“All governors like to talk about the positive aspects of their administration and certainly Governor Quinn has some positive aspects,” Civic Federation President Laurence Msall said. “But the fiscal reality of the state of Illinois isn’t rosy and it isn’t optimistic.”Somehow I think it's gonna take more than dinging the smokers again.
The report points to rising pension costs and medical bills for the poor and uninsured as the primary culprits of increased state spending. Among the Civic Federation’s suggestions for reining in state finances are reducing automatic 3 percent increases built-in to retirement pay for government workers and increasing the cigarette tax.
“It’s a very frightening situation,” Msall said. “It’s one that calls for not half measures, not politically massaged answers. It calls for significant, drastic action by the state of Illinois.”
Geez, more racialism from the Indian press. If Raja loses the primary to fellow Democrat Duckworth, it will be over Bright Star as Don Rose (hardly a “Tea Bagger”) suggested when Krishnamoorth ran for Comptroller. (more from the Chicago Trib on the mess).
Krishnamoorthi needs to tone his followers down. Neither Walsh or Duckworth playing race games. It’s losing peoples College savings Raja’s gotta explain.
via Sulehka.com: Raja Krishnamoorthi faces racist attacks in 2012 US elections - News, Articles, Press Release & News Article on Chicago
Tuesday January 24, 2012
Washington, DC - Today, Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and Randy Hultgren (R-IL) issued the following joint statement ahead of the President’s State of the Union address, at which they will be sitting together, continuing the tradition of bipartisan seating begun last year in the wake of the shooting in Tucson that killed six and wounded 14, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
“At tonight’s State of the Union, we hope that the President seizes on the opportunity to push for passage of a robust, multi-year transportation reauthorization bill. In a time of continued high unemployment, this bill – which is critical to our state and our nation – is now more than two years overdue, feeding Americans’ frustration with Washington. We understand that investing in critical infrastructure projects to improve our ailing transportation system will create jobs in Illinois and across the country, both in the near-term and in the long-term by reducing congestion and increasing efficiency for workers and for businesses. The President should call for a transportation reauthorization that is responsibly and fully funded, and recognizes the deep need to improve our roads, highways, bridges, public transit and rail system. This should be a bipartisan issue that unites the House, the Senate, and the White House, and we believe that it can be. Recently, after a five-year delay, a compromise was announced that finally paves the way for passage of a multi-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization. It’s time to build on that breakthrough and pass a robust, multi-year surface transportation bill.”
via the Pundit,
I asked the House freshman about the Republican response to the president's address--a great one, in my opinion--by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. He brought up Social Security reform and made the suggestion that perhaps sending Social Security checks to the very rich is something that should be reconsidered. Kinzinger called it "an idea that is worth talking about."
Marathon Pundit: Report from the media call with Adam Kinzinger on the State of the Union address
Publius Forum with some videos interviewing Juan Williams and Michael Medved at Restoring American Exceptionalism – Chicago Townhall « Publius Forum
Good stuff….
KC covers the County Board Debates. I like having all four candidates: Democrat and Republican together for this. Anyways, regarding the ethics code,and Kane County’s lack of one at the moment, Klinkhamer says
Klinkhamer, however, said any ethics complaints should simply be taken to the state’s attorney for action.
“That simple,” she said.
• Read more Kane County Chronicle election coverage by visiting ssm.kcchronicle.com/election.
Kane County Chronicle | County chair candidates clash on taxes, spending, ethics
I sort of get that. I would expect competitors losing on contracts and suspecting foul play would know how to do that. Somehow or another though, I don’t think it’s all that simple. Citzens need a standard, posted on the web, we can use to evaluate the board and chairs actions. We need some lines drawn for us. Not just what’s illegal; but what’s unethical too.
But they -- and most private economists -- didn't draw the proper conclusions. Hardly anyone asked whether lax mortgage lending would trigger a broad financial crisis, because America had not experienced a broad financial crisis since the Great Depression. A true financial crisis differs from falling stock prices, which are common. A financial crisis involves the failure of banks or other institutions, panic in many markets and a pervasive loss of wealth and confidence.Such a crisis was not within the personal experience of members of the FOMC -- or anyone. Nor was it part of mainstream economic thinking. Because it hadn't happened in decades, it was assumed that it couldn't happen.
The Hasidic fondness for cigarettes was well-known, and became the target of criticism from their opponents, the "misnagdim". The Hasidim justified their habit on theological grounds. Smoking was after all a way of elevating the holy sparks.
