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Morning shorts
Wednesday, Mar 29, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller · Sen. Hendon apologizes to Sen. Axley. · Lane Evans retirement story. · Protesters march outside Topinka campaign headquarters · HIV test bill goes to guv · Lawmakers target careless smoking. · Debate over tax cap may stall extension vote · Marin: Clout seems to suit Victor Reyes just fine · Richards: Meeks’ run for gov would fire up campaign · Hunter: Time for Blago to step up on abortion threat · Bill would take drivers’ licenses from teens that skip school · Group wants to block LDC reopening · Geese in Illinois are sitting ducks. No more quotas. · “A lot of homeowners in Chicago are going to get an unpleasant surprise from Cook County Assessor James Houlihan in a few weeks.” · “Legislation that would grant Fairmount Park a tax break worth almost $1.4 million a year has passed both houses of the Illinois legislature and awaits the signature of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.” · Rockford Park District pushes for stalled grant money · Convention bureau puts gag on staff · Ryan jury told to start over
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- Joe Sixpack - Wednesday, Mar 29, 06 @ 8:40 am:
Bill would take drivers’ licenses from teens that skip school
What about undocumented teens that don’t have licenses already? Will they still be able to drive illegally?
Or will they be driving doubly illegally?
Or will their illegal driving priviledges be revoked?
This is all getting very confusing for me.
- Left in the cold - Wednesday, Mar 29, 06 @ 8:58 am:
Nothing about the People’s Gas settlement? The first round included funds to pay former customers who have since moved to the suburbs. That was “inadequate” according to staff, who pressed for a new deal. The new deal they got increases payments to Chicago residents and completely cuts off former customers who have since moved out of the city. Is there a partisan angle to this?
- grand old partisan - Wednesday, Mar 29, 06 @ 9:07 am:
Why would you protest outside a candidate’s hq and demand they support something. Wouldn’t it make more sense to, you know, just vote for the person who does instead.
And some people say I have too much time on my hands.
- NW burbs - Wednesday, Mar 29, 06 @ 9:50 am:
grand old partisan wrote: Why would you protest outside a candidate’s hq and demand they support something. Wouldn’t it make more sense to, you know, just vote for the person who does instead.
Well, for one thing, there’s this thing we have in America called the First Amendment? You don’t think an issue you support is getting enough air time? Speak up.
Both sides do this. In fact, “freeping” is a hallmark of the radical right (how many times was Melissa Bean’s muffler shop hq hit with “protesters” two years ago). And remember the 10 or so nuts who kept “vigil” outside of the Vice Presidential Residence during the 2000 vote-counting mess? They were Karl Rove plants “demanding” that VP Gore concede despite the fact the voters’ votes hadn’t eveh been recounted yet.
It’s a convenient way for a dozen or so people (out of the millions of voters) to get their 15 seconds of tv news fame.
Not that I’m a big Blago fan and even less a Meeks fan but Topinka’s already back on her heels and it’s only a week after the primary. Her campaign team is responding quite poorly to what have become standard GOP tactics in this day. The seat belt thing and this minimum wage protest are the tip of the iceberg. Blago’s team is controlling the news and thus controlling the debate.
Pure politics.
- grand old partisan - Wednesday, Mar 29, 06 @ 11:13 am:
Oh good god NW, settle down. I didn’t say that these people don’t have the right to protest. So what does the First Amendment have to do with this? Sure, I have the right to go protest outside Rod’s hq and demand that he support any number of positions, but I’m not going to, because I think it would be a big waste of time. That’s all I was saying.
As far as “freeping†being a ‘hallmark’ of the radical right, I’m not sure. Perhaps we could split the difference and say everyone does it? I was Bush’ Oprah appearance during the 2000 campaign, and I say plenty of liberal Democrats “freeping†about. As for the specific examples you cited: not being from the 8th District, I didn’t know about the protests at Bean’s muffler shop. Now that I do, I’ll say this: perhaps those who were partaking in them should have spent more time campaigning FOR Crane and less time AGAINST Bean. Now, as for the “vigils†outside the Naval Observatory in 2000, it is a slightly different story. The voting had already taken place and there was no other way to express your opinion. That’s not the case there, right? If Judy wins, then sure – march…protest…speak up all you want and try to convince her to take your side on the issue. But right now, you have a more productive outlet – go vote for the person in November who does support your position. Again, that’s all I’m saying – and I’d say the same thing to any conservative who does the same thing.
Finally, in regards to Topinka being “back on her heels†(btw, that’s not a crack abut her being a woman, right?……..sorry couldn’t resist. Just a joke. Tongue in cheek if you will), I don’t see it. I’m sure that the reason we see so many stories about I-DOT audits, Hate Crimes Commissions, and the use of taxpayer $ for inappropriate purposes (all that, just in the last 2 days!!) is because Blago’s team in “controlling the news.†And with Meeks threatening to rip his base in ½, I think Blago is the one doing the heavy sweating right now…..as evidenced by Daley’s remarks yesterday.