Doug Wilson's Political Blog

Farm Bill probably should be renamed

The Farm Bill that passed in the House and Senate this week actually spends huge amounts of money on programs that have little to do with farming.

To be precise, the legislation is known as the "Food and Energy Security Act of 2007," but everyone knows it as the Farm Bill. The critics pile on, saying this is a huge waste of federal dollars.

Actually, the $307 billion bill includes $209 billion for nutrition programs such as food stamps.

About 11 percent of the bill's appropriations go for farm payments. Large amounts of the farm payments go to the cotton, sugar and tobacco programs.

Farmers in this area don't see this as a big pile of money just ready for use. The safety net feature is nice when crops and prices fail, but it won't make farmers rich.

It would probably help if the next Farm Bill dealt only with agricultural programs, but the political leaders question whether it would pass without programs that attract urban legislators.

President Bush has threatened to veto the bill. If he does, it will be interesting to see whether the 81-15 margin of victory in the Senate and 318-106 margin in the House can hold up — and easily override the veto.

Illinois Medicaid audit highlights big problems

Auditor General William G. Holland's audit of the Illinois Medicaid program was released this week, revealing a host of bad accounting gimmicks and bureaucratic flim-flam.

Health care providers have known, and repeatedly complained about this stuff for years, but the audit report will make it difficult for the administration of Gov. Rod Blagojevich to maintain that everything's great.

Holland reports that for the past three years $1.5 billion in Medicaid debt has gone unpaid until the next fiscal year. Usually the health care providers — hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes and home health workers —get somewhat quicker payments right after a new fiscal year begins in July. But then the state's poor cash flow makes it impossible to keep payments on schedule.

As payments slow the complaints from providers rise. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services spokesmen then trot out the same cliches about how they're not really behind on payments. They say the department processes payments in quick order "as long as there are no errors" in the paperwork.

Holland's team of auditors found that among other things HFS workers have used more than 100 made-up error codes to tell vendors what was done wrong on a voucher. The codes don't correspond with anything put out by HFS.

One other HFS defense tactic was to tell reporters and vendors that it takes only six days to process the average Medicaid bill. What Holland's report shows is that after HFS took an average of 57 days to move those claims on for payment.

Comptroller Dan Hynes blasted Blagojevich for "appalling and inexcusable" mismanagement of the health care system.

Hynes and Blagojevich aren't exactly on close terms, so the release of a scathing press release by Hynes probably won't ruin a golden friendship.

Many other state officials have complained about the Medicaid problems for years. We should expect those complaints to rise to a constant chorus as legislators from all political stripes criticize the governor, who said health care is his top priority.

Legislatures in Missouri, Illinois rush to finish work

Missouri's General Assembly is in its final week of the session.

Illinois lawmakers have until May 31 to finish up.

The two legislatures are taking decidedly different approaches. Missouri's lawmakers approved a budget last week and will now focus on consent bills that have passed one chamber or the other. Illinois lawmakers will continue to grind through the daily calendars as the budget progresses ... or not, in negotiations between the top legislative leaders.

If things go as they usually do, the Illinois budget will be dealt with in a big crunch as time is ready to expire. Or, the Legislature will fail to act by the deadline, and an overtime session will keep lawmakers in Springfield seeking a super majority for any action.

Observers of Springfield politics don't think the leaders want an overtime session this year. There are elections to think about. But the lack of inertia and the lack of a concerted effort may doom lawmakers to another long, frustrating summer.

The lack of trust, between the governor and the legislators, and between legislative leaders themselves, is a big problem. The lack of communication between these same individuals keeps them from working out their differences.

Power sometimes goes to people's heads.

However, if these people would use their power of speech in a constructive way, they might find a way to do some of the things government is designed to do.

Reading between the lines in Springfield

Why did Emil Jones make the funding
breakthrough known more than 24 hours
before it became a done deal? Or
why did he make the announcement at all?

Lots of what happens in politics is not visible to most people — somewhat like the iceberg which is mostly hidden underwater.

This week's release of funding for the University Extension Service and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts is a case in point. Something unusual happened, but it may never be publicly discussed.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich had been holding up money for the "agricultural services" for months. He seemed to be using these funds as the stick to prod legislators to approve a supplemental budget that would have let him boost state medical services.

Then on Wednesday, Senate President Emil Jones told his members that they could tell extension workers, soil & water conservation officers and others that the governor was going to release the money.

