By Paul R. Michel America can’t outcompete low-wage countries when it comes to manufacturing cheap, mass-produced widgets. But we can — and historically have — outcompeted every other nation when it comes to creating superior technology, from semiconductors and smartphone operating systems to advanced medicines.  Unfortunately, this advantage is disappearing. Competitor nations have greatly improved…

By Rich Miller The Illinois Senate adjourned its session April 9, just after 3 o’clock in the morning. The House adjourned about three hours later, as the sun was coming up. This wasn’t the first time the chambers worked into the wee smalls to finish their work, including a budget, and it probably won’t be…

By Ray Hanania Does Gov. JB Pritzker really think Illinois voters are stupid? Does he think we are just not smart enough or that we are indifferent to the harsh world around us? The past two years have been the most difficult taxpayers have faced economically. The pandemic changed our lives and delayed much, including…

By Rich Miller Last year’s state budget talks were dragged into the bitter fight between the Senate and the House and the governor’s office over a massive bill to regulate carbon-based power plants. As a result, the House hurriedly and angrily jammed an appropriations bill over to the Senate before it could be fully checked…

By Becky Doyle Most Illinoisans do not realize that the most important resource in our state is right under their feet. Illinois soils are more appreciated globally than they are right here at home. Long valued for their world-class productive capacity, our soils are now also known to be capable of: Protecting water quality. Providing…

By Ray Hanania Prices have been skyrocketing at every level and on every item in a large part because of the heavy toll the pandemic has had on businesses and workers. The Russian invasion and accelerated war crimes in Ukraine have aggravated the economic impact on everyday citizens. That’s what inspired Dr. Willie Wilson last…

By Rich Miller As you probably already know, the Democratic Governors Association recently launched a TV ad blasting Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin for claiming to be a crime fighter while having defended dangerous criminals as a defense attorney. “Richard Irvin’s real record on crime?” the DGA ad begins. “For 15 years, Irvin has been…

By Jim Nowlan I spoke recently to an audience of attorneys and financial planners about the future of Illinois. I asked for a show of hands as to who thought our state would reverse the almost 1 percent decline in population we experienced in the past decade. Only 1 of 30 thought it was likely.…

By Rich Miller After the Illinois House and Senate voted to pass legislation to partially pay down the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund debt, top Democratic leaders gathered for a Statehouse press conference to boast about their accomplishment. Yes, they admitted, it was only a partial pay-down. The debt is $4.5 billion, and they patched…