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The blame game

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Illinois

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

As with any state legislative overtime session and possible government shutdown, “Job One” right now is making sure somebody else gets the blame.

Last week, Gov. Pat Quinn dramatically vetoed an appropriations bill and then held a press conference to lay full blame for the overtime deadlock at the General Assembly’s feet. The bill, he said, would create too many hardships for social service agencies, spark never-ending lawsuits, prevent his administration from hiring much-needed contractors, etc.

Quinn also blamed House Speaker Michael Madigan for the impasse over extending the budget by a month or so to help buy more time to cut a deal.

Unbeknownst to many, Madigan was still in Springfield during Quinn’s press conference, so it was quite a surprise when he announced his own presser shortly after Quinn finished talking to reporters.

Speaker Madigan’s goal was simple: Paint the governor as a flip-flopper, and blame those flip-flops on the inability to come to a satisfactory conclusion of the spring session. Clean and concise.

Madigan listed four significant Quinn flip-flops which, Madigan said, were making it difficult to do business.

Quinn’s broken pledge not to tie the fate of the desperately needed public works projects legislation to the state’s budget, was one flip-flop, Madigan rightly pointed out. The governor’s support of the state Senate’s tax hike and then his opposition the very next day was another. And then there was Quinn’s early demand that the “shovel ready” capital projects bill be passed immediately, even though he is currently refusing to implement the program. Last week, Quinn heaped praise on legislators for moving forward on a pension borrowing plan to free up $2 billion for the state’s budget and then lobbied Senators to kill the bill a few hours later.

“So, these are all flip-flops,” Madigan said. “They are not helpful to his credibility.”

Quinn has his reasons for flip-flopping, and most of them aren’t very good. But the governor is not totally to blame here.

Who is to blame? As always, it’s really everybody.

Quinn said last week he opposed the pension borrowing plan in the Senate to send a “message” that an adequate budget resolution must be found right away. But that pension proposal would’ve pumped over $2 billion into private social service agencies that Quinn said he’s so concerned about. The veto means that many agencies are now staring at bankruptcy.

Quinn is right that Madigan’s complete opposition to any temporary budget extension killed the idea. Madigan said that budget extensions tended to delay decisions which needed to be made - the very same reason Quinn gave for his flip-flop on the pension borrowing proposal. Basically, they’re talking past each other with the same talking points. Not helpful.

Quinn’s flip-flops came from locking himself into positions that he eventually realized had damaged his end-game of passing a tax increase. He also mistakenly believed that the legislative leaders would play nice. They don’t. So, he radically changed course and infuriated the leaders, who say they operate on “Your word is your bond” - especially when it suits their purposes.

There can be no doubt that Speaker Madigan and other legislative leaders repeatedly attempted to maneuver Quinn into a corner for their own advantage.

You can trust the leaders most of the time when they give you their word on where they are on a certain bill or idea - but you can never trust them before they reach that point. They’ll always be looking out for their own self interests, or the interests of their respective caucuses. Quinn was just too green and naive and made the fatal mistake of failing to include in his inner circle enough people who understood the ways of the Statehouse world - and refused to heed the warnings of the few people who do.

This blame game stuff may all seem pretty petty while the world appears to be collapsing around Springfield - and it is. But it’s all they know. And in a world where political positioning means everything, being successfully blamed can blow even a reasonable position out of the water.

Quinn’s press conference shows he is now savvy enough to understand that. He said he’s planning to use the next two weeks to build public support for his positions. One of those appearances, he said, would be at a soldier’s funeral. He may be learning this game too well.

Who do you think will “win” this blame game battle?

* Related and semi-related…

* Governer Quinn Addresses Flip-Flop Critics: “In the legislative process, there are compromises. I’m willing to make reasonable compromises for the common good.” Quinn says Madigan complained the previous governor was too stubborn.

