Call It A Comeback
In the category of the lie was as bad as the action, NICOR is about to be hit hard by the Illinois Commerce Commission for lying about the motive behind using alternative natural gas supplies. The fine is equal to the profits received in this case, but even worse, the investigation is continuing.
Up at the Political State Report, with Pate Philip at risk for a perjury charge.
Is up over at the Political State Report
Looks at the school finance crisis in Illinois and focuses on New Trier. New Trier, for those not familiar with it, is probably one of the best funded districts in the nation, and performs at a level with the best private prep schools in the country.
The fact that New Trier is facing a shortfall doesn’t mean it is in crisis, it means New Trier needs to being economical for once. I do not begrudge New Trier anything, however, it is assanine to cite them as an example of a school budget crisis when they are not in an actual crisis. Of all of the working class suburban and rural schools in deep crisis, the Trib chose one district that might have to cut a few extras. Nice.
is pointed out by Steve Rhodes:
?It?s a mournful day in the neighborhood.?
? The opening line to Steve Johnson?s front page Fred Rogers obituary in the Tribune last week
Rhodes also mentions Nathan Bierma’s move to Christianity Today’s Contents and Culture on-line. We’ve mentioned it before, but I like to promote it because:
A) Nathan posts about Chicago
B) He is a observant Christian who fits the Fred Rogers model and voices his views as Christians should-out of love, not out of exclusion
Party Lines from Lakeland Newspapers is reporting that Phil Crane will face a challenge from the, errr, right?!
Crane’s opponent ‘more’ conservative
Atty. David Phelps in announcing his candidacy for the 2004 Republican nomination for the 8th Congressional District is setting a course to be more conservative than incumbent conservative Congressman Phil Crane.The Crystal Lake resident with a background in law enforcement is talking about reducing frivolous spending, a Crane byword for three decades, and opposing federal tax increases short of a national emergency.
Phelps, 40, said he will spend conservatively in the campaign and support campaign reform laws because of the "outrageous" cost of running for office. An Air Force veteran, Phelps serves as a trustee of the Crystal Lake Park District.
Ummmm…The American Conservative Union has given Crane 100s in both 2001 and 2002 and a 99 score over his 32 years in Congress. What the hell is to the right of Phil Crane? Tom Delay on acid?
Hardly a News at 11 headline, but Reader does a good article on the Trib’s Labor beat writer.
As the article points out, Stephen Franklin is somewhat of a rarity at major dailies–most have phased out full-time labor coverage. Franklin points out two events that, to me, have defined a fair reporting coverage of labor issues in the Trib. The first was a series of union democratization. For anyone who follows the challenges of unions in ridding themselves of corruption, the series was fantastic. Too often, unions have become bastions of corruption that work against the interest of workers. Second, the Trib did a series of articles on the Cat Strike in 92 that was excellent. Catepillar had tried to run over its workers in Peoria and Decatur during that period and it created a divide in those communities that had never been there through other strikes, even the long ’82 strike. The reports were excellent and fairly balanced.
And from the article, let me also suggest:
Two years ago Franklin published the book Three Strikes, a study of the labor turmoil in the 90s at the Caterpillar, A.E. Staley, and Bridgestone/Firestone plants in Decatur. "I offer it," he says angrily, "as a witness’s account of what happens when workplace rules are broken, when unions no longer make workers strong, and when the fruits of progress are no longer meant to be shared, but rather worshiped by most of us from afar." Studs Terkel’s quoted on the jacket calling the book "labor reportage at its best."
I haven’t read this book, but I plan on reading it soon. I lived and worked in Central Illinois during this time and the Staley lock-out should be considered a truly ugly period in American capitalism. I saw more men broken during that period who wanted nothing, but to return to work at whatever conditions Staley offered. But Staley wasn’t interested in getting just favorable work rules, they were interested in crushing the union. Along the way they crushed a whole lot of lives.
I’ve always wondered what it would take to get Pat Quinn to shut the hell up. Few politicians pander to public sentiment more and few are more worthless. His lead in the reform of the Illinois Legislature significantly weakened independent voices in the Legislature and strengthened the Illinois Combine.
So finally, Rich Miller points out that he has shut up—exactly when he should not have. SBC is looking for protection against real competition in phone service and all of a sudden, Pat Quinn becomes a team player. The one thing he was useful for was fighting corporate welfare and not he isn’t even doing that.
When I said the other day that I would offer up more criticism of Daley, let’s remember this crap has his family written all over it with Bill Daley now the head of SBC.
Fight the Power Pat!
In 1999 Cardinal George met with George Ryan and told him the Chicago Archdiocese Schools were facing a financial crisis. While ensuring the viability of private schools is not generally the job of the state, Ryan felt he had little choice. The Archdiocese educates nearly 123,000 children in Cook County and a significant change would have flooded many public schools as well as created a challenge for Chicago in retaining many of its public safety force.
Cardinal George didn’t go asking for full blown vouchers, but instead for a tax credit to help families on the edge. Ryan pushed through a $500 tax credit for educational expenses of $2,250 that is available to all parents.
Phil Kadner reports the lege is looking at repealing the tuition tax credit. Kadner argues that is a reasonable given the state’s inability to help public schools out.
Normally I would agree with this, but even a $500 tax credit has significant effects on the ability of marginal incomed parents to send kids to private schools and that marginal help, is the shot in the arm the Archdiocese probably needs to keep the number of schools at a reasonable level. If the Archdiocese has to significantly decrease the number of spots, the public schools will be hit hard by the increase in the number of students. That $500 credit is money well spent.
that I didn’t really expect. Hmmmm…not sure what happened other than an avalanche of junk. Anyway, back and plenty of stuff to catch up on..
ArchPundit