Caption contest!
Monday, Jul 16, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Oh, this is just too funny.
The back-story is here. Apparently, Seth Arkin of Turn DuPage Blue ran into the guv at a Cubs game.
No, I’m not giving him the “Loser” sign. I’m saying #1, as the Cubs had just won a great game.
Have fun, but let’s go easy on Seth, please. Thanks.
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Question of the day
Monday, Jul 16, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
You’ve probably already heard about Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ idea to provide $1000 rebates to purchasers of hybrid vehicles…
Illinois officials hope a $2 million program announced Sunday will encourage use of fuel-efficient vehicles by giving hybrid car owners a $1,000 rebate.
Here’s how it will work…
To fund the program, officials said, state funds will be deposited at local banks and credit unions at a below-market interest rate. The money that those institutions save in interest is passed to consumers in the form of $1,000 rebates at the time of purchase, they said.
To get a rebate, buyers must secure a car loan from a participating bank or credit union for a new hybrid vehicle or an eligible electric or fuel cell vehicle. Purchasers can receive one rebate per vehicle, allowing municipalities or other entities to receive additional cash back when acquiring fuel-efficient fleets.
More…
Hybrids can get up as much as 60 miles to the gallon, while producing dramatically less pollutants and greenhouse gasses. The cars can cost $1,200 to $10,000 more than their traditional-fuel counterparts.
Giannoulias, a first-term treasurer, will travel the state in his own Ford Escape hybrid to promote the initiative.
Question: What do you think of this plan? I’m not just asking about the encouragement for hybrid cars, but also would like you to consider the funding mechanism for the rebates. Explain.
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Let’s look at the bright side
Monday, Jul 16, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* When the governor claimed that House Speaker Michael Madigan wasn’t upholding Democratic Party values, he set himself up for this hit piece…
Going before bright lights and television cameras to deliver his annual budget speech, Gov. Rod Blagojevich paid a professional makeup artist $600 to help him look good.
Records show the state paid Deborah Dee, a professional stylist from the Chicago-area town of Crystal Lake. Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said the $600 amount included payment for Dee’s travel and consultation on the lighting.
When asked Friday why state government paid for makeup, the administration said the billing was a mistake and produced documents showing that Blagojevich’s personal campaign fund paid Dee.
But the state paid her with tax money, too. Ottenhoff said Friday that Dee has sent a reimbursement check, but a spokeswoman for the comptroller’s office said the state hasn’t yet received it.
Now, six hundred bucks really isn’t a lot of money for lighting consulting and makeup, particularly since it included transportation costs from the Chicago suburbs. And if the governor’s office hadn’t paid the consultant with state funds, it probably wouldn’t even be a story.
But it sure is difficult to talk about Democratic Party values when you’re spending tax money on makeup. So, I prefer to look at the bright side. Perhaps this story will help keep the governor’s mouth in check.
* The leaders seemed to back away from the brink on Friday (Capitol Fax subscribers know at least one reason for this). Reporters tended to focus on the conflict in their weekend stories, but, in a helpful sign, the governor agreed to cancel Sunday’s special session and Speaker Madigan told reporters after the leaders meeting that the insults had subsided.
The governor also appears to be backing down a bit from his previous threats to take Madigan to court over the Speaker’s refusal to call special sessions at the times specified in the governor’s proclamations. This tidbit was buried in an otherwise entirely negative analysis…
[Blagojevich] also distanced himself from another unpopular move: threatening legal action because the Illinois House held a special session at 10 a.m. instead of 2 p.m. as his executive order specified. One lawmaker called him “insane” for making an issue over the time.
“That’s a lawyers’ thing. They’ll figure that out,” he said in the interview. Asked if his lawyers take their instructions from him, Blagojevich said, “Not really.”
* Senate President Jones even inserted a tiny ray of daylight between himself and the governor last week…
(A)fter Blagojevich announced his plan for a gross receipts tax on Illinois businesses, Jones said he would not call any 750-style bill for a vote on the Senate floor. They stood together, and 750 stalled in the House.
