The Illinois Senate approved the so-called  “Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act” (HB 1438 Senate Amendment 2) late yesterday afternoon by a vote of 38–17 with two voting present and two not voting. This bill now moves to the Illinois House for consideration. We have been told that Governor Pritzker has been making personal calls to lawmakers, promising them favors for their yes vote.

With the regular session ending on Friday, they have this legislation on fast track. Pro-family residents must speak out to their State Representatives today.

Click here to see how your state senator voted on this anti-family legislation, or look at the graphic below.

It is important to note that State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon), Chapin Rose (R-Champaign), and Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) raised strong objections to the bill during floor debate.  On the other hand, State Senators Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), Neil Anderson (R-Moline), Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort) and others spoke in favor of passing this terrible bill.

This bill has no limits on THC levels, which is perhaps the most alarming part of this proposal. THC is the chemical substance in marijuana that gets users intoxicated. The marijuana products of the 1960’s and 1970’s contained 1-3 percent of THC. Today, the levels are 20 percent or more. The Dutch government now considers cannabis products with 15 percent THC hard drugs and illegal.

Legalization of high potency marijuana is linked to increases in addiction, psychosis, schizophrenia and violence. In states that have legalized, it has led to an increase in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, poison control center calls and an increase in use in every age category, including youth. There has also been a dramatic increase in a condition called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome.

It defies common sense that state lawmakers are ignoring these consequences!

We know that as perceived risk goes down, use goes up. In 2013, our state lawmakers — who are not medically trained — approved “medical” marijuana. Make no mistake, the message they are sending to the culture, and our kids, is that this addictive and intoxicating drug is harmless. Not only is it medicinal, but it’s “recreational” — approved to use as a way to help people unwind and loosen up.

Why are our state lawmakers willing to give their stamp of approval to a known destructive narcotic? Just for a puny new revenue stream?

Legalization will lead to more users, more addicts, more unqualified employee candidates, more intoxicated drivers, more work place accidents, more disabilities, more homeless, more mental illness and more dependents on social welfare. Marijuana use among people 25 and under will increase dramatically — those whose brains are still developing and whose brains are most susceptible to the harms of marijuana use.

Why are state lawmakers setting such a terrible example for our children and grandchildren? They are failing in their job of protecting the citizenry.

YOU can help stop this foolishness from becoming reality in Illinois.

Take ACTION: Please pray that this bill fails in the House! Then Click HERE to send an urgent email asking your state representative to oppose HB 1438. Then make a quick call to his/her Springfield office. Click here for the Springfield office phone number. After entering in your information, you will find that the last official on the list is your state representative. He/She needs to hear from you TODAY.

Watch more:

Please visit IFI YouTube channel and this video playlist dedicated to the opposition of marijuana legalization.

Read more:

Thinking Biblically About Recreational Marijuana

Cannabis Myths Exposed

Medical Doctor from Peoria Opposes Legal Pot

ER Doc Says “Recreational” Pot Has Ruined My Town

IFI Resource Page on Marijuana

Former State Rep. Jeanne Ives Address Marijuana & Illinois’ Economic Crisis (podcast)

More info:

NoWeedIllinois.com

How Did They Vote?

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The Thomas More Society has now moved for an emergency injunction to be heard on Thursday, December 28, to stop State of Illinois officials from providing tens of thousands of taxpayer funded abortions in the New Year.

Additional legislators and groups will also seek to join the suit that day, including State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) and State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Rock Island). The taxpayer lawsuit, filed at the end of November in the Sangamon County Circuit Court, is brought on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Illinois taxpayers, represented by county and statewide pro-life organizations, the Springfield Catholic Diocese, and a group of Illinois legislators from across the state.

“This emergency injunction would stop a New Year’s Day implementation of this law, under which Illinois taxpayers would be forced to pay for 20,000 to 30,000 or more abortions per year,” explained Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel. “Even apart from the sincere moral objections that many folks have to paying for abortions, there is no money in the Illinois state budget to pay for them. And, because of games played by Senate Democrats, in holding HB 40 until late September, after the May 31 cutoff for legislative action, this bill can’t be effective until June 1, certainly not on January 1.” Breen also serves as state representative for Illinois’ 48^th District.

