That
being the series of anti-organized labor measures he’d like to see implemented
across Illinois because our state’s governor believes it is the fault of labor
unions that many corporations cannot be even more profitable and beneficial to the
state’s economy.
THE
CITY COUNCIL already has made it clear that not only will they refuse to join
the ranks of the many rural communities that have passed resolutions in support
of Rauner, they’re prepared to lead the fight against the governor.
That
led to Rauner requesting a chance to speak before the City Council during their
meeting on Wednesday. Aldermen pushed during the morning to complete their
other business (including approval of reparations payments for victims of
police brutality from the minions of one-time Commander Jon Burge and a tribute to the late Cardinal Francis George) so that
Rauner could give a noon-time address uninterrupted.
This
is rare. Governors and mayors in Illinois and Chicago respectively often meet.
There has to be some sort of a relationship between the two positions if
anything is to get done in this state.
But
they usually deal with each other, then rely on the other to get their political
minions to go along. Almost like this is a third-rate attempt at remaking "West Side Story."
IN
SHORT, EMANUEL being counted on to get aldermen to back a Rauner-desired goal.
Although in this case, even Emanuel has expressed opposition to the
labor-related measures that Rauner has made a priority of his first four months
as governor.
Now
I’m not about to get into the specifics of what Rauner said to the aldermen.
Personally, I don’t think it matters one bit. I doubt many people were
listening to what the governor said.
In
fact, a part of me wonders if Rauner’s desire was to be booed and heckled and
have the substance of what he said completely ignored. So that he could go out
and tell other people how rude and inconsiderate (he’d probably use harsher
language) the Chicago politicos were.
Make
this a Chicago versus the rest of Illinois issue, and maybe he has a chance of
forcing city opposition into having the “turnaround” rammed down their
collective throat.
THEN
AGAIN, PICKING the Wednesday council session was an odd choice if Rauner were
really trying to sway people. Because it is the last gathering of aldermen
before the newly-elected City Council members are sworn in.
About
one-third of the people who heard Rauner on Wednesday will no longer be in the
council. In fact, the trend seems to be that the replacement aldermen will be
people of a more politically progressive nature who will be even more inclined
to oppose the governor.
They’re
the ones who got elected because of the sentiment that Emanuel is too inclined
to back business interests and be too chummy with people like Rauner.
Perhaps
the governor thought the lame ducks would be more sympathetic. Then again, the
whole point of lame duck status is that they don’t have the power to do much of
anything any longer.
SO
THE GOVERNOR spoke to the City Council. It sounds nice. It would be nice if the
governor tried to have a real relationship with these political people –
instead of acting like they’re the opposition.
Then
again, it’s not like Chicago mayors are all that eager to spend time in
Springfield before the General Assembly.
I
remember former Mayor Richard M. Daley would make what seemed to be his annual
one-day trip to Springfield to be seen by the Democrats and remind them
(including Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, just in case he started to
think his position was bigger than ‘Da Mare’) who was really the boss.
Emanuel
isn’t any different in his dealings with the Illinois Legislature. Perhaps this
attitude of politicians having their ‘turf’ goes a long way toward explaining
why certain things never can seem to get done properly.
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