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The failure list

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Illinois

Gov. Pat Quinn wanted pension reform done in the lame-duck session. Didn’t happen.

He wanted a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons passed. Didn’t happen.

He wanted a same-sex marriage bill passed. Didn’t happen.

Hope as a kid he had better luck getting Santa Claus to listen to his wants list.

Quinn also wanted a resolution of the gaming issue, which went nowhere. He wanted to shore up the state’s capital projects fund without success. He wanted more money for DCFS frontline staff and failed. Indeed, he tried and failed to push through a supplemental appropriations bill, which is usually a “gimme” in these sorts of sessions.

He couldn’t even convince the General Assembly to change the date of his annual budget address, for crying out loud.

There was just one success: The Senate finally passed a bill that allowed Quinn to revoke the union cards of hundreds of state workers, but then made him promise to work out a deal with the union.

* Recent quote…

“I was a long-distance runner in high school,” the Democratic governor said. “What we have to do is keep running until we get to our destination and cross the finish line.”

Yeah, well, you can’t win a long distance race by meandering all over town.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:08 am

Comments

Lack of fumigation should have been our first clue.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:14 am
===I was a long-distance runner in high school===

Actually, Gov Quinn is telling a little white lie. In fact, he was a sprinter but kept getting lost.

Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:16 am
-Lack of fumigation should have been our first clue. -

Thank You. There’s evidence abound that you still have the Blagojevich “apparatus” and philosophy going strong at top levels in state government.

Comment by Crime Fighter Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:21 am
Well, let’s be fair here. He did close some jails and other institutions, a politically difficult task that is also an investment in the future. We can’t continue to pour billions into archaic ways of caring for people; advances in technology, for one, make it much easier to care for people in the community. He should close more of these places and step up correctional reform. Not sure he hasn’t done all one governor can do in this area though.

And he raised the income tax, another politically difficult act which may yet come back to haunt him when he starts advocating to make his “temporary” tax permanent, which almost certainly will happen.

Maybe this is the best we can get from our accidental governor. But it’s something.

Comment by cassandra Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:27 am
There is a little more “there” there.

I have felt that one of Quinn’s problems is a lack of owning an issue and seeing that issue through, and doing the hard work necessary to ensure the deed is done.

Example? Take Speaker Madigan and the pensions. It is quite obvious that the Speaker’s particiaption is required to get pensions done. When the Speaker puts his nmae on something, (like the pension bil) everyone knew Madigan was serious. Madigan takes his name off, everyone knows Madigan is not on board.

The point? Quinn rarely goes “all in”, except to get in front of a Microphone, when behind on the issue. As Quinn wanders around his lucid agenda, there is never a feel that Quinn is “all in” and further, moving the ball smartly and methodically towards an end game which makes Quinn a winner. Hasn’t happened. Not. Once.

That is the difference. Sure we talk leadership, and a lack of governing skill, but when was the last time Quinn was “all in”, and skillfuly took ownership to follow through on an agenda item till completetion? Madigan does that too many times to mention. Sometimes leadership means being out front, owning it, working it, and following through…even by a governor.

This list is not as surprising as the consistant pattern leading to the failures, using the same playbook.

Sad and pathetic.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:28 am
Yeah, well, you can’t win a long distance race by meandering all over town.

Not fair, Rich!

The governor is quite obviously following a road paved with good intentions. (Now, I wonder where it goes…)

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:31 am
Quinn’s failure to move out the people from Blago has hurt him, his failure to know how to set your goals and work the room if you will with the people that have control has not improved and also the people i.e. Madigan and Cullerton have to be able to trust you and work with you. In a previous article you pointed out the Madigan and Edgar trusted on another with what they said. If there is no trust there is no deal. A basic political rule that Quinn has never accomplished or achieved with the present leaders of either party.

Comment by boat pilot Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:31 am
===The governor is quite obviously following a road paved with good intentions.===

Wow. On point, great observation, and well said.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:33 am
Stop with the Blago drive-bys. What “people” and what exactly are they guilty of? Whatever you think of Blago’s transgressions, he and his “people” got alot of good things done and the trains ran on-time and when they occasionally did not it was becasue the GA passed and hoisted upon him undisputed unballanced budgets.

