McHenry County Blog

This is the final installment of pictures of Republican notables I took a week ago in Decatur at the Illinois Republican Convention.

Somehow I missed House Minority Leader Tom Cross on the way down the line. When I went back, I took this shot and asked him what he thought of my idea to use the RTA sales tax for roads and county-imposed Motor Fuel Tax to match Federal highway funds. He told me that Tryon had told him it was my idea and that he thought it was a good one.

Also on hand was political consultant Dan Curry. He writes the blog “Reverse Spin.”

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett was in line waiting to be introduced when I asked for this smiley face.

14th district Republican congressional candidate Jim Oberweis was spotted talking to McLean County Republican Chairman John Parrot.

Chicago’s only Republican State Representative, Mike McAuliffe, was kind enough to pose for this shot. He says I can’t write anything bad about him if I use it.

I also found State Rep. Chapin Rose, who represents the Charleston-Mattoon area, out in the hall.

So, who else did I take a picture of?

Oh, yes.

My Illinois Review Editor Fran Eaton. Here’s her picture. I took it as we were about to walk into the stultifying heat of Decatur on Saturday afternoon.

And who did I miss taking a picture of?

I saw and shook hands with State Senator Chris Lauzen shortly after registering. I wasn’t into photo mode yet.

Then I saw Dan Duffy, who is running for state senate to replace retiring Bill Peterson. Duffy did a good job distributing buttons and since getting home, I have seen two of his bumper stickers in the Knox Park parking lot.

As we were leaving the dinner place after getting an autographed book from fellow Illinois Review contributor Eric Wallace, I ran into former State Rep. Bob Churchill.

Among others who didn’t get a flash in their face was John Curry, 32nd Ward Committeeman. In the 1970′s, Curry compiled how much spending each legislator supported with his or her vote for the Illinois Conservative Union. I was on the low end, as you might imagine.

Jack Roeser, who founded the Family Taxpayers Network, and I talked after the impressive speech of State Rep. Aaron Shock, candidate for congress to replace Ray LaHood. Earlier I saw FTN’s chief honcho John Biver.

State Rep. Ron Wait and I talked briefly. You can see him with his name on the back of his tee shirt above behind McHenry County’s convention delegates.

I am sure there were other notables I saw and didn’t mention. My apologies.

One final addition. What I assume from the General Assembly license plate 105 and bumper sticker is State Rep. Randy Ramey’s car passed us on Interstate 39 about the time we were hearing about the tornadoes crossing Route 55. I don’t know whether that qualifies him for this article or not.

All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

This is the final installment of pictures of Republican notables I took a week ago in Decatur at the Illinois Republican Convention.

Somehow I missed House Minority Leader Tom Cross on the way down the line. When I went back, I took this shot and asked him what he thought of my idea to use the RTA sales tax for roads and county-imposed Motor Fuel Tax to match Federal highway funds. He told me that Tryon had told him it was my idea and that he thought it was a good one.

Also on hand was political consultant Dan Curry. He writes the blog “Reverse Spin.”

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett was in line waiting to be introduced when I asked for this smiley face.

14th district Republican congressional candidate Jim Oberweis was spotted talking to McLean County Republican Chairman John Parrot.

Chicago’s only Republican State Representative, Mike McAuliffe, was kind enough to pose for this shot. He says I can’t write anything bad about him if I use it.

I also found State Rep. Chapin Rose, who represents the Charleston-Mattoon area, out in the hall.

So, who else did I take a picture of?

Oh, yes.

My Illinois Review Editor Fran Eaton. Here’s her picture. I took it as we were about to walk into the stultifying heat of Decatur on Saturday afternoon.

And who did I miss taking a picture of?

I saw and shook hands with State Senator Chris Lauzen shortly after registering. I wasn’t into photo mode yet.

Then I saw Dan Duffy, who is running for state senate to replace retiring Bill Peterson. Duffy did a good job distributing buttons and since getting home, I have seen two of his bumper stickers in the Knox Park parking lot.

