Chicago Daily Observer

Fr. Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary analyzes the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States in a YouTube Video.

The Chicago Tribune and the AP’s Martin Crutsinger note a survey result that executives think “turmoil in credit and housing markets will be the most significant threat to growth this year”and that “the next biggest threats to the economy now as the possibility the government will impose higher taxes or raise protectionist barriers to foreign competition.”

Since Crutsinger did not identify who would be raising taxes and trade barriers to cause a recession, Rush Limbaugh did the research for the incumbent media noting:

What party is out there promising to raise taxes? Doesn't matter. Both Hillary and Obama are promising to raise taxes, and when you listen to Obama tell us why, it's not about raising revenue. The whole purpose of the tax code is to raise revenue, to fund government services, blah, blah, blah. We all know this. But not with Obama. To him, the tax code is ... Read More...

Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is a spectacular showplace.

With two million admissions a year and 159 corporate donors, there’s no question of staying afloat.

Yet aquarium officials have come to Washington with their hands out, seeking taxpayer-funded earmarks, grants of money without the normal public review, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

And the Aquarium has found friends among at least six of their home state members of Congress, including Sen. Barack Obama.

They each received campaign donations from Aquarium officials, and then colectively channeled nearly $1.8 million in earmarks to the Shedd Aquarium for this year, after first receiving campaign donations from Aquarium officials. Both sides say the donations have nothing to do with the earmarks.

Exemplifying a reform opportunity that applies across the nation, Illinois legislators will be presented this year with yet another chance to reconfigure the political balance of power in their state and reestablish their electoral relevance.

Against the backdrop of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s (D) State of the State Address in February, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) allowed Senate Bill 2288 to begin slithering its way through the General Assembly once again.

SB 2288 (formerly House Bill 750) has been the legislative Rasputin of Illinois politicians, Republicans and Democrats alike, dating back to Gov. Jim Edgar® in the mid-1990s. The thrust of the bill is to increase the state income tax permanently from 3 percent to 5 percent in exchange for temporary property tax relief.

Where would the net increase in state revenue go? Say it with me: To fund education. Herein lies the political opportunity.