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* What is your biggest fear and your biggest hope about a likely Pat Quinn governorship? Explain fully, and please answer both parts of this question. Thanks.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:14 am
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Biggest fear - LOL! No way can he top what we have now! Fear? After Blagojevich, even Burris could look gubernatorial.
Biggest hope - Quinn can take out the garbage that is the Illinois Democratic Party and replace the rats with angels.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:25 am
My biggest hope is that all these things that have been bottled up by Madigan because of the feud with Blago now will get done - foreclosure moratorium, health care, etc.
My biggest fear is that Quinn will agree to go along with s tax increase.
An income tax increase is no longer if, but when.
And Madigan’s strategy has been to try and get it done before Lisa takes office. That way, she gets all the reward of funds without the political risk of pushing for a tax increase.
The way things are going, they may just pass an income tax increase to fill the budget deficit, which means when the economy turns around in 2 years, Lisa will have a SURPLUS to play around with because of the extra funds from the tax increase.
Oy.
Comment by uh-oh Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:27 am
My fears (1) raising taxes will be his easy answer to everything (2) he will stop being his own man and become just another pawn of the Dems.
Biggest hope is that the non-stop political spin on everything will cease. He has usually been pretty straight forward.
Comment by ChiGal Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:27 am
My biggest fear is that he has a shallow bench and that he will make a few cosmetic changes but will
allow Machine Democrats to continue to run state government/state agencies more or less as Blago has run them–as political fiefdoms. Ater all, if he is to run again, he probably can’t antagonize the Machine more than absolutely necessary to give the appearance of change.
My greatest hope is that he will take a hard look at the state budget and make the changes necessary to bring it under control. With huge chunks of federal money coming down the pipeline, he has an opportunity to do so without raising taxes. Any sacrifices which need to be made should be truly shared….not dumped on the middle class via tax increases.
Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:29 am
Biggest fear — He will go off on some damn fool crusade on some populist concept that sounds good in the moment but long term we are going to regret. (ie Shrinking the size of the state house)
Biggest Hope — He manages to bring some sort of sanity to campaign finance in this state.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:30 am
Biggest fear: that he doesn’t get enough time to accomplish much. Biggest hope: that he has a great administration and gets re-elected.
Comment by ahem Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:30 am
Biggest fear-massive income tax hike.
Biggest hope-He uses executive orders to reduce government, not expand it.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:30 am
My greatest hope is that he’ll be ethical my worse fear is that he may be more ethical or lawful, but in style there won’t be much different between him and the outgoing gov.
Comment by Levois Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:32 am
My biggest hope is that we will finally get the tax increases that we have needed to sustain state services and alleviate some of the state debt.
My biggest fear is that Pat will continue to be a hot dog and champion pseudo-populist causes like recall and campaign funding reform and ignore the critical issues facing our state.
We can’t wait another two years.
Comment by Bill Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:34 am
Bill,
I really think that before we talk about tax increases, we should see what the Obama admin sends our way. Every time I open the paper, the stimulus numbers get higher. He has talked specifically about helping the states so that state services are not affected.
Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:39 am
Biggest fear is tax increases. Those would damage the recovery and make the rebound longer.
Biggest hope - the governor’s office would simply get down to business and start sensibly chipping away at the State’s problems.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:39 am
Biggest fear–he doesn’t realize MJM is his mortal enemy in a to the death royal rumble battle for Illinois supremacy.
Biggest hope–he does.
Comment by Easy Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:39 am
Biggest fear - That he won’t be able to make the leap from taxpayer advocate to Governor. It is easy to say the right things and be critical of tough decisions when you aren’t the one making them. The State needs a leader to lead us through the recovery from the economic situation and the many years of inaction by the Blagojevich Administration.
My greatest hope - That he will be able to make the transistion from taxpayer advocate to Governor and he will carefully evaluate the steps necessary to bring Illinois out of the economic and political quagmire that the last administration has put us in and take those necessary steps.
Comment by Irish Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:40 am
1. My fear is he will become so bogged down with the transition. There are several agency directors that must be removed day one. There are processes in place that support the current gov’s agenda. One item, pointed out here before is the procurement process. Many flaws and current corrupt contracts in place. Items such as the Pontiac move or the Idot relocation. There are a great number of good staff and a number which should be investigated by the ethics committee! I hope he has a lot of friends he can trust. Some of the problems may not even be at the surface yet. Staffing levels, expanded programs, Consolidation efforts.???????
