79 Comments - btowntruth from forgottonia - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:15 pm: “We think Pat Quinn might have finally learned his lesson.” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:18 pm: “Don’t cry for me Gov-en-or Pat Quinn. The truth is We never left you All through our wild days Our mad existence You kept your promise We kept our distance… “ - Blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:19 pm: “Rest assured members, should there be a strike, know that I will not be receiving a paycheck!” - btowntruth from forgottonia - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:19 pm: Especially the “we kept our distance” part. - Saluki - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:19 pm: Zombie Apocapressconference - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:20 pm: “Welp. We bet. We lost. Voting against our best interests finally caught up with us. So, don’t worry. After it all burns to the ground, some of you will be fine. That’s what’s important… “ - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:21 pm: To paraphrase Al Gore from the Manbearpig episode of South Park — “We’re totally striking. Right now. We’re super, super cereal.” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:21 pm: “How was I suppose to know Dan Rutherford was going to implode?… “ - Lech W - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:22 pm: AFSCME math, 38,000 >12,859,995 - anonymous retiree - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:23 pm: Does anyone care if there is a strike? Look at all the money the state will save. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:25 pm: (Lynch, to Membership) “I’ve been living to see you. Dying to see you, but it shouldn’t be like this. This was unexpected, What do I do now? Could we start again please? I’ve been very hopeful, so far. Now for the first time, I think we’re going wrong. Hurry up and tell me, This is just a dream. Oh could we start again please” (Membership, to Lynch) “I think you’ve made your point now. You’ve even gone a bit too far to get the message home. Before it gets too frightening, We ought to call a vote, So could we start again please?” - Delimma - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:26 pm: Sally Field looks different. - NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:27 pm: We bought and paid for this state, now we want what’s coming to us! - Texas Red - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:27 pm: Roberta “I will not go into specific numbers” Lynch - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:28 pm: “I lost Sen. Dillard’s phone number for like 9 weeks or something… then ‘all of a sudden’… we ran out of time… “ - AC - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:29 pm: Governor Rauner may be the cause, but we’ll be blamed too, because “both sides” always share the blame. - Fisher - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:29 pm: Matt Dietrich noticed the time on the post and began the countdown to his post-work beer. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:30 pm: “If Gov. Rauner doesn’t stop all this, I’ll tell you here and now he won’t get our endorsement in 2018, that’s for sure… “ - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:32 pm: “I have no idea who this ‘ck’ is but her responses seem to be very unhelpful. Very unhelpful to us… “ - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:33 pm: “I guess our ‘Aces in the Hole’ are Rep. Bourne and Rep. Jimenez… “ - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:35 pm: “No, we did not tabulate how many of the 81% wrote ‘Good luck with that’ on their ballots…” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:36 pm: “I know that those members that will be walking picket lines won’t give Gov. Rauner any good headlines. There won’t be any telling or screaming or ugly signs and anger… We will be able to control the messaging. I’m not worried… “ - Precinct Captain - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:38 pm: Old Prole Medicine Show - Earnest - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:39 pm: In preparation for a potential strike, we will be printing t-shirts with the slogan, “Bruce Rauner is the new Mike Madigan.” We decided we’d call Rauner the worst name we could think of. - East Central Illinois - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:39 pm: Steps up to the microphone and belts out Quiet Riot’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. - blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:40 pm: “Remember folks, we can only picket at designated entrances, and please, use the burn barrells provided.” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:41 pm: “To be honest, by messing up and basically helping Rauner win… It’s like we wore white painting overalls, painted the entire room, painting ourselves in a corner… and the only way we can get out is if we don’t get a single drop of paint on us… No, that’s ‘best case senerio… “ - Hottot - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:41 pm: I wish the Gov. would read pages 186-188 of his contract proposal. I’m sure the state would love to know he wouldn’t have to show cost savings on privatized state jobs! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:43 pm: “If Governor Rauner can stop laughing at me for 5 minutes, I’ll continue my statement… “ - Jose Abreu's last homer - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:45 pm: Twisted Sister is not going to be happy that Quiet Riot be jamming to We’re Not Gonna Take It. - VanillaMan - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:45 pm: Obama-Wan, you’re our only hope! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:46 pm: “I guess… I just thought no one would be worse than what I wanted to pretended Pat Quinn was… That’s on me. My bad. … “ - VanillaMan - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:46 pm: Wait a moment! We’re NOT striking! Wrong envelope! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:48 pm: “Did we ‘boo’ Pat Quinn and chase him and try to make his life miserable… Well, I look at all that as the tough love we embraced him with… We embraced him a lot… “ - Give Me A Break - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:48 pm: Hey, are our people still at the fairgrounds yelling at Quinn? Someone call them and tell them we won. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:49 pm: Best Kim Jong Un haircut? Matt Dietrich or Kim Jong Un? Forehead area counts. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:54 pm: “Well, right now… Right now? … Well right now we’re… We’re… Can I be honest?… We gamed this out with Quinn folding by now… we kept the same plan… I don’t know what’s next with Rauner… “ - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 3:55 pm: “Yes, you’re right, it was a mistake to sit out the 2006 election. We should’ve endorsed Topinka in 2006. Our bad.” - titan - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:01 pm: And the winner is … La La Land - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:02 pm: I told them there’d be free food - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:03 pm: “I resent that. We have and have had a plan. To say we don’t plan is wrong. We plan. It’s not a great plan and we keep messing up, but we have a plan… “ - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:04 pm: “We’re untied. We’re as united as herded cats… “ - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:05 pm: “We’re not PATCO… “ - Honeybear - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:06 pm: Wow…..these comments sadden me. It’s all fun and games isn’t it? - Thunder Fred - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:09 pm: Pictured above is a deer caught in the headlight of a freight train traveling 100mph. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:09 pm: - Honeybear - It’s “time in the barrel”… Caption Contests do that. It doesn’t change anything. OW - CrazyHorse - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:12 pm: “He’s blaming me??? Who the hell is Oswego Willy?” - Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:14 pm: Yes, we’re totally united. In fact, we haven’t been this united since our members banded together arm in arm to vote for Bruce Rauner. Wait… - sal-says - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:17 pm: And the ILGOP attack ad in 10…9…8… - Lefty Lefty - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:17 pm: Also–what does Pat Quinn have to do with this? Unless there’s a time machine in Springfield this is where we’re at. These are serious questions. I look forward to being informed like I frequently am by this site. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:19 pm: “If I’m being honest, Rauner has yet to be honest about all his plans so we bet that all that anti-labor stuff … we thought that was just talk… Why he chose to be honest about destroying us is still puzzling… “ - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:21 pm: “Ok. You win. ‘Elections have consequences’. I understand now… “ - Huh? - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:22 pm: Please sir, may I have some more? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:23 pm: “Now? When I want to talk with the governor, I usually go to a place he tweets about and wait for him to pose for selfies there… “ - CrazyHorse - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:24 pm: “Our members were prepared to go to a 38.75 hour work week but Gov. Rauner is only interested in dictating.” - Huh? - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:24 pm: CHIRP, CHIRP, CHIRP (The baby chick that chirps the loudest get the worm.) - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:25 pm: “If I knew it would help I’d buy a Harley and a biker costume and go for a ride with him and the Troopers, remind him Harleys are union made and see how it goes… “ - Huh? - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:25 pm: This is what we get for electing someone we thought was going to be our friend. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:25 pm: –Also–what does Pat Quinn have to do with this? Unless there’s a time machine in Springfield this is where we’re at. These are serious questions. I look forward to being informed like I frequently am by this site. – You want to be informed? This just in: If more public and private sectors union voters had paid a wee bit of attention to Rauner’s obvious intentions and not so much to their personal antipathy toward Quinn, they’d be in a lot better shape today. Pass that scoop on to the Local 150 types, too. They didn’t see it coming either, somehow, as hard as that is to believe. Lesson: If someone, ever, in public says they want to destroy you, don’t believe them later when they say they don’t. Not worth the risk. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:26 pm: ==CHIRP, CHIRP, CHIRP (The baby chick that chirps the loudest get the worm.)== But the second mouse gets the cheese - CrazyHorse - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:30 pm: “Well if there is a strike fund that’s the first I’ve heard of it.” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:32 pm: “First things first. I’m ordering all the Anti-Quinn signs we had made changed… to Anti-Rauner signs. Those 2,579 signs will be distributed state-wise… “ - zatoichi - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:35 pm: Oh, Mama Mia,,Mama Mia….. - Honeybear - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:35 pm: With respect OW the comments sure changed my feelings. Ms. Lynch spent about 20 minutes with me at our last convention. She could have brushed a front ranker off. She was gracious, very engaging, and very encouraging to me. No leader is perfect. I get it. But Ms Lynch is about to lead my local through an epic battle. I’m behind her and her leadership. - Jocko - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:36 pm: Roberta staring down the barrel of a 12 billion dollar cannon. - A guy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:39 pm: Bertie Lynch “Just like we did in Key Largo”. When we had it all. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:41 pm: - Honetbear - This is no different than the angst Rauner supporters feel when he’s in these, for example. It doesn’t change how you feel about Lynch or a Rauner supporter feels about him when he’s in these. That’s all. “Caption?” “We could vote, on maybe taking another vote, to vote on the question again… with another vote… “ - Dr X - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:43 pm: “Now, after this presser, we will be passing a bucket for the strike fund. Please give what you can, we’re a little strapped for cash” - JS Mill - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:45 pm: = But Ms Lynch is about to lead my local through an epic battle. I’m behind her and her leadership.= @HB, I don’t envy your situation or your upcoming journey, but if the AFSCME members have any chance of prevailing they must stick together. That is an absolute MUST. And develop a strong and consistent message. That is the entire ballgame in my estimation. You will be in my prayers. - AC - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 4:46 pm: Honeybear - we need a little laugh before we fight for our very existence. Everyone gets made fun of here, even Roberta. Also, referencing the Quinn Rauner race serves as a good reminder of what will happen to us if labor isn’t unified. - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 5:12 pm: Roberta Lynch says strike will shut down state govt and “@GovRauner alone will be the cause” Alone? Those who voted for Bruce Rauner will have played a critical role as well. – MrJM - CrazyHorse - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 5:22 pm: Lastly I would like to thank Kenneth Dunkin. - lost in the weeds - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 5:55 pm: If the strike does not work out, we have some sample privatization contracts for our members to use. - It's All About Me - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 6:57 pm: “No he won’t fire anybody, at least I think he won’t, actually I’m pretty sure he won’t..will he? - Puddintaine - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 9:01 pm: This is what happens when you let Crazy Cat Lady drive. - Cadillac - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 9:02 pm: “37.5 hours a week? I haven’t worked 37.5 hours in a month!” - Cadillac - Monday, Feb 27, 17 @ 9:07 pm: “Do I look like I’m at an impasse!@#$!” - Dog - Tuesday, Feb 28, 17 @ 8:15 am: Oh the games people play now, every day and every way now…never meaning what they say now, never saying what they mean……….. - Rabid - Tuesday, Feb 28, 17 @ 8:50 am: Join the national guard Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.