Daley’s Newest Stab at a Gun Ban

-By Warner Todd Huston

Daley’s temper tantrum against guns continues, but at a much subdued pace. With its recent McDonald v the City of Chicago ruling the Supreme Court of the United States essentially made Daley’s outright gun ban unconstitutional so the mayor has had to retrench and come up with new onerous rules to try and limit guns in his kingdom.

As always, the Chicago City Council rubber stamped Richard “King” Daley’s whims — why do we have a city council anyway?

The new rules do show the mayor’s defeated position, however, as they are much less stringent than his previous mandates. Daley also shied from insisting that there be a one-gun limit and also dropped the idea of expensive and onerous insurance requirements for gun owners, the latter an idea popular with many gun banners.
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Daley’s Newest Stab at a Gun Ban”


Governor Quinn Pretends to Cut State Spending, Quinn Passes on a Real Balanced Budget

From Americans For Prosperity, Illinois…

Chicago, Illinois – The Illinois chapter of the grassroots free-market group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) and it’s over 30,000 statewide members express great disappointment in Governor Quinn’s failure to VETO the states unbalanced budget.

“Over the last several weeks Americans for Prosperity and its members have written several hundreds of letters requesting the governor to Veto the budget forcing lawmakers to do their job. “Today, Governor Quinn had a chance to do just that. Unfortunately, Governor Quinn failed to do his job” said state director Joe Calomino.
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Governor Quinn Pretends to Cut State Spending, Quinn Passes on a Real Balanced Budget”


Even With Troubles GOPs Kirk Raises $2.3 Mil

-By Warner Todd Huston

While the media has been all aflutter about Illinois Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s bio flap, even as the media has been sternly shaking a finger at the man he’s somehow raised $2.3 million in campaign cash.

According to the Kirk campaign he raised $1 million in June alone as the news over his bio inflation was at its height.

So far, Kirk has raised $9 million for the race and is starting some new TV ads.

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Even With Troubles GOPs Kirk Raises $2.3 Mil”


Peraica Statement on County Sales Tax Decrease Going into Effect

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

CHICAGO, IL — Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16) issued the following statement regarding the .5 percent reduction in the Cook County sales tax, which goes into effect today:

“This is 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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Peraica Statement on County Sales Tax Decrease Going into Effect”


Follow the Blago Trial on New Website

A new blog (www.obamaandblago.com) that will follow the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial and explain how it relates to Barack Obama has launched today. It will be researched and written by veteran Illinois political operatives Dan Curry and John Pearman, who have been following Blagojevich for nearly a decade.

The project is sponsored by the Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America started by Rick Reed, nationally acclaimed Republican admaker who created the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ad campaign, among others.


Obama Used Union Middle Man For Blago Bribery

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that union leader Thomas Balanoff of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) was contacted by President Obama to act as a go-between to help Obama friend Valerie Jarrett secure his vacated Illinois Senate Seat when now former Governor Rod Blagojevich was trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder.

Balanoff appeared as a witness at the Blago corruption trial today. He said that Obama called him the day before he was elected president.

“Tom, I want to talk to you with regard to the Senate seat,” Obama told him.

Balanoff said Obama said he had two criteria: someone who was good for the citizens of Illinois and could be elected in 2010.

Obama said he wasn’t publicly coming out in support of anyone but he believed Valerie Jarrett would fit the bill.

“I would much prefer she (remain in the White House) but she does want to be Senator and she does meet those two criteria,” Balanoff said Obama told him. “I said: ‘thank you, I’m going to reach out to Gov. Blagojevich.”

Balanoff testified that Blago broadly hinted that he’d love to be offered the top spot at Health and Human Services, but Balanoff also said he couldn’t deliver that.

Obama appointed Jarret to a position at the White House after the election.
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Obama Used Union Middle Man For Blago Bribery”


Another Journo Turned Politico Turned Journo Again

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well we’ve got a case of another journalist that turned into a political operative that now wants to go back to being a journalist. And would you be surprised that the journo/politico/journo redux is a Democrat? I would hope you wouldn’t because the right leaning journo to politico hardly ever happens (though it has been known to).

This time it’s one Bob Reed former Chicago reporter and editor of Crain’s Chicago Business turned mouthpiece for Illinois Democratic Governor Pat Quinn. Reed quit the journalism trade to head up Pat Quinn’s communications office when he was Lt. Gov. and stayed with him when he became Illinois’ accidental governor upon the elimination of Rod Blagojevich from his lofty, bribe riddle heights. Now Reed wants to go back to being a journalist and has resigned from Quinn’s staff to pursue new opportunities.

