Illinois
updated
12:06 p.m.
On WFLD's Good Day Chicago this morning, Rep. Danny Davis discussed his "exploration" of a run for Cook County board president in 2010. At the end of the segment, Davis said that, if he sits down with incumbent President Todd Stroger in the near future, he will try to dissuade him from running and tell him point blank, "I don't think you'd get elected." Watch it: ...
Progress Illinois - 11:18 a.m.
A couple of people have commented on Ross Douthat's piece in the New York Times eulogizing the "democratic ideal" supposedly represented by Sarah Palin because she became a "success" (such as it was) even though she hadn't gone to "Columbia and Harvard". Actually it doesn't matter where you come from -- it's what you do and whose interests you support once you get to where you're going that...
IllinoisDemNet - 11:18 a.m.
Gonna fish or cut bait? As Richard Dreyfus learned in Jaws, chumming is a matter of perspective. While you may think you are laying out bait for your prey, your prey may have other points of view on the topic. At some point what you think you're doing can turn out to be something else entirely. I know I have an ability to stay on task, that might explain my inability to watch what are passing...
rawrahs - 8:57 a.m.
The Chicago Tribune has the breaking news: Tribune Co. has reached a deal to sell the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field to the Ricketts family, a source familiar with matter said this morning.The two sides finalized a sale agreement over the weekend and have forwarded the contract to Major League Baseball, the source said. Baseball owners must [...]...
Turning Left - 8:57 a.m.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez has spoken at length about the clout the payday loan industry wields on Capitol Hill. In fact, during a hearing before the House Committee on Financial Services (which he chairs), the Chicago Democrat admitted that implementing a 36 percent cap on all consumer credit transactions is " not possible " because of the industry's lobbying power. He further told the A...
Progress Illinois - 8:57 a.m.
With no state budget in place for the new fiscal year, many social service providers that receive public dollars are firing workers or scaling back programs in response to the uncertainty. Using news reports, we've so far identified 20 affected organizations from all corners of Illinois (click the pins on the map above for more details). Over the next week, we want to better measure t...
Progress Illinois - 7:44 a.m.
Quinn Sidestepping Madigan Gov. Pat Quinn is bypassing House Speaker Michael Madigan and other legislative leaders and lobbying lawmakers directly in hopes of getting his proposed income tax increase approved. After meeting with 27 female legislators Thursday, Quinn discussed the state's deficit with Sen. James Meeks on Friday. He will meet with more lawmakers from both chamb...
Progress Illinois - 7:20 a.m.
In a story in the Los Angeles Times David Lazarus reports that Walmart, (one of the most disliked companies in America) has take a step that could be the one step that insures that all companies have to provide health......
49th Ward - 5:05 a.m.
.....but, if I had the skill, courage and financing to be a NASCAR driver, I wouldn't want to be speeding around the track with a meth user. It just kind of seems to me that intoxicants and high performance cars comprises a risky combination. ...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - 2:59 a.m.
I can understand why Lisa Madigan is being so cautious in trying to figure out what elective office she will seek in the 2010 elections. No matter what strengths she would bring to the campaign season, all it would take would be one stupid move now and her whole future in public service could get flushed away. THINK I’M KIDDING? How many people remember Loleta Didrickson these days? Now...
Chicago Argus - Sun 10:24 p.m.
In today's Boston Globe there is a piece by Jonathon Cohn in which he discusses the health care systems of France and the Netherlands and compares the positive and negative aspects of their systems versus our system. As he indicates,......
49th Ward - Sun 2:21 p.m. - 2 clicks 
I found this discussion between Senators Grassley (R-IA) and Shumer (D-NY) on CBS's Face the Nation truly bizarre. Most of the segment was spent discussing health care in the usual superficial, made-for-tv way with a handful of talking points and the obligatory promise of "bipartisanship". I felt dumber after watching the thing than before. That said, what I found truly strange was the i...
IllinoisDemNet - Sun 1:45 p.m.
On Thursday, we highlighted numerous examples of non-profit organizations across the state cutting back on staff and services due to the uncertainty regarding the level of funding they will receive from Illinois' FY 2010 budget. Yesterday, Crain's further detailed the impact: The Chicago-based Carole Robertson Center, which provides early childhood care and education, laid off a...
Progress Illinois - Sun 9:25 a.m. - 5 clicks
Sarah Palin is coming after you if you don’t like her. Bucke up your boot straps, you betcha. Incensed by the reaction to her resignation as governor of Alaska, Palin is on a war path with the media, and her lawyer has already targeted a liberal Alaskan blogger, the New York Times, MSNBC, and anyone else who [...]...
Turning Left - Sun 3:04 a.m.
For years now there has been a philosophical struggle for control of the school board. Oversimplified, it's a debate between self-professed fiscal conservatives/minimalists and a group which probably views itself as more progressive. There was a time it was a meaningful debate. Now, it probably doesn't make that much difference because our local school district has no money anyhow. What is th...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Sun 3:04 a.m.
