United States Senate

AFSCME: The 800-pound gorilla at the negotiating table

By Mailee Smith
11/14/2016
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees claims to be seeking a “fair contract” on behalf of Illinois state workers. But the power and influence exerted by the state’s largest government-worker union means the bargaining table almost always tilts in AFSCME’s favor. The reality is that AFSCME is the power player in negotiations...

New app gives Illinois voters access to legislation, timely legislative information

By Jane McEnaney
10/09/2014
Since January 2013, the Illinois General Assembly has filed 6,305 bills in the House and 3,667 bills in the Senate. These figures don’t account for the myriad amendments that are tacked on to many bills before the full legislature votes on them. With that many pieces of legislation, the average concerned citizen needs a mechanism...

Senate Dems live in denial, turn to propaganda

By Michael Lucci
10/06/2014
Denial— a failure to acknowledge an unacceptable truth or emotion or to admit it into your consciousness, used as a defense mechanism. Illinois’ Senate Democrats launched a website called “I Like Illinois.” The explicit purpose of the site, according to their tweets, is to “counter negativity of Illinois Policy Institute.” This purpose is ironic, given...

TAGS: Democrats

Illinois corruption watch, August 2014

By Brian Costin
09/05/2014
At least 84 corruption-related stories have been reported from across the state of Illinois in August alone. Atop August headlines is the recent revelation that a federal grand jury subpoenaed the emails of Gov. Pat Quinn’s ex-chief of staff in relation to Quinn’s anti-violence grant program. The case, which has been referred to by some...

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, cronyism, transparency, waste

Too fast too spurious: Quinn vetoes speed limit increase

By Austin Berg
08/29/2014
When it comes to Illinoisans and their cars, Gov. Pat Quinn can’t seem to make up his mind. This time last year, Quinn signed legislation upping the speed limit on rural interstates to 70 mph from 65 mph. He cited a fear that if Illinois didn’t keep up with higher speed limits in other states,...

TAGS: Pat Quinn, speed limit