61 Comments - Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 9:55 am: Hardly profound. Been said a thousand times on this blog. And here we are again, barking at the moon. - Rich Miller - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 9:56 am: === Been said a thousand times on this blog=== By some, yes. But rarely in the mainstream media. - tobor= - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 9:58 am: == It’s time to assign some blame== Budget. - Altois - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:06 am: I understand neither one is eager to compromise, but how hard it is to not agree on the fact you can’t have a budget with a deficit? Surely that seems like a reasonable position from which to start. Find out who supports spending more than you have/take in, and there’s where the blame goes. - Mokenavince - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:07 am: It’s a toss up between Rauner and Madigan. Rauner has done nothing to improve things,Madigan is just rope a doping it . Their both looking to the next election. While the ship of State sits in dry dock. - Skeptic - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:18 am: Ok, now that that’s settled, how do we get off Square 0? - anon2 - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:25 am: Only yellow dog partisans believe the other party is totally to blame. The blame may not be perfectly equal, but no one has clean hands. So spare us the partisan blame game. - Langhorne - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:27 am: I can’t help but think how different it would be if pate was leader. Even, or maybe especially from the minority. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:27 am: Seeing as the budget has not been balanced for less than 1/3 of the budgets the Speaker has voted on he would of course get more blame than the Governor who has been in office 2 1/2 years. Funny, I have never heard the Speaker complain about an unbalanced budget until recently. Wonder why the sudden concern? https://www.illinoispolicy.org/balanced-budget-baloney/ - WhoKnew - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:28 am: “I know for my part in this fiasco, I do deeply apologize!” - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:30 am: ===Seeing as the budget has not been balanced for less than 1/3 of the budgets the Speaker has voted on he would of course get more blame than the Governor who has been in office 2 1/2 years=== … and yet Rauner has yet to personally propose any budgets that were balanced. Why aren’t you upset with Rauner’s phony, sham, grossly unbalanced budgets? You don’t get the “budget” card, given Rauner flat out refuses to propose a balanced budget. Why you aren’t upset that Rauner IS the status quo, that’s confusing, lol - Pundent - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:32 am: =Find out who supports spending more than you have/take in, and there’s where the blame goes.= Or find out who supports taking in less than you spend and that’s where the blame goes. One of the reasons that the debt keeps piling up is due to the mandatory spending that HAS to take place either due to federal matching funds, consent degrees, or other legal obligations. There’s a reason why state department heads can’t identify a way to cut our way out of this problem. - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:38 am: Lucky: I don’t think I’d use the IPI to try and make a point. And, as usual, you give us one of your “yeah, but” arguments instead of having the honesty to admit that both Madigan AND Rauner are to blame. You just can’t bring yourself to do that though. Just dishonest dialogue from you. - Chicago 20 - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:39 am: The general assembly passed budgets which Rauner vetoed. Rauner 100%, the general assembly not so much. - Me Again - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:39 am: Here’s an idea, “Pat Quinn for Governor!”. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:40 am: What is confusing is why only approximately 1/3 of the budgets the Speaker has voted for were balanced since 1970. Others like you and Walker claim this is nonsense but can’t dispute that fact. Governor Edgar claims budget surpluses by artificially low pension payments Governor Rauner has been talking for two years about balancing the budget. The Speaker has not during his entire tenure. See the difference? - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:41 am: ===Here’s an idea, “Pat Quinn for Governor!”.=== No. No, no, no. Quinn is done, Quinn will only be Quinn, and we know that’s not helping at this point. - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:41 am: Still can’t do it can you Lucky. If you can’t admit that the Governor shares blame then you are hopeless in terms of being taken seriously. - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:42 am: ==Governor Rauner has been talking for two years about balancing the budget.== And yet he hasn’t ever proposed one. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:43 am: How about Charles Wheeler who makes the exact same point Demoralized? Just dishonest criticism from you http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/archives/2010/0708/ends.html?__hstc=221944263.6369cf374e19d5968cdc5c83b34b2c78.1492574702924.1493387385368.1494257049044.9&__hssc=221944263.2.1494257049044&__hsfp=2145002250 - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:46 am: ===Governor Rauner has been talking for two years about balancing the budget.