* Gov. Quinn appeals to legislators on proposed tax increase

* Quinn continues work on budget

* How reform failed in Illinois - Quinn, legislative leaders and activists all played role in passing weak campaign finance bill

* Quinn fires head of hospital board: Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board Executive Secretary Jeffrey Mark was dismissed quietly Tuesday — the same day the General Assembly and Quinn signed off on a plan to kill the five-member board and replace it with a new nine-member panel. Mark had been under fire for being the top health-board staffer when one of its former members, Stuart Levine, used his influence to try to get kickbacks on projects the board was reviewing.

* Brown: “You don’t wanna be too direct,” Weinstein cautioned Levine at one point about seeking a possible kickback, advising that it would be better to arrange “a quid pro quo in another world.” A quid pro quo in another world. That’s the most elegant description I’ve ever heard of how political corruption usually operates at the highest levels in this city and state. Instead of taking a direct payoff, your smarter corrupt politician or business person takes it in trade on the other end –out of sight or at least harder to prove.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 4:57 am

Comments

{Who do you think will “win” this blame game battle?}

It is not a question of who will “win”, but rather who will lose the least. There will be no winners in this Machiavellian mayhem; only losers, and the body bags have already begun piling up and the stench is becoming overwhelming.

Comment by Quinn T, Sential Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:39 am
Is this like Christmas morning where you could not wait to get up and play with your new toys? (Thanks for the spell-check BTW, it will go a long way toward making the typographically challenged appear at least somewhat less ignorant)

I am struggling to decide however whether you have either had too much caffeine; or whether you will need to start free basing the stuff before breakfast is even served.

Either way seeing your postings here at this hour seems so uncharacteristic that I am hoping that they publish a public safety bulletin that would prohibit any restaurant from serving you soup at lunch time today. I am genuinely concerned that you could end up face down in the bowl and drown.

Comment by Quinn T, Sential Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:51 am
lol

Went to bed early, slept for a few hours, woke up and worked. Going back to bed now.

Back to the topic, please.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:59 am
This story {How reform failed in Illinois -} may some day soon be pointed back at as the beginning of the end for Quinn. Many of the idealists will discard the political pragmatist explanation as just another sell-out. Nobody could blame them for thinking so either.

Comment by Quinn T, Sential Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 6:06 am
Is Quinn’s difficulty a result of keeping holdovers from the late Blagojevich administration?

Comment by Levois Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 6:31 am
Levois - I believe a large part of Gov. Q’s problems are a result of Blago holdovers. Why should it take so long to get rid of the head of something as tainted as the Health Facilities Planning Board? The Blago appointments in my Dept. are a poison. They are a low hanging fruit that Quinn should have gotten rid of quickly. If he had it would have demonstrated to all that he was serious about changing the culture in state government.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 7:04 am
Anon @7:04 is me. Don’t know what happened.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 8:11 am
It seems pretty clear that one of the compromises Quinn is not going to make is to fire the Blago holdovers. DHS, DCFS, the Health Facilities Board, every agency really –nearly all the Dem hacks are still there…highly paid hacks too. Occasionally, very occasionally, he fires somebody high-profile, as a sop to the masses, but only with great reluctance. Last month it was Ms. Staggers at DCFS. This month it’s the Health Board director. The idea is that we citizens are supposed to believe that this is part of a great sweeping out of Democratic hacks and worse.

It isn’t. Quinn has kept the vast majority of Blago hacks and has no intention of firing them. When it comes to the porky Illinois state bureacracy Quinn is the union rep in the governor’s mansion. Pretend you are firing the bad apples, but keep everybody on board, add many more (his budget proposal adds hundreds of state employees), and raise everybody’s salaries (starting this past July 1, for most state employees). Shared sacrifice doesn’t apply to the Quinn bureaucracy. The sacrifice is all on social service contractual agencies (for the moment) and on middle class taxpayers, whose shrinking pocketbook Quinn has been nonstop relentless about raiding. Unions, corporate interests, state bureaucrats…no sacrifices at all.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 8:48 am
Rich, isn’t it time to start blaming Madigan directly. The guy has spent the last 20 years consolidating power, so that alone leaves primary responsibility to him. Also, he has major conflict of interest issues, as it is no secret that his daughter is seriously considering a run for governor against the governor (could it be that Madigan is taking action to help his daughter at the expense of Quinn and the state?)

