Springfield reporting. Fair and balanced? And other observations.

At first the Sun-Times reported that the turnout for the rally in Springfield yesterday “fell far short” of the predicted 15,000. Then they upgraded to 15,000.

But the press coverage was light and somewhat baffled by the notion that some people actually support an increase in taxes to pay for schools and social services.

The idea that citizens would support the idea of a fully funded public education system clearly seems odd the editors of the Sun-Times. The idea that a public system should be free to all who choose to send their children is quaint to them. That the idea is the bedrock of a democratic society is an idea that is of another day.

As they put it, it is a “man bites dog” story.

But had 15,000 tea-baggers filled the streets all around the Illinois Capitol (as if), it would have been headlines in the NY Times. Fox and the Washington post would have claimed how this was a game changer and an omen of a historic political realignment.

Jeez, the analog media is so full of shit.

At least 5,000 IEA members were part of the crowd yesterday. Not only was this the largest demonstration Springfield has seen, it was the largest number of members that the IEA has been able to mobilize in years, maybe ever.

I hope this encourages the IEA leadership to spine up and be more aggressive in defending the rights of its members than they have been in the past. Florida shows what can be done. Illinois can get the House to pass 174 if Michael Madigan believes the IEA is more than a paper tiger. Yesterday showed what is possible.

Me (left) and the Senator.

Credit is due to Senator Dan Kotowski. We had an appointment with the Park Ridge Senator for 1PM. Our folks waited in what was a very long line to get into the already packed Capitol building. The Senator had spoken on the floor of the Senate earlier in the day. But when we arrived, his secretary said he was ill and she didn’t know when he would be back.

But no sooner had our folks returned to the IEA office a block from the Capitol, the Senator’s secretary was on the phone to our local prez. Within minutes, Kotowski had walked over to meet us and to restate his support for HB 174.

Senator Kotowski and I don’t always agree on everything. He voted for the two-tier TRS system. That was wrong. I wish he would be a more outspoken critic of his Democratic colleague, Speaker Michael Madigan, who refuses to bring HB 174 to the floor for a vote. But Kotowski has done the right thing on HB 174. And, as I say, credit is due.

One last thing: When over 150 IEA members from Region 36 ride on buses for 7 hours, is it asking too much for some staff person, say from Government Relations, to take a second to come over and meet some rank-and-file members? God forbid anybody from the leadership should come over for a quick hello. Every year I have to go over to one of them, usually when they are talking to some other IEA staff person who they see every day anyway, and grab them by the hand and lead them over to our group. But no more. Maybe they think they might catch something.