Paul Sassone

Money always has talked in politics. But, since 2008 it has shouted.

That’s the year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional federal restrictions on campaign spending by corporations and unions.

The result has been an orgy of unlimited spending on political campaigns by big money.

So, we should be used to the malign effect money has on politics. But, I confess, this is a new one on me.

In a recent speech, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said that if the state legislature doesn’t pass a budget by the end of May — when the legislature adjourns — he might pay for a special session of the legislature out of his own pocket.

“If we have to go into a special session, we’ll deal with that at the time,” the governor said. “I don’t want taxpayers to be charged for it. I would seriously consider, we’re discussing this within our administration, we might pay for it personally, so the taxpayers don’t have to if a special session is called for.”

Legislators’ pay stops May 31 when the session ends. If a special session were called, each legislator would receive $111 for each day the legislature is in session, or $19,647 a day for all legislators.

And Rauner certainly could afford to pick up the tab. He was chairman of the venture firm R8 Capital Partners. His estimated personal fortune is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

But what Rauner can afford isn’t the point.

We always have heard of politicians being bought. But, I must say, this is the first time I ever  heard of a politician doing the buying.

Illinois’ government is not a business owned by Rauner.

We — you and I — own the government of this state. Rauner can’t just take over the government because he has hundreds of millions of dollars.

A special session of the legislature shouldn’t be called just because the governor can pay for it.

If he couldn’t pay for a special session should the session then not be called?
This sounds like a path to one-man rule.

If a special session is needed it should be paid for by the taxpayers — by us, the citizens of Illinois.

The legislature is supposed to do the business of the people. And because it is our business, we should pay for it. That’s what a democracy does. That’s what a democracy is.

One man shouldn’t decide.

Money may talk.

But, in this instance, money should shut up.

–Money shouldn’t do the talking–