Illinois Review

Di Leo: A Welcome Address by an American President

By John F. Di Leo - 

Reflections on a State of the Union Message

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

“Mr. Gorbachev: Tear Down This Wall!”

Every politician, when making a speech, hopes to hit a few major themes, and hopes to include lines that are as descriptive and memorable as the quotes above from Presidents Lincoln, Kennedy, and Reagan… but it’s a lot to hope for.

In recent years, the State of the Union message has largely become an annual laundry list of spending proposals, some with great likelihood of passage, others slight reaches… and often, some with no chance whatsoever, mentioned only for an applause line or a signal to some desired demographic, subtly saying, between the lines, that “I’m on your side, see? I mentioned your impossible policy desire.”

Dem gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss passes Kennedy in latest polling

SPRINGFIELD - A new We Ask America poll shows Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Daniel Biss climbing into second place past Chris Kennedy in a crowded field of governor hopefuls, the polling company says.

"At the same time, frontrunner J.B. Pritzker’s lead has diminished to a level where this may soon turn into a much more interesting race," the statement says.

JB Pritzker is leading with 29.79% and Daniel Biss at 17.43% - with Chris Kennedy now at 11.50%. 

Here are the latest results from We Ask America's poll conducted Jan. 29-30, 2018 (811 responses; Margin of Error ±3.44%:

DuPage County conservatives to Rauner supporters: You don't share our values

West Suburban Patriot founder Carol Davis (c) with Jan Shaw (l) and Pat Armstrong (r)

DuPAGE County - Republican DuPage County leaders that endorsed Governor Rauner in the upcoming IL GOP gubernatorial primary upset local conservatives like West Suburban Patriot founder Carol Davis. 

Davis' group <members> - known as one of the nation's largest active Tea Party orgs - officially endorsed supports Jeanne Ives in the upcoming IL GOP primary race. (See endorsement correction below the fold) 

"I founded West Suburban Patriots nine years ago, and I lead the group to this day. Some DuPage County 'leaders' on this list portray themselves as people who share the principles and values of our organization. Some have been given brief opportunities to speak at our meeting," Davis said on her Facebook page. 

Ives blasts Garber comment as "disgusting"

WHEATON - Wednesday morning, GOP gubernatorial primary candidate Jeanne Ives blasted Illinois Lottery Control Board Chairman Blair Garber calling East St. Louis a "s###hole" as reported earlier.

Democrats are calling for the governor to publicly condemn Garber's comment. 

“It's a disgusting remark. Those kinds of statements from a person in a position of service to the State of Illinois cannot be tolerated," Ives said in a statement. "There are a lot of families and a lot of communities struggling in Illinois because of terrible public policy choices made by ruling class politicians in both parties, including Gov. Rauner. The people suffering under the rule of craven, career politicians don't deserve to be ridiculed, the craven, career politicians do.

UPDATE: Chairman resigns. Dems call on Gov to rebuke GOP Lottery Board Chairman's "rhetoric" about East St. Louis

UPDATE: 12:27 PM Wednesday: “Mr. Garber has apologized for his comments and is resigning from the Illinois Lottery Control Board effective immediately,” said Rachel Bold, a spokeswoman for the governor said Wednesday, cited from the SJ-R.com. 

EAST ST LOUIS - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's speechwriter Patrick Kelly was on Twitter right after he arrived at the office Wednesday morning, blasting the governor-appointed Illinois Lottery Control Board Chairman Blair Garber for a derogatory comment he reportedly made about East St. Louis:

What's all the kerfuffle about? A story released last night by State Journal Register's Bernie Schoenberg  featuring Chairman Garber berating East St. Louis as a "s###hole." 

It began when President Donald Trump was accused by Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of referring to some impoverished African countries as "s###holes."

