Illinois congressional Democrats told: Pony up for remap lawyers - Chicago Sun-Times

#ilop @JerryCostello #Illinois Via the Sun Times, Illinois congressional Democrats told: Pony up for remap lawyers - Chicago Sun-Times:

Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Belleville) explained to the rest of the Democratic congressional delegation: if they want to keep the map most favorable to them, they should each pony up a check for $10,000 and then start raising more money.

Favorable to Democratic Congressman? Geez, the map is supposed to be favorable to voters reflecting natural geographic and demographic boundaries. The districts are designed for voters, and not designed for Politicans Congressman Costello.

Update: Wausau, Wis. Mayor Tells Labor Day Union Sponsors to Invite GOP Pols or Pay All Costs | NewsBusters.org

Via News Busters, Update: Wausau, Wis. Mayor Tells Labor Day Union Sponsors to Invite GOP Pols or Pay All Costs NewsBusters.org

No John L. Lewis, Republican and founder of the CIO, in Wausau this Labor Day.

Illinois launches first prepaid card in U.S lottery market

Via Gaming Intel. File under turning Illinois into a giant Vegas. Illinois launches first prepaid card in U.S lottery market:

Following its transition to a private manager model earlier this year, the Illinois Lottery is now offerings its subscribers a new Visa prepaid card, which will allow customers to receive their winnings in a secure cash-free payment system

Illinois Forces Hospitals To Pay Property Tax--Is For-Profit Conversion Next? - Yahoo! News

Forbes on Illinois's Tax decision to revoke not-profit status on three Hospitals: Illinois Forces Hospitals To Pay Property Tax--Is For-Profit Conversion Next? - Yahoo! News:

One take away,

When a state can arbitrarily decide which hospitals are exempt from taxes and which are not, it's exercising power that can be easily abused. Illinois, already one of the two or three most corrupt states in the country, has a tawdry history of granting Certificates of Need to politically well-connected health-care entities. That resulted in a pay-to-play scandal that helped bring down the governor. Unless there's a transparent process to decide which hospitals are more like businesses and which are more like charities, look for political shenanigans to govern this process as well. And Illinois' streak of former governors landing in prison could continue.

Go read the whole thing for the rest. Sensible thing from the provider's prospective may be for more Ho to turn into for profits.

Daily Herald Elgin to charge for online access | Elgin Illinois | The Elginite | Elginite.org

Via the Elginite Daily Herald Elgin to charge for online access Elgin Illinois The Elginite Elginite.org:

Arlington Heights-based Daily Herald, which publishes local newspapers throughout the Chicago suburbs, including Elgin, will begin charging for online access to its content starting next week, the paper announced today.

That's gonna cut down on my links.

Illinois Review: So just who should pick Illinois RNC delegates?

Illinois Review: So just who should pick Illinois RNC delegates?

IR's take above on the Illinois Primary delegates change. An update to this post below.

Hultgren town hall meeting video, Yorkville, August 29, 2011

Hultgren town hall meeting video, Yorkville, August 29, 2011

A progressive's take on the Hultgren Town Hall. Note Randy holds 'em; Foster shunned 'em. And I keep hearing Progressives at these meetings and in comments mention that they've met personally with Congressman Hultgren. The guy may not agree with you, but he'll sit down and hear you. He's a breath of fresh air for Kane County after our experience with Bill Foster.

Illinois GOP Powerbrokers Taking Even More Power from GOP Voters « Publius Forum

Illinois GOP Powerbrokers Taking Even More Power from GOP Voters « Publius Forum:

Above link is Publius Forum's take on a complicated change proposed for Illinois GOP Primaries based on a anon piece in Big Government. Read him all.

Now Dan Rutherford's a Republican who wins elections so I pay attention to him. The guy campaigns relentlessly. Just friend him on facebook and watch his schedule.

Until the Illinois GOP can give a better explaination of what's up. If a State wide winner has problems with it, I want to know what's going on.

So, while BG.com is urging the rules change to make the state a winner-takes-all system, it is unwittingly agreeing to take away even more power from the voters of Illinois. Not very democratic of them is it?

