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* From the end of Gov. Rauner’s op-ed in the Belleville News-Democrat…
This Monday is the deadline for lawmakers to put term limits on the ballot in November, and end this abuse once and for all. So call your state representative, call your state senator, and demand their support for term limits for all elected officials be put on the ballot. Let them know that there will be consequences in this fall’s election for lawmakers who don’t support giving the people the choice they deserve to change Illinois government.
Illinois can thrive once again, but only if lawmakers in Springfield commit to putting people over politics.
People can call their legislators all they want, but the final deadline to start this process is already over. As I’ve explained before, if the governor wanted to actually do something, he needed to call a special session earlier this week to have time for both chambers to pass the resolution. Passage requires three calendar days in each chamber.
* There is something he could do, however. The Senate already has a resolution on 3rd Reading to limit the terms of legislative leaders. The proposal was advanced during the grand bargain and then abandoned when Rauner killed said bargain. So, that leader term limits proposal could be passed in one day and the House could start its clock that same day. If a special session was called today or tomorrow, it could theoretically get on the ballot. I highly doubt it will “because Madigan,” but it’s still possible I suppose.
The governor’s campaign has called leader term limits a “cop out,” perhaps because JB Pritzker supports the idea, too. But that leader term limits proposal is sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady. It’s co-sponsored by several Republicans and even some Democrats, like Daniel Biss and Andy Manar. Sen. Sam McCann is also a co-sponsor.
This is the same problem Rauner has created for himself since the beginning. He won’t settle for a first step on his Turnaround Agenda. He wants all or nothin’. So, he’s gonna get nothin’ like usual.
The legislative leaders could call their own special session, but that won’t happen. If the governor wants something done, he needs to do it himself.
* Meanwhile, from yesterday…
Today, Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) signed on as the 36th Senate cosponsor of the Fair Maps Amendment (SJRCA26).
This means that if the Fair Maps Amendment was called for a vote on the Senator floor, the amendment would reach the minimum number of votes needed to pass. The Illinois State Constitution requires legislative constitutional amendments like SJRCA26 to pass with a three-fifths majority. In the Illinois Senate, this three-fifths number required for passage is 36 Senators voting yes.
“Reaching 36 cosponsors is an important milestone for the Fair Maps Amendment. It is a clear demonstration that an overwhelming majority of the Illinois Senate wants to end gerrymandering.” said Jeff Raines, Communication Director at CHANGE Illinois. “It’s time to call the Fair Maps Amendment for a vote.”
The Fair Maps Amendment is modeled after a 2016 proposal drafted by then-Rep. Jack Franks, which passed out of the House with 105 “yes” votes.
That’s great for the future, but it’s too late now. The proposal hasn’t even had a first reading yet.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:10 am
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Rauner is sincere on term limits like Madigan is on raising the minimum wage.
They’re issues to campaign on, not something either one would do the heavy lifting to enact.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:14 am
cheap trick conning voters into anger when it don’t make the ballot
Comment by Rabid Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:20 am
===end this abuse once and for all===
Rauner’s new campaign slogan should be “End the Stockholm Syndrome Illinois!”
Comment by Boone's is Back Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:25 am
Why stop there? Bruce could’ve boasted about his tax cut package and free pony rides amendment that are “ready to go”, but that darn general assembly won’t put it to a vote.
Comment by Jocko Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:27 am
The ‘Turnaround Agenda’ was — and remains — nothing more than an ideological position.
It’s not something that was ever intended to be enacted.
It’s the Koch-approved foundation for Rauner’s gaslighting.
Comment by Macbeth Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:28 am
===It’s not something that was ever intended to be enacted. ===
Tell that to the governor.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:28 am
I agree with Rich. I’ve said several times Rauner could have gotten half or more of what he claims to want had he been willing to compromise. This State could have taken several steps down the road to recovery.
Instead we have a failed Governor …
Comment by RNUG Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:33 am
Legislative leader term limits should be capped at 2 consecutive or non-consecutive terms of no more than 35 years total.
Comment by City Zen Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:35 am
Use of the term ‘Governor’ with Rauner should be confined to
Official Documents only. Rather, “Brewski Bruce” pretty well describes his seriousness, capabilities, and concern for things other than his self-aggrandizement.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:36 am
“Politics is the art of the possible.” — Otto von Bismarck.
If Gov. Gaslight hasn’t learned this by now, he never will.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:38 am
Rauner got lucky in business and lucky his create-your-own-reality strategy worked as long as it did for him.
But he got out of his bullying business lane and has clearly reached the limits of that approach when it comes to the complexities of government and elected office.
Though he won’t breathe Trump’s name and lacks the president’s flamboyant style, the two are of similar character (say whatever it is you need to in the moment, don’t worry about contradicting facts or anything else you’ve said previously) that got them far and will be their undoings.
Comment by Moe Berg Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:43 am
And if we keep thinking that someday the Democrats will suddenly see the light on a fair mapping process then we are just as clueless as Rauner has been.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:44 am
So what is it Governor?
Are you too incompetent to enact anything you wanted after an entire term in office - or - are you completely insincere and politically milking your failures and really don’t care.
I’ll be kind and call you a failed incompetent who hasn’t an idea how to govern, compromise, make deals, hire staffers capable of doing their job and you minority party’s 20 year political coma.
You want to to vote for you out of pity?
Citizens only do that if they believe you really tried. Obviously you didn’t.
Lose. Lose big. It’ll perhaps motivate office holders who also struggle doing their jobs.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:45 am
It’s a shame rauner wasn’t successful. He could have been a great change agent. Trouble was that money can’t buy you love.
