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Pic of the week

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Illinois

Everyone was talking about this photo yesterday.

UPDATE: You still haven’t got it. Look closer.

posted by Rich Miller
Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 11:33 am

Comments

What were people saying about it?

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 11:56 am
They are way more important than the Gov or even Rod’s press conference.

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 12:24 pm
Shouldn’t the puppeteers be paying more attention when the puppet is performing?

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 1:52 pm
Great Picture.

Seeing our Governor hard at work solving the problems of our great State without taking more tax money from the hard working people of our state is a good thing.

Keep up the good work Governor Blagojevich, Bradley and John.

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 3:10 pm
When I saw that picture I asked myself Did Elvis sing the song that has the words “Sham-a-lama ding, dong” in it? Because Sham-a-lama is at the podium backed up by Ding and Dong.

BTW: For all of the taxpayer money he’s getting paid, Can’t Tusk at least pretend to be an adult and buy a tie?

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 4:33 pm
“Seeing our Governor hard at work solving the problems of our great State”

haha That was funny. Good one.
I wonder how much time he spends on pretend violence in video games compared to time spent dealing with real-life violence happening every day in Illinois.

Comment by DownLeft Saturday, Apr 2, 05 @ 5:38 pm
Once again, the Tribune ignores to news to get a picture leaving the impression that the mechanics are ignoring Blagoof deliver one of the most important policy addresses of our time! If you read their lips it is clear they are saying “Aren’t we just the bfg’s on the face of the planet. We got the monkey with the cup and we don’t need to work up a sweat crankin’ the grinder.

Comment by reddbyrd Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 8:30 am
What’s worse than Bradley Tusk looking un-professional? The fact that the “boy-wonder” calls Governor Blagojevich, Rod in public. Somebody from Illinois ought to take Tusk behind the woodshed and teach him some manners.

Who does this jerk think he is?

Comment by theheadusher Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 11:57 am
How do you know when things are not going good for the Republicans?

They call Elelected Government Officals childish names, criticize people for not wearing a tie, and wanting to keep violent video games out of the hands of our children, and doing what is best for their children by keeping them in their home enviroment.

This reminds me of when Lynn Martin ran against Paul Simon for U.S. Senate. The best bumper sticker the Rebublicans could come up with was “Keep the Cheif Dump Simon.” We all know what happened in that race.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 2:14 pm
The hate Rod gang should offer their plan to balance the budget. Their continual complaining about everything with no alternative shows their shallow thinking. What happens this year when the cigarette tax proposal, the canned software proposal and the pension plan proposal fail. Then what is your plan?

Comment by Tom Joad Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 3:46 pm
Tusk was a good press secretary for Schumer.

And at least if Tusk is from out of town he won’t keep his mouth shut when the corruption is uncovered.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 3:47 pm
Tusk was a good press secretary for Schumer.

And at least if Tusk is from out of town he won’t keep his mouth shut when the corruption is uncovered.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 3:48 pm
To Anonymous 2:14pm: A whole lot of TheRod criticisms are coming from Democrats, so don’t be so quick to pin it on Republicans. I know many Dems who think TheRod has been terrible for Democrats.

How can anyone offer an alternative to a Rod proposal? He’ll either find a way to turn it against them or steal the idea for himself. The worst thing about Rod is that he has no integrity — he can’t be trusted by either side of the aisle.

And if Tusk was so good for Schumer, Why isn’t he still in New York? I think a major fault of TheRod is he brought so many non-Illinoisans into his administration. There’s something to be said about working with folks with historical perspective, respect for the Midwest-way of doing things and - oh yeah - that integrity thing.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 7:02 pm
Filan to Tusk, “I can’t believe how much better he reads now, can you remember when you first met him, wow, he is even doing fine with the big words”

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 7:47 pm
I think Brad is dreamy !!!!!!!

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 9:24 pm
Tom Joad challenges the “Hate Rod” crowd to come up with our own budget proposals.

Keep in mind that the photo was taken at a press conference announcing a proposal to increase the number of card tables and slot machines and use the money to fund education.

For at least a dozen years, some of the “Hate Rod” crowd have been advocating a property tax-income tax swap. Jim Edgar supported the idea in 1995. Emil Jones supports the idea. Madigan worked to pass this proposal out of the House in past years.

The reason so many Democrats are part of the “Hate Rod” crowd is because he chooses gimmicks that work nicely as press releases over the hard choices that constitute good government. I, for one, would respect him a bit more if at least he was open enough to allow honest debate and discussion. Instead, he has shut himself off from the people who worked to elect him, and listens only to Filan and Tusk. Curiously enough, this photo shows exactly how much Filan and Tusk respect their “boss.”

