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So, I finally got home from Detroit and discovered that the electricity was out. Big storms last night, eh?
Let’s see, what else is going on? Some guy named Ahnold is providing $150 million in California state loans for stem cell research, while Gov. Rod Blagojevich, never one to miss out on an opportunity, diverts $5 million in state funds for the research, bypassing the General Assembly again.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich today again used his executive power to spend millions of state dollars on stem-cell research despite repeated objections from state legislators.The governor announced he’s directing $5 million to the research from within the current state budget. The money will come from a spending line used for administrative expenses within the state Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Blagojevich said. […]
State lawmakers have voted down stem-cell funding before over ideological differences and this spring did not take up the governor’s proposal for $100 million in funding over five years. Blagojevich says he won’t let a lack of legislative support stop him.
UPDATE: Apparently, nobody cares about this minor technicality.
The legislative, executive and judicial branches are separate. No branch shall exercise powers properly belonging to another. […]The legislative power is vested in a General Assembly consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives,
elected by the electors from 59 Legislative Districts and 118 Representative Districts. […]The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the State.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:29 pm
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Wasn’t there a backhanded attempt by the Republican legistlatures to do away with these executive expenditures. Did it go anywhere? Who introduced it?
Comment by SouthernILRepub Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:38 pm
“Blagojevich said he won’t let Democracy stop him.”
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:46 pm
Isn’t funny how the Governor can come up with money for his projects, when the State is broke. Politicians can always find money to fund their pet projects. How about paying off some of our current bills, instead of finding additional ways to spend money.
Comment by WirelessIL Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:49 pm
Just showing off his testicular fortitude - Arnold gives $150 and Blagojevich gives $5… can’t make this stuff up.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:50 pm
I’m sure the nursing homes, pharmacies and hospitals are really impressed as they are only 100 days behind on their bills (probably more by now).
Comment by Marvelous Wonderful Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:51 pm
I think all the Governor’s are having a race to see who bankrupts their state first. Wish I could spend money I don’t have.
Comment by WirelessIL Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 3:56 pm
Isn’t stem cell research a prime opportunity for venture capitalism?
Comment by Wumpus Extremus Maximus Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:02 pm
Welcome to the “Peoples Republic of Blagojevich”. RULES, LAWS MAN??? WE DONEO’ NEED NO STINKING RULES or LAWS MY FRIND!! How about a payraise Bladgo & maybe pay some bills on time !!
Comment by annon. in central Illinois Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:03 pm
Isn’t there a provision in that minor technicality that you listed which provides for Impeachment for say, Abuse of Power?
Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:03 pm
Will some hot shot with a deep pocket please come forward and take this guy to court? The Average Joe cannot do it and we are anxiously awaiting someone WITH testicular virility (and I won’t limit that to just men) to stand up to this punk of a goverNOT.
Comment by Little Egypt Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:08 pm
We cannot continue to let this administration break the laws. I am all for stem cell research, but not when it is illegally funded.
Comment by Anon. Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:12 pm
It is a tendency that exists in many liberal Democrats — “Rulemaker, Rulebreaker.”
They very much want the power to set the rules for all of us to live by, in order to Make the World Better for Humanity. But they don’t have to live by any rules themselves, since they are “doing good.” They are geniuses promoting Truth and Justice everywhere, so they are empowered to be above little things like rules, or laws, so long as their cause is a noble one.
Of course, they get to decide what is “noble” and what is not, so it is a rigged game from the start. It is the height of conceit.
Come to think of it, “the height of conceit” describes the Blagojevich Administration rather well.
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:46 pm
Bubs, I don’t think that applies only to Democrats, liberal or otherwise. Look around, for crying out loud.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:48 pm
I would like to see legislators responsible for paying off the debt they incur while in office.
I have seen some reckless spending and certainly much pork, but I can’t remember anyone as extreme as this guy. His spending is really going to haunt the state for years. What a disaster if he wins again.
Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Representative 11th District
Comment by Ashur Odishoo Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 4:59 pm
I know these are silly points, but….
1) Where the heck is Madigan (lisa type)?
2) Where the heck is Fitgerald (prosecuter type)?
3) Where the heck is a BGA injunction?
After all, it IS OUR money, taxpayers !
Comment by jolly bob says Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 5:19 pm
I am suprised anybody is even discussing it. Aren’t we used to it by now…? Just another abuse of power to promote himself by Governor Comradevich.