Some Hasidic masters were conscious that a special privilege that had been granted to their own generations: Tobacco had been unknown to the great "Ari" himself, "because the time had not yet come for the very subtle sparks in tobacco to be released by smoking." But now that almost all the coarser sparks had received their restoration, God sent us tobacco so that the Hasidic masters should elevate these "new" and subtle sparks!
It was told of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem-Tov, the founder of the Hasidic movement, that he once waxed enthusiastic about a student who interrupted his prayers by stooping to retrieve his fallen pipe. The Baal Shem-Tov justified this apparent breach of decorum by explaining that there are subtle souls who can only achieve their perfection through this most ethereal of substances.
The Ba'al Shem-Tov went on to compare cigarette smoke to the "sweet savour unto the Lord" exuded by the sacrifices, and to the incense that was burned in the Temple.
As Rabbi Jacobs understands this story, it alludes to the Kabbalistic belief in reincarnation. Some righteous souls cannot bear to return to earth unless they are allowed to reside in tobacco.
Cal posts some great pics of the Tea Party rally for Gov Walker: McHenry County Blog | Spring Grove Tea Party Members Rally for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker
File under If you can’t take the heat get out of the Kitchen. A real RINO quits the GOP primary for the 53nd Alan Nudo Quits Race for 52nd District State Senate Seat
The portrait of the first couple in Jodi Kantor’s new book, “The Obamas,” bristles with aggrievement and the rational president’s disdain for the irrational nature of politics, the press and Republicans. Despite what his rivals say, the president and the first lady do believe in American exceptionalism — their own, and they feel overassaulted and underappreciated.Showtime at the Apollo - NYTimes.com
We disappointed them.
As Michelle said to Oprah in an interview she did with the president last May: “I always told the voters, the question isn’t whether Barack Obama is ready to be president. The question is whether we’re ready. And that continues to be the question we have to ask ourselves.”
They still believed, as their friend Valerie Jarrett once said, that Obama was “just too talented to do what ordinary people do.”
The Trib’s Editorial on Illinois one year after the Democrat’s tax hike.How Illinois lawmakers failed you - chicagotribune.com
"Our revenue growth is not enough to keep up with pensions and Medicaid. It creates a squeeze for everything else."
Illinois Budget Director David Vaught, Jan. 3, 2012
Think back to 1/11/11, the night Democrats in the General Assembly raised personal and corporate income taxes by 67 and 46 percent. That legislation didn't cut spending by one dime. Never forget the assurances, though, that these tax increases would pay the state's debts and prevent future budget deficits:
Senate President John Cullerton: "The purpose of this bill is to raise enough money so that we can continue to pay our pensions without borrowing the money. To pay off our debt. To have enough money to pay the interest on that debt. And, for the first time ever, establish caps on how much we can appropriate. ... We have just come through the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes. And we have not paid our bills."
And House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie: "Remember, the point of this income tax increase is not to expand programs, not to do brand-new things in Illinois state government. It is only intended to pay our old bills and deal with the structural deficit."
Gov. Pat Quinn antiseptically refers to his fellow Democrats' vote that night on the "revenue bill." Much as he refers to the new borrowing he proposes as "restructuring." One year later, though, stand back with us and look at all their carnage:
And the Trib names the culprits.