Brinkman reviews Jeffers' book "An Honest President"

By Daniel Brinkman - 

An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland By H. Paul Jeffers

Controversy over confederate flags, supporters loving him because of the enemies he made, a brutal campaign marked by accusations involving women, a president preferring regular street food rather than the French food prepared by the White House Chef, a vicious press putting forth ridiculous lies because of their hatred for him, a man who made his name in New York then won the presidency against long odds.

You might think this is a tale of recent vintage, but these are stories from the life and presidency of Grover Cleveland. Mark Twain is reported to have said, “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Cleveland comes from the line of now mostly forgotten presidents between Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, but stories of honest and decent men are always worth telling.  

Trump's State of the Union speech draws 70% positive reaction, says CNN poll

WASHINGTON DC - A CNN poll Tuesday night showed the American public had an overwhelmingly positive response to President Donald Trump's first State of the Union Address, CNN's political director David Chalian reported.

“Here's what we found out. 48 percent of those who watched the speech tonight had a very positive reaction to the speech. 22 percent, somewhat positive,” Chalian said.

That means according to CNN’s own findings, 70 percent of those who watched the speech had some sort of positive reaction and less than 30 percent hated it.

New Trier GOP committeeman candidate says Garber resignation "appropriate"

NEW TRIER - The Garber controversy has spilled over into a primary contest for the next New Trier Township Republican Committeeman - an organization within the 9th Congressional District that Garber represents in the Illinois Republican State Central Committee. 

Alex Kaplan, a candidate for New Trier Township Republican Committeeman, reacted to Garber's derogatory social media comments about East St. Louis, saying,  "Blair Garber's comments about East St. Louis are an insult to the good people whose hometown has suffered over the past 30 years thanks to poor policy in Springfield."

 

Kaplan said Garber's unnecessary, toxic remarks are evidence that he is unfit to represent the 9th Congressional District as State Central Committeeman.

After "crushing" Rauner before Tribune editorial board, Ives discloses $500k donation

CHICAGO - Monday at the Chicago Tribune, Governor Bruce Rauner and State Rep. Jeanne Ives met in the only one-on-one forum the governor has agreed to leading up to the March 20th GOP gubernatorial primary. 

Rauner, who has thus far refused to publicly acknowledge Ives is challenging him, may do well to check his consultants' advice. He does have to win the March 20th primary BEFORE he can take on a Democrat.

The GOP grassroots are abandoning the governor as they learn more about his challenger, and after this editorial board, Ives was deemed by many viewers as a serious opponent.

Here's what Tribune columnist John Kass had to say after the meeting:

Here's a link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/95786566-132.html

Also, the reveal of a $500,000 donation from Dick Uihlein after the board raised previously skeptical eyebrows. 

Illinois pension obligations are no long kickable

McHENRY - Unpaid public worker pension obligations are a hot topic these days, especially since Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas chose to list taxing district debt and financial data on Cook County property owners' 2017 First Installment Property Tax Bills.

Those bills are hitting mailboxes in Illinois' most populous county and reminding people that billions - with a B - are owed to the county's Water Reclamation District, the County of Cook and a myriad of other taxing districts. Those "pensions and healthcare amounts promised by your taxing districts" are listed, along with the mount of pension and healthcare shortages. 

Those numbers were shocking to see. It means the problem can no longer be kicked down the road.

87% in IR poll say Illinois should legalize marijuana

SPRINGFIELD - The numbers were surprising among readers of a state conservative blog, but 87% of the 1.4 thousand participants in Illinois Review's weekend opinion poll say marijuana should be legalized in Illinois. 

Two GOP Illinois lawmakers - state Senator Jason Barickman (R-Champaign) and state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) - agree with the overwhelming majority of those answering IR's non-scientific poll that it's time to legalize marijuana in Illinois.

For 30 year old Jake Justen, there are two reasons why he voted yes in the poll and encouraged others to participate in the poll via Twitter: 1. Historically, Prohibition didn't work for alcohol and 2. Prohibition led to a dangerous, violent black market as is with non-medical marijuana distribution now. 

