31 Comments - The Hankster - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:09 am: I find it funny that Topinka is blasting Blagojevich for blaming everyone else for Illinois’ “problems” but she refuses to say a negative thing about President Bush, the person who has never admitted a mistake in his presidency. - annoyed all the time - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:31 am: my problem is for her to think that illinois is isolated and not a part of the bigger picture - Washington, dc eing that bigger picture. HELLO? where does illinois get their federal funding from? WASHINGTON! top not have time to think about that and just think about Illinois is embarrassing. we are just one state but part of a much larger nation. - Cassandra - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:33 am: Much as I hate to saying anything positive about Hairdo, I think he’s right as far as he goes. Illinois, or any state, can’t make energy policy. That’s the feds’ job. And before everyone gets excited about Topinka’s suspension of the gas tax idea, perhaps we need to know exactly how much it might cost us in state revenues. Difficult to tell because gas prices are unpredictable, but it is certainly possible to come up with a few likely scenarios. And if the tax were to be suspended, what else isn’t going to get paid for. Now I’d rather see a sales tax suspension rather than free preschool for everybody regardless of income , blank check medical care for illegals (Allkids), and all those Democratic pork projects for Chicago. But others might have other priorities. The problem is, we don’t know how much this is going to cost us, or even have an idea. Without that information, it is impossible to judge this proposal, however appealing it might sound. - Wheres the leadership??? - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:35 am: JBT has no say so in what direction Bush is taking the country. Is this election about what Bush is doing or about what Rod is NOT? The deer in the headlights response on the gas issue is classic. Somehow the Gas issue will be blamed on the people of Springfield and downstate…. - Big Mike - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:40 am: Cassandra….if you think AllKids is for illegal immigrants (many of whom may taxes anyway) then I would advise you too learn more about the program and healthcare in general before you attack it. - Voice of Reason - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:48 am: Why do Illinois political types insist on taking the national media’s bait and making this election a referendum on Bush’s performance? November’s elections are a chance for Illinois voters to pick someone who can lead the state out of the mire of corruption in which the Ryan and Official A administrations have left us. If the national media wants a tracking poll, they can get their own; we, the people of Illinois aren’t going to let them hijack our election. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 12:03 pm: Topinka is playing it right on the gas price issue, Blagojevich isn’t. Worst, he is reinforcing a negative image of him that he blames others first. As the incumbant, he can’t win with this angle. He also can’t win by pinning Topinka on Bush. Bush’s current poll numbers are irrelevant in November’s Illinois Gubernatorial election. The bottom line is: Does our incumbant have anything to say regarding the huge gas tax that is four times higher than the profit made by the oil companies? The look I saw was: Screw you. Leach is just living up to his name. He has no interest in asking grow up questions. He already made up his mind who is right, and isn’t listening to anyone anymore. Appearing on his show is just a waste of time. - Sporty 41 - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 12:09 pm: Blago is so quick to fix Federal Problems in his own state . . . see Canada Drug Plan, but when given a real opportunity for leadership, he can’t come up with anything? Just a greater demonstration of no leadership and no real desire to improve the state. The impact of high gas prices is greater on those working class families than other families. If hotrod needs to tips . . . how about these: 1) Subsidize the growth of Ethanol plants throughout the state in rural economies. . . At the insistence of Todd Sieben, this was done by Pate and George Ryan with great success in Northern Illinois. 2) Use the state’s current University Assests (U of I Engineering and ACES, SIU, ISU, Northwestern, University of Chicago)to create better ways to generate alcohol based fuels. 3) Attempt to generate new technologies or create incentives for current technologies which will help in burning Illnois Coal more effectively. - the Patriot - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 12:50 pm: Issue 1: Gas prices-Blagos lack of answers summarizes why Bush cannot take the entire fall. Bill Clinton passed NO comprehensive engergy policy, put a band aid on crises in the Mideast, and allowed us to go through an economic boom without addressing energy concerns. It ain’t all Bush’s fault. Issue 2: This Topinka Bush think has her in a pickle. Lets be clear, Topinka does not like Bush. If she didn’t think she needed the RNC cash she would tell the President to take a Hike. I blogged that conservative(Bush Supporters) were the people working for the party, not the socially liberal pro-choice, pro-gay crowd. She won with her constiency. At lease if she loses another candidate will never rely on them again. Issue 3: Note to Democrats you cannot beat Bush, he has a two term limit. He beat the best you had to offer twice. Continued badgering takes focus off of your agenda (as if you had one)and the negativity pushes people away. Leave him alone, his VP is no threat. Bush is bad is not a vision for the nation, it is a bad campaign strategy. I am as hardcore republican as it gets, and I am disturbed by many things in the state and national party. Lucky for Republicans the democrats have no answers or they could be in trouble on the national level like they are in IL. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 12:54 pm: If either party wants to lead a revolution in the auto industry, how about developing industries that build electric powered autos using lightweight, but strong/safe carbon fibers currently used in aviation. Did you know only about 1% of the fuel burned actually goes to moving your car, while the rest is lost as heat, friction, and overcoming the inertia caused by heavy metal structures? Boeing quickly learned carbon fibers save lots of fuel without sacrificing safety. In fact, if steel is so safe, why aren’t bike helmets made out of it? The auto industry and suppliers are in turmoil, but the producers of carbon fiber parts are the future to saving gas and strengthening our economy! - UPSTATE - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 1:08 pm: The Patriot: Unfortunately you seem to be no historian. An unpopular president at midterms has historically been used politically for the gains of the other party. You may want no attention to be put on the failings of the president, I can understand that, but to say going after him is bad strategy is simply wrong and history has proven that to be the case. - DOWNSTATE - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 1:11 pm: The Democrats need to play the national issue in order to try and keep the governor’s office.Look who they decided to let run again.As far as suspending the gas tax they need to do it now.If Blago would of been a real leader and had this state in better shape we would not have to worry about the added income from it.One more reason he is 6 points and sinking. - Cassandra - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 1:15 pm: Big Mike, This is off topic, but it is not unreasonable to view Allkids as a program for illegal immigrants. One recent poll found 13 %Latino households with uninsured kids as opposed to 4% white households and under 2% black households. Clearly, Allkids is a program for Latinos. And it’s not unreasonable to assume that a substantial percentage of those uninsured Latino households are illegal. We’ll never know, of course, because Blago won’t collect statistics on the immigration status of beneficiaries of this blank check welfare program. I’m not opposed to almost-free expensive health insurance for illegals per se. But first we should attend to the insurance needs of citizens…especially of young people entering the job market doing temporary jobs and unemployed 50 and 60 somethings not yet eligible for Medicare. Blago has shown no interest in these populations, presumably because he doesn’t see them as a major source of votes. Perhaps he should rethink this, as Mitt Romney, a (Republican)governor already has. - Big Mike - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 1:36 pm: Casandra, If 13% of hispanic households have uninsured kids and 4% of white households do, that proves nothing. For one reason, there are so many more white kids in Illinois than there are Hispanic kids. It is also flawed logic. You cant just say that since a higher percentage of Hispanics are uninsured then AllKids is for them. Facts matter when you make claims like that and you should not make general comments like that without facts. I agree about the importance of healthcare. AllKids covers middle and lower class kids regardless of race. I think it is a terrible thing to say that children of illegal immigrants should not recieve healthcare. All children deserve healthcare, to me it would take a hell of a person to say otherwise. There also have been studies done (I believe one by the Kaiser Foundation) that showed uninsured patients have a far bigger cost to us in terms of what we end up paying for healthcare over what we would have to pay to help provide insurance to people. - So IL Gal - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 2:01 pm: My brother and sister-in-law are NOT hispanic, and they have signed up for AllKids. It will save them 50 to 80 bucks a month. This is significant in a household that has a combined income of approximately 55K. I anticipate a great number of families will sign up in Southern Illinois, with a fraction of that being hispanic. Allkids is not a hispanic program, come on! Think statewide, not just Chicago and suburbs. - Mike Flannery's "what?" - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 2:03 pm: Okay, for all you people out there that say Illinois can’t make an energy policy: You are absolutely wrong!!! Minnesota has a damn good energy policy that includes things like ethanol and other alternative fuels. It is very naive to think, “oh well, nothing Illinois can do about it.” Capping the gasoline tax is a great idea. It provides revenue the state needs and cuts a few cents off of the price. Believe me, living week to week, a couple of cents off per gallon helps. This is a good idea. In fact, it is the only idea. If you want to crap on the only idea out there, fine. But atleast come up with a better solution than your average democrat solution, “This is the fault of Republicans.” - It's 5 O'clock somewhere - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 2:46 pm: For the DEMS to keep saying it is a GOP problem is just plain wrong. It is a national problem that has not been addressed faithfully in Washington. We need a realiable source of energy, peroid. 1. A proposal to increase the electric sluppy on the East Coast by using wind power off the coast (this would free up natural gas ond petroleum of other uses)the propopsal was nixed by Senator Kennedy, who thought it might spoil his view. 2. Lets increase the oil from Alaska by drilling in an area that is approximately 2000 acres. No can not do because a carbou might be distrubed. 