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Interesting history, but not a lot of new ground
Wednesday, Nov 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller * Chicago Magazine has a profile of House Speaker Michael Madigan online. There’s nothing really new in it, but there is a lot of history, so go read the whole thing. * This is an instructive, if dated, passage…
Madigan runs the Speaker’s office like his ward office. Got relatives coming into town and need seats for the Cubs game? Madigan has season tickets. Doofus brother-in-law needs a job? Madigan can help. A local mayor not providing services? Madigan can make a call. On and on and on. It’s a political version of the wedding scene in The Godfather, only it’s every day. * Another passage worthy of discussion…
I stopped by Skip’s campaign office the Sunday before election day and sat in on a pre-election meeting. They mainly discussed where the troops would be deployed on a general, precinct basis. But at that same moment, Madigan was in his ward office studying detailed maps of Saviano’s district and demanding to know who was covering specific apartment building stairwells. Also, I have a friend who tells a joke about how, during the years when nuclear war seemed a distinct possibility, she didn’t really care all that much if the world was completely annihilated. Everybody would die. The party would be over. But dying alone now meant that the party will continue without her and she just can’t stand that thought. Madigan, she says, perhaps feels the same way about “his” House. He can’t stand the idea of someone else running his show while he’s still around. * One more…
Every Sunday during session, Madigan and his top aides spend endless hours, either in Springfield or via conference call, discussing every introduced bill and amendment. They go over every possible angle before approving a bill for movement. It is, I’m told, excruciatingly boring, but Madigan insists on this.
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- Toure's Latte - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 11:15 am:
But he never negotiated with the likes of Bruce Rauner!
/h
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 11:20 am:
Nothing new, but the “old” is exactly why Michael J. Madigan is “Speaker”.
Love the…
=== Madigan runs the Speaker’s office like his ward office. Got relatives coming into town and need seats for the Cubs game? Madigan has season tickets. Doofus brother-in-law needs a job? Madigan can help. A local mayor not providing services? Madigan can make a call. On and on and on. It’s a political version of the wedding scene in The Godfather, only it’s every day.===
Really, if it comes down to understanding Illinois Politics, you need to watch and understand “The Godfather” and “Godfather II”, with hints of “A Bronx Tale” and a smidge of “Goodfellas”…
Nothing new, but I really enjoy when the poliitics of the “day” and the politics of being a political animal in Illinois, are understood, and applied, especially about the Corleone Family.
Read the article, have a cannoli.
- Bruno Behrend - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 11:22 am:
With so much knowledge and power, it is 100% fair to blame Madigan for that everything (or nearly everything) wrong with Illinois.
If the state is where it is, and he is that smart and powerful, then all of this was by design and with intent.
Nice. Turn a perfectly good state into a legalized-money-laundering-scheme for campaign donors and connected interests.
Perhaps he can take his remaining years to fix a small portion of the mess he’s made.
- Mmmmmmm - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 11:32 am:
some nice anecdotes, but still another bad job of journalsim.. Page 2 of the article discussed the “political industrial complex”. there were names on there that do not fit, and names missing..
- MOON - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 11:38 am:
These qoutes from the article explain Madigans continued success.
Nobody puts in more time or effort in his job.
Nothing is to small to consider.
Understand your constituents and serve them to the best of your ability.
In Madigans mind leave nothing to chance.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 11:39 am:
It may be that Madigan craves power, but he has become a slave to IT. Power controls him in fact. Power wields the strings as the Puppeteer, not Michael (to expand the Godfather analogies)
- Anyone Remember? - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 12:04 pm:
Question. Wasn’t the contention “The punitive delay cost taxpayers around a half-billion dollars in higher interest payments[.]” about McCormick Place shown to be incorrect? In fact, later in the story, it mentions the cost of “up to $300 million” … . And the story does not mention the roles of John Harris and Lon Monk.
http://www.rrstar.com/x1655832099/Chuck-Sweeny-Madigan-slams-McCormick-Place-allegations
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 12:17 pm:
Looks like MJM will not leave office while he still lives. Looks like we all have to accept that and all that it means. No way he ever gets voted out of office. Highly unlikely he will lose the speakership while he remains in office.
Rauner better be very careful what he says in the run-up to the election. If he spouts too much and wins he will have to face The Don. No matter how much Rauner claims he will work across the aisle, success will occur at the pleasure of Michael J Madigan.
And that goes for anybody else who may run and/or win, not just Rauner. Just ask Lisa.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 12:19 pm:
Madigan has become a slave to informtion technology? I don’t remember reading that.
Nice column, Rich.
- downstate hack - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 12:35 pm:
Madigan reads every bill. Maybe Pelosi and Obama should have read the Affordable Care Act before voting.
- ??? - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 12:41 pm:
Anonymous @ 12:19 - I believe the Anonymous who posted at 11:30 was emphasizing the word “it” (”it” being power) by capitalizing it. I, too, at first read it as “information technology” and was confused.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 12:49 pm:
Thank you, ???. I get IT now. Anonymous 11:30 was capitalizing IT to emphasis IT. Now if someone could explain the “Godfather” analogies to me, I’d be fine.