Once again, the best I can say is I have no idea why Sarah Palin resigned as governor of Alaska. Why show you’re not a quitter by quitting? Why leave the highest office you’ve ever held? Nothing about this move makes sense. Gail Collins shares her thoughts at the New York Times. Collins quotes from Palin’s rambling [...]...
Turning Left - Sat 9:09 p.m.
It was a bit rainy but that didn't dampen anyone's spirit at the Evanston 4th of July Parade. The first shot is just before the parade with Gov. Pat Quinn and DPOE President Daniel Biss getting their picture taken by Daniel's wife Karen. The second shot is a group shot taken afterwards. read more ...
IllinoisDemNet - Sat 9:08 p.m. - 7 clicks
CNN has the news: Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and another person were killed in a shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, authorities said Saturday. Police said they found McNair and a woman shot to death in a Nashville residence Saturday after receiving a phone call about an injured person. The identity of the woman was not immediately released. A [...]...
Turning Left - Sat 5:28 p.m.
Embedded video from CNN Video GOP Strategist Ed Rollins echoes what many are already speculating: Sarah Palin’s timing is very, very suspicious. “Everyone’s goint to assume there’s another story,” Rollins told CNN. ”You don’t just quit with a year-and-a-half to go as governor. You certainly don’t do this as a stepping stone to run for president. Yo...
Turning Left - Sat 1:28 p.m.
Happy Independence Day! I'm going overboard filling out "pick your five" quizzes on facebook. One is "the 5 proudest moments in American history." Not easy, but here's what I came up with. Adoption of the Bill of Rights March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Sit-down strikes during the great depression Creation of the National Park Service Election of Barack Obama...
Will Reynolds - Sat 11:43 a.m. - 5 clicks
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and......
49th Ward - Sat 10:08 a.m.
The Honor and Remember Organization was founded to establish a National flag explicitly honoring those who serve and sacrifice. Visit the site. Sign the petition. Do what you can. ...
rawrahs - Sat 5:47 a.m.
I have known Bud Niekamp for years and I have my own opinion of him. Others have theirs. None of that is the point here. The phenomenon that is going on now is that a large number of people is rising to his defense because he's a "common man." Populists have always used this sort of shared bond argument to their advantage, From Lester Maddox to Joe McCarthy or, for that matter, Adam Clayton P...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Sat 2:13 a.m.
Many of the political pundits who are trying to analyze Sarah Palin’s decision to give up her post as governor of Alaska later this month are figuring she wants to focus her attention on running for president in 2012. I can kind of see the logic. IF SHE IS going to be a credible candidate for the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama, she needs to start working now. And i...
Chicago Argus - Fri 11:50 p.m. - 3 clicks
Embedded video from CNN Video Believe me, I am beside myself trying to figure this one out. Why did Sarah Palin resign? Is this a strategic political move, or is this a move out of politics all together for a governor who craved headlines almost as much as Rod Blagojevich? Resigning and claiming that [...]...
Turning Left - Fri 9:44 p.m. - 8 clicks
The nod goes to ABC for this one: ABC News’ Kate Barrett Reports: Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down from her post as Alaska governor at the end of the month, and will not run for reelection. In a press conference from her Wasilla home, the Alaska governor said “this decision has been in [...]...
Turning Left - Fri 2:14 p.m.
Good stuff from the Sun-Times editorial board today : In the House, a more modest temporary income tax increase failed, garnering only 42 of 70 Democratic votes. [House Speaker Michael] Madigan voted for it but did little else to get it passed. Historically, Madigan has been a fiscally conservative guy, so to an extent his recalcitrance on a tax increase fits. And House members te...
Progress Illinois - Fri 12:39 p.m. - 3 clicks
In The search for models of providing health care at the nation level one frequently mentioned is Canada. The European models are often mentioned as well. One I have not heard mentioned much is the hybrid plan that Israel utilizes......
49th Ward - Fri 10:37 a.m.
Jim Brown says Eldrick doesn't do enough to racial equality. What is it that Tiger doesn't do enough of? I guess he's supposed to toss a woman or two out of a second floor window like Jimbo. I guess Brown couldn't have made it to Encino to be third in line behind Jesse and Al. Sheesh! ...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Fri 8:28 a.m.
Last night, MSNBC's Ed Schultz devoted a segment of his show to the story of Hartmarx Inc., which employs 4,000 Americans, including 1,000 here in Illinois. Last week, thanks to the tenacity of the company's workers and union leaders, the bankrupt company averted liquidation and was bought by a British private equity firm. Rep. Phil Hare, a former Hartmarx employee, appeared on the show to d...
Progress Illinois - Fri 8:27 a.m. - 9 clicks
The title of this entry is from the Declaration of Independence. But it resonates today in light of the United State’s occupation of Iraq: “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.” And this, from the same document: He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies [...]...
Turning Left - Fri 12:49 a.m. - 6 clicks
Have you read the Declaration of Indepence recently? Do you remember the last time you read it? We owe it to ourselves to read these words again, thoughtfully, at least once a year. Happy 4th of July from Turning Left. Enjoy this old blog post signed by a bunch of guys in Pennsylvania. [...]...
