Well here we are, Friday before Memorial Day and the GA is in session. Some things are normal.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:15 am:
I’m wondering who was responsible for the music playing yesterday on the livestream in the time between Exec and Session that was a hot bed of late 70s-early 80s music. It included:
Def Leppard - Photograph
REO - I’m gonna keep on loving you
Journey - Separate Ways
Eddie Money - Take me home tonight
Toto - Hold the line
ASia - Don’t cry
ZZ Top - Gimme all your lovin’
The Who - Who are you
Heart - Crazy for you
Asia and Eddie Money actually had a couple of spots on the playlist. I like to think Jessica put it together.
A big shoutout, again, to all the support Staff and Crew, both chambers, all four caucuses.
Also, to those working to assist all those members and support folks… those working hard at the Capitol, the BoS, in every way to have those buildings and facilities open, thank you for all you’ve done, and doing, to help facilitate the necessary work others are doing in the legislative branch.
Stay safe, stay well, all.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:29 am:
Curious to hear the Governor explain how Restore IL is a “regional” plan when all regions will progress on the same timeline. The plan’s rules — including using May 1st as a hard start date, ignoring a region’s hospitalizations and positive-rates prior to this date, and requiring 28 days between phases — effectively make it impossible for the non-NE Regions to move faster than the NE Region.
Based on how the Governor’s office structured the Restore IL plan, the entire state will be treated the same, but it allows the Governor a talking point that it is “Regional” plan.
===Based on how the Governor’s office structured the Restore IL plan, the entire state will be treated the same, but it allows the Governor a talking point that it is “Regional” plan.===
Up until a little over a week ago it looked like NE wouldn’t make the numbers required to move to Phase 3.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:41 am:
OW — I agree we are all in it together and am hopeful we beat this virus as a state — so please don’t think I’m being too negative.
But my point is the Restore Plan’s metrics are set up in a way that doesn’t recognize the better data from non-NE Regions. On May 1st NE’s positivity rate was >20% and all other regions were at or
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:43 am:
My numbers got cut off.
All other regions were at or below 10%. Now NE is at 16.8%, and the others are at 6.7%, 3.3% and 5.7%. How can it be a regional plan yet ignore the large differences in metrics between the Regions?
You open too early… you close other businesses for good if you need to shelter in place again.
These aren’t just “numbers”, these are people. Neighbors, friends, people we all may never know… then there are the colleges and universities, those students from “all over” coming to a region too.
The regional approach may become more apparent as we move from phase 3 to 4 as its much more performance based. Hospital surge capacity, broad testing availability regardless of symptoms and 90% contact tracing following a positive test. We might see some big regional differences based on these metrics.
Only New York and New Jersey have had more infections.
This push to ignore a whole, by parsing and ignoring travel and the reality of more infections WILL happen after things are loosened… that’s not reading numbers well either.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:49 am:
Stu — The positivity rate metric is tied to a 14-day timeline. Thus, NE only had to have improvements on a shorter timeline to get to Phase 3, whereas all other regions were already significantly under the 20% threshold yet were stuck in the 28-day period for the hospitalizations metric. If one was cynical, you could say the 14-day metric was included to allow NE a month to get to the 20% number. And with the drastic increase in testing (which is awesome and a good thing!) this was surely to happen by 5/29/20.
Requests for this Memorial Day. Please don’t say “Happy Memorial Day. “. When you see a veteran try “Glad you made it home. “. Save “Thank you for your service. “for Veterans Day.
I am sorry for the people hurt and killed by this virus. This is not their day.
=== If one was cynical, you could say the 14-day metric was included to allow NE a month to get to the 20% number.===
(Sigh)
“Because Chicago” is old, tired, and ignoring the lives lost to this virus and the many people who travel this state, region to region, and the idea that science and safety for ALL regions in a state only behind New York and New Jersey in infections is driving the plan… not “because Chicago”
If it was “because Chicago”… Mayor Lightfoot would arbitrarily follow the Governor’s plan.
