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Vitriol in abundance

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Illinois

* The powers that be were hit hard by opinion-writers over the weekend. Here’s a sample…

It’s bad enough that Illinois Senate President Emil Jones won’t let senators vote on whether to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s budget vetoes. But his selfish, self-centered reason for the obstructionism is downright sickening.

Jones isn’t claiming his decision is in the public’s best interest, or even that he is protecting some pet programs. No, this is all about vengeance.

He claims his fellow legislative leaders stabbed him in the back earlier in the year, and he wants retribution. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to be dictated to by anyone in this chamber, anyone (in the governor’s office) or anyone in the other chamber,” Jones told one reporter.

Right, but it’s OK for Jones to dictate to everyone else?

* SJ-R...

… That leaves us with Jones not allowing a veto override vote, and Madigan not allowing a vote on the bills needed to implement the already-passed budget. While over in the executive office, Blagojevich is railing about calling yet another special session in December. Stupid, unnecessary gridlock foisted on us by people who have lost sight of what public service really means.

If this were a third-grade playground, it would be expected. But this is about billions of our tax dollars not going to care for school kids, the disabled and old, sick people. In a word - shameful.

* Finke…

Jones had one other thing to say. “Let’s stop playing games.’’

Yes, senator, that’s a great idea. For everyone.

* My syndicated column…

…For instance, it’s no secret that Republican state Sen. Bill Brady, of Bloomington, wants to run for governor in 2010. He ran for governor last year and lost the GOP primary, and ever since he’s attempted to set himself up as a top Republican critic of Blagojevich.

Brady is a popular, well-liked legislator, but he has had his goofy moments this year.

During debate on the state budget bill last summer, Brady said he hoped the governor would veto the bill. Then, a few minutes later, Brady voted for the very bill that he said he wanted Blagojevich to kill.

But that’s not all. After Blagojevich actually did veto part of the budget bill, Brady began agitating to have the General Assembly override those vetoes.

Now, it’s not as simple and clear-cut as it looks. The governor’s vetoes were blatantly political and, in many cases, harmful and hypocritical. But Brady has jumped around more on this thing than an espresso-chugging frog.

* Leslie Baldacci…

…The conflict is between our three top Democrats. In Illinois, that’s the same as a fracture between three brothers. Brothers who happen to be princes of the kingdom. Yes, there are entitlement issues. They’re the elected leaders of our state government.

* Sun-Times…

To sum up the gloomy news: the Legislature opts for the plan that makes homeowners pay more taxes. And Daley takes that as a green light to go after even more.

* Carol Marin…

Ironically, it’s being argued that Canary’s bill isn’t sweeping enough. Ironic, because Senate President Jones is pitching that argument. Jones’ spokeswoman told me Friday by phone that there is a far superior ethics bill in play, HB824. One that would prohibit “pay-to-play” contracting but would also install safeguards about who gets lucrative pension and bond business and more.

Great. Let’s pass that one.

Ah, but that’s the problem, isn’t it? Even though HB824 has genuine reform-minded legislators such as state Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg (D-Evanston) behind it, and is filled with good ideas, it appears to have less of prayer than HB1. It’s not even in final written form yet, and has fewer Senate sponsors.

In the end, it may be the same old story. Just as we are about to embark on a $25 billion capital improvement program, where “pay to play” still poisons the process, we have no ethics bill.

Canary calls it the Goldilocks scenario: “This one’s too big, this one’s too little . . . everybody gets to go home and say they put their name on something . . . and we get nothing.”

* Post-Dispatch…

Blagojevich is “flash, splash, showbiz,” while Madigan is “stealth, quiet … and very effective,” says Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson of Greenville, who has worked with both men in tense private meetings they’ve had this year trying to agree on something, anything.

The fact that both Democrats have turned to Republican Watson, of all people, as a kind of political go-between says it all about their relationship.

“The differences, personality-wise … it is the problem, and the (reason) nothing’s been done,” Watson said last week. “It’s just ingrained personality problems they have between themselves.”