As we were leaving the dinner place after getting an autographed book from fellow Illinois Review contributor Eric Wallace, I ran into former State Rep. Bob Churchill.

Among others who didn’t get a flash in their face was John Curry, 32nd Ward Committeeman. In the 1970′s, Curry compiled how much spending each legislator supported with his or her vote for the Illinois Conservative Union. I was on the low end, as you might imagine.

Jack Roeser, who founded the Family Taxpayers Network, and I talked after the impressive speech of State Rep. Aaron Shock, candidate for congress to replace Ray LaHood. Earlier I saw FTN’s chief honcho John Biver.

State Rep. Ron Wait and I talked briefly. You can see him with his name on the back of his tee shirt above behind McHenry County’s convention delegates.

I am sure there were other notables I saw and didn’t mention. My apologies.

One final addition. What I assume from the General Assembly license plate 105 and bumper sticker is State Rep. Randy Ramey’s car passed us on Interstate 39 about the time we were hearing about the tornadoes crossing Route 55. I don’t know whether that qualifies him for this article or not.

All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

Well before the tornadoes hit Livingston, Will and southern Cook County Saturday, State Rep. Chapin Rose was on the way home from the Illinois Republican State Convention, which was held in Decatur.

He told me that he was afraid a levy would break and flood the sewage treatment plant of one of his towns.

Well before the tornadoes hit Livingston, Will and southern Cook County Saturday, State Rep. Chapin Rose was on the way home from the Illinois Republican State Convention, which was held in Decatur.

He told me that he was afraid a levy would break and flood the sewage treatment plant of one of his towns.

One of the first articles on McHenry County Blog was

It went up on October 24, 2005.

At a town meeting conducted by State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon in Lake in the Hills on October 24, 2005, the question came up and impressed the Northwest Herald reporter and editor enough that it ended up on the front page of the paper.

As far as I can figure out, the NW Herald was the only in the state to alert people in a big way as to what was coming down.

State Senator Chris Lauzen was the first politician to send out a press release on the subject. I ran it on October 27, 2007.

As Lauzen put it,

“So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive as taxpayers subsidize universal medical insurance for their kids.”

Maybe it should be state policy that Illinois taxpayers pay for health care for children brought here illegally.

But, if so, I strongly believe that should have been vibrantly debated by the Illinois General Assembly.

If such a debate took place, it was not reported in any major Illinois newspaper.

In early December, Elgin’s Daily Courier-News wrote the only editorial opposing the plan. The title was

Here’s part:

“Blagojevich’s All Kids program is…the greatest financial and social blunder in the history of the state…

“The All Kids bill manages to fail on every conceivable legislative, moral, social and intellectual level…there is

• no wealth test…
• no residency requirement…
• no need for proof of citizenship…

“Hallelujah!

“Illinois has solved the world’s health care problems. This state has one of the largest illegal alien populations in the United States, a trend sure to accelerate if this becomes law…(two of five babies born in Kane County are to mothers who are illegally in this country…)”

How bad was the bill?

Here’s what Democratic Primary opponent Edwin Eisendrath said on December 20th “”The bill was shorter than the press release.”

By the end of January, the Daily Herald had figured out the illegal alien angle. It reported Ester Lopez, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Rod Blagojevich said,

“…the state provides in-state tuition and affordable health care to all immigrants.”

Better late than never, I guess.

Eleven months after my first article, my son’s pediatrician’s practice issued this notice about not accepting Kids Care anymore.

Guess the state was not paying its bills.

Another notice, this time on red paper, showed up at his doctor’s office in December.

On May 30th, Daily Herald reporter Nick Shields wrote a major article on All Kids.

Guess what.

Although “Illinois has enrolled thousands of undocumented immigrant children…officials don’t know how much taxpayers are spending on their care.”

Let’s see.

The question is being addressed only about two and a half years after the bill passed.

Blagojevich’s spokesman says they account for less than 4% of the total enrolled. About 56,000 kids, the Daily Herald was told.

