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Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Afternoon open thread

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This photo of our governor was taken recently by my intern, Kevin Fanning. Caption?

* This cartoon pretty much sums up the Blagojevich/Jones vs. Madigan fight…

“It’s not enough that we succeed. Cats must also fail.”

* The Illinois Hospital Association’s Howard Peters talks about the $600 million in Medicaid payments that the governor is moving to next fiscal year…

A spokeswoman for the governor says the payment cycle under the new budget will be three months. Peters says he has no idea how Blagojevich’s office could come up with that short a timeline.

More here and here.

* Interesting editorial in the Jacksonville paper…

Quite a few people are likely to disagree with a good number of the Gov. Blagojevich’s cuts, and we can’t help but wonder whether they were made for their maximum political impact Except for stretching out payments to state contractors, however, most of the areas to get cut are activities people should be handling themselves.

Forget the fund sweeps; let the cuts stand.

* We’re a little late to the game…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich proclaimed last Thursday as Beer Distributor Day

* Proft takes a whack at legislative Republicans who supported gaming expansion to fund a capital bill…

Having apparently abandoned any effort to argue for market-oriented, private sector-focused ideas as the means to spur economic activity, the GOP’s leadership reverts to George Ryan-omics: casinos and public works projects.

Rather than holding up the Chicago Democrat junta and relentlessly (and publicly) asking them to account for their ineptitude, ineptitude that is jeopardizing $6 billion in federal transportation funds set aside for Illinois because of this state’s failure to come up with its federally-required 25% match, the House GOP enables the problem gamblers in charge by proposing to tie Illinois’ financial future to a spinning wheel.

* Rep. Aaron Schock voted against tabling the casino expansion bill in May (which was essentially a vote in favor), but voted against an amendment to the same bill last week. He explains his latest vote, but not the flip to the local TeeVee.

* Why did John Borling, a McCain delegate, endorse a Democratic candidate against Congressman Manzullo last week? The Daily Herald explains…

Borling faulted Manzullo for his key role in importing Alan Keyes from Maryland to carry the Illinois Republicans’ banner in the 2004 U.S. Senate race, a move that Borling said “was and is an outrage.”

* ComEd’s ghoulish mailer.

* Ann Marie Lipinski has quit…

Chicago Tribune Editor and Senior Vice President Ann Marie Lipinski announced her resignation today, a week after the paper announced significant cuts to its newsroom staff and a reduction in the number of pages it prints each week.

Gerould W. Kern, who has been Tribune Publishing’s vice president of editorial since 2003, was named Lipinski’s successor by Tribune Publishing Executive Vice President Bob Gremillion, who assumed interim oversight of the paper this month after the retirement of Publisher Scott C. Smith.

* Bad news at GateHouse…

The New York Stock Exchange has only been open slightly more than a half hour, but GateHouse Media stock has already dropped 12 cents to an all-time low $1.46 per share.

That was much earlier this morning. It’s down to $1.38 as of 1 o’clock Central time.

* Oy: Local banks need cash

* RIP Virginia MacDonald. I remember her from my early days. She was always pleasant to me at a time when not a lot were…

Visitation will be Wednesday from 2 to 9 p.m. at Lauterburg & Oehler Funeral Home 2000 E. Northwest Highway, in Arlington Heights.

The funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Simon Episcopal Church 717 W. Kirchoff Road in Arlington Heights.

Interment will be in Oakridge Cemetery in Hillside.

59 Comments

New Yorker profile breaks some new ground *** UPDATED x1 ***

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Despite the goofy cover flap, there are a whole lot of interesting and worthwhile items in Ryan Lizza’s New Yorker profile of Barack Obama. The played to death poker game anecdotes are, thankfully, given short shrift and some new ground is uncovered.

There are still some big holes in this piece. It begins with some unkind words from Chicago Ald. Tony Preckwinkle and then attempts to analyze why she’s not so enamored with her former protege these days…

Others told me that Preckwinkle’s grievances against Obama included specific complaints, such as his refusal to endorse a former aide and longtime friend, Will Burns, in a State Senate primary—a contest that Burns won anyway.

