In this special Spotlight episode, IFI’s Dave Smith sits down with Monte Larrick.

Monte Larrick served as Spotlight’s host and IFI’s Media Director who dedicated the 11 years he was at IFI to inform Illinois constituents on important issues with conciseness and clarity.

In this episode, Monte shares untold stories and experiences in his longtime career covering politics for Moody Radio.

This is a nostalgic episode you do not want to miss.… Continue Reading

Societies like ours don’t jump off ethical cliffs in a single leap. They drift toward them in the name of lofty sounding ideals like autonomy and empathy.

Illinois Senate Bill 1950 is a tragic example of this.

ACTION ALERT:

We need everyone to call Illinois Governor JB Pritzker at 312-814-2121 or 312-814-2122 and tell him to veto assisted suicide bill SB 1950. pic.twitter.com/n6hQzH1hSw

— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) November 4, 2025

The bill allows doctors to prescribe lethal drugs to patients deemed “terminal” within six months.… Continue Reading

How should we view immigration from a biblical perspective?

Dr. Shando Valdez, a political consultant, clergy organizer, and senior pastor at New Jerusalem Baptist church in Chicago, answers this very question in this week’s Spotlight episode.

“[Jesus] understood that countries have laws, that countries have borders.”

This is an episode you will not want to miss.

Listen to “A Biblical Perspective on Immigration” anywhere you find podcasts or click the link!… Continue Reading

Dr. Susan Monarez, PhD—a microbiologist, public health official, and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—testified yesterday before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. She alleged that she was fired for refusing to comply with directives from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which she said would have compromised scientific integrity.

According to Monarez, she was pressured to approve changes to the childhood vaccination schedule, including the possible removal of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.… Continue Reading

After a weekend of bloodshed—34 shot in Chicago, including a 5-year-old boy killed in his own home—Governor JB Pritzker, flanked by Mayor Brandon Johnson and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, had the audacity to declare with straight faces:

“There is no emergency in Chicago that calls for armed military intervention.”

For anyone who lives, works, or grew up in Chicago, the denial is staggering. Over the weekend alone, five people were killed, including the young child in Kenwood and a woman slain in a West Side mass shooting that left five others wounded.… Continue Reading

‘If All Men Are Created Equal, That Is Final’

“If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us,
we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it.”… Continue Reading

Would you be surprised to learn that all 14 Illinois Congressional Democrats voted against the protection of women and girls in sports?… Continue Reading

“Behold, now, the providence of God”
~William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation (1630-51)

This Thursday, millions of Americans will come together for a strange little holiday we call Thanksgiving. Regretfully, the current climate of American politics means too many celebrations across the country will end in bitter resentment between family members, and a deepened divide in our public discourse. Our commemoration of the 1621 harvest feast between Native Americans and Protestant Separatists is often misconstrued, and seldom understood.… Continue Reading

It is vital that we send a serious conservative to Congress who will work diligently to address inflation, the economy, open borders, transgender insanity, parental rights, the size (and spending) of our federal government, religious liberty and lawfare, to name a few policy priorities. James Marter is the Republican nominee who is IFA’s pro-life/pro-family conservative choice for the 14th Congressional District.

Marter is trying to unseat Congresswoman Lauren Underwood in the General Election on November 5th.… Continue Reading

The candidates listed below are running for various county offices during this election cycle. They have been endorsed by one or more of the most radical anti-family groups in Illinois.

Personal PAC, Illinois’ pro-abortion political action committee, endorsed these candidates from DuPage, Lake, Vermillion, Kane, McHenry, and Will Counties. They endorse candidates who are 100% pro-choice, with no exceptions.

Founded in 1978, Personal PAC is the only Illinois political action committee dedicated solely to killing unborn babies in the womb. … Continue Reading

“We are here to pray for sure. We are a peaceful prayer movement, and we always have been.”

In this special episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Catherine Walker, one of the leaders of 40 Days for Life Aurora. Catherine emphasizes the importance of getting involved in the prayer vigil– a time to pray for “image bearers that are at risk.”

Unfortunately, the fall of Roe v. Wade has been the pro-life work more difficult for pro-life centers in the state of Illinois.… Continue Reading

Is praying outside of an abortion clinic terrorism?

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick sits down with Constitutional attorney David Shestokas to discuss how pro-life activists in Illinois have been targeted by Eileen O’Neill Burke, a candidate for the Cook County State’s Attorney position, as it regards their Constitutional rights.

“She’s going after free speech… Possibly potentially freedom of religion… She’s intending to prosecute people not necessarily based on their conduct, but based on the content of their message.”

In this episode, Spotlight is featuring remarks made by former state representative Peter Breen at the 2024 Speakout Illinois Pro-Life Conference.

Peter Breen is the executive vice-president and is the head of litigation for the Thomas More Society, which is a non-profit, public-interest law firm that champions the causes of life, family, and freedom.

In his speech, Peter Breen remarks on the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which overturned Roe v.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Scott Lively, author and founder of Biblical Worldview Resource Center.

Scott Lively emphasizes the importance of pushing against the status quo of the culture. He also has a strong message to send to parents who continue to keep their kids in the public school system:

If you are intentionally keeping your kids in public schools, you know the children are being indoctrinated in secular humanist presuppositions in every field.

This episode of Spotlight features a conversation between IFI’s David Smith, IFI board member Richard Hartian, and Scott Phelps.

Scott Phelps is the executive director of A&M Partnership (Abstinence and Marriage Partnership). A&M Partnership was founded in 2004, and exists to ensure that every teenager in the country has the opportunity to hear a clearly reasoned, positive presentation on the benefits of abstinence until marriage and instruction on preparing for a healthy, future marriage.… Continue Reading

At first blush, one may think that “reparations” are entirely something that has arisen with the context of 21^st century American politics, but this is incorrect. The legal concept has been around for quite some time going back centuries here in America and even further in other countries.

Yet to simplify our current discussion, we will focus on the American examples of it, and future demands for it. Equally, we will define it to get our terms correct:

Reparations:

A : a repairing or keeping in repair

B reparations plural : REPAIRS

2 a : the act of making amends, offering expiation, or giving satisfaction for a wrong or injury

b: something done or given as amends or satisfaction[i]

Historically, the first example of “reparations” in America was in the year 1773 and involved a kidnapping case of one man (white) and another man (molatto).… Continue Reading

According to a recent report from WBEZ Chicago, there were unprecedented record numbers of illegals apprehended at the southwest border in the last week of December 2023. In fact, it was reported in the last five days of December alone that over 50,000 illegals crossed our southwest border.

One might ask: when did we decide it would be good for the U.S. to become the number one WELFARE COUNTRY in the world?… Continue Reading

At Christmastime, we’re surrounded by sights and sounds that remind us not only that God loves us but also all of his creation. It was Psalm 98 that sent the English poet Isaac Watts to his desk in 1719 to pen one of the most beloved hymns of all time, “Joy to the World.”

The psalm begins with a celebration about singing to the Lord a “new song.” Midway through, it says:

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.… Continue Reading

The disgraced former Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, Pat Brady, has gone further to the dark side. In various media reports it has been revealed that the double-dealing Brady has joined the board of Personal PAC, a pro-abortion, pro-transgender organization. Their agenda is fixated on the destruction of innocent pre-born life and the chemical castration of confused young people. They seem to be obsessed with the devil’s war on human beings.… Continue Reading

During a U.S. House Judiciary Committee Hearing on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, U.S. Representative Victoria Spartz (R-IN) emphatically complained to Attorney General Merrick Garland that there is growing fear of government persecution among Americans, saying at one point, “It’s like KGB.”

In a subsequent Tweet later, she points out:

“As someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, I’m disturbed by the fact that so many hardworking Americans—including my constituents—are afraid of political persecution by our own government.”

According to The Atlantic, over the past 25 years, 40 million Americans have stopped attending church.

Professor Ryan Burge of Eastern Illinois University states that 45% of members of Generation Z (persons born in the 1990s or later) have no religious affiliation. On the basis of this fact and of other data, Professor Burge asserts that nearly one-third of America’s 350,000 churches are “‘on the brink of extinction’” and that thousands of churches will close in the next few decades.… Continue Reading

Is the American church dying or reviving? Is being black synonymous with being a progressive liberal? In this episode of the Illinois Family Spotlight podcast, Monte Larrick addresses these and other questions with Horace Cooper, who is currently the Chairman of the Project 21 National Advisory Board and formerly a law professor and senior counsel to a majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives.

As they explore the black community’s current position in America and assess the strengths and failings of the American church, Larrick and Cooper address topics ranging from Christian charity to the declining black support for the Democratic party.… Continue Reading

The Bible is filled with reasons for Christians to be involved in politics. This is especially true in America, where unlike many places around the globe, we still have a say in who leads our nation.

I found myself in 2 Kings, Chapter 23 recently. If you read it, you’ll see that a government official, with support of the grassroots, showed great leadership, as he called for a return to a foundation of honoring God, human dignity, and morality.… Continue Reading

Are court packing and radical “court reform” making a comeback? A coalition of 30+ activist organizations relaunched an effort calling for “structural changes” to the U.S. Supreme Court.

They kicked off their “Just Majority” campaign this week in Boston alongside Massachusetts U.S. Senator Ed Markey, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley. This is the first stop in a nationwide bus tour scheduled to end in late June in Washington.… Continue Reading

In this special episode of Spotlight, Illinois Family features remarks from Ann O’Connor, Vice President of legal affairs for the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA). This lecture, presented at Speakout Illinois 2023, highlights legislation that is targeting pregnancy care centers for the sole purpose of shutting them down. She states the core of what NIFLA is about in her lecture when she says,

While Dobbs did change abortion not to be the law of our land federally, it didn’t change hearts and that’s our job.

Last week I wrote an article about DEI and argued that the political agenda of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” is broken, inconsistent, and self-refuting. My premise was that while these words may sound good, they lead to their polar opposites in the hands of today’s progressive demagogues and pedagogues.

More to the point: On the Animal Farm of contemporary politics, diversity now means division, equity means “some are more equal than others,” and inclusion demands that if you don’t parrot what’s popular, you will be excluded.… Continue Reading

One of the most important events for Illinois Republicans in this current political environment is the Black Conservative Summit, which will take place in Tinley Park on March 24-25, 2023.

The Black Conservative Summit will feature conservative leaders like Larry Elder, Voddie Baucham, Lt. Colonel Allen West, and many Illinois conservative leaders like Stephanie Trussell. This event is an essential tool Republicans need to break through to black voters entrenched in liberal politics and begin peeling away enough of their votes in places like Cook County, which almost always ensures democrat victories in important elections.… Continue Reading

In this week’s episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick converses with Anthony Catella, a candidate for the St. Charles library board. The two discuss theology, the military, and why t’s important to run for local office in your community.

Mr. Catella has a deep sense of civic obligation and service. This sense of service motivated him to enlist in the Army, to become a Priest and serve in the Priesthood. … Continue Reading

Illinois is a real piece of work when it comes to politics. But just because Christian conservatives are in the super minority in the General Assembly doesn’t mean we can’t still make an impact! We should!

David Curtain is IFI’s lobbyist, navigating the dark corridors of Springfield and the legislation that issues forth from it. He’s been working under the capitol dome for over 30 years, so he knows the ins and outs of government, but he also is a firsthand witness to the power of prayer.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight podcast, we revisit a powerful lecture given the 2019 Illinois Family Institute Worldview Conference on the “trans” ideology. Sanity as Insurrection is the title of the final session of that conference, and it was delivered by Pastor Doug Wilson. He stressed the importance of asking sane questions, ones that strike at the heart of the matter, when we engage in debate with our adversaries because “deliberate and premeditated sanity is a challenge to the powers that be.”… Continue Reading

Have you seen those videos on social media or news programs of moms or dads standing up at a school board meeting, pleading with school officials to put an end to the sexually-explicit materials invading classrooms and libraries? Or parents boldly speaking out in support of fairness in girls’ sports and their daughter’s privacy? And the community members who are alarmed by the racism is being taught through CRT lessons?… Continue Reading

Illinois Family Action was contacted by another dad, whose story deepened our concerns about the race for Illinois Supreme Court and about the Democrat Candidate, Judge Elizabeth Rochford.

A third person has reached out, unsolicited and previously unknown to us, who felt compelled to share their story of injustice and bias, at the hands of Judge Rochford. (The same Elizabeth Rochford who donated to corrupt and indicted Chicago Alderman, Ed Burke and is getting millions from Governor J.B.… Continue Reading

Illinois Family Action is currently engaged in a Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) effort throughout the state. The importance of this election cannot be over-emphasized. Never before in the history of the United States have we seen this level of delusional thinking, rhetoric and militancy. The threats to the institutions of the sanctity of life, the centrality of family and the importance of the church are more profound than we can remember.

