The New Class Warfare

Wisconsin, like my home state of Illinois, is facing a serious budget crisis. Unlike Illinois, Wisconsin has a bold chief executive in Gov. Scott Walker willing and able to confront a crisis with straight talk and serious solutions. Meanwhile, 14 Democratic Senators from Wisconsin have been enjoying some of Chicago's fine dining and playing hide and seek all across our fine state. While most other states in the union are tackling public employee pensions, cutting taxes and razing roadblocks to prosperity, Illinois remains the last bastion of fiscal foolishness as legislators - from not only Wisconsin but also Indiana and Ohio - cross our border to avoid responsibility back home.  Interestingly, Illinois has lost taxpayers, employers and jobs to each of these surrounding states for years.  In return, we are gaining big government legislators unwilling or unable to confront reality. This is what is referred to in international policy as a "trade imbalance."

This week I was a guest on Chicago Tonight to discuss the Wisconsin budget battle that has made national headlines over the past month. Bob Edgar, president and CEO of Common Cause, joined me on the panel.

More at the Illinois Policy Institute