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Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Several southern Illinois musicians have put together a huge benefit weekend in Carbondale for the Harrisburg tornado victims. “Gone With the Wind” starts tonight and runs through Sunday. The event’s Facebook page is here. Click the pic for a larger version of the program…

More info here.

* I’ll be there Saturday. My brother Devin’s band is playing around 8 o’clock at The Varsity. Devin will also be doing some emcee duties earlier in the evening. Be there if you can. And if you can’t, well, have a listen to Devin’s band, “The Dead or Alives.” Turn it way up…

Yeah, I’m a bad man, baby
But I’m good enough for you

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Rasmussen: Romney up by 9

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rasmussen has published its first presidential poll of Illinois…

41% Romney
32% Santorum
14% Gingrich
7% Paul
2% Some other candidate
4% Not sure

* More from the pollster…

Given that 32% of voters could still change their mind before Tuesday, this represents a potential opportunity for Santorum. Most Gingrich supporters (55%) say they could still change their mind, and they overwhelmingly prefer Santorum over Romney in a two-man race.

But…

Fifty percent (50%) of Illinois primary voters see Romney as the strongest general election candidate, while 24% say the same of Santorum. Perceived electability remains Romney’s strong suit.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) believe Romney is at least somewhat likely to defeat President Obama and 54% say the same of Santorum. Most (53%) think Gingrich is unlikely to win in November and 79% believe it is unlikely Paul could defeat the president.

* And in case you’re wondering, here’s how likely Republican primary voters rate Gov. Pat Quinn’s job performance…

2% Strongly approve
10% Somewhat approve
18% Somewhat disapprove
66% Strongly disapprove
3% Not sure

* Meanwhile, I started getting e-mails like this on February 13th…

Pat Brady, Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, endorsed Tom Smithburg for 42nd Ward Republican Committeeman today.

“I fully agree with Tom’s message of bringing a new day to the city of Chicago,” said Brady of his endorsement. “He will bring a fresh perspective and new ideas, which we desperately need in a city where we could only manage 17% of the vote in 2010. If that number was 20%, Bill Brady would be Governor and in that position he would’ve vetoed the Democrats’ job-killing tax hike, the over-spending budgets, and the gerrymandered redistricting map.”

This is from Feb. 16th…

State Senator Bill Brady today announced his endorsement of Tom Smithburg for 42nd Ward Republican Committeeman.

“Tom Smithburg is right, we must do better in the city of Chicago,” said Brady. “We need a newly energized Republican Party in Chicago. We need to unify around our common ideals and work together to grow the Party. If we can accomplish that, Republicans can once again win statewide elections in Illinois. That is why I’m excited about the fresh ideas Tom brings to the table and am proud to endorse him for 42nd Ward Republican Committeeman.”

March 1st…

Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar today announced that he has endorsed Tom Smithburg for 42nd Ward Republican Committeeman.

“I have known Tom and his family for many years, and they have always been stalwart Republicans and passionate civic leaders,” said Edgar, who was Governor of Illinois from 1991-1999. “If there is anyone I would trust to bring leadership, unity, and energy to the Republican Party in Chicago, it’s Tom Smithburg. I am pleased to endorse him, and will provide my assistance in his election as well as his efforts to once again make Republicans competitive in the City of Chicago.”

* Since then, Jim Thompson, House GOP Leader Tom Cross, Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, Congressman Aaron Schock, Dan Proft and others have announced their endorsements for a ward committeeman’s race.

The ward is growing in importance to Republicans…

And lest anyone think this is a meaningless little race, consider that the 42nd Ward has, all by itself, more Republicans than many entire counties downstate. In the 2008 November election for example, McCain-Palin received 10,125 votes in the ward. Yes, like all of Chicago’s 50 wards, the 42nd is predominantly Democratic. But the sheer concentration of people still means a lot of Republicans. If Chicago had a functioning Republican Party, the numbers would obviously be better.

A lot of very prominent Republicans live and work in the 42nd and many of those Repubs just don’t like incumbent committeeman Eloise Gerson. She’s made plenty of enemies over the years, while not building much of an organization.

