Paul Harvey, R.I.P.

Decades before Rush Limbaugh's career took off, there was another conservative radio voice broadcasting heartland conservative values to Americans looking for the rest of the story.

The Chicago-based broadcaster died today at his winter home in Phoenix at the age of 90.

To use one of Harvey's favorite phrases...."It's true."

It's also sad, but the Oklahoma native had a full and productive life.

One of the ironies of Harvey's death is that just a block away from the stretch of Wacker Drive that was renamed in his honor, the hometown edition of the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party took place.

It's true.

In a way, Paul Harvey was at that party.

Rest in peace.

Technorati tags: news politics chicago illinois tea party media paul harvey radio oklahoma

Round two of the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party, Tax Day, April 15

Friday's successful Nationwide Chicago Tea Party has inspired a sequel. The next round of Tea Parties will be on the worst day of the year, April 15, the day federal income taxes are due.

I will be at the hometown edition in Chicago, I'm hoping for warmer weather, although snow is possible in mid-April in northern Illinois.

Already about a dozen other cities are planning Tea Parties on tax day.



Important links:

Tax Day Tea Party

Nationwide Tax Tay Tea Party Facebook group

Chicago Tax Day Tea Party Facebook group

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics chicago illinois tea party

Pitchfork populism at the Chicago Tea Party

Amidst biting winds and a smattering of snow flurries, the hometown edition of the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party kicked off at 11:00am this morning at Daley Plaza in the Loop.

It was an enthusiastic group of patriots, and by the time it ended about 400 people were in attendence, many of them chanting "Dump the Tea," "Don't Tread on Me," and "Socialism Sucks!"

The Tea Party movement last week started with an on air rant in Chicago by CNBC's Rick Santelli.

And today there were more forty Nationwide Chicago Tea Parties.

A few impromptu speeches kicked off the rally at the plaza, including one by Sam Adams, pictured on the right, who Wikipedia claims died in 1803.

Then the group, some of whom had tea bags dangling from their hats, marched up Dearborn Avenue to 401 North Michigan, under the watchful gaze of those Midwestern icons from Grant Wood's American Gothic.

Taking inspiration from the farmer and his pitchfork, WLS-AM's Dan Proft, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, and Sam Adams lit a prairie fire of populism among devotees of smaller, less intrusive government.

In my opinion, the rally was a huge success. Getting conservatives to do something along these lines is very difficult, "like herding cats" is how cartoonist Chris Muir described it on Andrea Shea King's show not too long ago. More importantly, there is talk having more Tea Parties, one is scheduled for Chicago's Grant Park on July 4.

One big surprise was that there was no counter protest. After all, this is Barack Obama's adopted hometown. Oh, there were a few cranks out there: Michelle Jacobsen of Freedom Folks was called (On what grounds?) a racist by a passerby. And a woman with an Obama pennant flying from the roof of her car, who should have been paying attention to traffic, thought it was worth her time to yell at us--I couldn't make out what she was babbling about--but luckily she rolled up her window and managed not to hit another car or a pedestrian as she drove away.

By the way, it just occurred to me that none of Obama's predecessors had their own flag.

There were no troublemakers, the Chicago Police mainly kept an eye on traffic, and I saw only two incidents where the cops had to tell someone to stop doing something. One guy tried to climb up the American Gothic statue--and quickly descended when the police told him to.

And your humble blogger was told to get off a median--but after I got some great pics.

I can't wait for the next Nationwide Chicago Tea Party. I'm sharpening my pitchfork.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics chicago illinois tea party obama barack obama tony peraica dan proft grant wood

Me and an NPR interviewer at the Chicago Tea Party

Just got back home from the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party--the Chicago edition. Got to meet up with some great bloggers including Tom Mannis of the Chicago News Bench, Anne Leary of Backyard Conservative, Jake and Michelle Jacobsen of Freedom Folks, Lorraine Swanson of the Chicago Journal, the writer (whose name I didn't catch) of There Are Crooks in Illinois, as well as filmmaker Andrew Marcus.

Pictured is your humble blogger walking down Wacker Drive being interviewed by an NPR reporter.

Thanks to Marathon Pundit reader Pete for the photograph.

I have some errands to run, but more photos are on their way.

UPDATE 10:30pm CST: I forgot one blogger, El Rider of Flying Debris.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics chicago illinois npr

I'm on my way to the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party

I'm on my way to the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party. For those people interested in meeting me, I'll be wearing a black Cleveland Marathon hat--the same one I wore at the Ward Churchill protest in 2005--and a long black quote, black pants.

We've been asked to wear black

Look for me at Daley Plaza a little before 11:00am, then we'll march to the Michigan Avenue bridge.

See you there!

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics chicago illinois

Chicago Bulls lose two legends in one day

The Chicago Bulls lost two legends yesterday. Norm Van Lier, "Storman' Norman," died at his home at the age of 61. For the last few years, he had been a commentator for the Comcast Sports Network.

Van Lier was a fierce competitor in his playing days as a point guard on those great early 1970s Bulls teams. Unlike Michael Jordan's Bulls, those teams consisted of castoffs and overachievers; Van Lier was just a third round pick in the 1970 NBA draft.

"The Dutchman" was in fact African American, who felt the sting of racism. I remember listening to his radio show when Van Lier recalled that the then-all white University of Alabama basketball team was making inquiries about his playing for the Crimson Tide. Until they found out he has black.

Johnny "Red" Kerr was a creature of Chicago. He was a star basketball player at Tilden High School on Chicago's South Side, then at the Unversity of Illinois, and after a long NBA playing career, Kerr became the Bulls first coach. He later was a Bulls color analyst.

Pro basketball had failed several times before Kerrs' Bulls tipped off in 1966. But the expansion team made the playoffs in their first season.

Van Lier was 61, Kerr, 76.

Rest in peace.

>Technorati tags: chicago bulls NBA sports chicago

Pat Hickey sees Burris at O'Hare

America's least popular senator, Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich), was seen at Chicago's O'Hare Airport last night by Pat Hickey of ...With Both Hands. Click here to read Hickey's account.

Technorati tags: Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris chicago O'Hare travel

Quinn wants a special election if Burris doesn't quit in two weeks

Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) refuses to quit. But the Illinois General Assembly, with the blessing of Rod Blagojevich's successor, might fire him.

Gov. Pat Quinn said today that if embattled U.S. Sen. Roland Burris doesn't step down within the next two weeks, he wants lawmakers to send him a bill to set up a special election that could effectively remove Burris from office.

Quinn, appearing on "The Steve Cochran Show" on WGN-AM (720), said he spoke to the top two Democrats in the General Assembly today about the possibility of moving ahead with the legislation, which would take advantage of a clause contained in the U.S. Constitution's 17th Amendment.

Quinn's actions follow a legal opinion issued last night by Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan who said she believed the state could enact a special-election law that would effectively force Burris from office. Under the Constitution, a governor's appointments to fill Senate vacancies should be considered temporary until an election is held, she said.

This is good news.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris Patrick Quinn crime corruption special election

Rocky Mountain low

Tomorrow is the last day for Denver's Rocky Mountain News. It was founded in 1859, which was two years before the Colorado Territory was organized, it is the state's oldest going concern. Until tomorrow of course.

Some News writers will migrate to the Denver Post, but at least 200 staffers will be out of work.

Among its recent honors, the News can boast about four Pulitzer Prizes in the last ten years.

My favorite accomplishment of the News was its series exposing the fraud known as Ward Churchill, the academic hoakster and phony Indian who is still making news in the Centennial State. Churchill plans to speak next week at his former workplace at the University of Colorado, along with former Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers.

Related posts:

The Weather Underground and Ward Churchill-UPDATED!

Bill Ayers stepping on a US flag in 2001

Technorati tags: rocky mountain news denver post denver colorado Weather Underground Bill Ayers terrorism Ward Churchill media

Gov. Quinn: 'Time is fast approaching' for Burris to quit

Patrick Quinn, a Democrat, has lost patience with Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich), as the Chicago Tribune reports:

Gov. Pat Quinn today said "the time is fast approaching" for U.S. Sen. Roland Burris to step down from office because he can no longer be effective in serving Illinois.

Quinn, however, stopped short of saying whether he and state lawmakers should rely on a provision of the U.S. Constitution to call a special election for the Senate seat that could force Burris out of the post.

It's time for Burris to go. Actually, he never should have been in the Senate at all. The Democrats in the General Assembly should have called for a special election fill Barack Obama's old seat.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris Patrick Quinn crime corruption

Obama's $1.75 trillion deficit

Wow...I can't believe AP had the guts to write something like this:

Pledging "a new era of responsibility," President Barack Obama unveiled a multi-trillion-dollar spending plan Thursday that would boost taxes on the wealthy, curtail Medicare, lay the groundwork for universal health care and leave a string of deficits dwarfing any in the nation's history.

Change I can't believe in...

We're looking at at $1.75 trillion deficit.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics democrats Obama Barack Obama

Friday: Nationwide Chicago Tea Party

Tomorrow that Nationwide Chicago Tea Party will take place. There are at least twenty of these occurring, I will be at the Chicago edition, which begins at Daley Plaza in the Loop at 11:00am.

I will be there.

At about 11:15, a march to the Michigan Avenue Bridge and the Tribune Tower will commence, with speeches beginning at Noon.

Bring signs!

Related post:

Nationwide Chicago Tea Party in Chicago

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics chicago illinois

Burris' son got state job from Blago

The Rod Blagojevich--Roland Burris ties get deeper and deeper...

The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

Blagojevich's administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state's housing authority Sept. 10 -- about six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped a $34,163 tax lien on Burris II and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure suit on his South Side house.

A spokeswoman for the Illinois Housing Development Authority indicated Wednesday there was nothing improper about Burris II's employment by the agency, whose mission includes overseeing mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.

How much more are we going to find out about Burris and Blago?

When is Burris going to quit?

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris real estate cronyism

Banker with Blago and Rezko ties quits

Earlier this month Amrish Mahajan resigned as president of Mutual Bank of Harvey, Illinois, an important financial institution for the Indian community of the Chicago area.

Mahajan raised over $500,000 for ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich campaign fund. His wife Anita worked with Patti Blagojevich, Illinois' former first lady, on several real estate deals. Anita is awaiting trial for allegedly over billing the Department Of Children & Family Services for drug-screenings.

