(07-08-2017 07:58 AM)Max Power Wrote: If Madigan liked the disarray he would have continued it. Sadly though, he couldn't "muscle it through" without the disarray. The disarray -- more specifically, the threat by credit ratings agencies to cut our bond rating to junk status -- is the reason some Republican legislators finally got on board with bucking the governor ie the titular head of their party. Initially, all GOPers were together, and you even had one rogue Dem against Madigan.
The bond agencies forced him to do something. That is what ended this. Under the disarray, spending continued, at ridiculous levels. We spent more last year than we are projected to spend this year.
Again, why did he not send a balanced budget to the governor and force him to veto it?
The only budget Madigan sent was unbalanced. It was a budget that violated the state constitution.
Max Power Wrote:Okay, hold up. FACT: Illinois has had a Republican governor for 30 of the last 42 years. FACT: Democrats have only been in control of the state senate since 2003. And Madigan has been House speaker for 20 years, not 40. Yet everything is somehow the Democrats' fault??? George Ryan, Jim Edgar and Jim Thompson are suddenly Democrats!
I don't know when we'll see it. Unfortunately, given the current stalemate, it will probably not be until Rauner loses next year.
George Ryan was a piece of sh&t. Edgar and Thompson were very Republican-lite, especially with their spending. They sold out the state too.
Madigan has been House Speaker since 1983, except for two years, which adds up to 33 years. He's been in the legislature since 1971. During that time, he's actively engaged attorneys to fight redistricting reform. He's grown rich as a tax appeals attorney, running through the system he votes upon. He's despicable.
And, the Dems had the Senate from 1975 - 1993, before losing it for ten years.
What does Rauner have to do with Madigan not proposing pension reform? Answer - Its an excuse because Madigan doesn't want reform.
The Dems own this state and have driven it over the cliff. Bruce Rauner didn't do crap in the past 2.5 years to cause that to happen.