In the end, I’d rather see the way Illinois chooses delegates remain the same than allow the State Central Committee be allowed to take even more power away from Illinois voters.

No matter which candidate Treasurer Dan Rutherford is supporting and even if he has an ulterior motive for opposing the rules change, I stand with Rutherford on this one.

Campton Hills, Baghdad, and the tourniquet.

When I was in Baghdad I noticed the Aegis guys would wear these combat tourniquets losely around their arms and/or legs for easy access.  It was one of those little things you'd notice that would create an image.

Looks like the Campton Hills Police (and probably many other departments too) should consider investing in some.

Via the Kane County Chronicle,

A man who lost part of his leg in a motorcycle crash last weekend is alive, albeit in serious condition, after a Campton Hills police officer used limited resources to prevent the man from bleeding to death.

But Officer Elliot Rose, 30, emphasized it took a team effort by Maple Park and Countryside Fire Protection District personnel, KaneComm dispatchers and hospital medical staff members to save the man’s life.

“This should have been a fatality,” Rose said Monday.

Rose, an officer with the Campton Hills Police Department and paramedic of 12 years, received notice of the one-vehicle crash on Route 64 near Fabris Road in Virgil Township about 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Upon arrival, Rose found Steven Allen on the ground, with the bottom half of Allen’s left leg about 20 feet from his body, Rose said.

The man’s friend and fellow motorcyclist had tried to stop the bleeding with a bandana, Rose said, but blood was spurting from an artery. Using gauze and an ink pen, Rose said he was able to clamp off the artery and stop the bleeding.

Although Rose has encountered similar limb-removal situations as a paramedic, he never had been in such a situation as a police officer with limited tools, he said. Often, he noted, people in these situations don’t survive before help arrives.

And below via the Tampa Bay Times,

The Army medic was climbing into a helicopter outside Baqubah, Iraq, when he felt the bullets sear through his left thigh.
He lurched backward, crumpled to the ground. His pants leg grew heavy with his blood.

Andrew Harriman, 24, grew up in Largo. A graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy, he became an EMT for SunStar ambulance service at 18, joined the Army six months later.

Now - just before 11 p.m. on March 26 - he writhed in the dark, groping at his wound. He felt his life draining through his leg.

As he lay beside the helicopter, he dug into the left pocket of his blood-sticky pants and yanked out a decidedly low-tech tool that has proved to be a lifesaver in this high-tech war: a tourniquet.

He always carried at least eight.

He slipped the black strap around his thigh, twisted the stick and cinched it tight, like a noose. He felt his skin tissue compressing, bone crushing, "the greatest pain you can imagine - worse than the bullets." Almost instantly, his blood stopped spurting.

He saved his leg - and his life.

He always carried at least eight. I think I'll check the net and order myself a dozen to keep around car and house. Seems like a smart thing to do.

Hurricane Irene Tomb of the Unknowns

via FaceBook,

A lone Tomb Sentinel, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), walks his tour in humble reverence during Hurricane Irene in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Aug 27. Members of The Old Guard have guarded the Tomb every second, of every day regardless of weather or holidays since April 6, 1948..

Kane County on verge of adding more open space - DailyHerald.com

Kane County on verge of adding more open space - DailyHerald.com:

Via James Fuller in the Hearld.

The next use of new money granted to the Kane County Forest Preserve District in its last referendum will likely come in two pieces of property that will add more than 100 new acres to the preserves.

District officials announced Friday they had closed on 20 acres of green space along the lake run near Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia.

It couldn't be a better time to buy land, and keeping Kane County looking rural benefits homeowners. Some comments say no one will use these new preserves. I doubt that, but even so, the benefits at these prices far outweigh the negatives. Thanks to Kane County FP Board for looking towards the future during some tough times.

Cook County GOP Chair Race « Publius Forum

Cook County GOP Chair Race « Publius Forum:

Lee Roupas is now the Retiring Cook County GOP Party Chairman and that means the race is on. It looks like we have at least three people with their hats thrown in the ring to succeed Roupas.

