Jun 16, 2009 10:38 pm US/Central
Doomsday Cuts, Gridlock Downstate Rings Familiar
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Last year at this time, it was fashionable to blame Rod Blagojevich for the stalemate in Springfield. His impeachment was supposed to change everything. But today's headlines have a familiar ring: doomsday cuts and gridlock downstate. CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports with what's gone wrong.
Remember last year's Jim Carrey movie, "Yes, Man" where he said "yes" to everyone and everything? Kind of like Pat Quinn as governor, whose big problem is saying no to programs, pensions and policies we can no longer afford.
Pat Quinn is well-known for his dedication to Illinois veterans with Operation Homefront; to taxpayers with the Citizens Utility Board; to his 90-year-old mother and other seniors like those brought together Tuesday afternoon to support the
governor in his budget battle with legislators.
Becoming governor, his political dream, was a true feel-good story for a man well-liked by nearly everyone. The question people are starting to ask is whether he's up to the task.
"No one can ever say that he's not a man of integrity, a man who wants to do the right thing, but he has never been in this position where he has to make these decisions," said Sen. Donne Trotter. "The former lieutenant governor is used to throwing rocks, he's not used to catching them."
But the rocks he threw today were at the legislature, in the form of a six-page press release, listing $9 billion in job and program cuts forced on him by the legislature; including $271 million in child care assistance; $108 million in mental health programs; $109 million in foster care; and $315 million in programs for seniors.
The intent of this afternoon's carefully orchestrated senior citizens event was to lobby for support for a governor in his battle with the legislature. Sound familiar?
"If the House wants to keep resisting the creation of jobs by playing more of these games by passing one part, the means but not the end, it's a senseless exercise," said Rod Blagojevich on Sept. 22, 2008.
And we thought with Blagojevich gone, the bickering would be too.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine questioned Gov. Quinn about his similarities with former governor Blagojevich.
Levine: "If I closed my eyes and altered my ears a bit, I could hear the same words coming from Gov. Blagojevich during many of his fights with the legislature. How is it different now?"
Quinn: "Well, I don't fight with the legislature. I respect everybody. I think everybody in the legislature would say I'm a civil person."
Levine: "It just seems like the names have changed but the game is the same."
Quinn: "It's my job as governor to say, how are you gonna balance the budget? How are you gonna save these programs? How are you gonna protect the people?"
By ordering furloughs, privatizing assets, hiking fees and eliminating consultants. He's done none of that yet.
Of course, it takes two to tango, and with House Speaker Mike Madigan's daughter waiting in the wings to challenge Quinn next year, making Quinn look good is not exactly Madigan's top priority.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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