Hitting the campaign trail head-on
Finally, words to live by from one of the state's most powerful public officials.
"Let's deal with it head-on," House Speaker and Democratic Party Chairman Michael J. Madigan told his troops at a Wednesday rally.
The budget crisis? Ethics reform? Pension mess?
No, Madigan actually was speaking of dealing with felon, former governor and fellow Democrat Rod Blagojevich. The quote was: "We all know that there's a huge scandal hanging over our heads called the former governor - we all know that. My recommendation: Let's deal with it head-on."
That the Democrats should. Just as the Republicans in Illinois should deal with their party's former governor, George Ryan, also a felon, convicted of corruption, who sits in federal prison.
But, as campaign season kicks off and both major parties rally at the state fair, what we really want the incumbents dealing with are the enormous problems that affect each of us.
Incumbents of all parties, consider this a clarion call: Quit the avoidance, the distracting name-calling and mudslinging and begin speaking about our problems. You all abdicated your duty to address the biggest problems this year: our $13 billion state budget deficit and our $80 billion pension shortfall. Yes, you did approve pension funding changes for future state workers, but the underfunding problem largely remains. These two problems could choke Illinois and lead us to bankruptcy. That prospect is more serious than our status as a laughingstock around the nation in the wake of the Blagojevich and Ryan verdicts. Our children are hurting as school workers struggle to teach them and deal with funding cuts. Adults employed at social service agencies and those who benefit from them also are suffering.
Don't misconstrue. This is not an endorsement of a tax increase as an end-all, be-all solution. It is a plea to you to start talking on the trail about our challenges and how you intend to solve them.
The Nov. 2 election could not be more critical for voters who must choose candidates who will confront these and many other problems. We deserve to know, in great detail, where all of you stand.
It's not acceptable, Republican governor nominee Bill Brady, to refuse to detail your full plan to balance the state budget until after the election as you intend. You've been a state legislator for 15 years. You should be able to tell us more than that you'll cut 10 percent across the board.
It's not acceptable, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, not to share with voters where $1.4 billion in spending cuts will be put in place.
And then there is job creation, campaign financing limits, political map alternatives and gun and gay marriage policies. We deserve details on this and more. We must have them before we vote. Please, candidates. Heed Madigan. Deal with it, head-on.