Illinois' 18th Congressional District: Mike Flynn for Congress

Eureka, IL,
18th District

Mike Flynn, a friend of the late Andrew Breitbart, is running for Congress in the special election to replace Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL), who resigned under pressure earlier this year.

Flynn, who used to write for Breitbart's Big Hollywood, is the conservative choice in the race in Illinois' 18th Congressional District.

From Derek Hunter in Townhall:

I loved and supported the idea, but I knew there would be many who wouldn't. Mike is a principled conservative, and principled conservatives aren't really what the GOP establishment wants in Congress. Boehner and his boys won’t get the votes they want from a Mike Flynn because he wouldn't be going there to make friends or get cushy committee assignments. He'd be going there to stop them from screwing us over as much as he would be to stop Democrats from doing the same.

The party spit out its own candidate, of course. It went for name recognition over conservative values and put up Darin LaHood, son of squishy former GOP congressman and Obama Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The choice is pretty clear for conservatives. As National Review put it, "The Establishment and the Tea Party Face Off in Illinois."

Even though this may seem like a local race, it is a national fight. It's an opportunity for Tea Party conservatives to flex their muscle and send a message to Republican leadership in Washington that we aren't happy with the way you've caved to the president in nearly every fight, and we do not support amnesty for illegal aliens, legislatively or through executive action. ENOUGH! We aren't going to send your failed leadership reinforcements; we’re going to send replacements.

Illinois: Rauner plans drastic cuts to fix Democrats' $4 billion in-the-hole budget

For the first time in my lifetime the Land of Lincoln has a governor who has taxpayer interests in mind--not those of the special interests such as the public-sector unions who only want more government because that means more dues money to contribute to the coffers of Democratic politicians so they can create even more government. But that mindset is why Illinois'  Democratic leaders in the General Assembly have proposed a budget with a $3 billion deficit despite the state's constitutional requirement to pass balanced budgets.

Of course they did the same thing last year and the year before that.

And the year before that...

It's easy to see how Illinois' public-pension system is $110 billion in the hole.

But as I remarked last week, the Great Gatsby era of spending is over in the Prairie State because Republican reformer Bruce Rauner is governor.

From AP:

Gov. Bruce Rauner announced plans Tuesday to close state facilities and curtail spending on childcare and senior services if there's no agreement on a state budget by July 1.

In a news release that read much like a legislative resolution, the Republican governor said his administration would decide on the possible closure of up to two juvenile detention facilities, along with shuttering a southern Illinois minimum-security prison work camp, closing down five state museums and grounding state aircraft.

He described the process as defense against the "Madigan-Cullerton Budget," a reference to the Democratic legislative leaders who have OK'd a spending plan for the coming fiscal year but acknowledge they want a tax increase to bridge a revenue gap of at least $3 billion — Rauner says it's closer to $4 billion.

Chicago Democrats Michael Madigan, the House speaker, and Senate President John Cullerton, have said their spending blueprint is necessary to preserve vital services, particularly to low-income and middle-class taxpayers.

Yes, these cuts will be painful--but continuing the status quo will hurt even more.

While no doctor takes pleasure in amputating a limb--sometimes such a drastic move is necessary for the long-term good of the patient. Bruce Rauner gets it.

His campaign slogans from last year were "Shake Up Springfield" and Bring Back Illinois." Rauner means what he says.

Obama lied: ObamaCare premiums going up--not down

"If you've got health insurance, we're going to work with you to lower your premiums by $2,500 per family per year. And we will not wait 20 years from now to do it or 10 years from now to do it. We will do it by the end of my first term as president of the United States of America."
Barack Obama, February 27, 2008.

On the other hand...

From Fox News:

Dozens of health insurers selling plans under ObamaCare have requested hefty premium increases for 2016, according to preliminary information published Monday by the White House.

The insurers have cited higher-than-expected care costs from customers they gained under the ObamaCare's coverage expansion and the rising cost of prescription drugs and other expenses as reasons for proposing the increases, many of which are in the double-digit percentages.

Among the market leaders, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is seeking a roughly 26 percent premium increase, while plans in Illinois and Florida, among other states, are asking for hikes of 20 percent or more. In Pennsylvania, Highmark Health Insurance Co. is asking for a 30 percent increase.

