Illinois Review

Thorner: Gorsuch remarks raise concerns about 'Judicial Supremacy'

By Nancy Thorner -

An Editorial in “New York Sun” on February 8, 2017, had this to say about the Gorsuch gaffe:

Talk about disheartening. That’s the word President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch, is using to describe President Trump’s remarks in respect of the riders of the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals. The president is upset at their politicking over his order to tighten up on immigration. Is the president’s pique so disheartening? Not to us. What’s so disheartening is to see such a promising nominee to the high court lose his bearings in a storm. (Bold type added)

The commentary goes on to muse that Judge Gorsuch's complaint to President Trump to Senator Richard Blumenthal, whose authenticity was documented by other senators, "was a gaffe that will be seen as a failure to keep himself disentangled from political questions."

As expressed in the “The New York Sun” commentary:

Pregnancy Resource Centers Sue Illinois' Republican Governor for First Amendment Violations

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner

CHICAGO, IL - Eighteen Illinois women’s health organizations are suing Governor Bruce Rauner over Illinois’ new law forcing pro-life doctors and pregnancy resource centers to discuss abortion benefits and refer pregnant women for abortions despite their conscience-based opposition to abortion. The controversial SB 1564, which amended the Health Care Right of Conscience Act effective January 1, 2017, has left Illinois’ over 90 not-for-profit pregnancy resource centers with little choice but to file suit seeking a judicial determination that the law unconstitutionally abridges their free speech and interferes with their religious beliefs. The Thomas More Society filed for injunctive relief this week on behalf of 18 of the centers, citing violations of multiple rights under the Constitution of the State of Illinois. It filed an action on behalf of two others late last week, The Women’s Centers of Greater Chicagoland and Hope Life Center in Sterling, Illinois. Some of the centers have been forced to stop medical services, which include pregnancy tests, sonograms, and STD testing, until the legal issues are resolved.

Illinois Policy Institute: Balancing Illinois' budget without tax hikes

Hultgren Named Co-Chair of House Values Action Team

WASHINGTON DC - Illinois Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) will serve as Co-Chair of the House Value Action Team in the 115th Congress, serving alongside Chair Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and fellow Co-Chairmen Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and Jody Hice (R-GA).

“Our country is strongest when we protect and promote faith, family and freedom, and the Values Action Team is the congressional membership organization dedicated to defending these values,” said Rep. Hultgren. “It is time to reverse negative trends in our nation and promote a positive vision of America that understands the value of the family, the human dignity of all human life and the freedom of everyone to believe what their conscience dictates. I look forward to working with Chair Hartzler, Co-Chairs Aderholt and Hice and our colleagues to advance the principles and values that have made our country great.”

The Values Action Team is a group of members dedicated to advancing policy that promotes traditional values by building and strengthening coalitions with like-minded citizen groups and amplifying their voices to achieve common goals. The group had more than 70 members in the 114th Congress. Previous Chairman Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) retired from Congress after chairing the group since its creation in 1998.

Roskam Gives a Tax Reform Update on Varney & Co.

The job of the education secretary isn’t to defend public schools. It’s to help kids learn.

They think the Secretary of Education works for the teachers. Mark Bauerlein writes: “The more politicians and commentators insist that the first responsibility of the secretary of education is to represent and support public schools, the more we have an example of ‘capture’ in government. Capture takes place when an agency charged with monitoring an industry or profession ends up in the service of it. The agency or official starts to regard the object of evaluation as a constituency that must be supported. When the governor of a state gets too close to the public employee unions around negotiating time, he has stopped representing the people of his state and become a partisan of special interests. He has been captured.

Why I Left the Left

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report used to be a big progressive. He even had a show with The Young Turks! But now he's not a progressive. He has left the left. Why? Dave Rubin shares his story.

Maybe the President is not a control freak

John O. McGinnis writes: “A common criticism of President Trump is that he is an authoritarian executive. But he has chosen to nominate a judge who is on the record against giving deference to interpretation of statutes by heads of executive agencies. Gorsuch opposes an important doctrine that would protect the administration’s authority. There were many judges on his list of 21 potential nominees who were more favorable to Chevron and yet he passed them over. This choice is not the action of someone who wants to maximize his power at all costs. Perhaps some would say that Trump was just ignorant of these details. But surely his key agents, including Steven Bannon and Reince Priebus, recognized this salient feature of Gorsuch’s record and they recommended him nonetheless. Just as Trump’s nominations suggest he is better than his off-the-cuff statements, so his nomination of Gorsuch likely suggests that his administration’s considered views on federal power are better than his impulsive tweets.”

