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It’s not me! It’s not Rauner! It’s… Madigan!

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Illinois

State Rep. Reggie Phillips, R-Charleston, was surrounded Monday by a swarm of riled members of the Eastern Illinois University community, calling for better support for the university.

A day before the Illinois House of Representatives meets, members of EIU-UPI, a faculty union, and others marched toward the legislator’s district office to show their support for university funding.

From 20 to 50 people walked from Morton Park with signs reading “Reggie Phillips: Stand Up to Rauner. Fully Fund EIU,” to “remind” Phillips of their call for full funding, they said. […]

“We are out here because 30 percent funding is a 70-percent cut,” said Sace Elder, EIU-UPI march organizer. “We thought this was very good time to remind Representative Phillips that we expect him to stand up to Rauner (and) stand up to the naysayers in order to get our community fully funded.”

Phillips said those demanding that he “stand up” to the governor were “confused” as to Rauner’s authority over the House.

“Rauner is really the secondary player on this right now,” Phillips said. “It is in Mr. (Michael) Madigan’s hands … anybody that thinks that fund EIU is going to happen if we pressure Rauner is nuts.”

While Madigan is indeed a very big problem, the pressure needs to be on everybody, continually, until the end of the month. Phillips included. This gets us back to what Rep. Franks said…

“Both sides suffer under the delusion that it’s OK that real people get hurt as long as the other side gets blamed for it.”

Take some responsibility for a change.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 11:58 am

Comments

The only point I’m going to make is this…

Rauner vetoed Higher Ed funding, Reggie has not been with EIU but with Rauner, until the heat got too hot.

This type of case is a “Vote Accordingly” moment.

Passive passengers, Any side, all sides, every side… is unacceptable too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:02 pm
There are no angels here.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:02 pm
So impotent Reggie. You and the Governor I guess.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:05 pm
problem is he has a voting record of sayin no to funding. if he think the its all madigan will save him at election time he may want to box up his office now. lot of afscme employees in there as well if he votes no on the no strike law. vote down the no strike law and funding…. good luck in the election

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:09 pm
Madigan pushed my button! Good grief.

Comment by burbanite Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:11 pm
–“Rauner is really the secondary player on this right now,” Phillips said. “It is in Mr. (Michael) Madigan’s hands … anybody that thinks that fund EIU is going to happen if we pressure Rauner is nuts.”–

So many amazing developments in the last year:

– The Illinois governor’s office has been revealed to be powerless.

– Funding public universities and honoring state contracts are optional.

– A $6.2 billion deficit is fiscally responsible, and preferable to a $4 billion deficit.

– Stiffing thousands of Illinois businesses, not-for-profits and utilities out of billions of dollars is good for the economy.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:13 pm
==in order to get our community fully funded==

Voting to fully fund everything is easy. Paying for it is hard.

Anyone can write a check or vote for spending. What do they prefer? More taxes? Salary freezes? Cuts to the EIU history department? Tuition increases? A mix?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:19 pm
Willy +1

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:22 pm
Someone should remind the representative that Michael Madigan does not represent the district in which EIU sits, he does. When the constituents of said district remind said representative of their needs, it’s best to acknowledge that reality.

Comment by Harvest76 Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:25 pm
As long as Phillips is in a district where the results would be Satan (R) 65% to Jesus
(D) 35%, he doesn’t need to take responsibility for anything.

Comment by train111 Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:26 pm
Reggie is well known for his “mansplaining” to his ignorant constituents. Unfortunately for many of us, many of our fellow Charlestonians think that he knows what he is talking about and support him fully.

Comment by Chuckvegas Alum Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:26 pm
“Rauner is really the secondary player on this right now,” Phillips said. “It is in Mr. (Michael) Madigan’s hands … anybody that thinks that fund EIU is going to happen if we pressure Rauner is nuts.”

With a representative like this, who needs a governor! When is everyone going to stand up and do what is right?

Comment by BBG Watch Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:27 pm
There are needs and there are wants. The problem is that EIU won’t get what it needs if Rauner doesn’t get what he wants. While I agree that Madigan has done nothing to resolve things I also realize that 60 reps behind Madigan have to line up to give Rauner what he wants and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to happen.

Comment by pundent Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:28 pm
“There are no Angels here.” Ok. I”ll bite. Does anyone think Madigan can actually give Rauner his anti-Union Turn Around Agenda items? Is that really in his gift?

And is he going to “announce” a flat tax increase on the voters without Rauner’s cover? Can he do that? Is it in his gift? Really?

Ok. He’s not an Angel. He is still resisting districting reform.

But still. If the answer is no to any of the questions above, Rauner owns this, and therefore Reggie owns this.

Comment by HistoryProf Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:31 pm
=As long as Phillips is in a district where the results would be Satan (R) 65% to Jesus
(D) 35%, he doesn’t need to take responsibility for anything.=

Exactly. Reggie has nothing to fear come November. He’ll be easily reelected. I’ll vote for any other name besides his or write one in if there is no one running against him, but I’ll be a very tiny minority.

Comment by MSIX Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:59 pm
===Reggie has nothing to fear come November.===

Reggie isn’t acting like it…

===He’ll be easily reelected.===

Then Charleston, like AFSCME/Labor with Rauner, deserve what they get.

===…but I’ll be a very tiny minority.===

Then, again, sending no message, Eastern and Charleston will reap what the sit in their hands for…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 1:26 pm
I’m not worried about Labor sitting on their hands in that race. I have an AFSMCE sister there who is a one woman nuclear power plant. I could work 24/7 for two weeks and get smoked by a half an hours work from her. Seriously. Now that I think of it, I’m going to see if there are pictures of this ambush. I bet I know who organized it. Dude Reggie, if you’re up against who I think you are, you got off light this time.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 1:46 pm
The governor and I can’t do anything! We’re powerless! There’s nothing we can do! That mean ol’ man in Chicago holds all the cards! Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!

Comment by IllinoisBoi Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:14 pm
Willy + 32500….

Comment by FOP1 Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:10 pm
Poor weak, ineffective Rauner! I feel sooooooo sorry for him. If only he were capable of governing!

Comment by RIJ Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:22 pm
=== Take some responsibility for a change. ===

It goes counter to Springfield political culture, not to mention human nature, to take responsibility for failure. It’s more fun to point fingers, and it helps sooth the conscience as well.

Comment by anon Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 6:03 pm
There is someone running against Reggie, although his chances aren’t good. I always vote accordingly so Reggie will never get my vote.

Reggie is like having Roscoe P. Coltrane for your state representative. If you’ve ever talked to him that’s exactly who sounds like too.

Comment by Charlestonian Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:36 am