3/10/2010
More taxes or less government expense. Those are the choices.
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3/9/2010
Various state agencies spent over half a million dollars on registration fees and conference expenses in 2008 and 2009. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Transportation were among the agencies that spent the most.
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3/9/2010
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3/9/2010
The Village of Allendale, and its 482 citizens, received around $225,000.00 in funding from the State in 2009.
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3/9/2010
There is no end to those who know how we should live and are willing to use government force to get us there.
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3/9/2010
A bill to implement stronger income verification requirements for those seeking to enroll in Medicaid failed today in the Illinois House.
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3/9/2010
Is tax credits for new jobs good policy? Do credits work? Are there better options?
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3/9/2010
A bill targeting online retailers like Amazon.com is moving through the Illinois Senate.
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3/8/2010
State agencies spent more than $60K on educational and instructional materials and supplies in 2008 and 2009.
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3/8/2010
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3/8/2010
The Department of Commerce spent $2,464 on lighting for the Ethnic Village at the 2008 state fair
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3/5/2010
CPS takes a small step.
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3/5/2010
Transparency coming to Quincy?
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3/5/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent $3,000 for a subscription to an economic forecasting service from Global Insight Inc.
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3/5/2010
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3/5/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $50K printing the IDES Unemployment Insurance Benefits Handbook in 2009.
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3/5/2010
Another reason why we need transparency in government spending.
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3/5/2010
Power corrupts. An argument against giving up too much power.
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3/5/2010
Updated information for an article on the
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3/4/2010
Canada begins to discuss how their health care system isn't working.
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3/4/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $10,000 for information and analysis on the state's labor force.
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3/4/2010
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3/4/2010
The Department of Public Health spent over $1 million for
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3/3/2010
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3/3/2010
The Governor spent over $100K on rent and other expenses for his DC office.
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3/3/2010
The Department of Commerce gave Prairie State Power Company $2,340,000 in grant money during a three month period from October 2008 through January 2009.
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3/3/2010
The Chicago Tribune ran a great piece covering Sen. James Meeks' efforts on bring vouchers to students in struggling schools in Chicago:
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3/3/2010
Stay abreast of legislator tweets at www.TweetIllinois.org.
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3/3/2010
What happened to that deadline?
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3/2/2010
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3/2/2010
The Department of Commerce gave Siemens a $1 million grant in fiscal year 2009 to help finance the construction of a new manufacturing plant.
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3/2/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $46K on brochures for Tele-Serve, the telephone hot-line that assists individuals applying for unemployment benefits.
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3/1/2010
From Haiti to Illinois to Canada, meet the new boss; same as the old boss.
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3/1/2010
Don't want health care reform the Obama way? Too bad.
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3/1/2010
What happens if the government decides not to back up its promise?
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3/1/2010
The Department of Commerce gave $5,000 to an organization in Carlinville, Illinois to support the Annual Christmas Market it puts on.
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3/1/2010
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity gave three grants totaling more than $100,000 to Vintage Tech Recyclers Inc. in 2008.
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3/1/2010
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3/1/2010
Your government is protecting you from getting your hair braided by someone who failed to go to a school where they don't teach hair braiding.
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2/26/2010
What went so wrong with Illinois's budget?
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2/26/2010
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2/26/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent $2,373.94 on copies of Sullivan's Law Directory.
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2/26/2010
The Department of Transportation spent $4,258K on Legal and Attorney Fees in 2009
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2/26/2010
What human health care can learn from pet care.
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2/25/2010
More than $4.7 million was spent on advertising in 2008 and 2009, in addition to the more than $6 million spent on professional advertising and media services.
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2/25/2010
Stay abreast of legislator tweets at www.TweetIllinois.org.
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2/25/2010
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2/25/2010
Now is your chance to let Gov. Quinn and the legislature know what you think about the proposed budget and tax hikes?
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2/25/2010
The Department of Commerce spent $2,800 on Illinois Workforce Investment Board meetings.
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2/24/2010
In fiscal year 2009 the Department of Aging gave Ageoptions $14 Million in grants.
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2/24/2010
The annual threat to school programs and teacher positions is on again.
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2/24/2010
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2/24/2010
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2/23/2010
The Wall Street Journal picks up on recent efforts in Illinois to create the state's first voucher program.
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2/23/2010
The Department of Transportation paid over $69 million for land, rights of way and easements in 2009.
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2/23/2010
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2/23/2010
The Department of Corrections spent over $600,000 on travel allowances for released and paroled inmates.
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2/23/2010
An unapologetic Danny Williams says he was aware his trip to the United States for heart surgery earlier this month would spark outcry, but he concluded his personal health trumped any public fallout over the controversial decision.
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2/23/2010
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services employees had colors training in 2005.
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2/22/2010
Expanding on my earlier assertion that people cannot be starving in mass numbers unless the government has failed and/or is corrupt.
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2/22/2010
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2/22/2010
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2/22/2010
The State of Illinois spent $30K per year in 2008 and 2009 for membership and association dues to the Delta Regional Authority.
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2/22/2010
When bad ideas just won't fade away.
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2/21/2010
Can the school system solve the violence problem on Chicago streets - and should it be their job?
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2/19/2010
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2/19/2010
The Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Transportation were among the departments that spent the most on household, laundry, and cleaning supplies.
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2/19/2010
An opportunity to increase transparency and bring about more timely disclosure of public information.
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2/19/2010
In 2009, the CTA received $25 million in direct funding from the state but it still needed to cut service to close a budget deficit after union workers refused to return a 3.5% pay raise.
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2/18/2010
Illinois spent at least $813,653,009.72 on purchases from other states.
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2/18/2010
How free are we in Illinois?
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2/18/2010
Do you think government spending is out of control and harmful? Then Time magazine's Joe Klein thinks you are a dodo.
