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Fun with editorial boards

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Illinois

* The Champaign News-Gazette recently heaped glowing praise on a blatantly political stunt…

Comptroller Munger, who was appointed to the office after the death of Republican incumbent Judy Baar Topinka, recently upped the ante on the pay issue.

Earlier this year, Munger decided to make legislators wait in the same line as state vendors who face serious delays in payment for services rendered. That has resulted in paycheck delays that have stressed some legislators’ family budgets and forced them to take out loans (Republican state Rep. Chad Hays) or second mortgages (Democratic state Sen. Scott Bennett).

Now Munger, who is running for the office in the November election, is escalating the paycheck debate in a way sure to draw legislators’ further resentment.

Munger last week proposed what she called “no budget, no pay” legislation that she said will ensure members of the Illinois House and Senate meet their constitutional obligations by passing a balanced budget.

In other words, if legislators don’t pass a real balanced budget they won’t be paid — ever. Further, Munger said that her proposal would block retroactive pay, meaning that the longer there’s no balanced budget, the less lawmakers would make.

Of course, Munger’s proposal has no chance of becoming law because it requires the targets of the bill to pass it. But Munger still scores points by pointing out the failure of the General Assembly to pass full-year budgets two years in a row.

* The Champaign News-Gazette recently heaped glowering scorn on a blatantly political stunt…

Politicizing the law as a means of garnering votes sets the stage for injustice.

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree in the case of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the daughter of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.

When it comes to spinning an effective political web, both she and he know what they’re doing. It’s a different matter, of course, when it comes to effective public policy. But in Illinois, who cares?

So it will be no surprise if Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s latest gambit into generating favorable headlines doesn’t prompt state legislators to act with alacrity on the question of abolishing the statute of limitations on more than 20 crimes involving the sexual abuse of children.

Who, after all, supports accused child molesters? No one.

Words just fail me.

* The Chicago Tribune back in February…

Gov. Bruce Rauner addressed the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, outlining his plans for next year’s state budget. The poindexters whipped out their calculators.

* The Chicago Tribune today…

117th District: Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, did a better job for his district before he joined House Speaker Michael Madigan’s leadership team. Bradley may bring home more bacon serving in leadership. But he also is stuck voting for the speaker’s agenda, and that often conflicts with the values of his district. Example: Bradley voted for a budget that was $7 billion out of balance. Is that how homeowners of his district run their households?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:06 pm

Comments

Legislators do a lot more than just vote on budget, or any other legislation. They do a lot more than attend session. I know people call it a part time job because they aren’t in Springfield 5 days every week. She probably looks down her nose at her employees too and thinks they shouldn’t get more than minimum wage and no benefits.

As to the statute of limitations abolishment
- fine for future crimes, but that proposal is retroactive.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:16 pm
What will Munger propose to do to Governor Rauner for failure to submit a balanced budget? Take away his Harley or his costumes?

Comment by very old soil Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:19 pm
Maybe folks on editorial boards should be required to have a diploma. Or at least have a reading comprehension test. If they pass the test, then they should be required to read the stories written by our many quality Spfld reports, i.e. Rich, Amanda Vinicky, Monique Garcia, Doug Finke, Rick Pearson, etc.

Hey, it’s only been about 3 years since the court held that it was unconstitutional to NOT pay legislators. Yes, edit bd. that means a B.S. idea to pass legislation would not work. Repeat for the slow working on these bds., that means passing legislation would not work. It is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:21 pm
Anyone who takes the Tribune’s Editorial Board seriously is overdue for a rectal craniectomy.

Comment by Northsider Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:22 pm
I’m of the opinion that only sites like Capfax hold relevance. These editorial boards seem to feel that their only hope at keeping readership is to pander to increasingly feckless rightwing positions. It’s sad to see the demise of conventional journalism.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:22 pm
Munger is channeling Pat Quinn whose demagoguery on the issue couldn’t save him, and it likely won’t save her. She should move to the City and run for Mayor against Quinn. They deserve each other.

Comment by truthteller Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:22 pm
Katrina’s faux outrage over a budget with a $7 billion deficit that did not and was never intended to pass combined with her purposeful omission of the bipartisan budget with an $8 billion deficit that the governor pushed and signed is a willfully and blatanly dishonest representation to tronc readers.

Is that what you got in the business for, back in the day? To knowingly lie to your readers, in the service of partisan hackery (or securing the next gig)?

I imagine that must be a very personal defeat.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:22 pm
Thoughts - yep, but a lot of my non-political friends and people I interact with on social media do not seem to grasp that lawmakers are able to do more than work on a budget. I also attempt to explain that 177 elected officials working on a budget would be anarchy, but they do not quite grasp that concept, either.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Serious question: Has the Tribune Editorial Board always been a laughingstock?

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Honeybear - to be fair to the N-G board they have had this “bent” for a long time.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:24 pm
The best endorsement the Chicago Tribune could give Bradley would be to endorse his opponent.

Comment by just maybe Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:27 pm
Tell m again why we want print media to survive? /s

Ignorant editorials are not new. A recurring assignment in grad school was to analyze a WSJ Editorial and show how it violated basic economic principles. This same prof once asked the Dean if they could withdraw an MBA after dealing with a recent graduate at a government agency.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:27 pm
If she is so smart why don’t she propose a balance budget instead?