Sorry Rich, but I agree with Bubs (but I will not generalize democrats in to this category because not all are liberal). Look at formerly communist Russia. The general principal is to take away everybody’s property and redistribute it, of course, “for the people.” But wait… the 1/2% of the people, the ones in power, can benefit from stealing other people’s money and live lavishly or do whatever they please with the money. And if you have noticed Comradevich lately, he is very good at promoting these things “for the people.” Yet, like the Soviets, he is far more concerned about keeping his power than promoting his philosophy. Honestly, the face of modern-day liberalism is the face of plain, old-fashioned communism….
Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 5:36 pm
Bubs -
Miller’s got you on this one. Denny Hassert’s land deal, Tom DeLay’s corrupt use of funds, George Bush’s wiretappings; there’s no shortage of Republicans who believe they’re above the law.
Once again, you’ve taken a perfectly good Blagojevich issue and turned it into a partisan issue. Even Topinka is smarter than you. She understands that in a state where 44% of voters call themselves Democrats, attacking Rod Blagojevich as a “Democrat” just rallies the troops.
If Senator Brady hasn’t issued his letter and press release asking for an opinion from the Attorney General on whether Rod Blagojevich has overstepped his authority, he will be shortly.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 5:41 pm
Doesn’t seem to be any legal issue. The money was appropriated. No one brings up the Constitution when a pad of paper is purchased from a general office supply account.
Bush went against Congress (representing the people) yesterday too on this exact same issue - just from the opposite direction.
It’s still definitely a fair political issue to be used for or against Blago or Bush. Blago had the ability to do what he did. Should he have? Is it good policy? That’s a different question.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 5:45 pm
Lovie’s Leather -
Again, who benefitted from George Bush’s “Middle Class tax cuts”? Largely, the richest 1% of America. Take off your partisan blinders for a minute and think about what you are saying.
Blagojevich is no liberal, he’s a political sailboat, tacking whichever way the polls and the political winds blow.
Remember how he loved Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was so popular, and Blagojevich imagined he’d be campaigning for president in California someday? Well, Arnold’s not so popular anymore.
If Blagojevich read a poll tomorrow that said that 80% of swing voters are dog people, he’d have his own daughter’s kitten put to sleep and buy her a pug. From a campaign contributor. With taxpayer dollars.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 5:53 pm
Anon 5:45–
I’ll wait until the AG weighs in, but to me there’s a big difference between buying a pad of paper from the office supply account (ain’t that what it’s for?), and shifting $5 million from the administration line-item to provide grants for outside agencies.
Again, I’m for stem cell research, but I also believe that the legislature is a co-equal branch of government. And as Rich points out, the General Assembly is vested with the sole authority to appropriate funds. Blagojevich doesn’t get to spend the $53 billion any old way he sees fit, no matter how noble the cause.
If we allow Blagojevich to do that, what prevents the next Governor from diverting $5 million to fund abstinence training?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:01 pm
P.S. Anon 5:45 — Bush vetoed Congressional action. Blagojevich could have vetoed the budget too if he felt so strongly that funding for stem cell research should have been included. Instead, Blagojevich decided to sneak around behind the backs of 177 elected lawmakers. Comparing the actions of the two is inaccurate.
Dang it — now you’ve got me saying comparitively nice things about Bush!
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:05 pm
While I’m at it, here’s another WTF:
You mean to tell me there’s $5 million just laying around in the administrative budget for Medicaid?
WTF?!?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:22 pm
YDD, gosh… I know, taking all private property from everyone so a leader of a country can have it is so much like a leader of a country giving money back to the people who earned it. And somehow, my family was effected by these “tax-cuts for the rich.” Hmm… yeah, central Illinois farmers really must be the richest 1%. hmm… let’s see here… Bush’s tax proposal ah yes, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/reports/taxplan.html
hmm… Replacing the current tax rates of 15, 28, 31, 36, and 39.6 percent with a simplified rate structure of 10, 15, 25, and 33 percent. Yeah, the lowest tax bracket going from 15 to 10. a reduction of 33%. Hmm… Highest going from 39.6 to 33, a reduction of only 17%. So Bush’s proposal would be to give a greater overall tax-cut to the poor… hmm… interesting indeed… I understand now, the government letting me keep some of my money is like the government taking it all… oy.
Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:29 pm
I think the last poll show the Gov up 16 points, might give us four more years to fire the overpaid carryovers who we havent got around to yet. But you all would rather be down 16 points and have an attractive well discipline candidate who comes across as broomhilda at the end of a bar. Folks she turns peoples stomachs open you eyes
Comment by ya ho Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:36 pm
Lovie -
He’s not giving back anything. He’s taking money from my kids through excessive borrowing to pay for the tax breaks for Bill Gates.