It’s never mentioned, but Obama wanted Will Burns appointed to his state Senate seat when he was elected to the US Senate. Preckwinkle, instead, chose Kwame Raoul. I think the divisiveness has more to do with Obama becoming an Emil Jones ally. Preckwinkle had some harsh words for Jones back when the state Senate seat was vacant and Jones was claiming he could muscle Burns into the slot.

Also never mentioned is that Obama decided not to officially endorse Burns this year for the House seat because Congresscritter Jesse Jackson, Jr. was supporting somebody else in the primary race and worked hard to keep Obama out. Jackson was organizing North Carolina at the time, so Obama was in a bit of a bind.

* One again, Rahm Emanuel claims that Obama played a much bigger role in Rod Blagojevich’s first campaign than any of us imagined at the time…

Rahm Emanuel, a congressman from Chicago and a friend of Obama’s, told me that he, Obama, David Wilhelm, who was Blagojevich’s campaign co-chair, and another Blagojevich aide were the top strategists of Blagojevich’s victory. He and Obama “participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor,” Emanuel said. “We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two.” A spokesman for Blagojevich confirmed Emanuel’s account, although David Wilhelm, who now works for Obama, said that Emanuel had overstated Obama’s role. “There was an advisory council that was inclusive of Rahm and Barack but not limited to them,” Wilhelm said, and he disputed the notion that Obama was “an architect or one of the principal strategists.”

Somebody ought to ask Obama about this. I’ll send off a request and see if I get a response.

* David Axelrod, Obama’s media guru, explains why he took a pass on the Blagojevich campaign…

David Axelrod, the preëminent strategist in the state, declined to work for Blagojevich. “He had been my client and I had a very good relationship with him, but I didn’t sign on to the governor’s race,” Axelrod said. “Obviously he won, but I had concerns about it. . . . I was concerned about whether he was ready for that. Not so much for the race but for governing. I was concerned about some of the folks—I was concerned about how the race was being approached.”

Prescience or revisionism?

* Senate President Emil Jones explains why his endorsement of Obama was so important in the 2004 US Senate primary, and it’s pretty insightful…

“The Mayor of Chicago and the father of Dan Hynes”—one of Obama’s primary opponents—“when they were both state senators they shared an apartment together in Springfield, so there’s a relationship between those two. And the Governor? One of his chief financial supporters in his first run was also in the race. I work with both the Mayor and the Governor, so, by my jumping in strong behind Barack Obama, they didn’t want to alienate me and have me upset with them, so they stayed out of the race.”

Go read the whole thing.

* Related…

* Obama, at fund-raiser in Newport Beach, Calif. takes one sip of a Mimosa

*** UPDATE *** I finally got around to e-mailing the Obama campaign about the Blagojevich campaign meetings. First, these meetings were held during the fall election, not the primary (Obama endorsed Roland Burris in the primary). Now, the response…

He attended a few meetings – one was a briefing for legislators. He played the same role in electing a Democratic governor that other Democratic members of the General Assembly did.

I’ve talked to some others who were at a few of those meetings. From what I can gather so far, Congressman Emanuel is overplaying their significance.

38 Comments

Question of the day

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Carol Marin partially takes back a column wherein she called Illinois a “sorry state”…

This state is made up of more than what infuriates us. It’s made up of much that makes us proud.

Like the Chicago police officer who was shot and killed July 2 just doing his job, working the night shift so in the daytime he could care for a stepdaughter with special needs. Officer Richard Francis was a great example of public service. That’s why thousands of other people, some who never met him, took it as an almost sacred obligation to turn out to pay their respects and grieve his loss.

It was powerful and inspiring.

And then there was the lost 3-year-old in Oswego. Hundreds of people, some perfect strangers, skipped work or whatever else they were doing to volunteer to help the 25 police departments that, without being asked, converged on the scene. Together, they searched the corners of Kendall County until the little boy was found alive and unharmed.

It spoke volumes about the citizens of this state.

So does the work people do every day for modest pay and no public recognition. Social workers, teachers, medical technicians, garbage collectors, the list goes on.

* Question: Say something nice about Illinois. It doesn’t have to be about our politics. Just something nice. And no snark, please. Thanks.

