Illinois Review

Half of America wants Trump impeachment proceedings to begin

An ABC News/Washington Post poll posted Friday reveals that half of Americans believe Congress should begin impeachment proceedings against the president.

It won’t be a Republican House majority that gets that rolling. So will the threat get Republicans to the polls to protect that majority?

The poll found that 49 percent of Americans want impeachment proceedings against Trump to begin. This includes 15 percent of Republicans, 75 percent of Democrats, and 49 percent of independents.

McConnaughay to step down next Monday

WEST DUNDEE - Illinois Senator Karen McConnaughay (R-West Dundee) says next Monday will be her last day serving the 33rd Senate District after being first elected in 2012. Her words as posted on Facebook Friday afternoon: 

The day that every public servant faces has come.

Monday, September 3rd will be my last day as your State Senator in the 33rd District, and I want to take this opportunity to let you know what a true honor it has been to represent you in Springfield.

Rhoads: Movies that lie about history

By Mark Rhoads -

Canadian actor Ryan Gosling, who portrays Neil Armstrong in First Man, is defending the film's omission of planting the American flag on the moon when Apollo 11 landed there in July 1969.

Gosling claims to speak for the late American astronaut and says that Armstrong's mission was a "human accomplishment" and not that of any one nation. Baloney.

Who is Gosling to presume to speak for Armstrong or to change or alter a central image of American and world history?

DuPage GOP senator to appear with Democrat candidates in 6th CD event

WHEATON - Concerns about the once-solidly Republican DuPage County turning blue heightened Friday when an online ad indicating GOP incumbent State Senator Mike Connelly will appear at a town hall next Tuesday night with an array of Democrat candidates endorsed by the Illinois Education Association.

And when the ad indicated the host of the event is 6th CD Democrat challenger Sean Casten, who compared Donald Trump to Bin Laden earlier this year, more questions arose.

Is Senator Connelly abandoning his once-solid conservative voting record and previous support for school choice in order to be endorsed by the Illinois Education Association?  The event next Tuesday night at Wheaton's Northside Park hails it as an #IEAVotes Kickoff, and lists other candidates to be featured - all Democrats, except Connelly.

GOP Congressman Davis boasts four more union endorsements

Republican Congressman Rodney Davis (IL-13) sent out a press release Friday, boasting of now 10 unions that are backing his re-election in November.

Taylorville, IL - Ahead of Labor Day, four more unions have announced their support for Rodney Davis. The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), and the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) have all decided that they will back Davis for re-election. In June, six unions endorsed Davis. 

While Davis did not provide a direct quote in the press release, his spokesman Ashley Phelps pointed to Davis' support of unions and union-favored issues like Project Labor Agreements - issues Republicans have typically opposed over the years.

“Rodney’s support from unions continues to grow because the hardworking men and women in this district know he has their back. He has continuously supported them on pro-labor issues, like Davis-Bacon and Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and fought back against anti-union attacks from some in his own party. He has a proven record of standing with the workers of this district,” said Davis Spokesman Ashley Phelps. 

University of Illinois grad students declare 'sanctuary union'

The union representing graduate student-employees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently passed a resolution declaring itself a "Sanctuary Union."

According to the resolution, the designation means that faculty members will engage in public activism to oppose immigration enforcement, refuse cooperation with ICE agents, and lobby the university to do the same.

More HERE

As U.S. Postage Rates Continue To Rise, The USPS Gives The Chinese A 'Free Ride'

As the rates of the U.S. Postal Service continue on their precipitous ascent, how cheaply Chinese merchants are able to ship their products thousands of miles across the world to the United States has become emblematic of the stark trade imbalance between the countries as well as the disadvantages that American companies are up against as foreign competitors outmaneuver them in their own backyard.

More HERE

South Dakota v. Wayfair: What It Means

The power to tax is the power to destroy. In South Dakota v. Wayfair, the Supreme Court threw out its physical presence standard, allowing states to tax commerce between their citizens and retailers located beyond their borders. How will states use this new taxing power? As Andrew Moylan and Andrew Wilford write, lawmakers who put new tax bills forward hastily will risk crushing the smaller internet retailers and the competition they provide:

Wisconsin highlights state economy in comparison to Illinois

Wisconsin's top economist is using Illinois as an example to highlight how well Wisconsin's economy is doing.

