READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND
Friday, Dec 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
I think we had a good week. Things are getting back to normal around here. The comments were good and, thankfully, I only had to delete a handful of them, so the weirdos have apparently retreated to their holes.
Illinoize is also having a good week. Head over there if you want to keep talking.
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Question of the day
Friday, Dec 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
It’s Friday, so let’s have a little bit of fun today.
What do you want for Christmas? Snark encouraged.
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Storm response updates
Friday, Dec 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Decatur Herald & Review has published yet another article that includes a slam of the local political leadership over its response to last week’s devastating ice storm.
Lula Fitzpatrick is glad power finally has been restored to her Decatur home after the lights went out Nov. 30.
But she’s still fuming over what she sees as a sluggish response by local leaders to last week’s ice storm, which, at the peak of outages, left more than 50,000 Decatur-area homes and businesses without power.
“This is a day late and a penny short,” Fitzpatrick said. “This happened Thursday night. On Friday, I begged them; I truly begged them to get some help now.
“We have some weak officials leading this town. Very, very weak.”
The mayor’s response was not included.
Meanwhile, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn was in Decatur yesterday.
While praising utility crews for the work they are doing to restore power to the region, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn called for an investigation Thursday into Ameren Corp.’s preparation before last week’s devastating winter storm.
“They work hard in very arduous and dangerous conditions; sometimes it’s 18 hours a day, day after day, and that means a lot,” Quinn said. “Having said that, it’s important we get to the root of the problem. Not only here but in Missouri, there have been systematic breakdowns in reliability of electric service. It’s dangerous; it’s dangerous to public health, dangerous to our security and it’s certainly very dangerous to our economy if we don’t have reliable electricity.”
It’s important for Ameren to invest in “preventative maintenance,” Quinn said, such as trimming trees to avoid tangles and downing of power lines.
* You can find the latest updates on where power is still not back on in Decatur at this link.
* The Herald & Review also has a multimedia presentation of the storm here.
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Obama’s experience issue
Friday, Dec 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
My Sun-Times column this week is about Barack Obama’s possible run for the presidency. There is much more to it than the excerpt here so go read the whole thing before you comment, please. I chose this excerpt because the issue of Obama’s experience has been so hotly debated in the comment section and around the nation.
The experience issue is less of a problem for me. Abraham Lincoln’s sole governmental experience was eight years in the Illinois House and just two years in Congress, yet he was one of our greatest presidents. Besides, more “experience” wallowing through the disgusting cesspool that is Washington may only hurt Obama, not help him.
According to Tom Schwartz, the Illinois state historian, 19th century voters didn’t view politics as a profession, so they didn’t expect presidential candidates like Lincoln to have extensive political experience. The issue never came up in the 1860 campaign, Schwartz said.
After telling Schwartz that I was trying hard not to add to the hype by comparing Lincoln to Obama, Schwartz shared some surprising thoughts.
‘’What Lincoln brought to the presidency, which was very much needed at the time . . . [was] a very fine ear for listening to the public’s concerns and then being able to articulate responses that created consensus that was able to move the country forward in positive ways,'’ Schwartz said. Schwartz then said that he saw a direct comparison to Obama’s calls for unity and the way Obama had sparked so much interest from people who normally don’t care for politics.
As I make clear in the column, the main sticking point for me is the Rezko land deal. Eric Krol has more on that angle in his column today.
Potential script for a new TV campaign ad, probably viewable only in January 2008 in Iowa, New Hampshire and on YouTube:
Cue bouncy music, something along the lines of 1950s advertisements or the “Leave it To Beaver†theme. Voice-over from a paternal-sounding announcer … “Meet Barack Obama. He bought a $1.65 million mansion. Meet his neighbor, Tony Rezko, indicted on major federal corruption charges that he traded his influence with a politician for kickbacks.†(Note: don’t mention that the politician is actually Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, not Obama. This is a campaign ad, after all.)
