85 Comments - thunderspirit - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:47 am: Probably about sixteen comments too many. Thunderspirit’s law of Internet: Never read the comments section of an unmoderated forum. - And I Approved This Message - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:49 am: There are few wastelands as vast as a newspaper Comments Section. - Concerned - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:50 am: Looks like the Superstars ™ have been posting comments at the Trib! - downstate commissioner - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:52 am: It is obvious that these guys don’t read Capitol Fax…. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:52 am: Welp, I guess that’s what happens when your fresh take hits home agaist Raunerites… - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:53 am: How many user profiles does Goldberg have? - PublicServant - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:53 am: Eric can take the arrows. He’s a big boy. And the truth hurts, thus the intense reaction from the uninformed. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:56 am: Yeesh, I’m dumber for having read these comments. - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:57 am: Those are people that don’t want to know the truth of what is happening. Just put on your red hat and start shouting. Have fun with that. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:58 am: To the Post, I never, ever, take for granted what a great place and community Rich Miller built here. Capitol Fax just shines when it comes to comments and content. To Mr. Zorn, Bud, all you can do is just take these “compliments” as the opposite as they’re intended. “Everyone’s a critic” - D.P.Gumby - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:59 am: And how many are also T-Rump supporters? - Blue Bayou - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:59 am: Nice to see that the Republican definition of “TERRORIST!!!” is so, um, inclusive. - burbanite - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:01 am: My husband showed me that last nite, he was shocked. I said honey, its the Trib, its expected. Zorn’s column was absolutely correct. Hope he knows his work is appreciated elsewhere. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:03 am: There should be a short quiz before anyone is allowed to comment on such articles. “Can you name three of the ‘reforms’ that the Governor insists be passed?” - illini - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:05 am: WOW, and I thought there were caustic and derisive comments on this site!!!!!! - Qui Tam - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:06 am: Harsh & uniformed attacks on behalf of the .01 percent = Rauner’s voter base. - Norseman - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:06 am: Kimmel has invited Zorn to read some of these comments on his show. s/ - Robert the 1st - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:06 am: For comments feverishly defending Madigan, Democrats, public unions, you come here. For comments defending Rauner and bashing the above, you go to the Trib. For comments more in the middle-ground, try the SJR. - GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:06 am: Them’s my peeps!!! - Wensicia - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:07 am: Zorn used to have a great blog, with an intelligent, bipartisan commentariat. Then the Trib went digital and he lost his following, replaced by the Rauner sycophants the editorial board encourages with their messaging. Sad, really. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:07 am: The comments were all spot on. They were from the REAL people of Illinois. You know, the ones NOT on the state government payroll. - cdog - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:07 am: The bigger issue is that these commenters have been purposefully incited by the inflammatory and dumbed-down GOP rhetoric. It has happened nationally with Fox “News” (who has no real reporters ANYWHERE in the world). They have encouraged strife in politics for years and have recently seemed to realize they have created monsters. Here, the ILGOP drum beat has been similar. Just encourage strife, chaos, don’t acknowledge the realities of the NOW. With a $7billion backlog, including $2billion to healthcare providers, there are not enough special funds to be found to fix this. (I hope that isn’t a surprise to the Raunerites reading this.) Good luck ILGOP and national GOP. Your base is being misled and is not going to be happy when you have to tell them the truth. - IllinoisBoi - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:07 am: This is abundant evidence that Zorn’s editorial, printed in the Rauner lick-spittle Tribune, was a palpable hit. - Buster - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:08 am: I just hope Zorn responds in kind with something like: “Oh,yeah!” or “It takes one to know one.” - Excessively Rabid - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:09 am: That’s not so bad, you should read what they say about Cutler, LOL. It’s predictable but a good example of the echo chambers that many, not just Raunerites, live in. - Allen D - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:09 am: half of the problem is Madigan and the General Assembly for fleecing the State all these years… Rauner is trying to get 100% of what he believes will change the state, and put it in the right direction… It is why he was elected, he ran on this premise, he was elected for what he said he would do and he has stayed true to what he said he would do so far. at best this should be shared with the GA who is just as culpable and all the state departments for trying to legislate from the court bench. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:10 am: Anon, if you really want to thin the herd of the Trib-type comment section, require them to submit a list of the meds they have been prescribed or the last time they bought tinfoil. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:10 am: ===For comments more in the middle-ground, try the SJR. === You’re hilarious! Good one! I laughed until I cried. Check out the “middle-ground” comments on Roberta Lynch’s op-ed… http://www.sj-r.com/article/20160412/opinion/160419879/?Start=2 - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:11 am: - Robert the 1st - You believe the SJR is more balanced in comments than Capitol Fax? Could it be that Raunerites are asked to substantiate their positions here, can’t, realize drive-bys won’t work, and move on? The - @MisterJayEm - rule on ” -Anonymous - ” has also made Capitol Fax better for me when I follow it. - Quizzical - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:11 am: Sad to say, but the responses to Zorn are typical of newspaper comment pages. The vitriol to knowledge ratio is extremely high. I’ve said it before, but someday they’re going to kick Rich off the internet for having comments that are civil and informed. - James Knell - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:12 am: Rich, you actually read that many comments on the Chicago Tribune? If I read half that many, I’d be afraid I might be tempted to use a power drill on my skull to relieve the pressure. At least take some garlic with you the next time you do that. - TominChicago - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:12 am: How many of those comments came from the commenter with the board nickname of “Statehouse Chick?” - Robert the 1st - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:14 am: There’s only six comments on that article and I don’t feel it’s a good sample. Try the one you linked today. http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160412/rauner-accuses-attorney-general-of-wanting-to-stop-employee-pay-shut-down-government?rssfeed=true#loadComment - GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:15 am: If those are the Real people of Illinois, God help us all. - Johnnie F. - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:22 am: Nothing brings out the mouth breathing brainstems more than a fact-based Rauner editorial on the Tribune website. - A guy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:23 am: ===You believe the SJR is more balanced in comments than Capitol Fax?=== Are you arguing that any of them are balanced? - Diogenes in DuPage - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:23 am: ===Probably about sixteen comments too many. Thunderspirit’s law of Internet: Never read the comments section of an unmoderated forum.=== Corollary: Pay no attention to those who access keyboards located in the basement and which are covered with Cheetos dust. - Nieva - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:25 am: Hate to say it but Rich protects the readers on this site who get offended by most anything they don’t agree with. Turn them loose Rich and allow all comments for a day or two. If you think this is the minority talking think again. People are fed up with government and these comments you might think extreme are the thoughts of the common man and woman. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:25 am: Smart people DO read the comments!! ::clears afternoon:: ::stretches typing fingers:: - Archiesmom - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:25 am: And this is why I never read the comments on any Trib story. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:27 am: ===Are you arguing that any of them are balanced?=== Ugh. Are you incapable of comprehending a 12-word sentence? “You believe the SJR is more balanced in comments than Capitol Fax?” I asked, “more balanced”. I can’t help you can’t read I guess… ? - Johnny Pyle Driver - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:28 am: I read a comment on there last night about this article blowing up in Zorn’s face. I think the commenters give themselves too much credit lol - Me too - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:29 am: You need a subscription to comment. I’m fairly certain the edit board has driven most sane people to cancel theirs. Ergo, the ratio of crazy wingnuts to liberals commenting. I especially liked one where they said that normally editorials were honest and balanced rather than hackery like this one. LOL - RNUG - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:29 am: == Smart people DO read the comments!! == … they just don’t believe most of them. (Didn’t want to disappoint you - Johnny Pyle Driver - since eyou cleared your