Question of the day
Thursday, Aug 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The American Conservative Union has published its legislative ratings…
The eight roll-call votes the group looked at in each chamber include both spending and taxation questions, as well as hot-button social questions.
For instance, the eight House votes used include ballots on requiring state workers to contribute to their retirement health benefits, boosting the state’s income tax rate and limiting eligibility for Medicaid. Also included were votes on expanded legal gambling and an anti-bullying measure designed to protect gay students that ACU argues infringed on religious beliefs.
Anyhow, the group gave nine lawmakers perfect grades, including Sens. Bill Brady and Christine Radogno, the former GOP gubernatorial nominee and Senate Republican leader, respectively.
A couple of dozen others got 80 percent ratings — including, by my count, only three Democrats, including Sen. Mike Jacobs and Rep. John Bradley.
The complete ratings are here.
* And check this out…
Among leaders, Ms. Radogno’s 100 percent compared to a 25 percent awarded to Senate President John Cullerton, a Democrat.
But in the House, the ratings were pretty close, with GOP Leader Tom Cross’s 57 percent actually trailing Speaker Mike Madigan’s 63 percent. [Emphasis added.]
* Cross’ votes that went counter to the ACU…
SB 1849 Gambling Expansion. This bill would greatly expand casino gambling in Illinois with 5 new casinos and slot machines at six race tracks. The bill was opposed by liberal Governor Pat Quinn as not meeting the minimum ethical requirements for such an expansion. ACU agrees with Governor Quinn and opposes this bill. The bill passed the House on May 23, 2012 by a vote of 69-47.
SB 2194 Tax Increase. This bill would increase the state cigarette tax by $1.00. ACU opposes these regressive tax increases and opposes this bill. The bill passed the House on May 25, 2012 by a vote of 60-52.
HB 5290 Anti-bullying Law. This bill mandates local school districts implement anti-bullying policies without protections asked for by pro-family groups for an opt-out provision regarding programs that teach against a student’s or parents’ religious beliefs. ACU supports religious freedom protection in these laws and opposes this bill. The bill passed the House on March 28, 2012 by a vote of 61-49.
Cross was also absent on this vote…
HB 4085 Amd. #3 Abortion Regulations. This was a so-called “poison pill” amendment to a bill requiring that women seeking an abortion be offered, but not be required, the right to see an ultrasound of the unborn child. The amendment would require all patients to be offered the right to an ultrasound for any medical procedure, such as kidneys, liver, gallbladders and the like. ACU supports the bill and opposes this amendment. This hostile amendment failed to pass the House on March 29, 2012 by a vote of 36-66. No vote was allowed on the bill itself.
* Madigan got on the wrong side of the ACU with these votes…
SB 1566 Fee Increase. This bill increased the driver license fees by 2 percent, putting the fee over $100 for the first time. Revenue would be used to replace cuts to the Park and Conservation Fund already passed. ACU opposes this type of budget sleight-of-hand and opposes this bill. The bill passed the House on May 31, 2012 by a vote of 61-56.
HB 5007 Medicaid Expansion. Despite the Medicaid reductions in the budget, this bill allows Cook County to begin covering 100,000 uninsured adults and begin a pilot program for single individuals. ACU opposes Medicaid expansion and opposes this bill. The bill passed the Illinois House on May 24, 2012 by a vote of 62-55.
HB 5290 Anti-bullying Law. This bill mandates local school districts implement anti-bullying policies without protections asked for by pro-family groups for an opt-out provision regarding programs that teach against a student’s or parents’ religious beliefs. ACU supports religious freedom protection in these laws and opposes this bill. The bill passed the House on March 28, 2012 by a vote of 61-49.
* The Question: Do you agree with the ACU that Speaker Madigan has a more conservative voting record than Leader Cross? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
- Excessively Rabid - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 12:20 pm:
I was a 14-year-old Goldwater supporter, and deep somewhere I still am. When I think about the collection of nutjob ideas that collectively pass as “conservatism” these days I am sick. No wonder the results come out impossibly weird. I decline to vote. But have a nice day.
- Madame Defarge - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 12:37 pm:
SB 2194-Cigarette tax increase–Cross voted NO?
- Shore - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 12:37 pm:
does ACU have people in Illinois tracking this stuff for real or is this a 23 year old in dc just out of college putting something together?
- Eugene - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 12:38 pm:
Both leaders are political tacticians first, ideologues a distant second. Madigan sees that the balance of power - and the money - has been tilting toward the 1%, so he is tilting towards the 1%. His views are fundamentally conservative anyway - and have become much more so. However, when it is politically advantageous - as on civil unions - he will help create a “liberal” outcome. Note that civil unions are not an issue that is opposed by most of the big corporate types. Similarly, Tom Cross worked with Blagojevich when it suited him, helping Blagojevich implement the Medicaid expansion that is now being rolled back.
