155 Comments - I'm New Here - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:06 pm: Pretty much what we were expectin’ - Pius - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:07 pm: What substance? There was very little that was new. The bits about increasing the minimum wage and the support of Adult Re-Deploy were nice. Other than that…meh. - Downstate GOP Faithless - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:07 pm: Overall pretty solid message, but the raising the minimum wage to a Dem ovation followed by laughter when he announced it would happen over 7 years was pretty enjoyable. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:09 pm: Campaign speech. - John Tillman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:09 pm: Did IPI get an advance copy of the address? The policy institute had a pretty thorough response within minutes of its conclusion. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:09 pm: how will you pay for new things you detailed, Governor? what do you mean by local control over fiscal issues? which other states that you said you admire do you want to emulate with fiscal provisions? - SkeptiCal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:10 pm: It was a typical and fairly canned speech with insufficient detail. Not sure any Governor (nor President) ever can do more than that. It was interesting that the Speaker was so diplomatic and encouraging that an open debate is possible. I doubt that will happen, but it was a refreshing change from the past open warfare between Speaker and Governors. Little was said about how to manage the gaping hole in the FY 15 budget, much less any suggestion on how these proposals like school funding can be realistically considered as affordable. Bottom line, nice to return to a civil discourse. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:12 pm: Surprising tilt towards support for traditionally Democratic initiatives. - CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:12 pm: BTW the inflation calculator sez $1,100 prop tax bill would have been 3994 with no adjustments for other cost factors so $4797 does not seems like a big deal That $10 AN HOUR MIN WAGE IN 2022 WAS A REAL DOWNER - Montrose - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:13 pm: It did what he wanted - laid out where he is going to focus his energy. We are watching what “run the state like a business” unfold. - Abe the Babe - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:13 pm: Campaign speech. I thought what he didn’t mention was more interesting: pension reform, sales tax broadening, energy/environment issues. He spent the most time on workers comp so maybe that’s his baby and he believes a deal is possible. Several items wont make it out of rules committee. The shot across the bow to hospitals was weird. Didn’t follow the logic on that conflict of interest. - Finally Out (formerly Ready to Get Out) - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:14 pm: Nothing new. Tough to tell on TV, but chamber response seemed very cold. Camera did show a few times legislators sitting on their hands. A hint of the future? Interesting after the speech, his wife reached up to kiss him and he turned his attention elsewhere. Awkward moment for her. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:14 pm: Which is possibly a good sign he is trying to find areas he can work with Democrats and get people moving in the same direction. Refreshing compared to the last one. - steve schnorf - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:15 pm: I liked his style and delivery; direct, to the point, few flourishes, talking directly to us. I liked the speech. He said it exactly right, we’ve known this was coming for a long time now. No one will agree with everything he said, some of it was pretty far-reaching for Illinois and a GA dominated by Ds. People have been calling for specifics and he was pretty specific. Overall,the best SOTS I’ve heard in a long time. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:16 pm: The mention of merit selection of judges was very good. Not that that’s going anywhere with the Speaker. But still important to hear. - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:16 pm: A chicken in every pot type of speech, with the exception of union supporters - they get a crow. It plays to the anti-govt. types and the groups he wants to drive a wedge between traditional Dem supporters. Don’t we all feel empowered now? Or is that like the power you feel when you’re electrocuted. - Anon - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:17 pm: After reading about the saputos meeting in the fax today, I laughed out loud when the governor said this is a new partnership with the general assembly. He doesn’t seem like he views ga members as partners. - Rod - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:18 pm: I am going to focus on only one aspect of his speech and that was the Governor’s non-competitive bids for public capital projects. In order to reform this Governor Rauner will have to radically change the minority subcontractor set aside provisions relating to these projects, that will set off a storm. Rauner is of course correct that minorities are kept out to a big degree of union based apprentice programs, but there could be even fewer with out the minority contractor set aside provisions that exist. The problem will not be solved by eliminating the prevailing wage provision either. In some cases these apprentice programs are filled with relatives of existing unionized skilled trades workers and relatives of contractors. Fixing this will not be simple. - Ray del Camino - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:18 pm: I was too busy countin’ the droppin’ of the Gs, which he was doin’ some of the time and not doing other times. Wonderin’ if there is a pattern to when he is droppin’ or not dropping. - walker - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:18 