This year legislators are resuming session just weeks before another major political event the Illinois primary election. Despite major issues with the state’s finances, lawmakers are keeping things brief. After today, they won’t meet again until after the February primary. That got us wondering if the push and pull of election season has had any effect on law-making and vice versa. To learn more, we turn now to someone who has his finger on the state’s political pulse, Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Music Button:  Eddie Warner, “Stop Stottering”, from the CD Le Jazzbeat! 2 (Jazzman records)