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2/18/2010
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2/18/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $150K on envelopes in 2008 and 2009.
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2/17/2010
More lessons from Haiti for the American economy.
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2/17/2010
The State of Illinois spent over $60K on moving expenses in 2008 and 2009. Find out more here.
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2/17/2010
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2/17/2010
The state of Illinois spent over $15 million on gas, oil, and antifreeze in 2008 and 2009.
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2/17/2010
Setting bad precedent?
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2/16/2010
How did Chicago respond to its second snowstorm?
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2/16/2010
The Department of Commerce provided over $7 million in grants to tourism Councils and Bureaus.
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2/16/2010
Transparency in Cook County?
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2/16/2010
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2/16/2010
The Department of Public Health spent on Welcoming Centers in 2008, which are part of a program from the Department of Human Services to help new immigrants.
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2/16/2010
The AP released information from a forthcoming audit of the Census Bureau detailing wasteful spending during the preparations for the 2010 census.
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2/16/2010
What does a community organizer do?
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2/16/2010
Liberty Leader Paul Detlefs responds to an article in the Wall Street Journal in which he explains why the government often can't keep up with the private sector - it's all about incentives.
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2/12/2010
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2/12/2010
The Department of Public Health paid Ink Well Enterprises Inc $4,930 in 2008 for
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2/12/2010
In 2008 and 2009 the state of Illinois sent $1,320,000.00 to the Illinois Chapter of the AFL-CIO, a federation of unions.
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2/11/2010
Side roads saw clearing by Wednesday afternoon...
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2/11/2010
The Governor's Office spent over $25,000 on subscriptions during 2008 and 2009.
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2/11/2010
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2/11/2010
Over 2008 and 2009, the State of Illinois spent more than $2.85 million on medical, scientific, and laboratory supplies. Which departments spent the most? Find out here.
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2/11/2010
A plank in the Institute's Economic Reform Agenda got a vote in the House. It's a good idea; here's why.
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2/11/2010
Stay abreast of legislator tweets at www.TweetIllinois.org.
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2/11/2010
Things don't look so rosy for job growth in the Prairie State.
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2/10/2010
For fiscal year 2009, the Governor's Office spent $176,200 to be a member of the National Governors Association.
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2/10/2010
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2/10/2010
I am in Pignon, a rural town in the center of the country. It is on Highway 3, which would seem to suggest an easy drive. Have you ever taken a drive along a place cut out of the land by a raging river? That is Highway 3—and I am not exaggerating.
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2/10/2010
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2/10/2010
The Department of Commerce gave Chicago Football Classic Incorporated a grant for $50,000 in 2009.
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2/10/2010
State budget transparency on the way?
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2/10/2010
Suburban School District 54 greatly improved their Local Government Transparency Project score by close to 40 points since being contacted by the Illinois Policy Institute.
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2/9/2010
It's time to use technology to ensure that Medicaid claims data can be used by the state and the public to drive cost savings and better health outcomes.
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2/9/2010
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2/9/2010
The Department of Transportation spent over $380K on repair and maintenance of aircraft and boats in 2009.
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2/9/2010
The state spent $532,451.28 on various subscriptions in 2008 and 2009.
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2/8/2010
The State of Illinois spent over $300K on operating taxes, licenses and fees in 2008 and 2009.
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2/8/2010
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services spent almost $4,000 to attend conferences and events put on by e.Republic Incorporated
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2/8/2010
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2/8/2010
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2/5/2010
The Department of Public Health spent $694,950 on background checks in 2008.
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2/5/2010
At the 'In Our Hands' summit on vouchers and education Reverend and Senator James Meeks spoke about his voucher bill.
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2/4/2010
The Department of Corrections spent over $750K on travel expenses in 2008 and 2009.
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2/4/2010
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2/4/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $70,000 on services from the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.
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2/4/2010
Lawmakers in Springfield eye the possibility of reviving the death tax - before it dies.
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2/4/2010
They said it, not me.
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2/4/2010
Transparency may have had a hand in Tuesday's election.
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2/3/2010
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2/3/2010
The Department of Public Health spent $18,000 on catering, meeting rooms, and audio visual equipment to the Wolf Point Hotel Company in 2009.
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2/3/2010
Many people object to the fact that they can't vote for a Republican for one race and a Democrat for another.
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2/3/2010
The Illinois Department of Commerce spent over $6,000 on shredders in 2008 and 2009.
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2/3/2010
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2/3/2010
Based on the election results from Barrington and Lake Forest, the political viability for major pension reform in Illinois is more probable than previously thought.
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2/3/2010
A new Tax Foundation report highlights how some localities are trying to extend hotel taxes to online booking service fees.
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2/3/2010
Get the A, B, C's on lowering your property tax bill.
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2/3/2010
As recently as November 2009, Recovery.gov claimed that over 24,000 Illinois jobs had been created or saved by the stimulus package. Recovery.gov now lists 11,375 jobs (as reported by grant recipients), less than Minnesota, Missouri, and Indiana's counts.
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2/2/2010
In 2008, the Department of Public Health spent over $35,000 on meeting facilitators.
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2/2/2010
Slowly, but at a quickening pace, ice forms over the pool of global warming
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2/2/2010
The Obama campaign still owes the City of Springfield serious dough for a campaign rally held in the fall of 2008. Pay up, Mr. President!
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2/2/2010
Illinois Department of Transportation spent $225,00 over the past two years on projects labeled as
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2/2/2010
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2/1/2010
Illinois Department on Aging spent over $25,000 on conference fees in 2009.
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2/1/2010
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2/1/2010
The State of Illinois spent over $170,000 on video conferencing in 2008 and 2009.
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2/1/2010
A bill to mandate paid sick leave is up for consideration in Illinois.
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1/29/2010
In the interest of transparency...
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1/29/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent $5K on writing pads in 2008 and 2009.
