* AlabamaShakes is now one of my favorite new bands, thanks to my buddy Anders Lindall. When he’s not flacking for AFSCME, Anders is a musical guru.
With a soul that’ll make you think of Big Mama Thornton, the power of a Janis Joplin, the spirit of Robert Plant and the edge of Jack White, Brittany Howard and her band of brothers will rock you to another world…
you ain’t alone,
just let me be your ticket home….
* Just a few months ago, this group was playing tiny bars and even a booze boat cruise…
on your way to god, did you think of me.
* Those little club dates are just about over. They’re hitting it big fast, and many of their upcoming gigs are already sold out.
This is a young band, so their repertoire is a bit limited. They have one EP out and another on the way. Even so, I spent more than a couple of hours watching and re-watching their YouTube clips and digging their online catalogue this week, so be careful because you’re gonna get sucked in. I guarantee it.
* I’ve saved my favorite for last. Hold your lover in a deep embrace as you’re both enveloped by the soulful bliss of “I Found You.” You won’t want it to end…
if its not the real deal then i dont know it
cuz it show does feel, and i think it sho does show
* As we’ll soon see, Gov. Pat Quinn took the “Cinnamon Challenge” today.
Yeah, I had no idea what that was, either, until I Googled it. Oh, these kids today…
The Cinnamon Challenge is a popular dare game in which a person attempts to swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon without vomiting or inhaling the powder. Thousands of videos with people attempting the challenge have been uploaded on YouTube — few succeed.
According to Channel 4’s Rude Tube show, in 2006 a Scandinavian YouTuber posted a video of himself in an attempt to swallow a teaspoon of cinnamon. His attempt failed, and he spat out the cinnamon into a bucket.
While the challenge became a viral phenomenon on YouTube, its origin precedes the history of the video-sharing community. Based on Google search results, the earliest known mention of “Cinnamon Challenge” can be found in a blog entry by Jason Kottke dating back to December 22, 2001
Click here for a handy YouTube search. Kinda weird.
* Anyway, Quinn was on the Jonathon Brandmeier show today and the host convinced the governor to take the challenge. Quinn may have agreed because Brandmeier loves him and gushes all over him whenever he’s on the show. As you might imagine, he doesn’t get that much.
* As we’ve already discussed, the state government pays about $2 billion a year into the suburban and Downstate teacher pension fund on behalf of school district employers. Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have all expressed varying degrees of interest in making local districts pick up more of the tab. Doing so would, of course, free up money to be spent on overdue bills or whatever.
There are some who say that local school districts already pick up the tab, but that’s because the teachers’ unions have negotiated away the employee share in contract talks. The “real” employer share is still being picked up by the state. Also, Chicago’s teacher pension fund gets some state money, but nothing like TRS.
The major argument against the idea is that local property taxes would rise and/or school budgets would have to be slashed to make those pension payments.
* The Question: Do you think that local school districts should be picking up a portion of the employer pension contribution, and if so how much? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. Thanks.
Two Republican state lawmakers on Thursday said it would be hypocritical for Gov. Pat Quinn to seek expansion of a health insurance program for low-income adults in Cook County at a time Illinois faces billions in unpaid bills and needs statewide Medicaid reforms.
Rep. Patti Bellock of Hinsdale and Sen. Dale Righter of Mattoon called on Quinn’s administration to drop a request that would allow for an expansion of Medicaid coverage to low-income childless adults in the nation’s second most-populous county.
The lawmakers said there are hundreds of millions of dollars in cost-saving reforms that were approved by the Legislature last year but not carried out. The reform package, which included requiring income and residency verification for Medicaid applicants, put a moratorium on expanding Medicaid eligibility.
“We want to reform the system when clearly that’s not their aim,” Righter said of the Quinn administration. “We’re drowning in the hypocrisy.”
* The proposal would add 100,000 people to the Medicaid rolls. The idea is to get federal money to reimburse Cook County for half the costs that Cook is already paying…
The Associated Press reported earlier in the week that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for an expansion which is supposed to bring millions in federal funding to Cook County’s strained health care system.
But any expansion would require lawmakers to lift the moratorium, and Hamos said Cook County has to convince lawmakers.
Healthcare and Family Services spokesman Mike Claffey says there won’t be any costs to the state if the is application is approved by federal authorities.
“The proposal will help Cook County to recover 50 percent of the cost it will have to pay anyway to treat uninsured people,” Claffey said.
