1. - Macbeth - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:15 am:

   Wait — so crews are dispatched *now* (this morning) and managed to get an interview with the governor *yesterday?*

   Say what? Are they on their way to Springfield? Or *were* they on their way yesterday?

   Totally confused.




2. - anon - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:16 am:

   Outside of electric rate relief in committee, what else would there be to cover today?




3. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:21 am:

   God only knows that Elvis has told the press in Chicago to get them to come to Springfield. However, I do hope their trip is a real eye opener for the Chicago area and they will get to see “their chosen one” for who he really is.




4. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:23 am:

   It should read - God only know WHAT Elvis has told the press in Chicago to get them to come to Springfield. However, I do hope their trip is a real eye opener for the Chicago area and they will get to see “their chosen one” for who he really is.

   Prufread, prufreed!!!!




5. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:28 am:

   The crews were dispatched yesterday.




6. - Newsworthy - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:30 am:

   Maybe one of our legislators actually did his job. That would be newsworthy.




7. - Mr. W.T. Rush - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:47 am:

   The newsies are telling bystanders that Mr I.M. NotInsane was comparing himself to Barry Bonds…Bystanders immediately concluded I.M.’s behavior was brought by his abuse of the same juice Barry has been injecting.
   Newsies said I.M. was trying to make some dumb, vane comparison to record breaking session. Sounds like the NixNonsense Machine was at work.




8. - techboy - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:50 am:

   Well, it makes it a story that this is the now the longest overtime in state history, that’s going to be their (Chicago TV) lead hook no matter what else develops in the next day or two.




9. - Milorad - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 12:02 pm:

   Maybe the were covering the fact that Nix told no lies? She made no comments yesterday.




10. - Cassandra - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 12:35 pm:

    A cigarette tax increase.

    We are birthing a mouse, after all that hooha.

    Is that the end of the assault on our pocketbooks, all fiscal problems solved now, pork included, everybody goes home? Seems like we could have gotten there a lot faster and with a lot less effort, but our legislators are, after all, not known for their competence. Nor the guv’s staff.




11. - FED UP - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 12:47 pm:

    The cig tax wont raise the promised funds and we will face an even larger tax increase next year. Cig taxes have reached the point of diminishing returns smokers will get there fix from cheaper out of state retailers costing the state tax money. 10-1 odds that whatever the legislators revenue projections for the money raised in cigs taxes will be greatly overstated when taxes are collected and we will need higher taxes again next year to make up for this un anticipated shortage.




12. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 12:55 pm:

    At least Rebecca Rausch didn’t say, “Yes, the Governor supports an increase in the per-pack tax. He plans on using this for his ever-growing collection of John Freida products.”




13. - steve schnorf - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:06 pm:

    Why don’t we give some thought to backing off Nix, Rausch, et al. I’ve never in my life known a Governor’s spokesperson who would knowingly lie to the press.




14. - Squideshi - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:30 pm:

    “The IL GOP has a new blog. What do you think?”

    I like the fact that this is a discussion forum, rather than simply a one-way broadcast medium. Now, we’ll need to see to when extent the GOP chooses to censor unfavorable comments and if they are actually responsive to any comments made.




15. - HHMMMMM!!!!! - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:32 pm:

    In order to have a leadership meeting someone needs to show some leadership.




16. - Squideshi - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:33 pm:

    “Only days after Antoin ‘Tony’ Rezko was indicted on federal corruption charges last fall, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign moved quickly to try to limit the fallout and gave to charity political donations directly linked to one of the governor’s former top advisers and fundraisers.”

    This is just another example of why we need full public financing of public election campaigns here in Illinois. The right of voters to be informed about all candidates on the ballot is an essential part of the infrastructure of our democracy, just like the printing of ballots, renting of polling places, and hiring of election judges.




17. - Macbeth - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:35 pm:

    Why are the leaders not meeting?

    If that’s not disgusting, I don’t know what is.




18. - Captain America - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:45 pm:

    I second Schnorf’s suggestion about laying off on the spokespersons. It’s wrong to blame the messengers.

