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*** UPDATE *** Right on cue, here come the “protesters“…
A state coalition of churches, community-based organizations, and social service groups marched outside the Thompson Center Wednesday morning in a protest over the state budget stalemate.
The group calling itself the Illinois Legislative Voter Coalition is urging lawmakers to pass a state budget.
According to the AP, the protest was organized by Reverend Walter Turner. The AP should use the Google. Turner delivered the Invocation at Gov. Blagojevich’s second inauguration.
In other words, this looks like a classic case of Astroturfing.
* Today’s Tribune editorial has an excellent roundup of the current budget mess…
Blagojevich doesn’t want to cut $2 billion, of course. He wants the legislature to pass some Band-Aid revenue measures to pay for most of the $29.7 billion in spending they approved without fully funding. A $16 billion pension bond issue would shore up state retirement funds and let them divert $400 million to help balance the budget. A $33 billion public works bill would cut loose $600 million. He also wants to skim about $530 million from several restricted funds.
In other words, a lot more gimmickry to get through another year.
Blagojevich’s alternatives have loads of problems. He wants the legislature to pass a massive gambling bill—read: three more casinos—that he’s hardly made an effort to explain to voters. He wants to borrow billions for pensions—but won’t do anything to curb pension costs. […]
Blagojevich is betting Madigan will find those cuts unacceptable. We’re betting Madigan won’t. The best way to find out is to stop playing blame games and use the veto pen to cut the budget.
If it turns out lawmakers are serious about living within their means, so be it. If they don’t like the cuts, they can figure out how to restore them. But they can’t get started if everything’s on hold till July 9. No more news conferences, Governor. Do your job.
That last graf has the salient point. He hasn’t made the cuts yet. Right now, all we have is a press release and a bunch of threats. The House and Senate have not yet sent him the budget bills, but that will happen soon. Will he really pull the trigger on all those cuts? As I reminded my subscribers this morning, he didn’t cut 4-H this spring after threatening to decimate the program. He’s playing “chicken,” and it’s time to just get it over with.
* The Tribune’s article made this point…
The governor, however, does not want to end up wearing the jacket for unpopular budget cuts. To that end, Blagojevich said he would “protect” school spending and suggested the cuts could be avoided if the House would “take an afternoon” to reconvene and approve a new balanced budget.
He’s “protecting” school spending because Senate President Emil Jones demanded it. He can’t lose Jones’ alliance. But that means a whole lot of other stuff will get cut to protect education’s $400 million increase.
As for making Madigan wear the jacket, Madigan has encouraged the guv to cut away, so that makes the job easier. Still, Blagojevich is the governor. The governor always wears the jacket, regardless of who else may be at fault.
Seriously, we have a five-month session which produces a claimed $2 billion deficit and the governor wants to put all the blame on someone else? Ever hear of leadership?
* The Sun-Times had this editorial today…
Madigan should reconsider at least one of those [revenue generating] bills, the so-called fund sweeps bill. This is a relatively noncontroversial bill, which could generate as much as $530 million toward ending that $2 billion deficit. Madigan should let this bill move forward — to help reduce the deficit and to show he can do more than just cast stones.
It may be noncontroversial to the Sn-Times, but it doesn’t have 71 House votes.
* And I don’t buy this at all…
The stage has been set for another long, hot summer in Springfield.
The only way the General Assembly returns for a “long, hot summer” is if Blagojevich crosses Senate President Jones. And if that happens the Statehouse summer session won’t be long, but it will be hot.
In fact, what yesterday’s press conference may signal is the end of the spring session, rather than the beginning of a summer session.
* Related…
* Blagojevich moves talk away from impeachment, toward taxes
* Governor Blagojevich says Madigan has secret tax plan
* Amtrak trains to Carbondale threatened with cutbacks
* Veterans still second class to this governor
* Budget tough talk
* Blagojevich balks at budget
* Blagojevich announces $1.5 billion in budget cuts
* Blagojevich Rushing To Beat New Fundraising Rules?