More on this story time permitting but right now Publius Forum has the above link and also check Illinois Review here and here.

Illinois GOP needs to get serious about Cook County if we want to win in Illinois.

Michael Madigan attends John Boehner fund-raiser in Lemont - Chicago Sun-Times

Michael Madigan attends John Boehner fund-raiser in Lemont - Chicago Sun-Times

Strikes me as a message from Illinois's shrewdest Politican that Obama and the Democrats will lose big in 2012. Speaker Mike "Half German" Madigan buidling bridges for tomorrow.

Illinois Policy Institute - Policy Chart: Illinois Loses Most Jobs in the Nation

Illinois Policy Institute - Policy Chart: Illinois Loses Most Jobs in the Nation

via IPP. Thanks Speaker Mike Madigan, Gov Quinn, and Leader Cullerton for gutting Illinois.

In a trend that continues to worsen, more Illinoisans found themselves unemployed in the month of July.

Illinois lost more jobs during the month of July than any other state in the nation, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report. After losing 7,200 jobs in June, Illinois lost an additional 24,900 non-farm payroll jobs in July. The report also said Illinois’s unemployment rate climbed to 9.5 percent. This marks the third consecutive month of increases in the unemployment rate.

Illinois started to create jobs as the national economy began to recover. But just when Illinois’s economy seemed to be turning around, lawmakers passed record tax increases in January of this year. Since then, Illinois’s employment numbers have done nothing but decline.

Data released today by the bureau confirms this downward trajectory. When it comes to putting people back to work, Illinois is going backwards. Since January, Illinois has dropped 89,000 people from its employment rolls.

Emanuel reclaims Northwest Side home, rides L to work - Chicago Sun-Times

Emanuel reclaims Northwest Side home, rides L to work - Chicago Sun-Times

Good for Emanuel. See if he keeps it up.

Paul Ryan Not Running for President | The Weekly Standard

Paul Ryan Not Running for President The Weekly Standard

Sad news... I think Ryan would have been the strongest candidate and the best guy for the job.

WSJ: Editorial: Paul Ryan should run

The Wisconsin State Journal's Editorial in full.

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan keeps saying "no."

We add our voice today to the many Americans who keep urging the Republican from Janesville to say "yes!"

Ryan, 41, one of the smartest and most creative and courageous members of Congress, should run for president of the United States in 2012.

The Republican field for president feels adrift, with tea party firebrand U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota winning the Iowa straw poll last weekend.

Ryan would jump into the mix as a young, gutsy leader from the heartland, willing to tackle America's most daunting financial problems while effectively communicating the dire need for reform.

Ryan is a man of ideas.

"He's brilliant," former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., told the State Journal editorial board last fall.

Feingold won't be endorsing Ryan for president - that's for sure. Yet Feingold's praise of Ryan's intellect is telling. So is Ryan's work with Feingold to curb wasteful earmarks.

Ryan, in his seventh term representing southeastern Wisconsin, has offered serious and detailed proposals for sustaining Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security while expanding health insurance and simplifying the tax code.

And unlike so many politicians in Washington, including those in the progressive caucus, Ryan isn't afraid to submit his work to the Congressional Budget Office for independent analysis - even if the numbers don't always come out his way. Ryan just goes back and retools his ideas to work better.

Ryan has been fiercely and unfairly targeted by the left for supposedly seeking to "end" Medicare - even though his plan would preserve current benefits for every American 55 and older.

Something big has to happen soon to slow the soaring cost of entitlements. Our nation is graying fast, with fewer younger workers to pay rapidly increasing medical bills. Ten-thousand baby boomers will retire every day for the next two decades.

Ryan might be a long shot for the GOP nomination. He'd be entering the contest late and would need a surge of support and campaign donations to fuel his message of American restoration.

But stranger things have happened in American politics, especially in recent years. And the race for the GOP nomination is wide open.

Ryan wouldn't have to give up his seat in Congress to run. And even if he didn't win the nomination, he'd do the nation a big favor simply by sharpening the focus of the presidential-year debate on substantive issues and solutions.

