Illinois | Grumpa Joe's Place

The Invisible Man

Posted on 16/01/2018 by Grumpa Joe

The only time I ever see my Senator on the news is when he is running for re-election. Senator Tricky Dicky Durbin is usually missing in action until it is time to turn on campaign mode. This time it started when President Trump seated Tricky next to him in the highly visible immigration meeting. Then, the next day Tricky made headlines by accusing Trump of saying why do we want to keep bringing people into this country from shithole countries. Every liberal journalist is now spreading the horror of the words shithole, while the rest of us nod our heads in assent saying “yes why would we?”

What Tricky Dicky does not recognize is that he is responsible for making his home state the shithole of the fifty. We rank second only to San Francisco. Illinois is a blue state, a very, very deep blue state. Even the Republicans on our ballots are RINO’s. One of Tricky’s buddies is a State representative named Mike Madigan. Madigan has been Speaker of the House for more than thirty years. Four years ago we elected Bruce Rauner a conservative governor and Madigan and the majority democrats have stalled and denied any cooperation. Does that sound familiar? Illinois has operated on continuing resolutions instead of a budget for the past four years even though it is against the law to run that way. The governor refuses to sign a budget that does not include some modicum of pension reforms for pensions. We the people of Illinois pay heavy taxes to fund public sector union pension funds. Unions vote democrat, and there in lies our problem. Which unions are responsible: State workers, Chicago Teachers Union, Police Union, Fire Fighters Union. They all know how to play the media and the politicians at contract time. Absolutely no one wants to fight these unions for reform. Instead of reforming, the unions get raises and more perks.

What does this have to do with Tricky? He is as invisible as the comic character The Invisible Man. Never have I heard him comment positively about reform in his home state. I don’t expect Tricky to waver on any subject close to a leftist’s heart like unlimited immigration, wide open borders, election control, you name it Tricky is all for it and brands anyone who opposes his agenda as racist, da-da-da-da da. His agenda is to make the USA look like Chicago and Illinois. He is blind to the fact that small businesses are flocking to neighboring states for relief. Citizens are moving in droves to states with low income-taxes, property taxes, and low cost state schools. Yes, a vote for Tricky is a vote to turn Illinois, and the USA into a Socialist State.

Filed under: Election, politics | Tagged: Durbin, Illinois, Madigan, Shithole | Leave a comment »

Governor Rauner Speaks Out

Posted on 18/05/2016 by Grumpa Joe

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

RAUNER: DEAR STATE EMPLOYEES, THE TRUTH IS ILLINOIS IS BROKE

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner penned the following public letter to the state’s employees, explaining his reasoning for vetoing HB 580 Monday:

OPEN LETTER TO STATE EMPLOYEES:

For too many years, Illinoisans have been misled. Each of you in state government has been misled. Taxpayers who fund government have been misled. Recipients of public services, including our most vulnerable residents, have also been misled. The consequences are before us, and they are dire.

I ran for office to right these wrongs. I believe that solving our state’s crisis requires a simple first step – for someone to tell the truth. So here it is.

The truth is that Illinois is broke. Our taxpayers, who pay the highest property taxes in the nation, are maxed out and local governments continue to raise property taxes.

Expanding the size of government faster than middle-class paychecks are growing is a failing strategy. That is why I have no choice but to veto AFSCME’s arbitration bill, HB580.

It’s not because I don’t want to see you earn a better living today. I do. I veto HB580 because I want to protect the pension system that you are counting on for your retirement.

If I signed this bill, I would be subjecting all taxpayers to another $3 billion in higher taxes. That makes no sense when too many jobs have been leaving Illinois, and those hardworking Illinoisans that remain see their incomes falling.

We can make Illinois a state where our employees receive the pension benefits they were promised, where our budget is truly balanced through strong economic growth rather than destructive tax hikes, and where our state workers are not forced to work in decaying buildings with technology that is older than my children and furniture that is older than me.

I pledged on my first day in office to build a partnership with state employees, and that is exactly what we have done. Our 1970s computers are being replaced with next generation technology. With the General Assembly’s help, I pledged to put the Thompson Center up for sale and move employees to more modern space. We pushed for more flexible scheduling and ended Rod Blagojevich’s corrupt hiring system.

