Is Illinois the Worst State in America?

May 1, 2014 - The Land of Lincoln is stinkin' in the minds of a lot of Illinois residents these days. Massive budget problems, high taxes, cold winters, over-regulation are among the reasons that half -- HALF -- of Illinois residents wish they could live in some other state.

"These findings are from a 50-state Gallup poll," says Gallup on their website, "conducted June-December 2013, which includes at least 600 representative interviews with residents aged 18 and older in each state. Gallup measured residents' interest in moving out of state by asking, "Regardless of whether you will move, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move to another state, or would you rather remain in your current state?"

Eager to Leave: The Chicago Tribune notes that Gallup "points out that Illinois has ranked at the bottom of recent polls gauging residents satisfaction with state taxes, state government and 'overall perceptions of how their state compares to others as a place to live'." About 19 percent of the polled Illinoisans "said they plan to move in the next 12 months, a rate that trailed only Nevada," said the Tribune.

The Facebook page "Illinois Sucks- Let's Move Out of State!" presents stories about the sad state of Illinois, along with brutally frank comments by those suffering there. "Enough of Illinois, and Chicago in particular," asks the page's authors. "Why do you continue to live there? The weather stinks, it's ugly, it's flat, the cost of living is high, the taxes are ungodly. The state government is broke, and so are the schools. The politicians and civic leaders are corrupt; the traffic is terrible. Major tax hikes are on the horizon to pay for the coming state pension bill. Not to mention the awful winters. In fact, I can't think of one good reason to live there. Stop complaining about much Illinois sucks- do something about it and vote with your feet!"

Also See:

• Which states have the most government taxing bodies? Reboot Illinois
• Illinois Emergency Management Agency fears the worst for budget Pekin Times
• Illinois Dems Drop Plans for Tax Surcharge, Progressive Income Tax Heartlander
• Illinois sucks life out of small business Illinois Watchdog
• Why Illinois Is Going Bankrupt Time

You Can Stop The Illinois Monster Tax Hike

We can stop it.......The Democrats don't have the votes yet to pass their economy crushing, job killing, freedom stealing 75% tax increase. Governor Quinn, House Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton came to an agreement last week on the proposed tax increase, but they've been unsuccessful in convincing enough Democrat members of the House and Senate to support this man caused disaster. Here's what has taxpayers and businesses across Illinois looking up moving companies: Your personal state income taxes will go up by 75%, increasing to 5.25% of your income. State corporate tax rates will increase to 10.9%, making the taxes on Illinois businesses the highest in the industrial world. Cigarette taxes will go up by $1 to $1.98 per pack. Even if you're not a smoker, this will cause more people to cross the border into Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri to buy their cigarettes (and other products while they're there), costing the state more revenue. Keep in mind that Chicago is the state's largest border city. We have a structural budget gap in Illinois. The total budget gap is running at a staggering 40%, but the solution is not raising taxes by 75%. The only approach we can count on to solve Illinois' budget crisis is to stop spending. We need to tell our representatives that we want them to vote NO to tax increases, NO to more spending, NO to more borrowing and NO to new government programs. Let's keep the pressure on these people: There are three state representatives running for Chicago city office in February. They need to face the voters next month - we don't have to wait two years to send them a message at the ballot box. They are: Susana Mendoza (D-Chicago). Phone 217-782-7752. Fax 217-782-8917. Mendoza is running for Chicago City Clerk. Email her at staterepmendoza@gmail.com William Burns (D-Chicago). Phone 217-782-2023. Fax 217-782-8569. Burns is running for Alderman in the 4th Ward. Email him at repwillburns@att.net Harry Osterman (D-Chicago). Phone 217-782-8088. Fax 217-782-6592. Osterman is running for Alderman in Chicago's 48th Ward. Email him at hjo17@aol.com Click below to find the phone and email address of your own: State Representative or State Senator Don't know the name of your state represenative or state senator? Click here to find out. If we can stop Illinois Democrats from raising taxes by the end of the lame duck session on Tuesday, January 11, then it may not happen at all. Where you can find us: Chicago - Illinois - National

Schakowsky Urges Voter Intimidation

Chicago - October 19, 2010: In a speech last night at the communist-owned Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park (video, right), incumbent Jan Schakowsky urged fellow Democrats (video, below) to intimidate voters into supporting her and other candidates. She told a roomful of liberals that the message for campaign workers should be "I don't get off your doorstep until you get out to the polls and vote." Others present at the event included: Alderman Joe Moore (49th Ward); State Sen. Heather Steans (7th District); David Orr, Cook County Clerk; Alexi Giannoulias, Mob Banker; Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois; about 90 hypnotized voters.

