63 Comments - LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:11 pm: “Madigan is playing chess and you’re playing checkers.” That’s a good one. Never heard anyone use that. Really cuts right to it. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:11 pm: ILGOP is spinning this negatively and being ridiculous. The tax is still lower than it was in 2014. If ILGOP can deal with this, they are through. - illinoised - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:11 pm: I applaud Rep. Meier for doing the right thing. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:12 pm: None of these rocket scientists ever mention the explosion in the backlog of bills, the layoffs and shutdowns from the state being a willful deadbeat, the threat to university accreditation, pending junk bond status…. Give that a think: Junk bond status and loss of university accreditation. In Illinois. That’s not a race to the bottom; no one else is running there. - Just Sayin' - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:13 pm: It’s sad how little the attackers understand our state budget problems. “No new taxes” really isn’t an option at this point and Rep. Meier understood that. - ILGOV2018 - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:14 pm: Those people who are calling him a traitor should be ashamed of themselves. Rep Meier voted with his head and exercised good judgment. Don’t they realize taxes have to be raised in order for the state to pay the huge backlog of bills that has tripled since Rauner became Governor? You cannot cut your way out of this mess, too many people will suffer, too much to cut and where do you start? Is it okay to leave the rest of the state hungry, just so their kids could eat? Come on man, what type of a society are we becoming? - Deft Wing - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:14 pm: Taxpayers recognize the “agonizing” decision to raise taxes from a former “no new taxes” Republican … is just not believable without reforms. Meier caved and so did 14 others in his Caucus. Some are retiring so they won’t have to face the voters for their very bad votes, but those who wish to still serve will be primaried. That’s how it goes. - Montrose - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:15 pm: Not to say that this blowback would not happen regardless of the circumstances, but I think it is worse because of how this budget crisis has played out. Because state offices stayed open, K-12 was funded, etc., most Illinoisans didn’t directly feel the crisis. They do directly feel a tax increase, so their inaccurate narrative of being hit with an unneeded tax increase was fed and nurtured by the Rauner administration. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:17 pm: I’m with Rep. Meier. Can’t be more with him. If Rauner, who flat out refuses to acknowledge all 16 GOP votes as existing, doesn’t have all 16 GOP members’ backs, then what are we talking about here… The ILGOP and understanding why the “Brave 15″ and Sen. Righter did what they did.., … or as a party it’s Raunerism and only Raunerism, 80% isn’t 100%. Rauner now needs to decide… Destroy the last existence of the Illinois Republican Party… or… … learn from this, and have the backs of all 16 and be better when better is warranted, because it’s about building a party and a better Illinois in the end. - anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:18 pm: Part of the problem is epitomized by the your taking food from my child and giving it to the Chicago Democratic Machine. I would guess that Rep. Meier’s district is probably net positive when it comes to taxes sent to Springfield and money received back. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:18 pm: I’ve got a few go rounds with Meier over the Murray closing but have never thought he didn’t have his district’s good at heart. However, that being said, the same voters in his district who feed fuel to the rumors and lies about CILA care, are now turning on their local savior of Murray. I guess sometimes a Rep. can’t win. - Porgy Tirebiter - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:18 pm: Word - you think they would even know what accreditation means? - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:19 pm: Purity contests are best left to religious zealots, not politicians. Any politician who tells you he or she will “never” or “always” support something, regardless of changing circumstances and conditions, has no business holding public office. The anti-tax people have been so effective with their messaging that people who benefit from healthy government programs and services end up voting against their economic self-interest. It is easy to demonize taxes and government spending, there is an entire corporate and political structure that has pretended for decades that poor people only had themselves to blame and that government is the problem, not the solution. It sucks when the chickens come home to roost, but they always do. - Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:20 pm: Having seen first hand the horror visited on our citizens from the Rauner Hostage Gambit, I have no sympathy. You could have seen this years ago and done something about it. You chose not too You chose accolades from Maisch You chose to worship Mammon You chose free market profit. James 5:4 The fact that you are a good person otherwise, to me, makes the choice against the vulnerable even more egregious. Alright. I’m done. I said what I wanted too. Thank you for your vote. It was courageous. But continue to atone. - Fixer - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:20 pm: OW, with all due respect, you already know the answer to your question. Governor Victim will not learn from this. Hell wrap it nicely into a campaign commercial and run on wanting to repeal it. That’s it. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:23 pm: “The fact of the matter is our state is penniless, flat out broke. Yesterday, the Illinois House voted to send Governor Rauner a budget which spends $3 billion less than if we were to continue operating without a state budget. In addition to passing a budget, the House approved a 1.25% income tax increase, a proposal I supported. The truth is, this wasn’t easy, I realize a tax increase isn’t popular. However, this was the viable option to keep our state government from shutting down and putting lives at risk.” Thank you, Rep. Meier, for living in reality. Some believe the state can be fixed with just cuts. Some don’t care at all that so many people, organizations and businesses are getting hurt, as long as their taxes are not raised. Some, on the more delusional end of the scale, believe Rauner should have got his anti-union policies passed. Our road back can start tomorrow, with the Brave 15 holding strong, and with the Speaker working the votes to patch up anything that might spring a leak. “by the your taking food from my child and giving it to the Chicago Democratic Machine” Madigan and the bill backlog, vendors, social services, credit ratings and schools he controls. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:26 pm: –is just not believable without reforms.– DW, are you the one with the Book of Secrets that reveals the projected ROI of all the “reforms?” The data that would withstand a cost/benefit analysis? Something beyond cult-like chanting of “reform.” Please share. That’s been missing for the last two years. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:28 pm: ==If Rauner, who flat out refuses to acknowledge all 16 GOP votes as existing, doesn’t have all 16 GOP members’ backs, then what are we talking about here…== Yeah, I’m sure the Speaker would be very understanding if his members cut his legs out from under him. Just ask Ken Dunkin. - Thoughts Matter - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:28 pm: The scary thing is that the people really believe their comments. They’ve not put any effort into learning the facts. They assume their favorite website is telling them everything they need to know and it’s all true. They vote based upon what those websites say or by party line. It’s not term limits we need, it’s voters who understand the facts. - Blue Bayou - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:31 pm: TM, exactly right. We don’t have very courageous politicians here in IL, but the voters deserve a lot of blame. Tax and general economic literacy is sorely lacking. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:32 pm: –Yeah, I’m sure the Speaker would be very understanding if his members cut his legs out from under him. Just ask Ken Dunkin.– The point is, if Rauner ever wants to get anything through the House, he’ll have to start by getting back those 15 GOP members. Then, he’ll have to add Dems. All of this math, including on taxes and the budget, is elementary-school level. The delusional tantrums, though, are first-rate Bad Opera. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:33 pm: ===The point is, if Rauner ever wants to get anything through the House, he’ll have to start by getting back those 15 GOP members. Then, he’ll have to add Dems. === ^^^ This. All day. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:35 pm: ===…you already know the answer to your question. Governor Victim will not learn from this. Hell wrap it nicely into a campaign commercial and run on wanting to repeal it. That’s it.=== While honest logic seems to point to that real outcome, even as Rauner proves that truthful, there’s still another budget Rauner may want passed before his term ends. ===Yeah, I’m sure the Speaker would be very understanding if his members cut his legs out from under him. Just ask Ken Dunkin.=== Dunkin was preventing governing from happening. The “Brave 15″ and Sen. Righter were being pressured to continue destruction, and the 16 chose the state, while Dunkim chose Rauner and destruction over the state. Keep up. Also, choose a name or this back and forth ends. Thank you. - Perrid - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:37 pm: Is the guy who commented “Is anybody else taking a ‘haircut’ on this besides the taxpayer?” being disingenuous? Universities and code agencies are getting a 10% haircut, and state employees are having their pensions attacked again. The budget tries to cut more than $3 billion, 9-10% of the total budget. You might not think it cuts enough, but it IS a ‘haircut’. - q34 - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:42 pm: It seems to me 1 bullet in the back is all that is needed to make someone a traitor. She only cheated ONCE get over yourself. I have mixed feelings about the tax hike. So it is supposed to save $3 billion, but I have to pay $2,000 more personally because my GOP Rep who campaigned on “no tax hikes” voted for a tax hike. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:43 pm: Misleading promises like “permanent freeze”, or “no new taxes” should be called out and laughed at until citizens learn that there is no such things. It’s astonishing how the same people who demand that their needy neighbors experience tough love and a dose of reality, are just as foolish when it comes to themselves. - Katiedid - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:43 pm: Montrose hit the nail on the head with what the “average” person on the street is thinking. They just see that the schools are still open and the police and firefighters are still on the street. So, in their mind, things haven’t gotten all that desperate yet. They don’t see the scotch tape that is currently holding the structure together in the background. - Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:46 pm: Can these 15 Republicans in the House become a cohesive group? If yes, can Madigan and the Democrats negotiate agreements with them so the districts the 15 represent see tangible benefits from their cooperation? Rauner was trying to split off people from Madigan. He may have succeeded in fracturing the Republican party. - MSIX - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:48 pm: Reggie P. is catching hell here, too. So much for supporting your candidate. He votes to save the university and hence the driving economic force in this area and his “people” are mad at him. Granted, Reggie is a major business owner here and has no small amount of self-interest in seeing EIU stay alive, but what he did was the only sensible choice, whether his once-loyal followers understand that or not. - frustrated GOP - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:48 pm: I always remember the conservatives media attack on Ronald Reagan when he went to USSR. They called for his impeachment on the front cover of some of those mags. others called him a traitor. Sooner or later, a deal needs to get made, and someone in the room needs to be the adult. Last checked Reagan is the ideal standard bearer for conservatives, not a treasonous commie lover he was portrayed by some for that short period. - Canon - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:49 pm: When you campaign on a no taxes platform and then raise taxes you kinda have to accept some grief and questioning. I mean seriously, the public should question that. - former southerner - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:50 pm: The inability to think most lead one to constantly be angry. I believe this explains both the positions taken by and the public behavior of the “tea party” and alt-right types who are always about one second away from complete melt down. They never learned as children that no matter how loudly, often, or angrily you scream something it still doesn’t make it true. - JohnnyPyleDriver - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:50 pm: looks like relentless propaganda is having impacts not expected by some of the people who had hoped to benefit from such reckless propaganda - Try-4-Truth - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:51 pm: Gov. Rauner is everything he (and many others) accuse Speaker Madigan of being. Ruthless, controlling, power-hungry. The Speaker will cut a deal. The Speaker will give his members a pass on votes. The Speaker understands that governing is hard. Rauner is the Republican myth of Mike Madigan. I’m not sure the ILGOP sees the irony in all of this. - Decaf Coffee Party - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:58 pm: So we know for a fact the damage this impasse has caused. The exploding increase in the backlog of bills is there for all to see. What is not clear at all — and, in fact is just a hypothesis — is exactly what the return would be if the governor’s Turnaround Agenda were to become the law of Illinois. How many jobs would be created? What type of jobs? How many business and/or people would move into Illinois? How long would it take to see results? How much trickle down would end up in the pockets of the middle class the governor claims to be fightin’ for? Without those answers it seems we’re conducting this as a blind experiment, not really caring if the patient dies. - Decaf Coffee Party - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 1:59 pm: ==businesses= - Deadbeat Conservative - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:11 pm: =We don’t have very courageous politicians here in IL, but the voters deserve a lot of blame. Tax and general economic literacy is sorely lacking.= Amen. Corporate media like Tronc and Sinclair seem to contribute to this ignorance and ambivalence to math and facts. - Trapped in the 'burbs - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:15 pm: We still have not heard a possible solution from Rauner. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:16 pm: ===the public should question that=== Agreed. Fully. He has to deal with that. - Blue Bayou - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:17 pm: DCP: the answer is: Kansas The solution is the opposite: Minnesota - Linus - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:18 pm: I haven’t often agreed with Charlie Meier on many issues (or with Reggie Phillips or some of the other GOP legislators who voted Y on these tax and approp bills). I sure agreed with them this week, when they really seemed to be thoughtful, multi-dimensional thinkers in assessing the full picture of their districts’ needs. And I’m extremely sorry they have to face the no-dimensional thinking of the detractors who’ve gone so far as to threaten them with “hanging from a tree.” Representatives, you deserve far better for demonstrating the core conservative principle of actually paying one’s bills–especially bills as important as these. - DuPage Don - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:18 pm: ==Blue Bayou @ 1:31: “We don’t have very courageous politicians here in IL…” == Ahem, Jeanne Ives is the epitome of courage in this legislative session! - Arsenal - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:19 pm: ==if Rauner ever wants to get anything through the House== Big “if”, isn’t it? I suppose he wouldn’t want to fail to get a budget next year, but otherwise, I suspect he knows his agenda- which he frequently undercut, anyway- is dead, and he won’t waste any more time on dealing with the legislature. It’ll be all campaigning for re-election, and that’s probably pretty powerful. The only question is if the legislature runs a lot of bills to wrong-foot him, and if he allows himself to be so wrong-footed. - DuPage Don - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:23 pm: ==Blue Bayou @ 1:31: “We don’t have very courageous politicians here in IL…”== Excuse me, but Jeanne Ives has been courage personified in this legislative session! - illini - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:31 pm: Charlie - you made the right, but difficult, decision the first time. Reaffirming that vote tomorrow afternoon is even more critical. I think you and the rest of the 15 understand the consequences for this state of any of you waiver. Your statement in the BND says it all. - Blue Bayou - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:34 pm: DuPage Don: Yes, exactly. She has the courage to say things she knows absolutely nothing about. She blames teachers for what poverty does to young people, and what teachers desperately try to change every day. She has no understanding of education, the working class, or