Illinois Review

House approves measure banning lawmaker pay raise

SPRINGFIELD – Nearly every member of the Illinois House agreed that their salary should not increase next year in a vote taken Wednesday in Springfield. 

Taxpayer calls District CUSD 200 officials on carpet for school buildings' poor conditions

Photo from pro-tax hike group's website www.yesford200.com 

A taxpayer in Wheaton-Warrenville's District CUSD 200 was appalled when reviewing a website proponents set up to promote a referendum calling for higher property taxes, so she wrote the following open letter to local administrators and the school board ... 

New law sets up tougher drunk driver penalties for property damage

WSIL ABC 3 photo of Mt Vernon fire when drunk driver ran into apartment complex

SPRINGFIELD - Getting drunk, getting behind the wheel and wrecklessly damaging property could end in even tougher penalties if a bill sponsored by State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) becomes law.

Where's Weyermuller? At the Chicago NW Side Saint Patrick's Day Parade 2017

By Mark Weyermuller - 

"Thank You Blue" was the theme of the parade unit from the Walsh Freedom group Sunday at the 14th annual Northwest Side Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago. Their theme was to honor policemen and women who serve and protect us everyday. Many in the group stopped to shake the hand of each member of law enforcement along the parade route.

Khouri: Thinking of our persecuted sisters in the Mideast

Coptic Christian women mourn family members killed by ISIS - Reuters photo

By Tonia Khouri - 

As we celebrated International Women’s Day last week, our social media feeds were flooded with photos of American women walking in marches across the country, accounts of participants in the ‘Day Without A Woman’ cause, and political arguments labeled as ‘women’s issues’ that reach as far as Capitol Hill, where legislators debate on our behalf each day.

Neighbors to east consider banning sanctuary campuses

CHICAGO - Should students without legal permission to be in the U.S. be protected in so-called sanctuary campuses funded by federal and state funding?  That's an issue Illinois' neighbors to the east are considering in their state legislature while one after another, Illinois universities are declaring a shield around their schools.

Thorner: Follow the money behind effort to revise the U.S. Constitution

Conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch are heavily invested in criminal justice reform

By Nancy Thorner - 

Given the number of responses noting interest in my ConCon article published at Illinois Review on March 2, 2017, One state after another reject Convention of States' efforts, another Con Con update seemed timely and appropriate.

Di Leo: Health Care and Hotel Rooms

By John F. Di Leo - 

Again the nation is divided on health care, just like seven years ago.

Well, perhaps not “just like” seven years ago… because today, the nation is united in wanting Obamacare gone.  The whole country understands that the ill-named Affordable Care Act was the single most destructive law in a century of destructive laws, so virtually everyone – except a few hack politicians and hack journalists – want it repealed, STAT.

Pentagon Video Warns of “Unavoidable” Dystopian Future for World’s Biggest Cities

According to a startling Pentagon video obtained by "The Intercept," the future of global cities will be an amalgam of the settings of “Escape from New York” and “Robocop” — with dashes of the “Warriors” and “Divergent” thrown in. It will be a world of Robert Kaplan-esque urban hellscapes — brutal and anarchic supercities filled with gangs of youth-gone-wild, a restive underclass, criminal syndicates, and bands of malicious hackers.

Heritage Foundation: How to Repeal Obamacare

President Donald Trump promised to repeal Obamacare. He has a Republican-controlled Congress to help him do it. How do they make it happen?

IL lawmakers consider effort to tax Netflix and Xbox Live services

SPRINGFIELD - "Tax something if you want less of it" is the standard lawmakers have thrown around for decades. That must be the theme Springfield lawmakers are following, because they've taxed tobacco out of the price range of most, except the wealthiest.

There's also an sticky effort to tax sugary drinks that continues to drip-drip-drip around the State Capitol. 

Now it appears lawmakers want us to watch less Game of Thrones, House of Cards and other Netflix-type series. They want to not only tax cable and satellite TV, they're out to tax internet streaming service, Joe Kaiser of Illinois Policy Institute reports. 

Trial lawyer: Workers comp reform would make more injured workers in Illinois

CHICAGO - Governor Rauner's efforts to reform workers' comp in Illinois would result in more injured workers, trial attorney Christopher Hurley said in a recent interview. 

"Be careful what you wish for," Hurley says. 

