(ABOVE) NEW ILLINOIS will be holding an informational / educational meeting about their efforts to form a new state this coming Saturday (March 16th), 1 PM in the David S Palmer Arena.
G.H. Merritt is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the group New Illinois, whose goal is to create a new state separate from the current state of Illinois. But Merritt says there are a couple of incorrect assumptions about New Illinois. For one thing, they are not affiliated with any political party, and do not consider themselves left wing or right wing or anything of the sort.
Second, they are not looking to secede from Illinois. In Merritt’s own words, that’s where you are, “taking your marbles and going home.” Instead, they are looking to legally create a separate state for the good of ALL of Illinois, including the part they would like to be separate from, which is Cook County.
New Illinois is having an informational meeting this Saturday (March 16th) at the David S Palmer Arena. Merritt says it will be explained that they are looking to exercise a legal right that they believe is expressed in Article 4, Section 3 of the Constitution; as well as based on the 8-1 1964 Supreme Court Ruling on Reynolds v. Sims, which dealt with the apportionment of the state legislature in Alabama.
Merritt says that was also when a Republican U.S. Senator from Illinois made a prediction that looked into the future.
AUDIO: Everett Dirksen, at the time, warned that over time; in any state that had a sizable city, all the people outside of that city were going to lose their voice; and all power in state government was going to be absorbed into that city.
Merritt says that’s exactly what had happened, and New Illinois realizes lawmakers representing Chicago need to do their jobs. But those representing the rest of the state must be able to do theirs.
AUDIO: We understand that Chicago legislators need to pursue what’s in the best interest of their constituents. The problem is you often have laws passed in Illinois that are good for a densely populated urban area, and they’re not good for rural or small town people.
To get this done, Merritt says a simple majority of the Illinois State Legislator would have to give consent, followed by a simple majority of Congress. And that, of course, means convincing state legislators representing Chicago that this is also good for them.
871 – Merritt FOUR 5 situation
AUDIO: We need to make the case to them, that this can be a win-win situation.
And one reason it could be a win-win, Merritt says, is that it just might be a way to keep all of Illinois from going broke.
AUDIO: Because regardless of what the State of Illinois tells you, they will eventually be going over a cliff. And we don’t want to go over the cliff with them.
Merritt says New Illinois is working with nationally known economic advisors, along with their own CPAs and pension specialist; and there are believers.
AUDIO: They’re convinced that this can be financially a plus for both Old Illinois and New Illinois; and it can help to resolve the pension crisis.
This Saturday’s New Illinois meeting at the Palmer Arena begins at 1 PM.
