The McCormick Tribune foundation is doing a match on donations for Huricane Relief. So if you are looking to make a donation and want to make it go a bit further it would be a good place to go.


OneMan

Jim Leach (Springfield Radio host and AbeLog author) offers some thoughts on todays Hi And Lois. Via OSBlog, who has a few good posts today including a story that reminded me of that Comedy Central Favorite PCU

With Registration you can see the comic in question here.

Anyone want to take bets that if President Bush taps the strategic petroleum reserve, Gov. Blagojevich will take credit because he wrote a letter.

OneMan

Same as it ever was...

Blagojevich administration has hired more than a dozen of the state's 102 Democratic county chairmen for state jobs. And some of them are working in agencies where hundreds of other employees were laid off due to reorganizations or budget cuts.

-- Remember 'Bringing a new way of doing business'... Heck I don't even mind him doing it that much, but don't pour water on my shoes and tell me it's raining.

OneMan

OneMan's (as invited by Zorn) Month in Review (Updated)

MOST SIGNIFICANT STORY OF THE MONTH: The Death of John Johnson.
A media pioneer passes away. John Johnson was a great American who had a great American. His death reminded everyone of the influence that he had and his publications will continue to have.

WINNER OF THE MONTH: Former Governor Jim Edgar
Just by acting interested in running he changes the dynamic of several statewide races and has consultants to the Blagojevich ranting to CapitolFax and Eric Zorn.

LOSER OF THE MONTH: Pat Robertson
Not only for what he said but for trying to use the writings of Dietich Bonhoeffer to rationalize his statements. Pat Robertson couldn't carry Dietich Bonhoeffer inetlectual or theological bookbag. Sorry Pat, you were wrong, Christians can admit that and ask forgiveness without rationalizing.

Other that I considered were Rex Grossman and the Bears. Also in hindsight Mayor Daley (but our deadline was Thursday night and his interview with the feds was in Friday).


MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY: Suburban rail expansion in the highway bill.
The commuter line between Joliet and Schaumburg is going to have a huge impact 10 years from now.

I also considered the John Johnson story for this one. Just because his influence on American culture was understated. But the Oprah angle may end up being the most over reported story of September.

MOST OVER REPORTED STORY: Natalee Holloway
Why is this remotely news anymore besides the fact that she is an attractive woman and her mom is an attractive woman.

By backup for this was the Cindy Sheehan part of her protest story. How the story wasn't about anti-war protesting but an anti-war protestor. How the protestor is becoming the focus of the story instead of her message. I think she would be more effective if there wasn't a PR firm and 'Camp Cindy' around her. If it was just a mom looking for answers. It would also be much harder for the right to even remotely attack her.


STORY TO WATCH IN THE UPCOMING MONTH: The Republicans playing "Waiting for Edgar"

The feds talking to Mayor Daley

Honorable Mention:
Quality in Media - Bob Costas for refusing to guest host Larry King Live when they were doing yet another Natalee Holloway show.

Quality in Media (Part 2) -- The Chicago Defender for calling Oprah on the 'Why were you not there' thing with the John Johnson funeral.

Eric Zorn has the full Giangreco (that was in Cap Fax) Bring It on Edgar thing. (FYI, this isn't even remotely an official response, just the rantings of OneMan).

Some Comments on parts.

The Death Penalty
Edgar's other main issue in the 1994 campaign was the death penalty. His ads relentlessly attacked Democratic candidate Dawn Clark Netsch on the issue. As Governor, Edgar refused to commute the death sentences for innocent men who have now been cleared by DNA evidence. Even George Ryan understood the flaws in the system and enacted the moratorium (which Blagojevich has continued), putting Edgar on the wrong side of history. Well, what's a few innocent men in jail?

Yeah because it's Edgar's fault he didn't commute death sentences based off of evidence that he didn't have at the time he was in office.

Also if the system is truly flawed shouldn't Governor Blagojevich worked to end the death penalty? He hasn't let anyone get executed, but people are being sentenced to death. Some courage.

