Illinois Review

Uncovering the Consequences of the Equal Rights Amendment [video]

Illinois Senate committee approves minimum wage ballot measure

SPRINGFIELD - An Illinois Senate committee has approved a plan to ask voters whether the state should increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour.

The plan to put the nonbinding question on the November ballot passed the Executive Committee on Tuesday by a 10-5 vote. The measure comes after Democrats failed to muster enough votes to increase the state's minimum wage from $8.25 to $10.65 per hour.

Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford of Maywood is sponsoring the legislation. She says the referendum will give unsure lawmakers more confidence to vote for an increase later.

But Republican state Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine calls the plan a "gimmick" to boost Democratic voter turnout in the election.

The measure now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

State Sen. Rezin: Fully fund "foundation level" education grants

Illinois State Senator Sue Rezin

By State Senator Sue Rezin - 

Finding the best way to help all Illinois schools is a challenge. But, after studying the issue, it has become clear to me that fully funding the state’s “Foundation Level” education grant is the first and most important step that must be taken. For the last several years, the state has failed to do so. Instead they have prorated school funding to only pay 89 or 90 percent of what they should, despite receiving over $26 billion in new revenue since the 2011 income tax increase.

The state has failed to keep its obligation to fund our schools, causing them to cut programs, close schools, layoff valuable positions, and go into debt even though many have made deep cuts in their budget to mitigate the state’s delinquency.

CTU creates offensive test question to make conservatives seem racist

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By Kyle Olson - 

CHICAGO – Surely CTU President Karen Lewis and the other far-left activists in the union would never politicize student test questions – would they? We have to wonder, since a test question for seventh-graders identified two phony articles – supposedly written by conservatives who oppose citizenship for illegal immigrants.

The articles read more like something published by the KKK than everyday conservatives. WBEZ reports:

Financial outlook craters for two Exelon nukes in Illinois

Exelon Corp.'s financial woes at its nuclear plants in Illinois just got worse—more than $180 million worse.

For the first time in the 12 years since the Chicago-based nuclear giant's Illinois plants became part of the PJM Interconnection regional power grid dominated by Mid-Atlantic states, two of its Illinois nukes were shut out of the PJM-run annual auction that determines the cost to ratepayers of furnishing power during the highest-demand times of the year.

More HERE

'Duck Dynasty' Rerun

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By Mark Alexander - 

It wasn't that long ago that "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson was under fire for politically incorrect comments about homosexuality. Robertson is back in the news for newly discovered comments he made during an Easter service. He said, "They were mad at me ... because instead of acknowledging their sin like you had better do, they railed against me for giving them the truth about their sin. 'Don't deceive yourself' -- you want the verse? The news media didn't even know it was a verse. They thought I was just mouthing off." He again referenced Paul's remarks in 1 Corinthians 6:9: "I said, 'Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexual immoral, nor the idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor greedy, nor druggards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherent the kingdom of God." Predictably, leftists are up in arms now that his comments have come to light. No comment yet, however, from A&E.

More HERE

Eight Chicagoans killed, 22 wounded over Memorial Day weekend

CHICAGO - To date, 31 have been shot and killed in Chicago during the month of May. Over the weekend alone, seven were shot and killed and one stabbed to death and 22 were shot and wounded.

More details on Chicago's ongoing killing spree at HeyJackass.com

The ObamaCare hard sell in Illinois

By Naomi Lopez Bauman - 

President Barack Obama is quick to paint an underdog picture when it comes to his fight to push through the Affordable Care Act.

He has claimed that: “We didn’t make a hard sell. We didn’t have billions of dollars to spend on commercials like our critics did.”

But the federal government directed almost $155 million to Illinois to implement and market ObamaCare throughout the state.

According to the Obama administration, fewer than 218,000 Illinoisans have enrolled in private health insurance coverage under ObamaCare. That means the federal government spent more than $700 for every person who “selected” a health exchange insurance plan. But if you are counting only those who were previously uninsured and who have actually paid for an ObamaCare plan, estimated to be about 40,000, the amount of federal funds spent per actual ObamaCare enrollee could be closer to $3,700.

Madigan's push for soda pop tax fizzles

SPRINGFIELD - Having declared to reporters that he did not have the votes within his own caucus to make the 2011 temporary income tax hike permanent, House Speaker Mike Madigan re-popped the lid on a per ounce soda tax this week that appeared dead earlier in the session. 

But the Democrat- controlled House Revenue & Finance Committee caused the idea to fizzle Tuesday, as only two of its ten members that agreed with the idea. 

Madigan urged State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Chicago) to try to pass the "HEAL Act," which would charge consumers a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks. The legislation included key set asides for its estimated $600 million in revenues to fund efforts to reduce obesity and promote healthy eating and physical activity.

The tax would be 8 cents for an 8 oz can, 12 cents for a 12 oz bottle, and so on - one cent per ounce. Diet pop would be exempted - only those drinks with sugar would be taxed.

"We are excited that the legislature has decided to consider the HEAL Act in this year's session," said Elissa Bassler, Executive Director of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, which is leading the charge to pass the HEAL Act. "The great thing about this bill is that it sets aside money for a wellness fund.  The bill includes provisions to fund school and community health programs such as physical education, community gardens, farmers' markets, and health care for low-income residents. This isn't just another tax or a push for more revenue in a strapped budget - there are lots of revenue sources on the table. This is as an investment in building a better and healthier Illinois."

Taxing soda per ounce may need to wait for a non-election year.

Op-Ed: Will the Next Budget be Just Right?

