[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Exelon announced that its profits for 2015 were $2,270,000,000 and that it is increasing dividends to shareholders 2.5% per year for the next three years.
So you’re thinking – “The company is healthy, shareholders are getting more $$$, the power auctions provided them $1.7 billion for their nuclear plants in Illinois so they must be done asking struggling Illinois ratepayers for a bailout, right?” Nope - it’s never enough for Exelon.
“Groundhog Day was yesterday, but Exelon appears to want to keep celebrating. The Chicago-based nuclear giant is back to threatening to close nuclear plants in Illinois without financial help from the state.” – “Exelon’s Crane beats the drum again for nuke subsidies” Crain’s, February 3, 2016
To review:
- Exelon made more than TWO BILLION DOLLARS ($2,270,000,000) last year
- Exelon is INCREASING DIVIDENDS FOR SHAREHOLDERS
- Exelon received a $1.7 BILLION WINDFALL through new capacity charges
Illinois still has no budget, the state’s finances and services are in shambles, the social safety net is being decimated but Exelon STILL wants the Legislature to pass a huge BAILOUT.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Just say no to the Exelon Bailout.
www.noexelonbailout.com
BEST Coalition is a 501C4 nonprofit group of dozens of business, consumer and government groups, as well as large and small businesses. Visit www.noexelonbailout.com.
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* Tribune editorial…
We understand that many of Rauner’s critics want to energize their loyalists; others demonize him to raise donations. No problem, free country, all fair.
What we don’t understand is the Rauner critics’ willingness to see services shrink and institutions close. Their reluctance to get in Michael Madigan’s face, just as they get in Bruce Rauner’s.
* Let’s walk down memory lane, starting with the SJ-R…
“I think we can drive a wedge issue in the Democratic Party on that topic and bring the folks who say, ‘You know what, for our tax dollars, I’d rather help the disadvantaged, the handicapped, the elderly, the children in poverty,’ ” Rauner said, instead of directing tax dollars to the Service Employees International Union or “AF-Scammy,”
* A Tribune news report on a Tribune editorial board appearance last year…
“Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change … and we’ve got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change,” said Rauner […]
One such moment came when Rauner railed against public worker unions that donate heavily to further their political aims. Asked how he intended to get a ban on union campaign contributions through a legislature that is heavily backed by organized labor, Rauner pointed to the binders his staff had prepared.
“Read it,” he said. “Change the law … that’s what our proposal is.”
Pressed to explain, Rauner simply said: “Crisis. Crisis creates leverage.”
So, can you see why most legislators who aren’t in the governor’s party are so reluctant to do a deal with him? He said he would create a crisis and he did it. If they give in, he’ll probably just do it all over again.
* Let me be abundantly clear here that I have been pushing for and demanding a resolution to this impasse for a very long time. I believe that the governor makes extremely good points about the state of our economy and about the unfairness of our property tax system.
But, at the same time, it’s really not too difficult to understand why the other side doesn’t want to cave.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Chicago Rep. Will Guzzardi is not at all what you would ever call an “organization Democrat.” He defeated an organization Dem on his second try. His response to the Trib’s editorial on his Facebook page…
Here’s the thing about this article. It operates on the same faulty premise that I think the Governor has: fear of Speaker Madigan is the only thing keeping us from being full-throated advocates of the Turnaround Agenda.
That’s just wrong. You could have another Speaker tomorrow and you’d still be miles away from 60 votes on right to work, ending prevailing wage, gutting workers comp, capping remedies in civil court, or any of the rest of Rauner’s “reforms.”
I’m opposed to those things, and it’s certainly not because I’m under the thumb of Madigan. Most of my colleagues are opposed to them too. It’s because we actually believe in the merits of those programs.
Anyone who wants this thing to end needs to realize that, irrespective of Madigan, there is *no way* that the Turnaround Agenda will pass the House. Insisting on it as a precondition of a budget deal is the same thing as saying “I do not want a budget deal.” That’s why we blame Rauner.
You may disagree with his ideology, but you can’t argue the merits of his argument here. Very, very good points. [Hat tip: 47th Ward in comments]
*** UPDATE 2 *** Good points by a commenter…
The Democrats undeniably did the following things:
1) They passed a tax increase with a sunset provision, then for 4 years and total control of Congress and Gov’s office they took no action to either get expenses in line to prepare for the drop off in income tax, OR to renew the tax rates before they hit sunset. They could have taken that action as a party at any point from 2011 to 2015. They could have extended the tax sunset in the lame duck session of 2014 but they did not do that.