When Attorney General Madigan sought to shut off pay, Comptroller Munger and I defeated that misguided attack on state employees. And I have called on the General Assembly to honor Governor Quinn’s failed promise of wage increases from 2011. We must respect our commitments and not make new commitments that we cannot afford.

We also sought employees’ ideas for improvements and savings, prompting us to send out the first-ever state employee survey. The results were eye-opening.

You told me that promotions and compensation are not based on merit. You told me that agencies don’t reward creativity and innovation. I want to reward hard work and ingenuity. Unfortunately, union leadership is blocking many of these common sense ideas – ideas that you want. Rest assured, I heard your desire for these reforms loud and clear.

So my administration took action. We launched a truly meaningful merit pay program. We started a gainsharing program that will reward state employees for helping save taxpayers’ money. We implemented a “rapid results” system that removes obstacles to employee innovation and allows employees to personally change processes that impede good customer service.

But as I have noted, with a truly historic budget deficit and skyrocketing debt, our taxpayers cannot afford the added spending pressure of huge wage and health insurance increases. That is why I must veto HB580, ensuring that the legal process agreed to with AFSCME leaders and currently underway before the Labor Board, is allowed to proceed and fairly resolve any outstanding issues.

But I make this pledge: The State will honor its promises to you. We will continue to listen and build a workplace that values and rewards hard work, innovation, and creativity, all in a welcoming work environment. We will keep fighting to get you paid in full and on time. And we will continue to stand for fiscal discipline so that you and your families can again know you are, finally, being told the truth.

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Illinois is broke because it has the most corrupt Democrat government, and has had it for the longest time. State politicians work diligently to get re-elected. Most consider their offices as a profession that belongs to them. Many pass their posts to their children to keep the family business running. They cleverly manipulate State workers with perks and money to insure they help to get them re-elected year after year. Illinois is as close to being a socialist state as one can get. We are an example to the rest of the country. Look at us and ask, do I want to be a tax-slave working to line the pockets of the faithful dominions of elites who are running our state?

GJP

Filed under: Conservative, economy, Election, Government, politics | Tagged: Democrats, Illinois, Madigan, Rauner | Leave a comment »

Blue State Blues

Posted on 29/01/2015 by Grumpa Joe

In 2009 when I attended my first Tea Party Rally in Joliet, I met Adam Andrzejewski. At the time he introduced himself as a candidate for Governor of Illinois. I asked him point blank if he was a Conservative, he answered yes I am. Eventually, he ran against machine candidate Pat Quinn and lost big. However, he did not stop his effort to make a difference in Illinois politics. His next venture is a website called “For the Good of Illinois.” Adam regularly exposes corruption at all levels. More recently he has uncovered a huge rip off by College of DuPage President and his Board of Directors. Mind you, College of DuPage is a Junior college not a four year college. Adam has been campaigning to have the President step down from his position, and the board responded with a $762,868.77 severance package. This money doesn’t include his State pension, but will increase what he gets. What is really hard to understand here is why a Junior College President’s salary is so high as to command three quarters of a million dollars in severance. I worked for a top rated manufacturing company in a management capacity and I know what hard working people make. Even the owner of our company did not take an exorbitant salary.; he chose to reinvest his money in the company. I know what a CEO of a company has to do to keep showing a profit, and the job is huge compared to that of a College President. So why is there such a disparity? Most likely it is because a college doesn’t have to show a profit, and can ask for money from the tax payer simply by playing the sympathy card that they need more money. Sadly, our state government is sympathetic to this kind of extortion. My guess is that under all this college level corruption are a number of State Representatives who are in on the action. I copied the latest report from Adam’s website below. It may seem a little disoriented because I could not transfer all the format. I suggest clicking on the link to get to the site and see it as he presented it.

Many folks will say why should I be interested in what is going on on Illinois at a Junior College level? It is my contention that with some searching as done by Adam you will un cover similar if not more egregious examples of corruption within your own community. The folks have learned that they can extract goodies from the population through taxes and are in on the action. I don’t care how much you like your kid’s teacher, I guarantee there is graft going on within your School District. Start by looking at salaries within the District and begin asking questions about why there are so many high paid people in your school administrations? The teachers get Jack Squat, but their management team has potential for some real money.

