Comments on: SB600 – - Let People Decide

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:54:07 +0000

Suffice it to say, I think that it is the R’s playing games, and NOT the D’s. Here is a link to my update diary.

http://www.redstate.com/barry915barry/2009/03/11/updatethere-is-hope-for-the-illinois-gop-after-all/

By: Brian Hibbert

Brian Hibbert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:46:54 +0000

There were a couple of amendments to the bill to make it more Democrat like.

I suspect that’s why most of the Republicans dropped it. I’ll write more in a separate diary.

By: Brian Hibbert

Brian Hibbert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:31:36 +0000

I’m a bit confused about Rutherford (assuming the report on Champion News is correct). As I said before, he replied to an email on the subject with “?I support this legislation.”

I want to know what changed. I’ll try to find out this weekend.

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:14:18 +0000

here: http://www.redstate.com/barry915barry/2009/03/10/there-is-hope-for-the-illinois-gop-after-all/

I spoke with Rutherfords office on Monday, and they made it clear that he was in support of the amendment. I do not know how each member on the committee voted yet, just that it was 5-4. Barry

By: Brian Hibbert

Brian Hibbert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:15:11 +0000

According to the Champion News article on it, It was passed with 2 Republicans and 3 Democrats voting it out of committee. If the report is true (it seems a bit inflamitory in its rhetoric), Dan Rutherford is one of the Republicans that voted against it, though his email to me indicated he supported the bill. I'm going to a Republican dinner Saturday and I expect Rutherford to be there. I'll see if I can corner him on this issue.

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:45:00 +0000

First, It was already IN the state code, how the state chairs were elected. He simply “pushed through” legislation (kind of like Mayor Daley does in Chicago) that concentrated the power in the “higher ups”. As a Republican, he simply changed the Republican primary. I do not really know why he did not try to change the way the Dems ran their own primaries. Perhaps they (the Dems) had some great insight at the time that “absolute power corrupts absolutely”, or something of that nature. The two parties essentially control all of the state level politics. They have made it extremely difficult for any other parties to even run for state wide office (requiring a ridiculous number of signatures on their nominating petitions just to even BE on the ballot, for example.) Also, Thompson was a very powerful, very popular (2-term) governor. He basically called the shots here in Illinois. He wasn’t called Big Jim Thompson for nothing!

See my two comments below for some additional information.

By: Martin Knight

Martin Knight — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:33:06 +0000

Why didn’t Thompson just get the Chairman of the ILGOP and the rest of the state central committee at the time to get things changed so that the rank and file no longer get to choose the leadership?

Why did he need to involve the state?

And how come he left the Democrats’ own internal processes alone? I find it very unsettling that a law can be passed to affect a specific political party while leaving others untouched.

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:50:09 +0000

By: Martin Knight

Martin Knight — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:31:50 +0000

By: Warner Todd Huston

Warner Todd Huston — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:43:31 +0000

Yes, Jim Thompson did get the state legislature involved in changing the way the Ill. GOP does things.

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:33:24 +0000

I just hung up the phone with (R) Senator Lauzen (IL-25). Really nice that he personally called me back so quickly. Here is the link to IL SB600:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SB/PDF/09600SB0600lv.pdf.

It simply amends the existing STATE (election)code back to what it was prior (to the power grab) back when it was changed, with two major exceptions. Women are now guaranteed equal representation on the 38 member “board”, and that the party chairman no longer has to be elected from among the board. It can be an OUTSIDE person. This is indeed excellent bill (amendment). Please call the above members of the committee and encourage them to vote “YES” on IL-SB600. Barry

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:56:56 +0000

I am both a certified election judge (for 9 years) and Field Deputy Clerk (FDC) for the last 5. I see first hand the grip that the Dems and the GOP has on Illinois politics because we have to abide by the rules when implementing elections, such as the General Consolidated Primary on this past Feb. 24, 2009. The rules are very heavy handed, IMHO, but, they are written into Illinois state code. I have a call in to Senator Lauzen’s office for more information on this matter. My OWN understanding, is that for it to be part of the REGULAR primary process, it must be changed statutorily, because that is how the primaries are regulated. I agree that the parties should have to pay for their own primaries, but that is unfortunately how the law is written. It is simply one mechanism by which the parties that are IN control, STAY in control. Both parties, as is common knowledge, are very corrupt, and do not necessarily do the work of the people, as opposed to “the work of the party” here in Illinois. It is more about simply keeping power and patronage jobs. I believe that this bill is a right step in the direction of giving back the power to the people. To change the laws regarding the primaries would be an unprecedented upheaval in ILL politics. Even more so than former Gov. Blago’s recent impeachment. This would require reform across the ENTIRE state (including Chicago). This is NOT going to happen any time soon. Baby steps guys, baby steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

By: Martin Knight

Martin Knight — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:17:34 +0000

… is to be decided by the IL Legislature.

Did the Democrats in Illinois get the state to rule on their own process for selecting leadership? Did Jim Thompson get a law passed to strip the ILGOP rank and file from electing the ILGOP leadership or did he get the central committee to do it?

I hope this bill by Mr. Lauzen is not opening the door for the state to meddle in party affairs – especially since IL is controlled from top to bottom by Democrats, this may not be a very good idea.

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:12:34 +0000

Left a message on 3, and even called Milners office. He was, BTW, the only vote in the IL. senate AGAINST weakening the ethics reform bill. I have actually met him previously (in his St. Charles office ). He seems to be a straight shooter. Lets hope we can move this bill forward. The ILL. GOP has a real opportunity to do something good and do something Right.

By: RobW

RobW — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:09:56 +0000

…aren’t there constitutional issues with the government forcing a private organization (the Illinois GOP) to pick their board of directors based on a state-run vote?

I’m plenty disturbed about how influential both parties are and how far removed the real power is from the people. But perhaps the solution is to start recognizing political parties as private clubs (which they are), stop paying for their primaries, and maybe encourage more third-party action when it’s clear that neither major party is living up to their obligations.

If you’ve “had enough” but still are unwilling to fool with third party candidates, make this change from the inside of the GOP, not with heavy-handed and potentially illegal legislation.

By: Warner Todd Huston

Warner Todd Huston — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:52:28 +0000

John Milner is a good guy. Hope he’ll listen.

By: barry915barry

barry915barry — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:48:34 +0000

I will be calling all 9 today. My state senator is John Milner.