Berkowitz w/Sen. Bill Brady (R) on Blago, Madigan, Obama, Watson, Rezko, Dillard, Cross and much more: Cable and Streaming
Senator Bill Brady: Who borrowed the ten billion dollars and then spent two of it on on-going annual expenses in the first year of Rod Blagojevich’s administration. Mike Madigan supported that, Emil Jones supported that and Rod Blagojevich supported that.
Jeff Berkowitz: And so did several state senators in the Republican Party support that, didn’t they?
Senator Bill Brady: Not several, a few.
***********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: In 2006, [Senate Republican Leader] Frank Watson…
Senator Bill Brady: We took it on the chin in 2006.
Jeff Berkowitz: He lost five seats but he goes off a month before the election. He goes off to Italy for ten days?
***************************************************
This week’s suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features a likely 2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial candidate, State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington)[Watch here]. Turn on, Tune in and find out answers to a wide assortment of questions regarding the state of the State GOP, the state of the Illinois Economy under Democratic rule, Blago’s proposed budget and taxes, Obama’s performance as a state legislator, the performance of State GOP leaders, the performance of State Democrat Leaders, the performance of Senators Cronin, Dillard and Millner, the Illinois Combine and Kass, Cellini and Kjellander and much, much more [See, below list of topics discussed on the show].
*************************
This week’s suburban schedules for Public Affairs is included, below.
*********************************************************
Senator Brady ran in the Republican Primary for Governor in 2006, coming in third out of four candidates, with about 20% of the vote. Some of his critics argue he split the conservative vote with second place finisher, Jim Oberweis, insuring a victory for first place finisher Judy Baar Topinka. Some of Brady’s supporters argue if Oberweis had gotten out of the race, Brady had a better chance than Oberweis of winning both the primary and the General Election, beating Rod Blagojevich. Will the conservatives split the vote again in 2010? Stay tuned.
******************************************
The show with Senator Brady also will air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and in Aurora and surrounding areas on that same Monday night at 7:30 pm on ACTV, Cable Ch. 10.
*************************************************************
The show with Senator Bill Brady, taped on March 2, 2008, is also available 24/7 on your computer.
*********************************************************
Topics discussed on this week’s suburban edition of PA:
State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), likely candidate for Guv in 2010, debates and discusses the issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz, including the performance of State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr., House minority leader Cross and Senate Minority Leader Watson; Is Tony Rezko on Trial, or is it the Illinois Combine that is on trial; Is Dan Proft right when he argues that the Illinois Republican leaders are "selling their souls a little bit at a time." Is the State GOP still recovering from the actions of George Ryan?
Do the Illinois Republicans have a program of tax reform, ethics reform, health care reform and school improvement, as Brady argues? Should Illinois abolish the Health Care Facilities Board? Is Illinois the 47th worst job performing state in the nation? Did Senators Dillard, Millner and Cronin fail to get the Republican memo on "no new taxes." Should Illinois lease its lottery or use the motor fuel tax anticipated revenues to finance a capital budget?
Should Illinois raise its tax on casino receipts to 70%? Should Illinois dedicate a percentage of its natural revenue growth to financing a reduction of real estate property taxes levied by localities, but not have a net increase in taxes? Should Illinois cut its income or general sales tax? Has Illinois or the Federal Government come up with legislation to prevent individuals with certain mental health problems from owning guns? If it hasn’t, should it?
*************************************************
A partial transcript of this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs is included, below:
Jeff Berkowitz: [Dan]Proft [R-Cicero] has asked the question whether the State GOP leaders need more phosphate in their backbones. He asked, is Tom Cross, who is the Republican minority leader in the Statehouse, is he Speaker Mike Madigan’s whip? Is he acting that way…do you know what Proft means when he says—do [the State GOP] leaders need more phosphate in their backbone?
