CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in This just in…

Re: This just in…

Louis Howe — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:46:52 -0000

The judge is a wimp...Closing down the jury deliberations so a juror can attend a job interview is crazy.....Where is her concern for taxpayers.....

Re: This just in…

Arthur Andersen — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:24:43 -0000

Nick Q,

Get a clue.

AA is no "D."

But admires the Speaker too.

(Darn. Almost Haiku'd w/o trying.)

Re: This just in…

Jay from Jersey — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:35:40 -0000

Madigan should run for gov. With all the important things he hates doing this state would be back on track in no time. Because of failed Dem leadership for the past 6 years, the state has no choice but to lease the lottery or a gaming expansion. If Dems would have cut out wasteful spending we would never have had this problem.

Re: This just in…

Gregor — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:27:11 -0000

The Madigan-bashing is an attempt to draw the attention off the looming Rezko verdict for the weekend news cycle. Classic magician's trick, to divert your attention. The GA members, particularly the House, smell blood in the water: the longer they hold out, the weaker Rod gets, and the weaker Rod gets, the weaker Emil gets.

Those guys just showed up to the press pop to say yes, the infrastructure improvements would be good and they are all for them. To not show up would be to give Rod an opportunity to paint them as obstructionist in the press. Really, it's all a huge kabuki theatre piece, in the end, none of them will do jack until we get into supermajority overtime, or we get a Rod indictment, whichever comes first.

Re: This just in…

Disgusted — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:18:42 -0000

If the governor is thinking of running for a 3rd term, he must be totally out of his mind OR his narcissism and hubris knows no bounds.

Re: This just in…

Truth — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:16:32 -0000

A Citizen,
A men.

Re: This just in…

Arthur Andersen — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:08:46 -0000

"Itâ€™s time for Illinois to pass a capital bill so that it will grow itself out of this recession. A capital bill will create $8 billion in GRF over the next five years. Projects like the proposed WIU-QC riverfront campus will grow an entire region."

Illinois needs more higher ed slots like Pat Fitzgerald needs more cases to prosecute.

Why don't we instead close down a directional state school and use those real savings to fund a capital bill?

Oh, and the Dead, er, Quad Cities have said that same thing for the past 25 years when they had to have a casino, civic center, blah blah blah. Those all worked out real good. Not. You folks up there need to hire a new PR firm to a least come up with a fresh idea for the new millenium.

These ideas of borrowing ourselves into prosperity, whether it's issuing bonds to cover the 1990's pension debt, leasing the Lotto to replace roads and buildings that would have lasted longer with better maintenance, or selling buildings and leasing them back all hit old AA as the three strikes of stupidity. I can't believe that Republicans swung at any of these sucker pitches.

Thank God for Speaker Madigan.

Re: This just in…

Bookworm — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:31:02 -0000

Anyone notice that the no-rulemaking amendment or "JCAR rider" that the House pushed this session seems to be going down in flames in the Senate, which non-concurred in a bunch of Senate bills that had been so amended? A prolonged game of legislative ping-pong isn't going to help end the session any sooner.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:14:31 -0000

If guv would just take a 60 day leave of absence we could get the answer we all know is true. Guv IS the impediment to progress and sound management.

Re: This just in…

Easy — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:59:22 -0000

Was Madigan worried about the fiscal condition of the state when he raided the pension fund to pay for his pork projects? Was Madigan worried about the state when he supported leasing the Thompson Center? Was Madigan worried about the state this year when he proposed a budget over $3 billion out of balance.

It's cliche to say, but it is true that the inability of MJM and Rod to get along has blocked programs that would improve Illinois.

Re: This just in…

steve schnorf — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:38:43 -0000

jj, speaking of talking out the rear, I like Tom Cross a lot, but if you're serious about thinking Madigan is going to lose 5 seats, I've got a little action for you.

Re: This just in…

Northside Bunker — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:10:06 -0000

The Governor Ultimatum demands, imagine that....

