Proposal to legalize pot in Illinois, a first for the Midwest

State Rep. Cassidy

Updated April 28, 2017

As the state of Illinois goes into its 19th month without a budget, and is in increasingly dire straits, especially for social service agencies and schools; even as colleges, are forced to take furlough days, the old adage of “desperate times call for desperate measures,” seems to have been in mind when State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) introduced legislation Wednesday to legalize and tax marijuana as a source of much needed revenue for the land of Lincoln, the sixth most populous state in the nation.
 
“Governor Rauner’s utter failure to introduce a plan to address the needs of Illinoisans has held our social services and programs hostage through the impasse he has created,” Cassidy said in a press release. Furthermore, she  continued, “His refusal to compromise has forced legislators to find new ways to create revenue. Our state is in a crisis situation, and instead of spending vital public resources arresting and incarcerating individuals for distributing marijuana, our state should create a legal avenue for selling cannabis to increase revenue for our schools, anti-violence programs and services for the most vulnerable people in our state.”
 

However, Cassidy believes that given the current financial situation Illinois is in, the legalization and taxation of marijuana could help fill the much needed revenue gaps in our budget. In Colorado, marijuana sales generated about $70 million in revenue during the first year of legalization.
 

“The fact of the matter is that marijuana is being bought and sold throughout the state right now, unregulated and untaxed,” Cassidy said. “Because of the Governor’s inability to do his job and fund the state programs that people in communities throughout Illinois rely on, we must look at updating our drug policy as a possible avenue to bring much-needed revenue to our state.”
 
The state would license and regulate businesses to grow, process and sell plants, and it would write safety regulations such as testing and labeling requirements, the sponsors said.
 

This proposal would also allow residents to possess up to 28 grams of pot, or about an ounce, and to grow five plants, and would be a first for the Midwest. 

Joining Cassidy on the Senate side, is State Sen. Heather Steans (-D-Chicago) who has also proposed legalization of cannabis. She, in turn, has said, much of what Cassidy noted in her statement, “Right now, all the money being spent on marijuana is going into the pockets of criminals and cartels,”  And, “In a regulated system, the money would go into the cash registers of licensed, tax paying businesses. [where] It would generate hundreds of millions of dollars per year in new revenue for our state. Prohibition is a financial hole in the ground, and we should stop throwing taxpayer dollars into it.”
 
Legalizing recreational marijuana has swept the nation. During this past election, voters from coast to coast passed ballot initiatives to legalize its use, making recreational marijuana now legal in eight states, and Washington, D.C.
 
For several years, cannabis legalization, both pros and cons, have been discussed in both academia, the recovery community, and by lawmakers. Yet for several decades prior to Wednesday's announcement, as far back as the 70’s, discussions among users was that “the government should just go ahead and tax it, and be done with it.” Now, it seems that those thoughts have become reality.
 
“It is clear that individuals across the nation are receptive to purchasing marijuana through a legal market,” Steans said. “Legalizing and taxing marijuana will not and should not solve all of our budget woes, but it should be a part of the conversation about resolving Illinois’ worsening budget problems. Every bit of new revenue will help to close the governor’s $5 billion budget gap.”
 
Steans’s website also states that “In 2016, the state of Oregon collected more than $60 million in new revenue from a tax on marijuana – more than six times what the Oregon Liquor Control Commission expected for the 2015-2017 budget period. In Colorado, which legalized marijuana in 2012, the state collected more than $140 million in 2016 from taxes on legal marijuana sales.”
 
For those concerned about the effect on addiction, especially, young people, she notes that,“Though recreational sales in Colorado began in 2014, according to the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, marijuana consumption by teens has not increased since recreational marijuana was legalized.”
 
In addition, there is some evidence that marijuana can ease opioid addiction, Increasingly, says Steans, researchers are finding that marijuana can be an effective alternative to opioids for pain management. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids killed more than 33,000 individuals in 2015 alone. In Illinois, 75 percent of drug overdoses in 2015 involved opioids according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.”
 
“I believe that we should explore all options to ending the opioid epidemic,” Steans said. “I think that by legalizing marijuana, we could see a drop in opioid overuse,” says the senator.
 
