Willinois – The Politicus

What Convicted Governor Rod Blagojevich Taught Me About Hillary Clinton

With primary season at an end, it appears that Democratic delegates won’t come to their senses and nominate a candidate who can unite the party to defeat Trump. Bernie Sanders supporters who listened to months of condescending, belittling language of force about accepting Hillary Clinton as the inevitable nominee will now...

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July 27, 2016

2018 / anniversary / Attack / Attacks / Barack Obama / BarackObama / BruceRauner / Budget / businesses / Campaign / Candidate / Challenge / Civility / Congress / Cook / Court / Democrats / Economy / Failure / Fracking / governing / Government / Governor / House / Illinois / John / Kennedy / Local / members / Obama / Party / Pat Quinn / Patriotism / Politics / President / Presidential / Primary / Public / Senate / sessions / Speech / Springfield / State / StateHouse / Stop / Style / Voters / White House

Will Barack Obama Run For Governor of Illinois?

President Obama’s nostalgic speech in Springfield has local Democrats wondering what he has planned after leaving the White House. “I miss you guys,” Obama said during his address in the Illinois statehouse on the anniversary of his Presidential campaign announcement. He returned to his frequent theme of bringing civility and...

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February 11, 2016

BernieSanders / Campaign / Candidates / Clinton / Conviction / Debate / DemDebate / effort / Election2016 / Elections / focus / Hillary / Hillary Clinton / HillaryClinton / Media / News / policies / Presidential / Pundits / sanders / Satire / Security / Spin / Style / ThursdayStories

Hillary Clinton Declared Winner in Advance of Tonight's Debate

Hillary Clinton is being declared the winner by pundits and campaign surrogates in advance of tonight’s debate. “It’s a struggle to keep on top of post-debate spin when Clinton does poorly,” said one campaign spokesperson speaking anonymously. “This time we’re getting ahead of the game by letting everyone know that, regardless of any contrary impression...

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February 4, 2016

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Bill Clinton endorsed Al Gore 44 days before the Iowa caucus. Why hasn't Obama endorsed Hillary?

Why hasn’t Barack Obama endorsed his former Secretary of State? There’s precedent. Bill Clinton endorsed and was giving speeches for Gore by this point in the 2000 election. There’s no doubt that Clinton would want the endorsement. She already has a former President campaigning for her. She’s already running on...

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January 25, 2016

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Clinton Backs Down From Health Care Fight For Second Time in Her Career

For the second time in her career, Hillary Clinton has signaled retreat on her signature issue, health care. During the Democratic debate, Clinton said she wouldn’t fight for the type of single-payer system she once supported because she’s afraid of what might happen during a contentious debate. Now, there are things we...

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January 19, 2016

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Clinton's Lie Shows She's Afraid of Losing Her Strongest Supporters

Why would Hillary Clinton risk lying when lack of honesty and conviction is her biggest perceived weakness among voters? Looking at who she’s lying to answers the question. Hillary Clinton claimed in Iowa: “His plan would take Medicare and Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act...

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January 13, 2016

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Never Forget. 2003 State of the Union.

We must never forget that a President exploited the tragedy of 9/11 to spread fear, lies and war in his State of the Union address. Remembering is the only way to keep it from happening again. Thankfully, Obama has resisted the urge to use his platform to push for a large...

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January 13, 2016

ACLU / ambassador / BernieSanders / Brown / Campaign / Candidates / castor / Castro / Caucus / Change / Charlotte / Clinton / Congressman / Election2016 / Elections / Elizabeth Warren / Environmental Justice / Florida / focus / Freedom / Governor / Hillary / Hillary Clinton / HUD / Ideas / Illinois / Immigration / Justice / Labor / Massachusetts / Mayor / Men / Minnesota / National Security / Nevada / New Jersey / Obama / Oregon / Party / Poll / Presidential / Progressive / Reform / sanders / Security / State / supporters / Transportation / UN / Unity / VicePresident / warren / WhiteHouse

Who should Sanders pick as a running mate?

Sanders has some work to do to win the Democratic nomination, but for the sake of entertaining ourselves, there’s no harm in wondering who would make a good vice-presidential running mate. And maybe it’s not too early to discuss. Traditionally, candidates wait until they’ve won the nomination to pick a running...

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December 21, 2015

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Do you believe Clinton is unaware of top fossil fuel donors?

Hillary Clinton’s opponents in the Democratic primary pledged to not take donations from the fossil fuel industry. It’s an appropriate response to the fossil fuel industry’s tremendous influence in Washington, despite their presenting a catastrophic threat to the future of civilization. When an Iowa voter asked Clinton to take the...

