Cook Commissioner Tim Schneider: Cut Cook County Film Office

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last month Cook County Commissioner Timothy O. Schneider (R, western suburbs) co-sponsored a budget amendment to axe the Cook County Film Commission from fiscal year 2010.

Quoth Schneider, “The creation of the Cook County Film Commission stands as a prime example of government spending run amok.”

The Film Commission is budgeted at $251,611 for 2010. Schneiber pointed out that there is already a Chicago Film Commission as well as an Illinois Film Commission, s the existence of a Cook County version is unnecessary redundancy.

Earlier in the year, Schneider sponsored and saw passed a campaign finance bill that lowered the personal political contribution allowance from $1,500 to $750 per person for those that have done business with the county, including registered lobbyists.

“This legislation can begin the process of restoring confidence and ensuring that influence peddling is eradicated from Cook County,” Schneider said in his recent newsletter.


McHenry County County Votes Down Video Gambling

-By Warner Todd Huston

Cal Skinner of the McHenry County Blog has reported his shock that the County Board has voted down video gambling by a 13 to 10 (with one abstention) victory.

Skinner reports that all ten Republicans voted for the ban and three Democrats crossed the aisle to join them.

This is good news for McHenry County.

Video gambling was passed by the State Legislature to raise needed revenue, but the bill included an opt out clause where each county board can decide if they want to allow gambling or not.

Skinner has the complete roll call if you are interested in seeing who voted what way in his blog report on this issue.

For more information on what towns, villages, and counties in Illinois that have already put a ban on video gambling, see the Illinois Church Action website.
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McHenry County County Votes Down Video Gambling”


Americans for Prosperity: U.S. House Candidate Joe Walsh Signs No Climate Tax Pledge

8th District Congressional candidate Joe Walsh has signed the AFP no tax pledge…

CHICAGO-The Illinois chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today applauded U.S. House candidate Joe Walsh (8th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Walsh joins over 285 lawmakers and candidates on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”

“The one thing elected officials should all be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino. “We encourage all of Illinois’ elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign.”
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Americans for Prosperity: U.S. House Candidate Joe Walsh Signs No Climate Tax Pledge”


2nd District Isaac Hayes: Obama’s 30,000 Boost a Step in the Right Direction

From the Isaac Hayes campaign:
 

CHICAGO – December 1, 2009: The following statement was released today by Rev. Isaac C. Hayes, the GOP nominee for Congress in IL-2, and opponent of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) regarding President Obama’s announcement to send 30,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan:
 

“President Obama’s decision to send 30,000 additional troops into the theatre of Afghanistan is a good step in the right direction” said Hayes. “His decision to not cut-and-run despite opposition to the buildup by members of his own party is commendable. However, I am disappointed that he has chosen not to deploy the minimum number of troops requested by General McCrystal of 40,000. As Congress debates funding for the troop buildup, it is important that the Republican Party work to ensure our soldiers have the best chance of success by heeding the firsthand assessment of Gen. McCrystal.”


For more information, go to:http://www.isaac4honesty.com.


8th District: Joe Walsh Pans Obama’s Afghanistan Policy Speech

From the Joe Walsh campaign:

8th District GOP Congressional Candidate Supports More Troops

Lake Zurich, IL – Joe Walsh, Republican candidate for the GOP nomination for the 8th District Congressional seat currently held by Rep. Melissa Bean has issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan policy tonight:

According to Mr. Walsh:
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8th District: Joe Walsh Pans Obama’s Afghanistan Policy Speech”


Ill. Rifle Assoc.: Oh, No We Didn’t Endorse Jim Ryan in 2002

-By Warner Todd Huston

On the Ryan FaceBook page the claim was recently made that Jim Ryan was endorsed by the Illinois State Rifle Association’s political action arm for his 2002 race against Rod Blagojevich for governor. Au contraire, says the ISRA-PVF. They didn’t endorse anyone in 2002, they say.

