Monday's Daily Brief

Monday, November 7, 2011 U.S. Wealth Gap Between Young, Old Is Widest Ever POLITICS Cain On Sexual Harassment Allegations: My Wife 'Took It Harder Than I Did' BUSINESS Police Arrest 5 At Occupy Atlanta Protest RELIGION Something Major Is About To Change For Catholics HEALTHY LIVING Dr. Nora Volkow: New Brain Research Helps Explain Drug Addiction HIGH SCHOOL Sexual Harassment Pervasive In U.S. Middle And High Schools, Survey Finds BLOG POSTS Raymond J. Learsy: Iran's Nuclear Ambitions And America's Misguidedly Dismissed Countervailing Option If we do not get the Persian Gulf states to support placing an effective oil embargo on Iran, perhaps we should contemplate letting these "allies" deal with Iran on their own. Sec. Arne Duncan: A National Commitment to High-Quality Early Learning Research consistently shows that high-quality early learning programs benefit children, our society, and our national prosperity. It is simply one of the most cost-effective investments America can make in its future. Lisa Belkin: Why Parents Lie About Their Child's Age How old are your children? Are they always the age you say they are? Christy Turlington Burns: Occupy The World If we truly value humanity, life and all that it represents in its highest form, then we need to do all that we can to promote quality of life over the quantity of life. Joelle Caputa: Why Women In Their 20s Get Hitched When They Should've Ditched Young women with crumbling marriages should be thanking Kim Kardashian. She's giving each of their mother's something else to analyze 24/7.

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'World News' Political Insights -- Anger Is Obama's Hope

By Rick Klein | ABC News – 1 hr 26 mins ago

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  In Romney Deficit Plan, Obama Campaign Sees Class Divide (ABC News)

One year out, unsettled GOP field fears same forces as vulnerable president

ANALYSIS By RICK KLEIN (@rickklein)

WASHINGTON – Three years after the politics of hope swept the nation, anger is President Obama’s new hope.

The outlook is decidedly grim going into the final year before the 2012 election. That applies, of course, to an incumbent who’s watching sagging approval ratings and a soaring unemployment rate certain that he faces significant challenges in securing a second term.

But Republicans are also suffering from the public’s ire a year out. Even as they relish the prospect of taking on a very beatable incumbent, they are grappling with an unsettled field that features weak frontrunners, and facing some of the same anger that’s frustrated the president.

Despite economic indicators that leave him vulnerable, Obama runs strongly against all of his potential challengers in head-to-head polling.

The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Obama in a statistical tie with Mitt Romney, down 47-46 percent. He’s running narrowly ahead of Herman Cain — 50-45 — and slightly more comfortably ahead of Rick Perry, up 51-43 in the poll conducted last week.

Two months before the Iowa caucuses, the top Republicans are showing a distinct lack of swagger.

Romney has been the slow and steady frontrunner, maintaining the support of roughly a quarter of likely Republican voters as his rivals have jumped around in national polls. This week, he dips a toe back into Iowa — the state that broke his heart and, ultimately, his campaign in 2008 — while still struggling to answer critiques about his conservative bona fides.

Cain is the latest to share front-running status with Romney. Polling suggests he’s been able to hang on to that place in the immediate aftermath of the revelation of sexual harassment allegations leveled at him in the 1990s.

But Cain’s halting and sometimes contradictory responses to the allegations have exposed structural weaknesses in his candidacy. His memory of the incidents changed as the week went on, as did the blame he spread in the direction of everyone from liberal activists to a rival campaign.

After answering extensive questions on the subject over the course of multiple media appearances early in the week — a week spent primarily in Washington and New York — Cain this weekend snapped at reporters who were seeking further clarification.

“Don’t even go there,” Cain said Saturday, cutting off a questioner. “If you all just listen for 30 seconds, I will explain this one time. We are getting back on message, end of story! Back on message!”

It’s not that easy in a modern presidential campaign — the type of campaign that bears little resemblance to the one Cain has been conducting.