Marijuana has also been used to treat patients with chronic pain, cancer, epilepsy and some psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
 
The bills propose taxing marijuana at a rate of $50 per ounce wholesale, plus the state's standard 6.25 percent sales tax, said the Tribune report.

State Sen. Steans

Despite earlier,and successful, attempts by Steans, and Cassidy, to pass bills that exchanged prison time for a fine, for small amounts of pot, there is still controversy regarding how the police looked at adjudication, especially when it came to people of color. This proposal would help to remove the role of race and unequal legal application,and level the playing field where previously whites have been given fines in lieu of jail time granted disproportionately for blacks and Hispanics.

In the past many have not been supported the prospect of legalization, and felt that there are unknown effects on usage, ages, and deleterious results such as vehicular accidents, and for young people, graduation rates. Yet, those concerns aside, alcohol, widely available, has been shown to cause more car crashes, and damage more marriages, plus other societal effects, than has  been proven with marijuana.

A recent poll conducted for CBS News, conducted in mid April now reveals growing support for legalization, across all age groups, especially those under 64 years-of-age. 61 percent of Americans think that marijuana should be legal, a 5 point increase from last year; the highest ever in this poll. 

Looking at political affiliation both Democrats and Independents are in favor of legalization, while Republicans are divided.

Even more significant are the data that show 71 percent oppose the government prevention of sales and use in states that have legalized it. Also, 65 percent think that marijuana is less dangerous than most drugs.

Only 23 percent think legalization will lead to an increase in crime, a sharp swing from that of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who sees a correlation between pot use and violent crime. Also, most Americans think habitual drug use is an addictions issue that should be related and not a criminal offense.

The Chicago Tribune reported that “The co-sponsors, Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Kelly Cassidy, both Democrats from Chicago's North Side, said they don't plan to call the bill for a vote this session but will hold hearings to get feedback and see whether some version of a legalization bill can get support next year.”

Both Steans and Cassidy have recently held local town hall style meetings in Chicago, where most of the attendees showed overwhelming support, across all age groups, up to seniors, said Jon Pearl, Cassidy's Chief of Staff.

Chicago charter school teachers will strike unless demands are met

In the battle over education - with the longheld dream of Republican lawmakers for vouchers, fulfilled with the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as the new secretary of education, now comes the fly in the ointment over advocates for school choice: a first ever strike by charter school teachers in the nation, in its third largest city Chicago, could happen in 10 days.

In a statement Educators at ASPIRA charter schools have set a strike date of March 17, citing “a standstill with management in both economic and non-economic issues.”

The strike would be the first of a charter school network in the nation. ASPIRA runs four publicly funded Chicago charter schools serving roughly 1,800 mostly Latino students. ASPIRA educators – all members of ACE, “A Council of Educators” with ChiACTS Local 4343 – have been negotiating for a new contract for ten months.  Recently, 99% of voting bargaining members voted to strike on Feb. 22

“Our priority is our students’ education -- and all of us, from our principals and vice principals to mentors and support staff, work tirelessly to support our students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth,” said Marines Martinez, acting president of ACE. “Together, we are the backbone of great schools that deserve management’s support and respect -- and while we don’t want to strike, we will if we must to take a stand for our students and our larger communities.”

They announced that teachers will rally on Thursday at 4:30 pm at ASPIRA Business & Finance High School, 2989 N Milwaukee Ave. -- just before the beginning of the educators’ next bargaining session at that location.

In what is now familiar territory, to date, management they say has “balked at providing an additional $135,000 next year in economic support for teachers in a four-school charter network with an annual budget of more than $15 million dollars.”

That’s less than 1% of ASPIRA’s annual charter school budget, which they note delivers a surplus in public dollars to ASPIRA’s overall organizational budget, including its non-charter school operations. And, their administrative overhead is one of the highest of all charter networks according to recent records.

Again, on familiar territory, to public schools, negotiations have also stalled over non-economic issues that include reducing the school day and year for educators -- but not students.

In addition, teachers argue that theirs is one of the longest work days and years for educators in Chicago’s charter school system. They also face the self-imposed mandate of educating the city’s Hispanic students. As they noted, ACE educators have historically worked considerably longer work days and put in more non-academic hours than peers in Chicago’s public schools and other charter networks out of an embrace of ASPIRA’s founding principles to serve the Hispanic community.  The schools have 1400 students, and who are mostly Latino.