Comment by Fair Share Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:42 am
Are these considered good intentions when he retaliates against whistle blowers and their families. He also retaliates against his political adversaries like firing their spouses (See the firing Henry Bayer’s wife etc.)

What were the good intentions behind the attempted fixing of the health insurance procurement?

Laws and rules are viewed as “technicalities” that get in the way of, uhm good intentions?. Sounds Blagoesque to me.

Comment by Crime Fighter Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:47 am
The big issues were all but declared dead when the House and Senate decided not to be in session at the same time.
That is when he should have focused on the supplemental and the other administrative stuff and he might have gotten that done. It just seems that once things start to unravel, instead of cutting the string and starting over, he just keeps pulling on the string.

Quinn should have channeled the Stones “You can’t always get what you want…but if you try sometimes well you might find, you get what you need.”

Comment by Jaded Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:50 am
Finke forgot Medicaid expansion. That one was supposed to be the “gimme,” oops.

I agree with the comments about not fumigating. But it’s not only the personnel, it feels to me as if some of Blago’s policy-ADD, anti-legislature style has rubbed off on the guy. Clearly Quinn is honest and I think has a lot of personal integrity, but there are some strange and intangible similarities going on here.

Comment by siriusly Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:53 am
=Stop with the Blago drive-bys. What “people” and what exactly are they guilty of? Whatever you think of Blago’s transgressions, he and his “people” got alot of good things done and the trains ran on-time and when they occasionally did not it was becasue the GA passed and hoisted upon him undisputed unballanced budgets.=

I guess it’s five o’clock some where.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:57 am
=Stop with the Blago drive-bys. What “people” and what exactly are they guilty of? Whatever you think of Blago’s transgressions, he and his “people” got alot of good things done and the trains ran on-time and when they occasionally did not it was becasue the GA passed and hoisted upon him undisputed unballanced budgets.=

Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Thanks, I needed a laugh this morning.

Comment by lincolnlover Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:03 am
Quinn would probably be more successful if he didn’t believe the adversarial approach works best.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:07 am
“I was a long-distance runner in high school,”

Yeah and when I play golf I’m always on the fairway..not mine of course but always on the fairway!

Comment by WazUp Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:14 am
==Yeah, well, you can’t win a long distance race by meandering all over town.==

If you wander down enough streets, you will eventually cross some finish line somewhere. Then you claim victory and go home. If, instead, you get run over by an oncoming marathon, you declare it an up day and wander on.

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:15 am
=”Whatever you think of Blago’s transgressions, he and his “people” got alot of good things done and the trains ran on-time and when they occasionally did not it was becasue the GA passed and hoisted upon him undisputed unballanced budgets.”=

This can’t be serious. I think this is more than touting Blago’s (Quinn’s) administrative prowess.

I think Share is pulling our collective string for fun.

Comment by Crime Fighter Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:16 am
Governors can’t really duck any issues, which makes focus, discipline and setting priorities all that more important.

Those are certainly not Quinn’s strong suits. He should have run for Senator — pick your fights, duke it out on the legislative side.

His relationship with the GA most often looks like the Bears offense — where’s the game plan, where’s the execution? Are we all even running the same play?

On top of that, he’s supposed to be running the executive branch. Who knows what’s going on there? Hopefully, the right peeps are in place.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:16 am
Governor Quinn is not a person who can build a team approach to handling issues on both sides of the political arena. I hope all voters review his record with an open mind. He won one county last time around and it was COOK!!!!MY–MY–MY–I WONDER WHY?

Comment by HEY JACK, Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:17 am
PQ still doesn’t get it. The process involves much more than just getting in front of a microphone and saying you want something to happen.

Comment by One of the 35 Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:19 am
===He won one county last time around and it was COOK!!!!===

First, he won more than one county.

Second, the object isn’t to win counties, it’s to win votes.

Third, don’t be an idiot.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:24 am
We have a revenue problem in the state. Even with the 2% tax increase, revenue is insufficient to provide basic state services and honor our obligations. Why veto the gaming bill and the revenue it would have generated.

