I know some of y’all are probably proud of your company. Heck, I’m proud of my company. Then again, my company isn’t under two federal investigations, my company didn’t just file for bankruptcy, my company never used its editorial powers to browbeat politicians into voting to allow lights at my decrepit, company-owned ballpark, my company never used all its powers to snag a riverboat casino, my company never “put on hiatus” one of the better state politics radio shows in recent memory, my company never endorsed George Ryan for governor and I, as company owner, have never been referred to as “the ultimate vulture.” At least not to my face.
In an escalating public battle between two landmark institutions, the Chicago Tribune filed a state lawsuit this morning against the University of Illinois
Sheesh.
* Dear Jim Tobin,
What’s with your crusade against the Illinois State Police? Did you get a lot of tickets or something? No offense. Just asking…
“I think they should lay off all the state troopers. I think they’re a total waste of taxpayer money,” [Jim Tobin, the president of National Taxpayers United of Illinois] said. “We have too many cops and state police have proven time and time again they’re glorified Keystone Kops. We won’t miss them one bit.”
…As an addendum, why would any reporter quote this guy?
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., who is under investigation by the Sangamon County state’s attorney for possible perjury for his January testimony before the Illinois House impeachment committee, was at the Sangamon County Complex Monday.
There’s no official word that Burris was at the building as part of that investigation, though in a recent visit to Springfield, Burris said he was anxious to speak with State’s Attorney John Schmidt.
The Obama administration has turned back pleas for emergency aid from one of the biggest remaining threats to the economy — the state of California.
Top state officials have gone hat in hand to the administration, armed with dire warnings of a fast-approaching “fiscal meltdown” caused by a budget shortfall. Concern has grown inside the White House in recent weeks as California’s fiscal condition has worsened, leading to high-level administration meetings. But federal officials are worried that a bailout of California would set off a cascade of demands from other states.
But, heck, man, your home state needs you now. We’re in seriously deep doo-doo here. Plus, did this dance with Pat Quinn mean nothing to you all those years ago?
As someone astutely pointed out on this blog last week, a state is empowered to raise revenue by taxation and therefore cannot legally be found bankrupt. By the same token, no states (Illinois and California included) have any valid reason for going begging to the federal government. They can deal with their own fiscal problems…..or not, as I am sure we are about to see (Again)!
right on Rich!
When I read that today I was totally stunned. Enough with the spin about Tribune crusades…. don’t they have any editors left over there? It’s just wrong for a “newspaper” to describe itself like that.
When I saw that I thought the Trib was rather proud of them selves to say the least.
I still want to find out if anyone from the Trib has called to try and help someone out using the weight of the Trib?
And, please tell me what the heck Jim Laski was doing on WGN radio this past week-end. If they are really going after corrupt politicians, why do they hire them?
wow. I haven’t seen a beat down that great since Nolan Ryan took out Robin Ventura in 1993. That must have been coming for a longgg time. Hopefully Team America and I will never draw that kind of ire from you as Kirk moves forward and our cheerleading gets louder.
The trib however deserves credit on this. This is a legit story and underscores the arrogance of power in springfield. Every state rep, including republicans should have in its local paper the scores of the kids they clouted into the U of I AND SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS, posted with the average scores of the kids from that local high school so that voters can see. If they were kosher, great, if not, let the attack ads flow in the public square.
When California has funding problems in the coming weeks , we’ll see if Obama says no. He’d be saying no to a lot of overpaid people in California who make campaign contributions to Democrats.
Couldn’t let GM and Chrysler go. Couldn’t let Wall street and the banks go. But state and local governments can go broke. Why not? They only make up about 10% of GDP. With a thriving economy like ours, 10% is easy. The un-united states. A year in CA ain’t worth a couple weeks in Iraq. Sumpin’ kinda sucks bout dis peekchure.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:12 pm:
It seems the University is right on this one and the Tribune is wrong.
Schools cannot release “any part” of a student’s educational record, according to the feds, records may only be released:
# School officials with legitimate educational interest;
# Other schools to which a student is transferring;
# Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
# Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
# Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
# Accrediting organizations;
# To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
# Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
# State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
(a) Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations adopted under federal or State law.
(i) files and personal information maintained with respect to clients, patients, residents, students or other individuals receiving social, medical, educational, vocational, financial, supervisory or custodial care or services directly or indirectly from federal agencies or public bodies;
instead of reaching out to the GOP through intermediaries or only during leadership meetings, have Cross over for a glass of tea and see what you can do one on one. tea cakes are optional, but recomended.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:21 pm:
Mother Tribune wasn’t shy about expressing their opinion about one particular student:
{The squabble over the chief is a distraction and a poor reflection on the state’s flagship academic institution.”}
Much the same way in that Sammy Sosa was a distraction, that they instead chose to capitalize on and market and monetize to the greatest extent that they could, while completely ignoring how harmful such idolatry was and the horrible message that they were sending to our kids.