John Koskinen is the chief economist for the Wisconsin Department of Labor. In a speech earlier this month for the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Policy Day, he used Illinois’ economy in a comparison with Wisconsin’s to show how well they’re doing.

Using federal labor numbers, he said nearly every county in Wisconsin has seen the number of new businesses operating grow by at least two percent over the last three years. Illinois, on the other hand, didn’t fare as well.

More HERE

Loyce Deen Tribute

A tribute to Navy gunner Loyce Edward Deen, a Navy gunner that was killed in action in late 1944.

Report: U.S., Not Countries Promoting Climate Change Activism, Reducing Emissions the Most

Look who’s leading the world in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Stephen Moore writes:

Take a wild guess what country is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions the most? Canada? Britain? France? India? Germany? Japan? No, no, no, no, no, and no.

The answer to that question is the United States of America. Wow! How can that be? This must be a misprint. Fake news. America never signed the Kyoto Protocol some two decades ago. We never enacted a carbon tax. We don’t have a cap-and-trade carbon emission program. That environmental villain Donald Trump pulled America out of the Paris climate accord that was signed by almost the entire rest of the civilized world.

Republican lawmakers blast Democrats' plan to hike state income taxes again

Illinois Republican lawmakers held a press conference Monday criticizing the Democrats' and gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker's plans to raise state income taxes again. Illinois Democrats and several Republicans agreed to raise Illinois voters' taxes 32% last year. The governor nor IL GOP Leadership were able to whip their caucuses votes enough to uphold the governor's veto of the tax hike.

During the press conference, Republicans said:

Chicago shootings cost billions

CHICAGO - Chicago's annual summer killing spree continued last weekend with two more shooting deaths and 29 wounded. This is the fifth year the summer killings have been ongoing. In 2017 the fourth weekend in August tally was 7 killed, 26 wounded. In 2016, the same weekend tally was 15 killed, 57 wounded;
the 2015 weekend tally was 6 killed, 30 wounded and the same weekend in 2014 saw 7 killed, 36 wounded. 

Thus far in 2018, 322 males have been killed in Chicago, as were 55 females. 298 of the victims were African-American, 47 were Hispanic. 23 were white/caucasian. 

These shootings have cost taxpayers over $110 million dollars thus far this year, HeyJackass.com estimates. Those numbers assume the following:

• $55,000: Average gunshot victim ER and hospital expenses.
• $1000: Average CFD ambulance ride, only applicable to 80% of victims, rest self-transport.
• $800: Homicide-related autopsies.
• Doesn’t include hospice care or ongoing rehabilitation.

Cost estimates provided by Chicago Killings Cost $2.5 Billion and The bill for treating a gunshot wound: $21,000 for the first 35 minutes.

More at HeyJackAss.com 

Morton Grove family business uses tax savings to boost employees' wages

MORTON GROVE - While one party is insisting that Congress' tax cuts isn't benefiting the middle class, Morton Grove manufacturer Sko-Die says the exact opposite. Shopfloor, a news source for the National Association of Manufacturers, spoke with Patrick Steininger, President of the 71-year-old company, who said his team will benefit most from the tax cut.

"The first thing I did when I found out what my tax savings would be? I took that money and gave a raise to all the employees,” said Sko-Die’s president, Patrick Steininger. “It came to about 3 percent per employee, on average.”

In addition to their pay raises, Sko-Die’s 70 employees will also see their workspace updated and expanded. Steininger plans to use the company’s tax savings to make sure Sko-Die employees have access to the latest and most efficient technology available.

“The instant they passed tax reform, I bought two new pieces of equipment—a big grinder that will grind dies more efficiently and a new press that will run twice as fast,” Steininger said. “That makes us more productive, more competitive and more profitable.”

The total price for Steininger’s technology investment? “About $1 million.”

Would this have happened without the federal tax cut?

“Without tax reform, we wouldn’t have made these investments,” Steininger said. “Absolutely not.” 

