The Principals are Wounded. Bring in the Seconds.

So when was the challenge thrown down on this duel that is dominating Illinois politics?  I’m not sure. Neither am I sure why it started in the first place.

 I’ve not shared with you everything I learned about dueling but the dark side of this testosterone charged deadly contest was to sucker an opponent into a contest he was sure to lose.  Duels became in that case a legal and socially sanctioned way to erase a rival from existence.  If you played it right you could eliminate an enemy through a lopsided duel with little personal risk.  Life can be awful as you probably realize if you’ve lived any time at all.  One of those awful times is realizing you’ve not only been manipulated but that you have no recourse.  Being drawn into a duel and killed is one thing, but being grievously wounded and defeated while living with the realization you were in fact taunted into a contest you were doomed to lose, and had no one to blame but yourself, well, I would hate for that to happen to me.

 

It’s anyone’s guess when the parties concluded the only way to settle their differences was through a duel but mine is that it began when Speaker of the House Michael Madigan sent a message to Governor Bruce Rauner via a budget bill filled with spending priorities approved by Democrats in House and Senate minus a tax increase.  Passing that budget bill sent this message:

Madigan: “We have passed a budget bill and are in control of this process.  Your job now sir, as governor, is to sign it and by doing so become complicit in admitting that Illinois needs a tax increase to carry the spending plan out.”  Gauntlet thrown.  Face slapped.

Our new Governor didn’t react well.  Early in his term he all but admitted the need for new revenue, and expressed the possibility of approving an extension of the income tax at its previous level, but this?  To put virtually no stamp of his own on Illinois’ budget and accomplish nothing his campaign promised?  That would not be shaking up Springfield.  That would be same old, same old.  In response his rhetoric, his spluttering blame filled speeches, the vitriol (does that have anything to do with vituperation?) boiled down to this retort:

Rauner:      “You have the audacity sir, the unmitigated gall, to suggest I tie my   political party and administration to the same template of  government  spending that has put Illinois in this fiscal hole o’ these many years while helping you raise taxes besides?  You expect me to accept this while gaining no satisfaction on my turnaround agenda?  I’ll be damned sir, damned if I will consent to that.  I accept your challenge wholeheartedly and without reservation.”

Madigan:    “Excellent.  What weapons do you choose and where?”

Rauner:       "I choose private social service agencies in communities throughout  Illinois.  At what distance?”

Madigan:     "We’ll fire from whatever distance the newspapers, TV anchors,  bloggers, twitter feeders, and Rich Miller allow us.”

 Rauner:       “Agreed.”

Rapid acceptance of terms can be a bad sign when arranging duels.  You would like to see some hesitation from the other party.  A wince of the face upon hearing the weapon selected, a hint of discomfort at the prospect of doing battle with a weapon your opponent feels unskilled in using would is a welcome sign. 

As it turns out, Michael Madigan and the Democrats have been using social service agencies for years in all sorts of ways.  Social Service agencies are like Poland in Europe.  When war breaks out the first thing that happens is some invader rolls into Warsaw.  The Democrats know all about manipulating social service agencies, and the people they serve, for political purpose.  Not only do they seem to have no problem using that weapon, they seem to welcome it.

Governor Rauner may have sensed that.  He quickly offered a solution that would eliminate the need for a bloody fight to the death.

Rauner:  “Should you wish to reconsider risking death in a close range shooting match you may acquiesce to my demands which are these: term limits, an independent and fair electoral map, significant changes in collective bargaining, right to work, no fair share contribution among unions, and changes to worker’s compensation law.  What say you Mr. Madigan?”

Madigan:  “I say Mr. Rauner without reservation and with total confidence in my position, NO.  I will not consider such demands which are outside the purview of the matter at hand.  Let the duel begin.”

The rawness of dueling, the possibility of death, and the stark reality of preparing to die is designed deliberately.  The prospect of a fatal duel should and typically does force careful consideration, among thinking men, of the importance of one’s position in a given matter.  The prospect of death has a way of clearing out the clutter.  The parties should weigh outright retraction of offensive remarks or actions, or at the very least entertain some compromise in hopes of avoiding the duel.  Because in theory the desired outcome of a duel is not necessarily the death of one’s opponent but the removal of dishonor he by taking back words or deeds inflicted upon you.  Removing the stain on one’s reputation is the deal.

That conclusion relies of course on honor being the true goal.  The argument falls apart completely if either party’s real motive is simply killing his opponent.  In that case it matters not at all what compromise might be offered.  All logic is ignored.  The result in that case progresses this way; stubborn resistance to reason, fact, and persuasion followed by ready, aim, fire.

Calculations of possible damage from backing down or parsing one’s offensive assertions, brainstorming scenarios, considering a different tack should all be part of the dueling process. Hopefully such deliberation is done in collaboration with trusted advisors.  That’s where the seconds come in. 

Seconds.  Not shooters or shootees, but friends who help the combatants through the process or better yet find a way to avoid the whole damn thing.  It’s a beautiful little system really.  Seconds are all over the place in the Tipperary code.  Here’s but some of the tasks of seconds sprinkled among the code’s 26 rules.

Rule 3. If doubt exists as to who gave the first offense, the decision rests with the seconds; if they won't decide, or can't agree, the matter must proceed to two shots, or to a hit, if the challenger requires it.

Rule 14. Seconds to be of equal rank in society with the principals they attend, inasmuch as a second may either choose or chance to become a principal, and equality is indispensable.

