2 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 20 No. 832 • June 13 - 26, 2013 Business • Politics • Arts • Culture • Now You Know • RiverCitiesReader.com With over 70% of Metro buses running on clean burning Compressed Natural Gas, riding Metro means cleaner air for everyone. g o g r e e n m e t r o . c o m Business • Politics • Arts • Culture • Now You Know • RiverCitiesReader.com River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 20 No. 832 • June 12 - 26, 2013 3 ILLINOIS POLITICS by Rich Miller Kick start your weekend at Jumer’s! CapitolFax.com Lack of African-American Support You could win a NEW Ford Mustang AND $100 IMAGE Free Play! Dooms Gay-Marriage Bill Play our Route 66 Giveaway, and you may be one of 30 lucky here’s more than enough blame to go when a majority of the Black Caucus decided players to receive a key to start a new Ford Mustang. around regarding the failure of the it wanted to wait until November to vote on GET YOUR TIX FOR ROUTE 66. gay-marriage bill during the final days of the bill, the roll call reportedly fell to just 52 EARN EXTRA ENTRIES BASED ON PLAY! T FREE ENTRIES the General Assembly’s spring session, which “yes” votes. It couldn’t be salvaged. Madigan’s 100 POINTS EARNS YOU 100 ENTRIES! EVERY DAY! • Drawings dates: June 15, 22 and 29 at 8pm ended May 31. strategy failed. • 5 winners on June 15 and 22 Governor Pat Quinn knew that African- The proponents themselves need to Grand Prize American House members were reluctant to reexamine their entire, failed strategy. 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Quinn The response • You must be present to win One key will start the car. bother to hire any was offering projects to playbook was written For all the details go to jumerscasinohotel.com Republican legislators to House-affiliated almost a quarter-century entice them to flip, but ago. During the 1990 he couldn’t find a few black lobbyists until gubernatorial race, ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT AS LOW AS Now featuring million Medicaid dollars Republican Jim Edgar Carved Prime Rib! to help poor people the afternoon of targeted black church Lobster $ 99* 4pm–9pm THURSDAYS get wheelchairs and leaders, believing he could 14 With May 30, when it was *Save big: IMAGE Players Club Tail & Prime IMAGE $ 99 Regular buff et price: $29.99 members can earn 100 base points Players 24 preventive dental care? hold down the black in play every Thursday and receive Club card: rib Buffet! this great buff et for half price. That late-session fight way too late. 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Senate President John Cullerton said he weren’t many back then, so hiring those folks June 14-15 The Tailfi ns didn’t regret passing the gay-marriage bill gave them a huge advantage with African- June 21-22 Smooth Groove out of his chamber in mid-February, before American legislators. The gay-marriage the House votes were lined up. Back then, proponents had just one black lobbyist on their June 28-29 Funk Daddies the House roll call was reportedly in the 40s. payroll, and he’s affiliated with the Senate. They (Sixty votes are needed to pass.) Usually, didn’t bother to hire any House-affiliated black proponents try to wire these things so they lobbyists until the afternoon of May 30, when pass both chambers quickly. Cullerton said he it was way too late. An inexcusable blunder. feared opponents would begin gearing up and Some proponents have slammed the bill’s I-280 and Hwy 92, Exit 11-A, Rock Island, IL believed the bill needed to be passed as quickly House sponsor for not calling a floor vote. But 309-756-4600 • 800-477-7747 • Open 7am-5am daily as possible. But passing that bill without first that’s simply ludicrous. Big bills such as this If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). making sure the House was ready to deal with tend to fail badly if they don’t zoom up to 60 on FORYOURENJOYMENT, ALWAYSSMOKEFREE! it energized opponents and gave them time to the tally board. The final total would’ve almost organize. surely been in the low 40s, meaning it would’ve Proponents say the House roll call moved died in its tracks. It also could’ve exposed a into the 50s by March. But instead of working few “hidden” votes in favor of the bill. Either it hard at that point, House Speaker Michael that, or those secret proponents would’ve had Madigan appeared to put off a vote. Madigan to vote against the bill, making it that much did the same with several other bills this harder to turn them around the next time. spring, including a fracking proposal. The idea As mentioned above, the House Black was to wait on stuff that looked like it could Caucus wants to wait until November for a pass easily and get the truly hard stuff done vote, but November is near the end of House first, such as the budget, pension reform, and candidate filing season. A November vote concealed carry. Those bills absolutely had to means many already-nervous legislators might be passed, so giving out goodies to his various guarantee themselves primary opposition. So if factions early in the game would, the theory it doesn’t pass this summer in a special session, went, reduce the willingness of proponent it’ll probably have to wait until after the 2014 legislators to work on the tough stuff. But primary. the opposition geared up and, by the time Madigan revisited the issue in late May, the roll Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax (a daily call was already sliding backward. By May 29, political newsletter) and CapitolFax.com. 4 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 20 No. 832 • June 13 - 26, 2013 Business • Politics • Arts • Culture • Now You Know • RiverCitiesReader.com T:9.25" on the perfect SAVE Galaxy $ phone 100 for you. Switch and find the T:9.75" Smartphone that fits your life and your wallet. Get more out of your phone with unlimited 4G LTE™ data. uscellular.com $ .99 Limited-time offer. FREE 99 After $100 mail-in rebate that comes as a MasterCard® debit card. Applicable Smartphone Data Plan required. 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