3. Let drill for natural gas off shore, no can not do may spoil the veiw or the beaches. the area being proposed is 150 mile off the coast. Remember even with the damage done by the hurricanes their was no oil on the beaches from the wells in the gulf. The politicdans need and the citizenz should demand that a realistic energy policy get passed so the US can get off of the oil diet. We can not get out of the oil crisis until we look at what needs to be done, it will take about 10 years for the US to gear up for a change in energy use. The congress has stalled for political reasons and are holding all of us hostage. There is enough blame for all but the leaders in Illinois need to step up to the plate and lead. I guess we all should be thankful it was a mild winter. - Levois - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 2:48 pm: Blago is joining the rest of his party in bashing Bush instead of coming up with a solution. At least Topinka wants to offer some relief the Gov. doesn’t seem to care. - Goodbye Napoleon - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 2:59 pm: Blago’s reaction was classic Reagan (don’t forget, Rod not only voted for Reagn once - but he voted for him twice!!). What? You asked me a question that was off of the message I’m standing here trying to deliver? Sorry I can’t hear you. Bloggers like Jim Leach need to quit drinking the Blago cool aid and trying to link our state election to Bush. Sure, the campaign people can do that - but the press shouldn’t fall for the trick. It’s funny because all during the presidential election I don’t remember Blago saying BOO about Kerry or Bush, but now that the President’s numbers are safely below 35% (probably even lower in IL) it’s time to talk about national issues. I wonder what Reagan would say. - Truthful James - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 3:01 pm: Cappinmg the gas tax is a dman goo idea. Why should the politicians make windfall profits out of the taxpayers earnings. - Jimbo - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 3:05 pm: Politically speaking, it does not matter really where the, if any, fault lies. The democrats have been good at connecting the republicans with big oil (and there is some truth to that). Because of this, and because the republicans are in power, they are very vulnerable to being hurt politically by high gas prices. - ACES Student - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 3:11 pm: Sporty 41: The College of ACES at the University of Illinois is doing its part to reduce dependancy on foreign oil and clean our environment. http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news3623.html Of course, extra funding (federal or state) could help get this program into a higher gear… - GREASYLAKE - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 3:19 pm: Oil usage is a national issue, to say otherwise is wrong. Sure states can do things like promote alternative and cleaner energy sources but what good will that do if cars are still allowed to run at 10 miles a gallon? This is a national security issue, a national economic issue, and a national environmental issue. Its not that hard to see. - Anon sequitur - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 4:07 pm: Cutting the gas tax is a BAD idea. Why? Because it won’t lower the cost of gasoline a single penny! The oil companies will simply keep the savings for themselves. They’ll continue to charge whatever they can, regardless of tax or not. A better idea is to earmark those additional revenues for ethanol and bio-diesel alternatives, or even mass transit. This also helps balance the benefit. Downstate farmers get more money for crops, more jobs are created Downstate for the ethanol and bio-diesel plants, while Upstate (city/suburb) gets money to get people off the road and into a train. - Goodbye Napoleon - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 4:22 pm: What’s with the policy discussion? I thought this was Capitol Fax blog. - DOWNSTATE - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 4:24 pm: If I am wrong correct me but I read Illinois has a 45 cent a gallon tax on gas. - scoot - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 6:17 pm: Blago’s look was full of….”lethargy.” - Gregor - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 10:40 pm: Blago is just going to keep ducking his responsibility and blaming anyone and everyone, crying that his hands are tied. Oh, it’s Bush’s fault, oh it’s the oil companies’ fault, boo-freaking hoo. You wanted this job, buddy, why not try actually DOING it. If the tax cap on excessive gas prices is not a good idea, he should just SAY that, explain why, and then offer his own, better idea. Oh wait, he doesn’t have one. Quelle surprize! - Mike Flannery's "what?" - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 10:53 pm: So… why didn’t Blago just BS that question? Something like, “We are looking at a variety of solutions to this issue but haven’t yet implemented a policy that we believe would be effective in lowering gas prices. But we are working on a viable solution.” Man, I should be his spokesman… - John Ruberry - Tuesday, Apr 25, 06 @ 11:28 pm: Didn’t Blago have a press conf in 2002 critical of Atty. General Jim Ryan’s handling of gas prices? - zatoichi - Wednesday, Apr 26, 06 @ 8:36 am: It is amazing how bad some people come across when they get off script or “forget” a previous policy position when it is no longer in their favor. Keep Bush out of this issue. JBT may have to play with the team to get extra funding, but that happens all the time. That is just spin off the topic. Gregor got the point nailed: If you want the job, do it. Be leader. Fight in Springfield and get something done. With all the corn, ADM, and ag research capacity in the state you would think this is the perfect time to be the alternative fuel champion for the little guy. But no, lets squabble about who is responsible. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.