Why I think Judy would be “crying” at political partisanship done in her name

It seems that on the day most of us were ignoring the Chicago mayoral race (only 34 percent voter turnout that day), a state legislator from the far northwest suburbs was trying to slip a change into state law purely out of partisan political spite.

Feb. 24 was the day of the mayoral election. It also was the date that state Rep. Michael Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, introduced a bill for consideration by the General Assembly this spring to change the way in which governors can fill vacancies.

SPECIFICALLY, TRYON WAS concerned with the outcry that developed following the death in early December of state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.

Eventually, Gov. Bruce Rauner filled the spot with Leslie Munger. But for the month that existed between Topinka’s death and Rauner’s inauguration, former Gov. Pat Quinn long-time political ally Jerry Stermer to be the comptroller.

Now anyone with common sense sees nothing wrong with this. The former governor filled the immediate vacancy, and the current governor got to fill the new term that began when they were inaugurated in mid-January.

There was no interruption in the services provided by the state Comptroller’s office. There was no problem.

EXCEPT IN THE mind of Tryon and other political people who want to put partisanship above all other concerns. Hence, Tryon is trying to get a change in the law.

Specifically, he says a governor must be required to replace a vacancy with someone “of the same leading political party.” Because Topinka identified herself as a Republican, her replacement must also be a registered GOPer.

During the month that Stermer was comptroller, the constitutional office was headed by a Democrat. Which the Illinois Review website that spins all news from a conservative ideological viewpoint says was somehow wrong.

Actually, it’s just the way government operates, and ought to operate. Governors across the nation get the authority to make appointments and fill vacancies as they see fit. It’s one of the perks of the position.

IT ALSO IS a reason why people should take such elections seriously. Picking a governor impacts more than just who gets the right to call the Executive Mansion in Springfield home.

And yes, if Pat Quinn had managed to win re-election back in November, he would have had every right to pick a Democrat over a Republican – regardless of the fact that Topinka defeated Democratic comptroller nominee Sheila Simon back in November.

There certainly is precedent. Back in the early 1980s, Democrat Alan Dixon won the first of his two terms in the U.S. Senate half-way through his term as Illinois secretary of state.

Democratic partisan interests were hurt when then-Gov. James R. Thompson chose fellow Republican (and gubernatorial aide) Jim Edgar to replace Dixon. Those are the breaks, and Thompson had every right to make that choice.

I’M SURE THAT Tryon isn’t old enough to have been politically active back in the early 1980s (I was in high school back then), but I suspect he and his ilk would be screeching and screaming at anyone who would have dared to challenge Thompson’s appointment – which impacted our state by putting Edgar into the position by which he eventually springboarded to two terms of his own as governor.

Considering that Topinka was a Republican partisan who always managed to draw significant political support from Democrats as well, I’d like to think she would appreciate this very fact. I’d like to think she herself would not be taking seriously this bill – which I personally hope manages to get lost in the shuffle of legislative activity this spring.

The sooner that knuckleheaded partisan ideas like this fade away, the sooner we all can get around to having serious governing on our behalf.

Then, maybe I can get the late Lesley Gore song “Judy’s Turn to Cry” out of my head, because it was among the first thoughts that popped in there when I learned of this measure.

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EXTRA: Ill. still recommends $100M for future Obama presidential library

Do Ed Sullivan and ...

After all the hub-bub and excitement, the rants and rages, and all the talk of how sleazy and corrupt the deal was, it seems that an Illinois House committee STILL gave its recommendation to having the state kick in some funds to the effort that could someday see the President Barack Obama library and museum locate in Chicago.

Remember a few weeks ago when the Illinois House Executive Committee recommended the measure, largely because Republican members of the committee didn’t realize the committee was still meeting, even after expanded gambling was debated?

... other Republican members ...

THAT CAUSED QUITE the stink, to the point where Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, sent the proposal back to committee where it got reviewed again.

That occurred on Wednesday at the Statehouse in Springfield (rather than in Chicago at the Bilandic Building, as it occurred last time).

The committee met. People spoke. Outrage was expressed. And in the end, that committee voted 7-4 along purely partisan lines to recommend the bill that calls for the use of $100 million in state funds for the project – for which Chicago is competing against New York and Honolulu interests.

... of Ill. House Exec committee ...

This was never in doubt. The Democrats do control the General Assembly (and even if a GOP candidate were to become governor, he’s going to learn how unpleasant Michael Madigan can be to work with if one gets too pushy).

BUT NOW, THE Republican members of that committee are on the record as voting “No” against something that could be seen as supporting the image of the GOP “anti-Christ” himself – Obama!!! (That’s how ridiculous the rhetoric gets, at times).

... now have clear partisan conscience?

I hope Executive Committee Republican spokesman Ed Sullivan, Jr., R-Mundelein, along with committee member Reps. Renee Kosel, R-New Lenox; Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford; and Michael Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, feel better. (I sense the sarcasm dripping from that sentence).

Now, nobody can imply they would vote “Yes” for something that might actually be a tourist attraction. Or at least more of an attraction than the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum in Grand Rapids, Mich.

And just in case anyone has any doubt, it is very likely that the Democratic margins of controlling the General Assembly will prevail. This WILL pass the Legislature and get signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn – no matter how much rhetoric is mustered up by the political opposition.

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