On Friday, Jones made clear that the governor’s health-care plan is not his priority.
“It is not falling by the wayside, but we’re not looking at any of the general revenue dollars in the budget for health care,” he said.
Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer added that he is now flexible regarding 750. “He said about a week ago that everything is on the table,” she said.
She said Jones and Blagojevich were bound by policy, not politics.
“If he departed on the issues,” she said of Blagojevich, “we would depart from him.”
* The change in attitude is coming none too early because Speaker Madigan was beginning to fire back at the governor last week…
“We’ve had failed leadership by the governor before the legislature,” Madigan [told WGN radio’s Spike O’Dell]. “What we try to do is bring people together, not divide. And Blagojevich’s style is deliberately designed to divide, to tear people apart. I disagree with that. That’s the disagreement. Do you want to bring people together or tear them apart?” […]
Asked on Fox if he was concerned whether the stalemate among Democrats who control state government could rejuvenate Republicans, Madigan said, “Yes I am.
“That’s why I said several times this morning, ‘Let’s end the rancor. Let’s come together.
Let’s recognize problems. Let’s work with people. Let’s not be tearing people apart,’” Madigan said. “If we continue on this path, a sufficient number of Illinois voters would simply say, ‘Enough with those Democrats. Let’s throw them out of the Capitol building.’”
* And my syndicated column this week tried to put the governor’s behavior into some perspective…
Despite what you may have read in some newspaper editorials or Statehouse news coverage lately, it is my considered opinion that Gov. Rod Blagojevich is not insane.
I can’t believe I had to actually write that sentence, but there seems to be a trend to claim that the governor is losing his marbles. The Peoria Journal-Star editorialized last week that Blagojevich was “going bonkers” and more than just implied that he is insane. A House Democrat went one step further and told reporters that Blagojevich was a “madman” and “insane.” House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman cracked wise last week that the governor has Attention Deficit Disorder.
Yes, Blagojevich is a bit “different,” but we’ve all known that for a long time, haven’t we? He is who he is — a somewhat goofy enigmatic who tries so hard to see the bright side of whatever situation he finds himself in that some believe he may be slightly pathological. But that dogged optimism has helped him weather more storms than anyone can count, and he’s obviously relying on it to get him through the supreme mess that the legislative overtime situation has become.
The truth is that while he does love a fight, the governor’s recent over-the-top remarks about Democratic state party chairman and House Speaker Michael Madigan (”right-wing George W. Bush Republican”), his taunting, confrontational style with legislators (calling them in seven days a week for special sessions and then not showing up himself for all of them) and his refusal to offer up real compromises yet are all just part of his usual schtick. He’s been doing this for years.
* More special session reports, compiled by Paul…
* Short Saturday for IL lawmakers at over $12,000 cost
* It pays to be a lawmaker: Part time job that surpasses other states
* Bethany Carson: Governor says no gaming without health care
* Ralph Martire: It’s simple — state needs more revenue to pay its bills
* School officials: Lawmakers break promise
* Rep. Kosel: Voters should urge governor to pass budget, ’stop playing games’
Thoughts?
…Adding… Nobody seems to have noticed that the governor hasn’t filed a new special session proclamation since the middle of last week. That may be yet another hopeful sign.
…Adding more… This just came in from a pal…
I didn’t think about it last week, but another positive sign is that Emil’s focus this week (through the Education Committee) is on education, not health care.
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Congressional stuff *** Updated x1 ***
Monday, Jul 16, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We’ll apparently know next month whether to expect a super-hot primary race in Denny Hastert’s district…
Over chicken and beans at a fundraiser here Friday, Rep. Dennis Hastert and local Republican leaders danced around the question of whether the former speaker of the U.S. House will seek a 12th term.
“As far as I’m concerned right now, I’m running,” Hastert said at the more than 500-people event at the Sandwich Fairgrounds. He said he plans to make a formal announcement next month on whether he will enter the 2008 race.
