March 2009

Quinn’s Budget and State Workers

It was a bad sign when Quinn’s team leaked the budget to the Trib first, but Progress Illinois collects the reaction of public employee unions and just how bad it is.  This budget was never going to be good news, and certainly state workers will have to face some burden, but the impact on their compensation is rather drastic:

A typical state employee making $35,000 a year would lose more than $2,500 under these plans—a 7 percent pay cut—on top of any new income tax payment. This is deeply unfair. All Illinois residents depend on the essential services that state employees provide—and all Illinois residents should share the cost of paying for them. In other words, to help the state close its deficit, the average taxpayer making $35,000 would pay no more than an added $525 a year (or less depending on family size). But a state employee making that same amount would be saddled with an additional $2,500 in pay cuts from his or her pocket!

No Matter What the Question Is, The Tribune Knows to Blame State Workers

The Tribune hates state workers perhaps more than Rod Blagojevich:

A wage and hiring freeze: The Civic Federation of Chicago proposes capped or reduced state spending. Businesses throughout this state are freezing wages and hiring—some are cutting salaries. Quinn will have to ask for sacrifices in wages and increases in employee benefit contributions.

So we gut departments like DNR for years and then we need to create a hiring freeze to ensure that are parks continue to be degraded because the department is to decimated to do conservation right. Blagojevich scapegoated the ‘bureaucrats’ every day for the last six years and ensured they couldn’t do their jobs well by reducing needed positions and then sending legit funding to political cronies.  The reason that the state could reduce the state workforce so much was because Blagojevich didn’t care if the state workforce did their jobs.  Now is the not the time to freeze hiring, it’s time to evaluate realistic needs and in some places hire more people.  Perhaps hire back some in DNR.  Don’t believe me–go spend time in an Illinois State Park and you’ll see significant facility quality loss.

It’s as if the Tribune didn’t notice the last six years.  But wait, they do:

Lower-cost internal services: It’s senseless for taxpayers to fund full-time employees, with extraordinary benefits, to perform food, janitorial, technology and other internal services that easily can be outsourced. This is a simple way for Quinn to meet his pledge to “cut, cut, cut” state costs.

Imagine that, the state provides decent jobs to people who work for it. The horror.  They can literally clean our toilets and serve our food, but they ought not to be provided a decent wage and reasonable benefits.  Maybe we can go back to the DNR and have outside contractors paying kids to cut the grass in state parks.  I’m sure they’ll be very concerned with the job they do and the overall impact on the ecology of the park.

The carnard the Trib’s editorial board relies upon is that jobs will go off to low tax states. The problem with that claim?  Companies don’t want to relocate to Mississippi and elsewhere because they need an educated, capable workforce.  Why hasn’t Cat completely moved it’s manufacturing out of the United States?  Because they have a better labor pool in the United States. Illinois specifically has a well trained workforce and infrastructure to maintain highly skilled workers.

An educated workforce needs investment in education.  For the last six years our universities have been underfunded and need investment to be strong institutions or in the U of I’s case, to remain one of the best public universities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in the nation.  \

More fine moments in Trib stupidity:

The education industry: If schools are to get more money, the governor needs to demand corresponding reforms in how they spend the money they get today—and in how they do, or don’t, improve student outcomes. Will Quinn demand pension reform in school labor contracts? Easier paths to firing the relatively few lousy teachers? More money only for districts that agree to spend it on tactics—such as smaller class sizes in the lower grades—that certifiably produce better educations for kids?

Unfortunately, smaller class size doesn’t produce better education for kids according to the consensus of research.  Certainly class sizes above 35 start to have detrimental effects on student performance in some respects, but the difference between 20 and 30?  Not significant.  There are good reasons to maintain reasonable class sizes related to teacher sanity and such, but the problem isn’t class size, it’s generally teacher quality.  That’s a tougher issue and I’m sure the Trib will advocate something attacking the unions, but the unions aren’t the primary problem and in fact, are very supportive of efforts to create programs for master teachers and effective mentoring for new teachers. Oh, and expand early childhood education.

