Defeated 72-0 . Nice try Bruce, better luck next time. Conditions on the Illinois House floor turned theatrical Thursday as lawmakers screamed, cried and even broke out in song during heated debate of a key item on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s pro-business, anti-union agenda.

The emotional display set the stage for a symbolic vote rejecting Rauner’s push to allow local communities to decide if they want workers to be unionized or not.

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The idea builds on a national, Republican-led movement to chip away at union power. Rauner’s less aggressive, localized version reflects the political hurdles the movement faces in union-friendly Illinois, where organized labor spreads campaign cash to both Democrats and Republicans.

The new governor has staked much of his first-year agenda on the right-to-work push, pitching the idea to local governments across the state and asking them to pressure lawmakers in Springfield to back the idea.

Rauner had tied the proposal to ongoing budget negotiations, but with just weeks remaining in the regular spring session and no legislation filed, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan cobbled together a bill based on talking points circulated by Rauner’s team and put it up for a vote Thursday afternoon.


The move allowed Madigan to give his Democratic members the opportunity to formally reject Rauner’s idea while testing Republicans’ loyalty to the new governor, who had sought united support from members of his party.

The measure received zero “yes” votes, with 72 voting against it and 37 voting present. Republican Rep. Raymond Poe, who represents heavily unionized Springfield, joined Democrats in voting against the measure. Seven Republicans didn't cast a vote.


Republicans called the ordeal a political stunt. They said Democrats weren’t taking the idea seriously, noting that the language in the bill was not written or reviewed by the Rauner administration.

“People are watching us and they’re demanding results in Springfield that are going to put people back to work,” said House Republican leader Jim Durkin. “This governor was not elected with just Republican votes, he was elected with Democrat votes, independent votes, who told him to come to Springfield and fix the problems that we have.”


The issue stoked emotions. Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, delivered a teary tale of how union membership helped his family climb out of poverty. Rep. Esther Golar, D-Chicago, registered her opposition by singing a rendition of the civil rights anthem "We Shall Not Be Moved."

For his part, Rauner dismissed the vote before it was even held. “Difficult negotiations in government often involve political theater,” Rauner told reporters at a morning news conference in the Capitol.

Democrats said it was time to weigh in on the idea since it had consumed so much of the governor’s time and was tied to larger budget negotiations.

Rauner and the Democrats who control the General Assembly have yet to reach agreement on how to fill a projected $6.6 billion shortfall for the budget year that begins July 1. Democrats want to raise taxes to offset severe spending cuts, something Rauner has said he’ll consider only if his broader agenda, which includes the right-to-work measure, is approved.

“The problem is, this has become a condition … to talking real terms about how we’re going to solve our budget problem,” said Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea. “Make no mistake about it, Rome is burning, and we’re having to deal with these types of issues.”

Rauner’s effort to build support for the right-to-work idea has become a political flashpoint even in some more conservative corners of the state, with unions flooding city council and county board meetings to voice their opposition.

In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s City Council unanimously endorsed a resolution rejecting the idea just moments before Rauner asked the aldermen to push lawmakers in Springfield to help pass his agenda.

The proposal voted down in the House would allow local government bodies to vote on whether to become an “empowerment zone” where employees wouldn’t be forced to join a union and pay dues or fees, but wouldn’t be prevented from doing so. Voters also would have the option of submitting a petition to the county clerk to get the question on the ballot for the next election. In Chicago, the decision would be up to voters in each ward.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

This will sum up his term.

What sums up the catastrophic stupidity of the people that voted for him?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

pretty much

Catastrophic Stupidity works for just describing the state of Illinois itself.

Don't sell Illinois short.

I didn't vote for the asshole, but what is he supposed to do? It's hopeless.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Yeah, that's pretty dumb.

Whatever term you used for Quinn and Blago voters.

Madigan will work to gut unions in his own way while keeping there money too.

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Try not to make this state like Wisconsin for starters .The fact that Illinois isn't a rtw state is not the problem.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Wrong. White people herpa derpa do.

Anyways, I think your o ln the path to enlightenment with this. This may be a good set of theater to distract and set the stage for something from Madigan. I wanna dip my balls in it.

Exactly.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Madigan doesn't a give a shit anymore and wont proactively try to do anything. He doesn't even vote because he cannot be bothered to do it. I had a girlfriend who was from Springfield and worked in his office, she was by far the most beautiful woman I've ever dated, and her job was to go around to the geriatric, senile Madigan puppets and tell them what they were shooting down. That's how he gets his rocks off now, just fucking over other people and ruining governors.

Gutting unions in his own way would require effort and imagination that he's not willing to devote to policy, the guy just wants to control the GA and shove shit back in the face of whoever is governor. He's still happy to conspire to bury someone stupid enough to think they run this state, but actual policy just isn't his thing anymore. He's a spiteful, angry 73 year old man who substantiates his legacy by lengthening his body count.

wisconsin has always had some of the lowest wages in the country. now with right to work, we arent seeing a raise anytime soon.

im not surprised though. rural wisconsin constitues the majority of the vote up here, and rural wisconsin is the definition of HICK

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Just rolling up his sleeves and getting Illinois working again.

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The Bulls haven't done anything wrong, and they're not going to do anything wrong.

I'm not sure what index you're referencing, but Wisconsin's median household income ranks something like 20th or 21st in the country, far from the bottom.

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