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So, how did that protest go?

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Illinois

A group of people including one dressed in a giant fake head resembling that of House Speaker Mike Madigan didn’t get what they wanted.

The current leadership in the General Assembly including Madigan, John Cullerton, Christine Radogno, and Jim Durkin is staying as is. Much to the chagrin of the Illinois Policy Institute, which organized a protest outside the House inauguration ceremony at UIS. […]

The protest came complete with a man dressed in a Mike Madigan oversized cartoon head — same one the Institute — which has received money from Governor Rauner — rolled out prior to the election when they produced a documentary largely critical of Madigan.

* But…

Outside of the Sangamon Auditorium Wednesday, where newly elected House members were sworn in to start the 100th General Assembly, the conservative Illinois Policy Institute staged an anti-Madigan demonstration. However, they appeared to be both outnumbered and outshouted by union demonstrators chanting “We like Mike” and other pro-Madigan slogans.

According to WTTW, there were hundreds of pro-Madigan demonstrators, mainly from the Laborers Union, but also from other unions. A pic is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:30 am

Comments

The oversized cartoon head achieved everything anyone could’ve hoped it would. Combined with the Obey signs, mathematically nothing added to nothing is still nothing.

Comment by AC Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:41 am
==A group of people including one dressed in a giant fake head resembling that of House Speaker Mike Madigan didn’t get what they wanted.==

Not so sure about that.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:44 am
This does not do the scene justice. They were surrounded and made to cower by a much more vibrant union showing.

Comment by Signal and Noise Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:45 am
It was a pathetic little demonstration- laughable. Labor overwhelmed Rauners people. Maybe the IPA needs to hire a few workers to help. Sir has video.

Comment by Liberty Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:46 am
I think the key is that the unions aren’t going to let Governor Gridlock/IPI get any free stages upon which to spread their propaganda without upstaging them in force.

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:46 am
Woof, now there’s a picture that tells a story.

Afterwards, the pro-Madigan forces had a couple of beers and smokes in the parking lot and went back to work outdoors.

The anti-Madigan forces went inside for juice boxes and pudding cups, then on to glee club practice.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:46 am
==A group of people including one dressed in a giant fake head resembling that of House Speaker Mike Madigan didn’t get what they wanted.==

I think they got what they wanted. It was no doubt a very nice gift card. /snark

Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 10:51 am
Great photo.

Is that Neidermeyer and Marmalard to the far right?

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:00 am
So how many did IPI have there? And was it mostly young raunerites?

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:04 am
Link to IPI’s twitter with Madigan head for LOL purposes:

https://twitter.com/illinoispolicy?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Comment by BK Bro Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:07 am
Be careful Slinger, Glee Club weapons can be sharp…

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:07 am
Ive been wondering for ever when Gov is going to take his cartoon head off. 👍

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:08 am
What a waste of time! The IPI, Tribune and other Rauner “media” outlets DO NOT want compromise. They want complete surrender by Speaker Madigan and the Democrats. NOT GONNA HAPPEN! Even when Speaker Madigan retires, there will be another leader who will OPPOSE Rauner and his Raunerites and their terrible race to the bottom.

Comment by ILGOV2018 Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:15 am
Only one side wears carhartts, I’d hide my head to lance

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:25 am
Kudos to the union members who showed up to counter-demonstrate. The WTTW link has an interview with a union person who nicely tells of the value of unions and union members, and of the race to the bottom pushed by IPI/Rauner/ALEC types. The video cuts off, unfortunately.

The May 2016 rally in Springfield was really nice. There were plenty of non-AFSCME union members who showed up. Rallies are nice and all, but unification has to bear fruit in the voting booth and halls of government.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 11:53 am
The Illinois Policy Institute only had a few people. Their “protest” seemed pretty pathetic. There were hundreds of union folks and even a group of UIS College Dems on the other side.

