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

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald To Quit On June 30

May 23, 2012 - U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald will step down on June 30, reports CBS2 Chicago. "He took over on Sept. 1, 2001, making him the longest-serving U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. He became a national celebrity for going after political corruption in Illinois. Most notably, he led the prosecutions of both Gov. George Ryan and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who are both serving time in prison."

Fitzgerald is, until June 30, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

This morning's official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice said, "Mr. Fitzgerald notified the White House, Attorney General Eric Holder, and U.S. Sens. Richard Durbin and Mark Kirk this morning of his decision to step down from the presidentially appointed post that he has held since Sept. 1, 2001, making him the longest-serving U.S. Attorney ever in Chicago. Mr. Fitzgerald, 51, has no future employment plans and will take time off this summer before considering career options. Including his tenure as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in New York, Mr. Fitzgerald is leaving the Justice Department after nearly 24 years."  See the entire statement here (pdf).

The release also noted that Fitzgerald served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, where he took part in the prosecution of United States v. Osama Bin Laden, et al., "involving the August 1998 bombings of the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and the trial of United States v. Omar Abdel Rahman, et al., involving the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and a plot to bomb other New York landmarks." You can see Fitzgerald's official biography here.

 "Fitzgerald has been the longest serving U.S. attorney in Chicago history," says the Chicago Tribune today, "holding the office for more than 10 ½ years."

Greg Hinz at Crain's Chicago Business makes a good point about Fitzgerald's departure: The political games that will surely be played in the effort to replace the irreplaceable crime fighter:

"The question now," ponders Hinz in his column today, "is who President Barack Obama will select for this extraordinarily sensitive job — and whether Senate confirmation will come before the November election."

No, Really, Pat Quinn Still Sucks More Than Scott Walker. Really.

April 20, 2012 - There are a lot of news reports out there today claiming that the jobs and unemployment situation in Illinois is better than Wisconsin. Nearly all of them are wrong.

That's not my opinion, it's fact. The numbers in the table below prove it. In what seems to be a conspiratorial attempt by the leftist mainstream media to discredit Wisconsin's Governor Scott Walker, a Republican, the employment numbers released today are being spun so much that heads are spinning.

Two quick examples of the liberal media's spin come from NBC Chicago and Bloomberg News.

NBC's Edward McClelland wrote an op-ed piece published today titled "Illinois Beats Wisconsin In Job Creation." McClelland quoted Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (a Democrat) as saying earlier this week that “Since Governor Walker took office, Wisconsin is dead last among the 50 states in job growth.”

Bloomberg's headline today, "Republican Whipping-Boy Illinois Beats Wisconsin on Jobs," caps a piece written by Tim Jones. Jones quoted Quinn as saying this about Wisconsin and Gov. Walker:  "“They have the worst job record in the whole country, dead last,” and  “We certainly don’t want to follow his [Walker's] prescriptions when it comes to economic growth.”

Both Jones and McClelland were, of course, referring to today's jobs numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But let's look at those numbers. They are not difficult to understand, unless you're a liberal buying into the lies of the Democrats and their allies in the media. Here are the unemployment rates (as percentages) for Illinois and Wisconsin for March 2012, February 2012 and March of last year:

Illinois March 2012 .... 8.8 Feb. 2012 ....... 9.1 March 2011 ....9.3

Wisconsin March 2012 .... 6.8 Feb. 2012 ....... 6.9 March 2011 .... 7.6

Look at the numbers. Both states have had a decrease in unemployment. Illinois went from a nightmarish 9.3 percent a year ago down to a still-nightmarish 8.8 percent, a decrease of 0.5 percent. In the same period, Wisconsin went from an awful 7.6 percent down to a still-bad 6.8 percent. 

Compare Wisconsin's lowered unemployment drop of 0.8 to that of 0.5 percent in Illinois and you have to wonder what the hell the media - and geniuses like Gov. Quinn - are talking about when they say that Wisconsin is sucking tailpipes. Wisconsin's drop in its unemployment rate has been, over the past 12 months, faster that in Illinois (0.8% versus 0.5% as shown above). The latest numbers show that Wisconsin's unemployment rate is a full two points lower than in Illinois.  Illinois is called "the Greece next door" by it's neighboring states. Nobody is comparing to Wisconsin to Greece. Not yet anyway.

