CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Everybody, calm down

Re: Everybody, calm down

Andy M — Sun, 10 May 2009 13:20:32 -0000

Thanks Mike for giving us republicans 3000 experienced campaign workers and fundraisers. Hopefully some of them used to be close to you and will help expose some of your skeletons.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Jay SeaBee — Sun, 10 May 2009 00:03:51 -0000

I am of the opinion that the placing of the PSA's, AA's, Exec's into the union was a calculated move on the part of Blago's people as a way to ensure they would be able to remain in government somewhat easier if a situation as now exists came to pass.

Re: Everybody, calm down

anon — Sat, 09 May 2009 18:40:29 -0000

There will never be reform in this state as long as Madigan is around.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Plorhanda — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:35:53 -0000

Rich, Pull out the Clout List and publish it again. This Clout List should be the firing list.

Re: Everybody, calm down

TiredOFItAll — Sat, 09 May 2009 09:09:39 -0000

So it is about time someone is forcing the cleanup...but how successful will it be when agencies are trying now to quickly get term appointments switched to regular full time status...Will anyone be watching that? And do we really need 30 or so 'Special Assistants' to diretors staff (in just one agency)???????????

Re: Everybody, calm down

seriously — Fri, 08 May 2009 22:37:31 -0000

what is this about his wifes board being insulated? tell me more about this holy and totally without reproach mike madigan...

Re: Everybody, calm down

disgusted — Fri, 08 May 2009 22:15:20 -0000

This is the best piece of legislation in recent Illinois history. Thanks to Speaker Madigan for cutting through the bull and creating action for change. We really need a new start, whether these people are good folks or not, we need talent and talent unblemished by the blago era.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Gives me a headache — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:42:36 -0000

This may have already been stated... or not, but didn't the current gov get his job as Lt Gov due to the former gov's ability to get elected? Shouldn't that somehow tie him to this group of 3,000? Also, if the 3,000 or so are removed, just who exactly will run the show? I'm assuming 3,000 or close to that would have to be appointed. Doesn't that put us right back in the same position? New names... same probable political-type hires?

Re: Everybody, calm down

State Worker — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:46:14 -0000

It's about time someone stood up for the crazy mess we are in. I know first hand in the Department of Juvenile Justice we have a Director that was just appointed by Blago before the arrest. A do nothing hack. And 2 Deputy Directors that have been temporary assigned for years. I have seen people hired into administrative posts with NO prior experience just because of who they know or are married to. These kids that we are accountable for don't even go to school by law while locked up. They are a disgrace to the agency.

Re: Everybody, calm down

CORRECTIONS — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:39:40 -0000

Here's how this works for Corrections. Currently we can not get anyone to step out of the Union to take double exempt postions, Assistant Wardens/ Wardens/DD's on up. So essentially the prisons are ran by people who do not know what they are doing. Now with this legislation, NOT even qualified individuals will step forward for these jobs. Why should protected PSA"s who make 117,000 dollars a year move up to a Warden position or Deputy Director position? This legislation only creates more of a public safety hazard for everyone in IDOC. Why not pull in resumes and get rid of those with no experience and keep those in place who have experience. It is a fair process that way and may attract experienced folks into the positions of leadership. If the legislation passes there will be no Wardens/ A/W in prisons or Deputy Directors giving operational direction. The public safety will be affected.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Rich Miller — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:05:01 -0000

===This legislation doesnâ€™t change those problems, it exacerbates them.===

I would disagree. It forces him to get moving, which is what he's needed for a while now. Necessity being the mother of invention that it is.

Re: Everybody, calm down

ILPundit — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:00:43 -0000

Rich, I read CapFax this am, and I would make two points:

First, not everyone in Quinn land is thrilled about this. In fact, you can probably divide the people who are thrilled and those who are not into the camps of those people who understand the mechanics of state hiring and appointments, and those that don't. The less you understand, the more one seems to like this.

Second, even if the bill is amended as you suggest, its still going to be a huge problem for Quinn. Half the reason Quinn hasn't "fumigated" is because he doesn't have a good handle on a pool of potential appointees, or a workable process to find new fresh faces. This legislation doesn't change those problems, it exacerbates them.

No doubt if Quinn swallows this, Madigan will have a very long list of "recommendations"...which frankly, is probably the actual point behind much of this

If Quinn wants to fumigate, he already has the ability.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Ms Port Belly Mushroom — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:59:18 -0000

Like the other double exempts who are embracing the darkness, there is no reason to go out whining. There was life before state government and there will be life after state government. Be grateful for ride!

Re: Everybody, calm down

MrSpeaker — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:36:25 -0000

Yes, MikeIns, I guess i wasn't thinking about the paralegals and whatnot, you are right it's not good policy to keep replacing 3,000 every four- eight years. but Quinn has not wrapped his brain around this and I think he was hoping if he fired a few non essentials no one would notice he has kept all the agency directors and deputies aka patronage workers. He was kind enough to fire young press people who have rent, student loans,and now a huge blight on their resumes...didn't he actually campaign for the previous governor?

Re: Everybody, calm down

Lucy — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:05:16 -0000

Whistleblower your are correct. Bill (cellini), Unions are great unless you are at the bottom/new hires(less than 5yrs). I like madigans idea/bill. It will help weed out the conspirators(senior manageemnt, administrators, board members) that were placed under blago's watch to influence state policy for personal gain, ex: gambling and horseracing. Who knows maybe madigan has a list of people under federal investigation. Which ever at least the citizens of illinois will not continue to pay their pensions!