Your turn.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 10:04 am

Comments

–But Brady has jumped around more on this thing than an espresso-chugging frog.– Brady can have the WB print him up some campaign flyers

I side with madigan on thise one. It is not in the poeples interest for Jones to make agreements on the budget, then back out of them consequence free. If Jones has decided his word is nothing, the people are in trouble. We need leaders who can pass laws for our benefit. If the person I elect can not get a deal done because they are an inefectual negotitator, then my interest is not being served. if Jones can make and back out of deals on a whim, without consequence, then I am not getting my represenation. Madigan must act to show there is a consequnece to Jones complete lack of honor or trustworhtiness. Otherwise the house loses its ability to negotiate,and we the people lose the represenation we put in the House. Jones broke his word, if their is no penalty or pressure to make Jones honor his word, then the people ar enot being served. If Jones is not held to the deal he made, then Jones has effectively usurped all political power for himself. He must be stopped, and I support Madigan using the BIMP to do so. There was an agreement that got the schools and medical bills paid, Jones elected not to follow it. The pandering to paying bills is a red herring being used to detratc from a moment in History, an previously unheard of moment for Illinois, the Senate leader lied to secure a deal that could be altered to punish political opponents. Jones is part of a paln to punish those politicians who do not support the gov. From funding cuts to terminations of family members somone need to stand up for the people and put an end to it. If madigan can do it by holding up the BIMP, more power to him. Madigan is all that stands between the Gov using Jones to seize control of the legislative and executive…and act that signals then end of democracy and the beggining of tyranny.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 10:29 am
I still think that this unipartisan debacle is one of the best things that could happen for the Illinois Green Party, because as people continue to get fed up and disgusted with what they saw as the only viable alternative to the Republican Party, they will be looking for another alternative; and the Green Party will be waiting in the wings with an ever growing slate of candidates for them to elect. (That means that not only will Greens be getting the new votes from new voters on which they’re focusing and energizing, but they’ll also get some protest votes from both Republicans and Democrats.)

Comment by Squideshi Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 10:45 am
If the papers were serious about how ridiculous Blago, Jones, Madigan, Stroger and even Daley are being, they would be dedicating theie lead editorial and at last one article on the front page each and every day highlighting the lunacy of their actions.

Comment by Niles Township Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 10:50 am
Squid I doubt this will provide any real boost for the Green Party just because of the fighting. Democrats do not tend to get mad at their party so much as faction within the party. If they like a canidate from the green party, they may vote for them. But usually party voters unhappy with their party canidate decide not to vote at all.

The Green parties biggest obstacle has been its canidates. Come up with some moderate, less fringe canidates, and you have a great chance of winning.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 11:19 am
Some 25+ years ago I worked on a committee chaired by Senator Dick Newhouse. Emil Jones also served on that committee. They often disagreed but one day the disagreement moved Jones to invite Newhouse out back for a fight. That is the kind of thug that Jones continues to be. It is a disgrace that our elected State Senators would in turn elect this bully as Senate President.

Comment by wallace Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 11:21 am
Ghost

You are right on the money!

Comment by MOON Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 11:34 am
Ghost wrote, “Democrats do not tend to get mad at their party so much as faction within the party.”

I generally agree with that, which is why the Green Party usually focuses on recruiting new voters, who weren’t previously at all engaged in politics; however, there’s also an element of something different this time around–it just seems like people are reaching their breaking points, and short of pulling their hair out, they just don’t know what else to do. I would normally suggest that they just might vote Republican; however, it’s difficult for the Illinois electorate to overcome the many recent Republican follies, such as George and Jack Ryan and Alan Keyes. They’re going to be fighting to overcome these mistakes for a good number of years.

Ghost wrote, “The Green parties biggest obstacle has been its canidates. Come up with some moderate, less fringe canidates, and you have a great chance of winning.”

I don’t think that the Green Party’s candidates biggest problem has been that they’re fringe. For the most part, they’re pretty mainstream, average, everyday people, with popular views; however, unfortunately, this is also part of their biggest problem–many of them simply need to clean up their images (presentation and speaking style) in order to effectively communicate an already well refined message. In other words, it’s not the platform or ideas that are the problem–it’s usually the packaging and lack of coverage.

Comment by Squideshi Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 11:48 am
Heh, that Marin column. She makes it sounds like Jones is being used and he doesn’t know it.

Comment by Levois Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 11:51 am
Everybody is out to get to Emil. Just ask him.

Comment by Truth Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 11:51 am
Until the Senate Democrats get their act together and in caucus select a new leader, the State wilkl continue to slowly slosh down the tubes.

But it would appear that there is no one brave enough to fight this Sheriff of Nottingham as he supports Prince John, aka Blago.

It would, according to accounts have cost the U.S. only $1 Billion to buy Saddam an exile. I don’t know how many relatives Emil has left unemployed, nor how many State contracts remain to be sliced up so his nominees get a piece, but somehow, in some way there has to be a legislative revolt for the good of the State.