Mutual Bank once held the mortgage to the "Rezko lot" adjacent to Barack Obama's South Side mansion. Jailed-felon Tony Rezko advised Obama during the process of purchasing that home. Rita Rezko, Tony's wife, purchased the strip of land on the same day the Obamas closed on their stately house.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that a Mahajan family attorney says Amrish's departure from Mutual has nothing to do with the continuing Blago investigations.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats Chicago Obama Barack Obama cronyism Rezko crime tony rezko india news blagojevich banking real estate

Obama announces third pick for Commerce

Just as with the drummers in the movie band Spinal Tap, there is a lot of turnover in regards to Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary-designate. First Obama chose New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who withdrew his name as a "pay to play" scandal inches his way. Then Obama anointed New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican, who backed out because of his belief that The White House wanted to wrest control of the 2010 Census from Commerce.

Obama's third choice is former Washington Governor Gary Locke.

How long will he be in the picture?

Technorati tags: democrats Obama Bill Richardson New Mexico Barack Obama politics

Illinois corruption update: Guilty plea in "pay to play" case

Just because Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been removed from office, that does not mean "pay to play" courtroom proceedings have come to a halt in Illinois. On the contrary, today a former top official at Bear Stearns & Company, P. Nicholas Hurtgen, entered a guilty plea related to the attempted shakedown of Naperville's Edwards Hospital, which wanted to build a new facility in a Plainfield.

According to the plea agreement, Hurtgen admitted to attempting to coerce the hospital into hiring a construction company favored by Blagojevich. Using the firm was "all about money" for political needs, Hurtgen said.

Technorati tags: Illinois Democrats Chicago corruption law legal hospitals medical Illinois Politics Blagojevich

The Dark Knight parking garage

Business took me to downtown Chicago yesterday. I parked my car in a lot at 200 W. Randolph, where a scene of the movie "The Dark Knight" was filmed.

Christian Bale's Batman confronted villain Scarecrow, along with some Batman impersonators near the spot where I am standing.

As you'll read below, I'll be in Chicago's Loop on Friday.

Technorati tags: politics RepublicanBush The Dark Knight Chicago movies entertainment

Nationwide Chicago Tea Party in Chicago

The Nationwide Chicago Tea Party will will be here on Friday.

I will be at the Chicago incarnation, as will Anne Leary of Backyard Conservative and Tom Mannis of the Chicago News Bench, and the Freedom Folks. And a bunch of other patriots concerned about our slide into socialism.

Here's the drill in Chicago:

Folks will begin to gather at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington, at 11:00am. Black attire is being encouraged, as if this was a funeral.

About 15 minutes later the group will march north to the Michigan Avenue bridge, which is next to the Tribune Tower, where politicians, including Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica will speak. That part of the Tea Party will kick off at Noon.

Signs, big ones, are encouraged. If you are a blogger, bring your cameras.

Please be creative, but be respectful of laws and authority, including traffic regulations.

Friday's weather forecast looks encouraging, partly sunny, high 35. Wind gusts are common in downtown Chicago, and we might be standing around for a while, so dress warmly. By the way, you do know it's still February?

Here is the official Chicago site.

Click here to visit the Facebook group.

Andrea Shea King is keeping an eye on other tea parties.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics chicago illinois tony peraica

Mistrial declared in trial of "The Worst Mayor in America"

Three days ago I posted an entry about Jackson, Mississippi's Frank Melton, who Reason Magazine said was The Worst Mayor in America.

Melton and his former police guard were under trial for alleged civil rights abuses surrounding a warrantless raid on a Jackson duplex. A mix of cops and youths armed with sledgehammers participated in the unrest, Melton claims the home was a crack house.

Jurors in the trial said they were hopelessly deadlocked--a mistrial was declared yesterday.

Two years ago defendants, along with a third bodyguard, were acquitted of state criminal charges related to that raid.

Melton, a Democrat, is up for reelection this spring. In the meantime he is free on bond, but the federal government plans to seek a new trial.

Related post:

Jury deliberates in trial of "The Worst Mayor in America," Frank Melton

Technorati tags: Mississippi news crime Democrats politics frank melton law civil rights

Kansas tops England in annual Pancake Day race

In a tradition that is said to go back to 1445 in Olney, England. Each Shrove Tuesday, women in the Buckinghamshire town run 415 yards carrying a pan with a pancake. Women who take part must wear an apron, a headscarf, and flip their pancakes at the start and after finishing.

In 1950, the town of Liberal, Kansas decided to put on its own pancake race, which makes today International Pancake Day. And of course, Shrove Tuesday.

Runners in England and Kansas run the same distance, and a similar course shaped like the number five.

Liberal came out on top today, as it has 34 of the last 60 times. Wichita State student and Liberal resident Tasha Gallegos ran a record-setting 57.9 seconds. Over in Olney, Jane Hughes set an English Pancake Day record, crossing at the finish line, while flipping, at 62 seconds.

The Great Plains town makes the most of the event, it has turned the race into a four day festival.

But it almost didn't happen this year. A McPherson, Kansas company that has been donating dough for the pancakes wasn't able to do so this year. But a late donation of $500 saved the day.

Related posts:

Dodge City, Beef Kingdom

Liberal: Kansas' second Beef Kingdom

Garden City, Kansas' third Beef Kingdom

Technorati tags: Kansas history Great Plains liberal run running uk buckinghamshire america

Bobby Jindal's response

I missed Barack Obama's speech in front of Congress...It took place in the latter part of a 13 hour work day for me.

On my way home from the office, I did catch Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's Republican response on WBBM-AM.

Here's a part I liked:

"Democratic leaders say their legislation will grow the economy. What it will do is grow the government, increase our taxes down the line, and saddle future generations with debt. Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things we do not need? That is precisely what the Democrats in Congress just did. It's irresponsible. And it's no way to strengthen our economy, create jobs, or build a prosperous future for our children."

Technorati tags: politics Bobby Jindal Louisiana Republican Obama Barack Obama

Burris returns to Washington, won't quit

Embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) returned to Capitol Hill today. There are a lot of speculative reports out there, but the common thread among them is that the Chicago Democrat won't resign. Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times claims that a Burris spokesperson, probably the only one he has left, told her paper that Burris won't run for a full Senate term next year.

Meanwhile, Illinois' other senator, Springfield Democrat Dick Durbin, who once called for a special election to fill the Senate seat Burris now occupies, then said that his party--Durbin is the Senate's second-ranking Democrat--would refuse to seat anyone disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed, today all but called for Burris to quit.

There's a lot the Senate Democrats can do--if they have the stomach for it--to force Burris out. They kick him off every committee he serves on, for starters. Most of the real work, or what passes for it in the Senate, is done at the committee level.

The Burris fiasco is a Democratic Party created mess. They should clean up after themselves.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats Durbin senate special election Roland Burris

Iowa 80 Truckstop, the world's largest truck stop

"This place has got everything."
Jake Blues in The Blues Brothers.

One of my favorite places to stop during my trips west on Interstate 80 is the Iowa 80 Truckstop, which touts itself as the world's largest truckstop.

After visiting the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library last month with Little Marathon Pundit, we visited Iowa 80, and this place indeed has everything.

Yes, there is a gas station, as well as a restaurant, and of course, restrooms. But Iowa 80 also boasts showers, a movie theater, a barber, a sprawling gift shop, laundry facilities, a chiropractor, a library, a TV lounge, and a dentist.

Everything.

Behind the truck stop is the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum.

Iowa 80 is located near Walcott, Iowa, just west of the Quad Cities area. It may not be as famous as South Dakota's Wall Drug, but Iowa 80 serves 5,000 people a day, which I'm pretty sure is far more than Wall Drug does.

Just 1,500 people live in Walcott.

Related posts:

Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Herbert Hoover Library and Museum

Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Herbert Hoover Birthplace

Technorati tags: Americana Herbert Hoover travel travel blog Iowa trucking quad cities i 80

Nationwide Chicago Tea Party

Andrea Shea King, The Radio Patriot, is all over the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party.

Closer to home, for me that is, there will be a Chicago version of the party on Friday.

I will be there.

The fun will start 11:00am downtown. Details to follow.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics real estate

Questions on Rahm Emanuel's DC housing arrangements

For the last five years White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has been living rent-free in the Capitol Hill home of Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and her pollster husband.

Prior to his becoming chief of staff, Emanuel was a Chicago congressman.

Experts are divided on whether Emanuel's housing deal is a gift, which would make it taxable.

UPDATE 11:30pm CST: The Web of Deception blog first broke this story.

Technorati tags: illinois Rahm Emanuel democrats politics Obama Barack Obama Illinois Politics taxes

O'Hare: Chicago's treasure mine

As I wrote a few weeks ago, Chicago has no mineral wealth, but it does have O'Hare International Airport.

Alderman Patrick Levar is the chairman of the city's Aviation Committee. His brother Michael used to be a top Chicago official in charge of O'Hare contracts.

Another Chicago coincidence!

Michael retired from that post, then went to work for an O'Hare contractor, Diamond Coring, which donated $11,400 to Ald. Levar's campaign funds. Michael doesn't work there any more, but Diamond Coring is under investigation by Chicago's inspector general office and the federal government over allegations that it operated a phony female-owned construction company with the whimsical name of The Stealth Group, Inc.

A lawsuit by a former SGI employee related to these claims was settled out of court, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Related posts:

Blago scandals march on...O'Hare Airport

Daley sneak attack on O'Hare Modernization Project

O'Hare secrets to spill?

O'Hare Modernization Program is now the O'Hare Pork Program

Technorati tags: Politics democrats Richard Daley news illinois chicago O'Hare travel affirmative action graft cronyism nepotism

Snow and ice

Last week there was a lot of rain, followed by a freeze, and then some snow. Which is how this mix of water--snow and ice--came to be when I ran past it this afternoon.

The picture was taken in Harms Woods in Skokie.

Technorati tags: Illinois photography photos nature Skokie winter

Senate Republican sources tell me...

Here's what I hear from my Senate Republican friends in Washington:

The DC Voting Bill will probably come to a vote tomorrow. What that will do is give the District of Columbia a seat in the House of Representatives. Utah, which barely missed out on adding an fourth seat to its House delegation in after the 2000 Census, may get an extra seat until at least 2012.

Most Republican senators oppose the bill, including John McCain, the only senator who voted against the legislation when it was before the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee earlier this month.