Quinn's Costly New “Infrastructure” Project Threatens Small Businesses

A disturbing report from The Conservative Magazine of Illinois highlights not only the wasteful spending of Governor Pat Quinn, but also point out that the government wants to compete with small business owners that provide internet services. On September 18th, 2010, Governor Quinn announced the start of a state wide internet infrastructure program funded by both federal stimulus and state tax dollars. The program calls for installation of high-speed fiber-optic broadband infrastructure in nine Illinois counties, including LaSalle, Ogle, Lee, Whiteside, Jo Daviess, Carroll, Stephenson, Winnebago, and Boone. This single project will cost a total of $70 million, including $17 million from Illinois Jobs Now and $46 million from the Stimulus package. This pricy package is expected to create a whopping 485 jobs. This is just one of 17 different fiber-optic infrastructure projects planned for the state of Illinois, and is only a picture of what is happening in many other states simultaneously. “Investing in state-of-the-art information and communication networks is a great way to strengthen our economy,” Governor Quinn said. “Illinois has won over $240 million in federal broadband funding to date, funds that will connect Illinois homes and businesses, and put thousands of people back to work.” This project has been billed as internet service for rural areas. In reality, even in the most rural of areas, internet access can be obtained through satellite dish via private companies. There are multiple providers in this state who provide internet access through these means. It is also curious that Quinn has allotted $5 million in cash from the state budget for a similar project to be completed in the city of Chicago. While the grant money is currently going to a handful of individual companies and municipalities for installation, we are not currently aware of the strings that may be attached to this new service though its funding means. This huge project could potentially create a new internet service provider on the market -- the federal government. Calvin Coolidge said it best, "No plan of centralization has ever been adopted which did not result in bureaucracy, tyranny, inflexibility, reaction, and decline." Another disturbing thought: What will happen to the small business owners who currently provide internet access? Perhaps the worst detail of all is the fact that this project takes a pile of cash from an already in-the-red Illinois budget. The expected state contribution is $48 million. See the regional distribution breakdown: www2.illinois.gov/broadband/Pages/StateCommitmentsforRd2.aspx For more stories like this, subscribe to The Conservative Magazine at http://www.raisetherepublic.com/.

Pat Quinn's Tax Holiday - Good Idea, Bad Execution

Ask most Democrats about lowering taxes to help the economy and they'll roll their eyes and tell you that taxes are good and everybody ("especially the rich") need to pay more. Ask most Democrat state legislators in Illinois why they don't lower taxes to help the economy and you'll get a similar reaction. And yet, yet... Sometimes a temporary burst of sanity hits a Democrat square between his eyes. Illinois Governor Quinn, for example, who is currently touting a "sales tax holiday." Clout Street (Chicago Tribune) reported this on August 6 (my emphasis added): Gov. Pat Quinn today defended his push for a back-to-school sales tax holiday despite the cost to a state government that's badly in the red. The governor predicted that waiving the 5 percent state sales tax will result in more revenue for the state because it will entice more shoppers into stores. Once there, those shoppers will spend on items such as electronics and sports equipment that aren't covered by the tax holiday. More at Clout Street.... Gov. Quinn is correct, of course, but his stand on this only highlights his - and his party's - contradictions about taxes and their effect. Look, this "back-to-school sales tax holiday" is temporary. Now, if Quinn thinks that lowering taxes will (a) result in more revenue for the state because (b) it will "entice more shoppers" to shop, why can't he - and his party - understand that a permanent sales tax cut would do the same thing but for a much, much longer period of time? Furthermore, if Quinn is so cocksure that this will encourage people to buy more back-to-school merchandise, why is it so difficult for him - and his party - to grasp the reality that lowering the sales tax on other merchandise would similarly boost consumer spending and, thereby, sales tax revenues? Note that, unlike Quinn, I speak of "lowering" the sales tax, not "waiving it." I acknowledge the need for some taxation, but the level at which Illinois (and Chicago and Cook County) tax people on just about everything is over the top. What Quinn admits is that lower taxes spur higher levels of consumer purchases. What he does understand is that lowering those taxes significantly would have the same effect, and boost the state's tax revenues even more than his plan would. In addition, why not lower the sales tax on the non-school items that Quinn referred to? Sure, the tax holiday on school items would increase shopping by parents with kids in school. But is Quinn - and his party - really so ignorant as to think that all of them will also "spend on items such as electronics and sports equipment that aren't covered by the tax holiday?" What about the many people in the market for those items who are not shopping for back-to-school items? What's to entice them to buy electronics, sports equipment or anything else in Illinois rather than crossing the border? Gov. Quinn has the right idea in theory, but his plan to execute it is completely wrong. The fastest way to generate more tax revenue for virtually bankrupt Illinois is to lower the sales tax on all items and services. Don't even get me started on the income tax and the myriad number of fees that Illinois imposes on people. As I wrote here on July 13, this may seem counterintuitive, but makes perfect sense: Lower the taxes and suddenly more people can afford to buy more things. From the sales tax on a pack of gum, a washing machine or a condominium, part of the cost is taxes. Your real income is less because it, too, is taxed. When you raise taxes, people have less disposable income. They buy less or go to a neighboring city, county or state where the sales taxes are lower, or move there because the income tax is friendlier. This is simple, basic economics. Any kid running a lemonade understands that higher prices - whether they're higher because of taxes or not - result in fewer sales.

Tell Governor Quinn To Veto The Budget!