afternoon!) /s? - Aldyth - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:29 am: Commentary from the Great Unwashed. Sheesh. - illini - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:30 am: Willy @11:11 - great retort. And you nailed it. This is exactly why this is the best place to be - the trolls are called out and the apologists are taken to task and being asked to explain. - I hate RINOs - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:30 am: Has Eric Zorn ever apologized to Alstory Simon? - Johnny Pyle Driver - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:32 am: “… they just don’t believe most of them. (Didn’t want to disappoint you - Johnny Pyle Driver - since eyou cleared your afternoon!) /s?” It’s ok, i was just going to let people know about an AMAZING opportunity to get rich without ever leaving their couches anyway. - Ms. SHEESH - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:34 am: Allen D Some of those voters were by Democrats who said they would vote for “Anybody but ________” And by now they may deeply regret what they did. - Common Potater - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:34 am: Shows that readers just want to hear what they want to hear. Not one one with any fact or data showing Zorn said something wrong. - Chicago 20 - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:38 am: It has been said that the Chicago Tribune writes stories at a 6th grade reading level. This may explain some of the commenters. - Amalia - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:39 am: the comments on the column are ridiculous. there is no way he is in the pocket of Big Madigan. And I agree with Zorn’s basic assessment on Rauner. But Zorn is generally irritating….”…wine drinking buddy….” like that’s not Zorn’s crowd. it’s a consistent holier than thou smarminess from Zorn that tends to send folks who disagree with him into overdrive. confront him with facts (like on his buddy David Protess) and even he will occasionally say sorry. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:40 am: First off, I respect these opinions. I disagree with them, but it is important to know how folks have been feeling. Don’t blame the media or the politicians. These folks believe what they believe because they are witnessing a stagnation in their lives and communities. They aren’t blind or stupid, instead they are emotional and upset. They have a right to be. Rauner is an epic failure. But before Rauner, we were experiencing epic failure. There was a lot of hope in Rauner. His failure hurts any citizens who had any hope left. Rauner was elected because our state governments and politics failed. Quinn was fired. Deservedly so. Voters are not stupid lemmings. Now we have another failure in the Mansion. Rauner made things worse than Quinn did. Our ship was taking in water way before Mr. Turnaround decided to stop our ship and instigate a mutiny of state workers so that he could throw everyone overboard. Worse, now that we’re paralyzed by Rauner’s maladministration, we’re sinking even faster! There was a way for Rauner to get the reforms he wanted without sinking us, but he didn’t respect how that was done. He didn’t listen to Edgar, or Lingle, or Thompson. Rauner didn’t listen to Madigan or Cullerton or Emanuel. Instead Rauner threw away what would have worked for him and us and screwed up like no other governor before him in our 200 year history. Rauner is a disaster as governor and the worst governor in Illinois history. His supporters have a right to be hopelessly furious with him, and everything else to boot. - A guy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:41 am: ==I can’t help you can’t read I guess… ?=== Cute response. Now to the question? I’ll answer first. None of them are “balanced” Sorry bub, not here either. On given days, it’s even more unbalanced here than elsewhere. That being said, you’ve got a moderator who attempts to balance things. A lot less lately. His place, he can do what he wants. People go where more people agree with them. Thus, there’s very little balance anywhere right now. Not even here. There used to be a lot more. Some of that balance has noticeably left. Or some, just don’t comment at all or as much. For the record, Zorn won’t be picking up any Pulitzer’s anytime soon. He’s intellectually dishonest and has been for a very long time. Colleagues of his would tell you that. It’s an opinion that’s held by many. He’s really a tree in the forest that falls and no one is there to hear it….unless he writes more bizarre things. Then you’re reminded that he’s a mook. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:43 am: ===Hate to say it but Rich protects the readers on this site who get offended by most anything they don’t agree with. === LOL No, I generally block folks with a history of goofiness. Like this one… ===GUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT ALOT OF FOLKS DON’T UNDERSTAND IS MOST OF THE STATE OF IL IS PRO GUN. IF YOU REMOVE CHICAGO AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES WE ARE MOSTLY GUN LOVING,GOD FEARING,HARD WORKING PEOPLE. WE PAY ARE BILLS ON TIME,RESPECT OUR ELDERS AND HOPE TO RAISE CHILDREN THAT DO THE SAME. ONE OF OUR HOBBIES IS HUNTING AND ROD WOULD LIKE TO PUT US BACK TO THE DARK AGES WHERE WE HAVE TO USE A ROCK OR A SPEAR TO ENJOY THAT. MOST EVERYONE THAT HAS THE VALUES I SUPPORT COULD NOT VOTE FOR A MAN LIKE ROD DAILY. === https://capitolfax.com/2006/02/10/question-of-the-day-43/#comment-9966 - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:52 am: ===I’ll answer first. None of them are “balanced”=== You answered your own question, not the 12-word question I asked. Ugh. Willfully ignorant. ===That being said, you’ve got a moderator who attempts to balance things. A lot less lately.