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Question of the day - Blagojevich and Bush

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* My syndicated newspaper column this week attempts to explain the battle over JCAR and put it into perspective…

Now that Gov. Rod Blagojevich has unilaterally declared a previously obscure but always important legislative committee has no real power, things could radically change at the Illinois Statehouse.

* More on what could happen now that the governor has said that JCAR is essentially irrelevant…

I asked House Speaker Michael Madigan what impact the governor’s move would have. His response: Bills are going to get longer.

In the past, the General Assembly could avoid writing the minutiae of implementation language into most legislation because JCAR had a check on the administration’s rulemaking authority. Now, with the governor throwing JCAR out the window, legislators will likely want to make sure they write as much detail as they can into their proposals. As a result, the system may become lots more cumbersome.

Lawmakers may also want to revisit old laws and update them in an attempt to prevent Blagojevich from making even more mischief.

* And the conclusion…

Whenever an executive tries to grab lots more authority, it’s usually seen by the legislative branch as an abuse of power, and that branch often ends up with more power than before. The backlash against President Nixon’s notorious power grabs produced all sorts of laws designed to limit the executive’s authority, and the same thing is starting to happen with President Bush.

Blagojevich has seemed intent since day one on remaking the governor’s office into a far more powerful branch, often overstepping his authority or “misreading” the Constitution. Considering his abrasive tactics, massive unpopularity and bungled Statehouse execution, he could wind up leaving the governor’s office as a hobbled shell of its former self.

* Now, the question: Compare Gov. Blagojevich to President Bush.

Comments

One could argue that theur have similiar authoritarian styles. Bush used his increased power to lie to American citizens, invade a sovereign nation, and cause the unnecessary deaths of thousands of American men and servicewomen.

Blagojevich used his increased authority to veto spending for projects and pledged to redirect it to funding health care for people who could not afford it.

Oh yea, they’re practically the same person.

Comment by Anon Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 9:42 am
What Bush is doing cannot bankrupt the Country, however what Blago is doing can certainly bankrupt the State.

Comment by He makes Ryan Look like a Saint Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 9:48 am
History is gonna bare out that Bush did the right thing in the end. Blago is gonna be remembered as someone who was very lazy and a stay-at-home gov.

Comment by Crimefighter Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 9:49 am
How much does Madigan pay you to write these articles? Does he invite you to to go to Church with him too? In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Sprit; What can Rich write for me now.

Comment by observer Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 9:56 am
“What Bush is doing cannot bankrupt the Country…” Oh, really!?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:00 am
Most Expensive Places To Buy Gasoline
Ranked 10 in the United States
Chicago, Ill.
Price per gallon: $3.181
Price last year: $2.316
Annual per-person traffic delay: 46 hours

Rod Blagojevich hasn’t lifted a finger to relieve our gasoline prices for the past five years.

Comment by Rod has free gas and jet fuel Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:06 am
Blago is doing this all by himself Bush on the other hand has accomplices.

Comment by Levois Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:13 am
Even though W doesn’t drink, I would be more apt to share some beers and shoot the breeze with W.
Now Rod on the other hand forgetaboutit. Rod would talk about himself endlessly, no thanks.

Comment by Big difference Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:21 am
I’ll bet George’s haircuts are a hell of lot cheaper than Rod’s beauty treatments.

Comment by Northside Bunker Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:24 am
As a citizen of Illinois and the United States of America, I have two power-drunk bozos running the executive branches AND I have two fists…

Coincidence?

– SCAM

Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:27 am
Whats interesting is Blago is not walking the grey areas of police powers, forced confessions and the right to privacy and process like Bush is doing. Blago is actually ignoring very clear rules, which he helped create, which porhibit such rule making. Add to this his blatantly unconstituitional apporpriation and spending without legislative approval, and the Gov is blatanlty ignoring the constitution. Bush has not actually acted in such direct defiance of clear constitutional provisions.

Also of note, even Hugo Chavez operates within the province of the consitution of his country, and accepted that he was defeated in his efforts to change the constitution to meet his goals. Blago ignores the constituion and his own failure to get approval for expansion of his powers. Hugo Chavez is more sane/constrained then the Gov of our State!!

Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:38 am
We are at war. As a result, we are seeing what normally happens during wartime - an increase in executive powers. Regardless of the presidents, this always happens. There are practical reasons for allowing this to happen, since the president is also the people’s choice for Commander In Chief. Consequentially, as Commander In Chief, presidents do what they can to fight wars. The design of this is to balance an unelected military. The current president is “abusing” powers in order to fight the current war. Denying we are at war doesn’t prevent the Commander In Chief from doing what is necessary to honor their commitment to protect the United States. Americans suffering from BDS don’t get it, so every move being made to fight this war is met with childish tantrums. This isn’t new either. Every president that is forced into war finds war deniers who believe that the president caused the wars, and other silly conspiracies. Just add Bush to the list of Lincoln, Jefferson, Truman, Polk, and our other war presidents that need to deal with these people.