Americans for Prosperity-Illinois (AFPI) is urging people to contact Governor Pat Quinn and urge him to veto the lousy budget that the lazy state legislators dumped in his lap late last month. Joe Calomino, State Director of AFPI, sent out this action alert on Friday, June 18: On May 25, 2010, the Illinois General Assembly shirked their duties by passing an unbalanced budget - adding $3.7 billion in new debt that will be passed on to our children and grandchildren! This new debt adds to our current $13 billion deficit and doesn’t even begin to address the $80 billion plus in unfunded pension liabilities or the billions of dollars in unfunded Medicaid liabilities. The General Assembly’s decision to borrow against our future, in-lieu of making the tough choices, like where to cut costs and how to rein in spending, is akin to paying off a Master Card bill by charging it to a Visa Card. It’s irresponsible and incompetent! Instead of doing their job, the General Assembly chose to provide Governor Quinn with unprecedented powers that allows him to be the sole decision maker in charge of determining where and how to spend the state's $26 billion worth of appropriations and if he chooses where to cut costs. Really…has Governor Quinn displayed any ability to make the tough choices? Has Governor Quinn demonstrated any leadership ability or inclination that he desires to substantively cut spending? I think NOT! TAKE ACTION NOW- Click here to email Governor Quinn and tell him to veto the budget! Some in the General Assembly would like us to believe that their actions (actually it should be inactions) has protected the taxpayers from enacting tax increases. Don't believe it! If the General Assembly wanted to protect the taxpayer, they would have passed the many substantive taxpayer protection and reform bills that were either stalled in Rules Committees or were never allowed to be debated. Lawmakers skirted their responsibilities by refusing to take on the special interests groups that have been feeding at the taxpayers' trough for decades. Lawmakers failed to address the need for real reforms, passing a balanced and responsible budget and they failed to tell the special interest group NO! Instead, the General Assembly handed the ball to Governor Quinn asking him to do their job. This unbalanced budget has brought our state to the brink of bankruptcy and threatens our already weak economy. We can't afford failed leadership any longer. And we certainly can't afford this unbalanced budget. Governor Quinn must VETO the unbalanced budget and force lawmakers back to Springfield in order to have an open debate on how to cut spending, reform state government and pass a budget that is truly balanced. TAKE ACTION NOW - Please click here and tell Governor Quinn to veto the budget and force the lawmakers back to Springfield to make the tough choice. Thank you for helping to make a difference! Remember - NOVEMBER is COMING!

At Blackhawks Rally, Crowd Boos Mayor Daley, Gov. Quinn

June 11, 2010 - Thousands of Chicagoans and Blackhawks fans gathered to celebrate the winning of the Stanley Cup this morning. They were in a good mood and all were happy to see the players. But the mood turned surly for a little bit when Chicago Mayor Daley and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn took the stage to be introduced to the crowd. The crowd booed them both. Here are just some of the posts ("tweets") on Twitter from people at the rally downtown. They are in reverse chronological order, most recent at the top, and were copied at 12:31 P.M.

• RT @chrisnelsen Mayor daley getting booed made my day... @MayorDaley
• RT @DS3M LOL Mayor Daley just got Booed SOOOO Hard at Blackhawks Rally... then he screwed up Coach Q's name... whatta fuggin clown
• RT @queeneulalia lol @ daley getting booed after his introduction. #blackhawks 
• RT @mamazilla Chicago just loudly booed Daley... 
• RT @AMRhone Just Booed Mayor Daley at the Blackhawks parade, thats wat he gets for raising taxes 
• RT @edelweiss_ Daley and Quinn got booed...hahahahhaha 
• RT @limac333 Gotta love both Daley and Quinn getting booed. 
• RT @cyan_icewolf cyan_icewolf LOL! Mayor Daley, Gov. Quinn both get booed ...at the Blackhawks Parade. So perfect heh! 
• RT @kylecarroll5 Governor Pat Quinn gets booed big time at #blackhawks rally 
• LMAO: RT @LauraKoni Gov Quinn now getting booed at #Blackhawks rally Blago better not walk over from trial lunch break 
• RT @PeachyShells They booed governor Quinn and daley lol 
• RT @LexisSmith The crowd booed Daley & Quinn #Blackhawks parade
• RT @franknapolitano Governor, Pat Quinn, just got booed when he took the stage at the BalckHawks parade. @Bill_Brady 
• RT @weedgirl24 weedgirl24 Fans at #blackhawks rally booed illinois Governor #Quinn. Ha! Ha! @Brady4Illinois 
• RT @FrankieVtotheD Dang they just booed Gov Quinn lmao
• RT @KatrinkaYobotz #Illinois Gov Quinn just booed as he took stage at Blackhawks rally
• RT @johnfritchey Ouch. Gov. Quinn roundly booed as he was introduced [at Blackhawks celebration parade today] 
• RT @gordyhulten Nobody likes Gov. Quinn anymore... 
• RT @johnfritchey: Ouch. Gov. Quinn roundly booed as he was introduced. 
• RT @LadyNPumps RT @Jeremiahfunny Now they booing Pat Quinn! Ahahahahaha where is Blago!? 
• Hee hee hee! RT @Marathonpundit Gov Pat Quinn booed at Blackhawk rally--just blocks from the Blago trial. 

