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In search of a legacy

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In one of his final acts as governor, Democrat Pat Quinn could make one last push to raise Illinois’ minimum wage.

Although his aides remain tight-lipped about the prospect Monday, the outgoing governor could use his waning authority to call on lawmakers to act on the minimum wage when members of the House and Senate return Thursday for a special legislative session.

That doesn’t mean lawmakers actually will listen to Quinn, who leaves office Monday morning.

That wouldn’t surprise me at all. He’s trying hard to seal his legacy.

For instance…

Outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn has issued two executive orders he says are aimed at making the state more welcoming to immigrants.

Quinn on Monday ordered the Governor’s Office on New Americans to appoint a liaison in each state agency to help immigrants benefit from President Barack Obama’s recent executive action. The action curbs deportation and gives work permits to some immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally.

Quinn also says Illinois’ 10 existing Welcoming Centers should assist people applying for the federal action, and state agencies must provide information on how to obtain necessary records.

* The governor also sat down with the Tribune for an exit briefing…

The populist Democrat, who hands the reins of power to Republican Bruce Rauner on Monday, listed no regrets.

“I think you put your whole body and soul into every issue,” Quinn said when asked if he’d have done anything differently. “Some you win. Some you don’t win. Life goes on.” […]

Quinn said his biggest accomplishment as governor was guiding Illinois through the “dire straits” he inherited when he moved up from lieutenant governor six years ago. He took over after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed, with Illinois a late-night TV punch line. The state’s economy reeled from the Great Recession. […]

“I know, as long as I have breath to breathe, I’ll be organizing some cause,” Quinn said. “I was disappointed that the progressive approach to government, for a while, won’t be in Springfield in the governor’s office.

“The progressive approach means you’ve got to tell people the unvarnished truth, even if it’s hard,” said Quinn, barely masking his criticism of Rauner, whose plans for state government so far have been short on specifics. “It’s better to tell people what they need to know, not what politicians want them to hear.

* And check out this Quinn press release from this morning…

As 2015 gets started, Governor Pat Quinn today highlighted Illinois’ strong economic recovery. In 2014, the state’s economy significantly improved, with unemployment down and job creation up across Illinois.

“When I took office on January 29, 2009, the Illinois economy was in a deep recession. Today, our economy is significantly stronger,” Governor Quinn said. “Our work to make the tough decisions, invest in a 21st century transportation infrastructure and responsibly cut the cost of doing business in our state is getting the job done. This past year saw historic drops in our unemployment rate as more men and women are getting back to work across the state.”

Today the Illinois unemployment rate stands at 6.4 percent - its lowest level since June 2008. In November 2014, unemployment rates fell in every region of Illinois for the eighth consecutive month to a six or seven year low. Illinois has led the nation for five straight months with the sharpest over-the-year drop in the unemployment rate.

Since the start of 2014, 166,000 more people across Illinois are back on the job. Employers have added 298,700 private sector jobs since February 2010.

When Governor Quinn took office, he inherited a financial crisis and the worst recession since the Great Depression. Since then, he has driven economic growth by putting the state on more solid financial footing, cutting state spending by billions of dollars and achieving historic reforms to pensions and Medicaid. These tough actions have won praise from all three credit agencies and helped stabilize the state’s finances.

It goes on like that for several more paragraphs.

* I’m assuming he’ll make some sort of announcement at his City Club address today…

Outgoing Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is set to give one of his final public speeches as governor when he addresses business and civic leaders during an afternoon luncheon. The Democrat is scheduled to speak Tuesday at the City Club of Chicago.

Quinn has previously used the venue to float new ideas tied to the state budget or pension crisis.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:39 am

Comments

LOL! LOL! LOL!
Buh-bye~!

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:43 am
If Rauner ends up boosting the income tax, even temporarily, that would give Quinn some belated vindication as a truth-teller before the election.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:46 am
Of course voters may well prefer the Thompson approach when the subject is taxes.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:48 am
With all due respect I’m not sure anything that the Governor did personally had much impact on Illinois overall economy. The nation in general has been in recovery mode the last couple of years.

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:52 am
Gov Quinn likely would have had a minimum wage increase months ago had he been more interested in raising the minimum wage and less interested in delaying a legislative vote to have votes in November.

