John Cox on TV and Streaming: Running for President

John Cox: I would expand legal immigration so that at the same time [that] I would make sure that employers don’t employ illegal immigrants, I realize we need more employees in this country. ...I would vastly increase legal immigration. I am a Jack Kemp Republican, not a Pat Buchanan Republican.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Would you take ten million [currently illegal immigrants] back in the next few years as legal immigrants from Mexico?
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John Cox is planning to be a candidate for President of the United States in the 2008 Republican Primaries."Public Affairs," is featuring Cox this week in 35 Chicago Metro suburbs [See, below, for a detailed suburban airing schedule] on Comcast Cable; this coming Monday night [June 5] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, right now, on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [See here].

The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than 20 different episodes of “Public Affairs," in addition to the show with Presidential Candidate Cox[See here]. The podcast page also includes a show with Kevin White, the Republican nominee for the 5th Cong. Dist. seat currently held by Cong. Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago), Professor Barry Chiswick, Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Illinois at Chicago and Professor Hoyt Bleakley, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business discuss and debate immigration, Mayoral Candidate Bill Dock Walls, State Senate Republican Nominee [27th Dist.] Matt Murphy; a recent joint press conference with Senator Obama [D-Illinois] and Congresswoman Bean [D-Barrington] dealing with, among other issues, Iran, Iraq, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and tax cuts, Senator and Republican nominee for State Treasurer Christine Radogno, the Republican nominee and Democratic incumbent in the 8th CD, David McSweeney and Congresswoman Bean, respectively; Tony Peraica, Republican nominee for Cook County Board President;
[See here].
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John Cox is a lawyer and entrepreneur who has succeeded in both careers. He spent much of his adult life on the North Shore and he migrated, a few years back, to the City of Chicago.

Cox has run in three Republican Primaries, losing twice and dropping out once. In 2000, he ran in the 10th Cong. Dist. [North Shore and to the north and west of the North Shore] Republican Primary and finished 5th out of 10 candidates, losing to Mark Steven Kirk, who went on to win the general election and Cong. Kirk still occupies that office; In 2001-02, Cox ran in the 2002 U. S. Senate Republican Primary and finished third of three candidates, losing to then State Rep. Jim Durkin-who went on to lose badly to Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. In 2003-04, Cox started another run for the U.S. Senate in the Republican Primary and dropped out. In 2004, Cox became the Republican candidate for Cook County Recorder of Deeds and lost that race to Democratic incumbent, Eugene Moore. Cox put his name in the hat for State GOP Chairman in 2005 and lost that race to eventual winner and Cox's previous Glenview neighbor, Andy McKenna, Jr.

However, John Cox is quick to point out that the above record is a plus for his Presidential run as he claims to have learned a great deal during the different races about how to deal with the media, organize a campaign and run a campaign. And, no doubt, that experience should prove invaluable for this Presidential run. Of course, in a field of national candidates each of whom has the title Senator, Governor or Mayor before his name, lack of name recognition or a political base that comes with holding a major prior office or of having enormous net worth to compensate for those missing attributes could prove an insurmountable obstacle. However, as John Cox is a believer in the Jack Kemp "Hope, Growth and Opportunity," mantra, you would never know it from speaking with John.
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Jeff Berkowitz: You would support that biometric card [for employers to establish that potential employees are in the U. S. legally]?

John Cox: Absolutely. Now, the other part of this by the way and please, again…make sure that my position gets clarified. And, that is, I would expand legal immigration so that at the same time [that] I would make sure that employers don’t employ illegal immigrants, I realize we need more employees in this country. So, I want businesses to be able to grow and function. I would vastly reform the INS. I would make coming to this country a lot easier, a lot more technology driven. I think we could do a lot more with technology to get the process streamlined and I would vastly increase legal immigration. I am a Jack Kemp Republican, not a Pat Buchanan Republican.

Jeff Berkowitz: Yeah, well, we’ll find out because as you know, now one of the issues that the President addresses when he talks about comprehensive reform are the ten to twelve million illegal immigrants who are currently in the country [and] that have been here for some time—for quite some time.

John Cox: Sure, sure.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, so the question [or issue] that some say is—what they want to do is set up a path to citizenship for those individuals—you’re talking about people who may have been here five years and this would take another ten to eleven years—

John Cox: Sighs and says—Yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: And you’ve talked about attrition [of illegal immigrants]. You want penalties and you’d like these ten million [illegal immigrants] to voluntarily-- since they can’t find jobs [under this scenario due to greater enforcement actions against employers in the future]-- migrate back to Mexico.

John Cox: I would have them migrate back and re-apply with a streamlined program and expanded legal immigration so they can come in here legally. The other thing—

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you take ten million [currently illegal immigrants] back in the next few years as legal immigrants from Mexico?

John Cox: To the extent our economy could absorb them, absolutely. And, it appears that our economy could absorb them. And, other ideas I have would grow the economy, like a fair tax, a sales tax- a national sales tax that would grow the economy. We would get rid of the IRS [and the income tax]. We’d get economic growth. We need economic growth to fulfill the promises that we have to Social Security and Medicare. So, I want to have a labor base that will accomplish economic growth, but I want it to be legal. I want people to be Americans, to share in the American dream. I am absolutely opposed to a guest worker program for the same reason. A guest worker who comes here doesn’t plan, by definition, on staying forever. And, by definition, [guest workers] will send their money back to their homeland

Jeff Berkowitz: Let me just cut you off because we can’t do the whole show on immigration—

John Cox: Okay, well it is an important issue. But, I am different from [Senator John] McCain and I am different from [Cong. Tom] Tancredo.
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Public Affairs, with Republican Presidential Candidate John Cox, was recorded on May 21, 2006 and is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of May 29] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, June 5 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See, below, for a detailed, regular suburban airing schedule for Public Affairs . The show with candidate John Cox is available, right now, as a video podcast at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with more than twenty other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
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In 25 North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the show airs tonight in its regular Tuesday night time slot: 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35, as indicated, below.

In 10 North Shore suburbs, the show is also airing tonight in a special airing at 9:00 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 and also in its regular airing slot at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 this week on Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below.

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The episode of Public Affairs, featuring Presidential candidate John Cox airs tonight:

at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette

And at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.

and at 9:00 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.


and this Wednesday and Friday night at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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White takes on Emanuel: Cable and Streaming

Kevin White: The vote [for Victory in Iraq] was overwhelmingly in favor, except for Rahm Emanuel. He voted present. Present. That was how he voted his conscience.
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Jeff Berkowitz: [Cong. Murtha] said that we ought to have essentially an immediate withdrawal [of all troops from Iraq]. I know some people say it is not immediate ...when they asked [Cong.] Rahm Emanuel what he thought of that, he said in November, 2005, “The Democrats would have a position at the appropriate time.”

Kevin White: That was even worse, in my opinion, when he said that. And, that’s another example. These are the kinds of incidents that, frankly, drove me to attempt my race. ...
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"Public Affairs," features tonight [Memorial Day] Kevin White, the Republican nominee for the 5th Cong. Dist.seat currently held by Cong. Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago) . The show airs through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; You can also watch the program right now, and anytime after, on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [See here].

The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than 20 different episodes of “Public Affairs," in addition to the show with 5th CD Republican Nominee Kevin White.[See here]. The podcast page also includes a show with U. S. Presidential Candidate John Cox [R-Chicago], Professors Bleakley and Chiswick debating immigration issues, Mayoral Candidate Bill Dock Walls, State Senate Republican Nominee [27th Dist.] Matt Murphy; a joint press conference with Senator Obama [D-Illinois] and Congresswoman Bean [D-Barrington][See here].
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A Partial transcript of the show is included directly, below.
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Jeff Berkowitz: [Cong. and DCCC Chairman] Rahm Emanuel has 1.2 million in the bank and has raised about 800K [this year], this is just for his own campaign, God knows what he has raised for others. Kevin White has about $20,000?

