40 Comments - Spliff - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:09 am: I predict Quinn does something stupid. - Secret Square - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:11 am: He will substantially reduce, and possibly even zero out, the line items for the GA salaries and per diem on the grounds that “they didn’t do their job (of passing pension reform) so they aren’t getting paid.” - Norseman - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:11 am: Can’t disagree with Spliff. - OurMagician - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:16 am: Squeezy’s sister Squeezette will make her appearance. And the Governor will call another Special Session that he will be out of town for. - Adidasboy - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:16 am: Let’s assume the Governor does veto the Legislature’s pay, and possibly even their operating budget. So they reconvene and override the veto. No true consequences. Fast forward to next Spring. What does the Governor do when the Legislature fails to appropriate funds for the opearations and staff of the Governor’s office??? - Anon. - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:17 am: Variation 1 on Spliff’s riff: He’ll reduce or veto the appropriation for the AG’s salary, in the hope that she’ll pressure the Speaker to give him what he wants. - PublicServant - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:18 am: And in the same vein as Spliff’s comment… I predict Jerry Stermer will agree with Quinn both vaguely and repetitively. - low level - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:19 am: Is Quinn’s salary in the same legislation? If so, while he’s at it, he ought to zero out his salary for not doing his job. There is more validity to that arguement then there is to his nonsense that legislators haven’t done their work. - OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:21 am: Quinn comes out with Squeezy ala Britney and then threaten to release Squeezy into the Blue Room to attack reporters if they don’t start giving him better press… The reporters will revolt, resulting in Squeezy getting released. When he begins to choke a local reporter the governor will rattle off all of his standard riffs (Land Of Lincoln, Great River, Soy Boy) trying desperately to remember the ’safe words’ that will get Squeezy to release. He will fail There will be some awkward moments as a result - Secret Square - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:21 am: “Is Quinn’s salary in the same legislation?” Yes. So are the salaries of all the other constitutional officers. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:24 am: – “The pension crisis will get dealt with,” state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said. “It won’t be by some arbitrary date set by an irrelevant governor.”– Which is it? The GA can’t act without a governor’s “leadership” or the governor is “irrelevant.” A Mushroom in Madigan’s House calling a governor “irrelevant” is pretty hilarious. Quinn might not be good at his job, but Bradley is just another guy who will do what he’s told. - Old and In The Way - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:25 am: Gee whiz, how can I alienate what little support that I have within the GA? I know, I’ll cut their paycheck and withold some pork projects! Yeah, that will show ‘em! The only thing that this kind of action shows is that PQ does not understand the levers of power in the Executive Branch! Does he really think that this is his opportunity to campaign against the GA as a Re election strategy? Clueless. Just about any amateur pol out there could come up with a better strategy. The man has a 30% approval rating! He will be at about 20% by the time the state fair rolls around at this pace. Of course he could be even dumber and withold state worker pay checks! Maybe even funding for the fair! Hey, I didn’t get my way, lets punish everybody! I can’t wait to see what he actually does…… - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:28 am: I agree with Adidas, the GA will just pay it forward in the Spring when they make the budget for Gov’s office. If “doing your job” is a requirement for pay,my here are a few salaries up there that could be eliminated. Also, what about those members who want a vote on pensions, who voted on the House bill, or who voted no on the gun bill…way to punish your allies too. The Gov seems to like Exec orders when he feels ineffectual…so the question is what EO could he issue to give the appearance of actually being a relevant factor in gov’t? - Knome Sane - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:29 am: Is this the “sturm” part or the “drang”? - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:30 am: Quinn should quit the blustering, but the real issue is that the GA can’t pass a bill. That’s on them. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:32 am: “You did WHAT?! …Wait till your Governor gets home!” To the Post, Holding the funding of things like parks, fairs …paychecks …that is something a “Blago” would do, and then set up a rally, with a bunch of people, who may or may not know they are being used, to give a governor cache that a governor lost, along with a great deal of respect, from 1/3 of Illinois Government. Is the Quinn “model” closer to Rod’s then we even want to see? Let us be quite clear, in no way do I comapre the CRIMINAL …criminal… Rod to the Governing Rod, although at times it was hard to seperate the two, but … I am specifically talking about the style, especially in handling leadership, adversity, people skills, follow through, and … sadly …competence to handle the levers of government intrusted to him by the people of Illinois. That is where Pat Quinn is today. Have we forgotten the tricks of leadership Rod would “use”? Seems to me, with Special Sessions, and cutting funding, and talk of not paying legislators and state workers… we are going down a road Pat Quinn, when Pat Quinn raised his hand and took the Oath of Office said we needed to move away from as a state. Was Pat Quinn only referring ONLY to the criminal aspects of the Blago administration, but the manner Rod wielded power and ran the Executive was …ok? It is as though Pat Quinn was given a Ferrari, and never took Drivers Education, stripping the gears of the manual transmission, while driving through stop lights and stalling in intersections, but enjoying “the ride” oblivious as he seen by the other drivers. Governor Quinn is failing, and in some ways has failed. Failed in leadership, while convincing, maybe himself, that he is leading, while others snicker at his lack of self awareness. Pat Quinn has lowered the power of the Office of Governor by his inaction and lack of understanding of how to “be” governor. The tools and mechanisms and even the prestige is still there … waiting …hoping …to be called upon and be used to make Illinois better. All that was missing from yesterday, was Pat Quinn saying with a smile, “It was an ‘Up” day, really.” At least Pat Quinn saved us all from reliving that part from his showmanship. What do I think Pat Quinn will do? No snark … Pat Quinn will be the Populist Gadfly, using petty mini-levers to seem relevent, and will refuse to be the governor that was that took his Oath in the House chamber and called on a “new day”, because, in reality, he doesn’t know any better, and that might scare him. - wow - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:36 am: Poor Quinn, he gets no respect. Time for some good ole retaliation that Quinn is so good at. John Bradley said, “irrelevant governor” - LOL. - Yossarian Lives - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:39 am: I wouldn’t call Rep. Bradley a mushroom - at least not in a relative sense. Line him up with the other Dems in the House and he’s on the less mushroom-y end of the spectrum; although I am diametrically opposed to him on gun’s, I’ll at least give him credit where it’s due. But you’re absolutely correct, of course, that while the governor has been stupid, some legislators have been unfair in their rhetoric. Should the governor be involved, or shouldn’t he? They say they wanted him to get in the game and make demands or at least suggestions, but would they have paid attention? - OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:41 am: Wonder what sort of ‘props’ he will have for the 10:30 event? - William j Kelly - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:42 am: When I talk to real people(non political people) about Quin they say, “agree with him or disagree but at least he’s honest”, this will definitely serve him well in the primary!;) - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:43 am: The standoff is between the House and Senate. Quinn would sign anything they pass and declare victory. - VonKlutzenplatz - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:46 am: Finally, Gov. Quinn takes a strong leadership role! This will solve the problem! - Cook County Commoner - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:46 am: If Gov Quinn cuts legislative salaries he will further marginalize himself to the point of absurdity. But more importantly, he will give the national press more reason to snicker at Illinois. Illinois appears more frequently in national stories on how not to run a state. Companies, investors and high value workers with a choice on where to situate and invest read this inceasing flow of negative press. Gov, don’t make it any worse. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:51 am: –Companies, investors and high value workers with a choice on where to situate and invest read this inceasing flow of negative press.– People in Illinois don’t pay attention to Springfield. You think the rest of the world does? - Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:52 am: OW, with all due respect, the Governor’s job isn’t to hold the GA’s hand. Many have never forgiven him for facility closures, because most of them don’t have any other ideas about economic development. So, they denounce the Governor in public, then call begging for help in private. That’s what happens when you have to stick your neck out and make tough decisions, it’s time the legislators toughen up and make some of their own. - Angry Republican - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:53 am: Campaign against Quinn can be summed up in four letters: WWRD. A better approach for Quinn is to ask “What Would Rod Do” then do the opposite; there is no possible way it could be worse. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 9:55 am: ===the Governor’s job isn’t to hold the GA’s hand=== Nobody said it was. The governor’s job is to lead and help break legislative deadlocks. All he’s done is throw rocks. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:03 am: - Small Town Liberal -, As usual, with much respect … The perception and the reality of the leadership of Pat Quinn say to those following, “I want to lead, I will let hem do it, wait … I want this … no, you guys do it …’They aren’t doing anything!’ … This is what I want …This is what I would LIKE … This is what I demand … I dunno, what do they think?” With respect, can you name a Bill … a “Quinn Bill” that the governor got through both chambers, with his “floor leaders”, got to have the Speaker, the President, the bill sponsor all congratualte Pat Quinn for taking a role in the passage? I can’t. Governors have wants, priorities, they get things done working with the GA, and take the lion’s share of the credit, because they deserve it. Pat Quinn prods like a parent hoping their child does their homework, maybe studies, and gets a “C” in the class so there is no summer school… maybe. I am sorry about the comparisions to Rod’s style, and to Rod’s uses of devices, but it appears the playbook never left the desk in the Governor’s Office …in Chicago. - Small Town Liberal -, you are a great advocate for Governor Quinn, and I know I go out of my way to read your take whenever it is out there. Make your case. Pointing and blaming the GA is tough, especially when they just overrode a Veto quite easily, showing Quinn they are working, just not as a partner to Quinn… - PublicServant - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:05 am: @Willian j Kelly - Honest? Really? Is the 17 million dollars a day lie honest? Is pushing a bill that a 3 year old could figure out is unconstitutional honest? Hint, as a democrat, if you find yourself agreeing with the Civic Committee, Ty Fahner and Lawrence Msall, you’re on the wrong side of a bill. If you find yourself using and promoting the same unsubstantiated “facts” that they’re using to demonize public employees, your either purposely lying, or just incompetent. I’m leaning towards both. - Dee Lay - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:13 am: He will quietly walk up to the microphone, and in hist most booming Governor voise announce, “RELEASE THE SQUEEZY!” - VonKlutzenplatz - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:17 am: The fact that the Gov. is trying to act tough and 95% of the comments on this thread are just laughing at him is really telling. He’s the Rodney Dangerfield of big state governors. - Skeptic - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:22 am: Consequences? He’s going to call a special session and make everyone write “I will pass a pension bill” on the chalkboard 100 times. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:23 am: ===…trying to act tough…=== That says it all right there… You get no respect when you are trying to do something that the Office of Governor inherently IS according to the Illinois Constitution. That is why Pat Quinn does not know how to use the levers of government. Quinn is too busy acting tough, then being the Governor. - dupage dan - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:24 am: Others have said that Gov Quinn is basically a decent man who doesn’t have the tools or acumen to govern. I would generally agree. I would also agree that the issue here is basically between the house and the senate, as word said. Perhaps if Quinn had some leaders in both houses he could have some skin in the game (refer to lack of tools or acumen). He is the master of the press conference (refer to his CUB days). The GA has a near impossible task. They have to craft a pension bill that offends none of the wildly competitive interests that hold sway over the self same GA. They have to do so in a manner that spends money they don’t have without raising taxes they are loath to raise. And they have to find someone to blame the crisis on (haven’t heard “the GOP better get in the game” mantra recently) so as to provide cover come the next election. Making sausage is a picture postcard compared to this mess. - east central - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:25 am: Perhaps announce that he will veto their pay and his pay if nothing is done by the 15th. Did I read that the actuarial analysis is supposed to be available on the 12th? - PublicServant - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:28 am: More important than the actuarial analysis would be some independent legal analysis, because, as many have said, if a given bill is unconstitutional, that renders the actuarial analysis moot. - Keyrock - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 10:57 am: Is Squeezy’s salary line at risk? - Just Me - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 11:33 am: Can’t help but notice that he is having a press conference on his official action as Governor on legislation, in Chicago rather then the state capitol. I’m sure that the fact Chicago is where he’ll get maximum coverage in the Democrat-vote-rich Cook County is purely a coincidence. - walkinfool - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 11:44 am: Methinks the Gov’s general attack on the GA, will help more Republicans at the polls, than any individual Dem candidate. Bradley’s not a “mushroom” compared to most members of the GA, including many Republicans. His “irrelevant” wasn’t right either. - Mokenavince - Wednesday, Jul 10, 13 @ 12:46 pm: Cut their salaries and see how fast legislation gets passed. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.