With the budget negotiations inching forward this week, one voice has been notably absent from the public debate -- that of House Speaker Michael Madigan. Take a look at these seven news reports from today regarding the recent activities (or lack thereof) in Springfield:
Chicago Tribune: "Quinn, lawmakers set up budget showdown"
AP: "Ill. lawmakers go home amid budget confusion"
Northwest Herald: "Special budget session fizzles"
Lee Newspapers: "Quinn backtracks on drastic budget cuts"
State Journal-Register: "Lawmakers leave big budget mess"
Illinois Issues: "Everything in limbo"
WBEZ: "Lawmakers wrap up session, still no budget"
Gov. Pat Quinn is mentioned and quoted in all seven of these reports, Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno appears in four, House Minority Leader Tom Cross appears in three, and Senate President John Cullerton in two.
But Madigan is not mentioned -- let alone quoted -- in any of these articles. A Lexis search of "Illinois news sources" also turned up zero articles featuring his name today.
Considering no other state official holds more power than the speaker at the moment, it sure would be nice to know where he stands as the government teeters on the brink of collapse ...
Meanwhile, his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, continues to dodge the fierce debate over an income tax hike.
Following a rally that shut down the statehouse on Tuesday, some demonstrators swung by the AG's office to solicit her opinion on the budget mess. But once again, she couldn't be pinned down on the issue, according to Keith Kelleher, president of SEIU Healthcare Illinois/Indiana (whose state council sponsors this website).
"We've contacted her office for meetings, about speaking [at the Tuesday rally] ... at a rally in front of the state of Illinois building last Thursday" to no avail, Kelleher says. "We think both Lisa and other statewide elected officials need to step out on this. They cannot keep hiding."
The lack of leadership by Madigan hasn't gone unnoticed. The Tribunes's Eric Zorn recently asked: "Where is our would-be future governor as the battle in Springfield rages?" And the Center on Tax and Budget Accountability's Ralph Martire has been calling her out for sometime now. The AP took note earlier this month:
"In tough times, leaders lead," Martire said. "I don't think any elected official should simply hoard political capital if they're never going to use it in the public interest."
Looking at that quote now, it seems it could be applied to the father as well as the daughter in this case.
Comments
Steve Brown (not verified) on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 12:53
The Speaker was an active participant in this week's session and a wide range of meetings. He started the discussions that led to the Pension Note proposal which could forestall another +$2 billion in spending reduction.
Did he spend a lot of time explaining that a revised budget plan had not been finalized? Nope
Back to SPI on Monday
Josh Kalven on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 14:38
Thanks for the reply, Steve.
We don't doubt that the speaker is working behind the scenes on various aspects of the budget. But his refusal to commit on any sort of framework seems really counter-productive at this juncture. In the Senate, by contrast, Cullerton is acknowledging the need for cuts and certain concessions, but is also saying outright that an income tax hike is ultimately the "only way out." Does the speaker agree? Or does he believe, like the Republicans, that there is a "way out" that doesn't involve higher taxes?
These are broad questions that can certainly be answered in lieu of a "finalized" "revised" budget plan.
Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 14:43
I think I heard the Speaker was hiking the Appalachian Trail . . .
what, too soon?
Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 14:50
Reminder - Lisa Madigan is not the Governor. Is she supoosed to recommend cuts to his agencies? I'm sure that would go over well. If Quinn doesn't want to be governor and make tough decisions, he should step aside. I'm sure her plate is pretty full being the attorney for the state. This is Quinn's job, not hers.
markg8 on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 14:57
Quiinn is showing leadership but Mike and Lisa Madigan? Not so much.
Yellow Dog Democrat (not verified) on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 17:14
no other state official holds more power than the speaker
Actually, Governor Quinn holds more power -- the Governor always holds more power in budget negotiations, especially when the legislature is not in session.
Let's run down just SOME of his options:
1) Veto the Doomsday budget when it gets to his desk, or promise to veto ANY budget that doesn't fully-fund vital programs, shutting down state government.
2) Line-item veto the state budget, eliminating everything Republicans (or Democrats) care about, forcing them to come to the table.
3) Instead of doing across-the-board 25% reserves, target cuts to build your reserves:
July 1 - order the closure of every human services office in every GOP district, and every D who opposed a tax increase;
a) July 3 - order the closure of Eastern Illinois University;
b) July 7 - order the closure of Western Illinois University;
c) July 10 - order the closure of U of I - Springfield;
d) July 13 - order the closure of Northern Illinois University
e) July 16 - order the closure of Illinois State University
July 19, start announcing the state park closures...
Aug. 1, its the prisons...
And secondly, no offense to Steve Brown and the Speaker, but after May 31, Tom Cross actually has more power than Madigan, because he controls ALL of the swing votes needed to pass a budget.
Finally...you wanna talk about utter silence? Where's Mayor Daley? CPS is about to get raped by these budget cuts, and a whole lot more, and we haven't heard BOO from The City of Chicago.
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