If implemented, despite its illegality, HB 40 would force every Illinoisan to pay for free abortions for those on Medicaid. This would apply through the full nine months of pregnancy and for any reason, even when the latest scientific research has shown that the unborn child can feel pain and survive outside of its mother’s womb.

The State of Illinois has a tradition of allowing taxpayer lawsuits, which are brought by private individuals to protect the public treasury. Illinois law requires such a suit to be brought by a petition for leave to file a taxpayer complaint, which was granted by Judge Jennifer Ascher on December 6, at the last hearing in this case.

The Illinois legislators bringing the lawsuit include (italicized names are newly added):

• Representative Mark Batinick, District 97
• Representative Jeanne Ives, District 42
• Representative Charlie Meier, District 108
• Representative Steve Reick, District 63
• Representative Barbara Wheeler, District 64
• Representative Keith Wheeler, District 50
• Senator Neil Anderson, District 36
• Senator Dale Fowler, District 59
• Senator Sam McCann, District 50
• Senator Kyle McCarter, District 54
• Senator Dan McConchie, District 26
• Senator Paul Schimpf, District 58

The pro-life groups listed on the complaint include (italicized names are newly added):

• Illinois Federation for Right to Life
• Illinois Right to Life Action
• Springfield Right to Life
• Right to Life of Adams County, Inc.
• Clinton County Citizens For Life
• Henry County Right to Life, Inc.
• Knox County Right to Life, NFP
• Lake County Right to Life Committee, Inc.
• Morgan County Right to Life, Inc., NFP
• Faith and Freedom Family Ministry, NFP
• Pro-Life Action League, Inc.

The above listed legislators and groups are joined in this action by:

• Diocese of Springfield In Illinois

Read the Plaintiff’s Unopposed Motion for Leave to File a Verified Amended Taxpayer Complaint HERE.

Read the original Petition for Leave to File a Taxpayer Action to Restrain and Enjoin the Disbursement of Public Funds and the Taxpayer Complaint to Restrain and Enjoin the Disbursement of Public Funds HERE.

About the Thomas More Society

The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago and Omaha, the Thomas More Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. For more information, visit thomasmoresociety.org.

As Illinois continues to lose population (we are now the sixth largest state, not the fifth), our politicians in both parties continue to run up debt and unfunded liabilities.

Here is Meaghan Kilroy writing at Pensions & Investments (www.pionline.com):

Illinois has the highest pension burden among all 50 states, said Fitch Ratings’ 2017 state pension report released Tuesday.

According to the report, Illinois’ unfunded pension liabilities amounted to 22.8% of residents’ personal income at the end of fiscal year 2016, compared to a median 3.1% for all states and 1% for Florida, the least burdened state.

Since it is the Christmas season, I chose not to title this article “The Dumbest People in America.” But how else do you describe a state that has 25 percent of its budget going to pay government employee pensions and its voters who continue electing the same people who won’t do a thing about it? And “[u]nder Fitch’s calculations, Illinois’ net pension liabilities totaled $151.5 billion at the end of fiscal year 2016.” Please know that other sources calculate that number as substantially higher.

The Wall Street Journal recently featured a related article titled “Illinois Drives People Away: The taxpayer migration continues from the Land of Ever Higher Taxes.”

Makes you proud, doesn’t it?

From the Journal article:

The Prairie State lost a record $4.75 billion in adjusted gross income to other states in the 2015 tax year, according to recently IRS released data. That’s up from $3.4 billion in the prior year. Many of the migrants were retirees who often flock to balmier climes. But millennials accounted for more than a third of the net outflow in tax returns.

. . .

Too much for us to distill in one editorial, but suffice to say that exorbitant property and business taxes have retarded economic growth. Illinois’s corporate tax rate is 9.5%, and pass-through business owners pay 6.45%. Though Illinois’s flat 4.95% income tax rate is relatively low compared to its neighbors, Democrats have found other ways to clobber their citizens.

You can let your eyes glaze over at these numbers if you want, but understand that you will be paying more every year if you do.

To paraphrase one radio talk show philosopher — we should all be able to tie half of our brain behind our back and still realize something is amiss.