To fulfill that mission, their educators have taken less compensation than peers at other public schools to support ASPIRA’s mission “to nurture the leadership, intellectual, and cultural potential of Latino youth.”

“We’re forced to deal with chronic staff vacancies, too much turnover among experienced educators who simply cannot afford to work for ASPIRA schools under these conditions, and substitute teachers rather than full-time, dedicated educators,” said ACE member Tito Rodriguez. “At the same time, we’re doing jobs that management is responsible for, from student recruitment and janitorial upkeep to fundraising for our students’ classroom needs, while management has cut support for critically important non-academic programs that range from music to athletics. If we have to strike to get management on track and preserve excellence in our students’ educational growth, we’re prepared to hit the picket lines.”

Closely related to one of the charges against charter schools are frequent turnover and teacher retention leading to student achievement and instability and lack of accountability and even at the executive level. In the last 6 weeks alone, they note “the charter network’s CEO and Chief Academic Officer have been removed, only one school has the same principal and vice principal who began the school year, and the system’s COO – who had essentially been running the charter school network – recently resigned.”

The recent complaints of public school teachers are echoed by the ACE complaint and which seems to be indicative of a war on teachers as professionals. “Our ACE educators are simply asking that they be afforded the basic rights any teacher deserves,” said Chris Baehrend, President of Chicago ACTS Local 4343.

“That includes the right to earn a living wage that respects our teachers’ experience and commitment, the right to working conditions that lift up and support our students’ academic achievements and our teachers’ dignity, and the right to work under policies and best practices that create an empowering, supportive school culture.”

In a concluding statement, Bernard said, “If it takes a strike to convince senior management of the critical importance of these most basic of rights -- rights that are grounded in our educators’ commitment to the well-being and success of our students -- then our educators will strike.”

UPDATE: Educators at ASPIRA’s charter schools came to a tentative agreement, on Thursday, with management tonight, averting what would have been the first strike of a charter school network in U.S. history. “This tentative agreement acknowledges the vital importance of union educators in the quality of education in our schools,” said acting ACE president Marines “Mari” Martinez. “This has always been about, first and foremost, creating working conditions that support the sustainability of four great schools and the students who rely on us for a quality education. We think this tentative agreement advances those goals.The tentative agreement includes:

For 2016-2017, a 3.25% raise retroactive to the start of 2nd semester.

For 2017-2018 a 3.0% raise.

Maintenance of the 2% employee pension contribution with 7% pension pick-up paid by management.

A reduction of the 2016-2017 school year by 1 1/2 day with NO impact on educational time for students.

A reduction of the 2017-2018 school year by 4 days with NO impact on educational time for students..

A reduction in the 2017-2018 school day from 8 hours to 7 hours and 35 minutes with NO impact on educational time for students.

Minimal increase in insurance costs.

An increase of four weeks of vacation time, plus 13 additional PTO days for 52-week counselors and mentors (these members were recently added to the bargaining unit in via an election in June 2016).

An increase in salary from $33,000 to $40,000 for two 52-week mentors.
Educators  also maintained a strong layoff policy that prohibits layoffs after the last day of the school year.

Violent weekend in Chicago ups the homicide rate

In what is another regrettable entry into the logbook of Chicago violence, last weekend saw the heretofore lowered homicide rate, increase, when 7 people were shot dead in one day last weekend.. Making headlines on the local and national media, of course, but overall changing little in what is seen as tragic, and now accepted as an inevitable fact of life in certain city neighborhoods.

As the death toll increases, it sweeps indiscriminately of young and old alike, toddlers and teenagers, bus drivers as well as honor roll students; as this Northernmost city becomes almost synonymous with gratuitous gun violence.

Here are the numbers from the Chicago Tribune: “As of Monday morning, the city had logged 103 homicides, compared with 101 this time a year ago, according to data compiled by the Tribune. At least 513 people have been shot this year, compared with 466 over the same time last year.

President Trump has said he will send in the feds, if things don’t improve; yet according to Chicago Police Superintendent, Eddie Johnson, that help has failed to materialize. Blaming the ease of guns, especially those from neighboring states, and especially Indianna, most if not all local lawmakers, right down to Mayor Rahm Emanuel have wrung their hands in despair.