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December 18, 2015

Activism / blockpetcoke / Carbon / Chicago / Children / China / Citizens / CivilDisobedience / Climate / Coal / Community / Corporations / dangerous / Disease / Energy / Environment / Environmental Justice / EnvironmentalJustice / Exposure / Fear / Green Jobs / Health / Hospitalizations / Illinois / India / Jobs / Justice / Local / members / Mother / Oil / Plants / Power / SAT / Schools / Updates / Witness

Blockade of Chicago Petcoke Facility Calls for Green Jobs Instead of Toxic Fossil Fuels

Seven community members and concerned citizens are blockading entrances to the Koch Carbon Transfer Terminal (KCBX) on Chicago's Southeast side. The blockade began at 8am Monday morning. By 9am they were joined by 10th ward Chicago Alderwoman Susan Garza who sat in support with the blockaders. Over a dozen trucks...

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November 16, 2015

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“This Changes Everything” Moves Focus to Communities on Fossil Fuel Frontlines

Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis visited Chicago to host a sold out premier showing of their new documentary film, This Changes Everything. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it. I know the issue well. I've seen plenty of climate change documentaries before. But the filmmakers won me over at the start...

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November 3, 2015

AaronSchock / AdamLopez / Candidate / Candidates / Catholic / Catholics / Change / Clean Coal / CleanCoal / Climate / Climate Change / ClimateChange / Coal / Congress / Congressional / Conversation / Debate / Democrats / Domestic / Election / Elections / Energy / Federal / focus / foreign / Fracking / Illinois / Jobs / letter / Local / Money / Moving / News / Oil / Plants / Power / Primary / REAL / Reality / School / Science / Solutions / Springfield / State / Tax / Unions / Voters / Workers

Democratic Candidates Agree on Climate Science, Differ on Solutions (IL-18)

The two Democrats running to replace Aaron Schock in Illinois' 18th Congressional district supported action on climate change in a recent debate sponsored by several news organizations. Both candidates mentioned a letter from Pope Francis calling on Catholics to make combating climate change a top priority. Less than a week...

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June 24, 2015

America / Barack Obama / BarackObama / businesses / Campaign / Candidate / Cars / Change / Climate / Climate Change / Clinton / Colorado / Corrupt / Crisis / Democrats / Elections / Endorsements / Energy / Environment / Ethanol / Fight / Fracking / Fuel / Future / gain / Hair / Hillary / Hillary Clinton / HillaryClinton / Hurricanes / Illinois / Nominee / Obama / Oil / Party / Pat Quinn / Politics / President / Presidential / Primary / problem / Speech / Springfield / State / Style / Threat / Tweet / Tyranny / Union / Voters / World

Hillary Clinton is Taking Democrats Backward on Climate Change

When Barack Obama announced his Presidential campaign in Springfield, Illinois he spoke of climate change. Let's be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil. We can harness homegrown, alternative fuels like ethanol and spur the production of more fuel-efficient cars. We can set up a system...

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May 28, 2015

022 / 2016 / AndyManar / Black / Choice / Choices / Citizens / Coal / Community / contamination / Contributions / Counties / Destroy / Disease / Economic / Economy / Ellen / Energy / Environment / Exposure / EXTRA / Failure / Fear / ForesightEnergy / Funding / give / Government / Health / Help / IDEA / Illinois / IllinoisGeneralAssembly / Jobs / John / King / Legislation / legislators / letter / Message / miners / negative / policies / Pollution / Positive / Power / Press / Press Release / Progressive / Public / PushBack / Response / Safety / State / Tax / Taxes / Trust / unhealthy / unknown / Values / Virginia / Water / World

Illinois Legislators Face Backlash for Coal Mining Bill

Illinois State Senator Andy Manar is getting pushback from constituents after introducing a bill to help the heavily subsidized state coal mining industry. A coal industry lobbyist with Foresight Energy joined Manar and other legislators at a press conference for a bill to give Illinois coal an advantage over imports....

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May 17, 2015

AbrahamLincoln / Candidates / Chicago / Choice / Coal / contract / Election / Elections / Energy / Environment / Future / Illinois / Local / LocalElections / Mayor / News / Power / Public / REAL / Springfield / State / Voters / Wind

Clean Energy Election Victory for Illinois' Largest Public Utility

Illinois' largest public utility will now be overseen by a mayor who pledged to keep renewable energy as part of its energy mix. Springfield's Democratic Mayor-elect Jim Langfelder deserves credit for talking about clean energy. Some candidates avoided the topic because it's controversial after a wind power contract became more...

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April 8, 2015

2016 / 2016 Election / Aging / Base / Boom / Business / Campaign / Candidate / Candidates / Carbon / Chicago / Coal / Colorado / Community / Congress / Democrats / Donors / Economic / Economy / Election / Energy / Environment / Fracking / Governor / Hearings / Help / Illinois / Jobs / Leaders / Lobbyists / Losing / Narrative / Oil / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Paul / Plants / Poll / Primaries / Primary / Protests / Public / RahmEmanuel / Reality / safe / Senate / State / StateHouse / supporters / Turnout / Voters / Water

Illinois Poll Shows Strong Opposition to Fracking

Nearly half of Illinois voters oppose fracking, according to a new poll by the Simon Institute. The statewide poll reveals 48.6% oppose fracking while only 31.8% believe it should be encouraged, even if there are economic benefits. Opponents outnumber supporters an all regions of the state, including downstate where fracking...

