Open Thread (2/4/2010)

Posted February 4th, 2010 at 07:13 AM by IlliniPundit
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Thursday, February 4, 2010.

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On February 4th, 2010 at 07:27 AM, UrbanaJake (not verified) said:

The state's highest paid employee -- the University of Illinois football coach -- just fielded the number SIXTY-NINTH ranked football squad in the country for fall 2010.

His salary should be tied to performance. No furlough days for him either. The team would be better off if he took some days off. So would the taxpayers. That's me. What does this man do all day?

 

 

On February 4th, 2010 at 08:36 AM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

If I'm not mistaken the athletic coaches are paid from the athletic fund, which gets its money from ticket sales, merchandise, TV revenue, etc., but not taxes.

On February 4th, 2010 at 08:44 AM, UrbanaJake (not verified) said:

State tax dollars make it all possible. And his pension? And state benefits?

Time to get the hook.

Glock21's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 10:03 AM, Glock21 said:

The Trib is talking about how Quinn's new likely running mate is having some troubles with a story about how he might have threatened his prostitute ex-girlfriend with a knife... nifty... fixed link

 

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Glock21 Op/Ed

On February 4th, 2010 at 10:22 AM, wayward said:

The Trib is talking about how Quinn's new likely running mate is having some troubles with a story about how he might have threatened his prostitute ex-girlfriend with a knife... nifty..

*wince* ... reminds me a little of 1986, though this isn't quite as bad (yet).  I wonder if this provided some additional encouragement for Hynes to concede the primary, since Cohen is now Quinn's problem and not his.

Glock21's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 10:28 AM, Glock21 said:

wayward... trib was saying Hynes was planning his concession for 10am today, though I haven't seen it happen yet anywhere.

 

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Glock21 Op/Ed

On February 4th, 2010 at 10:54 AM, Dane said:

Quoting from the linked artile:

...the earlier interview with Cohen, he had characterized his relationship with the woman as “tumultuous,” and said that he was going through a difficult time as his marriage was breaking up and he “fell in with the wrong crowd.”

I hear people excusing all kinds of behavior with the qualifier of 'getting in with the wrong crowd', as if they somehow just found themselves in the middle of that riot, with no idea how they got there. My point to that is that when you fall in with the wrong crowd, you are  the wrong crowd...

 

curious's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 11:33 AM, curious said:

Am I wrong in remembering that the lt. gov. and gov. candidates don't run as a ticket?  That you can vote for a lt. gov from one party and a gov. from another?

This guy Cohen was already making me wonder before yesterday's announcement about the ex-girlfriend.  I've gotten mail from him every day for the last 4 or five days, including yesterday and today!  That is a serious waste of money.

No question this guy isn't good for the Dems.  What happens if he pulls out.  Can anyone else be slated at this point?

BTW, I didn't vote for him.

Glock21's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 11:40 AM, Glock21 said:

They run separate in the primaries, but they are on the same ticket in the general.

 

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Glock21 Op/Ed

On February 4th, 2010 at 12:23 PM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

Quinn would not be the first Illinois governor to have a lieutenant governor for whom he had no use.

On February 4th, 2010 at 12:31 PM, Run4cvrlib said:

Quinn would not be the first Illinois governor to have a lieutenant governor for whom he had no use.

Yeah but it would be the first Governor with a Lt, Governor that had a State Police detail that included a Probation officer.

 

 

redstatewannabe's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 02:06 PM, redstatewannabe said:

Great news at Fortune:

A report from the Congressional Budget Office shows that for the first time in 25 years, Social Security is taking in less in taxes than it is spending on benefits.

The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades.

 

On February 4th, 2010 at 02:21 PM, Corben Rice said:

Hmmmm I wonder what happened to the 2017 figure they were touting in 2005.  I wonder what else they got wrong.

Don't worry though the government has plenty of ink and paper.

Buy what thou hast no need of and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessities.-Benjamin Franklin

Keith_Hays's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 02:24 PM, Keith_Hays said:

Hmmmm I wonder what happened to the 2017 figure they were touting in 2005. I wonder what else they got wrong.

The Great Recession - courtesy of the Bush Administration.

Three Score and Ten Plus One

Keith Hays

On February 4th, 2010 at 02:49 PM, Corben Rice said:

Oh, I see now.  The 2017 figure was based on the government receiving interest payments from itself from all the money it "borrowed" from the Social security tax.