However, governors are not presidents. In a federal system, governors do not have the same power. Comparing Bush to Blagojevich may be the question of the day, but comparing a war president to a floundering megalomaniac obviously isn’t apples to oranges, is it?

History also gives us some guidelines when considering how Blagojevich is handling his job. What is happening with Illinois is that it has a governor incapable of foresight, managerial skills, diplomacy, lacking in knowledge of The Office to the point where he cannot bring together enough members of his own political party as teams to craft passable legislation. After months of stalemate, Blagojevich chose to fight his own Democrats, than find workable solutions to keep Illinois functioning. He created and has maintained a state of crisis.

His attempted power grab is the result of his own failures. He has discovered that as a poor executive, he loses support in the legislature. He has discovered that when you do not honor your word, legislators will not trust you even when you are sincere. He has discovered that the legislature can be forced to work around a governor when that governor forces them to. Blagojevich has discovered that the General Assembly doesn’t need him to keep Illinois afloat. He has caused this himself.

Blagojevich has no other tools at his disposal than to abuse the law. He cannot govern, so he has instead fabricated new “powers”. By using this fantasy method, Blagojevich once again forces the General Assembly to work around him.

Instead of just shutting the door to him, the General Assembly has discovered that they also need to put a child-proof lock on the door to keep their little man from causing more mischief.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:39 am
Bush wouldn’t take his kids and wife to see Hannah Montana. ZZ Top, maybe, Hannah Montana, no way.

Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:46 am
The difference in George W. and Elvis - political parties.

Comment by Little Egypt Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:47 am
And while I’m on this Hannah Montana concert subject, I’d like to know how Rod and family scored such coveted tickets to the hottest show in town? This has been botherng me all morning. lol.

Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:52 am
Kudos to vanilla man. the meme that Bush lied us into war is infantile. That doesn’t mean his Iraq policy is vindicated but that particular meme is the result of the infantilization of his opponents. That the entire world believed Saddam had WMDs, a continuous asessment from Clinton to Bush, that saddam did have them in the past and used them, that Saddam did everything to continue to give the impression he still had them (Blix’s last report said uncategorially that the WMDs had not been accounted for and that the UN could not verify they were gone due Iraq’s lack of coopertaion), all of these points would have led someone to conclude Bush would have been lying if he said he DIDN’T think Iraq had WMDs. At some point Bush’s critics simply believed he or his “cabal” became evil super powers who some how were omniscient and have been working to impose a fascist takeover of the US and the constitution. That he is term limited and that sticking to his policy likely cost him his party’s majorities in Congress somehow does not (like the points above and his “lying” us into war)make a dent in this narritive of Evil Bush (or Evil stoopid Bush and his super smart cabal led by Cheney). Pathetic.

Comment by fan of Capitol Fax Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:57 am
Stick to the question, please, or be deleted. Thanks.

Last and final warning.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 10:59 am
They are essentially the same person. The only difference I see is that Bush was raised in power and money and Rod married into power and summarily acquired wealth.

Both men are egotistical yet friendly, somewhat lacking intelligence yet ambitious and great campaigners. They are people persons who forgot that people matter. That about sums it up.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:01 am
Oh, i should respond to the question though: Bush and Blago are comparable in that they are both incredibly unpopular. However the repubs by and large stuck with Bush, the Dems do not believe in Blago. He has made Madigan look like a good govt. goo goo (almost) which is sort of incredible.

Comment by fan of Capitol Fax Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:01 am
Sorry Rich, I posted before I read your warning.

Comment by Little Egypt Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:02 am
Thats easy, since he is a stay at home dad he was able to order them the moment they went up for sale, but before the 5 min mark when they were all sold out. If you are a stay at home parent you can do these kinds of things

Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:05 am
Where to end.

Both hard-working, disciplined campaigners who are masters of staying on message. Both regularly indifferent to complex questions of policy, leaving it for other people to handle. Both charming in personal settings. Both arrogant and amateur in terms of how they deal with their own party leadership (this wasn’t as well covered with Bush, but it’s coming out now). Both like to invent mandates that have nothing to do with the content of their reelection campaigns (GRT for Blago, Social Security for Bush). Both unusually loose with the facts, even for a politician, to the point where you ask, “Does he even know what he’s saying is incorrect?” Both like to vacation for as long as possible away from the capitol. Both look vaguely like chimps. Both love to overspend, ignore deficits, and then talk how fiscally responsible they are. Both love to run. Both determined to expand their executive powers to end-run the legislature when possible.

