by Progress Illinois on November 06, 2009 - 3:44pm
Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:
A Little Less Choice
Prairie
State Blue's Jeff Smith writes about the exit of progressive activist
Andrea Raila from the Cook County assessor's race.
Stalling Justice
The lead editorial in The Nation
this week criticizes the Cook County State's Attorney's Office for
subpoenaing the private notebooks and grades of Northwestern student
journalists investigating a wrongful conviction.
What's Holding Up The Vote?
The Wonk Room's Igor Volsky looks at the last few obstacles to health care reform in the House.
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by Progress Illinois on November 06, 2009 - 9:00am
Unemployment Tops 10 Percent
The
national unemployment rate hit a 26-year high in October, reaching 10.2
percent according to the U.S. Labor Department. The jump, from 9.8
percent in September, reflects a sharp increase in the number of
unemployed Americans, which rose to 15.7 million from 15.1 million one
month earlier.
Durbin Calls For Veterans Hospital Takeover
Following
the latest audit revealing mismanagement at a troubled veterans
hospital in Marion, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is calling for a
management overhaul of the facility.
Continue reading »
by Progress Illinois on November 05, 2009 - 3:44pm
Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:
A Powerful Idea
The New York Times editorializes in favor of Chicago Public Schools chief Ron Huberman's anti-violence initiative.
Regressive Taxation
New
data from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities shows that 16
states taxed working-poor families deeper into poverty last year.
Illinois was one of them.
Picking Pelosi's Pocket
The
Huffington Post's Ryan Grim explains how Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) stole one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's revenue proposals for health care to pay for an amendment to the
unemployment extension bill.
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by Progress Illinois on November 05, 2009 - 9:00am
Quinn Meets With IL Delegation In DC
Gov. Pat Quinn met with White House officials and members of Illinois' congressional delegation yesterday to hash out plans to bring high-speed rail, FutureGen funding, aid to military families, and new jobs to Illinois. Meanwhile, Quinn has directed a state accountability office to investigate inflation in the number of stimulus-funded jobs created in Illinois schools.
A New Challenge For Teen Abortion Law
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) plans to file a restraining order in circuit court today that could prevent the Illinois' Medical Disciplinary Board from enforcing a controversial law that requires teenagers to notify their parents before receiving an abortion.
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by Progress Illinois on November 04, 2009 - 3:40pm
Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:
Freeing Us From Poverty
Illinois Issues' Charlie Wheeler profiles the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty, a 26-member pane created by
the General Assembly last year to develop a
comprehensive anti-poverty plan.
Keeping The Heat On
Journalist Christopher Gray reports that non-profit organizations on Chicago's South Side are struggling to make ends meet.
No Climate Bill This Year
It's
official: Federal legislation addressing climate change has no chance of passing before the United Nations
summit in Copenhagen this December, according to Kate Sheppard of Mother Jones.
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by Progress Illinois on November 04, 2009 - 9:04am
Quinn Skips Transit Meeting For D.C. Trip
Gov. Pat Quinn told Chicago-area public transit officials he'd meet
with them yesterday to discuss their unstable budget situation.
Instead, transit leaders met with Quinn's staff members as the governor
flew to Washington to lobby for grants for military members and their
families.
State Puts Tax Deadbeats Online
The Illinois Department of Revenue;s website now features a list of 100
businesses and individuals that owe the state a combined $6.3 million
in back taxes.
Continue reading »
by Progress Illinois on November 03, 2009 - 3:46pm
Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:
Foreclosure Spike
Check
out the Woodstock Institute's new data on Chicago area foreclosures,
which shows a sharp increase in activity this quarter.
Sign The Caps Bill
The State Journal-Register condemns
the tone taken by editorial boards in their criticism of the
recently-passed campaign finance law and calls on Gov. Quinn to sign
the measure.
Race To The Bottom
Ezra Klein explains how Republicans want to make the health insurance industry more like the deregulated credit card industry.
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by Progress Illinois on November 03, 2009 - 8:58am

Gubernatorial Ad Truce Rejected
Gov. Pat Quinn's reelection committee has asked State Comptroller Dan Hynes to call a truce on the negative TV ads being run by both campaigns. Hynes' camp has rejected the request, calling it "a stunt."
Filing Deadline Closes, Stroger Gets Last Spot On Ballot
The deadline for filing nominating petitions to appear on the 2010 ballot passed last night and among the candidates to clear the deadline at the 11th hour was Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. In doing so, he secured the last spot on the ballot.
Continue reading »
by Progress Illinois on November 02, 2009 - 3:45pm
Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:
Borrowing Bonanza
The Tribune's Rick Pearson calculates just how much the General Assembly has borrowed to patch up its budget this year.
Keeping The Sewage Boss Flush
An investigation by the Sun-Times'
Tim Novak found that Cook County Board President candidate Terrence
O'Brien has landed at least $3 million in government contracts over the past
decade while serving on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of
Greater Chicago board.
An Open Letter To Steven Levitt
A University of Chicago climate scientist finds his colleague, economist Steven Levitt, guilty of "academic malpractice" in SuperFreakonomics.
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by Progress Illinois on November 02, 2009 - 8:01am
Quinn Happy With Campaign Finance Deal
Calling it a "historic day for Illinois," Gov. Pat Quinn all but
assured reporters that he would sign campaign finance legislation
that lawmakers approved Friday.
Abortion Notification Begins Tomorrow
Starting tomorrow, physicians in Illinois must begin notifying a parent
or guardian when a minor seeks an abortion. A federal
appeals court in Chicago lifted a federal injunction in July on a 1995
version of the controversial state parental notification, clearing it
for enforcement.
Continue reading »