Rebuttal to Gov. Quinn’s 2012 State of the State Address
by John Tillman Below, you will see a link to my brief response to Gov. Quinn’s 2012 State-of-the-State speech presented at noon today in Springfield. The overarching theme with the Governor’s speech is that Illinois is moving forward and is “back on course.” How does that square with the people of Illinois? Actually, 74% say the...
by John Tillman
Below, you will see a link to my brief response to Gov. Quinn’s 2012 State-of-the-State speech presented at noon today in Springfield.
The overarching theme with the Governor’s speech is that Illinois is moving forward and is “back on course.” How does that square with the people of Illinois? Actually, 74% say the state is on the wrong track.
There are some, however, who will love the Governor’s speech. If you are a public or private sector union worker, this was a great speech for you. If you are dependent on government in any way, whether it is for the capital you need to start a business or whether you need a favor factory tax carve out, this was a great speech for you. If you are working class or poor, there was something in it for you. Of course, in return you have to become even more dependent on our essentially bankrupt state because private sector job growth is non-existent.
The most stunning part of the speech – yet it isn’t surprising because this has been the pattern over the past three years – is what an outlier Gov. Quinn is when it comes to his policy vision. In Gov. Quinn’s world everything begins with new and bigger government programs for every problem we face as a society. The costs and the current fiscal and economic death spiral be damned.
Even a cursory review of the choices other states are making, Democrat and Republican alike, from Rhode Island (Democrat) to Indiana (Republican) and every mix of political control in between, virtually every state is choosing a much different path – a path of spending restraint and even spending cuts in real terms, while holding the line on taxes.
Not Illinois. More spending, higher taxes, more debt. For nearly five years I have been calling Illinois’ policy path an economic death spiral. Today, it accelerated yet again.
The good news – and there is good news – is that the people of Illinois are seeing through the niceties of the rhetorical cover up to the realities we must soon face. Look at some recent polling we did to see how the people are leading the way, across party lines, in seeking solutions on the spending reform side. The people are rejecting the tax, spend and borrow binge we have tried for over three years.
Members of the General Assembly who join Gov. Quinn in this ongoing policy fantasy do so at great peril to their own interests. Click here to see my remarks.