    I would like to know the identity of the “‘evil genious’s” who are giving the Governor all this bad advice about how to govern. Does anybody know who he listens to?




19. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:52 pm:

    CA, it’s him. It’s not his staff. It’s him. I’ve been saying this for years, but everybody wants to blame the staff.

    It’s him.




20. - Democrat - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:53 pm:

    I think the new GOP Blog. Is stupid.




21. - This Guy - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:55 pm:

    No leaders meeting? Why are we paying these people?

    Another in a series of wasted days.

    Macbeth mentioned it was digusting, and it is. But it is also so much more than that.

    Insulting. Shameful. Pathetic. Wasteful. Senseless. Arrogant. Selfish. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Asinine. Expletive, expletive, expleteive….

    Revenge is a dish best served cold…and in thise case, at the polling place.




22. - Bill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 1:58 pm:

    Rich,
    I agree. It is him.




23. - Skeeter - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:01 pm:

    The GOP blog was interesting in that there sure look bitter about Paul Froehlich leaving the party. Bad move. Talk about how “he lost GOP values and no longer belonged in the GOP.” Don’t show the anger that they show. The more they talk about Paul, the more they look like losers.




24. - Cough wheeze sputter - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:09 pm:

    I think it would be a refreshing change to apply cigarette tax revenue and court award money to actual ANTI-SMOKING campaigns and lung-health-related things like asthma programs. This is not just an Illinois problem but a national one: they’re all hypocritically taking the tobacco settlement money and spending it on anything BUT public health programs related to lung health.

    If they used just 5% of the tobacco money or cigarette tax money for funding smoking cessation or air quality programs, it would represent the greatest leap forward in public health since the invention of hand washing. But instead, the money has gone everywhere BUT real health programs.

    What kind of programs do I mean?
    Grants for Upgrading school ventilation systems and reducing allergens.
    Asthma diagnosis and treatment.
    Alternatives to idling motors for busses waiting outside schools.
    Awareness and education efforts.
    Things like this make a real impact on health and especially in the case of school age children, reducing asthma leads to less parent absenteeism at work and eventually, many dollars in productivity saved.

    If I had been a judge for those cases, I would haev tried to put controls on where the money was spent. Our governments treated it like a winning lottery ticket and frittered it away on anything BUT health programs.




25. - Anon - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:11 pm:

    The new GOP blogsite looks like it was designed by PeeWee Herman. That fact alone creates difficulty in taking it seriously.




26. - Gregor - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:20 pm:

    I am disinclined to give the spokeswomen and spokesmen a break. They DO know when they are out and out lying for the boss, and when they do it they are choosing to do so and getting paid well for it. If not “technically” lying, they try to omit, distract, or camoflage the truth, bending the facts beyond what pretzel-makers do. I say if you catch them in a falsehood, twist the knife all you can. It’s the government, for crying out loud. We pay for the answers and they are obligated to tell us the truth. We dare not accept less. I don’t find it at all cute or amusing when reporters catch goverment spokespeople lying. It is not just a harmless game.




27. - Mr. W.T. Rush - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:32 pm:

    Steve & Capt America —
    Apparently you have not spent much time with this crew.




28. - anon - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:33 pm:

    Is the proposed tax hike for cigarettes only? or for all or certain tobacco products?




29. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:36 pm:

    My wife works closely with one of Blago’s top advisors, and she loves the guy. He’s very professional and very forthright. I get the impression that some of Blago’s top staff is leery of their boss and his intentions.

    Steve, I was just kidding around. I’m trying to lighten the mood! I think it’s time for another Cap Fax Blog Caucus meeting at Brown’s or Two Brothers.




30. - Crimefighter - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:41 pm:

    Smoking tax hike…guess they had to make up for the potential lost revenue from all the bars set to close next year due to the indoor smoking ban. Watch all the desperate smokers drive to St. Louis just so they can drink and smoke at the same time.




31. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:46 pm:

    Anon, the bill is clearly linked, so you could have just read it before you asked. But to answer your question, it’s only cigarettes.




32. - Mr. Sarcastic - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:49 pm:

    Maldonado moving to Congress (or trying to) is just Great! I wish more county officials would take what they have learned and move on to even more responsibility and tax dollars to watch over. It just makes my day.




33. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:52 pm:

    I wish I could feel sorry for Blago’s spokespeople. I don’t. I don’t have a big enough ego to sell my soul to the devil to say that I work on the governor’s staff, ANY governor. President, Governor, Mayor, it makes no difference. There is a certain amount of B.S., double talking, half truths, talking between the lines, splitting hairs, technicalities, etc. that is done by press people that it makes me sick. Anyone who has raised children knows that these are games children play with their parents and often times they get their little butts whipped for doing so. Spokespeople, whatever you want to call them, are in the business of double talking and spin and they know it. And they wonder why the press hounds them so much. It’s because the press and the public can’t get a straight answer. No, I have no respect for these people. And if they had any respect for anything other than the almighty dollar, they would find a different job and put their talent to better use.




34. - anon - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:53 pm:

    of course it is, my bad, im just lazy and concerned about my phillies




35. - Gale - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 2:57 pm:

    It’s not a lie if you believe it, so the Gov’s spokespeople may not even be aware they’re lying, so let’s not let them off the hook too much here.

    The GOP blog was okay…I’m not sure why Skeeter expects them to change, it’s still the GOP after all.




36. - Macbeth - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:22 pm:

    Frankly, Blago’s spokespeople deserve zero “breaks.”

    What kind of absurd notion is it to give *anyone* in politics a “break?” Maybe one break? Okay. Everybody deserves one. But to let them off the hook? Forget it. That’s absurd, condescending, and insulting.

    The political leadership in Illinois is failing. No one — and certainly not the spin-masters — deserve *any* breaks whatsoever. It’s an insiders game — and this time the insiders control the entire stadium — so the fact that they can’t find parking, score their points, serve themselves hot dogs leads me to believe that they’re inept.

    And the folks that voted for them — presumably in good faith, though I have my doubts — should take notice of this. I suspect many of these voters, however, *won’t* take notice — and will continue to vote Blagojevich in office. Over and over again.

    Blagojevich knows this, too — and knows that the next election (his, at least) is far enough away that he can rebuild whatever political capital he had and now has wasted in time for the ballet box.

    This shameful and disgusting. Frankly, I’d like to see Blagojevich set up his little podium in front of the Thompson Center in his beloved Chicago and tell all his state employees that come Wednesday, they’ll no longer be getting a paycheck. That’s testicular virility — to speak to his employees — and to look them in the eye and tell them that he’s proud of the fact that no budget has been passed.

    He won’t do that, wouldn’t dream of it, and will continue to villify the very people who work for him — and put him in office — every single day.




37. - Ravenswood Right Winger - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:27 pm:

    Well said Macbeth! The new IL GOP Blog is BRUTAL.




38. - woe is me - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:28 pm:

    Macbeth, its my “beloved Chicago” too - and that of some 3 million others. Don’t hate on Chicago just becasue you disagree with some of its residents.




39. - woe is me - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:31 pm:

    and I don’t think the ILGOP could have come up with a worse name for that blog. Bring back Chris Rhodes!!!




40. - Macbeth - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:40 pm:

    woe is me: I live in Chicago. It’s my beloved Chicago, too.

    But if I have a job in Springfield, I’m going to pack up the family and move to Springfield.




41. - Bill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:48 pm:

    Mac,
    The governor is governor of the whole state, not just Springfield. Given a choice of the two I would pick Chicago just like the Governor. The James Thompson Center is a state building. The governor has an office there and runs the state from there. He has been in the patch during the overtime session. Did it matter? No!
    The previous governor lived in Kankakee. Given the choice between between there and Springfieled I would flip a coin. Same thing with Charleston. The last Governor who was from Chicag (Thompson) lived in Chicago. There’s precedent.




42. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 3:51 pm:

    ===. The James Thompson Center is a state building. The governor has an office there and runs the state from there. ===

    No he doesn’t. He “runs the state” from his campaign office down the street from his house.




