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The Heartland POD, Friday June 21, 2024Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kanas City Chiefs and RoyalsRather than preside over clown show convention, IL GOP chair resignsIllinois families cheer $300 state Child Tax CreditDems confident, Republicans morose in ongoing IVF battleThis week in ‘unforced errors' Trump calls Milwaukee a ‘horrible city' causing his pollster to be… also morose. We're glad to have you with us. If you're new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5-star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at https://theheartlandcollective.comLots to do, so let's go! Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kansas City Chiefs, RoyalsBY: ALLISON KITE - JUNE 18, 2024 3:26 PM   Brady Singer of the Kansas City Royals throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium in April. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images).TOPEKA — The Kansas City Royals and Chiefs could receive hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to move from Missouri and build new stadiums across the state line under legislation passed Tuesday by Kansas lawmakers.The House voted 84-38 and the Senate voted 27-8 to approve legislation that would expand a state incentive program in an attempt to lure one or both teams from Kansas City. The bill now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, who said in a statement following the Senate vote that the effort to bring the teams to Kansas “shows we're all-in on keeping our beloved teams in the Kansas City metro.”“Kansas now has the opportunity to become a professional sports powerhouse with the Chiefs and Royals potentially joining Sporting KC as major league attractions, all with robust, revenue-generating entertainment districts surrounding them providing new jobs, new visitors and new revenues that boost the Kansas economy,” Kelly said.Neither team has promised to move to Kansas, though both actively lobbied for the legislation's passage. The Chiefs said in a statement that the team appreciated Kansas leaders reaching out for input on the legislation.“We look forward to exploring the options this legislation may provide,” the statement said. The Royals said the team was grateful to the legislature for its vote. “The Kansas City Royals look forward to additional conversations as we evaluate where we will play baseball in the future,” the team said. “We will always prioritize the best interests of our fans, associates and taxpayers in this process.”State Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Republican from Stilwell, said during debate in the House that Missouri had a history of losing professional sports teams and implored fellow House members to pass the legislation.“I ask you today, do you really want to put that type of an economic generation in the hands of the state of Missouri?” Tarwater said just before the vote.Rep. Sean Tarwater speaks on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives in favor of expanding economic incentives in an attempt to bring the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)Passage of the bill represents a monumental step in Kansas lawmakers' attempts to court the teams. Both teams have signaled a willingness to move from their current stadiums at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Missouri.While neither team has announced a proposed site for a Kansas stadium, legislators speculated it could land in Wyandotte County near the Sporting KC soccer stadium, NASCAR track and outlet shops.“We have the history of building amazing projects that have brought in retail commerce, restaurants, hotels and have improved an area that was largely just a field and turned it into a tax-generating machine for our state,” said Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican.The legislation, he said, would put Kansas in a “very good position to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals in the Kansas City metro area.”The bill, which was not voted on by any legislative committee, would expand the state's Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond program, which is meant to help finance tourism and entertainment districts to help pay for a professional football or baseball stadium of at least $1 billion.A developer building a stadium under the program would be eligible to finance up to 70% of the project cost by issuing bonds and repaying them with the increased sales tax collections from the stadium site. The expansion would have initially allowed up to 75% of project costs but was tweaked before introduction. Debt on a stadium constructed under the expansion wouldn't have to be repaid for 30 years instead of the normal 20.The project could also receive a boost from liquor taxes generated in the STAR Bond district and revenues from a fund Kansas created when it legalized sports betting.During House debate, Rep. Paul Waggoner, a Hutchinson Republican, argued subsidized stadiums never generate the economic activity that they promise. He was alarmed by what he called “minimal transparency” in the deal-making process laid out in the legislation.The bill says any agreement between the state and a team would be confidential until after it has been executed.Waggoner called the legislation “bad public policy.”“This is not your mother's STAR Bonds,” Waggoner said. “This is a jacked up super-sized version of STAR Bonds.”Patrick Mahomes throws pass against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 23, 2022. Kansas lawmakers could offer the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals millions of dollars in tax incentives to move from Missouri to Kansas. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images).The bill limits the eligibility to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams currently near Kansas. The financing mechanism could be used for both stadiums and training facilities.Both teams have pressed lawmakers in recent weeks to pass the bill with representatives from the Royals hosting dinner for Democratic lawmakers at a steakhouse Monday night and the Chiefs throwing a lunchtime block party Tuesday steps from the Capitol.Earlier this month, a nonprofit called Scoop and Score Inc. launched to advocate for a Kansas stadium deal. The organization, which does not have to disclose its donors, hired 30 lobbyists to advocate for the STAR Bond expansion legislation. In a statement, former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., a lobbyist for Scoop and Score and the Chiefs, said the Legislature “stepped up in a big way, paving the path to make sure the Chiefs stay right where they belong — in Kansas City with their loyal fans.”“The votes show overwhelming bipartisan support because Kansas lawmakers know what the Chiefs mean to us and how big of an economic opportunity this is for Kansas,” Ryckman said.Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignationAfter 3 ½ years as ILGOP chair, Don Tracy cites intraparty fighting as reason for quittingBy HANNAH MEISELCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.comHalfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party.Tracy, who'd held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in a two-page letter that cited intraparty “power struggles.” He also said he is concerned about the direction the party is taking under the current membership of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee – a 17-person body that steers the ILGOP, with one member elected from each congressional district.“In better days, Illinois Republicans came together after tough intra party elections,” Tracy wrote. “Now however, we have Republicans who would rather fight other Republicans than engage in the harder work of defeating incumbent Democrats by convincing swing voters to vote Republican.”Tracy was narrowly elected Illinois Republican Party chair in the wake of the 2020 election and Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol by those who sought to stop certification of the election for its winner, President Joe Biden, over former President Donald Trump. Even as Republicans publicly reckoned with the events of Jan. 6, hardline conservatives on the state central committee were pushing for a more ardent supporter of Trump and his politics than the previous chair, who was hand-picked by former Gov. Bruce Rauner.Instead, the party got Tracy, another Rauner ally who served as chair of the Illinois Gaming Board during the one-term governor's administration. Tracy had unsuccessfully run for lieutenant governor in 2010, and in 2002, he lost a bid for a state Senate seat – but as a Democrat.Tracy's electoral history, as well as his experience as an attorney and co-owner of his family's food distribution business, fit the mold of previous ILGOP chairs in a state where fiscally conservative and socially moderate suburban Republicans for decades were a political powerhouse.But as Republican politics have changed both nationally and in Illinois, Tracy's run as party chair proved tumultuous.Additionally, Tracy wrote that he was “concerned about the current infatuation” of some state central committee members “with certain individuals they call ‘grass roots' leaders.”One such self-proclaimed grassroots Republican, former state Sen. Darren Bailey, celebrated Tracy's resignation on social media Wednesday, calling it a “cleansing” of the state GOP.“Fake republicans got us into this mess,” wrote Bailey, who earlier this year lost a primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Mike Bost and unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022. “Real Republicans standing firm will get us out!!!”Read more: Dems seek unity as new, former chair take no questions from media after party voteDemocrats panned the state GOP as “defined by a litany of electoral disasters, constant infighting, meager fundraising, and a strict adherence to a losing set of anti-choice, anti-worker, pro-Trump policies.”