Springfield And Washington - Capitols Of Cowardice

CNN's Jack Cafferty slammed the Democrats in Congress last night for their failure to pass a federal budget (see the video below). Although he was scolding the Dems in Washington for their lack of resolve, Cafferty could have been talking about Illinois legislators in Springfield. Although the Illinois General Assemby did pass something of a budget in early June, they just couldn't muster the courage to include any substantial spending cuts. Governor Quinn, a Democrat himself, just can't muster the courage to veto that worthless budget. WJBD Radio reports that Quinn "did say however he wishes that the General Assembly had done more to close the state's spending gap. Instead, lawmakers have handed Quinn the power to make the cuts he deems necessary." The state's fiscal year ends on June 30th, 19 days from now, but they just could take the time to hammer out the needed cuts in billions of dollars being misspent and wasted. They passed the buck, literally and figuratively, to the hapless Pat Quinn. WJBD says that he "is still pushing for the Senate to pass a four-billion-dollar borrowing plan to pay down the state's pension debt." Quinn, however, is as cowardly and as clueless as the legislators: On the one hand, he wants the lawmakers to reduce the state's deficit, yet on the other hand he thinks that borrowing four billion dollars to do that is somehow better than actually reducing spending. In other words, neither the Illinois Governor nor the Illinois lawmakers have the courage to make politically unpopular - but absolutely necessary - cuts in spending. As Jack Cafferty would say, "they can’t be seen cutting things in an election year." "The budget approved by the General Assembly last week has a $25.9 billion general fund, that has already been cut by $1.3 million. But with $6 billion in overdue bills and a $3.7 billion pension contribution due in a little more than a month, programs and services will be eliminated," reports The Quincy Herald-Whig. "Mike Rein of Transitions of Western Illinois said the state owes $2.5 million to that agency, which serves people who have disabilities and those needing mental health counseling. 'Illinois is a deadbeat state. They don't pay their bills,' Rein said." The "deadbeat state" of Illinois is so bad a paying vendors and service providers that a debt-brokering company in Georgia is moving to take advantage of the situation. Put simply, the company will loan money to qualifying vendors who are stuck waiting for "deadbeat" Illinois to pay them for services rendered. MyFoxChicago reports that Alpharetta Industries can arrange "for struggling vendors to sell their overdue paper at a discount. Sellers would get most of the money owed to them now. The buyers would collect the full amount from the state later. [They] would take a cut as the middleman." While some would call Alpharetta Industries "vultures," MyFoxChicago quotes one vendor as saying that, "At the end of the day it was better to have some money than no money." Those are the words of Na-Tae Thompson, "whose nonprofit True Star Foundation is waiting on $75,000 from the state that hasn't arrived." (Source: Ibid) If Alpharetta is a "vulture," then the State of Illinois is a parasite, sucking out lifeblood and giving nothing back. It should be remembered that vultures do not kill. Rather, they clean up the mess. Parasites, all too often, cause death or incapacitating illness, and only then do the vultures have opportunity. Unlike a real vulture, however, debt brokers offer the victims of parasites the time and hope needed to heal and, possibly, recover.

xx

"See, it’s an election year; they can’t be seen cutting things in an election year." xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

Cafferty said: At a time of skyrocketing federal deficits and a national debt that just passed $13 trillion, the Democrats in Congress can’t be bothered to pass a budget for next year. That’s their job. Congress is supposed to decide how to spend the taxpayers’ money. They are mandated to pass a budget; and presumably to stick to it… but that’s a whole other story. Yet efforts to pass a budget have stalled in the House because Democrats can’t agree on what and how much to cut..... Cafferty gets then turned sarcastic, but his words ring true: See, it’s an election year; they can’t be seen cutting things in an election year. As I said, that applies to the cowards of Springfield, too. Republican Bill Brady is Quinn's challenger in the Illinois gubernatorial race, and the latest Rasmussen pol shows Brady ahead of Quinn by 11 points, 47% to 36%. It's no wonder. Voters know that it's the Democrats who call the shots in Springfield, and that Quinn is one of them. The voters know that it's the Democrats who sunk Illinois into its current financial abyss, and most seem to understand that the Democrats are incapable of pulling us out. Perhaps the voters themselves can pull us out by means of voting for real change - and fewer Democrats - in November. RELATED: Debt Broker Will Make Money off Illinois' State Budget Crisis‎ MyFox Chicago Pain of Illinois state budget woes will be felt by all‎ Quincy Herald Whig Universities Owed $630 Million; Borrowing Power Not Yet Approved Illinois Statehouse News Our opinion: Budget problems ultimately will cost taxpayers more 24newstime.com Rasmussen: Brady Holds Lead Backyard Conservative We Buy Ugly Statehouses St Louis Today

MAY 5 ANTI-TAX PROTEST IN SPRINGFIELD

What: Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Rally at the Capitol
Where: The Capitol in Springfield
When: Wednesday, May 5, 12:00 noon CDT

Hundreds of concerned citizens are set to gather Wednesday, May 5 at 12:00 noon CDT in front of the Capitol in Springfield to oppose unsustainable state government spending and Governor Quinn’s proposed 33% income tax increase. After the rally, the citizens will enter the Capitol at 1:00 p.m. to meet with their representatives from the House and Senate.

This rally by the Chicago Tea Party and other Illinois Tea Party groups from across the state will provide a stark contrast from the union sponsored rally in Springfield on April 21. "We can’t afford to pay people to take the day off of work or bus people in by the thousands," stated Chicago Coordinator Steve Stevlic. "You won’t see any big screen TVs, DJs, tents with food, free t-shirts or pre-printed signs. We’ll be paying our own way to deliver a simple message: the people of Illinois can not afford a tax increase in this economy.”