The ISRA-PVF issued a news release to correct the record:

ISRA-PVF Calls Upon Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate Jim Ryan to Retract Endorsement Claims

CHICAGO, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following was released today by the ISRA Political Victory Fund (ISRA-PVF):

The ISRA-PVF is today calling upon Illinois gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan to retract claims that he received the group’s endorsement during his failed 2002 run for governor against Rod Blagojevich. Such misleading claims have surfaced on Ryan’s social networking internet sites in recent days. Additionally, individuals have made reports to the ISRA-PVF that Ryan campaign staffers have made similar endorsement claims when questioned about Ryan’s stands on issues important to law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

The fact of the matter is, the ISRA-PVF declined to make an endorsement in the 2002 race for Illinois governor as neither the Republican candidate, Jim Ryan, nor his Democratic opponent, Rod Blagojevich, were deemed suitable for endorsement.

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Ill. Rifle Assoc.: Oh, No We Didn’t Endorse Jim Ryan in 2002″


Lt. Guv Candidate Jason Plummer: Still think the Illinois Lt. Governor doesn’t matter?‏

From the Plummer for Lt. Guv campaign (and yes, I want to stress that HIS release spelled Lieutenant wrong several times)…

If you think the office of Illinois Leiutenant Governor doesn’t matter — just wait until now-Governor Pat Quinn passes his massive income tax hike.

For seven years, Pat Quinn played loyal second fiddle to Rod Blagojevich — remaining silent while Rod plundered the state and destroyed our economy.

As governor, Pat Quinn has continued the Blagojevich legacy — padding the state budget to pay off political special interests at our expense.
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Lt. Guv Candidate Jason Plummer: Still think the Illinois Lt. Governor doesn’t matter?‏”


Cook County Board President Race: John Garrido Responds to Claims He’s a Dem. Plant

Is it the Chicago dirty tricks squad at work? From the Garrido campaign…

SCHILLER PARK – John Garrido addressed rumors being circulated among Republican circles that he’s a Democrat “plant”. He issued the following statement:

Attempts to try and make me look like a Democrat based on my primary voting record are laughable. I am a Republican, have always been a Republican, and will always remain a Republican.

I have voted in two Democratic primaries. In 2008, I joined over 100,000 Republicans in Ohio, 119,000 in Texas, and 38,000 in Mississippi who voted for Hillary Clinton to put Republicans in the best position to win in the general election. I also voted for an Assistant State’s Attorney and friend running as a Democrat who was more than qualified for judge.
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Cook County Board President Race: John Garrido Responds to Claims He’s a Dem. Plant”


Chgo Trib: Remembering Why the ILl. GOP Backed Blago

-By Warner Todd Huston

John Kass, he of the rail against “the combine,” has another column reminding us of why the Illinois GOP has become the laughing stalk of the GOP nation wide. It’s because up until this very day, the Illinois Republican Party has been but a weaker arm of the Illinois Democrat Party. Too many in the state GOP have been so intertwined with the criminal Democrats that they are indistinguishable one from the other, hence why Kass calls them “the combine.”

Kass reminded us of how the Illinois GOP establishment under past Party Chair Andy McKenna worked hand in glove with the corrupt Democrats. As Kass interviewed Jim Ryan, GOP candidate for Governor, he detailed just some of combine’s nefarious actions in 2006 when Ryan faced now indicted ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich.
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Chgo Trib: Remembering Why the ILl. GOP Backed Blago”


10th District: Bob Dold Supports Bank Bailouts

-By Warner Todd Huston

Of the Republicans running for the 10th District seat, Bob Dold is one of four, the others being Beth Coulson (the party favorite), Bill Cadigan (endorsed by former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger), and Dick Green.

Dold recently participated in a short phone conversation with Jeff Berkowitz of the Public Affairs Show the upshot of which seems to show that Dold supports the Bush/Obama bank bailouts.

Dold told Berkowitz that he thinks government needs the “ability to make sure that we’re stabilizing the banks.” Now, a conservative would far more likely say that no bank or business is “too big to fail” and that the only way to truly stabilize the banking system is to let banks that make bad choices suffer the consequences of their choices, not buoy them up and give them free money from the taxpayers so that they are insulated from those bad choices.
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10th District: Bob Dold Supports Bank Bailouts”


Jim Dodge for Comptroller: First Video Commercial

“Jim Dodge has the qualifications,” says the commercial. But the funniest part is that it ends saying, “we can vote for a blast from the past or begin a new, winning chapter for Illinois Republicans.”