Three other Republicans — State Sen. Chris Lauzen of Aurora, Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and Aurora dairy magnate Jim Oberweis — have formed committees to look into bids for the 14th District nomination if Hastert chooses not to seek it. […]
But former State Sen. Robert Mitchler, also active in the Republican Party, said he would prefer to see Hastert serve “at least one more term” than watch a divisive fight for the party nomination.
* Meanwhile, Alderman Manny Flores has turned in some impressive fundraising numbers, considering the district…
n the last election cycle, luis gutierrez raised $161,593 while spending $315,779 (a great deal of it contributing to other candidates). luis has told me in the past that it’s very difficult to raise money coming from his district, and i suspect he’s told others that, as well.
the message didn’t make it to manny flores. flores reports that he raised $478,029 in the second quarter, more than twice as much as the next leading candidate. roberto maldonado raised $182,857 in Q2. ricky munoz loaned his campaign $148,000 and took out another $49,000 in loans, which brought his fund-raising numbers up to $309,506.
flores ends the reporting period with the COH advantage ($436,117, $308,456 for munoz and $166,761 for maldonado). what is surprising is that flores’ numbers puts him above every other democratic challenger to date.
Go check the above link to see the breakdowns.
* Congressman Gutierrez hasn’t filed a campaign finance disclosure report yet.
* Was Footlik misquoted?
* Mark Pera gets an earful on health coverage. [Fixed link.]
* This is a 2008 congressional campaign open thread.
*** UPDATE *** Lynn Sweet reports that Hastert has just $75,673 in his campaign warchest.
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Morning Shorts
Monday, Jul 16, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Independents still face hurdles getting on ballot
* Indiana’s claim on Lincoln
* Utility rate deal appears near
* Refusal of new Medicaid patients spurs antitrust suit
The antitrust lawsuit filed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan in June accuses the Carle Clinic Assn. and Christie Clinic, both in Champaign County, Ill., of collectively boycotting new Medicaid patients by adopting identical policies in 2003. The two groups employ more than 90% of physicians in the area.
* State offers assistance to fix housing for needy
* Revival of coal industry at stake in legislation
* State’s oil production strong but losing steam
* Editorial: How could Springfield lose the Simpson’s contest?
* Across the nation new sex offender laws take ‘Romeo’ into account
* Mary Mitchell: Obama’s call for end to violence lacks audience
* Editorial: Gap between prosecutors, defenders need to be closed
* How to win Olympic bid
* Chicago tops at the pump
* Ruling on schools spur talks
In light of a recent Supreme Court ruling striking down two school integration programs, Evanston-Skokie School District 65 officials are expected Monday to consider using a pupil’s socioeconomic background, rather than race, as a factor when determining magnet school admissions.
* Hints of reform — or more of the same in Cicero?
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READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
The House and the Senate are coming in tomorrow morning at 9, but it’ll most likely be just a “gavel and go” thing.
The governor, reportedly at Senate President Emil Jones’ request, has backed off his insistence that legislators stay in special session seven days a week. Both chambers will reconvene on Monday after adjourning tomorrow. Jones’ members must be getting restless.
You can check back here later tonight for the audio clips of today’s post-game press bangs, and I’ll keep half an eye on things tomorrow morning, but unless something crazy happens, there will be no blogging and no Capitol Fax until Monday.
Hooray!
Go to Illinoize if you’re not completely burned out…
* Audio clips from the post-game show…
* Sen Prez Emil Jones
* House Speaker Madigan
* Senate GOP Leader Watson
* House Repub Leader Cross
* Rep Jay Hoffman (for the guv)
* OK, one more thing. I totally forgot about this cartoon, which was sent in by a talented reader. The image is also now available on various t-shirts at our charity store. You can click on the image for a larger view. As you know, all profits are going to the Sojourn shelter.
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Adventures of the “Overtime In Hell” button
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
[Submitted by “a friend”]
“Forget Special Session, I’m outta here.”
“Wait, is that Rod’s plane over there?”
“He has ‘killer’ instincts, looks good and puts on a great show… Hmmmmm.”
“Can the Governor convene special session wherever he wants?”
