From the Office of Representative Peter Roskam…
Starting Today Every Dollar U.S. Spends in 2010 Must Be Borrowed
Rep. Roskam: “Though most families won’t celebrate Debt Dependence Day with fireworks and parades, this August 4th, every American should take note of the huge and growing share of our national debt with their name on it.”
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Roskam Declares August 4th Debt Dependence Day”
From the campaign of Patlak for Cook County Board of Review…
As promised, we have released the second Property Tax Facts video in a series designed to educate Cook County property owners about our property tax system. If you have a question of your own, go to www.ElectPatlak.com and click the Ask Dan button located in our Education Center.
Our Matching Contribution effort is gaining traction. We are already half-way to our goal of raising $10,000 by August 19 which will be matched by a generous supporter who believes as we do that we need to fight the Chicago Machine by bringing professional competence and political balance to the Board of Review. But we still need your help. Please contribute whatever amount you can afford by mailing a check to Citizens for Dan Patlak, 113 Berkshire Drive, Wheeling, IL 60090. Or you can contribute on-line by clicking here.
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Second Tax Facts Video Released Empowering Cook County Property Tax Payers”
-By Warner Todd Huston
According to the AP, there are more citizens in Illinois on food stamps than ever before.
More than 780,000 Illinois families got food stamps in June. The Illinois Department of Human Services said Monday that the figure is up 11.9 percent from a year earlier.
Is this any surprise when Illinois clocks in as having one of the worst business climates of any state in the Union?
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Thanks Obama: More Illinoisans on Food Stamps Than Ever”
-By Warner Todd Huston
We’ve reported here the many times that Phil “I Don’t Care About the Constitution” Hare, the incumbent Democrat in the 17th District, is one of those Democrats who values his own opinion and no one’s else… especially his constituent’s. We’ve also seen some polling that seems to indicate that he is running behind in his re-election bid. Well, we have more of the latter on that count today.
Public Opinion Strategies has released another poll showing the Hare-raising (or is that Hare-lowering) possibility that Phil Hare might lose to Republican Bobby Schilling.
Here is what the Schilling campaign has released:
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Could Phil Hare (D, 17th) Be In Trouble?”
From the Hayes for Congress campaign (2nd District)…
CHICAGO, IL- For the black community it is all a one party rule. A regime consisting of all Democrats has led to a culture of corruption that leaves citizens in gang infested, poverty stricken areas, while the Representatives cheat on their taxes, bailout their husbands’ banks and try to bribe their way to higher office.
Hayes remarked, “The black community has been used by its elected officials as a playground for pay-to-play politics. Rangel, Waters, and Jackson all need to be shown the door in November.”
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Hayes Steps Out to Demand Better Leadership for the Black Community”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The State Journal-Register in the state’s capitol reports that “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher is planning to speak in three town in and around Springfield, IL this month.
Wurzelbacher will be appearing at Take Back Illinois 9/12 rallies in Pittsfield on Aug. 17 and Jacksonville Aug. 18, and an Aug. 19 event in Springfield.
You’ll recall that “Joe the Plumber” became famous when he asked then candidate Barack Obama about his tax policy ideas to which, in good socialist fashion, the president-to-be replied that he wanted to “spread the wealth.”
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‘Joe The Plumber’ Coming to Central Illinois”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Tony Rezko has been at the root of many of Illinois’ worst cases of government corruption and influence peddling with ties that go back decades. He’s been tied to President Obama, indicted Governor Rod Blagojevich, and now Senate Democrat candidate Alexi Giannoulias whose family bank loaned the crook almost $23 million.
Worse, the Giannoulias family bank made the loan to Tony Rezko’s development group long after he’d become “politically radioactive,” as the Chicago Sun-Times puts it.
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Democrat ‘Mob Banker’s’ Bank Loaned $23 Mil to Tony Rezko”
-By Warner Todd Huston
With recent revelations that the city manager of the small, mostly low-income Hispanic community of Bell, California makes nearly $800,000 a year and that its police chief makes almost $500,000 yearly, the spotlight might be leveled at city employees all across the country. Illinois, as it happens, is no better for the squandering of such cash, it appears.
