* Gov. Pat Quinn told the Daily Herald the other day that House Republican Leader Tom Coross presented the video gaming idea to fund the capital bill as a “non-negotiable” item. Quinn claimed that Cross, the son of a Methodist minister, refused to put any votes on the bill unless video gaming was included. Cross and Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno denied the guv’s claim…
Cross and Radogno say they did agree to support [video gaming], but it wasn’t a “nonnegotiable” position as Quinn claims. They point out that gambling expansion has always been on the table when it comes to funding road, transit and school construction.
Video gambling, the Republican leaders say, ended up being the one gambling measure that could gain widespread support, as opposed to a Chicago casino, slots at racetracks like Arlington Park or more casinos in other parts of the state.
“That looked to be a responsible source that could pass into law,” said Radogno spokeswoman Patty Schuh. “Gaming was always on the table.”
Cross spokeswoman Sarah Wojcicki said, “To go back and nitpick about whose idea was whose, I don’t think is very productive.”
“We said that was something we could support,” Wojcicki said of video gambling before pointing out, “The Democratic leaders signed on and the governor actually signed the bill.”
The leaders and the governor made a “gentleman’s agreement” not to point fingers on the capital package so as not to create even more controversy. Quinn has clearly broken the agreement, which shouldn’t be a surprise. He does this all the time when he’s in a tight spot.
* The governor is also known for going back on pledges like this new one he made to Crain’s last week on refusing to sign an unfair legislative map…
“I think it’s important to make sure we have a governor who believes in competition and a fair map,” Mr. Quinn replied when asked how he would handle remap. “Compact, contiguous districts that assure competition” are needed, he said.
An aide later added that Mr. Quinn is prepared to use the best available computer technology to get such a reapportionment plan.
Does that mean he wouldn’t sign into law a map like the current one, which is filled with an abundance of squiggles, bumps, curlicues and sharp turns designed to help one politician or another?
No, he wouldn’t, Mr. Quinn signaled with a shake of his head. “There’s a problem” with maps that do what the current one does.
* This behavior, and more like it, led me to make these comments during a speech the other day…
Rich Miller, author of The Capitol Fax Blog, kicked off the event by giving his insights on the seat of governor and the campaigns of its contenders before they arrived. Miller outlined the incarceration of former Governor George Ryan, the legal woes of former Governor Rod Blagojevich, and what he perceives to be the incompetent work of Pat Quinn, struggling with a capital bill and the mistake of an early prisoner release program.
“It would be nice if we could get an honest and competent governor at the same time,” Miller said.
Actually, what I said was that George Ryan was a competent governor and a crook. Rod Blagojevich was incompetent and a crook. Pat Quinn wasn’t a crook, but was also incompetent.
On a related note, Guy Tridgell wrote about George Ryan today, calling him the best governor the state has ever had…
Love him or hate him, Ryan actually made things happen that we’re still benefitting from today.
Jim Edgar? His legacy seems to be he didn’t do anything particularly bad. But he didn’t do anything particularly great, either.
Rod Blagojevich? Interested in helping himself and no one else. A cartoon character.
Pat Quinn? The recovering gadfly promises anything and everything, with no real vision to back up the plans.
The batch that aspires to become the next governor offers more of the same. A lot of promises, but no real hope for touching lives in a positive way.
* Related…
* ADDING: Chamber speaker wants Illinois to come up with new way to draw districts: Maisch, vice president of government affairs for the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, will speak in Quincy today about a proposed referendum on changing the way legislative redistricting is done. The goal will be to end gerrymandering — the practice of creating political maps that favor a particular political party — in Illinois House and Senate districts.
