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Question of the day

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Illinois

* Your choice for biggest losers of the spring legislative session?

We’ll do winners tomorrow.

…Adding… Please explain your choices. Thanks.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:02 pm

Comments

The people of Illinois, good and true…

Pat Quinn’s lawn and roof.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:09 pm
The biggest loser now appearing on TV is Pat Quinn. He’s got a mess of a budget to deal with; an unfulfilled promise to increase taxes; and a scandalous grant program to defend.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:10 pm
Quinn - the $1b capital bill shows how little confidence the Dems in the GA have in Quinn’s reelection. They are preparing to negotiate a real capital bill with the next Governor.

Comment by Bogart Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:16 pm
Horse Race Tracks

Comment by BIG R. Ph. Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:17 pm
In order
–The poor: Cuts will most adversely effect the most vulnerable.
–The middle class: Cuts will adversely effect them and will have to raise local taxes to pay for services.
–Madigan: Yikes. Not his finest hour. Lots of blame goes on his feet and…
–Quinn: Can’t get his act together to get much of anything done. A real leader would have taken on the Speaker these last few weeks. Was a loser the moment he announced his budget in March, so no surprise he’s here.
–Rahm: CPS finances were a mess before, only going to get worse. The City’s finances are now a mess, and nothing was done. No one wants to work with him. Seems to become more of a dead man walking each and every day, but will anyone run against him?
–The House in General: Oh brother what happened… if the Feds offered Illinois $10 trillion bucks, no strings attached, all you had to do was vote for it, I’m not sure the House could have gotten that passed this session.
–Rauner: Also a winner. But this budget is a nightmare for him if he’s elected.

Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:20 pm
Clearly, the Chicago Blackhawks! …Sigh…

Comment by Black Ivy Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:20 pm
@One Man… I don’t know, if you’re a really wealthy Illinoisan, you’re probably a winner.

Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:22 pm
Pat Quinn began the session a slight favorite for reelection and at the end he is a serious underdog. Was it because of the session, or other factors? Hard to tell–I think it was more a missed opportunity to show leadership. In any case, it’s hard to come up with an individual or interest who can match the big “L” on PQ’s forehead.

Comment by orzo Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:25 pm
In order

Our credit rating - rating houses and bond investors started rumbling about downgrades almost the moment this budget emerged.

The people of Illinois this year, but not as bad as the people of Illinois next year - that $6 billion Blago-Budget gap comes home to roost next year.

Governor Quinn & Mr. Rauner - they got neither the tax increase nor the misery-inducing level of cuts they had been preparing for. We’ll soon see who can hit the curveball best.

The legacy and reputation of anyone serving in the session - single-party control and supermajorities in the Senate, House and mansion. This is the time to be pushing progress as a majority party and learning to win small victories as a minority party. Instead, we had to settle for this budget after investing an inordinate amount of time bickering over odd proposals involving everything from libraries and referendums to requiring a doctor’s prescription for Sudafed.

The people of Illinois - lost so badly they deserve to be on here twice.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:31 pm
==Pat Quinn began the session a slight favorite for reelection==

Session started on January 13th. November 2013 polling from PPP had Quinn in a statistical dead heat with every GOP candidate. Not taking into account the margin of error, Quinn only lead one candidate, Rauner, by 3 percent. By the end of January, We Ask America had Quinn trailing every GOP candidate. I’d hardly say Quinn was a “slight favorite” going into session.

http://www.ilga.gov/house/schedules/2014_SPRING_SESSION_CALENDAR.pdf
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/il/illinois_governor_rauner_vs_quinn-4224.html

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:37 pm
Rauner

Comment by DateNight Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:38 pm
The people of Illinois were the big losers.

Both Quinn and Rauner also failed to get what they really wanted in terms of taxes and the budget. As they each only received some of wanted they are not the big losers.

Comment by Hit or Miss Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:39 pm
Public schools and social services throughout Illinois and the majority party (Dems) were the biggest losers. Dysfunction continues.

Comment by NW Illinois Dem Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:40 pm
Biggest Losers List: Pat Quinn on his budget, Cullerton on once again get rolled over by the House, Senate Dems for showing they really have no spine, Mike Frerichs for his inability to do anything right, and Jay Hoffman’s poor dog Willy who ate the HGOP plan.

Comment by Weils Up Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:51 pm
The people.
Taxpayers.
People who actually treasure the right to vote.
Poor people who are being used yet again.
Education
People with disabilities.
Seniors
Kids
Parents
Homeowners.

