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Rauner lays out his case
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. Rauner listed some some pretty compelling reasons this afternoon during a Statehouse press conference why he believes the Democrats ought to pass his stopgap funding proposal. Speaker Madigan has said he would negotiate a temporary budget, but Madigan refused to advance it today. According to Rauner, Senate President John Cullerton made it clear in the leaders meetings that the non-budget items shouldn’t be voted on until after the election. Quite a few of Rauner’s proposals are not backed by unions, and Cullerton doesn’t want to go against his allies during the election season. OK, that’s fine, Rauner said. So, he said, let’s pass a stopgap budget to get the state through the rest of this fiscal year and the first half of next fiscal year - without those controversial Turnaround Agenda items. Keep state agencies from imploding. Make sure schools and universities open on time. Make sure human service providers have some funding. And then come back in November and start working again. Like I said, that’s pretty compelling. I mean, what the heck is the harm in that, unless you truly do want a collapse? * Rauner also re-started his attacks on House Speaker Michael Madigan, blaming him for high property taxes, unbalanced budgets, population exodus, high unemployment, and pretty much everything else under the sun. “The Democrats have spent our state into the toilet for 30 years,” Rauner said. “We’re like a banana republic.” But the hyper-partisan rhetoric aside, he made a reasonable argument. * When I asked if the stopgap proposal would be taken off the table come June 1st, Rauner wouldn’t say. He also wouldn’t reveal any plans for special sessions. The governor was asked about a possible bond rating downgrade, but he didn’t directly answer. However, a senior administration official told me, “If the majority fails to act today and the state suffers a credit downgrade because of it, every Democrat in the General Assembly will own that credit downgrade.”
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- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:37 pm:
===”…every Democrat in the General Assembly will own that credit downgrade.”===
Wasn’t it Rauner himself, and his campaign that blamed Quinn for ALL downgrades?
This fluidity of what Rauner and his Crew think works for them and works against them is very telling.
It’s a Crew in denial.
Governors own. “Pat Quinn failed… “. Fine, the Denocrats will own this, then the Sandack Tweet should make Rauner sleep well…
… oh, that’s right, Durkin and Radogno, moments ago, made clear…
@RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15
This is baloney now…
A short term budget is more important then long term reforms.
Period.
Hysterical.
- The Muse - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:41 pm:
OW beat me to it.
Agreed 100%. Another takeaway from that “every Democrat in the GA will own that credit downgrade,” statement. I think it’s safe to say that both sides are wholeheartedly starting to the believe their own baloney. Not good for Illinois.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:43 pm:
After watching the presser, I really don’t see the compulsion to drink the Kool-aid, even if the poison pills are not in it. Rauner said that he would veto any out of balance budget sent to him, so I guess that meant his own all along,too???
Send the full budget to him from the House, let him line item down to the Stopgap level, and let the 2017 piecemealing begin since there aren’t enough votes in the House anyway for an override. Doing a Stopgap instead today does nothing but give Rauner breathing room and more power in the General fight.
- cdog - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:46 pm:
Dems will own the downgrade because they didn’t respond within 12hrs to the latest Rauner flip-flop?
That’s really weird stuff.
- Moe Berg - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:47 pm:
Rauner is intent on imploding the state, the only question is the timeline. I don’t grasp your reasons for giving him the benefit of the doubt. He continually contradicts himself. He’s already unleashed chaos. You’re in denial about what he really is because it’s too awful to face.
- Liberty - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:47 pm:
Born again?
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:51 pm:
A similar compelling story: In the film Speed, when Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) blows up Diane when she attempts to leave the bus. The cops knew to deal with him then. Now we are supposed to do the same for Rauner, who’s already killed a number of hostages.
- Macbeth - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:52 pm:
No D is going to “own” a credit downgrade.
That’s all — all — on Rauner and his inability to lead. Rauner’s the governor. If there’s a downgrade, it’s on Rauner’s watch — not every D. That’s crazy.
It was all Quinn’s fault, right? Everything — from credit downgrades to NRI. Everything was Quinn.
Bruce — |Slings and Arrows” Brice — welcome to Quinn-land, buddy. You’re gonna own every single bit of this.
