34 Comments - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:03 pm: If Quinn believes in evaluating each person based on performance, and does not want to lump them altogether, why did he do exactly that when he asked the UofI trustees to ALL step down? Only a few were involved in the admission mess.What’s special about Blago appointees? Who is he protecting? - Scooby - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:04 pm: Time to get some popcorn. - Mitch C - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:05 pm: Since when is Kirk Dillard against raising taxes? - Shore - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:08 pm: 200k in chicago or some suburbs is like 150k/125k elsewhere, he should have made it higher rather than to go after upper middle class people who are already seeing their college funds trashed. The assault should be on spending for things like 40 million for a building at a college no one’s heard of. According to the report on wttw, money for a shooting range downstate-are you kidding me? The city of chicago should also be denied any state funds until its alderman are held to the same political standards mark kirk is held to in not being able to use taxpayer dollars as we recently learned they are able to do for political consulting. And there’s those millions for free rides for seniors who for all we know could be gold coast millionaires. great quote by brady. - Shore - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:13 pm: also since when are dating services a “luxury”. Married couples make more, raise more children, raise more successful children. All blago officials should have been cannned just as all dc political appointees submit resignations at end of administrations. - Niles Township - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:18 pm: Quinn’s people should take lessons from whomever Pat Brady has writing for him. Short, to the point & very effective, - TJ - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:21 pm: Fumigation - Only an option for the University of Illinois Board of Trustees…. and even then only most of the time. - Obamarama - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:29 pm: ===Married couples make more, raise more children, raise more successful children.=== That’s the best argument I have heard on granting gay couples the right to marry in a long time. And coming from the 10th GOP no less. - Fed up - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:30 pm: Quinn thought all the u of I trusttees should go he just didn’t have the backbone to do it. Cowards die a thousand deaths and this will haunt Quinn - WOW - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:36 pm: Rich, I know people who worked for Blagojevich, they were hardworking people who when Quinn came in were let go. It was his option to let them go but he never even talked to them before let them go so how could he judge their character or work ethic? - Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:37 pm: I seem to recall Hynes saying we didn’t need an income tax, we just need to control spending. I write off any candidate who refuses to admit the state needs to raise the income tax. The facts are clear: 1) The state’s spending cannot be brought down to the same level as current revenue without cutting services that people refuse to give up or that we are obliged to provide (education, corrections, roads, parks, medicare, and public aid). 2) The only revenue solutions that fill that large budget gap include an income tax increase. Any candidate for governor who denies those two points is either too ignorant to run the state or is not telling the truth. I gave up on Hynes last Spring based on that, since he is willing to admit his mistake, I’m willing to give him another look. If Dillard is turning the other way, he can forget my moderate vote. For the critics who will jump on the premise of this post, please explain how the state cuts 5-10 billion from the budget and be specific, because getting rid of “waste” and “inefficiency” doesn’t come close. (See the wonkish.com site) - George - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:39 pm: Quinn’s people should take lessons from whomever Pat Brady has writing for him. Short, to the point & very effective, I’ll give it a shot. It’s pretty easy when you have nothing to say: “The Republican field for Governor is shaping up to be a choice between a George Bush Republican who wants to cut education and healthcare and a George Bush Republican who wants to cut education and healthcare, which is clearly not the kind of change the people of Illinois seek nor the kind of change Democrats are ready to bring to our state.” - Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:39 pm: ==a Blagojevich Democrat who wants to raise taxes== What? If Blago stood for anything, it was not raising taxes. (re my above post, I think he was both willfully ignorant and rarely truthful) - Brennan - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:47 pm: The GOP responses are weak. It really doesn’t