Bankrupt Illinois Is Out Of Money, Legislators’ Paychecks Delayed

a reply to: BubbaJoe

Nobody is biting.

a reply to: BubbaJoe

Yeah true Republican utopia there, they want their voters dumbed down. edit on 4/18/2016 by BubbaJoe because: needed to

Actually, since about 1960, it's been 50/50 Democrats and Republican, so the partisan crap doesn't fly. The problem is the rampant corruption.

originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: BubbaJoe

Nobody is biting.

Maybe because they have no ammo.

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: BubbaJoe

Yeah true Republican utopia there, they want their voters dumbed down. edit on 4/18/2016 by BubbaJoe because: needed to

Actually, since about 1960, it's been 50/50 Democrats and Republican, so the partisan crap doesn't fly. The problem is the rampant corruption.

Republican Sam Brownback cut the taxes, it was huge news in 2012, Kansas is now starving.

Illinois: The Most Democratic State

Illinois is the most Democrat-dominated state in the union, measured by the party’s control over state government and its votes for U.S. Senate and president.

The Democrats have controlled the governor’s mansion and both houses of the legislature since January 2003. They stayed in power even after their two-time governor was impeached following one of the biggest corruption scandals in the state’s history.

The only place Democrats have been running state government longer? West Virginia.

www.nbcchicago.com...

originally posted by: Hazardous1408
a reply to: xuenchen

DaaaHaHaHa

Hilarious.


Maybe a few people will starve to death, then we can have a real hearty chuckle about it.

No, They will continue migrating to the South and West (as they have been doing for years) where it is a bit better. Then , they will start voting for the same type failures in the political system and policies. Cities in Florida are already becoming twins of Chicago , Detroit . Boulder Colorado could be renamed New Chicago. Atlanta is becoming New Detroit.After they bring down these states they will move to another State. Wash , rinse , repeat.

a reply to: BubbaJoe

You do realize we're talking about Illinois, right? We're not going off topic about Kansas. If you want to bring that up, start your own thread.

As an Illinois resident, I'm THANKFUL for this so called "crisis". The state is coming up on its 1 year anniversary of being broke and without a budget. And you know what? A full 97% of the state's residents notice absolutely no difference in any aspect of their day-to-day life. NOTHING has changed for your average consumer, except that the annual license plate renewal notices are not being U.S. mailed. You have to do it online... whoop-te-do.

I want everyone to remember this Illinois example the next time Washington D.C. politicians try to scare the poop out of the population if they reach a budget impasse. The really important government functions get funded, even when there is no budget. But the vast majority of the government is not needed or wanted.

The only thing I like about Ted Cruz is that he wants to get rid of many government agencies... to shut em' down totally. CNN would tell you that it would create a disaster... but from what I'm seeing here in Illinois, they won't be missed, because a lot of government is geared towards ENFORCEMENT and PUNISHMENT. Illinois was attempting to financially punish citizens who didn't pay taxes on goods purchased via the internet. But due to being broke, that effort has ceased. Hooray!!
-cwm

Yup, ten months without a budget. What most people don't realize is that Illinois is actually ok. Its Chicago that is the problem. The city of Chicago has more debt than some states! Without Chicago dragging us down the state of Illinois would be just fine. That is why just about everyone outside of Chicago want the state to drop Chicago and become a separate entity. Chicago can stew in its own sewers for all I care. The rest of the state deserves a break.

originally posted by: carewemust
As an Illinois resident, I'm THANKFUL for this so called "crisis". The state is coming up on its 1 year anniversary of being broke and without a budget. And you know what? A full 97% of the state's residents notice absolutely no difference in any aspect of their day-to-day life. NOTHING has changed for your average consumer, except that the annual license plate renewal notices are not being U.S. mailed. You have to do it online... whoop-te-do.

I want everyone to remember this Illinois example the next time Washington D.C. politicians try to scare the poop out of the population if they reach a budget impasse. The really important government functions get funded, even when there is no budget. But the vast majority of the government is not needed or wanted.

The only thing I like about Ted Cruz is that he wants to get rid of many government agencies... to shut em' down totally. CNN would tell you that it would create a disaster... but from what I'm seeing here in Illinois, they won't be missed, because a lot of government is geared towards ENFORCEMENT and PUNISHMENT. Illinois was attempting to financially punish citizens who didn't pay taxes on goods purchased via the internet. But due to being broke, that effort has ceased. Hooray!!
-cwm

So you call public universities in danger of shutting down (or more accurately, losing accreditation), the very real possibility of no public schools next year, numerous small businesses being without pay for their work, no more vehicle emissions tests, a million state residents going without needed medical treatments, thousands of college drop outs due to no more grant money, no more child support enforcement, an additional 6000 homeless, not affecting peoples day to day lives?

Lots of these programs will create long term damage if they're not reinstated. Illinois is completely screwed if it loses it's schools, homelessness continues to rise, and medical care continues to disappear.

originally posted by: IAMTAT

Illinois: The Most Democratic State

Illinois is the most Democrat-dominated state in the union, measured by the party’s control over state government and its votes for U.S. Senate and president.