He’s focused little on building a campaign infrastructure in early-voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, and continues to tie campaign events to efforts to sell his book in states that are traditionally irrelevant in GOP primaries.

More broadly, Republicans cannot expect to be unalloyed beneficiaries of the public anger that remains as strong as ever a year before the election.

The public remains deeply skeptical about the nation’s economic prospects. Only 38 percent approve of the president’s handling of the economy.

But Republicans fare no better: Only 40 percent say they trust Republicans in Congress to manage the economy, an identical figure to the portion that favors the president on that measurement.

Just a year after giving Republicans control of the House, nearly 6 in 10 voters say they’re inclined to look for another member of Congress. In the battle for the White House, none of the president’s main rivals are pulling away on trust on the economy, notwithstanding some impressive resumes.

Republicans want a referendum in 2012. But at least a portion of responsibility for the economy rests with the GOP after the tea party powered a Republican takeover in 2010.

President Obama is delaying formal campaigning for reelection as he sells his jobs package, most of which has no real chance of passing Congress. It’s a chance for the president to turn anger into an advantage.

IACJ News and Updates

Welcome to the IACJ eNewsletter...your source for timely information on criminal justice policy and practice in Illinois. News Recently, a national criminal justice commission proposed by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) was blocked in the Senate. The Commission would be charged to conduct a thorough evaluation of the nation's criminal justice system and offer non-binding recommendations to federal, state, and local leaders. Also, IACJ Board Member Pamela Rodriguez, president of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), is a guest editor and one of the featured authors of the Prison Journal's landmark publication, "Criminal Justice Reform: Issues and Recommendations for Corrections." Meanwhile, in state and county news, Governor Pat Quinn recently announced a number of appointments to the state's more than 320 boards and commissions, including the Prisoner Review Board, to which he appointed three members: Charles Bowers, Edith Crigler, and Eric Althoff. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is trying to reduce the number of individuals in the Cook County jail and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (100,000 annually), in part due to the high costs of incarceration. Additionally, the Emergency Services Access Act (SB 1701) passed the Illinois House of Representatives by a 61-53 vote, providing limited immunity for those who possess small amounts of drugs if they call 911 or seek medical help in an overdose situation. To read more about any of these items, visit www.illinoiscriminaljustice.org. Take Action! The Second Chance Act employs an evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails by authorizing federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide services that can help reduce recidivism. Recently, the Senate eliminated funding for the Second Chance Act in their version of the FY 12 funding bill for the Department of Justice. However, there is still time to ensure that the Second Chance Act is funded in FY 2012 as the Senate and House work to resolve differences between their two bills. Also, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) has circulated a petition to ensure drug prevention to reduce drug usage is a topic of discussion at the White House. Visit the Association's Take Action! page for more info on this and other alerts. Events Mt. Vernon Summit of Hope November 8, 2011 Time TBD Mt. Vernon Parks and Recreation Rolland W. Lewis Community Building 800 S 27th St, Mt Vernon, IL http://www.summitofhope.org/ Rock Island Summit of Hope November 9, 2011 Time TBD The Church of the Nazarene 2921 38th St, Rock Island, IL http://www.summitofhope.org/ Bloomington Summit of Hope November 16, 2011 Time TBD Grace Church 1311 Hovey Ave, Normal, IL 61761 http://www.summitofhope.org/ Webinar: Model State Legislation to Reduce Employment Barriers for People with Criminal Records November 22, 2011 1:00PM – 2:00PM For more info, click here. ICJIA Symposium: The New Paradigm in Policing November 29, 2011 8:00AM – 4:30PM Four Points by Sheraton-O'Hare 10249 W Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park, IL For more info, click here. Membership If you are not yet a member of IACJ, we'd like to invite you to consider membership in the association. IACJ is structured to support the work of advocates, providers and policy professionals focused on criminal justice work in Illinois. We hope to bring education, understanding and attention to the best practices in reentry and community reintegration.  Benefits of membership include being part of a strong network of your criminal justice peers and experts; the ability to share resources, act collectively, and speak with a common voice to command attention of elected official on policy issues; and a prestigious affiliation with a state-wide association. Membership is free for a limited time only!  For more information and to join, please visit our Membership page. For more information on criminal justice issues and opportunities, and how you can get involved, visit illinoiscriminaljustice.org

