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* Illinois Gaming Board…
Based on information available to the Gaming Board from Illinois sports wagering operators as of the date of this release, the approximate sports wagering handle and adjusted gross receipts (“AGR”) for Super Bowl LV on February 7, 2021 are as follows:
* Online Handle: $42,756,647
* Retail Handle: $2,853,866
* Total Handle: $45,610,513
* AGR: $7,659,269
* State Tax Revenue: $1,148,890
Note: The above numbers are subject to change pending more information from licensees and further review and analysis.
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* The new House rules language has surfaced. I’m still going through it, but click here and go through it with me in comments. I’ll be posting updates as I read it.
First new language I noticed was Speaker term limits…
No member may be elected as Speaker for more than five General Assemblies, including any term in which the member was
elected to fill a vacancy in the office […]
The same term limit applies to the Minority Leader.
Updates to follow.
* Here’s a nod to bipartisanship. If for whatever reason the Assistant Clerk of the House position becomes vacant, the House Speaker is allowed to appoint the replacement. The new rules would require the Speaker to consult with the Minority Leader.
* “The Speaker and the Minority Leader shall not serve as members of are each eligible to be appointed to the Rules Committee.”
* Remote legislating is in the rules. Here’s one…
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, members of the Rules Committee may participate remotely in its
meetings.
* More Rules Committee changes…
During odd-numbered years, the Rules Committee shall refer any House bill initially before it to a standing committee or a special committee prior to the deadline for House committee consideration of House bills, provided that referral shall not be required for a House bill that is introduced after the introduction deadline for House bills or for which the Principal Sponsor has submitted a written request to hold the bill in the Rules Committee.
That has been odd-numbered years practice for several years, but now it’s codified.
* Remote Participation in Committees and Task Forces…
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, in the case of pestilence or public danger upon declaration of the Speaker, members may participate remotely in hearings for committees and task forces. A member of the committee or task force participating remotely shall be considered present and in attendance at the committee hearing, including for purposes of voting in accordance with Rule 49 and determining if a quorum is present. Action taken by a member of a committee who is participating remotely shall have the same legal effect as if the member were physically present when the action is taken.
(b) The Speaker may establish additional procedures for remote participation under this Section and shall designate the technology or software that must be used. The technology or software must, at a minimum, be sufficient to (1) verify the identity of a member who is participating remotely, (2) allow the public, including representatives of the press, to hear or view each member and witness who is participating remotely, and (3) allow witnesses to testify as permitted under Rule 26.
* Those who wish to testify in committee must now submit a form on the General Assembly website. The era of paper slips is over.
* No lobbyists at in-person hearings? Looks like it…
For meetings of committees during a disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus, access to the room in which the committee is held shall be limited to members and officers of the General Assembly, majority and minority staff, and no more than 5 members of the public who are representatives of the press, except as otherwise authorized by the Speaker. The Speaker shall designate one or more locations outside of the committee room for the public to safely watch and listen to the proceedings of the House and its committees via a live audio/video broadcast. Access to such locations may be limited as necessary to maintain safety, including, but not limited to, requiring that persons at such locations follow the decorum requirements of Rule 51.5(a). Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, testimony at a committee hearing during a disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to COVID-19 virus may be limited to written testimony at the discretion of the Chairperson. This subsection shall only apply to meetings in which members are physically present and may not be suspended.
(This was in the rules change passed last year except for the final sentence.)
* This looks to be special language to reimburse folks for the challenge to Rep. Eva Dina Delgado’s appointment…
Adoption of Reports in Contests and Challenges […]
If the committee fails to file a final report prior to the end of the General Assembly term, each party may, within 60 days of the beginning of the next General Assembly term, file with the Clerk of House a request for reimbursement including a detailed statement of attorney’s fees and expenses incurred by that party in connection with the case. The request shall be referred to the Rules Committee which may refer it to a standing committee, special committee, or a committee created under this Article X for consideration. The committee may make recommendations to the House concerning reimbursement of attorney’s fees and the expenses of the parties. The recommendation for reimbursement under this Section shall not exceed a sum that is reasonable, just, and proper.
