Highly intemperate, but not totally wrong
Monday, Aug 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Jeanne Ives makes some valid points about useless and do-little committees, but I don’t think rants like this one will ever translate into legislative success…
Over the past two years, Illinois’ problems have compounded at the hand of Speaker Madigan. Between the state’s growing insolvency, a budget impasse that has shut down social services and Democrats’ inexplicable determination to continue expanding their failed government, Illinoisans are suffering as they have never before suffered. Although we reached a compromise on a stop-gap budget, it seems as if the IL state government is more divided than ever. Why is that? How can that be? It all comes down to two things: a man and money.
The money is ours. And the man is Speaker of the House Mike Madigan. During his years in power, Madigan has padded the House, keeping himself surround by hand chosen, seat-warmer representatives to do his bidding. These individuals have reaped the rewards of this system, and are the first to fall for the mistakes of their beloved leader.
Willing foot soldiers being “taken care of” for surrounding their leader and advancing his will sounds more like the plot of a mob movie than the modus operandi of a legislative caucus. Yet, the similarities persist. Paid off for their loyalty and punished for their insubordination, the 98th and 99th General Assemblies of House of Representatives have played out like plot of a bad gangster movie. Of course, this isn’t ‘The Godfather’, it’s nevertheless important to see the role of money in Don Madigan’s Illinois. (Never ask him about his business, by the way).
Loyalty pay— a bonus in which a legislator is rewarded for their loyalty toward to party leaders and their agenda. The Illinois House of Representatives spent nearly $1 million giving stipends to legislators for their roles as chairperson or minority spokesperson for one of 50 house committees. Three out of the 49 committees never met, and 36 of these very committees decreased their number of meetings. Yet still, each legislator acting as the committee chair received an additional stipend of $10,326. Legislators’ base pay is $67,836 annually – the 5th highest in the nation – for part-time work. Keep in mind, these same legislators have not passed a balanced budgets for the state in 13 years.
The average committee met only 4 times, meaning that the committee chairman’s time was for $2,581.75 per hour-long meeting. Of course this being Mike Madigan’s Illinois, results don’t matter. Chairs receive their stipend regardless of the work that comes out of these committees.
There can be no doubt that these bonus are handed out by caucus leaders to reward loyalty. It doesn’t matter if the chair has any expertise in the subject matter. It doesn’t matter how long or often committees meet or what real work is accomplished. It is simply a 15% bump in pay.
Minority party spokespersons also receive committee stipends, so this goes both ways.
One of the reforms I’ve long pined for is giving committee chairs and spokespersons more autonomy from leadership, with staff members who report directly to them, not the leaders. And perhaps even allowing their respective caucuses to elect chairmen and spokespersons. The power is way too focused upward and needs to be spread out more.
* Related…
* The cost of Illinois’ lawmakers
* Legislators: Big pay for a part-time job
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:19 pm:
Put it in a coloring book and hand it out to your local private school.
- Concerned - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:19 pm:
“[T]he plot of a mob movie . . . . Paid off for their loyalty and punished for their insubordination”
She is talking about Rauner as the Godfather, right?
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:22 pm:
Does the truth hurt?
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:26 pm:
Even a broken watch is right twice a day….
- @MisterJayEm - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
It’s enough to make one long for the restrained and thoughtful musings of Ron Sandack.
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
===It all comes down to two things: a man and money.===
I think Jeanne Ives is being too hard on Bruce Rauner, but… when you hold a caucus hostage, statements like this have such a sweet irony.
To the Post,
With the irony being ignored for the moment…
When the Cutback Amendment came to be, the legislature and its nature changed.
That’s includes Lee Daniels and Tom Cross.
The consolidating of Legislative Chamber power is a tricky business.
The only (yikes) example of a free-wheeling autonomy, (but used more if a crutch and excuse to block things, but I digress) was Pate and the Gorillas, but even that calculated autonomy allowed Pate to use as a lever an appearance of deference when he wanted a better deal, if he could get it.
Pate also understood that his majority, just the numeric majority, was the critical aspect of his power. Sound familiar?
Madigan requires 2 votes, and one is to elect Madigan Speaker.
So, how do the Chambers fix this? Rich has good ideas with Chairs picked (elected) by the caucuses, and the committees controlling staff would be a big refresher for the General Assembly.
I’d like to see the committees, the Chairs, the committee staffs, even allowing a greater steering of bills, if possible, but allowing the majority to have its say, without bottling up bills simply sending them somewhere never to be seen, heard, or discussed.
Maybe in a new set of rules to be passed in 2017?
Well…
- Anon2U - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:29 pm:
Ives has earned a reputation for being one of the least effective representatives… but she isn’t wrong here.
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:31 pm:
I would like to see Senators paid $350,000 per year and Representatives paid $250,000 per year with no pensions or benefits and a ban on all outside work. If your legislator is not worth that pay, then elect someone who is.
- Morty - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:34 pm:
Rep. Ives is still looking for that problem she can be the solution for…
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:39 pm:
I can see why she’s upset, looks like there are 53 House committees (including rules) for 46 House Republicans. But some HGOP have three or four Republican spokesman roles on committees.
