Rep Peter Roskam (R,IL) Returns from Israel after meeting with Netanyahu

<‬p>From the Office of Illinois Representative Perter Roskam…

‪<‬p>Greetings from Washington! In this town, it’s easy to get swept up in the critical domestic issues facing our country each day. With the mid-term elections less than four months away, a Democratic majority unable to draft a budget, and unemployment near ten percent, there is plenty keeping us busy.

‪<‬p>However, our country is also facing critical security issues on the international stage. Recently, I had the privilege of leading a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Israel – our nation’s only democratic ally in the tumultuous Middle East – to get a first hand account of the situation on the ground as it relates to American interests. As the co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, this trip was particularly insightful.
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Rep Peter Roskam (R,IL) Returns from Israel after meeting with Netanyahu”


(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: Last Post On Third Way

The last part of a multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Congresswoman Melissa Bean is one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Third Way Foundation, formerly known as the Progressive Foundation.

The National Security Program

Third Way is helping develop a new moderate approach on national security that is tough and smart. We reject the recklessness of the neoconservative worldview and believe that America can be both resolute in battling our enemies and open and cooperative in seeking solutions to global problems. We develop policy ideas on the major securityissues and we offer framing strategies to help progressives most effectively communicate about these issues.*
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(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: Last Post On Third Way”


Another Stroger Appointment on the Backs of Taxpayers

From Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Earlier today, in another direct insult to the county taxpayers — Todd Stroger and his administration put forth yet another campaign official from their failed primary campaign to join the county payroll as a $60,000 paid labor consultant.

It is high time for the Stroger administration to stop granting political favors by placing former campaign workers in high paid roles on the backs of the taxpayers.

Tony Peraica
Cook County Commissioner
www.reformcookcounty.com


ICarry Takes Chicago and Mayor Daley Back to Court!!

From ICarry.org…

Executive Director Shaun Kranish writes:

Although the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in McDonald that Chicago has violated an individual and fundamental right to keep and bear arms by having an outright ban on pistols (and for decades this ban did not apply to Chicago aldermen and other criminals), Daley and his cohorts have immediately responded with more outrageous restrictions.
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ICarry Takes Chicago and Mayor Daley Back to Court!!”


The Jobs’ Not Done Yet — Sales Tax Still Highest in Nation

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Let’s not forget that even though the county board approved to cut back the sales tax by a .5 percent reduction , there is still more work to be done.

This was an important step forward for Cook County taxpayers, who are struggling to make ends meet amidst rising unemployment and a growing tax burden.

But it is only a first step.
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The Jobs’ Not Done Yet — Sales Tax Still Highest in Nation”


Tony Peraica: Local Flood Relief Assistance

From the office of Cook County Commissinoer Tony Peraica…

I would like to offer my gratitude to Cook County and local municipal officials in the 16th District for their efforts in addressing the massive flooding which occurred over the past weekend.

I am pleased that everyone came together and worked to help county residents, especially the elderly. County employees from the Sheriff’s Department, Office of Homeland Security, and my own staff were on hand to survey damage and provide needed assistance. While this was certainly an unfortunate event, it was heartening to see local officials, neighbors and friends helping one another in this time of need.
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Tony Peraica: Local Flood Relief Assistance”


Suburban Mom Beats Chicago Machine‏

From Adam Andrzejewski of For the Good of Illinois

One month ago, For the Good of Illinois returned to promote self-governance in Illinois by engaging, educating, and empowering citizens to demand limited, accountable, and transparent government of, by, and for the people.

As part of this mission, we launched For the Good of Illinois PAC to allow our members to support viable candidates at the state level who believe in the principles of limited, accountable, and transparent government.

