Curt Anderson of the Chicago Tribune reports that thousands of protesters bused in by labor unions and social service advocates marched on the Illinois Capitol today demanding that state legislators raise income taxes to avoid cuts in entitlement programs:
A spokesman for Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White estimated the rally crowd at 15,000, with more than 12,000 marching around the building. That would appear to make it the largest Capitol protest since the Equal Rights Amendment crowds a quarter-century ago.
Bus after bus pulled up on streets surrounding the Capitol complex and dumped sign-waving protesters clad in purple, green, red and blue shirts that represented a show of strength from a variety of public employee unions and dozens of groups that formed what they named the “Responsible Budget Coalition.”
The protestors chanted, apparently with straight faces, “Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes!”
Now you gotta admit that’s funny. These folks know very well that Illinois lawmakers aren’t going to raise their taxes. What they fully expect them to do, however, is raise the taxes of other people so that their entitlements can continue.
But they should be careful what they wish for. By continually confiscating the wealth of the job creators they might force those job creators to do what they’re doing in Oregon, Maryland, and Colorado: Flee the state!
We’ll see how many entitlement programs they get when there are no more rich, greedy Illinoisans left to pay for them.
6 responses so far ↓
1 HappyTaxDude // Apr 22, 2010 at 8:38 am
Hmmmm, protestors made up in large part of public employee union members. Time well-spent for the public? Wait until the rally where shouts of “Euthanize Grandpa” are heard. They can’t be too far away.
2 Peter // Apr 22, 2010 at 11:30 am
Happy,
They took the day off at their employers’ expense to march in favor of higher taxes on their employers.
Gotta love it.
3 Mark Boabaca // Apr 22, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Whoever said vampires don’t exist hasn’t met public sector union employees.
4 Carey Gage // Apr 25, 2010 at 11:25 am
If people really want to pay more to the state or the feds, they are perfectly free to do so. Make a patriotic gift to the United States.
5 Josh // Apr 27, 2010 at 10:47 am
Why don’t they chant – “Cancel My Pension!”
6 Peter // Apr 27, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Josh,
LOL. Very good!
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