The state has an obligation to pay the dollars it borrowed from the five pension funds for many years. Go to http://www.ctbaonline.org/New_Folder/Budget,%20Tax%20and%20Revenue/CTBA%20FY2013%20Enacted%20Budget%20Analysis_8.2.2012%20FINAL.pdf and read the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability’s analysis of the pension problem (beginning on page 24). It is a straightforward and honest account of how we got where we are. It would be much better to frame the issue based on what the issue really is-How does the sate repay the money it borrowed from the pension plans rather than demonizing state employees who have relied on the promises made to them about their pensions. This is really about high income taxpayers not wanting to get stuck with the bill (through a constitutional amendment to allow a progressive tax) and by extending the sales tax to cover most services.

Comment by SIUPROF Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:26 am
Governor Quinn has become the poster boy for the Peter Principle, except when he’s busy being the face of Murphy’s Law.

Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:29 am
Gloomy article from the SJ-R today about the budget outlook for the next 3 fiscal years:

http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x1084483985/State-pension-drain-expected-to-hit-schools-government-operations

Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:32 am
I think PQ believes that if jawboning works for Barack, it will work for him as well. Unfortunately for pat, Barack works the back room, and Barack has a better hand. While pat believes he can emulate POTUS, he ends up emulating GA republicans. Looks like it’s time to fine-tune that strategy Pat.

Comment by Madison Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:36 am
In the waning moments of the lame duck session I saw what I felt to be an encapsulated example of Quinn’s tenure so far as Governor.

I was watching with interest the movement of the pension reform bill. I watched as the chess match was being played. My take on Madigan’s position was that he really didn’t want the legislation passed, a discussion on that could go on a while. But he was not opposing the bill. It was almost as though he and his lieutenents had taken the position that they weren’t totally for the bill but if someone else could get it passed that would put them in the best position. They could claim success in working on pension reform, they could state to the unions that they didn’t try to pass the bill, and they had cover if it was proved unconstitutional. For a while it was touch and go whether they could do it.
But then Quinn, instead of letting that play out, came up with his ridiculous committee idea. What would have happened if he hadn’t stepped in and shot him self in the foot? I don’t know. But the minute they heard that proposal I’ll bet a light bulb went on in the heads of MJM and Currie and any of the others who weren’t opposing the bill but weren’t working for it. Here was their way out. The members of the committee probably couldn’t get those amendments out the door, attached to the bill, and on the floor quick enough. This was the guarantee that the bill wasn’t going anywhere and the Governor was the cause. And he didn’t even know he did it. I’ll bet MJM was actually smiling.

Until he gets the chip off his shoulder and listens to people and works with people nothing is going to change.

Comment by Irish Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:40 am
- Aldyth -,

Nice. Well done!

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:40 am
Again, not a Quinn fan, but I don’t think there are too many out there that would have had any more success in Springfield. The GA is only going to move when they are forced. If anything, for an Illinois politician, he’s been as forward thinking as possible on some of these issues rather than reactionary. We’ll dig ourselves a hole so deep, that it will be reactionary, and the choices we’re all left with will be uglier than the ones we have today.

Comment by Shemp Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:46 am
The ignorance of this blog summarizes the problem with the state. Quinn, Quinn, Quinn. Who drafts the budgets…Madigan. Who has repeatedly failed to pass pension reform…Madigan. Who chose Rod and Pat Quinn…Madigan. Quinn is a mindless pawn in Madigan’s game. Until people realize that the problems start with dictator Madigan it will continue. If we do not change politics in the House, our problems will continue no matter who the governor is.

Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 10:55 am
I often wonder if Quinn wakes up in the morning wondering if and how he can ever get back to being that beacon in the dark on that cold night in January when he was sworn in.

Comment by Cheswick Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:02 am
Quinn once ran a 1/8 marathon. Because it was on the way to a press conference.

Comment by Cheswick Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:03 am
I know what Quinn means when he says he was a long distance runner in high school. I was also a long distance (cross country) runner in high school. I lived in a rural area and one day our coach drove us a few miles away from the school,dropped us off, and told us the route to take to meet us back at school at a certain time. A friend and I thought we’d outsmart the coach and take a short-cut through a corn field (that hadn’t been harvested yet), take a little break along the way, and still beat the rest of the team back to school. Somehow I lost my sense of direction in the cornfield and actually ended up further away from school than where I was originally dropped off by the coach. I never did make it back to school that night.