Both exposed as frauds by a public and press corps that have their numbers (very low now, for both). You can’t fool all the people all the time. Can’t wait until we’re rid of both of them.

Comment by ZC Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:32 am
SCAM
Everybody knows you can’t shake hands with a fist.

Comment by Platitudinus Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:40 am
===The current president is “abusing” powers in order to fight the current war.

The signing statements aren’t just concerning the war or civil liberties–they affect every area of policy. One particular area is science policy where Bush asserts the ability to ignore the law he just signed by being able to censor scientific findings of federal agencies.

Screaming war and excusing constant and consistent violations of the US Constitution is a distraction to the real damage being done by George Bush. Strangely, the problem is clear when Blagojevich claims the same authority.

They both are authoritarian twits who have no respect for the law or democracy.

Comment by archpundit Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:47 am
I can’t quite shake the notion that both Blago and Bush just might, in fact, realize and intend exactly what they’re doing. Nationally, its about ideology. Stateside, its all about Rod.

Comment by countryboy Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 11:59 am
Blago seems to be operating on the same unitary execdutive theory that has become the modus operandi of the Bush adminstration. I’m the Chief Excecutive and I can do whatever I want regardless of what the legislature says or does.

Both seem to believe that laws, regulations, and administrative procedures don’t apply to them whenever it is inconvenient to follow them.

Comment by Captain America Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 12:02 pm
Both were REELECTED! When our grandchildren ask “why” we can say a lot about these two. But we need to say something about those that are as guilty. The opposition parties who put up those who had waited patiently for “their turn.” The members of the press who are not those who would have exposed Watergate, Pentagon Papers, and the like instead they put out pulp provided by staffs of the Fortunate Sons/Wives! Lazy or turned off voters who didn’t participate in the process. I hope this doesn’t repeat itself in 08.

Comment by Moline Maleman Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 12:28 pm
Love him or hate him. George W. Bush is a man of honor and true to his word. You may hate him and this war. In fact we all hate this war including our President. But everything he has done has one purpose. To protect the American people.
As for Blagojevich I see no honor and we all know his word is mud. No comparison.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 1:28 pm
===George W. Bush is a man of honor and true to his word. ===

Anonymous, you might want to ask McCain how he feels about this after Bush agreed to support McCain’s anti-torture language and then essentially nullified the provision in his Presidential signing statement.

I see little difference between the two men when it comes to their dealings with their respective legislatures, except perhaps that Bush has been more successful at dominating the process.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 1:37 pm
Neither have ever been in Cliff Claven’s kitchen.

Comment by Some Guy Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 1:39 pm
Bush is a second amendment patriot and Blago is a second amendment pinhead.

Comment by Pro-Gunner Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 1:48 pm
===. But everything he has done has one purpose. To protect the American people.

From science? Seriously, the signing statements have been done on a broad range of bills. He signs a bill, issues a signing statement directly contradicting the bill, and then does what he wants. In several cases the bills required that scientific reports in agencies be released without political interference and then Bush said it was okay to interfere and did it.

How is that protecting the American people?

And how is it different than Blagojevich?

Comment by archpundit Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 1:56 pm
Of course the president has the obligation to follow this law, [but] he also has the obligation to defend and protect the country as the commander in chief.
I stand by my man.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 2:43 pm
One is a Democrat who should be impeached while the other is a Republican who should be impeached.

Comment by Just a Citizen Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 3:38 pm
On the related issue of the blago health care expansion, the Sangomon County case leave to file has been denied based on the existance of the already pending cook county suit.

From the SJ-R

===Suit against Blagojevich health plan barred, another proceeding
Last Updated 12/10/2007 3:21:50 PM

A Sangamon County judge barred a lawsuit against Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s expanded health care plan Monday. But that’s only because a similar one is proceeding in Cook County.

Circuit Judge Leo Zappa agreed with lawyers for Blagojevich that allowing the lawsuit would be unfairly duplicative because a similar suit in Cook County was OK’d Monday.

The Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity sued the governor last week to stop him from adding 147,000 parents to state-subsidized health insurance. Blagojevich announced plans to expand the program even though he didn’t have authority from legislators.

But Zappa prohibited the Sangamon County suit from being filed while the Cook County action plays out.

– Associated Press===

Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 3:38 pm
“…he also has the obligation to defend and protect the country as the commander in chief.”

You’ll let us know when he starts?

Comment by JonShibleyFan Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 5:25 pm
Two empty suits with bad haircuts, and worse ideas.

Comment by Papa Legba Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 5:32 pm
I would never vote for either one .. . unless the only other choice was Oberweis.

Comment by Some Guy Monday, Dec 10, 07 @ 5:34 pm