This helps explain why Illinois’s economy has been stagnant, growing a meager 0.9% on an inflation-adjusted annual basis since 2012—the slowest in the Great Lakes and half as fast as the U.S. overall. This year nearly 100,000 individuals have left the Illinois labor force. The University of Illinois Flash Economic Index, which measures corporate earnings and investment as well as personal income, hit a five-year low in October.

Merry Christmas! Feeling poor yet? Well, at least we know our retired government employees will be enjoying the holidays.

In a recent op ed, Illinois policy experts Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner put it rather simply when referring to what Illinois politicians are increasingly good at: “they offer government worker retirement benefits that are no longer affordable to the residents that pay for them.”

Illinois News Network recently quoted State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods:

Whether it’s through their property taxes or because of the recent income tax increase, they just can’t afford to [stay here].… This day of reckoning is fast approaching us. I don’t think we want to wait until the absolute last minute to try and do everything we can to really right the ship.

Allow me to define reckoning: It is time to stop talking about “reforming” the government employee pension systems in Illinois. You cannot reform what is purposefully corrupt and completely insolvent.

The Illinois Constitution’s line prohibiting the lowering of government employee benefits should be ignored if it’s not repealed. No clause in a constitution can make this math work. The systems should be cut off from the taxpayers and sent into bankruptcy.

Any candidate suggesting that the pension systems can be reformed is not telling you the truth.

Happy New Year!

End-of-Year Challenge

As you may know, IFI has a year-end matching challenge to raise $160,000. That’s right, a great group of IFI supporters are colluding with us to provide an $80,000 matching challenge to help support IFI’s ongoing work to educate, motivate and activate Illinois’ Christian community.

Please consider helping us reach this goal!  Your donation will help us stand strong in 2018!  To make a credit card donation over the phone, please call the IFI office at (708) 781-9328.  You can also send a gift to:

Illinois Family Institute
P.O. Box 876
Tinley Park, Illinois 60477

The Illinois State House was back in session during the afternoon of July 6th to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a 32 percent permanent tax hike on Illinois families (SB 9). This tax grab also raises the corporate income tax rate by 33 percent. As anticipated, the House voted to override the veto this afternoon by a vote of 71-42 — with 61 Democrats and 10 Republicans voting in favor of increasing our taxes.

To see how your state representative voted, please click HERE. To see how your state senator voted, please click HERE.

Much has been written for many years now about how Illinois is being mismanaged. The votes to override common sense is only the latest chapter in that mismanagement.

Some panicked Republicans, fearful of a credit downgrade, decided to join in with Democrats to increase the tax burden on those who haven’t yet moved to other states. As the Illinois Policy Institute’s Michael Lucci reports, however, tax increases won’t help:

Moody’s Investors Service issued a statement July 5 explaining that Illinois is in a deep debt crisis, which the tax hike passed by the General Assembly won’t resolve. Moody’s is reviewing Illinois’ debt and might downgrade the state’s credit to “junk” status even if lawmakers override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the tax hike and budget proposal and they become law. That’s because the tax increase and budget proposal passed by the legislature don’t tackle the state’s core problems; they merely address the symptoms.

In other words, the General Assembly is putting a tax hike Band-Aid on a gaping financial wound. And that Band-Aid is paid for by raising taxes by $1,100 on the average Illinois household.

No one I know is expecting Illinois Democrats to reform their ways. The Leftists that run their party have no understanding of economics and answer completely to tax-eating interest groups. When 25 percent of the state budget is going to pay pension costs, well, not much more needs to be said.

Twenty-five percent!

A few Republicans have shown leadership. Rep. David McSweeney (Cary) has been outspoken for two years about the no-state-budget crisis. He has never wavered in his stance against tax increases. State Senators Kyle McCarter (Vandalia) and Dan McConchie (Lake Zurich) showed much-needed life by offering a no-tax-increase budget a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately, none of those millions of dollars that are sitting in Governor Bruce Rauner’s campaign account were spent selling that budget to the people of Illinois. Instead, ads were run about masking tape and House Speaker Mike Madigan. Neither message resonated, and no progress has been made moving public opinion.

