Rauner and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Governor Bruce Rauner's inaugural re-election bid ad sure is a Duesey. No, it's not the usual reference to a Deusenberg Motor Car but to the Harley Davidson Motorcycle bearing our bizarre governor. For Rauner it's all image, no substance. When you don't a record to run on you hop on your Harley and pretend to be Gary Cooper's Will Kane riding alone against villain Mike Madigan's Frank Miller. From Rauner's wind screen its simply an endless battle against corrupt, career politicians destroying Illinois to be smited by our leather clad gladiator on two wheels. Missing from the ad is any semblance of truth, which if told, would have Rauner riding into the sunset to one of his fabulous ranches in Wyoming or Montana. If there were substance Rauner would have to compare the 146,000 jobs added in the last two years of the Quinn administration to just 120,000 in Rauner's two and a half years. Worse: just 42,000 of those jobs were added in the last year and a half, when the effects of his unprecedented and unconscionable budget stalemate kicked in. Rauner claims to be saving Illinois education but fails to mention his budget shenanigans caused 1,500 higher education layoffs, sending many of Illinois' best students out of state. And not a word on the uncountable thousands of the poor deprived of critical social services because Rauner caused their life saving agencies to cut back...or simply cut out.

If you happen to encounter Biker Bruce riding thru your town offering bonhomie and seeking votes, just pipe up over that peace shattering rumble engineered to annoy anyone not riding, "Nothing of interest here Governor, ride on."

Run Jeanne, Run

Current IL state Rep Jeanne Ives (R-42) of Wheaton is considering challenging Governor Bruce Rauner in the March 20 Primary. Ives is leading the ultraconservative charge against Rauner who Ives claims is betraying her constituency. How? He signed the 'Motor Voter Bill' which makes it easier for ordinary folks to get registered and vote, precisely those Ives wants to stay home so the affluent and conservative can run the state. Representing Illinois' Xenophobic wing, Ives takes umbrage with Rauner's efforts to prevent undocumented immigrants from being detained based solely on their legal status. As a virulent denier of transgenders being first class citizens, Ives recoils at Rauner making it easier for transgenders to change the sex on their birth certificate. And don't dare mention transgender kids actually using the bathroom of their choice in school. But the Rauner move that ignited Ives' possible challenge was his signing SB 40 which provides reproductive health and freedom for poor women; something the affluent Ives and her base enjoy without a care in the world. Ives' mantra: 'Want reproductive health? Become wealthy.'

One downside for Ives of a possible Rauner run: she'd have to drop her re-election bid in House District 42. But for open minded, progressive folks in the 42nd, that's a opportunity to elect a representative willing to serve all the people. Run Jeanne, run.

Yemen In the Time of Cholera, Part II

Three months ago in 'Yemen in the Time of Cholera' I reflected on America's enabling of Saudi Arabia's criminal war against neighboring Yemen with these closing words: "Since we all pay the fare to destroy a nation Saudi Arabia demands us to, take a moment to reflect on the damage our collective silence on America's criminal military ventures inflicts on mankind." I pointed out that the Saudis' bombing of Yemen infrastructure and blockading of its ports has both created a cholera epidemic and prevented aid from reaching the sufferers whose numbers reached a half million. We now know the cholera epidemic has reached 850,000 and according to the Red Cross will pass a million by year end, but cautions that's a conservative estimate. That represents 1 of every 29 Yemenese.

But unlike 3 months ago there is a glimmer of hope. Tho it will never appear, or be buried below Hell in the media, there's a congressional effort to end US involvement in the ongoing Saudi, Yemen war. Last month Ro Khanna, Democrat from California, introduced House Consent Resolution 81 which "Directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen, except those engaged in operations directed at Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, within 30 days after adoption of this concurrent resolution, unless the President requests and Congress authorizes a later date, and unless and until a declaration of war or specific authorization for the use of U.S. Armed Forces has been enacted." In plain English, Khanna's initiative requires the US to get out of Yemen unless Congress declares war or passes a specific AUMF (Authrorization for Use of Military Force) to help the Saudis destroy Yemen. Since neither will ever happen, Khanna's resolution, if passed, will end US involvement within 30 days. The vote is a week from Thursday, November 2. Three months on do more than reflect. Call your congressperson demanding a vote to end Uncle Sam's inhumanity to his fellow man.  

Is Roskam thrilled 3.5 million have lost health care under Trump?

My congressman Peter Roskam (R IL 6) has spent the last 9 years working furiously to deny people in need health insurance. Preventing, defunding, overturning the Affordable Health Care Act of 2013 has been his signature issue as 6th District congressman. He blared his opposition from the House floor, Fox News, constituent emails, his website; indeed at every chance and venue possible. Till this January all he could do is rail against it without actually getting desperate folks tossed off the insurance rolls.

Alas, his promotion of his self described 'wild card' Trump to the presidency is finally bearing fruit...I'm mean casualties. The nine months of governing mendacity Roskam supports has resulted in 3.5 million folks losing health care this year, a drop of 1.4% of the health insured population. Does Roskam, in the deepest recesses of his soul, possibly ponder how many of them will go bankrupt paying for critical medical care; how many will suffer degraded health; or even how many will simply die? Or does the congressman read the statistics, smile, and say softly, 'Now, that's progress.'