* Cleanup language after the experience of the Madigan Special Investigating Committee…
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, if the Speaker is a petitioner or the subject of the petition, the highest ranking member of the majority caucus who is not a petitioner or the subject of the petition shall have the powers and duties of the Speaker in connection with the Special Investigating Committee, and if the Minority Leader is a petitioner or the subject of the petition, the highest ranking member of the minority caucus who is not a petitioner or the subject of the petition shall have the powers and duties of the Minority Leader in connection with the Special Investigating Committee.
The new rules would also allow chairs of those special committees to establish their own rules as long as they don’t conflict with the House’s rules.
* I think that’s it. Did I miss anything?
* A commenter noted that the House is now supposed to convene at noon instead of 12:30.
*** UPDATE *** HGOP spokesperson Eleni Demertzis…
“With the exception of allowing remote committee meetings during the pandemic, the House Rules are functionally identical to the Madigan-led sessions of the past. The Speaker retains centralized control over every bill, amendment, or motion. Nothing in these House Rules improve transparency or bring sunlight to legislative proceedings. The same problems previously pointed out by good government advocates—like taking a midnight vote on a several-hundred-page amendment or budget only moments after it has been filed—are allowed by and re-authorized in these Rules for the next two years.”
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Question of the day
Monday, Feb 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* New aspects to the Chicago Public Schools’ tentative agreement with the CTU, according to CPS…
• Expediting Vaccination Opportunities and Prioritizing Individuals who live with Vulnerable Family Members: The district is doing everything in its power to vaccinate staff and educators as quickly as possible in an equitable manner. Through a partnership with Walgreens and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), 2,000 pre-k and cluster staff and staff without an accommodation who have medically vulnerable household members will be offered vaccinations beginning this week. To ensure doses are prioritized for employees who will be supporting school operations, staff members who live with medically vulnerable family members and accept this expedited vaccination opportunity must commit to returning to school within two weeks of receiving their first dose.
Through the district’s own vaccination sites — which will open later this month and will be available exclusively for CPS employees — we will be able to provide vaccination doses to 1,500 CPS employees per week out of the city’s limited supply. Staff who work in the city’s 15 most impacted and vulnerable communities may also be offered vaccinations through the city’s Protect Chicago Plus initiative.
• Metrics to Pause In-Person Learning District-Wide: Under the tentative agreement, the district will revert to online learning for at least 14 calendar days if the city’s COVID-19 test positivity rate (7-day rolling average) meets the following criteria:
1. Rate increases for 7 consecutive days:
2. Rate for each of the 7 consecutive days is at least 15% higher than the rate one week prior; and
3. Citywide positivity rate on the 7th day is 10% or greater.
CPS will resume in-person learning after 14 days or when the positivity rate no longer meets all of the criteria above — whichever occurs at a later time. The agreement also establishes pause metrics for individual pods and schools:
• Pausing in-person learning for individual pods: CPS will pause in-person instruction in a classroom (pod) when there has been one confirmed positive COVID-19 case.
• Pausing in-person learning for individual schools: CPS will implement a school-wide operational pause when there are three or more confirmed positive cases in three or more different classrooms at a school within a 14-day period. If cases are traced to identified exposures from in-school or non-school circumstances, the impacted classrooms and individuals will remain quarantined and other classes can resume. If cases cannot be linked and in-school transmission cannot be ruled out, the school will remain closed for 14 days.
• Accommodations and Leave: CPS has granted and will continue to grant approval for telework accommodations to employees at increased risk for severe illness due to COVID-19 and to employees who serve as primary caregivers for family members at increased risk for severe illness due to COVID-19, provided employees complete the application with proper documentation. All other accommodation requests will continue to be granted when operationally feasible and consistent with providing a high quality learning experience to in-person students. Any CTU member without an accommodation who is not fully vaccinated may take a job-protected unpaid leave of absence, with full benefits during the third academic quarter.
* Already agreed-to language…
• Health and Safety Protocols: The health and safety of everyone in CPS schools is priority number one, and the district has worked with the Chicago Department of Public Health to ensure its plan meets and exceeds the recommendations for safely operating during the pandemic. Key mitigations include health screenings and temperature checks, access to hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, face coverings and PPE, regular cleaning and disinfection protocols, and social distancing.