More at Library of Law and Liberty

Trump Does Not Know What Civil Forfeiture Is, but He Likes It

Sometimes the cops are the robbers. Jacob Sullum writes: “In a meeting with county sheriffs from around the country on Tuesday, President Trump jokingly (we hope!) threatened to ‘destroy [the] career’ of a Texas legislator who proposed requiring the government to obtain a conviction before taking property allegedly tied to crime. As Nick Gillespie noted, Trump’s knee-jerk support for civil asset forfeiture is troubling, especially in light of a growing bipartisan consensus that the practice should be reformed or abolished because it hurts innocent property owners and warps law enforcement priorities. Worse, the White House transcriptof the president’s remarks about forfeiture shows he literally does not know what he is talking about, which suggests this ‘law and order’ president is happy to go along with whatever cops want, even if he has no idea what it is.” [Reason]

If President Trump doesn’t understand the problem of civil asset forfeiture, he can get a good introduction to the topic by taking three minutes and fifty seconds to watch the Institute for Justice’s video “The Forfeiture Machine Turns Cops into Robbers.” It’s a good video for everybody to watch, too.

Trey Gowdy Delivers the Boom in Regards to the Court Ruling on Trump’s Travel Ban

Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration Is Both Legal and Constitutional

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is wrong. On Thursday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to halt a stay on President Trump’s executive order suspending travel from seven majority-Muslim countries in the Middle East. Hans von Spakovsky writes: “The court’s apparent opinion that other aliens who don’t live in the U.S. have due process rights if they are refused entry can only be true if they have a constitutional right to enter the U.S. That is an absurd proposition, yet that is the end result of the court’s opinion: that a foreign alien can demand a hearing and due process rights if one of our embassies refuses to give the alien a visa. So far in the numerous lawsuits that have been filed against this executive order, the only federal judge to get it right is Nathaniel Gorton of the District Court of Massachusetts. He analyzed the relevant statute, 8 U.S.C. §1182(f), and concluded that the executive order is fully within the president’s authority: ‘The decision to prevent aliens from entering the country is a “fundamental sovereign attribute” realized through the legislative and executive branches that is “largely immune from judicial control.”’”

More from The Daily Signal

Di Leo: Emissions Testing and the Pollution of Big Government

By John F. Di Leo - 

I got my notice from the state last month: you can’t renew your plates until you get an emissions test.

Naturally, my first thought was “Sounds good to me; so I just won’t renew my plates! There’s a nice hundred dollar savings…”

But of course, realistically, that’s not an option. So I awakened early and drove to an Illinois Air Team location for the test.

I can’t complain, exactly… the employees are always polite and efficient; since I arrived before they opened, I was first in line; it took no time at all. So, let me make this clear: I have no complaint about the Illinois Air Team site I visited; if you have to have one, they’ve always been great, in my experience.

But… why DO we have to have one?

They're back: DCCC, Bob Creamer push anti-Roskam and -Davis protests in Illinois

WASHINGTON - Republican members of Congress that represent districts where Hillary Clinton won in 2016 now are being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In Illinois, the DCCC has honed in on Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) and downstate Congressman Rodney Davis (IL-13), who have both suddenly been besieged by a growing number of angry protesters.

Roskam was first met at his office with angry protesters, then at a Republican township meeting in Palatine last Saturday.

Chicago Public School parent files ethics complaint over anti-GOP letter

CHICAGO - Wednesday, Chicago GOP chairman Chris Cleveland filed an ethics complaint against Chicago Public School head Forrest Claypool over a letter Claypool sent home with 381,000 students blaming Governor Rauner and President Trump for the district's latest budget cuts. 

"Using public time and resources on such a letter should always be considered a misuse of taxpayer funds, but it is made even more egregious in light of CPS’s self-declared financial crisis," Cleveland wrote in his complaint. (Full letter below the fold)

Chicago media crowded the press conference Wednesday, and Cleveland called IR on his way to hear Claypool's press conference comments in response. 

"The gist of our press conference was, 'Don't send political propaganda home with my Chicago Public School kid," Cleveland said.

ILLINOIS: Illegal alien charged after voting in multiple elections

By Victor Skinner - 

Federal officials seem to be taking President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration as seriously as he is.

As U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was worn into his new post Thursday, U.S. District Court Magistrate Eric Long was arraigning an illegal immigrant in Urbana, Illinois for several counts of voter fraud, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The 33-year-old Mexican national, Miguel Valencia-Sandoval, allegedly used a fake identity for years to vote in the 2012, 2014, and 2016 elections, and to open bank accounts, take out car loans, and open restaurants.