 

Gotta love government accounting.

 

I am sure though our current economic recession hasn't helped. 

 

I am not really sure how we can blame Bush for the recession though.  There is plenty I am unhappy about but I don’t think we can blame our economic problems on him.  He cut taxes and spent like a drunken sailor.  By most reasoning that should improve the economy.

 

Buy what thou hast no need of and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessities.-Benjamin Franklin

John Bambenek's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 03:56 PM, John Bambenek said:

I woke up this morning and had gas.

I blame George W. Bush.

--
j
Part-Time Pundit

On February 4th, 2010 at 03:57 PM, wayward said:

I woke up this morning and had gas.

Thanks for sharing.

On February 4th, 2010 at 04:06 PM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

The Great Recession - courtesy of the Bush Administration.

 

Now its Obama's and it has been since the election a year ago and it ain't gettin any better!

 Hoax and change????

Toldja So's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 05:21 PM, Toldja So said:

 The gig's just about up with President Oblaima. All dems will suffer for it. Not that I'll shed a tear but right now he's his own party's worst enemy.

On February 4th, 2010 at 05:31 PM, A is for Anonymous said:

Dumber than a bag of hammers.

On February 4th, 2010 at 06:00 PM, wayward said:

Not even ready to think about how much more might come out on Cohen.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/2030254,scott-lee-cohen-steroids-governor-020410.article

Oil Man's picture
On February 4th, 2010 at 10:57 PM, Oil Man said:

You are correct CR--"I am not really sure how we can blame Bush for the recession though."  any more than we can blame Clinton.  Our elected Congress hold the key to how we really got into this mess.  Bush didn't help matters by pushing the 'home ownership' for every American.  The 'buck stops' at Congress---nobody else.  Our Senators and Representatives have gained or held on to their positions by bringing 'pork' to their home district, voting according to their favorite donating PAC and mostly as their party leadership directs.   The investment banking and mortgage industries as well as Fannie and Freddie have put mega millions of dollars into various campaign funds over the last 15 years or so to assure laws are passed to relax accounting oversight, encourage debt with minimal security and contract government services to private companies, like Enron etc.  Unfortuately the GOP bit harder being sold on the privatization aspects, however the DEMS had many opportunities to stop or slow up these laws, they chose not to or in some cases sponsored the legislation.  Congress always has the lowest approval ratings as a group but usually higher ratings individually than any siting President.  These folks are real 'con artist' when it comes to satisfying the home voters unless they get caught doing something immoral or arrested for committing a felony.  Both have been overcome resulting in re-election to Congress.  They enjoy the best group pension and health care plan in America.

On February 4th, 2010 at 11:20 PM, pattsi said:

Can anyone shed light on the following--I haven't walk around and through campus for some time--been busy doing other things  :-) --so today I did. I am interested/amazed at the amount and extent of building repair that is occurring on the campus and outside and inside buildings. This is definitely necessary; nonetheless, for an institution that is stating and pleading no money, no funds, where does the money/funds come from to pay for this work?

Pattsi Petrie

Ernest Terga's picture
On February 5th, 2010 at 12:24 AM, Ernest Terga said:

the money comes from selling postcards with pictures of the carillion and ron (the zook) zook.

On February 5th, 2010 at 07:37 AM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

I see just the opposite. Go by Everett Laboratory and you'll see part of the bike area roped off, with a sign saying "don't park here because Everett's windows are in such disrepair they're falling out."

On February 7th, 2010 at 11:42 PM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

The "the sports pay for themselves" argument is a misnomer.

As pointed out above, they still get U of I money for pensions and benefits and some of the facilities costs. The costs for the "student-athletes" to attend school come out of the main coffers too. Plus, if they lose money, the university has to make it up, but they aren't going to give it back when they make a profit.

The sports department is kind of like that friend of yours who always bums change off you to waste on lotto tickets, but when he finally wins, instead of paying you back, he blows it all on some big purchase he doesn't really need.

On February 8th, 2010 at 12:52 PM, pattsi said:

To better understand college major sport athletics, major sport athletics finances, and higher education intertwinded finances, read Murray Sperber's book, Beer and Circus. Read about Sperber here

Pattsi Petrie