Kevin White: Probably about $20,000.

Jeff Berkowitz: A fool’s errand, would you say?

Kevin White: I don’t think so. No, absolutely not.

Jeff Berkowitz: You can win?

Kevin White: I think we can win.

Jeff Berkowitz: Really? Seriously?

Kevin White: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: [Berkowitz leans forward, imitating Connie Chung]: Just between the two of us. You can win?

Kevin White: I think we can. And, I think the way to do it is grassroots and I think Rahm Emanuel knows that. …in politics today, money does not necessarily mean you are going to win. There is no question that Rahm Emanuel has more money than anybody in the neighborhood.

Jeff Berkowitz: In the world.

Kevin White: In the world, probably, or if he doesn’t have it, he can get it. But…that’s not what wins races. What wins races is contact with the community—getting out there and talking to people and Rahm doesn’t do that.

Jeff Berkowitz: Issues matter?

Kevin White: Absolutely.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Does that mean you won’t support legislation in the year 2006 that would do more than border control and deal with a path to citizenship?

Kevin White: I think a path to citizenship is fine. I have no problem with that.

Jeff Berkowitz: In 2006?

Kevin White: If it’s possible, if we can build a consensus around it. The problem I have is with the way politics is practiced today and particularly by my opponent, Rahm Emanuel, [who] is one of the worst offenders on this. Everything has to come down to a sound bite and you are either black or you are white…and that’s just not the way people in the 5th Cong. Dist. think about things.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Has Rahm Emanuel made it clear that he supports increased border control?

Kevin White: Rahm Emanuel has made it clear that he is going to tie border control to getting what he wants on behalf of immigrants already in the country and I think that’s a mistake. I think we have to get the border closed and secure and then we can focus on these other tissues. If we don’t do something about the border, everything else that we are talking about is just getting worse.
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Kevin White: …I will tell you what will pass tomorrow-- border control.
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Kevin White: I am not going to prognosticate about the next election and George Bush, but I will say this: Republicans will lose if they are perceived as being vindictive or small minded or mean spirited. And, I am not in favor of any of that kind of stuff. But, we have to close the border, and we have to figure out a solution to this. …Given that number of people in the country [10-12 million illegal aliens], there is no question that that’s a very valuable part of our economy and there’s no point in treating them poorly.
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Jeff Berkowitz: So, you think the President went to the Country and said this [Iraq War] is going to be a long, hard slog that might go on for more than three years?

Kevin White: Those words actually were used somewhere but I don’t recall—

Jeff Berkowitz: I think it was… when [Defense Secretary] Rumsfeld was talking about the War, but that was a year or two after [the war started].

Kevin White: That’s right. It would be very interesting to know in history if any war has gone exactly the way somebody expected. And, I am sure this one hasn’t either. But, I don’t think there is any evidence that this President has misled anybody.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, your position on the war now is stick it out, stay the course?

Kevin White: My position is win in Iraq. Victory, yes. And, this is a good example of the contrast between Rahm Emanuel and myself. Because that very resolution on the House floor was put to the Congress. And, Nancy Pelosi as the Leader of the Democratic Party released her representatives to “Vote their conscience.” And, when you are looking for Leadership—

Jeff Berkowitz: Which resolution are you talking about?

Kevin White: This was a resolution for Victory in Iraq. It was about that simple. It was an attempt to follow on the heels of the very successful Iraqi election in December of last year, I believe.

Jeff Berkowitz: What was the vote on it?

Kevin White: The vote was overwhelmingly in favor, except for Rahm Emanuel. He voted present. Present. That was how he voted his conscience.
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Jeff Berkowitz: In the fall of last year, when [Cong.] John Murtha [D-PA], who had apparently been a supporter of the War—

Kevin White: Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Said that we ought to have essentially an immediate withdrawal [of all troops from Iraq]. I know some people say it is not immediate because he says you should take a certain number of troops and put them around Iraq. Like where? In Syria, or somewhere. Bizarre. But, everybody who champions [Cong.] Murtha doesn’t ask that question. In any case, Murtha said that and when they asked [Cong.] Rahm Emanuel what he thought of that, he said in November, 2005, “The Democrats would have a position at the appropriate time.”

Kevin White: That was even worse, in my opinion, when he said that. And, that’s another example. These are the kinds of incidents that, frankly, drove me to attempt my race. Because, it’s inconceivable—

Jeff Berkowitz: He [Cong. Emanuel] wasn’t coming out and giving his positions on these issues? To be fair to him, does he have to do that a little bit because he is Chairman of the DCCC [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]. So, he is speaking not just as Rahm Emanuel from the 5th CD, but he is speaking in a broader national context, and to be fair, that may benefit people in the 5th CD, right?

Kevin White: I don’t think it does benefit people in the 5th CD at all, and to be fair, I don’t think it is fair to the people in the 5th because he should be speaking for us. We need a congressman from the 5th.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does he [Cong. Emanuel] bring home the bacon because of his power?

Kevin White: Not that I am aware of. No.

Jeff Berkowitz: Transportation spending [in the 5th CD]. Has it gone up?

Kevin White: See, what you just said is a very interesting observation. You said because of his power. He has huge power in the Democratic Party because he can raise money and he can aim that money wherever he wants to. I am not aware of any indication that he has power as a Congressman to affect what happens in the 5th [Congressional] District.

Jeff Berkowitz: Somebody does because, look, Illinois did reasonably well in the Transportation bill, right. And, people thought that is in part because of Senator Obama and Senator Durbin, two Democrats, so some Democrats do have some power.

Kevin White: Well, and Dennis Hastert is the Speaker of the House. That doesn’t hurt.

Jeff Berkowitz: And Hastert and they get along. They work together, right?

Kevin White: They work together, we have a very strong—

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, maybe Rahm works with those folks, too.

Kevin White: Rahm does not work with those folks. In fact, one of the notorious stories when he first went to office was one of the first things he did was to start lobbing bombs at people like [Speaker] Denny Hastert. I mean, that is not the way to get things done in Washington. In Washington, the effective congressmen are the ones who develop a specialty in something that everyone knows about and who can work with other people. Rahm Emanuel goes to war. He prides himself on going to war with his fellow legislators.
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Public Affairs, with Kevin White, the Republican nominee for the 5th Cong. Dist.seat currently held by Cong. Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago) , was recorded on May 14, 2006 and is airing on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs tonight, May 29 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. The show with Kevin White is available, right now, as a video podcast at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with more than twenty other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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See Blago; Watch Jennifer Aniston or Kevin White

Breaking News: Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich will sign legislation [SB2030], tonight, expanding the film and television production tax credit at the Chicago premiere of Universal Pictures’ new comedy, The Break-Up. The movie was filmed last year in Chicago and stars Vince Vaughn and the lovely Jennifer Aniston. Lake Forest native Vince Vaughn will join Governor Blagojevich for the signing before the Chicago premiere.

Appropriately enough, State Sen. Rickey [Hollywood] Hendon (D-Chicago) will be there. Also attending the extravaganza will be State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), the man who replaced now U. S. Senator Barack Obama, or at least holds the seat formerly held by Barack. Barack, of course, is irreplaceable. Or, should I say priceless.
Watch Senator Obama now on your computer. [See here].

State Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago), the man who won a tough four way primary a few years ago with the slogan,”That’s Dunkin, as in [CPS CEO Arne] Duncan.” Both Hendon and Dunkin are known, in part, for their appearances on “Public Affairs,” as is Governor Blagojevich [who was last on our show during the 2002 primary, and we are working on having him appear jointly soon with his Challenger, Republican Judy Baar Topinka[Go here to watch Topinka].

Indeed, rounding out the circle, Hollywood Hendon appeared on our show at about the same time as he almost came to fisticuffs with Obama on the floor of the State Senate, with Hendon objecting to what he described as the then State Senator’s hypocrisy regarding pork.