=== What in the name of all that’s holy do you base THIS on? Do you know what comments never make it out? Do you have a graph? How do you measure it? Do you measure it based on your Raunerite thoughts? I can’t help your arguments don’t pass muster. I can’t. ===There used to be a lot more. Some of that balance has noticeably left. Or some, just don’t comment at all or as much.=== I believe you don’t comment here as “often” because you can’t defend the decimation of Social Services by Rauner’s own choices and that Rauner wants CSU and possibly EIU closed and you can’t defend that either. You are a victim to your poor comments and lack of facts to make them work, like your “factual” thoughts on the biases of this Blog. You’re a victim to your own lacking-ness. - @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:54 am: What seems like a lifetime ago, the comments section on Eric Zorn’s blog was an oasis of thoughtful disagreement. Some of my first ‘internet pals’ were people I ‘met’ in the Change of Subject comments section. The commenters with whom I most strongly disagreed were some of the most civil, thoughtful and intellectually honest people on the site. Even when I disagreed with them — ESPECIALLY when I disagreed with them — they were worth reading. And worth engaging with. It was a kind of intellectual sparring. It was full-contact and everyone wanted to ‘win’ — but there were rules and a shared sense of something like honor. It was rigorous but fun mental exercise. Although Eric fought the changes every step of the way, a decision was made at the Tribune to standardize all comment sections to conform with the house format. Never mind that the comments sections in every other part of the Tribune’s website were fetid dung-flinging contests — ‘Uniformity!’ was the Tower’s battle cry du jour. Although I tried to hang in there, many of the regular commenters fled the new, obnoxious format — at the time when I left, getting to a new post’s comments from a bookmarked link required finding and clicking on at least five additional links. Some regulars lingered for a while and some are still there, but many — too many — bowed out. Meanwhile, the dung-flingers migrated from the other comment sections. The mere fact that Zorn’s blog had used a different comments system had apparently been enough to keep many of the most toxic pea-wits away. But that barrier had now fallen. And as the garbage flooded the comments, even more of meritorious commenters went away. I guess I was one of them. The worthwhile comments were buried under cut-n-paste foolishness and behind ‘click to expand’ links. Interesting conversational threads were inevitably interrupted by howling trolls. It turned into drudgery. So I bailed. Fortunately, CapFax has been an excellent dojo for grappling with issues of Illinois politics. (Our host recognizes the importance of boundaries, rules and honor in a comment section. Would I draw the lines where Rich does? Maybe not. Doesn’t matter. His lines are reasonable and easy to see. I try not to cross ‘em and when I do, that’s on me.) And Twitter — https://twitter.com/MisterJayEm — has been a good outlet for my jibber-jabber about other topics. But I still miss that Golden Age of Comments at Eric Zorn’s Change of Subject. tl;dr- Great comments sections don’t happen by accident. Try to appreciate the people who do the work to make them. – MrJM - Skeptic - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:55 am: “..readers on this site who get offended by most anything they don’t agree with” It’s not the disagreement that’s the problem. It’s the callous way that some treat their fellow man. Take “Tone” for instance with his “Let the layoffs begin!” comment. Or Arizona Bob who insists that because I am a Union member, I am selfish and greedy, and the *only* reason to go on strike is greed. And I don’t find those comments “offensive” in the same sense as pornography, but IMHO they have no place in a reasoned discourse. Someone can say Rauner is doing a good job — and I will vigorously disagree with him/her — and I won’t find that one bit offensive. - illinois manufacturer - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:57 am: The number of hunters in Illinois is for to 2 percent. It’s on the Il natural history human dimensions website. Cut out metro Chicago and it’s still not near a majority. DNR did have Gallup do a poll. It was in the Wildlife Society Bulletin. Lets say Illinois is one of the most anti hunting states. Anyway I probably am going on too long about facts - Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:58 am: The Zorn column is an opinion piece. He grades Rauner an F. He gives everyone else pretty much a pass. Worst Governor in history for failing to keep the Titanic that is