Quinn touring the state
Friday, Oct 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I turned on the teevee last night and was stunned when Pat Quinn came on the news. Tom Kacich reports that he is still unapologetic about pushing for a tax hike…
“I think what’s important is that when you talk about a budget you have to not only have expenditures .. but you also have to have revenue to pay for those expenditures,” Quinn said. “I tried in my six years as governor to always tell the facts to the voters. Sometimes they were difficult. When we say that, ‘Well we need more revenue from the income tax in order to properly pay our bills and to have a decent and humane state,’ there are those who campaign against you on that. But when they do that the consequences are very dire for the public. That’s what we’re experiencing now.”
He added, “I think it’s the job of the governor to realize and tell the truth that Illinois has to use revenue from the income tax in order to properly balance the budget and pay the bills. He didn’t do that last year. He did something else and now the chickens are coming home to roost.”
Rauner administration response…
“We appreciate the former governor’s input, but the people of Illinois have already seen what happens when a governor allows the General Assembly to impose a tax hike on the people of Illinois without any reforms,” [Lyndsey Walters] said. “Governor Rauner is committed to reforming the broken status quo in Illinois and will continue fighting for the taxpayers.”
* Quinn put the blame for the impasse on Gov. Rauner and said Democrats weren’t going to throw unions under the bus…
“It’s important for those who were elected to office, after they’re elected, to understand that their duty is to the public at large and not to a political party or to a particular ideology. So it’s important to talk,” said Quinn. “I did that when I was governor. I recommend that to anybody who serves in that office. I know that Governor (James) Thompson, Governor (Jim) Edgar who served before me oftentimes interacted with legislators of different parties and worked hard to get a fair budget.” […]
“They’re not going to compromise on the right of everyday people to organize and have a union, to have collective bargaining,” he said. “And to make sure that we have decent wages. We just had the pope visit our country last week and made it very clear that it’s a moral duty to make sure that the people who work hard, work 40 hours a week, get paid a decent wage in decent working conditions and have decent benefits.”
The Rauner administration responded that the current AFSCME contract, which Quinn negotiated, requires only a 37.5-hour work week and that Gov. Rauner very much supports a 40-hour work week.
* He was also at West Chicago Community High School…
* I missed Sneed’s column earlier this week…
Sneed hears former Gov. Pat Quinn, who has been on the road visiting family and friends since he lost his gubernatorial mantle, is gearing up for a new public role.
Sneed is told Quinn, who was one of the founders of the storied Citizens Utility Board, is on tap for a consumer advocacy comeback.
“He is concerned nobody is looking out for the little guy,” said a top Quinn source.
Think he’ll run for governor again?
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:37 am:
No, I don’t. Couldn’t raise a dime.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:38 am:
===Think he’ll run for governor again?===
Welp,
If you believe Governor Rauner, the Office of the Governor is no match to the 1/2 of 1/3 of Illinois Government, which is Speaker Madigan, so, I guess, if the governor can’t do much, why would I care if Rauner or Quinn is governor?
Right? Exactly right.
- Jack Stephens - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:40 am:
Well it beats what your doing Bruce. No reforms and you still haven’t submitted your Constitutionally Mandated Balanced Budget. At least Quinn was working.
- McEnuf - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:41 am:
Quinn should run for Senate.
- Liberty - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:42 am:
Better than Ryan, Blago and Rauner doesn’t stand for much but Quinn doesn’t have anything to be ashamed of except the pension theft.
- walker - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:42 am:
No. No real chance to win.
Though you never know with those infected with the political bug.
Good to see him looking well. And good for him to get involved in fairness to consumer issues, which always was his passion.
- Handle Bar Mustache - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:42 am:
We sure miss Pat now. He said in one story he’s not running for anything. Hope he stays visible in public life though. A good man.
- Stones - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:43 am:
Wouldn’t surprise me but I hope not.
I thought Quinn v. Rauner left the voter with two poor choices. IMHO Rauner not so much as won the election as Quinn lost it. It’s sad that the fifth largest state in the Union cannot produce better candidates for Governor.