Of course, the differences could have related to that old tension between Chicago's African-American Democratic South Side and West Side pols, or perhaps petty jealousies. Senator Hendon remarked during Obama's run in the Democratic U. S. Senate Primary that, "Senator Obama is always running for something." For another example of South Side-West Side Democratic pol friction, there is the current spat between West Side Congressman Danny Davis [D-Chicago] and South Side Chicago Alderman Todd Stroger over who gets to replace Todd’s dad, Cook County Board President John Stroger, on the November ballot as the Democratic Party’s nominee for the County Board President position. President John Stroger is said by his son, Ald. Todd Stroger, to be recovering from a stroke suffered in March, 2006, about a week before he beat Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool for the Democratic Party’s nomination to be Cook County Board President. Watch Claypool on your computer.[See here]. [Of course, there is a rich tradition among Chicago Democratic pols of using their clout to install their kids in political office.]

Almost everyone agrees, at least privately, that President John Stroger will not recover soon enough or to such a level as to allow him to run for re-election in the fall. That will be announced in July, setting in force a weighted vote by the Cook County Democratic Central Committee [50 Ward and 30 Township Committeeman] for a candidate to replace John Stroger on the ballot.

Neither Davis nor Todd Stroger is likely to get the nod. Nor will it be Chicago Ald. Beavers, who has been much in the news of late [See here]. Instead, look for State Senate President Emil Jones or the CHA’s CEO, Terry Peterson, to get the nod. Mostly this will be decided by Mayor Daley and Speaker Mike Madigan deciding which way they want to push the Committeemen. Very likely, Speaker Mike and the Mayor, will have different ponies in this race.

Enough for that digression. If you want to see the movie and political celebrity arrivals, hustle down to the The Music Box Theater at 3733 N. Southport at 6:30 pm tonight. Talking about Senate President Emil Jones, he might be one of the political celebrities there tonight, as he, of course, is a big supporter of the Governor. However, State Treasurer Topinka is unlikely to be there. On the other hand, Treasurer Topinka's office has made some loans to individuals in the film business, so you never know. Could be common ground between Rod and Judy.

At 7:15 pm, or so, the Governor is scheduled to sign the film tax credit bill. At 7:30 pm, or so, the screening begins. Oh yeah, the popcorn is on the Governor.

Folks, what can I say. This is a poor man’s imitation of Lynn Sweet’s celebrity blogging, but I thought I would give it a shot.

Not a fan of movie premiers? Well, then, stay in and watch Public Affairs through-out the City of Chicago tonight at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. The man who would replace Cong. Rahm Emanuel [D-Chicago, 5th CD], Kevin White [R-Chicago], is our featured guest. White debates and discusses with show host Jeff Berkowitz many domestic and foreign policy issues, including the War in Iraq, Energy policy, ANWR drilling, Taxes, abortion, guns and much, much more.

Indeed, more about the show to follow on this blog. Can’t watch the show with 5th CD Republican nominee Kevin White tonight on Cable in Chicago? Not to worry, watch it on your computer .[See here].

Rod and Judy: A Slugfest at the NBC Tower

Governor Rod Blagojevich and his challenger, Republican three term State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, both came out swinging in their first debate for the November 7, 2006 Gubernatorial Election. The venue was the taping today at noon of Dick Kay’s [NBC-5 News] last City Desk show. The show will air 9:00 am to 10:00 am this Sunday and again on Monday, Memorial Day, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on NBC-5 in the Chicago metro area.

The show runs about an hour, and when you take out the commercials, you are left, by my count, with about 48 minutes of real debate. Not bad. Moreover, there were absolutely no ground rules and there was no disclosure beforehand by Kay as to issues, topics, etc. , and for the most part, Kay would throw a question or topic at one, and then the other would counter. Kay smartly let them run and gun, and run and gun they did.

This is a model for how to do the remaining nine or ten debates, a number to which both candidates now refer as the desired number. I might have thrown in a few more follow-ups, from time to time, if I were Kay, but all in all, Kay and his format were about a thousand times better than the conventional, staged, political "debates.” A few more of these and voter turnout could go up significantly

The highlights of the discussion are covered well by Rich Miller of Capitolfax [See here] and Rick Pearson of the Chicago Tribune and Deanna Bellandi of AP [See here]. However, there are a few small items to add and we’ll be back, perhaps, with more later.
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Rod shot repeatedly at Judy’s refusal to support an Assault Weapon Ban and the increase in the minimum wage for Illinois which Blagojevich proposed and was passed by the Illinois legislature.

Quick to pull her trigger, Topinka argued essentially that we have enough gun laws- we just need to do a better job of enforcement. Topinka never really responded to Rod’s minimum wage argument. Instead, Judy spoke of “Rod’s bogus numbers,” for new jobs and argued Illinois had lost large numbers of jobs to surrounding states. She went on to argue that Illinois is in the 46th percentile in job creation, but we all knew she meant to say 46th out of 50 states [and most voters will get it that 46 is not good, whether it is 46 out of 50 or 46 out of 100]. [Ed. Note: Topinka perhaps will try, in the future, to argue that a differentially higher minimum wage in Illinois relative to surrounding states tends to retard job growth in Illinois. This argument would complement the general Republican argument that higher fees and taxes on business in Illinois under Blagojevich have slowed job growth in Illinois].

During her eight minute press conference that followed the debate [Actually, Kay said it should be called a discussion, not a debate, because of Kay’s unstructured format], Topinka cracked that maybe one of the ten debates should be in Madison, Wisconsin—where a lot of Illinois jobs have gone, and another in front of the U. S. Attorney’s office, in honor of all of the on-going investigations of Gov. Blagojevich’s administration.

During his fifteen minute, or so, post-taping press conference that followed Judy's, Blagojevich said, in response to the argument of Topinka about him being “Public Official A,” that her statement is not accurate and that Topinka makes reckless accusations and attacks. Further, as to the Topinka attack that his Administration is being widely investigated for public corruption, the Governor said, “not a single person has been accused of any wrongdoing in my administration that is close to me. However, under Governor Ryan, there were 60 indictments when Treasurer Topinka was there going along with that system…”

The ghost of the recently convicted [on RICO and other charges] former Republican Governor George Ryan will dog both candidates during this campaign.

Blagojevich touted, of course, among many new programs of his Administration, his All Kids healthcare insurance program, his Universal Pre-school program and his recently announced long term lease of the Illinois lottery system to help infuse six billion dollars into K-12 education spending by the state over the next four years. For her part, Topinka argued that Rod’s programs have insufficient or non-existent revenue sources, steal from the state employee and teacher pension funds-- and other state funds-- and will drive the state broke.

Topinka argued further that it makes no sense to develop programs that help the wealthy as well as those who need the help. Rod shot back that Topinka has no programs, just complaints, and that there is nothing wrong with helping middle class families with annual incomes of about $70,000 with their health insurance premiums.

There was nothing on social issues, unless you put guns in that category and many do. Kay perhaps concluded that there is not a lot of daylight between Judy and Rod on abortion and gay rights. On abortion, both Rod and Judy might disagree with Kay on that. Guns, as suggested today, could be a hot button, quick trigger issue, both upstate and downstate.

In short, “The discussion,” was probably a tie in terms of winning over voters. But, I will want to watch it on TV, without taking notes, just like the voters do before I decide that. I suggest you do the same.

In terms of looks, both the Governor and his challenger looked fit and relaxed: before, during and after the show. Governor Rod Blagojevich always has that look. However, Judy Baar Topinka seemed to be “off her game,” during the primary. Now, she seems to have found her stride. The Prime of Judy Baar Topinka? This could be an interesting race, after all.

I know NBC 5 News’ political editor of thirty-eight years, Dick Kay, couldn’t have been happier with the way the program came out. A great way for Dick to “go out.” And, anybody who knows Dick Kay knows that he is not quite done with covering politics.

