64 Comments - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:51 am: Come on! That theory simply beggars belief! Ridiculous! I mean– the very idea that Michael J. Madigan is natural-born offspring of human parents… – MrJM - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:51 am: This election cycle lesson? The easiest lesson is that if you even remotely thought the IPI was genuine, even to their own philosophy… You learned quickly that IPI is nothing more than a made up think tank, based in Madeupville, using the Rauner Word Jumble, 3.0 to mock themselves and actual facts… … Don’t think so? You may have seen a movie that mocks it better than I could… paid for by… IPI… lol - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:53 am: ===the very idea that Michael J. Madigan is natural-born offspring of human parents=== There are many who believe he was hatched at the age of 35. - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:53 am: The idea that Madigan supported the cutback amendment is either totally ignorant or just a flat out lie. Your choice, IPI. - Stark - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:54 am: Speaker Madigan and the policies he’s responsible for, even though he wasn’t in the legislature yet. - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:55 am: Let’s cut to the real question on everyone’s minds: How high did he wear his diaper? - Porgy Tirebiter - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 9:57 am: Madigan…..and the chrono syntactic infundibulum Time Machine he controls! - Hmm - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:00 am: Tbh doesn’t look to me like he’s implying Quinn did Madigan’s bidding, just that the cutback consolidated power. Can’t disagree with that. One-on-one races gave huge power to party leaders on both sides. - Anonymous - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:06 am: I wonder if they will say the same things when Lou Lang is Speaker? - Boone's is Back - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:07 am: I feel like all of the combine conspiracy theories have been consolidated into one large Michael J. Madigan conspiracy. - ArchPundit - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:10 am: ===There are many who believe he was hatched at the age of 35. I’ve been telling you all he is obviously an android. ==I feel like all of the combine conspiracy theories have been consolidated into one large Michael J. Madigan conspiracy. Nailed it. - Give Me A Break - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:11 am: Back then though, Baby Madigan had apple sauce every day at Noon. - Team Sleep - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:14 am: Madigan is clearly an early AI creation - high pants model, of course. - Roman - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:22 am: @Anonymous at 10:06 Bruce and the Raunerites go to bed every night and pray with all their heart that Mike Madigan remains speaker for as long as they are around. Without him, they have nothing. - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:28 am: Denying that the Cutback Amendment helped consolidate power among party leaders is plain ignorant. The point of mentioning it was to give context to the fact that the only successful voter-led referendum in modern state history happened to be a boon for those at the top of the food chain. - Whatever - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:29 am: ==Madigan…..and the chrono syntactic infundibulum Time Machine he controls! == And Malachi Constant is our governor? - ya never know - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:31 am: I want to believe someone is keeping a record of every time there’s a claim that Madigan was involved/Madigan conspiracy and one day we will all know what really happened. - walker - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:31 am: IPI doesn’t care if what they say is true. They only care if it motivates. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:32 am: - Austin Berg - Then you should take that up with Quinn, not Madigan. “Aw, you’re welcome.” - Annonin' - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:32 am: This is nearly off line as the IPI opus on Madigan and lights at Wrigley … they use it to contend this is how Madigan wrecked the Cubs chances for success. While wrickin’ the Cubs is a whole different topic Madigan worked slow the Cub/Tribbie effort to pre-empt local control efforts by Chicago. Cub/Tribbies wanted blank check Madigan told them to develop a plan with Cullerton to avoid giving the neighborhood a complete F* job. Tribbieshave never forgiven IPI missed the truth completely — go figure. It was too bad Zorn did not mention to 2010 Tribbie series on the law firm that found zero examples special.improper treatment. - Keyrock - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:39 am: I had heard Madigan was hatched from an egg, and that Richard J. Daley has helped keep the egg warm to hatch it. Madigan imprinted on Da Mayor after hatching. And that’s how he learned to control everything. Isn’t that right? - Chucktownian - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 10:51 am: IPI are just right wing hacks. No one with a brain in their head should trust anything they “publish.” - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:12 am: - Oswego Willy - Right. Because the Cutback Amendment did nothing to help the most powerful politician in the state. Move along. