It's no secret that Gov. Rod Blagojevich is probably the most unpopular Illinois governor in living memory.
The entrenched politicians and special interest groups who oppose a state constitutional convention are rightly worried that the public's mistrust, even hatred, of this governor will skew November's vote. Every twenty years, voters are given the right to call a constitutional convention, and the next opportunity is this November 4th. Opponents fret that Illinoisans may decide to make the constitutional convention vote a referendum on Rod Blagojevich. If that happens, they say, then illogic and emotion will prevail and terrible consequences could follow.
Ridiculous.
The truth is that Rod Blagojevich is a walking, talking poster child for a constitutional convention.
Blagojevich's disastrous, harmful and years-long fight to the death with his political nemesis House Speaker Michael Madigan has featured numerous and often dangerous attempts to exploit the constitution's needlessly vague language.
For instance, the courts have gone back and forth on gubernatorial veto powers, and Blagojevich has seized his opportunities. The governor believes he can use his amendatory veto power to drastically write totally new legislation and send it back to the House and Senate for approval. Others say his amendatory veto authority is limited to only minor corrections to whatever passes both legislative chambers.
Trouble is, the constitution's language is so terribly vague that nobody really knows who is right.
This may seem too "insiderish" to you, but the governor has used those amendatory vetoes to act as if he is a legislature unto himself by creating gigantic and complicated new laws. Most of the constitution's drafters who are still alive will tell you that they never meant this to happen, but they should also admit that they did a very poor job of wording the provision.
Nothing in the Illinois constitution specifically gives the governor any authority to create what are known as administrative rules. In the past, the General Assembly would pass legislation, but it would also allow state agencies to come up with the details needed to implement the new laws. Many years ago, the legislature created an oversight committee to make sure the governor's rulemaking stayed within reason, and Blagojevich even signed a law a few years back to give the legislature more power to stop his rules.
Since then, however, Blagojevich has used administrative rules to create completely new programs out of nothing. When the special legislative committee tried to stop him, he said it had no authority to do so, thereby ignoring the law that he, himself had signed.
Blagojevich essentially believes that he has almost dictatorial powers to create new taxpayer-funded programs without the General Assembly's approval. Speaker Madigan retaliated by demanding that almost all bills had to include language forbidding the governor from creating new rules. The fight has basically halted all major legislation this year. A court recently shot Blagojevich's argument down, but he still won't admit defeat.
The constitution allows the governor to call special sessions of the General Assembly, but Blagojevich insisted that he had the authority to call special sessions at any time he wanted. That case went to court as well. The governor's lawyers then demanded that House Speaker Madigan be sanctioned if he did not call special sessions at the exact times demanded by the governor and also guarantee that enough legislators were present to conduct business. The sanctions and quorum arguments were dropped, but the governor can now call special sessions at 3 o'clock in the morning if he sees fit, even though nothing in the constitution gives him that specific right.
I could go on for days, but I'm running out of room. The point is that Blagojevich has done us all a favor by attempting to exploit these and many, many other constitutional loopholes. We now know where they are and how to close them. And we also know that if we don't do something about this, then Blagojevich or the next governor who decides he's a dictator can't be stopped.
So, if you believe as I do that Gov. Blagojevich has abused his constitutional powers, you should vote "Yes" on a constitutional convention.
Always remember that you'll have the right to vote for convention delegates, and then you'll vote up or down on any and all constitutional changes. It's not nearly as scary as the other side wants you to think.
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and thecapitolfaxblog.com.
Supports Bruckner
Our state government, from governor to local legislators, is dysfunctional and incompetent. Springfield's inability to balance a budget or pass legislation that benefits the average, hard-working Illinoisan is shameful.
On the other hand, the Democratic deadlock is probably saving us lots of money in more taxes we'd be hit with if our current legislators were actually enacting laws.
That's why I'm supporting Lawrence Bruckner for the District 71 House seat. Bruckner has constructive ideas on keeping and using state facilities like the Thomson Prison and Hennepin Canal in the face of budget shortfalls.
