ILLINOIS POLITICS by Rich Miller Capitolfax.Com Business Opposition Torpedoes Viable Pension Plan

2 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 20 No. 826 • March 21 - April 3, 2013 Business • Politics • Arts • Culture • Now You Know • RiverCitiesReader.com Our COMMITMENT to the COMMUNITY is BLOSSOMING. Through the use of compressed natural gas vehicles and green building projects, we are committed to a sustainable Quad Cities. www.gogreenmetro.com Business • Politics • Arts • Culture • Now You Know • RiverCitiesReader.com River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 20 No. 826 • March 21 - April 3, 2013 3 GUEST COMMENTARY by Kevin Carson Seventeen Benefits of the War on Drugs ith American drug-use levels es- turned kids into drug informants who cool black uniforms just like the SS. hide, you have nothing to fear” rhetoric, sentially the same as – and levels monitor their parents for the authorities. 8) Between the wars on the urban drug it conditions the public to assume the Wof drug-related violence either the 5) As a result of the way DARE interacts trade and rural meth labs, it has brought surveillance state means well and that only same as or lower than – those in countries with other things such as zero-tolerance under constant harassment and surveillance evildoers object to ubiquitous surveillance. such as the Netherlands with liberal drug policies and warrantless inspections by drug- two of the demographic groups in our 13) In conjunction with endless military laws, public support for the War on Drugs sniffing dogs, the Drug War has conditioned country – inner-city blacks and rural, poor adventures overseas and “soldiers defend our appears to be faltering. This was most recent- children to believe the policeman is their whites – least socialized to accept orders freedoms” rhetoric, it conditions the public ly evidenced in the victory of major drug- friend, and to view snitching as admirable from authority either in the workplace or to worship authority figures in uniform, decriminalization initiatives in Colorado and behavior, and to instinctively look for an political system, and vital components of any and predisposes them to cheerfully accept Washington. Some misguided commentators authority figure to report to the second potential movement for freedom and social future augmentations of military and police go so far as to say the Drug War is “a failure.” they see anything the least bit eccentric or justice. authority without a peep of protest. Here, to set the record straight, are 17 ways anomalous. 9) In addition, it brings those who actually 14) It creates enormously lucrative in which it is a resounding success. 6) Via civil forfeiture, it has enabled the fall into the clutches of the criminal-justice opportunities for the large banks – one of 1) It has surrounded the Fourth state to create a lucrative racket in property system into a years-long cycle of direct the most important real constituencies of the Amendment’s “search and seizure” stolen from citizens never charged, let control through imprisonment and parole. American government – to launder money restrictions, and similar provisions in state alone convicted, of a crime. Best of all, even 10) By disenfranchising convicted from drug-trafficking. HSBC, Bank of constitutions, with so many “good faith,” possessing large amounts of cash, while felons, it restricts participation in the state’s America, and Wachovia have made billions “reasonable suspicion,” and “reasonable technically not a crime, can be treated as “democratic” processes to only citizens laundering drug money – Wachovia raking expectation of privacy” loopholes as to turn evidence of intent to commit a crime – who are predisposed to respect the state’s in almost $400 billion. You can be sure that them into toilet paper for all intents and saving the state the trouble of having to authority. if there were a serious threat of cocaine and purposes. convert all that stolen tangible property into 11) In conjunction with shows such heroin legalization in Washington, the hit 2) In so doing, it has set precedents that liquid form. as Law & Order and Cops, it conditions squads – funded by those who profit from can be applied to a wide range of other 7) It has enabled local police forces the middle-class citizenry to accept the illegal drug trade – would be out in force. missions, such as the War on Terror. to undergo military training, create police authoritarianism and lawlessness 15) Thanks to major drug-production 3) It has turned drug stores and banks into paramilitary SWAT teams that operate just as necessary to protect them against the centers such as the Golden Triangle of arms of the state that constantly inform on like the U.S. military in an occupied enemy terrifying threat of people voluntarily Southeast Asia, the opium industry in their customers. country, get billions of dollars worth of ingesting substances into their own bodies. Afghanistan, and the cocaine industry in 4) Via programs such as DARE, it has surplus military weaponry, and wear really 12) Through “if you have nothing to Continued On Page 18 American Leather® Comfort Sleeper™ & Comfort Recliner™ floor model clearance sale! Product available may vary from models depicted. In the Walnut Center | 4711 North Brady Street | Davenport, IA | www.LifeStylesFurniture.com | 563. 