*** UPDATED x1 - Video *** State Fair report
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Well, here’s some good news. My iPhone’s AT&T service actually worked at the State Fair last night, probably because there wasn’t a big concert and crowds were kinda thin (Monday’s don’t seem to draw large crowds). I doubt it’ll be the same the rest of the week, though.
* I stopped by the Commodities Pavillion to check out the table I sponsored this year at the Pork Producers’ booth. The graphic is based on this painting by my niece Reagan…
But it didn’t show up too well…
Oh, well. Live and learn, I suppose.
* I also tried this while I was at the pavillion…
Not so great, I’m afraid.
* I tried a different corn dog than my usual Miller’s and it wasn’t good. Never again. The emcee at the draft horse competition thought he was a comedian, so that was a little tedious. The pierogies I bought at Ethnic Village were on the bland side. It rained for a while.
But I did see some cool exotic animals, had a great pork chop sandwich, had a nice Sky Tram ride, and thoroughly enjoyed a long walk around the fairgrounds on a beautiful evening.
Even when things go a little wrong, the Illinois State Fair just can’t be beat.
* Blogging will likely be light to non-existent the rest of the day because I have to leave soon for the “celebrity” harness horse race, which I’m in, as usual, and will start at about 1 o’clock. Be there or be square!
*** UPDATE *** I finished in the money. HDems won, SGOPs placed, Governor’s office was out of the money…
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
When a federal judge ruled New York City’s “stop-and-frisk” procedures unconstitutional yesterday, its defenders fought back aggressively. One, former New York governor George Pataki, even name-checked Chicago as a city that should implement the controversial crime-fighting strategy. While its supporters have heralded the strategy’s success, the judge, Shira Scheindlin, said it amounted to a “policy of indirect racial profiling.” But Pataki was among those heralding its success while also taking the opportunity to go after President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, and Obama’s adopted hometown of Chicago on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show:
“If Holder and Obama want to investigate a police department, why don’t they look at Chicago, where the civil rights of young African-Americans are being not only taken away, but they’re being murdered in record rates in the South Side of Chicago? The policing there leaves something to be desired when it comes to protecting the constitutional rights of young African-Americans to walk the streets with life, liberty and in the pursuit of happiness.”
A bit over the top.
* New York Times…
A federal judge ruled on Monday that the stop-and-frisk tactics of the New York Police Department violated the constitutional rights of minorities in the city, repudiating a major element in the Bloomberg administration’s crime-fighting legacy.
The use of police stops has been widely cited by city officials as a linchpin of New York’s success story in seeing murders and major crimes fall to historic lows. The police say the practice has saved the lives of thousands of young black and Hispanic men by removing thousands of guns from the streets.
But the judge, Shira A. Scheindlin, found that the Police Department resorted to a “policy of indirect racial profiling” as it increased the number of stops in minority communities. That has led to officers’ routinely stopping “blacks and Hispanics who would not have been stopped if they were white.”
* From ABC News…
In 2012, New Yorkers were stopped by police 532,911 times. In 55 percent of the cases, the suspect was black and in 10 percent of the cases, the suspect was white. In 89 percent of the cases, “the suspect was innocent,” said the NYCLU.
Similarly in 2011, 53 percent of New Yorkers who were stopped and frisked by police were black, and 9 percent were white. In 2010, 54 percent of New Yorkers who were stopped and frisked were black, and 9 percent were white.
Approximately 90 percent of New Yorkers who were stopped and frisked between 2010 and 2012 were “totally innocent,” according to the NYCLU’s analysis.
A spokesman for the NYPD reviewed the numbers the NYCLU used in its analysis and verified them against raw data the NYPD collected from every police precinct in New York City.
* The Question: Your thoughts on “stop and frisk”?
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Mell aide replaces Mell who replaced Mell
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This photo pretty much says it all…
The cutline, for those of you who don’t know who these folks are…
Michael Kasper, left, swears in Jaime Andrade as the new State Representative for the seat left vacant by Deb Mell.
“You’re in the Army now.”
Have fun with your captions.
