55 Comments - OneManBlog - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 9:51 am: To have Mike Madigan no longer be Speaker and no longer chair of the Democratic Party. - Commonsense in Illinois - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 9:53 am: I really think the governor’s goal is to discredit Michael Madigan as leader of Illinois Democrats and instead install himself. There’s an early primary and party convention coming and a ton of political exposure at stake for whomever leads the Illinois delegation. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:07 am: If Blago were smart enough to think up a game plan, I would agree with the above posters. However, I don’t give him that much credit. I think he’s flying from crisis to crisis by the seat of his pants, calling the plays as he goes. Perhaps he thinks he is smart enough to discredit MMadigan; however, he’s apparently not smart enough to see the damage he is doing to himself. There will definitely be a casualty of this was; however, I’m betting it will NOT be MMadigan. - Jaded - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:08 am: To learn the names of all the Senators and Reps. I hear he is through the O’s. - Macbeth - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:08 am: Probably his goal is to avoid Nix’s advice. - scoot - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:14 am: No doubt it is to shut down state government & then try to blame Madigan and the House for all of this happening. Saying they do not represent “Democratic values” is flat out wrong, the money isn’t their Governor. We’ve seen shutdowns in Jersey & partially in Pennsylvania..both Dem Guvs trying to benefit from it. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:16 am: To distract reporters and the public from the 29 ongoing federal investigations into his office. - Bluefish - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:19 am: I think his “game” has already reached the “end”. - No End Game - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:19 am: I really don’t think he has an end game. I think his problem with Madigan is only because he is stopping him from saving face - he bit off more than he can chew and has no way of spitting it out and like the father that he is, Madigan’s not gonna let the him leave the table without admitting he bit off more than he can chew and leave his grand plans . If he has an end game it’s ideally that he needs to save face and get some of what he wanted even though I think he trully believs that he knows that he can’t get it. So, how do you get more education $, more $ for health care, a capital program and the like without raising the revenue required (because that’s not going to pass, i.e. new and increased taxes and fees, expanded gaming, etc). I don’t think that’s possible. I think Madigan’s end game is to somehow force a budget on him, weaken him so he doesn’t have to go through this again. The sticking point in all of this (and has been all along) is President Jones who needs to leave this governor’s side, cut a deal with his caucus and Madigan no matter what it may mean to his family’s jobs. This is like a Mexican stand off - no one will end up winning and without a clear end game where someone is the winner, no one will pull the trigger and end this. - North of I-80 - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:22 am: Coronation - scoot - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:24 am: The first hints of the governor’s change in tactics came at the end of last month when he held an impromptu news conference to announce he would call legislators into a special session every day until a budget deal is reached. Hit with the subpoena question, he laughed hard for about 10 seconds. “Here’s the good news for you,” Blagojevich, still grinning, told the reporter. “The good news is we’ll be here seven days a week, every single day, you can ask me that question every day until we get a budget.” -Today’s Tribune - Esteban - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:27 am: Beats me. He’s like a bull in a china shop-what he doesn’t break, he “dumps” on. Could he be off his meds? - DOWNSTATE - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:29 am: Like any out of touch Democrat Tax and Spend. - Levois - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:36 am: To help the 1.4 million uninsured in Illinois. - bored on 1 - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:46 am: OMG. do you really believe he wants to help the uninsured? Good one. This is a man who fights over control of a landfill, refuses to govern in Springfield, and name calls. He wants to help no one but himself. - Wumpus - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:59 am: To prove how stupid he is and make Little Lisa’s ascension to the mansion that much easier. Mike Madigan is too smooth to be outsmarted buy Roddy. Perhaps he is trying to get the dems booted out of office statewide. The GOP needs to get a clue and play they “the dems have done nothing, but run up overtime session expenses” card…which is true. - Mr/ W.T. Rush - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 11:16 am: I think the end game is to see if GRod finally does so many stupid things that even Bill has to bail out. I guess he is about 92% of the way there. Is the rumor that GRod is adding Amy to the Dick Kay Korps true? - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 11:20 am: His end game is to somehow force those who do not wish to be insured to be covered with insurance. He would also like to cover those who are uninsurable - probably only 10,000 Illinoians. I know we are all sick of him, but we should still give him the benefit of a doubt - he wants health care. He is just going about it like he hasn’t a clue how to be governor. I have to also admit to YDD that perhaps Blagojevich is trying to do what Ryan did when he left office - do a “hail mary” pass towards history by at least accomplishing one grand, admirable thing as he is flushed down the toilet. Ryan halted the death penalty, maybe Blagojevich is somehow convinced he will be seen as some kind of health care savior. But end game? The game is over for Blagojevich and the winner is Madigan. - the Patriot - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 11:23 am: 1. Universal Healthcare 2. Money for schools 3. Ban All Guns 4. Disband the legislative branch. 