But not Rep. Ives.
She’s been shut out, along with several others, including Reps. Bourne and Butler and Wojcicki Jimenez.
Across the way, Radogno gave newbie Sen. McConchie a Republican spokesman role on a committee.
What gives Leader Durkin?
- know the facts - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:47 pm:
“What gives Leader Durkin?”
House members cannot serve as committee chairs or minority spokesperson’s until their fifth year in office. In the Senate they can.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:59 pm:
Moose, I’m with you. Good legislators are worth what they are paid and more. Who gets elected is on the voters
- Dr X - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:02 pm:
Of course if Republicans took over the House and Senate, they would do things differently and embrace all sorts of reform to decentralize leadership. I am absolutely sure of it.
- Beenthereseenthat - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:06 pm:
A proposal: go back to cumulative voting for the House. Reduce the House by one member, reduce the Senate to 39. Have one legislative map with one senator elected and 3 House members (of 4 nominated). From 1964 to 1982 we had 5 different House Speakers under cumulative voting due to partisan electoral changes. Illinois was administered pretty good back then.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:15 pm:
Ives is seeking to tick off her fellow members, GOP and Dem, who are in on the cash cow.
For the most part, the committee process in the GA is a meaningless step that only serves as a convenience for leadership to kill legislation. What is needed is to strengthen the committee process by requiring reports on each bill approved by the committee. Each report should go into detail on the purpose, cost, goals, objectives, and performance measures.
- Bigtwich - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:19 pm:
“It all comes down to two things: a man and money.
The money is ours. And the man is Speaker of the House Mike Madigan.”
So the Speaker is the only thing denying Bruce Rauner total dominion of Illinois?
You go Mike, er, Speaker.
- Chicagonk - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:26 pm:
The rules established by the rule committees are designed to consolidate power at the top. It works the same way in Washington. People may debate the effectiveness of Rauner’s message trying to tie every Dem in the house to Madigan, but it’s not far from the truth. The most important vote any state rep makes is the first one they make for speaker of the house.
- Not It - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:38 pm:
Remember when Froehlich switched parties and Madigan created a committee for him, a committee that only met once.
- A guy - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
===House members cannot serve as committee chairs or minority spokesperson’s until their fifth year in office. In the Senate they can.===
Worth repeating, with a tiny clarification. It’s actually their 3rd term, which means serving any part of a term before 2 full terms. I believe 4 years and one day could get you there.
- A guy - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:51 pm:
It also means you’ve got to find a committee for every Dem who is at least in their 3rd term. There are a lot of newer GOP Reps, which means many 3+ term Reps have to serve in those Minority Spokesman roles on several committees until a few more get to term 3.
- Sue - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:54 pm:
Back in 09 when Mitch McConnell was quoted as saying the Repubs principle focus was making Obie a one term P. Madigan has essentially declared the same thing and refuses to do any compromising while Illinois gets worse by the day. So where is the outrage against Zmafiganmadigan which we heard the Dems rage when the shoe was on the other foot. The only conclusion- all politicians care only about their own sides and to hell with their constituents
- crazybleedingheart - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:08 pm:
That IPI report is really something.
Apparently Bruce Rauner still hates his own caucus and thinks only independently wealthy people qualify to hold public office in Illinois.
Not surprised Ives was the best available spokesmouth on this one.
Imagine the “work” of a committee she chaired.
- anon - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:10 pm:
===hand-picked, seat-warming representatives who do his bidding ===
I suppose there are no hand-picked, seat-warming representatives on the GOP side of the aisle who do the bidding of the governor?
- DuPage - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:19 pm:
===Paid off for their loyalty and punished for their insubordination===
Exactly what Rauner is doing with his “campaign donations” for and against Republican legislators.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:27 pm:
In House Speaker W. Robert Blair’s second term the Appropriations Committee staff was hired by its Chairman and did not report to the Speaker.
That was the year Blair was challenged by Henry Hyde.
That term was the most “democratic” I can remember.
- DuPage - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:27 pm:
Loyalty pay— a bonus in which a legislator is rewarded for their loyalty toward to party leaders and their agenda.
Agenda, as in TURNAROUND agenda.
- walker - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 5:35 pm:
Both sides doing it doesn’t make it any better.
Probably could do with 2/3ds of the current committees. Then the extra work and time spent could justify the stipend. Also, no need to have multiple “spokespersons” just to spread the wealth. One leader per party should suffice.
As to legislators pay — the good ones, who spend full year equivilents in time and efforts serving the public, probably deserve more. Others don’t earn what they get. Hard to pay for performance across the board.
- LTSW - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 7:13 pm:
When i was a noob in state government in the 80’s, there were legislative Commissions. Each had an executive director and small staff. There were legislative chairman, but also public members on the commissions. These were place where proposed legislation could be researched and debated prior to introduction. those all went away with the rule changes OW references above. Giving committees dedicated staff might help. Illinois is one of a few states where there are staff that work just for the majority or minority party.
- HRC2016 - Tuesday, Aug 2, 16 @ 11:51 am:
Rep Ives, DOH!