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March 31, 2015

America / Billionaires / birth / Carbon / Change / Chicago / Children / Cities / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Community / Conservative / contract / Corporations / Crazy / Crisis / Decision / Disease / Earthquakes / Election / Elections / Emissions / Energy / EnergyAggregation / Environment / Environmental Justice / expansion / Fracking / Future / Grassroots / Health / Illinois / Justice / Kids / Leadership / Local / Mayor / Methane / Pennsylvania / Plants / Power / problem / Public / RahmEmanuel / Rally / Response / School / September / Sierra Club / Springfield / State / Threat / Transportation / Water / Wind

America's Fracking Mayor: Rahm Emanuel

When Rahm Emanuel became mayor, the city of Chicago was making lists of top green cities in America. During the election he pledged support to a community movement aimed at closing the polluting Fisk & Crawford coal plants. But after taking office, Emanuel significantly increased Chicago's use of fossil fuels...

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March 18, 2015

AbrahamLincoln / Americans / Billionaires / Birthday / Book / BruceRauner / Campaign / Change / Constitution / Elections / FAIR / Governor / greatness / Happy / History / Illinois / Income / letter / Middle Class / Party / Paul / policies / President / Progressive / Republican / Republican Party / Republicans / Rich / State / Tax / Taxes / Wealthy

Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln: Enemy of the 1%

Happy birthday Abraham Lincoln! When Lincoln anniversaries come around I sometimes enjoy comparing the views of the first Republican president to the Republican party of today. Tax policies offer a stark contrast. Lincoln supported progressive income tax structures that asked the rich to pay their fair share. As a member...

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February 12, 2015

Administration / Aging / appointments / BruceRauner / Business / Campaign / Change / Citizens / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Commerce / Crisis / Energy / Environment / ExxonMobil / Fracking / Governor / Health / Help / Illinois / Law / members / Midwest / negative / Pat Quinn / Peabody / Plants / policies / Pollution / Positive / Power / Public / Reality / Republicans / Rules / State / Subsidies

Governor Rauner's Environment & Energy Adviser Represents Illinois' Worst Polluters

One of Bruce Rauner's first appointments as Governor is a troubling sign for citizens hoping he'll protect the public and environment from toxic pollutants. Rauner's new Policy Adviser for Environment & Energy is Alec Messina, previously Executive Director and registered lobbyist for the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group (IERG). At IERG,...

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January 16, 2015

Campaign / Climate / Coalition / Counties / Cuomo / Election / Endorsement / Energy / Environment / Fight / Fracking / Fuel / Government / Governor / Grassroots / Health / Hearing / Illinois / Law / legislators / Lobbyists / Message / new york / News / October / Oil / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Public / Reflection / safe / Sierra Club / State / StateHouse / Stop / Union

Can Illinois Learn From New York's Victory Against Fracking?

Illinois environmentalists are cheering the spectacular success of the movement to ban fracking in New York. The victory is justifiably spurring reflection on how it was done. What happened in New York that Illinois environmentalists can learn from? Environmental and public health groups made an unambiguous, united push for a...

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January 2, 2015

America / Americans / Attacks / capability / Community / Congress / Conservative / dangerous / Democrats / Detainees / foreign / Hatred / Intelligence / Lying / Men / Military / moral / National Security / NationalSecurity / Obama / Partisan / Party / person / President / problem / Projection / Radio / reading / Republicans / Reputation / Response / Security / Senate / Shame / Soldiers / Ted Cruz / TedCruz / Torture / TortureReport / Truth / Women / World

After release of torture report, the only thing Ted Cruz condemns is Democrats

After reading a report that included descriptions of horrific acts like “forced rectal feeding,” the only thing Senator Ted Cruz chose to condemn is Democrats. In a statement on his website he blames Democrats releasing the report, and not torture itself, for damaging America's reputation in the world. “Within 48...

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December 10, 2014

Advertising / Broken / Campaign / Change / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Conservative / Contributions / Crowdfunding / dangerous / Democrat / Donations / Energy / Environment / expansion / Failure / FAIR / Financial / focus / Fox / Fracking / Fuel / Future / Grassroots / Ideology / Illinois / Information / Justice / Liberal / Local / Media / News / Newspapers / opening / Plants / Pollution / Press / principles / problem / Questions / Republicans / Safety / Sports / Springfield / State / Threat / Transition / Workers / Writing

Media Bias is 25 Sports Writers and Zero Environment Reporters

Any news outlet that distributes information unflattering to Republicans or views out of step with conservative ideology will be hounded with cries of “liberal media bias.” The badgering will continue until all news outlets are as “fair and balanced” as Fox News. But the most consequential expression of bias in...

