38 Comments - Dublin - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:21 pm: In things he can control - he’ll be independent. Things he can’t - it will be incomplete. - A guy - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:24 pm: No. No Governor of either party has achieved this. - Clark - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:26 pm: Nope. As long as Madigan is there, he’s going to call all the shots. - allknowingmasterofracoondom - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:26 pm: Nope. No one with a D after their name in Springfield is independent of Madigan. Plus, how is JB ever going to become State Treasurer if he is not nice to Madigan. LOL - Pelonski - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:27 pm: Yes, but that doesn’t mean there will be huge battles between the two like with Blago and Rauner. - Newsclown - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:28 pm: He’s super-rich, like Rauner. Unlike Rauner, he’s got history of working within the party system in support of Democratic causes. He can’t be any worse at interpersonal relations than Rauner is. I’d say he’s in a good position, should he get elected, to be a workable partner with the Speaker and Pres. Cullerton. I don’t expect rainbows every day, but I can imagine that team agreeing to a set of principles and iniitiatives, and moving a progressive agenda along, backstopped by Pritzger’s money where needed. Pritzger can always ask himself: “What would Rauner do here?” And then not do that thing. Win-win. - Politix - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:29 pm: No - You can’t be wholly independent of anyone and still be successful in politics. Just doesn’t work that way. - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:30 pm: Yes. He is one of the few Democrats that can be independent of Madigan because he can build his own campaign apparatus outside of Madigan’s. Here’s one example: What is the first thing Madigan does to a candidate who displeases him? He cuts off access to the party’s voter file. I’m pretty sure Pritzker can purchase all of the voter data he’ll need to replace Madigan’s file. Heck, knowing Pritzker, he’ll probably find a way to add in e-mail addresses too and use 21st Century technology to communicate with voters. In fact, Team Madigan might learn a thing or two from Pritzker’s operation after it’s all said and done. Madigan has enormous influence on Democrats in Illinois, but it’s not absolute and there’s more than a little myth to it. The all-powerful King Madigan only exists in the minds of John Kass and the Tribune editorial board. - CLJ - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:33 pm: Voted yes. 47th Ward summed it up nicely. “Madigan has enormous influence on Democrats in Illinois, but it’s not absolute and there’s more than a little myth to it.” - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:34 pm: Nope. Even if he can build his own campaign apparatus, he will still need to deal with him as Speaker of the House. And the Speaker clearly does not like being left out of the mix and loves being in control. - Amalia - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:36 pm: he an at least try. that is why I voted yes. the governor should try. - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:41 pm: Of course. If “loyalty” to Madigan in the House stems from his control of fundraising, Pritzker could swamp him with pocket change. How do you think Rauner got absolute control of the GOP caucuses? His good looks? Guy, that’s a very strange comment. Do you not think Rauner is independent of Madigan? He’s under Madigan’s control somehow? - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:42 pm: Sorry, I didn’t read the question all the way to the end. If elected… Both Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn were largely independent of Mike Madigan. Neither enjoyed what I would call a wildly successful tenure as Governor. To really get at the answer, one has to ask why would you want to be independent of Madigan? What is it that Madigan wants that a Democratic governor doesn’t want? Pritzker hasn’t fully articulated his agenda, so we don’t know yet what his top priorities will be. I have a hard time imagining him staking out positions that many Democrats in the House also support, including investments in infrastructure and human capital (education). He’s going to focus on health care for the poor because Republicans in Washington are giving states the job. I don’t see how those issues put him at cross-purposes with Madigan. Madigan has offered a few ideas about things he’d like to see, including the pension cost shift and maybe a tax on millionaires. He has never been terribly vocal about the things he wants. On the contrary, he’s been quietly adamant about the things he opposes. I think there is enough room in Springfield for Pritzker to operate with the Senate that will find support within Madigan’s caucus. And unlike Quinn or Blagojevich, I think Pritzker has the temperament to do be independent of Madigan without being antagonistic. - VanillaMan - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:43 pm: He has ZERO government experience. He INHERITED his wealth. JB has shown NO independence in 50+ years, why could anyone think he can take on Rauner’s piles of filth and debri, AND suddenly be independent of ANYONE? Whoever is elected MUST work with everyone to get Illinois out of the ditch Rauner threw us into. The QUESTION itself is based upon a DISPROVEN belief based on a complete lack of common sense. Rauner proved that “independence” from the leaders of the GA is a horrible idea. What Rauner exposed through his failure in office is that our problems were caused by the simpld-minded thinking such a question proposes. - Pyrman - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:54 pm: I voted yes– JB is used to being in charge and he doesn’t need Madigan’s help to win. Once JB wins he can offer the same resources to fellow Dem’s as Madigan - Ginhouse Tommy - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 12:59 pm: Yes. I said this before Rauner took office that in spite of what you think of him you have to work with MJM even if you want to choke him. Pritzker can build his own campaign and run it without Madigan’s support but in the end he has to deal with the man in governmental issues. - Tough Guy - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:00 pm: Vote yes. I think he can be independent of anyone he chooses. But being independent doesn’t mean you can’t work together for the common good or compromise as necessary to move the state forward. - LizPhairTax - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:02 pm: Apple for lunch can’t hurt - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:04 pm: Of course you voted yes, and the entirety of the State’s problems are Rauner’s fault. JB will be beholden to Madigan as every (D) member of the Illinois House is. - Anon0091 - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:04 pm: VM, That response was a little unhinged and also flat-out wrong. JB didn’t choose to work in the family business - instead he wanted to be independent and set out on his own 20 years ago in the venture capital business and raised capital to do it. His work led to a successful business, thousands of jobs and 1871 among other things. 