On July 31, the Chicago Tribune reported that the an executive of the Highland Park, Illinois park district makes $435,203 a year. And then there were the big bonuses.
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Good News: Big Money to be Made in Illinois. Bad news: it’s in Government”
An interesting note from the Hultgren for Congress campaign (14th District)…
St. Charles, IL – The second taxpayer-funded advertisement in one week from Bill Foster’s congressional office arrived yesterday in voter’s mailboxes ahead of the August 4th deadline to stop government paid mail from Members of Congress.
“Bill Foster is using taxpayer funds to pay for campaign propaganda he sends to voters,” said State Senator Randy Hultgren. “People throughout the 14th district are outraged at this abuse of the taxpayers trust.”
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Hultgren for Congress (14th District): Bill Foster Campaigns at Taxpayers’ Expense”
From The Institute for Truth in Accounting…
Sheila Weinberg, Founder & CEO of the Chicago-based Institute for Truth in Accounting, spoke at the Private Solutions in Public Sector Pension Plans conference held by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Her speech highlighted the need to bring FACT based budgeting (download .pdf) to state budget processes.
Her speech starts at the 16:00 minute mark in the video that can be viewed from the CSPAN library. Other speakers at the event included David Walker, President of Peter G. Peterson Foundation, State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-IL), Andrew Biggs, Resident Scholar-American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Dana Bilyeu, Chief Executive-Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada, Jack Dean, Editor-Pension Tsunami, President, Fullerton Association of Concerned Taxpayers, Ray Scheppach, Executive Director-National Governor’s Association, and Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow- The Hudson Institute.
From the Bill Brady for Governor campaign…
With less than 100 days before election day… this week marked a turning point in Bill’s campaign to make state government live within its means – just like families and small businesses do every day.
Earlier this week, the same state budget bureaucrat who received a $24,000 pay hike under Pat Quinn, brazenly told a Bloomberg News reporter, “We’re going to pass a tax increase in January,” and touted a plan to raise taxes by 67 percent, the largest tax hike in Illinois history.
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Bill Brady: Less Than 100 Days ‘Til Election Day”
From the Pollak for Congress campaign (9th District)…
NILES, IL- A newly discovered YouTube video reveals the close ties between Jan Schakowsky and Charles Rangel, chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, who is currently facing serious ethics charges.
The video was uploaded by the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NLBCA) on March 20, 2010
It contains footage of a speech Schakowsky gave at an NBLCA event on Capitol Hill on March 17, 2010–two weeks after Rangel was forced to take a “leave of absence” as chair of his committee on March 3.
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Joel Pollak: Jan Schakowsky Says Charles Rangel is ‘My Leader’”
From the office of Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner…
You are invited to join me tomorrow for a town hall meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. at LaGrange Village Hall to discuss local village flooding and local governmental efforts to provide relief to local residents and families.
WHEN: Tomorrow, Saturday, July 31, 2010 — 10 a.m.
WHERE: La Grange Village Hall (53 S. La Grange Avenue)
We will have data forms available for you to fill out to detail any property damage. These forms will help our efforts to garner federal aid for local flood damage. You can also find those forms online at our Web site (please note: they are to be returned to your local town, village or township office.)
We hope to see you tomorrow
Sincerely,
Tony Peraica
Cook County Commissioner
-By Warner Todd Huston
So far, the biggest negative that has stuck against Illinois Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is that he is a poor money manager. The worst is that he was an officer in a family bank that has since gone under due to shady loans to mobsters — to the tune of $20 million in unpaid debt — and other bad banking practices . And now we can add another poor financial situation to Alexi’s already groaning deficit accounts: he’s still $200,000 in debt for his recently completed primary campaign.
As reported two weeks ago, Giannoulias has under performed in campaign fundraising so far in comparison to his GOP opponent, Mark Kirk.
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Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Still $200,000 in Debt From Primary”
<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”
-By Warner Todd Huston
This story has been building for weeks on HillBuzz.org, but the reporting there was often iffy, hazy, and speculative, so I didn’t write about it myself. But this week things have come to a head proving the allegations had some merit because now Cook County GOP Executive Director Jeremy Rose has resigned over the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him.
