Chris Kennedy Looking Good For My Vote - Press Going Full Press Michigan Avenue Fats

Chris Kennedy is an exceptionally nice man.  Like many liberals of the old cloth (Don Rose, the late great Phil Krone & etc.) Chris Kennedy belies the conservative mind-set of intolerant automatons in lock -step with Marxism, Planned Parenthood and Globalism.   Rather Mr. Kennedy is an active do-gooder who walks the talk.

In my two decades and change of work for Leo High School, I have encountered Chris Kennedy and his kids quietly delivering goods and services to people in and around 79th Street, right in Pflegerland between Ashland and Halsted.  Unlike the blonde Jesus who rules St. Sabina like a political ward healer, who never clears his throat, nor breaks wind without CBS,ABC,NBC, WGN, Tribune, Chicago Sun Times and Windy City Times acolytes holding back dozen or so nodding activists around Pastor Pfleger, the son of RFK does good without fanfare, applause and hack reporters.

That said, Chris Kennedy tows the Durbin Dogma too much for my liking.

I understand that.  Chris Kennedy, an Irish Catholic, is not like me, or most of the people (white black, Mexican, ethnic) I encounter.  He comes from the Lace-Curtain traditions that eschew rock-ribbed core values as obnoxiously quaint.  He is a PBS Catholic, stamped and approved by Bill Moyers.  His politics is not unlike many of the people in the more comfortable Zip Codes - Chris Kennedy is much more of 60643 than he is a 60620, or 60655.

My temperament has been formed by my faith, family and friends.  Please note, that I might be the only member of my vast to have not cast a vote for Barack Obama and hurled one into the mix for Donald Trump.  I vote Catholic, organized labor and working class values.  Lately, I have voted for Republicans but I largely loathe the GOP as party of the Quisling tasseled loafer crowd ( Bruuce Rauner, Mark Kirk, Judy Barr Topinka, Chuck Percy, John McCain and John Boehner)  and for  Socialists (Bernie and Chewy Garcia).

Can you  say"Property Taxes?"  Chris Kennedy called our Cook County/Madiganistan system "extortion."The Democrats only have them to bleed and nothing else and Chris Kennedy has criticized County and State abuses. The is sucking dry!

The only GOP voice in Illinois that registers with me is Rep. Jeannie Ives.

Jeannie Ives has more balls than a bowling alley, if may hazard an indelicate metaphor in her praise.

Because the media is feasting on Chris Kennedy's liver, because he has offended the Cook County Democratic Titans and shall be cast eternally into the chthonic depths of Tartarus, or Peotone, maybe, that I am moved to shout for all and sundry within my limited sphere to vote for him against JB Pritzker, The Michigan Avenue Fats of the Pritzker pedigree,

Today the Chicago Tribune lifted a story from Ohio that was all the news back in July, in order to gin up some Chris Kennedy hate.  Maybe SEIU can get the huge Rat put up in front of the Merchandise Mart.

It may take the Sun Times a day or two to catch up, because Sneed is working to help Kimm Fox.

If the media is piling on Chris Kennedy, I am all for him

I'd vote for Chris Kennedy.

I probably will take a GOP ballot to make sure that Jeannie Ives takes down Bruce Rauner.

Feeding the Watchdog after Waking Andy from His Snooze - It's a Shakman Thing

Pre-Metra Madigan Missive (above); Immediate Above Andy Epic Fail Shaw of The BGA!

If Andy Shaw told me that I was ' the coolest guy, that is what am,'  I'd leap as lordly as my lard-ass would allow away the pit of Despair and hit the nearest confessional and hope that the priest could talk me out of taking a Brodie off of the Skway Bridge into the 10th Ward.

More so, I have empirical knowledge of Andy Shaw's capacity for in-depth reporting, dating back to Terry Teel's resignation announcement.  Andy and his poor but amused cameraman for ABC burst into the Department of Planning and Development on the 10th floor of City Hall and Andy bleated to the patient woman manning the sign-in desk, " Andy Shaw, ABC 7 for the Teele Resignation."

The lovely woman smiled, " You are on the wrong floor."

Andy shrilled, as is his wont, " Terry Teele!!!  The Mayor's Zoning and Development Man!" and again the lovely woman softly informed the news hound, " Mr. Teele works for the Mayor and that would be on the 5th Floor?"