2. Hope is that he can come in, weed out the bad seeds, get a handle on the budget and fix a great number of wrongs that have occurred in the past 6 years.
Comment by Just Because Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:41 am
Biggest fear: same as One Man — that he may propose some well-meaning but ultimately mistaken ideas that we end up regretting.
Biggest hopes: that he can finally dispel the toxic, mistrustful atmosphere that surrounds state government; that he will treat state employees with respect and make them proud, instead of ashamed, of what they do; and that he will be firm in rooting out Blago’s corruption without succumbing to the vindictiveness Blago displayed.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:41 am
Biggest hope: People working in the Governor’s office and the agencies that actually return phone calls and try to help solve problems
Biggest Fear: Quinn’s penchant for micro-management renders his administration as inept
Comment by ILPundit Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:45 am
Biggest fear - that Quinn is no more qualified or adept at being the CEO of the state than Blago was, and will campaign instead of govern. Also concerned about tax hikes in a down economy.
Biggest hope - Less criminal behavior (a very low bar to meet, agreed.)
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:48 am
Biggest Hope: Quinn and the GA will be able to work like reasonable adults to address the festering chronic problems: revenue, budget, pensions, infrastructure, education funding, ethics, campaign finance and on and on and on.
Biggest Fear: Jockeying for 2010 will trump everything and result in minimal accomplishments.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:49 am
Greatest Fear: Things don’t get better. I imagine Blago will leave alot of land mines for Pat to disarm and 2 years isn’t a very long time.
Biggest Hope: That the tax increase is used to pay off our debts and not used to fund pet programs. Let’s face it, we elected these mutts and we need to pay for our mistakes and get this state our of the dumpster.
Comment by Ernest T. Bass Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:53 am
Biggest Fear - don’t have one. As a commenter noted above, no matter how badly Quinn does it will be a huge improvement. As to a tax increase mentioned by many…
Biggest Hope - I have two. First, that Quinn has the gumption to push for the tax increase that Illinois needs to fix it’s structural deficit. To be honest, this has been needed for several years, and Blago’s refusal to face facts has just landed the state in a much deeper mess that it would have had otherwise. I don’t want to pay more taxes, but it’s the only solution. State government is already much smaller than it’s been in many years. There’s no place to make any more cuts.
Second, restore some measure of sanity to DNR. This department has been harder hit than any other. Before Blago was elected, Illinois’ DNR was arguably the finest in the county, and now it’s a freakin disaster.
Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:53 am
Quinn will actually show up and, y’know, govern. Worst-case scenario is still a massive improvement over the status quo, so even my biggest fear is a hope.
My biggest fear is Quinn will be wildly inconsistent in his positions, dealings with the legislature, and statements to the public, causing a lack of confidence in his administration at a time when the state’s budget crisis needs a steady hand.
My biggest hope is that Pat’s reform instincts and relative transparency makes for a vastly improved set of policies out of Springfield, and with it the kind of popularity that Connecticut’s Governor Rell earned after she took over for that state’s Felon-in-Chief.
(And if Pat works out, what does that do to the 2010 elections? Might some names associated with the governor’s race decide to run for Senate instead? A successful Governor Quinn would be both very good for the state and make for very interesting discussions around here over the next couple of years.)
Comment by Boone Logan Square Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 10:53 am
Biggest hope is that Quinn will restrain some of his overly populist create-a-hundred-boards-to-protect-”consumers” tendencies and focus on our real problems. Biggest fear is he won’t.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:01 am
Fear will become the ole off the wall Pat Quinn.
Hope Quinn will back a working relationship in government and try to solve the problems not make more like Blago.
Comment by downstate demo Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:04 am
O Sprigfield the state’s capital
Where our government does lie
Unto the dome we send from home
Our legislators. Why?
Maybe House and Senate will
Evict executive sin
The hopes and fears of the past six years
Are met in Patrick Quinn
For Quinn has been in waiting
For quite a long, long while
A Dem gadfly who e’er gets by
With votes from the rank and file
Now he has his chance to get
His name praised on the rail
And right some wrong, not be headstrong,
Let sanity prevail
Comment by Captain Flume Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:23 am
Biggest Fear — that PQ doesn’t already have a ‘transition team’ in place. As has been mentioned, we face a LOT of problems. Hopefully he’s working on some solutions right now, or at least sorting out all the issues.
