Progress Illinois

Around The Horn

Progress Illinois — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:51:30 -0800

Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:

High Hopes In HIV/AIDS Fight
AIDS Foundation of Chicago President/CEO Mark Ishaug says that President-elect Barack Obama’s AIDS agenda -- both global and domestic -- is ambitious. On World AIDS Day, Ishaug urges the Democrat to follow through on his campaign pledges and offers suggestions on decisive actions he can take immediately to help fight the disease.

Chicago’s Stake In Detroit
Crain’s takes an in-depth look at Chicagoland’s heavy financial stake in the flailing automotive industry. “If a Detroit automaker goes under,” writes Bob Tita and Monée Fields-White, “thousands of jobs will be lost, hundreds of businesses hurt and millions of dollars drained from the local economy.”

What Jefferson Said
Although Illinoisans voted overwhelmingly not to convene a new constitutional convention this cycle, Nicholas Stephanopoulos writes in The New Republic that the choice is a valuable one. “Periodic convention referenda,” he says, “help unclog our political process and are worth adopting more broadly.”

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The Early Bird: December 1, 2008

Progress Illinois — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:09:05 -0800

Obama To Name Clinton Secretary Of State
Filling his cabinet at record speed, President-elect Barack Obama will officially name chief Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State in Chicago this morning. To make it possible for his wife to assume the position, former President Bill Clinton agreed to disclose the names of every contributor to his foundation since its inception. Favoring experience over ideology, Obama is also expected to keep Bush cabinet member Robert Gates in his post as Defense Secretary.

Bush Administration Rushes To Enact Anti-Labor Regulation
Trying to cement about 20 new controversial regulations in its final days, Bush Administration officials are now rushing to complete a new rule opposed by Barack Obama that would make it much harder for the government to regulate toxic substances and hazardous chemicals to which workers are exposed on the job. Public health officials and labor unions argue the rule, favored by the business community, would result in additional deaths and illnesses.

State Park Closings Tough Pill For Some To Swallow
As of midnight Sunday, 12 historic sites and seven state parks will no longer be accessible to the public thanks to state budget cuts. Despite the fact that lawmakers freed an additional $2.1 million to keep the parks open, Guv. Rod Blagojevich said economic conditions and falling tax revenue made it necessary to go ahead with several closings. Thirty-seven state employees lost their jobs as well.

Giannoulias Proposes State Pension Reform
As a way to cut government costs and curtail political corruption, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is pushing a plan to merge the investment duties of five government employee retirement systems. The overhaul would include ethics measures that set stricter regulations for board members and could save the state $50 million to $80 million a year on administrative costs and management fees. Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston) warned that consolidating the pension funds may weaken public checks and balances.

Was Blagojevich Serious About Sen. Davis?
Fruedian slip or honest mistake? Rod Blagojevich twice referred to Rep. Danny Davis as “Senator Davis” while passing out Thanksgiving meals to the homeless Thursday, fueling speculation that the governor has chosen the congressman to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat.

Rezko Lawyers Want Sentencing Date
After months in solitary confinement, lawyers for convicted political fundraiser Tony Rezko filed a motion this week for the judge in his corruption case to set a sentencing date immediately. Despite a possible willingness to cooperate with federal prosecutors in the investigation of corruption in Blagojevich’s administration, Rezko has remained in isolation for 23 hours a day.

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

Around The Horn

Progress Illinois — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:21:49 -0800

Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:

What Happened To The Pride Campus?
Chicago Journal's Jessica Pupovac reports that an October meeting between Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan and 11 evangelical ministers played a key role in shuttering plans for a Chicago-based LGBT-friendly high school. "What is the point of having these hearings," said Andy Thayer of the Gay Liberation Network, "if you can just scuttle the whole process with back door meetings with the mayor's buddies?"

Dumpster Dealing
Before approving Mayor Richard Daley's budget last week, several aldermen bashed a new dumpster fee, saying it amounted to a tax on commercial and large residential buildings. But as The Reader's Mick Dumke reminds us, if the city hadn't rolled out its recycling reform proposals before selling them to skeptical political or business leaders this summer, the whole mess could have been avoided.