“People in my district, they pay state taxes, they also pay federal taxes,” Righter said. “And they care how much their governments are spending, not just in Springfield but in Washington, (D.C.) as well.”
Righter voiced concern that the state would be stuck with paying for the 100,000 new enrollees if the federal health-care law is struck down in whole or part by the U.S. Supreme Court before the end of this year since they’re eligibility is based on the new law.
* Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said via a press release today that this shouldn’t be a political issue…
“The proposed waiver would ensure that [Cook County Health and Hospitals System], the state’s largest provider of medical care to the uninsured and underinsured, garners additional federal resources that would bolster our health system in this time of state budget distress while relieving the state of Illinois of future budgetary pressures. This should not be a political issue.
“Our waiver proposal seeks to deliver quality care to those who require it the most while simultaneously protecting the state of Illinois from future budgetary liability.
“Last year, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie received approval for a similar waiver which garnered tens of millions of dollars in increased federal financial support for his state’s Medicaid program. If Governor Christie can work in conjunction with President Obama to achieve this goal, I believe all of us in Illinois are capable of doing the same.”
* Meanwhile, the AP interviewed Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos about possible Medicaid cuts…
“Last year, in the Medicaid reform law, the Legislature turned the All Kids program into a “most kids” program. They capped children’s eligibility at 300 percent of the federal poverty level. That could go lower, I suppose.
“And their parents are in a program called Family Care that’s currently at 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Last spring, we suggested they might want to cut adults down from 185 percent to 133 percent. This is what the Affordable Care Act (President Barack Obama’s health-care overhaul) is going to provide (in 2014).
“The Legislature didn’t want to do that. They didn’t want to throw people off the program. We didn’t either.
“Our enrollment growth in Medicaid is directly attributable to the bad economy. … Nobody wants any of these changes.”
Demanding raises that Gov. Pat Quinn has canceled, dozens of members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees rallied Thursday in front of the governor’s office, causing a brief confrontation with Secretary of State police officers.
AFSCME members tried to present Quinn with an oversized “collection notice” for the raises, which were withheld by the governor for 30,000 unionized employees in 14 state agencies in July. Those workers, mostly AFSCME members, were supposed to receive a 2 percent raise on July 1, a 1.25 percent raise on Jan. 1 and another 2 percent on Wednesday. None of the raises have been paid.
Quinn has said the legislature did not appropriate enough money to fund the raises.
* Related and a roundup…
* Number Of The Week: 6,230: That’s the number of jobs lost each time the state reduces general fund spending by just 1 percent, according to a new report by Make Wall Street Pay Illinois and the Alliance for a Just Society.
* Director says IDNR needs help after budget halved: “Our agency has essentially been cut in half over the last decade,” he said. “There are a lot of ramifications. People need to be engaged and involved so we can find a solution.”
* State dragging feet on Medicaid reforms, legislators say: Department of Healthcare and Family Services spokesman Mike Claffey said the department is “steadily working” to get 50 percent of Medicaid recipients into coordinated care. The agency also is putting into place an electronic system to evaluate income levels and is working with the secretary of state’s office to develop a system to prove residency. “I don’t have a specific target date (for completion),” he said.
* Lawmakers set hearing on Jacksonville Developmental Center closure: But while some public testimony is expected at the hearing, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said Thursday the hearing does not comply with the state’s Facilities Closure Act. “Not only does the current hearing plan violate the law, in our opinion, but it also appears to be intended to make it as difficult as possible for some parties most directly impacted to be able to participate,” said AFSCME executive director Henry Bayer in a letter to COGFA’s co-chairmen, Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-Evanston, and Rep. Patti Bellock, R-Hinsdale.
* Public Employee Union: Where’s Our Pay Raise?: “Labor comes before capital,” Bayer said. “This governor gave $300 million to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Frontline workers… he can pay them what they’re owed. They certainly deserve it, and they certainly need it a lot more than the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.”
Michele Piszczor stood in her Southwest Side driveway, pointing to the rusted dent in her car’s driver-side door. To her, it’s a battle scar.
Piszczor (pronounced PIZE-er) is running for office in Illinois’ March 20 primary, hoping to unseat one of the state’s most influential politicians, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).
The dent in her 2005 Honda Accord – and four slashed tires since November that cost her about $100 each – amounted to political payback for challenging Madigan for his 22nd District seat, she said.