So, the Democrats do not understand economics, and Republicans do not understand how to fight and win the information war.

Again, here is Michael Lucci:

The problem is that Illinois has unsustainable debts and not enough economic growth to expand the tax base. House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have shepherded a tax hike plan that raises taxes but does nothing to rein in the cost drivers — such as pensions and unaffordable government worker compensation and benefits — that have saddled Illinois with so much debt. And the new tax hike will further hamper economic growth by driving still more people — and taxable income — out of the state, and reducing economic activity.

The legislative Democrats’ tax proposal only prolongs Illinois’ unsustainable spending while putting off the day of reckoning with the debt. In Moody’s words:

“So far, the plan appears to lack concrete measures that will materially improve Illinois’ long-term capacity to address its unfunded pension liabilities.”

Unsustainable debts. Not enough economic growth. Unaffordable government worker compensation, benefits, and pensions. Unsustainable spending.

It is not a complicated situation.

The elections next year will be a contest to see which side can more successfully blame the other for this decades-in-the-making disaster. It won’t be surprising if many people add that to their list of reasons why they should leave Illinois. Who wants to hear grown men and women spending tens of millions of dollars explaining how the other party is at fault?

The money would be better spent explaining how we get out of this mess. It is not complicated. Tens of millions of dollars of effective advertising could win the kind of support needed for serious reform.

Effective advertising would leave out the words “masking tape” and the name “Mike Madigan.”

How Did They Vote?

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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 is the solution to the problem they created, instead of living within our means (which is $32+ billion annually).

SB 9 now moves on to the Illinois House.

Yet State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) recently gave a Facebook Live video presentation about the state budget that showed exactly how simple the problem is, as well as how simple the solution is.

The temptation for many is to make this matter of elementary math — addition and subtraction — resemble the complex study of particle physics. Actually, one of the best parallels used to explain the state budget is to compare it to a family budget. If you continue to spend more than you take in you are in for trouble.

As Sen. McConchie points out early on in his presentation, Illinois has set a new U.S. record by not having a state budget for 23 months. While 90 percent of the spending is still happening, the rate of spending is unchecked to the point where the state is falling further into debt at the rate of $15 million dollars a day.

Here’s a simple question: how can 118 state representatives, 59 state senators, a governor and his administration still continue to spend more than we can afford — to the tune of $15 million dollars a day?

According to Sen. McConchie, expected revenues for the fiscal year will be about $32 billion dollars, while expected expenditures will be about $38 billion. Basic math applied: that means the debt burden carried by Illinois families will increase by $6 billion dollars in just one year.

If that isn’t enough, our elected leaders have managed to accumulate $14.3 billion dollars in unpaid bills according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

For those interested in an overview of revenues and spending, Sen. McConchie used a few charts to lay out the details.

As you can see here, 51% of state revenues come via the income tax, 22% sales taxes, 12% Medicaid match by the federal government, and then a mix of other sources such as utility and cigarette taxes.

Sen. McConchie then showed where the money is being spent: 29% health care and family services, Medicaid, etc., 27% K-12 schools, 12% Department of Human Services, 8% higher ed, 5% Department of Corrections, and the other 19% is spread around other state agencies.

Sen. McConchie explained that negotiations continue in Springfield, but unfortunately they began with a discussion about raising taxes, not cutting spending. Sen. McConchie noted that the budget proposal presented by him and Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) focused on showing how the state could live within its means by cutting spending. Their “Taxpayers Bargain” budget does not contain any tax increases.

Also on the table is a massive expansion of gambling, which the Illinois Family Institute has shown to be a boondoggle every time it takes place.

Sen. McConchie did say that there are some good things happening, such as local government consolidation, procurement reform, and workers compensation reform.

Again, it is simple, just like basic math. The problem is a lack of leadership and courage to take on what is, at its core, a political problem:

The forces arrayed in support of spending are organized and well-funded and as a result, they practically own (through campaign contributions) most members of the General Assembly. Illinoisans calling for spending cuts are out-gunned despite the fact that they are not outnumbered. There are far more families and businesses suffering under an already heavy tax burden than there are beneficiaries of tax dollars.

