Does anyone know what the state rate is at hotels in Springfield?
I’m wondering if legislators are losing money in these sessions. I’m guessing the state rate for a hotel is in the $70-$90 range (conservatively), leaving only a few dollars from the $95 per diem for meals and other daily travel expenses.
So, not only is the Governor wasting our tax dollars on 20-minute Special Sessions, but he’s antagonizing legislators even more by making them lose money.
Could someone explain again how this will lead to a budget deal that requires a 3/5 vote?
I may have posted this in an earlier comment. If so send me your receipt and I will credit you for a free comment.
Another way the Blagorgeous’ meaningless special sessions have screwed things up is that every time he calls one he pulls the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate off of the campaign/fund-raising trail.
I have been to two (now three) events where Barack Obama was to attend, where instead of asking, “Where does Obama stand on the issues?” the attendees asked, “Where’s Obama?” (The answer was, “He’s down in Springfield trying to help hammer out a budget.”)
While this might not have seemed like a big deal while the Ryan campaign was imploding, Obama still does need to glad-hand contributors and make them feel “special” to keep money flowing into the campaign. And now the new GOP candidate — whoever it is — will get a heap of free televised face-time, while Blagorgeous holds Obama (and the rest of the state) hostage in Springfield.
If I was a paranoid man, I might think that the governor was trying to ham-string the rising Democratic star from Illinois — someone about whom the national press is already saying “future Presidential candidate” — for his own personal gain.
Fortunately, we know that Blagorgeous would never let presidential aspirations hamper his performance in his current office, and that he would *never* manipulate the process in Springfield for his own political benefit.
Okay, I guess I need to clarify my post. By asking how this leads to a budget that requires a 3/5 vote, what I meant was how does Gov B think he’ll get 3/5 of the members to agree on his budget after antagonizing them with the special sessions. His actions seem calculated to create a stalemate that won’t be resolved anytime soon.
On the other issue, some legislators have apartments (and even condos), and they will come out ahead. So our tax money just supplements their income.
But I also know that some legislators rent apartments for just the session rather than for the entire year, and another handful stay in hotels (makes it easy to collect frequent flyer miles, I guess). They will probably lose money, and I wonder if that is just another item that will add to the Governor’s problems.
Does anyone know what the state rate is at hotels in Springfield?
I’m wondering if legislators are losing money in these sessions. I’m guessing the state rate for a hotel is in the $70-$90 range (conservatively), leaving only a few dollars from the $95 per diem for meals and other daily travel expenses.
So, not only is the Governor wasting our tax dollars on 20-minute Special Sessions, but he’s antagonizing legislators even more by making them lose money.
Could someone explain again how this will lead to a budget deal that requires a 3/5 vote?
Most of the Lege members have apartments they share or something like that so the per diem is on top of that. They probably come out ahead.
Any legislation passed after May 31st needs a 3/5 majority.
I may have posted this in an earlier comment. If so send me your receipt and I will credit you for a free comment.
Another way the Blagorgeous’ meaningless special sessions have screwed things up is that every time he calls one he pulls the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate off of the campaign/fund-raising trail.
I have been to two (now three) events where Barack Obama was to attend, where instead of asking, “Where does Obama stand on the issues?” the attendees asked, “Where’s Obama?” (The answer was, “He’s down in Springfield trying to help hammer out a budget.”)
While this might not have seemed like a big deal while the Ryan campaign was imploding, Obama still does need to glad-hand contributors and make them feel “special” to keep money flowing into the campaign. And now the new GOP candidate — whoever it is — will get a heap of free televised face-time, while Blagorgeous holds Obama (and the rest of the state) hostage in Springfield.
If I was a paranoid man, I might think that the governor was trying to ham-string the rising Democratic star from Illinois — someone about whom the national press is already saying “future Presidential candidate” — for his own personal gain.
Fortunately, we know that Blagorgeous would never let presidential aspirations hamper his performance in his current office, and that he would *never* manipulate the process in Springfield for his own political benefit.
Okay, I guess I need to clarify my post. By asking how this leads to a budget that requires a 3/5 vote, what I meant was how does Gov B think he’ll get 3/5 of the members to agree on his budget after antagonizing them with the special sessions. His actions seem calculated to create a stalemate that won’t be resolved anytime soon.
On the other issue, some legislators have apartments (and even condos), and they will come out ahead. So our tax money just supplements their income.
But I also know that some legislators rent apartments for just the session rather than for the entire year, and another handful stay in hotels (makes it easy to collect frequent flyer miles, I guess). They will probably lose money, and I wonder if that is just another item that will add to the Governor’s problems.