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1/29/2010
In 2009, the Department of Aging spent $433,000 to rent equipment.
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1/29/2010
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1/29/2010
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1/29/2010
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1/29/2010
Obama shows a disconnect with the American people.
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1/28/2010
Did you know all of these. Really? ALL of them?
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1/28/2010
The Department of Transportation spent over $450,000 in 2009 on "forage and farm and garden supplies."
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1/28/2010
...and the Fresh 1st Baron Keynes. Check out the video.
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1/28/2010
Dan Mitchell explains the negative impact that a second stimulus will have on our long term prospects for recovery.
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1/28/2010
The President tells us that the stimulus has saved jobs. At what cost?
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1/28/2010
The Illinois Department of Employment Security spent nearly $500 on bubble wrap in 2009.
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1/28/2010
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1/27/2010
Which department spent over $20,000 on toilet paper in 2008 and 2009? Find out here.
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1/27/2010
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1/27/2010
The State has spent over 1.3 million dollars at Office Depot over the past two years.
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1/27/2010
Another example of a politician ignoring the real issue and blowing smoke instead.
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1/26/2010
The Department of Employment Security has spent over $3,500 on cups over the past two years.
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1/26/2010
The State of Illinois spent over $44 million on commodities in 2009. Which departments spent the most? Find out here.
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1/26/2010
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1/26/2010
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1/26/2010
Unemployment has passed 11 percent in Illinois, while government workers enjoy relative security. Is that a good thing?
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1/25/2010
The Department of Employment Security, charged with administering the state's unemployment benefits has some interesting items at the top of its budget.
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1/25/2010
The country does best when the citizens are involved.
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1/25/2010
Can we cut the spin and get to what matters? Can Quinn govern? Can Dorothy Brown run a county?
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1/25/2010
Which department store received $37,500 from the Department of Commerce and Economic Development in 2009? What was the money for? Find out here.
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1/25/2010
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1/25/2010
Hoffman Estates sets new gold standard in Salary & Benefit transparency. 233 employees are making over $100,000 in total compensation.
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1/22/2010
The Department of Employment Security has spent over $3,000 on membership fees for local chambers of commerce.
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1/22/2010
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1/22/2010
Which department was responsible for 99.5% of the spending on
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1/21/2010
The election in Massachusetts was shocking. Are the right people shocked?
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1/21/2010
Which state department spent over $25K on books, maps, and paintings in 2008 and 2009? Who were the vendors? Find out here.
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1/21/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $3,000 on employee appreciation.
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1/21/2010
Maryland state lawmakers considering posting committee votes online. Illinois should do the same.
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1/21/2010
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1/21/2010
Christopher Horner talked about global warming at a recent Institute event.
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1/20/2010
McCormick may be losing another customer.
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1/20/2010
In 2008 and 2009, Illinois State Government spent over $56 million dollars on purchasing, repairing, and renting vehicles.
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1/20/2010
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1/20/2010
How much did the Department of Transportation spent on remodeling and renovations in 2009? Find out here.
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1/20/2010
From warning of the dangers of tax hikes, to rooting out wasteful spending, to a gentle reminder about stocking up on some of life's essentials, here are the articles that you enjoyed the most from the Institute in 2009.
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1/20/2010
Illinois has officially submitted its application to the federal grant program.
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1/19/2010
The local school board will hear the proposal tonight.
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1/19/2010
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1/19/2010
Michigan can't sue Illinois over the Asian Carp. They don't have to.
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1/19/2010
The Department of Commerce spent $1,068 on table tents in 2008.
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1/19/2010
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1/18/2010
Here are five common items that every city in Illinois could put on its web site.
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1/15/2010
We have made significant progress in opening up
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1/15/2010
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1/15/2010
That's why charter schools are located almost entirely in Chicago.
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1/15/2010
The Department of Public Health spent $551,895.96 on telephone interviews for the CDC. Find out more here.
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1/15/2010
The state spent $4,765 on Business cards in 2008 and 2009.
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1/15/2010
$735 million from state sale.
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1/14/2010
Want to speak out about one of the top free speech issues of the year? Today is the deadline to comment on the government’s push for “Net Neutrality.”
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1/14/2010
Nothing is easier to spend than other people's money.
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1/14/2010
A federal government study says the (federal) Head Start program isn't working.
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1/14/2010
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1/14/2010
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1/14/2010
The Governor's Office spent $123,180 in telecom expenses last year. Where can you see the charges online? Find out here.
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1/14/2010
Then check out this free guide from the Illinois Network of Charter Schools.
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1/13/2010
The federal stimulus dollars were clearly advertised as temporary in nature. So why are folks adding the so-called loss of stimulus dollars to this year's budget deficit calculation?
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1/13/2010
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1/13/2010
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1/13/2010
Find out how much the state government spent on salt for roads in 2008 and 2009.
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1/13/2010
There is a socialist fever in Washington, DC at the moment. Socialism didn't make America great and cannot solve our problems today.
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1/13/2010
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1/12/2010
Peoria will be home to Central Illinois's first charter high school.
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1/12/2010
Find out how much the State of Illinois spent on gas, electricity and other expenses for the Governor's mansion.
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1/12/2010
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1/12/2010
The Department of Commerce spent nearly $2 million on public relations in 2008 and 2009.
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1/12/2010
John O'Hara of the Heartland Institute
has written a book about the Tea Party
movement.
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1/12/2010
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1/11/2010
The State of Illinois spent more than $30 million on statistical and tabulation services in 2008 and 2009. Which departments spent the most? Find out here.
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1/11/2010
The Department of Employment Security reported their spending in a way that told us very little about what the money was actually going towards.
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1/11/2010
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1/11/2010
Chavez threatens to seize any business in Venezuela that raises prices. That could not happen in American could it?