Can you say MICROPHONE!!!????


Of course not; nor would you.  Andy Shaw is the media, writ nasty,. . .well, the media without work which means a padded sinecure - The BGA. What set me on the Shavian Media-tation was Andy's cuddles with 560 Am- WIND's Joe Walsh Show which struck my fancy while returning from a wake in Indiana.  Giggled me up no end, it did.

On June 24th, as the saga goes Andy of BGA knocked the Bosses of Illinois to canvas with his exclusive Sun Times write up breaking wind all over the Land of Lincoln! I remember it like it was three weeks ago.
It's Metra scandal, I guess.  The California CEO Alex Clifford was sent packing with a chute full of moolah.

Heavens.  It turns out that patronage is the root of this evil. Mercy sakes.

Alex Clifford lawyer ed up with Goo-Goo Mogul and past master Machine Baiter Michael Shakman, LLc.

Michael Shakman is founder of Shakman Industries based upon the fairy tale notion that Government can be good and Politics well-scrubbed . . . of people who actually know what the hell they are doing. I can well imagine plutocrat Good Seal of Shakman kicking wideawake Andy to another Call to Doody,   " Howdy Andy, Andy, Andy Shaw!  Rouse yourself, gird your loins . . .your loins . . .there's mischief afoot and scoundrels abounding the rails . . .open wide; here's your feed. Now, scurry and scat!"

Alex Clifford has Michael Shakman and Andy Shaw on his side, which means that he has deep thinkers like Carol Marin, WTTW, WBEZ, and the Abner Mikva Coalition of Hand-Wringers, Whistle-Blowers and Ambulance Chasing Bottom Feeders with his back Rep.Deb Nepotism (LGBTQ and 33rd Ward Landfill Blind Girl) with his back.

The way I see the Metra mess is this.

• A CEO with an Italian name does the Dutch Act
• Metra needs a Goo-Goo approved suit -Alex Clifford
• IL GOP is so screwed up it will nod with conviction when Andy announces a chance to hack Mike Madigan 
• The IVI-IPI already agreed to play nice with the IL GOP to beat the BossesIllinois newspapers will have Mike Madigan bon fire until Labor DayAlex Clifford will speak nasty about Metra Board, Madigan, Ward Bossism, Culture of Corruption
• Gov. Pat Quinn will attempt to kick Mike Madigan ala Charlie BrownThundering Dick Simposn will join Andy Shaw with a press conference about the latest UICC study Metra Bad/Mell Good/Mikva Good/ Paul Simon Institute polling
• The Red Line will be closed to working folks, without access to millionaires and lobbyists
• Andy Shaw will rail.in Pullman with the banjo activists Sheila Simon and Eric Zorn doing BoxCar Willie Hits in a display of Railroad Solidarity with Hobo-sexual panhandlers - A two disc set and video of this event for donations to BGA's RTA
• Carol Marin will narrate The Life of Alex Clifford by Michael Shakman
• Metra will provide transportation for summer travelers and working folks just the people Pat Quinn buys beers for at Stash & Stella's Stardust Saloon over by Midway.
• Mike Madigan will cut his lawn, go by the  Jewel on Pulaski over by Midway, smile wryly, because he is the only non-dope in Illinois government.
• Illinois Dems will continue to back dopes like Deb Mell, Toni Preckwinkle, Pat Quinn and whomever Boss Terry Cosgrove deems suitable to screw up Illinois further - Out of Chaos Comes More Chaotic Orders
• Illinois GOP will back dopes with less gravitas than Democrats.  BTW_ Personal PAC is pumping tons of moolah into the coffers of souless suburban GOP phonies (38.8%).
• Francis Cardinal George will continue to lead with his heart and head and maintain grace, calm and dignity amongst a Brookfield Zoo of ninnies clerical and lay
• Mount Carmel/St. Rita/Loyola and west suburban Montini will begin double sessions in August

I will continue to recover my breath after scanning the my pay stub choc full of Obama care padding to tune of less-$145 than the previous two weeks after taxes and marvel that a nice salary ain't what it used to be, while awaiting the next property tax payoff to Karen Lewis and Speed cameras every twenty feet on Western Ave..  