Ryan doesn't have all the answers, and sometimes his partisan edge gets the best of him.

But he's prepared and capable and knowledgeable - more so than most of the GOP pack.

Run, Paul, run for the White House!

Read more: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/editorial/article_cb000fdc-cb72-11e0-a018-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1ViTrJkJV

Obama dangerously close to a 'Killer Rabbit' moment

Obama dangerously close to a 'Killer Rabbit' moment

Sure, everyone deserves a vacation but with the economy tanking, Gaddafi fighting his last stand, and the Arab Spring decompensating, I can't think of worse optics for the leader of the free world to display. It's not Kass's Rabbit I fear. Worse's out there.

Neo WPA Murals in Gibralter Wisconsin Grade School

Neo WPA murals in the lobby of the Gibralter greade school in Door County Wisconsin.

Kane County Chronicle | Race for 25th taking shape

Kane County Chronicle Race for 25th taking shape:

The Ice Cream guy's back and jumping into an open race in a heavily GOP place.

Other candidates rumored to be seeking the state senate seat include State Rep.Mike Fortner, R-West Chicago, and former congressional candidate and CEO of
Oberweis Dairy, Jim Oberweis.

Fortner did not return messages left at hisoffice this week.

But in an emailed response to a question from the Kane County Chronicle, Oberweis said it was “highly likely” he would run for the 25th Senate District seat in 2012.

Illinois unemployment rate jumps to 9.5 percent in July - Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois unemployment rate jumps to 9.5 percent in July - Chicago Sun-Times:

What Gov Quinn wrought,

The unemployment rate in Illinois jumped to 9.5 percent in July from a revised 9.1 percent in June, rising for the third straight month, and the state lost 24,900 jobs month-over-month, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday.

The state’s jobless rate now exceeds the national rate, the first time that’s happened in 10 months. The national rate is 9.1 percent.

Fish Boil at Baily's Harbor, Door County Wisconsin

My plate from the Fish Boil at the Sandpiper in Baily's Harbor.

Everett Dirksen at Koepel's in Door County Wisconsin

Everett Dirksen's portrait among the famous at Koepel's

in Door County.

Randy Hultgren Towhall, Geneva Illinois, 18 August 2011

A few thoughts from tonight's Town Hall meeting.

I don't know if it was design or happenstance but the room was just big enough that Randy could work without a microphone.  That meant everyone had to get real quiet to hear the questions.  If you're concerned about a boisterous audience, that forces everyone to pipe town, 'cause after all, the guy asking the question could be one of your own.

Randy handed out his congressional voting card to the guy in the first row.  The card was your ticket to ask a question.  Then you past it over to the person next to you.  It worked well.  Randy kept himself to sixty second responses and had a person timing him.

My take was 2/3rds of the room Hultgren supporters and the rest against him.  A handful of LaRouchies and then recognizable local Progressive and Liberal activists from the area. (Feel free to take issue with me on this.)  I was sitting half way up in the room and couldn't see all in the back.  It was standing room only and maybe 150 people in total.

All of the adversarial sorts of questions were about raising taxes to increase revenues, and where are the jobs after extending the "Bush Tax Hikes".  The closest thing to a disruption the whole night was chanting "Where are the Jobs?".  I don't consider that a half bad question at all, and from Randy's reaction I don't think he does either.  Progressives are really going to need to think this frame through since it seems to work as much against 'em as against the GOP.

A few "class war" questions on taxing the rich.  Randy effectively turns this towards tax reform.

A few questions on Medicare and privatizing it.  Randy didn't mention the Independent Payment Review Board which seems to slice up Medicare pretty quickly in my opinion.

Randy defended his vote on the debt ceiling bill noting he voted for the first two, and only against the third, and in part because of the super commission.

Grover Norquist popped up in a few questions.  More evidence Progressive's need to rethink the frame because most of us need to ask Grover Norquist who?  Randy replied he's only signed two pledges: one for Norquist, and another on Cut, Cap, and Balance.  Randy said never again will he sign pledges.  His only pledge is to the voters of the 14th district.  I thought that a right and effective answer.

