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Friday, Jan 6, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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*** UPDATED x1 - Ald. Jackson files as independent delegate *** A caption contest and a campaign roundup

Friday, Jan 6, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE *** Chicago Ald. Sandi Jackson didn’t make it onto President Obama’s delegate slate, so she filed to run on her own today.

[Hat tip to commenter “Southwest Cook.”]

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Tribune…

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum could become Carmel Catholic High School’s most famous alum, but few there today can remember him as a student.

Santorum — who came in a scant eight votes behind Mitt Romney in Tuesday’s Iowa caucuses — attended the Mundelein school back when it enrolled only boys. But he lived in the Chicago area for only a year before graduating in 1976 from Carmel, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and Service Club, a school spokeswoman said.

Not even former Illinois state Rep. Al Salvi knew he went to high school with Santorum until years later.

“He did say he was a quiet kid,” Salvi said. “For him, it was kind of difficult because he was kind of uprooted and brought here for that one year.”

* Photo…

Caption?

* Meanwhile, a conservative Facebook group has endorsed Congressman Don Manzullo and generated a bunch of local TV and print coverage. Adam Kinzinger was not amused…

On Wednesday, Illinois Conservatives endorsed Manzullo in the race for the GOP nomination in the 16th. But on Tuesday – before the endorsement was made public – Kinzinger’s campaign issued the following statement:

“In anticipation of Congressman Don Manzullo’s ‘major announcement’ tomorrow morning in conjunction with the Illinois Conservatives Facebook Group, it is important to note that that the Illinois Conservatives Facebook Group is run by a 20 year old from Congressman Manzullo’s home county and is not an influential voice within the Republican electorate.”

Illinois Conservatives responded with a statement of its own: “I believe Lennie Jarratt, John Bambenek, Michael Harn, Jason Plummer, Don Manzullo, and other conservatives would disagree that our endorsement means nothing,” Illinois Conservatives President Zach Oltmanns said. “If we are not influential then why has [Congressman Kinzinger] spent the last couple days attacking us?”

It doesn’t end there.

Kinzinger’s campaign also disputed an endorsement the group did (or didn’t) make in 2010.

“Also of note, the Illinois Conservatives Facebook Group is reportedly telling news outlets that Congressman Adam Kinzinger received their endorsement in the 2010 Republican Primary. This is completely inaccurate. In fact, the Illinois Conservatives Facebook Group backed David McAloon, who earned 9.6 percent of the vote to Kinzinger’s 63.7 percent in the 2010 five-way Republican Primary.”

* Kinzinger has a new TV ad. Rate it…

* In other news, Newt Gingrich is filing a full slate of delegates today…

(A) list on the Illinois Gingrich website said the candidates include state Rep. Mike Bost of Carbondale, former state Rep. Bill Black of Danville, former state transit official and lobbyist Roger Marquardt and, in a bit of an oddity, state Sen. Darin LaHood — son of Barack Obama’s transportation secretary, Ray LaHood.

The list notably does not include any really big names, such as that of the 2008 GOP gubernatorial nominee, Bill Brady, who had been flirting with the Gingrich camp.

Aides to the (barely) second-place Iowa finisher, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, also are expected to file at least partial slates Friday. Among those active in that campaign are former U.S. Senate candidate Al Salvi and ex-state Rep. Penny Pullen of Park Ridge — both notable social conservatives.

President Obama’s campaign filed petitions this morning as well.

* More from Gingrich’s Illinois website…

The campaign’s political director will be Nick Provenzano, the former campaign manager for Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, and current political aide to Congressman Randy Hultgren. Serving as deputy director will be Chris Provenzano, a former campaign aide and executive assistant to Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. Bruce Donnelly, a grassroots specialist from Lake County and Bob Bednar, the Lake Co. GOP Treasurer, will serve as senior advisors to the campaign.

* Tammy Duckworth got a late start, but she’s just about caught up to Raja Krishnamoorthi’s fundraising…

Democrat Tammy Duckworth’s campaign says she raised more than $470,000 in the quarter that ended Dec. 31, putting her within spitting distance of the $1- million mark when combined with the $476,000 she reported in the third quarter.

