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Dems not predicting quick resolution

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* Reboot interviews Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook)…

Q: You’re in leadership and have worked with Speaker Madigan for a long time now. What do you think his approach will be? What’s Madigan’s frame of mind now?

A: I’ll stand by my statements I made all fall that I didn’t think the outcome of this election would change the dynamic between Rauner and Madigan and there’s nothing that happened yesterday that made me rethink that position.

Q: We’re going to limp along through the 2018 election?

A: So, what I say to people who ask me that question is if you’d asked me a year ago if we could get through a whole year without a budget I’d have said, ‘Oh my god, there’s no way!’ But here we are. I don’t want to do that. I didn’t think we could get this far without a budget.

Q: What will it take to change that?

A: If I knew the answer to that question I would get about the business of doing it. I have no idea.

* Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) in the Tribune…

“Our view is that his agenda is not related to the budget. There is not an item in that agenda that makes a nickel’s worth of difference to the state of Illinois,” Lang said. “Say what you will about Mike Madigan, but we had a budget for all of the 38 years of Mike Madigan… It would not surprise me if we went the full four years of the Rauner term without a full budget in place.”

Ugh.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 9:55 am

Comments

I sympathize. How do you get to a budget if the person that is supposed to sign it refuses to, and even refuses to negotiate a budget until something else happens first. It’s a horrible way to run a government. But I also think it would be a travesty to give in to that sort of mentality. What are we to do? Lang is right. All it would take for the state to have a budget is for the governor to say, “I want a budget, let’s negotiate one.”

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 9:59 am
Why does the House Democratic Leadership hate the will of the people so much? Two elections now have demanded change. If they can’t give the people what they want then time for a new Speaker, if not now then in 2018.

Comment by Not It Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:00 am
- Ducky LaMoore -

I hope you saw my response to you last night.

To the Post,

The absolute best example to the “reasoning” these Democrats are “here”…

Property Tax Relief being a vessel to take away prevailing wage, and remove collective bargaining.

It’s not about the relief, it’s about the labor ask.

Seeing and knowing that, and that path Rauner still sees as his wants, I’m not surprised by either’ responses here.

Sadly.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:02 am
It is difficult not to dig in your heels, for both sides, in a situation like this. I hope the collective they do what’s right.

I fear the current political climate less than I fear the impending one. It is difficult to imagine another generational talent like President Obama emerging so soon to help bring us back together. It seems as though unadulterated nastiness is the name of the game right now. Whether we will change that or embrace it is up to us.

Comment by AlfondoGonz Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:05 am
A baby step would be for the governor to fulfill his constitutional duty and present in February a spending plan equal to anticipated revenues.

That would serve as a framework going forward.

The Constitution does not list that as an optional exercise, or subject to political pre-conditions.

If Pat Quinn had refused to engage on a budget unless the minimum wage was increased, or a millionaire’s tax was passed, that would have been just as unacceptable and destructive as what Rauner has been doing for two years.

Third time is the charm.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:11 am
Ugh, is exactly right, Rich. Both Lang & Nekritz are smart & thoughtful people who regularly toe their boss’ line because … that’s what they do; Lang especially.

As you eloquently stated in today’s dispatch for subscriber’s, Rauner, Cullerton, Radogno & Durkin have all publicly stated an intention to move on and get something done. But not Madigan. No, intransigence remains on full display, likely re-fueled by his beat down two days ago but particularly because Madigan himself was THE issue in most of the legislative races … and that’s likely to continue.

So rank & file Dems (take Yingling, Conroy, Mussman and the like for example) will have to decide if they want more re-election adventures like two days ago or want to push internally for some semblance of peace via a quiet, well-orchestrated “revolt”.

Of course, someone can run against Madigan for Speaker … but that ain’t happening.

Either way, this is on Madigan, totally, and those under his thumb — real, or imagined.

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:13 am
Didn’t Rauner recently say pick two of his reform items and he’ll work on a budget? I remember something like this. Property tax relief and workers compensation reform. He likely won’t do these because they wouldn’t involve collective bargaining and prevailing wage.

If Rauner dropped those demands…it would only be in a dream. I don’t see that happening. Democrats have no reason to cave to Rauner either.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:15 am
Here we are almost 2 years into the Rauner administration and we still have only these vague ideas about how his TA will help the state.

If he could produce some kind data to show how, then the 2 sides could debate, negotiate and work out a deal.

Until then we have gridlock interspersed with nasty elections to change the balance of power.

Sad.

Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:15 am
Rauner, personally, has no consequences to face if he continues his leverage. He has millions of “reasons” not to have to compromise on anything. It will be up to those Democrats and Republicans who have the best interests of our State and her People in mind for the far future. And those representatives that we elected to serve us in the State government need to know we have their backs when it comes down to making the hard decisions on taxes and cuts. They have what it takes to GoAround if they work together. The National election and how it plays out in the coming months, may show them just how much is at stake if they remain complacent. If Trump and his team accomplish the major rollbacks he promised his base, then Illinois is going to hurt. Rollback on the healthcare bill alone will not have just a trickle down effect, but a major potential flood. And, with no budgets, no appropriations, continued consent decrees, people are going to die because politics was more important than the bigger picture. Take enough “pixels” out of a picture, and all you are left with is a blank page. Some people think that is where we need to be headed. What they don’t want to admit, is how hard it is to fill back in that page once you’ve wiped it clean. Democracy is messy and hard. Slogans like “shake it up” and “drain the swamp” are only words, not actions. Actions should have consequences. And just pointing a finger is not a consequence.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:15 am
The quote from Rep. Lang is a perfect summary of things. As OW has noted, Leader Durkin is in a very powerful position right now, if he were to choose to use it. So are any random five Republic Representatives who choose to act as a group. However, I think Rauner will continue to be very effective keeping them in line.

“Republic” is /s based on the discussion of Radogno’s statement yesterday.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:16 am
Unfortunately I agree with Nekritz. Given the post election comments by the Governor, Durkin and Radogno I don’t see any change. It’s the same old scripted talking points we’ve heard for months. Radogno mentioned the Democrats “joining them”, I would have much preferred hearing “meeting us halfway”. The GOP leaders and the rest of the party are owned by the Governor, they have been bought. Until which time that the Governor sincerely wishes for the stalemate to end and craft a good balanced budget I don’t think we will get one.

Comment by The Dude Abides Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:16 am
Talking about respecting election outcomes Rauner was elected by the entire state yet these Dem losers just want to wait for the chance to vote them out. No different then waiting on the election to fill a S Ct vacant. And these numnuts wonder why no one likes them

Comment by Sue Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:19 am
Rauner will be in the statewide ballot in 2018, smack dab in the middle of Trump’s midterm.

Madigan will run in the 22nd district.

The Rauner referendum, maybe with Eastern and Chicago State closed, with 1 in 13 Illinoisians (1 million people) directly effected by Rauner, will be about Rauner not being capable as a Governor.

While I have continually felt the $100 million Rauner will spend and the difficulty of defeating a sitting governor here in Illinois… that was before Clinton and Duckworth wining by double digits in the POTUS universe, and seeing Trump not being as helpful to Rauner in a statewide race.

Rauner needs a budget.

All governors need budgets.

Governors closing state universities won’t help.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:21 am
“===There is not an item in that agenda that makes a nickel’s worth of difference to the state of Illinois.”===

With all due respect to the legislator making that statement, and I do respect him, this is nonsense. Not a single item? C’mon!

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:25 am
Lets look at past Republican Governors such as Thompson, Ryan, & Edgar they all finally came away with a budget with Madigan. Madigan has nothing to lose here. He can go back and show he had made budgets with other Republican Governors. Now we have one that comes in with an agenda and wants it before a budget is agreed to. Now to me if the House and Senate were controlled by the Republicans then he would have that right but they aren’t so now now he will need to work with each other as the Governor just like past Governors have done! Just sayin!

Comment by Coach Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:26 am
–…Rauner, Cullerton, Radogno & Durkin have all publicly stated an intention to move on and get something done. But not Madigan.–

Really? And what exactly did Gov. Rauner et. al. say they were intending to “move on” from? Is that supposed to have some substance and meaning?

If vague, anodyne expressions of cooperation were all it took, there wouldn’t have been gridlock the last two years. They all say that stuff all the time. And they wouldn’t have spent tens of millions pummeling each other the last six months if there was this universal willingness to “move on.”

That rhetoric is just boilerplate.They’re getting jammed up by real differences on issues unrelated to the budget.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:26 am
I reside in a town with a state university. I have an exit plan that includes moving to another state. I am lucky due to impending retirement. Other folks will face living in Appalachia. Our current situation is a tremendous fail on the part of both Rauner and Madigan and their party faithful. They blame each other while lives disintegrate. After I leave I hope to never mention their names again.

Comment by illinoised Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:28 am
Rauner has never sown us that he is a quick learner, or can learn at all. He’s a persistent rascal!

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:30 am
Refreshing candor from Nekritz. And true: If she knew how to breakdown the Rauner-Madigan impasse, she’d already be doing it. She tows her own line.

