By: Diane Benjamin On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember those who have fought and died for us. America began with a war for freedom and many wars have been fought since to protect it. We would not enjoy this legacy today without the sacrifices of those willing to lose their life in our defense. […]
Will the GOP help the DEMS fleece you?
January 25, 2017 by 6 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Illinois doesn’t have enough money! Springfield has no interest in a balanced budget and spending cuts. Democrats want more of your money and the Republicans may help them get it because they are desperate. Your income tax could be going up 40%. In exchange you get a two-year property tax […]
Democrats in Illinois want you to pay for abortions!
November 16, 2016 by 15 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin I am 1000% against killing babies! I will make no apology to ANYBODY for wanting to protect unborn life. It’s not tissue – it’s a beating heart of a person who has no choice in the decisions a mother makes. I have to stand up for the over 50,000,000 million people who […]
If you haven’t seen “Madigan: Power, privilege, politics”
October 26, 2016 by 8 Comments
Democrats running for election should have to state why they aren’t a Madigan puppet! Watch for more info. . Northwest Herald, Joliet Herald-News and DeKalb Daily Chronicle to host online screening of “Madigan: Power, privilege, politics” Full-length documentary will be available to watch online at newspapers’ websites starting at 7 p.m. tonight through 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 . […]
Bikers have rights (and a death wish)
October 24, 2016 by 16 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin On January 1st bicycles in Illinois will be considered vehicles under a new law: http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2016/08/19/new-bike-law-gives-cyclists-right-way-illinois House Bill 5912 amends the state’s vehicle code to assign the same right-of-way privileges to cyclists that car drivers have. In essence, it clarifies that bicycles are vehicles. Saturday I saw three bikers on Route 9 about eight […]
UPDATE: Government is doing this:
August 19, 2016 by 2 Comments
More current information: July-Jobs-Report-Unemployment-Rate-Drops-as-Illinois-Workforce-Shrinks-by-33600-during-summer-moving-season/ . IRS Migration Data: Taxpayers Leave NY, IL & CA For TX, FL & SC The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) just released its July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 migration data, which “approximates the number of individuals” who moved between states in the U.S. California was the third largest net […]
Kirk vrs Duckworth
August 5, 2016 by 15 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The choices we have for US Senator are almost as despicable as the choices for President. Mark Kirk votes with Democrats way too often. He rarely represents me. Voting 3rd party for Senate won’t accomplish anything, even though I’ve thought about it. I am now voting for Kirk because of one picture […]
Chapin Rose on Illinois’s budget
June 29, 2016 by 6 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin A number of people have asked me recently where the tax money is in Illinois if the bills aren’t being paid. Senator Chapin Rose took the time on Tuesday to fill me in. First, he went over how we got in this mess. Of course, this is his opinion. The Democrats didn’t […]
Bloomington is ANTI-business
June 13, 2016 by 11 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Governor Rauner ran on a platform of making Illinois business friendly. He has failed because the Democrat super-majority in Springfield doesn’t care if companies move across the border to save millions of dollars. They don’t care if Caterpillar leaves the state along with other companies who can’t compete in this high-tax high-regulation […]
Downs Mayor: I make the laws
June 4, 2016 by 6 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin First, Village Trustee Dan Lush no longer lives in Downs, he moved to Leroy. Since Lush no longer lives in Downs, he can not vote in local elections. Therefore his is not a “qualified elector”. Dan: I expect your immediate resignation. If your voter’s registration isn’t changed in the next week, I […]
Rauner is being TOO nice!
June 1, 2016 by 6 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Democrats have super-majorities in the Springfield House and Senate. They can pass anything they want, the Governor can veto it, and they can override the veto. After May 31st they need 3/5 of both chambers to pass a budget, it won’t happen. Democrats refuse to do it because tax increases would have […]
A MADIGAN sued by Watchdogs
May 13, 2016 by 12 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The Edgar County Watchdogs have filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Arts Council Agency headed by Shirley Madigan – wife of Speaker Mike Madigan and mother of AG Lisa Madigan. The suit accuses IACA of violating the Freedom of Information Act. See the documents here: 2016-MR-23-1 The Liberty Justice Center is representing […]
Destroying Illinois, one business at a time
May 10, 2016 by 6 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin State Farm isn’t growing here. Formally local jobs now exists in other states. Send Mike Madigan a thank-you card. A recent report rated all 50 States from Best to Worst for business. See this story: http://chiefexecutive.net/2016-best-and-worst-states-for-business-full-list/ Celebrate now – Illinois is number 48. Businesses and jobs will never return to Illinois as […]
What media forgot to report: Rauner
May 7, 2016 by 16 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin I was at Nord Outdoor Power yesterday for Gov. Rauner’s press conference. Quit listening to the liberal media demanding that Rauner compromise just to pass a budget. He won’t. He will do what ever it takes to bring jobs back to Illinois and grow the State’s economy. The Democrats are blocking everything. […]
As you head to work . . .
