Post by Logan on Mar 17, 2016 0:29:02 GMT -6
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner suffered some high-profile election defeats, but his allies on Wednesday pointed to a number of smaller victories as proof he can flex his political muscle — a signal that little is likely to change in his battle with Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan for control of state government.
With both sides claiming wins in Tuesday's primary, there's not much incentive for Rauner to back off his pro-business, union-weakening agenda, or for Democrats aligned with labor to drop their fierce opposition to it. And so there remains no resolution in sight to the record-breaking budget stalemate that's cut services for the poor, led to mass layoffs at public universities and sent the state's debt soaring.
Madigan suggested the gridlock is due to the governor's focus on "attacking middle-class families," while a Rauner spokesman replied with the suggestion that the speaker return to Springfield and pass "structural reforms that grow our economy."
Meanwhile, the political games continued at the Capitol, with Senate Democrats on Wednesday giving initial approval to legislation that would free up nearly $4 billion for everything from higher education to rape crisis centers. Rauner has threatened to veto the measure, saying there's no money to pay for it, an argument his budget office repeated in a memo to lawmakers.
Read more: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-mike-madigan-illinois-impasse-met-20160316-story.html
With both sides claiming wins in Tuesday's primary, there's not much incentive for Rauner to back off his pro-business, union-weakening agenda, or for Democrats aligned with labor to drop their fierce opposition to it. And so there remains no resolution in sight to the record-breaking budget stalemate that's cut services for the poor, led to mass layoffs at public universities and sent the state's debt soaring.
Madigan suggested the gridlock is due to the governor's focus on "attacking middle-class families," while a Rauner spokesman replied with the suggestion that the speaker return to Springfield and pass "structural reforms that grow our economy."
Meanwhile, the political games continued at the Capitol, with Senate Democrats on Wednesday giving initial approval to legislation that would free up nearly $4 billion for everything from higher education to rape crisis centers. Rauner has threatened to veto the measure, saying there's no money to pay for it, an argument his budget office repeated in a memo to lawmakers.
Read more: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-mike-madigan-illinois-impasse-met-20160316-story.html