“While we don't expect new leadership to change any of that, we do wish the best of luck to the inevitable MAGA extremist who will succeed Don Tracy as Chair,” the party said.Tracy's letter indicated he would resign upon the election of a successor, “preferably no later than” July 19 – the day after the RNC is scheduled to conclude. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?(Capitol News Illinois illustration by Andrew Adams)Thursday, June 13, 2024$50M tax credit program will provide up to roughly $300 for low-income familiesBy ANDREW ADAMSCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.comIn the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children. The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although it has exceptions, that credit is generally available to married couples earning up to about $60,000 and single people earning up to about $50,000, depending on the number of children they have. For taxes on 2024 income, the tax credit will cap at just over $300 for tax filers with three or more children who meet certain income requirements. Taxpayers with two children face a cap of about $270 and taxpayers with one child face a cap of about $170. The child tax credit equates to 20 percent of the state's EITC, which allows Illinois taxpayers a credit equal to 20 percent of the federal EITC. Starting in tax year 2025, the state's child tax credit will double to 40 percent of the state EITC, meaning that it will max out at a bit over $600 for families with three children. Because the federal tax credit that determines its size is tied to inflation, the actual size of future years' child tax credits is yet to be determined. In its first year, the program is expected to cost the state $50 million, with a cost of about $100 million in subsequent years. The idea of a permanent child tax credit in Illinois has been floated for several years, with various proposals being put forward by legislators in the General Assembly as well as advocacy groups and think tanks. Gov. JB Pritzker pitched a child tax credit in his proposed budget earlier this year that was smaller than the version that passed in the final budget. It would have applied to children under three years old and cost about $12 million. Proponents of the idea say that in addition to helping low-income families, programs like this help local economies. “Every dollar we invest in the child tax credit is immediately spent locally,” Erion Malasi, the policy director for Economic Security for Illinois, told Capitol News Illinois. Researchers at the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, a labor movement-affiliated think tank, found in a January report that child tax credits have a higher economic impact than cuts to corporate income taxes or to capital gains taxes. That report also cited several research teams that found the temporary expansion to the federal child tax credit between 2021 and 2023 reduced child poverty in the U.S. by between 25 and 36 percent. That credit provided an additional $1,000 per child on top of an existing $2,000 credit, with increases for younger children. State Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, sponsored legislation that would have created a $300 million child tax credit program that was more expansive than the version that passed. Aquino told Capitol News Illinois he will be watching the rollout of the child tax credit to see if there is room for an “expansion” in future budget years or if there is a route for the credit to be automatically applied for qualifying taxpayers. The Illinois Department of Revenue is working on guidance for next year's filing season and will provide information about how to claim the child tax credit on its website. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.Kansas' Davids lauds court decision on abortion pill; Marshall critiques Democrats' IVF billBY: TIM CARPENTER - JUNE 13, 2024 4:56 PM   U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, applauded a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to turn aside a lawsuit seeking to direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to significantly limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of an attempt to undermine the federal Food and Drug Administration's authorization of a widely available abortion medication wouldn't be the final act by opponents of reproductive rights.On Thursday, the Supreme Court said the plaintiffs, comprised of anti-abortion physicians and organizations, didn't have standing to pursue the lawsuit against the FDA aimed at curtailing access to the drug mifepristone. It's possible other plaintiffs capable of showing they were harmed by availability of the pill could challenge FDA approval of the drug. It is used in approximately half of all abortions in the United States.“I will always stand with Kansans who overwhelmingly rejected extremist attempts to limit reproductive health care access,” said Davids, the 3rd District Democrat. “Yet, for the second year in a row, a vital and safe reproductive health care medication was under attack, threatening to strip Kansans' ability to freely make health care decisions that are best for their families and futures.”Davids said the Supreme Court opinion was “a victory for our freedoms,” but the legal fight regarding abortion access was far from over. She vowed to continue opposing attempts to “interfere in our most private health care decisions.”U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, signed an amicus brief urging federal courts to rule the FDA overstepped its authority years ago in regard to use of mifepristone. U.S. Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner, signed a brief that argued the Supreme Court should reverse the FDA.These Kansas lawmakers said the FDA's action to deregulate “chemical abortion drugs” subverted Congress' public policy interests and patient welfare.Mifepristone, which is authorized for up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy, was part of two-drug regimen that included misoprostol as the second pharmaceutical.Meanwhile, both U.S. senators from Kansas, Republicans Jerry Moran and Marshall, voted Thursday to block legislation offered by Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois that would affirm the right of women attempting to become pregnant to seek fertility treatments that included in vitro fertilization or IVF.The Senate vote on that measure was 48-47, short of the 60 votes required to advance the measure.On Wednesday, Marshall said the Duckworth bill contained “poison pills” that violated the religious freedom of physicians and would unnecessarily broaden access to reproductive technology. He praised a piece of IVF legislation sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.Marshall, a physician who delivered babies for 30 years in Kansas said, “The country needs to know that Republicans believe in IVF. I happen to believe IVF is a gift from God.”Sean: Unfortunately for Senator Marshall, he doesn't speak for all Republicans, many of whom are far out of the mainstream on whether they believe families should be able to access IVF.And today in unforced errors…Trump tells House Republicans Milwaukee is a ‘horrible city'BY: HENRY REDMAN - JUNE 13, 2024 10:51 AM   Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on Wednesday, May 1, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson | Getty Images)In a closed door meeting with Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, the location of this summer's Republican National Convention, a “horrible city.” Trump's comments were reported by Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman. “Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” Trump is reported to have said on Thursday. The former president visited Wisconsin in May, holding a rally in Waukesha. During that visit, he talked about the RNC coming to Milwaukee, making fun of Democrats — who planned to hold the 2020 Democratic National Convention in the city but canceled it due to the COVID-19 pandemic — for not showing up to the city. Wisconsin's House Republicans responded to the report with varying stories about what happened. Rep. Glenn Grothman told reporters Trump was talking about “election integrity” in large urban centers, Rep. Derrick Van Orden said the report was a lie and that Trump was talking about the city's crime rate and Rep. Bryan Steil denied that Trump made the comment at all.In response to the comment, Democrats said if Trump doesn't like Milwaukee, he doesn't need to come. “If Donald Trump hates Milwaukee so much, we have one message for him: don't come, we won't miss you — your campaign is barely here in the first place,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Addy Toevs said in a statement. “In November, Wisconsinites will show Trump how the dislike is mutual and will reject him again once and for all.”Other Democrats touted Milwaukee's beer, food and sports teams while connecting the comments to regular Republican attacks against Wisconsin's largest and most diverse city.“Donald Trump attacking the great city of Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city' exactly one month before he shuffles out on stage at the Fiserv reflects the backward, twisted man Donald Trump has always been,” Wisconsin Democratic Party Vice Chair Felesia Martin said. “With entertainment, recreation and a quality of life that is unparalleled — to say nothing of a great basketball team — I am blessed to call Milwaukee home. We're used to Republican politicians like Donald Trump showing nothing but contempt for Milwaukee and the folks who live here: they know our power, and they're afraid of the city we are building here, together. Once again, Trump has demonstrated why he should not be elected to the highest office in the land. He does not possess the discipline, respect, thoughtfulness, nor the maturity necessary to lead our country.”Trump is expected to visit southeastern Wisconsin again next week, for a planned rally in Racine on Tuesday. Because he knows if he wants to be president again, he has to win there. Wild. @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Threads)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Threads) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

