The Republican round-up of Day One
Thursday, Jun 22, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the ILGOP…
On Day 1 Madigan Stalls, On Day 2…?
Madigan Blasted for Stall Tactics
The ball’s in Madigan’s court.
On Day 2 of the Special Session, what will Mike Madigan do? Will he show up and get to work? Or will he stall because he has no plan to fix Illinois?
Yesterday, he chose stalling.
Instead of working yesterday on a solution, Politico is reporting that Madigan wasted the first day of the special session.
Politico reports, “As the state crumbles awaiting a budget, the House speaker plans to use the second and third days of special session - on more hearings. Maybe Madigan’s ultimate strategy is to waste so much time that when lawmakers finally emerge from the Capitol, the state’s remaining residents will have dwindled to zero.”
The Chicago Tribune reports that instead of working with Republicans on a compromise budget and reform plan, Madigan “provided no details” and “needled Rauner via a statement”.
The Peoria Journal-Star Editorial Board writes that Democrats “got things off to a confidence-draining start on the first day of the special session by adjourning the House after 30 minutes, with senators meeting outside the public eye. The House under Speaker Michael Madigan has yet to even vote on a budget.”
WYMG called Madigan’s stalling schemes “a familiar tactic out of his toolbox”.
And NBC Chicago notes that, “House Speaker Mike Madigan is sounding his familiar themes as the special session begins.”
Speaker Madigan – stop stalling and get to work.
* Not mentioned in the roundup is what Mary Ann Ahern said during her setup to her story last night…
The one meeting that really needs to take place is between the governor, the speaker and other top legislative leaders. And that hasn’t happened. And until then there’s just a whole lot of talk and not much action.
The governor, of course, is responsible for calling leaders’ meetings.
Now, as I explained to subscribers today, there’s more going on here. But every special session I’ve ever covered has involved leaders’ meetings. And the governor has been on a “unity” kick this week, so you’d think he’d at least give it a try.
…Adding… From the Pritzker campaign…
On Tuesday, instead of acting to alleviate the widespread distress among families across the state, Bruce Rauner provided Illinoisans with a 3-minute sham “unity” address. Rauner called on legislators to support the Republican “Capitol Compromise,” a partisan budget written behind closed doors. 722 days later and Illinoisans are still getting the same political games and no results from their failed governor.
“While Illinois has gone a record 722 days without a budget, Bruce Rauner would rather fake compromise than bring legislators together to pass a fair budget,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Rauner talks a big game, but he doesn’t have the courage to face the budget crisis he’s inflicted on our state. Illinois needs a leader, not a coward in Springfield, and Illinois families deserve a real budget, not sham speeches and fake compromises.”
…Adding More… From the ILGOP…
It’s Day 2 of the special session, and time is ticking for Mike Madigan to propose a balanced budget and path forward for the State of Illinois.
Mike Madigan has yet to put forward any solution to the budget stalemate or agree to reforms needed to fix our state.
That’s why today, the Illinois Republican Party has updated BossMadigan.com to feature a countdown clock to remind the Speaker just how much time he has left to compromise and pass a budget and reform plan.
Mr. Speaker – there isn’t much time left. Get to work.
- Pundent - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:03 am:
I do admire the strategy here. I felt that the best and only way to paint Madigan in a corner was to have a budget come out of the Senate that he would have to act on. I didn’t see the possibility that Rauner would spin a mythical and and acceptable budget that he was willing to sign off on but for Madigan’s insolence.
In some ways this is a “win-win” for Rauner. He was able to blow up the grand bargain AND put Madigan on the hot seat.
- Jocko - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:10 am:
You have to love that the same group that clamored for more “more time!” during the regular session now complain of “stalling” during the special session.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:13 am:
The passive-aggressive Raunerites continue to beat the drum “Madigan!” but doing the heavy lifts a governor needs to do… “Focus!”…
While Madigan obliges Raunerites with “hearing” to pass the time away, until…
… until Rauner proposes the Rauner Tax bill, sponsored by Raunerites and guaranteeing 30 HRaunerites being “Green”, the $50+ million Rauner has ready to pounce against Madigan and the Dems … those who Rauner wants to vote for Rauner’s budget bills… but the Dem’s Senate sponsored Revenue bill… Rauner wins.
