Doug Ibendahl

Up until yesterday, Republican Primary voters were being treated to a cordial and informative campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor. And although Jim Oberweis, Steve Rauschenberger, Bill Brady and Ron Gidwitz have differing opinions on how to solve our state's problems, they have treated one another respectfully. These four gentlemen have been just...

Haven't Illinois Republicans suffered enough? Must we now be subjected to demeaning lectures from Topinka's camp on how to behave professionally? What's next - a mandatory marriage retreat hosted by Bill Clinton?

So you think that the Illinois Republican Party is weak and in disarray? Well, apparently it's not weak enough for some people. When the goal is to nominate a Democrat like Judy Baar Topinka from the Republican side, it's just not safe having any energy exhibited within the Grand Old Party.

So the red fox of Illinois now wants to run the hen house. How does the argument go again? Someone from the Chicago media corps spouts it at least once a day. It goes like this: Illinois has now become such a "blue" state, only a Democrat can win statewide. The only hope Illinois...

When you hear the bell-ringer and walk by one of those Salvation Army Red Kettles this Holiday Season, consider being a little more generous than usual this year. Thanks to Judy Baar Topinka, the Salvation Army has lost some financial help for its fine work on behalf of the poor in Cook County.

Kjellander wasn't "elected" to anything. He was muscled in by a rigged-up kangaroo court, overseen by other members of the Topinka campaign team. Topinka-backer Kirk Dillard Chaired the Nominating Committee at the State Convention. The 19-person committee was stacked with handpicked members, many of whom had unbelievable conflicts of interest favoring Kjellander. The member...

Anyone who hasn't yet read the book should treat themselves this Holiday Season to 1776, by Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough. 1776 is a riveting account of the Revolutionary War in the year of the Declaration of Independence. The historical novel centers on General Washington and his Herculean efforts to recruit and then...

Uninitiated school kids reading Orwell's classic metaphor about the Russian Revolution may sometimes feel it is exaggerated or hard to relate to. But for an even more surreal education into the expert use of political double-speak as a tool, and the ability of power to corrupt - look no further than today's Illinois Republican...

We're delighted to have some very positive news for a change.

Recently we asked, what would a Topinka Administration look like? How Republican would it be?