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Some insights into the nature of the beast

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Illinois

* Former Rep. and current registered lobbyist Mike Zalewski invited one of my very favorite Statehouse denizens onto his podcast this week: Lobbyist and former Senate Democratic staffer Ron Holmes. An excerpt…

Z: You worked on the assault weapons ban. Did you learn anything about the building or the way it works [while] working on that particular issue? Did anything surprise you about that? … Is there anything you took away from that process that was unique to you?

Holmes: Each day I go down to Springfield and and walk through those doors, I make it my intent to learn something about someone or something. And I think the biggest lesson from the assault weapons ban negotiations is that sometimes it’s better to just sit still and allow things to kind of work themselves out than being in a position where you’re just trying to force it.

Z: In that building specifically, no one has ever hurt themselves by waiting. That is the important thing about the way that place works.

Holmes: Yes. And when calm heads, you know, happen and people are able to put out their press releases back and forth and the finger-pointing with orders behind the scenes. And then it’s like ‘Alright, we saw. All right. Let’s, what is it that we’re really talking about here? What are the differences? Let’s put pen to paper and go.’ And by far that is one of the more interesting things that I learned from that.

The second thing is in many ways, one of my criticisms of the gun violence prevention movement has been - and I’ve been involved in many of the public safety bills that have passed over the last decade - has been that everyday violence isn’t always treated the same way as mass shootings. And the number of folks that also said, ‘Hey, what do you guys need for your community?’ was very emotional. Because I think that there’s always this divide in Springfield. Naturally, people always look for two sides of every story and so, to see surburban lawmakers also say to Black and Brown caucus members, ‘No, no, no. You absolutely should get these other things’ was very interesting to watch.

Z: It’s the nature of the building right now. The two chamber leaders, the House speaker and the Senate President, are prime ministers. They have to build coalitions on every single issue right now.

Holmes: And those coalitions look different on every issue. On every issue.

Z: It’s sausage-making every day. And you traditionally had, you know, Downstate caucus and lakefront caucus and the city caucus and all that, but it’s much more pronounced now. And quite frankly, what I worry about is the nature of the building when the next economic downturn occurs.

Holmes: Yeah. Everything’s all good when you’ve got a $50 billion budget and everybody’s able to walk away with something. But I think yeah, I mean, to your point, happy days aren’t always going to be here and how Democrats govern in times of downturn is just as important as times of prosperity.

Please pardon any transcription errors.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 12:24 pm

Comments

a/k/a “governing”, a quality so sparse in many other Statehouses, as well as the US Capitol.

Comment by Ares Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 12:29 pm
Those are such interesting insights and GPAC did such a great job on that assault weapons ban, as the Governor so eloquently stated last week. Bravo and instead of ‘waiting’ let’s get Karina’s Bill passed as well because it’ll safe lives.

Comment by Sonny Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 12:33 pm
=== Naturally, people always look for two sides of every story and so ==

And here in lies the problem. We as a state have chosen to allow the two tails to wag the two dogs.

Rather than each representative being a pragmatic representative of their actual, shared community where people actually live their lives, we prefer to elect people who mimic the actors we see in la-la-land. By way of example, my state representative is a Republican, not a representative. She represents established political orientations, not people.

We can do better.

Comment by H-W Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 1:03 pm
A bizarre take on how parliaments work aside (prime ministers do not build coalitions issue by issue in parliamentary systems any more or less so than American-type legislatures, they declare “government” or “conscience” bills and if you are in the PM’s party and you vote against a government bill, you upset your colleagues/leadership and in severe cases they kick you out of the caucus, which is known as “removing the whip”), this is just pining for a return to the dictatorial legislating style of the Madigan era. Maybe that’s good in some cases if it supports your preferred policy outcome, but what it doesn’t do is empower the elected (or appointed) legislators, doesn’t make them have to learn and work their colleagues, and doesn’t make them players in a team effort.

Comment by Google Is Your Friend Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 2:04 pm
waiting AND listening are two great tools develop an understand the working of IL government. Hard to know how many understand those concepts. Meanwhile collections like the EasternBlockheads emerge and scare everyone

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 2:13 pm
=== this is just pining for a return to the dictatorial legislating style===

Not sure what interview you were listening to, but the one I listened to didn’t sound like that.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 2:16 pm
Ron is right, patience is a virtue.

Comment by Thomas Paine Wednesday, Nov 8, 23 @ 5:06 pm