The End of the (Political) World As We Know It?
The centrifugal force evident in the Illinois body politic today is stunning.
Liberals are leaving incumbent Governor Rod Blagojevich because he won't raise taxes. Conservatives are leaving Republican Judy Topinka because she celebrates homosexuality. Where's a middle-of-the-roader to end up?
Is Chicken Little right? Is the sky falling?
First, while getting in the car during his re-announcement tour, Democratic Party Governor Rod Blagojevich said he would stick to his pledge not to raise income or sales taxes. Slip of the tongue then or deliberately left out of his announcement speech is irrelevant?
Republican Party candidate Judy Topinka won’t take the same pledge. Even fiscally conservative Republicans who think social issues are irrelevant have to be nervous about that omission. The older ones will remember that it was moderate Republican Governors Richard Ogilvie, Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar who imposed and raised the income tax.
Talk about confusing fiscal conservatives.
Neither power party candidates are on the right side of the issue of gay rights for social conservatives.
First comes Randall Stufflebeam of the newly emerging Constitution Party with a conservative social and tax message.
Now, the Rev. James Meeks of Chicago’s South Side threatens to run for Governor.
It could just be a prelude to bring a black mayor back to control in Chicago, but State Senator and, more importantly, mega-church Pastor James Meeks’ announcement that he will run for governor got me thinking.
My ramblings are too long for here, but you can find them at McHenry County Blog.
7 comments:
Not to mention a Liberal Democratic Governor not finding the will to trounce Sister Muhammend from his anti discrimination commission.
There is a lot of realignment going on I think.
Look at the pictures of the Solidarity with Danemark ralley... Iranian Communist exiles and the English Secularist Society holding placards defending the right of an Afgan to Convert to Christianity.
All sorts of odd mixes today. You keep some core principles on human rights and limited government, you're ok.
You may find yourselve alongside some folks you never expected,,, but that happens.
Uh, Cal, I missed Edgar raising the income tax in the 18 years I worked for him. He campaigned for Governor on a platform that included neither lowering nor raising the then current income tax, and it was at the same level the day he left office as it was the day he took office.
Cal, Jeff Berkowitz at Public Affairs thinks the realignment is along the lines of Reform vs. Business As Usual. Thus, Rauschy and Gidwitz can share a ticket, despite many different views on issues.
What's your view on that?
Too bad Gidwitz is as much of an outsider as Judy. Would a reformer have given so much to so many? GHR Legal Defense Fund, $5k here and $5k there to Topinka, and Rauschy is part of the establishment. He even figured out how to get on the Gidwitz welfare wagon.
Steve, the only reason the income tax didn't go up during Edgar's term is because Pate killed his tax plan for schools in '97. Edgar's plan was nearly identical to the much ridiculed Netsch plan from the '94 campaign and called for a substantial increase in the state income tax.
Anon 7:08 Yes, I agree. I was commenting on Cal's statement that Edgar raised the income tax.
The temporaty ncome tax went down to 2 1/2% when it expired on July 1st. When the 3% tax was re-enacted, it again was hiked up to the 3% level on individuals. I presume it was made retroactive.
Isn't that what happened, Steve?
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