Are you saying that you or someone close to you has had Covid-19? If yes, sorry to hear that, hope all is well, and glad to have you back.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:10 am:
OW — My point is not to blame or disparage Chicago. My point is if the plan is set up so as to not allow any region to move faster than any other, how can you call it a regional plan. It is a regional plan in name, but in practice it is a state-wide plan. If that’s what the Governor wants to implement, that’s his prerogative — but he should call it what it is — a state-wide plan.
=== My point is not to blame or disparage Chicago. My point is if the plan is set up so as to not allow any region to move faster than any other, how can you call it a regional plan.===
That’s inaccurate to your own take.
=== If one was cynical, you could say the 14-day metric was included to allow NE a month to get to the 20% number.===
You ARE that cynical, just repackaging.
That’s fine, just don’t pretend you aren’t sayin.., when you’re sayin.
===… state-wide plan.===
And yet, from phase 3 to phase 4… you think all will get *there* at the same time?
Already spent a couple of hours yesterday at Camp Butler putting flags on family member’s graves. WW II, Korea, and Vietnam veterans. The staff there was getting all the big flags out and hung for the weekend.
Judging by the number of other grave site flags, a number of other people have been doing the same thing this week.
Can anyone explain Mayor Lightfoot’s decisions not to follow Governor Pritzker’s reopening plans? First, she banned golfing in the city and now she opposes al fresco dining.
I missed the press conference and all the news radio sound bites emphasize are her scolding residents like a parent talking to her daughter.
===Can anyone explain Mayor Lightfoot’s decisions not to follow Governor Pritzker’s reopening plans? ===
You can’t be that dense. Mayors can have more stringent plans than the state’s. This is the regionalization people said they wanted. Suburbs can open up a bit, the city won’t.
@RNUG: Thank you. My grandfather, who was KIA in Italy in 1944, is buried there.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:02 am:
We’re almost at Phase 3. That’s something to which we can look forward. Illinois shows a pattern of increased testing and plateau of new cases, which is good. Texas, for example, has had decreased testing and increased new cases in the last few days. Pritzker is moving cautiously. Trump is irresponsibly screaming to reopen.
“My point is if the plan is set up so as to not allow any region to move faster than any other, how can you call it a regional plan.”
So what you are says is if each region is attaining the same goals at the same time, the regional plan suddenly becomes a statewide plan?
That isn’t how Pritzker’s plan is set up. However, that is how the plan is working out. It is still a regional plan, no matter how much you bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate your logic.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:03 pm:
Huh — If the Restore IL plan would not have included the arbitrary May 1st start point that did not include a look back for past hospitalization and positive-test rates, then three of the four regions would be in Phase 3 now and moving onto Phase 4. This is a consequence of the plan that the drafters would have known they created it. The plan on its face is “regionalized” but the plan in practice is state-wide.
=== This is a consequence of the plan that the drafters would have known they created it.===
Really?
No one knows how this virus is going.
Tell me, when will this all end?
Your complaint, and it’s a complaint is two fold.
1) It’s a process complaint.
You also respond to your own beef, I don’t need to…
=== If that’s what the Governor wants to implement, that’s his prerogative===
So, what’s your beef?
It’s his perogative. You are even saying so.
2) It’s a complaint of happenstance, not design.
=== The plan on its face is “regionalized” but the plan in practice is state-wide.===
No, the criteria remains the same, the regions need to meet them.
Case in point will be how many move from 3 to 4… and if all or any will do it together.
You don’t like process. You don’t like criteria. You claim the governor can do both as his prerogative…so your beef is that you don’t like the May 1 date.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:11 pm:
OW — my argument didn’t post, but I think your response “The dorm rooms are closed for the school year” is very good and I will heed your call. Have a good day and nice weekend. I hope things continue to trend positive and we make progress as a state.
Unless something unexpected happens, this year will be the first year in a long time that there will not be any GA sesions on Memorial Day Monday.