But we have one major problem.… Continue Reading

Below is a sample of what someone in Illinois’ 15th State Senate district recently distributed in her neighborhood – a custom-made half-sheet flier specific to her area. She said that many of the people she spoke with had previously voted for the Democrats IFA highlighted in the flier. She said they were SHOCKED to find out that the state lawmakers they previously supported voted AGAINST common-sense values. So shocked that they declared they would now vote against their incumbent state representative and state senator!… Continue Reading

You can sign up here: https://www.wellversedworld.org/well-versed-training/

Watch this Sunday’s “How To” Session here: https://worldprayernetwork.org/

The study is designed to teach what God says about political involvement, how to Biblically interpret the issues of our day and how to “make the case” to others, who may be needing wisdom and knowledge about their involvement in God’s gift of self-governance.… Continue Reading

Even though the General Election isn’t until November 8, 2022, it isn’t too early to begin considering serving as an Election Judge or a Poll Watcher. Both positions, created by state statute, play an important role in insuring that our elections are conducted according to law.

Since Illinois is a state famous for registered voters residing in cemeteries who vote for Democratic Party candidates, preventing voter fraud is one of the most important tasks for the Judges and Poll Watcher.… Continue Reading

The end of Roe v. Wade—while a tremendous constitutional victory—is far from enough to end abortion in America. Many states in the U.S. will see just as many abortions—if not more—as they would have if Roe had never been overturned. What’s more, the (seemingly always) angry left in America seems ever more determined to bring even more sexual deviancy into our culture.

As the last several decades have taught us, the left doesn’t need an excuse to push the sexual boundaries in America, but losing Roe seems to have pushed many into a deeper darkness when it comes to matters in the sexual realm.… Continue Reading

Written by IFA Staff

We were very impressed with Jennifer Korte’s energy, conservative values, and dedication to the issues of the sanctity of life and parental rights. She is running for Illinois State Representative in District 112, and we hope she will beat the incumbent and flip that district red. Her experiences as a mother, an advocate for sexual assault victims, a volunteer at a local pregnancy resource center and at her children’s school will be invaluable as she considers legislative proposals in Springfield.

Listen now!

Woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself. ~ Susan B. Anthony

In the second episode of Self Evident, Eliana, Kenna and Jenna address the vital importance of protecting your heart as a woman–not merely physically, but mentally and Spiritually. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts carefully, for out of it flows the springs of life. The girls list practical approaches you can take to ensure you are fully prepared for whatever life throws your way.… Continue Reading

After two winter storms put the kibosh on our efforts to hold a gubernatorial forum, Illinois Family Action was thrilled to be a sponsor of a forum hosted by the Tazewell County Republican Party in cooperation with the Peoria County Republican Party and the Woodford County Republican Party.

It is vitally important that we are able to use social media platforms to stream these events. No longer do conservative voters have to sift through biased establishment media reports for the truth.… Continue Reading

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s campaign backers’ mantra is “Irvin’s the only one that can beat Pritzker in the General.”

But is Richard Irvin really the only Illinois Republican candidate that can beat the current governor in the upcoming 2022 General Election? And who is this Richard Irvin? Let’s take a closer look.

Interesting Facts About the REAL Richard Irvin

• Irvin publicly applauded Gov. JB Pritzker for his tyrannical COVID-19 policies

• Irvin has consistently supported Leftist activist groups such as Planned Parenthood, Gay Pride Parades, and Black Lives Matter – which works hand in hand with radical anarchists such as Antifa

• Irvin has questionable financial dealings as Aurora mayor with Ken Griffin projects

• Irvin has made vicious and untruthful campaign attacks on fellow Republicans

• Irvin has very confusing family values

The Democratic Governors’ Association’s ads are already attacking Irvin’s criminal defense law practice by pointing to sleazy criminals they claim Irvin helped to escape stronger punishment — launching the effort to undermine Irvin’s claims he will fight crime and defend law enforcement.… Continue Reading

This week David Smith and Monte Larrick shine the IFA spotlight on Jed Davis, conservative Republican primary candidate for state representative in the 75^th district. Davis is running for office in order to rightly represent the Republican platform and the views and values of the constituents of this newly-drawn district.

In the podcast, Davis explains why he is pro-life without exception. He also addresses Illinois’ extraordinary tax burden and exorbitant fees (“We can’t be the highest taxed state in the nation and constantly be broke”); misguided legislation to legalize more dangerous drugs; overreach on the part of the executive branch of Illinois government, especially in regard to COVID restrictions; and the threat to private education and homeschooling from intrusive government regulation and oversight.… Continue Reading

Popular commentator Dave Rubin has stirred up some controversy in a recent tweet. The tweet shows Dave Rubin and his “husband” holding two different sonograms with a sign in the middle that says, “Coming Soon” and gives two dates for “Baby 1” and “Baby 2.” This was the announcement for Dave Rubin and his partner’s attempt at having a child with two different surrogates, one which will carry Rubin’s child and the other which will carry his partner’s child.… Continue Reading

Last week, I sent an IFA email appeal to our subscribers asking for help to raise $30k for our Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign. We don’t have much time before the June 28th Primary Election is upon us. Early voting begins on May 19th, and runs for more than five weeks.

If you believe as I do that Christian conservatives throughout the state should be made aware of which state and federal candidates hold strong pro-family values, please help us.… Continue Reading

The June 28th Primary Election is just three months away. While we have no way to know what major political/social events may take place during the time in the run-up to this state primary election and then the national election in November, we do know how tumultuous the past two years have been for families in this state, and throughout the nation.

To further complicate matters, we will vote in this cycle for candidates who are running in newly drawn districts.… Continue Reading

The wheels of justice sometimes grind very slowly.

Or not at all.

In our current system, it appears that the only thing that matters is which party you belong to.

Corrupt Democrats almost never face punishment for their crimes. It doesn’t matter how glaring the evidence.

IRS official Lois Lerner retired with full benefits after getting caught using the IRS to target conservative groups such as tea parties during the Obama years.… Continue Reading

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) promised that if Republicans filibuster a voting rights bill supported by the entire U.S. Senate Democratic caucus, as they are expected to, he’ll schedule a vote on changes to the rules by January 17.  See report.

On August 24, 2021, Democrat lawmakers in the U.S. House voted 219 to 212 to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act which seeks to federalize elections and take control of voting regulations away from the states. … Continue Reading

Voting irregularities—including potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead people—were reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of state’s forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point.

The secretary of state’s office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found aren’t enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the audit—Collin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant counties—which account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texas’s population.… Continue Reading

On this edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, David Smith welcomes Phillip Ward, the founder of Christ Help For Men, a disability ministry and support group for fathers (and other male family members) whose lives and families have been impacted by a disability. Both men share about their special needs children – Smith’s youngest son (almost two-years-old) has Down syndrome and Ward’s fourteen-year-old daughter has Angelman syndrome – and relate how their faith in God sustains them as they lead their families and handle the challenges that disability presents.… Continue Reading

Truth is vitally important to Christians like me (Proverbs 23:23; John 14:6), and I am adamantly convinced that our political leaders are exaggerating where we are (and have been) with this COVID pandemic. It may be cynical of me to say this, but many of them seem to be taking advantage of the situation in order to use it to their own political advantage(s). The media, academia, medical establishments and corporate America have also fallen in line with the hyperbolic narrative.… Continue Reading

After years of serving as a pastor, Joseph Huss decided to go into business to advance the Kingdom of God through commerce, he explains in this interview on Conversations That Matter with The New American magazine’s Alex Newman. Big business across America is funneling endless amounts of money into evil causes–abortion, perversion, ate, and more.

But Huss decided to give part of the proceeds from the sales at his “Generous Joe’s Coffee” to good causes instead: pro-life, pro-family, and so on. … Continue Reading

On September 29, 2021, the National School Boards Association (NSBA), which claims to represent “90,000 school board members who govern our country’s 14,000 local public-school districts educating more than 50 million schoolchildren” across America, sent Joe Biden a letter. Their purpose was to warn our addled President that our nation’s schools are under the imminent threat of “domestic terrorism.”

Consider the following highlights.

Dear Mr. President, 

America’s public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat… NSBA believes immediate assistance is required… [Many] public-school officials are facing physical threats because of propaganda purporting the false inclusion of critical race theory within classroom instruction and curricula.

The election to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom is now less than two weeks away. According to California law, Newsom will be removed from office if more than 50% of those casting ballots vote in favor of recall. The ballot also asks who should replace the governor if he is recalled. However, Newsom’s replacement would be whichever person named on the ballot receives the most votes. There is no requirement that he or she must receive more than 50% of the votes, or indeed any specific percentage at all.… Continue Reading

This episode of Spotlight features two guests that Illinois Family staff is proud to call our friends and allies: State Senator and candidate for Illinois Governor Darren Bailey and his amazing wife Cindy. If you’ve been following Illinois politics, you have doubtless heard of Senator Bailey as he has been on the front lines challenging the legalities of COVID lockdowns and fighting against government schools’ sexualization of our children.… Continue Reading

In this installment of Spotlight, David Smith is joined by Jennifer Burns, founder of Classical Consortium Academy. Jennifer shares how her initial experience with homeschooling and “car-schooling” led her to start H.E.A.R.T. (Homeschool Enrichment Achieved Respectfully Together) at the Village Church of Barrington. As God laid it on her heart to homeschool, He also led her in 2006 to take another step of obedience and found Classical Consortium Academy, a hybrid school that offers in-person instruction several days per week, paired with CCA-directed and parent- administered at-home learning.… Continue Reading

If I were leading President Joe Biden’s central committee and my goal were to destroy America as founded and ensure that it lose its distinction as the world’s freest and most powerful nation, I doubt I could concoct a superior strategy than adopting the Biden administration’s message and policy agenda.

The administration is creating total societal chaos, fomenting disorder and undermining the rule of law at every turn. As the first duty of government is to protect and defend its citizens, we might be alarmed to consider that the administration is engaged in a multi-pronged strategy to do the opposite.… Continue Reading

On this edition of Spotlight, the Reverend C.L. Bryant urges Americans to “push back and stand up against the tyranny that is encroaching upon our civil liberties.” Speaking with Monte Larrick, he stresses that individual freedom and our right to self-governance are in jeopardy. Rev. Bryant recounts his experience growing up in Shreveport, LA in the midst of the civil rights movement and contrasts it with the message that proponents of Critical Race Theory are touting today.… Continue Reading

This may shock and amaze you if your blinders are on, but President Biden is not only not a uniter; he is actively trying to divide Americans on race — and other issues — purely for raw political power. There is no other plausible explanation.

During former President Trump’s entire presidency and ever since, we’ve been bombarded daily with the narrative that he is divisive and a racist. His political opponents and the media distorted his words, such as those he said in the aftermath of the Charlottesville attacks, to paint him as sympathetic to white supremacists.… Continue Reading

Just when Illinoisans thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Illinois State Legislature’s spring session sets out to prove us all wrong. On this week’s podcast, Monte Larrick and David Smith discuss several of the reprehensible, sin-enabling bills that are on the Democratic Party’s agenda for the 102nd General Assembly. Monte and David emphasize the urgent need for parents to remove their children from public schools ASAP, an action necessitated in part by the recently approved “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards” amendment.… Continue Reading

After almost a year of gubernatorial mandates masquerading as law, it should come as no surprise that another legislative group in Illinois is attempting to do an end run in order to avoid following the accepted, standard procedure of presenting a bill for debate and vote by the General Assembly.

Laurie Higgins, IFI’s cultural affairs writer, joins Pastor Calvin Lindstrom and Pastor James Pittman, Jr. for a podcast, featured on Here I Stand Radio, examining the continuing revolution in education in Illinois.… Continue Reading

Former South Bend Mayor, and Democrat presidential candidate, Pete Buttigieg is the perfect politician to take a better job in the DC swamp. He is the epitome of everything that is wrong with politics and why Americans are cynical regarding our government.

This would be humorous, were it not true.

As you know, “Mayor Pete” has been named by Joe Biden as his choice to head the U.S. Department of Transportation. Only in government can you fail at your job and get a major promotion, giving you more money and more power to continue in your lack of achievement.… Continue Reading

What Americans witnessed on November 3^rd didn’t just happen. A lot of people don’t remember, but the seeds for this election mess were planted way back in 2018 when Democrats won the House. The coronavirus didn’t hurt, of course, but the cheat was on long before Joe Biden was nominated. Why does that matter? Because — the president’s attorneys warn — if Republicans don’t keep fighting, the damage to our democracy is here to stay.… Continue Reading

Making the Christian case against homosexuality has always been a great challenge in our engagement with the world, going all the way back to Genesis and the account of Sodom and Gomorrah. The biblical opposition to homosexual practice is especially relevant in light of the new ruling by Circuit Judge Britt Grant of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding “reparative therapy,” whereby individuals with homosexual attractions willingly seek out pastoral or professional counseling to help them fight that specific sin.… Continue Reading

The selection of candidates for local, state, and federal offices were not the only choices confronting voters on Election Day in a number of states across the nation. In fact, voters in 32 states decided over 100 statewide ballot measures on November 3. Below is an overview of some of these voter initiatives and referenda impacting the sanctity of life, drugs, gambling, and marriage & sexuality.

Sanctity of Life:  On the pro-life front, this election was a mix of wins and losses.… Continue Reading

This past week I made a mistake. I was careless and retweeted something before I fact-checked it. I shouldn’t have. I was lax, I was lazy and what I posted turned out to be fake news.

Here’s my post.

“And once he’s gone and we have regained our rightful place in the White House, look out if you supported him and endorsed his actions because we’ll be coming for you next.

There are many people who do not like the personality of President Donald J. Trump and his unorthodox methods of communicating. Some have even gone so far as to say that they couldn’t vote for him because of his temperament and/or boorishness.

