I had someone ask me if I had been furloughed because of the federal government shutdown. I told them no, I work for the state. I then had to explained to them what federalism was.
Not recent, but years ago I ran for local Alderman in a downstate municipality. The most common question I got was whether or not I would vote to end the war in Iraq.
(And it wasn’t like just one person; it was the most common question.)
Worked in a US House office and got complaints about Medicaid and food stamps. It usually took a couple tries to talk them down and explain that those programs are run by the state.
- Because I Said So.... - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:59 am:
It’s astounding how many people can’t differenciate between state and federal government. And apparently at the local level too.
I introduced the Speaker to some people at an event last year. He spent several minutes in a good conversation with them and then he gave a brief speech with Q&A. Afterwards, they each said how impressed they were with him and that he is nothing like he is portrayed in commercials.
Quite a few years ago I was helping a friend run for a Circuit Judgeship. When making my phone calls into Effingham County, over half the respondents I reached asked if she would overrule Roe v Wade.
By the way, she won and was reelected twice, but she never did overturn Roe.
I was often asked when I was in the ILGA where I lived when I was in Washington DC. This question was posed routinely by folks from diverse geographic and educational backgrounds.
This is all due to a lack of civics classes in many school districts. Most people couldn’t name 3 U.S. Supreme Court justices. Many people don’t know there is 3 branches to the federal government.
I worked on a state legislative campaign, and one of the party organizations kept sending out mailers on Social Security and Medicare. I won’t reveal which one, but regular readers of this blog will know.
So, if we’re going to make fun of regular people for not knowing the difference between state and federal issues, we should also make fun of our party leaders who do it on purpose to confuse voters.
==So, if we’re going to make fun of regular people for not knowing the difference between state and federal issues, we should also make fun of our party leaders who do it on purpose to confuse voters.==
Say it louder for the people in the back. Underwood and Londrigan both faced Madigan attacks- despite the fact that neither one was running for nor had ever served in the IL state house. If voters are blurring these lines, well, they’re only taking their cues from the parties themselves.
I was often addressed as “Congresswoman” and asked how things are in D.C. Many times people told me they would vote for me, but they would never vote for Michael Madigan. I smiled and told them that’s perfectly okay.
- Colin O'Scopey - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:26 pm:
The answer for that canvasser was easy: “The answer is no. The candidate will quit the City Council before he/she would ever vote for Madigan to be Speaker”.
I was helping a friend who was running for a seat on a community college board of trustees and was asked if my friend was elected, would she help to improve the high school’s basketball team. I didn’t know how to reply, so I just said yes and left it at that.
Just in general, I have encountered many people over the years who could not name who the Governor is. These are grown adults, some Illinois natives. I’m sure for now most people know “it’s that Pritzker guy” because the election was so recent, but give it two years. Related, I’ve heard countless justifications for not voting because “Illinois is a blue state anyway, so why even vote.” Entirely unaware of the existence of elected offices besides President.
I sold cars at a Dodge dealership (worst job I ever had by the way) and an old dude that I had been working with for about hour asked if I could order him a new F-150. Should have given him the G’Kar response. I was a horrible salesman.
I was at an event with a former state legislator. Speaker Madigan was set to speak and Lisa as well. The legislator was saying what a bad family man the Speaker was and how awful it was he didn’t get out for Lisa. I made an analogy of how my dad wouldn’t dare leave his job for me and I wouldn’t expect him to and assume Lisa wouldn’t either. I told him all the family stories I knew about the Speaker, and shared my opinin that you can criticize the Speaker if you disagreee with him but calling him a bad family man is a real stretch (the Speaker was going on and on about Shirley and continuously thanking her in speeches before Barack Obama perfected praise to the wife). Anyone who witnesses him with his wife, kids or grandchildren can see the positive husband or grandfatherly dynamic. After Madigans were done speaking, the legislator came over and seemed to have loss some of the belief in the Speaker as an evil man myth.
My other favorite was every time they would bring those OBEY t shirts and posters to the capitol to make the Speaker look bad, it was his staff and his members scooping them up. They thought they were GREAT and probably still have them hanging up in their offices as a joke. That was some wasted money. Still regret giving away a T-shirt and poster they handed me.
