Making Lemonade From Lemons
From a Channel 7 story, the Governor gets big credit for having a sense of humor:May 10, 2006 - Governor Rod Blagojevich could have been snippy. He could have been terse. Instead, he had some fun with a group of College Republicans who came out to his appearance at the University of Illinois yesterday.
The group wore blue T-shirts emblazoned with an anti-Blagojevich slogan ("Blagojevich sucks") to protest a decision that could put some of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission's student loan portfolio up for sale.The governor announced the program and touted its potential to provide student aid to more students. Then he looked at the College Republicans and said he wanted a T-shirt. In Blagojevich's words, "I promise you if I get a blue one like that, I'll wear it when I go out jogging."
The College Republicans quickly handed up a blue T-shirt and posed for pictures with the governor.
posted by Rep. John Fritchey @ 5/10/2006
9 comments
9 Comments:
I get the sense of humor thing, but there's nothing funny about what he's done with school funding at every level.
Lighten up anon. Well handled on the Gov's part.
He has a sense of humor and no shame, no hesitation to lie (like claiming that selling the ISAC loan portafolio will in any way benefit students)
Rod handled it well. He turned what most certainly would have been an uncomfortable situation for most into a comfortable, laughable situation.
God only knows how charming little Judy would have reacted. Morons, weasel eyes, damn fools, perhaps? Better yet, how would our great Commander in Chief react to the same situation? Eeeesh, I hate to imagine.
Selling the ISAC portfolio with conditions not to raise interest rates or loan repayment provisions will have no effect on current loan holders and will free up funds to provide financial aid to thousands more students from middle class families who otherwise would not qualify for state assistance.
It is a good proposal that was endorsed by all of the university presidents.
The governor, as usual, did not lie. He handled the rude behavior of the Republican students a lot better than I would have.
Bill:
The college presidents were on board because they were promised some money to for infrustructure and pay raises. The problem is that the sale of ISAC would yeild a one time windfall, salary increases and an expanded scholarship program will need continued revenue. Where does this revenue come from? Maybe all the pork the dems have in the budget could be used. Bottom line is this governor does what is good for him not what is good for the state.
Since I see him jogging in the neighborhood sometimes (most recently dodging traffic while crossing Western Avenue against the light), I'll have to keep an eye out for that shirt! I'll report back here if I see it.
Anon. 5/12
The college presidents testitifed to House and Senate committees that there was no quid pro quo and that they were guaranteed that students would be held harmlesss. Since you claim to know different maybe you should report them to the AG.
To answer your question, the state, under the governor's leadership is coming out of the 9/11 and Republican induced recession. Job creation has and is taking place and state revenue growth has and will continue to increase.At the same time, the governor has reduced the the size of state gov't and has achieved some much needed reforms in the state pension plans.
Natural revenue growth will be a source of funding without the need to raise sales or income taxes.
Thanks for asking.
The governor always does what is best for the real working people and the disadvantaged people in this state without regard for political consideration.
This is just another example of that.
Good attention, bad attention, it's all about face time with the Virility King. He ought to hook up with Paris Hilton, two vacuous people with nothing to add but photogenicity. What a waste.
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