Di Leo: The Priest Scandal and the Statute of Limitations

By John F. Di Leo - 

A recent report by a Pennsylvania grand jury has put a scandal – the one about the Catholic priests guilty of sex abuse – back in the news again. Since this particular investigation and report deals with a period that goes back seventy years, there isn’t much actual “news” in it, but it includes shocking numbers and heartbreaking stories, so it has understandably gained national attention.

This Pennsylvania grand jury cast a wide net to capture the entire picture, or at least, as much of the picture of an international organization and an international problem as a state judiciary can reach. Their final report, released this month, alleged some 300 Pennsylvania priests and over a thousand victims, over the 60-some-year period that they studied.  

Before digging into it, there are certain facts that need to be addressed, just for context.  We’re talking about a range of allegations, many of which don’t belong in the same discussion – ranging from nothing more than a kiss (creepy) to actual rape (criminal) to cover-ups by superiors (corrupt).   We’re talking about a state with, consistently, over 3,000,000 Catholics in it, a state that has well over 2500 Catholic priests today, double or triple that a generation or two ago. 300 bad priests and 1000 victims at one moment in time would be a sizable percentage, but over a 60-some-year span, and as a share of many thousands, it is less so… but still sizable, still significant, still heartbreaking and unforgivable.  There is no way to spin it into a minor issue.

Survey shows slight majority see Janus decision as positive development

LaborUnionReport.com, a website that provides news about labor unions, reports Monday on a recent survey that shows public sector unions should be concerned about taxpayer and employee views the recent Janus decision.

The US Supreme Court decision in June ruled that government unions in states without Right-to-Work laws violated government workers' First Amendment rights by requiring the workers pay fees to unions as a condition of employment.

A survey revealing the public's reaction to the ruling, conducted by Lloyd Corder, Ph. D., shows:

• Awareness of the Supreme Court ruling is high. While most (71%) are aware of the ruling, some are not (29%).
• Many think the ruling is a positive development. 51% say the changes are positive, but 32% do not and 17% are on the fence. When asked whythey think the changes are positive (n=147), respondents offered a number of reasons, including that the ruling protects their personal rights and freedoms (37%), eliminates what they believe is an unfair labor practice (22%) and allows them to save money by not being forced to pay dues(18%).
• Workers will exercise their new freedom to stop paying dues. One-third plan to change what they are paying, with 6% saying they have already stopped paying dues and 25% saying they plan to stop paying. [Emphasis added.]

More information on LaborUnionReport.com

Mueller and the Media Represent the Ancien Régime

The Mueller probe, with its indictments of Trump associates for offenses unrelated to its ostensible mandate, combined with mendacious media coverage of President Trump, is an obvious attempt to restore the old order that the electorate rejected in 2016. It seeks to annul the will of the voters and return us to the incipient authoritarianism that germinated during the Obama era, and which the ruling class expected to blossom under Clinton. The bureaucrats who support the restoration of Beltway despotism call themselves public servants, yet despise the public. The politicians who support it call themselves Democrats, yet despise democracy.

Should Americans Give Mainstream Media the Silent Treatment?

Once upon a time, the American people trusted the mainstream media, and vice-versa. Back when Walter Cronkite was the “nation’s newsman,” most Americans felt confident that networks and newspapers reported “the facts” — at least most of the time. Even 20 years ago, a majority of Americans had trust and confidence in the mass media “to report the news fully, accurately and fairly.”

Making American Skilled Labor Great Again

For decades, vocational training has been waning. Fortunately, the Trump administration is dedicated to reversing this troubling trend. In 2017, President Donald Trump launched his first effort to restore vocational pursuits with an executive order that would, “Expand apprenticeships and vocational training to help all Americans find a rewarding career, earn a great living and support themselves and their families.” Furthermore, in 2018, Trump identified the pressing need for an American Renaissance in vocational training, stating, “You learn mechanical, you learn bricklaying and carpentry. We don’t have those things anymore.”

Schock: Local US attorney office saw me as "rising star," way to climb Justice Department ladder

NEW YORK - Former Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock says the Obama Justice Department went on a fishing expedition to squelch his "rising star" status among Republican political circles, and a way to advance a local US attorney's career. Schock says he has spent nearly $3 million for legal counsel since he resigned from office in 2015.

