Northern Illinois Patriots

 A heartfelt Thank You goes out to the voters of Illinois. Without your election of Pat Quinn a 66% increase in our taxes would not have been possible. What exactly were you thinking? He promised to increase taxes and he actually over-delivered. He exceeded your expectations.

 Quinn’s decision is morally bankrupt and incomprehensible. Like our Federal Congress, this economy killing bill was pushed through in a lame duck session against the will of the people. Lacking an understanding of basic economics and an ability or desire to reign in out-of-control spending, Quinn took the easy way out by putting the burden on the backs of the cash strapped Illinois residents. And he had the gall to say that a 66% tax increase would jump start the Illinois’ economy.

 Like our Federal Government, there is not a revenue problem, there is a spending problem. House Speaker Michael Madigan and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton once again displayed Pelosi and Reed strong arm tactics by excluding Republicans from negotiations and then blaming them for sitting on the sidelines.

 Before we can have political reform we must have reform in the minds of the voters. As long as voters remain addicted to budget destroying entitlements there can be no reform. An unchecked growth in the size of government since 1947 has transferred 32% of our economy from the private sector to government, a trend that is unsustainable.

 But rather than dwell on the abysmal financial mess that lies before us, I would like to once again say to Illinois voters, Thank You.