70 Comments

Budget roundup

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This revelation always gets lost whenever we have big budget “cutting” years…

While many lawmakers decried Blagojevich’s cuts as draconian, Senate Republican budget experts said 70 percent of the slashing simply eliminated increases over last year’s budget.

That still means over $400 million in “real” cuts, with more to come. But it’s not as horrific as has been portrayed. And while people will lose jobs and many programs will be slashed to the bone…

Among Governor Rod Blagojevich’s budget vetoes, the Governor cut $55.129 million from the Illinois Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse’s treatment system budget and, as a result, DASA will lose an additional $55.129 million from the federal government, too. In effect, the DASA budget will be gashed by $110.258 million from a budget of only $252 million, a 43% whopper of a slash.

…schools are getting a relatively large increase…

The administration pegged the elementary and high school increase at $360 million

* And the constitutional officers are not pleased at all…

“He’s too busy trying to settle scores without realizing what’s at risk than he is trying to find the most effective ways to be fiscally sound,” said [Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias], who has picked apart some of Blagojevich’s political and government policies. […]

[Attorney General Lisa Madigan called] the decrease in her budget “irresponsible” and “politically motivated.” Her staff’s workload has increased dramatically, she said, adding that identity-theft cases alone have increased 2,200 percent since 2003.

“I can’t not have lawyers show up in court,” Madigan said. “There are things that constitutionally and statutorily we can’t say ‘no’ to. We’re not trying to create more work. It comes to us, unfortunately.”

Because she can’t cut staff, her office estimates it will run out of money April 29.

* Meanwhile, the oh so helpful rhetoric continues…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday accused House Speaker Michael Madigan and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley of conspiring to raise the state’s income tax after next year’s elections. […]

“I think he (Daley) fears Mike Madigan, and I think Mike Madigan has promised him an income tax increase,” Blagojevich said.

Heh.

* As I’ve been telling subscribers, this fight is all about the capital bill…

Blagojevich again touted the $34 billion program at an unrelated Chicago news conference on Sunday.

* And is it any wonder that southern Illinois is so enthused while Chicagoans ain’t exactly thrilled?…

The capital bill would have yielded $1,763 per person to Southern Illinois and only $645 per person for Chicago.

Much of the revenue to fund those projects, remember, will be raised from Chicago area casinos.

* That aforementioned press conference was about this topic, which is designed to (justifiably) make Madigan look bad…

Using his power to rewrite legislation, Gov. Blagojevich proposed Sunday that insurers be required to pay for diagnosis and treatment of autism, a poorly understood disorder in children that can cost families their life savings. […]

Blagojevich added the autism language to House Bill 4225, which mandates coverage of physical therapy for people with multiple sclerosis in public employee health plans. The bill passed the General Assembly this year, while another measure on autism was caught in political cross fire between the governor and legislative leaders.

* Related…

* Governor’s rivals see cuts to budgets

* Quinn: Gov’s budget cuts ‘petty and vindictive’

* Suburban lawmakers say lame-duck tax talk all wet

* No dice to gambling expansion

* How your lawmakers voted on gambling expansion

* Statehouse Insider: Who’s to blame for the budget fight?

* Budget bleak if House and Senate don’t cooperate

* Southland hit by Blagojevich veto pen

* Q&A: House has next move in game of state budget

* State Capitol Notebook: The week that was at the Statehouse

* Froehlich needs new material

* Not Republican or Democrat, just common sense

26 Comments

“Private” info revealed in smear

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Remember the other day when the Blagojevich administration smeared Rep. Jack Franks by revealing that he had asked for jobs for friends and family back in 2003, when everybody was asked for their lists? The revelation came after Franks issued a letter calling for impeachment proceedings to begin against Blagojevich.

Well, the Associated Press has been trying for years to get the hiring lists submitted to the administration without success. All their FOIA’s were denied because the info was supposed to be private. Naturally, the AP pointed this out in a recent story…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office has repeatedly refused to disclose the names of people seeking state jobs, citing privacy concerns. But attempting to shame a legislative critic as lawmakers prepared for more state budget work, his staff freely distributed that very information.

