54 Comments - a tax paying citizen - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 10:45 am: “I think at the end of this year, the Governor Blagojevich will be the poster child for CORRUPTION! What ever happened to the judge’s order to free up Rod’s federal subpoenas? White collar crime pays dividends in Chicago and Illinois, Rod Blagojevich is living proof! This year will end badly for Rod and a huge embarassment to Illinois. - Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 10:49 am: Despite the elections in the fall and the need to free people up to campaign, the Rod/Madigan feud should continue indefinitely, so I suspect it will end very badly. - spfldadm - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 10:50 am: The best end would be with the indictment of Blago! - Trafficmatt - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 10:53 am: Rich - you do realize that predicting what this Legislature is going to do is like predicting who Paris Hilton’s boyfriends are going to be, don’t you? I would predict that there will be a lot more haggling about the public works bill. With the reduction in construction related to the downturn in the housing market and the dollars that potentially are going to be lost from the Feds, I think there is going to be a lot of pressure from the unions and the Federal politicians to get a bill going. There is nothing like a nice ribbon cutting on a public works bill for politicians. That said, I think there is going to be lots and lots of handwringing for some time. I don’t predict it is going to happen until May. I can’t imagine that the Republicans dropped the connection between Transit and a Capital Bill without some assurance that it would come up again in the Spring. - Levois - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 10:58 am: Perhaps the question should be, will Rod Blagojevich ever learn his lesson? - Opie - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 10:59 am: Individual “A” will become public knowledge. A farewell statewide bus tour will be planned but not take place. - Quinn For Governor - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:02 am: Indictment/impeachment is the only thing to end (temporarily) the feud. - Wumpus - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:08 am: Rich, is that last years session or this years session? Is there a budget yet? Hopefully, the end wil involve a meteorite and the capitol building…when Rich is at a tavern a safe distance away of course. - Bookworm - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:21 am: “When this session will end” should probably be added to the list of things God Himself doesn’t know. - Linus - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:23 am: ” … as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.” - Siyotanka - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:24 am: Is this the “old” session or the “new” session….I’m sooooo confused! Or is this the continuing saga… I have lost track of time, and which session is which. The session will end when the State runs out of funds and the lights go out and building becomes cold and unbearable… - beavis - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:28 am: RICH & New guy Password is not working to unlock the new post. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:32 am: Not sure why. Some browsers require you to be on the main page when you input the password. Try that. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:35 am: Did the last session every “end?” Why should this one? - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:35 am: Oops! Meant “ever.” - dc - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:37 am: It will end with no budget and a resolution passed by the House that expresses a vote of no confidence in the Governor. The Speaker of the House, in his closing remarks will implore the Governor to “get a grip” on governing rather than campaigning. - Crimefighter - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:37 am: It won’t end, the current session will continue until 2010. - Ghost - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 11:42 am: It will end with a whimper from the people of the State of Illinois. - Anon - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:08 pm: Crimefighter, it wont end in 2010 either because Rod will be reelected to a third term. - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:08 pm: The Governor will do whatever he can to keep the legislature in Springfield until he gets whatever he wants, at which point he will change his mind, veto a few bills and call the legislature back to Springfield. They will be popping down there off and on throughout the summer and fall. Public Official A knows the legislators want to be in their districts campaigning, so he will do whatever he can to keep bringing them to Springfield. His efforts will backfire in the House which will pass bills and leave quickly. IF the Senate will turn on the Gov., the impasse will be over. The last one is a hard call, but the Senators will really be pushing for closure so they can run their campaigns. So, the session will end when (if) Emil stops backing the Governor. - Cassandra - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:18 pm: The governor will be running again in 2010, early 2010 if he is challenged in the primary, not that long a time in politics. Two years. So he needs to find some money fast without raising taxes, to make everybody happy. I suspect we’ll see a gambling bill shortly, then an extended recess to avoid opportunities for embarrassing squabbles during the year when the Dems are concentrating on winning back the WH. During the recess, the guv will produce a lot of happy programs aimed at various interest groups, using his executive powers. Democratic legislators will gnash their teeth but keep quiet. Nobody will pay any attention to the Republicans. - Commonsense in Illinois - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:25 pm: Sine Die - Dan S, a Voter - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:32 pm: Never unless we get some help from the Feds by indicting “Public Official A”. - A Citizen - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:45 pm: Closure of legislative sessions will take a back seat and be held in abeyance while the State becomes embroiled in more and more lawsuits over failure to pay its bills. 