Interestingly, Reed termed his employ in the guv’s office as just another journalistic “assignment.”
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Another Journo Turned Politico Turned Journo Again”


Peter Roskam Working to Keep Ally Israel Close

Israeli Ambassador: ‘Tectonic Shift’ between Israel and U.S. Diplomats

Roskam Visit to Israel Next Week

From the Press Shop of Congressman Peter Roskam (R, ILL): In case it wasn’t already obvious, Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren made it clear this weekend. As reported by Laura Rozen at Politico: “Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren is reported to have told Israeli diplomats that the U.S. and Israel are experiencing a “tectonic rift,” not a temporary crisis… According to the Israeli diplomats, Oren said … ’Relations are in the state of a tectonic rift in which continents are drifting apart,’”…. Oren noted that contrary to Obama’s predecessors – George W. Bush and Bill Clinton – the current president is not motivated by historical-ideological sentiments toward Israel but by cold interests and considerations…”
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Peter Roskam Working to Keep Ally Israel Close”


Politico: Five Questions for Mark Kirk

-By Warner Todd Huston

Mark Kirk has really made himself look foolish and if he loses this election it will be because of his ridiculous missteps on his biography. Why he felt the need to overstate his bio is anybody’s guess, but he did it. And not just once but at least five times. Politico details the bio inflation Kirk has perpetrated in a new piece headlined “Five questions for Mark Kirk .”

They say that Kirk was “once a favorite,” intimating that his stock has dropped. That is essentially true, but in my estimation Kirk has plenty of time to get past this if he handles it right and I think he’s still the favorite even with this foolishness because Alexi “the Mob Banker” Giannoulias has equally problematic bio problems — not the least of which was the $20 million that he and his bank lent to two known mobsters that never paid back the loan.

Politico presents five questions that they feel that Kirk must answer in a straightforward manner or expect to lose credibility as a candidate.
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Politico: Five Questions for Mark Kirk”


2nd Amendment Rights Finally Considered a Right for Black Chicagoans Too!

-By Warner Todd Huston

At long last the 2nd Amendment has been considered a personal right per the Supreme Court of the United States. In McDonald v the City of Chicago the Supreme Court has ruled in a 5 to 4 decision that Chicago’s gun banning laws are not in keeping with the right to self-defense as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. After 200 some years we are finally accorded our rights officially. Further, the Court found that the 2nd Amendment was meant to protect the very people that Mayor Richard Daley and his comrades are trying to forcibly disarm: black Americans. (See PDF of Decision)

The decision threw out the Seventh Circuit ruling upholding Chicago’s gun ban and ordered the Seventh to revisit its decision. This new ruling does not specifically strike down Chicago’s gun ban but the opinion leaves little room for the Seventh to up hold Mayor Richard Daley’s gun banning efforts.

One of the main questions before the Court was whether or not the 14th Amendment served to shore up the rights in the 2nd. The Court found that it did, indeed. In fact, it is interesting to note that the ancestors of the very people that the 14th Amendment was meant to specifically protect — newly freed slaves, called freemen — are today those that Mayor Richard Daley and others like him want to disarm. Daley and his ilk want to disempower blacks and other minorities and tie them plantation-like to their government authority.
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2nd Amendment Rights Finally Considered a Right for Black Chicagoans Too!”


Supreme Court protects Chicagoans 2d Amendment Rights by Overturning Unconstitutional Handgun Ban

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

U.S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL-5) praises SCOTUS for upholding the 2d Amendment Rights of Chicagoans and urges Chicago’s City Council to respect the rights of law abiding citizens.

Chicago, IL, June 24, 2010– Long time transparency and pro-liberty advocate Candidate for U.S. Congress from Illinois’ 5th Congressional District, David Ratowitz supports the Supreme Court’s decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago.
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Supreme Court protects Chicagoans 2d Amendment Rights by Overturning Unconstitutional Handgun Ban”


11th District: Kinzinger Says Nuclear Power the Answer

-By Warner Todd Huston

I have been saying this for years, and now so is GOP candidate for the Illinois 11th District Congressional seat, Adam Kinzinger. In a recent Morris Daily Herald article Kinzinger said that the nation should prioritize nuclear power as one of the solutions to our energy woes.