“We plan to tell our legislators what we’re hearing when we talk to our neighbors - we need to balance the state budget with spending cuts, not tax increases. Tax increases hurt struggling families, hurt businesses and will cost us jobs,” said Illinois Tea Party State Director Denise Cattoni.

The citizens will also urge their legislators to support Illinois House Resolution 1057, an audit of state spending to identify waste and end Illinois’ culture of corruption. The resolution has 28 sponsors, including Democrats Rep. Jack Franks and Rep. Keith Farnham.

Credentialed media and local bloggers are invited to cover this event.

· Learn more about the Chicago Tea Party at: http://teapartychicago.org
· Learn more about the Illinois Tea Party at: http://illinoistea.org
· Learn more about Tea Party Patriots at: http://teapartypatriots.org

CONTACTS:

STEVE STEVLIC Organizer, Chicago Tax Day Tea Party Coordinator, Tea Party Patriots Chicago stevlic@gmail.com http://teapartychicago.org 708.289.5443

xxxxxx

DENISE CATTONI State Director Illinois Tea Party dcattoni@aol.com http://illinoistea.org 630.290.2130

Echoes of Reagan: Andrzejewski's Tea Party Speech on April 6

On April 6, 2010, former GOP candidate for governor Adam Andrzejewski gave a strong speech at the Rockford Tea Party. He demanded (again) that Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and Governor Pat Quinn "open up the books" to allow citizens to see where their taxes are being spent (and wasted). The tone of Andrzejewski's speech reminded me of President Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. During his gubernatorial run, Andrzejewski demanded a forensic audit of the Illinois treasury. The Tea Party Express was part of this Tea Party event, with attendance estimated at between 2,500 to 3,000 people. Adam Andrzejewski has not quit politics. He has only just begun to fight. Also see Adam's site "For The Good Of Illinois."



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Illinois Legislator's HB 6842 Would Allow Opting Out of Obamacare

March 26, 2010 - In spite of its reluctant Attorney General, the State of Illinois just might resist ObamaCare after all. On Thursday night, March 25, Illinois became the 40th state to introduce legislation to allow its residents to “opt-out” of the Democrats’ job-killing government takeover of health care. The bill, HB 6842, “[p]rovides that no resident of the State…shall be required to obtain or maintain a policy of individual insurance” and “[p]rovides that no provision of the Act shall render a resident of this State liable for any penalty, assessment, fee, or fine as a result of his failure to procure or obtain health insurance coverage.” Source The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) noted in a press release that "Illinois became the 40th state where legislators have introduced, or will introduce, legislation modeled after the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act. Illinois House Bill 6842 prohibits a requirement to purchase health insurance and would provide the state with protection in a constitutional challenge of the federal health reform bill." It should come as no surprise to anyone that the driving force behind HB 6842 is - surprise! - a Republican. Even as Illinois' Attorney General Lisa Madigan (a Democrat) was saying that she would not join 13 other states' AGs in challenging "ObamaCare," State Rep Bill Mitchell (R-Decatur) introduced HB 6842 to essentially accomplish some of the same goals. Mitchell's HB 6842 is, as reported by Illinois Review, "patterned after Virginia's law undermining the federal mandate requiring individuals to buy health insurance. HB 6842 removes the requirement in Illinois, and cancels any penalties associated with the federal mandate for health insurance." Illinois is in serious financial meltdown. Governor Quinn has been weak and indecisive about how to deal with the mess. The federally mandated, nationalized healthcare that was voted on earlier this week will certainly affect every states' budgets, and profoundly, but it is too early to know just how. Illinois Democrats who have not spoken out in favor of challenging ObamaCare seem happy to play a kind of Russian roulette with the state's already-injured economy. Keep your fingers crossed that the Republicans in Springfield can guide HB 6842 through to passage. Get ready for more headlines like this one, from the Los Angeles Times: "States fighting healthcare law don't have precedent on their side‎." It's meant to discourage the challengers of ObamaCare, but fails to take into account a simple fact: A precedent is set when something happens for the first time. There is, as the saying goes, a first time for everything. After all, where was the precedent for a Marxist-Leninist takeover of one sixth of the U.S. economy? RELATED: Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB6842 Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB6842 It’s official: Louisiana signs on with Florida in legal challenge to HCR Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Bob Beckel and Scott Lee Cohen Both Have PPP