43. - A Citizen - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:00 pm:

    Rich, that’s very convenient for him and keeps him insulated from charges of misusing state property for political purposes. Fitz is probably disappointed except for gov’s computer and telecom (state) hookups in the campaign office so he can “keep in touch”. Bet the bugs and taps on those lines are thick as bees on a hive.




44. - Macbeth - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:04 pm:

    Bill –

    Here’s a newsflash:

    It *doesn’t* matter if the governor “picks” Chicago over Springfield. What kind of absurdity is that?

    Government is about symbols and institutions. Why do you think there was such an uproar about moving the seat of government from Philly to somewhere on the Potomac? It *meant* something. And people didn’t like it. And it took a lot of time and work to get it moved.

    Why do you think Lincoln kept on with the construction of the Capital even though the nation was being split in two? Because it meant something. It was symbolic of the union. And any astute politician knows that symbology is everything.

    Blagojevich doesn’t get to choose where he wants to govern from. That’s utterly absurd — and, again, insulting.

    If a politician can’t understand what the political symbols of his or her office mean — and doesn’t have the respect to honor those symbols — then he or she should not be allowed to govern. And the people — the people for whom he or she serves — should yell and yawp and raise holy hell. If the governor can’t respect the symbols — and, in the case of Blagojevich, apparently doesn’t *understand* the symbols — then I see no reason to respect the governor.

    Blagojevich can’t choose to create new symbols and expect to be successful — especially in a state like Illinois. Illinois has a *little* bit of political history. Any state does — not just Illinois, of course.




45. - Lance Stevens - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:07 pm:

    ILGOP needs to bring Chris Rhodes back




46. - Bill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:08 pm:

    Rich,
    No he doesn’t. He just needs to go to the bank a lot.




47. - Bill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:12 pm:

    Yes, another victory for the Governor! The Full Senate will be next. Now, will the Speaker try to bring people together and support the bill or will he continue to tear people apart and try to tube it.
    C’mon Mike. Be a uniter not a divider.




48. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:17 pm:

    Bill, your “precedent” is a bunch of hooey. Neither Edgar nor Ryan attempted to make their hometowns the de facto State Capital. I also don’t recall all of the Ryan or Edgar cabinet and senior staff living outside of the State Capital.




49. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:27 pm:

    Bill,

    Frequent trips to the bank? Are those $1,500 birthday /christening gifts coming pretty regularly?




50. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:30 pm:

    Thompson was blasted by Dems for “moving the capitol to Chicago” back in the 1980s. As soon as Amy hit school age, they were gone from the mansion.

    Now, move along.




51. - Southern Right - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:36 pm:

    Bill Just went thru 180+ pages of Blagojevich’s revised plan. Since you’re excited about it. Tell us what it will cost us and how do we pay for that mystery number.




52. - Bill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:43 pm:

    Southern,
    It will cost a lot. We will talk about revenue some other time.




53. - Commonsense in Illinois - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:46 pm:

    Rich…It was Samantha Thompson, not Amy.




54. - TaxMan - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:48 pm:

    Illinois is so screwed!




55. - DeepFriedOnAStick - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:52 pm:

    Could the TV bobble heads please, please, for the love of God, stop saying that the state is “without a budget”?

    These broadcasters are doing a huge disservice to their audience by making it seem as if the state does not have a budget - and that we have gone 55 days without one.

    The fact is that the state has not gone a single day this year without a budget. Yes, there is no budget in place for the entire year. But no, that is not the same thing as being without a budget.

    We have a budget and it lasts until the end of July.

    Pardon me if that’s not sufficiently dramatic. But it is the truth.




56. - Southern Right - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 4:54 pm:

    Will we discus it after the vote or before? I’m going to buy a new house, not sure of the price. It will be alot. How you going to pay for it? I’ll let you know after I move in.




57. - I was there - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 5:24 pm:

    Samantha, you mean.




58. - Snidely Whiplash - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 5:26 pm:

    Hmmm … they say smoking is lethal (true), ban smoking statewide, then pass an insane cig tax hike over and above the 2 recent insane Cook County cig tax hikes. Then, they add a HUGE retailer tax on cig sellers, who will just pass that on to customers. Okay hypocrits, why don’t you just ban the SALE of cigs in Illinois? Then, law-abiders won’t start to begin with, and hundreds of thousands of lives would be saved.