2) Democrats passed an unbalanced budget twice, once in 2014 when there was a Democratic governor and again in 2015 with Rauner.
Yep. Very true. Blame for the past, even the recent past, is very easy here. Going forward, however, I don’t see how it makes much of a difference.
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Mautino begins releasing documentation
Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Valley News Tribune…
Frank Mautino says now the more than $200,000 he racked up in fuel and auto service charges since 1999 wasn’t accumulated through his personal vehicle alone but in fact for four vehicles, including one owned and driven by a campaign worker.
After weeks of silence over questions raised about his campaign expenditures, the longtime Democratic state representative, now Illinois auditor general, released Tuesday a kind of statement explaining somewhat his fuel expenditures. These reached the seemingly improbable total of $213,000 from Happy’s Super Service in Spring Valley over more than a decade. […]
-A 2014 Ford Fiesta with 93,000 miles
-A 2002 Ford Explorer with 200,000 miles
-A 2014 Chevrolet Equinox with 30,000 miles
-A 1997 Ford F-150 with undisclosed miles
(NOTE: The Equinox mileage appears to be 30,000; the letter issued as a PDF file by Mautino spokesman Ryan Keith was not consistently legible.)
“All of these vehicles are personal vehicles,” Mautino wrote, excepting the F-150 which belonged to campaign worker Harry Pelka. “All the vehicles have been used for personal and campaign use. My primary work and campaign vehicle is the 2014 Ford Fiesta.” […]
The Ford Explorer, which Mautino said was primarily driven by campaign worker William Losey, alone accounts for 200,000 miles and would have been driven during calendar years when per-gallon fuel costs would have consistently been more than $3 and at times more than $4.
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* Like I said earlier, blogging could be light today because I’m heading into the Obamapalooza event. You can watch a live video feed by clicking here. Follow along with ScribbleLive…
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Englander to Rubio, Kimme needs workers
Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Wall St. Journal…
Rand Paul‘s campaign manager is jumping on board the suddenly flagging Marco Rubio campaign.
Chip Englander, who ran the Kentucky senator’s campaign before it ended last week, will be a senior political adviser responsible for the Midwest. Based in Chicago, Mr. Englander also ran Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner‘s successful 2014 campaign
The Rubio campaign, which placed fifth in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, hopes to capitalize on Mr. Englander’s connections to Mr. Paul’s libertarian supporters, even though the two senators’ presidential efforts were based on very different ideas. Mr. Paul campaigned on a foreign policy highly skeptical of intervention abroad and government surveillance, while Mr. Rubio backs a far more robust American presence overseas and stresses his support for electronic government surveillance.
Mr. Englander was spotted on an airplane Tuesday afternoon reviewing a contract to join the Rubio campaign. Rubio spokesman Alex Conant confirmed Mr. Englander’s employment Wednesday morning.
* Meanwhile, our two-time Golden Horseshoe winner Nancy Kimme has been working closely with Gov. Kasich’s campaign and could use some more volunteers…
Caption?
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Obamapalooza
Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’ve changed my mind and am now leaning toward going to the President’s event. So, blogging could be light today. I’ll have a live coverage post up soon because I need to get to the Capitol.
Let’s start with Lynn Sweet…
In his speech to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly, “without endorsing a specific path forward,” Obama will “talk about the need to address gerrymandering, including in his home state of Illinois,” the White House said Tuesday.
The governor will love that.
* But not everything will be bipartisan…
The Chicago Sun-Times has learned that Illinois Republican Reps. Rodney Davis and Darin LaHood — whose districts take in parts of Springfield — were asked by the White House to greet Obama on the tarmac of Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield — but not fly out with him on Air Force One.
Because Congress is in session, however, they would have had to scramble back from Washington for the arrival ceremony, flying commercial, while Democratic Illinois Reps. Mike Quigley, Robin Kelly and Tammy Duckworth got the lift on the president’s plane.
Davis’ district includes the Statehouse. He should’ve been invited on the flight.
Sen. Durbin is flying on the big plane as well. And Duckworth is a special guest to boost her US Senate primary bid.