Durbin and expectant Duckworth likely to oppose protecting 20-week-old preborn babies

UPDATE: As expected, both Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth voted Monday AGAINST protecting 20 week and later unborn babies from the pain they experience during late term abortions. While the measure gained 51 votes in the U.S. Senate, it failed to gain the 60 votes needed for passage. 

WASHINGTON DC - It is likely both of Illinois' U.S. Senators - Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth - will stick with their pro-abortion supporters and vote Monday against the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." The measure makes it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or older. The bill already passed in the House.

Durbin voted against the same effort in 2015, as did the Republican abortion supporter, then-U.S. Senator Mark Kirk. 

Duckworth's vote will be of special interest, as the second child she is now carrying is due in about 12 weeks - meaning her own baby is past the 20 week mark. The 49 year old will be the first to deliver a baby while she's serving in the U.S. Senate.

Conservative family group endorses Ives for Governor; more in primary races

MOKENA - The state's leading conservative family political action committee - Illinois Family Action - surprised few when they picked challenger State Rep. Jeanne Ives in the March 20th GOP primary over incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner.

"The premier contest in Illinois this spring is in the Republican gubernatorial primary, where West Point graduate, mother of five and economic and social conservative Jeanne Ives takes on the incumbent governor who has signed too many Leftist inspired bills and failed to lead on the state budget. IFA enthusiastically endorses Jeanne Ives for Governor," the website says. 

And while IFA chose not to endorse in any of the other statewide races, they made picks in several controversial GOP primary legislative races. 

Op/Ed: Illinoisans’ Paychecks to Grow in February

In just a few weeks, Illinoisans will start to see their paychecks grow. After the landmark tax reform legislation passed Congress, the IRS has issued new tax brackets. Beginning in February, as appropriate, most employers will start adjusting their employee’s paychecks. Which means that Americans will now take home more of their hard-earned paycheck, while the government will take less.

The partisan spin and DC special interests have been working overtime regarding this piece of legislation and what it means for middle-class families and small businesses. As an entrepreneur and small business owner, I have a unique insight into the benefits of this landmark legislation.

Berrios presides over Cook County Dem event unintimidated by media investigation

CHICAGO - Despite investigative reports pointing to questionable property tax assessment tactics throughout Cook County, the county's assessor Joe Berrios is not intimidated. He sat prominently at the head table Saturday as not only as the county's chief property value assessor, but as the chairman of the Cook County Democrat Party during their pre-primary endorsement session.

Berrios' office was spotlighted by Pro Publica Illinois/ Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Jason Grotto, who found several practices that Grotto says causes property owners in Cook County's poorer and less-connected municipalities to carry more of the property tax burden. 

But that wasn't all Grotto found. In January, Grotto also found that Berrios was facing $41,000 in fines:

Chicago top list of cities with worst fiscal health

Spoiler alert: almost none of the 75 most populous cities in America have enough money to pay their bills. Overall, those cities have racked up an astounding $335.4 billion in unfunded liabilities. Of that, over $210 billion consists of unfunded pension commitments.

That's the conclusion reached by Truth in Accounting, a non-partisan think tank that advocates for transparent and honest accounting in public finances. They examined the finances of the top 75 most populous cities in the U.S. and found that 64 of them balanced their budgets only because "elected officials have not included the true costs of the government in their budget calculations and have pushed costs onto future taxpayers." In addition, one of the top five cities with the best health, Stockton, Calf., garnered an overall grade of B for its fiscal health, but only because they declared Chapter 9 bankruptcy three years before and were able to renegotiate contracts to gain significant debt relief.

More HERE

Only a few more hours on IR poll: Do you support legalizing marijuana in Illinois?

Supreme Court's coming decision could put Illinois unions past the point of no return

Will the Supreme Court knock out a major prop supporting big government? Get ready for another big case challenging the power of public employee unions to force public employees to pay union dues. In February, the Supreme Court will hear Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employee. Writes Michael Reitz:

Over time, organized labor has shifted its core function away from serving its members and to consolidating its political power, acting as a financial pipeline for a single political party. As AFSCME 36 of Los Angeles says: “Politics is the union’s business.” Or the Michigan Education Association: “Every education decision is a political decision.” 