Biggest Hope — that PQ gets a serious shot at remaining Governor in 2010. Not because I’m a huge Quinn fan, but because I think three Governors in two years would be too many changes mid-stream.
Oh, the dreams! The dreams!
Comment by Concerned Observer Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:26 am
My hope is that Quinn will support a modest income tax increase, because let’s face it, Illinois needs the revenue and this is the fairest way to raise it.
My fear is that he’ll include a mechanism to require voter approval for the tax hike to take effect.
That would be so Quinn: trying to have it both ways, he gets neither.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:26 am
Neither a fear nor a hope but just some sensibility from Quinn. I would like to see some real bargaining with the legislature, roll up his sleeves and work things out. Don’t sit on bills just because he can. Get them signed and into action. Spend time in Springfield, lots of it during legislative sessions. Push for the tax increase we so desperately need to begin to get this state on a better financial foot. Don’t worry about the next election. Take this -2 year opportunity to make a name for himself, even if we don’t like some of the things he does. Be a Governor. Don’t spent 1/10 of his time governing and 9/10 fundraising. Lastly, make his word mean something. Say what he means and mean what he says. Let the legislature know they don’t need to mess with MOU’s any longer.
Comment by Little Egypt Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:31 am
A reasonable income tax increase is needed, at least for the time being.
My biggest fear is that he will listen to John Bradley from southern Illinois and implement John’s proposed gas tax. Lord knows additional gas taxes are exactly what Illinois should NOT do to raise revenue.
Comment by Just My Opinion Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:33 am
Biggest hope – Quinn will lead us in a new round of inspired reforms and changes which will re-direct Illinois politics and government for the better, while responsibly managing our severe structural budgetary problems.
Biggest fear – Many participants in the process – politicos, bureaucrats, media, pundits, and public will not give Quinn the time and support he needs to address this rescue, triage, and rehabilitation challenge. This will need to be a team effort and it will not be an instant fix. We need to understand this is not the time to expect a 100% turn-around. Some of his work will be emergency work, some will be long-term physical therapy for one very beaten-up patient.
Comment by Calling Dr. Quinn, Medicine Man Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:40 am
Hope he gets rid most directors & the bureau of budget staff
We don’t need any cause célèbre.
Comment by PolPro Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:41 am
Well it pretty hard to see how Pat Quinn could be any worse than Blagojevich but the worse case scenario as I see it is that Pat Quinn goes on bunch of populist crusades and nothing gets done. The best case scenario Pat Quinn becomes a strong leader and works to reduce the size of Illinois government.
Comment by RMW Stanfford Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:41 am
My biggest fear is that Pat won’t be able to make the leap from government critic to actually being a meaningful part of the government.
My biggest hope is that he runs his office transparently and competently, plays well with the other branches of IL gov’t and accomplishes the people’s purpose.
Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:43 am
Biggest fear:Pat Quinn does nothing to reform pensions.Illinois can longer afford to have government workers retiring at 50 years old.
Biggest hope:Pat Quinn will push through terms limits on all elected public officials in Illinois.
Comment by Steve Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:49 am
Wrong Steve…..state workers pay big bucks into the pension funds while putting up with years of idiot administrations… Pensions are not give aways.
The government needs to reorganized be trimmed.
Comment by PolPro Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:58 am
Neither hop nor fear. Quinn will warm the seat until the next primary & he’ll go the way of Roland Burris.
Comment by Highland, IL Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 11:59 am
My biggest hope is that he’ll be a half-term governor. My biggest fear? He’s a demagogue. I’m afraid he’ll do even more damage to Illinois government.
Comment by Dolly Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:03 pm
Hope: That he brings real reform. Campaign finance reform, end of pay to play, cutting some of these boards that seem to do nothing.
Fear: He seems to have a bit of Blago/back-bencher in him. He likes the spotlight for things that get attention but ultimately, won’t happen. We need a grown-up as a governor now. We need somebody who can get things done.
Comment by Skeeter Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:03 pm
Biggest hope: Quinn cleans house and makes some serious reforms beneficial to Illinois.
Biggest fear: Quinn cleans house and makes some serious reforms beneficial to Illinois, thereby becoming a popular Governor and leading the Dem ticket to another statewide sweep in 2010. (Given the IL GOP’s continued stupidity and ineptitude I think this is the likely scenario.)
