Good idea!

Quinn's inept, at best; dangerous, at worst.

Would like to know why these people were selected as replacements. If this is the best Illinois can do, maybe I should get out of this state. We need to get the Democrats out of the governorship as it seems all they know how to do is spend. Look at the president who came from this state. He spends like our currency is funny money. Steals from Medicare supposed savings to support an unfunded program, Obamacare. I am retired and I cannot afford these 2 miscreants, Quinn and Obama.

Lisa Madigan would be even worse than Quinn, if that is possible. I would rather have a convicted felon (eg, Blago) than someone with close ties to Mike Madigan, who is the worst politician Illinois has ever seen.

Jim R, how much Fox News do you watch?

Lisa Madigan is a joke! Come to Evergreen Park (95th and Kedzie) where the Mayor, James J. Sexton, is allowed to force my 85 yr old mom to keep her commercial building Vacant and without HEAT since January 13, 2011 because the Oberweis Dairy stripmall needs parking! The mayor is going to steal my parent's hard earned property. It is down right criminal, but according to Lisa Madigan's Assistant they cannot get involved with a "Municipality"! She is the Attorney General for cryin out loud...............again she is a JOKE!

He always voted present whole in the state senate, and continues to do so as pResident.

That's a good idea! One lottery ticket toward underfunded pensions.
But, hey, Hellinois is NOT going to be bailed out - no way, no how, ain't gonna happen. Feds bought the prison, that's all we're getting. You think feds care whether we're taxed into oblivion to fix Hellinois' problems? Not even close.

What? I hope you're being silly. If lottery revenue went to fund pensions? That's completely insane and ignoring folks in the private sector who have been demolished as well by Cook county taxes and jobs being outsourced, or highly under-paid due to competition in this horrendous job market. There are far more issues in this state than pensions. Not that I buy many lottery tix, but I can ensure you if they ever direct $$s towards pensions, I won't spend another buck.

Hey how about this for an idea.... Pay the pensions like you said you would. I know it is a difficult thing to keep your word in politics but look at where we are at from that practice.

It's called responsibility.
It's called keeping a promise.
It's called paying your bills because everyday people do not have that option of not paying their bills, like Quinn does with the state.

People wake up! Those of you living down in the Southern State! The Northern Democrats use you guys for votes and majorities in the House, Senate and Governor's house. Think about it. What have the Northern Dems done for you? No projects the funnel monies to Southern communities. Corrupt officials from the city making political deals with state funds and you guys support their cause?? Your ideas are very different from that of the northern dems on bills, projects and citizens rights.

How do you guys in the south continue to vote in democrats to support northern dems bills and nothing for yourselves?? You Illinois citizens of the south continue to be used by the Chicago machine. When will you stop?

I understand I am living up here but this has to be said to begin a transformation of our state. Without it, we will continue to live in the most corrupt state in the union.

Come to Evergreen Park - (95th & Kedzie) - you'll see corruption!!! It is shameful.

I have to agree with you on this...

Jesse White still allows his staff at the DMV to sell drivers license to people unfit to drive on public roads. How does that practice make him any different than George Ryan? Not he saint you believe him to be.

And just think, Quinn was the first of many to say during Rod Blagojevich re election, "He is a excellent Governor and deserves re election", I mean this guy was there the whole time, than turns around to throw his former buddy out. Got to love it.

Quinn showed us his character by sticking with Blagojevic while Rod was up and with power till Blagojevic got into the trouble. When Rod got into the trouble, then Quinn like a little princess showed no balls but rather flipped to be the worst enemy of Blagojevic like he never had anything to do with Rod and all the mess he (Quinn) together with all the demoncratic tugs have made in the state of Illinois. Does anyone see anyone in the demoncratic party capable to do us people of Illinois any good?. For example, look at other states which are run by republicans: Texas, AZ, etc.

Both support immoral democratic positions and spend people's money like we are all millionaires that can afford their runaway programs, pensions in Illinois, and Obamacare. People better learn someone has to pay the bills and as I am retired these 2 scare me, as neither show any fiscal responsibility.

I pay for my state pension, over $500 dollars a month. They never paid there part democrat and republicans. And when you dont pay your bills they just keep adding up with compound interest. Had they made their payments the pensions would be 95% funded and we would have a great credit rating. @ JimR

Nick Crisman, take a look at social security taxes, and benefits in comparison to what teachers receive. So a major part of the problem is the size of the pensions and there the teachers, unions, and politicians are to blame for letting it get out of control. Additionally medicare is not free and if you want good coverage you will buy supplemental insurance whereby I pay 99 for medicare, 168 for supplemental and an additional 38 for prescription coverage. Retirement age is 66 now and increasing to 67 while full payment does not occur until 70 and 62 is considered early retirement with a penalty. Medicare is at 65. Benefits are not comparable in what we pay and you pay and our respective benefits. Too many people naively believed how teachers were underpaid while they fought for more benefits. Their dedication is shown in the strikes they have had.

Nick Crisman - you CONTRIBUTE to your state pension, but that contribution doesn't even come CLOSE to paying for your pension.

If you are a teacher who retires at 100K after the "pension spikes". You'll earn 80K per year plus annual increases for the rest of your life. Any idea how much a private sector worker needs in his 401K to make that kind of money in retirement?

About 2 million dollars.

