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I notice the ol' blogosphere is thinning out. I understand why. When one is tasked with other things and the social sites siphon off readers, it is a bit difficult to produce copy day after day. The approach for me has been to wait for something of reasonably large political or policy significance and then to write about it. To some extent that is become an excuse for procrastination. Since I n...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Wed 6:21 p.m. - 14 clicks 
From Decatur Tribune-Online edition, Jan 29th 2012 Lawsuit: ‘Profits Were Running the Show’ at Leading Credit Ratings Agency Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Sun 12:29 p.m. - 12 clicks
BloNo peace activists are assembling late Thursday afternoon in Bloomington to call attention to U.S. military threats against Iran. The peace protest is part of actions taking place across the country, demanding “No War, No Sanctions, No Interference in Iran!” The peace protest will begin 5:30 pm, Thursday, February 2nd. People will gather along East … Continue reading » ...
Just BloNo - Sat 7:28 p.m. - 13 clicks
The Jane Addams Hull House Association is shuttering its operation after 122 years of serving Chicago's less fortunate families. Hull House was founded in 1899 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr, and, in recent years, has committed itself to providing foster care, domestic violence counseling, child development programs, and job training to 60,000 children, families, and community groups. ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 27 - 13 clicks
Published on Thursday, January 26, 2012 by Common Dreams The Occupy Wall Street movement traces its origin to a call to action in the Vancouver-based magazine Adbusters. Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Jan 27 - 11 clicks
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is filing a suit against Standard and Poors for assigning inappropriately high ratings to some of the highest risk mortgage backed securities in the years leading up to the financial crisis of 2008. From the Sun-Times article by John Scalzitti on the suit - The suit, filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court, alleged that S&P “compromised its i...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 25
The Sheyman for Congress campaign in IL-10 N. E. Illinois) received a big boost from two important labor unions. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Illinois Council 31 and the Lake County Federation of Teachers have endorsed the campaign to turn Ilinois’ 10th District blue! Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Jan 24 - 3 clicks
Andrea Gibson, nationally and internationally-acclaimed poet and activist, performed Thursday evening for over 100 people in the Hansen Student Center on the Illinois Wesleyan campus. The event, which included a local open mic poetry session, was organized by Lyrical Graffiti and IWU Pride Alliance. Gibson’s spoken word performance, alternating between piercing slam poetry and reflective ...
Just BloNo - Jan 19 - 2 clicks
Braving frigid temperatures, BloNo residents assembled in front of Chase Bank on Oakland Street to demand an investigation of the big banks. Organized by MoveOn BloNo, and supported by Illinois People’s Action and Latinos United for Change, the action was called to pressure President Obama to hold the banks accountable for the foreclosure crisis and … Continue reading » ...
Just BloNo - Jan 19 - 2 clicks
Late in December, the daily newspaper that lands on my doorstep each morning, the Bloomington (IL) Pantagraph ran an editorial highlighting a policy paper by the Illinois Policy Institute titled Still Leaving Illinois: An Exodus of People and Money . The IPI’s solutions to Illinois’ perceived problems, echoed in the editorial, sounded boringly familiar – repeal the just-enacted income...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 17 - 9 clicks
Dear Supporters, I hope everything is going well for you on this MLK Day of National Service. It’s important to always remember that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made our country face some hard truths. As a result we are a better country for it, but the hard truths he made us face still need to be addressed today. It’s also important to remember Dr. Martin Luther King’s service started at a yo...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 16
Could Illinois be the next state to grant full marriage eqality? That could happen if the Illinois General Assembly and the State Senate get their way, but it will not happen until 2013 at their earliest. The state (which I live in) got civil unions passed in January 2011 could try to go for legalization of same-sex marriage. How will the religious right (groups such as NOM, Illinois State Bap...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 10
Yesterday’s Northwest Herald , the daily paper of McHenry County , Illinois tucked the shocking news away in a tiny short hard by the obituaries. Chicago —Officials with Chicago Public Schools said the number of homeless students his increased compared with last year. The Chicago Sun Times reported that there were more than 10,660 homeless students at the beginning of the school ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 10
By Marilyn Katz, in Commentary, Chicago Tribune, Friday 1/6/12 Using May's G-8 and NATO summits as the trigger, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed sweeping changes that would greatly restrict public assembly in Chicago! Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Jan 6
...this time, it's in Illinois! Last month, Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry failed to get enough signatures to earn a spot on Virginia's primary ballot . The campaigns of Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, and Jon Huntsman never made a serious effort to get on the Virginia ballot. Perry has filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that Virginia's ballot-access laws are unconstitutional. Gingric...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 6