Unconstitutional Gun Registration in Rockford, IL

March 17, 2012 - The Rockford Tea Party has exposed an unconstitutional gun registration requirement in Rockford, Illinois. They posted the following on their Facebook page today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE---ROCKFORD TEA PARTY

Rockford, IL - - Rockford Tea Party finds out about Unconstitutional Firearms Registration

Click to Enlarge - image courtesy of Rockford Tea Party

Since 1995 the City of Rockford has required anyone that wants to purchase a handgun in the city to fill out a registration card at the point of purchase which is sent to the city. The practice has gone unnoticed for the past 17 years, but is being revisited with current atmosphere of interest in government accountability.

“This gun registration law within the City of Rockford must be eliminated without condition. We do not seek to repeal and replace it, we seek to have this unconstitutional violation of our 2nd Amendment rights eliminated completely, said David Hale Rockford Tea Party Coordinator. We are calling on the Rockford City Council and Mayor Morrissey to immediately strike this law/ordinance from the books.”

After 17 years on the books gun crime and violent crime have increased to make Rockford one of the most violent cities in the state. There is no justification for the law in Rockford and City leaders to continue to allow this the law to remain on the books. We are also seeking to have all records and registrations destroyed immediately.

Contact: David Hale
Rockfordteaparty1@gmail.com

Related articles

• If Obama gets reelected, "the Second Amendment is finished" (directorblue.blogspot.com)
• Obama Administration Endangered Lives to Justify Gun Control (dailycaller.com)
• Federal District Court Recognizes Right to Carry Gun Outside the Home, Holds Unconstitutional Maryland's Restrictive Carry Licensing Scheme (volokh.com)
• Concealed carry wins important victory in Maryland (dailycaller.com)
• Rockford One Of Fattest Towns In United States (chicago.cbslocal.com)

Is This Any Way To Revolt? April 15 March on Springfield Will Last Only Two Hours

This is nice, but it would have been nicer to see this kind of effort back in December or January before the Quinn tax hike became law. Well, let's move forward with this march on the Illinois capitol, shall we? It'll be a nice little outing. Here's what the invitation says on the Tea Party's Facebook page: "This is your chance to express yourself and your voice regarding the outrageous tax hikes imposed by a Lame Duck Legislature and Democrat Governor." Okay, that's great -- but what if the Tea Party had a thousand or more people camping out on the steps of the Capitol Building before the tax hikes were imposed? Uhm, wait minute - the "revolt" is scheduled to last only two hours? What the hell kind of "revolt" is that?!? Will there be biscuits and scones served at this timid tea party? The title of their Facebook page is "Statewide March on Springfield - THE ILLINOIS STATE WIDE TAX REVOLT." Wait a minute. "Revolt?" Come on, Tea Party, get with the program. You don't "revolt" by politely scheduling a brief, two-hour outing. Nope, you need to stir things up a bit, as I called for last month. Seriously, how far do you think George Washington and his compatriots would have gotten with these milque toast tactics?

Joel Pollak's Historic Q&A Session (Video)

Tweet - CHICAGO - Joel Pollak, rising conservative superstar, was defeated on Nov. 2, 2010 in his bid for Congress by Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). The video below shows Pollak answering questions at a small gathering of Tea Party Patriots in downtown Chicago after an incredible 10-minute speech (see the full speech at "Pollak Tells Tea Party To Stay The Fight..."). The video doesn't look so great, but the sound is good and the words are clearly heard -- and they are words for the ages. Also see these two recent articles by Joel Pollak: "Schakowsky Invokes Anti-Orthodox Stereotypes" at American Thinker, and "Why The Tea Party Is Here To Stay" at BigGovernment.com.

(Video) Pollak Tells Tea Party To Stay The Fight; Accuses Schakowsky Of Ethics Violations

