ArchPundit

I’m Betting Whitman’s Story Will Be Drip, Drip, Drip…

ArchPundit May 21, 2003 No Comments

Christie Todd Whitman turned in her resignation today putting the Bush administration on the spot to find a decent EPA Administrator that will placate the base and suburban swing voters.

The interesting part of the story appears to be the quick nature of it and one has to wonder whether she is leaving over a policy decision–now is about the last time to drop an anti-environmental bomb before the campaign gets underway (oy vey–it is May of 2003) or is something she has done caused concern in the Beltway Press?

Usually I accept lines about spending time with one’s family because public service is very demanding, something commentators poo-poo all too easily. However, the timing and difficult time she has been having seem to signal a bit more.

Michelin Fries

ArchPundit May 20, 2003 No Comments

Wyeth points us to the US Hous providing Michelin with a big ‘ole contract to supply the Marines.

Heh. Oh and read down his blog and notice Democrat Obstruction Day.

Indeed.

Lotta Iraq

ArchPundit May 20, 2003 No Comments

We can officially code Iraq as not having a shall issue law for concealed carry permits. The New York Times reports that only approved security guards will be able to carry outside the home and then the weapons cannot be concealed.

Indeed.

Now, we can assume much of the heavy weaponry came from the armed forces, but the underlying implication does appear to be that small arms were widely distributed throughout Iraq.

Heh.

Lincoln the Quorum Breaker

ArchPundit May 20, 2003 No Comments

Rich Miller adds to the humor by pointing out the Great Abraham Lincoln was a quorum breaker too,

LINCOLN BROKE A QUORUM Back in 1839, the Illinois House was meeting in special session and hatched a plan to vote on a Democratic bill to require the state’s central bank to make payments in gold or silver, rather than paper money. The Whig Party strongly opposed the idea, and, led by Rep. Abraham Lincoln, decided on the spot that the best way to kill the proposal was to deny the majority Democrats a quorum. So, they left the building, the

Second Presbyterian Church in Springfield. But two members were required under law back then to demand that a quorum call be made. Lincoln and another House Whig, Joseph Gillespie, walked into the chambers and made the motion. No quorum was present and a vote couldn’t be taken. The next day, though, Lincoln and the Whigs made the same attempt, but the House Speaker ordered the doors locked behind them and summoned some members who had previously been too ill to attend the session. A quorum was now present.

Lincoln realized the problem and he and the other Whigs jumped out of a window to try to halt the vote, but the quorum was already certified and the Whigs lost. According to Lincoln friend William Herndon, the window jumping had no effect "other than to provide the Democrats with capital material for ridicule."

For your amusement.

Caucus Power!

ArchPundit May 19, 2003 No Comments

Giving some hope to decent government in Illinois, Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax reports that caucuses are showing some muscle to the current 4 tops:

CAUCUS POWER Non-party caucuses may be coming into their own this year.

The Legislative Minority Caucus has been moving plenty of bills through the General Assembly and was able to impose its will on the O’Hare bill. It also convinced Senate President Emil Jones not to take away Sen. Rickey Hendon’s committee chairmanship earlier this spring. The caucus will also likely have more to say about the budget.

The Latino Caucus extracted a major pound of flesh from SBC last week. The Southland Caucus could actually make the Peotone Airport a reality. As mentioned above, the Downstate House Dems are working the road bill while the Downstate House GOPs are pushing the nursing home stuff.

And the ever-more-powerful Conference of Women Legislators has been zipping women-friendly bills through the General Assembly all session and will undoubtedly make changes in the budget, as it has so often in the past.

Despite rules and traditions in both chambers designed to concentrate legislative power in the hands of the four leaders, members are finding ways to get things done on their own. This is a very good thing.

Leader considers the Republican Candidates

ArchPundit May 19, 2003 No Comments

The Illinois Leader runs down the potential Republicans and, uh, they don’t look that strong. It appears that Jack Ryan has the lead with RTA Chair McCracken behind. Ryan is a neophyte and McCracken has strong ties to the DuPage Republican Machine which is likely to be torn apart by federal prosecutors across the next year.

In the second tier, perienial loser John Cox comes in tied with probably the most serious candidate, Steve Rauschenberger. Behind them comes a list of those exploring the idea including Jim Durkin who was beat by Durbin in 2002.

Just to assure everyone that is worried the Illinois Circular Firing Squad Team has not dissolved into a party of peace, love and understanding,

Questions were asked from three different conference sponsors, and each of the candidates responded to the questions. One question involved calling for the ouster of Bob Kjellander as the Illinois GOP’s national committeeman and a public apology to the past state chairman Gary Macdougal for the way he was ousted from his position, and replaced by current chair Judy Baar-Topinka.

Senator Rauschenberger gave a firm agreement to a call for the ousting of Kjellander, and others acknowledged what they called inappropriate responses to Macdougal’s leadership in the Illinois GOP last year.

Oh, this is going to be fun to watch–especially if moderate Judy Biggert gets in the race as Topinka is trying to have happen.

Welcome back boys, I missed the fireworks!

Next Up: The SBC Court Battle

ArchPundit May 19, 2003 No Comments

In a story that will probably never die, several suits are expected over the new law regulating local access rates for phones service.

The amazing thing is that no one seems to bother with even discussing what a system with real competition would look like.

Amtrak hassles

ArchPundit May 19, 2003 No Comments

The federal government doesn’t want to actually invest in a real train system and the states are stuck with outdated infrastructure. What will happen? Amtrak operations will continue to essentially outside of the Northeast. I’ll guarantee that a year or two out, federal subsidies will be restored on particular routes unless the system is completely rebuilt.

Sort of an Answer on Gambling Expansion

ArchPundit May 19, 2003 No Comments

And it is good news–while I’m not necessarily against legalized gambling, the Governor gets it right in describing "…video poker as the crack cocaine of gambling…,"

He has vowed to veto any bill allowing it in taverns.

Now if we could only get the current ban enforced in St. Clair County and Chicago proper.

Teamsters Back Hynes

ArchPundit May 19, 2003 No Comments

In an unsurprising move, the Teamsters back Dan Hynes for the Democratic Primary in the US Senate Race. He may well have close to a sweep of union endorsements.