State Rep Bob Pritchard on House floor

By State Rep. Bob Pritchard - 

As I drove home from Springfield Friday I couldn't help but ponder the two rejected budgets, the cancellation of two session days and only six remaining days to this legislative session. For some reason the childhood nursery rhyme about the three bears came to mind: baby bear found "one was too large, one was too small and finally one was just right." Perhaps this applies to the budget.

Could Speaker Madigan-the master strategist-- have planned this budget show-down from the beginning?  Why, if he needed bipartisan support to pass a budget, did he not seek it when he met with Republican leader Durkin last week?  Why did he cancel session days if there was no "Plan C" budget? 

The value of bipartisan input on the budget was emphasized in debate this past week. When the speaker introduced the anticipated revenue and mandated expenditures for FY2015 in March, it was Republicans who pointed out the many spending lines that were too high and thus left too little for important services of the state like education, care of older Americans and the disabled.

The Speaker knew the accuracy of our argument and the budget that was presented last week reflected a paring down of mandated expenses and therefore another $893 million was available for essential programs. There is much more that can be trimmed from this budget without affecting vital services and our most vulnerable citizens but the Governor nor Speaker Madigan have wanted to entertain a debate.  There is legislation that is held in committee that would help grow our economy and put people to work without taxing more of each dollar earned. Let's debate these ideas.

Dodd-Frank’s Durbin Amendment Drives Up Costs on Memorial Day and Every Day

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By John Berlau - 

Over the Memorial Day weekend, the Big Retail lobby created a dubious driving distraction.

The Merchants Payments Coalition, whose members include retail giants like Walmart and 7-Eleven, took out a Business Wire press release warning motorists to “Get Ready to Be Side-Swiped by Your Bank’s Exorbitant Credit-Card Fees.” In reality, it’s rent-seeking retailers and allied politicians who are rear-ending American consumers on Memorial Day and every day through the price controls they pushed for in Dodd-Frank’s Durbin Amendment. Now, they are lobbying Washington to ram ordinary folks even more with policies that will make security breaches like that of Target more likely to happen.

At issue are “interchange fees,” fees charged to merchants by credit and debit-card issuing banks and credit unions to process consumer transactions. Together with consumer payments, these fees finance the electronic payment infrastructure and technologies to fend of security threats. But ever since the Dodd-Frank financial “reform” was signed by President Obama in 2010, the retailers have begun a massive cost-shift that hits consumers in the wallet.

At the behest of big retailers such as Walmart and Illinois-based Walgreens, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) inserted into the Dodd-Frank financial “reform” of 2010 a measure that mandates that the debit card interchange fees charged to retailers must be “reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer [bank or credit union issuing the card] with respect to the transaction.” Then, again at Big Retail’s behest, the Federal Reserve barred banks and credit unions from profiting on the fees charged to retailers, only a very limited portion of costs could actually be recovered in the fee.

The result has been both a humongous cost-shifting for debit card processing from retailers to consumers — a sharp reduction of free checking for low-balance account and the virtual end of debit card rewards — as well as much less resources from retailers to fight hacking and cyber attacks. George Mason University law professor Todd Zywicki, now a member of the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s board of directors, has found that the Durbin Amendment also bears much of the blame for more than 1 million consumers becoming unbanked over the past few years.

More HERE

If tax hike extension is really dead, thank anti-tax hike mayors and groups

Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey Straub resisted making the income tax hike permanent

SPRINGFIELD - House Speaker Mike Madigan is telling reporters now that the 2011 temporary income tax will not become permanent - and his "working groups" are preparing a "middle-of-the-road" budget for FY 2015. If that's true, it's a huge victory for taxpayers and anti-tax groups - as well as individuals that stood against the powers-that-be in Springfield.

As recent as early May, members of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference were told that they may as well support making the 2011 67 percent state income tax hike permanent, because it was "almost certain to pass regardless of municipal support, opposition, or neutrality." They were also told if they didn't support the tax hike and it failed, they would see a substantial cut in their state subsidies - even lose it altogether. 

That would be a substantial budget hit for villages like Hinsdale - $1.6 million a year. Still the "quid pro quo" approach to getting the tax hike extension didn't set well with mayors who live in the same neighborhoods as their constituents and who are faced every day with reprecussions for their budget decisions.

“In short,” Cauley told the Hinsdale Doings, “leaders in Springfield are threatening local governments that if they don’t actively support the income tax increase, their share of the state income tax will be eliminated.”

VA scandal shows Obama's incompetence

Steve Huntley (second from left)

Steve Huntley is a longtime conservative columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, and his column today sharply criticizes Barack Obama's administration and the VA healthcare scandal - saying the whole embarrassment shows the president's incompetence. From Tuesday's Sun-Times:

President Barack Obama got a good deal of criticism, even from some liberals this time, for being slow to react to the Veterans Administration scandal, being reluctant to accept the reality of it by calling for yet another investigation, and coming across as dispassionate in talking about it.

There’s little wonder this scandal caught Obama off his game. It illustrates incompetency by his administration and the inefficiency that is inherent in any large bureaucracy, but especially in big government.

Madigan makes power play for Lincoln library and museum

The latest political power play at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum comes from Speaker Michael Madigan, who is pushing a plan to set up the center as a free-standing state agency despite opponents’ concerns it would become a patronage haven.

With the budget still unsettled and less than a week until adjournment, the Democratic speaker used the Memorial Day session to move through a committee a plan that would make the library and museum more independent of Gov. Pat Quinn. The speaker’s bill would remove the library from under the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The Quinn administration was largely silent on the issue, but estimated the cost for the switch would be $2.4 million at a time when other historic sites are considered for closure because of the state’s budget crunch.

