House Democrats will face an uphill battle attempting to fight the Citizen’s United decision this term. With the DISCLOSE Act shot down last year and a supportive Republican majority that benefited greatly from third party campaign ads, limiting the scope of Citizen’s United in any meaningful way would be more than difficult. Mother Jones reports that Democrats could take on a new tactic - challenging the tax exempt status of outside funding groups. more ›

The primary candidates in the race to replace Mayor Daley are running against his recent record as much as they are each other. And their own records. Case in point: longtime Daley insider Gery Chico. Chico released three years of tax returns yesterday, and they show that City Hall has been very, very good to him and his. more ›

Governor Quinn is in favor of having "open" primary elections and has gone so far as to insert language to that effect into some election-related legislation. There are questions as to whether what Quinn did is legal, and it will certainly face a challenge in Springfield, but not because of its legal ramifications. Lawmakers in the General Assembly use separate primary ballots to target voters for future campaign donations and to keep tabs on who's actually voting. more ›

In a wide-ranging interview with the Sun-Times yesterday, Preckwinkle laid out the foundation of her agenda and reading it is a breath of fresh air after four years of the naked patronage and incompetency of Todd Stroger's administration. more ›

Chicago's City Council passed a resolution Wednesday demanding that the Obama Administration tackle comprehensive immigration reform. “Our President — a President we’re very proud of — promised to address this issue after the first 90 days of his administration, then after 180 days, then after a year. It’s been 14 months,” said 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis. “In the meantime, there’s been more deportations. There’s been families that have been broken. It’s a national disgrace. ... This has to stop. Enough is enough.” more ›

The role of nutrition in the treatment and prevention of chronic disease is undeniable. During the 2008 presidential debates Barack Obama emphasized this fact. He urged the nation to save money by “paying for a dietitian for people to lose weight, as opposed to paying for the $30,000 foot amputation.” The American Institute of Cancer Research pinpoints healthy weight, physical activity, and diet as the best protection against cancer. Likewise, the American Heart Association preaches diet and lifestyle as the two crucial elements to preventing cardiovascular disease. more ›

9th District Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky held a town hall meeting on health care reform this week, where she was met by both supporters and opponents of the legislation. Among the opponents of reform were several in the crowd that booed the late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. more ›

In the ongoing drama surrounding what may be the most ambitious piece of Barack Obama's social agenda, Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank and Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr both held town hall meetings the other day on the proposed health care legislation. Jackson's town hall, while peppered with protesters out front, was a study in how to hold a well-orchestrated public event.