Having concerns about or aversions to President Trump’s style is understandable. You don’t have to like him. When it comes to picking the commander in chief of the United States, we believe that voters should carefully consider President Trump’s record of achievements over the past four years and his goals for a second term.… Continue Reading

What they apparently aren’t taking into consideration is the rise in suicides, and drug and alcohol use due to the lockdown policies and an increase in unemployment, business closures and domestic violence. Marijuana is not the answer.… Continue Reading

Will you help distribute the IFI non-partisan Voter Guides? 

The full 16-page version of the IFI 2020 General Election Voter Guide is available for download HERE. You can order them in bulk to distribute in your church or neighborhood. They include positions on several issues from candidates running for President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, plus both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

Please check out this Presidential voter guide HERE, and then review the stark differences between Party Platforms in our special publication HERE. … Continue Reading

In a dramatic U.S. Senate hearing, the outstanding U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) interrogates James Comey, former FBI director and colluder in the Russia hoax, about his “extraordinary abuse of power” in signing multiple error-ridden FISA applications with the goal of unleashing the federal government against an American citizen in the hope of unseating a duly elected president. Hawley’s shredding of Comey’s responses exposes what a small man Comey is.… Continue Reading

As the American political world gears up for what promises to be one of the most acrimonious, bitter, and embarrassing confirmation hearings in the history of the federal judiciary, I’m curious if anyone has picked up on a common theme when it comes to these reputation desecrations we call senatorial “advise and consent.”

Out of sheer curiosity I conducted an informal, and extraordinarily unscientific survey of a small group of 5 politically aware colleagues and friends.… Continue Reading

As Election Day nears, political lawn signs have sprouted like dandelions after a soaking rain and mailboxes are bursting with candidates’ mailers. This week, Monte and I take a deep dive into the important issues and details you won’t find on a lawn sign or an oversized postcard. Our Spotlight guests are Jeanne Ives, Republican candidate for Illinois’s 6^th congressional district seat, currently held by Sean Casten, and Mark Curran, Republican candidate for the U.S.… Continue Reading

The 2020 Democratic Party Platform starts with these four words, “America is an idea.”

And therein lies the problem. These first few words set the context for everything wrong in the 80 pages that follow.

The words “America is an idea” shine a spotlight on the radical difference between our nation’s two dominant political parties. They highlight the primary distinction between the progressive and the conservative agenda. When you cut through all the smoke and mirrors, all the pandering, all the false promises and all the fake people, this one simple phrase from the Democratic platform summarizes it all.… Continue Reading

Traditionally this should be a good week for the Democrat Party with their national convention. Traditionally too, the announcement of a running-mate, the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket, should be a boost. But is it?

A new CNN poll now shows the presidential race at a virtual tie. President Donald J. Trump is down 4 points, but the poll’s margin of error is 3.7 percent, making it a possible tie. In many battleground states Trump is just 1 point behind, according to CNN, no friend of the President.… Continue Reading

Advance copies of my latest book, Rating America’s Presidents: An America-First Look at Who Is Best, Who Is Overrated, and Who Was An Absolute Disaster, arrived today, and it is available for preorder now. It is the first book I’ve published in 10 years that wasn’t about some aspect of Islam, and only the second out of 20 books I’ve written that doesn’t deal with some aspect of jihad, Sharia, and related issues.… Continue Reading

Where are all the frantic press releases from every corporation in America amid the worst mass shooting of black people in Chicago’s recent memory? Where are the protests? The demands for more prison time? More cops? Or, if you only get your news from superficial corporate media sources, perhaps you don’t know what I’m talking about.

While most people bring flowers and tissues to funerals, that is not the Chicago way. There, they bring guns. … Continue Reading

The Chinese COVID-19 lockdown has cost tens of millions of Americans their jobs, but one group is doing quite well, thank you.

That would be race hustlers, who have been thriving since George Floyd’s shocking death in police custody in late May and the protests and riots that followed.

The race hustlers have struck it rich thanks to their counterparts in the streets who are looting, burning, and shooting people. That sends chills up corporate spines.… Continue Reading

Every so often, even though I know better, I flip over while driving and scan my favorite sports talk radio stations. Unfortunately, ESPN radio has become insufferable just like the rest of the network. It was only on for about 10 seconds before I heard someone say something to the effect of, “Where sports and social justice meet.” I turned it off.

It’s not that I don’t care about justice or am indifferent to our social problems.… Continue Reading

Republicans may be in the super-minority in the Illinois General Assembly, but that isn’t stopping 20 Republican State House members from forming the “Illinois Taxpayer Freedom Caucus” to focus on structural and ethical reforms our state desperately needs.

Members include State Representatives John Cabello (Machesney Park), Joe Sosnowski (Rockford), Blaine Wilhour (Effingham), Dan Caulkins (Decatur), Brad Halbrook (Shelbyville), Chris Miller (Oakland), Allen Skillicorn (Crystal Lake), Darren Bailey (Xenia), Andrew Chesney (Freeport), David McSweeney (Barrington Hills), Amy Grant (Wheaton), Terri Bryant (Murphysboro), Randy Freese (Quincy), Dave Severin (Benton), Tom Morrison (Palatine), Tom Weber (Lake Villa), Patrick Windhorst (Metropolis), Dan Swanson (Alpha), Charlie Meier (Okawville), and Tony McCombie (Savanna).… Continue Reading

Computer models are seductive even though they are very often completely wrong. The more complicated they are the greater chance that they are wrong. Like children, they copy their parents — the model architects. Confirmation bias involves cherry picking facts to obtain a result consistent with preexisting beliefs. A complicated computer model with many degrees of freedom is a perfect environment for confirmation bias to have its way. The investigator usually will believe, or at least claim, that his model is objectively setup without bias entering into the effort.… Continue Reading

Rick Laib, a Sergeant with the Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Republican candidate for Illinois’ 11^th congressional district seat, joins Monte Larrick for this very timely edition of Spotlight. Sgt. Laib relates the challenges of running for office when the most effective methods of campaigning have been eliminated due to the Coronavirus and he offers suggestions as to how citizens can best help first responders during this crisis.… Continue Reading

A January storm system featuring heavy rain and flooding, strong winds, and the dreaded wintry mix was not enough to deter the more than 9,000 people who assembled in downtown Chicago for the annual March for Life. As a warm-up to the actual march, this group of dedicated pro-life warriors gathered for a very spirited rally at Daley Plaza.

This edition of Spotlight enables you to experience the enthusiasm and passion of the rally (or relive it, if you were present at Daley Plaza), as we present some of the speeches from the event.… Continue Reading

In advance of this Saturday’s March for Life Chicago, Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League joined Monte Larrick to talk about the 2020 rally, march, and convention. Eric explains why a mass gathering of visible and vocal pro-life individuals is so important in a state with such a huge disconnect between the majority of citizens who espouse pro-life beliefs and a legislature that is determined to make Illinois the abortion capitol of the nation.… Continue Reading

For the past twenty years, I have followed reports of election fraud, a phenomenon the mainstream media will assure you BARELY exists. It seems the major political parties have widely differing viewpoints on the very nature of voting. Should voting really be as easy as buying a Snickers bar? Or should it be a bit more like cashing a check in a grocery store? Is it appropriate to demand identification of a person seeking to cast a vote?… Continue Reading

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz identified 17 serious omissions, inaccuracies and failures involving the FBI’s conduct in the Russia collusion investigation and its pursuit of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant targeting the Trump campaign.

The significant failings are laid bare in a report made public Monday that showed the FBI withheld from the FISA court misgivings about its star informant Christopher Steele, as well as evidence of innocence against targets like former Trump campaign advisers Carter Page and George Papadopoulos.… Continue Reading

Will County board member Mike Fricilone, a 65-year-old Homer Glen resident who works as a sales manager for a furniture retailer, recently filed his petitions with the Illinois State Board of Elections as a candidate for the 3rd Congressional District. He will face two other Republicans in the March 17th primary election.

The district is located on the south and southwest side of Chicago and it’s suburbs, including Oak Lawn, Burbank, Summit, Hickory Hills, Palos Hills, Homer Glen, Orland Hills, Lockport and Lemont.… Continue Reading

On this Thanksgiving week edition of Spotlight, Dr. Allan Carlson, senior fellow at the Rockford-based International Organization for the Family, joins Monte Larrick to discuss the natural family as it is ordained in Scripture – faithful and fruitful. Dr. Carlson specifically addresses depopulation, climate change accusations, the natural family’s value to the Church and society, and current attacks that target the traditional family.

After the break, Dr. Carlson and Monte explore the future of the Republican Party and the viability of a truly pro-life and pro-family third party.… Continue Reading

According to Brigitte Gabriel, “Two percent of the passionate will always rule the ninety-eight percent indifferent.” As a conservative author, political commentator, and the founder of ACT for America, Ms. Gabriel is definitely passionate about educating and mobilizing Americans to take practical steps to preserve our national identity and protect our country from radical Islam.

Brigitte Gabriel joins Monte Larrick on this week’s Spotlight to discuss a variety of topics including legal immigration, sharia law in U.S.… Continue Reading

In November 2010, Republicans gave Democrats a “shellacking,” regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives.  In 2014, they held the U.S. House and captured the U.S. Senate, swept a majority of governorships. Overall, the GOP gained more state legislative offices that they had held since the 1920s.

In the face of this, President Barack Obama made it clear that he was not about to move to the right in any fashion.… Continue Reading

Christian attorney John Mauck of the Mauck & Baker law firm here in Chicago joins Monte Larrick to discuss the legal side of social issues. Specifically: suppressing evangelistic efforts in Millennium Park; a measure in Congress which would deprive organizations on the SPLC “hate-list” of their tax-exempt status; SCOTUS reviewing LGBTQ reparative therapy and discrimination laws and tangible things we should do to combat them. In the second half of the show, they discuss the “Equality Act” and other cases Mauck & Baker are involved in here in the State of Illinois.… Continue Reading

We are in an era where polling results are often used to make news, and to influence views. A case in point are the polls about support for President Trump in an era when the news about him is constantly negative.

Donald Trump is clearly the most unusual and unorthodox president of my lifetime, if not in all of U.S. History. He routinely says things, and does things, that probably give election and political advisors severe heartburn.… Continue Reading

While the 40 Days for Life fall campaign will come to a close in a few weeks, this edition of Spotlight features highlights from an address given by Rev. Ceasar LeFlore at a 40 Days launch event in Tinley Park – and his message is just as timely now as it was at the start of the campaign.

In his presentation, Pastor LeFlore speaks about the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer, the imperative for pastors to set an example and lead their people to follow that example, and the need for churches to actively promote a culture of life as well as partner with pro-life communities.… Continue Reading

The 2019 fall 40 Days for Life campaign is in full swing and will run through November 3^rd. At a recent launch event in Tinley Park, David Smith, Executive Director of Illinois Family Institute and Illinois Family Action, shares from his heart regarding the apathy and disinterest he has witnessed among Illinois Christians toward public policy and the political process. He also outlines the sordid details of Illinois’ radical Reproductive “Health” Act (SB 25) and the resultant devastating consequences.… Continue Reading

Joining Monte Larrick on this edition of Spotlight is Darren Bailey, current State Representative for the 109^th district. Their conversation occurred at the Illinois Conservative Union’s Illinois Political Activist Conference which was held in August in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Representative Bailey details the reasons why he has decided to run for state senate in the 55^th district and recounts the valuable experience he gained as a state representative.… Continue Reading

“If someone calls it socialism,” said Rev. William Barber at the August meeting of the Democratic National Committee, “then we must compel them to acknowledge that the Bible must then promote socialism, because Jesus offered free health care to everyone, and he never charged a leper a co-pay.”

Barber’s statement brought secular progressives to their feet in thunderous applause. That included DNC chair Tom Perez, who says that democratic socialists like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represent “the future of our party.”… Continue Reading

In a crowded field of competitors I get what he’s doing.  And politically I don’t blame him.  South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is a longshot candidate who lacks the pedigree, chops, and experience for the office he seeks.  But that doesn’t always matter in presidential primaries.  Often times outsider candidates who find a niche, tap into a core group of committed supporters who are willing to ride with them through thick and thin, can take advantage of the splintering nature of crowded race demographics and pull the upset.… Continue Reading

A reader points out this article by a liberal in the Atlantic. It is titled “The Left Needs a Language Potent Enough to Counter Trump.” The writer, George Packer, is mostly intent on denouncing President Trump’s “dangerously populist” speech. As usual, the author goes off on Nazi, Hitler, and fascist tropes without acknowledging that the reason why the things Trump says are “populist” is that they make sense to most people, based on their experiences and observations.… Continue Reading

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. I can’t fathom the ingratitude of American soccer star Meghan Rapinoe’s attitude toward America. Writer Warner Todd Huston notes,

Rapinoe raised eyebrows in the 2018 season by taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem even though she is playing for the U.S. Women’s National soccer team. Her taking a knee only came to an end starting in the 2019 season because the team passed a rule requiring players to stand during the anthem.

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE) maintains a solid lead over his Democratic rivals, portraying himself as the more reasonable alternative to what he calls his far-left primary opponents. Yet his own policy positions have historically been demonstrably more radical than the mainstream America he claims to represent.

