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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
“How do they sleep at night?”
It’s a question I’m asked a lot these days. The inquirers always wonder how Gov. Bruce Rauner, House Speaker Michael Madigan and their more full-throated enablers on both sides can live with themselves as they watch big chunks of the state government’s responsibilities crumble before their very eyes during the months-long governmental impasse.
As far as I can tell, they’re sleeping pretty well. And both sides appear to be using almost the exact same coping strategies.
Rauner and his crew say they’re horribly upset that Illinois doesn’t yet have a budget, but it’s all being stopped by one man, Madigan. Until Madigan and the legislators he controls decide to compromise, there’s nothing Rauner can do, they say. Simple. Move along.
Speaker Madigan and his crew have been saying for months that Rauner is operating in the extreme by demanding non-budgetary items that go against core Democratic principles. Until Rauner changes course, they say, there’s nothing Madigan can do. Simple. Move along.
Both men also see the key to a solution in the rank and file membership of the other party. Rauner repeatedly insists, without offering evidence, that several rank-and-file legislative Democrats are ready to stand against Madigan. The governor seems to truly believe that he’s not far away from breaking this thing wide open, despite the shunning of Rep. Ken Dunkin by his fellow House Democrats for openly siding with Rauner and the fortune being spent in a primary to tar and feather Dunkin, who dared stand up to Madigan and the unions.
Madigan, for his part, believes that a big key to solving this crisis is to continue putting pressure on House Republicans — forcing them to take the worst votes possible, like standing against college MAP grants for impoverished students. He did it again last week by forcing an override motion on a vetoed MAP grant appropriations bill. Madigan rightly notes that the Republicans have cracked before and forced Rauner to relent on funding for child care, local governments, etc. All he has to do is wait them out, even though there’s that little problem of Sen. Sam McCann being shunned by his fellow Senate Republicans and the fortune being spent in the primary to tar and feather McCann, who dared to stand with the unions and against the governor.
Rauner and Madigan are also portraying each other as almost the embodiment of evil in their respective proxy campaigns. The imagery is ugly on both sides.
Both men are also employing anti-Chicago rhetoric, with Rauner demanding a state takeover of the city’s schools and swearing off a bailout. For their part, Madigan and his suburban and Democratic members claim Rauner’s proposed school takeover idea is actually a state bailout, and they strongly oppose sending money to the big, bad city at the expense of their own districts.
In the meantime, Chicago’s school system was forced last month to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars at usurious interest rates just to keep its doors open during the impasse. Chicago State University accelerated its spring semester in order to limp through the academic year and has sent layoff notices to every one of its 900 employees.
Western Illinois University just announced layoffs and cuts. Eastern Illinois University’s bond rating was just downgraded to junk status. Northern and Northeastern Illinois Universities were both downgraded to one notch above junk.
Rape crisis centers are closing, homeless teens can’t get help and drug treatment programs are going out of business.
And yet, there’s no end in sight. Senate President John Cullerton has tried to play mediator, but that’s going nowhere as long as Madigan is dealing with his own Democratic primary opponent who’s funded mainly by Rauner’s supporters, and as long as Rauner is fully engaged in GOP primaries around the state.
Primary day is March 15. Both sides are seemingly trying to demonstrate to the other that their actions can have real electoral consequences. So, on March 16th we may know whether or not a truce can be called long enough to fix at least some of these problems.
But Madigan doesn’t easily forget attacks like these, nor does he cotton to outsiders meddling in his and his members’ primaries. And the governor seems committed to win at all costs.
Plus, I’ve learned over the years to always bet on nothing when it comes to getting something done in Illinois. It’s the historically smart play and you’re only wrong once.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:09 am
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Because they each think they are the most important person in the room any time they walk into it. As long as they are doing fine, everyone else is details.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:16 am
This just makes me sick to my stomach. The easy solution is to pass a budget and deal with all of the damage being done, THEN attempt to convince the public and the legislature that your other ideas are worth pursuing. There is plenty of time to put forth the case that these ideas are worth doing if they are. Not passing a budget is getting close to inexcusable.
Comment by Dilemma Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:17 am
Agreed.
I’m curious to see what happens if both McCann and Dunkin lose. Wouldn’t that make Rauner and Madigan look even stronger (e.g. “If you cross me, I’ll make sure you don’t make it past the primary.”)?
Comment by The Muse Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:18 am
Excellent column. Both Rauner and Madigan have had the option to compromise for months. About the innocents affected, neither man cares enough to compromise.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:28 am
Great stuff Rich. Well said. Thanks always for your insight, and I’m glad when I get it.
To the Post,
This is the Ball Game, for me…
===Primary day is March 15. Both sides are seemingly trying to demonstrate to the other that their actions can have real electoral consequences. So, on March 16th we may know whether or not a truce can be called long enough to fix at least some of these problems.===
Can’t agree more.