The story goes that on June 17, 2009, a woman was attending a Chicago Young Republicans meeting in Chicago and when she made to leave for the night was prevented from doing so by Rose. Rose began touching the woman in an unwelcome manner, allegedly took away her cell phone to prevent her from calling a cab, and then sat on her lap to prevent her from leaving. Rose proceeded to suggestively converse with her until she was finally able to extricate herself from the situation. The woman felt threatened and harassed and filed a complaint.
This is all bad enough, but Cook County GOP Chairman Lee Roupas did nothing after being made aware of the allegations. In fact, just the opposite. Roupas promoted the offender to higher positions in the Cook County Party establishment until he was at last appointed Political Director.
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Sex Harassment Scandal in Cook County GOP Sees Resignation of Political Director Rose”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s last year in office is marked by one incident of bilking the taxpayers after another. Each week seems to bring a new example of Stroger and his buddies and family members sticking their hands in our pockets and this week has been no different.
In fact, this week we’ve gotten a twofer as two incidents of Stroger’s nest feathering have come to light. The first came on the 27th when Big Boss Todd awarded a $15,000 consulting job to Raymond L. Harris Sr., of Bolingbrook, who worked on Stroger’s losing primary campaign to retain his seat.
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Now Cook County Board Prez Stroger Sticks Taxpayers With $175,000 Contract Bill”
Dold has launched the campaign’s second radio ad. The 60-second ad titled “There is a Better Way” is running on Chicagoland radio, along with the first radio ad called “Meet Robert Dold.”
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”
-By Warner Todd Huston
A few days ago Michelle Malkin received an email from an outraged Service Employees International Union (SEIU) member in Los Angeles who was mad that his dues money was going to pay for a pro-illegal alien bus tour planned by union leaders.
The tour was supposed to start in L.A. and end up in Phoenix, Arizona and was meant to highlight the supposed evils of Arizona’s SB1070, the anti-illegal immigrant law that has been so much in the news. The union member that contacted Malkin was apparently “furious” over the union’s plans.
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L.A. Union Member’s Dues Used for Pro-Illegal Alien Bus Tour”
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
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”
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”
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”
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”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Oh, the games Cook County Board President little Todd Stroger plays. And they are always about sticking it to the taxpayers, aren’t they? Stroger and his Democrat co-conspirators have really proven that county Democrats are more like a criminal syndicate as opposed to proper representatives of the people with a recent move to stick it to suburban drivers in violation of what the suburban cities even want to have happen in their jurisdictions.
Little Toddie wanted to have county sponsored red-light cameras positioned throughout the Cook County suburbs so that the county could get more money in the form of mailed fines from drivers. But the suburban towns and cities didn’t want the county to intrude upon their roads with these onerous cameras and at least in the case of one city, Schaumburg, we have a town that already removed their own red-light cameras due to pressure from the voters. So the county board offered a compromise.
To mollify the suburban cities the board included an opt out clause in its red-light camera rules. If the cities didn’t want them, they could opt out and keep them out of their areas. Stroger and his extortionist buddies were shocked, though, when “nearly every Northwest Cook County town proceeded to opt out” of his grab for suburban driver’s wallets.
What to do, what to do? Stroger was losing his new revenue stream. How could they stop it?
Eureka! Toddie had an idea…
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Cook County Board to Extort Suburban Drivers”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Sun-Times reports that the next Cook County Board President might be yet another bought and paid for union stooge.
Democrat Party candidate Toni Preckwinkle raised $1.3 million for her campaign for county board president thus far and $220,000 of that came from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
So, what we are seeing is yet another Democrat candidate owned lock, stock and barrel by a public employees union. Gee, I wonder if she’ll be amenable to union demands once in office?
Her opponent, GOP candidate Roger Keats, has raised only $19,000 so far. Not that there IS a Republican Party in the county of Crook.
If you would like to help out the Keats campaign, here is his website: http://keatsforcook.org/. You can donate directly here: Keats For Cook, PayPal.
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Dem. Cook County Board Prez Candidate’s Big Union Haul”
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”
-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”
-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!”