- Damfunny - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:44 am:
Whenever I see Quivering Quinn, the accidental governor, I am reminded of this:
“With God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
WKRP station manager Arthur Carlsen
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:44 am:
– reforming the broken status quo–
There’s a word salad.
I think that actually means restoring the former status quo.
But I dont think this crew has really thought anything through, so it doesn’t need to mean anything.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:45 am:
haha, the man helped overspend our state to the brink of oblivion and still feels no shame. Incredible.
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:48 am:
I was just thinking to myself: you know what would really help the legislative Democrats? Pat Quinn talking about a tax hike.
Just when I was about ready to admit to missing him.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:49 am:
Like Barack Obama, Pat Quinn inherited a mess. Could he have straightened out 30+ years of pension mismanagement? A $100 billion debt is simply unfixable.
Quinn managed to shrink the size of the Legislature when Springfield was predicting it would be a disaster. It wasn’t. Maybe he could finally get term limits on the ballot and out of the hands of the GA.
I saw him as a decent man in a no-win situation. I wish him well in whatever he chooses to do.
- ZC - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:49 am:
Well, so far he was clearly the best of our four most recent governors. What Larry Williams might call the “low bar” award.
I also suppose some might hold out for George Ryan, setting aside the ethics issues … But I don’t want to set aside the ethics issues, personally.
And no I think he’s not running again, unless Rauner looks unstoppable and everyone on the rising Democratic bench takes a pass.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:51 am:
Silly Pat. You can’t replace Roland Burris’ role as long as we still have Roland Burris.
- JackD - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:52 am:
If Rauner continues to run the business of the state as he has, anyone, including Pat Quinn) could beat him. I doubt Pat will run.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:54 am:
===Maybe he could finally get term limits on the ballot===
Illinois Supremes have ruled more than once that term limits is not allowed on the ballot.
- Nick Danger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:54 am:
Rumored to be angling for the Chicago State Uni. president’s office. Think there’s a fit there.
- Demise - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:58 am:
No, he won’t run again. I would take him in a heartbeat over Rauner, but that ship has sailed.
- SAP - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:58 am:
Yup. I think losing to Bruce Rauner really stung, kinda like Rocky losing the heavyweight title to Clubber Lang.
- walker - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:59 am:
When all is said and done, the state would likely have had lower spending under Quinn in fiscal 2016, and probably fiscal 2017, than we are actually going to have under Rauner.
The Turnaround Agenda impasse is causing the courts and other powers to restrain us from taking the spending saves that both the GA and Rauner proposed.
Ironic isn’t it, for those who always blame big spending on the Democrats.
That’s a big price to pay for fuzzy visions of “structural reforms,” which have undefined and fairly unjustified potential fiscal impacts.
- Niblets - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:59 am:
Could do worse. Rauner proves the point.
- Austin Blvd - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 9:59 am:
Yeah, wish he would. Miss his honesty.
He put forth a revenue plan necessary to help the state move forward. He was paying down bills and made every pension payment. The financial houses appreciated his honesty and Illinois’ ratings were moving forward.
The alternative to honesty is Bruce Rauner, who has still yet to put forth an honest plan for the state. His budget is in the red.
Rauner’s plan to run Illinois like a business is akin to Ebeneezer Scrooge.
Quinn had heart. Rauner does not.
- Very Fed Up - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:00 am:
If concerned about the little guy why over 6 years as governor did he not push all out for a progressive income tax?
- illinoised - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:00 am:
He won’t run. He indeed was the best of the last four governors though the pension reform law irked me because it clearly was unconstitutional, wasted a lot of time and resources while waiting for the inevitable supreme court decision, and lost him a lot of former supporters.
- Austin Blvd - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:01 am:
…adding
What Walker said. Very true.
- Collinsville Kevin - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:01 am:
I sure hope not. His incompetence as governor was stunning.
- Stones - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:02 am:
Streator Curmudgeon –
“Quinn managed to shrink the size of the Legislature when Springfield was predicting it would be a disaster. It wasn’t. Maybe he could finally get term limits on the ballot and out of the hands of the GA.”
I would argue that reducing the size of the legislature was a bad move. I would personally rather see my district be represented on both sides of the aisle rather than by one legislator. Also, if I recall part of the debate at that time, PQ argued that reducing the size of the house would result in fewer bills being filed. That turned out not to be the case at all.