Political intersectionality led unions, particularly the National Education Association, to embrace causes that have little to do with the workplace.

Labor’s shift to politics is the logical result of relying on government employees to sustain membership rolls. Unions are self-motivated to grow government: More government programs lead to more employees who pay more in union dues.

Read the rest of Reitz’s article in The Hill

$7,000,000,000 in Illinois Medicaid Funds Unaccounted For

A state audit is casting more doubt over Governor Bruce Rauner's Medicaid Managed Care Program reboot.

The report just released, reveals the Department of Health and Family Services can't account for more than $7 billion spent between the state and insurers. Numbers are based on fiscal year 2016. 

According to the Auditor General, DHFS couldn't provide a list of important details regarding the state's Medicaid program. Among the information missing was the number of claims paid to Medicaid providers, the number of claims denied and administrative costs.

More HERE

Ives gains endorsement from growing number of Republican elected officials

CHICAGO - In a move that is sure to provoke wrath from the Illinois Republican Party establishment, several influential GOP conservative elected officials stepped forward to publicly support State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in her bid to oust incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner in the March 20th primary.

State Representatives Tom Morrison (R-Palatine), Peter Breen (R-Lombard), Margo McDermed (R-Frankfort), and Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee), along with Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak, Naperville Township Commissioner Warren Dixon, and Wheatland Township Trustee Raquel Mitchell joined Ives in a press conference to announce their support for the GOP challenger.

The party base is very unhappy with Governor Rauner's first term performance, the endorsers agreed.

IL GOP Committeeman responds to party spending on smear mailers

This postal indicia is used on attack mailings in a nasty GOP primary

SPRINGFIELD - One topic on the IL GOP State Central Committee's upcoming meeting agenda will be the guidelines of using the state party's postal indicia on primary race materials.

The IL GOP's mailing indicia was allowed to be used on mailers attacking Burr Ridge mayor Mickey Straub, who is challenging Republican House Leader Jim Durkin in the March 20th primary. 

After learning of the Illinois Republican Party's postal indicia being used on a sleazy mailer earlier this week, IL GOP Committeeman for the 14th CD Stan Bond requested the distribution guidelines be discussed at the IL GOP State Central Committee to be held in February. 

"This has been a topic of previous State Central Committee meetings (rightfully so), and I would be happy to raise the issue again and report my observations of the discussion," Bond wrote on a public Facebook forum. "I encourage everyone to ask their State Central Committeeman for their position on this and other issues. Everyone can look theirs up at www.illinois.gop." 

Illinois judge rejects transgender student’s demand to change in girls’ locker room

An Illinois judge denied a transgender student’s request Thursday to change clothes with female students in the girls’ locker room at a public high school.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which represents Nova Maday, a biologically male student at Palatine’s Township High School District 211, had petitioned a trial court last year, arguing the student should be treated like other females and not be forced to change clothes behind a curtain.

But on Thursday, Judge Thomas Allen rejected the request, leaving the ACLU to consult with its client on how to move forward with the case.

More HERE

New: Mainstream Media Mislead On New Study of Illinois Parental Involvement Law

By Michael J. New - 

In December, the Journal Of Adolescent Health published a study analyzing the impact of Illinois’ pro-life parental involvement law which took effect in 2013. The media spin is the parental involvement law purportedly had no impact on the decisional certainty of girls who obtained abortions. Additionally, some media reports indicate the law had little impact on the amount of parental support for minors who had abortions. This study has been covered by a number of media outlets including Reuters, Elite Daily, and Think Progress.

