Question of the day
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I already posted my Crain’s column. Here’s another little bit of it…
It’s a new year and a new decade, so here are my New Year’s resolution suggestions for our state’s leaders. […]
Senate president: Nobody knows yet who will replace retiring Senate President John Cullerton, but those are some big shoes to fill. That caucus is far more diverse than it looked under Cullerton’s leadership, but he kept his members united, and he did it without intimidation. His successor will bring his or her own style to office, but whoever it is should remember that this is like buying a successful restaurant: Make improvements where needed, but don’t radically alter the menu right away. […]
Business interests: Business was steamrolled by the governor’s minimum wage bill last year, partly because the groups didn’t begin to work it early enough. The governor brags more about his pro-business accomplishments than almost anything else, so use that to your advantage and engage early and in good faith. The Democratic reality is what it is, at least for a few more years. You can either shout at the wind or get in there and win some concessions for business owners.
* The Question: Your own New Year’s resolution suggestions for our state’s leaders?
- Anon - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 3:09 pm:
To all legislators: Don’t forget the rank-and-file middle class. With the South Shore Line likely expanding into Munster and Dyer Indiana… and decreasing commute times from further into Indiana… it’s going to become increasingly more difficult to keep potential home buyers in-state.
- Juvenal - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 3:16 pm:
Pritzker: Govern. You have have some impressive legislative wins with the backing of Cullerton and Madigan. We need you to show you can run a state agency, especially the big ones, just as well.
Cullerton: Enjoy. You’ve earned it.
Madigan: Rise. Sometime in the next year, someone else is going to challenge your authority, insult you, or in some other way pick a fight. Rise above the fighting.
Lightfoot: Mature. Your pettiness is tiresome and unproductive. You’ll have a difficult four years and no second term if you keep on this path.
Republicans: Collaborate. Being the Party of No has seen your caucuses shrink for almost 20 straight years. Be the Party of Yes, But.
- @misterjayem - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
For any and all: Fix the Department of Children and Family Services.
– MrJM
- Flat Bed Ford - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 3:20 pm:
=it’s going to become increasingly more difficult to keep potential home buyers in-state=
Property tax task force has it all under control. Everything is fine in Illinois and don’t let anyone tell you differently.
- Alfred - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 3:51 pm:
Establish a long-term fiscally responsible plan that addresses our pension problem, don’t just plan year-by-year it has gotten us in a financial mess.
I get this is unrealistic, but it is needed. Thoughts?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 4:06 pm:
=== For any and all: Fix the Department of Children and Family Services.===
Amen.
To the post,
To the Governor - keep on keeping on. The damage Raunerism inflicted will keep you busy trying to reverse it. Stay with 60/30 and reach across when it makes sense.
Leader Brady - heavy is the head that leads 18. Worry not. Your attempt to keep the 18 relevant by working with this governor is more about good governing than shrinking the caucus do to purity. My best to you.
SDems - be wise in your leader choice, the 40 of you can show that diversity in a caucus can also mean collaboration.
Leader Durkin - shrinking the party for the sake of the Hateful Eight might be a good short term plan, but after the new map it will be difficult to reinvent yourselves outside your Raunerism framing and Trumpkin anger. It would be wise to regroup now, take your lumps, but have that new brand and new map be a new beginning. Letting the Eastern Bloc and Hateful Eight dictate this caucus’ future is a troubling sight. Fix it now.
Speaker Madigan - after Rauner i thought of this quote; “I don’t feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies.” You won. But now, now you find yourself in the middle of a murky gumbo that has a whole bunch of ingredients but no one knows quite yet to call this unfinished gumbo. Let the governor and his crew dictate the agenda, and understand that every time your profile is heightened, the agenda itself gets scrutiny. Cobble coalitions, but let leaders emerge.
Mayor Lightfoot - less talking, more listening, work smart, build relationships, less fighting for fighting’s sake. Learn from Rauner’s management stylings; they don’t work. It’s 60/30 and the governor too.
- Flat Bed Ford - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 4:28 pm:
OW,
I know who makes up the Eastern Block but who are the Hateful Eight? also, do you have “pet” names for any Democrat groups of legislators or just Republicans? I’m just trying to keep up.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 6, 20 @ 4:46 pm:
=== Democrat===
(Sigh)
The Hateful Eight includes Mr. Skillicorn, Mr. Cabello, and POTUS, making that “Magnificent 7” more reflective of the Eight which includes Trump.
Since I’m fighting to get “my party” back from the Raunerites, and now the Trumpkins, your concern over my “concern” of a party I’m not a part of, like a nickname, kinda shows a blind loyalty to this new shaping party that Raunerism first changed and now the Trumpkins want.
First it was the Slytherins, like Ives and Oberweis, and they’ve evolved into Trumpkins with race and purity.
I don’t have time to worry about Democrats when the focus here is trying to fix the former Republican Party here before it can’t be salvaged.
I humored you. That’s it. Thanks.
- dbk - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 1:59 am:
I was hoping you’d ask.
Have to join with others in asking - begging - that the GA do a comprehensive review/overhaul of DCFS.
Guess most everybody saw the reporting on the IG’s report - 123 children on DCFS’s radar died between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019; 23 (22%) of these deaths were ruled homicide.
It seems like every couple of weeks there’s a new story-scandal-tragedy, indicating that there might be more wrong at DCFS than what a big infusion of money and new staff (300 caseworkers) can fix.
I would like to see the Governor adopt “fixing DCFS” as a personal cause this year…
- South Side Sam - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 7:07 am:
Stop the exodus or residents (tax payers) from our state.