Barack Obama will certainly sign the bill, but that doesn't mean Washington will have its representative voting in Congress any time soon. The District of Columbia is not a state, and the constitution seems pretty clear on the matter of sending representatives to Congress.

Then the DC Voting Bill will probably headed to court. As anyone who casually follows politics knows, Washington is overwhelmingly Democratic, which means that it will send a Dem to Capitol Hill forever if supporters of the bill win in the legal arena.

The Senate is also expected to vote on Hilda Solis, the president's choice for Secretary of Labor.

March is budget time for Congress, and based upon what I hear, March will arrive like an overfed lion, and leave in the same manner, courtesy of the Democrats.

Interestingly, just a week after signing that boondoggle of a stimulus bill, Obama is talking about cutting the budget deficit in half by 2013. Republicans, heck, no one as far as I can figure, has any idea how that will occur.

Technorati tags: democrats politics Obama Barack Obama Republican Utah DC McCain John McCain constitutional law

Marathon Pundit attacks higher cigarette taxes

Whoah...what is this? Marathon Pundit, who has run 31 marathons, is against raising Illinois' cigarette tax?

Yep.

No, I haven't started smoking, and I believe that people who are smoking should quit. And people who don't smoke shouldn't start.

For decades society has been denigrating smoking, and society has been listening, the percentage of smokers among the population continues to trickle down.

Like most states, Illinois is facing a serious revenue shortfall. There's a proposal in Springfield to double the state tax on cigarettes.

It's not a good idea.

Illinoisans currently pay 98 cents a pack in state taxes, which puts the Land of Lincoln at the median compared to other states. However, local municipalities and counties can add their own levies on packs of cigarettes, which of course tax-happy Cook County, where I live, as well as Chicago, have done so with glee. Cook adds $2 bucks a pack.

Without figuring in those local taxes, of the states bordering Illinois, only Iowa and Wisconsin have higher cigarette taxes.

The new state tax would put Illinois ahead of those two states.

What about the revenue the state hopes to rake in? Well, a few smokers will quit. But many enterprising souls will purchase cigarettes over the internet, or drive to a state with lower taxes to purchase smokes. Until Indiana upped its cigarette tax two years ago, there were many cigarette shops--they didn't sell anything else--just over the border from Illinois. Southeastern Cook County borders the Hoosier State.

And there is no guarantee that Illinois will take in additional revenue, Reason Magazine raises a good point:

In 2006, New Jersey raised its already high cigarette tax, thinking it would bring in an extra $30 million a year. It didn't. Worse, it caused their actual collections to drop by more than $20 million. The tax increase threw the state's budget off by $50 million, money that had to be made up by other taxpayers. This isn't unique to the Garden State. Since 2003, there have been 57 cigarette tax increases across the country. In 37 (68 percent) of those cases revenues failed to meet projections.

The federal government is adding a 61 cent per pack increase in its cigarette tax to pay for the SCHIP program.

Here's what the Wall Street Journal says about smoking taxes:

"No other federal tax hurts the poor more than the cigarette tax," says the Tax Foundation. These are the same folks the Obama Administration wants to help by raising the amount of the earned-income tax credit, but wait. A 61-cent cigarette tax hike is the equivalent of a 25% cut in that tax credit for some low-income families. So the politicians give these families money with one hand and take it back with the other.

Oh, and there's another problem. The number of smokers keeps falling, but health-care costs keep rising. So paying for the biggest new health-care expansion in years with a declining revenue source is a guarantee of future red ink that will increase pressure for higher income taxes too. Just ask the politicians in Maryland, who doubled their cigarette tax two years ago to finance a new health-care program. That has led to 25% less tobacco revenue than expected because of declining sales, so the program is already in the red after its first year. But hey, it's the thought that counts.

Let's talk about small business. Mom-and-pop convenience stores derive much of their revenue from cigarette sales. I often give a co-worker a ride home, he smokes, and sometimes on the way to his home he asks me to stop at a 7-Eleven to pick up a pack of cigarettes. He doesn't buy anything else there.

Retailers like that 7-Eleven are vulnerable during a downturn. Small businesses are the driving force of our economy.

Don't raise the state cigarette tax.

Technorati tags: Illinois Politics Illinois politics cigarettes smoking taxes business economy news government Cook County

Better Government Association calls for Burris to quit

After a quiet day on the Roland Burris beat, things are heating up again for America's least popular senator.

In a press release, Dave Lundy, the acting director of the Better Government Association, had this to say:

"Senator Burris has stated that the media is to blame for his troubles and that he's done nothing wrong. We could not disagree more.

Given his bizarre statements this past week, we're left with only two choices. Either he fails to understand why attempting to raise money for a corrupt governor while lobbying that governor for his appointment to the Senate is wrong, or, in his attempts to cover up his misconduct, he has lost track of his own tangled web of deception and lies. Either way, he is clearly unfit to serve even one more day as senator.

What is most appalling in this case is that Senator Burris is the former Attorney General of Illinois; the highest law enforcement officer in the State. Of all people, he should have known better. The people certainly deserve better. In this time of crisis, let's end this sideshow and allow the people of Illinois to be fully represented.

Every day we teach our children not to lie. Why should we accept less from our elected officials? Enough is enough. It's time for Senator Burris to go."

Technorati tags: Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris corruption politics

Card check bill a minefield

The misnamed "Employee Free Choice Act" proposes that we ditch secret ballot elections that for the most part determine whether workers want to join a union. Instead, the union backed bill--Hey, the unions probably wrote it--would authorize a simple, but hardly private, petition drive instead.

It's what I call the "Free to Peek" bill, but it's commonly known as "card check."

The Democrats promised fast action on card check, but knowing that the bill is a lightening rod for anger, they've pushed it into the summer.

As for the bill getting the necessary 60 vote supermajority for passage, the DC Examiner reports that may not be easy. The Democrats have 58 members in the Senate, and two Democrats who voted "Yes" last time, Arkansasans Mark L. Pryor and Blanche L. Lincoln, might vote differently this summer.

Then there is Arlen Specter (R-PA), who pleased Harry Reid (D-NV) by not only voting for the stimulus bill earliers this month, he voted for card check last year.

Reid cannot necessarily count on Specter this time. Specter is running for a fifth term in Pennsylvania. It's a heavily unionized state, but business groups have threatened to bankroll a strong primary challenge to Specter if he votes in favor of it again.

"On that issue, they have thrown the gauntlet down," said Franklin and Marshall College political science professor Terry Madonna. "If Specter supports it, small businesses are going to abandon him. If he votes against it, I doubt he will get the endorsement of the [AFL-CIO] union. No senator is more on the griddle than Specter on this issue."

But Reid can count on Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) on card check. That is, if he is still in the Senate this summer.

Yesterday the Richmond Times-Dispatch ran an editorial explaining its opposition to card check, as did the Denver Post.

Related post:

"Card check" update: Not so fast, says Obama

Technorati tags: labor democrats politics unions business card check Arlen Specter blanche lincoln mark pryor

Jury deliberates in trial of "The Worst Mayor in America," Frank Melton

Jury deliberations in the trial of Frank Melton, the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, will begin their fifth day tomorrow.

What, you haven't heard about this? It could be because Melton is a Democrat.

Melton is accused of leading bizarre mix of teenagers, some with criminal records, and police officers who destroyed a Jackson home with sledgehammers in 2007. Melton claims the home was a drug house. There was no warrant. Melton and a co-defendant are accused of breaking federal search and seizure laws. Last year Melton and two co-defendants were found not guilty of all charges in a state trial related to that same raid.

It's no wonder Reason Magazine referred to Melton as "The Worst Mayor in America."

And there is a lot more to this loon.

Such as:

While driving down a Jackson interstate, Melton flagged down four buses carrying high school kids. Why? Because he needed hugs.

In 2006, Melton traveled to Washington seeking funds for Jackson. But he drew unwanted attention to himself when a congressional staffer noticed he was wearing a U.S Capitol badge, something only law enforcement officers wear.

Melton, who is African American, has been accused of racial profiling.

A few months after being spotted with that badge, Melton pleaded no contest to carrying guns without a permit.

Last month, shortly before his trial began, Melton declared that the problem of males wearing saggy, underwear-exposing pants was "much bigger than the Constitution."

Melton is running for reelection, the Democratic Primary will be held on May 5.

The people of Mississippi's largest city deserve better than The Worst Mayor in America.

Melton needs slugs, not a hugs.

The Jackson Free Press has an entire file on Melton.

UPDATE February 23: The Melton jury has ended deliberating for the night and will reconvene 9:00am Central tomorrow.

Related post:

My Mississippi Manifest Destiny: A 41 Post Series

Technorati tags: Mississippi news crime Democrats politics frank melton constitutional law racial profiling

Kansas Gov. Sebelius: No talks with Obama admin about Health post

Even while Barack Obama was still a candidate for president, there was speculation that Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius would be named to a cabinet position. After the Tom Daschle implosion, there were rumors that she would be named Health and Human Services secretary.

Well, Sebelius told AP, "There really isn't anything to tell. I haven't had any meetings about the position."

Has she talked to Obama about HHS? "I have not."

Sebelius would come with some baggage. Almost every state is suffering cash flow problems, but last week a Kansas legislative committee suspended income tax refunds. Worse, the Sunflower State employees may not get their paychecks on time.

So Sebelius may not be the right prescription for HHS. Daschle withdrew his name from consideration because he didn't pay his taxes on time. Sebelius' state isn't paying its income tax refunds on time.

The problems and cabinet speculation poses a problem for Kansas Democrats. Sebelius is said to be considering a run for the US Senate next year; Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the upper chamber since the Great Depression.

If Sebelius joins Obama's cabinet, presumably that will end her Senate plans. A popular Democrat, for now, in a very Republican state, news of Kansas fiscal problems can't help her 2010 prospects if she stays in Topeka.

Related posts:

Archbishop to Obama veep candidate Sebelius: Stop taking Communion

UPDATED: Gov. Sebelius' son's "Don't Drop the Soap" prison board game

In search of the real El Dorado, Kansas

Marathon Pundit Exclusive: "What's the Matter With Kansas?" Debunked on Page One: UPDATED AGAIN

Marathon Pundit's My Kansas Kronikles

Technorati tags: Kansas Democrats news Sebelius Obama politics Barack Obama senate

The Chicago Tea Party

Fueled by anger over Barack Obama's plans to bail out people who made bad mortgage decisions, and stoked by CNBC's Rick Santelli's Chicago rant, there will be a Chicago Tea Party on Friday, February 27.

