DISQUS

Greg · 5 years ago

Amen. The guy does all that bellyaching and then boasts about how "conservative" the GOP is in Sangamon County when before audiences. Of course, like other "conservative champions" in the state, we rarely get any insight in what Smith means. This...I guess... gives us plenty of insight.

Anonymous · 5 years ago

I really hate it when political hacks, or anyone else who gets a job through political connections, bitch when they lose their job for any reason, but especially when it happens as a result of a change in leadership. Ever heard of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander." If you're related to a politican or alligned with one and got a job becasue of it, your employment is about as safe as a drunken salior's paycheck in a brothel.

Bo · 5 years ago

Agreed. Except, of course, we have known all along you need to know someone to get a job. I think the "belly-aching" from (mostly Sang. Co.) Repubs right now is the blantant disregard for who is being let go and what their job is at an Agency. I do not have any problem what-so-ever with a new administration making changes in policy making positions, and filling vacant jobs with people who are qualified (or maybe not!) because of their alignment with the administration. What I do take issue with is how the administration is laying people off simply because of their political affliation, or better yet, because of a ballot they take in the primary. People who are the nuts and bolts of Agencies, not policy making positions. Thompson, Edgar, and Ryan administrations did not all get along, and there were lines drawn between the camps. When one administration came in, so did their people, but they didn't "clean house" the way Blago is doing. People were re-assigned, but had jobs because they were qualified. The state is a mess today because it is TOP heavy with out-of-state (and I would hope Rich agrees with me on this point) people in policy making positions, who may be good people and qualified (but usually are not), but have no idea what is going on in an Agency. All the people who used to run the Agencies have been let go when they could have merely been "re-assigned" to help with the transition. And, in a earth-shattering move to save money, let's lay off all the middle managers and clerical staff who keep the Agencies running from day to day, but keep high salaried administration staff...It isn't a dirty little secret. But I will give you this much...Irv is that old man on front porch who is always yelling at the kids to keep the ball out of his yard...his time is done. There are better ways to get his point across. Especially when his daughter-in-law is getting favors from the Repub heavy Sang. Co. Board.

AmyEAllen · 5 years ago

Interesting, Mr Miller. The governor and the Chicago Democratic machine have continuously exemplified corruption and venality and it is they with whom onus for such must lie.
Amy Allen

Obiter Dictum Blog

www.obiterdictumblog.blogspot.com

Anonymous · 5 years ago

And don't forget, Bo, that a good number of the "high salaried administration staff" are actually paid out of other agencies to make it look like the Gov.'s office has made cuts when really they're just taking from other agencies' budgets...

Bo · 5 years ago

Yes, Anonymous, you are correct...I know this all too well...from the view I have. Very nice point.

Anonymous · 5 years ago

As a Sangamon County Democrat, I'm sick of Irv Smith and his GOP gang complaining about jobs. I thought they were the party of smaller government?


Face GOP, you are about JOBS, JOBS and more JOBS for your lakies. You never hired Democrats and you know it. You ruled with an iron fist for 26 years. You lost. Get over it and stop telling voters you are the party of smaller government. You are the party of JOBS.

Bo · 5 years ago

You are a Sang. Co. Dem? I couldn't tell. Good luck with your therepy. It appears you have some deeply seeded issues with the politics of the area. If you play nice, everyone gets a job (if qualified and have the proper string(s) to pull), no matter what your political affliation.

Anonymous · 5 years ago

Anyone who believes that there are "non-political" people in these "policy" positions is either living in some kind of vacuum or hasn't been around Springfield politics very long.


I've heard this hallucinatory statement a hundred times: "Oh, Jim (or Jack or Jane--take your pick) will be IMPOSSIBLE to replace. He's really not political and no one else knows that job like he does . . ." Come to find out that Joe was a data processor who got referred from his committeeman to Irv. Later, he somehow "lucked" into a new, higher paying "policy" position. Then, guess what? The administration changes and he somehow becomes "apolitical".



No one. Not one is irreplaceable



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