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* Flu-related doctor’s appointment. It could take a while, so talk amongst yourselves and I’ll be back when I can.

Keep it Illinois-centric and be kind to each other. Thanks.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 11:40 am

Comments

Great news on Amazon…shows folks can ignorr IPI fake news and Katrina and Kassamoron.
Get well soon CaptFax

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 11:43 am
Don’t mess around with the flu, lots of deaths this year it’s a mean variant of it. Hope you feel better soon.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 11:49 am
If you were a hot dog, and you were really hungry, would you eat yourself?

Comment by A State Employee Guy Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 11:49 am
This Kelly/Bost race should be interesting.

Comment by Blue dog dem Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 11:52 am
Signing an Executive Order to prevent lawmakers from being property tax attorneys is fun and interesting, but no way can it be Constitutional. Reminds me of the days of Blagojevich when concerns about constitutionality and legality were unimportant if it served a PR purpose.

Comment by Just Me Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 11:57 am
Great order from the Governor.

On a similarly well reasoned, rational and constitutional note, the House should pass a bill banning the Governor of Illinois from using the words “blame” and “Madigan” in the same paragraph.

In all seriousness though, once again Illinois leadership looks like children.

No wonder people want to leave.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:01 pm
==This Kelly/Bost race should be interesting.==

Kelly is a blue chip recruit, and I know a lot of local Dems have just been waiting years for him to pull the trigger. But I think that’s a part of the state that has moved away from Dems fast, and that all of Bost’s eccentricities make him more endearing to that electorate.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:02 pm
Arsenal. I agree and one county in that district camt field a Dem candidate for county wide races. Looks like Kelly is a ferocious campaigner though.

Comment by Blue dog dem Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:06 pm
Did anyone else catch this on that Blago/JB commercial Rauner is running?

At one point Blago says, “This presents me with a moral dilemma.”

I laughed so hard root beer came out of my nose.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:17 pm
Has Rauner lost his mind with this blatant “I can make a state law customized to punish a single individual I don’t like” proclamation here?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:18 pm
I turn 50 this year. I get the flu shot every year and never got the flu.

This year I was sick in bed for 12 days and am currently recovering. This is the 31st day since I was first knocked out.

I just barely make it though work everyday but am not contagious (verified by my doctor) and am on the slow road to recovery. My blood pressure was dangerously high and the pain was unbearable.

This is a nasty one. So many people are sick.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:30 pm
Can I just say that I miss Radical Candor on Twitter? S/he has gone without a tweet in 30 days, despite all the material that has been available. Come back please.

Comment by Thinking Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:36 pm
I got a rare chance to watch a Bulls game last night via the NBA pass. They were playing the Golden State Warriors (best team in basketball) and looked pretty good. It was the GS feedbod the game and their announcers remarked repeatedly how this was a different Bulls team than the one they faced earlier. Has the Bulls franchise finally turned a corner?

Comment by Stones Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:49 pm
Anyone else hear the presentation from Andy Manar, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and Sam McCann for their rural broadband proposal? Sounds like an excellent plan - uses existing monies to leverage federal dollars, can be completed in just a couple of years and has bipartisan support. GovJunk will probably block it so he can blame Madigan for denying rural schools broadband access, but is a really good bill that Gov Kennedy/Pritzker/Ives/Biss will be able to sign into law.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 12:56 pm
Paul Vallas is seriously considering running against Rahm?

Comment by Because I said so.... Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:00 pm
Just got over the flu. Knocked me out for a good week, then another week and a half of being tired all the time. Tuesday was first day where I felt normal. Did not get a flu shot. Rest well and drink A LOT of water.

Comment by Steve Rogers Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:02 pm
Springfield sales tax is 8.5% (non grocery and drug).

County wide proposal of additional 1% for schools.

City considering additional .25%.

If both get approved that will be
9.75% (non grocery and drug).

WOW.