This is not standard operating procedure in Springfield. The governor — not just Blagojevich but all governors — want to do their own public announcements. Woe to the legislator who upstages the governor by being the bearer of good news before it has officially been announced.

What made this even more puzzling was that Jones, a Chicago Democrat, is the governor's closest and most powerful ally under the dome.

This might have been seen as just a slip of Jones' tongue had it not been for the governor's response.

When calls and e-mails started flowing into the offices of Blagojevich spokesmen, there was stony silence. Calls were not returned. E-mails were ignored.

I made calls to one budget spokesman early enough that a confirmation about the funding release could have been in Wednesday's newspaper. The final confirmation did not come until late Thursday evening.

"We were in meetings. It was crazy," said Katie Ridgeway a spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget.

Of course the timing was noted by insiders. A recall amendment vote had failed only shortly before the funding release became official. Blagojevich had been adamantly opposed to putting the amendment before voters in November.

So, if there had theoretically been an agreement that the funds would be released "if" the recall vote failed, why would Jones make the funding breakthrough known more than 24 hours before it became a done deal? In fact, why would Jones be the one to make the announcement at all?

Nobody who knows what happened is likely to comment publicly, but this could all come down to that oft-repeated lack of trust between the governor and the Legislature.

It also could be that the alliance of Blagojevich and Jones is crumbling at little.

Only time will tell.

Talk about a black Monday

Vacation was great. I hunted turkeys — the feathered kind — most of last week. I also hunted mushrooms. I had more luck with the mushrooms than the gobblers.

When I got back to the office there were reams of strange mathematical models from Hillary Rodham Clinton's team telling how her win in Pennsylvania changed everything. (It didn't.) She still trails in delegate count and she and Barack Obama are still locked in a Democratic primary that is setting records for spending and mudslinging.

There also was news from Illinois that money is being withheld from the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension program. In addition, other state agencies are being threatened with the suspension of funds. The math gets fuzzy in this instance too because some of the funds that are in danger are not even close to running out in the 63 days remaining in the fiscal year.

Hunters use turkey calls to deceive amorous gobblers into thinking a hen is nearby. Politicians use fuzzy math to deceive people into believing a candidate is not in trouble, when she is. Or they try to convince people that department budgets are in danger of running out, when they're not.

Hunters and politicians both use deception ... but hunting is more enjoyable.

Today is a little more taxing than most

On the bright side, it's not Monday any more. It's warmer, too.

But it's also deadline day to turn in tax forms — or pay any taxes and turn in paperwork for an extension.

National statisticians say the average taxpayers will get back about $2,400 this year. (Makes one wonder how much a government statistician earns and what kinds of wild stories and jokes they share around the water cooler. Or maybe it doesn't.)

The $600 stimulus package checks will add to the supply of money people will have in their accounts within a month or two. An earlier national poll indicated that about half of respondents won't spend their stimulus money on new purchases. They'll pay down debt, pay utility payments, etc.

Rather than conduct a poll with limited reply options, readers are asked to send in comments on how they'll use their money. These also could deal with whether there are many people getting that average return.

Or maybe there will be comments with His and Hers wish lists.

Steve Eighinger tells me "a percentage" of his money will go to his beloved Daylight Doughnuts.

Not taken out of context: Political phrases we can do without

Fellow bloggers at The Herald-Whig have trotted out some top 10 lists recently, so here's my list of 10 politics-speak cliches that this nation would be better off without.

1. "They're taking that out of context."

When a politician says a vote, a comment, political position is being taken out of context, what they really want is a do-over. Yes, it's possible to haul out a partial quote that misrepresents a politician's true intent, but you can tell when someone starts with the "out of context" comment that a long, convoluted story is coming. Real people say "that's not true" and have quick, understandable explanations.

2. "My opponent says ..."

Politicians have been counseled by consultants never to give the opposition any publicity. This includes a decision to never mention the opponent's name. Get over it. Voters know the name. You know the opponent's name. Use it.

3. "That was a slap in the face to ..."

When politicians or action groups use this phrase, they're trying to create a public stir, usually where none exists. If the average voter thought something was all that bad, there would be no reason for the spin doctors to get involved or hyperventilate about something being a slap in the face.

4. "All conservatives are ..."

Generalizations like this are dumb. Not all conservatives believe the same things. There may be a general core of beliefs, but foggy terms like this are meant to mask true political discourse, not show it in sharp focus.

