author: Bill Bishop rating: asin: 0618689354 binding: Hardcover list price: $25.00 USD amazon price: $16.50 USD

The untold story of why America is so culturally and politically dividedAmerica may be more diverse than ever coast to coast, but the places where we live are becoming increasingly crowded with people who live, think, and vote as we do. This social transformation didn't happed by accident. We've built a country where we can all choose the neighborhood -- and religion and news show -- most compatible with our lifestyle and beliefs. And we are living with the consequences of this way-of-life segregation.

Rep Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) was a loyal follower of old King Rod Blagojevich way back in the early days of the Governor's takeover of the state government for his personal pleasure. And way back in 2003, King Rod asked those loyalists to submit the names of people to fill up porky seats in state government, with hefty salaries and even heftier perks - so Jack be nimble, and he tried to get some family members some nice jobs, sorta like the one Clown Prince Emil Jones' wife got.

Well, King Rod Blagojevich is at it again this year, stalling the state budget. Technically, all of the employees of the state should be on unpaid furlough right now and every state agency, other than emergency services, shut down. And King Rod says he's looking at the unbalanced budget looking for the appropriate areas to slice and dice with his line item veto authority, which he so callously used as a political weapon last fall.

author: Richard Thompson Ford rating: asin: 0374245754 binding: Hardcover list price: $26.00 USD amazon price: $17.16 USD

What do Katrina victims waiting for federal disaster relief, millionaire rappers buying vintage champagne, Ivy League professors waiting for taxis, and ghetto hustlers trying to find steady work have in common?

One thousand bodies showed up to dole out chunks of hot sweaty cash to support their favorite potentate and Federal Investigatee - King Rod Blagojevich - the other night. Makes me wonder if any of them worry that they are now potential suspects in the ongoing Federal investigation of King Rod's Jobs for Donations program.

Julie Sayre of ABC-Fox News in Springfield was simply AGHAST as she introduced a story that Rep Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) has put a bill onto the floor in the General Assembly to *gasp* CUT OFF GIVING TAX DOLLARS TO ILLEGAL ALIENS! No, Bill, no! How COULD you think of of cutting off the flow of tax dollars to criminals, and making Illinois a less cozy environment for King Rod Blagojevich's favorite ethnic group?

How COULD you?

As if Illinois wasn't already in enough trouble - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's BROTHER wants to be governor, to replace Governor King Rod Blagojevich in 2010? I swear, if the Democrats outside of Chicago make THIS dumb mistake, everyone with half a brain should leave the state before Prince William is sworn into office.

And good Old King Rod - there he goes filling his coffers to try to fight him off.

Senator John McCain took a step away from the philosophy of President Bush and Veep Dick Cheney yesterday in a speech to Big Oil representatives, according to Reuters saying: "In the face of climate change and other serious challenges, energy conservation is no longer just a moral luxury or a personal virtue. Conservation serves a critical national goal."

Old King Rod Blagejovich managed to declare Coles County a disaster area over the weekend - fully a week after the damn burst and the levy failed flooding the small town of Oakland. And it took a day to get Lake County disaster relief. Maybe you should visit us poor country folk here in central Illinois more often, King Rod, maybe you'd have some sympathy for our plight.

The Illinois Republican Party is hard at work in Decatur discussing how best to combat the rising tide of influence, nd power, and corruption of the Chicago Democrats, not just on the state scene where the Machine of Corruption already holds total domination, but also how to stop them from taking hold of the White House.

A century is a long time to wait for anything - and Chicago Cubs fans are holding their breath in a collective gasp as they see their north side home team enter June with the best record in the major leagues - and the best opening record the team has accumulated since it last won the World Series in 1908. Perhaps it is the discussion of changing the name of the stadium that is helping lift the infamous curse - or perhaps it is just their time. Or perhaps the Cubs will fold, once again, in ignominious defeat in a home field loss that breaks the team's fans' hearts.

A tough week for Governor King Rod Blagojevich in a short four day span. A discrimination lawsuit against him is moving forward, an independent auditor sampling a minuscule portion of the state's contracts found some hanky panky going on with how King Rod doles out our tax dollars - and his buddy Tony Rezko gets indicted in Nevada for more gambling related shenanigans. Oh - and the House has collectively told him to kiss their ass on the budget.

OAKLAND Illinois - The community of Oakland was filled with the sounds of chainsaws and heavy equipment Saturday morning, as this small town at the northeast corner of Coles County recovered from damage from high winds that rolled through the area Friday night.

So... are the Illinois citizens stupid, King Rod? Was the question stupid? Or, are you stupid for not acknowledging that you are in the gun sights of the United States Attorney General? I wonder if Clown Prince Emil Jones, who may be more politically savvy than King Rod, has covered his tracks, too?

Two years - for TWO YEARS - Governor King Rod Blagojevich has sat on a strings-free federal grant, while he awaited word on which of his cronies would best benefit from the handout of choice sidewalk and road improvement contracts meant to make it safe for kids to get to and from school. And almost three months after finally making the decision on which Chicagoland cities would get the money (did any downstate schools benefit? Doubtful) - the money STILL isn't disbursed.

I'm amazed the Federal Highway Administration hasn't asked for the money back.

Poor Don Moffitt (R-Galesburg) thinks that Governor King Rod Blagojevich should *gasp* follow the law, and actually GIVE BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY the taxes they paid that are supposed to go the schools! Oh MY! Our "pro-education" governor couldn't even get around to signing the disbursement legislation for 5 months, Don, so what makes you think he won't blow that cash on his commuting expenses, first?

Well, finally, almost all of the Democrats working hard in Springfield have told Governor King Rod Blagojevich to take his name off of state-owned property. The sole dissenter in the House was Kenneth Dunkin, who said there is value in having an officeholder's name emblazoned on signs promoting state programs. What was your first clue Sherlock Dunkin - the fact that it costs businesses thousands of dollars every month to use an outdoor advertising structure? And King Rod has commandeered over 30 of them?

The depths to which Governor King Rod Blagojevich will go in order to hide from public scrutiny are purely astounding - being aided and abetted by his attorney William Quinlan and Abby Ottenhoff.

So much for his "open and transparent" government.

Ottenhoff, when queried by the Decatur Herald & Review on the nature of the search for documents related to Tony Rezko said:

""We don't comment on internal legal communications."

Awhile back, I wrote to Senator Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain, and posted a copy of that letter here. And Senator Obama replied. Here is what he had to say.

"Thank you for writing to me with your concern over our nation’s energy independence. I appreciate hearing from you.

Are the members of the Democratic Party who live in downstate Illinois brain damaged, or just sheeple willing to be led to the slaughter? Your leadership has been totally and completely overrun and corrupted by the Chicago Machine. And yet, you helped elect, then reelect, King Rod Blagojevich, who is on the path to becoming known as the most corrupt governor in the history of the state.