April 4, 2016 by 2 Comments
The 10 States With the Highest and Lowest Tax Rates in 2016 http://wealthmanagement.com/third-party-research/10-states-highest-and-lowest-tax-rates-2016#slide-0-field_images-1148671 State with the LOWEST effective tax rate: State with the HIGHEST effective tax rate: What are you getting for your money? One person leaves Illinois every 5 minutes. Now you know why. Send Madigan, Renner and Koos a thank you card. They […]
Kick Mark Kirk out of the US Senate!
March 5, 2016 by 2 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin If you are voting in the Republican Primary: Mark Kirk can’t be considered a Republican – he frequently votes with Democrats. If you missed this story from 2014, it reveals Kirk’s character: https://blnnews.com/2014/05/21/senator-mark-kirk-revealed/ You have a MUCH better option: James Marter. He doesn’t have the money for flashy TV and radio ads, […]
Vogel: Get some facts first
January 24, 2016 by 5 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Saturday little Stevie Vogel spewed more nonsense in his weekly Pantagraph Editorial. The best I can say is he put his name on it. Nobody else at the Pantagraph is brave enough to acknowledge their work. Yep Stevie, Illinois is all but destroyed. People leave everyday, more wish they could leave. Jobs […]
Scratch your head and wonder if . . .
December 29, 2015 by 6 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin For the last couple of months the anonymous editorial writers at the Pantagraph have occasionally written the truth. They must have somebody new writing a few editorials because they actually contain some common sense. I thought there might be a little hope for local media, but today the old guy must be […]
Why Illinois is bankrupt – Bloomington follows
November 10, 2015 by 7 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois ranks very close to the top of the worst run states in country. Illinois should be a wonderful place to live – natural resources, centrally located, world-class universities, Fortune 500 companies with headquarters here, just to name a few. Instead, we don’t even have a budget. Illinois’s government exists for government […]
Rauner is right – here’s proof
October 22, 2015 by 7 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington residents: Have you looked at the address you send water payments to? If you have the misfortune of taking a trip in an ambulance, and get billed for it – where does that payment go? Remember yesterday’s story about ISU? https://blnnews.com/2015/10/21/isu-destroying-free/ What do they all have in common? Illinois discourages business! […]
Taxes increases would be easier with TRUTH UPDATE
September 16, 2015 by 35 Comments
How did I forget? 5 years ago Tari, Bloomington wasn’t sending around $50,000 PER MONTH to Springfield for legal! By: Diane Benjamin Renner on WJBC: http://cdn.stationcaster.com/stations/wjbc/media/mpeg/Tari_Renner__Bloomington_mayor-1442412227.mp3 Renner on WGLT: http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2015/09/01831_09-15Renner_070330.shtml Tari Renner: We aren’t doing anything today that we weren’t doing 5 years ago. Inflation is causing the need for tax increases. 5 years ago […]
A New Low
July 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment
By: Diane Benjamin An actual Pantagraph headline: New law could end benefits for dead people COULD end? COULD?!? The article was written by Kurt Erickson (Springfield dude) , so I don’t know if it was his title or the Pantagraph staff. We are in Illinois, land of the dead voting, surprised they get paid too? Indiana just […]
Gov Units: Too many!
April 21, 2015 by 3 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin One target for reform championed by Gov Rauner is decreasing the units of government in Illinois. See this report by the Illinois Policy Institute: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/too-much-government-illinois-thousands-of-local-governments/. Illinois has too many units and they cost taxpayers way more than necessary. On the Illinois Comptroller’s website is a tab labelled The Local Government Warehouse: http://www.ioc.state.il.us/ […]
Rauner using Reagan’s playbook
February 8, 2015 by 7 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Ronald Reagan defeated the establishment by taking his message to the people. Today Governor Rauner did the same thing in Bloomington, in fact he is going all over the state taking his message to the citizens. His favorite line (used over and over): “I don’t care who I make cranky”. Close to […]
Enter the Twilight zone
January 2, 2015 by 3 Comments
For the Bloomington-Normal leaders who still think we are growing: Another moving survey shows people leaving Illinois Illinois was the No. 3 state in America for outbound moves in 2014, United Van Lines said Friday. Earlier this week, Allied Van Lines said Illinois was No. 1 for outbound versus inbound moves in 2014, according to […]
Flamingos? This time you get monkeys!
