Illinois Family Action

The problems of crime and taxes in Illinois, as of 2024, present a multifaceted issue that intertwines economic policy, public safety, and social justice. Here's an examination based on the latest information: Increase in Violent Crime: There's been an 18% rise in violent crime over the last decade in Chicago, with a notable 11.5% increase in 2023 alone. Despite a decrease in homicides, other violent crimes like vehicle thefts and assaults have surged, indicating a shift in crime patterns rather than an overall reduction in violence. Arrest Rates: Concurrently, there's been a significant drop in arrest rates, down by 43% over ten years. This decline suggests either a change in law enforcement strategies, policy impacts like the SAFE-T Act's cash bail reform, or both, potentially leading to fewer apprehensions for violent crimes. High Tax Burden: Illinois has one of the highest tax burdens in the U.S., particularly with property taxes, which are the highest in the nation. This burden is exacerbated by the state's need to fund public pensions, which are significantly underfunded, leading to increased taxation to cover these obligations. Revenue and Spending: Despite high taxes, Illinois faces revenue shortfalls. The state's spending has outpaced revenue growth, with significant portions of property taxes going towards pension funds, which are only 20% funded. This has led to a scenario where despite high taxation, there's still a need for more revenue, often leading to further tax increases or new taxes. Interplay Between Crime and Taxes: Public Safety vs. Economic Stability: The rise in crime, potentially influenced by policies like the SAFE-T Act, alongside high taxes, creates a narrative where public safety and economic stability are seen as inversely related. High taxes might fund more police or social programs, but if crime continues to rise, it undermines the economic stability that taxes are supposed to support. Community and Business Exodus: The combination of these factors has led to a sentiment of dissatisfaction, with some posts indicating that businesses and individuals are leaving Illinois due to these pressures, which in turn reduces the tax base, leading to a vicious cycle. In summary, Illinois faces a complex scenario where crime and taxes are not isolated issues but are deeply interconnected with economic policy, social justice reforms, and public safety. The state's approach to these problems, as reflected in public discourse and policy changes, shows a struggle between maintaining fiscal responsibility, ensuring public safety, and addressing social equity, with no easy solutions in sight.

Former State Senator Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) discusses the needed reforms for the Illinois GOP with hopes that newly installed Chairwoman Kathy Salvi will destroy the bipartisan combine and reform an inept political party in recent decades.

Just in case you had any doubts about the cozy relationship between Planned Parenthood and Illinois Democrats: In this short video clip, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan) announces that cupcakes are being provided -- in the Senate President's office - by Planned Parenthood to thank abortion cheerleaders for fostering their business of child sacrifice for profit in the state of Illinois.

The Illinois House voted to change the word "offender" to "justice-impacted individual." The Illinois House voted to pass this woke legislation on April 16th by a vote of 68 to 40 -- https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory.asp?GA=103&DocNum=4409&DocTypeID=HB&GAId=17&LegID=151356&SessionID=112 The Illinois Senate voted to pass HB 4409 by a vote of 34 to 20 -- https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory.asp?GA=103&DocNum=4409&DocTypeID=HB&GAId=17&LegID=151356&SessionID=112

Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson (R-NC) began his 12 minute speech at 2022 CPAC in Dallas by giving thanks to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He then explained how he had overcome the adversity of being a poor black kid from Greensboro to become the first black lieutenant governor of North Carolina. He proudly proclaimed: "America is still the greatest nation on Earth, and I don't care what these communists say. I don't care what the socialists say... This is the greatest nation on Earth, and it's all because of God. He's the one that made it all impossible. So we give him thanks." He called for conservatives to talk to their families, neighbors, and friends to spread the "good story about what conservatism does." "We can't be the silent majority anymore," Robinson demanded. "Silence never did anything in this nation. Imagine if the founders had been silent. Imagine if the abolitionists had been silent." AMEN!

Illinois State Democrats used their supermajority status this week to ram through changes to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot.By doing this, the Parents Matter Coalition petition drive was effectively rendered moot, since state law limits the number of questions on a statewide ballot to three.