The scheme seemed to be working well until a trip to Mexico last month, when Valencia-Sandoval was detained as he attempted to cross back into the U.S. with a Texas birth certificate and Illinois ID card with the name Ramiro Guerrora Vaszuez.

More at The American Mirror

Gutiérrez, Quigley, Kelly and Duckworth connected to Emerging Security Breach

Sen. Duckworth, Rep. Guiterez, Rep. Kelly, Rep. Quigley

Writing in Frontpage Magazine, Daniel Greenfield is reporting that several members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation have a connection to two individuals who have been linked to an emerging security breach.

As Greenfield writes:

Last year, eight members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issued a demand that their staffers be granted access to top secret classified information.

The signatories to the letter were Andre Carson, Luis Gutiérrez, Jim Himes, Terri Sewell, Jackie Speier, Mike Quigley, Eric Swalwell and Patrick Murphy. All the signatories were Democrats. Some [staffers] had a history of attempting to undermine national security.

Imran Awan and his two brothers, Jamal and Abid, are at the center of an investigation that deals with, among other things, allegations of illegal access. They have been barred from the House of Representatives network.

A member of Congress expressed concern that, “they may have stolen data from us.”

Jamal Awan was employed by Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly.

Abid Awan was employed by then Illinois Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, who is now U.S. Senator. While in the House, Duckworth had been on the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces of the Armed Services Committee.

Greenfield described in detail the brothers involvement in the Muslim Brotherhood. You can read about it HERE.

Thorner: New Trier High School to host one-sided race seminar

By Nancy Thorner with co-writer Joseph Morris -

A group of parents of New Trier (Illinois) High School students is concerned about what their teens will be taught during the forthcoming "All School Seminar Day" planned for February 28, 2017, titled: Understanding Today's Struggle for Racial Civil Rights.  

New Trier High School is often ranked among the best in the country. It serves the prosperous suburbs north of Chicago -- Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, most of Northfield, and parts of Glenview -- an overwhelmingly white area.   The township was traditionally conservative and Republican but now leans liberal and Democratic. Its main campus for sophomores through seniors is located in Winnetka, Illinois, US, and a freshman campus in Northfield, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration. 

A 25-page catalogue of courses, programs, seminars, and other events scheduled for the day presents a rather bold and raw effort at hard-left propaganda with decidedly anti-American, anti-free-market, anti-family, anti-parent, and bigoted biases on display.  Click here and here to learn about some of the workshops and speakers.

Fireside Chat with Dennis Prager and Dave Rubin

Dennis Prager is joined by Dave Rubin host of The Rubin Report and star of the most recent PragerU video, “Why I Left the Left.”

Thorner: Ed. Reform Expert Recommends Shutting Down Depart. of Education

By Nancy Thorner -

Vicki Alger, research fellow at the Independent Institute, delivered a speech at The Heartland Institute on February 1 about her new book, Failure: The Federal Misedukation of American ‘s Children. You can watch her presentation here.

Alger ‘s research at the Independent Institute focuses on education reforms that provide a competitive education marketplace and increases parental control over their children ‘s education. The author of more than 40 education policy studies, Alger has advised the U.S. Department of Education on public school choice and higher education, and has also helped to advance educational reform in her home state of Arizona.

Alger ‘s research also inspired the introduction of the most school-choice bills in the history of California, five in all. Prior to her career in education policy, Alger taught college-level courses in American politics, English composition and rhetoric, and early British literature.

Overview of Failure: The Federal Misedukation of America’s Children

Nine House Dems push for Illinois schools, churches to be immigrant safe zones

SPRINGFIELD - Nine Chicago-area Democrats are pushing legislation in the Illinois House that would make every school, medical or health care facility and place of worship an "Immigration Safety Zone" - providing protection for foreign nationals in the U.S. illegally.

The measure would fan the flames of a nationwide debate over the rights of those that have evaded federal immigration laws. The law would allow those facilities to protect residents from federal immigration officials, and it requires those facilities to provide instruction to their personnel on how to provide assistance to those evading the law. From the bill's description, HB 426 explicitly:

Di Leo: Who We Are – And Who the American People Are Not

By John F. Di Leo - 

With a new administration comes, for once, a new clarity. 

President Trump is attempting to bring some sanity to our immigration programs – requiring vetting before admission of refugees, for example, so that we don’t suffer the horrific outbreaks of criminality – car fires, riots, gang rapes, honor killings, and the like – that Europe has suffered for years, at the hands of these very same so-called “refugees.”

And before the ink was dry on his Executive Order (almost word for word an executive order issued by his predecessors, with nothing radical about it at all), the George Soros –funded rent-a-thugs descended upon federal buildings, town centers, and college campuses to wreak the havoc that only lawless goons can wreak.