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December 5, 2014

2008 / Budgets / Campaign / Change / Climate / Climate Change / ClimateChange / Clinton / CO2 / Conservation / Courage / Crisis / Destroy / Economy / Elections / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Evidence / Failure / Fight / Fracking / Fuel / Hillary / Hillary Clinton / HillaryClinton / House / Infrastructure / Leadership / Oil / President / Response / Speech / State / Voters / White House / World

Clinton shows she's not the climate leader we need

Hillary Clinton did us a favor. At a recent speech to the League of Conservation Voters, Clinton showed that she doesn't understand what it will take to confront the climate crisis and she's unwilling to stand up to fossil fuel interests who are threatening to destroy civilization. Even after climate...

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December 2, 2014

Ann / Campaign / Candidate / Candidates / Caucus / Change / Choices / Clean Coal / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Congress / Congressional / Congressman / Conservative / Debate / Democrat / Democrats / Dog / Donations / Economy / Election / Elections / Endorsement / Energy / Environment / Fracking / Fuel / Fundraising / Future / give / Governor / Happy / History / Hurricane / IL-12 / IL-13 / Illinois / Investigation / Jobs / John / Kentucky / Killer / Law / Leaders / Liberal / Losing / Louisiana / Message / Money / Motivation / Obama / Oil / Party / Pat Quinn / President / Primary / Protesters / Public / Race / Republican / Rules / safe / Scandal / Senate / Sex / Shimkus / Sierra Club / State / StateHouse / Strategy / Turnout / Virginia / Vote / Voter / Voters

It doesn't pay to be a fossil fuel Democrat on election day

This was a difficult election for Democrats and it was even worse for Democrats still pushing fossil fuels. The Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Coal Caucus lost his seat along with a slew of others who tried to prove they're as pro-coal, pro-oil, and pro-fracking as any Republican. There are...

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November 10, 2014

alone / Attack / Attacks / Ballot / Blue / BruceRauner / Campaign / Candidate / Candidates / Chicago / Choice / Congress / Cook / Counties / Cut / Democrat / Democrats / Difference / Dog / durbin / Election / Energy / Environment / Fracking / Government / Governor / House / IDEA / Illinois / Iraq / Jobs / Koch Brothers / Labor / LandSlide / Law / Liberal / Losing / Obama / Party / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Press / Pro-Choice / Progressive / Public / Race / Republican / Schools / Scott / State / State House / suburbs / Turnout / Union / Universities / Vote / Voters / War

All Illinois Democrats have to do for re-election is govern like Democrats

There's a simple lesson for Illinois Democrats from the Tuesday election. If you want to get re-elected as a Democrat in Illinois all you have to do is govern like a liberal Democrat. It's not complicated. Illinois is a Democratic state. A majority of voters are pro-union, pro-environment, pro-choice and...

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November 7, 2014

Authority / BruceRauner / Budget / Candidates / Chicago / Choice / Citizens / Climate Change / ClimateChange / College / contamination / Crisis / Earthquakes / Economic / Election / Energy / Environment / Exposure / Fracking / General / give / Governor / Grassroots / greenwashing / Health / Hearing / Hearings / History / IDNR / Illinois / Information / Infrastructure / Law / Leaders / legislators / letter / members / Message / Moving / Pat Quinn / Public / Publishing / Questions / Republican / risks / Rules / safe / Southerners / State / Threat / Veto / Vote / Voters / Water / Wildlife

Southern Illinois asks legislative committee to reject weak fracking rules

Yesterday Illinois was facing an environmental and economic crisis from fracking that was greenwashed by a Democratic Governor who told us regulation can make it safe. Voters were asked to choose between two pro-fracking candidates for Governor. Bruce Rauner won after many downstate voters decided they didn't like either choice...

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November 5, 2014

Budget / Campaign / Change / Climate / Climate Change / ClimateChange / Coal / Commerce / Contributions / Crisis / Diesel / Economic / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Failure / Fuel / Governor / Green Jobs / Hope / Illinois / Jobs / King / Legislation / Local / Money / Oversight / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Power / Public / Questions / State / Subsidies / Tax / Transparency

Illinois Wasting Millions on Another Coal-to-Gas Pork Project

The state of Illinois is throwing millions of taxpayer dollars at another coal-to-gas plant just two years after a similar project ended in failure. The Coal Development Fund has so far given Homeland Fuels two grants totaling $4.25 million in taxpayer dollars. The first grant was awarded in 2013 to fund a study...

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October 23, 2014

2016 / 2020 / Administration / AlGore / Bernie / Bernie Sanders / Campaign / Candidate / Candidates / Challenge / Change / Climate / Climate Change / ClimateChange / Clinton / Coal / Crisis / Donors / Drugs / Election / Election 2016 / Election2016 / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Environmental Justice / Fashion / Fear / focus / Fracking / Fuel / Future / Governor / Grassroots / HealthCare / Help / Hillary / Hillary Clinton / House / Iowa / Justice / Labor / Leaders / Leaks / Love / Maryland / Methane / Money / Narrative / Obama / Oil / person / President / Primary / Reality / safe / sanders / Seniors / Spotlight / State / supporters / Unite / Voters / Washington / White House / Wind

Who will be the climate change candidate in 2016?