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1/9/2010
Illinois's budget is broke, but the Medicaid expansion in ObamaCare would makes things much, much worse. New estimates on just how bad things would be are now available.
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1/8/2010
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1/8/2010
How will health care legislation affect your health savings account (HSA) or high deductible health plan (HDHP)?
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1/8/2010
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services spent $200 million in 2008 and 2009 on a vague category of spending, telling us little about what the expenditures were for.
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1/8/2010
Businesses are reluctant to employ people when they fear higher taxes.
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1/8/2010
Snow hit Chicago January 7, how well did the city respond?
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1/7/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent over $3,000 on chair cushions over the last two years.
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1/7/2010
Politicians, like anyone else, like to hear what they want to hear. Whether they like it or not, they need to hear from you.
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1/7/2010
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1/7/2010
The Department of Employment Security spent more than $650,000 to one vendor in 2009 with over $450,000 in payments for paper.
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1/7/2010
More people left Illinois last year than any other state except Michigan, according to a new study by United Van Lines.
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1/6/2010
As the national health care debate moves behind closed doors, CSPAN tries to let the sunshine in...and Obama's campaign promises come back to haunt him.
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1/6/2010
If we can't an across-the-board tax cut, let's pile up the tax breaks.
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1/6/2010
The Boston Globe's Jeff Jacoby explores the problems with Medicare--and why we should imitate Mayo instead.
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1/6/2010
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) cited estimates that the federal stimulus would save/create 148,000 Illinois jobs. That's hardly been the case, as it turns out.
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1/6/2010
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1/6/2010
Promises of televised health care negotiations...
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1/6/2010
The Department of Employment Security has spent more then $3,000 on glue sticks over the past 2 years.
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1/6/2010
Those of us opposed to the health care
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1/6/2010
Could the mixture of Illinois's new capital building program and a lack of operating funds leave us with new -- but empty -- state facilities?
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1/6/2010
The State of Illinois spent more than $2 millions on printing costs in 2008 and 2009. Which departments spent the most? Find out here.
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1/5/2010
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1/5/2010
The Cato Institute takes a closer look at the generous wages and benefits offered by state and local governments.
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1/4/2010
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1/4/2010
In 2008, the state spent more than $8,000 on calendars. How much will it spend in 2010?
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1/4/2010
The state legislature pads local government pension benefits, and taxpayers get to pony up the money to pay for it.
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1/4/2010
'Green' power is possible. Satisfying 'greenies' is not.
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1/2/2010
Which departments had the highest average total compensation for employees in 2009? Find out here.
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1/1/2010
Using our transparency website, IllinoisOpenGov.org, you can find out which departments spent the most on payroll in 2009.
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12/30/2009
Even some of the people who gain from pork, see it for what it is; a money wasting game that everyone loses.
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12/29/2009
Are we a nation of beggars or a nation of people who each do what we can to look after ourselves before we go to the government in search of the fruits of other people's labor?
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12/28/2009
The road remains rocky and the obstacles are many, but fighting to maintain freedom is the gift we give the future.
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12/23/2009
Presidents telling banks who to lend to got us into a pickle. It happened only recently. Obama forgot.
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12/23/2009
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity spent over $4,000 in 2008 on "state plane rental."
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12/23/2009
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12/23/2009
Their next trick...
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12/22/2009
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12/22/2009
A list of the heroes and events that led to the freedom we enjoy today.
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12/22/2009
The average annual pay for Illinois state government is 15 percent more than the average annual pay in the private sector.
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12/22/2009
Despite the track the current administration is on, Rasmussen shows that Americans, including Democrats, want smaller government.
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12/22/2009
The Department of Commerce spent over $1500 on posters detailing different sources of renewable energy
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12/22/2009
How much does the state pay for products and services from the United States Postal Service each year? Find out here.
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12/22/2009
Gun sales up - murder down. Huh?
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12/22/2009
The Senate recently passed health care legislation full of deals for individuals states. Unfortunately, Illinoisans might be left to pick up the tab.
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12/21/2009
Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson secured permanent federal aid for a mandate to expand Medicaid in exchange for his vote in favor of Senator Reid's health care legislation. Where is Illinois's payoff?
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12/21/2009
Did you know that five states actually cut their income tax in 2009?
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12/21/2009
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12/21/2009
The Department of Commerce reimburses non-state employees for travel expenses
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12/21/2009
Who were the 50 largest recipients of grants from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in 2008? Read here to find out.
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12/21/2009
The people against the health bill are all crazy, dangerous nuts?
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12/21/2009
Deficits may not be ideal, but the real problem is excessive spending. A new video details the fountains of money pouring out of Washington, D.C.
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12/21/2009
The New York Times details who gets what in the fractious negotiations over Congress's health care bill.
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12/18/2009
This video provides a quick overview of what a government option really means.
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12/18/2009
Illinois State spent more than $39,000 on petty cash reimbursements in 2009. Which department paid out the most? Find out here.
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12/18/2009
A Democratic Congress and a Democratic White House have steered stimulus dollars to Democratic districts far more often than they have to Republican districts.
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12/18/2009
The state doesn't list grants in their spending report. Instead, they are listed in an unpublished database.
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12/18/2009
Give me one good reason why you're not hiring.
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12/18/2009
Three quarters of American high school districts and half of our elementary districts are now providing distance learning opportunities to students.
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12/18/2009
The latest rankings of the 'happiest states' aren't friendly to Illinois.
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12/18/2009
Climate scientist says peer-reviewed literature is not a true and unbiased sample of the state of climate science. He claims a manufactured consensus.
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12/18/2009
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12/18/2009
The Civic Federation released its 2010 legislative priorities, and among them is requiring the state government to develop, implement, and publish performance measurements.
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12/17/2009
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12/17/2009
The Cato Institute explains why ObamaCare is a bad deal for young adults in America.