I'm Chris Miller and I'm a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 12th Congressional District. I'm not a stranger to blogging, but this is my first attempt at doing so on Daily Kos so just bear with me as I get it figured out. I have been a progressive Democrat all my life. I started volunteering in campaigns when I was 15. At 18 I enlisted in the Army. I am a third generation Vet...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 4
Well candidate filing has closed in both Illinois and Ohio, the first two states to do so for the 2012 election cycle. How did both parties fare? Below the fold for the state of play and please go and take a look at the 2012 Race Tracker Wiki . ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jan 2
This is my entry for the DKE redistricting contest - redistricting Chicago's 50 wards. It's unlikely that any one map can fulfill everyone's goals, so I'll try to set forth what my goals were and how they led to this final product. My map is first and foremost intended to be an impartial "communities of interest" map. Communities of Interest and Methodological Considerations In gener...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 28
Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, IL (Gerald Farinas/ Wikicommons ) New York Times visits the topic of Catholic Charities shutting down their foster care and adoption services in Illinois after the state passed civil unions bill for LGBT couples. After a long and nasty fight, they reached an endgame on the question of whether Catholic Charities can enjoy state subsidies while denying se...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 28
Bill Bianchi, PDA Chicago Alternative idea: Jobs instead of Payoffs E ight things you need to know about Illinois' recently passed tax cuts given to Sears and the CME as a payoff to keep them and their jobs in state. Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Dec 28
Just a couple of short weeks ago, Sears Holdings, which owns the Sears and Kmart department store chains, extorted the Illinois General Assembly into passing a bill giving Sears Holdings a $15 million corporate tax break. Now, after disappointing sales during the overhyped shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Sears Holdings has announced that anywhere between 100 and 120 Sears a...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 27
From the Wisconsin worker uprising to the Occupy movement, 2011 was a year of resistance. Bloomington-Normal was a part of it. Solidarity with the Wisconsin Worker Uprising 2011 began with one of the largest labor protests to rock the country in decades. Wisconsin teachers and students spontaneously staged an occupation of the Madison capitol … Continue reading » ...
Just BloNo - Dec 27
A minor scheduling snafu surrounding the Chicago Gay Pride parade in 2012 prompted Catholic Cardinal Francis Eugene George Of Chicago to compare the LGBT community to the most notorious murderers in American history, the Ku Klux Klan. Concerns surfaced that a newly-implemented parade route for this year's march might interfere with a local Catholic Mass. Alerted to the possible con...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 27
Texas and Illinois were the first two states where candidate filing was due to close. Then the US Supreme Court gave Texas one extra day. But nonetheless wander down below the fold to see how both parties are going at filling the slate in the first two cabs off the rank in the 2012 cycle. Oh yeh and take a look at the 2012 Race Tracker Wiki just because you can. ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 26
When overtaxed and overburdened citizens finally reach their limit, they vote with their feet and their wallets. Roger Keats, a lifelong Illinois resident and local political figure, finally reached his limit. He and his wife, Tina, are moving to Texas, and their reasons are simple: no income tax, lower sales and real estate taxes, less corrupted government, and the list goes on. He's fed up wit...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 23
George was tired even before he got up to work the second shift. He grabbed his metal lunch bucket, kissed 3 year old Vivian on her chubby cheek and then a quick kiss to his wife, Rosie before heading out. He, Rosie and Vivian lived in the home where Rosie's and Mary Lou's mom and dad lived before they died 10 years ago. Mary still lived with them and worked at the Woolworth d...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 21
The Normal town council passed a resolution requesting the Illinois legislature to consider more consumer protection regarding payday loans. About 40 people, brought together by Illinois People’s Action (IPA), attended the council meeting to support the resolution. Illinois People’s Action is working with individuals and organizations throughout central Illinois in passing ordinances i...
Just BloNo - Dec 19
In 1980, Illinois voters amended the state's constitution to set the current method of determining representation in the state's General Assembly. Prior to 1980, the Illinois House of Representatives was elected by a system in which voters in 59 legislative districts elected three representatives by a method of cumulative voting in which voters could cast their ballots for one candidate, givin...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 15 - 16 clicks
Editorial by IlstuStudent President Obama announces the full withdrawal of troops from Iraq, based on a time table that was outlined by former president Bush. While our present executive uses this as a political strategy during re-election, the facts are that since March 20 2003, the American Department of Defense, Republican and Democratic leadership, and Washington insiders knew that … Co...
