Chicago Daily Observer

The Tribune is shocked, shocked that some realtors on the north shore are fighting back against the nanny-state mentality that is eroding our freedom as homeowners:

The wealthy North Shore has become ground zero for a well-funded Realtors group that has launched campaigns to fight everything from the creation of historic districts to sprinkler requirements for new homes.

Using techniques normally associated with well-heeled political campaigns, the North Shore-Barrington Association of Realtors (NSBAR) has launched Web sites, sent out slick mailings, placed automated telephone calls, conducted opinion polls and used other tools to rally support for the group’s position on issues loosely grouped under the umbrella of homeowners’ rights.

If the Trib reporter thinks the proponents of the nanny state aren’t slick or politically connected,Read More...

Tucked into the NY Times Magazine was this explosive profile of DNC Chairman Howard Dean’s left-hand—his chief of staff and CEO of the Dem convention, Leah Daughtry.

Appointed a year ago spring, right about when Barack Obama shunted the Rev. Jeremiah Wright off the stage for his Springfield campaign kickoff, Daughtry is a ticking time bomb. For she’s a Rev. in her spare time, and she espouses the same black liberation theology Obama finally repudiated a few months ago. Daniel Bergner, NY Times, “Can Leah Daughtry bring faith to the party?” A few excerpts, starting with her father’s ministry:

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Stanley Kurtz, NRO has another blockbuster report, (previously on the Rev. Wright) this time on Acorn and Barack Obama. For background on Acorn, Kurtz cites Sol Stern's 2003 piece in City Journal. They first drew my notice when they were harassing the University of Chicago hospitals. Kurtz explores in depth Barack Obama's community organizing experience with Acorn--read this as organizing demonstrations--useful stuff, huh--really improves people's lives. No, the actual work is left to others, who actually care for indigent sick people, for example. Probably good training for a political campaign, though. Note this is Obama's sole claim to experience for the presidency, other than his Read More...

What total junk. Fine if you want to put this on the OpEd page, but on the front page?!

Tribune “reporter” Naftali Bendavid, apparently based in DC, writes an Obama propaganda piece, “Obama courts Jewish vote as doubts persist”.

The doubts come from Obama’s own words and actions which continue to be reprehensible, but Bendavid joins the whining Barack chorus claiming it’s some kind of “far right” conspiracy by his use of sanitizing words and neglecting to mention salient facts. Obama fundraiser and professor friend Rashid Khalidi is described by Bendavid as a “Palestinian activist” when he in fact was a PR operative for the terrorist PLO.

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Back at Ms. Schakowsky’s town meeting a few months ago, when she was trolling for a few moderate votes to head off the Greenie challenge, I asked Ms. Schakowsky whether she was going to support the Colombian Free Trade Agreement. She said no, citing paramilitary actions against union members. (She said nothing about their actions against the FARC narco-terrorists.)

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Time to take stock of Barack Obama. He lost decisively in Pennsylvania despite outspending Hillary a whole lot. Yes, she was expected to take the state, but not as handily as she did. Obama moved on to Indiana and North Carolina for his next test. It's his to lose, but he's on the defensive, and why is that? Who is he anyway? And how many more surprises will come up between now and November? Already there are more than I can ever remember for a presidential candidate. With George W. there were the trumped-up charges on the National Guard and an October surprise low-speed drunk-driving charge in small ... Read More...

Taking Stock of Barack

Time to take stock of Barack Obama. He lost decisively in Pennsylvania despite outspending Hillary a whole lot. Yes, she was expected to take the state, but not as handily as she did. Obama moved on to Indiana and North Carolina for his next test. It’s his to lose, but he’s on the defensive, and why is that?

Who is he anyway? And how many more surprises will come up between now and November? Already there are more than I can ever remember for a presidential candidate. With George W. there were the trumped-up charges on the National Guard and an October surprise low-speed drunk-driving charge in small town Maine. They used to be policy shifts, then secret plan conspiracy theories, then congressional witch hunts criminalizing policy, lately personal “dirt”. But who needs to pull any of that with Barack Obama?

Just Google the guy. Just ... Read More...

According to prosecutors, the deal with Mell never went through, and the money instead went to Rezko associate Joseph Aramanda.

And who is Joseph Aramanda? The guy who allegedly gave a straw donation for Rezko to Barack Obama, and whose son served as in intern in Obama’s Senate office in 2005.

