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The [Pension] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“It’s always about politics in Illinois and never about reform,” Phil Kadner writes for the SouthtownStar in the day’s must-read pension commentary.
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“The vote on Tuesday came one day after the deadline for candidates to file to run for state office in next year’s primary, so legislators could know whether they faced a primary opponent,” the New York Times noted.
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Tribune Editorial: Vote Was A Test Of Courage.
I guess they don’t read the New York Times – or Kadner.


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It’s funny how a vote that goes your way is a vote of courage and a vote that goes the other way is an act of cowardice – as if everyone on your side is principled and everyone on the other side is disingenuous. Be smarter, Tribune.
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“Thank you to those 30 gutsy members of the Illinois Senate and 62 gutsy members of the Illinois House who voted Tuesday to pull their state from the brink of a financial disaster,” the Trib editorialists write.
“In his closing argument, Sen. Kwame Raoul referred to the decision as a ‘test of courage.’ It was. It took courage for many of those lawmakers, Democrats and Republicans, to vote for pension reform in the face of a massive effort by organized labor to crush the measure and dire warnings from some conservatives that it was a big fraud.
“Those votes took courage.”
It’s news to me that following the orders of Michael Madigan is a gutsy act of courage.
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“We supported it, knowing that it’s imperfect.”
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Except when you oppose an action – then don’t make a weaselly compromise and sell-out the people. All the classic formulations of our narrowly tailored political discourse are here!
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“The legislation will be challenged on grounds that it is unconstitutional. We think, and many of the best lawyers in the state think, it can survive a court test. It has to.”
We think, like supporters/opposers of Obamacare, that it will/won’t survive a constitutionality test because we want/don’t want it to, and therefore have constructed the arguments in a way most persuasive to our way of thinking. Also, “many” of the “best” lawyers in the state think so too! Also, “many” don’t!
It just “has to” be constitutional! It just has to! But constitutionality is not decided on that hallowed legal principle known as Has To Corpus.
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And then the coup de gras: “This state still has a massive job to do. It can’t tax its way to prosperity. It has to curb its spending.”
Like I said, they must not read the New York Times.
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“Governors and lawmakers shortchanged the system, skipped payments, improved benefits and carved out sweetheart windfalls for friends as the debt grew,” the Tribune reports.
“The proposal attempts to shut down the gravy train for politically connected people who managed to get into the pension system through various associations, ranging from school administration groups to the state’s Special Olympics.”
By punishing the victims.
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“Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora, dismissed Madigan’s assertion that the pensions are ‘too rich,’ putting the blame on state officials who failed to keep retirement funds in better shape over the years.

“What we are doing is quite simply wrong,” Holmes said, her voice echoing off the Senate chamber’s ornate walls. “This is actually no different than a thief coming into your house at night and stealing your valuables. The difference is this isn’t a thief coming in the night, this is your elected representatives coming to you, looking you straight in the eye and saying, ‘I’m going to take away your future.’ That is more than a promise broken. That is reprehensible.”

If you think that’s hyperbolic, here’s what the Sun-Times said in an editorial in support of the legislation:
“The bill kicks ordinary working people – secretaries, clerks, teachers and the like – in the teeth. Much of the bill’s $160 billion in savings comes from reducing the cost-of-living increases to their pensions and pushing back their retirement age.”
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The Sun-Times goes on to say that “every alternative is even worse” and that “nobody should count on a better bill, or any politically viable bill, coming along again soon.” The editorial is titled “Last Best Chance For Pension Reform.”
Curiously, it did not appear with the horoscope, which is odd because the Sun-Times suddenly appears to have the ability to tell the future.
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The floor of the General Assembly is littered with bills that were last best chances.
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There are just no alternatives!
Oops. Shhh!
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Similarly, a Tribune editorial from Monday claims that “The choice is between this reform bill and the untenable status quo. A better bill is not in the offing, not now, and probably not for years down the road.”
First, pitting a position one supports against the status quo is right out of the demagogue’s playbook. Nobody – nobody supports the status quo.
Second, the Tribune joining the Sun-Times in the fortune-telling business ignores one obvious fact among many others: This bill could very well be struck down by the courts, in which case a “better” bill – if by “better” we mean “legal” – would likely be in the offing. Legislators would have no choice but to go back and craft a solution that meets the test of constitutionality.
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“In the House, rookie GOP leader Durkin could round up only 15 Republican votes, less than the party was able to put up for prior bills, and Madigan’s Democrats supplied 47 votes,” the Tribune account says. “The bill passed the House 62-53, getting two more votes than the minimum needed. One lawmaker voted present.
“In the Senate, Radogno had hoped to put together a dozen Republican votes but collected just 10. Early on, Cullerton had hoped to put up only 18 Democrats, but he came through with 20. The bill received the minimum 30 Senate votes, with 24 voting against and three voting present.”
How gutsy.
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And let’s face it, the vast majority of legislators didn’t even read the bill. The idea that “everyone knew what was in it” is just laughable, especially given Illinois’ long and artful history of moving commas to reward cronies. Plus, this.
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Sheila Simon Is God’s Special Creature.
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“Capitalism is the greatest poverty fighting machine in the history of mankind, and I’m proud of the role I’ve played in it,” Bruce Rauner said in a statement.
“But I’m even more proud of the investment returns I’ve helped produce for the retirement accounts of state workers.”
Just to be clear: Bruce Rauner is more proud of the investment returns he’s helped produce for state workers than his role in fighting poverty.
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Let’s go the Tweetstream:


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Oh, Ty.
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Comments welcome.

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Posted on December 4, 2013