On Fox News Thursday night, Schock explained what he considers false accusations by the Justice Department.

Joliet area illegal alien sentenced to 80 years for raping three women joggers

JOLIET - While attention was focused on the tragic death of Iowa jogger Mollie Tibbetts this week, an illegal alien that should have been deported six years ago was sentenced to 80 years for raping three Joliet area women joggers. 

The attacker confessed to raping three women at various times between 2014 and 2015 as they ran alongside Joliet's I & M Canal. He tied up his victims, threatened using a knife on them, and then left the victims to the elements after the attacks.

Local news sources report the attacker identified himself as Miguel C. Luna, but had several other aliases, including Francisco, Pedro Flores and Enrique Zanchez. Luna’s attorney Marzell Richardson wasn't even sure of the man's name. He said he believed Luna’s name might be Miguel Luna Castaneda. 

The uncertainty frustrated the Will County judge overseeing the sentencing.

Sen. Warren: "Separating a momma from a baby does not make this country safer"

Did US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) listen to her own words when asked about the Mollie Tibbetts tragedy? One has to wonder.

Warren, who is likely to seek the 2020 Democrat presidential nomination, is one of the nation's most radical abortion advocates, and one of the nation's most radical illegal alien defenders. Yet, in a CNN interview, she pointed to the heartbreak of separating babies from their mothers in the US illegally as a "real problem."

Thorner: Catholic Church shows moral culpability with predator priest crisis

By Nancy Thorner - 

A highly publicized disclosure of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church occurred on August 14, 2018, when a Pennsylvania officials released a landmark grand jury report spanning two years of investigative work that identified more than 300 “predator priests” who allegedly molested more than 1,000 children in six dioceses. The grand jury says it believes the “real number” of abused children might be “in the thousands” since some records were lost and victims were afraid to come forward. It also accuses church leaders of taking steps to cover up the abuse. The report emerged from one of the nation’s most exhaustive investigations of clergy sexual abuse.  READ THE FULL REPORT HERE.

Pope Francis, facing sexual abuse crises in several other besides this nation, wrote an unprecedented letter on Monday, August 20, 2018, to all Catholics on Monday, asking each one of them to help root out “this culture of death” and vowing there would be no more coverups.

Durbin says discussion of "I-word" too soon

WASHINGTON DC - Illinois US Senator Dick Durbin agreed to meet with President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Thursday afternoon. After the meeting, Durbin expressed concern to National Public Radio that he's not content with Kavanaugh's answers about holding an executive accountable, and withholding official opinions Kavanaugh wrote when he served on George W. Bush's staff. 

It's not ridiculous to discuss impeaching President Trump, though, he said. "It's too soon."

Tibbetts' family grief preventable, immigration group says

The tragic story of Mollie Tibbetts' murder less than two hours west of East Moline, Illinois grabbed the public's attention Tuesday afternoon when law enforcement revealed her body had been found in an Iowa cornfield. When law officials said they filed first degree murder charges against a Mexican 24 year old that had been in the US illegally for four to seven years, the nationwide collective gasp was nearly audible.

Immigration is voters' #1 issue in most current polls. In neighboring Illinois, a Republican governor insists his state is not a sanctuary state, when numerous legal opinions differ - leaving voters confused and frustrated. Before signing into law a measure that protects immigrants from referrals to immigration authorities, Governor Rauner refused to hold a conversation with the Illinois families that have lost loved ones to those in the US illegally.

Thorner/O'Neil: Disastrous Pitfalls of a Porous Southern Border

Arizona's KVOA photo

By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil - 

Why are our elected officials not adequately protecting our borders?  Why do we allow a single person to cross into the United States who has not gone through our stated immigration procedures? 

There is a process to follow, and our elected officials should not allow a single illegal immigrant entry through the back door. Those who show up at border crossings without proper paperwork should be denied entry until they have gone through an established vetting process and then required to wait their turn.  To do otherwise allows these undocumented individuals to take the place of others who have honored our laws and procedures by applying and waiting their turn.  We are losing control by allowing so many immigrants into our nation who have not been thoroughly or properly vetted and/or have no desire to assimilate.This is also a disservice to our nation’s people. 

