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* A couple of weeks ago, we discussed how Better Government Association President and CEO David Greising’s Tribune op-ed claimed that Senate President Don Harmon “has yet to utter a quotable phrase — on or off script” even though one of the BGA’s lobbyists had said that Harmon “made a big statement by giving up his outside job.”

Greising in the Tribune this week…

One comment [by House Speaker Chris Welch] in particular stood out because, with it, the new speaker laid down a marker on an issue that has ramifications across state government: fixing the state’s badly gerrymandered electoral maps.

Welch’s comment — stating that he will view any proposed map based on its impact on equitable representation — is important because it is the first by a major player in the mapmaking process to specifically state a nonnegotiable demand.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he won’t approve a gerrymandered map, but he so far has declined to be specific about the parameters for his decision. Senate President Don Harmon hasn’t pinned himself down either.

* Tribune last week…

Like House Speaker Welch, Harmon said “a fair map is one that reflects the diversity of our state” and “provides for fair and equal representation of all communities.”

Harmon quote from NPR Illinois…

I think Speaker Welch hit the nail on the head when he said a fair map is one that reflects the diversity of our state. I would like to see everybody at the table — all communities of interest — heard, and through a thorough and thoughtful redistricting process, come up with a map that fairly and equally represents the communities across the state.

* Recent Pritzker quote…

The governor’s “view is that legislative maps should reflect Illinois’ gender, racial, and geographic diversity, along with preserving the Voting Rights Act decisions that help ensure racial and language minorities are fully represented in the electoral process,” Jordan Abudayyeh, Pritzker’s spokesperson, said in a statement to Playbook.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 10:17 am

Comments

And this guy is in charge of investigative reporters? Yikes!

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 10:21 am
Never for dark money lobby groups like the BGA constantly struggle to attention even when it is not deserved. The ex-Tribbie biz writer to now runs is finding heavy seas in that quest

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 10:42 am
Legislative districts should be equal in population, compact and contiguous. Somehow that second requirement always gets lost.

Comment by Downstate Illinois Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 10:57 am
=== Somehow that second requirement always gets lost. ===

Federal and state voting rights laws, man. Try to keep up. This ain’t new.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 10:59 am
Cap Fax: Protecting and Promoting Senate President Don Harmon.

Comment by Opening Date Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 11:01 am
===Protecting and Promoting===

Aww. Did I hurt your wittle fee-fees?

How about the CEO of the group that bills itself as the preeminent reform organization in Illinois do some basic research for a change? He’s spreading misinformation, either deliberately or accidentally. And he should be called out for it, bub.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 11:03 am
BGA loves to take cheap shots at Harmon. So it was under Andy. So it is under Greising. This is not new.

Comment by Southern Skeptic Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 11:37 am
Greising was paid a $261,000 salary in 2019.

Not bad for a guy who makes mistakes that would get a rookie reporter’s ears boxed.

It’s almost as if truth isn’t really a priority as much as pleasing the deep pocketed plutocrats who fund the BGA racket and who would love to see “fair maps” in Illinois while a multitude of red states continue right along with their gerrymandering ways.

Does the BGA think that would be a good development for Black, Brown, LGBTQ and immigrant communities?

I know Speaker Welch and President Harmon sure don’t.

It will all work out fine for Greising and his funders if the GOP gets the upper hand; others might have to “go through some things.”

But, what’s their suffering compared to the BGA’s self-righteousness?

Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 11:41 am
The Voting Rights Act is the actual lever to any and ALL fair map thoughts.

It has to be.

If it’s not, than what exactly are ya talking about?

The biggest factor going against Trumpkin/Raunerites is that they apparently have no foothold thoughts to districts that may either have majority minority populations or evenly measured racial demographics.

Now throw in “others” who can’t Google to save their soul, or are willfully ignorant or blissfully unaware, and blissfully unaware left town… diversity of party and finding candidates to mirror districts is seemingly too difficult for a party of old, angry, white… ?

My eyes gloss over when those cry fair maps but flat out refuse to see the challenges and necessities of the Voters Rights Act.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 11:50 am
“It will all work out fine for Greising and his funders if the GOP gets the upper hand”

Not defending BGA on this stupidity, but the partisan rap is bogus. BGA, its board and its funders are a decidedly bipartisan group.

Comment by Southern Skeptic Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 11:51 am
=The biggest factor going against Trumpkin/Raunerites=

I think the issue that they cannot come to terms with is that most people in Illinois just do not like their message (or lack thereof). The downstate echo chamber is self-perpetuating a losing message and what is left of the GQP in the suburbs is dying an ugly death by falling in line with that same message and trumpism.

=My eyes gloss over when those cry fair maps=

The GQP have been able to cry about the map for a long time, but I think they know that the map isn’t the issue. You cannot draw a map that changes the imbalance of power in a substantial way at this point. If I were the ILDP I would let the GQP draw the map and then go out and pants them again. No more bit Madigan and no more but the map.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 12:05 pm
===and its funders are a decidedly bipartisan group===

One of its largest funders has been bankrolling pension reform pushes for years.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 12:08 pm
===I would let the GQP draw the map===

No thanks. In past GOP maps they split my liberal town into different districts and diluted them with rural GOP voters, and took the seat.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 12:59 pm
===and its funders are a decidedly bipartisan group===

In addition to Rich’s excellent point, there are plenty of well-heeled Democrats who naively think they are supporting “good government” when they call for “fair maps” and they:

1. don’t see the bigger picture, are focused only on Illinois and displays of their own goodly righteousness

2. because they are well-off, it won’t be a big deal for them if things go red; not so for many people on the lower end of the income spectrum

Those with other, less wholesome agendas, are glad to have the support of naive Democrats. It’s nice cover.

Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 1:21 pm
=No thanks.=

Be bold and take the chance.

I think the fact that there is not a single statewide republican tells you everything you need to know. For all of their complaining, they couldn’t muster single statewide seat. At this point they might be over represented even though they are a micro minority.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 3:09 pm
A lot of these people are going to be disappointed when the legislature and pritzker sign off on “fair” maps which meet their standard for equality, fairness, and geographic diversity.

Really setting themselves up to be angry lol.

Comment by Nick Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 3:26 pm
As they said in a newsroom many years ago “If your Mama says “she loves ya” Google it!

Comment by Snarkie from Schaumburg Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 3:52 pm
As once said in a famous newsroom a long time ago. If your Mama says, “She loves ya,” Google it!

Comment by Snarkie from Schaumburg Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 3:55 pm
How many people of color on the BGA board, one or two?

DiversIty representation is not a priority for the BGA in its own governance, little surprise its not a priority for them when it domes to state governance.

Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 6:19 pm
JS…I’ve seen this movie before, so I know how it ends. Expecting something different is not sensible. There are many places Rs can gerrymand themselves into power, and they will. Maybe not into the majority, but I don’t want them representing me in any case. Bold or not.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 7:52 pm
==there are plenty of well-heeled Democrats who naively think they are supporting “good government” when they call for “fair maps”==

And I suppose that a certain former president from Illinois is one of those naifs? Please.

New Jersey has a commission and their Congressional delegation is 10-2 favoring Dems. There’s little if any evidence that Madigan’s maps increased Dem seats. It’s about protecting incumbents by tailoring their voters to them.

Comment by Anonanonsir Wednesday, Mar 24, 21 @ 1:00 am