Posted on 04/22/2014 9:25:59 AM PDT by OMON
A state that is nearly broke has no business spending $100 million on a potential Barack Obama presidential library.
But this is Illinois, where logic often takes a vacation. Throw in some parliamentary procedure shenanigans and the Obama presidential library is quickly becoming the typical Illinois government story – spend money that isn't there and do it in a sneaky way.
The House executive committee last week approved borrowing $100 million to help finance a library for President Obama. Obama hasn't made a decision where his library will be located – Hawaii and New York are also in the running. Also, recent presidential libraries – Clinton and both Bushes – built their libraries entirely with privately raised funds.
But House Speaker Michael Madigan and Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel think that Illinois taxpayers need to kick in some extra to make sure the library is located in Chicago. They figure $100 million is a good start, but said that the taxpayers may need to contribute more at a later date. Madigan added that the $100 million is a small amount when compared to the $1 billion the state will pay in construction this year and he noted that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum cost the state about $100 million. So there's a precedent.
Perhaps sensing the logic of their arguments was weak, Madigan engaged in a bit of parliamentary mischief. The executive committee was supposed to meet for discussion only and since no votes were planned, Republicans didn't attend the meeting. Madigan then declared a vote could be taken since the last committee hadn't been adjourned, but recessed. So the quorum from a previous meeting was used to push this onto the House floor.
Republicans are upset about the way this was pushed through committee, although it would be solid advice to attend future committee meetings. Madigan's spokesman said the committee vote may have to be taken again, although Democrats certainly hold the power to push this issue through the General Assembly.
But that shouldn't happen. Hopefully, Democrats in the House and Senate will make clear that the state simply doesn't have the funds to spend $100 million for a potential presidential library. It's incomprehensible a state that is behind on its bills, still has a potential pension problem depending on court decisions and is forecasting doom and gloom if the temporary income tax rates aren't made permanent, would commit $100 million to this cause. Well, it's incomprehensible unless you're talking about Illinois.
The state should make clear that it would be proud to host the Obama Library, but that the funds to build and maintain it will have to come from private funds.
Should be paid for by private donors and the corporations that bought them off over the years
The library should be in Hawaii where all of his ‘choom’ buddies are.
The Obama library had better be 95% toilets since there will be an abundance of cr*p there.
LOL!
And true, true, true.
Obama is sludge, slime, and cr*p all rolled into one illiterate ball.
The artist forgot to cut the moon in the top door, symbolic of what he’s done to us for 8 years...
Obama hasn’t made a decision where his library will be located – Hawaii and New York are also in the running.
I say Detroit.
Use some abandoned half standing factory.
Through some shelves in and you are good to go.
Here are the books that will be at the Library.
The Quran
Das Kapital
The Communist Manifesto
A People’s History of the United States
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Feel free to add more to the list..
It will be a Lie-Barry, lie.
It's because he's black, isn't it?
We be too broke for Barak.
Jack it up a notch.
"We had a quorum once in our existence. Therefore, we will hitch all our votes to that one quorum, declaring that we HAVE a quorum. Yes, the Republicans have been barred from entry, but they are disruptive. Let the voting begin!"
Vacation?!? Logic moved out of Illinois decades ago!
After I’m President, I’ll just put the documents online for easy access and use the library funds to build a Presidential Pool Hall and Pasta Restaurant.
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