Your 500 per month, or 6K per year over a 25 year career, earning 7% would be worth about 600K when you retire. Which would earn about 25K- 30K per year in retirement.

Amen to that!

Harold Washington called Quinn corrupt - that said alot considering Washington was a slum lord! I agree with whoever said Illinois is loaded with crooks!

Nancy, I'm willing to BET that we have so many CROOKS in this state, they'll do WHATEVER they have to NOT to find themselves in a courthouse on a trial.

Nancy, I'll bet ANYONE would have labelled Quinn as "corrupt". In fact, from what I know with my American History, Chicago has been known to harbor PLENTY of the crooks here in America (I'm sure everyone's FAMILIAR with John Dillinger, aka Public Enemy #1, who had eventually got busted by the Federal Government.

Are "youse" serious?

Agreed. Quinn did not get Illinois into the mess it's in. On personal level, I like his honesty and moral values.

"Youse" are illiterate. Engrish grammor iz badz Everyone else, welcome to the part of the 51% that keeps electing the morons that not only run this state but the country. This one probably thinks Paul Ryan is black and was Obummer's running mate too. Lay off the sauce buddy and visit Hooked on Phonics ASAP

Amen to that! Before becoming governor, Quinn was the lone voice of reform and treated as an outcast within the democratic party. He may not have the skill set for the governor's office but his last opponent was an extremist whose budget proposals were more smoke and mirrors. He inherited this mess which started with Jim Thompson. It will not matter who is governor until Mike Madigan is thrown out. We may have better choices next time. If other states had Patrick Fitzgerald as their federal prosecutor, they too would may have a bigger smear of being a corrupt state ,especially if he was in Texas.

Quinn is not quite the worst, he has not been arrested nor put in Jail. He is in the running though. He does lead in his ineffectivness.

It has already been sold--two weeks ago. Obama and Holder are already working on bringing the Gitmo people here.

Honest?
How about some examples?

Honest? Trying to re-direct blame for the state's problems? All of them trying to play wide-eyed innocents - "Oh, dear, however did we get here?!" and calling for "shared sacrifice" to fix what they have mismanaged all these years. We taxpayers have paid sufficient taxes to do the business of govt AND education and they have mismanaged it all. Quinn has been around more than long enough to have recognized the unsustainability of their mismanagement, bloated pension promises to their supporters. How much more painless if, rather than turning a blind eye for so many years, our legislators would have acted responsibly and made incremental adjustments. Honest? Really?

He raises taxes and what has he done with it, put us in even greater debt. Seems something is wrong here. You mean it is just total incompetence or were we mislead on the taxes.

Alice and Jeff, what job or created job did Quinn promise you for your support?

Don't listen to what these neo-con sheep are saying. They get all their information from Rush Limbaugh & Co., directed by Karl Rove and the uber-right wing of the Republican party. The fact is, Pat Quinn may be THE most honest politician Illinois has had in decades. However, do question his intelligence both politically and economically. Just because he's honest, doesn't make him qualified. He doesn't get it and I think he needs to go.

Yes he is honest. Honestly worthless

Bob.You are right on!

So is it worth subscribing to the Tribune any longer? For a candidate vote in the booth, for a newspaper vote financially.

Seriously? You see the Trib as a lefty paper? One of the most conservative papers in the country? And I suppose Mussolini was a Red?

Sure, ridgeroad, A "conservative" newspaper would endorse Obama, the least effective and most leftist president in American history, and endorse all of Madigan's candidates in the Southland.

Over the last few years the Trib's editorial staff has turned over to the most liberal journalists. Kristen McQueary, a hard Dem, made all the endorsement recommendations for the GA, and it showed.

Conservative Trib? Righhhhhhht!LOL

The Trib is about as conservative as Fox News is liberal....

Fedup, I remember when I lived in Houston, and there was a paper known by "The Houston Chronicle" I they're as conservative as the Tribune.

Wasted scum may be useful as fertilizer, while the politicians are worthless. Don't give waste a bad name which can be recycled. :)

Please tell me you are kidding! Lisa would only prolong the disaster that Illinois politics has become; she will not puruse any solution that is not endorsed by her step-father. We need a new candidate, not tied to Madigan, Daley, Emanuel or Obama. Only new solutions will dig Illinois out of this hole.

Please tell me you are kidding! Lisa would be a disaster because she will not pursue any solution to Illinois fiscal problems that are not approved by her step-father. There needs to be real reform by a real leader. All of the choices offered in this article are hopelessly beholden candidates. We need someone new, not connected to Madigan, Daley, Emmanuel, Obama, or the unions....

Rutherford and Dillard wont win the Republican Primary, you will see a flood of greedy Republican candidates ready to beat up on each other like they have done in the past elections. Than look like idiots during the General because they were exposed. Rutherford needs to come forward with what he really stands for also.

Nothing like a good ol' Chicago Dem to tell the GOP on how to pick their candidates... Makes you wonder what's the worry for dems when they do this.

If only she could govern as well as she does her picken'!LOL

Preckwinkle may throw her hat in, and Todd Stroger for Lt. Gov.

This comment is exactly right; anyone who has paid attention to Illinois politics for any time knows this is true. I would add that voter apathy is partly to blame, as more and more citizens come to believe (as Sundance does) that "there will never be true change." I continue to hope that change is possible, and that the citizens of Illinois can take back their state from Mike Madigan and his cabal.

