Chicago

Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Elections - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Joe Walsh - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

8th District: Meet GOP Candidate Joe Walsh

April 26, 2010 by

Some Lake County Republicans are sponsoring a meet the candidate event on Wednesday 28 from 7PM to 9PM. There you can meet candidate for the 8th District Joe Walsh.

Illinois 8th Congressional District Republican Challenger Joe Walsh Talks Back

JOE WALSH “Talks Back”

No Holds Barred on the issues .. Have Questions? Ask Joe!

Is Congress Really Representing “We The People”?

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: The South Barrington Club
Street: 3 Tennis Club Lane
City/Town: South Barrington, IL

For Information Call Carol Ann Parisi 847-496-5400 or email Hangnloose@comcast.net

Directions: http://www.mapquest.com/mq/2-Xz1b

Andy Stern - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Jobs - Media - Media Bias - President - Public Employees Unions - Rod Blagojevich - SEIU - Senate - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Andy Stern: Union Chief Fleeing Ahead of Illinois Indictment?

April 26, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Until recently, Andy Stern was the President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a union that has served as one of President Obama’s biggest donors as well as filling the ranks of his ground troops. In a surprise move, Stern resigned his post this month and no one is really sure why at this point.

Andy Stern has been one of the closest union chiefs to a president in history. Along with SEIU treasurer Anna Burger, he was one of the most frequent visitors to the White House. He was even chosen by President Obama to serve on his Deficit Reduction Commission — a sort of contradiction in terms that.

Upon his resignation, it has been learned that Andy Stern’s leadership of the SEIU has not brought financial solvency. As F. Vincent Vernuccio reports in the Washington Times, Stern has left the SEIU in pretty shabby shape.
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Andy Stern: Union Chief Fleeing Ahead of Illinois Indictment?”

Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Scott Lee Cohen - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Is He or Isn’t He: Scott Lee Cohen for Governor?

April 24, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A few days ago, we pondered the amusing possibility of Scott Lee Cohen running for Illinois Governor as an independent. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if this fellow ran for governor after being kicked off the Democrat ticket?

Well it is beginning to look like Cohen really is looking to run for governor as an independent. Now a spokesman for Michael Madigan is saying that Cohen told the party bigwigs that he does, indeed, want to run for governor as a lt.

This would be awful fun if it came to pass. But I warn everyone about Cohen. He seems awfully flakey. Don’t be surprised if Cohen flakes out and decides he “never said he’d run.”

I don’t think we can trust this guy to really commit.
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Is He or Isn’t He: Scott Lee Cohen for Governor?”

Alexi Giannoulias - Banks - Business - Chicago - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Senate - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Feds Shut Down Dem. Sen. Candidate Giannoulias’ Family Owned Bank

April 23, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Democrat’s Illinois Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias, has seen his family business stripped away from them and placed in the hands of a new owner (MB Financial) because he and his family could not come up with the $85 million needed to shore up falling liquidity.

Banking regulators seized the Giannoulias’ Broadway Bank this evening and placed it in the hands of MB Bank, a bank with branches throughout the Chicagoland area.

Alexi Giannoulias was the bank’s chief lender and vice-president from 2002 to 2006. He has been criticized for working for the bank when it loaned $20 million to Michael “Jaws” Giorongo and reputed mobster Boris Stratievsky. Giannoulias’ family has also been attacked for taking $70 million in dividends in both 2007 and 2008 as the bank’s loans were going bad.
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Feds Shut Down Dem. Sen. Candidate Giannoulias’ Family Owned Bank”

Books - Chicago - Children - Entertainment - Gays - Illinois - Media - TV - TV News - Warner Todd Huston

Gay Archie Comic Character: My Channel 2 News Response

April 23, 2010 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Earlier this afternoon, Mike Parker long-time reporter from CBS 2 News, Chicago, gave me a ring and asked me to make a quick trip downtown Chicago — well, “quick” being relative with Chicago traffic at rush hour — to appear with him in a piece on the recent announcement by the good folks at Archie Comics that they intended to add an openly gay character to their Archie comic book series.

It was a bit unusual for me. Not to be on TV, but to have TV call me about an item I hadn’t yet written about. I saw this story this morning but thought I’d put off writing about it until later tonight or Saturday. Now, usually I get everyone mad at me after I’ve written about something, but it looks like Mr. Parker wanted to initiate a preemptive strike with this one! Ha, ha.

