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* AP…
As many as seven ballot measures could be up for consideration, including four proposed to alter Illinois’ constitution and three poll-style questions. […]
None of the ballot measures — term limits, political redistricting, voters’ rights, crime victims’ rights and minimum wage— are sure things. Some are still emerging as legislators prepare to adjourn this week. Election officials are verifying signatures for petition-driven efforts on political boundaries and term limits, while a lawsuit could threaten both plans. Election officials certify ballots in August.
The sheer number of potential ballot measures could be unprecedented. State Board of Election records, which date back to 1970, show there have not been more than three ballot measures in one election year — including constitutional amendments and nonbinding questions. […]
The issue hit a frenzied pitch in Illinois on Thursday when the Senate advanced one nonbinding question that asks voters if prescription drug plans should cover birth control, an Illinois law on the books since 2003. Opposition from Republican Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine was so impassioned that he was admonished by leadership to avoid personal attacks.
* A tiny bit of Murphy’s rant…
Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, who voted against her legislation Thursday, called it an election-year gimmick by Democrats meant to “gin up” their voting base this fall, particularly women.
“This is a gimmick. It’s a stunt. It’s a game, and everybody down here knows it,” Murphy said. “You’re talking about something that’s been settled law for 10 years. But you just want to gin people up over issues that really don’t exist.
“What all this stuff is this year is nothing less than the desperation your side of the aisle has because people of this state might actually pay attention this year and fire some of you for the despicable record you have,” Murphy said.
* But, oh, it was so much better than that. You really need to listen to the whole thing. When admonished to “avoid personalities,” Murph ranted…
“Whose personality? What? Your whole party? Are you guys a personality? I’ll say ‘Democratic’ if you let me continue.”
Heh.
* Seriously, take a few minutes and listen to the whole thing. It’ll be worth it, I promise…
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:21 pm
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Good for him…. What was not true? I would love to see someone on the other side of the aisle get passionate about passing something substantial for all of the budget issues. People are fed up…. If…If… the Republicans get some seats… They better do something with it!! Because, the rant goes both ways….
Comment by Walter Mitty Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:33 pm
Listening to Mutt Murphy is a time one can never reclaim…skip him
Comment by NoBody's Perfect Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:36 pm
That was excellent. I loved it when I was listening live yesterday and knew it would have legs. I’ve differed with Sen. Murphy on political stuff (i.e Leader votes, 2010 Gov race) but he has always had the potential to be a conservative rockstar with support from the establishment GOP too. This clip shows why.
Comment by Jon A. Zahm Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:37 pm
Shiny happy proposals on the ballot….
Comment by OneMan Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:44 pm
True
Many of us are sick of the games on both sides. The Democrates have the power now but they both have played games with our State for far too long.
Comment by Jacob S Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:52 pm
Preach Senator! Matt Murphy for Governor!
Comment by CommoNooB Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:55 pm
Epic. He’s a bright light in a mostly burned-out marquee.
I will always contend that had he won the primary for lt. gov in 2010, he would have dragged Brady, Clarke, et al, to victory in spite of Team Brady.
Comment by LincolnLounger Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:56 pm
In all seriousness can a Democrat or anyone explain to me why this needs to be on the ballot?
Comment by OneMan Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:58 pm
One of the best speeches of the week!
Comment by East Central Illinois Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:05 pm
One Man — maybe similar to why we have BENGAZI!! over and over again.
Comment by Kimocat Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:06 pm
Yeah, that’s a logical reason.
Also I am sorry but a bunch of hearings is not the same thing as a ballot measure even if I agree with out about Bengazi….
Comment by OneMan Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:12 pm
Murphy is right. These are useless ballot measures. A lot of incumbents are going to be thrown out and they know it. An exercise in desperation heretofore unseen is taking place.
Comment by Da Moat Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:16 pm
Its a good rant but it’s a bit ironic coming from Murphy…whining isn’t legislating.