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12/17/2009
Power corrupts, and it seems to do so with ruthless efficiency in Illinois. We need to put a stop to it, or at least stun the process into a slow-down.
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12/17/2009
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity pays a lot for event registrations.
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12/17/2009
The Department of Commerce spent over $25,000 on entertainers for the State Fair in 2008
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12/17/2009
It's past time for the Chicago's South Side to have a Wal-Mart.
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12/17/2009
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Employment Security spent thousands of dollars on membership fees in 2008 and 2009.
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12/17/2009
Check out what we found. Is your district in compliance?
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12/17/2009
Rasmussen shows us that a movement is gaining ground on traditional parties.
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12/16/2009
Voters resoundingly reject Schaumburg's plan to raise property taxes.
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12/16/2009
Where are they going?
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12/16/2009
Illinois Department of Commerce spends over a quarter of a million dollars on leasing computers.
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12/16/2009
The Department of Employment Security spent $2,220 on bathroom air freshener service in 2009.
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12/16/2009
Thanks to federal expense reporting requirements and the accessibility of the Internet, we can get a glimpse into the compensation packages of top union officials in Illinois.
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12/16/2009
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12/15/2009
McCormick Place driving away exhibitors with its costly ways.
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12/15/2009
As unemployment rises Illinois Department of Employment Security continues to spend taxpayer money on staplers.
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12/15/2009
As today is my final day at the Illinois Policy Institute, I want to share some thoughts on how great it's been to work with the team these past nearly 2 years.
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12/15/2009
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity spent $10,000 on a gala honoring the director of the recent Batman movies.
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12/15/2009
Unusual spending by the state government
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12/15/2009
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12/15/2009
Paid to teach, educators fail too often, but rarely take responsibility.
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12/14/2009
Eric Zorn scorns those who would look to hold taxes at current levels.
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12/14/2009
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12/14/2009
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12/14/2009
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity spent more than $25,000 on booth rentals in 2009. Maybe it's time to rethink government expenditures.
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12/14/2009
Government shouldn't be in the hotel business. Period.
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12/11/2009
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12/11/2009
Our state is in financial crisis but the Department of Transportation still finds money for luxuries.
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12/11/2009
People who think that Obama's low poll numbers are a prediction of failure in the future, need to look to the past.
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12/11/2009
According to USA Today, "the number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during the recession."
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12/10/2009
With the federal government on a roll, bailing out autos, banks, etc., here are some additional bailout ideas.
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12/9/2009
Harry Reid, given a chance to say
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12/9/2009
Where is this unprecedented level of government openness?
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12/9/2009
Kevin Lee at the Illinois Statehouse News looks into the inner workings of the legislative scholarship program, which allows lawmakers to give eight public university students each year a tuition waiver to one of Illinois’ state universities.
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12/9/2009
Senators Tom Coburn and John McCain highlight 100 questionable stimulus projects. Case in point: $221,355 to study why young men do not like condoms.
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12/9/2009
Michael Franc of the Heritage Foundation outlines how provisions in the House health care bill could lead states to hand responsibility for Medicaid to the federal government.
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12/9/2009
The government is spending tens of thousands on antiquated technology. Why?
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12/9/2009
John Filan was pressured by Speaker of the House Mike Madigan to resign in early 2009. The state then promptly hired him back on a contract basis, at the same salary.
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12/9/2009
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12/8/2009
Against the lessons of economic history, Obama plans more government spending.
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12/8/2009
Such vague titles as
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12/8/2009
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12/7/2009
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12/7/2009
Want to read something truly terrifying? Try page 407 of Harry Reid's health care legislation.
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12/7/2009
Illinois lost 286,300 jobs in the past twelve months. Let me repeat that: Illinois lost 286,300 jobs over the past year.
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12/7/2009
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12/4/2009
Where do your Illinois state taxes go? Now you can find out.
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12/4/2009
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12/4/2009
Heather Wilhelm discusses her Wall Street Journal piece on Ayn Rand and her impact on the free market message.
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12/3/2009
Not an easy list to winnow down.
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12/3/2009
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12/3/2009
Illinois Townships are hotbeads of waste and corruption.
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12/2/2009
A victory for taxpayers as the county board overrides Strogers' veto.
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12/2/2009
Some unions don't care too much for the new taxes on their members' insurance benefits included in Speaker Pelosi's reform bill.
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12/2/2009
Can mandated insurance expenses be compared to slavery?
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12/2/2009
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12/1/2009
You be the judge. Was the doctor telling the truth, or was he being hateful?
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12/1/2009
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12/1/2009
In today's Wall Street Journal, Bret Stephens tracks the money funding the fervor around climate change.
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12/1/2009
Mayor Daley would like another TIF district, but is this a legitimate case of blight or a means to pad the slush fund?
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12/1/2009
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12/1/2009
I can't count how many times I've been in a conversation with a person who insists income disparities are leading to lower living standards for the poor. But not even the wealthy had running water 120 years ago...not to mention TVs.
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12/1/2009
Voters see no results from stimulus package.
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11/30/2009
If cutting sales taxes is good for Cook County, then hiking taxes statewide is...?
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11/30/2009
A J.P. Morgan report reveals the lack of "real world" experience needed for top government jobs.
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11/30/2009
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11/30/2009
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11/30/2009
Governor Quinn thinks that Illinoisans are happier today than at the start of 2009. Is he right?
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11/29/2009
Government "help" to business as disastrous as government persecution...
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11/28/2009
Why is Governor Quinn creating new state government jobs when we can't even pay our current bills?
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11/27/2009
Watch this interactive county-by-county map of unemployment rates going up every month.
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11/27/2009
Danny Davis of Illinois thinks your money could save the US Postal Service
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11/26/2009
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11/26/2009
Take bribes. Admit it. Keep your job.
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11/26/2009
An interesting web site gives some surprising answers.
