Gov. Pat Quinn began his recent op-ed in the Chicago Tribune with a couple of quotes. In that spirit, I’ll do the same. Cowardly Lion: “What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the ‘ape’ in apricot? What...
Opponents of pension reform in Illinois are quick to malign self-managed accounts, such as 401(k)s, as too risky for government workers. They claim that workers are better off with pensions paid for and run by the government, as if that somehow makes them more secure. But there are three key problems with that argument. The...
Free speech won at the Supreme Court today as the court struck down a federal law that limited how much money a person could give to federal candidates and political committees. Under Supreme Court precedent, the government can only limit campaign contributions if doing so is necessary to prevent quid pro quo corruption – that...
Earlier this month, 28 attorneys general, including Illinois’ Lisa Madigan, sent a letter to major convenience retailers including Rite Aid, Walmart and Walgreens, urging them to stop selling tobacco products in their stores. This came shortly after CVS voluntarily announced that it would completely phase out sales of tobacco products by October 2014. Madigan and...
We’re excited to announce the following events as part of our Liberty Speakers Series in 2014. Clark Neily, April 17, 2014 Mary Katharine Ham, May 8, 2014 S.E. Cupp, June 10, 2014 We look forward to seeing you at these events.
The ObamaCare inaugural open enrollment ended on Monday just like it began: riddled with technical difficulties. Notorious for a glitch-ridden debut on Oct. 1, 2013, the site was down for several hours on at least two occasions throughout the day on Monday. On top of that, the administration announced last week that individuals who began – but weren’t...
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has reportedly struck a pension deal with city employees who are members of the Municipal and Laborers pension funds. The deal only affects half of the city’s workers. Firefighters and policemen, as well as its teachers, park and transit workers, are not included. The deal, which calls for a five-year, $750...
Lawmakers and special-interest groups across Illinois are trying to dupe Illinoisans into paying higher income taxes. They’re trying to convince Illinoisans that a progressive income tax hike is only a tax hike on the rich. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Need proof? Look at the most recent progressive tax hike proposal. Under...
I don’t usually enjoy sitting through Chicago City Council committee meetings. The ones I’ve attended have typically involved aldermen blustering about how the city needs to ban, restrict or control one thing or another, with no regard for individual rights or economic sense. But last Thursday’s meeting of the council’s Committee on License and Consumer...
A net of 1.25 million more people left Illinois than entered from 1985-2010, according to data from the Internal Revenue Service on the migration of Illinois taxpayers and their dependents. In every single recorded year, more people left Illinois than entered. Recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates, which go through 2012, show that the exodus has...
During Sunshine Week 2014, the Illinois Policy Institute recognized 38 agencies for earning our Sunshine Award for excellence in online transparency. So far this year, the number of Sunshine Award winners is up to 61 – a 60 percent increase. Over the past year, we have partnered with dozens of local taxing bodies across the...
Illinois’ jobless rate remained stuck at 8.7 percent for the month of February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Illinois remains the only state in the Midwest with a higher jobless rate today than when Gov. Pat Quinn took office. When Quinn took office, the jobless rate was 8 percent. The state gained 6,400...
Just hours after the 2014 gubernatorial primary results were made final, Gov. Pat Quinn and his allies launched a series of class warfare attack ads, which were aimed at playing politics rather than implementing good policy. His administration took no time following suit, unleashing a series of legislative initiatives that, if enacted, would have a...
On March 23, a Chicago Transit Authority operator crashed a Blue Line train into the O’Hare National Airport terminal. The train hopped the tracks and smashed into an escalator at 2:50 a.m., injuring more than 30 passengers. Union representatives said the operator “works a lot of overtime” and was “extremely tired.” The operator admitted to...