Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 27,2011

Poll: Illinoisans still believe in budget magic

But reality about cuts and revenues seems to be gaining ground

It’s long been a tenet of public opinion that voters want the government to cut its budget and don’t want new revenues, but also don’t want any actual programs slashed. However, the

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 20,2011

Democrats are worried, with good reason

By Rich Miller

Illinois Democrats can be excused for feeling more than a little spooked these days. And there’s probably no greater example about why they are so worried than the stunning announcement earlier

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 13,2011

Sparks fly over electricity appointee

By Rich Miller

Gov. Pat Quinn has been trying to get rid of Illinois Power Agency director Mark Pruitt almost since the day Quinn was sworn into office. He finally did it, but the move is backfiring. The governor is

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 6,2011

Pay raise outrage reconsidered

By Rich Miller

Earlier this year, when it was disclosed that Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget director had handed out two pay raises to top staffers on the same day that the governor signed the income tax increase into

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 29,2011

Reform legislative scholarships, or end them

By Rich Miller

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times: “Legislators don’t lose elections over what happens at the Statehouse, they lose because they don’t take care of bu

National - Jim Hightower | Thursday, September 22,2011

Let’s get real on jobs

By Rich Miller

You know what’s wrong with the American economy, Bucko? You, that’s what. Yeah, yeah, it’s true that the reckless global gambling schemes of Wall Street bankers are what wrecked our

Illinois - James Krohe Jr | Thursday, September 22,2011

Get smarter about a Smart Grid for utilities

By Rich Miller

Gov. Pat Quinn recently vetoed a “Smart Grid” bill that was pushed through the General Assembly this past spring by ComEd and Ameren, the two biggest electric utilities in the state.Politi

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 15,2011

Quinn’s doomsday game gets old

By Rich Miller

I began to reminisce during Gov. Pat Quinn’s Chicago press conference last week. Quinn had called the media together to announce he was closing seven state facilities and laying off almost 2,000

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 8,2011

Anti-tax Republicans move in for the kill

By Rich Miller

Last year, the state Senate Republicans tested anti-tax messages in their campaigns without much success. While almost all Senate Democrats had voted for a large income tax hike along with an expansio

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, September 1,2011

Why Democrats are angry at each other

By Rich Miller

A few weeks ago, I ran into a fairly high-level Illinois Democrat at a party in Springfield. He said he’d taken my advice and was reading the New York Times’ “Disunion” Civil W