* AP…
A onetime aide to former Chicago Alderman Dick Mell will replace his daughter in the Illinois Legislature.
Jaime Andrade Jr. will take the seat held by Deborah Mell. She left the Illinois House to replace her father on Chicago’s city council when he retired after nearly 40 years representing the ward on the northwest side.
Andrade was selected by ward committeemen to represent the 40th District. Dick Mell is still the powerful Democratic committeeman for his ward.
* Tribune…
The appointment of Jaime Andrade to the House seat vacated by Deb Mell completes a chain of succession the elder Mell first laid out shortly after announcing his plans to retire the seat he held for almost 40 years.
Andrade, 40, was Mell’s top aldermanic assistant for more than 15 years. He also works as assistant sergeant of arms for the City Council, earning more than $89,900 a year. Andrade said he will resign that post in order to fully focus on his new job. […]
Picking a Latino for the seat was viewed as an important decision for the district which, based on the 2010 federal census, is 49 percent Hispanic, 37 percent white, 9 percent Asian and 4 percent African-American.
Andrade said his heritage will help him connect with non-English-speaking members of the community but said voters in the district are highly informed and will support a candidate based on qualifications, not race.
So, the House loses an out gay legislator in Deb Mell, but it gains a Latino who favors gay marriage. Kasper’s involvement means the House is probably also gaining what will likely be a more, um, “regular” soldier than Ms. Mell was.
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Al the Pal returns to Springfield
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sneed…
Former U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon, once a household name in Illinois, has just penned an autobiography, “The Gentleman from Illinois.”
Dixon, who lost re-election in 1992, served 43 consecutive years in elected office. He was a . . .
◆ State representative? Check.
◆ State senator? Check.
◆ State treasurer? Check.
◆ Secretary of state? Check.
◆ U.S. senator? Check.
◆ Ink spot: Dixon, who won election 30 times and suffered one defeat, will be signing books at Boone’s Saloon in Springfield on Tuesday night.
Should be an interesting crowd. I’ll be there. The Boone’s event starts at 5 o’clock this afternoon.
* From the Amazon book description…
In 1993, Alan J. Dixon’s political career came to an end with a defeat—the first one in his forty-three years of elected service. Beginning his legislative career in 1950 as a Democrat in the Illinois House of Representatives, Dixon also served in the Illinois State Senate, worked as state treasurer and secretary of state, and concluded his political career as a U.S. senator. The Gentleman from Illinois is an insider’s account of Illinois politics in the second half of the twentieth century, providing readers with fascinating stories about the people he encountered and events he participated in and witnessed during his four decades of service.
With a degree of candor often unheard of in political memoirs, The Gentleman from Illinois reveals Dixon’s abilities as a storyteller. At times chatty and self-effacing, Dixon pulls no punches when it comes to detailing the personalities of major political figures—such as Mayor Richard J. Daley, Adlai Stevenson, Paul Simon, and presidents of the United States. Indeed, he uses this same honest approach when examining himself, fully describing the setbacks and embarrassing moments that peppered his own life.
As a moderate Democrat who regularly crossed party lines in his voting and his views, Dixon also shares his thoughts on the proper way to run a government, the difficulties of passing legislation, the balancing act required to be a statewide official, and other valuable observations on local, state, and national politics. Full of behind-the-scenes insights presented in 121 short vignettes, The Gentleman from Illinois entertains as much as it informs, making it a necessary book for everyone interested in Illinois politics.
* The book has its own Facebook page as well.
* Bernie…
Back in May, Dixon talked about the book when he was in Springfield for a fundraiser hosted by Sangamon County Young Democrats to benefit a summer food program run by the Illinois Coalition for Community Services. The book’s cover picture, he noted, shows him speaking to ward committeemen in Chicago as then-Mayor Daley “sits there stroking his chin.” Dixon also made it clear that he’s really anxious for people to enjoy his stories.