5. Create state run TV and radio stations with propaganda about Karl Marx and hair club for men. 5. Open Thomsponville prison as Gulag for those oppose his ideas. (pretty much everyone in Springfield except for Emil Jones) 6. Effectively end free market in Illinois and create boom towns in 5 boarder states. 7. Create long bread lines and food rationing 8. Oh, I almost forgot, move the capitol to Chicago and label anything south of I-80 or West of I-39 the badlands where people who do not obey the “dictatHair” are banished to. - Walkenstik - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 12:17 pm: No, no, no. Of course no Democrat in his right mind (Joe Lyons was on to something) would act in this manner. Rather, this is simply the culmination of an elaborate Republican plot to thoroughly divide and discredit the Democratic party. Rod is a republican plant - a sheer genius -turning in a virtuoso performance that truly is Oscar-worthy. The frequent plane rides simply offer him cover to make clandestine phone calls to Republican puppet-masters who choreograph his every move. Masterful, masterful craftsmanship. - i d - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 12:19 pm: He is mentally inept. And,there is no help for it now. “A major misunderstanding of child rearing has been the idea that meeting a child’s needs is an end in itself, for the purpose of the child’s mental health. Mothers have not understood that this is but one step in social development, the goal of which is to help a child begin to consider others. As a result, they often have not considered their children but have instead allowed their children’s reality to take precedence, out of a fear of damaging them emotionally.” Author: Heffner, Elaine - Just Saying - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 12:37 pm: He actually thinks he’s going to win this one and get universal health care. That’ll cement his reputation with national liberal types, who, believe it or not, LOVE him. - Squideshi - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 12:37 pm: I think that Blagojevich’s “end game” has more to do with his own personal political advancement than the public good. He’s grooming himself for higher office. - Moderate Repub - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 12:41 pm: ON TOPIC: Definately health care (illionois Covered). I don’t know if he really believes in IT, or it getting him to the National Stage (which I think is delusional at this point). However, he definately drinks the Univeral health care Kool-Aid. Problem is that he can’t understand that people are not rady to back it at his estimated costs. ITS A NATIONAL ISSUE. Let it go Gov. - OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 1:00 pm: Walkenstik, I wish we were that clever. - Are You Ready - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 1:39 pm: One positive press release: Grand Funk Railroad is playing at the State Fair. I wonder if this could be part of his plan. - Anon - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 2:11 pm: Even without Universal Healthcare, more funds for school salaries & pensions and some progress on $40 billion in pension libalities plus whatever else the GA wants to fund, will require more revenue. The Gov. says he won’t raise the income tax, but the spenders want a graduated or higher income tax. So I think his end-game is to have a budget forced on him with big revenue (tax) increases in it. Likely, some of his programs will be funded to some extent because he has some allies in the GA. He will veto the budget, and be overridden. Then he can say, “They made me do it. I didn’t want to do it, but they made me do it, so help me God.” Then he can run against “big taxers in Springfield.” - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 2:19 pm: I’m really tired of hearing that Blago is grooming himself for a higher office. Read “The Peter Principle”. He’s as high as he’s going to go. It’s all downhill now. - Cassandra - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 2:21 pm: Since the only thing he can do competently is campaign, I assume this behavior is connected to some campaign goal. Maybe it’s a proxy fight for what could be a primary fight against Lisa. If he can discredit and disempower Madigan, he can perhaps, by proxy, make it more difficult for her to win the nomination. Hence all the “you’re really a Republican” rhetoric. It feels like a campaign slogan. Commonsense has an interesting point. I had forgotten that the not too distant Dem convention provides opportunities for power grabs by Illinois pols. - Overtimer - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 2:36 pm: To be appointed God’s new right hand man. Now that his chances of running a successful campaign for President are looking pretty slim, that doesn’t preclude him from getting the last laugh. I hear that position comes with a “no-muss halo,” so it won’t flatten the “do” and his very own pair of blue suede shoes. - Beerman - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 3:00 pm: Overtimer - You may be on to something (”To Be appointed God’s new right hand man”) but I think that would mean he would have to ultimately be buried at Graceland and on the third day perform live, via satellite, in Hawaii. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 3:05 pm: Blagos deluded. He looks in the mirror and sees a president. He should look behind himself and see the U.S. attorney. Madigan’s played this game before and can’t lose: Protects his majority, holds the line on spending, humiliates Rod and furthers Lisa’s advance. By the way, who doesn’t think that certain savvy Springfield Dems haven’t been feeding the U.S. attorney/press about the questionable hires and contracts regarding Blago/Jones? Have you ever tried to wade through a state government paper mountain? You don’t even know where to look unless someone who does points you in the right direction. - Overtimer - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 3:19 pm: Beerman- good one. But before he performed live, via satellite, in Hawaii, he would first have to appear before Sheila Nix- who wept when she saw him. - Captain America - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 3:55 pm: I think the Governor is sincere about his health care plan. Originally, I believe he originally saw this initiative as a platform for running for President. Unfortunately, his ambition to become President has become absurd - he can’t even govern the State of illinois. Now I think it may be a desire to establish a postive legacy analogous to Ryan’s efforts vis-a-vis the death penalty. It brings to mind a conversation i had with a voter before the November election. The voter opined that he didn’t think Blago was very bright, but he sincerely wanted to do a good job. Blago’s political behavior has been so erratic and irrational that other than trying to blame Madigan for his own leadership failures, I don’t think there has been any end game. Maybe he sees attacking Mike Madigan as a way of discrediting Lisa and thwarting her ambitions by diminshing her appeal in the to the African-american base in a Democratic primary. Damage control should be the Governor’s primary objective. For all practical purposes, the Governor has destroyed himself and his political career by his conduct the last two months, whether Fitzgerald indicts him or not. All any opponent would need to do is reprint and distribute the many devastating newspaper editorials to defeat him. I respect Mike Madigan, but i wouldn’t shed any tears if he was not Speaker anymore. My personal pipedream/end game would be Quinn as interim Governor, Lou Lang as Speaker, and John Cullerton as Senate President - I’m flexible about successors to Jones and Madigan. If I could designate the next Democratic Governor in 2011, it would definitely be Dan Hynes. I fully expect Mike Madigan to continue being the Speaker. He’s the only one of the three top Democrats who has appeared competent. - Superman and Green Lantern - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:08 pm: Captain America: John Cullerton? Explain, please. - Bill - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:09 pm: Captain, I think that you are underestimating the voters and the Governor. Voters I talk to are thankful that the Governor is standing up to those who want to raise their income taxes and sales taxes but who is willing to explore other revenue options to provide much needed funding for health care, pensions, and education. They see the Governor and President Jones as real Democrats who will look out for their best interests. They know that the Governor is trying to find solutions to the problems of handgun violence and repressive utility rates. Downstate voters know that if it wasn’t for Madigan they would have gotten some relief from Ameren.If Madigan thinks that this overtime nonsense is helping Lisa than he is sadly mistaken,for once. At this point, I doubt that Dan would be interested in being governor. Rod will be back in 2010 if he wants to be. - one of the 35 - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:25 pm: To become President of the United States. The real problem here is with the Governor’s perspective. I think he wakes up in the morning and says, “How are today’s events going to affect me, Rod Blagojevich?” Every thing else is just a function of how it relates to his needs. His reason for championing health care is not really for the benefit of others but to help him further his own political goals. - annon - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:30 pm: A Guiness Book of World Records , record, as to keeping a state legislature capitive in session the longest, spend more money per week {they don’t have}& fly the most miles in a private plane & not arrive at a budget. - NIEVA - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:43 pm: I’m pretty sure I saw the Gov. last week when I was in Vegas. He was playing a small club off the strip,I think you all know what the costume he had on looked like,just imagine the King in his prime! All those flights on the state plane have been taking him back and forth to his preformances. I really believe he is getting ready to resign and go on the road as the King or maybe WGN needs another Bozo. - state worker - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:45 pm: To control the WORLD and hold Illinois hostage for one million, I mean one billion dollars. hahahahah - downhereforyears - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 4:51 pm: He couldn’t care less about healtthcare and kids, it’s Madigan…..M A D I G A N. He has to have an enemy every session. Remember ISBE - BIG R.PH. - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 5:05 pm: Everyone here is too short sighted. The real “end-game” is to create a society that is totally dependent on the government. Because the government does things so much better than the private sector. That is why we have books for babies, 3 year old mandatory pre-school, more money for schools and healthcare for all. Once we have all of this, Illinois will be a Utopian society and everyone will be happy. No more hunger, poverty or poor education. I can’t wait. BTW It’s called socialism and you will be taxed @ 100%. G-Rod must GO! - Disgusted - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 5:42 pm: His goal is to appear so stupid, erratic and belligerant that he will finally be able to convince his doctor to increase his ADD medicine. - Name/Nickname/Anon - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 