* Meanwhile…
The president is expected to give remarks there alongside several lawmakers he once worked with, including former state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Republican who is now Regional Transportation Authority chairman.
Dillard said he was invited to appear by the White House along with former state Sens. Denny Jacobs, a Democrat from East Moline, and Larry Walsh, who’s now Will County executive.
“I tell my children that Dad was a very lucky person that he got to work in Springfield with a gentleman who became the president of the United States,” said Dillard, who during the 2010 governor primary was the subject of Republican attack ads for his previous appearance in a campaign ad supporting Obama. “I pinch myself every now and again.”
I’m also hearing that Pat Quinn was invited to attend.
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Drilling into the numbers
Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Bruce Rauner, speaking yesterday…
“If we just grew at the national average for a year, we wouldn’t have unpaid bills today, we wouldn’t have a deficit today and we wouldn’t have (had) to do the tax hike in 2011,” Rauner said.
I’m told he meant “every year,” not just one year.
* But that’s still a pretty bold statement and I wanted to see the actual numbers, so I asked his staff for an explanation. Here it is…
According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, if our revenues (individual income tax, corporate income tax and sales tax) grew at the national average GDP growth since Fiscal Year 2000, we would have generated an additional $19 billion total in surplus revenue even without the 2011 tax hike. With average growth and no tax hike, we would have generated $305.5 billion in revenue from the income and sales taxes. In reality, we generated just $286.5 billion. That means with average growth, there’d be no bill backlog (as well as the more than $1 billion dollars in prompt payment interest that has accrued since 2003), no budget crisis and more resources for schools, Medicaid and social service providers.
So, that means overall revenues would’ve grown an additional 6.6 percent over time. That would be welcome, but I’m not sure it would’ve solved all the problems.
Any numbers geeks out there want to tackle this?
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Getting around today
Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a House Speaker memo to legislators…
President Obama will address the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, February 10 in the House Chambers. Streaming of President Obama’s speech will be available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live
Family members will not have access to the house floor for Wednesday, February 10. Members should be advised the House Floor temperature has been lowered due to the additional personnel and camera lights in the room, so members may want to dress appropriately for the day.
Members should plan to arrive at the Capitol Building by 11 a.m. All Members, staff and guests will need to use the west wing entrance and will be required to pass thru the magnetometers. Members & guests should limit what they bring (such as water bottles, coffee cups, computer devices and laptops) to the Capitol Building as this will only delay the scanning procedures.
Parking: For Wednesday February 10th, there is no parking on the North Drive. Parking will be provided for North Drive vehicles in lot G, the gravel lot to the north of the capitol building. Parking is available on a first come, first served basis.
The schedule for the day.
7:30-10 a.m. State Capitol Building closed for a security sweep. All tunnels close at 7:30 a.m. for the day.
10:15 a.m. The State Capitol west doors open for Members & guests. Please dress warm as the Springfield temperature may be in the low teens. Also, there will not be any drop-offs in between the Capitol and Stratton Buildings.
All Members, staff and guests will need to go thru a magnetometer.
Only Members, building staff and guests with seats in the Gallery or the Speakers Gallery will have access to the Capitol Building.
Any person going to the House Chamber of Gallery, will need a pass for the day. That pass can be collected at the registration table on the first floor west wing, after you are scanned.
Guests will need passes as well for the Gallery and the Speakers Gallery.
Those guests who are in the Speakers Gallery will enter the 4th floor Gallery doors, then walk around the Chamber Gallery.
There will be a staffed coat room – Room 118, for House Members and guests.
11:30 a.m. House Session convenes
11:45 a.m. House –Senate Joint Session to convene, then stand at ease
Members can move about the building, but certain areas will not be accessible.
The East Corridor from the Senate to the House will not be accessible. Members may only access the Chamber thru the 3rd floor rotunda doors. Room 300 will only be accessible for those with offices.
Lunch: House Members can take a few moments for lunch in room 114. No food will be allowed on the House Floor or the House Galleries.
12:45 p.m. All House and Senate Members and dignitaries will need to be on the House floor near their seats.
All guests in the Galleries will need to be in their seats.
As a reminder, for any guests in the galleries, they will need to use the restrooms on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd floors. So time should be factored into one’s schedule to traverse the building.
1 p.m. Members and guests should be in their seats, as the doors to the Chamber will be closed.
Members should note committees have been scheduled for Wednesday, February 10, after the President’s address. House committees are be scheduled for the morning of Thursday, February 11.
