Search query: Illinois

As the Republican Party seeks to retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, an Illinois district that favors Democrats could eventually become more competitive. Illinois' 8th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Cook, Kane, DuPage, and Lake Counties, is a district that was redrawn after the 2010 census to favor Democrats. The incumbent is Democrat Tammy Duckworth, a Thai-born double leg amputee veteran of the Iraq war. After her active military service ended, Du

It's been a while since Chicago was regarded as the murder capital of the United States. The recent sharp decline in the murder rate in Windy City has raised a few questions. According to the Chicago Police Department, the first quarter of 2014 registered the lowest number of homicides since 1958. In the first 3 months of the year, Chicago had 6 less murders than this time in 2013, and 55 fewer than this time in 2012. Overall crime plummeted 25 percent from 2013.So what explains this stunning n

"To help liberals understand (and be civil to) conservatives." "To help conservatives understand (and be civil to) liberals." "To help everyone understand libertarians, who are often ignored because they don't fit on the left-right spectrum." On the website of CivilPolitics.org, readings and resources in each of these areas aim to foster mutual understanding in our divided political environment. The three phrases also succinctly sum up their efforts. CivilPolitics.org is an organization devo

Yes for Independent Maps is an ongoing effort in Illinois to add an amendment to the state constitution that would put the process of decennial redistricting into the hands of an independent board. The group describes itself as a "nonpartisan campaign" to "bring together community leaders, people at the grassroots, and everyone in between." Senior adviser Ryan Blitstein says that after years of gerrymandering and little transparency in the process, "It's a bipartisan problem and it demands a bip

In Illinois' 17th Congressional District, a re-match is set which may help determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives. Stretching from Rockford in north central Illinois, extending south and west along the border with Iowa, before finally reaching Peoria in central Illinois, the 17th district sees Colona native and former Republican congressman Bobby Schilling attempting a political comeback. In 2010, Schilling, a former insurance agent and restaurant proprietor, challenged

With International Women’s Day this past weekend, across the world there were displays of support for women. In Montevideo, Uruguay, the government dedicated a stamp to Luisa Cuesta, who has fought for truth and justice in the country. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, restaurants gave female patrons discounts on their meals. And in the U.S., there were various celebrations, including Hillary Clinton’s statement before the United Nations where she asserted that equality for women is “the great unfinis

With the March 18 primary approaching for the Illinois gubernatorial race, 4 Republicans are vying for the favor of voters and a large swath of undecided voters may make the difference. Illinois is currently dealing with a downgraded credit rating and a public pensions crisis. Hovering between 8 and 9 percent, unemployment is still above the national average. With big names dropping out or declining to run, Democratic governor Pat Quinn is running against only token opposition in his primary.

In Illinois, a state where Democratic U.S. representatives outnumber Republicans twelve to six, at least one north suburban Chicago district may see a switch from Democrat to Republican. With U.S. Representative Mark Kirk running for and winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2010, the 10th congressional district became open for the first time in a decade. Small business owner and Republican Robert Dold defeated three-time candidate Dan Seals, 51-49, in the general election. After redistricting, howeve

Over the long weekend, I got to thinking about leadership and about U.S. presidents -- both past and present. Our country has celebrated 44 presidents, and while good and bad decisions were made, the tremendous achievements of our leaders are undeniable. Biases aside, our former presidents possessed traits of leadership, commitment, and dedication to our country that are timeless. In identifying these traits, we can better build an ideal for future leaders. Leading our country to independence,

It seems that in every cycle there is debate about which states should hold the first presidential primary elections. Some state always seems to try to jump ahead of Iowa and New Hampshire. Since 1972, the Iowa Caucuses have been first in the nation and New Hampshire has been the first "primary" since 1920. There, of course, have been states that have attempted to circumvent Iowa and New Hampshire, claiming that they don't truly represent America as they are small states with seemingly narrow