* Yesterday I wondered how John Laesch would respond to Dan Hynes’ endorsement of Laesch’s opponent Bill Foster in the 14th Congressional District. I didn’t have to wait long…
Laesch, who ran and lost to Hastert last year, said he’s not chasing endorsements in Springfield or Washington, D.C.
“There are very few leaders in those places that I admire,” he said.
Joe Serra, another Dem candidate, had the funniest reply, however…
Serra, of Geneva, said he doubted the endorsements would factor into voters’ decisions. “I don’t think the voters are paying attention,” he said. “People don’t pay attention to the primary.”
Good luck with that campaign strategy, poindexter.
* An award-winning national study gave the Illinois General Assembly a perfect score for legislative committee “autonomy.” They weren’t joking and it’s not April Fool’s Day. I checked.
* To my great surprise, The Lipinski Symposium wasn’t at all about how to get your slightly embarassing kid re-elected to Congress. Go figure.
* That Bill Beavers sure is one funny guy. Here he is speaking about a proposed $4 per line monthly tax on all phone lines in the county, including cell phones…
“They say it’s unconstitutional, but if we can get it passed we will let it go to court to see if it is constitutional. I think it is,” said William Beavers, the county commissioner sponsoring the new tax. […]
“A number of people do support it,” he said.
“A number” would be… oh… I’d guess around two: Beavers and Todd Stroger.
Still, though, nothing says “goofy” quite like Blagojevich.
A couple of weeks ago, Blagojevich announced he was using some of the money he vetoed from the budget to pay for free mammograms for Illinois women. The money really wasn’t coming from the vetoes, which I’ve already told you before, and there already is lots of money for mammograms in the state budget.
What I didn’t tell you before was that Blagojevich actually vetoed a $40,000 appropriation to a group called Sisters Embracing Life. The money was supposed to be used to provide breast exams for minority women.
Perfect.
* Former Chicago Ald. Ted Matlak spent years on the city council laying down for real estate developers. Now, he is one of them…
Former 32nd Ward Alderman Ted Matlak has landed in the real estate business.
“It’s somewhat of a natural fit,” said Matlak
Yep.
* And finally, Eunice Conn sums up just about everyone’s outrage when she asks…
Is it any wonder why so many conservatives are turned off by our Party leadership?
She’s referring to state GOP Chairman Andy McKenna’s “refusal” to meet with Mike Psak, a truck driver who is running for US Senate as a Republican. Make sure to read the comments, then take a look at Psak’s campaign video…
Wow - all of this makes me laugh. Then again, it’s raining and I’m not sleeping much, so that might have something to do with it.
I think the Illinois Review folks need to wake up and realize a hard-right or even a center-right statewide cannot probably can’t win a U.S. Senate race. A constitutional office campaign could probably be won by a Bill Brady or the like, but it would be very difficult to get independent voters in Cook County and the suburbs to go for a pro-life, pro-gun, anti-everythingelse candidate who’s running for The Most Exclusive Club In The World.
Go to McClatchy’s website (www.mcclatchydc.com) for an interesting article about the fault lines through the Republican Party. The Big Tent has new tenants, and it appears to be the Democratic Party. The one-issue voters are going to have to move to Nicaragua. The fact that Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas will be their political rulers shouldn’t bother them as long as all abortions are illegal.
It’s almost amazing that Governor Chuckie would veto money for mammograms, but closer scrutiny would suggest that he - only He- (capitalization for emphasis)wants the credit for the issue. I don’t think there’s an issue he hasn’t claimed victory on, but unfortunately, Governor, there isn’t a big issue yet that you can claim victory on either. It’s a sad political world we live in where results and outcomes are secondary to rhetoric and press releases. There used to be a big banner hanging in the Stratton Building (and maybe it still does) with a quote from a former governor that said “Good government is good politics.” What a shame that the taxpayers in Illinois haven’t been able to witness that in the past 5 years.
LOL. Thanks. It just seemed so worthless to me. What’s the point of these rankings if they have no basis in actual reality? And why reward them with an award?
- North of I-80 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 3:00 pm:
Unbelted kid hard to understand… the Guy from Boston would have brought the message forward better. There are a LOT of irate taxpayers out here who support the message; maybe not enough in IL though.
There’s actually an argument to be made on the measurement, but she missed it. Because the committees are formally autonomous in Illinois, the Leaders are better able to control them.
Stay with me for just a second because I know that sounds silly. Take her measure of whether committees have to report bills out or not. That’s one of the most powerful tools leadership uses in Illinois and because of that autonomous feature, leadership has veto power over almost any legislation.
If you have a bunch of rules controlling how the committee acts, the leaders couldn’t exert nearly as much power over them. By leaving so many decisions to the committee, informal power in Illinois is better able to be exercised.
