Ibendahl on Politics

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?

What would a Topinka Administration look like? How Republican would it be? Answer: about as Republican as her operation is now - that is to say - not very Republican, and not even very "moderate." Let's have some honesty in our Illinois GOP for a change.

Judy Baar Topinka and her mentor George Ryan long-ago abandoned the Republican base, and the alienation is largely mutual. Among real Republicans, any reminder of either brings the sort of uncomfortable conversations one might experience at Thanksgiving Dinner when excuses are made as to why the black sheep of the family isn't present. Republicans...

President Ronald Reagan created a "commandment" for Republicans. It states that no Republican shall speak ill of any other Republican. Reagan created the 11th Commandment to promote unity and to minimize dissension within Republican ranks.

Well, that didn't take long. Less than 24 hours after Topinka's entry into the Governor's race - the first smear campaign against a Republican candidate for Governor was launched. No surprise, its target was the leading reform candidate, Jim Oberweis.