• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

The Disaster which is Illinois

I have no solution to offer. After it struck the iceberg, the Titanic was going to sink no matter what anyone did.

When promises wont be kept because they cant be kept the thing to do is agree to a realistic plan as soon as possible so that everyone is on the same page pulling in the same direction and we minimize the chances of a catastrophic outcome.

But America does not work anymore.....plus we have given up trying to be better people and have given up on this brand new global economic system already.
 
When promises wont be kept because they cant be kept the thing to do is agree to a realistic plan as soon as possible so that everyone is on the same page pulling in the same direction and we minimize the chances of a catastrophic outcome.

But America does not work anymore.....plus we have given up trying to be better people and have given up on this brand new global economic system already.

Ultimately the losses and burdens will be borne by those too weak to fight them off or shift them to someone else.
 
Ultimately the losses and burdens will be borne by those too weak to fight them off or shift them to someone else.

Ultimately burdens will not be carried....that is the price of failure.

Lots and lots of pain is the outcome, which most people do not understand, because the education system has failed and journalism has failed and way too many folks are willfully ignorant.
 
That's true In Minnesota as well, but because they have also had Democratic Governors in Minnesota they've been able to make sure their revenues match their expenditures without issue. It is the Republican governor in Illinois who refuses to work with that Democratic Legislature that is causing all the problems.

Thankfully Illinois elected themselves a Democratic Governor during the Midterms so I expect Illinois to do much better over the next few years just like California did after getting rid of Schwarzenegger.

California's governor is democrat and refuses to listen to or work with republicans or conservatives.
 
In fairness, all politicians promise something for nothin' in order to get elected. Nobody says pay as you go, unless it's directed at what the other side wants to fund. It's why we're in such debt, both national and local.

In all fairness:

The Democrats have controlled the governor’s mansion and both houses of the legislature since January 2003. They stayed in power even after their two-time governor was impeached following one of the biggest corruption scandals in the state’s history.
 
Chicago is most corrupt big city, Illinois third most corrupt state in country, study finds

Chicago may be known as the "Second City," but it remains Number 1 in the ranking of most corrupt big cities in the nation, according to a new report.
Chicago is most corrupt big city, Illinois third most corrupt state in country, study finds | Fox News

The "duh" heard 'round the world.
But wait! There's more!

"Additionally, Illinois remains the third most corrupt state when compared on a per capita basis to other large states and the District of Columbia," the report's authors note.
 
As a Rockford native let me correct the record.....this is what happens when partisans refuse to work together for the greater good over a long period of time.

I would echo that and point to the problem we have nationwide. We let our politicians...from both sides of the aisle...mortgage our grandchildrens future without paying for our programs as we go. There are no angels here.
 
Guy I went to grade school with was a homicide detective, in a near Chicago suburb. He retired in his 40's. Now, he collects roughly $120K per year, plus COLA, for the rest of his life.

This is why public sector unions are destructive.
 
Guy I went to grade school with was a homicide detective, in a near Chicago suburb. He retired in his 40's. Now, he collects roughly $120K per year, plus COLA, for the rest of his life.

God bless him. That was the deal made, then that is what he should get. He did his part.
 
This is why public sector unions are destructive.

Many more reasons....but I think politicians who refuse to stem the bleeding by creating a Tier 3 or Tier 4 and lumping all new employees in a 403b is wrecking shop just a bit more...
 
Many more reasons....but I think politicians who refuse to stem the bleeding by creating a Tier 3 or Tier 4 and lumping all new employees in a 403b is wrecking shop just a bit more...

I confess I don't understand your post.
My point was about elected officials who offer unaffordable public sector retirement benefits in exchange for union support, knowing they will be long gone from office by the time the benefits are bankrupting the state/county/city.
 
I confess I don't understand your post.
My point was about elected officials who offer unaffordable public sector retirement benefits in exchange for union support, knowing they will be long gone from office by the time the benefits are bankrupting the state/county/city.