The Heartland POD, Friday June 21, 2024Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kanas City Chiefs and RoyalsRather than preside over clown show convention, IL GOP chair resignsIllinois families cheer $300 state Child Tax CreditDems confident, Republicans morose in ongoing IVF battleThis week in ‘unforced errors' Trump calls Milwaukee a ‘horrible city' causing his pollster to be… also morose. We're glad to have you with us. If you're new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5-star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at https://theheartlandcollective.comLots to do, so let's go! Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kansas City Chiefs, RoyalsBY: ALLISON KITE - JUNE 18, 2024 3:26 PM   Brady Singer of the Kansas City Royals throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium in April. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images).TOPEKA — The Kansas City Royals and Chiefs could receive hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to move from Missouri and build new stadiums across the state line under legislation passed Tuesday by Kansas lawmakers.The House voted 84-38 and the Senate voted 27-8 to approve legislation that would expand a state incentive program in an attempt to lure one or both teams from Kansas City. The bill now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, who said in a statement following the Senate vote that the effort to bring the teams to Kansas “shows we're all-in on keeping our beloved teams in the Kansas City metro.”“Kansas now has the opportunity to become a professional sports powerhouse with the Chiefs and Royals potentially joining Sporting KC as major league attractions, all with robust, revenue-generating entertainment districts surrounding them providing new jobs, new visitors and new revenues that boost the Kansas economy,” Kelly said.Neither team has promised to move to Kansas, though both actively lobbied for the legislation's passage. The Chiefs said in a statement that the team appreciated Kansas leaders reaching out for input on the legislation.“We look forward to exploring the options this legislation may provide,” the statement said. The Royals said the team was grateful to the legislature for its vote. “The Kansas City Royals look forward to additional conversations as we evaluate where we will play baseball in the future,” the team said. “We will always prioritize the best interests of our fans, associates and taxpayers in this process.”State Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Republican from Stilwell, said during debate in the House that Missouri had a history of losing professional sports teams and implored fellow House members to pass the legislation.“I ask you today, do you really want to put that type of an economic generation in the hands of the state of Missouri?” Tarwater said just before the vote.Rep. Sean Tarwater speaks on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives in favor of expanding economic incentives in an attempt to bring the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)Passage of the bill represents a monumental step in Kansas lawmakers' attempts to court the teams. Both teams have signaled a willingness to move from their current stadiums at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Missouri.While neither team has announced a proposed site for a Kansas stadium, legislators speculated it could land in Wyandotte County near the Sporting KC soccer stadium, NASCAR track and outlet shops.“We have the history of building amazing projects that have brought in retail commerce, restaurants, hotels and have improved an area that was largely just a field and turned it into a tax-generating machine for our state,” said Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican.The legislation, he said, would put Kansas in a “very good position to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals in the Kansas City metro area.”The bill, which was not voted on by any legislative committee, would expand the state's Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond program, which is meant to help finance tourism and entertainment districts to help pay for a professional football or baseball stadium of at least $1 billion.A developer building a stadium under the program would be eligible to finance up to 70% of the project cost by issuing bonds and repaying them with the increased sales tax collections from the stadium site. The expansion would have initially allowed up to 75% of project costs but was tweaked before introduction. Debt on a stadium constructed under the expansion wouldn't have to be repaid for 30 years instead of the normal 20.The project could also receive a boost from liquor taxes generated in the STAR Bond district and revenues from a fund Kansas created when it legalized sports betting.During House debate, Rep. Paul Waggoner, a Hutchinson Republican, argued subsidized stadiums never generate the economic activity that they promise. He was alarmed by what he called “minimal transparency” in the deal-making process laid out in the legislation.The bill says any agreement between the state and a team would be confidential until after it has been executed.Waggoner called the legislation “bad public policy.”“This is not your mother's STAR Bonds,” Waggoner said. “This is a jacked up super-sized version of STAR Bonds.”Patrick Mahomes throws pass against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 23, 2022. Kansas lawmakers could offer the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals millions of dollars in tax incentives to move from Missouri to Kansas. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images).The bill limits the eligibility to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams currently near Kansas. The financing mechanism could be used for both stadiums and training facilities.Both teams have pressed lawmakers in recent weeks to pass the bill with representatives from the Royals hosting dinner for Democratic lawmakers at a steakhouse Monday night and the Chiefs throwing a lunchtime block party Tuesday steps from the Capitol.Earlier this month, a nonprofit called Scoop and Score Inc. launched to advocate for a Kansas stadium deal. The organization, which does not have to disclose its donors, hired 30 lobbyists to advocate for the STAR Bond expansion legislation. In a statement, former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., a lobbyist for Scoop and Score and the Chiefs, said the Legislature “stepped up in a big way, paving the path to make sure the Chiefs stay right where they belong — in Kansas City with their loyal fans.”“The votes show overwhelming bipartisan support because Kansas lawmakers know what the Chiefs mean to us and how big of an economic opportunity this is for Kansas,” Ryckman said.Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignationAfter 3 ½ years as ILGOP chair, Don Tracy cites intraparty fighting as reason for quittingBy HANNAH MEISELCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.comHalfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party.Tracy, who'd held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in a two-page letter that cited intraparty “power struggles.” He also said he is concerned about the direction the party is taking under the current membership of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee – a 17-person body that steers the ILGOP, with one member elected from each congressional district.“In better days, Illinois Republicans came together after tough intra party elections,” Tracy wrote. “Now however, we have Republicans who would rather fight other Republicans than engage in the harder work of defeating incumbent Democrats by convincing swing voters to vote Republican.”Tracy was narrowly elected Illinois Republican Party chair in the wake of the 2020 election and Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol by those who sought to stop certification of the election for its winner, President Joe Biden, over former President Donald Trump. Even as Republicans publicly reckoned with the events of Jan. 6, hardline conservatives on the state central committee were pushing for a more ardent supporter of Trump and his politics than the previous chair, who was hand-picked by former Gov. Bruce Rauner.Instead, the party got Tracy, another Rauner ally who served as chair of the Illinois Gaming Board during the one-term governor's administration. Tracy had unsuccessfully run for lieutenant governor in 2010, and in 2002, he lost a bid for a state Senate seat – but as a Democrat.Tracy's electoral history, as well as his experience as an attorney and co-owner of his family's food distribution business, fit the mold of previous ILGOP chairs in a state where fiscally conservative and socially moderate suburban Republicans for decades were a political powerhouse.But as Republican politics have changed both nationally and in Illinois, Tracy's run as party chair proved tumultuous.Additionally, Tracy wrote that he was “concerned about the current infatuation” of some state central committee members “with certain individuals they call ‘grass roots' leaders.”One such self-proclaimed grassroots Republican, former state Sen. Darren Bailey, celebrated Tracy's resignation on social media Wednesday, calling it a “cleansing” of the state GOP.“Fake republicans got us into this mess,” wrote Bailey, who earlier this year lost a primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Mike Bost and unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022. “Real Republicans standing firm will get us out!!!”Read more: Dems seek unity as new, former chair take no questions from media after party voteDemocrats panned the state GOP as “defined by a litany of electoral disasters, constant infighting, meager fundraising, and a strict adherence to a losing set of anti-choice, anti-worker, pro-Trump policies.”“While we don't expect new leadership to change any of that, we do wish the best of luck to the inevitable MAGA extremist who will succeed Don Tracy as Chair,” the party said.Tracy's letter indicated he would resign upon the election of a successor, “preferably no later than” July 19 – the day after the RNC is scheduled to conclude. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?(Capitol News Illinois illustration by Andrew Adams)Thursday, June 13, 2024$50M tax credit program will provide up to roughly $300 for low-income familiesBy ANDREW ADAMSCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.comIn the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children. The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although it has exceptions, that credit is generally available to married couples earning up to about $60,000 and single people earning up to about $50,000, depending on the number of children they have. For taxes on 2024 income, the tax credit will cap at just over $300 for tax filers with three or more children who meet certain income requirements. Taxpayers with two children face a cap of about $270 and taxpayers with one child face a cap of about $170. The child tax credit equates to 20 percent of the state's EITC, which allows Illinois taxpayers a credit equal to 20 percent of the federal EITC. Starting in tax year 2025, the state's child tax credit will double to 40 percent of the state EITC, meaning that it will max out at a bit over $600 for families with three children. Because the federal tax credit that determines its size is tied to inflation, the actual size of future years' child tax credits is yet to be determined. In its first year, the program is expected to cost the state $50 million, with a cost of about $100 million in subsequent years. The idea of a permanent child tax credit in Illinois has been floated for several years, with various proposals being put forward by legislators in the General Assembly as well as advocacy groups and think tanks. Gov. JB Pritzker pitched a child tax credit in his proposed budget earlier this year that was smaller than the version that passed in the final budget. It would have applied to children under three years old and cost about $12 million. Proponents of the idea say that in addition to helping low-income families, programs like this help local economies. “Every dollar we invest in the child tax credit is immediately spent locally,” Erion Malasi, the policy director for Economic Security for Illinois, told Capitol News Illinois. Researchers at the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, a labor movement-affiliated think tank, found in a January report that child tax credits have a higher economic impact than cuts to corporate income taxes or to capital gains taxes. That report also cited several research teams that found the temporary expansion to the federal child tax credit between 2021 and 2023 reduced child poverty in the U.S. by between 25 and 36 percent. That credit provided an additional $1,000 per child on top of an existing $2,000 credit, with increases for younger children. State Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, sponsored legislation that would have created a $300 million child tax credit program that was more expansive than the version that passed. Aquino told Capitol News Illinois he will be watching the rollout of the child tax credit to see if there is room for an “expansion” in future budget years or if there is a route for the credit to be automatically applied for qualifying taxpayers. The Illinois Department of Revenue is working on guidance for next year's filing season and will provide information about how to claim the child tax credit on its website. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.Kansas' Davids lauds court decision on abortion pill; Marshall critiques Democrats' IVF billBY: TIM CARPENTER - JUNE 13, 2024 4:56 PM   U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, applauded a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to turn aside a lawsuit seeking to direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to significantly limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of an attempt to undermine the federal Food and Drug Administration's authorization of a widely available abortion medication wouldn't be the final act by opponents of reproductive rights.On Thursday, the Supreme Court said the plaintiffs, comprised of anti-abortion physicians and organizations, didn't have standing to pursue the lawsuit against the FDA aimed at curtailing access to the drug mifepristone. It's possible other plaintiffs capable of showing they were harmed by availability of the pill could challenge FDA approval of the drug. It is used in approximately half of all abortions in the United States.“I will always stand with Kansans who overwhelmingly rejected extremist attempts to limit reproductive health care access,” said Davids, the 3rd District Democrat. “Yet, for the second year in a row, a vital and safe reproductive health care medication was under attack, threatening to strip Kansans' ability to freely make health care decisions that are best for their families and futures.”Davids said the Supreme Court opinion was “a victory for our freedoms,” but the legal fight regarding abortion access was far from over. She vowed to continue opposing attempts to “interfere in our most private health care decisions.”U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, signed an amicus brief urging federal courts to rule the FDA overstepped its authority years ago in regard to use of mifepristone. U.S. Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner, signed a brief that argued the Supreme Court should reverse the FDA.These Kansas lawmakers said the FDA's action to deregulate “chemical abortion drugs” subverted Congress' public policy interests and patient welfare.Mifepristone, which is authorized for up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy, was part of two-drug regimen that included misoprostol as the second pharmaceutical.Meanwhile, both U.S. senators from Kansas, Republicans Jerry Moran and Marshall, voted Thursday to block legislation offered by Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois that would affirm the right of women attempting to become pregnant to seek fertility treatments that included in vitro fertilization or IVF.The Senate vote on that measure was 48-47, short of the 60 votes required to advance the measure.On Wednesday, Marshall said the Duckworth bill contained “poison pills” that violated the religious freedom of physicians and would unnecessarily broaden access to reproductive technology. He praised a piece of IVF legislation sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.Marshall, a physician who delivered babies for 30 years in Kansas said, “The country needs to know that Republicans believe in IVF. I happen to believe IVF is a gift from God.”Sean: Unfortunately for Senator Marshall, he doesn't speak for all Republicans, many of whom are far out of the mainstream on whether they believe families should be able to access IVF.And today in unforced errors…Trump tells House Republicans Milwaukee is a ‘horrible city'BY: HENRY REDMAN - JUNE 13, 2024 10:51 AM   Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on Wednesday, May 1, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson | Getty Images)In a closed door meeting with Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, the location of this summer's Republican National Convention, a “horrible city.” Trump's comments were reported by Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman. “Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” Trump is reported to have said on Thursday. The former president visited Wisconsin in May, holding a rally in Waukesha. During that visit, he talked about the RNC coming to Milwaukee, making fun of Democrats — who planned to hold the 2020 Democratic National Convention in the city but canceled it due to the COVID-19 pandemic — for not showing up to the city. Wisconsin's House Republicans responded to the report with varying stories about what happened. Rep. Glenn Grothman told reporters Trump was talking about “election integrity” in large urban centers, Rep. Derrick Van Orden said the report was a lie and that Trump was talking about the city's crime rate and Rep. Bryan Steil denied that Trump made the comment at all.In response to the comment, Democrats said if Trump doesn't like Milwaukee, he doesn't need to come. “If Donald Trump hates Milwaukee so much, we have one message for him: don't come, we won't miss you — your campaign is barely here in the first place,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Addy Toevs said in a statement. “In November, Wisconsinites will show Trump how the dislike is mutual and will reject him again once and for all.”Other Democrats touted Milwaukee's beer, food and sports teams while connecting the comments to regular Republican attacks against Wisconsin's largest and most diverse city.“Donald Trump attacking the great city of Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city' exactly one month before he shuffles out on stage at the Fiserv reflects the backward, twisted man Donald Trump has always been,” Wisconsin Democratic Party Vice Chair Felesia Martin said. “With entertainment, recreation and a quality of life that is unparalleled — to say nothing of a great basketball team — I am blessed to call Milwaukee home. We're used to Republican politicians like Donald Trump showing nothing but contempt for Milwaukee and the folks who live here: they know our power, and they're afraid of the city we are building here, together. Once again, Trump has demonstrated why he should not be elected to the highest office in the land. He does not possess the discipline, respect, thoughtfulness, nor the maturity necessary to lead our country.”Trump is expected to visit southeastern Wisconsin again next week, for a planned rally in Racine on Tuesday. Because he knows if he wants to be president again, he has to win there. Wild. @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Threads)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Threads) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said he faced a lot of headwinds during his time in office, but didn't want to talk about politics after his official portrait was unveiled Monday. The former one-term Republican governor had a tumultuous time in office with a more than two-year long budget impasse. Democrats who controlled both chambers still blame Rauner for the impasse. As Illinois implements more requirements on local libraries in order to access state tax dollars, some are questioning whether state government is overstepping its boundaries. Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday signed a first-in-the-nation law that restricts state tax dollars for local libraries that don't follow certain guidelines from a national group. House Bill 2789 requires state libraries to adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights if they want to receive state grants. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support