Labor Pained
That Obama's Secretary of Labor appointment was not announced as part of his economic team roll-out this week has some questioning organized labor's role in the transition process, according to Politico's Ben Smith. "When it comes down to it," says Jonathan Tasini, executive director of the pro-union Labor Research Association, "they don't have the kind of juice to say, 'This is how we want the economic team to look.'"

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The Early Bird: November 26, 2008

Progress Illinois — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:53:34 -0800

Gates To Keep Defense Post
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has reportedly reached an agreement with President-elect Barack Obama to remain at the Pentagon for the first year of the Democrat’s term. Gates, well respected in Washington and within the military as a non-ideological and decisive leader, has distanced himself from the approach and early war policies of President Bush. The decision would be announced publicly when Obama unveils his national security team next week.

Obama Vows To Cut Wasteful Spending
Upon appointing Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to head the White House’s Budget office, Obama pledged to limit federal spending once the economic crisis has eased. “We can’t sustain a system,” said Obama, “that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness or exist solely because of the power of politicians, lobbyists or interest groups.” While he did not offer any other specific targets, he cited farm subsidies as a “prime example of waste.”

Durbin May Push Bush To Pardon Gov. Ryan
Sen. Dick Durbin told reporters Tuesday he is considering asking President George Bush to commute the prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, who has served just over two of his 6½ year term for federal corruption. Noting his age (Ryan is 74), his loss of economic security, and his wife’s frail health, Durbin suggested the Republican “has paid a price for his wrongdoing.” Ryan’s wife, Lura Lynn, is hoping he is released by Christmas.

Critics Slam Stroger’s County Budget
Wasting no time, several Cook County commissioners blasted Board President Todd Stroger’s budget proposal minutes after it was released Tuesday, describing it as fiscally irresponsible. Stroger said he will hold the line on taxing and spending, but critics contend that’s impossible without borrowing $740 million through bond issues. To make matters worse, the printed budget books were filled with errors and needed to be reprinted.

Dangerous Toy Warning
Be careful what toys you purchase this holiday season. According to Brian Imus, head of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, toys containing hazardous levels of lead and toxic phthalates still line retail shelves and major consumer protections passed by Congress won’t take effect until 2009.

Cancer Cases Fall For First Time
Thanks to aggressive cancer-prevention and treatment efforts, researchers say the recorded rate of new cancer cases has fallen in the United States for the first time in both men and women. At the same time, the 15-year decline in cancer death rates has accelerated. “What we’re seeing is clear evidence that cancer prevention is working,” said Dr. Therese Bevers, medical director of clinical cancer prevention at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user Merrick Brown.

The Early Bird: November 25, 2008

Progress Illinois — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:01:41 -0800

Fed To Back Billions In Mortgage Losses
The Federal Reserve announced today that it will buy up to $500 billion in various mortgage-backed assets and another $100 billion worth of direct obligations from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in an attempt to shore up the nation's financial crisis. The Fed is also set to announce a new program later today aimed at unfreezing the market that backs consumer debt such as credit cards, auto loans and student loans.

Blagojevich Phones It In To Durbin
After waiting 10 days, Sen. Dick Durbin finally talked to Gov. Rod Blagojevich yesterday about whom he'd like to see fill President-elect Barack Obama's now vacant U.S. Senate seat. In a talk radio interview, Illinois' senior senator said he sent this message to the governor: “Don’t send someone there who’s not going to run in two years ... [S]end us somebody who’s ready to hit the ground running, do a good job in the Senate, run for election in two years.” Meanwhile, Blagojevich joked that he'll dole the appointment out as a Christmas gift.

Casino License Up For Debate
The Illinois Gaming Board will today review the proposals from three bidders -- the towns of Des Plaines, Rosemont, and Waukegan -- who are vying for the state's 10th casino license. Officials have said the winner will be chosen by the end of the year.

