The idea that Governor Rauner and Republican legislators have refused to compromise is laughable. The same exhausted talking point that Governor Rauner is holding the budget hostage with his “radical” reform agenda that has nothing to do with a budget is simply political fodder to shift attention away from an entrenched decade’s old Chicago run regime.
There are three branches of government in a Democracy. The Executive Branch (Governor), Legislative Branch (Representatives and Senators) and Judicial Branch (Judges). The reason there are three separate branches is to prohibit any one branch of government from having too much power over another. Each has a separate job to do, but ultimately needs agreed upon approval to effect law.
This is the reality we are all exposed to. After 8 months of refusing to negotiate with the governor on anything, Democrats refused to continue working towards a budget solution and adjourned for the next month. That pretty much tells you what Madigan’s Springfield leadership is planning to do for the rest of the year.
Democratic legislators have been hosting a number of press conferences around the state calling for an end to the budget impasse and blaming the Governor for his “unrelated” reforms, but then they skipped town while refusing to work with the Governor on anything.
I am sure the response from democratic legislators will be that they voted to fund higher education and critical state services. What they won’t tell you is that there is no funding stream to ensure the financial support for those programs. Money doesn’t grow on trees, it comes from taxpayers. These taxpayers are tired of bailing out a financially irresponsible state.
Enough is enough. We need to stop the finger pointing and stay in Springfield until we can find a bipartisan solution. I don’t work for the Governor or the Speaker; I work for the taxpayers of my district. They are tired of the merry-go-round politics that are being played. I am frustrated that the Speaker and House Democrats ignored our call for action in exchange for a month long vacation. Now is the time to get the job done!