State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington): No, I don’t. What I’ll tell you is that we, as a Party, are defining ourselves against the Democrats every day. Rod Blagojevich, Emil Jones and Mike Madigan have destroyed the State Budget. [They] left us in the last cycle with 1.7 billion dollars in unpaid bills…we clearly have defined ourselves differently…we made some great inroads…we defeated the single largest tax increase ever introduced by any Governor in this nation, the GRT [Gross Receipts Tax, proposed by Governor Rod Blagojevich, which represented a net increase in state taxes of about seven billion dollars in its first full year].
Jeff Berkowitz: You mean the Republicans did? In the House, I think it was Speaker Mike Madigan who did that [defeated the GRT].
State Senator Bill Brady: Let me tell you something, the day it was introduced by the Governor, the Democrats would have followed that road, lock, stock and barrel. But, we went to the Public and said this will destroy Illinois’ economy…up until that point in time, Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and the rest of the Democrats had followed Rod Blagojevich lock stock through the whole process—
Jeff Berkowitz: You really think Mike Madigan would have followed the Gross Receipts Tax and would have supported that? You think that? [The Gross Receipts Tax lost 107-0when it came up for a vote in the Statehouse].
Senator Bill Brady: He has in the past. He [Mike Madigan] is as much to blame for the problems we have as Gov. Blagojevich. There is not one policy that Gov. Blagojevich has put in place—I should take that back—but most of the policies up until the last year that Gov. Blagojevich put in place were agreed to by the Democratic controlled House, under the leadership of Mike Madigan and the Democratic controlled Senate under the leadership of Emil Jones. This is a collective—
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, Jones, everybody understands, is close with Rod Blagojevich—there is an alliance there. But, what’s new and you’re making news here, Bill Brady, Senator Brady, because you’re making news that apparently the alliance is not just between Emil Jones and Rod Blagojevich, but now you’ve joined Mike Madigan to them—
Senator Bill Brady: Who borrowed the ten billion dollars and then spent two of it on on-going annual expenses in the first year of Rod Blagojevich’s administration. Mike Madigan supported that, Emil Jones supported that and Rod Blagojevich supported that.
Jeff Berkowitz: And so did several state senators in the Republican Party support that, didn’t they?
Senator Bill Brady: Not several, a few.
Jeff Berkowitz: Four. [Led, apparently, by Senator Kirk Dillard, then DuPage County Republican County].
Senator Bill Brady: A few.
Jeff Berkowitz: Four, to be exact and that’s
Senator Bill Brady: That’s not several. But, that’s a few.
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, four is more than several.
Senator Bill Brady: The point being that most of the policies of the Blagojevich Administration were led and introduced by Rod Blagojevich but supported by his Democratic colleagues. And, those are the policies that have moved Illinois from a state with prosperity to the 5th worst job producing state in the nation…
Jeff Berkowitz: These are the problems that you’ve stated fairly well…
Senator Bill Brady: We’re back.
Jeff Berkowitz: You’re putting forth a Republican position, but how long has Tom Cross been House Minority Leader? Is it six years? And, has he won one seat? Is it a net change? Or, is he losing seats in six years? If it is bad as you say and if speaker Mike Madigan is as bad as you say, how come he has been Speaker for the last three decades [except for a coffee break in 95-96].
Senator Bill Brady: Make no mistake. We’re still struggling from the George Ryan era.
Jeff Berkowitz: Now you’re blaming George. He’s in the pen. I mean, he’s gone.
Senator Bill Brady: Now, wait a second. There’s also no question that we would still have Republican control of the Senate if we were operating under the old map. The Democrats drew this map [in 2002], arguably the most gerrymandered map of any state in the Nation and particularly ever in this state that has put us in this position. We’re fighting an uphill battle. We’re hoping in 2010 we can win the constitutional offices we need to win, particularly Governor, have a fair and balanced map that represents the needs of the people…
Jeff Berkowitz: So, you’re saying until 2010--
Senator Bill Brady: No.
