Protests in Chicago

Dozens of protesters converged on downtown Chicago to urge lawmakers and Governor Rod Blagojevich to avoid devastating budget cuts. The Illinois Legislative Voter Coalition bused in the protesters for the morning rally, and organizers say they are a small representation of poverty in Illinois. They demonstrated outside the James R. Thompson Center against the $1.5 billion in budget cuts the governor says he'll have to make unless lawmakers send him more money to avoid them. They included Kelly Marshall, a single mother who fears social service cuts will prevent her from receiving food stamps or getting transportation to GED classes. Protesters also urged House Speaker Michael Madigan to sit down with the governor and work out their differences.