Johnson wants to have more assistance from the FBI, the DHEA and the ATF, yet even if their help is received there needs to be a plan written to target their help. Right now, most of those plans, seem to be aired only in meetings. Many are looking to see if the Trump’s joint address to Congress on Wednesday, can give solidity to his tweets: “Can you believe what’s happening in Chicago?” and “. . . this is totally out of control.””

Centered in three poverty stricken areas, mostly populated by poor blacks, areas that Sen Dick Durbin defined as being responsible for 50 percent of the murders in January of 2017. In Englewood, and on the South and West sides, the communities of Harrison and Austin, the unemployment rate is 21 percent compared to 11.1 in the Chicago, overall.

Since the violence does not exist in a vacuum, it has created public health problems, in addition to one of social and economic behavior, and the increase in unemployment, foreclosures, and other factors has led to a gnawing self-devaluation among those area residents.

The situation, seems to not abate, as myriads of opinions flow, especially faulting the lack of jobs, weak schools, and lack of community resources. And, while these assessments are correct , the solutions that they offer: mentoring, job development, enhanced or new resources, these will all take more time than most realize. Even the mayor's promise of hiring more policeman, will take time as class instruction is only the beginning of the learning curve; the real lessons are to be learned on the street.

Time is what Chicago really doesn’t have, to give this city, on what was once a prairie, and its residents -- all of its residents -- a sense of hope. As Johnson noted, somewhat plaintively, in an interview, “The mayor made the request in person as recent of last week and we are hopeful the Administration will finally respond.”

Possible steps to resolution might include a greater attention to illegal gun acquisition, as the arsenal increases outside of the standard sources of gun shows and dealers. Joined with narcotics, this duality might increase the police the power to raid ,as they have done recently, and when Chicago Police gave the stats, the mind boggled.

What stood out? 61 previous convicted felons, 49 documented gang members, 19 priors on drug related charges, 14 currently on parole, and 65 identified by police as being  high risk.

Of the weapons confiscated, there was a machine gun that could roll out 40 to 50 rounds in seconds

When we take a closer look at the behavior of those involved, the detail may surprise some. Last year, NPR reported, in an interview with a reporter from The New York Times, who had been embedded with a local gang, some surprising news on the changes in gang behavior.

“Gunfire was so common in their lives that to me, it seemed like they were not necessarily traumatized by it anymore in the sense that a lot of times, if there were - if someone was killed, of course they were talking about it. You would go on their social media page, and you'll see them grieving about it openly.But if someone gets shot in the hand or the foot and they're alive, in some ways, they actually joke about it,” said John Eligon, the reporter.

He also noted, “For them, it's because it's not necessarily something that's uncommon or traumatic. In Chicago, in the part that I hung out in, the ambulance comes. They put the people in the ambulance. Police come. They try to talk to people. They put up police tape. It goes down, and then life just kind of continues.”

The desensitization may be just as damaging as the behavior, especially since in this racially divided city, it affects mostly black.people, a fact that is equally corrosive to the lives of the city’s black residents, especially its elders, who after the Black Migration, brought homes in these areas, alive with hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow, than the yesterdays of their lives in the Jim Crow South.

Much of the violence stems from episodes of “dissing” be it on social media, or in person, retribution becomes routine. As Eligon remarked, “And I think that that's why you see this kind of continuation, this perpetuation of it. So I think that's one thing. And a lot of them tried to tell me, how would you feel if your brother, uncle, father, cousin was shot and killed? Would you let that go? And for a lot of them, it's really hard to let that go.”

Coupled with a sense of helplessness that delivers a hopelessness, then these actions almost make sense. Almost.

While we can agree that there is no single solution, to the problem, it solutions cannot begin without money, a plan, and a commitment; and with so many thinking of the violence as a black problem, political will may be lacking.

In other areas, there has been a decrease - Oakland, California has a 41 percent decrease in violent crime since 2012 -- and much was centered on recalibrating the systemic problems of employment, opportunity, and self-esteem. There was also the use of psychological techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, gun control and mentoring, and one essential ingredient:, police and community reconciliation.

