Pope Kiril Quinn - The Shoes of the Ninian Edwards

Kiril Lakota: [the shadow of the cross is on the Pope's empty chair during this exchange of dialog] Leone, how does a man ever know if his actions are for himself or for God?
Cardinal Leone: You don't know. You have a duty to act. But you have no right to expect approval, or even a successful outcome.
Kiril Lakota: So, in the end, my friend, we are alone?

The Shoes of the Fisherman

I had a great chat with veteran banker Steve Jordan, who worked in Boston, Singapore, New York and San Francisco for some of the leading banks in America. Mr. Jordan is disgusted by the destruction of banking in this country and most especially by the idiotic and gutless trend to nationalize our banks and lending institutions.

Steve Jordan reminded me of the novel by Australian Morris L. West - The Shoes of the Fisherman in which the Pope sells off all of the Vatican's assets to stop a World War sparked by famine in China.Pope Kiril I had been confined to a Soviet Gulag until he was named to replace the Pope. Jordan pointed out that this fictional Pope needed to do What Jesus Would Do, which makes for fine and inspirationally uplifting fiction, but bad economics and worse management -'What about the next Famine? Who's the next Vicar of Christ and what's he got left? Think Red China will buck up?' Nope.

Bankers quit being bankers and made themselves pawns to politicians - politicians are pawns to Programs and Programs come from Taxes. Taxes come from the Wealthier citizens and primarily from the Middle Class and also largely from businesses that pay the wages that can be taxed.

Here in Illinois, political semi-exile recluse, Governor Pat Quinn is playing Pope Kiril Quinn the First - filling the Shoes of Ninian Edwards 1826-1830( 1st Il.Guv). Ninian did one term - a full one though.

Here is Pope Quinn's Encyclical:

Quinn's proposal would raise the individual income tax rate from 3 percent to 4.5 percent and boost the corporate rate from 4.8 percent to 7.2 percent. At the same time, Quinn would shield lower-income families from the tax bite by increasing the personal exemption from the current $2,000 to $6,000. In all, the higher income taxes would generate about $3.1 billion.

He contended 5 million lower wage-earning residents would pay no increase in income taxes or get a tax cut due to the higher exemption.

Quinn also is considering doubling the $10 cost of a four-year driver's license, adding $20 to the $79 cost of a basic license plate fee and increasing vehicle title fees as part of his "Illinois Jobs Now!" proposal—a $26 billion public works program that he said would create 340,000 jobs over several years. The higher fees on motorists would fund $18.6 billion in transportation projects, including road repair and mass transit, and 10 percent of the new income-tax revenue would pay for school construction and unspecified "economic development" projects.

Additionally, the governor is backing a plan that would boost the current 98-cent per pack cigarette tax by 50 cents in the next budget year to help pay down a backlog of long-overdue bills from health-care providers to the poor. The tax could go up another 50 cents a pack the following year.

Quinn outlined his plans in a meeting Tuesday with Democratic lawmakers, who praised the new spirit of openness in contrast to their contentious budget battles with Blagojevich. Still, many lawmakers were warning that several of Quinn's plans were non-starters—including one concept which would deny cities and towns a share of new income-tax revenue.

This is Class Warfare - corporations will leave the State; Programs will bloat; More Taxes without Cuts. The Middle Class will bear more burden. Pope Quinn is not selling off State Assets to pay bills, meet debts, and cover expenses - that, Pope Quinn leaves to the Taxpayer -Pope Quinn loots the citizens and businesses that will leave Illinois.

In Morris L. West's novel the Bells Tolled for Joy - at noon today, Governor Quinn, the bells toll for Thee. Fiction and this Tax Scam are cousins.

Martyr Quinn for Ralph Martire'sSake? Blago Budget Bonehead Backs Bloat Boost!

Progress Illinois which hands me more laughs than The Onion ( without meaning to do so and that is even funnier) is all Progressive and Pouffe *over Ralph Martire's** imprimatur on the Illinois Tax Boost. Today's giggle is from Josh Kalven again and he wants Illinois to know that Mike Madigan is very, very smart and Lisa Madigan has ambition!
http://progressillinois.com/2009/3/16/the-one-to-watch

Josh, Honor Bright?

Progress is all Quinnish and Daisy Happy! More Taxes Mean more slots for low skilled and unskilled SEIU placements in the State Budget! PI Loves PQ! They want Speaker Mike Madigan to be the bad guy. They can not go after Lisa Madigan for the obvious PC reasons - she's a Female Girl Woman, but they can get all Boiled Beet Progressive on Daddo.

