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* Background for this question is here, and it’s been updated twice, so go check it out.

Ready? OK. Assuming it passes the House, should the Senate Democrats pass the Gov. Rauner-opposed stopgap budget bill that funds some higher education and social service needs, or should it focus on passing its grand bargain proposal and a full-year budget? The polling app isn’t working today, so answer below and make sure to explain your answer, please.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:55 pm

Comments

pass the grand bargain or just lump sum the gov; but designate portions of the lump for social services and education

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:58 pm
Considering there will likely be no Grand Bargain before ‘18 election or possibly further than that it may be the only way to disburse any money. It is somehow passes and Brucie vetoes it (as expected) I honestly do not see any deal until 2019 at the earliest.

Comment by J IL Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:59 pm
Here I go, demonstrating why I’m not a professional strategist:

IF there are some HGOP “ayes” on the bill (there won’t be, but a boy can dream, can’t he?), then Cullerton should move it quickly through the Senate and force Rauner to veto it ASAP.

If, as I suspect, the HGOPs turn their backs on so many of their constituents to keep the Rauner money flowing to their campaigns, then Cullerton should consider holding onto the bill while he gives the Grand Bargain one last try.

Given that this spending is paid for already, I find it hard to believe Republican legislators, who’ve been hearing the same horror stories that we have, will coldly decline a chance to do their part to help solve problems.

As the Senator from NY said so eloquently yesterday, “If we’re not helping people, we should go the (heck) home.”

Amen sister.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:03 pm
No, strip the universities out of the bill.

As I said in the other thread, triage it. With limited money and who knows when the next payment might come, just save the Social Service providers and, maybe, the university hospitals, etc. that also provide said services.

Cruel though it is, let the universities go. Even though Rauner appears to want the universities gone, he isn’t very good about taking the blame when the buck stops on HIS desk. If you want an eventual budget, there is no reason to free non-life threatening hostages temporarily.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:03 pm
I vote “yes,” that they should pass it. The money is already there and is greatly needed. I’m pessimistic about the Grand Bargain at this point.

I have in the past opposed stopgap budgets, mainly on the thinking that, by covering K-12, it removes the only pressure point that could force the passage of a stable, balanced budget. I do this instance as different though.

It would be nice if we could get the sense that the House was also thinking about the Grand Bargain, and not simply acting in their own vacuum.

Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:07 pm
== pass the grand bargain or just lump sum the gov; ==

Don’t see a lump sum passing; there has to be a level of trust that is missing for that … even with MOU’s.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:10 pm
I agree with RNUG. The universities are less likely to be losing out on Federal matches that will most likely (given the current climate in DC) be further cut going forward. Most of the social services depend on combinations of private and public monies, and a good portion of those public monies are tied into Federal matches. Leaving that money on the table because you want to “Blame Madigan” is selfish and fiscally irresponsible. Check out today’s The 21st for how shortfalls are impacting domestic violence agencies. Pay especial attention to the difference between the sheer land coverage between Cook County and the agency from southern Illinois (14 counties). http://www.npr.org/podcasts/475680317/the-21st

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:11 pm
My bet is that nothing happens. They will yell and scream and make a big show but nothing will happen. No money for anything. No stopgap, no Grand Bargain.

We go right into the mountainside.

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:17 pm
I think Madigan is right and Rauner doesn’t have the spine to stick to his guns if the middle class started demanding a budget. Accordingly, if you’re the Dems you don’t fund the universities in a stopgap.

Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:17 pm
My take on this is…

I think you have to run it, and you run both.

“Why?”

I’ll address the governing in a second, but first to the politics, the situation demands a response to the “duct tape” ridiculousness that is the Raunerite stalling.

It’s become apparent that the “duct tape” ad is geared towards people “accepting” the “trench warfare”. To believe Rauner in those ads, you must believe that stalling out everything, destroying higher education and social services is worth the end game, and “saving”… higher education and social services IS the “duct tape” Rauner refuses to use.

That’s the framing.

A real organization with political messaging could hammer and shake Rauner on this all day.

So far, nothing.

So the political, passing this, it allows Dems and governing conscious Republicans cover… when Eastern closes… when Western loses accreditation… when another dozen social service providers close in the next coming months… when clients of these providers are left out… due to Rauner.

You frame it.

You vote it.

You sell it.

To the governing, the case and math is clear. Any legislator that can’t explain TWO avenues, the monies in those avenues and their purposes… they need to maybe consider moving on, because this “simplistic” vote to show the RaunerS heartlessness, through the governing… I can’t “help you”

I vote, “Yes”… because thrse hostages need advocates, need monies, and the raw politics and the actual governing can meld together with these two avenues.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:18 pm
Pass the Stopgap budget and bring it to the table and let the Gov. be the scape goat with the bag in his hand. More than he has done except complain.