• Ventilation: In addition to the Centers for Disease Control’s primary recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19, the district has undertaken an extensive effort to ensure all classrooms used this year are properly ventilated. Independent, state certified environmental specialists have tested every school’s indoor air quality, and engineers have done ventilation checks in all classrooms. To provide an additional layer of protection, the district has invested $8.5 million in HEPA air purifiers for all classrooms and office spaces. Families can view the results of their school’s air quality assessments at cps.edu/airquality.
• Contact Tracing: To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the district has established a 10-person contact tracing team, which investigates all known cases of COVID in district schools. Working in close coordination with the Chicago Department of Public Health, the district’s contact tracing team notifies all close contacts and ensures that proper notifications are sent to each school community in a timely manner.
• Health and Safety Committees: To ensure union members and other school staff have a role to play in promoting safe learning environments, the district will establish district- and school-level health and safety committees charged with ensuring safety and mitigation measures are implemented appropriately and consistently.
Click here for the entire document, including links.
* The Question: Your thoughts on this? Make sure to explain.
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* Shaw Media…
Bull Valley resident Gary Rabine, CEO and founder of Schaumburg-based paving, roofing and snow removal company Rabine Group, said Sunday he intends to run for governor in 2022 as a Republican. […]
“Gary Rabine would be a great governor for Illinois,” McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett said. “I believe he can win the primary and ultimately be the next governor.”
McHenry Township Trustee Steve Verr suggested Rabine would be a better governor than fellow Republican Bruce Rauner. […]
“He’s hardly a career politician. Just a brave fellow who can see several steps ahead and the downward spiral of the state under terrible hacks like Rauner and (Gov. J.B.) Pritzker,” he added.
* Rabine is such a country club Republican that he actually owns part of a country club…
McHenry County businessman Gary Rabine is considering running for the Republican nomination for Governor.
He says he will make an announcement by mid-February. […]
In this past year’s 14th congressional district primary election, he endorsed Catalina Lauf, explaining at a Trump rally he hosted at the Bull Valley Country Club (in which he has an ownership interest) that he was a good friend of winner Jim Oberweis, but that Catalina had asked him first.
Republican National Finance Chairman Todd Ricketts was one of the speakers at the event.
Former Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke was the headliner at that event.
* Like Rauner, Rabine was an early supporter of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA. Unlike Rauner, he continues to be a big backer. From last June…
Donations to the conservative student activist group Turning Point USA have more than doubled, leading it to expand its footprint to some 2,000 colleges, universities, and high schools, and deploy thousands of supporters to challenge the wave of young liberal protests tearing down statues and calling the United States systemically racist.
In new tax documents, the Indiana-based group and its affiliates, one of which hosted President Trump in the packed Phoenix Dream City Church yesterday, showed contributions jumped from $10 million in 2018 to $24 million in 2019, and gross receipts at over $30 million. […]
Fundraising support was offered by Friess, who set up “challenge” grants, and conservative philanthropists Bill and Rebecca Dunn and the Jack Roth Charitable Foundation. Others include Tom Sodeika, president of Precision Payroll of America, Rabine Group Founder Gary Rabine, and Doug DeGroote.
* Last October…
Recently, Rabine has become the leader of an informal political organization called Save Illinois, which organizes to replace Illinois politicians who they feel are bad for the economic well-being of residents, Rabine said. The group has hosted a number of rallies in support of Trump and other local candidates that they think will “save Illinois from the fiscal depths that we’re up against,” he said.
The Facebook page appears to be here.
*** UPDATE *** “I believe you shoot to stop bad people, and this has not been the case in Chicago,” Rabine told Jeff Berkowitz last month.
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* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,747 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 35 additional deaths.
Boone County: 1 male 90s
Cook County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 2 males 50s, 3 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 3 males 80s, 4 males 90s
DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 100+
Hardin County: 1 female 90s
Kane County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 90s
Kendall County: 1 male 30s
Knox County: 1 male 60s
Lake County: 1 male 70s
Montgomery County: 1 male 40s
Morgan County: 1 male 80s
Peoria County: 1 male 80s
Richland County: 1 female 60s
Washington County: 1 male 90s
Whiteside County: 1 male 90s
Winnebago County: 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,148,088 cases, including 19,668 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 47,210 specimens for a total of 16,683,795. As of last night, 2,161 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 469 patients were in the ICU and 251 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 1–7, 2021 is 3.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 1–7, 2021 is 4.1%.
