December 24, 2013
JUDGES ARE BORN, NOT MADE, IN COOK COUNTY
The joke in Cook County legal circles is that judges are not born; instead they're named. The key to winning the robes is (1) be a woman, (2) have an unmistakable Irish-surname (or marry an Irishman), (3) go to a local law school, (4) work for the states' attorney, corporation counsel or attorney general, (5) be a Democrat, and (6) run in the primary against a bunch of men. When it's "Colleen Bridget O'Shaunnessy" against guys with Polish, Greek, Italian, Hispanic, Asian, Indian, or Slavic surnames, the result is predictable. In 2014, 32 candidates are seeking 11 countrywide judgeships; there are also 3 Appellate Court justices and 14 subcircuit races. Here's a race-by-race analysis. Full Article...
December 18, 2013
RUSH IS MISSING IN ACTION; REPUBLICANS TARGET 4 ILLINOIS HOUSE SEATS
Is another Chicago black Democratic Congressman about to fall from grace? It's like Jesse Jackson Jr. redux. The BGA has alleged that Rush, who is "on leave" as congressman, put his wife on the campaign payroll, gave campaign cash to his church, and had a rent-free office. Such campaign disclosure infractions sent Jesse Jackson Jr. to jail. Republicans are targeting Democratic U.S. Reps. Schneider, Enyart, Foster, and Bustos; check to see their fundraising haul, and that of their GOP opponents. Full Article...
December 11, 2013
“FEATHERBEDDING RUNS RAMPANT IN SPRINGFIELD”
Featherbedding is a colloquial term which originated in the railroad industry during the transition from coal-fired to oil-powered locomotives. Stokers were required to shovel coal, and as they were suddenly obsolescent, the railway unions demanded a contract to require stokers in every train, so stokers kept their jobs, rode in the rear of the cab, and, as the legend goes, snuggled comfortably in their feather bed. The same term can be applied to the Illinois House of Representatives. There is one engineer, Speaker Mike Madigan (D-22), and 117 featherbedders, of whom 70 are Democrats who vote as they're told and 47 are Republicans who are ignored and inconsequential. Full Article...
December 4, 2013
"PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS" SHAPE 2014 LANDSCAPE
For Illinois' voters, there is good news and bad news. Many are stumbling through the Obama healthcare exchange, which has over 100 state options. In the upcoming March 18, 2014 primary, options will be fewer; in some cases, there are no choices. While Obamacare bars disqualification for pre-existing condition, politicians similarly benefit. Stupid? Incompetent? Inept? That doesn't mean that the incumbent won't be re nominated and, if a Democrat in Cook County, re-elected. The only primaries that matter are for sheriff and MWRD. But, on the northwest side, the Stephens-Silvestri-Soviano-McAuliffe machine faces a major test. Full Article...
Previous Articles