5. "All liberals are ..."

Same as above. The label doesn't explain what the speaker is talking about. If someone is a liberal when it comes to gun control or abortion, please mention those things. Sweeping statements don't help the argument.

6. "The media ..."

Just as the political labels above are imprecise, so are comments about the media. There is no single voice for the media. Newspapers, television and radio are very different mediums. Thousands of different reporters, editors, producers, commentators have different views on life and politics. But lots of politicians follow the simple rule of thumb: "When in doubt, blame the media. Just say they're biased for the other side."

7. "This campaign is about the people ..."

Or at least the people I hope will vote for me.

8. "I will not side with the special interests ..."

What? Farmers are a special interest. So are school children. So are senior citizens. Are you saying you'll never support anything that does not affect everyone?

9. "I don't care what the polls say."

This is akin to a politician saying he likes getting voted out of office. There are going to be points of ideology that will not be compromised. That's good. But politicians shouldn't start off with a lie, saying they don't care about polls. It would be better to say, "I won't be a slave to the polls."

10. "I love this country."

So do we all. Politicians should not seek extra credit for love of country. The best of them will show this in ways that speak louder than words.

Recall issue will create aftershocks

Illinois House members on Tuesday approved a plan that would allow Illinois voters to decide whether the state should have recall provisions for its top elected officials.

It may be a while before the proposal's fate in the Illinois Senate is known. If it gets approved there, the electorate would probably approve the plan in November.

As mentioned in the stories about the recall plan, this campaign has been driven by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who remains unpopular and is blamed by many Illinois residents and lawmakers for causing gridlock or worse in state government.

Even if the plan is approved, Blagojevich would be in the last half of his second term in office, and the very individual whose antics led to the recall push would be on his way out even without a recall. But if voters approve the constitutional amendment, voter recalls would continue to be a possibility.

Illinois voters have always had the power to recall errant politicians — in election years. With this plan, the most vocal opponents could launch recall petition drives whenever they want.

Whether you like a politician or not, it's easy to see how the system could be abused.

Recalling politicians from office is certainly a tempting concept, but it should be used only in exceptional cases. Wording of the amendment should set the bar high so this doesn't become a frequently used and abused tool of partisan insiders.

And while I'm on the subject, I can't resist mentioning the old saying about Illinois politicians.

"Some have two-year terms, some four years. Others might get five-to-10-year terms."

That's Illinois politics.

Shoemyer says "I told you so" on MOHELA

Last year Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt pushed through a $350 million sell-off of assets from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority – MOHELA. Republicans in the Senate and House backed the plan which freed up money for construction on university campuses.

Several Democrats opposed the plan.

This week it became clear that MOHELA will not have the money to make a $5 million quarterly payment to the state. State Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, one of the most vocal opponents to the sell-off, said "I told you so" in his weekly column to goes to newspapers, supporters or civic leaders in Northeast Missouri.

Shoemyer notes that the national credit crisis has played a part. He also reports that MOHELA has laid off employees and suspended some of its student loan programs.

Republicans counter that MOHELA had only a small portion of the state's student loans previous to this year - and similar funds elsewhere also have been hurt by the credit crisis and the downturn in stock markets.

Lawmakers tweaked MOHELA rules this week to help it originate some loans. No matter how that turns out, the Republicans and Democrats will see the situation differently.

Targeting presidential candidates

Some students at Western High School in Barry recently were in a physical education class and, being teens, they got exuberant and crossed a line of good taste.

The class was holding an archery session. The first targets were balloons. Those who hit the targets were gratified with the popping of a balloon. But once the balloons were popped, some of the students put up pictures of Osama bin Laden, some other terrorists and eventually some U.S. presidential candidates.

When Principal Greg Lesan heard about the photographic targets, he put a stop to it. School district Superintendent Rodger Hannel said the class "got caught up in the moment," and school officials don't condone what happened.

Students from that class say it was not a big deal, but they agree it made their PE class more fun ... at least for a while.

Reports of the event confirm that archers targeted both Democrat and Republican presidential contenders.

While some people may see this as a redneck thing, it should be noted that these kids didn't do any permanent damage to anyone. Politicians and political supporters who would never be accused of being rednecks do permanent damage to their opponents' reputations every time they smear someone.

Too bad we don't have any monitors who could end the baseless attacks as easily as school officials ended the Pike County misstep.