1.7 billion in arrears now and growing day by day. The fiscal crisis is getting close to the surface and when it fully emerges it will be ugly. Filan et al have emptied the trick bag of sleazy and questionable “fixes”. I predict a major tax increase “for the people” and then a hasty retreat out of town! Probably around July or August. - Macbeth - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:45 pm: The session will end — or continue — with the governor doing what he does best: campaigning. He’s a damn good campaigner, a dismal governor, and will lay the groundwork for a third term. There’s a lot of adrenaline now. Blagojevich knows he’s at his best when he’s in a campaign mode — and folks seem to be quite smitten by Blahojevich when he’s in campaign mode — so I suspect we’re well on the way to see a third-term of Blagojevich. No indictments. As much as I’d like to see Blagojevich indicted, my prediction is that it won’t happen. What *will* happen is that the governor will be painted as a patsy — a prime player who was taken advantage by the secondary players. His “patsy-ness” will be misread as political savvy (when in fact, it’s probably lack of capable intelligence.) I know I’m fond of the poker analogies — but Blagojevich is clearly the worst player at the table. But this plays to his advantage. If the other players have you pegged as a weak-tight player — and you suddenly make it fifth street and decide to overbet the pot on an unpaired board — the other (smarter) players will be absolutely bamboozled. They’ll have no idea if you’re betting for value or bluffing — and you won’t either. They’ll try to replay your previous betting back — and they’ll be confused. The story you’re telling is weird — and it’s the weird stories that get the savvy betters to fold in confusion. That’s what’s going on here. Blago will win a third-term because he’s got everybody bamboozled — even though the same people who are bamboozled know he’s the worst player at the table. - VanillaMan - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:46 pm: 2008 is a political year, and most pols will not wish to deliberately recreate the current fiasco. It is in the best interest of the General Assembly to find a workable solution to Blagojevich without empowering him. There is no reason to forecast a Blagojevich indictment, because any gubernatorial indictment is too unusual to expect. It is like believing that whenever clouds appear it will rain because whenever it rains, there are clouds. There is a difference between federal investigations and actual indictments. So don’t expect Fitzgerald to change the current scenario. What we will continue to see is an erosion of support for Blagojevich. Consequentially his name will become fodder for political usage like rhinovirus is used to sell cold medicine. So although he will probably survive another year, it will not be a good year for him. The General Assembly will work around him and treat him as though he has leprosy, since politically, he does. As Blagojevich is paraded as the “cause” of the 2007 political meltdown, his support will not strengthen. If it wasn’t for the fact that he polls so unbelievably low, I’d say his poll numbers should drop - but I can’t imagine them lower than they are now. So, I expect the General Assembly to do their job, while muffling the Governor at every turn. Voters just want to see work done in Springfield, so they won’t care if the Governor is shut out. Blagojevich will continue to behave in ways to create favorable news, but he will be spurned. Illinoians will continue to roll their eyes when his name comes up in conversations. The GA has the upper hand. It will do what it can to have a successful year. I expect the session to end before July 4th, regardless of the upcoming PR stunts planned by the Governor. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 12:53 pm: 2007 Redux: Blagojevich will attempt to hold the legislature hostage again this summer to pass his health care plan, figuring that with nov. elections looming, he can put the squeeze on them. House Democrats — especially black caucus members — will complain that Blagojevich is hurting Barack Obama’s presidential aspirations by dragging them to Springfield when they could be out there campaigning for him. Targeted House Democrats will refuse to show up for the special sessions, pointing out the money Blagojevich is wasting by calling the fruitless sessions, and base their entire campaign on an anti-Blagojevich message. Eventually, Emil Jones will realize that the one who’s being hurt the most by all the nonsense is State Sen. Debbie Halvorson. Voters in her congressional district will be constantly reminded of her ties to Blagojevich and Jones, including her vote for the Gross Receipts Tax. Forby, Haine, Holmes, Kotowski, Jacobs, Link and Schoenberg will also get whacked, as well as democratic challengers with links to Jones and Blagojevich, however minuscule. Jones will realize his super-majority is in jeopardy and a budget will be approved in August. THE OTHER POSSIBILITY: Jones will realize what lays down the road if they don’t pass a budget on time, and the four legislative leaders will pass