For the fewer than 10,000 people of Lyon County (in far northwest Iowa), the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission's decision to accept applications for new casino licenses for the first time since 2005 was life-changing.

"This is so huge that no one can appreciate how important this would be to our growth," said Jeff Gallagher, president of the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation. "We think that the casino, through the resort, through the golf course, through the convention center, is going to reshape life in Lyon County. ... We're just terribly excited about what can happen over the next 10 years."

Two recent studies concluded that Lyon County is the most compelling site for a new casino, with high incremental impact and low cannibalization.

"You guys are going to have to come up with a new conspiracy theory," Attorney General Lisa Madigan told Rockford Register-Star columnist Wally Haas last week about her decision to go for re-election and forgo runs for governor or U.S. Senate.

"I had it from a pretty good source as recently as Friday that she was going to run [for governor]," state Senator Brad Burzynski (R-Clare) told Haas about Ms. Madigan, adding: "It makes me wonder: What's [House Speaker Michael] Madigan's end game?"

So many people have assumed that Mike Madigan had sent this legislative session into overtime to somehow help his daughter become governor that they neglected to remember his long history as the House speaker.

Former House GOP leader Lee Daniels summed it up best to me not long ago: "Mike Madigan is Mike Madigan. He's one of the brightest leaders the state has ever had, but he's Mike Madigan. He's always been the way he is today."

There are few plot lines in any good book or movie that don't evince man's age-old struggle against tyranny. These tales nearly always depict their heroes championing whatever battle needs fighting for freedom to prevail.  Why does this theme permeate all cultures of every generation since storytelling began? I think it is because this timeless struggle against tyranny is, at its core, man's struggle against original sin - man's innate need to dominate all things, most especially his own kind.

Sen. Richard Durbin

Official website: http://durbin.senate.gov
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2152 Fax: 202-228-0400
Contact Dick Durbin via web

Rep. Bruce Braley

Official website: http://braley.house.gov/
1408 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-2911 Fax: 202-225-6666
Contact Bruce Braley via web

Sen. Charles Grassley

Official website: http://grassley.senate.gov
135 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3744 Fax: 202-224-6020
Contact Chuck Grassley via web

Rep. Bobby Schilling

Official website: http://schilling.house.gov/
  507 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5905
Fax: (202) 225-5396

Contact Bobby Schilling via the web

Sen. Mark Kirk

Official website: http://kirk.senate.gov/
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-224-2854

Fax:  202-228-4611

Contact Mark Kirk via web

Sen. Thomas Harkin

Official website: http://harkin.senate.gov/
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3254 Fax: 202-224-9369
Contact Tom Harkin via web

As with any state legislative overtime session and possible government shutdown, "job one" right now is making sure somebody else gets the blame.

Last week, Governor Pat Quinn dramatically vetoed an appropriations bill and then held a press conference to lay full blame for the overtime deadlock at the General Assembly's feet. The bill, he said, would create too many hardships for social-service agencies, spark never-ending lawsuits, prevent his administration from hiring much-needed contractors, etc.

Quinn also blamed House Speaker Michael Madigan for the impasse over extending the budget by a month or so to help buy more time to cut a deal.

Unbeknownst to many, Madigan was still in Springfield during Quinn's press conference, so it was quite a surprise when he announced his own presser shortly after Quinn finished talking to reporters.

Pages