Chicago - November 5, 2010 - He lost his election bid against Rep. Jan Schakowsky, but Joel Pollak will not fade away. On the day after the election, Joel Pollak spoke to a small gathering of Tea Party activists in downtown Chicago. He packed a lot into a 10-minute speech, including multiple accusations of bad behavior by Schakowsky (a shorter version can be seen here). He also said that the Tea Party movement is indispensable and must remain vigilant in its battle for openness and fiscal responsibility by our elected officials. Although Pollak lost the election, still win for having him around and ready to carry on the fight. The full speech is in our own video, below, with excerpts following underneath. Tweet Excerpted Remarks: "Schakowsky told her email subscribers that her victory represents a victory over the Tea Party, and they're not going to let the Tea Party take root in Illinois. She obvioiusly doesn't know the Tea Party started right here in Chicago, a few blocks away. "She is a public official that is going to be followed, people are going to watch everything she does. And by the way, that process is not over. You heard some of the stories about things that happened in the precincts, we have evidence that she was electioneering at some of the polling places. More than that, we think we have grounds for ethics complaints going forward about some of the things she did to try to win the election, like helping contributors and all their friends get relief from foreclosures from their banks, like getting last minute funding for a school in Norrigde that had been asking for the funding for soundproofing for ten years and finally, seven days before the election, they got it. "We have evidence we have gathered that we are going to pursue, and the next two years are not going to be easy for Jan Schakowsky because we just can't stand for that anymore. And, this is not ending here. It's not ending in our district and it's not ending in the rest of the country." "There's a new book out by Stanley Kurtz ["Radical In Chief"] that documents President Obama's early years in the Chicago far Left. That has some very interesting things to say not just about President Obama but Jan Schakowsky and some of her connections as well. "I want to congratulate everyone in this room because the Tea Party volunteers in this city did what nobody across the nation had been able to do when it came to Shorebank. We stopped Jan Schakowsky from bailing out Shorebank with a single penny of federal taxpayer dollars. The bailout stopped here. [applause] "And now that the bailout has stopped the investigation has begun. The Inspector General of the FDIC is now looking into Schakowsky and Sheila Bair, the head of the FDIC, and the Obama Administration to find out how it was that this particular bank got all this attention, how it was that Jan Schakowsky and others were able to twist Wall Street arms and make them deposit - I believe it was 150 million dollars - so that this old team of managers who drove the bank into the ground could buy up the good assets and leave the taxpayers with the bad assets. It's never happened before and the Inspector General is looking into it. Partly because of an lllinois member of Congress, Judy Biggert. She was the one who really took up our cause, and that's because of the pressure that you applied. The bailouts stopped here. It started with Rick Santelli but it also started with you."

Jesse Jackson Jr's Trojan Horse For Mark Kirk

Suppose a well known Black, loyal Democrat member of the U.S. Congress endorsed the White Republican candidate who's running for U.S. Senate. Why would he do that? And should the Republican welcome it? "Now, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who did not endorse anyone in the Democratic primary, is flirting with the idea of backing Republican nominee Mark Kirk in the general election," writes Jonathan Allen at Politico.com. If true, this would be earth shattering - and confusing - for Democrats and Republicans alike. Jackson, of course, is a Democrat. Kirk is (for the most part) a Republican. Kirk is running against Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. If Jackson does come out and back Mark Kirk, that will convince some Democrat voters to abandon Giannoulias. Consider the race factor here: Jackson is Black, Giannoulias is White. Black voters have no ethnic horse in this race, as both Kirk and Giannoulias are White. However, if a Black Congressman like Jackson were to endorse Kirk, it would carry some sway. Kirk currently represents the 10th Congressional District in Illinois. Giannoulias is currently the failed Illinois State Treasure. Jackson has the stench of corruption about him with regards to the Blagojevich Affair. Additionally, more Republican voters would be turned off to Kirk. Many already are upset with him for his vote for Cap And Trade. In fact, some call him "Cap'n Trade." They also call him a RINO (Republican In Name Only). “I like Alexi Giannoulias, but I have great respect for Mark Kirk and his service to the people of Illinois,” Jackson told Politico. Jonathan Allen points out in his article that Jackson and Kirk work together on the House Appropriations Committee, "on which both are senior members of the subcommittee that provides foreign aid." Trojan Horse Endorsement: Jackson may be willing to take some heat for "endorsing" Kirk. Why? Consider the possible effects that I noted above. Consider that Jackson's endorsement would probably drive more voters away from Kirk than from Giannoulias, thereby helping Giannoulias to win. In other words, an endorsement by Jackson would be a kind of Trojan Horse, and it smacks of covert DNC marching orders. Kirk and Giannoulias are competing to replace Sen. Roland Burris, who was appointed by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill the seat once held by Comrade Barack Obama. Roland Burris promised to not run for that seat, didn't he? Yes, he did, back in July, 2009. So, then why does Burris have a 2010 Senate campaign website? Has Burris gone back on his word? Or is he just trying to scam campaign donations that will end up as personal income after paying taxes on them?