Along those lines, a TV news example courtesy of Springfield’s beloved Channel 20:
During one of AFSCME’s tiffs with Gov. Quinn in 2011-12, Channel 20 used footage of what appeared to be a noon hour video on the north side of the Howlett Building (main Secretary of State building). Sorry, but nobody in SOS is an AFSCME member (mostly SEIU members in the Howlett).
I have to explain to people all the time (over the phone) that Northwestern is not a state school and if there were a Northwestern Illinois University, it would not be located in the same city as Northeastern Illinois.
How about yard signs posted for GA and Congressional candidates that are NOT running in your district–do those count?
There were two instances of this in Chatham this last election. I remember seeing a Betsy Dirksen Londrigan yard sign north of Chatham near Route 4’s intersection with Mansion Road (outside Piper Glen). That didn’t help out Junius Rodriguez–Chatham is in LaHood’s 18th.
And this one may still have been up until recent weeks, but in a vacant lot near Iron Bridge Road/Plummer Drive in northeast Chatham (across from Glenwood HS’s football field), there was an Andy Manar for State Senate sign. A possible preview of the next remap?
After the 2016 Presidential election, I was astonished at the number of otherwise well-educated people I know who a) didn’t understand the Electoral College, or b) thought the Electoral College had been abolished (wishful thinking, maybe?)
Not all states have , that I’ve aware of ,mandated tests on civics. Plus, many teachers are pressured to pass along failing students. I personally know a few teachers who have been told “no more F’s if they show up”.
= How about yard signs posted for GA and Congressional candidates that are NOT running in your district–do those count? =
Maybe, maybe not, depends on the commuting patterns in the area. By that logic, the Londrigan sign on Route 4 would have made more sense than the Manar sign near the high school.
Not in the Aldermanic races but I was canvassing for a suburban race and came up to a house where a, rather irritated that I was there, man stopped my speech midstream to angrily (and with gusto) ask if he/she was going to vote for that Mike Madigan guy. Thinking I had this house figured out I gave him the “he/she is an independent Democrat not beholden to Mike Madigan.” to which he replied with just as much anger and gusto - “then how the hell will he/she get anything done?” It was at this moment I decided to mark him as undecided and move on.
Every. Single. Day. I work in a constituent services office and honestly it happens every day. The latest is “Please tell State Elected Official X not to/to vote for the Wall.” SMH!
I knocked doors yesterday for City Treasurer and a nice lady said “Will she vote to stop the shutdown?” My answer: “Absolutley” We need to continue the dialogue as Richi Milla suggests.
In either 2004 or ‘05 in the lead-up to 20’s affiliation switch (NBC to ABC) with WAND-17 Decatur, someone wrote the SJR to express hope that Mark Hyman’s commentaries would also “move to Decatur” as the writer put it.
Apparently he/she thought Mark Hyman’s commentary was an NBC show and not something mandatory for Sinclair-owned stations to broadcast.
During Hillary campaign was asked what cabinet position she had held. Replied Secretary of State. Voter replied ‘so she is in charge of drivers licenses for the whole country?’
I just spoke to a rep. of a quasi governmental agency, I asked a question about who to contact, he told me to call my Congressman…I said you are a Illinois agency, do you mean the State Rep? he then said ” yea the State Rep” Oh boy I am amazed at who does not know there is a difference!!!
This is not entirely topic specific, but I think it proves the overall point.
I’m a former Alderman. I once got an email saying, “There are too many rabbits in my area. I think it’s because the crows were killed off by West Nile Virus. What can you do to bring back crows?”
I was tempted to reply, “Black magic?”
I almost thought it was a joke, until I got an email from a different constituent about a week later.
“There are too many rats around. What can we do about getting some hawks around here?”
I think the lack of understanding of federalism/division of powers/the basic structure of government isn’t the only thing lacking in the populace. I think we need classes in “reality.”