Managing State Government
Republicans love to talk about Edgar's ability to manage state government and balance the budget. Given that Edgar turned his back on school children and people who need health care, he must have been a masterful manager, running the state with a minimum number of employees and making every agency operate at peak efficiency, right? Wrong.

Edgar needed 67,000 people to run state government. Blagojevich has done the same job with 57,000 people. Edgar's disaster a month at DCFS still may be the single worst run state agency in history. Blagojevich, on the other hand, has child support collections at record levels and is steadily improving how the state cares for abused and abandoned kids. DCFS rarely grabs headlines anymore and that's good news.

Turned his back on School children? Remember he tried to change the way we funded education in this state. I don't recall your guy stepping up on that.

Ask people who need services from the state how well the state is working?

Ask a teacher who's pension contribution wasn't made about how well state government is working.

If this is the best you guys can come up with. Bring it on, seriously.

We can talk about stuff that your guy has done.

Remember Flu vaccine that we have to pay for but can't import?

Remember treating virtually every dime in the state budget as general revenue? Remember Sweeping funds for medical tests and fire safety?

Remember trying to sell and lease back the Thompson Center and then calling the Attorney General's ethics into question when she said you couldn't do it? Claiming she was listening to her dad instead of doing her job (that will make a great anti-Lisa ad as well, thanks!) How much money did we waste on that?

Remember basically forgetting about the parts of the state south of I-80?

Remember basically underfunding teacher pensions using financial logic that would make a loan shark blush?

How about just a count of the number of times your administration has had to comment on the timing of a political contribution and a state contract for the donor? Oh yeah thats always a just a coincidence, like the health facilities board appointments apointments. Do a google search on 'Blagojevich donation contract' and enjoy reading the 3,370 or so entries.

The Health Facilities board fiasco, how it took less time to fill the 'Video Games are Scary' board than it took to appoint a Gaming board a Health Facilities Board? Which one is more important in this state vs. more important if you want to run for President?

You want to make this a race on issues and records, we can do that.

OneMan

Because Pat Robertson, we all have seen how well that has worked with Castro

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested on-air that American operatives assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop his country from becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

"But I say to you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rains on the righteous and on the unrighteous." Matthew 5:44-45

I checked and I can't find anything that says. If that don't work pop a cap in em'.

OneMan

I am going to have to give Obama some points for at least trying..

Barack Obama is going to give it a shot.

On Monday, Illinois' Democratic junior senator will begin mediating the long-simmering dispute between Will County officials and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) over who should control the proposed airport near Peotone.

Then again reguardless of the money they have put up I fail to understand why Elk Grove Village and Bensenville should have any real say about an airport in southern Will County. This whole airport thing is just a tactical move on their part to keep O'Hare from growing and that is where there intrest is going to lie, not nessesarily with what the people near the new site or in Will county in general want.

OneMan

Congratulations to Kris at the Croncast on graduation. It's a great Podcast, they use bad words once in a while so it isn't for younger of sensitive listeners.

It's really funny one of the best things to come out of Naperville and is an argument against my Naperville = White Bread argument.

OneMan

Update on the whole tax thing I blogged about a while back.

We got our refund check for the overpayment from two and three years ago. It's nice to see government work when you can get everyone in the same room. I also have to give a lot of credit to the 308 School District for steping up to the plate on coming up with a solution.

OneMan.

It would appear Jesica Alba is a Obama fan

Are you political?
I definitely have my point of view.

What is that?
I can’t wait for Barack Obama to run for something. Cause I am voting.

Do you think he’ll be president in the future?
I sure hope so. I hope people are open-minded enough to have somebody like Barack.

He did run for something in fact he has run for several things, the US Senate as well as the Illinois House and Congress. I would suggest you try also voting in elections before Obama runs for something.

Follow the link, her take on the war in Iraq and our involvement in Afganistan is rather entertaining. Yes, someone did forward this to me. No, I have no idea why Newsweek figured anyone gave two shakes about Jesica Alba's feelings about current events.

