Free Republic

Obama encouraged Socialists to join his voter education and voter registration task forces Due credit to Yid with Lid for breaking the news that will end Barack Obama's run for the White House. Wednesday, October 8, 2008 Senator Obama Signed a CONTRACT WITH THE CHICAGO SOCIALIST PARTY Everything on the Post Below is Hyperlinked to a site within the Chicago Democratic party archives, there is no conjecture, no guessing, The fact is that as recently as 1996 Senator Obama was an active member of the Chicago Democratic Socialist Party.We have verified Barack Obama's involvement with the Chicago New Party per...

Sauerberg backs down when forced to confront Durbin Wednesday, Oct 8, 2008 by Rich Miller * Way back in April, Republican US Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg laid out his battle plan against incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin… “You win by showing the people of Illinois who Dick Durbin really is,” [Sauerberg] said. “He is a divisive, partisan politician who has spent 37 years on the government dole.” * In that same interview, Sauerberg also revealed why he initially decided to run against Durbin… Sauerberg said he first considered running after Durbin compared the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners to atrocities...

Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to deflect questions Tuesday about talks between convicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko and federal authorities probing corruption allegations involving his administration. *snip* ... Blagojevich said Rezko's decision to seek a sentencing delay "speaks for itself." *snip* And I would point out he sent a letter, Tony Rezko sent a letter to a federal judge where he expressly said that neither Sen. Obama nor I did anything wrong and now we've got to respect the process as we've been consistently doing and just let it all unfold…"

U.S. SENATE 2008 -- SHOULD CONSERVATIVES BACK STEVE SAUERBERG OR CHAD KOPPIE TO TAKE ON INCUMBANT DICK DURBIN? LEARN WHERE THEY STAND ON THE ISSUES. Illinois Freepers, by copying and pasting the candidate's issue papers on their website and responces to the Chicago Tribune, I created the definitive thread on where your Senate candidates stand on the issues. Read, and learn: Candidate's backgrounds    List your three most significant accomplishments. Steve Sauerberg: My three most significant accomplishments are my 26-year marriage to a wonderful woman who helped me raise two children, my life-long commitment to the patients I continue...

If one will just go to Google News and enter the following words "Obama racism" they will find a plethora of news columns and articles deploring the seeming fact that a significant chunk of voters (mind you, these voters are Democrats that they speak of) might not vote for Obama because of the race factor. Well, Obama didn't help much - in fact, he brought this upon himself - by saying the following things: 1.) Obama called his own white grandmother a "typical white person." Obama's white grandmother said that sometimes she had certains reactions to blacks in situations where...

SEOUL -- North Korea put on a show of strength Wednesday in the face of reports that dictator Kim Jong Il is seriously ill, with his second-in-command holding a rare meeting with a foreign media organization to dispel the accounts. Mr. Kim remained out of sight, however, a day after missing celebration activities for North Korea's 60th anniversary. In neighboring South Korea, government officials reinforced reports that emerged from U.S. intelligence officials Tuesday that Mr. Kim suffered a debilitating illness recently.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il has reportedly failed to appear at the country's 60th anniversary parade - amid rumours that he is seriously unwell or even dead. South Korea's military said the North had been massing weapons for days to show them off in its capital during the event. The spectacle followed a report in the South's Chosun Ilbo newspaper that the 66-year-old reclusive leader was suspected of suffering a chronic illness. He collapsed last month, the paper added, citing a South Korean diplomatic source in Beijing.

No matter what help Barack Obama might get from Sen. Joseph Biden, his newly named vice presidential running mate won't give Obama much cover on the Tony Rezko front. Biden has described himself as a 30-year friend of a key figure in the Rezko trial who's pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing. When the Delaware senator began contemplating his own 2008 presidential run, he initially was helped by Chicago lawyer Joseph Cari Jr., who also served as Biden's Midwest field director in his failed 1988 bid for president. In 2005, Cari admitted to...