Rule 18. The seconds load in presence of each other, unless they give their mutual honors they have charged smooth and single, which should be held sufficient.

Rule 21. Seconds are bound to attempt a reconciliation before the meeting takes place, or after sufficient firing or hits, as specified.

Rule 24. In slight cases, the second hands his principal but one pistol; but in gross cases, two, holding another case ready charged in reserve.

Rule 25. Where seconds disagree, and resolve to exchange shots themselves, it must be at the same time and at right angles with their principals…

Who are the seconds in this Madigan vs. Rauner duel?  John Cullerton for Speaker Madigan and Christine Radogno for Governor Rauner.  And what have the seconds accomplished?  Damn little.  The duel continues unabated.  They fire, reload, suffer hits, but no one is declared the winner.  They appear to be fighting to the death.  Do they want it that way?

A huge hit was scored when Representative Ken Dunkin-D went missing on a key vote and later voted against Madigan on another.  Madigan was heavily wounded.  In the primary election shots were fired furiously and Dunkin was defeated, which hurt Rauner deeply, especially after spending all that money.  The duelists are still standing, though crippled from the conflict.  Behind them stand the seconds reloading pistols when they should be working furiously towards reconciliation.  For God’s sake have Illinois politicians forgotten how to throw each other a bone?

Madigan will not accept right to work laws in Illinois or term limits.  Everybody knows that. That concept, “Everybody knows that”, is actually a great way to find and avoid deal breakers.  Anybody that knows anything in Springfield could relate that bit of common knowledge about Madigan to the new governor.  Go ahead, ask they guy who cleans toilets in the Capitol building. 

“Excuse me sir, I hate to interrupt you but do you think Speaker Madigan would accept term limits and right to work laws as part of a budget deal?”

He puts down his Johnny mop and looks directly at the guy posing the question.

“Hell no.  Everybody knows that.”

Same with Governor Rauner.  Do you think Rauner is going to back down from this duel deal without getting something?  No.  Everybody knows that.  So what is Speaker Madigan going to give him?

Speaker Madigan should give Governor Rauner the fair map.  By 2020 the Speaker might need a fair map.  Find something in the worker’s comp law that Rauner can hang his hat on.  HE needs to be able, however lamely, to claim a victory of some sort when this is over.  Maybe tweak collective bargaining.  There must be something in there Democrats can live without.

In addition to term limits and right to work Rauner should give up on changes that most directly threaten unions and work for incremental change over the next three years.  You can’t there from here now.

Instead of tilting at windmills ala Don Quixote why don’t both sides work on genuine school funding reform?  In regard to school funding you can’t freeze property taxes until school board members across Illinois know there is another way for them to fund quality public education in their communities.  Simply freezing property taxes isn’t reform.  Local school boards exist to maintain good schools, and in Illinois for good or bad boards maintain good schools primarily through property taxes.  Locally elected school boards have few other choices.  Fix the funding mix for schools and then freeze property taxes if you choose, but not the other way around.   Communities and politicians who represent them can’t support education reform unless it works at home.  Everybody knows that.

And Hello?  Have you forgotten that pension reform is the big prize? Instead of posturing theoretically about economic theory, the future of Illinois, and your political parties do that.  Hunker down with the actuaries and figure something out.  There are plenty of meaningful tasks to accomplish, why keep shooting at someone who won’t go down?  Get to work on things Illinois can actually do given today’s politics.  Be real.

I say the duelists in Illinois need new seconds.  If I were Governor Rauner I’d bring in some old hand with a good smile, a moderate profile, a firm handshake and some common sense like Representative Bob Pritchard from DeKalb.  He’s not known for putting out a line of bullshit.  He sees things in a balanced way, speaks sparingly, and can be trusted. 

And while it seems ludicrous to even offer advice to Speaker Madigan he clearly needs help.  I’d tap Jehan Gordon-Booth on the shoulder.  She has no particular political ax to grind, comes Peoria which is outside the political maelstrom that is Chicago, and isn’t inflammatory.  To the contrary, she’s calming.  If she proposes a deal you can trust she’ll make good on it.

 

Something clearly must give.  If one or both sides wanted leverage in forcing a compromise I believe they have all they’ll ever get right now.  It’s impossible to do an FY 17 budget without a FY 16 budget on the books.  On May 4^th 64 human and social service agencies sued Governor Rauner and the State of Illinois for over $100 M.  The basis of the suit?  Enforcing the provision of services in contracts they haven’t paid a dime for since July 1, 2015.  Sounds reasonable to me.  What else you going to do?  Close down and let the needy in your community fend for themselves?

What if the new seconds don’t prevail and this political duel continues?  In that case I propose we go back to the old fashioned duel.  I know a woman in Hannibal, Missouri with a big Jon boat that claims she can find Bloody Island in the Mississippi River where Lincoln’s and Shield’s lives were spared by the fast talking of their seconds.  She‘d be more than glad to give them a ride there.  She’s disgusted with both Speaker Madigan and Governor Rauner as we all are.  Given the choice of weapons available in America in the 21^st Century I’d hate to see it.  Glock 9’s at 20 paces? AR 15’s?  Bloody Island would most certainly live up to its name.

I’m kidding of course.  But Illinois has to act.  Someone needs to take over for the principals who have both proven they aren’t up to the task.  We’re past the point of declaring winners.  We’ve crossed over into the business of saving lives.