Bishop shares some of sights and sounds of former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiling his official portrait at the Illinois State Capitol. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bishoponair/support

Bishop shares some of sights and sounds of former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiling his official portrait at the Illinois State Capitol.

Joel and Steve visit with Dr. Bob Rauner of Lincoln, NE - who is currently running for re-election to Lincoln Public Schools Board of Directors, District 6! Dr. Rauner is Chief Medical Officer for OneHealth Nebraska, and is also President of Partnership for a Healthy Nebraska.  He has also been publishing YouTube videos with useful information about the Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. https://healthynebraska.org/ https://onehealthne.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@bobrauner7938/videos Be sure to Like/Follow/Subscribe and Review Joel and Steve wherever you listen to podcasts!  Follow on Instagram @TryingToBeBetterPodcast, email at ttbbpodcast@gmail.com! #TootYourHooter  #Facts  

The great Ramsey Lewis died at age 87. Ben riffs. And Brian Costin from American Prosperity for Illinois joins to talk Bears stadium handout. Yes, American Prosperity is a Koch Brothers organization. And Brian is conservative. And he used to work for the Rauner administration. And so on and so forth. But he's one of the few conservatives who's opposed to what he calls "corporate welfare." So, well, listen to what he has to say. It will keep you up to date on what's going on.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bryan Cressey is a pioneer in the field of private equity investing and is co-founder of four of the largest private equity firms in the United States. He has managed billions of dollars of private capital and is well known for generating consistently strong investment returns. With over 40 years of experience, Bryan is recognized as one of the country's greatest investors and builders of companies and leadership talent.Bryan began his career with First Chicago Equity Group in the 1970's and was one of the founders of the firm that became Golder, Thoma, Cressey, Rauner. He co-founded TCB in 1998, Cressey & Company in 2008, and Frist Cressey Ventures in 2015 with longtime friend Senator Bill Frist.Bryan's leadership has been recognized by Fortune and Time magazines and was the subject of a feature article in Harvard Law Today. He is highly sought out to speak nationwide on healthcare, its future, and private equity investing. He serves on the board of many companies and was Chairman of a NYSE company (Belden).A member of the Chicago Business Hall of Fame, and Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, Bryan received his BS in Economics at the University of Washington and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a JD from Harvard Law School.PHILOSOPHY"The life of each person on earth has the same value as my life, or your life. No matter how bad a person is, or poor they are, or aged or ill, or mean, their life has the exact same importance as mine. This drives not just my attitude towards each person, but much of my behavior and actions."ABOVE AND BEYONDIn addition to his private equity firm, Cressey is the founder of Above and Beyond Recovery Center. Above and Beyond is a donor-funded addiction treatment facility in Chicago providing free services to the homeless and uninsured who would otherwise have no access to treatment. Above and Beyond employs evidence-based techniques, encouraging its clients to see the consequences of their behavior as something they can change by changing their beliefs about their lives—often complicated with challenging circumstances of poverty, homelessness, abuse, and addiction.www.bryancressey.comwww.livelifedriven.com

October 27, 2021 ~ The Beaumont Health System Nurse Practitioner talks to Marie and Sean about COVID vaccines for children, ages 5-11 and she explains why her children will be vaccinated.

In the year that brought us Covid-19, who was your favorite resource when the levee first broke?For a lot of people in MY inner circle- it was the weekly video updates by Dr. Bob Rauner MD, MPH.Dr. Rauner's weekly YouTube videos picked up steam in the second week of March 2020, and offered statistical and numbers based date (minus the hyperbole) that garnered attention both state and nationwide.

Ben & Dr. D riff on the news of the week. Which includes...two aldermen indicted, including a Daley. Oh, Chicago, you are special. Also, the Bears actually draft a Black man to play quarterback. And just when we thought it was safe to go outside--Bruce Rauner talks about running for governor. Plus, all the other news of the week.

Jack and Dr Rauner discuss LPS returning to full classes as an option for all students and other COVID-19 related topics.

Robin answers questions with the careful confidence of someone who considers well what's in their head before speaking. When you ask her about what led her to Japan, you notice something curious: while she describes her series of choices plainly, and as though any other might have made them, they are exceptional. Not many have travelled in her family. Where others might then see that as evidence as to why they should stay home, Robin saw it as her reason to go abroad. While not at all a Japanophile, Robin cares deeply for the country that she now inhabits. She's genuine, earnest and intelligent, embodying the kind of unassuming grace that has the habit of confounding people. Robin is a striking character, reminding us that strength's ability to overcome obstacles does not originate solely from force, but also calm, composure, and an appreciation for a good vegan dessert. Kyoto Eco Map https://www.kyotoecomap.org/ @kyoto_ecomap Pelgag https://pelgag.com/ @pelgag.cafe Taiwan Vegetarian Food Muku https://taiwansosyoku.wixsite.com/muku877 Shojin Café Waka http://www.oterahouse.com/cafe/index.htm

Kellan Heavican discusses today's top local headlines and then is joined by LPS Board Member Dr. Bob Rauner who lets you know how you can get involved with naming new LPS sites. Plus State Senator Suzanne Geist.

Jack talks the latest COVID-19 numbers then is joined by Dr. Bob Rauner.

Jack King Was CTO/CIO appointed by former gov. Rauner 

In dieser Episode unseres neuen Podcasts, unterhalten wir uns mit Johannes Rauner von Projecter über Trends und aktuelle Entwicklungen aus der Welt des Partner Marketing.