Video Shows How Illegal Aliens Become U.S. Voters In Illinois

If you want to vote in Illinois but you're not a legal resident ... No problemo! Just follow these easy instructions and you'll be welcomed at a polling booth in the next election. The "Illinois Voter Registration Application" makes it easy. Click this link to view that form (PDF; will open in a new window). That form is available from the Illinois State Board of Elections. Would it be politically incorrect to wonder why they only offer English and Spanish versions, but no Dutch, French, German, Swahili, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, or any other language? Why is the only non-English version in Spanish? Hmmm.

Pat Dollard's Headline of the Week

Pat Dollard gets my vote for Headline of The Week, and it's only Tuesday. 

"Toughest Gun Control Laws In The Nation Lead To Historic Violent Crime Wave" is a post that hits the nail square on its head. Even the subhead is great: "Obama’s Chicago So Out Of Control Lawmakers Demand National Guard To Lock It Down."

Dollard notes that "Two Illinois lawmakers say violence has become so rampant in Chicago that the National Guard must be called in to help. Chicago Democratic Reps. John Fritchey and LaShawn Ford made a public plea to Gov. Pat Quinn on Sunday to deploy troops. The request comes amid a recent surge in violent crime, including a night last week that saw seven people killed and 18 wounded, mostly by gunfire."

The spineless Illinois Governor, Pat Quinn, has already said that he will not send in the troops without a request from Mayor Daley. He knows full well, of course, that Daley will make no such request. Apparently, the overrated, overhyped "positive loitering" efforts in Chicago have not been as effective as hoped for.

Chicago is 2,000 police officers short of what it's budgeted for, and what it needs. You gotta wonder just how much Daley, who is accompanied by armed guards everywhere he goes, really hates and despises the people he lords over.

Daley and Weis keep saying that the National Guard is not needed, and that they have better ideas. The extent of Daley's "better ideas" is more gun control. You know, to make it even tougher for the good guys to protect themselves. Weis hasn't had an original idea since... well, you tell me when that was.

While Daley and Obama are busy enabling illegal immigration with their rhetoric and advocacy of santuary cities, the people here in Chicago are being slaughtered in the streets. Dollard, a man who has seen combat first hand, knows that it's often more deadly in Chicago than in most parts of Iraq or Afghanistan. In a moving April 14 editorial in the Austin Weekly News, we are told that "To date, more young people have been shot in Chicago than Soldiers in Iraq-159 students have been shot this school year alone."

If Daley and Weis really cared, they'd put aside political considerations and egos and beg Gov. Quinn to send in the Guard. Daley hasn't got the intelligence or the balls to understand that his unconstitutional gun laws have no effect whatsoever on the bad guys getting and using firearms. Meanwhile, the law abiders are left defenseless and at the mercy of God and a call to 911.

Please remember:  Guns don't kill people, more than 60 years of bad social policy kills people.

RELATED:
National Guard Urged to Quell Chicago Violence  CBS News
Chicago Lawmakers: Call In the National Guard Fox News
Mr. Mayor, you must do something to save our kids‎ Austin Weekly News

Mayor Daley Gets the Tea Party. Why Doesn't Springfield?

by Steve Stevlic

Our original plan for the 2010 Chicago Tax Day Tea Party was to again hold it in Federal Plaza, site of the first Tax Day Tea Party in 2009. Unfortunately, we needed to change those plans when we were notified Federal Plaza would be under construction the week of the Tea Party (insert conspiracy theory here).

Daley Plaza actually turned out to be a great location. We had a massive crowd that would not have fit in Federal Plaza, and even more people who needed to hear our message had a chance to.....because we were right outside their window.

Mayor Daley Agrees with the Tea Party

Thousands of concerned Americans gathered right across the street from Mayor Daley's City Hall office on tax day and he heard us loud and clear. Daley estimated the crowd at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party at 20,000 people. I nominate Mayor Daley to provide the official crowd estimate for all tea party rallies from now on, particularly in DC. But the numbers that really matter are the trillions of dollars being spent by government at every level: federal, state, county and city.

Mayor Daley proposed a budget this year that cut costs slightly and did not raise taxes. City employees are earning less money in this economy because they are being forced to take furlough days. Daley himself has taken 29 unpaid days off this year, his cabinet has taken 24. Daley criticized Washington and Springfield at his press conference this week. Daley pointed out, "There isn’t one state employee or federal employee taking any time off. You wonder, why not?" Why not indeed.