The Left screams that rational limitations on the endless hordes of non-Americans who want to come here are not “Who We Are”… as if George Soros had any say in our identity… as if the un-American Left were, in any way whatsoever, representative of who real Americans are.

So perhaps we need to explain what the events of November 2016 really meant… and how, after eight years of treasonous behavior by a corrupt Democratic president and his acolytes, the American people have reclaimed the right to speak for ourselves in declaring Who We Are.

Foster: The Ninth Circuit's Backward Reasoning

By Howard Foster - 

A party asking a court for an injunction needs to show it will be “irreparably harmed” by the status quo.  It’s a heavy burden. The defendant does not need to show anything. So greatly simplifying the Washington State v. Trump lawsuit, the state and the foreigners, the plaintiffs, had to prove they will be harmed by the President’s executive order. In ordinary litigation, the President should not be put to the test to show the executive order was just or even necessary.  All that comes later when the case is actually tried. The district judge in Seattle hearing the case saw things in the opposite way.  He immediately demanded that the government lawyer prove to his satisfaction that the executive order was necessary for national security.  Put on the spot without top secret data at his disposal, the lawyer was left to muttering platitudes about secret intelligence and a possible future attack. 

Illinois State worker challenges mandated union fees

Illinois Legislature Declares October "Zombie Preparedness Month"

The Illinois legislature has declared October "Zombie Preparedness Month."

Why, might you ask, did the bright intellectual lights in Springfield do this? Because, as House ResoIution 0030 states, "If the citizens of Illinois are prepared for zombies, than [sic] they are prepared for any natural disaster."

The question remains, however, are the citizens of Illinois prepared for the man-made, financial disaster those same politicians are themselves creating?

Officer Acquitted of Wrongdoing Charges Filed by Illinois Congressman Rush

Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush (D)

Two Chicago police officers on Thursday were cleared of racial profiling allegations filed by left-wing Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL) after a traffic stop that occurred in August 2015.

After the Chicago Police Department's Bureau of Internal Affairs reviewed the officers' body camera footage, it was determined that the officers had probable cause to pull over the Congressman, Fox 32 News reported Thursday.

The officers stopped Rush because the license plates on his Lexus RX450h were registered to a Cadillac.

Within an hour of being stopped, Rush filed a complaint to the department saying he was pulled over because of the color of his skin.

More at the Washington Free Beacon HERE

Illinois politics threatens child's life

Photo Credit: KMOV

KMOV.com St. Louis is reporting on Kobe Williams whose life-giving oxygen machine may be taken from him because of Illinois politics.  - One mother says her son's facing death, all because the government isn't paying its bills.

Kobe's mother, Kenea Williams, works for the state of Illinois where she gets her insurance. However, because of the Democrat-controlled General Assembly's inability to work with the Republican Governor to successfully pass a budget, the state is now billions of dollars in debt to service provides.

The result is that Byrd-Watson, the company that supplies Kobe's oxygen machines, has not been paid and now wants their oxygen machine back.

“I just don't understand the state getting away with this, we are talking about an infant's life at jeopardy,” said Kenea.

“Are lawmakers aware that this is truly life or death for some people?” asked Investigative Reporter Lauren Trager. “They do,” said Kenea’s state representative, John Cavaletto (R).

“Right now we are suffering and I don't like for things like that to happen,” said Cavaletto, who told KMOV.com that he's open to a small tax increase to get a balanced budget.

“Something needs to be settled, before things get even worse,” Kenea said.

More HERE

Sports fan punches southern Illinois mayor

BENTON, IL - Benton, Illinois Mayor Fred Kondritz filed a police report claiming a man punched him in the face following a discussion about sports. The incident took place in a store.

Kondritz told The Southern Illinoisan he had a brief conversation with the man on Wednesday before the man punched him. The mayor said his face was sore Thursday and he had headaches.

Authorities say a man was arrested following the complaint, and was released. Authorities are investigating what happened.

Kondritz says he's shaken by the ordeal and "lost my confidence." He says Benton police parked a car outside of his house Wednesday night.

It's official: Robert Kennedy's son files to run for IL Gov in 2018

CHICAGO - The rumors have been circulating for months, but Wednesday it became official - Chicagoan Chris Kennedy, son of the late Robert Kennedy, filed paperwork with the Illinois Board of Elections to be a Democrat candidate for governor:

Kennedy lists himself as treasurer of the campaign.

Governor Rauner was quick to respond: 

 

Majority in 2018 Senate race states oppose taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood

Illinois' Jill Stanek now serves as National Campaign Chair for Susan B. Anthony List

WASHINGTON - A majority of voters in 2018 Senate battleground states oppose giving tax dollars to Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, instead of comprehensive healthcare providers, a poll released in January by Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) found.

