IL GOP governor lambastes Democrat leaders for turning state into a "banana republic" of overspending

It appears that Illinois, America's fifth-most populous state (for now), will enter its second year without a budget. Long-suffering Land of Lincoln residents such as myself chose Republican reformer Bruce Rauner not only to steady the ship--but to keep it from sinking. But the Democrats, who because of gerrymandering have supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, would rather blame Rauner for the state's problems--even though all they need to do is pass a budget. If Rauner vetoes it--then the Dems have the votes to override.

It's that simple. But the Democrats do not want to be accountable.

The villain here is House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who has been at his post for 30 of the lat 32 years. He's the poster child of Illinois' unfunded pension debacle and its failed budgets--when Illinois had budgets, that is--that were grossly unbalanced. Madigan is also the chairman of the state Democratic party--he controls much of the campaign cash for General Assembly Democrats. If you cross Madigan--as independent Democratic state rep Ken Dunkin did, he lavishes money into your opponent's campaign chest and even turns to President Obama unseat you.

Yesterday Rauner called out Democratic leaders--of course that includes Madigan--for transforming Illinois into a "banana republic" of overspending. He also called the spring session of the General Assembly "a stunning failure."

He's right.

Illinois is losing population and Chicago is the only municipality of America's top 20 cities that has negative population growth.

Madigan's way is not working.