Thorner: Take Stock in America: Trump's way of governing

By Nancy Thorner -

Much has been written about President Trump's first year in office. For some it was a pivotal battle in a war for the survival of this nation as a Republic and the principles upon which this nation was founded.  Others refuse to accept or believe that Trump is now president and accordingly refuse to recognize all that Trump has accomplished in his first year in office.

The premise of this article is to enable both friend and foe to correctly evaluate Trump/s first year in office.  It is my opinion that when the history books are written, Trump's presidency will be one of achievement and a turning point in American history.

Planned Parenthood shutters 32 offices nationwide; opens new facility in Flossmoor, Illinois

FLOSSMOOR - While nationwide Planned Parenthood is struggling with a nasty public image after undercover videos showed some of their top doctors acknowledging the procurement of aborted human baby body parts for experimentation, in Illinois, Planned Parenthood is ramping up their presence.

Planned Parenthood just opened a new abortion facility in south suburban Flossmoor, only 15 minutes from the Indiana border. A village of less than 10,000 in 2010, Flossmoor's racial makeup in 2010 was 46.4% White, 47.8% African American, and 3.2% Hispanic of Latino.

The new abortion clinic that opened January 16 is located at 19815 19831 Governors Highway and offers abortions on site, birth control, STD testing, HIV testing and "LGBT services." 

Songwriter calls for a hero in IL's 16th CD GOP primary race

A singer, songwriter and producer known in political circles for creating the "The Latino Trump Anthem" is now endorsing GOP primary candidate in Illinois' 16th CD, James Marter.

"We need a Hero" was written and performed by Ruben Obed El Mejor in support of Marter's bid to oust incumbent Congressman Adam Kinzinger:

It's a bad thing to be opposed to illegal drugs? Democrat J.B. Pritzker thinks so

CHICAGO - Tuesday night, during a debate between the Illinois Democrat gubernatorial primary candidates, the topic of legalizing marijuana emerged. In a dramatic pendulum swing away from traditional opposition to drug availability, Democrat JB Pritzker boasted his longtime commitment to legalizing marijuana while Chris Kennedy withheld support on the issue.

That, according to JB Pritzker's campaign follow up press release, is a bad thing.

IL GOP funds nasty mailer in Republican House primary

BURR RIDGE - The Illinois Republican Party is accusing Burr Ridge's mayor of doing anything to gain power - even taking money from a political supporter with "deep ties to a man accused of 'sexually molesting and assaulting teens." 

The Illinois GOP's return address is on mailers going to Republicans in a primary that has turned nasty as the popular Burr Ridge conservative Mayor Mickey Straub attempts to oust House Minority Leader Jim Durkin in the 82nd House District's March 20th primary. 

Rauner grabs DuPage County support, Ives dubs it "back scratching"

DuPAGE - DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin boosted Governor Bruce Rauner with kind words at an event spotlighting Rauner supporters in challenger Jeanne Ives' Du Page County backyard Monday. 

Cronin called Rauner "uniquely qualified" to beat the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in the Nov. 6 election. He also said the governor's "got very strong support across DuPage" and "reflects the views and sentiments of DuPage County voters," according to a Daily Herald report.

Weyermuller: Rauner backs away from debate with challenger Jeanne Ives

Governor Rauner with former IL GOP Chairman Pat Brady

By Mark Weyermuller -

Monday night Illinois State Representative Tom Morrison asked Governor Bruce Rauner if he would debate his primary challenger Jeanne Ives. Rauner replied that he would see her at the Chicago Tribune. He may had been referring to appearances before the editorial boards which is not a debate forum.

Thorner: Rocky Mountain High's high cost

By Nancy Thorner - 

I was fortunate to have attended, as a Phyllis Schlafly Eagle, the historic fiftieth anniversary meeting of the Gathering of Eagles from Thursday, January 18 through Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Like the American Eagle, Phyllis Schlafly Eagle woman and men are persistent and do not avoid flying into storms; they are loyal (Eagles mates for life.) They are smart, having great vision to see down the field and react to coming dangers; and they are fast in diving into the fray to affect a difference in what might otherwise be an undesirable outcome.

