Question of the day
Thursday, Oct 8, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From David Yepsen..
Rich:
See this piece in the Journal yesterday? It compares the two states. We could just swap governors for a month and both states could fix their problems.
Both men are well-to-do, spent a lot of their own money on their campaigns and are Dartmouth grads. A swap would give Illinois an all-Democratic statehouse and Pennsylvania an all-Republican one. The two states could then become petri dishes for which party makes for a better state.
I know. Been a long three months. I’ll take two aspirin and lie down.
See ya.
Yepsen
The WSJ story is here.
* The Question: What are your wackiest ideas for resolving the impasse?
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:02 am:
Dr. Phil intervenes by netting Rauner and dragging him in front of his studio audience and begin asking him why Bruce would run for an office, spend millions of his own money winning the office, and then refusing to do the job he spent millions trying to be elected into.
- Been There - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:04 am:
Lock them in a room and don’t let them out until they have an agreement.
- Carhartt Union Negotiating Team - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Publicly-funded elections.
- Anonin' - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Whackiest?
Naw
How about someone drop a wire on the IllinoisGO promoters?
- Beenthereseenthat - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Convene the agreed bill process for business and labor to meet the Governor’s goal. Pass a bare bone budget to get the money flowing. Then in January do a tax overhaul with a structured role call.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Entering into FY16 spending and revenue negotiations without preconditions.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Have the leadership sit down, forget their personal and partisan agendas, and put the needs of the state and people of Illinois first.
Naah, that is way too wacky to ever happen.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Call in Henry Kissinger?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:08 am:
Have Frerichs take whatever cash remains in the state’s bank accounts and buy lottery tickets.
Oh wait. Nevermind.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:09 am:
Have a reporter chosen by each side to attend every budgetary meeting called to report on all things being negotiated and what can be agreed upon.
Super-Duper transparency.
- LINK - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:10 am:
Hot Tub Time Machine 3
This time instead of going back in time our Raunerite Crew go forward and reap the seeds they planted in the 2015 “Budget Battle” - and wish they hadn’t!
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:14 am:
We find in our constitution a provision that permits us to choose one of the non-incarcerated ex-governors to step into office to run the state.
- truthteller - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Tell Rauner that the G.A. will negotiate with Diane Rauner on the level of spending for child care, early childhood education, and other social services if he will agree to increase revenues to pay for them. And Mike Madigan will agree to whatever changes in labor law that the Governor can get Shirley Madigan to agree to.
- Kerfuffle - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Beer Pong - winner get’s his way!
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:17 am:
Rauner and Madigan in a room together - bottle of tequila. Take a shot, then say Fiscal Year 2016 Budget. First person to slur a word, loses.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:17 am:
Replace Rauner and Madigan with Rauner’s dogs.
Disagreements will be settled with races, dog shows and finding hidden treats.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:17 am:
Secret ballot on voting in the GA!
No more “big boards”
Run the bills, no more “yellow” or NV, everything gets a vote, see where everything and every policy actually stands…
- David Starrett - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:19 am:
Lock Rauner and Madigan in a room with a tape measure.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:19 am:
The GA unanimously passes a resolution that they will conduct no further business until both Madigan and Rauner resign.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:21 am:
Invite the GA to Medieval Times and have the Governor and Speaker joust for control of the budget.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:25 am:
Put rauner, cullerton, radogno, madigan, and durkin in a hot tub up to their chins. Reduce the temp one degree per hour. No one gets out til we have a budget and decision on agenda.
- Adam Smith - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:27 am:
In all honesty, Yepsen could be right. With the caveat that the citizens of each state would get state subsidy to move to the one they think ends up better off.
- Anonin' - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:35 am:
Fresh News From PA
HARRISBURG - In a major blow to Gov. Wolf’s agenda, the state House on Wednesday soundly rejected his plan to increase funding for Pennsylvania schools through tax hikes, stirring deeper uncertainty about how or when the state’s 99-day budget impasse would end.
The measure, which sought to raise the personal income tax and impose a new levy on natural gas drilling, was defeated, 127-73. Republicans were united against it; nine Democrats broke ranks to join them. The proposal needed 102 votes to pass.
The loss further clouds the future for the first-term Democrat, who for months has insisted the state needs a significant infusion of new revenue to avoid punishing budget cuts.
