Governor Bruce Rauner is living up to his campaign promise as it relates to Shaking Up Springfield. However, the only people being hurt are the poor and working class of Illinois. This isn't a good sign of change in Springfield because the majority of political leaders don't agree with the governor's proposed agenda. The state budget is currently held up along with many programs that rely on state funding to operate.
Why hurt the very people that voted for change in your attempt to turn the state around?
There appears to be an epic battle going on with House Speaker Michael Madigan and the governor. Some politicians don't understanding how it feels to be poor and in need of resources. Single mothers, infants, mentally ill people, the elderly, and countless other people need their services now.
This message appears to be falling on deaf ears just like an old African Proverb which reads, "When the Elephants Fight it is the Grass Suffers." That's what we are dealing with right now in Springfield. Governor Rauner has big money, but Madigan has allies and seniority on his side. Therefore, the governor should take a page out of history and lay out the process of working together to help end this stalemate. My way or the highway will not work here in Illinois. Money alone does not influence some decision makers. It's all about control and maintaining power. House Speaker Mike Madigan has money and power. Bruce "Almighty" Rauner's money bought him the election, but not the solution for our great state.
If no one is willing to bend or let go, then the state will face one of the worst crisis in the history of Illinois. This crisis will be called "The Battle of the Ego's that Broke Illinois." Hopefully, select leaders can get through to both sides and help make since of this madness. For example, term limits sounds good. But what state official would actually place a limit on their staying in office?
This would represent a new start for career politicians that don't plan on changing their occupation. Sooner or later reality will set in for the newly elected governor. Springfield has been operating with an unbalanced budget for many years under the previous administration. What role did the poor and working class people play in the unbalanced budget ordeal? Political leaders have to accept the fact that the decisions they make today can come back to haunt them in the future. When you have big money it makes one believe that they are above everybody else.
The deck is stacked against Bruce "Almighty" Rauner. It's like playing chess when Mike Madigan has all of his chess pieces on the board and Bruce only has a few pawns left to fight off the King, Queen, and the supporting cast called the General Assembly. Time to grow up and face the music because the majority of political leaders in Illinois dance to a different tune called the Madigan Dynasty. Only time will tell if Governor Rauner has what it takes to Shake Up Springfield.