A total of 1,638,125 doses of vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 496,100 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,134,225. A total of 1,358,967 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 212,256 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 51,794 doses. Yesterday, 16,110 doses were administered.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
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Caption contest!
Monday, Feb 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I am a fierce hair libertarian. I think I’ve told you the story about how the lunch ladies refused to serve me in grade school because I had bangs. My father gave me never-ending grief about the length of my hair when I was in high school and beyond.
So, I decided very early in life that I would never be judgmental about someone else’s hair. Punk rock spikes? Cool by me. Women and balding men shaving their heads? Awesome option. Daughter shows up one day with dyed hair? Smile and suggest she try some other colors.
So, I gotta say I’m kinda loving the hairdo on newly appointed Illinois Sen. Mike Simmons. He’ll most definitely stand out in that otherwise staid chamber. Who knows, maybe he’ll even start a new legislative trend. His official photo…
He definitely has a certain panache. Let’s give him a friendly welcome.
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Just do it already
Monday, Feb 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Joe Mahr and Angie Leventis Lourgos at the Tribune…
The Tribune spoke to more than a dozen health officials, researchers, doctors and families, and analyzed federal, state and local datasets to try to assess a system that’s considered key to ending the pandemic but, so far, has attracted widespread frustration.
As of Friday, roughly 960,000 Illinoisans have received at least one shot — and about 270,000 of them have received both shots. But the state’s pace has ranked in the bottom third of the country for residents vaccinated, when adjusted for population sizes.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration has pointed to different metrics to argue the state is doing relatively well at vaccinating people, particularly recently. And echoing other states’ complaints, Illinois officials have blamed rollout frustrations on scarce supplies and poor planning by the Trump administration. […]
Still, Illinois’ lagging vaccination numbers have become political fodder in the national finger-pointing over the slow rollout. At that same congressional hearing, a West Virginia Republican noted Illinois had used up less than 60% of vaccine it had received, compared with his home state, which had used up more than 80% by then.
Gov. Pritzker promised to actually run the government, unlike several of his predecessors. The state, therefore, deserves the best possible response without excuses. The article points out numerous problems, with one being that the state appeared to get a late start, then abandoned its management plan.
* Meanwhile…
The coronavirus variant that shut down much of the United Kingdom is spreading rapidly across the United States, outcompeting other strains and doubling its prevalence among confirmed infections every week and a half, according to new research made public Sunday. […]
The spread of the variant, officially known as B.1.1.7, and the threat of other mutant strains of the virus, have added urgency to the effort to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
I completely understand about the international shortage and the national problems since the vaccine was approved. I think most of us are willing to cut everyone some slack. And, yes, there are some local public health agencies which aren’t holding up their end and the big pharmacy companies appear to have bungled the nursing home vaccination program.
But I don’t care what it takes, I don’t care what the governor has to do, this needs to be fixed and it needs to be fixed right freaking now. I hate it that other states are doing better than us, even though that’s admittedly a silly metric. We definitely need a better national plan, but until that happens, Illinois has got to up its game.
Governors own.
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Karen Lewis
Monday, Feb 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Karen Lewis, the charismatic former head of the Chicago Teachers Union, has died, her spokeswoman confirmed.
“The nation has lost a true champion. Karen Lewis was one of the most powerful and prolific voices in public education, advocating for students, their families and the communities in which they live,” said Stephanie Gadlin, a spokeswoman for Lewis.
“For her tenure as president of the Chicago Teachers Union, she was the architect of today’s fight for education justice. As her spokeswoman, I cannot tell you how inspired I was by her leadership as well as her vulnerability as she navigated the treacherous terrain of Chicago politics. …
“Our city has lost a great voice. I send my heartfelt condolences to her loved ones, friends and to the 25,000 members of the CTU. May her memory reign for all days to come and she find rest in the bosom of God.”
She truly stomped on the terra.
