I didn’t watch State of State (or Union)

I’m sure somebody out there will get outraged and want to call into question my credentials as a political-watching geek. But I didn’t bother to watch any of the government speechifying that took place this week.

Missed Rauner's 'State of State' rhetoric

I avoided the State of the Union address Tuesday night, meaning I didn’t hear Donald Trump’s nasally voice tell us how wonderful our nation would be – if only we’d just shut up and do what he tells us to do.

NOR DID I feel the need to watch the broadcasts of the State of the State address presented during the noon hour Wednesday by Gov. Bruce Rauner, whom I’m sure tried coming up with a way of saying essentially the same thing about Illinois while also droppin' some "g's" to make himself sound like the "common" man.

That, and “Blame Madigan!,” which seems to be the lone message Rauner has to say these days – and which I’m sure he will repeat all the way through to the Nov. 6 general election.

I’m sure some will want to criticize me by claiming I’m ignoring the serious messages these two elected officials have to present to us. They’ll use this to try to criticize anything I might want to say or think, by claiming I’m not following the “facts.”

To which I say “Nonsense!” I read a transcript of the Rauner address before he even gave it, and also enough summaries of what Trump had to say. I probably paid greater attention to the content than anybody who watched television.

THE FACT IS that what I don’t pay attention to are the actual broadcasts. I have no interest in watching this kind of stuff on television. I believe the impression we garner from television is distorted – to the point where I find it phony.

I’m reading enough accounts of the events to garner what was said, and much of the rebuttal – which in all honesty is canned rhetoric written in advance. Talking points that could have been spoken before either Trump or Rauner ever spoke.

Part of this attitude is because I have covered State of the State addresses presented by other Illinois governors, along with presidential events as equally staged as the State of the Union.

Missed the Trump show, and not sorry

Those events can be intriguing to watch, if you can see them presented live. Actually be there in the chambers of the Illinois Statehouse or on Capitol Hill can be a memorable experience.

PARTICULARLY SINCE ONE can see for themselves how all those rounds of applause at key points in the speeches are fake. They might as well erect “applause” signs to let the politicos know when to clap.

Also, the fact that the opposition party will usually go out of their way to sit silent while the chief executive speaks. Which in its own way can be as telling as anything they’d say.

You don’t pick up on any of this on television. You just get to watch a white guy in a suit reading off a teleprompter some pre-written material that politicos will interpret to believe whatever it is they want us all to think.

Which may well be what most offended some people about the administration of Barack Obama – it went against their sensibilities of what a president was supposed to look like, and which those who believe that “Make America Great Again” rhetoric think has been restored by Trump.

YES, I’LL WANT to read the details of what Trump and Rauner had to say. I believe I’ll learn more that way than by actually watching the broadcasts – which to be honest can be deadly dull television.

Something way too easily parodied – you just know we’re getting a Saturday Night Live sketch this weekend giving us a version of Trump’s speech played for laughs. Which will be more interesting than the actual speech presented by either man.

Was more interesting Tuesday than Trump

Then again, I watched reruns of “Murphy Brown” on Tuesday and “Welcome Back Kotter” on Wednesday, which gave me more laughs than I would have got from watching either Trump or Rauner.

Which could mean that if Mayor Rahm Emanuel were compelled to give a major address that was broadcast live, I’d likely be going in search of a “M*A*S*H” re-run. Maybe I’ll find that episode where Hawkeye and Trapper order ribs takeout to Korea from Adam’s Ribs, which supposedly had the best ribs in all of Chicago.

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How does Illinois move forward this year when we’re still stuck in last year?

I must confess, I don’t have a clue what will come out of the mouth of Gov. Bruce Rauner when he gives his “State of the State” address come Wednesday.



RAUNER: What will he say?

I don’t doubt that when the noon hour arrives, Rauner will speak – and probably make attempts at eloquent rhetoric (or at least something he thinks is eloquent) about how we, the people of Illinois, will be much better off if only our political structure would just shut up and do what he tells them to!

BUT AS FOR any specific policies or changes or anything that he might try putting forward as the reason for government to exist at all in 2016? I doubt there will be much of any substance.

