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Welcome to the Dysfunction of Illinois
Chicago Tribune ^ | October 6, 2017 | Diane Sroka Rickert

Posted on 10/07/2017 5:07:47 AM PDT by PBRCat

I walked into the Thompson Center on my first day, not knowing what to expect. In many ways, my new workplace was like any other large organization: big building, thousands of people and plenty of broken computers.

Except this building is dilapidated, many of the employees are political hires and the computers will never be repaired, ever.

The Thompson Center, where I worked, is a near-perfect representation of (Illinois) state government. It is gross, rundown, and nobody cares.

Despite the shoddy condition of the state — fiscally and otherwise — there is a disturbing sense of entitlement among some state employees.

During my first week, someone who said he had been “promised” a job approached me. When I asked what he did all day, the employee said, “Not a lot. But they promised me I would have a position.”

Another government employee asked me to authorize a raise in excess of $25,000. This person was not a direct report, and we would not be working together. But she said, “I know that it can and has been done.” She then explained how to execute such a significant salary increase without raising red flags. (I rejected her request.)

We hear all the time that the government is bureaucratic and inefficient. Guess what? It really is.

In one case, an employee who was being moved never reported to his new job — but he never showed up again to his old job, either. He continued receiving a paycheck for weeks, until someone realized it and attempted to claw back the money for taxpayers.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: bureaucracy; corruption; illinois; liberalism; taxation
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A view from inside the belly of the beast.
1 posted on 10/07/2017 5:07:47 AM PDT by PBRCat
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To: PBRCat

“””...this is a state government that has been broken for decades. It is designed to reject improvement in every form, at every level.”””

The very definition of a bureaucracy.


2 posted on 10/07/2017 5:15:57 AM PDT by raybbr (That progressive bumper sticker on your car might just as well say, "Yes, I'm THAT stupid!")
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To: PBRCat

WOW....who would have thought such a wonderful state would be so screwed up...I mean DemoRats have run the place for 100 years or more.....WTF and who cares!!!


3 posted on 10/07/2017 5:17:29 AM PDT by mastertex
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To: PBRCat

Sounds just like NYS, right down to the fleeing taxpayers...


4 posted on 10/07/2017 5:21:36 AM PDT by mewzilla (Was Obama surveilling John Roberts? Might explain a lot.)
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To: PBRCat

btt


5 posted on 10/07/2017 5:22:52 AM PDT by KSCITYBOY (The media is corrupt)
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To: PBRCat

Just about everyone from toll collectors, DMV clerks, game wardens, etc to all the bureaucratic nobody make work positions infesting every state agency are patronage hires. Everyone has what is colloquially known as a “Chinaman”, a political insider who ensures employment of friends and relatives no matter the competence or qualifications.How do you clean the Aegean stables?


6 posted on 10/07/2017 5:26:47 AM PDT by Bonemaker
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To: PBRCat

Illinois joins Venezuela, North Korea, and Puerto Rico in eating the rotten fruit of socialism.


7 posted on 10/07/2017 5:35:23 AM PDT by Socon-Econ
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To: Bonemaker

The only way to make a change is for the state to be put into receivership, the management purged, unions eliminated and a complete restart of the government. But it won’t happen.


8 posted on 10/07/2017 5:35:55 AM PDT by rstrahan
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To: raybbr
The very definition of a bureaucracy.

Yes. I usually make this point about school systems, but it is true for all bureaucracies -- if they really do a great job, no one will vote additional funds for them. No need, right?

But if they avoid all improvement, if they do an awful job, the money will just keep flowing, they can hire their friends, then can build nice offices, they can go on junkets -- the money is rolling in! -- because they do a crappy job.

9 posted on 10/07/2017 5:36:42 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Benedict McCain is the worst traitor ever to wear the uniform of the US military.)
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To: PBRCat

<>I started by asking human resources for job descriptions and performance reviews for all staffers under my supervision, but was told none existed.<>


10 posted on 10/07/2017 5:40:02 AM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: PBRCat

OBAMA STRONG!


11 posted on 10/07/2017 5:43:52 AM PDT by ronnie raygun (Trump plays chess the rest are still playing checkers)
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To: PBRCat
Thank Scotus’ 1964 Reynolds v. Sims ruling.

Citing a non-existent “one man one vote” principle, eight Warren Court black-robes ruled that state legislative districts must be of approximately equal populations. Through a rogue interpretation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, these masterminds imposed a democratic republic form of government on all fifty states! Never mind the constitution simply guarantees a republican form of government, scotus illegally overruled centuries of wisdom and imposed social justice democracy instead.

Illinois Senator Dirksen warned that Chicago would come to dominate Springfield. He was right, and due to Reynolds, Illinois is near bankruptcy and losing population as people flee high taxes, higher unemployment, and societal destruction.

If Your State is a Mess.

12 posted on 10/07/2017 5:45:36 AM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: PBRCat

Sadly I’ll bet that most of the employees are Obama’s sons and daughters.


13 posted on 10/07/2017 5:45:51 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: PBRCat

And, like Puerto Rico, Illinois will be looking for a Federal bailout and will receive one. The bigger the failure and cronyism, the bigger the bailout. It is coming.


14 posted on 10/07/2017 5:46:40 AM PDT by Truth29
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To: PBRCat

I had an apartment right next to the Thomson Center for about 8 months. I had no idea it was a government center — I just knew it had a food court in the lower level.


15 posted on 10/07/2017 5:48:22 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Prayers for Las Vegas)
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To: PBRCat

Is this the dilapidated Thompson Center?

16 posted on 10/07/2017 5:48:27 AM PDT by bert (K.E.; N.P.; GOPc;WASP .... The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column)
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To: Ann Archy

>>Sadly I’ll bet that most of the employees are Obama’s sons and daughters.<<

Yes, go to any government functionary and it is decidedly one tone. The same is true for street cleaners, bus drivers, cops, meter maids, etc. etc. etc.


17 posted on 10/07/2017 5:50:05 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Prayers for Las Vegas)
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To: PBRCat
But perhaps worst of all is that I learned early on that there would be no fixing the system from within

Fixing this mess is not possible. The state employees will defend their nest like bees guarding their honey. All "foreign" intruders will be stung and repelled.

18 posted on 10/07/2017 5:56:06 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: Truth29

And, like Puerto Rico, Illinois will be looking for a Federal bailout

************

Once the first bailout happens, other liberal states will get in the conga line for assistance. Many pension funds are already in serious trouble.


19 posted on 10/07/2017 5:59:12 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: Truth29

Don’t bet on it. The feds will not be underwriting overpaid bureaucrats and their pensioned off kin.


20 posted on 10/07/2017 6:00:05 AM PDT by MSF BU (Support the troops: Join Them.)
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