The reasons one would go to the Sangamon County Courthouse are:
1) Register to vote
2) Visit or bail someone out of jail
3) Pay real estate taxes
4) Attend voter judges classes
5) Look up or purchase a document at the Circuit Clerk’s office
6) Look up or purchase a document at the County Clerk’s office
7) Attend a County Board meeting
OR (drum roll please)
8) Show up with your attorney for an appointment with a certain State’s Attorney, whose initials are John Schmidt, to discuss a perjury investigation.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:24 pm:
“State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said he will advocate on the agencies’ behalf in Springfield. As budget negotiations continue, Brady said the House Republican Caucus is proposing that spending for all new programs be cut, that state employees’ salaries be frozen and that all state agencies — not just the human services — be cut by 10 percent.”
Then you might want to tell Tom Cross, who seems to think that the Number One budget issue is political redistricting.
Love your summaries Rich. Thanks for making the ongoing chaos of IL news somewhat digestible.
The federal government DOES need to help out Calif, and for that matter, IL and many other states right now, in addition to those states needing to get their houses in order, closing corp tax loopholes, and raising taxes ideally progressively not regressively.
The states and their vital services (education, social services, medicaid, food stamps, child care, senior services, corrections, on and on) NEED FUNDING RIGHT NOW or things will go downhill quickly, and crime will go up. ARE INVESTMENT COMPANIES, BANKS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND CAR COMPANIES ABLE TO COLLECT [HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS, REALLY TRILLIONS IF YOU INCLUDE JP MORGAN AND OTHER BANKS AND HEDGE FUNDS] CORPORATE WELFARE AT THE SAME TIME AS VULNERABLE PEOPLE WILL BE CUT OFF FROM ACTUAL WELFARE?????
It’s ok to privatize GAINS (profits) and socialize RISKS???? (dump risk and losses onto taxpayers??)
What are the values and priorities here, they are NOT MINE.
YDD
So all those local newspaper storys about who made the deans list are illegal.
Rich sorry for mentioning Mike Madigan made the most requests to get dim wits into U of I. you wouldnt want to upset the chessmaster would you.
What a load of crap. These same breathless newspaper crusaders will still put the Rose Bowl scores on their front page played by “student” athletes who’s academic qualifications consist of being 6′4″, 230 lbs with a 4.4 40.
And how many trust fund morons are sleeping in until noon on college campuses because they’re “legacies”? Give me a break.
Fed up, your comment was deleted for other reasons. I never got that far into it to see the MJM stuff. For the most part, you’re an excessively rabid commenter.
I don’t read the Trib, they lost me a LONG TIME AGO. What a waste of newsprint. They only parrot big business interests from the Civic Federation, Commercial Club, and Chambers of Commerce. It’s not newsworthy. It’s big business propaganda and brainwashing. In a nutshell, that government is wasteful and useless, and taxes are bad, BAD.
Thanks for nothing, useless newspaper.
If you can’t get the Cook County Board to go along with your plan to fleece public money, you must be extraordinarily bad at it.
- Stuck with Sen. CPA - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:47 pm:
My local paper - The Beacon-News - completely ignored the Lauzen angle in the Trib stories. At least the Kane County Chronicle called Sen. CPA and got a response.
I did see a story in a special insert a couple weeks ago which I enjoyed about a couple from Park Ridge, now in Georgia who set up a gorilla sanctuary. LOVE gorillas.
I’m just wondering, how will the fed gov help out the 50 states w/their fiscal problems? The fed gov will find borrowing more $ from China increasingly difficult and we should all know how devestating using the printing press will be (Weimar Republic - anyone remember that one?). We got our bail out, should we expect another one?
California is the last place to bail out. They’ve got themselves tied up in so many knots with weirdo populist measures they can’t move. That’s a state that should crash so they can get their house in order.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:00 pm:
Un-solicited advice:
You might want to check out the action from today’s Cook County Board meeting, where the County Clerk proposed the elimination of 350 voting precincts under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Election Department, reducing the total number from 2,290 to 1,940.
More than half of these precincts share a polling place with other precincts.
This proposal is allegedly intended to reduce costs associated with the Judges of Elections, equipment programming, equipment delivery and polling place rental fees.
In government; as in politics however, everything is not always as it seems. I think you might want to cynically scrutinize this proposal to better understand the method to the proposed madness.
===That’s a state that should crash so they can get their house in order. ===
If the banks and auto companies are too big to fail, then so too must be the 10th largest economy in the world.
- I'm Just Saying - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:12 pm:
More advice for Charles Flowers…… I’d start Lawyering up realllllly quick, it’s always better to be Lawyered up when the Man calls you in to answer for your sins……
California is the canary state for all the rest of us state’s in the mine. It is a perfect example of why you can’t separate the major issues facing the states. Illegal aliens cost the state of California billions of dollars a year. I was searching for an article I read on the cost of illegal aliens just to the county of Los angelos. I believe it was in the billions. Providing services to non-contributers will eventually bring us all down. Real immigration reform must be a major policy push by the Federal government and all the states. It is great to be our brother’s keeper. But when that brings down the government that is providing the services then the services don’t survive and chaos occurs. Blago started to take us down that road with the non-funded programs he rammed through. This is a build it and they will come problem. If you offersafety net programs to non contributers and allow them to feed off the rest of us more will come to take advantage of the programs.