Illinois from sinking while the Democratic leadership and majority refuse to change course or even discuss ways of changing course. Blaming only Rauner for keeping his promise to shake things up while the Democrats insist on the status quo? Zorn deserves the scorn that many Trib commentators heaped on him over that column. - JB13 - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:01 pm: There are a lot of us out here who recognize Rauner has failed to date and is failing, due to intransigence, yet are also very skeptical of anyone who loudly and proudly casts their lot with Michael Madigan, and reject the premise that the only thing Illinois government can do is throw up their hands and jack up taxes to the point they cripple the household and business budgets of anyone who isn’t represented by AFSCME or SEIU. - A guy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:03 pm: ====I believe you don’t comment here as “often” because you….===== Really? Mostly I don’t because I don’t see anything new very often. That’s the reason. For me to comment, I guess I require a bit more stimulation. Willy, you personally…have not been providing it. j/k. lol. It’s becoming Groundhog Day. That’s all. If my comments are “poor” to you, so be it. You may be a “victim” of “I’m really not commenting to please you”. Sorry. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:03 pm: ==and reject the premise that the only thing Illinois government can do is throw up their hands and jack up taxes == I’m really getting sick of hearing that. Opposing the Governor’s “agenda” does not mean that anyone believes this. Enough already. - AC - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:14 pm: I like being saved from the crazy comments like Rich’s example, and the ones I see in the newspaper comment section. However, I was disappointed to see Arthur Anderson couldn’t post his comments a few days ago because I wanted to read what he had to say. - Annonin' - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:18 pm: Zorn hit the nail on the head. Just like Madigan did with the floor speech. It is hard for the BigBrain to admit the bungles ….looking forward they get to clomp through Cleveland w/Trumpsters and get ready to steer biz to the new lobby firm of Dunkin-Munger & Kirk. - TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:18 pm: =I didn’t know the Tribune was going to start writing sponsored content.= You must have missed the Illinois Policy Institute piece they ran today. It was actually pretty amusing - in order to make her anti-gay marriage point Diana Rickert was forced to defend teacher tenure. - Enviro - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:21 pm: The Governor’s “turnaround agenda” is a race to the bottom for the middle class worker. What Illinois needs is a balanced budget and stable source of revenue to pay for it. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:22 pm: ===Blaming only Rauner for keeping his promise to shake things up while the Democrats insist on the status quo?=== Louis must have the same version of Zorn’s column that Lucky Pierre has. Sigh. From the Eric Zorn column I read: “Now, yes, it’s quite true that Rauner didn’t create the underlying economic problems facing Illinois — those came about due to decades of irresponsible governance, some of it bipartisan, much of it Democratic.” Did you even read the column Louis? - Goof - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:30 pm: His article cheering for Americans at the masters was more original in thought, he could’ve taken that whole article from the comments section here. I agree with the column, but I still can’t stand Eric Zorn and will not buy a tribune as long as he is there. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:31 pm: ===He gives everyone else pretty much a pass.=== Oh - Louis G Atsaves -, where does Zorn do that? Serioulsy, cite that. ===Worst Governor in history for failing to keep the Titanic that is Illinois from sinking while the Democratic leadership and majority refuse to change course or even discuss ways of changing course.=== “Worst Governor in history for owning his Vetoes while the Democratic leadership and majority can’t save Illinois because Rauner uses Ken Dunkin to continue to hurt people” Better… ===Blaming only Rauner for keeping his promise to shake things up=== “Blaming only Rauner for keeping his promise to shut down government and refusing to own his vetoes to do it… ” Such the victim you try to make Rauner. It’s actually the saddest thing you do… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:35 pm: ===For me to comment, I guess I require a bit more stimulation.=== Are you saying Rich’s Post and the comments here aren’t smart enough for you, your time, or your comments? That’s rich, LOL. - Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:08 pm: 47th ward I missed the part about holding the Democrats responsible for their part of finding a solution to the impasse because Zorn never wrote that. I did see the one sentence that blamed the Democrats helping to contribute to the decades long financial meltdown Rich acknowledges Democrats have done nothing to change the - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:11 pm: ===…he could’ve taken that whole article from the comments section here.