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The never-ending stalemate

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Illinois

* When the Democratic leaders say all they heard at the latest meeting with the governor was talking points, this is what they mean…

Cullerton said he’s willing to meet with Rauner anytime the governor asks.

But, Cullerton was asked, why wait on the governor? Why not set up his own meeting with Rauner and the leaders? Cullerton replied that it was possible but probably not fruitful.

“If it’s like the other meetings, we sit there and the guy reads off a sheet of paper and nothing changes,” Cullerton said.

* Greg Hinz…

I asked a prominent state lawmaker the other day when he thought the state budget stalemate might end.

“August,” he replied, before Illinois becomes even more of a national laughingstock than it is today. “Or December,” so voters can have the holiday “gift” of a fiscal 2016 spending plan while much of fiscal 2016 actually remains. “But I really don’t know.”

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:40 am

Comments

Not to place blame, but it ends when Rauner says it ends.

If we wanted a budget, he could pull out the pen, cross out the stuff he doesn’t like, and sign it right now.

Similarly, the $4.4 billion is a red herring. I’m convinced that if he was sent a genuinely balanced budget, he still would not sign it right now.

It is all up to Rauner.

Comment by Gooner Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:48 am
===we sit there and the guy reads off a sheet of paper and nothing changes===

That’s the kind of behavior one sees from a corporate executive that has literally delegated all responsibility for the issue. It would explain why there are so many inconsistencies between some of the things he says that have happened and the things that have actually happened. If he’s letting someone else handle him, he may have no idea what he’s actually doing.

“Read this.”
“Veto this.”
“Say this.”

He may not even know that a line item veto is an option for him. This is just baffling. Since Rich indicated he doesn’t read the press, I keep giving him the benefit of the doubt that he may not have any idea what’s actually going on.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:52 am
It will end when Rainer steps away from his anti-union agenda and focuses on the budget. Not sure if that will ever happen.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:57 am
“- quincy -,

There won’t be one. You’re welcome.

Signed,

Rational thought”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:58 am
Not much a budget left to have a stalemate over.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:01 am
Just curious if a full state shutdown would hurt non-chicago areas more than the big city?

Comment by Chicago (d) Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:01 am
So much for our great business negotiator. He needs a cheat sheet to talk to the folks.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:02 am
Stalemates run in both directions.

Neither side budges, neither side capitulates.

Neither side is innocent.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:02 am
A bad image for any Governor to portray at a formal meeting with the GA leadership.

Who’s writing the paper Rauner is reading from?

Makes one wonder if he fully understands what’s on it, or if he simply leaves all that “unimportant” stuff to others.

Comment by walker Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:07 am
===“If it’s like the other meetings, we sit there and the guy reads off a sheet of paper and nothing changes,” Cullerton said.===

The Manchurian Governor?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:11 am
++- Anon - Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:52 am:++

Anon, you hit the nail squarely on the head.

Comment by Mama Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:11 am
=“If it’s like the other meetings, we sit there and the guy reads off a sheet of paper and nothing changes,”=

Yikes! If it is as literal as Cullerton portrayed it just yikes.

Notes are one thing, always good to have some fall back/supporting information. Script? Not so much.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:13 am
===“If it’s like the other meetings, we sit there and the guy reads off a sheet of paper and nothing changes,” Cullerton said.===

To follow the theme…

If the governor stops reading from that sheet of paper… and starts taking scoops of sand out of a can to figure out “servings”… I’ll really start to worry.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:14 am
Have the Republican legislators lost confidence in Rauner ( off the record of course) relative to what he said he could do versus what he has “done” thus far?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:14 am
“Who’s writing the paper Rauner is reading from? ”
Walker, that is a million dollar question. My guess is the National Tea Party/Reformers top brass.

Comment by Mama Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:15 am
Talking points are the only thing coming from anyone in Springfield.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:16 am
Until they get off the kick of getting the “other side” to capitulate or surrender, it ain’t going to end. Madigan wants Rauner to surrender. Rauner wants Madigan to bend to his will. Neither will allow the other to save any face.

Step up Senate President Cullerton. The ball is in your hands. Will you be Jay Cutler or Joe Montana?

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:17 am
Granted, this game has yet to be played out but I hope that voters learn that success as a businessman doesn’t necessarily translate to success as a Governor. Public sector & private sector are two different animals.