I thank Adam of this dogged pursuit of opening the books in Illinois, and showing us what is going on within our communities.

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For The Good of Illinois
“There are no easy conversations left in America-
it’s going to take hard work.”

“There is no ‘right’ way to vote for a wrong
$762,868.77 severance package.”
Kathy Hamilton, Vice-Chairman College of DuPage
500 plus citizens showed up
ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN TV nightly newscasts
Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, Suburban Life News, Naperville Sun wrote lead pieces
State Representatives Peter Breen and Jeanne Ives
Candidates for College of DuPage Board of Trustees- including Deanne Mazzochi, Frank Napolitano, Charles Bernstein, Claire Ball, Roger Kempa, Sandy Pihos, and Joseph Wozniak delivered public comments
Support for Medal of Honor Sgt. Robert Miller speaker- Bob Kaye
Band of Mothers founder, Beverly Perlson
Good Government Groups including Edgar County Watchdogs, Americans For Prosperity, DuPage United, IL State Tea Party, West Suburban Patriots, American Transparency, For The Good of Illinois and many others attended and spoke out
The College Of DuPage Faculty Association Glenn Hansen and Richard Jarman spoke
Attorneys representing many top-notch local and nationally branded law firms

Crowd Voices Dismay at College of DuPage Presidents Exit Deal
by Dick Johnson | NBC 5- Chicago
Watch the NBC broadcast report here
College of DuPage Trustees Approve Buyout,
Despite Community Outrage
By John Garcia | ABC News- Chicago
Watch the ABC broadcast report here

Over 75 regular people gave public comment for over three hours. Watch as I aggressively battled the legalities of this outrageous payment.

Our lawyers – Timothy Elliott, Charlie Philbrick, and Jordan Franklin – convinced Judge Bonnie Wheaton to force COD to open a large room to accommodate the 500 citizens. Read Chicago Tribune article

State Rep. Jack Franks (D- Marengo) threatened to withhold $1.25 million of state funding.

The pressure was intense on this college board… in fact, the board stood up (for the first time in three meetings) for the pledge of allegiance. The board blamed previous COD boards. Incredibly, Trustee Savage blamed the 500 citizens for not showing up– years earlier. Chairman Erin Birt repeatedly stated that she takes this stuff seriously. Really?

And then they rubber-stamped 6-1 the $762,868.77 severance package of the college President. Read Daily Herald recap story here.

The coalition united against this action was formidable and non-partisan. But, for many people in the audience, these were their supposed “friends” – a Republican majority board. The coalition feels sold out.

Last night, this board told the people that their voice doesn’t matter. In the April elections, three board seats are on the ballot. At the ballot box, the people must speak with their vote.

For The Good of Illinois.

ADAM ANDRZEJEWSKI
Founder & Chairman, For The Good of Illinois

Filed under: Conservative, Education, Election, family, Government | Tagged: Adam Andrzejwski, College of DuPage, corruption, graft, Illinois, School Board | 2 Comments »

Illinois, the Worst State in the USA

Posted on 16/05/2014 by Grumpa Joe

I received this letter from my Illinois State Representative, Rene Kosel today. She explains why our state is in such dire straights. Businesses continue to leave the state, our schools are the worst, our largest city, Chicago, is a murder capital, our tax is higher than most states, and yet our socialist Democrat Governor and legislators continue to spend-spend-spend. For all practical purposes, Illinois is a one party state. We have what Obama wants for the country; one party rule. When and where does it stop? It stops this November when we throw the bums out.

They are career politicians who believe it is their responsibility to waste our tax dollars just like Obama. Even the Republicans act like Democrats. They couldn’t make the ballot as a democrat so they changed to become Republicans. They should all be hanging by the neck in a row leading up the Capital steps.

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Dear Friends,

The Democrats are at it again, yesterday the Illinois House of Representatives voted on nearly 80 different appropriation bills for the 2015 budget, a budget that will overspend by nearly $3 billion. Every single Republican in the House, and even several Democrats, voted against this unconstitutional budget.

However, despite bi-partisan opposition to this terrible budget the Democrats were able to narrowly pass all the appropriation bills and move an unbalanced budget to the Senate.

