-- Cracks in Republican Unity Party Infighting Mars Recent Success, And Could Erode Majority - David Rogershttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB114852164473662603.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
A Winfield Democrat has entered the race for the 95th District state representative seat, for which West Chicago Mayor Michael Fortner earned the Republican nod in March.
Nov. 7 will mark Dirk Enger’s second run at the post, which is being vacated by Randy Hultgren. Hultgren is running for the 48th District state Senate seat now held by congressional candidate Peter Roskam.
Enger, a Marine Corps veteran and union ironworker, said, if elected, he won’t vote strictly by party line.
“I will reach across the aisle,” he said. “It’s more justice to this district to give people a choice. It’s time to look at the candidates for what they are, not the (party) label.”
The district includes all or parts of Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, Naperville, North Aurora, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton, Winfield and unincorporated DuPage County.
Enger, who is working to open a shelter for homeless veterans in Wheaton, said he supports:
-- a school funding plan that uses a half-percent increase in the state’s income tax rather than relying on property taxes
-- improving access for seniors to buy approved prescription drugs from Canada
-- bringing back Illinois National Guard troops from Iraq.
Gayl Ferraro, chairman of the DuPage County Democratic Party, said Enger is an excellent candidate.
“He’s familiar with the district and the needs of the district,” she said.
If Fortner wins in November, West Chicago likely will have to hold a special election next spring to choose someone to serve the remainder of Fortner’s mayoral term. The term ends in spring 2009.
Fortner has said his priorities as representative are to improve the state’s education funding and infrastructure while bringing the state budget under control.
He has stressed his experience as a two-term mayor, former city council member and school board member.
“The key is a knowledge of how the state government’s policies affect our local lives,” said Fortner, an associate physics professor at Northern Illinois University. “I would ask voters to consider who has a track record of working on these issues firsthand.”
Fortner defeated Pamela Mitroff, a GOP precinct committeewoman from Wheaton, to earn the GOP nomination in March.
Ex-DuPage County public works employee Tom Johnson alleges crimes - Marni Pykehttp://www.dailyherald.com/news/dupagestory.asp?id=192907&cc=d&tc=&t=
A former DuPage County public works employee says stealing and other misbehavior is going on in the department.
Tom Johnson told officials at Tuesday’s county board meeting that co-workers in the department routinely stole gasoline for personal vehicles, cheated on overtime, used county tools for side jobs and surfed the Internet for pornography.
He also accused one employee of crashing a county vehicle while driving drunk and covering up the incident.
Public Works Committee Chairman Thomas Bennington of Downers Grove called the charges serious and said he would ask county prosecutors to look into the matter.
But he added he’d never heard from Johnson until Tuesday’s meeting and defended the department’s performance.
“We have a very good staff and I trust our employees with all my heart,” Bennington said.
“It bothers me to hear these allegations and the only appropriate remedy is to turn them over to the state’s attorney.
“We’ll do a thorough investigation and if there’s a problem it will be fixed.”
County officials confirmed that Johnson worked for the public works department once but would not discuss the specifics of his departure.
Johnson said he was fired after yelling at a fellow employee.
“The irony is, the person who cared is now looking for a job, while the ones who stole, lied and covered things up know the only way they will get fired from DuPage County Public Works is to do the right thing,” he said.
It's excerpts like that, from the first chapter of the Tim O'Brien Vietnam War novel "The Things They Carried," that make Northwest Suburban High School District 214 board member Leslie Pinney cringe.
And it's excerpts like that that make John Hersey High School English teacher Jim Miks a fan of the book as a teaching tool: It's the reality - bloodied, bleak and bawdy - of a war today's teens never lived through, told in a way that will, he insists, truly engage them.
The seniors in his Contemporary American Literature class are ready for it, he says, if only because their birth dates suggest they're nearly ready to fight in war themselves.
Pinney has called for pulling nine texts, including O'Brien's book, from next year's reading lists, launching an impassioned debate in the second-largest high school district in Illinois over whether teens can handle the books, whether they should be asked to - and what constitutes crossing the line.
Hundreds of parents, teens, teachers and residents from District 214 are expected to discuss the issue tonight.
The eight other books flagged by Pinney are: Kate Chopin's "The Awakening"; "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky; Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five"; Toni Morrison's "Beloved"; the best-seller "Freakonomics"; Julia Alvarez's "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents"; "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers; and the rarely used "The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World."
Most are read at the junior or senior level, in elective, not required, English classes.
Pinney says teachers are "missing a quality control item" if they think books with bad language, violence, oral sex, masturbation, bestiality and homosexuality are appropriate.
If teens already are getting a steady diet of sex, drugs and violence outside school, "Why should we continue on with that for the I-don't-know-how-many hours kids are in school?" Pinney asks. "Is that logical?"
Of her picks, she has read only "Wallflower" in its entirety. She's certain the same lessons could be learned from a book that lacks the explicit sex.
Parts of the novel, she says, are hardly cleaner than pornography, and some excerpts are so lewd "I don't think the Daily Herald could print them."
She is supported by Sandy Rios, president of the conservative Christian group Culture Campaign.
"Are we to assume that reading this kind of graphic, deviant sexual information - and it is deviant - won't change the way we think?" Rios asks. "Didn't we all read the same textbooks about hormones raging in teenagers, and they're saying masturbation ... is not going to be titillating? Please."
Some parents are also coming forward to say they're unhappy their children might be reading language and references they don't use at home.
"I understand the world is a nasty place and we have to prepare the children," says Mike Phelts, whose kids will attend Prospect. "But I don't think showing them the underside and the filth is the way."
"I just feel the standards are pretty low," adds Terri Brightwell, whose daughter will be a freshman at Rolling Meadows High. "We can be better."
She saw a few sentences of Pinney's targeted books.
"I don't talk that way," she said. "I could not even read it myself."
Just reality?
Even parts of the Bible "would look raunchy" in certain contexts, says Beth Yoke, with the Young Adult Library Services Association. So, too, would works from Shakespeare, Voltaire and others hailed as literary geniuses.
"These people are not reading; they're proofreading," said Judith Krug, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, of those who extract only sex or foul words from books.
Try reading "Beloved" and not have it grab you, she says. Try to get through "The Things They Carried" without believing it's a wonderful story.
Yes, the latter is filled with adult situations, Miks says - but it also hooks the reader on history, and its admittedly graphic sex and violence "are part of the fabric of reality."
Most of the books flagged by Pinney are considered young adult fiction, including the one with the longest history of controversy: "Fallen Angels."
Pinney's chosen excerpts from that Vietnam War story suggest more bad language than "Carried," including multiple F-words, and violence.
But, "there is going to be bad language. This is war," says Trev Jones, book review editor with the School Library Journal. "They want a clean war story that doesn't show the horrors? It just doesn't make sense."
Educators in District 214 also scoff that any of the books, when taught in context, are even borderline pornographic.
In general, books geared to teens do "deal with issues that are very adult," Yoke says, "but ... the author is trying to teach a lesson to the reader."
In the case of "Wallflower" - a book Yoke's association put on its 2002 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults - the lesson is premarital sex, drug use and other situations are bad, teachers say, and it's told in a way that makes students want to read the book.
For the most part, 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to handle the adult situations these books present, says Arlington Heights psychologist Katie Miley.
She likens some texts to a PG-13-rated film: Some tough issues and scenes, but fine if there's guidance, which there would be in a classroom.
Alternatives
District 214 has a policy that allows parents or students who are uncomfortable with a book to request an alternative.
Some parents, though, say they aren't always aware of what their teens are reading, and they worry requesting an alternative might expose their kids to ridicule.
And in one case recently, teachers at Prospect High School pulled one book, "Rats Saw God," from the sophomore summer reading list after a parent raised a concern. Teachers took a second look and decided it wasn't appropriate for that age level.
Meanwhile, some teenagers are speaking out in favor of keeping the reading list as is.
"We've been exposed to a lot of it," Hersey High junior Cindy Edwards said.
She's not read the most contentious books on Pinney's list, but her class did just finish up "The Great Gatsby," she said, adding "there was a lot of stuff in there with sexual situations and those kinds of things."
District 214: Freedom on the march as teens, parents debate censorship - Burt Constable
http://www.dailyherald.com/opinion/constable.asp?id=193028
Fear and filth, gays and God, fascism and freedom, and maybe even education promise to be debated tonight at what could be a fiery school board meeting in Arlington Heights.
Northwest Suburban High School District 214 board member Leslie Pinney — elected with a vow to bring “Christian beliefs into all decision-making” — says she wants to remove seven books from the district’s required reading list. She says high school students need to be shielded from the lewd language and sexual references in the books educators choose.
Pinney, who reaped thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from groups that oppose gay rights, abortion rights and condoms, obviously has the ability to rally the conservative get-rid-of-naughty-books lobby. But I suspect the backlash, which features high school debaters, educators and liberals who oppose such censorship, will be even greater.
To accommodate the crowd expected for the fireworks, the 7:30 p.m. meeting has been moved to Room D100 of the Forest View Educational Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Road in Arlington Heights.
In her widely acclaimed 2002 book, “Harmful to Minors,” author Judith Levine argues convincingly that the goal of protecting teens by banning books with sex, violence and naughtiness doesn’t work.
“My feeling in general is kids know a lot. Let them see stuff and then talk to them about it. … The idea that children can’t deal with negative feelings is just not true,” says Levine during a telephone interview. “Their parents get divorced. Their brothers get shot. … Literature is a way of rehearsing those complex ideas.”
Censorship is “not just a problem of the right,” adds Levine, whose books and biography can be found at www.judithlevine.com. Some “liberal” groups seek to ban books that use racist language or depict violence against women.
“Some great literature has violence, rape and incest,” Levine notes. “Shakespeare is full of that stuff.”
So is the Bible, which is why my editors at this family newspaper won’t let me print the sexually graphic Ezekiel 23:20, or even the milder and funnier wrestling admonition from Deuteronomy 25:11-12.
While parents have the right to control their child’s education, they don’t have a right to control the public’s education.
Levine says she doesn’t believe schools should offer alternative books for students whose parents “opt out” of the required reading lists. After all, schools wouldn’t offer alternatives to a parent who thinks algebra is a waste of time or that a foreign language requirement goes against her moral belief that English should be the only tongue.
“If they really object strenuously, they should take their kids out of public schools,” Levine says.
“In every democratic institution, you get stuff you like and stuff you don’t. I don’t like paying for the war in Iraq, but I pay my taxes.”
While capitalistic institutions now offer music, information and even news catered exclusively to an individual’s wants, public schools are for everyone, Levine notes.
“It is the school’s responsibility and opportunity to create respectful and cooperative communities,” the author says. “That’s where kids learn to get along in the world.”
Meanwhile, the Community High School District 128 board made national news this week by saying students at Libertyville and Vernon Hills high schools can be punished for their Internet activity.
The intrusion on privacy when it comes to blogs and social networking Web sites is not the same as banning books, Levine e-mails.
“One is an attempt to stop kids from hurting each other (the Internet thing). The other is to stop them from hurting themselves by having bad thoughts,” she writes. “One is an act, one is a thought. One has a victim, or an intended victim; the other has none.”
Above all, Levine says tonight’s meeting is a good thing.
“It’s healthy to be debating it,” Levine says. “But just taking it off the table is not debating.”
Will Blagojevich's education plan end up like the others? Governor doesn't always stay the course on education ideas - Eric Krol
http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=192763
Gov. Rod Blagojevich is no stranger to calling for radical changes to education in Illinois - but he's also frequently backed away from his plans.
In the past three years, the freshman governor has advocated doubling the number of gaming positions to generate money for schools, legalizing Keno to pay for building schools, giving parents of college students $1,000 tax credits, and getting rid of the State Board of Education. None of those proposals became reality, with Blagojevich eventually backing down on each of them.
So, it's understandable that a day after proposing the sale of the Illinois Lottery to get $10 billion up front to give more money to schools, one question that loomed large was whether Blagojevich is serious this time.
Supporters privately wondered whether Blagojevich will see his latest much-hyped proposal through, while critics continued to roll their eyes.
"I just want a governor who's interested in solving problems," said Republican state Sen. Dan Cronin of Elmhurst, who argues Blagojevich's plan is designed only to get the governor through the next four years, when a $2 billion shortfall would kick in. "This (proposal) is not genuine. This is not real. He's pathetic."