Jeff Berkowitz: Cross is just going to lie down?
Senator Bill Brady: No, I’m not saying that at all. Tom Cross and Frank Watson and…there are seats we can pick up this year…
Jeff Berkowitz: In 2006, [Senate Republican Leader] Frank Watson…
Senator Bill Brady: We took it on the chin in 2006.
Jeff Berkowitz: He lost five seats but he goes off a month before the election. He goes off to Italy for ten days?
Senator Bill Brady: That had nothing to do with those losses.
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, do you think that’s, though, a prudent thing for a person who’s supposedly running the election—to go off for Italy for ten days—
Senator Bill Brady: I think Frank Watson had a quality staff—
Jeff Berkowitz: You can’t find many votes in Italy.
Senator Bill Brady: It’s a collective party. You’re not going to find any votes in Italy. You’re right. But, it didn’t mean that work wasn’t being done and Frank wasn’t leading.
Jeff Berkowitz: But, it wasn’t a very wise thing. If nothing else, just the symbolism was bad, right? You can’t inspire the troops when you are in Italy, right?
************************************************
This week’s suburban episode of Public Affairs with guest State Senator Bill Brady [and likely 2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial candidate] airs:
tonight at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette
And tonight at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.
and this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm airing on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search,
can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain-- and many other pols, as well as tonight's show with State Senator Brady at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
*********************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs Youtube page include, among others, tonight's show with Senator Brady, our show with former Sen. Rauschenberger, assessing Barack Obama, our prior show with Republican U.S. Senate nominee Dr. Steve Sauerberg, discussing his opponent--Senator Durbin-- and domestic, cultural and foreign policy issues, our prior show featuring State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston,IL), discussing Barack Obama, as well as various Illinois Budget issues (spending, mass transit, capital budget, education, gaming and taxes) and possible 2010 Illinois gubernatorial candidates and 2010 U. S. Senate candidates (assuming Obama moves up to President in 2008) , a discussion with State's Attorney for Cook County Republican nominee Tony Peraica; and Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to current State's Attorney for Cook County Dick Devine and now the Democratic nominee for State's Attorney of Cook County.
Jeff Berkowitz: And so did several state senators in the Republican Party support that, didn’t they?
Senator Bill Brady: Not several, a few.
***********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: In 2006, [Senate Republican Leader] Frank Watson…
Senator Bill Brady: We took it on the chin in 2006.
Jeff Berkowitz: He lost five seats but he goes off a month before the election. He goes off to Italy for ten days?
***************************************************
This week’s suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features a likely 2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial candidate, State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington)[Watch here]. Turn on, Tune in and find out answers to a wide assortment of questions regarding the state of the State GOP, the state of the Illinois Economy under Democratic rule, Blago’s proposed budget and taxes, Obama’s performance as a state legislator, the performance of State GOP leaders, the performance of State Democrat Leaders, the performance of Senators Cronin, Dillard and Millner, the Illinois Combine and Kass, Cellini and Kjellander and much, much more [See, below list of topics discussed on the show].
*************************
This week’s suburban schedules for Public Affairs is included, below.
*********************************************************
Senator Brady ran in the Republican Primary for Governor in 2006, coming in third out of four candidates, with about 20% of the vote. Some of his critics argue he split the conservative vote with second place finisher, Jim Oberweis, insuring a victory for first place finisher Judy Baar Topinka. Some of Brady’s supporters argue if Oberweis had gotten out of the race, Brady had a better chance than Oberweis of winning both the primary and the General Election, beating Rod Blagojevich. Will the conservatives split the vote again in 2010? Stay tuned.
******************************************
The show with Senator Brady also will air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and in Aurora and surrounding areas on that same Monday night at 7:30 pm on ACTV, Cable Ch. 10.
*************************************************************
The show with Senator Bill Brady, taped on March 2, 2008, is also available 24/7 on your computer.