Madigan’s proposal could benefit some of his friends. The Springfield presidential museum is run by Eileen Mackevich, a Madigan friend. Madigan confirmed she is a longtime acquaintance of Stanley Balzekas, whose family runs the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture. Madigan acknowledged his Southwest Side office is at the same 13th Ward address as the museum, and that Balzekas is the landlord.

Read more

Reeder: Time for Illinoisans to have the right to work

By Scott Reeder - 

SPRINGFIELD – Thirty-one years ago, I gave a speech to my high school rhetoric class on how Illinois ought to become a right-to-work state. 

Back when I was in high school, my hometown of Galesburg was an industrial center that churned out lawnmowers, refrigerators, steel buildings and outboard motors.

Industrial unions were powerful in Galesburg just as they were in nearby Peoria, Moline and all across Illinois. So my speech calling for ending compulsory unionism was not particularly well received.

After all, many of my classmates were the sons and daughters of union workers. To them, I was preaching apostasy. A right-to-work law simply means that employees cannot be forced to join or otherwise pay union dues in order to keep their jobs.

Today, when I visit my hometown, I feel sadness. Those union factory jobs have evaporated. Many of my classmates have moved to other states to raise their families. 

Fracking regs pass House Exec; opponent files queries to stall proposal

State Rep. John Bradley (center) pushed fracking rules through House Exec Monday

SPRINGFIELD - With support of the Illinois House Democrats, State Rep. John Bradley's effort to pass fracking industry regulations passed the House Executive Committee Monday afternoon.

Bradley, who worked with a coalition last year to pass legislation opening Illinois to fracking, told the committee "We just can't get the governor to get the regulations done," after a year of waiting. The legislation includes a moratorium on fracking in northeast Illinois - specifically the Chicago area.

Fracking would begin within the year in southern Illinois, next year central, and would eventually be open to all areas of the state, except the Chicago area, where hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas will remain banned.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources - tasked with preparing rules for the Joint Committee of Administration and Regulation to pass - has dragged out the process, and one lead IDNR staffer was found ridiculing the fracking industry in a workshop he gave earlier this year.

Illinois Senate Republicans introduce rival school funding bill

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Senate Republicans are proposing an alternative education funding reform plan that they say is a more practical effort than a rival bill being pushed by Democrats.

The legislation is sponsored by GOP state Sen. Dale Righter of Mattoon. It would require promised general state aid funds to be sent to schools before grants for specialized programs could be doled out to districts.

General state aid funds are often prorated so state aid money can be spread around for specialized programs. Republicans say the practice puts poorer schools more dependent on general state aid at a disadvantage.

The Republicans bill remains in committee.

Cabello legislation closes pension loopholes for dangerous criminals

When loopholes in current Illinois law allow for an ex-state lawmaker who is currently facing federal criminal charges for the most repulsive crimes to not only collect taxpayer-funded pension checks, but also to buy a last-minute retirement sweetener for time he didn’t work, alarm bells should be going off around the state.

Believe it or not, it’s all legal in the land of Lincoln. Currently in Illinois there are major gaps in the General Assembly Retirement System (GARS) Article of the Pension Code which allow members who have been convicted of a work-related felony, to continue to receive taxpayer backed benefits while awaiting their sentence.

Despite being charged with multiple counts of child pornography, including one count of possessing child pornography involving a minor under age 12, one count of receiving child pornography, and two counts of transporting child pornography, ex-state representative and alleged pedophile Keith Farnham still receives a taxpayer funded pension check.

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Moeller denies being source of email about Quinn pressuring mayors to support tax hike

SPRINGFIELD - Newly-appointed State Rep. Anna Bicanic Moeller (D-Elgin) adamantly denies having anything to do with an email circulated March 26, 2014, which appears to show that Gov. Quinn used taxpayer dollars to pressure Illinois mayors into lobbying their municipalities in support of his budget proposal. A budget that includes making the 2011 state income tax hike permanent.

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EMAIL REVEALS QUINN PRESSURED MAYORS TO LOBBY FOR HIS BUDGET AND TAX HIKE
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The e-mail (below), which Moeller circulated to nearly 40 of her colleagues, is a "summary of a call that the Governor's Office conducted with the IML and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus," along with "bullet points provided by the Governor regarding his budget proposal."

Moeller was executive director of the McHenry County Council of Government before recently being appointed to the State House to fill out the term of indicted State Rep. Keith Farnham (D-Elgin), who resigned after federal agents raided his legislative office. Moeller served as the McHenry County Council of Governments' executive director for nine years. She also was elected councilwoman for Elgin  in April 2011.

State Rep. Moeller confirmed to IR last week that she wrote the email. Following publication of story, however, she contacted us, denying her authorship and said she thought we were referring to another email.

Moeller refused to go on record about the content of the email below. Instead, she repeatedly accused Illinois Review of lying about her connection to it, and said we were asking deceptive questions.

Governor Quinn's office has yet to respond to our queries. We also spoke with the Michael Richards mentioned on Bennett's email as being on the March 2013 teleconference call. He referred us to the governor's office for an official response.

Richards no longer works on Quinn's Legislative Affairs staff, but now works for Quinn's 2014 re-election campaign. 

Donna Brouder, Fox River Grove village clerk, provided the e-mail below in response to the FOIA request. 

