Observations from Springfield
 
Observations from Springfield
Written By David Curtin   |   11.21.24
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Democrats will still have supermajorities in each chamber of the Illinois General Assembly in the 104th General Assembly (2025-2026). It seems that they are primarily focused on legislative ways to “Trump-proof” Illinois, whatever that entails.

However, during the lame-duck session to close out the 103rd session in early January, they may try to pass legislation relating to health care, “reproductive rights,” assisted suicide, and perhaps migrants.

As for the November election results, President-Elect Trump is making major plans at the federal level that may affect the upcoming regular session here in Illinois. The state is heavily dependent on federal money – which passes through this state to local units of government.

If Gov. Pritzker actively tries to block President Trump from carrying out his constitutional duties, such as securing the border, deporting illegal immigrants, and returning power to parents in education, Gov. Pritzker and his supermajority may find that some federal money they are dependent upon will dry up.

It goes without saying that Gov. Pritzker and his supermajority in Springfield cannot look to Washington, D.C. for a bailout, either. Rather, they will be faced with reaping what they have sown over decades of reckless and irresponsible fiscal management.

That is not the only source of friction.

Gov. Pritzker has vowed to fight President Trump on deporting illegal immigrants. Some center-left Democrats might oppose Pritzker and far-left Democrats, given the backlash in Chicago and many other communities where the migrants have been placed.

Trump has promised to get the illegal aliens out; Pritzker wants to showcase Illinois as a “sanctuary state” and give them a pathway to citizenship. Of course, that would make them future voters. While Trump favors orderly, legal immigration, open border proponents will attempt to make Trump look cruel and indifferent. It certainly will be an interesting fight.

President Trump may also abolish the U.S. Department of Education. Gov. Pritzker and big government liberals will scream and holler, demanding that $80 billion in education funds come back to the states. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. If it does, there will be conservative strings attached, which will upset progressive legislators.

We hope and pray that Trump will follow through on his promise to get rid of indoctrination in our schools and universities. Even though he’s at the federal level, he has some financial levers to do that. Gov. Pritzker and progressives will oppose these efforts, too.

All the while, Gov. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats must somehow pull a rabbit out of a hat. They must come up with $3 billion to balance a new budget of current spending priorities, not to mention the $1 billion being demanded by Mayor Brandon Johnson for Chicago Public Schools and another almost $1 billion to fill a mass transit budget hole.

Looking ahead, I suspect that we’re in for a tumultuous session in 2025. Please keep us in prayer as we try to uphold what is good and expose what is evil.

Stay tuned for updates by subscribing to IFI E-Alerts. Your support is very encouraging to all of us.


David Curtin
David Curtin is a longtime pro-life advocate, political consultant and recently became the IFI lobbyist. Originally from Stonington and a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he lives and works in Springfield....
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