Martin Castro: Obama appointee injects traditional Commencement ceremony with national politics

Around this time of the year, we often see reports, from universities throughout the country, about Graduation ceremonies dominated with liberal (& in some cases, ULTRA-liberal) Commencement speakers.

Fortunately, the capital-city university in our state (UIS) has been able to avoid overly-politicized (re: current affairs) Commencement speeches. Last year's UIS Commencement speaker is a former Republican elected official, but she avoided promoting her personal viewpoints, regarding the contemporary controversial national topics.

The Hon. Karen Hasara is now a member of the statewide University of Illinois Board of Trustees (BOT), and an alumna of our university (the University of IL at Springfield) was on stage again, this year, but the Commencement speaker was Martin Castro, a member of the Obama Administration, serving as Chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and a Chicago Democrat.

Still, I was expecting a motivational talk at yesterday's Commencement ceremony, reflecting on his life & career experience, and dealing with certain topics, but not pushing his personal opinions, regarding current, national-level hot-button issues. (The latter type of speech is common at other university Commencements, but not for the University of Illinois at Springfield [UIS].)


I was surprised therefore, at the topics Martin Castro chose to inject, within his speech. He praised the "Illinois Dream Act" - and said that Interim UIS Chancellor Harry Berman supports this measure, to help "undocumented immigrant students" (who may include some of those, "here" in the audience!). I was surprised to hear that the UIS administration was supporting the "IL Dream Act"... Was this decided upon, at a "Campus Senate" meeting (of which most UIS students are unaware)? I see that the UIS Student Government Association (SGA) did vote to approve this. However: Other than a representative of a student group, supporting that proposal (& the reporter the UIS Journal sends), I doubt anyone else was at the meeting! I'm almost-sure the SGA members heard no differing viewpoints, and were most-likely unaware that this bill would, in fact, require taxpayer-funding of new services, for illegal aliens. [The podcast of the meeting might make interesting - or uninteresting, that is! - listening.] Despite these circumstances, the supporters of this state legislation can (supposedly) now claim that "the University supports" the Illinois Dream Act.
Update: Upon watching the video of this SGA meeting, I see that the members were relying on 3rd-hand information about the Illinois legislation, which was partly-inaccurate. Almost no one was in the audience, & no one presented the opposing view. Despite these circumstances, the SGA passed the "Resolution" by just a one-vote majority (6 out of 11).

(Apparently, some members of the Illinois Senate may also be unaware of what specifically this piece of legislation does!)

[I will be doing a separate post, about the aforementioned issue.]


...Castro blasted efforts to "change the 14th Amendment"; How many of those here, he said, would be so-dramatically hurt, by that?

He praised affirmative action, and discussed how the Commission successfully helped stop the University of Michigan lawsuit that sought to end those programs, in collegiate admissions.

He heaped praise on the President, and repeated several other hot-button issue talking points.


I wonder if this was the most politicized Commencement Address that the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) has ever had.

Maybe that's just the "Chicago way"?! ;-)

Lame ducks: Working past midnight (to finish screwing our state)

Amidst the blizzard (which started yesterday, as unfortunate-Governor Pat Quinn's Inaugural Ball was wrapping up!), and has continued, through now...
...the Illinois General Assembly is still in session.

Today (well, now yesterday!) is the last day of the lame-duck session.

While we failed (which I'm reminded of, about every day!) to win the Office of Governor, and also failed to win enough seats, to take control of the State Senate, nor the State House, we did make significant gains, in both of those Chambers.

During the fall veto session, the IL Dems passed some horrid legislation. They've had another lame-duck session, this week and last, in which they helped screw our state some more (like with that "Amazon.com tax" - for which they had some GOP assistance)... and are now staying up late, to push through the crown jewel of their wreckage - a massive INCOME TAX HIKE!

They are trying to get this rammed through, before the new Republicans are sworn in tomorrow (which would now be today!) at noon, on our capital-city (UIS) campus.

Earlier this evening, the tax-hike plan passed the Illinois House, by a vote of 60 to 57.

The debate, in the State Senate, is still underway.

Follow it (audio or video) live:
www.ilga.gov/senate/audvid.asp

And follow:
http://twitter.com/ILSenateGOP
http://twitter.com/SJRthedome

Mayor Tim Davlin

Mayor Tim Davlin

Though I missed a friend's call this morning (which I'm assuming was regarding this same news), I woke up today (after sleeping in too late, once again!), as a couple of service workers were at home, one of whom asked the other if he'd heard the news today, regarding Mayor Tim Davlin; he said he'd been getting messages about that, all day. "That's crazy," they remarked.

I thought that the news may be regarding some policy or personal-based development (several such items had recently been in the news). When doing a web search on my Blackberry however, I was shocked at what it actually was.


Our Mayor, here in the (Illinois) capital city, was found dead today, of an apparent suicide (though the cause of death is uncertain, at this point). The Illinois State Police, from what I've read/heard, called a press conference, but didn't reveal any information.


I have been a critic of the Mayor (and our successful (College Republicans!!) actions in the last Municipal elections probably didn't make him too happy!), but he was a decent guy, who had tough decisions to make, and faced a lot of heat, from his fellow Democrats, in addition to Republicans. The Mayor was also respected by people, across the board.

