Search query: Illinois

The fact that early voting is even a contentious issue in America today tells us a great deal about how poisoned our politics has become; how untethered it often can seem  from sense and sensibility. Of course, more early voting options would offer the American people more convenient and practical ways in which to exercise their franchise. Giving voters more “time, place, and manner choices” when it comes to casting a ballot makes sense as a market-based concept. And it is self-evidently a good

Historical perspective can be marvelous for whatever ails you—especially if what ails you is the belief that things are worse in America today than they have ever been. This is almost never true. In the 230 or so years that we have been a country, we have been through—and overcome—a lot. At different points in the past, we have been more in debt, more divided, and more gridlocked than we are now. And as difficult as it can be to believe when reading the comments section of any online news sourc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGmiw_rrNxkWednesday, a coalition of hundreds of organizations, whistle blowers, and civil rights leaders unveiled a video (above) opposing "suspicionless surveillance of American citizens." The 'Stop Watching Us' campaign features many notable privacy proponents including Daniel Ellsberg, best known for the 'Pentagon Papers,' and Glen Greenwald, the Guardian reporter who 'leaked' information on the NSA's PRISM surveillance program from Edward Snowden.A rally is p

Concerns about rising tuition and how students can afford to finance their major investments in post-secondary education are widespread. Solid insights into these questions require accurate and up-to-date information about prices. reports on the prices charged by colleges and universities in 2013-14, how prices have changed over time, and how they vary within and across types of institutions, states, and regions. We also provide information on the net prices that students and families actually p

With its last two former governors arrested, Illinois has become a political punch line. As if to throw more fuel on the fire, a 2011 report found that 14 Illinois counties had more registered voters than residents. It has also witnessed Illinois become a solidly Democratic state. The causes are multiple. The recent Democratic ascendance has coincided with a period of unsatisfactory Republican governance and damage to the national party brand. It has also come with Illinois Democrats prevailin

In 2011, Wisconsin state budget and accounting issues actually got so exciting they brought reminders of protests from the 1960s and 1970s.  The 2011 debate centered on how the state would approach paying retirement benefits for government workers.   Wisconsin’s ‘Budget Repair Bill’ included provisions to limit pay and benefits and to restrict collective bargaining. These provisions sparked widespread protest, including counter-protests in favor of the bill.  After the Wisconsin Supreme Court up

(Credit: nationaljournal.com) With the US Congress returning to debate and vote on authorization to intervene in the Syrian civil war, at least one representative has drawn a primary challenge over his stance. As one of the Republican congressmen on record supporting President Barack Obama's proposed intervention in Syria, Illinois US Representative Adam Kinzinger has acquired a primary opponent because of his support for military action: Rockford tea party activist David Hale. Kinzinger firs

The "Under God" Controversy "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." (1892) It sounds familiar to many of us, but it doesn't seem quite right.  Growing up, I had to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school.  As a child, the phrase "Under God," which does not appear in the above quote, never even registered to me.  They were just words to be recited along with the rest.  This may be because I was

(Credit: blogs.e-rockford.com) This week in Illinois, Bruce Rauner, a venture capitalist and Republican candidate for governor, will be introducing a platform of term limits in Illinois. According to the Chicago Tribune, Rauner's PAC, the Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits, has raised over $205,000 so far. This would not mark the first time a concerted effort was made in the Land of Lincoln to limit the terms of Springfield politicians. As state treasurer, current Illinois gover

Demand, meet Supply Amidst some disenchantment with both major political parties, the chart above shows, when looking across the 50 states, the share of votes earned by candidates that were not either Democratic or Republican has fallen significantly for U.S. House of Representative elections since 2000. The State Data Lab resource (Votes Cast for House Election – Other), developed by Truth in Accounting, shows that states with relatively high shares of non-major party votes in 2000 also had s