That’s what’s at play, right now, today, and until March 16th.
The primary elections, and the meddling by Rauner, and the proxy battle going on with McCann and Rauner and Labor, and the referendum(s) like that of Reggie in Charleston, it’s as simple as…
“Vote Accordingly” leading to “Elections have consequences”
Until then, EIU faces an uncertain future, CSU may face no future. Social Services will continue to crumble, students leave Illinois for College.
March 16th will set a major wheel in motion. Which way it rotates is still uncertain.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:29 am
The modest difference I see between the two is Rauner’s criticisms of Madigan are more vicious than Madigan’s of Rauner. That may reflect who’s the newbie and who’s the old hand.
Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:30 am
One could add other observations that would shed more light on what’s really going on. For example, Madigan has negotiated budgets for almost 40 years with Democratic and Republican governors. There have been difficulties overtime sessions. However, The various governors have understood that they were to govern and have worked hard to reach compromises. This governor is not interested. He has an agenda that places governing at the bottom of the list of his
things to do.
Comment by Steelerfan Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:31 am
I don’t think we’ll have a budget before the November elections.
Comment by Wensicia Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:33 am
== I’m curious to see what happens if both McCann and Dunkin lose. ==
McCann would still have his seat for the rest of the year and, while he could decide to embarrass the Governor, that won’t change the balance of power in the Senate.
With the videos and charges that have surfaced, Dunkin may be expelled with a replacement being named … and that COULD change the balance of power in the House.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:33 am
=== Dunkin may be expelled with a replacement being named ===
I believe that would require Republican votes.
Comment by Juvenal Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:50 am
===I believe that would require Republican votes.===
Wonder what GOP member wants to vote against an alleged… whatever, lol.
That’s fun.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:55 am
Madigan owns the last mess. The current one is Rauner’s without a doubt.
Comment by Liberty Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 11:55 am
“Vote accordingly.” I wish! When I go to vote on March 15, if I choose a Republican ballot, no one has an opponent below US Congress (Shimkus vs McCarter.) If I choose a Democratic ballot, below the race for President and US Senator, there are no candidates AT ALL. This is a sad state of affairs.
Comment by South Central Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:02 pm
With rauners nine houses and 53 million a year in income I bet he sleeps real well
Comment by Foster brooks Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:05 pm
If Rauner can sleep at night after the awful things he did in his private business, I’m sure he has no problem sleeping now.
Comment by Albany Park Patriot Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:12 pm
I think Rauner truly believes his cause, but surprisingly, I don’t really know that much about Madigan.
To the people that know him, is he affected by the higher ed school closings, loss of MAP grants, loss of social services to needy, etc?
The reason I ask is that a politico that I know once told me Madigan was very unemotional and calculated. He said Madigan was motivated by power not ideology.
If this is the case, this is going to be a very long Rauner 3-years more.
Comment by Rhino Slider Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:18 pm
While it is easy to concentrate on the destruction of our four year universities, don’t forget the impact this is having on our community colleges. Last week John A. Logan College in Carterville laid off 55 employees (effective at the end of the spring semester) including 38% of their full time faculty! Other community colleges are also in the process of eliminating programs and staff/faculty because of the impasse. While so far none have been as bad as Logan, it still is hurting higher education in Illinois.
Comment by G'Kar Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:27 pm
It is Rauner who refuses to negotiate a budget, with cuts and revenue, until he gets his union busting “turn around agenda”. He is basically telling the dems that if they would just cut their core beliefs out and throw them away he (Rauner) will let them vote for a tax increase. In governing, you have to use leverage but you must realize what is doable and what is not.
Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:34 pm
Whenever someone asks me how I sleep at night with my job, I say “often interrupted by my toddlers.”
Appealing to politicians’ humanity is an exercise in futility. They are only technically human.
Comment by Will Caskey Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 12:47 pm
I am not in agreement with Rich’s approach in his article, to argue on the one hand Governor Rauner refuses to compromise and on the other the Speaker refuses to compromise is a worn out argument. It’s getting as old as the impasse itself. Moreover, the Speaker has supported hearings relating to aspects of the negative impact on Human Services due to the failure to have a budget. Governor Rauner’s DHS leader James Dimas has never called for hearings on the impact of the budget failure on Human Services.
Speaker Madigan has thrown the labor movement under the bus when he deemed it necessary or expedient, especially in the case of the Chicago Teachers Union in 2011 when he supported SB 7. A bill that said that only the CTU needed 75 percent of its members, instead of a simple majority, to strike. SB7 included other strike obstacles, such as a fact-finder’s report to be released 100 days following stalled negotiations, and then a 90-day cooling off period after the report if both sides rejected the fact-finder’s conclusions. The legislation also allowed CPS to unilaterally implement a longer school day, though CTU could bargain over compensation for the longer day. And SB7 built on the state’s 2010 Performance Evaluation and Reform Act, declaring that teacher payment and personnel decisions should be based on performance, not seniority.
