***We mentioned last week that Crazy Rod has seen his budgets increase by nearly $9 BILLION since becoming Governor.  And, yet he is still about $2B in the red and has absolutely no idea of how to get out of this mess.  So, instead of taking a hard look at how he has increased his budget and taking a swipe at his HUGE increases, he manages to slice off a miniscule amount from a budget that has already been nearly halved since he took office.

The IDNR budget was well over $100M when he came in and is not hovering at nearly $60M.  Last week he announced that he was going to slice another $14M and close a ton of facilities.  He also sliced $2.8M and closed many historic sites.  $16.8M out of $31B of GRF is rounding error.  Hell, it isn't even a rounding error.  It is a rounding error's rounding error.

Of course, the thing is, this move will more than likely actually cost the State of IL money.  In many of these locations, the revenue generated was more than what it cost in personnel costs.  And, mind you, the largest percentage of the operations of these parks and sites is personnel related.  Many of the other costs will still have to be incurred WITHOUT the revenue stream.  The Dana Thomas house, for instance, will be closed but will still have to be heated and cooled and cleaned and secure.  However, it won't be bringing in any $$$$ to offset these costs.

IDNR has received millions of dollars in grants from the Federal govt for bike paths and open space and other amenities.  It is distinctly possible that by closing these facilities, the Feds will want ALL of their money back.

Then, you have to consider the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars that are generated in tourism sales taxes that will no longer go to the municipality and state coffers.  The small business families that rely on these tourism dollars will certainly suffer and no longer be able to contribute to IL in the way they have done.

All of this for $16.8M.  No, this has nothing to do with politics. 

Impeach this SOB today!

***I kept watching the Bears game last night thinking the wheels were going to fall off at any second.  Orton would seem to throw an interception or the ball would come loose or whatever and that was going to be the turning point.  Manning stepped on to the field and that was going to be it.  And, it never happened.  The Bears actually played really good football.  Scary.

***This is only going to spur more "Obama is a secret Muslim" line of attack.  His advisors have to be going crazy after a slip like this.

***Good column from Steve Chapman about freedom and its mysterious absence from either convention.

***Kass on Daley saying that there is no "Chicago Machine" in order to protect The Obama:  Daley does not want reporters from the Washington Beltway media establishment to get some stupid idea in their heads. That could ruin things, especially with the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin ready to play the political reform/machine card on Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Rezko).

***Matthews & Olberman OUT from anchoring duties.  Wow.  MSNBC must really be in the tank in terms of numbers.

***Listen live to the only local funny conservative talk show, Kelm & Kirk!