DENVER - At 2 a.m. Chicago time, from a laptop in the "new media" office of Barack Obama's Michigan Avennue national campaign headquarters, the text message went out: Obama is tapping Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate. "Spread the Word," the dispatch concluded. And with that click, Sprint reported a 255 percent increase in traffic on their Obama site. Despite the historic nature of the text-messages to people around the country and the world, news of Obama's selection of Biden leaked to some mainstream reporters--CNN's John King got the scoop-- a few hours ahead of the announcement. The...

Joe Biden, Tim Kaine, or Evan Bayh? Oh, you silly country rubes. There is not an audacious name in that bunch. On Saturday, Barack Obama will return to the initial scene of his crimes against humanity with his vice presidential choice in tow. That choice? Does the phrase, "We're putting the band back together," mean anything to you, Chicago? That's right, Obama's choice will be a friend to lobbyists big and small, the master of economic disaster, a man of few usually unintelligible words, and the man at whose ample teet Obama suckled for his seven vanilla years in the...

City Hall must have been insane to even think about pulling a Jesse Jackson on every male dog in town. Now they're backing off, because their plan won't work. It can never work. It's all about ego. In Chicago, being the dog with the big ones is a lifelong dream of every politician. And even most pet owners who'll never breed their dogs still become squeamish about government-mandated dog sterilization. Afterward, the dog won't care. He won't care about anything. But humans care. Some walk behind their dog. They sigh. They long for the old days.

One year after the release of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, The Liturgical Institute at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, announced that it has added a required 3-credit course on the history and spirituality of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite to its roster of classes. The Liturgical Institute was founded by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago (left) in the year 2000. Though the primary emphasis of the Institute involves the reformed liturgical books, this course comes in response to the call of Pope Benedict for freer study and use of the...

Shortly after joining the U.S. Senate and while enjoying a surge in income, Barack Obama bought a $1.65 million restored Georgian mansion in an upscale Chicago neighborhood. To finance the purchase, he secured a $1.32 million loan from Northern Trust in Illinois. This Story The freshman Democratic senator received a discount. He locked in an interest rate of 5.625 percent on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, below the average for such loans at the time in Chicago. The loan was unusually large, known in banker lingo as a "super super jumbo." Obama paid no origination fee or discount points, as some...

Edward F. Bachner IV spent years prowling dark corners of the Internet, where he sought a hit man to carry out the "permanent retirement" of an unidentified woman, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday. Bachner, who was accused this week of buying a dangerous pufferfish toxin, suggested in one e-mail that payment for the murder would be an AK-47 assault rifle and $8,000, the complaint alleges. "If we have an agreement, I can send you specific info that will get you within 5 yards of mark on . . . any weekday," Bachner wrote, according to the court record....

A Machesney Park minister faces additional counts of sexual assault charges. Jonathon Christopher Powell, 40, was arrested last week after accusations he sexually abused an underage girl. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Department said there could be a second victim. Now, Powell's been charged in that case too. He now faces two more counts of Criminal Sexual Abuse, for a total of four counts in the two cases. Powell is still in jail, with no bond. Detectives tell us Powell was a minister at New Hope Baptist Church in Machesney Park. 13 News has tried contacting the church and has not...

Chemical allegedly found in FBI-led search can cause muscle paralysis in humans ~~~~~ A Lake in the Hills man was charged Monday with possession of a powerful neurotoxin found in species of puffer fish and octopus after agents with the FBI-led counter-terrorism task force raided his home. Edward Bachner, 35, was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of illegal possession of tetrodotoxin. He was arrested Monday and appeared briefly before U.S. Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney in Rockford and was being held pending a detention hearing Wednesday morning, authorities said. Tetrodotoxin is an extremely powerful neurotoxin that in...

Barack Obama's name could have been invoked more at the corruption trial of his former fund-raiser Tony Rezko. But it appears prosecutors opted against bringing Obama into the mix during the two-month trial. Newly unsealed documents show that prosecutors sought to call witnesses to testify about Rezko's ties to Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.