Just BloNo - Dec 13
Facebook friend, campaign trail acquaintance and fellow Kossack, Blizek, drew my attention today to a surge in contributions on ActBlue presently enjoyed by Democrat, Ilya Sheyman , my personal favorite political candidate in any race for 2012, aside from President Obama. Mr. Sheyman, a community organizer and former staffer for Senator Obama, is running for Congress as a fighting, progressiv...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 12 - 16 clicks
The Republicans are currently suing in court over the Democrat-led congressional redistricting of Illinois. Their claims are that the map discriminates against Republicans (LOL) and packs Hispanics into one district. The chances are very high that this lawsuit will go nowhere, but supposing that the court agreed with the litigants' claims and decided to draw their own map, here's what I think it...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 7
Here's the video of yesterday's visits to the Illinois delegations: http://www.youtube.com/... Thank you to Stand Up Chicago for the video and for being here. While occupying Kirk's lobby, they used the time to hold a teach-in/discussion about the economy and the issues behind this week of action. After discussing the role of banks and how foreclosures are ruining their neighborhoods (ever...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 7
What if Chicagoland was its own state? I've been mulling this idea, in a very abstract way, for a while. What would its congressional districts look like? What would happen to Illinois? Or the other states around it? Like most fantasy redistricting diaries, I'm not doing this because I think it will (or should) happen. I'm just doing it for fun. Lots of maps and data below the fold... ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 6
[Technical note: The editing box doesn't work on the rental laptop I'm using at the Media Center, so I have to include full URLs instead of using the link tool.] The state of Illinois makes a lot of popular candy: Lemonheads, Jawbreakers, Mars/Snickers/Milky Way bars, Jelly Bellies, Tootsie Rolls and more. I found this out while visiting the office of Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) during today’s...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Dec 6
Previously on The Fight To Keep It Blue: IL-12, Ann Callis (last month's prediction poll winner as to who will win the primary) was considered a favorite to be running for Jerry Costello's seat, but she decided against running for the seat, but will instead focus on being retained for Circuit Judge. Jay Hoffman, who was briefly considering switching over to this district, decided to run in t...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 30
On Wednesday, Novemeber 30th, National Nurses United, rallyied at British Consulates around the country to support Britain's 2.5 million nurses and public workers who went on strike to protest draconian cuts to public programs, wages and pensions. PDA was invited to speak. Below is our full statement on the meaning of the rally. Portions or which were delivered at t...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Nov 30
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: December 1, 2011 Terrell Barnes Terrell33@gmail.com Terrell Barnes Announces candidacy for Dupage County Board District 6 Shaking things up in the Democr...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 28 - 3 clicks
My name is Aaron Camp. Unlike most Democrats from Illinois, I don't come from Chicago or one of its many suburbs. I come from the village of Westville, Illinois in Vermilion County, which is in the east central part of the state. Westville is a old coal mining town that was built up in the early 20th century. Most of the mines in and around Westville are no longer in operation, and, like many sm...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 26 - 2 clicks
And if you're not careful, in some states, simply taping law-enforcement officers carrying out their law-enforcement duties, can land you in prison ... Chicago Police: Tape Us, Get Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison by Jason Mick, dailytech.com, Blog -- Jan 24, 2011 [...] Christopher Drew, a 60-year-old artist and teacher living in Chicago, is facing the charge after audio taping a c...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 23
By Ron Kampeas · November 21, 2011 Jewish, Global News Service of the Jewish People WASHINGTON (JTA) -- A suburban Chicago congressional primary featuring two Jewish candidates is being cast by political observers as a test of the Democratic Party’s direction. Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Nov 22
Some human being actually scheduled Michelle Obama at a NASCAR race! This was either brilliant or stupid, but nothing in between. Stupid Theory: Nimrod staffer sends First Lady to a venue where she's sure to get booed by apparent rednecks. Brilliant Theory: Gifted Staffer sends First Lady to a venue where she's sure to get booed by apparent rednecks, thus doubling her resolve to get out th...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Nov 21
Last week, a water utility near Springfield, Illinois had a water pump burn out without warning. Now it turns out hackers caused it . Forensic evidence indicates that the hackers may have been in the system as early as September, according to the “Public Water District Cyber Intrusion” report, released by the Illinois Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center on Nov. 10. The intruder...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 19
Still at work so no map clips, but there is a HUGE area currently under a tornado watch. There are three separate watches that include Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and bits of Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Missouri. ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 14
This won't be a very long post, I just wanted to make you guys aware of the fact that there could be a significant (for this time of year, at least) tornado outbreak over eastern Illinois, much of Indiana, and western Ohio this afternoon and evening. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk for severe weather for much of the Ohio Valley, and they seem to be fairly bullish on the poss...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 14
By Bill Bianchi, PDA-Chicago Illinois’ Danny Davis, Mike Quigley and Dan Lipinski joined with 57 other Democrats and only 40 Republicans in signing a letter asking Congress' debt-reduction committee (the Super Committee) to consider all options including cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Danny Davis? Bookmark/Search this post with: ...
