1. - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 6:01 pm:

   Recall a “crucial” structural reform? Woulda been nice a year ago, but that was an extraordinary circumstance.

   Otherwise, good to see the process start to get off the dime. But I guess I’m a hopeless optimist.




2. - Boxing Cross - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:09 pm:

   Wow. BoxedTom’s big 2012 Election plan is left off the proc….Was The Governor saving BoxTom from himself? Will there be a spec proc? Word is even RxRon Stephens is embarrassed by BoxedTom’s blunder




3. - Levois - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:19 pm:

   You know after the experience in the past year with Ousted governor, I’m not sure what the point is of recall anymore. I suppose it might be ok especially if said person refuses to resign even if their continued presence in a position of power paralyzes the system. In light of that impeachment works even though well impeachment takes time. So does recall however.




4. - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:20 pm:

   Lot of ingredients, time to make some sausage.




5. - State Worker W/ an MBA - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:49 pm:

   If Quinn is running around the State with his dooms day message and 10K in lay offs why are they hiring summer interns?

   My bosses started Monday which was the same day I was given my annual performance review and told “We wish we could give you a pay raise but we can’t do to the freeze put in place on MC employees last week.

   What is the old saying “the more things change the more they stay the same.”




6. - 815Sox - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:56 pm:

   “If Quinn is running around the State with his dooms day message and 10K in lay offs why are they hiring summer interns? ”

   Well all I know is that at my agency we are being told to conduct as normal until we hear otherwise. Really what else can you do?

   They have laid off all trainers, Clinical Screeners. Today our agency got sent termination of services order for all of SOC referrals. Because they had lost all funding.




7. - Blue Dog - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:59 pm:

   Just thinking. Any management going to be laid off? If all those interns are coming in, are they to be let go before the FT employees? Same for those 75 day contract people that come back every year. Things do stay the same.




8. - 815Sox - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 8:04 pm:

   “Just thinking. Any management going to be laid off? If all those interns are coming in, are they to be let go before the FT employees? Same for those 75 day contract people that come back every year. Things do stay the same.”

   All I know that at my POS (one of the big ones) everyone received notification of possible layoff.




9. - Hank - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 8:25 pm:

   Quinnovich is no different than Blagojevich. Threatens slashed programs, mass layoffs but continues to hire Walker Administration Cronies. For the most part his appointees are unqualified washed up bureacrat wanna-be’s who call themselves professionals. 17 months and Blago/Quinno nightmare will be over for better or worse for democrat party.




10. - Hank - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 8:29 pm:

    MBA you are misinformed. The freeze is effective on July 1. If your eval date is prior to that you should get your raise/bonus.




11. - GWB2004 - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 8:43 pm:

    Hank,
    As you can see from the handle, I am fairly conservative myself and even I don’t agree with what you said about his appointees. You’ve got Hannig at IDOT who is a solid pick. The COS Stermer had no association with Blagojevich. The General Counsel is an Ivy League graduate and former US Attorney. He has brought in other talented people to run press, his legislative operation, and policy. They aren’t from the Walker era. Quinn may have his flaws, but you’ve got to admit that, with a few exceptions (holdovers), he has surrounded himself with bright capable people.




12. - A Citizen - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 8:47 pm:

    The COS Stermer was in fact from the Walker years - DCFS.




13. - omg - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 8:56 pm:

    GWB2004
    I can’t say I agree with you on competence of Quinn staff. He seems to hire buddies without any regard to their knowing much about the area he puts them in. He has used Lavin and Filan and Filan’s budget team. He has a deputy for social services with no background in social services. His pick for State police? His head of VA? He just appointed a healthcare advisor who really only knows long term care. Then he keeps most of the not very competent (more polite way of saying incompetent) agency Directors eg. Maram, Adams, Arnold or nice but lethargic Johnson. He seems to have no desire for competent, experience. He either hires competent but no experience in state gov (Stermer et al) or keeps incompetent with experience (Maram et al.)His administration is a joke and these are very serious times.




14. - A Citizen - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 9:26 pm:

    It is past time to recognize that the four tops, the guv, the Senators and representatives have all failed. This is really a non-partisan world wide recession that has plunged most of the world into financial crises. We have “little” people in crucial positions who are refusing to rise to the challenge and resolve the problems - Just a temporary two year bipartisan fix would be fine. The rebound will hopefully begin during that period. Come on, no more petty little man bickering, let’s see some leadership and statesmen action.




15. - State Worker W/ an MBA - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 9:53 pm:

    My eval date is July 1.




16. - MC employee - Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 11:21 pm:

    My MC eval date has passed several months ago… the EPA “management” refuses to allow evaluations to be done. More of the same… Evals and any raise are for the year previous and yet they withhold them. Great morale booster!




17. - Atticus Finch - Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 7:22 am:

    I agree with omg. Not being associated with Blago does not automatically guarantee competance. Stermer is out of his element, as are most of Quinn’s legislative people. And let us not forget the DCoS Lavin brought on board at 150k each and seem to be doing little more than pissing people off. Actually, his only decent picks are General Council and Hannig.




18. - Zoble - Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 7:38 am:

    Yea Quinn, lets lay-off 10,000 employees. But don’t let the press know that we are so top heavy we are falling over! Dept. of Veterans Affairs has the director, asst. director, chief of staff, deputy director who is to asst. the chief of staff…ect ect ect. Wake up!!




19. - VanillaMan - Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 8:53 am:

    Make this special session productive!

    The fig leaves and pasties the Democrats are looking for are the Capital Bill and the reforms. Pass them and you will not be entirely naked this spring. A tax increase without reforms or a Capital Bill should be seen as political suicide for the Party in Power That Can’t See Beyond Cook County.




20. - The Doc - Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 9:27 am:

    Recall is lipstick on a pig, used to provide cover to spineless legislators who are unwilling to enact more substantial reform legislation, despite Cullerton’s specious editorials (like the one in today’s Trib).

    Mr. Senate President, your attempts to justify the “work” done in Springfield with regards to reform legislation ring hollow.




21. - hmmm - Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 9:58 am:

    Didn’t Blago’s twenty-some Special Session proclamations all start at 2pm? Couldn’t he have a picked a different time? Just saying. :)

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