pm: At least he provided some general objectives we can argue about, and moved beyond just badmouthing Illinois. Lost my bet from yesterday. Worst point: Rauner’s insistence that the solving of virtually any problem, from campaign finance corruption, to budget and contract wasteful spending, to meeting his campaign promise to freeze local property taxes — all somehow are accomplished by first attacking unions. That’s it? That’s the primary solution? Best point: The waste and abuse across the state in local school districts, occur not at the classroom level, but at organizational levels above the teacher. What he can do about it wasn’t clear. Laughable moment: Sanguinetti will work out of her home, and coordinate local government restructure efforts with Dan Cronin, in her home County. No Springfield or Chicago for her. Will we ever see her again?, other than as an audience member? - railrat - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:20 pm: sounded like a pragmatic businessman, which I’m sure scares the bejeezus out of many. - Gooner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:21 pm: Sounded almost Blago-ian — “Here is a list of things that I want that may appeal to my base but which you will never pass.” Combined with the threats the other day, he just needs a new haircut and he’s well on his way. - Sage - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:22 pm: God didn’t create Republicans or Democrats or Michael Madigan. - Sangamo Sam - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:23 pm: Interesting that he threw a bone to the Speaker about the ALPLM. - Logical - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:25 pm: DuPage has a simple, yet effective model. Instead of spending money on lots of layers of government management workers, spend that money on projects that benefit the public. Less government and more services. Do we really need a $140,000 a year school superintendent for every 1,000 students? It’s time for some sanity. - Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:26 pm: Surprised by his mention of the presidential library and museum governance re-structure. That is Madigan’s baby. Is this tossing a bone to MM to get cooperation in other areas? - Over taxed taxpayer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm: Perhaps the governor can start by killing the $1,500,000 contract for computer software to issue marijuana permits. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm: I think he wants to change the state’s motto to: Illinois, striving to be Indiana. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm: Lots of nice sounding phrases, some DOA proposals, some stuff that should make it through, multiple proposals that will cost more money with no indication of where that will come from. Repeating some comments from another thread, from a political perspective, some good divide and conquer strategies. Examples: (1) Tying high property tax bills and removal of unfunded mandates to his call for removing prevailing wage / creating non-union empowerment enterprise zones (2) Attacking union, hospital, trial lawyer special interests but nothing about banning businesses (wihtout state contracts) from lobbying for tax breaks or other special laws. Today was his first put up or shut up event … IMO, Rauner scored somewhere around a D+ / C- on real substance. - Lil Squeezy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm: Awful folksy for a big city billionaire - Just Because - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:32 pm: I have to agree with - steve schnorf and would like to add Inspiring. It is really time for a change with some leadership - anon - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:34 pm: == DuPage has a simple, effective model. == DuPage County has several hundred units of local government. When they cut that in half, then it would be a model. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:36 pm: How does that COD golden parachute fit into the goo-goo model? - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:38 pm: …..AND - he’s OUTTA HERE! - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:40 pm: It definitely left me DUCK-FACED! - Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:40 pm: Caught most of this on the jeep radio, including Speaker Madigan’s comments. We may see Rauner and Madigan’s agreement more often than anticipated. Madigan brought up causation in Workers Comp, not Rauner? Trial lawyers beware! - East Central Illinois - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:44 pm: Shoot . . .I was waiting for him to say “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:44 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. - zatoichi - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:45 pm: Bland standard campaign level speech. Couple bones to Madigan, 7 years to $10 min wage, term limits, charter schools, state contracts/contributions, …OK. Nothing that said let’s go. Contrast with the pointed Saputo ‘I want 10 votes or trouble for you’ speech. Just bland. With bland applause. - Deep South - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:46 pm: Pretty cool reception for the new guy. Kinda campaign-y. Kinda short. Time to get to work. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:47 pm: - OW - $20M can buy a lot of grease and WD-40 - Deep South - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:47 pm: Oh, and what Ray del said at 1:18. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:49 pm: ===Trial lawyers beware!=== Louis, if Madigan gives an inch on causation, you’d better believe the doctors are going to give up a lot. And you better also believe screwing the docs will be on Rauner’s Top 10 list. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:50 pm: - RNUG -, The rules of the house forbid me a blunt retort… However, I think Rauner is making it known that the $20 million isn’t for candy and roses. - Jimmy CrackCorn - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:51 pm: Was not expecting to see a call for campaign finance reform for pretty much everyone except Richard Uihlein and Ken Griffin. Let see if I go the gist of the argument… money=speech, unless you are speaking for a trade organization that costs my business more money. Also, corporations are people, my friend. But trade organizations PACs funded by modest contributions from many people are….uh… I’m dizzy - Juvenal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:52 pm: Stunned there was no mention of a capital bill. Other than that, I think the overall message was to tell Democrats that we are not going to accomplish anything substantive over the next four years. The parts of that speech where there might be common ground with the legislature were miniscule. - Jerome Horwitz - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:52 pm: Good ideas about the future, but what are you going to do about today, this fiscal year and next fiscal year? There is not enough revenue to pay for short term expenses. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:57 pm: == Good ideas about the future, but what are you going to do about today, this fiscal year and next fiscal year? == We’ll know what Rauner wants in a couple of weeks. Then we’ll have to wait for the sausage to get made. - Mean Joe - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:57 pm: The speech was short and very general. Lacking specifics. 2 weeks from now I am hoping for concrete budget and solutions, not commentary and campaigning. Like all examples in his recent presentations, the property tax example from 1979 homeowner to now is intentionally vague and misleading. Don’t tell us how much the property tax has increased without telling the 1979 home purchase price and current market value. Tax with home price appreciation means nothing, even with his tax inflation adjustment. - Mittuns - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:58 pm: Trade ya substantive worker’s compensation reform for a graduated income tax…? - From the 'Dale to HP - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:59 pm: Disjointed, poorly delivered, asking for a lot and giving very little, but did offer a few new ideas; overall… not very good. - Soccermom - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:59 pm: “The good Lord didn’t make us Republicans or Democrats. He made us in His image to do His work, to help each other, to make the world a better place.” If Rauner is so religious, what faith does he practice, and where? - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:03 pm: He hit his marks. Did what he was supposed to and expected to do. To me, the Speaker’s measured remarks are a welcome sign. - Arizona Bob - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:05 pm: He talked about ending “Prevailing Wage”? Shucks, if he’d said that before the election I would’ve coughed up a few bucks for him and made some phone calls….. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:05 pm: - OW -, Thanks for the restraint but I think I can read between the lines. Back to the post … Seriously, even though I’m critical of some of what Rauner did / did not say, he made it clear he can play the political game of divide and conquer. Will be interesting to see which items are for trading and which are non-negotiable. - Bobbysox - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:06 pm: It seems most of what he was saying is that if the Unions go away, Illinois will be hunky dory, that it is primarily the fault of Unions and public employees that Illinois is in such a mess. - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:07 pm: SS, Rauner didn’t have a high bar to jump to give a good speech. Hopefully, all video of Quinn speeches have been erased to save us from further suffering. Give Rauner a script and he’ll do fine. Now we look to the legislative proposals and the budget proposals he’ll unveil in 2 weeks for the reality of the world he wants to impose upon us all. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:12 pm: There are many citizens, including members of the GA, who don’t believe The Good Lord made them at all. Can’t recall from Sunday school if Jesus was a union carpenter, but he was a heckuva community organizer. - D.P.Gumby - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:14 pm: Extremely amateur and fairly clueless. I think most of those participating in the Illinois YMCA Youth in Government could have delivered a better speech in all elements. I wasn’t expecting much and he didn’t even live up to that. - A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:15 pm: S-Mom, I believe he was raised in a family with one parent Catholic and the other Protestant (Episcopalian, I think, but could be wrong). Today, I believe he’s a practicing Methodist. In his campaign speeches, he often referred to this. - Bobbysox - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:15 pm: From the State-Journal Register web site: The salaries listed are all payments issued on paychecks in calendar year 2013, including overtime. Total positions: 77,732 Total payroll: $4,607,443,305.92 Read more: http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/#ixzz3QoEAlMQZ If we lay off every state employee all next fiscal year and everything else stays the same we still will have a deficit. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:15 pm: Why can’t people understand the pension issue is not residing any longer with the Gov or GA. When the Supremes speak, then you should be listening. - Bobbysox - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:17 pm: Sorry — the last line of that post was mine, not the SJR’s. - ash - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:20 pm: @ John Tillman — I’d be surprised if the IPI didn’t write the address, much less get an advanced copy. Much of the numbers Rauner throws around come directly from the IPI…. but if you ARE Tillman, you know this. - Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:22 pm: Poorly delivered. A couple of good lines that I don’t believe will have any follow through, but mostly typical class war language from the rich. ==- A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:03 pm:== Because Speaker Madigan has always been known as a rhetorical flamethrower… - DoubleChinner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:25 pm: Read the live blog, scanned the speech. REALLY not much about what seem to be most pressing gov issues–revenue shortfall, pensions. Just lots of happy talk (schools!) and right wing red meat (empower people out of unions! workers comp!). He argues it’s a serious moment, then delivers a not so serious speech. - Soccermom - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:26 pm: A guy — I couldn’t find it the last time I googled, but if you say so I’ll assume you’re right. - Beans and Franks - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:28 pm: That really is annoyin’ - Shemp - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:31 pm: From a local perspective, some things scared me like the property tax. The State doesn’t impose or collect it, so why should the State limit it? But locals would most definitely be able to contain more spending if prevailing wage, bidding processes and collective bargaining was more localized. Really didn’t think it was a bad speech for a first timer with no political background given the mess we are in. - Judgment Day - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:32 pm: “The shot across the bow to hospitals was weird. Didn’t follow the logic on that conflict of interest.” ————————– There’s potentially a lot more to this angle. Pay attention to the angle of addressing the hospitals. Did it ever occur to anybody that any future innovation/cost controls on health care may have to occur at the state level, and not the federal level? Example: https://fortune.com/2015/01/30/how-to-stop-generic-drug-shortages-end-hospital-group-purchasing-kickbacks/ Ask yourself how much Medicaid could save if something as simple as hospital group purchasing organizations is addressed (repealed). Trying to do it through Washington DC is a fools errand - it’s too poisoned, and both sides are too entrenched. But a bi-partisan effort here in IL could start something, and such an effort wouldn’t likely stay in IL. And we’ve already got a serious budget hole in Medicaid as it is, and scarcity of pharmaceuticals only drives up prices. So what do we really have to lose? Everybody always seems to think the only alternatives are everything are to (a) raise taxes, or (b) cut spending. Sometimes there’s other alternatives. Just a thought. - Under Further Review - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:39 pm: I know the governor has an annoying affectation of dropping some of his g’s (not all, just some, which is why it’s annoying)… It annoys me too. I feel the same way when President Obama does it when he is trying to pretend to be folksy. It sounds contrived and fake. More to the point, I like people who speak proper English. If that is biased, I will apologize. - sparky791 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:40 pm: - Anonymous - Why can’t people understand the pension issue is not residing any longer with the Gov or GA. When the Supremes speak, then you should be listening. I know that and you know that, but does Gov. Rauner? He is the one that has been touting a solution for months and yet to reveal it. - Wensicia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:46 pm: Worse than mere campaign rhetoric, he’s evolved into pure fantasy, with no roadmap on how he can realistically achieve these goals. God didn’t make Republicans and Democrats, but in Rauner’s world He made the haves and the have nots. We know who Rauner defends and supports, while spinning a tale to increase the numbers of the other side. - chi - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:53 pm: He came out pretty strongly against democracy: 1. Judges shouldn’t be elected 2. Citizens shouldn’t be able to choose whoever they want as their elected representatives (term limits) 3. Democratically elected bargaining units should be forced to represent people in their unit for free 4. Public sector union members should have their speech restricted 5. Trial lawyers should have their speech restricted 6. Hospitals should have their speech restricted It appears that billionaires walked away unscathed though. - Lt. Guv - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:57 pm: “Run the state like a business.” The state isn’t a business. . . it’s a government with very different metrics. The goal is to deliver services, not profit. That said, there are certainly things to learn from business to apply to government, but to conclude they are the same is a fatal error. - OldIllini - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 2:59 pm: Lots of negatives from the politically sophisticated commenters here, but I liked the speech a lot and am looking forward to some real changes. - Because I Said So.... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:06 pm: Although he talked about education, there was no mention of public universities. Also, he talked about undue influence/lobbying the GA. Isn’t that was Rauner is doing with his $20 million fund to ‘work’ with legislators? - Sangamo Sam - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:06 pm: Regarding state workers: “Let’s emphasize quality of work instead of simply longevity of work. Let’s pay great state employees more for their excellent performance.” I was glad to see that. Currently it’s nearly impossible to promote the best employees. Seniority takes precedence. - illinoised - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:08 pm: I think the reception said it all. He was preaching to the choir, and forgot which choir chamber he was in. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:08 pm: You know how you get rid of all of those “conflicts of interest” in campaign contributions? Prohibit them from EVERY organization and make it so that contributions are only allowed from individuals. It’s kind of silly to say only certain organizations shouldn’t be able to contribute. - Skirmisher - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:13 pm: Pretty much agreed with everything he had to say, and wish he had said more. It is pretty obvious that the problems he hit on are in fact really serious problems for Illinois, but I don’t expect a lot of reform from this gang. - Quiet Sage - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:18 pm: Sorry, the “g” issue just can’t be dropped. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:23 pm: == I don’t expect a lot of reform from this gang. == I’m not so sure. I think Rauner’s business supporters would be willing to trade off work comp and causation improvements in exchange for restoration of the flat income tax to 5%. Businesses could well come out a winner on that trade. I think Rauner could even find common ground on eliminating some of the unfunded educational mandates. If Rauner can manage to be a trader instead of a buyer, we could all get surprised. That’s part of why I was disappointed in his speech; I heard more of a politician than I did a pragmatist. - Over taxed taxpayer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:35 pm: Change is not easy. But if change does not come, the state will crash and burn financially. Unfortunately, those on the inside that oppose change attack the messenger personally. Just imagine how much better the state’s condition would be if those lobbing the personal attacks would put their efforts into constructive solutions!! - vole - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:37 pm: Had to wonder — did Illinois perform that much worse in job creation than our surrounding states? And overall the speech did not speak much to the commoners who, like me, didn’t know enough about all the policy details to know half of what he was talking about. But maybe the public was not the intended target. Those eyes of his seemed like they were often focused on specific individuals in the chamber. “Hey, you talkin’ to me?” - olddog - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:42 pm: I’ve got a feeling all this happy talk about “access to excellent schools” and “the reform agenda … implemented in other states” is going to translate into closing neighborhood schools (and school districts) on the basis of standardized test scores, firing the certified teachers, hiring TFA temps, “public charter” schools and the privatization of K-12 public education in Illinois. - DuPage - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:42 pm: The idea of consolidating and eliminating units of local without local voter approval is a bad idea. It can be abused, an open season on political opponents, and a means to reward political supporters. There is less accountability to taxpayers, and services from a large governmental unit are not necessarily any cheaper or better. - Loop Lady - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:44 pm: “Lisa Madigan would like to rework workmans comp”. I’ll bet she does, and so does her Dad. Rauner: IL is not IN, and I cant name anyone that wants to be like it in my neighborhood. High falutin’ but what really got me was his effort to derail the unions by citizen referendum. Really? Watch for lots of fistfights around town if this happens… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:46 pm: - RNUG -, I knew you didn’t need a roadmap! lol Does the Governor have Floor Leaders yet? - Lon - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:48 pm: as long as Madigan is in office nothing will get passed. He runs the state and everyone knows it. That is why we sold our Illinois business and moved away. I laugh when there is a new Govenor who wants to accomplish thing for a better state economy….Madigan won’t allow it. Why has he never run for Govenor? Because he has more power and less heat, with no term limit. Want real change in Illinois….not till Madigan gone!! - Dano - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:48 pm: When he’s droppin’ the g he is not telling the truth….when he uses ‘em he is jus’ lyin’. Just sayin’ - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:51 pm: === Does the Governor have Floor Leaders yet? === Willy, I think the GOP caucuses have become wholly owned subsidiaries of Rauner Corp. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:52 pm: ===Why has he never run for Govenor? Because he has more power and less heat, with no term limit.=== Illinois has no term limit; for the GA, the Statewides. You’re welcone. BTW, You moved. Ok. Feel better? Check under your bed, bogeymen travel, just saying. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:57 pm: ===Willy, I think the GOP caucuses have become wholly owned subsidiaries of Rauner Corp.=== - Norseman - you are correct, Bud. My bad. I was being 30% non-snarky, and 60% snarky…and 10% just plain silly. I just wondered “who, who” might want to wear the jacket for not having the 67 “Green Lights” lit in both chambers, other than Radogno and Durkin. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:58 pm: when he gets done, it will not be worth it for anybody to work for the State. I am lucky to be retired but did have to live through Quinn’s pay raise give backs - Outsider - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:00 pm: A shallow campaign speech….and you folks are still waiting to hear what he is going to do…..If this is as good as he gets, stop waiting….its all up to the GA - Del Clinkton - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:02 pm: People start a business for many, many different reasons. And stay in business or get out of it for many, many reasons. Or move their business for many, many reasons. Taxes or government regulation may or may not (or both) be a part of that equation. - Demise - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:10 pm: I would have liked to hear some short term solutions for the current budget. Review of his Illinois Turnaround agenda is more revealing than the speech as far as long-term goals. I count at least four constitutional amendments proposed. If your proposals depend on changs to the Constitution, I think you’re in trouble. - LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:14 pm: Lon!!! Come back!!! We need clear thinkers like you!!! - 1776 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:28 pm: I saw leadership after a decade of Quinn and Blago. He articulated the problems and listed solutions. - Rowdy Yates - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:33 pm: I thought it was an excellent speech. Now let’s see if Governor Rauner is able to accomplish all or at least most of his goals. Mike Madigan must have been so intently listening to Rauner and what he had to say that Mike never bothered to even look up at Rauner during the speech like Cullerton did. - Person 8 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:35 pm: Anyone have a link for the policy agenda Rauner mentions at the beginning? The Google is not giving me what I want. - Buddy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:38 pm: Did anyone notice the Governor drops some of G’s but not all of them. Kind of annoying. - Toure's Latte - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:38 pm: What I heard was Rauner laying out plans to harness the sometime rebellious DuPage County GOP. Having Sanguinetti working with Cronin to streamline government (?) sounds like Cronin locking down the nomination in four years as Rauner’s successor. - MrJM - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:38 pm: “The good Lord didn’t make us Republicans or Democrats.” That’s true — but not for the reasons he believes it’s true. – MrJM - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:42 pm: === I saw leadership after a decade of Quinn and Blago. He articulated the problems and listed solutions. === He articulated problems that any astute observer could do as well. He did NOT list solutions. He listed proposals that he believes will lead to solutions he desires. Now the debate is on as to whether folks agree that they will lead to solutions or that his solutions will have a positive impact on the lives of others. Without seeing the details, I have my doubts that most of these proposals will bring about positive solutions for the majority of Illinois residents. - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 4:50 pm: === At the beginning of today’s session each of you should have received a copy of our policy agenda. === Person 8, the problem is that the Gov’s communications staff is a little slow on the sharing of the information with the public. I’ve checked the Gov’s site and I see nothing, bupkis, about an agenda. Transparency is a favored buzzword for this guy, but it appears to come about very slowly. - ZC - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:02 pm: As usual it’s just too early to know with this guy for sure. One of the golden rules of political bargaining / reputation is you come out of the gate strong - if you seem too eager to cut a deal straightaway, Madigan and Cullerton are going to carve you up. Bill Clinton thought he was being a dealmaker when he tried to be accommodating straight out the gate, to his own party no less, and the legislators saw weakness and demanded more accordingly. On the other hand there’s establishing a strong bargaining reputation, and then there’s being a self-righteous, stereotypical-CEO-egomaniac. We’ll see. - Nothin's easy... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:12 pm: He seemed grouchy. I was waiting for him to yell,”get off my lawn!” - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:21 pm: Steve Chapman in the Trib has a whole column up already on the lack of the g. - scott aster - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:34 pm: I just listened to the speeech without watching…..he needs a speech coach and to learn how to talk. and $10 over 7yrs….give me a break. - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 5:59 pm: G, I guess I was listenin that closely. - Jorge - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:03 pm: ”get off my lawn!” That’s what the state police entourage is for. - Sunshine - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:03 pm: Good speech. Pretty much head on, without over promising, I think he will do well for all of Illinois. - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:12 pm: === … without over promising … === How about overreaching? - Holdingontomywallet - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:47 pm: It’s obvious that he is a business guy, not a polished politician. That is fine with me, I have seen enough of those in Illinois. Give me someone who is successful and will bust his butt to get the job done. After 12 years of one party rule in Illinois, I am ready for a change. The business people he puts in his administration are going to laugh at the way Illinois agencies push paper around. Time for some new ideas. I could care less if he drops “g’s”. If he fixes our financial woes and balances our budget, he can drop F-bombs all day if he wants. - jake - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:56 pm: Government of the IPI, by the IPI, and for the interests of the donors to IPI. - Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 7:00 pm: I’ll take Rauner’s dropped “g” presentation over Pat Quinn’s meandering legal pad scribblings presentation anytime. Just sayin” ! - A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 7:04 pm: Who was P Quinn, that intern that . . . Thank God we finally have a real governor again. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 7:10 pm: - Louis G. Atsaves - , Low bar there, the speech-givin’ attributes of Pat Quinn… Just “sayinG” - AC - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 7:27 pm: Rauner’s concern over property taxes in the State of the State seemed unusual. I thought taxes were high in Illinois, but not unusually high, so I thought I’d do a quick comparison using similarly valued property in Madison, Wisconsin and Springfield, Illinois: Springfield House: Fair Market Value $151,386 Tax Billed $3,197.26 Madison House: Assessment $151,400 Taxes: $3,458.83 If property taxes are a crisis in Illinois, they ought to be a catastrophe in Wisconsin. Sure, that’s one example, but so was the individual he referenced in his speech. In general I thought that the priorities listed in the State of the State seemed largely unrelated to the largest challenges facing the state. - Now What? - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 7:44 pm: Is the best thing the Raunerites can say is that Bruce is better than Pat Quinn? That’s a pretty low bar. The ILGOP again fails to recognize that its enemies are within their own party and, as is seen nationally with the GOP, symbolic rhetoric to the fringe has lost them the moderate vote and will soon lose them the middle that they believe they still own. The best the Republicans have to offer is laughable and an embarrassment to the party. Just ask Jim Edgar. Read your Goldwater, Bruce, while enjoying the Tea Party. - Holdingontomywallet - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:06 pm: ===Is the best thing the Raunerites can say is that Bruce is better than Pat Quinn? ====. That is all they needed to do to beat Quinn. Illinois voters were tired of the poor performance of the democrats who ruled Illinois for 12 years - House, Senate, Governor’s Office. Poor results. You do remember Blagojevich was a democrat, right? - A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:11 pm: Looks like cold turkey withdrawal for democrats - it is tough being forcibly weaned off the government teat. - Gooner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:15 pm: Actually A, Rauner is the one giving out free stuff. Rauner wants people to get use of a union, without paying. He sounds like some sort of liberal. - A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:18 pm: gooner gooner I see where you got your handle. - illini - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:20 pm: I was not going to comment on this thread but there are a great many comments, both from the D’s as well as the R’s, that make excellent points. The SOS speech was a rehash of BR talking points from his campaign speeches without giving any clear direction as to how he wants to proceed or how he will pay for the proposed increases he wants for education etc. ( and what about funding for the U of I ). I am willing to give the New Gov. some space to create his own agenda, and I agree that there are some areas and issues that do need to be addressed, but please tell us how you will pay for these changes. - Gooner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:22 pm: A Citizen, My handle has been discussed at length. In fact, there are probably about six of us here who discuss Gooner-related matters, including two fellow Gooners and one Manchester City fan who joins the conversation. So if “see where you got your handle” it is because you’ve read the posts here over the past year. That being said, while typically people ooght to be a Gooner, we will make an exception for you. You really oought not to be a Gooner. - A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:28 pm: english not your native language, huh. - GraduatedCollegeStudent - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:33 pm: === If property taxes are a crisis in Illinois, they ought to be a catastrophe in Wisconsin. Sure, that’s one example, but so was the individual he referenced in his speech. In general I thought that the priorities listed in the State of the State seemed largely unrelated to the largest challenges facing the state. === And if property taxes are a catastrophe in Wisconsin, they are apocalyptic in Texas. - illini - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:36 pm: Well said! - chi - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:38 pm: Knowing the union stuff won’t pass, Rauner will harp on it constantly. He will have to cut so many programs and departments and projects that he cannot come out of it looking good. So he needs a straw man to pin the blame on, because you know he won’t blame himself (he’s been successful at everything he’s ever done). So the union stuff is the perfect tool, in his mind, to deflect blame onto Dems and those money-grubbing prison barbers. P.S., public workers make too much, so let’s empower them to make less! - Gooner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:40 pm: A Citizen, My comments were in English. If you don’t believe so, you probably should take a course in Remedial English. But in any case lad, I have no idea what you are referencing. I bet you hear that often. - illini - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:54 pm: What about the appointees/re-appointees to being Senior Public Service Administrators ( all political appointees, and in the $100,000 salary range ) and not related to their experience or industry related expertise, but rather their political connections, and their connections to previous administrations. - Roadiepig - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:57 pm: Goober- I just checked to make sure, and yes there is a (nearly) full moon tonight. Seems to be effecting people in a stronger than usual way this month. This might explain some of the lack of courtesy in many posting here today (: - Roadiepig - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 8:57 pm: Sorry-Gooner. Autocorrect strikes again - Gooner - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:00 pm: Thanks, Roadiepig. “A