Just Say “NO” to the Exelon Bailout

* Zorn writes about House Speaker Michael Madigan’s alleged cloak of invincibility…

And Rauner, the political novice who was ostensibly going to be overmatched by the savvy Madigan, didn’t suffer a single Republican House vote in favor of the override. The Democratic failure Wednesday strengthens Rauner’s position with AFSCME and negotiations over terms to begin budget talks.

Ah, but is Madigan simply trying to lure Rauner into overplaying his hand? Does he plan to use Wednesday’s anti-union votes to turn Republican seats Democrat in next year’s election?

Some hopeful chatter on the message boards is saying yes, he’s still playing the long game and is going to win. But that’s still his reputation speaking, not reality.

Reality is that he lost. The game has changed. It’s from Rauner that the satisfied chuckle emanates: “Bwa-ha-ha!”

That’s true, except that the governor was far more magnanimous in victory than Zorn gives him credit for.

* Madigan does not exert absolute control over his members, and that has been on clear display time and time again. Remember his pet project millionaire’s tax? The constitutional amendment was defeated when Reps. Franks, Drury and Dunkin voted against it - the same three Democrats who didn’t vote for the AFSCME bill override motion…

Just about everybody from the governor (”legislators that Madigan controls”) all the way down to the most casual political observer constantly say that Madigan can do whatever he wants. He’s the grand puppet master. For years and years, people said he was fighting with Governors Blagojevich and Quinn because he was not so secretly setting up his daughter for a run at the big office. But then she said she wouldn’t run because he wouldn’t step aside. So much for that theory.

* Madigan has carefully cultivated this perception of invincibility. It’s part of his schtick. I think I’ve told you the story about why he never played golf at his golf outings. He told me that he had this illusion of power, and if people saw him futilely hacking away at a golf ball that illusion would be damaged. (Later on, he learned to play golf properly because his son was interested in the game.)

I remember sitting on the Republican side of the chamber in January of 1995 when Lee Daniels was elected Speaker. Back then, I was allowed to roam around wherever I pleased, so I sat next to some House Republicans that day to get a feel for the moment. As is tradition, both Madigan and Daniels were nominated for Speaker. The nominating speeches dragged on for a while and then Madigan asked to be recognized. An audible gasp rippled through the GOP side of the aisle. What was he up to? What trick did he have up his sleeve?

Turns out, it was nothing of the sort. Madigan said that Daniels had waited long enough and asked for a unanimous roll call. The relieved Republicans stood and cheered.

* But occasionally, as with the AFSCME bill, reality creeps in and people who previously thought that Madigan was all-powerful are now saying either that he’s lost his touch or that he’s up to something else that we mere mortals can never comprehend.

Meh.

What happened on Wednesday was just one more illustration of the difficult reality of herding cats. Madigan is an expert cat herder, for sure. Likely the best who ever was. But occasionally some cats will scamper away.

* Madigan runs his Statehouse office like he runs his ward office - he’s a consummate fixer, he does favors large and small, he protects his people from every sort of possible harm.

And every once in a while he does things to show that he is capable of serious retribution, both to keep his own people in line and to warn away anyone who might mess with his people. You’ll recall how he stripped a committee chairmanship from Rep. Jay Hoffman for being too close to Rod Blagojevich. And then there was this…

John Bills’ career at City Hall wasn’t without its series of bumps, like the time in 2000 when Bills took it upon himself to support the campaign of then-Ald. Patrick Levar, 45th, against Dorothy Brown in her successful run for Cook County Circuit Court clerk. He made the mistake of not seeking Madigan’s approval.

“Unbeknownst to John, I guess Madigan didn’t think Levar had much of a chance, so there wasn’t a lot of support,” Ryan said. “Anyway, when Madigan found out that John was working for Levar he wasn’t too happy and called him in. They had a bit of a falling out.”

Bills, then an assistant commissioner in the electricity bureau, was exiled to a trailer in a South Side quarry.

“The next day, John was moved to the quarry and handed a tape measure,” Ryan said, adding that Bills spent about a year measuring offices for renovations. “Eventually, they let him back in.”

“He absolutely hated it,” another friend said. “I remember he had to go down to (13th Ward Ald. Frank) Olivo’s office with his tail between his legs begging to get back in good graces.

“Eventually, Madigan let him back in,” the friend said. “For one thing, he raised a lot of money for Mike.”

* His members love him and fear him, and he prefers it that way. I’ve used this example before…

Hundreds of guys depended on Paulie and he got a piece of everything they made. And it was tribute, just like in the old country, except they were doing it here in America. And all they got from Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s what the FBI could never understand. That what Paulie and the organization does is offer protection for people who can’t go to the cops. That’s it. That’s all it is. They’re like the police department for wiseguys.

Again, he’s a powerful man, and a true legend. But buying into this theory of invincibility perpetrated by so many is merely buying into Madigan’s own personal spin. He’s extremely talented, but he’s still just a man.

This is real life, not a cartoon fantasy.