beat Democrat freshman Congressman Bill Enyart, who succeeded retired Jerry Costello in 2012. Bost, who has been focused on state issues, has been in Tom Cross' leadership team for years, and considered vying for the Leader's post until Cross decided to stay in the House after Attorney General Lisa Madigan decided she would run for re-election in 2014.

Cross' decision left Bost to either stay in place or take on a new challenge. Rep. Bost, frustrated over the House Speaker ignoring a proposal to address Illinois' still-broken pension system a year later, became a 2012 internet sensation when his feisty House challenge of Mike Madigan's abuse of power caught on. 

Fort Hood killer blames U.S. government "war or Islam" and regrets Army service

WASHINGTON - Acting as his own attorney, accused murderer of 13 Fort Hood soldiers in November 2009 released a six page statement to Fox News Saturday:

“My complicity was on behalf of a government that openly acknowledges that it would hate for the law of Almighty Allah to be the supreme law of the land," the 42-year-old Army psychiatrist said. Hasan then apparently asked if this was a war on Islam. "You bet it is," he said. "I participated in it.”

Hasan says he also regrets having serving in the U.S. Army. “I would like to begin by repenting to Almighty Allah and apologize to the (Mujahideen), the believers, and the innocent.  I ask for their forgiveness and their prayers.   I ask for their forgiveness for participating in the illegal and immoral aggression against Muslims, their religion and their lands,” he said.

George Stratton, who was injured in Hasan's 2009 attack on Ft. Hood soldiers, said the comments didn't surprise him.

Public unions vs. The Public (video)

Prager University's newest five minute video gives more insight on the public sector union issues with which Illinois is currently dealing -  

Flossmoor man arrested for filing false liens against federal judges

FLOSSMOOR - Add this to the list of impolite and illegal retributions vindictive people try on federal judges:

The Justice Department announced Friday that Tyree Davis Sr. of Flossmoor, Illinois, was arrested on an eight-count indictment charging him with obstruction of justice and filing fraudulent multi-billion-dollar liens against government employees. 

According to the indictment, Davis obstructed justice by sending correspondence threatening to arrest two federal judges—the chief judge of the Northern District of Illinois, and the judge who presided over the 2010 tax trial of LaShawn Littrice, whom Davis refers to as his wife. Littrice was convicted by a jury in June 2010 and sentenced to 42 months in prison in December 2010.

Davis also filed false liens, titled Notice of Maritime Liens, against both judges and notified others that he had filed the liens. In addition to the two judges, Davis filed false liens against the U.S. attorney and clerk of court for the Northern District of Illinois, an assistant U.S. attorney, and an Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation special agent.

If Legislature mandates new election board on Lake County, who's next?

WAUKEGAN - Taxpayers just north of Chicago in Lake County will be paying over half a million dollars for a new election-supervising entity thrust specifically on their county by the Illinois General Assembly if Governor Pat Quinn signs into law HB 2418 this weekend, as he's expected to do.

The section of HB 2418 making Illinois the 18th state to offer online voter registration is getting the most mainstream media attention, but Lake County Republicans say the precedent being set with the unfunded mandate on a specific county may have an equal impact in the future.

Democrats will be putting on Lake County an unfunded mandate many see as a personal vendetta against the Lake County clerk, who has stood up to Democrat election bullies time and time again.  The whole situation, they tell IR, begs the question, "What county is protected from the same thing happening to them if the Democrats controlling the state legislature set their crosshairs on them? What county could be next?

Gubernatorial candidate Dan Rutherford blasted the move in a press release Friday afternoon, and Common Sense in the 10th's blogger Louis Atsaves says if Quinn signs the legislation, he'll lose forever his notoriety of representing "the people" as Quinn always claims he does. 

More on the development HERE. Other Illinois Review posts on the topic:

Unabomber victim David Gelernter details America's dismantling

By Nancy Thorner -

On Wednesday, July 24, Joe Bast, president and CEO of the Heartland Institute, (heartland.org) hosted a continuing Heartland Author Series event featuring David Gelernter and his book, American-Lite: How Imperial Academia Dismantled Our Culture (and Ushered In the Obamacrats). 

Gelernter was introduced as a writer, artist, and a professor of computer science at Yale, contributing editor at the Weekly Standard, regular contributor to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and a former board member of the National Endowment for the Arts. 