“This is what happens,” she said. “This is Chicago politics. But at the same time, to me, Madigan is the root of all evil here in our state. He is the weed in our garden.” […]
Piszczor said Jim Edwards is managing her campaign. He’s a political consultant who mostly works for Republicans. Piszczor said while he is a family friend, she is not running as an operative of the Republican Party.
* Patrick Botterman might’ve been the only Democratic operative who would’ve ever had the guts to take that job, but Botterman died a few years ago, so I can understand why she would go with a Republican. But Jim Edwards isn’t just any political consultant. He runs Jack Roeser’s Illinois Renaissance PAC.
I don’t necessarily doubt her tire slashing stories (thuggery is part and parcel of city politics), but it is a tried and true way to get publicity, especially when you have no money to run any sort of campaign. It’s possibly just a twist on the ol’ brick through your own HQ window thing.
* Piszczor was on Dan Proft’s WLS radio show this week. She’s obviously a single-issue candidate. For instance, she was asked, “What, specifically, would you change (if elected)?… What would be your legislative agenda?” Her response…
“I mean, in my situation, in my way of seeing things, everywhere I go, whether it be Republican events, Democratic events, I mean just events in general, basketball games, we always hear ‘Madigan’s a problem, Madigan’s a problem, Madigan’s a problem.’ Well, here’s a solution to be able to get Madigan out of office and for him to be jobless and for him to get a taste of his own medicine and kind of see what people are facing here in Illinois without a job, and basically have someone new with fresh ideas.”
* “And what are your ideas?”…
“I mean, like I said, just to reform the state. I mean, we’re in a huge mess. But in and of itself that we get Madigan out of office. Madigan has the power to pass bills and stop bills.”
* “So, for example, would you support repealing the tax increase that was passed by Madigan and Quinn last year?”…
“Like I said, you know, the issue here, my main concern is just to get Madigan out of here. I mean, we look at any issue our state faces and what’s the common factor: Madigan. So, I mean when the time comes and we actually address the issues, inform ourselves, vote on them, fine. But, I mean, the problem is that this man’s power has been used just to satisfy his own needs and have his own agenda, and he’s failed to represent the people?”
* “Why are you a Democrat?”…
“Why am I a Democrat? [Pause, question is asked again]. I mean, I’ve been a Democrat, but ultimately in the end of the day, if you also look at the breakdown in our district and stuff, the majority of Hispanics, although we have very Republican morals and ideals, um, for the most part, I mean, the breakdown is Democrat. And so, I mean, let’s just face it, with Madigan’s hold on the state, I mean, it’s very hard to run as a Republican and actually, you know, win here. And the point is to get a seat at the table so we can make a difference here in the state.”
* The surprise announcement by Chrysler yesterday that it was hiring more workers than expected at the Chrysler plant was some of the most positive news the Rockford area has had in many a year. The region has had an unemployment rate above 10 percent for 37 straight months.
During the height of the “Great Recession,” Chrysler just about went under. And even if it managed to survive, there was serious doubt whether the Belvidere plant would stay open. Gov. Pat Quinn stepped in with an incentives offer of about $5 million a year for ten years and the company pledged to invest $603.8 million and retain its 1,950 jobs at the Belvidere Assembly Plant.
Chrysler’s January sales were up 44 percent from January 2011. The automaker is coming back to life. And instead of the expected 1,600 new jobs, the company said yesterday it would hire 1,800 people by summertime…
ChryslerGroup LLC said Thursday it plans to add 1,800 jobs at its Belvidere Assembly Plan to build the Dodge Dart this year.
“You are the new Chrysler,” CEO Sergio Marchionne told workers gathered at the plant.
Last week, Chrysler, controlled by Italy’s Fiat SpA, said it would add 400 to 500 workers to two existing shifts, but Thursday was the first time the company released the total employment number.
Chrysler said all 1,800 jobs will be new hires and will be permanent positions. Five hundred of the jobs are specifically for the Dodge Dart.
The Belvidere plant will manufacture the Dart car alongside the Jeep Compass and Patriot, at least for a while. The Jeep vehicles are being phased out at the plant, with future production of one or both most likely shipped to Chrysler’s Toledo, Ohio, facility, according to Krebs.
Executives did not disclose the timing of Jeep’s exit but said several new products are slated to join the Dart at the Belvidere plant, which has been retooled through a $700 million investment by Chrysler.
The Dart is the first Chrysler to be built on a Fiat-derived platform. The car, which is projected to get 40 miles per gallon and sell for about $16,000, is in pilot production — a testing phase, according to executives. Volume production is expected to ramp up this summer.