Like I said, if Andy Shaw said that it was hot today, I'd bundle up like Quinn the Eskimo . . . no relation to  Quinn the Governor. If Andy Shaw informed me that a bird pooped on my head, I'd say, "Call Me Blondie!"

Speaker Mike Madigan Tried, But Goofs Outnumber People in Springfield

The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.
Marcus Aurelius 
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/revenge.html#4IuCJtreUYlgdj4B.99 

Mike Madigan had the best plan to save Illinois from fiscal doom with Senate Bill 1.  It was defeated by the Illinois Senate. My State Senator Bill Cunnigham voted NO on this bill.  The Illinois Senate passed the Gay Marriage boondoggle.  My State Senator voted for Gay Marriage and the war on religious conviction.  Bill Cunningham is a goof.  The goofs outnumber serious people in Springfield.  Bill Cunningham again voted with the herd of goofs against his constituents. There are only  few hours left in this legislative session.

Gay Marriage is stalled by the House vote. My Rep. Fran Hurley has indicated that she will in fact for for Gay Marraige and the Illinois War on religious conviction.  It seems that Fran is a goof.  I always found Fran Hurley to be nice.  There are nice goofs. Goofs will do what others prod them to do - Like Billy Cunningham.

Speaker Madigan is anything but a goof.  He is the only adult in Springfield.

The Gay Marriage and Illinois War on Religious Conviction Bill is stalled in the Illinois House.

I wonder what Speaker Madigan* will do.


* From a Towering Goof- "If Mike Madigan doesn't get his house to pass this bill this session, we're going to lay it right at his doorstep," said Andy Thayer, Gay Liberation Network.

Illinois DCFS Grants Abuse - granted by the Illinois Progressive Machine

Your Illinois Progressive Machine's Steve and Eydie

Some years ago, both Chicago newspapers and the blow-dried blow-hards on the idiot box took up the sanctimony and faux outrage over some Father John Smyth* who could not say no to helping any child and the fact that Illinois Department of Child and Family Services heaped the work of caring for children on his broad shoulders. Illinois "thought" about the children -Oh, My God!!! They are being cared for at Maryville and so many mental health professionals linked to the Illinois Progressive Machine are doing without!

Recently, in the wake of post-Blago hand-wringing there have been a few morsels in print concerning the looting of tax-payers' dollars via grants to DCHS providers -absent Father Smyth. Perhaps it had more to do with the fact that Father Smyth wore a stiff collar and black suit, but I tend to think that some in the media were upset over the confusing spelling of the man's last name.

An easier to sell more familiar Smith contracted up for grants without oversight.

A new Smith emerged - Dr. George E. Smith - a mental health professional with at least four companies doing a husky business with the State of Illinois.

Back in October, Chris Fusco and Dave McKinney trotted out the tale of old school improprieties that were long in place, but rocked a tad when State Sen. Ricky Hendon abruptly resigned following his impassioned work on Greg Harris's Religious Freedom and Civil Unions legislation -

While introducing Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Hendon told the crowd that he had "never served with such an idiotic, racist, sexist, homophobic person in my life... If you think that women have no rights whatsoever, except to have his children, vote for Bill Brady. If you think gay and lesbian people need to be locked up and shot in the head, vote for Bill Brady." Hendon's remarks were immediately disavowed by Governor Quinn, among others, and Hendon was sharply criticized by members of the Illinois media. Hendon later tried to apologize to Brady on the Senate floor, but Brady would not accept his apology

One hand soaps up the other and hearty foam makes for lathery larder of opportunity!
Gay Lesbian Transgender BiSexual and Questioning issues and agenda link up with public pension deals, woman's need to commit infanticide, avoid the death penalty, right wrongful convictions and make sure that needy children all over Illinois provide mental health professionals the opportunity to lift at least $18 million dollars in grants to nowhere. If it is Progresively sanctioned it is costly, useless, and divisively combative, it always seems.

Rep. Greg Harris got his Civil Unions and immediately conducted a Father John Smyth on Illinois Catholic Social Services -stripped Catholic Charities of the right to direct adoptions of children by a husband and wife. Thus, clearing the path for more systemic opportunities, like those enjoyed by Dr. George E. Smith, it seems, and other Progressively networked grant grabbers.