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:35 pm
Chicago hasn’t had a real newspaper since Marshall Field owned the Sun-Times.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:35 pm
Munger needs to get her floor leader to offer the bill. Then the Speaker can rush the bill through the committees and call it for a vote. I would expect that it would fail along party lines. Or it could join the century club and fail with bipartisan votes.

Munger should be wary of what she proposes, the GA hold the purse strings that fund her office. The GA could retaliate and defund her.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:42 pm
Both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times employ dozens of hardworking, underpaid, ethical reporters. It’s a shame to let the foolishness of the papers’ editorial boards tarnish the good work of their reporting staffs.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:43 pm
–Serious question: Has the Tribune Editorial Board always been a laughingstock?–

In the late 1960s, at least from the little bit I’ve read, they were positively sociopathic; they wanted MLK thrown in jail for inciting the riot in which he was hit in the head with a rock.

From the little I’ve read, they were neither sociopathic nor a laughingstock in the ’80s (they were pushing early childhood ed when it wasn’t a thing, for instance), I expect in part because of Lois Wille.

I didn’t usually agree with them during the time they won the Pulitzer but I don’t recall being as smug and mean-spirited as they’ve been for the last few years.

Obviously a lot is going to depend on who’s writing each editorial. Some days it seems like it’s Zorn or Chapman or someone less cranky; some days it’s… not. The institution of the editorial board is weird that way.

Comment by whetstone Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:47 pm
How soon does Mother Tribune’s editorial board write the piece about how jealous they are of the people of Florida getting their new rebuilding opportunity this week?

As for the News-Gazoo, at least they took clear stands in the two editorials posted by Rich, even if they were intellectually inconsistent partisan hack stands. Those editorials are still better than the wimpy nihilism expressed in their “Nobody for President” drivel.

http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2016-10-02/nobody-president.html

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:50 pm
It’s one thing to get unsolicited political junk mail in your mailbox at home. Who in their right minds would pay good money to receive it and pay the salaries of those who produce it? If Gannett succeeds in acquiring TRONC, one hopes they will recognize the liability the Trib’s editorial page has become by attaching the paper to one political party.

Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:52 pm
Newspaper editorials have become as thoughtful and insightful as random Facebook rants.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:54 pm
Both editorial boards are composed of elitist, out of touch, arrogant and ignorant blowhards. It would be sad if it weren’t so potentially dangerous.

Comment by Bored Chairman Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:57 pm
Rich, don’t think Munger is trying to subject people to criminal prosecution or prison. Lisa obviously is. Big difference.

Comment by jim Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 2:57 pm
There appears to be absolutely no logic whatsoever behind the Trib’s endorsements. Claim to politically neutral yet 11 of 12 endorsements in today’s print edition are GOP.

Punish some Dems for voting for an unbalanced budget. Ignore the GOP votes on the stopgap which is just as bad or worse.

Punish a Dem who is a long time proponent of downsizing government. Endorse a GOP rep specifically for passing an unfunded mandate.

And on and on.

Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 3:02 pm
She’s right! Legislators have failed to pass budgets for the last hundred years. Governors too, until Rauner came into office. Thank goodness he’s got a good wingman as he bucks the odds. /s

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 3:04 pm
Here is the problem for the Trib, and everyone else, Americans confidence in newspapers is at an all time low. 20% in June 2016 according to Gallup. So, if that’s how people feel about newspapers in general, why would they apply any higher weighting to their editorial positions or endorsements?

Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 3:39 pm
Perhaps I missed it. No discussion on Mendoza trying to co-opt the issue in her TV ad? Missed several days, so apologies if I missed the discussion during that time.

Comment by LessAnon? Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 3:50 pm
– one hopes they will recognize the liability the Trib’s editorial page has become by attaching the paper to one political party.–

One politician, actually.

The one who had lots of rich friends when those who got left holding the bag on the newspapers after the bankruptcy and split were trying to get out from under.

And one of those rich friends bought them.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 3:52 pm
Jim, Leslie is trying to violate the Constitution, Lisa isn’t. There,fixed it

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 3:54 pm
Seems like an odd topic for the Champaign News-Gazette to use to bash the Attorney General. Are they really saying that eliminating the statute of limitations for child sex abuse isn’t good public policy? They’ve let their anti-Madigan zeal get in the way of logic.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 4:48 pm
The lack of honesty in the electoral board writings is as perplexing as the idea that these electoral boards are trying to look at these writings as honest works and after weighing the pros and cons, these endorsements are looking out for the best interests of all here.

That’s all I keep reading, the blatevf to dismissing of a fair look and assessment… and at times, irrational thinking as sound reasoning for decisions.

Ugh.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 4:52 pm
Your “blatant political stunt” is my “standing on principle”
All depends on how you spin it

Comment by train111 Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 5:07 pm
Will Comptroller Munger also introduce legislation requiring the Governor to produce a balanced budget for the Legislature to review? To the best of my knowledge, Governor Rauner has yet to introduce a balance budget, yet continues to blame the Legislature. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Comment by Valerie F. Leonard Thursday, Oct 6, 16 @ 8:26 pm