Geneva Mayor Burns did the opening honors here, and both he and Randy showed class with a somewhat hostile crowd.  (Foster could never have done it.)  They both enjoy politics, respect their constituents, and even those out-of-district folks who gave up a summer evening to be there. 

I asked the one and only question on Foreign Affairs and noted none of my fellow citizens of a leftish bent seem concerned: Prez Obama's in violation of the War Powers Act on Libya what should be done?  Hultgren's response was Obama needed to come before Congress and explain the goals and strategy.

Footnote:  Let the Progressives with their manifesto's chew up the time.  Another lesson Randy had obviously learned.  I shot some video of one of them but it's just too boring.   Also, Kane County's Progressive Fox was there: John Laesch and while he couldn't speak for the rest, he was out there applauding Hultgren's call to bring Obama to account on WPA.  He was clapping he assured me.

Update x1: The Daily Herald's take of last night here.  The people with the Obama Hitler posters were Lyndon LaRouche supporters from outside the 14th.  I know because I talked to them before hand.  I remember LaRouche when he was Linn Marcus in SDS and I'm always curious if any of his supporters know the guy's past.  Anyways, the Herald really ought to explain who's holding the Hitler posters if they're going to mention it.  The LaRouchies weren't reflective of anyone there or in the 14th for that matter.

Update x2: The Kane County Chronicle here.  My question on Obama and the War Powers Act gets no mention in either paper.  So much for concern about War.

Scott Walker Pushes Ryan to Run | The Weekly Standard

Scott Walker Pushes Ryan to Run | The Weekly Standard

I've listen to Ryan talk Economomics and the budget on talk radio. He's the best at explaining this stuff in plain English. He's the best bet for the GOP and I hope he jumps into the race soon...real soon.

“Paul Ryan is one of the most courageous people I know,” Walker said. “Now, more than ever, we need a president with courage. We need leaders who care more about the next generation than they do about the next election. That's Paul.”

Walsh faces tough fight ahead in re-election bid to Congress - DailyHerald.com

Walsh faces tough fight ahead in re-election bid to Congress - DailyHerald.com:

via Kerry Lester's story on Walsh. Below from Walsh isn't going to cut it anywhere with anyone in Illinois. We need an alternative to Walsh. If he had the character of that simple farmer, Walsh would step down and go back to the farm (and work to pay off his debts).

"“In many ways, I had no business running because my financial house was not in order,” Walsh said to the breakfast group in Crystal Lake. “I felt like a simple farmer felt around the (American) Revolution who had five kids running all over the place, farm that was a mess, finances were a mess. ... And do you know what the farmer did? ... He ran off to start a country.”"

Durbin Disses Reporter's Downgrade Question

Elite Media serving and protecting Dick Durbin against questions Durbin would rather not answer. Kelly explains here.

RealClearMarkets - Don't Panic, This Isn't Remotely Like 2008

RealClearMarkets - Don't Panic, This Isn't Remotely Like 2008:

And Kudlow non concurs. Ok, I'll go with Kudlow. Europe lead by the Good East-German Angela Merkle sorts it out.

"Whether or not one agrees or disagrees with Standard & Poor's decision to downgrade the federal government's credit rating, the agency's message was never about U.S. debt default. Instead, S&P was warning that U.S. fiscal trends are deteriorating and our future debt trajectory is going up, not down.

Serious entitlement reform is not yet on the table. Nor is pro-growth tax and regulatory reform. And since none of this is brand-new news, I don't think people should be shooting the messenger.

Getting our debt and spending under control is very important. But the fact remains that warnings from S&P, and even lesser warnings from Moody's, could spur Washington into taking more aggressive action. So could the market sell-off itself.

Now, if the Paul Ryan budget had passed the Senate and had been signed into law by the president, that combination of tough spending control, transformative Medicare reform, and pro-growth tax reform would have gotten us out of this fix. Alas, it was not to be. But tax rates are not going up, no matter what President Obama keeps telling us. Tax hikes would never get past the House Republicans.