…people are unclear about levels of government.” I get a kick out of Republicans complaining about property taxes when (outside of Cook County) almost all property taxes are set by guess who? Republicans.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:50 am:
I had someone ask me if I had been furloughed because of the federal government shutdown. I told them no, I work for the state. I then had to explained to them what federalism was.
- Just Me 2 - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:54 am:
Not recent, but years ago I ran for local Alderman in a downstate municipality. The most common question I got was whether or not I would vote to end the war in Iraq.
(And it wasn’t like just one person; it was the most common question.)
- Duopoly - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:55 am:
=Canvassing for an Aldermanic candidate last night, I got the “Will she vote for Madigan for Speaker?”=
A Rauner voter. Rauner ran against Madigan for Governor too.
- OutOfState - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:58 am:
Worked in a US House office and got complaints about Medicaid and food stamps. It usually took a couple tries to talk them down and explain that those programs are run by the state.
- Because I Said So.... - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:59 am:
It’s astounding how many people can’t differenciate between state and federal government. And apparently at the local level too.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:00 pm:
Years ago, a letter to the SJ-R editor complained how Rep. Karen Hasara was doing a lousy job in Washington, DC.
I mean, dude, you live in Springfield. Have you never noticed the Statehouse?
- Springfield - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:02 pm:
I introduced the Speaker to some people at an event last year. He spent several minutes in a good conversation with them and then he gave a brief speech with Q&A. Afterwards, they each said how impressed they were with him and that he is nothing like he is portrayed in commercials.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:03 pm:
A dude in the tavern the other day said Trump should fire all those LA teachers who were out on strike.
Insisted that he could because of Reagan/PATCO.
- illini - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:05 pm:
Quite a few years ago I was helping a friend run for a Circuit Judgeship. When making my phone calls into Effingham County, over half the respondents I reached asked if she would overrule Roe v Wade.
By the way, she won and was reelected twice, but she never did overturn Roe.
- Chad Hays - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:08 pm:
I was often asked when I was in the ILGA where I lived when I was in Washington DC. This question was posed routinely by folks from diverse geographic and educational backgrounds.
- Steve - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:09 pm:
This is all due to a lack of civics classes in many school districts. Most people couldn’t name 3 U.S. Supreme Court justices. Many people don’t know there is 3 branches to the federal government.
- Just Me 2 - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:11 pm:
I worked on a state legislative campaign, and one of the party organizations kept sending out mailers on Social Security and Medicare. I won’t reveal which one, but regular readers of this blog will know.
So, if we’re going to make fun of regular people for not knowing the difference between state and federal issues, we should also make fun of our party leaders who do it on purpose to confuse voters.
- Phenomynous - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:15 pm:
Just Me 2 hit it out of the park.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:16 pm:
==So, if we’re going to make fun of regular people for not knowing the difference between state and federal issues, we should also make fun of our party leaders who do it on purpose to confuse voters.==
Say it louder for the people in the back. Underwood and Londrigan both faced Madigan attacks- despite the fact that neither one was running for nor had ever served in the IL state house. If voters are blurring these lines, well, they’re only taking their cues from the parties themselves.
- Kate Cloonen - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:18 pm:
I was often addressed as “Congresswoman” and asked how things are in D.C. Many times people told me they would vote for me, but they would never vote for Michael Madigan. I smiled and told them that’s perfectly okay.
- Colin O'Scopey - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:26 pm:
The answer for that canvasser was easy: “The answer is no. The candidate will quit the City Council before he/she would ever vote for Madigan to be Speaker”.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:29 pm:
I was helping a friend who was running for a seat on a community college board of trustees and was asked if my friend was elected, would she help to improve the high school’s basketball team. I didn’t know how to reply, so I just said yes and left it at that.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:31 pm:
===I didn’t know how to reply, so I just said yes===
You should consider doing that for a living
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:32 pm:
“Madigan controls everyone but Rauner. Ev-Ree-One”
- pto - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:39 pm:
Just in general, I have encountered many people over the years who could not name who the Governor is. These are grown adults, some Illinois natives. I’m sure for now most people know “it’s that Pritzker guy” because the election was so recent, but give it two years. Related, I’ve heard countless justifications for not voting because “Illinois is a blue state anyway, so why even vote.” Entirely unaware of the existence of elected offices besides President.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:44 pm:
I sold cars at a Dodge dealership (worst job I ever had by the way) and an old dude that I had been working with for about hour asked if I could order him a new F-150. Should have given him the G’Kar response. I was a horrible salesman.
