Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day

I hope HR 45 instroduced by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill. will be one the agenda

Believe it or not, the top of the agenda is license-to-carry.
Bobby Rush and his bill are not Illinois items, actually, and the thrust of IGOLD is to get down with the Illinois Legislature, and, possibly this year for the first time, the Governor.
There's enough to do with the Legislature that getting into Congressional matters would be a diversion.
Illinois is close to getting a new broad gun ban delivered as an "assault weapons" ban, plus numerous other problems.
However, with the recent resolution by the Illinois Sheriffs' Association backing LTC in Illinois, a certain amount of momentum is building for a breakthrough on that front.
On top of two shooting rampages about a year ago (Northern Illinois University and a womens' clothing store in Chicago's southern suburbs), there has been a (barely) detectable shift in either public opinion or the public mood.
It's still in doubt if a bill could even get called for a vote, much less past the new Governor, who has scant public record on gun rights but has made every indication of being strongly anti-gun-rights, nearly as much as his predecessor.
Plus, he's gone on record during a radio interview as being against citizen carry.
In any event, I'd urge any Illinoisans available here to get on to Springfield for this.
The first year it was about 600 or so; last year it was 3000. The hope is for 5000-6000 this time, and even at the Chicago Tribune, that would have to make a little dent in the conciousness.