I may be wrong, but this is worth considering, no?

Comment by phil Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:03 am
–He (Quinn) said he’s planning to use the next two weeks to build public support for his positions. One of those appearances, he said, would be at a soldier’s funeral. He may be learning this game too well.–

Another flip-flop is in order here. No politicking at soldiers’ funerals.

Winners and losers? No one comes out great. Ultimately, the biggest loser will be the House GOP. If there’s a tax increase, they’ll have to put votes on, which they could have done in May, with probably fewer votes. If there’s no tax increase and a Doomsday budget, they’ll get the blame for not putting any votes on.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:08 am
In reality the losers are the taxpayers and those who are losing services now. There will be no winners. Quinn could take a very simple stand and put the GA in the trick box. All he has to hammer on is that Governors have changed and the budget situation is the same.
The sad part of all of this is that this dilutes the public perception that Blago was the big problem with the budget issues. Main stream media has not helped this situation because they like to infer that the real issue in the budget mess is the greedy state employees and teachers. Only venues like Rich’s have explained in depth why we are where we are. The main stream media is not doing their part in real reporting on the budget issue. I am still seeing large market news stations making their obligatory reports on the budget situation. They have a reporter come on and make a big deal about the budget situation. Then they have a comment by a person on the pro tax side usually someone who would benefit by the tax increase. Then they have a comment from the opposition. Usually someone from the business groups who say ” There are more cuts to be made before we look at increasing taxes.” Then that is it. Viewer infer what they want. Neither side is questioned about where they would make the cuts or how the tax increase would help. The obligation is met and we go on to a Micheal Jackson story. There they get in depth.
I’ll bet Blago is rolling on the floor laughing at every news cycle pointing at the TV saying “I told you so.”
A quick question. If we had recall and it was decided to recall the Speaker, would this go before all the voters or just the voters of the district he represents?

Comment by Irish Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:28 am
This is an accurate assessment.

And, I wish the Chicago media, particularly the electronic media, had the depth of knowlegde that Rich Miller has in articulating the problems in springfield.

During the memorial day ceremony in chicago, the governor used veterans as the reason why the tax increase was so vital. it wasn’t perceived too well by many veterans, particuarly those who opposed being used as the reason for the tax increase. So, I would hope that the public would see the using of military funerals for a political purpose as most unseemly. Because is it. It also speaks to a certain desperation on quinn’s part. It suggests, to me, that he’ll exploit any and everyone (dead or alive) in an attempt to win an election. So where is the real care/concern for the fallen?

I don’t know what people in central, southern and western illinois think of gov. quinn based on his actions as governor, rather than lt. governor. My only hope is that they are paying attention. There is an effective case to be made against him reminaing governor. ( to be honest, there is no shortage of reasons).

had quinn been serious about getting the budget he wanted, rallying legislators to his side should have been have been done before May 31st, instead of late last week for the first time.

Strategically I think that Mike Madigan is in the better and stronger political position ultimately. And, the chicago media needs to stop playing the “whose to blame game” and just call it like it is.

Comment by Will County Woman Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:30 am
I see nothing new in Quinn’s attendance at military funerals…he has been doing that a long time…I do agree that he should not use them as an opportunity to politick…I fail to see any scenario by which Quinn could have gotten the legislature (especially the House) to sign on to a tax increase whilst Madigan was intent on making him look bad…if Pat changes his position, he is a flip flopper…maybe he is just more willing to compromise than are other legislative leaders…
I don’t see how any of this gridlock is attribtable to any single person….it is a perfect cluster* of years of lazy, entrenched leadership, a recession that won’t quit, and lack of political courage…

Comment by Anonymous45 Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:45 am
Who wins? He who never loses of course.

Michael Madigan.

Actually, I don’t know how much value Madigan places on winning. I think it is just get what I want and sell it like I’m losing.