Ben Joravsky tells us more about his latest Chicago Reader column on the cynicism of Donald Trump commuting the sentence of Rod Blagojevich. We also go back into time to unpack a Joravsky column about Rahm, Rauner and Willie Wilson from 2015. It's the latest Ben Joravsky: Beyond the Column with special guest Ken Davis.

Joining the show this week State Representative David McSweeney. David and John discuss pension reform, income taxes, The failure(s) of the Rauner administration, and the possibility of bringing back the death penalty. In this week's round table segment, John Dempsey is joined by Ray Long of The Chicago Tribune, Greg Hinz of Crain’s, Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times, and Heather Cherone, editor of The Daily Line. The discussion opens up with President Trump making comments that he is again considering pardoning ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich, A study from Las Vegas has concluded that a Chicago casino wouldn’t be feasible due to the tax structure, and Dorothy Brown has announced she won’t seek re-election. This week’s Community Spotlight is with Nick Gale. Nick explains the creation of the Elder Abuse Task Force. This week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the 22 members that will serve on the panel. Reporting its findings and recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2021, the task force will analyze the effectiveness of elder protective services in Illinois and other states and develop a long-term plan to improve outcomes for older Illinoisans.

Colby visits with newly elected LPS Board member, Dr. Bob Rauner. Student growth and new schools are among the issues discussed.

Bye bye Rosenstein and Biden's speech in Pittsburgh. Bye bye Rauner and our Chicago Reader Colleague Maya Dukmasova returns to talk politics. Ben's Green Party friend and Firefighter Sam Holloway joins us and we welcome Radio Host Doris Davenport. Download Tuesday's Ben Joravsky Show!!

March of the Robots, Dual Apprenticeship System & Flexibility: Prof. Felix Rauner and Richard Marsh talk to Tom for #SkillsWorld Germany

Episode 86: Cam Davis, Metro Water Reclamation District Commissioner LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 21, 2019 Opening: While it has not always been so in baseball, when it comes to economic supremacy in the Midwest, Chicago beat St. Louis a long time ago, and water is a big part of that story. Interview: Cam Davis had an interesting year last year. He mounted a write-in campaign to win the primary for a vacant seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, which he won. Survived an attempt by Rauner to subvert that election. Then won his seat outright on the November ballot. In December, he was sworn in, and now, on to the vital work of protecting Chicago’s water supply.

On this week's episode of Under the Dome, we review the final three days of the Illinois General Assembly's veto session, which culminated with Gov. Bruce Rauner making a public appearance in Springfield for the first time since his election loss to say he fears for Illinois' future under the incoming J.B. Pritzker administration. We also talk about a state representative apologizing for comments she made on the House floor that seemed to threaten another lawmaker.

Do you ever have to apologize if you’re a government bureaucrat or a member of the Chicago press corps for false reporting? The EPA says they may have mistested the air samples from Sterigenics that Democrat politicians seized upon to berate Rauner and other Republican candidates. Do the residents in the western suburbs deserve an apology for the political fear mongering of a cancer scare? Dan and Amy discuss new reports coming from the EPA regarding Sterigenics.

A former staffer for Pinocchio Rauner wasted no time telling conservatives to abandon all hope. In a commentary appearing in Friday’s Chicago Tribune, Patrick Wohl tried to scare the Illinois GOP away from ANY rightward movement. Scaremonger Wohl ominously warned, “The Illinois GOP needs unity, not a race to the right.” That’s code language for “Abandon the social issues, you idiot rightwing lunatics!” How about this for a revision: “The Illinois GOP needs unity on the entire GOP platform, not abandonment of the parts of it ignorant RINOs and Libertarians don’t like.”… Continue Reading

The State Journal-Register's Bernard Schoenburg, Doug Finke and Angie Muhs break down Tuesday's Election Day results, including the Democratic sweep of statewide offices and Republican sweep of our two local U.S. House seats.

We're almost to Election Day. The State Journal-Register's Bernard Schoenburg and Doug Finke round up how the candidates are winding down their campaigns. 

In response to the uproar generated by his utterly deceitful union-subsidized mailers, gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann tweeted that “all” he did was say that State Representative Tom Morrison “supports Rauner.” Unbelievable. McCann lied again. He did not merely say Morrison “supports Rauner.” He accused Morrison of being a “Republican in Name Only” (RINO) and did so in mailers in Morrison’s district in the midst of a difficult re-election campaign. Then No-Shot McCann posted this on his “McCann for Gov” Facebook page… READ MORE… Continue Reading

Is Rauner going to drag down all Republicans on the ballot? Is he closing the gap at all? Were all Rauner’s political defeats self-inflicted wounds? Did Rauner discount what he was up against and then decide to surrender instead of fight? Dan and Kristen McQueary discuss the future of Illinois and the governor’s race.

How do voters encapsulate the IL gubernatorial race? What do the candidates mean when they say “middle class”? Does JB not want to take a position on anything while Rauner has taken different positions on every issue? Would JB be prosecuted if there was a serious Attorney General? Dan and Lauren Cohn discuss the Illinois governor’s race.

On this week's episode of Under the Dome, Bernard Schoenburg, Doug Finke and Angie Muhs recap Wednesday night's debate between Gov. Bruce Rauner and J.B. Pritzker. They also talk about other campaign news and step increases for state employees.

State Sen. Sam McCann, Conservative Party gubernatorial candidate, had some strong words for Gov. Rauner including calling him a failed governor and liar. How is it that Rauner claims he is a Madigan plant? Would he be in the race if weren't for Rauner’s social agenda? How much money has he spent on his race? What are his opinions on the Janus decision? Sen. McCann joins Dan and Amy to discuss the IL gubernatorial debate.

We give our two cents on the NBC Debate between JB, Rauner, McCann and our friend Kash Jackson. Kash really blew us away with how well he did and we felt that we needed to discuss it while listening to some clips of his answers.   Click Here to listen in your web browser. The post Episode 022: NBC 5 Chicago Debate appeared first on Orphans of the American Dream Podcast.