I am not saying we should turn our backs but we need to come up with a policy that makes these folks contributers to the system here in the United States. WE have to provide the opportunities for people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and become functioning, contributing member of the society. This also goes for all of the citizens who are also on the dole.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:17 pm:
PRECINCT BOUNDARY CHANGES
ITEM #47
Transmitting a Communication from
DAVID ORR, County Clerk
by
JAN KRALOVEC, Director of Elections
The Clerk is submitting for approval changes in precinct boundaries under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Election Department.
The Clerk proposes to eliminate 350 voting precincts changing the total number from 2,290 to 1,940. More than half of these precincts share a polling place with other precincts.
Reducing the number of precincts and combining precincts will save the costs associated with the Judges of Elections, equipment programming, equipment delivery and polling place rental fees.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:20 pm:
Please use your talents to fill space on the struggling Illinoize blog or simply rename it GOPUSA Daily Clips and we can ignore it completely.
Dear U of I President White:
Don’t violate FERPA when assembling the clout list then use FERPA as an excuse not to come clean when you get busted on having a clout list. Also, in the future, please secure faculty support before launching any more $20 million distance learning initiatives.
Dear fellow posters:
Presently does not mean currently. They’re, there and their are 3 separate words that do not mean the same thing. It is should HAVE, not should of, but we’ll accept should’ve (could’ve, would’ve). We all make typos, myself especially, but those are my major grammar/useage triggers.
Dear Tom Skilling,
I realize that, technically, summer doesn’t begin until this weekend. But can you please do something about this perpetual Spring we’re having? Enough already.
Dear White Sox fans,
Remember this series. It’s the closest you’ll get to playoff baseball this year.
Excellent comments, however, our Agency must not be broke; buying brunch for the newly hired Chicago div mgr at $$$$, losing our Dep. Director that BLAGO hired at $100,000 plus …he is going to work for Gov. Quinn. Hired another that worked on Obama’s campaign for just a mere $40,000 and we are going to hire more from Chicago for big bucks…yet most of our programs are on the chopping block? Hmmm…..so much for cut backs and hiring freezes and reining in spending…oh, and the FUMIGATING TOO.
Goebbels would have been proud of this line from the Radogno/Cross article on redistricting:
“It would be wrong for the Democratic leaders to hold the budget hostage to preserve political clout.” I.e., THEY are going to hold the budget hostage to their demands on changing the way redistricting is done, but it will be the Democrats who are at fault for not given in!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:40 pm:
=== Um, has the Rep. heard of the 25 percent reserve? ===
I think he’s saying Republicans are for a $6.2 billion tax increase.
Unless he really means a rollback of all new programs from the last 7 years, which I think saves about $2 B.
That’s a $4.2 B tax increase, which is pretty close to what the Senate passed.
Rich, I need to know for sure, Are the newspapers going out of existence soon? It’s imperative I get an answer soon as I am thinking of buying a Parrot with a comfortably large cage and he will consume vast quantities of newsprint. The content doesn’t matter much considering the use to which it will be put. Or is it redundant to have the Parrot use the Trib? Would the WSJ be more absorbent?
- this voter will remember - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:46 pm:
what is up with Jim Tobin and the Illinois State Police? What happened?
As the 10th largest economy in the world, Gullyvornya should do what the other large economies are doing: provide a safety net, raise taxes on those that can afford it, and cut costs that do the least harm. Taking advantage of the current situation to destroy the safety net while lowering the taxes of the wealthy is criminal.
Burris almost appears to be sniffing around for DoD RandD contracts. Old habits…
- paddyrollingstone - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:00 pm:
Thanks for your comments about the Trib. That paper is literally driving me insane. Their smug attitude towards the GA, the Speaker, Cullerton is unreal. When I was a paperboy in the 70s for them they were cheap and unreliable and took advantage of their employees. Now, their just scum.
Bill, I just talked to Ozzie and he said the foul-smelling water in the visitor’s clubhouse was so high even the rats were gagging. He added that he loves Lou.
Seriously, I love baseball anywhere, but the only thing nastier than the home clubhouse at Wrigley is the visitor’s clubhouse at Wrigley. You’d laugh and hold your nose at the same time if you saw it.
The old ballpark wasn’t built with the sensitivities of today’s big, multi-millionaire athletes in mind.
Still, since Interleague Play, a Cubs/Sox game has never been rained out. They’ll wait all night to get that sold-out crowd.
You may want to provide that same advice to Cubs fans. When the team thinks the answer is former White Sox hitting coach Von Joshua, I think they have some problems.
Tobin is just another one of those that thinks he knows is all and his is the only opinion. Last week he compared Illinois State Police 2000 Troopers to Wisconsin State Police 400 Troopers. Well Tobin they you go again you don’t tell the whole truth. First compare the number of miles of interstates and state highways to Wisconsin compared to Illinois. Next look all the number of vehicles registered in Ill and Wisc. Also look at all the interstate traffic Ill has as people and truck travel through Ill going to other parts of the country. No such thing for Wisc. Next Motor Carrier Safety Officers in Wisc are not part of Wisc State Police , but in Ill they are. Also Wisc State Police are just Highway Patrol , they don’t do investigative work , Illinois State Police has a investigative branch (was know as IBI at one time , then DCI, now under same span of control as the troopers).Illinois has crime labs, is record keeper of finderprints , criminal histories, etc. That Mr Tobin is the whole truth.