matter if Quinn and Hynes tee it up for the GOP. They still whiff. - cassandra - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:52 pm: Quinn has gotten rid of a lot of bad apples? Really? How many, I wonder? And what are the criteria for retention? Judging by Howe and DCFS, not losing federal funding for poor performance isn’t one of them. I doubt that Quinn has the time to go through personnel files so the identification of those bad apples is likely coming from–yes—Blago appointees from the last administration–the folks who are still running state government even with our Blago gone. - CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 3:56 pm: What is “Gags” Brady doing with Murphy They need a a quotapalooza…..Just calling every Blagooof this and Blagoof won’t get it done….They need to huff and puff and wheeze and tease…then set a meeting with KJ and Celini to see if they can get some cash. Maybe they need to tell us whether they cut off their crusts like CommandoKirk and what they will do to solidify the 1000 Islander vote. - Really?? - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 4:01 pm: Looks like the GOP strategy is going to be saying “Blagojevich” as many times as possible in a single sentence. Which would be fine if they coupled it with some actual policy ideas. Just on it’s own, I don’t think it gets them there. - Cindy Lou - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 4:23 pm: –”Quinn bristled at Hynes’ suggestion that he should fire half of the appointees made by Blagojevich who are making $70,000 a year, saying it was “un-American” to fire people based solely on who hired them. He said he has gotten rid of “a lot of bum apples,” but believed in evaluating “each person individually, based on their character, their record, their work performance.” – I’m not so sure about un-Amercian, but I don’t think it’s be too much to ask while he’s looking at ‘each person’ if he’s also toss in the elective as to whether or not each and every one is needed. Great character and hard working is one thing, but if we’re a bit top heavy, do we need them all? Quinn can ‘bristle’ all he wants, but it bristles others just as much to see him defend without a look-see as to justification of need. Okay, some ’some bum apples’ bit the dust, now what about some apples that just can be done without? Sometimes when he opens his mouth without prepared speech, I just cringle, he seems to have no problem ushering other good apples out the door. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 4:39 pm: I don’t know exactly what Quinn proposed way back in 2004, or what he is referring to today, but pretty much everyone in the state back in 2004 was opposed to a graduated income tax. Especially Quinn’s running mate. ===In 2004, he wasn’t there to help us.=== Who is “us” in that reference? It should read “me” as in Quinn alone, as he usually was in 2004. It is more than a stretch to use opposition to a wacky plan that was dead before announced five years ago as a pivot for this flip-flop charge. Seriously, that’s how Quinn is going to operate? Project his biggest liability onto his opponent? It’s like Karl Rove is doing the spin over there. - Plain and simple - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 4:39 pm: Governor Quinn you lied in a church!!! You never talked to anyone before you fired them!!! I am voting for a honest republican!!!! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 4:43 pm: ===You never talked to anyone before you fired them=== Where did you see that quote? - Scooby - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 4:59 pm: They’re talking about Dean Martinez. Quinn went to a hispanic church on a Sunday and talked up how great Dean was and then fired him the next day. Well, you should take that with a slight grain of salt, that’s just what I was told second hand so I’m not a primary source on that. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 5:00 pm: AHHHHHHH! Is that the best these GOP candidate can do? What is the matter with you people? “We welcome Comptroller Hynes’ proposals this morning. As comptroller throughout the Blagojevich administration, Dan has had a first row seat to the economic havoc his Democratic friends have had on our state. The Comptroller is aware of how far in debt Illinois has fallen. As a state leader, the Comptroller has failed to persuade his own party to control it’s spending. Comptroller Hynes has failed over the past several years, along with the Blagojevich administration, to address our out-of-control deficit. The Comptroller has also failed to be heard as our debt skyrocketed. Now that he has his sights set on becoming governor, the Comptroller wants us to see him as a leader.” “But not so fast, sir. Your proposals do not address the situation you and your Chicago friends have created. Your suggestion for tax increases will hurt, not help, Illinois citizens. Your proposal to allow gambling to expand in Illinois is obviously unfair because everyone knows that those who gamble, lose.” “We have see eight years of