Kinzinger told the *Morris Daily Herald that he would support building more nuclear power plants, he wants the country to further explore reprocessing spent fuel and supports developing a national long-term nuclear waste storage facility.

Essentially, the program would increase the nation’s number of nuclear stations and establish a long-term repository for storing nuclear waste. Also, the plan would follow Europe’s lead in reprocessing spent nuclear fuel for reuse, reducing the amount of waste in storage.

“I think the powerhouse, when it comes to nuclear energy, is to be able to go out and say, ‘Hey, look, we have three nuclear plants in our district, people in our district are employed, it’s safe, they are supportive, and it produces a lot of electricity,” he said in response to questions by the news media.

After all, here we are in the United States claiming that we are in the middle of an energy crisis yet Democrats, liberals and enviro-Nazis have put up roadblock after roadblock to stop the pursuit of energy independence in the form of nuclear power.
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11th District: Kinzinger Says Nuclear Power the Answer”


(5th District) Ratowitz Attacks Disclose Act‏

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

H.R. 5175 Disclose Act Sacrifices Freedom of Speech to Protect Incumbents.

U.S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL-5) defends Freedom of Speech and Liberty against nervous incumbents who seek to use the Disclose Act to protect their Congressional Seats.

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(5th District) Ratowitz Attacks Disclose Act‏”


Revealing Audio From Blago Trial — Obama Admin. Joins Blago’s Fire Sale

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois State House News service has some very revealing audio from the Rod Blagojevich trial from the June 23 court sessions. It shows Blago’s scheming to get some payback for his ability to appoint someone to fill Obama’s vacated Senate seat. It also shows the Obama administration’s complicity in the whole mess.

WARNING: The “F” word is liberally thrown around in this tape of Blago, so be warned.

It is some very, very interesting audio, is it not?

On the Blago trial, some have asked me why I am not covering it much here. For one thing it’s all so ho hum. It is not surprising to find a Democrat as criminally minded as Blago. Most of all, everyone knew he was a creep. But secondly, there isn’t a Chicago Democrat that acts any differently! The whole trial is just nothing that shocks me. It all just doesn’t interest me because it is a foregone conclusion. Blago is a crook and so is his party. Boooooring.

The sad fact is, I just can’t get myself ginned up to cover this thing. It is all nothing out of the ordinary for Illinois’ criminal Democrats.

This tape, though, does show that the Chicago Way extends into the White House, so it was worth posting.
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Revealing Audio From Blago Trial — Obama Admin. Joins Blago’s Fire Sale”


Ratowitz on Judge Striking Down Moratorium‏

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

Louisiana Federal Judge Struck down Obama Administration’s Oil Moratorium Request.

U.S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL-5) criticizes“ the Obama administration for banning an entire industry instead of addressing the problem of safely producing oil necessary for our nation’s economy.
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Ratowitz on Judge Striking Down Moratorium‏”


Hayes Calls Jesse Jackson a Coward

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

CHICAGO: Republican nominee for Illinois 2ndCongressional District Isaac Hayes released the following statement regarding the House Democrats delay of passing a budget resolution until after the November elections.

“Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. needs to show some leadership in the House of Representatives and demand Nancy Pelosi pass a budget this year as the 1974 Budget and Impoundment Act requires. This will be the first time in nearly 40 years that the House has failed to pass a budget resolution. But Mr. Jackson won’t stand up to Speaker Pelosi because he is part of the plot to hide the Democrats plan to raise taxes on working families after the November elections. There can be no other reason. Only cowards fail to be honest with their constituents when they have something to hide. In this case he is hiding increased spending, record deficits and higher taxes.”
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Hayes Calls Jesse Jackson a Coward”


Walsh Campaign Again Faces Lawsuit

Former Campaign Manager Files Amended Complaint for Unpaid Services

MORTON GROVE, IL — This morning in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Keith Liscio, former Campaign Manager for 8th Congressional District Republican nominee Joe Walsh, filed an amended complaint against Walsh’s campaign for unpaid campaign management services on behalf of his firm Patrickson-Hirsch Associates. Liscio originally brought suit against the campaign in January seeking payment of $20,000 in unpaid fees but that complaint was dismissed without prejudice last month on a pair of legal technicalities.

Specifically, the judge in the case ruled that Liscio’s complaint must explicitly state that Mr. Walsh and Mr. Liscio’s agreement in the case was oral and that the complaint must list Liscio’s campaign duties and responsibilities. The new complaint addresses both of those issues.

