Question of the day
Tuesday, Sep 20, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Governor Bruce Rauner today signed Executive Order 2016-10 to create the new Illinois Bicentennial Commission and the Governor’s Office of the Illinois Bicentennial to lead the planning for the celebration of the state’s 200th anniversary.
“The Illinois Bicentennial is an incredible opportunity to celebrate Illinois’ contributions to the country and the world and plan for our next 200 years of innovation and achievements,” said Governor Rauner. “I look forward to the commission’s recommendations on how best to move forward to ensure that this will be a celebration to remember.”
Executive Order 2016-10 creates the Governor’s Office of the Illinois Bicentennial. The Bicentennial Office, with administrative support from the Governor’s Office and other state agencies, will develop the strategic vision for the bicentennial celebration and work with the public and private sectors to implement that vision.
The EO also rescinds Executive Order 2014-07, dissolving the 77-member State Bicentennial Commission. In its place the EO establishes a reconstituted commission of no more than 51 members to be called the Illinois Bicentennial Commission, which will be housed within the new Bicentennial Office. No more than 40 members may be appointed by the Governor and one member each may be appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Senate Minority Leader, the House Minority Leader, the Attorney General, the Lieutenant Governor, the Treasurer, the Comptroller, the Secretary of State, and the Mayors of Chicago and Springfield.
The Governor today also announced the hiring of Stuart Layne to serve as the Illinois Bicentennial Executive Director. Stuart brings decades of experience in strategic marketing and communications, with expertise in research, branding, publicity, events and sponsor partnerships.
* The Question: Your predictions for how this turns out?
- illinoised - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
I predict the Turnaround Agenda will be touted as our path to greatness over the coming 200 years.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
A boondoggle
- thechampaignlife - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:08 pm:
I’m predictin’ this’ll be an opportunity for demonstratin’ how the governor can show he is cuttin’ waste. 77 members down to 51, that’s a 33% savings!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:10 pm:
Forty of 51 members appointed by the governor?
I’m guessing it will be an election-year-long promotional vehicle for Gov. Rauner.
- Deft Wing - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:11 pm:
Prediction?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSPNQ82Sq4E
- Alexander Hamilton - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:11 pm:
“To celebrate the 200th anniversary of our great state, I’m proud to announce that the legislature and I have, at last, agreed on a budget.”
–Bruce Rauner
Sometime in 2018
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:15 pm:
200-year term limits
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
“Preliminary figures project that gross revenue estimates for the Illinois Bicentennial will surpass Centennial revenue levels!!1!”
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
Costumes.
Lots and lots… of costumes
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:18 pm:
-Forty of 51 members appointed by the governor?-
Very similar to the way the Quinn one was set up.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:22 pm:
The Producers of “Dad’s Home State”, we can now announce will have “unlimited restricted access” unparalleled except in that everyone else requesting permitting will get “similar to, mirroring” our access.
I’m not saying Gov. Lingle will be a guest star, I’m not saying that, but I will say, a former governor from an island state may parade herself in front of the cameras.
Also, my application for a seat on the committee, do I hear back “quickly”, or will this be dragged out, because I have other “DHS” things right now.
Any help in locating my application will be appreciated.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:24 pm:
Well there was that train wreck gif on the facebook page this morning. Given the size of the committee, we ought to have a poorly designed camel.
BTW - there is a saying that a camel is a race horse designed by committee.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:28 pm:
Not with a bang, but a whimper.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
I predict Honeybear will be named as a member with her first motion being everyone sign union cards.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:31 pm:
Will Blago be out of jail by the time the tricentennial kicks off?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:33 pm:
@Ron Burgundy: not quite. Quinn’s commission gave the governor 40 of 77 members. Rauner gets 40 of 51. He cut everybody but himself.
- SAP - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:33 pm:
About as memorable as the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:33 pm:
Stuart Layne is a curious choice. For the past 2 years he has worked for a company that insures hole in one contests. Before that he spent 9 months working on a super bowl party on NYC. Before that he spent 5 months working on a Jim Brown golf event. He also worked on another golf event in NY. And then he has a 3 year gap on his resume. Www.linkedin.com/in/stuartlayne.
- sal-says - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:34 pm:
And the funding is coming from …… ?????
Prediction? More vendors stiffed by BigBrain. Following the trump pattern?
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:40 pm:
Actually, the 3 year gap on his resume appears to be the period where he was the CMO and CRO for Arena Football League. Why is that not being touted? That’s the biggest job he ever had.
- Earnest - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:45 pm:
Hopefully by then the governor will have found something positive to celebrate about Illinois.
- G'Kar - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:57 pm:
How will it turn out? Not well, not well at all.
Also I snorted diet coke out my nose when I read OW @ 1:17. Well done, sir!
- Name Withheld - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:01 pm:
I predict a proclamation requiring everyone to drop their g’s during the bicentennial.
- Sir Reel - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:06 pm:
D. U. D.
- Delimma - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:16 pm:
As a downstater, my guess this will be a catastrophic waste of money that does nothing but entertain a bunch of Chicago people. Meanwhile, the people in my neck of the woods who voted for the guy giving 40 superstars highly overpaid jobs can go outside and look at the stars.