There is a Chicago Tea Party blog, as well as on the Official Chicago Tea Party site. Well, sort of official.

More to come...

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics real estate

Latvian government falls

The worldwide recession has claimed its second governmental casualty. Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis presented his resignation to Predident Valdis Zatlers yesterday.

Last month Iceland's government fell. Interestingly, both nations until recently enjoyed phenomenal growth. When the history of our current economic turmoil is written, will it be said that the nations that soared the highest fell the quickest?

The New York Times describes the wreckage in Latvia:

Gross domestic product shrank at an annual rate of 10.5 percent last month, and by the end of 2009, Latvia's economy is projected to shrink by a shocking 12 percent, Finance Ministry officials say. Other analysts believe that even these figures may be optimistic.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it's 15 percent," Peteris Strautins, chief economist for Swedbank in Riga, said last week.

The crisis led the government last fall to secure an aid package worth nearly $10 billion from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and other sources. It came with strict conditions, and now the government is cutting spending wherever it can. Hospitals and schools throughout the country are under threat of closing, as local administrations find their budgets reduced by as much as 40 percent. Government salaries have been cut by 25 percent.

Reports from Mrs. Marathon Pundit about the situation in the Baltic state--she is a native of Latvia--have been chilling.

Late last year a Latvian economist was detained by authorities for being too downbeat about the economy.

Related posts:

Latvians: Don't criticize your economy

Latvian economist detained by police for being too pessimistic

Technorati tags: Latvia Latvija business economy europeeuropa business news Valdis Zatlers Zatlers Iceland Ísland current events

Kansas congressman rips stimulus

Representing Kansas' "Big First" district is a true conservative, Jerry Moran, as the Dodge City Globe reports:

"Where good things happen is not in Washington," he said. "The laws we pass, yeah, they're important. But the way you change the world is really one person at a time."

True, very true. What will pull us out of this economic mess is not government, but the man or woman working in a garage creating the next "better mouse trap."

More...

To Kansas Congressman Jerry Moran, the phrase "economic stimulus" means reducing Americans' taxes, putting more people to work quickly and improving the nation's highways.

Moran said the federal government's new economic recovery package was originally supposed to provide money for "shovel-ready" projects designed to upgrade the nation's highway system. Instead, he said, such projects accounted for only 8 percent of the final package, which consisted primarily of normal spending on government programs.

"What happened, in my opinion, is that Congress operated as business as usual, and anything that anybody wanted to spend money on became labeled a stimulus and stuck in the bill that we passed," he said.

Moran is expected to be a candidate for Sam Brownback's Senate seat next year. Brownback committed quite some time ago to serving just two terms in the Senate.

Technorati tags: Kansas Dodge City politics business economy news government jerry moran Brownback

Feds question Burris about his Senate appointment

When you dance with the Devil, your life becomes much more complicated. Unfortunately septuagenarian Roland Burris hadn't learned that lesson when he accepted appointment to the US Senate from then-Governor Rod Blagojevich two months ago.

Earlier today the Democrat met with federal authorities in his lawyer's Chicago office--Saturday was probably picked because it is the slowest news day--but an NBC 5/Chicago Sun-Times investigative team found out about it anyway.

The feds asked about Blagojevich and the appointment process.

Burris likely wished he was somwhere else.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris crime corruption

White House, state house, Senate all pursuing Burris

A snowstorm is headed to Chicago, Roland Burris' hometown, and by the end of this weekend the Democrat will probably feel so much pressure that he'll think he's living under the world's biggest snow drift.

Earlier today Governor Patrick Quinn said Burris should resign. Then White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs remarked that Burris should take some "time over the weekend" explain the events that led to his Senate appointment and to consider "his future."

What else? Illinois Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), a nemesis of former Governor Rod Blagojevich, is applying additional pressure on Burris by introducing a resolution calling for a reprimand of the embattled senator.

Earlier this week a downstate prosecutor began investigating Burris' Illinois House testimony regarding his appointment, and the US Senate Ethics Committee is looking into Burris as well.

And imagine: Just one week ago, Burris thought he was cruising towards a cakewalk of a Democratic Primary next February.

Two months ago Burris was a glorified has-been. Now he's a loathsome never-should-have-been.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris Patrick Quinn crime corruption

Gov. Quinn calls on Burris to quit

Choose your foot ware metaphor: The shoes continue to be dropped--or thrown--in regards to Sen. Roland Burris' unhappy stint in Washington.

Today Gov. Patrick Quinn, who has known his fellow Chicago Democrat for almost forty years, called on Burris to resign from the Senate.

If Burris bails, and right now he shows no sign of doing that, Quinn favors a temporary replacement for Burris (But how can he ever be replaced!?!), with a special election held shortly thereafter.

Personally I'd prefer skipping the appointment of a placeholder and hold a special election as soon as possible, but Quinn's idea has support in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly.

All a fill-in senator would be able to accomplish is to serve as a reliable Democratic vote in the upper chamber during a weeks-long term. I mean how is this temp going to hire staff?

As for working with Burris' staff, if he does resign that is, that may not be the answer. The Blagojevich-appointed senator continues to lose staffers, his chief of staff quit today.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris Patrick Quinn crime corruption

David Harsanyi: Be a patriot and pay up

The Denver Post's David Harsanyi is in the patriotic spirit. He wants the American taxpayer to pay his bills.

Given that most of you will be paying your neighbors' mortgages soon,
it only seems prudent that we start thinking in bolder terms. And by
"thinking in bolder terms," I mean "thinking about me."

Why, for instance, should I be on the hook to pay those grating
high-interest credit cards I signed up for? Or those detestable car
payments?

For you folks who are less than ecstatic about straightening out my
fiscal affairs, I have two things to say: 1) Don't be selfish. 2)
Forget everything you ever have heard about the American Revolution.

Change I can believe in. Not!

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics

Black ministers' group rethinking support of Burris

If Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) somehow rides out the firestorm over his evolving explanations on his contacts with Rod Blagojevich aides regarding his appointment to the Senate, part of his 2010 campaign strategy will undoubtedly consist of using the African-American community as a base to build at least a winning plurality in the Democratic Primary.

But how large will that base be?

Many of the city's most influential black pastors supported Roland Burris' appointment to the U.S. Senate, even though his name had been put forward by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Now that support may be waning.

A faction of black ministers plans to ask for Burris' resignation following revelations that the senator tried to raise money for the disgraced governor who appointed him, one of the ministers told The Associated Press on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because a meeting with Burris had not yet been scheduled.

Clergy Speaks Interdenominational, an umbrella group that includes hundreds of Chicago's black churches, will meet Friday to discuss its support for Burris, spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said. For now, the group still supports him and its leaders are unaware of discussions about asking him to resign, she said.

Burris spokesman Jim O'Connor would not say whether the senator would meet with ministers and referred to a statement from Burris asking that leaders "stop the rush to judgment."

Rush to judgement? It seems Burris was in no hurry to give details on his dealings with the disgraced Blagojevich administration.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris

Ex-Blago aide tells of Burris contact on Senate seat

The lie known Senator Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) keeps getting bigger.

Former Rod Blagojevich administration chief operating officer John Filan says that Roland Burris contacted him in the fall about the possibility of Blago appointing him to Barack Obama's Senate seat.

After Blago's December arrest, Burris reached out to Filan again, asking that he put in a good word for him with then-Lt. Governor Patrick Quinn, who of course ended up succeeding his fellow Democrat as governor.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris Patrick Quinn crime corruption

Bill Clinton says Obama should sound more hopeful on economy

I'm really getting tired of Barack Obama trash-talking the economy. Yes, it's in bad shape, but Obama is not helping matters with his doom-and-gloom assessments.

Is it any wonder the stock market is tanking?

I'm not the only one who has noticed. In an interview with Chris Cuomo of "Good Morning America," former President Bill Clinton says Obama needs to be more hopeful about the economy:

I just want the American people to know that he's confident that we are gonna get out of this and he feels good about the long run.

He's right.

Oh yeah, Clinton did gave Obama an "A" for his performance so far, but remember, Hillary is a member of Obama's cabinet.

Technorati tags: politics Bush business economy news government Barack Obama Obama Bill Clinton

Durbin's burlesque continues

Speaking from Turkey, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) had this to say about the ongoing Roland Burris controversy:

"It's sickening," Durbin said in an interview. "Short of Roland Burris resigning or resolving this issue — if he can, and I don’t know if he can — I don't know what will stop it. I'm tired of this Blagojevich burlesque that’s been going on for so long. The people of our state should be spared this."

Sheesh. The people of our state could have been spared this. Forgive me for repeating myself, but since the mainstream media isn't doing it's job, I have to yell this out again: After Rod Blagojevich was arrested for allegedly attempting to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat, Durbin called for a special election to decide Obama's replacement. But Durbin, who at first not want to spare the people of Illinois this mess, was more concerned about keeping this seat in Democratic hands. So Durbin the coward flip-flopped. It's sickening.

Burris: Resign now.

And we want a special election!

Related post:

Multi-faced Durbin says Burris statements raise questions

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats Durbin senate special election Roland Burris

Santelli's tea party

Count Mrs. Marathon Pundit and I as among the people who did not get our nation into this housing bubble mess. We've lived in the same home for 10 years, we pay our mortgage (which we made sure we could afford when we got it), and we pay on time.

Fortunately for us, we have not had any life-altering events that prevent us from making payments

We are not real estate speculators.

Millions of stupid people thought they could get around the system, and non they're paying the price for it. And I'm not talking about the people who've had bad breaks such as job losses, health issues and the like.

But they represent the minority of those who got us into this housing mess.

CNBC's Rick Santelli is fed up. He's calling for a new tea party.

So is Anne Leary of Backyard Conservative.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama real estate

Chicago Tribune calls for special election if Burris seat opens up

As of this writing Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) is still in office. If he does resign, the Chicago Tribune is calling for a special election to determine who will replace him. That is something, I have to keep mentioning this, the senior senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, came out for, until it came to him that a Republican could win Barack Obama's old seat.

Related post:

Multi-faced Durbin says Burris statements raise questions

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats Durbin senate special election Roland Burris

Karl Rove: Is Obama winging it?