Democratic state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg of Evanston backs Blagojevich's plan because it would provide more money for suburban interests like special education. But he's taking a wait-and-see attitude.
"This proposal is so inherently complex that I would anticipate it will be revised further in the coming months leading up to the November veto session," Schoenberg said. "There are certain elements which may need tweaking and others which may fall off the table altogether. We'll see how it evolves in the coming months."
A Blagojevich spokeswoman said the governor deserves credit for putting ideas out there and engaging in the give-and-take process in Springfield.
"You are focused completely on the means and not the ends," Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said. "Look at what the results have been from the governor's aggressive efforts to produce results in education in this state."
In late March 2005, Blagojevich ditched his opposition to gambling expansion and called for doubling the size of riverboats to raise $300 million for schools. The idea was nearly dead on arrival.
Last January, Blagojevich suggested adding keno to the state lottery as a way to pay for $500 million in school construction. He dropped the notion within two weeks.
That same month, Blagojevich called for giving the parents of college students who maintained a "B" average a $1,000 tax credit for two years. The idea was met with resistance by his fellow Democrats and scrapped during budget talks. Instead, the state added $34.4 million to its college aid program to help middle-class families.
Also this spring, Blagojevich's plan to create a voluntary preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds was scaled back to just a two-year trial and prioritizes admission for low-income families at risk of academic failure.
In 2004, Blagojevich suggested eliminating the State Board of Education, deriding it as an "old, Soviet-style bureaucracy." The State Board of Education still exists today, although the governor appoints a majority of the board members.
Ottenhoff said Blagojevich has a record of achieving his education goals.
"He has always shown he's willing to put forth an idea and he's willing to negotiate and work with lawmakers. He's been able to accomplish the end goal," she said.
English serves as a unifying language - Walter Santi
http://www.dailyherald.com/opinion/fencepost.asp
English-only initiatives making English the official language of the United States have been floating around as an issue to consider in a lot of our household mailings from time to time, and is now resurfacing as something to think about in our national news.
It is interesting to note that during a period in our history, both German or English were once put to the vote to select one or the other to be our unifying lingua franca. German lost out by a few votes.
However our forefathers did not write it in stone that English would henceforth be our “official” language. That is the point of view that is now being pondered by our representatives.
To make English our official language at this later date and time may appear to be racist to some present-day immigrants and practical to others. However, English is the language that has shaped our destiny in commerce, industry, government and the legal and medical system into what our country is today, and should not be threatened by sudden new ethnic shifts in the newer population makeup of our country.
Switzerland is an example of a multilingual country, with German, French, Italian and Romansh in daily use in governmental affairs. But again, these languages are spoken only in their respective cantons. There are other such countries. Canada is perhaps the best example of the problem of two languages competing with each other with conflicting results.
Most of Canada functions in English while French competes with English in Quebec, which has resulted in “language wars” as to what language appears first on a store’s window advertising and in what language local school children are taught.
An interesting fact to ponder: Indian medical doctors come to our shores speaking English for one reason. With hundreds of dialects in India, medical courses had to be taught in one unifying language — and it was English.
Burt Constable owes apology to all NRA members - Jonathan Steplyk
I have to take issue with some gratuitous and insulting remarks made by Mr. Constable in his May 23 column. In it, he describes President Bush’s speech to the National Restaurant Association and specifically explains that this NRA is composed of restaurateurs and “not gun-packing Charlton Heston NRA thugs.” As a Life Member of the National Rifle Association, I take exception to this petty attack.
First, NRA members in Illinois unfortunately cannot be “gun-packing,” because our political leaders have decided in their infinite wisdom that the people of Illinois cannot be trusted with the right to concealed carry. Our state and Wisconsin are the only states in the union with no provision for concealed carry, ensuring hardworking criminals will find only unarmed victims in the public square.
Second, I find it to be in poor taste to drag Charlton Heston’s name through the mud, considering that he has been out of the public arena for several years since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Third, NRA members are not “thugs.” “Thug” originally refers to the crazed Thuggee murder cult of India and now refers to any violent ruffian outside the law. NRA members are American patriots who believe in protecting the Bill of Rights and the right of self-defense, cracking down on criminals, and promoting gun safety and the shooting sports.
As a Herald reader, I would like to see Mr. Constable issue an apology for his unwarranted swipe at law-abiding Americans.
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
Gov's bet on sale of lottery sells out the state's future - Editorial
http://www.suntimes.com/output/commentary/cst-edt-edits25.html
The plan would get an A-plus from anyone living in Illinois who has a child in public school: an educational package to construct new schools, fill school library shelves with engaging books, pay for more special-education teachers, consolidate the 875 school districts -- what other state has so many? -- provide pedagogical support for teachers through mentoring, and even, perhaps, extend the educational year in those neighborhoods with underachieving schools. Who could quibble? It all sounds fabulous and would go a long way toward improving the wretchedness of some of our public schools, particularly those in Chicago. This latest idea from the desk of Gov. Blagojevich is long on merit but short on a real solution for long-term funding. The governor proposes selling or leasing the state lottery set up in 1975 for the purpose of funding schools. He got this clever idea from Chicago's leasing of the Skyway to private investors last year, which provided the city with an immediate cash infusion of $1.83 billion. But the Skyway is a tangible asset, while lottery funds are a riskier and more nebulous investment, and the governor's plan provides no permanent fix for the eternally desperate plight of Illinois school funding. The lottery would be leased or sold for $10 billion to private investors and would allow a $4 billion infusion over four years into public schools. The rest of the money, $6 billion, would be put into an annuity that the governor's people calculate would generate about $650 million a year for schools -- roughly what the lottery offers now. But this funding plan would last only until 2024, and then what? Luckily for the governor, he doesn't have to worry about that because he won't be in office then. Unfortunately for the rest of us, Blagojevich had to devise this inventive way of funding schools because he tied his own hands with a promise not to increase sales or income taxes -- even though his own budget director told the Sun-Times editorial board an income tax of less than 1 percent would be all that's required to help schools. Tax increases or property tax reforms are anathemas to any politician looking for re-election. As deputy governor Bradley Tusk says (sounding a little like George W. Bush): "It's better not to raise taxes and keep money in people's pockets." We have to wonder, along with state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin), that if this were such a splendid program, why was it not introduced while the General Assembly was in session. "To do this now seems so overtly political and self-serving," Rauschenberger says. "There is a lot of cynicism out there already." Cynics are most apt to believe that after four years Blagojevich will be long gone but the lawmakers in Springfield will still be scratching their heads about how to invest in our schools, and the real losers will be our grandchildren. Peraica: Stroger 'well enough to function'? - Fran Spielman http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-stroger25.html Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica on Wednesday demanded a photograph or tape recording to prove that County Board President John Stroger is "alive and well enough to function" after the stroke that has sidelined him for 2-1/2 months. "With 165 days to go before the election, with the county budget looming on the horizon, with over 40 union contracts to be negotiated, numerous executive appointments to be made, we can't wait until the end of October when Clerk David Orr has set the deadline to decide whether or not he's going to be the candidate," said Peraica, Stroger's Republican challenger. "Cook County taxpayers and voters need an answer now. We deserve that answer right now. "What I'm demanding is some verifiable objective message from President Stroger -- whether it's in the form of a photograph [or] a recorded voice message discussing something that's not a top secret with his chief of staff -- something that would be a confirmation that he's alive and well enough to function." And what if Stroger is not well enough to function? Chews out sergeant at arms "He should take whatever time he needs to recover, and we should have the ability as the county board of commissioners to get together and replace him with someone else who can carry on the responsibility of a chief executive officer of a $3 billion-a-year corporation," Peraica said. Peraica's demand infuriated Mayor Daley because it was made in the anteroom behind the City Council chambers with the full Council in session. Daley is a lifelong Stroger ally; his brother John chairs the County Board's Finance Committee. The mayor was so angry about Peraica's attack, he lit into the City Council's sergeant at arms for allowing the intrusion. The tirade reportedly reduced the sergeant at arms to tears. "We can't have all candidates coming in from all political parties into that room. They can go to your office. They can go to their own county commissioners' office. Once you set it up, then it's a stage for everyone. It's just common sense," the mayor said. 'Double standard' slammed Daley cautioned reporters not to engage in a feeding frenzy over Stroger's health. "I hate to see any one of you get sick because we'll be writing your obituary, I guess," Daley said. "Everybody has illnesses in their family. Let's not already dig their graves. I know you want to dig people's graves. But I hope you would never do that to your own family." Ald. William Beavers (7th) is the elder statesman among black aldermen and one of Stroger's most powerful political allies. Beavers characterized constant speculation about Stroger's health and possible replacements as racist. "There's always a double standard when it comes to black folks and white folks. Old man [Richard J.] Daley had a stroke and was off for a year. Nobody said one word. They were even afraid to whisper that he was sick around here," Beavers said. "President Stroger is alive and well. Until he decides that he don't want to run again -- it's up to him. And whoever he decides that he wants to replace him -- that's what's going to happen. ... White folks can do it. Black folks can do it -- easily. We got control of the [weighted] votes in the city and the county, so we do what we want to do. Remember that." Stroger suffered what his doctors described as a "serious" stroke the week before the March 21 primary and hasn't been seen or heard from since. He was released from the Rehabilitation Institute last week just in time to celebrate his 77th birthday. He's now staying at a friend's downtown condo. Rep. Danny Davis continues to lobby ward bosses behind the scenes in the event that Stroger decides to retire. Davis is supported by Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) and possible mayoral challengers Jesse Jackson Jr. and Luis Gutierrez. They are determined to stop Stroger's son, Ald. Todd Stroger (8th), from replacing his father. Todd Stroger could not be reached for comment on Peraica's broadside. Before the attack, the younger Stroger cautioned reporters that his father's decision to put his Pill Hill home up for sale does not mean he's about to retire. It simply means John Stroger needs a residence without stairs where it's easier to get around. Todd Stroger insisted there's no pressure on his father to make a definitive statement about his health or his political intentions. "The voters aren't going to be making up their minds until a long time [from now]. And John Stroger has been in county government for what -- 31 years or something. If they don't know who he is now, they'll never know." Asked why the media have not been allowed to see or talk to his father, Todd Stroger said, "The less stress the better for a person who's trying to recover from a stroke. You don't put someone who's just had a major physical trauma out with the lions. And if you don't think you're lions, I can tell you you are." Scott Fawell statement details George Ryan's crooked deals - Natasha Korecki http://www.suntimes.com/output/ryan/cst-nws-fawell25.html The prosecution's star witness in former Gov. George Ryan's public corruption trial gave the government a 48-page roadmap laying out in great detail how his boss broke the law, according to a document unsealed Wednesday. In the 2004 statement, Scott Fawell, former Ryan chief of staff and political mastermind, gave authorities a behind-the-scenes look at crooked deals, filling in the blanks on how Ryan used his campaign fund, his relationship with co-defendant Lawrence Warner and how he siphoned money from Phil Gramm's GOP presidential campaign. Fawell's subsequent testimony at Ryan's trial could win him a shorter prison term and keep his fiancee out of prison. In 2003, Fawell was convicted of public corruption under Ryan. A year later, he did the unthinkable and cooperated against Ryan. Federal prosecutors had already charged Ryan, and that indictment never changed. But Fawell's blunt and sometimes emotional testimony proved to be crucial in Ryan's six-month trial, which led to the April 17 guilty verdict on mail fraud, racketeering and false statement charges. During his 10 days on the stand, Fawell never hid his disdain for prosecutors. 'Testified truthfully' Fawell, now serving a sentence of more than six years, said he turned on Ryan to try to spare his fiancee, Andrea Coutretsis, from prison by giving her the credit he won through his cooperation. U.S. District Judge James Holderman held off on Coutretsis' sentencing until Fawell finished his testimony. Asked whether Fawell completed his end of the deal, Fawell attorney Jeffrey Steinback said: "Scott Fawell testified truthfully and completely and that was all that was expected of him in connection with his bargain," Steinback said. "All the prosecution asked of Scott is that he tell the truth. He did that, and I don't think anybody doubts it." Fawell is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Campaign fund paid legal fees In the statement, Fawell appears annoyed by how lawyers were handling the federal investigation into the secretary of state's office in the late 1990s. "I was very unhappy to find out that CFR [Committee for Ryan] was paying for legal fees of SOS employees while I was paying my own legal fees," Fawell said. When the federal investigation into the secretary of state's office started to heat up, Fawell told prosecutors that former Ryan lawyer Jeremy Margolis from the now-defunct Altheimer & Gray firm was trying to "control the entire process." Fawell said Margolis told employees that Ryan's campaign fund would cover their legal bills only if Margolis chose who represented them, Fawell said. 