The name of this game is impotence. Rauner’s impotence. His inability to L-E-A-D.
- Triple fat - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:55 pm:
If the Democrats haven’t agreed to any of the faux turn around agenda in 1 year… Why would they agree to it in 1 1/2 years?
- cdog - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:57 pm:
Rahm will possibly get an upgrade, and Rauner will own the next downgrade ….unless he realizes an ROI of .014 isn’t worth much and he gets real.
Sometimes success is not about wishful and hypothetical “growth.”
Sometimes success is just about paying your bills and having integrity.
Keep the threat of schools not opening out there in the ether for a few weeks…. It seems to have been very effective in the last day or so…
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:00 pm:
Didn’t see the presser, but this sounds like great news. Dems have asked all along to do the TA items separately, gov agrees (at least as far as a temp budget). Shots at Madigan were unnecessary, but you expect that from a Gov during election years. As long as he doesn’t change his mind later this evening, it would at least get everyone with opponents to just after Election Day so I assume that helps both sides? My question now is how long will they fight over what gets funded, and at which amounts?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:07 pm:
Don’t be such delicate little flowers. Yall bash him all day and he can’t ever do the same? Please. This is a tough business. Deal with it and look at the real substance here.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:07 pm:
Received an email from Beth Purvis earlier today asking superintendents to advocate for Rauner’s stop gap.
A short time later I received an email, along with 100 of my colleagues, from a downstate Supt. That I know. He was inviting us (encouraging) is to attend a Rauner presser tomorrow to show support support for a “clean k 12 ” bill and support for his stop gap funding.
These guys are sad little pawns.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:11 pm:
What is the argument for not passing the stop gap tonight? Does someone actually think the schools will open all the other chaos will be reduced without it?
I don’t think the legislators want to come back every Wednesday all summer to accomplish absolutely nothing until after the election.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:15 pm:
===What is the argument for not passing the stop gap tonight?===
Rauner made a very strong compelling argument yesterday against it, check with Rauner.
===I don’t think the legislators want to come back every Wednesday all summer to accomplish absolutely nothing until after the election.===
It’s not a question of want. It’s a question of compromise.
Want… a compromise.
It’s what you want, not just the “want”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:16 pm:
Notice the difference between Rauner and Trump?
Neither do I.
- so... - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:16 pm:
==Don’t be such delicate little flowers. Yall bash him all day and he can’t ever do the same? Please. This is a tough business. Deal with it and look at the real substance here.==
But Rauner is always wrong, even when he’s signing on to an idea that was originally proposed by Cullerton.
At this point I think Rauner could propose putting the AFL-CIO logo on the state seal and people here still would find fault with it.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:18 pm:
–OK, that’s fine, Rauner said. So, he said, let’s pass a stopgap budget to get the state through the rest of this fiscal year and the first half of next fiscal year - without those controversial Turnaround Agenda items. Keep state agencies from imploding. Make sure schools and universities open on time. Make sure human service providers have some funding. And then come back in November and start working again.–
No worries, mate. What a swell idea — on May 31, 2016. Serious brainstorm, you had. E-pi-pha-ny.
Put it in writing.
LOL, state agencies imploding? That’s a concern? Since when, 4 p.m. today?
The dude has willfully put the wrecking ball to the structure of civil governance for partisan political reasons for 18 months.
Thousands have lost jobs, billions of dollars owed to Illinois businesses are unpaid, and, as has been said, “people are dying,” as a direct result of the strategic plan of the governor.
Now, maybe it wasn’t a good idea?
Chutzpah.
If this cry for help will end the way this
sad rich dilletante passes his time in retirement, let’s see it in writing, like the big kids do when they make a deal.
For crying out loud, the GOP has been doing constant 180s for the last 72 hours. They can’t be pinned down from one minute to the next.
The governor’s word isn’t good enough.
Put it in writing, for all the citizens to see.
That would be shakin’ it up.
- tobor - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:19 pm:
==Deal with it and look at the real substance here.== I must be blind.