What many people remember about Biden is his lifelong penchant for making embarrassing gaffs that elicit groans from his supporters and delight his opponents, such as when he addressed a wheelchair bound politician at a campaign rally: “I’m told Chuck Graham, state senator, is here.… Continue Reading

The first rule of any Marxist revolution is that rules are fine if they advance the cause or cripple opponents.  The rules can be discarded the minute they get in the way.

That’s the way America’s Marxists, socialists and many liberals operate when it comes to the U.S. Constitution, especially the First Amendment.

Here’s the relevant portion:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

I’ve been surprised at the number of Christians who appear stunned that Mayor Pete Buttigieg made startlingly depraved remarks regarding the intentional murder of full-term babies in their mothers’ wombs.

If you missed it, it happened on Morning Joe when co-host Willie Geist explained that while religious conservatives were intrigued by Buttigieg, they could not get past his support for the heinous act of third-term abortion.  In response, Mayor Pete put together a word salad of heartlessness:

The way I explain this and it’s something that I think any pro-choice candidate from a conservative state faces, and that is I respect and understand where others are coming from.

Thirty years ago, the good guys won the Cold War, yet today we have a frontrunner candidate for president, Bernie Sanders, who is an out-of-the closet socialist. He loved the old Soviet Union so much so that he spent his honeymoon there.

For decades, the Communists were aiming to take over the whole world. “We will bury you,” claimed Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1956.

Thirty years ago, two men played pivotal roles in helping to speed up the end of Russian domination—President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II.… Continue Reading

I published a piece recently on the reaction to President Trump’s condemnation of socialism in his State of the Union. He said something indisputably factual and indubitably obvious to most Americans: “Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country.”

It was a revealing moment not only for President Trump but also for the Democratic Party.… Continue Reading

Universal healthcare, also known as “Medicare for All,” is back in the news.  U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is joined in his advocacy of this entitlement program by most, if not all, Democratic presidential candidates, including U.S. Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. According to an article in The Washington Post, all of the major Democratic presidential candidates support “Medicare for All” or something else to achieve universal healthcare coverage.… Continue Reading

A recent forum on marijuana, hosted by IFI, is the source of this week’s Spotlight podcast. Many factors contribute to the growing problem of homelessness in America and according to Pastor Phil Kwiatkowski, president of Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, the most common factor is drug use and addiction.  With this reality in mind, how could anyone, especially in Chicago (ranked in the top 10 U.S. cities for homelessness), think that legalizing recreational marijuana is a good idea?… Continue Reading

No less than Jeh Johnson, who served as Secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration from 2013-2017, has declared the situation at our southern border a “crisis.” Best of all, he did so on MSNBC.

Refusing to take the political bait from “Morning Joe’s” Mika Brzezinski when she condescendingly asked, “Do these proposals [from Kirstjen Nielsen, Pres. Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security] even come close to representing America?”… Continue Reading

Like never before, the American public faces a stark choice in the run-up to the 2020 elections that could not offer a more distinct antithesis in policy – one which would lead to two very different Americas.  The first is based upon the historic Judeo-Christian values that have made our nation great; the second is a sharp repudiation of those values in favor of a secularistic society that is shockingly hostile to people of faith.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick recently spoke with 40 Days for Life president, Shawn Carney. In their Spotlight conversation, they discuss the latest strategy of the pro-abortion movement (specifically in Illinois, Virginia, and New York) to enact radical abortion laws which are actually infanticide laws. Shawn points out that the insane demand for abortion at any stage of gestation – even as the baby is emerging from the birth canal – truly provides the pro-life community with an increased opportunity to win hearts and minds at the grassroots level.… Continue Reading

Illinois State Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) has been an outspoken proponent for legalizing high-potency marijuana and he wants a “seat at the table” when Gov.-elect JB Pritzker and other Chicago Democrats move the bill in 2019.

Take ACTION: Barickman will be the featured speaker Dec. 4 at the McLean County Chamber of Commerce’s BN The Know event in Bloomington, titled “Recreational Marijuana and the Business Community.” You can register to attend HERE.… Continue Reading

Another election has come and gone. A number of states saw a noticeable political shake-up. For pro-life/pro-family conservatives in Illinois, things went from bad to worse.

As promised last week, Monte Larrick and I are once again joined by Richard Hartian, Chairman of Illinois Family Action, for this episode of Spotlight.

Moving on from the post-mortem of What went wrong? to a discussion of Where do we go from here? – Hartian, Smith, and Larrick consider what Illinois might look like under a Democrat-controlled statehouse led by J.B.… Continue Reading

Its name’s a play on Brexit, Great Britain’s movement to leave the European Union. Its members believe the Democratic Party takes them for granted and does not represent their interests. They’ve become increasingly frustrated in recent years with the Democrats’ letting illegal immigrants into the country, taking jobs away from them. The movement is selling clothing to publicize its efforts.

They call their movement “Blexit.” And they come from the Democratic party’s most loyal voting group.… Continue Reading

If you live in Cook County, Illinois Family Action has compiled a list of judicial candidates that are rated by the Gay and Lesbian Bar Association of Chicago (LAGBAC). If you oppose the pro-LGBT agenda, you would likely not want to vote in favor of the candidates that are “Recommended” or “Highly Recommended” by the LAGBAC.… Continue Reading

Illinois has budget woes, but legalization of marijuana will bankrupt the state even more. … Continue Reading

It is critically important to exercise your civic duty to vote and be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government. We the people have the responsibility of selecting honest, wise and God-fearing people to represent us locally, in Springfield and in Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

It is critically important to exercise your civic duty to vote and be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government. We the people have the responsibility of selecting honest, wise and God-fearing people to represent us locally, in Springfield and in Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

It is critically important to exercise your civic duty to vote and be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government. We the people have the responsibility of selecting honest, wise and God-fearing people to represent us locally, in Springfield and in Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

It is critically important to exercise your civic duty to vote and be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government. We the people have the responsibility of selecting honest, wise and God-fearing people to represent us locally, in Springfield and in Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

It is critically important to exercise your civic duty to vote and be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government. We the people have the responsibility of selecting honest, wise and God-fearing people to represent us locally, in Springfield and in Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

It is critically important to exercise your civic duty to vote and be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government. We the people have the responsibility of selecting honest, wise and God-fearing people to represent us locally, in Springfield and in Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

It’s likely been quite a while since most of us cracked open a world history textbook or attended a political science lecture. So, if someone were to engage you in a conversation extolling the virtues of Marxism, would you be knowledgeable enough to form a response? Do you have a clear understanding of the Marxist ideals that laid the foundation for the monolith of communism?

Watch as Dr. Paul Kengor, a political science professor at Grove City College, details the inherent deception and devastating legacy of Marxism.… Continue Reading

In this Spotlight podcast, David and Pastor Pat discuss the centrality of prayer, especially as we fight a spiritual battle (one we cannot afford to ignore) in our state and nation.… Continue Reading

This week on Illinois Family Spotlight we welcome Star Parker, founder and president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), a policy institute based in Washington, D.C. that promotes market-based solutions to fight poverty.

IFI’s own Monte Larrick sat down with Ms. Parker while she was attending a recent summit on violence and poverty with pastors and community leaders in Chicago. Their conversation delves into the root cause of the violence and poverty that is destroying urban communities: breakdown of the family; lack of paternal influence; the perpetual welfare state mentality of big government; excessive taxation and regulation that suppress economic development and growth in black neighborhoods and communities, and much more.… Continue Reading

Soon the U.S. Senate will hold hearings as to whether or not to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. One can only imagine the fireworks to come.

Beware of the Saul Alinsky model of the politics of personal destruction. Saul Alinksy, a Marxist and the father of the community organizers, wrote Rules for Radicals (1971), in which he states, “In a fight almost anything goes. It almost reaches the point where you stop to apologize if a chance blow lands above the belt” (pp.… Continue Reading

People on the left are outraged when you question their patriotism, their dedication to the nation as founded and their respect for the U.S. Constitution as originally written, but they continually vindicate our concerns.

The most recent example is the left’s unhinged mania at Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s inclusion on President Trump’s list of potential U.S. Supreme Court appointees. In times of perceived crisis — and this is certainly one of those times for leftists — they show their colors, and you can color them militantly opposed to Barrett, in large part because of her Catholicism.… Continue Reading

Thanks to the generosity of moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas of Illinois – our supporters, we have raised almost 65 percent of our goal thus far.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick caught up with Stephen Black at the National Religious Broadcasters convention a few months ago. Black has been the Executive Director of First Stone Ministries since 2000 and is the author of the recently released book, Freedom Realized: Finding Freedom from Homosexuality and Living a Life Free from Labels.

In this podcast, Monte and Stephen address the scientific reality that people are not born homosexual, as well as discuss Illinois’ ban on reparative therapy and the resulting attack on churches that desire to offer help and hope to gender-confused youth.… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON — Fifty-six members of Congress are urging the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate Planned Parenthood for covering up and not reporting the sexual abuse and trafficking of minors.

Speaking at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, several pro-life activists and members of Congress spoke about a newly released report by Live Action titled, “Aiding Abusers: Planned Parenthood’s Coverup of Child Sexual Abuse,” that they say details Planned Parenthood’s long history of complicity with sexual exploitation.… Continue Reading

Written by John Biver

On this edition of the IFA Spotlight podcast, Monte Larrick, John Biver and Dave Smith continue their discussion about the primary election last month, including the great conservative candidates down ballot, educating misinformed voters, and a summary of the results from down ballot races.

Reviewing the vote totals from the primary, the fact of the uptick in Democratic Party ballots cast versus the down tick in Republican ballots cast, Monte stated — “If you’re a Republican it sounds like we’re in big trouble in November.”… Continue Reading

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) would not have signed the massive spending bill last Friday if he were president.

Ed Straker at American Thinker lists a series of Tweets by Ted Cruz that lay out some of the truly ugly/awful/terrible and inexcusable contents found in that $1.3 trillion-dollar budget.

Here are just a few of those Tweets:

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 22, 2018

This is why I’ll vote against the omnibus spending bill:

In 2016, the American people voted overwhelmingly for Republicans to change Washington.

State Representative Peter Breen joins Monte Larrick on this edition of our weekly podcast to comment on the State of Illinois funding abortions and the Illinois governor’s race. Representative Breen is an attorney with the Thomas More Society, who represents Mr. Daleiden (the undercover videographer) before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Listen to our latest podcast episode:

According to Rep. Breen, “Our greatest threat right now as a people of life, of faith, is losing hope and thinking we’ve lost.”… Continue Reading

We strongly encourage you to vote in the March 20th primary election. Prior to going to the polls, make sure that you know where your candidates stand on life, marriage (defined by God), and religious freedom.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick sits down with Oak Brook Police Chief James Kruger and Kathy Valente, the Director of Operations at Illinois Family Institute, to discuss the Cook County referendum on recreational marijuana, and marijuana legalization in Illinois. Chief Kruger also is the president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, strong opponents of the legalization of marijuana.

Listen to this week’s podcast here:

There is a big election on the horizon. What occurs in the 2018 primary could have huge implications on the future of Illinois. Ralph Rivera is back with Monte and Dave to discuss the March primary, and the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois.

Ralph is a lobbyist in Springfield with Illinois Right to Life Action and Illinois Family Institute.

The importance of the March primary is summed up during the discussion by two facts.… Continue Reading

There are many powerful forces operating today across the nation to divide the American people and silence opposing views. One of the most active of these efforts is the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

There are two very serious reasons why the SPLC is in many ways more dangerous than other organizations that are fueling the flames of the far left radicals who use violence and lies to stop honest political debate.… Continue Reading

Even though Antifa’s name is a derivative of “anti-fascists,” its track records shows it is not true to its name, as its members’ violent activity witnessed at Trump’s inauguration and rallies – not to mention their regular attempts to silence free speech on numerous college campuses from coast to coast – is currently under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for domestic terrorism.

As a professed Muslim with a history of supporting Islamic terrorist groups, Ellison appears not be worried about his latest proud display of support for Antifa, of which the FBI has issued warnings about its anticipated violent demonstrations in the near future.… Continue Reading

In this week’s Spotlight podcast, Dave Smith sits down to talk to Rev. Ceasar LeFlore, the Founder and Executive Director of the Beloved Community Development Coalition and the Midwest Regional Director of the Life Education and Resource Network (LEARN). Pastor LeFlore is working towards a national pro-life prayer network, he is seeking to unite a million prayer intercessors to daily pray for the end of abortion.

Prayer, Pastor LeFlore said, “is required because an awakening is necessary for the darkness to be overcome.… Continue Reading

Please join me on a whirlwind superficial but revealing tour of liberal la-la land as we peek at recent headlines. Meanwhile, liberals call conservatives wing nuts.

The Firing Squad

Singer Nancy Sinatra tweeted, “The murderous members of the NRA should face a firing squad.” One wonders whether in her rendering, “murderous” is redundant. One might also wonder whether she thinks other murderous people should be exempt from or perhaps face a less humiliating form of execution.… Continue Reading

Is the Declaration of Independence “perhaps one of the most important documents in the history of mankind”? Or are both the Declaration and U.S. Constitution to be disregarded because there were slave owners involved with drafting them?

