From the Illinois Policy Institute
Santelli Rant, Part Deux
“Stop spending! Stop spending! Stop spending!” Earlier this week, CNBC reporter Rick Santelli (of “Tea Party” fame) offered some sound advice to the government—and some entertaining television.
Speaking of Spending…
Yesterday, Governor Pat Quinn addressed the state on a painful topic: Illinois’s disastrous budget. (We forgive you if your eyes just glazed over.) The bad news: The state budget is, yes, still a disaster. The good news: The Institute went through the governor’s speech, highlighting what you really need to know. Check out Kristina Rasmussen’s budget cheat sheet, along with our proactive budget solutions, here.
Have You Given to Ford Lately?
If you’re an Illinois taxpayer, you have…and if you think the auto giant doesn’t need your help, the state government disagrees—to the tune of $1.8 million. Ford, along with the AFL-CIO, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Kohl’s department stores, and a host of other private companies, receives taxpayer dollars to train their own employees. Our latest Spotlight on Spending highlights the little-known state program that makes it all happen.
Addicted
In case you missed it, our CEO John Tillman appeared on Fox Chicago this week to discuss the state’s spending addiction. You can watch the video here.
Making the News
Our Liberty Leaders program continues to grow…we’re nearing 1000 volunteers statewide! Liberty Leaders from across the state are making an impact in their communities—and they’re making the news. You can get a sampling and learn more about the program here.
What Recession?
Even though the state budget is billions of dollars out of whack, and even as the economy continues to falter, many state government employees received a pay raise yesterday. You can get the details here.
Happy Independence Day!
We hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend celebrating life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements from the Institute next week….