Will the climate movement have a serious contender for President in 2016? Now's the time to find someone strong on the most urgent crisis of our time and serious about winning the White House. Should that candidate be Hillary Clinton? She says the right things. But the most significant actions...

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October 6, 2014

BillEnyart / birth / Cancer / Candidate / Change / Chicago / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Congress / Congressional / dangerous / Elections / Energy / Environment / Extreme / Faith / Flooding / Fracking / Health / Help / IL-12 / Illinois / Interview / Jobs / Law / MikeBost / Moderates / NRDC / Opinion / Poll / Polls / Race / Radio / REAL / Republican / safe / State / Tax / Workers / World

Mike Bost (IL-12) says fracking is safe but environmentalists want people to die

Illinois Republican Congressional candidate Mike Bost has some unusual beliefs about environmentalists and fracking. In a recent radio interview, Bost said about environmentalists: “…if it was up to them, people should die and everything else should exist. Now, I know because I was in the negotiations with them.” Bost was...

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September 24, 2014

Administration / apartments / bars / BEAUTY / Cancer / Change / Chicago / Choice / Climate / Climate Change / ClimateChange / Coal / collins / Community / Congress / Congressman / Conspiracy / contamination / dangerous / Debate / Debates / Design / Doctors / Earthquakes / Economy / Elections / Empathy / Energy / Environment / EPA / eric / Evidence / Exposure / Facebook / Facts / Family / Fiction / Fight / Food / Forests / Fracking / friends / Future / God / Hell / Hope / House / IDEA / Idiot / IL-15 / Illinois / Income / Interview / Irony / Jobs / John / Judges / Justice / Local / Lying / Medical / Money / negative / Obama / Ohio / Pennsylvania / Pollution / PushBack / Radio / reading / Reality / Respect / Response / Restaurants / Rock / Rules / safe / Security / Shame / Shimkus / Sick / Solar / Sons / State / Stupid / symptoms / Tesla / Texas / Thinking / Transportation / Union / unknown / useless / Vote / Water / Wildlife / Wind / World / WV

Congressman Shimkus faces backlash for facebook fracking support

Illinois' most embarrassing Congressman, John Shimkus, faced an outraged backlash for pro-fracking statements he made on facebook. He's already well known as a climate change denier and conspiracy theorist on the fringe of the energy debate. Although there's a long tradition of coal mining in his district, fracking is very...

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September 19, 2014

Activism / America / Awareness / Bloomberg / Business / Candidates / Carbon / Change / Cheney / Chicago / Civil Rights / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Congress / Crisis / damn / DC / Decision / Destruction / Donors / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Environmental Justice / EnvironmentalJustice / EPA / Evil / Fear / Fight / focus / foreign / Fracking / Fuel / give / Governor / greenwashing / Hell / Help / highlights / History / Hope / Illinois / Iraq / King / Leaders / Legal / Liberty / Local / March / Memorial / Military / Motivation / Movie / new york / NYC / Obama / Oil / Pain / Plants / Politics / Power / President / Press / Protest / Protests / Public / Rally / Registration / Renewables / Resistance / Rich / Rules / Soldiers / State / Stop / Strategy / Target / Tax / Trouble / UPS / Vietnam / Violence / Voter / War / World

Protests, activism, the NYC climate rally, and why big greens can't stop climate change

The trouble with letting television tell the story of our recent history is that it tends to overemphasize events designed for the camera. For example, the made-for-TV version of the civil rights struggle highlights a clip of Martin Luther King Jr. speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial as the...

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September 10, 2014

birth / Bloomberg / Change / Chicago / Climate / Climate Change / Congress / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Environmental Justice / EnvironmentalJustice / Evidence / Federal / focus / Fracking / Fuel / Governor / Health / Illinois / Income / Justice / Law / Lobbyists / News / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / principle / principles / problem / Propaganda / Public / Representatives / Safety / Science / sessions / Smoking / Stop / WEIGHT

Fracking Industry Uses Tobacco Playbook to Defend Birth Defects

Bloomberg News reviews studies on the link between birth defects and living near fracking sites. It's compelling. Multiple studies show increased rates of congenital heart defects, low birth weight, and stillbirths. A spokesperson for the fracking industry propaganda outfit, Energy in Depth, responded. “The body of scientific knowledge has to...