* Smithburg didn’t just come out of the blue. His father is William Smithburg, a very wealthy Chicagoan who has given $300K to candidates over the years. The elder Smithburg is a former CEO of Quaker Oats.

Despite rumors to the contrary, his campaign insists that they’re getting all these endorsements without the father’s direct involvement. David Walsh, for instance, raised money for Sen. Bill Brady’s gubernatorial race and is running the Smithburg race, so that’s how that endorsement was secured.

Whatever the case, I do not believe I have ever seen so many major political figures endorse in a ward committeeman’s race before.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - TV ads and another campaign roundup

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Meh

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I really don’t think these are fair comparisons…

Lawmakers have avoided making the tough calls on major reforms, they confess are needed, in an election year — when all seats are up for grabs.

Legislators spent this week in their home districts, most campaigning before the March 20 primary election. They’ll return here for eight days in March starting March 21, before taking a two-week spring break in April.

To date, the Illinois Senate has been in session 15 days and the Illinois House for 13 days. This time last year the House met on 27 days and the Senate on 18.

Statehouse observers point to the election as a major factor in the lawmakers’ absenteeism.

However, this is no regular election year. The once-a-decade redistricting has several legislators facing new voters in changed districts. New legislative maps are redrawn to match population shifts outlined by the U.S. Census.

“The remap is causing a lot of heartburn,” Christopher Mooney, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield, said.

Lawmakers have used their few days in the statehouse so far this year to take up topics such as registering exotic pets and preventing minors from using tanning beds, instead of tackling the more pressing issues of pension and Medicaid reform.

“It’s an election year, and they don’t want to stick their necks out. Plus they’re busy running for re-election,” Mooney said.

OK, first of all, it’s an election year, so you can’t fairly compare this year’s schedule with last year’s. You’d have to go back two years for a fairer comparison.

Secondly, since when do major issues like state pensions and Medicaid reform ever get decided by March, or even publicly debated? That’s just a bogus argument to make. There are private meetings going on all the time, including this week, on several major topics. It’ll all bubble up eventually, or it won’t, depending. But to say that because we haven’t seen any solutions yet then this session is already a dud just ignores all history.

May is a heavy session month. That’s when the big things will be decided or put off until January, when a simple majority of lame duck legislators can pass some controversial bills. Until then, it’s all just idle speculation.

* What I’ve been wondering, though, is whether a big corporate interest is going to unveil a post-primary initiative. That’s really what has been absent so far this session. We don’t get pension reform bills in March, but we do see other important stuff. The big boys are staying awfully quiet. Too quiet, if you ask me.

* Meanwhile, AFSCME sent over some press clippings from yesterday’s “Day of Action”…

* AFSCME brings protest to Executive Mansion

* Union workers protest Quinn budget cuts

* Workers protest proposed state cuts - Rally in Dixon one of 40 across the state

* AFSCME Protest at Governor’s Mansion

* Workers rally to keep Illinois Youth Center open

* Union protests Quinn plan to close IL facilities

* Local critics say new Illinois budget plan could impact public safety

* Hundreds picket in effort to rescue Dwight prison

* Hundreds Rally Loud and Proud to Save Dwight Prison

* Dwight prison union members rally in 2 locations

* Prison Workers Unite To Save Jobs And Keep Workers Safe

* Members of AFSCME Local 51 protest Quinn budget cuts

* AFSCME workers protest Quinn cuts

* Local union protests Quinn budget cuts

* Protesters to Quinn: Keep Aurora Adult Transition Center open

* AFSCME “No Quinn Cuts” Pickets Hit Murray Center

* Protesters gather in Carbondale

* Rallying To Save Tamms Prison

* Union employees picket against prison cuts in Illinois

* Illinois government workers picket against proposed cuts in staffing, facilities

* State Cuts Protest - Stateliners are protesting some of the cuts Quinn wants to make.

* Public service workers take part in statewide “Day of Action”

Those were some very nice local press pops. But if the union really wants to send a message to legislators, it better show it can pull a Madison and do a sustained Statehouse protest because one-off lunchtime protests don’t really demonstrate a whole lot.

