-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
“In the fall of 2020, I had to just bounce back because my students still needed me at that time. But I had no time to process what I needed for myself,” East St. Louis English teacher Briana Morales said. “On top of that no one even asked me, ‘What do you need?”
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Audio and summary Illinois bill would override local law to allow homeless living in all public parks – Wirepoints
April 14, 2026
27 Comments
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Chicago Fiscal Crisis Worse Than Pre-Bankruptcy Detroit, HIV Surge and Public Health Threat From Open Borders Goes Unreported
April 10, 2026
2 Comments
Summary and audio linked here.
Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Chicago pension buyout plan mostly shifts debt rather than eliminating it, property tax surge doubles inflation over three decades
April 3, 2026
9 Comments
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times falsely blame Texas Gov. Abbott for 2020 to 2024 surge in Chicago Latino HIV, AIDS infections – Wirepoints Quickpoint
March 31, 2026
11 Comments
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
No doubt teachers are stressed. See: Ed School panel examines U.S. teacher exodus – Harvard Gazette
But psychoanalysis takes more than a week.
Except there is no great teacher exodus. There is, however, a great student exodus.
https://thefederalist.com/2022/02/21/nearly-2-million-kids-left-public-schools-from-2020-to-2021/
If we could choose the teachers who leave, the result would likely be better schools. Also, likely, a more able, effective and contented faculty. In that respect, I’d be pro-choice. However, the unions make the choice, and they protect the burnouts who hate their jobs but love the money. The result is to demoralize the students, the parents and the motivated teachers.
My mother taught me not to stereotype, but Wirepoints tolerates a reasonable level of adversarial hyperbole. One hopes. Perhaps five mental health days would make everything OK, don’tcha think?
It looks like SB3914 has changed a bit since we last talked about this. The first version of the bill would have given teachers five mental health days at full pay but now it looks like that provision is gone and changed to how teachers can use sick days to include mental health concerns. I don’t have an issue with that.
But guess what’s going to happen? Teachers still won’t use those days because they’re all about banking sick days and cashing them in at retirement.
The proverbial wail of the adolescent: “But you just don’t understand how tough I have it!”. Every parent has heard it at some point. Most of us grow out of adolescence; others do not.
All our politicians need a mental health year. The pols should be lying on a psychologists couch and ask the doctor.
Why do I always keep wanting to raise taxes?
Doctor I know deep down it’s a spending problem not a revenue one. I must have political dyslexia.
Why am I a politician considering I never took any math classes?
Doctor I love redistributing other peoples wealth by taxation. Dr. What what can you do for me?
Doctor. There is a 4th booster coming so take it ASAP when available. That should help. Maybe?
It would be nice if that’s how life worked, but it’s not all rainbows and chocolate rivers. If you’re feeling down you have two choices. You can say woe is me, or you can grasp how lucky you are and forge ahead. Work to make life better for yourself and others. Millions would switch places with you.
What if the Ukrainian military took mental health days? What if paramedics or doctors or nurses said, man, I’m feeling tired and lazy today, need a mental health day.