Comment by Brennan Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 12:16 pm
Actually Madigan prefers placing common sense solutions in place to solve problems. Currently he is trying to maximize revenues to offset the Wall Street disaster and keep programs in tact.

The Trib’s confirmation that Madigan and Cullerton have nearly seven decades of services and no note of any wrong doing was a refreshing bit of honest reporting

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 12:26 pm
that’s easy, Lisa wins of course

Comment by kj Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 12:27 pm
kj is right. Lisa can just say the word and have any office in Illlinois she wants (except speaker, of course). Just look at the response to the Republican candidate question above. Which of those mopes have a chance against her? None. No matter what happens, Lisa wins, Quinn loses, and the Speaker goes on to fight and obstruct another day.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 12:56 pm
“Who do you think will “win” this blame game battle?”

Republicans in Springfield. Locked out. Marginalized. Kept on a jar on a shelf and not allowed any input.

Then suddenly, they became important when Democrats failed in a basic function of government, to prepare and pass a balanced budget.

The public is not buying the “it’s the Republicans’ fault too!” argument so far. How much longer are the Springfield Democrats going to try to ride that dead horse?

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 1:03 pm
If the Republicans (more than a few and including the leaders) vote for a tax increase, that will make it much harder for them to complain about Dem sponsored tax increases during next year’s campaigns. No doubt that is one reason why Madigan is so anxious to have at least a few of them on board, preferably including the leaders. If Lisa doesn’t run, the Republicans have a decent shot at the governor’s chair. On the other hand, if Lisa does run, he wants her to have plenty of government money to throw around when she takes office. So he really needs them to sign on.

The Repubs should be motivated to get some significant tradeoffs in exchange for their support for an increase, since such support could cost them so much in 2010. But are they tough enough to hold out against all the Quinn & Co. caterwauling. Not sure. That’s why I wouldn’t include Cross or Radogno in the potential Repub candiate group, however personally appealing each may be.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 2:19 pm
The loser in all of this are the people, including children, who need state supported services. If Governor Quinn had immediately vetoed the budget bill instead of waiting until the last minute, then possibly a compromise could have been reached.

Instead he played high stakes to get all of his income tax increase approved, he lost and lost big. Because of the pending budget shut down, many social service agencies are not taking on new clients. For example right now siting in hospitals are children who could be home, but since the agencies will not fund new home services we get children who could be home stuck in hospitals. This goes on and on with various programs.

Quinn is acting as if he has all the time in the world be get a budget together, he does not. It is very likely that his veto will be over ridden. Really this is a mess.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 2:39 pm
Bill,

Your memory banks seem to be failing you.

Quinn had no opportunity to veto earlier, as, even though appropriation bills were passed at the end of May, they were not sent to him until the end of June.

Also, Quinn has attempted many compromises including backing off of such as the two-tier pension plan, greater employee pension and health contributions, increased exemptions, and corporate increase at same rate as individual.

He was just not willing to compromise down to the level of 50% for social services.

A valid criticism would be if you think he should have taken 50% rather than zero.

Comment by Balance Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 2:58 pm
The people of Illinois are the losers. We must share our pain at the ballot box next year by sending the Lite Guv to a well-earned retirement.

As long as Filan is drawing a check, fumigating Jeff Mark is not impressive, Pat.

And about the $1 billion in cuts-how could it make sense to you to cut millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs everywhere from DCFS to the State Police, yet leave CMS untouched-no cuts, no layoffs?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:07 pm
Backing off of the two tier pension plan and greater employee and health contributions benefits
benefits government employees and their unions.

Backing off of the corporate increase benefits corporations.

Backing off of the increased exemptions benefits
government coffers but not taxpayers, especially lower and middle class taxpayers on whose behalf Quinn seems unwilliing to compromise. In fact, if his tax increase goes through as proposed, it is this average income group that will bear its greatest burden. The social service contract agencies will be fully funded.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:10 pm
Saying that Lisa is a lock for any office reminds me of Cub fans who said that their team was a lock for the Division! Her dad will be a millstone around her neck in 2010.