On June 24, 1993, Gelernter was critically injured opening a mailbomb sent by the Unabomber.  He recovered from his injuries, but his right hand and eye were permanently damaged. Gelernter has chronicled the ordeal in his 1997 book Drawing Life: Surviving the Unabomber.

As stated on the book jacket of American-Lite:

Lessons from Federalist 7: All we want is give peace a chance

King's College professors David Corbin and Matthew Parks uses Federalist principles to point out how the federal government has become a source of consternation robbing peace from average, freedom-loving Americans:

In Federalist 7, Alexander Hamilton identifies the specific causes that might lead to wars among the states if the Union were to dissolve: disputes over territory, commercial rivalries, differences over how to pay off the Revolutionary War debt, and state laws imposing unfair burdens on the citizens of other states.

This was no work of Hamilton’s imagination. All of these causes had created serious tensions during the short period of American independence. Some had been resolved under the Articles of Confederation; others would require a stronger national government for a permanent settlement–another reason to ratify the Constitution. But none of these resolutions, past or future, would stick if the Union broke up, removing the motive for and benefits from mutual accommodation and leaving each state to secure its interests in the best way it could.

Peace, in other words, depended on a context that made it reasonable for all parties–a Union where differences could be arbitrated according to just rules, consistently and transparently applied to all.

Kelly: Time to Boycott MSNBC and Sharpton

When is a leftist community organizer a Mainstream journalist?  When it's Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC - and he uses the gig to promote a radical liberal agenda. Columnist William J.Kelly says its time to boycott both MSNBC and Sharpton's sponsors. Kelly writes: 

This week, Sharpton boasted on MSNBC that it was he who “helped organize a lot of the outrage” around the Trayvon Martin case. Many would agree that, short of Sharpton’s distorted spin on the case, Martin’s hoodie would never have reached its religious relic status.

Read the rest HERE.

Sen. LaHood: Obamacare will do nothing to get Illinois out of its Medicaid mess

By Senator Darin LaHood - 

It is fitting that President Obama was in Galesburg on July 24 and the media pointed out that he returns to Illinois when he is attempting to save face on his’ domestic agenda. It is also fitting that one year ago, I used this space to talk about the impact of “Obamacare” on our regional medical providers.

“Obamacare” and the President’s visit were not viewed in the most positive light by most central Illinoisans. If you will indulge me, I will share some of that July 13, 2012 commentary once again -

“In 2011 Illinois taxpayers saw Governor Quinn and his legislative allies impose the largest tax hike in state history. Now, the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed what we already knew – that the President and his allies in Congress also enacted the largest federal tax hike in U.S. history, under the guise of ‘health care reform’…Instead, Illinois remains buried in an $8 billion backlog, our credit rating is still at the bottom of the nation, our public employee pension system remains the worst-funded in the nation, and taxes and excessive regulations continue to discourage businesses and job growth. Is it any wonder that people fear Obamacare will also result in the average citizen paying more and getting less? We have been promised a new era of health care; but, at what price… Spring 2012’s legislative session gave Illinois a bipartisan reform to our state’s massive Medicaid program. Reductions were needed because, though the intentions may have been good, the promises of the past proved unaffordable in the present…”

So after reading that, ask yourself has anything changed? The short response – no! All of the 2012 reforms to make our states insurance programming more efficient and responsive to taxpayers were in vain because so much of those efforts were blocked by Governor Quinn. Just this week, the Governor signed legislation to add an additional 350,000 Illinoisans to the already overburdened Medicaid program.

State Tea Party upset Kirk dropped Senator Mike Lee's effort to defund Obamacare

WASHINGTON DC - Illinois Tea Party activists are disappointed with U.S. Senator Mark Kirk removing his name from Senator Mike Lee's (R-UT) letter threatening to reject any federal budget includes funding for Obamacare in 2014. Earlier this week the group encouraged Illinoisans to thank Kirk for supporting Lee's efforts. 

"After both the Illinois and Chicago Tea Party groups publicly praised and thanked Senator Kirk Wednesday July 24th for agreeing to stand with Senator Mike Lee in defunding Obamacare in the upcoming Continuing Resolution, Mr. Kirk reversed his decision to support Senator Lee less than 24 hours later on Thursday July 25th," C. Steven Tucker of the Illinois Tea Party told Illinois Review Friday.  