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11/25/2009
You don't know best. Dick Durbin knows best.
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11/25/2009
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11/25/2009
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11/24/2009
Meeks has introduced voucher legislation. The unions aren't with him, but the Chicago Tribune is.
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11/24/2009
Are you a woman in your 40s? You may die. The government doesn't care.
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11/24/2009
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11/24/2009
George Melloan takes a look at what happens when government takes over the business of business.
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11/24/2009
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11/23/2009
Fighting city hall, advancing unpopular ideas and trying to engage a busy and sometimes apathetic public is tough work.
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11/23/2009
Lose jobs in a big way. As many as 169,000.
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11/23/2009
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11/23/2009
A new survey places Illinois as one of 25 states with a statewide virtual school initiative, but dead last among those 25 in the scope of its programs.
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11/23/2009
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11/23/2009
That $87.8 million went where?
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11/22/2009
A new study from the National Taxpayers Union finds that every GM vehicle sold costs taxpayers $12,200.
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11/21/2009
What should we do when the United States Postal Service loses $3.8 billion in one year? It's time to call in the bailout brigade!
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11/20/2009
Unemployment in Illinois hits 11 percent,up from 10.5 percent.
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11/20/2009
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley opined today on one of the most important issues of our time: Oprah Winfrey's decision to end her show and leave Chicago. He blames the media--she blames the weather. Too bad the mayor can't relate his thoughts to other things.
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11/20/2009
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11/20/2009
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11/20/2009
Private comapny operates parking meters better than the city every could.
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11/20/2009
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11/20/2009
Major victory for proponents of more transparency in the Federal Reserve.
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11/19/2009
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11/19/2009
Two major convention events have pulled out of Chicago this week, with a third possible. Most say it's because of the economy, but I think policy has a lot to do with it.
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11/19/2009
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11/19/2009
In a USA Today column, Laura Vanderkam shows how job creators are something to be thankful for.
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11/19/2009
Here are 10 easy to use ideas for stopping a local tax-hike.
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11/18/2009
Were stimulus jobs really created in Illinois's 20th, 21st, 22nd, 28th, 33rd, 34th, 42nd, 44th, 53rd, and 59th congressional districts? Recovery.gov says so.
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11/18/2009
Why has Illinois's 18th Congressional District received the vast majority of the state's stimulus jobs?
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11/18/2009
15 reasons that government health care
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11/18/2009
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11/18/2009
See actual spending in your neighborhood...
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11/17/2009
Sounding the alarm on Illinois's pension problem.
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11/17/2009
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11/17/2009
Tax payers are told that they have to contribute to society. What about tax eaters?
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11/17/2009
It could all end tomorrow.
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11/17/2009
How widespread is corruption in Illinois?
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11/17/2009
U.S. Representative Daniel Lipinski recently voted in favor of Speaker Pelosi's massive health care bill even though he had made noises about limiting the burden of health care legislation on taxpayers.
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11/17/2009
How many Congressional districts do we have?
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11/16/2009
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11/16/2009
Dead end for whistleblowers.
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11/16/2009
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11/16/2009
Condolences to the many good people who have worked alongside Michael Scott in Chicago's schools.
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11/16/2009
In one day's news we see examples of the ever-expanding size of the federal government.
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11/13/2009
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11/13/2009
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11/13/2009
Economists use a formula to predict when income and living standards double. It's called the Rule of 70, and you may be surprised to see how Illinois fares.
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11/12/2009
The Bloomington 9/12 meet up group hosted an event on November 11, and the Illinois Policy Institute spoke about the false promises of high-speed rail.
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11/12/2009
Nothing is free, it just sometimes looks that way.
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11/12/2009
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11/11/2009
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11/11/2009
Thoughts on Veteran's Day.
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11/11/2009
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11/10/2009
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11/10/2009
If you like out of control costs and rationing, while hating civil rights, this health care bill is for you.
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11/10/2009
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11/10/2009
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11/9/2009
Today marks
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11/9/2009
How does Illinois stack up with other states when it comes to respecting parents and children through school choice?
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11/9/2009
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11/6/2009
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11/6/2009
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11/6/2009
"Absolutely...without question..."
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11/6/2009
One community realizes that government doesn't have to provide our desires. People can, and will.
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11/5/2009
Health care reform is on the way - and we're just sick about it.
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11/5/2009
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have received $1 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study the relationship between fat taxes and food consumption, diet quality and obesity.
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11/5/2009
According to Recovery.gov, the Illinois State AFL-CIO is receiving $2,440,200 in federal stimulus funds.
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11/5/2009
We're now seeing the stimulus for what it really was -- a bailout of spendthrift government entities.
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11/5/2009
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11/5/2009
The Bambenek Putback Amendment is a citizen-initiated amendment to the Constitution of the State of Illinois. Bambenek says it is designed to put the people back in charge in Springfield.
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11/5/2009
Rev. Meeks, school choice champion?
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11/4/2009
Where do your federal dollars go? Some of them go for a little train ride, and get lost in the process.
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11/4/2009
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11/3/2009
A debate at DePaul over teacher tenure brings up whether tenure's time has come and gone.
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11/3/2009
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11/3/2009
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11/2/2009
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11/1/2009
This caught my eye on Recovery.gov -- 0.01 jobs saved/created by a $78,125 grant to the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Really? Something tells me this is not quite right.
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10/30/2009
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10/30/2009
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10/30/2009
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10/30/2009
The health care bill introduced by House Democrats is a surefire recipe for busting Illinois's budget.
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10/30/2009
The health care bill introduced this week by House Democrats contains $729.5 billion in news taxes.
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10/29/2009
All politics are local. But some are a lot more local than others, and you have a chance to make a difference.
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10/29/2009
Tuition at Illinois’s state universities is becoming less affordable for Illinois families. From 2002 to 2007, in-state tuition and fees jumped by an average of 56 percent.