The Illinois State Police are using vans with cameras and radar guns to photograph motorists and other drivers who speed through highway construction zones, and are enforcing strict penalties for alleged offenders. Citations for a first offense are $375, and a second offense can cost $1,000 and a 90-day suspension of driver’s license. State Police officials said four white vans, which are equipped with radar guns, cameras and a monitor to show drivers their speed, have been deployed at different construction zones in the state. As of Thursday, June 5, those vans are deployed at the widening project on the...

CMR is happy to give its readers a preview of a remarkable shrine in Chicago, the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy, now in its final planning stages. The Sanctuary grows from the vision of Fr. Anthony Bus, the pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago, who tells the story of the sanctuary in his book A Mother's Plea. The project's architect, James McCrery of Washington, DC, a specialist in classical architecture, drew the sketches shown here (click the pictures for larger images). The sanctuary is understood as a refuge in the heart of the city, with a large exterior...

There is a huge blogswarm going on about this photo, from Chicago Magazine, of Obama's unrepentant terrorist associate, Bill Ayers stomping on the American flag. The photo was taken in 2001, the same time Obama served on the Woods Fund Board with Ayers. This was also the same time that Ayers donated to Obama's campaign. ... many political bloggers are saying it is long past due for Obama to disown his association with this controversial radical. ... It's worthy of recycling this to further probe into Obama's judgment, the one thing he says he should be measured by.

Hate crimes commission set to fail Blagojevich hasn't appointed anyone to panel By NGUYEN HUY VU THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published Tuesday, March 25, 2008 After religious divisions paralyzed a state commission on hate crimes, Illinois lawmakers wanted a fresh start. They created a new version of the Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes, designed to promote tolerance within the state’s diverse population. But seven months later, Gov. Rod Blagojevich hasn’t appointed a single person to the overhauled commission, which will fail to accomplish its first major goal — presenting a report by March 30. Meanwhile, the old version of...

Unbeknown to the Republican Jewish Coalition, which stands against jihad, terrorism and bigotry, a Chicago candidate for Congress, a Jewish Republican for whom they are the second-largest contributor is enabling jihad terror and alienating a group that has stood on the front lines against it while being its most brutalized victims in the Balkans. Using the "Barack Hussein Obama" template, a news release from Chicago District 8 candidate Steve Greenberg recently referred to his Democratic opponent, incumbent U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL), as "Melissa Luburich Bean," sneeringly stressing her Serbian maiden name. Comically, the release blasted Bean for not standing...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Nearly four dozen priests in Belleville's diocese want Bishop Edward Braxton to step down.A letter signed by 45 priests and sent to Braxton says his resignation would be for the good of Braxton and the diocese.In January, Braxton publicly apologized for spending about $18,000 from restricted diocesan and Vatican funds.The letter by the priests says they've become "increasingly frustrated by the lack of collaborative and consultative leadership" from Braxton, who took over the diocese in mid-2005.The diocese covers Illinois' 28 southernmost counties and has more than 100,000 Roman Catholics.The letter will be forwarded to the archbishop...

Officials with the Spanish toll road operator Cintra have announced that the company has secured $430 million in loans from the U.S. government to build and operate two segments of a toll road in central Texas. Cintra officials announced the company’s financial plan for the $1.36 billion Highway 130 segments on Monday, March 10. OOIDA Senior Government Affairs Representative Mike Joyce told Land Line that the Association does raise red flags when federal dollars are used to subsidize private investors. Officials with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association are not, however, categorically opposed to a state using future toll revenue to...

ISRA is proud to sponsor Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day for 2008 IGOLD Links: Bus Info IGOLD Shirts & Hats Flyer All Illinois gun owners are invited to join in Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day (IGOLD) in Springfield in 2008. This is an annual event where the members directly lobby their representatives in the Illinois House and Senate. The ISRA is partnering with local and internet organizations in Illinois to increase attendance and make a bigger & better impression in Springfield. The other participating organizations are Illinois Carry, Champaign County Rifle Assoc. and Sangamon County Rifle Assoc. Get your local...