Anyway, Mr. Parker was quite correct that I had a thing or two to say about the matter and I hope that I was able to effectively convey those ideas in the interview that will appear tonight during the 10 O’Clock news on Channel 2.

What struck me about this Archie announcement is that it seems we’re about to lose yet another safe haven for kid’s entertainment. Introducing a gay character may be “realistic” but does Archie have to be realistic? Kid’s entertainment doesn’t have to “reflect the current world of Teens.” It doesn’t have to present harsh realities or controversy. It can just be about fun or fantasy and it doesn’t have to delve into every aspect of life whether it be provocative, even deviate. Will the Archies have a skinhead character? Will they have a Holocaust denier character? Or how about on the other end of the spectrum and putting in a strict Christian character? Will Archie get one of those? Likely not as it doesn’t fit the liberal agenda.
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Gay Archie Comic Character: My Channel 2 News Response”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - State Government - Taxes - Tony Peraica - Warner Todd Huston

Gov’t Waste: $300,000 for Coffee in Cook County Government?

April 22, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Tony Peraica has chimed in on the “Coffee Czar” controversy as reported here earlier this week.

“Yes, despite the political insiders’ claims that government is bankrupt and their calls for tax increases — we’ve learned that the county taxpayers spent more than $75,000 on a local coffee company in the first three months of the current fiscal year alone. That adds up to some $300,000 a year for coffee and snacks!

As I told the reporter for that story, I’ve long said that we have “corruption on steroids” here in Cook County — but now we learn it might also be fueled by coffee!

Are these really the types of wasteful “projects” on which our hard-earned tax dollars should be spent?

As your commissioner, I will continue to fight to expose these instances of abuse, and to fight for sensible spending reform and tax relief.”


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Gov’t Waste: $300,000 for Coffee in Cook County Government?”

Barack Obama - Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Rod Blagojevich - Warner Todd Huston

Did Obama LIE?

April 22, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Did the President lie? Blago thinks so. Rod Blagojevich’s team asked the court to issue a rial subpoena to President Obama to get him to answer some key questions in Blagojevich’s trial. The ex-guv is accused of attempting to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

The motion was made public but was supposed to have been heavily redacted. Unfortunately for the prosecution, the computer file released to the press was easily restored to an un-redacted state through simple computer features. So, here is the un-redacted subpoena:
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Did Obama LIE?”

Budget - Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Joe Walsh - Melissa Bean - State Government - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

More of Melissa Bean’s Hypocritical Ways

April 22, 2010 by

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Since Melissa Bean voted yes on January 28, 2009 for the $787B stimulus bill the unemployment rate in Lake County continues to rise. While Bean spent the last year ignoring her constituents and the American people she continued down a path of the takeover of our healthcare industry while ignoring the jobs which are disappearing at an alarming rate in Lake County. Bean’s stance to support the Obama Administration’s failed policies is hurting businesses and individuals which live and work in Lake County.
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More of Melissa Bean’s Hypocritical Ways”

Adam Andrzejewski - Budget - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Pat Quinn - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Governor Quinn Says There’s a Tax for That‏

April 22, 2010 by

From Adam Andrzejewski and For the Good of Illinois…

One week ago today, I had the honor of speaking at five tea parties throughout Illinois. Their message – government is out of control, spending has reached unsustainable levels and we’re Taxed Enough Already.
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Governor Quinn Says There’s a Tax for That‏”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Entertainment - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Media - Radio - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Radio: the Laughing Stock of the Midwest

April 22, 2010 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Welcome to Chicago Con the Air!

What the heck is going on with Chicago’s AM radio stations? For some ungodly reason… and I DO mean ungodly… convicts are turning up all over the place as radio hosts. No, I mean real convicts. Not just your average car-jacker or B&E guy, I mean political convicts. It’s no wonder Chicago is the laughing stock of the country. The city is so crooked that crooked politicians even infest the radio, fer cripes sakes!

Just announced by WVON a Monday morning radio show will be hosted by convicted Cicero Mayor Betty Loren-Maltese. Maltese just got out of jail for misappropriation of city funds.

