Source: Chicago Tribune

Democrat J.B. Pritzker became Illinois’ 43rd governor on Monday, acknowledging the challenges the state faces and saying “our abdication of responsibility must end.”

His inauguration at a pomp-filled ceremony in Springfield capped a dominant campaign, when he defeated Republican Bruce Rauner by promising to change the state’s tax system, legalize recreational marijuana and restore social services that languished during a historic budget stalemate that dominated state politics over the last four years.

Without referencing his predecessor by name, Pritzker sought to suggest times were changing in Springfield after Rauner’s four years marked by fights with Democrats and a long budget war.

“That starts with leadership that abandons single-minded, arrogant notions,” Pritzker said. “No. Everything is not broken.”



Read more: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-jb-pritzker-illinois-governor-inauguration-20190111-story.html#nt=oft12aH-1la1

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It was an honor to work on the campaign and be in Springfield for this event.

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Former hippies across the United States have been put in the unbearable position of rooting for the F.B.I., hippies have confirmed.

From Vermont to California, erstwhile hippies bemoaned a nightmare scenario that has forced them to side with a law-enforcement agency they have despised since the Summer of Love.

“I always dreamed I’d spend my retirement surrounded by my grandchildren, telling them that the F.B.I. were fascist pigs,” Carol Foyler, a former hippie who lives in Santa Cruz, said. “That dream has been shot to hell.”

Her husband, Mick, nodded his head in sad agreement. “We were so happy when pot was legalized in California,” he said. “But the fact that we’re now on the same side as the F.B.I. has ruined even that.”


https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/former-hippies-put-in-horrible-position-of-rooting-for-fbi

Given the news about Trump this seems relevant again.

Source: Washington Post

Tom Steyer, who made the announcement during a trip to Des Moines, built his fortune running a hedge fund, Farallon Capital, before selling his interest in 2012. Forbes estimates his net worth at about $1.6 billion, of which he has committed half to charity. The California resident, who is 61, donated more than $230 million to Democratic causes in the last three federal elections.

This story is developing.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democratic-donor-tom-steyer/2019/01/09/782e1ea8-1385-11e9-90a8-136fa44b80ba_story.html?utm_term=.6a9a52d97ad7&wpisrc=al_politics__alert-politics&wpmk=1

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Not surprising. I think he wanted to allow some speculation because it brings free publicity for what ever he is going to do in 2020.

As always UK parliament is very entertaining.

THE SCENE: News Corp. Headquarters, New York City. Three Fox News hosts and their producers sit at a conference table in a darkened room, lit by shafts of sunlight coming through narrow vertical windows. At the head of the table sit TUCKER, LAURA and SEAN.

TUCKER: They’ve bled us white, the bastards. They’ve taken everything we had, and not just from us, from our fathers, and from our fathers’ fathers.

SEAN: And from our fathers’ fathers’ fathers.

TUCKER: Yeah.

SEAN: And from our fathers’ fathers’ fathers’ fathers.


https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/04/opinion/fox-news-media-trump.html

I know many of us aren't fans of Bret Stephens but this is a very good satire. And it has Monty Python references so I had to post it.

I know we have discussed who's going to play Mueller in the movie. But who will play Schiff? The thought occurred to me after seeing him on Colbert.