* From the twitters…
* Click here to listen. The governor once again kicked the mayor when he’s down (I’m sure that’ll help) and blamed pretty much all the state’s problems on Speaker Madigan. Some Rauner quotes…
It’s so unfortunate the way the mayor is failing the people of Chicago and he’s looking to blame other people for it.
The mayor has done virtually nothing to reform and transform the government of Chicago and the schools of Chicago.
He’s afraid to take on Speaker Madigan… He’s afraid. He’s hiding behind the Speaker.
[Q: Why is the mayor afraid of Madigan?] The Speaker has been the most powerful politician in the state of Illinois for decades. It’s the main reason we’re in such big trouble as a state. And he’s head of the Democratic Party. He controls tens of millions of dollars in political funds, and he controls a massive army of patronage workers and lobbyists and the judges and politicians and you know what he’s an intimidating figure for the Democratic politicians who are under him.
The reason we don’t have a budget is that the existing majority in the Legislature, led by Speaker Madigan, likes the status quo and they don’t want to make any changes whatsoever.
We’re in this long-term, slow death spiral. The reality is, who’s doing well in Illinois is the political class led by Speaker Madigan. The political class is doing great, the lobbyists, the politicians, the insiders [in] the government, the folks who make money from the taxpayers are doing great. But the taxpayers themselves, homeowners, school children, small business owners, your average working family is hurting in Illinois. And unfortunately the Speaker is not sensitive to that. He likes the power. He’s got a great system, he controls it. And right now they’re unwilling to change. And without change, we’ll never get a true balanced budget.
Summary: “Because… Madigan!”
If only life was that simple.
* Certain pundits, columnists and editorial writers will eat this stuff up and shout huzzahs from their own little rooftops. It makes for great copy and reinforces the beliefs of his base, but that isn’t governing.
He’s not completely wrong, of course. Madigan must take his share of the blame - and there’s plenty of it. But can you behave like this and actually get something done? Why would anyone cut a deal with a guy who talks like this?
And does he want to get anything done or is this war gonna continue as long as he’s in office? Right now, it sure looks like it ain’t gonna end.
Madigan needs to give. No question. But the governor also needs to govern.