Dwight Yoakam, one of my favorite country artists, once penned a dry and rather funny number with Roger Miller titled, "It Only Hurts Me When I Cry" (on If There Was a Way, a fine album). It goes, in part, like so: The only time I feel the painIs in the sunshine or the rainAnd I don't feel no hurt at allUnless you count when teardrops fallI tell the truth 'cept when I lieAnd it only hurts me when I cry I mention it for two reasons. The first is that I really don't reference good country music enough on...

ROCKFORD, Illinois, January 4, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - This past December 9, at St. James' parish in Rockford Illinois, a very normal Mass suddenly became a very unusual Mass when a parishioner stood up in the middle of the homily, interrupted the priest, shouting at him "When are you going to stop?", and then left, with her homosexual partner in tow.  A few other parishioners also stood up and left the church.  A few days later, the priest was dismissed from his duties at the parish by his bishop. Catholics know that there are some things that you just don't hear...

In any other presidential election cycle, the possible nomination of a candidate with only three years of experience in the Senate on his resume would cause gales of laughter. In 2008, that scenario could transform from a comedy to a reality show, and it has Republicans wondering whether to be grateful or nervous. The Washington Post outlines the trepidation that the GOP feels over the ascendancy of Barack Obama, and the potential of his reach: Exploiting a deep well of voter revulsion over partisan gridlock in Washington, Sen. Barack Obama is promising to do something that has not been done...

I'm not entirely sure what exactly Sen. Barack Obama's "new kind of politics" is, other than it doesn't involve cynicism. Besides his well-documented involvement with indicted political insider Tony Rezko, Illinois' junior senator has made a couple of endorsements that counter his claim that he is above politics-as-usual. The first was his surprising backing of political unknown Alexi Giannoulias in the Democratic primary for state treasurer last year. Obama made himself the kingmaker in the contest, the state party endorsed candidate was defeated by Barack's novice. While serving as senior loan officer at his family-owned bank, Giannoulias approved loans to...

Regarding Fran Eaton's Aug. 26 column calling the South Suburbs an abortion-free zone: I remember a number of years back when doctors and clinics advertising that they were doing abortions in this area were threatened, set fire to and picketed, which is likely another reason there are not many openly-broadcast abortion clinics in the South Suburbs. That subject aside, I would like to address the many inconsistencies and illogical arguments in Eaton's column. Eaton name-calls liberals whom she says get "hot and bothered" about resistance to using tax dollars for fixing social ills. Interpretation: Rich people hate when they are...

An Evansville priest is poised to provide the gift of a lifetime to his nephew today. The Rev. Bernie Etienne, pastor at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, is scheduled for surgery today at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis so that he can donate one of his kidneys to nephew Eric Etienne of Newburgh. Eric Etienne, 21, has lived with diminished kidney function his entire life. His mother, Connie Etienne, was in a car accident 10 days before Eric was due to be born. As a result of injuries sustained in the collision, Eric Etienne was born with brain damage and...

After days of tortured explanations of why her campaign would hold onto bundled donations from Norman Hsu even after donating his direct contributions to charity, Hillary Clinton finally announced that her campaign would return Hsu's funneled money to their donors. Her campaign also announced how much money that would involve, and it turned out to be many times more than first thought: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign announced tonight that it would return approximately $850,000 to about 260 donors who had been recruited or tapped by Norman Hsu, the disgraced Clinton campaign fundraiser who recently fled arrest and is now...

As Sen. Barack Obama competes to be commander-in-chief, he might want to get a quick tutorial on military nomenclature. At the Iowa State Fair last week, he asked two soldiers in battle dress uniforms, or BDUs, who waited to greet him what their "squad" was. "What squad are you guys with?" was his exact question. The soldiers were respectful and answered the question Obama was trying to ask. You hear one of the soldier's say "We're with the 103rd out of Ft. Des Moines." What Obama should've asked the soldiers for was their "unit," not squad. A squad is among...