Comment by don the legend Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:03 pm
“Anyone else hear the presentation from Andy Manar, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and Sam McCann for their rural broadband proposal?” Lester Holt’s Mustache

LHM or anyone else, Can you point me at that presentation. And, yes I tried the great Google already

Comment by Jimbo2 Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:16 pm
In 2018 the mandatory question will be on the ballot asking whether there should be a constitutional convention to change the Illinois constitution right? What are the odds everyone votes yes and the lawmakers then have to figure out what changes to make?

Comment by Maximus Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:17 pm
Take it easy Rich; fluids and rest. Wife on day 12 and Dr warning yesterday it may be another week before being back to normal.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:20 pm
Hope you are feeling better soon, Rich. Thanks for providing us with this worthwhile forum.

Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:21 pm
=Has the Bulls franchise finally turned a corner?=

That’s a no from me, dawg. They’re playing out of their skulls lately and have a plethora of passable big men but I don’t see their guard play (even when LaVine comes back full strength) allowing them to be anything more than a middling franchise.

However if they can nail their draft pick I think this team is in the playoffs as early as next year. If they miss on the draft pick (not unheard of for GarPax lol) then they’re going to have to ship a few big men in a trade for a scoring guard.

Comment by Randy Jackson Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:22 pm
== their rural broadband proposal? Sounds like an excellent plan ==

Yes, it does sound good. Very large potential return for the cost.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:24 pm
Ken Griffin got himself a new bachelor pad - four-floor penthouse measures 25,000 square feet. With a purchase cost of nearly $59 million, the residence’s tally is still racking up; it may not be finished before the Citadel founder has spent an additional $20 million on its construction. Griffin purchased each of the four floors piecemeal in his mission to build the ideal Chicago residence. The sales were completed in November of last year

Comment by MMW Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:37 pm
== In 2018 the mandatory question will be on the ballot asking whether there should be a constitutional convention to change the Illinois constitution right? ==

Not sure that would be a slam dunk, especially if it is pointed out that you can change the State Constitution without a convention.

And, if one was held, you would have to elect delegates to it. While it is a given a lot of the delegates would be political, it may not be the usual suspects. Using the 1970 one as a guide, there were lots of government employees, educators (I know, somewhat redundant), and assorted lobbyists. They were the people who had / could make the time to participate. And propose stuff in their own interest,like the Pension Clause.

And the outcome may not be what you might imagine. After the Blago and Rauner abuses (and Quinn’s old school patronage), I can see an unholy alliance of government employees and good government types that would propose increased employed protection and further restrictions on the Governor’s power. Plus they could also propose a graduated income tax. Remember, we got the current income tax from the 1970 Con-Con.

The old “be careful what you wish for” probably applies here.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:40 pm
- Rich get better
- Just finished watching the Sun-Times Editorial Board. For all the talk here of how ineffective a communicator he is, he did extremely well. He seems to be peaking at the right time.
- JB’s answers to the Rod video were awful. He’s not ready for primetime. And as a Dem, that worries me.
- In the Dem primary, JB has no where to go but down. Will be interesting if there is some polling after a week or two the Rod ads. Remember, PQ had like a 30 pt lead over Dan Hynes and it went away in a week when Hynes started running the early prison release ads. There were no Hynes positives, it was just PQ’s soft support eroding.
- Who asked for a Paul Vallas mayoral campaign? No one. However, I do think Rahm will end up with a top tier challenger. He’s too vulnerable not to.

Comment by WizzardofOzzie Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:46 pm
Bost will take a hit for not doing more to attract the NGA or Amazon HQ.

Comment by The Crane Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:51 pm
That’s interesting RNUG. A lobbyist could be a delegate for changing the constitution? Ugh. I was thinking that we couldn’t possibly make things worse but if the special interests get involved that would be bad. So we remain stuck with the 1970 version of our constitution for fear of what the current people in power would do.

Comment by Maximus Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 1:58 pm
Virginia McCaskey just threw some money Jeanne Ives’ way. Not a lot, though. LOL

Comment by walker Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:08 pm
Uh..? Am I missing something here?