As Chicago Radio maven Larz notes, “It should be noted that the man Betty Loren-Maltese is filling in for, Cliff Kelley, is himself a disgraced former politician.”
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Chicago Radio: the Laughing Stock of the Midwest”

Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Media - Newspapers - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Scott Lee Cohen, Independent Run for Ill. Guv?

April 22, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Could it be? Could Scott Lee Cohen be roaring back to politics so soon after being thrown off the Democrat ticket in disgrace?

I don’t know about you, but this blogger is crossing his fingers and toes in hopes that it could be true. Oh, LORDY make it true. I mean, why not, eh? What fun it would be.

For those that don’t quite remember the dim days so long ago last February, Scott Lee Cohen won the Democrat primary to take the Lt. Gov. spot on the Dem. Ticket. But no sooner was he celebrating his big win when the Chicago Old Media finally started to research candidate Cohen only to discover that he had all sorts of unsavory legal and criminal allegations in his past. There was the beating he gave his prostitute girlfriend, the assault with a knife… well, let’s just say that things were a bit messy in his recent past. Once the Dems found out about his past the whole Democrat establishment rose up to demand that Cohen quit his campaign for Lt. Gov.

Well, as he headed for the door Cohen promised that he’d try for office again someday. Apparently, he’s considering that someday should be today. Several sources are reporting that Cohen would like to run for Governor as an independent this year.
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Scott Lee Cohen, Independent Run for Ill. Guv?”

Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Rod Blagojevich - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Blago-a-go-go: Suckin’ Up to Da Man

April 21, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In the ongoing Blago-a-go-go, the sage of the Governor whose aborted attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat for money, profit and high falutin’ job opportunities for himself and his family, we see ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich taking a little time out from his busy radio and TV star schedule to visit the court rooms of the Richard J. Daley building in beautiful downtown Chicago.

Blago has been yelling from the rooftops that the prosecution should “play all the tapes” to prove that he, Blago, is innocent as the driven snow. Today Judge James B. Zagel (Reagan appointee, 1987) shot down Blago’s demands and said that he is the one that will determine what tapes will be played and what won’t.

“I will not allow the time of these jurors to be needlessly consumed,” Zagel said. Zagel also scolded Blago saying he would not allow any “legal head butts” to take place in his courtroom.
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Blago-a-go-go: Suckin’ Up to Da Man”

Afghanistan - Chicago - Foreign Countries - Iraq - Islam - Islamofascism - Israel - Palestinians - Religion - Saudi Arabia - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston - Western Civilization

Join Us for a Viewing of The Third Jihad in Palatine

April 21, 2010 by

ACT for America is bringing its documentary The Third Jihad to Palatine, Illinois on Saturday April 24. The film will be shown after 2PM and is sponsored by the Ukrainian American Veterans, the 1Lt. Ivan Shandor Post 35.

ACT for America is an organization started by Brigitte Gabriel who arrived in the U.S. after radical Islamists chased her from her home in Lebanon. Gabriel was shocked how little Americans knew about these Islamists and she started her organization to educate her newfound countrymen.
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Join Us for a Viewing of The Third Jihad in Palatine”

Chicago - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Bill Brady ‘Blogger Coffee’ Epic Fail!

April 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

As the kids on them Internet tubes say, it was an epic fail. GOP Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady held what was claimed to be a “blogger coffee” in a restaurant in Rosemont on April 17. Three whole bloggers showed, one of which is closely connected behind the scenes to GOP movers and shakers. In other words this was not a “bloggers” anything, but just another closely controlled Brady campaign event facade that amounted to nothing.

In attendance to “meet” Brady was Bill Baar of Bill Baar’s West Side, Fran Eaton of the heavily connected Illinois Review, and a writer for NBC Chicago’s The Ward Room Blog.

As the Ward Room notes,”there wasn’t any coffee, and there were only three bloggers.”
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Bill Brady ‘Blogger Coffee’ Epic Fail!”

Budget - Business - Chicago - Congress - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - DuPage County - Economy/Finances - Elections - Free Trade - GOP - House of Representatives - Illinois - Jobs - Liberals - Media - Peter Roskam - Republicans - Taxes - TV News - Warner Todd Huston

Rep. Roskam: GOP Not the Party of No, the Party of ‘No, How About This?’