- Robert - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 1:03 pm:
Being against gambling expansion gives you conservative street cred?
- Ray del Camino - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 1:24 pm:
Based on eight votes? Meaningless drivel.
- Knome Sane - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 1:25 pm:
I voted “yes” because, as they say, perception is reality. And my perception is that the Speaker votes “present” quite often for various reasons.
But in the end, who cares? Madigan has marginalized the republicans to the point of irrelevance so he could be to the right of Attila the Hun and it wouldn’t matter. I think a good QOTD would be to ask “what was the last “fresh” idea to come from the Majority, irrespective of the chamber from which it emanated”?
- anon sequitor - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 1:34 pm:
To echo Eugene a bit, Madigan’s district historically has been somewhat conservative and despite Republican Party protests to the contrary, MJM tends to look at government from a conservative Democrat point of view. That must be why the GOPs get so frustrated with him. He has definitely marginalized them to nothing more than a sputtering tea party minor league.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 1:40 pm:
Scoring just these 8 votes, Cross is more liberal.
It’s interesting to note the Rep Mathias (50%) is to the left of his opponent, Rep. Sente (63%).
- Quiet Sage - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 2:01 pm:
Illinois government is not typical of national trends. The most liberal recent governor was Republican George Ryan. Between Madigan and Cross there is basically no ideological difference (if anything, Cross is slightly to the left. Only in the Senate, where Tea Party Republicanism has a presence and Cullerton has a genuinely liberal history before becoming Senate President, is there some party difference, although even here, leader Radogno is far from a dyed-in-the-wool conservative.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 2:05 pm:
Madigan is much more fiscally conservative, Cross is slightly more socially conservative. I’d say Cross is more liberal, by a nudge.
The use of the gaming vote is a bit misleading. Jacobs and others I’m sure were voting to protect local gaming interests, not expressing global opposition to legalized gambling.
- mokenavince - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 2:06 pm:
When it come to unions,his own law firm,police and
fireman I believe he is quite liberal.
However everthing else he seems very conserative.
Nothing about Cross suprises me.
Madigan comes from a pretty conserative district.
- the Other Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 2:36 pm:
I can’t vote because I think essentially both Cross and Madigan are centrists. The 6% difference in this year’s ACU rating is margin of error type stuff — it all depends on the mix of votes rated for the particular year. On the liberal/conservative scale, imo, Madigan and Cross are essentially equal. Unfortunately, that’s not an option in the survey.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 2:53 pm:
For immediate release:
“Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady today blasted Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as a radical conservative.
“Mike Madigan is out of touch with Illinois voters, who reject his right-wing ideology,” Brady said. “His conservative policies have driven this state to the brink of bankruptcy.
“Illinois voters have a choice this November between Madigan’s far-right leadership or that of moderate Tom Cross.”
I voted no, for no real good reason. The ACU is pretty silly in their selections.
Madigan is a conservative guy, from my point of view. He’s just not a far-right government hater. I’m not really sure what Cross is for on anything, but I imagine he’s relatively conservative.
Why’s the ACU so down on gambling? Back in the day, Sen. Laxalt of Nevada, who used to be considered very conservative, owned a casino.
I doubt if the ACU would turn down cash from GOP moneybags Sheldon Adelson.
- wait a minute - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 2:57 pm:
ACU has confirmed the scores on the cig tax vote are backwards. They will be sending out a revised report.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 3:09 pm:
=== Why’s the ACU so down on gambling? ===
Baptists, Methodists, and I’m sure many other faiths consider gambling a sin.
Worth noting: Gambling is also expressly forbidden by Islamic Law and the Qur’an.
- GA Watcher - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 3:14 pm:
There’s a typo on p. 5 of the ACU’s report card. The heading reads, “True Liberals of the Prairie State”. However,the sentence below that refers to the “True Liberals of the Badger State”. Oops.
- Independent Voice - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 3:45 pm:
It’s easy for Madigan to “appear” more conservative than Cross when he can skip or go the other way on tough votes because his caucus takes them for him. Does anyone really believe that Madigan is conservative? Everyone knows this game goes on with every vote. If he were, our state wouldn’t be in the mess that it’s in!
- What planet is he from? - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 4:00 pm:
“Based on eight votes? Meaningless drivel.” Exactly, and if those eight votes aren’t selected at random (which I’m sure they weren’t) you could pick any eight votes to prove your point.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 6:27 pm:
YDD
The last GOP state platform explicitly opposed gambling expansion. That plank was quietly deleted in June from the new platform.
- Anon - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 8:22 pm:
The NO new gambling plank was left in this years version.
http://hinsdale.patch.com/articles/live-news-updates-from-2012-illinois-republican-convention
- just sayin' - Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 9:20 pm:
Just another illustration of what a joke the GOP is in Illinois.