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These days, always look for the harshest political angle
Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * The reason for this funding holdup isn’t too difficult to figure out…
When dealing with Blagojevich, one should always look first at the most crass political explanation possible. Carterville is represented in the House by Democratic Rep. John Bradley. a longtime Blagojevich nemesis. That may not be the complete explanation, but it’s close enough. And it’s yet another reason why so many legislators refuse to trust the governor with the $34 billion capital plan. They know they’ll be jumping through endless politial hoops to get their project funding released, no matter how solemn or public the promises were. It is interesting that they’re releasing the project money now, however. Bradley is under intense local fire for opposing the capital bill. This takes some heat off of him. The explanation for the reversal may have far more to do with Sen. Gary Forby’s reelection this fall than the Bradley grudge. * And this piece shows how things are going in the House these days…
Last year, Speaker Madigan and Tom Cross were allies in the budget negotiations. Not so this year. Cross has broken with Madigan and his members voted against every version of the state budget that the House passed. So, the Repubs got cut. It’s mean and nasty all around, campers.
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- BandCamp - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:04 am:
Springfield may be top-notch for heart care, but I know first-hand it isn’t for cancer. One of my closest friends is getting treatment out of town at a hospital that is, and has been, using much more modern equipment than Springfield facilities can provide. Pushing back the opening of the Center because of partisian squabbling is not only disgusting, but quite heart-wrentching for cancer patients. And that is sad.
- anon - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:13 am:
With the work that SIU president Glenn Poshard has done and been doing for the Governor’s capital plan, I can’t think that the cut to the cancer institute will not be healed soon.
- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:18 am:
This makes no sense, spend the money to build it but cut the funds to run it? We need “PUBLIC SERVANTS” not these political hacks that are calling the shots now.
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:21 am:
Madigan’s famous memo spoke of excising the tumor, hence no cancer center in Springfield. It’s a matter of self preservation for guv.
- Madison County Watcher - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:44 am:
I wonder if they’ll change the name now that Cooper is no longer with the firm?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:46 am:
Still can’t figure out why Cross went with Blago over Madigan. Even if Rod didn’t have the feds all over him, it’s not the long-term move. Maybe he plays checkers, not chess.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:48 am:
We got the government we want, don’t we?
The more we demand of our state government, the harder the fall when they fail us. We cannot continue asking for our own pork barrel projects without expecting tax increases and bloated bureaucracies to run them. We cannot expect efficient government when we elect hundreds of political santa clauses, each with their own list of naughty contributors to reward. We cannot expect our economy to grow when we elect people who hate businesses whenever politically expedient to do so.
We have the government we want.
We want more, not less. We want more, not sacrifices. We want more, not higher taxes. We want government to salve our conscience, not put another dime into a Salvation Army bucket. We want government to feed and cloth our poor, but not ask us to help. We want government to keep us safe, but not take responsibility for our own personal safety. We want government to pay for our health care, pharmaceuticals, and Botox injections, but without a tax increase.
We got the government we want.
You want to see a special interest that is railroading state government into bankrupsy? Look in the mirror. You want to see a greedy spoiled irresponsible immature adult? Keep looking in that mirror.
When our politicans made promises, you knew what they were promising couldn’t be done without sacrifice. When Blagojevich promised health care to all funded by a GRT, you gagged on your own greed and demurred.
As politicians battle over funding crumbs you want your crumb and don’t care who pays for it. As they fight over personal squabbles, you turn your nose up at all of them, but reelect them just the same. As long as you get yours, you don’t care.
We got the government we want, don’t we?
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 10:55 am:
Now VanMan that was just plain mean. All I want them to do is pass that House No Increase budget and maybe spend a little on Impeachment. I was look’in in the mirror when I said that. Is that too greedy?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 11:08 am:
= You want to see a greedy spoiled irresponsible immature adult? Keep looking in that mirror.=
VMan, speak for yourself, dude.
It’s state government. It’s not always pretty, but it’s not the apocalypse, either. It’s roads, schools, public aid and Medicare. Revenues and expenditures. Lighten up, it’ll get worked out. Save the dramatics for Charm School.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 11:46 am:
Wordslinger:
There are two answers to your question re why Tom Cross sided this year with the Governor vs. the Speaker. The first is that the capital plan was/is Rep. Cross’ top priority. When Cross’ political mentor, Speaker Hastert, signed on as one of the front men for the Governor’s plan that sealed the deal.
Second, Rep. Cross probably thought it would be a good strategic move for his Caucus to support the Governor’s plan. He had to have known that Speaker Madigan wasn’t going to let the Governor and Emil Jones get their way with the capital bill, lottery lease, gaming expansion, etc. As much as it is an uphill climb, Rep. Cross had to have come to the conclusion that the chances of electing Republicans to the House this fall improved by having his Caucus support a capital plan, knowing full well that they could sit back and watch the Democrat leaders muck it up.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 11:55 am:
“It is interesting that they’re releasing the project money now, however. Bradley is under intense local fire for opposing the capital bill. This takes some heat off of him.”
