#j.b. pritzker

[tomorrowusa]

« [W]e face the unfortunate reality that we must be honest with the nation about: Donald Trump is unfit to lead during moments of crisis like this. Before victims have even been identified, Trump is blaming people with disabilities. He’s blaming the U.S. service members in the Blackhawk helicopter. He’s blaming hiring programs he can’t even name or offer examples of. The buck stops with him – yet he is failing to demonstrate his role as protector of the American people and head of our government. »

— Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois responding to Donald Trump's crazed rantings at a White House news conference after last week's air disaster at the Potomac River. From The Office of the Governor.

Donald Trump is unfit to be president. He's unfit to be a crossing guard, for that matter.

Trump never really grew up. He refuses to take responsibility for his actions. Nothing is EVER his fault – even when he is caught with his hand stuck in the cookie jar.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Morgan Stephens at Daily Kos:

Behind the scenes, President Joe Biden’s team has been preparing for his big final weeks in office, regardless of who won the 2024 election. “The schedule will be robust and he plans to leave it all on the field,” White House communications director Ben LaBolt told NBC News in September.  During his speech to the nation last Wednesday, Biden addressed some of his administration’s final priorities, including a focus on infrastructure spending, which was a major legislative accomplishment of his presidency. "We're going to see over a trillion dollars' worth of infrastructure work done, changing people's lives in rural communities and communities that are in real difficulty," the president said.  In addition to getting infrastructure projects off the ground before Trump takes office, White House advisers said Biden will also work to safeguard freedoms the president believes are under threat, strengthen global alliances, and take steps to reduce costs for Americans.

[politicaldilfs]

Illinois Governor DILFs

Jim Edgar, Otto Kerner Jr., James R. Thompson, George Ryan, Louis Lincoln Emmerson, William Ryan, Samuel Shapiro, Len Small, Rod Blagojevich, Dwight H. Green, J.B. Pritzker, Henry Horner, Adlai Stevenson II, Richard B. Ogilvie, Pat Quinn, Bruce Rauner, Dan Walker, Frank Orren Lowden

[intelligentchristianlady]

Disobey! Challenge! Act!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Rob Rogers

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

January 13, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JAN 14, 2024

Last night a woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande that marks the border between the U.S. and Mexico near Eagle Pass, Texas. 

U.S. Border Patrol agents knew that a group of six migrants were in distress in the river but could not try to save them, as they normally would, because troops from the Texas National Guard and the Texas Military Department prevented the Border Patrol agents from entering the area where they were struggling: Shelby Park, a 47-acre public park that offers access to a frequently traveled part of the river and is a place where Border Patrol agents often encounter migrants crossing the border illegally. 

They could not enter because two days ago, on Thursday, Texas governor Greg Abbott sent armed Texas National Guard soldiers and soldiers from the Texas Military Department to take control of Shelby Park. Rolando Salinas, the mayor of Eagle Pass, posted a video on Facebook showing the troops and saying that a state official had told him that state troops were taking “full control” over Shelby Park “indefinitely.” Salinas made it clear that “[t]his is not something that we wanted. This is not something that we asked for as a city.”

The Texas forces have denied United States Border Patrol officials entry into the park to perform their duties, asserting that Texas officials have power over U.S. officials. 

On December 18, Abbott signed into law S.B. 4, a measure that attempts to take into state hands the power over immigration the Constitution gives to the federal government. Courts have repeatedly reinforced that immigration is the responsibility of federal, not state, government, but now, according to Uriel J. García of the Texas Tribune, “some Texas Republicans have said they hope the new law will push the issue back before a U.S. Supreme Court that is more conservative since three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined it.”

On January 3 the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the new law, saying: “Texas cannot run its own immigration system. Its efforts, through S.B. 4, intrude on the federal government’s exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, frustrate the United States’ immigration operations and proceedings, and interfere with U.S. foreign relations.” 

Abbott and MAGA Republicans are teeing up the issue of immigration as a key line of attack on President Joe Biden in 2024, but while they are insisting the issue is so important they will not agree to fund Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s 2022 invasion until it is solved, they are also unwilling to participate in discussions to fund more border officers or immigration courts. Today, once again, Biden reminded reporters that he has asked Congress to pass new border measures since he took office, but rather than pass new laws, Republicans appear to be doubling down on pushing the idea that migrants threaten American society and that an individual state—Texas, in this case—can override federal authority.

Abbott has spent more than $100 million of Texas tax dollars to send migrants to cities led by Democrats. These migrants have applied for asylum and are waiting for a hearing; they are in the U.S. legally. In September 2023, Texas stopped coordinating with nonprofits in those cities that prepared for migrant arrivals. 

