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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
The Illinois Senate had been scheduled to return to Springfield on Oct. 6 after not being in session since Sep. 9. But last week, the Senate President postponed session until Oct. 20.
The reason is pretty straightforward.
The Senate has overridden several gubernatorial vetoes. It’s pretty easy for the majority party because the chamber has 39 Democrats, three more than the three-fifths required to override a veto.
The House has 71 Democrats, the exact number of votes required to overturn a veto in that chamber. So, while the Senate Democrats can be missing a few people or have some folks who don’t want to go along, they can still override the governor on partisan votes. But the House Democrats need every member in town and they all need to be voting the same way for that chamber to succeed.
Because of that tight margin, and because the Republicans have marched in lock-step with their party’s governor, the House has only overridden one veto this entire year: the Heroin Crisis Act.
And the House was only able to override that bill because Gov. Bruce Rauner allowed House Republicans to vote against his amendatory veto, which stripped out state Medicaid funding for heroin addiction treatment. Rauner now gets to portray himself as fiscally conservative, while the Republicans got to do the right thing and make the much-needed criminal justice reform legislation an actual law.
To date, the governor and his staff have successfully fought off 62 override attempts, mainly in the House.
So much for Speaker Madigan’s much-vaunted veto-proof House majority.
And because of this House failure, there are currently no vetoes requiring Senate action during the constitutionally mandated 15 calendar-day period after successful House action. And since the legislative leaders aren’t meeting with the governor and no other visible progress is being made to end the months-long stalemate, there really wasn’t much sense in coming back to town.
Just to show you how divided the Statehouse is right now, the governor used his amendatory veto powers on 20 bills, but the Democrats adamantly refused to accept a single one of those changes he made.
The Democrats even ignored a plea from the Illinois chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws to accept the governor’s amendatory veto of House Bill 218, which vastly reduced penalties for pot possession.
The governor tweaked the marijuana legislation to increase some of the penalties, but Illinois NORML said those changes were acceptable, and called his veto “a very easy win” for proponents.
The bill only received 62 votes in the House when it passed in April, so there was no way to override the governor. But instead of just accepting his changes, the legislation was allowed to die. Months of hard work came to diddly squat.
The House Speaker is traditionally loathe to accept amendatory vetoes as a way of discouraging the governor (any governor) from using that broad power, which was long ago upheld by the courts. Rauner, for his part, is proving to be just as stubborn.
And the end result is nothing happens.
We have a whole lot of nothing going on these days. For instance, a minor fuss was made recently at the Statehouse when a city of Chicago honcho showed up to testify about Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s property tax proposal without having actual written legislation to talk about.
But, in reality, that thing ain’t going anywhere.
So far, the governor is opposed to the plan, which would exempt homeowners with houses appraised at $250,000 or less from Emanuel’s massive property tax hike. The main burden would fall on commercial property owners and Rauner has said their opposition is valid and that everyone’s property taxes should be capped at current levels—despite Chicago’s horrific fiscal problems.
As long as Rauner remains opposed, it’s highly unlikely that the House could pass such a bill. The House Democrats have not yet convinced the Republicans to break with their party’s governor on anything, and they’re surely not going to do so over a vote for Chicago, and it’s doubtful that all Downstate and suburban Democrats will go along without some relief for their own taxpayers.
The city is simply going to have to find another way to solve its problem unless and until the governor and the legislative leaders work things out. Which may be never at the rate they’re going.
The Democrats can’t go around Rauner, they can’t go through him, they can’t go over him. But Rauner can’t get anything done without them. They all need to start facing reality here.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 8:44 am
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On the bright side rauner did come to an agreement with the downstate Teamsters
Comment by Foster brooks Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 8:50 am
My first thought is money talks. Madigan has kept his sheep in the pen for years because they knew he would fund their opponent if they bucked him. Rauner’s money to Republicans has left democrats with the reality that now not only Madigan can fund an opponent.
We overthink the voters will hang this on Rauner and the republicans. Madigan and 12 years of democrat governors have so effectively cut funding to republican districts and ideas that no budget and no spending really does not hurt much more than Madigan’s budget has been for the past several years. Most of the pain is from democrat voters, who will never vote for a republican anyway. Most republicans really are not any worse off than they were a year ago.