This seems to assume competence in the bunker. And rationallity.
- Chanson - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 12:23 pm:
Will they not bill for services? Would they not earn enough to pay utilities?
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 12:29 pm:
The most fascinating thing toi me this time around is that the repubs, and more directly Cross, are backing the Govs! play in the budget.
“And it’s yet another reason why so many legislators refuse to trust the governor with the $34 billion capital plan. They know they’ll be jumping through endless politial hoops to get their project funding released, no matter how solemn or public the promises were.”
Even Bomke who got burned in the very fashion on the Lincol Developmental Center is backing the gov on the capital bill. The republicans in IL have lost their judgment if they think the Gov is the ally to support and madigan the one to war with.
No wonder they can’t rebuild.
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 12:49 pm:
Doesn’t Illinois have one of the most powerful governor’s offices in the country, by statute. Somebody back there in the past decided that Illinois state govt needed a very, very powerful executive. Now, our Blago may feel that it’s not powerful enough. But it’s pretty powerful.
Not sure of the pros and cons of a super powerful
state executive (combined with liberal, not to say downright greed-enhancing, campaign finance laws)
but given that this is what we got, is it surprising that he is using that power by doling out our money to his own ends. No…..
- Bill - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 1:13 pm:
VanMan, Lighten up! If you get any more self-righteous you’ll be Jerry Moore.
- Easy - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 1:37 pm:
Ghost-how is cross backing the guvs play on the budget? That doesn’t make any sense.
Capital is separate from the budget and it’s been a HGOP issue for years.
the Governor breaths air too–does that mean anyone who breaths is backing the guv?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 1:42 pm:
Easy, you’re only partly right. The governor, however, says he needs the capital bill to balance the FY09 budget.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 2:11 pm:
Easy, what Rich said. The republicans have been making it a point to appear WITH blago at events to pus the capital bill. Tey are not just breathing the same air they are carrying the same sack of money.
- Easy - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 2:22 pm:
Rich, it is true that the Governor says that, but Republicans are not.
I’m not disputing HGOPers are pushing for capital. But there’s a big difference from them pushing for capital and them following Rod on the budget. And the facts as I see them are HGOPers are opposed to both of the revenue plans being offered by Rod.
When we start trying to leap to assumptions about who is backing who, these distinctions are importnat.
- DumberThanYou Think - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 3:01 pm:
If the SIU Med School cash was so important to the GOPs why did StatewideTom vote against the Higher Ed approp in May after the committee approved an agreed bill? MaybeState Tom can get Blagoof to give him an MOU for the dough just like they got in Carterville …..just be sure to check the expiration date.
If the SIU Med School cash was so important to President Poshard why did they give the House a bill opposed by the City of Chicago and existing casinos. Seems like a sure loser to me
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 3:09 pm:
Easy you put a bunch of republicans on a podium with the Gov syaing they support what the Gov is doing and there is no assumption about who is bacing who, the only question is are the Repubs nuts for campaigning with the Gov and picking his shirt tails for their political ride.
- Thinking without the box - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 6:13 pm:
SIU SOM is a great place to work but the managment stinks. It is only because of the rank and file employees that the school exists. The management does everything it can to take advantage of their good employees while rewarding the political hacks that work there. Believe me I know first hand. The school shouldn’t receive anymore money till the many serious problems are addressed. Many good employees have chosen to retire early because of the abusive treatment. These retirements have left the school with even more serious problems.
- RJW - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 8:06 pm:
I bet if they put the Governor’s name on the building they could pry the money loose.
- PalosParkBob - Tuesday, Jul 8, 08 @ 11:07 pm:
Giving money to Carterville to repair schools was wrong in the first place.
State law provides a mechanism for schools to perform “life safety” work funded by the sale of life safety bonds or tax levies to the Life Safety fund.
The repayment of the “necessary” life safety repair bonds may be added to real estate tax bills in the district without referendum.
In fact, every public K-12 school district is REQUIRED BY LAW to have a professional evaluation performed by licensed architects at least every 10 years.
Every other school district ensures that their schools are safe (and air conditioned) using life safety code provisions without a $1.9 million “gift” from the guv as a photo op.
Why should Carterville get this gift while poor areas of Robbins and East St Louis don’t?
Blago seems to be using the “Evita” style of goverment asset allocation; shake down businesses and unions for political cash and throw out tax dollars for pub as if it were a “royal” right.
(to the tune of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”)
Don’t cry for me corrupt Springfield,
The “truth” is all I must fear,
All through my wild flights (to Chicago)
My glad assistance (to contributors)
I kept my promise,
Don’t talk impeachment……