Comment by Stones Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:18 am
Minutes of the last meeting:

Governor Rauner read his Turnaround Agenda.

Speaker Madigan said “No.”

President Cullerton asked “Any room for compromise here?”

Governor Rauner again read his Turnaround Agenda.

Speaker Madigan again said “No.”

Adjournment.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:20 am
@Louis G Atsaves - well said.

And respect for posting under your real name here, unlike so many of us.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:22 am
Louis G Atsaves - How about instead of surrendering Rauner starts governing? You know, baby steps.

You seem to infer that Cullerton should broker a deal here. His comments suggest to me that he doesn’t trust Rauner. It’s hard to see how he would then be willing to engage in a divide and conquer Madigan strategy with him.

Comment by pundent Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:25 am
===Step up Senate President Cullerton. The ball is in your hands.===

- Louis G Atsaves -,

With respect,

Sent by Trover, sent before… Cullerton finished his own remarks;

===“President Cullerton made clear today that his view of a balanced budget is a budget that makes no spending reforms, no pension reform and only raises taxes. Rather than moving our state backward to the failed tax-and-spend policies of the past, we urge President Cullerton to work with us to pass meaningful structural reforms to change the fiscal trajectory of our state.”===

The Governor isn’t helping himself.

- Louis G Atsaves -,

Help the governor and his Crew. Stop the “say one thing, say another thing later” sound bites.

Please.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:25 am
==My guess is the National Tea Party/Reformers top brass==

With the progress made in some very non-Tea Party areas such as rights and criminal justice reform, my guess is the script for ==National Ambition==. i.e., ==something bigger==.

If you can ==fix== Springfield, you can ==fix== a lot more.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:27 am
Until the Republicans present their own budget that has the compromises that the Democrats are looking for independent of the Governors plan there will be no movement. Why are we asking the Executive for the budget. The minority has to put some skin in the game and present an alternative budget that is reasonable. Once that is done its up to the Governor to sign or veto and 100% of the pressure is on him. Not every Republican is in favor of the turn around agenda. So put something up for debate and render the Executive obsolete for the time being.

Comment by Chicago (d) Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:31 am
“If we wanted a budget, he could pull out the pen, cross out the stuff he doesn’t like, and sign it right now.”

Pay no attention to that line item veto behind the curtain!

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:45 am
The stalemate isn’t about the budget. Not only did Rauner plan for a state shutdown, he expected it to take weeks, why he signed off on school funding. With the courts insisting most of the funding continue without the appropriations, the shutdown lost its effect on either side, which probably suits both sides. It’s going to be a long waiting game, and blame game, while the politics play out.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:50 am
==Step up Senate President Cullerton. The ball is in your hands. Will you be Jay Cutler or Joe Montana?==

Actually I’m thinking Trent Dilfer. He knows Rauner can’t score because the Dem supermajority is the best defense available. He’s simply a game manager.

Comment by CrazyHorse Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 10:52 am
Oswego Willy: I know, I know. You don’t have to completely repeat yourself every single day. It’s all completely Rauner’s fault. No one else has any responsibility for the budget trap the state is now in. Just Rauner. Only Rauner. No one else.

Problem with your logic is very few people in this state actually believe it is exclusively Rauner’s fault. Other than you, of course!

Compromise is such a dirty word in politics these days.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:00 am
==Until the Republicans present their own budget that has the compromises that the Democrats are looking for independent of the Governors plan there will be no movement==

Now that sounds like a compromise! ==Until you do exactly as we say, and give us exactly what we demand, and give up everything you ask for

there will be no deal.==

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:04 am
==It’s all completely Rauner’s fault.==

I enjoyed Mr Cullerton’s ==bumper sticker== comment during his presser. It did not receive much media attention, which was surprising due to the supposed emphasis on not using ==extreme language== and deescalation and such, but it made me chuckle.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:06 am
Louis, you must know by now that it has been the governor’s willfull strategy not to engage with the legislature on the budget until he got the other things that he wanted.

The budget has not been in the Top 5 of the governor’s priorities to date.

Doesn’t matter much anymore. The budget is just about done — except for the real hard part, lol.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:10 am
- Louis G Atsaves -,

I’m not the “bad guy” either, lol.

During the campaign, you ‘nember when Rauber “repeated himself” over and over “Pat Quinn failed”. Yeah, me too.

