 Her response? A thumbs down.
It’s the kind of response you’d expect from someone with her mind made up before
the first word was spoken.
Welcome to Springfield the land of political entrenchment.
The governor tried to set a more conciliatory tone this time.
He really did.
In fact, here’s how the speech began:
“I stand before you today with respect for our co-equal branches of government –
acknowledgment of our shared responsibility for the future – and a deeply-rooted
desire to work with each and every one of you to right our ship of state.”
It looks like he’s extending an olive branch.
Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, told me he liked the governor’s softer tone.
Rauner said you can’t just tax Illinois back into prosperity. You have to reform
the state’s political and business climate first.
Otherwise we are just throwing good money after bad.
The Illinois ship of state is capsized and taking on water.
We are billions behind in paying our bills this year.
And we have a state credit rating that would make a used car salesman snicker.
And our politicians are busy pointing fingers.
[to top of second column] |
 And Illinois’ residents are busy packing their bags.
In fact, every five minutes, Illinois suffers a net loss of one
resident.
And yet, moments after the speech, there were still some pooh
poohing this exodus of people and jobs from the state as right wing
propaganda.
Well, if those lawmakers don’t believe data from moving
companies, the Internal Revenue Service or the U.S. Census Bureau
maybe they should just talk to grandparents in their districts,
whose only interaction with out-state-grandchildren is over the
telephone.
Increasingly, parents are watching their adult children start their
families elsewhere because the jobs just aren’t here.
Regardless, given House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President
John Cullerton’s responses following the speech they appear in no
mood to compromise.
That’s unfortunate.
Every day Illinois goes without a budget it goes $33 million further
into the red.
Middle ground is hard to find. And compromise is a rare commodity in
state government.
We are eight months into the current fiscal year and we don’t have a
budget.
The wisest thing I heard following the speech was from State Rep.
Jack Franks, D-Woodstock: “If the members of the General Assembly
would quit listening to their leaders and start listening to their
constituents, we would have a budget in no time.”
Click here to respond to the editor about this article |
