Governor Quinn: Local Communities Should Have Control in Conceal Carry Law

The Chicago Tribune reported this week Gov. Quinn is looking for ways to tighten Illinois' impending conceal carry law.

Gov. Pat Quinn said earlier this week he thinks Illinois communities should be able to exert some local control when it comes to a state conceal carry gun law, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. The state is working to create a concealed carry law by the June 9 deadline. A federal court ruled late last year that Illinois’ ban on conceal carry was unconstitutional. "I am not excited about this at all," the Tribune reported Quinn as saying. "If this has to happen, it has to have the proper restrictions and limitations... I think we should make sure it's very tight and I think local communities, wherever they are, should have the option to make it as tight as possible in their community." Quinn also has stated his opposition to …

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State of the State: What Does Illinois Need to Fix?

Gov. Pat Quinn give his fifth State of the State address on Wednesday afternoon. What do you think should be his top priorities over the next year? Tell us in the comments' section.

Written by Amie Schaenzer Gov. Pat Quinn voiced his support for gay marriage in Illinois, a minimum wage hike and tougher gun laws during his State of the State speech Wednesday afternoon, according to the Chicago Tribune.  The Associated Press has posted the full text from Quinn's State of the State speech. Here are some of the highlights: Quinn also spent much of his speech touting his accomplishments during his term as governor, such as cuts to Medicaid and ethics laws that have been passed, according to Crain's Chicago.  Quinn has said he will run for re-election in 2014. If he does, he is expected to have an opponent in the March 2014 Democratic primary.  Quinn has gotten low approval ratings in recent months. A Democratic-leaning …

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JD

3:56 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013

I'm curious how you mention states with liberals at the head like California and New York, but you can't mention any conservative states where to many "conservatives are destroying it?" Most miserable cities in the US http://realestate.msn.com/10-most-miserable-us-cities-of-2012#8 (ALL run by Liberals and have been for a loooooooong time)   more ›

Patch on Politics

Gov Can't Keep Track of All His Boards and Commissions

State government grows in the dark, like a fungus. • Bill Daley has an idea to take the party out of state elections. • Time magazine mourns for Illinois.

When Gov. Pat Quinn took office in 2009, he promised to take aim at state boards and commissions stocked with politically connected folks drawing large salaries with little oversight into their activities. He would pare down those panels and save you money. Better Government Association investigative reporter Barbara Rose this month looked into whether Quinn delivered: "... more than three years into Quinn’s watch little has changed, except the number of such units is growing. As troubling, many don’t comply with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, according to a report last year by state Auditor General William Holland." In fact, the governor's office is having a hard time keeping up with it all. "With over 322 boards and commissions, …

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George Pickett

10:50 am on Monday, January 28, 2013

I wonder if he kept the monney?   more ›

Patch on Politics

Pat Quinn: Worst Governor in One of America's Worst-Run States

Take the Patch Poll: Does Pat Quinn deserve re-election or would you put another Democrat on the ballot in 2014?

Pat Quinn is so unpopular, according to a recent Public Policy Polling survey, that Lisa Madigan and Bill Daley would easily beat him in a Democratic primary while Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford would topple him in the general election. Quinn says he's going to run for re-election in 2014, but as 2012 comes to an end only 25 percent of Illinois voters approve of the job he's doing as governor. Public Policy Polling says 64 percent of voters disapprove of Quinn's performance — "making him the most unpopular governor PPP has polled on anywhere in the country this year." And there seems to be good reason for that. Last week, 24/7 Wall St. published a ranking of all 50 states, and Illinois emerges as the third-worst-run state in America, …

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Patch on Politics

Bipartisan Backing for an Obamacare Play in Illinois

Durbin and Kirk support $150 million loan for SimpleHx • Few approve of Quinn • Convicts collect $2 million in unemployment • Poll: Biggert-Foster very close • State House candidate's domestic battery case dropped with scant attention.

One aspect of Obamacare is drawing bipartisan support — at least in Illinois. Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Mark Kirk both back an outfit called SimpleHx, which wants a $150 million federal loan to establish the state's first health insurance co-op under the president's federal healthcare law. The people behind SimpleHx met at Northwestern University last year while pursuing their MBAs, according to Modern Healthcare reporter Kristen Schorsch. SimpleHx is competing against four proposals, including one backed by the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, a trade group founded in 1935 that represents more than 150 local hospitals and health care organizations. If the proposals are similar, in terms of promises to save money and …

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Political Rewind: Bad Week for Illinois Democrats Gets Worse

As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Democrats had a no-good, very bad week, starting Wednesday when disgruntled state workers and retirees booed and heckled them off the stage during the usually upbeat Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fair. It ended Friday, when lawmakers called back for a taxpayer-funded special session by Gov. Pat Quinn were unable to come to any kind of agreement on pension reform for the state, which continues to drown in pension debt. Jeers for Quinn, other Democratic leaders at state fair Thousands of people gathered at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday, officially “Governor’s Day” at the fair…

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PHOTOS/VIDEO: Gov. Quinn Signs Diabetes Awareness Day Law in Plainfield

Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation sponsored by State Rep. Tom Cross

Gov. Pat Quinn was at the Edward Plainfield campus Plainfield Tuesday to sign legislation designating Nov. 14 Diabetes Awareness Day in Illinois. House Bill 5003, sponsored by State Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego, provides enhanced outreach in Illinois, where an estimated one in 10 residents is living with diabetes. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, that estimate is expected to increase to one out of every three people by the year 2050. “We’ve had tremendous support in the legislature and from our local and state diabetes communities to make today’s law a reality.  It is so important to know the risk factors of diabetes and to consult your doctor if you are experiencing them,” said Cross. “We plan to partner with hospitals, …

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Sunday Comics

Sunday Comic: Gov. Quinn Tries to Bail Out Illinois

With state drowning in debt, the governor turns to the Internet for help, but it's no bargain.

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Christine

5:24 am on Tuesday, February 28, 2012

OT: Your screen name is totally hilarious. What shall we do if a third shows up?   more ›