There is enough support for a minimum wage increase that this will get done with or without him. An agreement will be hammered out in just a few conversations among aides. Pass this in the new session and give the ==credit== to Speaker Madigan, President Cullerton, or the newest member of either party for all matters. Anyone but Pat Quinn on this.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:55 am
I’m not too sure that many governors have had lasting legacies. The two that come to mind are Ogilvie and Altgeld, and the voters thanked them by tossing them out on their ears.

Big Jim was there the longest. What was his legacy? What was Edgar’s? What will they be remembered for fifty years from now?

Having said that, the history books will record that Quinn signed legislation that abolished the death penalty and legalized same sex marriage.

Then, the history books will have to explain to future generations that there once was a death penalty and a ban on same sex marriage.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:56 am
Nice enough guy…don’t let the door hit you on your way out though.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:57 am
“have votes” should be “chase votes”.

And “Autocorrect” is a synonym for saboteur.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 10:59 am
=== Big Jim was there the longest. What was his legacy? ===

A big ugly building in Chicago that will have to be torn down way before a normal building wears out.

=== What was Edgar’s? ===

A conservation area west of Springfield named after him.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:03 am
His legacy is a joke..stumbled into the office, and stumbling out.. his Administration can not even get the medical marijuana project off the ground. Patients have cards but no product.. but it was a great bill signing ceremony PQ..thanks..

Comment by Not Rich Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:03 am
So Long, Farewell - Rogers and Hammerstein, enhanced by VanillaMan

There’s a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the Dome
And the alarms in our smart phones too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say “cuckoo”
[MJM, Cullerton, Simon:]
Cuckoo, cuckoo
We’re all cuckoo!

[Democrats: ]
Regretfully they’re all cuckoo, cuckoo
But firmly we do as they say cuckoo, cuckoo
To Pat Quinn goodbye . . .
[Costello, Burke, DeLuca:]
Cuckoo!
[General Assembly:]
. . . to you

[Democrats:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
[MJM:]
To our dear Pat, who was a governor lite.

[Republicans:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
[Ives:]
If you’re like us, you’d fear of prison too!

[Democrats:]
So long, farewell, we see your term waxes -
[Sente:]
I’d hoped you’d stay and raise all of our taxes!

[Republicans:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
[Sandack:]
Perhaps we’ll lead, I surely hope we try!
– Goodbye!
[Moffitt:]
I’m glad to see you go, I cannot tell a lie
[Senger:]
I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly
[Mitchell:]
The voters spoke saying that Quinn is a gadfly

[General Assembly:]
So long, farewell, to a governor full of gas

[Illinoisans:]
Don’t let the door…
Don’t let the door…
Don’t let that million dollar door…
Hit you on your ass!

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:04 am
===A big ugly building in Chicago that will have to be torn down way before a normal building wears out.===

New White Sox Park?

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:08 am
“the history books will record that Quinn signed legislation that abolished the death penalty and legalized same sex marriage.”

Yep.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:09 am
Sorry 47, I stand corrected. Two ugly buildings.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:11 am
Quinn’s biggest legacy will be his and his staff’s inability to talk about what he accomplished.

Abolish the death penalty
Marriage equality
Workers Comp reform
Medicaid Reform
Capital program
Making pension payments
Medicaid expansion
Secure Choice
Voting rights expansions

No, Pat Quinn didn’t do any of these by himself, and yes, you can argue that he played little role. But there were a lot of BIG - if not historic - things that have happened with Quinn as Governor.

Comment by AlabamaShake Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:15 am
“the history books will record that Quinn signed legislation that abolished the death penalty and legalized same sex marriage.”

Who reads history books?

BUT on Jeopardy the answer is, “This man replaced his convicted and impeached running mate as governor of Illinois.”

“BIDDLE-BIDDLE-BIB!”

“Who is uh - Richard Daley?”

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:16 am
The Jeopardy answer is - “Who was the only elected Democratic governor Illinois, NOT convicted and imprisoned after 1960?”

