State ID and 2 bucks buys ex-con cup of Joe

Illinois governor Bruce Rauner basked in the praise he received signing legislation requiring Illinois to issue a valid state ID to ex-cons leaving prison. According to Rauner "To combat recidivism we need to remove some of the hurdles offenders face when they are released from a detention facility and begin to re-integrate into society. This will help us end the cycle of recidivism and give former offenders more tools necessary to be successful and thrive and gets Illinois on step closer to safely reducing Illinois' prison population by 25 percent before 2025."

Bunk. Issuing a valid state ID to felons exiting prison is a simple administrative function that requires virtually no cost, no risk, no sweat. Lack of a state ID is a barely noticeable bump in road to a productive life for ex-cons. What Rauner's disingenuous rhetoric hides are the walls taller than Trump's he's building keeping ex-cons on the path to recidivism: lack of a state budget to fund the substantive services they critically require to stay straight. Illinois' social service agencies are north of a $100 million behind in state payments to serve their clients, including Illinois' burgeoning ex-felon roll. Youth unemployment help? Nyet. HIV services? Sorry Charlie. Affordable housing? Take a hike. Social and psychological counseling? The doctor is out.

We're tens days short of 18 months with no budget to help Illinois' one million plus needy, including ex-cons that Rauner imagines his state ID will magically rehabilitate. Rauner would gladly implement a budget if the ornery Democratic legislature would simply grant him term limits to rid him of those ornery opponents. To jeopardize the lives of thousands of ex-cons for a anti-democratic and cynical political agenda is a moral, if not an impeachable offence. Instead of touting an insincere gesture with words of self praise, Rauner should have told the truth at the state ID law signing: "Here's your state ID. This, and two bucks, will buy you a cup of Joe."