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Vallas and the uphill con-con fight

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Illinois

* As I told you yesterday, Paul Vallas won’t run for governor, or, apparently, anything else in 2010…

Saying he still has work to do to improve New Orleans schools, Paul Vallas said Sunday he won’t run for governor of Illinois in 2010.

Vallas, who was the first Chicago Public Schools CEO, is a major player in education. He heads the New Orleans school system and used to run Philadelphia schools.

* Vallas held the Sunday press conference to announce his support for the constitutional convention ballot question. The suburban and downstate pollling I’ve seen lately is all bad for the “Yes” folks, so it probably didn’t do much good.

* The numbers I’ve seen are also very bad in the Peoria area, but the Peoria Journal Star has now editorialized in favor of a “Yes” vote…

When a politician can singlehandedly stop school funding reform in Illinois, or ethics reform, then there is something fundamentally broken about the governing charter that does nothing to intervene in that insult to democracy.

When a governor can use his amendatory veto power to add to, not just subtract from, a piece of legislation, effectively acting as a program-creating, revenue-allocating Legislature unto himself, then there is something grievously wrong with the all-too-ambiguous Constitution that allows that to happen. When just three people can essentially craft and agree on a budget that is then passed overwhelmingly by 175 largely clueless others who serve as mere props to the main play, then you don’t have representative democracy.

For those reasons - all real indiscretions committed by representatives of both major parties - Illinoisans should vote “yes” to a ballot measure that calls for a constitutional convention to address that which ails the document passed to much acclaim in 1970. Given the most dysfunctional, incompetent and arguably corrupt state government in memory, that Constitution desperately needs some tweaking.

Yep.

* The Tribune takes another crack at the issue today…

Insult and indignity are complete: Rod Blagojevich, governor of Illinois, wants you to vote against calling a constitutional convention. He frets that delegates might propose limiting the executive powers—real or goofily imagined—by which he pays for his obsessions at the expense of taxpayers. Without legislative approval. Without our approval.

He might have added: Delegates also could propose letting voters recall pols who accept fat salaries but won’t do their jobs honorably. Inept governors included.

So this settles it: Virtually all of the insiders with claims on power and money in this state fear losing clout. That is, for once the insiders are worried about you.Some opponents of a con-con sincerely believe that today’s citizenry isn’t as astute as, well, the citizenry that approved our current constitution. Other opponents sincerely believe only in their own entitlement.

* But this is a big reason why the numbers are breaking heavily against the con-con…

The opposing sides in the debate over whether Illinois voters should call a new constitutional convention are waging a lopsided battle when it comes to raising money to promote their messages.

About $1.7 million has been contributed so far to political funds affiliated with the referendum question that will appear on ballots Tuesday. Of that amount, almost all of it — more than $1.5 million — has been directed to a group that wants Illinoisans to vote “no” when they’re asked if they favor a constitutional convention.

It’s just no contest.

* Related…

* Con-Con Makes for Strange Bedfellows

* Con-Con Ballot Question Could Change Illinois

* Con-con career starts: The last time Illinois voters decided to rewrite the constitution, way back in 1969, the state ended up with a bumper crop of new political leaders. Here are a dozen people whose political careers began at the 1969 convention, when they were among the 116 delegates.

* Con-Con radio debate

* A Necessary Inconvenience - A Call for A Constitutional Convention

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:38 am

Comments

I thought that you might take today off from your daily con con shill. I guess not. What are you going to write about after tomorrow? You could always start gearing up for 2028.

Comment by Bill Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:43 am
I think Vallas is running for County Board prez. “Announcing” that he’s not running for governor will ease his way into the GOP and tamp down any possible resentment of his flipping parties.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:50 am
No…gearing up for 2010 after the legal challenge is upheld and its back on the ballot.
I guess since the antis are saying a con-con would have locked things up for years, the legislature and governor will really solve our state’s problems next session. Just like a Cub fan, there’s always next year…

Comment by Vote Quimby! Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:52 am
At my early polling location in 40th ward, no fliers, no info about different ballot language. We just saw the biased question.

Comment by ZC Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:56 am
I would fall out of my seat laughing if despite all this money the people voted for a con-con!

Comment by Levois Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:56 am
Bill, will you be going to court to support your hero Blagoof when the time comes?

Comment by Dan S, a Voter and Cubs Fan Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:57 am
“…gearing up for 2010 after the legal challenge is upheld and its back on the ballot.”

LOL, yeah that’ll happen.

Comment by Bill Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 9:57 am
As much as people are fed up in Springfield, I’d be surprised if it got 60% here. Most people have only from one side of the debate.

If state pensions are still underfunded and we still don’t have school funding reform 4-6 years from now I wonder if some of the union leaders will regret their scare tactics.

Comment by Will Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:00 am
Who produced the “Pro Con-Con” commercial? The sound is horrible, sounds like the mike was 20 feet away from the speaker. The poor quality takes away from the message, which was well written.

Comment by HV in HP Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 10:02 am
Show of hands
Who wants to be with Vallas, Quinn, Sad Sacks at Peoria Journal Star, Capt Fax and other misfits
by voting for the ConCon con?

I am little worried that the stated “no” vote from Blagoof could foul this up. Please ignore the man in the padded room

Comment by 2ConfusedCrew Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:15 am
2confused,
Don’t forget Houli, Franks,and Tony Peraica

Comment by Bill Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 11:21 am
What I fail to see, is how the state of Illinois plans to pay all those future pension obligations, without a graduated income tax in place.

Comment by ZC Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 12:21 pm
Sorry, Bill, it will be back in 2010.

If the anti folks are smart, we will have a couple of amendatory “fixes” on the ballot as well to show that the con-con is not needed.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 12:42 pm
Vallas running for County Brd. Prez as an R only makes sense if Todd is the Dem nominee, no? If he runs against Claypool or anyone else not named Stroger he’s a huge underdog.

Comment by R.A. Monday, Nov 3, 08 @ 2:03 pm