 The original IR story about Rep. Moeller can be found HERE

Memorial Day: A Photo to Remind Us What It's All About

From a post at GettyImages.com:

Mary McHugh mourns her slain fiancé Sgt. James Regan at “Section 60″ of the Arlington National Cemetery May 27, 2007. Regan, a US Army Ranger, was killed by an IED explosion in Iraq in February of this year, and this was the first time McHugh had visited the grave since the funeral. Section 60, the newest portion of the vast national cemetery on the outskirts of Washington D.C, contains hundreds of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Family members of slain American soldiers have flown in from across the country for Memorial Day. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Read more: Getty Images

Flight of Honor

Two Air Force Pilots, Major Howard V. Andre Jr. and Major James E. Sizemore, were recently buried at Arlington National Cemetery and were honored with a flyover by civilian pilots. The Air Force pilots were Killed In Action over Laos during the Vietnam War and their remains were only recently discovered and returned for proper burial at Arlington.

Because of budget cuts resulting from wasteful government spending, a traditional military fly-over was denied. However, civilian pilots angered over the government's refusal to properly honor those who died in service to America, stepped in and provided a flyover for their fallen brothers.

Stantis: Memorial Day 2014

Hultgren calls for VA hospital investigation and action [video]

WASHINGTON - Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) calls for investigation and action to end abusive medical treatment of veterans:

Another year passes, Illinois House meets once again on Memorial Day

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SPRINGFIELD - On Memorial Day 2013, State Rep. Jeanne Ives - a West Point graduate and former officer in the U.S. Army - voiced dismay in a op-ed published on Illinois Review. It was her opinion that members of the General Assembly should be home in their districts, honoring fallen veterans at their communities' numerous scheduled memorials. Instead, she would be in session at the state capitol.

Last week, Rep. Ives proposed a resolution calling on the Illinois House to do just that on Memorial Day 2014 and 41 members of the House from both sides of the aisle signed on in support of the legislation. But the proposal was never allowed to move to committee and Ives' idea was soundly rejected by Democrat leader House Speaker Mike Madigan. 

The Illinois House will convene at 1:00 PM on Memorial Day 2014, the Senate at 3:00 PM. From Rep. Ives' 2013 op-ed:

Di Leo: The Chicago Dictionary, Volume four

By John F. Di Leo - 

Definitions of words and idioms that mean something else in Illinois; posted as a public service to the consumers of news.

Asian Carp: A destructive monster that devours everything in its path, and is therefore a terrible threat to its rival, the state government.

Autumn: The hour or two in which summer gives way to winter.

Bail Bond: The criminal promises to pay if he doesn’t show up for trial, and the city promises to look the other way while he commits more crimes until then.

Bike Route:  Adding 20% to the cost of building a road, increasing the danger level by hundreds of percent, all for a perceived benefit to a fraction of a percent of the road’s users.  But heck, it makes environmentalists happy in San Francisco and Washington.

Blues: The way you feel after getting your property tax bill.

Bribery Acceptance: A crime for both parties.

Quinn Funded Group Despite Knowledge of Federal Investigation

In a Sunday front page news story, the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn provided millions in state anti-violence funding to a group the Governor, Attorney General and Auditor General knew to be under federal investigation: 

The problems involving the Chicago Area Project were significant enough to draw attention from federal investigators. They opened a criminal probe into the $7.8 million summer-jobs program, started under ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich…

… A series of state documents examined by the Chicago Sun-Times shed new light on how the Chicago Area Project ran into trouble with the state yet still got millions of new dollars more from the governor’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, which itself is now under state and federal investigation.

Not only was the group under federal investigation, it couldn’t account for more than $200,000 in previously provided state funds for an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project: 

IDOT’s audit team concluded that the five vendors could not substantiate $643,583 in billings to the state, with the Chicago Area Project’s share of that total coming in at $214,214 — the most of any of them. To date, none of that money has been repaid to the state.

According to the Sun-Times, the Governor’s office knew of the problems and kept funding Chicago Area Project anyway:

Thorner & Clarke: ERA, harmful to both women and men, must fail in House

Phyllis Schlafly

By Nancy Thorner & Elizabeth Clarke - 

Of importance is knowing the history of the Equal Rights Amendment, yet unfinished business for the Constitution, as a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA was written by suffragist leader Alice Paul in 1923 as the next step after the woman's right to vote was guaranteed by the 19th Amendment in 1920. Between 1923 and 1972 the ERA was introduced into every Congress, when it finally passed and was sent to the states for ratification. The original seven-year time limit in the ERA's proposing clause was extended by Congress for three years to June 30, 1982.  But even with the controversial extension of an additional three years, only 35 states had ratified ERA by the 1982 deadline, three statesshort of the 38 required to add to the Constitution (States that that did not ratify the ERA amendment back in 1982 were:  Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.). 

Should Illinois and two other states ratify the amendment to net the required 38 states, its constitutionality is in question. Receiving a death blow back in 1982 when ERA could only muster the votes of 35 states despite the problematic extension, resurrecting the amendment would call for Congress to start the process all over again.  

A conservative icon, Phyllis Schlafly, has been on hand since the ERA amendment was first introduced in the Illinois Capitol in 1972. As related in an Illinois Review article on Thursday, May 22, the day the Equal Rights Amendment finally passed the Illinois Senate, forty-two years later it took two Republicans to provide the 39 votes required to pass ERA despite the Senate Democrat's super-majority. Providing the two votes were Minority Leader Christine Radogno and State Senator Kirk Dillard. 

With a 39-11 vote, the Illinois Senate voted by more than the necessary three-fifths margin of elected senators, as required by state law, to ratify ERA. If it moves forward in the state House, Illinois will become the 36th state to ratify the ERA.