Forty-six years in the business and Dick Kay still hasn’t had enough. You will be seeing more of Kay. You can make book on it.

Heck, Dick may come back and host the next nine debates. The viewers and the candidates could do far worse.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Blagojevich Beachhead Budgeting and Speaker Mike

As the Governor was exiting via a long hallway at Robert Healy Elementary School yesterday, which he had used as a pol friendly platform to promote his new Supplemental Education Funding program, a few of the media [including me] tried to play that fun game: walk backwards at a brisk pace [like a Chicago Bears DB] so you can face the Governor as he walks out, video-tape the Governor and ask a few questions face to face [with one of the Governor’s nattily dressed security guys trying to muscle me out of the line of sight of the Governor, doing the old chest/shoulder bump routine. The move by the security guy probably should have drawn a flag, as he was more than five yards past where the play started].

But, it was clear that the Governor wanted to answer a few questions from me. What can I say—Doggone it, people like me. At the end of the hallway, instead of proceeding directly outside, Governor Blagojevich stopped, turned to me and we had this brief exchange [For a good summary of the Education Funding Plan that focuses in its commentary on the disappearance of the lottery pay-out funds to the State in 2025, see here]:
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Jeff Berkowitz: Governor, you lose a billion dollars [as an education revenue source] in year five [FY-2011]. What do you do to replace that?

Governor Rod Blagojevich: We are going to get you more details on the plan, but just recognize what we have to do first and foremost is pass this bill and to do that we have a lot of stuff that has to happen before that. But--

Jeff Berkowitz: And you needed Rev. Meeks [working with you and for you] to stay elected?

Governor Rod Blagojevich: Let me say a couple of things.

Jeff Berkowitz: Is that right, though?

Governor Rod Blagojevich: One thing is very important; one thing actually that you should know. When you establish a beachhead in budgets and they are for good purposes and when you put more money for schools, you are essentially challenging future leaders and future general assemblies to keep building on that success. It’s awfully hard as a practical matter for them to then roll that back, especially when it comes to education funding.
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Rich Miller, in today’s hard copy of Capitolfax, also notes that the revenue source for a billion dollars of education spending disappears, under the Governor’s Plan, in FY2011. Miller notes that whoever is Governor in that year would have to “somehow make up the difference,” making that probably “the biggest campaign issue is 2010, when [AG] Lisa Madigan, the Speaker’s daughter, is a likely candidate [for Governor].”

Rich Miller notes this in the context of Speaker Mike Madigan, who said yesterday, thru a spokesman, that he wants more information on the Plan before he takes a position. This is in contrast to Senate President Emil Jones, who was with the Governor yesterday, as a cheerleader, program speaker and supporter of the Plan.

Now, many seem to assume that Rod will not seek a second term, assuming he wins re-election, that is. They think perhaps he gets a VP nod in 2008, or maybe a 2009 Clinton Administration spot [Secretary of Education], or maybe he cashes out by joining the private sector. Me, I think maybe he seeks a third term. So, maybe it is an interesting Democratic Primary for Governor in 2010 between Lisa and Rod.

Rich Miller notes- Speaker Mike is thinking the Plan over. As the members of Chicago’s Democratic Royal Families, e.g., Daleys, Madigans, Hyneses, Lipinskis, Strogers, Jacksons, Burkes and Mell-Blago are all quick to say- if it were your daughter, wouldn’t you?
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Topinka comments on Blago's Education plan

Judy Baar Topinka, joined at a noon press conference today by former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and former New Jersey Governor Christy Todd Whitman [both were in town for a Judy lunch funder], said at best Blago's proposed Education funding plan would add 350 million dollars to education, not the billion per year that Blago is touting, and that just isn't enough to play the Blago shell game. As to a counter proposal, Judy Baar Topinka said she would discuss that this summer; she was not going to "schlep it out now."

Blagojevich, the Heartland and School Vouchers

Phylicia Lyons, Executive Director, Illinois School Choice Initiative at the Heartland Institute, and several fellow school voucher, school choice proponents met with Rev. Meeks for two hours last Tuesday. Participating at the meeting with Rev. Meeks, among others, were Phylicia; Lee Walker, President of the New Coalition for Economic and Social Change; John Norquist, former Mayor of Milwaukee; and the President of the Chicago Hope Academy. Rev. Meeks’ education advisor, Dr. Davis, who previously worked with Paul Vallas at the CPS, also participated by phone.

Rev. Meeks noted that he and his colleagues opted out of the public school system and “chose,” to send their kids to private schools. In light of the generally poor performance of the inner city schools, such as CPS, Meeks indicated he is willing to take a risk with school choice. Meeks asked-- how much worse can it get if parents have a school choice? In short, Lyons told me that Rev. and State Senator James Meeks believes all parents should have a choice of schools, and that is true especially for those who are low income. Meeks, Lyons said, is clearly open to school choice/ school vouchers.

Jeff Berkowitz: As you look at this tonight [May 22, 2006], any probabilities in terms of what probability that the [Blagojevich] Plan [to be discussed on May 23] would have a pilot program for school vouchers?

Phylicia Lyons: …60%...[and] it would probably cover 5 to 10% [of the Chicago Public School students]

Jeff Berkowitz: And, you think Rev. Meeks gets it in terms of school vouchers, school choice and part of the reason he gets it is the time that you and others spent with him during the last week?

Lyons: Yes, I think so. You know, he prefaced our conversation with the fact that he wanted to get more information [on school vouchers- school choice].
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60% chance of Blago announcing today a pilot program of School vouchers-school choice? I don’t think so. But, to paraphrase Hemingway’s closing in “The Sun Also Rises,” it sure would be nice to think so. And, the Lyons-Meeks-Heartland Institute conversations could grow and then, well, perhaps, maybe, school vouchers-school choice someday in Illinois.
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Blago's Four Year Education funding plan

Governor Blagojevich and other education leaders will make a major education announcement this afternoon at 1:30 pm at Robert Healy Elementary School, 3040 S. Parnell.

Of course, this is the much heralded four year funding plan for public schools whose adoption by the Governor persuaded Rev. Meeks to drop his third party run for Governor last Friday.

I have predicted that a long term lease of the State tollway system is a possible revenue source for the Plan, but have been told by a source claiming to be familiar with the Plan that tollways are not involved. Assuming my source is reliable, that points us in the direction of sales of other state assets, e.g., the sale of the State’s student loan portfolio or capitalization of future state income flows [as in auctioning off the right to run the state lottery]. My sources declined to comment on whether these revenue sources are part of the Plan. Rev. Meeks, at his press conference last Friday, made it clear that Gov. Blagojevich does not intend to break his pledge not to increase the state sales or income tax. Further, Blagojevich has already raised various state fees and tried to “sweep,” various funds that are thought to be off-limits for this revenue enhancing effort.

Thus, the Plan probably provides for some capitalization of future state income flows. I am estimating at least a billion dollars per year gets pumped into the CPS, with some additional Plan dollars going to improve schools in other low income areas in other parts of the state.

The interesting part of the Funding Plan announcement game show is the rumor going around that the Plan will include school vouchers/school choice or a pilot program for same. I don’t think it will but a person who has spent some time during the last week discussing vouchers with Rev. Meeks disagrees with me. Much more on the voucher story in a post on this blog later today.
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Watch Economists deal with the Immigration Issue

"Public Affairs," features Economics Professors Bleakley and Chiswick tonight [May 22] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; You can also watch the program right now, and anytime after, on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [See here].