One of our first candidates, Cedra Crenshaw, quickly became the target of the Chicago Machine. Cedra’s opponent, Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi (IL-43rd), unleashed top election lawyer, Michael Kasper, to unjustly knock Cedra off the ballot on a 2-1 party line vote by the Will County Board of Elections.
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Suburban Mom Beats Chicago Machine‏”


(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: More On What Third Way Does

A multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Congresswoman Melissa Bean is one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Third Way Foundation, formerly known as the Progressive Foundation.

Culture Program

Third Way is designing a 21st century cultural agenda that adheres to progressive principles and resonates with moderate Americans. Our aim is to strengthen American communities and families. We develop fresh policy ideas and messaging that provide common ground approaches on cultural issues like abortion, gay equality, faith, family, guns, crime, and immigration.*
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(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: More On What Third Way Does”


When Justice Serves an Ideology Instead of a Nation

-By Frank Salvato

As I was reading about the proceedings in the trial of impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, it struck me as odd that the prosecution was relying so much on the profanity-laced wiretap audio and not going, instead, straight to the source of incriminating information in the many witnesses they could call. Why aren’t they calling Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, David Plouffe, David Axelrod, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Tony Rezko, their staff, relations, acquaintances and business partners to testify instead of relying on sensationalism? The answer could be that they don’t want a conviction and/or a thorough investigation.

The notion that the US Justice Department might opt not to prosecute crimes committed by powerful elected officials isn’t new. Favoritism, in one form or another – and at varying intensities – has existed throughout the history of the United States. The foible of misplaced political loyalty facilitates this weakness in human nature. Just ask anyone who went to prison for actions or inactions taken during Watergate.
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When Justice Serves an Ideology Instead of a Nation”


(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: What Other Say About Third Way Does

A multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Congresswoman Melissa Bean is one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Third Way Foundation, formerly known as the Progressive Foundation.

What Others Say About Third Way

Politico labeled Third Way “the moderate voice of the progressive movement,” and both Newsweek and US News have described our work as influential. New York Times columnist David Brooks described Third Way as “creating the ideas that are giving Progressives control of the center.” Other national columnists, like EJ Dionne and David Broder of The Washington Post, and Joe Klein and Amy Sullivan of Time, have cited Third Way’s impact in shaping the national debate.*
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(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: What Other Say About Third Way Does”


WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign

-By Warner Todd Huston

Despite claims made earlier in his campaign, Democrat candidate for Senate Alexi Giannoulias has said that he’ll be quite happy to take campaign donations from lobbyists as he vies to take Barack Obama’s old Senate seat this year.

WGIL News reports that Giannoulias claimed earlier in the campaign that he wouldn’t take donations from lobbyists. However, Giannoulias limited the scope of that claim to encompass only federal lobbyists and political PACs. He has taken donations from state lobbyists.

The difference between a state lobbyist and a federal lobbyist seems vague with Giannoulias, but he claims there is a difference.
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WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign”


Mike Noland Thinks Outside Money Means ‘More Support’? Not From Voters it Isn’t!

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Daily Herald has an interesting story detailing the fundraising of the two candidates vying for the 22nd District State Senator seat in the Elgin, Illinois area. The story shows the anti-voter ideas in which Democrats wallow.

The piece reports that incumbent Democrat Mike Noland has raised $107,000 for his race for State Senate while his GOP challenger, Steve Rauscnehberger, has raised $71,000.

That seems like a horrible gap between incumbent Democrat and the resurgent Republican, doesn’t it? Dem. Noland sure sees it that way. “I just got more support, period, throughout,” Noland told reporters.

But does he have “more support”? Not from his actual voters he doesn’t. Tucked into the Herald story is this line…
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Mike Noland Thinks Outside Money Means ‘More Support’? Not From Voters it Isn’t!”


SouthTown Star Scolds Rep. Halvorson for Specious Attack on Opponent’s Military Record

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Southtown Star finally had enough of Congressman Debbie Halvorson’s illicit attack on her 11th District opponent’s military record and published a July 20 editorial saying so.