- Politix - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:04 am:
“Governor Rauner is committed to reforming the broken status quo in Illinois”
I don’t think that means what you think it means…….derp. so awesome.
- A guy - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:07 am:
Think he’ll run for governor again?
Wow, that would drive someone nuts. It wouldn’t be the GOP though.
- Roger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:08 am:
“Quinn managed to shrink the size of the Legislature when Springfield was predicting it would be a disaster. It wasn’t. ”
It was, it gave us the disaster of grid lock we have today. And with the current way districts are gerrymandered we had better representation with the old system.
- Is Anyone Out There? - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:12 am:
PQ is a good man. Say what we will–and do–about him he didn’t run away from publicly espousing the need for the revenue increase. Now the chickens are coming home to roost as we read each day about how the poor, disadvantaged and those in need are being kicked to the curb. Although I don’t think PQ was particularly competent–and some of his advisors and department heads were even less so–I always sensed that PQ had a heart and a soft spot for the “little guy.”
I wonder how much the Speaker and his top staffers miss PQ right now?
- proudstatetrooper - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:14 am:
without that $55 million of walking around money to make Chicago communities safer? Go away Pat. Your ship sailed and sunk.
- Louis G Atsaves - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:14 am:
@Walker, why would the courts order less spending under a new Quinn administration when most of those court actions started with Quinn?
Seems like the courts insist on certain spending levels, period.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:17 am:
Meh. I generally like Quinn. Would I like to see him in a consumer advocacy roll? Absolutely. Run for governor? No way.
- Jose - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:19 am:
The problem I had with PQ when he was governor was I never knew who to point the finger at with regards to Illinois’ woes
With Rauner, it is VERY clear who to point the finger at for all the problems.
- Orzo - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:19 am:
Quinn’s luck ran out. He will be looked upon more favorably as time goes on, but not enough to create a base where none now exists. And any opponent would have much to work with to throw cold water on any “comeback.” I doubt anyone with even the slightest responsibility for underfunding the pension fund (and he has plenty) has any future in state-wide office.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:25 am:
Louis, you’re not making any sense. Stick to the approved talking points, you get in trouble when you attempt to venture into substantive issues.
- Union Man - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:29 am:
I already miss his weakness in governing well.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:30 am:
I don’t think Quinn yet realizes why he lost. The political minds left the administration, and their counsel and decision making was unfortunately a critical loss. Those who stayed didn’t remain true to what could have delivered a better result on Election Day.
- Daniel Plainview - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:30 am:
- haha, the man helped overspend our state to the brink of oblivion and still feels no shame. Incredible. -
Of course you have numbers to cite, right? Do you even know what those squiggly lines are?
- LincolnLounger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:31 am:
He should run for Senate, though he would have a terrible time raising federal funds. His name ID in a Dem primary would be powerful, however.
This new visibility is a gift to Rauner, particularly outside of the City of Chicago. Downstaters shudder at the reminder.
- Tournaround Agenda - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:32 am:
Quinn paid the bills and made full pension payments, Ms. Walters. Not exactly nothing.
- Pelonski - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:35 am:
“…the people of Illinois have already seen what happens when a governor allows the General Assembly to impose a tax hike on the people of Illinois without any reforms…”
Yes, the pension got paid, the structural debt started to drop, unemployment went down, and the state economy continued to grow.
I am no fan of Quinn. He was a terrible manager of state government and an ineffective leader. The one thing he did do, however, was work with the General Assembly to start fixing Illinois’ financial problems that were decades in the making. He also correctly stated that the income tax increase needed to remain in effect because it wasn’t practical to cut the budget beyond what had already been done without severely impacting critical services. Unfortunately, his party was too cowardly to do what was right. Instead of keeping the tax increase, they let it expire for political purposes. By the time the budget fight is settled, the State will be in much worse financial condition than when Pat Quinn left office.
- Empty Suit - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:35 am:
First PQ go away. Second he’s blaming the guy who’s been there barely 10 months and says he didn’t use tax revenues last year. Uh cuse me but you were governor last year Pat. The tax increase expired 12 days before Rauner took ofc.