The Democrats have controlled the governor’s mansion and both houses of the legislature since January 2003. They stayed in power even after their two-time governor was impeached following one of the biggest corruption scandals in the state’s history.

The only place Democrats have been running state government longer? West Virginia.

www.nbcchicago.com...

Hey, Obama and Hillary are from IL!

What a coincidence.

I've lived in findlay and collinsville. Loved the super wal-mart in Mattoon.

Talk about low info!

I found the people loyal and honest, tho. I made some very good friends there.

a reply to: Aazadan


I said MOST PEOPLE in the state don't notice that Illinois is broke. It's not even a discussion topic for more than 20 seconds around offices and bars. The money that Illinois takes from citizens in a myriad of varied and sordid ways, is skimmed, stolen, and wasted by those who hold the purse strings.


Granted, the state does provide a lot of services for the needy. But there's too much taken from the kitty before it reaches the beneficiaries. I don't know about other states who have faced a similar crises, but there are a few cities that melted down, but came back stronger and better once all the self-serving "leaders" were purged, and the budgets restructured.

We in Southern Illinois are used to shaking our heads in total awe of our state government, and not in a good way. Legislators missing a payday or two amounts to Donald Trump losing a couple of million bucks. They'll hardly notice. I'm sure they have plenty of cash flow from those they sold us out to. Just another day of greed and corruption.

If you spend more than you take in, eventually you will go broke.

Now I'm no Einstein, but this isn't really an effective way to run a government.

originally posted by: carewemust
I said MOST PEOPLE in the state don't notice that Illinois is broke. It's not even a discussion topic for more than 20 seconds around offices and bars. The money that Illinois takes from citizens in a myriad of varied and sordid ways, is skimmed, stolen, and wasted by those who hold the purse strings.

They don't notice, because state agencies for the most part can function autonomously, state budgets are merely formalities over a short term because just about everyone is capable of getting spending outside of the formal budget process. Long term they determine necessary tax rates and track how much is being spent. When no one is adhering to an official budget expenses will quickly rise as there's nothing constraining spending as you can see going from 2014 to 2015 where spending increased 15.5%.

I don't know enough about Illinois state politics other than to know it's the most corrupt state in the country, so I can't say much about how/where things are being skimmed, given the corruption I don't doubt it's happening at all. Corruption and waste are only a small part of spending though. Usually this involves skimming off the top though, 5-10% of the total which is virtually unnoticeable in tax rates given state taxes being a fraction of the total taxes you pay.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
If you spend more than you take in, eventually you will go broke.

Now I'm no Einstein, but this isn't really an effective way to run a government.

Illinois is a good example of a state with a spending problem, Kansas is a good example of a state with a revenue problem. They both lead to the same place but the causes are very different.

In the case of Illinois, some percentage of the budget is wasted in overhead and corruption, while another percentage is wasted in mismanagement (seriously, how do you bankrupt a lottery?). The fact that the state pretty much has a super majority governing it doesn't help matters either since no compromises are being struck to keep things in check.

a reply to: Aazadan

It doesn't matter who is in charge.

If you spend more than you earn, then do the math!

This isn't partisan.

It's math for Odin's sake!

a reply to: Aazadan


It's a bit off topic, but I drove through Indiana this past weekend. It's supposed to be one of the most fiscally responsible states. On the highway, there were lit signs on the side of the road, scrolling the words: "Rough Pavement Ahead. Hold Your Steering Wheel Tightly.". "Rough" pavement was an understatement. Every now and then, you'd pass angry motorists changing flat tires.

Illinois wastes tons of money, but at least the state leaders keep the highways in good shape. They and their families have to use them.

Illinois is what happens when you allow public unions to negotiate with legislators. Under no circumstance should public unions be negotiating with politicians. The taxpayers will not be represented at the negotiating table. The politicians can negotiate giveaways to the unions in exchange for votes while pushing the bill off to the taxpayers.

Illinois is rife with bloated pensions, nepotism, and all manner of corruption. The voters keep voting the same people back in office year in and year out.

You don't get the government you deserve, you get the one you elect.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Aazadan

It doesn't matter who is in charge.

If you spend more than you earn, then do the math!

This isn't partisan.

It's math for Odin's sake!

Financial irresponsibility happens on both sides, it even seems to happen when both sides are mixed into the group. Super majorities don't help matters though. If spending more than you earn was the problem, they could always increase the tax rates provided they're not already on the right of the Laffer curve assuming they couldn't come to a consensus on budget cuts.

The real problem, is that purchasing power has been declining for going on 40 years now and real incomes have been declining for 15. Governments need purchasing power too, it lets tax money be spent more efficiently. With low purchasing power comes a lack of ability to provide needed services. Tax rates are taking more money, and they're getting less in return due to our screwed up financial system. It goes well beyond the responsibility of any particular state, they're just left trying to make the best of a bad situation.