Heh I blogged about the goofy column a few days ago. Very good. How is the governor going to talk about helping women get mammograms when he cut funds from an organization who can help some very vulnerable people get mammorgrams?
- GettingJonesed - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 4:45 pm:
Rich:
This is a funny day
The ‘06 winner was from the University of Limo. The website does not reveal how buckos the winner get. The committees were studied in 01 and 02 before the madman came into power.
However the bigget gut slapper was the city bean counter who sez Daley won’t spring the 800 million for the casino.
When combined with Sock Puppet’s very clear position that should just about be rap on gaming expansion for ‘07.
Starting to look just like the Cubs — wait til next year.
Oh wait did the SpinSisters just announce they cut Kolaz loose? Could be more yucks ahead — unless your first name is Amy
Partial explanation: University of Limo= UIUC
Madman=Blagojevich
Beancounter=Daley CFO who says the city won’t go for the plan to force the city to ante up $800 mil for the casino license
Sock Puppet=Tom Cross, who wants the city to ante up that cash
Cubs=Losers
SpinSisters=Abby, Rebecca, et al. Mark Kolaz quit his job this week under fire.
Eunice Conn is right on her point, although the bigger issue is there is NO serious candidate running against Durbin. It’s a joke, as is McKenna’s organization. The U.S. Senate race is officially a non-event. Dick can call this one in.
If that wacky Andy Martin gets on the ballot, he might have a chance to win the primary just because he has the more “American” sounding name among a bunch of nobodies. Could be another LaRouchie type embarrassment like the Dems had several years ago. That would be funny.
But more likely the State GOP does enough for Sauerberg to win the primary. Then he goes on to break the record (now held by Stu Umholtz or Alan Keyes?) for the lowest % ever in a general election in Illinois.
One might think a doctor would have enough brain cells to avoid being a patsy. I guess it’s that ego thing, or maybe a God complex.
- GettingJonesed - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 5:42 pm:
Excellent. But I bet most understood
You forgot Amy = drive north, and follow the sound of the shredder (if you get to the director’s lawn you have gone too far)
- Captain America - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 6:59 pm:
Beavers seems to have views similar to Blago and Cheney-Bush - constitutions and laws don’t apply to them. The unitary executive theory has become very trendy lately.
Beavers has turned out to be quite the buffoon in his capacity as Stroger’s enforcer.
Stroger’s tax proposals are an outrage. Cook County commissioners should just say no to most of these tax increase proposals -”starve the beast” unitl we have can elect a competent leader in 2010.
It is not that Beavers feels that the law does not apply to him. He does feel that it applies. His goal is to make it apply in such a way that it makes him and his extended family rich.
His problem is that he views the mission of goverment as getting as many Beavers on the payroll as possible, and making sure that government continues to pay the Beavers after they are off the payroll.
The sin of Beavers is not corruption in the “illegal conduct” sense. The sin of Beavers is that he is personally corrupt in lacking a moral view that government should serve all of the people instead of just those who have been elected. He thinks we serve him, rather than the other way around.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:03 pm:
Wow - all of this makes me laugh. Then again, it’s raining and I’m not sleeping much, so that might have something to do with it.
I think the Illinois Review folks need to wake up and realize a hard-right or even a center-right statewide cannot probably can’t win a U.S. Senate race. A constitutional office campaign could probably be won by a Bill Brady or the like, but it would be very difficult to get independent voters in Cook County and the suburbs to go for a pro-life, pro-gun, anti-everythingelse candidate who’s running for The Most Exclusive Club In The World.
- jerry 101 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:19 pm:
I hope Wags refuses to issue variances and permits to Matlak after all the shady crap Matlak dumped on him during the election.
It would serve Fast Teddy right.
- Lefty - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:44 pm:
Go to McClatchy’s website (www.mcclatchydc.com) for an interesting article about the fault lines through the Republican Party. The Big Tent has new tenants, and it appears to be the Democratic Party. The one-issue voters are going to have to move to Nicaragua. The fact that Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas will be their political rulers shouldn’t bother them as long as all abortions are illegal.
- safety dance - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:47 pm:
that kid is not wearing a seatbelt
- DC - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:49 pm:
It’s almost amazing that Governor Chuckie would veto money for mammograms, but closer scrutiny would suggest that he - only He- (capitalization for emphasis)wants the credit for the issue. I don’t think there’s an issue he hasn’t claimed victory on, but unfortunately, Governor, there isn’t a big issue yet that you can claim victory on either. It’s a sad political world we live in where results and outcomes are secondary to rhetoric and press releases. There used to be a big banner hanging in the Stratton Building (and maybe it still does) with a quote from a former governor that said “Good government is good politics.” What a shame that the taxpayers in Illinois haven’t been able to witness that in the past 5 years.
