* Two things made the 1994 GOP landslide so devastating for Democrats: 1) A huge chunk of their base was discouraged and embarrassed and didn’t bother to show up to the polls; and 2) Republican voters were energized and did come out to vote.
So, while the latest round of “tea parties” has received little coverage in the state’s mainstream media, Monday’s New Lenox rally turnout ought to force another look…
About 6,000 people packed the hillside venue at The Commons Performing Arts Pavilion for the protest, part of a nationwide Tea Party Express tour that includes speeches, musical performances and updates from a traveling Fox News correspondent.
Monday’s audience was the largest yet, organizers said.
Tea party organizers claim 10,000 people showed up, citing the Will County Sheriff’s office. New Lenox police estimated the crowd at 8-10,000…
The unexpectedly large crowd caused traffic to be backed up a quarter-mile on Interstate 80 as well as forcing some participants to park one-half mile away from the Commons Performing Arts Pavilion in New Lenox.
Illinois Review has plenty of coverage and several videos, including this one…
* At least some of the GOP base appears to be fired up. For now, at least, that has translated into a possible uptick in the number of primary challengers against Republican legislative incumbents. Eventually, though, attention will turn to Democrats. Whether the intensity will last through next November is anyone’s guess.
But what about the Democratic base? The Rod Blagojevich trial, the ineptness of the Quinn administration and a potentially nasty primary against Dan Hynes, the general Democratic Party position in favor of an unpopular tax hike, the ethics debate, the U of I “scandal,” the Todd Stroger meltdown and his upcoming primary, etc., etc., etc. won’t exactly energize Dem voters.
And editorials like this one in the Sun-Times blasting the all but certain slating of Cook County Democratic Chairman and Board of Review member Joe Berrios for county assessor foreshadow a big problem…
You may be surprised — or not — to learn that Berrios has a close relationship with property tax attorneys, whose business depends, of course, on how successful they are getting tax breaks for clients from the board of review.
The relationship is so close, in fact, that those attorneys have been major contributors to Berrios’ political funds and to those of his daughter, Maria Antonia “Toni” Berrios, a Democratic state representative from the Northwest Side. […]
And did we mention that the board of review is under investigation by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office? (No one has been charged with wrongdoing.)
Or that Berrios is known for his skill at helping family and close friends get government jobs?
Or that he’s a Springfield lobbyist?
A great lobbyist, in fact. Berrios was a key player in getting video poker passed in this state — one of the worst ideas in the history of state government.
Berrios owes his success as a lobbyist in part to House Speaker Mike Madigan. Madigan’s law firm, in turn, specializes in getting property tax breaks for Cook County businesses.
As I’ve been saying for weeks, we can expect a whole more on this topic as the campaign progresses. A lot more. A lawsuit by political operative Victor Santana won’t make things any easier, either.
While some Latinos may be fired up about the Berrios run, the Berrios slating is almost guaranteed to bring the heat on party leaders in a big way, which could further depress the rest of the Democratic base.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: This Berrios slating could be Michael Madigan’s Waterloo.
* Related…
* Fox Chicago: Who’s Giving Toni Berrios Money and Why?
* Zorn: Remind me again why this sign isn’t sickeningly ominous
* Quinn renames board chairman despite alleged Rezko ties
* Quinn rarely uses state-issued cell phone
* Campaign donation limits back to drawing board
* Legislative pay raises will be considered again
* Peters to Quinn: Restore funding to grant program
* BND Editorial: What will they tax next?
* Budget cuts to reduce nursing home advocate program
* The other Mrs. Blagojevich speaks - Ex-gov’s sister-in-law, a former teacher, had led a ‘quiet, private life’ — until now
* ADDED: Chicago attorney running for Senate: Jacob Meister announced his candidacy Tuesday. Meister practiced law in Chicago for nearly 20 years, focusing on banking regulation, interstate commerce and telecommunications.