Continuing his imitation of a Republican, Democrat Jack Franks held his fall fund raiser Saturday using the image of GOP President Teddy Roosevelt on his invitation.

Not Democrat FDR, but Republican TR.

Franks has perfected the technique of sounding like a Republican while

• pandering to the homosexual community, e.g., voting for civil unions,
• supporting the agenda of the most pro-abortion Political Action Committee in the nation, Personal PAC, in order to gain its endorsement in 2008 and 2010 (look at its questionnaire—county board version and note the specific impact on McHenry County–all questions must be answered to Personal PAC’s satisfaction to merit an endorsement), and
• opposing State Senator James Meeks’ proposal to improve the education of poor Chicago school kids that would have actually saved a couple hundred million dollars a year.

Franks talks a good game on taxes, having voted against the Democrats 67% income tax hike, and, just this last year, became a convert to concealed carry after a career of squeamishness om the issue.  In the veto session, he will tilt against the state’s non-Home Rule tax districts in an effort he says will keep property taxes from rising when assessed valuations are decreasing.

But he did not have the guts enough to buck the teachers’ unions in a bill that would have saved $240 million a year.

That was the Rev. and State Senator James Meek’s bill to provide a choice of schools to the parents of kids in the worst Chicago schools.  (Imagine a way that might improve poor kids’ education that everyone in McHenry County has known for longer than Franks has been alive was vastly inferior to what our own schools provide and a proposal that actually saved money.  Franks did not have the courage to vote for it and against the teacher union bosses!)

As we will see in the days to come, Franks is not only a favorite of union leaders, but has co-opted a number of Republicans, including McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren (originally applying as a Democrat to replace retiring Sheriff Art Tyrrell).

The co-option effort was so strong that former McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Bill LeFew has even attended a fund raiser and was induced to give a speech praising Franks.

Needless to say, there was no GOP opponent to Franks that year.

And, when State Rep. Mike Tryon replaced LeFew, the first year there was no opponent for Franks.

McHenry Grade School member John O’Neill was brave enough to take Franks on in 2010.

Republican Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager, who wants to succeed Franks as State Rep., if Franks runs for something else or is appointed Federal Judge, is on Franks’ host committee.

I’m one of those people who thinks every incumbent should have an opponent every year they run.  It makes them less likely to do dumb things if they are even a little bit nervous.

And, this year in Illinois Democrats ought to be nervous.

Illinois Democrats have hiked our income taxes 67%.

They would not have been able to do so if Mike Madigan had not be Speaker of the Illinois House.

Franks, of course, has voted for Mike Madigan for Speaker six times.  And, he won’t tell the press why.

Of particular interest to the tens of thousands of households with routes to work that include the tollway is the 88% increase toll taxes that will be forced on toll taxpayers on January 1st.  Dems could take the heat for that.

But, as the two message billboard that so enraged him last fall said,

Jack Represents Jack Franks

and

Franks Represents

• Lawyers,
• Labor and
• Lobbyists

Tomorrow McHenry County Blog will show you those who achieved the “Bull Moose” designation at Franks’ fund raiser.

If Franks had used the President on his web site, would those have been characterized as “Centers.”