Let's take a gander at this weekend's unconnected DCHS dots by Tribune Investigative reporters. Rickey Hendon seems absent since October and just who were the legislative God Daddies at Chicago State University anyway? One mght ask.

But Executive Inspector General Ricardo Meza said the wrongdoing may go further, as the state only investigated contracts Smith held dating back to 2008. Smith has been doing businesses with the state since 1986.

“This investigation could literally have taken us another year-and-a-half or two to uncover,” Meza told House lawmakers. “There had to be a point at our office where we decided that we thought that even though we did not fully uncover every piece of misconduct that Dr. Smith may have engaged in, we had to issue the report.”

Pressed if it was possible that more than $18 million in tax dollars were misspent, Meza said, “I think that’s a fair statement…we may never know.”

The Illinois attorney general’s office is investigating in an attempt to recoup some of the money, and federal grand jury subpoenas have named some of Smith's companies among records sought from state agencies, including Diversified Behavioral Comprehensive Care.

Meza said the investigation’s scope was limited partly because agencies are only required to keep documents for three years, a timeline lawmakers said they will push to extend.

Legislators also said they will also seek changes to the state’s Ethics Act, which prevents many cases of wrongdoing by state workers from being made public. The allegations against Smith’s were laid out in a report that contended former DCFS director Erwin McEwen failed to properly oversee grants. McEwen and Smith are longtime friends, and McEwen eventually refused to cooperate with investigators.

Under the law, reports are made public if it leads to an employee being fired or being suspended for three or more days. McEwen resigned, but a lower-level employee was suspended for five days, leading to the report’s release by the Executive Ethics Commission.

The commission could have redacted the majority of the report not dealing with the suspended employee, but decided to make the findings public.

Lawmakers also lashed out against Gov. Pat Quinn for not firing McEwen when the administration received the initial report last May. Instead, McEwen was allowed to stay on the state payroll through September.

Quinn general counsel John Schomberg said the administration wanted to give McEwen “due process” and “provide for additional transition time” as it searched for a replacement.

Schomberg said ethics laws also placed the governor’s office “between a rock and a hard place” because if they fired McEwen, they were not allowed to say why until the report was made public.

It was an argument Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, found lacking.

“What does one have to do to get fired working for Gov. Quinn?” Franks said. “If it was the private sector you would have opened yourself up to lawsuits for absolutely negligence. And I think that’s what’s happened here.”

What does it take to get fired by Governor Quinn?

Why, the Okay of Terry Cosgrove, Barbara Flynn-Burris-Currie, Greg Harris, Dawn Clark-Netsch, Dr. Quentin Young and the legion of lesser lights of Progressive Illinois, you silly man.

By the way, Diversified Behavioral Comprehensive Care. ain't that a company name that just cries out for Progessive approval?

However, the smoke screen is up and wafting cover for these committed ninnies and their attendant swag-grabbers -everyone is huffing and puffing about Speaker Madigan, the only competant adult in Springfield.

If the news media was in anyway concerned they would look carefully at the Progressive Machine and witness some real villians at work doing some lusty looting.

No outrage over this here financial mess at DCFS from any Public Guardian? Well, judge not the protected few and thou shalt be a judge, I reckon.

*

Murphy has called Maryville "a financial mess," and two monitors for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services have called for a financial audit of the institution, which got $62 million last year from taxpayers. Maryville also has a $100 million endowment.


Smyth said he welcomes any scrutiny of Maryville's books and plans to comply with other demands the monitors made in a report that criticized the institution's treatment model as outdated. DCFS Director Bryan Samuels said Wednesday the monitors' suggestions must be met within 60 days or the state will remove 160 wards it has at Maryville's main campus.


"I have no problem with the 10 or 11 things DCFS has put into the contracts," Smyth said. "We'll meet them within 60 days, and that's plenty of time."


Those issues include the audit, staffing levels and better employee-retention policies for Maryville

http://chicagoist.com/2010/10/24/rickey_hendon_blasts_bill_brady_cal.php
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/10/quinn-disavows-hendon-comments-rips-brady-on-social-issues.html

http://www.rickross.com/reference/maryville/maryville1.html

Governor Quinn Bears Down on Hoosier and Chedderhead Business Poachers

Governor Pat Quinn took the ball up the middle and scored on both Wisconsin's and Indiana's Businesses Poachers.