=== … and after 3 presented budgets, “Bruce Rauner failed” You don’t get the “budget” when Rauner produced 3 grossly unbalanced, sham, phony budgets. If you think Rauner is fine with these budgets, you lose your arguement with Madigan… and you know it. “Example?” ===What is confusing is why only approximately 1/3 of the budgets the Speaker has voted for were balanced since 1970. Others like you and Walker claim this is nonsense but can’t dispute that fact=== What does that have to do with Rauner wanting to end the Status Quo if that’s you’re argument, because Rauner IS now the status quo submitting 3 grossly unbalanced, status quo, phony sham budgets. There’s no difference unless Rauner proposes actual balanced budgets. Rauner hasn’t. - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:47 am: Lucky: The Governor has not produced a balanced budget. Period. It’s sad that you cannot acknowledge that fact. - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:49 am: And your link has absolutely nothing to do with the factual statement that he hasn’t produced a balanced budget. It’s just more obfuscation from you because don’t have the ability to engage in honest discussion. The deflection is becoming more of a joke every day. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:49 am: Are you pretending the Governor does not support revenue? Are you also pretending the Speaker supports the Grand Bargain? - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:52 am: What are you talking about? I’m talking about what has been. Again, more deflection. ==Are you pretending the Governor does not support revenue?== I suppose that depends on when you ask him. He did. He’s recently said he didn’t. ==Are you also pretending the Speaker supports the Grand Bargain?== No idea. He hasn’t been involved yet. I’m not able to telepathically determine one’s thoughts like you are apparently. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:53 am: Rauner talks about the need for tax hikes and compromise- draws democrats laughter But there is equal blame right? The Speaker talks about compromise. Except he doesn’t http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-budget-address-taxes-met-0216-20170215-story.html - VanillaMan - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:55 am: The TONE of this administration is set by a governor who attacked everyone with any experience, knowledge or a public track record. Rauner spent millions attacking the very people we need to see a compromise from. Rauner has deliberately blown up any compromises needed to help our state. Rauner doesn’t want to win, by winning. He wants to win by making everyone else lose. There’s a big difference between Rauner’s attitude and successful governing attitudes. Rauner = 100% to blame. Madigan has worked with good and bad governors from every party. Expecting him to work with a guy like Rauner is too much for anyone. Rauner isn’t interested in deals. Madigan can’t work with a guy only interested in tearing everyone down. Madigan = 70% to blame. ILGOP is too weak and spineless to cut the rug under Rauner. ILGOP = 50% to blame. ILDEMS are mushrooms, 50% to blame. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:57 am: ===Are you pretending the Governor does not support revenue?=== … with reforms. The mere fact Rauner can’t see that Revenue isn’t a give, that disingenuous to the conversation. ===Are you also pretending the Speaker supports the Grand Bargain?=== When it gets to the House, ask that then. Rauner is the sole person blowing up actual compromises. A logical person would think - Lucky Pierre - would like the deal going in the Senate, pass it out, with Rauner and Cullerton on board, isolating Madigan. Why are you obsessed with Madigan when the best way to put Madigan in the Box is pass a compromise out of the Senate. Why aren’t you wanting that move? - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:00 am: Lucky: You’re hopeless. You aren’t capable of anything but “yeah, but” answers and deflection from everything. Not once - NOT ONCE - have you EVER laid any blame at the Governor’s feet. NOT ONCE. Lots of us have spread out the blame. We’ve called Madigan to task. You? Nope. Can’t bring yourself to do it. Why? No idea. At least your consistently dishonest. I’ll give you that. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:00 am: The Speaker has’t been asked yet? You have to try harder to defend the Speaker Steve Brown last month “This was neither grand nor a bargain,” said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. “House Democrats were waiting for something to come about in a final form to even comment on. We never really saw that. We saw a group of bad ideas — harder for workers to take care of their injuries, harder for people to pay police and firefighters and teachers. So it’s a little too late for the governor to try to cover up his own derailing of negotiations that were going on between Senator Cullerton and Senator Radogno.” https://capitolfax.com/2017/04/17/a-story-in-search-of-a-controversy/ - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:01 am: ===Rauner talks about the need for tax hikes and compromise- draws democrats laughter=== That’s because up to this moment… Rauner requires Madigan and Dems to make all the cuts, propose all the revenue, carry the votes for it, all the while also work to end prevailing wage and collective bargaining within a guise of one of the “property tax freeze” shams. What party is going to carry the brunt of tax increases, budget cuts, and undercut their constituents for any governor? - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:02 am: The Grand Bargain is not blown up OW more dishonesty from you Senators from both parties are working to improve the bill so it can earn the Governor’s signature Would you rather have them fix it now or have the Governor veto the bill? - Give Me A Break - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:04 am: Lucky: Let’s try this; write a response without the words, Speaker, Democrats or Madigan in it. See if you can do that. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:05 am: Rauner hasn’t proposed any cuts? LOL tell that to AFSCME, the pensions, higher ed bureaucracy. local governments etc You have to try harder, I told you a million times not to exaggerate - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:05 am: ===The Speaker has’t been asked yet? You have to try harder to defend the Speaker Steve Brown last month “This was neither grand nor a bargain,” said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. “House Democrats were waiting for something to come about in a final form to even comment on. We never really saw that. We saw a group of bad ideas — harder for workers to take care of their injuries, harder for people to pay police and firefighters and teachers. So it’s a little too late for the governor to try to cover up his own derailing of negotiations that were going on between Senator Cullerton and Senator Radogno.”=== Um… Keep up… That’s why you send the bill to the House, and further I think Rich Miller himself gave you the timeline on this, from the Post you cite… ===- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 17, 17 @ 4:07 pm LP, that was last week. Long after the deal was run off the rails.=== Good try, thou. Sending it to Madigan is what you should cheer, why won’t you? - Demoralized - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:07 am: Lucky: I am not defending the Speaker. I’m calling you out on your inability to assign any blame to Rauner. Do that doesn’t equate to a defense of the Speaker. ==I told you a million times not to exaggerate== And we’ve told you a million times to be honest. Hasn’t worked yet. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:09 am: ===Rauner hasn’t proposed any cuts?=== According to Rauner’s own budget director and agency heads, there are no cuts Attacking labor isn’t budgetary cuts. The pensions? You seem to misunderstand the constitution. It’s not exaggerating citing that pesky constitution, lol ===Bargain is not blown up OW more dishonesty from you=== Do you want the Radogno text to Rich or the quotes from “everyone” citing Rauner blowing up the Grand Bargain? This is a new bargain, with Sen. Brady leading. The old bargain couldn’t get a vote, thanks to Rauner. Making it about me isn’t making anything you say honest - Rich Miller - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:11 am: ===he would of course get more blame than the Governor who has been in office 2 1/2 years=== Nope. It’s 100 percent for both. Period. Spin all you want, but that’s the truth. Rauner said he could do this job. He needs to prove it. - Honeybear - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:12 am: Only Rauner took the hostages 100% to blame for the destruction to Higher Ed Private social services State contractors State agencies State credit rating - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:12 am: ===Would you rather have them fix it now or have the Governor veto the bill?=== Rauner doesn’t have to veto, Rauner blows up bargains, you know that. Oh… Threatening a veto is holding hostage the legislative process. Ask Leader Radogno. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:13 am: How can the Governor pass a balanced budget without compromise from the Speaker, democrats or Madigan? What compromise can you point to from the Speaker, Democrats and Madigan? I know he is powerful but do we have to list him twice? You might want to ask Leader Durkin who can’t point to any attempts at compromise either. A lot of you just expect total capitulation to the Speaker as if that would magically solve all of Illinois problems That seems to be JB and Kennedy’s platform. Kennedy even admitted the GA could solve these problems in a week. Even though they failed to reconcile their budgets last year, suddenly the GA can solve everything is a week. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:18 am: ===the Governor pass a balanced budget without compromise from the Speaker, democrats or Madigan?=== Ugh. Rauner, all by himself can propose a balanced budget. Rauner campaigned, tirelessly, he could balance the budget without a tax increase, and get it passed. Rauner has yet to propose a single balanced budget. Rauner has yet to sign a budget, period. ===Kennedy even admitted the GA could solve these problems in a week.=== And I mocked him for that too. The reality is Rauner IS the governor and can’t deliver on his promises and IS the status quo. Why you’re not upset by that is confusing. The rest of your drivel is defecting, and ignorance proven time and again that you just are so disingenuous with actual facts. - Grandson of Man - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:26 am: I blame Rauner more because he spent much of his time attacking labor rights and unions, Democrats’ key supporters. He started his term with the TA resolution tour for local governments. He set the tone of his administration very early by filing a lawsuit and issuing an EO to end public employee fair share fees on the first day of AFSCME contract negotiations. That’s just nasty and does not foster working relationships. He wouldn’t accept workers comp reform early in his term and wouldn’t even work on it when Madigan offered. He wouldn’t accept a property tax freeze because it lacked large-scale ending of collective bargaining and prevailing wage at the local government level. Rauner has funded vicious and ongoing attacks against Madigan instead of building trust and