In total, the House Democrats have passed a budget that spends $37.3 billion. Illinois is only expected to bring in $34.49 billion in tax revenue for the year. The budget that the Democrats rammed through the House yesterday overspends by at least $2.8 billion; it could very well go higher.

This is an unbalanced budget and the Democrats are banking on the ‘temporary’ 2011 income tax increase becoming permanent. There are also lump sum appropriations throughout this budget, they are basically handing the Governor piles of cash and allowing him to decide where these taxpayer dollars go. Do we really want to give Governor Quinn another political slush fund?

The income tax increase of January 2011 is set to expire on January 1, 2015. If the income tax increase is not extended or made permanent, personal income tax rates would decrease to 3.75% (still above the 3% prior to 2011) and the corporate tax rate would decrease from 7% to 5.25% (5% prior to 2011 increase).

The Illinois Constitution clearly states that no budget can exceed projected revenues for the year. Without action on the income tax issue, the 2015 budget passed by House Democrats today would exceed revenues by at least $2.8 billion. This is a clear violation of the Illinois Constitution and just poor policy for our state.

Yours in Service,

Renée Kosel

State Representative – District 37

Filed under: Conservative, Election, family, LIBERAL, Manufacturing, politics | Tagged: Democrat Spending, Illinois, Rene Kosel, taxes | Leave a comment »

It’s Baaack!

Posted on 14/12/2013 by Grumpa Joe

This morning I awoke and peeked out he window at the 2013 Monet Vision. It looked the best it did all year-long. Bathed in white it looked better than the white theme I tried to make this year. For the past twenty years I have commented on the pussy winters we have had, but this year promises to become the winter I know and hate, . . er I mean love. When you live in Illinois you have to love winter or you are not worthy of living here.

This week we experienced the joy of breathing below zero temps and decided that Arizona looks pretty good. Then it snowed three times counting today. The first was a shoveler. That’s a powdery snow fall that is less than two inches deep and it is not worthy of wasting gas in the snow blower, so shovel I did. The next day, it snowed again. Another powdery one inch not worthy of a blow job. In fact, because I had a doctor appointment early, it didn’t even get a shovel job. This morning when I opened the garage door there was nine inches of powdery snow in front of me: Hear that all you guys who moved to Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida? This was definitely worth a blow job. Except, my blower was not ready. I had it serviced, I had fresh gas, but I removed the blower-chute when I stuffed the machine into the trunk to take it for service. The winters have been so pussy, that I kept gambling on not needing to get it completely functional. It took fifteen minutes to install the chute and three pulls to get it going strong

Lucky for me the Frankfort snowplow had not yet come by to fill the driveway with a block worth of snow moving at forty miles per hour. My trusty Honda, inherited from my son who moved to snow-less Houston, moved right through the powdery stuff. The temp measured 31.4 degrees F at my front porch.

I had about 90% of the driveway completed when I noticed the snow was no longer flying out the chute. Instead, it packed into the chute and didn’t clean very well at all. The temperature was now above 32 degrees and the snow was, as we used to say as kids, “good packing.” That meant it is perfect for making snowballs and snow men.

It took about an hour to finish the drive and the walk in front of my house and the walks in front of the neighbors on each side of me. A few years ago, this would have taken me less than forty minutes and I would have had a great workout. This time, it took much longer and it tired me out completely. That is Nature’s way of telling me that the old bod’ ain’t what it was a few years ago. I guess it is the result of too many glasses of Cabernet and endless hours in front of the computer doing absolutely nothing.

After clearing the front, I tackled the patio to gain access to the bird feeders. There wasn’t a single dove, cardinal, or sparrow in sight. Must be the snow, I thought, until I heard the screeching call of a hawk. He sat in a tree observing the action around the feeders. I reveled at the sound of his call as he obstinately stayed perched and screeching high above me. I was shoveling a path around the post feeder and the hanging feeder at the window when I spotted Grandma Peggy peering out keeping the hawk under surveillance. Now that’s neat, a predator observing his prey while being observed by a constable protecting the prey. The look on Peggy’s face was enough to scare any hawk from the area.

I took some pictures with my phone and declared the 2013 Monet Vision had finally achieved a state of beauty worthy of talking about. Remember, Churchill said, “never, never, never, never give up.” I’m glad I didn’t because the garden finally looks good.