Progress Illinois

Huge Foreign Policy Team Prepares Obama for Trip
With daily e-mails and briefings, a 300-person foreign policy apparatus is preparing Barack Obama for his upcoming trip to Europe and the Middle East, which John McCain's communications director derided as a “first-of-its-kind campaign rally overseas." Like Obama, most of the advisers were early opponents of the Iraq War.

Gore Wants America Off-Grid by 2018
In a speech to an energy conference in Washington, DC yesterday, former Vice President Al Gore challenged Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade and rely on the sun, the winds, and other carbon-free sources of power. To make it happen, he called for a national effort that mirrors America's quest to walk on the moon 39 years ago this month.

Republicans Press For Offshore Drilling
Meanwhile, Republicans continued to blast congressional Democratic leaders on their hesitancy to increase offshore oil drilling, blocking a House proposal that would expand oil and gas drilling without lifting a federal ban on new offshore drilling. A bipartisan group of five Republican and five Democratic senators are reportedly working to develop energy legislation that could gain enough political momentum to pass.

Illinois Unemployment Surges
The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced yesterday that the state's unemployment rate had risen from 6.4 percent in May to 6.8 percent in June -- well above the national average. This spike amounts to 6,100 lost jobs. Unemployment is at its highest rate in Illinois since June 1993.

Foster Heads to Border
Immigration is a major concern for his 14th congressional district constituents, so Rep. Bill Foster has decided to spend the next four days on a fact-finding trip to the U.S.-Mexican border. "I want to see firsthand how we are guarding our borders, meet the men and women who are doing the job, get their advice about what works and find out what resources they need to do their job better," Foster said in a statement.

Weis Open to State Police Aid
Although Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis says reports on a spike in crime have been exaggerated, he's open to a partnership with the Illinois State Police, calling the law enforcement agency "professional" and "top-notch." He's less keen on working with the National Guard, one idea Gov. Rod Blagojevich floated Wednesday, suggesting the organization doesn't have the police powers necessary to help fight crime in the city.

RTA Warns of Transit Service Cuts, Fare Increases
After Blagojevich slashed $37.3 million in fare subsidies from the unbalanced state budget, Regional Transportation Authority officials warned yesterday that mass-transit service cuts or fare increases might be needed. Most of the money helped cover the free rides that the governor gave senior citizens in January as part of bill that raised sales taxes to fund mass transit.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user myisrblue529.