38 Comments - Arsenal - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:20 pm: As someone who doesn’t have Rauner’s best interests at heart, I’m positively giddy at this. - Arsenal - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:22 pm: Also, love Kass running down the state. I don’t like the state’s political leadership, but Illinois nonetheless remains a pretty cool place. - JohnnyPyleDriver - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:25 pm: Kass Mad! Kass Smash! Dissolving Illinois, good grief - Anonymous - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:27 pm: Has Kass ever even been in Springfield? H - Highland IL - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:28 pm: Charlie Meier should have stayed in his lane. Now he’s getting it from both sides. - Chicago_Downstater - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:31 pm: I think this promoted comment from Sluggo2 says everything. I personally wish Sluggo2 would’ve left out the “Little John” bits, but the rest is golden: “Anyone ever notice that Little John never offers any solutions to city or state problems? He just bombs away on his keyboard because that’s all he’s got. It’s easy to be a bomb-thrower; it’s much harder to offer constructive solutions to the problems. As always, Little John goes the easy route.” - Praisin' Charlie - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:31 pm: Charlie will be fine. I have always thought the sign of an intelligent man is one who after studying the facts can change is mind. Does Charlie care about the constituents in his district? Absolutely. - Lance Mannion - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:35 pm: Andersson signaled his defiance with his kid-gloves treatment which turned to fawning of Democrats over bad Dem bills … like he was almost working for them, despite his duties as Republican Floor Leader. He couldn’t have forgotten that his position was a partisan one. Then the fawning became more, Democratic adulation …leading him to actually believe the deal he cut helped his constituents. Andersson will soon learn that his brief stint with power — whether usurped or attained via whining — will be short lived. That picture of Andersson being congratulated by Madigan on the House Floor after the override vote is all over the place — five newspapers — and will be memed ad nauseum against tax-hiking Steve (Madigan’s partner). #PutAForkInHim - whetstone - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:38 pm: I thought Andersson’s press release explaining his vote (posted here earlier) was as clear and cogent as you get from a politician. It’s a shame he’s going to get the worst of it. - Norseman - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:42 pm: Kass violated Godwin’s law with his use of a Nazi analogy. This shows he’s a bankrupt columnist who can only make his points through name calling, outright vilification and retreading the talking points of failed pols. I’m proud of the leadership shown by my fellow Scandinavian. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:44 pm: - Lance Mannion - The only way your take makes sense is if you wanted continued destruction. How cheering for continued destruction is seen as good governing, I’ll never know, that’s a true head scratcher. I’m with Rep. Andersson, all day. The full vetoes, that was a continuation of the purposeful destruction of Illinois by Rauner. It needed to end. Raunerites may, and could very well, primary some/many/all of the “Brave 15″… “The Perfect 10″… … but that’s what Raunerites do. Raunerites don’t want a $&@#% problem when Rauner wants his destruction of Illinois. It was 15 Republicans that started the saving, it was 10 that finished the job. It was Sen. Righter who made the it clear… Republicans exist in both Chambers. And, I thank Sen. Righter for that too. - Norseman - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:44 pm: P.S. Profit, Andersson would make a far superior governor than the current incompetent officeholder. - Grandson of Man - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:45 pm: Kass is full of it, just like the professional phonies who make a great living and a great life in Illinois but cry about how terrible it is here. “My hope of Dissolving Illinois” A Raunerite through and through. He wants to bust up the state and so many human beings for an ideological agenda whose value can’t and won’t be justified. Madigan beat Rauner but good yesterday, in the biggest showdown of the governor’s term. Rauner demonized Madigan constantly, and he lost. It is fitting, in that respect. It’s very nice to see Rauner’s stature diminishing among his supporters–some of whom are quite delusional. Actually I’m kidding about Madigan beating Rauner. That’s impossible and would be an insult to all of the people who suffered during the budget crisis. It would also diminish the courage of the Republicans who risked their careers and lives to vote for the budget, as well as the few Democrats who flipped their votes. It was many concerned people who’ve had enough of this needless suffering who beat Rauner yesterday. - Demoralized - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:52 pm: “My hope of Dissolving Illinois” What a great guy Kass is. It disturbs me that some were/are willing to let the state completely collapse. They are fine and dandy with universities closing, social service agencies being decimated, junk bond status. They are fine with all of it. Why? So they can get “reforms.” You want to know what the greatest reform of all was? Passing a budget. The rest of it became irrelevant after 2 1/2 years of destruction. Now you can work on your term limits, property taxes and WC. It’s what should have happened 2 1/2 years ago. But we had a Governor who wanted it all right now. “the likes of Steve Andersson” Steve Andersson has more morals and courage in his little finger than you ever thought of having - k3 - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:53 pm: God, when is Kass going to retire. For someone who has never had to do anything courageous in his whole life, he has a lot of gall to mock Andersson - Perrid - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:56 pm: Well, Mr. Kass sounds like a pretty toxic person. Making fun of someone who is unhappy with his life being threatened. Trying to make him seem like a coward. His attitude, and people who share it, is a large part of the problem with our state and with our world in general. Personally I think Anderson did the right thing. Yes it sucks for Republicans that they (mostly) blinked first, but anything would be better than more of this stalemate. - Highland Il - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:56 pm: ==== Charlie will be fine ==== Charlie will be fine as long as there are not any opportunistic conservatives itching to go to Springfield. /s - Last Bull Moose - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:04 pm: Rauner took over the Republican party under false pretenses. In my book, Andersson is more of a freedom fighter. - bored now - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:08 pm: any evidence that the “blame madigan” is an effective message? or is it just a feel good thing (don’t blame me, blame the guy behind the tree!)