25 years ago he didn’t like the young Democratic organizations so he chose an independent path and created his own political organization. In fact, much of his career has been about doing things independently so truly, you have no clue what you’re talking about. And yea 47, you are 100% correct. He’s frankly the only candidate that doesn’t need Madigan’s money so he’s the one most likely to be independent of Madigan. - Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:19 pm: I voted ‘no’ because can any governor be independent of the legislature and get anything done? Were Thompson, Edgar, Ryan, Blago, Quinn independent of Madigan or the Senate President? Bruce Rauner certainly has tried to be and look where we are. - A guy - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:30 pm: ==Guy, that’s a very strange comment. Do you not think Rauner is independent of Madigan? He’s under Madigan’s control somehow?=== Not under control Sling, but dependent? Yes. As has been the case of every Governor and every other leader down there for that matter. Glad you find it interesting. It’s the most obvious factor over 4 decades to me. - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:49 pm: Guy, I find it strange, not interesting. You seem to be confusing American Constitutional shared powers with political independence. I’m pretty sure that Rauner thinks of himself as politically independent of Madigan. - Dr. Bronners - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 1:57 pm: Pritzker will have his own independant campaign apparatus and team, and eventually have his own policy direction. Where he will be dependant on Madigan is to help him get to 60 on things he wants to get done that might not be bipartisan. - A guy - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:12 pm: Review the question at the top again Sling. Then, challenge your intellectual self to answer it. - zatoichi - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:38 pm: Pritzker could blow the entire Dem funding out the door. Has no need for them. If he gets the Dem nomination for Gov is Madigan going to forget who is on the team? No. They could work together if they wanted to. They will both want something from the other. There is a huge financial mess to fix that is going to take years. Madigan will want his legacy go out as a strong positive. I can’t think of a reason why Prizker can’t help make that happen. - walker - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:45 pm: If anything, Madigan is in danger of being in Pritzker’s pocket. A Wordslinger says. - James Knell - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:57 pm: I agree with 47th Ward and Tough Guy. I don’t know J.B. personally, but theoretically he could be as “independent” of the Speaker as the next guy. Senior legislators can accrue a lot of power as the Speaker has. Most people now say that was a good thing when Blago was Gov. If you don’t like it wait a few years. He’s 75 years old! If Rauner had taken a more dignified approach in the beginning this all could have been different. But society created a system where he could be so wildly successful financially, he things he’s a “master of the universe”. The most annoying thing is watching IPI and the Tribies who probably are old enough to remember the REAL Richard J. Daley machine, try to take a House Speaker as “Boss Madigan”. Bosses are CEOs… the top dog. Nothing “Boss” about Rauner, right? He’s just a mickey mouse watch wearing, Carhartt slinging, flannel shirt guy in a garbage can van droppin his g’s all over Illinois. Jeez… They think we are stupid and many of us are. - Veil of Ignorance - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:58 pm: Maybe, but a better question goes beyond Madigan and asks whether Pritzker as Governor would equally imperil the ability of House Democrats to move things independently. After all, Sparta had two kings. Everybody seems to be assuming that Pritzker won’t operate akin to the way Rauner has over his party’s House and Senate members. We have very little reliable info to go on. - Winnin' - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 4:03 pm: Yes. Madigan likes maturity. - Mama - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 4:18 pm: JB, please define exactly what an “independent progressive governor” means to you. JB, what would do to help 99% of the people of Illinois. Can you find a way to put the people in every part of IL back to work again? Thank you - Mama - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 4:19 pm: JB, what would you do to make IL financially strong again? - Cook County Commoner - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 4:48 pm: So called “independence” depends on how much Pritzker money can back door into the Democratic Party. Certainly, Messrs. Pritker and Madigan can reach an accomodation, unless the egos are that inflated. It’s an interesting show. Mega Bucks B. Rauner vs. Mega Bucks J. Pritzker vs. Undisputed Boss M. Madigan. - jimbo - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 5:22 pm: Yes. House Dems will not have to fear Madigan will cut off campaign money. - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 6:19 pm: Guy, I’m comfortable with the English language. Your argument is that no governor in the last 40 years, including Rauner, has been independent of Madigan? That it’s not possible? I hear they might reopen that Trump University fraud settlement. Maybe you can get more money back for those remedial civics, history and English classes. - Willie - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 6:34 pm: Madigan controls one Chamber’s lawmaking that is it. It Is up to Governor to govern. Madigan respects Separate and equal. New Governor should as well. Work with The Dude! - RNUG - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 8:16 pm: Voted yes. JB doesn’t NEED Madigan. But JB will likely work with Madigan on a lot of shared interests. - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 9:33 pm: Ha. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.