* The SJ-R has the blocked streets list…
* Monroe Street between Walnut and Ninth streets
* Second Street between Adams and Edwards streets
* Sixth Street between Edwards and Monroe streets
* Capitol Avenue between Second and Seventh streets
* Edwards Street between Second and College streets
* Walnut Street between Edwards Street and North Grand Avenue
* From the White House…
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016
In the morning, the President will travel to Springfield, Illinois. The departure from the South Lawn is open press, and the arrival at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport is open to pre-credentialed media.
While in Springfield, the President will address the Illinois General Assembly about what we can do, together, to build a better politics – one that reflects our better selves. The President’s remarks at the Illinois State Capitol will be pooled press.
Afterward, the President will deliver remarks to supporters, stakeholders and volunteers. The President’s remarks at the Hoogland Center for the Arts will be pooled press.
In the evening, the President depart Illinois en route San Jose, California. The departure from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and the arrival at Moffett Federal Airfield are open to pre-credentialed media.
The President will remain overnight in San Jose.
In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Print: The Root
Radio: WW1
Out-of-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: NY Times
Print: CBS
Radio: NPR
EST
9:00AM In-Town Pool Call Time
10:05AM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House
South Lawn
Open Press (Final Gather 9:50AM – North Doors of the Palm Room)
10:20AM THE PRESIDENT departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Springfield, Illinois
Out-of-Town Travel Pool Coverage (Call Time 9:00AM – Virginia Gate, Joint Base Andrews)
CST
11:20AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media
1:25PM THE PRESIDENT addresses the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois
Pooled Press
3:25PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks
Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, Illinois
Pooled Press
5:10PM THE PRESIDENT departs Springfield, Illinois en route San Jose, California
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media
PST
7:30PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in San Jose, California
Moffett Federal Airfield, Mountain View, California
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media
Briefing Schedule
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route Springfield, Illinois
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Caption contest!
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* When somebody starts comparing you to Lincoln, you can either politely demur or just go with the flow. Frerichs went with the flow…
Although Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs is a Democrat, when he was visiting the La Salle County Farm Bureau office in Ottawa on Monday, it was readily apparent he bears some resemblance to Republican Abraham Lincoln.
His height and new beard would seem to be similarities — but only to a point, he says.
Frerichs is 6-foot 8-inches while Lincoln was 6-foot 4-inches. But, he says, Americans today are on average three to four inches taller than they were in Lincoln’s time.
“If Lincoln had been born today, he probably would have reached his full potential of 6-feet 8-inches,” Frerichs told The Times.
Also, Frerichs noted his full beard is different than Lincoln’s chin curtain style, where the mustache is shaved.
However, Frerichs agrees there are similarities in that both are tall and lanky and grew up in Central Illinois.
* And here he is…
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* From the Ottawa Times…
A state agency is seeking former state Rep. Frank Mautino’s “clarification” on the more than $250,000 he paid to a Spring Valley bank since 1999.
Mautino, who is now the state’s auditor general, listed Spring Valley City Bank as the recipient of $259,000 in campaign money, even though the purpose listed in documents for the spending was for everything from food to travel.
“They are clearly not expenditures to the bank,” said Tom Newman, director of campaign disclosure for the state Board of Elections. […]
“Maybe the committee didn’t know the correct way to do it, and they took their best stab at it,” Newman said. […]
“We’ll try a couple of times to get in touch with them and see where it goes from there,” Newman said.
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Unsolicited advice
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WLS…
So far only one House Democrat, Ken Dunkin of Chicago, has publicly crossed Madigan in favor of Rauner, but the Governor tells WLS several other Democrats would like to follow suit.
”We’re getting more and more members of the Democratic caucus in private who say they agree with me, that we need reforms and they’ll support it, but only one Democratic Rep. so far has publicly stated we need reforms as part of the budget. I’ve got to get more of them steppin’ up and speakin’ out. Hopefully that will happen.”
Publicly whacking their Democratic colleagues in their own districts probably isn’t helping advance the ball.
Just sayin…
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Heh…
Good one.
* The Question: How much do you trust the media? Please remember to explain your answer. Thanks!