That is also simple math: Illinois is losing population and businesses to other states because of its high tax burden.

Therefore, solving that political problem mentioned above is merely a matter of educating and activating enough of the taxpayers so their voices are heard above the din of the tax-eaters.

Bruce Rauner, who began campaigning for governor in 2013, has had four years to use his considerable wealth to do just that: educate and activate. His failure to do so is easily explained through the old but true statement: you can’t solve a problem with the same people who helped create it. Until Governor Rauner stops listening to the wrong people and starts listening to the right people, don’t expect to see any change. For the next year and a half we’ll just see the equivalent of more duct tape commercials paid for by a guy who likes to wear a gimmicky shirt as U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has done for years.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to tell your state senator and representative to stop expanding Illinois government “revenues” on the backs of hard working citizens and families.  Instead of raising taxes, Illinois leaders must cut wasteful spending and roll back the regulations and taxes that stand in the way of real, long term growth.

Ask your state lawmakers to vote against any legislative proposal that would increase any tax burden for Illinois citizens.

The Illinois Family Institute applauds Illinois Senator Dan McConchie’s work to help inform Illinoisans about the fundamentals of our state budget crisis.

We’ll close with a third graph from Sen. McConchie showing that Illinois’ spending problems are nothing new. As bad as this looks, it gets even worse. The above numbers don’t include the pension liabilities created by government employee unions through excessively generous and unrealistic employee contracts. That, too, is a simple problem that can be fixed. But not without leadership and courage.

Here is Senator McConchie’s Video Update:

Making Illinois a place where people want to do business and can afford to raise a family will do more for the bottom line than increasing the tax burden on Illinois citizens.

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Editor’s note: Since the op ed below was first drafted, the authors have introduced their proposal in a series of bills to be considered by the state senate.

By State Sens. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) and Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods)

For two years, a political paralysis has had a grip on Illinois government. For two years, we have operated the state without a regular budget – the longest in American history. Unfortunately, even though we don’t have a budget, the spending spree continues unabated. With no controls, spending is out-of-control. The state is on pace to spend 38 billion in the current fiscal year when we expect to collect $32 billion in revenue.

The budget proposals offered over the last two years have either been wildly out of balance or raised taxes first while doing little to restrain the growth of government. Tax and spend solutions have never worked for the long-term fiscal health of our state, nor contributed to sustainable economic growth and job creation.

The “Taxpayer Bargain” budget plan we unveiled April 4 will end the failure of what passes as ‘business as usual’ in Springfield, because it will begin to put our fiscal house back in order. It took years of mismanagement to get into this crisis and it will take years to get out of it. We must begin now. We are approaching an insurmountable debt crisis, but there is hope if we act in a fiscally responsible manner from this point forward. Under the “Taxpayer Bargain” budget, for the first time in many years, Illinois will have a complete and constitutional budget, meaning spending is limited to the actual revenue collected. It requires reforms that make government more efficient and accountable, and creates guidelines to reduce the waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars. It does this with no tax increase and no new taxes.

The plan is very strong medicine for a very sick state. It forces the Legislature to make tough decisions between needs and wants. The “Taxpayer Bargain” requires lower spending, with 10% across-the-board cuts at state agencies and departments. It simply asks for a dime of savings for every dollar spent. Recognizing that there are priorities, primary and secondary education is protected, as is Medicaid for the most vulnerable, and pension payment obligations. The plan includes a hard, enforceable cap on spending. Part of the fiscal management under the “Taxpayer Bargain” includes borrowing $7 billion to begin to pay off old bills so we can eliminate $500 million in late payments and fees. Paying back the bonds (borrowed money) will be tied to the spending cap. If the Legislature ignores the cap and returns to their overspending abuses of the past, they lose their salary for that fiscal year. On the other hand, any revenue collected that comes in above the cap, will go directly to priorities: Education – 25%; Capital construction (roads and bridges) – 25%; Pension debt payments – 10% and Paying off old bills – 40%.