Step son of Peoria state representative shot and killed

PEORIA - Early Saturday morning, a 22 year old Peoria man was shot and killed.

Derrick Booth, the son of a local high school coach and the step son of State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria), was sitting on the front porch of a home on Greenlawn Ave when he was shot. He died soon after at a local hospital.

Peoria TV news reports police could not specify where the bullet came from, and there are no suspects at this time.

Rep. Gordon said the family would be releasing a statement in the next few days.

Op-Ed: A federal ERA would be yet another boon for hungry litigators

By Howard Foster - 

I was a partner in a 100-lawyer law firm in Chicago which employed lots of women, as lawyers, secretaries, accountants, and paralegals. I was never aware of any discrimination in hiring, pay or promotions. If a woman lawyer did well, she became a partner. If as a partner she generated more income than male partners, she made more money than they did. It made no business sense not to promote or reward successful lawyers regardless of gender in this ultra-competitive legal market. We were all judged by our numbers. The more fees you generated, the more you earned.

The best secretaries and paralegals tended to be women, but that reflected the applicant pool. There was never a plot not to hire male secretaries. (I had one man work for me who had come from another large Chicago law firm, and his skills were stellar. He was rewarded with raises and stayed for years.)  But it was virtually impossible to fire an incompetent female or minority secretary. The HR director of the firm told me that she would do anything, reassigning an under-performing woman to another area of the firm, even helping them find a better job elsewhere, rather than fire them. 

Fired female and minority employees go directly to plaintiffs’ “employment discrimination” lawyers within days and then file Title VII discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Illinois Human Rights Commission. It’s like filing for unemployment benefits. It’s par for the course. The vast majority of these “complaints” are not pursued by the agencies. But the plaintiffs’ lawyers then file federal lawsuits and drag the employer through months of expensive discovery, deposing executives looking for kernels to corroborate their warped theories of bigoted-induced termination. There are a few legitimate discrimination cases. But every sophisticated employer knows discriminating against a competent employee because of gender or race makes no economic sense. Who wouldn’t want a good woman or minority employee?

Naperville lawmaker calls on Obama Admin to fix the VA's healthcare problems

NAPERVILLE - A call for the Obama Administration and Congress to quickly address the Veterans Affairs health care problems was introduced to the Illinois House by State Rep. Darlene Senger (R- Naperville): 

“The wellbeing of our veterans in Illinois should always be paramount.  Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital is one of the largest in the nation and we need to ensure or veterans are getting the treatment they need and deserve in a timely manner,” said Senger.  “The problems in our Veterans Affairs department need to be fixed immediately.  We cannot slowly move towards a solution when veteran’s lives are being jeopardized by government bureaucracy.”

House Resolution 1147 has not been assigned to committee yet. It says:

WHEREAS, In recent weeks, it has become known that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System had a secret wait list of up to 1,600 veterans waiting to receive an appointment for care at that facility; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the delay in care, at least 40 United States veterans have died while waiting for appointments at the Phoenix facility; and

WHEREAS, Since the revelation of the delay of care in Phoenix, the number of Veterans Affairs' facilities under investigation has expanded to 26 around the country; and

House to consider fracking bill next Monday

SPRINGFIELD - Since Illinois' Office of Oil and Gas Resource Management continues to drag its feet in proposing regulations for Illinois' hydraulic fracturing industry, frustrated Illinois lawmakers are preparing to go around them.

The Illinois Manufacturers Association said Friday that they support the part of the newly-proposed General Assembly action that sets the needed regulations, but they oppose the bill's two-year fracking moratorium in Illinois.

"Nearly one year after the General Assembly passed the Hydraulic Fracturing Act, Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have failed to implement rules that will allow fracturing to occur in Illinois, preventing the creation of thousands of news jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue," an IMA statement says.  

"For a state with an extremely high unemployment rate, this is an epic failure of leadership after a broad-based coalition of stakeholders including industry, environmentalists, agriculture, attorney general and the governor reached an historic agreement last year.  Illinois is wasting a golden economic development opportunity."

Last spring, the Illinois General Assembly passed and in June 2013, Governor Quinn signed into law  legislation approving fracking in Illinois. The bill authorized the Department of Natural Resources to set up fracking regulations, which would then demand public comment and consideration by the state's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules before the fracking could begin. 

Rhoads: Thank you, Gary Sinise

By Mark Rhoads - 

I had a very short encounter Friday night with Gary Sinise who grew up in Blue Island and attended high school in Highland Park before he married Moria Harris from Pontiac. He was also an early director of the Steppenwolf Theater Company. Since the event started in 2006, Gary has been a solid suppoter of the annual GI Film Festival in Wasghington, DC. My sister Cheryl Felicia Rhoads is on the advisory committtee for the festival which has been decribed as "a Sundance Film Festival for the Troops."

Madigan's "millionaire tax" ballot referendum passes Illinois House

SPRINGFIELD - House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) moved through the Illinois House an advisory that would be on the November ballot asking the voters of Illinois: 

"Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to require that each school district receive additional revenue, based on their number of students, from an additional 3% tax on income greater than one million dollars?"

If the Senate approves the measure, the voters' majority opinion would be conveyed to the General Assembly for their consideration as to whether the state constitution should be amended. The Generaly Assembly would then need three-fifths to ratify the measure, and it would be sent back to the voters for approval.

Madigan attempted to get the constitutional amendment itelf on the November ballot, but was unable to gather the needed higher standard of three-fifths approval in the House. 

