Friends are the people we listen to and analyze what they are saying. After that, we decide what we are going to say next.
Advocates of the proposed state income tax increase are learning that the hard way this year.
They flooded the Capitol Rotunda with 5,000 people. They held rallies. They wrote letters to the editor and joined forces with other organizations affected by the potential budget cuts to boost their lobbying efforts.
But when it came time for some of these demonstrators to meet with their state representative and/or senator, they met close-eared politicians thinking about their next words during the presentation.
Meeting closed ears in the Legislature is Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposal to increase the tax on incomes of at least $60,000 from 3 percent to 4.5 percent.
It’s a risky political move by the governor that may be used against him during the 2010 gubernatorial election. But it’s what the state needs to keep social service programs going and to chip away at the $12 billion deficit created by increased spending during the last six years.
Perhaps these advocates should realize that instead of preparing their rallies and protests for Quinn, they should use their efforts to convince House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Madigan, a Democrat, has served in the House since 1971. In that time, six governors have been in office. Four of them represented the opposite ticket, two were arrested and one was promoted from lieutenant governor.
This is a guy who not only knows how to sway votes in the Legislature, but has the power to do it. Madigan has become so good at controlling the Legislature’s vote that ethical reformers want to set term limits on Legislative leadership positions.
During last month’s special session, Madigan said nearly 60 of the 70 House Democrats do not support the governor’s plan.
Several legislators gave up on their strong anti-gambling beliefs to approve the long sought Capital Construction Plan, so why can’t they do the same with the operations budget?
While they are at it, advocates should also take their fight to Madigan’s constituents in northeastern Illinois.
Isn’t it weird that a few thousand voters in Chicago elect the man who has more influence on the Legislature than the governor?
It will be up to these advocates to keep voters from forgetting how their elected officials decided to manage the state during a low point in its history.
Let’s only hope that people will start electing their senators and representatives because he or she truly voiced their constituents’ opinion. Right now, it seems like these people got elected because they had the only familiar name on the ballot.
Barton Lorimor is a junior studying
journalism and political science.