By the way, the Rod apologists and propogandists on this board aren’t really helping their cause. Democrats don’t like Rod because he has a tin ear to our concerns. When you post something as inane as suggesting that the photo shows Rod hard at work not raising our taxes, you just underscore the fact that G-Rod and his Administration care more about spin than truth or substance.

It’s exactly the same thing that drives liberals over the edge about W Bush. But maybe the goal of G-Rod’s inner circle is to make him into another W.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 10:06 pm
“Tusk was a good press secretary for Schumer.”

Can the Deputy Governor get back to work and stop posting on this blog.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 11:16 pm
So, Gov. Edgar comes out in support of the tax-swap after spending the fall of 1994 beating up Comptroller for advocating the same exact thing! That beating taught an entire generation of Illinois politicians that the voters in this state would rather hear a pretty lie than the ugly truth.

This incumbent is simply the culmination of that thought.

Voters think that they are not being heard–they just don’t realize what the politicians are hearing.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 11:45 pm
this state has come a long way in the past two years… despite a SIGNIFICANT deficit. Cut some slack to Blago, Tusk and Filan. They’ve done a great job with what they’ve had to work with.

Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Apr 3, 05 @ 11:55 pm
to 4:33… how out of touch are you? Business as usual has left the state. Why do you think it take a tie to make things happen in this state? How old school republican are you?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 12:00 am
10:06 making ridiculous comments about tough choices and good government; I’m not sure what world you’re living in, but $9 billion worth of tough choices through the past two years sounds like pretty good government to me. Sure as heck better than $9 billion in new taxes that we would have had under repubs…

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 12:03 am
To Anonymous 10:06,

I am not an apologist or a propogandist but I am a Democrat who works for a living, I have just finished my 8th twelve hour night shift in a row.

I do not know any Democrats who hate our Governor, I was recently at an event where hundreds of Democrats and Republicans were there in support of Governor Blagovich.

Most of the people in our state work hard for a living and want to keep their money to spend on their families.

When Governor Blagojevich ran for Governor he said that he would not raise our income or sales taxes and he has kept his promise when other Governors before him did not.

When the election time rolls around I believe that the voters of Illinois will reward Governor Blagojevich for making the hard choices and not rasing our taxes.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 7:14 am
No new taxes???
Every fee is up
TOLLS are up
Fees for TRUCKERS are up
This causes LESS Trucking companies in Illinois and congested non toll roads
Not raising the income tax
causes referendums and raises of
local property taxes on education
all over the place
There is an incredible PENSION DEBT
The Republicans especially George Ryan were bad but so is Rod
WE NEED VALLAS TO COME BACK

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 7:15 am
Will Rod be told by his handlers to distance himself from HDO and Victor Reyes after the last DUI accident in Springfield with Acevedo?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 7:21 am
To 12:00 and 12:03, Wearing a tie doesn’t make you effective. Coming up with substantive and meaningful solutions to tough problems makes you effective — which is NOT what this Gov and his HACKS are doing. Tusk belongs on the “Spin City” series and not in our lives.

7:15 has it right: Business as usual HAS NOT left the state, It’s just dressed up in a slicker, Democratic package — which unfortunately gives hard working Dems a bad name.

I’d love to be able to say that the pie-in-the-sky Dem at 7:14 deserves TheRod and all that comes with him, except that the Guv affects the lives of us all.

I hope for all our sakes that the majority of the electorate wakes up next year and throws the bum out. And that’s from a card-carrying DEMOCRAT!!

And before you pillory me with my blasphemy, let me ask all of you a question: If TheRod makes these questionable decisions / superficial solutions / back-stabing maneuvers NOW, when he’s running for re-election, what’s could he possibly do after he gets re-elected?!? I don’t want to find out.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 8:26 am
Not one of the anonymous “Sunshine Democrats” or others critics have answered my question. What is their plan to balance the budget. The one attempt to respond, a property tax swap is not going to happen. Get over it. Rod ran specifically against an income tax increase. As far as Rod choosing gimics over “hard choices that constitute good government,” your idea of good government is an income tax increase and that’s it. Quit calling yourselves Democrats when all you can do is gripe about Rod with no alternative. That doesn’t make you a Democrat, it makes you a ticket splitter, which is neither a Dem or Repub.

Comment by Tom Joad Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 9:27 am
The only reason a property tax-income tax swap to fund education won’t happen is because the Governor would veto the bill. The swap passed the House under more difficult political circumstances (in 1997, I think); and it’s pretty clear that, with Jones’s support, the swap would clear the Senate.

