What same-sex marriage advocates won in the Illinois Senate on Valentine’s Day 2013 was just reversed. After weeks and months of hard work to accomplish what should have been easy, gay Democrat sponsor Greg Harris could not muster the votes,
By DON BABWINAssociated PressCHICAGORoger Ebert, one of the nation’s most influential film critics who used newspapers, television and social media to take readers into theaters and even into his own life, was laid to rest Monday with praise from political
(AP) Illinois settles SEC fraud charge over pensionsSPRINGFIELD, Ill. The federal government is charging Illinois with securities fraud, claiming it misled investors about the health of its pension system. Gov. Pat Quinn’s office said Monday that the state has agreed
(Reuters) – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will unveil a fiscal 2014 budget on Wednesday that will chip away at a huge pile of overdue bills and cut spending to accommodate growing public pension costs, top state officials said on Tuesday.
Insurance chain State Farm is reportedly buying up substantial workspace in Texas, which may signal a coming exodus from the company’s home state of Illinois. State Farm is keeping the move quiet so as not to alarm employees. But the
In response to In Honor Of School Choice Week: Sonnie, one Governor missing from that list is Pat Quinn of Illinois, and there’s tons of support for school choice in his state because of Chicago’s failing public schools. A recent
Standard & Poor’s has announced that it is downgrading the debt rating of the state of Illinois to A-. The downgrade is the result of the state’s failure to deal with pension liabilities. The state was also given a negative outlook
(AP) S&P lowers Illinois credit rating, blames pensionsBy SARA BURNETTAssociated PressCHICAGOIllinois’ already disastrous financial situation worsened Friday as another credit rating agency downgraded its rating to the worst of any state in the country, blaming lawmakers’ ongoing failure to resolve
After a vote on January 8, Illinois is set to join only two other states, New Mexico and Washington, to allow illegal immigrants to apply for state drivers licenses. A third state, Utah, allows illegals to drive on temporary permits.
On Tuesday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) and other top state leaders said they will support legislation that gives driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants in the state. Quinn said he would such a bill if the legislation, which has yet
CHICAGO (WLS) – An anonymous member of the Chicago Plumbers Union is claiming the union is forcing its members to back President Barack Obama. The plumber told Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft on “The Don and Roma Show” on WLS
With each successive municipality that rejects bans on plastic bags, the environmental lobby championing the measure grows increasingly more desperate, more willing to lean on despicable political tactics to advance a radical agenda. From Illinois to Texas, activists seeking to
It was both fitting and proper that Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, who leads the state with the worst bond rating in the nation, should have received a primetime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention as the nation passed $16
Standard & Poor’s downgraded Illinois’ credit rating on Wednesday, citing “weak pension funding levels and lack of action on reform measures.” S&P also gave the state a “negative outlook.” The agency lowered Illinois’ rating from A+ to A. This is
Pat Quinn is the Democratic Governor of Illinois. His state currentlyhas $83 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and no plan for dealingwith them. Monday, Gov. Quinn called for a special legislative sessionto address pensions, saying, “This is a crying need of
In the wake of its recent hike in the cigarette tax rate, Illinois is encountering fresh problems with cigarette smuggling that could wipe out any possible benefit from the $1 per pack increase. When Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a
Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) has approved a law that will penalize retirees by requiring them to pay additional taxes in order to receive health insurance, starting July 1. There are 78,000 retirees who will be affected. Each year, the state’s administration will
As Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker faces a recall election in a little over a month, Chief Executive magazine has some good news for the embattled limited government hero: The Badger State keeps rising in the Chief Executive Best States/Worst States list,
(AP) Budget dilemma looms for Illinois DemocratsBy CHRISTOPHER WILLSAssociated PressSPRINGFIELD, Ill.Facing one of the nation’s worst budget crises, the Democrats who run Illinois insist they’re serious about overhauling the state’s expensive health programs and employee pensions. Gov. Pat Quinn underscored
I don’t blame the Democrats for wanting to seduce Republicans into a tax-increase trap. Indeed, I completely understand why some Democrats said their top political goal was getting the GOP to surrender the no-tax-hike position. I’m mystified, though, why some
