Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar


Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives


Previous Post: How could Durbin lose a clout fight for U of I grant?
Next Post: Rauner’s pension defense

A bit too much tinfoil, perhaps

Posted in:

* As we’ve already discussed, the Tribune sharply criticized Republicans who voted against the pension reform bill. Rep. Jeanne Ives responds

The Tribune may bend to the will of Mike Madigan and provide political cover to the same people who brought us the most unfunded pension systems in the country but I will not. Our party’s stance in the ILGA is to uphold fiscal responsibility and strong policy at every decision-point. Let’s not retreat from this mission.

…said the same state legislator who voted for Madigan’s very similar bill back in May.

Also, say what you want about the Chicago Tribune editorial page (and we all have), but its being in Mike Madigan’s back pocket is definitely not part of reality. I think we can all agree on that - at least, those of us who regularly inhabit this planet and not some alternate universe.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:34 pm

Comments

  1. “The Tribune may bend to the will of Mike Madigan …”

    ROFL…. all I can say is this is Illinois!

    Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:43 pm

  2. Rep. Jeanne Ives…

    ===Our party’s stance in the ILGA is to uphold fiscal responsibility and strong policy at every decision-point. Let’s not retreat from this mission.===

    I guess deciding to “flip-flop” on that May vote makes this a “Mission: Impossible” to believe coming from Rep. Ives?

    I guess maybe Rep. Ives was too busy looking for Purity in neghboring districts to realize her vote in May and her vote this last time might be “called” by some.

    This “401K” Idea that Rep. Ives has, while not quite “tin foil hat” worthy, never really addresses the premise that changing over may be unconstitutional, and not really a viable option, given the landscape of the current General Assembly in both chambers, and the legality of that fight in facing the Supremes with that “401K” being the solution with that verbage hanging out there in the state Constitution being a guarantee that can’t be negotiated away.

    When this all goes to the Courts, then I will know loads more, but I do know Rep. Ives might lack the fundamental idea of knowing what may be seen as a “fli-flop”.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:44 pm

  3. As I recall, she quoted the Tribune about 3,000 times in her floor speech…I guess she was for them before she was against them….or something like that.

    Comment by Raising Kane Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:45 pm

  4. I just want somone to note it is of questionable ethical, if not legal, action for the legislature to bribe the judges to rule in theri favor by not recucing the judicial pension. The judicial pension is one of the worst funded in terms of little contribution and overly generous payout.

    I thought this was a fiscal crisis mandating a police powers override of the consitution…. apparently it must not be that much of a cirsis if the judicial pension does not need repaired….

    Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:48 pm

  5. Jeanne Ives, intellectual leader of the Republican Party. Let that bad boy marinate in your mind a moment, then call a therapist.

    Comment by SonofSuperAbe2014 Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:48 pm

  6. Rep. Ives might want to sit down and have a glass of water. You can get hurt from dizzy spells like that.

    Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:51 pm

  7. ===for the legislature to bribe the judges===

    Most would call that “prudence.”

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 1:53 pm

  8. I believe Blago was just in court arguing about about his, um prudence…

    Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 2:39 pm

  9. ===I believe Blago was just in court arguing about about his, um prudence…===

    Oh, please. You can’t tell the difference? Really?

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 2:42 pm

  10. Methinks Jeanne will really get ticked at the Trib in March…when they endorse her opponent in the primary.

    Comment by Thomas Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:11 pm

  11. Yes and no

    blago stood to make a lot less on his deal then the jeduges will make by keeping pensions on full salaries that range from 160k to over 200k… they get 80% of those salaries not a mere 50 avergaed over the last 10 years of pay…. and they get full annual colas on top of those amounts.

    The judges get a better payoff money wise then blago was seeking….

    if its constitutional to use police powers, and its not a pay off, then why not include the overly lucrative judicial pension in the crisis that warrants a constituional override legislation?

    if it walks like a duck….

    Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:13 pm

  12. === why not include the overly lucrative judicial pension===

    Because, partly, they have extra constitutional protections. Also, because the legislature wanted the bill approved.

    You really need to look up the legal definition of bribery.

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:18 pm

  13. When I go tin foil, i go all the way!

    Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:18 pm

  14. That IR link isn’t working anymore - they remove her post?

    Comment by Raymond Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:23 pm

  15. It appears to have been pulled, Raymond.

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:27 pm

  16. Bribery, definition: Bribery is an act of giving money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient.

    pretty much spot on….

    Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:29 pm

  17. ===It appears to have been pulled,…===

    No!

    I need to know more about Rep. Ives and what would make me acceptable as a Republican. I need to know about how the May vote and the passage “no” are so different, and how, maybe, other districts would benefit with someone Rep. Ives may support.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:30 pm

  18. === It appears to have been pulled ===

    She wasn’t enjoying all the attention?

    Comment by Raymond Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:38 pm

  19. I sad to see that it is no longer working. Her writing skills are so sterling.

    Comment by Son of SuperAbe2014 Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 3:40 pm

  20. The mere mention of tin foil causes folks to get rapt, er, wrapped to tight. Shine on.

    Comment by A guy... Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 4:04 pm

  21. I suspect Jeanne Ives needs to spend some time talking and listening to people outside of her small political circle. She is woefully narrow in her thinking, and shallow in her information.

    Comment by walkinfool Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 4:12 pm

  22. Rep. Ives for the tin horseshoe.

    Sen. Duffy gets one too, for repeating 7 right- wing talking points against the pension bill, at least five of which hold no water.

    Comment by walkinfool Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 4:19 pm

  23. -the tin horseshoe-

    Oh golly, the nominations would be fun for those, if most didn’t get deleted.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 4:46 pm

  24. Ghost -As Rich suggested, why don’t don’t you check the real stautes regarding bribery: 720 ILCS 5/33-1 and 720 ILCS 5/32-4e, before you spout off about judges being bribed.Many commentors here might, as Rich pointed out, see it more as prudence in not violating the judges’ contract and constitutional rights like they did to the rest of state employees. Pardon me for spouting off.

    Comment by West Side the Best Side Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 4:55 pm

  25. I know the judges pension system is as underfunded as most. Does anyone know when it is scheduled to run out of cash? That would be justice. Although, I guess they will just order the state to keep paying them when the well runs dry.

    Comment by Thomas Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 5:42 pm

  26. ===Does anyone know when it is scheduled to run out of cash?===

    Don’t think there is a schedule for that. TRS had to strain against all credulity to come up with some silly “run out of money” scenarios.

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 5:44 pm

  27. I’d think another issue w/ the judges is that they’d have an inherent conflict of interest in listening to the cases. So part of carving them out is to avoid a situation where all judges would have to recuse themselves.

    Comment by John Galt Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 5:47 pm

  28. EVERY time I have called my state rep., Jeanne gives new meaning to the phrase,”they have a right to say anything they want, but to be taken seriously is another matter.” Every time.

    Comment by DuPage Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 6:25 pm

  29. Agree with Ghost; one man’s prudence is another man’s bribe.

    Comment by Soccertease Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 8:20 pm

  30. Rauner is building (or buying) quite a trunkful of puppets. If you want to spot a Rauner puppet, just look for those Republicans who voted for SB 1 in May, touting its benefits to the State, yet voted against SB 1 several weeks ago, stating among other things that it will cause a tax increase.

    They made a political vote, because they’re trying to prop up Rauner. Except Dillard who had a different agenda.

    Ives is a Rauner puppet. McSweeney, too. And Cross.

    Comment by Getting Their Dues Monday, Dec 16, 13 @ 9:38 pm

  31. Rep. Ives gives West Point, Wheaton, the Republican Party and tin foil a bad name.

    According to Ives, Scott Walker fixed Wisconsin’s pension system? Bullpucky.

    “While Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has painted a dire picture of his state’s pension obligations, Wisconsin’s pension fund for public employees is among the nation’s strongest, according to a report by the nonpartisan Pew Center for the States…According to the Pew study, Wisconsin had about $77 billion in total pension liabilities in 2008. But according to that same Pew study, those liabilities were 99.67 percent “funded,” giving Wisconsin one of the four-highest of such ratios in the nation…So while Wisconsin does face a $137 million budget shortfall this year, the source of that fiscal trouble is not the state’s pension fund.”

    Geez. If only Pat Quinn had Walker’s troubles: a pension system that was 99.67% fully-funded?

    What kind of economics are the teaching at West Point and Wheaton College these days? Better yet, what kind of ethics?

    Shameless. Dishonest. Drivel.

    Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Dec 17, 13 @ 2:19 am

Add a comment

Sorry, comments are closed at this time.

Previous Post: How could Durbin lose a clout fight for U of I grant?
Next Post: Rauner’s pension defense


Last 10 posts:

more Posts (Archives)

WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.

powered by WordPress.