Chicago-based Libertarian organization the Heartland Institute has canceled its billboard campaign comparing those who believe in global warming to murderers and tyrants, but the Heartland Institute isn't apologizing. more ›

Chicago Tea Party Director Stevan Stevlic decided to skip TeaCon 2011 in Schaumburg this weekend after Gawker dug up evidence of his June 2010 arrest for soliciting prostitution. more ›

"Since I've been called a socialist who wasn't born in this country, who is destroying America and taking away its freedoms because I passed a health care bill, I'm all for lowering the rhetoric." more ›

Thought the news that Rep. Joe Walsh allegedly owes his ex-wife over $100,000 in child support would have a negative effect with his constituency? Think again. more ›

8th District Rep. Joe Walsh came out swinging after the Sun-Times published a story yesterday that read he owed his ex-wife over $100,000 in child support, claiming the article to be a "hit piece." more ›

Hundreds of demonstrators who feel Taxed Enough Already turned up to Daley Plaza yesterday to express their discontent with taxes, big government and other assorted socialist encroachments on America. Steve Stevlic, coordinator for the Chicago Tea Party organized the rally, which featured Tea Party darling Joe Walsh (R-IL) (who leads freshmen Illinois congressmen in fundraising) among other mostly politically right leaning politicians and pundits. more ›

For me, like many voters that tend to punch the Democratic button in the ballot booth, this election is a shock, even if we saw the train wreck coming months in advance. I remember being in Washington, D.C. on election night 2008, when a spontaneous demonstration of Obama supporters broke out in front of the White House, when I heard people running through the streets of DuPont Circle shrieking and yelling in elation. I remember thinking that, like we still talk about "Reagan Democrats," we might soon be talking about "Obama Republicans." Like some of the president's advisers, I think I underestimated the newly-minted minority party, and overestimated the Democrats in congress. more ›

What did Julie Andrews sing in Mary Poppins? "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down?" more ›

Yesterday, we talked about the tenuous relationship that mainstream Republican candidates have with Tea Party activists. To wit: GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady will be attending a Tea Party event in Will County, but isn't promoting it as such. Now Mark Kirk will be joining Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown (along with Bill Brady) on Halloween at Joe's Bar on Weed Street. more ›

Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady sent out an email Monday inviting supporters to join him in Will County's Homer Glen for the "final stop on Brady's suburban ‘Clean Break Express' tour." What Brady's email failed to mention is that the event is hosted by the Will County Tea Party Alliance. more ›

Ever since it was revealed that GOP Senate Candidate Mark Kirk planned on deploying "voter integrity" squads to key "vulnerable" (read; minority) precincts across the state, allegations of racism have dogged the move. Kirk's opponent, Alexi Giannoulias, has fired off letters to State's Attorney's across the state urging them to keep an eye on voter intimidation. The Giannoulias campaign has upped the ante further, linking voter suppression expert Hans von Spavkosky to voter suppression efforts in Illinois; von Spavkosky called the allegations "complete bullshit." more ›

A new poll by the Rasmussen Report indicates that 1 in 5 Illinois residents is a member of the Tea Party. The conclusion is drawn from a poll of 750 "likely" Illinois voters in the midterm elections, and the result could be of concern to Democrats - the poll represents the growing support for conservative-edged viewpoints within the state. In addition, most of the people polled in the report believe that the Tea Party Movement is good for the country. more ›

Thousands of conservatives donned tri-corner hats and pledged to “take back the government” at the Right Nation 2010 event in Hoffman Estates this weekend. Attendees shelled out anywhere from $70 to $1,200 to hear speeches from conservative all stars as Andrew Breitbart, Dick Armey, and Aaron Schock, Illinois gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady and of course, Glenn Beck. more ›

According to a report from Fox 32 WFLD, Illinois is home to nearly half a million undocumented immigrants (432,000), almost twice the number believed to be living in Arizona (283,000). But unlike the Copper State, where Mexicans make up 90 percent of those immigrants, only 40 percent of Illinois's undocumented immigrant population are native Mexican. More illegal immigrants in Illinois are from either Europe (24 percent) or Asia (also 24 percent), with 11 percent coming from that most ubiquitous of locations, "other." more ›

With the video of Champaign mayor Jerry Schweighart expressing his skepticism regarding President Obama's citizenship status making the rounds this weekend, reactions are starting to roll in. Champaign-Urbana's Smiling Politely caught up with John O'Connor, the University of Illinois grad student who shot the controversial video and claimed he hadn't set out to bait Schweighart into saying anything controversial. more ›