If you hate government and insist it cannot work, it won’t.  However, if you want to not just pretend to be serious, but to look at the actual problems and find solutions, cutting workers and privatizing aren’t magical solutions to default to every time.  It’s a cop out–the kind of cop out Blagojevich and Daley have tried to time and again with poor results.

Daily Dolt: Illinois Review

As usual, complete shlock,  this time on the RHAA.

The Reproductive Health and Access Act, HB 2354, often referred to as the “Freedom of Choice Act”, or FOCA, declares that “every individual posses a fundamental right of privacy with respect to reproductive decisions”( Section 5).  In support of this the bill mandates that “All Illinois public schools shall offer medically accurate,  age appropriate, comprehensive sexual health education” (Section 30).

But will this sex ed have to be “anthropologically accurate”, i.e., will it approach sexuality in a manner similar to how human societies  throughout history have approached sexuality, as a physical/emotional attraction between males and females that is the basis of marriage and the natural family?  Or will the various approved curricula be “politically correct”, and view sexuality in the manner of the psych/educrat establishment, as sensation to be gratified in any way the individual desires provided everyone involved gives their consent, and no one approach is to be “privileged” over any other; casual sexual contacts among multiple individuals are “just as good” and traditional marriage.

This is what we refer to as making shit up and presenting a straw man argument no one is actually advocating.

Medically accurate isn’t too hard to understand for most people.  You use actual biological terminology to refer to body parts like penis instead of pee-pee (and yes, this is a not uncommon problem in some such sex ed).  It also means you explain how the reproductive system works, how contraception methods work, and medically accurate information about STDs.   This is in contrast to much of the abstinence only education that often teaches things like HIV can pass through latex condoms even if there is not a break.

Essentially, medically accurate means teach the biology behind reproductive systems in an accurate way instead of making up garbage.  Young people have a fundamental right to understand their body with medically accurate information.  If we wish them to make wise choices with their body, the only way to do that is to start with accurate information.

The head in the sand routine calling for only sex during marriage ignores that well over 90 percent of the population has premarital sex and that’s been true for essentially 40 years.

It’s a fairly easy to understand point for most of the population. Like over 90 percent of it.

Time To Contact Your Legislators

Cardinal George is being a bit disingenuous about the Reproductive Health and Access Act.  In his letter to the Sun-Times he makes several claims that the law will force health care professionals to perform abortions.

Yet, the law’s text doesn’t require that at all:

11 Section 35. Patient access.
12 (a) Pursuant to this Act, all individuals shall have
13 appropriate and necessary access to the full range of
14 reproductive healthcare. Notwithstanding any other provision
15 of this Act or any other law to the contrary, individual health
16 care professionals who object to providing certain
17 reproductive health care based on religion or personal
18 conscience may refuse to provide such services only under the
19 following conditions:
20 (1) the objecting health care professional provides
21 prior written notice to patients, or, where the objecting
22 professional is an employee, to his or her employer, of his
23 or her intention to refuse to provide such health care
24 services;
25 (2) the objecting health care professional or another
1 health care professional within his or her practice or
2 place of employment provides the patient with timely,
3 accurate, and complete information about the patient's
4 care options in a balanced and professional manner;
5 (3) the objecting health care professional or another
6 health care professional within his or her practice or
7 place of employment assists the patient in obtaining such
8 care in a timely fashion; and
9 (4) where the objecting health care professional is an
10 employee, the employer can accommodate the employee's
11 objection without undue hardship.
12 (B) Violations of this Section shall be sanctioned under
13 State licensing statutes by the appropriate State agency.

So actually what has to happen is that health care workers have to explain what services they will not provide and offer medically accurate advice to an individual seeking care and then, if that health care worker won’t provide the service, help them find an institution that will.

Offering up medically accurate information to a patient is all that is required.  The situation George is advocating would allow a Christian Scientist  to offer someone who broke their leg nothing but instructions to pray if they didn’t want to violate their conscience and not offer any other options for the patient.  That doesn’t seem like much of a way to run a health care system.