While Illinois will not be involved in the upcoming 2018 Senate campaign, a majority in North Dakota, Montana, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Florida said they would be less likely to vote for Senators who vote to keep sending tax dollars to the abortion giant. 

Taxpayers to protest Planned Parenthood nationwide Saturday

Eric Schiedler of Pro-Life Action League outside Aurora IL Planned Parenthood in August 2015

CHICAGO - America is divided over whether tax dollars should be used to fund Planned Parenthoods throughout the nation. It's become one of many heated topics as the Republican majority in Congress moves to reallocate Planned Parenthood's funding to comprehensive health care centers. 

Saturday, February 11, protests are planned outside of 200 Planned Parenthood facilities in 44 states and D.C.

“The federal government has been subsidizing Planned Parenthood to the tune of more than $430 million annually,” explained Eric Scheidler, national organizer of #ProtestPP. “This, at the same time that the nation’s largest abortion provider holds $500 ticket fundraisers and charges a woman about $500 to abort her baby,” he said.

“On top of that, Planned Parenthood is trafficking baby body parts. Taxpayers are sickened to see their money spent in support of these atrocities.”

DeVos confirmed as Secretary of Education, Pence breaks tie vote

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was confirmed Tuesday in an historic tie vote that was broken by Vice President Mike Pence's support. 

Teachers unions pushed hard to block DeVos, concerned that her past supporting non-government schools could weaken their control of schools and taxpayers pocketbooks. 

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner voiced his support for DeVos, as did former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who released a statement after the Senate vote. Bush now leads the Foundation for Excellence in Education.

IL GOP blasts Emanuel for Chicago school budget cuts?

CHICAGO - Typically, Republicans are for tight budgets, less government control and lower taxes. But Tuesday morning, the IL GOP sent out the following press release that has many scratching their heads. Whose side is the IL GOP on - taxpayers or Chicago schools - or what? What's the strategy here?  

While his handpicked political fixer was ordering $46 million in avoidable new cuts to Chicago schools, Mayor Rahm Emanuel was hanging out in California spouting political advice and inadvertently revealing the sad truth that his cuts are all about trying to gain a political advantage.

“Rahm Emanuel could have spent the last two months working to pass the agreed-to comprehensive pension reform deal that would have benefited Chicago Public Schools, but rather than do what is right, Rahm focused on how to cut services and blame someone else,” said Illinois GOP spokesman Aaron DeGroot. “Madigan and the Mayor are playing from the same divisive playbook, trying to create a crisis and hurt people instead of working to find common ground. It’s time for Mayor Emanuel to stop playing the part of Madigan’s junior partner and actually work to get results for his city.”

From his perch at Stanford University yesterday, Mayor Emanuel espoused a political world view of trying to foster disagreement and division. During Emanuel’s political lecturing, his hatchet man was busy slashing school budgets and trying to create a crisis for his boss who infamously advised to never let a serious crisis go to waste.

Again, Gutierrez complains about Trump Administration's immigration policy

WASHINGTON - Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) took once again to the U.S. House floor this week to complain about the Trump Administration's effort to protect citizens from foreign nationals. Specifically, the president spotlighted persons that may have intentions to participate in a movement out to destroy Western Civilization.

After congratulating companies that are resisting the Trump's pause in allowing immigrants from seven countries, Gutierrez condemned the new policy that has been put on hold by federal courts.

The President has damaged the American brand, Gutierrez said.

Missouri joins Midwestern right-to-work surge surrounding Illinois

CHICAGO – Monday morning, Missouri became the 28th state in the nation to enact a Right-to-Work law, which means the state legislator and governor agreed that no one should be forced to join or pay money to a union as a condition of employment. 

“Every state surrounding Illinois allows workers to decide for themselves whether they want to support or belong to a labor union – but Illinois does not give workers this freedom. Workers in Illinois deserve the same rights as their peers in surrounding states. It’s time to stop forcing Illinois workers to pay money to or join a union just so they can keep their jobs,” said Michael Lucci, vice president of policy at Illinois Policy Institute.

Celebrate Black Conservatives: Illinois' Dr. Eric Wallace

Illinois' has an impressive array of black conservatives that have over the years consistently worked to further good, old American values throughout the state - and we're celebrating them during the month of February.

Olympia Fields' Dr. Eric Wallace, founder of Freedom's Journal Institute, has authored books and columns and organized conservative efforts in Illinois. He's respected nationally among black conservative leaders. And, he would say, his closest partner and co-worker is his wife Jennifer.