=== Or… maybe “sampled”… a premise and made it his own(?) You never know… - RNUG - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:15 pm: == On given days, it’s even more unbalanced here than elsewhere. == Or maybe some of us that normally lean R have abandoned the disaster on the second floor … - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:45 pm: =Or maybe some of us that normally lean R have abandoned the disaster on the second floor …= Well said. When the republicans made sense, I was a republican. Now, they make no sense. Between Rauner, Trump and Cruz I may very well officially seal my fate as a democrat. Do I like Mike Madigan? No. Do I think Mike Madigan has done a good job? Generally no, I don’t. So if my choices are between A) people I don’t think do a very good job, or B) people who willfully seek the destruction of functional government, I choose A. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:50 pm: ===I missed the part about holding the Democrats responsible for their part of finding a solution to the impasse because Zorn never wrote that.=== From the copy of the Zorn column I read: “Sure, Democratic legislative leaders have stood squarely in his way, as they sometimes stood in Quinn’s way, refusing to OK even the most popular items, such as legislative term limits, on Rauner’s so-called turnaround agenda.” Again, LP, if you didn’t read the column, that’s OK. Just don’t comment on it. If you did read the column and still came to your conclusion, your reading comprehension needs some work. You can keep trying to move the goal posts, but I spend a lot of time here and I love to razz the partisan kool-aid sellers. - Belle - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:54 pm: I give Madigan a B- or C+. I would call myself pretty liberal. My issue is that Madigan has been there for all of this time. He is not the only person who is responsible for this over-spending but he’s been sitting there, of his own accord, for many decades. If he didn’t agree, he could have stayed home and run his law practice while driving Shirley crazy. There is no one who is wholly responsible for all of this—lots of people were in on the over-spending and spending on the wrong things. IF it’s not over-spending, then it is not enough taxes. Those are the options. Madigan is very easy to blame but it’s not 100% right. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 2:35 pm: Those comments are a whole lotta nothin’, just ad hominem attacks and talking points–just what I’d expect at a media outlet with the editorial board it has. In my short time following Illinois politics, Madigan, though certainly far from perfect, voted for bills that helped or could have helped the state, such as Medicaid expansion, the temporary income tax increase, fair tax, no-strike arbitration bill, MMJ, etc. I’ll take that over the Party of No any day. - sonny chiss - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 2:51 pm: =Or maybe some of us that normally lean R have abandoned the disaster on the second floor …= = Well said. When the republicans made sense, I was a republican. Now, they make no sense. Between Rauner, Trump and Cruz I may very well officially seal my fate as a democrat. Do I like Mike Madigan? No. Do I think Mike Madigan has done a good job? Generally no, I don’t. So if my choices are between A) people I don’t think do a very good job, or B) people who willfully seek the destruction of functional government, I choose A. = Add another one to this group, and I am basically a tea party R. I used to loathe Madigan - I can’t believe I am now rooting for him. It’s incredible. - Neglected stepchild - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 2:58 pm: Those comments are all dead on. Zorn is a tool. - Not quite a majority - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 3:16 pm: If Eric could check the email addresses of many of those commenters, I’m sure he’d find them linked to his own editorial board. Plus, it’s the Trib. That’s their base. What else is new. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 3:22 pm: Ditto what Mr.JM said about the unnecessary decline in Zorn’s comment section. The Trib commenters are like a bizzaro world to the CapitolFax zeitgeist - most appear to be suburbanite non-union types (without close relatives in the same position) who sink to the level you’d expect when there’s next to no moderation. - Wensicia - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 4:12 pm: MrJM, For you, usually less is more. This time, more is not enough to cover what we loss with the decimation of Zorn’s blog, but you covered it better than anyone else could. Thanks. - Wensicia - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 4:16 pm: Sorry, “lost”. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 7:20 pm: I went back and re-read the Zorn column. It’s great. I like it better after the second reading. It’s a punch that landed squarely on Rauner, full of painful facts. Zorn mentions that much of the fault of our problems lies with Democrats. Those frothing at the mouth overlook this. Not many are disputing this. At the end of the article, Zorn gives Rauner a chance to redeem himself. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.