I mean, I like Bill Gates and all, but does he really need a tax break at my kid’s expense? What about Sam Walton’s heirs, you know, the rich SOB’s who inherited the WalMart chain, who had a bunker built on their gated complex, comprise half the list of the Ten Richest Americans, and as we speak are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chicago alone to supress wages and benefits for their workers and protect their right to import cheap Chinese crap into America and export American manufacturing jobs? Should my kids really be in debt so they can continue their lifestyles of the rich and famous? They didn’t “earn” that money — they inherited it from their daddy!!
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:50 pm
Couple things.
Blagojevich is an utter ass: he saw a chance to make campaign publicity off of the president’s veto and Arnold’s efforts by this grandstand ploy that hurts everyday common citizens of the state who will now lose services this agency was pledged to provide. And he tries to assert that the end of perfecting stem cells in a hurry justifies the means of killing the most helpless, innocent people.
Like the rest of us, those embryos are just something he can use and toss aside when he’s done. I’m furious enough to take a swing at the bastitch this minute. Better drop the hairbrush and stop me, trooper.
One, don’t tell me you’re pulling five MILLION dollars from administrative funds for the agency and that’s not going to have ANY affect on how the Department does its jobs of protecting and supporting the health of the public. Five million is not the kind of hit the office can make up by raising the price on the honor coffee station in the break room! At the same time the budget is busted way past the limit, and too many new and shakey programs are being fielded, we got money for a grandstanding ploy like this!?!?!
Two, it does seem like an illegal re-allocation of appropriations. Grounds for censure at least. He is the executive, not the maker of the law.
Next, I read the Blago press release and it is full of lies and distortions. Here I am, a lifelong dem, and I have to agree with the president: for maybe the first time in his life he did something right. Blago’s people distorted the hell out of the President’s veto: he vetoed federal funding of ***embryonic*** stem cell research, but not ***ALL*** stem cell research. Indeed, he had people at his press event that have already benefitted from adult stem cell research that *doesn’t* require creating a human life just to scavenge it for spare parts. And he had children at the event born from those “leftover, unwanted, useless” invitro fertilized eggs. I don’t think a one of you can look into the face of one of those children and say: “I wish you’d been aborted and harvested for stem cells instead of allowed to normally grow and develop into a person”.
The fact is stem cell research is nowhere NEAR ready for you to go get yourself a new spinal cord, brain tissue, liver or heart muscle next week. There are years and years of waiting ahead while this new technology is being explored and perfected. Approaching the issue carefully is not going to cause any sick person to die faster, and there is no instant cure being withheld as of now.
Embryonics are just one facet of this research, and may prove to not be the best or only avenue, as the living breathing people at Bush’s press conference prove. Artificially tilting too much funding towards Embryonics at this early stage may actually make everything happen SLOWER, by taking resources away from other promising directions. Tampering with the progress of research for election points is bad policy.
And here we are at the crux of the matter, for me anyhow: This research and this governor is making a value judgement that one human life is not as worthy as another’s. The fertilized egg, left alone, grows into a human being, not a cat, or a frog or anything but a human. Just like those two gilrs of his he never hesitates to push in front of the cameras. If I kill an infirm, bedridden and helpless 90-year-old human: I go to jail, maybe even get executed by the state. Same at 20 years old. Same at ten years old. Same at one year old. Same at six months old. Indeed, as soon as that baby clears his mom’s groin, I can go to jail for killing him. And on backwards, quite a ways. Here’s the truth at the core: We are arguing about how young the human can be for it to be without legal consequences for killing it, and how we can say that we can do this because we are big and capable and it is small and weak and can’t fight back.
This is no different than people taking organs from other still-living people against their will. “Hey, I think my life is more valuable than yours, and you’re weak, so let’s have your kidneys, right now!” This is no different from taking human beings and making them property to work and die as slaves because somehow our skin color made us superior to them.
Some animals eat their young and the young of others, in the interest of their own survival. We must be more advanced than animals, right?
I am not against scientific progress. Quite the reverse. But we can pursue knowledge without throwing away our humanity, or actual humans. If we lose sight of this, we have stopped being humans and do not deserve to survive.
Comment by Gregor Samsa Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:51 pm
I couldn’t help but notice the daily email letter from the State said that Gov. Blagojevich renewed his efforts to start a ban on “assault weapons.” I love the oversights that our crack gubnatorial staff makes.