THis Just In!
Remember sports fan this is the same convention voted “no” to expanded gaming for capital as BoxedTom and VandaliaFrank had their snouts up Blagoof’s (edited)
Congrats on the Award. The Circular Firing Squad must be so proud. Fire. Aim. Ready!
ILGOP’s State Convention Film “Welcome Home” wins top International Marketing Award
CHICAGO – The Illinois Republican Party’s 2008 State Convention Film “Welcome Home,” recently earned a “Platinum Hermes Award” in the Hermes Creative Awards Competition.
“We are flattered our video was selected for a top honor by such a respected group of international marketing professionals,” said ILGOP State Central Committeeman and 2008 Convention Secretary Tolbert Chisum. “Welcome Home highlights the party’s continued efforts to bring real change to the people of Illinois.”
Hermes Creative Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The international organization consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production, web and free-lance professionals.
If anything, the Trib generated “scandal” has to be alarming to legislators. What counts as clout anymore? Is helping a constituent get food stamps “clout.” In short, what does Mother Tribune view as “legitimate” constituent service? Is the only job of a legislator to vote on bills and make sure the answering machine is on? Maybe what they should do is ask constituents to call the Trib editorial board to find out if the legislator can help them.
From AP article link on another one of today’s threads:
“Newly divorced, Kirk is serving his fifth term in Congress from Illinois’ 10th Congressional District.”
I can understand the original press release, but this is starting to get old. Not that there’s anything embarassing behind it, but if out there too long, it’ll have a negative affect on women.
It’s not the fact that he’s now divorced, but the ongoing “announcement” of it.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 7:41 pm:
47th Ward,
you have always seemed like such a practical guy/gal, that I suspectthat in addition to your hopeless optism and tolerance of Minor League baseball at Major League prices, you probably also purchased one of those pre-planned farewells from Roland’s group at what you thought would be a discount for the benefit of your next of kin.
Perhaps while I am sitting here soaked and waiting for this to get underway, I can pass the hat for you here amongst the bleacher bums in an effort to save you from the paupers grave, where you would end up having to be buried on the South side.
Please let us know however where you thought your final resting place might be. There is very little chance that you will ever see the Cubs in the World Series in your lifetime, and in rhe unlikely event that they do ever get there after you are gone, I would like to know where I should go to plant that large white “L” flag when the series is over.
You must not have gotten the memo, but Don’t back no losers!
Thanks Quinn T, if I’m buried on the south side, make sure it’s face down in the outfield of U.S. Cell-out Field so all of you Sox fans can kiss my behind.
I’m late posting this, but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one spitting pepsi on my keyboard at the Tribune lede. That ridiculous piece of writing comes on the heels of the Sunday wraparound touting all of their projects and reporters as “watchdogs.” Please. Let’s tone down the self-serving pompousness. Since Zell took over, there has been nothing but trouble there. Why not spend a little time focusing inwardly before telling the rest of the planet what to do. The only thing that newspaper has rightfully added to the public discourse in the past year is the Crestwood water scandal. The rest of their “crusades,” like the made-up U of I issue, lack traction and results. I love newspapers. Just not this one.
- long time state worker - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 11:51 pm:
Weren’t we asked to comment on the Obama dance with Quinn to a song used in the National Lampoon’s Animal House movie? Need I say more…?
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 1:51 pm:
The Trib also described its own editorials as “scathing,” which I think is for the reader to decide.
- SamSpade - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 1:56 pm:
Good for you Rich! It is about time someone in the media held the new Chicago tabloid to task for its own problems.
- Skirmisher - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 1:56 pm:
As someone astutely pointed out on this blog last week, a state is empowered to raise revenue by taxation and therefore cannot legally be found bankrupt. By the same token, no states (Illinois and California included) have any valid reason for going begging to the federal government. They can deal with their own fiscal problems…..or not, as I am sure we are about to see (Again)!
- siriusly - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:06 pm:
right on Rich!
When I read that today I was totally stunned. Enough with the spin about Tribune crusades…. don’t they have any editors left over there? It’s just wrong for a “newspaper” to describe itself like that.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:09 pm:
When I saw that I thought the Trib was rather proud of them selves to say the least.
I still want to find out if anyone from the Trib has called to try and help someone out using the weight of the Trib?
- babs - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:14 pm:
And, please tell me what the heck Jim Laski was doing on WGN radio this past week-end. If they are really going after corrupt politicians, why do they hire them?
- i see... - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:25 pm:
the video of obama & gov quinn dancing almost made me pee my pants.
- shore - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:39 pm:
wow. I haven’t seen a beat down that great since Nolan Ryan took out Robin Ventura in 1993. That must have been coming for a longgg time. Hopefully Team America and I will never draw that kind of ire from you as Kirk moves forward and our cheerleading gets louder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUdFOKWC2ME
The trib however deserves credit on this. This is a legit story and underscores the arrogance of power in springfield. Every state rep, including republicans should have in its local paper the scores of the kids they clouted into the U of I AND SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS, posted with the average scores of the kids from that local high school so that voters can see. If they were kosher, great, if not, let the attack ads flow in the public square.