The tax-increase is beyond a pain-in-the-Blago and was beyond necessary. Pat Quinn can make the necessary cuts and will cut the political ties that bind tax-happy PACs that depend upon Progressive doctrine - the group think ninnies all howling about the death penalty that has been dormant for more than a decade; the cosemetic holocaust harpies demanding that a woman's right to choose the death of an unborn child should never carry a personal financial cost - much less any moral thought; the redistribution of wealth labor fakirs who squeal that having an unskilled job should require greater taxes in order to keep workers enthralled and unskilled; the in the tank media that claim public sector unions should never be reevaluated by elected officials - but that's just me and most of my tax-paying neighbors.

Pat Quinn can and I believe that he will go down in Illinois history as a great governor. He will be wildly unpopular on WTTW, NPR and in the salons held by brie-eating academics an pie-chart pirates. However, Illinois tax-payers will come to appreciate and revere Governor Pat Quinn and the only adult in Illinois Democratic leadership House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Governor Pat Quinn's answer to the business poachers can be summed up in one word-Infrastructure. Illinois has got it and the boarder states ain't -

The corporate tax rate is not an obstacle for companies to locate and invest in Illinois. Frankly, our state's unstable finances have stood in the way of business investment. Businesses crave stable economic environments, which is why I supported and signed into law unprecedented limits on state spending, real budget reforms and the revenues we need to meet our obligations. We are putting our financial house in order, which will only make Illinois a stronger competitor.

With these reforms, we will be able to take greater advantage of our state's existing advantages: a strategic location that has made us the hub of the nation's rail network and the aviation gateway to the world; an unmatched transportation infrastructure that makes us the distribution center of North America; unparalleled intellectual resources through our world-class universities and research institutions; and a long-standing place as one of the world's top financial centers. And Illinois' commitment to green energy and high-speed rail is making us a world leader in the 21st century economy.

Our efforts to forge strong business partnerships have paid off, as companies continue to locate, grow and create jobs in Illinois. Boeing is manufacturing in Metro East; Nippon Sharyo recently left Wisconsin to expand its rail-car manufacturing in Illinois; and online innovator Groupon is staying in its hometown of Chicago, even as it catapults onto the global stage.

Illinois has 78 consulates, 44 foreign trade commissions, 26 foreign chambers of commerce and more than 1,500 subsidiaries of foreign companies. We are the nation's sixth largest exporter, and the Midwest's gateway to the world. Illinois is competing globally.

Illinois is America's crossroads. Witness the appointment of Gus Behnke* to the Illinois Capital Development Board last December as an example of toughminded leadership. Illinois water(harbors/docks/barge navigation)air, trucking, and rail systems are in place. CDP will take steps to strengthen that. Illinois is in tough shape. Governor Pat Quinn can get it back into shape, but it will cost him plenty - for a while. He will get attacked by PACs that assumed his pliability and willingness to go-along. Pat Quinn has integrity and integrity means past assumptions get a long hard look.


*

SPRINGFIELD – December 29, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today named Gus Behnke as the acting executive director of the Capital Development Board (CDB). Behnke will replace Executive Director Jim Riemer, who is retiring effective Dec. 31.

“I would like to thank Jim for his many years of service at the Capital Development Board, especially in these last two years as we have put people to work all over the state on projects through the Illinois Jobs Now! construction program,” said Governor Quinn. “Gus Behnke will help us maintain that progress as we continue to create jobs for Illinois workers while providing badly-needed state infrastructure improvements.”

Gevan J. “Gus” Behnke has been with CDB since January 1979 and has been the agency’s chief fiscal officer for the past 22 years. Behnke is a Bloomington native and has a bachelor’s degree in physics and math from Valparaiso University. He also holds a master’s degree in nuclear physics from Purdue University, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from Illinois State University. (Gevan Behnke Background)

Riemer has served as the CDB executive director since April 2008. He joined the CDB in 1987 and was named deputy director of the Construction Administration Division in 2003. Riemer also served as the agency’s statewide labor coordinator, and developed and promoted a positive labor/management relationship with the state’s 21 building and construction trades councils.

Prior to joining the CDB, Riemer spent 15 years working as a journeyman ironworker. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart after being wounded in action in Vietnam.