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10/29/2009
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10/29/2009
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10/29/2009
It's a federal crime--punishable by up to 5 years in prison--to provide (or receive) compensation for donating bone marrow. Several groups filed suit this week to change that.
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10/28/2009
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10/27/2009
Elk Grove Village--a Chicago suburb--recently retired its TIF district because, as village Mayor Craig Johnson said, the TIF's purpose had been accomplished.
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10/27/2009
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10/27/2009
When failure to comply with taxes, legally or illegally, becomes rampant, government never seems to ask themselves whether it may be in part due to the taxes being too high.
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10/26/2009
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10/26/2009
The ongoing debate in Illinois about campaign finance limits misses the bigger picture: contribution limits and public financing won't fix our ethics problems.
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10/26/2009
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10/26/2009
A graph on public sector vs. private sector is worth a thousand words...or more.
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10/23/2009
Does government policy - which is always declared to be of help to the poor - really benefit ordinary, low-income people?
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10/23/2009
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10/22/2009
How much of your tax dollars are flowing in the city's TIF troughs?
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10/22/2009
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10/22/2009
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10/21/2009
Yesterday I posted a column on Gaper's Block on the news that Block 37--a planned commercial development in Chicago--faces foreclosure. What makes this news especially interesting is the development was the beneficiary of taxpayer dollars through TIFs.
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10/21/2009
Is each of us willing to make choices and sacrifices to better society, or do we want government to give us everything?
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10/21/2009
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10/20/2009
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10/20/2009
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10/19/2009
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10/19/2009
In the aftermath of the tragic beating death of a student at Chicago's Fenger High School, some Chicago Public Schools administrators are suggesting students from Fenger may choose to go to school elsewhere. Why not make this a policy for all students?
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10/19/2009
Ever wonder about the health care benefits enjoyed by Illinois state government employees and retirees ? And what portion of the plan cost is covered by the employee vs. taxpayers?
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10/19/2009
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10/16/2009
Whole Foods and health care...
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10/16/2009
Yesterday the Illinois legislature approved $205 million to continue providing college tuition grants from the Monetary Award Program through the spring semester. But there's no money in the bank to back this spending.
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10/16/2009
Government is supposed to be here to protect us, but not from ourselves.
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10/16/2009
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10/16/2009
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10/16/2009
The stimulus has created 288 jobs in Illinois. Don't take our word for it. See it for yourself on Recovery.gov.
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10/15/2009
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10/15/2009
Former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt spoke at an Illinois Policy Institute luncheon in Springfield to explain Missouri's transparency program.
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10/15/2009
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10/13/2009
Instead of concentrating on government, let's concentrate on what matters; patients.
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10/12/2009
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10/12/2009
Chicago taxpayers give their aldermen a generous $3.7 million allowance every year to spend on things from phone service to car rental. Here's a look at how one alderman spends our money.
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10/9/2009
If we want Illinois's best and brightest to be teachers, it seems like we should advertise one simple fact: teachers make good money.
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10/9/2009
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10/9/2009
Illinois looks to property taxes for a good chunk of its revenue.
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10/9/2009
President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Why? Hope! Promise! Self regard. Let's bask in that warm glow by appointing a similarly qualified person in Illinois.
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10/9/2009
Some people just can't get over it when other people do things for themselves.
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10/8/2009
Here is a little primer for those who think capitalism and profit are dirty words.
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10/7/2009
Yet another government entity decides to treat adults like children and to supposedly make the job of the police easier by attacking the rights of the law-abiding.
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10/6/2009
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10/6/2009
It is easy to assume that Michigan's economic woes are due to he troubles in the domestic auto industry. Is it that simple?
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10/5/2009
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10/5/2009
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels spoke to a capacity crowd at an Illinois Policy Institute lunch event in Chicago last week, and then sat down with me to talk about controlling spending, health care, and incentives to businesses moving between states.
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10/3/2009
Illinois has applied for over $3 billion in high-speed rail stimulus dollars to increase the average speed time by 5 miles per hour.
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10/2/2009
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10/2/2009
Today one of the largest big government programs in the history of the City of Chicago was defeated. Many are sad--hosting the Olympic Games is fun and an honor--but still others are celebrating the defeat of a plan that would cost millions of dollars.
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10/2/2009
I want my health care DMV style -- don't you?
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10/1/2009
I think it is too bad that with the success we have had lately with our governors we could not just steal one from another state.
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10/1/2009
Although details are scarce, it appears Cook Co. president Todd Stroger has made an emergency hire of a law firm without board approval.
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10/1/2009
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10/1/2009
A new report by the Illinois Policy Institute and the VA-based Lexington Institute provides evidence that charters are giving non-English speaking students a chance to succeed.
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10/1/2009
The State Fair in Springfield is always a fun time. But, during a budget crisis, is it prudent for the government to spend taxpayer money on popcorn and instant photos?
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10/1/2009
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10/1/2009
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10/1/2009
The CTA has opened up its records of contracts and vendors to the public online.
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9/30/2009
Liberty Leader David Jenkins issued FOIA requests and compiled a database of salaries of employees in the Illinois Attorney General's office.
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9/30/2009
Dick Durbin's reversal on DC school vouchers, Canadians getting health care in Montana, 'King Daley', and more.
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9/30/2009
A new report on poverty in Chicago has just come out from the Heartland Alliance (not to be confused with the free market Heartlanders elsewhere). In it, the group records an increase in poverty in Chicago, placing it at 20.6 percent of the population.
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9/30/2009
A guy who apparently merely wants to drive drunks safely home is having a tough time getting Quincy, Illinois to let him do it.
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9/29/2009
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9/29/2009
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9/29/2009
Educators say that they can't reject the
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9/29/2009
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan jumped into the fray by sponsoring a bill that would prevent state money from being used to fund high-speed rail along Springfield's 3rd Street corridor.