What questions would you ask about the wording of this proposal? 

The House roll call (below the fold) on HB 3816 included two Democrats - Scott Drury and Jack Franks - crossing the aisle to join Republicans, who all voted "no."

Oberweis says $200 to set up a lemonade stand in Illinois is "insane"

SPRINGFIELD - It could soon cost $200 for kids to set up a lemonade stand, have a bake sale or sell cupcakes in Illinois. 

"This is absolutely insane!" State Senator Jim Oberweis (R-Aurora) said at a Capitol press conference Friday. "Somebody in Madison County went crazy and decided to enforce a law against an 11 year old kid who was baking cupcakes. That was a mistake, but it happened."

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UPDATE X1: CUPCAKE BILL FIRST SQUASHED, NOW REVIVED IN ILLINOIS SENATE

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In the House, the little girl Oberweis referred to - Chloe Stirling of Troy's State Representative Charlie Meier tried to do the right thing by introducing a law that would help those in her situation and exempt up to $1000 in sales.

"Then what happened? It came to the Senate... We 'Illinois-ized' the bill - doing things the way we do in Illinois, which is everything we can to discourage entrepeneurism to discourage business interests," Oberweis told reporters.

Though assaulted, 76 year old "State Street Preacher" ready to forgive [video]

CHICAGO - For decades, the "State Street Preacher" has been warning Chicagoans of hell fire and damnation, along with the glories of forgiveness. On his 76th birthday, he's ready to forgive two young men that assaulted him Thursday.

ERA revival a back door to legalizing same sex marriage nationwide

Phyllis Schlafly in the Illinois Capitol circa 1972

SPRINGFIELD - Why, after 40 years of failure, is the Equal Rights Amendment on the front burner again?  The movement fell three state short when the extended deadline passed in 1982, but ERA proponents believe the deadlines can be challenged and won at the U.S. Supreme Court level.

So why now? A 2011 story in the Daily Caller gives an idea - it is likely an effort to legalize same sex marriage nationwide. From the Daily Caller:

The Democrat-driven Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) revival may be a back door means of legalizing same-sex marriage, some legal experts say. The amendment passed both houses of Congress in 1973, but failed to be ratified by the necessary 38 states; it has been reintroduced each year since.

“It’s a real simple argument,” said long-time ERA opponent Phyllis Schlafly. “ERA would make all federal and state laws sex neutral. If two men show up and say we want a marriage license and [the person] says ‘you’re both men, I’m not giving it to you,’ that would be discriminatory.”

Schlafly said ERA would only apply to laws that are currently not sex-neutral such as marriage and the draft. But it would have no bearing on those such as employment laws, because they are already sex neutral.

House rejects Crespo's "doomsday" budget proposal

SPRINGFIELD - State Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) set before the Illinois House a budget proposal that was soundly rejected by 107 House members Friday morning. Only five Democrats - Speaker Madigan, Toni Berrios, and Ken Dunkin of Chicago and John Bradley of downstate Marion - joined Crespo's support.

Speaker Madigan voiced frustration in a committee hearing Thursday about his own caucus resistance to an income tax hike extension. In an informal caucus vote, only 34 of his caucus members supported making the 2011 income tax hike permanent.

In response, Rep. Crespo proposed a budget with $1.4 billion in spending cuts to the most vulnerable, including $570 million off elementary and secondary education, $365 million less for human services and $255 million less in public safety.

"You've got to vote for something," Crespo told his colleagues.

The General Assembly has until May 31st to vote on an FY 2015 budget, requiring a simple majority to pass. 

Senator McConnaughay explains her "present" vote on ERA ratification

GOP State Senator Karen McConnaughay voted "present" on ERA ratification

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Karen McConnaughay (R-Aurora) voted present on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the Illinois Senate Thursday. One of three GOP women that voted "present," she explained why in floor debate:

We are talking today about a failed amendment from 40 years ago. At a time when we have immediate issues that go unresolved here in Illinois. An outdated amendment that is older than many of our staffers and some of our colleagues. 

And please, don’t misunderstand, I’m a dedicated advocate for women’s rights and a beneficiary of those rights. 

I spent eight years as the first elected female county board chairman and I now am incredibly proud to sit in this chamber as the representative of the people of the 33rd district. I am incredibly grateful for the work done by women throughout history that have paved the way for myself and others to achieve the type of success that we have here today. 

Senator Pam Althoff explains her "Present" vote on ERA resolution

State Senator Pamela Althoff voted "Present" on the ERA resolution 

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) voted "Present" on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the Illinois Senate Thursday. The resolution needed 36 "Yes" votes for passage. Thirty-nine senators voted yes, 11 no and 6 - Senator Althoff among them - voted "Present." The resolution now moves to the Illinois House.

Before voting, she explained her vote to her colleagues on the Senate floor:

I think of myself as an extremely strong women’s rights advocate, and I sure do believe that my female constituents certainly know that to be true of me. I was a civic leader in my mayoral role and I am viewed as such in my senatorial capacity as well. I continue my community leadership role serving on human service provider boards and volunteering for every local fundraiser benefit, walk, run, bake sale, school program - what have you.

I believe women are equal to men and as such, they deserve the same rights, access and opportunities. I am proud to be a member of this General Assembly. noting that these rights are embedded in our state’s constitution. 

But ladies and gentlemen, let’s be candid here, this resolution was introduced eight days ago, in the middle of the second to the last week of this session in an election year. If this issue were a priority to this body, with all due respect, admiration, affection and acknowledgement of the sponsor’s work ethic, this amendment would have been filed and worked much, much earlier.