5:59 pm: Bill: Please keep your ’solutions to handgun violence’ north of I-80. Daley-style gun control is not welcome in Central Illinois. I am not sure which voters you are referring to; most people I talk to are so disconnected from the process they couldn’t name the Speaker, President and Governor. I submit to you that politicians rely on this ignorance to keep getting elected term after term. An informed and involved voter base NEVER elects a hack like Blago in the first place.Fortunately for the few supporters he has left, the voters of Illinois are disinterested in almost everything political. - Pro-Gunner - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 6:36 pm: The Gov wants to drive firearms manufacturing out of the state. - Clara "The Clairvoyant" - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 6:56 pm: Uhhhh, to come out of this fiasco without making the David Letterman Top Ten List of “Politicians that Slipped the Noose Over Their Own Neck”? I am not sure if Big Rod (The Gov) or little Rod (aka Emil) has managed the best job of destroying any political credibility that they might have had left with the Illinois voters. Voters are simply amazed that any remaining Democrat politician would stand within 10 feet of either of these two guys and not expect to catch a deadly political virus by being seen by the voters as “one of their political lackies”. - southern man - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 7:07 pm: Apparently he doesn’t have a plan. When a reporter asked him today if he would support another 1 month budget for August, he said, “I don’t know, I haven’t thought that far ahead”. That say’s it all folks. Would someone please turn off lights and tell them to go home. - A Citizen - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 7:26 pm: His end game is simple - To stay out of prison. Problem is he can’t unring the bell. It’s driving him nuts, hence the bizaar behaviour. It’s all an attemt at diversion. - Shallow Pharnyx - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 7:30 pm: I think his goal for this session is the same as it has been every session- appear as a pioneering, progressive politician that has put his mark on Illinois: reducing the size of government, providing health care for all children, attempting to provide books to all newborns, prekindergarten for all 4 year olds, increasing the minimum wage above the federal level, health care for all citizens, funding stem cell search, etc. Unfortunately, he has not done any of these things on the up and up. He has manipulated (using church audiences to put forth his “moral” objectives and name calling fellow Dems), lied (funding for stem cell research) and circumvented state policies (laying off state workers and hiring replacements on contract so they do not appear as state employees)to get his way. All of these “goals” would be noble if accomplished with compromise and some humility. His ultimate goal is a higher political office- he is already setting the stage at a cost to Illinois taxpayers. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 8:57 pm: Bill, I’d like to see the people you talk to. Can they still fog a mirror? - A Citizen - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 9:04 pm: - Little Egypt - Well, I’m sure they still vote if that helps you any! - Captain America - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 10:46 pm: Superman/Greenlantern I don’t pretend to know who the heavy hitters in the Senate are. I have only known three or four Illinois State Senators personally: Netsch; Cullerton; Ronen; and Schoenberg. I don’t see anyone who meets the gold standard set by Senatorr Philip Rock, who I consider a real statesman. Former Senatoe Obama isn’t available. Senator Cullerton has a lot of seniority. He’s on the leadership team. I think he’s intelligent, well-lilked, and respected by his colleagues. All I really know is that I’m very unhappy with Senator Jones and think the Democratic causcus should seriously consider a change. A leadership struggle will be very divisive, and I definitely don’t want to alienate the AFrican-American base of the Democratic Party. Nonetheless based upon the dismal performance of the top three Democratic leaders in Springfield. I think a changing of the guard is in order. Be a real superhero and suggest soem alternative candidates for Senate President. I’m completely open-mianded about the identity of a successor - whoever could put together a winning coalition and would not be an impediment to significant ethical reforms. - Captain America - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 11:14 pm: Bill, I wish the Governor well. I prefer substantial revenue increases and a much larger, but responsible budget. I’m not happy with Madigan either. I don’t think this budget impasse is helping anyone but the Republicans. But the Governor refused to compromise. The newspaper editorials have been devastatingly critical about Rod’s performance. Its not Madigan partisans who are writing those editorials. If Dan Hynes is not interested in being Governor, it’s news to me. I think he would be an outstanding Governor - someone who could work effectively with Republicans, various factions of the Democratic Party, and build coalitions to get things done in the best interests of the entire state. Admiitedly he’s not flashy like Rod. But Rod’s charisma and PR bltizes are wearing a little thin. - Papa Legba - Wednesday, Jul 11, 07 @ 11:30 pm: You can answer this question with a question. What happens when you jump into the deep end of a pool? You get in over your head. That’s Rod folks, plain and simple. - Squideshi - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 4:24 am: “BTW It’s called socialism and you will be taxed @ 100%.” Blagojevich is hardly a Socialist with all the money that he takes in from big business. His campaigns are corporate-funded just like the Republicans. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.