345. 6250 4 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 20 No. 826 • March 21 - April 3, 2013 Business • Politics • Arts • Culture • Now You Know • RiverCitiesReader.com ILLINOIS POLITICS by Rich Miller CapitolFax.com Business Opposition Torpedoes Viable Pension Plan ardon me,” said Ty Fahner to a times the amount that Cullerton’s proposal would. nearby microphone that he had They also say guaranteeing that retirees will “Paccidentally bumped during testi- receive government-subsidized health-insurance mony to the Illinois Senate Executive Committee premiums in exchange for giving up their cost- last week. of-living adjustments would pretty much declare Fahner could probably be excused for that health insurance is a contractual pension apologizing to an inanimate object. The president obligation, protected by the state Constitution. of the Chicago-based, And that, they say, would business-backed Civic lead to much higher costs Committee and self- Even the most down the road. styled pension expert had “Bruce opposes SB1 been forced to sit in the generous reading because while it fixes one hearing room and wait small piece of the pension for hours before testifying of the plan crisis, it takes away key future against Senate President negotiating leverage by John Cullerton’s omnibus doesn’t explain contractually guaranteeing A winning SEAFOOD pension-reform bill. future government IT’S BACK! Cullerton was obviously contributions,” said a Combination!ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT furious with Fahner for how it abides spokesperson for Rauner helping organize the last week. “The bill, however opposition to his bill, by the Illinois well-intentioned, gives away Steak & Lobster and he grilled former too much while not getting Constitution. enough in return.” Tail Buffet! Illinois Attorney General AS LOW AS Fahner mercilessly, tag- Rauner has become teaming with Senate President Pro Tempore Don somewhat infamous in Springfield the past $ 99* Harmon, who picked apart the hostile witness several months for his regular e-mail harangues 14 piece by piece. Fahner tried to remain calm, but of the two GOP legislative leaders and other Thursdays, 4pm–9pm apologizing to the mic showed how much he was Republicans. His vast fortune and potential You can pick your price! rattled. gubernatorial bid have forced those leaders to pay Simply With *Save big: IMAGE Players Club A day earlier, word went around that attention. come in $ 99 IMAGE $ 99 members can earn 100 base points $ 99 business leaders had been calling and e-mailing There is more behind this opposition, however. and enjoy: 29 Players 24 in play every Thursday and receive 14 Club card: this great buﬀ et for half price, just: Republicans to pressure them to vote against Many in the business community believe that by Cullerton’s proposal. Even a potential Republican putting both pension-reform concepts in a single For all the details go to jumerscasinohotel.com gubernatorial candidate got into the act. bill, the General Assembly would all but invite As a result, Cullerton’s top priority for the the courts to declare the Nekritz/Cross provisions session, the passage of Senate Bill 1, was derailed unconstitutional. when Republicans began jumping ship. Even the most generous reading of the Nekritz/ Cullerton’s bill combines the Nekritz/Cross Cross plan doesn’t come close to explaining how 99* SURF ‘n’ TURF pension-reform proposal with his own pension it abides by the Illinois Constitution’s declaration $ *With IMAGE Players Club Card, plan. The Nekritz/Cross measure, introduced by that pension benefits are an “enforceable $14.99 without card. DINNERBUFFET Democratic state Representative Elaine Nekritz contractual relationship,” and that the benefits 9 and House GOP Leader Tom Cross, allows annual of that contract “shall not be diminished or O﹐﹒ cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees impaired.” FRIDAY¤¥¤¦PM¨©¦PM|SATURDAY©¦¥¤¦AM¨©¦PM only on the first $25,000 of pension income; caps With Cullerton’s language, the courts could pensionable salaries; and provides for a pension- make an easy choice between a plan that makes funding guarantee by allowing systems to take the almost no pretension of being constitutional and state to court for nonpayment. one that at least tries to satisfy the constitutional ENTERTAINMENT The other part of SB1 includes Cullerton’s own mandate. Without Cullerton’s language, the courts ATTHEEDJE pension-reform language, which he insists is the could be warned that they have to find a way only constitutional way forward. That language to give the other two branches of government You won’t want to miss this winning lineup of great entertainment. would take effect only if the Nekritz/Cross sufficient powers during a major crisis to avoid a Every Friday and Saturday from 8pm–Midnight with no cover charge.

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