Why won’t Republican’s nominate a new fresh face with a strong stance on fiscal responsibility and juxtaposition to the current liberals destroying this great state? Let's keep looking in the rear view mirror hoping that Brady or Rutherford can pull it off... Next thing you’ll tell me is Judy Barr should re-run… Give me a break. I for one would vote for Mickey Mouse over any of these jackasses from either Party

It'll never happen but yes, some sort of testing to qualify for a vote certainly SEEMS appropriate. But hey, they graduate people out of high school who then have to go into remedial classses because the k-12 schools failed to educate. They should have a class that teaches people to think critically - are you being b.s.'d ?, is this smiling face telling lies?, does this person REALLY have your interests at heart?, is this candidate popular only because they're good-looking?

It's not about limiting people, but about RE-empowering them, RE-educating them that their votes, voice and activism DO matter. The politicians COUNT on a lemming like electorate. That's how so very few have destroyed so very much. Who came up with "You can't fight city hall" ? - CITY HALL, of course!

Kathy, that type of restriction has been abused in the past though having electoral votes in other than in English makes me mad as does other similar issues. A person should bring someone with them to help, and the rest of us should not have to pay more for electoral personnel or voting materials.

Fortunately our founding fathers knew the dangers of a pure democracy so we became a democratic republic, but unfortunately many of our politicians have learned to abuse that. Illinois is a good example of how even a Democratic Republic can go wrong. Now we are even rewarding people who broke immigration laws by giving them driver's licenses. Guess Illinois learned from one of its own, Obama, buy votes by giving things away such as ignoring immigration laws.

What does this have to do with anything?

Anita, a casino would be a source of income in Illinois. Why is it ok to gamble on a boat but not on land.

Jim, I think I can provide you an answer for this - by gambling on a riverboat, NO ONE will need to be busted for reaping up SO much in winnings.

...someone new with some new and bold ideas.

A Republicon? You can't be serious. There hasn't been a new idea out of the Republicon party in decades. The reason why Quinn won the last time - Bill Brady - is just another example of the extremist unacceptable to the Illinois electorate.

Quinn helped establish Citizens Utility Board - saving all of you money. Real money.

The Associated Press reported that Quinn had "paid his own expenses" many times as Lieutenant Governor. As a rule, he either paid his own way, or stayed at "cut rate hotels" (such as Super 8), and never charged the state for his meals.

You want something bold? March 9, 2011, Quinn signed the bill which abolished the death penalty in Illinois.

Death Penalty Abolished.....yep Lets pay more to keep them alive. John Walsh or should I say Quinn Jr., how is it that you are this blind? And another question, do you actually reside in this demolished state?

There is no THEY... it is WE. If you don't like democracies... what in the world is better. Geez.

Anita, obviously your “Brainwashing” sessions have been successful. Did you catch that? You’re a success. Now go back to sleep.

We are a democratic republic not a democracy.

I agree with you here - this IS a democratic republic, with LOTS and LOTS of people who BICKER over PETTY NONSENSE.

That's why Obama can not get anything done. He is trying to run the country like Illinois runs their state, problem is Chicago/Illinois politic's does not work so well in DC.
Obama can keep blaming Bush, Illinois politician's can not blame the Republican's because there is nothing but Democrat's in power.
Illinois pensions would have been just fine if they would have not stole and not replaced the money they borrowed/unfunded. Sound familiar US government Social Security. They just can't stand having that money just sit there and grow, no we will just borrow against it or delay funding it till some other time!!!

Nice one!!

You are spot on James!

You're right Tom, the problem is it won't happen until we fall flat on our face. The state will have a complete and TOTAL financial collapse. Public pensions and healthcare will be drastically cut and vendors to the state will have to settle for pennies on the dollar. It will be just like a bankruptcy but it will be called something else. There is not enough money in this state to pay the debt already accumulated and they continue to tax and spend in Springfield like there is no problem. Unfortunately, its too late to be fixed, we are going down. Its just a matter of when it all unravels but when it does it will happen in a matter of days or weeks. It is a virtual certainty.

Anthony, you will have a lot of company including myself. I refuse to spend my retirement funds so that others can have lavish benefits while we live in near poverty after paying the piper. I'm cutting our loses and planning a move to a RED state where they respect the private sector worker.

Until the idiots in office accept the fact that pensions have to be cut, there will not be a resolution to the problem. The referendum in the election was a joke. 2/3 vote for future increases is absurd as it does not belong in the constitution as the protection of current benefits do not. All that needs to be removed from the constitution and then cuts of them down to a reasonable level. Hypocrites like Edgar who says taxes can be increased, should be reduced to one pension and the remaining one reduced. Pensions are appropriate but not at the starting age or current amounts.

Jim R you truly don't have a clue, the teachers did not ask the state not to fund their pension. Quick question what happens when you quit paying your bills? Now they want to grab the police and fire pensions so the state can manage them? Police and Fire pensions were in great shape until they changed the law and allowed city/villages to delay funding them. Sound like history repeating itself?

and that is a major part of the problems today. Too many people think "if it's not my way, it's the wrong way". No one wants to compromise anymore. THis leads to stalemate and nothing positive ever gets done.

They don't want to play the game. It's more fun for them to sit on the sidelines and heckle/complain.

Maire, you make a good point here. However:

- SOME people may just be so LAZY, they'd rely on some other person to do all of the grieving the'd do in Springfield

- as the adage goes, "if you're not part of the SOLUTION, you're part of the PROBLEM!"