Bruckner is for increasing property tax exemptions and improving roads and bridges. He supports free legal clinics and pro-family policies.
Electing Lawrence Bruckner to the Illinois House is a start in bringing sanity to Springfield.
Virginia Wilson
Hampton, IL
Political Correctness
One of the wiser economists has noted. "Power today very largely consists of being able to define what criticisms are off the wall, over the top, and out to lunch . . . Those who wield it do not 'run the world.' Rather, they can block significant changes that reduce their power." When it comes to attempts at linking the mega-dairy with the issue of illegal immigration, truer words have never been uttered.
Even at open meetings, the fact that Mr. Bos intends to hire aliens can only be spoken of in hushed tones for fear of irking the liberal contingent that opposes the dairy. The stranglehold of "political correctness" has become so strong that even truth is victimized in a county that is historically Republican.
Thus, the fact that illegal immigration touches on nearly every socio-economic issue of the day - from education and higher crime rates, to intensified economic inequality and health care costs - remains dutifully ignored.
Much, perhaps, to the delight of Mr. Bos and company.
John Jankowski
Stockton, IL
Lobbyists to Blame
Who is to blame for the current national financial crisis/bailout of Wall Street and Main Street?
In my opinion, it is the fault of the 40,000 lobbyists in Washington, D. C., who are able to use the free speech clause in the 1st Amendment in the U. S. Constitution to give unlimited financial assistance to members of congress while petitioning their client's grievances.
Unfortunately, most of our elected representatives do not have the ethical intestinal fortitude to refuse these payment temptations resulting in a $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. Current congressional members who were handsomely paid off by Jack Abramoff for favors, should refresh a few memories.
This form of election official bribery could simply be stopped by a constitutional amendment making the 1st Amendment lobbyist loop-hole illegal. When will someone with power and stature step forward and start the process to save the financial function of this nation before it is too late?
Donald G. Siedenburg
Shawnee, KS
Likes Biden
While watching the Vice-Presidential Candidate debate this past week, the message of incompetence from Senator McCain's campaign was just re-enforced, and then some.
Senator Biden spoke clearly and with knowledge of the issues and certainly acted like someone who is qualified to serve in that office. He had control of the facts and did a great job explaining them to the general public.
On the other hand, Governor Palin refused to answer the questions as the moderator and the Senator wanted answered, kept looking at her notes, and told us that she was going to "talk directly to the American public". Translation, she was not going to answer the questions because she did not have any substantial answers and was going to tell the public just was she was instructed to say by the her handlers the previous few days while in training. Governor Palin did a disservice to the country by not directly answering the questions and repeating the Republican points over and over. The Governor does not have the capacity to deal with the problems facing this great country.
How dumb does Senator McCain think we are? Anyone with some common sense should understand that the Governor does not have what it takes to be Vice President. She keeps repeating the Republican talking points. Just watch the painful unscripted interviews with the media except Fox News of course. They insult my intelligence! Unfortunately, we have not seen all their garbage yet.
Paul Gonzalez
Lake Carroll, IL
Publisher's Note: Remember, Paul, that Senators Obama and Biden voted "yes" for the Bailout Bill, just as Sen. McCain did. All 3 have insulted the intelligence of the American people by voting in favor of a bill that the majority of citizens clearly opposed. What do you have to say about that?
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Pew Commission
on CAFO's
A new study of CAFOs claims that they take more money away from rural communities and leave less behind thando smaller, family-run farms. The study, released Sept. 24, by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP), and entitled "Impact of Industrial Farms Animal Production on Rural Communities" was conducted by Tim Kautza, a science and environmental education specialist for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, and Holy Cross Brother David Andrews, former executive director of the Conference.
The PCIFAP is an independent group formed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is chaired by former Kansas Governor and Archivist of the United States John Carlin, and brings together accomplished individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including academia, public health, agricultural production, the food industry, veterinary medicine and the general public.
The report contends that large-scale confinements return $1 to the economy for every $1 spent, while smaller operations return $7 for every $1 spent on the development.
