Illinois pension Mad Lib: Choose your own fear-inspiring adjectives
By Alex KeefeIllinois pension Mad Lib: Choose your own fear-inspiring adjectives
By Alex KeefeThe pension crisis in Illinois is dire. Politicians routinely use strong language when they talk about it. Consider the following:
“We all look like idiots.” - Rep. Daniel Biss, D-Skokie.
“Finances in the state of Illinois are a train wreck.” - Dick Ingram of the Teachers Retirement System
“It’s a catastrophic failure of leadership.” - Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont
“The pension squeeze is draining our ability to teach our students. Our children are being shortchanged.” - Gov. Pat Quinn
“We are in a crisis. Everyone has to step up to the plate.” - Bill Daley
And it’s nothing new. Back in 1949, the Illinois State Employees Pension Laws Commission warned about “the tremendous, ever-increasing and disproportionate liabilities being imposed upon present and future generations of taxpayers.”
Now lawmakers are back in a special legislative session for the summer to try to agree on a plan.
All this talk has us wondering: Are there any adjectives left we can use to describe how bad this pension situation is that we aren’t already desensitized to? Any fear-inspiring idioms or cliches left out?
That’s where you come in. Fill out the Mad Lib-inspired form below to tell us how you’re feeling about the Illinois pension crisis. We’ll do a dramatic reading of some of your responses on-air.