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Who’s stunting now?

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Illinois

* For a guy who constantly accuses Gov. Pat Quinn of staging political stunts, this sure looks like a stunt to me. AP…

Former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley is calling on Gov. Pat Quinn to hold around-the-clock talks to resolve the state’s $97 billion pension shortfall.

Daley will hold a news conference in Chicago on Monday to urge the governor to get more aggressive in trying to solve the worst-in-the-nation crisis. […]

Daley campaign spokesman Pete Giangreco told The Associated Press on Monday that “a confluence of issues” in the last week has increased the urgency for Illinois lawmakers to solve the state’s pension problem.

Giangreco says that includes the lowering of Chicago’s bond rate, Detroit’s bankruptcy and a higher Illinois unemployment rate.

Tossing in Detroit sure makes this look like a stunt to me.

* From last week…

After a bill-signing Thursday, Governor Pat Quinn would not comment on pensions. But his democratic primary opponent Bill Daley wants the governor to convene a 24-7, as-long-as-it-takes legislative leaders meeting.

“I mean, he’s got a big house in Springfield, the mansion. They could all just stay in there and just pound this thing out,” gubernatorial candidate William Daley said.

Apparently, Daley has not faith in the pension reform conference committee. I actually think they’re making some real progress. This issue needed to be taken away from the leaders’ direct control after the disastrous session-ending stalemate. Not that the leaders aren’t controlling things behind the scenes, mind you. I just think that the committee allows for a compromise that the tops couldn’t have agreed to during the spring session, due to the numerous personal and political conflicts between the leaders.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:40 am

Comments

Yeah, Detroit has a lot to do with Illinois pension legislation. If the Daley campaign really believes that, they’re clueless. If they don’t, they’re less than honest.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:46 am
Yikes…Nate SIlver to ESPN …can this mean Capt Fax’s We Ask America takes over the world?
As we learned Friday night, all-star statistician and one-man traffic machine Nate Silver is taking his talents to ESPN and (to a lesser extent) ABC News, where the soon-to-be-former New York Times polling blogger and psephologist is expected to take on a wide-ranging portfolio centered on sports and politics. According to Politico’s Mike Allen’s sources, however, the early reports about Silver’s new gig paint only part of the picture of what is shaping up to be Silver’s new “digital empire,” something that sounds a whole lot like a cross between Ezra Klein’s Wonkblog at the Washington Post and Bill Simmons’ Grantland at ESPN

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:51 am
Forgot to ask for the list of lawmakers who flipped to “yes votes

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:53 am
Dillard was on Chicago Tonight last week. He said that had he been elected 4 years ago he would have “locked legislators in the mansion and turned off the AC until a resolution on pensions was reached.” I realize that this isnt meant to be taken literally, but isnt it fair to ask how this translates into real action? Daley made a similar comment about locking people in the mansion. How about some real answers, people? Dillard went on to say that the Speaker would “let” him get pension reform done. Seriously, he said as governor the Speaker would let him solve this crisis. Nobody asks him if he feels powerless when in the same room as the Speaker? Pure silliness!!

Comment by anon Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:54 am
Rich, I agree completely. Looks as though Daley is trying to out-demagogue the master demagogue. It has the flavor of desperation to me. Maybe we need a Constitutional amendment to eliminate the office of Governor and go to a parliamentary system. I keep hoping that somebody worthy of the office of Governor will mount a credible campaign for it, and my hopes keep getting dashed.

Comment by jake Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:00 am
Apparently Bill Daley is unaware that Governor Quinn works tirelessly Day and Night.

Around the clock talks are like taking a break to catch a movie for Quinn…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:01 am
One politician accusing his opponent of doing exactly what he’s doing. This never happens.

Comment by Dave Victor Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:04 am
I’m just imagining Quinn and the leg leaders with their sleeping bags in the Gov’s Mansion… munching on popcorn and doing each others hair while talking pension reform.

Comment by Just Observing Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:06 am
===“locked legislators in the mansion and turned off the AC until a resolution on pensions was reached.”===

Wasn’t Dillard the guy who said he would be the Nominee with the “By sundown tomorrow” business?

If fixing pensions was as easy as all the “candidates” think it is, even with some already IN the state government, it probably would have been solved.

This is not an easy egg to crack, any and all who think it is, is trying to fool us all, and maybe fooling themselves a little too?

Heavy lifting is being done by the conference Committee, let’s see how this plays out too before everyone rushes to the one phone booth in Springfiled and comes out wearing leotards and a cape…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:08 am
===convene a 24-7, as-long-as-it-takes===
Obviously any successful negotiations will have to include some compromises between the issues currently on the table and potentially other issues that could be brought into the mix. I don’t know what those could be but any new issues (ie, different ways to adjust future increases, cost shifts, new revenue sources, etc) all take time to analyze. So what would the negotiators be doing during this sleepover while they are waiting for COGFA or whoever to crunch new numbers?