Rhoads: Obama Judges Still Running Wild

By Mark Rhoads -

Federal Judge James J. Wynn was appointed to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals by President Barack Obama in August of 2010. Wynn apparently imagines that he has the authority to order the elected state legislature of North Carolina to redraw its Congressional Districts because in his opinion they unfairly favor Republicans.

Judge Wynn even imagines that a partisan gerrymander runs contrary to the Constitution because it violated equal protection and due process clauses. But can anyone imagine that any judge appointed by a Democratic president would make the same argument against any state legislature controlled by Democrats that they cannot draw a map that might favor of their party? Wynn is a classic example of an intellectually dishonest jurist.

Chicago law firm offers pro-bono legal aid for pro-life health workers

Thomas More Society attorneys with prolife video journalist David Daleiden

CHICAGO -  The United States Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that its Office for Civil Rights will open a division devoted to protecting rights of conscience and religious freedom.

Chicago's Thomas More Society attorneys are now assisting pro-life health workers and pregnancy help centers to take advantage of this new opportunity. This process of filing rights of conscience and religious freedom complaints will safeguard federal protections on behalf of those who believe they have been discriminated against. The national public interest law firm is offering this service pro-bono.

Ives dismisses Rauner's do-nothing Executive Order as political ploy

South suburban Harvey Illinois property tax rates have skyrocketed from 1.70% to 9.72%

CHICAGO - The executive order Governor Rauner issued last Friday banning state lawmakers from representing clients before the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board is in reality a political ploy. It does nothing to correct the corruption in Illinois property tax system, GOP gubernatorial primary challenger State Rep. Jeanne Ives said Monday.

"Governor Rauner's order doesn't ban legislators from doing property tax appeals work. It only prohibits them from representing clients at the state level," Ives said in a statement. "Speaker Madigan, Senate President Cullerton, and their cohorts make their money at the local level, in Cook County. Not the state level. This E.O. solves nothing other than Rauner's need for a little good publicity in an election year."

Northwest Side GOP Club picks Ives over Governor Rauner, 2 to 1

Ives addresses Northwest Side GOP (Photos by Mark Weyermuller) 

Editor's NOTE: At the request of Matt Podgorski, chairman of the Northwest Side GOP Club, we have removed the photo of him and Jeanne Ives that was originally posted and at his insistence, we have changed the headline to read "Northwest Side GOP Club picks Ives over Governor Rauner, 2 to 1"

Originally, the story posted earlier today had a photo captioned "Republicans from NW Cook Co endorsed Jeanne Ives (l) w NW Side GOP Chmn Matt Podgorski (r)" and the headline was "NW Cook County GOP picks Ives over Governor Rauner, 2 to 1" 

CHICAGO - Republicans from northwest Cook County sent a strong message of disapproval to incumbent GOP Bruce Rauner Saturday. Those attending a candidate forum endorsed challenger State Rep. Jeanne Ives as the preferred GOP gubernatorial nominee in the upcoming March party primary.

The candidate forum and endorsement session allowed statewide and legislative candidates five minutes to highlight their platforms, issues and ideas for reforming Illinois, their press statement said.

UPDATE 2:49 PM 1/22/2018 : The Ives campaign lists the following GOP organization endorsements in addition to the NW Side GOP Club: Wheatland Township Republican Organization, Fremont Township Republican Organization, Republican Organization of Wheeling Township, Batavia Township Republican Organization, Wauconda Township Republican Organization, Republican Assembly of Lake County, and Tax Accountability (Taxpayers United of America).

Precinct Committeemen from the represented GOP organizations exercised a weighted vote of ten, while general dues-paying members had one vote. The weighted vote results were:

Chicago Women's March 2018 bigger than last year's, included IL GOP candidate

Anti-Trump mood at Women's March photo by James Richards IV  | more here

CHICAGO - Organizers of this year's Women's March say there were 300,000 on Chicago's streets Saturday excoriating President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the Republican majority in the U.S. Congress. 