Blagojevich aides last week released a 2003 memo from Rep. Jack Franks recommending a dozen people — including his wife, father and brother — for state jobs or commission appointments. Its release came just hours after the Woodstock Democrat said the House should begin impeachment proceedings against the governor.

A day later, in a letter under governor’s office letterhead obtained by The Associated Press, Blagojevich deputy chief of staff Victor Roberson accused Franks of “fraudulent behavior” and trying to “misuse power” by seeking jobs for family and friends. […]

The memo’s release is an abrupt flip for Blagojevich. The Associated Press has submitted at least three requests since 2006 seeking lists of state job candidates from his office. Each has been denied under exemptions in the state Freedom of Information Act, including an exception for releasing records that would “constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”

Oops.

Expect Rep. Franks to raise a stink about this, and I can’t fault him for it, either.

* Related…

* Blagojevich draws comparisons with ex-Gov. Dan Walker

* Why nothing ever gets done in Springfield

7 Comments

Don’t believe a word

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* TV stations, particularly small-market TV stations, usually aren’t known for taking on “real” news stories. But give props today to WTWO in Terre Haute for looking a bit closer at a Gov. Blagojevich press release…

Despite the slumping economy, apparently travelers still want to visit Illinois. Governor Blagojevich announced a record breaking rise in tourism across southeastern Illinois. […]

Edgar County is up 6.7 percent to $7.6 million. Blagojevich said, “The Illinois tourism industry is thriving and every region of the state is reaping the benefits.”

Scratch the surface, and things look a bit different…

However, the mayor of Paris hasn’t seen these benefits. “I’m looking out the window and I don’t see a lot of tourist in downtown Paris,” said Mayor Craig Smith. “I’m not seeing a bunch of cars from out of state spending what I call ‘tourist’ dollars.” […]

“This is huge news, huge dollars. I love the news but I don’t see the dollars yet,” said Mayor Smith. “We should be able to see that in increased sales tax revenue and we really haven’t seen that much. We’ve seen some increase but that would be a substantial increase for Edgar County.” […]

Originally, WTWO went to Marshal to find out what’s attracting so many tourists. Instead of tourist, we found a different story. When asked if tourism has been on the rise [Mary Lou Cornelison Director of the Marshal Chamber of Commerce] said,”No, people are not driving the National Road like they used to. It is not as big as it has been.”

Now, compare that piece to these unquestioning stories here and here and you’ll see why it’s always important to carefully read every, single press release issued by this administration.

7 Comments

Was IDOT building flooded? “No,” says owner

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* A big crowd is expected for the upcoming IDOT move hearing…

A July 31 hearing on whether more than 100 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs should be moved to southeastern Illinois will be held in the state Capitol, and officials are already expecting an overflow crowd.

The legislature’s bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability decided to hold the hearing in Room 212 of the Statehouse, in part because it is already set up for hearings. The room is the largest hearing room used by the General Assembly.

Even so, COGFA expects the crowd to be too large to fit into the space. Another 250 chairs will be set up in the Capitol rotunda, along with a large video screen and speakers.

* I’m pretty sure that this photo is gonna come up….

That would be the proposed site for the new IDOT traffic safety headquarters. The photo was taken during Harrisburg’s March flooding this year and has been making the rounds of state workers for the past week or so. A local TV station did a story on the situation last night…

Controversy surrounding the new IDOT building in Harrisburg after pictures surface on the internet. Those pictures were taken during the flooding in March, they show the new home for the IDOT traffic safety division surrounded by water. Opponents of the IDOT relocation claim the building suffered extensive flood damage. But the owners say that’s not the case.

Tracey Wyatt heads the Southeastern Illinois College Foundation, which owns the old Allen Miller building in Harrisburg, he says he’s thrilled it was one of the few buildings in town without flood damage.

“From where we were at on the day after the rain stopped the water never got within three inches of the building,” said Wyatt.

But it’s hard to tell that from the aerial photos that have been circulating on the internet. Sites posting the pictures say the building saw flood damage. Wyatt says he wants the truth to be told.

“Without context that aerial photograph of course looks bad but three inches of water can look like three feet of water from the air,” said Wyatt.