Comment by Meaningless Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:05 am
–The ignorance of this blog summarizes the problem with the state.–

Patriot, you do strike me as an authority on ignorance.

I thought you said the other day that Chicago was the source of all the state’s problems? Now it’s Madigan? Or do you have a long list of sources for your life’s disappointments?

How’s your secession drive going, anyway?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:14 am
Pat was a long distance runner….for our sake he should have kept going…….

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:20 am
Instead of running a cross country meet, the Gov should take up jogging, and jog up to the 3rd floor and learn how the legislature works. He has no idea how to pass a bill. And while he is running his high school meet, the Speaker and the President are running the marathon in the Olympics.. is it 2014 yet???

Comment by PQ's Primary Opponent Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:22 am
Ignorant folks of all political stripes should be able to post here without a wordslinger insult diatribe.

You drive away genuine opinions that don’t concern you. Pee, zip up, wash up and stop staring and insulting the other guys trying to do the same.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:34 am
I had no idea that the Governor was a cross country kid. That’s why things are taking so long. This must be one of those Iron-Man double marathons. Here’s hoping that the endorphines from the “runner’s high” kick in soon.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:35 am
===Ignorant folks of all political stripes should be able to post here without a wordslinger insult diatribe.===

Disagree.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:38 am
WS - I’m dying!!! Hilarious!

Comment by Former Merit Comp Slave Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:42 am
===Ignorant folks of all political stripes should be able to post here===

No, they shouldn’t. Rich works very hard to elevate the debate on this blog. Most of us have little tolerance for ignorance. Some of us try to dispel the ignorance and add some good information. Different political views are welcome, disagreements are expected, but ignorance has no place on any self-respecting blog.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:42 am
- the Patriot -,

Quinn is responsible for 1/3 of the government. That is a fact, wether you want to admit that or not.

Further,

===Ignorant folks of all political stripes should be able to post here without a wordslinger insult diatribe.===

what makes this place great is that we all police ourselves, and knowledgeable commenters like - wordslinger - help Rich police the others.

If you want Bumper Sticker slogans, drive-by snetences with no facts, and just pure ignorance, than this is a place not for you, and thank goodness rich keeps it the way he does!

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:43 am
VMan, we can always count on you to employ the imagery of urology in the defense of ignorance.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:51 am
Well then, there you go.

Over the restroom sign, should be another that states “Liberals Only, enforced by wordslinger, die Putzfrau who determines the definition of what is ignorant.”

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:54 am
VMan,

===Liberals Only,===

Have you read the Blog lately? There commenters of all stripes. what there is not, is ignorant comments of ANY stripes.

VMan, why so confrontational from the get-go? Not snark, actually asking….

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 11:58 am
@Patriot: Madigan “chose Rod and Pat Quinn” and “drafts the budget”?

You should know better just from following this blog. Your opinions on Madigan’s impact on state government are worth debating. You don’t have to invent facts to support them.

At least you made me laugh out loud.

Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:04 pm
Why the slam against wordslinger? He didn’t bring up the condescending accusation of “ignorance” on this blog.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:08 pm
==You drive away genuine opinions that don’t concern you.==

On the contrary, Wordslinger attracts to the blog genuine opinions that don’t concern him.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:11 pm
VMan: Varying opinions and idologies are welcome. IMHO we should at least expect well-informed statements in support of those opinions. Otherwise we’re wasting time.

Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:15 pm
Word vs Vannie plus some a comment about ol” Rod. Just like the good old days.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:27 pm
How about a tune for the occasion, Vannie?

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:30 pm
@VM - Sometimes we all feel like “die Putzfrau”
and it’s not necessarily confined to this blog.

Comment by Crime Fighter Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:31 pm
Quinn is not he greatest governor he tries and works hard,he just does have the ability to lead.
I can only imagine how tough it would be to try to manage with Madigan and Cullerton trumping you at every turn.
This blog has some brillant writers and thinkers.
Could any one of them do a better job?