Scott Lee Cohen is not the only guy in the news with PPP: Past Prostitute Problems. Liberal commentator Bob Beckel has PPP, too. The Illinois Democrat Party is freaked out about Scott Lee Cohen and his alleged relationship to a woman they claim was a prosititute. Cohen, who won the Democrat primary for Illinois' Lieutenant Governor on Feb. 2, is now by law the running mate of incumbent governor Pat Quinn. Cohen, by the way, claims that he thought the former girlfriend was simply a massage therapist. The irony here is so rich that it's positively artery clogging. The prostitutes and whores who run the Illinios Democrat Party sell themselves to the highest bidders as a routine matter of conducting business. Just as Illinois State Senator Heather Steans, for example. You think Rod Blagojevich was an exception? Nah, he was just dumber than most of them and got caught. To call Cohen unfit to run because he once had a relationship with a prostitute is the height of hypocrisy, even if by analogy and metaphor. The liberal media are hypocrites, too, as typified by Bob Beckel, one of the most annoying men ever to disgrace himself on America's television screens. Why Beckel is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity's show at Fox is beyond me, but there he was on Monday, February 1, falsely calling journalist Hannah Giles a "ho." For those of you in Kankakee, "ho" is slang for "whore," which is slang for prostitute. Lori Ziganto, a fine journalist herself, wrote this about that on iOwnTheWorld.com: For those who didn’t see the show, the creepy Bob Beckel called Hannah Giles, Queen of the awesome ACORN take-down, a Ho during his Monday night appearance on “Hannity.” Yes, THAT Hannah Giles, the beautiful young woman who pretended to be a prostitute in those ACORN sting videos. Giles herself wrote a wicked response to Beckel's slur against her, and posted it at BigJournalism.com: In the summer of 2002 Beckel came to know 20-year old “Tiffany,” a professional hooker who, after establishing a business relationship with him, attempted to extort $50,000 in exchange for her not exposing their relationship to his ex-wife and employers. Whoa! I mean, Ho! Beckel was involved with a whore, uh ho, uh prostitute, uh sex worker. I guess his involvement with an actual prostie disqualifies him from ever running for public office as a Democrat in Illinois, because the virtual prosties at the Democrat Party couldn't possibly have someone like him disgracing their untarnished reputations. Columnist and CNB contributor Warner Todd Huston wrote about the criminal nature of Illinois politicians in January, about three weeks before Cohen won his primary race: Illinois has had three governors sent to prison and a fourth, Rod Balgojevich, waiting to find out if he will become the next to take up residence behind bars. The “Land of Lincoln” has had over 80 legislators sent to prison since the 1970s. But Cook County deserves special recognition for its corruption and criminal politicians.... Full post at American Conservative Daily The Christian Science Monitor had a good report about the sliminess of the Illinois political sewer in late 2008: Three of the state’s seven previous governors have been convicted and served time. Since 1971, by one count, 31 Chicago aldermen and some 1,000 public officials and businessmen have been convicted. “We’re the corruption capital of the United States,” says Dick Simpson, a political scientist at the University of Illinois in Chicago and a former Chicago alderman, who maintains that state corruption count. “We have more [corruption] even than New Jersey and Louisiana, which are our competitors.” Bob Beckel and Pat Quinn will continue disgracing themselves by committing character assassination on people who are not corrupt, or not as corrupt, or no more corrupt, than many of the lawmakers who currently sit in the Illinois Legislature, the Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board of Commissioners. God forbid somebody like Scott Lee Cohen should want to stand next to the squeaky clean, non-corrupt, anti-vice Illinois Democrats. Somebody might get dirty. RELATED: Glenn Beck on Jan Schakowsky's Robber-Baron Husband New Madigan Mailer Slams Steans for Blago Ties and Lying Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play Scandals involving leaders of the Democrat Party Chicago News Bench: Ricky Hendon, Race Baiting Clown Sen. Heather Steans, Money Whore Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

In Defense of Scott Lee Cohen

by Michael Coyne I don’t like to make a habit out of defending the opposition party, but it seems that our side needs to seriously get a better grip on things. Recently, I was forced to defend Rahm Emanuel against Sarah Palin. Now, I may very well be forced to defend the new Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, Scott Cohen, from media criticism and conspiracy-hunters on my own side of the aisle. Cohen was apparently arrested five years ago for a domestic abuse allegation. The charges were dropped, and the accuser was a known prostitute. Now, Cohen is being called on to explain the allegation and may very well be forced to recuse himself of his party’s nomination. This is ridiculous. If the allegation is true, Cohen is a monster. Welcome to Common-sense-land. But, given that the charges were dropped because the so-called “victim” failed to even show up to court—notwithstanding the known credibility of the prostitute community—we should be willing to move past this nonsense and onto matters of actual significance. Cohen vehemently denies any wrongdoing, and says that he did not harm the woman. It is understandable, from a journalistic standpoint, to follow this story. But it is unlikely that anything substantial will come of it. In the realm of reasoned debate, this is a non-issue. Cohen should not be Illinois’s Lieutenant Governor. However, I reached this conclusion because his party has failed the state. It has nothing to do with a supposed controversy. Let’s let cooler heads prevail. Debate the issues, not a five-year-old dropped case. The past is the past; let’s live in the present. For more of Michael Coyne's conservative commentary, visit his website, RepublicanBlue. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

SHOCKER: Democrat Involved in Scandal

by Sean Vera To be perfectly fair, it's only a shocker if you're either (a) an idiot, or (b) a rabid Democrat. But even Illinois Dems, no strangers to the sort of sordid scandals that have made the state a punchline for every comedian and late night host across the country, must be reeling from this one. The Lieutenant Governor nominee (as you can recall, he's been the nominee for all of 2 days), Scott Lee Cohen, has been alleged to have held a knife to the throat of his girlfriend, who it was later revealed is also allegedly a prostitute.

Classy, Democrats...really classy. More can be read from the Loyola Republicans blog:

Scott Lee Cohen, the Democrat’s newly named candidate for Lieutenant Governor, is again being questioned about his 2005 domestic battery arrest.