Wallace has run for statewide and local political office promoting what he calls the "LIFT Principles" - Limited government, Individual freedom and responsibility, Free Enterprise and Traditional Values."

He now promotes the RISE principles, as described on his website.

Schlichter: The Left Hates You. Act Accordingly.

By Kurt Schlichter - 

They hate you.

Leftists don’t merely disagree with you. They don’t merely feel you are misguided. They don’t think you are merely wrong. They hate you. They want you enslaved and obedient, if not dead. Once you get that, everything that is happening now will make sense. And you will understand what you need to be ready to do.

You are normal, and therefore a heretic. You refuse to bow to their idols, to subscribe to their twisted catechisms, to praise their false gods. This is unforgivable. You must burn.

Thorner: Phyllis Schlafly's legacy honored at recent gathering in St. Louis

By Nancy Thorner -  

The late conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly left a great legacy and much work to be done. That work was the topic of discussion at this year's Gathering of Eagles as the attendees planned for the upcoming year.

Representatives of many of organizations Phyllis founded, including her many Eagle Forum chapters, RNC for Life and America's Future met together at Gathering of Eagles in St. Louis, MO January 26 - 28. The conference was held one block away from the Phyllis Schlafly Center in Clayton, MO, which was dedicated on Friday, January 27.  

Kushiner: Places We'd Rather Not Go

By James M. Kushiner - 

Despite the hyper-version of "Godwin's Law" (1990) which suggests making any comparison to Hitler in debating a contentious issue means losing your credibility, I am going to use a 4-letter N word that conjures Hitler: Nazi. I can't help it: reading McEhinney and McAleer's haunting true-crime story Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killerforces a comparison, even if the book doesn't make it.

In Nazi Germany, late April 1945, my father and other soldiers were invited to visit a newly liberated Nazi concentration camp. He declined, but other seasoned soldiers came back sickened by what they saw. The miniseries Band of Brothers depicts the liberation of a death camp. American officers rounded up German civilians, including the mayor, his wife, many well-dressed and nice looking, and took them to the camp to show them the carnage. Some were made to dig graves for thousands of murdered victims of the Nazis.

Beginning then and ever since a piercing question has often been forced upon ordinary German civilians, soldiers, bureaucrats, and others: "What did you know about the camps?" What, for instance, did Brunhilde Pomsel, Goebbel's secretary who recently died at 106, know? The subject of a 2015 documentary, A German Life, she said,

"I know no one ever believes us nowadays - everyone thinks we knew everything. We knew nothing, it was all kept well secret....We believed it - we swallowed it - it seemed entirely plausible."

But those Germans who courageously opposed the Nazis were not "nice" -- in the old sense of the word, that is, "unknowing":

Full Moon Over Chicago: Hundreds Plan to Drop Trou in Protest at Trump Tower

By Susan Wright - 

At what point can we say they’ve run out of ideas for creative forms of protest, and they’re doing any random, obnoxious thing, just because?

Hundreds have signed up for a Facebook event called “Chicago moons Trump Tower”, in which hundreds plan to drop their trousers in front of Trump Tower Chicago as an act of protest.

According to the Facebook page for the event, titled “Operation “Kiss Our Asses, Release Your Taxes,” the goal of the protest is to get President Trump to release his tax returns.

I’m absolutely positive that after repeated unsuccessful attempts, during the primary and election season, by every opponent, every commentator and pundit, to convince him to release his taxes, a couple hundred morons dropping their pants in mid-February, on some street in Chicago is going to be that trigger that causes a sudden wave of transparency from Donald Trump.

The page goes on to say:

Trump Refugee Order Balances Security and Compassion

The President’s immigration order is a response to the growing refugee crisis in Syria. James Carafano, who served on the Trump administration transition team, explains the thinking behind the administration’s executive order on travel from Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen: “As the space for the Islamic State, or ISIS, gets squeezed in the Middle East, the remains of the tens of thousands of foreign fighters will have to flow somewhere. Every nation, not just the U.S., believes they are most likely to flow to the countries cited in the order. That fact, and only that fact, is why those countries are included on the list. Indeed, when it comes to visa vetting, that’s why the European Union has restrictions that are comparable to the United States.

“The reason why we all worry is because, from those countries, foreign fighters could well try to flow to the West, principally by using visas or posing as refugees. When they get to the West, they could carry out terrorist acts. We know that because they already have—specifically in Western Europe.

“They haven’t come to the U.S.—yet. Right now, our primary threat is Islamist-related terror plots that are organized by terrorists who are already here.