gambling on Illinois’ future, haven’t we? We see the toll, the hidden costs, and the lost opportunities Illinois has been paying repeatedly while Dan Hynes served as Comptroller. Thanks to the Illinois Democrats, Illinois is suffering a “lost decade” of economic growth, government services, educational reform, government ethics and has been the butt of jokes due to it’s endless parade of corruption.” “We are through with gambling. No more!” - Chi Gal - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 5:08 pm: What was the Hynes campaign team thinking with their timing today? The focus of the media today is all olympics. Doesn’t really matter what you have to say if nobody is giving you the time of day. - Can't Say My Nickname - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 6:08 pm: The fumigation list contains too many political players that Quinn is counting on to help him win the primary. I like Brady’s response. - Bobs yer - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 8:00 pm: love it, love it. Hey Hynes, don’t take that insult lying down! Go get him. Is this the left side of the ‘circular firing squad’? - cynically anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 8:31 pm: I wish someone would take a good look at all the folks at DHS that came in with the previous administration - and their salaries. It is so top heavy it is obscene. It is clear that Governor Quinn hasn’t glanced that direction to evaluate character, record, or performance. If he had, the state would be saving a few hundred thousand in unneeded salaries and the agency would be better off. - Ty Webb - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 8:59 pm: Quinn said he has gotten rid of “a lot of bum apples,” but believed in evaluating “each person individually, based on their character, their record, their work performance.” Since the fall season has started Quinn may want to get rid of few more apples that fell from the Blago tree… Instead of resigning quietly and fading into the sunset, John Filan was awarded a 4-month contract with the IFA at his same rate of pay… The Illinois Finance Authority board signed off on more than $1 billion worth of nonprofit health care deals and accepted the resignation of executive director John Filan, but then rehired him in an advisory capacity to help implement a revamped $3 billion program for renewable energy. […] Filan’s resignation, effective July 1, fulfills a commitment Gov. Pat Quinn made to House Speaker Michael Madigan last month. Madigan specifically targeted Filan in so-called fumigation legislation he proposed to purge state government of about 700 political appointees made by former governors Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan. Blagojevich faces a federal corruption trial on pay-to-play charges and Ryan is serving a federal prison term for corruption. […] Quinn had been reluctant to force Filan out. The two men are longtime friends dating back to their work on former Democratic Gov. Dan Walker’s campaign 35 years ago. With Madigan’s legislation pending, Quinn asked the speaker to remove the language targeting Filan so he could exit on his own by July 1. Madigan made the agreement public on the House floor prior to the vote last month on the legislation. The House passed the legislation, but the Senate never voted on it. […] Quinn spokesman Robert Reed said the governor supports the action. “We think it’s for the good of the agency in terms of continuity and to ensure a smooth adjustment,” he said. Governor, when you agree to a deal that includes Filan resigning, you shouldn’t then stick up for a contract extension. Tony Rezko and former Rezko employee and Blagojevich administration member Jack Lavin with setting up a fake minority front for two O’Hare Panda Express restaurants. The restaurants, supposedly operated by black concessionaire, Jabir Herbert Muhammad, received their contracts as part of a minority contract set-aside program.Lavin was Deputy State Treasurer under then-Treasurer Pat Quinn (now Lt. Gov. Quinn) and Rezko has made significant contributions to Quinn. So who did Gov Quinn send to the White House early this year to oversee how stimulus money would be spent… At the White House Thursday, state officials met with administration officials to discuss how to responsibly spend the economic stimulus money. Jack Lavin, Illinois’ chief operations officer, attended the meeting. He says determining where the money will go “is a work in progress.” - In the Sticks - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 9:46 pm: There are a few Blago appointees in my agency that could be let go and no one would notice. They contribute nothing, do not understand the agency’s responsibilities and spend most of their day running their other business on their personal laptop, logged into the GA wi-fi. That is if they are even in the office. - anon - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 10:38 pm: Quinn should just go after Hynes incompetent record in the regulation of cemeteries. It was Dan Hynes that facilitated