April 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On April 19, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor and Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam joined Fox News Chicago to talk jobs and the economy. The anchor brought up the claim made by many in the chattering classes that the GOP is just the “party of no.” Roskam had a great come back for this dismissal of the GOP’s principled stance against Obama’s socialist-like attack on our political system.

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Coffee Break Costs Cook County $76,291

April 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A cuppa Joe, we all love it — well, I don’t drink coffee at all, but most people do, anyway. You might spend a few bucks a day on your coffee, right? Well, add a few more dollars to that daily bill if you are a resident of Cook County, Illinois. A recent review of the county’s expenditures shows that it spent $76,291 on coffee products from the ACE Coffee vending company.

But, it wasn’t just coffee and snacks that the ACE company provided. No, it was one hand washing the other as the ACE Coffee company has given tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions to Cook County Democrats, 14th Ward Alderman and Democrat Committeeman Ed Burke in particular. Burke and his various committees and associates got $20,250 of ACE’s $30,000 in political contributions made last year.

  • $11,250 to Friends of Edward M. Burke
  • $3,000 to The Burnham Committee (of which Burke is listed as chairman)
  • $3,000 to the Democratic Party of the 14th Ward (of which Burke is committeeman)
  • The company’s CEO, Bernard E. Cavitt, also made $10,500 in contributions to Burke-related committees since 2000.

If a private company wants to buy coffee for its employees, well, that is fine. They have a right to decide how to spend their own profits. But what we have here is the taxpayers paying for county employees to sit around drinking coffee and eating snacks on OUR dime. And the coffee company is hip deep in the pockets of county and city officials to boot!

We can thank Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica for his efforts to make sure that the Cook County check register is on line for all to see so that this sort of unsavory relationships can see the light of day. We’d never be able to find such things without the Cook County transparency effort, so thanks to Peraica for his work here.
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Coffee Break Costs Cook County $76,291″

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Rahm Emanuel: ‘I Would Like to Run for Mayor of Chicago’

April 19, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On PBS’ Charlie Rose show, Rahm Emanuel finally admitted what has been rumored in hushed voices throughout the city of Chicago: He wants to run for Mayor.

Emanuel told host Rose that if Mayor Daley decides not to run again, he would like to throw his own hat in the ring and run for the big seat at City Hall.

But if Mayor Daley doesn’t, one day I would like to run for mayor of the City of Chicago. That’s always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.

Now the pressure is on Mayor Daley to decide if he wants another term and to wonder if Emanuel will run against him despite his claim to want to support Da Mayor if he runs again.

The diminutive, oft times profane Emanuel reiterated a few times that he’s not looking to knock Richard Daley out of the office, but one really does have to wonder. Few Presidential Chiefs of Staff last long and one can be pretty sure that Emanuel will be gone for that position sooner rather than later. So, is he really, really sure that he won’t run to beat Daley?

This is a question that Daley would be foolish not to be asking himself.
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Rahm Emanuel: ‘I Would Like to Run for Mayor of Chicago’”

Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Senate - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. State Senate Prez’ Son in DUI Driving State Owned Vehicle

April 19, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The son of Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton (D, 6th District) was arrested for drunk driving over the weekend. He had a blood alcohol level of .188, twice the legal limit of .08.

The vehicle that son Garritt was driving was a state owned SUV that is supposedly only to be used for official state business.

Cullerton immediately told reporters that he didn’t know his son was diving around in a state owned vehicle.

“A Senate vehicle assigned to the Senate President for official legislative business was used by his son without his authorization,” Sen. Cullerton’s office said in a written statement. “The Senate President is dissapointed that this incident occurred and takes this matter very seriously. He will work to ensure that this does not occur in the future.”

What utter BS.

You expect anyone to believe, Senator Cullerton, that your son stole the SUV to joy ride in after boozing it up? You truly mean to tell us, Senator Cullerton, that your son is a drunk AND a thief at the same time?

No, Mr. Cullerton, what is far more likely is that your son got caught drunk driving — bad enough of course — but that he was driving the state-owned vehicle because you let him do it all the time and it wasn’t out of the ordinary at all.

Yet, here you are throwing your own son under the bus… or SUV as the case may be… just so people won’t realize that your family has been illegally using state-owned vehicles for their own personal needs.