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:23 am: - Austin Berg - Again, keep up. Quinn, not Madigan. Willfully ignorant or… - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:24 am: “Right. Because the Cutback Amendment did nothing to help the most powerful politician in the state.” You may have conflated Madigan’s ability to take political advantage of most political events with an ability to orchestrate most political events. History and Occam’s Razor strongly suggest the former. – MrJM - ya never know - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:28 am: == - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:12 am: - Oswego Willy - Right. Because the Cutback Amendment did nothing to help the most powerful politician in the state. Move along. == Madigan wasn’t the most powerful politician when the Cutback Amendment was introduced. Not to mention Quinn was no friend of Madigan - they knew each other, but resides on opposite sides of the democratic party. Quinn was a Walker guy, Madigan was a Daley loyalist, and those two factions had been to war against each other. - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:40 am: - @MisterJayEm - Please point out where I’ve claimed that Madigan orchestrated the Cutback Amendment, as this post claims. Seems like you’re conflating your projection of my intent with, you know, my actual words. - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:43 am: - Oswego Willy - Ack, trying to keep up but my brain must be overheating! So it didn’t help Madigan or it did? Waiting for an answer from you. Nowhere do I claim that Madigan asked Quinn to do his bidding. I’m giving context to a column about voter-led constitutional amendments. Why so angry? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 11:48 am: ===I’m giving context to a column about voter-led constitutional amendments.=== Unintended consequence. But, it was Quinn, not Madigan’s doing. ===The point of mentioning it was to give context to the fact that the only successful voter-led referendum in modern state history happened to be a boon for those at the top of the food chain.=== Nah. The point to try to link Madigan to it shows either a willful ignorance to historical context, or … I’m not angry, y’all make me giggle at you with your preposterousness. I can’t make up your silliness, lol - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:03 pm: ===I’m giving context to a column=== LOL You didn’t provide context. You provided your pet spin. - a drop in - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:04 pm: Next IPI release: Madigan can morph and turn into …Hillary! Shocking revelation! - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:05 pm: - Oswego Willy - “Unintended consequence.” Glad we agree. I guess saying Madigan was helped by the amendment wasn’t so far-fetched after all. - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:06 pm: And, Austin, c’mon, man, you’re a propagandist. Pure and simple. You’re not interested in context to help people understand, you’re interested in creating a certain “reality.” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:08 pm: So was Phil Rock, Pate Phillip, Lee Daniels, Tom Cross, Emil Jones… Willfully ignorant, or… Ya figure out why I asked ya to keep up yet… or is still about Madigan. I wish they’d go back to 3-member districts, but that seems like a “far fetched” idea now. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:31 pm: - Austin Berg - As the screenwriter for “Madigan”, are you a member of the WGA? I’m just… curious. - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:34 pm: - Rich Miller - I’m super proud of my work. Our documentary on the speaker provides a lot more context that you may find interesting. Have you seen it? And do you honestly believe your opinion column does not fall under your working definition of “propaganda”? - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:42 pm: ===And do you honestly believe your opinion column does not fall under your working definition of “propaganda”? === That’s the usual propagandist spin. It’s not even worth addressing. You are what you are. You can apparently sleep at night. Fine by me. But don’t expect me to consider you to be anything but what you are. - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:54 pm: Oh, and Austin, your last comment was caught by the moderation software. Using my own name to post a personal and false attack on me here? No, you’re not a propagandist at all. Nope. - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 12:59 pm: “Our documentary on the speaker provides a lot more context that you may find interesting.” As long as we’re making offers of “a lot more context”: http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2016/09/29/new-madigan-documentary-surprises-some-of-the-people-in-it “Super proud”? Okay. – MrJM - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:00 pm: One other thing, Mr. Berg. Do you remember writing this? ===The documentary includes an interview with a Madigan patronage worker. He insisted upon being picked up and dropped in off in different locations. “Since you’re working a government job they know what your salary is, and you’re expected to turn over usually 8 percent of your salary, whether it’s cash or ticket sales or labor or manpower. Your job comes with a premium,” he said. “I’m talking to you guys anonymously because I fear for my livelihood.”