Question of the day
Wednesday, Feb 6, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Keep a close eye on our live session blog for full coverage of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State address today at noon and its aftermath. Let’s look at some previews…
* Sneed…
Sneed has learned that Gov. Pat Quinn plans to propose an increase in the state minimum wage in Wednesday’s State of the State address, which would raise it to at least $10 an hour over the next four years.
* Crain’s…
Gov. Pat Quinn will announce today in his State of the State speech that the Urbana-Champaign-based school, in partnership with its National Center for Supercomputing Applications and private companies, will be forming an Illinois Manufacturing Lab likely to be located in the central area of Chicago.
The facility will be a somewhat smaller, more applications-based version of the UI Labs tech-research center that was announced in January by U of I President Robert Easter and others. The prime goal will be to make the state’s manufacturers more competitive, something that has become increasingly challenging as overseas firms take control of many of the world’s factories.
* Lee Enterprises…
Military veterans who have special skills could get a leg up when it comes to landing a job under an initiative expected to be formally unveiled by Gov. Pat Quinn Wednesday.
The Lee Enterprises Springfield Bureau has learned the governor will issue an executive order requiring state agencies to consider skills learned by veterans when they apply for licenses for various jobs.
The move, for example, could streamline the process for a former U.S. Army medic who wants to be licensed as a nurse by eliminating the need for training in areas where the veteran already has experience.
* The Question: What one word would you use to describe the current State of the State?
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 10:56 am:
Broke
- StayFree75 - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 10:58 am:
Unstable
- This Guy - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 10:59 am:
Unled
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:00 am:
Ugh
- anon for a reason - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:00 am:
Empty
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:01 am:
“Huh?”
- This Guy - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:02 am:
Titanic-esque
- siriusly - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:03 am:
Quagmire
- Liandro - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:04 am:
Clueless.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:06 am:
Terrible
- Griz - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:11 am:
Pa·thet·ic
- Captain Illini - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:12 am:
Declension
- Dan Shields, Springfield - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:13 am:
FUBAR
- T.O. - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:16 am:
Titanic
- MrJM - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:26 am:
Pathological
– MrJM
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:28 am:
Precarious
- Responsa - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:29 am:
scary
- Jack - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:32 am:
ill.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:32 am:
Unsustainable
- Empty Chair - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:32 am:
Pundit-heavy
- Anonymour - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:34 am:
Adrift
- Name Withheld - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:34 am:
face-palm
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:34 am:
Pungent
- Stuff happens - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:35 am:
Dementia
- East Central Illinois - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:36 am:
#!%$@#@*
- Endangered Moderate Species - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:37 am:
Depressing
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:39 am:
Squirrel!
- langhorne - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:43 am:
moribund
- God's Country - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:43 am:
Squeezy
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:50 am:
Malaise
- so... - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:51 am:
Dire
- USMCJanitor - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:52 am:
Sad
- Jake From Elwood - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:52 am:
SOS!
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:55 am:
Hosed.
- Anonymour - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:55 am:
Subprime.
- Lil Enchilada - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:56 am:
cold
- BehindTheScenes - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:56 am:
Dismal.
- in absentia - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:57 am:
Psychotic
- champaigndweller - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:59 am:
Pathetic
- Anon. - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:03 pm:
Pat - ronized.
- JustaJoe - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:06 pm:
Un-fumigated
- Lincoln Parker - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:10 pm:
Broken
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:11 pm:
Challenged
- Belle - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:13 pm:
Fried
- anonymoose - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:14 pm:
Demo-cratered
- Joe Bidenopoulous - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:18 pm:
Bereft
- iThink - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:18 pm:
Corrupt
- Capo - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:26 pm:
Dysfunctional
- Chucky Jay - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:35 pm:
BEARS!
- blogman - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:36 pm:
There has been a veteren’s hiring preference on State jobs since at least the early 1990’s! How is this any different?
- UISer - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:43 pm:
Well this is a cheery thread.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:45 pm:
Floundering …
- Abe Froman - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:45 pm:
Unconscious
- Irish - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:46 pm:
Ledbyarroganceandselfpromotion
- Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:51 pm:
Receivership
- Mama - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:52 pm:
NotMadiganFan
- Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:53 pm:
Calamity
- Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:56 pm:
Hopeless
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:57 pm:
–Well this is a cheery thread.–
I’m with you. A lot of it is tongue-in-cheek, I think, but there is a dreariness to constant pessimism. Like there have never been tough times before and we’re living through some unique dark times. We’re such special victims.