- Kathryn - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:20 pm:
If the state fair, the Il Museum closing, the lack of a budget, etc,etc, is any indication, it will be a bust.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:21 pm:
Will Gov. 1.4% add an Abe Lincoln costume to his repertoire?
- Delimma - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:23 pm:
Sorry, not to sound ungrateful, but boy all that money that goes to entertaining Chicago sure is fun to watch from down here. Yes, Chicago deserves more than what we get, but there’s a reason so many people down here are St. Louis fans (other than the fact that they are better).
- Albany Park Patriot - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:34 pm:
Is Linda Lingle still around to help plan, like she did with the state fair parade?
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:46 pm:
Interesting. It sounds more like “marketing Illinois” rather than a celebration of the state’s history. The EO lists the agencies, and DCEO is first on the list, last on the list is IHPA. That speaks volumes. Other interesting item I noticed is why does everyone get to make an appointment to the board except the judicial branch?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:59 pm:
If gov. blago could bring us open road tolling (complete with signs) I predict gov. rauner brings us “200 years and then the death spiral ended us”
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:04 pm:
Steve Rogers…
“WHEREAS, the bicentennial is also an opportunity to invite the world to Illinois and to showcase our core assets, including our community of global leaders; diverse and well-educated workforce; prominent institutions for technology, innovation, and higher education; exceptional quality of life with abundant outdoor recreation, magnificent arts and culture, endless nightlife and entertainment, and world class dining and hotels; central and modern infrastructure; and fertile farmland and abundant fresh water; and…”
Yeah, I think you’re on to something.
- The Fool On The Hill - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:06 pm:
Glad to see our Governor is doing his job.
- anon - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:07 pm:
Sounds like time for a new state flag…
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:17 pm:
Link to the Ledger …
http://ledger.illinoiscomptroller.com/salary-database/employee-salary-database/
Layne should appear in the September listings as the newest SuperStar! Ah, our tax dollars at work!
- BBG Watch - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:19 pm:
After Bruce donates $1 or $2 million to the newly created group for the bicentennial, he can formally start boasting about the “great people and State of Illinois” … as he has done in the past but with much more feeling … things could actually get interesting! LOL
Unless they have a real 2016 and 2017 budget, I think this should be cancelled - just like the State Fair should have been cancelled. Sorry … just my opinion
- Milkman - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:34 pm:
Apparently no current state Agency could handle this? Really?
- Handle Bar Mustache - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:40 pm:
I predict zero of Quinn’s bicentennial appointees [below] will be re-named to the new body. Not even Gov Jim Thompson:
Amizich, Amy
Baim, Tracy
Black, Timuel
Bristo, Maria
Burke, Ed
Carr, Kay J.
Chico, Gery
Costello, Georgia
Cullerton, Pamela
Dempsey, Mary
Duster, Michelle
Eisenhauer, Gay
Jackson, Don
Kelly, Cliff
Klickna, Cinda
Koos, Greg
Leone, Tony
Madigan, Shirley
Pepper, Donovan
Ramirez, Jorge
Schwebel, Todd
Thompson, Jim
Winters, Dave
Yun Lee, Lisa
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
- Handle Bar Mustache -,
“Zero”?
If the over/under is “0.5″, I’m taking the “over”
Cullerton and Madigan are shoo-ins for the “over”
If the line gets to “4.5″…
- Rabid - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
Super-duper
- WhoKnew - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:30 pm:
-OW-
Dad’s Home State should sponsor that Facebook thingy!
It would be a Win-Win-When!/s
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:34 pm:
- WhoKnew -
Good idea.
We have production meetings this week with HBO.
With the Emmys over, we can get a head start for 2017
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 5:12 pm:
Prediction: another superstar makes a lot of money, but leaves citizens wondering what value was created by the expenditure.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 5:39 pm:
OW. If you plan on future Emmy nominations, be sure to be racially and ethnically diverse!!
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 7:00 pm:
–* The Question: Your predictions for how this turns out? –
Much historic fun for all ages.
–Gov. Rauner retroactively revokes Gov. Altgeld’s Haymarket pardons.
– The governor hosts a 1937-themed Memorial Day picnic at the site of the old Republic Steel on the South Side.
–A Labor Day memorial service at the Graceland Cemetery bomb shelter grave of George Pullman.
–Union County renamed Right-to-Work County.
– Mother Jones exhumed from Union Miners Cemetery in Mt. Olive and deported to Ireland.
– A new Death Spiral Illinois rollercoaster at Great America (renamed Make America Great Again in honor of the governor’s presidential candidate).
– Free admission to the historic sites of the former Eastern, Chicago State and Western campuses.
– Gov. Rauner names Peter Francis Geraci poet laureate of Illinois.
– Great Grifters of Illinois statue featuring John Tillman, Dan Proft and John Kass unveiled on capitol grounds.
– “Village People” concert at state fairgrounds featuring Gov. Rauner holograms as the biker, the cowboy, the construction worker and the Indian chief.
– “Squeezy” released from the Chamber of Secrets under the Dome to finish off the few remaining social service contractors.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 7:44 pm:
Wordslinger-
All possible except the free admission post. We all know better than that!
- Johnny's in the Basement - Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 9:07 pm:
Rayner remains a complete and utter disappointment.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Sep 21, 16 @ 9:08 am:
Word- wow…..stunned by the incredible creativity! I laughed SO HARD this morning. Thank you!