On the subject of food, Dixon told the gathering one of the stories in the book: how he worked to keep $100 million for a food program in the federal budget that was on the chopping block under President RONALD REAGAN. He said he got a letter from then-Chicago Mayor HAROLD WASHINGTON asking for help. He called Washington and said, “I would be his instrument and return that money to the budget.”
In those days, he said, “one of my great friends” was then-Rep. DAN ROSTENKOWSKI, D-Chicago, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
“And Rosty’s best pal was the Speaker of the House, TIP O’NEILL, and I used to go out and have an occasional drink with those guys,” Dixon said. “So I got together with them and introduced the bill to put the $100 million back in the budget. … We kicked out the money for covert assistance to the contras in Nicaragua and put in the money for food for people.”
* Check out the blurbs…
“Alan Dixon served more than forty years in elected office, and never wavered from his characteristic civility and kindness. His career is proof that a strong leader can treat even his greatest adversaries with the greatest respect.” —Richard M. Daley, former mayor of Chicago
“Here’s the good one—the book we waited 20 years for. The Gentleman from Illinois chronicles Alan Dixon’s four decades in Illinois and Washington politics, and gives us a ring side seat to the passion, intrigue, and excitement that seeking and holding public office in a state like Illinois can command. One of the state’s most revered public servants has told it all without fear or favor and we are right there with him”—Governor James R .Thompson
“Like Alan, The Gentleman from Illinois is entertaining, enlightening, and informative, and I highly recommend it.”—Sam Nunn, former U.S. senator from Georgia
Discuss.
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Today’s numbers
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a Sun-Times editorial…
One promising proposal that will be brought to the Legislature when it reconvenes would offer prisoners at least 50 years old who have served at least 25 years an opportunity to go before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and request parole. By no means should all these inmates be freed, but those who are ill or who have changed their behavior should be considered.
Older prisoners cost the state roughly $75,000 a year, prison reform advocates estimate, compared with the average of about $22,000.
Wow.
* The Tribune gets a bit snippy over some numbers…
The leaders of Chicago Public Schools thrilled the crowd last week with the announcement that the system will drop a raft of standardized tests beginning this school year.
Teachers have complained that standardized tests drain valuable class time and constrict what they can teach. Some parents have joined the chorus, arguing that their children spend too little time on instruction and too much time drilling for test prep. At a Chicago Tribune forum this year, schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett got lots of applause when she emphatically stated that kids take too many tests.
The new move means CPS will administer 10 tests this year across all grade levels, down from 25. […]
We suppose there has been test creep, but pardon us if we don’t join the hallelujah chorus.
Test creep? It looks more like test takeover.
* SJ-R...
Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law a bill that allows gambling winnings to be seized to pay past-due child support. The bill is effective immediately.
Under the bill, larger winnings that are required to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service on form W-2G can be seized to pay overdue child support owed by the gambler. Those winnings include things like $1,200 or more from a slot machine or $600 on a $2 bet on the horses.
* From a press release…
Thanks to a bill signed into law last week, victims of child sex abuse will now be able to obtain justice.
“As we have seen time and again, people are often well into their adult lives before they are psychologically capable of coming forward about abuse inflicted on them as children,” said State Senator John Mulroe (D-10th), the bill’s co-sponsor. “By then, the timetable may have run out, making it impossible to seek justice from abusers.”
Senate Bill 1399 removes the statute of limitations for civil actions based on childhood sexual abuse. Under former law, the statute of limitations to report childhood sexual abuse was 20 years from the date the victim recalls the abuse. The new law, which will go into effect January 1, 2014, removes the statute of limitations altogether, allowing a person to bring a civil action based on childhood sexual abuse at any time.
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Just an ordinary average guy
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner will be hosting a hot dog and chips luncheon at the IL GOP”s State Fair celebration Thursday. Monday, in an email to supporters, Rauner announced he was planning to take his Harley down to the capital - something kind of unexpected by most, unless you’ve noticed Rauner arriving at a pig roast in McHenry County in late June or at a recent parade where he participated on board his Harley.
Yep. He’s just exactly like you and me, except he grew up in privilege and is now worth megabucks.