In the end, Madigan got his power due to no leadership in the republican party. He has spend decades eliminating any potential leadership threats from his own party. Now there is a leadership void with no one willing to step up with a viable solution.
The article should be “A complete lack of leadership stalemate.”
Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 8:55 am
Foster leaps out of the gate! funny!
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 8:56 am
Great column!
Maybe Rauner or Madigan should try the George Costanza Opposite Day. Pretend to be in favor of something you’re against. The other guy then decides to be in favor of it. You get something done.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 8:57 am
In this dynamic, the AV functions like the “hold” process used by the minority party to stop action in the US Senate.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:09 am
Many of us remember High Noon? The clock is ticking and Gary Cooper is walking down the dusty street to meet his foe. In the movie there is no doubt as to the identity of the hero. Here in Illinois, however, the rest of us are held hostage by the fact that Rauner sees himself as Gary Cooper, but so does Madigan.
Comment by Remembering High Noon Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:20 am
===Madigan has kept his sheep in the pen for years because they knew he would fund their opponent if they bucked him.===
Example?
Don’t say;
“Well, Madigan has been so good, no one dare get that far.”
Ronan tried to literally overthrow MJM, not “buck” Madigan.
Ugh.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:20 am
When this is all over, everyone will ask, why couldn’t we have reached a compromise months sooner? Everyone is already equally unhappy anyway, which is usually the case with any sort of reasonable settlement, it’s just the resolution that’s missing.
Comment by AC Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:26 am
==why couldn’t we have reached a compromise months sooner?==
I suspect because Rauner’s polls say people are blaming Madigan, while Madigan thinks he can win more seats by assigning blame to Rauner and the legislators he controls.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:30 am
reminds me of the early years under Edgar
Comment by tweedle Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:42 am
The Democrats I suspect fully understand the can’t get their massive exemption passed. They will implment the property tax increase anyway and then tell the less weather they tried their best to protect them. Go talk to Rauner.
Comment by Rod Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:45 am
==why couldn’t we have reached a compromise months sooner?==
Um… to say it again… and again… and again…. You can’t reach a compromise when one party is unwilling to even negotiate a budget! There is no leadership stalemate. There is a leadership hostage crisis.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:46 am
You can’t force Governor Rauner to want to have his own agencies funded.
You can’t.
State agencies mean very little to Bruce Rauner, as he appoints people to run these agencies without the tools to fulfill their tasks.
The Executive has control of state agencies, so if Rauner decides that he is unwilling to fund his own branch, thinks do little of those he appointed that it’s “worth” those appointees not having a budget, and Rauner himself is so willing to let others dictate the monetary values of Rauner’s Executive branch, what’s not hard to believe that Rauner is willing to last as long as it takes to destroy unions.
You have to care about your job and the responsibilites, Rauner doesn’t.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:49 am
So Madigan is fine with continuing to lock human beings in cages for cannabis at great cost, instead of just giving them a ticket, simply out of spite for the Governor using an amendatory veto? It is well past time for his retirement, Democrats.
Comment by Jeff Trigg Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 9:57 am
==You can’t reach a compromise when one party is unwilling to even negotiate a budget!==
Sure, that’s the first step, and the source of the problem, but once Rauner gets around to negotiating the budget, everyone will wonder why he couldn’t have done that sooner, and ultimately why we couldn’t reach a compromise sooner.
==You can’t force Governor Rauner to want to have his own agencies funded.==
This is the key to understanding the impasse. All the folks in and around government assume that Rauner wants to be a good manager, that he cares about the goals and objectives of all the agencies, despite all the evidence pointing the opposite direction.
Comment by AC Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 10:02 am
Is it possible that the Gov feels that the one critical issue in turning Illinois around is to bring down the Speaker? That the unions are the battlefield, but the diminishment of the Speaker is the foremost objective?
Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 10:20 am
Does anyone actually believe returning to 5 percent going forward given the explosion in pension contributions will suffice. The impasse in my opinion has less to do with politics then simple arithmetic. Absent meaningful reform in areas other then the S Ct walled off pensions, Rauner and Madigan need additional revenue sources. Given the ramp up in pensions and thanks to Obamas ACA - Medicaid beginning in two years, the State does not have sufficient revenues
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 10:36 am
Reality? Wasn’t that vetoed in spring session?