- Belle - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:54 pm:
Obama doesn’t need California exposure anymore. He has his own network, ABC - the All Barack Channel! Let them eat cake:)
- Steve - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:02 pm:
When California has funding problems in the coming weeks , we’ll see if Obama says no. He’d be saying no to a lot of overpaid people in California who make campaign contributions to Democrats.
- Pothole - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:03 pm:
When newspapers disappear, whom will Rich make fun of for bad reporting?
- vole - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
Couldn’t let GM and Chrysler go. Couldn’t let Wall street and the banks go. But state and local governments can go broke. Why not? They only make up about 10% of GDP. With a thriving economy like ours, 10% is easy. The un-united states. A year in CA ain’t worth a couple weeks in Iraq. Sumpin’ kinda sucks bout dis peekchure.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:12 pm:
It seems the University is right on this one and the Tribune is wrong.
Schools cannot release “any part” of a student’s educational record, according to the feds, records may only be released:
# School officials with legitimate educational interest;
# Other schools to which a student is transferring;
# Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
# Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
# Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
# Accrediting organizations;
# To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
# Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
# State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
And Section 7 of Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act specifically excludes:
(a) Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations adopted under federal or State law.
(i) files and personal information maintained with respect to clients, patients, residents, students or other individuals receiving social, medical, educational, vocational, financial, supervisory or custodial care or services directly or indirectly from federal agencies or public bodies;
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:17 pm:
Dear Goc Quinn,
instead of reaching out to the GOP through intermediaries or only during leadership meetings, have Cross over for a glass of tea and see what you can do one on one. tea cakes are optional, but recomended.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:21 pm:
Mother Tribune wasn’t shy about expressing their opinion about one particular student:
{The squabble over the chief is a distraction and a poor reflection on the state’s flagship academic institution.”}
Much the same way in that Sammy Sosa was a distraction, that they instead chose to capitalize on and market and monetize to the greatest extent that they could, while completely ignoring how harmful such idolatry was and the horrible message that they were sending to our kids.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:22 pm:
Tea cakes? Do they have those in Plainfield? Just askin…
- Little Egypt - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:22 pm:
The reasons one would go to the Sangamon County Courthouse are:
1) Register to vote
2) Visit or bail someone out of jail
3) Pay real estate taxes
4) Attend voter judges classes
5) Look up or purchase a document at the Circuit Clerk’s office
6) Look up or purchase a document at the County Clerk’s office
7) Attend a County Board meeting
OR (drum roll please)
8) Show up with your attorney for an appointment with a certain State’s Attorney, whose initials are John Schmidt, to discuss a perjury investigation.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:24 pm:
Unsolicited Advice to House Republicans
If, indeed THIS is your position on the budget:
“State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said he will advocate on the agencies’ behalf in Springfield. As budget negotiations continue, Brady said the House Republican Caucus is proposing that spending for all new programs be cut, that state employees’ salaries be frozen and that all state agencies — not just the human services — be cut by 10 percent.”
Then you might want to tell Tom Cross, who seems to think that the Number One budget issue is political redistricting.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:27 pm:
=== be cut by 10 percent===
Um, has the Rep. heard of the 25 percent reserve?
- state employee - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:37 pm:
Love your summaries Rich. Thanks for making the ongoing chaos of IL news somewhat digestible.
The federal government DOES need to help out Calif, and for that matter, IL and many other states right now, in addition to those states needing to get their houses in order, closing corp tax loopholes, and raising taxes ideally progressively not regressively.
The states and their vital services (education, social services, medicaid, food stamps, child care, senior services, corrections, on and on) NEED FUNDING RIGHT NOW or things will go downhill quickly, and crime will go up. ARE INVESTMENT COMPANIES, BANKS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND CAR COMPANIES ABLE TO COLLECT [HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS, REALLY TRILLIONS IF YOU INCLUDE JP MORGAN AND OTHER BANKS AND HEDGE FUNDS] CORPORATE WELFARE AT THE SAME TIME AS VULNERABLE PEOPLE WILL BE CUT OFF FROM ACTUAL WELFARE?????
It’s ok to privatize GAINS (profits) and socialize RISKS???? (dump risk and losses onto taxpayers??)
What are the values and priorities here, they are NOT MINE.
- fed up - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:37 pm:
YDD
So all those local newspaper storys about who made the deans list are illegal.
Rich sorry for mentioning Mike Madigan made the most requests to get dim wits into U of I. you wouldnt want to upset the chessmaster would you.
- Scooby - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:39 pm:
What a load of crap. These same breathless newspaper crusaders will still put the Rose Bowl scores on their front page played by “student” athletes who’s academic qualifications consist of being 6′4″, 230 lbs with a 4.4 40.
And how many trust fund morons are sleeping in until noon on college campuses because they’re “legacies”? Give me a break.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:40 pm:
Fed up, your comment was deleted for other reasons. I never got that far into it to see the MJM stuff. For the most part, you’re an excessively rabid commenter.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:43 pm:
That Antonio Olivo is wasting his time at the Trib. He should be writing movie promos like….
“In a state gone mad, one landmark institution Towers above the rest…
With a story ripped from the pages of Chicago’s second tabloid, Grave Dancer Productions present:
The Towering Tribferno
Trapped in an industry they no longer recognize, once mighty Trib warriors join White Knight Patrick Collins in a desperate and scathing fight….