“From our perspective, we were just fighting hard (in 2009) to maintain the facility and the current workforce coming out of the worst recession the auto industry had seen in decades. Never in our wildest expectations did we think we’d be here some 18 months later hearing an announcement such as this.”
— Warren Ribley, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
* I literally woke up singing this song today. Yeah, I know, two “non serious” posts in a row. Having trouble getting motivated, so hang in there and sing with me...
If it’s love that you’re running from
There is no hiding place
Just your problems, no one else’s problems
You just have to face
So, if you just put your hand in mine
We’re gonna leave all our troubles behind
Gonna walk and don’t look back
Now, if your first lover let you down
There’s something that can be done
Don’t kill your faith in love
Remembering what’s become
* Campaign finance reports have been rolling out for congressional candidates this week. Let’s start with the 8th District Democratic primary…
In the race to win the Democratic primary in the 8th Congressional District, Tammy Duckworth has been enjoying a poll advantage. Her campaign’s latest survey shows her with a 42 point lead.
But, when it comes to financing, Raja Krishnamoorthi has $791,000 cash on hand compared to Duckworth’s $562,000.
Duckworth had a big fourth quarter of fund raising, but not enough to overcome Krishnamoorthi’s financial lead.
“Raja has raised more money than Duckworth because he has a stronger message,” said Deputy Campaign Manager Mike Murray.
The Duckworth campaign responds:
“The difference between cash on hand available for the primary is around $140,000. In the Chicago media market, that’s about three day’s worth of television. He would need a lot more than that to make up a 40 point difference in the polling,” said spokeswoman Kaitlin Fahey.
Republican Congressman Joe Walsh, who will face the winner here, raised $146,880 last quarter and had $460,437 cash on hand.
Raja has raised more because he started earlier. And Fahey is probably right about that 40-point difference being too great to be overcome with $140K. I still don’t get why Raja didn’t run in the 10th. He would’ve been almost a sure thing in the primary and given Congressman Dold a real run.
Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) raised $356,831 for his reelection bid for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2011, and now has $1.24 million in the bank, according to a campaign spokesperson. […]
Deerfield management consultant Brad Schneider raised more than $134,000 for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2011, for his Tenth Congressional District campaign in trying to unseat Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth). […]
Schneider raised more than $630,000 since beginning his effort in May, and has more than $450,000 in the bank.
Earlier this month, Waukegan community organizer Ilya Sheyman and Long Grove business owner John Tree reported their fundraising efforts for the quarter.
Sheyman collected in excess of $180,000 for the period with more than $200,000 cash on hand. Tree, who entered the race in November, raised $101,000 with $80,000 on hand.
In a remap-inspired matchup of two incumbent Republican congressman in northwestern Illinois’ 16th District, 19-year Rep. Donald Manzullo of Leaf River reported having $522,864 to start 2012 after raising $169,867 in the final three months of last year.
Manzullo’s GOP primary opponent, first-term Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Manteno reported raising $286,260 and had $651,089 in campaign cash on hand.
Informed Republicans say Manzullo is on retirement watch.
Hadn’t heard that. Interesting.
*** UPDATE *** From Congressman Manzullo’s campaign spokesman…
Rich,
Unfortunately, David Catanese did not contact us before he printed the unsubstantiated retirement rumors from “informed Republicans.” It’s ridiculous on its face to say such a thing when we have more than a half million dollars on hand with less than seven weeks until the election.
The fact is, our fundraising totals right now are solid. We held several successful fundraisers in January that are not reflected in the current totals with several more to come. Congressman Manzullo outraised Congressman Kinzinger by $110,000 the previous filing period (third quarter of 2011), and we likely will have a similar amount of cash on hand once the January fundraising is reflected. Money will not be a factor in this race. What will be a factor is grassroots activism, and Congressman Manzullo is getting strong support from all areas of the new district. He has been endorsed by several major conservative organizations, and has amassed a strong campaign team of area Republican officials, business owners, farmers, and Tea Party leaders throughout the 16th District. Congressman Manzullo has the strong conservative record, the leadership experience, and the plans to help strengthen our economy and help put Americans back to work, and that’s why he is getting so much support for re-election.
Democrat Cheri Bustos, still facing a contested primary, came within nearly $1,000 of raising as much money in the last three months of 2011 as incumbent Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-Ill., in the 17th Congressional District race, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
In the reports, which were due Tuesday by midnight, Bustos, a former East Moline alderwoman and hospital executive, said she had raised $219,068 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. Schilling reported raising $219,955.