Is President Obama, in the words of Karl Rove, winging it? Well, remember, prior to January 20, Obama's sole executive experience consisted chairing the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a group partially founded by Bill Ayers.

Rove, looking at items big and small, thinks the president is running the country on the fly:

Take the vetting of cabinet nominees. Mr. Obama's aides ignored a federal investigation of New Mexico's Gov. Bill Richardson that started last August for a possible pay-for-play scandal. Mr. Richardson had to withdraw after being named to become secretary of commerce.

The administration treated as inconsequential the failure of its choices for Treasury secretary and White House performance officer, as well as its labor secretary-designate's spouse, to pay taxes. It failed to uncover Tom Daschle's problems with more than $102,943 in previously unpaid taxes, penalties and interest -- and once it did, aides assumed Mr. Daschle would be given a pass.

Team Obama promised Gen. Anthony Zinni he'd be ambassador to Iraq, then cut him loose without explanation. After the Bill Richardson fiasco, it romanced Republican Sen. Judd Gregg for commerce secretary -- then ignored his advice on the stimulus and wouldn't trust him with running the department, moving supervision of the Census into the White House. Mr. Gregg withdrew himself from consideration.

Then there is the stimulus itself. Mr. Obama's economic team met with congressional leaders in December to green light a bill costing up to $850 billion. But they described less than $200 billion of what they wanted in the envelope. In return for outsourcing the bill's drafting to Congress, the administration took on two responsibilities: running polls to advise Hill Democrats on how to sharpen their marketing, and putting the president on the road to sell a bill others wrote.

Technorati tags: Politics Karl Rove Obama Barack Obama Daschle Democrats Bill Richardson

Patti Blagojevich subpoenaed

After winning his first election as governor, Rod Blagojevich said he did not want to move his family to Springfield, stating that his oldest daughter shouldn't have to switch schools.

The real reason he didn't want to move his family south, some speculate, is that it would disrupt his wife Patti's thriving real estate business.

Many of Patti's deals involved Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

This morning the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Illinois' former first lady has been subpoenaed:

The subpoena, with which Patti Blagojevich reportedly complied, asked for any documents, notes or e-mails she had related to more than 40 people or entities -- from former gubernatorial fund-raisers Tony Rezko and Chris Kelly to her own real estate dealings.

Patti Blagojevich's lawyer, Raymond Pijon, told the Chicago Sun-Times that federal authorities have great discretion over whether to charge her -- and that he hopes they'll consider the "family structure" as they weigh that decision.

"I've seen it happen on a number of occasions; they elect not to bring in other family members," Pijon said.

Just because she has been cooperative doesn't mean she's going to flip on her husband, her lawyer said.

Interesting. When Blago appeared on "The View" last month, Barbara Walters, mentioned that Patti was scheduled to appear on the show, but backed out, Walters said, on the advice of her family. That family of course meaning the Mells. The Blagojeviches have been estranged from Chicago Alderman Dick Mell, Patti's father, who essentially created the political career of Blago.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics Blagojevich news crime corruption Tony Rezko real estate Chicago

Honeymoon is over: Quinn picks man with Blago and Rezko ties for top post

"The Ordeal is Over."
Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn shortly after being sworn in last month.

Well, maybe the ordeal isn't over, as the Chicago Tribune's Clout Street blog reports:

Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday installed as his chief operating officer an appointee of ousted predecessor Rod Blagojevich who also has close ties to convicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

The decision to name longtime friend Jack Lavin as one of his top aides raised eyebrows with some who said it might send a message of politics as usual in Illinois.

"Certainly he comes with some baggage that we have to be very sensitive about at this moment in our state's history, but personally I want to work with everyone right now to make sure we get through the very serious problems we're facing," said Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont. "I can only hope the governor has fully vetted his association and knows full well that they won’t in any way, shape or form interfere."

Lavin served as Blagojevich’s director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity after Rezko recommend Lavin for the post. Lavin once worked as the chief financial officer for Rezko's food-related business and took more than $12,000 in donations from Rezko’s firm while toying with a run for elected office in 2001.

Surely there are better people than Lavin available to be Illinois' COO. Prior to Blago's unhappy reign, Republicans lived in the governor's mansion for 26 years.

There's probably a person or two from that time who would take the job.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics Blagojevich news Patrick Quinn crime corruption Rezko

F-22 news you can use

Here's an economic stimulus that I favor: Buying more F-22 fighters. The Obama administration, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, is less enthusiastic.

But the Air Force's top general wants more F-22s:

The U.S. Air Force has concluded it needs more Lockheed Martin Corp F-22 Raptor fighter jets than have been ordered so far, but fewer than it previously sought, the service's top uniformed officer said on Tuesday.

Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff, said he would not dispute a characterization that over the coming three years the service was seeking to add 60 of the premier fighter jets to the 183 now on order, for a total of 243.

The revised request would be for a fleet totaling fewer than 381 Raptors, the previous Air Force goal, Schwartz told reporters, without disclosing the new number.

In a UPI op-ed, Loren B. Thompson, the chief executive officer of the Lexington Institute, explains the importance of having more F-22s in our defense arsenal:

Sometime in the next dozen days, President Barack Obama will make his first big decision about America 's future military capabilities. The fiscal 2009 National Defense Authorization Act requires the president to tell Congress by March 1 whether the nation's interest is best served by purchasing more F-22 fighters or ceasing production. If he decides to end the program, contractor Lockheed Martin will begin laying off workers almost immediately, as will dozens of suppliers. The Air Force will have to make do with the 183 planes it already has ordered.

I normally don't discuss defense spending in the first person, because it undercuts the image of objectivity to which we analysts all aspire. But after writing for a dozen years about why the F-22 is needed -- more than I have discussed any other weapons program -- I want to make this last commentary before the president's decision personal.

More...

Every potential aggressor in the world knows that if it faces the F-22 in aerial combat, it will lose, and that if the F-22 is sent to attack targets in its nation, the targets will be destroyed. The enemies of the United States cannot see the plane with their radars, and they cannot catch it with their fighters. They are defenseless against it, and will remain so for decades to come.

No other weapon in our arsenal provides that kind of defense and that kind of deterrence. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter will deliver similar stealthiness, but it lacks the agility and awareness of the F-22. That is why the two planes were designed to operate together -- because there are many things the F-22 can do that the F-35 cannot. Which makes the F-22 a bargain in a way that tanks and destroyers will never be. It enables the success of all the other weapons and war fighters in the joint force. But if the United States is to benefit fully from the promise of the F-22, then we must buy enough to cover the world, and 183 planes simply isn't enough to do that.

Remember what former Sen. Zell a potential president leading our armed forces with an inadequate arsenal of weapons?

"U.S. forces armed with what? Spitballs?"

We don't want that.

Related posts:

F-22 news

Hey Obama: A defense stimulus would be wise

Technorati tags: F-22 defense business economy Lockheed Air Force

Breaking: Burris cancels rest of listening tour

According to Bret Baier of the Fox News Channel, the statewide listening tour of Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) has ended two days early.

The cable network reports that the embattled Illinos senator will be in meetings all day tomorrow.

Hey Burris, listen to this: Resign!

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics news Blagojevich news Roland Burris

Senate Republican sources tell me...

Here's what I've learned from my Republican friends in the US Senate:

GOP opposition to the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" remains resolute. On a related note, Fox News is exclusively reporting this afternoon that Barack Obama opposes reinstatement of the weapon that could muzzle talk-radio.

The Bush tax cuts, which most sober-minded people believe lessened the recession inherited by the former president in 2001, are set to expire next year. Republicans in Congress are working on multiple fronts to keep them in place, but as the minority party, it's clearly a tough fight. Of course if the Bush tax cuts expire, or even if they are reduced, it could amount to the biggest tax increase in history.

DC Voting Rights: A bill that would give the District of Columbia a seat in House of Representatives, will probably come to a vote later this month. That same bill would give Utah, which narrowly missed gaining a seat after the last census, an additional seat until at least 2012.

Technorati tags: democrats politics business Obama Barack Obama Fairness Doctrine media Republican Utah DC taxes

Multi-faced Durbin says Burris statements raise questions

One of the major villeins in the Roland Burris saga is Illinois' other senator, Dick Durbin.

Just a few hours after former Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested for allegedly attempting to sell Barack Obama's old Senate seat, Durbin called for a special election to fill that office. Fearing a Republican would win such an election, Durbin backed off, and along with his boss, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and settled on the position that the Senate would refuse to seat anyone Blago appointed.

Blagojevich then chose Burris, and Durbin and the rest of the Senate welcomed him into that body.

No one should be surprised by Durbin, a man-of-a-thousand faces. After all, Durbin, who is 64, has spent almost his entire adult life as a legislator, or working for a legislator. He has no concept of the real world.

Speaking from Greece, Durbin said Burris' statements on the matter of his appointment were incomplete.

Well, Senator, we knew that already. That's because we are living in the real world.

Remember senator, had you stuck to your call for a special election, none of this mess would have ever transpired.

Sadly, Durbin won't face Illinois voters until 2014.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats Durbin senate special election Roland Burris Harry Reid

Chicago Tribune calls for Burris to resign

The Chicago Tribune, which was one of the leading voices in calling for a special election to choose Barack Obama's replacement in the US Senate, is calling on Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) to resign.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics news Blagojevich news Roland Burris

Illinois corruption update: Chicago Alderman Carothers under federal investigation

Ending what has been a dry spell for that corrupt body, the Chicago City Council, yesterday Ald. Arenda Troutman of the South Side was sentenced to four years in prison for bribery. She's the first Chicago alderman to go to prison in 10 years.

In the preceding three decades, the pace was much quicker, leading Tom Elia to write:

If the number of convicted and jailed Chicago alderman since 1972 was extrapolated to the US House, it would be as if over 240 congressman had gone to jail in the same period, or about 6 to 7 every year for 37 years.

Troutman is the 28th Chicago alderman to trade in pinstripes for an orange jump suit since 1972.

So this whole Roland Burris mess shouldn't be shocking to anyone who follow Chicago (Burris and Rod Blagojevich both live in the city) and Illinois politics.

This morning comes more news of alder-sleaze. West Side Alderman Isaac Carothers is under investigation by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's office for alleged (surprise, surprise) "pay-to-play" activities.

Technorati tags: politics Democrats Illinois Politics corruption Chicago crime rod blagojevich

Still a little sick...

Sorry folks for the light blogging...hopefully my 12 hour deep sleep (with no medicinal inducements) has finally killed the bug.

Stock market plummets

So much for that Barack Obama "stimulus bill..."

Economy and bank worries drag Wall Street lower

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Burris now admits fundraising push for Blago

When is Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) going to quit?

Oh, for the 500th time, I have to scream out, this whole Senate mess could have been avoided had the Democrats taken the power to name Barack Obama's successor away from disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich.

From the Chicago Tribune:

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has acknowledged he sought to raise campaign funds for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich at the request of the governor’s brother at the same time he was making a pitch to be appointed to the Senate seat previously held by President Barack Obama.

Burris' latest comments in Peoria Monday night were the first time he has publicly said he was actively trying to raise money for Blagojevich. Previously Burris has left the impression that he always balked at the issue of raising money for the governor because of his interest in the Senate appointment.

In comments to reporters after appearing at a Democratic dinner, the senator several times contradicted his latest under-oath affidavit that he quietly filed with the Illinois House impeachment panel earlier this month. That affidavit was itself an attempt to clean up his live, sworn testimony to the panel Jan. 8, when he omitted his contacts with several Blagojevich insiders.

You can read Burris' give-and-take with reporters here.

It's been a very eventful listening tour for Burris.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics rod blagojevich news Blagojevich news Roland Burris

Illinois corruption update: Ex-Chicago Alderman Troutman to be sentenced today: UPDATED

In other Illinois corruption news, former Chicago Alderman Arenda Troutman will be sentenced today for crimes involving her own "pay-to-play" scandal involving developers.

Troutman was defeated in her reelection bid two years ago, she pleaded guilty to tax and mail fraud last year. The South Sider is expected to receive a sentence of 4 to 5 years.

One of Chicago's dirtiest secrets is involvement of politicians and street gang leaders. Troutman allegedly took it a step further, according to federal authorities, by becoming romantically entangled with Donnell "Scandalous" Jehan, a "king" with the Black Disciples gang.

However, give Troutman credit for astute political analysis: "Most aldermen, most politicians are hos," she said.

Troutman is the 12th Chicago alderman to convicted of criminal activity in the last 20 years, but the first since 1999.

UPDATE 12:30 PM CST: The sentence for Troutman is in....four years.

Technorati tags: politics Democrats Illinois Politics corruption Chicago crime street gangs

Burris analysis: A goner

The New York Observer comes up with some potent analysis of Roland Burris' election prospects next year:

A primary challenge is now a certainty (assuming Mr. Burris decides to run), but here Democrats must be careful: Mr. Burris will likely benefit from strong African-American support. If multiple Democrats jump into the race, Mr. Burris could corner the market on the black vote and eke out the nomination with an unimpressive plurality, maybe 30 percent of the vote. In a general election, especially in a year when the national climate probably won't be as favorable to Democrats as it was in 2008 and 2006, he'd be highly vulnerable.

The challenge for Democratic leaders, then, will be uniting early behind a consensus Burris opponent and not providing the appointed incumbent an opening to win. As mischievous as it may seem, this could include trying to coax the ambitious Jesse Jackson, Jr. into the race, whose presence would (at the least) split the black vote and destroy Mr. Burris' longshot victory strategy.

No matter what, though, it looks like Mr. Burris won't be in the Senate come 2011. If he hadn't managed to slip something past the state legislature last month, he wouldn't have gotten to the Senate in the first place.

Junior would be a fat target for the GOP next year. He was the most shameless of the campaigners for Obama's old seat, remember it was Jackson who organized a fundraiser for Rod Blagojevich just days before the former governor was arrested.

As for Burris, if he was an honorable man, he'd resign.

Thanks to Cal Skinner for pointing out a typo that needing fixing.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics rod blagojevich news Jesse Jackson Jr. Blagojevich news Roland Burris

Rep. Lou Lang and Blago: I remember

Things have gotten so bad for Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) that even the New York Times has taken noticed, tracking down two Illinois Democratic state legislators, including Lou Lang of Skokie, who represents the district I live in.

"This is troubling," said State Representative Lou Lang, a Democrat, adding that he intended to study all of Mr. Burris’s previous comments, and hoped that his colleagues would do the same. "My take is that this could still go either way. We could determine that Mr. Burris was simply negligent and had a failing memory in a very honest way. On the other hand, we may find out that he knew more than he was willing to explain."

Lang loves to sound oh-so-righteous regarding the subject of former Rod Blagojevich and his wreckage.

And it's times like this one where I feel the need to post this picture of Lang's office, taken by your humble blogger just two years ago.

Technorati tags: Illinois politics Illinois Politics news democrats Blagojevich Skokie photography photos Roland Burris New York Times

Burris: Resign now

Count me in as part of the growing chorus calling for the resignation of Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich).

If Burris didn't flat-out lie to the 13 million citizens of Illinois last month while he testified to the House impeachment panel, he certainly showed horrendous judgemenet by leaving information out of his testimony.

Resign now. As for Burris' replacement, a special election needs to be called
so the people of Illinois, not a politician, choose Illinois' next senator.

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats Blagojevich news Roland Burris special electioncrime corruption

Red State on the return of The Fairness Doctrine

Now that our first "post-partisan" president is in The White House, the Democrats can work on stifling opposition voices, by first instituting the ludricously-named "Fairness Doctrine."

Red State explains how. Oh, it will include the internet.

Technorati tags: Fairness Doctrine liberals democrats media politics business economy news

Latest Burris press conference answers nothing

For the second day in a row, Sen. Roland Burris called a press conference, this time he spoke outdoors, in front of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church on Chicago's South Side.

The church is the first stop on listening tour that will take Burris to central Illinois, then back to the Chicago area.

Burris quickly told reporters, not much, other than he told the Illinois House impeachment committee last month that he would file a supplementary affidavit if any new information came along.

So I guess that means Burris, who has given several explanations on his under-the-radar campaign to be appointed to Barack Obama's Senate seat, didn't withhold information from the panel, because that affidavit that said he would, if needed, provide information later.

Got that?

Burris' listening tour should be interesting. As for today's press conference, Burris did not take any questions.

The Chicago Democrat has given three versions of his contacts with the Rod Blagojevich administration regarding how he ended up becoming Illinois' junior senator.

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats Blagojevich news Roland Burris Obama Barack Obama crime corruption

Rep. Schock shows his backbone to Obama

The Illinois Republican Party has a rising star, Rep. Aaron Schock of Peoria, Congress' youngest member.

Last week the 27 year-old rode with Barack Obama on Air Force One to his hometown, where Obama tried to convince the freshman legislator to vote for his economic stimulus bill.

Obama's pleadings to Schock continued during his speech at a Peoria Caterpillar plant.



But Schock held his ground and voted "No." Although Caterpillar is the largest employer in the Peoria area, the congressman told CNN's John King that although "Cat" machines will be used on stimulus projects, he pointed out that of the $800 billion authorized by Obama's bill, "only 6 percent" will go towards infrastructure improvements.

Schock also defined "bipartisan" for the president. "Bipartisanship is not one side writes the bill," Schock explained, "and the other side votes for it."

H/T to Peoria Pundit.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama Aaron Schock Peoria republicans Caterpillar

Happy Presidents' Day

Today is Presidents' Day, and I have a collection of some of my favorite presidential posts from my travels.

And that picture comes from one of those trips. I ran into George Washington and Abraham Lincoln at Civic Fest in Minneapolis last year, where I picked up my credentials for the Republican National Convention.

The White House model was on display at Civic Fest too.




Presidential entries:

Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Tampico, Ronald Reagan's birthplace
Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Dixon, a shining city upon a hill
Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Ronald Reagan's Dixon, Illinois
Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Herbert Hoover Library and Museum
Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Herbert Hoover Birthplace
Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Where Grant worked as a clerk
Midwestern Presidential Pathway: Ulysses S. Grant Home
My Kansas Kronikles: The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum
Thirty hours in Lincoln's Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site's log cabin
"My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place"

Technorati tags: politics history Americana Reagan Ronald Reagan Abraham Lincoln Herbert Hoover Dwight Eisenhower George Washington Minneapolis

Hume Cemetery

During my Midwestern Presidential Pathway series, between Tampico and Dixon Illinois, I came across this old cemetery, which a kind soul is apparently keeping an eye on.

The gravestones are all from the late 1800s.

Technorati tags: history gravestones Illinois photography photos cemeteries gravesite cemetery

Chicago River ducks

The ice is gone from the North Branch of the Chicago River in Morton Grove, and these mallard ducks don't miss it.

I ran 10 miles this afternoon, my first significant run in over a week. But I'm still a little bit sick.

Technorati tags: Illinois photography photos Morton Grove nature Chicago River snow outdoors river winter ducks birds

Burris denies impropriety in wild press conference

Facing a hostile crowd of Chicago reporters--Have you ever wondered why Barack Obama stays away from them?--a testy Roland Burris denied any improprieties in regards to his clandestine campaign for Obama's former Senate seat.

After reading a prepared statement, in which the Democrat said "at no time did I make any inconsistent statement" regarding his conversations relating to his appointment to the US Senate by former Governor Rod Blagojevich, Burris opened the floor to questions.

After the second query, Burris' attorney attempted to answer a question directed at the longtime Chicago politician, a reported shouted out, "Can we here from the Senator?"

Wright later tried to shout down Rick Pearson, the Chicago Tribune's chief political reporter, "Would you let me finish?" Unbowed, Pearson barked back, "No, you let me finish!"

Awesome!

Burris partially faults his problems on a Republican, Rep. Jim Durkin of suburban Westchester, because Durkin asked about Lon Monk, a former Blago chief-of-staff, but then, according to Burris, the state rep "took the questioning in a different direction."

Anyone who doesn't believe him, Burris said in that opening statement, "is playing partisan politics."

However, calling into Fox News, Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) denied that Durkin was anything less than clear in his questioning of Burris.

Burris ended the half hour press conference by blaming the media for the varying stories on how he ended up being named to the Senate, "The inconsistencies are coming from you-all. The inconsistencies are coming from the press."

Burris is back in Illinois for a listening tour. He'll have to answer plenty more questions on why he didn't reveal the former governor's brother asked Burris for a $10,000 campaign contribution while he was seeking Obama's Senate seat.