Turning Left - Thu 11:30 p.m.
From the Chicago Tribune: The Delhi High Court issued a landmark ruling Thursday decriminalizing homosexuality, a move that could bring more freedom to millions of people in this deeply conservative nation. The ruling said that treating relations between consenting adult homosexuals as a crime is a violation of basic human rights safeguarded under the Indian Constitution. The court [...]...
Turning Left - Thu 10:50 p.m. - 7 clicks
Friday is one of those events that has evolved into a Chicago tradition that I must admit leaves me cold. I have never done it. And I wonder about the intelligence quotient of anyone who does partake in the festivities. THE EVENT THAT I refer to is those people who will be among the 1 million-plus who will gather along the downtown Chicago lakefront this evening with the intent of watching the ...
Chicago Argus - Thu 10:24 p.m. - 11 clicks
A few electoral updates ... Cook County Board President The Sun-Times Michael Sneed raised eyebrows this week when she published a rumor that Mayor Daley might support Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward) over Todd Stroger in next year's Democratic primary for Cook County board president. WBEZ has the audio of Daley's response to Sneed's column: "I don't know where you get that. ...
Progress Illinois - Thu 3:17 p.m. - 4 clicks
It's tough to find good news in Illinois these days, but here's something satisfying to take into the holiday weekend. The Chi-Town Daily News' Alex Parker reports that the Chicago Department of Public Health has cleaned up the billing problems that almost resulted in the closure of several city-run mental health centers earlier this spring. As you may remember from Parker's big report...
Progress Illinois - Thu 2:10 p.m. - 11 clicks
Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large: Charters Not Only Way To Fix Chicago Schools The Sun-Times editorial board calls the much-hyped education report by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago "an overly simplistic analysis of test data." Reaping What They Sow The credit card industry is raising...
Progress Illinois - Thu 2:10 p.m. - 6 clicks
Is Cook County Commissioner Jerry Butler aging himself just a bit too much with his wisecrack Thursday about retiring broadcast newsman Art Norman. The longtime reporter and news anchor for NBC-owned WMAQ-TV announced his retirement two months ago, but the Cook County Board took it upon themselves to pass a resolution praising Norman’s contributions to the Chicago-area. MOST OF THE county off...
Chicago Argus - Thu 2:09 p.m. - 12 clicks
What Republicans are adamantly opposed to is the idea of adding a public plan to that exchange. They portray it as a “government takeover” of the health care system, or even as socialized medicine. Those are egregious mischaracterizations. There is......
49th Ward - Thu 12:19 p.m.
Illinois Issues has an excellent article on the growing wind industry in Illinois that mentions the Sierra Club agreement with CWLP. One of the coal industry's most effective tactics is to create a sense of inevitability about their product. They present coal as the first, last and only realistic option. They point out the limited amount of energy coming from renewable sources as though...
Will Reynolds - Thu 11:28 a.m. - 13 clicks
The Sun-Times gets school reform right in this editorial : There are lots of ways to improve failing schools. Charters are one way, but so is investing in traditional schools by offering smaller class sizes, better teachers, financial incentives for teachers and a longer school year. There is no single solution. Pretending otherwise is just as harmful as pretending that scores have gone...
IllinoisDemNet - Thu 9:08 a.m.
Pelosi's announcement a bit back that health care without a public option was a non-starter because of opposition from Progressive Caucus members. It brought a smile to my face when I read it. Damn, I thought, it's about time progressives in congress actually used the same tactics that the Blue Dogs use all the time so successfuly. So now Bowers at OpenLeft and FireDogLake have begun a...
Prairie State Blue - Thu 7:39 a.m.
Even if Cook County Board President Todd Stroger weren’t getting criticized from all sides for just about everything he does (mostly it is because some political people are s till bitter about the circumstances under which he got the post), he’d be facing some serious challenges for his office. The perception is that the son of the late Chicago politico John Stroger is young and inexperienced,...
Chicago Argus - Wed 11:20 p.m. - 14 clicks
In his address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, 2009, President Obama, at the very outset of his administration, promised to “root out the waste, fraud, and abuse in our Medicare program that doesn’t make our seniors any healthier.” In recent days, we have begun to see the President’s promise become a [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Wed 9:46 p.m. - 3 clicks
“Doctor why have you stopped the bypass surgery - the patient is dying!” “I’m sorry. It’s not bipartisan.” When “bipartisanship” clogs health care reform, we should bypass it. [Hat tip to Senator Bernie Sanders for the inspiration.] ...