* NBC 5…
Lewis, who retired from her role in CTU in 2018 to focus on her health, was first diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer, in 2015 as she was considering a run for Chicago mayor. In 2017, the one-time chemistry teacher revealed she suffered a stroke.
The fiery Lewis was known for speaking her mind. She led the Chicago Teachers Union and its 32,000 members in a style hadn’t been seen in years and tangled with then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel. […]
The Chicago union wasn’t the first to use that strategy. But its leadership, including Lewis, acted when teachers nationwide felt unions’ political power and clout had been severely weakened, said John Rogers, a professor of education at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Chicago was a dramatic moment, when this set of ideas coalesced and was enacted and then caught the attention of other unions,” Rogers said.
* Tribune…
Born Karen Jennings, Lewis grew up in Hyde Park. Her parents were both CPS teachers. She attended Kozminski Elementary School and Kenwood Academy High School, according to her official union biography, before accepting early admission at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.
She later transferred to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Lewis frequently pointed out she was the sole black woman in the college’s graduating class of 1974, but it was not a happy time. Dartmouth began enrolling women in 1972.
“Dartmouth was a really bad experience for me, but it made me stronger,” she told the school alumni magazine in an interview published in 2011.
“I was the only black woman in my class, and it was clear that women weren’t wanted. That did teach me that top-down decisions usually take a while for people to buy into.”
* Crain’s…
Lewis was a gifted cook, opera aficionado, and film buff who could speak Italian, French, and Latin. She converted to Judaism as an adult and celebrated her bat mitzvah at age 59.
* RIP…
…Adding… Press release…
Senate President Don Harmon statement on the passing of Karen Lewis:
“I cherished Karen’s friendship and mentorship and will always be better for it. She was an amazing person, devoted teacher, champion of the professional educator and skilled leader. She was one of a kind, dedicated to her core to challenging and changing lives and communities. We are indebted to her service and leadership, for which she will be remembered and forever missed.”
…Adding… Press release…
The following is a statement from SEIU Illinois State Council President Tom Balanoff regarding the passing of Chicago Teachers Union President Emerita Karen Lewis:
“Karen Lewis never shied away from a fight. She unflinchingly took on politicians and special interests, usually in her own humorous and disarming way.
“The 2012 teachers’ strike changed the course of Chicago and our entire country. Karen’s leadership inspired teachers across the country to fight for quality public education that their communities deserve.
“Through her work and vision, Karen transformed CTU into the powerful organization it is today and reminded the world how unions are a potent force for the common good. Her legacy lives on through the millions of working people she inspired to fight for collective justice.”
…Adding… Lt. Gov. Stratton…
Today we mourn the loss of a dynamic woman who had an amazing impact on the education of Chicago school children and the people who dedicate their lives to teaching them. Karen Lewis led the Chicago Teachers Union with brilliance, grit, love, and style. She often found herself in rooms and spaces where she was the only woman and person of color, and she never failed to bring her authentic self to the table where decisions were made. I learned from Karen Lewis that when you find yourself in these rooms and spaces, you never dim your light to make others feel comfortable. My heartfelt condolences to her loved ones and the CTU family. May she rest in power.
…Adding… Press release…
Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery issued the following statement on the passing of former Illinois Federation of Teachers Executive Vice President and Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis.
“Karen Lewis was a warrior, an undeniably powerful presence, and she spoke truth to power like no one else. She was one of the most committed unionists I have ever known, and she did absolutely nothing half way for the cause of labor. To stand beside her and see her members’ love for her at rallies on the streets of her beloved hometown of Chicago was a sight I’ll always cherish.
“Karen dedicated her life to the fight for equality, fairness, and respect for all people. She led the revival of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and sparked the reinvigoration of teacher unionism across the nation. Under Karen’s leadership during the historic strike of 2012, CTU won a fair and equitable contract for members, and reframed the education debate in Chicago around the schools all children deserve.
“Karen was hilariously funny and could be daringly acerbic. More than anyone I’ve ever known, she contained multitudes and could smartly discuss anything from opera to critical theory to medicine to where to eat in Montreal. In her heart she was a teacher, a nationally board-certified chemistry teacher, no less. It was a privilege to work with her in her role as IFT executive vice president, a position she held for nearly a decade before retiring in 2019. It was an honor to call her a distinguished colleague. Most importantly, it was a joy to call her a friend.
