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* As you probably know, the governor has yet to take any action on the legislation extending the Cook County property tax assessment cap. Phil Kadner writes about the issue today, noting that property tax bills can’t be sent out until the situation is resolved, which means that schools and local governments aren’t gonna get paid. Kadner does a good juob of summing up the Statehouse meltdown…
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and Houlihan had scheduled a news conference Monday to call attention to the property tax crisis, but they called it off at the last minute.
According to my sources, the governor’s office assured them Blagojevich would take “some action” on the tax cap bill on Wednesday.
“But we don’t know if that means he plans to veto the bill, use his amendatory veto power or sign it as it is,” another source said.
Many people in government refused even to speak on the record about the crisis for fear of getting caught up in the Blagojevich-Madigan feud.
“These guys will kill you if you if they think you’re coming out for one or criticizing the other,” I was told. “They won’t let any legislation pass that you need. Everything’s a vendetta down in Springfield these days. They don’t care about anything else.”
Yep. Everybody seems to wake up each morning wondering how they’re gonna shaft everyone else. The governor doesn’t want to sign any legislation backed by Speaker Madigan, such as the assessment cap, Jones is going along for the ride, and Madigan is doing his utmost to fight back.
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 9:10 am
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I’m thinking a charity boxing match is in order. Mr. ‘Golden Glove’ can prove if he’s still got any punch left?
Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 9:15 am
after we finish the list of how many times we have all read “the Senate will vote on ……” n lets total up the number victims of the generally failed Blaggo Crusade To Destroy the Madigan Brand. Counting Cook County homeowners I bet we are approaching 100 million F*%(*(*ees
Comment by GettingJonesed Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 9:49 am
“Madigan is doing his best to fight back?” Oh, please. In my humble opinion, that hardley represents what he is actually doing down there. How about violating the constitution by not reading the governor’s vetoes into the record when he reconvened the house? How about his partnership with the republicans for the past four years to tube democratic policy initiatives? How about his intention to kill a capital bill?
Saying that he is fighting back ignores every aggressive move this man has made to prolong this battle. He is FAR from innocent.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 10:17 am
Enough is enough!
Governors are very powerful individuals. They can lead legislators and build teams to address issues. They can do a lot and have a lot of say. That is why so many politicians want to be a governor. They want to use the Office’s power.
But Blagojevich refuses to learn his job. Instead of using his Office to effectively lead and build teams, he has only recognized it’s ability to wreck legislative plans. He couldn’t lead his own party into a direction he chose, so he bludgeons and threatens, which is only effective for so long. Instead of learning the powerful reigns of governorship, he seems content to play politics, which lessens the Office and weakens his hand.
Blagojevich’s failures are his own doing. He could have succeeded in his goals if he knew how to use the Governor’s office. He has only himself to blame for the situations he finds himself in.
Instead of being governor, he wants to defeat Madigan politically in the legislative arena. Blagojevich shouldn’t have set foot into that arena to do battle by Madigan’s rules. Instead Blagojevich needed to have risen above the GA by a skillful use of his gubernatorial powers. By not learning his job, Blagojevich chased Madigan without considering where he ended up. As a result, Blagojevich ended up in an indefensible political position taking shots from the entire General Assembly. By blundering into their territory and offending the legislative branch, Blagojevich stopped being governor, and instead became just another Illinois politician. There was no way Blagojevich could have succeeded in that arena and this summer proved it tenfold.
As Illinois faulters, it finds itself not with a governor, but with a politician playing political games and losing.
Blagojevich needs to become a governor. He needs to rise about the GA, and be the bigger gentleman in this feud of his own making. We have only one governor, and he has the job with all it’s perks. It is time for him to stop bickering and start governing. It is time for him to sign the legislation sent to him, meet with his own party leaders and stop the bleeding.
He is so far in the hole politically, it will take a successful budget cycle without partisan fireworks to being healing his self-inflicted wounds.
He needed to have begun May 31st. The clock is ticking. He needs to start, doesn’t he?
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 10:24 am
“As someone else told me, “Politically, this state’s a mess.”"
That seems to be an understatement
Comment by unbiased Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 10:25 am
Anon, point well taken.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 10:26 am
Hey Tom Cross, Frank Watson, Andy McKenna, etc: here is a chance for you to rip the Democrats. Where are you?
