Cue Lisa Madigan
Thursday, Jun 10, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Quinn said today that he won’t veto the state budget…
Quinn’s apparent intention to sign the budget comes after Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, called for Quinn to reject the spending plan lawmakers approved last month. Franks voted against the budget and has said lawmakers should return to Springfield and come up with a comprehensive solution.
“We’re not going to do that,” Quinn said of Franks’ veto request.
Quinn added that it’s clear lawmakers have no desire to make tough choices when it comes to the state’s money situation.
“Members of the General Assembly don’t want to make any cuts, they don’t want to do anything about revenue,” Quinn said. “They basically have decided that only the governor can make those decisions and we’re going to have to do it for them. I’m disappointed in them, I think they’ve in many cases avoiding doing what they should do, but it’s time to act.”
When he does so, the attorney general ought to step in because this budget is so blatantly unbalanced that even Speaker Madigan flatly admitted it.
* The governor also called on the Senate President today to pass the pension borrowing bill without Republican votes. Apparently, the governor is having no luck persuading any Republicans to go along. That’s strange. Check out his comments from just two days ago…
The governor says he thinks he has lined up “three or four” Republicans to vote for it, but he didn’t name names.
If he had that many GOP votes, Cullerton would call the Senate back in a flash.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 2:47 pm:
This is too stupid!
If Quinn does this, he just handed another fiscal to Brady and he should start packing up ole Betsy!
C’Mon!
VETO!
- the Other Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 2:56 pm:
I imagine that the courts would stay out of this mess. I know that the constitution says the budget must be balanced, but there’s a great deference paid to the legislative branch. In other words, if on its face the budget bill is balanced — even if that’s based on cooked numbers — the courts will not step in.
MMadigan’s statements were not made during session, so it’s even less likely that the courts would use that as a basis to step in.
And, quite frankly, that’s a smart decision. If we say that the courts can come in and “fix” or throw out budgets based on statements to the press, we’re going to have a mess on our hands. We might as well then turn over the appropriations function to the Supreme Court.
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 2:59 pm:
So, let me get this straight… Lisa Madigan is going to come out and say that her father passed something out of his chamber that was unconstitutional, and he has to come back and do his job right this time?
I just can’t picture it happening, man. I just can’t.
- Bubs - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 2:59 pm:
It’s not that the votes aren’t there to resolve this crisis, it’s even more disgusting than that. The votes are not there to resolve it unless the GOP votes for it too, to give the majority political cover in the coming election.
Silly me, I thought we sent them to Springfield to represent us, not themselves.
- PFK - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:08 pm:
Quinn’s is now officially a failure. He had a opportunity to set this state on a road back from fiscal insanity, and he blew it. Yeah, Madigan deserves most of the credit for the disaster, but by trying to appease him, Quinn has just agreed to become the disaster’s public face.
- Irish - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:08 pm:
“Quinn added that it’s clear lawmakers have no desire to make tough choices when it comes to the state’s money situation.”
Then they need to resign! If they are accepting the pay then they DO THEIR JOB! What would happen to any rank and file state employee if they said ” This is just too tough I am not going to do it.” or any other worker anywhere, for that matter. How do they get a pass on not doing what they were elected to do?
I agree with Rich. Pressure should be put on the AG to take a stand here. Not only are they violating the Cconstitution by not passing a balanced budget, but it could be argued they are taking pay for work they are not doing. Has the Supreme court ruled yet on the theft of services?
- Wondering... - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:08 pm:
“We might as well then turn over the appropriations function to the Supreme Court.”
They couldn’t do any worse than what we have now.
- Business as usual - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:16 pm:
Any other AG with ambition for higher office would relish at the opportunity to blast the GA for not putting together a balanced budget. Unfortunately, AG Madigan is silent now and may continue to be, if & when the Senate passes this budget.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:29 pm:
I just don’t see LM taking this one on. She can hide behind the fact that the courts may not want to insert the judiciary into this process as cover for avoiding taking on the GA/MJM. It matters little if LM is kowtowing to her father or the issue is decided based on liklihood of success. Ain’t gonna happen.
Legislative cowards. Pure and simple. Breathtaking.
Have we seen enough yet? Do we need to see more before we decide that the GA has wholly abdicated their elected responsibilities here? We don’t have to rehash the whole dems vs GOP stuff at this time. We all know the positions of most folk who post here. This is just amazing.
The GA has basically left PQ holding the bag. While he may make some decisions as he has been authorized to do, it will have little effect on the Nov election. He’s gone. For the leadership of the GA, we have been watching and will pull levers in November. Incumbents in the majority party will have to answer to their fecklessness. If the GOP takes over in November, they had better bring some action to the GA after the election. Folk want the problems worked on and I hope they don’t ease off even if the GOP wins big.
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:32 pm:
BAU: in a word, yep…the best argument for getting rid of one of the Madigans…what a mess!
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:38 pm:
So let’s get this right
AG and Jack Franks sue…win
Force a new budget vote with StateWide Tom, RxRon and the blowhards voting for the budget…..Forget what it says, SWT has his targets pandering to the unions on vouchers and pensions and new windfalls for school. Senate GOPs really have no campaign effort so forget them.
So after they vote the budget they are toasted.
Great plan
Fire,Aim Ready!
- Comment - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:43 pm:
The Governor is right. Love him or hate him, he’s right. The Legislature does NOTHING people. It always comes down to the Governor having to do the actual work these people should have spent the past several months doing. Nothing ever changes. Our State Legislature is a joke. Good luck Governor Quinn and every other Governor that comes after him (and those who came before him) because your job is impossible. You will always be made to look responsible due to the complete lack of action by other elected officials. Why aren’t more people upset about this?