Comment by Jorge Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:16 pm
–“What all this stuff is this year is nothing less than the desperation your side of the aisle has because people of this state might actually pay attention this year and fire some of you for the despicable record you have,” said Andy McKenna’s former running mate and one of 19 GOP senators in a chamber of 59.
What makes you think they haven’t been paying attention? Maybe they’re just not buying what you’ve been selling.
His name must be butter because he’s been on a roll this week.
New Victim-in-Chief?
Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:23 pm
And everything he says can be applied to his own side of the isle, who are using the same dishonesty to distract from their own lack of a fiscal plan. It strikes me as more than a bit hypocritical to lambast Dems for the budget they produced when his party has shown nothing.
Comment by BlacklandFarmer Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:24 pm
As many as seven ballot measures could be up for consideration, including four proposed to alter Illinois’ constitution and three poll-style questions. […]
Do we need 4 ballot measures that alter the Illinois’ Constitution? Can’t we just ignore the parts we don’t like as in the case of pension language?
Comment by s k hicks Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:26 pm
“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.” - Willy Wonka…
However, - wordslinger -’s point is Spot On. It’s one thing to blow off steam, it’s another to use that steam to power an engine.
No engine, just victims(?)
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:31 pm
Shoot. I thought it was going to be a riff from Matt “The Guitar” Murphy from the Blues Brothers movie.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:32 pm
It is Murphy’s party that will turn back the clock on “settled law” in so many areas if given the chance.
Comment by Nonplussed Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:44 pm
And an advisory referendum prevents any of that how?
Comment by OneMan Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:50 pm
Better than I expected.
Sometimes truth cuts through the garbage. Murphy just cut with a laser.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:51 pm
Goodness gracious. A bit extreme and over the top to say the least. Admittedly, I’m sure it MUST be frustrating year after year to be called a state Senator and go back to your District with a smile on your face and try to make it seem like you’re actually really accomplishing a lot of what YOU think is best with your particular philosophy of governance (when in truth, woefully, you are NOT accomplishing much of that), but when your Party is out of Power year after year after year, other than constantly criticizing the other side (which Murphy is reKNOWNED for, and spouting off like this like some sort of angry Adolescent, just to let off all of that pent-up steam, it’s ultimately just sad to see, and in some ways, beneath the dignity of the important Office he holds.
Murphy’s certainly entitled to his opinion on things like we all are (which AS a state Senator in the Opposition Party he makes SURE EVerybody finds out about!), but if it’s just gettin’ too hot in the Springfield Kitchen for him after all of these years, maybe he should either stop barkin’, man up, and run for something ELSE important sometime already, (instead of reporters always speculating about it and then he wimps out or, um, we’ll just say “declines,”) OR if he can’t stand the way things are run in there, just get OUT of the Kitchen altogether…!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:01 pm
GOP is complaining about referenda on social issues to get voters to the polls.
Wow. The Democrats are striking a low blow.
I remember all those Republicans who took a principled stand against putting anti-gay marriage referenda on the ballots to bring the low information bigots to the polls.
There were some great quotes from deeply principled Republicans.
“Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:12 pm
Even in a party of blowhards and do-nothings, Murphy stands tall.
Comment by Mittuns Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:58 pm
Murphy’s right, all ranting aside. There’s a thought process here that concludes that the “dum-dum” group will come out with excess referenda on the ballot. I’m not so sure it will make any difference at all. Continuing to add all of this will absolutely cause problems for local referendums where people may actually be concerned about getting something done rather than herding the least informed voters to the polls they couldn’t seem to find before. We’ll have to see if it works. If so, look for the idiot quotient to be raised this way every time in the future. We’ll just call it progressive for now.
Comment by A guy... Friday, May 30, 14 @ 3:05 pm
==And an advisory referendum prevents any of that how?==
Because the will of the people is known! /sarcasm
Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 30, 14 @ 3:30 pm
I can appreciate self-righteousness as much as the next person, but what always leaves me wanting is the absence of a substantive alternative.