Read, see the articles looking for quotes on “Rauner closing …” “Rauner Administration not funding…”

In your quest to be loved by your Patron, you are either willfully ignoring that Rauner himself said “Governors own” and laid all the ills at Pat Quinn’s feet, or you are deflecting the while point of Amendatory Vetoes, a Rauner budget nearly $3 billion out of whack, and calls by the Senate President, who you implored to take the lead… was unequivocally rebuffed… before the Senate President finished his remarks.

I’m a pragmatist, not a true believer. I know what “can” have a chance, and what has no chance.

Because the governor is a true believer, and continues to antagonize both the Speaker and the Illinois Senate President, and has NO budget, that all governors need…

…you are doing your job of having the governor’s back.

“Pat Quinn failed…”

“Bruce Rauner is failing” under Rauner’s own premise.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:11 am
I think there is plenty of antagonizing going on from both sides if you would look at the situation objectively.

Comment by Shoedoctor Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:19 am
===”Louis, you must know by now that it has been the governor’s willfull strategy not to engage with the legislature on the budget until he got the other things that he wanted.”===

Word, if I knew that and you knew that, then why didn’t the legislature know that?

Compromise is such a dirty word these days.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:20 am
A broken record gets tiresome, whether it is politicians or the posters here.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:21 am
@Oswego Willy, you are really and truly missing the point. I don’t seek Rauner’s love nor do I delude myself into thinking that he seeks my love.

What I seek out from and give to politicians I interact with is respect.

Big difference.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:24 am
Wait, I thought Rahm appointing the former Madigan staffer as his Chief of Staff was supposed to have taken care of all this?

Comment by Troy Bien Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:25 am
===…you are really and truly missing the point. I don’t seek Rauner’s love nor do I delude myself into thinking that he seeks my love.===

You may NOT be coming from the most… unbiased… position.

I was going to let is slide, but this was too self-serving and a bit misguided…

===What I seek out from and give to politicians I interact with is respect.===

You think on why I may think that.

===Big difference===

Yeah, ok.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:28 am
=== What I seek out from and give to politicians I interact with is respect. ===

Louis, tell that to your Governor who has trashed people from the start of his campaign. Tell that to the frat boys who can’t provide respect to other elected officials. To earn respect, you have to treat others with respect. That has not been demonstrated by Rauner or many of his key staff.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:33 am
Louis, “compromise” is not a dirty word. Neither is “reality.”

It was never realistic to hold the budget hostage for an anti-union agenda that the governor was too scared to mention during the campaign and he hasn’t been able to sell since taking office.

The budget is too important and there’s hardly a public outcry for busting unions.

And the governor hasn’t put a dime of that $20 million behind his agenda on TV.

If he’s scared to talk about it, why “compromise” on it?

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:39 am
I think Chicago d is onto something. Cullerton tried a ‘reset’ by having Rauner present a fresh budget attempt, but why won’t the GOP GA show some leadership and put forward a reasonable alternative?? I know they’ve been paid up front, but still, they have an opportunity to be states-people…to really make a difference… Time to step up!

Comment by Split Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:44 am
I have seen Rauner’s turnaround agenda move from 10 requests to three, with varying combinations of these items package together. I have a general idea of what Rauner wants…and what he is willing to give to get it.

What isn’t clear is what Madigan and Culleron want. Does anybody know? I mean, aside from spending at least $36 billion in FY16.

Comment by Phenomynous Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:50 am
===I mean, aside from spending at least $36 billion in FY16.===

Please see the spending/revenue differences in Rauner’s February FY2016 proposed budget and ask yourself, “How did the governor plan on reconciling his own shortfall?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 11:53 am
- What I seek out from and give to politicians I interact with is respect. -

That $125k/year seems very respectful, eh Louis?

Comment by Daniel Plainview Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 12:00 pm
At least 5 separate commenters disparaging 1 so far, many with snide and condescending remarks. There is the spirit of civility the proprietor asked for a few weeks ago.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 12:44 pm
OW,

I appreciate the response, but it was a diversion from the question. What do the dems want in exchange, or are willing to give, for a $36 billion budget?

That’s about the most important question that needs an answer…

If the Dem Leaders aren’t willing to move, even an inch, then I would ask who is operating in the extreme?