Why is that last bit funny? Because it is a slap at Judy Baar Topinka, the former, former of the Illinois Good ‘ol Boy GOP network, who is also running (again) for a state-wide office, this time comptroller.


62nd District: Mitchell’s Mounting Endorsements

List includes two statewide candidates, current and former political leaders.

Paul Mitchell, a Republican candidate for State Representative in the 62nd District, today released the following list of individual endorsements:

  • Mr. Adam Andrzejewski
  • Mr. Ken Arnold
  • Mr. Thom Brasuell
  • Mr. Michael Carbone
  • Mr. Don Castella
  • Mr. Phil Collins
  • Hon. Ralph Davis
  • Mr. Frederick Dempsey, esq.
  • Dr. Sandra Dempsey, M.D.
  • Mr. Peter Karlovics, esq.
  • Mrs. Irene Napier
  • Mrs. Bonnie Quirke
  • Col. & Mrs. Raymond True
  • Rev. Richard Valkanet
  • Mr. Joe Walsh
  • Rev. Randy White

Each of these endorsements is from the endorser personally, and is not representative of the organizations or offices they are associated with.

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62nd District: Mitchell’s Mounting Endorsements”


An Abridgement of Constitutional Rights

-By Nancy Salvato

The objectives for the United States Constitution are outlined in its preamble. Read it putting emphasis on the action verbs.

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America…”

All the objectives for the Constitution were chosen carefully and reflect the concerns which surfaced around The Articles of Confederation, this country’s first Constitution.

Read this again, but with a renewed emphasis on certain elements.
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An Abridgement of Constitutional Rights”


McKenna the ‘Outsider’?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Andy McKenna recently vacated the Chairmanship of the Illinois Republican Party where he presided over the loss to the GOP of every statewide office. He was its Chairman for four years. It was recently hinted by new GOP Chair Pat Brady that McKenna is the favored candidate of the National Party in the race for Governor. It seems like Andy McKenna has the inside track on his late-emerged campaign for governor.

… yet McKenna is styling himself as an “outsider”?

In his newest ad appearing on both TV and radio, McKenna calls himself “Honest, outsider businessman Andy McKenna.”
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McKenna the ‘Outsider’?”


An Example of Electoral Foolishness in Illinois

-By Warner Todd Huston

The petition challenge is a long-time, widely abused, wholly cynical method of destroying your opponent here in Illinois. The petition challenge has been known to eliminate candidates from ballots all across the state — but most often in the tough town of Chicago — preventing voters from having their choice on election day. In fact, a petition challenge is how Barack Obama beat his first major political opponent in Chicago.

Back in 1996 young candidate Barack Hussein Obama challenged the petition of long-time Chicago pol Alice Palmer and had her knocked off the ballot leaving Obama as the only one left for the voters to chose from come election day. The worst part of Obama’s cynical effort to ditch his opponent is that Alice Palmer was widely accepted as his political mentor at the time. With the disrespect Obama is now showing America’s allies we should find this as no surprise considering how he treated his own political mentor and friend back in ‘96.

There are legitimate reasons for a petition challenge, of course. Fake petition signatures, false filings, etc., these things should be challenged, certainly. We don’t want candidates to reach the ballot through fraud to be sure. But silly challenges abound in this state and it is nothing but a cynical gaming of the system.
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An Example of Electoral Foolishness in Illinois”


Senate Approves Motion to Proceed on Obamacare

-By Warner Todd Huston

With a 60 to 39 vote, the Senate has passed the motion to proceed to move on with the debate over Obamacare. Again, it is important to note that this is only a vote to begin the floor debate on the bill. It is not a vote to pass Obamacare.

In the Washington Examiner, Byron York has an excellent point when he asks, “why was it so hard for Democrats even to start the healthcare debate?”
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Senate Approves Motion to Proceed on Obamacare”


Ill. GOP Chairman: Coulson Thing a ‘Screw Up’

-By Warner Todd Huston

Jeff Berkowitz cornered Illinois GOP Chair Pat Brady and asked him if the invite to Beth Coulson to the state-wide meeting with national party Chairman Michael Steele was a defacto endorsement of Coulson’s 10th District candidacy? Brady says no, there was no endorsement.