Oh and you must have forgot about that little $1.5 billion hole you left in the budget on the way out the door.
- Tournaround Agenda - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:36 am:
I’d love to see Quinn get back into advocacy. Maybe CUB?
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:38 am:
Guy, no one needs to drive today’s Illinois GOP crazy. As we see by the steady stream of reports on the consequences of their chosen course of action, the boss already got them there.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:39 am:
He could be paid to lobby for things that people want to see fail.
- Downstate - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:39 am:
Yes! We must follow Quinn’s plan and do what we’ve always done. That little tax increase didn’t eliminate the deficit. It was premised on the fact that spending would be reduced as well. Did. Not. Happen.
If you don’t think we need serious reform to go along with any budget deal, then you are not paying attention.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:40 am:
“Think he’ll run for governor again?”
Nope.
Serious campaigns need People, Time and Money. Of those three, Pat may have Time.
– MrJM
- Worker - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:41 am:
The lie about the 37 and a half hour work week burns me up. I may be paid for 7.5 hours a day, but I’m also required to take a .5 hour unpaid lunch break. I work the same time people in the private sector work. When will the governor be honest about what he’s pushing?
- Smitty Irving - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:51 am:
Anonymous 9:45
You do realize we’re discussing Pat Quinn, not Dan Walker, Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar, Gerorge Ryan, or Rod Blagojevich?
- walker - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:52 am:
Louis Atsalves: My understanding is that courts order continued spending at fiscal 2015 levels, in the absence of a signed 2016 budget. In most cases, they won’t overstep the Legislature and Executive, unless to fill a vacuum. Or because of other issues like Federal requirements or previous consent agreements. Assume that the saves proposed for 2016 would have met those guidelines. That’s how the impasse causes us to actually spend more than we would have even under the GA’s proposal.
As always, could be wrong and happy to be corrected by an expert.
- former southerner - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:54 am:
@Worker 10:41, “When will the governor be honest about what he’s pushing?”
I hope you are being facetious because the current gov is not going to be open and honest about his true goals and sees no reason to share those with what he views as the “great unwashed masses”.
One of the issues in this impasse is most people still can’t wrap their mind around Rauner’s view of what is and is not important and so they keep approaching the issue from a more normal (to most of us) point-of-view. This is a pretty common cultural gap, for example we were hung up on achieving a desirable body count ratio in Vietnam with most not comprehending that the opposing side didn’t view loss of life in the manner to which we were accustomed. Or as occurred not many years ago when government officials couldn’t understand a Western firm’s concern over workers being injured or killed from unsafe practices because there were plenty of replacement workers available and output quality and quantity never suffered.
If you really want to understand how he reacts to issues you have to see things his way no matter how personally distasteful you find that little trip into the sewer.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:56 am:
Put a fork in him…
- A Jack - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:57 am:
He may run. He won’t win. The Republicans never liked him in the first place. And most Democrats blame Rauner winning on Quinn.
I would do a write-in for Squeezy the snake, before I would vote for Quinn.
- Red Dog - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:59 am:
37.5 Hours has been around since Gov. Walker, blaming Quinn for it is beyond logic and reason.
- RTR - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Please, no! I like Pat Quinn, but his time has come and gone. If the Dems want to win the Guv’s office back in ‘18 (a crucial year with the remap pending) they’ll nominate someone who has nothing to do with the mess in Springfield. No legislators, no statewide constitutional officers, and certainly no ex-governors need apply — not unless they want to greatly increase Rauner’s re-election chances.
- Curmudgeon - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:02 am:
I’m waiting for the posters showin’ Pat Quinn grinnin’ and wavin’, with the caption “MISS ME YET?”
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:03 am:
@ Stones: Our Gov. is a billionaire, whom is Ivy League educated. In our comtempory American culture, he was been deemed a success. If this isn’t the best that Illinois can produce, I don’t know what is. I guess time will tell…
- The Machine - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:04 am:
==The lie about the 37 and a half hour work week burns me up. I may be paid for 7.5 hours a day, but I’m also required to take a .5 hour unpaid lunch break. I work the same time people in the private sector work. When will the governor be honest about what he’s pushing? ==
An affordable public sector union contract? He’s been honest about that for a good while.