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* The Politico story was a bit confusing and Public Policy Polling hasn’t yet released its numbers, but here’s the breakdown of its latest poll in the 8th Congressional District Democratic primary to replace Tammy Duckworth…
* State Sen. Michael Noland: 22 percent
* Raja Krishnamoorthi: 17 percent
* Villa Park Mayor Deb Bullwinke: 11 percent
* Undecided: 50 percent
Still a wide open race with a slight Noland edge. Raja needs to start spending more of that money.
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Hot rhetoric misses the point
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor has been promising to “call out” Democrats for their support of House Speaker Michael Madigan and did so today in the Quad Cities…
I suppose he figures that people will rush to their phones and the Interwebtubes to pressure their legislators to stop being Madigan allies and start voting with the governor. Will it work? The first part, yes. The second… No.
Those two legislators (particularly Smiddy) haven’t spared any words for Rauner, so turnabout, etc.
* But Verschoore and Smiddy are total union guys and always have been, which is something that the governor can’t quite ever understand. They support unions. They don’t vote the way they do out of fear of unions or of Madigan. They do it because that’s who they are.
Smiddy, for one, was elected in a GOP district with only a few hundred bucks from Madigan. AFSCME bankrolled almost his entire campaign. He was an AFSCME member and was totally with them. They actually wanted somebody in that seat who would be independent of Madigan and more aligned with them. He’s not gonna suddenly “break with Madigan” and side with Rauner and against AFSCME. That’s missing the entire point.
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Worst. Analysis. Ever.
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An op-ed published by the Wall St. Journal…
Revenue isn’t the problem. An October report from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that Illinois’s tax collections have grown by almost 20% since 2008, largely thanks to a short-term income-tax hike of two percentage points that expired this year.
But what the state has taken in, it has spent with reckless abandon. The $8.5 billion in unpaid bills at the end of 2015 nicely matches the $8.5 billion in unpaid bills the state had at the end of 2011, when then-Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat, instituted the tax increase. The theory was that this would rescue Illinois and give it time to renounce bad habits. That didn’t work.
Breathtaking.
1) Revenue is not a problem? The analysis used above is akin to saying to someone who was just laid off: “Your average income over the past few years shows you’re doing fine, so don’t bother finding a new job.”
2) Reckless abandon? First of all, the backlog number used for the very end of 2011 is incorrect. And the bill backlog at the very end of 2014, when Quinn lost the election and before the tax hike expired was $4.36 billion. It’s now way higher. Why?
Lack of revenues and no budget to control court-ordered spending!
Also, too, the state finally made its full legally mandated pension payments after the tax hike, which (for the kabillionth time) explains most state spending growth.
It’s like getting a new, better-paying job and using almost all the new cash to pay down second mortgages and credit card bills from your previously profligate ways. Your quality of life isn’t noticeably improving, but your long-term prospects are greatly enhanced.
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Cullerton doubles down
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* He’s said this before, of course, but you gotta wonder what his suburban and Downstate members are thinking, and what the governor will do to them this fall…
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* Congresscritter Tammy Duckworth tried to blame Mark Kirk for radicalizing American Islamists yesterday, then kinda walked it back, then kinda didn’t…
“In the case of those two young people, the Iraq refugees in Texas, they were actually, radicalized here in the United States,” Duckworth said. “They came as teenagers and they were radicalized because they’d been on those talk hotlines with ISIS. Because they see people like Mark Kirk demonizing Muslim and Islam and wanting to shut down our borders. That’s how we turn people against us.”
Immediately though, one of the moderators asked, “You think they were radicalized by U.S. politicians?”
“No, I think they were radicalized by ISIS, who are attempting to get U.S. politicians and the United States to react in fear,” Duckworth responded.
When asked again about her saying politicians like Kirk were responsible for radicalization, she said, “Donald Trump is out there wanting to shut down all Muslims from entering the country. We cannot go back against our values.”
* Kirk was not amused…
* Terrorists are “manipulating the refugee crisis” in Europe, for sure. Refugees are flooding over porous borders. To compare that situation to the refugees waiting years to get into the US because of our screening process is bogus.
But Duckworth got way ahead of herself when she said the US should accept 200,000 refugees. Screening that many folks at the current pace would take many, many years, if not decades. So, does she want to increase the pace? If so, how?
* Either way, if you’re gonna make a serious claim that your opponent is inspiring radicalism, then have the guts to stick with it or don’t level the allegation in the first place.
Sheesh. You’d think she’d never run for office before.
