Next You Know the Trib Will Be Discovering the Evil of Signing Statements
ArchPundit
But Blagojevich’s attempt to go around lawmakers and spend money they didn’t approve for a vast health care program may be just as insidious as his pay-to-play politics. His effort to expand health care through the program known as FamilyCare was soundly rejected by the Illinois legislature. But he did it anyway, spending millions of dollars to broaden eligibility for state-funded health care to people with higher family incomes.
The Illinois secretary of state said the governor had no authority to do that. A legislative rule-making body said he had no authority to do that. But he did it anyway.
In April, Cook County Circuit Judge James Epstein issued an injunction to block the governor’s program. The appellate court on Friday upheld that injunction. The reviewing court’s ruling lends credence to the belief of many critics, including this page, that Blagojevich has been completely reckless in this effort. As a result, thousands of people may have paid premiums for health coverage that now will evaporate.
The Trib is whining about how a recall provision would have helped here so much. Actually, what would help is the paper of record in Illinois pointing out the gross violations of the State of Illinois Constitution (throw in the federal executive violations of the Constitution for consistency) and getting some urgency about impeachment instead of a dumb idea that would take much longer to work.
Blagojevich isn’t just a likely criminal in terms of the the law, but he’s also treated the Illinois Constitution as a toilet paper. He’s attempted to grab executive power where no authority exists and has attempted to authorize spending on his own, something he has no authority to do under the Illinois Constitution. Jesse White told him. JCAR told him. And now the Illinois Appellate Courts told him. At some point, it might be time to set-up some consequences for the behavior. He’s attempted to run a secretive government not releasing subpeonas and hidden as much as he can from the public.
Americans as a whole have gotten used to such behavior, but oddly, depending on what side of the political divide they are on, only seem to see it at the Governor’s mansion or the White House and not both.