The following is published with the permission of its author, Jamie Grubich:

Balance and Purpose

Balance and purpose are two things I think about every year as I formulate personal goals for the coming year.

Our state representatives need to have those two words foremost in their minds as well come January 9th, 2019, when they will be inaugurated as the 101st General Assembly and vote on the next Speaker of the House and House Rules.

The balance of power needs to be returned to the people of Illinois, not political figures and parties.

Advancing the voice of the residents of Illinois is the purpose for being an elected representative not towing political lines for personal advancement.

No other state in the union has allowed the balance of power go so awry.

It has undermined democracy in Illinois.

It is time for new ideas, fresh faces, term limits and limits to power.

Illinois has had the longest serving House Speaker in history, nearly 35 years, and the only legislative leader in the nation to head a state political party at the same time.

The power of this position through the House Rules allows the Speaker to control

• who serves as committee chairs and what additional stipends come with that (there should be NO additional monies given for part of the job for which one was elected);
• controls who votes in committees with the ability to substitute members at will;
• dictates when a bill will be called for a vote based on his calendar of desired outcomes and also
• what bills will or will not be voted on.

I urge you to contact your representatives and ask them to vote no to reelecting the current House Speaker and vote no to continuing with the current unchecked House Rules.

Pray that your representatives have the courage and fortitude to do what is right for the people of Illinois and will vote for you on January 9th so that the people’s voice will be heard going forward.

We need to act boldly to put Illinois on the road to recovery.