OneMan

Crains is reporting it looks like LaHood is not going to run for Gov. He has two news conferences set for tomorrow one in Springfield and one in Peoria. Does this mean that Edgar is in?

OneMan

There have been a few thoughts lately about the Democratic Party of Illinois Web Site.

Hiram points out Rodforus is no longer up... Might I suggest http://www.testicularvirility.com/ as a new Web Address.

Here is why I think they haven't put a ton of effort into the party web site. (FYI, this is totally my opinion)

It's not even remotely worth it for the Illinois Democratic Party

The state party (in my opinion) really doesn't want your help at that level, your money, sure. But your help at a state party level. It's too hard to manage with too much effort for too little pay-off.

It really makes sense for the party to point you to a few other places.
A) Individual candidates who can get more value out of your efforts to help.
B) Local party organizations (county, ward or township)
C) Interest groups

Because each of these in a way can and is influenced and/or controlled by the state party. So therefore involvement with one of the above is much easier for the party to manage and easier for them to direct. The advantage of interest groups is, they have an issue and it is easier to motivate them by pointing out threats to their issue. It is easier to get gun control fans to go after the president of the NRA running for the state leg than it is to get the pro-choice people to work against him. Also special interest folks are just easier to direct than large ad-hoc groups not focused on a single issue. A large party database of volunteers would be too hard to focus on anything.

Also the Democratic party is now in charge in this state, so the need to reach out, is less than it was before they controlled both houses of the leg and virtually all of the constitutional offices.

They don't need an 'organic Howard Dean like' web thing at the state level. One of the big appeals of the the Dean approach is that is was decentralized. Does anyone really thing the Democratic party of Illinois wants a decentralized anything. I would suspect that there is also a fear that that something like that would move the party to the left, the last thing the party really wants.

Just some thoughts.

OneMan

There is no insult like a insult from the North Korean News Agency.

Remember kids he is protecting young people. It sound better when it sounds like he is protecting young people.

At age 20, you can buy cigarettes, enlist in the military, purchase a home, carry a firearm and run for political office. You can't, however, get a permanent tattoo in Illinois.

On Wednesday Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed legislation that would have allowed people younger than 21 to get tattoos, much to the dismay of shop owners and eager-to-get-inked teenagers

The same arguments are made about lowering the drinking age. The difference is if you get drunk, you have the very real possibility of causing societal harm, be it DUI, beer mussels, etc.

However getting a tattoo at 18 the only person you can possibly be harming is your self.

As Jeff reminds us at ROK, in Illinois you can get an abortion at 14 without Mom & Dads' ok but not get a tattoo.


More from the Trib Story

Blagojevich said most 18-year-olds do not have the proper judgment to make such a permanent decision when it comes to tattoos.

"As a parent, I don't want my daughters to rush to get tattoos on their 18th birthdays," Blagojevich said in a released statement. "At that age, most kids are still in high school and don't have the judgment or perspective to decide on something as permanent as tattooing your skin. Teenagers may not realize getting a tattoo is a decision they'll live with, and potentially regret, for the rest of their lives."

Heck I was in my third month of college when I turned 18...

So therefore it is the governments job to prevent Rod's daughters from doing something he does not want them to do. That's the role of government now. If so, please deal with the following.

A) Prevent my kids from getting credit cards at 18
B) Prevent my kids from giving me lip until they are at least 25
D) Prevent my daughter from dating
E) Prevent my kids from drinking until they hit 30
F) Prevent my children having any non-emergency medical procedure without myself or my spouse present until the age of 25~30.

It's a scary world out there with all sorts of stupid stuff 18 year olds can do, please make them all safe. Please protect my kids from all of their bad choices their entire lives. As a parent there is all sorts of stuff I don't want my kids to rush out and do at 18 or even 40, but preventing that is to a large extent my job ( by doing the best I can to provide them with good judgment) not the role of the State of Illinois.

Zorn has some on this as well.


OneMan

I just got a message in my in-box from Crains (I get the news flash) and at least the headline of one of the stories (you have to subscribe to read them) is that Edgar may be serious this time...

