Politicians of all stripes will be wrapping themselves in the American flag during the next 48 hours as they take part in annual Fourth of July celebrations.
Independence Day often signals the arrival of a summer break for many elected leaders.
But not for members of the Illinois General Assembly.
Last week, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced that he's ordering state lawmakers back to Springfield the day after the July Fourth Holiday to resume work on a budget.
Meanwhile, election day is still more than a year away--but candidates on the presidential campaign trail are as busy as ever. They're trying to round up votes and cash to fuel their run for the White House.
If money's any measure, the hottest candidate in the Democratic field remains Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
Here to talk about both stories is Roosevelt University Professor and Director of the School of Policy Studies Paul Green.