- The Captain - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:22 pm:
Tonight is not the deadline to pass a budget, tonight is the deadline to pass a budget with a simple majority so if the entire Republican caucus is as committed to a stopgap as they appear to be, and judging by the turnout behind the Governor at the press conference very many appear to be supportive, there should be more than enough votes to pass this any day in the future if the Democrats get on board.
- CrazyHorse - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:23 pm:
== Keep state agencies from imploding. Make sure schools and universities open on time. Make sure human service providers have some funding. And then come back in November and start working again.==
Hmmm. Funny Rauner wasn’t concerned about anything besides K-12 when he held human service and higher ed hostage but now he’s Bargainin’ Bruce.
- so... - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:23 pm:
==Notice the difference between Rauner and Trump?
Neither do I.==
Notice the difference between a dimwit and you?
Neither do I.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:24 pm:
Good grief isn’t a stop gap better than nothing? Pay what you owe figure out who won or lost after the election the people who provide services are getting screwed while the politicians play the fiddle I am tired of waiting to see whose is bigger. Pull up your collective pants and do the job you were elected to do
- Hit or Miss - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:25 pm:
I think that Rauner can get, more or less, what he wants in a budget on his own. Just do a large amendatory veto on the bill the Democrats passed when it reaches his desk. What has he got to loose by giving it a try? Even just the attempt is sure to ’shake up Springfield’.
- so... - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:26 pm:
==I think that Rauner can get, more or less, what he wants in a budget on his own. Just do a large amendatory veto on the bill the Democrats passed when it reaches his desk. What has he got to loose by giving it a try? Even just the attempt is sure to ’shake up Springfield’.==
You can’t AV an appropriations bill. Just line item and reduction vetoes.
- Macbeth - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:26 pm:
Um, what is the “substance” here?
That Rauner is … pragmatic? What?
- ILPundit - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:28 pm:
If there was one thing clear from that press conference, it’s that these guys can’t even figure out what they want.
You can’t excoriate your negotiating partners and ask for compromise at the same time. It’s incoherent.
If a short term budget with no new revenue is agreeable, then there is no reason it has to be done by midnight. The overnight change in strategy, combined with demand for immediate passage without input from the other party, is just bizarre.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:28 pm:
To the Post,
The thing that makes the most sense (yikes, these sense to any of this?) to me is the following.
Agree to the Rauner and Cullerton stop gap idea…
So it after tonight…
Make it a Super-Majority vote…
Structured roll calls and approved GOP votes on the measure…
Absolute clean signature.
But, the rub is… after midnight.
- PublicServant - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:32 pm:
Rich, many think the real substance of Rauner’s intransigence, which is already causing real damage to the most vulnerable Illinoisans, is not apparent to many voters. A veto by Rauner of Madigan’s Bill, would immediately thrust the unacceptable details of Rauner’s extreme agenda into the public eye. The governor is only giving a bit now in order to maintain his ability to keep the majority of the public in the dark. His rhetoric trashing the democrats proves he’s not interested in compromise. Madigan’s Bill would force the issue. I hate the pain that would cause, but Rauner’s TA deserves the immediate increase in public pressure that bill’s veto would cause. Rauner’s only compromising now because he knows who’d get the blame for the damage being done to the state because of him.
- Mama - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:34 pm:
I think the problem between Rauner & the Dem is lack of trust. You really can not blame the Dems for not trothing Rauner.
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:34 pm:
=== Yall bash him all day and he can’t ever do the same? ===
With some brief and much acknowledged periods, he has been bashing folks from the early days of his administration.
Parsing through the rhetoric, the good is that he’s dropped TA as a requirement for the partial budget. Another positive is the hold harmless for Chicago and other schools. Without a working knowledge of the entire budget proposal and whether there is a possibility of a few land mines, I hope it’s something the Dems can and do support. I would add an exception to passing a full year k-12 plan. If a full year bill is passed, we’ll probably be back to impasse.
- Mama - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:36 pm:
trothing should be trusting Sorry
- tobor - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:38 pm:
Maybe “trothing” is about a close as we can get with Rauner.
