New Illinois budget includes $224 million for Obama Presidential Center
The state’s fiscal year 2019 budget is out of balance by as much as $1.5 billion.
Rauner signs bill creating ‘Barack Obama Day’
The bill makes Aug. 4 an honorary holiday for former President Barack Obama.
Day 6: Illinois House and Senate adjourn special session after 11 minutes
Six days of special session have cost Illinois taxpayers an additional $300,000 for less than 100 minutes of work.
Bill to honor Barack Obama’s birthday headed to Gov. Rauner
Illinois Senate Bill 55 would observe former President Barack Obama’s Aug. 4 birthday, but keep state facilities open.
‘Obama holiday’ bill fails, saving Illinois taxpayers nearly $20M
Proposed legislation to commemorate former President Barack Obama’s birthday as a state holiday in Illinois would have cost taxpayers nearly $20 million in state personnel expenses and lost productivity.
Chicago takes pole position in race for Obama library, no tax dollars required
On Sept. 15, the Barack Obama Foundation announced four semifinalists in the battle to build Barack Obama’s presidential library and museum. The four potential host sites include the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Columbia University in New York City and the University of Hawaii. Holding two of the four slots, the...
Harris v. Quinn ruling shines light on importance of leadership
On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Gov. Pat Quinn was wrong to issue an executive order that forced the unionization of Illinoisans who are not state workers. This groundbreaking ruling asserts that state governments cannot force-unionize participants in state entitlement programs or force them to pay union dues as a condition of...
The left and the right agree: Scrap ObamaCare’s employer mandate
The drumbeat for eliminating the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate is getting louder. And it is under attack from both sides of the political aisle, according to The Washington Post. The real question is, especially given new opposition from the law’s own supporters: Can it survive? A briefing paper released by the Urban Institute and...
State attorneys general school Obama on constitutionality when it comes to ObamaCare
Eleven state attorneys general are coming out against the unconstitutionality of changes in implementing President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. This group – not including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan – lambasted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, for proposed regulations they say “[compound] illegal executive action” and “[fail] to protect...
New Year’s resolution for ObamaCare: #ComeClean on enrollment numbers
The Obama administration’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that 2.1 million have enrolled in a private insurance plan in the ObamaCare exchanges and at least another 3.9 million are eligible for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. While the announcement was thin on details, it is safe to assume that these...