Neil Gorsuch believes in the Constitution as it was written, the separation of powers, and judicial independence

John Malcolm, Elizabeth Slattery, and Tiffany Bates write: “One recent study singled out Gorsuch as one of the top judges whose approach to interpreting the law was closest to that of Scalia’s approach. Gorsuch ranked second out of 15 judges in ‘Scalia-ness,’ surpassed only by Utah Supreme Court Justice Thomas Lee.

“When it comes to interpreting statutes and the Constitution, a Supreme Court justice must keep uppermost in mind that he did not write the text and should not attempt to rewrite that text through creative ‘interpretation’ to mean something quite different from what was intended by its drafters, but which the justice personally considers more fair, wise, or just.

“In other words, a justice should interpret the text and structure of a statute, or the Constitution, based on the original public meaning of that text at the time it was adopted, and should not, under the guise of statutory or constitutional interpretation, impose on the rest of society his own policy preferences based on his perceptions of contemporary values.

“Gorsuch gives every indication that he will be just such a justice if he is confirmed by the Senate. He has demonstrated that he understands the proper, limited scope of the judicial power.” 

Wheaton Middle School staff meet students with pro-refugee signs

WHEATON - Wheaton Illinois' James Howard Monroe Middle School says it is "inspiring in everyone a passion to excel," but parents were stunned to learn this morning that staff members met students with signs inspiring passions to react against the Trump Administration's effort to protect American citizens. 

"We are not afraid," signs held by staff members at the school's entrance said Wednesday morning, and publicized the website, "WeWelcomerefugees.com,"  while others said "You all are welcome here."

Rep. Ives blasts Senate leadership for budget deal "out of touch" with Illinois taxpayers

WHEATON - State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) isn't afraid to call it like she sees it, and over the weekend, she was frank on her Facebook page about the so-called "grand bargain" Democrat and Republican leaders are preparing to impose on the already over-burdened taxpayers stuck in Illinois. 

"We need revolutionary reform," Ives writes. "Not a bargain with hostage takers."

Like Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) did last week on his Facebook page, Ives points to Senate leaders of both parties that have been scheming together for decades to set into place public policies that are devastating the state.

And, she says, these leaders  are out of touch with taxpayers in Illinois.

"They operate in an environment controlled by lobbyists, crony capitalists, public sector unions, and weak-kneed legislators focused almost exclusively on their next election," she writes. 

There are better ways, Rep. Ives wrote. She requested Illinois Review share her thoughts with our readers. 

Chicago could lose $5.3B in federal tax dollars as sanctuary city

CHICAGO - A report released Friday by OpenTheBooks.com reveals that Chicago could lose $5,300,000,000 in federal tax dollars if Mayor Rahm Emanuel continues to ignore federal law and harbor illegal aliens as a "Sanctuary City." In fact, the report showed that Sanctuary cities receive over $27 billion each year from the federal government, giving President Donald Trump significant leverage to enforce immigration law in Chicago and elsewhere.

"On average, the cost of lost federal funding for a family of four residing in one of the 106 sanctuary cities is $1,810—or $454 per person," OpenTheBooks.com said. "A total population of 46.2 million residents live in the 106 sanctuary cities according to census data."

The cities receiving the highest amount of federal funding per capita, which "have the most to lose by maintaining their sanctuary status," were Chicago and Washington, D.C., which received $5.3 billion and $2.09 billion, respectively.

The 12 cities with the most illegal immigrants and the federal funding received last fiscal year are: New York ($7.6 billion), Chicago ($5.3 billion), Philadelphia ($590 million), San Francisco ($509 million), Los Angeles ($502 million), Seattle ($284 million), Providence ($235 million), Denver ($227 million), Austin ($207 million), Newark ($207 million), Portland ($174 million), and Minneapolis ($118 million).

Trump signed an executive order last Wednesday declaring jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with the federal government on enforcing immigration law will not be eligible to receive federal grants.

More HERE

Black Pastor: Chicago gang leaders believe Trump can help curb killings

By Kyle Olson - 

During a discussion with black leaders in the White House on Wednesday, Pastor Darrell Scott told President Trump that he will be visiting Chicago in the coming weeks to meet with “gang thugs” who want his help curbing the out-of-control violence in the city.

Here's Darrell Scott telling Trump that "Chicago's top gang thugs" respect and believe in Trump. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/Ih4WgiZ6Lq

— Tasneem N (@TasneemN) February 1, 2017

The Cleveland pastor and early Trump supporter said, “I was recently contacted by some of the top gang thugs in Chicago for a sit-down.

“They reached out to me because they associated me with you. They respect you. They believe in what you’re doing,” Scott said.