“Senator Obama couldn’t quite afford both that house and the well-groomed vacant lot next door, so he persuaded the seller to give him a $300,000 discount on the house. But his savvy and sleazy real estate developer friend, Rezko, cheerily offered to pay full price for that empty lot. Now they’re neighbors.â€
Music turns dramatic, as does announcer’s tone. “Indicted pals. Insider real estate deals. Is this the type of politician you want to elect president?â€
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Morning shorts
Friday, Dec 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Huntley: The Civic Committee got it right and got it wrong. What this public-spirited committee of the Commercial Club got right was its report laying out in excruciating detail the looming fiscal tsunami facing the state. What it got wrong was holding off on releasing this comprehensive report until after the election, thereby denying the voters the right to have a say on how to solve the problem.
* Sneed: Gov. Blagojevich’s office is deactivating the ID cards of nearly 50 administration employees and campaign workers.
* Tribune: The decision to replace Arlington Park’s dirt track with a synthetic surface was made not only to minimize injuries to horses but also to attract new fans, particularly families with children, racetrack officials said Thursday.
* Hastert prepares to rejoin rank and file
* Sides regrouping on immigration
* Boycott planned in Carpentersville - Group wants people to avoid businesses to protest anti-illegal immigration idea
* Deputy governor will head back to N.Y. - Key Blagojevich aide among several to exit
* Newspaper battle turns nasty: Accusations fly as newspaper ends short run
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Question of the day
Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Let’s say, just for argument’s sake, that Barack Obama runs for president and wins. The governor would then appoint Obama’s successor. Who should that Democrat be?
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Local officials partly to blame?
Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Decatur Herald & Review’s editorial board ponders the lasting impact of last week’s devastating ice storm.
…Ameren officials could have done a better job of telling residents exactly what to expect. The fact is that Ameren could have sounded a more dire alarm earlier and told residents without power the severity of the problem. […]
It may have been because of Ameren’s apparent lack of alarm, but the response by county, city and state officials was also unnecessarily delayed.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is willing to help in disasters like this, but their philosophy is to only go into a community when asked. That makes sense, since local officials should know best when help is needed.
But one has to wonder why it took until Monday for Decatur Mayor Paul Osborne and Macon County Emergency Services Director Phil Anello to ask for help. The National Guard units that are now helping out in Decatur spent the weekend assisting folks in East St. Louis. Obviously, there was help available.
And the repercussions for Ameren are just beginning.
In action Wednesday, the Illinois Commerce Commission began gathering information to launch an investigation of Ameren’s much-criticized recovery effort, which has left tens of thousands of Illinoisans without electricity for the second time in a year.
“No utility can totally prepare for this type of storm, but we have an obligation and responsibility to question whether Ameren fully planned its response and recovery from a logistical standpoint,” said ICC member Erin O’Connell-Diaz.
While regulators prepare to launch their probe into the embattled company, House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office said Wednesday he will press ahead with a plan to block the company from raising rates by up to 55 percent on Jan. 2.
Madigan’s action comes despite Ameren’s statement last week that the ice and snow storm that brought down tree limbs and power lines in much of its downstate territory serves as a reminder of why state lawmakers should not freeze electric rates for another three years.
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Is the feud over?
Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Margaret Mell’s illness and tragic death appears to have forced Gov. Blagojevich and Alderman Mell to bury the hatchet.
Governor Blagojevich was a pallbearer Wednesday, and according to close advisors, his bitter family feud with Alderman Mell over political and financial differences has been on the mend in recent weeks as the family came together in the final weeks of Mrs. Mell’s illness.
“I think there was a realization by everybody that life is way too short to be spent being at odds,” said Ald. Bill Banks, family friend.
“All families have troubles at times, and I hope for them that things have gotten better. I think that is important,” said State Rep. Tom Cross, family friend.
The entire family reportedly got together for the first time in two years on Thanksgiving when it was clear that Mrs. Mell wouldn’t make it to another holiday. The governor took an active role in comforting Alderman Mell after the service, so it is likely that Mell will be attending the second Blagojevich inauguration next month, and his aldermanic friends predict that he will stay in the city council for awhile, because City Hall provides him with a lot of support and comfort.