Although the case was dropped, apparently due to the failed appearance of the victim, concerns remain. It is alleged that Cohen, who was going through a divorce, held a knife to his girlfriend’s throat. A filed police report shows that the victim, a convicted prostitute, had cuts on her throat and hands...(read more)

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Quinn, Hynes Vie for 'Church Clown' Title

By Michael Coyne This past Sunday, January 31, the two Democratic primary candidates for Illinois Governor—Pat Quinn and Dan Hynes—spent the day courting a crucial part of any Democrat’s electoral strategy: the Black Vote. African-Americans break heavily for Democrats according to all polling data available in recent history. Therefore, it is no surprise that both Quinn and Hynes were relying on this critical group to break for them. What is amusing is the fact that they both spent their Sundays in prominent black churches on Chicago’s South Side. Trying to be ‘relatable’ Taking this move at face value and ignoring the religious aspect for a moment, it makes sense, in an ironic humor sort of way. Politicians have to go where the voters are, and, in this case, they were at church. The message of both campaigners was simply, “see, I’m just like you.” This, in itself, is riotous. Two men, who would be remarkably white even if they stood next to the population of Sweden, were jockeying for the black vote by going to a massive black church. No, they did not stand out at all. Dopey PC Stigma When did it become such a crime to be white? Yes, the president is black. I honestly could not care less what color a politician’s skin is, so much as proving that we believe in the same political ideals. It sometimes seems like conservatives are the only ones who actually want to stop using race as a yardstick for successes and failures. Truthfully, I would think substantially less of a politician who came to my church to grasp at votes, regardless of what color he or she was. HWJV? – How Would Jesus Vote? Yes, it is common for Democratic candidates to attend churches to stump for votes. Nevertheless, it is absurd. It is incomprehensible to me that the same party that detests any sort of religious expression in public is completely fine with desecrating a house of God by using it to shill for votes. I could even justify standing outside a church, temple, or mosque to pass out literature as people left. However, attending a service merely to be seen is unsettling. This is little more than a parable of how far today’s political situation has gone. For more conservative commentary, visit Michael Coyne’s RepublicanBlue. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Illinois GOP on Quinn's State of the State Address

For Immediate Release - Jan. 13, 2010 Statement from Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady on Gov. Quinn’s State of the State Address "Governor Quinn’s State of the State address today exemplifies the Illinois Democratic Party’s disconnect from reality. We are a state on the verge of financial collapse. A laundry list of government created jobs, government programs and a bail-out from the Federal Government is not a serious approach to economic and fiscal recovery. We can’t wish away a $90 billion unfunded pension liability." "The People of the State of Illinois will have a clear choice in November between the failed policies of the Quinn/Blagojevich/Madigan single-party rule Democrats and the fiscally responsible approach to running this state articulated by each of our Republican Gubernatorial candidates." Contact 312-201-9000 info@ilgop.org RELATED NEWS: Quinn calls for tax increase in State of the State speech Chicago Tribune Hynes, Quinn Release Dueling Early Release Ads Progress Illinois Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Melissa Bean Opposes Gitmo Detainee Transfer to Illinois

For Immediate Release - November 17, 2009 CHICAGO – In a crushing blow to Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Dick Durbin’s plan to move Gitmo to Illinois, Democratic Illinois Congresswoman Melissa Bean today announced she opposed any transfer of terrorists to the United States – including Illinois. Bean opposes any transfer and cites national security risks as her primary reason. The Lake County News Sun today quotes Congresswoman Bean as saying: "I remain opposed to transferring Guantanamo detainees to Illinois, or anywhere in the United States, without substantial assurances regarding potential security threats." Bean’s statement comes on the heels of new survey results showing that only 32% of Illinois voters support the Quinn/Durbin plan while 57% oppose. “We hope other Democrats like Bill Foster and Debbie Halvorson will have the courage to stand up to Governor Quinn and Senator Durbin and do what’s right for the people of Illinois,” Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady said. Contact 312-201-9000 info@ilgop.org Conservative Caps, Shirt and more! Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Visit us on Twitter!

Anti-ACORN Petition Now Online

Americans For Prosperity has launched an effort to force Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to launch an investigation into how much money the state is handing over to the criminal "community organizer" group ACORN, as well as the SEIU and other unions. AFP has launched http://www.SayNOtoACORN.com, where you can sign a petition demanding that Gov. Quinn investigate these illicit financial dealings. Please help us spread the word on this important petition to put a stop to corruption in Illinois. Send e-mails to friends, blog about it, post it in comments sections. Together, we have the power to bring our government to account for its assistance to criminal organizations like ACORN, but we can't do it without your help. Sign the petition and please tell others about it. For more information, please visit Publius Forum. ALSO SEE: Petition Drive: Cut Illinois Government Ties with ACORN Illinois Legislators Want ACORN Investigation SEIU/ACORN inundates IL Dems with campaign cash How ACORN Hides Behind Fake Names ACORN probe needed immediately Durbin vote proves his partisan position Roland Burris Defends ACORN, Says 'Fox Sting' and 'Agendas' to Blame SEIU Answers Congressman's Info Request Re ACORN Conservative Caps, Shirt and more! Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Visit us on Twitter!