David Shestokas is Monte Larrick’s guest on this week’s Illinois Spotlight podcast. Shestokas is an expert on the American Founding documents, a former Cook County assistant state’s attorney, and an author of: Creating the Declaration of Independence, Constitutional Sound Bites, and Capsulas Informativas Constitucionales, which “explains for Spanish language readers both the meaning and historical context of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.”… Continue Reading

From the Reagan Foundation:

“Based on Kengor’s tireless archival digging and his unique access to Reagan insiders, A Pope and a President reveals: The many similarities and the spiritual bond between the pope and the president—and how Reagan privately spoke of the “DP”: the Divine Plan to take down communism, a startling insider account of how the USSR may have been set to invade the pope’s native Poland in March 1981—only to pull back when news broke that Reagan had been shot, and more.

President Donald Trump has nominated Kansas Governor and former U.S. Senator Sam Brownback to serve as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Liberty. Brownback will head the Office of International Religious Freedom in the U.S. Department of State.

Governor Brownback served in the U.S. Senate from 1996 to 2011, and before that, served in the U.S. House. From 1995 to 1996. Brownback came to the attention of many during his campaign for president which began in February 2007 and ended that October.… Continue Reading

Things are looking up for the Democratic Socialists of America. With a membership of 25,000, it is now the largest socialist group in America since the Second World War. And last weekend in Chicago, it held its largest convention, by a considerable margin, in its history.

The event was a fascinating view into an organization that is simultaneously struggling with sudden success and looking to capitalize on fertile conditions to grow even more.… Continue Reading

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe that churches have a negative impact on American society, according to a recent report by Pew Research Center.

In a report released Monday by Pew’s U.S. Politics & Policy department, 36 percent of Democrats were found to view churches’ impact on society as negative, contrasted with 14 percent of Republicans.

Among Liberal Democrats, the percentage that view churches in a negative light jumps to 44 percent, with 40 percent of Liberal Democrats and 50 percent of overall Democrats viewing churches as positively impacting society.… Continue Reading

“Let me ask you some questions,” Conservative Review Editor-in-Chief Mark Levin said Monday evening on the radio.

Everywhere you look in this country, progressivism put into practice through big government is failing. Yet the progressive Democrats continue to institute their policies, and Republicans seem complicit in the growth of government. “How do we explain all this?” Levin asked. “What is this all about?”

Listen:

Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) of Illinois believes that his state is on the verge of “banana republic territory” because the state faces an imminent financial crisis. As described in a story published by The Fiscal Times on June 12:

Last week, the state marked the second full year in which Gov. Bruce Rauner and a combative Democratic legislature were unable to agree on a new operating budget. The state Senate the week before rejected a House-passed budget measure premised on a $7 billion revenue shortfall after Rauner threatened to veto it.

The news headlines these days should destroy forever the use of the cliché “it can’t get any worse” when the topic is Illinois politics – and that includes Republican, Democrat, fiscal, etc.

The first question in the above headline is from a very unsurprising CBS News report about just how bad things are in Illinois. A few excerpts from the article:

A financial crunch is spiraling into a serious problem for Illinois lawmakers, prompting some observers to wonder if the state might make history by becoming the first to go bankrupt.

The center-right American Enterprise Institute and the center-left Brookings Institution have a new report about paid parental leave. The members of their working group disagreed about much, but they were able to put forward a compromise plan. In this plan, new mothers and fathers would be able to take eight weeks off, with 70 percent of their usual compensation paid to them by the government, up to $600 per week. The program would be funded by a small payroll tax on all workers.… Continue Reading

On April 15, a pro-Trump, pro-free-speech rally at University of California, Berkeley, descended into violent mayhem after radical far-leftists — members of the organization Antifa — began to attack the peacefully assembled crowd.

Antifa, which stands for “anti-fascist action,” is a network of loosely affiliated far-left anarchist and communist groups that orchestrate violent protests and attacks on populists, conservatives, and anyone else its members deem to be “fascists” or “Nazis.”

“Anyone who tries to hold any sort of right-wing event literally gets beat up by militant communists in the street.”

On this edition of Spotlight, Dave is joined by Kathy Valente, the Director of Operations at IFI, Florence Hubbs, and Lisa Ridinger.  They discuss how the transgender agenda has invaded bathrooms and locker rooms of government schools, Target stores, Planet Fitness as well as the Illinois Legislature. HB 1785 would allow people to change their gender on their birth certificates.

Newly-elected DNC chairman Tom Perez and Deputy chairman U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison

Written by Michael F. Haverluck

After falling only one vote short on the first ballot, Tom Perez was able to secure his victory in the second round of voting and expressed his optimism for the Democratic Party shortly after the news broke.

“We are at a turning point for our party and for all Americans,” Perez announced, according to Townhall. “By getting back to basics, we can turn the Democratic Party around, take the fight to [President] Donald Trump, and win elections from school board to the Senate.”… Continue Reading

Written by Dr. Paul G. Kengor

I’ve been getting emails from bewildered colleagues asking about a survey of presidential scholars that determined that Barack Obama is the 12th best president in the history of the United States, putting him near the top quartile of our presidents.

How can this be? I, too, was mystified, especially given that I participated in the survey.

The survey was conducted by the impeccably fair C-SPAN. Few sources do their job like C-SPAN does.… Continue Reading

Written by Robert Knight

Anarchy takes many forms.

There is street violence, like that at the University of California at Berkeley last Wednesday, a microcosm of the anti-Trump rioting all over the country.

A mob protesting a planned speech by Breitbart writer and self-styled iconoclast Milo Yiannopoulos turned ugly as 1,500 gathered.  Some were coaxed there by Occupy Oakland, whose website called for people to “Shut Down Milo at UC Berkeley.”

Some protesters wore black, used paramilitary tactics, threw bricks and fireworks at police, committed vandalism, and started a fire.  … Continue Reading

Written by Rachel Alexander

Barack Obama may lose his Obamacare legacy when Congress repeals and replaces it, but he has left the nation a far bigger and more damaging legacy. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) gloated in 2014, “one of the most profound changes this Congress made was filling the bench” with Obama’s appointments of federal judges. He went on: “This will affect America for a generation, long after the internecine battles on legislative issues are forgotten.”… Continue Reading

Christians were the most persecuted religious group in the world in 2016, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Studies on New Religions, based in Turin, Italy.

The report said that 90,000 Christians were killed last year, of which 30% were killed by Islamists. The rest were killed by state and non-state persecution around the world, including in North Korea.… Continue Reading

Written by Michael F. Haverluck

A recent survey found that approximately nine in 10 members in the incoming United States Congress proclaim themselves to be Christian.

According to the latest findings published by the Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life division, Christians form the overwhelming majority of the 115th Congress, as 90.7 percent of them identify themselves as Christians.

Congress keeping the faith…

This number, however, has not fluctuated much over the years, as Pew reports that comparing the figures with those of five decades ago, today’s percentage is not that far off.… Continue Reading

Operation Rescue recently announced that the recipient of the 2016 Pro-Life Person of the Year Malachi Award is U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) for her work as Chairman of the U.S. House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives.

The Malachi Award is given by Operation Rescue every year to recognize individuals who sacrificially work to advance the cause of protecting the pre-born.

“Operation Rescue is grateful to Chairman Marsha Blackburn for her courageous willingness to investigate the shadowy illegal underworld of trafficking in aborted baby remains by Planned Parenthood and others.… Continue Reading

We hope your days and weeks leading up to Christmas Day have been filled with opportunities for rich worship and contemplation of the enormity of what Jesus Christ’s first coming means to you in this life and what His second coming will mean for you in eternity.  Such reflection may be aided by thoughtful reading of Scriptures and devotionals that speak of the Lord’s Advent, joyful singing of carols and hymns that tell of the hope that we have in Emmanuel, God with us, as well as prayers of gratitude and praise that in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son.… Continue Reading

Written by Aaron Bandler

Facebook has decided to clamp down on the supposed epidemic of fake news by appointing an assortment of “fact-checkers” to vet their news feed.

The problem is that these fact-checkers — PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, Snopes, Associated Press and ABC News — are all slanted to the left and have a bad habit of inserting their progressive opinions into “fact-checks” instead of simply being objective.

Here are 11 of the worst “fact-checks” by the five Facebook fact-checkers.… Continue Reading

Censoring conservative voices from social media.

Written by Daniel Greenfield

Remember when Hillary Clinton won a landslide victory? The fake news media which predicted it in order to depress pro-Trump voter turnout certainly does. And so they’re out to fight “fake news.”

By fake news, they don’t mean their own raging torrent of misinformation and lies.

The media has gone to war against Facebook. While various supporters have blamed Hillary’s loss on everything from the FBI to internalized misogyny, the media has decided that Facebook is to blame.… Continue Reading

Written by Ben Shapiro

All black people are leftists.

Clarence Thomas is not a leftist.

Therefore, Clarence Thomas is not black.

So goes the logic at the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum. According to The Weekly Standard, Thomas is nowhere to be found in the museum. One of only two black Supreme Court justices in American history, and perhaps the court’s finest modern thinker – yes, even better than Justice Antonin Scalia, whose insistence on stare decisis marred the consistency of his originalism.… Continue Reading

Written by Robert Knight

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld Ohio’s election reform law, but liberal courts have struck down voter photo ID laws in other states such as North Carolina and North Dakota and watered-down photo ID laws in Texas and Wisconsin.

Federal judges also have vacated statutes in Alabama, Georgia and Kansas that permitted states to require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. The media and prominent Democrats cannot hide their delight.… Continue Reading

“Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance.”
~Barack Hussein Obama

Written by Matt Barber

Isn’t it about time we crusade for self-defense?

I’ll say it again. Political correctness is a barrier to truth and a pathway to tyranny.

It’s also deadly.

As I beheld across my social media feeds Thursday night, the horrific, blood-bathed images of 84-plus slaughtered innocents on the streets of Nice, France (at the hands of yet another Muslim named Mohamed), I was reminded of a quote by the great Winston Churchill: “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last.”… Continue Reading

Written by Suzanne Shattuck

Not only has Obama essentially issued a stand down order to our entire federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies when dealing with the increasing Islamic war occurring on American soil, but he implies a passive response from all Americans as he would have us lay down our arms in response to an attack.

With every passing Islamic jihadi attack, he proves the only position he expects from us all is to submit to Islam and take the violence they dish out as discipline for our overly Islamophobic responses to their peaceful culture and our freedom to own and use guns to protect ourselves.… Continue Reading

Sanctimonious Lawmakers Lecture Soverign Officials While Springfield Burns

Written by Monte Larrick and David E. Smith

Illinois is on the brink of bankruptcy, yet dozens of Illinois state senators found time to criticize the public policies of other states. Instead of passing a balanced budget, finding ways to reduce our deficit, cutting out-of-control spending, making Illinois more job-friendly, and fixing the overwhelming pension problem, our state senators are making out-of-state bathroom policies a priority.

Senate Resolution 1752 (SR 1752) passed by 32-14, the last day of the scheduled session. … Continue Reading

As you know, both political parties in Illinois decide the content of their political platforms at their state conventions, which are held every four years. This year in Illinois, the Convention is being held in Peoria on Saturday, May 21^st.

Rumor has it, that the platform may be altered to redefine the traditional marriage statement. Language could be inserted that would redefine marriage to reflect more of a nuclear family, rather than the traditional language.… Continue Reading

Written by Micah Clark

The media’s impact upon society has always interested me.  I think the media has enormous power shaping public opinion and they take great pride in that power.  There seems to be little doubt that the former reality TV star and businessman Donald Trump knows this too. He seems to have successfully tailored his rhetoric and campaign around it.

Recently, Donald Trump has really profited from claims of a rigged system, and he’s profited from the rigged system itself. … Continue Reading

Written by Napp Nazworth

Andrew Koppelman is a gay law professor.

William Saletan is a liberal writer for Slate.

Peter Tatchell is a LGBT activist.

All three of them are more supportive of religious freedom for Christians than John Kasich.

For all the talk about the Republican presidential candidate and Ohio governor being a “moderate,” Kasich is an extremist, more akin to President Barack Obama, on religious freedom.

“I think frankly, our churches should not be forced to do anything that’s not consistent with them.… Continue Reading

Written by Robert Knight

Ever wonder how Bernie Sanders’ brand of “democratic socialism” differs from socialism in general, which has wreaked havoc all over the world?

The short answer is: only by degree.  Progressives of all stripes work to establish “equality” by empowering governments. The difference is their place on the axis of forced egalitarianism.

Like other democratic socialists, the Vermont Democrat rejects communism, National Socialism (Nazis), fascism and other variants as anti-democratic.  The democratic socialists insist that they can preserve human liberties while forcing everyone into communal economic arrangements. … Continue Reading

Click HERE to download this sheet (PDF)

Check out ILVoterGuide.com for other federal and state races.

Click HERE for a list of  our endorsed candidates.

Follow us on Twitter: @ILfamilyaction
Like Us on Facebook!… Continue Reading

By Monte Larrick

We are proud to endorse Sharee Langenstein for Illinois Senate in the 58th Senate District in southern Illinois. Learn more about all the candidates running for the Illinois General Assembly at ILVoterGuide.com

… Continue Reading

“Mr. President, there is a reason the American people are fed up with Washington. There is a reason the American people are frustrated. The frustration is not simply mild or passing or ephemeral. It is volcanic.” ~U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Written by Kathy Valente and David E. Smith

Please set some time aside to watch the video embedded below to hear how U.S. Senator Ted Cruz exposes the Republican controlled House and Senate in Washington D.C.  … Continue Reading

Click HERE to download a flyer for this great event.