“On behalf of the members of the IFT, I send our love to Karen’s husband, John, and their family. May her memory be a blessing and may she rest in peace.”
…Adding… Speaker Welch…
“This morning, we learned we lost the great Karen Lewis—a giant among giants. Of course, as president of the Chicago Teachers Union, her leadership in education justice, student advocacy and labor rights will forever be sketched in history. But before that, she was a teacher born to parents who were themselves teachers. With fire and fury, she dedicated her life to the promise that we will leave the world better for our children than we inherited ourselves. For that and a life full of love, we thank you, Karen.”
…Adding… Press release…
The Chicago Federation of Labor released the following statement regarding the passing of Karen Lewis, Chicago Teachers Union president emerita and former CFL Executive Board member:
“Chicago has lost a legend. A teacher, a leader, a trailblazer, and a friend, Karen Lewis was someone who stood tall not only for the educators of this city, but for every single worker in Chicago. She never compromised on the values she held dear, fighting for her students and their families with a fierce determination that will never be matched. Karen’s leadership gave rise to a generation of activists across the country, sparking a renewed energy in the fight for public education that continues to this day. She also inspired countless Chicagoans within and outside of the labor movement as she spoke truth to power without fear. She was beloved and revered as a member of the Chicago Federation of Labor Executive Board, serving as a role model of the solidarity we hold dear. Her voice – unique, uncompromising, brilliant, and kind – will be forever missed.”
CFL President Bob Reiter: “Karen Lewis was my friend. We started out as seatmates and as the new people in the room. We had our own little corner of the table and we built a relationship that was fun, loyal, and personal. That relationship between us became more than just the table. And I have stories of my friend. She was a great leader, but she was a person too. We made light of situations happening around us. I ran interference for her. She ran interference for me. I believed in her. She believed in me. We shared. We talked. We supported each other. I’ll miss her and I’m heartbroken. John and the rest of her family have my undying support for sharing her with me, Chicago, and the entire labor movement. I love you Karen.”
CFL Secretary-Treasurer Don Villar: “We will never forget Sister Lewis’ courage, charisma, and passion for teachers and the labor movement. From the classrooms at Lane Tech to city hall, she inspired students, teachers, families, and labor activists in her fight for equity, dignity, and respect for educators. Sister Lewis is that once in a lifetime legend, a game changer. In leading CTU, she sparked a renewed call for activism in the labor movement that spread across the country.”
…Adding… IEA…
The following statement is attributable to former IEA President Ken Swanson:
“I’m very saddened to learn of Karen Lewis’ passing. Karen was a tenacious advocate for teachers, support staff and students. She was never afraid to speak truth to power, as she saw it. Her compass was always pointing her in the direction of relentless, passionate advocacy to empower staff and the students of Chicago Public Schools. I have always wondered how different things might be today had she not developed cancer and successfully run for mayor. My deepest sympathies to Karen’s family, friends and colleagues in Chicago, across Illinois and across the nation.”
The statement below is attributable to current IEA President Kathi Griffin:
“The Illinois Education Association would also like to add its condolences on the loss of Karen Lewis, a charismatic and dedicated public education warrior who provided a strong voice for not only the Chicago Teachers Union and their students, but for educators and students across the nation. Our hearts go out to all who knew her.”
…Adding… MJM and Shirley…
The following is a statement from Chairman and Mrs. Madigan:
“Shirley and I are saddened to hear of Karen Lewis’ passing. Karen was an outspoken voice and passionate advocate who championed equality in public education and a better future for the children of Chicago. Karen’s impact on the Chicago Teachers Union will be felt for generations to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and members of the CTU. Most of all we valued her strength and friendship.”
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
The immediate partisan reaction to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reversal on whether legislators should be allowed to get vaccinated during Phase 1B was fairly predictable.
“Gov. Pritzker is prioritizing young healthy felons and Springfield politicians over high-risk adults,” the Illinois Republican Party seethed.
However, no such press release was issued the week before when U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a 52-year-old Republican, cheerfully announced that he’d been vaccinated. And not a harsh word was uttered by the state GOP when federal prisoners received vaccinations during the Trump administration.
