Author: Jim Bowman

Jim Bowman covered religion 1968-78 for the Chicago Daily News, since then has written books, articles, etc., mostly on corporate history but also on religion (Company Man: My Jesuit Life, 1950-1968), and more recently on politics (Illinois Blues: How the Ruling Party Talks to Voters -- Lulu.com, Kindle). Longtime Oak Park, Illinois, resident, he lives now on Chicago's North Side, where four of his and Winnie's six children live close by.

Hayek and the “mirage of social justice”

The kind of justice that is so frequently mentioned by Catholic prelates and other preachers.

“I am certain that nothing has done so much
to destroy the juridical safeguards of individual freedom
as the striving after this mirage of social justice.”

When is the last time any of us heard a sermon about political freedom? It’s just not high in preachers’ priorities. They are timid about it.

Bruce Rauner on Pension Vote

Oak Park Republicans

masthead.jpg
For Immediate Release
December 3, 2013		Contact: Mike Schrimpf
(312) 720-1111

Bruce Rauner Statement on Pension Vote: [boldface and bracketed material added]

Springfield politicians today voted to slap a small bandage on an open wound. [Wall St. Journal quoted this]

While it may help them temporarily feel better, it does little to fix the real problems facing Illinois.

The pension system remains broken and badly underfunded. State spending has never been higher, or less productive.

Another tax hike is looming around the corner. State government is in desperate need of reform. Our economy continues to suffer, and far too many Illinoisans remain out of work.

The fact is after decades of career politicians running things in Springfield, expectations of what Illinois can accomplish are far too low. We can and must do better. I’ll shake things up in Springfield and deliver results that will…

View original post 4 more words

Republicans bending over

Oak Park Republicans

Look what they’re saying at Wall St. Journal about what Rep. Camille Lilly (D-8th district) frequently refers to as “our great state”:

Democrats in Illinois have dug a $100 billion pension hole, and now they want Republicans to rescue them by voting for a plan that would merely delay the fiscal reckoning while helping to re-elect Governor Pat Quinn. The cuckolded GOP seems happy to oblige on this quarter-baked reform.

Dems may be fiscally feckless and reckless, but they know a patsy when they see one.

View original post

Illinois governor race a toss-up, says “lefty pollster”

Oak Park Republicans

Did we realize?

. . . the goofy lefty pollster that once had Barack Obama leading Rick Perry in Texassays Illinois governors race is winnable for the Republicans.

Illinois. One of the states that Barack Obama calls home.

From the goofy left pollster, PPP (Public Policy Polling):

Only 34% of voters approve of the job Quinn is doing to 60% who disapprove. That ties him for the third most unpopular Governor in the country. Thats actually an improvement for Quinn though- his numbers are up from a 25/64 approval spread a year ago at this time, which had made him the most unpopular Governor anywhere. Hes seen a little bit of improvement with Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike.

Specifically,

In match ups with his potential GOP foes Quinn leads Bruce Rauner 41/38, trails Dan Rutherford 41/39, and ties both Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard at 41% and…

View original post 32 more words