State Parks, Historic Sites May Face Closures
Just days after Blagojevich signed off on a fund-sweeps bill that restored hundreds of millions of dollars to restore socials services and keep state parks open, the future of some related jobs remains uncertain. Given the $2 billion dollar deficit and a worsening economic climate, it's unclear whether there's enough capital to keep seven parks and 13 historic sites open.

Trash Backup On The Horizon?
Illinois dumps, on average, have enough capacity to take in trash for the 18 years, according to state environmental officials. But landfill space varies from region to region and a shortfall in the Chicago-metro area could result in a trash backup by the year 2015.

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

Around The Horn

Progress Illinois — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:48:53 -0800

Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:

Let The People Decide
Because he thinks a Democrat wouldn't lose a state-wide senate contest unless the nominee is involved in a scandal or is politically tactless, FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver makes the counter-intuitive case that former Senate President Emil Jones or a similar placeholder is the best replacement for Barack Obama's open senate seat. "The best way to prevent these things," he writes, "would be to appoint a placeholder like Jones and then let the younger candidates battle it out on a level playing field in the primaries." (UPDATE: Archpundit and CF respond)

Power Grab At DuPage
The board of directors at the College of DuPage (influenced by David Horowitz's controversial "Academic Bill of Rights") recently proposed major overhauls to the school's curriculum, the role of the student newspaper, and how outside speakers should be selected. Inside Higher Ed details the brewing controversy.

Forgiving And Forgetting
Slate's Dahila Lithwick outlines the major challenges at the Department of Justice facing Eric Holder, Barack Obama's pick for attorney general. "If confirmed," she writes, "he will take over an institution where, at least in recent years, politics sometimes had no end."

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The Early Bird: November 24, 2008

Progress Illinois — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:53:23 -0800

U.S. Approves Citigroup Bailout
After a tumultuous week in the financial markets, federal regulators approved a complex plan to bailout Citigroup, one of the nation’s largest financial companies. Under the proposal, the Treasury Department and the FDIC will guarantee up to $306 billion of risky loans and securities and directly invest about $20 billion in the company, which lost half its stock value last week.

Obama Promises Major Stimulus
President-elect Barack Obama indicated again Sunday that he will move aggressively once in office to pass a spending stimulus plan and provide tax relief to low and moderate income workers. Economists think Obama’s two-year goal of saving or creating 2.5 million jobs could cost $700 billion, equal to the Wall Street bailout. “I don’t know what the exact number is,” said Obama economic adviser Austan Goolsbee. “But it’s going to be a big number. It has to be.”

State Senators Preach Unity At Church
Incoming State Senate President John Cullerton and chief deputy James Clayborne told the congregation at fellow Sen. James Meeks’ South Side church yesterday that the Democratic infighting has to stop in Springfield. “We’re going to work together to get Illinois back to working,” said Clayborne. Both also promised immediate action on school funding reform, an issue Meeks has championed.

Blagojevich Still Plans To Close Seven Parks
Despite signing a $230 million spending bill partly intended to keep 11 state parks open and operating, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced over the weekend that he still plans to close seven of those parks. AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall said the money is there to save the parks in question, but the governor's office contends that $55 million of the $230 million is off-limits due to federal rules.

Stroger Warns Of Impending Lay-Offs
If Cook County commissioners don’t approve borrowing $740 million through bond issues, Board President Todd Stroger is warning that massive lay-offs could follow. Treasurer Maria Pappas was told that 85 of her 135 employees would lose their jobs while 25 percent of Sheriff Tom Dart’s 5,900 member-staff would be cut as well. Critics contend that the notice, announced two days before Stroger introduces his new budget, is nothing more than a political ploy to secure additional resources.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user like, totally.

The Early Bird: November 21, 2008

Progress Illinois — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:19:00 -0800

Congress Extends Unemployment Benefits
As jobless figures continued to climb, Congress rushed to pass legislation yesterday extending unemployment benefits to 1.2 million people who would have otherwise been cut from the rolls during the holiday season. The cost of extending the benefits is pegged at $5.7 billion, but economists say its an investment that will go a long way in sustaining other jobs and restoring consumer confidence.