'This is your attorney' "Ryan was cutting large CFR checks to Altheimer & Gray for legal fees and in my view Margolis was keeping Ryan in the dark as to what these fees were going for," Fawell wrote. Fawell said in 1999 Margolis invited Fawell into his office and introduced him to a man he never met. "This is your attorney," Fawell said Margolis told him. "If and when I need an attorney I'll get one myself," he said. Other things Fawell spilled about: *Drury Lane Theatre owner Anthony DeSantis gave Ryan hundreds of free tickets. DeSantis then got specialized license plates from the secretary of state's office under Ryan's reign. *Fawell told prosecutors that insurance mogul Michael Segal put Ryan's son, George Ryan Jr., on the payroll at Near North Insurance. Segal is doing prison time after he and his company were convicted in a fraud scheme involving Segal's raiding the company's trust fund of millions of dollars. *That Ryan kept nudging Fawell to hire Ryan pal Ron Swanson as a McPier lobbyist even though Fawell resisted. Ryan had appointed Fawell to be the head of McPier after Fawell helped Ryan win the 1998 gubernatorial race. Fawell said he didn't need Swanson as a lobbyist but hired him to appease Ryan. "We often joked during the expansion project about whether Swanson even knew an expansion bill was in the General Assembly," Fawell wrote. People want the fence - Mike Mozart http://www.suntimes.com/output/letters/cst-edt-vox25a.html Regarding Sen. Dick Durbin's comment that a proposed border fence represents a "symbol for right-wing American politics," I guess that the 68 percent of Americans who want the fence and the 85 percent of Americans who want our borders secured represent the "right wing." Sen. Durbin and the majority of senators are so far removed from their constituents they have no idea what we the people want, nor do they seem to care. Poll after poll shows the American people are fed up with illegal immigration, yet our Senate continues trying to reward illegal aliens while doing nothing of substance to stop the neverending flow into our country. Durbin has voted against almost every measure to stem the tide and votes for almost every measure to reward the lawbreakers. The American people have had enough. We need to remember just who stands up for the American citizens and who thwarts the will of the people at election time. It's time the American people vote them out and elect a new Senate, one that puts the interests of the American people first. Darfur: Unfair criticism - Priscilla Weese http://www.suntimes.com/output/letters/cst-edt-vox25a.html The May 19 edition of the Sun- Times had a touching article highlighting the appeal of one of the "Lost Boys" of the Sudan. Thousands of these Sudanese orphans had been on the run from the pursuing government Janjaweed for three years. They survived on leaves, grass and roots. America brought them here, where these "Lost Boys" have done well, as the picture of Kuek Garang shows. Now America is being criticized that we are not coming to the rescue in the slaughter in Darfur. We were expected to stop the tribal slaughter in Rwanda, where Africans killed 800,000 of their countrymen. But who got the blame? America was called racist, and President Clinton had to apologize. America is criticized for being "the world's policeman," and yet when tribal or religious fighting breaks out anywhere, especially Africa, America had better ride in and stop it. Mr. Garang seems to lack any gratitude that he and thousands of other orphans' lives were saved. He only says, "Sorry is not enough the second and third time." The article fails to acknowledge that the government genocide against the people of Darfur is because they are black and animist or Christian. The Islamist government does these terrible deeds, but we want to be politically correct and blame America. It's reasonable to vote for ballots in English - George Will http://www.suntimes.com/output/will/cst-edt-geo25.html ''Of course not.'' That was Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' answer last Sunday on ABC's ''This Week'' when asked whether he would favor prohibiting bilingual ballots. ''Of course not''? Did he mean, ''This is not something about which decent people differ''? To understand why millions of conservatives do not trust Washington to think clearly or act reasonably about immigration, consider bilingual ballots. These conservatives, already worried that both the rule of law and national identity are becoming attenuated because of illegal immigration, now have another worry: The federal government's chief law enforcement official might need a refresher course on federal law pertaining to legal immigrants. In 1906, the year before a rabbi in a Passover sermon coined the phrase ''melting pot'' during torrential immigration from eastern and southern Europe, Congress passed and President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation requiring people seeking to become naturalized citizens to demonstrate oral English literacy. In 1950, the requirement was strengthened to require people to ''demonstrate an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language.'' Hence, if someone needs a ballot written in a language other than English, that need proves the person obtained citizenship only because the law was not enforced when he or she sought citizenship. So one reason for ending ballots in languages other than English is that continuing them makes a mockery of the rule of law, including even the prospective McCain-Kennedy law that pro-immigration groups favor. It contains several requirements that those aspiring to citizenship demonstrate ''a knowledge of the English language'' or ''English fluency'' in order ''to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens into the American way of life'' and into ''American common values and traditions.'' How can legislators support both language like that and ballots in multiple languages? Fifty-six House Republicans have sent a letter, instigated by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, asking that Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act be allowed to expire. When the VRA was enacted in 1965, it said nothing about bilingual ballots. Section 203, requiring bilingual ballots in jurisdictions with certain demographic characteristics, was added in the 1975 extension of the VRA. The King letter was sent to Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He favors extending Section 203 and the rest of the VRA until 2032 because it helps facilitate ''the participation of language minority citizens in the political process.'' But what public good is advanced by encouraging the participation of people who, by saying they require bilingual assistance, are saying they cannot understand the nation's political conversation? By receiving such assistance, they are receiving a disincentive to become proficient in English. It takes political bravery to propose pruning the VRA, given the predictable charges of racism that are hurled so promiscuously nowadays. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, for example, has a liberal's reflex for discerning racism everywhere and for shouting ''racist'' as a substitute for argument. During Senate debate last week on a measure to declare English the national language, he said: ''While the intent may not be there, I really believe this amendment is racist.'' Questions crowd upon one another. Was his opaque idea -- well, perhaps it is not opaque to liberals -- of unintentional racism merely a bow to Senate rules against personal slurs? What ''race'' does Reid think is being victimized? Are Spanish speakers members of a single race? Evidently Reid thinks something like that because his next sentence was: ''I think it is directed basically to people who speak Spanish.'' Indeed, it is, but what has that to do with racism? Declaring English the national language is a mere gesture. But by ending bilingual ballots, American law would perform its expressive function of buttressing, by codifying and vivifying, certain national assumptions and aspirations. Among those is this: The idea of citizenship becomes absurd when sundered from the ability to understand the nation's civic conversation. What makes Americans generally welcoming of immigrants, and what makes immigrants generally assimilable, is that this is a creedal nation, one dedicated to certain propositions, not one whose origins and identity are bound up with ethnicity. But if you are to be welcomed to the enjoyment of American liberty, then America has a few expectations of you. One is that you can read the nation's founding documents and laws, and can comprehend the political discourse that precedes the casting of ballots. Is this unreasonable? Of course not. DUPAGE COUNTY
Who could quibble? It all sounds fabulous and would go a long way toward improving the wretchedness of some of our public schools, particularly those in Chicago. This latest idea from the desk of Gov. Blagojevich is long on merit but short on a real solution for long-term funding. The governor proposes selling or leasing the state lottery set up in 1975 for the purpose of funding schools. He got this clever idea from Chicago's leasing of the Skyway to private investors last year, which provided the city with an immediate cash infusion of $1.83 billion. But the Skyway is a tangible asset, while lottery funds are a riskier and more nebulous investment, and the governor's plan provides no permanent fix for the eternally desperate plight of Illinois school funding.
The lottery would be leased or sold for $10 billion to private investors and would allow a $4 billion infusion over four years into public schools. The rest of the money, $6 billion, would be put into an annuity that the governor's people calculate would generate about $650 million a year for schools -- roughly what the lottery offers now.
But this funding plan would last only until 2024, and then what? Luckily for the governor, he doesn't have to worry about that because he won't be in office then.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, Blagojevich had to devise this inventive way of funding schools because he tied his own hands with a promise not to increase sales or income taxes -- even though his own budget director told the Sun-Times editorial board an income tax of less than 1 percent would be all that's required to help schools. Tax increases or property tax reforms are anathemas to any politician looking for re-election. As deputy governor Bradley Tusk says (sounding a little like George W. Bush): "It's better not to raise taxes and keep money in people's pockets."
We have to wonder, along with state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin), that if this were such a splendid program, why was it not introduced while the General Assembly was in session. "To do this now seems so overtly political and self-serving," Rauschenberger says. "There is a lot of cynicism out there already." Cynics are most apt to believe that after four years Blagojevich will be long gone but the lawmakers in Springfield will still be scratching their heads about how to invest in our schools, and the real losers will be our grandchildren.
Peraica: Stroger 'well enough to function'? - Fran Spielman
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-stroger25.html
Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica on Wednesday demanded a photograph or tape recording to prove that County Board President John Stroger is "alive and well enough to function" after the stroke that has sidelined him for 2-1/2 months.
"With 165 days to go before the election, with the county budget looming on the horizon, with over 40 union contracts to be negotiated, numerous executive appointments to be made, we can't wait until the end of October when Clerk David Orr has set the deadline to decide whether or not he's going to be the candidate," said Peraica, Stroger's Republican challenger.
"Cook County taxpayers and voters need an answer now. We deserve that answer right now.
"What I'm demanding is some verifiable objective message from President Stroger -- whether it's in the form of a photograph [or] a recorded voice message discussing something that's not a top secret with his chief of staff -- something that would be a confirmation that he's alive and well enough to function."
And what if Stroger is not well enough to function?
Chews out sergeant at arms
"He should take whatever time he needs to recover, and we should have the ability as the county board of commissioners to get together and replace him with someone else who can carry on the responsibility of a chief executive officer of a $3 billion-a-year corporation," Peraica said.
Peraica's demand infuriated Mayor Daley because it was made in the anteroom behind the City Council chambers with the full Council in session.
Daley is a lifelong Stroger ally; his brother John chairs the County Board's Finance Committee. The mayor was so angry about Peraica's attack, he lit into the City Council's sergeant at arms for allowing the intrusion. The tirade reportedly reduced the sergeant at arms to tears.
"We can't have all candidates coming in from all political parties into that room. They can go to your office. They can go to their own county commissioners' office. Once you set it up, then it's a stage for everyone. It's just common sense," the mayor said.
'Double standard' slammed
Daley cautioned reporters not to engage in a feeding frenzy over Stroger's health.
"I hate to see any one of you get sick because we'll be writing your obituary, I guess," Daley said.
"Everybody has illnesses in their family. Let's not already dig their graves. I know you want to dig people's graves. But I hope you would never do that to your own family."
Ald. William Beavers (7th) is the elder statesman among black aldermen and one of Stroger's most powerful political allies. Beavers characterized constant speculation about Stroger's health and possible replacements as racist.
"There's always a double standard when it comes to black folks and white folks. Old man [Richard J.] Daley had a stroke and was off for a year. Nobody said one word. They were even afraid to whisper that he was sick around here," Beavers said.
"President Stroger is alive and well. Until he decides that he don't want to run again -- it's up to him. And whoever he decides that he wants to replace him -- that's what's going to happen. ... White folks can do it. Black folks can do it -- easily. We got control of the [weighted] votes in the city and the county, so we do what we want to do. Remember that."
Stroger suffered what his doctors described as a "serious" stroke the week before the March 21 primary and hasn't been seen or heard from since. He was released from the Rehabilitation Institute last week just in time to celebrate his 77th birthday. He's now staying at a friend's downtown condo.
Rep. Danny Davis continues to lobby ward bosses behind the scenes in the event that Stroger decides to retire. Davis is supported by Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) and possible mayoral challengers Jesse Jackson Jr. and Luis Gutierrez. They are determined to stop Stroger's son, Ald. Todd Stroger (8th), from replacing his father.
Todd Stroger could not be reached for comment on Peraica's broadside.
Before the attack, the younger Stroger cautioned reporters that his father's decision to put his Pill Hill home up for sale does not mean he's about to retire. It simply means John Stroger needs a residence without stairs where it's easier to get around.