Comment by Legaleagle Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:36 pm
AA: Just to set the record straight, CMS will experience lay offs and a $10 million budget cut according to the Daily Herald…everyone take a deep breath…Legaleagle: a very heavy millstone…

Comment by Anonymous45 Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:42 pm
Amen AA

I disagree that Lisa has a lock on any office she wants. I think MJM is hurting his image by not leading. The budget mess has put him in the position of having to make a decision. The decision of either being an astute politician and doing what is necessary to protect his members and ensuring his party retains their strength, or being a leader and doing what is necessary to fix the budget mess. He is going to opt to do both but wait until November to do so, no matter who that hurts now. That will tarnish his image and I think some of that rubs off on Lisa. I also agree with Rich in that she is hurting herself by not taking a stand on the most important issue facing the State at this time. She can’t take the position that her office does not deal with the budget so she is staying out of it. She was vocal when Blago’s budget affected her office so she doesn’t get a walk on it now. So she will play the same game and the Madigan name could come to mean those who wait to protect their interets instead of those who act for the public good.

Comment by Irish Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:43 pm
sorry ….their interests…

Comment by Irish Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:45 pm
I think many legislators believe they can escape serious blame at home for what’s happening. I believe they are wrong.

This isn’t a prison closing in some other part of the state, or some state employees being laid off somewhere. This is your local mental health center, domestic violence shelter, the day programs for developmentally disabled that your neighbor’s son goes to, subsidized child care for working poor people right there in your own home town, the community care workers who keep your elderly mom from having to go into a nursing home. I think there is going to be Hell to pay, and there should be.

I think ordinary people aren’t going to be the least bit interested in the blame game. I believe their thinking will be more along the lines of “we send you to Springfield, we don’t ask much of you, we re-elect you whenever you run, we don’t bug you about your salary going up,and you are letting this crap happen right here.” I think there’s going to be more heat than most members can take.

Comment by steve schnorf Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 4:00 pm
I certainly hope so — they richly deserve it.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 4:28 pm
The above “Bill” is an imposter. I am the one and only Bill. Get a new name.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:22 pm
Are you sure Bill?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:28 pm
lol
2:39 is a phony although he does make some good points with no spelling or grammar errors.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:32 pm
My Question Is

Where are all the Good Voters
Who Voted Gov. Rod into office Twice ????

Are They standing behind him or what ????

Where are all the Reps etc.

Including JAY HOFFMAN

Who got people JOBS and Wasted Taxpayers
Monies

Robbed money from YOU

and spent Foolish

Are They Hiding and ashamed for their ACTIONS

Remember this VOTERS !!!!!

You were taking advantage of for Sure !!!!

Comment by grategul Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 7:39 pm
Quinn bills himself as a protector of human services, friend of the poor — and yet strengthens his political position by offering them up on the chopping block.

How screwed up is that?

He refuses to reassure the nonprofits who contract with the state to provide services that they will be paid if they continue to provide services after July 1st. Regardless of his inability to veto — why not negotiate in good faith? Same goes for Mr. Madigan.

People who need services, medicines, treatment aren’t getting them.

I wish these two men at the top of the power pyramid could try and walk a mile in the shoes of some of the people we’ve discharged from services. They wouldn’t last a day.

Comment by SouthernGirl Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 9:04 pm
Sorry, SouthernGirl, I fail to see how Quinn has strengthened his political position by hosing social service providers and clients.

I was willing to give him a chance, but not after he pulled this crappy stunt out of the Blago playbook. Not only is it bad politics, it’s not even original!!

Hoping Quinn will face opposition in the Dem primary…doubting it will come to pass, unless Obama admin can be convinced to throw him a fat ambassadorship or cabinet-level post. (and wouldn’t it be delightful to be a fly on Blago’s wall if such came to pass?? How many arteries would Milorad blow if such irony came to pass??)

Comment by Lynn S Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:35 pm
Who do you think will “win” this blame game battle?

The GOP.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jul 7, 09 @ 8:17 am
LOL
That’s pretty funny, Vannie.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Jul 7, 09 @ 9:13 am