(BTW, that last request was an observation; not a request.)
- Tom - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 1:05 pm:
he won back 6 seats, not 9 as the article refers to the 1996 election cycle. Many inaccurate statements are written in this article.
- Sir Reel - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 1:16 pm:
I understand Madigan’s success at obtaining, consolidating and maintaining political power but his policy agenda remains a mystery. Where o where Madigan taking Illinois?
- Marty Funkhouser - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 1:39 pm:
Nice attempt at a history lesson. But at least in the online version, they seem to meld the 1980 and 1996 elections together. Maybe you know Rich, but did the Republicans clamp down on Cook Co. property taxes after the 1980 or the 1996 election? That section was very confusing. Also, what was with the off-the-record accusation in the middle of the story about leveraging property tax appeals business via the speakership? No response from Madigan’s camp printed, plus the Tribune threw everything it had into proving that two years ago and came up with some pretty weak sauce. At least it was on-the-record sauce. The whole piece needed some better editing and fact checking.
- shore - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 1:48 pm:
This is the most important part and a red flag for state democrats and frankly the state going forward. That it’s about HIM winning, not the state as a whole winning. It’s public service not self service, and there’s a fantastic history of “immortal, unbeatable” pols who forget this falling hard.
“Most everyone who knows him agrees that Madigan is obsessed with winning. To him, bills are primarily cost-benefit analyses (“Will this help or harm my majority?”). Not only does he crave power; he’s become captive to it. “His job is his life, and his life is his job,””
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 1:59 pm:
- shore -,
Let us not forget the “Madigan Rules” are always in-play;
Never do anything that will put a House Majority in Jeopardy.
Never do anythng that will put a “future” House Majority at risk.
Never say or do anything against Lisa Madigan, especially if you do so in a Personal Way.
Three Rules. Everything else is seen threw them.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:01 pm:
It’s scary. He believes what is good for his majority is all that matters. It gets tiresome that so many politically interested people just shrug it off as “this is illinois.” Or worse, that this type of power is admirable.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:12 pm:
“Madigan has a profound need for power and control” — Yes
because he is smart enough to know that unless he works for it constantly and meticulously, he really has very little power, given the structure of our state government.
To claim that because he maintains the power he has in the House legislative process, Madigan therefore is to blame for everything wrong in Illinois, is so stupid as to leave me almost speechless.
He tries to “control” one fourth of our state government, and does not always succeed.
Just look at pension reform as Madigan proposed it two years ago. Where’s all his supposed power been for the last two years? He has some power, but is just not as all-powerful as some would contend.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:17 pm:
downstate hack
“Madigan reads every bill. Maybe Pelosi and Obama should have read the Affordable Care Act before voting.”
Yup, that would have been nice…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:18 pm:
- walkinfool -,
Much respect…just a tweak …
===He tries to “control” one fourth of our state government, and does not always succeed.===
It is really one-half … of one-third of all Illinois government.
Rich promised there would be no “Math” …
Again, with respect.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:22 pm:
Willy: Ok Ok
Why go all “constitutional” on me?
With respect back at ya.
- bored now - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:24 pm:
some politicians are just born to die in office…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:24 pm:
- walkinfool -
I wanted to Post “1/6 of State Government”, but I was afraid I would have to “show my work” to get full credit!
lol
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:33 pm:
I thought the era of Council Wars was an interesting time in Springfield. Madigan pulled off quite a balancing act, with much of his caucus warring against each other.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 2:40 pm:
maybe what is lost on this is that MJM is really good at “herding cats” at the same time MJM is following the “Madigan Rules”, and orchestrating, with incredibily able staff, elctoral win after electoral win?
Kinda borrowing on you, - wordslinger -, but the Council Wars point put a new wrinkle for me to look at, and “herding cats” is also part of the reason MJM does all he does, the WAY he does it.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 3:02 pm:
= It gets tiresome that so many politically interested people just shrug it off as “this is illinois.” Or worse, that this type of power is admirable.=
I can appreciate the irony in this statement–and am glad that this particular Anonymous has returned.
We have alot of catching up to do.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 3:14 pm:
=== To him, bills are primarily cost-benefit analyses (“Will this help or harm my majority?”). Not only does he crave power; he’s become captive to it. ===
The historical profile in this article puts to rest any notion that Madigan has the best interests of the state at heart, or that he puts the good of the state before his own personal gain and lust for power.
He’s just another politician. An exceedingly talented politician, but just a self-serving politician.
If this is where the decisions and guidance of a younger Mike Madigan have led the state, it is scary to contemplate the state of affairs in another 5-10 years… when the decisions being made by an older Mike Madigan really begin accumulating and sinking in.
A talented politician? Sure. One of the all-time greats.
A patron saint of Illinois? Not in the slightest.