At issue was a press release by Beth Coulson, candidate for the 10th Congressional District, that could easily be read as an announcement of support from the national party because Coulson was invited to a meeting with the GOP chair Steele.

Brady, however, denies that this invite equated to an endorsement by either the state party or the national party. In fact, despite what Politico said and what the Coulson camp is saying, the meeting had nothing at all to do with any specific District but was a general meeting of what the national party’s goals are state-wide.
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Ill. GOP Chairman: Coulson Thing a ‘Screw Up’”


Guitierrez Amnesty Plan a Disaster, focus should be on American jobs

Rosanna Pulido, staunch defender for unemployed American citizens in her district, expressed outrage this afternoon at Luis Guterriez’s Amnesty reform bill, to be introduced some time this month. “With unemployment in Illinois at 10% and rising, our nation’s legal law abiding citizens do not need more competition for jobs”, Rosanna said. “It is irresponsible public policy”.

53 rallies have been held across the country this week protesting the Obama administration’s amnesty for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States, along with a promise of tougher enforcement and a streamlined legal immigration system. In other countries, if you enter their borders illegally, you could be shot or thrown in prison. Cross the border into America, you get a drivers license, Social Security card, welfare, Food Stamps, bank accounts and credit cards, subsidized rent or a loan to buy a house, free education, free health care, a lobbyist in Springfield and Washington and a voter registration card. All paid for by the Illinois taxpayer.
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Guitierrez Amnesty Plan a Disaster, focus should be on American jobs”


Letter from Illinois GOP Congressional Delegation on transfer of terrorists to Thomson, IL

All Republican members of Illinois’ Congressional Delegation have signed the following letter to President Obama:

Dear Mr. President:

According to the Chicago Tribune, your Administration may transfer up to 200 Al Qaeda terrorists from their detention facility in Guantanamo Bay a prison in Thomson, Illinois, 150 miles from Chicago.

If your Administration brings Al Qaeda terrorists to Illinois, our state and the Chicago Metropolitan Area will become ground zero for Jihadist terrorist plots, recruitment and radicalization.

Furthermore, since Thomson is located in the Northern District of Illinois, any civilian prosecution of Al Qaeda terrorists would occur in Rockford or downtown Chicago.

As home to America’s tallest building, we should not invite Al Qaeda to make Illinois its number one target.

The United States spent more than $50 million to build the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to keep terrorists away from U.S. soil. Al Qaeda terrorists should stay where they cannot endanger American citizens.

As elected officials in the State of Illinois, we urge you to put the safety and security of Illinois families first and stop any plan to transfer Al Qaeda terrorists to our state.

Rep. Peter Roskam
Rep. Mark Kirk
Rep. Judy Biggert
Rep. Tim Johnson
Rep. Don Manzullo
Rep. Aaron Schock
Rep. John Shimkus


Where is THIS Republican Party?

-By Warner Todd Huston

An excerpt of the 1924 Republican Party Platform:

The prosperity of the American nation rests on the vigor of private initiative which has bred a spirit of independence and self-reliance. The republican party stands now, as always, against all attempts to put the government into business.

American industry should not be compelled to struggle against government competition. The right of the government to regulate, supervise and control public utilities and public interests, we believe, should be strengthened, but we are firmly opposed to the nationalization or government ownership of public utilities.

In 1924 the GOP ran Calvin “Silent Cal” Coolidge for president. And he won on this platform.

Even then Democrats were trying to tun this country into a less powerful version of Europe by emulating its socialist systems. A proud Republican Party repudiated these socialist tendencies and reiterated its pride in the American way. These principles appealed to the true American spirit and also won elections.

Unfortunately, the very next president, himself a Republican, turned toward socialist, collectivist concepts and set the stage for what later became Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal destruction of the American economic system that compounded a market correction and turned it into “The Great Depression.” And save for a brief time under Ronald Reagan, it appears that the GOP has never recovered its principles as espoused in its 1924 platform.
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Where is THIS Republican Party?”