The Capital Development Board is the construction management arm of Illinois state government. With approximately 120 employees throughout the state, CDB oversees the design and construction of college and university facilities, public safety centers, museums and historic sites, state recreation areas, health centers, office buildings and prisons. In addition, CDB is responsible for repair and renovation projects at more than 8,400 state-owned properties, as well as the removal of environmental hazards and the upgrading of facilities to meet accessibility standards. The CDB also spearheads the state’s “Green Building” initiative to incorporate energy-saving, environmentally-friendly design elements in most state construction projects.

Phil Kadner's Attempted Rolling Stone -ing of Madigan Falls Flatter Than Blythe Danner

In a local yokel spin on the Michael Hasting's punk'd tribute to General Stanley McCrystal, Southtown Star's Phil Kadner offers this chilling insight to the inner workings of the mind of Illinois Speaker Mike Madigan . . .or do he?

Speaker Mike Madigan is to Illinois politics as Jon Burge is to Ceasefire. I like to think of Speaker Madigan as Bricktop from the great British Comedy Snatch.

"Do you know what Nemesis Means? . . .A righteous infliction of retribution, manifested by an appropriate agent. Personified in this case by a 'orrible $%%^: me [Brick Top]."

Mr. Madigan is no where near as chatty as Bricktop, but he is as prophetic and entertaining.

Every goof who wants to run for office in Illinois seems to use Mike Madigan as a straw dog instead of targeting his/her opponent. Boss Madigan! Tyrant Madigan! Izzy Madigan? I don't know; what you say about him? News Flash -Mike Madigan is not running for Deputy Sidewalk Safety Commissioner of Highland Park, Brucey! You are and against the incumbent Cuthbert J. Mortgagethaller.

Illinois is in need of change. The best way to bring change to our state is to remove the longest serving leader Speaker of the House Mike Madigan.

Speaker Madigan has amassed so much power that even the media is afraid of him. He has a large majority in the General Assembly and yet he will not lead, without cover from the Republican members.

from the Daily Hearld.

Phil Kadner offered Speaker Madigan an opportunity to make a clean breast of things - tell his story . . . Fess up!

On May 12, I offered to turn my column space over to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) to explain his views on this state's budget crisis to the people of Illinois. Madigan, the most powerful political figure in Illinois, responded to that offer last week and here, unedited and (as promised) without comment from me, is his statement.

To which Speaker Madigan offered what amounts to a Bad Santa response to a young chap's Christmas Inquiry -thus -

In discussing the causes of our fiscal difficulties in Illinois, it is critical to note that we are not alone - that in fact, a staggering 46 of 50 states have been forced into deficit budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Is the state government in Illinois to blame for the national economic downturn? Of course not.

The blame flows more logically in the opposite direction. More than anything, Illinois is suffering the effects of a profoundly severe recession whose origins can be traced directly to the policies of the federal government since 1994's "Republican Revolution."

I am not the first to identify a number of national policy failures, prior to President Obama's election, that hamstrung our state and fostered the economic downturn: (1) tax breaks for the rich; (2) uncontrolled spending; (3) stampeding the country into the Iraq War - a war of choice projected to cost $3 trillion; (4) lack of Wall Street oversight; (5) tax and trade policies that rewarded job outsourcing; (6) giving free rein to predatory mortgage lenders and investment banks; and (7) cheap credit made possible by the Federal Reserve's low lending rates. These policies served the short-term interests of the wealthy but, over the long term, have created an epic economic disaster that has sent millions of Americans and nearly all state governments reeling.

These deficits have certainly affected states governed by Republicans, like California, Arizona, Nevada, and Florida, to name only a few. Last year, California's Republican governor approved an income tax increase to raise $5 billion. Virginia's GOP governor this year proposed increasing the state income tax one percent.

The new Republican governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, who rode into office last fall promising fiscal austerity and to get the state budget under control, elected to skip his state's public employee pension payment as a means to balance the books.

Across the country, Republican governors and legislatures have passed sales, business and "sin" tax increases, hiked fees on drivers, and eliminated tax credits and deductions.

Responding to Crisis

What options did Illinois state government have to respond?

