The Democratic Party was given a clear mandate in the past two election cycles,
but they completely blew it last week.
The Senate has more than a three-fifths majority, the House is just shy of a
veto-proof majority. The governor, who was installed by the Democratic
legislature after it ousted his unpopular and obstructionist predecessor by
force of law, is a Democrat. The former governor’s sidekick Senate president is gone. They had no excuses this time.
Yet, here we are, once again without a viable budget and in overtime session.
The third in a row under Democratic leadership.
And what did the Democrats do? They blamed Republicans for not bailing them out
by putting votes on the tax hike plan. The House Democrats, who control 70
seats in that chamber, came up short on a tax hike in the House, yet they tried
to claim it was the Republicans’ fault. The Dems demanded the GOPs go along even after House Speaker Michael
Madigan spent the past five months jamming the House Republicans every chance
he could get.
Yes, the Republicans could have and should have put their state’s interests ahead of their desire to pay back Madigan for all the ill treatment
he’s dished out. There are several House Republicans who were willing to make a
deal on a tax hike but who were not willing to cross House GOP leader Tom
Cross. And the Republicans may eventually end up wearing the jacket for this
debacle if the government disintegrates and they show no willingness to do
something. But this has been a Democratic show from the beginning of the
session and Sunday’s end was a complete and utter Democratic failure. Instead of finding solutions
on their own, and on time, they have put the Republicans in a position of
control.
You cannot tell me with a straight face that Speaker Madigan did any serious
heavy lifting this session. When real leadership was required, he sat back and
let the train of government go completely off the tracks. The state is billions
of dollars in the hole and all the General Assembly could do last weekend was
pass a budget that funds programs for six months, at best.
Madigan brought the tax hike bill he had negotiated with Quinn to the House
floor Sunday and it got just 42 votes. There’s no way on God’s green earth that with a fully engaged Madigan only 42 House Democrats would be
willing to vote for a tax hike in order to keep the government from crashing
into oblivion. Yes, it’s common knowledge that there’s no way to underestimate the cowardice of the House Democratic caucus. which
has been forever shielded from tough votes by its God King. But 42 votes?
Impossible. And I don’t care what the poll numbers show or how volatile the situation is these days.
Gov. Pat Quinn has demonstrated no leadership skills to date. His budget and tax
hike plans were ineptly doomed from the beginning. He chose too many advisors
who knew nothing about the old bulls. And, as a consequence, he blithely
allowed Madigan to push him around all year. He has become the butt of
countless Statehouse jokes.
The campaign finance reform bill Quinn endorsed was a complete and utter sham.
Quinn bent over backwards for Madigan’s demanded “reforms,” which mainly served to perpetuate the primacy of Madigan’s rule. Quinn assumed the position in order to enshrine his long-sought and
beloved recall idea into the Constitution. But the Senate didn’t bother to vote on the proposal Sunday night, even though the chamber was in
session until well after midnight and would have therefore been able to move
the measure forward if it had an ounce of respect for the governor’s top priority. Quinn was seen arguing with Senate President John Cullerton
after the Senate adjourned. He stormed out of the chamber in a huff.
Maybe now the governor understands that he has been a play toy all along.
Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and
thecapitolfaxblog.com.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2009.