In fact, I have to admit to being glad I won’t be at the Statehouse in Springfield to actually hear the address, and certainly don’t think there will be a need to try to watch a broadcast of the speech on one of those public access television programs that nobody but government geeks pays any attention to anyway.

It will all be partisan trash-talk, as will be the official responses that the General Assembly’s leaders will feel compelled to make once the governor is through talking.

So the “State of the State” of Illinois for 2016? It’s the same as in 2015 – total chaos caused by the fact we have delved into the type of partisan politics that has long dominated our federal government scene.

ALTHOUGH FOR THOSE who try to make some sort of comparison by claiming that Rauner is going through the same level of partisan attacks that Barack Obama gets from the Republican-run Congress, I’d have to say “nonsense.”

The activity taking place here these days ...

To paraphrase the late Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, Rauner, you are no Barack Obama.

If anything, our governor is trying to give the same partisan tactics used in Congress some level of credibility within Illinois state government. Although that actually isn’t 100 percent correct either.

The ideologues in Congress are about trying to give dominance to a certain segment of society based off select interpretations of moralistic issues. Rauner is about trying to give his business buddies a government that will coddle their concerns over all else in our society – so as to benefit their bottom line.

... bears too much resemblance to Capitol Hill activity

I SUPPOSE IT’S like the old Reaganomics theory of “trickle down,” that if the most wealthy are doing well, somehow we all will benefit from their wealth. Although it’s been my own observation that when the wealthy are doing well, they take on measures meant to ensure that they keep as much as possible – and that nothing trickles down.

Perhaps this is the kind of talk we’ll hear from the governor on Wednesday.

It’s going to be a speech that tries to justify the past year – one in which we’re now seven months through the current fiscal year without being anywhere close to having a balanced budget in place.

And where the only reason certain government agencies continue to run is because the federal courts have ordered they do so.

WHICH IS A mess because the state never took the actions necessary to ensure there’d be enough funds to get through Fiscal 2016. Either by some sort of revenue enhancement/tax increase or some sort of major cut to keep the state within the level of cash it actually will have on hand.

And yes, government has obligations that must be met. So I don’t want to hear the cheap rhetoric about “living within one’s means.”

MADIGAN: Is it his fault?

So we’re at the point now where we’re getting ready to hear in coming weeks about a budget proposal for Fiscal 2017 (which begins July 1), even though we still don’t have the budget in place for ’16 – and probably never will get one. It would be nice if Rauner could use the “State of the State” to try to explain himself and his past year’s actions. But I don’t expect we’ll get that.

Unless you take seriously a speech that basically boils down to the theme of “It’s Mike Madigan’s fault!”

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“State of the …” speeches become nothing more than partisan rhetoric?

There are those people who are blasting Gov. Pat Quinn these days for having the gall to use his official State of the State speech to the General Assembly for political purposes. How dare he want to get re-elected!?!

OBAMA: Ignoring opposition?

Just as there are those who are trashing President Barack Obama for giving a State of the Union address where he basically expressed his intent to take action on select issues without the approval of Congress. So that his presidency doesn't end in two years with nothing more being accomplished.

IT IS DIFFICULT, if not impossible, for me to take these people seriously, however, because of their own political motivations.

Tuning in to the television news on Wednesday and seeing Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, lambasting Obama for not being willing to work with Congress? Ted, Shut up!!!

The same goes for those people who are upset that Quinn basically used his annual address to legislators to talk about things he’d like to do – but likely won’t be able to – because his political opponents won’t want him to have government policy victories right in the heart of the current electoral cycle.

I think this makes the Republicans at both the federal and state levels look incredibly petty to engage in such rhetoric. I comprehend the concept of the opposition political party making a statement.

AND I DON’T expect the opposition to come out and say what a wonderful guy the president/governor truly is.

But the degree to which partisanship has overtaken the process of a government chief executive making a statement about where things stand and where they will go in the future has truly become appalling.

QUINN: Electioneering?

We’re at the point where I was repulsed by the congressional opposition complaining that Obama wants to exclude them – even though in both actions and statements they have made it clear they have little to no interest in working with the president on much of anything.