So was a Republican candidate for State Senate in the 23rd District in the parade that surprised fellow GOPers -- Bartlett resident Seth Lewis. Lewis is attempting for the second time to beat incumbent Democrat Tom Cullerton in November. Lewis lost to Cullerton by a little more than a thousand votes in 2016. 

Di Leo: Americans cherish life. Time to reject Roe vs Wade's outdated anti-life culture.

By John F. Di Leo - 

It rained in Chicagoland last night.

That may not sound particularly exceptional, but it’s mid-January, and it’s been very cold lately; we usually get our precipitation in the form of nice fluffy snow this time of year.

But it rained – hard – and that caused the night crawlers, gasping for breath, to climb out of the ground and slither onto our sidewalks and pavements, to escape drowning in the waterlogged soil.

And we humans, being nice folks who never want to take another life without cause, watch our step, as we walk to and from our cars. We try our best to avoid stepping on these worms.

Not out of fear of arrest for murder or animal abuse – the law doesn’t care about worms – but because it’s just natural. We humans have an automatic response: we see a worm on the pavement, and we step over it.

Trump declares January 22nd National Sanctity of Human Life Day

WASHINGTON - Monday, the majority of pro-life Americans are mourning 45 years of legalized abortion under the Roe v Wade decision legalizing abortion on January 22, 1973.

President Donald Trump acknowledged those victims of abortion and issued a proclamation designed a spark people to action to put an end to it.

IL GOP Congress members call on Senators Durbin, Duckworth to re-open government

WASHINGTON DC — Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation released a statement Monday urging Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to re-open the government. The Senate is expected to vote at 12:00pm EST Monday on a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through February 8 and fully fund the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years.

Study says the federal shutdown affects Illinois less than 39 other states

CHICAGO - While all the national news is focused on the East Coast and the federal government shutdown, Illinois will be negatively affected less than 39 other states, a study by WalletHub showed Monday.

With the U.S. government closed for business for the 19^th time since 1976 and a lot of blame going back and forth, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the States Most & Least Affected by the 2018 Government Shutdown to add some hard data to all the rhetoric.

Di Leo: American Presidents, Through the Years

By John F. Di Leo - 

Reflections on Presidents and the Presidency, on Inauguration Day

President George Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789, but not by choice. 

He had been in town, ready to take office, for weeks already… but the newly-elected Congress took their time arriving, as the president, anxious to get started, had to cool his heels.

They needed a quorum, to ratify the results of the electors, and to put together a republican response to the monarchial tradition of the formal coronation – with all its pomp and circumstance – to which the rest of the world was accustomed. But as much as our Founding Fathers were known for principle, they were sadly not known for punctuality.

In addition to General Washington’s inauguration being so late, another difference between then and now was who administered the presidential oath of office.  There was, as yet, no Supreme Court, there being no President to submit names to the Senate for confirmation, so the oath was administered by his old friend Robert R. Livingston, the Chancellor of the State of New York.

7 members of Illinois Congressional delegation co-sponsor Born Alive measure

CHICAGO - Babies born alive after an abortion and then purposely allowed to die made headlines in 1999 when nurse Jill Stanek discovered the practice going on a Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. 

After the Democrat-controlled Illinois House and Senate refused to pass any measures banning the practice, it took President George W. Bush and a pro-life Congress to move at the federal level. The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002 ("BAIPA" Pub.L. 107–207, 116 Stat. 926, enacted August 5, 2002, 1 U.S.C. § 8) extended legal protection to an infant born alive after a failed attempt at induced abortion, but had no legal teeth to enforce the law or protect the innocent victims.

The U.S. House voted Friday to pass a measure protecting babies born alive in a botched abortion, and punishing those performing the abortions. It next faces the U.S. Senate.

Illinois Congressman Backstage at the March for Life 2018

Chicago makes Amazon cut - but could the city's workforce meet the demands?