- this may be EASIER said than done for lots of people

And that's MY opinion on this manner (born in Chicago, and having lived in plenty of areas all over country)

Marie B. If it was only that easy. When I retire I will be out of this state, too many years at the same job to make a move. The politicians are the ones to blame and they get elected by voters who want everything and anything the state will give them. They just added to that group by not properly addressing illegal immigration, let just give them drivers licenses. And before someone wants to start that argument, I am not against immigration, we allow over 1 million immigrants in this country every year. So let's not devalue the people that enter this country lawfully.
The "right " candidate will never be elected, at least not until all the freebie's are eliminated or at the very least put under control.

History lesson! GOP had the governor's office for 26 straight years. 26 years of pinstripe patronage and unbalanced budgets. Unfortunately we elected Big Jim Jr. in Blago. But this mess started and piled up with Thompson, Edgar and Ryan, enabled by Madigan. Blago hid behind gimmicks, now the bill is past due. End Madigan's reign and elect the best candidate for governor of either party. Neither will have a chance (Edgar didn't) with Madigan as speaker.

Freedom? We have only two freedoms in this country. First we can buy a hamburger 24hrs./day. The second freedom we have is the freedom to do as we are told, or else.

What basis do you have for making such an outrageous comment.
This is a welfare state with a $135 billion deficit to prove it!
You just think you haven't got your share of the giveaway.

The State has no money in PUNS funding to support families of persons with disabilities, yet I watch Governor Quinn find all kinds of supports and money for the military. What about that family that lost their "RENTAL" house in a fire years ago (before he was Governor) and they get a house donated to them, which is now on the market by the way. Who gets the proceeds from the sale of that house? But handicapped children and adults are out of money? What about them?

Well Mokena you're right about one thing, you CAN kiss your gubment pension goodbye and you will richly deserve that treatment when it comes. You have supported the criminals in Springfield year after year knowing that they have done NOTHING to fund their extravagant pension promises because you think you are protected by the state constitution. When we all leave for the Red states, that will leave you freeloaders to pay for all the debts you are responsible for creating. Sounds fair to me, you made the mess now you get to pay for it while I sit on a beach somewhere enjoying the retirement I saved for myself. Buh Bye.

See what Mokena Voter posted above you. Also, Jim Edgar was just as worthless a governor as you guys seem to think Quinn is.

NEWSFLASH, Johnie:

- I'm pretty sure Obama would NOT be included with some of the other people from Chicago who've taken office, and be considered a mobster.

- I'm sure if SOMEONE worthy could be found to hold the office of Governor of this state, then things COULD start to improve (after all of the CORRUPTION people are complaining about).

- Rahm Emmanuel, who was Obama's chief-of-staff at one time, had become mayor of Chicago (if memory serves my correct AFTER Richard M. Daley, who was the son of the mayor EVERYONE loved to hate, I'm sure).

the ANSWER to that question is simple enough - some people say they WANT change, yet they end up voting for the SAME politicians who have been in office because they want to keep the STATUS QUO going. While I'm a registered Democrat, I will vote for WHOMEVER seems fit for the job (be it Democratic, Republican, or otherwise).

David,
Republicans are gutless. Conservatives (as a distinguished group) however, would cut spending and lower taxes or, at least NOT raise them. That's how to stoke the fire of economic recovery. We haven't have a fed tax reduction in over a decade. That's outrageous. Govt, don't tell me what you're gonna do for me, tell me how to live, tell me to take one for the team - get the h--l out of my life!
Eric is right. Freedom eroding daily, get ready to march in lock step for what the govt decides to dole out to you IF you meet the criteria and you probably won't, if only because most governments broke and deeply in debt.
Good luck, fellow Americans!

Kathy, Obama's plan would lower the tax burden on those of us making $250,000 or less a year.

Just Google "Illinois State Budget 2012" and you'll find a good breakdown of where the money is going. The actual budget from the state is filled with self serving propaganda, so you may want to look up some of the alternative narratives to the budget document to get an honest picture of what's going on.

I do prefer Kool-Aid to tea.

Very well said, Kathy!

Jesus rode a Democrat Jackass, try the special "Jim Jones" liberal Kool Aid the next time you thirst for idiocy.

I think you'll find it the only cure for Democratic Delusion!

Since yours is the first,

Fact #2: The last Republican governor is now serving a different kind of term.

Fact #3: The second-to-last Republican governor was a rubber stamp for Pate Phllip and Downstate Republicans.

Fact # 4....both parties are equally guilty in ruining IL.

Since you are quoting facts, in 2004 the state's deficit was $15.4B; '05 - $17.6B; '06 - $18.7B; '08 - $24.5B; '09- $29.5B; '10- $37.5B, and in 2011 the country's worst $43.8 Billion. So in only 8 years they more than doubled the deficit. Not exactly following inflation. I think the democrats have done enough for awhile.

H. I., not only I think is this true for the state, but for the COUNTRY as well.

Kent, didn't you say that about G W Bush?

MOKENA, whether he did or NOT, I think this may have been IMPLIED

Quinn has been a tool of state workers ,public unions and social progressives . He has not worked hard for the majority of those that pay taxes ,have productive work and have moral and religious feelings. Also to those previous comments by others about Republican influence on the state of things they were complacent and many were career politicians but make no mistake Chicago and Springfield politics are one in the same !

