30 Comments - BIG R. Ph. - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 2:12 pm: “What, me worry?” Alfred E. Neuman. This is a “Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!” - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 2:15 pm: I almost wish I was in Springfield tonight. This could be a very fun summer night around town. People finally have reason to be in a good mood and I expect it to be contagious, even if it’s premature. It’s like the first warm day following a very cold winter. Enjoy it responsibly everyone. - Barton Lorimor - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 2:27 pm: = And, yes, the blog will be up and running tomorrow. = Sorry, buddy. - Telly - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 2:41 pm: From NBC 5’s June 28th round up: == As Democrats don’t want to be solely blamed for higher taxes, Madigan predicted his caucus will have 41 votes in favor of the plan, meaning 30 Republicans will be needed to pass the budget. == Everything else is secondary to this. Maybe a little wiggle room in those numbers, but not much. - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 2:58 pm: Ratung agency types will bail for the long weekend at close of markets. - Three-Finger Brown - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 3:09 pm: Not necessarily true, Wordslinger. The ratings agencies aren’t contingent upon the market being open (though they usually do work typical business hours). I’ve seen reports come out late Friday night on occasion. - The Dude Abides - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 3:12 pm: I don’t think the rating agencies will act in the waning days on this special session. If there’s no full budget by Tuesday night though look out. - Lt Guv - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 3:30 pm: Biggest tease EVER! - Whataboutbob - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 3:46 pm: I think this is good news, maybe. Depends on if the good will lasts. Will this spending plan still have to go to the senate to be okayed then onto the Gov? - Blue dog dem - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 3:53 pm: 47th. They may be jumping for joy in Springfield, but the average joe/jane just cant wait to have another 1% taken away. Makes me giddy. Been debating pulling the land line, gonna pull the plug Wednesday. Just pure joysville down here south of Springfield. Whoa! Gotta go. I think I just saw a steaker running around SIUC campus with ‘Thanks working poor and middle class’ painted on his body. - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 3:58 pm: You’re a cranky old man Blue Dog. You should enjoy your golden years watching old re-runs on Nick and Nite and chasing the kids off your lawn. - blue dog dem - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:09 pm: 47th. Yes I am. I get to see everyday, how hard it is for a family making a household income of $75k-$80k to make ends meet. Kids who werent even born when this stuff started. - Rod - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:10 pm: 47th Ward I assume you looked at the Democratic House Caucus analysis of their amendment to SB 6 that Rich provided. I think those cheering will be largely supporters of Governor Rauner, and certainly not liberal House Democrats that voted for these massive cuts. Is this better than a continuation of this budget battle up right to November 2018 with all the bad consequences associated with that? Most Democrats will probably say yes, but in next election when these cuts bite and Democrats want to blame Rauner for the pain he can point to the votes on this amendment and say who is talking about imposing austerity? - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:18 pm: Rod, the bar is pretty low, don’t you think? I’m happy that we saw evidence that our state government can still function. Today’s bi-partisan vote is cause for optimism on that score. I am under no illusion that this is an adequate budget, but after two years, an inadequate budget represents progress. That is also proof that there was actual compromise. People like Blue Dog enjoyed all of the deficit spending for the past forty years but now that the bill is due they don’t want to pay their share. It’s the political equivalent of dine and dash and it’s both selfish and wrong. I have no use for complainers. - SOI Employee - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:21 pm: What is the pension reform they are referring to ? - Lefty Lefty - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:22 pm: I’m under the impression that our leaders in Springfield read this blog. You can see from my handle where I come from politically. I just left my little company’s staff meeting with colleagues from other parts of the political spectrum. All of us want this to end. This isn’t war but some days I was so depressed it sometimes felt like one. Only the truly damaged aren’t ecstatic when a war ends. When this is over–and again LEADERS READING THIS PAY ATTENTION–all reasonable Illinoisans will have paid a price and will be glad it’s over. More battles await because it’s never truly over. It’s politics after all. The Ds and Rs will line up again, but hopefully they’ll be a little wiser and more mature than they have been at points during this ordeal. I’m not celebrating yet, but I’m hopeful we will be this weekend. - Actual Red - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:23 pm: 47th/Blue Dog — We need a progressive income tax, shouldn’t be the middle class bearing the heaviest burden. - NobodysAccountable - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:35 pm: A flat tax works when everyone pays. The problem is when there are tax breaks for the wealthy and for the businesses, then a small percentage is left holding the bill. Under a flat tax, the more you make the more you pay. Simple math if winners and losers aren’t chosen. Everyone needs to have skin in the game. - Saluki - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:36 pm: Can someone clarify if it’s really over? 90 votes on an amendment is not a budget. It’s a good sign, but I hope we are not getting overly giddy around here. It might just be the eye of the hurricane. - blue dog dem - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:39 pm: 47th. You are full of yourself..I am for a progressive income tax. It will affect me. I don’t care what it does for you..but I care about the little guy/gal. Apparently you don’t. I realized long ago, that the bigger govt gets, the more the little guy pays. The term is used much around here. Math. Simple. Math. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:42 pm: ===Can someone clarify if it’s really over?=== It’s not over until it’s over. - NoMorePieceMealBudgets - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:51 pm: Its not over until the fat lady sings the blues… - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 4:58 pm: Your concern for the little guy is noted, Dog. A graduated tax would be great, but I don’t deal in hypotheticals. If I did, I’d support taxing retirement income (above a certain threshold). If you can’t see that progress was made today, then I can’t help you. Good day sir. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 5:23 pm: 47th Ward, you condemn “complainers” like Blue Dog but spare the career politicians who feathered their nest by being financially irresponsible for decades. All while claiming to protect the “middle class families”. Old Blue would have gladly voted them out if not for the gerrymandered districts. - Ron - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 5:54 pm: Very few people in Illinois will be happy when the income tax rates go up. A lot of looniness here. The massive spending cuts are what make me happy. For decades, Illinois’s worst in the nation politicians spent and promised the moon to public workers. Reality is just beginning to settle in. Illinois needs austerity budgets for at five years, likely more. - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 7:00 pm: LP, stick to your paid messaging. - Gotta ask - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 7:57 pm: Is there any working blue collar person that feels warm and fuzzy feeling when one of the smallest agencies in the state gets cut by 19 million dollars? So much for workers rights.. - Gotta ask - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 7:59 pm: Referring to the Department of Labor - Blue dog dem - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 8:23 pm: 47th. I actually like your dialogue. You are not mean spirited. - James Knell - Friday, Jun 30, 17 @ 8:45 pm: Blue Dog, I strongly support a progressive state income tax. But this kind of stress makes too many lives suck. I thought the lesson of Vietnam was if you have to burn the whole village down to save it, you need to re-think things. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.