The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than 20 different episodes of “Public Affairs," in addition to the show with Professors Chiswick and Bleakley.[See here]. The podcast page also includes a show with Kevin White, the Republican nominee for the 5th Cong. Dist. seat currently held by Cong. Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago) [the show with White is also airing this on the suburban edition of "Public Affairs,"], Mayoral Candidate Bill Dock Walls, State Senate Republican Nominee [27th Dist.] Matt Murphy; a recent joint press conference with Senator Obama [D-Illinois] and Congresswoman Bean [D-Barrington][See here].
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Professor Barry Chiswick, Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Illinois at Chicago and Professor Hoyt Bleakley, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, answer a barrage of questions about immigration on the "Public Affairs," program from show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz *****************************************************
See here for a partial transcript and more about the show.
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This program is very timely. As everyone knows, immigration is the issue du jour for most national politicians. For the Republican Party, it very well is the make or break issue. If the Bush Administration and the Republicans in Congress get this right, it would most likely mean that they will maintain control of the House and Senate and have a chance to salvage the last two years of the Bush Administration, which could lead to four or eight more years of a Republican President and a Republican Congress.

This might be the case for the Republicans even if they do not get it right on spending restraint, don't figure out how to stabilize Iraq and don't come up with a clean way of dealing with Iran and North Korea. That is, the public might give the Republicans a pass, at least for 2006 and maybe for 2008, even if they have to muddle through spending and foreign policy issues [so long as Iran and North Korea do not become greater problems in terms of national security] - and so long as the Republicans are given credit for tackling and providing a long term solution for the immigration issue.

The real point to be made about immigration is that we need to make some rational choices about the kinds of skills we would like our immigrants to have, and which countries possess the immigrants to supply those skills. It does seem, as Charles Krauthammer points out here, that the Bushies don't quite get it, as to the importance of a wall for border enforcement. Sensible border enforcement, i.e., a wall, allows the United to choose the kinds of immigrants it wants: low skilled, high skilled, or somewhere in between. Of course, with more high skilled labor coming in to compete, the losers and winners might be different than is now the case, which the politicians will have to sort out.

But, surely, our country should try to make a rational choice, as opposed to letting the relative performance of the economies in Mexico and the U. S. combine with the composition of the labor force in the two countries to make the choice of whom we should allow to enter the U. S.

There you go, I have solved the problem right there. Next question.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Roskam: Is Duckworth a Chicago Machine puppet?

6th CD Republican Nominee Peter Roskam doesn’t need to do much to link his opponent Major Tammy Duckworth to her benefactors, DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel, Senator Dick Durbin and Mayor Daley. Indeed, that linkage was well established by her Democratic Primary competitors Christine Cegelis and Lindy Scott. Further, it is not clear how much the wounds of that bitter battle have been healed.

No doubt, some of those Cegelis/Scott netroots supporters [See here, Public Affairs, Jan. 8, 2006] would rather teach Cong. Emanuel, Senator Durbin, Mayor Daley and Senator Obama a lesson, rather than achieve a 6th CD win with Duckworth, whom they view as an interloper if not a carpetbagger. [Lindy Scott:..."Voters want to know how good would she [Duckworth] be as a representative." ; Christine Cegelis: ..."I think what is unfortunate is that they [Emanuel, Daley and Obama] brought someone [Duckworth] into the race without talking at all to the local people, like the Democratic Township Chairs, or the grassroots people...who have been working on my campaign for the last two years." Public Affairs, January 8, 2006]

Further, even without the current news of the Robert Sorich trial, the voters in the DuPage dominated 6th CD have no love for the Chicago machine, symbolized by Emanuel and the machine’s long-time master, Mayor Daley.

And, it is old news that Daley and his protégé, Emanuel, appear to have benefited significantly from the activities of their convicted water boy, Don Tomczak.

“Mayor Daley and Rep. Rahm Emanuel [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (“DCCC”) Chairman] received campaign support from the political army of Donald Tomczak, the indicted former city Water Department boss, at the direction of unnamed city officials, according to a prosecution document released today. [See here]. See testimony of Falcon in Sorich trial, below.

And, did Daley and Emanuel get all those benefits [remember, Rahm actually had a tough Democratic Primary in 2002, and if he had lost that one, there would be no Tammy Duckworth 6th CD candidacy] with no involvement from their staff with the likes of General Tomczak?
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Cong. Rahm Emanuel: No, I don’t think Mayor Daley picked up the phone and said, "Don Tomczak, go work for Rahm.".

Jeff Berkowitz: No, but somebody in your campaign who knew--would have to know where they [the Tomczak army] could help Rahm Emanuel the most. If it wasn’t the Mayor, somebody from your campaign had to tell them where to go [to help Rahm Emanuel in the 2002 Primary].

Cong.Rahm Emanuel: First of all, I got help from, as I said earlier, …from the police union, firefighters union… [See here]
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So, with the above as a backdrop, Roskam scored a few points about the recent disclosures in and out of court about Blago’s clout list , the City's use of government employees for political work, and Robert Sorich’s alleged politicization of the City hiring process.

The group did work for such Democratic candidates as presidential nominee Al Gore, gubernatorial nominee Glenn Poshard, Mayor Daley, U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th) and Ald. Patrick Levar (45th) and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan at the direction of Sorich, as part of Daley's political organization, Falcon testified.

Roskam did this by tying Duckworth to the funding help she got from Rahm, et al [only 12 Duckworth donors from within 6th CD, argued Roskam] and the nominating petition help Duckworth got from Blago. Roskam then asked, in light of that campaign help, to whom would Duckworth be accountable?

The MSM and blogger media, being fair and balanced and spun a bit by the Duckworth spinners, counterpunched a bit at Roskam regarding his own ties to the muddied up, of late, Cong. Delay and VP Cheney. Wheaton Senator and 6th CD Republican nominee Roskam reminded the media of the cavernous difference in the analogies they were drawing and Sen. Roskam may have a point. It is one thing for Roskam to get help at a funder or two from Cheney and Delay. It is quite another for Emanuel, Durbin and Obama to basically provide a “Turnkey,” primary operation for Duckworth. At a minimum, you gotta love that word, “cavernous.”

On a somewhat different point, Roskam seemed to be surprisingly lukewarm to President Bush coming in to campaign with him. This is surprising in light of [a] the famous Topinka [or Topinka staff] comments to George Will about wanting Bush to raise money for her, if he could do so late at night and in an undisclosed location and [b] the fact that Bush, even with low national approval ratings, is thought to be a bit more popular in the 6th CD than in Illinois, at large. Maybe Sen. Roskam knows something we don’t know.

And, yet, Senator Roskam welcomed Karl Rove, dubbed “Bush’s Brain,” by the Democrats, on Saturday morning, to meet with and energize the grassroots for Roskam. On the one hand, Rove’s discussion of how the grassroots can help Roskam win could be invaluable. On the other hand, although not quite the middle of the night, the complimentary breakfast meeting occurred at 7:00 am. at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton, with rumors flying around DC that Rove could be indicted as soon as this morning. As everybody knows, politics, like football, is a game of inches. The trick is to get a jump on your opponent, without drawing the penalty flag.
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Sen. Peter Roskam [R-Wheaton, and 6th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee]: I think there is a cavernous difference between working for someone for seven months twenty years ago and having people circulate petitions, raise money, manage a campaign and orchestrate a campaign. Tammy Duckworth [6th Cong. Dist. Democratic Nominee] has completely embraced the corrupt political operation that catapulted her [to victory] in the [three candidate] Primary. I think that is really different from the nature of the campaign that I have been running. [Ed. Note: Roskam must like the word “cavernous”; this is at least the second time he used it within a week. It is a good word; I might start copying the Senator on this one.]

Jeff Berkowitz: Are you disassociating yourself from [former Majority Leader] Tom Delay. Didn’t he do a fundraiser for you?