It’s rare for challengers to raise as much money as incumbents.
Even with that, however, the freshman Republican maintained more than twice the cash balance as Bustos with nearly two months of campaigning left before the state’s March 20 primary.
Schilling said he had $612,022 in the bank at the end of 2011, while Bustos reported $278,897 in cash on hand. This was the second full quarter of fundraising for her. Schilling filed four quarterly reports last year.
After the 2010 election, Schilling was considered by Democrats to be one of the easier freshmen marks here. The guy is an amazingly hard worker and has moderated his tone considerably. He won’t be a pushover by any means.
Augustana College administrator Greg Aguilar only raised $6,618, FEC filings reveal, with roughly $16,000 cash on hand. Freeport Mayor George Gualrapp raised $9,980 total as of September 2011.
I guess I’ll never quite figure out why people run for office if they’re unwilling to do the necessary work to win.
* A miniscule buy, but Gidwitz is obviously trying to raise enough cash to be a real player…
With the Illinois primary still seven weeks away, a business-oriented political group headed by Chicago business activist Ronald Gidwitz is launching attack ads against a likely Democratic opponent of Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale.
The $25,000 cable TV buy takes aim at Bill Foster, a former scientist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory who served one term in Congress before losing two years ago to Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Winfield.
Mr. Foster has two opponents in the Democratic primary, Aurora attorney Juan Thomas and James Hickey, president of the Orland Park Fire Protection District. But Mr. Gidwitz said, “it’s pretty clear to us” that his group is targeting the likely nominee.
The 30-second ad, called “Signs,” consists of a piano dirge in the background with a voice-over saying: “There were signs that Bill Foster would be bad for Illinois,” citing his votes for health care reform and a bill to make it easier for unions to organize. “How many signs that Bill Foster would be bad for jobs do we really need?” The ad closes with an image of a man in a work shirt taping a sign to a window that reads “Closed — Going out of Business.”
So far, the New Prosperity Foundation (one of those newfangled “SuperPACs”) has raised $205K and had $133K on hand at the start of the year.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. raised twice as much money as rival Debbie Halvorson in the last quarter of 2011. But with money she already had in her account, the two head into next month’s Democratic primary for the South Side and south suburban 2nd Congressional seat with a roughly equal amount of money to spend.
Jesse Jackson Jr.: $115,046; $262,942
Debbie Halvorson: $66,360; $260,727
* Roundup…
* Is Randy Hultgren Hinting about a Statewide Run?
* Gill challenges Goetten to 13th District debates
* This e-mail just arrived from Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights), a retired National Guard Major General…
Just FYI, I can understand the Governor’s desire to provide a “significant” tax credit to companies hiring “unemployed veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan”
And having served 33 years in the military myself and also having a son in the US Army who is currently on a year’s deployment in Afghanistan, I know the great service and sacrifice that these service members are giving to their country.
But why discriminate against service members who did not serve in Iraq or Afghanistan?
What about the young sailor who is assigned to the Seventh Fleet (Pacific Ocean) and does not get orders to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom (which is Afghanistan)? Or what about the soldier who is assigned to Korea and spends a year on the DMZ at Camp Liberty Bell or Camp Bonifas (formerly Camp Kitty Hawk)? Or the Air Force airman that is assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. Those service members are not normally given orders under Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
Are these service members any less deserving than those that had orders under Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom. You know, there are thousands of service members who were issued orders under Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom but they never set foot in either those countries (e.g., assignment to Camp Doha, the logistics supply base in Kuwait, or al-Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar).
Whether or not the proposal moves through the General Assembly, I know I am going to bring up this consideration when I can.
* The Question: Do you agree with Rep. Harris that Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed tax credit to hire unemployed veterans who had orders for the nation’s two wars be expanded to include all vets? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
A wave of nostalgia will land on Gov. Pat Quinn when he hits the Belvidere Dodge plant to announce hundreds of new jobs assembling the new Dodge Dart … Quinn used to own a Dodge Neon made at the same plant.
* The Sun-Times SOTS story is headlined “Quinn’s State of State address gets cool reception from legislators” and includes the best line of the day…
In his second State of the State speech, the governor facing low approval ratings laid out an array of feel-good ideas whose shelf life will be dictated entirely by the harsh reality of Illinois’ nearly empty treasury and a state Legislature more focused upon the March primaries.