And during his eulogy, Ald. Mell seemed to indicate that the peace was permanent, in order to honor his wife’s memory.
It’s not the same house to walk into. But you know something? Both I and the kids will live the rest of our lives to make her very, very proud of us,” the alderman said.
[Comments closed and deleted at the request of family and friends of the families involved. I didn’t have time to monitor these things when I put this post up and I should’ve known better.]
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The Civic Committee of the Commercial Club released a grim report yesterday about state finances.
Illinois’ growing shortfall in pension and health-care funding is pushing the state toward financial disaster, a report released Wednesday concludes.
The report by an elite group of chief executives from large Chicago-area companies lays out in unusually strong language the hard choices Illinois faces. It calls for significant cost cuts and warns that tax increases, including a hike in the corporate tax rate, may also be required.
“Illinois is headed toward financial implosion,” states the study by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club, an invitation-only group of about 80 chief executives.
But the governor’s office disputes the numbers.
Gov. Blagojevich’s office disputed a report on state finances by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, saying its estimate of a $106 billion shortfall is based on “flawed and inaccurate” information.
“There are several flaws with this report, probably due to the fact that the Civic Committee did not seek the state’s consultation in any way,” said Becky Carroll, spokeswoman for the Office of Management and Budget.
Carroll said Medicaid bills owed to providers do not total $1.7 billion, but only $1 billion.
The state also says the unfunded liability for pensions is not as bad as the committee reports, and in fact is $2.1 billion less than pension system actuaries anticipated at the end of fiscal 2006 on Sept. 30.
Here are the debts…
* $46 billion in future pensions for state employees and retirees, plus payments on a $10 billion pension bond issued in 2003.
* $48 billion in unfunded commitments for future health insurance for state employees and retirees.
* $1.7 billion in unpaid bills to Medicaid providers, such as doctors who serve low-income residents.
Proposed remedies include…
* Increasing employee contributions to pensions and implementing a “defined contribution” system, such as a 401(k) program, for future employees.
* Aligning employee and retiree health benefits with those in the private sector, including increasing deductibles and co-payments and converting to a managed-care system.
* Shifting all Medicaid recipients to a managed-care system, which the study says most other states already have done. Only 10 percent of current recipients are on managed care, the study says.
* The study also suggests increasing the personal state income tax from 3 percent to 4 percent and the corporate income tax from 4.8 percent to 6.4 percent. It also recommends expanding the state sales tax to include personal services and entertainment
You can download the entire report here.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Who do you think would be the best Republican candidate against Democratic US Sen. Dick Durbin in 2008? Explain why.
Bonus question: Despite all the vitriol from many Republicans about Durbin, does the GOP have a chance at this race in what is becoming an overwhelmingly Democratic state?
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“Pockets of resistance”
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
As the feds continue to close in, Mayor Daley continues to defend himself and his administration against claims of corruption.
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley on Tuesday defended his administration’s efforts to reform hiring after a court-appointed monitor said there remained “pockets of resistance†at city hall, but there also were improvements.
“We have done a very good job,†said Daley, who has had to deal with fallout from a federal investigation into illegal political patronage at city hall. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Daley was responding to a new report from attorney Noelle Brennan, who was appointed last year by a federal judge to make sure the city complied with a court-ordered ban on political patronage hiring. […]
Some “pockets of resistance,†the report said, are city employees and a small group of aldermen who “have openly expressed a preference for a patronage system,†where jobs are doled out based on political party loyalty.
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Frankly, the National Guard should have been called out a whole lot sooner than yesterday. Imagine if 100,000 Chicagoans had been without power for 5 days in the freezing cold. Still, at least they’re out there now.
As hundreds of National Guard troops fanned out across iced-over central Illinois Tuesday offering help, residents shivering without power for a fifth straight day demanded to know why it is taking so long to restore electricity.