Mr. Cullerton you are not only a crook, but a bad father. Shame on you.
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Ill. State Senate Prez’ Son in DUI Driving State Owned Vehicle”

Chicago - Congress - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - DuPage County - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Randy Hultgren - Republicans - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Hultgren Moves 14th District to ‘Pure Toss-Up’

April 19, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

According to the Rothenberg Political Report, the race in the 14th Congressional District is now a “pure toss-up” in a political climate in which 44 seats have been moved in favor of Republicans while only 4 have moved in favor of Democrats.

Currently, the 14th District is represented by Democrat Bill Foster who took the seat formerly held by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. The Republican candidate for the 14th is Randy Hultgren, currently the State Senator for the 48th District.

Hultgren won the primary pretty handily by defeating Ethan Hastert 54% to Hastert’s 45%.

Hultgren graduated from Wheaton Academy in 1984 and from Bethel University in 1988, Magna Cum Laude. He earned his doctorate degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1993. He’s been both a state rep as well as a senator in Springfield since 1998.

His site can be seen at: http://hultgrenforcongress.com/
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Hultgren Moves 14th District to ‘Pure Toss-Up’”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Pat Quinn - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Is Scott Lee Cohen Eyeing Guv’s Chair, Now?

April 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Former candidate for Comptroller William Kelly reported to Chicago News Bench that Scott Lee Cohen is thinking of running for the Governor’s seat. Could it be? Could the guy that the Democrat Party forced off the ticket when he won the Lt. Guv’s spot now be looking to take his revenge out against the Party by opposing them for Governor?

And if he does run, will he run as a Democrat or will he run as an independent? How will he do it? Or is he really thinking about the next run, not the 2010 run? There’s a ton of questions with this one, that’s for sure.

One thing is sure, though. Scott Lee Cohen has said to various members of the media, both new and old, that he will be running for something in the future… though to date he has not officially said what that office might be.

It would be a hoot if he decided to run for governor against Quinn and the Democrats both. It would be Chicago politics at its most circus-like. Political life under the big top, is what we have.

Tom Mannis has some other hot Cohen gossip at his Chicago News Bench site, so go on over and take a look.
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Is Scott Lee Cohen Eyeing Guv’s Chair, Now?”

Chicago - Warner Todd Huston

Upon Reflection…

April 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

After I went downtown for the Sam Adams Alliance Sammies awards (report HERE), I got to thinking about being downtown.

I used to work downtown Chicago. It was always kind of exciting. I haven’t had any continuing business in the city for many years, but I always love visiting the city. It’s so electric being downtown.

People are going to and fro, business is being done, lights, cars, busses, trains, everything is abuzz with frenetic activity. It is a mass of humanity that just seems all so exciting.

But, it isn’t long before you begin to notice a lack of a soul all about you. Everything is so impersonal. Few people are talking to each other, many are in their own world on cell phones or wearing their headphones listening to music. Glances are nervous, no one is engaging.

Ultimately, I am always glad to get back home and away from the city.

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Peraica’s Push for Transparency Reveals Waste

April 18, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Commissioner Peraica sponsored a transparency measure that formed the basis for a recent ABC 7 report on waste in county government. Cook County government has started to put its check register online for all to see thanks to Peracia’s efforts.

Of course, we need more stories like the one seen here, ABC 7’s Chuck Goudie who usesd the online check register to identify questionable expenditures of your tax dollars.

One of the worst examples of waste by the County was its expenditures to C.R.O.E., the Coalition for the Remembrance of the Honorable Elijah Mahammad. Mahammad was the former leader of the militant Nation of Islam, a religion now run by Louis Farrakhan. The County is supposedly paying C.R.O.E. for “consulting” services. But no one really knows what sort of “consulting” they really do for the County.

In any case, with the County check register on line for everyone to see, the possibility of more easily finding the waste and graft by Cook County government is a good thing for eventually holding County officials accountable. We should see such efforts at every level of government.

9/11 - Anti-Americanism - Anti-Semitism - Anti-War - Blogging - Budget - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Inernet - Liberals - New Media - President - Republicans - Senate - Socialism - Taxes - Tea Party - Technology - Warner Todd Huston

Sam Adams, Andrew Breitbart, and Me: The Third Annual Sammies Awards, a Report

April 17, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Sam Adams Alliance, a free-market think tank that specializes in encouraging new media, held its third annual Sammies awards in beautiful downtown Chicago last Friday, April 16. This year the event hosted a visit by the Wall Street Journal’s John Fund and featured a keynote address by media maven Andrew Breitbart. And somewhere in the back of the room was little old me, your humble correspondent, there to report on the events of the night.

