Fahner pleads for progress
Wednesday, Nov 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ty Fahner at LOL Illinois…
“Illinois has not seen a more divisive or visceral series of campaigns than we just witnessed. Remarkably, hardly any of these candidates focused on the most important issue – Illinois’ deplorable financial situation. Illinois is now the laughingstock of the nation. But there is nothing laughable about our small and large businesses packing up and moving across state borders, our students being priced out of college, or our most vulnerable citizens being denied critical social services. The people of Illinois deserve better. We deserve elected officials who will do their jobs and pass a responsible, balanced budget. Anything short of that is unacceptable.”
Thoughts?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:31 am:
Says the dude who bragged about sabotaging the state’s credit rating on Wall Street while his law firm was banking millions as state bond counsel.
Yeah, he’s the face of honest, good-faith bipartisanship and reason for the greater good.
Why do the civvies continue to trot him out there?
- anon - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:33 am:
Ty is right, but how will Rauner and Madigan overcome their deadlock?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:33 am:
Statements like these accomplish nothing. Acknowledge who is the one taking hostages or don’t bother.
- Deft Wing - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:34 am:
He’s right.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:38 am:
I see no reason why Ty Fahner can’t draft a one page budget summary and say “Let’s start the conversation here.”
A one page budget would of course omit massive amounts of detail however it would be useful for Mr. Fahner to opine on his recommended level of incoming revenue.
- Anotherretiree - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:38 am:
If a budget isn’t reached in 2017 then I think the back up plan of state bankruptcy is now viable. I think president Trump and the republican congress will agree to create State bankruptcy law. That will allow our pension guarantees to be reduced.
- veritas - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:40 am:
I agree, but where was this sentiment a year ago? Two years ago? 8 years ago? Who you are speaks so loud, I can’t hear what you’re saying.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:45 am:
Excellent. Sensible. Accurate.
We just need the discipline to close some universities, bankrupt more social services, and do further damage. Hate to do it, but rauner has paid millions for absolution, so he has a clear conscience. Not heatless. Discipline and persistence requires it, til the dems buckle on just three of fifteen TA
items. Repubs can force rauners hand, but he owns their
timid silence.
Thanks ty, but no one is listening.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:46 am:
Heartless
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:51 am:
Oh Ty, it is time to stop tearing Illinois down so stop with the laughing stock stuff.
Illinois does not have the worst economy, infrastructure, or economic growth in the U.S.
Heck, we do not even have the worst debt or debt per cap. in the US (think about that one for a moment!)
What Illinois is doing is under performing.
“The people of Illinois deserve better.”
Maybe not, we elected these folks.
“We deserve elected officials who will do their jobs and pass a responsible, balanced budget. Anything short of that is unacceptable.”
I am not sure if we deserve it since, again, we elected these folks but he is right about a balanced budget, which requires revenue.
@Anotherretiree- you are the vanguard of the new America? Yikes.
Your word is not your bond and screw your neighbor?
What a joke.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 10:52 am:
He should be delighted that the new Comptroller will shine a light on the state’s deplorable finances.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 11:01 am:
If he means governing, instead of progress, he is right.
There is only one governor. Rauner holds the Office. He is responsible. He is constitutionally empowered. He is governor.
What happens during his term in office is his. When Rauner decides to be a governor instead of a political player - Illinois will see progress.
- allknowingmasterofracoondom - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Captain Obvious strikes again.
- UISer - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 11:15 am:
Is it really called LOL Illinois? Seems a bit on the nose to me.
- anon - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 11:18 am:
=== I think president Trump and the republican congress will agree to create State bankruptcy law. That will allow our pension guarantees to be reduced. ===
Rauner would go for that.
- Liberty - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
=== I think president Trump and the republican congress will agree to create State bankruptcy law. That will allow our pension guarantees to be reduced. ===
Rauner would go for that.====
Yeah but Congress won’t because of the load that will put on social security…
- ILPundit - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 12:18 pm:
Pretty sure there’s a lot more to laugh at about our nation today than Illinois’s fiscal condition
- CCP Hostage - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 12:34 pm:
Time for a budget, for the love of all that is decent, it’s time. But I don’t see it happening in this political climate because we didn’t elect people who are willing to do so. So we play politics for another couple of years while unions are busted, social services providers are starved out of business and replaced by those providers the state is paying, and our higher education system is destroyed. We get what we voted for.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 12:34 pm:
he doesnt say how we get a balanced budget with insufficent revenue.
- walker - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 12:40 pm:
Ty makes a similar, sensible public statement every couple of years. It probably helps with membership and fundraising.
What he says, with detailed numbers, to the right people, behind closed doors, could be very worthwhile. I just don’t know if he has Tillmanesque access to the superstars.
- Northside Dude - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 1:26 pm:
Fahner should descend from his lofty perch as a multi-millionare lawyer and enter the arena. Run for office if you want to make Illinois great again.
- burbanite - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 1:57 pm:
IMHO Illinois is not the laughing stock, the nation is.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
Don’t we need a governor, then, who will propose a budget? As it is *his* job to do so.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Wednesday, Nov 9, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
Maybe Ty can pull together a few of his republican elder statesmen and draft a budget for Rauner to submit. A balanced budget would mean more than reminding us that he once lost a state wide election and parlayed his Thompson friendship to great wealth. The governor could meet his obligation to propose a budget and force the democrats to engage. Of course, Ty might have to do a little work and be held responsible for his decisions. He can do it pro bono because of his deep commitment to the state.