…. to right the wrongs of representative democracy….
… and free the good people of Tribuneland from the clutches of the evil Madigan… and themselves.
But while the fight rages on the ground, high in the Tower, sinister forces are playing a very dangerous game….
…. with their ballpark…
….with their retirement plan…..
….with their very livelihoods.
The Towering Tribferno, starring….
John Kass as “The Greek”
Eric Zorn as “The Geek”
and Sam Zell as “The Sneak”
Featuring a cast of hundreds using company time and resources to search for work anywhere in the English-speaking world.
It’s not another day at the office.. this time, it’s personal.
Rated B for Bankruptcy. Some financial material may not be suitable for federal investigators. “
- state employee - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:43 pm:
I don’t read the Trib, they lost me a LONG TIME AGO. What a waste of newsprint. They only parrot big business interests from the Civic Federation, Commercial Club, and Chambers of Commerce. It’s not newsworthy. It’s big business propaganda and brainwashing. In a nutshell, that government is wasteful and useless, and taxes are bad, BAD.
Thanks for nothing, useless newspaper.
- Scooby - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:44 pm:
Unsolicited advice to Charles Flowers:
If you can’t get the Cook County Board to go along with your plan to fleece public money, you must be extraordinarily bad at it.
- Stuck with Sen. CPA - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:47 pm:
My local paper - The Beacon-News - completely ignored the Lauzen angle in the Trib stories. At least the Kane County Chronicle called Sen. CPA and got a response.
- state employee - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:51 pm:
I did see a story in a special insert a couple weeks ago which I enjoyed about a couple from Park Ridge, now in Georgia who set up a gorilla sanctuary. LOVE gorillas.
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:55 pm:
I’m just wondering, how will the fed gov help out the 50 states w/their fiscal problems? The fed gov will find borrowing more $ from China increasingly difficult and we should all know how devestating using the printing press will be (Weimar Republic - anyone remember that one?). We got our bail out, should we expect another one?
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:57 pm:
I should have said - we got our stimulus package, should we expect another one?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 3:58 pm:
California is the last place to bail out. They’ve got themselves tied up in so many knots with weirdo populist measures they can’t move. That’s a state that should crash so they can get their house in order.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:00 pm:
Un-solicited advice:
You might want to check out the action from today’s Cook County Board meeting, where the County Clerk proposed the elimination of 350 voting precincts under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Election Department, reducing the total number from 2,290 to 1,940.
More than half of these precincts share a polling place with other precincts.
This proposal is allegedly intended to reduce costs associated with the Judges of Elections, equipment programming, equipment delivery and polling place rental fees.
In government; as in politics however, everything is not always as it seems. I think you might want to cynically scrutinize this proposal to better understand the method to the proposed madness.
- siriusly - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:05 pm:
Wordslinger!! Hilarious! LOL!!
Towering Tribfurno I love it.
- Obamarama - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:07 pm:
===That’s a state that should crash so they can get their house in order. ===
If the banks and auto companies are too big to fail, then so too must be the 10th largest economy in the world.
- I'm Just Saying - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:12 pm:
More advice for Charles Flowers…… I’d start Lawyering up realllllly quick, it’s always better to be Lawyered up when the Man calls you in to answer for your sins……
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:13 pm:
Ok, scones then if you prefer.
- Irish - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:15 pm:
California is the canary state for all the rest of us state’s in the mine. It is a perfect example of why you can’t separate the major issues facing the states. Illegal aliens cost the state of California billions of dollars a year. I was searching for an article I read on the cost of illegal aliens just to the county of Los angelos. I believe it was in the billions. Providing services to non-contributers will eventually bring us all down. Real immigration reform must be a major policy push by the Federal government and all the states. It is great to be our brother’s keeper. But when that brings down the government that is providing the services then the services don’t survive and chaos occurs. Blago started to take us down that road with the non-funded programs he rammed through. This is a build it and they will come problem. If you offersafety net programs to non contributers and allow them to feed off the rest of us more will come to take advantage of the programs.
I am not saying we should turn our backs but we need to come up with a policy that makes these folks contributers to the system here in the United States. WE have to provide the opportunities for people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and become functioning, contributing member of the society. This also goes for all of the citizens who are also on the dole.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:17 pm:
Sorry; forgot the back up:
Page 26 of 35:
https://agenda.cookctyclerk.com/Upload/Agenda_pdf_061609_28.pdf
PRECINCT BOUNDARY CHANGES
ITEM #47
Transmitting a Communication from
DAVID ORR, County Clerk
by
JAN KRALOVEC, Director of Elections
The Clerk is submitting for approval changes in precinct boundaries under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Election Department.
The Clerk proposes to eliminate 350 voting precincts changing the total number from 2,290 to 1,940. More than half of these precincts share a polling place with other precincts.
Reducing the number of precincts and combining precincts will save the costs associated with the Judges of Elections, equipment programming, equipment delivery and polling place rental fees.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:20 pm:
Right on cue for those Trib enablers:
The New York Times is reporting that Sammy Sosa tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003.