WurfWhile - Wed 5:38 p.m. - 2 clicks
Adopting a time-honored fictional precedent, the kids are being assembled to shield lawmakers from having to make HONEST choices rather than politically expedient ones. That minor blowhole politico I mentioned on Monday got a rude awakening this morning. ' target='_blank'>Regional Supt. Office/Home raided "Investigators from the Cook County state's attorney's office have closed the Suburban Co...
rawrahs - Wed 11:48 a.m. - 6 clicks
.....It starts to sound silly for the Tribco-Cubdom to keep saying "These Guys are going to break out. It's bound to happen?" Why? Because Fukudome has this undeniable history of MLB achievement? Because DLee had a good year in '06? Because Milton Bradley has had 500 Plate Appearances in two of his 9 MLB seasons? Because Fontenot had a nice year coming off the bench last year? Because...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Wed 10:50 a.m.
I was happy to see all the ads in the buses and El's for the 'Young Chicago Republican' Event that took place on Monday. It's always nice to see them supporting public transportation in this way. The write-up of the event from the Huffington Post had something that caught my eye. First: You are not alone. That was the message for the estimated 700 Chicago Republicans who packed in...
IllinoisDemNet - Wed 10:40 a.m. - 6 clicks
Senator Dick Durbin last April: "And the banks -- hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created -- are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place," he said on WJJG 1530 AM 's "Mornings with Ray Hanania." Progress Illinois picked up the quote. ...
Prairie State Blue - Wed 6:15 a.m. - 5 clicks
Word from Politico.com is that the Senate Finance committee has reduced the level of spending for health care from and original $1.6 trillion down to $1 trillion dollars. The first $400 billion was reduced from subsidies that would have been......
49th Ward - Wed 4:26 a.m. - 2 clicks
It is hard for me to decide what the most ridiculous spectacle was on Tuesday in the wide world of electoral politics in the United States. I’m inclined to go with the Chicago City Council, which is preparing to take on an issue of monumental proportions – one where they will confront a force that threatens society as we know it today. I AM SPEAKING, of course, of all those trashy vendors who tr...
Chicago Argus - Tue 10:46 p.m. - 5 clicks
Panelists discussed policy issues, like health care reform, and how progressives should balance values, priorities and political strategy at the Hideout. ...
IllinoisDemNet - Tue 9:03 p.m. - 5 clicks
In a TPM article that I otherwise think gets it right, “MSNBC Reports Defense Cuts, Guest Corrects Record,” reporter Brian Beutler writes that “I don’t think this tendency [to report a modest budget increase as a “steep” budget cut] stems from an intentional malice - it’s more of an epiphenomenon rooted in years of being [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
Scary. I was listening to NPR this AM and thought of Dean Baker when this went on. It appears he was thinking the same thing. ...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
My ten-year old excitedly tells my seven-year old while watching American Idol: It’s the guys from Fairly Odd Parents! ...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
Ryan Avent points to a study showing that in some cases reduced vehicle traffic has gone below the “tipping point” where congestion gets really bad and produces traffic jams “In other words, roads work really well up to a point, and then they work really badly. And many, many roads in America work really badly much [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
Dear Mr. President, Recently you discussed wasteful military spending with Senator John McCain, who pointed out that a new naval helicopter assigned to you might reflect wasteful spending. Examples like this, however, aren’t the only examples - even in the Navy. I am equally concerned about a past practice of having marginally, or perhaps even unqualified [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m. - 5 clicks
While I haven’t written much about it due to time, there’s been a tremendous amount of nonsense (polite term) going on with the College of DuPage (COD) Board of Trustees over the last few years. Trustees resigning because of board ineffectiveness and poor leadership with the incumbent trustee board chair investigated and sued because [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m. - 3 clicks
Matt Yglesias has an interesting piece about educational levels around the Great Depression compared to today that reflects on Paul Krugman’s pessimism about the economy and Ryan Avent’s optimism. The question is where will our economic recovery come from (and how soon)? I’m no economist, but my sense is we are not likely to recover [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m. - 4 clicks
My almost seven-year old informed me last weekend that it was “dumb” that we have only two days off on the weekend because if you need to go to California that takes two days, and then when you get back you’ve missed two days of school. He thought “the Mayor” should do something about [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
A [neo-progressive?] is a conservative who is bugged by reality. It’s striking that just a couple days after David Brooks complained about conservative nihilism we have the leading exemplar, Bill Kristol, writing an article that advocates conservative nihilism openly. How far conservativism as a movement has fallen. How much further, it seems, it has to fall. ...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
Boy, I hope Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to set up a good cop/bad cop dynamic with MoveOn and Americans United for Change. The only other alternative I see is depressing. ...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
Press release from U.S. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin For Immediate Release April 9, 2009 DURBIN AND ILLINOIS DELEGATION ASK DOT TO SUPPORT REVIVAL OF ILLINOIS TRAIN CAR INDUSTRY [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led the Illinois Congressional Delegation in asking [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m. - 2 clicks
Tonight Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal channeled the worst of Al Gore and Bert (of Bert and Ernie fame) in his GOP response to President Barack Obama’s economic address to congress. The contrast with Barack Obama’s speech made things even worse. Obama was gracious and addressed major issues with the maturity and importance that [...]...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m. - 7 clicks
Here’s my prescription for a (possibly) competitive Republican Party that I wouldn’t vote for but others might: socially conservative, fiscally liberal Republicans. They would emphasize opportunity through things like infrastructure spending, a substantial (but responsible) social safety net, etc. That brand of GOP, kind of an anti-libertarian party, probably could attract a very [.....