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Change is in the air. It’s not spring, it’s the political season. But what
to do if you’re an Illinois Democrat pol, or a wannabe, running in a county,
a state or perhaps for a Congress that is run by Democrats?

Run as an outsider. Run even when you don’t live in the district.

I first noticed the phenomenon when perennial boy-wonder, former ballet
dancer and Clintonista Rahm Emanuel pushed aside a local woman activist
to grab the 5th district ring post-Rostenkowski. Emanuel went to Wilmette
Jr. High and hadn’t lived in Illinois for years, helping out Bill and Hill
in the White House. But no matter, he wanted a slot and with the help of the
Chicago Dem Machine muscled in—or perhaps executed a forceful Grande Jeté.

Then we had new boy-wonder Barack Obama breeze in to ... Read More...

Common sense strikes Wilmette. Last year taxes went up 9% for the Village of
Wilmette, this year the village board has approved a 4% hike in the property
tax.

A small pat on the back because they didn’t raise it by the projected 6%
(which last I looked is at least double the underlying inflation rate). The
board was somewhat sensitive to the fact that residents are facing hefty tax
hikes in Cook County and the state.

Yes, there was much talk about painful choices, and while the board did cut
$1 million in expenses, and has moderately improved its budgeting, the
choices must not be painful, they must be easy by now since they have raised
taxes significantly for the last several years. The village president again
complained that single family homes comprise 90% of our tax base, so ... Read More...

I’m thinking windmills in the backyard, bees behind the garage, goats in front. Hey, I’m making an “investment in the future”, so why should laws apply to me? I’m an authority of One.

Ah, yes, a majority of the Wilmette village board voted to approve a
homeowner’s solar panels. He had built an addition to their home and added a solar superstructure on the roof that exceeded the limits set down in the village ordinance.The board approved this after the fact.

I’m thinking goats on a sod roof, very eco-friendly insulation and circle of life-style. (You know, like that cute restaurant in Door County.). I’m thinking maybe a solar-powered neon sign up there: “Give Peace a Chance”, or “Kyoto Now”. Or maybe “Fait Accompli”. Flashing.

.So the village board is now working on an ordinance to presumably expand the size of solar panels allowed. And I would hope ... Read More...

Today, businessman Jim Nalepa announced he would not seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, and instead is endorsing the campaign of Steve Sauerberg, M.D.

“After carefully looking at this race, and the candidates in the field, it became clear to me that Steve Sauerberg and I shared the same vision and goal – returning Illinois values to Washington by defeating far left-liberal Dick Durbin,” said Nalepa.

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More bad news on Illinois school test scores (Prairie State Exams), and we lag the country (NAEP Exams). Tribune:
Four years ago, when all states began taking the exam, Illinois posted pass rates higher than the nation in every category.

This year, Illinois pupils are either equal to or behind their national counterparts on every exam, the data shows.

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Congresspersona and flaming leftie lib Jan “Tax Cheat” Schakowsky (D-IL-9th) found her way out of district to Northbrook last night.

She apparently had an escort to Iraq. According to a Republican source, Schakowsky told the gathered Code Pinkos and friends Petraeus said that violence is going down in Iraq but she doesn’t know where.

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Rudy Guiliani opened his campaign office today in suburban Lisle, Illinois. At the same time, lots of new videos available on Rudy’s YouTube Page.

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Anne Leary questions infrastructure spending and the Interstate 35W bridge tragedy in Minnesota.

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I’m thinking windmills in the backyard, bees behind the garage, goats in front. Hey, I’m making an “investment in the future”, so why should laws apply to me? I’m an authority of One.

Ah, yes, a majority of the Wilmette village board voted to approve a
homeowner’s solar panels. He had built an addition to their home and added a solar superstructure on the roof that exceeded the limits set down in the village ordinance.The board approved this after the fact.

I’m thinking goats on a sod roof, very eco-friendly insulation and circle of life-style. (You know, like that cute restaurant in Door County.). I’m thinking maybe a solar-powered neon sign up there: “Give Peace a Chance”, or “Kyoto Now”. Or maybe “Fait Accompli”. Flashing.

.So the village board is now working on an ordinance to presumably expand the size of solar panels allowed. And I would hope ... Read More...