"No doubt [he did it] after pressure was applied to Senator Kirk by Mitch McConnell. The Illinois Tea Party has contacted Senator Kirk's office and is requesting a formal response from his office as to why he lost his resolve less than 24 hours later. We could not be more disappointed," Tucker said.  

Tucker, who is outspoken in opposition to the Obama Administration's Affordable Care Act, said as each day passes, the chances of stopping Obamacare lessens. Kirk's decision to withdraw support for Lee's strategy was serious and could affect the group's support for Kirk's re-election in 2016.

"This is our last chance to defund Obamacare before it's full implementation begins on January 1, 2014. For Senator Kirk to ignore the will of the vast majority of his constituents is, frankly, unforgivable and it will never be forgotten."

Perversion of "Freedom of Religion" in the Age of Obama

By Mark Rhoads -

A group that dishonestly calls itself the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is trying to attack Christian chaplains in the military by claiming that Christian teaching per se is "hate speech" against the atheists. This could ld be one of those anecdotes about "You can't make this sfuff up" except fot the fact that it is really happening in Obamaworld.

Roskam queried over weeklong Taiwan trip

WASHINGTON DC - Politico is reporting they have documents that show Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam has been questioned by the Office of Congressional Ethics staff about a weeklong trip the Congressman and his wife Elizabeth took to Taiwan last July.  The Congressman's office responded with a strong statement Friday saying that he fully complied with the laws in planning and implementing the trip, and said the OCE was "wrong" to take issue with the Taiwanese government's part in implementing the visit.

Before leaving for Taiwan Roskam, the OCE says, reported plans and details to the House Ethics Committee, which formally approved the trip.  Politico says Roskam is "caught in a turf war between OCE — an independent watchdog agency — and the Ethics Committee, while his lawyers adamantly insist he followed all the applicable rules prior to and following the week-long trip."

"The record reflects that Rep. Roskam fully complied with all laws, rules, and procedures related to privately sponsored travel.  The trip was vetted and approved by the House Ethics Committee, the body legally authorized to make determinations on Congressional conduct," Roskam spokesperson Stephanie Kittredge said Friday.

"The OCE is wrong to take issue with the involvement of the Government of Taiwan in planning and conducting the trip, a matter that is routine, allowed under the law, and was known to the House Ethics Committee as they thoroughly vetted and approved the trip. 

Kittredge said Rep. Roskam will continue to fully cooperate, having already turned over every document and communication, made himself and his staff available for interview, waived his right to confidentiality with the House Ethics Committee, and otherwise provided any and all information regarding the trip to OCE.  

"Rep. Roskam is taking the extraordinary step of voluntarily releasing the non-public OCE report and materials relating to their review.  He fully expects the clear and indisputable facts of the case to speak for themselves, that both he and his staff have acted in accordance with all laws, rules, and regulations, she said." Roskam and his staff have fully followed House Ethics Committee procedures to take an approved, appropriate, and informative trip to a key U.S. strategic ally.”

Planned Parenthood to have access to Obamacare's Federal Data Hub info

CHICAGO - Despite attempts by several states to legislatively end taxpayer subsidies to abortion-providing Planned Parenthood clinics throughout the nation, the billion-dollar organization is undeterred in expanding its outreach to the young and healthy clientele they attract most - those most needed to make Obamacare work. But not only will Planned Parenthood open the way to Obamacare, Planned Parenthood "patient navigators" will have access to personal health information found in Obamacare's Federal Data Hub.

This week we learned the Obama Administration is spending $700 million to engage Hollywood stars such as Jennifer Hutson and Amy Poehler in a public relations campaign to convince American's youth that they need to join the Obamacare pool.

But Planned Parenthood was already well invested in promoting Obamacare health care exchanges. The new program's health care exchanges reportedly will incorporate Planned Parenthood employees as government "navigators" through Obamacare's healthcare system as well as the system's private health care records.

Illinois Resident Pleads Guilty to Sending Threatening Communications

Rodney Termini, 47 of Ogelsby, Illinois, pleaded guilty yesterday to sending threatening communications, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Robert D. Foley, IL, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

United States Attorney McQuade stated, “We treat all threats seriously, even hoaxes, because they divert law enforcement resources from other public safety needs. Anyone who communicates a threat to kill or injure others can expect serious criminal consequences.”

