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* The back and forth between Gov. Blagojevich and Speaker Madigan ratcheted up a notch yesterday. This exchange happened after the House killed off the governor’s plan to lease the state Lottery…
“Our challenge is to try to convince House Democrats, Mr. Madigan, to stop being a Republican, to stop forming partnerships with conservative right-wing Republicans to pass budgets that take health care away from children, that take services away from senior citizens, that cut education,'’ Blagojevich said. “We need to get Mr. Madigan to be a Democrat again and stop being a George Bush Republican,'’ Blagojevich said.
“It demonstrates his immaturity,'’ said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. “He rolls out a string of insults and offers no solutions about the budget impasse.”
Asked whether the comments are part of a strategy on the governor’s part to isolate Madigan, Brown said, “I don’t know. I’m not a psychiatrist.”
* But some Senate Democrats weren’t buying into the spin…
“They implied [at the Senate Democratic caucus meeting] that if you weren’t for what the governor is for that you’re not a good Democrat. That’s scary. It’s just not right,” [Sen. Mike Jacobs] said. “It reminds me a little bit of the old days when people would say they’re not a good Nazi.”
* And reporters finally cornered Blagojevich on his failure to convince either chamber to support his proposals. As I’ve been trying to point out for days, the problem isn’t just Madigan, it’s also the governor’s lack of support among Senate Democrats…
While blaming Madigan for the budget impasse, Blagojevich admitted his proposals don’t have full support from Senate Democrats. His Senate allies have not tried to pass his budget or the pension plan rejected by the House.
That paragraph was buried at the very bottom, but at least it made the story.
* Here’s a bit of info on the Lottery vote…
The governor’s plan, which would use the proceeds of the sale to prop up the state’s pension funds, was defeated on a 78-6 vote.
Opponents said it is a bad idea to sell off a state asset that brings in a large chunk of cash every year.
“You don’t mortgage your future to pay your grocery bill,” said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago.
Blagojevich said the defeat of his plan was “predictable” in light of a similar, earlier vote in which the House overwhelmingly voted down the governor’s plan to raise taxes on businesses.
“Mr. Madigan has consistently taken solutions off the table and has not offered any alternative solutions,” said Blagojevich. “It’s part of the three-ring circus that he’s conducting there in the House as opposed to sitting down with us and negotiating in good faith.“
Um, exactly when has the governor hosted any meaningful negotiations on the budget?
* And I’m not sure I agree with this analysis…
Blagojevich has proven adept at portraying modest success as major progress.
On the day the House crushed his business-tax concept on a 107-0 vote, he managed to characterize the outcome as a positive development toward getting a budget.
“Today, I think, was basically an up,” he said then, adding, “I feel good about it.”
I don’t think that comment was “adept.” “Inept,” perhaps, “ridiculous” maybe, or even “deeply delusional,” but not adept.
posted by Rich Miller
Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 9:14 am
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It sounds to me as if the legislature will continue to consider the pension bond sale to reduce pension debt and that is probably a good thing despite the feeling it has of taking out another loan on the house. It’s a whole lot better than raising taxes, from the middle class perspective anyway.
Will we find out how much the bond sale will reduce this year’s pension payment (2.57 billion per a CTrib article), next year’s (3.28 billion)
or the following year’s (4.04). These pension obligations just keep on growing.
Should our income taxes be increased to pay these increasingly large bills. I say no but at least taxpayers (most of whom do not have defined benefit pensions) should understand what they are paying for. Even if our taxes are allegedly being raised to help the schools and “senior citizens” (not clear why senior citizens need state aid–they are among the wealthier income age groups in the country), let’s be clear. It’s smoke and mirrors. We’re paying for these rather large pensions. And we’ll be paying more. Especially if the legislature doesn’t act to reduce pension benefits. And we haven’t even heard, pursuant to that new GASB ruling, what retiree health care is really costing us. That’ll be the next budget shock.
Meanwhile, even if the lottery sale is off the table maybe one of the guv’s many many highly paid minions could find out why the lottery can’t earn more.Clearly the potential purchasers thought they could make more out of it. Why not us? We could use the money.
Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 10:01 am
I hate Illinois Nazis
Comment by Joliet Jake Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 10:16 am
So, are any of you reporters going to call Rep. Curry on her blatant lie that the lottery proceeds would be used for operating costs?