Comment by GOP'er Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:06 pm
Biggest Fear: That the White Sox become synonymous with him the way the Cubs were with Blagojevich.
Biggest Hope: His can’t use his White Sox seats as often so I can sneak over a few sections for a better view.
Comment by Been There Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:18 pm
Biggest fear: After a short time it will be politics as usual.
Biggest hope: He will get rid of all the tainted agency directors; all the ghost pay rollers; all the upper management who are stainted with Blago stench and any other state employee who paid for their state job.
Comment by NWillinois Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:24 pm
Hope: He raises income taxes a bit, expands sales tax to services and lowers property taxes a bit. He tosses most of the campaign staffers taking up space in state agencies, and, if necessary, hires real workers to fill those spots. The best opportunity to straighten the budget is this Spring, it will not be easy and it will hurt, but most of the blame can be laid on Rod. The longer they (Quinn and the 4 tops) wait, the less likely it is that anything significant will change.
Fear: New gridlock. Could be an attempt to minimize his successes and reduce his chances in 2010 (by D’s or R’s). Could be a lack of focus as Quinn tries to do too much at once or keeps switching his focus, resulting in frustration and resistance in the legislature.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:29 pm
Steve;
=Illinois can longer afford workers retiring at 50 years old=
I can not disagree more, State employees have been paying their portion of the pension, the State of Illinois has not. Merit Comp employees have shared the biggest burden of pension payments.
Biggest Hopes: Cleans house in Corrections and the other political hideaway agencies that have wreaked their Departments for personal gain.
Biggest Fear: Does not properly address the impending crisis that is about to hit the State of Illinois in the next sixty days.
Comment by Southern Illinois Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:36 pm
Biggest Hope: Quinn ushers all remaining Blago loyalists–are there that many left?–out of their agency positions.
Biggest Fear: Courtesy of Bill: “My biggest fear is that Pat will continue to be a hot dog and champion pseudo-populist causes like recall and campaign funding reform and ignore the critical issues facing our state.” Well put. I agree.
Comment by Jake from Elwood Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:39 pm
GOP’er: If Quinn brings reforms truly “beneficial to Illinois” then a Democratic Party sweep would be a good thing, no?
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:48 pm
Fear: He’ll get sandbagged by Madigan. He can beat that with a private pledge not to run in 2010, maybe. Fear of having the DCEO director advising him: this same guy was a huge liar for Blago regarding jobs growth, and his agency was choc-a-bloc with carpetbaggers, as was IDES and DNR and CMS. I’d like him to sweep the at-will directors and managers and promote from within from the “old hands” who’ve quietly suffered and kept the wheels turning under Blago’s reign.
Hopes:
Utter transparency. Quinn should take his own ethics exam in front of some reporters every time it comes out. FOIA’s get answered in timely fashion. Ethics laws get further tightening, particularly hiring, no more revolving doors, please. Bills get signed right away or vetoed right away, and Quinn comes down to Springfield to really meet with the leaders and work things out.
Have Mike Rowe appear with Quinn when he takes the oath to deputize him for this mother of all “Dirty Jobs”.
Assure folks he understands we have three branches and two parties and everybody has a seat at the table and will be heard.
I hope Obama can be talked into releasing a year’s worth of federal grants without required state matching funds and Quinn takes that and puts it into a modest, responsible capital bill that builds or re-builds lasting things of value. No more dependingh on gambling revenues. We all expect a modest tax hike, Quinn should have a special session to work out if it should be a hike and/or a property tax swap. The money will go first towards debts and shortening payback times. The rest goes towards capital improvement projects to get the state economy into gear again.
Comment by Fighting Ennui Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:55 pm
Biggest fear: Quinn gets all caught up in the big stage he has so longed for and jumps the shark with ineffective programs, committees and think tanks to get anything done and squander the best chance we have to turn our state around.
Biggest hope: MJM, J*C (don’t know middle initial) and Quinn all work together to balance state revenues, purge all the campaign hacks, pass a capital bill in time to catch some of the federal free moneyand Illinois politics don’t make front page news anymore.
Comment by Vote Quimby! Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 12:56 pm
Biggest Fear: A large tax increase
Biggest Hope: An ethical administration
Comment by Fan of the Game Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 1:21 pm
Biggest fear He will be more radical and liberal than everyone expects
Biggest Hope He then decides to run for re-election
Comment by Ken Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 1:28 pm
Biggest fear is that he will be a typical politician and do what benefits his image and nothing else.