“At least I had the CapFax blog to keep me up to date while I was gone.”
Get your OT in Hell button today!
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Question of the day
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
How do you think Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is progressing so far? Back up your assertions with examples if you can and try to avoid quick little “drive-by” comments. Thanks.
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Back and forth on health insurance plan
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The guv has a new idea for health insurance…
As his proposal for near-universal health insurance languished in Springfield, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday announced an administrative maneuver designed to control the cost of individual medical premiums.
Using the state insurance code, regulators under Blagojevich will draft a rule that prevents insurers from hiking a customer’s premiums based on the person’s “health status” or medical condition. A second rule change — filed Thursday on an immediate, emergency basis — would require insurance companies to file quarterly financial disclosures about individual policies. A similar requirement will be created for small-group insurers, a spokeswoman said.
Blagojevich outlined the plans during a news conference at a Chicago hospital campus, where he was joined by health-care consumers who say they’ve been hit with skyrocketing insurance premiums. Lombard resident Roy Bocchieri said that after he was diagnosed with a blood disease, his premiums jumped when it came time to renew his individual policy.
* There seems to be some disagreement among critics over how the proposed rule changes would impact insurance polices…
House Insurance Committee Chairman Frank Mautino, a Spring Valley Democrat, said only eight other states have similar programs. Some have seen insurance premiums increase and companies stop writing policies, he said.
“It has the tendency to reduce the amount of coverage available within the market and also to raise the price because the pool within that structure tends to be a sicker pool,” Mautino said.
* But the Illinois Policy Institute claims this…
[I]nsurance companies currently only consider demographics, health care inflation, and the overall financial results of their risk pools when setting their renewal rates, and do NOT rate anyone’s individual policy renewal based on an individually insured’s claims. An Illinoisan with no claims on an individual health insurance policy receives the same increase at renewal that another Illinoisan who has a $1,000,000 claim on an individual policy with the same insurance company.
* The Sun-Times report partially backs up the IPI…
One major health insurance company, Humana, indicated that the rule the governor announced would not affect it because it “does not currently use an individual’s health status or health information when determining premium rate adjustments.”
* As does the Crain’s piece…
…a spokesman for UnitedHealthcare of Illinois Inc. [said] only that the firm does not set premium rates for individuals based on their health status or claims history.
* But back to the Sun-Times…
Not all insurers share that philosophy, however. Small-business owner Roy Bocchieri, 44, of Lombard, was paying about $700 a month for family coverage in 1999, he said. Then he got diagnosed with a rare bone-marrow disease that continues to require regular treatment.
Bocchieri’s monthly premiums increased 40 percent the first year after the diagnosis. They continued to increase every year thereafter.
“When they hit the $2,000-a-month range, I said ‘enough is enough,’” said Bocchieri, a father of four.
* But Speaker Madigan’s spokesperson dismissed the entire thing as a diversion…
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said the governor’s travel schedule this week was curious, given the need for policymakers to be in Springfield.
“When the ADD (attention deficit disorder) kicks in, he flits off to Chicago every couple of days,” Brown said. “Absolutely, it’s diversionary.”
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Casinos discussed at Statehouse
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gaming expansion is back on the table…
Senate Democrats offered Thursday to retool a major gambling package — that nose-dived in the House — by letting communities throughout the state vie for up to four new casinos.
The plan that narrowly passed the Senate in late May but died in the House specified casinos for Chicago, the south suburbs, Waukegan and a location near O’Hare Airport. But some towns outside those geographic boundaries, such as Country Club Hills and Rockford, complained about being excluded.
“We’re opening it up to every city in the state of Illinois, and I think that’s a good thing,” said Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago). “You get more people [in the Legislature] maybe to vote for it if they got a chance to participate.”
A multibillion-dollar gambling expansion could help build new schools and roads and provide a major infusion of dollars into the state’s under-funded public education system, its supporters said.