The Illinois Republican Party is down, but a long way from being out. As our party rebuilds from the ground up, after a string of disappointing election days, now is the time for bloggers and other interested individuals to take part in the growth process. Illinois is the home state of Abraham Lincoln, and the birthplace of Ronald Reagan, two great Republican presidents. And remember, it wasn't so long ago, 1995 to be exact, when the Illinois GOP controlled each statewide office, both chambers of the General Assembly, and the Governor's Mansion. And the governor at the time, Jim Edgar,...

Angry Mob Assaults Peaceful Christians at Chicago ‘Gay Pride’ ParadeDo Chicago homosexuals have special rights to go nude in public and bully critics?   Topless transsexual bares his (presumably hormone-induced) breasts, blocked out in this photo, at Chicago’s homosexual “pride” parade on Sunday. The “man” rode exposed like this for blocks going down Broadway Avenue atop the “Hamburger Mary’s” float. The crowd lining the streets cheered him/her on.The following are firsthand accounts from two Christians who passed out Gospel tracts and preached at Chicago’s “Gay Pride” parade Sunday in the “Boystown” section of the city. I witnessed plenty of tolerance at the parade for all sorts...

ROMEOVILLE—For 13 years, Mark Rosenbaum put on the familiar blue uniform and braved erratic Illinois weather conditions, walking house-to-house through rain, snow, bone-chilling cold or humid heat as he delivered mail in LaGrange, Ill.Graduating from Downers Grove South High School in the mid-1980s, he initially took courses at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn but soon opted to join the work force, securing a job with the LaGrange Post Office.Meeting many residents over the years along his neighborhood route, he was often welcomed into their homes to see a new baby or to talk about the passing of a loved...

RPT-NORTH KOREA HAS FIRED SEVERAL SHORT-RANGE MISSILES INTO SEA OF JAPAN-KYODO

"Universal" government health care has once again returned as a political cause, with many Democrats believing it's the key to White House victory in 2008. They might want to study last week's news from Illinois, where Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich's tax increase to finance health care became the political rout of the year. The Democratic House in Springfield killed the proposal, 107-0, after Mr. Blagojevich came out against his own idea when it became clear he was going to be humiliated. Only a month earlier he had said he was prepared to wage "the fight of the century" in defense...

Barack Obama blew into Detroit on Monday, where he offered a tart indictment of "the tyranny of oil" and, by extension, the U.S. automotive industry. "For years, while foreign competitors were investing in more fuel-efficient technology for their vehicles, American auto makers were spending their time investing in bigger, faster cars," he declared. "And whenever an attempt was made to raise our fuel-efficiency standards, the auto companies would lobby furiously against it, spending millions to prevent the very reform that could've saved their industry." Where to begin? The Democratic Presidential candidate was extolling Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which...

Pro-abortion senator and presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton reportedly will be the featured guest at a lunch benefit for the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, "a Catholic institution ... committed to raising public awareness of the plight of all of society's hurting youth in order to encourage support of programs that would enable them to begin healing." The benefit will take place in Chicago on May 7, 2007. The Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, headed by veteran activist Joe Scheidler, will be picketing the event. Says Mr. Scheidler: "While we have spoken with the powers that be, it seems...

Dear Editor: Colleen Lindsay, in her recent column in the DE, claims that her conservative views are being "squelched" by the university community. She must not be taking into consideration the fact that she pretty much got front-page press on the editorial page. Actually, it was considered a "column" not even an editorial. The rest of us little people only get 300 words. As for "diversity and open-mindedness," this is like the pot calling the kettle black for right-wingers. They oppose a woman's right to her own body, they think the government should get to dictate our living arrangements (based...

Joining the likes of Cardinals Arinze and O'Malley, my bishop now has his own podcast. For those who haven't had the pleasure before, you owe it you yourself to listen to a homily or two. I've often thought that Bishop Jenky would make a fantastic spokesman for the US Bishops. It's not often one hears a priest who so emphatically expresses what a joy it is to be Catholic through the way he preaches his homilies, not just his words, but the enthusiasm in his voice. Note for those who have never seen Bishop Jenky: just picture St. Nicholas...

