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* Sauk Valley Media Editorial Board…
Meanwhile, we wonder why Gov. Bruce Rauner, if he really wants to get a budget approved, hasn’t called the Legislature back into session.
Rod Blagojevich called umpteen special sessions. I think the GA was in session all but two or three months from November of 2006 through May of 2009. It was a brutal, exhausting time. And the specials accomplished nothing except to give the House Democrats a platform to launch public criticisms of the governor.
They don’t really work as intended, and can backfire badly on the governor. Legislators have direct, face-to-face access to Statehouse reporters when they’re in Springfield, not so much when they’re home in their districts.
And members will get a ton more heat from their constituents back home about this impasse than they ever will in Springfield, where lobbyists who oppose a deal can get to them much more easily.
George Ryan called some successful specials, but he’d already cut the deals before doing so.
Special sessions also cost money because of required per diem payments. If the House and Senate bring themselves back voluntarily, there are no such payments.
* On the other hand, rank and file members from both parties can’t talk to each other as easily when they’re not in Springfield. And, frankly, barring an impending agreement between Speaker Madigan and Gov. Rauner (Ha!), that’s probably the only way this’ll get done unless the Senate gets its act together again.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 11:49 am
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At this point I’ll vote for the first Gubernatorial candidate that suspends their campaign and heads to Springfield to work on getting a budget deal done before the July1pocolypse. Tell any Republican who votes for a budget that they will be protected.
Comment by Biker Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:00 pm
I’m against special session for all those reasons, especially the per diems (we’re going to give them more money to unscrew themselves?).
But I understand why it’s a good hit on the Governor.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:34 pm
== unless the senate gets it act together again ==
I fear that ship has sailed. Too many Senate Dems feel like they’ve already done the heavy lifting. Not sure how you get enough of them to vote for a tax increase again that includes a bunch of new “gives” to Rauner. In March you could have passed the grand bargain with only a handful of GOP votes. Now it might take 15 Republicans.
Comment by Anon414 Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:02 pm
I’m sure it’s probably not allowed, but I wonder if we could get a budget if it was a secret ballot rather than a roll call?
Comment by Thoughts Matter Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:41 pm
He won’t call them back he’s out making sham headlines and talking to the people.
Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:42 pm