Citizen” sure seemed to get angry when I pointed out that his guy advocated giving away free stuff, didn’t he? It is too bad he attacked me rather than responding to the merits. It is late though, and it happens. - Now What? - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:11 pm: A good con always starts by gaining confidence… “Make or break time for the Land of Lincoln?” Is Bain Capital going to buy us up and then absorb us with surrounding states? I’ll check with Standard and Poor’s, they seem trustworthy. - A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:12 pm: yep - gooner happens, bwah ha ha! - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:29 pm: You’d think Rauner could afford a better class of trolls. - Sangamo Sam - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:30 pm: illini -@ 8:54 pm: ==What about the appointees/re-appointees to being Senior Public Service Administrators ( all political appointees, and in the $100,000 salary range ) and not related to their experience or industry related expertise, but rather their political connections, and their connections to previous administrations. == The SPSAs are not “all political appointees” nor are all of them politically connected. Many are indeed experts in their fields. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:32 pm: I do find it fascinating that thise praising the rhetoric and the posturing and the bravado… …you still need to find the votes…and have the math work out too. Remenber the “phony budget” stuff? Yeah, me too. - kizzo - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:14 pm: Bold rhetoric by Rauner we’ll see if it turns into reality. Not sure how increasing the amount of groups banned from campaign speech is going to work. I’m thinking after a handful of recent SCOTUS rulings a lot of Illinois’ current campaign finance laws are on borrowed time as it is. Banning public sector unions from speaking, even if you don’t like them, is about as “big government” as it gets. You’re benefiting too much from your First Amendment rights - so we need to reduce them and ban your kind of talk! - illini - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:29 pm: Back at Sangamo Sam - I will grant you that there are certainly exceptions, but if you want me to get specific, I will gladly do so, but I will not denigrate this trusted site by doing so. - The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:59 pm: A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 7:04 pm: Who was P Quinn, that intern that . . . Thank God we finally have a real governor again. Before proclaiming that we now have a real Governor, shouldn’t we hold our opinions for several months and actually see how he’s doing. Many of us are anxiously waiting to hear specifics on his plan to erase the huge budget deficit looming in 2015. Hopefully we’ll have an idea in a couple weeks if there is going to be shared sacrifice and if his numbers will add up. All we really know so far is that he hates Unions. - Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:20 pm: ==Before proclaiming that we now have a real Governor, shouldn’t we hold our opinions for several months and actually see how he’s doing.== The folks paid to make those proclamations are not paid to wait and see. - A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:54 pm: You wait - I am satisfied we now have a competent governor . . . Finally. - illini - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 12:12 am: Back @ SangamoSam - I am not saying that all SPSA’s are political hacks, but I can give you examples of employees of certain State Agencies who would not have warranted their positions if it were not for their political connections and their “influence”. - Norseman - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 12:20 am: === You wait - I am satisfied we now have a competent governor . . . Finally. === Boy, I bet you’re a wiz picking out pretty used cars too. - Louis G Atsaves - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 6:05 am: ===Remenber the “phony budget” stuff?=== Yup. Living with it every day. Protesters in front of the State Building in Chicago almost daily. Protesting against Pat Quinn, who signed that phony budget into law? Oh wait . . . - Demoralized - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 7:33 am: ==Protesting against Pat Quinn, who signed that phony budget into law?== You are aware he isn’t Governor anymore right? As some have said, the election is over. Time to move on. It’s Governor Rauner’s ballgame now. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 7:50 am: ===Protesters in front of the State Building in Chicago almost daily.=== Today. Against Gov. Rauner. Please keep up. - Del Clinkton - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 7:55 am: Our newly elected Benevolent Father, Bruce, is going to raise the minimum wage .25 a year till it gets to 10.00, without any offsets in Wealthy Welfare. And then under the con of “Right to Work” strip people of the right to collectively bargain for wages. All in the name of “business reform”. What is it with Illinois Governors and their Anti-Social Personality Disorders? Bruce is making Blago look perfectly sane. Seriously. - illinoised - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 8:08 am: - Agree with Outsider, that it is all up to the GA. - I wish Rauner soon realizes that the campaign is over, and starts giving us some concrete strategies. - If Rauner thinks all of the reform is going to happen without corporations and high income earners paying their fair share to give the state some revenue, the only change we will see in next four years is a bigger fiscal deficit each year. - I wish Rauner and other politicians would recognize the separation of church and state, as the “Good Lord” is nothing to me. - Aldyth - Thursday, Feb 5, 15 @ 8:39 am: Three word response: Veto-proof legislature. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.