Tag Archives: Bruce Rauner

Massive Tax Bill Rejected by Governor Rauner; Back to the House

Posted on July 5, 2017 by David E Smith
Yesterday, the Illinois Senate took up the misguided proposal to massively increase the income taxes of citizens and corporations in Illinois. It is ironic that the General Assembly voted to impose oppressive government taxes on Illinoisans during Independence Day weekend.
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Illinois House Approves Massive Income Tax Increase

Posted on July 3, 2017 by David E Smith
Late Sunday afternoon (July 2nd), the Illinois House passed a massive tax hike for families and businesses. What does that mean for taxpayers? Well, if this proposal isn't vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, the personal income tax rate would increase by 32 percent, surging from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent, and the corporate rate would jump from 5.25 percent to 7 percent. This would enable and fund business as usual. ("Enable" is the key word here...)
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Tax Increases, More Spending and ‘A Disaster’ of a Budget for Illinois

Posted on July 1, 2017 by David E Smith
State government summer re-run season is underway at the Illinois capitol building where both political parties are cooperating to send our state further into the fiscal abyss. Midnight came and went as we closed out the month of June without a budget being signed into law, so Illinois has begun its third straight year without one.
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Comfort v. Chaos & Uncertainty

Posted on June 21, 2017 by David E Smith
Fake news, alternative facts, covfefe, secret investigations—there is nothing new about the constant bombardment of news we receive all day, whether willingly or not. Our nation is experiencing such political turmoil. Where can we find peace? In Messiah alone.
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You Can Help Governor Bruce Rauner Pass an Elementary Science Test!

Posted on June 12, 2017 by David E Smith

Majorities in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly recently flunked the kind of science test that used to be given to grammar school students. The question, which just a few years ago was not controversial, was “can a man become a woman?” “Can a woman become a man?”

Earlier this month, the Weizmann Institute in Israel released a study and posted an article about it under this headline: “Researchers Identify 6,500 Genes That Are Expressed Differently in Men and Women.”

This (un)shocking study was also reported on by Liberty Counsel:

“This recent study from Israel’s Weizmann

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Big Illinois Government’s Insatiable and Impossible Demands from Taxpayers

Posted on June 9, 2017 by David E Smith

It’s a sad tale of two cities.

The news out of Washington, D.C. this spring is that President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in Congress plan on cutting taxes. The unsurprising news out of Springfield, Illinois is that General Assembly Democrats are planning to raise taxes.

Also not surprising is that there is a hot debate about whether the GOP tax cut efforts in D.C. can succeed. There is no debate, however, about Illinois Democrats’ accomplishing their mission. Especially when Republicans, including Governor Bruce Rauner, appear poised to help the Democrats.

What is also not debatable is whether …

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State Senator McConchie Outlines the Simplicity of the Budget Crisis

Posted on May 24, 2017 by David E Smith

Two years after the “temporary” income tax expired, rapacious Springfield lawmakers are once again working toward raising our taxes, supposedly in order to solve the state’s fiscal problems. This time they want to raise the state’s income tax from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent, raise the corporate tax from 5.25 percent to 7 percent and expand the state’s sales tax to include certain services.

In a partisan line vote, Illinois Senate Democrats passed these ridiculous proposals in SB 9 on Tuesday afternoon by a vote of 32-26.  Most of these lawmakers honestly believe that taking more money from citizens …

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Anti-Baby Bill Passes Senate! Contact Gov. Rauner!

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Kathy Valente
This afternoon, HB 40 passed in the Illinois State Senate by a vote of 33-22. Thirty votes are needed for passage in the Illinois Senate. This bill was passed with a party-line vote by the Democratic majority without one Republican vote, and four Democrats not voting on this controversial proposal.
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Republicans in the Illinois Senate Want to Increase the Size of Illinois Government and Your Taxes

Posted on May 1, 2017 by David E Smith
Have you heard about the “Grand Bargain” that has been travelling the bumpy road of the legislative process in Springfield during this General Assembly session? Not surprisingly, it is neither a bargain nor grand for taxpayers. Illinois Senate Minority leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) has been (or was?) working with Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) for a few months on trying to craft a budget that can pass.
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Prayers Needed for POTUS, Congress and General Assembly

Posted on January 21, 2017 by David E Smith
Tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock our time, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Last week, state lawmakers were sworn into office in Springfield to begin the 100th General Assembly. Two weeks before that, on January 3, 2017, our federal lawmakers were sworn in, starting the 115th Congress.
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‘Lame Duck’ Tax Increase Debated While Both Parties Struggle with Basic Math

Posted on November 30, 2016 by David E Smith

Anyone paying the least bit of attention to Illinois government knows the state is a fiscal mess, and the ongoing drama being played out between our Republican governor and Democrat General Assembly is like a long-running TV soap opera.

The news of the day is that Rich Miller’s Capitol Fax is reporting that the passing of a tax increase during the current lame duck session is now not going to happen. For those unfamiliar with Capitol Fax, it is in some ways to Illinois politics what the Drudge Report is nationally. While Drudge is a conservative, both sides can benefit

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Rights of Conscience Lawsuit Filed in Response to SB 1564

Posted on August 8, 2016 by David E Smith

Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing an Illinois doctor and two pregnancy care centers filed suit in state court against Gov. Bruce Rauner after he recently signed a bill into law that forces doctors and medical facilities to promote abortion regardless of their ethical or moral views on the practice.

ADF sent a letter to Rauner in May on behalf of numerous pro-life physicians, pregnancy care centers, and pregnancy care center network organizations advising him that the bill, SB 1564, would violate federal law and therefore place federal funding, including Medicaid reimbursements, in jeopardy. ADF also warned legislators about the problems …

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Marijuana Decriminalization Puts Children and Families at Greater Risk

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Kathy Valente
Before the regular session ended on May 31st, State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) and State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) were able to legislation to decriminalize marijuana passed in both the Illinois House and Senate. This dubious bill (SB 2228) will soon be sent to Governor Bruce Rauner, who will then have 60 days to sign it into law or veto it.
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So What’s the Plan Oh Mighty Men of God

Posted on June 7, 2016 by David E Smith
There is a scene in the movie 1984 in which Winston is reminded of this statement that he wrote in his diary: “Freedom is the freedom to say 2 + 2 = 4.” An updated version might say, “Freedom is the freedom to call a man a man and a woman a woman.”
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Incoherent Leftists, Abortion, and SB 1564

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Jared Heath

Leftists in our leftist-controlled state are seeking to amend the “Health Care Right of Conscience” law so as to deny the right of conscience of medical professionals who oppose feticide, artificial contraception, and certain end-of-life protocols that intentionally and prematurely end lives.

Senate Bill 1564 (SB 1564) has passed both houses in Springfield, and as soon as Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) sends it to Governor Bruce Rauner, he will have 60 days to decide if he will sign it into law or veto it.

This law would, for example, compel medical professionals who oppose feticide …

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