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats Blagojevich news Roland Burris Obama Barack Obama crime corruption Chicago Tribune media

Burris press conference at 3:30pm Central

I know what I'll be doing at 3:30pm CST this afternoon--watching Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) give a press conference where he will elaborate on his third explanation of who he ended up getting appointed to the US Senate.

Or he might offer a fourth explanation.

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats Blagojevich news Roland Burris

State lawmakers call for Burris perjury investigation

As Illinois Democrats once again pound their heads and wonder, "How did this happen?"--the simple anwser is this--because they let it happen.

After allegations became public that former Governor Rod Blagojevich attempted to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat, there was a call, initiated by the Dems, to hold a special election to choose Obama's successor. But then they began to worry that a Republican could win that race.

Blago then named Roland Burris as Obama's successor. Burris is in hot water, because he failed to reveal that he was solicited for campaign cash from Robert Blagojevich, the disgraced former governor's brother and chairman of his campaign fund.

Information on the Burris selection process obtained from the Chicago Sun-Times contradicts Burris' testimony in front of a state House committee. State lawmakers are now calling for a perjury investigation on Burris.

But let me remind you...this fiasco could have been avoided.

There are elections next year.

Punish the Blago-enablers.

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats Blagojevich news Roland Burris Obama Barack Obama special electioncrime corruption

Obama celebrates major millstone

The Senate passage of Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill boondoggle is being celebrated by the chosen one himself as a "major milestone on our road to recovery."

I call it a millstone.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Wal-Mart is not the Antichrist

This morning I watched "Cashing In" on Fox News, and someone named David Nelson said Wal-Mart was the Antichrist. Everyone else on the panel vehemently disagreed with him, but Nelson didn't back down.

He then spouted off some left-wing talking points about the world's largest corporation, including such awful offal that it destroys competition.

The first rule of capitalism is that businesses are supposed to fail.

Wal-Mart came up because it's appears likely that the retail king may soon greatly expand its presence within Chicago--where it has just one store.

Much of Chicago is plagued by "food deserts," areas where residents have to travel great distance to find a supermarket so they can pay reasonable prices for groceries. Safeway-owned Dominick's closed a bunch of Chicago stores two years ago, and the leading area grocer, Jewel, has not filled the void. What you'll find in the deserts are 19th century style mom-and-pop stores, the types of outlets that were greatly diminished by the rise of grocers such as Safeway.

So Wal-Mart, a 21st century operation, only wishes to supplant an 1800s business model.

Who will benefit?

The new employees, shoppers, and the government bodies collecting taxes on each sale.

In short, everyone.

Why can't David Nelson figure that out?

Related posts:

Wal-Mart: Undercover journalist likes what he sees, and fighting "food deserts"

Food deserts continue to plague Chicago

Chicago's "food deserts" well known to Obama

My book report: The Wal-Mart Revolution: How Big Box Stores Benefit Consumers, Workers, and the Economy

Technorati tags: Wal-Mart retail business big box economy news chicago jobs Fox News food deserts

Burris bombshell: Blago bro solicited him for contribution before Senate appointment

Now he tells us...

Oh, this is the third version of Roland Burris explanation of how he ended up getting appointed to Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post -- something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show.

Burris (D-Ill.) acknowledges being hit up for the money in a new affidavit he has sent to the head of the House committee that recommended Blagojevich be removed from office.

The affidavit is dated Feb. 5 -- three weeks after Burris was sworn in to replace President Obama in the Senate.

Burris -- who did not give money to the Blagojevich campaign fund in response to the previously undisclosed solicitation -- provided a copy of the sworn statement to the Chicago Sun-Times Friday in response to questions about his contacts with the Blagojevich camp about fund-raising.

Burris should think about renting a place to live in Washington, rather than buying a home there.

And I don't believe we are done with this story.

Burris? Stick a fork in him, he's done. He might be able to race-bait his way to a Democratic primary win next year, but he can't win the general election. Burris could have done what Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Chicago) did. Say "No" to Blago's offer.

Next week Burris plans to return to Illinois for a "listening tour."

Fun!

Related post:

Burris: Without me, there'd be no President Obama

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats Blagojevich news Roland Burris Obama Barack Obama african-american

Illinois unveils temporary Obama licence plates

Illinois' secretary of state Jesse White, who became a minor national celebrity when he refused to certify Rod Blagojevich's choice of Roland Burris for the US Senate, is back in the news today. His office authorized a temporary licence plate design, good for 60 days, with the image of a smiling Barack Obama.

Look for White to declare Obama the patron saint of Illinois shortly

The plates are $50, proceeds from the Obama-idolatry go to Illinois libraries.

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats senate

One-time bi-partisan stimulus bill approved by House--again without GOP support

The members of the House of Representatives--men and women--walking around with "brass ones" are Republicans. The revised version of Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill boondoggle was passed by the House, once again without any Republican support.

After a couple of bad November elections, the GOP is finding its way.

But wasn't the boondoggle supposed to have been bipartisan?

Wasn't Obama supposed to have been a post-partisan president?

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Found some jobs--150 in Mississippi

Yes, there are jobs to be had in today's tough economy. I found 150 new ones coming to Mississippi. Handy Hardware is building a distribution center in Meridian.

Related post:

500 new jobs in Mississippi

Technorati tags: Mississippi business economy jobs news

Blago scandals march on...O'Hare Airport

As I noted in my prior post, there is a corruption problem in Chicago. As I continue to catch up in my blogging while recovering from the flu, O'Hare Airport is my next destination.

Here's what the Chicago Sun-Times reported yesterday:

Federal authorities are investigating five construction companies that collectively have gotten hundreds of millions of dollars in construction work at O'Hare Airport under Mayor Daley, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

One question being looked at, sources said, is how the companies landed those city deals.

News of the probe comes two days after Daley lobbied Congress to pass President Obama’s multibillion-dollar stimulus bill — a package the mayor wants to include money for his O'Hare Modernization Program, which could cost as much as $15 billion.

The investigation appears to be an outgrowth of the probe of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose fund-raiser Christopher G. Kelly was a top roofing contractor at O’Hare. Kelly worked at O'Hare when John Harris was a top city aviation official. Harris, who later became Blagojevich’s chief of staff, was arrested with Blagojevich on Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges.

It's believed that John Harris is cooperating with federal authorities.

The Blago investigations will probably go on for years. And of course it won't be just about the disgraced former governor. It's hard to be corrupt by yourself.

Related posts:

Daley sneak attack on O'Hare Modernization Project

O'Hare secrets to spill?

O'Hare Modernization Program is now the O'Hare Pork Program

Ex-Blago fundraiser Kelly charged with money laundering

Technorati tags: Politics democrats Richard Daley news illinois chicago O'Hare travel Northwest Chicago Suburbs Blagojevich

Chicago--The nation's third-most miserable city

I've withheld blogging about Forbes' listing of America's most miserable cities. Party because I've been miserably sick, and secondly, it's really only coming to me now how glad I am Chicago--which I live five miles north of--came in third place in the magazine's annual roll of dishonor.

Corruption was added to Forbes' miserable-matrix, which partly explains Chicago's entry into the top ten. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Chicagoan, was removed from office last month by the state Senate. Within city government, the prosecution of the Hired Truck Scandal by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has led to dozens of convictions.

Corruption is expensive. Higher taxes are the end-result, which is why Chicago pays the nation's highest sales tax. That figured into Forbes' figures.

Welcome to the miserable city list, Chicago.

But the skyline is pretty, isn't it?

Technorati tags: Politics democrats Richard Daley news illinois chicago Blagojevich Illinois Politics crime corruption

Obama donor starts anti-stimulus campaign

Fred Tausch, a New Hampshire donor to the Barack Obama campaign isn't sold on the president's economic stimulus boondoggle. He's taken it a step further--he's started an anti-stimulus campaign. Click here.

Oh, will the boondoggle stimulate the economy? A bunch of experts say "No."

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Gregg withdrawal latest Obama cabinet embarrassment

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), who says he's always been a strong fiscal conservative, evidently doesn't think much of Barack Obama's boondoggles. Gregg backed out of serving as Barack Obama's Commerce secretary this afternoon.

That makes him Obama's third cabinet withdrawal. Obama's first pick for Commerce, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, had to pull his name because of a "pay-to-play" scandal within his administration. Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) was compelled to stay in private life after some tax issues became public.

Another Obama cabinet pick, Timothy Geitner, did manage to move into the Treasury office after his own tax troubles were revealed.

Obama is cabinet-challenged.

Technorati tags: democrats Obama Bill Richardson New Mexico Barack Obama politics

Retail sales up one percent in January

Without benefit of Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill, retail sales were up one percent in January, reversing a six-month decline.

There is a bit of good news on the jobs front. Last week's first time jobless claims were 623,000--that is very high. However, it was 8,000 fewer than the week before.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics jobs

Happy Birthday, Abraham Lincoln

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of America's greatest president, Abraham Lincoln.

"The Railsplitter" was born in a one-room cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

There are events all over the nation, including southern states, celebrating the Lincoln Bicentennial.

The premiere ceremony will be held tonight in Lincoln's adopted hometown of Springfield, Illinois, with President Barack Obama in attendance.

Happy Birthday, Abe!





Related posts:

Thirty hours in Lincoln's Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site's log cabin
"My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place"
My Mississippi Manifest Destiny: Jonesboro, site of the third Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Technorati tags: Abraham Lincoln history Americana Lincoln bicentennial democrats Politics illinois Springfield Obama Barack Obama Kentucky

Dillons grocery store reopens in Greensburg, Kansas

I usually don't report on grocery store openings in western Kansas, but today's reopening of a Dillons in Greensburg, Kansas is certainly newsworthy.

As with 95 percent of the town of 1,500 people, Dillons was destroyed when an EF5 tornado struck Greensburg shortly before 10pm on May 4, 2007. 11 people were killed.

Two months later I traveled to Greensburg for My Kansas Kronikles series. Most of the rubble had been cleared away--and there was surely a great deal of it--and the reconstrucation had just started.

The Dillons store was just a frame.

It's hard for a town to survive without a grocery store, so huge "Well, done!" salutes goes out to Dillon's this evening. Western Kansas towns, those with meatpacking plants being a notable exception, have been struggling with depopulation for decades, so Dillon's could have just left, blaming "a poor business model."

But Dillons stayed.

