Written by John Biver
Thomas Jefferson told us what’s needed:
I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.
In what way are Americans hearing about conservative solutions to public policy problems?… Continue Reading
From IllinoisReview.com
News out of the 18th CD Monday showed State Senator Darin LaHood’s bid to succeed resigned Congressman Aaron Schock solidifying as another potential GOP primary opponent dropped out and an unknown resident of Green Valley initiated a write-in bid.
Bloomington businessman Ed Brady, once considering a bid in the IL GOP special election primary endorsed LaHood.
“Darin LaHood has a proven record of being a fiscal conservative and supporting legislation that improves the business climate in Illinois, and I know he will continue that record in Washington,” said Brady.
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Written by IllinoisReview.com
Two state senators whose names emerged as possible Republican candidates to succeed resigning U.S. Representative Aaron Schock said they won’t be running in the special election to fill the 18th CD vacancy.
State Senator Bill Brady of Bloomington told WLS Wednesday morning he’s not interested in leaving his duties in Springfield and State Senator Jason Barickman* (R-Bloomington) said he too, would remain in the Illinois State Senate.
“Yesterday, I spoke with many supporters, and discussed this potential opportunity to serve with my family.… Continue Reading
Tags: Aaron Schock, Andy Manar, Bill Brady, Darin LaHood, David Koehler, Jason Barickman, John Sullivan, Michael Unes, Tom Demmer
Federal Issues, Illinois Politics | David E. Smith | 
March 19, 2015 4:00 AM | 
Comments Off on Senator LaHood, Representative Unes Consider Congressional Vacancy
Written by David E. Smith
U.S. Representative Aaron Schock (R-Peoria) announced Tuesday that he would be resigning from Congress at the end of the month in the wake of six weeks of being peppered with questions regarding his lavish spending — including tens of thousands of dollars in mileage reimbursements he received for his personal vehicle.
Schock issued this statement:
“Today, I am announcing my resignation as a Member of the United States House of Representatives effective March 31st.
…
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Written by Russ Stewart
It’s reality check time in the Chicago mayoral race. Chuy Garcia is not Harold Washington. This is not 1983. The Hispanic base vote is nowhere near the black base vote, then and now. The result of the Feb. 24 municipal election, which set up an April 7 runoff between Garcia and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, may or may not be a “consciousness-raising” event. “They are energized,” Frank Avila, a longtime political activist, said of Hispanic voters.… Continue Reading
Written by Scott Reeder
Four years ago, State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) walked into a state office and announced he didn’t want a pension.
“I got a blank look in response. The General Assembly has an incredibly generous pension plan, and I was told I was the first legislator to choose not to participate in more than 14 years. I guess I was a trend-setter because today one-fifth of the General Assembly doesn’t participate,” the Palatine Republican said.… Continue Reading
Tags: Bruce Rauner, C.D. Davidsmeyer, Dan Walker, Jim Nowlan, Kathleen Willis, Leslie Munger, Neil Anderson, Pat Quinn, Peter Breen, Tom Morrison
Illinois Politics | David E. Smith | March 10, 2015 11:30 AM | Comments Off on 37 State Lawmakers Decline Pensions While State Faces Unfunded Liability
Written by John Jay
Liberal media pundits are up to their usual tricks by chastising proposed budget cuts as “hurting our most vulnerable” in typical boogeyman alarmist fashion.
Anytime a reformist finally gets elected to clean up a decades-long mess that’s been simmering in any state capitol, state bureaucrats and progressives dig in to resist any change of the status quo.
Step in the Chicago Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg:
Illinois was 50th out of 50 before.
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Written by Russ Stewart
Remember that old verity, you get what you pay for? Often, you don’t. In Illinois politics, however, you pay for what you get, and the candidate who pays the most is the candidate who gets.
Bruce Rauner is Illinois’ governor because during 2014 he raised $78,191,560 and spent $58,426,802. Roughly $25 million of his receipts came from his own pocket. Self-funding, in essence, bought him the governorship.
Rauner beat Pat Quinn 1,823,627 to 1,681,343, getting 50.3 percent of the vote and winning by a margin of a margin of 142,284 votes.… Continue Reading
Tags: Bill Brady, Bruce Rauner, George Ryan, Jim Edgar, Jim Thompson, John Cullerton, Marty Moylan, Mike Madigan, Pat Quinn, Rosemary Mulligan, Scott Walker, Susan Sweeney
Illinois Politics | David E. Smith | February 26, 2015 3:30 PM | Comments Off on “Spend-To-Stay” Alive and Well in Illinois
Written by Scott Reeder
Last week, Gov. Bruce Rauner proposed a budget that trimmed funding for state universities.
The reaction of university bigwigs?
Jack up tuition and protect the bureaucracy at all costs. And I mean at all costs.
Look no further than the comments Illinois State University President Larry Dietz made to WEEK TV news:
“Budget cuts at that level would have an impact on many areas of University operations and there are many issues on the table for discussion.
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Written by Mark Fitton
With nearly 7,000 units of government, Illinois is No. 1 in the nation, and that’s an honor Gov. Bruce Rauner would like some other state to enjoy.
The governor recently signed an executive order creating a task force charged with streamlining government functions.
Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti will lead the group, which will be made up of representatives from local governments, school districts and members of the legislature from throughout the state.… Continue Reading