- burbanite - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:39 pm:
If he had just come out and made his case on the legislation and stopped I think it could have helped. But he didn’t, instead he again repeatedly calls Cullerton out for something he allegedly said in mtgs indicating he would be more willing to throw unions under the bus AFTER the election. So the Gov is doing him a favor and giving him time to get elected then throw the union under the bus. If I am Cullerton, what am I thinking?
- Keyrock - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:42 pm:
“Trothing” is actually a perfect word, Mama.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:44 pm:
===If I am Cullerton, what am I thinking?===
That I should’ve learned my lesson months ago about not being too honest in front of BVR?
Just sayin…
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:46 pm:
===That I should’ve learned my lesson months ago about not being too honest in front of BVR?===
Same goes for Rahm now too.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:48 pm:
===That I should’ve learned my lesson months ago about not being too honest in front of BVR?===
Actually, I can see Rahm and John sharing a drink discussing this very topic in my mind.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:49 pm:
The Turnaround agenda has been in the public eye for over a year now.. There are parts of it that enjoy bipartisan majority support. The agenda is not popular in union halls and wherever trial lawyers hang out. I think passing whatever flat tax is required to fund the 7 billion dollar budget deficit after zero reforms were passed is far more unpopular than Rauner’s plan
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:49 pm:
===If I am Cullerton, what am I thinking?===
That I should’ve learned my lesson months ago about not being too honest in front of BVR?
Just sayin…
Ummm that is if Cullerton actually said that….given the govs challenge with truth and facts…..
Just sayin😀
- ILPundit - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:50 pm:
This Governor has a unique ability to unify big, Democratic party egos that normally would have a hard time working together, against him and his agenda.
Unfortunately for the Governor, that is the only political skill he has exhibited to date, and its counter-productive for him.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:53 pm:
- Lucky Pierre -
Doesn’t matter if ANY Turnaround Agenda proposals are popular or not, Rauner, Radogno, and Durkin removed them ALL to get a deal.
You are keeping up, right?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:55 pm:
After midnight. Agreed. Make it bipartisan. But do it before July or risk becoming the problem
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:55 pm:
Rich Miller @ 6:44 +1
Seems like Rauner is making it his mission to be a Cullerton parrot.
- YSW - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:56 pm:
Is it more in keeping with what we know about Cullerton and Rauner that Cullerton would confide bombshells to Rauner, or that he would do no such thing?
- James - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:59 pm:
Give this Governor breathing room so he can reload and inflict more pain on Illinois residents?
If ongoing negotiations lead to a true compromise between the Governor and legislative leaders, there will be enough votes for a 3/5 passage.
The Governor talks about the beauty of crisis, because it creates leverage (so he can legislate, which is not his job). Well, K-12 funding is the Democrats’ leverage that will ensure the State properly funds all its programs and implements legislative changes (”reforms”) in a way that is actually supported by a majority of legislators.
Pass a stopgap today and the Governor will provoke the workforce into striking this summer and begin the outsourcing of state work.
I would like to see the Governor extend the AFSCME contract to the end of his term as part of any stopgap budget. Then, if the salaries and benefits of state workers are really an issue to voters, the Governor can campaign on cutting them, a plan which he hid from the voters during the 2014 election.
We never saw the intentional infliction of pain on the population by a chief executive before this Governor.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:00 pm:
Anonymous @ 6:49- quite right! I’d like to hear Cullerton confirm that in his own words. Rauner has a history of having conversations with himself.
- Storm Cloud - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:00 pm:
Did Cullerton say he didn’t say that?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:02 pm:
–The Turnaround agenda has been in the public eye for over a year now. –
Has it? A quick rundown on the specifics and their projected benefits would be swell.
How hard could that be, it’s so bodacious?
–At this point I think Rauner could propose putting the AFL-CIO logo on the state seal and people here still would find fault with it.–
Another victim heard from.
Please understand, when it comes to the historic rough-and-tumble of self-governance in the State of Illinois, it’s quite possible that your feelings might get hurt.