Can it be done in Chicago? Only time, along with will can begin to stem the tide of violence. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent - a period of both holy self-denial, and also self-reflection for Christians. Can we add to the list the prayers of hope, and the prayer of commitment for a reduction of violence? Let us pray.

Chicago Public Schools sue Republican governor citing racism

For Chicago Public schools, the intersection of money, race, and class has entered the  political picture with a new twist -  born from one part desperation, two parts public relations, and one part spin; as it emerged with a lawsuit on Tuesday with CPS suing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Illinois School Board of Education, that the current school funding formula violates the civil rights of its mostly black and Hispanic students, who make up 9 out of every 10 students.

The move is more symbolic, than anything lawful, but it allows CPS make one last grand attempt at wresting more money for the nation’s third largest school system. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that it was influenced by the “landmark education civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, CPS railed against the state of Illinois for maintaining what it calls “two separate and demonstrably unequal systems for funding public education in the State: one for the City of Chicago, whose public school children are 90% children of color, and the other for the rest of the State, whose public school children are predominantly white.’”

Gathering together five Black and Hispanic families, as plaintiffs, the suit represents an enduring frustration with the formula which benefits wealthier and whiter schools, which been well documented over the years. While the inequity is not new, neither is a lawsuit, because a similar one was done by the Chicago Urban League, in 2008 and the ISBE alleging civil rights violations of minority students throughout the state While it is still is pending in Cook County Court, it does not deal with pensions, said the Sun-Times.

As we have seen, and possibly will continue to see, especially on the national level is symbolic politics - and this action is part of that.. Left out of the loop was the Chicago Teachers Union, whose president Karen Lewis, who had this to say: “Why aren’t we co-plaintiffs on this? Why didn’t they ask us or talk to us about it? Because CPS does stuff on their own. They don’t bother to think that we may have some value,” Lewis told reporters at CTU headquarters Tuesday afternoon.

Characteristically, she said that she had no faith in CPS, and emphasized that “They don’t hold up their end of the bargain,” and “I don’t trust them. I have no trust in what CPS will do. I have no trust in what they’ll ask for. And I have no trust in what they’ll do when they get the money.”

In the absence of notification by CPS; Lewis called the legal battle “a fake fight” between Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Rauner’s education secretary, Beth Purvis, issued a statement saying “it is important to remember that the bipartisan, bicameral school funding commission just issued its report, which recommends an equitable school funding formula that defines adequacy according to the needs of students within each school district. The Governor remains focused on moving forward these recommendations and hopes that CPS will be a partner in that endeavor.”

That plan while revealing a need for more funds for minority students and those well below the poverty line, did not specify details, or deliver a plan to be debated,  and there is still the question of who would write the new formula?

With an unrealized windfall from the state government, which was more hopeful thinking than reality, “Chicago’s schools system has slashed about $104 million with furlough days, spending freezes and other cuts, and expects to pass another version of its $5.4 billion operating budget later this month that likely still will be short $111 million.”

"I want to reinforce the urgency of what's happening today, and that this really is our last stand," CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson said. "We have hoped for a legislative solution, and that has not happened. Therefore, we're left with this as an option,” reported the Chicago Tribune in their coverage.

In the stalemate, or rather standoff between the Republican governor and the Democratically controlled state legislature has been fought with name calling, mudslinging, and everything but a budget, as Rauner wants to hold hold the state to an agenda of union busting, workmen compensation changes (for the worse) and a deregulation menu. While the interim provided some stopgap measures, for some budgetary costs, schools in particular have suffered, not only grammar schools, but colleges and universities.

Neither side has refused to budge and Chicago schools face more and more of a financial burden. The future seems less bright, than ever before. But, the results are even more disturbing, and the erosion of social capital, more dire every day, as students and administrators are forced to make more budget cuts, in every way, every day.

The lack of political will for black and brown children makes it more galling for social progressives, but also shows that race and economic class holding sway, make the effects even more debilitating. In fact, the inaction helps no one, and will increase not only reverse migration among black families, headed South, but also an increase in overall population shrink for Chicago.

Added to the mix is the politicization of education that has educators pitted against politicians, Emanuel against the teachers, the teachers union, and Lewis, against the mayor; and the whole crazy patchwork quilt of bureaucracy, where no one seems to know the end result, giving credence to the old baseball adage, “can’t tell the players without a program.”