* [Reposted from the weekend] Prison chief warns workers against speaking out
* How Quinn, Hynes propose to balance budget
* Quinn, Hynes set to debate
* No holiday from sniping in governor’s race
* Cutting though the smear ads
* Gov. Pat Quinn survives rocky journey from outsider to state’s CEO
* Dan Hynes campaigns for governor by focusing on deficit
* Layoff notices hit 31 state EPA employees
* Illinois’ state budget woes second only to California
* You Can Just Call Us “California East”
* Less money should mean better spending
* Illinois enters a state of insolvency
* Cole Hall Still Stands Despite Promises of a New Building
* Few politicians willing to take ownership of video gambling
* Democrats offer conditional support of gambling expansion
* No Will County vote yet on video gambling
* Will County Board split on video poker
* Apparently, no ethical dilemmas for Kane County
* High-speed rail seen as economic engine in Illinois
* Officials Still Fighting for Money for High Speed Rail
* Unions push own McCormick Place reforms
* McCormick Place unions propose exhibitors‘ ‘bill of rights’
* Daley dismisses ‘bill of rights’ idea as McCormick Place solution
* Lawyer plans to leave Blago defense team
* Get an inside look at how Illinois legalized UFC: It didn’t take any punches or kicks or choke holds for mixed martial arts to be legalized by the Illinois Legislature and signed into law by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, just the usual mix of political clout and a little campaign cash, according to a portion of Blagojevich’s new book, The Governor.
* Flores Says Farewell
* Quinn signs law keeping teacher evaluations secret
* Quinn signs cemetery regulation
* Quinn signs Illinois cemetery law
* Pass on the primates
- Gameplan - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:52 am:
oh for pete’s sake, he said she said.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:57 am:
–“It would be nice if we could get an honest and competent governor at the same time,” Miller said.–
–”You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with laser beams attached to their heads!” Dr. Evil said.
- Frank B. - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:01 am:
Regarding the IDOC “gag order,” the timing is bad politically, no doubt. But in Randall’s defense, every police and corrections agency in the nation has general orders in place that forbid officers from talking to the media without the approval of their superiors.
I know that drives reporters crazy, but it’s common practice and makes a lot of sense for a paramilitary organization.
- cassandra - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:28 am:
I would note that the EPA employees aren’t, according to the article, actually losing their jobs. Presumably, the layoff notices are required to allow them to be shifted to other union jobs.
And they won’t even have to relocate!
As our Pat prepares to make another run on middle class pocketbooks, it’s certainly interesting to note that employee unions, not the state’s executive, decide whether employees are to be laid off or not and that all unionized state jobs are lifetime jobs, unless the union decides otherwise. Even if there is not enough work for them to do. And they don’t have to relocate.
- Objective Dem - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:58 am:
I must admit that I was very disappointed by Quinn’s ad against Hynes. The ad says something along the lines that an employee of Hynes was charged with market manipulation while using a state computer. My understanding is the guy was putting warnings on a website about penny stocks that he thought were ripoffs. First he wasn’t doing this for his profit as the Quinn ad implies.(in fact it seems like he was trying to protect the public) Second, Hynes can’t be held accountable for every misdeed of his employees.
On the other hand I do think Quinn is responsible for the prison release program because this was a major public policy initiative that originated from his office.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:13 pm:
Re: Jim Edgar? His legacy seems to be he didn’t do anything particularly bad. But he didn’t do anything particularly great, either.
Trivia: that’s very close to what H.L. Mencken said about Calvin Coolidge.
The tragedy of Pat Quinn is that his past public and history combined to give him a unique chance to be great, and he threw it away for the pursuit of a 4 year term.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:14 pm:
The exact quote:
There were no thrills while he reigned, but neither were there any headaches. He had no ideas, and he was not a nuisance.
- Raymond Moley - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:15 pm:
I agree that George Ryan was the best governor in the last 30 years. He inherited the SOS office practices from Edgar whose greatest accomplishment was serving eight years without being indicted given the MSI scandal during his administration. Quinn is a great disappointment. Honest, but unfocused, and inept with a little touch of a wimp thrown in for comic relief
- just sayin' - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:19 pm:
I don’t think anyone believes Tom Cross on anything.
Why do you think he’s known as Tom Double Cross?
