Yeah, you’ve heard it all before, right? Springfield adjourns, patting themselves on the back for a job well done. Then the dust settles and we simple-minded constituents figure out what we’re going to have to foot the bill for now.

The latest is mind-boggling: in a state that is many billions in debt, and in an economy that is seeing more hard-working Americans jobless, the legislature is actually spending more than they bring in this year. In addition, they tried to game the numbers by pushing over a billion dollars in unpaid bills off to next year. Check it out.

Be an Ambassador: While revenues rise roughly with the rate of inflation, state spending on Medicaid and Education is rising at 3-4 times that rate. Even a beginner in math would realize that is unsustainable. To get involved and help ensure the Illinois we pass on to our children is better than the state we inherited from our parents, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and ask how you can get involved in the Illinois Budget Action Group.

Activism is at an all-time high, from tea party rallies to calls to legislators and grassroots leaders running for office. Patriots across the county are standing up in droves to say “enough!” But how do you, as a concerned citizen, become an ambassador for the conservative cause? You feel passionately that the direction in which your country, state, or county is headed is ruinous. But how do you convince your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors of that fact? Patriots United Ambassador Program is as special, roughly 90-day program designed to educate and activate you as a leader in your community. The program will take you from concerned patriot to conservative ambassador, giving you the tools and skills you will need to represent the conservative cause as a leader within your network.

You’ve heard all the slogans and monikers: “Tax-and-spend,” “Spend less - tax less,” “Borrow more - tax more - spend more,” and even “Cut - Cut - Cut.” Now Springfield has a new one: “Tax more - spend more - don't pay bills - force the problem on to the next generation.”

It’s a convenient strategy, since lawmakers are simply focused on their next elections. But in the midst of a recession that is threatening to double-dip, with unemployment still near record-highs, with energy prices skyrocketing, with families tightening their belts to merely survive in the face of higher taxes and fees…Illinois’ new budget spends even more than last year’s. You read that right. See here for more details.

The headline of this Sun-Times article says it all: “Unions win as Illinois lawmakers put off pension reform until fall.” See the article here.

The truth is that unions spearheaded a potent grassroots effort and pressured lawmakers into turning against the commonsense measure. Once again special interests have won the day in Springfield. And don’t believe that lawmakers will have more courage in the fall when their campaigns have begun and they’re looking for union support in their re-election bids…it is even less likely that they will support the measure then.

Be an Ambassador: Lawmakers have come home from the summer and will be attending and holding public events. Make sure you attend to voice your displeasure at their inability to enact this important fiscal reform, while encourage those who support the measure to push even harder for its passage.

From the Illinois Budget Action Group:

The Illinois legislature has recently "punted" on decisions regarding fiscal reform, workers compensation reform and public pension reform. The people of this great state apparently elected representatives who could ONLY agree on gambling as THE economic solution. So why is this the case?

There is serious concern that Illinois could become America’s Greece. Treasurer Dan Rutherford, the chief fiscal officer of the state, is sternly warning Illinois legislators and leaders that any additional borrowing could cause the state to go bankrupt.

He has provided leadership on the issue, explaining that the state is in a deep hole (debt from past borrowing has soared to $45 billion with a backlog of unpaid bills reaching $8 billion) and we cannot tax, borrow, and spend our way to prosperity. Click here to read more.

In Springfield the debate centers on which "revenues" to raise in order to plug budget gaps, albeit temporarily, and which cuts will be the least painful in order to inch closer to solvency. However, the true long-term solution to our budget woes lies in neither of these options. The only way to put Illinois back on the path to prosperity is to grow the economy, attract investment, and create jobs to put our hard-working citizens back to work. The Senate Republicans have unveiled a 30-point plan to do just that, and many of the ideas ought to be inserted into the debate in the capitol. See the plan here.

Be an Ambassador: You cannot inform your family, friends, and neighbors of the problem if you don't understand the solution. Don't simply say "cut spending and create jobs" because that is what conservatives say: read the 30-point plan for yourself then determine to talk to 3 people this week about it.