Todd Stroger insisted there's no pressure on his father to make a definitive statement about his health or his political intentions.
"The voters aren't going to be making up their minds until a long time [from now]. And John Stroger has been in county government for what -- 31 years or something. If they don't know who he is now, they'll never know."
Asked why the media have not been allowed to see or talk to his father, Todd Stroger said, "The less stress the better for a person who's trying to recover from a stroke. You don't put someone who's just had a major physical trauma out with the lions. And if you don't think you're lions, I can tell you you are."
Scott Fawell statement details George Ryan's crooked deals - Natasha Korecki
http://www.suntimes.com/output/ryan/cst-nws-fawell25.html
The prosecution's star witness in former Gov. George Ryan's public corruption trial gave the government a 48-page roadmap laying out in great detail how his boss broke the law, according to a document unsealed Wednesday.
In the 2004 statement, Scott Fawell, former Ryan chief of staff and political mastermind, gave authorities a behind-the-scenes look at crooked deals, filling in the blanks on how Ryan used his campaign fund, his relationship with co-defendant Lawrence Warner and how he siphoned money from Phil Gramm's GOP presidential campaign.
Fawell's subsequent testimony at Ryan's trial could win him a shorter prison term and keep his fiancee out of prison.
In 2003, Fawell was convicted of public corruption under Ryan. A year later, he did the unthinkable and cooperated against Ryan.
Federal prosecutors had already charged Ryan, and that indictment never changed. But Fawell's blunt and sometimes emotional testimony proved to be crucial in Ryan's six-month trial, which led to the April 17 guilty verdict on mail fraud, racketeering and false statement charges. During his 10 days on the stand, Fawell never hid his disdain for prosecutors.
'Testified truthfully'
Fawell, now serving a sentence of more than six years, said he turned on Ryan to try to spare his fiancee, Andrea Coutretsis, from prison by giving her the credit he won through his cooperation. U.S. District Judge James Holderman held off on Coutretsis' sentencing until Fawell finished his testimony.
Asked whether Fawell completed his end of the deal, Fawell attorney Jeffrey Steinback said:
"Scott Fawell testified truthfully and completely and that was all that was expected of him in connection with his bargain," Steinback said. "All the prosecution asked of Scott is that he tell the truth. He did that, and I don't think anybody doubts it."
Fawell is scheduled to be sentenced in September.
Campaign fund paid legal fees
In the statement, Fawell appears annoyed by how lawyers were handling the federal investigation into the secretary of state's office in the late 1990s.
"I was very unhappy to find out that CFR [Committee for Ryan] was paying for legal fees of SOS employees while I was paying my own legal fees," Fawell said.
When the federal investigation into the secretary of state's office started to heat up, Fawell told prosecutors that former Ryan lawyer Jeremy Margolis from the now-defunct Altheimer & Gray firm was trying to "control the entire process." Fawell said Margolis told employees that Ryan's campaign fund would cover their legal bills only if Margolis chose who represented them, Fawell said.
'This is your attorney'
"Ryan was cutting large CFR checks to Altheimer & Gray for legal fees and in my view Margolis was keeping Ryan in the dark as to what these fees were going for," Fawell wrote.
Fawell said in 1999 Margolis invited Fawell into his office and introduced him to a man he never met.
"This is your attorney," Fawell said Margolis told him.
"If and when I need an attorney I'll get one myself," he said.
Other things Fawell spilled about:
*Drury Lane Theatre owner Anthony DeSantis gave Ryan hundreds of free tickets. DeSantis then got specialized license plates from the secretary of state's office under Ryan's reign.
*Fawell told prosecutors that insurance mogul Michael Segal put Ryan's son, George Ryan Jr., on the payroll at Near North Insurance. Segal is doing prison time after he and his company were convicted in a fraud scheme involving Segal's raiding the company's trust fund of millions of dollars.
*That Ryan kept nudging Fawell to hire Ryan pal Ron Swanson as a McPier lobbyist even though Fawell resisted. Ryan had appointed Fawell to be the head of McPier after Fawell helped Ryan win the 1998 gubernatorial race. Fawell said he didn't need Swanson as a lobbyist but hired him to appease Ryan.
"We often joked during the expansion project about whether Swanson even knew an expansion bill was in the General Assembly," Fawell wrote.
People want the fence - Mike Mozart
http://www.suntimes.com/output/letters/cst-edt-vox25a.html
Regarding Sen. Dick Durbin's comment that a proposed border fence represents a "symbol for right-wing American politics," I guess that the 68 percent of Americans who want the fence and the 85 percent of Americans who want our borders secured represent the "right wing."
Sen. Durbin and the majority of senators are so far removed from their constituents they have no idea what we the people want, nor do they seem to care. Poll after poll shows the American people are fed up with illegal immigration, yet our Senate continues trying to reward illegal aliens while doing nothing of substance to stop the neverending flow into our country. Durbin has voted against almost every measure to stem the tide and votes for almost every measure to reward the lawbreakers.
The American people have had enough. We need to remember just who stands up for the American citizens and who thwarts the will of the people at election time. It's time the American people vote them out and elect a new Senate, one that puts the interests of the American people first.
Darfur: Unfair criticism - Priscilla Weese
The May 19 edition of the Sun- Times had a touching article highlighting the appeal of one of the "Lost Boys" of the Sudan. Thousands of these Sudanese orphans had been on the run from the pursuing government Janjaweed for three years. They survived on leaves, grass and roots. America brought them here, where these "Lost Boys" have done well, as the picture of Kuek Garang shows.
Now America is being criticized that we are not coming to the rescue in the slaughter in Darfur. We were expected to stop the tribal slaughter in Rwanda, where Africans killed 800,000 of their countrymen. But who got the blame? America was called racist, and President Clinton had to apologize. America is criticized for being "the world's policeman," and yet when tribal or religious fighting breaks out anywhere, especially Africa, America had better ride in and stop it. Mr. Garang seems to lack any gratitude that he and thousands of other orphans' lives were saved. He only says, "Sorry is not enough the second and third time."
The article fails to acknowledge that the government genocide against the people of Darfur is because they are black and animist or Christian. The Islamist government does these terrible deeds, but we want to be politically correct and blame America.
It's reasonable to vote for ballots in English - George Will
http://www.suntimes.com/output/will/cst-edt-geo25.html
''Of course not.'' That was Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' answer last Sunday on ABC's ''This Week'' when asked whether he would favor prohibiting bilingual ballots. ''Of course not''? Did he mean, ''This is not something about which decent people differ''? To understand why millions of conservatives do not trust Washington to think clearly or act reasonably about immigration, consider bilingual ballots. These conservatives, already worried that both the rule of law and national identity are becoming attenuated because of illegal immigration, now have another worry: The federal government's chief law enforcement official might need a refresher course on federal law pertaining to legal immigrants. In 1906, the year before a rabbi in a Passover sermon coined the phrase ''melting pot'' during torrential immigration from eastern and southern Europe, Congress passed and President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation requiring people seeking to become naturalized citizens to demonstrate oral English literacy. In 1950, the requirement was strengthened to require people to ''demonstrate an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language.'' Hence, if someone needs a ballot written in a language other than English, that need proves the person obtained citizenship only because the law was not enforced when he or she sought citizenship. So one reason for ending ballots in languages other than English is that continuing them makes a mockery of the rule of law, including even the prospective McCain-Kennedy law that pro-immigration groups favor. It contains several requirements that those aspiring to citizenship demonstrate ''a knowledge of the English language'' or ''English fluency'' in order ''to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens into the American way of life'' and into ''American common values and traditions.'' How can legislators support both language like that and ballots in multiple languages? Fifty-six House Republicans have sent a letter, instigated by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, asking that Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act be allowed to expire. When the VRA was enacted in 1965, it said nothing about bilingual ballots. Section 203, requiring bilingual ballots in jurisdictions with certain demographic characteristics, was added in the 1975 extension of the VRA. The King letter was sent to Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He favors extending Section 203 and the rest of the VRA until 2032 because it helps facilitate ''the participation of language minority citizens in the political process.'' But what public good is advanced by encouraging the participation of people who, by saying they require bilingual assistance, are saying they cannot understand the nation's political conversation? By receiving such assistance, they are receiving a disincentive to become proficient in English. It takes political bravery to propose pruning the VRA, given the predictable charges of racism that are hurled so promiscuously nowadays. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, for example, has a liberal's reflex for discerning racism everywhere and for shouting ''racist'' as a substitute for argument. During Senate debate last week on a measure to declare English the national language, he said: ''While the intent may not be there, I really believe this amendment is racist.'' Questions crowd upon one another. Was his opaque idea -- well, perhaps it is not opaque to liberals -- of unintentional racism merely a bow to Senate rules against personal slurs? What ''race'' does Reid think is being victimized? Are Spanish speakers members of a single race? Evidently Reid thinks something like that because his next sentence was: ''I think it is directed basically to people who speak Spanish.'' Indeed, it is, but what has that to do with racism? Declaring English the national language is a mere gesture. But by ending bilingual ballots, American law would perform its expressive function of buttressing, by codifying and vivifying, certain national assumptions and aspirations. Among those is this: The idea of citizenship becomes absurd when sundered from the ability to understand the nation's civic conversation. What makes Americans generally welcoming of immigrants, and what makes immigrants generally assimilable, is that this is a creedal nation, one dedicated to certain propositions, not one whose origins and identity are bound up with ethnicity. But if you are to be welcomed to the enjoyment of American liberty, then America has a few expectations of you. One is that you can read the nation's founding documents and laws, and can comprehend the political discourse that precedes the casting of ballots. Is this unreasonable? Of course not.
''Of course not''? Did he mean, ''This is not something about which decent people differ''?
To understand why millions of conservatives do not trust Washington to think clearly or act reasonably about immigration, consider bilingual ballots. These conservatives, already worried that both the rule of law and national identity are becoming attenuated because of illegal immigration, now have another worry: The federal government's chief law enforcement official might need a refresher course on federal law pertaining to legal immigrants.
In 1906, the year before a rabbi in a Passover sermon coined the phrase ''melting pot'' during torrential immigration from eastern and southern Europe, Congress passed and President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation requiring people seeking to become naturalized citizens to demonstrate oral English literacy. In 1950, the requirement was strengthened to require people to ''demonstrate an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language.''
Hence, if someone needs a ballot written in a language other than English, that need proves the person obtained citizenship only because the law was not enforced when he or she sought citizenship. So one reason for ending ballots in languages other than English is that continuing them makes a mockery of the rule of law, including even the prospective McCain-Kennedy law that pro-immigration groups favor.
It contains several requirements that those aspiring to citizenship demonstrate ''a knowledge of the English language'' or ''English fluency'' in order ''to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens into the American way of life'' and into ''American common values and traditions.'' How can legislators support both language like that and ballots in multiple languages?
Fifty-six House Republicans have sent a letter, instigated by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, asking that Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act be allowed to expire. When the VRA was enacted in 1965, it said nothing about bilingual ballots. Section 203, requiring bilingual ballots in jurisdictions with certain demographic characteristics, was added in the 1975 extension of the VRA. The King letter was sent to Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He favors extending Section 203 and the rest of the VRA until 2032 because it helps facilitate ''the participation of language minority citizens in the political process.''
But what public good is advanced by encouraging the participation of people who, by saying they require bilingual assistance, are saying they cannot understand the nation's political conversation? By receiving such assistance, they are receiving a disincentive to become proficient in English.
It takes political bravery to propose pruning the VRA, given the predictable charges of racism that are hurled so promiscuously nowadays. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, for example, has a liberal's reflex for discerning racism everywhere and for shouting ''racist'' as a substitute for argument. During Senate debate last week on a measure to declare English the national language, he said: ''While the intent may not be there, I really believe this amendment is racist.''
Questions crowd upon one another. Was his opaque idea -- well, perhaps it is not opaque to liberals -- of unintentional racism merely a bow to Senate rules against personal slurs? What ''race'' does Reid think is being victimized? Are Spanish speakers members of a single race? Evidently Reid thinks something like that because his next sentence was: ''I think it is directed basically to people who speak Spanish.'' Indeed, it is, but what has that to do with racism?
