CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Inauguration open thread

Re: Inauguration open thread

steve schnorf — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:44:02 -0000

MCS, I didn't recognize it as sarcasm either. I thought it was just another silly comment from someone who was clueless. You may need to let the sarcasm show thru a little more.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Merit Comp Slave — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:05:22 -0000

AA - pay attention, this surely isn't the first bit of tongue in cheek type comments you've seen on this blog. I was using sarcasm to make a point. See Committee Exhibit #43. Pours salt in my wound since I'm doing the work of 4 people, have had only 2 raises in six years while "interns" are hired at double my salary. Just using this forum to vent a bit.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Beowulf — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:52:29 -0000

The real irony here is that although Dick Mell voted "NO" against the impeachment of his son-in-law Blagojevich, it was actually Dick Mell who initially started the snowball rolling down the hill when he accused his son-in-law of engaging in "Pay-To-Play" politics with his campaign contributors. "Who let the dogs out?" It was Patrick Fitzgerald who heard Dick Mell and immediately turned loose the dogs.

Wouldn't you love to know exactly what Dick Mell is thinking about now? It is like the joke about the guy who had mixed-emotions when he saw his mother-in-law driving his brand new sports car over the cliff. I'll bet a "Dollar to a Donut" that Dick Mell is having to take sleeping pills to get to sleep at night. I feel sorry for Dick Mell for what he is going through. I don't feel sorry for Peppermint Patti because she knew what was going on and chose to be part of it all. Greed is a powerful motivator.

Re: Inauguration open thread

the Patriot — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:17:15 -0000

I wonder how Mr. Madigan will feel about the sanctity of the separation of powers if his daughter is governor?

Re: Inauguration open thread

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:25:31 -0000

AA, you go, Boy! Great example of one of the few scenarios where tenure actually works out for the better.

And Mell does deserve some slack.

So do our State workers, Cassandra. I can't imagine their jobs being very easy especially right now with everything that's going on with the Economy and just within the State overall. Getting your day to day job done must be hard enough with all the additional chaos and most have to deal with the public non-stop. And I'm sure the latter are generally quite snippy right
now because of the problems they're facing, too.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Toast Man — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:00:34 -0000

HR 6 - "Bite me" bill passes unanimously.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Arthur Andersen — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:02:13 -0000

MC Slave, I hope you are not in the budget shop at your agency. The last time I checked, the State could lay off 100% of its GRF funded employees and still be short of the $4 billion needed to balance the budget.

Steve, am I still in the ballpark?

I don't disagree that this "administration" has pushed patronage, in both the political party form and the "somebody's guy" form, far beyond the boundaries of reasonable. However, the Repub administrations, by virtue of their extended tenure, had the advantages of being able to 1) get rid of knuckleheads that weren't cutting it because the Executive Office had more power over the fiefdoms and 2) the "junior g-men" that came in at the bottom from whatever political source had to prove themselves because there were plenty of other people around to fill the jobs up the ladder and if they weren't cutting it, they hit the bricks, got sent to limboland, or saw the light and cleaned up their act. I'm sure we old-timers can think of exceptions to all of these, but not to the extent of the (Decatur?) "posse" Ms. PB Mushroom describes.

Steve, I agree with you re: Rep. Mell. Cut her some slack. What would all of you blue noses done in the same situation with the same pressures? Yeah, probably the same thing she did.

And Cassie, your snarky pathetic insults have worn me out. One week at my desk would send you running off in tears, especially armed with the knowledge that AA works for about 33 cents on the buck of the going rate for his particular vocation. We're never going to learn from you, so how about leaving quietly, but first-BITE ME!!

Re: Inauguration open thread

Cranky Old Man — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:53:04 -0000

Cynic, I worked for the house back in the early 80s and can only say that I witnessed Bernie Epton state before numerous votes, "I have a conflict of interest, but will vote my conscience." He always seemed like a good man to me, but I was young. I'm thinking that she should have gone that way if she really wanted to have an opinion, but "present" would have been best.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Bookworm — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:38:46 -0000

In most other elected bodies like city councils, county boards, etc., in my experience, if a vote comes up that directly affects a relative or friend the member usually abstains from voting. It would seem to me that the same principle would apply to the General Assembly, in which case, Deb Mell should have voted present. Although if I were in her shoes and one of MY brothers-in-law were being impeached, I'd probably vote yes :)

Re: Inauguration open thread

Pot calling kettle — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:30:18 -0000

When there is a clear conflict of interest (as in Deb Mell's case) it is most appropriate to abstain (vote present). And this situation shows exactly why that option exists.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Cynic — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:43:10 -0000

Question about Deb Mell's vote --- does a legislator have a duty to recuse his or herself if there's a conflict of interest? I'd think that they would, but I don't know for sure.