Still, Wolf said he would not abandon his call for higher personal income and sales taxes to fund public
- Norseman - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:36 am:
Like Rauner’s press office, I’m creatively tapped out this morning. I enjoy the amusing solutions offered up by others.
My addition is to suggest to Rich that he get a counterpart in PA to write a weekly article for the Fax. It would be interesting, or possibly funny, to read the struggles of the only other state that can’t come up with a budget.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:36 am:
Interesting story on Politico:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/10/john-boehner-congressional-republicans-213228
This resonates here (on the state level) as well.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:39 am:
State university presidents get together this month and announce that they’re not reopening after winter break without a budget from the state.
Honestly don’t know and reaching the point of not caring, which is probably scarier.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:42 am:
Our Gov is a Steeler’s fan anyway. Make the swap.
- pool boy - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:49 am:
Everyone in Illinois stops working until we have a budget.
- Bogey Golfer - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:49 am:
BVR vs. MJM. Rock, paper, scissors; best of 7.
- Stones - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:50 am:
Have the 4 tops and the Governor hold hands and sing Kumbaya.
- Interested - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:53 am:
I say that we lock Rauner and the GA up somewhere - a big barn perhaps, and have the mothers who cannot access child care sit down together and develop a spending and revenue plan. At the end of the day, they are far more experienced in doing more with less, while still prioritizing their children - who are supposed to matter most.
Once the plan is in place - which should not take too long - we open the barn door and everyone does what they are told to do, which is what they are used to doing anyway…
- Pawn - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:57 am:
Interested! Right on!!
- Calhoun Native - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 11:58 am:
Stand them up in front of Judge Judy.
- Angry Republican - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:08 pm:
MJM agrees to resign.
- Nick Name - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
No more trips to Danenberger winery for Rauner until he submits a balanced budget.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
Drunken bat races, followed by three-legged sack races…
If that fails, a lively game of baseketball - something even the most out-of-shape old white guy can play.
- frisbee - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Four leaders, Gov. Rauner and Rahm play chinese checkers. Winner gets all budget/policy demands. Chinese checkers with six people is always a good time.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
Broadcast Five Tops meetings on pay-per-view.
Madigan invites governor, leaders to Five Tops meeting at ward office.
David Ellis.
Governor Thompson publicly calls for Rauner to “move on.”
Sanguinetti.
- Dr. X - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
Follow the IL Constitution where the Gov submits a balanced budget.
Did ya see where Rauner is a the bottom of rookie govs?
http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-rookie-governors-2015.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_content=email&utm_campaign=Most%20Rookie%20Governors%20Are%20Off%20to%20a%20Good%20Start&utm_term=Most%20Rookie%20Governors%20Are%20Off%20to%20a%20Good%20Start
- Emily Miller - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
Move the primary to November.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
Lance Trover writes a speech for the Governor making a full-throated defense of capitalism, but mistypes “capitulation” instead. Spell check doesn’t catch it, and the next thing you know, Gov. Sanguinetti is sworn in.
Impasse over.
- Belle - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
Regular citizens take over and do the negotiations. It will probably be resolved in a week. Rauner and Madigan agree to live with whatever is decided and sign the budget.
I have no idea how or where we would find the normal citizens. It’s a fantasy…right?
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:43 pm:
Leg wrestling
- Sense of a goose - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:46 pm:
Make the governor and 4 tops live on minimum wage with a child in need of daycare and elderly parent in need of home care among their responsibilities. I give than a week.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
Goldberg dunk tank.
At $1,000 per throw we’d pay off the backlog, balance the budget, wipe out the pension debt and have enough left over to lower taxes by the end of the first session day.
And that’s just Lou Lang
- Demise - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 12:58 pm:
Get all 5 leaders into the same room and have a talking dog mediate the issues. Sadly, finding a talking dog would be the easiest part of the plan.
- LGHB - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:02 pm:
Rock/Paper/Scissors/Lizard/Spock for which Turnaround items get to be voted on & what programs get cut from the next budget.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:03 pm:
A “shadow government”, consisting of a legislature and Govenor/LG, “allowing” other Constituionals to stay if the recognize the shadow government, is seated in Old State Capitol…
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:07 pm:
Michelle - could we also have a dunk tank for Don Harmon?! The second he starts bloviating about how smart he is you’d hear “DING!” and then he’s all wet.
