The Chicago edition of Public Affairs airs on Cable Ch 21 (CAN TV):

–Tonight, 8:30 pm & midnight

–Tomorrow night, 9:04 pm  

You can also watch the program 24/7 by clicking here.

Abstract: We review the Pritzker IL Green Energy bill and why many in both industry and labor are against it. And, why the costs can hurt consumers and business and why relying on wind and solar for electricity means we probably won’t have an “always on” grid.

We also look at the shocking, stupendous surge in violent crime, especially in Chicago, and what is NOT being done to stop it.

And finally, a look at three of the four “Announced GOP candidates for IL Governor” and what they said (including video bites) in the last few weeks about jobs, taxes, crime, critical race theory and sex education in schools.

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Jeff Berkowitz and Terry Martin in a commentary episode of “Public Affairs” discuss the hot public policy issues of IL energy legislation, exploding violent crime and the GOP GOV primary candidates.     

Are there any thoughtful analytics by the IL legislature to support the  Green New Deal energy plans of the Governor and how he will take IL from 7% of IL renewable  electricity to 40% in nine years, or less?

Appears not. IL government, as usual, hasn’t done its homework.

Is Senate President Don Harmon at war with fellow Chicago Dems Gov. Pritzker and Speaker Welch over how best to move toward their Brave New World of Green Energy in IL?

Martin and Berkowitz discuss the July 1 presser at which business and unions discussed their concerns about the Governor’s energy plans causing much higher energy costs that will drive jobs and population out of IL- even faster than currently.

As Martin says, those constituent segments of business and labor have looked at the future and they see very scary blackouts.  Have business and labor communicated their concerns to the Dems, who are the main supporters of Pritzker’s plans to phase out, lickety split, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy production.

What responses are they getting?

All of the above is discussed by Berkowitz and Martin.

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Crime data from Chicago’s last two July 4^th weekends and recent crime data from around the country show Chicago violent crime is an outlier. Does that shame Chicago’s and IL’s office holders, primarily Dems,  who are failing to perform around the State. That includes prosecutors, judges, state legislators, mayors and the Governor?  

Governor Pritzker brags constantly about his “Criminal justice reform.” But, did that reform result in a reduction in homicides and shootings on the July 4^th Weekend in Chicago, relative to last year? Has he made any segment of society safer in his two and one half years in office?

How about the Black caucuses in the IL Senate and House? Are they taking victory laps on the crime ridden, mostly black south and west sides of Chicago?    

Are car jackings, rapes and armed robberies down in Chicago? In other inner cities in IL? 

Of course not, all of these crime metrics in all of those areas are getting worse under the Governor’s and his Democratic Party’s programs and policies. He never looks at outcomes, only goals and inputs.

Further, Chicago Chief of Police David Brown says the public does not have a strong advocate for victims in the Courts of Cook County. But, says Brown, the defendants in the Criminal Courts have a strong advocate on their behalf in the name of the Public Defender- and the Chief of Police seems to be saying the Cook County’s States Attorney  also often advocates for the criminal defendants.  

Chief Brown doesn’t blame, by name, State’s Attorney Foxx for not being a strong advocate for the victims she was elected to speak for.  But Brown implicitly blames Chief Judge Evans for sending dangerous criminal defendants back on the street shortly after they are arrested (with EZ or no bail being set by Evans’ judges & often agreed to by Foxx’s Assistant States Attorneys.

So, Browns seem to have Evans and Foxx in mind when he says our courts are not making our citizens safer.

Finally, did the Black Lives Matter leaders ever protest the 50% increase in homicides in Chicago in 2020, which primarily resulted from black-on-black violence on the south and west sides of Chicago? If not, why not?

Does the Governor ever discuss these issues when he talks about criminal justice reform? Or any other time? If not, why not?

Are the GOP GOV Primary candidates addressing the above issues vigorously, frequently and with specifics. If not, why not? If they don’t do so, look for new candidates to enter the Gov Race in August, or so.      

That’s how competition, the Patron Saint of the Consumer, works as Dan Proft, 560 AM Radio (WIND) morning drive host, is wont to say.

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This week’s show with Berkowitz and Martin also airs:

• In Aurora, this Wed, Saturday and Monday, 6 pm, Cable Ch 10
• In Rockford, this Thursday, 8:30 pm, Cable Ch 17
• In Chicago, this Saturday, 9:04 am, Cable Ch 21
• In Chicago, this Sunday, 8: 34 am, Cable Ch 19