* But Bethany Carson has a good piece that points out the many pitfalls ahead…
But the gaming meeting didn’t advance any new legislation, and there’s a long way to go. For years, a slew of hang-ups have stymied efforts to expand gaming for state revenue. The horseracing industry wants subsidies from the state so it can compete with expansion of other gaming. But there’s debate about the subsidy level and the mechanism — slots at racetracks or an “impact fee” charged on casinos. And there’s a trust issue about whether the state will simply change the law after the first wave of cash flows in, said Rep. Bob Molaro, a Chicago Democrat in the meeting. Other sticking points include the number of new boats and their locations. Lang said in early June that his version of gaming legislation spelled out nine Chicago-area communities in need of economic development that would qualify for one of the new gaming licenses.
Two other complications were raised after the meeting. One was by House Minority Leader Tom Cross of Oswego: “I think for everyone, one of the central questions here is, when would this money become available, assuming you bought into any of these concepts? We’re into July, and to get any of these things up and running, if you bought into that, you’d have to be pretty aggressive [for it] to be in the ’08 fiscal year.”
The other was mentioned by Sen. James DeLeo, another Chicago Democrat in the meeting. The priority of using gaming revenue for road and school construction projects might be more complicated. “We were warned by the budget director that casino revenues, gaming revenues are very hard to sell bonds on,” DeLeo said. “There’s a lot of if, if, ifs in gaming.” […]
- The governor and Jones have said they support four new casinos in the Chicago area, and Jones has said he wants the money to go to education.
- Cross and House Speaker Michael Madigan said their caucuses still support expansion of gaming only at existing casinos, with the money going toward road and school construction projects.
- And Watson said Thursday the Senate GOP Caucus is open and flexible but would prefer the revenue fund a capital program.
* More…
One irony is the gambling negotiations were held in the governor’s Capitol office-without the governor, who was holding a press conference in Chicago.
Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said the advantage of working without Blagojevich is that a meeting can be held absent the governor’s nearly automated efforts to stay on his talking points: “Press 4 for this speech, and press 12 for this one.”
In Chicago, Blagojevich said he would “hold my nose” and support gambling revenues as a way to pay for an infusion of funds into education and his proposal for state-supported health care.
Thoughts?
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Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My Sun-Times column this week is ultimately about the governor’s involvement in the House’s gun control debate, but this is how it begins…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich playfully told me in April that he had come up with a theme for his epic battle with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. At the time, Madigan was blocking the governor’s (now dead) gross receipts tax on business and didn’t seem thrilled with Blagojevich’s desire to spend billions on a universal health insurance plan.
The governor said he had cast himself in the role of Robin Hood. Madigan, of course, was the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham.
“Wonderful,” I thought. “This legislative session will never end.”
And here we are, more than three months later, stuck in a nasty overtime session that has Blagojevich repeatedly slamming Madigan as a “right-wing Republican” and threatening to take him to court over the speaker’s refusal to obey the starting times in the governor’s special session proclamations. Two legislators have publicly called for the governor’s impeachment, a Downstate newspaper has claimed that Blagojevich is “going bonkers,” and one of Blagojevich’s fellow Chicago Democrats told reporters that the governor is a “madman” and “insane.”
And that’s just in the past week.
* Via IlliniPundit, Democratic state Sen. Michael Frerichs had some keen insights into what’s going on in his caucus…
“The Governor put out this big legislative proposal that has next to no legislative support, but he continues to hold on and say, ‘Hey, we can all go home as soon as you vote for my budget,’” Frerichs said. “It’s clear that that’s his tactic: to keep us away from our families and our other jobs, for those who have other jobs, until we’re sick and tired and we’re willing to cave in.” […]
If anyone breaks the budget logjam, Frerichs said, it will have to be Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.
“I think it’s up to the Senate president to say, ‘I’ve hung with you, but it hasn’t gotten us anywhere. My members have these priorities - education funding, proper funding of pensions, property tax relief - and if you’re not willing to get those, then I’ll go work with the speaker and we’ll override your veto.’
“If that happens, then the governor really becomes irrelevant. If you can get those four legislative leaders to get together, it will make the next three years very interesting.”
