By David Stanczak
There are all sorts of things that are condemned on a small scale, but ignored on a larger one. A couple quotes will illustrate the principle. John Powell, the psychologist, writer, priest, said, “When you steal one idea from one person without attributing it, it’s called plagiarism, but when you steal many ideas from many persons without attributing them, it’s called research”. Joseph Stalin said, “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.”
When a single legislator pushes a single piece of legislation for a single payment of money, it’s called bribery. Just ask former Rep. Derrick Smith. But when a majority of legislators pass legislation for continuing campaign contributions, it’s called being politically savvy. Understood.
But when the payback for the campaign contributions comes out of our (and by “our” I mean all us taxpayers) pockets, it’s financial treason. Witness HB 580, which I talked about in my last Forum. It would allow an unelected arbitrator to determine the terms of a contract between the State of Illinois and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest public sector union in the State, and one of the largest contributors to Democratic legislators in the State, from Senate President Cullerton to House Speaker Mike Madigan all the way down to the peons who vote however Madigan and Cullerton tell them to.
At stake is a contract that could cost the State $3 billion over 4 years if the arbitrator rules in AFSCME’s favor. The State has already settled with the other 17 unions it bargains with, but that’s not enough for AFSCME. It wants, in addition to lots more money, 5 weeks of vacation and a 37-1/2 hour work week. The State is hemorrhaging red ink already, but both houses passed a similar bill last year. The Senate overrode Gov. Rauner’s veto and the House came within 1 vote of doing the same. The Democrats have veto-proof majorities in both houses. If they vote their campaign contributions, the State, which is already circling the drain financially, will be a whole lot closer to it.
Voting for HB 580 may not be illegal, but it reeks. I’d lobby our local legislators about this, but I’d be preaching to the choir.
It may be time to hold your nose, folks.
David Stanczak, a Forum commentator since 1995, came to Bloomington in 1971. He served as the City of Bloomington’s first full-time legal counsel for over 18 years, before entering private practice. He is currently employed by the Snyder Companies and continues to reside in Bloomington with his family.
The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Cumulus Media Inc.