Biggest Hope is that he will do whats best for the state even if it costs him some political capital.
Comment by OK Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 1:38 pm
Biggest hope - he will be able to leverage the new Illinois connection to Washington to fix the state’s budget.
Biggest fear - citing a need for “stability,” he will continue the tradition of overlooking the other 500 (+/-) elected officials in Springfield who either take bribes, or enable those who do.
Comment by Thomas Westgard Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 2:01 pm
Biggest Fear-None- he only has two years before another election; don’t think he can do any more harm than Blago. I would have never have voted for the man before now, but believe that he is honest and straight enough, yet politically savvy enough to settle things down, and begin straightening out some of the messes we now have. And I guess that that is also my biggest hope.
Comment by Downstate Commissioner Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 2:22 pm
Actually, let’s be fair, Blago tried to make some pension reforms but couldn’t get legislative support.
Not sure pensions are the biggest problem here.
I suspect the challenge will be making good use of the billions forthcoming from the feds. There will be a lot of Democrats with their mouths open ready to grab some of the federal largesse. Pay to play will really take off. Will Quinn be able to spot the pay to players and will he be able to stop them and the pols before they start grabbing our money. Does he have any financial experts in his entourage. Or will he be relying on our Blago’s folks.
Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 2:23 pm
Biggest hope - that he does not play ball with anyone named Cellini and that the auditors take a close look at the Presidential Library from day 1 to the present.
Biggest fear - that he doesn’t know what he is doing and the State of IL. can’t attract competent staffers anymore to help him.
Comment by PPHS Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 2:24 pm
Biggest fear: that he is so tarnished by being Blago’s running mate that despite accomplishing things in the next 18 months he is still beaten by the GOP in 2010 and Dems lose control of the state for another 30 years.
Biggest hope: fixes the state’s fiscal house by doing many things, including raising income taxes on those making more than 150k and providing property tax relief
Comment by Carbon Deforestation Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 2:35 pm
Biggest hope - EVERYONE who was appointed or received a state job or promotion under blago adminastration NEEDS to be removed or their said appointment/promotion looked into.
Biggest fear - That he would leave these agency director, CFO, CEO etc, etc, who NEVER worked for the state before blago keep their job and messing up state goverment because they have a high enough job title to let them. The state workers with years of service under their belts who don’t make the big bucks have to sit by and watch these inexperience boobs keep running agency’s into the ground!
Comment by ivoted4judy2 Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 2:42 pm
Greatest Fear: Similar to several other posters that Quinn will focus on insider reform ideas that are far removed from the concerns of the everyday person eg. jobs, healthcare, quality education, clean air and drinking water and won’t take on the hard issues that need addressing such as what is the appropriate level of funding for government as a whole, are we going to leave lots of people uninsured and for those relying on state programs are we going to ensure their access by paying providers on time and adequately? How can government work better for the people?
Greatest hope: that new Governor will look very carefully at existing agency heads and their top staff and get rid of those who are underperforming, especially those who have gladly gone along with questionably legal programs (ISAVE, FAmilyCAre etc) and incurred multiple audits for mismanagement. Some agencies have been well run and some staff high up have been very competent but a thorough review needs to take place based on job performance not their ties to ward organizations or other political considerations.
Comment by eastern illinoisan Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:26 pm
Lisa gets aced out of Senator and Governor.
What’s left?
Mayor 2011.
Comment by True Observer Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:39 pm
Hope - That we have positive change in Illinois government.
Fear - More of the same just new names.
Comment by Ugh Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:42 pm
Biggest fear: that it comes to pass.
Biggest hope: that he doesn’t get re-elected.
Comment by chiatty Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:45 pm
biggest fear: let’s everything go to his head and acts like blago. doesn’t go back on his word.
biggest hope: doesn’t go back on his word and puts the fund back in for state parks and historic sites.
Comment by MYTHOUGHT Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:51 pm
Hope: That Quinn has less attention deficit disorder than I perceive him to have and ends up being focus on being Governor.
Fear: That MJM and his desire to have Lisa be Governor interferes with the give and take that a sane governor should have with the legislature.
If Lisa Madigan runs for Governor in February 2010 then what incentive does MJM have for working with Quinn?
Inquiring pirates wanna know.
