Governor Pat Quinn and every legislator in Springfield from Mike Madigan in the House to Illinois Senator James Meeks understand that California’s Budget Tsunami was caused by Tax-money for Public Employees and the vanishing American Entrepreneur.

California has no one left to tax.  Public Policy scholar Joel Kotkin lists the Five Accomplices in the murder of California’s Government- Governor Terminator, Public Sector Employees, The Environment, California Business People and Californians.

“But the fundamental problem remains. California’s economy–once wondrously diverse with aerospace, high-tech, agriculture and international trade–has run aground. Burdened by taxes and ever-growing regulation, the state is routinely rated by executives as having among the worst business climates in the nation. No surprise, then, that California’s jobs engine has sputtered, and it may be heading toward 15% unemployment…. Who needs an economy when you have fat pensions and almost unlimited political power? That’s the mentality of California’s 356,000 workers and their unions, who make up the best-organized, best-funded and most powerful interest group in the state.
State government continued to expand in size even when anyone with a room-temperature IQ knew California was headed for a massive financial meltdown

Almost no one dares suggest trimming the pension funds, particularly Democrats who are often pawns of the public unions. Some reforms on the table, like gutting the two-thirds majority required to pass the budget, would effectively hand these unions keys to the treasury.”

Here in Illinois, the SEIU (Tax Salaried Unskilled) and its cheerleaders have tried to intimidate Legislators who vote against run-away Taxes. SEIU organizes cohorts right out of ‘head count’ that Roman Dictator Gaius Marius ( B.C. 156-86) used to kill the Roman Republic in the Name of Reform and Progressive Thinking.

The Roman Army had been comprised of citizens who owned land and could pay for their service when levied to defend Rome. Gaius Marius was veteran of Rome’s Wars in Africa against Jugurtha and he realized that if he wanted to control Rome, he needed more soldiers.

Marius reformed the Roman Army and gave himself wild power –in so doing he helped bring on decades of Civil War and centuries of One Man Rule.  Andy Stern and his Illinois surrogate Tom Balanof are later day Marians
SEIU has reformed the way Americans view labor; in fact the Chicago Media have for the last few years referred to SEIU as ‘Big Labor’.  Stern and Balanof have gelded the media.

ASCFME is also a Public Salaried union, but takes its orders from SEIU.  Real Labor like the Old Roman Army is comprised of smaller numbers of fighters, who bring more talent and commitment to the table. The Trades Unions have marched too long in step with Andy Stern’s Head Count Army. They recently found themselves at odds with ASCFME, Laborers and Teamsters, when Dennis Gannon and Tom Villanova attempted to ‘bargain in good faith’ with Mayor Daley over 1,500 City Worker cuts. Andy Stern does not bargain in good faith.  He has the Media and a President.

Andy Stern can not organize Skilled American Workers and Gaius Marius could not control propertied Roman citizens; therefore, Stern organizes the helpless and Marius attracted the landless – the Head Count of the Roman population.
The way Gaius Marius ‘reformed’ the Roman Army was by eliminating the qualifications for enlistment – thus, homeless, rootless, unskilled men of no property, became Roman Legionaries and committed themselves to Gaius Marius. Another ‘reform’ was Marius’ ‘kissing the Eagle (Legion Standard)’ Pledge by each recruit who swore complete devotion –not to his country but to his Leader.  Legions fought for the guy and not the nation. Andy Stern’s Head Count Army pledges devotion and dues to SEIU – not the nation, not the state, not the city and not any other union. Progress Illinois ( SEIU’s Illinois Organ) and the entire Progressive community are screaming for more taxes and threatening dire consequences to any budget cuts.

Governor Quinn and Illinois Legislators need to study the California disaster, it is clear they never really studied much history.   Illinois needs to cut taxes and manage spending.

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Pat Hickey is a regular columnist for the Chicago Daily Observer

image Roman Senate at the time of Gaius Marcus