Generic Congressional Ballot poll shows Dems and GOPers tied

What are the chances of a Democrat Blue Wave sweeping the nation, and making Nancy Pelosi US House Speaker?  Not as good today as it was a few months ago, a new Rasmussen poll shows.

For the first time in months, Democrats and Republicans are tied on the Rasmussen Reports Generic Congressional Ballot.

Motorcycle enthusiasts endorse Rauner, scold critics for mocking Guv's riding gear

Those comments mocking Governor Rauner's helmet and riding gear in his recent campaign ad are not appreciated, Patrick "PJ" Jones, president of Chicago ABATE said in a statement Wednesday. ABATE - which stands for "A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education" - describes itself as a "Motor Rights Organization."

Jones' rebuke of Rauner critics was included in an announcement of ABATE's state PAC's endorsement for Governor Bruce Rauner's re-election in November.

"Governor Rauner is a true motorcyclist, and we feel it's a slap in the face of all motorcyclists for someone to have called his riding apparel a COSTUME – we take our riding gear serious, and so does he," Jones said in a statement.

NFIB ranks Illinois with high grades on latest scorecard

The National Federation of Independent Businesses gave Illinois high marks on four out of five grades in its August 2018 "Small Business Scorecard." 

The 75 year old non-profit applauds Illinois' projected 59,000-plus jobs over the next seven years. It also points to Southern Illinois' tourism increase, the governor's veto of a bill that would have put very small businesses at the mercy of the Human Rights Commission,  and Illinois' possible use of freight truck cruise control technology.

The lowest grade the NFIB gave Illinois was a "C" on the state's mediocre healthcare rating. 

Britain’s Inability to Handle Last Year’s Flu Season Shows Perils of Socialized Medicine

Socialized medicine isn’t performing well in Britain. Kevin Pham and Robert Moffit write:

Aggravated by the flu season, and budget constraints, the National Health Service cancelled some 50,000 “non-urgent” surgeries. The problem is that the urgency for a particular patient’s surgery is, or should be, a doctor’s clinical judgment. For example, surgery for a person to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), for instance, may be delayed. But delaying an AAA repair is risking rupture, and patients with a ruptured AAA have a 90 percent mortality rate.

Venezuela on the Verge of Humanitarian Collapse. the Culprit? Socialism.

Socialism produced the crisis in Venezuela. Juan Carlos Hidalgo explains how a rich country came to experience hyperinflation and hunger:

[Hugo] Chavez dramatically increased the size of the government payroll and the reach of social programs. In fairness, patronage had been a common practice in Venezuela for decades. However, buoyed by more than $1 trillion in oil revenues during his time in office, Chavez took that practice to unprecedented levels. These social policies earned him popularity at home and plaudits from abroad — including from Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz — even though they were financially unsustainable. Today, an estimated 60 percent of Venezuelans are reportedly dependent on government handouts.

A Nation of Immigrants

The media narrative today is that America has become “xenophobic” and is turning its back on new immigrants. But that narrative is sharply contradicted by the fact that the United States maintains the most generous immigration policies in the world. In this week’s new video, CRTV host and best-selling author Michelle Malkin explains how ill-conceived immigration policies threaten to destroy the American Dream for everyone.

Gov launches "Fight for What's Right" Tour

Illinois one of nation's least-friendly states to small businesses

Illinois is often referred to as a "purple state" - with a Republican governor and a Democrat-controlled General Assembly, but being "purple" towards small businesses isn't good. 

Thumbtack's small business friendly survey emphasized what small business owners say is important:

Illinois Political Action Conference scheduled for September 14 & 15th in Orland Park

Obama endorses Pritzker for governor in new ad

"I am proud to endorse JB Pritzker to be the next governor of my home state of Illinois, and let me tell you why. It’s simple, JB gets things done," the former president says in a 1.26 YouTube ad released by the Pritzker campaign Monday.

Pritzker created "hundreds of new companies" and more than 7000 "good jobs," Obama says. 