Sen. Roskam: [Cong.] Tom Delay was on a list that Speaker Hastert did in the late part of 2005. Tom Delay is going to be out of Congress. He is not running my campaign. He is not in campaigning for me. But, what’s happening is- the Blagojevich Administration employed individuals to circulate petitions for my opponent. Mayor Daley’s brother is raising money for my opponent. I think that is a problem, especially when you end up with your name on a clout list and we have seen a pattern of that, of this type of machine being used and deployed to get out the vote. I think that’s a very, very different situation than in my campaign. We had 200 people in the 6th Cong. Dist. who circulated petitions for me. We had 900 contributors who live in the 6th Cong. Dist. My opponent only has a dozen and yet she raised a million dollars.
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Senator Peter Roskam: Well, I have nothing but respect for my opponent’s service but at the end of the day you have to decide to WHOM are you going to be accountable and WHO are you going to represent. I am suggesting that of the million dollars that my opponent has raised, with only twelve contributors in the District, the question is what is it about her politics that is so unattractive to the voters in the 6th Cong. District. Why is it that she needs help from people [Senator Durbin and Cong. Emanuel] who are on the clout list? Why is it that she had to go to Mayor Daley’s brother, and asked him to raise money? I think those are questions that have to be asked and answered during the course of the 6th Cong. Dist. campaign?

Jeff Berkowitz: Is it because she hasn’t been in politics for the last twelve years, as you have. So, coming onto the scene, having a different background [from you], she had to rely on an organization. Is that necessarily bad?

Sen. Roskam: Well, she certainly is relying heavily on an organization and my question is: Why did you choose that organization? Why do you choose an organization that is subject to testimony upstairs in the federal courthouse?

Berkowitz: It’s the Democratic Organization. Who should she choose?

Sen. Roskam: That’s a question that I think is implicit. Why are you [6th CD Democratic Nominee Maj. Tammy Duckworth] embracing a culture that is so subject to investigation and what is it about her positions that she has to rely on folks from the city in a very robust political organization and muscle her way onto the ballot in the 6th Cong. District.

Craig Dellimore [WBBM 780 AM Radio Political Editor]: But, again, you are not saying that anybody you have connected her to has even been accused of doing anything wrong.

Sen. Roskam: Well, the accusations are going to be coming out upstairs. What I am saying is that a clout list is a problem. This is a pattern. When you are a recruited candidate by people whose names are on a clout list; when they are raising money for you- Cong. Emanuel and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has earmarked over $40,000 through the DCCC for the Duckworth Campaign; when you go to Bill Daley last month and say will you please raise money in the midst of all of this that is going on and we hear testimony yesterday where your patron [Cong. Emanuel] is benefited from having City workers manipulated on his campaign [See generally, here] and yet you have top Blagojevich officials who come out and are circulating petitions on her campaign—I think that raises some serious questions that need to be answered.

Craig Dellimore: One quick follow-up. Have you never recommended anyone for a state job?

Sen. Peter Roskam: I don’t think I have. I mean, written letters of recommendation may be one thing but showing up on a secret clout list is…

Jeff Berkowitz: But, Judy Baar Topinka was on the clout list for George Ryan. Does that mean that you won’t accept help from Judy Baar Topinka?

Senator Roskam: What I am saying is that my candidate [opponent] has embraced the machine from the City of Chicago that is more than the borders of the 6th Cong. District…I think the question then becomes to whom are you going to listen? To whom are you going to be accountable?
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Another reporter: Senator, you also have been getting help from Dick Cheney’s office. Dick Cheney’s office is under investigation [and] his aide [Scooter Libby] has been indicted. People start to link that in- [Cong.] Delay, [Cong. Duke] Cunningham and [Vice-President] Cheney- and they say there is a pattern of corruption in DC right now that has been helping you out. What do you say to that?

Senator Roskam: Here is what I find ironic. My opponent is very quick historically to criticize Republican corruption everywhere. Her silence today is deafening. Her patrons are under attack, are under investigation and are being mentioned in a federal corruption trial and yet my opponent is silent. These folks have come in and helped me in my campaign to make a one-time appearance. That is whole-heartedly different than being managed, orchestrated, completely financed and put on the ballot by an operation.

Jeff Berkowitz: You stand by the President? Would you like Bush to come in and campaign for you?

Sen. Roskam: [holds his hand to his ear indicating he can’t hear, which probably reflected the fact that there was a lot of background noise on the first floor of the Everett McKinley Dirksen Courthouse.]

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you like President Bush to come in and campaign for you?

Senator Peter Roskam: We’ll see what the schedule’s like and so forth. [Press Conference concludes]
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A partial transcript of State Senator and 6th CD Republican Nominee Peter Roskam [Wheaton], answering questions at a Press Conference on May 18, 2006, at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse Building in downtown Chicago.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Open Tollroad for Blago, Meeks and Public Schools

Revised slightly on Saturday at high noon
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"...a fourteen billion dollar payout to the Dems [the equivalent of a State Government Home Equity loan or "Garage sale"], to be divided up among elementary and secondary public schools, i.e., teachers salaries and new construction; some funding of state pension funds [possibly] and various and sundry pet projects of Governor Blagojevich, Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President Jones, Mayor Daley, Rev. Meeks and a few other..."
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Rev. and State Senator James Meeks [D-Chicago] has decided that he will not run for Governor this year. He made that unequivocal statement just before noon today at a packed press conference held before he was to speak at a Union League Club of Chicago Public Affairs lunch program. I rode up on the elevator with Senator Meeks and I can tell you he is a very personable, self assured politician and man of the cloth, and not necessarily in that order.

Rev. Meeks reached an agreement with the Governor this morning. This was a follow-up one hour meeting to their meeting of yesterday. Meeks said, “At the end of the four hour session yesterday, we nailed down a funding plan that I agreed with.” Senator Meeks said that the plan “has a way to bring underperforming students up to grade level.” Rev. Meeks is “most excited about accountability measures that will be in place.”

Meeks asked Governor Blagojevich. to call a special meeting on Tuesday “with House and Senate Education Committees; IFT, IEA, CTU [the teachers’ unions]; to…. spell out all the particulars of the Plan.” Meeks said that the Governor would get input from all of those people [later in the presser, Meeks specifically mentioned CPS CEO Arne Duncan had been invited to Tuesday’s session] and groups, including the Education Committees’ leaders on Tuesday and that the Governor would then meet with the Press on this coming Tuesday, spelling out the details to the Plan.

When Rev. Meeks and his elections attorney, Burt Odelson, met with the Governor again this morning, they became convinced that the plan would become law, said Odelson. Odelson did try to leave some wiggle room for Meeks by reminding everyone that Meeks had until June 26, 2006 to file the requisite 25,000 nominating signatures [and they would have filed 50,000] in case the support for the Plan was not there. See here, for a summary of the press conference that is similar to this post, but with some effusive words from attorney Odelson for the Plan and with some updated rumors about the revenue source for the plan. Rev. Meeks, speaking after Attorney Odelson, essentially said he did not need any wiggle room. Meeks said his attorney was trying to protect him but that he has made a final decision not to be a gubernatorial candidate this year:

Jeff Berkowitz: When will you make your final decision that you won’t run?

Rev. Meeks: “I have made my final decision that I am not a candidate [for Governor.]”

Meeks indicated that it is “safe to assume that,” that neither an income nor a sales tax increase is a part of the Plan. He also indicated that state issuance of bonds would not be required by the Plan, but that there could be some bonds issued for school construction.

Meeks said he did not talk to Senate President Jones and Speaker Madigan about this, but that Governor Blagojevich did. Meeks indicated the "majority of the Plan," could be passed just by Democrats.

In response to a question about the impact of his run on the two major candidates for Governor, if he had continued, Meeks made an argument that nobody, except maybe Rev. Meeks, believes:

Rev. Meeks: …”I was taking more votes from Judy Topinka than I was taking from Rod Blagojevich. I can make that poll available…”

Jeff Berkowitz: Do Republicans care more about your issues than Democrats? Is that what that tells you?

Rev. and Senator Meeks: It tells me that I took more votes from her than I did from him.