Amidst the usual claims at Tea Party rallies on Thursday that President Obama was both a Socialist and a Marxist, the Birther conspiracy raised its ugly head once again. In an interview conducted during a Tax Day Tea Party and posted on the internet, Champaign mayor Jerry Schweighart expressed doubt about President Obama's citizenship, saying, "I don't think he's American, personally." more ›

Yesterday was, of course, Tax Day, the deadline for us to settle up our taxes with the government. But it's also the day on which the new Tea Party movement has chosen to hold rallies and protests against having a black president high taxes, government spending, and healthcare reform (we - and our pal Eric Zorn - think). While protests and rallies were held across the country, the Chicago rally was held in Daley Plaza, attracting a crowd estimated at over 1,500. Local political figures, including Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, local Congressional candidate Joe Pollak, and former gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski were in attendance to support the Tea Partiers. more ›

Tomorrow's Tax Day and with it comes Chicago's very own Tea Party. At noon at Daley Plaza, the Tea Party Patriots Chicago will launch their second-annual demonstration under the theme of "Repeal It. Replace Congress," while featuring "national known speakers, local liberty leaders and regular Americans" in addition to some live rock, blues and country music. Last year's Tax Day rally drew hundreds of demonstrators to the Loop, including the man pictured, in addition to many suburban protesters in Naperville. more ›

President Obama recently sat down with the "Today" show's Matt Lauer. While most of the interview was typical fluff (basketball, his faith), we did take some interest in the below segment addressing partisanship and the Tea Party movement. Obama is, unsurprisingly, very pragmatic in his answers but in the wake of the battle over health care reform, it's interesting to see him address the group, including the birther accusations. more ›

While we're counting down the Top 9 stories of 2009, what about the posts that you liked most? Which posts generated the most comments and likes? What had you guys talking, up in arms, complaining, or - occasionally - rationally discussing? Below are the top 10 most popular posts; you can check out the full list of the top 30 here. more ›

The results of New York’s special election in the 23rd district congressional race might have effects nation-wide, even here in Illinois. The Tea Party movement successfully derailed the campaign of Dede Scozzafava, a moderate GOP candidate in the race in favor of Doug Hoffman, a much more conservative republican. Politico reports that their success could embolden their efforts to push out more moderate GOP candidates in favor of hard right conservatives. more ›

Despite any existing ideological feelings about the existence and efforts of ACORN (what's that stand for, anyways? Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, that's what) any organization that is documented as doing anything to game the system should be bounced, and bounced fast. We live in a society that's got rules, whether we like it or not, and no organization on either side of the political fence gets to play outside the sandbox. Sometimes a few bad apples do get to ruin the whole damn bunch. more ›

• Hundreds of protesters rallied downtown today along with others across the country as part of a tax day "Tea Party" against excessive government spending. Chicagoisto Kevin was there, and will have coverage/photos tomorrow.
• Looks like the city is having a hard time finding any patsies to switch from a monthly flat fee for water service over to city water meters -- the Sun-Times reports that "only a trickle" (ha, get it?) of homeowners have signed up. A Water Management spokesman acknowledged that residents have the perception that if meters are installed, their water bills will go up. Shocking!
• Since we already used up our allotment of "Bo knows" references today, we'll skip the obvious and just say that Bo "I-Can't-Decide-On-One-Sport" Jackson has founded a bank in south suburban Burr Ridge. Well, he certainly can't make the banking system any worse.

In addition to an extensive (38) list of tea shops, Ms. Blumberg also includes 3 other sections. For tea tourists, or those who love the formality and dignity of an afternoon tea service, the guide lists everywhere in Chicago where you can find a formal Afternoon Tea, as well as how much they cost and what you can expect for your money. Ms. Blumberg includes a list of restaurants that serve "Bubble Tea" - that wonderful cold drink filled with tapioca balls that are sucked up with a giant straw. Links to popular tea websites are also provided. All the Tea in Chicago is attractive and pocket-sized, and it provides a needed look at an often-overlooked topic – go pick it up! more ›

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse. The deaths of two firefighters shook Bostonist this week. Boston's firefighters bent over backwards all week long - first, they fought flames pouring from the Boston Tea Party museum, and then a restaurant fire killed two and injured many more. Their efforts make everything else - like Tom... more ›