Declaring English the national language is a mere gesture. But by ending bilingual ballots, American law would perform its expressive function of buttressing, by codifying and vivifying, certain national assumptions and aspirations. Among those is this: The idea of citizenship becomes absurd when sundered from the ability to understand the nation's civic conversation.
What makes Americans generally welcoming of immigrants, and what makes immigrants generally assimilable, is that this is a creedal nation, one dedicated to certain propositions, not one whose origins and identity are bound up with ethnicity. But if you are to be welcomed to the enjoyment of American liberty, then America has a few expectations of you. One is that you can read the nation's founding documents and laws, and can comprehend the political discourse that precedes the casting of ballots.
Is this unreasonable? Of course not.
County announces Memorial Day ceremony Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Salute to Begin Program - Jason Gerwighttp://www.dupageco.org/pressDetail.cfm?doc_id=2690
(DIERSEN: Participants in this outstanding Sunday 2:00 PM program include the Royal Airs, Rolling Thunder motorcycle brigade, Wildfire Harley Davidson Group, Vintage Cars and Rods of Carol Stream, Dupage County Sheriff's Department, DuPage County Forest Preserve District, Taylor's Battery, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Wheaton College ROTC, and Mooseheart JROTC. Refreshments will be served and families are encouraged to attend.)
Wheaton -- DuPage County has announced the program for this year’s Memorial Day Observance. The ceremony will be held Sunday, May 28 at 2:00 pm and will begin with the arrival of Rolling Thunder DuPage, a motorcycle brigade led by the Wildfire Harley Davidson Group (HOG) that will ride into the County Complex in unity to demonstrate support and respect for our Veterans. Harley Davison has an over 100 year old history with the military. Many servicemen rode their first bike while on their tour of duty
Bikers will assemble at the Wildfire Harley Davison dealer on North Avenue in Villa Park at noon. The brigade will be ‘kickstands up’ at 1:15 pm, proceeding west on North Avenue to County Farm Road and then on to the County Complex.
Over 30 riders participated in last year’s inaugural ride.
Rolling Thunder is named after the sound the massive brigade of motorcycles makes as it enters an event. Over 500,000 riders from around the country travel to Washington DC each Memorial Day to honor America’s Veterans. The Wildfire HOGS began this tradition locally so that riders who could not afford the time or the travel to our nation’s capitol could still show respect for their fallen comrades.
Wildfire Historian and retired County Board Member Bill Maio invites all bike riders to participate. “Our Rolling Thunder style salute is open to all motorcycle riders. I encourage all bike riders- not just Harley owners- to join us and demonstrate their respect to our veterans. At this point in our history, it is critical that we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our liberties. Additionally, our Memorial Day ceremony honors all our veterans as well as those who currently serve,” Maio said.
Joining the ceremony this year will be Vintage Cars and Rods of Carol Stream. The vehicles will be on display in the parking lot adjacent to the Veteran’s Memorial.
The ceremony will also include speeches and reflections, a combined color guard ceremony, musical tributes, a costumed weapons salute by Civil War and Revolutionary War artillery units, as well as patriotic and military music. In addition, a 20’ by 30’ American flag will be on display.
At the conclusion of the Memorial Day Ceremony, a cross will be unveiled to commemorate each serviceman from DuPage County who has been killed in action since Veterans Day 2005. A formal flag presentation will be made by the military to the families of these lost servicemen.
The Massed Honor Guard will be comprised of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Department, the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, the Royal Airs Senior Exhibition Drum & Bugle Corps, Taylor’s Battery, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Wheaton ROTC, and the Mooseheart JROTC.
Refreshments will be served and families are encouraged to attend.
NAPERVILLE SUN
Fired DuPage worker Tom Johnson says county not on 'up and up' Glendale Heights man acknowledges temper but insists he cared about his responsibilities - Katie Foutz
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/top/6_1_NA25_JOHNSON_S1.htm
Tom Johnson recognizes his reputation for having a temper. It's part of what got him fired from his DuPage County Public Works job, he said Wednesday – but he believes he was truly fired for speaking up about inefficient, unethical and even dangerous work conditions. For 12 years he worked his way up from maintenance worker to crew leader on the county's sewer and water systems. March 2 was his last day as a county employee. Since then, he's been piecing together odd jobs – installing skylights, tiling floors, finishing his sister's basement – while looking for full-time work. As he sat at the kitchen table of his Glendale Heights home, parts of which bore the drop cloths and naked beams of his own remodeling project, he recalled a few times he's gotten in trouble at work. But he said it's because he cared about doing a good job when no one else did. Near the end of one November work day at the Public Works facility in Darien, he yelled at one employee to get his feet off Johnson's desk and help clean up the garage. "He got in my face, I pushed him back, and he went and told that I pushed him," Johnson said. "And he still didn't have to clean the garage." Later, Johnson told a different employee he was taking too long to locate utility lines before digs, accusing him of wasting time driving around all day when the job should take only a few hours. After instructing the worker to report to him by 11 a.m., the worker shouted, "F- - - you." Johnson's response: "F- - - you, faggot." "And I should have kept my cool, kept my mouth shut," he said. Shortly afterward, Johnson was fired. Supervisors knew Johnson said he had reported complaints about other employees to his supervisor and the department's operations manager multiple times but that they failed to investigate. On Tuesday, he brought his complaints to the DuPage County Board, an act that launched a probe by the state's attorney's office. His key allegations are that Public Works employees: -- steal county gasoline for their personal vehicles; -- pad their timecards with overtime hours they did not work; -- use county vehicles and tools for side jobs and sometimes never return tools; -- use county computers to play games and view pornography online; -- play whiffle ball, darts and other games rather than finish the day working; -- and covered up a drunken crash that totaled a county vehicle. The Sun has not been able to verify Johnson's accusations, but County Board member Brien Sheahan was not surprised, saying they were "consistent with some comments I've heard privately." Kevin Buoy, DuPage County Public Works operations manager and one of the supervisors Johnson mentioned during Tuesday's County Board meeting, had "no comment" about what Johnson said. Jim Fuscilla, the other supervisor mentioned by name, could not be reached for comment. New allegations When his team moved from the wastewater treatment plant in Woodridge to the plant in Darien about seven years ago, "that's when all the trouble began because there was no supervision," Johnson said. "We were too far away." Johnson said several employees have left DuPage Public Works over the past few years because they felt the supervision and work ethic was shoddy to the point of endangering workers' lives. "They said they don't want to get hurt," he said. "It's a dangerous job digging holes." Adding to his original allegations, he said to save time, some crews fail to drop trench cages into the holes they dig. But such a cage can prevent dirt walls from caving in and killing anyone trapped inside. In fact, it's required for holes deeper than five feet, Johnson said. Johnson also alleges in an instance when the Public Works sent five workers to an out-of-state conference, it left his crew shorthanded for three emergencies. As an employee, he did not report any wrongdoing to the Human Resources Department or Ethics Commission, which are the next lines of defense for whistleblowers, according to DuPage's personnel manual. The same section of the manual states that whistleblowers are protected from retribution. Johnson said he didn't know about those policies. "I was going to go to (Chief Operations Officer) Greg Wilcox – that was my next step," Johnson said. "But the next thing I knew, I was fired." He describes the Public Works Department as a clique of workers who were happy to keep their jobs the way they were and who ganged up to run out the one person who didn't fit in. "I've never seen a place run that way in my life," he said. "I was in the military. I expected if I worked with the government, it was going to be on the up and up." Paul Darrah: DuPage state's attorney taking misconduct accusations 'very seriously' - Kate Houlihan http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/top/6_1_NA25_PROBE_S1.htm Following accusations of misconduct in the DuPage County Public Works Department by a former employee at a county meeting Tuesday, both the county and the state's attorney's office have pledged to look into the matter. "We are aware of the allegations," said Paul Darrah, communications manager for the state's attorney's office. "As with any allegations of this type of matter, we take them very seriously. We are reviewing the matter right now." Public Works employee Tom Johnson, who was with the department from March 1, 1994 to March 3, 2006, spoke during the public forum session of the County Board meeting. He said while he was fired simply for raising his voice to an employee, others in the department were allegedly stealing gas to fill up their personal cars, adding overtime hours not worked to time cards and surfing for pornography on county-provided Internet access – all of which allegedly went unpunished. "The county will be looking into the claims he made yesterday," spokesman Jason Gerwig said. Gerwig did not provide any further information. "We will review (the claims) and take any necessary action," Darrah said. DuPage Board vows to get to bottom of work allegations - Sarah Pulliam and Kathy Cichon http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/top/6_1_NA25_REACT_S1.htm After a former employee made several allegations of wrongdoing in DuPage County's Public Works Department on Tuesday, County Board members swiftly reacted with calls for a full investigation. Many board members said they were surprised by the numerous accusations made by former employee Tom Johnson, which include employees using county gas pumps to fill up personal vehicles and a charge of one employee crashing a county vehicle while driving under the influence and then covering it up. County Board member Brien Sheahan, R-Elmhurst, said the allegations were serious challenges and must be investigated. However, he was not among those taken aback by the alleged actions, as he said he heard rumors in the past day or two. "Unfortunately, it's consistent with some comments I've heard privately," Sheahan said Wednesday. "I have heard rumors of similar kinds of things – things that are consistent with his allegations. Clearly it's something the state's attorney has to investigate." Sheahan said after the recent rumors he believed there were some inquiries made, but after Tuesday's allegations there were more questions and employees were being interviewed. However, Yolanda Campuzano, R-Bensenville, a board member who serves on the Public Works Committee, said this was the first complaint she had heard. "It was a shock. I'm sure other County Board members felt the same way," she said. "I just hope this investigation starts soon so we can look at what's going on and take care of the situation." Board member Bob Schroeder, R-Naperville, said the county fired an employee years ago because of wrongdoing, but he wasn't sure of the nature of the misdeeds. "I'd like to think we do listen," Schroeder said. He cited the action taken by the county after a resident came forward with concerns at the county's Animal Care and Control Department.- "We made several changes because of her initiatives," Schroeder said. "That was a situation where a complaint about our inefficiencies and professionalism were challenged and we responded to it." He said the county will do the same thing if action is required. "I don't know enough details at this point," Schroeder said. County Board member Irene Stone, R-Lombard, agreed, saying she wants to hear what is uncovered in the investigation before she decides whether the allegations are accurate. "I don't think someone would get up and say something like that if none of it was true," Stone said. Board member Kyle Gilgis, R-Downers Grove, said the accusations could have been brought forth before Tuesday's board meeting. "We have a vehicle in place where Mr. Johnson could have taken care of this," said Gilgis, referring to the county's Termination and Suspension Committee. She also stressed the importance of determining if the accusations are valid. "I'm hoping we'll do that by the next County Board meeting," she said. If the misdeeds were happening prior to Johnson's firing, he could have notified authorities earlier, said County Board member James Zay, R-Carol Stream. There are provisions in the county's ethics ordinance that would have enabled him to come forward, he said. "He could have done a lot of stuff. There are other avenues he could have gone to," Zay said. "He could have gone to the state's attorney six months ago. You have to be somewhat suspicious."
It's part of what got him fired from his DuPage County Public Works job, he said Wednesday – but he believes he was truly fired for speaking up about inefficient, unethical and even dangerous work conditions.
For 12 years he worked his way up from maintenance worker to crew leader on the county's sewer and water systems. March 2 was his last day as a county employee. Since then, he's been piecing together odd jobs – installing skylights, tiling floors, finishing his sister's basement – while looking for full-time work.
As he sat at the kitchen table of his Glendale Heights home, parts of which bore the drop cloths and naked beams of his own remodeling project, he recalled a few times he's gotten in trouble at work. But he said it's because he cared about doing a good job when no one else did.
Near the end of one November work day at the Public Works facility in Darien, he yelled at one employee to get his feet off Johnson's desk and help clean up the garage.
"He got in my face, I pushed him back, and he went and told that I pushed him," Johnson said. "And he still didn't have to clean the garage."
Later, Johnson told a different employee he was taking too long to locate utility lines before digs, accusing him of wasting time driving around all day when the job should take only a few hours. After instructing the worker to report to him by 11 a.m., the worker shouted, "F- - - you." Johnson's response: "F- - - you, faggot."
"And I should have kept my cool, kept my mouth shut," he said.
Shortly afterward, Johnson was fired.