He said the Senate Democrats have urged Jones to break with Blagojevich, “but the whole caucus has not spoken with any unanimity yet.”
* But Andy Shaw made a good point in a story he filed yesterday…
The irony here is that Blagojevich’s ambitious plans, and his style, go over well with regular people, but not the politicians in Springfield that he needs to get along with the pass a budget. The governor says he is willing to compromise and wait a year to implement his programs if that makes it easier on lawmakers. But a spokesman for Speaker Madigan says that doesn’t make any sense either because the same people still have to cast the same votes.
* The Bloomington Pantagraph published yet another negative editorial on Blagojevich…
He told the Associated Press that the current situation is “totally what I envisioned was going to happen in January, February and March” and things may get more publicly testy “as the days and weeks unfold.”
Weeks? May we remind the governor that the current 30-day budget extension only has about a couple of weeks left?
Oh yeah, we forgot, the governor who “envisioned” as long ago as January that the current situation would exist said he hasn’t “thought that far ahead” when asked if he would go along with another 30-day extension.
Illinois needs and deserves better leadership than it is getting. Lawmakers of both parties must fill the void left by the governor.
* And the AP looks at the pros and cons of the massive legislative meetings that were held at the governor’s mansion the past several days…
Sen. Terry Link, a top lieutenant to Senate President Emil Jones, said House members seem to be learning basic information that senators have already gotten from their leaders.
“It seems over there that these House members have been asking questions that basically I think could be read in newspapers almost,” said Link, D-Vernon Hills. “For a learning curve for them, it’s good.”
Madigan, who along with Republicans have opposed Blagojevich’s spending plans, said Monday he considered the legislator meetings “very productive.”
“They can see that these positions being advanced by the administration are not consistent with reality,” Madigan said.
Blagojevich counters that it gives House Democrats a chance to see the “right-wing Republican” views being advocated by Madigan, who opposes the governor’s call for a major new health care program.
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Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
WLS radio is having some political fun this week. A few days ago, House Speaker Michael Madigan appeared on the Don & Roma show. You can download that show here.
And this morning from 9-11, former gubernatorial candidate and state treasurer Judy Baar Topinka will be interviewed by the legendary John “Records” Landecker. Go here to listen.
I’ll be back in a few with more session news. Running late today.
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Morning shorts
Friday, Jul 13, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Alton man charged with threatening state senator
* Joe Birkett will seek a 4th term
* Animal Farm: Footlik flip flop?
* Decatur likely site of 2008 GOP state convention
* State rips East Peoria nursing home
* Illinois bills aiding coal industry await action
But Gonet said a key legal provision in stalled legislation — one that would basically entitle the FutureGen developers to legal protection from the state — must pass for Illinois to compete with Texas.
Emphasizing the interest in the plant, on Thursday, state Rep. Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle, announced a $2.5 million grant from the Illinois Clean Coal Review Board to entice the public-private partnership to choose a site in Illinois for FutureGen.
* Phil Kadner: U.S. Rep. Lipinski sleeps in his Washington D.C. office
* Aide, businessman added to Troutman indictment; more here
* Sun-Times Editorial: Overpaid guards show how seriously Cook Co. takes tax dollars
The latest example is the $35,000, 12-day contract awarded to a clout-heavy security firm to make sure workers don’t use 10 fire escape windows at the County Building, which are locked and taped off because of renovations.
* Transportation chief steps down in Chicago
* Chicago firefighters union kicks out its leader
* Chicago city hall to end flat water rates
* White firefighters sue over promotions in Dolton
* Shouting but no ’sorry’ for state closing Rockford MILL
* Friday Beer Blogging: Milwaukee protest edition
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Emptying out the inbox
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A new press release from Gov. Blagojevich…
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced new rules his administration is filing to address urgent health insurance problems for the growing number of Illinois families without job-based health insurance. The rules will prohibit insurance companies from basing premium increases on health status for individual policies and will require them to disclose to state regulators detailed information on premiums and expenses.
Download the full thing here.