Gov. Signs Bill, Releases Fund-Sweeps Money
The jobs of 179 child-welfare and human services workers have been spared and drug-treatment centers and state parks will remain open, following Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s decision to sign a fund-sweeps appropriation bill late Thursday. Not all of the $221 million that lawmakers had approved under the bill will be released, though. And 13 state historic sites are still scheduled to close on Nov. 30.

‘Green Lanes’ A Go
Traffic on some of Illinois’ busiest highways could get a little lighter for those willing to carpool, drive hybrids, or pay a little extra under a “green lane” proposal approved by the Illinois Toll Highway Authority board yesterday. Under the $400 million plan, an extra lane will be reserved along 80 miles of Chicago-area tollways. Find out more about what the conversion—which is slated to begin in 2010—will mean for drivers here.

Horseracing Industry Wins Prized Subsidy
A $90 million gaming subsidy is on tap for the state’s horse-racing industry. Under legislation passed yesterday, these racetracks gained the authority to tap into revenues from some of the state’s most profitable casinos for three more years. The measure is now headed to the governor’s desk.

Judge To Blagojevich: Hand Over The Documents
Despite his best efforts to keep a series of federal subpoenas under wraps, an appellate judge ordered Gov. Blagojevich to make the documents public under the state’s open records law. Still unmoved, the Blagojevich administration says it’s considering an appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court. The Better Government Association filed suit against the governor on the basis that his administration’s refusal to release the subpoena violated the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Reese Hospital Back On As An Olympic Site
With optimism running high that President-elect Barack Obama will help Chicago snag the 2016 Olympics, city officials are focusing intensely on where to set up the $1.1 billion Olympic Village. And it looks like the campus of Michael Reese Hospital is back on the table as a good possibility. Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward) says that officials from Chicago’s Olympic committee are closing in on an agreement with the owner of the 37-acre Reese site.

Around The Horn

Progress Illinois — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:08:42 -0800

Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:

Inspire Fear And Avoid Hatred
A day after Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) retained his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee -- a move backed by both Barack Obama and Dick Durbin -- Hiram Wurf blogs that, while showing clemency to the senator might not sit well with many progressives, the move is "textbook politics."

A New Wind Is Blowing
Obama's election has clearly catapulted Chicago into the global limelight. But as New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny notes, Chicago's transformation into a premier global city predates Obama's political rise. "Now," Zeleny writes, "people around the country and the world are simply noticing."

The Bad-News Budget
After watching the Chicago City Council's approval of the 2009 yesterday, the Reader's Mick Dumke notes that, given the pressures of "an imploding economy, a domineering mayor, and a shortage of alternative ideas," it wasn't surprising to see the aldermen and the Daley administration find common ground.

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Around The Horn

Progress Illinois — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:35:13 -0800

Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and progressive media at large. To receive our "Around The Horn" update in your inbox every afternoon -- along with links to our top stories and breaking news from around the state -- sign up for the Progress Illinois Extra.

Pioneering AIDS Fund In Jeopardy
The Chicago Reporter has the inside scoop on whether public health activists around the state will launch "a last ditch effort" to pressure lawmakers to reinstate $3 million in cuts to the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Fund, a program that "put Illinois on the map as a national pioneer in HIV and AIDS funding for black communities."

Nervous Energy
Illinois Issues' Bethany Jaeger runs down the budget mess in Springfield, noting that Gov. Blagojevich's icy relationship with the General Assembly could doom his four-point plan to fix the deficit. "So far," says Jaeger, "it seems as though the state is running in place."

Is Chicago Ready For Reform?
Analyzing ward-by-ward election results, Mechanics' Rasmin Canon says the breakdown of votes on Con-Con, the 2006 Claypool/Stroger primary, and the 2007 aldermanic races suggests "mayor and aldermanic incumbents are susceptible to a challenge from candidates willing to make a city-wide case for a new direction."