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* From an editorial entitled “Our view: Lock doors on lawmakers”…
May we offer one more solution once all of the members are seated in the chamber in Springfield next Wednesday? Lock the door from the outside, and the legislative body is not allowed to leave without a balanced budget that keeps schools and social service agencies open.
If that sounds uncomfortable, too bad. If it sounds like it’s too hard, tough.
It doesn’t sound “uncomfortable,” it sounds like a massive felony.
Look, we’re all frustrated, but I’ve seen this silly suggestion all over the place. Any idea how this could be accomplished? It would probably take something as extreme as a military coup d’etat to pull this off and I’m just not a big fan of that sort of thing.
So, if it wasn’t a serious idea, label it as such. If it is serious, then… well… that’s just plain scary.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 9:56 am
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Previous Post: Maybe not
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Simplistic silly suggestions from sorrowful story tellers.
P.S. Your silliness forgot to include throwing Rauner into the locked chambers.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:01 am
“military coup d’etat”
Where is the National Guard when you need them. /s
Comment by Huh? Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:01 am
That’s just an old, tired evergreen from uninspired journalists.
It’s akin to lazy chestnuts like “Reagan spent X days at the ranch,” or “Obama golfed X times last year.” Seems like it should mean something, but doesn’t.
Stories and edits like these come from people who get paid to say something, but actually have nothing to say.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:02 am
Or…
The governor can call a “Special Session” every single day…
The governor isn’t passive in this. If there’s such a… demand… that the General Assembly… the House and the Senate… sit in the chambers, without a Coup or a mass felony situation playing out… Call the governor and have the GA meet, by the governor’s decree
Of course, then any work not accomplished will then be at the fault of the governor “who” required they sit.
The crux of this is getting structured roll calls, bipartisan and bicameral, that this governor will sign clean. However that is accomplished, less a coup or mass felony, is best left to the working groups, leadership and the governor.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:02 am
Too extreme. Plus, it’s not wholly on the ‘lawmakers’ since it involves Rauner and Madigan.
I assume we’re all tired of the extreme stubborn attitude coming from Springfield. Too much drama. Come down from your partisan thrones, get to the middle ground, and settle up guys.
Comment by Belle Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:04 am
It’s not a serious idea, but I don’t think it was meant to be taken as such. I see it as an expression of frustration. I know as a State worker I get pretty frustrated at times by this impasse and all the uncertainty involved with it. Can’t say where I’ll be at by the end of this year financially. Then there are those who rely on social services who have it far worse, not sure if they’ll even be alive by the end of this year. Frustrating times.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:09 am
Does anyone really believe that the Gov wants a budget right now? I haven’t seen any actions to suggest that he does, to the contrary.
Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:10 am
I see this more as an expression of frustration rather than a serious idea on how to end the impasse. The problem is that there really are no good ideas to end this impasse because the governor won’t take away his extreme demands. That’s the only way this stalemate is going to end. Any ideas on how that can happen?
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:12 am
While it is true that this would be a truly bizarre situation, it is the most popular idea among everyday people. Sometimes you print the coffee shop chatter so the people that buy the paper can feel good about renewing their subscription.
Comment by Saluki Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:12 am
In times past, the English jury was to be kept without “drink,meat, fire or candle” until agreement was reached. The bailiff was required to take an oath to so keep the jury.
Comment by Red eft Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:12 am
Or, in the alternative,
“Lock the Governor in the Mansion.”
Comment by Winnin' Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:13 am
It’s ALL blather and quipsmanship. The Gordian knot will be cut when either Rauner or Madigan are somehow forced to blink, relent, backdown…… And that seems unlikely - see, I told you it’s all blather.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:15 am
How do we know when to let them out? They vote electronically now, which means there are no paper ballots to burn with dry straw so that white smoke comes out of the chimney.
Comment by Whatever Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:28 am
I’m also tired of the lock-them-in-a-room suggestion. It’s as tiring as the frequent letters to the editor in any Illinois newspaper encouraging people to “throw the bums out!” or “don’t vote for any incumbent!” as if some people actually have a voice with uncontested races or with districts in which opposition parties have no chance to win. This is why map reform is so important.
Comment by Steve Rogers Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:32 am
Are there more panhandlers on the street in Springfield these days, or am I just noticing them more as the budget impasse continues and social service agencies cut back? I counted five people the other day on MacArthur, standing on street corners with cardboard “will work for food” signs.
Comment by olddog Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:32 am
Are there more panhandlers on the street in Springfield these days, or am I just noticing them more as the budget impasse continues and social service agencies cut back? I counted five people the other day on MacArthur, standing on street corners with cardboard “will work for food” signs.
Comment by olddog Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:32 am
Don’t know why I double-posted at 10:32. (Maybe because I need to get an Apple mouse that talks nice with my Mac?) My bad, anyway.
Comment by olddog Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:34 am
Of course we can’t lock them in, fire code won’t allow it. Problem is the constitution never anticipated elected officials who wouldn’t do their job. If this were private industry they would have been fired. I’m not ready to say it’s hopeless but if most of these political lackeys are voted in again in November I predict a continued exodus of people who can moving out of this state.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:36 am
@anonymous 10:15: this word made my day: quipsmanship.
In all seriousness, isn’t this how they choose the Pope?
Comment by JPC Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:37 am
Better idea: Thunderdome!
“Two parties enter- one party leaves! Two parties enter- one party leaves!”
Comment by Monopoly Morty Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:42 am
“Good news! We’ve got a tax bill that will pass. Bad news! We’re still going to be here for several days till we can vote on it.”
Comment by Anon Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 10:52 am
If we’re going to lock anyone up, I would suggest it be Rauner, the social service providers, and their receipiants. Or in the alternative, average citizens surrounding the mansion with sacks of chicken feathers and a caldron of pitch until the Governor agrees to compromise (as defined by Webster’s). /s
Seriously, until Rauner is willing to move, nothing will happen.
Comment by RNUG Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 11:06 am
They’re just confused. They’re thinking of medieval cardinals being locked in conclave until they come up with a Pope.
Comment by Educ Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 11:16 am
Even the Illinois Fire Fighters, who’ve done extremely well in that room….would not go along with this. /s
Comment by A guy Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 11:41 am
Yikes, have you seen the College of Cardinals? Locked in or not…they eat.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 11:44 am
I’ll bet a fortune could be made for a newspaper in Illinois willing to commit their writers to popular but ridiculous or simply wrong headed ideas:
“Let’s lock them in a room till they produce a budget”
“How making everything above I-80 it’s own state would transform downstate Illinois into a utopian paradise”
“Luxury lifestyles of public aid recipients”
“Lincoln county named best place to live in Illinois”
“Why the Cardinals really are an Illinois team”
“How the state budget could be balanced without raising taxes without cutting services solely by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse”
Comment by AC Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 11:46 am
From Norseman: P.S. Your silliness forgot to include throwing Rauner into the locked chambers.
Good idea- like throwing the Christians into the coliseum with the lions….
Comment by downstate commissioners Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:03 pm
How would we feed them? Are there mail slots in the doors?
Comment by Keyser Soze Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:10 pm
== How would we feed them? Are there mail slots in the doors? ==
Just supply liquid refreshments … and if the alcohol content is high enough, we might get bills passed. /s?
Comment by RNUG Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:16 pm
AGuy11:44. HA!!!
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:59 pm