We could probably stop there, but then we’d miss all the other fun.
Wouldn’t it be loverly, too, if Illinois could afford the lavish wish list that the governor crooned during his State of the State address — a fabulous treasure of new spending notions and tax breaks.
Funny how I don’t remember seeing this same level of vitriol when the big corporate tax cuts passed in December.
It’s something the Governor addressed in just one sentence, saying “Suffice it to say, we must have Medicaid reform and pension reform in the coming year.” Trinity President and CEO Rick Seidler says, “I was surprised there wasn’t more discussion of that issue.” There was no discussion about how Quinn would make reform happen.
The budget address is in three weeks. Patience, please.
…Adding… I think because so many of you are affiliated with state government, when you hear “state” you think “government” instead of thinking “Illinois.” The State of the State address is supposed to be about the state in its broadest terms.
* Of course, the Carbondale-area TV station would lede with this…
There was one topic noticeably absent from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s State of the State speech Wednesday: how the state plans to pay the backlog of millions of dollars owed to Illinois colleges and universities.
I could probably think of a hundred things that were noticeably absent from the speech if I was expecting a budget address instead of a State of the State.
That tax — which is figured as a percentage of usage — generates about $160 million revenue each year, said the state’s Department of Revenue. The typical Illinois household pays about $32 a year for the utility tax, according to rough estimates by the Citizens Utility Board. […]
Illinois Chamber of Commerce president Doug Whitley said talk of ending the utility tax had largely disappeared from the business agenda over roughly the past 25 years. Still, natural gas is vital to some companies, particularly manufacturers, and they would be pleased by Quinn’s proposal.
Natural gas prices are very low right now, and the less than $3 a month savings seems far too low to take such a significant budget hit. But Whitley’s right about the manufacturers. They’d feel the tax cut far more.
“We would be most interested in hearing how that could be paid for, given our current fiscal condition,” said Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago.
“He made excellent points about education, jobs and building the economy as it relates to manufacturing, but my question is, how do we do this? It takes money to make it happen. Early childhood education is fantastic, we need to teach all our children, but how do we fund it? Hopefully he’ll have an answer in our budget speech.
“We know out state is hurting fiscally, and how do we fund all these programs?”
Hugely increased exports, more jobs created last year than anyone around us, factories expanding, high tech beginning to really boom. Yes, we have horrible problems, but this state is still moving forward despite the government’s many errors.
* While using a speech like this to raise campaign money is nothing new, this e-mail blasted out to contributors shortly after Gov. Pat Quinn’s speech ended seems more than a little cynical…
As Governor Quinn delivered the State of the State address today, one sentence stuck out: “Illinois is moving forward.”
Can you help Governor Quinn fight for progress by donating $25, $50, $100 or $250 right now?
* Of course, I agree with every word of this cogent analysis…
“Moving forward on the vision that I laid out today will require true partnership,” Quinn said.
But will that partnership include the leaders of his own party, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton?
Springfield observer Rich Miller of the influential Capitol Fax Blog says lots of work remains in the realm of interpersonal relationships.
“There is still a lot of tension there between those three gentlemen,” he said.
* On style points, I’d also give the speech high marks…
Although Quinn’s plans drew more questions than support, the governor did receive high marks for his delivery. The speech clocked in at just under half an hour and Quinn used a teleprompter to read the address, a departure from his usual habit of delivering off-the-cuff remarks.
“This was his most gubernatorial (speech), though the bar was low,” said Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, like Murphy a potential governor candidate in 2014.
Yes, the bar was low, but he did well this time. Maybe he’s learning.
* Reaction to Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State: “Cuts alone will not get us to a better budget. We must build and grow our Illinois economy like never before to keep Illinois moving forward.” Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn.
* Via the Daily Herald. Click the pic for a larger image…
More SOTS coverage in a bit. There are a ton of stories to go through, so chew on this one for a while.
*** UPDATE *** Something about that word cloud looked a bit off to me. The governor’s office thought the same thing. Turns out, the reason why words like “Quinn” and “Pat” appear so prominently is that the DH likely pasted the pdf version into the program, which would have those words on every page. So, here’s the text-only version. Click the pic for a larger size..
“While Pat Quinn’s Illinois continues to tax and spend itself into oblivion at the behest of union bosses, Mitch Daniels’ Indiana stands as an example for the entire Midwest.
Norquist was mainly talking about Gov. Daniels’ signature yesterday on that state’s new “right to work” legislation.