Comment by walker Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:30 am
When is the ILRB goin’ drop its science on the unions? These “leaders” are plannin’ on next year - won’t the decision be much sooner?

Comment by Dr X Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:31 am
== Not It @ 10:00 am==

Two elections have been won on the vague promise of “immediate, painless” change (e.g. reneging on contracts) when “gradual & painful” change was required.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:33 am
==Talking about respecting election outcomes Rauner was elected by the entire state ==

So basically what you are saying is the only the election of a Governor matters. Absolute bollocks. You do understand we have 3 branches of government, each with a role to play. In your head, apparently, the legislative branch doesn’t really count because they don’t have a single person elected statewide? Is that your ridiculous argument? I think you need a lesson in our system of government because you clearly don’t have the slightest clue.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:34 am
==likely re-fueled by his beat down ==

And yet the Democrats still have a large majority. You can try and spin things all you want but the reality is that things didn’t change a whole lot in this election as far as the dynamics. Unless and until BOTH SIDES figure out that nothing gets done unless they agree to compromise then we’ll get more of the same. BOTH. SIDES.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:36 am
There’s occasionally courage in capitulation.

The first one to compromise “wins” in my book. Too bad my book doesn’t have a lot of weight in the real world.

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:45 am
–”She tows her own line.”–

Lol. It’s “toe”, and she doesn’t. How do we both know that, Walker? Because she’s in Democratic House Leadership … put there, and kept there, by Madigan.

Come on man, you’re better than that.

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:52 am
Not it 10:00 am
First of all I am a lifelong Republican. I am however a dying breed, a Moderate.
Here are the facts:
Illinois went overwhelming for Secretary Clinton
In a Statewide race, The Democrat won.
As a Nation, we are just about equally split between Democrats and Republicans.
The Illinois House and Senate have vast Democrats majorities, these people were elected by their constituents.
No matter how the maps are drawn, you still have Democrats and Republicans in every district, and they vote.
In this Illinois election, the VAST majority of the money to support the Republican candidates came from just a few people.
In this Illinois election, the VAST majority of money to support the Democrats came from lots of groups and individuals.
The Turn Around Agenda was complete failure when presented to Local municipalities
Here are my conclusions:
If we republicans want to gain seats and maintain the Governor’s office, we must expand our appeal to the Illinois citizens.
We need to lead, by being the party of Compromise!
We can be fiscally sound, while protecting Social issues
We can reduce the size of Government while ensuring Workers and the Environment are protected
We can afford to raise taxes and close certain tax breaks while increasing spending on items that benefit the citizens of Illinois.
Here is what it takes, in my opinion:
It starts at the top (Both parties, The Governor, House of Representatives and Senate)
It takes talking directly to each other
It takes compromise!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Avid Reader / Seldom poster Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 10:53 am
@OW

Yes I saw your comment last night.

@Everyone saying this is Mike Madigan’s fault

Please explain how the governor saying he won’t negotiate a budget is Mike Madigan’s doing/fault. The people of Illinois elected Rauner to improve the government and make Illinois more functional. How does refusing to negotiate a budget do that? Rauner is failing at governing, and he is doing so on his own merits by failing to recognize the reality of governing is a very different situation than being a CEO of a company.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:00 am
Coach- and how did those budgets Madigan negotiated with Thompson, Edged and Ryan work out. They all utilized what were essentially unbalanced budgets by spending too much taxing too little and filling the hole with pension deficits. Rauner isn’t willing to do that and he is wrong WHY?

Comment by Sue Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:13 am
===They all utilized what were essentially unbalanced budgets by spending too much taxing too little and filling the hole with pension deficits. Rauner isn’t willing to do that and he is wrong WHY?===

- Sue -

… and yet Rauner signed a 6 month stopgap $8 billion over budgeted.

“WHY?”

lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:16 am
==and he is wrong WHY?==

He’s not wrong for pushing back against that. He is wrong for saying he needs things like term limits and redistricting reform to talk about the budget.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:23 am
Politics is about compromise. The Dems want revenue-Rauner wants reform. Madigan and Rauner both need to accommodate one another. All Madigan does is say no and that Rauner is extreme. Rauner can wait- Madigan is punishing his constituents

Comment by Sue Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:43 am
- Sue -

Show $9 billion in cuts, then revenue is only a Democratic want.

Until then, revenue is an undisputed requirement. Reforms are still, and will continue to be wants, not required in a budgetary process.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:45 am
Clinton beat Trump by 16
Duckworth beat Kirk by 14
Mendoza beat Munger by 4

Only one race should be construed as a Madigan v Rauner race, and it was incredibly close considering the top of the ticket.