Comment by Been There Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:14 am
Daley’s stunt is part of a political campaign. Quinn’s myriad stunts are in his role as the Governor of the state. Or maybe, just maybe . . . would it be more accurate to say that Quinn’s “no money for you” to the General Assembly and July bill-signings are campaign events, designed with an eye towards November 2014? You don’t say? On the government dime? No way!

Quick, someone put a call out for a reformer!

Comment by Dry Blanket Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:20 am
governor quinn is governor 24/7 and has to handle all of the issues before him, not just pensions. for example, setting standards for the length and weight of dog tethers demands his undivided attention. and organizing people.

Comment by langhorne Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:20 am
If experience is a teacher, a conference committee that IS meeting and not spilling a lot of news is a conference committee that could be making progress. Let’s see what happens. If everyone is unhappy with the result, we probably will have an agreement.

Comment by A guy... Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:21 am
I’m always amused by candidates who want to tell the incumbent how to do things. I’m not a fan of the governor, but if Quinn thought round-the-clock talks would bring a solution, he would hold them. It’s like then-candidate Obama telling President Bush to close Gitmo. Easy to say, but when you are actually in office and having to work with/against all the obstacles, it’s harder to do. Same goes for pension fixing.

Comment by Fan of the Game Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:26 am
Detroit has officially replace Greece as the “what Illinois will become” for those low on facts but a strong resolve to cut pension payouts. A little bit of research would show even a simpleton that Detroit’s problems have many cause of which paying out earned pensions is only a small part of the big picture. But to the far right- go ahead and say we are the next Detroit because of those damn unions and pensions. Don’t let the facts get in the way of advancing your agenda …

Comment by Roadiepig Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:28 am
===Daley’s stunt is part of a political campaign. Quinn’s myriad stunts are in his role as the Governor of the state.===

Of course, but Daley wants us to believe that this stunt is how he’d govern.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:29 am
Things are moving on the pensions, albeit it slowly. The real problem is lack of revenue and that is starting to be addressed. The graduated income tax is starting to gain a bit of traction (see today’s SJ-R). That is one of the REAL solutions.

I’ve been on record for some time saying one of the reasons for pushing to “fix” state pensions right now is the need to find money on the State budget to do a CPS pension bailout later this year or next year. As far as I’m concerned, Chicago dug the same hole the State did pretty much the same way, not putting the money in.

All this grandstanding, by Daley, Quinn, etc. is just a bunch of hot air … and we already have enough of that under the dome.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:35 am
This is going to be a long campaign. And pointless too–there’s too many people out there who will not vote for anyone named Daley.

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:40 am
ICYM Daley’s tenure in dc in 2011 was a monumental flop in working with a legislature.

Comment by shore Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:52 am
I agree that it looks like the conference committee is making real progress. I hope the primary campaign doesn’t poison that well — and the good news the people on the committee are all grinders, so they are unlikely to be swayed by the early-primary back and forth. I hope they get some data by very early August and have a decent consensus to present to the full GA in August.

Comment by Dan Johnson Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:57 am
Word, you know I absolutely agree with you about the rating agencies. But I do think that the Detroit situation feeds the narrative about Illinois’ “impending financial ruin.” I was at a dinner party last night with some smart, well-educated people, and they seriously believed that “Illinois is next.” That type of thinking, which has been fanned madly by our friends at the Civic Committee, could have an actual impact on the bond market.

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 10:58 am
“The best plan now on the table would eliminate Illinois’ $100 billion unfunded pension liability over 30 years, deliver still-generous benefits to retirees — and save taxpayers a projected $187 billion.”

Tribune Editorial. July 19, 2013

Why do we need a $187 billion plan to solve a $100 billion problem?

Comment by Mugwump Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 11:11 am
Gee Mug, if you’re going to bring math into it…

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 11:13 am
Daley may be stunting, but he is right. Our elected leadership has to come up with a solution. We see that they do not do anything hard without some sort of crisis.

A lot of ills are masked during periods of growth. Detroit has undergone a spectacular reversal of fortunes and has lost more than half of it’s population since it’s peak.

Detroit’s leadership had more than 60 years to be working toward a solution. They ignored the obvious signs of decay and now there is no money and no prospects.

While the population in Illinois is not crashing, we still have an issue with large unfunded liabilities and a leadership that keeps kicking the can down the road.

The problem has been exacerbated by longer lifetimes and much larger pensions. It will not be long before there are two retired persons receiving benefits for each current full time position. The contributions from the employees side don’t even come close to providing a foundation to support the payouts.

It is natural to worry whether Illinois and Chicago are on a path to become the next Detroit.. If no substantial changes are made, the same fate can befall us. We need are leaders who can understand the actuarial math and work out a plan to put us on a glideslope toward stability.

Hello….. anyone there?

Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 11:21 am
Quinn wasn’t my first choice, but Bill has never even been an option.

Please bow out now.

Comment by Illinoisan Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 11:34 am
Did we really expect anything different from either Daley or Quinn?

Has either played the role of the serious leader in the past?

