* From an e-mail sent this morning to House Democrats by Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago)…
Dear colleagues,
I know that many of us are still reeling from the recent presidential election. I sure am. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about where to go from here, and I’ve landed on two main thoughts. First, no matter what happened everywhere else, Illinois stayed a solidly blue state, and we should do everything we can to push back against the Trump agenda. I loved this letter from the California legislature, and I think we can do the same.
And second, as the Sun-Times pointed out this weekend, it’s time for Rauner to pick sides. He’s trying to have it both ways. Trying to stay moderate on immigration and other issues while also not alienating his Trump base by actually criticizing the man’s rhetoric, his appointments, etc. We can’t let him do that. We need to make him decide if he’s with Trump and his agenda or if he’s with the people of Illinois.
To those two ends, I have filed HB6628, a bill that would divest all of Illinois’s pension funds and investments from any company that builds a border wall with Mexico. It would be a message from us to the people of this state that if Trump wants to build his wall he can, but our taxpayer dollars aren’t going to support it. Those aren’t our values.
We’ll be having a press conference to announce the bill tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:30pm at the Thompson Center Blue Room. Any of you who wants to come is more than welcome. (I’ve pasted the press advisory below.)
I’m working with leadership to see that the bill gets moved to the floor for a vote the week after Thanksgiving. I’ll come by to ask for your support once we’re down there, but in the meantime, if you’re interested in co-sponsoring, please let me know. And I’ll also put together another press event in Springfield for those who can’t make tomorrow.
Let me know, hope to see some of you tomorrow, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Best,
-Will
Guzzardi was one of the two legislators who didn’t immediately pledge his vote to Speaker Madigan. He told me recently that he did talk to Madigan and that “it went well.” He said he believes the Speaker is “open to us pushing a more ambitious agenda of our own.”
The bill is here. What do you think?
- John Rawls - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:27 am:
Will Guzzardi, working hard to pass a budget.
- A guy - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:29 am:
==a bill that would divest all of Illinois’s pension funds and investments from any company===
Given the acumen of our State Legislature, perhaps they might just pass a bill that keeps them out of anything to do with investment advice anywhere of any kind.
This is dopey.
- Robert the 1st - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:30 am:
Illinois’s pension funds and investments should be going to anything that will likely give the best returns. This is a waste of time.
- A Jack - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:31 am:
Wouldn’t that bill likely include Caterpillar? I don’t think we should tinker with pension investments because of politics.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:32 am:
Representative Guzzardi, Does upholding our values involve tearing down the fence that has been on a portion of the border for decades and opening the border completely for all who wish to come in?
Perhaps it would be more productive to do your part to secure Federal help for Chicago and the rest of Illinois instead of tilting at windmills.
- Robert the 1st - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:33 am:
This is petty, ugly politics that will result in IL taxpayers taking a hit. IL Democrats are sure to support it.
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:34 am:
If I were a Representative and my district had the demographic make up of the 39th, I’d hop on this bill ASAP.
- Rocky Rosi - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:34 am:
Why do some politicians always play politics to get their name in the news? Come up with real solutions to help the great people of IL. Thank You!
- Thoughts Matter - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:35 am:
Seriously? Our pension funds are hurting and he wants to deny access to his investments? Second- the wall issue is what he wants to stand firm on? Border security is about the only issue I can support Trump on. It’s not immoral to protect our borders, regardless of how we reform immigration.
- Thoughts Matter - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:36 am:
I meant good investments, not his investments.
- AlfondoGonz - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:36 am:
“Why do some politicians always play politics…”
I think you answered your own question.
- m - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:37 am:
This is how Hillary lost.
There are some things that just seem to align with a person’s political leanings.
Conservatives believe the world is full of liberals and that those people are idiots.
Liberals believe that they themselves are actually moderates and everyone else is too, except they believe a small minority of people have been hoodwinked by evil people into being conservatives.
They always seem shocked when conservatives win. They currently believe everyone is absolutely disgusted in every single way by Trump.
It just seems to escape them that nearly half the population of the country voted for him.
That total was much lower here, that is true. But remember, in any election there’s a good chunk of each side of voters who had a hard time deciding. The people who are in play that all of the ads go after.
40% of Illinois residents voted for him. 4% voted for the libertarian. And probably another 10% weren’t all that sure who they were going to vote for but chose Hillary in the end.
I’m sure this will play well in his district, but I don’t think this is a good statewide plan.
- Springfield Since '77 - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:40 am:
File a bill that assists / speeds up legal immigration into out country. There are hundreds of people from all countries that have been trying for years too come here by following the rules. Help them instead of protecting those who avoid / evade the rules.