NAPERVILLE—The Great Hall of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Naperville was filled Jan. 13 with posters propped up on easels likening an art exhibit. The silence, which typically permeates an art museum, filled the air in the room with approximately 5,600 square feet.Interested onlookers read about the 120 eucharistic miracles described on 160 panels of the Vatican International Exhibition of the Eucharistic Miracles of the World. The accounts ranged from well-known visions such as Our Lady of Guadalupe to lesser-known ones such as the eucharistic miracle that occurred in 1412 in Herentals, Belgium. A variety of miracles, including healings and...

I already know I won't be getting the gift I covet most this Christmas: The sight of my mother rushing in the door, big smile on her face, bags of presents in her hands, ready to envelope her grandkids in her arms. Like everyone who suffered a deep loss this year, I feel it most acutely during this festive season. But Christmas will go on, however altered it will be. There will be presents -- several are already there, under the tree in the family room--and I'm sure they all will be wonderful and much appreciated. But there are a...

If the Democratic National Convention failed to produce a bounce for John Kerry, the same cannot be said of Illinois State Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Party’s candidate for United States Senator from Illinois. While this rising star in the Democratic Party spouted some conservative themes during his speech, the rhetoric may be deceptive. While Obama spoke of individual responsibility – such as stating that the government cannot teach kids to read, parents must – his ideology and voting record is quite different. Obama is very liberal. Among his campaign contributors are George Soros, People for the American Way, pro-abortion...

1. S.CON.RES.42 : A concurrent resolution recognizing the historical significance of the Juneteenth Independence Day, and expressing the sense of Congress that history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and solving the challenges of the future. 2. S.CON.RES.53 : A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that any effort to impose photo identification requirements for voting should be rejected. 3. S.RES.291 : A resolution to congratulate the Chicago White Sox on winning the 2005 World Series Championship. 4. S.RES.516 : A resolution recognizing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day and expressing the sense of...

While I was in the Volunteer State a couple of weeks ago, I heard a radio commercial from Tennessee Republican Senate candidate Bob Corker about a $1,000 donation his opponent's campaign fund made to the Dwain Kyles Defense Fund that jogged my memory. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. is the Democratic candidate for the senate seat being vacated by Bill Frist. Who is Dwain Kyles? He was the owner of Chicago's E2 nightclub, where on February 17, 2003, 21 club patrons were killed in a stampede. Kyles was subsequently charged for involuntary manslaughter. The club was greatly overcrowded that night. Kyles...

N Korea's bomb 'would kill 200,000' By Sergey Soukhorukov in Pyongyang (Filed: 08/10/2006) The nuclear weapon that North Korea intends to detonate in an underground test is big enough to kill up to 200,000 people were it ever to be used against a city such as Seoul or Tokyo, Russian military experts have revealed. They say that the weapon, with the same 20-kiloton yield as the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, is about 10ft long and weighs four tons. It is too big to fit on to any missile Kim Jong Il's regime currently possesses but if it were detonated above...

Here is some background as well as some related posts on the Klocek case. Neil Steinberg and the Chicago Sun Times: In September, 2004, Professor Klocek read this Steinberg column. What Neil wrote was the intellectual basis of Klocek's ill-fated discussion with the Muslim students at DePaul. That column was based on this op-ed by Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, the general manager of the al-Arabiya television network. This is the opening sentence of that article: It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims. March...

Driver Of Vehicle In Police Custody (CBS) RIVERSIDE -- A fiery crash stopped traffic on a Metra line Wednesday evening after a police pursuit involving a drug investigation. CBS 2’s Rob Johnson reports the suspect who managed to escape the SUV before it burst into flames has been captured. The driver of the SUV that overturned on the Metra tracks in west suburban Riverside, causing long train delays during the Wednesday evening rush, was in police custody Wednesday night awaiting charges. Metra trains on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Line between Aurora and Chicago's Union Station were completely stopped just...