69 Comments - Formerly Known as Frenchie - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 7:58 am: The implication here seems to be that Rauner hasn’t changed or modified his position one bit. Nevermind, the idea of “compromise.” What’s insidious — and very strange — is that (apparently) Rauner hasn’t *modified* his position since … well, since Day 1 in office. What kind of businessperson would say, “Well, that’s good. If it doesn’t work, make sure it keeps not working. That’ll show ‘em. That’s good business.” - Albert - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:02 am: Did Madigan help deliver the baby? - LizPhairTax - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:03 am: Hardik Bhatt or someone needs to make sure that Governor Rauner is running the most up-to-date version of Adobe Acrobat. On my computer, the schedule was very easy to read and understand when it was released at the end of last year. - Anonymous - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:03 am: Try after the November elections. That is when they will try to pass a tax increase and a budget! - Politix - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:06 am: This one’s on the gov. Clearly he believes spending traveling around the state blaming Madigan is more worthwhile than face-to-face meetings that could lead to something productive. My sense is he doesn’t want to meet anyway. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:07 am: I thought they hammered everything out at the St Patrick’s day parade. They all looked like old friends - Henry Francis - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:07 am: That assumes the Guv wants a budget. He doesn’t. He just wants to appear that he does and put the blame on Madigan. The spring break - known about for months - creates another opportunity for him to do so. Still waiting for the Guv to do something that changes the conversation away from his poor showing on Tuesday. - Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:07 am: More than 400 days in and the governor still does not know how governing works. But boy whatta campaigner…. Get to work governor. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:08 am: Wasn’t Bruce Rauner himself that complained when that ridiculous “public” meeting, (and subsequent “private” meeting) that governors call the meetings with the Four Tops? Rauner does NOT want a meeting until EIU closes, CSU closes, the Social Service providers give up on recouping thier contracted monies and fold, and sbsolutely will not meet if The Cullerton Mistake continues to be fruitful in the Press. Seriously, why would he? Rauner got his hat handed to him with Dunkin and McCannand has proven to be toxic. Ride all this out, do the maximum, (that’s maximum, not “what people will put up with), damage, and let Republicans, General Assembly Republicans, that Rauner owns lock, stock, and barrel, take the fall. After Eastern closes it’s doors forever, same with Chicago State, possible for Western, you can’t reverse it. Rauner wins. When Eastern and Chicago State announce their closure, when Western is on life support, and other state universities lose accreditation… when Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services are but a few to exist… Then… “ck” will send out a Lance ststement about wanting a meeting… Hey “Republican” legislators… You’re a pawn again. You’re welcome. “You guys are going down. I can’t stop it now.” - Annonin" - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:08 am: The BigBrains missed a great chance to help universities and service providers with some cash and the opening to use the new vendor assistance program they created to help the big insurance companies and a few other pals. It would helpful if the BigBrains started to learn a little about the govt they think they control. - Abe the Babe - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:08 am: Was Madigan having the baby or not? Sheesh. If a person were looking for evidence of Rauner’s sincerity in getting a budget deal what would one look for? Perhaps, attempts to meet in person? Usually done through leaders meetings at the governor’s request. None since December. Ok, how about dispatching emissaries who can negotiate on your behalf or at least get the two sides talking? None. Well they did send Jason Gonzales. - out of touch - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:09 am: We read yesterday that the GOP electoral strategy is to hang the threat of a post-election tax increase around the necks of democratic candidates. Given that, does anyone believe that the Governor and the GOP he controls have any interest in a budget deal before November? We know that the budget can’t be balanced without additional revenue. No pre-election revenue, no pre-election budget. - Keyrock - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:10 am: If only Madigan had Outlook or Google Calendar on his cellphone. If only Rauner had email. /s - Mouthy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:14 am: The Governor doesn’t appear to be in a position to get those good ole’ structural reforms that he craves and that’s got him backed into a corner. Add in the reluctance of the legislature to send over a clean K thru 12 bill that makes the situation even more dire. Campaigning is the only thing he’s got left. This crisis is all of his own doing no matter how often he utters the word Madigan…. - Wensicia - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:14 am: Rauner still playing the CEO and campaigning. Still refusing to govern. - Robert the Bruce - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:18 am: ==Wasn’t Bruce Rauner himself that complained when that ridiculous “public” meeting, (and subsequent “private” meeting) that governors call the meetings with the Four Tops?