“Those who use popular Internet websites such as Facebook to post threatening communications will be investigated vigorously by the FBI,” stated Special Agent in Charge Foley. “We remain committed to the pursuit and prosecution of such individuals.”

Detroit’s tipping point is a warning for Chicago

By Paul Kersey - 

How did Detroit get to be the urban disaster area it is today? One tipping point come in 1978, when a union got a “win” that cost the city, and eventually its own members, dearly.

This “win” came in the form of a raise concession granted to a powerful police union, which led to years of hardship and financial struggles.

Even before 1978, Detroit had serious problems. For a decade after widespread riots in 1967, families relocated to the suburbs at an alarming pace. Detroit lost more than 300,000 residents between 1970 and 1980.

Chicago-area unemployment up last month

Unemployment rose last month in the Chicago area, one of four metro areas in the state that saw an increase. Unemployment increased from 9.6 percent in June 2012 to 10.3 percent in the Chicago area, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

The other areas with higher jobless rates were the Danville, Decatur and Peoria metro areas.

The highest rate was 12.5 percent in Decatur. That was up from 10.9 percent a year earlier. The town has seen a number of layoffs by Caterpillar Inc. at a local plant that makes mining trucks.

Today Show features former President George H.W. Bush on his new haircut

Friday, Today Show's Jenna Bush Hager interviewed her grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, about shaving his head this week to "identify" with one of the Secret Service agent's two year old son fighting leukemia. A touching story about a "special grandpa":

Chicago Public Schools downgraded again

By Ted Dabrowski - 

In what’s become a torrent of bad news regarding Illinois’ fiscal health, Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Chicago Public Schools’ $6.3 billion general obligation debt one notch. The credit rating agency’s outlook remains negative, and CPS debt is now just four levels above junk bond status.

The CPS ranking drop to A3 from A2 follows recent downgrades to Evanston, the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois, all because of overly burdensome pension debt. The Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund, or CTPF, had a 2012 funding shortfall of more than 40%, or $8 billion. That’s partially the result of a five-year return rate of 0% on its investments, way short of its assumed 8% return rate.

Retired city workers file suit to save health-care subsidy

CHICAGO - Following a story first reported here on Illinois Review, Chicago’s 30,000 retired city employees are trying to stop Mayor Rahm Emanuel from saving $108.7 million — by phasing out the city’s 55 percent subsidy for retiree health care and foisting Obamacare on them.

One week after an unprecedented, triple-drop in Chicago’s bond rating, retirees have filed a class-action lawsuit against the city and its four employee pension funds that threatens to make the financial crisis even worse. ...More HERE

$110,000 man: Madigan crony was collecting city pension when he sought Metra raise

Nearly $110,000 a year wasn’t enough for Patrick Ward — the Mike Madigan campaign worker at the center of Metra’s patronage scandal.

When Ward complained to the powerful state House speaker last year that he wanted a raise on top of his annual Metra salary of $57,000, Ward was already drawing at least $52,700 a year from a taxpayer-subsidized city pension, a Chicago Sun-Times investigation has found.

Pension and payroll records show Ward, now 57, began collecting retirement benefits in 2009 after 30 years of government service. He made $84,000 his final year of employment with the city and got an initial pension of $52,700. As he began collecting his pension, he also started working for Metra. ...More HERE

Baby Congrats in Illinois, too!

Everyone who is tuned into any type of mainstream media knows a baby was born in London this week to Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton. The baby's name? Prince George Alexander Louis or "Prince George VII" for short.

But there's been other very special babies born in Illinois in the past two weeks - and in our book, they're royalty too. And no, they're not part of Illinois' political dynasties - at least we don't think so.

Baby Elise Naomi Brown was born July 11 to State Rep. Adam Brown and his wife Stephanie - their first.

Baby Karoline Fogh Rasmussen was born July 11 to Illinois Policy Institute's Executive Vice President Kristina Rasmussen and her husband Henrik. Karoline has two older sisters. 

And yesterday a new son was born to Illinois Family Institute Executive Director David Smith and his wife. This new little Smith will be well taken care of by his five older brothers and sisters.

Our sincere congratulations to all celebrating new life in their families. Life is a gift, and one we at Illinois Review celebrate with you. 

Students Sign Petition to Legalize 4th Trimester Abortions

Just how pro-abortion are some college students? They were happy to sign a fake petition to legalize abortions in the nonexistent fourth trimester of pregnancy.

