This edition of Spotlight features a Townhall event where former state rep Jeanne Ives and current State Rep John Cabello recapped the 2019 spring legislative session with an eye for the “bi-partisan” budget, gas tax, a pay raise for legislators, and other mind numbingly stupid laws only Illinois could conceive.
Spotlight
"They Got Everything They Wanted and More" (Illinois Family Spotlight #153)
Monte Larrick sat down with Illinois Family Institute’s lobbyist Ralph Rivera, and IFI’s contract lobbyist Mark Johnson following the adjournment of the most recent Illinois General Assembly session.
They discuss the new Illinois budget, a potential Illinois fair tax, SB 1564 and a pro-life version, financing taxpayer funded abortion, Illinois ratifying of the Equal Rights Amendment, when Illinois will attempt to legalize recreational marijuana, what the next attack on life might target, what Illinois might do with the US Supreme Court’s ruling about sports betting, and the vital importance of turning out to vote in the down ballot races.… Continue Reading
As one of those people who rarely watch our governor’s State of the State Address, Bruce Rauner’s speech on Wednesday reminded me why most people don’t bother. Much like his performance before the MUST-WATCH Chicago Tribune editorial board meeting, it was embarrassing. It was weak. It was silly. And it was predictable.
Illinois Republican voters can’t say they weren’t warned about Rauner. During the 2014 election cycle Doug Ibendahl, Laurie Higgins, and I wrote plenty of articles explaining why electing him was a mistake.… Continue Reading
John Biver, the Special Projects Manager for the Illinois Family Institute, joins Monte Larrick and David Smith to talk about the recent tax increase coming from Springfield.
The second half of the show, due to technical difficulties, had to be redone without Monte. However, Dave and John discuss statements made on the IPM (Illinois Public Media) podcast known as the 21st by Illinois state representative from the 110th district Reggie Phillips (R-Charleston) and former governor Jim Edgar (R-Illinois).… Continue Reading
On Monday, the Illinois News Network featured as its top story the above headline with this lead:
State Rep. Jeanne Ives blasted her Democrat colleagues in the Illinois House for removing her as chief sponsor of a Senate bill that would increase taxes on Illinoisans by $5.4 billion.
For the record, Illinois Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) is a staunch opponent of tax increases. So why in the world would she sponsor a tax increase?… Continue Reading
Illinois politicians are notorious for making deals in the middle of a crisis that end up being good for the political establishment but destructive for Illinois residents and taxpayers. It’s no coincidence that the author of the famous quote “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste” – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel – hails from Illinois.
Now Illinois is in the midst of its worst fiscal crisis ever, and yet another bad deal is on the horizon.… Continue Reading
Over the weekend veteran Chicago news reporter Bill Cameron had Pat Brady as a guest on his weekly program and podcast. Yes, that Pat Brady — the disgraced former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, who was hired by the radical ACLU to convince weak-kneed and malleable Republicans to vote for marriage redefinition in 2013. On Monday, a friend brought it to my attention in an email and asked:
“Why does Bill Cameron go to a disgraced Republican who was chased out as GOP chairman for a supposedly conservative reaction to Donald Trump’s first few months as POTUS?
A number of candidates for state representative have signed a pledge declaring they will not vote for Michael Madigan as Speaker of the House. In the first part of the show, Rep. Tom Morrison and guests state why voting against Madigan is so important for the future of Illinois. Afterword, John Biver (special projects coordinator at Illinois Family action) joins Monte and Dave to discuss Madigan, the pledge, and why fiscal reform is so desperately needed.… Continue Reading
| Benjamin D. Smith | 
July 2, 2019 4:00 AM | 
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