=== Except, as it turns out, an Austin, Texas actor portrayed that patronage worker. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-madigan-documentary-whistle-blower-actor-1014-chicago-inc-20161013-story.html No propaganda there. Nope. - Full court press - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:05 pm: I’ve never seen Rich so worked up. Get ‘em Rich! What did that young whipper-snapper say?? Give him the Biden and take him out back. - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:05 pm: - Rich Miller - Remember the part in the movie where we say “an actor portrays his words”? - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:07 pm: - Rich Miller - Wait. Does this mean you’re not gonna be in any more of our movies? - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:20 pm: ===Remember the part in the movie=== I haven’t seen your movie. I did, however, read your column in the Southtown, which is excerpted above. Didn’t notice any mention of an actor. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:21 pm: Mr. Berg lacks honesty in his writing when trying to make alleged honest points. Readers unaware of the disingenuous place Mr. Berg is writing from… is what Mr. Berg counts on to mine his nonsense. It’s not context, it’s messaging trying to be disguised, and he knows it. - Austin Berg - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:35 pm: - Rich Miller - We’ll overnight you a DVD. Looks like you opened the screener link but didn’t watch? What gives? Your point on my column is confusing. We had an actor deliver his words in order to protect his ID. You should watch the movie before commenting on it. - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:43 pm: ===We’ll overnight you a DVD=== Save your money. ===Your point on my column is confusing. We had an actor deliver his words in order to protect his ID.=== And you didn’t mention that in your column. - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:49 pm: ===you’re not gonna be in any more=== I wouldn’t have been in the first one if your guys hadn’t lied to me. And I’d bet money y’all knew that or you would’ve told me. - Full court press - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 1:51 pm: Mr Austin Berg wrote an article where he quoted a person, but in his article he never mentioned that when that person was portrayed on film there was a voiceover used? Seriously, what is happening to journalism and why does IPI think they can get away with it? When someone does a voiceover of a real quote YOU WRITE in your article that those words have once been portrayed by an actor. Every time I quote Lincoln I make sure to note that Damiel Day Lewis portrayed those words. It’s journalism 101, people! - Demoralized - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:06 pm: I’m not sure we should believe that this person even exists. They lied about who was behind their little documentary. If they can lie about something as trivial as that then why should we believe anything else? They started with a conclusion and made a “documentary” to get them to that conclusion. Hardly work to be proud of. - MovieWatcher - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:18 pm: I actually saw the film. The use of an actor was very clearly disclosed. This is a non-issue. I’d love to hear someone tell me what is factually incorrect about the film. The argument about Madigan’s use of patronage and sham candidates is strong - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:22 pm: ==was very clearly disclosed=== So? My point was about the column, which was published before the film. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:23 pm: - MovieWatcher - The mere fact an alleged documentary won’t disclose to this’d they want to be in the film who is funding the work and under what premise this documentary is being told by not disclosing the funding source makes the entire work, bring as charitable as possible, disingenuous and downright phony to those watching and those duped to be a part of something they’d never agree to if proposed “honestly” Other than that… It’s entire beginning premise… - Yelling - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:31 pm: Doesn’t the column mean that when they interviewed the patronage worker he insisted that they picked him up and dropped him off at different places? The fact that they used an actor to repeat his words on camera doesn’t change the fact that he was scared to talk about how he got his job. - MovieWatcher - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:38 pm: This whole bit about the actor is a distraction and seems to be an excuse to not attack the argument itself. Biased, maybe. You don’t like the funding…fine. But, what is wrong with the argument? To stick to a single point from the movie, did Madigan not pull shady stuff by having 2 fake candidates in the Gonzalez election? Is any of that not true? The argument is pretty compelling. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:42 pm: - MovieWatcher - Is the movie “Rudy” a documentary on Notre Dame Football? Why? Your ignorance as to the dishonesty factoring into the mere premise is questionable judgment on your part… at best. - Whatever - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:53 pm: ==I’m super proud of my work. Our documentary on the speaker provides a lot more context that you may find interesting.== I saw the documentary. The biggest reaction it got from me was a guffaw when one of the interviewees (an former legislator, as I recall) explained that our property taxes are the highest in the nation, and that he knew a couple of retired school administrators drawing 6-figure retirement pay and “there goes your property tax bill.” Retired Chicago teachers are paid out of property tax revenues, but Chicago property taxes are low. Non-Chicago property taxes are much higher, but none of them are used to pay teachers’ retirement. The link isn’t there. The rest was just too superficial to hold my attention for more than a minute at a time, which may be why I didn’t know that patronage worker was an actor until it popped up in the credits as I was about to turn it off. As to the fake candidate accusation, I suspect it is true and would love to see the practice stopped somehow. But I also suspect that Gonzalez was just as fake, and he received a lot more support from someone. - MovieWatcher - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:53 pm: - O W - Fine, my ignorance is questionable. Let me ask one yes or no question: Do you believe Madigan put up 2 shill candidates in his own election? - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 2:58 pm: ===and would love to see the practice stopped somehow=== I can’t see how you can stop it. If they legally gathered the required number of signatures, the candidate goes on the ballot. But, hey, I’m open to suggestions. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 3:00 pm: ===Let me ask one yes or no question: Do you believe Madigan put up 2 shill candidates in his own election?=== Absolutely. As Republicans have also done… As Banks, McAuliffe, Capparelli, DeLeo did to protect each other too. Anyone can run. Are you saying people can’t run? It’s the oldest play in the book, both sides have done it for years, some even help friends with plants for the General. This is the business, both side… - Kafka - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 3:03 pm: Maybe the candidate, who was not a candidate, was the patronage worker, who was not a patronage worker, that appeared in the documentary, which isn’t really a documentary, made by journalists, who aren’t really journalists. - MovieWatcher - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 3:20 pm: Honestly, I don’t know my IL politics well enough to comment on the other cases. But, I’m willing to concede that it has been done on both sides of the aisle. That is not be a valid excuse. Dealing with the practice in fair way would be tricky…But, we have to stop accepting “this is the business” arguments. Illinois is broke and corrupt. People need to wake up to that fact. We need to start doing something differently… - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 3:26 pm: ===llinois is broke and corrupt. People need to wake up to that fact. We need to start doing something differently=== Is holding the state hostage cool with you? ‘Cause even Crain’s is saying by nearly every measure, Illinois is worse off since Bruce Rauner became governor. “Fire Madigan” is worth 1.4% increase in growth, and measured by just over $500 million in new revenue. ===Honestly, I don’t know my IL politics well enough to comment on the other cases.=== This is the DEEP end of the pool. If you like to question something, done by any one side, you may want to know some institutional knowledge. With respect. ===But, I’m willing to concede that it has been done on both sides of the aisle. That is not be a valid excuse=== But you were very willing to tear into Madigan… nothing said about both sides. Again, with respect, I appreciate your introspect, but if fixing all this was so easy, it woulda been done already, and both sides need to come together to do it. - Whatever - Monday, Oct 31, 16 @ 3:43 pm: ==I can’t see how you can stop it. If they legally gathered the required number of signatures, the candidate goes on the ballot. But, hey, I’m open to suggestions.== Mr. Miller, if I had any suggestions that weren’t laughably unworkable, I would have mentioned them. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.