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced this week to 14 years in prison, but the real sentence is the one taxpayers will serve many years after. He mastered the art of pairing populist rhetoric with expensive new programs directed
This one ought to make the “down staters” happy. That’s right, everyone’s favorite “budget-friendly” pals, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn, have a “great deal” for you! It’s a new $1 billion CTA Red Line renovation, and Chicago taxpayers
Question: When is hate not hateful? Answer: When it is committed by a leftwing investigator for the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Last week, the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission tried to sneak in a pre-holiday disclosure: Alvin Forbes, Sr., an
The culture of corruption is a well-known fixture in Chicago and Illinois politics where it doesn’t matter what you know, it matters who you know. We have one governor on his way to jail and the one before him currently
Governor Pat Quinn quietly announced Illinois’ formal withdrawal from Secure Communities in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security. This program, administered through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is fully successful only when state prison systems cooperate with the
Despite firm denials, no objective evidence it occurred – and even exculpatory video and audio evidence that Tea Party protesters never hurled the N-word at U.S.Represntative John Lewis on Capitol Hill in March of last year, the media was quick
Three days ago, Dan Riehl shared news about powerful Illinois Democrats and members of the Illinois State Police circling their wagons to protect one of their own after a St. Patrick’s Day incident at a Carlinville, Ill., tavern. Today, some
Breitbart Media has worked for days to get to the bottom of a seemingly highly-charged story allegedly involving racism from a high profile Democrat and now former law enforcement official that may reach into the upper-level of Illinois state government,
The experts charged with determining when recessions begin and end tell us that the latest of these unpleasant events ended a while ago. Technically, they are no doubt right. But that does not mean that the economic crisis we have
Illinois blogger, Marathon Pundit, is correctly demanding that EVERY military ballot be counted in the land of Lincoln. The GOP had a terrific Election Day in the Land of Lincoln, winning a US Senate seat and at least three House
Illinois Democratic State Senator Ricky Hendon said that Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady wanted to kill homosexuals and that women should have no rights. Hendon also called Brady idiotic, racist, sexist, and homophobic. But, if you watched the Fox channel
Watch how the local media is white-washing Hendon’s offensive remarks. Illinois Democrat State Senator Ricky Hendon suggested that Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady wanted to execute homosexuals and that all civil rights for women should be ended. “I’ve never served
Things are getting desperate out there for Democrats, who have nowhere to hide from their legacy of failure. Illinois has already gone into bizarre territory with Governor Quinn’s “Vote for Me or the Puppy Gets It” ads. Just when things
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is traveling to Springfield, Illinois today to do a fundraiser for Bill Brady, the Republican gubernatorial candidate. While he’s in town, Christie should drop by the capitol and give Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat,
The CATO Institute has released its 2010 Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors, offering praise for some and criticism for many. At the front of the pack are three Republicans and one Democrat: Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), Gov. Bobby
It’s no secret that ethics means something a little different here in the Land of Lincoln. We’re home to where the last 3 of 6 governors have gone to jail. Our last governor was just convicted of a “Martha Stewart”
Well we’ve got a case of another journalist that turned into a political operative that now wants to go back to being a journalist. And would you be surprised that the journo/politico/journo redux is a Democrat? I would hope you
They came to the Capitol in their thousands. They waved angry signs and shouted at the legislators inside the building. They even issued direct threats against politicians who refused to do their bidding–threats that could reasonably be interpreted as violent:
“As Speaker, I want every citizen of Illinois to know this is a people’s Legislature — we are here to serve the public, openly, honestly and with the highest standards. I am accountable only to you”, says Speaker Madigan’s own
Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal editorial highlighted the baby steps Illinois is taking toward enacting public employee pension reform, noting that this could be the “start of a nationwide backlash against the scandal of runaway public pensions.” State government employees in