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*** UPDATED x1 *** Madigan still mum on Rep. Smith arrest

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* House Speaker Michael Madigan has yet to comment on Tuesday’s federal bribery arrest of one of his own caucus members…

“It’s all under review,” spokesman Steve Brown said. He declined to elaborate when asked what that meant and said he didn’t know whether Madigan would reach any conclusions before voters go to the polls.

Brown’s been giving me the same line for days.

* More…

Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady criticized Madigan again Thursday for his silence, saying Smith should resign. Brady is particularly piqued by a mail piece Madigan produced for his own re-election race boasting of his efforts to “clean up the mess” when former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other politicians broke the law.

“I guess this time it isn’t politically convenient, so Madigan is sitting this one out — further eroding the public trust and reputation of the state of Illinois,” Brady said in a statement.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn said little more than Madigan about the situation during an appearance in Chicago Wednesday.

“We shouldn’t judge anyone until the jury does and the judge renders a sentence, if that’s the case,” Quinn said.

* Former Republican Party official Tom Swiss is running against the arrested Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) in the Democratic primary. Swiss is complaining about a yard sign that I showed subscribers on Monday…

* NBC5…

Thursday Swiss said Madigan and Smith are sending direct mail to voters in the area intended to smear him. The mailers appear to be a reaction to a billboard purchased by Swiss, who is white, that features an African American. There was some confusion as to whether Swiss was trying to pass himself off as an African American with the billboard. Swiss says no.

“I call upon Speaker Madigan to halt the disgusting smear campaign that is being planned for the final weekend,” Swiss said. “The Speaker should be joining me in calling upon Smith to withdraw, not trying to save Smith from the consequences of his own greedy conduct.”

* Check out this Tom Swiss mailer, “Hey Gorgeous”…

And…

I think that’s what Tom Swiss might call trying to take advantage of an “extremely low information” voter base. The Rep. Smith yard sign could be seen as countering such an attempt.

* Swiss is doing some interesting stuff with the Comed bill issue, however. Click for a bigger pic…

Discuss.

*** UPDATE *** I didn’t notice this Tribune editorial until a reader sent it to me…

You know it’s almost Election Day when the lawn signs start vanishing.

They’re there at night but — whoop — missing in the morning. Usually, nobody’s caught in the act.

But look what happened on the Southwest Side on Tuesday: Chivalrous citizens confronted a man they say was lifting campaign lawn signs. They chased him down an alley, called police and made sure a squad car provided a grand exit from the neighborhood.

Carole Suhanek, a local resident, told us she was walking her dog on 64th Place between Meade and Austin avenues when she noticed a man going yard to yard and plucking out the bright red campaign signs of Illinois House candidate Michele Piszczor. The man claimed he had permission to take the signs, but she didn’t believe him.

She flagged down a neighbor, who chased the man through an alley and called police. Suhanek said officers found at least two of Piszczor’s yard signs in his car. We checked — the car is registered to a campaign worker for House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Yes, Piszczor, 25, is running against Madigan in the Democratic primary.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - EXTRA!

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and a campaign roundup

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I was looking for something quick to post this morning, but just couldn’t find anything easy and then realized I could’ve done a long post in the time it took me to think about a short one.

Such is the life of a blog owner.

So, let’s do a question instead.

* Illinois primary day is to ____ as St. Patrick’s Day is to _____?

Snark is most definitely encouraged.

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ComEd Providing $50 Million in Customer Assistance

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

ComEd is providing $50 million dollars in relief funding over the next five years to eligible customers in need. This support is made directly through the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act Trailer Bill passed last fall, and funds will be provided through the following three programs:

Residential Special Hardship

• C.H.A.M.P (ComEd Helps Active Military Personnel): Active military and veterans experiencing hardship may be eligible to receive a grant of up to $1,000. Other benefits may include: deposit refund, forgiveness of late payment charges, deferred payment plans and budget payment plans. The program will provide $500,000 to eligible recipients in 2012.

• ComEd will launch its Non-Profit Special Hardship program for non-profit organizations in May 2012.

Since 2007, ComEd has distributed more than 930,000 grants to eligible customers who need assistance paying their electricity bills, and our commitment remains unwavering.

Customers may apply for these grants at their local Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) agency. More information is available by calling 888-806-CARE or by visiting ComEd.com/CARE.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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