- LessAnon? - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:40 am:
If this is what he’s looking for as a “plan” to help Democrats counter Rauner, he has a lot of work to do. What a worthless waste of time. He explains in his letter that this is entirely about politics and nothing substantive whatsoever. Just try to make the governor look bad. Sounds more like a typical ploy from the speaker. Lame, and disappointing. I had a glimmer of hope for him before this.
- Birdseed - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:42 am:
Of all the problems faced by Illinois, let’s focus on this one. /s
- Sue - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:43 am:
So where were these geniuses when the State plans went all in with David Wilhelm and lost nearly the entire investment
- Ashawn - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:43 am:
So this is just blatantly using legislation and government resources to make a political attack? I mean come on, I know it happens all the time, but not usually is it so blatant.
- Roman - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:43 am:
I like Will, but this shows he doesn’t get it.
I would suggest Will and his colleagues concentrate on forming an economic policy message that unifies the traditional Democratic coalition. That will help beat Rauner in two years and help his party retake the White House in four years.
- here we go - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:45 am:
Not sure what the end result of this bill, but it does send a strong message to the Trump administration. I wonder if other states will get on board with this? (then again, considering how many states are ran completely by Dems, not many I suppose).
- Saluki - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:49 am:
This is silly. “First, no matter what happened everywhere else, Illinois stayed a solidly blue state” - what map is he looking at?
“it’s time for Rauner to pick sides.”
Why is it time for Rauner to pick sides? Why does politics always have to be an “all or nothing” proposition? I truly despise petty garbage like this.
- Truthseeker - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:51 am:
Colleagues on his own side of the isle refer to him as the White Jesus. Enough said.
- Liandro - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:52 am:
He was one of two to fight with his Speaker, and THIS is the (national) issue he wants to highlight? Ok then.
- Amalia - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:55 am:
We are dealing with a government fully in the control of money grubbing Trump and the extreme right wing machine that props him up. Trump will not separate his financial holdings from what goes on in government, nor, perhaps , those of his friends. Foreign dignitaries are staying at his hotels, thus enriching the Trump family, and currying favor with the President Elect. and that is just the tip of the Trump financial iceberg, blind trust be damned. Any possible way of putting financial distance between Trump’s policies and unwitting contributions from governments or gains by Trump is ok by me. There will be no court to judge him. He has all the power. we have to take whatever measures we can whenever we can on whatever subject to ensure people’s rights (will city council look at abortion?) and how governments spend money to what end.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:57 am:
In the end… this could just be “Member Management” and the last to know… is Rep. Guzzardi.
Great for his district, great for his own self-worth and image…
Dunno in the big picture messaging scheme to try to get Democrats to rally now thru 2018… if this is the right beginning salvo.
We’ll see.
- skeptic - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:59 am:
This is a good bill, send it to Rauner and make him choose a side. Rauner has practiced scorched earth war, time for the dems to return the favor.
- cgo75 - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:59 am:
Seems like wonderful intentions but that’s outcome could prove very harmful to pension funds and investments. So many other fish to fry in the state.
- Truthseeker - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:02 am:
Trump got 78% of the vote in Brandon Phelps district. I am sure he would be very excited to see this nonsense on the board.
- TheGoodLieutenant - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:04 am:
Petty politics which will do nothing to shore up the dismal state of our state pension systems. I hope this doesn’t make it to the floor. Ridicuolous!
- City Zen - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:05 am:
If Guzzardi is still “reeling” from a decision made 2 weeks ago, it speaks more to his preparedness and his ability to adapt.
- Team Sleep - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:07 am:
What will Chicago - and Illinois as a whole - do if Trump makes good on his promise and punishes sanctuary cities?! All of this posturing only fans the flames.
- m - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:07 am:
-Truthseeker is on it.
I know I’ve Illinois maps with counties showing how the vote went. Anyone have a link to a map with legislative districts. Be curious to see how many leg districts Hillary and Trump won.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:14 am:
I don’t want to do business at all with any of Trump’s or Rauner’s companies, if it can be avoided. Spurs’ coach Popovich said it best when he said that Trump’s comments and behavior would have got him fired or severely disciplined if he was a coach or in another occupation.
- hockey fan - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:17 am:
I like him, but I think this is not a great idea.
I encourage him and the Dems in Springfield to stand up and speak up about how horrible some of Trump’s appointments and policies are. But building a wall on our border is honestly one of Trump’s least offensive ideas at this point. . .
- BigDoggie - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:18 am:
I anyone keeping a list of all the things that Chicago politicians are doing to try and blatantly p!ss off the Trump administration? I mean, I’m sure their constituents are all okay with more tax increases because they surely want more of that nowadays….