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 3:19 pm:
Sorta Tribune-lite at best with GManJim and Mayor Skipster providing color commentary. Don’t forget the author is the fellow who penned the inaccurate claim from Juan “The Reformer” Ochoa that Madigan has cost taxpayers by blocking the Blagoofian bond deals at McPier.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 3:41 pm:
One must remember MJM did not inherit a pure and perfect place by any means. The topography of government was already in place. He just turned navigating it into a science even if he had to occasionally deal with some art. Such as it is, he’s the one who keeps the entire thing together. What people will never be thankful enough for is what hasn’t happened because of his stewardship; bills that never saw daylight, quick pivots to fix certain things. In an unbalanced place, he’s the leveler in most cases, which is why I’ve never thought he desired a super majority. I don’t think he ever considers a bill a victory that doesn’t have ANY votes from the other side. He appreciates the middle ground more than most people realize. Surely to draw criticism, I’m guessing he’d like to negotiate with a guy like Rauner. He’s a drastic step up from many of the clowns or unreasonable people he’s been stuck dealing with. Not chummy, but I’d bet he’d concede he appreciated Jim Thompson, George Ryan and Pate Philip a lot more than Edgar, Blago, Quinn, Jones and Cullerton. Rauner and Madigan might not be a marriage made in hell. I don’t think he takes a single thing Rauner has said personally. Heck, he’s paid for members of his own party to send literature out criticizing him. He’s got alligator skin, unless you break one of a few very, very specific rules. Everyone knows them who should. Only an idiot would break them.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 3:51 pm:
Somone reading and going through the bills that may be voted on? thats crazy. This is why we need term limits. We need to stop experienced members of the GA from reviewing and understanding bills.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 3:51 pm:
Oh and Willie for Governor 2015….
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:02 pm:
A Guy: 100% correct.
If Rauner’s any good, and operates with strength, MJM would enjoy working with him.
Good summary.
- Elder - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:08 pm:
He is, obviously, brilliant.
I have met with him one to one several times, and his mind operates on multiple levels simultaneously. First: He is much better at “active listening” and relationship building than 95% of pols, who like to hear themselves talk. Second: he is an extraordinary strategist, thinking through the political ramifications of every move as if he were playing a game of 3-dimensional chess. He has a jeweler’s eye for another persons interests. Most pols think like this, but he does it on many more levels. Finally: he also has a “math brain”, that is, he actually thinks about and cares about how things work. How does a financing mechanism work? How does a piece of legislation affect the work of a specific technical profession? etc. To top all of this off, he reads books, learns from them, and can discuss and debate what he has learned from this reading. The number of pols that actually read is very, very small.
I do not believe I have ever met another politician (and I have met A LOT of politicians) whose mind works on this many levels, simultaneously. He is brilliant, whether you like or hate him.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:10 pm:
If all of this “salesmanship” is intended to throw people off of Rauner (because you want it to appear that you want to, thus hopefully solidifying his position as a Republican “Moderate”), start getting used to saying “Governor Brady,” geniuses.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:14 pm:
- walkingfool -
I read your Post here, and I read your Post in the “Rauner” Post, and I have to ask you … Col. Jessup … “why the Two Posts?”
You seem to contradict yourself. Thoughts?
With respect.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:22 pm:
O’Willy: You can’t handle the truth!
Give me a second to compare my own thoughts.
- Robert the Bruce - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:31 pm:
==It is really one-half … of one-third of all Illinois government.==
Math on a politics site? Uh-oh. Agree with your 1/6 at first…but I’d argue he also tries to control some of the judiciary through his letters recommending judges.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:35 pm:
O’Willy: On my post above, focus on the “If”
The better and stronger Rauner is, the more MJM would like dealing with him. More a comment on Mike, than on Bruce.
Or, you’ve discovered my schizoid tendencies.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:42 pm:
@walkinfool - that makes sense.
One organized, strong, cogent thinking individual who can get things done would likely appreciate those same characteristics in a governing partner.
The two may not always see eye to eye, but they could accomplish a great deal.
#If those characteristics exist in the other person, as you note.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:42 pm:
All good - walkinfool -, I am here to learn, so thanks.
- Robert the Bruce -,
I was just going with, constitutionally, what MJM has “control” of in state government in his role as Speaker.
If we all want to discuss electoral success in the Judicial Branch …
I can’t do that Math!
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 4:51 pm:
“Col. Jessup, you may step down”
lol.
Thanks, I just was reading too quickly, and I would rather ask, than assume when I get confused.
- Casey - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 5:02 pm:
Ald. Ed Burke is the same way in his control of the City Council. Or at least used to be under Daley ( he read every ordinance and knew every member’s business better that they did).
Must be something in the blood of the southwest siders.
- Left Leaner - Wednesday, Nov 20, 13 @ 5:13 pm:
The Madigan and Burke comparison is an apt one. They both think and work in a very similar way.
- bored now - Thursday, Nov 21, 13 @ 4:13 am:
Elder: you have summarized the speaker’s brilliance as a tactical thinking adequately. it is possible, however, that illinois would greatly benefit from a strategic thinker who was able to navigate the state out of the budgetary mess that it is in…