Confronting the Spin on the Fort Hood Massacre

-By Frank Salvato

It is sad and disturbing commentary on the state of American culture when the facts surrounding an event, such as the slaughter that took place at Fort Hood, can not only be manipulated to facilitate a political ideology but blatantly ignored in the pursuit of a political agenda. In the face of the most potent enemy the United States and the free world has ever know – aggressive and violent radical Islam – our leaders and members of the mainstream media are doing just that; manipulating the truth to facilitate an agenda, and we are all in danger because of it.

By now, everyone in the world knows the details surrounding the massacre at Fort Hood, Texas. US Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, in committing not only an act of terrorism but an act of treason, perpetrated the most deadly terrorist act on American soil since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Actions and statements made by Hasan prior to his murderous spree indicate beyond doubt that he was not only opposed to US military action in the Iraqi and Afghan theaters and that he felt it was appropriate for Muslims in those countries to kill US and NATO soldiers in response to “the infidel occupiers,” but that he made a purposeful and premeditated choice to execute his jihad. Yet, President Obama, his spokespeople and members of the mainstream media are hyping the “backlash against Muslims” sentiment while completely ignoring – and in some cases arguing against – the mountain of evidence that points to the fact that Hasan was a radical Islamist and a jihadist.

Four Qualifications for Terrorism

Alan Colmes erroneously cited a definition for the word “terrorism” as used by Webster’s Dictionary during a recent stint on The O’Reilly Factor. While Webster’s is a wonderful resource for everyday use in divining the meaning of words, where terrorism is concerned it falls short.
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Confronting the Spin on the Fort Hood Massacre”


Charlie Crist: A Serving of Pork Sounds Good

-By Warner Todd Huston

On November 11, I wrote of the statements that Charlie Crist made denying that he ever supported Obama’s $787 billion stimulus bill in his role as Florida’s Governor. Unfortunately for his obfuscation, though, I noted that he and 17 other governors signed a letter in February of this year announcing support for the Stimulus. Apparently Crist forgot that he signed this letter… conveniently. Yes, he was for the porkulus bill before he was against it.

Well now there is even more proof than that mere signature on a piece of paper showing Charlie’s support for the porkulus bill. From Ed Morrissey we find an interview that Rolling Stone hackster Tim Dickinson did with Crist back in the spring. In that piece Dickinson was celebratory that Crist was a stimulus supporter.

Dickinson then noted, “For his part, Crist is weighing a run for the Senate — where, he tells Rolling Stone, he would have given the president a fourth Republican vote on the stimulus bill.”
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Charlie Crist: A Serving of Pork Sounds Good”


You’re Invited to a Lunch With Adam Andrzejewski, GOP Candidate for Gov.

Republican Gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski will be hosting a luncheon at the University Club of Chicago tomorrow from 11:30 AM to 1:30PM.

University Club of Chicago
76 E Monroe Street

Chicago, IL

If you can’t make it, though, you can watch it all on the Internet webcast, or listen in by phone conference call.

Phone: (507) 726-4200
Passcode: 119275#
www.ustream.tv/adamforillinois


Cook County Board Hijinx: Peraica vs. John Daley

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over at WBEZBlog, Tony Arnold posted his “soundbite of the day” featuring an insinuation, an angry reply, and a slam from today’s Cook County Board meeting.

Apparently, during a roll call vote, Commissioner Tony Peraica made some sort of veiled jab at Mayor Daley’s son who recently moved to Russia. I’m not sure what the heck Daley’s son has to do with anything — and Peraica said later that he regretted even saying it — but whatever Peraica meant it sure set John Daley (brother of Mayor Richard Daley) off about “attacking my nephew,” that’s for sure.

After Peraica said his line about the younger Daley’s move to Russia, John Daley started yelling back and that caused Board President Todd Stroger to shut off the mic, saying “You don’t know when to shut up,” to our erstwhile member of the Daley brood.