Halvorson jumped on the Mark Kirk bandwagon and tried to see if she could find any similar “lies” in GOP candidate Adam Kinzinger’s bio. Kinzinger is a Captain in the Air Force and flew missions in Iraq. His website bio stated his history as follows: “I now serve as a captain in the United States Air Force Special Operations Command flying reconnaissance aircraft.”

Halvosron is claiming that this is a “lie.” Why is it a lie? Because Kinzinger is not now engaged in that duty. And so, he’s a liar.

The Southtown is not amused. The paper says that whether he is now or just “was” doing that duty is immaterial.
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SouthTown Star Scolds Rep. Halvorson for Specious Attack on Opponent’s Military Record”


Ill Gov Race: GOPs Brady Has Bigger Bang for Fundraising Bucks

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ed McClelland over at NBC Chicago’s Ward Room blog makes a good point about reports of the two gubernatorial candidate’s fundraising. Both seem to be claiming to have $2.3 million on hand going into this leg of the campaign. But, McClelland makes the point that so far Brady’s $2.3 million is “bigger” than Quinn’s.

How is that?

Well, Brady has gotten the benefit of money from the Republican Governors Association for ads and whatnot while Quinn has not benefitted much from the Democrat Governors Association. That means that Brady doesn’t have to spend as much of his $2.3 million to reach voters as Quinn does.
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Ill Gov Race: GOPs Brady Has Bigger Bang for Fundraising Bucks”


(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: What Third Way Does

A multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Congresswoman Melissa Bean is one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Third Way Foundation, formerly known as the Progressive Foundation.

What Third Way Does
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(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: What Third Way Does”


After Giving Raises, Now Ill. Gov Cuts Staffer’s Pay

-By Warner Todd Huston

If this isn’t a reed-in-the-wind sort of move, I’m not sure what is? If you’ll recall a few weeks ago Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was left trying to explain why he was giving his staffers big raises even as he was gallivanting about the state saying how we are out of money and that we’d need to cut the budget. Well this week he is cutting staffer’s pay giving them more furlough days.

After giving out raises, now Quinn is trying to save face from that tone deaf move and requiring his staffers to endure 24 furlough days this year instead of the previous 12 day cut.

And Quinn is now putting up a grand show of his seriousness on fiscal issues by hectoring every government office to make such cuts.
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After Giving Raises, Now Ill. Gov Cuts Staffer’s Pay”


New Dem Idea: Can’t Win on Immigration? Then Stick Gay Issues in The Bill, Too!

-By Warner Todd Huston

Chicago’s Representative Luis Gutierrez has been finding few takers for his pro-illegal immigrant policies of late. But he and several Democrat lawmakers think they’ve found a way to increase support for their pro-illegal alien bill: add gay issues to it.

Once again it’s an Orwellian named bill, too. The pro-illegal alien supporters are calling this abomination the “Uniting American Families Act.”

The bill would allow gay couples from foreign countries to automatically bring in their gay partners and all their immediate family members into the United States when one of the pair has the fortune to make it across the border.
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New Dem Idea: Can’t Win on Immigration? Then Stick Gay Issues in The Bill, Too!”


Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Hill is reporting that Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is having trouble raising money, which is amusing because as a failed banker he gave away millions to a pair of mobsters that never paid back the “loan”

The Hill reports that Giannoulias “struggled to raise money in the aftermath of his family bank’s collapse in April.”

Giannoulias has raised only some $900,000 since March 31 — the bulk of it in June. His Republican opponent, Mark Kirk, collected close to $1 million that same month. And Kirk was dealing with his own scandal — the fallout from inaccuracies in reporting his Navy service record at the time.

Giannoulias raised less than half of Kirk’s total, and the Republican now has almost a four-to-one cash on hand advantage.

If you’ll recall — and the Hill notes — that VP Biden recently ambled into town to raise finds for the Democrats “mob banker” but apparently even “no body messes with” Joe Biden isn’t able to help Giannoulias.
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Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?”