- Jon - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:26 am:
If Guzzardi wants to do this, why not put a little more effort into the bill? For instance, it only applies to companies directly contracting with the federal government, not sub-contractors. Also, “wall” is not defined, what if the contract is to build a “barrier” instead of a wall. What about surveillance systems on the wall, can pensions invest in those or are they a part of the wall? What about drones, there’s probably going to be drones over the wall. For that matter, what if it is an virtual wall, with just drones loitering over the border? Are we going to divest with Boeing or McDonnell Douglas? I think they may not be too happy about that.
Yes, this is a protest bill, but put some effort into it. These half thought out legislative measures are what cost the state money and waste state employees time. How about this requirement: “shall include the following, as
appropriate”. “Shall” is mandatory, “as appropriate” is discretionary…in the same sentence, referring to the same items. He even manages to include some pork in the bill: “retaining an independent research firm to identify companies that contract to build a border wall”.
Oh, and isn’t Mexico paying for the wall?
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:30 am:
I think this needed Rich’s regular disclaimer: “It’s just a bill”
- Illinois Bob - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:33 am:
IT’s great to take a moral stance on something, as long as you don’t hurt your constituency by proposing it.
Is Mr Guzzardi willing to make up the difference personally and through his party between the alternate investment returns? Posturing is cheap when you’re not willing to pay for the consequences….
- Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:48 am:
===I think this needed Rich’s regular disclaimer===
LOL
Good point.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:56 am:
The cheapest investment the funds make is in index funds. Yeah, the ones Warren Buffett recommends. The big boys like TRS pay less than .01% for billion-dollar allocations.
When someone has a genius divestment idea and it becomes law, stocks likely must be divested. We’ll just hypothetically use Caterpillar. Now, we aren’t buying S & P 500 index funds, but S & P ex-Caterpillar. The cost of the latter will be more than .01%, as the money manager has to construct the ex-Cat fund, and the dumping of shares will no doubt cause more losses to index and active fund managers.
Now why were we doing this again?
- CrazyHorse - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Great legislation./s
Just like taking down the Trump street sign. Does anyone care about the taxpayers here or is it all just a sitcom?
- Judgment Day - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:20 am:
“If Guzzardi is still “reeling” from a decision made 2 weeks ago, it speaks more to his preparedness and his ability to adapt.”
————
Don’t be too hard on him. He’s probably been in his “Safe Space” for the last 2 weeks.
I wonder if it ever occurred to the good representative that all he might end up doing with this type of ‘legislation’ is encouraging federal agencies which have existing programs already in place with the City of Chicago to start looking into those programs are running.
It’s probably been a while since anyone has checked.
After all, the feds would certainly want to make sure there is no discrimination occurring in how the City is administering those programs?
Rep. Guzzardi seems to have forgotten a basic lesson of politics that “Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate”. There’s no reason for him to go out and unnecessarily antagonize people.
Particularly on pension funding. Potentially more starting material for a political campaign ad in 2018.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:22 am:
===He’s probably been in his “Safe Space” for the last 2 weeks===
After all the loud howling on the right because of the “Hamilton” incident, it looks to me like both sides have a problem with demanding safe spaces.
- Michael Westen - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:33 am:
This is exactly part of the problem with why the pension funds are in the shape they are in. Too many people playing politics instead of just doing what is best for getting the most money in those funds.
- BK Bro - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:35 am:
Investing with emotion and political preference is investing to lose.
- Judgment Day - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:40 am:
“After all the loud howling on the right because of the “Hamilton” incident, it looks to me like both sides have a problem with demanding safe spaces.”
—————
Certainly so. And IMO, both sides are looking really silly.
Free bread and circuses……
- Keyser Soze - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
The sanctuary city debate may solve itself through the courts. Make the case that a protected illegal in a sanctuary city causes harm to an individual. The illegal would be subject to arrest and possible incarceration throught the criminal justice system. However, the individual that has been harmed might also pursue a civil suit aimed at the party or parties that by-passed federal law in order to give sanctuary to the perpetrator. It is probably only a matter of time before municipalities,and maybe even mayors as individuals, find themselves facing expensive civil law suits. That could result in the demise of sanctuary cities.
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
The “Hamilton controversy” was the media getting played (again) to distract from the fact that the president-elect just agreed to pay $25 million to settle fraud charges.
That hasn’t happened before.
–This is dopey.–
I think that adjective should be reserved for anyone who actually believed that Trump was serious about building a wall along the Mexican border. Again, you got played.
Guzzardi might as well get some mileage out of it.
- Joe Schmoe - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:40 pm:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…Oh Will you amuse me.
- A guy - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
==Again, you got played.==
He won. Who got played?
- Illinois Refugee - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
The bill is a good start but it certainly doesn’t go far enough. It’s needs to prevent pension funds from holding treasury bills and any other form of federal debt. After all, the money could end up being used to build a wall, or god forbid, pay Trump’s presidential salary.
Get a life Guzzardi!