HOUSE: Edward Acevedo, Chicago; Luis Arroyo, Chicago; Daniel Beiser, Alton; Maria Antonia Berrios, Chicago; Mike Boland, East Moline; John Bradley, Marion; Daniel Burke, Chicago; Will Burns, Chicago; Michael Carberry, Oak Lawn; Linda Chapa LaVia, Aurora; Annazette Collins, Chicago; Marlow Colvin, Chicago; Barbara Flynn Currie, Chicago; Monique Davis, Chicago; William Davis, Homewood; Anthony DeLuca, Chicago Heights; Lisa Dugan, Bradley; Ken Dunkin, Chicago; Sara Feigenholtz, Chicago; Robert Flider, Mount Zion; Mary Flowers, Chicago; LaShawn Ford, Chicago; Paul Froehlich, Schaumburg; Robyn Gabel, Evanston; Esther Golar, Chicago; Careen Gordon, Morris; Betsy Hannig, Gillespie; Greg Harris, Chicago; Elizabeth Hernandez, Cicero; Jay Hoffman, Collinsville; Thomas Holbrook, Belleville; Constance Howard, Chicago; Eddie Lee Jackson, East St. Louis; Naomi Jakobsson, Urbana; Charles Jefferson, Rockford; Lou Lang, Skokie; Camille Lilly, Chicago; Joseph Lyons, Chicago; Michael Madigan, Chicago; Frank Mautino, Spring Valley; Karen May, Highland Park; Rita Mayfield, Waukegan; Kevin McCarthy, Orland Park; Jack McGuire, Joliet; Susana Mendoza, Chicago; David Miller, Lynwood; Kathleen Moore, Chicago; Elaine Nekritz, Northbrook; John O'Sullivan, Worth Township; Dan Reitz, Steeleville; Al Riley, Olympia Fields; Robert Rita, Blue Island; Michael Smith, Canton; Cynthia Soto, Chicago; Andre Thapedi, Chicago; Arthur Turner, Chicago; Patrick Verschoore, Milan; Mark Walker, Arlington Heights; Karen Yarbrough, Maywood; Michael Zalewski, Chicago.
SENATE: James Clayborne, Belleville; Jacqueline Collins, Chicago; Maggie Crotty, Oak Forest; John Cullerton, Chicago; William Delgado, Chicago; Deanna Demuzio, Carlinville; Michael Frerichs, Gifford; William Haine, Alton; Don Harmon, Oak Park; Rickey Hendon, Chicago; Linda Holmes, Aurora; Mattie Hunter, Chicago; Toi Hutchinson, Olympia Fields; Mike Jacobs, East Moline; Emil Jones III, Chicago; David Koehler, Peoria; Dan Kotowski, Park Ridge; Kimberly Lightford, Maywood; Terry Link, Waukegan; Edward Maloney, Chicago; Iris Martinez, Chicago; John Mulroe, Chicago; Antonio Munoz, Chicago; Kwame Raoul, Chicago; Martin Sandoval, Cicero; Jeff Schoenberg, Evanston; Heather Steans, Chicago; Donne Trotter, Chicago; Louis Viverito, Burbank; A.J. Wilhelmi, Joliet
Update on the Illinois Gingrich campaign: McHenry County Blog | Illinois Gingrich Campaign
Must read by Joel Kotkin. Only thing standing in America’s way our Americans themselves.
A confluence of largely unnoticed economic, demographic and political trends has put the U.S. in a far more favorable position than its rivals. Rather than the end of preeminence, America may well be entering a renaissance.
If we have the guts and sense to seize this moment.
This Is America's Moment, If Washington Doesn't Blow It - Forbes
Cal Skinner with Peter Fitzgerald’s endorsement. Not sure how much that counts in Kane County now. Maybe some with old timers, but I bet for most people it’s just confusion with that other Fitzgerald guy. That might be good too, but not much.
McHenry County Blog | Peter Fitzgerald Endorses Chris Lauzen for Kane County Board Chairman
A quick link on Jarret’s public housing partner getting disbarred based on his guilty plea on a swindle.
Chicago Daily Observer » Blog Archive » Valerie Jarrett Business Partner Dan Mahru is Disbarred
IR reviews the fund raising to date in thirteen Illinois State Senate primary races.
Illinois Review: Fundraising reports show strengths, weaknesses of GOP Senate candidates
House Speaker Michael Madigan has created an Illinois House special committee that will review the investment strategies of the state's pension funds.
Mr. Madigan, a Democrat, appointed Republican House Minority Leader Tom Cross to chair the committee, according to a letter today to House Clerk Timothy Mapes.
Read more: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120118/NEWS02/120119775/speaker-madigan-forms-special-pensions-committee#ixzz1jrkr0bOZ
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More Green financial fiascos…. at our expense.
The start-up company has been plagued by a series of production and staffing delays since it was formed in 2008. It has received millions of dollars in government loans and tax breaks and has been toured by high-profile officials such as Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.
Mr. Cicak said last week that the facility was to reopen Monday after a period of adjusting its inventory. A voice mail message on the company's main phone line said the same thing.
Only 15 cars were in the parking lot at 1:30 p.m. Monday. The office was devoid of activity, and the rows of desks were empty.
Solutions are the problem a boss once told me. Jamie Dimon’s no nope. My bet’s he’s right.