    Oh… sorry … forgot about that tax revenue.




59. - Duh! - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 5:37 pm:

    Yes, we are the ones who keep electing these people over and over and over and over again. Maybe equal ballot access (is that SB733?) would help…maybe not.




60. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 5:51 pm:

    Does anybody really think that elected officials’ PR people “spin” more than PR folks in the private sector? It may appear so, only because the “truth” is a little easier to find, due to Freedom of Information Act, etc., but I don’t think it’s all that much different.




61. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 5:55 pm:

    I will become concerned that the State Capitol is being moved to Chicago when I see the 2nd floor brass rail dismantled and installed in the JRT. Until then, Blago can have an office anywhere he wants and it makes no difference. He still has to come to Springfield, even occasionally, and that will never change. And I’m sure it doesn’t make him a happy camper either. But deal with it Blago, just as we’re dealing with you. Your tenure is temporary. Governors have come and gone and you will too. The sooner the better but whenever it happens, and it will some day, it will be a very happy day. I must say that I’m beginning to like the fact that he prefers Chicago.




62. - Nickname - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 5:56 pm:

    Hey Rich the Senate is up to something. At least a capitol bill. What are you hearing?




63. - DeepFriedOnAStick - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 6:05 pm:

    “Yes. We support it,” said Rebecca Rausch, Blagojevich’s spokeswoman. “We’d like to see the money raised from the cigarette tax go to something like education or perhaps even health care.”

    Did anybody else notice that she put education before health care, as if she’s massaging Emil with one hand while spinning the governor’s nonsense with the other?




64. - Humboldt Park - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 7:03 pm:

    Mr. Sarcastic,please stop with your lies and innuendos. Commissioner Maldonado has and is the only true Progressive . His championing the true and only just causes in the 4th District has made life better for his consitiuents. His dedication to public service has made our 4th district a model on how best to represent such a wide and diverse community. His effort to provide the needed services in health care,more nursing,bring more health care dollars to tthe district has improved overall health. His work in unision with the Unions shows his mettle as a strong working man’s and women’s representitve.All and all, Mr. Roberto Maldonado is a true leader and a man needed in Washington DC to defend the middle class and working poor and hispanic population of the 4th.
    Please Mr. sarcastic, join our team and join and help us make history!




65. - Mr. Sarcastic to Humboldt - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 7:34 pm:

    Mr. Sarcastic could not have said it any better.




66. - SCH GOP - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 10:33 pm:

    Rep. Cross. You made a good choice for the new Schaumburg Township GOP Committeeman. Now you need to pick someone that can take back the state rep seat. There are only a few people that can beat Paul. One person is an ex friend. You need to look at Township Assessor Lawson. He has a name in the Township as an elected official, a 25 year police vet and a hard Republican. http://schaumburgtownship.org/assessor.htm




67. - Disgusted - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 10:40 pm:

    Why don’t we give some thought to backing off Nix, Rausch, et al. I’ve never in my life known a Governor’s spokesperson who would knowingly lie to the press.

    If you work for someone and he tells you to announce something and 5 days later he withdraws it or changes the content without letting you in on it,sooner or later wouldn’t you check your facts really closely to make sure YOU don’t look stupid! Remember you will be looking for another job one day.




68. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 25, 07 @ 11:47 pm:

    Yes, Samantha. Sorry.




69. - polisci - Thursday, Jul 26, 07 @ 12:17 am:

    yes, check out the video of Watson and Cross - if you’re having trouble getting to sleep. What a bunch of nothin’ those two are.




70. - Snidely Whiplash - Thursday, Jul 26, 07 @ 7:35 am:

    Humboldt & Sarcastic: Snidely says that you two are either extremely gullible or MUCHO close to Sr. Maldonado and trolling for him … or you are extremely naive …

    Remember THIS? http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=News&id=3309641&ft=exLg

    Oh,yeah, it wasn’t Sr. Reform pushing more patronage workers on the County, it was staff. Bobby Boy knew nothing about it …

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