Comment by mokenavince Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:40 pm
Oh, Bill — you would have made a great Senator. Patriot, the Governor’s office drafts the budget. I can tell you that for a fact. Share - seriously?

Comment by soccermom Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:46 pm
==Could any one of them do a better job?==

Absolutely!

Thanks,mom. if only…

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:51 pm
=”This blog has some brillant writers and thinkers.
Could any one of them do a better job?”=

Yes.

Comment by Crime Fighter Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:53 pm
Trying to find a positive here … If Quinn keeps leading the same way he’s done so far, most likely he will be “one and done” as governor but probably will not end up in the slammer like a few of his predecessors! I don’t know which one is the more positive.

Comment by Meaningless Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 12:54 pm
“The Bill is overdue…”

Comment by soccermom Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:08 pm
You were never a bully, Bill.

What was so bad about Patriot’s rant? Anti-Madigan, who cares? We’ve had a lot more sinister rants than that. A lot more ignorant, that’s for sure. But that’s only if you take Steve Brown out of context. He’s really quite the intellect when he remembers his meds.

It galls the crap out of me when ONE GUY thinks he is “die Putzfrau” and can’t keep himself from butting in and pointing out the obvious. If he isn’t stating the obvious from the get-go, he’s going after the poor schmuck who would like a turn on the soap box, reminding him of the obvious. If we are all so brilliant, we don’t need the Putzfrau and the Putzfrau should respect us enough to let folks get a shot at the head. Someones gotta tell him to step back and let the poor slobs drool over their keyboards in an unoriginal rant.

How are we supposed to know what most folks are spouting off, when we let the Putzfrau run the toilets?

We need to read the sincere postings, even those with which we disagree…

“Mr. Patriot sir,
What you posted today was almost interesting. We have often heard our fellow citizens express frustrations at the Past, Present and Future Speaker of the Illinois General Assembly Mr. Michael Madigan in similar stylings. Regular readers of this post are familiar with these frustrations and are familiar with the root causes of said frustrations.

However sir, it would be a challenge for our regular readers to accept your hypothesis that Mr. Madigan is at the root of our current state’s long list of dilemnas. If you familiarize yourself with our state constitution, you will note that there are many elected officials with varying degrees of responsibilities involved. While Mr. Madigan holds a key powerful position among them, it is simply not possible for anyone in the Speaker’s position to monopolize our state’s affairs to the degree with which you contend.

We always enjoy a good rant, however, and look forward to more opportunities to read your future postings. We recommend you consider enlightening yourself a bit more however, as your latest posting has seemed to have offended our Putzfrau, wordslinger.

As our Putzfrau, wordslinger takes every posting personally. He lives for every chance to lash out at any blogger who offends his sensibilities as he sincerely believes that his sensibilities are the only correct ones to have on any issue.

However, please forgive our Putzfrau on his latest postings. He has been a tad more cranky than ever.

Sincerely,
The Gang

Now - is that so hard?

We can all get along if we just remember a few of the rules we were taught in Kindergarten, right? We all benefit when we hear each other, even with those with whom we disagree.

I know there is a song somewhere to explain that, but lunch break is over….

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:09 pm
We could end up with two years of an effectively lame duck governor, engaged primarily in performing ceremonial duties like patting the state animal, waiting for the groundhog to see his shadow, and so on. In some ways, it feels like that now. So the blessings we may need to start counting now are the ones that we might reap by doing nothing for a couple of years. After all, the economy is improving. Is it really doomsday if we don’t fix the pension before spring. Or even before next spring. The contrarian part of me is starting to get suspicious about the pension clamor, especially when fixing it seems to rely heavily, in the minds of many, on dinging the economic future of mostly middle class state retirees (the cola debate). All the while hoping most of them don’t understand inflation.

Comment by cassandra Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:11 pm
==Could any one of them do a better job?==

Heck yeah, I think they could, even the ones I generally disagree with, at least they have a spine and are not generally broken records.

But one thing I know for sure…

They couldn’t do any worse…

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:29 pm
Besides, Governor Blagojevich has a limit on how long he is allowed on the prison network. He didn’t have sufficient time to include in-depth details as to how Mr. Madigan actually ran Illinois like a demented puppet master.

