Luckily I get the actual printed version of the Illinois State Journal Register. I had to do a search to find this story online, even though it was in today's paper. Hmmm...
There's a story about how lobby reform legislation is being cut down by judge in Chicago who ruled it unconstitutional. It's important because it demonstrates what I like to call a "Straw Law."
Basically it's legislation that gets almost unanimous popular support, that works against organizations which are the backbone of political campaign financing. In classic textbook fashion, a quiet little rule is tacked on that will sabotage the law, but only long after the law is passed, when nobody is looking. A lawsuits against it will later be filed, and a judge can easily rule it unconstitutional.
Here now is the glaring example of such a "Straw Law:"
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1689193760/White-puts-lobbyist-registrations-on-hold
Showing posts with label Law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Law. Show all posts
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Ashland Incident poised to bring down Illinois
The subterranean infrastructure of Illinois politics is about to get another exposure.
The dirty dealings that got former Governor George Ryan Convicted and then former Governor Rod Blagojevich Impeached, is about to be exposed again through it's lack of action regarding the murder of Steve Watkins in Ashland, Illinois over nine months ago.
According to DIMFI.com, the Cass County State's Attorney passed the case off to the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, which is said by some people to be a place where cases go to die.
Where they thinking Steve Watkins had no next-of-kin?
The Appellate Prosecutor's office is currently occupied by an individual who, while a Sangamon County Assistant State's Attorney, charged someone with murder who was then incarcerated, but not prosecuted. The state supreme court let the suspect go on for being incarcerated for too long.
This case will grow to include questions about the higher-ups who employed those responsible for investigating and prosecuting this case. The relentless vine of justice climbs higher every day. Every day, Mark Thoma updates the status of the Steve Watkins case from 3 to 6 P.M. on WMAY AM 970
The dirty dealings that got former Governor George Ryan Convicted and then former Governor Rod Blagojevich Impeached, is about to be exposed again through it's lack of action regarding the murder of Steve Watkins in Ashland, Illinois over nine months ago.
According to DIMFI.com, the Cass County State's Attorney passed the case off to the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, which is said by some people to be a place where cases go to die.
Where they thinking Steve Watkins had no next-of-kin?
The Appellate Prosecutor's office is currently occupied by an individual who, while a Sangamon County Assistant State's Attorney, charged someone with murder who was then incarcerated, but not prosecuted. The state supreme court let the suspect go on for being incarcerated for too long.
This case will grow to include questions about the higher-ups who employed those responsible for investigating and prosecuting this case. The relentless vine of justice climbs higher every day. Every day, Mark Thoma updates the status of the Steve Watkins case from 3 to 6 P.M. on WMAY AM 970
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Kaboom! An unintended consequence of leash laws.
Today was very special. There was a nice cool breeze blowing the shade away from the inside of my bedroom window which is right on the front porch of our single story condominium. The architect was probably either a voyeur as a paper delivery person, or loved to wake up long before the roosters at dawn to the sound of a newspaper smacking against the glass.
My window was open all night and I slept through the paper delivery. It was supposed to be a good day. Once again, our architect in his infinite wisdom designed the baths toward the inside of the building with no possibility of adding any windows. When the lights went out I was in the middle of my shower. Total darkness. The outage was preceded immediately by a loud explosion.
Squirrels were chasing each other around transformers and power lines. Inevitably a squirrel closed a circuit where the wires come together at a transformer, and the immense heat generated by the high voltage created an artificial thunder clap. In my 42 years I have yet to see the resulting spark and flying tufts of fur trailing smoke, but occasionally on our walk, the dog will appear to be obsessed about the base of a particular power pole.
Lately the incidents of squirrel and utility encounters have increased dramatically. Perhaps as a delayed unintentional consequence of pet leash laws. The squirrel population is growing out of control because they have no predators.
I miss the good old days when dogs and cats came home on their own at the end of the day and weren’t so hungry, and squirrels were rarely seen.
My window was open all night and I slept through the paper delivery. It was supposed to be a good day. Once again, our architect in his infinite wisdom designed the baths toward the inside of the building with no possibility of adding any windows. When the lights went out I was in the middle of my shower. Total darkness. The outage was preceded immediately by a loud explosion.
Squirrels were chasing each other around transformers and power lines. Inevitably a squirrel closed a circuit where the wires come together at a transformer, and the immense heat generated by the high voltage created an artificial thunder clap. In my 42 years I have yet to see the resulting spark and flying tufts of fur trailing smoke, but occasionally on our walk, the dog will appear to be obsessed about the base of a particular power pole.
Lately the incidents of squirrel and utility encounters have increased dramatically. Perhaps as a delayed unintentional consequence of pet leash laws. The squirrel population is growing out of control because they have no predators.
I miss the good old days when dogs and cats came home on their own at the end of the day and weren’t so hungry, and squirrels were rarely seen.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
The British-Iranian situation
Several British sailors are in Iranian custody because the Iranians claimed the British ship was in Iranian waters, but the Brits claim they were 2000 yards into Iraqi waters.
It does not matter. "Intent To Cross" can be rightfully assumed within a range of yards calculated from the boundary based on the height of your ships radar from sea level. The Brits should have been at least 4000 yards from the boundary (about half the distance to the visible horizon from the height of the ship's bridge.
The opposing claims should be set aside, the Brits should concede they at least were too close, and negotiations of a neutral zone on sea borders should be established (four thousand yards wide). Understanding of visual and electronic boundaries should be established. This would mean that skirmishes within the newly established neutral zone remain in the neutral zone and can be construed independently of any official declaration of war.
An "Enter at your own risk," would apply and we could call it the Thunderdome Nautical Law.
For more information about calculating how far you can see depending on how high your eyes are from sea level, visit:
http://www.slc.ca.gov/Division_Pages/DEPM/DEPM_Programs_and_Reports/BHP_Deep_Water_Port/RevisedDraftEIR/1aCabTransport/Appendices/F_Appendix%20F_Aesthetics.pdf
For Wiki-Territorial Waters info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_waters
It does not matter. "Intent To Cross" can be rightfully assumed within a range of yards calculated from the boundary based on the height of your ships radar from sea level. The Brits should have been at least 4000 yards from the boundary (about half the distance to the visible horizon from the height of the ship's bridge.
The opposing claims should be set aside, the Brits should concede they at least were too close, and negotiations of a neutral zone on sea borders should be established (four thousand yards wide). Understanding of visual and electronic boundaries should be established. This would mean that skirmishes within the newly established neutral zone remain in the neutral zone and can be construed independently of any official declaration of war.
An "Enter at your own risk," would apply and we could call it the Thunderdome Nautical Law.
For more information about calculating how far you can see depending on how high your eyes are from sea level, visit:
http://www.slc.ca.gov/Division_Pages/DEPM/DEPM_Programs_and_Reports/BHP_Deep_Water_Port/RevisedDraftEIR/1aCabTransport/Appendices/F_Appendix%20F_Aesthetics.pdf
For Wiki-Territorial Waters info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_waters
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