CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Anonymoose — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:26:59 -0000

The Springfield insiders who live of the government debating about whether the contract termination was political. Of course it was.
Now spend some time debating whether the position was actually neccesary and whether $100,000 was an appropriate level of compensation.
There is a plague on both the Madigan and Blagojevich houses.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Disgusted — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 06:58:00 -0000

Wouldn't you think that an agency director's office which is told that personnel have to meet a certain criteria to remain a viable employee, would inform the impacted employees of this situation? But then again, I guess you have to care first - about someone besides yourself.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

capitol view — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:16:57 -0000

SSI determination requires a signature of a physician or a federally registered (licensed) clinical staffer. Others can do the scut work, and make the recommendation to the signature authority SSI executives. If you think Mapes' wife makes good money, the reality is that her salary is less than the top honchos with the signature authority. So using her and other similar qualified staffers to do the investigation work and put together the file for the determination decision is good government and saves the state money.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Little Egypt — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:37:33 -0000

And I'd paint it to look like the obligatory coat and tie. What a hoot.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Little Egypt — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:36:24 -0000

I'd pay Bill Black to wear a hazmat suit to session at least one time.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Lainer — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:22:13 -0000

Quote of the week: Rep. Bill Black, in his usual priceless manner, said something yesterday about the atmosphere in the Capitol being so toxic he would have to start wearing a Hazmat suit during session. Would somebody want to try bringing a Geiger counter to the next leaders meeting : )

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Squideshi — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:12:29 -0000

The patronage system will eventually loose.

This is an old style of politics of which people are sick and tired. Give people an alternative, which they do not currently have, and they'll defect to it in droves. At least, that's the plan.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Pot calling kettle — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:34:09 -0000

A few years back, the Gov. cleared the DNR of anyone who indicated the cuts he was making were a bad idea. (Then he back-filled by appointing campaign workers to admin. positions.)

It's nothing new, but I think the scale is catching everyone's attention.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Leigh — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:30:46 -0000

As with many of Blago's "victories" I suspect this one will come back to bite him in the ____ (animal that represents democrats).

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Six Degrees of Separation — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:26:38 -0000

At least Kate Wachs has targeted the proper audience in this case with her book title.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Papa Legba — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:10:46 -0000

This HAS been going on since day one. And not only to people who were making $100,000+ annually.

This governor and his merry band of goofs have been screwing over hard working employees with bogus charges, charging them with breaking rules (rules that don't exist) and inventing ways of eliminating individuals. They harass people until they walk or rack up enough "black marks" on their records to earn multiple unpaid suspensions and other arbitrary disciplinary actions.

They are a bunch or cowardly, snot nosed bullies hiding behind "rules" that don't apply to the whole. Just ask all the red X'ers who were relieved from their jobs just because they held a useful head count position that could be used for installing a hack.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:09:56 -0000

He might as well since no one else is living there...

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

A Citizen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:03:25 -0000

Does this mean Lou Pinella is moving into the Mansion?

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Rich Miller — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:00:07 -0000

Not even Rod could jinx that crew.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Just My Opinion — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:58:38 -0000

I'm happy to know who to blame for the Cubs losing the first two games. Blago, for the love of mike, will you shut your big mouth about the Cubbies and give them a chance to win. You are jinxing them worse than the billy goat.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

never a dull moment — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:36:12 -0000

Politically motivated firings? in this administration??

This has been going on since day ONE of this administration - the first set of firings were handled with press releases and cheers from everyone that there would be no more business as usual - this is WORSE than business as usual.

Patrick Fitzgerald - WHERE ARE YOU?????

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Marcus Agrippa — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:34:29 -0000

Google 20 CFR 404.1616 and 20 CFR 404.1617 to see the federal regualtions on the use of qualified psychologists in making disability determinations.

The fed's letters are on the subscriber portoin of the blog and refer to the fed regs.

In regard to fraud and social security claims, most applications for benefits are denied by DDS personnel and consultants. Once the claim is denied it can go before a federal administrative law judge who makes the ultimate decision. It usually takes at least a year and a half to get through that process. Not many people who are out to defraud the patience to hold out for that long. In my experience DDS does only an adequate job in putting the file together and making a decision. The fact that over 50% of DDS decsions are reversed at hearing shows that a better job could be done by DDS in working up the files.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Jeff — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:33:09 -0000

The firing is not so bad....