Re: Everybody, calm down

Mike Ins — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:54:15 -0000

MrSpeaker:

Dont disagree, but in my agency some of the PSA and SPSA have been around for 25 - 35 years, in fact, all in my direct chain of command until the Deputy/Agency Director level. Those people have someone managed to "survive" 25 - 35 years of changed administrations of every type and stripe... and now, not being looked at first and then fired, but fired first and then looked at. Ok, so be it I suppose.

It seems to me the process works best if the Gov puts in "his people" in the management spots and then those people in turn put their people in.

It does not make sense to me that you fire/hire paralegals every change of administration. Yes, certainly that is fair game. Understood. That could be done every change of administration. Lisa Madigan may have her list of nurse case managers and paralegals ready to go for her transition, but I doubt it.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Double Exempt — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:51:27 -0000

Mike Ins, I couldn't have said it better.

I too have been an at will employee my entire career. And I am also aware of many friends and professional collegues who have recently been through mass-firings in the private sector, or are in the process now. Having the ax hovering over your neck and not knowing when, or if, it will fall is an awful experience for anybody. That surely explains some of the panic expressed on the blog.

I think what really ticks me off - as a double exempt employee - is the assumption in the press and by many bloggers that all double exempt employees are know-nothing political hacks who have never worked a full day in their life and don't expect to. Being equated to cockroaches or other vermin is also rather insulting.

I know many won't believe me, but there are double exempt employees out there that really do work hard, have struggled to keep things running, tried to stop the wrongdoings within their power to change and don't have political clout. Yet they all need to be fumigated. Oh wait, maybe if they suck up to Quinn and/or Madigan enough they'll hire them back. That makes it all soooo much better.

I don't have a problem with the concept of getting rid of people, it happens. I'll be honest, I hope it doesn't happen to me. It's the way it's being done that really cuts to the quick.

Rich, your right, nobody who is an at will employee - private or government - has the "right" to control how their evaluated or removed. But, does that mean we shouldn't complain if it's not fair? Shouldn't we strive for fair? Or maybe, at least, try to treat people with a little respect instead of using them as political pawns? I thought actions like this are what everyone had been complaining about during the last administration.

Re: Everybody, calm down

MrSpeaker — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:49:15 -0000

Mike Ins, that is about the time frame of normal transition Nov 4- Jan 1- they have 60 days, just like the president had but ObjecDem is right, it's normal to change employees but Quinn has insulted many many good state employees by his tired rhetoric of "reform" and "fumigate", many of those people worked the precincts so he could be LTGov. You can be sure they will be knocking on doors for LM.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Mike Ins — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:39:18 -0000

Complaints Generally:

Can we separate personal complaints from whether this is good policy as currently written?

Leaving out who-should-have-accepted-what-when and what is legal to do to non-union employees (believe me, all the 2XEs have been in at will positions their entire lives and always will, so you are preaching to the choir there my friends), that isnt the same as whether it is good policy.

In my view, disagreed with many here, having the executive branch focus on reviewing 3,000 employees in 60 days while the state lacks a capital bill, has a 12 billion deficit, and cannot pay vendors on time due to deficit, is not the time to undertake the most massive HR scramble ever conducted by the state, while also all the leadership is, at the agency level, for that 60 days, decapitated or impotent.

Regardless of the "fairness" of it, from a policy standpoint it is a priority, but not "the" priority at the moment.

Just my opinion, I know many disagree.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Objective Dem — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:35:09 -0000

Rich,

I definitely agree with you that double-exempt employees are hired and fired at the will of the Governor and have no job security. And I think this is completely reasonable.

However, it bothers me that this process isn't about a new administration bringing in their new team in an orderly process.

This process will taint good people due to the way it is being handled.

This process will also not result in bad people leaving and good people coming in.

What will happen is people without any clout will go and people with clout will be put in their place. On one level, that doesn't bother me because I think it is legit for the Gov and his allies to control patronage jobs. However don't bill it as getting rid of bad people.

And if Quinn really wanted to change Illinois politics, he should set up a process for bringing in the best and the brightest from around the country and supporting them. That is a game-changer. But instead, we are seeing the Who's out with the old boss, in with the same boss.

Re: Everybody, calm down

HV in HP — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:35:01 -0000

Exempt employees complaining about this should consider that they accepted the position knowing that this was a possibility. Complaining now is like military personnel complaining about being sent to war. Sorry buddy, but it's a risk you take by choosing the position.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Phineas J. Whoopee — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:31:29 -0000

Wow, a Bill Scott reference and now Len Small. Okay, 2nd most but Blago is still the most embarrassing.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Pale Rider — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:30:04 -0000

I don't think enough is being made about how MJM is keeping his wife's board insulated from this. It just goes to show you that he is a hypocrite. The fumigation is good for the rest of the masses, but not as far as my family is concerned.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Bill — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:29:07 -0000

== I will say that the state union jobs are pretty darn close to being â€œownedâ€==
Ive been telling you 2xes and 1xes to organize yourselves into a union for a long time. Many of you have. Some of you can't but the rest of you liked to think of yourselves as "bosses" and as "management" who would never accept being anything but adversairal with "labor". Well, you see now how that turned out. Good luck. Maybe you can find an apprenticeship somewhere.

Re: Everybody, calm down

Rich Miller — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:21:26 -0000

===the most corrupt Governor in this States history===

I think it's safe to say that everyone who got a state job from Len Small is now dead.