Today’s Tosser: Daily Herald Editorial Board

Progress Illinois does a rather good job demolishing the main ‘points’ of the Daily Herald’s rather ill-informed whining about high speed rail.  But one point stood out at me:

The Herald goes on to suggest that Quinn and Durbin instead devote their energy to securing resources for flood control and pothole repairs, problems they consider “immediate and visible.” But in advocating for their own pet projects, the editorial board displays their ignorance about the stimulus bill.

You know the best flood control?  Stop building and rebuilding in flood plains.

Of course, Adam leaves out a tremendously important point about the development of high speed rail. Currently passenger rail in the Midwest is terribly unreliable because it has to share corridors with freight trains that have the right of way on tracks.  So quite often it isn’t a 5 1/2 hour train ride from Chicago to Saint Louis–it’s often up to 8 hours if the schedule gets just a little out of whack.  High speed rail would have precedence on the new tracks and wouldn’t be delayed for long periods of time.

Additionally, the 4 hour estimate is at the high end of the new corridor and ignores several other factors.  Rail also makes it far easer to travel to destinations not in the actual two cities and getting it under 4 hours also hits the time it takes to realistically fly by the time you deal with security and other issues with flying and flying doesn’t generally get you into the central city.

Overall high speed rail is far more efficient in moving people than is air travel or medium distances.  Add routes to Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Des Moines and perhaps Madisan and Minneapolis and you dramatically improve the transportation infrastructure for the midwest and are an incredible economic development tool for the cities not at the hubs.

Daily Dolt: NRA

While I was writing the last post:

NRA: …The 2nd Amendment says that the right to bear arms will not be infringed upon. Can’t say one book a month, and due to the same constitutional rights you can’t say I gun a month. ….

Rep. Arroyo: How many people are killed with books each year?

NRA: (Now he is yelling) That is not the issue. Guns are not the problem. All these laws do is restrict the rights of law abiding citizens and violent criminals ignore these laws anyway… they are still able to get guns… the problem is the Chicago public schools system that only has a 47% graduation rate.

Rep. Arroyo: You are not answering the question…How many kids do books kill each year…

NRA: Well, Mein Kampf killed about 6 million people.

Godwin’s Law was invoked and as Rich reports the Bill passed in Committee 7-3.

BTW, I’m rather agnostic on almost all of the gun legislation before the General Assembly, I’m just always amazed at the stupidity.

Concealed Carry Follies

Gun activists in Illinois are some of the most gullible chumps on the planet.

1997  Transportation Committee with downstate Dems approves Concealed Carry Bill

2005 Agriculture Committee approves at least 2 Concealed Carry proposals

2006 Agriculture Committee Approves Concealed Carry bill

2009 Ag Approves Concealed Carry bill

Add to that several times that bills have died in House and Senate rules on the issue and it’s pretty clear what the strategy is to anyone who is not a deluded advocate.

Only making the matter more absurd are stories from the press that suggest this is anything, but theater.  While the stories often suggest that it won’t happen they chalk it up opponents and proponents being too evenly matched. That has nothing to do with it. The legislative leaders benefit from this charade as do Members.
Madigan sends the bill to a Committee with strong downstate presence, lets the bill pass giving his downstate conservative Members the ability to vote for it and then sits on the bill.  Downstate Dems get to go back and say they sponsored or voted for the bill in committee, but they couldn’t get it to the floor, but they’ll keep working on it.  Cross goes along because his downstate Members get the same opportunity and when the bill is killed, he doesn’t have to worry about his Chicago area Reps voting on it which would hurt them in a potential primary if they vote against it, but hurt them in the general for sure if they vote for it.

Madigan and Cross protect their Members. Members get to say they tried.  Nothing changes.  Repeat.

The bill isn’t getting to the House floor. It’s going to Bill Limbo until it gets sent to Sine DIe heaven.  Yet the gun advocates keep making loud noises about how this is the year they beat back Daley and the gun grabbers.

It’s one thing to advocate for something you believe in, it’s another to be completely delusional about your chances.

