I’m having a hard time getting upset largely because I’d lose a lot of friends if I did.

But more to the point, I don’t really find it objectionable that staff to the General Assembly does campaign work when they aren’t working their state jobs. Frankly, as much as I respect Patrick Collins, he’s wrong–there isn’t a more efficient way to do the job because largely they are jobs that are policy or casework oriented–and that work is cyclical and opposite of campaign work. Work in the General Assembly isn’t non-partisan and staff should reflect the general views of those in power.

Politics isn’t inherently dirty. That’s the real problem with Collins message in the article and the assumption of the Fox piece. We may forget that in Illinois, but politics is how we peacefully determine policy. We allow politics in the hiring of General Assembly staff and in the hiring of specific positions in the Executive so the Executive officers can influence policy. That is why we have elections is to determine what kind of policy will be carried out.

If some of them are ghost payrollers or something, by all means expose that. For the most part the Madigan people are working as researchers, doing casework, or otherwise providing support for the Legislative Branch. I don’t understand what the taxpayers lose if they go off the state payroll during slow times.

There are several alternatives such as a non-partisan research staff. That’s a horrible idea for many reasons, but most of all, elections matter. We could hire temporary staff as well, but then you lose continuity when you are in session and frankly we could fill those positions the same way.