If I’m a dem in the legislature, I would be very worried about the midterm.

Comment by Phenomynous Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:53 am
Oswego- as long as Illinois is an unfriendly environment for business Teforms are a NEED. Business and employees pay taxes. You want taxes for your public sector needs- we want reforms

Comment by Sue Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:53 am
===Come on man, you’re better than that.===

Ugh, another commenter who showed up about the same time as Rauner. DW, Nekritz famously voted against Madigan’s rules, got ostracized and worked her way back in. And Walker would know, he was in the House at the time.

Nekritz is in leadership, but she’s nobody’s toady.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:55 am
- Sue -

Please point out in ANY accounting or budgetary terminology the word reform? I can find the word revenue many times in many ways in the discussion of budgetary terminology.

You find reform.

“Oh no, I’ll wait thanks.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 11:57 am
- Phenomynous -

The poorly run Mendoza campaign highlights the Democratic and Labor voters hanging on in a POTUS voting universe.

Trump’s midterm may not help Rauner or Raunerites, given Rauner won in a midterm of Obama and had limited legislative success.

What happens if Rauner picks up +3 House seats in 2018 but loses his own race?

It could happen. After 2014, here and Trump, anything is possible.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:00 pm
What reforms do you want specifically, Sue? I don’t recall any mention of them in the last two campaigns.

What would be their economic impact? Be sure to show your work.

Or are you content with two more years of weasel-word talking points?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:01 pm
===You want taxes for your public sector needs- we want reforms===

LOL!

I understand the 2012 Rauner quote that explains hurting people to destroy labor is in full tilt right now.

Any governor refusing to craft an honest budget isn’t acting in good faith for the people of Illinois.

It’s not about me, and you don’t speak for “we”, you speak for you…

Rauner refusing to find this state with a budget speaks for itself

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:04 pm
60 and 30. All legoslation turns on those two numbers. If the governor wants legislation, he can call it reform or a turnaround or a duck; he’s still gotta find 60 and 30.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:05 pm
Reform? Like workers’ comp reform? We got that and how did it work out?

Workers’ comp costs are down but premiums are not significantly lower.

Why? The business interests (Insurance Companies)are not passing the savings on to the customers.

Prevailing wage can be a pain in the neck. Everything we do is subject to prevailing wage. It does increase costs. But it also protects Illinois businesses, especially those on the borders from out of state businesses that want to under cut prices with their third-world labor costs and puts them all on the same level.

=It’s not about the relief, it’s about the labor ask.=

But this is spot on, it isn’t about costs, it is about attacking labor. Brucie just does not like it when someone else makes a buck. He does not value other people.

If he was serious about business reforms he would improve the process for businesses to build and expand in Illinois buy hiring more folks to review and approve permits. But then they would be state workers.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:07 pm
There will come a point when the vendors stop supplying things that aren’t being paid for (and the landlords of rented space will evict the agencies). It can’t go on the whole 4 years of this term.
That point probably is not far off if there isn’t a reasonably funded budget on January 1.

Comment by titan Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:08 pm
So more of the same for another two years. I frankly do not know what the answer is. Hopefully someone like Chris Kennedy runs in 2018 (someone independent and wealthy enough to stand up to Madigan). I’m so sick of Madigan. He needs to go.

Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:27 pm
==employees pay taxes==

That would be all employees.

==for your public sector needs==

Those would be your public sector needs as well. You know, like social services, roads, schools, public safety. Those public sector needs.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 12:33 pm
I’m hearing more and more people say that we won’t have a budget until Rauner is out of office.

It’s interesting the Nekritz mentions that this would have been unthinkable a year ago. One of the unfortunate side effects of the budget impasse is that it’s normalized dysfunction. There’s a general attitude now that “we went a year without a budget, we can go another year without one,” or “we can make it to 2018 without one.” All of the principal characters have figured out that if the schools are kept open, most citizens don’t care about the other stuff, and thus there’s no pressure do to anything.

The media hasn’t helped by ignoring the problem for months. When the stopgap was passed, they declared the impasse broken and went off to pursue other shiny objects; never mind that the stopgap does little more than keep the lights on.

Comment by ludwig_van Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 2:41 pm
–One of the unfortunate side effects of the budget impasse is that it’s normalized dysfunction.–

It’s not a “budget impasse.” A full-year budget has not yet been discussed during Rauner’s tenure.

The governor has made clear for two years that he’s not willing to engage on a full-year budget until certain pre-conditions are met.

Is it possible the governor could share with us peasants what his current pre-conditions are before he will consider fulfilling his Constitutionally mandated duty?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 10, 16 @ 3:06 pm