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*** UPDATED x1 *** Rate the new Bill Enyart TV ad

Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’m told this begins airing tomorrow…

*** UPDATE *** Bost campaign response…

Enyart says “he has helped Scott Air Force Base grow.”

The Facts Beltway Bill Doesn’t Want You To Know:

-Nearly 3,500 workers will be laid off in the next five years at Scott Air Force Base. Enyart was also absent for a crucial vote for military construction and appropriations.

-Enyart has also turned his back on Illinois Veterans after voting “NO” on a resolution that would have kept military chaplains working during the government shutdown.

-Illinois Veterans have asked Enyart to apologize. One month later, they’re still waiting. Click here to read Veteran’s letter.

Enyart says he is a “supporter of clean coal.”

The Facts Beltway Bill Doesn’t Want You To Know:

-Enyart voted against “The Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act,” (H.R. 2824) and also voted against hard-working Illinois coal miners.

-Enyart also continues his anti-energy record by voting against prohibiting the Obama Administration from conducting its anti-fossil fuel agenda.

25 Comments

Manufacturing news

Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* When I listened to the audio of Gov. Pat Quinn’s Chicago press conference yesterday, I was a bit surprised at the number of questions he received from reporters about the situation in Ferguson, MO. He was asked what his thoughts were about the unfolding drama, he was asked whether Missouri’s governor had asked for assistance from Illinois’ National Guard and then was asked whether he would “entertain” a request from our neighboring state for National Guard deployment.

Listen…

Click to listen

* That last question was by far the weirdest. Are reporters (or editors) really that eager to find an Illinois angle to this story? Apparently so…

Speaking at a bill-signing event on Monday, Gov. Pat Quinn weighed in on the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, that has gripped the nation, saying all of America is vested in unearthing the facts behind the police-involved shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The Aug. 9 shooting of the unarmed black man by a white police officer has torn apart that St. Louis suburb, with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Monday calling in that state’s National Guard to help calm increasingly violent nightly protests.

“I know Gov. Nixon. I have not talked to him,” Quinn said at the Wesley Place, a rehab facility at 1415 W. Foster, where he signed into law two bills addressing standards and accountability at Illinois nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

“I think it’s very, very important that the people be allowed to voice their feelings. It’s part of the First Amendment of our country. I think that law enforcement has to respect that,” Quinn said. “But we also believe in order, and in making sure that everyone has a chance to be safe. I do think it’s important that the governor there did deploy his highway patrol — what we call state police in Illinois — to help local law enforcement get a handle on the situation. It was clearly well-needed.”

And…

When there’s an extreme emergency, Illinois National Guard units have gone to other states to help. Thousands of troops were sent to New Orleans, following Hurricane Katrina, for example.

But Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has not requested help from Illinois’ troops to aide with the Ferguson situation, and he doesn’t expect him to.

Except we’re not talking about a major American city being destroyed, we’re talking about riots in a small St. Louis suburb.

17 Comments

Unclear on the concept

Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Rauner campaign sent out a few news stories covering the candidate’s swing through southern Illinois. Here’s video of coverage by WPSD TV…

Transcript provided by the Rauner campaign…

ANCHOR: Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner is on the campaign trail – today in Marion hoping to connect with the outdoorsmen in the region. He introduced his Conservationists for Rauner Coalition for those who, like himself, enjoy the great outdoors. He says as governor he would work to revamp the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

RAUNER: Our parks are not being taken care of, our national forests are deteriorating, our waterways, we need to enhance our natural resources so families can enjoy them. With hiking and camping and hunting and fishing and riding.

ANCHOR: Rauner says that working to better the department would lead to job creation and improve local national forests and tourist attractions.

Um, national forests? The state doesn’t have enough money to take care of what it has, and he wants to restore national forests? Does he even listen to himself?

* From WSIL TV…

Rauner was very vocal about protecting and maintaining the natural resources in Southern Illinois. He says tourist destinations like state parks and wildlife areas can be utilized to create more jobs and improve the economy.

“The outdoors can generate a lot of economic activity,” said Rauner.

He claims recent state budget cuts have hurt promotion of the state’s natural resources. If elected, he promises to team up with state conservationists to preserve parks and wildlife areas in hopes of boosting the state’s economy.

“Our gas stations can get more gas sold to tourists and travelers,” explained Rauner. “It can help our hotels and restaurants.”

I couldn’t agree more. But how are you gonna do that when you slash the income tax rate while also promising to increase school funding, etc.?

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