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 10:46 am
so sad. will IL ever have decent leadership again? somehow we picked two great US Senators, but haven’t had a progressive, thoughtful governor in decades?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 10:53 am
RRW,
The GOP has done enough “ripping” on the Democrats. They need to put together a cohesive message that promotes conservative ideals, a slate of candidates that have a chance of winning, and a solid base of supporters and contributors. Then they can pound away with that. It’s useless for the GOP leadership to berate the Democrats until they have something of substance to replace the donkeys.
Comment by Fan of the Game Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 11:02 am
A friend of mine made a good analogy about the state of Illinois.
This is like the fall of the old Soviet Union. Nothing is getting done, nobody cares, all our equipment is rusting in the field, no money to buy anything. All we get is propaganda. It’s the end of a powerful state.
Comment by Lula May Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 11:18 am
When the governor and other Illinois elected officials took office, they took an oath. Based upon their behavior in office, here is the oath they were really swearing to.
“I do solomnly pledge to uphold the constitution of the United States, and the Constitution and laws of the State of Illinois, only if it suits my personal or political needs at the time. I promise to put the needs of the people of Illinois second to my personal aspirations and goals. I promise to bicker and feud in senseless power struggles with other elected officials regardless of the effect on the welfare of the general public. I further promise to surprise my constituents and colleagues with policies and programs not here to for discussed, so that I do not have to bother to take the time to build concensus. I promise to demonize anyone who has the audacity to disagree with what I want. So help me God.”
Comment by one of the 35 Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 11:27 am
Although I can’t opine intelligently about the merits of any particular property tax plan, it is
abundantly clear to me that the Governor is primarily respossible for this latest funding crisis simply because of his failure to take any action on a bill that was passed on August 17.
Let’s recap: The Governor intentionally forced the legislative seeion into overtime unnecessarily; he took no active role in the rate relief resolution; his veto threat effectively blocked passage of the Hamos mass transit funding/reform bill,which has bipartisan support -despite the absence of any politically viable alternative. He was completely unwilling to compromise on the scope of his health care intiative or on funding alternatives to his GRT initiative, even after it was resoundingly defeated.
Many of his specific actions and words appear to be premised on vendetta and retribution. He’s alienated almost the entire State legislature, except Senator Jones and a handful of die-hard friends and supporters. No one trusts him to keep his word on any public policy issue. Polls suggest that the people know that the Governor is soing a very poor job.
I Like the Governor personally and wish nothing but the best for him and his family, but he has become political anathema to me. Although I still applaud the Governor for the vision behind his original health care proposal, his unwillingnees to compromise, his intransigence on a number of different issues, his apparent misunderstanding of the governing process, all lead me to conclude that he may have become the worst Governor in the 50 states. I agree that Mike Madigan is not entirely blameless. but he’s competent and a pragmatic guy politically. The Governor is priamril;y to blame for the extreme dysfunction of Illinois government.
Comment by Captain America Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 11:29 am
Forget leaders. What we need are adults. Are there any adults who can be governor or senate president. We can use some right now!
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 12:01 pm
- Levois -
Or we could just send in a squad of Nuns with rulers to restore order and discipline!
Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 12:41 pm
Wouldn’t work, AC. Peraica would have their tires slashed. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 12:44 pm
Put me down as a member of the Vanilla Man fan club, and Capt. America too. You two have basically said it all regarding this issue.
VM, you’ve been on FIRE lately, keep it up.
Comment by Gregor Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 12:51 pm
Machine politics have now become stale.
Public confidence has started to fail.
Because of this tiff,
Some templates could shift,
If Republicans knew how to break out of jail.
Comment by Limerick Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 2:14 pm
Discuss?
Democratic domestic dispute.
Disgusted! Disappointed! Dismayed! Disturbed! Doomed!
Done.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 2:31 pm
At least Madigan has to corral his members and try to win votes from the other side. What are Blago’s and Jones’ excuses? It’s pretty sad that Jones can’t do too much even though he has a super-majority.
Fan, that tactic worked for the national Dems. They smoked the national GOP last year, and they can do the same next year. If the GOP makes it a central message point to tear the Dems apart, maybe enough voters will listen. Even people in suburban Cook County and the fast-growing collar counties can’t like what they are seeing.
Anon 10:53, we will eventually get someone in office who can change things. I think it will take a Lisa Madigan or Alexi G. to get it done. Or perhaps even a Patrick Fitzgerald indictment or two might force the current governor’s hand.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Sep 18, 07 @ 2:39 pm
The Cook County Republican Party and the Illinois Republican Party are trying to cling to what power they have. With the exception of certain townships, Cook is manned by people who eat the leavings at the Democrat trough.
Comment by Truthful James Wednesday, Sep 19, 07 @ 8:25 am