Click HERE to watch the 4 minute trailer.

Click HERE for a map to this location.

For more information, call the IFA office at (708) 781-9371… Continue Reading

Click HERE for a map to this location. 

For more information, call the IFA office at (708) 781-9371… Continue Reading

Written by John Biver

The news on the ground here in Illinois is that in 2016 we’re going to see more of the same. The state party, big Republican Party donors, and the failed political consultant class plans to execute the same losing strategy as they have in past elections. The only change this time will be that more money will be spent than in previous years on all of the tried and true ineffective methods.… Continue Reading

Written by Victor Davis Hanson

Barack Obama entered office in 2009 with overwhelming popular goodwill and solid majorities in both houses of Congress. He chose not to translate that political heft into passing “comprehensive immigration reform” (i.e., open borders and amnesties) or more gun control.

He opposed gay marriage. He warned that he could not use presidential fiats to grant amnesty, close down Guantanamo, or remake the EPA in his own image. He borrowed as never before, in vain hopes of kick-starting a natural recovery that he would soon abort through his own anti-business jawboning, more regulations, growth in government, and tax increases.… Continue Reading

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
~Luke 22:21-32

Things haven’t changed that much in the past 2000 years.  Jesus warned Simon Peter, and prayed for Simon Peter.  He could be saying it to me … or you.

It is very clear to me, we are being thrown into the air like grains of wheat. … Continue Reading

Written by Jeffrey Jones

Americans’ party preferences are closely divided, with 43% identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic and 41% identifying as Republicans or leaning Republican. The parties have been essentially tied since August, representing a shift from months prior when Democrats had the party affiliation advantage.

The results are based on Gallup Daily tracking interviews with approximately 15,000 Americans each month. Gallup asks Americans to say whether they identify politically as a Republican, an independent or a Democrat.… Continue Reading

Written by Jonathan Keiler

When President Barack Obama emphatically declared, in the wake of the recent Oregon shooting, that he intended to politicize his campaign to implement “common sense gun control” (which in his mind means Australian-like confiscation) my mind turned to a man most unlike Obama, the Greek philosopher Socrates. Socrates died because his fellow citizens politicized everything, and did not recognize individual liberties. So when Obama calls on Americans to politicize “gun control” he is deliberately and mischievously using the language of democracy to promote tyranny, just as Athenian “democrats” tyrannized their nation two millennia ago.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

TONIGHT, starting at 7:30, Illinois Family Action will host a special webinar meeting to discuss the need to recruit conservative precinct committeeman with DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan.  This elected position is extremely important.

IMPORTANT:  Before joining the webinar, you will need to install the Zoom software on your computer.  Click HERE to download that ahead of time.

• How: To join from a PC, Mac, iOS or Android: Click HERE or call in at (646) 558-8656.

Written by John Zmirak

Watching the Democrats debate Tuesday night, my first reaction was the obvious one: Dear God, half of my fellow citizens broadly agree with these maniacs — and some of them are operating airplanes I might have to fly on. I really don’t want my life in the hands of people who think that money comes out of thin air, that vast federal programs are the answer to every American’s day-to-day dilemmas, that making tuition free will improve our educational standards … the list of rotted ideas and failed policies goes on and on.… Continue Reading

Written by Gary L. Bauer

Beyond Bernie Sanders‘ defense of socialism, two telling moments really stood out to me. Anderson Cooper asked the candidates, “Which enemy are you most proud of?” Lincoln Chafee said coal companies. Martin O’Malley said the NRA. Bernie Sanders said Wall Street.

Hillary Clinton said Iranians and, of course, Republicans. But when did she make Iran an enemy? As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton started the secret talks that led to the nuclear deal, which she supports.… Continue Reading

In a recent interview, Florida Governor Jeb Bush implied that he was following Mitt Romney’s 2012 playbook. Asked about his current standing in the race, Bush said, “What happens in October is completely irrelevant. Ask me how it is going in January.”

The thinking goes like this: In 2008 and 2012, the establishment candidates initially struggled, but eventually overpowered their lesser known, underfunded conservative challengers.

Jeb Bush, clearly the establishment’s choice in 2016, is following this model.… Continue Reading

An ongoing point of contention in the Republican Party has been the extent to which clear identification with traditional Judeo-Christian values is a good idea.

My sense is that, when we add to the equation the growing impact of non-white voters, standing strongly for these traditional values — which would put Republicans in stark contrast to Democrats — would be a win-win for Republicans.

My organization, CURE, just convened a meeting in Washington, DC, of 25 black pastors from around the country, each with an average congregation size of about 1,000, to discuss ideas and policy.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

On Thursday, October 15th, Illinois Family Action will host a special webinar meeting to discuss the need to recruit conservative precinct committeeman.  This elected position is extremely important.  Unfortunately, a majority of precinct committeeman positions remain vacant.

Join me and DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan to learn about becoming a precinct committeeman in your neighborhood.

The old adage is true, “all politics are local.” And the precinct committeeman is the most direct contact point for the voters in your neighborhood.… Continue Reading

Written by Lloyd Marcus

Mary and I just returned home to Florida after visiting family and old friends in South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. Dinner conversations took the term “low-info-voter” to an entirely new level. While a few friends and relatives were politically well informed, the majority were shockingly clueless.

Our family and friends are well aware that my wife Mary and I are political activists and members of the Tea Party.… Continue Reading

Written by Robert Knight

According to the experts, much of the Millennial generation is besotted with the candidacy of Bernie Sanders. Note: Millennials are the largest voting bloc by age.

Born between 1981 and 2000, and mostly in their 20s and early 30s, many Millennials are showing up at rallies of the self-proclaimed “Democratic Socialist” U.S. senator from Vermont and cheering his diatribes against “the billionaire class.”

Like the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers before them, many Millennials are highly educated.… Continue Reading

Full disclosure: As goes election 2016, I’m decidedly not in the Donald Trump camp. To compare Trump to Ronald Reagan, as some have done, is like comparing a Hostess Ding Dong to a seven course meal at Osteria Francescana. Though each may please the palate, the latter offers both substance and sustenance, while the former, a quick endorphin fix and empty calories.

Trump is no conservative. He’s a big-government, tax-and-spend liberal who has spent most his life supporting Democrats and Democratic causes.… Continue Reading

Written by Chad Groening and Billy Davis

Media Research Center reports that 32 of the 73 questions questions either were directed to – or were a reference to – Donald Trump.

Dan Gainor, vice president of MRC Business, says there are several reasons for CNN’s obsession with Trump.

“One of them is ratings,” Gainor says. “Look, they’re a business. They certainly want to get good ratings.”

In fact, CNN posted its best ratings ever – for any of its shows – during the three-hour debate.… Continue Reading

Written by Chad Groening & Billy Davis

“John Boehner needs to step down rather than be forced out of office. He’s done a terrible job as Speaker,” says Phil Burress, chairman of Citizens for Community Values.

Burress lives in Boehner’s congressional district, the 8th District, which Boehner has represented since 1991. He has served as Speaker since 2011.

Burress shared his views with OneNewsNow as news came this week that some Republicans in the House are again opposing Boehner’s re-election as Speaker.… Continue Reading

Written by Tim Jones

Shattered Consensus: The Rise and Decline of America’s Postwar Political Order by James Pierson may be one of the best books ever written on American political history.  It traces the evolution of both political parties from the aftermath of World War I to the present.  What is especially interesting is how, following the death of John F. Kennedy, the Democratic Party turned away from traditional liberalism, when Democrats still believed in American exceptionalism.  … Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

At a National Press Club event in Washington D.C. on Thrusday, Louisiana Governor and GOP presidential candidate Bobby Jindal took on billionaire and GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump.

Gov. Jindal began his statements saying, “I want to say what everyone is thinking about Donald Trump but is afraid to say.”  Jindal went on to say, “He is shallow, there is no substance. He doesn’t know anything about policy, he has no idea what he is talking about.… Continue Reading

Written by Patrick Rucker

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, a self -described socialist, has opened a nine-point lead over fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton among party supporters in New Hampshire, according to an NBC News/Marist Poll released on Sunday.

The survey showed that 41 percent of Democratic voters would back Sanders while 32 percent would cast a vote for Clinton if the poll were held today and Vice President Joe Biden were on the ballot.

Support for Biden, who has yet to decide whether to run after the death of his son Beau in May, was at 16 percent.… Continue Reading

… Continue Reading

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University just completed a study of the financial health of each state in the country. Considering debt, pensions, and health-care costs, they’ve ranked them in order of fiscal solvency.

Here is a map showing the overall ranking of the states [click on the maps to zoom]:

The rankings are based on relative economic stability based upon five separate categories:

1. Cash Solvency – Can the state cover short term bills?

Written by Dr. Susan Berry

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) will honor former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with this year’s Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center. The award will be presented to Clinton on September 10th, the eve of the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on the United States mission in Benghazi that killed four Americans.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that Bush, a potential GOP contender in the 2016 presidential race, is chairman of the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center located in Philadelphia.… Continue Reading

After 11 years of hiding and hinting, the real Barack Obama is back.

The guy who spent twenty years listening to Reverend Jeremiah Wright preach the gospel of racial hostility has decided it is just too much trouble to keep his black-on-white resentment all bottled up.

So the president put it on full display last week at the eulogy for the pastor who was a victim in the Charleston mass murder.

And what we saw was quite a bit different than the fresh-faced, new-vision, ‘put race behind us’ guy who electrified the country with his speech to the Democrat National Convention in 2004.… Continue Reading

Written by William Sullivan

We all know the famous Republican Jeb! (as his campaign seems eager to avoid use of his last name and believes an exclamation point will get people excited about him, I’ll indulge that wish) who is now an immediate heavyweight in the Republican primary after his long-expected announcement for president.

But don’t let the R that often makes its way in front of his name fool you.  Jeb! loves lots of things that Democrats and big government progressives love.… Continue Reading

Written by John Biver

The Old Testament book of Proverbs (chapter 29 verse 18) reads: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” There is an amazing lack of vision among Republicans and conservatives about what is possible in America today. Despair and pessimism reign. Instead of searching out the potential for changing things, too many on the political right spend their time bemoaning the sad state of affairs.

It is the opinion of this writer that our side needs to quit the whining and do what previous generations have always had to do: buck up and do what is necessary to make improvements.… Continue Reading

Written by Aaron Goldstein

Yesterday officially marked the entry of Jeb Bush into the 2016 Republican presidential race. Although the former Florida governor has instant name recognition and vast resources, they will not be enough for Republicans to pick him as their nominee for the White House. I believe this to be so for the following five reasons.

1. Illegal Immigration is Act of Love

At a town hall meeting in April 2014, Bush told Shannon Beam of the Fox News Channel the following about illegal immigration, “Yes, they broke the law, but it’s not a felony.… Continue Reading

Written by Gary L. Bauer

Forty-eight hours after Hillary Clinton relaunched her presidential campaign, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush formally declared his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. (The governor began speaking moments ago and I’ll comment on his remarks tomorrow.)

The last time America faced a choice between Bush and Clinton was 1992. Anyone excited about a decades-old redo?

That question may dog both of the presumed party frontrunners. As CNN noted today:

“A 2016 campaign between Bush and Clinton would undoubtedly be clouded by questions about legacy, nepotism and the vitality of a political system seemingly dominated by a pair of powerful families with close ties to wealthy elites in Washington and on Wall Street .

Written by John Biver

In his 1975 speech to CPAC Ronald Reagan said:

Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?

Forty years of work by conservative thinkers, think tanks and issue advocacy organizations from coast to coast have provided more than enough intellectual ammunition to accomplish the raising of that banner of bold colors on every issue.

Written by Ben Howe

Politico says that Scott Walker is having a “crisis of faith” because social conservatives are questioning his bona fides.  Showing their ignorance of what “social conservatism” actually is, they quoted a lot of evangelicals and mentioned over and over how it was surprising he would have this problem given that he mentions God a lot.   You know, because that’s the criteria. Hold your hand up, say God led you, and the social conservatives will stop drooling on the floor long enough to scream “UNDER GOD!”… Continue Reading

Written by Frank Newport

Mike Huckabee’s official entrance into the Republican race for president this week underscores the importance of a particular segment of the Republican population — highly religious Protestant voters. Often called evangelicals, this segment is clearly the key target for Huckabee’s campaign. Huckabee attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, is a former Baptist minister, and as was the case in 2008, he clearly perceives this religious background to be a particular strength.… Continue Reading

And willing to say just about anything.

Written by Daniel Halper

The Republican National Committee released a web video this week that frames the Clintons as out of touch with everyday Americans. Another theme of the Republican ad is that the Clintons are willing to say just about anything, regardless of the facts.

The ad highlights remarks made recently by former President Bill Clinton.

Watch the 30-second spot here:

The ad opens with text reading: “The Clintons are out of touch with working Americans.”… Continue Reading

Written by Kate Scanlon

A bill has been passed by the New Hampshire state Senate that would require voters to reside in the state for 30 days before becoming eligible to vote.

