* If you want to know how the rest of the year is going to go, just check out this Gov. Blagojevich quote that John Patterson pulled from yesterday’s press conference…
“I think there’s great cause to be concerned. If Speaker Madigan and the House leadership pick up a veto-proof majority … then they’ll be in a position to easily override a veto.”
As Patterson notes, “That sounds an awful lot like the Democratic governor is urging voters to shun Democrats this fall so his intraparty rival – Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan — doesn’t get any stronger.”
The House GOP has positioned itself much closer to Blagojevich lately, and the governor has returned the favor by bashing Madigan at every opportunity. Yesterday was the first time, however, that Blagojevich openly fretted that House Republican Leader Tom Cross might wind up in a veto-proof minority.
* The Bond Buyer was one of the only “mainstream” media sources which caught this huge budget story, albeit buried down in the piece…
Yesterday, the governor backed off his push for the pension bond issue and did not provide another idea for how to replace the $400 million it would have saved in the fiscal 2009 budget.
Why did he do that? One reason is that the House Republicans don’t want to vote for it.
* Another way the governor has been trying to hurt House Democratic chances this November is by claiming there’s a “secret” plan to raise income taxes after the election…
An after-Halloween trick could be up Mike Madigan’s sleeve. Governor Blagojevich is suggesting the speaker of the Illinois House is secretly pushing for an increase in the income tax, sales tax, or both after the November election.
The problem with this logic, of course, is that Senate President Emil Jones has said openly this year that he, too, supports an income tax hike and a post-election vote on that topic is already planned for the Senate. But this is about Madigan, not the issue. It’s never about the issue.
* Next week’s special session isn’t about the budget. It’s about blaming Madigan…
“The Senate took the hard votes in order to fund the budget,” said Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, in a statement. “The House should follow through and pass these measures. This can all be handled in a day.”
That’s true. The Senate did take some tough votes. But the Senate also refused to pass two other House-approved alternative budgets that didn’t have such gaping holes. And they won’t next week, either. Why? Because this isn’t about the budget. It’s about Madigan. It’s a concept that the State Journal-Register completely fails to grasp in today’s editorial.
* Expect the House’s responses to be more along these lines…
On Wednesday, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown responded to the governor’s call for a special session by suggesting reporters look up the definition of “sociopath.”
Blagojevich spokeswoman Katie Ridgway offered a quick response.
“He’s not a sociopath,” she said of her boss.
Nixon said he wasn’t a crook. Blagojevich says he’s not a sociopath. Wonderful.
…Adding… Just for kicks, take a look at this description of a sociopath. Sound familiar?
* Related…
* Special session called over state budget impasse
* Ill. lawmakers called to special session
* Blagojevich Calls Special Session of Legislature
* Governor calls special session on budget
* It’s going to be close
* Budget Disputes Continue
* Amid funding woes, school leaders look to cut budget
* Illinois Budget Action Alert
* Springfield’s Stalemate A Hostile Environment
* Blago halts construction because of poor wording