Also, I think there's a big overreaction going on to the problems in Europe. The most likely scenario is that the leaders of the European Union and the European Central Bank will take whatever stabilization steps are necessary while at the same time pushing for serious fiscal reforms."

RealClearPolitics - The Big Danger Is Europe

RealClearPolitics - The Big Danger Is Europe:

Forget the S&P downgrade. Here's the real gathering storm.

"Europe may no longer be able to save itself. Too many countries have too much debt. Its economic growth -- which helps countries service their debts -- is too feeble. And nervous financial markets seem increasingly prone to dump the bonds of vulnerable countries. This is the real risk to the global and U.S. economic recoveries, far overshadowing Standard & Poor's downgrade of U.S. Treasury debt and Monday's sharp stock market decline."

Feds investigating scholarships awarded by former Rep. Molaro - Chicago Sun-Times

Feds investigating scholarships awarded by former Rep. Molaro - Chicago Sun-Times:

Kind of like a dream act for the unsavory,

"Last month, the Sun-Times reported on the unusual revocation of a legislative scholarship that state Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) said he had awarded “in error” to the son of three-time felon and reputed mobster Michael C. “Jaws” Giorango. The home on Chicago’s Southwest Side that Giorango’s son listed in his scholarship application as a “permanent address” was owned by a paid Sandoval campaign aide and longtime 14th Ward precinct captain, and state records showed the younger Giorango actually lived in Orland Park, outside of Sandoval’s district."

No Chance of Default, US Can Print Money: Greenspan - CNBC

No Chance of Default, US Can Print Money: Greenspan - CNBC

From inside the Economists' Sausage Factory,

"The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default" said Greenspan on NBC's Meet the Press

"What I think the S&P thing did was to hit a nerve that there's something basically bad going on, and it's hit the self-esteem of the United States, the psyche" said Greenspan

That's true but ugley.

Austan Goolsbee, the chairman of the White House's council of economic advisors, hit out at S&P on the same show, insisting the credit ratings agency had got its math wrong.

"Well, the basic case is they made a $2 trillion math error and forgot to check their work," he said. "So rating agencies that didn't make a $2 trillion math error reaffirmed the AAA status. You saw Warren Buffet say that, if they had a AAAA, he would put U.S. Treasurys in AAAA status."

That were at the mercy of yokels fumbling Excel plain scary.

Wakes by Jack Zimmerman

A nice Chicago story.

Jeremy Bird selling the debt deal to Progressives

Guess who they're trying to sell this dog of a deal to. My emphasis below.

Bill -- Tomorrow -- Wednesday, August 3rd -- volunteers will gather at campaign house meetings across the country to continue laying the groundwork for the 2012 campaign. This kind of organizing work matters more than ever. Now that President Obama has reached a compromise with congressional leaders to meet our financial obligations and reduce our debt, it's up to us to get the word out about how important this agreement is and why it's crucial to have a leader like President Obama in office. Tomorrow, volunteers will talk about how to build this campaign at the local level -- can you attend the meeting in Streamwood? :

Marco Rubio Says "Save The Country" & John Kerry Questions him

Rubio is very very good!

Job Bash 2011

Via FaceBook,

On Sunday, streamed live on Breitbart.tv , “Tea Party Report” contributor William J. Kelly issued a call for people of all political persuasions – `conservative, independent, and tea party supporters and leaders welcome – to come to Chicago for the President’s birthday for a “bash” of their own.

“Barack Obama is only concerned about one job and that is his own. He is in town for a birthday fundraiser after sending a debt limit deathblow to American businesses,” said Kelly.

To that end, Kelly is helping to organize the first Tea Party “Jobs Bash: 2011.” He is calling on the unemployed and the underemployed to come out and bring their resumes to “Job Bash 2011” and call on the President to own up to the high U.S. unemployment figures – currently at 9.2 %.

AFF-Chicago presents: Eric Kohn at the 2011 Bughouse Square Debates

A Tea Party activists recovering the lost art of soap box debating at Chicago's old Bughouse square. Eric's done America's Future Foundation proud here!