In Wednesday’s budget address, Rauner’s attempts at portraying the truth - not saying that he is as much to blame as the Dems, was missing. In a disingenuous manner he said: “This isn’t about pointing fingers or assigning blame. We are where we are. It’s not about the past; it’s about how we move forward together. It’s not going to help us move forward if right after this speech, Democrats run to the media claiming we’ve never proposed a plan to balance the budget. And it’s not going to help us move forward if Republicans run to the media to point out that the Democratic legislature’s never passed a balanced budget.”

Specific references to education abound, but the governor noted, “We propose a record level of funding for our schools. We supported our K-12 schools at an unprecedented level in the last school year, and then we came back and did even more for this school year. Let’s begin to implement the recommendations of the school funding reform commission to make sure every child gets a shot at the American dream, no matter where they live.” But, yet again, no real plan, only reports to gather dust, and no real money for Chicago schools? He vetoed much needed funds before, so what makes this statement different?

With the addition of support for the earned income tax credit and broad support for the Senate leader, John Cullerton and minority leader Christine Radogno “grand plan,” and coming together in earnest,  it is apparent that the needle has not moved and neither has the governor. So, we are back at square one, with mostly retreads from previous speeches and positions.

Carville and Matalin square off on the Trump era at Northeastern Illinois University

Mary Matalin and James Carville

Tough times call for tough measures, so bringing veteran political strategists James Carville and Mary Matalin, both with long resumes, and opinions, for a free-wheeling political discussion, on Thursday evening, seemed a wise decision by Northeastern Illinois University to launch the new Daniel L. Goodwin Distinguished Lecture Series.

Moderated by award-winning Chicago journalist and Northeastern alumnus Thomas Corfman, the evening provided insights, often pointed, and barbed, at both the current Trump administration, and that of Barack Obama. It also showed that age had not dimmed the opinions of this marriage of a liberal and a conservative.

Carville is America’s best-known political consultant, having managed numerous successful political campaigns, including the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992. In recent years, he has focused on campaigns in more than 23 countries around the world.

For Matalin the evening was aso a homecoming; as a native of Illinois; she is one of the most celebrated and popular conservative voices in the United States. After successful work in Illinois campaigns, Matalin moved on to Washington, D.C., where she served under President Ronald Reagan, and was campaign director for President George H.W. Bush.

Tackling the opening question was temporarily waylaid by some of the marital pokes and jabs, that seemed reminiscent of the old Elaine May and Mike Nichols skits, of the 60s, as they parried and thrusted, in sidebar comments, that gave the audience a few chuckles, and even gasps. But when Carville questioned why Trump, even before his inauguration would “agitate China”, and especially in these “tumultuous times” take the risk, the seriousness began.

Matalin countered that his was a “cynical view” and that there was a “new paradigm” afoot, and it was a time to “incentivise democracy,” Carville then countered that the country had “war fatigue” and that beginning something that might end with aggression would not be welcomed. Her rapid response was that any actions would be symbolic of strength [and promote] an image of strength.”

She also remarked that in the 10 days that Trump has been in office, he has not been given even a “scintilla of a honeymoon,” that other newly inaugurated presidents have received.  And while acknowledging that she is no longer a Republican, but a Libertarian, and that criticism by Sen. John McCain, and others, is premature.

In a near incendiary exchange Matalin was concerned that some of these criticisms, at this stage was like “going down the briar patch” and her husband quickly and sarcastically commented that if that were so, then men like James Farwell, was “a real visionary.”

With a rapidly increasing pace, Carville sped into a full throated critique that the “wall is a terrible idea, as well as a fight with the Chinese,” and, furthermore, that these moves “are impulsive and that we have “a right to be scared” and warned against “undoing alliances [would have effects] that would last a long,long time,” and that all of these actions by the president “frighten the Dickens out of me.”

Like many Americans who heard Trump on the campaign trail make fun of the physically disabled, relate crude stories to previous sexual exploits, disparage women’s looks, ridicule war heros, and make xenophobic remarks about other ethnicities, Carville stated that because of these Trump “does not embody the values we have,”as Americans..