Pat Quinn sold his soul to the unions for their support of his reelection. When he reneged on his promise to them they took him to court at taxpayers expense. When he needed support for his income tax increase he promised and even created jobs in state government to those politicians who were not reelcted but who could vote for his increase before they left office. This guy is the biggest crook of all because he had us all fooled.

Yeah, you'll just have the birther Sheriff Joe and the governor who looks like one of the bad guys in the climactic scene of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" where their faces melt off.

The migration of 'producers' out of Illinois is absolutely real. I have 2 colleagues that are retiring (ages 65/67) that are leaving Illinois specifically so that they can keep more of their retirement income. This is disposable income walking out of the state people! I moved here a while ago not understanding the political situation and am looking for a way out. I like where I live but these pensions and ever increasing taxes just mean I can provide for my children less and less and that is what is important. After 20yrs in the private workforce any teacher or govt employee has it way better than I do. Offer any of them a typical MBA salary & benefits package with commensurate years of experience in the private workforce and they will refuse it. This is usually the first offer in negotiations and the first one dismissed. It doesn’t take an MBA to figure out that while many private sector individuals have a financial situation that is getting progressively worse due to the increasing burden placed on them, the situation gets progressively better for the public sector workers.

Bob, your about to join Jan Brewer and Sheriff Joe, two of the biggest wackjobs in the country. Maybe that's more to your liking. As I've repeated many times, if you don't like Illinois and your party is full of Tee, move to the mooching Red States, we'll miss ya like a heart attack.

Mokena, anybody who thinks that Jan Brewer is more of a "wackjob" than Blago and Quinn is either deranged or a Democrat (same thing actually).

I'll actually be moving to the same town as Joe Arpaio. Crime there is almost non-existent. You could leave your doors unlocked.

Compare that what Sherriff Tom Dart and Rahm have done in law enforcement to make Chicago the murder capitol of the nation.

I'll take Sherrif Joe over Dart and Emmanual any day of the week, as any SANE person would!

We'll miss you Mokena, have fun paying off the debts you and your liberal friends racked up. We will see how much you like that pension when it takes 90% of it to pay for your largesse. Margarita anyone?

Bob is making some valid and accurate statements. These are not complaints.

John, with all respect, you must be linked with the current adminstration or the Madigan machine to not recognize the serious decline of Illinois. Read the article above: Illinois has the greatest percentage of its pension obligations unfunded of all 50 states; Illinois is competing with California for the worst debt rating, except that CA has all of that new technology money (eg, Facebook millionaires taxes) to look forward to; Illinois is widely recognized as the most corrupt state in the union, the butt of late-night jokes. Wake up! We need more people like Bob making their voices of dissent heard.

John, the problem isn't that we have too many "complainers" out there trying to educate the public on the consequences of their poltical decisions.

The problem is that people like you are trying to hide the source of the problems (largely with a big "D" after their name) because they're too corrupt to acknowledge the root cause of the problems and what needs to be done to fix them.

People like you are the ones who are largely responsible for this mess. IF you want to pay down the debt that your political decisions caused, write some big checks to the state above your normal tax obligation to help out.

I know you won't. Your plan is to have those who opposed creating this mess pick up the tab. The only problem with that is the people you're trying to stick it to won't be here to cheat anymore once you get around to it!

Greg, Bob, you guys are truly comical, in a very sad way. You've both become "Faux" zombies. Re-writing history, the Gingrich boom, now that's hysterical. When you arrive in Arizona, been there many times, enjoy the fact that the state will be voting Dem in 4-8 years. Hope you guys like rubbing elbows with all those "Latinos" while sucking down cheap Margaritas! P.S. I don't have a govt. pension. As a small biz owner, I've been saving for years. The only down side to that was the Boosh/Cheney disaster, which caused my 401K to drop by 50%, or was that Clinton's fault!

Mokena, my wife is from Latin America, and I'm deeply offended by your racist remark! As far as thye 401K meltdown, if you knew anything about finance and economics you'd know that the root cause of the "bubble" that burst was the result of Barney Frank and the rest of the House Banking committee crooks and Pelosi forcing banks to give loans to unqualified minorities in order to get mergers and acquisitions approved. The banks applied the same ridiculous rules to EVERY borrower, and the Dems and crooked republicans had Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy all the bad paper so that the lenders didn't take on the risk.

I saw this coming, and cashed out of equities shortly after the Dems took control of Congress, then bought back in when things bottomed out. I did really well over over the last 5 years. AIG insured the bad paper, then got a big taxpayer giveaway for their greed and incompetence.

I've found that there's a gold mine in watching the economically dysfunctional decisions made by Obama and the Washington Dems projecting the inevitable outcomes, then cashing in from their destructive results.

Try paying attention to the way your party is screwing things up, and get on the gravy train! George Soros became a billionaire supporting polticians who'll destroy a nation and it's currency, and the Obama/Dem collapse of the US economy will be his proudist achievement!

So you're advocating assassination?

Oh no "Heysoos", I would never do that because I personally like Quinn because he is honest. His politics I don't care for, but I would never wish ill on him. Illinois' problems go far beyond the Governerships and because of you and people like you that have the mentality you do, you and your children are in for very bad times - sooner rather than later. It's going to be fun to watch from my perch in state income tax free Florida. All of you public employee parasites had better have a "back-up" retirement plan in the wings because you ARE going to get stiffed.
Finally, if I were to wake up one morning and hear on the radio that the Madiscums got "hit" overnight, I would cheer, slap my knee and say out loud to myself, "Now you f#@ks are "good politicians".

