SB+600

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Senate - Tom Cross - Warner Todd Huston

Tom Cross Runs out of Lies on SB35

May 31, 2011 by

-By Doug Ibendahl

Are you upset about Illinois redistricting? Yeah me too.

But frankly I’m a lot less upset with the Democrats for doing the same thing Republicans would have done had we been in charge. We would have drawn maps favorable to our side too. We’ve done it before. Republicans shouldn’t kid themselves.

I’m a lot more disgusted with the awful GOP management that got us here. The new maps are the natural end result of all the rigged party conventions, endless lying to the rank-and-file, selfish misuse of the party franchise, and general unprofessionalism.

So much destruction has been done over the years by the likes of Tom Cross, Skip Saviano, Pat Brady, Randy Pollard, Andy McKenna, Judy Baar Topinka, Bob Kjellander, etc., etc., trying to prevent Republicans from voting – there was finally no party around to win the races necessary to give the GOP a seat at the map drawing table this year.
Continue reading “

Tom Cross Runs out of Lies on SB35″

Elections - Ethics - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - Tom Cross - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois House Republican Newbies Disappoint

May 19, 2011 by

-By Doug Ibendahl

“Tom Cross has a brick on SB35.”

That’s a quote from State Senator Kirk Dillard from a few days ago. He simply stated what nearly all of you I’m sure already know.

It’s hardly some secret that Tom Cross – the House Minority Leader – is viciously opposed to the idea of regular Republicans having a voice again in their own party.

Now for the third time in six years, the direct election reform (now designated as Senate Bill 35) – has passed out of the Senate and over to the House. The most recent Senate passage was last month and this time the vote was unanimous. Even several Republican Senators who had been pressured by the old guard to vote “no” in 2009 are now waking up to the reality that our Illinois Republican Party needs an overhaul from the bottom and the top.

But in the Illinois House it’s different. Not a single Republican has stepped up so far to co-sponsor SB35 in the House this session. It’s really shameful.

It’s especially shameful where the 13 new GOP State Representatives are concerned (some won in November and some were appointed to fill vacancies post-November).

And by the way, I’ve talked to several of the freshmen, as well as with many of the longer serving GOP House members. I’ve not heard a single one voice an argument against SB35 – in fact many are clearly in favor of the bill and its reform. But their “support” is pretty meaningless if they won’t stand up…

Read the rest at RepublicanNewsWatch.com.

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Important Information About Ill. GOP Reform Bill

April 26, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Doug Ibendahl of RepublicanNewsWatch.com has been a leading advocate of the current iteration of a bill that would give Illinois’ Republican voters the opportunity to actually vote in the leaders of their own party. It is currently called SB35 but has been for sometime identified as SB600.

SB35 would reverse the way the members of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee are placed on the governing body of the state party. Currently these folks are appointed to their positions by the affirmation of all the state’s local committeemen. The actual voters have no direct say. Curiously enough, the Democrats do have direct elections of their central committeemen but Republicans do not.

Recently a state representative contacted Mr. Ibendahl for some info about the bill. This is Ibendahl’s letter, which can be seen HERE.

Dear Representative,

I’m sure you must be as amazed as I am regarding the lengths a few selfish players will go to protect a corrupted system that’s been a disaster for Republicans and for our Party. It’s sad that a few are so obsessed with trying to make sure Republican voters have inferior rights compared to every Illinois Democrat.
Continue reading “

Important Information About Ill. GOP Reform Bill”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - SB600 - Senate - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

SB35 (SB600), Republican Vote Reform Unanimously Passes Ill. Senate

April 8, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, we’ve been talking about this bill for years here on the blog, but SB35 has unanimously passed the Illinois Senate.

SB35 was formerly SB600 and this bill provides for Republicans in Illinois to at last be allowed to vote for the members of their own State central Committee, the body that plans policy and runs the state Republican Party.

Currently the Republicans that run the party are not voted onto the state central committee by the state’s Republican voters (though Democrats do vote their committee members onto their own state central committee). The folks that are so instrumental in setting the agenda of the Illinois GOP are appointed by their fellows, not voted onto the committee by the voters.

SB35 will return the responsibility of filling the committee to the voters like it once was.
Continue reading “

SB35 (SB600), Republican Vote Reform Unanimously Passes Ill. Senate”

Chris Lauzen - Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Chris Lauzen: Direct Election of Republican State Central Committeemen

April 1, 2011 by

From the office of State Senator Chris Lauzen (R, 25th District)…


“You Decide . . . .” That’s what SB35 (the old SB600) is all about.

If you think it’s “OK” for Republican State Central Committeemen to give thousands of dollars and serious support to Mayor Daley, Governor Blagojevich, and other Democrat politicians . . . if you think it makes any sense at all to have Jim Oberweis, who has spent more than $10,000,000 to lose five (5) major elections, advising Republicans about how to win political campaigns . . . and, if you think it is in any way appropriate for the Republican State Central Committee to threaten Republican precinct committeemen with punishment for not supporting every single Republican candidate on the ticket, no matter how corrupt or opposed to the Illinois Republican Party Platform they are . . . do not support fundamental reform and change. No need to read further.