The number of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border is continues at a frightening rate. Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded two-and-a-half million instances of detaining or turning away people attempting to cross into the United States from Mexico in 2023, it is interesting to not that 37,000 were from China. The New York Times reported that this "is more than in the preceding 10 years combined." In this video clip, Fox News Channel, Mike Tobin reports on a "dramatic increase" in Chinese nationals crossing the border illegally. Part of Tobin's report includes the legitimate concerns of U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) who wants to know why so many Chinese nationals are coming to her state to start illegal marijuana growing operations.

The apparent GOP nominee for POTUS, Donald J. Trump, issued a video statement on April 8, 2024 asserting his opinion that abortion laws should be determined by U.S. states and the voters therein. As a Christian public policy organization, this is very sad. The "Right to Life" (Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness) is an universal truth that should never be relegated to the feckless politicians – especially those in tyrannical blue states. The Right to Life is a universal truth, and should be self-evident. It is an unalienable right endowed to us by our Creator. Government -- at all levels, are instituted to defend this preeminent human right.

"Even Dr. Phil now gets it, that attempting to transition a child to the other sex is madness. You know who doesn’t get it? Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and the entire Democratic Party leadership. And who else doesn’t get it? Every Christian who votes for, or fails to cast an effective vote against, these child abusers." ~Dr. Robert A.J. Gagnon

The number of Chinese migrants entering the US at the southern border has reached a record high — sparking national security concerns over possible spies. Customs and Border Protection reported more than 24,000 Chinese illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border last fiscal year, making the group the fastest-growing demographic crossing into the United States there. According to this Fox News Channel report by Bill Melugin, there have been more than 20,000 Chinses nationalists encountered at the southern border in the last four months. This represents a 4,000% increase from 2021 — which saw only 450 Chinese nationalist were encountered — and exceeds the total for the entire previous decade combined.

NPR Washington Desk - President Biden gave a fiery defense of his mental acuity at the White House on Thursday evening (01/09/2024) after a U.S. Justice Department special counsel delivered a report that described him as an "elderly man with a poor memory" who had trouble remembering timelines. Biden emphasized that the DOJ concluded he should not be charged over classified documents found in his home and an office — and quoted sections of the report that contrasted his behavior with that of former President Donald Trump, who faces federal charges related to retention of classified documents. Biden blamed his staff for the documents being in the wrong places, and said he should have overseen their efforts more closely. He angrily responded to special counsel Robert Hur's description of a portion of an interview in which Hur said Biden seemed to not remember when his son, Beau, died. "How in the hell dare he raise that?" Biden said, adding it was "none of their damn business," and choking up with emotion. "I don't need anyone to remind me when he passed away," he said. He said that Hur's description did not belong in the report. "They don't know what they're talking about," he said. Beau Biden died in 2015. Asked by a reporter about the description of being "a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory," Biden said: "I'm well meaning and I'm an elderly man and I know what I'm doing." Asked if his memory had become worse, he said: "My memory is fine." But when he answered a question about current hostage negotiations with Israel and Hamas, Biden mistakenly said that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt was the "president of Mexico." In recent days in off-camera events, Biden has thrice mixed up names of foreign leaders, calling French President Emmanuel Macron "Mitterrand" and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel "Helmut Kohl." François Mitterrand and Kohl were former leaders of France and Germany, respectively. Read more: https://www.npr.org/2024/02/08/1230290474/biden-classified-documents-response

Former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Ron Vitiello calls out the president's response to the border crisis on 'America Reports.' On Monday, December 18th, officials at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a record number of migrants at the Eagle Pass sector of the southern border, with over 12,600 apprehensions in a single day. The daily surge along the southern border - especially at the Eagle Pass sector - has fluctuated. However, throughout the Biden Administration, the CBP continues to encounter large numbers of illegal immigrants crossing the border. In fiscal year 2023, CBP apprehended over 2 million migrants at the border, the highest number in two decades.

In January 2022, Jack Smith's team secretly obtained a subpoena from a judge to access Donald Trump's Twitter account information. This included direct messages, deleted tweets, and other data, potentially revealing who liked his tweets and who he interacted with. Twitter initially resisted, claiming they needed to notify Trump first. This was taken up to an appellate court where it led to a $350,000 fine against Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk.