a budget that protects targeted incumbents, which Blagojevich vetoes in grandstanding fashion and they will override. - Not Again - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:10 pm: Feb. 2nd. I wake up to Sonny & Cher singing “I Got You Babe”. - GA Watcher - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:21 pm: Like the Energizer bunny, it will keep going and going and … - beavis - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:27 pm: If, and only if, some sort of legal action were taken against Public Official A - he still wouldn’t be required to resign. Right? What makes any of us think he would? This guy will cry “I’m the victim of the system” all the way until the last minute before entering the penal system. Legal action could drag on forever. I’m not saying anything is or is not going to happen, but I think its likely that Public Official A will serve out the remainder of this term in office. Thanks for the tip before, password working now. - Beavis “huh huh, I said penal system” - beavis - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:34 pm: To the question: I think they adjourn on time. It will be a temporary truce of convenience, much like it was in 2006. No growth budget, a mini-capital budget for targeted projects, a few more dollars for health care from the cigarette tax. No capital bill, no gambling expansion. If Blago pushes for more or tries to drag things into overtime, Emil could (but may not) say enough is enough and both chambers could pass the budget with veto proof majorities. Left on the table are education funding, gaming, last year’s line item vetoes, larger capital budget, and the governor’s health care plans. I think the Governor is weighing to push harder this year or to play nice and let them out on time. We’ll see what he says in his annual My State of My State and My Budget address. After that we’ll know much more of course. - Under the dome - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:34 pm: Session will end when Blago is indicted or leaves office. - capitol view - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:35 pm: what WILL happen? The General Assembly will pass an austere budget by May 30th. There will be a bond program included, with many road and bridge projects, after some kind of gaming expansion goes through to pay for it, but with a slight delay in the effective date so darn few projects have ribbon cuttings prior to the next gubernatorial election. I’m not sure this gov wants to be around legislators at ceremonies with sharp objects, anyway. Yes, the governor will keep calling the General Assembly back into special session with innane and unaffordable ideas through the November elections — unless his favorite legislators all get their clocks cleaned in the February primary. - Stacker of Wheat - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 1:48 pm: how about the ides of March? - GA Watcher - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:27 pm: Any news on where the Governor will sign HB 656? - GA Watcher - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:29 pm: Oops. I had a senior moment. I forgot it was an AV. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:29 pm: He still has to certify it. Hasn’t done so yet. - JakeCP - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:42 pm: It will never end because our state legislature is too disfunctional. - Bookworm - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:44 pm: You’re right Beavis, and we would do well to remember this: an indictment alone does not force Blago or any other Illinois public official to leave office. An official must be convicted of, or plead guilty to, a felony for that to happen. (At that point he would not even have to formally resign — he would just automatically become ineligible to hold office and the succession would kick in.) And if his conviction should be overturned on appeal, the offense would be taken off his record, and he would be free to run again. - Jaded - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:47 pm: I think it ends with another bubble gum and bailing wire budget with the toughest decisions put off again until November or longer. I also think it ends on time, because if it goes over, the Repubs will dig their heals in and it will never end. One day into June, and we are here all summer. - Bookworm - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 2:57 pm: Case in point: Lyn Howard, former mayor of Pekin, convicted of official misconduct for using a city-issued credit card to obtain cash advances which he then used for gambling. He fought the charges all the way to a jury trial and did NOT resign when he was indicted. He has since appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court. At the time of this trial I was working for a newspaper which was covering this story, and it was our understanding that the moment the jury pronounced him guilty, the office of mayor became vacant. But he kept on plugging right until that point. Now, in that case, the time from Howard’s indictment to conviction was only 8 months (March to November 2005). I would imagine that in a case involving Blago or any of his cronies, that timeline could easily be two or three years or more. - The Mad Hatter - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 3:18 pm: I don’t know how it will end, but I have a suggestion. We set up a boxing ring on the floor of the rotunda and give Madigan and Balgojevich a pair of gloves and let ‘em have at it until one or the other cries uncle. The loser has to resign. - one of the 35 - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 3:21 pm: My prediction is that at the end of the fiscal year, revenues have been so grossly over estimated that there will be a huge shortfall. Real estate and