Recall? Talk to the Senate

Two Chicago Democrats in the Illinois Senate paid a call on the Tribune editorial board last week.

[Louis G Atsaves]

Up in Lake County our three Democratic Senators claim to be independent of the "Chicago Democrats" who run this state, yet they always quietly follow their wishes and desires.

It would be nice to see all three of them stand up and do more than make noise on these issues. They should try voting on them.

Their pretenses here are getting tiresome.

[Depot Jim]

I hope some Senate Democrats show some guts and move this amendment up for a vote. It seems all Chicago Democrats want is more taxes at the expense of the suburbs and downstate Illinois. The crooked Democrats that run the County also run the State. And now Emil Jones and his supporters are trying to take over the country. Barack Obama also come out of those one party areas of the state.

[Mike]

You mean Terry Link? He's party line all the way.

[BlagoSucks]

Please, please recall this horrible governor and get us an honest, fiscal conservative who cares about education, public transportation, city improvements, anti-corruption, and education again!

[Mike Carasotti]

Doesn't matter. They're gonna do what Daley tells them to do, the gutless cowards.

[Helena]

Democrats are all about extracting more money from the taxpayers to fund their vast corruption machine that runs state, county, and Chicago government. More taxes me more for them.
Lots more. Slurp slurp. Gobble gobble.

The recall is a red herring to make us think they are concerned about good government.

They aren't. They only want the money.

[Voter]

Hold their feet to the fire. It is unconscionable that these cowardly and power-mad "representatives" will not allow the voters to be heard.

I would ask, "What are they afraid of?" But the answer is obvious

[Downstate voter]

I sit and read article after article, listen to ongoing debates about recall and I am utterly amazed and sickened at the justification of some of the legislators as to why this should not go through. It seems that the arguments being made against the recall amendment are moot, at best.

What is it that they are afraid of? Could it be that with such an amendment the consituents that elected them to office would now be able to hold them accoountable for their actions?

Timeline would suggest that, if this amendment were to pass both chambers and be placed on the ballot in November, the reality that it could be used against Blagojevich before the 2010 election is not likely.

So, my question would then become, why not let it go through, be voted on by the people in November, so that, in the future, if we, as a state, are dealt other inept politicians, we would have the means to remedy it.

[print subscriber]

as excited as i am about the end of the blago administration, i do NOT want to have to pay for such a recall and subsequent election. how do we get the recalled gov to pony up with campaign funds? otherwise, i say make him finish his term.

[Knute Rockne]

This issue is such a f***ing waste of time. Why is this paper so deeply invested in this? What good would it do to remove Blago even if you could replace him with a Republican candidate from your most breathless eroto-political fantasies? Why not get behind the tax amendment instead? It's got a lot more popular appeal--changing from an ultra-regressive flat rate income tax is going to look very good to voters in a recession, especially those from Cook County who have just had their sales tax jacked up. One amendment makes taxation more rational, one is pure populism that makes no sense in a world where we already elect governors every four years anyway. I'd say your legislative visitors were on the right track.

[Knute Rockne]

Depot Jim wrote:

It seems all Chicago Democrats want is more taxes at the expense of the suburbs and downstate Illinois.

But, Jim, if you repeal the flat rate tax amendment, you could lower taxes on most people (property and sales taxes, for instance) and make the wealthy pay their share. It's that amendment that grossly distorts the structure of taxes in Illinois and guarantees that politicians have more ways to game the system through an incomprehensible web of funding sources.

[J Gary]

Thanks for publishing the phone numbers for that list of clowns.

[Clutch Cargo]

The Dum-Dum Democrats in the Senate will never let this go through because it might be used against them. It's the same reason they're all so gung-ho for gun control.

[sowhat]

Knute Rockne wrote:

<quoted text>
But, Jim, if you repeal the flat rate tax amendment, you could lower taxes on most people (property and sales taxes, for instance) and make the wealthy pay their share. It's that amendment that grossly distorts the structure of taxes in Illinois and guarantees that politicians have more ways to game the system through an incomprehensible web of funding sources.

But Knute (who I thought died over 70 years ago), how can one trust Illinois politicians with more tax money, to bring the utopia you seek, if they are completely not accountable, and overwhelmingly corrupt. Clean up the mess first, before giving them the authority to raise anyone's taxes. If they think their tax amendment takes priority over the recall, we know the real reason is that they do not want to give the voters the power to throw them out, and that Blago and the Democrat Party establishment is more important than the voters or democracy.

I bet most of their voters don't pay taxes, anyway.

[frank l kinney]

recall amendment no way? how about drug testing amendment for public officials? recall amendment and drug testing amendment? overwhelming popularity of the recall proposal, sabotage it's passage havorson silverstein? tax payers are not whats on your minds? protect the wrong kind of people like youselfs? tax payers speak you turn away? drug test amendment tax payers! they must be on drugs? no no no power to the people say silverstein halvorson? that luis gutierrez could use a recall too! plus passport back to homeland mexico! yeah drug testing for our public officials like citizens and baseball players take? baseball in steroids? hell give us a penson plan like yours too? wait health care plan like yours also? hold the phone, job paying like use too? say tax payers we are on a roll here" think we can get anywhere? yeah drug test sure could use that amendment in detroit!!! think it catch mad dog 20 20 in their system? independent god bless this wonderful country and give us all guidance. michigan little big horn AMEN.

[Connie Marx]

I think it is time the citizens of Illinois to "clean house". How about maybe a private auditing company to come in and audit where ALL of the monies are being spent and the citizens charge the govenor personally and those engaged/affiliated in inappropriate spending. And where is all the money going from the Lotto?? Isn't a majority supposed to go to education? More money for the roads and tollways (which was supposed to be gone by now). Why don't you just tax the people more Mr. Blogo....your pockets seem to be full, but, the people of this state are going broke. Time you found another place to live and not be in charge of. And, you can take all of those who "owe you" with you!!!!

[The R]

Knute Rockne wrote:

<quoted text>
But, Jim, if you repeal the flat rate tax amendment, you could lower taxes on most people (property and sales taxes, for instance) and make the wealthy pay their share. It's that amendment that grossly distorts the structure of taxes in Illinois and guarantees that politicians have more ways to game the system through an incomprehensible web of funding sources.

But, you know that isn't the angle--the repeal of the lat income tax means a hike in the income tax rate, while property and sales taxes remain the same: up in the stratosphere. Why do you think that neither Raoul nor Steans could look the interviewer in the eye, when asked about the proposal?

[blackmamba]

Great position but it may be too late. These people won their elections fair and square. Why isn't a regularly held election opportunity enogh for the people to express their will?

[Thomas]

Halverson is just another tool of the whole corrupt illinois democratic party.

[RECALLER]

To those that have voted for RECALL, Thank-You !!