organized labor. It takes real courage to talk about things you oppose without any experience or knowledge. - Keyser Soze - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 2:34 pm: Word is spot on. The Governor has been campaigning with vague generalities. At no point has he identified specific cases of wasteful spending. He could use a book of lists. - State worker - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 3:06 pm: Rep. Charlie Meier, The lack of press coverage on the true magnitude of this budget disaster–and the limited options–has made this kind of punishing response possible. People need information. You deserve better. You did what had to be done to save the state. You saved conservatives and liberals, and every other category of person. We all need a state. This catastrophe has led some elected officials to reconsider what matters in life. Thank you. And thankfully, what matters in life is not what people are going to say on social media or what campaigns the parties are going to buy. You were elected to serve the people and you did. - walker - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 3:07 pm: Just received robocall praising and thanking David Harris for his pro-budget votes, and why they were so important. Was impressed with the overall quality. Paid for by doyourjob.org. - G'Kar - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 3:46 pm: Certainly, gentlemen, it ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfactions, to theirs; and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiassed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion. Edmund Burke–”Speech to the Electors of Bristol,” 3 November, 1774 - anon2 - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 3:47 pm: Candidate Meier insisted no tax hikes were necessary. Consequently, people who voted for him based upon his platform are entitled to be disappointed. Meier is either wrong now, or he was wrong when he campaigned. Which is it? - anon2 - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 3:54 pm: As my favorite political science professor used to remind us, all of the pols in Profiles in Courage lost the next election. - Foreman - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 5:37 pm: To be fair it was kind of an important vote. - G'Kar - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 5:52 pm: “As my favorite political science professor used to remind us, all of the pols in Profiles in Courage lost the next election.” Annon2, you didn’t read the book, did you? Of the 8 profiles, Taft died in office, Norris was elected several times after the events in Profiles in Courage, Lamar retired from the House to join the Confederacy, and Webster resigned to become Sec. of State. - anon2 - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 5:57 pm: Taft ran for the GOP presidential nomination and lost. - Praisin' Charlie - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 6:20 pm: It is easy for us to sit in our living rooms, and say what we would do, and criticize someone else. I’m one of the Murray family members, and I still support Charlie. We aren’t that shallow. We know he is a good man, and is making the best decision he thinks for southern Illinois. Charlie had to make a tough decision, just like an individual who has gangrene in his legs, and the doctor says you need to cut off your leg or die……do you die, or suffer for a short time. Thanks Charlie for being a decent human being…..too few of them in our legislator. - ANONYMOUS S. ILLINOIS - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 6:36 pm: Rep.Meier has never taken the easy way out. During the Murray closure he was one of the few people who were willing to tell the truth, and defend the most vulnerable Murray residents, when state officials were moving them to unsafe homes. No one wanted to hear it because it WAS the truth. He faced ridicule then, and he still did what was right.The Chicago Tribune later printed the FACTS about some of Illinois’s CILAs and Charlie was right all along. He’s a good man, who has earned the respect of so many of us in southern Illinois. We are NOT abandoning him, and will continue to support him. We know he made these voting decision based on what he feels is best for southern Illinois and his constituents. He will ALWAYS BE OUR HERO. - Praisin' Charlie - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 7:11 pm: meant……….. too few of them in our legislature. - Generic Drone - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 7:12 pm: Anon2. “Candidate Meier is either wrong then ir wrong now. Which is it.” Or maybe he along with his district got tired of the downward death spiral the impass has caused the state. He stated his constituants told him how they felt. Maybe those who wanted him to vote the opposite should have called him. - Mama - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 8:17 pm: “Misleading promises like “permanent freeze”, or “no new taxes” should be called out and laughed at until citizens learn that there is no such things.” Dems, you should air this message until the cows come home. - Pundent - Wednesday, Jul 5, 17 @ 9:43 pm: Mama - And while they’re airing this message perhaps they can explain why the put a minimum wage increase on the ballot and did nothing to make it happen. Both parties are complicit here. - NorthsideNoMore - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 8:17 am: So how do those folks think an non Rauner owned GA member would vote? Look at the yes votes from the HGOP, they are not new to the GA and understand the financial reality Illinois is in. Just to the North of C Mier a GA mamber that is as close to a perfect TEA party conservtive also voted up. He knows business and knows that the continued lack of a budget will destroy his districts economy. Stop gamesmanship and put the State back on sound finacial footing. - joss - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:12 am: A biggest collection of private Periscope replays with all $$exy 9irl. Just sl9n up here ->> linkto.eu/u974L Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.