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Walsh Campaign Again Faces Lawsuit”


(Ill. Senate Race) Niecestro Says ‘Flake’ Denied Him Petition Signatures

-By Warner Todd Huston

Conservative businessman Mike Niecestro has been making noise about running for the U.S. Senate against GOP candidate Mark Kirk for at least a year. Even just a few weeks ago he amped up his noise machine to say that he had the ballot petition signatures needed to make a run for the office as an independent.

But yesterday the filing time came and no Niecestro papers were to be seen. He told reporters that one of the operatives that promised him thousands of signatures didn’t even get him a single one. ABC’s Charles Thomas reports that Niecestro said the politician in question is “known as a ‘flake’ in GOP circles.”

This quote raises major concerns about the seriousness of a Niecestro campaign. If Niecestro knew the guy he was relying on to put him over the top in petition signatures was a well-known “flake,” then why did Niecestro rely on him in the first place? If Niecestro was putting all his eggs in a “flake’s” basket, this seriously calls into doubt Niecestro’s planning capabilities, doesn’t it?
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(Ill. Senate Race) Niecestro Says ‘Flake’ Denied Him Petition Signatures”


Stroger Serves Up a Tasty Double-Dip Doles Out County Job to Crony State Representative

From Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

The Cook County Board failed to override Todd Stroger’s veto of the board’s hiring freeze.
So it appears Todd is going to continue to thumb his nose at the taxpayers by hiring cronies for sweetheart, taxpayer-funded county jobs.

The latest is Todd’s friend, State Rep. Art Turner. You see, he makes more than $87,000 per year as a state legislator.

But now, thanks to Todd, Turner will also make a $110,575 salary as the director of the county’s President’s Office of Employment and Training (POET).

Do you want to be the first to receive important county reform updates like this?
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Stroger Serves Up a Tasty Double-Dip Doles Out County Job to Crony State Representative”


For The Good Of Illinois: Grand Relaunch

From For The Good Of Illinois….

The wait is over! Today, For the Good Of Illinois is officially relaunching!

We’re excited to announce the return of a legendary hero to champion limited, accountable and transparent government in Illinois.

A culture of corruption fueled by failed political parties, patronage armies and gerrymandered political fiefdoms threatens to crush the spirit of our once great state.
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For The Good Of Illinois: Grand Relaunch”


Kinzinger Says BP Should be Held Accountable (11th District)

-By Warner Todd Huston

11th District Republican candidate for Congress Adam Kinzinger has come out with his stance on the BP oil mess down in the gulf. But while Kinzinger offers his ideas on BPs culpability, his opponent incumbent Democrat Congressman Debbie Halvorson is less interested in serious discussion and more interested in turning the BP oil mess into a personal fund raising device.

For his part, Kinzinger says that the full force of the U.S. government should be used to focus on the clean-up and to stop the leaking well.

If he were in Congress, Kinzinger said he would press President Obama to basically use the full force of the federal government to cap the gushing well. Also, to support oil well owner British Petroleum in what it has to do.

“And to open dialog with other oil companies and say, ‘What do you guys have,’ and to other nations and say, ‘What kind of boats can you guys bring down here to help us skim the oil off,'” he said.

Kinzinger also notes that Obama has yet to waive the Jones Act so that foreign companies and governments can offer us assistance. Currently Obama has only accepted a very few of the dozens of foreign companies and nations that have offered us their expertise.

Even George W. Bush knew enough to waive the Jones Act when we need it in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
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Kinzinger Says BP Should be Held Accountable (11th District)”


Aide to Alexi ‘Mob Banker’ Giannoulias Manhandles Videographer

-By Warner Todd Huston

OK, OK, this one has been making the rounds all last week. It shows one of Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Alexi “The Mob Banker” Giannoulias’ staffers pushing around a videographer who was trying to get a look at who was attending a private fundraiser.

Yeah its uncomfortable to watch, but I have to come down on this in a way that is a bit out of orthodox from all the other conservative websites railing about this video. In fact, that’s why I hadn’t posted about it until now.

I just don’t think it’s a big deal that Giannoulias’ people wanted to keep a private function… well, private.

It was a reserved section, it was a by-invite event not open to the general public and the cameraman wasn’t on the guest list. As much as I think Giannoulias is a crook, deserves to be beaten in the election, and would make a horrible Senator if he wins, I think Giannoulias should be able to expect to see a private fundraiser remain private without being harassed about it all.