“And they want to have a sit-down about lowering their body count, so in a couple weeks, I’m going into Chicago.”

“Great idea,” Trump responded, “because Chicago is totally out of control.”

The New Spirit Revival Center pastor continued, “These are the guys straight from the streets. No politicians — straight street guys. But they’re going to commit that if they lower that body count, we’ll come in and do some social programs.”

Trump told Scott, “If they’re not going to solve the problem, then we’re going to solve the problem for them,” adding, “what’s happening in Chicago should not be happening in this country.”

“They want to work with this administration,” Scott responded.

“They reached out. I didn’t reach out to them. They believe in this administration. They didn’t believe in the prior administration,” he said.

“They told me this out of their mouth. They see hope with you.”

h/t: The American Mirror

Shimkus supports stepped up vetting process for those seeking entry to U.S.

MARYVILLE - In the midst of the weekend's controversy over President Donald Trump's executive order to temporarily halt those pursuing entry to the U.S. from seven countries affiliated with terrorist threats, Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) announced general support for the stepped up effort.

Shimkus said he supports vetting to ensure foreign nationals wanting to enter the U.S. are not a security threat.

“My record on this issue is clear, and has not changed: I support a vetting process that ensures every refugee, migrant or foreign national is not a security threat prior to his or her admission to the United States," Shimkus said in a statement issued Sunday. "That’s why I supported bipartisan legislation to stop the resettlement of Syrian and Iraqi refugees until our nation’s top security officials can be certain that each individual poses no threat to our homeland. 

Former Illinois Comptroller lands another government job as Deputy Governor

CHICAGO – Governor Bruce Rauner on Friday announced that former Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger has been named Deputy Governor, a job that pays $135,000 annually in tax dollars.

“Leslie’s vast business, human services and government experiences make her uniquely qualified to serve in this important role,” Rauner said. “We are thrilled that she has agreed to return to public service and bring people together to find long-term solutions for our state and its residents.”

According to a press release from the Governor's office, Munger "will add her voice to the state’s budget discussions and work with nonprofit leaders to address their challenges and increase their financial security."

“I love Illinois, I was born and raised here, educated here, and my husband and I chose to raise our family here,” Munger said. “I am excited to use my skills and experience to help get our state back on track, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work to bring financial strength to state government and ensure that Illinois lives up to the promises it has made to our human service organizations.”

State senator takes his anti-tax hike message to taxpayers via Facebook

LEBANON - State Senator Kyle McCarter is taking his message against the bi-partisan agreement to raise the state income tax rate 33% directly to the people of Illinois, via Facebook.

This week every morning he's produced a short video from his small manufacturing business that points out another negative aspect of the budget Senate President John Cullerton has said will be voted on February 7. 

The views of McCarter's Facebook videos has reached the tens of thousands - and one of the latest focuses on the effect the measure will have on the already overburdened small manufacturers spread throughout the state: 

The other videos can be viewed on his Facebook page HERE.

Hultgren cheers Trump delay of DOL fiduciary rule

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) is pleased with President Trump’s move to delay a Department of Labor (DOL) rule to expand the definition of a fiduciary, which restricts consumer choice in retirement planning and investments. Rep. Hultgren is a cosponsor of H.R. 355, the Protecting American Families' Retirement Advice Act, which similarly delays the rule.

“Americans planning for retirement still face the prospect of an aggressive federal agency restricting their access to the counsel they need from advisers they trust," Hultgren said. "Through a series of meetings, my constituents have made it clear they are hurt by this rule, including the thousands of small investors who are served by the many who work in the dozens of Edward Jones and State Farm offices throughout the 14th District. 

"That’s why I support legislation for a simple two-year delay that will ensure no one suffers the unintended consequences of this change,” said Rep. Hultgren. “I applaud President Trump for acting on this early in his administration. I urge the House to act to support this move as we work with an administration that understands the needs of those planning for the future.”

Roskam applauds sanctions on Iran, introduces anti-Islamic Republic bill

WHEATON - Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) fought former President Obama's efforts to please Iranian officials and Chicago-headquartered Boeing's efforts to sell aircraft to the regime that harbors and nurtures terrorists.  

Friday, Roskam's tone changed as he expressed support for President Trump's announced sanction on Iran and earlier in the week he introduced legislation reacting to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' "illicit activities."

“It’s refreshing to see a White House willing to stand up to the Islamic Republic’s illicit activities and belligerent behavior," Roskam said in a statement. "Today’s sanctions, related to Iran’s support for terrorism and illegal ballistic missile program, should make it clear to the Mullahs they must act like a responsible member of the community of nations if they want to be treated like one. Now is not the time for companies to expand business with the Iranian Regime.”