Op-ed by Rich Miller, includes “A couple of weeks ago, the federal government declared that states could not use any of the billions of dollars they’re receiving from the American Rescue Plan to pay off loans. That caused severe consternation in Illinois, which had planned to use part of its $8 billion federal aid package to eliminate what was left of the loans it received from the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility. … And then last week, the governor, the Democratic legislative leaders and the comptroller announced the state will use its own revenues to pay back the federal government instead of relying on American Rescue Plan money.” (Note: What are “own revenues” in a world where money is fungible, and where bailout money for X leaves you freer to spend money on Y?)