Latest developments from the Chicago Breaking News Center:
http://link.chicagotribune.com/r/OZHORT/N11OU/4204G0/WK3A/BMNWX8/W1/t
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:21 pm:
Dear Illinoize contributors:
Please use your talents to fill space on the struggling Illinoize blog or simply rename it GOPUSA Daily Clips and we can ignore it completely.
Dear U of I President White:
Don’t violate FERPA when assembling the clout list then use FERPA as an excuse not to come clean when you get busted on having a clout list. Also, in the future, please secure faculty support before launching any more $20 million distance learning initiatives.
Dear fellow posters:
Presently does not mean currently. They’re, there and their are 3 separate words that do not mean the same thing. It is should HAVE, not should of, but we’ll accept should’ve (could’ve, would’ve). We all make typos, myself especially, but those are my major grammar/useage triggers.
Dear Tom Skilling,
I realize that, technically, summer doesn’t begin until this weekend. But can you please do something about this perpetual Spring we’re having? Enough already.
Dear White Sox fans,
Remember this series. It’s the closest you’ll get to playoff baseball this year.
Sincerely,
47th Ward
- Justice - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:21 pm:
Excellent comments, however, our Agency must not be broke; buying brunch for the newly hired Chicago div mgr at $$$$, losing our Dep. Director that BLAGO hired at $100,000 plus …he is going to work for Gov. Quinn. Hired another that worked on Obama’s campaign for just a mere $40,000 and we are going to hire more from Chicago for big bucks…yet most of our programs are on the chopping block? Hmmm…..so much for cut backs and hiring freezes and reining in spending…oh, and the FUMIGATING TOO.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:27 pm:
=== however, our Agency must not be broke; ===
It will be in T-minus 14 days….
- Reality Check - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:28 pm:
Wordslinger wins. Hands down. Bra-VO sir, well played.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:29 pm:
Goebbels would have been proud of this line from the Radogno/Cross article on redistricting:
“It would be wrong for the Democratic leaders to hold the budget hostage to preserve political clout.” I.e., THEY are going to hold the budget hostage to their demands on changing the way redistricting is done, but it will be the Democrats who are at fault for not given in!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:40 pm:
=== Um, has the Rep. heard of the 25 percent reserve? ===
I think he’s saying Republicans are for a $6.2 billion tax increase.
Unless he really means a rollback of all new programs from the last 7 years, which I think saves about $2 B.
That’s a $4.2 B tax increase, which is pretty close to what the Senate passed.
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:42 pm:
Rich, I need to know for sure, Are the newspapers going out of existence soon? It’s imperative I get an answer soon as I am thinking of buying a Parrot with a comfortably large cage and he will consume vast quantities of newsprint. The content doesn’t matter much considering the use to which it will be put. Or is it redundant to have the Parrot use the Trib? Would the WSJ be more absorbent?
- this voter will remember - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:46 pm:
what is up with Jim Tobin and the Illinois State Police? What happened?
- Lefty Lefty - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:50 pm:
As the 10th largest economy in the world, Gullyvornya should do what the other large economies are doing: provide a safety net, raise taxes on those that can afford it, and cut costs that do the least harm. Taking advantage of the current situation to destroy the safety net while lowering the taxes of the wealthy is criminal.
Plus what ‘Slinger said.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:50 pm:
AC, perhaps you should buy a dead parrot. Problem solved.
“This is an ex parrot!”
- Lincoln Parker - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:50 pm:
Hilarious transcript from Burris, appearing in Wired no less:
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/06/burris-shock-discovery-pentagon-has-research-labs
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 4:56 pm:
Burris almost appears to be sniffing around for DoD RandD contracts. Old habits…
- paddyrollingstone - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:00 pm:
Thanks for your comments about the Trib. That paper is literally driving me insane. Their smug attitude towards the GA, the Speaker, Cullerton is unreal. When I was a paperboy in the 70s for them they were cheap and unreliable and took advantage of their employees. Now, their just scum.
- Bill - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:01 pm:
Its pretty wet at the ol’ ballpark. Are they gonna get this one in?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:13 pm:
Bill, I just talked to Ozzie and he said the foul-smelling water in the visitor’s clubhouse was so high even the rats were gagging. He added that he loves Lou.
Seriously, I love baseball anywhere, but the only thing nastier than the home clubhouse at Wrigley is the visitor’s clubhouse at Wrigley. You’d laugh and hold your nose at the same time if you saw it.
The old ballpark wasn’t built with the sensitivities of today’s big, multi-millionaire athletes in mind.
Still, since Interleague Play, a Cubs/Sox game has never been rained out. They’ll wait all night to get that sold-out crowd.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:16 pm:
Don’t forget the newly rebuilt playing field drains water from Wrigley faster than Democrats can drain money from VanillaMan’s income!
- 19th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:18 pm:
47th Ward,
You may want to provide that same advice to Cubs fans. When the team thinks the answer is former White Sox hitting coach Von Joshua, I think they have some problems.
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:33 pm:
Rich
AC, perhaps you should buy a dead parrot. Problem solved.
“This is an ex parrot!”
Then I could use an ex Trib for the cage. Thanks!
- Amy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:42 pm:
dear Chicago Tribune: Sammy Sosa failed a steroids test in 2003. talk about toxic assets. told ya Cubs fans. Go Sox!