In light of the above, the four year Education Funding Agreement between Meeks and Blagojevich would seem to entail leasing the state tollway system [See here] to a private company, probably foreign owned, resulting perhaps in a fourteen billion dollar payout to the Dems [the equivalent of a State Government Home Equity Loan or Garage Sale], to be divided up among elementary and secondary public schools, i.e., teachers salaries and new construction; some funding of state pension funds [possibly] and various and sundry pet projects of the Governor, Speaker Madigan, Senate President Jones, Mayor Daley, Rev. Meeks and a few other key Democratic leaders. Perhaps a few Republicans will go over to the other side [as they did on the 10 billion dollar pension bond sale in 2003] for a big payday, if the Democrats decide they need a few Republican votes. Jones and Madigan can usually rent a few Republicans, if they need to. But, we will find out more about the Plan over the next few days, no doubt.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Brother Blagojevich: Can you spare a favor?

Less than six months until the voters decide whether it is four more years for Democratic Governor Blagojevich or back to Republicans holding the Governor's mansion with the elevation of Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka to that office. Yesterday, at a presser, DuPage County State's Attorney and Topinka's running mate Lt. Gov. candidate Joe Birkett put on his boxing gloves and punched away at Blago. Birkett argued the Blagojevich Administration has been essentially selling state jobs for campaign contributions, and keeping track of such not unlike the way Republican George Ryan and his protege, Scott Fawell did it, with a long favors list.

Coming off the recent conviction of Governor Ryan on RICO and other charges, and the prior conviction of Fawell and his testimony at the Ryan trial against his former boss, the Topinka-Birkett timing appeared pretty good. However, Birkett, a former Golden Gloves fighter who describes himself as a counterpuncher, encountered some counterpunching himself at the presser from some of the media, who had been spun a bit [or given a friendly reminder] by the Blago campaign organization that Topinka herself had appeared eleven times on the famous Fawell-George Ryan favors list. Some of that counterpunching and other aspects of the Birkett presser, not covered below, are linked to, below. What can I say, fairandbalanced, as always.

In any case, consider all this mudslinging just a warm-up for the hour long sit-down by Topinka and Blagojevich scheduled for next Friday, May 26, at the taping of Dick Kay's last City Desk show for NBC-5 News. The show will air Sunday, May 28 at 9:00 am on NBC-5 in the Chicago Metro area.

Reliable sources tell me Bob Sirott is likely to inherit the City Desk show, with some help from Carol Marin. Sirott, who was sent packing by WTTW, is now an NBC-5 weekend news co-anchor, and likely to slip into the primary anchor slot for that station when it opens up. Sirott auditioned to become the new City Desk host earlier in the year by interviewing former Bears Coach Mike Dikta on the show when Kay was on vacation. I'll bet you didn't know Coach Ditka is a politician/public policy type of guy.

Marin, who was sent packing by the local CBS-2 news and the CBS-2 Network, is now the lead political columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, the lead twice a week supposedly political/public policy segment host for WTTW, Ch. 11 and occasional investigative reporter for NBC-5 local news.

Sirott and Marin replace 71 year old political reporter Dick Kay on City Desk, after Kay's 38 years of doing political journalism at the station? It is all somewhat ironic, don't you think? That's life, just full of little ironies. *********************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Joe, is it illegal to keep a favors list? If somebody makes a recommendation--Say Cellini [a Judy Baar Topinka campaign donor or fund raiser] … made a recommendation to Judy Baar Topinka [for a hire] and somebody wrote down that Cellini was the referrer. Is that illegal? That they kept track of that?

Joe Birkett: Let me tell you what’s illegal. Here’s what’s illegal. And, the Governor knows this…he takes credit for the Ethics Act, the Ethics Reform Act. What’s illegal is to hand out favors, to give jobs in exchange for political contributions. That’s what’s illegal.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, a favors list doesn’t show that. Does it?

Joe Birkett: Well, a favors list is a starting point for an investigation. How did somebody get hired to hand out tens of thousands of dollars in contracts for DCFS [Department of Children and Family Services], who has absolutely no qualifications to do so? How did somebody get hired into an important position for the Department of Transportation-- he is driving a state vehicle and he is a convicted drunk driver. How does that happen? That happens because people aren’t looking at applications. They are not looking at qualifications. They are hiring people based on political favors. And, that is illegal. To grant a job, to give out a job in exchange for a political contribution is a crime.

Jeff Berkowitz: Wouldn’t the U. S. Attorney [Patrick Fitzgerald] have subpoenaed this [favors list]. If this were relevant to the U. S. Attorney’s investigation [of the Blagojevich administration], wouldn’t he have subpoenaed this favors list? Does he need you to tell them [the U. S. Attorney’s office] what to do?

Joe Birkett: I don’t speak for the U. S. Attorney. I am calling on Rod Blagojevich today to release that list. It’s a favors list. If he has done it right, like he says—if he is doing what he said he would do, which is to clean up state government, that we would not have business as usual in Springfield—this is his usual ad nauseam.
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Joe Birkett: Here is what is illegitimate- to accept a campaign contribution from somebody and then you get a job referral from a family member. That’s illegitimate, that’s wrong. You can’t do it. And, the Governor knows it. He should know it. He’s the one who touts and brags about the Ethics Act that he takes credit for.

Jeff Berkowitz: No matter how qualified that person is? They are blocked [from getting a job with the Administration that received the campaign contribution]?

Joe Birkett: No. Keep in mind [that] qualifications are absolutely, critically important and that’s what a person should be hired on. But, when you hire a person simply because it is done as a favor for a contribution or some other political favor, that’s what wrong, that’s what’s illegal. [See here and and the video here for more about the Birkett presser and for blowback from the Blago flakcatcher. And, go here for Birkett Press Secretary Dan Curry’s Reverse Spin or maybe just good old fashioned spin, depending on where you sit.]

Jeff Berkowitz: But, the “favors list,” doesn’t establish that because the person could be very qualified.

Joe Birkett: Again, the favors list is indicative of what we have seen time and time again in this administration, which is people turning up in jobs that they should not have had because they are not qualified for those jobs and the answer to the question-- why did they get those jobs—I suspect it’s in that favors list. Anyway, thanks all for coming. Thank you very much.
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Joe Birkett, Republican Candidate for Lt. Gov. and DuPage County State's Attorney, Press Conference, Topinka-Birkett Campaign Chicago HQ Office, May 17, 2006.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Chiswick and Bleakley debate immigration on TV and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: You could sign on to that program?

Professor Hoyt Bleakley [University of Chicago]: I could sign on to that...

Professor Barry Chiswick: I couldn’t.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, the reason why?

Professor Chiswick [University of Illinois, at Chicago]: Well, low skilled immigration, whether it’s legal or illegal, has consequences for the economy. And, the group that pays the greatest price for low-skilled immigration are low-skilled natives. And, most low skilled workers in the United States were born in this country.
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Professor Chiswick: The majority of low-skilled Americans are not minority, but, as you said, minorities are disproportionately represented among the low-skilled.
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Professor Chiswick:... One of the factors that has contributed has been the very large immigration of both legal and illegal low-skilled workers. And, this has widened inequality in the United States. And we view increasing inequality as something that is less desirable.

Jeff Berkowitz: Let me just stop you, for a second. Professor Bleakley, how do you respond to that? You’re not in favor of more inequality, are you?

Professor Bleakley: “Now, the [University of] Chicago response is that “you are in favor of as much inequality as there needs to be.”
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Professor Barry Chiswick, Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Illinois at Chicago and Professor Hoyt Bleakley, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, answer an avalanche of questions on the "Public Affairs," program from show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz about who benefits and who is hurt by immigration, whether the current situation with illegal immigration is a consequence of the 1986 immigration legislation, how much legal and illegal immigration differ, whether the nation, as a whole, benefits from legal and/or illegal immigration and the political impact of the likely immigration reform legislation to pass Congress and much, much more.
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"Public Affairs," is featuring Economics Professors Bleakley and Chiswick this week in 35 Chicago Metro suburbs [See, below, for a detailed suburban airing schedule] on Comcast Cable; this coming Monday night [May 22] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, right now, on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [See here].

