Illinois Review

Di Leo: The Message of Baltimore is the Lesson of a Century

By John F. Di Leo - 

The President referred to Baltimore, MD as "a hellhole," and the nation erupted in anger.

Within hours, snowflakes whined that it was hurtful, offensive, insulting, and unpresidential.

Within days, people started talking about the facts, though, and the President was redeemed.  The many statistics on crime, unemployment, poverty, and urban blight prove that, by any objective standard, Baltimore is indeed a hellhole.

The proper political question isn’t what to do about a politician’s statement; the proper question is what to do about the facts?

Sanguinetti points to Republican endorsements in 6th CD GOP primary

WHEATON - Former lieutenant governor Evelyn Sanguinetti was running for the 6th CD Republican nomination unchallenged until recently, when former state representative Jeanne Ives announced she, too, was seeking the 2020 GOP nomination. 

Sanguinetti's former boss Governor Bruce Rauner narrowly stopped Ives' 2018 GOP gubernatorial primary challenge - and both are focused on the Democrat that ousted former 6th CD Congressman Peter Roskam in 2018 - Sean Casten.

In response to Ives' announcement July 28th, Sanguinetti released a list of Republicans that are endorsing her and quotes from some, who mention the word "conservative" often:

Number of teens hospitalized after vaping increases

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is working with local health departments to investigate the hospitalization of three young people who experienced severe breathing problems after vaping. 

Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 11 confirmed and seven suspected cases of severe pulmonary disease among adolescents, some of whom had to be intubated, who reported vaping.

What's the Deal with the Green New Deal?

There’s been a lot of talk about The Green New Deal. Beyond the headlines, what is it really? Given our energy needs, is it practical? Can we have an abundance of energy and a clean planet? Alex Epstein, the author of The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, considers these questions and has thought-provoking answers.

Government: Great Servant, Horrible Master

The murder, suffering, and destruction wrought by government through the ages—governments like those of Caligula, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, and their ilk—reduces the evil of common criminals like Al Capone, Daniel Ortega, Bernie Madoff, and El Chapo to the scale of breaking wind at Sunday dinner.

There is a historical lesson here for any of us who would entrust our sustenance, security, and happiness to government. History teaches us that when governments go bad, they can really stink—bad enough to make us ashamed of our very species itself. But the more we entrust to government, the bigger it gets, and the bigger it gets, the more likely it is to become our ill-odored master, instead of our servant.

From JFK to Trump: ‘A Rising Tide’

In a 1963 speech, President John F. Kennedy said, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” JFK, of course, was not referring to the pristine waters lifting the luxurious vessels located along the Kennedy Compound’s waterfront property on Cape Cod. Rather, the 35th president was referring to the economic theory that when the entire economy grows, everyone (rich and poor) benefits.

In 2019, JFK’s words ring more true than ever. We are in the midst of an unprecedented economic expansion. In fact, as of this writing, the U.S. economy has now reached an all-time record (121 months and counting) of sustained economic growth.

Court Tackles the $7M Question in Planned Parenthood’s Baby Parts Trafficking Lawsuit

The Thomas More Society has filed a motion for summary judgement on behalf of its client, David Daleiden, in a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood against Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress.  The motion was argued on Wednesday July 17, at 2 p.m., PST, in the federal district court of the Northern District of California presided over by Judge William H. Orrick III, in the case of Planned Parenthood Federation vs. Center for Medical Progress and David Daleiden.

Thomas More Society attorneys and their co-counsel have filed nine separate motions for relief in the case that revolves around Planned Parenthood’s alleged trafficking of aborted baby body parts. Among the issues to be addressed are Planned Parenthood’s claims that David Daleiden’s actions have cost them 7 million dollars, something that the Thomas More Society attorneys dismiss as ludicrous.

Photo right: Fmr. Illinois State Rep. and Thomas More Senior Counsel Peter Breen (left) with David Daleiden (left)

More HERE

Congressman Tom McClintock on AOC’s Doomsday Climate Change Scenario: 4.5 Billion Years to Go

Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) said at the 13th International Conference on Climate Change on Thursday in Washington, DC, that he has as much expertise as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) or even Prince Charles when it comes to predicting the planet’s future.

Ocasio-Cortez has said we have 12 years to address climate change before disaster hit, and the prince has weighed in with doomsday predictions that range from 18 months to as many as 35 years until catastrophic events unfold.

McClintock said his prediction is based on a planet that has survived a changing climate for a very long time.

More HERE

President Takes Aim at Health Care Costs

In a far-reaching executive order, President Trump directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to spearhead a multiagency effort to assist patients in making informed decisions when addressing their health care needs.

The initiative calls for the drafting of a rule requiring hospitals, clinics, doctors, and insurance companies to disclose hitherto closely guarded pricing information and to inform patients of out-of-pocket expenses in advance.