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Job Creation
PI Original
by Bob Skolnik
12:38pm
Tue Feb 12

Breaking Down The Obama Win With 2012 Election Campaign Strategists

Politics

The top strategists of the Obama and Romney campaigns shared a stage last week at the University of Chicago to discuss the 2012 presidential campaign. The talk was sponsored by the university’s new Institute of Politics, which is run by David Axelrod, Barack Obama’s former chief strategist. The discussion kicked off an intensive five-week examination of the 2012 campaign at the Institute of Politics.

Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
8:42pm
Mon Feb 4

Odds Of Thomson Prison Opening Look Good

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) says there is continued commitment to open Thomson Correctional Center in Northwest Illinois, a prison that has sat mostly vacant since it was built in 2001.

Durbin sat down with Charles Samuels, director of the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Prisons, last week and was assured the process of opening Thomson was moving forward. U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-17) joined the meeting by phone.

A timeline for the opening of Thomson has not been released yet, though. Funding for the necessary updates for the prison to meet federal standards is contingent on the president’s FY 2014 budget, which has not yet been submitted.

“When President Obama releases his budget in the next few weeks, it should include funding for prison activation,” said Durbin in a press release. “Over the next few months, I will be working with Congresswoman Bustos to ensure that opening Thomson prison – and bringing jobs and economic activity to Northwest Illinois communities – remains a priority.”

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PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
6:37pm
Thu Jan 24

Youth Unemployment Summit Highlights Illinois Teens' Urgent Need For Jobs

Unemployment

Illinois’ teen unemployment rate is among the highest in the country and during a panel on Thursday at the Chicago Urban League, local elected officials came face-to-face with Chicago’s unemployed youth. 

Quick Hit
by Aricka Flowers
2:47pm
Fri Jan 18

Obama Parlays Campaign Machine Into Grassroots Group (VIDEO)

President Barack Obama's well-oiled and successful grassroots-style campaign machine for election, and then re-election, will not fall fade into the ether now that he is set to be inaugurated on Sunday.

Instead, the heavily tech and social media dependent campaign will be turned into a grassroots non-profit called Organizing for Action with the aim of moving forward the issues and policies that united his supporters in the first place.

"We have the power to do even more to change our politics and our country for the better," President Obama wrote to supporters in an email announcing the new organization. "With Organizing for Action, you'll have every resource you need to do it. But it starts with you. This new organization is in your hands."

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PI Original
by Matthew Blake
7:36pm
Fri Dec 14, 2012

Making Sense Of 2nd Congressional District Special Election A Daunting Task For Voters

Politics

The special election to replace Jesse Jackson Jr. in Congress is already chaotic, with seven declared Democratic candidates, an erstwhile favorite bringing a gun into an airport and talk that Jackson’s brother will throw his hat in the ring. Progress Illinois takes a look at the race thus far.