====> Mayor Davlin's activities were being nationally-watched, on two major occasions during the 2007-2008 election season; Both Barack Obama's presidential announcement, and his VP (Biden) announcement, were done from the Old State Capitol. (I don't think the Obama campaign ever fully reimbursed our City, for this; That bill is probably still due... Which seems to be a prominent type of problem, for this administration!)

I will post more on this, as the situation develops...

For now, please keep the Davlin family in your prayers.

MONEYBOMB: Rev. Isaac Hayes for Congress!! - As done before, we CAN pick up this Dem seat!

Like the "Massachusetts Miracle" earlier this year... We have a RARE opportunity to pick up Democrat seat!!


10/13 "Moneybomb" for Rev. Isaac Hayes

This is the year for GOP pick-ups in [what were once] "safe" Democrat seats! In the last comparable year (1994), Chicago powerhouse Dan Rostenkowski was [shockingly!!] defeated for re-election, by his Republican opponent. [LA Times: GOP 'David' knocks off 'Goliath']

We now have another situation, in which a scandal-plagued Democrat Congressman can be ousted.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. has a 72% UNFAVORABLE rating!

Leading pollster & analyst Dick Morris said that IL's 2nd Congressional district is now in play due to the amazing effort of GOP nominee Rev. Isaac C. Hayes, and the sex and dirty money scandals of incumbent Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.


Rev. Hayes needs your help to defeat this dirty pol -- go to www.isaac4honesty.com to make a donation or volunteer now!!





Listen in the video above to this wonderful riff by Hayes at the Cook County GOP Convention:

"President Ronald Reagan once said, 'there is sin and evil in the world, and we are enjoined by Scripture to fight it.' Reagan was talking about the Soviet Union. But he may has well been speaking about the South Side of Chicago."

And

"Senate Candidate #5 has the wrong idea of what it means to be a Congressman. He should go back to his cronies in Chicago and tell them Chicago's sons and daughters are his no more -- they are free. We must fight for every neighborhood, every precinct and every block in this district and we will win."

Hayes is a modern-day Braveheart -- slaying the dirty, sexy, money grubber Jackson. He's the long sought conservative solution to the corruption of Junior Jackson and the Chicago Democrats, and is endorsed by the American Conservative Union (ACU), the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), and the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA). Volunteer or DONATE NOW online!!




Let's throw everything we have @ Junior Jackson NOW -- www.isaac4honesty.com



Related news:

NBC Chicago: Overnight change: Isaac Hayes' phone now ringing!
NewsMax: "Hayes could be poised to score a major upset."
Black Voice News: Will the Real Congressman Jackson Stand Up?
Hill News: Race of the Day: IL-02
Medill Reports: IL-02 race now on GOP radar
Windy Citizen: Challengers: Jackson's More Vulnerable After New Allegations
Chicago Now: Hayes offers Jackson free lessons in Hindi language
RedState.com: "When you're given a free shot, you should take it."

Washington Post: GOP gains traction in Jesse Jackson Jr.'s district

Chicago Tribune: Somebody brought it on
("He has a safe seat. You would think." ;-)

News Release: Illinois College Republican Federation

The last entry here contained a press release from the Missouri College Republicans, for Independence Day 2009. Below is a release issued the following day, by Matt Zimmerman, Chairman of the Illinois College Republican Federation:


News Release
July 5, 2009
Contact:
Matt Zimmerman, Chair
Illinois College Republican Federation
217.493.5530
matt.zimmerman.icrf@gmail.com


The past week and a half has been an eventful one as concerns the direction of our nation. The Illinois College Republican Federation would like to take the time to address the future.



"Cap and Trade" legislation was narrowly passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on June 26. Under this bill, industries that produce the most carbon emissions will be heavily taxed for their emissions. Industries such as agriculture and heavy industry will be forced to either lay off numerous employees to pay the increased taxes or go out of business. In good economic times, this legislation would be disastrous. In today's economy, this legislation is borderline insanity. Some estimate that this legislation would increase the average family's energy bill by thousands of dollars a year and will drive up the price of all consumer goods.

While this bill is being sold by the Obama Administration that it will decrease our dependence on foreign energy sources, many argue otherwise. Domestic producers of oil and natural gas will more than likely be forced to close down increasing our dependence on foreign supplies of energy.

One would think that legislators should take time to think this legislation through. Instead, at the last minute, a 300 page amendment, was added to the bill at three in the morning the day before it was voted on. After its passage through the House, reports have surfaced that the bill was not at the Well of the House when it was debated and voted on. The legislators could not have read the bill or the amendment if they wanted to.

With Norm Coleman's concession, Harry Reid will have another crucial vote in passing radical legislation such as this through the U.S. Senate. Forget the questionable ballots discovered in the trunks of cars for weeks after the election -- The Democrats now have complete control of the Executive Branch and both chambers of Congress. One only needs to look at the current state of Illinois government to see what one party rule can do.

The Democratic Party controls every statewide office in Illinois along with near-supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly. In under eight years, they have proved that they are incapable of running the state. They refuse to look at ways of reforming our pension systems, education, and social service programs, and instead blame Republicans for refusing to vote for a tax increase.

If the recent history of Illinois is a guide, the future of our country is unappealing at best.

###


--- The Illinois College Republicans are working with candidates at all levels of government across the State of Illinois. We will fill a crucial piece of the puzzle in taking back Illinois and our Country.