As far as this one incident goes, I don’t see any there, there. But, I’ll post it anyway and you decide.
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Aide to Alexi ‘Mob Banker’ Giannoulias Manhandles Videographer”


Chicago Police Chief Struggles to Justify Daley Gun Ban

-By Warner Todd Huston

Mick Dumke of the Chicago Reader had an interesting report on a recent press conference held by Chicago’s Police Chief, Jody Weis. Dumke said that during the presser Weis struggled to “explain how the gun ban is working” for Chicago. In other words, Weis was at a loss to prove that Daley’s unconstitutional actions are working to make the city safer.

According to Dumke the conference went from discussions of how Weis has taken “3,513 weapons” off the streets, that they are using “analytics” to determine where the crime hotspots are in the city, moving on to the claim that the city has a lower over all crime rating, yet to the ultimate fact that even with all this the death toll is still higher than other cities. “Homicides continue to challenge us,” Weis said.

How one goes from claiming that the Mayor’s gun ban is effective yet the murder rate is still so high is anybody’s guess. And that is just the thing, isn’t it? Assaults are up 2.4 percent over last year. Obviously the supposed gun ban is not effective at all if it were this murder rate would be nonexistent.
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Chicago Police Chief Struggles to Justify Daley Gun Ban”


Take Action: Tell Governor Quinn to Veto the Budget!‏

From Americans for Prosperity, Illinois….

On May 25, 2010, the Illinois General Assembly shirked their duties by passing an unbalanced budget by adding $3.7 billion in new debt that will be passed on to our children and grandchildren! This new debt adds to our current $13 billion deficit and doesn’t even begin to address the $80 billion plus in unfunded pension liabilities or the billions of dollars in unfunded Medicaid liabilities.

The General Assembly’s decision to borrow against our future, in-lieu of making the tough choices, like where to cut costs and how to rein in spending, is akin to paying off a Master Card bill by charging it to a Visa Card. It’s irresponsible and incompetent!
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Take Action: Tell Governor Quinn to Veto the Budget!‏”


Mayor Daley’s Newest Disingenuous Gun Argument

-By Warner Todd Huston

Mayor Richard “King” Daley is at it again, talking through his royal rear-end and simply making things up to push a false theme in order to support his anti-Constitutional gun-grabbing in Chicago.

The Chicago Tribune conducted an interview with his heinous and he uncorked another one of his primo spins on his latest desire to take away his subject’s Constitutional right to self-protection: it’s the “gun lobby” argument again.

In an interview with the Tribune, Mayor Richard Daley acknowledged an uphill battle against the gun industry, which he described as the most powerful lobby in the United States. Even so, he vowed that in the event residents are allowed to have handguns at home, the city would take steps to ensure that officials can account for the weapons.

Uphill battle against the gun industry? What spin, what glorious spin. There isn’t one person, one Supreme Court justice, one gun advocate arguing that Daley’s gun-grabbing is wrong because it hurts “the gun industry.” The “gun industry” has precisely nothing to do with the reasons that the anti-Daley forces are trying to defeat him.
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Mayor Daley’s Newest Disingenuous Gun Argument”


Terrorist Supporting Islamist Group Coming Back to Chicago

-By Warner Todd Huston

While Mayor Richard “King” Daley goes about his important work of destroying Chicagoan’s 2nd Amendment Rights, a terror supporting Islamist organization is again coming to the Windy City to spread its message of jihad and raise money for the cause.

Hizb ut-Tahrir America, a group committed to a world-wide caliphate by which to oppress the world and destroy freedom and liberty, is bringing its newest outrage to Chicago for the second year in a row. The terror supporting group’s second conference, titled “Emerging World Order: How the Khilafah Will Shape the World,” is scheduled to be held on July 11 at the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook.

While Daley might be happy that terror supporters are setting up shop in the city he is attempting to disarm, not everyone thinks this jihadi conference is a good idea.
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Terrorist Supporting Islamist Group Coming Back to Chicago”


Commissioner Tony Peraica: Time to Make Reform a Reality

From the Office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Thank you to UIC Law Professor Dick Simpson, who highlights our recent reform proposals in a new commentary piece in Chicago Journal.

Professor Simpson writes:
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Commissioner Tony Peraica: Time to Make Reform a Reality”