What if the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase is not just blowing smoke when he complains that the country — and, indeed, the world — has imposed so many new rules on the banking industry, some of them overlapping, others seeming to contradict each other, yet others whose sole purpose seems to be to weigh down the industry, that they threaten to do as much harm as good? Last summer, you’ll recall, Dimon confronted Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, at a conference and asked him: “Has anyone bothered to study the cumulative effect of these things?” Just last week, during JPMorgan’s earnings call with analysts, Dimon complained that Europe’s “regulatory policy, government policy, central bank policy — it’s not coordinated. It’s making the situation worse, not better.”
Cook County Board Chair Preckwinkle at Occupy Chicago while the indigent bodies pile up over at the morgue for lack of funds to burry them. Tony Rezko was once Preckwinkle’s Finance Chair… maybe she ought to send him a letter in prison for some advice on how to bail Cook County out of the mess it’s in.
[H/T] John M who’s been covering Occupy, Marathon Pundit: While bodies pile up at Cook County morgue, Preckwinkle praises Occupy crowd (VIDEO)
Illinois's got a lot of problems. Big problems... but a Newspaper scouring facebook for admonitions to repent (which all Christians should do: both admonish and repent!) seems a waste. Perhaps The Daily Herald ought best repent this habit and give us some hard news.
GOP candidate from Lake County says he prays for gays ‘to repent' - DailyHerald.com
Looks like Susan Klinkhamer was a Republican before she was a Democrat.
Klinkhamer’s voting record in Kane County shows she voted Republican in six primaries from 1996 through 2006. Then the record shows she voted Democratic in the special and general primary in 2008 and the 2010 primary.
But that, she said, does not prove she is a Republican. It proves that when you are the minority party, you will take the other team’s ballot just to have a voice in who gets nominated, she said.
Kane County Chronicle | Democrats target Klinkhamer in chairman race
Whether or not this amounts to a stealth run by a closet Republican to disrupt the Democratic primary harder to say. I doubt it. She worked for the Democrat Congressman Bill Foster. I take her at her word here.
Let’s hope the SecDef knows what he’s doing when he says stuff like this:
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said, “we have some idea as to who might be involved.”
Iranian Official Reportedly Threatens Retaliation After Nuclear Expert Killed | Here & Now
There's no question what this last-minute EITC doubling is all about. It is the Democrats pandering to low-income Illinois taxpayers. The Dems wanted to muffle at leat some of their angry constituents that will be hit on April 15th.Not to mention the breaks for CME and Sears (AON next?). And the State's still sinking in a fiscal morass.
In the meantime any household that doesn't fit within the EITC's narrow boundaries, get ready for more taxpayer back pain. More than ever before, Illinois' tax burden is on you. 67% more on you, with no relief in sight. And don't forget local property tax hike, the 88% toll increase as well as local sales tax spikes.
So, Democrats that control the Illinois legislature and the governorship, what about the rest of us?
Take a look at the participants: the Cook County Chair, Congressional Reps, State Reps. These people already Occupy Chicago. Their Democrats and have Occupied Chicago my whole lifetime (ant that’s more than a few decades). If you get out to the South and West sides, the city’s a mess. They already Occupy Chicago and best give it up.
Stay tuned to Rebel Pundit for coverage. Events below per AustinTalks.
Good to see all four in the same forum talking. The issue of an administrator came up per below. I’m not an expert on Kane County but it seems to me all the controversy over the years has been the Chair vs department heads (notably the Sheriffs) regardless of party affiliation. An Administrator might bring some rationality to operations and save money despite some of the comments over at the Chronicle.
While Burns said he would support hiring a full-time economic development director to help draw business to the county, and Sarto said he would support funding an entire "economic development program," Klinkhamer went further, pushing for the hiring of a full-time county administrator, overseeing all county departments.
She said it was "still troubling" that Kane County is the only county that does not employ an administrator to run the county's day-to-day operations. She said such a manager could help ease political bickering among county officials, while making the county government more efficient.
Lauzen, however, assailed the notion that Kane should hire an administrator, saying such a hire would place "another layer" between county elected officials and the people.
"I disagree with the idea of elected officials abdicating responsibility of running government," Lauzen said.
Kane County Chronicle | Chairman candidates talk taxes, administration and more during forum
Via FVLN’s Jennifer Rice on the Democrat’s primary for Kane County Board Chair,
While fielding question from members of the Kane County Progressive Democrats, Klinkhamer confessed she’d sworn off running for another office. “There are so many things you can’t control,” she explained. Her 2 ½ years working at the congressional level was a disappointment and soured her outlook on public service.
