Illinois government relations break down

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Democrats who dominate Illinois state government face a major problem. Each other.

The governor says the House speaker is "a George Bush Republican" in disguise and threatens a lawsuit over what time House sessions begin. Rank-and-file lawmakers label the governor "cowardly" and "a madman."

The lieutenant governor publicly repudiates his boss. The Senate president bars a member of his own leadership team from strategy sessions.

"It's gotten to the point with party infighting and clan rivalries that we're making the Iraqi parliament look good," said Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago.

The latest squabbling began with tensions over the state budget. It was supposed to be approved by May 31, but officials are nowhere close to an agreement -- state government is still operating only because officials passed a budget extension that expires at the end of July.

The dispute is delaying decisions on a major new health program and increased school spending. If it drags into August, state government could shut down, schools wouldn't be able to plan their budgets for the new school year and hospitals and nursing homes might not be paid for treating the poor.

This isn't what Democrats expected in November, when they won the governor's mansion, every statewide office and large majorities in both the House and Senate. They dreamed of cooperating on a long list of social issues.

But those dreams have been dashed.

When the House defied an executive order by meeting in special session at 10 a.m. instead of 2 p.m., the governor's top lawyer declared it a constitutional violation and said Blagojevich was considering legal action.

Lawmakers were stunned that Blagojevich would make an issue of the time.

"We have a madman," Rep. Joe Lyons, D-Chicago, told reporters. "The man is insane."

That came a day after Blagojevich accused House Speaker Michael Madigan, chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, of conspiring with Republicans to block a budget that would expand social services.

"The way to be able to finally get budgets that achieve the objective of health care and education for families is to get Mr. Madigan to be a Democrat again and stop being a George Bush Republican," Blagojevich said.

He even took that message to church Sunday, telling parishioners at a Springfield church that Madigan had "betrayed" party values.

It's not the first time Blagojevich, who began his second term this year, has butted heads with Madigan, a fiscal conservative who has resisted dramatic increases in state spending. The governor also has a poor relationship with rank-and-file lawmakers, who see him as disengaged and dictatorial.

Blagojevich is pushing a costly program that would guarantee everyone in Illinois access to health insurance and initially proposed to pay for it with the largest tax increase in Illinois history, a $7.6 billion levy on businesses.

The proposal landed with a thud. The House ended up rejecting it in a jaw-dropping 107-0 vote.

Relations within the legislative branch aren't much better.

Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, barred a member of his leadership team from strategy sessions out of fear that he was leaking information to the opposition -- not Republicans but House Speaker Madigan.

Jones also cut the legs out from under another of his members on the hottest issue at the state Capitol -- electric rates that have doubled or tripled many constituents' bills. Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, thought he'd scored a major victory when the Senate narrowly approved a provision rolling back rates.

But without warning, Jones dusted off an obscure parliamentary maneuver that essentially reversed the vote. Just minutes after his victory, Forby stood stunned on the Senate, defeated by his own leader.

Republicans hope the Democratic disarray will translate into gains for the GOP next year. They're watching the turmoil gleefully, speaking up occasionally to mock the majority party.

"You had everything that the political world could give you, and you have squandered it. You have squandered it at taxpayers' expense," thundered Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Greenville. "Democrats, with all the power the people could give them, have failed the people of Illinois."