Mayor refuses to take the bait
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* According to the Sun-Times, Mayor Rahm Emanuel was asked yesterday “whether he intends to go around Gov. Pat Quinn — by cutting deals with Democratic legislative leaders — now that both houses have veto-proof Democratic majorities.” Hizzoner sounded almost conciliatory toward his chief Democratic rival…
The mayor responded that it was time for Springfield to focus on “a number of subjects — and the governor has to be a part of that.”
There were loud rumblings from within Emanuel’s circle that the mayor was gonna tee off on Quinn yesterday. Didn’t happen. That’s kind of a relief. Illinois really needs to move forward, but it can’t if the mayor is constantly undercutting the governor.
* Instead, Emanuel simply laid out his legislative agenda, which included pension reform…
“My number one issue in the legislature is getting pension reform, we must get this done in a bi-partisan way,” Quinn said Tuesday. “I really feel that all the legislators who are in the General Assembly now have more work to do before their term is up. And we want to make sure the entire term is used in order to get big things done for the public, for the people.”
A Chicago casino…
“I was advocating — as have other people for 25 years — a casino for the city of Chicago, but one in which I committed all the resources will go into school modernization, building new schools and modernizing our schools so our kids will have the best facilities to learn in,” Emanuel said while discussing his wish list for Springfield.
And gay marriage…
“Third, I will continue to advocate that we also pass marriage equality and end the discrimination on the books,” the mayor said.
“Although the state of Illinois now has civil unions, the time for marriage equality is now. The time is right, and the time is here.”
* The answer to that last question prompted questions of some openly gay House members about what they intend to do…
On Tuesday, Harris and Mell held open the possibility of trying again in January during a lame-duck session that will be the last for 35 lawmakers who either lost, are retiring or did not seek re-election.
“We’ll try when we have the votes. Hopefully, that will be sooner than later. But, we’re not gonna run a bill if we’re not gonna pass it,” Mell said.
Harris added, “We’re roll-calling folks to see where folks stand. If we have 60 votes in the House and 30 in the Senate and there’s time when the budgetary issues are resolved,” then they will push for a vote.
Discuss.
- Cassiopeia - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:12 am:
It is in the mayor’s interest to wait until the end of the legislative session this spring before he unloads on Quinn. He may also need to hold his fire until Quinn signs and or vetoes whatever the mayor manages to get from the session.
Then it becomes open season with filing the inevitable Democratic replacement for Quinn in December.
After December then Quinn’s usefulness is gone and he can only be a drag on the party’s 2014 races.
- sal-says - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:27 am:
“Illinois really needs move forward, but it can’t if the mayor is constantly undercutting the governor.”
Nor can it with the gov regularly undercutting this mayor?
- MrJM - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:28 am:
Serious question: Who is Rahm’s candidate for Governor?
– MrJM
- TooManyJens - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:30 am:
==“I was advocating — as have other people for 25 years — a casino for the city of Chicago, but one in which I committed all the resources will go into school modernization, building new schools and modernizing our schools so our kids will have the best facilities to learn in,” Emanuel said ==
Emanuel continued, “Just look at how well this worked with the lottery!”
- Fire Anita Alvarez - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:32 am:
MrJM: Lisa Madigan? Unless she runs in Durbin’s US Senate spot?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:36 am:
I wouldn’t get too hypnotized by the whole “veto-proof” majorities mantra just yet.
Obviously, Dems have big numbers, and are veto-proof, if their leaders can hold their caucuses.
But that also brings opportunities for individuals and subsets within those caucuses to exert influence, or scuttle, controversial legislation if it really needs to be “veto-proof.”
And there are always legislators looking to retire who might like a nice new job in a governor’s administration…..
- mokenavince - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:36 am:
Pass the gaming bill ,Quinn vetoes it over ride the veto and lets get this state moving.
The next election is a ways off we have got to get our house in order.Peoples job depend on it.
This buck passing has got to end.
Who cares who the Governor is,its just going to be another Democrat.Madigan will be the boss,we have to deal with that reality.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:41 am:
–Serious question: Who is Rahm’s candidate for Governor?–
He is. All the protests, and signed statements, to the contrary, Rahm’s ultimate goal is president and that road goes through Springfield.
Seriously, you don’t think this guy got into to this to spend 10 years of his life fighting with employee unions and making sure the garbage gets picked up, do you?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:45 am:
Harris is a smart guy, but I wouldn’t wait too long if I were him. During veto or a lame duck, you know who you’re dealing with. Freshman can’t be trusted to do the right thing and there aren’t going to be too many risk-takers in this class.
There is momentum from the election on the issue, but that will dissipate at least a bit once new members are sworn in.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 10:45 am:
Interesting, Word, but I don’t buy it. I’m still wondering why he even ran for mayor. Emanuel is much more a power behind the throne kind of guy.
- Brendan - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 11:00 am:
I honestly don’t think Lisa Madigan wants to be governor. I think if she moves on to another office, it would probably be a run to either replace a retiring Dick Durbin or challenge Mark Kirk.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 12:57 pm:
I agree with you on Rahm, word.
Would be fun to watch at the very least.
- Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 3:03 pm:
==“We’ll try when we have the votes. Hopefully, that will be sooner than later. But, we’re not gonna run a bill if we’re not gonna pass it,” Mell said.==
I made the comment on another post that if the state now so overwhelmingly trends toward legaiization of gay marriage, why not pass a bill now? I think you are going to see some hesitancy, at least, on the part of the legislators, and that, in turn, is a function of their feel for their districts.
- horseracer - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 3:17 pm:
Great to see the tone of a statesman from the Mayor. Let’s hope all of the other Dem leaders follow suit, cooperate, and demonstrate they can govern as a team.
- Loop Lady - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 3:30 pm:
here, here, horseracer, but I still wonder who will run against Quinn in the primary…
- soccermom - Wednesday, Nov 14, 12 @ 5:32 pm:
Wow — just realized it’s only a year and four months to the primary election in ‘14. And petitions can be filed starting in August? Good heavens…