== Excellent point as always, OW. This is on Rauner. Though I don’t think Madigan wants a meeting either. And neither man cares about what has happened to social services. Madigan is winning politically…he cares more about that. The cowardice among rank-and-file legislators is annoying. How hard is it for one of the 177 to provide even an anonymous quote complaining that their leaders won’t meet? - old pol - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:18 am: I wonder if the same Dems who blame Rauner for inaction blame Obama for impasse with U.S. Senate? Passing bills or putting forward nominees to the supreme court without consultation. - Trolling Troll - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:20 am: #Nobudgetbuce Look I’m trending. #winning - Jon - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:22 am: Any word on any meetings of GO staff and the legislative leaders staff? Face to face meetings between the Governor and the leaders didn’t lead to much and were likely only held to placate the more ardent critics. The results of the primaries were ultimately an affirmation of the status quo, with a few exceptions, Dunkin most notably, voters supported the incumbents in contested races and where the votes were close they can point to the fact that their opponent was supported by the “other guy”, Rauner or Madigan, thus making their fight against the “bad guy”. This seems to ignore the fact that these same legislators are partially responsible for the current state of affairs. All in all, what’s the incentive for legislators to resolve the current situation? The voters don’t seem to care to much because we’ve essentially voted everyone back into office. - UIC Guy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:22 am: @Anonymous 8:03 am: It’s not so long ago that a lot of people were saying that as soon as the March primaries were over there’d be progress. Who keeps moving the goal posts? How far back can they go? - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:24 am: Oh, I forgot…. Rauner won’t meet until AFSCME goes on strike, publicly pickets, rallies under the dome, have overzealous members rant and rave on the Tee-Vee, make themselves less appealing to the masses. That MUST happen. Book it. Rauner wants AFSCME rallies to rival the Wisconsin rallies. Then Rauner will gain sympathy, leverage the angst against AFSCME to cut deals with the Dem Leaders (Note: I don’t think that Madigan and/or Cullerton will cave before January, but Rauner seems delusuonal enough to think Madigan controls Obama, so, there’s that), and with the Illinois National Guard occupying Illinois State Agencies, “ck” speaking for Lance, whose speaking for Rauner will… take a meeting with the Four Tops. We’re not even in the que to enter the parking lot, of the shadow of the ball park to getting any of this getting resolved. - Not Rich - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:29 am: simple math : 60 + 30..when the Gov gets those numbers he can have his turn around agenda.. - Pelonski - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:32 am: Leadership meetings are pointless if neither side is willing to change their position. It is pretty clear that Rauner is willing to accept almost any negative consequences unless he gets his way, and Radogno and Durkin are going to do whatever he tells them to do. Any real change in positions will be driven by the rank and file GA members, not the leadership. - AC - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:36 am: OW - I’m not sure he’ll get AFSCME to oblige him. Have you seen much picketing lately? The few that have occured have been subdued, and likely intended to improve the morale of activists more than anything. In other words, it could be a long time if large demonstrations of angry union workers is what he wants. - Ahoy! - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:37 am: –But it’s now the middle of March, for crying out loud. There is no substitute for face to face meetings.– I agree. This is one instance where Rauner needs to treat Government like a business and schmooze, or at least act like a politician. - Daniel Plainview - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:39 am: Ah, what’s 3 months when you’re playing the “long game”, Rich? - Dilemma - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:42 am: @Albert - Did Rauner propose a balanced budget? For that matter, can he get 60 and 30 for his TA agenda? There is nothing in the TA agenda that will positively affect the current missing budget. So, let’s get that done, and then move on to 2016-17 and perhaps actually making a case for the TA. There’s no reason now to avoid dealing with the 2015-16 budget unless this is really about leverage as opposed to benefiting the state. I say that because the TA is entirely about speculative future savings, and we are getting dangerously close to the end of the 15-16 fiscal year. There’s no way future savings can somehow fix things that are already a mess due to the failure to pass a budget. - Joe M - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:42 am: More precisely, “Rauner wants Senate to “stay in Springfield and negotiate a balanced budget ALONGSIDE STRUCTURAL REFORMS”" Hence, the General Assembly did not stay in Springfield. Maybe a budget can get negotiated once Rauner drops the anti-union poison pills of his turnaround agenda. However, before becoming interesting in negotiating an actual budget, is Rauner really waiting for the IL Labor Relations Board to declare there is an impasse with AFSCME - hoping then AFSCME will go on strike - and then more people will accept his anti-union poison pills? - The Dude Abides - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:46 am: You all have covered this neatly. Rauner will continue to blame Madigan and try to isolate him. Rauner wants the impasse to continue, he is still hoping that if things get bad enough the Democrats will cave and throw the Unions under the bus. The most recent poll shows that 50% of voters disapprove