Right, eh, “Patriot”?

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:30 pm
Thanks Cassandra. Do the Koch Bros have a controlling interest in Fitch?

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:32 pm
So, what is Mr. Quinn, (I’m just calling him that now, ahead of everyone else in 2015), going to do?

Mr. Quinn should just sit back and enjoy the perks of living in Springfield. Forget Chicago with all those, you know, real problems. Let the Mayor take the fall for reality breaking down the Wall of Unreality surrounding the Loop. Quinn should focus on partnering with Simon as a jug playing back up for her rather lively bluegrass-cum-amateur band.

Its a natural for him. Squatting on a stool, puckering up and blowing hot air over an open ceramic jug would be like giving the Speaker a Macintosh the size of my head. Pat has always shone when asked to whistle.

If I were he, I’d show up at every town and village in Illinois dressed like the state fish and give folks who show up a whole lotta love! Voters won’t aruge with a man dressed like a fish. Research has been done. In Italy. Paid for by US Taxpayers, who else?

Enjoy the ride Pat. Get a toupee. Go shirtless at the State Fairs. Have “Soy Boy” tattooed on your forehead and wear a sign that reads, “Free Kisses!” Then surprise everyone by handing out Hershey kisses. It’s eccentric and Fox News will make you famous.

Tell everyone that the reason you are acting insane is because you’ve seen our fiscal situation and have realized that the crazies under the Dome won’t change a wit in time to avoid adding Illinois to the list of endangered species like the Galapagoes Totortise and General Motors.

Enjoy the ride. Make insanity fashionable Pat!

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:46 pm
Compeling rejoinders from all - not.
Soccermom - seriously? No budget passed resembles what the Governor’s office drafts. The GA owns the mess more than anyone else. Year 4 of blaming Blago. How’s that working for you all?

Comment by Fair Share Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 1:57 pm
Patriot, we had an extensive conversation about MJM here yesterday. Maybe you missed it. Either way, bite us.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 2:29 pm
Madigan runs Chicago. Do you really believe the Mayor has more influence over Chicago than Madigan. Do you think Lisa Madigan would beat Rahm in an election. Easily. So who runs the city?

So the chair of the democrat party, did not choose the democrat party candidate for Governor. Did I miss a primary where Madigan backed someone against Quinn? You can’t be the chair of the party who elects the guy and say he is not my Governor.

Madigan writes the budget, behind closed doors. It is his budget. Except for the short period when the republicans held the majority, he has drafted every budget.

I can’t wait to hear how it is the republicans fault the veto proof majority can’t pass pension reform or a gun bill.

Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 2:33 pm
===So the chair of the democrat party, did not choose the democrat party candidate for Governor. Did I miss a primary where Madigan backed someone against Quinn? ===

If he did back somebody against Quinn, people would’ve been howling that he had too much power.

Just sayin…

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 2:41 pm
- the Patriot -

I am a Republican, and as Rich said, we have discussed Madigan, and we also went over why Quinn has been ineffective, especially since the beginning of 2013.

So, what is your end game, what are you trying to say about the politics and governing of Pat Quinn?

Remember “Fire Madigan”? How did that work out?

Pat quinn needs to govern. He is the governor, and is responsible for 1/3 of governing this state, and further, is responsible to working with the legislature to emsure, among other things, budgets and pension reforms, are enacted.

===Do you think Lisa Madigan would beat Rahm in an election. Easily. So who runs the city? ===

Hypotheticals that, today, are not in the cards, or worse, based in reality, do not move the dialog forward, insofar as, what in all you are talking about does Lisa v. Rahm, have to do with Quinn and his failures, especially if that race, today, is not going to happen, or happen soon?

I am just a bit confused…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 2:48 pm
I think that was the first collective bite “us” ever proclaimed on the blog. Congratulations, Patsy!

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:05 pm
Patriot - Someone said the Speaker drafts the budget. That is not in fact the case. The GA has a great deal of control over the final budget, but the Governor’s office drafts the first round, and the Governor signs it.