Anyone know the last time that the GA was able to have Memorial Day off? Do you have to go all the way back to when the post-May 31 supermajority requirement was enacted (1994?).
On Memorial Day I shall put out my flag, and later take it down near dusk while playing “Taps” on my cellphone, standing with my hand over my heart and saying “Thank You” to all those now serving, and for those who paid the price in war and peace for our country, including our disabled veterans.
The Legislature’s music should have included Kenny Loggin’s “Danger Zone” from Top Gun. Bailey should have been escorted out to “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”.
- Give Me A Break - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:00 am:
Well here we are, Friday before Memorial Day and the GA is in session. Some things are normal.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:15 am:
I’m wondering who was responsible for the music playing yesterday on the livestream in the time between Exec and Session that was a hot bed of late 70s-early 80s music. It included:
Def Leppard - Photograph
REO - I’m gonna keep on loving you
Journey - Separate Ways
Eddie Money - Take me home tonight
Toto - Hold the line
ASia - Don’t cry
ZZ Top - Gimme all your lovin’
The Who - Who are you
Heart - Crazy for you
Asia and Eddie Money actually had a couple of spots on the playlist. I like to think Jessica put it together.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:18 am:
A big shoutout, again, to all the support Staff and Crew, both chambers, all four caucuses.
Also, to those working to assist all those members and support folks… those working hard at the Capitol, the BoS, in every way to have those buildings and facilities open, thank you for all you’ve done, and doing, to help facilitate the necessary work others are doing in the legislative branch.
Stay safe, stay well, all.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:29 am:
Curious to hear the Governor explain how Restore IL is a “regional” plan when all regions will progress on the same timeline. The plan’s rules — including using May 1st as a hard start date, ignoring a region’s hospitalizations and positive-rates prior to this date, and requiring 28 days between phases — effectively make it impossible for the non-NE Regions to move faster than the NE Region.
Based on how the Governor’s office structured the Restore IL plan, the entire state will be treated the same, but it allows the Governor a talking point that it is “Regional” plan.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:33 am:
- Downstate Region -
Looking at it with the opposite lens;
It allows the regions to be paced differently from the rest of the state, if others can’t keep pace.
It’s a positive if all regions can open simultaneously, but the safety valve is peeling off those that can’t keep pace, as other forge ahead.
We are… one state… after all.
- Stu - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:35 am:
===Based on how the Governor’s office structured the Restore IL plan, the entire state will be treated the same, but it allows the Governor a talking point that it is “Regional” plan.===
Up until a little over a week ago it looked like NE wouldn’t make the numbers required to move to Phase 3.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:41 am:
OW — I agree we are all in it together and am hopeful we beat this virus as a state — so please don’t think I’m being too negative.
But my point is the Restore Plan’s metrics are set up in a way that doesn’t recognize the better data from non-NE Regions. On May 1st NE’s positivity rate was >20% and all other regions were at or
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:43 am:
My numbers got cut off.
All other regions were at or below 10%. Now NE is at 16.8%, and the others are at 6.7%, 3.3% and 5.7%. How can it be a regional plan yet ignore the large differences in metrics between the Regions?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:45 am:
You open too early… you close other businesses for good if you need to shelter in place again.
These aren’t just “numbers”, these are people. Neighbors, friends, people we all may never know… then there are the colleges and universities, those students from “all over” coming to a region too.
We’re 7 days away from a benchmark.
Stay safe, stay well… then May 29th.
- Pundent - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:47 am:
The regional approach may become more apparent as we move from phase 3 to 4 as its much more performance based. Hospital surge capacity, broad testing availability regardless of symptoms and 90% contact tracing following a positive test. We might see some big regional differences based on these metrics.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:48 am:
Only New York and New Jersey have had more infections.