The Sammies are given to outstanding bloggers, community activists and purveyors of traditional American freedoms all of whom come from humble beginnings. Whether a frustrated mom, a put-upon property owner, or a school teacher that started a blog that ended up holding governments to account, the Sammies awards are intended to encourage citizen journalism, citizen activism, and organizing to affect our governments.


The Chicago Cultural Center, formerly the Public Library

This year’s event was held in the Chicago Cultural Center, formerly the building that housed the Chicago Public Library. The diner was beautifully laid out right under the famous stained glass dome created for the building by Tiffany’s of New York in 1897. We gathered beneath this great glass dome that is the spectacular feature of the Preston Bradley Hall of the Cultural Center.
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Sam Adams, Andrew Breitbart, and Me: The Third Annual Sammies Awards, a Report”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Liberals - President - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Tax Day Tea Party Video: Ballad of the Tea Party

April 15, 2010 by

During the tea party protest downtown Chicago at Daley Plaza, 9th District Republican candidate for Congress Joel Pollak debuted his new song, “Ballad of the Tea Party.”

Pollack himself performed the tune. It has the ring of a good old Irish diddie.

“Hey, hey, what do we say? Don’t tax our freedom away!”

Lyrics:
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Chicago Tax Day Tea Party Video: Ballad of the Tea Party”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Cook County Board - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - State Government - Taxes - Tea Party - Tony Peraica - Warner Todd Huston

Cook County Commissioner Peraica at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party

April 15, 2010 by

Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica produced this video of his attendance at the Tax Day Tea Party event held in Daly Plaza, in beautiful, corrupt downtown Chicago!

Tony is right to mention the “corruption tax” we in Crook County pay every day. Let’s hope that in November of 2010 these tea party efforts will help bring about the real hope and change that this country needs.

Campaign Finance - Chicago - Cook County - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Rod Blagojevich - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Prosecutors: Blago Wanted to ‘Personally Profit’ From U.S. Senate Seat

April 14, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

U.S. prosecutors released a document today detailing some of the charges against former Governor Rod Blagojevich one of which is that the ex-gov “repeatedly expressed an interest in personally profiting” from his responsibility to appoint a successor to fill Barack Obama’s Senate seat abandoned in 2008 when he won election to the White House.

The document reports that Blagojevich told a high-ranking aide, “Now is the time for me to put my (expletive) children and wife first, for a change.”

Also repeated is the allegation that Blago expected to turn his power to appoint a Senator into a future job for himself and/or his wife, a “good gig” as he put it, as heard on surveillance tapes in possession of prosecutors.

Much of this info has come out in drips and drabbles in the past, but this is the first time that prosecutors have assembled it all in a single document laying out their roadmap for proceeding on the case.

Quite a few shady financial deals are outlined in the document.
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Prosecutors: Blago Wanted to ‘Personally Profit’ From U.S. Senate Seat”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Mayor Richard Daley - State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Daley’s Deficit: $180 Per Citizen

April 14, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Business Insider reports that Mayor Richard Daley’s budget shortfall is one of the top 15 worst deficit budgets of America’s cities clocking in at $530,000,000 through fiscal year 2011. That breaks down to $180 of debt per citizen.

But this is a bit deceiving because of the $1.15 billion that Daley got by selling the city’s parking meter franchise, not to mention his sale of the Chicago Skyway a few years ago.

In February, Daley announced a hiring freeze that he claimed would save the city $11 million and the Mayor himself will work 29 days this year without pay. Daley also laid off 1,500 employees of the city last year and instituted 24 unpaid furlough days.
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Daley’s Deficit: $180 Per Citizen”

Budget - Business - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Illinois Policy Institute - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Policy Institute: Can we turn Illinois around?‏

April 14, 2010 by

A New Jersey Twist
“The best reality show on television today isn’t running on MTV,” William McGurn wrote in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal. It’s in the New Jersey state capitol, where Gov. Chris Christie is leading a dramatic campaign to make the state government live within its means. You can watch Gov. Christie discuss his dramatic attempt to turn New Jersey around here.
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Ill. Policy Institute: Can we turn Illinois around?‏”