And some of you dudes aren’t even trying to use real words! Irish, you wrote a sentence and called it a word, lol.
- drew - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:58 pm:
flat
- Mama - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 12:59 pm:
Lovemeelectme
- AnotherAnonymous - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:10 pm:
BOHICA
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:10 pm:
Rudderless …
- Angry Republican - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:13 pm:
Quinnsand
- Lycurgus - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:15 pm:
stunned
- Bitterman - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:15 pm:
Mordorian
- Anonymour - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:18 pm:
Madiganistan.
- capncrunch - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:19 pm:
DreamWorks
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:20 pm:
Precipice
- doomed in illinois - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:22 pm:
Giggitty.
- Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:24 pm:
Shipwrecked
- Ahoy! - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:25 pm:
bad
- Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:26 pm:
Tormented
- Jeeper - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:28 pm:
Bankrupt
- Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:28 pm:
Plagues
- Irish - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:48 pm:
Word -@12:57 - I feel it is beyond a one word description but still tried to play by the rules, My Bad. LOL
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:52 pm:
Hard.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 1:56 pm:
Schockdavisrickets
- Esteban - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:01 pm:
terminal
- Fan of the Game - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:03 pm:
Abyssmal
- Irish - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:07 pm:
Word, you are also correct in the observation that continued pessimism breeds more pessimism and negativity. It is also not the best time of the year to hear some of this. Maybe the State of the State would be better if heard on a bright day in May??? just sayin.. Ok, maybe not.
I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will”
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:11 pm:
Squeezed
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:13 pm:
Plummeting
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:20 pm:
–Word, you are also correct in the observation that continued pessimism breeds more pessimism and negativity–
I understand pessimism, but after the exhilaration of few four-letter words, what does it get you?
From my understanding of history and my own experience, life is one g-d thing after another and then you die. Moaning gets you nothing.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:40 pm:
At Least I’m Not Illinois
(I Won’t Last A Day Without You), enhanced by VanillaMan - sung by Karen Carpenter
Day after day I must face a world of strangers
Full of wrong, weak losing to strong
It’s nice to know that there’s someplace I can turn to
That’ll make be curse, it could be worse
When there’s no getting over that rainbow
When my small list of dreams won’t come true
I can take all the madness and the lack of joy
Cuz at least I’m not Illinois
So many disasters strike us unexpectedly
A tornado here, a blizzard there,
It’s nice to know that there’s a place that’s bluer than blue, with corruption too
When there’s no getting over a hurricane
When an earthquake strikes, or you break a toy
I can remember there’s a place worse than hell
Cuz at least I’m not Illinois
Governors there end up jailed
Indicted pols run the entire state
Chicago is a place to be murdered
So you see, we can face a far worse fate
In that state
If I stop paying all my bills and go bankrupt
Their governor won’t blink, he won’t even wink
That’s because in the Land of Lincoln, bonds can’t sell, they’re shot to hell.
When a fire takes all my possessions, when my pets all end up and die,
I can just think of how Illinois is ran,
And I smile, get up, and dry my eye!
- Esquire - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:45 pm:
“Doomed.”
As for negativity, it is worth noting that Illinois was not experiencing prosperous times before the Crash of 2008. Things have been more difficult here for quite some time. Michigan was another state that was suffering before the general collapse.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:50 pm:
–As for negativity, it is worth noting that Illinois was not experiencing prosperous times before the Crash of 2008.–
Really? How was your real estate going? Your 401K?
Ask anyone in the construction trades how things were going before the housing bubble burst.
You’re just making that up. You have some bizarre theory that the global economy cannot penetrate the Wabash, Mississippi or Lake Michigan.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:51 pm:
expected
- Irish - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:52 pm:
Pitchers and catchers report in a couple weeks. Things are lookin up!!!!!!!!!
- RatherBeGolfing - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:53 pm:
Bleak!
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 2:56 pm:
Fax-based.
- Esquire - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:00 pm:
@Wordslinger:
Get real. I was not talking about my personal finances — I was talking about the unhealthy condition of the State of Illinois. The shaky house of cards was about to topple long before the economic crash went national. If you deny that, you are either blind or an elected official.