Johnson said he had reported complaints about other employees to his supervisor and the department's operations manager multiple times but that they failed to investigate. On Tuesday, he brought his complaints to the DuPage County Board, an act that launched a probe by the state's attorney's office.
His key allegations are that Public Works employees:
-- steal county gasoline for their personal vehicles;
-- pad their timecards with overtime hours they did not work;
-- use county vehicles and tools for side jobs and sometimes never return tools;
-- use county computers to play games and view pornography online;
-- play whiffle ball, darts and other games rather than finish the day working;
-- and covered up a drunken crash that totaled a county vehicle.
The Sun has not been able to verify Johnson's accusations, but County Board member Brien Sheahan was not surprised, saying they were "consistent with some comments I've heard privately."
Kevin Buoy, DuPage County Public Works operations manager and one of the supervisors Johnson mentioned during Tuesday's County Board meeting, had "no comment" about what Johnson said. Jim Fuscilla, the other supervisor mentioned by name, could not be reached for comment.
When his team moved from the wastewater treatment plant in Woodridge to the plant in Darien about seven years ago, "that's when all the trouble began because there was no supervision," Johnson said. "We were too far away."
Johnson said several employees have left DuPage Public Works over the past few years because they felt the supervision and work ethic was shoddy to the point of endangering workers' lives.
"They said they don't want to get hurt," he said. "It's a dangerous job digging holes."
Adding to his original allegations, he said to save time, some crews fail to drop trench cages into the holes they dig. But such a cage can prevent dirt walls from caving in and killing anyone trapped inside. In fact, it's required for holes deeper than five feet, Johnson said.
Johnson also alleges in an instance when the Public Works sent five workers to an out-of-state conference, it left his crew shorthanded for three emergencies.
As an employee, he did not report any wrongdoing to the Human Resources Department or Ethics Commission, which are the next lines of defense for whistleblowers, according to DuPage's personnel manual. The same section of the manual states that whistleblowers are protected from retribution.
Johnson said he didn't know about those policies.
"I was going to go to (Chief Operations Officer) Greg Wilcox – that was my next step," Johnson said. "But the next thing I knew, I was fired."
He describes the Public Works Department as a clique of workers who were happy to keep their jobs the way they were and who ganged up to run out the one person who didn't fit in.
"I've never seen a place run that way in my life," he said. "I was in the military. I expected if I worked with the government, it was going to be on the up and up."
Paul Darrah: DuPage state's attorney taking misconduct accusations 'very seriously' - Kate Houlihan
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/top/6_1_NA25_PROBE_S1.htm
Following accusations of misconduct in the DuPage County Public Works Department by a former employee at a county meeting Tuesday, both the county and the state's attorney's office have pledged to look into the matter.
"We are aware of the allegations," said Paul Darrah, communications manager for the state's attorney's office. "As with any allegations of this type of matter, we take them very seriously. We are reviewing the matter right now."
Public Works employee Tom Johnson, who was with the department from March 1, 1994 to March 3, 2006, spoke during the public forum session of the County Board meeting. He said while he was fired simply for raising his voice to an employee, others in the department were allegedly stealing gas to fill up their personal cars, adding overtime hours not worked to time cards and surfing for pornography on county-provided Internet access – all of which allegedly went unpunished.
"The county will be looking into the claims he made yesterday," spokesman Jason Gerwig said.
Gerwig did not provide any further information.
"We will review (the claims) and take any necessary action," Darrah said.
DuPage Board vows to get to bottom of work allegations - Sarah Pulliam and Kathy Cichon
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/top/6_1_NA25_REACT_S1.htm
After a former employee made several allegations of wrongdoing in DuPage County's Public Works Department on Tuesday, County Board members swiftly reacted with calls for a full investigation.
Many board members said they were surprised by the numerous accusations made by former employee Tom Johnson, which include employees using county gas pumps to fill up personal vehicles and a charge of one employee crashing a county vehicle while driving under the influence and then covering it up.
County Board member Brien Sheahan, R-Elmhurst, said the allegations were serious challenges and must be investigated. However, he was not among those taken aback by the alleged actions, as he said he heard rumors in the past day or two.
"Unfortunately, it's consistent with some comments I've heard privately," Sheahan said Wednesday. "I have heard rumors of similar kinds of things – things that are consistent with his allegations. Clearly it's something the state's attorney has to investigate."
Sheahan said after the recent rumors he believed there were some inquiries made, but after Tuesday's allegations there were more questions and employees were being interviewed.
However, Yolanda Campuzano, R-Bensenville, a board member who serves on the Public Works Committee, said this was the first complaint she had heard.
"It was a shock. I'm sure other County Board members felt the same way," she said. "I just hope this investigation starts soon so we can look at what's going on and take care of the situation."
Board member Bob Schroeder, R-Naperville, said the county fired an employee years ago because of wrongdoing, but he wasn't sure of the nature of the misdeeds.
"I'd like to think we do listen," Schroeder said.
He cited the action taken by the county after a resident came forward with concerns at the county's Animal Care and Control Department.-
"We made several changes because of her initiatives," Schroeder said. "That was a situation where a complaint about our inefficiencies and professionalism were challenged and we responded to it."
He said the county will do the same thing if action is required.
"I don't know enough details at this point," Schroeder said.
County Board member Irene Stone, R-Lombard, agreed, saying she wants to hear what is uncovered in the investigation before she decides whether the allegations are accurate.
"I don't think someone would get up and say something like that if none of it was true," Stone said.
Board member Kyle Gilgis, R-Downers Grove, said the accusations could have been brought forth before Tuesday's board meeting.
"We have a vehicle in place where Mr. Johnson could have taken care of this," said Gilgis, referring to the county's Termination and Suspension Committee.
She also stressed the importance of determining if the accusations are valid.
"I'm hoping we'll do that by the next County Board meeting," she said.
If the misdeeds were happening prior to Johnson's firing, he could have notified authorities earlier, said County Board member James Zay, R-Carol Stream. There are provisions in the county's ethics ordinance that would have enabled him to come forward, he said.
"He could have done a lot of stuff. There are other avenues he could have gone to," Zay said. "He could have gone to the state's attorney six months ago. You have to be somewhat suspicious."
BEACON NEWS
DuPage board increases pay for county officials - Kathy Cichonhttp://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/city/2_1_AU25_DUPPAY_S1.htm
WHEATON — By a margin of one vote, DuPage County Board members gave themselves a raise. "When you compare our salaries to surrounding counties, they're high enough," said board member Robert Schroeder, R-Naperville, who voted against the raises. In a 9-8 vote, DuPage Board members approved a salary schedule set to begin in 2007. While there will be no increase in 2007 from the 2006 salary of $48,620, board members will receive a 3 percent increase in 2008 and another 3 percent in 2009. In 2010 they will get a 4 percent increase, bringing the total salary for a board member in 2010 to $53,645. Board members who chair a committee will earn an extra $3,000 per year; committee vice chairmen will receive an extra $1,000 a year. "It's not a raise, per se," said board Vice Chairman Bob Heap, who also serves as chairman of the county's Finance Committee. "It's more a cost of living adjustment." The board also voted on salaries for several other elected officials, all of which passed 12-5. Starting next year the County Board chairman will be paid $110,156 — a 3 percent increase over the 2006 salary of $106,948. The following year the chairman gets a 4 percent raise, followed by raises of 3 percent and 4 percent, bringing the salary to $121,540 in 2010. The county clerk and treasurer, each of whom is earning $115,984 for 2006, will see salary increases at the rate of 3 percent, 4 percent, 3 percent and 4 percent over the next four years. By 2010 the salaries for these offices will be $131,808. The county sheriff, who is making $134,014 in 2006, will see a raise to $152,298 by 2010, along with receiving an annual stipend of $15,000. Salary for the regional superintendent of schools of DuPage County is paid through both the state and the county. In 2006 the county's portion of that salary is $26,497. By 2010, the county's portion will be $30,112. "This is a four-year salary package. Two years from now we are likely to be facing a $15 million-plus budget deficit. I can't commit county funds to pay raises we very well may not be able to afford," said board member Debra Olson, R-Wheaton, of her vote against the increases. Board member Grant Eckhoff, who also voted against the raises, said it is difficult to ask others in the county to hold back if the elected officials are not going to do it, too. "It's the same thing I did four years ago," said Eckhoff, R-Wheaton. "I just think that in tough budget times it's tough to vote through a raise." However, Heap said the hikes are basically cost of living increases, and they are less than what was given to county employees. The raises are not based on merit, he said. "There is no merit (increase) with elected officials other than if you do a good job, you get a chairmanship," Heap said.
"When you compare our salaries to surrounding counties, they're high enough," said board member Robert Schroeder, R-Naperville, who voted against the raises.
In a 9-8 vote, DuPage Board members approved a salary schedule set to begin in 2007. While there will be no increase in 2007 from the 2006 salary of $48,620, board members will receive a 3 percent increase in 2008 and another 3 percent in 2009. In 2010 they will get a 4 percent increase, bringing the total salary for a board member in 2010 to $53,645.
Board members who chair a committee will earn an extra $3,000 per year; committee vice chairmen will receive an extra $1,000 a year.
"It's not a raise, per se," said board Vice Chairman Bob Heap, who also serves as chairman of the county's Finance Committee. "It's more a cost of living adjustment."
The board also voted on salaries for several other elected officials, all of which passed 12-5. Starting next year the County Board chairman will be paid $110,156 — a 3 percent increase over the 2006 salary of $106,948. The following year the chairman gets a 4 percent raise, followed by raises of 3 percent and 4 percent, bringing the salary to $121,540 in 2010.
The county clerk and treasurer, each of whom is earning $115,984 for 2006, will see salary increases at the rate of 3 percent, 4 percent, 3 percent and 4 percent over the next four years. By 2010 the salaries for these offices will be $131,808. The county sheriff, who is making $134,014 in 2006, will see a raise to $152,298 by 2010, along with receiving an annual stipend of $15,000.
Salary for the regional superintendent of schools of DuPage County is paid through both the state and the county. In 2006 the county's portion of that salary is $26,497. By 2010, the county's portion will be $30,112.
"This is a four-year salary package. Two years from now we are likely to be facing a $15 million-plus budget deficit. I can't commit county funds to pay raises we very well may not be able to afford," said board member Debra Olson, R-Wheaton, of her vote against the increases.
Board member Grant Eckhoff, who also voted against the raises, said it is difficult to ask others in the county to hold back if the elected officials are not going to do it, too.
"It's the same thing I did four years ago," said Eckhoff, R-Wheaton. "I just think that in tough budget times it's tough to vote through a raise."
However, Heap said the hikes are basically cost of living increases, and they are less than what was given to county employees. The raises are not based on merit, he said.
"There is no merit (increase) with elected officials other than if you do a good job, you get a chairmanship," Heap said.
The situation is drawing complaints from medical professionals and lawmakers concerned about a Medicaid burden that continues to grow, even as the state drags out payments and holds down reimbursement rates.
"Our governor has sold out other health care providers to have his All Kids program," said state Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock). "He wrote in the law that the All Kids providers would be paid in 30 days. People who have been carrying water for Medicaid for years by accepting late payments and low payments, he cast aside. The governor's position is disenfranchising poor people, because he's making it so difficult for our pharmacies and health care providers and nursing homes to serve them."
Blagojevich pushed the All Kids program through the General Assembly during last fall's six-day veto session. The vote was largely along party lines, as Democrats control the governorship and both houses of the General Assembly.
Bipartisan Concerns
Franks said the Blagojevich administration "keeps pushing back the payment cycle and using that to balance the budget. That means when you start the next budget, you're behind even more, which isn't honest and may not be legal.
"The other issue," Franks continued, "is [the need for] increased reimbursement rates. The state requires people who are getting underpaid to, in effect, give the state interest-free loans. That is bad business and politics."
Franks's complaints demonstrate growing bipartisan dismay with the Blagojevich administration's spending practices, said state Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-Crystal Lake). She noted Franks and the governor are both Democrats and pointed out that Democratic Party leaders shut Republicans out of this year's budget process and still failed to agree on a budget by their April deadline.
"This is not a partisan issue," Althoff said. "There are concerns about Medicaid and other spending programs all over the General Assembly."
Unanswered Questions
One lawmaker with firsthand knowledge about the impact of late Medicaid payments and low reimbursement rates is Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson of Greenville. Watson is a pharmacist and drugstore owner.