No room to maneuver, no honesty by Raunerites, a built in stall for the Raunerites to say “Focus!”, but in the end, as it’s been for 2 1/2 years, Rauner will squeeze the beast, run negative ads, but give a speech aimed at “unity”
The passive-aggressive Raunering, destroying the state, because Labor wasn’t destroyed first.
- My New Handle - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:16 am:
“…so you’d think he’d at least give it a try.”
Given Rauner’s past actions in thwarting unity, the last thing to expect is that he will give it a try. His sctions belie his words, always.
- Fax Machine - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:18 am:
Please get the LLC fee reduction passed in the special session - help Illinois entrepreneurs!
Right now the House passed a different version than the Senate but it has wide bipartisan support
- Nero's Fiddle - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:22 am:
Rauner is forcing Illinois politics into “the war to end all wars” trench-style warfare. He must be hoping that Madigan will order the Democrats to march into the machine guns and flame throwers. Not gonna happen!
- Captain Ed Smith - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:26 am:
Governor Rauner needs to govern. The Governor should be proposing the budget for the state he was elected to lead. Honestly, the GA does not have the expertise or information necessary to craft a good spending plan. To constantly punt to the legislature for his budget for his agencies, for the State he was elected to lead is a joke.
- Fixer - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:33 am:
Good response by Pritzker’s campaign. Calling Rauner what he actually is.
- KAY-ro - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:35 am:
Madigan will hold the state hostage until AFCME gets a gold-plated contract. That contract is not going to happen because the status-quo is over.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:37 am:
===Madigan will hold the state hostage until AFCME gets a gold-plated contract.===
Hmm.
Explain Rauner blowing up two Grand Bargains in the Senate, undercutting Leader Radogno.
Explain Madigan and AFSCME’s roll in all that.
It’s early, I’ll give you all day to reconcile that.
- cdog - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:38 am:
Madigan abdicated yesterday; you can find him on a playground somewhere or hiding in his office. (ICYMI, he put Greg Harris in charge of the budget.)
Rauner lacks a fundamental respect for reality.
Marginalize the two ego-dripping idealogues, Rauner and Madigan. They have made Illinois the laughing stock of the world per many headlines, and over the top editorials.
Anyone pounding the extreme drums, like Pritzker etc, should also be discounted.
The rest of us know the solution will be a compromise.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:38 am:
==That contract is not going to happen because the status-quo is over.==
You sure? Feuding with Madigan, budget overtime, special sessions, sweetheart contracts, perks for cronies…we’ve certainly seen all of this before. Rauner *is* the status quo.
- Fixer - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:49 am:
Kayro, you must have seen a different contract proposal that the one AFSCME actually released then, because by every measure it’s a step backwards from the current contract.
- Moe Berg - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:54 am:
Agree with Fixer. Good response from Pritzker camp. Of all the Dem challengers, they have the sharpest rhetoric and the most timely responses - further reinforcing the impression that he is the best able to take on Rauner. “Coward” is a good, and accurate word for Rauner. As is “failure.” They should keep using them.
- Me Again - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:00 am:
AFSCME has made substantive concessions to state management in the press. Too bad Rauner won’t come back to the bargaining table.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:08 am:
Gov Rauner is passively aggressively leading this state exactly where he wants it to be.
He does not want a budget. Not one with a tax hike. The state is an unmitigated disaster on his watch. He has nothing to run on for re-election other than “he stopped tax hike Mike from raising your taxes”.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:19 am:
Could someone review the concept that the Durkie “compromise” parked he budget in the Senate so even if Madigan summoned up his power we don’t think he can stall stuff there.
- My New Handle - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:22 am:
Got to admire Rauner’s skills at sleight of hand (or mouth). Say the magic word “Madigan” and all eyes are taken off Rauner. We are so easily distracted. Even on this blog.
- Rabid - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:39 am:
Gop, far out man, dueling clocks, going for the ten round knockout
- Thoughts Matter - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 11:27 am:
==Please get the LLC fee reduction passed in the special session - help Illinois entrepreneurs!
Right now the House passed a different version than the Senate but it has wide bipartisan support==
I think this can’t be done in special session because that’s limited to the budget, right? Experts, please weigh in.
Second, I realize that the fee reduction is important to those affected. But that’s got to be a smaller number of people than those affected by the lack of a budget. Let’s get the budget done first.
- Rabid - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
Nothing says unity and compromise like an update to bossmadigan