Easier to ask who won. Less than 100 people statewide.

Comment by A guy... Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 1:56 pm
Pat call me OZ Quinn. And everyone A Guy mentioned.
Followed by Cullerton and Madigan. Our State
is losing hope. Now I know what Cub fans fell
every year.

Comment by Mokenavince Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:08 pm
Renewable energy people because of the failure to pass a fix to the renewable law.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:13 pm
The person who’s the biggest loser won’t be obvious until election day. But, I believe the biggest losers overall will continue to be the schools, the mentally ill and profoundly disabled, and the poor.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:17 pm
Current and retired public sector employees.

Comment by anon Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:21 pm
Frerichs cut himself off at the knees by voting for an unbalanced budget, which eliminated his biggest advantage, height.

Comment by Average Joey Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:31 pm
Ross Isaac

Comment by LizPhairTax Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:34 pm
Squeezy is back on steroids.

Comment by Griz Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:40 pm
Enterprises a.nd individuals who do business with the State and will once again “carry the State debt” by receiving payment on a very delayed basis.
Also, anyone who relies on state services. We’ll be getting less for less

Comment by Diogenes in DuPage Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:42 pm
Toni Preckwinkle- not getting the votes on the pension bill takes wind out of her sails for a potential mayoral bid.

PQ- not extending the tax increase will hurt the budget and his campaign. Rauner gets to have his cake and eat it too. Claim victory and keep Quinn on the record in support of raising taxes permanently. Would have been better for Quinn to have a solid roll call on the support before jumping ahead of the issue, but then again, story of his life.

Comment by Bring Back Boone's Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 2:43 pm
Mike Madigan

Comment by Apacolypse Now Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:04 pm
Apacolypse Now - hard to take your opinion seriously when you can’t spell “Apocalypse.”

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:16 pm
Republican members of the GA. They have no idea of the tough votes ahead when PQ loses..

Comment by NotRMiller Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:23 pm
I love all this “the people” garbage.

“The people” are getting exactly what they voted for. There has been no shortage of crystal clear evidence of the direction the state leaders wanted to take Illinois for the past decade. The voters still opted to believe simplistic, disingenuous and outright fabricated election sloganeering. Don’t blame the politicians who are doing exactly what they did in the past. Blame the mopes who voted for them.

That rant having been said…

Madigan was the biggest loser among many. Quite a few mushrooms are venturing off the reservation and there seems to be little he can do about it.

Comment by Adam Smith Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:27 pm
Pat Quinn. The entire session resulting in not really accomplishing anything, “kicking the can” again, and images of utter chaos and disorganization at the Statehouse played right into Rauner’s narrative of “typical politicians”. Whether you think he’ll be any different is another argument, but you can’t deny the bad optics for Democrats in this State.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:29 pm
Frerichs had a tough session. Voted for an unbalanced budget and more spending while running to be one of Illinois’ fiscal officers.

Comment by T-town Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:33 pm
Even the losers get lucky sometimes.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:36 pm
The losers are poor residents who get soaked by the highly regressive state and local tax system, ranked one of the most regressive in the nation. With the reduction in the income tax, that means a realtively bigger share of state revenues are raised by regressive sales and excise taxes. Despite paying at a much higher effective tax rate than affluent residents, the poor will also suffer a shrinking safety net.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:43 pm
Winners = those in “safe” districts who can put garbabe out there as bills, vote on unbalanced budgets, and still get re-elected!
Losers = those of us who actually hoped common sense and the vision of the end of the road might shake up the legislature (on both sides of the aisle) to do something to address issues rather than “pass the trash” and “kick the can” (again)

Comment by LisleMike Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:46 pm
Cans-they are being kicked all over the state.

Comment by OurMagician Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 3:57 pm
Loser: ShakeyMitt Rauner probably has to toss 20 TV commercials barking about the tax hike, lost the remap petition drive and expecting to lose the term limit drive based on existing court decisions, finally got the media asking if he has a plan
Too warm to pull the Carhart over his head to hide
TTFE Mitt

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 5:38 pm
Farnham

Comment by Lt. Guv Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 6:56 pm
Cub Fans

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 8:43 pm
INTEGRITY

Comment by a fan of good government Monday, Jun 2, 14 @ 9:01 pm
The citizens of what was once a great, prosperous and economically healthy State

Comment by Sue Tuesday, Jun 3, 14 @ 7:34 am