December 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
By: Diane Benjamin On the Bloomington City Council agenda tonight is $111,300 for a monkey exhibit at the zoo. RECOMMENDATION/MOTION: Recommend that the RFP for Design/Construction Oversight of DeBrazza Plaza at Miller Park Zoo be awarded to SWT Design, in the amount of $111,300, the contract approved and the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized […]
Unconstitutional
November 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment
By: Diane Benjamin An Illinois Court ruled yesterday the pension fix law passed by the legislature and signed by Gov Quinn is unconstitutional. Yipee – Illinois is at least $100,000,000,000 in debt because of pensions, but we have a constitutional responsibility to pay. How much is in your wallet – fork it over now. I […]
Brady Grant back on the agenda for Monday night
November 20, 2014 by 3 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin Tensions build. Will Bloomington vote to secure 4 measly acres of land for the low low low price of $750,000? Will Joni Painter really vote NO this time? Will Mayor Renner repeat that he had nothing to do with putting the deal on the agenda? Will Fruin recuse himself, or say he’s […]
Get Out and VOTE!
November 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment
By: Diane Benjamin Below are links to every story I’ve written about the election. I received a report yesterday that in the LAST election an electronic voting machine switched a Republican vote to Democrat – IN BLOOMINGTON Funny how they NEVER switch a Democrat vote to Republican! Use Paper ballots, fraud will be rampant in Illinois. Vote for […]
Pantagraph and Associated Press
October 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
by: Diane Benjamin I rarely write about national issues, but when the Pantagraph publishes an Associated Press article on the front page titled: Budget deficit at lowest level under Obama somebody has to provide facts. The title is campaign propaganda for the uniformed. Wow, the deficit is down to $483 Billion. Everybody celebrate – as we rapidly […]
Kimmerlings pension
October 16, 2014 by 1 Comment
by: Diane Benjamin People receiving pensions under Illinois Law aren’t the problem. The law is the problem, written years ago by people in Springfield thinking they could manage utopia and therefore buy votes. The system worked until people actually started retiring. Their checks automatically increase every year by 3%. Within 10 years they get paid […]
Constitutional scam amendment on the ballot
October 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment
by: Diane Benjamin The Democrats in Illinois want to see just how stupid the citizens are in November. Just voting for any Democrat because you think they will make sure you get your pensions is plenty of proof, but they want more. On the ballot will be a Constitutional Amendment labelled Suffrage and Elections. The […]
Why voting Libertarian will destroy Illinois UPDATE
September 29, 2014 by 43 Comments
Libertarians: Please read and think: http://dailysignal.com/2014/09/30/political-strategists-plot-libertarians-conservatives-can-unite-take-back-white-house/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social by: Diane Benjamin Yes, I’ve heard all the arguments. You don’t want to hold your nose and vote again for somebody you don’t 100% like. Get a clue: There are no perfect candidates! No even those calling themselves libertarians. Think about this: Democrats control Illinois Democrat Gov Quinn controls […]
Me, a black guy from Chicago, and politics
September 22, 2014 by 5 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin Saturday afternoon I found myself marooned in a small room with a black guy from one of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago. It happened when the storm hit. (No – he wasn’t a scary dude!) He mentioned his wife would love living down here where you don’t have to worry about being […]
Illinoisans are a special kind of stupid
September 17, 2014 by 2 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin Democrats have abused taxpayers in Illinois for years, but citizens don’t care: As ranked by its residents, Illinois is the #1 in worst place to live 745,000 residents in Illinois are now on Food stamps There are nearly 300,000 fewer Illinoisans working today than in January 2008 Illinois has the worst private […]
Dump Durbin – in his own words
September 2, 2014 by 1 Comment
by: Diane Benjamin According to the latest Rasmussen poll, 69% of voters think we are on the wrong track: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/right_direction_or_wrong_track Sen Dick Durbin is the number 2 guy in the Senate. More than 350 bills, including at least 40 jobs bills, passed by the House will NOT be discussed or debated in the Senate. The […]
How many false statements can you find in this story?
August 20, 2014 by 2 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin We were led to believe Bruce Rauner isn’t a conservative and he’s just a front for Rahm. http://illinoisfreedom.com/news/follow-money-rauners-2-million-tea-party-groups-undermines-moderate-pose/
Pantagraph: What is wrong with you?
August 15, 2014 by 3 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin Two items in today’s Pantagraph are appalling. First they opine the labor force in Bloomington-Normal is shrinking because baby boomers are retiring. People are also leaving – but of course they haven’t noticed that. So, not enough babies are being born to replenish the population. It’s a problem across the country. […]
Gas price scam?
August 1, 2014 by 1 Comment
by: Diane Benjamin We’ve all heard rumors of gas prices going up right before State Farm gets paid. According to Gasbuddy.com, a station in Peoria has gas for $3.23 The lowest price in Bloomington is $3.34 – supposedly with the .04 gas tax that went into effect today. Funny, the lowest price in Normal is […]
#DumpDurbin – more reasons
July 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
by: Diane Benjamin If you firmly believe government has to run every part of your life – vote Durbin! The rest of us see Durbin’s empire crumbling around him – the peons just won’t comply! His latest target is Walgreens. He has declared Walgreens unpatriotic for considering leaving America for Switzerland. You can see his […]
