Pro-tax Marchers in Illinois

A crowd estimated at 15,000 descended on the capital of Illinois on Wednesday, demanding that lawmakers increase taxes.

"Thousands of teachers and other union workers descended on the state Capitol on Wednesday and chanted "raise my taxes" to try to pressure politicians to avoid major budget cuts.

The vibe was the exact opposite of what you'd find at a tea party rally. But the loud chants barely resonated inside the Capitol, where lawmakers are trying to exit Springfield in a couple of weeks without voting for a tax increase that could jeopardize their re-election chances in little more than six months.

"If you try to leave town without doing your job, we're going to chase you," warned union leader Henry Bayer at a rally that drew an estimated 15,000 people — the biggest at the Capitol since the era of the Equal Rights Amendment more than a quarter-century ago."

Frankly, Illinois lawmakers should accommodate the protesters. Any person demanding that their taxes be raised should immediately be sent a bill that allows them to pay much higher taxes than are being asked of them right now.

Of course, that's not what the protesters have in mind. These protesters were largely people already living off of public funds (state workers, unionized workers dependent on government contracts, etc.), so they in effect want lawmakers to raise taxes on everyone else in order to continue to fund their exorbitant salaries and benefits.

It's time for lawmakers in Springfield to finally show some backbone and say "no" to those who demand more and more from the already over-taxed people of Illinois.

If you live in Illinois, contact your representative and tell them to continue looking for ways to cuts costs, and inform them how any additional tax hikes will affect you personally.