Echoing one of the many reasons for a Trump ascendancy Matalin said that there had been a “despondent electorate,”  and bemoaned the “absence of diversity on college campuses, where conservative voices were not heard, or given a forum, and that Trump was not “an overnight phenomenon,” and that the antecedent in many ways was Obama whose losses did serious damage to the Democrats.

There is some truth in what she said, and while not all of it can be attributed to Obama, Democrats in the previous years, did not capture the so-called down ballots in statehouses, city councils, school boards, and governorships that make a political power base, but one that Republicans wisely embraced.

Thomas Corfman

In an interesting segue, the conversation turned to the electoral college votes that gave “touchdowns” to the victor. While many would disagree and say that the game has been rigged with the college, (the second most recent popular win vote by Democrats, but losing in the electoral college) the point to be be taken, Matalin emphasized was that to the victors come the spoils.

Carville made perhaps the better point, that many others have said, and that is the Democratic message has to be better articulated; while the fact remains that all must be considered;, including revamping the down-ballot elections where political power is solidified.

One area that was not discussed were Democrats that failed to work harder in black neighborhoods,during the campaign. This cost them much needed support that could have turned into votes for Clinton, especially since the Hispanic firewall melted away. The black vote remained the same as it did for Obama, in the last two elections, just over 60 percent, but a greater margin might have helped towards a Clinton victory.

In an era of intense partisanship, many of the audience might have been surprised to hear Matalin heap praise on former president Bill Clinton, who she gave her imprimatur as a grassroots hero when she praised him as “a political genius” and asked, rhetorically: “Where are the rustbelt redneck Bill Clintons?”

Her point, while in the aftermath of the Democratic loss, did point to a hole in the Democratic effort, especially with retail politics, because as she noted, “The Democrats ceded populism to the Republicans.”

Returning to the current efforts from the White House, Matalin emphasized the need “for an empiricist” to take the reigns of health care effort that has traversed 25 years and that she was taught to “measure twice and cut once,” and that there was a role for cross state cost shifting, health savings accounts. To which Carville said simply, “Do it. Get it done!”

Getting it done may prove to be problematic with the paradigm shift that Matalin has defined, but it’s also worth summarizing that this type of bipartisan effort, genuine, bracingly honest, and directed, is a scarcity in Washington now, and that veteran stalwarts like Matalin and Carville may be an endangered species.

Illinois governor urges lawmakers to work together for a greater illinois

Gov. Rauner

Taking a softened tone in his annual State of the State address, Illinois governor, Bruce Rauner, on Wednesday, made the case for a stronger, better, and united Illinois one that might make other states envious of its schools and economic success. To reach that enviable status the Republican governor, of this very blue state, said that all Illinoisans had to participate, but also to make the state competitive. And, to achieve this, he said, “Through bipartisan cooperation, Illinois can once again be the economic engine of the Midwest and the home of innovation and prosperity for everyone.”

If the tone seemed rosy and even optimistic, then the last 18 month long absence of a budget, complete with name calling, mudslinging, accusations, and stonewalling made some wonder if this is the same governor that has held out against a budget unless his so-called “Turnaround Agenda” was incorporated, made up of reution on workmen's compensation benefits, term limits, and deregulation of unions.

To no one’s great surprise he said, “We haven’t had a full year budget of some kind in a year-and-a-half– and we haven’t had a state budget that is truly balanced in decades. We have more than $11 billion in unpaid bills, a $130 billion unfunded pension liability, and the worst credit rating in the nation. We have the 5th highest overall tax burden and one of the lowest rates of job creation of any state.”

All true, but the stalemate and the standoff especially between the powerful Speaker of the House MIchael Madigan, was not mentioned, nor the frustration that residents have experienced, and their exasperation at the continued fights and name calling, between he and the Speaker; nor the pleas to stop the insanity, and to start governing were acknowledged.

At one point, he nearly pleaded with the majority Democratic lawmakers, who control both sides of the General Assembly, when he asked, “I ask you today, on behalf of all the people of Illinois – Democrats and Republicans – please do the right thing and pass the bills to put term limits and fair maps on the ballot. Let the people decide these issues for themselves. End the power of incumbency and special interest groups, and give power back to the people of our state. Illinois turns 200 in 2018.