Daley went on to wonder, "Don’t they realize that this is a national recession? Don’t they realize that people are suffering? There’s where the disgruntled attitude is — that they don’t get it. ... They’re living in the Washington or Springfield bubble.”

Daley is not the only politician that noticed

Forrest Claypool's campaign staffers were in Daley Plaza at the Tea Party collecting signatures for his independent run for Cook County Assessor. A message for Commissioner Claypool: you're running an independent campaign against higher taxes, corruption and politics as usual - so are we. We are open to your message and look forward to hearing what you have to say - hope you do the same.

Sadly, Pat Quinn still does not get it

While a select few Chicago and Cook County pols are hearing the Tea Party Movement message of lower taxes, lower spending and lower deficits, the same can not be said about the unelected Governor of IL, Pat Quinn. He is still proposing a 33% increase in the income tax and tried to impose a tax on iPhones and digital downloads. Even Quinn realized what a horrific idea the iTax was and quickly backed off the very next day. Maybe it's time for the Chicago Tea Party and the other 50 groups in Illinois Tea to pay a visit to our representatives in Springfield. We can not afford a tax increase in this economy. We can not afford the job losses that would occur as a result. The public sector unions were not shy about going to Springfield to demand more money. Is it time for the people to go to Springfield? What do you think? Steve Stevlic is the Chicago Coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, Organizer of the 2010 Chicago Tax Day Tea Party and contributor at Chicago News Bench. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

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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Tony Peraica Talks Tough! (Part 4 of 6)

Part 4 of the exclusive Chicago News Bench (CNB) interview series with Tony Peraica, Cook County Board Commissioner (R-16). He doesn't mince his words as he talks about President Barack Obama's involvement with corruption in Chicago and Cook County, ties to Tony Rezko, Mayor Daley's nephew, and others. Tony discusses the nation's highest tax rate, right here in Downtown Chicago, and more. I interviewed Tony Peraica on May 29, 2009 at his Anthony J. Peraica & Associates law offices. (See all six videos in the series.) Cool Hats & Shirts for Cool Conservatives Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

UPDATE x5: Blagojevich Has Been Indicted

DEVELOPING...STAND BY... 4:54 PM, 02 APRIL 2009 Link from WBBM 780 AM: Audio: Gov. Quinn's statement on the indictment Official Press Release (PDF file; US Dept of Justice) List of Defendants: Rod Blagojevich; Christopher Kelly; Alonzo Monk; William Cellini; John Harris; Robert Blagojevich Full List of Defendants and Charges (PDF file; USDOJ)

The Indictment, 75 pages, PDF, USDOJ

UPDATE: Federal Indictment Against Blagojevich Alleges "Pervasive Fraud" UPDATE: Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, his brother Rob and Christopher Kelly, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich, were all indicted today on corruption charges, the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago announced.Also charged in the indictment were Lon Monk, a lobbyist and former Blagojevich chief of staff; John Harris, also a former chief of staff to Blagojevich; and William Cellini, a Springfield insider for decades.The indictment comes four months after Blagojevich was arrested and charged with engaging in pay-to-play politics in a sweeping federal complaint that accused him of trading state jobs, contracts and regulatory favors for campaign contributions. More at Breaking News... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed CommieBama Hats and More

Free Blago! The Benefits of Letting Rod be Rod

Ralf Seiffe has a brilliant bit of political satire at Illinois Review that you should read. It's informative, opiniated and - in a tragic way - funny as hell. An excerpt: In a break with prevailing conservative opinion, including respected advertisers on this page, this recommends that Republican senators vote to acquit the governor when the trial occurs. There are several reasons for this including the governor’s own behavior, the House of Representatives’ disregard for the Constitution and laws of Illinois and to establish an identity for Illinois Republicans and, finally, considerations that relate to the good of the state. To prove this, let these facts be submitted to a weary populace.... Read the Full Post Ralf, you are being tongue-in-cheek, aren't you? Well, aren't you? Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

Blago: "Vengeful and profane"