Senate Bill 179 was passed by the Republican-controlled state Senate in a party-line vote, and is currently in committee in the House.

New Hampshire law currently permits same-day voter registration. The legislation would amend the way the state defines “domicile” to require that a voter reside in the Granite State for “no less than 30 consecutive days” before they become eligible to cast a ballot.… Continue Reading

Jeb drops to 5% in latest Iowa poll.

Written by Michael Warren

A new Quinnipiac poll of likely Iowa Republican presidential caucusgoers finds Wisconsin’s Scott Walker in front of the GOP pack with 21 percent support and a 9-point advantage over his closest primary opponents. That’s down from 25 percent and a 12-point lead in Quinnipiac’s February poll, but Walker remains ahead of his Republican rivals, with senators Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, all huddled together behind the Wisconsin governor.… Continue Reading

Written by IllinoisReview.com

According to Roll Call, Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly met with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee about a possible U.S. Senate bid against Mark Kirk, who is considered the most vulnerable senator in 2016.

If Kelly, who is black, enters the race, she’d face a primary against fellow Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, who entered the race a month ago. Democrats say Duckworth, who is disabled, offers a real challenge to Kirk, who is also disabled after a stroke in 2012.… Continue Reading

Could Bernie Sanders show Elizabeth Warren
how to beat Hillary Clinton?

Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, an avowed independent Socialist, has decided to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, and if nothing else his presence will be entertaining. He has no chance of winning, but he could prove instructive for voters as a demonstration of where the American political left wants to go.

The 73-year-old second-term U.S. Senator from the country’s most liberal state, and former mayor of Burlington, is sincere about his progressive politics.… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Medved

In the rocky roll-out of her campaign, Hillary Clinton has listed four goals for her presidency: expanding opportunity for the middle class, strengthening families and communities, confronting foreign threats, and somehow breaking the connection between money and politics. “We can fix our dysfunctional political system and get unaccountable money out of it once and for all,” she promises, “even if that takes a constitutional amendment.” This last announced goal represents a cynical bid to deflect attention from the big money that Hillary herself has pocketed by exploiting her power and prominence; the Clintons have accumulated at least $140 million since leaving the White House.… Continue Reading

Written by Dr. Michael Brown

It is now the “gotcha” question being asked to every Republican presidential candidate: Would you attend a same-sex ‘wedding’ ceremony?”

Rick Santorum said no, since it would be a violation of his faith.

Marco Rubio said yes, even though he disagrees with it as a Catholic, just as he disagrees with divorce and remarriage, but he would attend rather than hurt someone he loves.

Scott Walker said he had previously attended a same-sex “wedding” reception but stated that marriage was the union of a man and a woman.… Continue Reading

Written by Professor Robert George

Dred Scott v. Sandford was the infamous case in which the Supreme Court of the United States, usurping the constitutional authority of the people acting through their elected representatives in Congress, purported to deny the power of the United States to prohibit slavery in the federal territories. It is very much worth recalling that Dred Scott was not just a case about slavery. It was a case about the scope and limits of judicial power.… Continue Reading

Written by Jed Babbin

She’s as charming as a bulldozer at full throttle. It’s hard to explain why she’s not the second coming of Richard Nixon or a female version of Vito Corleone. But here she is, again, running for the presidency, again.

We’re told her nomination is inevitable. But as former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley said, a candidate is inevitable until she’s not. She’s one of the most qualified people ever to run for president so she doesn’t need to be vetted, her pals in the media tell us.… Continue Reading

Written by Cliff Kincaid

Robert R. Reilly, author of the highly controversial (and suppressed) book, Making Gay Okay, says the capitulation of the Republicans to the homosexual lobby seemed to begin under President George W. Bush, when General Peter Pace was hung out to dry for expressing his view that homosexuality is immoral. That was in 2007.

Pace, who also condemned adultery at the same time, “was not backed up by anyone in the Bush Administration,” including the president, Reilly noted.… Continue Reading

Written by Frank Newport

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the 44-year-old Canadian-born Texan who is now just in his third year as a U.S. senator, announced during a speech earlier this week at Liberty University in Virginia that he is running for his party’s nomination for president. He thus has the distinction of being the first major candidate from either party to announce an official candidacy. Cruz said in his announcement today, “I believe in the power of millions of courageous conservatives rising up to reignite the promise of America, and that is why today I am announcing that I’m running for president of the United States.”… Continue Reading

Written by Spencer Irvine

We’re glad to know that the American people recognized how bad this could be, hiding government e-mails on a private server without oversight, and it was reflected in a recent CBS poll. Her favorability ratings have gone down to 26%, which is not a good thing for a presidential campaign that hasn’t officially started.

This article was originally posted at the Accuracy in Media website.

… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

Yesterday afternoon, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced that he will mount a bid for president of the United States.  The announcement makes Cruz the first Republican to declare candidacy for 2016.

Cruz is a favorite Tea Party members because he has routinely challenged the GOP establishment.  He is also a favorite of pro-life advocates and other social conservatives who want political leaders who are willing to uphold the true definition of marriage.… Continue Reading

A retired doctor who worked for the state for less than five years is now collecting a pension of more than $150,000 per year.

Critics said it’s a perfect example of why Illinois’ pension system is broke. However, the doctor is firing back saying don’t blame the retirees getting the money.

“I feel blessed. I don’t feel as though I’ve milked the system or anything like that,” said Dr.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

In a sanctimonious and dramatic way, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin recently took to the Senate floor to attack Republicans for holding up the nomination of Loretta Lynch as U.S. Attorney General, saying:

And so, Loretta Lynch, the first African-American woman nominated to be attorney general, is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the Senate calendar.  That is unfair. It’s unjust. It is beneath the decorum and dignity of the United States Senate.

Written by Michael Gryboski

A previously bipartisan U.S. Senate bill meant to combat human trafficking is now being blocked by Democrats over an abortion funding provision.

Senate Democrats have threatened to block Senate Bill 178 over a provision added by Republicans regarding abortion funding.

“Republicans cast this as a routine extension of the so-called Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal funds for abortions except in limited circumstances,” reported Fox News.

“But Democrats said the legislation would mark a significant expansion since it applies to personal funds paid in fines.”… Continue Reading

Written by Russ Strewart

“Not Rahm.” “Anybody But Rahm.” “Any Alderman Who Is Not A Stooge For Rahm.” Those were the clear victors in the Feb. 24 municipal election.

Chicago’s heretofore esteemed mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has been absolutely, totally, completely humiliated. His gargantuan ego has shriveled. The scope and size of his rejection is breathtaking.

Chicago has 1,421,430 registered voters and a population of 2,695,598. On Feb. 24 in the nonpartisan mayoral election, 472,126 people voted.… Continue Reading

Written by IllinoisReview.com

Written by IllinoisReview.com

Former Republican congressman and conservative radio host Joe Walsh says he’s “seriously looking into” a primary challenge to U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk next year. He told Illinois Review he will decide within the next two months.

Citing Kirk’s lack of support for Jim Oberweis’ 2014 challenge to Dick Durbin, Walsh told the Daily Herald: “As far as I’m concerned, he [Kirk] left the Republican Party.”

The usual political pontificators speculate that Walsh is merely looking to boost ratings, and will ultimately not run.… Continue Reading

Written by Chad Groening

Will conservative voters be looking for someone with previous political experience to head the GOP presidential ticket in 2016 – or will they be looking for a fresh face?

In a recent compilation of polls by RealClearPolitics, Jeb Bush – the former Florida governor – continues to be the front runner, with almost 16 and half percent of Republican respondents. But several polls, including one in New Hampshire and one in Iowa, had Bush trailing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who has substantial momentum coming out his re-election in November.… Continue Reading

Written by David Harsanyi

If you want to spend your life nursing grievances, you will never run out of grievances to nurse, regardless of what color your skin is. It’s clear that Barack Obama and Eric Holder have chosen to nurse their grievances and look for opportunities for “payback.”

Written by Thomas Sowell

In his recent trip to India, President Barack Obama repeated a long-standing pattern of his — denigrating the United States to foreign audiences. He said that he had been discriminated against because of his skin color in America, a country in which there is, even now, “terrible poverty.”… Continue Reading

Written by John Biver

If you’re to the right politically, aghast at what the Obama Administration is doing, and frustrated with the gross ineffectiveness of elected and non-elected Republicans who haven’t been using the power at their disposal, you’re a member of a growing club.

Like a lot of clubs, though, this one is, as of yet, still mostly consisting of complainers and protesters instead of people involved in constructive political action. Sure, there are many conservatives volunteering time and donating money to elect better people.… Continue Reading

Written by David Limbaugh

I am concerned that certain Republicans just can’t take yes for an answer. To borrow an old adage, they can’t handle prosperity — with prosperity being defined as the voters rejecting Obama’s agenda (and thereby embracing theirs).

This is partly because of the fact that many grass-roots conservatives mistakenly believe that their only obstacle to moving a conservative agenda forward in Washington is the so-called Republican establishment — GOP centrist politicians and their institutional supporters.… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Medved

Hillary Clinton’s status as a wealthy celebrity will make it difficult for her to deploy the populist narrative that helped Democratic nominees win the popular vote in five out of the last six presidential elections. How can a woman who boasts a net worth of at least $21 million and hobnobs almost exclusively with well-heeled financial titans and movie stars, plausibly denounce Republicans as the party of the rapacious rich while portraying Democrats as defenders of the downtrodden?… Continue Reading

POLITICO has run a piece citing various claims that President Obama is a practicing Christian of some sort. Nice try. But the article is entirely unconvincing.

Obama isn’t prevented from going to a Christian church and doesn’t cite security reasons for not attending. Instead, he “worries that his presence detracts from other worshippers’ experience,” the publication said. We are told he reads scripture and prays in private.

In 2008, when he first ran for president, the Obama campaign insisted he was a “committed Christian.”… Continue Reading

Written by J. Matt Barber

I am no longer a Republican. John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and their Democrat-lite, RINO Republican establishment have seen to that. They have betrayed their own constituents. They have actively turned against the American people – the very voters who granted them power to do good.

Even before the gavel has sounded on the Republican-led 114th Congress, these treacherous cowards shamelessly, eagerly, it seems, squandered perhaps the one opportunity they had to stop, in his tracks, America’s first cultural Marxist, anti-American, palpably evil president.… Continue Reading

Written by Daniel Halper

President Barack Obama quietly issued 12 pardons and 8 commutations late Wednesday afternoon, which happened to be one of the busiest news days of the year.

Here are the dozen folks pardoned:

The President granted pardons to the following twelve individuals:

• Roy Norman Auvil – Bartonville, IL

Offense:  Possession of an unregistered distilling apparatus; working a distillery on which the required sign is not placed (District of South Carolina)

Sentence:  Five years’ probation (Nov.

Written by Melissa Quinn

In his final move as majority leader, U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) ushered through a series of tax breaks that directly benefit residents of his home state of Nevada.

Called tax extenders, the package retroactively renews expired tax breaks, including a state sales tax deduction and the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act.

The U.S. Senate passed the tax bill 76-16 earlier this week—the last legislation it would vote on before the end of the 113th Congress and Reid’s tenure as majority leader.… Continue Reading

Written by Don Irvine

It’s been a rough year for Hillary Clinton on the sales front. First it was her book “Hard Choices” that failed to sell despite a massive P.R. campaign, and now, as Adweek reports, the June 16 issue of People Magazine, featuring Clinton on the cover, was the worst selling issue of the year.

The Clinton cover sold just 503,890 copies, which is well below the magazine’s average of 700,000-plus. The best-selling issue was a tribute to the late Robin Williams on August 25, which sold over one million copies.… Continue Reading

The state’s entrenched culture of cronyism is blindingly clear,
especially to those who report on it for a living.

Written by Brian Costin

As if Illinois’ illegal corruption problem wasn’t bad enough, a new Harvard University study ranks the state among the worst for “legal corruption” as well.

The study defines legal corruption as “the political gains in the form of campaign contributions or endorsements by a government official, in exchange for providing specific benefits to private individuals or groups, be it by explicit or implicit understanding.”… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Medved

If white racism counts as the primary cause for the painful problems of people of color then why do white people themselves lag behind some other racial groups in every measure of success and health?

Census figures show that “non-Hispanic whites” still comprise a big majority of the American population – some 63% according to the latest numbers. But there’s no statistical indication that this numerical advantage has resulted in a corresponding edge in achievement or well-being.… Continue Reading

Written by Chad Groening

An author and political activist says the Democratic Party is clearly controlled by far left-wing radicals who want to create a one-party state.

Recently The Washington Free Beacon obtained some unpublished correspondence between Hillary Clinton and 1960s-era left-wing radical Saul Alinsky. The letters revealed a close relationship between Clinton and Alinsky, who wrote Rules for Radicals, a controversial guide to the ends-justifies-means approach to power and wealth redistribution through community activism.… Continue Reading

The Loch Ness Monster is a “cryptid” — something rumored to exist but without actual proof. The Socialist Utopia of the progressives is a cryptid too. In his latest Firewall, Bill Whittle shows why Good Socialism, like the Loch Ness Monster, is a giant, air-breathing creature that (conveniently!) NEVER COMES UP FOR AIR.