auto industry economic engines are out of gas. A fiscal crisis is looming. State government will exhibit continued paralysis due to the lack of leadership by this governor. - Princeville - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 3:31 pm: While I agree with Ghost and VanillaMan here, I think I’m with Beavis on waiting to hear the upcoming State/Budget speeches. I think I gotta wait till I hear what warm fuzzies he drops on us in these speeches. At this point, without yet hearing his two big press moments, I think we’ll see the Republicans and Democrats in the House working harder together to be solid against any Blago antics. And I think at some point, Jones is going to have to really rethink his enabling of Blago, the ship is sinking and I don’t feel Jones will want to take himself and the Senate totally down with it. Getting toes wet is one thing, wadders needed might prove different. - Dooley Dudright - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 3:46 pm: Between the desire, And the spasm Between the potency, And the existence Between the essence, And the descent Falls the Shadow For Thine is the Kingdom For Thine is, Life is, For Thine is the This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper. —T.S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men” (1925) - The Doc - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 3:49 pm: I believe you’ll see a capital bill gain some traction for several reasons: 1) The GA realizes that the mass transit crisis has placed them under more scrutiny now than perhaps ever before. Politicians want photo ops and their names attached to legislation, not scrutiny. 2) Despite the usual bellyaching and whining, Blagojevich appears to have laid the groundwork for Dems and Reps to work more closely together, if for no other reason that to spite his puzzling and irresponsible agendas. 3) There appears to be a growing (albeit slowly) tide of backlash amongst Illinois residents for historically untouchables like Daley. For instance, the 2008 budget vote saw more dissension amongst the rank-and-file than usual. Even the most obtuse legislators realize that some level of accountability will be mandated. - Just the Facts - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 3:49 pm: “Not with a bang but a whimper” - The Hollow Men - T.S. Eliot - irishpirate - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 4:38 pm: The session will end with Blago addressing the Legislature on the importance of hairspray as an economic engine for the State Of Illinois. Meanwhile, federal agents under the direction of Patrick Fitzgerald’s replacement, PeeWee Herman, will be making their way to the front and place Blago into custody for being the mastermind behind the hijacking of a truckload of Revlon products on its way to a suburban Walgreens warehouse. The entire legislature, except for the Senate President, will break out into applause; however, a group of senior citizen commandoes will free Blago from the clutches of the Feds and escape on a CTA bus which they commandeered for free. It will turn out that the warehouse is owned by a consortium involving the names Rezko, Cellini, and Patrick Daley. Patti Blago will have represented the consortium in the deal and showed up for the closing to collect her check. Blago will hole up in Holy Name Cathedral downtown and claim “sanctuary” while being protected by a round the clock senior citizen militia. The standoff will last for weeks until the militia deserts Blago for the early bird dinner at the reopened Berghoff restaurant. At that point the feds will again place Blago into custody and Patrick Quinn will become acting Governor pending the legal proceedings. - A Citizen - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 6:00 pm: The 07/08 session will not end it will simply morph into the 08/09 session. Sine die, my rear end! - some former legislative intern - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 6:01 pm: I have a feeling the session may come to a close sooner than anyone expects after Emil’s backed candidates in the House are defeated soundly and he loses perhaps one or two of his allies in the Senate. Martinez is as good as gone, and Hendon is in deep trouble. - Jechislo - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 6:02 pm: I think, very soon, that Rod’s ‘year’ will end with no real accomplishments. One can almost hear the screams from the inner rooms of the House and Senate from both sides of the aisle. As long as Jones continues to prop up this joker nothing real will ever happen. Rod’s indictment has to be VERY close. When are the Dems going to elect a Senate President that will stand up to Rod? Only then will real progress begin. I worked in State Government for 35 years. Nothing, I repeat nothing, has come close to Rod’s fouled up administration. - Budget Watcher - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 6:13 pm: I suspect he has something big coming up…some major revenue initiative that funds capital and expands healthcare. I believe he’s learned that capital is a common prize across parties and regions, so the revenue piece becomes secondary to the prize. - anon - Friday, Jan 18, 08 @ 6:53 pm: I think we are in rats’ alley where the dead men lost their bones. T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land (1922) - Phoning the Feds - Saturday, Jan 19, 08 @ 1:32 am: Legally the session ends when the Speaker bangs his gavel following adjurnment (I can’t spell today!). What never ends is the 2 ring circus of Illinois politics. Time to end the primary system entirely (party process at State expense), consolidate all voting in November (be it elections or referendums), and give independents a REAL chance to change this mess. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.