This push to ignore a whole, by parsing and ignoring travel and the reality of more infections WILL happen after things are loosened… that’s not reading numbers well either.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:49 am:
Stu — The positivity rate metric is tied to a 14-day timeline. Thus, NE only had to have improvements on a shorter timeline to get to Phase 3, whereas all other regions were already significantly under the 20% threshold yet were stuck in the 28-day period for the hospitalizations metric. If one was cynical, you could say the 14-day metric was included to allow NE a month to get to the 20% number. And with the drastic increase in testing (which is awesome and a good thing!) this was surely to happen by 5/29/20.
- Grimlock - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:51 am:
Was there any follow up from Caulkins after he found out Bailey hadn’t been tested?
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 9:53 am:
Requests for this Memorial Day. Please don’t say “Happy Memorial Day. “. When you see a veteran try “Glad you made it home. “. Save “Thank you for your service. “for Veterans Day.
I am sorry for the people hurt and killed by this virus. This is not their day.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:03 am:
=== If one was cynical, you could say the 14-day metric was included to allow NE a month to get to the 20% number.===
(Sigh)
“Because Chicago” is old, tired, and ignoring the lives lost to this virus and the many people who travel this state, region to region, and the idea that science and safety for ALL regions in a state only behind New York and New Jersey in infections is driving the plan… not “because Chicago”
If it was “because Chicago”… Mayor Lightfoot would arbitrarily follow the Governor’s plan.
She ain’t.
- Soccermom - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:03 am:
Am I the only person who ventures outside my region? And does the virus know it can’t cross these borders?
- Lynn S. - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:06 am:
@ Mike Welsh,
Are you saying that you or someone close to you has had Covid-19? If yes, sorry to hear that, hope all is well, and glad to have you back.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:10 am:
OW — My point is not to blame or disparage Chicago. My point is if the plan is set up so as to not allow any region to move faster than any other, how can you call it a regional plan. It is a regional plan in name, but in practice it is a state-wide plan. If that’s what the Governor wants to implement, that’s his prerogative — but he should call it what it is — a state-wide plan.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:15 am:
=== My point is not to blame or disparage Chicago. My point is if the plan is set up so as to not allow any region to move faster than any other, how can you call it a regional plan.===
That’s inaccurate to your own take.
=== If one was cynical, you could say the 14-day metric was included to allow NE a month to get to the 20% number.===
You ARE that cynical, just repackaging.
That’s fine, just don’t pretend you aren’t sayin.., when you’re sayin.
===… state-wide plan.===
And yet, from phase 3 to phase 4… you think all will get *there* at the same time?
For your theory to work that must also be true.
- Amalia - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:16 am:
oh some of that playlist is hurting my ears. WXRT, help them.
- DirtLawyer - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:20 am:
I assume any attempt to reinstate the emergency rules legislatively are going nowhere, perhaps leading to a new administrative showdown.
And is there effort to make telehealth permanent? Insurers are planning to end payments on 6/30.
- Robert W. Bugswell III - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:27 am:
As Dan Bernstein says, “Public health is a team effort.”
- RNUG - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:39 am:
Already spent a couple of hours yesterday at Camp Butler putting flags on family member’s graves. WW II, Korea, and Vietnam veterans. The staff there was getting all the big flags out and hung for the weekend.
Judging by the number of other grave site flags, a number of other people have been doing the same thing this week.
- Practical Politics - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:45 am:
Can anyone explain Mayor Lightfoot’s decisions not to follow Governor Pritzker’s reopening plans? First, she banned golfing in the city and now she opposes al fresco dining.
I missed the press conference and all the news radio sound bites emphasize are her scolding residents like a parent talking to her daughter.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:51 am:
===Can anyone explain Mayor Lightfoot’s decisions not to follow Governor Pritzker’s reopening plans? ===
You can’t be that dense. Mayors can have more stringent plans than the state’s. This is the regionalization people said they wanted. Suburbs can open up a bit, the city won’t.
- DirtLawyer - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:58 am:
@RNUG: Thank you. My grandfather, who was KIA in Italy in 1944, is buried there.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:02 am:
We’re almost at Phase 3. That’s something to which we can look forward. Illinois shows a pattern of increased testing and plateau of new cases, which is good. Texas, for example, has had decreased testing and increased new cases in the last few days. Pritzker is moving cautiously. Trump is irresponsibly screaming to reopen.