In 2009, Durbin criticized colleagues for their concern about the VA

WASHINGTON - In June of 2009, Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin blasted Republicans for criticizing Obamacare, and condemned as fictitious concerns about delays in government health care, such as those now reported at VA medical facilities.

DURBIN: Many people on the other side of the aisle have come to the floor and criticized the idea of a public interest health insurance plan. They argue it is government insurance, government health care. But most Americans know that government health care is not a scary thing in and of itself. There are 40 million Americans under Medicare. That is a government health care program. Millions of Americans are protected by Medicaid for lower income people in our country. That has a government component too. 

Our veterans come back from war and go to the Veterans' Administration, a government health program. I have not heard a single Republican come to the floor and say: We need to eliminate Medicare, eliminate Medicaid, close the VA hospitals, because it is all government health care. No. For most people being served by these programs, they believe they are godsends and they do not want to lose them. 

Yesterday, the minority leader, the Republican Senator from Kentucky, came to the floor and talked about a future which is fictitious. He said: A government plan where care is denied, delayed, and rationed. 

Those are fighting words, because no one wants their coverage denied, they do not want to wait in a long line for surgery, and they do not want to believe they are victims of rationing. It is important for them to have medical care given to them.

Video below can be viewed on C-SPAN here.

Champaign IL baby rescued in 1995 meets her lifesaver at high school graduation

CHAMPAIGN - One cold wintry morning in November 1995, Champaign Illinois' 911 operator received a call from a mother who said she had just abandoned her newborn daughter in a nearby cemetery.

This week, the man, Charlie Heflin, who rescued her surprised that little girl - Skyler James - at her high school graduation:

After 42 years, ERA passes the Illinois Senate ... with GOP help

ERA activist spill pigs blood on the floor of the Capitol rotunda in 1972

SPRINGFIELD - With few votes to spare, the Equal Rights Amendment passed the Illinois Senate Thursday afternoon, just a day after it passed committee.

There were no ERA activists spelling legislators' names in pig blood on the Capitol rotunda floor as there were in 1972. Neither was conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly, soon to be 90 years old, on hand leading the charge in opposition.

And despite the Senate Democrats' super-majority, the 39 yes, 11 no, and 6 present votes were not along party lines. Two Republicans - Minority Leader Christine Radogno and State Senator Kirk Dillard helped to provide the needed 36 votes.

Dillard's vote surprised observers, as he was endorsed in the 2014 Republican gubernatorial primary by Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly, who has fought the ERA since the early 1970s.

Three Republican women - Senators Karen McConnaughay, Pamela Althoff and Sue Rezin - voted "Present," as did two Democrats - Haine and Landek - and one Republican male, Senator Dave Syverson.

The resolution will proceed to the Illinois House, where it may have a more difficult time gathering the needed three-fifths vote.

The Senate roll call is below:

Email reveals Quinn pressured mayors to lobby for his budget and tax hike

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois taxpayer dollars appear to have been used to promote Governor Pat Quinn's budget proposal that includes making the 2011 state income tax hike permanent, and those fighting the income tax hike are outraged.

An email obtained via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) shows that shortly after Governor Quinn's March budget address, pressure started being applied to mayors throughout Illinois. Pressure to become "local ambassadors" for the Governor's budget, which includes making the 2011 tax increase permanent.

According to the FOIA communication, two members of the Governor's staff - Cory Foster and Michael Richards - spoke with representatives of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and the Illinois Municipal League (IML), urging the organizations to have their members lobby on behalf of the Governor's proposed budget.

The email, circulated by the Anna Bicanic Moeller, Executive Director of the McHenry County Council of Governments, states: 

The Governor's staff asked participants on the call to review the Governor's budget with their members and seek their support. They also said they intend to enlist supporting organizations as 'local ambassadors' to build support for the budget and work it in the General Assembly.

Americans for Prosperity-Illinois' Executive Director David From, who has been leading an effort to stop the 2011 temporary tax hike from becoming permanent, wasn't surprised.

"Unfortunately, the taxpayers are the ones not represented on that phone call with the Governor's office," From said. "But the tax hike is unpopular, and it would make sense that they would need to apply pressure to get the Governor's budget passed." 

Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey Straub said that not only had mayors been asked to lobby for the tax hike, they've been threatened to have their state dollars cut if the tax hike isn't passed. Senate President John Cullerton made it clear to DuPage County mayors that without their active support, the budget wouldn't pass, and state support would be drastically cut.

In Moeller's e-mail, one IML representative asked the governor's staff if the governor intended to return their local share back to the 10 percent from the current six percent budgeted for local municipalities. On the call, the staffers reportedly said they didn't know, but would need to get back with an answer.

Straub told Illinois Review that "Not only does the governor not intend to return to the 10 percent level in his 2015 budget, mayors were threatened that if the governor's budget didn't pass, local government's cut would be zeroed out."

"I am not in favor of the tax hike, and I'm not in favor of arm-twisting. I have a hard time believing any promise attached to a threat," said Straub.

The governor's office was contacted for a response concerning this report. IR spoke to Michael Richards, who refused to comment. Richards is no longer working for the governor's Government Affairs office, he is working on the Quinn for Governor campaign. Neither the governor's office nor Cory Foster provided a response.

Still, taxpayer groups are tired of fighting taxpayer-funded lobbying efforts.

"Taxpayer-funded lobbying is always distasteful, but it is particularly egregious when the desired outcome is even higher taxes," Illinois Policy Institute VP Kristina Rasmussen told Illinois Review. "Enough is enough."