Not exactly. He and his predecessor have spent us into this situation. In Blago's first year the deficit climbed to 15.4 billion. It rose steadily while he was governor. Then it skyrocketed in 2010 and 2011 under Quinn to a national embarrassment of 43.8 billion dollars.
That is a pretty big slide under those two in the last decade.
Do some research. You can start here:
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/06/22/illinois-budget-crisis-worst-in-nation-auditor-finds/

jackie, Dan is right. Duriing the Ryan administration, we were rolling in tax revenue due to the Gingrich boom in the late 1990s. Instead of spending the rapidly increasing revenues in getting the pension funds solvent, he worked with Madigan and Pate Phillip to create the biggest pork and patronage program in Illinois history, "Illinois First". People like Bill Cellini and Bob Kjellander were leading the pork trough and getting rich on it, and later were indicted and Cellini was convicted.

When Ryan left, we had pension "problem" (about $15 billion behind in liabilities) but Blago and Quinn kept on increasing pension benefits through "end of career spiking" and "early retirements" for public workers, as well as creatnig the revenue streams for public education teachers salaries applied to pensions to skyrocket.

If we had had Paul Vallas as Governor, a fiscal conservative for whom I campaigned, I have no doubt we wouldn't be in this fiscal death spiral as we are today.

Unfortunately, the Dems nominated that sleazeball Blago,and the GOP was too dysfunctional to nominate a candidate that would have kncked him off in re-election bid.

All of politicians, and voters who supported them, are at blame here. Those who did don't deserve the support from those who didn't to pay for this mess. That's why this state will be the first to die from the crushing weight on its own corruption.

Dan
The “Pension Ramp” (Public Act 88-0593), or the repayment schedule of 1995, has also greatly increased the total pension debt or unfunded liability and needs to be re-amortized, though legislators continue to ignore this most significant issue...
“If retirement benefits and salary increases were the only drivers of the unfunded liability, the state retirement systems would be about 94 percent funded today [because public employees’ benefits are not overly generous]” (Ralph Martire, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability).
Approximately one-third of the total pension payment each year is for “normal costs” to the system; the other two-thirds of the payment is the interest owed on the debt the state incurred for not fully funding the pension systems.

Dan
I am saying approx 2/3 is the debt they keep acumulating. If you don't pay your balance in full on a credit card the debt keeps spiraling until you can NEVER pay it off. I am not saying the answer is new tax revenue, I am just saying that those that are living or expecting to live off these pensions shouldn't be punished because the STATE elected officials - aka us the voters- didn't pay the bill. Period. If I gave my employer my 401 k money every month and they used it to pay their ssa tax, is that somehow my fault? We need to be realistic and perhaps change the way future benefits are collected, but simply put the legislators must pay the debt every year. If not, then they should go to jail.

jackie, you can't ignore the root cause of WHY the pols weren't funding the pensions. The fact was that they increased benefits far beyond the value of the cost that the people of Illinois were willing to pay for public employee retirements, and if the state had fully funded the pensions and had to cut education and roads and raised taxes they may have been held accountable by the voters for giving too much to pensions, which provided no benefit to the people of Illinois.

They still wanted to buy public employee votes with unaffordable and unsustainable pension benefits, so they gave them the benefits "on paper".

Obvioulsy the right thing to do was restrain pension and retiree benefits to the amount the people of Illinois would be wiling to pay, but this would have hurt them politically with the unions and their public employee campaign workers.

The symptom of the problem was a failure to make the pension contributions. The root cause of the problem was increasing pension and retiree health care benefits beyond what is fair and reasonable, and prudent as a proportion of the state budget.

Some of us saw this coming with the explosion of public teacher and administrator salaries in Illinois over the last 15 years, and with the proliferation of early retirements and end of career spiking to increase pensions to more than 16% over that which was "earned".

We were ignored. Ignore us again at your own peril.

Here endeth the lesson.

Jo Ann, NOT to be rude, but you BEST be careful, because it's NOT like any of the GOP governors of this state HAVEN'T gotten us in this MESS

Right on Kay
and JoAnn, the problem is with us, the voters. WE are NOT WATCHING THE MONEY HANDLERS!

Until the voters plug-in - become more educated, understand how our tax dollars are being spent, and vote accordingly, there will be no change.

Throwing blame back and forth will not solve the problem. Intelligent voters who vote will.

Bob, well said.

While THAT is debatable at best, if nothing gets done to GET us OUT of debt, then expect to SEE his name among ALL the others

Wrong on all counts, Bob, A "fantastic governor and person" wouldn't have exploited and taken bribes from AFCSME and the public employee unions during the election, then reneged on them once he took office.

When the GA was giving away early retirement benefits, "spiking" end of carer teacher salaries to increase teacher and administrator pensions about 16% higher than they had paid for and "earned", a "fantastic governor and person" would have stood up and fought against it. He didn't.