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:09 pm:
–He won. Who got played?–
Really? Here’s what I wrote:
–I think that adjective should be reserved for anyone who actually believed that Trump was serious about building a wall along the Mexican border. Again, you got played.–
Does that really need to be simplified? OK.
Those that believed Trump when he said he would build a wall and voted for him on that basis. They got played.
- Me too - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:21 pm:
There’s not going to be any wall. He’s a moron and so is anyone who thinks we’re building a 50 billion dollar 2000 mile long solid wall along our Southern border. I mean, campaign promises aren’t policy boys and girls.
You will lose your Medicare though, and SS benie increases year over year will go down to some fraction of chained CPI rather than raise the cap. You’ll save maybe a hundred bucks on your tax return, meanwhile others, like say Rauner, will save millions.
But anyway, there won’t be a wall. Ever. That means both Will and the conservative reaction to this bill are equally inconsequential. He may as well pass a bill that says we’re banning the investment of Illinois pension dollars in any mission to the surface of the sun.
- A guy - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:27 pm:
So…Sling, if border security improves by whatever measure, and illegal immigrants with criminal records get deported; I will have gotten played.
To which I’d say “Play it again Sam”. There will be added barriers. All the way across? I doubt it. But more areas with greater deterrence? I think we’ll see that.
You’re setting a new standard for accountability with candidates. Just remember to apply that across the board too.
- Amalia - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:03 pm:
when considering border issues, know that, for example, the height of illegal crossing at the San Diego sector was in 1986(as in during the Reagan administration), by several hundred thousand over what the number is today. The numbers crossing illegally have dramatically dropped across the souther line. Plus Obama has ramped up deportations. This is not nearly the issue that Trump played it to be. Not nearly. but it sure was good for playing to his base. A base base.
- Slippin' Jimmy - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:39 pm:
I would hope as a future GA pension recipient, Rep Guzzardi would concern himself more with maximizing return in the pension funds than politically posturing about the funds investments. Regardless, I guess he needn’t be reminded the ISC has stated, ” the earned pensions must be paid.”
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:59 pm:
–So…Sling, if border security improves by whatever measure, and illegal immigrants with criminal records get deported; I will have gotten played. –
LOL, what “if”? Is that supposed to be a dazzling pivot?
I was talking about the big beautiful wall that Mexico is going to pay for, like Trump promised his supporters for a year. I don’t recall him being ambiguous on that.
- walker - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:00 pm:
Two Trump surrogates this week announced that the “Wall” was actually a “metaphor for a better border security system.” That could include drones, new roads for patrolling, cameras on towers, etc., and not necessarily a complete physical barrier.
I am with Word — Guzzardi is just playing politics with an illusion.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:47 pm:
I wonder how Costello II would vote on this one?
- AlfondoGonz - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 4:46 pm:
“Two Trump surrogates this week announced that the “Wall” was actually a “metaphor for a better border security system.””
I suppose that makes “Trump supporters” a metaphor for a “mark.”
- Doesn't speak for me - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 5:38 pm:
Illinois is not a blue state. Maybe Cook Co and that neck of the woods, but the rest of the state is RED and I support the wall. Don’t speak for me and don’t mess with my pension investment. I’ll support anything that increases the pension investment!
- blue dog dem - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 6:05 pm:
….all in all its just another brick in the ‘metaphor for a better border security system’ just doesn’t sound right.
- AlfondoGonz - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 6:18 pm:
“I’m gonna build a big beautiful metaphor and I can build it too because I build things.”
“That metaphor just got 10 feet higher.”
“Build that metaphor! Build that metaphor!”
Right.
- Suburban Hillbilly - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 7:19 pm:
Yes this is ‘Just a Bill”. The Good Representative has no chance of passing this in Veto Session (71 votes). Those Democrats that represent Southern and Central Illinois certainly will not vote for it. And as it seems Dunkin is still an Administration tanker. But does the Speaker call it anyway? This bill could be an indicator of whether 1. There will be a grand bargain in January or 2. The next two years bill be like the last two years.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 8:58 pm:
Hopefully the wall prevents Oreos from illegally entering the country.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 9:01 pm:
By the way old Blue wasn’t so nuts when he proposed a 1 cent per Oreo cookie tax to be implemented was he. Seems the lucky folks in the Windy City don’t mind sin taxes!
- Responsa - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:07 pm:
I don’t know a lot about him but I had heard some good things about Guzzardi–things like up and comer–young turk—smart modern politician among old boy fossils. Sure, this nutty proposal got his name in the news but other than that…..
- Truther - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 10:53 pm:
Silly publicity stunt, there is no wall to speak of and if Guzzardi really wanted to help counter Trump’s immigration policies he’d propose IL divest from private prisons and those that profit off of immigrant detention.