(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: What Third Way Believes

A multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

Congresswoman Melissa Bean is one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Third Way Foundation, formerly known as the Progressive Foundation.

What Third Way Believes:
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(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc: What Third Way Believes”


(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc (Third Way)

A multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

Congresswoman Melissa Bean is one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Third Way Foundation, formerly known as the Progressive Foundation.

Third Way Foundation is the leading moderate think-tank of the progressive movement.*

Who is Third Way?
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(Ill. Congresswoman) Bean’s Crime Inc (Third Way)”


Truth in Budgeting? Not With This Budget

From the Office of Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner…

Earlier today, the County Board considered the newly proposed budget for the county health bureau.

Unfortunately, in terms of promoting transparency and truth in budgeting and taxation, the health bureau budget falls short.

You can read my statement on the budget here.


What Did Obama Know of Blago’s Selling of Senate Seat And When Did He Know It?

The National Republican Committee wants to know the answer to a few questions…

Once again the exculpatory memo issued by the President-elect’s lawyer, Greg Craig, in December of 2008 is finding itself in conflict with testimony coming out of the Blagojevich Trial in Chicago. First we learned through the testimony of SEIU boss Tom Balanoff that President Obama actually played an active role in promoting Valerie Jarrett as a candidate for his old seat, despite no mention of that in the memo. Now we are learning of another call, this time by Rahm Emanuel that violated Obama’s supposed neutrality policy and again failed to be reported by Craig. Here are a couple of questions for a White House that clearly wants to avoid this topic:

1) How do explain the inconsistencies between Craig’s memo, which said “the President-Elect had ruled out communicating a preference” and John Wyma’s testimony that he received a call from Rahm Emanuel with a message from the President-Elect?

2) How do you explain the reoccurring pattern of omitted or inaccurate information included in the memo, in this case the call from Emanuel to Wyma, and how does that reflect on the veracity of the document as a whole?
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What Did Obama Know of Blago’s Selling of Senate Seat And When Did He Know It?”


Sauk Valley News Poll: Randy Hultgren in the Lead (14th District)

The Sauk Valley News has a reader poll for folks to vote on for whom they’ll vote in the 14th District in the upcoming elections.

At the time I posted this Hultgren was in the lead over Democrat incumbent Bill Foster, the Green Party candidate Daniel Kairis, Libertarian Doug Marks and the ever popular “no opinion.”

I say we go hit up the poll and run up a good Hultgren total! Come on, folks. Go Randy Hultgren!

http://hultgrenforcongress.com/


Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Raising $$ From Trial Lawyers in Canada

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois Democrat candidate for Senate, Alexi Giannoulias, wasn’t too keen of admitting it but he was in Vancouver, Canada over the weekend at a fund-raiser at a trial lawyer’s convention. Along with a dozen other Democrats, the candidate was in Canada to rake in thousands in donations from trial lawyers who know what side of their bread is buttered, for sure.

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Lynn Sweet has all the details at her Scoop blog. But suffice to say that the Giannoulias campaign did not report the whereabouts of their candidate until the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent out a press release urging reporters to grill the Giannoulias campaign.
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Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Raising $$ From Trial Lawyers in Canada”


Fisking the Chgo Sun-Times Anti-2nd Amendment Article

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Sun-Times is Chicago’s left-wing, left-wing paper while the Chicago Tribune is but the city’s left-wing paper and pursuant to its agenda, the Sun-Times recently made to shore up support for Mayor “King” Daley’s attempt to eliminate the Second Amendment for his Chicago subjects with its headlined “More guns in city not a good thing.” Naturally most of what is contained in the piece is incorrect and deserves a good fisking.

So, here goes…

This won’t make the NRA happy. Twelve guns a year? How dare Chicago restrict a citizen’s right to buy 12 million guns a year.