SB35 provides for direct election of Republican State Central Committeemen. Proponents want the right to vote for their leaders just like Republicans had for more than fifty (50) years, before Governor Thompson and his allies took it away through legislation. We want what Democrat primary voters have continued to enjoy.

If Republicans were in good shape in Illinois, I would say it doesn’t make any difference how we elect our leaders. However, Democrats have been slaughtering us with nine (9) years of corrupt or incompetent Governors and nearly veto-proof majorities in the State House and Senate. This gross mismanagement has led to a staggering 67% personal income tax increase, a redefinition of marriage in homosexual “unions”, constant threats to our right to self-defense, the obvious bankruptcy of our state through crippling spending and debt, and now the protection of murderers, terrorists and rapists from the death penalty.
Continue reading “

Chris Lauzen: Direct Election of Republican State Central Committeemen”

Chicago - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Tom Cross - Warner Todd Huston

Tom Cross Intentionally Misleading on SB600

February 19, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

For years now thousands of rank and file Republicans have been trying to get SB600 passed in Springfield. This bill would allow us regular, lowly voters to actually vote for our GOP leadership on the GOP State Central Committee.

Unfortunately, Republican voters are not allowed to vote for their own leadership in Illinois. This good old fashioned way of electing leaders is not only truly American, but, heck, even the Democrats in Illinois have this capability! But we Republicans do not.
Continue reading “

Tom Cross Intentionally Misleading on SB600″

Chicago - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - Warner Todd Huston

Hey, Ill. Republicans: Want to Have a Say in Your Party? We Have chance To Do It

December 31, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

OK, Illinois Republicans, a great opportunity to return the Illinois GOP back to some accountability to YOU is at hand. The Illinois legislature is about to enter its own lame duck session that will run from January 3 to January 11. During this session we have a chance to get a law passed that has quite a lot of support. It is a law that will return the Illinois GOP’s planning committee to your hands via direct elections of its members.

We’ve talked about SB600 many times in the past, of course. This bill would change the way the Illinois State GOP fills the seats on its state central committee, the group responsible for planning the way the state party operates, arrives at its goals, and its assembles its policies. Currently central committee members are placed on the committee by a vote of the Republican ward chiefs, township bosses and committeemen throughout the state. SB600 would change that to provide for the actual voters to elect central committee members instead of allowing the party insiders to appoint them.
Continue reading “

Hey, Ill. Republicans: Want to Have a Say in Your Party? We Have chance To Do It”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - Warner Todd Huston

SB600: Litmus Test for Party Reform (By Cedra Crenshaw)

December 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In the 2010 midterms, Cedra Crenshaw made a splash as a great independent Republican candidate for the Illinois State Senate (43rd District). She was quickly confronted with the power of the Democratic Machine and made all too well aware of the limitations of the Illinois Republican Party.

Cedra recently wrote a great piece on SB600, a bill that would allow Republican voters to vote in their own leadership on the Illinois Republican State Committee (currently, insiders appoint these members and voters have no choice).
Continue reading “

SB600: Litmus Test for Party Reform (By Cedra Crenshaw)”

Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

SB600 Update: In Da House

November 29, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

I have been a steady advocate for SB600 for the past year or so, now. SB600 would provide for Illinois Republicans to be able to elect their own state Republican committeemen by vote (as Illinois Democrats already do). Currently the people that guide the Illinois GOP are selected by other party operatives instead of the voters. Many feel, me included, this leads to a closed system of party bosses and insiders that is resistant to change and new ideas and is too far removed from the voters.

The bill passed the Senate earlier in the year and now needs a nod from the House of Representatives. If it doesn’t get passed by the House before January 12, 2011, then this bill is dead and would have to go through the entire process all over again to become law.

January 12 is coming very quickly, of course, and many might think it is too late to get this one done. But it’s not all bad news. If the bill is brought to a vote it will likely pass as it did in the Senate.
Continue reading “

SB600 Update: In Da House”

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

Let’s Get SB600 Passed!

November 17, 2010 by

Doug Ibendhal wants us all to re-commit to getting SB600 passed. I am a big supporter of the measure, so I certainly agree with him on this.

The Illinois General Assembly goes back in session in Springfield this week (November 16-18).

SB600 passed overwhelmingly in the State Senate last year. We just need House passage and then it’s to the Governor’s desk. Pat Quinn is certain to sign the bill. His reformer talk would be over if he didn’t.

Please take a minute and contact your State Representative, whether Republican or Democrat, and urge passage of SB600.

You’ll find all of the contact information here (then page down).

Note that we’ve put all the email addresses for all of the State Representatives into user friendly blocks (one with all the Democrats and one with all the Republicans). Feel free to copy and paste the addresses into your email and contact all of them at once.