Incidentally, I understand her vote though I *think* recusal would have been the appropriate way to go.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Merit Comp Slave — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:22:21 -0000

There is no excuse for Mell's vote - I don't care if she's related to the Pope. If she's that clueless she should jump on the family impeachment band wagon. I've worked for the state for more than 2 decades-this is the most disastrous administration I've ever seen and it needs to be gutted, stripped and rebuilt from the ground up. I volunteer, for my $45,000 per year, to go through all the employement files for each new hire in the last 6 years and validate their qualifications according to their position description. By eliminating those who aren't qualified or don't show up, I think I could come up with enough money in one year to balance the budget - oh and I'm just talking about my agency. Oh and BTW Cassandra, please accept my invitation to stick it where the sun don't shine. Have a nice night.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Watcher — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:56:47 -0000

I watched the senate today... Am I the only one that saw those guys walking along the center aisle of the Senate with that huge cart of banker boxes from the House and thought: "That looks like pallbearers bringing in a coffin"?

It IS a coffin: Blago's political career lies inside.

Re: Inauguration open thread

colt 45 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:56:10 -0000

mell made a mistake. she should have voted present if she felt that strongly about it.

Re: Inauguration open thread

steve schnorf — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:49:14 -0000

What's the gripe on here with Rep Mell? For crying out loud, it's her sister's husband. It's not like she was the deciding vote or something. Cut her some slack. I'll evaluate her a year or two from now, not on this issue alone.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Cornerfield — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:46:24 -0000

Cassandra,
One of the few things I look forward to is to come home after work and catch up on the CapFax blogs. Most of the time your raving public-servant-bashing comments only elicit a shake of my head. Not tonight. As a state employee, all I can say is: Bite Me.

Re: Inauguration open thread

DuPage Danny K — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:45:44 -0000

Does anyone have the Dem and Repub Leadership teams? I can not find them on the internet ...

Re: Inauguration open thread

Hanging Out — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:26:18 -0000

Ms Port Belly Mushroom: Some of what you say might be true but I know for a fact that a few of the legislative people were brought in for a specefic area of expertise. The guy at DHS was a lobbyist for Human Service issues for years before he was asked to head the legislative unit at DHS and he is well respected on both sides of the aisle. Someone should ask the members of the General Assembly and their staffs about who are the good legislative people before they start launching folks.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Southern Illinois Voter — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:24:51 -0000

I am a retired State employee. Cassandra has always had a bur under her saddle about State employees. My former supervisor had not had a raise in at least 4 yrs. when I retired, & he was one of the hardest working guys I've ever known. There are some offices in one of the correctional centers that just have a couple of people in them when they are supposed to have many more. You can't believe how bare bones some of these places operate. Cassandra, I've been there, done that - if you haven't - well, you know.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Ms Port Belly Mushroom — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:16:04 -0000

Normally I would agree with all of you who are chastising Cassie, but not when it comes to the patronage people hired by this administration.

Agreed, every administration had its no-show employees who were paid more than they were probably worth, but these guys raised it to new heights.

Downstate at least, most of the patronage people didn't even come from typical Dem routes. Most were drinking buddies or sports enthusiasts who happened to get close to the Governor's legislative guy.

They brought them in, started them at $30 or $40K and now have them embedded in "chief" jobs where they are making twice that and hardly ever show up (they somehow came up with a lot of comp time, I guess).

They are no reflection on the hardworking employees (patronage or not) who have to pick up the slack when these folks don't perform.

No one should take her comments personally unless you feel like you're one of the one's she's talking about.

However, I do disagree with her in one respect. This is not Cullerton's problem. This is Pat Quinn's problem. Hopefully he tracks down the folks who were golfing, bar hopping and playing summer league softball before they drank beer with the right guy and lets them return to their unpaid life of leisure.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Macbeth — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:06:47 -0000

Cassandra -- cut it out. You know absolutely nothing -- *NOTHING* -- about life in a state agency. You've had it in for state workers for years now, and it's tiresome.

You're a broken record -- and you're simply wrong. Move on.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Mark Twain — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:00:59 -0000

So why did Sullivan get bumped?

Re: Inauguration open thread

BoB — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:48:51 -0000

Link was bumped as well

Re: Inauguration open thread

Hanging Out — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:29:39 -0000

Quiby: Clayborne is Senate Majority Leader, the Number Two Guy in the Senate which is a leadership position.

John Sullivan, from Rushville was in leadership under Jones.

Re: Inauguration open thread

Loop Lady — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:11:28 -0000

Cassandra: I am a state employee doing the work of at least three people in an agency that has been cut to the bone...you have a lot of nerve...back off!