“People were just mean on a daily basis, but it has given me a whole new outlook on running for office. I come from a much calmer place. Running for office is like childbirth, once it’s over, you forget about it. And that’s what makes you want to do it again,” she explained, which drew laughs from the crowd.
Former mayor enters race for Kane County Chairman | The Fox Valley Labor News
I appreciate what she’s saying although the sour and thin skinned Bill Foster was no Al Smith like Happy Warrior. The heat in that kitchen may have been from the cook of a Congressman.
Wonder if it was the same legal beagle who gave the Administration advice to the EEOC on the Honsana-Tabor case.
Justice Department memo argues Obama recess appointments were legal
It's back to the future for Alexi Giannoulias.
The banker-turned-politician, who won a statewide race for Illinois treasurer and then lost to Republican Mark Kirk in a bid for President Barack Obama's former Senate seat, is joining the Chicago office of Bank of New York Mellon Corp. as senior adviser for strategic relationships. In the newly created post, Mr. Giannoulias, 35, will take on a business-development role for the New York-based bank's new wealth-management business in Chicago.
He also will help BNY Mellon win municipal, state and federal government clients nationwide, the company said. Mr. Giannoulias, who starts his new job today, reports to Michael DiMedio, 44, BNY Mellon's Chicago region president.
Read more: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120111/NEWS01/120119961/giannoulias-heads-back-to-banking-with-post-at-bny-mellon#ixzz1jGYpGZXu
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Via Austin Weekly News on the race in Illinois’s 5th Senate District,
Fifth District state Sen. Annazette Collins' loss may be Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins' gain.
Residency issues plaguing Collins have caused top Democratic leaders, including Secretary of State Jesse White, to jump ship and throw their support behind Van Pelt-Watkins who's challenging Collins in the March 2012 Democratic Primary.
Collins is seeking to retain the seat she was appointed to in March 2011, replacing former state Sen. Rickey Hendon-he resigned last February after serving nearly two decades. White, the 27th Ward's Democratic committeeman, nominated Collins to replace Hendon but now regrets that decision.
Democrats abandon state Sen. Collins over residency issue
Nice to see Van Pelt-Watkins back. I liked her run earlier run for Mayor.
A guy who seems to know the varieties of Chicago Democrats pretty well,
Then there are the Democrats that are the connectors. David Axelrod is a true believer that is a connector. He is good with the turn of a phrase to mask what they truly want and turn it into something saleable to the American public. The Clinton’s had their own machine which some Chicago folks were a part of. But their idea of political combat was a scorched earth policy. Chicago operators are much more pragmatic than that.
Obama’s mission was to ingrain that sort of crony capitalist machine into the fabric of national politics. One look at all the waivers given to his cronies for Obamacare shows you where he is headed. If Obama and his compatriots get there way, every business, man, woman and child will have to bow their head and kiss a ring to get anything done.
Read all of him to get the full panoply of Dems in this town, Now We Will See The Real Obama | Points and Figures
A press release from Danielle Rowe on overcoming her petition challenge: Rowe Wins, State BOE Dismisses McSweeney Challenge
Via SEIU’s Progress Illinois: AFL-CIO Decides Against Endorsement In 8th District Race | Progress Illinois
The AFL-CIO voted not to make an endorsement in the race between Democratic candidates Tammy Duckworth and Raja Krishnamoorthi in the 8th congressional district, according to the Krishnamoorthi campaign. Capitol Fax is reporting that Krishnamoorthi fell a few votes short of winning the endorsement.
Nonetheless, Krishnamoorthi's campaign is pleased with the union's decision, also alleging that "there was a strong, coordinated effort from the D.C. establishment to force local unions to endorse Washington’s favored candidate, Tammy Duckworth," according to a press release
Duckworth’s also picked up an endorsement from Teamsters Joint Council 25 while Krishnamoorthi’s picked up endorsements from Illinois State Senators: Noland, Crispo, and Mussman.
Looks like locals against Washington to me.
By rights, "The Discouraged American Worker" should be Time magazine's "Person of the Year". During the first three years of Obama's presidency, the labor force fell by 0.7 million. In contrast, it rose by 3.5 million during the first three years of Bush 43's presidency, when America was also recovering from a recession. The labor force rose by 5.9 million during the first three years of Bush's second term.
