@JustRight Bad decisions by both parties over the years to push off paying the pension debt in different ways as long as possible.

@gordo yup and it cannot be pushed off into the future anymore.... the bill is due now...

@joepyeweed Yep. People have been living on 'discounted' taxes for years. Surely the good citizenry of the state banked that difference.... for their own retirement.

@gordo Oh, I agree. I was just wondering how much the ubiquitous gambling machines are helping (or hurting) our state's finances. It wasn't too long ago that it was argued that expanding gambling options was the cure-all for our financial crisis.

@JustRight Are you? Really? With Madigan still in power, you seriously don't comprehend it?

I am sure when Madigan loses his seat the state's fiscal problems will magically disappear.

@joepyeweed He ain't leaving unless it's feet 1st out the door. He is the poster child for term limits being needed can't vote him out. He has cherry picked his district through remapping and NO one can match him on cash to run.

@EyeintheSky But he is only one representative out of 118. (not to mention the 59 senators)

@joepyeweed The way the rules are setup in IL he gets the power to give out the best paying committe spots and can pull them at a whim there a bunch of other things he gets by being leader of house. They put him on par with governor for power and better control over lesser lawmakers. To put it simple they are afraid to pi$$ him off and lose high paying extra cash spots and lose support of the party come elections.

If he is as bad as everyone says he is, the other 117 representatives can take his position away from him.

@joepyeweed You seem to forget how it works in IL under table deals and favors. No way they are going to risk their cushy lifetime jobs they will tow the line and do as they are told.

They are not lifetime jobs, they are elected officials.

@joepyeweed Tell that to madigan.

Tell that to the voters in Madigan's district.

@joepyeweed yes, his daughter the Attorney General would take that well and certainly never stoop to the depths of her father and retaliate.