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
Senator Charles Schumer says we should stiff governors who want to take only selective stimulus money for political gain. I agree - this isn’t a game, it’s a world depression. Take the money and do some good - or don’t take it and face your voter’s wrath. ...
WurfWhile - Tue 4:07 p.m.
I called my Congressman, John Shimkus, on the day of the Waxman-Markey ACES vote . I know it won't change his mind but I won't allow him to claim that everyone in the district agrees with him. I received a quick, courteous email response on Saturday, June 27. He starts by stating his support for "renewable and alternative" energy (that's what they all say) "including solar, wind, nuclear, et...
Will Reynolds - Tue 12:48 p.m. - 6 clicks
Undeniably, there are a lot of interesting aspects to the Madoff caper. I just want to focus on one. You think there is any part of him that feels guilt, shame or remorse for the fundmental filthiness of his acts. I'm not talking about grappling with the consequences but, rather, true remorse for hurting other people in a way that cannot be fixed. My guess is "no". He is a classic narcissist...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Tue 8:02 a.m.
On Friday, June 26, the House of Representatives passed the historic Waxman-Markley comprehensive energy bill by a vote of 219 to 212. H.R. 2454, formally titled the American Clean energy and Security Act of 2009 includes a market-based cap & trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 17% by the [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Tue 7:23 a.m. - 2 clicks
Today we go a little off the direct health care and onto something that is essential to health care reform. How strong is President Obama in the eyes of the American public? We should by now have all come to......
49th Ward - Tue 4:54 a.m. - 4 clicks
This past Thursday, June 25, Peter Roskam spoke on the House floor in favor of an ammendment to H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. The text of Roskam’s press release is here. First off, I think Dan Conston got mixed up about what Roskam had to say: “This is an Administration that [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Mon 10:25 p.m. - 5 clicks
I’m starting to wonder if the country singer with her own amusement park and other physical attributes ought to be designated the “official voice” of the Illinois Legislature. Because when I think of our Legislature returning to Springfield on Tuesday to once again ponder what to do about state government’s financial status, I keep hearing in my head that old song that Dolly Parton turned into...
Chicago Argus - Mon 10:24 p.m. - 8 clicks
On his blog, Robert Reich explains that with out a public option the medical industry will have little to no incentive to bring down the costs of health care. That is the core reason why so many health care industries......
49th Ward - Mon 9:35 p.m.
I received a breathless email from Peter Roskam earlier today begging for contributions to his re-election campaign prior to the end of the second quarter this week. Roskam writes: Tomorrow marks the end of the second fundraising quarter, and the Democrats are waiting to see how much money I have raised. Potential challengers are weighing their options [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Mon 2:54 p.m. - 3 clicks
Greg Hinz is reporting that the Urban League's Cheryle Jackson has formed a Senate exploratory committee . Per Hinz, Jackson, 44, will make her decision "within a couple of months." Meanwhile the Urban League will host its national convention in Chicago. ...
Prairie State Blue - Mon 12:43 p.m. - 6 clicks
Another big decision from Washington today in favor of a clean energy future: U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Last-Ditch Effort to Build Outdated Illinois Coal Plant Washington, D.C.--In a victory for clean energy, the United States Supreme Court today refused to consider an appeal by EnviroPower, LLC. The company was attempting to build a coal plant in Southern Illinois using o...
Illinois Sierra Club - Jun 29 - 4 clicks
An article in today's New York Times informs us (I didn't see any mention of it in the local papers) that the Russian government is closing every legal gambling establishment in the country. One of the largest mass layoffs in recent Russian history is to occur on Wednesday, and the Kremlin itself is decreeing it, economic crisis or not. The government is shutting down every last legal casino...
Moline Illinois Democratic Maverick - Jun 29 - 4 clicks
The tribulations and trials of local, regional and state level organized, errr, legalized errr, crime POLITICS in Illinois are too fast, too furious for the average crook to comprehend. It's not accidental that the Marquee names hold advanced degrees in Law or Divinity or sometimes BOTH. Campaigns typically kick off with pomp and fanfare soundbites about "Makin' Stuff Better", "Fixin' Stuff", G...
rawrahs - Jun 29 - 6 clicks
On July 1, barring a budgetary miracle in Springfield, approximately 26 clients I assist with a variety of tasks from counseling to grocery shopping, doctor's visits, banking, hygiene and social outings, will lose 100% of the services they receive from the not-for-profit I work with. None of us have any ideas where they will find housing and assistence for the many tasks they ar...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jun 29 - 6 clicks
This diary is inspired by Cynthia Davis, the brain-dead political hack from Missouri who thinks that supplying food to hungry children is somehow a bad thing. I won't argue her point. To argue this issue with her is to give validity to her opinions, and those opinions are so far beyond the rational that to argue them is to elevate them. I am not willing to do this for her. ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jun 29 - 10 clicks
In a nice piece in Newsweek Eleanor Clift drives home the point that health care reform is popular, the public option is popular with the public, but the real question is where does the public option actually stand in importance......
