The Capitol Fax Blog » Morning shorts

Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007

* Ex-Ryan aide pleads guilty

* Illinoize: Med-Mal ruling not a surprise, but it will have impacts

In fact, there has never been a doubt that the Illinois Supreme Court would ultimately rule on the constitutionality of the 2005 law and the fastest – maybe the only – way to get the law to the Supreme Court is through a lower court ruling of unconstitutionality.

So the process is a step closer to conclusion and, frankly, no one is surprised.

* PeoriaStory: Newspaper guild OKs contract

* CeaseFire funding all but dried up

* State grants funds for U of I super-computer

The building on the Champaign-Urbana campus will house the computer known as Blue Waters, which will be the fastest computer in the world when it is finished in 2011. The university’s bid to build the computer came with a pledge from Gov. Rod Blagojevich that the state would kick in $60 million.

* ‘Illinois Works’ needed to update automotive technology facilities at SIU campus

* IL to crackdown on motorists over Thanksgiving

* Congressman Hare gets noticed as free trade critic

* Ex governor Edgar set to back Giuliani

* Michael Sneed: Edgar to endorse Giuliani

Watch for former Gov. Jim Edgar to formally endorse GOP presidential contender Rudy Giuliani today at the Chicago Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

“It’s a major endorsement for a state which doesn’t have a single Republican on the statewide ticket,” said a Republican source. “Gov. Edgar has a reputation for integrity and continues to remain popular with the voters.”

* 11th-CD candidate Lee wants U.S. to compete in world market

* ILGOPNet: Oberweis consultant comments on what’s next after Hastert resignation

* Peoria Pundit: [Press Release] Morris pledges ‘no new taxes’

* City mail delivery improves study finds

* Does McLean Co. need panel to vet complaints against officials?

* Bike trail grants flow into county

* SBA offers disaster assistance to Illinois residents affected by tornadoes, severe storms and flooding

* Spontaneous Solutions: Stuff that Rich Miller would never post

* Support for Stroger budget is a no show

Three major Cook County elected officials declined Monday to endorse board President Todd Stroger’s plan to more than triple the county sales tax as they stood with him at what he hoped would be a show of support for his budget.

* Stroger political fund must pay $25K fine

Stroger’s 2006 foe, Republican Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, had filed a complaint asking that Stroger’s fund be fined the full $255,816. But the election board chose the lower fine because the fund is a first-time violator of state campaign-finance laws.

- posted by Paul Richardson

4 Comments

- Cassandra - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 9:47 am:
Isn’t CeaseFire a nonprofit. Wonder what happened to the private donors, who include some heavy hitters according to the organization’s website.

Could these donors be less than enthused with Ceasefire’s management of its funds; I believe there were some questions earlier this year.
Or are they less than enthused with results. How does Ceasefire measure and prove results? The mere coexistence of a reduction in shooting deaths and
Ceasefire employees doesn’t seem to be proof enough in the short run.

Simply handing over state money to communities awash in drug money, whose residents seem less than energetic about managing local crime and drug dealing, may not be the highest priority for middle class taxpayers’ money, especially since so many groups and enterprises out there are competing for it–and competing to raise our taxes as well.

- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 9:54 am:
The spin out of the insurance industry, which heavily funds the Illinois Civil Justice League, is surreal. When the 2005 caps on medical negligence verdicts were being debated, the insurance industry assured lawmakers that the bill was constitutional. Now they claim that the unconstitutional ruling is “not a surprise.”

ICJL is also claiming that Illinois needs to pass Texas-style medical malpractice caps, to boost the economy and increase the number of doctors. But according to the U.S. Census and state regulators, Illinois families make earn 16% more per year and Illinois has 30% more doctors per capita.

Any lawmaker who believes any of the bunk coming out of the ISMIE-ICJL-Insurance Industry cabal deserves what they get in the next election.

- Levois - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 9:58 am:
Does this mean that the U of I is going to build the HAL 9000 computer. Even though it should have been built over a decade ago. LOL!!!

- Snidely Whiplash - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 12:07 pm:
On Edgar’s endorsement of Rudy G.: C’mon, their practically twins in terms of political philosophy … this surprises anyone?

On the Stroger wrist slap: You expected MORE out of a Democratic election board???

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