Illinois Bans Book Bans

Public and school libraries are protected from pressure to remove or restrict access to books based on “partisan or doctrinal disapproval” in legislation signed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) Monday. There were 67 attempts to have books removed from library shelves in Illinois, including books about LGBTQ+ youth, the Black experience and racisim, Pritzker said in a ceremony to sign state House Bill 2789 held at the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago, The News-Gazette of Champaign reports.

HB 2789 makes it the policy of Illinois to “encourage and protect the freedom of libraries and library systems to acquire materials without external limitation and to be protected against attempts to ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to books or other materials.”

Book bans are at the center of the Culture War dividing the U.S. According to The Hustings’ first report from Stacker, book ban efforts reached record levels in 2022. Scroll down from the trackbar on the far right to read the story.

Whether you come to this issue from the right or left, we encourage you to go to the Comment section in this column or in the right column to voice your opinion. Or email editors@thehustings.news and indicate in the subject line whether you lean liberal or conservative.

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On the Left

(The government of leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pictured, has survived a January 6^th-like attack on Brazil’s Congressional building, federal court and presidential palace by supporters of right-wing ex-President Jair Bolsonaro.)

Let us know your thoughts in the Comment section of this column or the one on the right, as appropriate, or email us at editors@thehustings.news.

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Investing in Ukraine

UPDATE -- The House can go home now. That is, those who served as proxy for colleagues who weren't present for the House of Representative's 225-201 vote approving the $1.7-trillion omnibus spending bill, (The Washington Post) which now proceeds to the White House for President Biden's signature. The bill consists of $858 billion in defense spending and $773 billion in domestic spending.

Senate Passes Long-Term Spending Bill – The Senate passed the $1.7-trillion omnibus spending bill, 68-29, to fund the federal government through September 2023 and avert a shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. The bill includes $45 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine, which is $8 billion higher than President Biden’s request.

The bill also reforms the Electoral Count Act of 1887 to prevent another January 6 by making the counting of Electoral College votes ceremonial.

No Charity Case -- Three-hundred days after Vladimir Putin’s Russia invaded his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a joint session of U.S. Congress Wednesday evening that “Against all odds, Ukraine didn’t fall. …

“Ukraine is alive and kicking. … We defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world. We have no fear, nor should anyone in the world have it. Ukrainians gained this victory, and it gives us courage which inspires the entire world.

“Americans gained this victory, and that’s why you have succeeded in uniting the global community to protect freedom and international law. Europeans gained this victory, and that’s why Europe is now stronger and more independent than ever. The Russian tyranny has lost control over us. And it will never influence our minds again.”

“Next year,” Zelenskyy said, “will be a turning point.” This, in spite of the Russian army using a cold winter as a weapon against the people of Ukraine and Putin showing no sign of giving up even as a reported estimate of 100,000 of his troops have been killed or have deserted.

“Your money is not charity,” Zelenskyy said. “It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”

The Biden administration announced Wednesday it is sending the advanced MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system to Ukraine as part of a $1.8-billion package announced just ahead of Zelenskyy’s arrival in Washington, D.C., where he met with Biden and other officials ahead of his address to Congress.

--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa

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COMMENTS: editors@thehustings.news

What’s Left?

Feeling good about incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock’s Tuesday night victory over MAGA-Republican challenger Herschel Walker? Is it enough to mitigate the GOP’s narrow majority in the House?

What do you think of prospects for President Biden’s agenda for the next two years?

Also in This Column: Scroll down to read Ken Zino’s commentary on Donald J. Trump’s demand to suspend the Constitution so he can be re-instated as president; “Truth Social Tells the Seditious Truth.”

Whether you lean left or right, we want to hear from you. If you are liberal, please enter your Comments in the space provided below. If you lean right, please go to the Comment box in the right column. Or, in either case, you may email us at editors@thehustings.news.

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What’s Right?

Is Herschel Walker’s defeat in the Georgia Senate runoff race yet another opportunity for Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to move his party past declared 2024 presidential candidate Donald J. Trump?

If/when that doesn’t happen, how will Trump blame Walker’s loss on McConnell, or some of if not all the rest of the remaining traditional conservative Republicans?

Also in This Column: Scroll down to read Stephen Macaulay’s commentary on Donald J. Trump’s demand to suspend the Constitution so he can be re-instated as president; “Angels & Delirium.”

Whether you lean right or left – even if you’re a defender of ex-President Trump, we want to hear from you. If you are conservative or pro-MAGA, please enter your Comments in the space provided below. If you lean left, please go to the Comment box in the left column. Or, in either case, you may email us at editors@thehustings.news.

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Left Side Rising

We’re still awaiting results from three Senate races, in Nevada, Arizona and Georgia before we know for sure which party controls the Senate. (If the GOP wins both Nevada and Arizona before the December 16 Georgia runoff, Republicans will already have the majority). There’s even a chance, albeit minute, that the Democratic Party could hold off Republican control of the House.

While we’re waiting, why not let us know your thoughts – left or right, but always with civility – about the November 8 midterms.

How did the Democrats manage to hold off a Red Wave? Is the Democratic Party’s November 8 “success” overstated?

Are Republicans truly ready to move on from Donald J. Trump? Will Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis save the party?

Write your opinions in the Comment box in this column or in the right column, wherever appropriate. Or email editors@thehustings.news and let us know how you lean in the subject line.

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On the Right

Should Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) be compelled to testify before Fulton County, Georgia’s special grand jury investigating the 2020 presidential election? What are your thoughts on pro-MAGA treatment of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is retiring as the nation’s lead infectious disease expert?

Also, national security attorney Bradley P. Moss called the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago “justified,” in an op-ed for Fox News Digital [https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trump-mar-a-lago-search-justified].

Opine on these or any other recent issues covered here in the Comment box below, or email editors@thehustings.news.

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Contact Us

Although we’re joining Congress in taking recess through Labor Day, this is a good opportunity to voice your thoughts for the right or the left columns. Write your opinions down in the Comments box in this column or the left column, or email us at editors@thehustings.news and please include your political leanings (conservative or liberal) in the subject line.

Scroll down to read our aggregate coverage of the FBI’s search of Donald J. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and the fallout, with commentary in the left and right columns. Pundit-at-large Stephen Macaulay’s commentary, “Donald Trump and the Art of the Flush” is below in the right column.

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