“Getting Involved” (Illinois Family Spotlight #002)

Monte Larrick and Dave Smith discuss Governor Bruce Rauner’s recent signing of SB 1564 and note how winnable some political battles are if only more of us stepped into the public square.  After detailing our civic responsibilities and why those duties are placed on citizens’ shoulders, Monte and Dave go over some ways we can impact our communities and our leaders.

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"Getting Involved" (Illinois Family Spotlight #002)

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Term Limits: While Not A Panacea, Quinn & Rauner Advance Worthy Proposals (Part 2)

Written by John Biver

Former Governor Pat Quinn, a fixture on the Illinois political scene for decades, has been on the statewide ballot many times, and also served as State Treasurer and Lt. Governor. Earlier this month, Reboot Illinois’ Matt Dietrich wrote this:

Before serving as governor from 2009 to 2015, Pat Quinn was known as a rabble-rousing reformer who, most famously, led a 1980 citizen initiative that cut the membership of the Illinois House by one-third.

Term Limits: While Not A Panacea, Quinn & Rauner Advance Worthy Proposals (Part 1)

Written by John Biver

Former governor Pat Quinn agrees with Bruce Rauner, the guy who made him a former governor, when it comes to term limits. While Rauner continues to press for term limits for state legislative and statewide offices, Quinn has launched an effort aimed at the City of Chicago’s mayor. More on those proposals later. First, a few comments on the issue itself.

Limiting the years a person can serve in important political offices isn’t new.… Continue Reading

Rich Miller Ignores Supermajority Reality to Demand Rauner Capitulate

Written by Eric Kohn

Rich Miller wants Bruce Rauner to surrender.

This has been a theme of Miller’s since shortly after Rauner was inaugurated.  [Recently] in a guest column at Reboot Illinois, he used the loss of two high profile Rauner-backed primary candidates to renew his call.  Miller begins with this sentence:

It’s almost impossible to make a deal with somebody who won’t accept reality.

Let’s talk about reality.

Miller is correct that Rauner lost two races where he had made a significant investment.  … Continue Reading

Planned Parenthood’s Golden Boy

Written by John Kirkwood

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted;
the indifference of those who should have known better;
the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most;
that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
~Haile Selassie

When it comes to the voice of pro-life leaders and legislators in Illinois, it’s not a cat that’s got their tongue, it’s an 800-pound elephant named Bruce Rauner.… Continue Reading

For Honest Assessment of Chicago’s Financial Woes, Read Out-of-Town Papers

If you’re a close reader of the two Chicago metro dailies, you know both the Sun-Times and the Tribune are reluctant to talk much about Chicago’s dire financial situation. The one exception is when the union members in the press are trying to help the union candidate for mayor, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. Then, they’re quick to point out that Rahm Emanual is a rich guy, who hangs out with other rich guys like Gov. Bruce Rauner.… Continue Reading

37 State Lawmakers Decline Pensions While State Faces Unfunded Liability

Written by Scott Reeder

Four years ago, State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) walked into a state office and announced he didn’t want a pension.

“I got a blank look in response. The General Assembly has an incredibly generous pension plan, and I was told I was the first legislator to choose not to participate in more than 14 years. I guess I was a trend-setter because today one-fifth of the General Assembly doesn’t participate,” the Palatine Republican said.… Continue Reading

Steinberg Rings Usual Alarm that Spending Cuts “Will Only Hurt the Poor”

Written by John Jay

Liberal media pundits are up to their usual tricks by chastising proposed budget cuts as “hurting our most vulnerable” in typical boogeyman alarmist fashion.

Anytime a reformist finally gets elected to clean up a decades-long mess that’s been simmering in any state capitol, state bureaucrats and progressives dig in to resist any change of the status quo.

Step in the Chicago Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg:

Illinois was 50th out of 50 before.

“Spend-To-Stay” Alive and Well in Illinois

Written by Russ Stewart

Remember that old verity, you get what you pay for? Often, you don’t. In Illinois politics, however, you pay for what you get, and the candidate who pays the most is the candidate who gets.

Bruce Rauner is Illinois’ governor because during 2014 he raised $78,191,560 and spent $58,426,802. Roughly $25 million of his receipts came from his own pocket. Self-funding, in essence, bought him the governorship.

Rauner beat Pat Quinn 1,823,627 to 1,681,343, getting 50.3 percent of the vote and winning by a margin of a margin of 142,284 votes.… Continue Reading

Tuition Increases Only Support Bureaucracy

Written by Scott Reeder

Last week, Gov. Bruce Rauner proposed a budget that trimmed funding for state universities.

The reaction of university bigwigs?

Jack up tuition and protect the bureaucracy at all costs. And I mean at all costs.

Look no further than the comments Illinois State University President Larry Dietz made to WEEK TV news:

“Budget cuts at that level would have an impact on many areas of University operations and there are many issues on the table for discussion.