In the battle over the state budget, the governor has said the House speaker is "a George Bush Republican" in disguise and threatened a lawsuit over what time House sessions begin. Rank-and-file lawmakers labeled the governor "cowardly" and "a madman."I have no doubt that Blaogojevich's fellow Democrats didn't anticipate the problems that state leaders are facing at this moment.
The lieutenant governor even publicly repudiated his boss, and the Senate president barred a member of his own leadership team from strategy sessions.
"It's gotten to the point with party infighting and clan rivalries that we're making the Iraqi parliament look good," said Democratic Rep. John Fritchey of Chicago.
The budget was supposed to be approved by May 31, but officials are nowhere close to an agreement, and state government is operating only because the Legislature passed a budget extension that expires at the end of July.
The dispute is delaying decisions on a major new health program and increased school spending. If it drags into August, state government could shut down, meaning schools would not be able to plan budgets for the new school year, and hospitals and nursing homes might not be paid for treating the poor.
This isn't what Democrats expected in November, when they won the governor's mansion, every statewide office and large majorities in both the House and Senate. They dreamed of cooperating on a long list of social issues.
But those dreams have been dashed—completely.
When the House defied an executive order by meeting in special session at 10 a.m. instead of 2 p.m., the governor's top lawyer declared it a constitutional violation and said Blagojevich was considering legal action.
Lawmakers were stunned that Blagojevich would make an issue of the time.
"We have a madman," Democratic Rep. Joe Lyons of Chicago told reporters. "The man is insane."
That came a day after Blagojevich accused House Speaker Michael Madigan, chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, of conspiring with Republicans to block a budget that would expand social services.
Isiah 1:17- Learn to do well. Seek justice, Relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Truer words could not have been written about Illinois politics right now!!!
From BreitBart.com...
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