I can not envisage that the any politicians could ever had envisaged that the Governor could have made the President of the Senate his girly man, because that is what Emil has turned out to be.

Comment by Pete Speer Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 1:34 pm
Ghost–Very good!! Jones needs to either go or get so betrayed by his own people to bring him back to reallity. This political bull—- ha sgone on long enough. The people of this state, I hope, have learned a valuable lesson with the antics Blagojevich and Jones have pulled the last few years.

Comment by WARDOG Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 1:36 pm
Emil Jones will never allow an ethics bill his whole family gets state contracts and sub contrats and he does not want to disclose this. Remember Deb Halvorson Dem majority leader who refused to pass ethics rules because E. Jones family needs the money or does Deb have something to hide too.

Comment by FED UP Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 2:03 pm
I think the Green Party’s biggest obstacle is the lack of an established voter base. If you want to run for office, you know that as an R or D, you can count on a certain number of votes. In some counties & districts, there is essentially one party, because there is no R or D base. In those counties Ds and Rs run against each other in the primary, taking on the mantle of dominant party.

It’s a catch 22. You can’t run as a Green because there is no voter base, and there’s no voter base because no one runs as a Green.

It would be nice if the Greens and Libertarians were viable, because they represent significant blocks of the electorate, but with our winner-take-all system and under-educated electorate it is (almost) impossible for a 3rd party to get traction.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 2:10 pm
I once had a favorite 78 rpm record that I really liked. After playing it quite a bit it developed a gouge that made it skip backwards three or four grooves and just play those over and over again…skip backwards three or four grooves and just play those over and over again…skip backwards three or four grooves and just play those over and over again…skip backwards three or four grooves and just play those over and over again… Until I smacked the table! The Government is broken and needs smack’in!

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 2:23 pm
The only way to deal with these people is politically threatening them. Mr. Jones’ silent partner, Debbie Halvorson is running for US Congressional District 11, and probably would like to claim she can somehow help fix the problems in Washington DC. Yet, as Majority Leader partnered with Mr. Jones, she has yet to publically support any prohibition of the current “pay to play” scams going on in Illinois.

As Majority Leader she should be able to do SOMETHING, right? It is sitting in her committee, waiting for her and her Boss to put it into play right?

Then the thing we need to do is start putting Debbie Halvorson’s feet to the fire. If she wants to be seen as a part of the solution, and not the part of problem, she needs to start showing some backbone - right now!

By pressuring Halvorson - who is Majority Leader, after all - we might start using politics to begin beating these people over the head and herding them in the right direction.

So, what are you going to do to get us out of this fix, Ms. Majority Leader? You’ve been quiet for too long!

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 3:05 pm
But VanillaMan, hasn’t the phrase Majority Leader become an oxymoron?

Comment by Ghost Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 3:15 pm
If I were Majority Leader, I wouldn’t sit and watch the fight silently. We have heard far more from Dick Durbin or Dan Hynes than we have heard from this Majority Leader.

True this position has become a figure head that merely mimics the Speaker. But if Halvorson wishes to be seen as a leader capable of actually leading, she will need to do more than just be Majority Leader in name only.

She wants to be a Congresswoman? Being Majority Leader should let us see how well she handles power in office, or lack thereof. Debbie Halvorson is proving that being Majority Leader is utterly meaningless and doesn’t prepare anyone for a real political office like Congresswoman.

In the past we haven’t had a need for a Majority Leader with a spine. Since May 31st 2007, it has become a different story. If she is as savvy as she wishes to be portraited, she needed to have stepped up within the past 150 days and use this position to be heard.

She has more power than I have. Being Jones’ silent partner isn’t good enough in times like these.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 3:26 pm
pick your choice why Halvorson doesnt belong in congress

1. She doesnt support ethics reform and isletting a good bill die in her commitee.

2. She is a lap dog for Emil Jones who doesnt want ethics reform cutting the state dollars his family collects from Ill. taxpayers.

3. There is something out there in the way of state contracts Halvorson doesnt want exposed by ethics reform.

your choice but no matter what Halvorson is part of the problem in Springfield not part of the solution in Washington.

Comment by FED UP Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 4:16 pm
“nothing says goofy quite like Blagojevich.”

Rich, that is an instant classic.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 5:17 pm
Retrieve ‘em - Recall ‘em - Replace ‘em. Impeach ‘em. It’s time - Take Back Illinois and America.

Comment by The 3 R's and an I Monday, Oct 15, 07 @ 5:31 pm