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Pot, meet kettle
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller * Pat Quinn has been the king of distractions. The governor is infamous for bouncing around all over the place during negotiations. So this is more than a little ironic…
Look, I understand why he wants to get Medicaid and pensions done first. And it’s laudable that he now wants everyone to stay focused on those goals. It’s just kinda funny to hear him talk about bright, shiny objects when he’s constantly chased squirrels all his life.
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- Robert - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:25 am:
To me, Medicaid and gambling expansion are linked.
Expand gambling to help balance the budget = Fewer Medicaid cuts that are needed.
- Cassiopeia - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:35 am:
If the expansion of gambling can help the state budget then it should be on the table at the same time as pensions and medicaid.
Quinn’s problem with gambling is that he doesn’t understand that its something that a lot of people do for fun and that he doesn’t understand doing things for fun. He is personally one of the most boring people in the world.
When Quinn goes on an overseas trip the reason that he usually only has one staff person with him is because people find excuses not to travel with him. He is the unlife of any party.
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:36 am:
So now we know he’s a loyal reader, at least since he became lt. gov!
- wishbone - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:36 am:
Walk. Chew gum. Oh, he is an Illinois governor.
- OurMagician - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:37 am:
Multitasking to Quinn is say the word “task” twice in a row.
- Montrose - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:39 am:
I get the irony too, but I will take this over continued squirrel chasing.
- WazUp - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:51 am:
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:57 am:
Quinn gets points from me for not getting rolled by the gambling pushers.
He’s in the midst of having to do some nasty cutting, real governing, in which regular folks are going to get stung.
Yet some “leaders” want to link this tough, sad business into expanding gambling to make a few rich hustlers even richer.
Where, do we live, Pottersville? I prefer Bedford Falls.
- SacredCow? - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:59 am:
When are they going to look at the other sacred cows - the BILLIONS of dollars spent on grants that the state can no longer afford - to just give away often to questionable causes?
http://granttracker.ildceo.net/
- phocion - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 9:59 am:
==When Quinn goes on an overseas trip the reason that he usually only has one staff person with him is because people find excuses not to travel with him. He is the unlife of any party.==
Quinn is Buzz Killington?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f68VXKMZT1Q&feature=related
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 10:02 am:
==When Quinn goes on an overseas trip the reason that he usually only has one staff person with him is because people find excuses not to travel with him. He is the unlife of any party.==
Gee, that’s sad. Because the first duty of any governor is to be the guy you want to party with on a road trip.
I think it’s in the Constitution.
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 10:10 am:
Good catch Capt Fax.
PQ is right because even if he does desert the Pritzkers and goes for gaming expansion the foot draggers at the gaming board will prevent the state from collecting any cash in the near term.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 10:31 am:
==Sometimes, down here, shiny objects can distract people.==
And I thought it was a kitty!
I understand where Quinn is coming from, to a point. But, fixing the budget is a big picture thing, and one person’s “shiny object” is another person’s important revenue source. If anything, gambling seems to be the shiny object that distracts the governor. First, it was video poker machines, then additional casinos, then slots at tracks. All of these options are legitimate revenue sources in a state that crossed the gambling Rubicon many years ago. It is silly not to let the industry move forward while helping the state with some needed revenue.
Governor, don’t let the shiny object of your righteous objection to gambling distract you from taking the steps needed to get the state’s fiscal train on track and headed in the right direction.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 10:36 am:
Typical split-personality behavior Quinn seems to delight in.
- Ronbo - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 10:37 am:
I am a conservative. I believe that we need to cut spending and pay down our debts. Right now the biggest debt to the State of Illinois is the employee pension system. So let’s cut spending and pay it off! If the politicians want to cut pensions then the place to start is with their own. They are not under contract like the average state worker and they get 85% of their wages after only 20 years. The average state employee only gets 33.4% after 20 years and can’t get more than 80% no matter how long they work. If you can add to the revenue by expanding gambling then do that too. No one who loses money gambling is having their arms twisted.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 11:26 am:
–Right now the biggest debt to the State of Illinois is the employee pension system. So let’s cut spending and pay it off!–
What do you mean by that? Cut all spending now to 100% fund future liabilities?
I’m guessing you have a pension coming.
Yeah, you’re a conservative.
- Fed up - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 12:41 pm:
Gee an idea that boosts the state revenue by only taking money from those that choose to participate, it’s a good idea Pat. I know the Gov can say he is against it then sign the bill
- Fed up Too - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 1:21 pm:
Short sighted ideas are often mistaken for the solution to a self-induced problem. That is what we have with our state debt crisis and expecting something that has NEVER fixed any financial problem to know come to the rescue. I think insanity is typically the word used when one expects new results from doing the same wrong things over and over and over again. Lottery didn’t fix school funding and gambling won’t fix that state’s financial problems.
- average citizen - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 1:53 pm:
Cuts+Added revenue (gambling) = Balanced budget
Governor, please do not get distracted from this formula!
- Liberty_First - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 3:07 pm:
I’m with sacred cow…. get rid of commerce and economic opportunity. The Chicago businessmen want their tax breaks, sports stadiums, high speed rail and don’t want to pay for it.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 22, 12 @ 4:18 pm:
I realized late yesterday that there really isn’t enough praise for the job Gary Hannig is doing.
Quinn’s fate rests largely on the shoulders of Mike Madigan’s former Budgeteer.