That, of course, is the best possible outcome. Other outcomes include trunks of cars and bottoms of quarries in Stickney.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:05 pm:
Compelling
hardly…If BigBrain was serious he would have dreamed this sometime before losing his attempt to S* Chicago pensions. He forgets the guys in charge for most of the Speaker’s term were GOPies
The BigBrain should have presented legislation this morning….nope did not happen. Durkie and SqueezeTheBeast filed new bills about 4 p.m.
Somemone tell BigBrain the Illinois Constitution says 3 days each chamber
BTW it appears MAP gets zip, zero nada from the StopGapC*
hardly compelling and not reasonable.
- Pelonski - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:07 pm:
I’m 100% for a stop gap budget that funds ALL areas. I’m 100% against a stop gap budget that only funds the areas where Rauner is vulnerable (e.g. k-12 education) and ignores the citizens of Illinois who need the most help.
- DuPage Dave - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:14 pm:
In terms of Rauner bashing people, as I recall he was calling Madigan and Cullerton corrupt before he took office.
I don’t think he’s ever taken the gloves off.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:14 pm:
=== Well, K-12 funding is the Democrats’ leverage===
I really don’t think you want the public to think that. And if you do, you’re suicidal.
Just sayin…
- General E. Lection - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:16 pm:
If we vote tomorrow, more Republicans will get to join in on the negotiated budget vote! Have fun raisin’ taxes and bailin’ out CPS!
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:16 pm:
“The governor’s word isn’t good enough.”
This unfortunate fact is the knotty root of our current problem.
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:19 pm:
===If we vote tomorrow, more Republicans will get to join in on the negotiated budget vote! Have fun raisin’ taxes and bailin’ out CPS!===
What do you base that on?
Micro vs. Macro. You may need to put a think to your ridiculousness.
- SAP - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:23 pm:
Sorry, that was me at 6:55
- Springfieldish - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:31 pm:
Politics is a rough game, we know that. But just because Rauner makes points that were just as good when he rejected them a week ago doesn’t mean he gets his plan without cost. Accept a stopgap funding bill, but require that every single House Republican that Rauner controls votes for it. No half measures. If this is what he wants, he has to deliver his troops for it. It could be that Madigan is waiting until a 2/3 is needed to ensure that House GOP members cast a vote in favor of it. Rauner already has a history of clumsily attempting to create trick boxes. No dice this time. He and the minions he controls are either in it as stakeholders or they never meant it to begin with.
- mcc - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:32 pm:
this is the post that we all need to hang on to until…..well, forever
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:18 pm:
For crying out loud, the GOP has been doing constant 180s for the last 72 hours…….
SPOT ON, madigan will wait him out & come november - will take seats - mr. withers has NO business being in politics….(period!)
- Wensicia - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:36 pm:
Like I said elsewhere, the GOP spin machine is out of control. When it stops, what will we be left with? I hope something that can be passed with true bipartisan support.
- Dandy Edward - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:40 pm:
Macbeth, Quinn owns the down grade because he was in charge as Gov. for 6 years, LT. Gov. for 6 years and did not fight to fix this fiscal mess. Gov. Rauner is tring to straighten out the mess the Democrats along with Gov. Ryan and Edgar created. That is why the Dems. own any future downgrades.
- mcc - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:44 pm:
@- Dandy Edward
nice try
NEXT!
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:44 pm:
===OK, that’s fine, Rauner said. So, he said, let’s pass a stopgap budget to get the state through the rest of this fiscal year and the first half of next fiscal year - without those controversial Turnaround Agenda items. Keep state agencies from imploding. Make sure schools and universities open on time. Make sure human service providers have some funding. And then come back in November and start working again.===
Wordslinger took the words right off my keyboard: get this in writing. A final budget for the remainder of FY16 plus six months of FY17. All agencies, based on FY15 totals.
If Governor Rauner signs that MOU, then it should easily pass with strong bi-partisan support.
Put pen to paper Governor, and tell us exactly what you meant with this statement. What exactly does your stop gap budget entail?
Shouldn’t be too hard. Ask Nuding for help with the math.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:45 pm:
I’d like to know if the stopgap includes money to pay state employees (all of them, not just union) starting July 1.