A lot of input from both Republican and Democrat legislators was included in the “Taxpayer Bargain.” It also includes pending legislation sponsored by members of both parties. It is a compromise between political differences, but does not compromise or sellout common sense principles that Illinois government must live within its means just like Illinois families and businesses. If Illinois families can’t afford to overspend year after year then state government can’t afford it either. We know that making these cuts will be difficult and painful, but in order to restore Illinois’ fiscal health for today and for future generations we must act. The “Taxpayer Bargain” is the only budget proposal without punishing tax increases.

We’ve been asked, “Why make this effort when your plan won’t have a chance of passing, especially in the House.” The answer is simple: We are obligated, as elected members of the General Assembly, to do what’s right, regardless of the political probabilities.

Remember the results the last time taxes were raised without reforms: People fled the state, prosperity and opportunity were diminished as jobs were lost and businesses closed or moved away. There is another way. Intrigued? We created a website www.taxpayerbargain.com where we are continually adding details of the “Taxpayer Bargain.” Our challenge is to save our state. The “Taxpayer Bargain” is how to do it without asking for one more dime from you.

TAKE ACTION

Click Here to contact your state senator and representative and ask them to support and co-sponsor the 15 bills that are needed to deliver a no-tax-increase-balanced-budget to the governor.

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A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to talk with former state Senator Steve Rauschenberger, an old friend and former boss. When I first met him during his first campaign back in 1992, the political operative I was with made a prediction to me after the meeting: Steve is not going to play along — he’s going to be a problem for the GOP establishment. And he was.

Along with four other senators elected the same year, Steve became part of what was called the “Fab Five”: Peter Fitzgerald, Chris Lauzen, Pat O’Malley, and Dave Syverson. Only Syverson remains in the Illinois Senate today. The group was outspoken and critical of both parties when it came to important policies.

Then Senate President James “Pate” Philip made Steve chairman of the senate’s Appropriation Committee, and Rauschenberger became a respected expert on the budget. In addition, Steve excelled in an understanding of electric deregulation, telecom legislation, and the state’s health care industry. You don’t get that deep into technical issues such as those without ability and commitment.

In the senate Rauschenberger was a critic of both Governors Jim Edgar and George Ryan, but once Rod Blagojevich took office, Edgar and Ryan looked a whole lot better by comparison. Under Blagojevich, Steve explained, any commitments to restraints were tossed out and mismanagement took hold and both spending and debt skyrocketed.

Curious to hear what Steve had to say about the state budget drama today, I called him. Sure enough, he summed up the state of the state nicely.

When it comes to spending money, he explained, the state is like a raging drug addict that is incapable of dealing with his addiction. Increasing the supply of drugs is as foolhardy as giving the state more money. That addict needs to be committed to a clinic where he can get treatment and break his addiction.

When it comes to state spending, there are three places you’re going to have to look: Medicaid, education, and pensions. On the phone, Steve said there were four areas — he divided up K-12 and higher ed.

When I told him I figured Medicaid was going to be tough to get money from as we transition out of Obamacare, he disagreed. Medicaid payments to hospitals are too high in Illinois, Steve explained, and then he confirmed another one of my recent comments to friends regarding hospital construction. The Rush-Copley near me recently put on a new lobby and facade. Not long ago I learned that some of the floors of a hospital in DuPage County were being laid with marble from Asia. I was correct that the hospital business was thriving, but wrong about Medicaid — it indeed can be cut according to Rauchenbeger.

Eventually the pensions are going to have to be cut off from the state budget, Steve said, as there is no legal requirement for taxpayers to keep funding the system. The proliferation of six-figure pensions for retired state employees is (and these are my words) legalized theft.

As for the K-12 and the state colleges and universities, there has been little discipline when it comes to spending for many decades. It’s for the kids, don’t you know, and uh, the young adults attending college.

On the topic of the budgetary standoff between Governor Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Mike Madigan, Steve then compared the state’s budget to a machine. Government programs operate like an engine, and when there is something wrong with the engine, just adding more fuel (through tax increases) solves nothing.

You have to fix the engine to balance the budget. In some policy areas the only adjustment needed will be the turning of a few dials. In other areas, a tune-up. Still others, a complete overall is absolutely required. Unfortunately, he said, right now there seems to be little interest in addressing the fundamentals.