03/18/06 - Governor Blagojevich and Mayor Daley lead march against violence;
renew call to ban assault weapons in the wake of recent deadly shootings
CHICAGO – Continuing the effort to protect Illinoisans from gun violence,
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and the Chicago
Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) led a march against violence through the
Englewood neighborhood today and renewed their call for members of the Illinois
General Assembly to pass a statewide Assault Weapons Ban. Today’s march follows
the tragic murders of two Englewood youths, Starkesia Reed age 14, and Siretha
White age 10. Early reports indicate that both children were killed by assault
weapons that would be illegal to buy, own, or sell in Illinois under the proposed
ban.
That ran in today’s email….
Comment by SouthernILRepub Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 6:51 pm
New bumper sticker I saw today: Blagojevich 2006 Quinn 2007
Comment by Political Hack Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 7:55 pm
I agree that stem cell research is in its infancy and therefore not a government funding emergency.
So why is Blago providing funds for this controversial initiative now, less than four months before people will be voting on his rel-election bid. Much better to put it off until after he gets re-elected.
Maybe he figures the anti-stem cell research group will stay home, finding JBT equally
offensive as a candidate. Or maybe he thinks this will bring even more Democratic voters to the polls. Or maybe he figures he has already won the election and is already in post-election mode, with lottery sale, funding of stem cell research, and so on.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 8:07 pm
I trust the Senate Republicans to scrutinize the legality of using an HFS administrative appropriation for stem cell research. Remember, though, the Comptroller has final say regarding appropriation expenditures, so the Governor’s likely to get a favorable ruling from Dan Hynes.
On the bright side, it looks like we might be able to eliminate 59 Senate and 118 House positions and the associated staffs for each. More than enough to offset the $5 million in research money.
Comment by Check the numbers Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 8:15 pm
YDD, you obviously don’t understand a thing called reciprocation. If Bill Gates has more money to spend on building a house, taxes are paid on that material and labor. When he invests that money into the stock market and makes money, the government gets capital gains taxes. Giving a tax break to people who don’t need it helps the economy. Therefor, tax revenues may actually increase if the economy takes off. And when you talk about cheap crap from China, you are talking about free-trade, not taxes. I don’t know how good free-trade is. It certainly provides for more economic freedom. But it takes good union jobs from America to Mexico, Canada, Chica, etc. Don’t confuse taxes with trade. Two totally different subjects.
P.S. If Bill Gates has more money… there is more money going into his private cherity… which helps fund school districts to buy technology… Are your kids really losing out? And I agree with you about borrowing. He is the most fiscally liberal president since Lyndon Johnson. But, being a yellow dog democrat, you probably love Johnson… so… your name and what you believe kind of contradict, don’t you think?
Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 8:16 pm
Maybe consider a name change… Blue Dog Democrat.
Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 8:18 pm
Maybe if Rod had done better in law school, he might understand the constitution. Didn’t JBT block a smilar effort before? It’s nice to see his priorities are right. Professional Regulation has one investigator for all professionals under the detective and collection agency acts, fewer medical coordinators and medical investigators than the Medical Practice Act requires, currently four attorneys (a fitth is on medical) to prosecute approximatley 40, 000 docs, and no attorney assigned to the design professions (architect, engineers). I could go on with much more, but I won’t. Even though professional reg gets no GR funds and our licensing fee funds have been raided, we have been told there is no money to hire more investigators and attorneys. There does seem to be enough to keep adding senior staff at the administrative level. Maybe when the docs main people and builings collapse on the citizens of this wonderful state, something from the stem cell research can save them.
Comment by fed up dem Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 8:51 pm
That should have been mame people. It’s hard to think straight when you’re too over worked!!!!!
Comment by fed up dem Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 8:56 pm
Lovie’s Leather,
Just to point out, I think you skirted one of YDD’s points. If the federal government yearly borrows hundreds of billions of dollars now to make up for the revenue lost through Bush’s tax cuts (the federal debt has increased close to two trillion since Bush took office), then the poorest Americans aren’t benefiting from Bush tax cuts in the long run - no one is. All we’re doing is shifting bigger tax hikes into the future and shafting our kids. And that’s not a indictment just of Bush, obviously, but the simple fact is we can’t afford these tax cuts if we give a damn about the country we are leaving to the next generation.
If you think that the Bush tax cuts, in the long run, may pay for themselves in terms of increased economic growth, I just think you have drunk the supply-side Kool-Aid. Sorry. If you look closely at the Bush administration’s own economic figures, even they don’t actually show that the tax cuts will generate anything like the increased economic growth to cover the loss in revenue.