Stenography 101

The Politico (minus Ben Smith who does a very good blog on Democratic politics and actually talks to people outside of DC) does reliable stenography for Bill Daley:

Giannoulias, though, has some baggage that primary opponents could exploit. His relative youth could prove to be a disadvantage, especially against someone like Daley, a former Clinton administration commerce secretary who boasts extensive experience in national politics.

More important, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is already connecting Giannoulias to Blagojevich, alleging that his family’s bank made numerous loans to indicted Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko and to individuals connected to organized crime. The NRSC also alleges that Rezko urged Blagojevich to appoint Giannoulias’ brother to the Illinois Finance Authority Board.

Those vulnerabilities have emboldened Daley to take a serious look at running. Supporters of Daley, who currently serves as Midwest director for JPMorgan Chase, say he would offer a clean break from the era of Blagojevich and Burris.

“He is very serious about doing it. I would say he is very close to pulling the trigger,” said one Democratic operative with ties to Daley. “He would be the only guy in the race with maturity and steadiness. He’s a solid, unassuming guy and he would bring significant stature to the race.”

Bill Daley is a fresh face without any ties to the problems of corruption or taint.

Are you fucking kidding me?  Seriously, a Daley is a fresh break from the politics of the past?

Presumably this bit of slop was directly from Democratic Hamlet’s pals who think Bill Daley is a swell candidate because he is “Serious” (TM).

The problem with it is that not only is Daley a, you know, Daley, that is bringing him some attention:

William Daley returned a call Monday evening, hours after his name surfaced in the federal corruption trial of brother Richard Daley’s former Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Al Sanchez.

William Daley’s comments are included in today’s story, which offers new details about the creation of a key cog in the mayor’s political machine. Here is a lengthier version of those comments.

Former city worker Roberto Medina testified that he was involved in founding the scandal-scarred Hispanic Democratic Organization at the urging of William Daley and others.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the guy,” William Daley said of Medina. “I have no memory of him.”

Daley asked when Medina said their meeting supposedly took place. Medina testified Monday that the meeting was in the early 1990s at a restaurant on Fullerton Avenue and that it also was attended by top mayoral strategist Timothy Degnan, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and mayoral Cabinet member Ben Reyes.

“A restaurant on Fullerton Avenue?” Daley said. “I may have had meetings in ’91 or ’90 about Rich’s election. It surely wasn’t about creating some organization.”

He then added, “I’m not saying I didn’t meet (Medina). Everybody meets a lot of people in politics.”

Adding the best bit:

Daley was asked if he knew of Degnan or others close to his brother ever promising city jobs for political support, as alleged by another witness in the Sanchez case.

Daley replied that he knew of no such conversations, but added, “Times were different. You’re talking about 20 years ago. Even if it happened—and I’m not saying it did—things were different. There was nothing illegal about that stuff.”

Let me point out that while he was attacking Alexi, Daley tried to pin Rezko on Alexi because Rezko got perfectly legal loan from Giannoulias’ family bank and apparently Rezko bounced checks.  From Kristin McQueary in the Southtown June 15, 2008

Before being elected state treasurer, Giannoulias was vice president of his family’s North Side bank, Broadway Bank. Rezko was a client. In addition to at least one loan secured through the bank, Rezko held a checking account there. Rezko is accused of writing nine bad checks from the account totaling more than $400,000 to Las Vegas casinos, Nevada authorities revealed last month.

Wouldn’t you know it? Rezko liked to gamble, just like his pal Christopher Kelly, who faces federal charges in a separate case alleging he hid gambling debts and cheated the IRS. Both men were close advisers to [Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich].

Giannoulias could not, and would not, elaborate on his specific financial dealings with Rezko because as a banker, that information is private, Giannoulias said.

“I would love to, but I can’t,” Giannoulias said.

As for Rezko’s bounced checks, Giannoulias said they simply show “the bank did the right thing.” In other words, the bank didn’t help Rezko by covering the losses. Giannoulias said he oversaw the loan portfolio of the bank anyway and would not have been aware of Rezko’s bad check-writing habits.