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:20 am
He could leave with some dignity and some very popular social accomplishments and do so quietly and let history take care of itself.
What he’s doing now could prevent it. A quiet exit is what he should pursue. But that just ain’t him. Good luck Governor.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:21 am
The only thing Quinn will be remembered for in 20 to 30 years is that he replaced Blago.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:29 am
I think Pat should get together with Sheila.
Learn some banjo, or considering his strengths, the jug.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:32 am
If Pat Quinn married Rod Blagojevich, then his same-sex marriage stand would be remembered. But then, he would also be remembered as the ex-governor who had to eat a bug on a reality show while his husband got fired by Donald Trump.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:35 am
Pat Quinn is going to have a legacy as great as Roland Burris. But only if Pat gets buried next to Roland and has a tomb as large as Roland’s.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:37 am
==His legacy is a joke..stumbled into the office, and stumbling out.. his Administration can not even get the medical marijuana project off the ground.==

So he stumbled upon reduced budget deficits? stumbled upon marriage equality? stumbled upon abolishing the death penalty? Upon full pension payments? upon a less than 6% unemployment rate? upon a $31 billion infrastructure plan? pension reform? medicaid reform? worker’s comp reform?

Man its almost as if the governor’s office floor simply consists of major policy reforms and all you have to do is stumble upon them on the way to the bathroom. I wonder why every governor doesn’t just accomplish all these things?

Comment by Abe the Babe Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:38 am
–Who reads history books–

VMan, you’re a daily testament to those that don’t.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:46 am
The reality is that Pat Quinn sat by and watched Madigan and Cullerton run the state. His sole accomplishment was to sign a few laws that came across his desk. He’s always been good at maximizing those opportunities. The ONLY independent act he engaged in was suspending the pay of legislators as a political stunt and he ended up looking foolish for doing so. The reality is that the so called list of accomplishments that other want to tout had very little to do with PQ.

Comment by pundent Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:57 am
Quinn’s biggest legacy — and it’s a negative one — the Cutback Amendment.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 11:57 am
Jeez people. Calm down. This is what ALL people in his position do. All politicians are going to leave office touting their accomplishments and trying to the very end to shore up their legacy. Take it for what it is and move on.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:04 pm
So far Bruce is stumbling into “Shaking Up Springfield” with a bribe to the tune of 20 million.

Comment by Del Clinkton Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:05 pm
Every time Rauner wants to complain on the fiscal mess left by his predecessor, he should be reminded about how much worse things were when Quinn first took office. Besides, his social accomplishments top any by former governors.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:08 pm
Quinn’s legacy will be his inability, or unwillingness, to take the appropriate steps to reduce public pension obligations as much as possible through consitutional means, and to make meaningful spending reductions of unnecessary expenditure in Springfield.

Perhaps the greatest historical legacy is having failed to address the massive financial problems of the state while having a veto proof majority in the House and Senate, and a GOP opposition as impotent as any seen in state history.

While Illinois burned, “Nero” Quinn “fiddled” with low impact issues like gay marriage and the death penalty that have little to do with the quality of life in Illinois.

His legacy will have been to have missed the forrest for the trees…..

Comment by Arizona Bob Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:10 pm
Many of the ==achievements== being touted seem directed by the course of history more than the initiative and strong leadership of Governor Quinn.

Full pension payments, reduced budget deficits and more were issues whose time had come regardless of who sat in the Big Chair. He played a role in many things, some good and some bad, but the death penalty moratorium is the single example that really stands out as one he really was a ==leader== on. As for reduced deficits, concealed carry and most of the others? He lead about as much as the other governors who were forced to address these issues.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:10 pm
ABE THE BABE: its pretty obvious that just like PQ you haven’t spent much time on the 3rd floor under the dome.. Quinn was non existent in every one of the accomplishments you mentioned..he was a bystander at best..

Comment by Not Rich Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:11 pm
Demoralized - well said.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:16 pm
I guess for Arizona Bob, the right to marry who you love is not a quality of life issue.

