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* Freshman Rep. Dennis Tipsword (R-Metamora) spent much of his interview with the Pontiac Daily Leader complaining about how woke ideology has infected the legislature, Chicago’s dominance, and even mentioned the counties topic…

“But it’s just frustrating that we, as the Republican Party with only our 40 members, have constituents in every one of our 102 counties. We, as Republicans, touch every county in this state. Democrats can’t say that.”

* Anyway…

Tipsword’s frustrations include his bills not getting a chance to be read. One such bill involved monitoring those with Alzheimer’s or with other dementia or brain-injury issues. This is bill was based on something employed by Woodford County. […]

He pointed out that this program in Woodford County began three years ago. It involves a monitoring bracelet to allow for easier location of the individual when such a situation arises. Tipsword said that there have already been 12 successful finds. […]

He said he wanted to do a test through a few counties but could not get it off the ground. Tipsword found this to be very frustrating and couldn’t understand why there was no momentum.

It got sent to sub-committee, which is an abyss, a place where bills go to die, he said.

The statewide pilot project seems like a decent enough bill. It would even be privately funded.

But Rep. Tipsword only convinced a single member to co-sponsor his bill, and that wasn’t until more than two weeks after the committee passage deadline had passed, and that co-sponsor was a Republican. Only one person filed a witness slip in support.

* Contrast that with fellow Downstate Republican freshman Rep. Bradley Fritts, who passed a bill removing the testing requirement for motorcycle operators who are under the age of 18. Fritts worked that bill hard with ABATE, and they signed up lots of Democratic and Republican co-sponsors (including Speaker Welch) and more than 100 witness slips in support. It passed with a unanimous vote. Rep. Fritts also passed a bill allowing one of his local park districts to buy solar panels and signed up Majority Leader Robyn Gabel as his chief co-sponsor. It cleared the chamber 112-1.

Freshman Republican Rep. William Hauter passed a medical licensure bill with bipartisan support and medical institutional backing.

Republican freshman Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro passed a bill that expanded the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to include some mortgage marketing materials and a bill mandating insurance companies cover medically necessary home saliva cancer screening every 24 months. Both had bipartisan support.

* Do the House and Senate Republicans get the shaft? Heck yes, they do. And some of it, probably more than some, is not of their own making.

But don’t put in minimal visible effort and then complain you can’t get anything done.

…Adding… Even this guy got a bill to the governor’s desk…

The Illinois Senate has given final approval to a measure State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dietrich) sponsored to enable abuse victims under 13 years of age to avoid appearing in open court when providing their testimony.

House Bill 2607 passed both the House and the Senate without any opposition. The measure establishes a presumption that the testimony of a victim who is a child under 13 years of age shall testify outside the courtroom, and the child’s testimony shall be shown in the courtroom using a closed-circuit television. The presumption could only be removed if the defendant proves the child will not suffer emotional distress by providing testimony in the courtroom.

“This bipartisan legislation is a common-sense solution to prevent kids in abuse cases from facing their abuser in open court,” Niemerg said. “It sets the practice of closed-circuit TV testimony as the norm. Nothing is more important than protecting our kids, and that’s exactly what this legislation does. I hope the Governor will sign this bipartisan legislation into law.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 10:23 am

Comments

Wise words, Rich. Let’s hope someone is able to learn from his inability to be an effective legislator.

Though since he seems to have this idea that there’s a county somewhere in Illinois that doesn’t have a Democrat living in it, I’m not going to hold my breath.

Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 10:33 am
== “It’s almost like we’re not taken seriously down here.” ==

Can’t imagine why that would be. Half the article is him raging about wokeness and Chicago. Maybe if the ILGOP spent less time stomping their feet and more time actually working with their colleagues across the aisle, they’d achieve more success.

For my entire adult life (essentially post-9/11) the narrative always seems to be Dems are expected to be the ones to reach across the aisle, but no one ever expects the GOP to do it. This especially has been true at the national level, but it has become just as true in Illinois at the state level.

Comment by Homebody Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 10:34 am
First, “listen instead of teach” as a new legislator.

Make friends, make allies, be collegial. Understand there’s more in common that what you think is different with you and your colleagues.

Work bills, treat staff like gold, treat your own LA better than gold, and realize session days are not vacation days, “it’s a business trip”

How does it go? City legislators, get to know your colleagues from “downstate”, small town, Illinois. “Farmers” learn about rapid transit, “City Folk” learn about agricultural challenges and small town/county challenges too.

Deciding “y’all are too woke” is not in an any word I typed, or in any decades old lesson to be an effective legislator.

Truth be told, I actually forgot Tipsword was a legislator, if one asked me, I’d be like… “not a legislator?”

You don’t need to be visible and loud to be “known”. That’s the lesson, and a lesson to passing bills too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 10:44 am
==For my entire adult life (essentially post-9/11) the narrative always seems to be Dems are expected to be the ones to reach across the aisle, but no one ever expects the GOP to do it. This especially has been true at the national level, but it has become just as true in Illinois at the state level.==

It’s called Murc’s Law: Only Democrats Have Agency.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 10:46 am
===less time stomping their feet ===

His bills are a master class in what not to do. Most have no co-sponsors and are spitting into the wind virtue signaling.