Yesterday, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker wrote to Abbott, calling him out for choosing “to sow chaos in an attempt to score political points.” Pritzker noted that Abbott is “sending asylum seekers from Texas to the Upper Midwest in the middle of winter—many without coats, without shoes to protect them from the snow—to a city whose shelters are already overfilled with migrants you sent here.” Chicago’s temperatures are set to drop below zero this weekend, Pritzker wrote, and he “strongly urge[d]” Abbott to stop sending people to Illinois in these conditions. “You are dropping off asylum seekers without alerting us to their arrivals, at improper locations at all hours of the night.”

Pritzker wrote that he supports bipartisan immigration reform but “[w]hile action is pending at the federal level, I plead with you for mercy for the thousands of people who are powerless to speak for themselves. Please, while winter is threatening vulnerable people’s lives, suspend your transports and do not send more people to our state. We are asking you to help prevent additional deaths. We should be able to come together in a bipartisan fashion to urge Congress to act. But right now, we are talking about human beings and their survival. I hope we can at least agree on saving lives right now.”

Speaking on the right-wing Dana Loesch Show last week, Abbott said, “The only thing that we’re not doing is we’re not shooting people who come across the border, because of course the Biden administration would charge us with murder.” 

On January 13, 1833, President Andrew Jackson wrote to Vice President–elect Martin van Buren to explain his position on South Carolina’s recent assertion that sovereign states could overrule federal laws. “Was this to be permitted the government would lose the confidence of its citizens and it would induce disunion everywhere. No my friend, the crisis must be now met with firmness, our citizens protected, and the modern doctrine of nullification and secession put down forever…. [N]othing must be permitted to weaken our government at home or abroad,” he wrote.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[mikehuntagain]

This blog has done Yeoman’s work in putting names and faces to who is funding and directing the Trans movement. This article is a good jump off point and you’ll never look at the Pritzker’s (the co-creators of Obama) the same way again... 

[discrepancybot]

The Land of Lincoln is the land of freedom.

"Illinois will become one of three states to require employers to offer paid time off for any reason after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law on Monday that will take effect next year.

Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Illinois employers must offer workers paid time off based on hours worked, with no need to explain the reason for their absence as long as they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.

Just Maine and Nevada mandate earned paid time time off and allot employees the freedom to decide how to use it, but Illinois’ law is further reaching, unencumbered by limits based on business size. Similarly structured regulations that require employers to offer paid sick leave exist in 14 states and Washington, D.C., but workers can only use that for health-related reasons.

Illinois employees will accrue one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked up to 40 hours total, although the employer may offer more. Employees can start using the time once they have worked for 90 days. Seasonal workers will be exempt, as will federal employees or college students who work non-full-time, temporary jobs for their university.

Pritzker signed the bill Monday in downtown Chicago, saying: “Too many people can't afford to miss even a day's pay ... together we continue to build a state that truly serves as a beacon for families, and businesses, and good paying jobs.”

Proponents say paid leave is key to making sure workers, especially low-income workers who are more vulnerable, are able to take time off when needed without fear of reprisal from an employer.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, a Peoria Democrat, said the bill is the product of years of negotiations with businesses and labor groups.

“Everyone deserves the ability to take time off,” she said in a statement. “Whether it’s to deal with the illness of a family member, or take a step back for your mental health, enshrining paid leave rights is a step forward for our state."

“This is about bringing dignity to all workers," she said at the signing."

-via ABC News, 3/13/23

[filosofablogger]

"What Next?" You Asked ...

Late last night I read Heather Cox Richardson’s daily newsletter, Letters from an American, and the first two paragraphs caused my jaw to drop to the floor.  The lust of some people to turn this nation into an all-white, straight, male-dominated Christian nation has gone too far!!!  I must share that newsletter with you … January 13, 2024 By Heather Cox Richardson 14 January 2024 Last night a…

[tomorrowusa]

« Every time Donald Trump visits the Midwest he tells us how much he hates it. He called Milwaukee horrible. He called Detroit corrupt. He denigrated Chicago police. His visit to Chicago will no doubt be another attempt to distract from his flailing campaign with as many lies as there are vacancies at Trump Tower. »

— Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker commenting Wednesday on Trump's hatred for the Midwest. From Chicago Magazine.

[telomeke]

Excerpt from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's speech on 12 June 2023 to the graduating class of Northwestern University 2023:

The best way to spot an idiot? Look for the person who is cruel. Let me explain. When we see someone who doesn't look like us, or sound like us, or act like us, or love like us, or live like us—the first thought that crosses almost everyone's brain is rooted in either fear or judgement, or both. That's evolution. We survived as a species by being suspicious of things that we aren't familiar with. In order to be kind, we have to shut down that animal instinct and force our brain to travel a different pathway. Empathy and compassion are evolved states of being. They require the mental capacity to step past our most primal urges. This may be a surprising assessment because somewhere along the way in the last few years our society has come to believe that weaponized cruelty is part of some well-thought-out master plan. Cruelty is seen by some as an adroit cudgel to gain power. Empathy and kindness are considered weak. Many important people look at the vulnerable only as rungs on a ladder to the top. I'm here to tell you that when someone's path through this world is marked with acts of cruelty, they have failed the first test of an advanced society. They never forced their animal brain to evolve past its first instinct. They never forged new mental pathways to overcome their own instinctual fears. And so, their thinking and problem-solving will lack the imagination and creativity that the kindest people have in spades… Over my many years in politics and business, I have found one thing to be universally true—the kindest person in the room is often the smartest.