If SB600 doesn’t pass before the new General Assembly is seated in mid-January, then the whole process has to start all over again in the State Senate. Let’s not let that happen.

So far House Minority Leader Tom Cross has gotten his way. He and other GOP bosses have stonewalled SB600 for years. These power hungry Republicans don’t want you to have a voice in your own party. They don’t want accountability in the Illinois Republican Party and they certainly don’t want transparency….

Read the rest at Republican News Watch.

Chicago - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

SB600: Let Illinois GOP Voters Control Their Own Party, Not the Insiders and Bigwigs

May 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

We’ve talked about SB600 many, many times here on the blog and with the end of the legislative session in our Springfield-based Capitol coming to an end, we need to make another push for this worthy bill.

SB600 would return to Illinois’ Republican voters the responsibility to again vote for their own members of the state central committee, a vote that was taken away from us by the good old boy network of the Illinois GOP powermen in the 1980s. As it stands today only GOP committeemen may vote for the members of the state central committee, the group that controls the agenda for the state party. This insider’s control of the central committee has taken away from the voters the right to affect what their own party does. SB600 would cancel this backroom dealing and again see state central committee members go before the voters to gain their positions.
Continue reading “

SB600: Let Illinois GOP Voters Control Their Own Party, Not the Insiders and Bigwigs”

Cook County - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - SB600 - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Call the neighbors and wake the kids, it’s SB600 time!

April 29, 2010 by

-By Doug Ibendahl, Republican News Watch

The Illinois General Assembly is tentatively scheduled to adjourn by May 7th (a week from this Friday). That’s an early date, and it may not happen, but that’s the goal.

It’s a good time to make another push for final passage of SB600. Recall the bill passed overwhelmingly in the State Senate last year. We still need House passage.
Continue reading “

Call the neighbors and wake the kids, it’s SB600 time!”

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

Opponent Appears For Chris Lauzen’s 25th District State Senate Seat

January 8, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

25th District Senator Chris Lauzen (R, Aurora) has been opposed by establishment GOP types before and it looks like he’s again facing a go-along-to-get-along Republican challenger in his latest run for State Senate.

Sugar Grove Village President Sean Michels has thrown his hat in the ring against the veteran Senator from Aurora. What is his reason? He thinks that the 25th District needs someone to get along with the GOP establishment to “get things done.”

Michels told the Daily Herald that he felt that Lauzen couldn’t serve his constituents because he doesn’t work well with the party big boys.

Michels contends that Lauzen’s alienation from Republican leadership in Springfield costs the district in state money and in influence.

“He’s not effective in his own party,” Michels says, noting that after 17 years in office, Lauzen has no party leadership post.

As far as I am concerned that means that Michels wants to go along to get along, doesn’t want a senator that will fight the hard battles, wants a senator with no overriding principles, and wants someone that can just bring home the bacon to the district. Seems to me that Michels wants to practice just the sort of good ol’ boy politics that has been destroying the Illinois GOP for decades.

In the Herald interview Michels also said something that to me reveals his naivete and a complete inability to understand what a State Senator even does. Michels told the Herald that what prompted him to make this run is that he spotted a “bumpy stretch” of road near his home so he contacted a state representative who helped him get it fixed. He said that he wouldn’t be able to get this sort of help from Lauzen because Lauzen isn’t in bed with the GOP establishment — sadly, the Herald neglected to ask Michels if he even tried to contact Lauzen for help. Of course the absurdity here is that Michels thinks that a state senator’s job is to go about fixing potholes as if he were some city alderman!

While roads, bridges, and infrastructure do fall into the purview of the state senate, there is far more to the job than just fixing a “bumpy stretch” in a local road!
Continue reading “

Opponent Appears For Chris Lauzen’s 25th District State Senate Seat”

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

Rep. Sacia Guarding Party Chief Privilege Since 2003

November 27, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Republican Representative Jim Sacia represents the 89th District (Map) which encompasses the most north western corner of the state including the cities of Galena and Freeport. Galenas is General Grant’s old stomping grounds and Freeport is the home of one of President Lincoln’s famous debate stops with Senator Douglas.

With Galena and Freeport, Sacia’s District is home of cities that were touched by two of the state’s most famous self-made men, Lincoln and Hiram Ulysses Grant — his real name was never Sam. Yet, representative Sacia is doing his level best to safeguard the privilege of Party bigwigs and prevent the people from having a say by being an opponent of SB600.

SB600 would return the Republican party system to the people and allow the voters to chose its party leaders by vote, just as the Democrats already do. I say return because it used to be that Illinois’ Republican voters were allowed the opportunity to chose their party leaders. But this system was changed by the state legislature to a system whereby party committeemen, not voters, decide who becomes the party leaders. In other words, it is a system of pure powerbrokering as opposed to one of democratic balloting.
Continue reading “

Rep. Sacia Guarding Party Chief Privilege Since 2003″