"The Blagojevich administration is literally balancing the budget on the backs of these Medicaid providers," Watson said. "Right now it's over 100 days delayed payment. It's creating a financial problem for the entire health care industry. This administration borrowed $1 billion to bring those payments up to some reasonable delay, but that was last August, and now we find ourselves in a similar situation" to what existed before last year's borrowing.
In addition to the $1.5 billion owed to Medicaid providers, the state owes several hundred million dollars more to construction firms and other businesses that do work for the state, Watson said.
"Now the governor comes along with the All Kids program, which is an insurance program for everyone under 19, including those who are here illegally. Is it realistic?" Watson asked. "What's the cost? How is it going to be paid for? These are all unanswered questions.
"This administration seems to want to expand the Medicaid base, and that's what All Kids will be--a Medicaid program," Watson said.
Payment Problems
Illinois' Medicaid reimbursement rates to doctors have climbed about 11 percent over the past decade, while office expenses have climbed about 50 percent, said Peter Eupierre, president of the Illinois State Medical Society and an internist in the Chicago suburb of Melrose Park.
"The main problem is reimbursement rates in Illinois are low," Eupierre said. "And they are late with reimbursements, now about five to six months. Imagine a company trying to stay alive and having to wait six months for customers to pay. We frequently send in a bill, the state finds something to question, and it comes back six months later. So it becomes a year before you're paid. Sometimes you don't get paid at all."
Because of increases in the costs of liability insurance, office staff salary and benefits, rent, and other operating expenses, "many physicians cannot afford to see Medicaid patients," Eupierre said. "If I see three Medicaid patients and get $30 an hour, I'm getting $90 an hour. It easily costs me $300 an hour to be open. I'm losing $210 an hour. Many doctors in areas where Medicaid is the main population have a hard time staying open or have to see seven or eight patients an hour. I, as an internist, cannot see that many patients per hour."
Skyrocketing Costs
David Dring, spokesman for state Republican House Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego), said it is especially irresponsible of the state to increase Medicaid eligibility through the All Kids program when it cannot afford current enrollment costs.
"Something we [Republican lawmakers] have talked about doing is taking a hard look at going into managed care for Medicaid," Dring said, essentially allowing Medicaid patients to choose a plan and select a primary care physician, who then coordinates their care and refers them to specialists when needed, just as in other managed-care plans. "We have a very small population in managed care. Costs are skyrocketing even with eligibility staying the same. But I don't see this administration considering managed care."
Calls to Blagojevich's office for comment were not returned by press time.
Since we're on our way to education purgatory, why not develop this industry of taxing questionable activities more?
If we really want to fix schools, why would $10 billion from a lease on the state lottery be enough? We could pay the teachers and administrators even more and get nicer carpeting in the new buildings if we had $100 billion, couldn't we?
Here's an idea that Jeff Trigg and our Illinois Libertarians could embrace.
Perhaps we should consider taxing prostitution and drug peddling. We would follow Nevada's lead and make prostitution legal. We could be the first state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana (skip the "medicinal" hooey) coke and heroin. At the same time we legalize, we encourage people to partake, thereby encouraging the revenue stream.
We could give tax credits to those who set up brick and mortar shops with red lights . . . when we finally realize these industries shouldn't be government-owned and we lease them back to the private sector.
After all, it would all be for the children.
Think that's ridiculous? Step up to the local White Hen on the day Social Security comes out and see how many innocent-looking seniors spend their precious dollars on lottery tickets, hoping for the chance of finally hitting it big . . . for the children.
It's a brilliant scheme, Governor Blagojevich. And you couldn't have done it without Rev James Meeks.
The potential buyers are few but the potential profits from purchasing the Illinois Lottery are big. ABC7 News has learned that there are only three U.S. companies that could buy the Illinois Lottery -- Intralot, G-tech, which already provides the online technology for the Illinois Lottery, or Scientific Games, which has the contract for Illinois' instant scratch off tickets.
Intralot's John Pittman says the bidding will be fierce if the Illinois Lottery goes up for sale. He says they are interested in buying the Illinois Lottery.
Intralot currently runs 33 private lotteries around the world in countries including Poland, Romania and Serbia. England and Italy have had privatized lotteries for more than a decade.
Governor Blagojevich's idea is to sell or lease the lottery for $10 billion -- much like Mayor Daley did with the Chicago Skyway -- and then the governor would pump that money into the state's public schools.
Private firms say they can run the lottery more efficiently.
"We can pay people better. We can attract top quality people. And again, not to say the lottery doesn't because they do, but mainly the difference between running a private business and running a governmental entity," said John Pittman, Intralot spokesman.
The deal sounded good enough for State Senator James Meeks, who had been threatening a third-party run for governor, to back out of the race. But republican opponent, Judy Baar Topinka, calls it a scam -- fiscal gimmickry.
Professor Derek Neal, chairman of the University of Chicago's Economics Department, says the plan depends on what the private firms are willing to pay.
"Spend it on whatever you want to, but it makes sense if you have an opportunity to sell an asset for more than you can generate from running the asset yourself -- to do it," said Derek Neal, Univ. of Chicago Economics Chair.
Professor Neal and the private firms ABC7 talked with Wednesday say they really want to hear more specific details from the governor's office before they can say how much the lottery is worth or how much they would be willing to pay.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is also talking about privatizing his state's lottery. He just completed the $3.8 billion lease of the Indiana toll road.
Larry Ehmen, Adams County Republican chairman, said the group of seven chairmen will meet again next week.
"Our goal is to come up with a candidate as soon as possible, but we've got some good candidates and we don't have a deadline for when we'll be done," Ehmen said.
Candidates under consideration are Adams County Circuit Clerk Randy Frese, attorney Lonnie Dunn from Quincy, attorney and former Illinois attorney general district director Jil Tracy of Mount Sterling, John Schmitt, chairman of the Adams County Farm Bureau and Rick Gengenbacher, an employee at the Illinois Veterans Home.
Democrats announced Monday that former Quincy Mayor Chuck Scholz will seek Tenhouse's 93rd District seat in the November election.
Tenhouse plans to step down from his legislative seat in July. He has accepted the job of vice president of government affairs for the Illinois CPA Society.
That Patrick Fitzgerald is really a pesky pain in the neck isn’t he? But your old buddy Bob Kjellander no doubt filled you in on that a long time ago.
We were also delighted that Judy Baar Topinka didn’t make you drop-off campaign cash in an undisclosed location. Apparently it’s only your boss Mr. Bush who has to enter through the back door when Judy is present. We trust that the Commander in Chief now realizes there’s no “i” in “team” when it comes to Illinois. But we’re glad Judy clarified for you there is a “me.” We sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding.
And by the way, thank-you again for your help in bestowing that absolutely wonderful gift on Illinois Republicans. Judy is truly one of a kind. We really mean that.
We couldn’t see the benefit of putting a dishonest Democrat like Topinka in charge of the Illinois Republican Party. But what do we know? We’re sure that getting a crew in place that abandoned Bush in Illinois and lost the state again by double digits, somehow fit into the master victory plan. We pray for the wisdom to someday understand all of this sophisticated political strategy.
During your all too brief visit over the weekend, you talked about how we need to build our Party here and get Republicans to the polls in November. We were feverishly taking notes and trying to soak-in all of your vast wisdom, but believe this was one of your quotes, "Victory in elections is the work of many hands and many hearts. It's really vital to statewide candidates to get out a strong vote in our collar counties.”
Wow – that’s some fantastic insight. For Republicans to win elections we need to motivate and inspire Republicans, and then get Republicans to the polls on Election Day? No wonder they call you The Architect! We never would have thought of that on our own.
Not to be negative Nellies, but just one teeny-tiny thought. Might it be easier Your Eminence to motivate and inspire Republicans in Illinois if Republicans here didn’t have to swim in such filthy water?
Again, we’re probably way out of line here, but if it wouldn’t be too much trouble Oh Omnipotent One, could we ask that you stop screwing us by working at cross purposes to the majority of Republicans here that are decent, honest and hungry for change?
Though that we are just simple grassroots folk, we do kinda get it about how we need to get Republicans to the polls for Republicans to win elections. Many of our public schools are pretty bad here, granted. But we do understand the concept of 50% plus one.
Lord of All That Is GOP, we merely ask that you stop providing aid and comfort to the “leaders” here that are making it impossible to motivate and inspire the Republicans to accomplish the tasks that you have set forth for us.
Oh Wise And Magnificent One, if you won’t help us take out the trash, we merely ask you to direct us to the gullible chumps who will volunteer for an Illinois GOP that is led by the likes of your anointed minion Bob Kjellander. Teach us Invincible and Glorious Master, how do we motivate good people to help an IL GOP that is obsessed with little more than rigging-up Party elections to keep titles that are parlayed into personal money-making opportunities – always at the expense of President Bush’s agenda and the Republican cause?
Show us Splendid Leader And Noble Supreme Being Of The Infinite Political Universe how we substitute happy talk and truisms for real action and reform. It hasn’t worked in the past – but with your help surely we can trick enough voters into believing the Party of George Ryan has changed in Illinois – when in fact it hasn’t.
We, your humble and lowly servants await and are grateful for your Divine Guidance.
GOPUSA
Has The Republican Party Lost Its Mind? - Some Conservatives Think So! - Thomas D. Segelhttp://www.gopusa.com/commentary/tsegel/2006/ts_05251.shtml
In recent months anyone viewing the Washington scene from a conservative platform would be forced to ask a very obvious question.... Where have all the Republicans gone? It is clear to the American public that they are no longer walking the halls of Congress. From the outside looking inward one can only see the Democrats and the newly minted Democrat-Lite.
It matters not the issue being considered, when it comes to Congress it seems everyone is continuously pandering to the left side of the aisle. Instead of standing by the conservative principals that earned them election victories, Republicans of the House and Senate seem to be looking for new ways to out-liberal the liberals.
The most obvious example of GOP pandering to the left can be seen in what is taking place in the Senate on immigration. While the American public is really concerned about security and defending the border, Senate Republicans are caving in to a collection of cosmetic requirements that will assure future growth of the Democrat Party, while at the same time protect business interests that fatten their corporate wallets by employing vast numbers of illegal immigrants.
At this time our GOP senators are moving to allow millions of illegal immigrants to remain in the United States, continue working, draw Social Security benefits and even be guaranteed continued employment. These are things many millions of citizens do not even enjoy.
Along with those proposed gifts, the legislation would assure those former illegals and new temporary workers would be paid the prevailing wage. That is a wage much higher than most Americans receive for like employment.
The bill is even more attuned to placating the left. According to Bob Novak in his column this past Monday, "The bill extends the Davis-Bacon Act's requirement for the payment of 'prevailing wage' levels to all temporary workers. That puts them ahead of American workers, who have this protection only on federal job sites."
Novak also says "Foreign guest farm workers, admitted under the bill, cannot be 'terminated from employment by any employer...except for just cause.' In contrast American ag workers can be fired for any reason."
The esteemed senators have also moved to provide Social Security benefits to all of the illegal workers who have had money deducted from their checks and sent to the accounts identified by their counterfeit Social Security cards. When questioned on this proposed section of the bill, both the Democrat and Democrat-Lite senators harmonize saying "Well, it is money that they already paid into the system." While making this, and similar statements they completely ignore the existing federal law that state it is an unlawful act to use false Social Security numbers.
It is also against federal law to enter the country illegally and can be punished by six months in jail and a $250,000 fine. Those we have elected to head our legislative branch of government would pretend that bit of law doesn't even exist and let everybody off with a small $2,000 fine.
At the same time they also ignore the complicity of American employers. There is little mention of their countless violations of federal law in the body of the proposed bill.
Oh, there is that small cosmetic look at protecting the nation. We have 6,000 National Guard troops for a 3,000-mile stretch of border. It doesn't take a math major to figure of two guardsmen for every mile of terrain won't take care of the problem.
Those 350 miles of fence is another laughable inclusion in the legislation. It just means that particular section of real estate will be taken off the main trails into the United States. Those who sneak across the borders will then have only 2,650 miles of land from which to select their crossing points.
The sad thing about all of this is more than 70% of Americans tell their elected officials that they want to secure the borders first and that they don't want amnesty, no matter how the politicians try to paint that pig and call it a purse.
