Though Democrats control the Illinois House, Senate and governor's office, their iron grip on power turned arthritic Thursday when the party failed to pass a state budget, sidestepped utility rate relief and lurched the gridlocked Legislature into overtime.
Despite all the acrimony and inaction, the Senate managed to give legislators, Gov. Blagojevich and his cabinet $1.5 million in pay raises, sending the politically touchy plan to the governor by a 37-21 vote.
More metaphors follow on the "stunning Statehouse implosion". The Dems now need GOP votes in the house to pass a budget, as a three-fifths supermajority is required after the Do-Nothing Dems missed Thursday's regular session deadline:
When it comes to substantive solutions, Illinois Dems drop the ball again. They can't even handle debate, they can't govern.The top Senate Republican was less genteel in assessing the Democrats' threadbare spring agenda.
“With a majority of 37, you can't pass a budget. You can't do the business of the governor.You can't get it done," Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said from the floor. "I think you have to be embarrassed. And I know many of you are.
“To have 37 votes and pound your chest, 'How great we are.," Watson continued, before having his microphone cut by the Democrats.
Postscript on Heinous Hamos, who represents part of Wilmette that the Dems chopped up and threw into her district. A woman who only ever wants to raise taxes on us. Tribune:
Earlier on Thursday, a House panel advanced RTA-backed legislation that would allow sales tax increases in Cook County and the collar counties and impose a new real-estate transfer tax in Chicago to raise an estimated $452.5 million for regional mass transit. Blagojevich has vowed to veto any legislation to increase sales taxes. But sponsoring Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) said she hoped to convince the governor and other lawmakers that it was a "regional tax" for a "regional issue."
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