We'll See

OneMan

One of the best Ebert Reviews in some time,

But Schneider is correct, and Patrick Goldstein has not yet won a Pulitzer Prize. Therefore, Goldstein is not qualified to complain that Columbia financed "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" while passing on the opportunity to participate in "Million Dollar Baby," "Ray," "The Aviator," "Sideways" and "Finding Neverland." As chance would have it, I have won the Pulitzer Prize, and so I am qualified. Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks.

OneMan

Basically the 'God Hates Fags' people are now protesting at funerals of service personnel claiming Iraq War deaths are the results of Gods Wrath.

If you are near East Peroia on Saturday you might want to follow the guidelines on this page and go do some counter-protesting. Some more info here. Hat tip to Rich for being on this as well.

The flyer for the actual protest (some sick stuff) is here.

I have said it before and I will say it again. God does not hate anyone.
OneMan

As the Beacon News reminded me this morning

If you're reading this story and you still don't have a ticket to see President Bush here today, it's time to face the facts.

You're not going.

I understand why tickets didn't make it down to the level of OneMan (Township Party Vice-Chair) but it is not going to be huge fun explaining to the committeepeople why they were unable to go.

There is a lot of ask in this business, ask for money, ask for help and not a lot of benefit most of the time. Letting Joe Committeeman go to something like this would have been a nice benefit and now we have to manage the expectations as well as explain with 1,000 tickets there wasn't one for them (or me).

OneMan

It turns out I did get the Linda Chapa LaVia mailer the day. It says 'Paid for by friends of Micheal J. Madigan'

OneMan

The Today show is currently demostrating how American citizens are idiots when it comes to civics. Again these people vote (shudder).

OneMan

Got an automated call today about the gov race. First choice, second choice, have I heard the Gidwitz ads or about Gidwitz recently. Then a question about my gender.

FYI, looks like OneMan will not be seeing the president tomorrow.

OneMan

4,000 to 5,000 tickets and it appears not one for OneMan. From the Beacon

OSWEGO TOWNSHIP — President Bush's Wednesday visit to the Fox Valley will be limited to a morning stop at Caterpillar's Aurora plant, the White House said Monday.

Admission is by ticket only, said White House spokesman Allen Abney. Caterpillar and U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert are responsible for distributing the 4,000 to 5,000 tickets.

Ummm, I still like to go....

OneMan

Congressman Henry Hyde endorses Gidwitz. I think this helps Gidwitz with the right, who does it hurt more Oberweis or Steve? I would say Oberweis. Since Hyde had endorsed Oberweis during at least one previous run. Then again Hyde endorsed Steve during the last senate race.

But Oberweis is trying to be the social conservative in this race, so I still think it hurts Oberweis more than Steve.


OneMan

Pal Sara is trying to sell her house. So if you are looking for a home in the Aurora Naperville area the link is worth a follow.

OneMan

A freind of mine from grade school and high school had a story published in the Tribune (she's a writter) about taking the test to become a member of Mensa (she passed, not surprising to me) that is rather funny.

She blogs, and has an interesting entry about the Trib story.

OneMan

From the Beacon News

"Our gubernatorial field is on the outer limits of being unmanageable, and we are wasting untold millions of dollars fighting ourselves when that money should be used against Governor Blagojevich and the Democratic General Assembly," said Sen. Kirk Dillard, the DuPage County Republican chairman.

On the other limits? Is that a nice way of saying, dude we got way to many candidates.

OneMan

Caught Obama at the end of his appearance on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. He seemed to do a fairly good job and was rather funny. Why do I suspect Durbin would give his right arm to have 1/4 of that popularity and charisma.

OneMan

President Bush is coming to Aurora, we'll see if OneMan get's to go. Come on, I have been at a head table with the Speaker once, then again I doubt I will get an invite to see the president.

OneMan

There named a new Governor General of Canada, she is the second one in a row with a background in journalism and the second in a row not native born.

OneMan

George Galloway of the UK, biggest wanker ever.

Some folks in Aurora got a mailing today featuring Linda Chapa LaVia along with our non-partisan mayor Tom Weisner. Paid for it appears by friends of Madigan. The next general election is only 15 months away...