Before he was arrested yesterday, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (Democrat) was well liked by something around 13 percent of Illinois voters. That's less than half the ratings for Pres. Bush, but still much higher than the ratings of Congress as a whole. The sad, weird, tragic yet sadistically funny events of Blago Tuesday have probably since lowered his favorability ratings to somewhere in the single digits. There are always die-hard supporters; even serial get offers of marriage while they're behind bars, and people still buy Michael Jackson albums. Even Michael Jackson, however, was never caught on tape calling colleagues motherf#@%ers, as Blagojevich was. Hearing Blago use nasty language was apparently shocking to many, perhaps especially to those not old enough to remember the raw Nixon Tapes, which were aired on network television uncensored. Nixon could swear like a sailor, but he pales in comparison to Blago the Foul. Yes, Blago was once the Golden Boy of the Illinois Democrats. But, as Susan Saulny explains in the International Herald Tribune, "Tuesday changed all that." Indeed. It was not simply the extortion and venality with which he was charged that left mouths gaping, but the ruthlessness and grandiosity revealed in the federal wiretap transcripts, even as he knew he was being investigated...Whatever his current motivation, he came into office with a very different persona. As a young congressman representing the North Side of Chicago, Blagojevich was pegged as a rising star with a populist touch. Undistinguished as a lawmaker but with proven likability in and out of Chicago, he seemed hellbent on pushing reform and cleaning house in a state with an embarrassingly overt culture of political corruption. Full Article... Hmmm. He was a "rising star with a populist touch," eh? Isn't every Democrat billed as having a "populist touch" these days? Hmmm. "Undistinguished as a lawmaker," she says? Remember, she's talking about Blagojevich, not Barackobamavich, who was also a "rising star" with a "populist touch" who was/is, nevertheless, "undistinguished as a lawmaker." Let us not get off point, however. Saulny's article is poignant and important. It's about politicians who present a kind face while running for office, but take their masks off, sooner or later, after they get into office. It all brings to mind an old Who song. You remember the lyrics, perhaps: "I get on my knees and pray we don't get fooled again....Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

BREAKING: BANK OF AMERICA GIVES IN, WILL HELP REPUBLIC WINDOWS...

Bank of America blinked and will help Republic Windows & Doors LLC in Chicago, after all. But there are catches... Bank of America Offers Loans to Republic for Workers (Update1) Workers win: Bank to give credit to Chicago plant

BLAGO IMPEACHMENT "WILL HAVE TO BEGIN NOW"

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested early this morning by FBI agents. He is charged with trying to "sell" the US Senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama (5th District), among other alleged offenses. The Illinois constitution gives the power to appoint a replacement for a vacated US Senate seat only to the Governor, and until Blagojevich is convicted he is still Illinois' top executive. Now, finally, there is a serious move afoot to impeach (still) Governor Blagojevich. CHICAGO (CBS) ― Within hours of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrrest, state lawmakers were calling for impeachment proceedings to begin. Democrat John Fritchey, told CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery that impeachment proceeedings will have to begin now. Full Article... RELATED: Impeachment hearings likely against Blagojevich Resignation or impeachment, GOP chairman, state comptroller say

KIRK DEFEATS SEALS

WHEW! Some of the Bolshies were held at bay. For example, Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) held his office by defeating his challenger, Democrat Dan Seals, in a tight race in Chicago's north shore communities. Kirk’s race was one of three where suburban Republicans fended off Democratic challengers emboldened by Barack Obama’s presence at the top of the ticket in his home state. Freshman Rep. Peter Roskam of Wheaton and veteran Rep. Judy Biggert of Hinsdale declared victory over their Democratic challengers. MORE at Chicago Tribune...

Pros and Cons of Illinois Constitutional Convention

Tomorrow is Election Day in the USA. We will vote for the next president, but there is much more on everyone's ballot. Here in Illinois, for example, the people will be voting on whether or not to hold a constitutional convention ("con-con"), which is meant to tweak and fine tune that document. For the first time in 20 years, this November 4th, Illinois voters will get a chance to vote "YES" to call for a new Constitutional Convention for Illinois. Of course, some people want a convention and some don't. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich currently has a popularity rating lower than that of George W. Bush, and is currently under the microscope of federal investigators (can you say "Rezko"?). The state has been compared to Louisiana in terms of systemic corruption. Among other possibilities, a constitutional convention would give the people the opportunity to add - or reject - a provision for recalling corrupt or inept elected officials. RELATED: Constitutional Convention for Illinois Theory and Reality in Constitution Debate Have You Read the Illinois Constitution?