… - Michael Westen - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:11 pm: Didn’t Kass whine in several columns a few years ago when a restaurant patron at Gene & Georgetti’s asked if his children still play in his front yard? Wonder if his lower lip quivered. - Curl of the Burl - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:20 pm: Kass is not helping. In this era of non-stop political silly seasons some J.B. fanatic or some anti-Rauner media type is going to “demand” that Rauner denounce Kass’s columns. - Linus - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:20 pm: Kass has lived in his own fevered reality for a long time. I’m eagerly awaiting his next column, revealing how these breakaway Repubs took their marching orders from the shadowy Jimmy DeLeo (D-HowYooDoin?), who is really still running Illinois in Kass’ world. Reps. Andersson, David Harris and colleagues: Thank you very sincerely for your leadership. It truly will not be forgotten. - Anon221 - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:25 pm: Kass- “My hope of Dissolving Illinois…” This is what Kass would like to see dissolved: Illinois is where the nation’s greatest rivers meet. It’s where the largest Native American city once thrived. Where the most trains cross and daily flights soar. Where automobiles and hard roads got a start. Where sound movies began. Where a nuclear chain reaction was first controlled. Where the first transistor gave rise to the computer age. Where the theory of superconductivity was born. Where the first steel plow unleashed the power of the prairie. Where the skyscraper was born. Where the biggest fair in the nation’s history was held. Where the mail-order catalog and the warehouse of goods behind it got its start. Where the Blues echo and comedy is king. Where more than a quarter million men volunteered to fight to end slavery and save the Union. Where the nation’s biggest ordnance plant helped make the world safe for democracy. Where the biggest restaurant company, biggest makers of mining equipment, aircraft, and tractors are based and where hundreds of start-up companies each year keep the engine humming. We are #illinoisproud. ***** The above is from the State’s Bicenntennial website (https://tinyurl.com/yaywes46 ). My roots are deep in Illinois’ soils, and I plan to finish my journey here where it began. One of the House Republicans yesterday recounted his family history and lamented that all of his siblings have moved away, and that he may follow. I never intend to give up or stop working to find solutions to issues small and local or large and statewide for the State I was lucky enough to be born in, work in, and live in. So, Mr. Kass, take your Drano and go fix someone else’s sink. - 37B - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:38 pm: Isn’t Jack a nickname for John? - Michael Westen - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:46 pm: Profit should run for Governor again. After all, how can 7.7% be wrong. - Jane A. - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:56 pm: I have lived in Illinois my whole life, love living here, work in education and volunteer in my community to help make things better. (Don’t worry, my pension will not be very large.) I am not merely a “taxpayer,” I am a citizen. I am so sick of people running Illinois down. I am tired of the Chicago/everywhere else divide and those who work to exploit it while making it worse. I am tired of people who would rather score points and demonize those with whom they disagree than work to make this place more livable for everyone. I applaud the members of both parties (particularly the Republicans) who voted to pass the budget. They were working for our state and the people who live here. Now we can, hopefully, move on and begin to straighten out more of the very real problems we have. - Retired and Tired - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:57 pm: I stopped reading Kass years ago. I prefer the Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown, who has more to say and generally says things in a reasonable way. From yesterday’s column: “I don’t know if Rep. Steven Andersson, the Geneva Republican who helped forge the compromise, has any interest in higher office, but I’m always looking for a legitimate way to split my ballot.” - whetstone - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:09 pm: =I prefer the Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown= Phil Kadner’s still going, still thoughtful. Good at building an argument rather than relying on rhetoric. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:19 pm: I doubt Steve Brown is moving from Uptown to Geneva - In 630 - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:26 pm: I had blinders on about the burn it all down, we hate Illinois crowd. I knew they were there, but lordy how they’ve grown in numbers and gotten ever angrier by the month. - Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:27 pm: When’s the Tribune move out of the tower because of all its economic success? - West Side the Best Side - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:37 pm: Kass is not now, nor has he even been, nor will he ever be Mike Royko, even though he occupies that space on page two. tronc should just move him to the Wednesday food section where he can prattle on forever about his beer can chicken, which makes more sense about anything he has ever written about politics. - Stewed Prunes - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:47 pm: “Quisling” is also used as a term of derision for a traitor or sell-out elsewhere in Europe. It is not limited to Scandinavia. The Irish use it when discussing politics especially concerning the status of Northern Ireland. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:51 pm: ===It is not limited to Scandinavia=== Pretty sure Andersson is a Scandinavian name. - Anon221 - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 2:57 pm: Stewed Prunes- Some of the Irish, especially in Northern Ireland have Scandinavian influences. The Vikings didn’t just vacation there:) - Nick Name - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 3:04 pm: “Has Kass ever even been in Springfield? H” Mike Royko used to come. - SAP - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 4:11 pm: Proft’s claim that the governor didn’t want to be overridden rings little hollow when you consider that he signed the budget approximately 60 seconds after it landed on his desk rather than 60 days. - anon2 - Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 4:13 pm: I appreciate it when a Republican is candid, not just partisan. Proft shows more insight than Kass, who is merely repeating an angry partisan line. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.