December marked the 30th month of Obama's economic recovery. During this time, the reported unemployment rate fell from 9.5% to 8.5%. However, this "improvement" was entirely an artifact of workers giving up and dropping out of the labor force. In fact, if labor force participation had remained constant at the 67.5% level that obtained at the end of the recession (June 2009), December's unemployment rate would have been reported at 10.9%.
During Obama's recovery to date, total employment has increased by 787,000. In contrast, during the first 30 months of the Reagan economic recovery (which started in December 1982) total employment increased by 8.9 million jobs. At this point, in percentage terms, Obama is 12.1 million jobs short of matching Reagan's jobs creation performance. This provides a stark contrast between Reaganomics and Obamunism.
Via Lee Bey’s Blog,
A derelict former North Lawndale synagogue could get substantially closer to the wrecker's ball this week as Department of Buildings officials begin putting the edifices' demolition contract out to bid, according to a city spokesperson.
Building Department spokesperson Bill McCaffrey said the agency will bid out the contract to demolish the former temple at 3411 W. Douglas Blvd. within "the next couple of days." Due to the building's size--it is big enough to have once sat 3,500 worshippers--department officials will allow prospective bidders to tour the structure before drafting their bids, McCaffrey said.
The shuttered and deteriorating brick and limestone Byzantine Revival structure was once a center of a Jewish--and later, African American--life in the West Side community. Built in 1913 as Anshe Kenesseth Israel, the former temple was once among the largest synagogues in North Lawndale, a predominantly Jewish community in the early and mid-20th century. And for now, the building belongs to a distinctive, but shrinking collection of architecturally high-quality synagogues, schools and public buildings built during that era.
Time grows short for historic North Lawndale synagogue | WBEZ
And the petition drive here….
The City of Chicago Department of Buildings has taken court action to demolish 3411 West Douglas, an historic synagogue and the former home of Friendship Baptist Church, that has hosted Martin Luther King Jr., when he lived in the North Lawndale community on Chicago's West Side. The building is not structurally sound and poses imminent danger to the local community. The current owners are not able to finance the necessary costs to stabilize and renovate the building, which exceed over $1 million.
With over 1,500 vacant lots, North Lawndale has more vacant buildings and lots than any other community in Chicago, other than Englewood, to the best of my knowledge. The result has been decreases in population, increase in blight, the creation of environments that encourage crime and general reduction in the number of historically and culturally significant buildings. When the cultural assets of a community erode, everything else falls apart. Children’s education becomes less well rounded and relevant and students’ ability to think critically and understand their roles in society decreases. The economic base becomes less diversified, providing fewer opportunities to create a sense of community pride or destinations for tourists, who, in turn would patronize local businesses.
Redeveloping this building could create an anchor for community and economic development around its heritage and culture; connect local community organizations, Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools, and Chicago Public Libraries; instill community pride, and create a destination for tourists.
President Barack Obama is running for re-election with an unusual pitch: He can't work with others.
He only gets along with yes men. "I refuse to take 'no' for an answer," Obama said last Wednesday of his decision to make a "recess" appointment that placed Richard Cordray as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Constitution, of course, gives the president the power to make appointments during Senate recesses. Technically, however, the Senate was in session. The imperial president bypassed Senate rules and years of precedent because he wouldn't or couldn't cut a deal.
Message to Republicans? Be bold. Adopt a 5 percent growth target. Don't settle for less. Adopt a clear pro-growth platform that emphasizes aggressive fundamental tax-and-regulatory reform for individuals and businesses. Especially make the case for the energy revolution, where blue-collar employment is vitally involved. Deregulate Obamacare to zero. Work on a sound King Dollar.
Most of all, get government out of the way. Instead, open the door for the animal spirits of risk-taking that could torque the economy. And work harder to make a case for limited government spending and deficit reduction, as Sen. Marco Rubio has just done with a tough letter to the president.
As Rubio put it: "It's a tragic reality, but on (Obama's) watch, more and more people have come to believe that America is becoming a deadbeat nation."
Finally, avoid special preferences for individual parts of the economy that distort economic incentives and actually slow down economic growth. As Kim Strassel writes in The Wall Street Journal, the Reagan plan years ago was an optimistic growth message for everyone, not just targeted classes or economic sectors. So don't mimic Obama. Mimic Reagan. Clarify the goal of growth, growth, growth.