If Governor Rauner would propose labor legislation that was not modeled on what Governor Walker did in Wisconsin, but rather on containing or limiting public sector union bargaining rights there is every reason to believe the Speaker would consider it and a compromise could be reached. Governor Rauner wants it all, he wants to break the money flow to the Democrats from public sector unions. Speaker Madigan is not willing to break the public sector unions and so here we sit.
Comment by Rod Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 1:25 pm
Right, today all the Speaker and Rauner ask for each other, are each other’s surrender.
That said, Rauner -came into his first months- effectively demanding the Speaker surrender, like some “bargaining 101 principle” from Hell, “set out your position and make the other guy move toward it.” This, in retrospect, was unwise.
As formerly noted, Madigan in fact will cut deals, if you don’t fundamentally threaten his power base. So it wasn’t wise for Rauner to come in with a “Turnaround Agenda” that was in reality very -little - about the state’s budget, and very much about undermining the Democrats’ power base.
And I get the argument that “Rauner’s the governor, he was elected to get stuff done” … but he fundamentally over-asked, and now it appears he’s too prideful to realize that he messed up his opening “offer.”
Even in Bargaining 101 they’ll teach you that if you start out truly asking for Pluto, that’ll hurt the negotiation too.
Comment by ZC Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 1:35 pm
Rauner is not responsible for what happened before he became governor. He is responsible for everything that has happened since his ill-considered veto of the budget last year. It’s really that simple. He had the power to unilaterally balance the budget and he chickened out.
Comment by Chucktownian Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 1:47 pm
Others here have said eloquently what’s on the line, and I agree that March 15th - ironically - is the ballgame. The Gov. is trying to corner the market on candidates he controls, like the Hunt brothers tried in silver…and I think the same outcome will happen. Should this occur, it’s game, set, match for Il Dems, as they control the board going into November.
Comment by Captain Illini Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 2:18 pm
I think its illegal to operate state government without a budget, thus the court cases that resulted in funding continuing for 90% of it. So no matter what day of the year it is, the illegalness (is that a word?) of it hasn’t changed in my view, nor did the court cases make it suddenly legal. Citizen voting does not change the illegalness of it. So i think any political points to be made of it are moot. Whats that quote from Gone With The Wind? Citizen voters don’t have their responsibilities, so they are still responsible for their own legal dilemna. I dont see an escape for them on that. Doesnt matter what citizen voting day it is.
Comment by Team Warwick Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 2:50 pm
If Dunkin loses Madigan will be sleeping like a baby. Then look for some over-rides. If not it’s a stalemate.
Comment by Rollo Tomasi Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 3:04 pm
I do not foresee a state budget passing for all state programs while Rauner is in office. I think there will be an appropriation for pre-K-12, but that is all because Rauner does not care about anything else.
Comment by Mama Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 3:09 pm
===I agree that March 15th -ironically - is the ballgame.===
Beware the ides of March!
Comment by Chicago J Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 3:20 pm
I said it when Brady was running against Quinn back in 2010. If the Republicans would run a solid moderate candidate a la Edgar they’d be in the driver’s seat in IL. Why? Because even a guy like me– “Lefty Lefty”–would vote for him/her. Instead we get Brady and now Rauner.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 4:33 pm
==Madigan doesn’t easily forget attacks like these, nor does he cotton to outsiders meddling in his and his members’ primaries==
They can’t do that to our voters! Only WE can do that to our voters!
Comment by Anon Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 5:18 pm
Until our highly elected officials on both sides of the isle stand up to Madigan/Rauner you can bet both are sleeping just fine.
Comment by Very fed up Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 5:33 pm
–The inquirers always wonder how Gov. Bruce Rauner, House Speaker Michael Madigan and their more full-throated enablers on both sides can live with themselves as they watch big chunks of the state government’s responsibilities crumble before their very eyes during the months-long governmental impasse.–
I’m quite certain that Gov. Rauner is a-ok with the zero funding of higher ed and social services.
That was a choice the governor made, while he had other options to mitigate the damage.
I’m also not convinced that Gov. Rauner and Madigan, even if he were so inclined to exert the “muscle” he allegedly has, could together muster majority votes in both chambers for doing away with collective bargaining at the local level and prevailing wage.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 5:48 pm
Regarding Gov. Rauner’s line that the education bill had “no funding,” that’s not entirely accurate. Bear with me, please…
My daughter, who went to community college with the help of MAP grants (and FAFSA money and a few scholarships), got a job right out of school. Her Illinois income tax for the first couple years of her first job after school covered more than all four semesters of MAP grants. I realize this may not be the case for everyone, and this was a little over ten years ago, and MAP grants were less then, but so was tuition.
Anyway, she got an education and a job, and Illinois got its money back, and a whole lot more, in pretty short order.
Comment by Cheswick Monday, Mar 7, 16 @ 6:09 pm