I certainly do not blame RRB for all of the state’s ills, but many of the budget and pension funding issues we now face are directly attributable to horrific decisions by Governor Blagojevich to expand programs without increasing revenues proportionally. Admittedly, these problems were magnified by the collapse of the economy, which no one here (or anywhere else, so far as I know) blames on our former Governor. But the pension hole was enormous and got enormouser under the Blagojevich administration, and the payment cycle started extending to painful lengths on his watch.

If you want to learn more about the State of Illinois’ budget and its history, you can go to budget.illinois.gov.

(And that, Mr. Miller, is how a lady says “Bite me.”)

Comment by soccermom Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:06 pm
- the Patriot -,

I want to leave you with this thought, as I put my thought as a response to this at the same time …

======Ignorant folks of all political stripes should be able to post here without a wordslinger insult diatribe.===

This blog is the “top of the top” of all Illinois Political blogs, period, enter, new sentence.

Posts that seem out of place to the dialog, are seen with huge red flags. As in sports, especially those playing at an elite level, deficiencies are glaring and obvious.

Everyone here helps educate the others on where some knowledge is lacking, and then we are all better in the process. This is not your father’s newspaper blog or extremist website. You will get called out on ignorance, and by ignorance, I mean the defined word, “ignorance”, not a slander.

We all try to keep up with one another, and along the way, I know I have learned more than I could ever teach, so I, like many, are grateful for this place. there are no dumb questions, just silly statements.

With kindest personal regards, I remain.

Sincerely yours,

Oswego Willy

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:18 pm
-Soccermom-

Well played!

Comment by Fiercely Independent Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:28 pm
And to my friend - soccermom -, on her retort…

“Here endeth the Lesson!”

Well Done.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:32 pm
===It galls the crap out of me when ONE GUY thinks he is “die Putzfrau” and can’t keep himself from butting in and pointing out the obvious.===

Yeah, well, when Rich re-names it the VanillaMan Commenter of the Year award your complaint might have some standing. And wordslinger is hardly the ONLY ONE who feels compelled to respond when gibberish passes for honest commentary here.

Incidentally, calling out someone else for being “off their meds” is more than a little ironic considering your recent commentary.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:49 pm
If only the Republicans would give us a candidate for governor who did not want to use his/her power to impose their religious beliefs on everyone else, I would be tempted to give them a shot at fixing the state’s fiscal problems. Ain’t gonna happen though. Sad.

Comment by wishbone Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:50 pm
Sorry PQ defenders but it looks like he will be on Chicago Tonight rebutting you…….i am no insider just gov………its all the fault of teachers pensions……..my dismal poll numbers are some other excuse

Comment by western illinois Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:51 pm
Well said, - 47th Ward -, agree 100%

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 3:54 pm
I just googled “Putzfrau”.

Now I get it. I agree with VM. Word has seemed a little testy lately.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 4:08 pm
===Now I get it. I agree with VM. Word has seemed a little testy lately.===

I disagree. He deserved it.

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 4:14 pm
Perhaps if Patriot of VMan had more comments to make on this blog besides the drive by comments about “liberals” or “Madigan” or whatever other partisan rant they can think of, maybe they would be taken a little more seriously. If you want to talk with people who think like you do 100% of the time go to another blog. The suggestion that this blog is one-sided just proves their ignorance.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 4:28 pm
Soccermom - “Many of the budget problems we face are attributable ti his horrific decisions…” How so? Since your such an expert on tyhe Budget and Budget process, please explain how RRB increased speding without revenues and provide examples that contributed to the scale of problem we face. Keep in mind when he expanded healthcare, he did so with either GA or JCAR concurrence each time. Sometimes the GA and JCAR did not concur and spending did not increase. Further, when he added pension bond debt service to the mix, he again did so with GA concurrence. Let me, in turn, refer you to the Illinois Constitution, its the GA that appropriates spending, not the Governor.

So I say to you an “enormouser” Bite Me

Comment by Budgeteer Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 4:53 pm
@ Demoralized

Vanilla Man has made more intelligent, humorous, sarcastic comments on this blog than anyone….except maybe Word.

You should recognize/respect greatness when in its presence.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 5:27 pm
And done in song!