Lizzy Warrant getting a chunk of Wall Street cash: BostonHerald.com - Blogs: Lone Republican» Blog Archive » Wall Street money for Warren
CHICAGO: Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic candidate of Indian-origin for Illinois' newly created district, has appealed to the South Asian community to wake up and realise their potential as a strong force in US politics.Also, Duckworth gets close to the one million mark.
Raja (38), onetime advisor to President Barack Obama, said , "The Desi community needs to wake up and realise that we are a strong political force."
"South Asians are a rapidly growing demographic and there are already more that 3 million South Asians in the US. If we don't vote, then elected officials will never listen to our concerns or take our issues seriously," Krishnamoorthi said at a local temple here.
This is Krishnamoorthi's first run for Congress, though he did previously run for State Comptroller in 2010, losing the primary election by only 1 per cent of the vote.
He is hopeful to win primary slated for March 20. Krishnamoorthi said he has raised more than USD 1,000,000 for his Congressional run.
"I think we have a very good chance of winning. We have hard work to do. we have roughly seven months before elections. We need to raise money, educate voters and win endorsements," Krishanmoorthi told PTI.
If Krishnamoorthi wins in the March 20 primary he will face Republican senator Joe Walsh, a white Christian Tea party supporter.
Asked if Walsh's religion or colour would help him, Krishanmoorthi said, "We are moving past the time when candidates were discriminated for colour, religion. I have to work very hard to educate people. I am meeting voters on train stations and answering and educating them."
Expect them court. Expect Obama to lose. A very bad move on the Prez’s part for the reason below,
If these appointments are challenged in court and if Obama loses, it would do measurable damage to his election prospects --not just because of the appointments themselves but because it is such a stark reminder that our president is a man who thinks himself and his vaunted goals so important that the rule of law should yield to his will. Other than among the roughly 20 percent of Americans (university professors, union members, and government employees) who strongly approve of Obama's job performance, this sort of autocratic behavior does not play well to the American sensibility. It is a sensibility that is figuratively and literally foreign to Barack Obama, who spent formative years living in anti-democratic places like Indonesia and Columbia University.
The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Obama's Tin Ear Returns
One might add the anti-democratic place of Chicago’s Regular Democratic Organization too, or paling with Red Blagojevich. This move strike’s me as Rod-like from Rod’s final year as Guv.
FYI for folks who thought Duckworth would have a cake walk in the primary.
Krishnamoorthi is up against Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, who has racked up the endorsements from much of the traditional Illinois Democratic machine.
Krishamoorthi ended last quarter with $635,996 in the bank compared with Duckworth's $364,295.
He also turned in more than twice the amount of signatures Duckworth did to be placed on the ballot for the March 20 primary.
Raja crosses $1M mark - POLITICO.com
Duckworth and Krishnamoorthi invited…
Palatine Township Democratic Organization will host a Candidates Forum for 6th and 8th District Congressional Candidates.
All other candidates are welcome to attend the networking times set aside for voters to meet Democratic candidates.
The forum will be Jan. 21, 2012 at the Palatine Public Library, 700 West North Court. The library is handicap accessible and has underground parking available.
The forum will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and will be moderated by Hal Snyder MD.
Democrats To Host Congressional Candidates Forum - Cary, IL Patch
Don’t underestimate Krishnamoorthi against Duckworth. I’m betting he’s got her beat on the ground game, and his supporters are going to have the intensity that Duckworth won’t ignite since that fight against Cegelis.
Krishnamoorthi, collected over 4,300 petition signatures even though only 600 signatures were required. The vast majority of these signatures were collected door-to-door from registered voters, ensuring they are high quality signatures.
“We were able to knock on numerous doors and collect so many signatures in large part due to our significant grass roots operation and formidable ground game,” said Campaign Spokesman Mike Murray.
The Chicago-area economy, which grew only 0.9% last year, should expand at about a 1.6% pace during the first half of 2012 and by about 2% for the full year, Moody's says. That lags its predicted 2.6% increase in gross national output. Moreover, it's significantly less than its prediction six months ago, when the economic research unit of New York-based Moody's Corp. expected the Chicago economy to grow by about 4% in 2012.
The anemic growth won't help Chicago job-seekers much; Moody's predicts the metro unemployment rate will climb to 11.4% in the first half of this year from 10.6% in 2011's second half. Once again, that's a far more bearish estimate compared to its calculations six months ago, when the company foresaw the jobless rate hitting 9.2% in 2012's first half.