Comment by IrishPirate Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:58 pm
I’m with Chiatty - the fact that we are even presuming that Pat Quinn will be Governor is precipitous in my opinion.
My fear is that justice will not served and Quinn takes the post.
I’ve got to give additional thought to any feeling of hope.
Comment by Black Ivy Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 3:59 pm
My fears are tax increases and Quinn Keeping Rezko/ Blago lovers on board.
Case in point Jack Lavin. Lavin was a Rezko team member when they defrauded GE capital of $10 Million. Lavin was also point man and facilitator to place many of those Rezko sponsored. Sorry Jack you’ve got to go now….
Comment by Larry Mullholland Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 4:14 pm
Biggest hope is that State Government will get back on track and begin to give the agencies back to those who have a passion to run the programs correctly. This assumes of course that there is anyone left to cares about their programs adn know how to run them….
Comment by Larry Mullholland Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 4:16 pm
Steve is right. Southern Illinois is WRONG. The Golden Goose, state retirements at 50, has been slain. When the stock market went pop so did the idea of ” 50 yrs. and out ” regarding state pensions. Makes no difference if it the system had been ” fully funded ” by whomever it was way to much of a parachute. Those heady times are over. Thank the young for they will pay for it all !
Comment by bluedog demo Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 4:34 pm
Chiatty - you have very good reason to fear, then.
Ivy - From Webster’s: very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall.. I predict the governor’s removal from office will be precipitous, indeed.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 4:39 pm
Biggest hope - that he removes Blago’s high paid, do nothing, appointed minions.
Biggest fear - he doesn’t remove Blago’s bozos.
Comment by Toast Man Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 4:50 pm
Biggest Hope: every single Blago appointee is removed.
Biggest Fear: Illinois will pass some sort of limitation on campaign contributions, similar to the Federal limitations (i.e. Osterman legislation)
If/when that happens, that will benefit incumbants only, as challengers will have to spend all their time raising money $1000 a pop, or whatever the limit happens to be. Does anyone wonder why over 95% of the U.S. Congress is made up of millionaires?
When the “reformers” come calling, watch out.
Comment by "low level paper pusher" Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 4:55 pm
Biggest Hope - removing any state employee who was not selected through the competitive interview process.
Biggest Fear - nothing changes and the incompetent keep their high paying positions.
Comment by Old Timer Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 5:58 pm
Biggest fear: Party leadership on both sides, media stonewall Quinn not because they disagree with him, but because they dislike him.
Biggest hope: A breakthrough in the gridlock between branches. Cooperation in state and with the feds brings progress in schools, health care, and jobs.
Comment by Park Shasta Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 7:55 pm
Fear: that true to form, he will be the “man of 1,000 ideas” and try to push them all no matter how half-baked they may be.
Hope: that true to form, he will work hard, campaign effectively without a lot of formal fundraising and continue to have staffers who respond promptly to all inquiries.
Comment by Bookworm Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 8:09 pm
= Fear: “reduce the size of gov’t”=
There are 4 maybe five or six who dictate what happens in this state…I wouldn’t worry about the great loss of “representatives”.
Comment by You Go Boy Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 8:33 pm
Biggest Hope: He can root out corruption and return the state to normalcy.
Biggest Fear:Too entrenched in his activist mentality to actually govern, almost like an incompetent Gov. Moonbeam which may leave the state even worse off.
Comment by avarus Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 9:44 pm
Biggest Hope - Reform, such as getting politics out of hiring by ending the “Graded” job application system (Grades of A, B, or C) and replace it with numbered graded tests (scores of 100, 99, 98, etc. - with online testing, it is doable). With Veteran’s Preference it should kill off politically connected hiring for Rutan covered jobs.
Biggest Fear - He will draw upon his colleagues from the Walker era. Specifically, John Filan. If Filan comes back, it will be Blago only less the outbursts and temper tantrums.
Comment by We Can Hope Monday, Jan 12, 09 @ 9:49 pm
Fear: He will go off on an “environmentalist” tangent.
Hope: He will have the guts to stand up to Madigan and demand true campaign finance reform.
Comment by Jechislo Tuesday, Jan 13, 09 @ 8:17 am
If John Filan is in Quinn’s office, you can be assured there will be temper tantrums and violent outbursts. That’s Filan, no matter who he is working for.
Comment by Captain Flume Tuesday, Jan 13, 09 @ 8:29 am