Illinois state rep introduces resolution condemning "gun sanctuary" counties

Rep. Kathleen Willis with gun control lobbyists at Capitol (Photo from Willis website)

NORTHLAKE - State Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Northlake) was successful in making Illinois the fourth state to enact a Firearms Restraining Order into law. Now she is focused on condemning Illinois "gun sanctuary" counties for passing resolutions that encourage local law enforcement to ignore the state's gun control laws.

Rep. Willis refers to the at least 26 Illinois counties outside the Chicago area have passed pro-Second Amendment resolutions as "nothing more than scofflaw counties" in a House resolution she filed late last week. Her resolution challenges the legitimacy of county declarations and names each county action as a “shameless political stunt which undermines the rule of law and threatens the safety of all Illinois citizens.”

Helene Miller-Walsh appointed to represent House District 51

BARRINGTON - Sunday, Lake County GOP chairman Mark Shaw listed an array of reasons why Lake County resident Helene Miller-Walsh was the "clear pick" to fill the vacancy former State Rep. Nick Sauer left when he resigned earlier this month. Walsh was sworn into office Saturday afternoon. 

"We needed a person that would be ready to be an actual state representative first, and then a candidate," Shaw, who also serves as the IL GOP's new state co-chairman and member of the party's State Central Committee, told Illinois Review. "Second, we needed a person that could jump into a campaign while serving as state representative. We're confident Helene will be able to do both." 

No, Chelsea Clinton, Roe v. Wade Did Not Create $3.5 Trillion in Wealth

Abortion is not a source of prosperity. Chelsea Clinton recently claimed that legalizing abortion has added $3.5 trillion to the U.S. economy between 1973 and 2009. Michael New writes that her unseemly attempt to inject utilitarianism into a debate about fundamental rights turns out to be wrong on the facts:

[O]n Twitter, she cited a 2018 study by Diana Greene Foster that appeared in the American Journal of Public Health. This study was part of the abortion turnaway study which compared the life outcomes of women who obtained abortions to women who had sought abortions but were unable to obtain one because of gestational age limits. The study finds that women who were unable to obtain abortions were more likely to live in poverty in the short term. However, after a five year period, the poverty rates of women who carried their pregnancy to term were almost identical to the group of women who had first-trimester abortions. As such, this study provides no evidence to support Clinton’s assertion that legalizing abortion created trillions in wealth. […]

Governor Rauner signs nearly 300 new laws in a month

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois News Network - 

It's been a busy month for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and his pen.  

From July 13 to Aug. 14, the governor signed 293 laws. 

Some go into effect immediately, others will have to wait for January. But all are new laws.

More HERE

Facebook Completely Censors PragerU Posts from Public View

From PragerU - 

We recently discovered that Facebook deleted two video posts from the PragerU page for “hate speech,” and subsequently censored 15 more posts from public view - meaning zero of our 3 million followers could see these posts.

While we’ve experienced blatant discrimination from Google/YouTube, which is why we’ve filed legal action against them, this represents a whole new level of censorship by Facebook.

China's Goal Is "To Challenge the United States As A Global Superpower"

Nile Gardiner joined Fox News Saturday, August 18, to talk about the new Department of Defense report showing China is training for long-range strikes against the United States, and the rising threat China poses to the United States and our allies.

Latest Leftist attempt to revive the ERA won't work, Andy Schlafly says

SPRINGFIELD - One excuse some faux conservatives in the Illinois General Assembly gave to vote for the Equal Right Amendment was that it was meaningless and wouldn't be going anywhere, so why not support and give the Liberals one less vote to complain about? 

The answer they should have heard is the Left never gives up - unlike many conservatives do. ERA being decades past the deadline to be amended to the US Constitution is a mere hurdle for Leftists. They intend to be successful. 

Indeed, the ERA advocates in Illinois are placing pressure on US Congress members now to support an effort to remove the ERA's 1979 deadline - after all, the Left argues, isn't the Constitution and anything to do with it "living and breathing?"

National legal immigration group: With Republicans like Rauner, who needs Democrats?

SPRINGFIELD - Friday, a national immigration group defied Governor Rauner's claim earlier this week that Illinois is not a sanctuary state. 

