Pay Raise Politics

“The Illinois Senate rejected a 7.5 percent pay increase Tuesday in the face of withering criticism from voters who feared lawmakers would sneak the raises through after they were safely re-elected in November,” the Tribune reports.

“But don’t cry too hard for state lawmakers – they just got a 3.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment July 1.”

They rejected a serve-your-constituents adjustment, however.

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“Blagojevich summoned lawmakers to the Capitol specifically to debate education funding. But without any legislation to consider, the House adjourned after 21 minutes and the Senate mostly met privately,” the Trib notes.

“The governor instead headed in late afternoon to the Illinois State Fair cattle barns for the annual grand champion auction – a decision that angered lawmakers.

“’He did not call a special session to deal with cows,’ [state Sen. James] Meeks said. ‘He called a special session to deal with kids.’”

Blagojevich is a child, does that count?

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“Three Chicago Democrats – [Emil] Jones and Sens. Kwame Raoul and Donne Trotter – voted ‘present,’ the political equivalent of taking a pass.”

Except when it was Obama doing it. Then it was a brilliant strategy to bring us together.