Comment by Leave a Light on George Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 5:32 pm
Budgie - Note the four-fold increase in unpaid bills carried over from the previous fiscal.
http://www.civicfed.org/iifs/blog/check-not-mail

Comment by soccermom Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 6:08 pm
The description of Pat’s M.O. sounded to me just like one of Bill Keane’s
Family Circus” drawings that show the dotted path the kid takes on his way to his goal

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/11/11/142218444/bil-keanes-dotted-line-an-appreciation

Quinn manages a problem, the way he talks. When he talks, ever notice that it’s like reading a hypertext document with every third word linking to a footnote or sub-reference?

“My fellow citizens of Illinois (Land of Lincoln). I am indeed happy (pleased) to be here at the opening of this train car factory not far from Chicago (the city by the lake, the city designed by Daniel Burnham, who said make no little plans). We’re happy that this company has decided to build these rail cars (which are great for high-speed rail, which I am in favor of, and which will transport the citizens of Tomorrow’s Illinois) here. Pardon me, while I take a sip of water(which came from the Michigan basin aquifer, and we know Mark Twain, who in real life carried the name of Samuel Clemens, said whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting over - anyway, Mark Twain who wrote Huck Finn and has a hotel named after him in St. Louis, another great American city- would be in agreement that we’re for clean water in Illinois, that has to be our highest priority).

Now, where was I?”

He’s off in the ozone and the New Kids and Blago hangers-on are in charge of things, each with their own agendas.

Comment by Newsclown Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 6:29 pm
VMan, I’m sorry that I scare you off from posting. Is it because I’m right or you just have no confidence in your position? I can’t imagine being scared off by anyone.

I know a lot of folks miss you as the Mitzi Gaynor of your time, with your showtunes.

But c’mon man, where’s your game? Just today, you stepped out in defense of ignorance. I thought that was a gag.

Let me help you, cousin: Do you ever read what you write before you post? You take a long time around the barn, dude. It’s generally unrelated to the subject and totally incoherent.

I’m sorry I’ve hurt your feelings, my young padawan. But seriously, this is a grownup bar, where smart, hard-working and accomplished men and women try to work it out.

If you want a participant pudding cup for being able to almost communicate the day’s Fox talking points, there are other options.

Lighten up, Francis. It’s not my rodeo. But as long as the host keeps me coming back, I’m not going anywhere. I dig it a lot. So cowboy up, big boy.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 6:58 pm
The unconstitutional and unfair pension bills being considered during the lame duck session did not pass. However we should not discount the success of the bills passed last year that cut state Medicaid costs and state retiree health care costs.

It is unfortunate that a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons was not passed. But it should be noted that in the state of Connecticut, which already has a ban on assault weapons, the Bushmaster .223 semiautomatic rifle used in the Newtown school shooting rampage was legal!

And it is true that even the same-sex marriage bill was not passed. But a civil union bill was signed by Governor Quinn just under one year ago. So this is not really an emergency issue, now.

But why even bring up the gambling bill that would triple the number of gambling positions in Illinois and needs to be rewritten to provide more oversight and provide more revenue for state educational funding? This bill needs to be marked “do-over” and sent back to the General Assembly.

Comment by Ruby Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 7:20 pm
Soccer-Upon closer examination you will discover ga overrides if line item reduction vetoes designed to bring budget to balance. GA restored spending without new revenues. Nice try.

Comment by Budgeteer Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 7:47 pm
==However we should not discount the success of the bills passed last year that cut state Medicaid costs and state retiree health care costs.==

The latter is also unconstitutional, as the courts will rule shortly, and is just a cheap shot at the state employees Quinn would rather vilify than lead.

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:06 pm
Let’s not turn on each other Vman, plenty of slow moving targets out there at which to aim our attention.

Comment by Hawkeye Tuesday, Jan 15, 13 @ 9:28 pm
Rich, Why was my comment about Sgt. Hulka deleted?
Word: = ” Lighten up Francis” =
That was a shout out to Word on the Warren Oates line from the classic movie Stripes

Comment by Crime Fighter Wednesday, Jan 16, 13 @ 9:01 am