When Illinois Senators Kyle McCarter (R-Vandalia) and Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) introduced their “Taxpayer Bargain” budget proposal a few weeks ago they described it as strong medicine for a very sick state.

After talking with Steve Rauschenberger, it looks like major surgery will be required along with that strong medicine.

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There is little doubt that many Illinois citizens tune out their state’s political and governmental news because like any soap opera, the characters may change, but the basic drama remains the same. The plot hasn’t advanced much since Governor Bruce Rauner took office, so it’s easy to doze off when the news reports come on the radio.

The main soap opera in Illinois during the past few years has revolved around our lack of a state budget. Things were bad even with a budget, now without one they’re getting worse.

The Illinois governor is charged with a big task. The state’s constitution says that he “shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly … a State budget for the ensuing fiscal year” where the “[p]roposed expenditures shall not exceed funds estimated to be available for the fiscal year as shown in the budget.” In other words, a balanced budget. Rauner claims he has introduced a balanced budget, but experts readily admit the math proves him wrong.

Rauner isn’t the first guy to fail in this duty. We haven’t seen an Illinois governor introduce a balanced budget for a very long time — but at least they proposed a budget. That said, none of the previous governors ran on a platform of getting serious about cleaning up Illinois’ financial mess. Rauner did. We continue to hear about the “turn around agenda,” but evidently that turn around doesn’t begin with a balanced budget proposal.

There actually is good news out there among all the bad. Really, there is. Two no-tax-increase budgets have been introduced during this General Assembly session. The first was produced by the Illinois Policy Institute and announced in February. The details of it — and there are many — can be found by visiting their website.

The other no-tax-increase budget was recently introduced by state Senators Kyle McCarter (R-Vandalia) and Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich). So even though our Republican governor didn’t offer a balanced budget, at least two other elected Republicans have.

Senators McCarter and McConchie are calling their proposal a “Taxpayer Bargain.” No doubt the name is in answer to what has been called the “grand bargain” that has made headlines for months. Grand indeed, except for taxpayers, since tax increases are included.

Instead of a tax increase, the Taxpayer Bargain proposal calls for cuts in the state budget. Cuts are the key. As simple as that is, and as basic it is to any business or household, expenditures cannot exceed revenues for long. So regardless of all the cries from tax dollar eating bureaucracies, interest groups, and their allies in the media and the Democratic Party, cuts are not an option.

In fact, with the over-spending that has been going on at the state level for decades, to get to a genuinely balanced budget is not an easy task. It is going to take courage — and as important — a plan to market the proposal across the state.

State Senators Kyle McCarter and Dan McConchie’s are showing courage — and as result, a sign of life in the GOP senate caucus. Their budget, McCarter says, is “strong medicine for a very sick state.”

Listening to a politician talk is typically something people seek to avoid — but I would encourage readers to watch all or at least parts of the series of Facebook videos produced by Sen. McCarter. One by one he is goes through all the sections of the Taxpayer Bargain. And while he discusses some details that are deep in the weeds, over-all it is a good over-view for budget laymen to be introduced to the topic.

In those videos, Sen. McCarter is having a conversation with Illinois taxpayers — one that Rauner and the rest of the Republicans in the General Assembly should’ve started a very long time ago.

So why doesn’t Rauner just adopt the McCarter/McConchie or the IPI budget? Your guess is as good as mine. With a Democrat controlled legislature it probably is a good idea to start negotiations with what is close to an ideal budget. With the mess that this state is in, close to ideal means no tax increases. High taxes have been driving out businesses and taxpayers — and one of the more depressing news items of late is that Illinois tax revenues are actually down so far this year. So if things aren’t bad enough…it’s past time for this soap opera to be cancelled.

Here is the title and headings (as bullet points) provided in a press release announcing the budget plan — note the unique concept of “Taxpayer respect”:

“TAXPAYER BARGAIN” UNIQUE STATE BUDGET PLAN
Balanced, Spending restraint, Taxpayer respect

• Balanced Budget
• Cuts
• Requires Fiscal Responsibility
• Modernizes Illinois’ Public Pension Systems
• Medicaid Reforms
• Reforming How Illinois Does Business
• Creating a Stable, Predictable Environment to Attract Job Creators to Illinois

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Written by David E. Smith and Laurie Higgins

Despite a full-court press by IFI and many Illinois pro-life groups–including dozens of pregnancy resource centers (PRCs)–Governor Bruce Rauner chose to sign legislation (late Friday afternoon) that will result in our state government requiring pro-life medical professionals to refer patients for medical procedures/services they find morally objectionable such as abortion, sterilization and certain end-of-life care protocols.

