Forty years ago this week the third Illinoisan to sit in the Oval Office delivered a remarkable address to a joint session of Congress. The address was noteworthy not so much for what was said, but because it was delivered at all. The speech marked the President’s full return to work after becoming the fifth American President to be shot by an assassin’s bullet; and the only one of the five to survive the shooting. He survived in part because of the heroics and sacrifice of two other Illinoisans.

Illinois State Representative Martin McLaughlin talks about Reimagine Illinois legislation aimed at ending political corruption.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Martin McLaughlin

REDISTRICTING REFORM

Hollow Democrat Promises for Fair Maps Highlight State’s Ethical Failings. Despite the past documented evidence of Illinois’ Democrat leaders, including Governor JB Pritzker and new House Speaker Chris Welch, stating support for a fair, transparent and non-partisan redistricting process, they continue to press on with the current partisan process. This week, Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, Assistant Minority Leader Tim Butler and Assistant Minority Leader Ryan Spain again laid bare the hollowness of Democrat leaders’ past promises and pointed to how it further exacerbates the cloud of corruption and public mistrust in the state.

Secretary of State Jesse White is warning Illinois residents to be on alert for a pair of scams seeking to defraud Illinoisans.

In the first scam, White is warning the public of scammers who are sending unsolicited text messages, claiming to be from the Illinois Secretary of State. The text messages contain vague references to “Problems with your information” and another reference to “*IL* Secretary of State.” 

Illinois State Representatives Chris Bos and Jackie Haas answer questions about the House Republican Reimagine Illinois platform.

Illinois State Representative Andrew Chesney explains his legislation to protect law enforcement personnel from crimes perpetrated against them because of their profession. HB 3715 is part of the Reimagine Illinois Platform.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Andrew Chesney

Photo from the Illinois Office of Tourism. 

Illinois’ second state park got its name from the tragic results of a clash between two of Illinois’ native tribes more than 250 years ago.

Looming over the Illinois River in LaSalle County, just a few miles from the spot where the river takes a dramatic turn to the east, is a gigantic sandstone cliff. The cliff was left behind by a flood, known as the Kankakee Torrent, which swept through the area around 16,000 years ago, scouring out the bedrock of the surrounding area.

Illinois State Representative Mike Marron discusses HB 3643 part of the Reimagine Illinois Platform. The legislation creates a law enforcement recruitment division that among other things would work with local law enforcement agencies to retain and hire sworn police officers who are diverse and reflective of their communities.

 

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Mike Marron

Illinois State Representative Tom Bennett talks about HB 2532, Reimagine Illinois legislation he introduced to eliminate the backlog of FOID card renewals. 

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Tom Bennett

The Republican Spokesmen of the House and Senate redistricting committees - House Assistant Minority Leader Tim Butler (R-Springfield) and Senate Republican Caucus Chair Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) - are calling for Governor JB Pritzker to testify before a joint hearing of the redistricting committees this evening. Despite more than 30 redistricting hearings taking place, neither the Governor nor a ranking official within his office has provided testimony at a hearing to date.

 

REDISTRICTING REFORM

Reps. Butler and Bourne Join U.S. Congressman Davis to Urge Pritzker to Keep His Word, Veto Redistricting Map Drawn By Lawmakers. U.S. Representative Rodney Davis joined State Representatives Tim Butler and Avery Bourne in a press conference Monday at the Illinois State Capitol to discuss the current status of legislative redistricting in Illinois and highlight Governor J.B. Pritzker’s pledge to veto any redistricting map that is drawn by lawmakers. Both Reps. Butler and Bourne serve on the Illinois House Redistricting Committee. Rep. Butler is the lead Republican on the Committee.

Illinois State Representatives Avery Bourne and Tom Demmer answer questions about House Republicans' new platform called Reimagine Illinois.

It seems doubtful that when Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone in 1876 he could have imagined that the bulky, multi-wired contraption would ever evolve into an item which seemingly every American would one day carry in their pocket. Of course, those reading this story on their handheld device can attest to the truth of that evolution.

The desire to make telephones smaller and less dependent on wires was a long-sought dream which finally became a reality right here in Illinois in 1983.

Illinois House Republican Deputy Leader Dan Brady talks about HB 1962 that would establish the office of Apprenticeship Coordinator in the state. His legislation is designed to create greater job opportunities for Illinoisans and is part of the Reimagine Illinois platform.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Dan Brady

Illinois State Representative Dave Severin discusses HB 4054, his legislation to require the state to implement the "Evidence-Based" education funding model. Using this mechanism would help ensure schools get the funding they need to properly educate students. HB 4054 is part of the Reimagine Illinois platform.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Dave Severin

REIMAGINE ILLINOIS
House Republicans push for fiscal responsibility. Reimagine Illinois, the comprehensive package of reform proposals issued by House Republicans in spring 2021, calls for responsible fiscal leadership for our state. Illinois’ credit rating has dropped to near junk-bond level. Illinois Democrats routinely make promises that they cannot keep, spend beyond our means, and then leave Illinois taxpayers with billions of dollars in unpaid bills. This pattern, repeated over and over, has created Illinois’ ‘BBB-‘ credit rating. Illinois routinely has to pay interest rates and charges that are five times, seven times, or even nine times the interest rates that taxpayers of ‘AAA’ rated states like Indiana have to pay.

In this episode, Rep. Amy Elik discusses Reimagine Illinois, responsible fiscal leadership and HJRCA27, legislation to allow voters to decide how the state balances its budget.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Amy Elik

Promotional Postcard for the 1910 Rotary Convention. 
Photo from the Rotary Club of Chicago Archives. 

While it is true that over the past year there haven’t been many in-person luncheons or other meetings, it is also probably true that there isn’t a single member of the Illinois General Assembly who has not given a speech in front of a local Rotary club. These groups of local business and civic leaders have been formed in practically every city and town in America, but the very first Rotary club was founded right here in Illinois in 1905.

In this podcast episode, Illinois State Representative Tom Morrison talks about Reimagine Illinois and HJRCA26 that will make raising taxes more difficult.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Tom Morrison

In this podcast episode, Assistant Republican Leader 

Keith Wheeler talks about Reimagine Illinois and HB3037, legislation he sponsored as a first step to a balanced budget and enhanced fiscal responsibility. 

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Keith Wheeler

REIMAGINE ILLINOIS
Illinois Senate & House Republicans Introduce the People’s Independent Maps Act. Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, Senate Republican Caucus Chair Jason Barickman and House Assistant Minority Leader Tim Butler introduced the People’s Independent Maps Act to allow Illinois legislative redistricting maps to be created by an independent commission, rather than politicians.

As another Major League Baseball season gets started, the age-old argument in Illinois renews once again: Sox-versus-Cubs-versus-Cards. For more than a century baseball fans in the Land of Lincoln have sparred over the competition between the three big league teams with the largest following in Illinois.

There’s always much to argue about, and this year will be no different. But they do all have one thing in common: some of the most memorable moments in the history of each club were narrated by the great Harry Caray.