When did Rauner ever say anything about an EO to stop property tax attorneys from being elected officials?

That’s Chris Kennedy’s idea.

Comment by Jack Kemp Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:12 pm
Former Quinn video guy Simon Edelman got a write up in the NYT

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/business/rick-perry-energy-photographer.html

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:16 pm
Looking at the “Round of 20″ from Amazon - Chicago has an uphill battle. There are only 5 or 6 (Boston, New York, L.A., Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and probably Nashville), based only upon my own lay knowledge and opinion of them and what Amazon has stated it’s looking for, that I can discount in favor of Chicago.

Comment by Downstate43 Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:21 pm
Which team is more entertaining/interesting to watch these days: Hawks or Bulls?

Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:26 pm
I’m just looking forward to not having Rauner or his appointees(Bourne and all the other embarrassments) in the legislature in 2019

Comment by the artist formerly known as John Jingleheimerschmidt Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:33 pm
“In 2018 the mandatory question will be on the ballot asking if there should be a constitutional convention, right?”

No, it’s every 20 years so we aren’t due again until 2028.

Comment by Secret Square Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:41 pm
Jack Kemp: https://twitter.com/amandavinicky/status/954049027087257600

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:46 pm
–However, I do think Rahm will end up with a top tier challenger.–

Who are “top-tier” possibilities?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:48 pm
And that’s not what the EO said anyway. Just Me stated it incorrectly.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:49 pm
–Ken Griffin got himself a new bachelor pad - four-floor penthouse measures 25,000 square feet. With a purchase cost of nearly $59 million, the residence’s tally is still racking up; it may not be finished before the Citadel founder has spent an additional $20 million on its construction.–

Obviously, Illinois is a lousy place to do business.

Why does a guy who could live or set up shop anywhere in the world choose to stay here?

Hint: he needs to attract whiz-kid talent to make him his billions. They ain’t hot to live in Milwaukee or Indy.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:53 pm
For those that missed the Governor’s temper tantrum about Madigan - excuse me, fighting corruption —- https://www.illinoispolicy.org/rauner-announces-plan-to-ban-lawmakers-from-working-as-property-tax-lawyers/

Comment by Perrid Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:58 pm
@WizzardofOzzie, “For all the talk here of how ineffective a communicator he is, he did extremely well. He seems to be peaking at the right time.”

Who are you referring to?

Comment by Because I said so.... Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 2:59 pm
Good on you following up with the doctor, Rich. I know some people who report being very ill right now with the flu or something bad.

I had it bad last year.

Try to get all the rest you can, physically and mentally. From what I can tell, you work your behind off on politics and the blog. Illinois politics is depressing and stressful. Hoping you get over this flu soon.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 3:14 pm
==LHM or anyone else, Can you point me at that presentation. And, yes I tried the great Google already ==

Jimbo2, sorry I can’t. I heard the press conference on the radio, WMAY 970am Springfield. Not sure if they’d have it on their website, or maybe one of the senators has a link on their twitter page.

Good on these three, it’s an important (and long overdue) step in giving rural students the same educational opportunities as city and suburban students. Supposedly uses only $16 million of non-grf state money that has already been collected through telecom fees to leverage up to $35 million more in matching federal dollars. The senators claim it can be completed in 2 years, but I’ll believe that when I see it. Hopefully they can get this plan moving ASAP.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 3:20 pm
== A lobbyist could be a delegate for changing the constitution? ==

Pretty much anyone could run to be a delegate. Would be a nice gig for a lot of State retirees with time on their hands …

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 3:32 pm
The Manar/Bertino-Tarrant/McCann press conference is on Blueroom if you’re a subscriber and Manar’s news release is on illinoissenatedemocrats.com.

Comment by Broad Banned Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 4:08 pm
Thanks LHM, I agree. This would be a small but needed step to address the discrepancies of opportunities between our two very different areas of the state

Comment by Jimbo2 Thursday, Jan 18, 18 @ 5:13 pm

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