- jonbtuba - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:47 pm:
Comment is right. The GA dropped the ball. Quinn pushed for plenty of solutions and no one budged.
- Ghost - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:51 pm:
I dont see Quinn as the bad guy here. Quinn has vocally called for taxes to handle the expenses; and if there is no budget then the Stat such downs. As odiousome as handy him the steaming pile of bills and a small sack of money with emergency budget powers is, no budget would be worse.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:52 pm:
CFS,
As long as they are in the circular formation which gives you your posting name I am all for it!
- John Bambenek - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 3:57 pm:
Lisa Madigan’s office isn’t silent on the question. They view enforcing the balanced budget clause as a “non-justiciable political question”.
- Thoughts...I have thoughts... - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 4:19 pm:
I think the votes are there for revenue. The problem is that they aren’t all Democratic votes and it’s just too enticing of an issue for Republican leaders to let it happen. If they force all Dems to vote for revenue, then they can attack all Dems as tax-and-spend. If the Dems don’t vote for revenue, then the argument is mismanagement of government. It’s a great political position, and it’s a horrible policy position. Say what you want, but by holding their caucuses, Cross and Radogno are making things worse, not better.
Could Madigan and Cullerton “force” all of their members to support revenue? Maybe, maybe not. There are a lot of downstate D’s who are too fiscally conservative to support that. I doubt there are 60 and 30 D’s ready. And, the people asking Madigan and Cullerton to do that, generally speaking, are the same ones who say they have too much power.
I can’t believe I’d even suggest this, but if Quinn really, truly wants his revenue and really, truly wants to solve the budget, whether by revenue or cuts, then he should veto the budget and shut down government, period. And not as a token gesture, either. Long enough that everyone, including the Republicans, feels the pain.
I’m not talking ala Rod with incessant special sessions and the pandering. I’m talking about a real, hard core shut down. Lots of people would feel lots of pain, but after watching this go on year after year, I think it’s the only way it will happen. Of course, we all know he doesn’t have the stones to do that.
- Oneman - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 4:48 pm:
So I know there is some legal
action from last year but doesn’t this scream injunction
- too obvious - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 5:33 pm:
As we were all reminded yesterday in the Blago trial, Republicans had no problem helping approve $10 billion in pension debt in 2003. GOP bigwig Bob Kjellander got a big fee on that one.
So what’s another $3 billion and change now?
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 6:25 pm:
Thoughts, you have nailed it. The only real solutions and real political pressure will come when government shuts down and people immediately feel the crisis. Nobody FEELS more borrowing. It’s just bad public policy.
That said, it’s not all about revenue. After all, Elaine Neckritz, Karen May, et al couldn’t get even the most reasonable cuts out of committee. There’s NO WILL for doing the right thing or combination of things.
PQ should shut veto the budget, shut down government and make his case. But that requires both stones and smart strategery. Yeah, good luck with that.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 8:08 pm:
quinn should shutthe thing down and that will get everyone attention finally
- Excessively Rabid - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 8:29 pm:
PQ can let it pass into law unsigned, then cut where it hurts until the GA does something better. The election is coming, but he asked for revenue to avoid this. And the GA wanted him to be the one to make the cuts. In any event, look at his opponent - a doofus who’s running on a platform of cuts. So PQ can say, you want that people, here’s how it feels.
I think he could have had the revenue in the beginning if he hadn’t mishandled it. The proposal was too complicated and gave the impression that some would get a big hike to pay for others’ cuts. He should have acknowledged being an unelected caretaker governor and proposed a 2-year temporary 1% surtax, no exceptions or exemptions.
- Double D - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 8:49 pm:
I could not agree more with the shut down of government…I will feel the pain, but my school district already does…but desperate times unfortunately require desperate actions. There could be no greater oxymoron of terms than Illinois state government and leadership. Thanks for nothing!
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 9:27 pm:
Bubs, if you don’t think the GA is properly representing us, check the polls on program cuts and tax increases. Polo knew it all so many years ago.
Thoughts, since the Senate Ds have already put 30 Ds on an income tax increase, clearly they can.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 10:07 pm:
This is kind of weird. Does the AG of any state run around filing suit against the legislatures and governors for allegedly unconstitutional acts? She could issue an opinion, I suppose, but those are like noses — everyone’s got one. The courts rule.
Isn’t it usually citizens who have some standing that pursue these issues through the courts?
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 10:20 pm:
“Does the AG of any state run around filing suit against the legislatures and governors for allegedly unconstitutional acts?”
Happens in pretty much every state and every few years (it seems like) when an AG is challenging the Governor for his/her seat.
I wouldn’t say they always file suit, but accusations are made all the time. Depending on the race, the accusations sometimes run to the criminal, too.
- Pass the Buck - Thursday, Jun 10, 10 @ 11:22 pm:
{We might as well then turn over the appropriations function to the Supreme Court}
How different would this be from the current situation; where the Legislative Branch has turned over the appropriations function to the Executive Branch?
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- Holdingontomywallet - Friday, Jun 11, 10 @ 7:07 am:
I don’t see how the democrats avoid disaster in the next election. The democrats have had control over all branches of government since 2002 and the state continues to flounder. When was the last year that a budget was passed on time? They continue to demonstrate they cannot effectively govern this state. The republicans deserved to be thrown out in 2002, but I don’t see how the democrats keep control given their lousy track record over the past 8 years. Even the most partisan democrat supporters must be disheartened at this point.