49th Ward - Jun 29 - 7 clicks
Many feel that the sentiment of the American public has changed as the conditions realated to health care and its cost continue to mount. On the Economix blog of the NYT the case is made that the opinion of the......
49th Ward - Jun 29
I shouldn't read Thomas Friedman. It irritates me every time. Friedman's main purpose in life is to sell a kinder-gentler version of free trade to liberals and intellectuals. He soothes bleeding hearts by convincing us that the downsides of WTO, IMF and World Bank globalization policies can be fixed with band-aids, like educating our workforce. He casts all who disagree as "protectionists...
Will Reynolds - Jun 29
“As a scientist, I believe that climate change is real and that action is necessary. It is also crucial that we restructure our energy systems to increase efficiency and reduce our dependence on imported sources. " So why'd he vote no? Here's what he says. ...
Illinois Sierra Club - Jun 29 - 2 clicks
It would seem that “The $845 Man” is trying to bolster his “liberal” credentials these days. Roland Burris wants to keep his political post in the U.S. Senate beyond next year, and he’s making the gestures that a serious Democratic candidate would do in order to gain the support of two factions that have become stalwarts of the party – African-Americans and gay people. BURRIS ACTUALLY VENTURE...
Chicago Argus - Jun 29
This is a very mixed bag bill. A lot of giveaways to coal. Cap and trade is not as good as a carbon tax. So who knows why Kucinich voted no, but it could well be similar to Foster's for all we know. H R 2454 RECORDED VOTE 26-Jun-2009 7:17 PM QUESTION: On Passage BILL TITLE: American Clean Energy and Security Act ...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 26 - 2 clicks
I recall having a conversation once with a young college graduate who had the great (mis)fortune of being a reporter-type intern working for me. She wanted to know more about news judgment. What were the rules that determined which story got top play, and which one got reduced to a three-graf brief – if not cheaped out altogether? SHE HAD TROUBLE accepting my explanation that ultimately, the ...
Chicago Argus - Jun 26
See if you can spot the Opposite Worlders... I've watched the video several times. Okay, at least a dozen. "Appropriations and budgets are two completely different mechanisms." An appropriation of $36 MILLION which reflects 20% MORE spending than a $30 Million budget is how EVERYBODY does this stuff. Just in case... There is a 30 second question asking why. so. much? "Well, you see ...
rawrahs - Jun 26
The Chicago Tribune has a fascinating article about a U. of I. jobs-for-entry scheme . It seems that you could get your favored student into law school if you were willing to hire enough marginal graduates at a good salary from the current class to help the U of I Law School look better on the comparables. ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jun 26 - 5 clicks
It passed! The most important energy and climate change legislation in American history passed the House and next stop is the Senate. Everyone in Congress claims to care about clean energy. Here's how the Illinois delegation voted when it mattered most. Yes -11 Bean Davis Gutierrez Halverson Hare Jackson Kirk Lipinski Quigley Rush Schakowsky No -8 Costello Biggert F...
Will Reynolds - Jun 26 - 5 clicks
Aaron Schock is a new Congressman, so even though his previous environmental record isn't very impressive, I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Soon we'll find out if he was serious about the windmills and promises to protect rivers that appeared in his campaign ads. It isn't looking good so far. Although Schock appeals to some as the kind of reasonable Republican his district his...
Will Reynolds - Jun 26 - 4 clicks
The U.S. House's approval of legislation making sweeping changes in America's energy policies is truly an historic action that brings our nation one giant step closer to a clean energy future that includes millions of new jobs, cleaner air for all of us to breathe, energy independence, and most importantly, a solution to the climate crisis that threatens our very way of life. We salute the Illino...
Illinois Sierra Club - Jun 26
The House is currently debating the American Clean Energy Security Act, and IL reps are speaking up: Quigley and Rush spoke in favor. Quigley: "We’re often asked, ‘What’s our legacy here? What really matters about what we do?’ And I’d like to think it’s how our children and our grandchildren will react to what we did, and what we left behind." Rush - "we were able to improve the bill by n...
Illinois Sierra Club - Jun 26 - 2 clicks
In a recent New York Times article Illinois Congressman Tim Johnson said, "I've always through the whole process been open-minded, but I also wouldn't want to leave anybody with the impression I'm likely to vote for something when pretty clearly my constituents are not enamored with the bill," Johnson is considered a possible swing vote on the ACES climate change bill that will probably be vo...
Will Reynolds - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
It amazes me that some Congressmen are threatening to oppose the Waxman-Markey global warming bill ( ACES ) because it might cost farmers money. Central Illinois is lucky to have a leading scientist on the UN’s Panel on Climate Change. He gave a local interview on how climate change could impact farmers if no action is taken. Under a higher-emissions scenario, Illinois summers could be l...