*********************************************************
Topics discussed on this week’s suburban edition of PA:
State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), likely candidate for Guv in 2010, debates and discusses the issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz, including the performance of State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr., House minority leader Cross and Senate Minority Leader Watson; Is Tony Rezko on Trial, or is it the Illinois Combine that is on trial; Is Dan Proft right when he argues that the Illinois Republican leaders are "selling their souls a little bit at a time." Is the State GOP still recovering from the actions of George Ryan?
Do the Illinois Republicans have a program of tax reform, ethics reform, health care reform and school improvement, as Brady argues? Should Illinois abolish the Health Care Facilities Board? Is Illinois the 47th worst job performing state in the nation? Did Senators Dillard, Millner and Cronin fail to get the Republican memo on "no new taxes." Should Illinois lease its lottery or use the motor fuel tax anticipated revenues to finance a capital budget?
Should Illinois raise its tax on casino receipts to 70%? Should Illinois dedicate a percentage of its natural revenue growth to financing a reduction of real estate property taxes levied by localities, but not have a net increase in taxes? Should Illinois cut its income or general sales tax? Has Illinois or the Federal Government come up with legislation to prevent individuals with certain mental health problems from owning guns? If it hasn’t, should it?
*************************************************
A partial transcript of this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs is included, below:
Jeff Berkowitz: [Dan]Proft [R-Cicero] has asked the question whether the State GOP leaders need more phosphate in their backbones. He asked, is Tom Cross, who is the Republican minority leader in the Statehouse, is he Speaker Mike Madigan’s whip? Is he acting that way…do you know what Proft means when he says—do [the State GOP] leaders need more phosphate in their backbone?
State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington): No, I don’t. What I’ll tell you is that we, as a Party, are defining ourselves against the Democrats every day. Rod Blagojevich, Emil Jones and Mike Madigan have destroyed the State Budget. [They] left us in the last cycle with 1.7 billion dollars in unpaid bills…we clearly have defined ourselves differently…we made some great inroads…we defeated the single largest tax increase ever introduced by any Governor in this nation, the GRT [Gross Receipts Tax, proposed by Governor Rod Blagojevich, which represented a net increase in state taxes of about seven billion dollars in its first full year].
Jeff Berkowitz: You mean the Republicans did? In the House, I think it was Speaker Mike Madigan who did that [defeated the GRT].
State Senator Bill Brady: Let me tell you something, the day it was introduced by the Governor, the Democrats would have followed that road, lock, stock and barrel. But, we went to the Public and said this will destroy Illinois’ economy…up until that point in time, Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and the rest of the Democrats had followed Rod Blagojevich lock stock through the whole process—
Jeff Berkowitz: You really think Mike Madigan would have followed the Gross Receipts Tax and would have supported that? You think that? [The Gross Receipts Tax lost 107-0when it came up for a vote in the Statehouse].
Senator Bill Brady: He has in the past. He [Mike Madigan] is as much to blame for the problems we have as Gov. Blagojevich. There is not one policy that Gov. Blagojevich has put in place—I should take that back—but most of the policies up until the last year that Gov. Blagojevich put in place were agreed to by the Democratic controlled House, under the leadership of Mike Madigan and the Democratic controlled Senate under the leadership of Emil Jones. This is a collective—
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, Jones, everybody understands, is close with Rod Blagojevich—there is an alliance there. But, what’s new and you’re making news here, Bill Brady, Senator Brady, because you’re making news that apparently the alliance is not just between Emil Jones and Rod Blagojevich, but now you’ve joined Mike Madigan to them—
Senator Bill Brady: Who borrowed the ten billion dollars and then spent two of it on on-going annual expenses in the first year of Rod Blagojevich’s administration. Mike Madigan supported that, Emil Jones supported that and Rod Blagojevich supported that.
Jeff Berkowitz: And so did several state senators in the Republican Party support that, didn’t they?
