Stories tagged "state politics"

When Illinois Senate-Designate Roland Burris arrived on Capitol Hill yesterday, he was turned away at the door. The Secretary of the Senate claimed that his credentials lacked a required signature and his state's seal. While that may be true, the Senate leadership had made it clear that they did not want to seat Burris under the cloud of suspicion surrounding his appointment by Gov. Blagojevich. Todd Zwillich of Capitol News Connection, joins us now to mull it all over.

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The U.S. Senate’s rejection of Roland Burris is the latest chapter in a saga ripped straight from the complicated playbook of Chicago politics. Burris was turned away from the Capitol on the grounds that he did not have the right credentials following his appointment by embattled Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. For some context into the latest political spectacle out of Chicago, we’re joined by Abner Mikva, former Illinois Congressman, retired Federal Judge, former White House Counsel to President Bill Clinton, and current law professor at the University of Chicago.

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Roland Burris, the would-be or could-be junior Senator from Illinois, makes his Washington, D.C. debut today. It’ll be an uphill battle for Burris who is facing a lot of resistance from Democratic Senate leaders who are arguing that Burris’ appointment to the Senate is tainted because he was hand picked by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich has been accused by federal authorities of offering to sell the vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. For a preview of this power struggle on the Hill we turn to Clarence Page. Mr. Page is a syndicated columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He’s on the line from Washington, D.C.

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It ain't over till it's over. A day before the 111th Congress convenes, Republican senators are claiming that they will block any attempts to seat Democrat Al Franken, who currently holds a slim lead over Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck returns to The Takeaway to explain what this week will bring for Minnesota politics.

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Filling President-elect Barack Obama's vacant senate seat has turned into such an incredible drama that it is easy to forget that there are other empty seats in the U.S. Senate. Vice-president-elect Biden's seat was quickly filled, but more drama is roiling over the soon-to-be vacant senate seat from New York. Caroline Kennedy has made her claim on the seat once held by her father and no one is quite sure whether or not she is qualified. The coverage of that issue has raised quite a few eyebrows, too. Here to discuss all sides of the issue are Nick Confessore a reporter in the Albany bureau of the New York Times, and Lisa Belkin, a writer for the New York Times Magazine whose piece in this Sunday's magazine is called “The Senator Track.”

Read Nick Confessore's article on Ms. Kennedy in today's New York Times. (You'll have to wait for Sunday for Lisa Belkin's!)

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Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush didn't pull any punches yesterday when he challenged Senators who were making noises about blocking the appointment of Roland Burris, an African-American, to the U.S. Senate. Embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich's announcement raised a lot of eyebrows, but Rush's statements raised even more. The Takeaway talks to Congresswoman Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Second Vice-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 111th Congress.

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Yesterday embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich defied expectations and appointed a respected senior statesman in Illinois politics to fill the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama. Roland Burris was the first African-American to be elected to statewide office in Illinois and he has served as both comptroller and attorney general in that state. Amanda Vinicky, Statehouse Reporter for Illinois Public Radio, joins The Takeaway with an assessment of this latest development in the unfolding Blagojevich scandal.

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A little over a week ago more than one billion gallons of wet coal ash spilled after a retaining wall ruptured forty miles west of Knoxville. Initially authorities didn't realize how much of eastern Tennessee was actually covered in the semi-toxic sludge. More than one billion gallons of coal ash have spilled through the valley adjacent to the Kingston Fossil Plant and now Tennessee Valley authorities have to figure out how to get rid of it and clean up the state. Josh Flory from the Knoxville News Sentinel just returned from the spill site. He joins John and Adaora from Knoxville.

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States across the country are in financial distress. More than half of them are facing shortfalls in their budgets for this year and next. And with times so lean there's not much fat left for governors to cut. While some governors are choosing to implement deep cuts in long-standing government programs, others are opting to enter a strange new world of taxable items (iTunes downloads anyone?). For a look at the budgetary challenges that many states face in 2009, The Takeaway checks in with New Jersey's Governor Jon Corzine and Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin. Last week they testified before Congress, pleading for Federal help. This week they are here on The Takeaway.

What would you tax to balance the books? »

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After news that the White House is offering the U.S. auto industry $17.4 billion in short term financing, we check in with an earlier guest, Greg Goodnight the Mayor of Kokomo, Indiana. 14% of Kokomo's population is employed by Chrysler.

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Across the country, state governments are trying to cope with severe budgetary shortages. The solution: taxes! Whether you call them fee hikes or revenue enhancements, we are seeing ideas that range from a real bummer to downright odd. Everything is on the table to increase tax revenues including sugary drinks and iTunes downloads. The Takeaway talks to Steven Zelin, a Certified Public Accountant in New York, who sings about taxes. No, really.

To download an mp3 of the soon-to-be hit "Giving All My Money to the Man" click here.

Still want more from the Singing CPA, check out his website.

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Ed Genson defended R. Kelly and Conrad Black, not to mention countless mobsters and disgraced pols.

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Illinois state legislators began impeachment hearings against embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday, but the proceedings were stopped after just one hour. It seems that Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald would like to know who the lawmakers are planning to ask to testify, to make sure that their hearings will not interfere with his case. Amanda Vinicky, Statehouse Reporter for Illinois Public Radio, joins The Takeaway with the latest.

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More details have come to light on possible connections between the congressman and disgraced governor Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill.

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With a president, vice president and a secretary of state nominee all coming from the U.S. Senate, three state governors will have the chance to choose their replacements.

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The Illinois General Assembly meets today to consider how best to remove Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich and how to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Amanda Vinicky, statehouse reporter for Illinois Public Radio, joins The Takeaway with an update from the state capital.

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Illinois lawmakers have the power to impeach Governor Blagojevich, call a special election, and more. What will they do next?

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States around the country are facing billions in budget shortfalls, with cuts to education, health care, and infrastructure already on the books.

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