Andrew Klavan's sarcastic & irreverent humor isn't everyone's cup of tea - but it is hard to argue that his satirical take on current issues doesn't help to put current issues in perspective while exposing the absurdity of Leftist thinking. In this case, pro-Hamas, anti-Semitic protests from certain Democrats.

NOW WITH SOUND!! The Illinois Freedom Caucus today held on Monday (10/2/23) to demand answers to some of the concerns Manteno residents have with a Chinese company building a battery plant in their community. The Chinese company Gotion High-Tech Co. is in line for $ 7.5 billion in federal tax credits over five years, while the State of Illinois is kicking in an additional $536 million in subsidies to build the plant. The cost to build the plant is $2 billion and the subsidies add up to an astounding $3 million per job. “Manteno may not be in our districts, but the people of this community deserve to have their voices heard,” said State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur). “This deal was negotiated in secret without the input of Manteno residents. The Governor needs to answer their questions and address their concerns.” State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said it defies common-sense to make a deal with a company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party without requiring any kind of disclosures. He said China’s human rights abuses make them a bad-faith partner in business deals.

Upholding The Right to Life for unborn human beings is not a “terrible mistake.” It is our first unalienable right given to us by God and it is a non-negotiable TRUTH. Republicans who protect life should be applauded, not attacked.

The U.S. Congress is back in Washington D.C. after August recess Funding the swamp is front and center on the agenda, with current appropriations set to expire September 30. The U.S. House Freedom Caucus has made it perfectly clear: they will not support extending the existing budget unless it includes the U.S. House-passed border security bill, and makes reforms to the Justice Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pentagon. In the video interview below, U.S. Representative Chip Roy acknowledged that lawmakers are facing tough questions. Back in February, Rep. Roys warned fellow Republicans that they are "on the verge of extinction" if it does not change their course. He specifically criticized the party's leaders for their willingness to compromise with Democrats on issues such as immigration and gun control. As an outspoken member of the Freedom Caucus, Rep. Roy said that Republicans need to "stand up for our principles" and "fight for what we believe in." He also called on the party to "stop listening to the consultants and the special interests" and "start listening to the people." During this interview at the Capitol you can hear his growing frustration with some of colleagues, especially Republicans over in the U.S. Senate.

The "election denying" narrative promoted by the left-wing media and their collusion with the Democrat Party is blatant, widespread, and downright embarrassing!

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee was seven hours into a “markup” session when U.S. Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) requested to show a short video about gender reassignment video. The Democrats walked out in protest.

Illinois State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) rose to speak out against House Bill 2350 during floor debate in the Illinois Senate. This woke proposal seeks to amend the Illinois Insurance Code to remove gendered terms in sections that relate to pap smears and prostate exams, by replacing references to ‘men’ and ‘women’ with “individuals.” “This bill is outrageous. It is biologically impossible for a female to receive a prostate exam and it is equally impossible for a male to receive a pap smear,” continued Chesney. “At a time when people are leaving our state in droves, I can’t believe these are the priority bills the Democrats are bringing forward.” Illinois Democrats in the General Assembly passed this bill and Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign it into law.

During a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) grilled Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the horrific state of the southern border, accusing Mayorkas of refusing to answer direct questions with direct answers. "If you had integrity, you would resign," the Texas Republican said. "The men and women of the Border Patrol, they have never had a political leader undermine them. They despise you, Mr. Secretary, because you are willing to let children be raped to follow political orders." Other senators also harshly criticized Mayorkas for insisting that the border was secure. “Did you just parachute in from another planet, Mr. Secretary?” U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) asked rhetorically. “Because you’re the only person in the Milky Way who believes that we’re not having massive, massive illegal immigration into America.”

U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) questioned witnesses including former CDC Director Robert Redfield about how former NIH Director Dr. Anthony Fauci handled speculation about the COVID-19 Wuhan "lab-leak" theory in the early days of the pandemic, during the first hearing on virus origins from the U.S. House Coronavirus Committee on March 8, 2023.