by John Boch
GSL Executive Director
Well, election day arrived. Someone forgot to tell gun owners though.
Not only did we not grow turnout among those who don’t usually vote, roughly 16% of those who voted in 2018’s midterms didn’t show up this time… or perhaps they moved out of state.
Polls nationwide show upwards of three-quarters of people dissatisfied with the direction our nation is headed. Yet the Illinois voters who did show up chose to double down on “more of the same” state government.
Clearly, Land of Lincoln residents/voters haven’t felt enough pain yet.
No worries though. Gun control measures, crime, gangs, increasing energy prices, California-style electricity blackouts, sex grooming in schools, more taxes, and more authoritarian COVID mandates… It’s all coming soon and hard.
Winners and losers…
JB Pritzker coasted to re-election. It wasn’t even close. We love Darren Bailey, but he failed to make his campaign resonate with normal people in Chicago and the suburbs. And he all-but-ignored downstate.
Meanwhile Kathy Salvi’s campaign didn’t hit the home runs needed to win the election. Admittedly the mainstream media covered her campaign just like they did Bailey’s: with a pillow – until it stopped moving.
In the Illinois House, it looks as though pro-gun Republicans will dip further into the super-minority status under the inept (bordering on incompetent) leadership of “Leader” Jim Durkin.
By my count, low-T Durkin’s caucus has fallen to about 40. That’s down from 45 currently serving. And that’s down from 54 right before lil’ Jimmie took the leadership post. Nice job, “Leader.”
Durkin, a guy who supported gun control, resigned as “Leader” the day after the election, which was at least eight years too late.
Who won? Some serious radicals like the cop-hating, criminal-adoring Sharon Chung. What’s more, she won from right in the heartland of Illinois – Bloomington-Normal.
Who lost that race? One of Durkin’s loyalists who foolishly campaigned for gun control. What a schmuck.
Gun owners aren’t the only ones going to get it “gooder and harder” after this election. Cops will too. Along with kids, families and the people that make America work.
In the Illinois Senate, it looks as though pro-gun Republicans might actually pick up a seat or two. We’ll see.
Legislative.
The more radical members of the Democrat caucus are writing one or more gun control bills trying to find one that will have enough votes to pass when they return in the lame-duck session. It shouldn’t be hard.
And if they don’t get it in the lame-duck sessions before mid-January, they can pass it next spring with fewer votes – a simple majority.
The good news? They can pass all they want, but in the post-Bruen world, they’ll likely not survive court scrutiny. The catch: Our side will need funding and willing individual plaintiffs to make this happen.
No Cash Bail/Purge Law
At this point, I half expect a court to block the upcoming January 1st jailbreak from county jails across our state. That’s not to say I wouldn’t make plans to ensure my home remains safe and secure, especially if you live anywhere near your county jail.
I know a couple of sheriffs are flirting with my suggestion from last month to drop off those released outside the homes of politicians who voted for the “Purge Law” back in 2021. While I’m doubtful they will follow through, it remains more than a possibility.
Chicago.
…is a crime-ridden cesspool. Chicago’s problems come from a State’s Attorney that’s not prosecuting crimes and incarcerating criminals. It also flows from the failure of the educational system.
Illiterate youth have little or no future aside from what they perceive as the glamorous “hip hop culture”/gang lifestyle of money, guns and drugs. A willingness to use violence gains them prestige among their peers but long-term, that leads to prison or an early death. Either way, take steps so you won’t be one of their victims.
Deposition.
I had my deposition in Guns Save Life’s lawsuit challenging the FOID Act’s constitutionality. It lasted over five hours, and I’d describe it as grueling.
While I can’t reveal all the topics covered, suffice it to say Kwame Raoul and friends are not fans of my writing and the info I’m sharing with everyday people. Especially steps people can take to keep their guns out of the hands of the government. Seems the Illinois Attorney General feels its ENTITLED to collect all of your guns at their whim.
And they’re shocked and astonished that anyone can get a FOID card for 10-month-old children.
My key takeaway: they know they’re going to lose this case (and the FOID Act) and they’re desperate to stop that from happening.