In the News

Daily Herald, March 31, 2007

SPRINGFIELD — A Democrat runs the Illinois Senate.

A Democrat controls the Illinois House. And a Democrat is in the governor’s office, and, for that matter, every other statewide office.

Seems like a blue-stater’s political dream come true, and all should be happy and joyous within Democratic ranks.

Ha!

More than four years after Chicago’s Rod Blagojevich ended Republicans’ quarter-century stranglehold on the governor’s mansion to join House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones Jr. atop Democratic leadership ranks, personality conflicts and ego battles continue to mar relationships among the state’s Democratic elite.

“They always seem to be on a different page,” said Kent Redfield, a political studies professor at the University of Illinois’ Springfield campus. “They couldn’t agree on declaring Christmas a holiday.”

For instance, Blagojevich’s planned tax hike on businesses has drawn criticism from his own lieutenant governor and running mate Pat Quinn, along with Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Comptroller Dan Hynes, all Chicago Democrats.

Earlier this year, Madigan laughed when asked if he trusted the governor to act responsibly with the state’s finances. A week later, Blagojevich torpedoed Madigan’s pet program targeting predatory lenders.

Blagojevich’s biggest ally on the business tax hike is Jones. And Jones’ Senate once added so much spending to a budget plan that Blagojevich publicly compared the Democratic senators to “drunken sailors” engaged in a “spending orgy.”

Then there’s Democratic Secretary of State Jesse White, who once all but called Blagojevich a liar, saying the governor had gone back on his word regarding budget cuts to White’s office.

And Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan, speaker Madigan’s daughter, has often clashed with the governor on legal and financial moves. When she rejected Blagojevich’s attempt to sell the Thompson Center in Chicago, he essentially dismissed her action as Madigan being “daddy’s girl.”

“I’ve got two daughters,” Blagojevich said back in 2004 after the attorney general nixed the building deal. “I hope they back me on stuff that I do.”

The senior Madigan, also chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, offered the explanation that all this is merely Democrats being Democrats.

“I usually refer people to that famous quote by Will Rogers, who said that he was not a member of an organized party; he was a Democrat. That’s what Democrats are like,” Madigan said earlier this year.

Not that Republicans necessarily enjoyed calmer political waters a dozen years ago when they momentarily controlled everything. Downstate Republican Gov. Jim Edgar was often at odds with the suburban Republicans who controlled the Illinois General Assembly, particularly then-Senate President James “Pate” Philip of Wooddale.

But Edgar said those fights seem different than today’s.

“It was never a personal thing. They’d yell at me about something and 10 minutes later call me up and want me to do something for them, and vice-versa. You can’t just judge everything by what you read in the paper or see on television,” Edgar said. “But the Madigan-Blagojevich thing seems to be a lot more personal than it is just ideology.”

While the power struggle and back biting make for good talk around Capitol water coolers, the average Joe may want to pay attention, too. From a purely pocketbook politics perspective, the current state of Democratic affairs puts most taxpayers in an undesirable position.

If Democrats remain at odds, it likely means no one will see relief from rising power bills. How much ComEd and other utilities can charge for electricity remains a key sticking point among Democratic powers. This issue is only going to become more pressing as the weather continues to heat up and electric-powered air conditioners kick in, showing the full brunt of recent rate increases on power bills.

On the other hand, if Democrats mend fences, it dramatically increases the likelihood of a tax increase to pump billions into education spending, expand health-care coverage and shore up state pensions.

Even if they do nothing, taxpayers take a hit. Three years ago, this political spat led to a marathon overtime session and taxpayers shelled out added thousands just to house and feed lawmakers.

Suburban Democrats say part of their job is keeping their political leaders focused.

“We’re famous for having ego-driven leaders in Springfield, but I don’t think it’s any different in Washington,” said state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat. “It’s our job to deal with it and make sure they don’t get too far off track with some of their personality conflicts. What is still important is that we’re all still on the same track.”

Observers, like Redfield, aren’t as optimistic, saying, “This is going to be a long, hot summer.”