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9/28/2009
Congressman Mark Kirk, Senatorial Candidate, asks the Census Bureau to cut ties with SEIU Local 880.
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9/28/2009
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9/28/2009
The Illinois Housing Development Authority provides an update on the $100,000 grant slated to go to ACORN Housing.
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9/28/2009
Steve Stanek of the Heartland Institute comes out today with a story about economic planning gone wrong in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates. Thanks to generous tax increment financing (TIF) from the Village of Hoffman Estates and the bad management
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9/27/2009
Finally, we have some evidence to back the claim that adults make decisions about their lifestyle regardless of what activists and politicians try to force them to do. And of course, revenue projections by the do-gooders and elected officials were wrong.
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9/25/2009
Never more than today does the phrase
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9/25/2009
If public preschool gets such a great rate of return, why not entice investors with those great returns?
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9/25/2009
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9/24/2009
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9/24/2009
If a leading scientist's opinion changes in Geneva, would the media hear it?
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9/23/2009
I set out to answer a simple question: Does ACORN currently have operating offices in Illinois?
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9/23/2009
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9/23/2009
The main argument many people seem to have for government control of health care, banks, auto companies, etc. is that they feel corporations are greedy and government is benevolent.
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9/23/2009
Transparency has led to a new, people-powered politics.
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9/22/2009
A recent report from the Illinois Housing Development Authority lists ACORN Housing as receiving a $100,000 grant.
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9/22/2009
When the only idea a politician has is to raise taxes on higher income earners, that politicians is a danger to the future of the state.
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9/22/2009
Illinois’s Democratic gubernatorial race is shaping up to be a “clash of the tax hikers.” In one corner sits current Governor Pat Quinn. In the other corner is State Comptroller Dan Hynes. The only one guaranteed to lose this fight is the taxpayer.
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9/22/2009
One of the countries leading education researchers released a study that finds huge gains for charter school students in New York.
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9/22/2009
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9/22/2009
Illinoisans pay a lot in property taxes.
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9/22/2009
According to the Corporation for Enterprise Development, our fair state ranks dead average in terms of financial instability. Doesn't bode well for the rest of the Union, does it?
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9/22/2009
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9/21/2009
The Springfield park district is spending $30,000 in grant money on 12 GPS units resembling "Game Boys" for behind-the-scenes park tours.
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9/21/2009
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9/18/2009
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9/18/2009
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9/18/2009
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9/18/2009
Schools in the Chicago area are among those accepting free presentations from a group offering to teach kids about global warming. Do they teach science, or do they some other agenda?
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9/17/2009
Earlier this week Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) released his version of a health care overhaul, and surprise, surprise, it contains a mandate on states to expand their Medicaid rolls.
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9/17/2009
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9/17/2009
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9/17/2009
Two convictions on liquor license violations offer insight into how much the government thinks they need to protect us from ourselves.
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9/17/2009
Durbin and Burris still support ACORN, claiming a few bad apples were the only problem.
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9/16/2009
Gasoline for $2.19 a gallon in Missouri got me thinking.
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9/16/2009
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9/16/2009
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9/16/2009
I am tired of being called anti-government, anti-poor people, anti-immigration. I'll show you anti-government.
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9/15/2009
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9/15/2009
The main argument against government control of anything is that elected officials and their appointed representatives often believe that they alone posses sufficient knowledge to run everything.
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9/15/2009
Is there any reason for governments to build and maintain sports facilities? Should publicly owned facilities control ticket costs?
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9/14/2009
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9/12/2009
Over a thousand tea party activists gathered in Quincy today to talk limited government.
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9/11/2009
Governor Quinn is talking about tobacco tax hikes -- and so is Dan Hynes. Here are ten good reasons from the Heartland Institute to oppose tobacco tax increases.
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9/11/2009
A Medicaid expansion could spell bad news for state budgets across the country.
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9/11/2009
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9/11/2009
Want to retire with a fat pension?
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9/11/2009
A once-every-four-years contest and celebration of the finest sports has to offer. A politically corrupt city. These two things do not belong together.
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9/11/2009
On September 9, 2009 concerned citizens
gathered along side the 3rd Street Corridor
tracks on Ash street near downtown Springfield.
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9/10/2009
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9/10/2009
Can we believe what President Obama told us last night in his most recent health care speech?
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9/10/2009
Governor Quinn is on another tax rampage. This time he's talking about increasing Illinois's tobacco tax by $1.00 to $1.98 during the October veto session.
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9/9/2009
A 2004 income tax hike in Pennsylvania hasn't solved the Keystone State's budget woes.
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9/9/2009
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9/9/2009
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9/8/2009
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9/8/2009
In July, Quinn signed an executive order allowing the home-care providers to join unions and negotiate for higher pay. Taxpayers could be stuck footing the bill for new, costly union middlemen and higher wages.
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9/8/2009
Parents are being forced to make an economic choice in their child's education - and it is one they should not have to make.
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9/8/2009
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9/7/2009
On Wednesday September 2 protesters gathered outside the Dana Thomas House, historic landmark designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
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9/4/2009
Labor day isn't for most of us, even if we do enjoy the day. It is for unions, which are less and less a part of the solution in America.
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9/4/2009
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9/3/2009
A report on Illinois tax credits from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability doesn't offer much illumination on what impact tax credits have on our state's economy.
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9/3/2009
The national ACT test shows that home-schooled students scored, on average, above others this year.
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9/3/2009
What would Old Ben say if he were alive today? John Armor thinks he knows.
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9/3/2009
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9/3/2009
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9/2/2009
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9/2/2009
State Comptroller and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Hynes is talking about passing a bigger tax hike than that sought by Governor Pat Quinn.
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9/1/2009
Why not? How much more silly could the kid be?
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