Will Reynolds - Jun 25 - 3 clicks
Republicans in Illinois who are determined to use the image of Rod Blagojevich to try to boost the electoral chanc es of every single GOP candidate on the ballot in next year’s elections ought to give a big thanks to U.S. District Judge James Zagel. He is the judge who is presiding over the upcoming trial of Blagojevich, whom federal prosecutors say engaged in all sorts of corrupt activity duri...
Chicago Argus - Jun 25 - 4 clicks
That's the way the mop flops. If it bleeds, it leads. If there's file footage, it's a retrospective. If there are only photographs, set them to music in a montage. If it can all be done without leaving the studio... more the better. If you can dispatch a live remote crew to ask "How do you feel?" it's emmy-worthy. If you can hover a helicopter and provide a panoramic view of the spect...
rawrahs - Jun 25
In his latest attempt to distract 6th District residents from his absolute refusal to do anything to meet their real needs, Republican Congressman Peter Roskam has launched the “Medi-Fraud Blog” at his Congressional website. Aside from using your tax dollars to in another misguided public relations scheme to shore up his image in the district, [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Jun 25 - 3 clicks
Votes are not often close in the state legislature. By the time a bill is on third reading the outcome is pretty much assured because everyone has agreed. On its face unanimity looks good and suggests legislators and committee processes are working well. However, faced with important questions of value (whether fiscal or moral) I am inclined to believe that there should be conflict (used here ...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 25
For all those people who get worked up over the concept that the Sears Tower is no longer the “world’s tallest building,” relax. There is a way in which a “world’s tallest” label can be affixed to the building (which will soon become the Willis Tower), and it has to do with the way in which developers are considering making the structure more environmentally friendly. THE BUILDING’S NEW owners s...
Chicago Argus - Jun 25
I was on my way to work this morning when I saw this Chicago Republicans ad in the subway: Link to Republican Ad. Click here and use their bandwidth As a proud citizen of the city that gave us our current president, this just made me laugh. The first thought that popped into my head was "Good! And let's keep it that way" In all honesty, its tough for Republicans in this cit...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jun 24 - 3 clicks
So the latest wrinkle, from our buddy Rahm, in the Obama regime's ever downward spiraling efforts at health care reform are "non-profit cooperatives." So hey, I've got an open mind, just how is that supposed to work? If anyone here can imagine such a setup actually working, post it to the comments Bureaucracy expense reduction and economies of scale bargaining are the biggest reasons...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 24 - 5 clicks
It is TIME to not feel ashamed to live in "Crook County" anymore. It is TIME for the second largest County in the US to no longer be a punchline. It is TIME to start to roll back the hereditary monarchies (Stroger, Daley, Madigan, Hynes, etc.) in Illinois. It is TIME for progressives in Illinois to get full-on behind Toni Preckwinkle for President of the Cook County Board. Smart? Indeed - AB and...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 24 - 2 clicks
As one who paid for much of law school caddying for professionals, I can tell you one considers the following things in roughly the order listed in selecting a club for any given shot. The lie of the ball The distance to the target Other course conditions, wind, temperature, moisture How your player is striking the ball that particular day Knowing all this, what is the correct club when the ...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Jun 24
Being in the belly of the beast is not without its spit-take moments. Sure, you kinda get used to jaw-dropping dissociative statements untethered to any kind of reality based thinking. Still, alleged "leaders" say the damnedest things. When served with FEDERAL supeonas by Patrick Fitzgerald's squad, my town's Mayor had this gem. "It's just a glorified FOIA request." Yep, no big deal, nothing to s...
rawrahs - Jun 24
Pat Quinn wants Illinois government to impose a significant hike in the state income tax, while Todd Stroger is the guy who wish es he could keep the significant boost he got the Cook County Board to approve last year. Basically, both men have come out in support of tax hikes at a time when certain people are determined to demonize anyone who doesn’t preach a mantra of “cut, cut, cut.” BUT QUI...
Chicago Argus - Jun 24 - 3 clicks
Jeff Berkowitz of Public Affairs reports today on Peter Roskam’s address to the Chicago chapter of the Republican National Lawyers Association. Roskam spoke to the group on June 22 at Svenson Law Offices in Chicago. (Svenson is a law firm with a specialty in defeating Workers Compensation claims by injured employees. ) According to Berkowitz, Roskam [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Jun 23 - 5 clicks
The next Liberty Brew & View movie is " The Take " on Tuesday, July 21, 7:00pm, Capital City Bar & Grill, Springfield, Free. The short synopsis : In the wake of Argentina’s spectacular economic collapse, Latin America’s most prosperous middle class finds itself in a ghost town of abandoned factories and mass unemployment. Thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory in ...
Will Reynolds - Jun 23 - 2 clicks
I think we are approaching a tipping point in the push for "universal" health care in the U.S. The progressive caucus has stated that they will not support a health care plan that does not include a public option. The public option is a pre-compromised position from single-payer. The medical-industrial complex is attacking the public option both from with-in and with-out. If they cannot eliminate ...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 23
Who among us would care in the least about Christopher Kelly if not for his association with this man? The Blagojevich-bashers among us (you people know who you are) must have been incredibly ecstatic on Monday. Somebody associated with the now-former governor was sent to prison. I can only imagine the countdown that begins toward the day that Milorod himself gets sentenced to a prison t...
