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When I was a child, I spoke like a child

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Illinois

* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…

I was a truly lousy basketball player in elementary school. I just didn’t have the skills, and it frustrated me to no end because I wasn’t horrible at other sports I tried.

After another embarrassing performance during a weekend morning “B-team” game, my dad offered some gentle advice. He noticed that I didn’t commit a single foul and said I could improve by getting more aggressive on the court.

Tired and humiliated, I burst into tears. “But I don’t want to foul out!” I cried.

I hate that story because it makes me look like a big baby, but I learned from it and found that a few sharp elbows helped me play better.

So what do we take away from this story? I’m certainly not advocating that Gov. Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan get more aggressive with each other. Just the opposite.

Click here to read the rest before commenting, please. Thanks.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:18 am

Comments

I think Todd Snider is probably on Madigan’s side.

Comment by Daniel Plainview Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:23 am
I think this is a perfect storm in action. Each side has used their considerable strength and media savvy to paint their opponent as the embodiment of evil. You can’t compromise with the embodiment of evil. Not in a YouTube, twitter, HuffPo world. So, what? You wait for the next election? Because somehow that’s going to prove/disprove your point? But those happen only every two years and we need stuff working NOW, not after November. Not to mention if your side doesn’t win, won’t you just dig in deeper and wait till the NEXT election.
We need a serious time out for a some cranky toddlers — a year long nap might be in order.

Comment by Not quite a majority Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:28 am
It’s a good piece. Acting like adults is an honest suggestion.

However, I see the rhetoric only increasing because, as I’ve said before, it’s not the veracity of what’s being said it’s the saying it — and the repeating it — that matters. It matters because it keeps the base fired up — and while Rauner claims not to worry about poll numbers, he does need to maintain an increasingly wary base.

I mean, I’m guessing, but I suspect most of Rauner base is somewhere along the lines of “Not sure what he’s doing or why it’s taking so long — but as long as he’s yelling about it, he must be doing something. Right?”

The base doesn’t care about social services shutting down. For some, they could care less because pain (for them, at least) is a litmus test of progress. “If someone’s hurting, then stuff must be getting done.”

The pain — suffering — is important, too, because most of Rauner’s base feels like they’ve been unfairly treated and never caught a break. Sorta like poker players going all-in and saying, “Just this one time! This one time! Give me my cards.”

I think — and I’ve thought this for a while — that one secret, seldom written about issue in politics — fed and state — is pain. Many people want pain to befall others. So long as it’s not them — they’re secretly — and sometimes not so secretly — glad that someone is getting hurt. For them, it’s a barometer of effectiveness. And it’s also a way to *spread the pain*. Rauner’s base feels pain — or thinks they’re feeling pain — and they want others to suffer in a similar way.

The social service collapse is one way of spreading that pain — and making a lot of people very happy. “The pain is here, people are hurt. Now they know how I feel.”

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:33 am
==The last income tax hike Madigan supported, in 2011, legislated away a week’s pay from every taxpaying resident of Illinois. How about we find a way to help improve everyone’s lives?==

We’re in such dire straits, it would be hard to come up with a solution that improves “everyone’s” lives. We need another tax hike, because we need the money to fund our many, many needs. And because people and corporations have been undertaxed for the last 12+ months, a return to 5% and 7% won’t get us where we need to be fast enough. Rates probably need to be set at 5.25% and 7.35%, if not 5.5% and 7.7%.

Comment by Fusion Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:38 am
People, the focus of this piece was to encourage folks to grow up.

If you post a stupid, childish comment on this thread, there’s really no hope for you. I’ve already deleted two goofy, childlike comments. Banishments will follow.

First and last warning.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:40 am
The Governor, legislative and union leaders have to sit in a room and hammer out a solution that is palatable for all, in other words REAL COMPROMISE.

No more press conferences blaming the other side for the ills of our state. The only accomplishments happening is the residents of Illinois are being punished and decimated because of political agendas.

Comment by UnionLeader Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:41 am
Illinois is like a dysfunctional family.

Too often, kids from dysfunctional families grow up to do those same things.

In Illinois, we’ve never had electeds act like adults. We knew pensions were a problem in 1971, so we amended the constitution to protect them, but then we still did not make the payments.

Nobody in the Gov’s office, the House, or the Senate has been around at a time when IL took our problems seriously.

I’m not a fan of term limits, but we need real change both from the electeds and more importantly, from the voters.

We vote for people who offer easy solutions, and as a result, we get no solutions.

Comment by Gooner Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:42 am
Frenchie Mendoza I wish you weren’t so correct in your last couple of paragraphs.

rauner has the personal resources to live out his life in luxury the rest of us can’t even imagine… and he chooses to spend it forcing child welfare services to close.

Comment by Homer J. Quinn Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:44 am
Who would want to give Rauner any wins at this point? It’s clear that he wants all or nothing. To give in, even a little, is to give him the inch hold that he’ll use to take the mile. With him, there is only “take” and as far as unions go, there is only “destroy”.

Comment by CharlieKratos Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:47 am
The first thing everyone must realize is neither side going to get exactly what he or she wants. Until that happens the stalemate will continue.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:50 am
Does anyone believe that the Speaker and the Governor have it within themselves to set their differences aside to broker a compromise for the good of the people of Illinois? So how then does anything happen? If it were about their positions and not their egos, it might be possible. But now the positions on issues are secondary to their egos and their perceptions of self, aren’t they?

Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 9:52 am
Rauner & Madigan have such a personal dislike and mistrust of each other that compromise is a very difficult task. I think both men (particularly the Governor) need to tone down the personal rhetoric and posturing. Not necessary and unproductive.

Comment by Stones Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:02 am
I think we are in a different age. I have lost faith in our ability to compromise, be civil, and come to a temporary better. I have totally lost faith. I see only bifurcation and taking sides.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:02 am
Maybe we need a million mom march so we could “box” their ears and demand they behave civilly with each.

Double dog dares gets us nothing.

Comment by illlinifan Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:08 am
Rich, that was a great column. Thank you.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:11 am
From your lips/computer to their ear, Rich.

Comment by Independent retired lawyer, journalist Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:12 am
Sadly the State cannot wait for the next election or who can get wins or losses. At some point people need to grow up. The bad mouthing, the trashing of each others ideals, perceptions of deception and on and on and on. Who will stand up and say enough?

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:14 am
I read the article this weekend. I believe that the harm a modest state income tax increase will bring to the middle class is small compared with the harm we’re doing to the state by not raising revenue, as we’re seeing with sad and alarming frequency.

For example, raising the state income tax to 4.75% from 3.75% would cost someone making $50,000 a year $500 a year more than what s/he is paying now. That’s about $42 more per month.

If we raise the state income tax to 5% from 3.75%, it will cost someone making $50,000 a year $625 more per year. That’s $52 more per month.

Not passing a state income tax increase is causing a whole lot of pain for a small gain.

Rauner is forcing AFSCME members to swallow big cuts, which would be pretty drastic when it comes to healthcare. Rauner supports lowering the wages and benefits of many others, which could be bigger and possibly much bigger costs to those workers when compared with the costs of raising taxes.

To top it off, Rauner and the super-wealthy would be affected the least. They can easily afford modest tax increases, yet Rauner is not offering anything that could have these people contribute their fair share in fixing the mess.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:14 am
Unfortunately, until there are actualized political consequences this will continue. It will take the voter who does not use, (or thinks they don’t use), state services to say “enough already” before the dynamic shifts.

Comment by Fool On The Hill Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:24 am
Unfortunately this is not gonna happen. These “adults” are too into themselves. A good compromise is when both sides feel they have lost and these people don’t like to lose.

Comment by pool boy Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:25 am
Not Quite —

I read a great article last week talking about the use of the term “perfect storm” to refer to human-created crises. You don’t get to call it a “perfect storm” if it’s really a concatenation of malice, hard-heartedness, myopia and spite.

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:33 am
When you have a child that has never been told no, you are dealing with a spoiled child. If you put two spoiled choldren together they either unite to undermine the parents to get what they want, or they fight like two spoiled children.
Unfortunately for the citizens of Illinois, there is no one who can spank them and put them to bed.
Maybe if we just ignore them they will decide to play nicely.

Comment by Trolling Troll Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:36 am
After a couple of weeks feeling disenchanted about the direction of Illinois government, I have come to the realization that a good governor is all we need.

A good governor is one that shows that Illinois government can function, execute a plan, serve all citizens and reach bipartisan agreements to pass needed legislation.

We haven’t had a good governor for a long time. Rauner makes Blagojevich look like an adult, and Quinn look competent. That’s bad.

2018 - save us!

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:37 am
Telling politicians to “act like adults” is good advise, but I would posit that, given the opinions and voting patterns of the electorate, they are making (relatively) rational choices, even if those choices are destroying our state.

Polling of Illinois voters (most of which I’ve read on this blog) consistently show that voters are opposed to most tax increases, except for a few which would require constitutional amendments (progressive income tax) or generate very little revenue. They also show a general desire to “cut spending” and especially “waste” but when you drill into specific cuts, virtually everything brings majority or plurality opposition. Not to mention one person’s “waste” is another person’s vital program. Gov Quinn raised taxes, balanced the budget, made all the pension payments and was rewarded by getting voted out of office. Politicians who do what’s necessary lose elections, so how exactly are we supposed to square this circle? [not snark…I wish I had the answer to this one]

Comment by Doofman Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:40 am
I’m seeing an image in my head of Rauner and Madigan in head profile staring each other down, and in the background, a crumbling city/state., buildings falling and dust clouds rising. What goes up, will come down. Buildings, People.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 10:44 am
“But there’s a pervasive attitude out there that Rauner or Madigan (take your pick) is right and that’s just it.”

I don’t think this is quite right. But I do think there is a pervasive attitude that Rauner or Madigan (take your pick) is WRONG and that’s just a fact.

I certainly don’t consider either of these men heroic. Not even remotely heroic. Both men are deeply, deeply flawed. To the degree that I know them, I do not like them. Either of them. At all.

No, the difference between the men isn’t that one or the other is some kind of hero — it’s that one of them has spent the last year behaving in an almost cartoonishly villainous manner.

Abandoning childish notions of (anti-)government heroes and partisan messiahs is an important part of political maturity — history is woefully short of saviors on white horses.

But villains? History shows us time and time and time again that villains are real.

And villains must be opposed.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 11:01 am
What frustrates me is that both D’s and R’s know a tax increase is inevitable but have forgotten how to say the words. Unless Bruce (and the Republicans he controls) can show the numbers…beyond the 1.4%…it’s time for everyone to START OVER.

Comment by Jocko Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 11:07 am
Rich, great article. I very much enjoyed reading it.

Comment by The Velour Nail Monday, Jan 25, 16 @ 1:16 pm