- Gregor - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:44 pm:
George was a dealmaker and got some things done, but frankly he tried to buy the state’s love with Illinois FIRST, then left us holding the bag on the debt from that largesse. Going back in time, Edgar had to fix a deficit handed him by Thompson’s Build Illinois. Capital budgets have never been really balanced or fully funded; for years they hoped to kick the can forward to a time when the miracle of the market and compound interest would somehow raise enough in interest income to pay the bills. For over 30 years the governors of the state have played the game of who manages to leave the restaurant table and stick the last guy there with the check. Blago bounced out early, Quinn comes in the door and is presented with that check. His answer is:
“Bring more dessert, I have friends coming”.
And the table game begins anew.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:49 pm:
The most interesting item in the squabble between Quinn and Cross is the notion that Cross had the ability to impose a “non-negotiable” condition on anything. Say huh? “He threatened to hold his finger next to my head and say,’Bang! Bang!’ if we didn’t include video gaming”?
- grand old partisan - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:00 pm:
I found Tridgell’s column very interesting, and I think it is representative of the ambiguity many people are starting to feel about “reform” and “reformers.” I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: the 2010 election is about competence, not corruption.
I think Tridgell would have been right-on if he simply compared the virtues of competence versus corruption as demonstrated by Ryan, Blago and Quinn. But he inexplicably sells Edgar short and conveniently ignores the massive budget deficit Ryan left – hardly an example of effective, competent management - in order to support his broader and (perhaps intentionally) controversial thesis. Ultimately, I think he misidentifies the source of Ryan’s ability to get things done. It wasn’t just that he had bold plans and was willing to fight for them (the same could be said of Blago, after all). It was that he worked with, and tried to sell his plans to the legislature instead of grandstanding and attacking them.
That being said, I think Tridgell is wrong to summarily dismiss the entire 2010 crop of candidates. I think that there are several among them who could break the cycle of conflict and recrimination and get down to the business of running the state. Which ones, specifically? Well, I’m not going to name names, but you might want to start with the ones who are campaigning on a record of successfully governing and/or getting things done in Springfield, and avoid the bomb-throwers who are all but promising more of the same from the last 8 years, just from a different ideological bunker.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:06 pm:
===frankly he tried to buy the state’s love with Illinois FIRST===
He ran on the issue, so you got the cart before the horse.
- MarkMac74 - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:51 pm:
I’m a lifelong dem, but I voted for Edgar because he seemed more trustworthy than Hartigan (yes, I’m going back a few years). Whether I was right… who knows. But for the same reason, I’m going to keep backing Quinn, because I trust him more than anyone else out there right now. Maybe we have low standards here in Illinois, but if we could keep a gov. out of jail for a few years and focus on getting back into some sort of fiscal shape, I would be happy. I cut him some slack because it’s hard to imagine a gov. walking into a worse situation. Hynes just doesn’t seem like a leader to me (maybe b/c he’s so young?) and I won’t vote for Ryan.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:51 pm:
A gov he breaks his word with the leaders; and leads via press release over an actual plan or solutions.
Deja vu anyone?
- Cindy Lou - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 2:38 pm:
–”As our Pat prepares to make another run on middle class pocketbooks, it’s certainly interesting to note that employee unions, not the state’s executive, decide whether employees are to be laid off or not and that all unionized state jobs are lifetime jobs, unless the union decides otherwise. Even if there is not enough work for them to do. And they don’t have to relocate”–
As usual, Cassandra, your spin on what *you* perceive as to how things are and are not do not equate with the reality of how layoffs, bumping, position fillings, ect actually are accomplished and follow a contract/supplemental.
And moving on, the reminder sent out by Randle is of no surprise nor does it amount to a ‘gag’ order, if that is what some choose to call it, any different than what is normally expected. Long standing rules/policy of proper procedures and sent out at a time the media is snooping around hoping to find some good tidbits.
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 2:44 pm:
ACTUALLY StatewideTom did insist on video poker as a rep[alcement for other taxes he did not want for capital.
Edgar mus be remnembered for padding the pockets of the MSI guys before skipping out of office. GUYS
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 3:07 pm:
Unfortunately, the last governor we had who was both honest and competent was Adlai Stevenson.
The last governor we had who was really good was probably Richard Ogilvie.
It’s been a long time.