And, yes, I’m not a huge Blago fan either …
Comment by ZC Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 9:19 pm
What is it with this guy ??? He & his cronies are OUT OF CONTROL !!!! Why aren’t more outraged at this continual disregard for, what’s it called …Oh ya …the Illinois Constitution. Are the Dem’s just trying to screw the state for all they can , fund their pet & liberal projects before they’re kicked out in November ??? Probably figure it will be …OH?? …I don’t know …maybe another 30 years till they get back in gov’s mansion {wait this one isn’t in the gov’s mansion} so they better grab the cash & leave the serious financial mess to the next one. Stop it Roddy, wise up, fund the pension system & maybe pay some bills on time. The public will thank you for it & acting responsible might help the cause not just the sound bite or a news story.
Comment by annon. in the stykes Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 9:25 pm
Lovie - You can call it “reciprocation,” but Trickle Down Economics is still Trickle Down Economics. Reaganomics was a bad idea 25 years ago, and it’s a bad idea today. Bill Gates figured that out, and that’s why he opposed the Bush tax cuts.
Aside from the fact that you can’t separate economic policy, tax policy and trade policy, it’s not “free” trade if we’re shipping jobs overseas and their shipping crap back.
And your right, I might have to change my name; if Blagojevich keeps this up, I won’t be voting for a Democrat for Governor for the first time.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 9:31 pm
Does anyone remember five years ago when Bush said the deficit would be cut in half in 5 years, as a result of his tax cuts?
Comment by highxlr8r Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 9:40 pm
YDD,
If Blagojevich keeps it up? Man, where’s your tolerance threshold?
Comment by Check the numbers Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 9:45 pm
I hope all who supported JBT are happy at this point !? She goofed around, ran late & then won on a name after “convincing” , brow beating co chairman to support or rather old line GOP in the “Infinite wisdom” decided she’s the only one who can win !!
Well that’s all great & wonderful !! ‘cepting where’s she at now, the campaign ect, ect, ect. This yahoo governor is screwing up by the numbers & noone including the JBT bunch is in his face. Hell they could get tons of earned press everyday just responding to his blunders. GOP wake-up & get busy ….November is coming and NONE of you are ready !!!! We can’t take 4 more of Bladgo !!!!!
Comment by annon. Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 9:52 pm
Personally, I am for stem cell research - I think the President is wrong, and I’m glad to see the state put some money behind this. However, this point should not be overlooked - the Governor, OMB, Rep. Hannig, and Sen. Trotter all LIED when asked in committee and on the floor whether there was ANY money in the budget for stem cell research.
This is an issue bigger than stem cells. Why does the General Assembly continually allow this Governor to do whatever he pleases without repercussion? Until they grow a set, nothing will change. The Governor views this as nothing more than a press release. If he really believed in stem cell research, he would have dug in and fought during the budget/legislative process.
This Governor’s blatant disregard for other branches of government, statutes, and the administrative code should sound alarms for everyone. His personnel and financial policies alone are disasterous, and we will all be paying for them for years to come.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 10:24 pm
Illegal. Plain and simple. He either should be impeached, or court action should be taken. I’d like to know how he proposes to plug the hole in the budget he stole the money from. Oh wait … Rod doesn’t think about such things, does he?
Comment by Snidely Whiplash Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 10:28 pm
You people make me sick.
Try telling a ten year old who has been paralyzed that stem cells science is ‘immature’and doesn’t need government funding. $5 million can go along way towards a cure.
We all need hope.
Comment by Blanco Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 10:36 pm
Unfortunately this Governor doesn’t care about things such as the law or the constitution.
His polling shows that the majority of Illinois citizens probably favor stem-cell funding, so he does it even though it’s illegal. Then, when a Republican gets caught calling him to the carpet, he just points his finger and calls them an evil Republican who is out of touch, even though the Republican may have had a very legitimate point, that this action is in violation of the state’s constitution. (No Democrat would want to be critical of the Gov publicly.)
Makes me sick. Puke!
Comment by Long Time Reader; First Time Poster Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 10:43 pm
So much pissing and moaning, geez…
His action isn’t illegal under any statute, court case, or rule I’ve ever seen. You guys throw that word around far too liberally on these sites.
If a substantial majority of the legislature truly wanted to stop him from doing this, they could have. If many of you are truly outraged, he won’t be re-elected. If the great majority think he acted improperly, he’ll be trounced. I’m not holding my breath.