My response here won’t make the Sun-Times happy: Newspapers? They have a constitutional right to be free of government interference, too. We call it the First Amendment. But here’s an idea for you, Sun-Times… how about we limit the public to one newspaper a month? After all, ideas are very, very dangerous, aren’t they? If, Sun-Times, you have no problem with our Second Amendment rights being restricted by the federal, the state or local governments, why should you be all upset that your First Amendment rights are restricted? Where is the intellectual honesty in agreeing to restrict the Second Amendment but not the First?
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Fisking the Chgo Sun-Times Anti-2nd Amendment Article”


(2nd District) Hayes New Video Ad: ‘Enough With The Lies’

From the Hayes for congress campaign (2nd District)…

The campaign committee for Republican nominee in Illinois 2ndCongressional District Isaac Hayes released the following video today challenging Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to tell the truth.

In the video, Jackson is heard saying he is not “aware” that he is Senate Candidate 5 in the Rod Blagojevich indictment. The very next day the Chicago Sun-Times confirms he is.

The second half of the video shows Jackson at a press conference where he said, “I did not initiate or authorize anyone at anytime to promise anything to Governor Blagojevich on my behalf.” But on July 7, 2010 the Chicago Tribune reported testimony from the Blagojevich corruption trial that placed Jackson at a meeting where Indian businessman Raghuveer Nayak told Jackson, “I will raise a million if he appoints you to the Senate seat.”

.

This statement appears on the Citizens for Isaac Hayes website at:
www.isaac4honesty.com.


WATCH: Governor Quinn: ‘But that’s just how it works…’

From Bill Brady for Governor and the Illinois GOP…

Pay hikes for state government executives during a fiscal crisis is outrageous, but Governor Quinn? He defends his executive pay hikes, telling viewers on Chicago Tonight, “… that’s how it works.”

If Pat Quinn is serious about controlling state spending, he should immediately enact a wage freeze on state government payroll, and reverse his pay hikes for his executive staff today.


Gov. Says Ill. is Broke, but His Staffers/State Workers Get Big Raises

-By Warner Todd Huston

Many businesses across Illinois are trying to stave off closing their doors by cutting salaries and hours for employees. Some aren’t so luck and are laying off thousands of workers. Add to that dismal outlook that the state’s budget is billions in the red and politicians are so at loggerheads on how to solve the crisis that no budget can be agreed upon.

Cue accidental Governor Pat Quinn whose job, as he sees it, has been to warn Illinois that we are broke, that we can’t afford the many programs we have, that the poorest of us are at risk and that taxes will have to be raised to “fix” it all.

It’s a very bleak picture, indeed. Bleak, that is, unless you are one of Quinn’s staffers. In that case you are living high off the hog and getting an up to 20 percent raise in salary thanks to the Governor’s generosity… oh, and at the taxpayers expense, of course.
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Gov. Says Ill. is Broke, but His Staffers/State Workers Get Big Raises”


Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Giannoulias a ‘Mob Banker,’ Now ‘Flat Out’ Liar

-By Warner Todd Huston

The sniping between Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is beginning to get to full steam these days and Democrat Giannoulias isn’t handling it all very well. As a bank executive, he’s gone from dissembling about his efforts to loan mobsters $20 million that his bank then lost, to now as a candidate lying about his desires to raise taxes.

The latest Giannoulias gaffe comes as a result of his announcement of his tax returns. It seems that he declared a personal business loss that negated his entire tax bill and so Giannoulias paid no federal tax in 2009. Yet, as Mark Kirk says, even as Giannoulias wants to raise all our taxes, he skates by himself without paying any at all!

For his part, the Ginnoulias campaign says that the candidate never said he wants to raise our taxes. They say that Kirk is lying about it. This newest claim makes Giannoulias himself to be a “flat out” liar as far as Illinois political watchdog Rich Miller is concerned. After all, Miller has the video to prove that Giannoulias has said that he wants to raise taxes.
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Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Giannoulias a ‘Mob Banker,’ Now ‘Flat Out’ Liar”