- Chucktownian - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:51 pm:
How many seats do you think the GOP will lose in November? Plenty. This is all about Rauner and the GOP trying to stave those losses off.
I still think they should do something (stopgap is fine) but the reality is the Raunerites coming to the realization they’re hosed come November.
- Jaded - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:55 pm:
The Governor’s “stop-gap” budget IS in writing. 4 bills. Two in the House and 2 in the Senate look em up
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:55 pm:
What about override of HB580 in exchange for Nudings stopgap? Am I saying something stupid?
- mcc - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:00 pm:
well, - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:45 pm:I’d like to know if the stopgap includes money to pay state employees……
i’m convinced that rauner just wants to BURN Rome, i am not sure if he cares…if he cares, how he gets there -
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:01 pm:
Nevermind it failed.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:03 pm:
–Like I said, that’s pretty compelling. I mean, what the heck is the harm in that, unless you truly do want a collapse?–
Unless there will be a collapse of Labor and the workforce with a strike which will be blamed on Labor and Madigan. So if a collapse is coming why set yourself up. I’m not saying I agree with that I’m just trying to suggest why someone would do what Madigan is doing.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:08 pm:
Yep.
Rauner MOUs are next.
===That is why the Dems. own any future downgrades.===
It’s tough being a Raunerbot, but it’s easier to pick them out now too.
- Dandy Edward -, you trolled yourself.
- mcc - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:19 pm:
lol OW, you win the new Buick!
- AJ_yooper - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:20 pm:
Since Rauner vetoed the last budget except for school funding (which made him look good on education) and foiled the Democrats on the rest of the budget, why do a stopgap budget now when people seem to want to end this, and rehash everything in the fall? Do the deed now. Take your time, get the Rs to vote for the revenue package, and end the TA talk for a year. Rauner does not honor any deals so it needs to be done in stages.
- mcc - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:23 pm:
madigan is waiting the rookie out, “rauner= no clue politically” if someone stepped on my lawn & said that they knew everything about me, my family & my dog… well, you know
- Fly On the Wall - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:26 pm:
The strike talk is completely bogus. The union knows over 40% would cross the line and that would be the end of AFSCME.
- Fly On the Wall - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:27 pm:
Something has to be done know. IDOR has literally ran out of postage. How do you collect revenue without being able to send bills and letters to taxpayers.
- Whatever - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:29 pm:
I don’t see anything “compelling” about an offer of a stopgap budget except that the governor is willing to sign it. It takes no more effort to draft, vote on and sign a complete budget for both years. Unless the stopgap isn’t complete, covering and funding every area, in which case it’s what we already have.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:51 pm:
Democrats should say No to a six-month budget.
Legislators are better off defending an actual vote on an actual tax increase in November than arguing about/defending themselves from a hypothetical tax increase.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 8:58 pm:
Without additional revenue, the stopgap budget collapses.
Revenue increases must be passed and signed. Then the Governor submits a balanced budget based on the new revenue numbers.
Rauner has an Achilles heel, the constitution explicitly requires him to submit a balanced budget. He has not done so. If the Democrats can make it clear to the general public that Rauner has violated the Constitution, Rauner loses.
- Illinoisian - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 9:35 pm:
Given this governor …. My thoughts are to make a call. Time to put K -12 on the table so that everybody has skin in the game and serve a wake up call to the complacent.
- peon - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 9:44 pm:
Where in the constitution does it anticipate stopgap partial budgets ? I don’t think there is room to lower our expectations further - but will probably be proved wrong before tonight is over.
- Winnin' - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:30 pm:
New Question of the Day:
Who got to Rauner?
(Mrs. Rauner?)
- gg - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:35 pm:
Let Rauner be the one that shut down the schools.
Rauner needs to be put out of his pain.
He just is not good at politics.
- Peoria Guy - Wednesday, Jun 1, 16 @ 8:48 am:
Madigan needs to get off the dime and look after the state, rather than his own personal power play.
- doedoa - Wednesday, Jun 1, 16 @ 1:11 pm:
You can’t govern effectively form either extreme. Anyone who wants to get something done in government must move to the middle. That is where the rhetoric ends and governing begins.