If anyone should stop calling himself a Democrat it’s Blagojevich. His entire political repertoire consists of “I won’t raise taxes.” But then, he turns around and cooks the books; uses one-time schemes that are subsequently declared unlawful; and demonizes civil servants and other elected officials.

Worshipping at the altar of anti-tax politics and criticizing government services is a Republican philosophy. If the Reagan-voting Blagojevich wanted to be consistent (ha!), he’d switch parties.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 10:18 am
The House passed a much smaller tax swap when they thought Pate wouldn’t call the bill for a vote. That’s an easy vote. But Pate did call the bill in committee. Edgar wouldn’t walk the 200 feet from his office to Room 212 to speak for it. All six Repubs voted against it. There is no concensus on what the tax swap should be among Dems, unions or service groups. If a tax bill started rolling it would be a Xmas tree, including the CTA, pension increases, stalled member projects, new education projects and other pet issues. Also, no one can guarantee once a swap happens that real estate taxes won’t start going up again. So you simplistic answer is just another criticism of the Gov without thinking it thru.

Comment by Tom Joad Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 11:40 am
OK…Tom Joad…what is your plan to save our state?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 11:58 am
Don’t be a Tusk hater just because he doesn’t wear a tie. That’s a good cultural norm — we’re all better off if we can stop strangling ourselves everyday. Go open collar!

Comment by Dan Johnson-Weinberger Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 1:58 pm
Here are a few ideas to balance the budget:
1.) An internet sales tax; 2.) Pension reform to create a two tiered system for new employees and eliminate sweetheart school pension boosts the last few years of a contract; 3.) Use Rod’s casino plan but reduce the taxes. Use a cost per position for a casino to expand to offset the loss from lowering the tax; 4.) Bond out the tobacco settlement; 5.) Put a limit on corporate sales tax credits for collection of sales tax to the first $5 million in sales. These would bring in over $1 billion. Before one of the anonymous critics complains, come up with your own plan to balance the budget.

Comment by Tom Joad Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 2:29 pm
I think Brad is dreamy, too. He can do any wrong.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 2:59 pm
Perhaps they were busy conspiring to slap a $16.75 licensing fee on mushroom hunters? See the AP story below:

Ill. Mushroom Hunting Regulation a Hoax

Mon Apr 4, 9:07 AM ET Strange News - AP

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Mushroom hunters can breathe easier. Despite the rumors, the state of Illinois isn’t charging fees and regulating the hobby this spring.

The Natural Resources Department tried to assure hunters Wednesday they do not have to get a state license and pay a $16.75 fee to hunt mushrooms.

Department spokeswoman Gayle Simpson said the agency received dozens of calls last week complaining about the purported change. She said the department discovered someone had taken a press release from the Internet and used it to craft a fake announcement of the new license and fee.

The hoax urged hunters to visit vendors that sell hunting and fishing licenses to get a mushroom license and said the proceeds would benefit biological and archaeological research in Illinois, Simpson said.

She said the agency doesn’t know when the hoax was sent or by whom, but e-mails and faxes have spread it “like wildfire” through central and southern Illinois and the agency is investigating.

Comment by Tom DeLay's Mom Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 3:46 pm
Bradley Tusk’s ill manner reflects negatively on Illinois.

Carpet baggers are notoriously uncouth.

Tusk ought to grow-up. If nothing else, he should provide a better example for Governor Blagojevich to follow.

Tusk looks like he just fell out of bed!

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 5:59 pm
I looked at “the photo,” and all I saw was “the blind leading the blind!”

Tusk looks immature at best!

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 6:03 pm
Rod is doing good work for the IL Republican Party, Let’s all hope he keeps it up!

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 05 @ 9:12 pm
TO 8:26, YOU ARE CORRECT, “WEARING A TIE DOESN’T MAKE EFFECTIVE,” BUT AT LEAST IT MAKES YOU LOOK EFFECTIVE.

BEING INEFFECTIVE AND NOT WEARING A TIE, SIMPLY MAKES TUSK LOOK LIKE THE POMPUS ASS, HE APPEARS TO BE!

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 5, 05 @ 6:58 pm
Where’s Waldo?

Is Rod tinkling in the podium or something?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 5, 05 @ 11:04 pm
Tusk is pompous and does not keep his word.

But he is not stupid like Lon Monk.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 6, 05 @ 12:45 am
Or look at Bradley guys. If it’s possible, be a little more juvenile than you’re used to.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 6, 05 @ 11:02 am