* Governor continues fundraising efforts
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:45 am
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As I said yesterday, all talk no action. This is the same threats they circulated to the press and vendors earlier, just re-fashioned into press release 2.0
I still toos my speculation in the he vetos the whole thing as unconstitutional corner. IMHO making the dept. cuts etc himself pulls way to much heat. Either way it puts the Gov in a pickle with Jones. Madigan has set the Gov up masterfully. The Gov needs to recognize he is fighting an uphill battle by trying to take on the speaker and throw the towel in and try to co-operate with him.
On the Special fund, back in 1992-93 when the State was in a similiair fiscal crisis they swept these funds for money under the repubs. Seems like a good source of revenue to me. These funds are just lobbiest victories redirecting money that should be in GRF. Instead of sweeping them they should just elminate all these unneeded special funds and put all the money into GRF.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:07 am
How many special interest funds are still available to this knife wielding idiot?? He has already put the state in huge jeopardy if there is a nuclear incident by raiding that emergency fund to $0 (ooops they call it reorganization). Are the 529 college funds safe from this idiot?
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:07 am
If the special funds are not needed lets sweep the funds and immediately abolish them. I won’t count on it.
Comment by Hickory Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:23 am
At this point I figure someone might/should litigate some of the fund sweeps this time around.
I think he will end up making the cuts and then look to have someone else ‘Wear the jacket’.
Look for his cuts to hit the flood areas really hard, maximum negative press for Madigan.
Comment by OneManBlog Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:35 am
Speaking as a low level employee of a not-for-profit organization serving disabled adults, I’m worried about the implications of the budget impasse and the impending cuts. It’s not just state employees who have to worry, but also the many worthy organizations/contractors dependent upon state funding for survival.
Comment by Captain America Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:35 am
Astroturfing???????Artificial grass roots? Explain!
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:48 am
I like astroturfing. Etymology, please.
I have a flash for the governor and his marketing folks: It’s summer. No one, and I mean no one, is paying any attention to state government, unless it’s some scandal.
If you wanted to rally public support for your budget position and capital bill the time for that would have been after the Super Bowl and before schools got out. Oddly enough, the GA would have been in session during that time as well.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:23 pm
No chance the ‘protest’ was already in the works when Blago called the ‘media availability’ is there?
Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:56 pm
LOL. Ohhh, nooooo. Never. Don’t be so cyyynicalll.
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:05 pm
lol
Comment by Kevin Fanning Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:10 pm
From Wikipedia:
“Astroturfing in American English is a neologism for formal public relations campaigns in politics and advertising which seek to create the impression of being spontaneous, grassroots behavior, hence the reference to the artificial grass AstroTurf.
The goal of such a campaign is to disguise the efforts of a political or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some political entity—a politician, political group, product, service or event.” The term is said to have been coined by Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:11 pm
I am a healthcare provider. Would someone explain to me why the Gov plans on cutting medicaid payments, which are already over 100 days late, but wants to have 1000 more families to sign up for All Kids. Who is going to see them? Providers are already taking a hit with reduced fees, and now they are not even getting that payment.
Comment by Cookie Monster Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:11 pm
I was at one of the ridiculous meetings for state grantees today. I’d gotten several calls from my contact at the state agency (Public Health in my case) making sure I would attend. Then they tried to put 40 of us into a video conference room that could maybe hold 20 if lots of people squeezed in along the walls. Anne Marie Murphy and Barry Maram basically read us their talking points (”This is like writing a check when you have no money in your account. This is irresponsible”) and told us to go set up meetings with our reps. It was remarkably childish and certainly not a good approach with the pretty sophisticated bunch of non-profit directors they had in their captive audience.
Comment by Yooperann Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:22 pm
OneMan, they litigated the fund sweeps in 1993 when the republicans did it. The challangers lost.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:38 pm
Cookie monster (Om nom nom)- That way, the gov/legislators can say we did what we couldb, but the evil doctors/health care providers don’t care!