Dangerous OFA Townhall Healthcare Meeting

Exclusive: A healthcare "reform" rally on Chicago's north side today put more than 100 people in danger. (Exclusive video below.) The event, sponsored by Organizing for America (OFA) and attended by top local Democrats such as Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Cong. Jan Schakowsky, State Sen. Heather Steans and State Rep. Greg Harris, was held at the Holiday Club, a bar at 4000 N. Sheridan Road. The front bar of the Holiday Club has a legal fire code capacity of 87, but the room was so tightly packed that people could hardly shove past each other to gobble up the free cheese and chips. That 87-person capacity is plainly posted over the bar as required by law, yet neither Holiday Club personnel nor OFA staff made any attempt to keep the crowd size within legal limits. (This is reminiscent of a rally held by 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore in December, 2006. He bragged about have a "standing room only" crowd, a clear violation of fire code.) Shoulder to shoulder inside the Holiday Club, it was difficult for people to move. Chicago News Bench heard a number of people in attendance express concern about the safety of the room. Finally, someone called 911 (yes, it was I) and let the authorities know about the over-capacity crowd size. A police officer arrived, took one look through the door, and called for a supervisor. When the officer's supervisor came (a sergeant), Holiday Club management and OFA staff were told that many of the people would have to leave. Governor Pat Quinn and Rep. Jan Schakowsky were among those who left the bar. (Also See: Exclusive Video: Schakowsky Denies Lesbian Affair.) Conservative Hats & Shirts Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Visit us on Twitter!

Pay-To-Play, Joe Moore and Heather Steans

Chicago Alderman Joe Moore screamed "F--- You!" at a V.I.P. reception with Illinois Governor Quinn on Saturday, June 21. Why? He was upset over being denied entrance to a V.I.P. reception because he did not buy a $200 ticket for the event. While storming out, he growled at Gov. Quinn, "This is pay-to-play!" The hypocrisy of Moore's behavior (not to mention the weirdness) is rich indeed. (Read more about that story...) If that's what Moore describes as "pay-to-play," then he's as guilty as anybody. Moore's birthday is July 16. It is typical for Moore to send invitations to his birthday party with one little catch: You'll be asked for a "suggested donation." In 2007, that meant shelling out $125.00 for grilled hot dogs and boring conversation. That's Moore's house on the day of his birthday party on July 16, 2007 (5:15 p.m.). Notice the festive Joe Moore campaign signs in the yard, perfect for any birthday celebration or pay-to-play party. In addition to his for-profit birthday parties, Ald. Moore has a reputation for pressing business people for "donations" to his campaign fund. "Pay-to-play" is a game Moore knows well, as does his little friend Heather Steans. Steans is an Illinois State Senator who, over the years and with help from her husband, facilitated the funneling of around $200,000 to Rod Blagojevich. She doesn't like to admit it, but there it is, in the public record. That's an inconvenient truth for Steans, as she earnestly pretends to be a pure-hearted reformer who would never participate in such dirty games (she's not, and she has). That brings us back to Joe Moore... Of Hosts and Parasites: Moore is on the Host Committee of an upcoming fundraising event for Steans. The fundraiser invitation, laughably, is a parody of the television show "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" That's the show that on which Patti Blagojevich, wife of the former governor Rod Blagojevich, has been busy eating bugs with has-been celebrities. Steans and most of the folks on her Host Committee were staunch Blagojevich supporters until it became too uncomfortable for them to continue in that role. The Steans invitation indirectly mocks Blagojevich, but unintentionally points out the hypocrisy of Steans and those on her Host Committee. The Steans invitation says "I'm a Politician, Get Me Out of Here!" On Monday, June 29 folks will gather at 50 W. Washington Street, Suite 400 in Chicago. That's the office of Jeanne Reynolds, an Associate Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court. Reynolds is also the current president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. (Say, isn't that sexist? Is there a "Men's Bar Association of Illinois?") If you need directions to the Steans fundraiser, you could phone Ms. Reynolds' office at 312-603-1249. That's Reynolds in the photo (in the pink thing), with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (under the forehead) at the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois’ 94th Annual Installation Dinner in Chicago, June 5, 2008. If you would like to attend the Steans fundraiser, you have several options. Would you like to be an "Island Rescuer?" It will cost you $2,000. Other options are "Island Host" for $1,000, "Producer" for $500 and "Celebrity" for a mere $100. If you want to attend, you'll have to pay. You don't pay, you can't play. (See how that works, Joe?) That's exactly what Ald. Moore was so upset about when he screamed "F--- You!" at the IVI-IPO folks on June 20. How do you think Steans - or Moore - would react to somebody who sends Steans a check for $100, but insists that they be given "Producer" status? Chicago is a city of "pay-to-play" politics. Do you want to build a new store or add on to an existing building? A "donation" to your local alderman is likely to speed the process up. No "donation" is likely to slow you down, maybe even kill the project. Are you an aspiring politician who wants to run for office in Chicago or Cook County? You'll need the endorsement of the Democrat Party, the iron-fisted "machine" that decides who will be a candidate and who will not. Want to attend a Joe Moore birthday party or a Heather Steans fundraiser? You'll have to pay to play. Leave a Comment... See Our Online Store Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...