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Friday, November 4, 2011

Police: Murder suspect had girl's phone | VIDEO Bond was denied Friday for John Wilson Jr., 38, of Chicago, who is charged in the murder of a 14-year-old southwest suburban Indian Head Park girl. Residents line streets for girl's funeral | VIDEO Thousands of people lined the streets as the funeral procession for Kelli O'Laughlin passed by Friday morning. The 14-year-old was murdered in her family's Indian Head Park home a week ago. Report: Deal reached on longer school days | VIDEO The battle between the Chicago Teachers Union and City Hall that has raged for months over a longer school day may be over. Derailment still impacting Metra service | VIDEO Metra Milwaukee West riders still face delays Friday after a freight train derailment on Thursday canceled some service. Man critically hurt after crashing into auto shop A man is in critical condition after crashing his car into a building on Chicago's Southwest Side. Wounded carjacking victim crashes car into home A 19-year-old victim was shot in the leg during a carjacking in East Garfield Park. MORE STORIES Strange News Snake in Spain ATM attacks customer NY county gives Santa pink slip Man pays off mother's 1954 parking ticket in Neb. Truck hauling doughnuts overturns on NY highway 'Bikini bandit' pleads not guilty to trespassing charge Consumer Report: US crib mattresses contain chemicals Apple: Battery life fix coming for new iPhone Amazon to lend Kindle users digital books Google tweaks search engine Gaga launches foundation with MacArthur, Harvard Healthbeat Healthbeat Report: Partners and Pain | VIDEO Prolonged sitting linked to cancer? FDA approves innovative, non-invasive heart valve Study: Chantix may factor in depression Findings could lead to development of new sunscreens MOST POPULAR Police: Murder suspect had girl's phone 4 dead, 2 hurt in Far South Side store shooting Report: Deal reached on longer school days Man curses at judge, proclaims innocence, gets life ABC7 Exclusive: Man in custody in teen's murder All Most Popular

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Friday's Daily Brief

Friday, November 4, 2011 U.S. Adds 80,000 New Jobs In October As Jobless Rate Falls To 9.0 Percent POLITICS Cain Campaign Reportedly Considering Legal Action Against Politico: Report GREEN Keystone XL Oil Pipeline: A Symbolic Struggle Steeped In Fuzzy Math BUSINESS After Bankruptcy, CEO Resigns From Securities Firm BUSINESS Greek Prime Minister Faces Critical Confidence Vote WORLD New Flotilla Challenges Gaza Blockade BLOG POSTS Robert Reich: Washington Pre-Occupied Until we reverse the trend toward inequality, the economy can't be revived. But the biggest question in our nation's capital right now has nothing to do with any of this. Dr. Andrew Weil: The Depression-Inflammation Connection The dramatic rise in depression diagnoses over the last two decades is a great challenge to modern medicine. The reasons for the increase are complex, but one important theory deserves special consideration. Cara Santa Maria: Talk Nerdy To Me: The Gay Brain (VIDEO) Even though biologists have yet to discover a gay gene, from a scientific perspective, genetic, hormonal, and structural-anatomical data show that homosexuality is definitely rooted in our biology. Bernard-Henri Lévy: Libya, Sharia, and Us There is sharia, and then there is sharia. And before going on and on about regression and glaciation, we would do well to know what we're talking about. Taylor Trudon: Kim Kardashian: She's Just Like Us (Kind of) We can hate on Kim for getting paid millions just for breathing or for her glossy, perfect hair, but we can't hate on her for wanting the same things as us.

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