The mayor coughs up $40 Million in financial assistance for one of the most successful corporations in the country that has just finished a $12 Billion merger. The governor arranges for a $4 Million to be paid to a good friend of Karl Rove. In a time of record high gas prices, both senators arrange a 50 cent tax on imported ethanol to assist a local conglomerate, while using the same conglomerate’s private airplane to travel back and forth to Washington D.C.

The senator who extols the fact that he comes from a poor neighborhood campaigns for a public school monopoly, while neither he nor his children have attended a day of public school. The other senator campaigns for sugar tariffs, while 10,000 Teamster union workers are laid off because of high sugar prices. Such a combination of favors to business and the State enterprise monopolies in exchange for campaign contributions (all with deafening press silence) should be enough to make the PRI in one-party Mexico blush.

Yet this is our Illinois Democratic party, operating via its lock on Illinois politics. In a reverse of campaign logic (only matched by the Republican claim to be the party of small hovernment), the Democratic party has chosen sides, and is most assuredly working to provide special favors to select well-off businesses and to powerful union constituents at the expense of the individual taxpayer.

The formula of providing government largesse for politically favored
constituents has proven to win elections in Illinois but has also caused a monumental budget crisis. Including reactionary educational practices, and a mismatch in the earning power of the average worker versus the combined taxing power of the county and state governments. There are rumbles from both the right and the left that the Democratic party represents no one but the state and those who scheme to keep politicians in power.

Can Democrats to live up to their campaign rhetoric, and make Illinois a more attractive state for those they claim to represent? At the same time, can vigorously supporting “the forgotten man” make a more equitable business environment needed for economic growth necessary to provide jobs and profits? Even for those outside of the political loop?. I am confident that representing less powerful, the poor, and consumers makes Illinois a better state for its residents. I offer the following agenda to the Illinois Democrats as a primer in representing the people of the state rather than the State itself.

1) Assure Property Rights. Pass Kelo-proof legislation guaranteeing that one’s home, (hot dog stand or Chinese restaurant) is one’s castle that the State will never take to hand over to a private business. Strike down provisions for affordable housing taking property from our retirees to hand over to people wanting to move to affluent cities in Illinois.

2) Completely Eliminate TIF Districts. Tax Increment Finance districts are abused beyond repair. TIF’s take resources from the individual taxpayers and business and gives it to politically favored business.

3) Abolish the Illinois Healthcare Facilities Planning Board. This thoroughly corrupt board reduces the healthcare choices for Illinois residents. There is no redeeming value to eliminating competition in the health care Industry for the benefit of incumbent players.

4) Allow school choice. Fund students not the system. Take the existing money spent on education and route it to any public or private educational institution based on its ability to attract students.

5) Overhaul state pensions (defined contribution rather than defined benefit). Over a 5 year period, completely stop the defined benefit program in the State of Illinois, rolling it over into a 401k type of plan.

6) Hold Non-Profits to their Charitable Purpose. Publish standards for charitable care at Healthcare Institutions, scholarship at Educational Institutions and begin enforcing the compact that Non-Profits are allowed special tax status for the public good.

7) Eliminate restrictive State Licensing requirements. Stop using State Licensing to prevent competition in Insurance, Liquor Distribution, Moving Companies. Anyone wanting to start a business in the State of Illinois should be allowed to form that business without a fee from the State with a simple automated form.

8) Privatize State Functions. Starting with Toll Roads, McCormick Place, The Illinois Lottery, Vehicle Licensing, Recorder of Deeds, State Fairs…

Most of these proposals have the effect of assisting the individual by reducing the size and scope of the state. However, the state still can perform its necessary functions to limit the influence of corporations on infringing on the individual taxpaying consumer. The most twisted part of the Democratic party of Illinois, is that rather than protecting and promoting the rights of the individual, the party is actively conspiring against the poor, school children, and the small businesses of the State to rig the playing field against their own constituency.

So have at it Democrats. Why not take up a few issues that actually could assist someone other than your campaign donors?

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John Powers is president of The Chicago Daily Observer.