C.L.I.C.K. for Justice and Equality is an agent of communication alerting our social community of injustices and inequalities among the socially disadvantaged and disenfranchised individual. C.L.I.C.K. developed and created this website to assist the socially disenfranchised or disadvantaged individual in litigating their issues in Federal and State courts.
Teamsters vote rejects city cutbacks The Teamsters union has voted to reject a move by the city of Chicago to cut its members' pay by one-third by making them take furlough days and cutting their overtime.
RTA could face more cuts A new round of cuts could be coming for the CTA, Metra and Pace because of the recession.
Meeks Acknowledges Democrat Party Failing Illinois Southtown Star - 6/24/09
Democrats don't deserve to be re-elected in Illinois.
No politician should serve more than eight years in office.
It's time to let the entire state government collapse to force a voter rebellion.
Those aren't the thoughts of a Republican looking to gain political advantage or some political commentator seeking to generate controversy.
They're the comments of state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) who said Tuesday the state's leaders "have failed the people."
"It's unfortunate and wrong for us to be playing on people's emotions like this," Meeks said of the state's threats to cut social service funding to the neediest people in Illinois by as much as 50 percent because of the Legislature's failure to pass a budget.
"It's our fault," Meeks continued. "The Democrats control both chambers and the governor's mansion. We asked the people to send us here and we've failed to do the job. I don't see how any of us can go back to the voters and ask to be re-elected after this.
"This is a failure of the Democratic Party, no doubt about it."
The Legislature is meeting in special session in Springfield in order to pass a budget, but Meeks said there's no reason it should have taken this long.
"What were we doing here (in Springfield) from January to May 31?" Meeks asked. "What were we being paid for if it wasn't to pass a budget?
"You know what they want to do now? They (legislative leaders) want to hand the governor a month-by-month budget and let the state operate that way. That's unfair to social service providers who have to sign leases and hire employees. It's unfair to the governor to make him come back to us each month for money to run the state."
Meeks is the chief sponsor of a Senate bill that would have raised the state income tax from 3 percent to 5 percent. The measure passed the Senate this spring but never made it out of House committee.
"Senate President (John) Cullerton just held a news conference down here saying the Senate passed a budget bill and as far as we're concerned we've done our job," Meeks said, referring to the measure he sponsored.
"The governor is still trying to pass his 1.5 percent income tax hike as a two-year temporary measure, but the House doesn't even want to vote on that. They need Republicans to support it at this point and the Republicans aren't going to do it.
"As far as Cullerton and the Senate Democrats are concerned that doesn't do enough. It doesn't provide enough money for all the things this state needs to do. If we're going to pass an income tax hike, if we're going to take the heat from voters, let's pass something we can be proud of and defend."
Meeks said the Democrats should have never allowed the state to reach the point where it was running out of money.
"We didn't need any Republican votes to pass a budget bill during the regular session," Meeks said. "We could have done that ourselves. The Democrats had enough votes because the people put their faith in us."
Meeks said he has told the governor to "let the whole thing collapse. Force the state to shut down."
That seemed to contradict his concerns about social service providers who need money to help some of the most vulnerable people in the state, such as the developmentally disabled, children in day care programs, homebound elderly and mentally handicapped.
"There would be very short term suffering but long-term solutions," Meeks said. "In the long run all of those people would get the help they need because legislators would be forced to work 24/7 to get the job done.
"We would have to solve the problem because the people of Illinois would demand it and all the elected officials would be worried that they would lose their jobs.
"There would be an uprising by people all across the state, and that's what we need at this point. We need pressure to bring true reform to Illinois government."
Meeks said the problem now is that too many legislators have no fear of a backlash at the voting booth.
"This is the best argument ever for term limits," Meeks said. "The president of the United States, the most powerful government official on earth, serves for only 8 years. That's enough time to do your job.
"We have people here who have been in office 28, 30 years and that's too long. We need people who come here to do a job and leave."
Meeks has been campaigning for an income tax increase to provide money for public school funding reform since he first ran for the Senate as an independent in 2002.
I believe his frustration over the failure of Democrats to pass the reforms they've been promising in political campaigns for decades is genuine.
I'm not sure I want to see the "whole thing collapse." But maybe that's what it will take to really bring about change in government.
Throwing governors in prison certainly doesn't seem to do the job.
Crain's Blogs. Now You're Talking. Introducing three blogs sure to pique your interest each business day: government and business, after-hours with Chicago's elite, and the business of sports.Click here to read what Greg Hinz, Shia Kapos and Ed Sherman are saying today. And talk back, we'd love to hear from you.
Sears Tower owners propose environmentally friendly upgrades to the skyscraper, as well as new hotel. Virgin America plans to be in Chicago "in a big way." Chicago ranks as one of the most expensive cities for parking. A South Side ice cream institution coming to State Street.Read More
NKorea threatens US as world anticipates missile - Yahoo! News: "North Korea accused Washington of seeking to 'provoke a second Korean War' as the regime prepared to hold maritime military exercises off the eastern coast. U.S. and regional authorities were watching closely for signs that North Korea might fire short- or mid-range missiles during the June 25 to July 10 timeframe cited in a no-sail ban for military drills sent to Japan's Coast Guard."
