Democrats are hungry for a hardball strategy against a resurgent Republican Party, and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin is positioning himself as a leading aggressor — a move that could help him in a potential run for majority leader.

 Everyone has a theory about the financial crisis. These theories range from the absurd to the plausible — from claims that liberal Democrats somehow forced banks to lend to the undeserving poor (even though Republicans controlled Congress) to the belief that exotic financial instruments fostered confusion and fraud. But what do we really know?

 At this point, Democrats are still poised to suffer setbacks in November, but no chamber will change hands. Still, Republicans have so convinced themselves of their epic victory against "socialism," that even incremental gains will shatter them. Their expectations have been set so high, aided by Cook and other analysts like him jumping the gun, that meeting them is an impossibility.

SPRINGFIELD - A year ago, new Gov. Pat Quinn's reform commission was traveling the state with former federal prosecutor Pat Collins at the helm, building a head of steam behind its push to overhaul the state's political engine by limiting campaign donations and a series of other good government ideals. But ethics reform quickly ran aground at the Capitol. Political observers say the commission's idealism collided with political reality, and reality won. The high-profile rejection of many of the commission's provisions was stunning to followers who hoped Collins, best known for putting former Gov. George Ryan behind bars for corruption, would be able to bulldog the reforms through the General Assembly.

Illinois House members are now on record when it comes to free public transportation rides for seniors. The question is how should voters look at that record? We believe they should be lauding the 18 legislators from the Daily Herald circulation area who voted to end this two-year perk perpetuated by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and seriously question the 11 who voted against it.