- Greg - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:55 pm:
Nice back-and-forth with the committee autonomy authors. They’re certainly well-suited for academia…
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 2:58 pm:
LOL. Thanks. It just seemed so worthless to me. What’s the point of these rankings if they have no basis in actual reality? And why reward them with an award?
- North of I-80 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 3:00 pm:
Unbelted kid hard to understand… the Guy from Boston would have brought the message forward better. There are a LOT of irate taxpayers out here who support the message; maybe not enough in IL though.
- archpundit - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 3:23 pm:
There’s actually an argument to be made on the measurement, but she missed it. Because the committees are formally autonomous in Illinois, the Leaders are better able to control them.
Stay with me for just a second because I know that sounds silly. Take her measure of whether committees have to report bills out or not. That’s one of the most powerful tools leadership uses in Illinois and because of that autonomous feature, leadership has veto power over almost any legislation.
If you have a bunch of rules controlling how the committee acts, the leaders couldn’t exert nearly as much power over them. By leaving so many decisions to the committee, informal power in Illinois is better able to be exercised.
- Levois - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 3:45 pm:
Heh I blogged about the goofy column a few days ago. Very good. How is the governor going to talk about helping women get mammograms when he cut funds from an organization who can help some very vulnerable people get mammorgrams?
- GettingJonesed - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 4:45 pm:
Rich:
This is a funny day
The ‘06 winner was from the University of Limo. The website does not reveal how buckos the winner get. The committees were studied in 01 and 02 before the madman came into power.
However the bigget gut slapper was the city bean counter who sez Daley won’t spring the 800 million for the casino.
When combined with Sock Puppet’s very clear position that should just about be rap on gaming expansion for ‘07.
Starting to look just like the Cubs — wait til next year.
Oh wait did the SpinSisters just announce they cut Kolaz loose? Could be more yucks ahead — unless your first name is Amy
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 4:46 pm:
Most people would need a translator to figure out what you just wrote. Oddly, I understood everything. Strange, that.
- Skeeter - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 4:56 pm:
How about an annotated version, Rich?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 5:07 pm:
Partial explanation: University of Limo= UIUC
Madman=Blagojevich
Beancounter=Daley CFO who says the city won’t go for the plan to force the city to ante up $800 mil for the casino license
Sock Puppet=Tom Cross, who wants the city to ante up that cash
Cubs=Losers
SpinSisters=Abby, Rebecca, et al. Mark Kolaz quit his job this week under fire.
The rest is up to you.
- GOP'er - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 5:09 pm:
Eunice Conn is right on her point, although the bigger issue is there is NO serious candidate running against Durbin. It’s a joke, as is McKenna’s organization. The U.S. Senate race is officially a non-event. Dick can call this one in.
If that wacky Andy Martin gets on the ballot, he might have a chance to win the primary just because he has the more “American” sounding name among a bunch of nobodies. Could be another LaRouchie type embarrassment like the Dems had several years ago. That would be funny.
But more likely the State GOP does enough for Sauerberg to win the primary. Then he goes on to break the record (now held by Stu Umholtz or Alan Keyes?) for the lowest % ever in a general election in Illinois.
One might think a doctor would have enough brain cells to avoid being a patsy. I guess it’s that ego thing, or maybe a God complex.
- GettingJonesed - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 5:42 pm:
Excellent. But I bet most understood
You forgot Amy = drive north, and follow the sound of the shredder (if you get to the director’s lawn you have gone too far)
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 6:35 pm:
I was hoping not to have to go there.
- Captain America - Wednesday, Oct 17, 07 @ 6:59 pm:
Beavers seems to have views similar to Blago and Cheney-Bush - constitutions and laws don’t apply to them. The unitary executive theory has become very trendy lately.
Beavers has turned out to be quite the buffoon in his capacity as Stroger’s enforcer.
Stroger’s tax proposals are an outrage. Cook County commissioners should just say no to most of these tax increase proposals -”starve the beast” unitl we have can elect a competent leader in 2010.
- Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 18, 07 @ 8:51 am:
It is not that Beavers feels that the law does not apply to him. He does feel that it applies. His goal is to make it apply in such a way that it makes him and his extended family rich.
His problem is that he views the mission of goverment as getting as many Beavers on the payroll as possible, and making sure that government continues to pay the Beavers after they are off the payroll.
The sin of Beavers is not corruption in the “illegal conduct” sense. The sin of Beavers is that he is personally corrupt in lacking a moral view that government should serve all of the people instead of just those who have been elected. He thinks we serve him, rather than the other way around.
- T.J. - Thursday, Oct 18, 07 @ 9:13 am:
Reminds me of an ad for a furniture store in Alabama. Not in a good way.