Comment by anon Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:11 pm
Referring to the IL Policy Institute as “conservative” is inaccurate. They are Libertarians. Ayn Rand Libertarians at that and Wm. F. Buckley would roll over in his grave for those ideas to be awarded the blue ribbon of conservatism.

Comment by Union Man Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:12 pm
I thought the IPI folks would have a lot more people out there. There was only a few and they seemed miserable during the protest. There were hundreds of union members and even a group of UIS College Dems

Comment by joker joe Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:15 pm
I suspect IPI is savvy enough to know that this protest was not going to change the result of the vote, and thus, that’s not what they were after.

I think they probably would have preferred to outnumber the pro-Madigan group, but they think cacophony is good enough.

I’m not so sure that’s true; if state government looks chaotic, that will ultimately hurt the incumbent governor. But I may be wrong about that.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:21 pm
–Referring to the IL Policy Institute as “conservative” is inaccurate. They are Libertarians. Ayn Rand Libertarians at that…–

Meh, they’re for-hire shills, and will spin it however their paymasters want it, under the disguise of “independent, non-partisan, non-profit (they all get paid, I assume) think thank.”

If you ever needed any proof, their conspicuous silence on the Exelon shakedown told the story. They clammed up because The Boss brokered and backed the deal.

When Rich asked IPI why they were silent on this government interference in the free market with other people’s money, they claimed that they “don’t do energy policy.”

Except they do. Or did, until The Boss waved them off.

Check out the link below, and try to come up with another explanation as to why they weren’t howling about the Exelon shakedown.

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/spotlight-on-spending-4-illinois-state-energy-subsidies/

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:33 pm
Looks like Rauner is really getting his money out of this IPI puppers. Maybe he’s not a good of a business man after all?

Comment by Rogue Roni Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:39 pm
IPI got a couple of College Republicans and used them as a shield while trying to strip union members of their collective bargaining rights? That photo is worth more than 1,000 words, and many of them are unprintable.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 12:49 pm
Arsenal - you and I have often tangled on this site but I completely agree with you on this. IPI plastered this all over social media, and the traditional media across the state is generally anti-Madigan regardless of whether the IPI pushes that narrative or not. The “event” got plenty of coverage - and it brought extra attention to the selection of Speaker and the sausage-making process involved.

Comptroller Mendoza’s and former Rep. Bradley’s pro-MJM speeches during the 97th General Assembly inauguration brought a heightened awareness to the nominating process and speeches. Before last year it was mundane. Now it has taken on a new life of its own. Rich’s live tweets/updates during the speech were spot on. The first three pro-MJM speeches were from Reps who come from Cook County and represent safe Democratic districts. Beiser is pretty much on his way out. Kifowit was the only one to stick her neck out and even that was more of a defensive speech than an offensive speech.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 2:40 pm
Gooner
“Niedermeyer and Marmalard?”
LOL!

Comment by Smitty Irving Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 2:44 pm
Heh. Now I have a vision of a golf club & ball and that dumb papier mache head…

Comment by RIJ Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 2:58 pm
The sjr photo looks like a school yard stand off before fight between the nerds and voc ed guys.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 3:28 pm
–IPI got a couple of College Republicans and used them as a shield while trying to strip union members of their collective bargaining rights? That photo is worth more than 1,000 words, and many of them are unprintable.–

Shield?

I’m guessing the strategy of the Brooks and Buffy grifters at IPI for employing Niedermeyer and Marmalard at this event was more on the lines of the old hunters’ joke:

“I don’t have to outrun the bear, just you.”

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 3:31 pm
This is yet again another amateur hour showing from the folks at the Illinois Policy Institute. They appear to be very adept at this.

Comment by Willaimson County Resident Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 3:54 pm
–This is yet again another amateur hour showing from the folks at the Illinois Policy Institute.–

Like the state GOP operatives, they have to show they’re doing something for the money, or the money goes away.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 4:08 pm
More people must have emailed their State Representatives to ask that they vote for Madigan to continue as speaker.

Comment by Enviro Thursday, Jan 12, 17 @ 8:03 pm