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2009 Predictions

Here’s are some thoughts about what the new year may hold – some seem pretty obvious, others are educated guesswork – while many are positive, some are not.

In Illinois:

- Soon-to-be former Governor Rod Blagojevich will be impeached.
- Soon-to-be Governor Pat Quinn will get ethics legislation through the General Assembly early that will further tighten permissible contribution and contribution disclosure laws. He’ll also get environmental legislation through to spur on green jobs including those for environmental clean-up and preservation, as well as new energy source development from wind, etc. Veterans can expect more from state programs as well.
- Hinsdale GOP State Senator Kirk Dillard (District 24) will accept some sort of federal appointment, perhaps as a judge, or will position himself to run for congress (see below).
- Hinsdale GOP Congresswoman Judy Biggert (13th District) will signal and/or announce her retirement at the end of her term in 2010, leading to both Republican and Democratic jockeying for the seat.
- Republican House Minority Leader Tom Cross will position himself for a gubernatorial run.
- Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias will position himself for a gubernatorial run.

Nationally:

- The “Employee Free Choice Act” (aka union card check legislation) will pass.
- There will be national recycling legislation providing a subsidy and/or making increased recycling mandatory.
- There will be a major federal investment in broadband infrastructure that will include better urban and rural access.
- New bankruptcy legislation will pass in 2009, or be prepared for passage in 2010, essentially restoring the right to bankruptcy changed by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.
- Social Security payroll taxes will be expanded to include higher income (currently they end at $102,000 a year).
- We will expand our military presence in Afghanistan.
- Unemployment, particularly for youth and the elderly, will suffer from retirement-age people continuing to work or going back to work, as a result of lost income from the financial and housing crises.
- Al Franken will be seated as the new U.S. Senator from Minnesota.

Comments 3

  1. BD wrote:

    There will be national recycling legislation providing a subsidy and/or making increased recycling mandatory.

    That one may be at the mercy of some bleak market projections — McClatchey…,

    People are still putting their bins of recyclables out on curbs. But the recyclable materials market, which was booming only a few months ago, has dropped sharply, along with the worldwide economy, creating a backlog of materials at processing plants.

    Posted 01 Jan 2009 at 9:20 am
  2. Robert Jones wrote:

    Dear readers-

    The party in DuPage will go no where unless there is a moderate platform and the same for candidates!

    -Robert Jones

    Posted 11 Jan 2009 at 1:58 am
  3. Hiram Wurf wrote:

    Hi BD,

    Thanks for the comment. I’m aware of the terrible recycled materials market – that’s why I think we’ll have legislation – the market is terrible now but the need still compelling. Making recycling mandatory is a way of pricing in the actual costs of waste, and creating a market for it.

    Posted 12 Jan 2009 at 11:45 pm