Earlier the other Democrat in the Democratic-leaning district, Raja Krishnamoorthi, reported that he had passed the $1-million mark. But the Duckworth campaign points out that Mr. Krishnamoorthi kicked off his campaign a quarter earlier than she did.

* And subscribers knew about this development earlier today…

State Rep. Rosemary Mulligan says she’ll be ousted from the primary election ballot after she wasn’t able to gather enough legitimate signatures to make her candidacy official.

But, the Des Plaines Republican says, she intends to run as a write-in during the primary election with the intention of still being active in the November election to run against Democratic Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan.

“They removed me,” Mulligan said this morning.

“I’m discussing my options with House Republicans right now,” Mulligan said this morning.

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Question of the day

Friday, Jan 6, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* It’s Friday, so how about we loosen things up a bit…

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is bringing her love of banjo to a Chicago audience.

Simon will play Saturday evening for a grand-opening preview of a $16.5 million education and performance venue at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. […]

Simon has played the banjo for more than a decade with her Carbondale band, Loose Gravel.

She’ll join the Hoyle Brothers on stage Saturday. Simon says there’s a joy in live music and the Old Town School will help share that joy.

* In case you’ve never had the pleasure, here’s our lt. governor with her band…

* The Question: What’s your one word reaction to this news?

Please do you utmost to keep your response to just one word. And let’s not be excessively mean-spirited. Thanks.

…Adding… In case you’re interested, LG Simon and Bau Graves from the Old Town School of Folk Music (one of my favorite venues in the world) were on Jonathon Brandmeier’s show this morning. They start a few minutes into the online podcast…

Click to download

…Adding More… No offense intended to the lite guv, but here’s the real deal, Earl Scruggs…

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Cullerton says no cellphone while driving ban yet, wants new gaming talks

Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As mentioned below, Sen. John Cullerton held a press conference yesterday to announce that he was nominating Illinois Commerce Commission executive director Tim Anderson to be the new Secretary of the Senate. Reporters asked him several off-topic questions, including about the the National Transportation Safety Board’s urging of states to ban cellphone use while driving…

Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, who helped put Illinois’ first seatbelt law on the books in the early 1980s, said Tuesday he doesn’t disagree with a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that states ban all cellphone use — including hands-free devices — while driving.

But he said he’s unsure Illinois lawmakers are yet ready to take that step.

“I don’t think there is the political support yet to pass that but I think it’s something that might be inevitable,” Cullerton told reporters. “It could be something down the line, but certainly not right away.”

* More…

It “might be inevitable” that Illinois eventually bans the use of cellular phones while people are in cars, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said Tuesday.

However, Cullerton said it won’t happen immediately. […]

“These are the kinds of things you take incrementally,” he said. “I’ve kind of gotten away from being the main sponsor. … I think that’s something which I’ll leave to the other senators.”

* And via BlueRoomStream.com we have the video…

* Cullerton also answered questions about the stalled gaming bill…

Senate President John Cullerton said Tuesday that he expects lawmakers to take another run at gambling expansion in 2012.

Cullerton took questions from reporters about his legislative agenda at the state Capitol, where he was asked if a gambling plan that included slot machines at Arlington Park and new casinos in Lake County, Chicago and elsewhere was dead.

“No, not at all,” Cullerton said.

The powerful Chicago Democrat said Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan and Rep. Lou Lang of Skokie will have to work with Gov. Pat Quinn to forge a compromise this year.

As I’ve pointed out time and time again over the years, no gaming bill can pass without the governor’s involvement. Quinn either cut himself out or was cut out by legislators during the spring session and that was a big mistake. Then again, Quinn was AWOL last spring on everything. Maybe now he’ll engage.

* Other stuff…

* Hearing requested on Cellini state business

* State hires firm to run video poker monitoring system - Decision points to operations not being ready until near year’s end

* Are investors hungry for new Illinois debt?