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August 27, 2014

Administration / Advertising / Aging / Airlines / Alexander / America / Americans / Attacks / Ballot / Boom / Campaign / Carbon / caught / Change / Chicago / Children / Choice / Cities / Climate / Climate Change / CO2 / Coal / Commerce / Congressman / Conspiracy / contamination / Contributions / Courage / Crisis / Culture / dangerous / Death / Debate / Disease / Donation / Donations / Education / Election / Emissions / Energy / Environment / EPA / Evidence / Families / Flood / Food / Fox / Fracking / Fuel / Funding / Future / Genocide / Government / Governor / Governors / Help / History / Hoax / ignorance / IL-15 / IL-HD-118 / IL-HD-87 / Illinois / Income / Indiana / indoctrination / Inspiration / Interview / Jobs / John / Labor / Law / Leaders / legislators / Mississippi / Missouri / Money / Nebraska / NRA / Obama / Ohio / Oil / p / Party / Pat Quinn / Peabody / Plants / policies / Politics / Pollution / Power / President / Projection / Propaganda / Public / Publishing / Race / REAL / Reality / Republican / Reputation / Resistance / Rich / Rules / Scam / School / Science / Shimkus / Slavery / Slogans / Sports / Springfield / State / StateHouse / Stop / Subsidies / Tax / Texas / Thinking / Travel / unknown / Voters / Water / Weather / World / Writing

Who Are The Top Five Fossil Fools in Illinois Politics?

Illinois may be more famous for imprisoned Governors, but as a coal state struggling with its energy future, some of our politicians have wacky things to say about fossil fuels. With the threatened start of fracking plus backlash to EPA proposing new rules on carbon emissions, you can expect more...

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August 7, 2014

Attack / Campaign / Cancer / Coal / Contributions / Debate / Decision / Decision Making / Democracy / Democrat / Energy / Environment / Facts / Fox / Fracking / Fuel / Hearings / Honesty / Hope / Illinois / Journalism / Law / legislators / Lobbyists / Local / Media / members / News / Newspapers / Oil / Press / Press Release / problem / Propaganda / Public / REAL / Referendum / Respect / safe / Safety / Singing / southernillinois / Space / Stop / supporters / Vote / Workers / worry

Illinois Newspaper Gives Up On Journalism, Bends Over For Fracking Industry

The Southern Illinoisan has a long running competition with the Belleville News-Democrat over which Illinois newspaper has the strongest bias in favor of the coal industry. So I was pleasantly surprised last year when I saw the Southern Illinoisan doing good reporting on the fracking issue, even giving frequent voice...

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July 27, 2014

2008 / Barack Obama / BarackObama / Bernie / Bernie Sanders / Business / Change / Character / Civil Rights / Clinton / Congress / Congressional / Conservative / Constitution / Convention / Democrats / Economic / effort / Elections / Elizabeth Warren / expansion / Financial / Fox / give / Government / HarryTruman / Hell / Help / Hillary / Hillary Clinton / History / Ideas / Jobs / Mass / Media / Military / Obama / Obstruction / Oil / Partisan / person / Power / Presidency / President / Presidential / presidents / Press / problem / Progressive / Pundits / Radio / reading / REAL / Recession / Republican / Republicans / Safety / Salon / sanders / Speech / spread / Stimulus / Stop / Subsidies / Thomas Frank / Voting / warren

Harry Truman, Obama and Thomas Frank's Disillusionment

Thomas Frank has an interesting column in Salon that typifies the cynical view of Obama by speculating what his Presidential library might look like. Republicans in Congress want to make sure President Obama takes the blame for their obstruction. Thomas Frank helps them out by presenting the Jed Bartlett version...

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July 20, 2014

Activism / Attacks / birth / Bleach / Bullshit / Cabinet / Campaign / Cancer / Children / Citizens / Colorado / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Failure / Family / Fox / Fracking / Funding / Health / Hearing / Hearings / IDEA / IDNR / Illinois / Kids / Law / Lobbyists / motivate / Oil / Pollution / problem / Propaganda / Public / PublicHealth / REAL / Reputation / Rules / safe / School / State / Texas / toddlers / Water / World

Oil Interests Want Illinois To Frack for the Children

In what may be the most shameless in a long line of dishonest appeals, the Illinois oil industry is now asking us to start fracking for the children. The oil industry propaganda website, Energy In Depth (or Energy in Deception as it's often called), is blaming Illinois' school funding problem...

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July 8, 2014

Accountability / Attacks / Ballot / Betrayal / Boom / Budget / Campaign / Change / Chicago / Citizens / Climate / Climate Change / Commerce / Congress / Crisis / Election / Embarrassment / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Fracking / Governor / Health / IL-12 / Illinois / Insurance / Jobs / Law / legislators / MikeBost / Oil / Pat Quinn / problem / Public / Reality / Referendum / Rules / Safety / State / Stop / Tax / testing / Voters / Water

How Much Fracking Will Remain Unregulated in Illinois?

Fracking has begun in Illinois. Governor Pat Quinn's Department of Natural Resources issued a permit for a test well at a site where oil fracking is planned. The well isn't subject to Illinois fracking rules due to loopholes in the law passed last year. By utilizing methods that require a lower...