- flea - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:19 am:
fishing is excellent. caught 7+lb bass this morning
- Just Me 2 - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:29 am:
I never realized how much Welch sounds like Obama until listening to Exec Committee this week.
- Huh? - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:39 am:
“My point is if the plan is set up so as to not allow any region to move faster than any other, how can you call it a regional plan.”
So what you are says is if each region is attaining the same goals at the same time, the regional plan suddenly becomes a statewide plan?
That isn’t how Pritzker’s plan is set up. However, that is how the plan is working out. It is still a regional plan, no matter how much you bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate your logic.
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:03 pm:
Huh — If the Restore IL plan would not have included the arbitrary May 1st start point that did not include a look back for past hospitalization and positive-test rates, then three of the four regions would be in Phase 3 now and moving onto Phase 4. This is a consequence of the plan that the drafters would have known they created it. The plan on its face is “regionalized” but the plan in practice is state-wide.
- Huh? - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:06 pm:
Downstate - thank you for your comment. Please go back to facebook.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
(Sigh)
=== This is a consequence of the plan that the drafters would have known they created it.===
Really?
No one knows how this virus is going.
Tell me, when will this all end?
Your complaint, and it’s a complaint is two fold.
1) It’s a process complaint.
You also respond to your own beef, I don’t need to…
=== If that’s what the Governor wants to implement, that’s his prerogative===
So, what’s your beef?
It’s his perogative. You are even saying so.
2) It’s a complaint of happenstance, not design.
=== The plan on its face is “regionalized” but the plan in practice is state-wide.===
No, the criteria remains the same, the regions need to meet them.
Case in point will be how many move from 3 to 4… and if all or any will do it together.
You don’t like process. You don’t like criteria. You claim the governor can do both as his prerogative…so your beef is that you don’t like the May 1 date.
In 7 days it won’t matter.
Geez, lol
- 47th Ward - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:13 pm:
RIP Jerry Sloan, McLeansboro’s favorite son, Bulls All-Star and legendary Jazz coach.
- Nearly Normal - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:47 pm:
Remember Dr. Tom Pluira? He is nowtesting for Covid-19 antibodies in Bloomington.
https://www.peoriapublicradio.org/post/antibody-testing-emerges-central-illinois-amid-many-unknowns#stream/0
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:48 pm:
Let me try it this way:
Assume for argument that as of May 1st three of the four regions had less
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:50 pm:
=== Let me try it this way:===
No.
The dorm rooms are closed for the school year.
Move on.
It’s the governor’s perrogative
- Downstate Region - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:11 pm:
OW — my argument didn’t post, but I think your response “The dorm rooms are closed for the school year” is very good and I will heed your call. Have a good day and nice weekend. I hope things continue to trend positive and we make progress as a state.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:15 pm:
=== I hope things continue to trend positive and we make progress as a state.
===
Same, bud.
Be safe, you and yours.
- Chatham Resident - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:19 pm:
Unless something unexpected happens, this year will be the first year in a long time that there will not be any GA sesions on Memorial Day Monday.
Anyone know the last time that the GA was able to have Memorial Day off? Do you have to go all the way back to when the post-May 31 supermajority requirement was enacted (1994?).
- revvedup - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:36 pm:
On Memorial Day I shall put out my flag, and later take it down near dusk while playing “Taps” on my cellphone, standing with my hand over my heart and saying “Thank You” to all those now serving, and for those who paid the price in war and peace for our country, including our disabled veterans.
The Legislature’s music should have included Kenny Loggin’s “Danger Zone” from Top Gun. Bailey should have been escorted out to “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”.
- RNUG - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 7:02 pm:
== On Memorial Day I shall put out my flag ==
Mine flag is up 24/7/365; one of the landscape spots is on it at night. Every year to two years I get a new one from Ken at Flag World.