- Ahoy! - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:04 am:
If Quinn speaks in a forest and nobody hears him was he still an incompetent governor?
- olddog - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:06 am:
@ Smitty Irving 10:51. Good point. I’d change it a little, though: “we’re discussing Pat Quinn, *and* Dan Walker, Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar, Gerorge Ryan, *and* Rod Blagojevich.”
- Loop Lady - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:14 am:
Please don’t forget that Rahm and Mike sat on their hands and helped Pat lose…be careful what you wish for…a good man Pat is, and not part of the combine…I wish him well…
- sal-says - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:15 am:
== …have already seen what happens when a governor allows the General Assembly to impose a tax hike on the people of Illinois without any reforms,” [Lyndsey Walters] said. ==
Yes, Darlin’
The State of IL functions normally, as it should. Maybe ya’all shoulda thought your remarks through a bit more carefully. Nah, probly not for the Superstarts.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:17 am:
“The lie about the 37 and a half hour work week burns me up. I may be paid for 7.5 hours a day, but I’m also required to take a .5 hour unpaid lunch break.”
Private sector employees work 8 hours with a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch. So they are at work 8 1/2 hours.
- Smitty Irving - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:18 am:
Old dog
Thanks. Financial irresponsibility in Illinois is bi-partisan and encompasses both cash and pension misconduct.
- walker - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:24 am:
Atsaves, not “Atsalves” above. Sorry Louis
- sal-says - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:25 am:
== I sure hope not. His incompetence as governor was stunning. ==
Please enumerate how the current stoke is better.
- A guy - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:28 am:
=== Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 10:38 am:
Guy, no one needs to drive today’s Illinois GOP crazy. As we see by the steady stream of reports on the consequences of their chosen course of action, the boss already got them there===
Entertaining your premise for the briefest of moments…Then, we welcome Mr. Quinn into the race.
- Jack Daniels - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:31 am:
He made a balanced budget. He cared deeply about working people. He signed all reasonable progressive bills. He told the truth.
There are a lot of people who no longer take him for granted.
- Anon - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:33 am:
As a Republican, I sure hope so… for anything.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:36 am:
Yes, let’s replace the new train wreck with the old train wreck. Great idea. Pat, how can we miss you if you never go away.
- Postyer Comment - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:40 am:
Since no one else from Chicago wants to run against Rauner, I wouldn’t be surprised.
- pool boy - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:49 am:
When he goes to Okawville his true intent will come out, running for the 58th district.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:49 am:
“- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:03 am:
@ Stones: Our Gov. is a billionaire, whom is Ivy League educated. In our comtempory American culture, he was been deemed a success. If this isn’t the best that Illinois can produce, I don’t know what is. I guess time will tell…”
…whom is Ivy League educated? Ummm, clearly you’re not.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
- sal-says - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:50 am:
== An affordable public sector union contract? He’s been honest about that for a good while. ==
Well, there’s a wide gap between ‘affordable’ & decimating Unions. So, let’s be ‘honest’ about that.
- Omega Man - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:50 am:
Why do my perfectly rational comments disappear?
- Anon2U - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:51 am:
Quinn and H Clinton are the best hope… for the Illinois GOP.
No way he runs.
- Tammy H. - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:59 am:
@RTR == nominate someone who has nothing to do with the mess in Springfield. No legislators, no statewide constitutional officers, and certainly no ex-governors ==
Agreed. But be warned, Quinn won the LG primary in ‘02 because he had the most recognizable name in a crowded field. I fear that could happen again in the ‘18 Dem governor’s primary.
- Qui Tam - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
Will he run again?
It appears Quinn is campaigning now.
Maybe his Squeezy anti-worker mascot is about to dusted-off.
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
Glad to see Pat looking good.
No more runs for Governor. That time has come and gone.
He was a better Governor in year five than year one. Maybe our current Governor can learn and improve.
- Almost the Weekend - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:24 pm:
The funny part of nostalgia is you only remember the good times. With Rauner in charge, people are remembering when PQ was in charge and this state was at least functioning a little bit.
