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The governor’s move to skim $5 million from the budget and use it for stem cell research didn’t exactly go over well with the editorial writers at the Belleville News-Democrat.

Is Rod Blagojevich running for re- election as governor of Illinois, or as dictator? His heavy- handedness last week makes us think dictator.

That’s gotta be the harshest editorial lede I’ve ever seen about this governor.

Doug Finke at the SJ-R was much more mild.

It’s not whether you think Blagojevich did the right thing in providing money for stem cell research. The issue is credibility: saying there is no money in the budget for stem cell research and then padding a state agency budget so there will be money for it.

Then again, credibility problems are nothing new for the Blagojevich administration.

Bernie Schoenburg let Rep. Gary Hannig, the House Dems’ budgeteer, do the talking.

“You hate to have that kind of distrust exist between the executive branch and the legislative branch,” Hannig said. “Do we have to call a lawyer every time we talk to each other and put everything on a piece of paper? You would hope that when you talk to people that they would … either agree or disagree with you, but that they would at least be honest.”

As for the governor’s side of the negotiations, Hannig said, “I think they knew very well what our feelings were on this issue.

“He worked that angle last year, and we said, ‘OK, you fooled us on that one, but no more.’ And they said, ‘OK.’ So now, they’re going to play another game.”

“It’s not a good situation,” Hannig added. “But the governor brings these things on himself, sometimes.”

And John Patterson spares little.

In his first term in office, Blagojevich has been branded a liar â€” which the governor chalked up to a simple misunderstanding â€” compared to a used car salesman and been forced to put financial promises in writing, all by his fellow Democrats.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 5:04 am

Comments

Used car salesmen should sue for being lumped in with Blago. They actually hand over a product when they make a deal. Blago would promise you the car is coming, bill you now, then not deliver.

Comment by Gregor Samsa Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 7:23 am
$5 million is chump change. What about the current budget that is unbalanced by $5 billion?

Everyone knows this guy is a liar and his Chicago Democrat machine enablers are lying liars. Find five people in Chicago who care.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 7:43 am
The people of Chicago will care when the next governor has to raise state income and other taxes to pay for this fool’s miscreant behavior. It’s only a matter of time. And since it costs plenty to live and work in Chicago, they can only expect to pay even more of their hard-earned money as a result of ignoring what is going on with their state government to the detriment of the citizens.

Comment by Disgusted Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 8:09 am
News flash for those in the General Assembly - no one trusts you either.

You’re all a bunch of babies. Get over it, and get over yourselves.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 8:56 am
Another courageous move by the Governor who will do what is best for the people regardless of the political costs. Thank you, Governor Blagojevich, for being a leader in this state of followers. This is still another example of why the people will re-elect you in Nov.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 9:09 am
What gets me is that the GA would have approved this amount in a separate appropriation. It would have meant talking to legislators, and maybe (Horrors!) spending some time in Springfield; but there’s definitely bipartisan support for spending this modest amount on stem cell research.

Truly, I cannot explain why the Blagojevich administration continually takes actions worthy only of George W Bush.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 9:16 am
THE MONIES FOR THE STEM CELL RESEARCH CAME FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY SERVICES (MEDICARE) BUDGET.HOW COULD $5 MILLION SITTING AROUND WHEN HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY SERVICES ARE NOT PAYING THEIR MEDICARE PROVIDERS?

Comment by One Man Can Make A Difference Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 12:26 pm
Thank you, Other Anonymous. Last month I thought I was the only one who could see the parallel between Blago’s sad excuse for a fiscal policy and Bush’s ditto. http://blogs.chicagoreader.com/daily-harold/2006/06/27/blago-and-bush-separated-birth/
Now I learn that they have similar regard for the separation of powers.

Comment by HH312 Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 4:51 pm
I made the comparison between Bush and Blago long ago. Both pampered sons of stage mothers. Not required to do well, only appear to do well. One skips out on his military, another doesn’t even bother to give it a try. Both have wives who look like they’d rather be elsewhere, one with a Stepford smile on her face and the other with a permanent skowl. Both with two spoiled daughters.
Both made tons of money using someone else’s start-up. Both can’t seem to make a success on non-government jobs. Both served in other governmental positions without any commendable ideas. Both depend on their spiffy suits and “aw shucks” personalities to attract voters. Both don’t have any clue in hell what they are doing.
One has destroyed this state fiscally and the other is about to ruin the ideals that this great country was founded on. The Founding Fathers and Honest Abe must be spinning!

Comment by Disgusted Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 6:18 pm
Well said. Thanks for the wide-angle view.

Comment by HH312 Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 6:54 pm
Did I read correctly (but can’t remember where!) that the reason he was able to “find” the money in the HFS budget was because it turns out that All Kids isn’t going to cost as much as he thought? What a delightful coincidence.

Comment by cynically anonymous Monday, Jul 24, 06 @ 8:24 pm