The study was commissioned two years ago because of the "challenges all livestock, dairy and poultry producers face with the reemergence of avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases," said Carlin. "American agriculture is the most productive in the world. As the number of farms has declined, the number of animals produced for meat consumption has increased. That means animals are being raised in more and more concentrated operations. The potential public health consequences, particularly the increasing threat of zoonotic diseases like avian influenza, was studied by the Commission, as well as the impacts these types of operations have on the environment and rural communities. It is in everyone's interest, including producers, that concerns are addressed and viable solutions found."
The co-authors examined 40 years' worth of peer-reviewed empirical studies on the social effects of industrial livestock production, including work by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Ohio State University and the University of Missouri, and concluded that "what began as a pursuit of efficiency to improve production for all farms has unintentionally resulted in a decline in economic freedom for them and an imbalance of economic power favoring dominant farms within the industry rather than individual producers."
The study illustrated the economic disparities in today's farming. "Farms with a gross income of $100,000 made nearly 95 percent of their expenditures locally, while farms with gross incomes in excess of $900,000 spent less than 20 percent locally.That means that most dollars made by the industrial operations do not stay in the community and help it thrive, but instead leave the community, draining it economically."
The study also found that industrial livestock workers earn 58 percent of the typical wages in their area. About 45 percent of all hired farm workers ages 25 years and older earn less than the poverty threshold for a family of four. Greater than one-third have family incomes of less than $15,000, according to the report.
Sincerely,
Richard O'Connor
Pearl City IL
Capitol Report
By Jim Sacia, State Representative, 89th District
It's interesting to say the least. You recall from my last several columns, the good work the House has accomplished to solidify a jobs and infrastructure (capital) bill and finding the dollars we need to keep open our state parks and historic sites and to fund desperately needed human service programs in our communities that the Governor had put on the budget chopping block. Senate President Emil Jones insisted he would not bring the Senate back into session to finish the job, and then abruptly changed his mind. Enter Governor Blagojevich, who just minutes after Jones' announcement ordered both chambers back to work on Monday, September 22nd.
It was a sight to behold. Speaker Madigan called us to order, shared a rumor that the Senate would act on bills the Governor vetoed and the House had already overridden, and also that they would address the reinstatement of funding for our parks, historic sites and social programs cut by the Governor. If I hadn't been there, I never would have believed what happened next. Almost as if on cue, Senate President Emil Jones entered the House chamber, walked straight to the podium and greeted the Speaker with a smile, and the Speaker smiled back. The scene brought great jubilation to me and my House colleagues. Could the infighting finally be over? Could we finally get down to doing some good work for the 12.8 million citizens of this great state? Legislators arrived in Springfield planning for only one day. To each of us, though, we were committed to remain in session in Springfield as long as it took to get the job done.
September 23rd was a tough one, as the "budgeters" worked at hammering out something that the majority of us in both chambers could agree upon. As the day droned on and the intensity of the debate increased, it became apparent that negotiations were not going well. We all knew that we simply could not leave the capitol without dealing with the supplemental appropriations and fund sweeps bills to reinstate funding for desperately needed programs. As we sat "at ease" in the House we listened intently to the debate continuing in the Senate. It reminded me of an old war movie in which submariners sit on the bottom of the ocean listening as their prey circled on the surface.
The debate in the Senate went on for some time. I think we as legislators feel we all must speak on bills of this importance. I never said the legislation debated was perfect, but after hours of debate and many speaking about ways in which the bills should be better, they passed the Senate and the House applauded. If the Governor signs them, they will provide more than $250 million to keep our parks and historic sites open, and to keep needed social services programs working in our communities.
I knew the calls would come and they did. "How could you vote for a bill that takes money from this fund, or that fund?" The greater good was the big picture here. All of us suffer a little rather than some doing it all.
As always, you can reach me, Sally or Barb at or e-mail us at . You can also visit my website at www.jimsacia.com. It's always a pleasure to hear from you.