- Nick Name - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:45 pm:
===Many people don’t know there is 3 branches to the federal government.===
Then how do they pass their state-mandated constitution tests?
- Ugh - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:46 pm:
I was at an event with a former state legislator. Speaker Madigan was set to speak and Lisa as well. The legislator was saying what a bad family man the Speaker was and how awful it was he didn’t get out for Lisa. I made an analogy of how my dad wouldn’t dare leave his job for me and I wouldn’t expect him to and assume Lisa wouldn’t either. I told him all the family stories I knew about the Speaker, and shared my opinin that you can criticize the Speaker if you disagreee with him but calling him a bad family man is a real stretch (the Speaker was going on and on about Shirley and continuously thanking her in speeches before Barack Obama perfected praise to the wife). Anyone who witnesses him with his wife, kids or grandchildren can see the positive husband or grandfatherly dynamic. After Madigans were done speaking, the legislator came over and seemed to have loss some of the belief in the Speaker as an evil man myth.
My other favorite was every time they would bring those OBEY t shirts and posters to the capitol to make the Speaker look bad, it was his staff and his members scooping them up. They thought they were GREAT and probably still have them hanging up in their offices as a joke. That was some wasted money. Still regret giving away a T-shirt and poster they handed me.
- a drop in - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:51 pm:
“Madigan controls everyone but Rauner. Ev-Ree-One”
Rauner was so spectacularly bad for the Republicans I’m not sure that is true.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:54 pm:
- a drop in -
Where I heard it, the “conspiracy theory” included “crooks”, “cahoots”, and “betrayed”
I was told I “betrayed” Rauner with my thoughts (this was a civilian in my civilian life) so I shrugged.
- Leatherneck - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:55 pm:
Along those lines, a TV news example courtesy of Springfield’s beloved Channel 20:
During one of AFSCME’s tiffs with Gov. Quinn in 2011-12, Channel 20 used footage of what appeared to be a noon hour video on the north side of the Howlett Building (main Secretary of State building). Sorry, but nobody in SOS is an AFSCME member (mostly SEIU members in the Howlett).
- Retired - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:59 pm:
I have been out of office for more than a decade and people still approach me to discuss issues thinking that I am still a Legislator.
- Huh? - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:05 pm:
“Madigan controls everyone but Rauner. Ev-Ree-One”
Madigan just lived in 1.4% head for 4 years. No control was necessary.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:06 pm:
I have to explain to people all the time (over the phone) that Northwestern is not a state school and if there were a Northwestern Illinois University, it would not be located in the same city as Northeastern Illinois.
- Leatherneck - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:06 pm:
How about yard signs posted for GA and Congressional candidates that are NOT running in your district–do those count?
There were two instances of this in Chatham this last election. I remember seeing a Betsy Dirksen Londrigan yard sign north of Chatham near Route 4’s intersection with Mansion Road (outside Piper Glen). That didn’t help out Junius Rodriguez–Chatham is in LaHood’s 18th.
And this one may still have been up until recent weeks, but in a vacant lot near Iron Bridge Road/Plummer Drive in northeast Chatham (across from Glenwood HS’s football field), there was an Andy Manar for State Senate sign. A possible preview of the next remap?
- JoanP - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:07 pm:
After the 2016 Presidential election, I was astonished at the number of otherwise well-educated people I know who a) didn’t understand the Electoral College, or b) thought the Electoral College had been abolished (wishful thinking, maybe?)
- Steve - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:08 pm:
- Nick Name -
Not all states have , that I’ve aware of ,mandated tests on civics. Plus, many teachers are pressured to pass along failing students. I personally know a few teachers who have been told “no more F’s if they show up”.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/12/circle-study-finds-most-s_n_1959522.html
- cover - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:15 pm:
= How about yard signs posted for GA and Congressional candidates that are NOT running in your district–do those count? =
Maybe, maybe not, depends on the commuting patterns in the area. By that logic, the Londrigan sign on Route 4 would have made more sense than the Manar sign near the high school.