I could write an essay about the way he looked the other way as this pension problem became a crisis, but by now his impotency and cowardice politically is well known. He's not worth the script.

jackie, most of the "damage" was done in the last decade. When Blago took office, the unfunded liability was about $15 billion for pensions. Had he taken decisive action on limiting pension increases on early retirement, spiking and rapidly escalating and unsustainable public education salaries, we could easliy have been solvent at this point. The problem is that he vastly expanded entitlements and giveaways to cronies to raise his $30 million campaign fund while borrowing billions to cover up his true corruption.

The fact that we had a "problem" with pensions lays squarely on Edgar and Ryan. The fact that we now have a "crisis" is clearly on Madigan, Blago and Quinn.

Our money is in the pension fund, right where we put it. It is the taxpayer's money that was misused and robbed by never being paid to the pension fund in the first place. And we have been screaming and demanding the state pays their share for many, many years. You do not have an accurate understanding of the IL pension systems.

The politicians control the pension boards by appointments. They put their flunkies in as stewards to use the pension funds as their own personal bank accounts. This has been done for years by pols on both sides of the aisle. Now the bill has come due and they don't want to pay.

Where were these folks years ago? These folks were the ones DEMANDING the state disburse the money to be used for finding the pensions, instead into local district funding paid back to them every year.

The pension board consists of union members by a far majority. There are only 3 or 4 'politically appointed positions'.

The union did this to themselves, and they now expect YOU to pay for it again.

They don't deserve this for not paying attention, they deserve this because they willingly did this to themselves with the full expectation that voters will fall for the 'do it for the children' nonsense.

Make your local school board accountable. If you can not get a straight answer out of them as to what they plan to do with having you fund the pension, instead of those collecting it, they need to be voted out ASAP. It is probably too late to stop the pension shift to local districts, but it is a change that needs to be made for people to get angry enough to finally change this.

Earlier this year, the same teachers union was protesting pension reforms. They were protesting that they would actually have to pay for it themselves. They live in such an isolated world, they honestly saw no problem with demanding you pay for their pension, instead of them. It took all of 1 day before they realized what a mistake they made, and quickly shut up about it(but still made no pension changes)

Screaming don't get the job done. They are screaming, again, now. What they should have done is went into the courts for relief but better yet...STOP SENDING THEIR MONEY DOWN STATE and escrow it for their future and under their control.
I still say they could have done more! The union management/bosses should have been given an A under STUPID on their report card. Do teachers grade themselves?

Actually, they haven't, Jackie. Part of the solution HAD to be limiting excessive pension payouts by ending subsidies for early retirement and unfair end of career "spiking", double (or triple) dipping in multiple pension funds. Unions had the political muscle to force the pols to fund the pensions, but if they had the excessive benefits would've needed to be cut.

There was a finite amount of state and local resources that the taxpayers were willing to sacrifice for gold plated pension programs that provided no benefit to the non-public employee citizens of Illinois. The current benefits far exceed that amount, and if the unions seriously rock the boat, there's a very good chance that they'll be the ones thrown overboard by the people of Illinois!

THAT'S why they never forced the issue, not an inability to do so.

No, did not see that particular one, but others involving same subject. Will look for a replay online. I too own a small business and understand the pinch. Union have been taking it on the chin for the last 30 years, 2 tier wages, 2 tier healthcare and retirement, low or no raises. And I am not just talking private sector, but public as well. It all comes down to the folks way at the top not paying their fair share. We on in the middle are being squeezed into the working poor class. The working class has not seen a real increase in their wages in about 25 years.

Actually, you're dead wrong again, Jackie. The top 1% of earners pay about 40% of the taxes and the top 10% pay over 70%. This is a dispropotionatley high percentage relateed to their percentage of the national income in their group.

The same holds true in Illinois, where a large lercentage of earners at the low and middle income level pay little or no taxes to support the services they enjoy.

You're also dead wrong concering increases in wages by public employees in Illinois, ESPECIALLY in public education and local municipality workers.

Heres a challenge for you.

Find me three southland school districts where the union didn't get ANY raise in their salaries over the term of their current contract, and I'll find you THREE for each one that you find that got more than cost of living.

Game on? PUT UP OR SHUT UP!

and this makes you THINK the GOP of this state (or any other political party) can run this state MORE efficiently?

And Big Bird....

I'm certainly no republican but I'd love to see Peter Fitz back in office. He was rich so he wasnt beholden to anyone's influence which is exactly what IL and America need.

Anthony P, I just looked up that website. OOOH God please help us if the wife gets into an office! Before the election she was supposedly helping the Vets, but no more about the Vets now that Obummer got re-elected! She's spending her time shopping incognito at Target and vacationing in Spain. More people need to pray because WE are in serious trouble!!!

Are you kidding?!?
The "reformer" Preckwinkle told people to vote a straight democratic ticket in the last election includingthe absent about to be indicted Jessie Jr and bribe taker Derrick Smith.
Is that your idea of a clean government reformer?
The enitre state is run by the democratic machine.

If the 5 cents a bullet "violence tax" is any sample of Preckwinkles ability to generate ideas...we should all run the other way if she runs for anythng!

Right. David Orr, the guy who can't find any voter fraud in Cook County elections and takes his time taking "deceased" voters off the roles until after the election. The man must truly be the Messiah, because he has an uncanny knack for finding ways to get deceased voters to rise up and vote Democratic on election day!LOL

They've been out there, Rhonda, but the problem is that the voters rejected them despite their qualifications.

