PHOTO BY ALAN SOLOMON/TNS Near the top of any list of Illinois government’s many problems is that House Speaker Michael Madigan has made a decades-long game out of messing with the minds and the agendas of our governors. If there’s one constant since 1983, it’s Speaker Madigan’s jiu-jitsu moves against whoever happens to be governor. […]
Senate President John Cullerton
Posted inOpinion
Bruce’s budget address boo-boo
A rookie mistake has led to some big problems. House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton both believed that Gov. Bruce Rauner would ask to postpone the scheduled Feb. 18 budget address. The current fiscal year’s outlook was so incredibly dire (by the Democrats’ own making), that the veteran Democratic leaders figured Rauner […]
Posted inOpinion
Legislative session rundown
There were lots and of losers during the state legislative session which ended last month. But there were a few winners, so let’s take a look at them. First up, Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner. Never before has a political party nominated a gubernatorial candidate who’s had more impact on a legislative session than Rauner […]
Posted inOpinion
Big business and Madigan business
House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman said last week that his boss’ statement opposing further corporate “handouts” basically “speaks for itself.” But does it? Madigan invoked the populist gods last week as he called for an end to the “case-by-case system of introducing and debating legislation whenever a corporation is looking for free money from Illinois […]
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Gay marriage bill failure and the Black Caucus
There’s more than enough blame to go around regarding the failure of the gay marriage bill during the final days of the General Assembly’s spring session, which ended May 31. Gov. Pat Quinn knew that African-American House members were reluctant to support the bill, mainly because of pressure from their churches. So, why did he […]
Posted inOpinion
Politics, politicians and pension reform, oh my
“Pardon me,” said Ty Fahner to a nearby microphone which he had accidentally bumped during testimony to the Illinois Senate Executive Committee last week. Fahner could probably be excused for apologizing to an inanimate object. The president of the Chicago-based, business-backed Civic Committee and self-styled pension expert had been forced to sit in the hearing […]
Posted inOpinion
The state pension reform waiting game
“Frankly, I’m not sure they want it,” Illinois Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno said Tuesday about the Democratic legislative leaders and state pension reform. It sure looked like she was right last week, at least in the House, where Speaker Michael Madigan barely lifted a finger for any of the pension reform bills that were […]
Posted inOpinion
The day the bills stood still
Last Thursday was not exactly a banner day for the Illinois Senate Democratic leadership. In high profile moves, leadership’s attempts to pass a bill legalizing gay marriage stalled, as did bills on gun control. Even a much-needed spending bill was unable to move out of committee. Pension reform went nowhere. The biggest winners were cigarette […]
