Democrats Hard at Work in Illinois

Discussion in 'West Mall' started by iatrogenic, Aug 12, 2016.

  1. iatrogenic

    iatrogenic 2,500+ Posts

    http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/will081116.php3

    Democrats who, with veto-proof majorities in the state Legislature, have reduced this state they control to insolvency. Illinois' government, says Rauner, "is run for the benefit of its employees."

    Illinois' government, says Rauner, "is run for the benefit of its employees." Increasingly, it is run for their benefit when they retire.

    At last count, $7.6 billion was owed to many of the state's vendors. But the law in its majesty requires that the state's legislators -- those who write the laws -- get paid under any circumstances.

    What is misleadingly called the state's Constitution requires balanced budgets, of which there have been none for 25 years. This year, revenues are projected to be $32.5 billion, with spending of $38 billion. Illinois Democrats are, however, selective constitutionalists: They will die in the last ditch defending the constitution's provision that says no government pension can be "diminished or impaired."

    Under Rauner's Democratic predecessor, the Legislature passed a "temporary" tax increase, serenely expecting that when it expired they would enjoy the truth of Ronald Reagan's axiom that there is nothing as immortal as a temporary government program. They did not count on the first Republican governor in 12 years. Rauner let the tax lapse. To their demand for more tax increases, he sweetly says: Let's talk.

    Illinois is a leading indicator of increasing national childishness -- an unwillingness to will the means for the ends that it wills. Nationally, state and local governments' pensions have somewhere between $1 trillion and $4 trillion in unfunded pension liabilities
     

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