The Media Research Center set up the fake petition drive and interviewed students to find out show how solidly they support abortion on demand for any reason throughout pregnancy — and beyond.

More at LifeNews

The Ten Most Controversial Articles on Wikipedia Might Surprise You

Wikipedia is a great, controversial repository of information. And one researcher has quantified the most controversial Wikipedia entires of all time. Taha Yasseri is working on a book about Wikipedia and recently published a draft of his chapter on the most controversial topics. He and his team created a formula to quantify controversy. It focused on what are called “reverts”—times when one editor undoes another editor’s changes entirely. The team then downloaded all of the articles available to them in March of 2010 and calculated this controversy value for each.

What came out on top? In English, the top ten most controversial topics were:

1. George W. Bush
2. Anarchism
3. Muhammad
4. List of WWE personnel
5. Global Warming
6. Circumcision
7. United States
8. Jesus
9. Race and intelligence
10. Christianity

Surprised?

From: Exile on Prairie Street

By David From - 

Yesterday, as I was escorted along with my fellow activists from the campus of liberal arts school Knox College, I chuckled at how far the Obama Administration had fallen. Once billed as “the most transparent Administration” in history promising to change politics, it relied on a Campus Safety representative to threaten us with arrest in order to stop our offensive  exercise of freedom of speech, namely silently holding signs on campus in view of the attendees in line for President Obama’s economic speech.

Our signs said such dangerous things as “Obamacare kills Jobs” and “Under Obama Federal Debt up $6T” or “Over 9% of Illinoisans are out of Work."  But we were told we were not permitted to quietly stand displaying our signs to the speech attendees unless we had a ticket for the event. In fact, no one was allowed on the private college campus unless they held a ticket.  Never mind the fact that we had been gathered on the campus for 30 minutes prior to unfurling our highly offensive signs that led to our exile to the public “Free Speech Zone” on Prairie Street.

Clueless Alison Kosik of CNN meets Emily Litella of SNL

By Mark Rhoads - 

The topic was sexual discrimnation in the businees world. A CNN stock market reporter named Alison Kosik got very excited on the air at 2:30 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, July 25 when she was talking about alleged remarks made by a male Merrill Lynch executive to a female executive who brought him an idea about a new business opportunity. According to the super indignant Kosik, this male executive actually told his female colleague , that "she should stick to her knitting!"

Thorner: Nothing personal, but do we really need that Dist. 115 consulting job?

By Nancy Thorner - 

With little discussion and just one dissent, the District 115 School Board approved on Tuesday, July 11, for the 8th year in a row a consulting contract for the retired Lake Bluff Middle School principal (District 65), Ms. Kathy O'Hara. Ms. O'Hara's contract is for the position of Student Service and Community Coordinator at Lake Forest High School, a position that did not exist prior to her retirement and that was seemingly created just for her by prior superintendent Dr. Harry Griffith.

The lone dissenter, Board member Ted Moorman, is new to the Board and ran on a platform of greater accountability for spending of taxpayer funds. Mr. Moorman raised the issue as to the need for O'Hara's position, as she replaced no one when she was hired as a consultant in 2005. In the future, other Board members should follow Mr. Moorman's lead and vote against consulting contracts such as Ms. O'Hara's that are of marginal need and add to the already bloated administrative staff of Districts 65 and 115. 

Alaska’s solution to its pension crisis could be model for Illinois

By Ted Dabrowski & Robert Chun - 

Illinois has the nation’s worst-funded pensions. Each Illinois household can expect to pay more than$40,000 in additional taxes to cover the pension shortfall if no reforms are passed. The size of the pension crisis demands that state lawmakers pass the boldest reforms in the country.

Fortunately, Illinois lawmakers can look to the examples other states have set to see what’s working. Many other states have adopted 401(k)-style retirement plans because of the freedom of choice and portability they offer workers.

In 2005, Alaska had a $5.7 billion shortfall in its pension system. On a per capita basis, Alaska’s pension crisis was in worse shape than Illinois’ system is today. In response, Alaska put all new workers on 401(k)-style plans beginning in 2006. Michigan did the same in 1997. Other states, including Rhode Island and Utah, adopted a combination of defined benefit and defined contribution plans.

These states chose to follow the bold reforms that the private sector has already been making for more than a decade. Nearly 85 percent of the private sector has abandoned defined benefit plans in favor of 401(k)-style retirement plans.

