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* Tom Kacich…
(T)he Illinois House still hasn’t had an appropriations hearing on next year’s budgets for Illinois’ public colleges and universities, those annual exercises where higher ed officials get called before House members with oftentimes ask parochial and unpredictable questions.
Normally those hearings are headed by the chair of the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee.
That would be Rep. Ken Dunkin, the Chicago Democrat who is viewed by some of his Democratic colleagues as a Judas for siding with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on a couple of high-profile issues. In fact, Dunkin was defeated in last month’s Democratic primary, despite big bucks from Rauner allies.
There’s a higher education budget hearing in the House this week but it’ll be before Rep. Kelly Burke’s Higher Education Committee.
I asked Steve Brown, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, why the higher ed budgets weren’t going to Dunkin’s appropriations committee.
“We prefer to think of it as going to Kelly Burke’s committee,” he said with a smile.
Well, at least Dunkin is still getting his chairmanship stipend, even if he isn’t doing anything.
This is SOP for Madigan, by the way. He’s done this very same thing to at least two other members in the past (Al Ronan and Jay Hoffman) when he believed they were plotting against him.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:33 am
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Being frozen out is far worse than being able to point and say “they’re picking on me”…
Ken Dunkin is relevant. That’s painful to “Ken Dunkin”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:37 am
isn’t…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:37 am
Perhaps they could have held some hearings in March, had they not left town for the entire month.
Comment by No Use For A Name Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:38 am
===Perhaps they could have held some hearings in March, had they not left town for the entire month.===
… or stay in town and vote again, and again, and again, against Higher Ed… LOL!
There was no business to vote upon.
“Never mistake activity for achievement” - John Wooden.
You’re welcome.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:44 am
Simple. Dunkin is a lame-duck; he will be gone in January. Why involve him in anything?
Comment by downstate commissioner Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:47 am
Having Dunkin as head of a higher ed committee was tongue-in-cheek anyway, wasn’t it?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:50 am
Rich, the year he did it to Hoffman, he did it to Ken as well. How can you not remember this quote?
““Why has he not promoted Ken Dunkin, who is such the tourism authority in this chamber, who has promoted tourism throughout the centuries and the decades in the history of the state of Illinois? Why? Why, Mr. Speaker?” asked Dunkin.”
Comment by Juice Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:51 am
I’m guessing the higher ed folks would much rather deal with Kelly Burke than Dunkin.
Comment by Get a clue Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:52 am
‘There was no business to vote upon.’
Yet there was still plenty of business to conduct on the public’s behalf. Higher ed approps hearings don’t conduct themselves, and an entire month was lost for no good reason.
Here’s a clue: time does not stop. You’re welcome.
Comment by No Use For A Name Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 9:58 am
I’m sure there is some valid reason to have a Higher Education Committee AND an Appropriations-Higher Education Committee, but maybe it’s time we only had one. Because, it appears that it’s time to quit paying for as many committee chairs as we do. I also am quite ok with Ken Dunkin not being a committee chair any longer.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:00 am
===Higher ed approps hearings don’t conduct themselves, and an entire month was lost for no good reason.
Here’s a clue: time does not stop.===
LOL!
The favor was, “we’re not going to have the GOP members vote against their districts. When you (Rauner) decide to ebd the poison pills, get back to us.”
We’re starting to see that now, Rauner moving away from poison pills.
I can’t help you don’t understand the legislative processes, that’s on you. Being there to embarrass the Raunerite Caucuses was the only thing tgst would’ve been accomplished, with vote after vote “Red” against Higher Ed.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:02 am
Good response, No use for a name. The House should have been able to do something productive for those 4 or 5 weeks. Madigan is the Kingmaker!
Comment by Apocalypse Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:05 am
‘The favor was’
There was no favor. Not to the people of Illinois.
I can’t help you if all you can see or care about is the jockeying for position between Rauner and Madigan. There is still work to be done on behalf of the citizens they represent, as Kacich notes, and the House just took a month off from doing that work. Who gets embarassed or not embarrassed in the process of doing the House’s job is irrelevant to most citizens.
Comment by No Use For A Name Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:14 am
===There was no favor. Not to the people of Illinois.===
You forgot to say the “taxpayers”…
===Who gets embarassed or not embarrassed in the process of doing the House’s job is irrelevant to most citizens.===
It matters to those Raunerite Members in Higher Ed districts.
===There is still work to be done on behalf of the citizens they represent, as Kacich notes, and the House just took a month off from doing that work.===
It’s a 60/30 ball game. You don’t have 60/30 to pass something, then embarrass the Raunerites.
This isn’t the dorm room. Unless something passes that Rauner will sign deing with the budget, higher ed, social services or the Rauner agencies Rauner himself refuses to want to have Approps, then it’s John Wooden’s quote versus embarrassing Raunerite Legislative members.