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie’s office first denounced Senate President Don Harmon’s decision to cancel floor sessions and hold committee hearings online this month, saying it was time to get back to work. The very next day, McConchie said that allowing legislators to be vaccinated was “ridiculous,” without any apparent sense of irony.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
It’s the outrage of the day and the arguments don’t have to be consistent because it’s about generating heat. Plus, almost nobody ever calls out the Republican critics on their contradictory logic, so it’s a free shot. They are very successful at ginning up this sort of outrage, even if it’s only for a few days. And then they’ll move on to the next one.
With the national Republican Party in disarray after President Donald Trump’s reelection loss, the seditionist riots on Jan. 6 and the bizarre influence of the even more bizarre QAnon cult, perhaps the best way forward is to do what pretty much every party member can agree on — attack Democrats night and day.
So get used to it. It’s the Republican version of unity.
In a weird way, though, the more public heat Pritzker takes over this flip-flop, the more loyalty he can earn from at least some rank and file Democrats. Others appear to be hanging back while the social media winds are swirling and may end up blaming Pritzker. Such is a governor’s life.
Taking one for the team is just part of the governor’s job, something Rod Blagojevich and Bruce Rauner would never dream of doing and Pat Quinn only occasionally showed that he understood. Unlike those three fellows, Pritzker didn’t run as a bomb-throwing populist. He ran on a platform of getting big things done, and you can’t get big things done if you treat the General Assembly purely as a nuisance or an obstacle.
You also can’t get anything at all done if lots of legislators say they don’t want to return to Springfield unless and until they’re vaccinated. With the cancellation of most of last spring’s session and the entire fall veto session due to the pandemic, and the possibility that much of this spring’s session could be in jeopardy, the governor needed to find a way to drag his voluminous legislative agenda out of a very deep ditch.
And it didn’t go unnoticed when Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who doesn’t have the greatest relationship with her City Council, not only allowed aldermen to get vaccinated but seemed to advance their place in line, though the council meets remotely. Remember, multiple COVID-19 cases were reported after January’s in-person lame duck state legislative session.
“It is beginning to feel like the governor is purposely working against the Legislature returning to do the work of the people,” Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) emailed Pritzker’s chief legislative aide last week, according to WCIA TV. Kifowit pointed to Mayor Lightfoot’s decision to vaccinate aldermen and pointedly noted, “The longer the governor denies the legislature a safe way to work, the longer it will take to pass significant legislation that the state needs.”
So, on balance, this policy change should help. And perhaps allowing a few key staff members who must regularly be on the House and Senate floors access to vaccinations could also help. No formal request has been made to the governor’s top staff about legislative staff vaccines, but there may have been a conversation with one of the leaders about it. You’ll recall that the only name released of anyone who caught the virus during the lame duck session was Speaker Chris Welch’s chief of staff.
And while nothing huge can change until more vaccine is manufactured, a faster distribution system and some effective member education has to happen PDQ because legislators are getting pretty darned fed up with all the frantic constituent calls.
I’ll be getting to that last topic in a bit.
…Adding… BND…
Republicans such as state Rep. David Friess of Red Bud are also dubious about Welch’s recent olive branch to the GOP and to Minority House Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs. Welch says he plans to keep “an open line of communication” with Durkin, who led an effort to remove Madigan from office last year, Capitol News Illinois reported.
“I’m curious to see whether or not the joke that he’s not speaker in name but he’s going to be speaker behind the scenes will come true,” Friess said. “I hope, given the fact that he could not muster up the support in his own caucus, that he moves on and that he lets Speaker Welch act as speaker on his own.”
If southern Illinois Republicans want to address worries about business and guns back home, they’re going to have to work with the Democratic supermajority in Springfield, said John Jackson, a visiting political professor at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute in Carbondale.
“Southern Illinois legislators have to got change their tactics or it’s just not going to be in the cards,” Jackson said. “They have to learn to build coalitions and work with the realities of Illinois politics.”
That assumes they actually want to get something done.
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Open thread
Monday, Feb 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Heh…
Keep it local (except for sports) and be polite to each other (except for sports). Thanks.
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