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* A quick roundup to start your day…

* Darren Bailey makes stops in Southern Illinois Thursday on his state wide bus tour: “Gas, groceries, heating our homes. It has become too much. It’s too much. And it’s unfortunate that the little things, the sweetest things in life. We’re having to cut those out and it shouldn’t be that way. We can fix that. We can fix that. And we will. And it will start on November nine, Friends.” Bailey and Trussell also made a stop in Mt. Vernon, Anna, and Harrisburg. They were joined by Senator Terri Bryant and Representatives Paul Jacobs and Patrick Windhorst.

* Formerly incarcerated people in Illinois would get help finding jobs if a proposed bill passes: With the national unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated residents standing at about 27%, compared to 5% in the general population, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a nonpartisan think tank. Now, Illinois lawmakers and advocates hope the proposed SAFER Communities Act will further help returning citizens — while at the same time helping small businesses and communities, too.

* As candidates fill the airwaves, spending on campaign ads hits a record pace: According to the firm, combined spending on TV and radio since July 1 has hit the $65 million mark. A few more ads likely will be purchased, but the $65 million includes payments for ads that will run over the next two and a half weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

* Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza touts a financial rebound while her GOP opponent questions her ties to Madigan: Teresi, 38, has since run a low-profile campaign in her bid to unseat Mendoza, attempting to tie her opponent to Democratic corruption while arguing that her financial credentials make her better suited for the relatively obscure state office, which oversees the state’s checkbook. Mendoza, 50, who made a failed bid for Chicago mayor in 2019 and is often seen to still have higher political ambitions, isn’t shy about taking credit for a modest rebound in the state’s finances during her six years in office — she was elected to a full term two years after winning a special election in 2016.

* Senate District 36: Candidate Halpin answers questions on pandemic, jobs and public safety: “Like throughout Western Illinois what Galesburg needs is jobs, jobs, jobs. We’ve seen over the years companies continue to shift jobs overseas and down to Mexico. I mean it’s been happening for 20 years or more. Maytag leaving in 2004, Gates Rubber shutting down divisions, any number of businesses throughout western Illinois. And so we need to start bringing things back,” Halpin said.

* Our public servants are getting old. Are toxic politics scaring away young people?: “We need a new generation,” U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Oct. 9. “We need new blood, in the House, the Senate and White House. I think that the country has been saying that.” I’ll add that we need new blood on city councils, village boards, township boards, park boards, library boards and other local units of government.

* Beyond the Race for Governor, This Illinois Election Will Feature Some Big Decisions: The balance of the state’s Supreme Court, which brings with it questions over major issues like abortion; races that could determine control over the U.S. House of Representatives; whether or not Illinois’ constitution will change and more could all be decided

* More to come!

posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 8:30 am

Comments

Good stuff, Isabel

If we want safer communities, the we must commit to mainstreaming formerly convicted citizens. This is not rocket science. Restitution must include restoring the hopeless, those who were lost, the incarcerated, etc.

Anything less just invites future social ills and crime. We can do better than a 27% unemployment rate for former criminals. We can help them become future contributors.

Comment by H-W Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 8:42 am
So, Darren has a plan to solve worldwide inflation. Cool, can’t wait to hear it…

Comment by Ryan Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 8:46 am
==According to the firm, combined spending on TV and radio since July 1 has hit the $65 million mark. A few more ads likely will be purchased, but the $65 million includes payments for ads that will run over the next two and a half weeks before the Nov. 8 election.=

In any honest, sane evaluation that’s a disgusting amount of money –much of which could have been spent across the state to otherwise help people who need it.

Comment by Responsa Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:08 am
I’ll add that we need new blood on city councils, village boards, township boards, park boards, library boards and other local units of government.—-nice addition, Isabel. try something, learn, move up the ladder. that is something that cannot be emphasized enough to people who seem to think they should just jump into a field and rule.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:08 am
===have been spent across the state to otherwise help people who need it.===

Uihlein should donate to charity. I bet he does.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:17 am
==much of which could have been spent across the state to otherwise help people who need it.==

Plus as Honeybear said in two replies to two separate posts yesterday, some of that money could have also went to the GRF and then to CMS and other state agencies to help fill long-vacant agency positions.