This is not the result for which so many hoped and prayed.

Nonetheless, IFI wants to thank all those who took time to call or email the governor to ask him to veto SB 1564.

IFI also wants to acknowledge and thank those handful of pro-life state lawmakers who recently met with Rauner in an attempt to persuade him to reject this proposal.  IFI is deeply grateful for those who took time to plead the pro-life, pro-conscience position with Rauner.

Despite the fact that not one Republican voted for the final version of SB 1564, Rauner decided to side with the Democrats in approving its final passage.

Thankfully, we have a system of checks and balances.  IFI has been informed that a lawsuit is being planned to challenge this onerous and tyrannical new law.  So now we must now shift our focus to praying for the Thomas More Society in their effort to overturn this unconscionable law in court.

This legislative travesty accentuates the need for Christians to be involved in the political process and engaged in the public square.  No American should ever be required by the government to do or say something that violates their deeply held beliefs.

It is because so many Christians have abdicated their civic responsibilities with regard to self-government (also known as “politics”) that we are seeing tyranny rise and religious liberty erode. Unless and until conservatives cease being one- or two-issue voters (e.g., focusing almost solely on the economy and defense), secular humanists, cultural Christians, and libertarians will continue their perversion of the legislative process.

Unless and until social conservatives exercise their power while they still have any, there will remain no party to defend social conservatism, including issues related to life, marriage, properly ordered sexuality, physical privacy, religious liberty, and conscience rights. Unless social conservatives reject those who reject social conservatism, the already-present hostility to social conservatives and rejection of social conservatism will intensify.

Instead of throwing in the towel in response to the traitorous outrage perpetrated by Rauner–who has demonstrated his willingness to thwart the will of Democrats with regard to the budget bill–IFI wants to challenge conservatives to double down instead.  We desperately need more–many more–pro-life/pro-family/pro-children’s rights men and women in Springfield.

As we head into fall, the November election looms large. Don’t disengage! Find a local candidate you can get behind, and volunteer and/or financially support him or her. Support those candidates who demonstrate an unequivocal and unashamed commitment to the social issues, which are essential to the continued flourishing of America.

In addition, consider volunteering and/or financially supporting a local pregnancy resource center, starting a pro-life/pro-family committee at your church, and attending IFI events and forums.

And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
~Galatians 6:9~

The regular session of the Illinois General Assembly ended on May 31st,  but with lawmakers at an impasse over the state budget, they could be meeting in overtime sessions well into the summer.  Along with debate over a spending plan, workman’s compensation and the public sector pension crisis will keep lawmakers busy in  Springfield for at least several more weeks. According IFI  sources, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) has told  state representatives that the Illinois House will be meeting every Tuesday throughout the month of June, and even into July.

Lawmakers could use their extra time in the State Capitol to address other issues as well.That includes SB 1564, which would require doctors, nurses and pharmacists to distribute referrals to patients who are seeking objectionable medical services such as abortion, sterilization, and certain end-of-life care.

In the video below, Dr. Lainna Callentine, a physician, instructor, writer, speaker, and pediatrician at Bolingbrook Christian Health Center, speaks out against SB 1564 on behalf of the Christian Medical and Dental Association.  IFI also interviewed Dan McConchie, Vice President of Government Affairs for Americans United for Life, who warns that passing this legislation into law would be handing proponents of abortion a tool to dramatically change how crisis pregnancy centers operate.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email or a fax to your state representative. Ask him/her to uphold Rights of Conscience for medical professionals and vote NO on SB 1564.

Please also call your state representative during normal business hours to politely ask them to uphold the rights of conscience for medical personnel.  The Capitol switchboard number is (217) 782-2000.

Click HERE TO SUPPORT Illinois Family Institute.