Jim Hightower PHOTO BY LARRY D. MOORE Six years after the Supreme Court’s malignant Citizens United ruling, nearly every American plainly sees how our nation’s historic, political ethic of citizen equality – “one person one vote” – has been buried in a roaring avalanche of corrupt, corporate money and voter suppression. There’s no need to […]
Supreme Court
Posted inOpinion
How much ‘free speech’ can you buy?
Jim Hightower PHOTO BY LARRY D. MOORE In today’s so-called “democratic” election process, Big Money doesn’t talk, it roars – usually drowning out the people’s voice. Bizarrely, the Supreme Court decreed in its 2010 Citizens United ruling that money is a form of “free speech.” Thus, declared the learned justices, people and corporations are henceforth […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The high court and Constitution
PHOTO BY Win McNamee/TNS Celebrate Constitution Day by attending an ECCE Speaker Series presentation that offers a close look at the Supreme Court of the United States under the direction of Chief Justice John Roberts, who has led the court for the past decade. Speaker Jason Mazzone, professor of Law and Lynn H. Murray Faculty […]
Posted inOpinion
Marriage equality moves from taboo to justice
From 1956 until 2010, CBS television’s daytime lineup included America’s longest-running soap opera: “As the World Turns.” But times change, and now a real-life human drama of profound importance has debuted in America: “As the Generations Turn.” It’s the inspiring story of our society’s continuing struggle to evolve toward dignity and mutual respect… as well […]
Posted inOpinion
GOP gang of Supremes attack Obamacare
Look out – the Supreme Court’s black-robed gang of far-right ideologues are rampaging again! The five-man clan is firing potshots at Obamacare – and their political recklessness endangers justice, the Court’s own integrity, and the health of millions of innocent bystanders. In an attempt to override the law, these so-called “justices” have jumped on a […]
Posted inOpinion
The KBParty of Plutocratic Rule
Shouldn’t America have at least one major party that isn’t beholden to the corporate elite? Well don’t look now, but such a party has recently popped up, raring to roar into the 2016 presidential race. Called the KBParty, it has the funding, political network and expertise needed to bypass the establishment’s control of the election […]
Posted inOpinion
Exclude me in your prayers
I have long wondered why God, who for decades has been routinely invited to watch over the General Assembly and guide its deliberations, has asked Mike Madigan to do that job for him. Now I know. The prayers recited by invited clergy to open legislative sessions in Illinois weren’t specific enough to make clear which […]
Posted inNews
Panhandlers sue city
Two Springfield panhandlers filed a federal class action lawsuit against the City of Springfield and a handful of city police officers on Tuesday, alleging the city and the officers violate panhandlers’ right to free speech by ticketing and arresting them. Don Norton and Karen Otterson, both of Springfield, often panhandle for money in and around […]
Posted inNews
Supreme Court decisions bolster same-sex marriage fight in Illinois
Two decisions handed down last week from the U.S. Supreme Court gave momentum to advocates of same-sex marriage in Illinois. But the broadness of the rulings means same-sex couples in Illinois won’t actually get any new rights immediately. And while an Illinois court considers a class-action lawsuit suing for same-sex marriage rights, proponents are pushing […]
Posted inOpinion
Corporate cowards divert shareholder funds into ‘dark money’
If corporations are people, as the Supreme Court pretends, they certainly are loudmouths, constantly telling us how great they are and spreading their names everywhere. Amazingly, though, these corporate creatures have suddenly turned demure, insisting that they don’t want to draw any attention to themselves. That’s because, in this case, corporations are not selling, they’re […]
Posted inOpinion
Will Bill or won’t Bill run for governor
Bill Daley called the other day. We estimated that it had been about three or four years since we had last spoken to each other, which is par for the course. Going back to at least 2001, Daley, the brother and son of former Chicago mayors, has mulled a bid for governor. The last time […]
Posted inOpinion
The corporate mad dogs of Citizens United
As feared, our people’s democratic authority has been dogged nearly to death by the hounds of money in this election go ’round, thanks to the Supreme Court’s reckless decree in the now infamous Citizens United case. A little-reported consequence of the malevolent decision: It has unleashed mad-dog corporate bosses to tell employees how to vote. […]