- Buddy - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:08 pm:
Outsource the operation and administration of our State government to Minnesota.
- Filmmaker Professor - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:09 pm:
My wackiest suggestion is that the Governor follow the constitution and submit a balanced budget. I realize that idea is far, far outside of the sphere of possibility.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
Strip Government.
Every day without a deal, the big dogs lose an article of clothing.
- Niblets - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:17 pm:
All sides cooperate.
- RNUG - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:22 pm:
Judge jails Gov & 4 tops for failure to do their duty under the IL Constitution. Sentence is 30 days and includes temporary suspension / forfeiture of their official powers.
GA members pass needed budget and tax hike and LT Gov signs it. Buried in the legislation’s fine print nobody bothered to read is a clause removing all 5 from office.
- RNUG - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:25 pm:
Alternatively, get the R & D teams to Sparta, arm them with paint guns, start a 8 hour clock, and whichever team has the most survivors at the bell gets to dictate the budget with the other side pledging to all vote for it.
- Not quite a majority - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:35 pm:
Put BVR and the Four Tops on a special abbreviated season of Survivor where all of them are flown to the top of Mt Everest and left to find their way down and whoever makes it back down gets their way. Meanwhile, without the five of them, the rest of the legislature and the Lt Gov pass a budget.
- Steve Rogers - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:38 pm:
Both sides present unbalanced budgets, argue the issues with each other via news releases, speeches, and surrogates, but don’t directly negotiate with other side or give in on any subject. Oh, they’ve already tried that….
- Democratic Response - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:44 pm:
Here’s a really “wacky” one… Pass a budget then debate the “turn-around” agenda. Wacky, no?
- A Jack - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:45 pm:
Shut down highway 55 during the play offs, unless the leaders agree to meet.
- Joe M - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:51 pm:
I would rather see the Governors of Minnesota and Illinois change places.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-gibson/mark-dayton-minnesota-economy_b_6737786.html
- Norseman - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 1:53 pm:
No, no, no, no! AA, you’re the man and I have great respect for you. However, I DO NOT want to see these folks without clothes.
- Timmeh - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 2:08 pm:
Robot Nixon
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 2:39 pm:
Bring in Mills Lane for the Springfield version of Celebrity Deathmatch. Rauner vs. Madigan. Replace Johnny Gomez and Nick Diamond with Goldberg and Brownie to call the action.
“Let’s get it on!”
- jerry 101 - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 3:01 pm:
Carpet Bombing?
- only-in-IL - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 3:08 pm:
Democrats with majorities in House and Senate pass a budget and a tax bill where revenues cover expenditures.
- AC - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 3:16 pm:
Press boycott of all the leadership until there’s significant movement.
- Nearly Normal - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 3:27 pm:
Get a team of kindergarten teachers to work with the Governor’s team and the 4 tops. They will get them to listen and not shout over each other, learn how to work together respecting differences.They won’t get their naps or milk and cookies until they come up with a reasonable budget and appropriations to pay for it.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 4:29 pm:
Declare Rich Miller dictator for 48 hours.
- MyTwoCents - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 6:01 pm:
1) a group of moderate bipartisan legislators (maybe incorporating members who are not seeking reelection) get together to craft a compromise package (budget, revenue and reform bills), announce it, get Madigan & Cullerton to put the bills to votes and put it on Rauner to either sign the package or veto it.
2) The five leaders take a 3 week vacation to one of Rauner’s properties and in the meantime a committee of experienced legislators draft and pass the budget and be done with it.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 9:10 pm:
Reenact the Lincoln Douglas debates, governor vs. speaker
- Enviro - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 9:13 pm:
First vote on a balanced budget and tax increase.
If the budget and tax increase bills are settled, then discuss pro-worker and pro-business issues.
- GOP Extremist - Thursday, Oct 8, 15 @ 10:57 pm:
A Winner take all “Revenge of the Nerds” style team competition. Jello eating; MJM vs Rauner; jello wrestling; Nekritz vs Rado
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 9, 15 @ 7:48 am:
Put the budget up to vote next year