If anything, the reason some people are losing faith in an Obama presidency is the perception that he’s too weak to stand up to his opposition – that he’s merely willing to let himself get smacked around.

THE STATE OF the Union address may be evidence that Obama has finally come to his senses. He realizes the people (or at least the ones who aren’t determined to believe their ideologue minority is the only one that deserves to be listened to) expect some action.

CRUZ: Blasting Obama for ignoring him

A year of inaction on immigration reform? No action whatsoever on issues such as the minimum wage or long-term unemployment insurance? The people are disgusted that there has been nothing from government – we definitely do not want more of the same!

And for those people who try arguing that Obama is exaggerating the opposition he gets from Republican congressional members, I’d only remind them of the ridiculous levels of hostility that have been directed toward health care reform – an issue that truly needs to be addressed.

Except for those ideologues who are desperate to believe that people lacking in adequate health insurance are somehow unworthy of it. As though they brought that condition upon themselves.

THE SAME GOES for Republicans who even before Quinn gave his address to the General Assembly were trashing him for wanting to use a speech to make himself look good. How else to explain former Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, saying he wanted Quinn to only make "detailed and responsible" statements during the address -- as though he gets to define those terms.

In short, they don't want Quinn to use the advantages of incumbency while running against assorted Republicans and a Democrat – all of whom were present for the address.

CROSS: Define 'responsible'

State Sens. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, and William Brady, R-Bloomington, along with state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, were among the officials expected to be there, while his Democratic challenger, Tio Hardiman and venture capitalist Bruce Rauner were likely sitting in the gallery watching the annual event – while fantasizing how they will be giving the same speech next year.

Quinn hinted before giving the address that he’s interested in bolstering the concerns of the middle class. Just like anyone else would say – except then they wouldn’t be so eager to pile on with the criticism.

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EXTRA: A partisan political brawl is in the works – all over a crummy $10

You have to admire Gov. Pat Quinn, in a way.

QUINN: Willing to tick people off

The man is willing to say and do things that he knows will tick people off.

HE’S ALREADY GOT the ideologues gunning for him because of his eager backing for gay marriage being legal in Illinois. Now, he’s going to have them taking his name in vain because of the minimum wage.

Illinois already has a minimum wage that is one dollar per hour higher than the national minimum – and higher than that paid to workers in neighboring Indiana.

But it’s not good enough. He used his “State of the State” address on Wednesday to say he wants to bolster it even higher – up to $10 per hour.

He would do it in increments. A slight increase each year for the next four years until that $10 level is achieved.

THAT’S STILL NOT a lot of money, if you’re honest about it.

But Quinn sees the current issue as one where people working a full 40 hours per week are making so little that they’re still at poverty level.

Which will get him support in some circles. But I’m sure the business interests will despise the notion of paying their labor any more, and they will go out of their way to encourage the idea that they will relocate to a place where work is cheaper.

Or, to be honest, to a place where the political people are willing to let their citizenry be devalued to the lower wages they permit.

PERSONALLY, I HAVE always thought companies (and people) get what they pay for. You go to a place where things are cheap, it’s usually because there isn’t anything there worth paying for.

Which is why I couldn’t help but notice the Illinois Senate Republicans using a Twitter account to immediately point out that Illinois’ minimum wage is “already significantly higher” than that of surrounding states.

Perhaps Quinn is just realistic enough to know some people are never going to support him, so he’s not going to pander to their rancid rhetoric on so many issues.

LIGHTFORD: Doing heavy lifting on issue

So what happens now?

WE’LL HAVE TO wait and see what happens in the General Assembly. State Rep. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, already has a bill in the legislative process.

But thousands of bills get introduced each year. Only a few hundred actually get considered, and many less wind up getting that gubernatorial autograph that turns them into state laws.

Let’s hope that Quinn didn’t stir up so much resentment on Wednesday that he killed off the concept of a higher wage for our state’s workers.

Then again, I’m sure the ideologues are more offended at his talk about gun control measures. But that’s a debate for another day.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: For those who feel compelled to do so, the governor has made available the text of his annual address.