The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than 20 different episodes of “Public Affairs," in addition to the show with Professors Chiswick and Bleakley.[See here]. The podcast page also includes a show with Kevin White, the Republican nominee for the 5th Cong. Dist. seat currently held by Cong. Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago) [the show with White will air next week on the suburban edition of "Public Affairs,"], Mayoral Candidate Bill Dock Walls, State Senate Republican Nominee [27th Dist.] Matt Murphy; a recent joint press conference with Senator Obama [D-Illinois] and Congresswoman Bean [D-Barrington] dealing with, among other issues, Iran, Iraq, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and tax cuts, Senator and Republican nominee for State Treasurer Christine Radogno, the Republican nominee and Democratic incumbent in the 8th CD, David McSweeney and Congresswoman Bean, respectively; Tony Peraica, Republican nominee for Cook County Board President;
[See here].
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This program is very timely. President Bush spoke last night on television regarding the issue of immigration. This speech will be followed up with efforts by the U. S. Senate to pass legislation on the immigration issue [the House has already done so] and, if that is done, the Senate and House conferees will meet to try to reach agreement on compromise immigration reform legislation that is acceptable to the House and Senate conferees. The legislation may pass prior to Memorial Day and if so, a conference agreement may occur shortly after Congress resumes it’s session in June, 2006.
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Professor Hoyt Bleakley [University of Chicago, GSB]:... Adam Smith talks about the benefits of specialization. Now, specialization is something that we have used for centuries to improve the productivity of everything we do. What does that mean in this case? Well, when you think about who we are as a people, and how we can raise our living standards—a way to do that is not necessarily to bring in people who look exactly like us, but bring in people who are different-- who have things that they can bring to the table that we don’t have. And, in practice, what that has meant in terms of immigration is that we brought in people through legal methods who have relatively high skills. People like doctors and computer programmers and nurses. Right? And, we’ve all benefited from that. Maybe not all the doctors, because they get competed away a little bit, but, as a society, we’ve benefited. And then, on the other end of the skill distribution, often through less formal means, we’ve brought in people with very low skills, because that’s not a very large fraction of our population. So, from the perspective of increasing our productivity by bringing in factors that complement us, in a broad brush-stroke sense, our policy is doing the right thing.

Jeff Berkowitz: Moving the country forward. So, in general, you might favor that legislation [something like McCain Kennedy] notwithstanding that we might have, in five to seven years, twenty million illegal immigrants, new illegal immigrants in this country. You might favor that? Am I getting that right?

Professor Bleakley: I might. It would have to have more credible means of policing it right, so that we don’t—I mean I completely agree with, endorse, what Barry [Chiswick] said, that we need to have better enforcement mechanisms [interior and border control].

Jeff Berkowitz: So, in a sense, you would have maybe twenty million more legal—you might actually open up the legal immigration, acknowledge that you’d have twenty million more [immigrants], have a border control, have penalties for employers [employing illegal immigrants]. So, have twenty million more relatively unskilled laborers come in from Mexico, but now we [would] know who they are. We’d keep track of them. They wouldn’t necessarily be on the path to citizenship, but they’d be working in one form or another in the United States. Am I getting it right? Is that sort of-

Professor Bleakley: That’s roughly right. Now, the question-

Jeff Berkowitz: You could sign on to that program?

Professor Bleakley: I could sign on to that. Now, the question of-

Professor Barry Chiswick: I couldn’t.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, the reason why?

Professor Chiswick [University of Illinois, at Chicago]: Well, low skilled immigration, whether it’s legal or illegal, has consequences for the economy. And, the group that pays the greatest price —for low-skilled immigration are low-skilled natives. And, most low skilled workers in the United States were born in this country.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, by “low-skilled natives,” you mean low-skilled United States citizens.

Professor Chiswick: Low-skilled United States citizens, yes, that’s what I meant. People born in the United States.

Jeff Berkowitz: Who often are not necessarily minority, but minorities may be disproportionately represented in that low-skilled group.

Professor Chiswick: The majority of low-skilled Americans are not minority, but, as you said, minorities are disproportionately represented among the low-skilled.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, a large number of whites will be negatively affected by this immigration that we’re talking about-

Professor Chiswick: But, a larger fraction of, let’s say, African-Americans.

Jeff Berkowitz: A larger fraction of them, as a group-

Professor Chiswick: That’s right. And, what we’ve seen over the last twenty- twenty-five years has been a widening in the gap between the earnings of high-skilled workers, and lower-skilled workers. And, there are a number of factors that have contributed to this widening gap. One of the factors that has contributed has been the very large immigration of both legal and illegal low-skilled workers. And, this has widened inequality in the United States. And we view increasing inequality as something that is less desirable.

Jeff Berkowitz: Let me just stop you, for a second. Professor Bleakley, how do you respond to that? You’re not in favor of more inequality, are you?

Professor Bleakley: “Now, the [University of] Chicago response is that “you are in favor of as much inequality as there needs to be.”

Jeff Berkowitz: There needs to be some inequality to have the right incentives for-

Professor Bleakley: Sure. I tell my students all the time “would you be sitting here in class listening to me drone on about micro-economics, if there weren’t this higher paycheck waiting for you at the end.”

Jeff Berkowitz: Which will mean more inequality, but it is good because people are being productive.

Professor Bleakley: It promotes investments in learning about microeconomics and other things.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, this particular kind of inequality that Professor Chiswick’s talking about—this immigration that we are talking about negatively impacts low-skilled workers, makes it harder for them to advance. They are U. S. citizens. I assume you’re saying on equity grounds—Help U. S. citizens more before you help Mexicans who are outside the United States?

Professor Chiswick: Well, there are those equity grounds. But, there are also the effects on the tax transfer system. The depressing of the wages of all low-skilled workers results in greater expenditures by the government on various programs that are targeted towards low-skilled workers.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, emergency rooms-

Professor Chiswick: Emergency rooms-

Jeff Berkowitz: Which would be where illegal… immigrants may seek healthcare.

Professor Chiswick: But, also-

Jeff Berkowitz: Education, which is provided-

Professor Chiswick: People born in the United States, if their incomes are lower, they are more likely to now become eligible for Medicaid, for food stamps, for the free school lunch program.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, citizens in the U. S. now are moving into that dependency area because they can’t work.?

Professor Chiswick: They are more likely to be receiving government transfers. It may not be that they can’t work, but for the work that they do, they get lower wages than they would have if it weren’t for the large, low-skilled immigration.

Jeff Berkowitz: Professor Bleakley, you are nodding your head. You’re in agreement on that?

Professor Bleakley: I would never deny that if you bring in someone who is a substitute for me, that you are going to probably reduce my wage. On the other hand, if you drew up a list of the causes of why inequality has gotten greater, larger, whatever, in this country in the past thirty years, I am not sure that immigration would make the top ten. ************************************************
Public Affairs, with Professor Barry Chiswick, Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Illinois at Chicago and Professor Hoyt Bleakley, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, was recorded on May 7, 2006 and is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of May 15] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, May 22 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See, below, for a detailed, regular suburban airing schedule for Public Affairs . The show with Professors Chiswick and Bleakley is available, right now, as a video podcast at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with more than twenty other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
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In 25 North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the show airs tonight in its regular Tuesday night time slot: 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35, as indicated, below.

In 10 North Shore suburbs, the show is airing in its regular airing slot at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below.

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The episode of Public Affairs, featuring Professors Chiswick and Bleakley airs tonight:

at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette

And at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.

and this Wednesday and Friday night at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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A draft of the above partial transcript of the Public Affairs show with Professors Chiswick and Bleakley was prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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