SC Gov. Sanford admits affair after going AWOL - Yahoo! News: "After going AWOL for seven days, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday that he had secretly flown to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he was having an affair. Wiping away tears, he apologized to his family and gave up a national Republican Party post, but was silent on whether he would resign."
Report: SC gov was in Argentina, not hiking trail - Yahoo! News: "South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was in Argentina during a dayslong unexplained absence, not hiking the Appalachian Trail as his staff told the public when state leaders raised questions about his whereabouts, the governor told a newspaper."
Crain's Blogs. Now You're Talking. Introducing three blogs sure to pique your interest each business day: government and business, after-hours with Chicago's elite, and the business of sports.Click here to read what Greg Hinz, Shia Kapos and Ed Sherman are saying today. And talk back, we'd love to hear from you.
Where you take clients for lunch is a reflection on you. Or so believes Chicago Sun-Times account executive Andrew Pickell. He counts on Keffer's menu and conversation-starting décor (is that what those old radios are for?). Read More
Cop in bar fight video to be sentenced An off-duty Chicago police officer convicted earlier this month of beating up a bartender is returning to court for sentencing.
Iran expels British diplomats, refuses new vote - Yahoo! News: "Iran expelled two British diplomats Tuesday after bitterly accusing Britain of meddling and spying. The government also dealt a fresh blow to the opposition by making clear it will not hold a new vote despite charges of fraud."
Obama says US, world 'appalled' by Iran violence - Yahoo! News: "President Barack Obama on Tuesday declared the United States and the entire world 'appalled and outraged' by Iran's violent efforts to crush dissent and for the first time expressed significant doubt about the legitimacy of the national election at the root of the upheaval."
NTSB: Train in group recommended for phaseout - Yahoo! News: "The subway train that plowed into another, causing a crash that killed seven and injured scores of others in the nation's capital, was part of an aging fleet that federal regulators had recommended three years ago be phased out or retrofitted, a safety investigator said Tuesday."
Iran's top electoral body rules out vote annulment - Yahoo! News: "Iran's top electoral body said Tuesday it found 'no major fraud' and will not annul the results of the presidential election, closing the door to a do-over sought by angry opposition supporters alleging systematic vote-rigging."
Official: No black box signals from Flight 447 - Yahoo! News: "French military ships searching for the black boxes of Flight 447 have detected sounds in the Atlantic depths but they are not from the Air France plane's flight recorders, French officials said Tuesday."
NKorea ship suspected of holding arms passes China - Yahoo! News: "A North Korean ship suspected of carrying illicit weapons cruised through waters off Shanghai on Tuesday en route to Myanmar, a news report said, as regional military officials and a U.S. destroyer kept a close eye on the vessel."
Ex- Blago fundraiser gets prison time | VIDEO A federal judge has sentenced ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich's former chief fundraiser to 37 months in prison for hiding his use of company funds to pay gambling debts and other expenses from the Internal Revenue Service.
Flood warning for some suburban residents Suburban residents are keeping a watchful eye on the weather because of the potential for flooding. Heavy rains over the weekend and Monday morning have already caused flooding in Gurnee.
ACTION ALERT: Republicans Need to Hear Your Support Tell Them You've "Got Their Back" if they Oppose the Tax Hikes
Pat Quinn and the Democrats need Republican votes to pass their massive income tax hike -- and they're pressing hard to get those votes.
Their fearmongering and scare tactics are creating enormous pressure on Republican legislators.
The Democrats have mismanaged state government for six years, destroyed our economy – and now they want the Republicans to bail them out with a tax increase?
Because while the Democrats are busy playing politics – our Republican legislators need to do what's right for our jobs, our families and our livelihoods.
Giving the Democrats the votes they need to pass the tax hikes will do immense damage to our state -- and to our Republican Party.
Barnes and Glover lead, but US Open not decided - Golf - Yahoo! Sports: "Final-round play resumes Monday morning at Bethpage Black, with Barnes—who made bogey on six of his final 13 holes—tied with playing partner Lucas Glover for the lead at 7 under, both with 17 holes remaining. They’ve got a sizable cushion over Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Hunter Mahan and Ross Fisher, all of whom sit 2 under early in their rounds."
ILLINOIZE: Little hope for compromise by July 1: "The General Assembly will return to the Capitol in a special legislative session Tuesday afternoon, seven days before a new fiscal year starts without a state budget in place. However, legislative leaders appear unlikely to agree on a way to avoid a budget plan that would cut at least $7 billion from state-funded services after July 1."
NKorea threatens to harm US if attacked - Yahoo! News: "North Korea reminded the U.S. on Monday that it has nuclear weapons and warned it will strike back if attacked, as a U.S. destroyer continued to trail a North Korean cargo ship suspected of carrying illicit weapons."
Mousavi defiantly calls for continued protests - Yahoo! News: "Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and a popular reformist former president are boldly defying the country's supreme leader by supporting continued protests of a disputed presidential election, but it was unclear Monday whether protesters would dare to continue massive demonstrations after a bloody crackdown."
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