I’m starting to think Quinn out-played Daley with Quinn’s grandstanding on guns, and that might be enough to get him through to November.

And right now, the GOP field is looking like it did in the past. I think the ILGOP will go far right again, will fail to develop an effective overall strategy for the party, and it will be 2010 all over again.

Comment by VonKlutzenplatz Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 11:37 am
I’m starting to get a much clearer picture as to why Bill Daley has never held elected office…

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 11:55 am
Plutocrat03,

The plans exist. What is missing is the backbone to raise the revenue to fund the plans.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 12:10 pm
Maybe Daley can learn from how his brother handled City pensions. Oops, that won’t work.

Comment by reformer Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 12:13 pm
==So what would the negotiators be doing during this sleepover while they are waiting for COGFA or whoever to crunch new numbers?==

The Pat Quinn Pension Plan Drinking Game. Take a shot every time governor supports a radically different plan from the one he previously supported. Guaranteed alcohol poisoning in minutes.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 12:48 pm
=== I just think that the committee allows for a compromise that the tops couldn’t have agreed to during the spring session, due to the numerous personal and political conflicts between the leaders. ===

Agreed.

It makes you wonder how many other issues fall into the exact same category but never make it to this stage because they’re not as visible in the public eye.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 1:05 pm
“Yeah, Detroit has a lot to do with Illinois pension legislation.”

Well, there is one pretty obvious connection, the Michigan state constitution prohibits reductions in pensions as does Illinois’. These constitutions provide no real protection when the governmental entity is broke. Modest across the board cuts now (say 5%) can save the system, and only cost a pensioner receiving $40,000 per year a couple of grand. Better a small cut to pensions and programs now than a complete collapse later. The sooner the better.

Comment by wishbone Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 1:43 pm
I know that the sins of the brother can’t be instantly foisted upon faux-Democrat Bill Daley, but part of the reason that the city pension is in the condition it is in is that brother Rich did not make the city match for 17 of his 22 years as mayor.

Comment by James the Intolerant Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 2:31 pm
wishbone,

The argument in Detroit is the Federal Bankruptcy Court takes precidence over the State Constitution and State Courts. Right now, that is not what the Michigan State courts are saying. Don’t know exactly how that gets resolved re State’s Rights issues versus Federal Rights issues, especially since the authorization for the city’s “emergency manager” is under Michigan State law. Going to be interesting …

But I don’t see a direct impact on Illinois since there are a couple of significant differences. 1) Even though the city pensions are suppoedly protected under the Michigan Constitution, the state never owed the money; it was the city that owed the money to the pension funds (this is more like an individual Illinois city account in IMRF in Illinois). 2) Here, it is the State itself that is on the hook for the 5 big funds (not IMRF) and states can’t declare bankruptcy, so I don’t see how it ends up in a Federal bankruptcy court.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 3:11 pm
Speaking of stunting, did you see Rep. Hays’ guest op-ed in the News-Gazette? I love that vetoing legislative pay is a stunt but his solution is to call all lawmakers into session and chain the doors until a solution is reached, 24×7 for potentially months. Yep, that’s not a stunt at all, not to mention an illegal restraint. And can you imagine the hygiene issues?!?

Comment by thechampaignlife Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 3:30 pm
“…and states can’t declare bankruptcy…”

There is formal, legal bankruptcy, and there is actual, practical bankruptcy. We are facing the latter. The citizens of this state will not permit the level of tax increases needed to solve our pension woes even if reforms are passed. In the end there will be significant cuts in both ongoing state programs and pensions. The sooner we adopt across the board budget cuts impacting all program areas the less draconian the final cuts will have to be. There is no other way out of this problem, and continuing to kick the can down the road only makes it worse.

Comment by wishbone Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 6:03 pm
Let me know when practical bankruptcy ever becomes a valid legal principle. Until then, I’ll ignore your tinfoil comments.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 6:11 pm
“Until then, I’ll ignore your tinfoil comments.”

Something I said must have stung, but please try to keep it civil. There is nothing tinfoil about a $100 billion pension shortfall, or the ultimate refusal of the state’s taxpayers to agree to the kind of tax increases it would take to solve the problem. Your apparent anger suggests you agree with me, but are afraid to face the reality of the situation. I am sorry for you.

Comment by wishbone Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 8:56 pm
wishbone,

Actully, the IL taxpayers are going to have to pay one way or the other. In the original IFT pension funding case, the IL SC has ALREADY ruled the pensions have to be paid by the state when due. The debate is NOT about paying the pensions; the debate is about WHETHER to pre-fund the pensions payments by paying into the pension funds and HOW to come up with the money to do so. When you put it in those terms, there are two choices: cut State spending or raise state revenue.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:23 pm
Wish, the only thing real in your comments is that there is a large unfunded liability. Throwing out invalid comparisons to Detroit and talking about something that has no legal meaning when someone explains why the comparison is invalid demonstrates that you don’t understand or care to understand the issues.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jul 22, 13 @ 9:29 pm