Related posts:

My Kansas Kronikles: Greensburg, the fall and rise, part one
My Kansas Kronikles: Greensburg, the fall and rise, part two
My Kansas Kronikles: Greensburg, the fall and rise, part three
My Kansas Kronikles: Greensburg, the fall and rise, part four
My Kansas Kronikles: Greensburg, the fall and rise, part five
My Kansas Kronikles: Greensburg, the fall and rise, part six

Technorati tags: Kansas Greensburg weather tornadotwister Dillons business retail economy

The Chicago flu?

Can someone tell me what I'm suffering from? Monday I had a 101 degree fever, which has since gone away. What I still have is chest congestion of the most foul kind, "gastrointestinal issues," no appetite, a painful cough, and a general feeling of listlessness.

I know a dozen people suffering from the same affliction. One ended up in the emergency room (they released him), the other two called off the entire week of work on Monday.

Name of this bug? Ideas on what to do?

Technorati tags: health flu illness sickness

More Cook County waste

Leave it to America's worst governmental body, Cook County, Illinois, to find a unique manner in which to waste taxpayer money. This time, it's blowing $120,000 on sign to let pothole dodging motorists like myself know that the county is "maintaining" these roads.

UPDATE February 13: The Chicago Tribune reported yesterday that the county is dropping the wasteful sign program.

Related posts:

Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED
Todd Stroger: More Chicago Democratic sleaze
Another update on America's worst government--Cook County
Rita Rezko's contribution to America's worst government, Cook County
The latest from America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Bid to rescind Cook County corruption tax fails: UPDATED
Revolt at the polls against the Cook County corruption tax called by Democratic reformer
T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America
Patronage hiring still thrives in Cook County
Another thing for Obama to be silent on: Cook County summer jobs going to pols' kids
Update on America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Palatine wants to secede from Cook County
Something else for Obama to be silent on: Chicago will have the nation's highest sales tax
Say no to higher Cook County taxes
No fat in Cook County budget?
Beavers leaves it to the race card as America's worst governmental body gets worse
Your Cook County tax dollars at work
Stop the proposed Cook County phone tax
"Is anyone watching out for Chicago taxpayers?"
Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?
Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up
Obama and Chicago's "We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent" culture
Cook County sues Cook County
My day as a Cook County juror

Technorati tags: Obama politics Illinois Politics Cook County news government

Stimulus deal reached

Oh horror. Congress reached a deal on Barack Obama's stimulus bill boondoggle. The final cost, until the next reevaluation, is $789 billion.

True, the president inherited a crappy economy. But as I wrote yesterday, it's Obama's economy now.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Happy Birthday, Sarah Palin

On this day in 1964, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was born in Idaho.

Also on that very same day, Mrs. Marathon Pundit was born in Latvia.

Happy Birthday, ladies!

Technorati tags: Republican Alaska Sarah Palin on this day

Senate dropped E-Verify from stimulus bill

The Chicago Tribune's John Kass looked deep into the stimulus bill and found something not too many others have noticed:

With all the hoopla over greasy pork being stuffed into President Barack Obama's near trillion-dollar spending bill, it's what is being cut out that's receiving too little attention.

And once Americans realize it, they won't be happy.

What's been quietly stripped is a provision that would have required any businesses receiving federal stimulus cash to use an easy computer program called E-Verify to make sure that the jobs they generate go to American citizens or documented foreign workers, not illegal immigrants.

Democrats in the House voted for the E-Verify component. But when the great porkulus package reached the Senate, Democrats there dropped it.

Jeff Sessions (R-AL) wanted E-Verify in the stimulus bill, which led him to comment, "It's another example of why people distrust Congress."

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Jeff Sessions illegal immigration Senate John Kass

Daley sneak attack on O'Hare Modernization Project

Mrs. Marathon Pundit was at Chicago's O'Hare Airport this morning--she's there often--and she noticed that the short-stay parking lot next to Terminal One, in which every spot is usually taken, was at best, in her words, just one-third full.

I asked her if she was sure, and she replied, "Yes, just one-third full."

Which explains why the airlines servicing O'Hare are now balking at paying their share for the O'Hare Modernization Project (OMP), which would build new runways and increase capacity at Chicago's primary airport.

But the City of Chicago has acquired 600 homes in Bensenville, which is just south of O'Hare, and was hoping to move on to Elk Grove Village to snatch more homes and businesses.

Now the project stopped is stuck in today's February thaw mud.

Or is it?

In a curious and confusing about-face, ABC 7 Chicago reports that the City, even though Mayor Richard Daley who just yesterday said he would not ask that any federal stimulus money to go towards the controversial project, now wants stimulus cash for OMP. Its director told ABC 7's Charles Thomas, "We believe that OMP is perfectly positioned to meet any of the criteria that then gets established to compete for that money."

Daley was in Washington this morning talking stimulus.

But Bensenville's village president John Geils, a vocal OMP opponent, heard Andolino's comment. And he plans to travel to Washington tomorrow to give lawmakers an opposing view on the project, which he calls "a $20 billion boondoggle."

But I have one question tonight? Why the cloak-and-dagger tactics, Mr. Daley?

Watch the video. Andolino's comment could not have possibly been a slip-of-the-tongue.

Related posts:

O'Hare secrets to spill?

O'Hare Modernization Program is now the O'Hare Pork Program

Technorati tags: Politics democrats Richard Daley illinois chicago O'Hare travel Northwest Chicago Suburbs business economy news

Biden's mouth

One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Barack Obama is why he chose Joe Biden as his running mate. His propensity to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, since expanded upon, was well known when Obama announced the choice last summer.

Now I happen to think that there is a very good chance that Obama's stimulus bill will fail. Biden isn't very optimistic either. Throwing aside whether Biden has a good point, is the former Delaware senator the kind of person you'd want on your team?

OBAMA: All right. Major Garrett, where's Major?

(FOX NEWS' MAJOR) GARRETT: Mr. President, at a speech Friday that many of us covered, Vice President Biden said the following thing about a conversation the two of you had in the Oval Office about a subject he didn't disclose.

"If we do everything right, if we do it with absolute certainty, if we stand up there and we really make the tough decisions, there's still a 30 percent chance we're going to get it wrong."

Since the vice president brought it up, can you tell the American people, sir, what you were talking about? And if not, can you at least reassure them it wasn't the stimulus bill or the bank rescue plan and if, in general, you agree with that ratio of success, 30 percent failure, 70 percent success?

OBAMA: You know, I don't remember exactly what Joe was referring to...

(LAUGHTER) ...not surprisingly.

The Dan Quayle comparisons are already starting, but Quayle never undermined the policies of his boss.

Will there be a "Dump Biden" movement in 2012?

Technorati tags: democrats Politics Biden news Joe Biden Barack Obama Obama Dan Quayle

Senate passes stimulus bill

The Senate passed its version, $819 billion worth, of Barack Obama's stimulus bill. The House version rolls in at $838 billion.

The tally in the upper chamber was 61-37. Three Republicans, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine broke ranks and voted for this boondoggle.

The bill now heads to a Congressional conference committee, and my guess is that the cost of the stimulus bill will head back up.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama Arlen Specter Susan Collins olympia snowe RINO

Tales from the Obama town hall meeting...Community-organizer-in-chief

Barack Obama is in full campaign mode--the election was November 4, by the way--at his town hall meeting in Fort Myers, Florida.

I swear I heard Barack Obama say this 100 times last year, he derided "the failed policies that got us in this mess in the first place."

During the question and answer session, someone brought up health care, which led Obama to declare, "We spend more on health care than any other nation, but we don't get better results."

Complete crap. America has the best health care in world.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama Florida health care

February 12, 2009: Charles Darwin bicentennial

I don't think there is another day in history where two such important thinkers were born--February 12, 1809. Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on that day.

There are numerous events in the United States celebrating Lincoln's birth, and the same thing is going on for Darwin in Great Britain.

More on Lincoln in two days.

Technorati tags: history Abraham Lincoln Lincoln bicentennial Charles Darwin UK science

It's Obama's economy now...

With the likely passage of Barack Obama's stimulus package later today, the economy will become the president's economy. I hope I'm wrong, but I believe the economy will get worse before it gets better.

February 10, 2009--It's the demarcation point. Welcome to the Obama economy.

Meanwhile, while Treasury Secretary Timothy Geitner announced his financial stability plan, the stock market went down.

Technorati tags: business economy news government politics Barack Obama Obama

Not so sick today

I am feeling significantly better today, although I'm not at peak level. Posts are coming.

Sick today...no blogging

I don't get sick very often, but today is one of those days. 101 degree fever. I don't stay sick long, so I should be back tomorrow.

There's no point in my putting rambling, non-sensical entries (more so than usual, that is), for all to see.

Today is a day off.

Wal-Mart: Undercover journalist likes what he sees, and fighting "food deserts"

One of the few bright spots of our economy is the continued strength of Wal-Mart, the nation's largest corporation. While other retailers suffer, or go out of business, Wal-Mart continues to post higher sales figures.

And Wal-Mart is looking to expand in Chicago, despite the recession, and counter the trend of growing "food deserts" within the city.

Meanwhile, an undercover journalist worked for a while at an Arizona Wal-Mart, and walked away impressed by the retail king, as he reports in the New York Post.

Related posts:

Chicago's "food deserts" well known to Obama

My book report: The Wal-Mart Revolution: How Big Box Stores Benefit Consumers, Workers, and the Economy

Technorati tags: Wal-Mart retail business big box economy news chicago

O'Hare secrets to spill?

The Chicago Sun-Times Carol Marin has some interesting thoughts about the second indictment of Rod Blagojevich's pal Christopher Kelly. An O'Hare Airport contract of Kelly's roofing firm is at the heart of the latest federal accusation against the man who has already pleaded guilty to tax charges.

And former Blago chief of staff John Harris, who unlike Kelly is cooperating with the feds, used to work for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. Harris was deeply involved with O'Hare during the time when Kelly's alleged crimes took place.

Although Chicago has no mineral wealth, the city's main airport is the closest thing to a treasure mine within its borders. It supplies jobs (including patronage positions), contracts, and leases that add up to a kingly fortune.

Related posts:

O'Hare Modernization Program is now the O'Hare Pork Program

Ex-Blago fundraiser Kelly charged with money laundering

Technorati tags: Politics democrats Richard Daley news illinois chicago