Rebutting the best arguments of the anti-Con-Con crowd

By Rich Miller

Illinoisans are asked every 20 years whether they want to call a constitutional convention. I firmly believe that our gridlocked, broken state government is in such desperate need of change

Politics - Rich Miller | Wednesday, October 15,2008

Why unions oppose con-con, and why they’re wrong

By Rich Miller

I'm a member of a union. My father was a proud union member. His father was a union member and, for a time, a union organizer. I own a business. My maternal grandparents, whom I cherished

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 2,2008

A constitutional convention could break the stranglehold

By Rich Miller

The polling results I've seen from both sides of the debate say more of you will vote for a state constitutional convention this November than say you won't. The question on the fall ba

Politics - Rich Miller | Wednesday, September 24,2008

We need a new constitution to subdue the Big Three

By Rich Miller

There is a defect in Illinois' constitution which is so fundamentally fatal that it practically begs voters to approve a state constitutional convention this November. You cannot correct t

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 18,2008

Everybody wants to be Senate President

By Rich Miller

Senate President Emil Jones began a meeting of his Democratic members not long ago with a playful announcement that, despite what everyone had read and heard, he had no intention of retiring

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 11,2008

Why I’ll never leave Illinois for Washington

By Rich Miller

On rare occasions somebody will ask me if I've ever given any thought to moving up to the "bigtime" political scene in Washington, DC. I have a standard reply. Never. Here are my top 1

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 4,2008

Hug, shrug

Public display of affection between Blago and Madigan meant nothing

By Rich Miller

Gov. Rod Blagojevich showed up late to the Democrats' national convention in Denver. Most folks arrived before Monday's official kickoff, but Blagojevich waited until Tuesday, just in t

Politics - Rich Miller | Wednesday, August 27,2008

Emil Jones, larger than life

Retiring Senate president has become a liability

By Rich Miller

Illinois Senate President Emil Jones has never been fully appreciated as a legislative leader. Jones, who announced his retirement last week after years at the helm, has a manner of speaking

Politics - Rich Miller | Wednesday, August 20,2008

Killing the raises

Special session wasn’t really about education funding

By Rich Miller

Last week's umpteenth special legislative session had a lot more to do with giving the Senate an opportunity to kill off the legislative pay raises than coming up with education funding refo

Politics - Rich Miller | Wednesday, August 6,2008

Exercise in futility

Madigan opposes governor’s revised capital plan

By Rich Miller

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is contemplating yet another special legislative session to take up a newly revised $25 billion infrastructure-repair proposal for transportation, schools, and economic