Revenue enhancements: One possibility was to raise revenues. Many other states have done so. Over the last two years, 13 states raised the personal income tax; 17 raised sales taxes; 22 raised taxes on tobacco, alcohol or motor fuel; 17 increased business taxes; and 24 increased fees or other taxes.

But in the history of Illinois, every tax increase that ever passed was on a bipartisan basis. And for good reason. Additional revenues for education, the elderly, the poor, the sick, the unemployed, veterans - the people we are trying to help - do not just benefit those in Democratic districts. Universities, women's shelters, prisons and hospitals are not limited to one party's region. Historically, partisanship was checked at the door when the time came to make tough decisions on tax hikes.

But this time? House Republican Leader Tom Cross issued a directive to his members: Not a single Republican could vote for Governor Quinn's proposal in 2009 to raise the state income tax 1.5 percent, from 3 percent to 4.5 percent. I voted for it, as did 41 other House Democrats, but without GOP support the bill failed.

While I did not expect unanimous backing from the Republicans (some Democrats voted against it as well), I was disappointed they staked out a political campaign strategy to leave the clean-up to the Democrats. This, despite the fact that there were at least 12 House Republicans who were believed to support the measure. In this case, GOP political campaign considerations trumped pragmatic policy.

Spending cuts: In the last fiscal year, Democrats reduced spending by $2.5 billion, or approximately 10 percent of the overall discretionary budget. For the next fiscal year, we have cut another 5 percent from agency operations and given the governor extraordinary powers to cut still further. In addition, as we did last year, lawmakers will take 12 unpaid furlough days - essentially a salary cut - and receive reduced reimbursements for mileage and lodging when attending session. Democrats also blocked a previously scheduled 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for lawmakers and other state officials.

Republicans, who voted against this budget, opposed these provisions. Worse yet, after hearing the GOP again trot out its claim that they could solve our fiscal problems solely through spending cuts, I called their bluff - and they blinked. I introduced legislation that would cut $4.5 billion from the budget, a figure chosen because it encompassed all the money needed to make the state pension payment. Not one Republican voted for cutting, just as they all voted against the means to meet our pension obligations. Then, I invited them to introduce amendments to my bill to cut whatever particular programs they wished - and not a single Republican identified a single cut!

Pension reform: We made significant changes to public employee pension systems that will save our state $300 million in the next year and as much as $100 billion in future costs.

In the face of stiff opposition from public employee unions, and with the support of the state's leading business organizations, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, we reined in excesses, reduced benefits, improved the system's long-term viability and, most urgently, eased budget pressures going forward.

Pension borrowing: By the narrowest of margins, the House passed legislation that would allow the state to make its statutorily mandated pension payment. Two Republicans crossed over to support this legislation - and paid a significant price for doing so. House GOP Leader Tom Cross, again pursuing a do-nothing strategy, issued a directive that no Republicans could vote for the measure. When two of their members did, Cross stripped each of them of their leadership positions - reminding all of his members that politics and political campaigns come first.

So much for bipartisanship in Cross's world. The Republicans' political strategy is simple: Do nothing to solve the problem; ignore the suffering it causes; hope the problem festers through the general election; and blame the Democrats. The state GOP is a lot like their national brethren.

The Road Ahead

I cannot predict the future. It is my hope that despite the mixed signs the recovery will take, unemployment will decline, and revenues will increase. We can only hope that some economists are wrong when they predict a "jobless recovery."

Regardless, we must continue to forgo new spending. We must be open to new cuts. We must make sure that Governor Quinn has the flexibility he needs to respond to the fiscal situation as it develops. We must support President Obama's call to Congress to provide additional emergency aid to the states.

And perhaps most importantly, we must be willing to put aside partisan games and do whatever is necessary to solve these problems. Rather than sitting on the sidelines and criticizing, Republicans must consider every option, from additional spending cuts to revenue enhancements to borrowing, as we try to repair the extraordinary damage to our nation caused by their party at the federal level.

A briefing paper containing additional background information and links to other resources regarding the national recession and states' fiscal crisis will be available Monday at the Illinois House Democrats' website, www.housedem.state.il.us

Oh Yeah, Mike Madigan, the only real adult in Springfield, chatty Mike, Mr. Glib, is going to explain anything to . . . to anybody? This is the real world! This is not the Chris Matthews Show.