Comment by Saluki Friday, May 4, 18 @ 10:48 am
==If the governor wants something done, he needs to do it himself.==
That would require taking responsibility, which is something the Governor has thus far refused to do. He’s too busy playing the victim to be bothered by actually governing.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:05 am
“”I’ve said several times Rauner could have gotten half or more of what he claims to want had he been willing to compromise.”"
One interesting exercise, for those who care about this apparent “failure,” is to construct the tactics by which Governor Rauner could have “succeeded.”
There were points of substantial compromise on the TA, created by legislative teams, where Governor Rauner orchestrated a retreat from any final agreement. Madigan’s silence didn’t help.
Comment by walker Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:07 am
Do something real GovJunk like tossin’ Senger
Comment by Annonin' Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:13 am
Fair maps is much more important than term limits.
Comment by Leave a Light on George Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:13 am
The idea that “term limits” would be on the ballot during an election is … well, absurd.
Comment by Macbeth Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:20 am
Yea its Rauners fault we have the same speaker for 3 decades. And its Rauners fault this term limit and fair maps bill has not been called why? Why?
Invoke our old friend. Who? Who? Who is not calling these bills?
Comment by allknowingmasterofracoondom Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:21 am
==Yea its Rauners fault ==
Grow up and stop arguing like a child. The notion that the Governor is simply a victim is absurd. If he wasn’t capable of participating in the governance of this state then perhaps he should have not run for Governor.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:23 am
Said it many times…
“Do the doable”
As - RNUG - states…
===I’ve said several times Rauner could have gotten half or more of what he claims to want had he been willing to compromise. This State could have taken several steps down the road to recovery.===
What I’ve learned, with both these statements and Rauner’s actions.
Being unbendable to hurt social services, higher education.., run up debt… leverage the most needy.
They’ve always been the feature, not the bug.
Then factor in ridiculousness of something, now in many ways, all but impossible to do…
Rauner wants to seem reasonable with some of the most unreasonable ways to demand things, with unworkable timetables to do these unreasonable demands.
Do the doable. That’s governing.
Rauner wants short term pain for what he’s trying to say will be a long term gain… measured at 1.4% or $500+ million a year.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:25 am
===And its Rauners fault this term limit and fair maps bill has not been called why? Why?===
Show me the 71 and 36… can you even find 60 and 30?
R-A-C-C-O-O-N
If you’re trying for a funny bit, spell raccoon right first.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:28 am
Back in 1988 Madigan when asked about the longevity of Thompson (12 years). Madigan’s response was “It’s an issue to the extent that maybe Thompson has become stale; maybe the people around him have lost the level of interest that’s really important for efficient government”. Madigan should take this to heart when looking in the mirror.
Comment by my thoughts Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:29 am
==Do the doable. That’s governing.==
Not in his mind. He’s got the mentality of a CEO. The “doable” should be what he says to do. He’s never been able to transition from a CEO mentality to a “running a government” mentality.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:30 am
=end this abuse once and for all.=
Those darn voters abusin’ their rights, let’s give them less choice and that will make things better.
Comment by Duopoly Friday, May 4, 18 @ 11:48 am
=leader term limits a “cop out”=
Just like the property tax freeze minus the prevailing wage and collective bargaining adjustments was a “sham bill”.
The primary intent with the freeze was to hurt organized labor; the freeze just helped sell it to ordinary voters.
With term limits, the primary intent is to enable the Griffins and Kochs or the world to buy a legislative majority over the next decade.
As Rich says, with this guy, it’s all or nothin’.
Comment by James Friday, May 4, 18 @ 1:20 pm
So that is the new standard?
Bills are not called unless they have the votes to pass?
Issues that have bipartisan support are to be ignored by a leader who publicly claims political parties that don’t listen to the voters go away
Elected Democrats ignore the will of the vast majority of the Democratic voters and reelect Mike Madigan as Speaker and leader of the party
Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, May 4, 18 @ 2:03 pm
===So that is the new standard?
Bills are not called unless they have the votes to pass?===
Raunerites call bills ran that way “sham” bills. That or taking out poison pills to Labor and getting 60… “sham” bills.
===Issues that have bipartisan support are to be ignored by a leader who publicly claims political parties that don’t listen to the voters go away===
Find the 60 to get the votes. That’s how the process works, there are avenues to circumvent, but you need the votes to do it.
===Elected Democrats ignore the will of the vast majority of the Democratic voters and reelect Mike Madigan as Speaker and leader of the party===
Rauner paid $20 million for the Raunerite caucuses and wanted no $&@#% problems as members who had universities voted against the universities, award winners from social service agencies voted to withhold funding to the same agencies they once championed.
“Lucky Pierre”,
Rauner is underwater because he lies to Catholic Cardinals and has a Raunerite agenda that’s not Republican… while also trying to destroy labor.
I’d worry less about Madigan and now about who is going to vote for Rauner.
Counting on Dems… lol
That’s what failed Raunerites do… walk away from Republicans.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 4, 18 @ 2:12 pm
==Bills are not called unless they have the votes to pass?==
Would it make you feel better if they were called and then failed to pass? As OW said, then you’d be bellyaching about “sham votes.”
==Issues that have bipartisan support are to be ignored by a leader ==
Hmmm. Where else have I seen this happen? Oh, that’s right, when the Governor threw Radogno under the bus. You seem to have selective outrage at irnoring bipartisanship.
==Elected Democrats ignore the will of the vast majority of the Democratic voters and reelect Mike Madigan as Speaker and leader of the party==
If those “majority of the people” don’t like it then perhaps they shouldn’t elect those Democrats. And, at any rate it wouldn’t matter. Why would you think the political outcomes would be any different if Madigan weren’t around. The Democrats aren’t all of a sudden going to agree to what the Governor wants. You whiners like to keep on the “blame Madigan” bandwagon but even if he were gone you’d find someone else for you to be victimized by.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 4, 18 @ 2:49 pm