Pat Quinn, the Governor, wants to increase Illinois taxes - Pat Quinn wants a dramatic increase. Really Huge! Quinn has Ralph Martire in his corner - 'Cut Me Ralph. I can go the Distance! This is a Long Distance Race? Boxing? I thought it was Cross-Country, Ralph! Ralph? Ralph! where's the water bottle? Taxed? That Too? Sponge Me! This is supposed to be Long Distance Cross Country Running! No?'

No; it's Boxing Guv and this is Round One! You might get to Round Two. Oh, thats right, Ralph is in your corner. The canvass is not all that comfortable. You will be hitting it hard, by the way.

Ralph Martire is a career know-it-all-screw-up - a Progressive Professor with his snout plunged in the public trough. From Dawn Clark Netsch to Rod Blagojevich, Ralph Martire's slide rule reads 'Taxes.' State Government Spendathons! Lefty Agit-Prop and Meeks Shall Inherit the Works Coalition Building! Pat Quinn is toast.

This from Peoria!

"What should the state do to balance the budget? Cut spending or raise taxes and maintain spending," Martire said.

In fact, Quinn said last week, he plans to do both. When he delivers his budget speech Wednesday, Quinn plans to ask for an increase in the state income tax, something that hasn't happened in Illinois since 1993, when the current 3 percent personal rate was made permanent. Quinn also said he will announce more than $800 million in cuts to the budget.

Quinn hasn't said how large a tax increase he will seek, although some reports have said he will ask for a new rate of 4.5 percent, a 50 percent increase. An increase of that magnitude would raise more than $4 billion in new revenue.

However, Quinn also will ask for the state personal income tax exemption to increase from $2,000 to $6,000 to offset the impact of the tax hike.

Martire thinks the income tax increase should be even larger. What's more, he thinks Quinn also should adjust the state sales tax while lawmakers are debating revenue increases.

Ralph Martire, who helped Blago give away the Illinois General Store to tax salaried SEIU pals and allies,as well as the usual Pork Eating Capitalists, warns that trimming the Budget Bloat through . . .TAX Cuts !!!! Hopi Indians, Mildred, think of the Children! . . .might . . . might mind you lead to rising unemployment figures.

Yeah???!!!!!!!!!!! Tax-salaried employees put in the State Budget by you and Blago Ralph!

Martire will be a Huge help in Pat Quinn's Martyrdom! You can set your watch by dopes like Martire . . . I mean Distinguished Professors on the Public Teat like Ralph Martire.

* footstool - SEIU's footstool, ottoman, place to put feet on & etc.

** Ralph Martire:Ralph Martire is executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (“CTBA”). He also serves as a regular columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, the State Journal-Register and The Herald Newson issues involving government accountability, tax, fiscal and budget policies. Ralph served on the
budget advisory board to Governor Rod Blagojevich's transition team, where he acted as chairperson ofthe state revenue subcommittee. Ralph was the principal author of a study CTBA produced that identifiedrevenue enhancement proposals to address the 2002 fiscal crises in the state of Illinois. Five of the proposals identified in that study ultimately became law. Ralph also was a key member of the research
team that produced the groundbreaking "State of Working Illinois" report, which detailed industry,employment, wage and benefit trends in Illinois over the last 15 years. A joint project of CTBA andNorthern Illinois University, the State of Working Illinois has been featured in over 150 media (print andbroadcast) placements nationwide. ( emphasis my own)

http://www.ctbaonline.org/All%20Links%20to%20Press%20and%20Reports/Contact%20Us/Ralph%20Martire.pdf

Governor Quinn -Blago's Gone;Leave the Signs

The last thing the Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, needs to worry about is covering up the name of Rod Blagojevich - there ain't that much paint.

Governor Quinn, right the State. Get the Legislature on task to lower taxes and raise confidence in Illinois Government. Restore the State to the Land of Lincoln.

It will cost nearly half a million bucks to paint over the name of Blagojevich and that will be money wasted. No one should forget that an under-prepared egoist (megalomaniac?) was ushered into the chair, with a great deal of political help from many people, you now occupy.

Governor Quinn this is not the time for symbolism and rhetoric. You should be moving to rebuild Illinois, like scalded puppy. Leave the signs.

The controversial signs at Illinois tollway plazas announcing "Open Road Tolling—Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" will soon be changed, a tollway spokeswoman said Thursday.

New signs, keeping the open-road-tolling message but covering Blagojevich's name, will be placed over the old ones, said Joelle McGinnis, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, before the Illinois Senate voted to remove the governor.

The new signs will have the toll plaza's name and number, McGinnis said. They will not feature the name of Gov. Patrick Quinn or any other politician.

The 32 blue Blagojevich signs were erected in 2004 at a cost of $480,000. McGinnis estimated it would cost $15,000 apiece to change them. Crews probably will replace the signs at night to minimize disruptions.