Comment by Harvest76 Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 10:46 am
Reality? Wasn’t that vetoed in spring session?
Comment by Harvest76 Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 10:46 am
…the diminishment of the Speaker is the foremost objective/
The foremost objective is being a great governor. Once that has been established, then it would be easy to diminish a speaker of the house. A governor diminishing a speaker? How could that be done, except by the voters in the speaker’s district or a souring relationship within the speaker’s relationships.
There isn’t any need to even diminish. It should be a race towards who is better at doing their job. Any governor who believes that a speaker prevents them from being a good governor, isn’t fully understanding the role of a governor.
A governor is like a symphony conductor. He doesn’t refuse to direct the orchestra because he is angry over how much pay the violinists makes. He doesn’t refuse to conduct because he has a problem with the stage manager. He doesn’t stop the show because of lighting.
He conducts. Governors govern. A governor who allows others to prevent him/her from governing, is being ridiculous.
The budget impasse is a problem caused by one single man who seems to be like the orchestra conductor who hates the music, fights with the musicians and insults the audience.
He gone!
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 11:02 am
Sue: The SC did not “wall off” pensions, they correctly interpreted the law. Tier II correctly created a new system to lower future pension costs, but it doesn’t solve the former dilemma of underfunding the contractual promise to employees. If anyone who worked for 20, 25, 30 years was told after the fact that it was all a lie, what would you do? Go quietly into the night??? I think not…you’d scream like hell and lawyer up.
Comment by Captain Illini Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 11:07 am
Captain- I was not making a judgement- all I am saying is now that any pension reform is off the table and with Medicaid soon to be costing Illinois something like 800 million above 2016 levels( The ACA notwithstanding the presidents claims of reducing costs) Illinois will need a tax rate north of 5! The Dems won’t admit that nor will they allow Rauner any room to come up with savings anywhere else
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 11:19 am
The budget impasse is a problem caused by one single man who seems to be like the orchestra conductor who hates the music, fights with the musicians and insults the audience.
This is laugh out loud funny, possible the most tone deaf comment I have ever read on this blog. Take a look at the polling Vanilla Man the audience is not insulted they are clapping and giving a standing ovation for changing the tune that has been playing the past twelve years. The Orchestra hall is falling part but the Democrats only want to increase ticket prices, not change anything
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 11:35 am
= Maybe Rauner or Madigan should try the George Costanza Opposite Day. Pretend to be in favor of something you’re against. The other guy then decides to be in favor of it. You get something done. =
Or maybe this…
Bugs: “Duck season!”
Daffy: “Rabbit season!”
Bugs: “Rabbit season!”
Daffy: “Duck season, fire!”
(Elmer fires, blows Daffy’s bill off.)
Daffy, grumbling: “You’re despicable.”
Comment by cover Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 11:49 am
Perhaps they should get together on issues on which fhey appear to be close on, like FY16 revenue and spending.
I’m pretty sure that’s how divided power, representative democracy is supposed to work.
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 12:20 pm
-vanilla man-
OK - then I’d like to see that meaningless and weak Speaker step aside. It shouldn’t make any difference at all. Thanks for clearing that up. /s
Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 12:47 pm
“Illinois will need a tax rate north of 5! The Dems won’t admit that nor will they allow Rauner any room to come up with savings anywhere else.”
Sue,
But that’s a lie! The whole lesson of last Spring and last summer is that there ARN’T meaningful savings anywhere else! Knock yourself out: propose a balanced budget without new revenue above 5%. If Rauner could do that, we can only presume he would have. He didn’t because he couldn’t, and neither can you. The bluff has been called: Just pay your debts and leave the table.
Comment by History Prof Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 1:05 pm
I kinda think Sue is right on the tax rate above 5%. And this is only temporary once the SSA adjusts life expectancies, it’s gotta go up again. Starting to se a pattern here….
Comment by Blue dog dem Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 1:59 pm
With due respect to High Noon and orchestra conductor, I think Gov. Rauner is a Bond villain: a billionaire megalomaniac willing to hurt millions of innocent people to get his payoff.
Comment by cailleach Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 4:23 pm
We no longer have a representative democracy.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Oct 6, 15 @ 5:20 pm
Vanilla says “Bye Felicia”!
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Oct 7, 15 @ 8:49 am