* Economic recovery coming?

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Vaught, Cullerton outline some possible pension changes

Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget director talked pensions with Doug Finke…

Quinn is also working to convene a work group to discuss ways of controlling soaring pension costs. The state’s pension costs are expected to increase by $1 billion in the next budget.

There is heated disagreement about whether benefits for current employees can be reduced. But, Vaught said, many attorneys believe that annual cost-of-living increases for pensioners could be reduced without violating the state constitution.

He also said more money could be put into the system from someplace other than the state. That could include higher employee contributions or “more from the real employers of our K-12 educators.”

“Three quarters of pension payment is for employees that are not state employees,” Vaught said. “You have a different employer negotiating pay and benefits, but then the state picks up the pension.”

Not including pension bond costs, Illinois will spend over $1.1 billion to fund the State Employees Retirement System next fiscal year. But it will spend $2.7 billion on the Teachers Retirement System and another $1.4 billion on the State Universities Retirement System. Pushing some of those costs down to local school districts and universities would be quite painful for those guys, but could potentially free up a huge amount of cash for Illinois’ budget.

And as far as COLAs and making employees pay more into the system are concerned, let’s go to the Illinois Constitution…

Membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or
any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.

* Meanwhile, Senate President John Cullerton said yesterday that he wants to look at different ways of getting pension costs under control…

Cullerton said the sort of reduction in pension benefits for current employees under the House bill is forbidden by the state constitution.

Cullerton, who also is eyeing changes in city of Chicago pensions, said he wants to work closely with unions to negotiate changes to the House plan. Cullerton suggested one path to a constitutional solution would be by following “basic contract law.”

“If there’s a reduction in the benefit, there has to be a corresponding consideration, and there has to be acceptance,” Cullerton said.

The Senate president’s comments come during an election year when runaway pension costs could be an issue used against candidates. It remains uncertain at best whether meaningful pension cost reforms could be negotiated in an election year. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn has announced he would pull together a task force to look at solutions.

“We’re not going to be relying on the Quinn administration to come up with a pension proposal, but if they do, it’s all the better,” Cullerton said.

* Via BlueRoomStream.com, here’s the Cullerton video…

Thoughts?

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See you in the new year!

Friday, Dec 23, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Man, I really need a break. I went to the bank twice yesterday and never did do a deposit. The first time I actually forgot to bring the checks. On the second trip I absentmindedly grabbed the wrong envelope off the table, so no checks again.

Oy.

My brain is fried, campers, and so are my nerves. I need to be away from computers, Interwebtubes, telephones and deadlines for a little while. I’ll be back in the new year. I hope all of you have a wonderful and joyous holiday season. And, please, Gov. Quinn, no big announcements while I’m away. Thanks.

* Before I go, Fox Chicago has two new stories on Cardinal George…

* Cardinal George: GOP in ‘Impossible Bind’ on Immigration: George pointed to passages in the Bible, including, “The principle is we’re all made in God’s image and likeness, starting with Genesis. So, you start with respect. And we’re still human, no matter what legal status is. Laws are not absolute.”

* Cardinal Francis George on Christmas and Public Policy Disputes in Chicago: Quinn made similar references to his personal conscience when defending his support for civil unions for same-sex couples. “It’s what he had said, particularly around the civil unions bill, that it was his faith that was prompting him to do this,” the Cardinal said. “And he’s done that on several occasions. It’s also disquieting that he would say, ‘There’s a law and therefore everybody obeys it.’ What if the law’s immoral? I mean, every government has always said that: ‘You must obey the law!’ And people of faith have often said, ‘Well, we will, up to a point,’” the Cardinal continued. “That’s why there are martyrs. If the law is, you know — Everything done in Germany in the 1930s was done legally. But the laws were immoral,” the Cardinal concluded.

You can find unedited videos at that second link above.

* As is tradition, we’ll close the year with Hardrock, Coco and Joe…

* Suzy Snowflake…

* And Frosty the Snowman…

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