Illinois More Than A Deadbeat State under Larry Walsh Jr.

Illinois More Than A Deadbeat State under Larry Walsh Jr.

Sadly no one seems to care that they have been paying more than fair share in corruption induced taxes in exchange for a false sense of security that their political party of choice is the party of the people they think it to be.


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"By Michael Ciric of ChicagoNow

So what's new in Illinois Politics? Absolutely nothing as Illinois Senate President John Cullerton was able to easily defeat the only logical and sensible proposal that could have put a sizable dent in a State Pension System that is putting the state on a sure path to bankruptcy. Oh well, Cullerton would rather placate the unions than worry about Illinois' solvency or Madigan's ire on this issue.

Now, I am no big fan of Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan. After all it has primarily been his three decades of iron grip control over state politics that created the financial mess the state is in. But, Madigan's usual right hand goon in the Illinois Legislature, Senate President John Cullerton decided that playing hardball with the boss on pensions would bolster his standing with the unions. Then again it could be nothing more than these two playing good cop / bad cop since both have a record of sticking it to the taxpayer. Still, with Cullerton preventing the Senate from accepting the best reform measure (thus far) that could have saved the taxpayers real dollars he only solidified his reputation for being a politician who hasn't seen a tax or fee he didn't like. And believe me, there will be more of those as the pension stalemate continues (and the rife abuse) that has only expanded the Illinois Public Pension System debt.

But hey, haven't I tried my best to repeatedly warn taxpayers and voters of this state that their loyalty to a corrupt and empty political party would make them equally complicit in furthering a political system designed to prey upon each and every person of this state? Sadly no one seems to care that they have been paying more than fair share in corruption induced taxes in exchange for a false sense of security that their political party of choice is the party of the people they think it to be. Well folks the way I see it if they really were the party of the people then they wouldn't continue hitting-up the people repeatedly with more and more new taxes while providing the people nothing in return.

And if the people think that their tax burdens are bad now, well they just wait and see what the latest round of inaction will cost them. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that there will be another Big Bang in taxation right around the corner. Hell, the state's credit rating is already the worst in the union and they will soon be downgraded again for their lack of reform. That alone will cost you as the state must now pay more to borrow any new debt. I dunno, but the Illinois Democrats seem to be the gift of taxation that just keeps on giving...er I mean just keeps on taking!

This has just become a vicious cycle with no end in sight as John Cullerton and Michael Madigan continue to play their little games at the expense of each and every resident in the State of Illinois. Sadly, Illinois is now so much more than just a deadbeat state because of these two adolescent acting adults - it has become a global laughing stock as well as the standard dictionary definition for bad government.

But again, Illinois has no one to blame but themselves for what Illinois has become. After all, this political fiasco rests squarely on those who continue to accept the deception that Illinois Democrats somehow are a party that stands for the people. Well, I suppose if that means standing up for political insiders and interlopers, then that would be accurate. But if we are talking about the average everyday people trying to eke out an existence here, then the answer is a resounding NO!




Fuhgettaboutit!

But there is one thing though that I do know - until the people of Illinois get up enough courage to wrest back control of their government from the Illinois Democrats (and most notably the Chicago Democrats to whom they put so much trust in) there can never, ever be real and/or a meaningful change in the way Illinois politics are conducted.

Oh well the more things change the more they stay the same in this Deadbeat State of ours. Political corruption, nepotism and sweetheart deals have made Illinois resemble something more of a communist nation than that of a constitutional democracy. But hey as I said earlier, the people couldn't be bothered as they have remained more than content and happy with the status quo.

I suppose the only explanation for this is that there must be more people than I thought in Illinois who are dependent upon the spoils of its corruption. And if that is the case than that also explains why reform of its multiple pension systems will never be addressed with any seriousness. These people are just unwilling to give up the perks and/or the ability to take more money out of the system than they have legitimately earned.

Of course that doesn't mean that there aren't any losers because there are plenty of everyday Joe's and Josephine's who don't work for this dysfunctional state government of ours in addition to the many hard-working state workers who don't game the system. Ironically, though, those everyday saps are the one's who have been paying most dearly for those slugs taking advantage of the pension system and are also the one's who who have been most loyal to that empty ideology.

Sadly, the biggest losers are also the one's who are least able to afford it.
Oh well, I guess it's time for people to look into a mirror, isn't it?"

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Democrats Have Ruined Illinois
By Dennis Byne

"Democrats are poisoning Illinois and Chicago.

Maybe it's too obvious to state, but it isn't said often enough. Or barely at all.

Democrats have locked up the city and the state. They have super-majorities in both houses of the Illinois legislature. The governor is a Democrat. Democrats run two of the four major administrative branches of state government. The Chicago mayor's office, the City Council, Cook County and major "independent" agencies such as the CTA and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation Districts all are run by Democrats.

Blame is rightfully directed at the egos of House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton for the utter failure in the legislative session ending last week to pass pension and other reforms necessary to keep the state from going under. But it's not coincidental that the current failures just happened to occur when Democrats are in charge.

And those failures almost are too many to list. Unfunded pension obligations due public employees approaching $100 billion (according to conservative estimates), overdue bills to outfits (including social service providers) that do business with the state approaching $10 billion, poor-performing Chicago schools, debt piled deep, the nation's worst state credit rating, violence in the streets, high state unemployment, the "outmigration" of people and jobs, budgets that "balance" only through thinly disguised legerdemain, a heritage of corruption and so on and so on.

Chicago and Illinois Democrats have demonstrated time and again that they are incapable of governing well.

I'm not arguing that Republicans necessarily could do a better job. Or that Republicans haven't helped create this situation. Readers of John Kass' excellent columns are well-acquainted with how the GOP abets the various acts of malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance committed as part of the dark partnership with Democrats that Kass calls the "Combine." Thanks to that villainous alliance, Illinois Republicans, in and out of elective office, once knifed one of their own, U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, because he was too honest and too loyal to his constituents (i.e. he kept his promises). It's what happens in this state when you don't go along to get along. Maybe it's just chance that the state GOP's skid into irrelevance happened after that betrayal.

But now Democrats wear the collar all by themselves. That seems to be a point missed by so much of the news media. The one thing that the screw-ups and scoundrels who run Chicago and Illinois government have in common is their Democratic fidelity.

Rack it up to greed if you want — so many owe their jobs and livelihoods to the patronage system that so effectively helps the party dominate Chicago and Cook County and, hence, state elections. Rack it up to blind ideology and the financial support that the political arms of radical left-wing groups like Personal PAC Inc. and Planned Parenthood of Illinois give to Democrats who dare not deviate from their extreme social agenda. Or rack it up to the long-standing, unholy alliance between organized labor — particularly those representing public employee unions — and their bought flunkies in government.

Here, I must note some deviations from the general rule. Mayor Rahm Emanuel admirably has challenged the death grip that the Chicago Teachers Union has on the city's public schools. Emanuel was left a sinking ship of a city by former Mayor Richard Daley and a subservient City Council that, for example, burdened Chicago with the a steal-of-the-century parking meter deal that won't expire until ... 2083. I give credit to Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, and the people who worked with her to negotiate a respectable pension reform package. There are Democrats independent enough (or secure enough in their jobs) who bravely resist or try hard. I'm not sure I can name them; I can only suspect they exist."