Illinois Deserves Better: The Ironclad Case for an Illinois Constitutional Convention

On November 4th, 2008, Illinois citizens will have a once in a generation opportunity to call a Constitutional Convention. If you stop reading this book after this paragraph, please take away this singularly important message. *If a better Illinois and a more honest government is your goal, then there is no intellectually sound reason to vote "No" on this ballot question. *This book will prove that proposition.

The authors will take you through the trials and tribulations confronting Illinois, while showing that our sad state of affairs is a direct result of the perhaps well-intentioned, but poorly written and conceived Constitution of 1970.

Unlike many who simply "curse the darkness" of Illinois politics, this book shines the light of reason of how we got here and how to find our way back. The authors lay out a clear case that the problem with the Illinois Constitution is directly related to its massive transfer of power *from* the citizens *to* the Government.

The book continues with numerous proposals that make for an elegant and concise set of solutions to the problems that plague Illinois (complete with model language). The book has the audacity to propose that we return power to the citizens of Illinois. Author Bio: *John C. A. Bambenek* is currently an academic professional at the University of Illinois in Urbana specializing in information security research particularly in the areas of identity theft, economic warfare, emerging threats and digital forensics. He is considered an expert in the field and has been cited numerous times by the New York Times, Washington Post and other news media. He once was a guest on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Additionally, he is executive director of the Tumaini Foundation, an organization that is assisting AIDS orphans and other disadvantaged children in Tanzania to get an education. It is his belief that education provides the key to economic prosperity for both the individual and a society and is a strong advocate for effective education for youth.

He co-founded the Illinois Citizens Coalition and wrote Illinois Deserves Better because he believes the problems Illinois faces are systemic and products of a constitution that gives far too much power to the entrenched interests in the state.

*Bruno Behrend* is a lifelong Illinois resident who grew up in Lake Forest, Illinois, graduated from University of Illinois (1983) with a degree in Finance and from IIT-Kent College of Law (1990).

Mr. Behrend is currently the Host of the Extreme Wisdom Radio Show on WKRS - 1220 AM broadcasting out of Waukegan, Illinois. The Extreme Wisdom Radio show features cultural and political discussion ranging across international, national, state, and local issues, but with a strong focus on the State of Illinois. The hallmark of the show is his commitment to allowing his callers to voice their views without rude interruption.

The Extreme Wisdom Show is a great mix of college level content and conservative ideas, delivered in an intelligent, polite manner that most talk show hosts seem incapable of. He describes his show as a less pretentious and less slanted NPR.

Bruno has a background as a database consultant to the not-for-profit community and was formerly Field Director for FreedomWorks in Illinois. He has a background in various areas, including: Public Policy Research, Database Consulting (specialist in fundraising software), Real Estate Investing and Development, Corporate Seminar and Training Development.

His current project is securing the passage of a referendum on the Constitutional Convention in November of 2008. Mr. Behrend is advocating reforms that, if ratified, will return control of Illinois policy-making to the citizens of Illinois by reducing the power of the dysfunctional Illinois political class.

To that end,