In the fourth installment of the BGA’s limited series podcast “The Madigan Rule,” host Justin Kaufmann looks into Michael J. Madigan’s political legacy featuring conversations with former Governors Pat Quinn and Bruce Rauner, State Representative Kelly Cassidy (14th), Former State Representative Ken Dunkin (5th), State Representative La Shawn Ford (8th), State Representative Will Guzzardi (39th), Alaina Hampton, Dave McKinney, John Chase, Pat Brady, Ray Long and Amanda Vinicky.
Podcast
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The Madigan Rule Episode 3: Power over Policy
History’s longest-serving statehouse speaker, Madigan will be remembered less for the policies he enacted than for the power he extracted. In this episode, we explore his political acumen and the […]
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The Madigan Rule Episode 2: Magic Mike
If the 13th Ward on Chicago’s Southwest Side was Madigan’s political base, then Springfield was his political playground. In Springfield the machinery of state government grinds quietly, conveying wealth and power in equal measure. This episode explores how Madigan came to control the machinery of state government–and came to rule for half a century.
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The Madigan Rule Episode 1: Up From the Garbage Truck
To understand Michael J. Madigan, you have to understand where he came from. In the first episode host Justin Kaufmann explores the 13th Ward and the Chicago Machine with local […]
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The Madigan Rule Episode 5: Patterns and Practices
One of the biggest public corruption investigations in Illinois history continues. Madigan says he did nothing wrong, but he is out of politics and his political machine destroyed. We dive into the investigation, the resignations and the end of the Madigan era. Has the game changed, or do Springfield’s new power players still follow the Madigan Rule?
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Podcast
Give us 20 minutes and we’ll give you the past, present, and potential future of a crucial issue for the people of Illinois. From Rockford to Rogers Park, Centralia to Carbondale, our goal is to empower you with the best, nonpartisan, politics-free information so you can connect with your democracy with confidence. This podcast is a production of the BGA’s Civic Engagement
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Podcast: Special Episode: Judy Woodruff, Al Hunt & Andy Shaw at the BGA Luncheon
This special episode of Ready Set Gov was recorded live at BGA’s 95th Anniversary Luncheon. BGA’s past President, Andy Shaw sat down with Washington’s “first couple of news.”
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Podcast: John Conroy on the Death of Jon Burge: Chicago’s Sad Legacy of Police Torture
On this episode of Ready Set Gov we interview John Conroy, a journalist who’s written extensively on Chicago PD, about the recent death of former CPD Commander Jon Burge.
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Podcast: Digital Government in Illinois, Part 2: Can Illinois Be More Like Estonia?
Imagine paying your taxes with the click of a button, never having to wait in line at the DMV, and voting from the comfort of your own home. That’s how Estonians do it. On this episode of Ready Set Gov, we talk to Anna Piperal, Managing Editor of e-Estonia, on all things digital government in Estonia.
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Podcast: Public Pensions: The Crisis No One is Talking About with Laurence Msall
You’ve heard Illinois is in the midst of a public pension crisis, but do you know how we got here? Special guest Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a nonpartisan government finance think tank, walks us through the history of the problem and what our government can do to dig Illinois out of its pension hole.