Progressive Reads (PDA-IL) - Nov 12
Gi-normous storms on the East Coast knocking out power. It's an international headline. Had that been Missouri and downstate Illinois--'snow big deal. ...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Nov 10
Don O'Brien wrote a fine piece about the way Head Coach Bill Terlisner was not retained. Click on Don's name to read the piece. Pretty obviously, the Athletic Director did not want to be bothered with Football morale issues during basketball season. The Athletic Director is, of course, the basketball coach. I can't add much to what Don wrote about the cruelty, to Coach T. and to the kids...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Nov 10
Here's my best guess with an Abraham Lincoln statue in Springfield, Illinois. I was the first Republican President. I created the first federal income tax. It was a graduated tax based on ability to pay that required the wealthiest to pay their fair share at a higher rate. Most Americans didn’t make enough to pay any income tax at all when I was President because that’s fair and just...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 6
1833 - Chicago's eleven city elders hold a vote whether to incorporate as a municipality. The vote was 14-5 in favor of a new city. 1955 - Chicago's Reform Mayor Kennelly was ousted by a pudgy, ruddy faced, alder-critter known mainly for mangling the English language, Richard J. Daley, leading fellow Aldercritter Paddy Bauler to claim, "Chicago aint ready for reform." CO...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Nov 1
Several Occupy Illinois groups came together Saturday in Springfield for Occupy Your State Capital Day . I've been to enough protest rallies that it gets routine, but this event had some of the most exciting, energetic moments I've seen at any grass-roots political event. A WAND TV reporter posted a short video that gives a feel for the day. It started with reading a proclamation from ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Oct 30
Welcome to the October edition of IL-12: The Fight to Keep It Blue. This all started when Jerry Costello (D) retired on October 4th. Several candidates on both sides had considered running in the open seat, but very few have announced they're running. So far, the Dems have retired carpenter and 4-time primary opponent to Costello Kenneth Wiezer from Granite City, Madison County Chief C...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Oct 28
So it's come full circle. Remember that faux-populist rant from CNBC's Rick Santelli against bailouts for underwater homeowners to the cheers of floor traders that started that whole Tea Party craze way back in February 2009? You may not know that this spark that so emboldened Wall Street opposition to bailouts for Main Street didn't actually take place on Wall Street. The launch of th...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Oct 26
Occupy Springfield will serve a notice of eviction on the Illinois Capitol Building. It will be read during an " Occupy Your State Capital " rally, October 29, 1:00pm. Notice of Eviction The lobbyists for the 1%, and their cohabitating servants in elected office, are hereby notified that your occupation of the Illinois State Capitol Building is terminated. You are ordered to vacate for viol...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Oct 25
In the news this afternoon, the Colona, Illinois-based (and likely one-termer) Congressman Bobby Schilling (R-IL17) had an assassination threat made against him. And they are NOT taking any chances at all, especially after what happened to Gabby Giffords (D-AZ08) back on January 8th, 2011. From Politico: The FBI and Capitol Police are investigating an alleged assassination threat made aga...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Oct 20
Hundreds of thousands of people are occupying their communities to protest the power of the banks and corporations. In Bloomington, to curb their power, we are calling for a cap of 36% on the interest that lenders can charge. Payday lenders borrow their money from the big banks and then loan that money, often with [...] ...
Cap 36% - Oct 17
One of many reasons Jan Schakowsky is one of the very best and brightest leaders in our nations Capital today. We have a great Congresswoman who truly has her finger on the pulse of not only our district, but of......
49th Ward - Aug 15 - 3 clicks
The people of Norway must be stunned and horrified. This will be a day remembered in grief for generations. The senseless loss of over 80 young people will no doubt be keenly felt by all of that small nation's citizens, not just the families of the victims. All North Americans can do is sympathize and try to understand the pain Norway must be feeling. ...
slothropia.com - Jul 22
President Obama delivers on his commitment to provide strong consumer protections. See how this effects you in your everyday life....
49th Ward - Jul 22 - 3 clicks
Last week when it was reported that Obama had put Medicare and Social Security "on the table", liberals and progressives exploded in rage. Fifty bazillion signatures were attached to who knows how many petitions against such a move. I, along with many others contacted the White House directly to make my position known. ...
slothropia.com - Jul 11