- johhnypizza - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:01 pm:
Disfunctional
- anon - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:03 pm:
Quinnplicated
- Esquire - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:04 pm:
To be clear, when referring to the State of Illinois in the previous post, I am mean the state government and individual units of local government, not individual residents and businesses.
- Illinois is - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:10 pm:
bananas
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:22 pm:
Challenging. (But Kudos to Irish’s Comment @2:52 pm–thanx 4the chuckle! Ah, yes. Spring, AND Baseball will come. It most definitely will come…!
- WazUp - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:47 pm:
Quinnastrous
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 3:49 pm:
Ah Esquire,
We all know what you mean.
So does the bond market.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 4:11 pm:
VM, awesome!
However, AA will not be pleased if that melody (or any other Carpenters tune) is running through my head at 2 AM.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 4:20 pm:
–We all know what you mean.
So does the bond market.–
Tell us more. With your vast knowledge and experience in the bond market, what have you learned?
And here’s a question: were you better off borrowing for 10 years in 1979 with a AAA rating or in 2013 with an A-minus?
I’d be fascinated to be educated about public finance by you.
- fonefly - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 4:49 pm:
Anemic
- Excessively Rabid - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 5:02 pm:
Fine.
Really, I’m fine. I just wanted to lose some weight. Really. No, I’m not THAT tired. Things are great. How are your kids?
- Rudy - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 5:21 pm:
flaccid
- I M Willis - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 5:35 pm:
Unrepairable.
- Boone Logan Square - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 5:58 pm:
Soy
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 6:07 pm:
In Pat’s mind:
Quinnessential
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 6:21 pm:
–Word -@12:57 - I feel it is beyond a one word description but still tried to play by the rules, My Bad. LOL–
Irish, you and I were goombata the other day about the importance of our state parks and historical sites.
Is it a stretch to devote a few bucks, bend some rules, and give a lot of lost kids the opportunity to put their shoulders to it, learn a work ethic and make a lasting contribution.
Every summer, I go to Ludington State Park in Michigan. It was built by the CCC boys 80 years ago. It’s a treasure b
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 6:28 pm:
Forgive me. Anyone want to put these young men at loose ends to the test? Challenge them with the promise of hard work outdoors, short pay and the chance for a sense of accomplishment, while they build something that lasts for all of us?
They’d come running for the chance.
Last time out, Bill Brady suggested a CCC for Illinois youth. I said at the time, if he meant it, I’d back him until the last dog died.
He didn’t meaon it. I’d walk through hell with a full gasoline can for anyone who did.
- Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 6:42 pm:
- I’d back him until the last dog died. -
Was that line intentional?
In all seriousness, I’m with you, would love to see this become a reality.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 7:16 pm:
STL, that was not intentional, but yeah, dude, I get it. Very bad man, you are, lol.
Seriously, if I could pull off anything in my life, putting at-risk volunteer young men and women to work in the country would be it.
The Peace Corps is too far away, abstract and for rich kids. I’d love for a kid from Austin to rebuild Lowden State Park, or a broke country boy from Macoupin County to improve Shawnee National Forest.
They would do an incredible job, and we’d all be better for it.
Give the kids a chance to experience and see the fruit of their labor, show them a different world, and let them build a legacy that no one can take from them and we can enjoy for generations.
Give the kids who want to get out another option, an honorable option, other than the military.
I am blown away by the commitment of those in the military, but this old fat man is sick to death of seeing teenagers and mothers getting killed protecting the heroin kings of Afghanistan.
I’ll always be ashamed for that.
Put the kids to honorable, productive work here. Like I said, until the last dog dies…
- siyotanka - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 8:04 pm:
Shambles…
- Quinn T. Sential - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 8:43 pm:
Insolvent
- Downstate Dem - Wednesday, Feb 6, 13 @ 11:12 pm:
Doomed
- KickHere - Thursday, Feb 7, 13 @ 1:10 am:
Overdrawn!
- redleg - Thursday, Feb 7, 13 @ 9:00 am:
Anarchy
- Uggie - Thursday, Feb 7, 13 @ 9:03 am:
I’ve learned there was a sentence missing from his address:
It’s not for lack of ideas about how to fix the pension crisis, rather, it’s a lack of will by those who can.
- PM31 - Thursday, Feb 7, 13 @ 9:19 am:
Incompetence - http://www.despair.com/incompetence.html