Bill that could affect gun owners' due process to be heard in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD - "Imagine if a family member or a police officer had it in for you. In the blink of an eye, you could be stripped of your rights without any due process, simply because someone accused you of something with absolutely no evidence to validate the claim..."

That's a scenario a bill scheduled to be heard next week in Illinois' Senate Judiciary Committee would set up, Sons of Liberty Media is reporting.

UPDATE: State rep explains why she had an abortion and wants it for other women

Twins at 7 weeks gestation 

SPRINGFIELD - Last month, during the House Human Services' Committee hearing on HB 40, State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) explained to her colleagues why she had an abortion and why she supports taxpayer funding of abortion. 

UPDATE: Catholic Conference's Bob Gilligan responded to Cassidy's assertion ...

Gutierrez reports on this week's 4th CD town hall

CHICAGO - Congressman Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) reported to the U.S. House about a town hall held in his district last Monday. There were no disturbances and there was no yelling at Gutierrez' meeting - featuring abortion activists, gay rights proponents, and deportation opponents. 

Gutierrez said he's sponsoring a citizenship training at his office Saturday. 

Roskam on the Absurdity of Dems Arguing Against Obama's Approach to Health Care

Real health care reform should emphasize legitimate medical service pricing

WASHINGTON - The Republican health care proposal introduced by House Speaker Paul Ryan this week does nothing to fix the root cause of high premiums and even higher deductibles for health care insurance. A piece in the Daily Caller lays out a simply solution of what real reform should look like - and a hint, it emphasizes a the necessity of legitimate medical service pricing. 

Thorner/O'Neil: Conservative university students face unprecedented bias

By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil -  

Many parents are in the process of visiting schools with their college-bound children trying to decide which one is a good fit. It is an exciting time, but also can be quite discouraging. Parents quickly learn most every college and university have increased tuition costs, often not affordable to the average family. Also, in general, these schools are inundated with liberal teachers and administrators that believe it their responsibilities to preach political opinions to their students, and they make little attempt to hide this fact. They not only preach their doctrines, but unfortunately, it is not unusual that they also bully and even use grades to persuade students to their leftist political opinion.  

Calumet City lawmaker encourages comment on taxpayer abortion funding bill

SOUTH HOLLAND - Wednesday, State Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-Calumet City) asked 29th House District constituents to post on his Facebook page their thoughts about a bill that would add abortion to Illinoisans' tax bills.

Up until now, Illinois has respected religious citizens' beliefs and not used their tax dollars to pay for abortions, except for medical, rape and incest causes.  

All that would change with the passage of HB 40, as Rep. Jones responded to one of his commenters: 

Thorner/Ingold: The Russian Conspiracy: Fact or Hogwash?

By Nancy Thorner and Ed Ingold - 

Disclaimer:   This article is, of course, moot if evidence is revealed showing collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians. However, this is unlikely because such evidence would have been gathered early in the inquiry and used to deny Trump the presidency. This article is therefore an attempt to show the gaps in the logic posed by the Democrats, which may otherwise fool non-logically trained voters.

State Sen. Oberweis on why Illinois revenues are rapidly declining

A bipartisan commission has forecast Illinois' total revenues to drop by $100 million this Fiscal Year. After suggestions that national economic forces were to blame, Oberweis pointed out the elephant in the room.

University of Chicago proposes "free speech deans" to prevent disruptive conduct

CHICAGO - The University of Chicago could soon implement new policies that would severely limit “those engaged in disruptive conduct” from preventing “others from speaking or being heard,” Campus Reform is reporting. 

Roskam's town hall avoidance - Chicago's hottest news story?

Roskam's car surrounded by Chicago paparazzi Monday - (Mark Weyermuller photo)

CHICAGO - Any Chicago visitor catching the news at the airport or a bar would be convinced by local media coverage that the hottest, most compelling story in the Midwest's biggest city isn't its gang wars, crime or financial catastrophe - it's Congressman Peter Roskam's audacity to avoid a mob scene. 

What the Chicago media is referring to as a "town hall." 

There is No Gender Gap, studies show

Don't tell all the women that stayed home from work today, but there's really no substantial gender wage gap. That's what reputable studies show, despite the claims feminists make to the opposite.