Thousands of angry and frustrated customers flooded utilities, state regulators and municipal halls with complaints. The Citizens Utility Board asked state regulators to investigate the response to storm-related outages that by late Tuesday still left about 100,000 Illinois customers in the dark.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday declared 49 Illinois counties disaster areas. At least two deaths in the metro East St. Louis region were attributed to the storm, but state officials say they have not received any reports of deaths associated with post-storm power failures.
But many were enduring severe conditions in their frigid homes.
People are frustrated, and they have a right to be. Power won’t be restored to most of Decatur until Friday. Still, people who take out their frustrations on Ameren linemen should be ashamed of themselves (and, yes, I’m including all those idiots in the SJ-R’s comment section for the past few days).
“God’s going to whup you!” she yelled at Steckel as he worked on the alleyway pole that would soon feed the home with power again. “Terrible, terrible service. I am very frustrated, and I’m not the only one frustrated. They are not concerned about the public, they’re not concerned about poor people. People are afraid to leave their homes, afraid someone’s going to break in. That man living over there has cancer.”
Steckel and Jim Pohlman, another Ameren lineman from the Carrollton area, remained silent as Chatman berated them and their employer. They had their own frustrations to deal with.
As darkness fell, they were trying to fix a power line that had been jury-rigged in the first place. Without the right-sized metal sleeves to connect two different-sized lines in the alley behind this house, they were forced to use universal connectors that required extra work. It was akin to having to tie a fish hook onto a line instead of simply snapping one into place with a clip. And they were doing it in freezing temperatures with gloves that were made for work, not comfort.
They’d spent all day in a slow house-to-house slog. They were making good money, but the criticism was tough to ignore.
*** UPDATE *** After initially approving all those nasty comments about Ameren linemen under its Sunday story, the SJ-R has finally hidden them from view.
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Morning shorts
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Post-Dispatch: In their roughly six months of legislating this year, state lawmakers couldn’t come to an agreement on how to ease the impact of skyrocketing electricity rates, rein in the state’s campaign laws, nor put the state budget on sound long-term footing. But before adjourning for the year last week, they did manage to significantly raise their own pay, maintaining one of the highest legislative salaries in America - and the very highest among similar part-time legislatures.
* Marin: Clout or no clout, rats a real problem
* Steinberg: Mayor Daley constantly touts his support of breast cancer awareness, but city retiree health coverage won’t pay for mammograms
* Press release: Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Announces New Study Shows Illinois Leading The Nation In Health Improvement
* Robert Steele chosen to replace mother
* Commissioner wants to know if Stroger can vote
* Davlin coy about running again - Says he will announce his decision within a week
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Tribune: Obama should run
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Chicago Tribune editorial board, which has not endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate since 1872, says Barack Obama should run for president in 2008.
There are the polarizing figures: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich. There are the candidates who’ve been here before, such as Sens. Joe Biden, John McCain and John Kerry. There are the little-known politicians whose best hope may be the second spot on the ticket, like Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and former New York Gov. George Pataki. There are the capital veterans, including Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), whose importance inside the Beltway may make them imagine they have electoral strength beyond it.
And then there is Barack Obama. It’s safe to say that when he decided to run for the Senate in 2004, he didn’t imagine there would be lots of people now urging him to seek the highest office in the land. But ever since his electrifying address to the last Democratic convention, he has been marked for greater things.
To run for president would be a big leap for someone who just a couple of years ago was commuting to Springfield as a state senator. There is a plausible case why Obama should bide his time and burnish his credentials for the future–plausible, but not persuasive. When a leader evokes the enthusiasm that Obama does, he should recognize that he has something special to offer, not in 2012 or 2016, but right now. […]
No one else has shown a comparable talent for appealing to the centrist instincts of the American people–instincts that often go unsatisfied as each party labors to rally its most uncompromising factions. After the divisive events of the last decade, the nation may be ready for a voice that celebrates our common values instead of exaggerating our differences.
Thoughts?
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