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:56:55 -0000

guv won't keep his "promises/agreements" with or without MOUs, Emil renigs on his agreement on veto over rides last year with MM . . . Seems to me that Madagin is the only TRUSTWORTHY dem in a "leadership" position. End of the story!

Re: This just in…

DuPage Dave — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:40:22 -0000

I don't get all the Madigan bashing today. He showed in the past that as Speaker he could work productively with various governors. The current governor is a world unto himself. What promises has he kept? When has he ever demonstrated that he could be trusted?

The fact that Blagojevich and Madigan dislike each other does not mean that they are equally to blame for the state's troubles. On the one hand you have a competent, experienced legislative leader, and on the other hand you have an opportunistic hustler who has squandered the good will of the people of Illinois and has precious little to show for his five years in office.

My prediction: budget passed and wrapped up by July 11. Same as last year....

Re: This just in…

some former legislative intern — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:29:35 -0000

"jj", "d to the e", and whoever else:

In my estimation, the reason the Speaker and HDem leadership are opposing the capital bill is that it is founded on poor fiscal policy. Anytime you sell and then lease an asset, you lose. What about in the future, 5 to 10 years down the road, when you need another capital bill? Use lottery proceeds? Sorry, we already sold it off. What asset is next? The DNR parks? The Old State Capitol? Ridiculous. Once that asset is gone, its gone. Its like saying, "I am going to take my DVD down to the pawn shop to pay for roof repairs." When the roof get fixed, however, there is no money left to get the DVD back from the pawn guy. All along, you realize you should have found a better way, like saving money or working more hours.

That is what is happening here: Blago, et. al. want to take the State of Illinois down to the pawn shop.

Anytime you sell an asset, only to lease it back, its gone.

Finally, with the gambling portion: it has been 10 years since the state passed any new gambling initiative. Every attempt since then has failed. What makes you think they will find votes among gambling opponents now? To the opponents, it is a religous issue. How are you going to cut a deal with people opposed on religous grounds?

A tax increase is the only responsible way to do this. It is the only wat that makes sense fiscally. Politically, not so good, but responsible.

Madigan should be given credit for standing up and doing the right thing despite the politics.

Re: This just in…

Little Egypt — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:18:07 -0000

No capital bill until Blago is gone. He can't be trusted and, in my opinion, would divert the first dollar in the new budget to his health care plan. No, nill, nadda capital bill. Not now, not until 2011 or when Blago exits. Poshard recommended MOU's. What planet has he been living on for the past 6 years?

Re: This just in…

Kevin Fanning — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:47:12 -0000

lol

Re: This just in…

Sprint Speed! — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:44:33 -0000

Hey Dring - don't you have real work to do?

Re: This just in…

jj — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:34:35 -0000

Garp - everybody except Madigan is for a capital plan. So I guess *everyone* is a shill, then.

Cross is the real leader - he has been leading the charge on this.

Re: This just in…

There he goes again — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:29:20 -0000

What's the bill number of the capital plan pushed by Poshard-Hastert-Blagojevich-Cross-Watson-Jones-Sullivan, etc.?

Re: This just in…

Garp — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:22:04 -0000

I think some of the people writing on this blog are shills for the capitol plan Well it will not happen this year unless the jury aquits Rezco.

Re: This just in…

jj — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:20:40 -0000

Sure, Dumber, let the Speaker keep being the obstacle. See what happens.

Denial ain't just a river in Cairo.

Re: This just in…

DumberThanYouThink — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:08:42 -0000

Watson talks about more negotiations and Cross has some mumbo jumbo about a willingness to move on some ideas.
Neither comment sounded like "I am voting yes"
But let's not nit pick

Re: This just in…

frank from blank — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:03:12 -0000

I don't think that Cross and Jones are worried about losing their jobs. I think they want to get something positive done. Madigan might have to worry about losing his job if the House Dem's wisen up to his me first ways.

Re: This just in…

There he goes again — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:58:40 -0000

It's time for Illinois to pass a capital bill so that it will grow itself out of this recession.
A capital bill will create $8 billion in GRF over the next five years. Projects like the proposed WIU-QC riverfront campus will grow an entire region. It's time.