Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, who has been lovingly described as politics’ biggest coward—well, heck, you remember him. He led the revolt against Blagojevich, took the title of governor away, announced widespread reforms, and promptly began doing the same crap every Democratic governor does: he raced other states down to the 50th spot. He is now a dismal little man, who solves every problem by throwing money no one has at it.

But not any more! Liberal Chicago-based media wants you to know that he is now one tough hombre. Why, he released his budget and announced that serious cuts are coming! We live in dark times! No more of this free money nonsense! He is closing some mental health facilities and a handful of under-utilized prisons.

Big deal. To his credit, he has actually done this. To his further credit, Quinn has announced that this isn’t anything; the entire issue of pensions, which seems to be the one thing bankrupting Illinois, must be dealt with sooner rather than later. Of course, he hasn’t done anything so far but worsen them; he only gets credit for admitting that public-sector unions are a bad idea.

Worse, Quinn must realize he lives under the haunting specter of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who actually did do the courageous thing by fighting union greed in his state. Although it may—may—cost Walker his job, he reformed the union pension plans and in less than two years turned a nearly bankrupt Wisconsin into a state with a surplus. Smartly, he hired union teachers with some of that money, which puts the union in a hypocritical position. If you want your pensions back, we fire the teachers you claim you need. If you want to keep the teachers, which you say is your number one goal, you forfeit some of your union rights. Choose.

That is political courage. And Quinn knows it; whether he decides to emulate his tougher brother to the North is up to him. The Czar isn’t betting a Democrat will.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.