Comment by AcademicUnionStateEmployee Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:17 am
I would also encourage folks of any age, but especially the younger generation, to take the time to attend governmental meetings. Question how those meetings are made available to the general public- livestreamed, archived online, minutes posted in a reasonable amount of time… or none of the above. Also, does the general public have access to all materials (non CBI or PII) that the board or committee members have access to prior to a meeting? When a motion to “Pay All Bills” is made, do you know what bills are being paid? Are they posted online prior to the vote, or are only the officials being provided that “preview” with their meeting packets. There are still many governmental entities out there that don’t provide these materials to their constituents without a FOIA… in some cases. Or, they are posted after the meeting and votes are taken. Having an agenda item only to go by on the required public notice posting does very little to allow for public comment at a meeting before a significant vote might be taken by elected officials. Get involved early and Question, Research and Be Vocal (banned punctuation). Seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve been attending County Committee and Board meetings for years, and am sometimes the only “public” in the audience.

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:21 am
For why younger people aren’t running for public office - I think toxicity might be a part, but a small part. I think rather that there are two other bigger reasons.

1) Politicians, like everyone else, are in office longer. It’s harder to compete against someone who has more experience, connections, and money. This is more prevalent for higher offices but can be at the local level as well.

2) The younger generations aren’t as financially stable as the older ones. The Great Recession set back the Millenials’ “typical” life events like buying homes and starting families. So while they might be of the age previous generations got involved, they’re actually further back in that “life arc”. The Pandemic and Inflation also didn’t help them but more seriously affected Gen Z.

Because of those two reasons, I don’t think you’ll see a lot of new blood anytime soon. But that’s just the opinion of a Millenial who serves on a local city committee.

Comment by DuPage Guy Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:25 am
When we married, home heating fuel was 19 cents a gallon. Three years later, while living in Virginia, in a drafty old parsonage it was $1.53 a gallon. Somehow we managed, and will manage now. And oh, our first home loan was 13.25% interest. We were so happy to be in our own house. It was just the way it was. We didn’t blame anyone for any of that. Still don’t.

Comment by Stix Hix Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:25 am
Shouldn’t the sweetest things in life to people of faith like Darrin involve things of relatively low cost, like speaking with your family, cuddling with your partner, attending your worship service, etc.? For me, the sweetest things in life have never come from Amazon or Walmart.

Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 9:36 am
= We can fix that. And we will. =

How are you going to do that, Darren?

Comment by JoanP Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 10:11 am
Running for local offices that govern(ed) the things I love is/was the best. If you can’t run, support good candidates who can. It takes time and a vision for how to make your community a better place. If good people don’t (or can’t step into these positions, the (banned words) will win and make the decisions for themselves and their cronies. Listen, learn, plan and run or support someone who shares your ideas. Three members of our family of four are on local boards and the grandkids are learning along the way.

Comment by froganon Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 10:12 am
Younger people aren’t running for local office because they’re trying to survive financially and raise children in an atomized country that has almost no social safety net.
Not really worth all the chin stroking analysis when there’s a material explanation right there in front of everyone’s face.

Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 10:38 am
I get tired of being the youngest Republican in the room at an event or the youngest person in local government. It has been that way for 10 years and I am still the youngest.

Comment by Holding Back Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 11:04 am
17 days before the election, and DarBy is talking to a smallish group as part of his “statewide tour “covering Mount Vernon, Anna, and Harrisburg. If he doesn’t have that area of the state locked up by now…

You would think his campaign would have him at least somewhere north of I 80, preferably in the collars. Political malpractice.

Comment by Langhorne Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 11:28 am
**So, Darren has a plan to solve worldwide inflation. Cool, can’t wait to hear it…**

Just use a random word generator — it’ll make as much sense as anything Bailey ever says.

Comment by Flapdoodle Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 12:07 pm
Stix Hix……our first mortgage was 11%, and somehow we did fine. It was a different generation, and people were more willing to do without, work hard, and somehow just get ahead.

Comment by Grateful Gail Friday, Oct 21, 22 @ 12:08 pm