The solution to Illinois’ crisis — moving workers to 401(k)-style plans — is a common sense policy. A 401(k)-style retirement plan would give state workers control over their own retirements, stabilize the state’s budget and end the cycle of taxpayer-funded pension bailouts.

Topinka ends review of Governor's popular legislator paycheck stoppage

CHICAGO - With Democrat candidates lining up to challenge her in 2014, Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka (R) ended her review of Gov. Pat Quinn's popular amendatory veto that stops lawmakers' paychecks until a pension agreement is reached. In a statement today Topinka said:

"After the Governor used his Amendatory Veto to remove the budget line items for lawmaker salaries, I asked my staff to conduct a legal review and determine the appropriate course of action. That review included discussions with the Governor's legal staff, Legislative legal staffs and the Attorney General's Office. While there is conflicting opinion on this matter, I believe the case of AFSCME vs. Netsch provides the most pertinent guidance. In that case, the court ruled that the Comptroller could not pay state employees without an appropriation.

"This situation is different in that it involves two co-equal branches of government, and that distinction may well be considered by the Court down the line. But at this point in time, the Attorney General has advised that these payments cannot be made without an appropriation or court order.

IRS workers want an exemption from ObamaCare

By Paul Kersey - 

Another union has lost its enthusiasm for ObamaCare – or at least for one major feature of the federalized health insurance scheme.

The National Treasury Employees Union, or NTEU, is encouraging its members to write their congressmen in opposition to HR 1780, a bill that would have federal government workers use health insurance exchanges to buy health insurance. (Their sample letter is below.) The exchanges would take the place of the Federal Employee Health Benefits program that currently provides insurance to Treasury Department employees.

The creation of health insurance exchanges was one of the key features of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. The exchanges were supposed to provide a means for workers who did not have employer-provided insurance to purchase affordable insurance on their own. Under ObamaCare, members of Congress and their staffs are required to buy health insurance through the exchanges. HR 1780 would extend this to all federal government workers. 

Bustos flies Air Force One, skips military budget vote

GALESBURG - If you were wondering where Democrat Congresswoman Cheri Bustos was during an all-important vote to pass the Department of Defense Appropriations bill Wednesday night, since her 17th District is home to the Rock Island Arsenal - Army and thousands of military and civilian personnel, well ...

Congresswoman Bustos was campaigning with President Obama on Air Force One. She got a glitzy plane ride with Obama and a nice photo-op for her collection.  

From Bustos' own House.gov website: "A strong military is in the interest of the nation as a whole, as well as our region. The Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad-Cities, the Air National Guard unit based outside Peoria, and major aerospace companies in Rockford employ many thousands across our district. I will work to ensure our vital military assets are enhanced and protected to meet the challenges of the future."

Hmm. Maybe she means she'll work to ensure our military is protected – unless Obama comes into town? 

And here's what Ms. Bustos posted on her Facebook page about her flight with the President:

Durbin's plans for Thomson Correctional Center

WASHINGTON DC - The outrage in 2009 over terrorists being housed on U.S. property, thereby demanding they be allowed Constitutional rights allowed to all on American soil may have been only a short-term obstacle to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's plans for central Illinois' still-unoccupied Thomson Prison. 

After the federal government purchased the facility from the state of Illinois last year, last week, a U.S. Senate panel voted to update the prison to federal standard requirements, and Senator Durbin and Congresswoman Cheryl Bustos announced the prison would be opening within two years, employing 1100 people.

Those area residents not concerned that Durbin and Bustos would defy locals and state leaders' efforts to restrict dangerous Guatanamo terror suspects from being housed in central Illinois may not continue to be so confident after hearing Senator Durbin's public comments in a Senate hearing Wednesday. 

Groups protest President's "flop" in Galesburg

Americans for Prosperity -Illinois' David From was featured on a news clip about protests held by his group, Young Republicans and Illinois Leadership Project Wednesday afternoon before the president's speech at Knox College in Galesburg.

Heritage Foundation says President Obama told three whoppers while in Galesburg: 1. Obamacare is going great, 2. I cut the deficit in half, and 3. Middle-class income is stuck in the 70s. Read more HERE.

But calling his comments "whoppers" isn't anywhere near as harsh UK's The Telegraph's headline: "Barack Obama flops in Knox: the president's speech was a disaster."