OneMan

Chicago Tribune | Feds target political insider�again:

"A former trustee of the state teachers' retirement system and two prominent Chicago attorneys extorted money from investment firms seeking business from the pension plan, federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment made public today.

Today's indictment contained the second set of federal charges filed this year against Republican political insider Stuart Levine.

A former trustee of the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System, Levine three months ago was charged in connection with an alleged kickback scheme at another state board he served on, the Health Facilities Planning Board.

Also charged today were attorneys Joseph Cari and Steven Loren, who allegedly assisted in the fraud scheme. Both are cooperating in the ongoing federal probe, U.S. Atty. Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in announcing the charges.

According to the indictment, Levine, with Cari's assistance, attempted to shake down a Virginia investment firm last year for $850,000—equal to 1 percent of the $85 million it was seeking from the teachers' retirement system to invest.

In communicating Levine's demand to representatives of the investment firm, Cari allegedly said, "This is how things are done in Illinois," the indictment stated.

-- OneMan

Chicago Tribune | Residents: Golf outing included strippers: "Police in west suburban Naperville are investigating residents' complaints about an outing on a local golf course that featured strippers cavorting with players, WGN-Ch. 9 reported."

And I always thought Naperville was a bit white-bread....

OneMan used to live in the apartment complex that is on this course (we didn't have a golf course view)...

OneMan

If Dr. Kathuria is running for Lt. Governor and has sent a mailing (I got one), shouldn't we expect to see a filing with the state board of elections. I realize he may not have spent nor raised enough to have to file or perhaps filed by paper.

Still it seems a question to ask at this point.

OneMan

Started looking a D-2's, Gidwitz is my idol, if you were to get all of his donors in a room it would be the ultimate CEO meeting, I have to admit the ability to get that many checks for over 10K does give him some credibility.

OneMan

Quoting this in full from CapFax since Rich's line at the end is classic.

The Capitol Fax Blog: This just in....: "Jim Oberweis just filed his D-2.

He reported raising $782,562, but $680,000 was from himself, in loans. Apparently, not a lot of grassroots fundraising going on over at that campaign.

It also appears he received $5,000 from Jack Ryan, his erstwhile Senate opponent. He took in $5K from Renew Illinois and another $5K from the Family Taxpayers Network (both are Jack Roeser groups).

UPDATE: Of the $87,775 in itemized contributions from individuals, $50,000 of that was from just one person, Jerry Rich, the owner of Rich Harvest Farms.

HILARIOUS UPDATE: Statement by Jim Oberweis (from a press release entitled 'Great Momentum in Oberweis Fundraising'):

'As I have toured the state of Illinois and met with grassroots Republicans, I have been humbled by their generosity.'

Yeah, all three of them."

Some more stuff....

I was in a sailboat race a few days ago. Port Huron to Mackinac Island, so about 235 nautical miles across Lake Huron, 8 ft. seas, 25~30 knt winds the boat ended up taking in about 2ft+ of water. So good racing weather but not real comfortable and anytime you are taking on water you get a little nervous.

Where this is leading.....

We ended up taking the boat to St. Ignace so we could work on the engine (it had issues due to the water). So we had to take the ferry back to St. Ignase from the island with about 150 college students who were with Campus Crusade for Christ. With the increased terror alert on mass transit we also had a Coast Guard escort back to St. Ignace

So the kid behind me says...

'The Coast Guard the least selective of the selective service'...

Now time for a quick game did OneMan

A) Ignore it
B) Turn around and start ripping into the kid

Thats right B. The lack of respect just bothered me, really bothered me. It still bothers me almost a week later. In this day in age, when we have young men and women who volunteer to serve in the military (regardless of branch) so other of draft age do not have to be drafted. I know I was (and still am) appreciative of that fact.

I hear about people who are against the war saying the 'Support the Troops' and I really belive that in most cases. But when we have college aged men who look down on those who do serve, that's just sad.

Sorry about the rant. I'ts been bothering me all week.

OneMan