of Rauner. That number will continue to get worse over the summer as more people are affected by the Rauner impasse. What could help the Governor’s poll numbers is if the state workers strike. It will be presented as those greedy overpaid state workers who already have better benefits than most private sector workers going on strike because they want even more. The Governor wants that strike. He even said as much when he was campaigning. His regular public lambasting of Madigan isn’t working as evidenced by Tuesday nights results. They need to find something to get more of the public behind them as their numbers are trending in the wrong direction. - Colin O'Scopey - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:48 am: Rauner is completely new to the business of running a government, which means he doesn’t know what it’s like to manage a government that is “functioning”. Every day that we fail to have a budget covering the previous FY as well as plan for the next FY is the new “normal” for Rauner. He has never had the luxury of serving as governor of a state whose legislative and executive branch do their respective jobs. Nor has he been vetting a plethora of bills coming across his desk, attending events on college campuses, meeting with business leaders or championing the state as a cheerleader for our business community. The longer this goes on as the new “normal” the more difficult it will be for Rauner to pivot should this impasse ever come to an end. - Pelonski - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:49 am: I don’t see AFSCME striking anytime soon. Even if an impasse is declared by the Labor Relations Board, that decisions can be appealed which could take years to get through the courts. If AFSCME can get the courts to stay the implementation of the Governor’s last, best, and final offer, there will be no reason to strike. - Anony - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:53 am: Madigan is no Claire Underwood….she’d have missed the birth of her own child to be at the meeting with Rauner. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:54 am: ==I wonder if the same Dems who blame Rauner for inaction blame Obama for impasse with U.S. Senate?== The person that gets blamed for these things is the one who refuses to negotiate until their unrelated ideological fantasies are indulged. At the national level, that’s the US House and Senate with their seemingly monthly demands to repeal obamacare, defund planned parenthood, kill the iran deal, or whatever other extremist demand they come up with. At the state level it’s “Crush unions or no budget for you.” This really isn’t that difficult - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:56 am: - AC - I’ve been a huge advocate of the following strategy. 1) Hope for a lockout. 2) No lockout? Keep negotiatin’ and keep tryin’ to find common ground before the impasse is declared 3) If they absolutely must, strike, but do the following exactly like this; No picketing. No rallies. Visibility of signs, like campaign yard signs, especially in businesses. Daily, at noon and 4:30pm, 3 people, at a podium; Spokesperson, President, selected rank and file member. President says, “This is day ‘x’ of the forced work stoppage, brought in by an impasse in contract negotiations. We all want to work, we live what we do, we love Illinois, and we look forward for the impasse to end.” The Spokesperson, daily, gives a stat for each presser about what members do everyday in the workplace in Illinois. Fields a handful of questions. Rank and file member tells theur story. End presser. That will drive Rauner nuts! Rauner’s agencies unmanned, silence, no vitriol to counter, the pressers are benign, no grenades… So, I know - AC -, they are doing lots of that, and they know best. However, even Rauner said “no one has dealt with anyone like me”. Yep. So the tactics need to change, and how you hurt Rauner is by not giving him a Scott Walker moment/platform/scenario. - wordslinger - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:57 am: –More than 400 days in and the governor still does not know how governing works. – Don’t you believe it. He knows exactly what he’s doing. The “squeeze the beast” strategy is proceeding along just fine. Despite the election beating Tuesday, Rauner holds all the cards until there are 71 votes in the House for an override. That would break the dam. That will take Republicans, like the threatened mutiny that won the release of local funds. Until then, the governor is indeed, “winning.” Many people don’t see that because they can’t believe that what is happening is what he really wants. But it is. No governor would allow this stuff to happen unless they wanted it. - Phoenix - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:59 am: Those with the leverage but not wise enough to recognize it are the GA Republicans. They continue to tie themselves to boat anchor Rauner who can do them no good. Let’s show some statesmanship GOPers, do yourselves and IL citizens some good. Cut the chain to the boat anchor and make a deal with the Dems. - Norseman - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:59 am: Rauner thinks he’s winning. Until some GOP lawmakers disabuse him of that notion - most likely via an override vote, we are doomed for continued impasse. - illinois manufacturer - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:05 am: Western will be open until there is a super super majority in next January. I dont know about CSU though the social service providors and vendors and so on. - Union Leader - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:10 am: Did Madigan help deliver the baby? Really? Really? I mean, come on, man! - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:11 am: ===Until some GOP lawmakers disabuse him of that notion - most likely via an override vote, we are doomed for continued impasse.