* Ha! Somebody played a funny today. Click the pic for a larger image…
If you don’t get the joke, go here and scroll down.
Maybe you can come up with your own special session proclamation ideas in comments.
* A few months ago, I had never heard of Gatehouse Media. Now, it’s an Illinois empire. Click the pic to check out the map…
* Former Ald. Troutman’s superseding indictment can be downloaded here.
* Rep. Harry Osterman’s floor speech yesterday…
[audio:OstermanSpeech.mp3]
* Rep. Osterman’s post-speech press conference…
[audio:OstermanAfter.mp3]
* OK, I’ve held my tongue, but no more. When is this guy ever gonna realize that his “sources” were dead wrong before and are probably at the very least not worth listening to now? I can just imagine what he’d write if Michael Sneed tried to publish a non-retraction retraction like that. Oh, wait.
And on another topic, using two tired gasbags like Geraldo Rivera and Mark Fuhrman to buttress an ongoing diatribe against Eric Zorn doesn’t exactly make the argument look stronger, however much I might agree with it. Eric can defend himself, of course, but that was a bit of a stretch, dude.
* Connecticut governor approves pension bond proposal
* And, finally…
US Senator Dick Durbin says he hopes Governor Rod Blagojevich and other Illinois officials exercise leadership to end a state budget impasse that could jeopardize federal transportation funds. […]
Durbin also says he won’t play any role in settling the state budget. He joked that he would rather mediate in Iraq than get in the middle of the Springfield disputes.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Some legislators have asked that you help come up with a “theme song” for the overtime session.
Bonus: Propose theme songs for each chamber (or even each caucus) and the governor as well.
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The AP interview
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This may have been unintentionally ironic in the AP’s interview of the governor. First, the setup…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich insists he knows what he’s doing as the state budget deadlock drags on and on, even if others have their doubts.
In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, he dismissed griping from lawmakers that he is deepening the impasse by, for instance, dragging the contentious issue of gun control into the mix. Some say Blagojevich’s approach seems random.
“It’s not at all. It’s totally what I envisioned was going to happen in January, February and March,” Blagojevich said, adding that the confrontations could grow even more public.
* And, now, the payoff…
Blagojevich would not take a position on whether he would sign another [one-month budget] extension. “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he said.
[Emphasis added.]
Actually, as I told subscribers this morning, many of his private predictions have, indeed, come true. But that was too funny to pass up.
* More from the Q&A. On why this is “the only chance we have” to pass a health care bill…
“You know better than I do that it becomes more difficult doing those things in an election year. … It only gets harder. It doesn’t get easier. I do believe this is the year of opportunity. I said it when I gave my speech on the seventh of March, that we must seize the moment now. My readings of history tell me that the great accomplishments and the things that really matter happen when people seize the moment.”
Q: Next year is an election year. And the year after that?
A: “The year after that the pension problem gets worse. We dig ourselves even more into a hole and it becomes a lot more difficult. And quite frankly as a Democrat, who knows what the next election is going to hold for Democrats. Why would we risk what we believe in and push it back and find ourselves with fewer of us and not have as many who are willing to be for these things as we have now?
* On his “confrontational approach”…
“Not talking to the press a lot over the last couple of months was an attempt to work quietly behind the scenes and … be more diplomatic and get things done. We thought that might be a good first effort to achieve something. Unfortunately, that didn’t work so now it’s a little more public, and it will be a lot more public as the days and weeks unfold.
Well, that’s something to look forward to.
* More overtime stuff, compiled by Paul…
* Budget fight signals deeper rift
* Schoenburg Column: ‘Lot of frustration’ behind rep’s ‘madman’ comment
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A united House rebuffs the guv
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Illinois House as united as it was yesterday…
The governor’s call to spend an entire special session on gun control (the eighth special session) backfired Wednesday. One sponsor of the gun control legislation, Chicago Democratic Rep. Harry Osterman, repeated what he’s been saying for the past few days: He will not call the legislation for a vote until it has enough votes for approval. That will take 71, to which Osterman said, “This bill will not get 71 votes … It would be irresponsible of me the sponsor of this legislation to call this bill for a vote, knowing that it’s going to fail.”