*** UPDATE *** From Duckworth’s office…
Hey Rich—good chatting a few minutes ago. As discussed, the letter that the Congresswoman signed onto—which is the basis for the 200,000 claim that has been floating around (that the Washington Post said was “wrong” and led to a correction from the Associated Press)—is available here.
It endorses a recommendation by Refugee Council USA (a coalition of 20 of the nation’s premiere refugee organizations) for the U.S. to accept 100,000 Syrian refugees, not 200,000 as some have claimed—and that was by the end of 2016, not per year.
With regards to the “does she want to increase the pace/if so, how” questions, that’s explained in the letter sent long before this became a political issue (emphasis added), though the letter is not her only action on this topic:
“There are those who will oppose taking in additional refugees. They will say it is a security risk, or will hurt our economy. This criticism ignores the fact that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program subjects applications to more thorough security vetting than any other traveler or immigrant to the United States. We recognize the importance of security checks and will continue to support your Administration’s strong background checks for all refugees… We pledge we will do everything we can to ensure that, if steps are taken to accommodate additional refugees, there will be adequate additional resources for U.S. resettlement agencies, and for security checks, in order to meet the increased demand.”
Additionally, I’d argue with the implications that the number is:
a) Unreasonably high. In recent American history, we’ve had refugee admission ceilings near 250,000 and over the last decade the ceiling has hovered near 100,000. This chart made from State Department data may be helpful for background on where the numbers have historically been set.
a. As Refugee Council USA notes:
i. “This would not be the first time that the United States proudly carries out our historic tradition of welcoming refugees in large numbers. After the end of the wars in Southeast Asia, the United States resettled 111,000 Vietnamese refugees in 1979 and then essentially doubled that number to 207,000 in 1980.”
b) Out of the political mainstream. Former Ambassador to Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Kuwait and Lebanon Ryan Crocker (who served under GOP and Democratic Presidents) recently said in a Wall Street Journal op-ed:
a. “That’s why the Obama administration should commit to resettling 100,000 Syrian refugees over the next year.”
i. In addition to Amb. Crocker, former Syrian Ambassador (who also served under President George W. Bush) Robert Ford, a group of diplomats from across the political spectrum and even Bush Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz signed onto a letter urging our country’s leaders to support:
1. “100,000 Syrian refugees on an extraordinary basis, over and above the current worldwide refugee ceiling of 70,000.”
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thanks!
Ben Garmisa | Communications Director
Rep. Tammy Duckworth | Illinois’ 8th Congressional District
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* From EIU’s president. Just so you’re clear, “A&P” employees are administrative and professional workers, not tenured faculty…
Dear Campus Community,
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through the cost reductions made necessary by the budgetary impasse in Springfield. I greatly appreciate the input and support I have received in this process from both within our campus community and beyond.
There is very little additional news from Springfield. A smattering of bills were filed last month providing various levels and scopes of funding for public higher education, including one that would provide funding but only for community colleges and MAP grants and another that would provide both full MAP funding as well as an appropriation for the universities but at a rate of only 80 percent of last year’s level. The recent flurry of bills being filed to support higher education appropriations is a positive sign that our lawmakers are realizing the urgency and critical nature of what we are facing.
There was an immense showing of support by our campus and regional community at the Fund EIU rally last Friday. We all love this institution first and foremost for the excellence it provides in educating our students. However, it is also an economic, intellectual and cultural engine for our entire region of Illinois. I remain steadfastly confident that our General Assembly and Governor realize the great importance of EIU and all public universities to the future of our great state.
I would like to re-emphasize that the entirety of our cost reduction activities that are being implemented this month and continuing in March (with layoffs and furloughs) is the direct result of not having an appropriation for EIU enacted by the state and not receiving funds for MAP grants that were committed to our students by the state (which we honored).
Owing to the budgetary situation and in respect to our many colleagues facing layoffs, I am postponing our annual Years of Service luncheon scheduled for this week until later in the year or, perhaps, not until next fall. We will look forward to celebrating when our appropriation is enacted and the recall of those laid off begins to take place. Employees may contact the Vice President for Business Affairs to receive their service pins.
I am disappointed that we will need to lay off 198 civil service employees. Layoff notices will be delivered on Wednesday and Thursday (Feb. 10 and 11). Our Human Resources Office will provide as much assistance as possible to those who will be laid off. We are saddened to be put in this position, and realize it will affect either directly or indirectly our entire campus community.
