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| Democrats broke Illinois and now trying to break it's constitution too; what is it about Democrats and their inability to manage spending? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 30 2013, 12:39 AM (1,206 Views) | |
| Pat | Dec 30 2013, 12:39 AM Post #1 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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The last paragraph is astounding. The democrat Lt. Governor uses as his reasoning that the attempt to break the constitutional provision that protects pensions has to be legal because why? Well because the state needs it to be. quote-- Democrat Governor Pat Quinn, though, feels that the reforms will stand the constitutional test. "We believe the new law is as constitutionally sound as it is urgently needed to resolve the state's pension crisis," Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said in statement. "We'll defend the interests of taxpayers." If a judicial finding would by some maddening twisted rationale agree with him, then I would assume the supreme court would overturn it. The intent and language of the constitution is specific, no wiggle room. If the state can't hold it's own constitution sacred then in my opinion, no law or regulation there is sacred. Who would want to live in such a state, willing to pull the rug out from the retired or those paying into retirement. The money needed to survive old age. The bigger issue here is as noted in the thread title. Why can't democrats control spending, why have the democrats in Illinois refused to fund a constitutional mandate? We see this on the larger stage,a willingness to take from others in order to reward their supporters. Now they have pushed the envelope so far out there that they have backed themselves into a corner with literally nowhere to turn, no way to pay. I've been preaching this problem since I joined this board. I get pooh poohed about the national debt and the need for belt tightening. Well guys, look at Illinois and California as two glaring examples that will soon be playing out on the national stage. Irresponsible actions that will one day have the federal government trying to wiggle out of social security and medicare. No state has a worse public pension crisis than Illinois and for years lawmakers have found it impossible to agree upon what to do about it all. This legislative session some agreements were finally hammered out to address the crisis. But now the state's retired teachers are going to court, suing to stop even those tepid reforms. Despite that for more than a decade Illinois Democrats have had a lock on control of both the legislature and the governor's mansion, lawmakers have had much trouble trying to solve the mounting $100 billion deficit. And even with these new agreements, one hurdle stands in lawmakers' way; the state constitution. Years ago Democrats and unions were able to add an amendment to the state constitution that would forbid any changes to pension promises. It is this clause that the teachers are citing as a reason that the new reforms must be halted. "That guarantee, perhaps more so than anything else in the Illinois Constitution, was used by countless families across Illinois to plan careers, retirements and financial futures," the educators' lawsuit says. "Many of them know that constitutional guarantee by heart." But the state simply cannot continue on the path its pliant legislators agreed to with union representatives who also contribute heavily to the political campaigns of those same legislators. Of Illinois, David Draine, a senior researcher at the Pew Center on the States, recently said, "They are in the most dire situation of all the states. Illinois is facing a growing bill that it hasn't figured out how to pay for. The other poorly funded states have at least some sort of plan." As NPR reported in June: "Just how dire is the situation now? Each day without a fix digs the Illinois pension hole at least another $17 million deeper. After two recent downgrades, Illinois' bonds are only a few steps above junk status. S&P say that only three states--California, Louisiana and Massachusetts--have ever had ratings as low as Illinois' current level in the last half century. The low rating makes the fiscal situation even more grim, as the state will see its borrowing costs, already among the highest in the nation, rise yet again." Still, lawmakers finally agreed on a few half-hearted reforms to pensions including raising the retirement age on a sliding scale and introducing a 401(k) option. Supporters claim that it will save $160 billion over 30 years. Yet teachers and other critics claim these meager changes violate the constitution and are mounting an effort to stop the reforms that are supposed to take effect in June of next year. Democrat Governor Pat Quinn, though, feels that the reforms will stand the constitutional test. "We believe the new law is as constitutionally sound as it is urgently needed to resolve the state's pension crisis," Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said in statement. "We'll defend the interests of taxpayers." |
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| colo_crawdad | Dec 30 2013, 12:45 AM Post #2 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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"The last paragraph is astounding." The last paragraph from what publication? |
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| Mountainrivers | Dec 30 2013, 12:46 AM Post #3 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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Well, Pat, what would you do if you had the responsibility of paying for everything? |
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| Pat | Dec 30 2013, 12:48 AM Post #4 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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Google the quote, the Lt Governor made it. |
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| colo_crawdad | Dec 30 2013, 12:51 AM Post #5 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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But no verifiable source that the Lt. Governor made the statement and that it was not made in a greater context? |
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| Neutral | Dec 30 2013, 12:53 AM Post #6 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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I grew up and have many connections to IL and I have no idea what they can do, they have made so many wrong moves such as raising taxes on business. I know of businesses that have went bankrupt because the State would not pay their bills to them. |
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| Neutral | Dec 30 2013, 12:54 AM Post #7 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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Are you really going to start another game Colo? If you don't believe it, find something that proves it or don't post. |
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| Pat | Dec 30 2013, 12:55 AM Post #8 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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I've been there Neal and paid the bills. In the case of Illinois, the spending and paying decisions are made by majorities of people not one. In Illinois I would have been one of the no votes that was drowned out by the yeas of irresponsible democrat legislators. |
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| tomdrobin | Dec 30 2013, 12:55 AM Post #9 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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The inherent conflict of interest in collective bargaining for public employees has resulted in overly generous pension payouts and benefits, and too make matters worse they have conspired to enshrine the entitlements in the constitution. During exceptionally good times these benefits may have been affordable, but they are threatening the financial solvency of the government entities. This is a nationwide problem. Diverting tax revenues from sorely needed public services to finance the retired. When this happens in private industry benefits are reduced, and retirees take a "haircut" on payouts. Why should public service be any different? Why should taxpayers who have taken these reductions themselves be asked to pay more to protect public retirees? |
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| Pat | Dec 30 2013, 12:56 AM Post #10 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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Why do you say that Colo, are you calling me a liar? If you think I lied then spend some time researching and have ammo in your hand when you make such an allegation. |
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