Comment by Bear3 Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:19 pm
No lump sum to Rauner without explicit and detailed MOUs for every DIME… and the “must” that… every DIME… is debt to the specifics, and spent on the specifics too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:20 pm
Rauner would love to see more “non-taxpayers”, as his supporters call these citizens, suffer while their support system fails and the politics keeping our social services survivg, collapse.

Rauner is like the rich guys looking out his window at the house on fire across the street, telling his neighbors that they can’t use his phone to dial 9-1-1, or his garden hose, because he wants their house to burn down anyway so he could get a view that would increase his mansion’s value.

Save live!
Rauner must be ignored!

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:26 pm
Absolutely pass a stopgap:focus on those providers in the most critical shape and have the greatest numerical impact. The message is that there are real consequences, measurable pain occurring right now that term limits just won’t do a damn thing to remedy within the next two decades.

Comment by Springfieldish Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:28 pm
I agree with OW. Run it both ways and see who is willing to stand up.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:28 pm
Think about it - it really doesn’t matter

Comment by Flyer Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:30 pm
Yes to both. No reason we can’t do both. Keep the pressure on Rauner.

Comment by pawn Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:32 pm
I’ve come to expect that we won’t have a full budget passed before the next election. That in mind, I hope they can pass a stop gap followed by a stop gap until we can get through this term and get to work on a full year budget after the election.

I’m not happy with that, but accepting the lack of cooperation between the governor and the speaker; I think we need stop gaps to keep (get) things funded.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:56 pm
I vote no. If there aren’t the votes to override a veto then it is pure politics.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:57 pm
Stopgap. It’s the only thing the state has shown it can do. Grand Bargain is even deader than the stopgap on Rauner’s desk.

Comment by Stark Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:07 pm
Run the stopgap at the very end of session if they can’t get the votes on the Grand Bargain. Correct me if I’m wrong, but running the Grand Bargain without GOP involvement means the Sen. Dems are on record voting for all kinds of taxes. It’s not good to be hanging out there by yourself with that vote.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:09 pm
Pass the stopgap bill.

If you can get republicans to vote for it if universities are included (might be a way to pick up a few votes), include universities.

If you cannot get any R votes anyway, strip the universities out (the RNUG plan).

Grand Compromise isn’t happening. Passing some kind of stopgap is the only way to have a chance of funding social services for a bit.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:29 pm
Better yet, Cullerton should ask Radogno what it would take to get her personally to vote for a stopgap. Whatever she wants in or out, put it in or kick it out, and pass it.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:31 pm
Stopgap only if 15 Republican Senators support.

Focus is on Grand Bargain.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:39 pm
Well, I understand this isn’t the ideal answer but I say they should do it because he opposes it.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:53 pm
Since no Republican (House or Senate) will vote for it, you might was well go for both. The ads will write themselves.

Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:58 pm
Rauner doesn’t want a grand bargain. Ergo the Senate should pass the stopgap and dare him to veto it.

Comment by anon2 Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 9:35 pm
Oswego is pretty much on point, me thinks.

Comment by Carhartt Union Negotiating Team Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 10:35 pm
I see no hope for a grand bargain. The Rs have been told they will not be allowed to be independent of the executive branch, and they all appear to be willing to live with that status.

That leaves the stopgap. RNUG suggests only services that keep people from dying, (excluding higher ed). That’s principled in its priorities but seems political in its aim to later blame the fate of the universities on the Governor. The Gov will later run ads that paint the Ds as the enemies of the universities–after all, it was a House D emergency funding bill, and it was the House that decided to leave universities out.

So I would be OK with the Ds bill funding both, since the money is there for both.

Comment by James Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 11:29 pm
Pass the stop gap.
I have a personal stake twice over in that I am a student at Northeastern and work at the City Colleges. My school is seriously hurting and the City Colleges are starting to hemorrhage, meaning I could lost both my job and my school if nothing is done. I’m honestly terrified because it took me a long time to get where I am and it all could come crashing down.

Comment by Hard-working Art Student Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 7:50 am
Our class is of the opinion that the Legislature needs to focus its efforts on the Grand Bargain. We believe that it is better to focus efforts that are going to benefit the entire state rather than a select population of the state. However, if it becomes apparent that there are not sufficient votes to pass the Grand Bargain, then we are of the opinion that efforts need to be focused on the stop-gap budget proposal.

Comment by John Wood Community College American Government class Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 8:21 am
Doesn’t matter. Ultimately, Rauner wins. A budget or stop gap or no budget, he wins.

He wants privatization - he will get it. He wants public failure he will get it. He wants colleges closed. He may not get it in two years, he may not get reelected, but he wins. If a Dem wins the governorship in 2018, they will be in clean up and dump it mode continuin’ the slash and burn. We will call it neoliberalism and not conservativism, but in the end, the hammer will fall. Rauner will sit back whereever he moves to and smile.

Sorry for the early mornin’ negativity.

Comment by DrX Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 8:37 am