 … Continue Reading

Written by Matt Barber

Judge Richard Posner, a federal judge with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, recently become a hero to the pro-”gay marriage” left when, by way of a “legal analysis” free from the troublesome constraints of logic, case precedent, biology, tradition and reality in general, he managed to somehow divine a long-hidden constitutional “right” for two dudes to get “married.” “How can tradition be a reason for anything?” an incredulous Posner demanded last month of attorneys defending marriage protection amendments in both Wisconsin and Indiana.… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Medved

The New York Times described a disappointing Washington rally for Democratic Senate candidates pushing the slogan, “America Needs a Raise.”

Only a few dozen attended the big event and the Times concluded: “The Democrats’ strategy of making an increase in the minimum wage a midterm election rallying cry has been drowned out by world events. The party continues to talk about it, but it appears that few are listening.”

While threats from ISIS, Ebola and Russia certainly dominate the news, the minimum wage was bound to flop as an election issue in any event.… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Medved 

Since her disastrous showing in the Iowa caucuses six years ago, Hillary Clinton has stayed away from the Hawkeye State—until a recent visit viewed by many as the unofficial kickoff of her new presidential campaign.

Speaking to more than 5,000 at a “Steak Fry” in Indianola, the former Secretary of State got by far her biggest applause with a ringing declaration that women deserve “equal pay and that means you should get equal pay for equal work.”… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Lucci

Illinoisans enjoyed a larger paycheck than their Iowa counterparts for 30 years – until 2012.

For the first time ever, the median household in Iowa surpassed its Illinois counterpart, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

If you lined up all households in order of income, the median household would be the one in the very middle. The middle income in Illinois has collapsed by $12,000 in the last 15 years, indicating that the state is hollowing out its middle class.… Continue Reading

Written by IllinoisReview.com

Written by IllinoisReview.com

Written by Russ Stewart

Illinois is an anomaly. It is “The Land of Lassitude.” Voters are passive, partisan and forgiving. In state government, there are no checks and balances to Democratic abuses, ineptitude and favoritism.

In any other state, when a governor is impeached, indicted, convicted and imprisoned, the party of that incumbent would be shamed, tarnished and ousted. Not in Illinois.

In any other state, when one party controls all the levers of government — governor, both houses of the state legislature and the supreme court — and that party fails to govern effectively, voters would hold them accountable and they would be ousted.… Continue Reading

Written by Hilary Gowins

The controversy surrounding Chicago’s red-light camera program just got even more interesting. A judge revealed he is dismissing tickets by the fistful while former key players in the program have been indicted on federal bribery charges.

Less than two weeks after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that the city will be reviewing more than 16,000 red-light camera tickets, a Chicago judge revealed that he has recently been dismissing as many as 70 percent of contested tickets.… Continue Reading

Written by James Simpson

Elections matter. President Barack Obama proves it every day as he willfully seeks to wreck our nation. But this is very evident elsewhere, too. The 2010 elections reversed decades of Democrat majority control in state houses. Since then, GOP governors and legislatures all over the country have been restoring sanity to state government. Most Americans don’t know this of course, because the media won’t tell you.

One good example is North Carolina.… Continue Reading

Written by Don Irvine

Despite increasing criticism from the mainstream media over how President Barack Obama has responded to the downed Malaysian plane and the latest conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, the White House remains defiant, arguing that his response has been appropriate.

Rather than issue a statement immediately after Malaysian flight MH17 was shot down by pro-Russian separatists while flying over Ukraine, Obama continued on with his planned events, which included grabbing a cheeseburger at The Charcoal Pit in Delaware and fundraisers in New York.… Continue Reading

Written by Charlie Butts

An expert on constitutional law says it’s apparent Barack Obama hasn’t learned his lesson from a recent Supreme Court decision.

On Monday President Obama issued an executive order requiring federal contractors to provide special protections for homosexuals, lesbians, and transgender people in the workplace. The order essentially implements the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) for federal contractors – legislation that Congress has failed to pass.

Matt Barber is vice president of Liberty Counsel Action and founder of Barbwire.com… Continue Reading

Written by IllinoisReview.com

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is not happy with a radio ad (

Written by Robert Knight

Hillary Clinton thinks it’s a “hard choice” to take a human life.

She wasn’t talking about soldiers facing combat, or what police do in showdowns with criminals. Or even what an armed homeowner might ponder for a split second during a break-in.

The former First Lady and former Secretary of State was talking about aborting unborn children, which she regards as merely a “choice,” albeit a “hard” one.

And why is it hard, if the baby is not – against all scientific evidence – a human being?… Continue Reading

Written by Pastor John Kirkwood

“Please explain in detail the activities at these prayer meetings. Also, please provide the percentage of time your organization spends on prayer groups as compared with the other activities of the organization.” – Internal Revenue Service

How often do your members pray? What is the nature of your prayers? The IRS posed these and other questions to certain tea party and religious groups who were seeking tax-exempt status. After the delays, the intimidation and the Stasi-like interrogation; many of the organizations just gave up.… Continue Reading

Protesters gather in front of Sullivan’s office late last year
to protest his support of marriage redefinition.

Written by David E. Smith

Despite promises to conservative members of the Illinois House Republican Caucus, Minority Leader Jim Durkin on Monday selected state Rep. Ed Sullivan, Jr. (R-Mundelein) to the Illinois House Republican Leadership Team. Representative Sullivan will take the spot left vacant by JoAnn Osmond who recently retired.

“Ed Sullivan has done a great job as one of our floor leaders and is always eager to help members of our caucus,” said Durkin.… Continue Reading

Written by IllinoiwReview.com

Written by Beth Rogers 

This is in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision involving Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, which have sincere religious objections to providing insurance coverage for items that can destroy a human life at its earliest stages.

These family-owned Christian businesses contended that the Affordable Care Act mandate violated its First Amendment right to freedom of religion.

For more than 40 years, the Green family of Hobby Lobby has run its business on Christian principles and sees the business as an extension of the family.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

In response to the recent Supreme Court decision in favor of Hobby Lobby,  Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that he will introduce a bill that “requires all corporations using this Supreme Court decision to deny or limit contraception services to disclose this policy to all employed and applicants for employment.” U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) also responded by promising that Democrats “will continue to fight to preserve women’s access to contraceptive coverage and keep bosses out of the examination room.”… Continue Reading

A new Gallup poll shows that Illinoisans are the most unhappy residents in the nation, with one out of two hankering to leave – and one out of five seriously planning to move out.

Why Illinoisans so unhappy?

The numbers show Illinoisans point to work/business and weather/location, followed by quality of life, as the top three reasons they want out.

In the same poll, Gallup asked state residents how likely it is they will move in the next 12 months.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

Bruce Rauner,  a venture capitalist from Winnetka, was asked asked by a reporter about his positions on the social issues:  same-sex marriage and abortion.  In the video below, Rauner dodges the question on same-sex marriage by saying that the issue should be put to the voters.  On the issue of abortion, Rauner doesn’t flinch: “I am pro-choice.”

It is hard to believe that any pro-life voter would consider supporting a candidate that supports the death and dismemberment of unborn children.… Continue Reading

Written by Nathan Cherry

Have you ever read a voter guide or perused a legislative scorecard? Maybe you are one of the many Americans that have helped with a voter registration drive because you believe every citizen should be involved in electing their lawmakers.

The question is does everyone have the right to perform these tasks?

Putting together a voter guide or organizing a voter registration drive seems fairly mundane. Few people or organizations bother with it because it’s a straightforward activity that leaves no room for subjective opinion.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

Treasurer Dan Rutherford is being accused of sexual harassment by a male employee in his office.  This same employee suggests that Rutherford has made unwanted sexual advances on other male employees in the Treasurer’s office as well. These allegations are deeply troubling and an indictment on his character, but Rutherford continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Yet, when considering that Rutherford voted as a state senator in 2005 to make homosexuality a civil right, then voted in 2010 to pass homosexual civil unions, and is on record saying he does not support a state marriage amendment — we are led to think that the unmarried Rutherford may not be completely forthcoming about his sexual proclivities.… Continue Reading

Written by Bob Unruh

Maybe the White House and the Internal Revenue Service have vastly different definitions of “smidgen.”

After all, in President Obama’s interview with Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly this past Sunday, he said there was “not even a smidgen of corruption” linked to the IRS practice of discriminating against conservative and Christian organizations by delaying their applications for tax-exempt status.

The scandal is one of several plaguing the Obama administration over the last year or so.… Continue Reading

Written by Dan Proft, IllinoisOpportunity.org

This week two Chicago Democrat politicians who are farther out over their skis than Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards ever was (I’ve got Winter Olympics fever) will tell us their version of the state of United States of America, and the state of the State of Illinois.

They will explain to us that with just a few structural tax increases, and a price control or two, we could be living in a modern Utopia not even H.G.… Continue Reading

Written by Doug Ibendahl

There’s a certain long-time best-seller out there which famously claims: “No man can serve two masters . . . Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Assuming that claim is true, Bruce Rauner strikes me as a guy who got in line for mammon, and then went back for seconds.

Full disclaimer here in the interest of not arousing the stable of attorneys Rauner Inc. likely has on retainer. I know absolutely nothing about Mr.… Continue Reading

For those of you that think human life is important you may want to take note of significant donations to political candidates from pro-death political action committees (PACs) as in the case of Amanda Mancke who is running to replace State Representative Tom Cross in the Plainfield area.

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Ms. Mancke received $2000 from Personal PAC Inc. who’s self proclaimed sole purpose is “To elect pro-choice candidates at state and local level”.… Continue Reading

Written by Matt Barber

In 2010 millions of American tea-party constitutionalists, to include the GOP’s Christian base, united in a remarkable grass-roots effort to rein in our unbridled federal government and return it to its expressly limited constitutional confines. As a result, an unprecedented number of counter-constitutionalist lawmakers (read: liberal Democrats) were swept from office.

The Obama administration wasn’t going to take this lying down. Whether it was by tacit approval or via direct order remains largely immaterial.… Continue Reading

From the IllinoisReview.com blog:

Just as the year end campaign fund drive closed for 2013, Illinois GOP gubernatorial primary candidate Bruce Rauner and his wife Diana each maxed out in the GOP treasurer’s primary race by writing $5300 checks to former House Minority Leader State Rep. Tom Cross (Plainfield).

MODERATOR: WLS Radio Host Dan Proft

Please join our panel at the 2014 Illinois Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Forum. This is a great opportunity to meet the candidates and learn more about their stances on important Illinois issues.

SPONSORS: Will County Republican Organization, Will County Tea Party Alliance, Homer TWP. Republican Organization, New Lenox TWP. Republican Organization, DuPage TWP.… Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

An Associated Press report claiming that the challenge to Illinois House incumbents who voted for marriage redefinition has fizzled is utterly misleading. According to our information, eight of the nine Chicago Democrats challenging Democratic incumbents would have voted no or present on SB 10, the same-sex “marriage” legislation sponsored by homosexual State Representative Greg Harris (D-Chicago).

This is an astounding fact that should not be lost on readers. Not one, not two, not three, but eight pro-marriage Chicago Democrats are challenging Democratic incumbents in the March 18, 2014 primary election.… Continue Reading

From IllinoisReview.com:

We don’t mean to brag, but a financial analysis done by the group 24/7 Wall Street finds that Illinois is NOT the worst run state in the nation. It found we’re the 3rd worst — and interestingly enough, the analysis also found we border the 3rd best run state in the nation.

Of course, ranking 48th out of 50 is nothing to brag about. State Rep. Bill Mitchell, a Republican from Forsythe, repeats many of the obvious problems the state faces.… Continue Reading

On Wednesday, November 20, 2013, the professed Catholic governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, signed a bill making same-sex marriage, or marriage between “two persons,” possible in the state.

Prior to Quinn’s signing the same-sex marriage bill, Francis Cardinal George condemned same-sex marriage in Illinois. The Cardinal said, “There will be consequences for the Church and society that will become clearer as the law is used to sue for discrimination.” He added that the new law is “bad law because it will contribute over the long run to the further dissolution of marriage and family life…”

Others have spoken out about the threat to society represented by same-sex marriage — some gay men among them. … Continue Reading

Written by David E. Smith

Last week, the Family Research Council (FRC) asked Illinois’s U.S. Senator Mark Kirk to apologize for his bigoted decision to cancel a Senate office building room reservation for the Rockford-based Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society after radical homosexual activists protested the event.

According to Sen. Kirk’s press secretary, Kirk cancelled the meeting because he “will not host groups that advance a hateful agenda.” And what is the “hateful agenda”?  … Continue Reading

This is ridiculous! Aren’t we tired of liberal cheer-leader Judy Barr Topinka? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have an honest liberal with a D after her name as Comptroller than radical liberal Republican [liar] like the one we have now. At least it will be truth in advertising!

I say we retire Topinka in November 2014 so she can get all the flowering experience she can for LGBTQ “weddings” in the years to come.  … Continue Reading

The Illinois-based Battleground Polling unveiled a new poll that shows over half of Illinois’ Republicans identify themselves as “conservative,” indicating key Illinois GOP leadership is out of touch with their base.

“The right, if it insists on its own ideology, depending on the issue, it’s either my way or the highway,” State Comptroller Judy Baar-Topinka, a longtime Republican leader, said on a talk show earlier this fall. “It could split the party in such a way that it could not come together for a victory.”