(a topic i'll be watching over the next six months... - promoted by bored now)
I hate to write the obvious but the conservative talk-radio crowd has a habit of sticking to their talking points in the face of reality. And the corporate press has a habit of adopting their narratives.
In the US Senate primary, Patrick Hughes was the darling of conservatives and the reactionary tea-bagger crowd. He ran against Mark Kirk, who became a talk-radio target after voting for Obama's climate change bill. Limbaugh and Beck commanded their forces to flood Kirk's office with angry calls after the cap-and-trade vote.
Their poutrage didn't amount to much in the Republican primary. Hughes' campaign never gained momentum and Kirk won resoundingly with 57% of the vote against five challengers.
Meanwhile, Quinn's primary opponent, Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, upped his TV ad buys to more than $1 million, got endorsed on Monday by the state council of electrical union workers, and on Tuesday snagged the pipe trades unions.
(A continuing discussion, re-promoting. - promoted by BobB)
The Chicago Sun-Times reports this morning that Dan Hynes is circulating a letter confirming that he's in the race for Governor.
"We need strong, steady leadership to tackle the serious problems facing Illinois, and I believe we're not getting that leadership right now," Hynes told the Sun-Times. "Serious problems need serious leadership. We don't need somebody who can tell a joke or can work a room. We need someone who can work a budget, and work with the General Assembly."
Today I had an opportunity to see Governor Pat Quinn speak during his first official visit (as governor) to the University of Illinois at the Urbana campus. He was amazing to me as I expected him not to be a good speaker. He surprised me.
But why was he in town? Gov Quinn was there to sign the Illinois Sustainable University Compact and to get a tour of the new UI at Urbana campus' Business School's Instructional Facility. It is a green building.
If there was any question whether Pat Quinn was ready to lead, the Illinois state government website announced he was. When I looked last night -- granted, shortly after Blagojevich was removed from office -- the website still had Rod Blagojevich, governor in the right hand corner. This morning, the transition was complete.
Can't wait to drive the tollway free of the reminder that it was paid for, pay to play...
Seeing as Jeff W. recently posted about Carol Marin, I figured her column is fair grist for our mill. Her current column has fodder for our strong urge to partake in a 'Who's Running for What?" speculation fest. Her Sunday Sun-Times column is titled:"Intriguing mysteries about 2010 election." In there she reports rumors that Bill Daley is polling for Governor 2010. She also reports the rumor Paul Vallas might not be running for the rumored Governor spot, but rather as the 'second chance' to take out Todd Stroger, assuming Todd wins the Dem. nomination, as the Republican nominee for Cook County Board President.
No, I'm not talking about George Bush but the governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich. Today's Animal Farm observes:
Reading it over, I was stunned by this passage:
"I think there's great cause to be concerned. If Speaker Madigan and the House leadership pick up a veto-proof majority... then they'll be in a position to easily override a veto."
That sounds an awful lot like the Democratic governor is urging voters to shun Democrats this fall so his intraparty rival - Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan -- doesn't get any stronger.
Crossposted from Bridget in the Sixth (so excuse the reference to "over at SbC").
Over at SoapBlox Chicago, there are a several folks who insist on promoting Rich Whitney, the little known Green Party candidate for Illinois Governor. After some looking around on his site, I had some questions about his stance on choice issues. I emailed the campaign a week ago and never received a response. Whitney backers at SbC pointed to his statements on Project Votesmart regarding this issue, which seem fine. But after the following business, I think I know what he is trying to do by masking his stance on choice. Weirdly, he is pandering to conservatives.
This post is cross-posted at my personal blog, Four Red Stars.
That loud groaning sound you heard yesterday afternoon coming from the South Loop wasn’t from one of the myriad condo projects going up — it was me, groaning in response to Illinois gubenotorial candidate Judy Barr Topinka’s announcement. You see, Judy has the salve for all of the state’s financial woes. The keystone of her plan is to open up a land-based casino right here in Chicago, devoting the state’s take of the profits to education. Unsurprisingly, the Chicago Tribune bends over backwards on its editorial page to heap praise on Topinka’s brillaint plan, not even pausing to consider the actual consequences of her plan being carried out. (Hey, at least they took the time to write about it. The city’s news columnists are too busy writing about foie gras and misplaced iPods to write about real news.)
Topinka proposes that the hypothetical casino’s revenues will all be directed toward educating, obviating any need for further property tax increases. She’d have you believe it’s a winner for everyone — more money for schools and no new taxes. But nothing in life is free, my friends, and a casino in downtown Chicago would cost us in ways Topinka isn’t likely to reveal.
This week, just as Gov. Rod Blagojevich released his clean energy proposal, one of his largest supporters A. Finkl & Sons Co., has been slapped with a massive fine for making upgrades that INCREASED the amount of air pollution particulates emitted by their steel-forging factory in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. The company was also cited for not getting the permits that would have ensured the work was done up to code.
According to the EPA, a high concentration of particulates affects children, the elderly and people with heart and lung conditions the most.
A. Finkl & Sons and the Blagojevich campaign are deeply linked. Blagojevich frequently uses the North Side factory for campaign rallys and victory parties. And last October, ironically enough, the governor held a state-sponsored rally at A. Finkl & Sons in support of his All Kids health initiative.
CHICAGO (Aug. 23, 2006) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice have reached an agreement with A. Finkl & Sons Co. on alleged clean-air violations at the company's steel forging plant, 2011 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. The company agreed to do two environmental projects totaling $620,000, to pay a $75,000 penalty and to comply with the Clean Air Act.
...The agreement resolves EPA allegations that Finkl violated performance standards for new sources of air pollution by making equipment modifications that caused an increase in particulate (smoke, dust, ash) emissions and by not getting permits that would have required better controls.
In addition, EPA said the company failed to comply with operational and equipment standards as well as maintenance, record-keeping and reporting requirements.
Inhaling high concentrations of particulates can affect children, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases the most.
Democratic State Senator Don Harmon and Republican State Representative Mike Tryon tried to get their 'truth in taxation' legislation passed last session, but ran out of time. They kept up with the commonsense legislation that says that property tax referenda should spell out the dollar cost of increases instead of just saying the rate of increase - a subtle distinction that has led to about $263 million in taxes that taxpayers weren't aware they would pay, according to the Daily Herald. Here in Naperville District 203, to take one example, a 2002 referendum yielded $24 million above district tax projections according to the Naperville Sun. The final version of the Harmon-Tryon tax reform bill passed both state houses without a single vote against it and was signed into law by Governor Rod Blagojevich June 30.
State Senator Don Harmon, the main senate sponsor, described the legislation to me yesterday.