But Blagojevich really doesn’t want to know.

If the figures were available someone like Roselle’s State Sen. Carole Pankau might raise a stink.

Good for her.

Also in the article is this quote from Mahomet Republican State Rep. Chapin Rose:

“We haven’t paid our nursing home bills in six months, yet we’re opening up an entitlement package to a whole class of individuals who aren’t citizens.”

Maybe forcing Illinois taxpayers to finance health care for the illegal alien kids living here is the right thing to do, as Blagojevich people assert. Morally wrong not to do it, in fact.

One thing is for sure.

Unlike Medicaid payments for citizens and legal aliens, those for illegal aliens cannot be submitted to the federal government for a 50% match.

That means Illinois taxpayers foot the entire bill.

And, Blagojevich’s bureaucrats won’t tell the cost.

One of the first articles on McHenry County Blog was

It went up on October 24, 2005.

At a town meeting conducted by State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon in Lake in the Hills on October 24, 2005, the question came up and impressed the Northwest Herald reporter and editor enough that it ended up on the front page of the paper.

As far as I can figure out, the NW Herald was the only in the state to alert people in a big way as to what was coming down.

State Senator Chris Lauzen was the first politician to send out a press release on the subject. I ran it on October 27, 2007.

As Lauzen put it,

“So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive as taxpayers subsidize universal medical insurance for their kids.”

Maybe it should be state policy that Illinois taxpayers pay for health care for children brought here illegally.

But, if so, I strongly believe that should have been vibrantly debated by the Illinois General Assembly.

If such a debate took place, it was not reported in any major Illinois newspaper.

In early December, Elgin’s Daily Courier-News wrote the only editorial opposing the plan. The title was

Here’s part:

“Blagojevich’s All Kids program is…the greatest financial and social blunder in the history of the state…

“The All Kids bill manages to fail on every conceivable legislative, moral, social and intellectual level…there is

• no wealth test…
• no residency requirement…
• no need for proof of citizenship…

“Hallelujah!

“Illinois has solved the world’s health care problems. This state has one of the largest illegal alien populations in the United States, a trend sure to accelerate if this becomes law…(two of five babies born in Kane County are to mothers who are illegally in this country…)”

How bad was the bill?

Here’s what Democratic Primary opponent Edwin Eisendrath said on December 20th “”The bill was shorter than the press release.”

By the end of January, the Daily Herald had figured out the illegal alien angle. It reported Ester Lopez, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Rod Blagojevich said,

“…the state provides in-state tuition and affordable health care to all immigrants.”

Better late than never, I guess.

Eleven months after my first article, my son’s pediatrician’s practice issued this notice about not accepting Kids Care anymore.

Guess the state was not paying its bills.

Another notice, this time on red paper, showed up at his doctor’s office in December.

On May 30th, Daily Herald reporter Nick Shields wrote a major article on All Kids.

Guess what.

Although “Illinois has enrolled thousands of undocumented immigrant children…officials don’t know how much taxpayers are spending on their care.”

Let’s see.

The question is being addressed only about two and a half years after the bill passed.

Blagojevich’s spokesman says they account for less than 4% of the total enrolled. About 56,000 kids, the Daily Herald was told.

But Blagojevich really doesn’t want to know.

If the figures were available someone like Roselle’s State Sen. Carole Pankau might raise a stink.

Good for her.

Also in the article is this quote from Mahomet Republican State Rep. Chapin Rose:

“We haven’t paid our nursing home bills in six months, yet we’re opening up an entitlement package to a whole class of individuals who aren’t citizens.”

Maybe forcing Illinois taxpayers to finance health care for the illegal alien kids living here is the right thing to do, as Blagojevich people assert. Morally wrong not to do it, in fact.

One thing is for sure.

Unlike Medicaid payments for citizens and legal aliens, those for illegal aliens cannot be submitted to the federal government for a 50% match.

That means Illinois taxpayers foot the entire bill.

And, Blagojevich’s bureaucrats won’t tell the cost.