In a nod to the new direction in Washington, Rauner’s populist tone, was again a departure from his normal focus on business empowerment.

Pointing to past successes, Rauner gave a laundry list of successes, and said, “We closed the revolving door on Executive Branch employees leaving government to become administration lobbyists. We tightened the gift ban loopholes that lobbyists and contractors used to influence regulators and win favor with decision makers. We increased transparency, so that any resident of the state can now go online and review state spending on contracts and at-will hires. “

If it seemed like a campaign speech for re election, then the observations of both critics, and fans, were joined in their assessment. A millionaire, Rauner is also aided by some of the state’s wealthiest persons such as financier Ken Griffin. So, if this is the rallying point, it also might be a warning, that all things being equal he is in the game to win.

With President Trump threatening Chicago city government to “stop the carnage” of violence, or he would send in the Feds, Rauner hitched onto the tag line when he noted, The violence occurring in Chicago every night is intolerable; we’ve got to bring it to an end,” but also acknowledged as many lawmakers, Chicago police leadership, and others have noted the multiple causes, when he acknowledged, that “Violence experts say there’s no single cause and no single solution. But with the right mix of policies – with a joint commitment between the city, the county, the state and the federal government – we can and must find solutions to curb the violence.”

While offering assistance to Mayor Rahm Emanuel in that effort, he also said that “Law enforcement plays a critical role in violence reduction – but in the end, it’s a treatment, not a cure. Addressing the roots of this plague will take much more: to restore hope where hope has been lost, to build a long-term future of quality education and good jobs for communities that need it most. Tearing down the barriers to good jobs and economic opportunity. Getting rid of blight and incentivizing redevelopment.”

Meanwhile hovering in the background was the effort by State Sen. John Cullerton and Minority Leader Christine Radogno to get their package of tax increases, reduction, and other compromises off the table and to to a floor vote, but despite the days and weeks of their efforts, it all came to nought on Wednesday, with not a single vote recorded, but Cullerton said that next month,  "Then it's going to come time to make a decision," and furthermore, during a brief session, "The problems we face are not going to disappear; they're going to get more difficult every day. When we return Feb. 7, everybody should be ready and prepared to vote."

"It's incredibly complicated, and the more you try to refine it, the more things crop up," Radogno said. Their plan raises the income tax and creates a service tax to beat down the deficit; includes cost-saving measures to the workers' compensation program and a property-tax freeze sought by Rauner; pension- and school-funding overhauls; expanded casino gambling and more,” reported the Beloit Daily News.

While the Chicago Tribune noted that “Supporters furiously tried to make last-minute changes to keep the measure alive, but prospects for quick action dimmed on the complex package of tax increases and pro-business changes.”

As they neatly noted, “Business groups usually aligned with Rauner and his Republicans and unions normally allied with Democrats went to work against the plan. Retailers argued they could not support tax increases without major cuts in spending, manufacturers contended changes to workers' compensation rules were superficial, teacher unions said property tax freezes would starve local school districts, and education groups warned that outsourcing janitorial jobs could jeopardize student safety.”

All in all, a package that while designed to hang together, could also fall together, despite the heroic efforts of Cullerton and Radogno.

Here are some of the  details: A raise the income tax rate from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent was altered, with new plans resetting the personal rate at 4.99 percent —just under the 5 percent rate that was in place when Rauner was elected.  Deleted was the penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages, replaced by a so-called “opportunity tax” that would “charge companies for the "privilege" of doing business in the state, and a new tax on various services such as car repairs and dry cleaning. A plan to raise the minimum wage to $11 by 2021 also was set aside.”

“Underscoring the uphill nature of the Senate proposal, the House canceled Thursday's session, announcing it would head home a day early as lawmakers there focused their attention not on the budget but bickering over the partisan rules Democrats, led by Speaker Michael Madigan, use to maintain control over the chamber,” was also noted making some observers wonder what the focus of the legislators were.

Rauner did say, despite his lack of input, or approval, that “It’s heartening to see the Senate coming together on a bipartisan basis to acknowledge these changes are needed. Let’s build on that cooperation to achieve a truly balanced budget and changes that really move the needle on job creation and property tax relief.”