At least, for giggles, say “the taxpayers lost”…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:20 am
===I’m guessing the higher ed folks would much rather deal with Kelly Burke than Dunkin.===
+1
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:22 am
Amazin’ that CNG scribe can be Johnny Scoopster on this one, but still can’t get the paper to understand how many compromises have been voted on in the last 15 months — oh well better late than never
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:25 am
== There was no favor. Not to the people of Illinois. … Who gets embarassed or not embarrassed in the process of doing the House’s job is irrelevant to most citizens. ==
When you have to work with the other side and get SOME their votes to pass with veto-proof majorities, then, yes, it DOES matter who gets embarrassed or who is forced on record on bad votes.
Nobody was coming forth with these kind of proposals during the month. I have to assume this is a result of the members being back in their districts and getting an ear-full from their constituents. If you assume that, then the month off was more productive than being in session …
Comment by RNUG Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:32 am
===Madigan is the Kingmaker!===
I dunno how that fits into the discussion, but I know you feel better saying it.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:32 am
===”At least, for giggles, say “the taxpayers lost”…===
Who’s laughing? The taxpayers and all those who rely on State services are the real losers here.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:33 am
Remember when Paul Froehlich switched parties mid-session and they created a committee for him to chair, a committee that I believe only met once, perhaps twice.
I don’t understand why Madigan doesn’t just assign a new Committee chairman to Higher Ed Approp and reduce Dunkin’s salary automatically.
Comment by Just Me Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:35 am
Maybe Ken can go to work for the Obama administration.
Comment by Hedley Lamarr Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:35 am
==- Thoughts Matter - Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:00 am:==
Subject matter policy and appropriations.
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:37 am
=Rauner will sign deing with the budget=
Spell check not working today?
Comment by Apocalypse Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:38 am
===Who’s laughing? The taxpayers and all those who rely on State services are the real losers here.===
When Ken Dunkin lost, the taxpayers lost - Louis G Atsaves -, right? See, let’s not go down this road…
===Spell check not working today?===
… says the commenter who took weeks to learn to spell “Apocalypse”… lol.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 10:47 am
==‘There was no business to vote upon.’
Yet there was still plenty of business to conduct on the public’s behalf. Higher ed approps hearings don’t conduct themselves, and an entire month was lost for no good reason.==
That was a scheduled break. Just like the votes Dunkin missed, while he was on vacation, were on a schedule session. He purposely chose to skip them. Why involve him now?
Comment by BBG Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:05 am
===When Ken Dunkin lost, the taxpayers lost - Louis G Atsaves -, right? See, let’s not go down this road…===
Didn’t hear that one. Your road may be a dead end or a blind alley. Is Dunkin marching lockstep with Madigan again?
Now if you feel the taxpayers and those receiving state services are winners here, kindly explain your rationale at your convenience.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:17 am
==at least Dunkin is still getting his chairmanship stipend, even if he isn’t doing anything==
Clever. Let him continue to receive this in hopes he whines less about the bill going to the other committee?
Comment by Robert the Bruce Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:20 am
RE: No Use For A Name — so basically, “Because…Madigan!”
Never mind the details, whatever they may be (hint: OW has a salient point that the GOP members were given room to NOT vote against their districts), the end result must remain Madigan’s fault. Always and forever.
Comment by thunderspirit Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:32 am
Oh, - Louis G Atsaves -…
===Didn’t hear that one. Your road may be a dead end or a blind alley. Is Dunkin marching lockstep with Madigan again?===
From Bernie…
===If various analysts thought that Gov. BRUCE RAUNER was the loser in the primary election because millions of dollars from him and his allies failed to defeat state Sen. SAM McCANN, R-Plainview, or save Rep. KEN DUNKIN, D-Chicago, well, the governor disagrees.
“My own view is taxpayers lost a couple high-profile races,” Rauner told reporters at the Illinois State Fairgrounds this week. “It’s not totally shocking. I mean taxpayers have been losing races in Illinois for a long time. Changing that doesn’t happen overnight.”===
See, Bruce Rauner felt Ken Dunkin losing is taxpayers losing.
Do you agree? Do you agree with the Republican governor aiding by the millions the century club president, then Dunkin losing, to then have Rauner say the “taxpayers lost”?
Maybe instead of asking me, ask Bruce Rauner?
But, Dunkin will have loads of time these 8 months to ponder that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:38 am
OW:!John Wooden is a hero to me! Thanks for that quote.
Comment by Slippin' Jimmy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:42 am
And Dick Mautino
Comment by Bob Hicks Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:49 am
(Tips cap to - thunderspirit -)
- Slippin’ Jimmy -,
Thanks. Wooden said “little”, but what he said really said something.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 12:04 pm
Dunkin should enjoy his stipend and focus his extra time on updating his resume.
Comment by Norseman Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 12:06 pm
Madigan, Cullerton, and Rauner have never attended a public university.
Rauner would like to dismantle/destroy public universities in this state as best(worst) he can.
Madigan could care less and from the inaction of Cullerton on this issue I believe he does not either.
Comment by Federalist Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 12:31 pm
++- Apocalypse - @ 10:05 am: Good response, No use for a name. The House should have been able to do something productive for those 4 or 5 weeks. ++.
You need to realize representatives also work in their home districts. Conducting meetings at the state capitol is not their only job.
Comment by Mama Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 1:25 pm