I’m a Republican, and I think stem cell research is a good thing (I know, I will hear from many of you that if I don’t oppose abortion in all circumastances, don’t think state government is wasting billions of dollars, don’t want vouchers, don’t oppose affirmative action, don’t think the income tax is unconstitutional. etc, etc, I’m not a REAL Republican).
He was elected in a popular election, by a substantial margin. He is approaching his re-election, which is our version of popular term limits here in Ilinois.
My only objection to much of his agenda is his unwillingness to raise revenues to pay for it on a on-going basis. If the rest of you don’t like it, suggest achieveable alternatives.
We have one-party rule in Illinois right now, but they didn’t seize power in a midnight coup.
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 10:55 pm
I wonder what all the downstate dems will be thinking about tonight? Granberg? Demusieo? Flider? Boland? Smith? Tick -Tick -Tick - Blago lies again on stem cell funding. Tick - Tick -Tick - Blago supports home searches for guns. Tick - Tick -Tick - Blago executive orders same sex benifits. Tick - Tick - Tick - Blago continues push for an assult weapon ban. Tick - Tick - Tick - Inditements. Tick -Tick - Tick - hiring scandals. Tick - Tick - Tick - REBUBLICAN CHALLENGERS WIN!!!!!!!!
Comment by anon Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 11:25 pm
Yes, the governor is bypassing the legislature on this one.
But this technically isn’t any different from any one of hundreds of other grants doled out each year by the executive branch for myriad purposes. The nature of this grant is highly charged, but it’s just another grant the governor is handing out from pots of money that lawmakers set aside for him to do just that.
If lawmakers have a problem with this particular grant, then they ought to rein in their own practice of deliberately appropriating hundreds of millions of dollars for nothing in particular. They do this every year.
Yes, the lawmakers are supposed to appropriate the spending. But they’re the ones who enabled this sort of spending. If you’re going to set aside millions for purposes as specific as “local governments for economic development” or for “local public health programs,” then this is just what they’re going to get — no say over how specifically that money is spent.
Comment by 'The Gay Governor' Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 11:28 pm
Blanco - do you really think the guv is doing this for the people who would benefit from it? Of course not, it’s another photo op, feel good, make him look good, non-starter program, paid for by money which should be paying our overdue bills. He is without a conscience.
And, like Mr. Schnorf, I think that the legislature is very much to blame for most of this as well. They had done nothing to stop the bleeding or the blatant disregard for the law. As long as they get their’s, everythings ok.
Comment by Disgusted Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 11:40 pm
Let me pose the question then… why is “trickle down economics” bad? You have said they are bad. You have said that Bill Gates doesn’t like it. So what. It is correct that it make the rich richer. But it doesn’t make the poor poorer. So what is the big deal? About free trade… we have been shipping little cosmetic crap from China and Indonesia since the 1950s. What concerns me is when we are shipping over things like cars, anhydrous ammonia, and anything else that takes a lot of manufacturing. The problem is, we are shipping out unfinished products, especially agriculture products, while shipping in finished products. I don’t think free trade with some nations is bad. But when it comes to universal free trade, there is definately something wrong. There is never any development in the third world because we could jump from here to there and nobody ever experiences the benefits of free trade that were promised by Clinton and Gingrich. I see good things coming from the policy of reciprocation. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting richer. But free trade, from my little part of the world which happens to be very rural, has hurt the community. Factory where people made a good living now is now in Mexico. So these people have either gone to where the jobs are or are working for a lesser wage. But I understand that there might be benefits of it that are not bestowed upon myself and my community.
Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Jul 20, 06 @ 11:46 pm
I will disagree with Steve Schnorf on the issue of legality. The legislative branch of our state government approves statutory line-item appropriations that have specified purposes. Even lump sum appropriation line items have usage or legislative intent specified within law. Each state agency must spend their appropriations within the statutory definitions of the appropriations or within the legislative intent of the appropriation statute.
I cannot possibly see how an HFS administrative appropriation, even a lump sum appropriation, could possibly be interpreted as legally allowable as a stem cell research grant line. At the very least, Bill Holland’s staff would be all over this in an audit.
The state legislature had a chance to specifically fund stem cell funding, including embryonic stem cell research. It didn’t. That’s our democratic process and it reflects the views of our representative government. In my opinion, this unilateral diversion of funds is an abuse of executive powers and should be challenged. However, the highly-charged nature of the issue will probably deter our elected legislators from actually doing so.
And for the record, I’m also a supporter of all stem cell research, including embryonic research. I’m also an independent voter who doesn’t have to worry about party definitions and party agendas. I’m also a voter disillusioned by the actions of our recent ethically-challenged governors and wishes he had better choices in November.
