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* A bit too dramatic for my tastes, but they’re not wrong, except for the fact that the governor has yet to propose a truly balanced budget. From a Daily Herald editorial entitled “Enough! Time for leaders, lawmakers to quit the politics and produce a budget”…
For two years in a row, rather than produce a balanced budget that will require real, practical spending restraints and let his party members stand accountable for them, House Speaker Michael Madigan has delivered a budget calling for billions of dollars more in spending than revenues will support. This year the deficit is $7 billion.
And as heinous as such a brazen political act is, remember this: His members have let him do it. No suburban Democrats — nor downstate nor Chicago Democrats, for that matter — have stood at the speaker’s doorstep and demanded, “Mr. Speaker, this is an irresponsible act you are committing in our name. I protest.” Only five in the House — Scott Drury, of Highwood; Jack Franks, of Marengo; Stephanie Kifowit, of Aurora; Elaine Nekritz, of Northbrook; and Carol Sente, of Vernon Hills — and four in the Senate — Melinda Bush, of Grayslake; Julie Morrison, of Deerfield; Laura Murphy, of Des Plaines; and Mike Noland, of Elgin — showed enough backbone to refuse to sign on to the sham of the speaker’s unbalanced budget. […]
Our Republican governor campaigned on a promise of economic competency, relationship building and compromise “to focus like a laser” — as he repeatedly vowed — to repair Illinois’ fractured financial condition. Yet today we find ourselves in even worse shape than when he took office 18 months ago.
He has offered budget proposals as required by the constitution, but for far too long, he has tied his support for a spending plan to his controversial Turnaround Agenda, a collection of many important reforms, but none vital to the immediate financial operation and well-being of the state.
Where were the Republican voices — suburban or otherwise — demanding a more productive strategy? There have been plenty of complaints against the other party. There has been all too little soul searching within.
The “We are worse off now than 18 months ago” theme, pushed hard by Crain’s Chicago Business (“By nearly every measure, the state is worse off since Rauner took office”) and now with the Daily Herald, is something the governor is going to have to deal with. Because no way in heck can you call the Daily Herald editorial board a bunch of collectivists.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:18 pm
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You can’t call Crains “collectivists” either, yet this Governor that we’re supposed to take seriously as an adult and a leader did so.
Comment by Daniel Plainview Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:29 pm
–He has offered budget proposals as required by the constitution, but for far too long, he has tied his support for a spending plan to his controversial Turnaround Agenda, a collection of many important reforms, but none vital to the immediate financial operation and well-being of the state.–
The DH needs to read the Constitution a little more closely. The governor has not offered balanced budget proposals, as his GOMB will tell you.
Billions of red ink in both his budget proposals, as confirmed by GOMB to the rating agencies.
Of course, Big Brain Bruce and Katrina would tell you that only “pointdexters” care about that.
But the commies at Crain’s — and when you call someone a “collectivist,” you’re calling them a commie — disagree.
http://www.illinois.gov/gov/budget/capitalmarkets/Documents/Presentations/June%202016%20Summary%20of%20Ratings%20Presentation.pdf
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:30 pm
Heinous? Brazen? Guessin’ you have not watched other States or CommandoMakeITUp in the U.S.House and Senate. BigBrain’s Destroy Illinois campaign us gettin’ it done and now he has to ’splain Trump.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:31 pm
===He has offered budget proposals as required by the constitution===
Dear daily herald, far from being a collectivist rag, since you fail to mention the vital fact that Rauner’s budget proposals have been far from balanced, you still complicit in allowing Rauner to avoid immediate pressure to drop his Koch-Alec inspired TA, and prolong the disaster that he has visited on his preferred hostages; the poor, and public higher education.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:31 pm
Has anyone, of either party or either chamber, put forth a plan that funds government without a tax increase?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:32 pm
=== … but they’re not wrong, except for the fact that the governor has yet to propose a truly balanced budget. ===
Baby steps. They’re learning slowly but surely.
Now, besides figuring out Rauner hasn’t proposed a balanced budget, they need to learn that revenue is part of the solution.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:33 pm
Good to see another big newspaper asking for a budget.
But they should prob check their facts on HDEM no votes. Cassidy voted no too.
Comment by MadiganBot Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:35 pm
I have been surprised by the lack of a campaign publicising Rauners’ failure to submit a balanced budget.
Seems like an easy message.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:37 pm
==…including a likely tax increase supported by many Democrats.==
Nice “drive-by” on the part of the Daily Herald with no mention of Bruce’s current progress at cutting waste, fraud, and abuse.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:39 pm
=Nice “drive-by” on the part of the Daily Herald with no mention of Bruce’s current progress at cutting waste, fraud, and abuse.=
You mean moving Springfield state agency jobs to higher-salaried jobs in Chicago?
Comment by Qui Tam Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 5:59 pm
==Nice “drive-by” on the part of the Daily Herald with no mention of Bruce’s current progress at cutting waste, fraud, and abuse.==
Yes, by depriving over one million citizens in this state of needed social services, also the thousands who lost out on higher education opportunities.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 6:17 pm
When you weigh the important of this Daily Herald editorial, consider that The Daily Herald is hardly a ‘collectivist’ rag. It is much closer to being a Republican Party house organ, both on its editorial page, and in its political, legal and police reporting.
Comment by Independent Retired Lawyer Journalist Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 6:44 pm
Meanwhile, the STL Post-Dispatch, which isn’t exactly a right-wing publication, printed a guest editorial by someone from the Illinois Policy Institute this morning. No mention of Rauner’s role in the budget mess at all! http://bit.ly/297s8yY
Comment by Big Ern Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 7:47 pm
60 papers will publish same or similar efitorial tomorrow
http://m.sj-r.com/opinion/20160628/story-behind-our-front-page-editorial?rssfeed=true
Comment by lost in the weeds Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 8:28 pm
Rich, thank you for providing the link to this post.
“Enough! Time for leaders, lawmakers to quit the politics and produce a budget” This and Crain’s letter yesterday are the best editorials I’ve have had the pleasure to read. Keep up the good work!
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 10:30 pm
Rich, can you find and provide the links to all 60 news outlets that are printing a letter to the governor and the 4- leaders? Please post those links on Capitol Fax. Plus send all of the news outlets links to the governor and the 4 top leaders. Also send the 60 news links to every State Representative and State Senator. I honestly believe it will end the impasse. Rich, thanks for all you do.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 10:48 pm
If you read the Herald editorial in its entirety, you can tell it’s written from the Republican perspective. That’s significant. Not only in identifying the paper’s editorial leaning, but also for its reaffirming to Rauner that he’s losing GOP support.
Comment by IRLJ Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 10:51 pm
Higher education coalition urges full funding for both 2016, 2017
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160628/higher-education-coalition-urges-full-funding-for-both-2016-2017?rssfeed=true
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 11:02 pm
Crains Chicago Business: Dire scenarios for Illinois in second year without budget
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160628/NEWS02/160629830/dire-scenarios-for-illinois-in-second-year-without-budget?utm_source=NEWS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 28, 16 @ 11:03 pm
The media acting like the righteous protectors of the innocent is a little ridiculous. They could have been denouncing everyone a long time ago. You do it here on this blog Rich. They were selling papers plain and simple. For the last 18 months the papers have been partners in the crime feeding the beast. Now they will sell more papers by going against their partners in the ruse of the people of this State. Objective journalism left long ago.
Comment by DuPage Bard Wednesday, Jun 29, 16 @ 12:08 am