In fact, if the bill is amended to need only 60 votes, as Osterman intends to do, the effective date will be June of 2008. “June of 2008,” he repeated on the House floor. “So if passed with 60 votes, it won’t take effect until June. So there is no need to rush a vote today or tomorrow.”
Osterman will have to work to gain the votes on the controversial measure, but, he said, “Today is not that day. We need to be focused on the budget of our state. That is our collective priority.”
House members clapped as he closed his comments.
The governor responded with a letter to House Speaker Michael Madigan that said, “I urge you to convene a Committee of the Whole to limit access to deadly large capacity ammunition clips. Giving the full House an opportunity to hear from law enforcement officials, anti-gun violence advocates and victims’ families will help us move closer to consensus on this important issue.” He said he looked forward to working with the sponsor and the speaker’s office to get the bill approved.
I seriously doubt that Osterman will ask that a Committee of the Whole be convened. Such a move would be far too divisive, and almost the entire House seems focused on keeping the pressure on Gov. Blagojevich to cut a budget deal.
* Rep. Osterman also repeated something yesterday that he had told me earlier this week…
Osterman said he talked about the gun bill with Blagojevich advisers over the weekend, before the governor called the special session.
“I suggested that I didn’t think a special session on this or a Committee of the Whole at this point in time, given that we’re in a budget impasse, would be the most productive thing to get the bill passed,” Osterman said.
He also insisted that Madigan has in no way blocked approval of the measure, noting, “He’s been supportive all the way through.”
* More from the Tribune…
The governor has declared that lawmakers must remain in Springfield until they reach a budget deal, calling them each day into special sessions that have dealt with issues mostly linked to fiscal matters.
But his call for passage of the gun-magazine bill in the middle of the budget debate angered lawmakers on both sides of the gun-control debate. They said Blagojevich’s efforts were aimed at splitting House lawmakers over the budget. Democrats and Republicans have stood solidly against the governor’s plans for major increases in spending but are sharply divided over gun control.
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GOP “straw poll” at the State Fair
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The state GOP is aiming for some national relevance…
The Illinois Republican Party announced Wednesday it will host a straw poll on Aug. 16 at the State Fair in Springfield, an event that may challenge the influence of the Iowa GOP straw poll held five days earlier.
Illinois is one of the new “super Tuesday” Feb. 5 states — having moved the primary from March — and the state party wants to be a player, if for no other reason than to rally the grass roots in a Democratic state.
For presidential contenders, Illinois will also provide a more level playing field than the GOP straw poll in Iowa, the state with the leadoff presidential vote. The GOP presidential campaigns are just getting organized in Illinois, and there is no entrenched front-runner in Illinois.
State GOP party chairman Andy McKenna said with a boost from the straw poll on “Republican Day” at the fair, “Illinois will play a central role in choosing the Republican presidential nominee.”
* But there is some risk involved…
It’s unclear whether the campaign of Arizona Sen. John McCain, who also is skipping Iowa, will take part. “Straw polls are for those who can stuff the most people in a van or bus and get them there a certain time of the day. Not real scientific,” said Republican state Rep. Jim Durkin of Westchester, who is heading up McCain’s Illinois effort.
McKenna is guaranteed at least one campaign with an Illinois organization will be taking part: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is in. “It will allow the campaigns that are serious the ability to practice their organization,” said Republican state Sen. Dan Rutherford of downstate Chenoa, who is Romney’s Illinois chief.
If only one candidate competes, does it really mean anything? We’ll see how it progresses, but anything that could spark interest in the State Fair’s Republican Day, which has been almost dormant since George Ryan’s tenure (with the possible exception of last year), would probably be welcomed.
“The local leadership of the campaigns are excited about it,” McKenna said of the straw poll. “They have pretty good organizations in place. They indicate they’re going to work hard to be successful. We’re hoping that it gets competitive and entices one or more of the candidates to speak.
Thoughts?
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