* IR also wonders whether Rauner supports ABATE by not wearing a helmet. Actually, ABATE is pro-choice on helmets. Todd Vandermyde, the group’s longtime lobster, usually wears a helmet.
Rauner with helmet…
Sans…
Captions?
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Sen. Kirk begins to reemerge
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is good news…
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk is making his first trip to central Illinois since his January 2012 stroke.
Kirk’s keynote appearance at Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair on Thursday will be his first major political event since he revealed his intention to run for re-election in 2016.
The Highland Park Republican was first elected to President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat in 2010 and has been influential in reshaping the party’s political strategy.
Kirk’s spokesman says the senator will not endorse anyone in the 2014 Republican primary.
…Adding… Kirk won’t be endorsing in the gubernatorial primary. Apparently, he’s keeping his options open on the other races.
Kirk is also the special guest at Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka’s annual State Fair reception.
* More…
Kirk, the Illinois GOP’s top officeholder, was first elected to President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat in 2010. Before being sidelined for nearly a year by an ischemic stroke in Jan. 2012, he played an instrumental role in reshaping the party’s political strategy, both in revamping fundraising efforts and in working with the Illinois delegation to avoid costly primary matchups, which he refers to as “red on red” warfare.
Kirk’s renewed efforts, many of which will likely be behind the scenes, come at a pivotal time as Republicans work to reclaim the governor’s mansion and win several top-tier congressional races in 2014.
“I think it’s incredibly important to our viability,” said Jack Dorgan, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. “Any time a U.S. senator gets involved in something, people stand up and take note.”
* Kirk is also hosting a veterans’ jobs fair with Aaron Schock…
It’s billed as one of the biggest veterans events the area has seen, and the two federal lawmakers sponsoring it hope they can help hundreds throughout the region.
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, are pooling their efforts for the Central Illinois Veterans Employment and Resources Fair, which they say is unlike anything. More than 150 vendors, organizations and employers will be at Bradley University’s Renaissance Coliseum.
Veterans can get free health screenings from Veterans Administration medical staff, attend breakout sessions on how to prepare a resume, how to obtain a union card and how to navigate the VA claims system.
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Where do government workers live?
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Via Greg Hinz, we have a new study of where government workers live in Illinois. A few dot points…
* Four of the ten House districts with the highest amount of public workers have Republican Representatives. Two of the ten Senate districts with the highest number of public workers have a Republican Senator.
* In the House, of the 782,212 public employees, 58 percent of are in Democratic districts and 42 percent are in Republican districts.
* In the Senate, 66% of public employees are in Democratic districts.
Keep in mind that we’re talking about all government workers, including state, federal, local, school and university. The study, which used data from the 2007-11 American Community Survey, also includes part time and temp workers.
* A full list of government workers by state legislative districts is here. Go check it out.
* An interactive state district map…
* Greg…
Some of his findings help explain why government pension reform is such a tough sell in supposedly conservative areas outside of Chicago. Others pose new questions, such as why North Side liberals tend to elect politicians who back spending that employs residents of other neighborhoods, not theirs. […]
Of the 15 Illinois House Districts that ranked highest in terms of share of the civilian workforce that was employed by government, 10 were in Downstate areas that were home to institutions such as the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and the like, or which had a large prison in or near the district. The other five were in black areas in southern Cook County. […]
Another question: What is the impact in black neighborhoods that already are behind the economic curve in some ways when one of the more stable sources of good jobs — government — pulls back.
* That’s a good question. Bloomberg had a story about this the other day…
Public-sector workers are [nationally] disproportionately black. In 2011, about 19 percent of black workers were employed by the government, compared with 14 percent of whites and 10 percent of Hispanics. That figure used to be even higher (21 percent in 2008-2010), but the recession and its aftermath have been hard on public-sector workers. Berkeley economist Steven Pitts has called government jobs a “pillar” of middle-class African-American life. […]
The upshot is pretty clear: Reducing the value of public pensions and other benefits wouldn’t just hurt blacks disproportionately; it would do so at a time when other economic trends have already hurt them more than most.
Discuss.
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