governin’. Rauner got into politics to knock people’s blocks off. Rauner wanted Democrats to knock the legs out from under themselves while he poured tens of millions into his campaign and the ILGOP. He looked past governing the state and to a place where he and his political party are in power, carnage be darned. Did he expect Democrats to do harsh cuts and gut their supporters and themselves for a budget deal? That’s too much. Now let’s say he agrees to a budget deal with these two reform items: workers comp reform and property tax freeze. That would mean he wasted so much time and harmed so many people by wanting more extreme versions of these reforms–only to now agree to what he could have had much earlier. That’s bad governance. - Responsa - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:35 am: The point of the featured article and Rich’s initial comment seems utterly lost on most posters here today who have just fallen into their usual personas and talking points. - G'Kar - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 12:06 pm: From the article: “Who else is to blame? You and me (100 percent) for letting this go on for so long.” That’s the truth. But, what can be done, short of a storming of the Bastille? I know that in the last couple of weeks protests from presidents to faculty to students about the impact the lack of a budget is having on higher education has simply fallen on deaf ears. If the reps who represent Charleston, Macomb, Carbondale, et al, continue to ignore their districts, what is to be done? If the governor and the speaker continue to be in a stare down, what is to be done? - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 1:30 pm: To the Post, Rauner is 100% to blame. Rauner has chosen to hold hostage a state, it’s social services, it’s state universities, the most vulnerable in this state for a turnaround agenda that wasn’t fully revealed until the Decatur PowerPoint and has been continuing with the likes of Ken Dunkin and monetary maneuvers by a “Wingman”. Rauner is 100% to blame Madigan is 100% to blame. While claiming to be the firewall to Rauner, Mike Madigan has continued to use his chamber to force votes as unhealthy as Rauner TV ads against him, and refusing to see or push back on Rauner with real substantial governing that allowed 60 and 30 to see a path for things to get the state budgets, even if the politics allowed a governor a win. Being a firewall isn’t allowing a state to find its bearings to work for people. The end game of a budget solution means having both sides win. I’m not seeing winning for Illinois. Today. Madigan is 100% to blame Do the doable. Find 60. Find 30. Pay vendors, keep state universities open. That’s governing. Both sides are 100% to blame. - Me Again - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 1:46 pm: Some people on this blog need to learn math. Two, three or more people/groups cannot each be 100% responsible. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 1:53 pm: ===Some people on this blog need to learn math. Two, three or more people/groups cannot each be 100% responsible.=== Your complete and utter lack of political rhetoric to make a point is noted, LOL - Honeybear - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:11 pm: OW would you mind too terribly much writing more as to how Madigan is to blame for the blood bath of private social services, higher Ed, contractors, state agencies. I think I understand but it’s such an important point I want to make sure. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:22 pm: ===would you mind too terribly much writing more as to how Madigan is to blame for the blood bath of private social services, higher Ed, contractors, state agencies. I think I understand but it’s such an important point I want to make sure.=== No worries… There are significant points of parliamentary procedure that allowed Madigan to run bills that mirrored the Rauner TA bills, less the destruction of labor, for example. While politically wise and smart, to the governing within finding 60 and 30, it allowed the continued trench warfare to continue. It wasn’t helping, even as Rauner ran ads personally targeting Speaker Madigan. Further, there are, like WC, areas where work could be found to allow wins for all sides and many times Rauner may not have liked those wins, compared to other wins, it’s important to governing to assist the governor and show a path to 60 and 30 within compromise. Labor wants were/are never going to get 60 and 30 within this GA, nor the last, as proven. Madigan is 100% to blame to show a path with wins, visible, and not be the perpetual firewall of all things Rauner. - Honeybear - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:35 pm: Lightbulb. I get it. Showing the pathway through 60/30. Follow up: with labor wants you meant Rauners labor wants right? Ie our complete and utter destruction. I dare not hope for more but why do you think Madigan has not “lit” the pathway and been the adamantine firewall? - Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:37 pm: =What compromise can you point to from the Speaker, Democrats and Madigan?