Chicago Argus - Jun 23 - 2 clicks
Today I came home from work with another headache, jaw sore from clenching my teeth, drained emotionally and physically. I spent the whole day with people who's lives are being ripped apart. Hours spent trying to answer questions that had no answers, offer encouragement where none was merited, and ultimately knowing I failed on every level. ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jun 22
I finally joined facebook since myspace has been going downhill ever since Rupert Murdoch took over, and now I'm neglecting my blog. It's way more time consuming than twitter. It's evil. I made some time for actual human interaction this weekend and saw Year One . It's very stupid and very funny. It might be my new favorite Jack Black movie. I also rented Crossing Over , which is far mo...
Will Reynolds - Jun 22
Pat Quinn was the featured guest and main speaker at IVI-IPO's 65th annual Independent's Day Dinner on Saturday, 6/20/09. WCPT Radio has posted a podcast of the event on their site. This is what they said about the event: WCPT attended this wonderful dinner that featured Aaron Freeman as the host and Governor Quinn as the keynote speaker; the topic was "Reform in Ill...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 22
Paul Krugman encourages us to resist the temptation to define down 'centrists' and 'moderates'. The real risk is that health care reform will be undermined by "centrist" Democratic senators who either prevent the passage of a bill or insist on watering down key elements of reform. I use scare quotes around "centrist," by the way, because if the center means the position held by most American...
IllinoisDemNet - Jun 22
I was going to write a dairy about the budget meltdown and how it hurts those least able to help themselves. But over on Daily Kos , there is an eloquent diary from a guy who is much closer to the situation than I am. Go there, reasd it, and call your state rep and state senator. ...
Prairie State Blue - Jun 22
The Basin has a couple of friends with SAO, so it is not minimized here. Still, have you ever noticed that athletes don't go on the disabled list for Social Anxiety Disorder while they are hitting .350 or averaging five yards a carry? Guys who go on the DL for SAO are hitting .187 or averaging 2.2 yards per carry or 1.5 catches per game. ...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Jun 22
Nothing about the current budgetary standoff emanating from the Statehouse in Springpatch surprises me. I believe Gov. Pat Quinn when he says he’s not kidding about imposing severe cuts in funding to many state government programs – if the Legislature does not approve a significant hike in the state income tax. I ALSO BELIEVE the legislators who are adamantly opposed to voting for anything r...
Chicago Argus - Jun 21 - 3 clicks
My Dad was an interesting combination of dangerous (professional boxer) and volatile. It really wasn't a good idea to annoy him. Of course, I had a gift for doing that. Thus, my memories can be a bit mixed. My favorite times, and the ones I think of on Father's Day, are the long November days walking miles through wet reeds hunting that noble bird, the Ringneck Pheasant. Man, that guy could ...
Upper Mississippi River Basin - Jun 21
Every couple of weeks for the past 15 years or so I have gone to get my hair cut by a woman in Villa Park. I’ll call her Liz. She’d be mortified if I used her real name. Liz works in a small shop where she gets paid a portion a what she takes in [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Jun 21
The New York Times has reported that the Sangamon County (which contains Springfield) State's Attorney will not charge Senator Roland Burris with perjury for his swown statements made to legislators prior to his being admitted to the Senate. In a written statement issued on Friday, Mr. Schmidt said that some of Mr. Burris’s statements in January before a committee of state lawmakers ...
DailyKos (Illinois) - Jun 21 - 3 clicks
I can't be the only one taken slightly aback by this newfound Iranian lovefest that is gurgling forth from the Wingnut fountain. They now see themselves reflected in the protesters? Really? It's that easy to embrace that which they've so stridently preached against in their own country? Without noticing the shallowness and hypocrisy of the transparent co-opting? They do this in-stride, with a str...
rawrahs - Jun 21 - 2 clicks
I realize that my musings lately have been lacking in backround and linkage. My information intake portal has been overwhelmed with so much conflicting information that I've found it impossible to focus on one particular item that encapsulates my bewilderment. By bad analogy to a bad movie, I am Kevin Costner- The mutant Mariner in Waterworld. I KNOW where dry land is. It's beneath us all. Buried ...
rawrahs - Jun 20
H.R. 2410 is another bill that came up while I was vacationing down south. Hence my tardiness.Here’s what happened. On June 10th, the Foreign Relations Authorization for F.Y. 2010 and 2011 came to a vote on the House floor. This is the measure that funds the State Department, the Peace Corps, and U.S. contributions to the [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Jun 20 - 2 clicks
On Thursday, June 11th, while I was vacationing in secessionist Texas, our Republican Congressman Peter Roskam voted against H.R. 1886: Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009, choosing to play political games at the expense of national security and the fight against terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The bill, introduced by Democrat Howard [...]...
RubberStampRoskam.com - Jun 19 - 6 clicks