Di Leo: Health Insurance Reform and the American Entrepreneur

 

By John F. Di Leo -

Part One of the House GOP’s official plan to repair/undo/fix/replace Obamacare was released this week, to utter shock and dismay.   The authors say that everything America needs will be in the full packet, so it’s unfair to judge Part One without seeing the rest.  That may be true, so here, let’s just look at the big picture, whether it’s one part, two parts, three or ten.

Thorner: Supreme Court nominee Gorsuch may not be what pro-lifers hope for

By Nancy Thorner - 

Democrats keep banging the same drum against President Trump, which harkens on his perceived Russian connections and his labeling as a racist maniac, as unhinged Democrats continue to grab at all the straws they have to wrest control of this nation from Trump and his millions of supporters.  

Report suggests Caterpillar used loans from overseas to avoid tax liability

PEORIA - Peoria-based Caterpillar may have used loans from offshore subsidiaries to maneuver around the tax code, a report commissioned by the federal government suggests, the New York Times wrote Tuesday.

Where's Weyermuller: Celebrating National Pancake Day 2017

By Mark Weyermuller - 

It's been a busy week with holidays.  On Tuesday, we had National Pancake Day with the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) giving away free pancakes to raise money for charity. Thousands lined lined up all day as an estimated five million pancakes were given away. Donations received were used to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Shriners Hospital for Children and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Chicago 'paparazzi' chase Roskam after City Club luncheon

CHICAGO - Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) was not prepared for the Chicago media that overwhelmed him and one aide as they left the City Club luncheon Monday afternoon. 

"I could see only one other person with him as they walked down the sidewalk to their parked car, Roskam got in the front seat alongside the driver," said Illinois Review contributor Mark Weyermuller, who also snapped photos of the media frenzy.

 

UPDATE: Chance the Rapper to donate $1M to Chicago Public Schools

UPDATE: Chance the Rapper promised $1M in personal funds to help Chicago Public Schools - especially concerned about arts programs in the schools. He plans $10,000 to several schools - the first check to Westcott Elementary School where the press conference was held. He also challenged other businesses to match his donation.

CHICAGO - After meeting with GOP Governor Bruce Rauner about Chicago Public School funding Friday, Chance the Rapper tweeted out his response "The fight has just begun," and announced he'd have a plan Monday. He's holding a press conference Monday afternoon, he announced Monday via Twitter.

Where's Weyermuller? At the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics 2017

By Mark Weyermuller -  

On Sunday, several thousand people went to North Avenue Beach in Chicago to jump in frigid Lake Michigan water to raise money for Special Olympics.  It was the 17th annual running of this event that in years past have included such notables as Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Jimmy Fallon, Vince Vaughn, and even Lady Gaga.

Di Leo: The Deep State -- an Institutional Barrier Against Draining the Swamp

By John F. Di Leo -

As the Trump Administration began, two terms took over our discourse, from keyboard warriors on social media to the formal political theorists of the mainstream media. These two terms are not exactly antonyms, as one is a verb and the other is a gerund, but they certainly are diametrically opposed to each other:  Draining the Swamp on the one hand, and the Deep State on the other.

Mark Levin lays out evidence of Obama Administration spying on Trump

WASHINGTON - Quoting from little-known mainstream media stories, constitutional attorney and former chief of staff for then-Attorney General Edwin Meese, Mark Levin laid out the evidence showing the Obama Administration spied on GOP candidate Donald Trump on Fox and Friends Saturday morning.

Thorner: Expert says weak First Amendment defense could endanger its future

By Nancy Thorner - 

One free speech expert believes that the primary threat to free speech isn't from terrorists, but from an unwillingness to defend free speech.

That's what Steve Simpson, editor of the book Defending Free Speech and director of legal studies at the Ayn Rand Institute, told an audience at the Heartland Institute on Wednesday, February 22 when discussing the constant assault on this fundamental freedom and its implications for the future of liberty.

4th District Appellate rules against Gov's request in AFSCME impasse

SPRINGFIELD - The 4th District Appellate Court on March 3 granted AFSCME Council 31’s request to put on hold the state labor board’s impasse decision in contract negotiations between Governor Bruce Rauner and AFSCME, the largest union of public service workers in state government.

Chance about meeting with gov: He gave "a lot of vague answers"

CHICAGO - Reporters were waiting outside Governor Rauner's office in Chicago Friday morning to ask Chance the Rapper about his meeting to discuss education funding, and Chance would say only that the governor gave "a lot of vague answers."

