State workers break the rules, get a paid vacation
State workers break the rules, get a paid vacation
Overall, paid leave cost the state
The pretend power of the “do nothing” pension amendment
The pretend power of the “do nothing” pension amendment
Instead of telling voters that this amendment doesn't solve the problem, some opponents are making arguments that only serve to provide political cover to lawmakers who falsely claim they're fixing the pension crisis with Amendment 49.
The cost of Quinn
The cost of Quinn
Gov. Quinn is not getting great press these days. The Cato Institute recently ranked him the worst governor in the nation. His approval rating stands at just 26 percent. And while Gov. Quinn may choose to ignore those messages, he may want to heed the warnings the financial markets continue to fire his way. Credit agencies have...
Can Illinois afford another income tax hike?
Can Illinois afford another income tax hike?
Household incomes have plunged by 8.2% across the nation since President Obama took office. In the President’s old stomping grounds, median household income dropped by 2.6% just between 2010 and 2011. And now Gov. Quinn is working to take even more from families in Illinois through higher taxes. But there’s no room left in the family budget for another...
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) says “NO” to a federal bailout of state pensions
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) says “NO” to a federal bailout of state pensions
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Carol Marin on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight to discuss the presidential election, partisan gridlock, and his own future in the Democratic Party. At the 9:15 mark Sen. Durbin says, “NO” to a federal bailout of state pensions.
The Unctuous, Impoverishing Bigotry Of Class Warfare
The Unctuous, Impoverishing Bigotry Of Class Warfare
Class warfare is a form of bigotry; it shouldn
Dispelling the class size myth
Dispelling the class size myth
As teachers’ strikes continue to spread across Illinois, union officials are pushing back against criticisms that they are not doing enough to raise student achievement. One of the most common excuses they use to explain the lack of results – apart from claiming that low-income populations have too many issues to overcome, something the Institute showed is...
Six out of ten doctors would retire today if given the opportunity
Six out of ten doctors would retire today if given the opportunity
The Physicians Foundation has completed one of the largest and most comprehensive physician surveys ever conducted in the United States. Here are a few highlights.
Get out of jail free card
Get out of jail free card
Sometimes it
The real “Mediscare”
The real “Mediscare”
by Diane Cohen, general counsel with the Liberty Justice Center During last night’s debate, Vice President Joe Biden literally laughed off suggestions that ObamaCare sets up a death panel for Medicare recipients. This follows President Obama’s claim in the first debate that ObamaCare’s more than $700 billion cut to Medicare will not directly reduce Medicare benefits...
Fact checking Vice President Biden’s Medicare malarkey
Fact checking Vice President Biden’s Medicare malarkey
In last night’s Vice Presidential debate, you might have heard Vice President Biden claim that ObamaCare “saved $716 billion [from Medicare] and put it back — applied it to Medicare.” The only problem with this claim? It’s simply not true. As the Congressional Budget Office notes, ObamaCare is expected to cut $716 billion from the Medicare...
Doctors turning away Medicaid patients
Doctors turning away Medicaid patients
Illinois knows first-hand how well-intentioned Medicaid expansions bust budgets and worsen care for the very people Medicaid was meant to protect. Ballooning enrollment has forced the state to turn to low reimbursement rates and long payment delays to make ends meet. It’s no surprise that more and more doctors are being forced to turn away...
Four common myths about charter schools
Four common myths about charter schools
The Chicago Teacher
Gov. Quinn wastes $1.2 million every day he doesn’t reform retiree health benefits
Gov. Quinn wastes $1.2 million every day he doesn’t reform retiree health benefits
Earlier this year, Gov. Quinn signed into law Public Act 97-0695. That law turns over authority of setting health insurance premiums for retired state and university workers to the Governor’s office. Despite the fact that the bill was sent to the Governor more than four months ago, he has yet to exercise his new authority to...