Phil Kadner is so used to the parade of magpie goofs of the Progressive Democratic Third Coalition Route Army of Recovery blabbing to him about what Ralph Martire's deepest longings, desires and sprightly mewings for everyone's wallets that he thought a real, genuine, no kidding professional would weep out a few breast beaters for papers.

Mike Madigan is genuine professional who must deal with every crack-pot Progressive crowding effective people out of public life.

I wish Mike Madigan would feed a few of these losers to the hogs on a farm in Essex, Il. Now, then ,they'd be useful.



UPDATE - An Illinois Feminist with a very powerful opinion in all matters, pointed out the Caveman Quality and Hirsute Chutzpah of my simile in the title of this post, as well as the fact I am "just plainwrong and not man enough to admit it!"


Quiet Right - I am a cloven hoofed knave and dead wrong . . .Blythe Danner has a great set of knockers!






http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=389459&src=

Illinois Lieutenant Governor - The Appendix in Illinois Body Politic - Feed it to the Pigs

Don Wade and Roma were straining to equate the only adult in Springfield, Speaker Mike Madigan, to Don Corleone.

Don Corleone was way too chatty to be even remotely considered as a parallel caricature.

Rather, Bricktop, the quietly intimidating London crime boss, and a redhead to boot, would be my choice cinema avatar.

Bricktop asks only rhetorical questions:

'Arold: I think you've let him get away with enough already, Guv'nor.

Brick Top: It'll get you in a lot of trouble thinking, 'Arold. If I were you, I wouldn't do too much of it.

Likewise: He never threatened - he prophesied:

Brick Top: You're on thin f#$king ice my pedigree chums, and I shall be under it when it breaks. Now, f#$k off.

Bricktop:Do you know what "nemesis" means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent. Personified in this case by an 'orrible #$%^... me.

The character Bricktop rid himself and this vale of tears of cumbersome baggage, louts, cheats, transgressors and superfluous appendages -not unlike Scott Lee Cohen or the Office of Illinois Lieutenant Governor -by feeding them to pigs.

Speaker Madigan launched Scott Lee Cohen and intends to do the same to the Office of Lieutenant Governor as well.

Shortly after his primary victory, stories emerged about a 2005 arrest for holding a knife to his girlfriend's throat. Those charges were later dropped. But next came allegations of steroid abuse and other claims of physical violence from divorce records.

Although he initially balked at giving up the nomination, he acquiesced after talking to Madigan, the influential chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, who said he warned Cohen the personal scrutiny he was undergoing would get worse.

Cohen was an unknown until he spent $2 million of his own money to secure the nomination. His candidacy has again prompted questions of whether the lieutenant governor's office is needed.

Daily Herald, or 'erald.

Just like the character Bricktop in the fine film Snatch -

"You're always gonna have problems lifting a body in one piece. Apparently the best thing to do is cut up a corpse into six pieces and pile it all together."

and then -"And when you got your six pieces, you gotta get rid of them, because it's no good leaving it in the deep freeze for your mum to discover, now is it? Then I hear the best thing to do is feed them to pigs. You got to starve the pigs for a few days, then the sight of a chopped-up body will look like curry to a pisshead. You gotta shave the heads of your victims, and pull the teeth out for the sake of the piggies' digestion. You could do this afterwards, of course, but you don't want to go sievin' through pig shit, now do you? They will go through bone like butter. You need at least sixteen pigs to finish the job in one sitting, so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm. They will go through a body that weighs 200 pounds in about eight minutes. That means that a single pig can consume two pounds of uncooked flesh every minute. Hence the expression, "as greedy as a pig."

Speaker Madigan is no Vito Corleone.

Bricktop, sadly, meets his demise at the close of the film. Sadly, because he is truly the only character in the film with any smattering of genuine character, intelligence and forethought - he is a vicious 'orrible #$%^, but one must be in crime. Politics is no crime; there's no crime in politics!

There are criminals - Larry Bloom, Bob Creamer, Stuart Levine, Tony Rezko, Cliff Kelley, to name but a few - in political life. However, 'as greedy as a pig' should not stamp all in elected office. Speaker Mike Madigan is the only elected political leader in Illinois politics with any character, intelligence, and forethought.

Feed the Office of Lieutenant Governor to pigs Mr. Speaker!