Comment by Check the numbers Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 4:58 am
Well said Steve ! despite the fact the guv has “serious issues” once in a while he might actually be following a rule to keep up appearances & throw us off course. If we {the GOP} want to really do something about this…stop “pissing & groaning” , activily participate in the process, work for a candidate, local or state wide & work to defeat him and that particular party. We know what the problems are, or as we know or perceive them, but the only way this guy is going is voting him out. We sit on our hands & he’s back for 4 more !! It’s a shame what he’s done, the shape of our state finances, the investigations and so on and all that …but until he’s gone & many of the legislature as well….expect more of the same!! All politics is local so let’s get with it. Work with a candidate of choice, campaign, point out the short falls, give evidence of the short falls, give consequences & offer a plan & solution !! It’s serious stuff folks & it’s time for serious people to take charge. You may not like JBT, but she’s our gal, elected & is our candidate. If you disagree with her positions…tell her so !! But in this system there are only one two or three people up for the job ! Bladgo has failed !! Say “thanks for trying” & send him home in November !!!!
Comment by the old republican Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 6:04 am
Check the numbers — I’m waiting to find out if Doug Whitney is still on the ballot. I don’t like just skipping the Gov’s race, but I also have a tough time voting for a ticket that has Joe Birkett on it.
Lovie - Trickle down economics doesn’t work, that’s the problem. Imports from China have reached record highs, and when Wal-Mart drops American-made Rubbermaid from its product line and starts importing knock-offs from China, it hurts not just those Rubbermaid workers, but the companies that make Rubbermaid’s machinery, do it’s domestic shipping, etc. I’d love to continue this discussion elsewhere, but we’ve drifted far away from the thread.
STEM CELLS — Democrat John Bradley’s on the radio whacking the Gov for overstepping his authority.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 8:12 am
This blog shows that a lot of state workers hate Blago.
For the average voter out there, that means he must be doing something right. That’s a big reason why he’s winning, by a lot.
Comment by Anon Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 8:23 am
Rich,
Glad to see at least someone is making an issue of seperations of powers. It seems in the past few decades, from the white house to the governor’s mansion, the executive branch has forgotten its place as the office of an administator, not that of a dictator.
Comment by Veritas Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 8:49 am
Why is the Gov. and his crew hiding these new subpoenas from his agencies heads and the public?Is his guilt finally starting to wear him down?Maybe his lawyers have told him the big day is close?Afraid someone will squeal?I got news for him when the indictments start all the squealing that is going to go on it will sound like a pig farm.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 9:06 am
Anon 8:23.
You have no clue regarding state workers contempt for Blagozo. His merry group of idiots have dumped on and harassed every worker who was employed at the state before Blago got into office. This has been all happening while Blago’s infantile “appointees” have been getting regular big raises in salary, after starting out with substantial salaries. The old folks and unconnected, get nothing. The “old” workers get treated like surfs by an administration whos only talents are to get dressed in the morning and be empty, egotistical suits slurping out of the public funding trough. What a shameless bucket of crap these people turned out to be.
Comment by Buck Flagojevich Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 9:15 am
It’s really a lot more elementary than some of us are making it here. The governor presents a budget before the spring session stating where he wants to spend money. The legislature tweaks this budget or comes up with a new one to appropriate funds for expenditure. Any use other than the use for which the funds were appropriated is a “Misappropriation of funds.”
In 1996 under the Edgar/Joan Walters budget we ran out of money for AIDS Drug Assistance because of the introduction of Protease Inhibitors - a new class of drugs. We asked for an emergency appropriation of $5 million and were summoned to the BoB to speak with Joan, Howard Peters III and a few analysts. We were raked over the coals by those two and didn’t get the money. It wasn’t requested of the legislature and it wasn’t appropriated. We couldn’t spend other funds on it. So, we cut the drug formulary from 110 drugs to 28, lowered the eligibility from 400% of FPL to 200% FPL and went on. I.E., We played by the rules and Govvy B has to do the same. Hopefully the AG will enforce this.
Comment by Spiro T Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 9:18 am
Wow citing Joan Walters and Howard Peter III as budget experts…very scary
Hopefully Judy Bore’s crew will do better as the day goes on.
In the meantime it looks like another homerun for GRod!
Comment by Reddbyrd Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 10:02 am
As I keep saying, the huge benefits of the Bush Tax Cuts went to…
Blago and Mike and Emil for their exclusive use to benefit their favorites.