If an appropriation is enacted and funds begin to be received at the university by the layoff date of Saturday, March 12, many or all of the layoff notices could be rescinded.
In addition to layoffs, all A&P employees (beginning on March 1) will be required to take the equivalent of one day of furlough per week, each month, until further notification or up until June 30, 2016. For those employees who were already required to take a specific number of furlough days, these days will be added until an employee has reached a total of 24 furlough days at which time they have met the maximum furlough limit (EIU IGP #189). The specific days chosen to furlough for any month will be determined by the supervisor in consultation with the employee according to university operational needs and the interests of the employee.
There will be the following number of furlough days:
Days in the month chosen for furlough need not be structured as one per week. For example, it would be possible, pending supervisor approval, to use the five days of Spring Break to satisfy furlough for the month of March.
The administration continues to work on alternative strategies that may allow for reducing the number of layoffs. As these discussions continue, I will communicate with the campus. A reduction in A&P required furlough days is possible upon the enactment of an appropriation and timely receipt of funds from the state.
Let us stand together in optimism that an appropriation for EIU will be enacted quickly with funds distributed to our university in order that these difficult measures affecting our campus family can be avoided. I am thankful and proud to serve as your president and we will continue together in action for our students and our beloved university.
Sincerely,
David M. Glassman
President, Eastern Illinois University
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Because… Rauner!
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle visited both the Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune editorial boards yesterday. You can read the stories here and here, but I think this Mihalopoulos Twitter feed is actually more enlightening…
*** UPDATE *** Greg Hinz…
So, I asked, why not follow Rauner’s lead and ask Madigan to move on Rauner’s Turnaround Illinois Agenda, something the governor says is needed for him to back a tax hike that likely is needed to pass a balanced state budget?
Because Rauner takes and doesn’t give, Preckwinkle replied in so many words.
Specifically, Rauner last year asked Preckwinkle to dispatch county CFO Ivan Samstein on a special duty, serving on a task force Rauner formed to draft a possible solution to state pension woes.
“I consented, without condition,” she says. “He wanted Ivan down there (in Springfield). He was, a day a week. For two months.”
Afterwords, Preckwinkle says, she asked Rauner for help getting her own pension bill through the General Assembly, where it had been blocked by labor unions who felt it was too tough.
“He told me he’d help me only if I helped him on his turnaround agenda,” Preckwinkle said. “It’s sort of his way or the highway.”
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A Rauner vs. Madigan proxy war
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Ken Dunkin and his Democratic primary rival Juliana Stratton met with the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board yesterday…
During the side-by-side interview with Stratton on Monday, Dunkin referred to Democratic lawmakers as “monkeys”— before quickly correcting himself and calling them “minions”— prompting a lengthy denouncement from Stratton.
“To compare himself in the Illinois House to this horrific institution of slavery is not only offensive, but I also find it to be pathetic,” Stratton said. “For him to use that type of language I see that as race-baiting.”
Dunkin didn’t back down, claiming Madigan has demanded the Black Caucus vote the party line, while the speaker ignores caucus members’ requests for help in their districts.
“The Mike Madigan slave mentality of his plantation politics is real,” Dunkin said. “That’s an afro-centric terminology in terms of plantation politics. If you want to go there [Madigan] has been there 45 years, 32 years been the speaker. Have you gone on the West Side of Chicago, in certain parts, certain parts of the South Side?” […]
“The best people to say whether he gets credit [for his dealmaking] are the people of the 5th District,” Stratton said. “His alliance with Gov. Bruce Rauner is not going to be something that is going to be good for them.”
Go read the whole thing.
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* The Belleville News Democrat reports on a blockbuster prisoner lawsuit about alleged brutality by “an elite, mobile Illinois Department of Corrections tactical unit” known to inmates as “Orange Crush”…
Members of the tactical unit begin the tactic by running onto a prison tier when female guards are sometimes also present, “whooping,” banging on metal tables and shouting to prisoners: “Get butt-naked.”
The guards do this, according to the lawsuit, while dressed in orange fatigues, wearing helmets, carrying clubs and chanting “Punish the inmate. Punish the inmate.”