Perpetua Corporation in taking over the operations of Chicago Burr Oak Cemetery a few years back. Well….we know how good of a job Perpetua has done. The GOP definitely has a good shot next year. - anon - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 11:26 pm: Hynes showed that he could not win with virtually every county chairmen and all, if not most, of organized labor bwhen he ran against Obama. His candidacy is dead in the water. Also, attacking someone as popular as Doug Scott (who has supported him many times) shows that this Chicago Democrat has loyalty to no one. I will be glad when he loses this primary. He may be bored as comptroller but this is not the answer. I also agree with Anon 10:38. He is very vulnerable on his record of cemetary regulation. - Its Just Me - Thursday, Sep 3, 09 @ 12:02 am: To all those Democrats who are critical of Republicans for tying all Democrats to Blagojevich and not presenting policy ideas of their own, I would remind you that the Republicans learned this trick from the Democrats in 2004. - Philip Krone - Thursday, Sep 3, 09 @ 7:50 am: First of all Dan Hynes is not a Blagojevich Democrat. And Quinn is roughly only half of one. Hynes was probably using the 50% figure of removing Blagojevich appointees over $70,000 as a benchmark — a rough goal, not an explicit quota. But Quinn wanted to fire 100% of the University of Illinois trustees who are unpaid, and had to back down when two trustees who have a far better record than Quinn refused to. The national committeeman and new Republican state chairman is one of my favorite people and he is politically correct to try to paint my candidate Hynes with the Blagojevich label, but it simply isnt’t the truth and I’ll be happy to contribute $500 dollars to the State Republicans if Pat Brady can show me one videotape of Hynes ever endorsing or urging the election of Blagojevich in 2006. I’ll also pay him $500 if he can find five of the same by Quinn, also in 2006. Hynes needs to address the cemetery issue, but if he does it properly, voters will realize that his authority is very limited. Republicans should realize the hypocrisy of their asking for more or better regulation. This carries the criticism of cradle to grave welfare one step beyond. I have my own terrible story about cemeteries, but that’s for another day. I do believe however that cemetery regulation is important because so many people think so, but we should ask the administrators of really well run cemeteries such as Graceland how this should be done. I’ve known Dan Hynes since he was three years old. I intend to spend most of my waking life the next fourteen months getting him nominated and elected should I be able to live until then (I’m already 23 months past my sell by and use by dates. If you want to label Dan, you can do it my way. Dan Hynes is a Stevenson-Ogilvie Democrat. Ogilvie of course was a Republican, but Dan has the same great qualities that Dick had plus the one which doesn’t help — the lack of charisman. (Maybe we should hire Dan Proft to do some training for Dan Hynes) And as far as electabillty is concerned as one poster menitoned, Hynes would have won the 2004 Democratic U.S> Senatorial Primary by slightly more than 3,000 votes were it not for the drubbing he received in Cook and Lake Counties. And Dan came in first in more than 80 counties in the 2004 Primary. But most importantly he and Barack ran high level campaigns which made it possible for Hynes to become the first statewide elected official in the entire nation to call for Barack Obama to run for President, precisely on September 14, 2006. Check it out! A graduated income tax is fair, but the one thing we have to make sure is that our highest state income tax does not exceed that of neighboring states in particular. If I were 25 years younger and know what I know, I’d be running for Governor. But I’m not, so I will help Dan Hynes. And lest someone call me a Blagojevich Democrat, I will plead guilty to having contributed to his first campaign, point out that I never spoke to Rod after Inauguration Day 2003, supported Edwin Eisendrath in 2006, and now firmly believe without castigating any of the other candidates that Dan Hynes is the man for the future. - wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 3, 09 @ 9:26 am: Wow, the GOP candidates are really bringing their A-game! From Dillard: –”It’s more of the Blagojevich, Hynes, Quinn Chicago “dem-economics” that got us into this problem.”– “Chicago dem-economics?” Just rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it? Were you up all night coming up with that catchy phrase? From Brady: “This is just another Chicago area politician looking…” That’s even better: slurring the “Chicago area.” Covers about 2/3 of the state’s population. Does that include Wisconsin and Indiana, too? Are you running for governor or president of the Donny Osmond Fan Club in Metropolis? With this sort of brainpower at work, is anybody still wondering why these guys are in the wilderness? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.