Blago fired me via a press conference. He did not blame the feds, rather he lied and said I (& others) were "part and parcel to a conspiracy to commit fraud" and unqualified for the job! All of which he back off of once the cameras were off him.

Blago & team use people, they abuse families they couldn't care less and then Chicago re-elects him by a wide margin. Rich said it earlier, what a great state we live in! And to really top it off and make make matters worse, Blago is on national tv talking about his cubbies and now were down 2 games.....whats next?

I feel for Ms Rains & Mr. Mapes.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

observer — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:27:57 -0000

Rains does absolutely top-notch work. DHS, Social Security, disability applicants, and taxpayers were fortunate to have her and that may be the reason DHS kept her eventhough she did not meet the new criteria. This happens alot with federal programs--federal regs change, states appeal, federal regs change again. On any given day, agencies are out of compliance with many federal regs, but the state continues to get federal funding. Can't even imagine how much her replacement will cost. It's all very unfortunate.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Independent One — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:25:11 -0000

The guv, or his people, can't sit down and talk over a situation with the employee? Sounds like a real setup to me.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Name/Nickname/Anon — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:19:51 -0000

"I realize that itâ€™s hard for â€œso blueâ€ Dems to believe that corruption in government exists but, well, there you have it. Look around your state."

Cassandra -

I don't have to look any further than two blocks down the street. There is a family that both parents have been on SSI for something like 20 years...not because either is disabled but because they simply decided to walk away from STATE EMPLOYMENT and hit the government trough. I regularly see them running around, walking up and down the street and generally living large.

If you are lazy or a coke fiend you will likely find a free ride into SSI.....if you are legitimately disabled and NEED the assistance you better prepare to be declined and hire a lawyer. I know two people personally who had to do just that and only one of the two got the help even with the mouthpiece. The kicker was that both were MORE than willing to work in anything they could find and physically do. The problem was that employers weren't exactly lined up to help and they both really needed the assistance.

SSI Disability might be helpful to a lot of people but the bureaucracy and the arbitrary denials and approvals make the system a crap shoot at best. Anyone who thinks that the program isn't riddled with corruption and waste hasn't been paying attention. After all, it was set up by politicians with other peoples' money and administered by policy wonks. How could it NOT be corrupt?

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Doc Adams Shadow — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:09:16 -0000

That Tom Green can sure tell a story.

Thank goodness no one asked what other assignments she had besides the SSA reviews. That's one we could not explain.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

A Citizen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:03:05 -0000

The Disability Determination Services organization is the nest from which the Rutan decision on patronage hiring and firing hatched. The consultative physicians and other professional are contract employees paid with federal funds. Their hours and schedules generally fluctuate as many are retired or semi retired physicians, hence their pay will fluctuate. They are a group of professionals, hardly incompetent political hacks. Deriving pleasure from the firing is indicative of a very troubled and sick person or perhaps persons.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Team Sleep — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:01:47 -0000

Blago thinks he can get away with it because he is the head honcho and his staff can cut out positions and fire people. Rich is right: he probably views this as a win since he and his staff don't think Madigan can fire back. Even if Madigan wanted to cut funding for a Blago-backed project, Emil & Company would be waiting to shoot the cut down. And then we're back at square one. Since Blago has no control over legislative and legal staffs, he hurts the employees in a different way by ridding the state of a wife, a husband, a sibling, a child, etc.

I don't feel sorry for Mapes, though. As Madigan's COS, he must pull in $120K or so. COSs are worth every penny, but they also know what comes with the territory.

Re: Firing further deepens already bitter Statehouse divide

Captain America — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:59:51 -0000

Spouses and children of all parties, including the Governor's wife and children, should be off limits. The Governor has added more fuel to the fire by taking an adverse action against Mapes' wife.

I doubt that the Governor's people made any effort to work out a reasonable e alternative to firing Rains - transfer to another position or maybe even a demotion to a prior position. Therefore, I would conclude that Rains was fired for vindictive political reasons rather than because of technical/legal requirements set by Social Security. The political firing theory is credible since the Blago administration changed its story several times to justiify the termination.

Cross's commnets about seeking a relationship expert to resolve a bare-knuckle political conflict are absurd. Somehow, I don't think group therapy would be helpful. "Electoral shock therapy" seems to be the ultimate long-term cure for the ills of our body politic.