Case in chief:
Budget, budget, budget. Republicans whine about the sham that is the Democrat passed budget(and perhaps not without good reason to do so). But, and dare I say BUT again, but why do they refuse to articulate and put forth their own budget alternative and allow the good citizens of our state to debate the merits of each. (Perhaps in DUE time, they will)
You can bay at the moon, you can Bay of Pigs, you can stay at the Baymont for all I care, but baying at Mike Madigan and more Democrat chicanery is like the wolf baying at the moon; interesting at the moment but forgotten by morning.
Comment by Tommydanger Friday, May 30, 14 @ 3:46 pm
Murphy….accurate assessment and impassioned on the principle…obsessed and visibly angry with the politics….resoundingly poor response on a personal level. I expected more from the Senator, on all fronts.
Comment by northernwatersports Friday, May 30, 14 @ 3:49 pm
Same bill just passed the House with similar debate. Apparently from the “singing” going on from the Dem side, this kind of “law-making” and ballot manipulation is a joke. Murphy is right. We live in the most pathetically run state in the Union.
Comment by Living in Machiaville Friday, May 30, 14 @ 3:52 pm
Without Gerrymandering the Democrats wouldn’t be in charge. Or should I say cook county? I don’t understand how a party could allow their largest area of votes to be in control of their opposition? Nothing will ever change until the GOP changes the structure of their party in Cook Co. Mike Madigan controls the Cook Co. GOP until that changes nothing else will not only in Illinois but nationally the Democrat party is, has been, and will always be run from Chicago! Follow the money if you don,t think so
Comment by votecounter Friday, May 30, 14 @ 3:57 pm
Tommydanger, you ignore the fact it does not matter what the Republians have and do provide alternatives but it does not matter. When the super-majority runs the show its a moot issue. Don’t try to deflect the legit criticism the majority deserves. They continue to play Nero as the state burns….and they laugh about it.
Comment by Living in Machiaville Friday, May 30, 14 @ 4:03 pm
None of you people bashing Murphy actually answered the question as to why this is needed or what it will accomplish. This is the exact same crap that George Stephanopolous did to Mitt Romney when he asked him about birth control completely out of the blue. Its just sheer partisanship that serves no purpose but to extend the false narrative that Republicans want control of women’s wombs. Get over it Dems. You won the battle years ago and you keep fighting it. Its pathetic. Talk about do nothing politicians grandstanding…this is like holding up a mirror.
Comment by So. ILL Friday, May 30, 14 @ 4:31 pm
Two big takeaways from the push to add so many ballot questions in November
Voting will take longer. There will be longer lines.
Speaker Madigan sees November, and what he sees is even scarier than first believed. Since 1970, there has never been more than 3 ballot measures, including constitutional amendments and nonbinding referendums.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, May 30, 14 @ 4:38 pm
Meet Dan - he is a nice man who runs the company, he calls the shots, he’s in charge, and his company has taken a nosedive over the last 10 years. Profits are down. Layoffs are up. Credit rating almost junk bond status.
Meet Matt - he works for the company. He’s had a few ideas that Dan rejected. He doesn’t have all the answers, but he’s not in charge. Matt often points out that Dan hasn’t done a very good job and should be fired.
Meet Wordslinger and Tommydanger - they think Matt is the problem.
Comment by Befuddled Friday, May 30, 14 @ 5:36 pm
Matt’s greatest strength is sounding good.
Comment by Walker Friday, May 30, 14 @ 8:14 pm
The term limits and independent map making proposals are about as blatantly political as they come.
“People might actually start paying attention”.
They weren’t paying attention in 2002, 2004, 2006, etc etc when you found yourself in the minority?
I love these “conservative” politicians. You know, personal responsibility, being accountable, not blaming others , and not being a victim.
Con artists. It’s one way for them, another way for everyone else.
Comment by low level Friday, May 30, 14 @ 8:22 pm
I didn’t hear anything to disagree with–shame on him for saying what everybody knows?
Comment by Harry Saturday, May 31, 14 @ 12:00 am