Illinois

by Ralf Seiffe

Demand for petroleum is rapidly and permanently escalating and gas prices are transmitting this historical event at every fill-up.  Prices have risen beyond mere pain.  Now above $4, they threaten American confidence in our living standards yet our representatives vote to exacerbate these effects.  Democrats in Congress have just voted to keep limits on domestic exploration and drilling, thereby securing U.S.

(Read the full post about ‘Why The Environmentalists Won’t Let Us Drill’…)

Illinois Democratic lawmakers, driven to distraction by party in-fighting, are flaunting their majority status during the closing days of this session, delirious as they purposely block out Republican lawmakers. 

On Wednesday, House Democrats passed 28 appropriations bills to the Senate — a flatline budget keeping everything the same as this year, and another, their dream budget. Not one of those bills received a Republican vote. The Republicans held together in opposition for two reasons: the proposed bills made up an unconstitutional unbalanced budget and the Democrats did not invite the Republicans to budget negotiations.

Thursday, the Democrats’ budget follies moved to the Senate, where during crucial appropriation bills’ discussion, Republicans were cut off from asking questions.

(Read the full post about ‘Illinois Budget Shenanigans Begin’…)

Barack Obama is full of hot air about the non-effects of suspending Illinois gas tax in 2000, something he supported as an Illinois senator, and something he doesn’t support at the federal level now. Who can blame him and the other Democrats that refuse to pass a gas tax suspension? No liberal is ever for allowing taxpayers to keep more of their money, even in hard times like these. Those scoffers falling for the "we won’t conserve if we don’t pay" crowd chant should seriously consider the findings of a national study group that focused on Illinois gas prices, the 2000 gas tax cut and how the cut worked dramatically to stifle out-of-control gas pump prices. (Read the full post about ‘Democrats Lie: Gas tax moratoriums work’…)

There’s a few classic roots/rock artists that I have never posted about. Part of the reason is based in my quest for something new and part is the fact that some of these artists don’t jell with my personal taste. Sonny Landreth is in the latter camp. I can appreciate his slide guitar playing (he’s one of the best), his swamp blues (ditto) and his songwriting ability but much like John Hiatt or Warren Zevon or even Graham Parker I never quite jumped on the bandwagon. “When I Still Had You” is from Sonny’s newest record From The Reach and it’s classic Landreth and classic swamp blues-rock. Eric Clapton contributes both guitar and vocals on this one. (Read the full post about ‘Sonny Landreth’s “From The Reach” (Landfall Records, May 20)’…)

* I’m glad we decided to run two reviews of the new “Indiana Jones” film in last Friday’s paper. I can see how people were of opposing minds about it. The cheesy stuff I loved (”I’ve got a bad feeling about this”), you might have hated. The cheesy stuff you loved, I might have hated.

But if you didn’t really appreciate the jungle chase scene, I’m not sure why you went to the film in the first place. That was A-grade filmmaking.

Was the film as a whole great? Not really. But given some of the truly hateful reviews I read, it could have been a lot worse.

(Read the full post about ‘‘Indy,’ and Karen Allen’…)

CHAMPAIGN – A fixture in the University of Illinois campus area – the Illinois Disciples Foundation building – will be sold to a private developer with plans to turn it into store and office space.

The foundation said it has arranged to sell the three-story building at 610 E. Springfield Ave., C, to JSM Development.

The sale is expected to close July 1, and neither JSM nor the foundation would disclose the price the local development group will pay for the property.

“We see it as just a fantastic location, obviously,” said Jill Guth, director of development for JSM.

A developer of apartments, commercial and office spaces in the campus area and beyond, JSM is looking at ways to reuse the existing building that occupies half a block, Guth said.

“We’d love to put some retail at that location,” she added.

The Illinois Disciples building at Wright and Springfield in Champaign has been sold to JSM development.

(Read the full post about ‘Illinois Disciples Foundation plans to sell building’…)

From the Sauerberg for U.S. Senate camp:

(Lombard, IL) - Today, Dick Durbin voted for yet another piece of pork laden legislation - this time voting to tie billions in pork barrel spending to funding for our troops. 

"If you want to know why the American people have completely and totally lost faith in the career politicians in Washington, one need look no further than the debate over the current funding bill for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Steve Sauerberg, M.D., the Republican nominee for U.S.

(Read the full post about ‘Sauerberg reacts to Durbin vote on troop funding’…)

by Cal Skinner Corruption must be so endemic in Chicago that city employees and those who must interact with the bureaucracy figure that law enforcement officials can’t possibly have enough manpower to get around to their own corrupt practices. They are undoubtedly correct. But 15 miscreants, alleged miscreants, that is, found out that assumption was incorrect for them yesterday. The following press release just arrived from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: PRESS CONFERENCE ADVISORY CHICAGO – Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Thomas P. Brady, Postal Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Robert D. (Read the full post about ‘They Just Don’t Learn’…)

Illinois Review hit a milestone with this post as its 7,000th. Our thanks to each Illinois Review contributor for your thought-provoking commentaries, your humorous and tear-jerking anecdotes, your frustrations, your revelations and your gifts to Illinois conservatives.

Illinois Review’s success is because we are unique in sharing this venue with many generous and prolific conservative writers. Since November 2005, the startup month of Illinois Review, we’ve learned much from each other. We look forward to learning more as we continue serving Illinois in the days to come.

To 7,000 more posts!

At the state convention on June 6 and 7th in Decatur, Illinois Republicans will have the opportunity to vote for two leadership positions in their state party — Republican National Committeeman and Committeewoman.

Through news reports we’ve learned that retiring 18th CD Congressman Ray LaHood, DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom and that possibly State Senator Chris Lauzen (Aurora) may be interested in the position.  Former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin, who challenged current RNC committeeman Bob Kjellander back in 2004, has submitted his application for consideration.

We’ve learned over the past few days that three women are interested in succeeding retiring National Committeewoman Mary Jo Arndt:  Carol Donovan, state central committee member from the 7th CD; Kathy Salvi, former Congressional candidate in the 8th CD; and Demetra Demonte, Tazewell County GOP Chairman.

(Read the full post about ‘Update: National Committeeman & Committeewoman Bids’…)