- The Southern - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 5:42 pm:
Why just wish Roland away? Take Dick “Day Trader” Durbin with him.
Oops I know it’s a sin here to criticize the Durbster
- ispretired - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 6:06 pm:
Tobin is just another one of those that thinks he knows is all and his is the only opinion. Last week he compared Illinois State Police 2000 Troopers to Wisconsin State Police 400 Troopers. Well Tobin they you go again you don’t tell the whole truth. First compare the number of miles of interstates and state highways to Wisconsin compared to Illinois. Next look all the number of vehicles registered in Ill and Wisc. Also look at all the interstate traffic Ill has as people and truck travel through Ill going to other parts of the country. No such thing for Wisc. Next Motor Carrier Safety Officers in Wisc are not part of Wisc State Police , but in Ill they are. Also Wisc State Police are just Highway Patrol , they don’t do investigative work , Illinois State Police has a investigative branch (was know as IBI at one time , then DCI, now under same span of control as the troopers).Illinois has crime labs, is record keeper of finderprints , criminal histories, etc. That Mr Tobin is the whole truth.
- Boxing Cross - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 6:10 pm:
THis Just In!
Remember sports fan this is the same convention voted “no” to expanded gaming for capital as BoxedTom and VandaliaFrank had their snouts up Blagoof’s (edited)
Congrats on the Award. The Circular Firing Squad must be so proud. Fire. Aim. Ready!
ILGOP’s State Convention Film “Welcome Home” wins top International Marketing Award
CHICAGO – The Illinois Republican Party’s 2008 State Convention Film “Welcome Home,” recently earned a “Platinum Hermes Award” in the Hermes Creative Awards Competition.
“We are flattered our video was selected for a top honor by such a respected group of international marketing professionals,” said ILGOP State Central Committeeman and 2008 Convention Secretary Tolbert Chisum. “Welcome Home highlights the party’s continued efforts to bring real change to the people of Illinois.”
Hermes Creative Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The international organization consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production, web and free-lance professionals.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 6:13 pm:
===Oops I know it’s a sin here to criticize the Durbster===
You must be new to the blog.
- 815Sox - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 6:28 pm:
At least the rain will wash away some of the urine in the overrated dump that is Wrigley.
Things are not looking good at my agency. Honestly, I could see the whole Child Welfare system collapsing.
I refuse to work an exploded case load for many reasons but the top two are:
1. I could very well be causing more harm then good. I would not be able to see my clients.
2. It is a great way to get sued or dinged in some other way.
- Big West - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 7:14 pm:
If anything, the Trib generated “scandal” has to be alarming to legislators. What counts as clout anymore? Is helping a constituent get food stamps “clout.” In short, what does Mother Tribune view as “legitimate” constituent service? Is the only job of a legislator to vote on bills and make sure the answering machine is on? Maybe what they should do is ask constituents to call the Trib editorial board to find out if the legislator can help them.
- 815Sox - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 7:20 pm:
Sox v Cubs postponed
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 7:35 pm:
Unsolicited advice:
From AP article link on another one of today’s threads:
“Newly divorced, Kirk is serving his fifth term in Congress from Illinois’ 10th Congressional District.”
I can understand the original press release, but this is starting to get old. Not that there’s anything embarassing behind it, but if out there too long, it’ll have a negative affect on women.
It’s not the fact that he’s now divorced, but the ongoing “announcement” of it.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 7:41 pm:
47th Ward,
you have always seemed like such a practical guy/gal, that I suspectthat in addition to your hopeless optism and tolerance of Minor League baseball at Major League prices, you probably also purchased one of those pre-planned farewells from Roland’s group at what you thought would be a discount for the benefit of your next of kin.
Perhaps while I am sitting here soaked and waiting for this to get underway, I can pass the hat for you here amongst the bleacher bums in an effort to save you from the paupers grave, where you would end up having to be buried on the South side.
Please let us know however where you thought your final resting place might be. There is very little chance that you will ever see the Cubs in the World Series in your lifetime, and in rhe unlikely event that they do ever get there after you are gone, I would like to know where I should go to plant that large white “L” flag when the series is over.
You must not have gotten the memo, but Don’t back no losers!
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 8:47 pm:
Thanks Quinn T, if I’m buried on the south side, make sure it’s face down in the outfield of U.S. Cell-out Field so all of you Sox fans can kiss my behind.
- rocket science - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 10:31 pm:
I’m late posting this, but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one spitting pepsi on my keyboard at the Tribune lede. That ridiculous piece of writing comes on the heels of the Sunday wraparound touting all of their projects and reporters as “watchdogs.” Please. Let’s tone down the self-serving pompousness. Since Zell took over, there has been nothing but trouble there. Why not spend a little time focusing inwardly before telling the rest of the planet what to do. The only thing that newspaper has rightfully added to the public discourse in the past year is the Crestwood water scandal. The rest of their “crusades,” like the made-up U of I issue, lack traction and results. I love newspapers. Just not this one.
- long time state worker - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 11:51 pm:
Weren’t we asked to comment on the Obama dance with Quinn to a song used in the National Lampoon’s Animal House movie? Need I say more…?