Chicago VA Spent 3X More on Painters than Quality Assurance

By Mike Flynn - 

After embattled VA Undersecretary for Health, Dr. Robert Petzel announced his resignation/retirement, the Obama Administration nominated Dr. Jeffery Murawsky, a regional VA director as his replacement. Dr. Murawsky's current portfolio, however, includes overseeing the large Edward Hines Jr. VA hospital outside Chicago. Given the problems plaguing that VA hospital, though, the personnel reshuffle may be a distinction without a difference.

According to a whistleblower, Germaine Carno, veterans calling the Hines facility for help are placed on secret waiting lists. Carno says that administrators view two, three or four month wait times as "normal." Carno charges that the secret wait list is used to allow the hospital to achieve its goals and maintain lucrative bonuses for staff. 

U.S. Senator Kirk addresses VA Hospital problem with additional spending

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, today voted with the Democrat-controlled Committee to pass the VA and Military Construction Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015.

According to a Kirk press release, this year's bill addresses the ongoing VA wait list scandal by directing the VA Inspector General to conduct an internal review of the VA’s scheduling procedures, wait times, and management practices at all VA hospitals, including the five in Illinois. This bill also places a restriction on performance bonuses for some VA personnel.

"In the Appropriations Committee today, I was successful in blocking new bonuses and giving the IG the funding to get answers about these accusations. It is not acceptable to simply say that the VA is too big and too bureaucratic to change," said Kirk, who noted the additional money this year's bill will include:

Madigan thumbs down on GOP ballot initiative; says income tax extension "moot"

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan vs. State Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein)

SPRINGFIELD - House Speaker Mike Madigan appeared before the House Revenue Committee Thursday with yet another proposed ballot referendum - this one to ask Illinois voters whether they favor the millionaire tax he was unable to get through the Illinois House earlier this year. Madigan's proposed advisory referendum would be non-binding, and would simply get a reading of where Illinois voters are on the issue of those making a million dollars a year paying a larger percentage of taxes than non-millionaires.

During his committee presentation, Speaker Madigan and Republican Spokesperson State Rep. Ed Sullivan had a back-and-forth revealing three points: 1.) The speaker doesn't have the votes to make the temporary tax hike permanent, 2.) While fighting in court the term limit and redistricting binding referendums, he's eager to get on the ballot non-binding advisories that will get his party's voters to the polls and 3.) He's not interested in taxpayers' opinion on whether the 2011 tax hike should remain permanent. 

Roskam Applauds Passage of 2015 National Defense Authorization Act

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam released the following statement after House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015:

“Today, the House passed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act to ensure our military’s readiness in an increasingly unstable world. We ask so much of our men and women in uniform, so it is vital that we uphold our promise to them by providing our soldiers with the training and resources they need to fulfill their critical mission. I commend Chairman McKeon and the entire Armed Services Committee for their tireless work to ensure our troops are taken care of even during these challenging fiscal times.

Governor Quinn promotes home learning - at least during summer break

SPRINGFIELD - Thursday, Governor Pat Quinn, State Secretary Jesse White and Illinois State Board of Education chief Christopher Koch promoted home schooling - in a round about, unofficial way.

The three encouraged "all students across Illinois to access free online tools designed to promote reading, maintain math skills and inspire learning outside the classroom." In other words, Illinois students can advance their learning skills at home.

“Summer is a great break to enjoy outdoor adventures but it shouldn’t signal an end to learning,” Governor Quinn said. “With online resources and parent support, children can keep up with their studies and maintain the gains they accomplished during the school year. This free tool can make sure our students are ready to succeed right from the start when the school bell rings again in the fall.”

Regarding parental support, Secretary White urges parents to read to their children.

Illinois considering 1970s Equal Rights Amendment…again

In 1972 Phyllis Schlafly led the first defeat of the ERA in Illinois

By Brady Cremeens - 

SPRINGFIELD - The federal Equal Rights Amendment was first debated in era of shag carpeting, polyester leisure suits and avocado appliances.

Illinois lawmakers in the 1970s voted the measure down and eventually the national push fell short.

But Wednesday, in a largely symbolic move, Illinois lawmakers revisited the issue.

The resolution’s sponsor, State Sen. Heather A. Steans, D-Chicago, lauded the move as a chance to “rid ourselves of this blemish on our record. … Illinois has shown outstanding leadership in issues of equality, except on this. We have the opportunity to fix it.”

But State Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, countered, “I’m for it. I’m going to vote for it. But it’s clearly an attempt to distract us from the main issue — the fact that the state is in dire financial straits. Every girl born in this state has $10,000 in public debt to her name. That’s a real women’s issue.”

Illinois House OKs marijuana use for kids with epilepsy - but at what cost?

SPRINGFIELD - In a 98-8 vote Wednesday, the Illinois House approved legislation that would let minors with epilepsy use edible marijuana.

While there is no medical proof, some parents claim that consuming the oil of marijuana reduces seizures. Opponents disagree, and cite the fact that digesting the drug produces a different effect on both adults and children.

Experts say the amount of marijuana in edibles can vary widely, and in some cases, the levels are so high people report extreme paranoia and anxiety bordering on psychotic behavior. Two deaths in Colorado connected with edible marijuana products are forcing Colorado lawmakers to toughen regulations.

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EDIBLE MARIJUANA PRESENTS NEW CHALLENGES FOR ILLINOIS' MEDICAL POT LEGALIZATION
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The Senate approved the bill in April. But the measure must return to the Senate for consideration of a House amendment that prohibits children from smoking medical cannabis.