Your point is a view shared by many. They make the argument that it never should have been so lets take away what is. Rauner spent his 4 years in futility trying to screw people out of what they were owed thinking this very same thing.

Instead, he should have been setting the stage to create a Tier which forces all new employees into a 403b. This is step 1.

Step 2. Legalize weed and sports book. Lockbox that revenue.

Step 3. Issue bonds to cover the annual pension obligation.

Step 4. Use revenue in lock box to pay coupon on bonds. Put surplus back in lock box

Step 5. Repeat until pension system is fully funded -- which I guesstimated to be approximately 8-10 years.


This is a guaranteed fix....Which they'll never do.


Instead they'll let things deteriorate while bitching about what never should have been and just pray it isn't their party in power when the music stops.
 
Your point is a view shared by many. They make the argument that it never should have been so lets take away what is. Rauner spent his 4 years in futility trying to screw people out of what they were owed thinking this very same thing.

Instead, he should have been setting the stage to create a Tier which forces all new employees into a 403b. This is step 1.

Step 2. Legalize weed and sports book. Lockbox that revenue.

Step 3. Issue bonds to cover the annual pension obligation.

Step 4. Use revenue in lock box to pay coupon on bonds. Put surplus back in lock box

Step 5. Repeat until pension system is fully funded -- which I guesstimated to be approximately 8-10 years.


This is a guaranteed fix....Which they'll never do.


Instead they'll let things deteriorate while bitching about what never should have been and just pray it isn't their party in power when the music stops.

Fair enough. When Mrs. Hays and I were first considering retirement locations, we eliminated Illinois because of the state's ruined finances. We had once lived in Champaign-Urbana, liked it very much and still have friends there, but did not want to be sucked down by a sinking ship.
 
Fair enough. When Mrs. Hays and I were first considering retirement locations, we eliminated Illinois because of the state's ruined finances. We had once lived in Champaign-Urbana, liked it very much and still have friends there, but did not want to be sucked down by a sinking ship.

The one good thing Illinois has for retirees (it sure as hell isn't the weather) Boss Hog is looking now to take away. Retirement income isn't subject to state income tax. That's about to end soon so say the papers, and for once, I believe them.

I don't blame you for not wanting to sink, we're working on abandoning ship right now ourselves. There's a lot about IL to love, it's a shame government is making it their priority to destroy all of it.
 
A DEMOCRAT state senator had 2 offices and his house raided by the FBI and the IRS a couple days ago. Martin Sandoval...the guy's a butt buddy of the top Crook Michael Madigan. Loads of boxes were taken out of the locations.
 
And it continues. Another State Dem gets indicted, this time for bribery:

Arroyo, 65, an assistant majority leader who has been in office since 2006, was charged with one count of federal program bribery alleging he agreed to pay a state senator $2,500 a month in kickbacks in exchange for the senator’s support on legislation involving video gambling sweepstakes games that would benefit one of Arroyo’s lobbying clients.

The 13-page criminal complaint, made public Monday, revealed that the undisclosed state senator allegedly targeted by Arroyo first began cooperating with the FBI in 2016 but was terminated as a confidential source after it was revealed he had filed false income tax returns.

The senator later agreed to cooperate with the FBI again in the hopes for a break at sentencing on expected tax fraud charges, according to the complaint.

The senator was wearing a wire when Arroyo delivered the first of the promised $2,500 checks at a restaurant in Skokie on Aug. 22, the charges said.

Feds allege state Rep. Luis Arroyo caught on undercover recording paying $2,500 bribe. ‘This is the jackpot.’ - Chicago Tribune

The article goes on from there to list several other state politicos who are being investigated by the Feds as of late (a couple State senators, a couple mayors and a couple Chicago Aldermen), plus looking into possible misdeeds by the Head Crook: House Speaker Mike Madigan.
 
As an Illinois resident, I always tell this to Democrats...

What Blagojevich and Madigan have done to Illinois, that's what Pelosi and Hillary and Bernie want to do to the whole country
 
Back
Top Bottom