Message of the year:

“How do you spot an idiot? Look for the person who is cruel. The kindest person in the room is often the smartest.” — Gov Pritzker

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Natasha Korecki at NBC News:

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is blocking those who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from working in state jobs, ignoring President Donald Trump's attempt to offer them a clean slate last week in a sweeping set of pardons and commutations. Late Thursday, Pritzker directed the state’s Department of Central Management Services, the state’s primary hiring authority, to restrict hiring of those who took part in the attack on the Capitol by declaring they had taken part in “infamous and disgraceful conduct that is antithetical to the mission of the State.” “These rioters attacked law enforcement officers protecting people in the Capitol, disrupted the peaceful transfer of power, and undermined bedrock principles of American democracy,” Pritzker said in a written directive obtained by NBC News. “Our State workforce must reflect the values of Illinois and demonstrate honesty, integrity, and loyalty to serving the taxpayers. No one who attempts to overthrow a government should serve in government.”  Pritzker’s new directive marks the first and most direct pushback to Trump’s power spree that has tested the bounds of presidential authority through a fray of executive orders, including some that have drawn judicial rebuke. The Democratic governor of the Midwestern blue state has for years acted as an antagonist to Trump. Pritzker's directive is likely to draw legal challenges, but sources familiar with it said that working through the personnel code was thought to serve as the best legal footing should it face court pushback. 

Good policy for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) to implement.

January 6th Insurrectionists have NO place working for any state job in the Land of Lincoln.

See Also:

HuffPost: Illinois Gov. Bars Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters From State Jobs

The Hill, via NewsNation: Illinois governor blocks pardoned Jan. 6 rioters from state jobs

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[tomorrowusa]

Fortunately there's a positive development regarding book banning.

Illinois becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban book bans

Illinois is actively aiming to become the un-Florida. In Illinois you get freedom instead of free-dumb.

"Regimes ban books, not democracies." – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

Former Florida and Texas residents welcome!!! 🫶🏼

You’ve seen the reports. You know what’s happening. In 2021, ALA tracked more than 700 book challenges, the most in 2 decades. In 2022, that number nearly doubled. Each day, it seems, brings news of another school or library facing a book ban. Outrageously, the notion of book burning still comes up on occasion.

[tearsofrefugees]

Guv Issues Warning to Trump: I’m Ready to ‘Stand in the Way’

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he was ready to “stand in the way” of federal authorities if they try to circumvent Illinois law while conducting raids to deport undocumented immigrants

[fleurdufeu]

Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker gave a total zinger of a speech at the democratic convention

[xtruss]

War To Go: Illinois Will No Longer Allow Landlords To Consider Immigration Status

Illinois also enacted legislation extending standard driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants

— July 13, 2023 | By Michael Lee

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

An Illinois law set to go into effect at the beginning of 2024 will ban landlords from discriminating against potential tenants on the basis of their immigration status.

Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed SB 1817 into law late last month, which will add "protections in the Illinois Human Rights Act for housing regarding immigration status protection and discriminatory advertising."

The law was part of several pieces of legislation Pritzker signed last month, including another law aimed at giving undocumented immigrants access to state drivers licenses. The bill replaces the current Temporary Visitor Driver's License with a standard license that will last four years, a move that will impact over 300,000 people who currently hold the temporary licenses.

The Illinois State Capitol. Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

"This legislation is a significant step in eliminating the barriers to opportunity that many undocumented immigrants face," Pritzker said in a statement after signing the driver's license legislation, according to Fox 32. "We’re ensuring every eligible individual can obtain a driver’s license, making our roads safer, decreasing stigma, and creating more equitable systems for all."

The effort to expand housing rights to undocumented immigrants was led by Democratic State Sen. Ann Gillespie, who argued the bill would make sure people are not "unjustly denied housing."

"This law sets clear boundaries, protecting the rights of immigrants and ensuring that financial institutions and service providers cannot engage in discriminatory practices," Gillespie said in a press release last week.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File

Gillespie also noted that the bill would prohibit third party loan modification service providers from modifying their terms of service based on immigration status, though inquiries into immigration status will still be allowed where required by law.

"By making this change, we are breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for immigrants to establish homes and contribute to our communities," Gillespie said in the release. "Someone’s background should not disqualify them from buying or renting property.