However, when reality kicks in, you say what was I thinking, and then realize all the times PQ didn’t do anybody any favors, especially on the bottom part of the ticket.
Time for somebody else in the Democratic Party to step up, a younger face with experience to run for governor. Using the same playbook doesn’t work. Just ask the GOP about “Fire Madigan”
- Angry Chicagoan - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:42 pm:
The only minimally acceptable governor we’ve had since Jim Thompson, and everyone hates him. Kind of sums up Illinois’ status as a failed state.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:43 pm:
Oct 2, 15 @ 11:04 am:
You get what you pay for
WTch the flood gates open if you keep being unfair
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
“- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 11:17 am:
“The lie about the 37 and a half hour work week burns me up. I may be paid for 7.5 hours a day, but I’m also required to take a .5 hour unpaid lunch break.”
Private sector employees work 8 hours with a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch. So they are at work 8 1/2 hours.”
State employees are too.
- Jack Daniels - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
I forgot to mention: Governor Quinn is looking great! Glad to see him.
- Different Strokes - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 1:15 pm:
How can we forget you, Pat, if you won’t go away?
When he filmed that commercial in which he announced “I’m driving!” I thought of the climax of “Thelma and Louise” when the car went hurtling over a cliff.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 1:44 pm:
Hey, just had a thought… With the supposed imminent retirement of Jesse White, how about Quinn for SOS? Let’s make the will of the people the law of the land! LOL
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:01 pm:
“- Angry Chicagoan - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 12:42 pm:
The only minimally acceptable governor we’ve had since Jim Thompson, and everyone hates him. Kind of sums up Illinois’ status as a failed state.”
Ok, you need to up your standards. Not indicted is not the same as “minimally acceptable.”
- Dome Gnome - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
It’s just nice to see a former governor who’s not locked up.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:19 pm:
Can’t win, mid term elections are terrible for turnout and PQ needed a much larger turnout. Besides if this is the best they got might as well add another 4 to Bruce because he knows PQ can’t beat him.
- Louis Howe - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:37 pm:
Quinn will run AGAIN for the U.S. Senate. A job that actually fits his profile - All Talk.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:39 pm:
Maybe now someone can ask Gov Quinn if he regrets signing a tax increase that set a reduction day so close to his election.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:46 pm:
Oh please don’t run again. I might have to come up with new material.
PQ is looking hale and hearty, purple tie and all. God Bless him for that.
- RNUG - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:46 pm:
You can criticize Quinn for any number of political actions, but as Governor he was a relatively competent manager of what he was given to work with and he did make the scheduled pension payments in “full” (as defined by the Edgar ramp). Plus he had the guts / honesty to run on extending the temporary income tax.
- Orland (D) - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 2:46 pm:
Maybe Quinn will try to be Illinois version of Governor jerry Brown of California. He made a few comebacks.
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 3:14 pm:
He should start an IL CFPB. Impossible to house such a thing anywhere in this administration, of course.
Housing it in the AG’s office would be a good thematic fit, but obviously unlikely.
Unfortunately, he’ll probably start a nonprofit instead.
Best of luck to him.
- sweetascanbe - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 3:32 pm:
Why does this Rauner guy keep bringing up the 37.5 hour work week? He needs to stop.it. Most State of Il. employees do NOT get overtime for working past their “37.5″ hours for paperwork that is due in a timely manner per state LAW! As for Quinn, his timing is so ORCHESTRATED since there is so much drama with the State of Il right now it makes me ill.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 3:52 pm:
Changing the schedule to make it a 40 hour work week means that employees will be working about 6.5% more hours; meanwhile, the Governor wants to freeze pay (while inflation continues on an anticipated 2.0-2.5% per year rate), and dramatically increase healthcare costs? That’s just the financial side. Check my math, but at the end of a four year contract, assuming 2% inflation, a person making $60,000 now is making the equivalent of $55,300 (minus the additional healthcare costs), while also working 6.5% more hours.
- burbanite - Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 4:40 pm:
He won’t run, he shouldn’t have run last time. The writing was on the wall, he should have declined to run last time so that a more viable Dem candidate could run.