"ALIPAC finds Governor Bruce Rauner's comments ... to be false, disingenuous and dangerous ..." William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC told Illinois Review.

In an effort to unite his Republican base, Rauner said Wednesday, "...We can have issues where we can disagree, and by the way, I'm adamantly against illegal immigration and we are not a sanctuary state, and we'll never be one. I oppose that. But, you know what? We gotta unite."

Governor Rauner and his advocates have insisted for a year that Illinois is NOT a sanctuary state - despite the bill he signed last year forbids local law enforcement from being in direct contact with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency about persons that are in the country illegally that law enforcement is releasing from local imprisonment. 

Ives: "Any Dem that says they support business is lying to you"

WHEATON - There's plenty of reason to vote Democrats out of office, State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) said in a Facebook post Friday morning.

Every single Democrat received negative ratings on issues of importance to Illinois small businesses, showing they are bent on destroying the state's economy, not building it.

"Any Dem that says they support business is lying to you. Get it. They are lying to you ..." she wrote.

The representative then pointed out legislative scorecards proving her point from Illinois business groups such as Technology & Manufacturing Association, Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. 

Gov Rauner tells conservatives why they should vote for him in November

SPRINGFIELD - What's Governor Rauner's message to Illinois conservatives so unhappy about how he ignored the IL GOP platform on several crucial issues during his first term?  He finally answered the million dollar question succinctly on Wednesday during a press conference at the State Fair.

"Republicans now need to come together," Rauner said. "We can have issues where we can disagree, and by the way, I'm adamantly against illegal immigration and we are not a sanctuary state, and we'll never be one. I oppose that. But, you know what? We gotta unite.

"This is the time for everybody to come together. It's not only Republicans, it's independent voters, it's Democrats that actually want a good future for their children and grandchildren. We can have our differences on policy issues, but what really matters is that we don't give total control to Madigan, his machine, funded by Pritzker. More corruption, higher taxes, more job losses. That's what they'll bring. We've gotta fight against that."

He didn't like the idea that some conservatives are promoting Rauner as "lesser than two evils." 

During the 10 minute press conference recorded by Illinois One, he congratulated Trump's policies on cutting taxes, cutting red tape on business regulations and promoting fair trade. 

It's a must-listen if you want to know where we're headed in the next 80 days leading up to November's election.

The bright side of the trade war with China?

This year marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most consequential anti-poverty programs in human history. Now, there is evidence that its spillover effects may lift millions more out of dire need.

In 1978, 18 farmers from the Chinese village of Xiaogang secretly signed “the document that changed the world.” Madsen Pirie of the Adam Smith Institute writes:

Thorner: Again, Liberals lose gun and economy debates

Daily Beast photo

By Nancy Thorner - 

In 480 B.C., the Persians demanded that the Spartans surrender their arms at Thermopylae. To which King Leonidas replied “Molon labe.”  For those who have forgotten their high school Greek, that literally translates to “Having come, take,” but, in English, that would be the equivalent of “Come and take them, if you think you can.” 

The colonials were always being told to surrender their arms to the Brits.  Fortunately for all of us and for the world at large, they refused in no uncertain terms.

In 1835, the Mexicans were demanding the surrender of a cannon by the Texans.  The Texans refused and, against superior numbers, managed to hang on to it.  A few months later, the Mexicans, outnumbering the Texans by at least five-to-one, demanded that a handful of Texans surrender the Alamo.  Once again the Texans refused.  The ensuing battle was bloody.  The aftermath was even worse, as the Mexicans continued shooting and bayoneting the bodies long after Sam Houston, Davy Crockett and the others were dead.

What Was the Cold War? [video]

The decades-long “Cold War” (1947-1989) between the United States and the Soviet Union was so named because the two global powers never came to direct blows. Yet, the war was not without its victims. In fact, millions of Cubans, Koreans and Vietnamese suffered under Communist tyranny. In this video, Renowned British historian Andrew Roberts explains why “The Cold War” could just as easily be called “The Third World War.”

The Future of SB 1564

There’s uncertainty surrounding the future of an Illinois law now that the Supreme Court has ruled against a similar statute in California requiring pro-life pregnancy care centers to inform expecting mothers about the availability of abortions.