Still, our GOP Senators keep buying into the liberal playbook. Their excuse is always...that it is just impossible to send 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 or however many million people they come up with that day...back to their home countries. That is just plain nonsense. All they would need to do is make every employer who hires illegals pay a $10,000 or $20,000 fine for each illegal employee and they would get rid of the border-jumpers faster than greased lightning.
With no available employment, there would be an exodus of major proportion. But, that is just a dumb idea that some uninformed citizen might dream up while standing around the water cooler at work. Those lofty senators who spend their time trying to figure out the best way to buy votes can't even consider it.
Well, the GOP crowd better do some strong rethinking. Conservatives don't like what they are doing...and they don't vote for Democrat-Lite.
WIFR
A Talk With a Major General John Borling - Rebekah Baum
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/2867356.html (includes video clip)
There was a time when retired Air Force Major General John Borling heard no music. For seven years he was held as a POW in Vietnam, but there's no shortage of music now, not in his home, not in his life. He sings the praise of public service and one of his biggest projects is the not for profit organization "SOS America," or Service Over Self.
"We've got so many problems that seem to beset us, the drug and violence culture. The need for more boots on the ground in terms of the military, so SOS America argues that we ought to have a program for America's young men and women who would volunteer," says Borling.
The program is a push for a mandatory year of service that would augment the current all volunteer force.
"There's nothing more powerful, especially for a young man, than to be able to put on badge on his coat that says I served. They'll be better husbands, father, citizens," says Borling.
Talking about the battle to bring more men and women into service led us to the inevitable discussion of the battle in Iraq.
"We won't have that figured out whether it's a big plus of a big minus for 20 to 25 years," says Borling.
Borling says Iraq has a good chance, but the next eight months are key.
"Will this government, now dually elected, not transitional, will it be able to, in fact, anneal the forces, many of which are divisive in that country, and put together a functioning, working government. I hope that will be the case," says Borling.
A man of the world, General Borling is also paying close attention to issues here in Rockford. Borling says the stateline appears to be in an economic rebound, but he still worries about the Rockford school system and its needs for drastic improvements.
"As long as Rockford can't square away its school accounts and offer people more certainty when they come to Rockford, that, hey, your kids are going to go to this school or that school, that's going to be an impediment to future growth," says Borling. And Borling says a racial imbalance restricts the schools and the city from progressing.
"I lived in the military, basically a color blind society for 37 years, and I get so vexed at what I consider to be, on one hand, posturing that does little good for the city, on the other hand, inequities that need to be addressed, and addressed forcefully," says Borling.
Borling won't comment on any future political plans, but he hasn't ruled anything out. For now, he says he's just thriving, taking in the music and pledging to do his part to move America forward and his adopted hometown.
WEDNESDAY JOURNAL
Cook County Republicans are on the upswing - Bill Hogan
http://www.wjinc.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&subsectionID=17&articleID=4586
With regard to your April 11, article "New GOP leader in the thick of things," you cited newly elected Oak Park Republican Committeeman Marlene Lynch as the probable swing vote in the then-upcoming 7th District Republican State Central Committeeman election held on April 19. I have not seen a followup article on that election.
In your article, a source reported that former River Forest resident Carol Donovan won a closely contested election to the 7th District State Central Committee seat in November, 2005. There was a special election to fill the vacancy of the late Steve Meyer. The election was not close as Carol Donovan prevailed over Chicago Republican Party Chairman Clark Pellett with a sizable margin in a three-candidate race.
While your article last month cited statements by Chairman Pellett that Oak Park and River Forest township vote totals were boosted by ballot issues, that statement rings half-true. Oak Park Township saw a decline in voter turnout this past March. This statistic is found in the certified vote which was released subsequent to the publication of the subject article.
Chairman Pellett was correct that River Forest Township had a much larger voter turnout in March. He attributed this turnout to the District 90 school referendum. That observation rings half-true.
Those who wished to vote only for the school referendum and not for candidates running for public office generally used a touch screen to vote on that single issue. The certified vote canvass shows the inventory of scanned paper ballots had a 20 percent increase in Republican ballots taken. The Republican votes remained at that increase overall. That figure is due in large part to River Forest Republican Committeeman Tom Cronin, who himself was elected to a full term in a landslide. Mr. Cronin and the River Forest committeewoman made an early "get out the vote" effort in River Forest.
The April 19 meeting to elect a 7th District Republican State Central Committeeman turned out not to be as competitive as the newspaper’s source foretold. Committeeman Lynch was not the swing vote as was also forecast.
Led by Committeeman Cronin’s proxy, prepared prior to the meeting, Carol Donovan won handily in a four-candidate race that had Chairman Pellett coming in second with 30 percent of the vote.
The Cook County Republican Party is on the ascent. The Illinois Republican Party is stronger than ever. On May 13, it was anticipated that Andy McKenna would be elected to a four-year term as party chairman. It all began at the grassroots.
CNN
The report Wednesday night prompted the Justice Department to take the highly unusual step of denying on the record that the Illinois Republican is the subject of a probe.
"Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department," spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said.
Usually, when queried by reporters, the Justice Department neither confirms nor denies the existence of an investigation.
Citing the department's denial, Hastert's spokesman, Ron Bonjean, released a statement saying the ABC report was "absolutely untrue."
"We are demanding a full retraction of the ABC News story," Bonjean said.
However, ABC News posted a statement on its Web site late Wednesday standing by the story.
The network said law enforcement sources told ABC that the Justice Department denial meant only that the speaker was not a formal "target" or "subject" of the probe, not that he wasn't under investigation.
Hastert deflected questions about the report while on his way to the House floor by telling reporters to "ask the Justice Department."
Asked where the report came from, the speaker shook his head and said, "Somebody leaked it."
A senior aide to Hastert told CNN that the speaker first learned about the report after it aired. ABC News called shortly before its deadline asking for a response, and his office issued a denial after checking with their lawyers, the aide said.
While Hastert did not personally talk to anyone at the Justice Department, senior staff called to find out about the report and were told that the department would be putting out a denial, the aide said.
ABC News, citing "high-level official sources," reported that the FBI is investigating a letter Hastert wrote three years ago urging then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton to block an Indian casino that would have competed with casinos operated by other tribes, which were represented by Abramoff.
Hastert's letter, the details of which were widely reported during news coverage of the Abramoff case, was written shortly after a fund-raiser for the speaker was held at the lobbyist's Washington restaurant, where Abramoff and his clients made contributions to Hastert.
A source involved with the Abramoff case told CNN that Justice Department officials have asked Abramoff about the fund-raiser, which netted $75,000 for Hastert days before he wrote the letter. However, the source said it is unclear if the Justice Department is actively pursuing an investigation of Hastert or simply checking out the details of the fund-raiser.
Hastert's office told ABC News that the speaker has "a long history and a well-documented record of opposing Indian reservation shopping for casino gaming purposes."
Abramoff, the former high-flying lobbyist with strong connections to GOP leaders, has pleaded guilty to corruption charges and agreed to cooperate with an ongoing federal investigation.
The ABC News report came just hours after Hastert and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi demanded that the Justice Department return materials it seized over the weekend during a search of the office of Rep. William Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat who is the subject of a separate federal corruption probe. (Full story)
Hastert has been outspoken in his criticism of the FBI's search of Jefferson's office, saying it violated the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.
Asked if Hastert believed the leak to ABC News was retaliation for his criticisms of the Jefferson search, Hastert's senior aide said, "You'll have to ask someone else that."
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Cracks in Republican Unity Party Infighting Mars Recent Success, And Could Erode Majority - David Rogershttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB114852164473662603.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
WASHINGTON -- Last week ought to have been a good one for Republicans in Congress: The House passed a budget, President Bush signed more tax cuts and immigration legislation advanced in the Senate with the blessing of the White House.
But within days of the budget passing, Republicans fell into an ugly spending fight, impugning one another's honesty and patriotism on the House floor. Public resentment of oil-company profits, meanwhile, opened the door to a rout by environmentalists on the first 2007 appropriations bill. Even an elaborately staged tax-cut publicity event unraveled at the foot of the Capitol steps.
Like an aging centurion in the last days of Rome, Rep. Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader, watched with dismay as his once-disciplined troops broke ranks and joined in opposing Alaska timber interests and oil-company drilling on federal lands. "Republicans are voting green tonight," said the Texan, not hiding his relief at leaving Congress next month.
But for the Republicans left behind, the budget infighting, the muddled news conference and the floor debate over federal lands can't be ignored: Democrats lost power in 1994 when they kept fighting among themselves, oblivious to their House burning around them. Republicans have ruled since with a remarkable discipline, but are at risk now because of exhaustion, scandals and, critics would say, the rigidity of their ideology and failure to learn from policy failures in a changing world.
As the Memorial Day recess approaches, long-sought pension legislation remains unfinished; even an emergency spending bill to replenish funds for the Iraq war will be postponed. Rarely have leaders talked so early and openly of a post-election session to finish the year's work. But the party takes a big risk of heading empty-handed into the November election.
The greatest source of division is conservatives' concern about spending, aggravated by the mounting cost of the Iraq war. The personal sniping between younger members and those on the House Appropriations Committee continued this week and underscores the split over the government's growth under Republican control.
Despite scandals and promises of change, the Appropriations Committee persists in setting aside billions of dollars for home-state projects without disclosing the sponsors of such "earmarks." To get around budget caps, the committee even opted to designate $507 million for 20 military construction projects as war-related expenditures that could be financed from an emergency reserve outside the agreed-upon spending limits.
Friends say the committee is leading with its chin by not disclosing the earmark sponsors. "I personally don't agree with that," says House Speaker Dennis Hastert. And the House Rules Committee -- controlled by Mr. Hastert -- didn't protect the $507 million in military projects when that bill came to the floor Friday.
Conservatives pounced, and the ensuing brawl turned bitter after the money was struck down on a parliamentary motion. "The greatest threat to our country is the war on terror but we also have another threat, and that is out-of-control federal spending," said Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas. "We had better quit wrapping the butter in the American flag in this sleight of hand."
"You picked the wrong bill to have your earmark fight," answered Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, a Republican member of the Appropriations panel. "Please do not tell us you support the troops. Please do not tell us you support the war, when you came out here and X'd out all of these important projects that help our troops, that help us win the war."
Mr. Hastert, an Illinois Republican who flew back last Monday from Chicago with his friend Mr. LaHood, will try to broker some peace. But the news conference on the tax bill shows the speaker has some problems as well in making the tax reductions relevant to voters.
The event was designed to answer criticism that the tax cuts, especially the two-year extension of favorable capital gains and dividends rates, mostly benefit the wealthy. Before Mr. Bush signed the tax bill on May 17, the speaker and Senate leaders held their own outdoor ceremony with a Republican electrical contractor from Virginia to show a "real human success story" behind the numbers.
Once the bound parchment was signed by Mr. Hastert and Sen. Ted Stevens (R., Alaska), contractor John Biagas was to accompany House clerks to the White House with the bill. But from the start, things went awry. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R., Iowa) failed to attend and, as it turned out, the likable Mr. Biagas owes much of his business success to government spending, not tax cuts.
More than two-thirds of the top 30 projects listed on the Web site of his company, Bay Electric Co. in Newport News, Va., are with the military or federal agencies. Bay Electric also has benefited from small-business set-asides for minority-owned firms from depressed areas. When asked whether the tax cuts or government contracts were more important to his success, Mr. Biagas says, "It's a little bit of both." But the tax break he touted during the ceremony didn't deal with capital gains, but rather a provision allowing faster write offs of equipment purchases.
Sandwiched between the news conference and the budget fight was Thursday night's debate on a natural-resources bill -- an annual battleground for Western lands and energy issues. On a series of six amendments, environmentalists won easily as scores of Republicans broke ranks.
House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young (R., Alaska), who helped engineer last year's costly highway bill, couldn't save relatively modest sums for logging roads in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. And House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, who faces a primary challenge June 6 in California, first helped to strike a provision related to oil royalties on federal lands; he then backed the substitute seeking to accomplish the same goal.
California Rep. George Miller, a Democratic veteran of many environmental fights, smiled in recalling the palpable agitation in the air that evening. "You could start to see, they smelled meat cooking here. The atmosphere is changing."
Paid for by David John Diersen