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May 1, 2014

Appalachia / Bailout / birth / Boom / Broken / Budget / California / Catastrophic / Change / Chicago / Citizens / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Community / Crisis / Culture / dangerous / Destroy / Disease / Drought / e / Eco-Justice / Economic / Economy / Energy / Enforcement / Environment / Environmental Justice / EnvironmentalJustice / EPA / expansion / Extreme / Farmers / Federal / Flooding / foreign / Fracking / friends / Fuel / Funding / Future / Gaia / General / Government / Governor / Grassroots / Green Jobs / GreenJobs / Health / House / HydraulicFracturing / Illinois / Indiana / Information / Infrastructure / Iowa / Jobs / Justice / Law / letter / Local / Midwest / Nuclear / Oil / Oversight / Pat Quinn / Pollution / Poverty / Public / Race / Responsibility / Rules / safe / Service / Springfield / State / Stop / Students / Subsidies / Target / Threat / unknown / Virginia / Water / World / Wyoming

An Environmental Justice Agenda from Illinois Coal & Fracking Fighters

Illinois is facing an extraction crisis. Expanded coal mining and the looming threat of fracking will create an unprecedented two-pronged threat to southern and central Illinois. Grassroots groups on the front lines of the extraction crisis raised the alarm in a letter to the Illinois General Assembly. The letter calls...

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March 27, 2014

Bullies / Campaign / Change / Coal / Community / Corrupt / Court / Cut / Decision / Energy / Environment / Equality / Fight / General / give / Grassroots / Hope / Illinois / Inspiration / Law / LisaMadigan / Logging / Message / News / Peabody / Petition / President / principle / Relationship / Sadness / Service / State / WEIGHT / World

Over 5,000 Ask Illinois Attorney General to Investigate Permit at Peabody Rocky Branch Strip Mine

Over 5,000 people signed a CREDO mobile petition in just a few days asking Attorney General Lisa Madigan to halt logging and review the permit for a Peabody Strip Mine near Equality, Illinois. The petitions asks: Due to the extraordinary number of unaddressed issues and permit inconsistencies and errors, we...

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March 20, 2014

2008 / Administration / billionaire / Campaign / Cancer / Candidate / Candidates / Capitol / caught / Coal / CoalGate / Contributions / Corruption / Culture / Death / Defense / Democrats / Donation / Donations / Election / Elections / Energy / Environment / Fine / focus / friends / General / give / Governor / Hearing / House / IDNR / Illinois / Information / Investigation / Journalism / Law / Message / MikeFrerichs / Miller / misconduct / News / Party / Pat Quinn / Press / Prison / problem / Public / Safety / Scandal / State / Trouble / Video / Washington / Workers

Illinois Coal Campaign Cash Scandal Reveals Culture of Corruption

The Chris Cline coal campaign contribution scandal has grown bigger than I ever expected. CoalGate is getting wide press coverage and resulted in a second acting director of Mines & Minerals being removed for the same actions as Tony Mayville. Here's a rundown of the press coverage and expanding consequences...

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March 2, 2014

46 / Agriculture / Ann / AnnCallis / Campaigns / Candidates / Carbon / Change / Climate / Climate Change / ClimateChange / Coal / Congress / Congressional / Connect / Conservation / contamination / Crisis / DavidGreen / Democrats / Economic / Economy / Election / Elections / Electric / Electricity / Emissions / Energy / Engineering / Environment / Environmental Justice / Evidence / Federal / foreign / Fracking / Fuel / Funding / Future / Geology / groundwater / Health / Hearing / Help / History / IL-13 / Illinois / Interview / Jobs / John / Justice / Labor / Law / Leaders / Leaks / Legislation / Local / Manufacturing / March / Methane / Money / Mother / Mother Jones / Moving / negative / Obama / Oil / Oversight / Party / Pennsylvania / Pollution / President / Primary / problem / Public / Questions / REAL / Renewables / Republican / Republican Party / Response / RIP / risks / safe / Safety / Science / Solar / species / State / Stimulus / Subsidies / Tax / Technology / testing / Threat / Threats / Trade / Trust / Union / Vote / Voters / Water / Weather / Wind / Winter / World / Writing

Democratic Congressional Candidates Callis, Gollin, Green Talk Climate Change, Fracking (IL-13)

The three Democrats running in Illinois' 13th Congressional district primary recently answered my questions about climate change and energy issues. It's one of the hottest Congressional races in the nation since freshman incumbent Republican Rodney Davis narrowly won with merely 46.5% of the vote in 2012. The central Illinois district...

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February 24, 2014

Chicago / Citizens / Climate / DontFrackMyHeart / Energy / Environment / Fracking / Governor / HydraulicFracturing / Illinois / Message / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Relationship / Rules / safe / Video / Water

Pat Quinn Gets Fracking Valentine

Cupid delivered a Valentine's Day message about fracking to Governor Pat Quinn. Rising Tide Chicago posted video and pictures of Cupid's visit to Quinn's office with the message that the relationship between fracking and Illinois is a “bad romance.” It partly reads, “The Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act and the recent...

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February 15, 2014

2008 / Administration / billionaire / Campaign / Candidate / ChrisCline / Citizens / Coal / Contributions / Crime / Culture / dangerous / Death / Donation / Donations / Elections / Energy / Enforcement / Environment / Fight / Fracking / General / Government / Governor / Health / highlights / HydraulicFracturing / IDNR / Illinois / letter / March / negative / Oversight / Party / Pat Quinn / Public / Reform / Relationship / Safety / State / Washington

Illinois Mine Safety Head Took Thousands in Campaign Contributions from Coal Baron Chris Cline

Tony Mayville is a candidate for State Representative in southern Illinois and Chairman of the Washington County Democratic Party. He has also supervised the Mine Safety division and served as acting director of Mines & Minerals at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Over several years, including time while Mayville was responsible...

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February 9, 2014

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Video: Why Illinois Regulation Won't Make Fracking Safe

A disturbing new video of poisoned water, leaking oil rigs, and lax enforcement at Illinois oil wells highlights why proposed fracking regulation won't protect the state's environment or people. The Greenpeace interview with a southern Illinois native and former oil worker shows a fracking test well in a neglected part...

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February 2, 2014

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Favorite Comments from the Petition to Ban Fracking in Illinois

The MoveOn.org Fracking Fighter petition to ban fracking in Illinois got off to a fast start! It's just shy of the first 500 signatures. The comments people add are fun to read so here are some of my favorites, with each signer's town instead of their name because internet trolls....

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January 24, 2014

America / Ann / Blue / books / Boom / Cancer / Caucus / Colorado / dangerous / Earthquakes / effort / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Flood / Flynn / Fracking / FrackingFighter / General / Governor / Grassroots / groundwater / Health / Hope / HydraulicFracturing / Hypocrites / Illinois / incident / Law / Leukemia / MikeFrerichs / MoveOn / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Petition / Public / REAL / Reality / Rules / Senate / Springfield / State / Strikes / Tax / Water

Will Illinois Ban Fracking After Disaster Strikes Or Before?

An Illinois ban on fracking is inevitable. The question is whether it will happen before or after a major fracking disaster. The public comment period on Illinois' draft regulations ended January 3 with groups in potentially impacted areas repeating their call for a ban on fracking. A group of southern...

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January 13, 2014

Chicago / Citizens / Donors / Energy / Environment / Environmental Justice / EnvironmentalJustice / Fight / Fracking / Hearing / Hearings / HuffingtonPost / HydraulicFracturing / Illinois / Justice / Liberal / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Public / Reality / safe / Stop / Thinking / Video

“We are strong and we're here to fight!” Fracking comments from Decatur and Carbondale, IL

Since I posted video of the other Illinois fracking hearings I thought I'd do one more for the Decatur and Carbondale hearings. The sound is poor on most of my video from Decatur so I'm only posting about 15 minutes. Roughly 400 citizens came to the Decatur hearing, making it...

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January 3, 2014

Access / Ann / birth / Business / Cancer / Carbon / Change / Chicago / Children / Cities / Citizens / Climate / Climate Change / Coal / Counties / Daddy / dangerous / Decision / delete / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Families / Federal / Fracking / Health / Hearing / Hearings / Holiday / Holidays / HydraulicFracturing / IDNR / Illinois / Law / legislators / Local / Medical / Municipalities / News / Oil / Parking / person / Pollution / problem / Public / Response / risks / Rock / Rules / safe / Safety / Speaker / Stop / Turnout / Video / Water

These Rules Won't Make Fracking Safe! More Public Comments From Effingham, IL.

I finally have all the video up from the Effingham public comment hearing on Illinois' proposed fracking rules. Below are the five videos I haven't already posted, and at the end is a playlist of all seven videos together if you'd like to see everything. I didn't get the entire hearing,...

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January 1, 2014

Change / Citizens / dangerous / Earthquakes / Energy / Environment / Evidence / Failure / Food / Fracking / hanging / Hearing / Hearings / HydraulicFracturing / IDNR / Illinois / Nancy / Oil / Pollution / Public / Questions / Rules / safe / Stop / Target / Texas / Travel / Video / Water

Even a Monkey Wouldn't Allow Fracking. Public Comments from Effingham, IL.

On a dark and foggy night, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources held a public hearing in Effingham to take comments on proposed fracking regulation. It was less well attended than other hearings after being quickly rescheduled to December 16 due to a snowstorm. I'm not kidding about the fog....

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December 30, 2013

Advocacy / Boom / Christmas / Con / Energy / Environment / Fracking / Governor / HydraulicFracturing / Illinois / Pat Quinn / PatQuinn / Public / Rules / safe / Video

Merry Fracking Christmas, Governor Quinn

Elves erected a fracking well on Governor Pat Quinn's lawn earlier today in recognition of his enthusiastic advocacy for launching an Illinois fracking boom. No more artificial green for Quinn this Christmas. The public are finding out his promise to make fracking safe is a con. The public can submit...

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December 24, 2013