= The Dems made the initial compromise when they supported Rauner’s request to let the temporary income tax to expire. Speaker Madigan and his Dems also teamed up with Rauner to bail out ComEd/Exelon at the expense of most Illinoisans. Maybe we should ask Chris Crane to broker a deal. He’s been the only person who successfully brought Gov Rauner and Speaker Madigan together. - Grandson of Man - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:40 pm: I would be inclined to blame Madigan more if there was something palatable to Democrats that they refused. What Rauner wanted was unpalatable to them–gutting the rights of their key financial backers and voters. If Rauner was a moderate or a different kind of conservative instead of the ALEC type sweeping the Midwest, attacking union protections and going after Democrats in a way as to permanently cut them down in size, it would probably be a different ball game. Rauner called Democrats and their supporters corrupt again in his never-ending campaignin’. How’s that helpful? - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:44 pm: ===Follow up: with labor wants you meant Rauners labor wants right? Ie our complete and utter destruction.=== Yep. Both Edgar and Ryan also cited that the Labor angle for Rauner was never a viable one, each explaining also why MJM was not going to go against Labor too, all the while this exacerbated and undercut just about every possible angle for quite sometime to find 60 and 30. Destroying labor with legislature help was never viable, but that never meant other avenues were closed for discussion. ===I dare not hope for more but why do you think Madigan has not “lit” the pathway and been the adamantine firewall?=== GHR nails it best, to paraphrase the former Goveror; Rauner is now attacking MJM’s lifeblood against a man willing to put $100 million against him (MJM) and Labor. They need each other, and MJM is keeping his end of the bargain. As to the other “way”, Dems see Rauner’s 58% disapproval polling as a way to continue to keep Rauner at bay, not having public approval on his (Rauner’s) side. Why help, and by doing so, boost Rauner’s up? Trench warfare, again. Hope that helps, and yes, it’s always about … 60 and 30… always. - Curt - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 4:30 pm: How can they be equally to blame, and yet….when you change governors, you see people with budgets? - wordslinger - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 4:35 pm: –A pox on everyone… equally– That’s just stupid. It’s lazy and h-a-ed To believe that, you have to believe that all crews are equal and that all crews have the same power and agenda. I believe Gov. Rauner is achieving much of his Randian, “anti-collectivist” agenda by sticking it up the tukkus of higher ed and the social service infrastructure. What’s not to believe, after two years? That’s what’s happening, and the most powerful officeholder — the governor — and the owner of the GOP — the governor — is winning, in his own way. For crying out loud, what don’t you see? Every day, in the newspapers, contracted providers are going out of business because the governor reneges on contracts.He knowlingly, willingly, won’t pay them the money that he promised. If you can’t spot the chump the first time the deal goes round, you’re it. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 5:03 pm: - Wordslinger - My short answer to your thoughts and logical reasoning is this; The continued trench warfare that both sides are willing to engage in as Rauner purposely destroys higher education and social services is where I see the pic on both houses. The Dems, not once, took it to Rauner, showing as Rauber has, their side of the story to force Rauner off his agenda, or hold Rauner accountable for the damage. Dems have embraced trench warfare instead of showing paths that still keep labor, social services and higher education better than just letting Rauner win day after day the messaging. A pox on both houses. Dems and Madigan bought into the WWI ideals. - Honeybear - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 6:31 pm: I agree with Word. Rauner is a hostage taker who who is bleeding his innocent hostages for leverage to make the other side unconditionally surrender. I appreciate OW’s comment and I can understand that perspective but I assign almost all blame to Rauner. Rauners mode is Perfidy. He would never be “guided” by Madigan. Look at the Jimmy Odom resignation from CMS. He got tired of being used as the token minority and prop for press releases. Rauner has never compromised that I can see. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 6:49 pm: - Honeybear - I appreciate you understanding where the “both sides” comes from and while I agree with - Wordslinger - and know Rauner’s personal intent to destroy this state, and quote after quote, move after move, I’ve commented as such time after time when I knew Rauner has been the sole actor. The Democrats, and Madigan, where o where has the full-court press been? Where’s the blowback to move Rauner out of this trench warfare? It’s been sporadic rallies and speeches, it’s been lip service within the tired press releases and podium stand ups. It’s never been about holding Rauner accountable daily, heck Dems lose daily in the messaging, but it’s about Rauner being that governor that sunk Illinois and winning in the trenches overall, while the daily, well, we’ll say enough, but lose the day as usual. No, Dems are at fault for refusing to highlighting Rauner’s plan, and letting the two-bit Raunerites in the ILGOP shill their press releases and the Raunerite Press Shop in the Governor’s Office itself lack honesty, and getting away with it thru that vertical integration. For Dems to have no blame, they needed to be the leaders calling out Rauner and the ridiculous press releases that are embarrassingly pathetic towards truth. I won’t give Dems a pass here. - Honeybear - Tuesday, May 9, 17 @ 8:37 am: Lord Admiral Madigan: “Land the Lighthorse at Gallipoli” I get it now OW - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 9, 17 @ 8:49 am: - Honeybear - Thanks for following up where I have been vague. For me… No one is getting a pass, it’s just different reasons why. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.