“Deletes a provision requiring a sign to be clearly and conspicuously posted, at the entrance of a building, premises, or real property specified as a prohibited area, stating that the carrying of firearms is prohibited.”

https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=2926&GAID=17&SessionID=112&LegID=148070

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 10:47 am
=== “They have done everything they can in this (General Assembly) so far to take accountability way from criminals. They’re just not accountable, it’s someone else’s fault all the time.” ===

Pretty impressive that Tipsword works a personal responsibility talking point into his whining about how he can’t get anything done. Someday the party of personal responsibility will apply that logic to their own superminority predicament. Today is obviously not that day for Rep. Tipsword.

Comment by vern Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:00 am
Supermajority has its privileges.

Learn to govern and provide solutions rather than press clipping shots at the Dems and maybe you’ll find success. Also stop villifying members of your own party who find ways to work with the other party as being traitors and sellouts.

Comment by Frida's boss Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:02 am
=== We, as Republicans, touch every county in this state. Democrats can’t say that.===

*Taps the Sign*

You’re elected to represent people, not land.

Comment by Postman Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:04 am
If he meant to say “touched in the head in every county” he’s certainly right about that.

Comment by West Side the Best Side Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:09 am
===We, as Republicans, touch every county in this state. Democrats can’t say that.”===

Maybe a visit to the State Board of Elections website would be helpful. Only looking at that big, beautiful red county map of Illinois is messing with your grey matter.

Comment by Baloneymous Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:27 am
Great post Rich

Comment by Almost the Weekend Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:31 am
Does he really believe that Democrats are confined to certain counties and that none exist elsewhere in the state. I would hazard a guess Representative that there are indeed Democrats in every county in the state. I mean, the election vote totals prove it for crying out loud.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:38 am
Spiteful pol laments that the politics of spite has locked him out of passing spiteful bills

Comment by High Socks Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 11:44 am
Tipsword is a sad example of a party that operates in an almost complete echo chamber. And represents very few human beings compared with the DPI.

Fritts, on the other hand demonstrates what is possible when you work hard and build alliances. I doubt most people in the ILGA refuse to speak to people of the other party and there are mostly normal human interactions.

Also a note to Rich…

=Contrast that with fellow Downstate Republican freshman Rep. Bradley Fritts=

I know his district goes south, but he is Dixon based. Definitely not downstate, more northwest. I apologize in advance for being so pedantic.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:09 pm
I can assure him there are Democrats in even the reddest counties in Illinois. In the last election, downstate counties were still giving Pritzker 20-30% of the vote. They just don’t stick Biden flags in their front yards or on their trucks and fill their social media with hateful screeds against people who don’t think just like them.

Comment by Lagertha's Shield Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:14 pm
Absolutely a great post. Tipsword has no one to blame but himself.

Nevertheless, back in the day, pre Pat Quinn, Illinois had a system that, in general, gave every House district at least one Republican and one Democrat - it was called cumulative voting. It gave everyone everywhere in the state, a legislator of their party to represent them. It resulted in a variety of right, left and center politicians. Politcians who got along for the most part. But those days are long gone. Too bad. Now the extremes rule.

Comment by Suburbanon Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:21 pm
Is Tipsword suggesting there are no Democrats in his district or county? Strange then that in Woodford County 6,160 voted for Biden in 2020 and 4,341 voted for Pritzker in 2022.

Is he unaware that these voters exist or just doesn’t care that they do?

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:27 pm
===suggesting there are no Democrats in his district===

Nope. He’s saying the HGOPs represent all counties and the Dems don’t, as if that means something.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:32 pm
The more he cries about being a victim and the less work he actually tries to do, maybe we are all better for it

Comment by Appears Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:33 pm
We, as Republicans, touch every county in this state. Democrats can’t say that.”

I would counter with the opinion that if you ask any Downstate county about Democrats, they feel quite touched by them.

Comment by Bothanspied Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:35 pm
I would hope *both* parties have a connection to every county, merely pointing out “map” connections to what’s red, that proves only what a junior high schooler sees as “impressive” until you realize actual data shows that maps of land at times rarely focus on density of population… when just painted pretty colors.

It does, for me, go without saying that Rich continues to give sage “non-partisan” advice to be effective. One only needs to search Ken Dunkin or Scott Drury takes to realize that Rich’s lil nudge and poke is about the true craft, trade, and “job”, not about how partisan plays make powerful policies…

… many times it’s like what we ALL were taught in kindergarten when talking, learning, or learning from others that is the best “base” advice to Freshmen legislators… still, I’m remiss to not thank Rich for a post that if one listens could do some real good.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 12:46 pm
Of those 102 counties, 79 have less people than Berwyn (or each of Chicago’s 50 wards).

More people live in Skokie than the combined total of Henderson, Brown, Edwards, Putnam, Alexander, Stark, Pulaski, Gallatin Scott, Calhoun, Pope, and Hardin Counties

55 lave

Comment by Goodson Oddman Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 3:44 pm
Very good points were made in the post and comments, that should be part of new legislator orientation, particularly for the GOP. If they stand any chance of starting their climb out of superminority status, actually getting things accomplished would be a good place to start. But I also have a feeling with this particular legislator, no amount of teaching will change how he conducts business in Springfield.

Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, May 17, 23 @ 4:48 pm
Great bill by Rep Niemberg. Thanks for highlighting.

Comment by Mrs from 60565 Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:36 pm