We aren’t dealing with the Rauner budget anymore. That budget was never assigned to a committee, or called on the Floor. It never received a vote. It is ancient history when it comes to the legislative timeline.

The Dems spending plan is $36 billion. It’s what they want, and they know they need revenue to get it. How do we get to revenue?

Give Rauner some of his agenda…do some workers comp reform, sprinkle in some remap language, spice it up with a temporary property tax freeze, add a little education funding reform to taste, top it with some revenue and a bipartisan budget and call it cake.

The outline of the recipe is there, but the dems need to green light more ingredients than just revenue and spending. Otherwise the neediest of Illinois’ population will starve, while state employees and legislators can afford to pay for, and eat, their own cake because the courts and constitution apparently provide for the bureaucratic costs, but not those who the bureaucrats work for.

Comment by Phenomynous Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 12:45 pm
Is there a reason the Democrats aren’t just saying here is a budget that is dollar for dollar in line with the amount of revenue we will have. If you don’t like it we will override your veto and do it without you? Or am I crazy for thinking that they have the necessary numbers?

Comment by Strangerthings Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 12:50 pm
===We aren’t dealing with the Rauner budget anymore. That budget was never assigned to a committee, or called on the Floor. It never received a vote. It is ancient history when it comes to the legislative timeline.===

Which is why Cullerton wants a new budget, to see how serious Rauber is. Cullerton isn’t just saying things to say them.

=== What do the dems want in exchange, or are willing to give, for a $36 billion budget?===

Until the Governor fulfills Article VIII, Section 2 (a), the Democratic leadership have no clue as to what the Governor feels are his budgetary priorities. That is the starting point as “a” comes before “b” in the alphabet.

===The outline of the recipe is there, but the dems need to green light more ingredients than just revenue and spending. Otherwise the neediest of Illinois’ population will starve, while state employees and legislators can afford to pay for, and eat, their own cake because the courts and constitution apparently provide for the bureaucratic costs, but not those who the bureaucrats work for.===

It’s been there since February. Nothing in that aspect has changed. Nothing.

The governor needs to propose to start this all over again, as prescribed constitutionally.

The rest is just the politics of Rauner holding hostages under the guise of a budget impasse.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 12:54 pm
- Phenomynous -,

With respect. I too appreciate the back and forth. Hopefully now I was clearer than before.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 1:05 pm
I would also add that there isn’t much the Democratic leaders want. Yes, they passed a budget that spent $36 billion. But that isn’t necessarily what they wanted, it’s what they could get 60/30 votes for. If the Governor had line item vetoed the budget, as is his constitutional right to do, there is a decent chance that the votes would not be there to override. He chose not to do so, because while the Governor is willing to own votes, he has not shown a willingness to own decisions.

Comment by Juice Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 1:39 pm
If only there was a way for Rauner to sign the budget, but strike out the appropriations he felt the state couldn’t afford to implement….

Comment by How Ironic Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 1:41 pm
=== What isn’t clear is what Madigan and Cullerton want. Does anybody know? I mean, aside from spending at least $36 billion in FY16. ===

I would suggest that Madigan and Cullerton want Republicans on board for the tax hike, if not Rauner himself as the chief.

Comment by forwhatitsworth Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 3:07 pm
==it’s what they could get 60/30 votes for==

Bingo. And Gov Rauner and Speaker Madigan now have the same problem.

Unless one of them finds 71 votes, they must compromise. Neither of them can get there alone, so we have gridlock until they both give.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 3:36 pm
What is Rauner supposed to respect? The fact that the ILGA has failed to do their jobs for years now and that MJM has been a large part of that?

Comment by Macoupin Minority Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 8:07 pm
Raging against Rauner and calling upon him to do things is exactly what he wants. I should think it obvious that what Rauner is doing is more in the nature of a filibuster than a stalemate. What do filibusters need? Pressure and Drama. What is building? Pressure and Drama. Add in the recent pension court cases and I think the crisis he has anticipated is playing out, as decades of Democrat spending policies hit the Mother of All Walls. He wants the crisis to “reset” the thinking of the voters going into 2016 and beyond. He had to know he’d fall behind badly in the first half of this game but it is only Year 1. He is taking a fearful risk, as this could turn against him permanently if he has misjudged things. We can’t know that yet, despite what polls say now.

Comment by Percival Monday, Jul 27, 15 @ 9:16 pm