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Illinois Death Spiral (The Illinois pension fiasco continues to plague the state with embarrassment)
American Thinker ^ | 01/29/2011 | Al Boese

Posted on 01/29/2011 10:55:04 AM PST by SeekAndFind

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1 posted on 01/29/2011 10:55:08 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
According to Moody's Investor Service, the pension system is funded to only approximately 50% of the $136-billion liability. Even that shortfall is likely understated...

Bailout over here! Bailout!

I wonder what California's picture is going to look like.

They can just call Obama and get the investigation quashed.

2 posted on 01/29/2011 11:01:38 AM PST by Steely Tom (Obama goes on long after the thrill of Obama is gone)
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To: SeekAndFind

As my State Representative said in an email reply last week: “We are our own worst enemy”.

Unfortunately the Dems are in control and guys like him can’t do much about it.


3 posted on 01/29/2011 11:04:52 AM PST by bigbob
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To: SeekAndFind
Therefore, let's end the misery now with a form of bankruptcy or court-supervised reorganization. For years, we have elected and sent in the clowns who are responsible for our miserable status. Now it is time for adult supervision.

I have a feeling a lot of conservative Republican Illinois voters who read this are asking, "Who is this 'we' you're talking about?" Illinois is what happens when the parasites outnumber the hosts. Personally, I don't care what Illinois does so long as it does whatever it does without taking any federal tax dollars confiscated from me in Pennsylvania at gunpoint.

Thank God the GOP controls the US House.

4 posted on 01/29/2011 11:07:26 AM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m so proud to be a resident of this glorious state. /s


5 posted on 01/29/2011 11:08:50 AM PST by bcsco
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To: SeekAndFind

Just raise taxes another 8000%!


6 posted on 01/29/2011 11:09:26 AM PST by therightliveswithus
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To: SeekAndFind

What is to keep the fed from buying these junk bonds. I think I read something about it???


7 posted on 01/29/2011 11:12:15 AM PST by org.whodat
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To: Lancey Howard

“Illinois is what happens when the parasites outnumber the hosts”

Dead-on. But let this be a lesson on the importance of working for your local conservative candidates for state legislature - the Dems in IL control both houses of the legislature and block everything. Having Adults back in charge of the US House is great, but remember it’s your state lawmakers that keep feeding the parasites.


8 posted on 01/29/2011 11:12:39 AM PST by bigbob
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To: Steely Tom

No NOL lose carry over! Incredible.


9 posted on 01/29/2011 11:14:33 AM PST by ChiMark
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To: SeekAndFind
Therefore, let's end the misery now with a form of bankruptcy or court-supervised reorganization.

I know this is popular among conservatives right now but it's a really bad idea. If the Fed gov presides over the bankruptcy of a state it will be the death knell of state sovereignty and the defacto end of the Republic.

If Illinois won't reorganize itself then business and population exodus from and collapse of a few bad states are preferable to the end of Federalism. At least a cratered state can be revived in time.

10 posted on 01/29/2011 11:26:49 AM PST by Poison Pill
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To: bigbob
The democrat pushers have undereducated the population and then got them addicted to OPiuM - Other People's Money
11 posted on 01/29/2011 11:29:46 AM PST by ALPAPilot
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To: SeekAndFind
... the pension system is funded to only approximately 50% of the $136-billion liability. Even that shortfall is likely understated; it is believed to be closer to $150 billion.

How can something with a $136-billion liability have a $150-billion shortfall?

Is it the $136-billion liability that is understated?

12 posted on 01/29/2011 11:37:32 AM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Gonna have to let these guys go...

13 posted on 01/29/2011 11:42:31 AM PST by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
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To: Poison Pill
If Illinois won't reorganize itself then business and population exodus from and collapse of a few bad states are preferable to the end of Federalism. At least a cratered state can be revived in time.

I agree. They made the mess, let them clean it up. Assuming the Feds don't agree to bail them out using taxpayer dollars from all the states.

Talk about redistribution!

14 posted on 01/29/2011 11:44:34 AM PST by upchuck (When excerpting please use the entire 300 words we are allowed. No more one or two sentence posts!)
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To: SeekAndFind

“the pension system is funded to only approximately 50% of the $136-billion liability. Even that shortfall is likely understated; it is believed to be closer to $150 billion”
That’s stating the shortfall is $150 billion hence the obligation would have to be more massive than the $136 billion stated. I will guess the obligation is $150 billion and not the shortfall.
Anyway this article is indirectly what the battle over the debt limit is about. The screams you hear are from those that want the states rescued as opposed to those that don’t. If they don’t raise the limit they can’t ‘rescue’ Illinois and others much as they did GM.
This battle over the several states that need help won’t i believe be fought to completion until after the 2012 election cycle. Should Illinois have to tell all their pensioners collecting over a certain amount(you have older retirees getting sums like $25,000 who should remain untouched in my opinion)that they will have to take a 33% cut,as a start,then there’s no way the unions will be backing the libs. Something along these lines,much like Schumer saying the Republicans want to take your SS every chance he gets,will be tossed around with ‘blame’ being pointed in the usual directions. It will be stalled with some meager corrections to the states spending habits be3ing implemented. After 2012 the hard cutting will begin.


15 posted on 01/29/2011 11:59:28 AM PST by wiggen (The teacher card. When the racism card just won't work.)
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To: SeekAndFind
"Helicopter" Ben's got it covered. Bank on it.


16 posted on 01/29/2011 12:02:44 PM PST by Milhous (Lev 19:18 Love your neighbor as yourself.)
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To: Lancey Howard

That sentence in the article didn’t get much thought. Who exactly will say,if not the elected officials,that an $80,000 a year pension,never mind the free health or whatever,will be cut to $50,000? Judges? All we read about is judges saying to governors,”well,no,you can’t furlough workers,you can’t force them to take a week off” and so forth and so on. Legislative action is all that will remedy this matter.


17 posted on 01/29/2011 12:03:40 PM PST by wiggen (The teacher card. When the racism card just won't work.)
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To: org.whodat

Debt limit battle is all about rescuing states. They can buy the paper if the issue paper of their own.


18 posted on 01/29/2011 12:04:48 PM PST by wiggen (The teacher card. When the racism card just won't work.)
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To: Poison Pill

I don’t agree with you. Until and unless a state is forced to its knees then the others (the ones with ‘issues’) will continue making noise but doing little. Look at NJ. Its tough but it there’s a path out. Once the first state is bailed out then there’s no way the others can be told ‘no’. After all,the others contributed to the rescue.


19 posted on 01/29/2011 12:09:12 PM PST by wiggen (The teacher card. When the racism card just won't work.)
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To: Fido969

Gonna have to let these guys go...

No, send then to the legislature or make them judges. They couldn’t possibly be more corrupt than the clowns running the show now. Got cooler nicknames too!


20 posted on 01/29/2011 12:12:31 PM PST by Old North State (Don't blame me, I voted for Pedro)
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