-By Warner Todd Huston
Illinois ranks a dismal 45th place in state rankings for the best business climates in the country according to a new study by the Institute for Legal Reform.
The study finds Illinois trailing the rest of the country in legal fairness with a litigation climate that is bad for businesses. Two Illinois counties, Cook County and Madison County, were also found to be the most unfair litigation climate in the nation.
In the press release, ILR says that Illinois is a “jackpot” state.
“Home to two of the most notorious jackpot jurisdictions in America and known for imposing expansive liability, Illinois has rolled out an ‘unwelcome mat’ to business,” said Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. “Illinois needs more jobs, not more lawsuits. Yet, even with an unemployment rate higher than the national average, the state’s anti-business legal climate discourages economic growth at a time when it needs it most.”
This ease at filing and constant upholding of frivolous lawsuits is reprehensible and decimates Illinois jobs just at a time when we need more jobs because of this bad economy.
And what is Governor Quinn doing about all this? Nothing. He IS suggesting that those of us fortunate enough to still have a job should pay 33% more in state income taxes! Oh, and he’s cozying up to unions more than ever so that our business climate is even more unfriendly to the formation of new businesses.
At this rate it doesn’t appear that Illinois’ dismal, anti-business climate ranking is in danger of being erased any time soon.
The ILR produced a few videos to help bring the point home. For instance, in his video piece Randy Baumgarten of Lee Lumber of Chicago said, “You used to be able to give better service; you used to be able to be better than everybody else. Now you have to watch your step because you’re doing something that’s going to expose you to some legal action.”
U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue comments on Illinois’ lawsuit climate:
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“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.
He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
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