The Illinois Supreme Court
demonstrated last week that it takes the "supreme" in its name all too
seriously, as it struck down with divine certainty one of the best
things that the Illinois Legislature has done recently: tort reform. The
court's rationalization for its odious decision amounts to little more
than "because we can."
What it struck down was a 2005 law that
capped intangible damages in medical malpractice cases at $500,000
against doctors and $1 million against hospitals, much as a bunch of
other states have already done.
So, how do you like the direction that the government is taking us? If you don't, you're with an astonishing three-quarters of the Americans surveyed by Rasmussen Reports:
Voters are madder than ever at the current policies of the federal
government. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 75% of
likely voters now say they are at least somewhat angry at the
government's current policies, up four points from late
November and up nine points since September. The overall figures include 45% who are
Very Angry, also a nine-point increase since September.
Aren't we pleased that Illinois was able to place three of its own on Judicial Watch's list of the 10 most corrupt politicians in Washington. They are...drumroll please,,,President Barack Obama, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Sen. Roland Burris.
Some might argue that we are underrepresented and, for gawd's sake, how can you leave off the state's chief clown, Rod Blagojevich? Remember, though, this is Washington only. If the list included state capitals and major cities, I'm sure we'd swamp whoever is in second place.
You might notice that no Republicans made the list, which ought to tip you off about where Judicial Watch stands on the political spectrum
New Trier township is one of the wealthiest in the United State, flowing with cash for the best of everything, including its schools. So when the New Trier Township HIgh School board and administrators decided they needed to rehab the main school (there's a newer one out west in Northfield that could be more economically expanded, but parents didn't want to send their kids to a New Trier West, and that's another story), they went all out. The price turned out to be $174 million, more than it costs to build all-new quality facilities.
Voters had to approve this blubbery project, but apparently no one thought that would be a problem. Except it was. The project was turned down by a 2-to-1 margin.
It's another example of the tin ear of certain governments that they think they can go on and on spending and borrowing. When even wealthy taxpayers in New Trier say enough is enough, not politician, no public official ought to take for granted that he has a blank check to fund every extravagance under the sun.
Does this mean that North Shore voters are just another version of tea party red necks, being manipulated by the likes of Rush Limbaugh. Or are they reflective of an American electorate that has just had enough?
Jeez, Mr. President, as commander-in-chief you at least should know how to pronounce "corpsman." It's not "corpseman" like you said, not just once. It's core-man. Maybe they ought to put pronunciation guides on your TelePrompTer. Or maybe they already do, but figured that any idiot should know how to pronounced corpsman.
Bulgarian-born Niles woman, bestowed U.S. citizenship in 1981, struggles against sea of bureaucratic red tape while worrying she could be deported
Angela Boneva, right, with her son Ryan Petrov, 7; her father, Steve Boneff, left; and her husband, Gueorgui Petrov. (Abel Uribe, Chicago Tribune / January 26, 2010)
And this is the government that is supposed to handle everything for everyone, incliuding running health care.
Here's a good, effective and mostly positive political ad. It might even help explain why what happened in Massachusetts happened. A hat tip to BlitheSpirit, the blog.
Instead of demanding that the entire Illinois waterway be choked off to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan, calmer minds have started working on a cooperative way of meeting the threat. Lots of things are going on next week regarding the issue. From the Tribune:
On Monday, Gov. Pat Quinn plans to meet with governors from Michigan and Wisconsin at the White House to hash out a plan to keep the invasive species out of the Great Lakes. Some think the Obama administration will use the occasion to introduce its own Asian carp attack plan, using the resources of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies.
On Tuesday, lawmakers will debate proposed Asian carp legislation at a congressional hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
On Wednesday, attorneys general from Illinois and other Great Lakes states are invited to talk carp strategy with officials from the U.S. Department of Justice.
On Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will discuss carp control efforts and take recommendations from the public and stakeholders at a meeting in Chicago.
I suppose you could say that the extreme proposal of shutting down the locks between Lake Michigan and the Illinois waterway at least had one positive impact: It got everyone talking.
Pan-handler Clarence Ervin encourages me to "keep taking pictures and send me the pictures" on the CTA's Green Line Wednesday. Ervin is constantly getting in trouble with the law, has been arrested numerous times. He can be verbally and physically abusive at times. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune / February 2, 2010)
CTA riders already have to put up with enough. But this mope who has been arrested 178 times panhandling on the CTA Green Line takes the cake. And whatever else he can intimidate you into "giving" him.
Some point of law allows judges to release him on his own recognizance (after which he often doesn't show up for his court appearance, which should be reason enough to impose high bail).
Some postings following the Tribune story miss the point: The first concern ought to be the riders who should not have to put up with intimidation and threats of violence. This is not a discussion about "homelessness," "institutionalization," and the rest of the political issues that always are provoked by such stories. The police seem to be doing their jobs in arresting this idiot, time after time. It's the judges who have some explaining to do, and perhaps they'd like to do it on a Green Line train while they're being harassed by this guy.
