Reacting to State Rep Mike Bost's mention of the "I" word on the House floor Saturday, Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Plainfield) and Minority Whip Bill Black (R-Danville) backpedaled just a bit Saturday afternoon, urging cooler heads and saying an impeachment investigation wasn't a good idea "at this time." Democrats, doing what they can to smooth ruffled feathers, agreed with Cross and Black.
We all understand the dignity of being calm and collected while negotiating a state budget, but Bost's suggestion is not so outlandish. His call for the possibility of investigation is a reasonable call to re-align the state's balance of power -- not between parties, between branches of government.
Saturday morning, Speaker Madigan blatantly rejected the Governor's call to meet at the Capitol at 2:00 PM. Madigan told the House members to return at 5:00 PM Sunday, a reasonable compromise for the House members who answered the Governor's summons to Springfield Thursday, but needed to get home over the weekend, especially since budget negotiations showed no progress.
House members asked Speaker Madigan whether or not State Police could pick them up and force them to return as the Governor demanded. Madigan had his counsel respond publicly that they could find no Constitutional precedence nor statute that would force House members to get into State Police cars. "He does have authority over State Police, but House members are not compelled to get into police cars," members were told.
Later in the day, we heard that the Governor threatened to retaliate by going to court over the time schedule clash.
This isn't about time schedules. It's about balance of power. Separation of the three branches of government. The Executive branch has no authority over the Legislative branch. They are equal. They complement and correct each other. This is Civics 101.
This governor has racked up a litany of offenses, but his absolute refusal to negotiate with the Legislative branch is appalling and must be checked. Our lawmakers need to be aware of our outrage and disgust with the governor's childish behavior.
Illinois needs a balance of power between branches of state government.
We at Illinois Review are joining the efforts of Citizens to Impeach Blagojevich. We're not asking you to leave your homes and join an army to storm the Capitol. We're asking you to sign a petition, forward it to your friends and networks and plead with them to express their opinion. Now.
Maybe you think the petition's a waste of time or that it won't go anywhere. That's not the point. Find your own reason to get involved in righting our state's out-of-balance system. This is a place to start.
Go to www.impeachblago.com. Let our lawmakers know that you support their courage and "Hail Mary" tactics when the time warrants it. Tell them you stand with them.