So, the ‘relationship’ with Rezko was a loan–something not uncommon for a developer to get and the guy later wrote bad checks on his checking account with the same bank.  I’m having a hard time finding the scandal.  Rezko essential defrauded the bank that Giannoulias worked for and somehow that puts Alexi in cahoots with him.

This is perhaps the silliest charge yet against Giannoulias outranking the claim that he was in cahoots with the mob when he made a loan to a woman who qualified and then was taken to the cleaner. This charge is made even though Giannoulias contacted the family of the woman and suggested they act to prevent her from going in on the deal.

The biggest difference.  Alexi can actually remember the things.

The Book Deal for The Governor

Via Rich:

I admit, I’ll buy it.  I have a thing for train wrecks:

(PRNewsChannel) / Chicago, Ill. / Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich today signed a six figure book deal with one of the largest independent book publishers in the U.S., the PR firm representing Blagojevich announced today.Blagojevich, who vehemently denies he tried to sell President Obama’s senate seat, will write about the discussions, the considerations and the factors involved in picking Obama’s successor to the U.S. Senate.  Blagojevich maintains he was hijacked from office because of politics. In the book, he will write about his journey that led up to the twice-elected governor and former congressman being ousted from office.  He also plans on exposing the dark side of politics that he witnessed in both the state and national level.

Phoenix Books is run by maverick publisher Michael Viner whose titles include books from celebrities like mega-rock star and businessman Gene Simmons and talk show host Larry King. Phoenix also has a large selection of popular fiction and intriguing mystery books.

“The governor chose to go with a large independent company because he wanted to tell his story without any restrictions over content that might’ve come with a major publishing house,” says Glenn Selig, Blagojevich’s publicist and founder of The Publicity Agency. “He simply did not want to accept constraints or conditions on what he could say in this book.”

Selig says the governor will tell the American public the truth about what happened.  He does not intend to pull any punches and will reveal information and provide insights that will at times be embarrassing to himself as well as to others.

“There were some people in high places who didn’t want the governor to write this book and worked to try to squash a book deal,” says Selig.

The terms of the book deal were not disclosed. The book, which has a working title of “The Governor,” is set to be released by Phoenix Books in October.

The literary agent of record is Jarred Weisfeld of Objective Entertainment.


Only Blagojevich could find the former agent to Old Dirty Bastard to be his literary agent.  :

Jarred Weisfeld started his career as a Production Assistant for Vh1, where he pitched and sold a show to rap sensation Ol Dirty Bastard and subsequently became ODB’s manager. From there he created and produced television shows for Vh1, MTV, Spike TV and Nickelodeon. Upon launching his distribution company 845 Entertainment, he executive produced records for Bizzy Bone, Bone Crusher, Trina, Trick Daddy, Lil’ J, Choppa, 3-D, and Pastor Troy.

Apparently he sold the show before approaching ODB.

Weisfeld sold Vh1 a show on Ol Dirty Bastard while working there as a PA. He convinced Vh1 that he knew the rapper when he didn’t and sold them the show. He then went to visit ODB in prison where he pitched him the show.

That should be quite the team. Phoenix Books does a lot of audio books so I think we can count on Rod doing the audio book which’ll certainly be entertaining.

And We Have a Race for US Senate

Dear Friends,

I have some very exciting news that I want to share with you first. Today, I’m taking a big step by filing the official paperwork to form an Exploratory Committee for election to the United States Senate!

Over the last few months, several of my strongest supporters and prominent party leaders have been encouraging me to consider running for the seat that was held by my friend President Barack Obama.

The stakes could not be higher with the 2010 primary election less than a year away.  The economy is in a tailspin, employment and foreclosure rates continue to climb, and the public’s distrust in its elected officials is understandably high. We are facing challenges that most of us have never seen in our lifetimes.

I truly believe that this is a defining moment in our nation’s history. It’s time for new ideas and a new direction for Illinois and our country. President Obama has showed the world that we are eager to unite around fresh, inspirational leaders. Illinoisans are looking to their elected officials now more than ever for help and guidance.