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:40 pm
If the fed transportation money runs out in October as Cong Kirk is claiming–a fall special session on transportation–say sometime in October–still in time to restore the cuts that the House refused to address in July would make life very difficult for state reps running for office. Likely kill off any chance for the Speaker to increase his majority–plus any impeachemnt movement in the fall would be seen as way too political–might even backfire.
Comment by Fall Colors Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:50 pm
===Likely kill off any chance for the Speaker to increase his majority===
While I agree that a capital plan is important, I just don’t think that this capital plan will be the number one political issue come October.
There are reports that the federal road fund could go broke by October, but I still haven’t confirmed how that would impact Illinois one way (plan in place) or the other (no plan in place). It could be that no matter what happens, no funds will be available for anybody.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:56 pm
Geeze Rich, do you ever think anything is Madigan’s fault? Who in world wants to pass a budget in the red?
Comment by reasonable 1 Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:13 pm
Fall Colors, you probably have a better chance of winning a mega millions jackpot then getting the people of illinois to be upset by impeachment proceedings in the fall.
The majority of people will be more bothered if it does not happen, not if it does. I doubt the feds indict during his current term; people want the gov impeached/removed, the onyl comment to arise from voters will be a collective sigh and a big about time.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:34 pm
I was told by a Fed that Congress is working to borrow some Highway Trust Fund money, about $8 billion, to meet all this year’s SAFETEA-LU commitments.
Besides, if Illinois is so behind in using the Federal matching money (as claimed by the IL Works proponents), there should be a several $billion federal surplus there, instead of an empty money jar.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:46 pm
Don’t forget that the governor was out bribing people to sign up for AllKids with $50 gas cards–what was he thinking; and he’s still out fundraising. I’m assuming that he wants to threaten to cut critical prgrams so that he can point at the Speaker as the evil one, but I can’t believe he’s got the guts to actually go through with those cuts (not that he has a lot of choice at this point).
Comment by ChampaignDweller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:55 pm
-Geeze Rich, do you ever think anything is Madigan’s fault? Who in world wants to pass a budget in the red?-
r#1,
Even with his revenue enhancers, Emil’s budget was in the red, too. Also, he knew the House wouldn’t pass them the way they were presented with no way to amend most of them. It is not only Madigan, but Emil as well. And the Oscar for “Lack of Leadership” goes to the Governor.
And for good measure, the House GOP is playing an extreme game of chicken, until they are asked a straight question and then they just say, “We need to sit down and talk.” What a cop out.
It’s more than just the Speaker.
Comment by Crystal Clear Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 4:10 pm
Who in world wants to pass a budget in the red?
The answer is verrry simple Mr/Ms Reasonable; anyone who did not want to spend another summer in SPI listening to Statewide Tom and Vandalia Frank talk about how they are open to compromise, meet, blah blah blah blah.
That would be just about everyone.
P.S. Most people Rev. Turner was lined up for the “protest” then Blagoof picked his presser time.
Comment by DumberThanUThink Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 4:17 pm
“reasonable,” where, specifically, did I say that Madigan was blameless?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 4:26 pm
Oh, wait. I think I know what you’re saying. “Why is it always Rod’s fault?”
1) He’s the governor
2) The governor always wears the jacket
Don’t run for governor (or president) if you’re not prepared to accept this.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 4:35 pm
Blagojevich can start with cutting all the high-priced beef he’s given plum jobs to the past 5+ years.
Comment by Carlos Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 6:27 pm
classy protest…
Comment by scoot Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 7:16 pm
The governor’s PR people are an incredibly blunt instrument, it is so easy to see thru every event and press release as staged and slanted. Is it any wonder that nobody pays much attention to Rod anymore? Well, take that back: you can still BUY people’s attention with well-placed grants, thanks to Rod.
Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 7:33 pm
I fear Blago is going to try Cheesehead Governor Doyle’s version of “new math”:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=751861
Comment by what's a decimal here or there Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:04 pm