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You are all confused. These aren't budget cuts as the money was already appropriated for the said purposes. The democrats took it upon themselves to extract money from these funds to pay their bills and other lavish spending programs. I don't have a problem with budget cuts, why would I? However, if you (the legislators) are going to pass a budget and appropriate funds for certain initiatives, it is disingenuous to then take those funds and use them elsewhere. Some of these funds had been previously protected by state law from this exact scenario, however, the democrats have changed that so that it's turning into one big slushfund of spending for them to dole out as they see fit. What's the point of a budget if you don't stick to it? And better yet, why NOT enact sweeping budget CUTS or conversely, why appropriate money to these various funds if they are really so unnecessary that they can be robbed of funding without negative consequences??? I don't have a problem with budget cuts, I welcome them.
Don't spend the money, its cuts.
Republicans have sponsored the same thing in Congress with the stimulus money.
Yes, the money was already appropriated, but it hasn't been spent. So, you save money. It'd be like me budgeting in money for a boat in my budget, and then budgeting it out when I realized I need to pay the mortgage.
Not to mention that Republicans co-sponsored the measure, and you completely neglected to mention them. Then lump the President, who has no say over this at all. What a trip.
Governors office isn't the Senate, and isn't influenced by the President.
I am well aware of this. I simply stated it to further demonstrate that the leadership here is out of control.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis1979
If I were in Illinois, I probably wouldn't vote for anyone who cut programs, then gave themselves raises.
That's just it though. They haven't CUT any programs. They TOOK money out of funds that were already budgeted and used that money to do things like give themselves raises and a bunch of other crap.
They've been covering the sessions on the news here during the day. Even the local news isn't happy with what the leadership here is doing.
I'm not saying all Dems are bad, because they're not. I've voted for plenty of Dems and in fact, when Obama ran for Senate here, I voted for him. I however, did not vote for him as POTUS, nor did I vote for McCain.
turning into one big slushfund of spending for them to dole out as they see fit.
Where is the money going that is less deserving? Unemployment check recipients are less important than "organ donor awareness"? I doubt that the government is going crazy "doling" out the found money to unnecessary programs. "Slush fund" implies that the government is using the money to pay off cronies for favors. I know that some staffers received pay arises, they shouldn't have, but it's more optics and a drop in the bucket compared to the cutback amounts.
Just for the sake of clarity, who would you vote in to take their place?
Any candidate that isn't crooked. It doesn't matter what party they belong to. I would just like to see some honest folks. That's not too much to ask for, is it?
Republicans have sponsored the same thing in Congress with the stimulus money.
Yes, the money was already appropriated, but it hasn't been spent. So, you save money. It'd be like me budgeting in money for a boat in my budget, and then budgeting it out when I realized I need to pay the mortgage.
Not to mention that Republicans co-sponsored the measure, and you completely neglected to mention them. Then lump the President, who has no say over this at all. What a trip.
Oh the numerous illogical points you are attempting to make here.
1. They aren't NOT spending the money and simply "saving" it, they're using it to be spent elsewhere.
2. Republicans did NOT sponsor or co-sponsor this.
3. The money is NOT being saved, what part of that don't you understand?
4. If you still don't believe that Illinois is one of the most politically corrupt states in the nation, then I seriously must question if you even live in this country. Blago anyone??
5. I never stated that this was the result of any action by Obama. I merely stated that he is the undeniable product of a very politically corrupt state (see above).
6. You bringing up Lincoln proves what exactly? That was 150 years ago. Do you really believe that politics are that static?
You are all confused. These aren't budget cuts as the money was already appropriated for the said purposes. The democrats took it upon themselves to extract money from these funds to pay their bills and other lavish spending programs. I don't have a problem with budget cuts, why would I? However, if you (the legislators) are going to pass a budget and appropriate funds for certain initiatives, it is disingenuous to then take those funds and use them elsewhere. Some of these funds had been previously protected by state law from this exact scenario, however, the democrats have changed that so that it's turning into one big slushfund of spending for them to dole out as they see fit. What's the point of a budget if you don't stick to it? And better yet, why NOT enact sweeping budget CUTS or conversely, why appropriate money to these various funds if they are really so unnecessary that they can be robbed of funding without negative consequences??? I don't have a problem with budget cuts, I welcome them.
Happens all the time in every state. Cigarette taxes were sold to the public as going to offset costs for medical treatments and state funded healthcare for children. Instead the money gets put into the general fund for anything they want to use it for. Every state has it's horror stories about tax inititives that were to be used for a singular purpose but went into the general fund instead.
Any candidate that isn't crooked. It doesn't matter what party they belong to. I would just like to see some honest folks. That's not too much to ask for, is it?
No. It isn't. I hope you and the great State of Illinois find one.
Do you have a link to the claims in the first post? I can't find it in Google. Is it "raiding" the listed funds or cutbacks in contributions to the funds? All states are enacting budget cutbacks.
The Democrat-led NH State government also tried to steal money put aside by doctors for a malpractice fund, and after getting rebuffed by the Courts, is trying again:
"Governor John Lynch and his Attorney General Kelly Ayotte attempted one of the largest confiscations of private property in New Hampshire history. Together, they moved to drain the private medical malpractice funds of our doctors, nurses and healthcare providers. Thankfully the Supreme Court slapped down their $110 million raid of private funds. Today, Representative Wendelboe resurrected their efforts to raid the JUA (April 20, 2010)." GraniteGrok: More reaction to Fran's Amendment to raid the JUA Fund
NH used to be a fiscally responsible, Republican state, until the Democrats got in a few years ago and starting spending like their Washington counterparts. We've seen a ton of new taxes and increased State taxes, are deep in the red, and they won't stop until we've lost our no-sales tax and no-income tax advantage. Of course there are still no programs that would actually benefit a regular citizen, so it's not like we got anything in return for the confiscation of more tax dollars.
We do have tons of State and Local government employees to micro-manage everything we try to do--since every activity imaginable is a "privilege" granted by government (drive, boat, fish in the ocean, hunt on our own land, improve our own property, own a house, etc.).
NH, the "Live Free or Die" State. America, the "Land of the Free." I doubt many Kings and Emperors in human history controlled every aspect of their subjects' lives to the degree Americans are micro-managed by their government today.
If anyone knows of ANY States that have even a tiny bit of freedom from government micro-management left, please post.
All these cuts are penny-ante next to the $13 billion deficit in the budget. If the State stopped paying all its employees there would still be a sizable gap. Candidate Brady claims he can balance the budget with no tax increases. When he gets elected, it will be interesting to see what he does.
As a medical professional practicing in Illinois, my state representative, Jim Durkin (R), sent me a letter. I'll quote the important parts:
This is how democrats work. Instead of balancing budgets, spending within their means, and enacting necessary budget cuts, they simply vote to raid, rape, and pillage any source of $$ they can get their hands on without any plans to repay these funds. Which begs me to question, who in their right mind would vote for ANY democrat for POTUS coming out of Illinois??
You do know that state spending cuts would be very detrimental to private sector activity and thus bad for ilinois economy as a whole since it would reduce aggregate demand and reduce consumer spending by increasing unemployment.
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