We’ll return to regular blogging on Tuesday. Here are a few things that caught my eye while I was reading the news Sunday morning. Since it only takes a couple of minutes to put the links here, I figured what the heck.

· The guv will unveil a new plan for universal pre-school. Fran Eaton advises parents to hide their children.

· George Ryan wasn’t the only one to get cash from employees. Jesse White got some last Christmas, but gave the money to the poor. It’s not in the story, but others got cash as well. More about this hopefully soon.

· Trib profiles Bill Brady.

· Laski wants to plea-bargain.

· Politics OK when hiring/firing prison wardens, appellate court rules.

· A look at the complaint against Justice Karmeier.

· Taxing “classic political puffery.”

· Paper objects to rate hike.

· Some people object to using Paul Simon’s name.

· Boyd Ingemunson outraises opponent in Kendall County state’s attorney race by almost 4-1. Meanwhile, a friend saw his yard sign and wondered if Boyd was de-emphasizing his last name (like JIM and JACK ryan did in years gone by). I just figured he couldn’t find a yard sign big enough.

       

18 Comments - Walking Wounded - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 11:31 am: So, White has taken cash gifts from “top level” aides and used it to purchase food for the poor. Wouldn’t it appear less suspect if these aides just give a donation to a charitable cause in White’s name? I’m also curious if one of the contributors was Director Cecil Turner, who has been recently indicted. With all the history of corruption in the office, it doesn’t flatter White to take gifts from subordinates. - Rich Miller - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 11:34 am: Not defending White, but Turner was removed from office several months ago. I doubt he was one of them last Christmas. - Walking Wounded - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 11:38 am: My bad. - Skeeter - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 11:54 am: The universal pre-school plan is interesting politically. I expect the allegedly Pro-Life Republicans to either oppose it or at the very least, not to support it. Somehow I doubt I will see them standing behind our gov. on this one. Of course, early education is a great way to give children the ability to compete effectively in school. Early education cuts poverty and cuts abortion. The lack of support for the plan will show once again that the allegedly “pro-life” forces are not really “pro-life”, as much as merely “anti-abortion.” - Rich Miller - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 11:57 am: Skeeter, at least one conservative site already has come out against it. “Parents, hide your 3 year olds” is the name of the post. - Shelbyville - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 12:10 pm: Don’t we already have free pre-school? It is called Head Start. I give cash as gifts. No one has ever turned it down. Who wants another elephant or bow tie? I like to give gifts but no one needs more junk. One year I did give library books to the grade school library in Mr. and Mrs. Ryan’s name. They really appreciated it. - Mr. Ethics - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 1:05 pm: If the kids are now in state paid pre school. Then the poor workers at the day care and kinder care will all get fired? Great idea Gov. - Parents are just too busy to teach their pre schoolers. The State can surely do a better job anyway. - DOWNSTATE - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 1:14 pm: Pre school is some more of his ignorant headline grabbing bull.We have some of the best child care people in the world.The only thing I can see is a another agency he can fill with his hacks.A lot of chaild care is already pre school set-ups so why do we need it.It also so says he will take money out of the General Revenue.WHAT MONEY READ OUR WALLET WE ARE BROKE. - Anon - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 1:34 pm: More pandering political puffery at our expense. - Puffery - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 1:47 pm: For the past 3 governor puffery has yet done what it said he would do. Rather than rolling out his programs during the first 3 years of office, puffery waits until the final months of the primary campaign, which he hasn’t announced for, to cram through these huge spending programs. Further more, were are his estimates of income and expenditures? Secondly, what preschool is going to be willing to absorb the hordes of new kids? What preschool is going to wait for months to get paid by the state when the state can’t pay its bills now? To use a trite saying, “Money talks, talk walks.” - Nearly Normal - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 3:37 pm: Brady forgot to mention that the family-owned lumberyard went belly up in the ’80’s during the only building slump the B-N area has ever suffered in the last 20 or so years. I’m not saying it was his fault, just that it happened during his watch if he was in charge as he says. Interesting to note that he is now worth $8 million. Is that the total for the 21 businesses he and his family own? The article neglected to note that it is in real estate that the Brady’s made their comeback. They have one of the largest real estate companies in the B-N area. If it is his own money, then why isn’t he spending more on his campaign? - Phocion - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 7:47 pm: Er, how do we know White gave his cash kickbacks to the poor? Seems a pretty convenient explanation - one that the Sun Times’s Brown swallowed with great relish. You’d think if this story was legit he or Benigno would have been crowing about it before the embarassing questions came in. Prove the cash is clean, Jesse White. - Anon - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 8:15 pm: Rich, I heard this weekend that Jim Oberweis came out in support of bringing back the electric chair? Could this possibly be true? I’m hesitant to believe it until I see a real report of it somewhere. - Reddbyrd - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 9:12 pm: Check the Daily Herald, ChopperJim is backing a cookoff for cons alright! That should put him over the top. Betcha BrickheadJoe is sorry he did not sign up there instead of the AccordianGal. P.S. there are tons of those signs all over the county. So Boyd must be getting ready to stomp the opposition. - Long Time Reader, First Time Poster - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 10:09 pm: I hope the media doesn’t give Blago a free ride on this pre-school thing. Of course everyone loves it, but next year (after the election) when the state has to go back to making pension payments, will the money still be there? What are we going to do then? - Six Degrees of Separation - Sunday, Feb 12, 06 @ 10:37 pm: P.S. there are tons of those signs all over the county. So Boyd must be getting ready to stomp the opposition. When Dallas calls out the troops for his kid, they are more than ready to march. And Reddbyrd, it is possible that a Democrat may actually win an elected office in Kendall County sometime this century. That is, if the county party doesn’t dissolve again, like it did in the ’90’s. - Skeeter - Monday, Feb 13, 06 @ 9:30 am: With regard to the universal pre-school program: 1. Nobody will be requiring children to attend. Parents are still free to send their children to pre-school of choice, or keep them home. 2. The program contemplates qualified teachers for pre-school. 3. Early education has been shown to have a direct correlation to success in school, which of course leads to lower rates of poverty and reduces abortion. For all the “pro-life” talk, the right sure does work hard to stop programs that would reduce abortion. 4. The program is aimed at those who really need it — the parents who make enough money so that they do not qualify for the programs in place, but do not realistically have the income to send their children to quality pre-school programs. - Beowulf - Tuesday, Feb 14, 06 @ 11:32 am: Regarding the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ordering a lower court to dismiss a former prison warden’s lawsuit against Blago, where the hell are our legislators? Why haven’t they introduced legislation that would remove this arcane and outdated law that allows otherwise competent and qualified state employees to be fired for not having the correct political affiliation of “political pedigee”? According to the Chicago Tribune of 2/12/06, “In a decision published Friday, the court ruled that under the state’s job description, political affiliation is a legitimate requirement for the job of warden.” I would think that although this is perhaps legal, it is highly unethical, immoral, and outrageous. Where are the Republican or Democrat legislators that COULD change this stupid and unfair law? Nobody has the guts to change it for fear that they would upset their political party leaders? How about a good dose of testicular virility for each of our state congressman? Seems that they (both Democrat & Republican) could use it. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.