The fight between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat J.B. Pritzker to be Illinois’ next governor is getting personal. When they met in the first debate of the campaign on Thursday, Rauner said Pritzker lacked the character to hold public office. Pritzker retaliated by saying everything Rauner lists as accomplishments happened in spite of him, not because of him. State Sen. Sam McCann and Kash Jackson are also on the November ballot.Host Becky Vevea talks with WBEZ's Tony Arnold about what happened at the first debate.Each week at On Background, WBEZ’s team of political reporters brings you the backstory on the week's big story. Host Becky Vevea and guests take you inside the back rooms of Chicago and Illinois government to better understand the people, places and forces shaping today’s politics.

Episode 70: Sierra Club’s Renner Barsella; Carrie Kiley, Women’s March Chicago LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES AND ACTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 Opening: Tom talks to his old friend Trent about an aspect of the New York primaries that might have been lost on us here in the Midwest. What happened and why does it matter? Also, what about Tyler Linfesty, #plaidshirtguy, and his “radical” form of protest? Check him out in all his unassuming plaid glory here: http://bit.ly/2OucsGw. Segment 1: From the moment he took office, the current president and his administration have taken aim at the environment for the benefit of polluting industry. Sierra Club Chicago’s Renner Barsella joins for a wide ranging conversation about how Illinois’ EPA has operated under Rauner, the Sierra Club’s role in the demise of Scott Pruitt’s secretaryship, and what the future might hold for the environment as well as for the Barsella family. Learn more about the drive toward 100% clean energy at chicagoisreadyfor100.com and more about the Sierra Club at sierraclub.org/illinois. Segment 2: Carrie Kiley is one of the organizers for the March to the Polls on October 13 in Grant Park. Find out more at womensmarchchicago.org. Sign up for Yes, We Canvas! training here: http://bit.ly/2MZhIoQ --Wednesday September 26, 5:30-7:30 PM at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia. Plan to attend the BLUE WAVE RAVE on Wednesday, October 3, and register at http://bit.ly/2MWxOiS. While this is may be the most important election of our lifetimes, we can still have a good time reclaiming our state and country. [for show notes only:] Song credit: "Little Lily Swing" by Tri-Tachyon Song download link: https://soundcloud.com/tri-tachyon/li... http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri... This song is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

The State Journal-Register's Bernard Schoenburg and Doug Finke review the week that was in Illinois government and politics. 

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has been busy with his veto pen this week, opposing bills that would ban tobacco sales to people under 21 and pay teachers a guaranteed $40,000 salary. State Treasurer Michael Frerichs also has a bone to pick with Rauner over office space for treasurer employees in Springfield. He also signed a bill allowing wider use of medical marijuana. We also cover Election 2018, including the races for governor and the 13th Congressional District.

lllinois is in the grips of a severe teacher shortage, but late last week, Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed legislation to raise their wages. The bill would’ve ramped up the minimum salary to $40,000 by the year 2022. In a message explaining his veto, Rauner called that an “unfunded mandate.” But State Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), who sponsored the legislation, says he hasn’t given up on the effort.

As we wash down that final corn dog with a final swig of a lemon shakeup, we recap the political action that happened at the just-completed 2018 Illinois State Fair. We also look at a new poll in the governor's race and the legal troubles faced by a now-former Rodney Davis campaign staffer.

This week on the Under the Dome Podcast, we discuss: * The departure of Nick Sauer from the Illinois House after allegations from an ex-girlfriend. * State workers finally getting some back pay. * Gov. Rauner signing an "offshoring" bill. * A look ahead at the Illinois State Fair, including Democrats' plans to host former Vice President Joe Biden. 

On this week's episode of Under the Dome, we preview President Trump's trip to the U.S. Steel plant (pictured) in Granite City, Illinois. Also, we discuss the controversy that arose when a Chicago mayoral candidate started handing out money at an event Gov. Bruce Rauner was attending. Plus, Mark Janus has a new job. 

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has been busy this week signing bills related to gun control and the Quincy veterans' home. We also have reaction from the Trump-Putin meeting in Finland. All this and more on this week's episode of the Under the Dome podcast.

Walter Jacobson gives his perspective on Governor Bruce Rauner “throwing darts” at Father Michael Pfleger for the protest on the Dan Ryan and the picture he is painting and how Rauner is lying.   [audio http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3525995/3525995_2018-07-15-015235.64kmono.mp3]

With the July 4 holiday, it's a light-news week in Illinois government. Still, we learned that state Sen. Sam McCann's petitions to run for governor were not challenged, which means he, along with Gov. Bruce Rauner, J.B. Pritzker and Libertarian Kash Jackson will all be running for governor. Also, we talk about Rauner's recent trip to Champaign-Urbana to make up for unflattering comments he recently made about the region. 

We're one day removed from the U.S. Supreme Court's big Janus vs. AFSCME decision that will have far-reaching consequences for unions in Illinois and beyond. Bernie, Doug and Angie break down the ruling. They also mention Sam McCann filing for governor as a third-party candidate and Joe Biden planning a trip to Springfield.

On this week's episode of the Under the Dome Podcast, we discuss ... * Numerous lawsuits involving AFSCME, state government's largest employee union. * The latest #MeToo fallout that saw the resignation last week of a top aide to House Speaker Michael Madigan. * The latest on the advertising war between Gov. Bruce Rauner and challenger J.B. Pritzker.

One of the big budget cuts announced Tuesday by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner was scratching the $1 billion Illiana Expressway. The proposed east-west route would have connected I-57 near Wilmington in Will County to I-65 near Lowell in Indiana. While the State of Indiana was fully on board, Gov. Rauner never supported the roadway as much as his predecessor. WBEZ's Michael Puente joins us to talk about the Illiana's demise and what it could mean for the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana.