Senger: “Vivid demonstration of failure”
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
DARLENE SENGER CALLS ILLINOIS OBAMACARE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS
“A VIVID DEMONSTRATION OF FAILURE”
NAPERVILLE –State Representative Darlene Senger, Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District, issued the following statement in response to government officials announcing that in the first month of enrollment only 1,370 eligible Illinois residents have enrolled in the ACA.
“Illinois has spent over $25 million on top of the federal government’s multi-million dollar website, to enroll the hundreds of thousands of eligible citizens into the Affordable Care Act–but the situation is going from bad to worse. Illinois taxpayers are getting fleeced while people who need health care coverage cannot access it and people who have health care coverage are losing it. Washington needs to consider immediately delaying the individual mandate and disclosing the true impact and costs of ACA, specifically why so many Illinois families are losing their coverage. We are witnessing a vivid demonstration of failure that is truly impacting people’s access to quality healthcare.”
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Ah, the good old days
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review has published a piece by Robert Klein Engler who wants Gov. Pat Quinn, Rep. Marty Moylan and others excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Moylan used Pope Francis’ statement about gay people “Who am I to judge?” to justify his vote for the gay marriage bill.
Engler is upset that Cardinal George has remained silent…
At one time, Cardinals in Chicago did speak up. In the summer of 1966, Lou Christie’s song ‘Rhapsody in the Rain’ was banned from airplay on WLS and WCFL–the two major pop stations in Chicago at the time, and the nation’s 2nd largest radio market.
The song was banned because of the objections of John Cardinal Cody. “The Cardinal thought that the rhythmic windshield wipers while “makin’ out in the rain” and “makin’ love in the storm,” were just a little too morally corrosive…”
* I’d never heard of that song before. Here it is…
Suffice it to say, Cardinal Cody probably did Chicago radio listeners a big favor.
* Anyway, back to Engler…
How can [the Cardinal] allow elected Catholic officials to go forward with an insult to all Catholics? If the Cardinal reasons that he cannot carry through with this excommunication, then he should give Catholics in the archdiocese an explanation as to why they must tolerate this insult to his office and the Church. […]
See how the mighty have fallen over 50 years in Illinois. Once, a Cardinal with ears wide open, had a song banned from the radio. Some say he was objecting to what could be considered only a venial sin. Another Cardinal, today, with eyes wide open, refuses to stop the Democratic enemies of the Church from inflicting great harm. He is silent about those who commit a mortal sin.
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“A place called Illinois”
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Kirk Dillard opined on the choice of Paul Vallas today…
“With all due respect to Governor Quinn and Paul, it is an all, really City Hall-centric choice. And I think that just outside of Chicago is a place called Illinois.”
* Sen. Dillard was in that “place called Illinois” last night. From his Twitter feed…
Not exactly a moderate, centrist group. From a comment posted here yesterday by the group’s president…
Good riddance to Mr. Metcalf. He might be better off looking for work alongside Gabby Giffords after his ill-considered missive.
* More from Dillard, this time on Bruce Rauner…
“I don’t believe Bruce is in align with most Republican values on a lot of things,” Dillard continued. “He’s money only - A RIMO as apposed to a RINO.”
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Prosecutors have urged a federal appeals court to reject former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s legal challenges to his conviction and 14-year prison sentence on sweeping corruption charges, arguing in a lengthy filing that Blagojevich’s behavior was anything but the typical political horse-trading he claimed.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Blagojevich’s attempts to paint himself as a politician engaged in typical negotiations were laughable.
“No matter the price he charges, a public official who sells his office engages in crime, not politics,” the filing stated. “Blagojevich claims that he was convicted based on acts constituting nothing more than common, everyday political horse trading,” the filing went on to say. “In light of the evidence, this is an extraordinary claim.”
* The Question: Since time has passed, have you changed your mind at all about Rod Blagojevich’s conviction and sentence? If so, how? Please explain your answer in comments. Thanks.
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Once more, with feeling
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bad guy…
He lied and lied and lied.
But after years of living high on the hog as a best-selling author and smooth-talking pitchman, Kevin Trudeau’s fate was sealed Tuesday afternoon in about the time it takes to watch one of his fib-filled weight-loss infomercials.
A federal jury needed less than 45 minutes to find that Trudeau, 50, of Oak Brook, was guilty of criminal contempt of court when he “willfully misrepresented” the contents of his diet book, “The Weight-Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About” in three TV ads broadcast in 2006 and 2007.
Though Trudeau shamelessly claimed the book “is not a diet, is not portion control, is not calorie counting” and was a “simple” way to quickly lose up to 100 pounds or more, it in fact required a punishing 500-calorie daily limit; daily injections of a prescription hormone banned for use in diets; multiple colonic irrigation sessions, and strict adherence to dozens of bizarre and quackish rules, evidence showed.
I’m not complaining about this prosecution by the US Attorney’s office. Trudeau is apparently more than deserving, even if he was brought to trial over just three TV ads.
But how about a little, tiny federal effort at punishing the banksters who drove the world economy off a cliff? And I don’t mean singling out one guy who may have lied on a loan application, either.
And how about beefing up the deplorably paltry number of gun violation prosecutions in Chicago?
Trudeau was low-hanging fruit. Reach higher, please.
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Today’s numbers
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Chicago Reporter…
Eight out of 10 misdemeanor cases have been dismissed between 2006 and 2012, shows a Chicago Reporter analysis of records for 1.4 million cases maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.
Cook County’s dismissal rate is among the highest in the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Candace McCoy, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at The City University of New York, said that’s likely the result of a policing strategy she describes as “rounding up of the usual suspects.”
“Police can round people up that they see as disorderly,” said McCoy, an expert on pretrial processes. “Are these people guilty of anything? We don’t know, do we?”
* NBC Chicago…
[Cara Smith of the Sheriff’s Office] said a quarter of the low-level crime defendants currently in jail will have waited more than 60 days before receiving their verdicts.
* And the Twitters…
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Endangered Goat?
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
The Billy Goat Tavern has been a Chicago landmark for generations and a fixture underneath North Michigan Avenue for almost 50 years. And its owner wants to remain there, regardless of whatever redevelopment goes on above it.
Sam Sianis, who runs the tavern and is the nephew of the Billy Goat’s original owner, William Sianis, said Tuesday that he knew nothing of potential plans for a massive redevelopment disclosed Monday that would involve replacing the Realtor Building at 430 N. Michigan Ave. That project, on property located above the Goat, would at least temporarily displace the tavern from the subterranean location it has called home since 1964.
“I want to stay here,” Sianis said. “I’ve been here for almost 50 years. Like the Realtors, I’m part of Michigan Avenue.”
* Bouechieb is my favorite Chicago bartender…
Bouechieb Khribech has served up drinks for 24 years, and echoes the same sentiment.
“If we have to move and remodel, it’s not going to be the same,” Khribech said.
He’s right about that.
* Tribune editorial board…
Since 1964, the Billy Goat Tavern has been housed below Michigan Avenue, in a part of the Realtor Building not even visible from the sidewalk. It’s a watering “hole” in the truest sense and the very opposite of vanity height. It must be saved.
These days, we see a lot of “simulated authentic experiences.” There’s nothing “simulated” about the Goat. It’s authentic, which is one of the reasons why so many tourists are drawn to it.
* I took my dad to the Goat back in the days when I lived down the street. He’d seen the Saturday Night Live episodes, but still ordered fries. “No fries, cheeps,” I said as we stood at the grill. He chuckled, then out of habit ordered a Coke. “No Coke, Pepsi,” I sternly warned him [and, yes, some dyslexia apparently set in this morning and I appallingly reversed the line]. He didn’t realize the TV schtick was actually true, and was tickled to have the experience. He also loved the cheeseburger. I love them pickles.
Look, things change in business. There are bigger issues in the world. But if Mayor Emanuel allows the Goat to be moved or substantially altered, there’s gonna be heck to pay. Journalists and editors love that place. There’s just nothing else like it. He needs to stand up.
* On the bright side, I’ve tried over the years to come up with a Sun-Times column idea that would get me on Sam’s wall. I may now have one.
Hmm.
* Your recollections and thoughts?
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The great pension game
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A pension reform bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly last week has Gov. Pat Quinn in a bind…
The problem is that the Service Employees International Union doesn’t like the bill. At all. And with Mr. Quinn, SEIU has all kinds of bona fides, having donated at least $2.5 million to his campaign four years ago, when he was fighting for his political life.
Specifically, the park district’s largest union, SEIU Local 73, wants him to veto the bill, saying it unconstitutionally deprives retirees of benefits, and that the measure was changed over the union’s objections.
“I don’t think he should sign it,” said Local 73 President Christine Boardman. “I’m going to ask for a veto. The way they’ve written it, it is unconstitutional.” […]
The real question may be whether Ms. Boardman gets full support from SEIU’s powerful state council. That group’s head, Tom Balanoff, has been traveling abroad and was unavailable for comment. If he and the state council really decide to press the issue with Mr. Quinn — as opposed to, say, just nominally urging a veto — the politics of this matter could become extremely interesting.
Quinn brushed off questions about the bill yesterday, saying he hadn’t received the bill yet.
* More about the bill…
Under that plan, people would work until at least age 58 — up from 50 — and workers would pay 12 percent of their retirement costs — up from 9 percent. The park district would pay more, and cost-of-living adjustments for pensions would change.
* Eden Martin doesn’t like it…
The Park District deal increases annual pension funding dramatically between 2013 and 2019. The District’s funding burden will be held low in the near years but ramped up from $11 million in 2013 to a total of about $91 million in 2019, about eight times the funding only six years earlier.
That’s a far steeper ramp-up than the incline built into the state’s pensions schedules. Another way to say the same thing: It’s a far bigger deferral of the burden.
Why such an enormous funding deferral — and steep ramp-up — making funding (i.e. taxing) more burdensome in the future? Why seek to establish this as the pattern for reforming other Chicago pensions?
The only way to deal with an unbalanced budget is to borrow; and there are two ways to borrow. One is to issue bonds — a practice that has been well documented as problematic in a recent Chicago Tribune series. Another way is to incur obligations now — for services enjoyed now — but fund them in the future. The preeminent example of this is the incurring of pension obligations.
This timing mismatch between benefit and funding means that citizens and taxpayers today do not feel the full cost burden of the services they enjoy today. If they felt that full burden now — through current taxation — they would presumably be less willing to accept and fund them. [Emphasis added.]
And therein lies the game: Refuse to compromise on reform; force real, immediate budgetary pain; turn taxpayers against the workers; bust the pension systems and the unions.
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The Rauner report
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
One of the state’s most anti-union groups, Contractors for Free Enterprise, the political action affiliate of The Associated Builders & Contractors Illinois Chapter, endorsed Bruce Rauner for Governor Friday.
“ABC is excited to endorse Bruce Rauner for Governor,” said ABC Illinois President Alicia Martin. “Bruce Rauner has demonstrated an understanding of how state government impacts the economic well-being of ABC members and the economic competiveness of our state,” Martin explained. “The election of Bruce Rauner is important to making sure that Illinois turns the corner to attracting and creating Illinois jobs.”
This is definitely a blow to Sen. Bill Brady, who is a non-union housing developer and was backed by the group in 2010. They don’t have a lot of money, though, so the importance of this endorsement is mostly symbolic.
* In other news…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner won the first ever Lake County straw poll Saturday morning. The results were:
* Rauner - 250
* Dillard - 59
* Rutherford - 53
* Brady -12
Preliminary reports from participants are that the Rauner campaign packed the room, bought a lot of tickets, and bussed people in, including approximately 50 high school students.
The event was held at the Holiday Inn in Gurnee, with tickets $15 each. The event was open to the public, and only ticket holders were allowed to vote.
These straw polls are little more than fundraising events. And while Rauner has come under some criticism for his rent-a-vote activities, that’s what well-organized campaigns do.
The obvious goal here is to make Rauner look somehow inevitable. Winning these straw polls is just one way to do that, and it doesn’t cost all that much if you’ve got Rauner’s money.
* More Rauner connections to the Illinois Policy Institute…
Illinois Policy Institute board member Elizabeth Christie is Rauner’s campaign finance chairman. Bob Costello of the Illinois Opportunity Project – a sister organization to Illinois Policy Institute (which is housed in the same office space) is the treasurer for the PAC running Rauner’s term limits initiative.
He’s got his bases covered. Give him that.
* On the road in Bloomington…
[Rauner] can’t wait to move to Springfield to lead Illinois forward. In fact, he shrugs off Gov. Pat Quinn’s choice of Paul Vallas as his running mate because he calls the Chicago Democrat “the worst governor in America.”
“The choice is all nice but the sad fact is he’s not a leader, he’s not a manager, he’s not a doer, and he’s got the power,” Rauner said. “As long as he’s in charge we’re going down the drain as a state.”
Rauner said he is the only candidate - Democrat or Republican - who is capable of facing off with House Speaker Michael Madigan to get things done in the General Assembly.
* And in the least surprising news of the week…
State Sen. Kirk Dillard Tuesday won support of Republican township chairmen in his home of DuPage County, where the candidate for governor has pinned a lot of his primary election hopes.
Brian Krajewski, vice chairman of the county central committee called a unanimous vote “obvious” in a statement.
“Our township chairmen couldn’t be more thrilled to support Kirk Dillard and Jil Tracy,” Krajewski said. “They are by far the most qualified and prepared to lead our state.”
Dillard once chaired the county party.
* Related…
* Treasurer trying to reunite veterans with lost medals
* Rauner and Dillard lead Cuba Township GOP’s first straw poll
* Rauner woos Chicago Republicans
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A strong case
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As we’ve already discussed, the Illinois Republican Party is taking a look at Paul Vallas’ residency status. Burt Odelson told Phil Kadner pretty much the same thing that he told me yesterday…
Since 2007, the Vallases have owned a house in Palos Heights, although some people question whether Vallas actually lives in Illinois — having spent years in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Haiti, Chile and most recent Connecticut, where he’s superintendent of the Bridgeport schools.
“He most certainly is a resident of Illinois,” said Burton Odelson, an Evergreen Park election attorney who filed an unsuccessful residency challenge against Rahm Emanuel when he ran for Chicago mayor two years ago.
“The difference between Paul and Rahm is that Paul still owns his home in Palos Heights, at 125th and Nashville, and sleeps there when he’s not in Philadelphia, Haiti, New Orleans or wherever,” said Odelson, who quickly added that he’s an attorney for Quinn’s campaign for re-election.
“He (Vallas) pays property taxes on the house. Income taxes in Illinois. Has always maintained his voter registration and driver’s license here,” Odelson said. “Rahm couldn’t even get into his house because he was renting it out. He didn’t have a key. He paid taxes in Washington, D.C.
“Paul’s wife and two sons live in Palos Heights (the Vallases have three sons). But the fact is none of that really matters any more because the (Illinois) Supreme Court decision basically said home is where the heart is. All the residency requirements that used to exist, and there were a laundry list of them, no longer exist because of that decision (in the Emanuel case).”
Odelson said he wouldn’t be surprised if someone challenged Vallas’ residency in court, but “they’re not going to win.”
* Meanwhile, the thing to always remember about the Chicago media is that it’s always about the mayoral angle…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday applauded Gov. Pat Quinn for choosing proven “education reformer” Paul Vallas to be his running-mate and said he’s not at all concerned that Vallas could some day run for mayor.
“I supported the governor before he made this decision. I’m going to support the ticket in the upcoming election. And he’s picked somebody [who] has been an education reformer,” the mayor said.
“Paul Vallas has been a leader in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Bridgeport, Ct. in education reform, bringing both accountability and choice in education. That has been, I think, something that’s been important. And the governor made the decision to pick Paul Vallas based on his record as being a strong advocate for education reform.”
Emanuel was asked whether he’s concerned about Vallas challenging him in a 2015 race for mayor if he and Quinn lose the 2014 race for governor.
Chicago, you’ll recall, has a one-year residency requirement. Vallas currently lives in the suburbs, so he’d have to move into the city before February 24th, 2014, which is about a month before next March’s statewide primary.
Highly doubtful, to say the least.
Move along, nothing to see here.
* Vallas himself was dismissive of the idea…
Mr. Vallas did rule out a future race for mayor of Chicago, though the prospect of a race between him and incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel enthralls some reporters.
“The only mayor’s race I could run for is mayor of Palos Heights,” where he has maintained his legal residence despite stints running schools in Philadelphia, New Orleans and Bridgeport, Conn. “No, I’m not running.”
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Caption contest!
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn and his new running mate Paul Vallas at breakfast yesterday morning…
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