Comment by slow down Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:27 pm
Wordslinger is right on. Quinn will always be remembered for signing the historic legislation to abolish the death penalty and legalize same-sex marriage. I think he will also be remembered for earlier pushing for and signing the legislation legalizing same-sex unions.
Like him or not, Quinn did take over as Governor at one of the lowest points in Illinois political history and helped Illinois get through that period. And he did so without being indicted or going to jail–yippee!
I think Quinn will also be remembered as a truth-teller on the need to increase the state income tax although he was not a truth-teller when he said it was only temporary. However, it would have been a whole lot easier for him politically last year if he hadn’t been so strident that the tax increase needed to stay permanent. Few politicians in this day and age would have done so in such a tough re-election year.
I think Quinn would be very remiss not to publicly push for a vote on the minimum wage increase in the special session. To not do that would seal the deal that the only reason the issue was on the ballot was as a (failed) effort to gin up Democratic turnout. Quinn should try to force Madigan to at least have to publicly explain why he won’t even allow his members to vote on it in the special session after DPI successfully pushed for the passage of the referendum.

Comment by Livin' the Life Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:30 pm
On the special session thing, he’s gonna have to issue a new proclamation if he wants the GA to consider the minimum wage. Special sessions are limited to the topic(s) in the proclamation, and the current one only deals with the special election issue, if I recall correctly.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:36 pm
===he’s gonna have to issue a new proclamation===

Takes about 90 seconds.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:36 pm
The republics legacy is the massive expansion of their downstate patronage army called prison workers, with no way to pay for it. We’re still paying for it. Plus they are Union Members with Free Government HealthCare and Pensions!

Assuming that you’ve chosen a “lifestyle of heterosexuality” Arizona, and that no one in the world has questioned whether your sodomy buddy is legit or not….its pretty easy to say low impact issues like gay marriage.

Comment by Del Clinkton Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:37 pm
On the legacy thing, yes he did sign some good bills, such as the death penalty and same-sex marriage, but his consistent problem was you never got the sense that he, the chief executive officer of the State of Illinois, was driving the ship of state. If anything he let the GA leadership drive. These issues came to a head not because of him, but because of history and the groundwork done by many others. He just happened to be the guy with the pen at the time. He was supposed to lead, and he didn’t. It’s a big part of why he’s on his way out.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:40 pm
I love history, wordie.

You are right in the middle of it, between William Woodbridge and William Yancy, both men your contemporaries.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:45 pm
If same sex marriage is such a big deal then you probably have a portrait of this guy over your fireplace mantle, right?

Because what he did as Illinois governor was even bigger and impacted everything and everyone since he left office.

Who is this Mr. Illinois Legacy?

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 12:52 pm
VMan, as always, your insight and thoughtfulness are unique.

Might want to check your state health plan to see if you can get a second opinion on your meds mix. When you have a spare moment.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 1:02 pm
Long term, who can predict how he’ll be remembered? Harry Truman is much more popular now than he was in 1952. Short term, I regret to say that he’ll probably be thought of as the life-long reformer who finally got his chance to actually do something and didn’t.

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 1:14 pm
Its my legacy.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 1:16 pm
Harry Truman is much more popular now than he was in 1952.

He was at 28% in 1952, right behind polio and the new Crosley.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 1:19 pm
Ogilvie is rated by historians as one of the ten best governors in state history. He is given credit for recognizing that the state had a revenue problem, and for taking the political risk of advocating for an income tax. History has vindicated him, though voters threw him out after four years.

Likewise, I believe history will give Quinn credit for addressing the state’s current revenue problem, and for telling voters — before two elections — his program for paying the state’s bills and funding core services. At this point, no one would nominate the governor-elect for Profiles in Courage.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 1:37 pm
The Quinn legacy is that he gave populists and progressives a bad name – phony.

Comment by Louis Howe Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 2:23 pm
Well, he always said he was put on earth to solve pension crisis. What is his plan B? LOL

Comment by sparky791 Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 2:48 pm
Signing the last budget into law, knowing the State would run out of cash by the end of February of so. A Profile in Courage moment lost by failing to use his mighty veto pen and demanding the legislature return to pass a real budget. The pain and heartache of his actions will be part of his legacy.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 3:38 pm
Quinn advocated vigorously for making the 5% rate permanent to pay for the FY 15 budget. Those who voted for the spending but not the revenue bear more blame IMO.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 6:12 pm
- Louis G. Atsaves -,

Didn’t Rauner call into districts, including President Cullerton’s demanding that the Income Tax not be sent back to original levels?

Reap what ya sew,

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 6, 15 @ 6:18 pm