Hundreds of prisoners at a time were marched in this way in April of 2014 at four Southern Illinois prisons while being threatened by laughing guards who shouted they would be taken immediately to solitary confinement if they allowed any daylight between themselves and the man in front of them, the plaintiffs’ lawyers allege. Prisoners were eventually led to an exercise area and made to stand for hours with their faces pressed against a wall while their hands were cuffed behind them in a “stress” position. During this time, other members of the guard unit searched the prisoners’ cells for contraband.
“This is above and beyond what I’ve seen ever in the 35 years I’ve been doing this kind of work,” said civil rights attorney Alan Mills of the Chicago-based Uptown People’s Law Center, one of two law firms pressing the lawsuit. “This is part of some official policy. Higher-ups in IDOC will have to explain what in the world they were thinking when they gave these people this kind of direction and leeway.”
Mills said the practice continued on at least a few occasions after the lawsuit was filed in 2015.
Federal Judge Staci Yandle recently allowed the lawsuit to continue and ruled against two motions presented by the attorney general.
* In a follow-up editorial the paper called for an immediate investigation and a fix for this alleged craziness…
This practice being carried out in front of female corrections officers and accompanied by whoops and pounding metal tables is a scene out of a bad movie. There can be no purpose other than to sexually humiliate the inmates.
Remember the last group engaging in that behavior? They were U.S. soldiers holding inmates at Abu Ghraib in Iraq who outfitted the inmates with dog leashes, women’s underwear and shrouds as they were hooked to fake electrocution devices.
Our state owes compensation, safety and respect to its correctional officers. They in turn owe us professionalism in how they exert power and to curb their own sense of entitlement so it does not extend to fake workers’ comp claims that give them fancy bass boats or to sadistic shows that give them a sense of superiority.
They also owe their fellow correctional officers a safe work environment. Since when does punishing a group of inmates for the violence of a few do anything but build a large reserve of resentment?
Agreed.
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* Tribune…
(T)here are three things President Barack Obama won’t do during his swing through Springfield on Wednesday:
Play “back-seat driver” and offer detailed advice to try to solve the state’s budget stalemate. Sit down one-on-one with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner for a beer. And try to negotiate a peace accord between Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Previewing the trip, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Obama will pick up the themes of his State of the Union speech in January and urge the country to move past partisan divisions. […]
As for the state’s budget impasse, his call for bipartisanship could help, but he won’t be putting forth detailed remedies, Earnest said. For one thing, Obama’s proposed federal budget comes up the day before his trip to Illinois. “We’ve got our hands full here,” the spokesman said.
* AP…
“This is actually something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Earnest said in a conference call. “There has always sort of been the sense that going back to Springfield on the anniversary of his announcement speech would be fun to do. And it would serve as the background for a discussion about the kind of potential that the president sees in the country.”
* Lynn Sweet…
“The president views this as an opportunity to not offer advice or be a back-seat driver for running the state government of Illinois but rather an opportunity to deliver a broader message about the value and potential benefit associated with trying to find common ground,” Earnest said.
* Sweet asked why this visit is a good idea, considering Springfield’s partisan gridlock…
“It’s a good idea because the president’s experience when he served in Springfield was different than the situation the president encountered in Washington. And the president does see this as a good backdrop to talk about the kinds of benefits that can be realized when our citizens and our elected representatives don’t allow themselves to be so easily divided.”
Um, OK.
* More Sweetness…
Rauner singled out his two big issues – term limits and redistricting — in focusing on what he wants Obama to talk about, suggesting incorrectly that Obama backs Rauner’s term-limit crusade.
Rauner is not going to get that one-on-one beer he sought with Obama. He will be greeting him on the tarmac of the airport in Springfield.
* Back to the AP…
While Obama did discuss term limits when in Ethiopia last summer delivering a speech to the people of Africa, saying “old thinking can be a stubborn thing,” Earnest said Monday that Obama’s message there was not a general call for term limits. He said Obama was telling leaders not to overcome limits already imposed, “either by ignoring them or by coercing the government to change the rules just for them.”
* The most interesting nugget…
Obama, Earnest said, sees his speech as an opportunity “to deliver a broader message about the value and potential benefits associated with trying to find common ground. … That doesn’t mean that anybody needs to capitulate on their most strongly held principles. That typically is not a recipe for success, either.”
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Oh no! There goes Tokyo!
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I have some stuff to finish up for subscribers, but I thought you’d enjoy this one from the twitters…
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