It’s only because of your support and encouragement that I’m exploring a possible Senate run. As Illinois State Treasurer, I could not have accomplished so much or come so far in such a short time without your help. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and will need you now more than ever.

During the next several weeks, I will lay out my priorities and continue to reach out to people throughout the state and country who want to make a difference, who are tired of the politics of the past, and who are looking for answers to the enormous challenges we face together.

In the coming days, I’ll send you more information about how to participate and contribute to what will undoubtedly be an historic campaign.  In the meantime, you can visit alexiforillinois.com to learn more.

It’s going to take all of us to carry out the change President Obama has promised our nation.  Let’s work together to ensure that happens so we can create a better America for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you again for always standing by my side – your support means the world to me.

Your Friend,
signature

(Please read the press release below announcing the formation of the Exploratory Committee.)

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March 2, 2009

Giannoulias launches exploratory committee for U.S. Senate bid
State Treasurer names economy as top priority


With less than a year before the 2010 primary election, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias today will form an exploratory committee for election to the U.S. Senate.

Giannoulias is filing the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to form the committee, which will allow him to raise money for a possible Senate run in Illinois.

The Senate seat was held previously by Giannoulias’ political mentor, Barack Obama, who stepped down after winning the U.S. Presidency last November.

“More than ever, we need a Senator who can deliver on the change that President Obama has promised our nation,” said Giannoulias, noting that he has received a tremendous response from Illinois residents encouraging him to pursue the Senate seat.

Giannoulias, the state’s chief investment officer, says restoring the public’s trust and confidence in government, reviving the economy and getting Illinoisans back to work would serve as his top priorities.

“Working families in Illinois and throughout the nation are facing serious financial challenges during this economic downturn,” Giannoulias said. “They are hungry for new leadership and solutions.”

Giannoulias was elected Illinois State Treasurer in 2006 as an independent Democrat. He has been committed to wisely investing the state’s money and to promoting a progressive, reform-based agenda that focuses on innovative initiatives and policies.

Coming from the private sector, Giannoulias sought to implement new safeguards to make government more accountable, curb ethical abuses and eliminate even the perception of any wrongdoing.

His accomplishments include:

* Ending pay-to-play politics in the Treasurer’s office by prohibiting his campaign fund from taking contributions from contractors, banks and office employees.


* Making the state’s financial records more transparent by successfully pushing legislation requiring current and future administrations to post online reports detailing where state money is invested and how it performs compared to standard benchmarks.


* Weathering the 2008 market meltdown as a result of a conservative and diversified investment strategy.


* Introducing innovative investment strategies that brought new revenue to the state, including securities lending, which earned more than $2 million during its first year.


* Addressing the nation’s worst unfunded pension liability by successfully drafting legislation that will accelerate paying down Illinois’ pension debt and potentially save $16 billion dollars.


* Helping to thaw the credit markets for consumers and increasing the state’s rate of return through depositing money in healthy Illinois financial institutions that did not receive federal bailout money.


* Supporting the retention and creation of hundreds of jobs through low-interest business loans and venture capital investments.


* Overhauling Illinois’ much criticized Bright Start plan, leading Morningstar to rank it one of the top five college savings plans in the nation and calling it a “Cinderella Story” with lower fees, more investment options and fewer tax penalties.


* Negotiating $3.5 million in privately financed scholarship money that will help thousands of need- and merit-based students attend college. In addition, he established the Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship accounts for the children of fallen military and National Guard personnel.


* Combating record foreclosure rates in Illinois by creating the Finally Home program, which helps homeowners refinance unaffordable, variable rate mortgages or obtain conventional financing to purchase homes.


* Advocating for green jobs and lifestyles by establishing the nation’s largest hybrid vehicle rebate program and creating a low-interest loan program to help businesses, governments and non-profit organizations build or go green.


* Harnessing the power of eBay, generating more revenue for the state and cutting office costs by selling unclaimed property online.


* Ending one of the biggest scandals that tarnished Illinois government for 25 years by taking ownership of two hotels from deadbeat political insiders who owed state taxpayers $60 million in loan and interest payments.