- Been There - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:16 pm:
My spouse was running for a sanitary district spot. Amazed how many times people asked about abortion.
- Kyle Hillman - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:16 pm:
Not in the Aldermanic races but I was canvassing for a suburban race and came up to a house where a, rather irritated that I was there, man stopped my speech midstream to angrily (and with gusto) ask if he/she was going to vote for that Mike Madigan guy. Thinking I had this house figured out I gave him the “he/she is an independent Democrat not beholden to Mike Madigan.” to which he replied with just as much anger and gusto - “then how the hell will he/she get anything done?” It was at this moment I decided to mark him as undecided and move on.
- Me, Me, Me - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:17 pm:
Every. Single. Day. I work in a constituent services office and honestly it happens every day. The latest is “Please tell State Elected Official X not to/to vote for the Wall.” SMH!
- Mark Matras - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:18 pm:
I knocked doors yesterday for City Treasurer and a nice lady said “Will she vote to stop the shutdown?” My answer: “Absolutley” We need to continue the dialogue as Richi Milla suggests.
- n - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:18 pm:
:(
- Leatherneck - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:18 pm:
Another Channel 20 Springfield example:
In either 2004 or ‘05 in the lead-up to 20’s affiliation switch (NBC to ABC) with WAND-17 Decatur, someone wrote the SJR to express hope that Mark Hyman’s commentaries would also “move to Decatur” as the writer put it.
Apparently he/she thought Mark Hyman’s commentary was an NBC show and not something mandatory for Sinclair-owned stations to broadcast.
- Dixiechick - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:19 pm:
During Hillary campaign was asked what cabinet position she had held. Replied Secretary of State. Voter replied ‘so she is in charge of drivers licenses for the whole country?’
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:19 pm:
And with all the pot talk here on CapFax.. Can we start using the term “Madigan Madness”
- Groucho - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:21 pm:
This is why we should not be too upset when only 25% of the people eligible to vote actually vote.
- Uncle Ernie - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:23 pm:
I just spoke to a rep. of a quasi governmental agency, I asked a question about who to contact, he told me to call my Congressman…I said you are a Illinois agency, do you mean the State Rep? he then said ” yea the State Rep” Oh boy I am amazed at who does not know there is a difference!!!
- Anonymouse - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:33 pm:
Working in a state rep district office and a constituent emailed us demanding we take the president’s deal for a border wall.
- Duopoly - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:36 pm:
=It’s astounding how many people can’t differenciate between state and federal government. And apparently at the local level too.=
Quinn had state agency deputy directors insisting that their interpretation of governors EO’s “superseded” federal law.
- LXB - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:59 pm:
==Underwood and Londrigan both faced Madigan attacks- despite the fact that neither one was running for nor had ever served in the IL state house.==
Kelly, too.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 2:04 pm:
This is not entirely topic specific, but I think it proves the overall point.
I’m a former Alderman. I once got an email saying, “There are too many rabbits in my area. I think it’s because the crows were killed off by West Nile Virus. What can you do to bring back crows?”
I was tempted to reply, “Black magic?”
I almost thought it was a joke, until I got an email from a different constituent about a week later.
“There are too many rats around. What can we do about getting some hawks around here?”
I think the lack of understanding of federalism/division of powers/the basic structure of government isn’t the only thing lacking in the populace. I think we need classes in “reality.”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 2:43 pm:
Kelly and Dirksen-Londrigan both got a “because Madigan” attack.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 2:50 pm:
===Madigan just lived in 1.4% head for 4 years. No control was necessary.===
This is prime cut. Well done.
- striketoo - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 2:56 pm:
…people are unclear about levels of government.” I get a kick out of Republicans complaining about property taxes when (outside of Cook County) almost all property taxes are set by guess who? Republicans.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 9:24 pm:
–This is all due to a lack of civics classes in many school districts.–
That explains your posts. Mississippi?
Get yourself a library card. They’re free, like that commie Ben Franklin meant them to be.