This year we had Ricardo Fernandez running for state rep in the 35th district. He's a doctoral physical therapist who does tremendous volunteer work for Veterans and gives his time going to Ethiopia, Peru, Honduras, Haiti and many other desperate nations to train locals and provide desperately needed services. He's one of the brightest people out there, is a fiscal conservative, and knows the issues, and solutions, like the back of his hand.
45% of the voter in Palos Township, a substantial majority in Worth township,and an overwhelming majority of 19th Ward Chicago voters elected a 19th Ward alderman's secretary whose kids got free college educations at the taxpayer's expense over Fernandez by a 2 to 1 margin.

The failure was not in the candidates standing up, Rhonda, it was in the 33% of the voters here who were too lazy to get out to vote in this crucial election and those who voted on ethnicity and party affiliation rather than the quality of the candidates.

AGREED!!!

well, SOME of this may be VERY true, while OTHERS may be totally BOGUS!

I don't see anyone stopping you.

Mrs. Moran, that is EXACTLY what a good friend of mine had said (who is my aunt, and ONE of my 2 guardians) when the election between Obama and Romney came about. I'm glad Romney lost, only because I think we would NOT have left as quickly as I was figuring.

Springfield politicians are Chicago politicians. Anyone who gets on the ticket is there with the blessing of the Chicago/Cook machine.

They have government-subsidized healthcare.

Warning to Austria!!! Vera is thinking about moving to your country. Close the borders now, before it is too late!!!

I'll help you pack.

Warning to Aruba!!! Disciple is thinking of moving to your country. Close the borders now, before it is too late!!!

Wow! I always thought one had to fly into Aruba , which my wife and I did several times already and not cross a boarder. B.S. go out with some other Bolingbrook resident and let's play find Waldo. Would you be hard to find?

DoO,
How did you get into another country without crossing the border? Just because you flew over the border does not mean that you did not cross it, in fact, you crossed it in the air.
Sometimes you make it so easy to point out your ignorance. This has to be one of the dumbest things that you have ever posted! Please stop, I am getting a cramp in my side from laughing at your stupidity.

The cramp in your side is your fat ( ! ) gut hanging over your belt.

Nope, pretty sure the cramp in my side is coming from laughing at your stupidity.
So, when you left the U.S. and went into a different country, could you please explain how you did not cross a border?
Wait....never mind. I don't know if I can take anymore!

Vera, get a map. Due south to the Atlantic? I hope that's not the route your brother-in-law takes, he's lost and wasting fuel.

DoO,
To be called "a dumb person" by you is a compliment. This only means that you don't understand the logic and sense that are evident in my posts. So you resort to name calling and childish insults to try to make yourself feel better.
Again, thanks for the laughs today.

I hear when Castro croaks, they're going to legalize abortion.

And gay marriage.

Mike in your stupid post, three things I only care about. Separation of Church and State, abortion and the poor. Too hell with the other stuff. No such thing in evolution. You were sure taught well in religious ed.
Dan it was pretty hard to type and laugh at the same time in response to Mike's stupid cut and paste ,while sitting in a low lite restaurant with friends from Church and they said Mike really can't be a Catholic and we all busted out laughing saying not a fat chance in hell.

You are the best argument for someone to come up with a dumbass-to-English dictionary.

1. I don't have kids.
2. I bet you think physical abuse is still the best way to discipline a child and have to physically restrain yourself from striking one that's misbehaving in public.
3. FYI, I was taught evolution in the sixth grade AT A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. You can see the school I attended right here at this url: http://ckchicago.org/

The only thing your Catholic School would teach you about evolution is that we in fact are not derived from apes or other primates, but are only Gods creation and nothing else more.

Then why do we have opposable thumbs, hair and tailbones?

Believe what you want in your little primate fantasy world. Is that why they gang bangers in Chicago look like that?

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
― Neil deGrasse Tyson

DOV to think I always thought Adam and Eve were created by God, only to find out they are children of King Kong and Bonzo the Clown. No wonder some of the population has a taste for bananas.

Intolerance wrapped in religion is still intolerance.

DOV if you actually believe that we are evolved from primates, then tell your Priest you would rather have banana chips in place of the Communion wafer. Ooh ooh aah aah!

DoV, I can see some flaws in your arguments:

1) I'm sure not MANY families have kids. Those who CHOOSE to have kids will do what they can to make them as good in society as possible.
2) Physical abuse is probably the LAST resort to use on children. I would probably try to REASON with kids, and explain as much as I can about whatever.
3) Kudos to you for WHERE you were taught about evolution. If they had many books on Charles Darwin, who made an interesting idea on the theory of evolution (which everyone seems to BUTCHER), then maybe SOME people (should they CHOOSE to read this) would find out about some of the FACTS as to HOW we would have descended from the apes. I don't find this unbelievable myself, but am surprised (and disappointed) with all the hypocrisy everyone SAYS about this.

If that's the best we have, then were all damned. Illinois is close to top of the corruption scale. Demorats have ran the big top show for over 20 years now. And as the man said, It "aint" gettin any better.

Bob, as far as I can think on this, this state may NEVER have the "perfect" governor, for any sort of reasons. I can only hope somebody steps in and decides to be a contender to the office of Governor.

Dear Bob: - I'd vote for your two dogs! There is more Integrity in your dog’s little right toe than ALL the Politian’s in Illinois / Washington.

Tea Party needs a new name. Most sane people are looking for smaller government, but the media has done a bang-up job over the last few years of smearing the message.