Senator Bill Brady: Not several, a few.
Jeff Berkowitz: Four. [Led, apparently, by Senator Kirk Dillard, then DuPage County Republican County].
Senator Bill Brady: A few.
Jeff Berkowitz: Four, to be exact and that’s
Senator Bill Brady: That’s not several. But, that’s a few.
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, four is more than several.
Senator Bill Brady: The point being that most of the policies of the Blagojevich Administration were led and introduced by Rod Blagojevich but supported by his Democratic colleagues. And, those are the policies that have moved Illinois from a state with prosperity to the 5th worst job producing state in the nation…
Jeff Berkowitz: These are the problems that you’ve stated fairly well…
Senator Bill Brady: We’re back.
Jeff Berkowitz: You’re putting forth a Republican position, but how long has Tom Cross been House Minority Leader? Is it six years? And, has he won one seat? Is it a net change? Or, is he losing seats in six years? If it is bad as you say and if speaker Mike Madigan is as bad as you say, how come he has been Speaker for the last three decades [except for a coffee break in 95-96].
Senator Bill Brady: Make no mistake. We’re still struggling from the George Ryan era.
Jeff Berkowitz: Now you’re blaming George. He’s in the pen. I mean, he’s gone.
Senator Bill Brady: Now, wait a second. There’s also no question that we would still have Republican control of the Senate if we were operating under the old map. The Democrats drew this map [in 2002], arguably the most gerrymandered map of any state in the Nation and particularly ever in this state that has put us in this position. We’re fighting an uphill battle. We’re hoping in 2010 we can win the constitutional offices we need to win, particularly Governor, have a fair and balanced map that represents the needs of the people…
Jeff Berkowitz: So, you’re saying until 2010--
Senator Bill Brady: No.
Jeff Berkowitz: Cross is just going to lie down?
Senator Bill Brady: No, I’m not saying that at all. Tom Cross and Frank Watson and…there are seats we can pick up this year…
Jeff Berkowitz: In 2006, [Senate Republican Leader] Frank Watson…
Senator Bill Brady: We took it on the chin in 2006.
Jeff Berkowitz: He lost five seats but he goes off a month before the election. He goes off to Italy for ten days?
Senator Bill Brady: That had nothing to do with those losses.
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, do you think that’s, though, a prudent thing for a person who’s supposedly running the election—to go off for Italy for ten days—
Senator Bill Brady: I think Frank Watson had a quality staff—
Jeff Berkowitz: You can’t find many votes in Italy.
Senator Bill Brady: It’s a collective party. You’re not going to find any votes in Italy. You’re right. But, it didn’t mean that work wasn’t being done and Frank wasn’t leading.
Jeff Berkowitz: But, it wasn’t a very wise thing. If nothing else, just the symbolism was bad, right? You can’t inspire the troops when you are in Italy, right?
************************************************
This week’s suburban episode of Public Affairs with guest State Senator Bill Brady [and likely 2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial candidate] airs:
tonight at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette
And tonight at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.
and this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm airing on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search,
can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain-- and many other pols, as well as tonight's show with State Senator Brady at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
*********************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs Youtube page include, among others, tonight's show with Senator Brady, our show with former Sen. Rauschenberger, assessing Barack Obama, our prior show with Republican U.S. Senate nominee Dr. Steve Sauerberg, discussing his opponent--Senator Durbin-- and domestic, cultural and foreign policy issues, our prior show featuring State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston,IL), discussing Barack Obama, as well as various Illinois Budget issues (spending, mass transit, capital budget, education, gaming and taxes) and possible 2010 Illinois gubernatorial candidates and 2010 U. S. Senate candidates (assuming Obama moves up to President in 2008) , a discussion with State's Attorney for Cook County Republican nominee Tony Peraica; and Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to current State's Attorney for Cook County Dick Devine and now the Democratic nominee for State's Attorney of Cook County.
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