That was her reason she told her members to vote against it. So someone should ask her if she actually read the bill.
Shadyness…
Comment by hmmmm Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 10:20 am
“Should our income taxes be increased to pay these increasingly large bills.”
Unless you make an annual payment of over $5 billion dollars (up from $1.8 billion now), you aren’t paying anything but interest.
Do you want to tell people that you want to raise their taxes by over $3 billion a year just to pay interest?
You end up raising taxes, and the debt grows even more. Pointless.
Comment by maybe? Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 10:24 am
“So, are any of you reporters going to call Rep. Curry on her blatant lie that the lottery proceeds would be used for operating costs?”
Maybe not directly, but the Governor certainly used money either destined for or directly from the pensions to cover operating costs year after year. Selling a capital asset to put money back into the system that was removed to cover operating costs IS covering operating costs by proxy.
My definition of shadiness is sweeping money out of countless dedicated funds for the purpose of covering operational costs so that you can spend budgetary increases on dubious social programs. We all know whose method of operation that describes.
Comment by Name/Nickname/Anon Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 10:29 am
“I hate Illinois Nazis”
I still find it hard to believe that there was actually once a functioning Nazi Party here in Illinois. I’m glad that they never achieved established party status.
Comment by Squideshi Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 11:07 am
It was stupid for Rod to say it but Madigan has acted like a Republican for a long time. Wasn’t that the topic of one of your columns a while back, Rich? I’m thinking of the one you wrote about how Madigan has never accomplished anything on some progressive issues like school funding reform and health care.
Comment by Sango Dem Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 11:41 am
I don’t think I called Madigan a Republican in that column. Perhaps you could refresh my memory.
And, remember, it’s not only Madigan but Emil Jones who has also failed to accomplish those goals you listed. Does that make Jones a Republican, too?
Comment by Rich Miller Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 11:45 am
Rep. Curry isnt lying. She is correct. Interest on debt is an operating cost. The sale of the lottery would supposedly (assuming they could have gottn anything like $10 b for it) have made significant decrease in interest (or operating) costs.
Anyway, you don’t sell the cow so you can get money to pay the rent, plus, now you have to go out and buy the milk.
Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 12:06 pm
Cassandra - that didn’t make any sense.
All the business groups said they thought it was ok to sell or lease an asset if it went 100% to debt.
They argued against it being put toward operating costs (i.e., using the revenue so we don’t have to make any pension payments the next few years).
Comment by maybe? Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 12:11 pm
Maybe
By reducing the debt (and attendant annual interest payments) aren’t we freeing up operating funds. So really, the effect is a reduction in pension debt-related operating costs, presumably so you can use the money for other things, or at least avoid raising taxes. I think that’s what she meant from what I’ve read.
Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 1:11 pm
Back to the argument this comment section spurred: Blogo said ; “Mr. Madigan has consistently taken solutions off the table and has not offered any alternative solutions,” said Blagojevich. “It’s part of the three-ring circus that he’s conducting there in the House as opposed to sitting down with us and negotiating in good faith.“
What a joke, no one is saying health care isn’t a priority Blogo, they are saying the Govt can not afford to shell out 6 7 or 8 billion for your health care program while it can not pay bills and has already looming medicaide and pension boondoggles over its head. This is not Democrat or republican, its called FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. Quoting JBT, “we would like to put a man on the moon if we could, but that is not responsible budgeting”. I think this guy is a 10 year old in a suit.
Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 1:12 pm
Didn’t Rod say that he considered himself a “Reagan” democrat after Reagan died?
Comment by Little Egypt Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 1:28 pm
Rich, true you didn’t directly call him a Republican. I meant to point out that your column included several examples of Madigan putting his q
Comment by Sango Dem Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 1:52 pm
Rich, true you didn’t directly call him a Republican in your column. I meant to point out that your column included several examples of Madigan putting his quest for power ahead of acting like a progressive Democrat.
I think its completely fair to say that Emil Jones is acting like a Republican in his handling of the ComEd/Ameren rate hikes. He’s selling out the people of Illinois for corporate campaign contributions.
Of course, being from Springfield I’m not crazy about Blago either. Basically, I think we need to sweep out all of the state’s pathetic Democratic leadership and replace them with progressive reformers and downstaters.
Comment by Sango Dem Saturday, Jul 7, 07 @ 1:54 pm