The preliminary requests were announced as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the validity of ObamaCare's tax credits to offset the cost of premiums for lower-income consumers in most states in the country.

ILL-inois: Lame duck Quinn went on spending binge

Chicago Democrat Pat Quinn kept handing out the goodies until just before reform Republican Bruce Rauner was sworn in as governor-so he could lock in these deals.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

After losing in November, Gov. Pat Quinn went on a $404.6 million spending spree during his final two months in office, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.

Quinn’s economic development department raced to dole out 609 state grants to local governments, schools and businesses, according to records his administration filed with the Illinois state comptroller.

The total tab for the grants given out in his final 69 days in office came to about half as much as Quinn handed out during the entire 2013-14 budget year.

Most of the grants had been in the planning stages for months, even years, according to Quinn aides. But his administration didn’t finish and send the paperwork to the comptroller's office to pay any of them until after the Chicago Democrat lost the Nov. 4 election to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Quinn, a self-described populist, is a complete fraud. Illinois voters wised up to his expensive act and they threw the bum out. Good for us.

(MSNBC video) Brzezinski: What “is the proof” that Hillary "will stand up for the middle class?"

MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski is skeptical of Hillary Clinton's 'champion' claims.

Baltimore pharmacy looting linked to jump in crime

Baltimore's mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, wanted to give rioting thugs "space to destroy" and her recklessness is still behind violence.

From CBS Baltimore:

City leaders are connecting the spike in violence to the theft of thousands of dollars worth of prescription drugs from local pharmacies during the April 27th riots.

Derek Valcourt spoke with frustrated pharmacy owners who say police aren't doing enough to help.

Some worry the drugs that were taken may now be fueling violent territory disputes.

Meanwhile, pharmacy owners WJZ talks to say police aren't doing enough to investigate who stole those drugs to begin with.

But the mayor and Baltimore's prosecutor have declared war on he police.

Illinois stripper sues for minimum wage

A Peoria area stripper bares her opinion on minimum wage laws.

From the Peoria Journal Star:

An erotic dancer at a Creve Coeur strip club has sued her employer, alleging the club is violating state and federal labor laws by not paying her a minimum wage.

Aleigha Woods filed the suit last week in U.S. District Court in Peoria and seeks to broaden the suit to a class action, or on behalf of about 100 other dancers who have worked for Club Cabaret in the past three years.

The suit, filed May 26, alleges dancers at the club aren’t paid a minimum wage and must pay a nightly "house fee" in order to perform on stage. Treating the employees like "independent contractors," the suit claims isn't proper as the club controls every aspect of their work environment.

As an example, the club imposes fines upon dancers who don't follow their rules, such as chewing gum while on stage or not smiling while performing, the suit alleges. In addition, the club controls what the dancers charge for their dances, what they can wear and when they work.

News flash: Most employers prohibit gum chewing for their workers who face the public and dress codes are common at for those employees.

Liberals celebrate Graham's presidential run

An Iowa winter

Republican-in-name-only Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced his run for the presidency today. He's off to a bad start, because leftist web sites Huffington Post, Salon, and ThinkProgress are lauding Graham for what the former calls an "entirely reasonable position" on climate change, before adding "sometimes."

You can bet your house on my prediction: Lindsey Graham's candidacy will wither and die in the frozen cornfields of Iowa.

(Photos) Butterweed

Butterweed, a member of the aster family, is rare in northern Illinois, but they grow in Morton Grove, Illinois' St. Paul Woods and Miami Woods. These photographs were taken in late May in both forest preserves.

Its yellow blossoms are tiny--about the size of a fingernail.

The height of the butterweed plants vary widely. From one feet high to over three feet, such as this one.

The butterweed is poisonous to most mammals.

But butterweed in engaging to the eyes.

43 murdered: Deadliest month in Baltimore in 44 years

Baltimore's leftist politicians have declared war on the police. The result is tragically predictable.

From WBAL.com:

Baltimore City has now recorded 43 murders in May, making this the second deadliest month on record.

The latest killing took place Sunday morning in the 1900 block of North Collington Avenue in East Baltimore. Police say two men were shot in the back. One of them died at the scene, while the other was hospitalized.

This is one of three murders that took place Sunday in the city.

Police say two men were found shot in the head at around 1:15 a.m. Sunday in the 2000 block of Belair Road.