Thorner: Tuesday night's speech was a knockout for Trump

By Nancy Thorner -  

President Donald Trump's Joint Session of Congress address Tuesday night was a knockout, and not just for his base which loved Trump even before his well-received speech. President Trump pulled no punches. Instead of offering shallow platitudes of little substance to the American people, he outlined what he had done so far to fulfill the promise he made while campaigning.

Cook County GOP seeking 2018 candidates

PALOS PARK - In the past, Republicans have left unchallenged Democrat candidates in Cook County's key leadership posts. With a new chairman at the helm, the Cook County GOP Central Committee is starting early in seeking candidates to run for county and statewide offices in 2018.

Cook County can expect more job losses, thanks to new beverage tax

CHICAGO – In November of 2016, the Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a penny-per-ounce tax on sports drinks, juices, teas and even low and no calories beverages set to be imposed on July 1, 2017. A broad coalition of small businesses, retail shops, consumers and employees warned of significant job losses and higher consumer costs at the time and now these predictions are coming to pass in Philadelphia where a similar tax has already gone into effect.

Don't Compare Yourself to Others

Why America Must Lead

The world is on fire. Syria has fallen apart. Russia has seized Ukrainian land. And China is flexing its muscles. Who can put these fires out? As Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Denmark's former Prime Minister and NATO's former Secretary General explains, only the United States.

Governor re-skeds with Chance the Rapper for Friday

CHICAGO - Governor Rauner's meeting with Chicago's Chance the Rapper was postponed from Wednesday to Friday morning, the Grammy award-winner announced Thursday. Tornado damage in various locations throughout the state Tuesday night caused the governor to reschedule their meeting reported to focus on Chicago Public School funding. 

After researching Chance the Rapper's lyrics and finding them to make frequent use of vulgarities and obscenities, Illinois Review asked Illinois Family Institute's cultural researcher Laurie Higgins her thoughts on the governor meeting with the rapper. 

Federal officials search Caterpillar's Illinois facilities

PEORIA - Peoria's Star Journal reporters Chris Kaergard and Matt Buedel are on Thursday morning's breaking story about federal investigators entering three Caterpillar facilities in Peoria ...  

Federal officials seized documents and electronic records from three Caterpillar Inc. facilities, including the global headquarters Downtown, on Thursday morning as an apparent part of a criminal investigation into the company's tax strategy.

Andersen: Why I opted out of AFSCME, and why other state workers should do the same

By Jim Andersen - 

I am a state worker in Illinois. In my line of work, I help people who are unable to care for themselves because they have severe mental illnesses. They live at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, Illinois. 

Weyermuller: Is Target feeling the Silent Majority Boycott?

By Mark Weyermuller - 

In a week with record highs in the stock market, Target stock has taken a big drop. Early in the week, their stock went down 8 points for a 12% drop in the company's value to 58.77 per share.   In April, their stock was over $83.00 a share.  This week many attribute stock gains to a generally well received address to congress by President Donald Trump. Yet, why has Target stock dropped? 

Neighbors helping neighbors clean up after Southern IL tornado

Rep Bryant (front in camo jacket) with volunteers cleaning up after storm

AVA - Tuesday night, tornados and hailstorms devastated homes and properties at various locations throughout Illinois. 

State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) posted on her Facebook page Wednesday afternoon photos of damage the downstate towns of Ava, Vergennes, and Elkville, Illinois.

Ryan Owens, honored during Trump's speech, graduated from Peoria high school

WASHINGTON - During President Donald Trump's speech before a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, a slain military hero with Peoria Illinois roots and his wife were honored with a two-minute long applause.

Academy Awards' sensation "Gary from Chicago" had just been released from prison

CHICAGO - Anyone watching the 89th annual Academy Awards pompous self-adulation ceremony last Sunday night will remember "Gary from Chicago" among a busload of surprised tourists that became a part of the annual show. 

Gary and his fiance, who actor Denzel Washington pretended to marry on the spot, have a history that is raising eyebrows.

Dabrowski: "Grand bargain" is taxpayer bailout of Springfield's failures

SPRINGFIELD - Guess what, Illinois taxpayers?  You're about to be placed on another hook to bailout the financial messes others get themselves into. Already this year Illinois taxpayers have been volunteered to assist Exelon out of their financial woes.

Now our lawmakers think its time that we, well, bailout the state. And it will take yet more sacrifice on our part ...