Still, later in the session, John Daley got his chance to throw out a jab at Peraica and in his blog post, Arnold expressed puzzlement over the comeback.
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Cook County Board Hijinx: Peraica vs. John Daley”


5th District Race: Ratowitz Responds to Immigration Question

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Nov. 14, Cao’s blog featured some pointed questions for 5th Congressional District candidate David Ratowitz on his stance on illegal immigration. That blog took the position that Mr. Ratowitz is an apologist for illegal immigration and is an amnesty supporter. We discussed that post here.

At that time, I asked for the Ratowitz campaign to clarify and shortly a short comment from the campaign was sent to me. The campaign also promised a longer treatment of the subject.

Today I received that longer treatment. Here it is in its entirety:
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5th District Race: Ratowitz Responds to Immigration Question”


Americans for Tax Reform Illinois: Pelosi’s Heinous Helathcare Bill

Dear Illinois Patient,

Last weekend, Representatives Bobby Rush (IL District 1); Jesse Jackson (IL District 2); Daniel Lipinski (IL District 3); Luis Gutierrez (IL District 4); Mike Quigley (IL District 5); Danny Davis (IL District 6); Melissa Bean (Il District 8); Janice Schakowsky (IL District 9); Deborah Halvorson (IL District 11); Jerry Costello (IL District 12); Bill Foster (IL District 13); and Phil Hare (IL District 17), voted in favor of HR 3962, Nancy Pelosi’s national health care bill. There are dozens of heinous elements in this bill, but here is a short sample of the contents:
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Americans for Tax Reform Illinois: Pelosi’s Heinous Helathcare Bill”


Patrick Hughes Featured on Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund Website This Week

Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund is feating Senate candidate Patrick Hughes as well as sponsoring a poll on who Illinois voters prefer: Kirk or Hughes.

If you are a Hughes supporter, be sure and stop by the 2010 Race Spotlight: Illinois page and cast your vote for Patrick Hughes.

There you’ll see that Mark Kirk is trailing Democrat Alexi Giannoulias by three points. This is the ideal opportunity for a fresh, conservative face to find his footing in Illinois and Patrick Hughes is just such a candidate.

DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund reaches out to conservative state candidates that might look worthy of support and offers some campaign dollars. Hughes certainly fills that bill, as well.


Illinois Governor 2010: One Man’s Perspective

I had an interesting correspondence with Grant Noble of Lake Forest this weekend and he gave me the permission to post his thoughts on the 2010 Governor’s race. Mr. Noble is a former Republican precinct committeeman, Lake County coordinator for Steve Baer and other conservative statewide candidates, and is the former field director of Family PAC Illinois and Republicans for Poshard. (Glen Poshard was the 1998 Democrat candidate for Gov. that ran against the corrupt George Ryan, only our latest Ill. Gov. that ended up in jail. I let Grant know that I voted Poshard that year, too. It was the first time I didn’t vote Republican for a state wide office in my life as I just couldn’t stomach the corrupt Ryan.) — WTH

Illinois Governor 2010

If you want the Illinois income tax to go to 5% (minus a token property tax cut/increase in the personal exemption), then both major Democrat Governor candidates will gladly do that in 2011. If you want Chicago Democrats to control the Illinois legislature for the next 10 years and lose at least 2 Illinois Republican Congressmen to stop the Obama juggernaut, then allow the Democrats to control redistricting without a Republican Governor to veto their map. So that leaves the present Republican gubernatorial field.

Adam Andrzejewski is a nice guy but simply doesn’t have the business or political experience to be Governor. He has some money, but not enough to win a statewide primary. Jim Ryan has done little since being Illinois Attorney General other than leaving his law firm and seeing one of his chief aides convicted of corruption. After two colossal failures, the Ryan name is poison in Illinois politics.

As Du Page County Board President, Bob Schillerstrom spent big and raised taxes. As a strongly pro-choice candidate, he’ll fracture the Republican coalition. I supported Andy McKenna in his 2004 U.S. Senate primary run, but he was a mediocre candidate then and has been a bad Illinois Republican Party chairman since. If he wanted to run for Governor, McKenna should have resigned his party position immediately after the 2008 election and started his campaign then, not far too late in September 2009.
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Illinois Governor 2010: One Man’s Perspective”