By Becky Doyle Most Illinoisans do not realize that the most important resource in our state is right under their feet. Illinois soils are more appreciated globally than they are right here at home. Long valued for their world-class productive capacity, our soils are now also known to be capable of: Protecting water quality. Providing…

By Ray Hanania Prices have been skyrocketing at every level and on every item in a large part because of the heavy toll the pandemic has had on businesses and workers. The Russian invasion and accelerated war crimes in Ukraine have aggravated the economic impact on everyday citizens. That’s what inspired Dr. Willie Wilson last…

By Rich Miller As you probably already know, the Democratic Governors Association recently launched a TV ad blasting Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin for claiming to be a crime fighter while having defended dangerous criminals as a defense attorney. “Richard Irvin’s real record on crime?” the DGA ad begins. “For 15 years, Irvin has been…

By Jim Nowlan I spoke recently to an audience of attorneys and financial planners about the future of Illinois. I asked for a show of hands as to who thought our state would reverse the almost 1 percent decline in population we experienced in the past decade. Only 1 of 30 thought it was likely.…

By Rich Miller After the Illinois House and Senate voted to pass legislation to partially pay down the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund debt, top Democratic leaders gathered for a Statehouse press conference to boast about their accomplishment. Yes, they admitted, it was only a partial pay-down. The debt is $4.5 billion, and they patched…

By Ray Hanania You would think that record low temperatures might save you money. But not in Illinois and not at Nicor gas, the company that has a monopoly on how we heat our homes. You can’t switch your utility companies. They are determined by geographic location. Originally an Illinois company gobbled up by AGL,…

By Sally C. Pipes Facing declining revenue prospects, physicians are shuttering their private, independent practices to join larger hospitals that have near-monopolies on care in the regions they serve. This trend is depressing news for Americans. Further concentration of market power in these health systems ultimately results in less personalized care for patients — and…

By Rich Miller The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police’s top campaign priority this spring is defeating Sen. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago) in the Democratic primary. The police group is backing Chicago police detective Erin Jones, who not long ago was described as a “loyal member” of the Northwest Side GOP Club. The previous practice in that…

By Ray Hanania Most people in Cook County laugh when they hear the words “local Republicans.” That’s because the Republican organization in Cook County and in Illinois is a mess. Many Democrats I know shrug their shoulders and ask, “Who cares?” It’s more of a statement of fact than a question. The few Republicans who…