=== - Norseman - knows, many know… Will the alleged “GOP” Members, especially ones with state universities in their districts, finally realize they are only hostages to Rauner’s $20 million until they lose their own constituents? ===That will take Republicans, like the threatened mutiny that won the release of local funds.=== At some point, will the alleged “GOP” Members realize Rauner has no intention of growing the alleged “GOP”? The mutiny would be about claiming their Party back too. Will they? - Earnest - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:17 am: >Rauner thinks he’s winning. He’s right. He’s continuing to starve the beast and dig the hole deeper to give him leverage. He’s accomplishing exactly what he set out to do, except for the human services that were covered by consent decrees (which he bemoans). The only way this changes is if House Republicans (all or three of them) decide that the moral and ethical thing to do is get a deal they are satisfied with. Other than that, perhaps the pressure of the Democrats refusing to “leave anyone behind” on the FY17 budget by only passing K-12 education funding as part of a complete budget. - Ghost - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:18 am: why woukd Rauner call a meeting? he doesnt want a budget just dmg and chaos, and to constantly whine that its Madigans fault. Blaming Madigan worked well, so why give up a failing strategy when you can just double down and tell the peasants to eat cake….. - Honeybear - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:28 am: OW- meeting last night. You’ll be very pleased with our plans, very pleased. Very asymmetrical. He’ll get his group shots of AFSCME but not in the way he wants it. Council 31 learned its lesson from Wisconsin. No, 1805 orange has it’s CIC (my words, I was in the Navy after all) set up and running. (new laptops, new phone system, the works). We made a BIG financial commitment to this. The use of social media has made a lot of advances. Just look at how Bernie utilizes it. Add that to our natural ground game, as seen in McCann and Dunkin, and Rauner is not going to know what hit him if he CHOOSES to go that route. I would strongly advise against it. - Norseman - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:30 am: Honeybear, keep on it. Good Luck. - Century Club - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:34 am: I hear that Madigan’s only precondition for the meeting is that he gets to bring the donuts. Dunkin Donuts. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:36 am: - Honeybear - Glad to hear that. After Tuesday, I don’t doubt any Labor commitment, nor do I doubt Labor understanding what’s at play, and his to be effective. You keep doing what you, and y’all are doing. I was seriously impressed Tuesday, and I look forward to keep being impressed. Yeomen’s work. - Jack Stephens - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:41 am: Maybe they tried to email Bruce. He doesnt have email. You can Snapchat him or send him a message on Facebook though. - burbanite - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:41 am: This is why nothing will happen, note this was yesterday, after Tuesday’s lesson went unlearned: “It’s time to get together,” said Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove. “It’s time to accept those reforms (sought by Gov. Bruce Rauner) so that we can work together and pass a bill that will mean something instead of another phony bill like this one that isn’t going to accomplish anything.” Translation: Destroy Unions and the Democratic Party and I will talk about a budget and releasing some hostages. Old Pol you can’t compare apples to oranges and Albert don’t be a grass bowl. - Hedley Lamarr - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:44 am: No “slippery slope of compromise.” - Langhorne - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:50 am: Words–let’s negotiate, said after adjournment Actions–universities counting down to closure Radogno? Durkin? You are co-signors on the deed - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:00 am: - burbanate - The Slytherin Jim Oberweis, if the SGOP Caucus was the movie “A Bronx Tale”, Slytherin Jim would be “The Mush” “C’mon #2… ” Oberweis couldn’t find political acumen if you have it to him with handles and told him to hold it, labeled “Political Acumen” The mere fact Jim Oberweis feel the need to insert himself, not surprisingly in an unhelpful way, is a huge red flag that this isn’t clisevto ending. If this was close to ending someone would’ve, like always, come to Oberweis and say, “We’ll take it from here, Senator.” Nice grab, - burbanate - - Jack Stephens - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:08 am: @ow: Always enjoy your comments. The only thing I would add to the “presser” is the story of the local $5 franchisee sub/pizza place thats closing in *Macomb*…due to a lack of business. - VanillaMan - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:20 am: Rauner says he is a persistent rascal, which means he is a close minded weasel with no intentions of governing our state. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:22 am: - Jack Stephens - Thanks, appreciate that. To your point, Charleston, Macomb, Edwardsville, Carbondale, they all, all these towns should be in serious worry mode. Serious worry mode. B-N, Champaign-Urbana, DeKalb, they shouldn’t be breathing easy either. It’s the towns, ‘tween us, that will impact the legislators. Towns losing universities… whoa. - forwhatitsworth - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:29 am: Simple logic: There will be no (balanced) budget agreement until there is more revenue (tax increase). There will be no tax increase until there are Republican yes votes on the legislation. It can’t get any simpler than this. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:24 am: Rauner believes structural reform of Springfield is mandatory to put Illinois back on the right track. Madigan disagrees and won’t call any of the Rauner bills to floor to be voted on. Apparently many commenters agree there must be reform in Springfield but not necessarily as Rauner has proposed. What are the democrats plans for reform? Is there anything they would support to make Illinois more competitive to employers? I honestly have not heard any economic development ideas from the democrats. I have heard they want cuts and revenue but yesterday’s Senate bill was for 3.8 billion in additional spending much more than the house approved. Apparently they aren’t that serious about any cuts and have not proposed any revenue. In short how can Rauner get reform after the budget is passed if he can’t get it before the budget is passed. Can some wise commenter propose an exit strategy that is reasonable for both sides? Clearly there must be compromise and so far there has been none - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:28 am: ===Can some wise commenter propose an exit strategy that is reasonable for both sides?=== Rich Miller, personally, has had at least a half a dozen posts about possible exit strategies, and one very specific post about a more complete exit strategy. Use the Search Key. I have faith if you really are so perplexed in finding a solution, you can use the search key and find these posts. Thank you. - WhoKnew - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:28 am: And they met so dutifully for at least 2 whole weeks in Dec. /s - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:34 am: Hmm… ONE search, 20 seconds https://capitolfax.com/2016/02/23/it-can-be-done-if-you-really-want-it-done/ Heck you even commented, LOL… ===- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Feb 23, 16 @ 1:16 pm This is a common sense template for a deal Rich. Now who is the one to broker a deal between the two parties? Are there any statesmen?=== Please, stop the “babe in the woods routine”… - Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:44 am: ===Please, stop the “babe in the woods routine”=== And it most certainly is a routine. All an act. - Magic Dragon - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:00 pm: If the Governor was really serious about getting a budget deal done, he would be scheduling budget negotiation meetings DAILY! This needs to be the focus in this state….it is called governing. - Markus57 - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:10 pm: OW- Miller ought to make that a sticky post and update it to propose solutions for the funding imbalance. In fairness, it only addresses a solution to the ideological impass which sadly contributes almost nothing to the budget lines for the next couple of FY’s. The difficult task is a means to provide cover for both sides regarding a needed tax increase. A starting point might be limiting the increase to paying down the payments backlog over a period certain. Any additional increase would be negotiated to bridge the gap between the GA’s and gov’s desired spending levels. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:15 pm: ===The difficult task is a means to provide cover for both sides regarding a needed tax increase. A starting point might be limiting the increase to paying down the payments backlog over a period certain.==• Nah. That’s the easiest part in ALL this. Capital Plan, part of the Revenue Increase, and a very shrewd Governor would have specific “bricks and mortar” projects, good size projects, at all the state universities. That’s what a governor interested in governing abd saving Higher Ed would do. That’s what I’d do… - Harry - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 12:31 pm: At this point, I would be surprised if either side wanted a solution now. Both sides think they can use this to “fire up the base,” and they are probably right. Tune back in January 2, 2017, after the election and when a simple majority can pass something. Until then, nothing much gonna happen. - burbanite - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:26 pm: October 23, 2015, “As you know, Leaders Meetings are held and conducted by the governor’s office. As such, while we appreciate the advocacy groups desire to be involved, we will pick up the organization of the meeting from here.” Gov. Rauner and Lucky, you completely ignored my post yesterday about the Government consolidation work in Dupage, which is where the focus should be. We have too many levels of Gov’t, twps in counties with large populations should be eliminated, among other things, but you know what, that won’t happen, b/c the twps are the plums of the Republicans and, eliminating the redundancies in Government doesn’t fit the anti union narrative. C’mon. - Mama - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:11 pm: “We’re not even in the que to enter the parking lot, of the shadow of the ball park to getting any of this getting resolved. ” OW, please, please… tell me this is a snark! - Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:23 pm: - Mama - Sadly, no. Sorry. - JoanP - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:38 pm: @ old pol: 1. You do realize that the POTUS does not “pass bills”. That’s Congress’ job. 2. POTUS proposes a nominee. He is not required or expected to consult with the Senate FIRST. Their job - “advising and consenting” - comes after they get the name. The Republicans are refusing even to talk to the nominee. Refusing even common courtesy. Obama did his job here. It’s their turn. - Jack Stephens - Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:52 pm: @joan: And to your 2nd point. If this were the last year of President Rommney’s term, and a Senate Democratic Majority Leader REFUSED to even meet the nominee….well you can bet Rafael Edward Cruz would be lecturing us all on the Constitution. Which supports my point that Republicans believe in a “living, breathing” Constitution. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.