CHICAGO - Chicago made the list of 20 finalists where Amazon could build their next headquarters, the company announced Thursday. The winning city could get up to 50,000 high-paying jobs and $5 billion in investment. 

Amazon's criteria includes the site being a metropolitan area with a population greater than one million and the ability to attract and keep strong technical talent. 

Rauner calls for bill to ban Madigan from appealing property taxes

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS — During a public discussion about Illinois' exceptionally high property taxes, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner called for legislation that would ban state lawmakers from also acting as property-tax appeals lawyers - a direct attack on Rauner's arch political rival, House Speaker Mike Madigan. 

Madigan, who has been Speaker of the Illinois House for over 30 years, is co-founder and partner in a six-attorney law firm that specializes in property tax appeals. His company, Madigan & Getzendanner, represents some of the Chicago Loop's most prominent buildings in their appeals.

Gov. Bruce Rauner listened at a south suburban roundtable Thursday as people talked of struggling to hold on to their homes and businesses while paying some of the highest property taxes in the nation, and he vowed systemic change, a press release from the governor's office says.

Thorner/O'Neil: Social Engineering - Transferring Parental Control of Children to Teachers

By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil -

Children in our public schools are being pummeled with political correctness. Specific assignments and class discussions are designed purposely to promote specific political viewpoints which may seriously oppose that of their parents. This new political correctness is carefully woven through textbooks and classroom assignment starting in Kindergarten and reaches its apex in college. 

Guilt plays a huge part in the indoctrination process as emphasis is on the group, not the individual.  This is necessary so future generations will be prepared to “work” together in their communities and follow instructions which may oppose those in power. Individual thinking will be carefully controlled.  In addition, in many schools today the children are required to fill a certain number of hours of community service so as to qualify for their diploma. In a Sustainable world, proper attitude is at least as important as scholarship.

Chicago alderman tees off about illegal immigrants on Tucker Carlson

CHICAGO - Chicago Democrat alderman George Cardenas attempted to defend Chicago's financial reputation with Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson this week, saying, "We're not insolvent, we just passed a property tax [hike]," and "We're not the only ones facing pension funding difficulties..." 

When asked if he thought he had the obligation to represent Americans before non-citizens, the alderman sidestepped, saying he represents his constituents "well." 

The debate heated up more:

National conservative commentator Bill Whittle endorses Jeanne Ives

WHEATON - Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives is drawing attention from national conservatives who are lining up to endorse her in the March 20th primary. Last week, radio talk show host Mike Gallagher was in Chicago to raise funds for Ives - and Thursday, conservative commentator Bill Whittle announced her would be attending a fundraiser/strategy session in Woodstock on February 1st: 

Thorner: Chicago celebrates life in single digit temps

By Nancy Thorner with photos by Mark Weyermuller - 

The writer’s participation in March for Life Chicago, January 14th, 2018, began when she boarded a Midwest bus that departed from Marytown, 1600 W. Park Ave., Libertyville, Illinois, which was arranged by the Lake  County Right to Life. Bonnie Quirke is president of the Lake County Right to Life.

Di Leo: Setting the Record Straight on Israel

By John F. Di Leo - 

Today, in lieu of a normal column, would you mind if we just set a few things straight?

There are issues in which a combination of forces – from conscious choices by politicians and academics to sheer ignorance by reporters and vocal but confused stars in the popular culture – have combined to cause complete misunderstandings across the country, and even across the world.

In his great speech endorsing Senator Goldwater in 1964, “A Time for Choosing,” (commonly known simply as The Speech), President Ronald Reagan first made a statement that has long resonated with those of us who watch the media. President Reagan put it this way:  “The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn’t so!”

This is truer today than ever before, as we can tell by just considering a few subjects, and comparing the truth with the way these issues are commonly presented and usually believed by a misled public.  As an example, let's look at Israel, and at how stories about that tiny, friendly country are written... and at the little biases that are so often built into coverage.