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Speaker talks about “Fire Madigan” campaign, hints at Democrats-only pension vote

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* House Speaker Michael Madigan was asked about the “Fire Madigan” campaign being run by the Illinois Republican Party…

“Let’s remember, Illinois Republicans are standing in opposition to the retention of a son of Illinois as president of the United States,” Madigan told reporters.

“They don’t want to talk about Romney and Ryan and their destruction of Medicare, so they want to create a diversion,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to work. I think the people of Illinois know that Illinois Republicans just want to sit on the sidelines and say, ‘Well, the Democrats have a majority. They should solve all the problems.’”

* The Republican Party chairman responded via press release…

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady responded, “Illinois voters can’t afford anyone sitting on the sidelines while Mike Madigan and his rubber stamps drive our state into the ditch. If Illinois voters want to save Illinois, they need to fire Madigan and his cronies in November.”

* But that’s not all Madigan said…

Now the strongest words yet from House Speaker Mike Madigan indicating a pension overhaul will wait, at least until November: “I’m not planning on being in Springfield before the election, now I’m only one person down there but I don’t plan to be down in Springfield before the election.”

* He also hinted that the Democrats might try to go it alone on pension reform…

Madigan for the first time suggested he might be willing to pass a pension package strictly with Democratic votes rather than rely on non-existent GOP support. […]

“What we’re learning in recent years is on these major issues, you do them when you’re able to do them. We repealed the death penalty in Illinois. We raised the income tax in Illinois. Those were all done after a general election,” Madigan said, referring to two hot-button matters the Legislature passed during a January 2011 session.

“The better question is when are you able to put together 60 and 30 votes to pass a major piece of legislation,” he said.

Madigan had insisted on at least 30 Republican votes in his chamber to pass a pension deal, but he appeared to back off that demand Monday during a question-and-answer session with reporters following a breakfast of Illinois delegates at the Democratic National Convention.

“That’s always a possibility. That’s always a possibility,” he said. “Again, you have to be there. You have to work to find 60 and 30 votes. Sometimes they’re there. Sometimes they’re not,” Madigan said when asked about a Democratic-only roll call on pensions.

Right now, the votes aren’t there. It’ll be extremely tough to get them as well. We’ll see.

* Related…

* Schock credits Ryan for abs, Madigan for better GOP recruits: In particular, he complimented Madigan’s rigorous standards for recruiting candidates to run for office. He said he’s been urging state GOP leaders to use the same tactics.

* Schock to Illinois delegates: GOP can learn from Madigan: While he cut at Democrats for fiscal mismanagement and a tax increase, he noted Madigan has “done a very good job with candidate recruitment. One thing I’ve learned is if you have all the money in the world and you have a bad horse, you don’t win on race day.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 9:49 am

Comments

While this clown Pat Brady hawks t-shirts for dogs that are made in China or wherever, Mike Madigan just keeps advancing the ball.

The only question is when November is a disaster for the IL GOP will Republicans find the spine to replace Brady with someone who knows at least a little about politics.

Comment by too obvious Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 9:54 am
Howsabout some more important questions, too? How is Madigan gonna get the votes he needs to pass pension reform? If he can’t, it ain’t likely anyone can. And if he can’t, then what?

Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 10:00 am
One of the interesting lessons is that Madigan recruits more new candidates who have already succeeded in the business world.

Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 10:07 am
“now I’m only one person down there”

Always nice to start the work week off with a laugh!

Comment by BCross Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 10:16 am
–”I think the people of Illinois know that Illinois Republicans just want to sit on the sidelines and say, ‘Well, the Democrats have a majority. They should solve all the problems.’”

That certainly describes the position of some self-described GOP partisans on this blog.

But the GOP chairman has issued a call to arms.

–“Illinois voters can’t afford anyone sitting on the sidelines while Mike Madigan and his rubber stamps drive our state into the ditch.”–

Certainly a plan, a bill and a willingness to make a tough vote are soon to follow.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 10:21 am
AFSCME needs to show the Speaker why they’ve supported the Democrats in the past and why they won’t in November.

Sooner or later AFSCME will not support a party promising to slit their throats. The Union has to be idiotic to let November pass and give Madigan the political support necessary for his “reform”.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 10:23 am
Does anyone have a clue what a Democrat-only pension reform plan would look like? Details please…

Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 11:02 am
–Does anyone have a clue what a Democrat-only pension reform plan would look like?–

Like one with no GOP votes.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 11:15 am
So king Madigan with a majority in both chambers and a Dem Gov says the only time our do nothing legislature can accomplish anything is right after an election during a lame duck session. How dysfunctional is that. Wow that is real leadership. We’re afraid to govern except in the two months following an election. This is beyond sad. Yes the GOP is non existant but my god the fact that the only time we can do anything is a lame duck session is amazing.

Comment by Fed up Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 11:59 am
If I were running the unions and I am sure not Id pour a lot of effort into turning some suburban districts on the property tax issue.

Comment by western illinois Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 12:00 pm
The tough part of predicting the outcome is how the transfer to local districts will turn out, especially given the polling results. Perhaps a compromise in which school districts pay the actuarial cost of all future raises and of pension costs for earnings over the $110K SS max.

There will also be a “reform” component that will diminish pensions and eventually be ruled unconstitutional by the courts. The legislation will have a severability clause, of course. When the courts reject this component, the legislators will throw up their hands and declare that they have no choice but to pass a revised extension of the income tax increase.

Comment by east central Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 12:38 pm
“Let’s remember, Illinois Republicans are standing in opposition to the retention of a son of Illinois as president of the United States,” Madigan told reporters. Does this Idiot know anything about geography, supposedly Obama was born in Hawaii! He was only in Illinois as a community organizer. Bet when he is gone he won’t live in Chicago!

Comment by The ghost in the darkness Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 2:05 pm
@Cincinnatus-

Yes, I do.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 2:10 pm
–Obama was born in Hawaii!–

Glad you could clear that up.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 2:20 pm
- supposedly Obama was born in Hawaii! -

It’s all so clear now, that’s why Kentucky is called the “Land of Lincoln”.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 2:30 pm
Ghost you might want to go back to the Kiddie Pool, the waters pretty deep here and you seem to be over your head.

Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 3:38 pm
Apparently your drinking the kool aid! I’ve always tried correcting people that Lincoln was born in KY. However, Ronald Reagan was!

Comment by The ghost in the darkness Tuesday, Sep 4, 12 @ 4:32 pm
>>

Did Madigan support Reagan in 1984?

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 5, 12 @ 6:08 am
@Small Town Liberal -

Yep. And why Connecticut is known as “The Land of George W. Bush.”

Hawaii, Kansas and Illinois all claim Obama. Who can blame them? In passing health care reform, he accomplished what Presidents - Democratic and Republican - have been trying to do for 90 years.

Back to the question at hand…

Madigan’s statement is yet another example of political judo from arguably the best political mind in the country.

Madigan’s threat to pass pension reform with only Democratic votes is what they call in “Getting to Yes” a Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement.

Basically, he’s telling the Chicago Tribune, Civic Federation, and other proponents of pension changes that if they don’t want move the GOP from its hardline, do-nothing, obstructionist position, that’s their choice. Democrats will just pass pensions changes that may — or most likely will not — include the things they want.

Madigan’s also given public employee unions a big reason to work to expand the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. The more Democrats you have, the more likely the General Assembly is to pass a Democratic plan that takes a less punitive approach to public servants and retired public servants.

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Sep 5, 12 @ 7:40 am