Spring Break
Tale of a greedy Gov.
Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: Opinion
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After months of bickering, the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. Rod Blagojevich passed a functioning budget. Unfortunately, this news is a hollow victory for the citizens of Illinois.
Blagojevich took the budget the legislators passed and decided to slash more than $450 million of what he deemed "pork." Despite his pro-healthcare rhetoric, $90 million of the cuts directly affected hospitals and nursing homes, according to the Chicago Tribune.
This kind of double talk is indicative of Illinois politics, and instead of serving the people like they are sworn to do, Blagojevich and the other politicians in Illinois appeared to work for their own interests.
The $90 million cut from healthcare facilities was made not to reallocate the money elsewhere, but rather to gain votes in the General Assembly to punish the governor's political enemies.
But Blagojevich is not alone in playing political games. Legislators included a raise for themselves in the budget. Rank-and-file legislators will be earning $65,353 and general assembly leaders could earn $91,824. The government officials who are voted by the people to work for them are getting a raise for sitting around in a stalemate.
If constituents were to go to their jobs and simply sit around and argue over minute details, they would not have a job for very long. They must discuss problems and the compromise to find a solution, something the legislators have refused to do.
This is not the type of representation we as the electors voted for. We voted for a person who would reflect our interests and those of our community.
Because we attend a state-funded university, this problem is magnified. State universities depend on funds from the state budget so they do not have to raise tuition. Also, essential services such as Go West Transit rely on state funding. If the buses are not running as often because of lack of funding, a student might not go to class on a rainy day, or worse, might drive to a bar and back intoxicated.
Gov. Blagojevich and the General Assembly should have ended their petty arguments earlier and done what was best for the people who voted them into power. Our representatives needed to pass a budget to protect both Western Illinois University and their own jobs. Students already have to carry a hefty portion of the cost, and it is unfair to us as students and taxpayers to have to carry more of the burden.
People will only tolerate taxation without representation for so long.
Blagojevich took the budget the legislators passed and decided to slash more than $450 million of what he deemed "pork." Despite his pro-healthcare rhetoric, $90 million of the cuts directly affected hospitals and nursing homes, according to the Chicago Tribune.
This kind of double talk is indicative of Illinois politics, and instead of serving the people like they are sworn to do, Blagojevich and the other politicians in Illinois appeared to work for their own interests.
The $90 million cut from healthcare facilities was made not to reallocate the money elsewhere, but rather to gain votes in the General Assembly to punish the governor's political enemies.
But Blagojevich is not alone in playing political games. Legislators included a raise for themselves in the budget. Rank-and-file legislators will be earning $65,353 and general assembly leaders could earn $91,824. The government officials who are voted by the people to work for them are getting a raise for sitting around in a stalemate.
If constituents were to go to their jobs and simply sit around and argue over minute details, they would not have a job for very long. They must discuss problems and the compromise to find a solution, something the legislators have refused to do.
This is not the type of representation we as the electors voted for. We voted for a person who would reflect our interests and those of our community.
Because we attend a state-funded university, this problem is magnified. State universities depend on funds from the state budget so they do not have to raise tuition. Also, essential services such as Go West Transit rely on state funding. If the buses are not running as often because of lack of funding, a student might not go to class on a rainy day, or worse, might drive to a bar and back intoxicated.
Gov. Blagojevich and the General Assembly should have ended their petty arguments earlier and done what was best for the people who voted them into power. Our representatives needed to pass a budget to protect both Western Illinois University and their own jobs. Students already have to carry a hefty portion of the cost, and it is unfair to us as students and taxpayers to have to carry more of the burden.
People will only tolerate taxation without representation for so long.
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