The Harrisburg mayor’s office flatly denied last week that the building was damaged by the flood.

…Adding… You might get a better perspective of the water’s depth by clicking here. It looks like the water was pretty shallow in some areas and some areas maybe not so shallow.

* Meanwhile…

The Blagojevich administration may want the Division of Traffic Safety of the Illinois Department of Transportation to move out of Springfield, but at least its chief is getting some thanks for the job the division is doing.

MIKE STOUT, director of the division, who makes $105,888 annually (that includes a recent raise of $200 per month), got a bonus this spring of $7,245, said PARIS ERVIN, IDOT spokeswoman.

Ah, the fun we’re having.

37 Comments

Why this Daley thing intrigues me

Monday, Jul 14, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column tells a few different stories in order to make a point…

Last summer, House Speaker Michael Madigan was able to use his alliance with the House and Senate Republicans to thwart Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones at almost every turn.

Whether it was the budget, or the governor’s health insurance expansion, or a multitude of other issues, Madigan and the Republicans were a solid team throughout the long overtime session.

This year, the Republicans have flipped on Madigan, allying with Gov. Blagojevich and Jones on the $34 billion capital construction package, funded by expanded casino gambling and by leasing the Illinois Lottery to a private company.

A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation between Madigan and Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson. Sen. Watson had come to the House floor to lobby Madigan, yet again, on the capital bill, which would dump tons of cash into roads, bridges, schools and mass transit.

Nothing doing, Madigan said. “I don’t know how anyone could ever trust that guy,” he said of Blagojevich.

Watson and House Republican Leader Tom Cross continued to stick with Blagojevich despite Madigan’s argument that the governor will eventually double-cross them.

Right now, the only powerful political ally that Madigan has left is Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Daley has turned thumbs down on the capital package because: 1) The price the city would have to pay for a casino license was way higher than what Daley agreed to; and 2) The governor inserted language giving himself control of all Chicago school construction projects against Daley’s wishes.

Madigan is under intense pressure from his allies in organized labor and from many of his fellow Democrats to approve the capital bill, but he has refused to budge. And as long as Mayor Daley is still not satisfied with the proposal then Madigan has more than enough political protection.

Meanwhile, some of my best inside sources confirm that Madigan’s daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, is now leaning far more towards running for governor than she has in the past.

All of the above is why the semipublic mulling of a 2010 gubernatorial bid by Mayor Daley’s brother Bill Daley is so interesting to me. Whether or not Bill Daley ever decides to run for governor (and that’s a debatable point), he is right now currently testing the waters and gauging his support.

Speaker Madigan and Mayor Daley have argued and even split in the past, but the two men go way back, and it’s practically impossible to break them apart for long. Madigan views Richard J. Daley, the mayor’s father, as his second dad. Madigan and Daley are more than just political allies, they are almost like brothers. That means they occasionally fight each other hard, but they usually end up on the same side.

However, Bill Daley is a “real” mayoral brother. He’s an official member of the ruling family, not an unofficial member like Madigan.

What I’m trying to say here is that Speaker Madigan is facing a quite touchy situation. The possibility that the brother of Madigan’s only remaining ally in this fight to the political death with Gov. Blagojevich might end up on the opposite side of a primary race with his daughter, or even that he will continue openly mulling the decision for months, could very well complicate the speaker’s near future.

Now, most believe that some sort of arrangement will be worked out. But things could easily become complicated with a family situation like this. A few kind words from Mayor Daley about the capital plan, for instance, would send ripples throughout the state’s political establishment establishment and seriously undercut Speaker Madigan’s position, and possibly his daughter’s.

It can’t be said enough that Madigan cannot afford to lose Mayor Daley right now, just like Blagojevich can’t afford to lose his most powerful ally Senate President Jones. Without Daley, Madigan is friendless in his war with Blagojevich. Without Jones, Blagojevich is in the same friendless position in his war with Madigan.

Lately, I’ve gotten word from on-high that Jones has repeatedly urged state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias to run for governor in the 2010 election. Giannoulias is a vocal critic of Blagojevich, so if Jones moves his direction the governor could face unending problems.

Stay tuned for much fun, campers.