118 Comments - Ghostbusters - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:54 am: Does Madigan usually do a response? - AC - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:14 am: I suspect in his State of the State, Rauner will look toward Schock for inspiration, by making the entire State of Illinois class structure resemble Downton Abbey. After all, why be limited to just one office, when you can redecorate an entire state? - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:07 am: Jesse White announced he is running for re-election. - Snucka - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:37 am: The siege has begun. The oligarchs have taken control of the levers of power (in the Executive branch), and are about to try their best to savagely cut funding that helps the most vulnerable among us. My stomach is in knots as I wait to listen to this monster address us. - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:02 pm: Rich is on Public Television with Amanda Vinicky! Nice suit, Rich! - The Drummer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:10 pm: Ugh, with the gerunds. - Anon - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:14 pm: Is it me, r is the governor dropping his g’s? - AC - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:14 pm: How much will it save the budget if we cut the letter ‘g’ from the end of all the words in all the governors speeches? - Concerned - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:15 pm: Why does the line about a new partnership between the Executive branch and the GA remind me of a line from the Lion King (”we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era… in which lion and hyena come together in a great and glorious future!”) - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:17 pm: AC is spot on. I came to make the same comment. I’M A BIG-GOVERNMENT LIBERAL AND I WANT TO KEEP THE “G” ON WORDS ENDING IN “ING”!!! - TCB - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:18 pm: I have so much trouble concentrating, he drives me crazy with the way he leaves the “g” off the end of his words. Shortcomin’ happenin’ - TCB - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:19 pm: @AC you beat me to it. Well done, sir. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:20 pm: The House floor is littered with dropped g’s. - NewWestSuburbanGop'er - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:20 pm: Is this a rehas of his campaign rhetoric? - NewWestSuburbanGop'er - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:21 pm: Is this a rehash of his campaign rhetoric? - anon2 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:21 pm: Leaving off the g makes him folksy! Not. If I’ve started yelling at the screen already, does that mean I should stop watching? - NewWestSuburbanGop'er - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:21 pm: Empowerment means right to work = right to work for less. - Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:22 pm: We finally know what Evelyn is going to do! She’s going to work with local governments to identify cost savings. Hopefully that includes legal costs - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:23 pm: Nice divide and conquer move tying high property tax bills and removal of unfunded mandates to his call for removing prevailing wage / creating non-union empowerment enterprise zones - NewWestSuburbanGop'er - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:23 pm: Still havent’t heard him say how he is going to do anything. - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:24 pm: Going for term limits. - Elijah Snow - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:25 pm: Limitin’ terms? Get back to governin’ Bruce, voters are already decidin’ who they are keepin’ and who they are droppin’, it’s called an election! - NewWestSuburbanGop'er - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:25 pm: No government unions to fund activities, just a guy with a $20 million dollar war chest to oppose reps/senators who don’t vote the way he wants them to vote. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:26 pm: Dropping the G….new term for acting folksy while kicking the union worker. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:27 pm: Attack on union, hospital, trial lawyer special interests but nothing about banning businesses (wihtout state contracts) from lobbying for tax breaks or other special laws. Red meat for the far right .. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:28 pm: Going to pay productive state employees more / bonuses …. guess all state employees aren’t bad but where’s the money? - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:30 pm: Increase K-12 education support. Increase funding for early education (Diana’s fave). - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:31 pm: Here comes the pitch for charter schools. - Snucka - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:31 pm: I hope nobody has a bleepin’ problem with this speech. They’ll have to answer to the Republican Blago. - P. - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:32 pm: Bargainin’ is a weird word to shorten to sound more colloquial, but maybe it’s because of his advanced learnin’ style. - WhoKnew - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:32 pm: If he gets all those campaign restrictions, the next election won’t cost him so much!!!! - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:32 pm: Rauner talking about school choice reeks of Payton Prep Hypocrisy. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:32 pm: so far, no fiscal sanity. show me the money, Bruce! - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:33 pm: Too many tests in the schools. I agree on that one! - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:33 pm: Slippin’ very amusing. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:33 pm: What’s Rauner going to do when politicians block his union-stripping? Illinois is a proud union state with higher than average wages. There’s no way in Hades that we should follow red state models when it comes to unions. We need to be one of the states leading the resistance against the decline in middle class wages. - 'overnment worker - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:33 pm: he’s not consistent with the “g”s- some are there some aren’t- but it really rubs me the wron’ way - Blago's Hare - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:34 pm: Not sure, but I don’t think I heard one “G” on the end of a word throughout the entire speech. Just sayin’ - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:34 pm: Teachers good charter schools good education mandates bad education reform good Lots of nice words … what’s the plan? - mship1975 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:35 pm: Take Shot everytime He drops the G. In all seriousness it distracts from his message. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:36 pm: That’s it?!? Seriously?!? sure, he has a budget coming up, but this address was pure baloney. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:36 pm: who is delivering the tea party response? - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:37 pm: Sooo,where are the plans and where is the money goin’ to come from? Guess maybe the budget address will be more tellin’. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:37 pm: This state of the state address was not _ood! - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:37 pm: As other posters put it in a separate thread, much of this could have been scripted straight from a Democratic governor’s speech. Arthur Andersen and others are right regarding the “g”’s. Those things are not just littering the floor, they are piled higher than Rauner’s podium at this point. It sounds forced and unnatural to the point of being condescending. - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:38 pm: Tepid responses from the Dems on the floor. - Anotherretiree - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:39 pm: ==Formerly Known as== Corr That’s condescendin - Aldyth - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:39 pm: Perhaps Quinn’s people removed all of the “g” keys off the keyboards before they left? Maybe the governor could instruct families on the procedures for clouting their kids into charter schools? - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:39 pm: Amanda Vinicky is right. Many of the Dems on the floor were ==stone cold== and would have remained so no matter what Rauner said. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:40 pm: To repeat my line from another thread, (other than the union attacks) where is the Republican Illinois thought it elected? - -retired - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:43 pm: that was crazy! this job is not for him I’m thinkin….no g - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:43 pm: He must have learned how to drop those g’s at Dartmouth and Harvard Business School? Isn’t that how they teach ‘em there? (You betcha.) - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:44 pm: Speaker Madigan is up. Glad to hear that the Gov agrees to change the structure of governance for the ALPLM. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:44 pm: @Anotherretiree :) I would a_ree with you, but I am suddenly missin_ a letter on the keyboard. Maybe it will make me sound more folksy to y’all. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:45 pm: - RNUG -, I submit my Dopey response again, lol Lots of work for LLs, and the Budget Crew for the Administration - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:45 pm: “Organized labor represents working people.” Madigan. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:47 pm: ==You betcha== Sarah Palin went to Harvard Business School with Bruce? /s - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:49 pm: “Term limits are good when in the hands of the voters of the state.” Madigan - Connect the dots - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:49 pm: Nice Downton Abbey tweed 3-piece suit on Rich Miller today. It would look fabulous in Shock’s antechamber. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:51 pm: is Schock’s Antechamber a twitter feed yet? - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:52 pm: ==“Organized labor represents working people.”== ==Which is why I supported skipping pension payments for many members of organized labor and currently support weaseling out of paying those same members as the state promised.== Madigan. - overnor Rauner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:52 pm: Stop pickin’ on me!!! - sparky791 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:54 pm: Still no plan for pension problem. Who woulda thunk? - Rod - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:54 pm: I did not hear one word about human services in Illinois. I did not hear one word about what a reformed and less expensive for employers workman’s comp would look like in terms of benefits. I could go on and on. Possibly the best post above was “That’s it?!? Seriously?!?” - Republican hunter - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:57 pm: Kinda of slapped IDOT and Toll way for the handling of the bidding process. Surprised he pointed them out of all agencies no mention of CMS. Your thoughts on that Willy? - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:58 pm: Dropping the Gs is how you got rich, Bruce, but you do know that government services are necessary, right? How is telling people that you will empower them to enable local voters to control funds different from voting for locally elected officials? except that it sounds like you want to create a mob mentality against union workers. have fun paying for police and fire. - walker - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:58 pm: Kudos to Rauner for providing substance in terms of general objectives for his administration. We can argue about the quality of that substance, but at least he moved beyond just attacking Illinois. - ZC - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:02 pm: OK I was just planning on reading this speech, but I am now convinced I have to hear it to get the full impact. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:09 pm: Campaign speech. The heavy lifting is the budget proposal. Again, with the charter schools and “choice.” When it was his “choice,” he blew off New Trier, he blew off Rauner College Prep, he blew off all private schools and sent his kid to a CPS magnet. Maybe everyone should have his range of choices. - Downers Grove Tx payer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:10 pm: Republican Hunter- that means the board at the tollway is about to change and A new EX Dir is on the way. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:10 pm: It’s a State of the State, so this is the last broad stroke speech the Governor can give, and we can’t beat him up too badly, because in 2 weeks, we WILL know. The reactions of the Democrats were telling. As Rauner looked out to the Body, lopsided as it is, and pushing some DOA proposals including Union issues, the Democrats, visibly and vocally, made it clear that rhetorically saying, he, the Governor, wants a bipartisan relationship, issues are going to dictate how far the Democrats will respond. The clap/pause/snicker/laugh response to “Minimum Wage, increase, steady, over 10 years” is just a microcosm of Whst the LLs and Governor “budgeteers” will face. Setting the table, listing the ills, ok, that’s done. Now in two weeks and thereafter, the governing will speak louder than speeches. Where Rauner will compromise, what Rauner won’t, those are items where the Budget speaks louder than words. Same with a legislative agenda begins, ends, and what gets done. Levers of running the office of the Executive have quite a bit of rust, let’s see if the grease to make them work will include more things done, than more roadblocks to overcome. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:10 pm: RE: the bonus pay / increases for productive state employees … that was the general idea behind the creation of the MC titles with no cap on raises; lasted about 2 years before they paniced at the raises being given and pulled the plug on that by capping the possible raises and instituting a quota system on how much per group / agency and even applying caps within each rating group. Same thing happened with a later bonus program; the reward was some minimal and the barrier to claiming it so high that it died on the vine. See this proposal ending up the same way. - Jim Muir - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:12 pm: Rauner has been governor for three weeks and he gets ripped to shreds on this site because he doesn’t lay out a point-by-point agenda on how to fix a mess (the state of Illinois) that has been 30 years in the makin’ (you can berate me because I dropped that ‘g’ if you like). Reading through these posts - where everybody is trying to say something clever, I really caught the smell of partisan politics, sour grapes and whine. And by the way, you’ll notice that I didn’t hide behind a keyboard with a cowardly made-up user name, I signed my name. One final thing … I didn’t hear any solutions to fix the problems in Illinois, only whining about how none of this would work. Compared to what we’ve had in the governor’s mansion for the past decade, I think his speech was a breath of fresh air. Have a freakin’ (oops I did it again) good day! - Downers Grove Tx payer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:14 pm: Willy why the pass given to CMS concerning bid process ? - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:14 pm: - Jim Muir - Rauner has been promising his plans for over a year. He’s had time to put them together. Today was the first put up or shut up event … IMO, he scored somewhere around a D+ / C- on real substance. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:19 pm: ===Willy why the pass given to CMS concerning bid process ?=== Let’s see how that process is laid out. You can say reform, when reform is needed, but if the process gets bogged down on being better and easier instead of what is given in return in goods and/or services, what was the point? It’s not a pass, the CMS overhaul is a movie acted, played, and seen. - Jim Muir - “Thanks for coming here to just try to rip people under the guise of being a sage of what we all are missing. Do you have a point other than that? I’ll hang up and listen to your response.” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:25 pm: ===Kinda of slapped IDOT and Toll way for the handling of the bidding process. Surprised he pointed them out of all agencies no mention of CMS.=== To the IDOT part, that’s a pivot of Quinn hires at IDOT, subliminally making the “new day” thoughts, and IDOT is a place where Rauner can show contrast with Quinn. That’s all. Sorry for separating the two thoughts. OW - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:26 pm: RNUG, a serious question. Aren’t these speeches/events really meant to share a vision and a rough outline of priorities rather than specific items in detail (what I assume you mean by substance) In that vein, I thought he did fairly well in providing a good sense of what direction he’s heading. I think his point of saying these things together vs. issue by issue. I wish I had a copy of whatever was given to members to review to see exactly what was provided. Don’t know if there was more or less in there or not. You may or may not know, I’m not in the grading business by letters. It’s really pretty subjective. I’m a pass/fail guy with plenty of latitude. I think this is a strong pass for direction and vision. I wouldn’t grade specific substance details on this because I wasn’t expecting that. The broad themes have narrowed a bit today and you can see where he’s moving. You’re not a hyper-partisan guy in the least here and have always provided pretty down the middle commentary. I’d be interested in your answer to this. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:26 pm: ==why the pass given to CMS concerning bid process== The contract process done by CMS isn’t quite the same as the contract process for construction process. Different animals. Doesn’t mean they should get a pass but it can’t be treated quite the same. Also, the contracting process is already convoluted. They need to fix that in my opinion. Too much bureaucracy. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:30 pm: - Demoralized -, You are On It. Two different animals, and referencing as the Governor did is more reflective of a pivot or change in direction, than the processes in question, which is why I just glossed over it until both, but CMS specifically, have something to sink all of our teeth into in bids, and procurement. - sparky791 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:31 pm: -Jim Muir- What RNUG said. - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:32 pm: OW, Demo, good commentary. Give Mr. Muir a break. Even if it’s just one. I was sick of reading about “g’s” here too. That’s just goofy. The stage has been set for a good discussion now. The train is leaving the station. - Black Ivy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:38 pm: What Jim Muir said! I was quite content with Governor Rauner’s State of the State Address and look forward to implementation of his hallmark initiatives. Since his inauguration, the Quinnsters have upped their ante in seeking to undermine, discredit, and essentially eviscerate Governor Rauner before he has had time to govern and, quite frankly, the level of vitriolism is embarrassing! Get over yourselves, folks, the election is over. And, believe you me, Governor Rauner has no intention of giving CMS a pass ion anything, procurements or otherwise. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:42 pm: ===Since his inauguration, the Quinnsters have upped their ante in seeking to undermine, discredit, and essentially eviscerate Governor Rauner before he has had time to govern and, quite frankly, the level of vitriolism is embarrassing! Get over yourselves, folks, the election is over.=== If the election is over, stop playing the victim to “Quinnsters” Rauner won. - sparky791 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:44 pm: So anyone that questions Rauner is now called a Quinnster. How original. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:44 pm: ==Get over yourselves, folks, the election is over.== Take your own advice and can your constant rah-rah rhetoric. As you said, the election is over. And, you don’t have to be a “Quinnster” to question what Rauner is saying or doing. My Dad is a Republican and I think this is the first election he didn’t vote for the Republican candidate because he didn’t trust Rauner. He is anything but a “Quinnster.” I actually look forward to more details as we move forward from today. I hardly think that makes me a “Quinnster” to expect some details. - UIC Guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:53 pm: RNUG, Would you give us the other web-sites where you are commenting? I always like to read what you write. - Skeptic - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:53 pm: “The people of Illinois sent a clear message by electing Bruce Rauner” Oh please…the only message sent was “We don’t like Pat Quinn.” - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:56 pm: RNUG, Rauner’s vision is to kill the union so there is no MCs v. Union distinction as far as salaries are concerned. There will always be limitations on the raises. Unfortunately, the MCs have been limited to no raises for the past 8 years. I don’t see this changing in the next few years regardless of the framework - with the obvious exception of the Rauner appointees. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:59 pm: @Jim Muir - Something else you may wish to take note of is the tally in Rich’s Question of the Day polls as compared to the comments on them. Quite often, reading the comments alone would lead one to conclude something very different from the results of the poll, despite the poll having a much larger sample size. The poll may run 60% or more in favor of one answer, while the commentariat runs 60% or more in favor of the opposite answer in their posts. That does not happen in every poll, obviously, but it is a noticeable trend on many of the more partisan issues and questions imho. So, take everything said and done here with a grain of salt. And if that is the way you really feel, adopt a handle and weigh in more often. Welcome to the mob that is Rome. - Skeptic - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:01 pm: “RE: the bonus pay / increases for productive state employees” I.e., “He who is ignorant of history is doomed to repeat it.” - D.P.Gumby - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:09 pm: Jim Muir…evidently you haven’t been around this blog during the Quinn and Blago admins. Brucie is still gettin’ some benefit of some doubt…he’s just not takin’ the opportunity of a honeymoon. Consequently, it’s endin’ quickly. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:10 pm: Muir, bite us. - Just Wondering - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:15 pm: I’m wondering if, as he counts the profits, the Governor says, “Kachin’, Kachin’!”? - Stu - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:32 pm: Is there a transcript posted somewhere yet? - Stu - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:32 pm: Sorry…found it http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-02-04/full-transcript-rauners-state-state-address.html - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:36 pm: - A guy - Yes, these speeches are vision things but I was expecting more detail (or maybe just a more cohesive vision) than what I heard. He sold himself as the anti-Quinn. He’s been promising big plans for, well, forever. What I heard was a run of the mill campaign speech Quinn could have made if he left out the union attack parts. Guess I was expecting a pragmatist and heard more of a politician. If we’re grading pass / fail, he got a pass … possibly on a curve, but still a pass. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:39 pm: == So anyone that questions Rauner is now called a Quinnster. == Guess that makes me a Quinnster. I will admit to voting for Quinn in the general .. but I will also say it was the first time in my life I’ve voted D for Gov. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:54 pm: == UIC Guy- RNUG, Would you give us the other web-sites where you are commenting? I always like to read what you write. === Uh … thanks for the compliment, but nope. Some place I use my own name. I personally don’t care, but I still have relatives slaving in the mines that might get caught in any backlash. Anyway, my writing style is unique enough that some friends and former co-workers have managed to figure it out. - Skeptic - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:54 pm: Muir: Let me guess, you have no problems with how the Republicans treat President Obama, right? Rich said it best, I shan’t repeat. - Eric Zorn - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:57 pm: I agreed so strongly with those were distracted by the dropped g’s that I went through the tape and counted. He dropped 54 out of 100 g’s. That’s downright Appalachian. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/zorn/chi-geez-rauners-54-folksiness-is-off-the-charts-20150204-story.html - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:07 pm: - Eric Zorn -, ===That’s downright Appalachian.=== Maybe more …”Deliverance”? - Skeptic - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:09 pm: Eric Zorn: I’m curious, how does this compare to speeches in earlier years? Is this a recently acquired affliction? - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:23 pm: ===RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:36 pm: - A guy - Yes, these speeches are vision things but I was expecting more detail (or maybe just a more cohesive vision) than what I heard. He sold himself as the anti-Quinn. He’s been promising big plans for, well, forever. What I heard was a run of the mill campaign speech Quinn could have made if he left out the union attack parts. Guess I was expecting a pragmatist and heard more of a politician. If we’re grading pass / fail, he got a pass … possibly on a curve, but still a pass.=== Fair enough, thank you. - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:29 pm: Eric, in your case I can’t even get through an entire column. You really thought this topic was the basis of the column inches? One of the great business columnists in the city (at the other paper) is Appalachian. If you’ve spent any time listening to this Governor speak, you’d know this is part of his diction and has been. Great scoop dude. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:43 pm: [Apologies to Lerner & Lowe’s My Fair Lady] Hear Rauner down at Lincoln Square droppin’ “g”s everywhere … - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:55 pm: –You really thought this topic was the basis of the column inches?– Well put, Guy. Just professional communicatin’ with Zorn in your self-described kind way. The Sun-Times has a business columnist? - Shoedoctor - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:27 pm: Should be an interesting 4 years. Much easier to mock Rauner by calling him Brucie and ripping on his diction than address the substance of his remarks. There is no way to fix the serious competitive disadvantages Illinois has without offending the heart of the funding of the Democratic party- trial lawyers and unions. If our high workers comp, excessive regulations, high property taxes and lack of tort reform have chased businesses and taxpayers away. We will have to reform these policies to get them back. Does anyone else have reason why Illinois has fallen so far compared to our neighbors have an explanation that is not straight out of the DNC talking points? - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:27 pm: Yep Slinger. I don’t elide my g’s, but I know tons of people who do. Hang around the Southwest side and you’ll notice the absence of “h” too. i.e. Sout west. Maybe we can get a column about that too. Your final question? They have more than one. And a lot of alumni. I’m a kind guy. Especially to you. Counter-intuitively, kindness seems to bother you. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:56 pm: First we get: ==There is no way to fix the serious competitive disadvantages Illinois has without offending the heart of the funding of the Democratic party- trial lawyers and unions.== Then we get this admonition: ==Does anyone else have reason why Illinois has fallen so far compared to our neighbors have an explanation that is not straight out of the DNC talking points?== So we can’t use DNC talking points to counter Republican Party talking points? I’m trying to figure out the rules here. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:58 pm: More than one business columnist these days at the Sun-Times, Guy? Why do you write crazy stuff like that? - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:03 pm: ==but I know tons of people who do== Including our President, who also adopts the practice selectively. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:14 pm: Samuel L Jackson on the subject of dropping ==g’s==, as only he can put it http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/26/samuel-l-jackson-barack-obama - Noteabags - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:31 pm: I see him being a one termer. Let’s see how many GOP members he takes out in 2016 that support his agenda. - AnonymousOne - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:02 pm: ==easier to rip on his diction than address the substance of his remarks== Maybe if he had some substance to his remarks no one would’ve noticed his diction. I guess people just kept waiting for the big secret plans to be revealed and while waiting noticed the speaking flaws. - Not Surprised - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:47 pm: Someone needs to tell him to stop the ‘dumming down’ with the dropped “g’s” this is insulting. I listened to see if he did this with every word that ended with a g and he did not…just when he wanted to draw attention to a word or a statement. Annoying! - Not Surprised - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:49 pm: All our kids will get that technical vocational training instead of going to the University so they will not learn good english and they will all talk with dropped ‘g’s. Give me a break! - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:51 pm: == UIC Guy == Should have added that most of my other writing is related to my various hobbies and interests … which are decidedly non-political. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.