Income and sales taxes up by 12% and no mention of this increased revenue in the adopted budget.
That’s what funds earmarks, and makes the Governor able to flash $5 Mill here and there to make political points.
Who cares about delayed Medicaid payments, etc. They only go to rish doctors who benefited from the Bush tax cuts.
Isn’t this morass fun. The Blago adminsitration is certainly Open Toad Rolling.
Comment by Truthful James Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 10:04 am
Truthful James at 10:04 a.m. Re: your comment “who cares about delayed Medicaid payments, etc. They only go to rich doctors who benefitted from the Bush Tax cuts.” Try to use a little logic, here. Probably the people who care are: 1) our 6 former employees who lost their jobs when my wife was forced to sell her clinic and join a larger medical group (and other employees of doctors who are forced to get paychecks late, which I know for a fact happens more and more often); 2) the patients my wife served who find it difficult to travel the 15 miles to her new clinic because of lack or expense of transportation; 3) the public aid patients when physicians are forced to limit their medicaid patient loads due to poor payment or risk losing their business; 4) all patients when doctors need to see 5-8 patients/hour to make enough money to pay their bills and keep their doors open. Also, here’s some insider information for you from the husband of a physician; with maybe a very few exceptions, the days of doctors golfing every afternoon and making $250,000/yr have been over for about the last 10-15 years. In the last year that we had our clinic open, I was unable to pay my wife for 5 consecutive months so we could pay our staff and our bills. Our 401(k) that we provided for our employees and paid the taxes and fees on so our employees wouldn’t have to? My wife NEVER was able to put money into an account of her own. We had to borrow approx. $25,000 of our equity to pay our quarterly state taxes and property taxes (which the state wouldn’t let us delay paying; pretty ironic, isn’t it?). And, not that it’s any of your business, but after expenses last year my wife made about $125,000. A nice salary, but, as a rural doctor she literally puts in 90+ hrs/wk between working at her clinic, working in the ER, rotating weekend coverage, seeing patients in their homes and nursing homes, answering pages and phone calls at home, dictating and writing referral letters from home, serving as a medical advisor for several local medical agencies, etc. If you do the math, you’ll see that she averages about $26/hr. Pretty crappy pay considering the 11 years of education beyond high school, $150,000+ debt incurred by that education, the daily level of stress and responsibility being responsible for the health of about 4000 patients, and liability premiums that run around $45,000/yr only because she delivered babies for about 1 1/2 years. So I ask you, do you know who cares now about delayed payments? It affects EVERYBODY!
Comment by schroedk Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:27 am
Schroedk
Damned right it does.
It was supposed to be a sarcastically humorous remark, I apologize for any literal interpretation
Comment by Truthful James Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 12:21 pm
Sorry, Truthful James. I read your post too quickly to initially pick up on the sarcasm. I now see it. I’m still glad I posted the “insider information”, though. There are still too many people who truly think that doctors and hospitals are being greedy or unreasonable by actually expecting timely payments. And as you can see, it’s a sore subject for us. People need to see why a lot of doctors are skeptical of the All Kids program. Also, if the state truly does maintain the 30 payment cycle they claim on All Kids, it is bound to come at an even greater expense in regular public aid payments. I’m grinning in embarrassment for taking your comment so literally.
Comment by schroedk Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 12:31 pm
I want to present a few simple facts. Tax cuts were cut for all people who pay income taxes not just the rich as some want others to believe. The simple reason that the rich get more of a tax break is because they pay the majority of the taxes. It has been proven time and time again that when tax rates including the capital gains rates are cut government revenues go up. I am by no means considered well off financially, but I have been able to buy some things I would not have if my taxes had not been reduced.
Comment by Downstater Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 12:46 pm
Downstater, I’d really like to see proof of that statement.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 12:48 pm
Rich,
Sorry to stray from the topic, but in response to your question regarding proof of increasing revenues with tax cuts, please see the attached: http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/wm1149.cfm
Comment by Downstater Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 1:25 pm
Spiro T - your memory must be failing you with respect to ADAP. You didn’t get a supplemental because it wouldn’t have made a difference. You would have received the money in late June and had 2 weeks to spend it. Instead, you got a HUGE increase for the next fiscal year.
Plus, it doesn’t really have anything to do with this. There are lots of appropriations out there drafted so broadly that you could drive a Mack truck through them. If the GA is mad about this, then they are going to have to spend more time on the budget and get staffs that can do more than summarize the budget book.
Comment by Anon Sunday, Jul 23, 06 @ 8:13 am