Some things old are new again
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I had completely forgotten about this until a commenter pointed it out yesterday. From way back on April 28, 2003…
Converting campaign-style rhetoric into survey questions, Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich released poll results Sunday contending that his credibility with the public is so great lawmakers should fear for their re-election chances if they dare oppose his $52 billion budget proposal.
But it was the credibility of the $20,000 poll conducted for Blagojevich and paid for by his campaign that was immediately assailed by Republicans and at least one politically independent pollster. They said the survey, conducted last week, was laced with loaded words and leading questions skewed to favor Blagojevich and paint any critic in an unfavorable light.
The release of the poll results, which Blagojevich announced at news conferences in five cities, was the latest tactic of a chief executive whose public-relations-driven leadership style has been a hallmark of his slightly more than 100 days in office. […]
“I think what this does tell us is that the length of this governor’s campaign is unprecedented,” Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Senate Republican leader Frank Watson of Greenville. […]
[Nick Panagakis, president of Market Shares Corp., which conducts political and issue polling for the Tribune] said the poll questions lacked neutrality and used words like “innovative” to describe for respondents one of the governor’s revenue-raising proposals. One poll question asked those surveyed whether they agreed with Blagojevich’s budget priorities or with “the same people who helped create the crisis the state now faces and represent the failed politics of the past.”
* From my April 20, 2015 syndicated newspaper column…
Gov. Bruce Rauner devised a new way to reward his friends and punish his enemies on April 16th when he created a campaign committee called “Illinois Turnaround.” […]
The governor’s campaign also released a polling memo which purports to show that the public backs his agenda. While his job approval rating is just 38 percent, his disapproval rating is five points below at 33 percent and his favorable rating is 42 percent, versus 34 who view him unfavorably.
By contrast, the General Assembly’s job approval rating is a mere 20 percent, with 57 percent disapproving. House Speaker Michael Madigan’s favorables are just 24 percent, with 51 percent viewing him unfavorably.
The poll also found that 57 percent agree with: “Bruce Rauner is trying to shake things up in Springfield, but the career politicians are standing in his way,” and 56 percent agree that the governor is “working to find bipartisan solutions that will help fix Illinois’s budget mess and improve the struggling state economy.”
“Every time they attack us,” a Rauner insider said about the Democrats, “they are reinforcing that they are insiders and the governor is the outsider - he’s the one trying to change things.”
…Adding… I should’ve also made mention of Blagojevich’s “Moving Illinois Forward” PAC, which was a lesser-funded version of the “Democratic” Rauner-favorable group.
I have strictly avoided direct comparisons here between RRB and BVR because I do not want to imply in any way that the current governor is corrupt. And this post today is in no way making that implication.
But if you’re wondering why the negativity appears to be escalating under the Statehouse dome, this may offer a clue.
Rod Blagojevich won reelection in 2006 during a huge Democratic year, but he was a failed governor because he constantly pulled stunts like releasing those poll numbers. He also failed because Speaker Madigan made it his mission to bring the guy down.
- South of Sherman - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:36 am:
Rauner IS Blagojevich, minus the corruption. And the hair.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:40 am:
Rauner is trying to deal with an incredibly dismal Illinois economic situation. Blago helped create this by putting himself and re-election first. No fair comparision.
- Aldyth - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:42 am:
Deja vu, all over again.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:42 am:
There are arguably only seven plots to stories/screenplays written.
You can boil it down to seven.
This is one of those times that the plot & storyline match. How it will run its course, we have no clue how close they will end up.
The alienating the Speaker is a plot element I wouldn’t suggest following. Just sayin’
- Patrick Fitzgerald - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:46 am:
Well, you could also argue that Blago was a failed governor because criminal activity got in his way, but the points are taken. I think the more interesting question might be, when was the last time we had a governor who was a successful governor? Edgar might be the choice of some, but he did sow, or at least helped sow, the seeds of today’s pension crisis. And if he was as great as his rep, why hasn’t he run again?
- SAP - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:46 am:
Rauner = Blago + Ethics + $Billions.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:48 am:
===And if he was as great as his rep, why hasn’t he run again?===
Health. Medical history in office. Stress. No need to prove anything. Been there, done that…
You’re welcome
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:49 am:
I think the jury is still out whether Bruce is corrupt or not. His constant calling out of anyone who dare disagree with him as a “Special Interest” combined with his $400,000.00 in bribes to coax a Co-Equal branch of government to vote the way he wants.
Well if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck. Not saying he’s corrupt. Just saying.
- Linus - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:51 am:
The Rauner-and-Blago comparisons are entirely valid, and they have far less to do with corruption than with imperious governing style: I know better than everyone else, I’m pure while those who disagree with me are tainted, and therefore I don’t have to compromise.
Legislators, take heed. It was great working with Blago, wasn’t it?
- Just saying... - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:51 am:
This might be a fun game…other comparisons in no particular order:
Pay to play in reverse
Refusals to take responsibility for the problems at hand - caused by their own political miscalculations
Lack of transparency
More show than substance
Arrogance beyond reason
Always on message but unable and/or unwilling to handle the real tough questions without the script
Has no clue how to negotiate in good faith
Is not trusted by GA members
I’m sure there’s many more - but frustration has kicked in…
- A Jack - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 9:58 am:
I don’t think he is corrupt, just horribly misguided by some of those ‘think tanks’ he has decided to embrace.
But like Blogojevich and Quinn, he hasn’t figured out the art of compromise. Or he thinks he can buy compromise, but I doubt even he has that much money.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:02 am:
To the Post,
I commented this yesterday;
===Rauner is destroying the ILGOP, and with his “Democratic” PAC, and the “Agenda” PAC, Rauner isn’t building consensus or showing solidarity, Rauner IS building the dream Blago had not too long ago;
The single government controlled by the Governor.===
As of this moment, for me, this is the similarity driving all others to the comparison of the two.
- William - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:05 am:
Same issues, same people, same excuses. Nothing changes under the dome, in any office be it elected or other.
- Gooner - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:06 am:
I, for one, became sold on the Blago/Rauner comparison when Rauner decided that cuts to programs for autistic and HIV children were a good budget tool. It reminded me way too much of Blago shaking down the children’s hospital.
When the health of sick children become merely a political tool, you sink to a level far below nearly all electeds.
I’m not a fan of Quinn, and he made a lot of moves I thought were dubious on a lot of levels, but I don’t think he came close to that sort of move.
- CharlieKratos - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:11 am:
I would love to see someone interview RB about BR and get his take on BR’s tactics.
- K3 - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:11 am:
Rauner isn’t corrupt. But the other Blago parallels have been there all along. He’s come in with the idea that he already has it all figured out and now everyone else needs to get on board. That’s no way to govern.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:11 am:
Although he has put a lot of his own money into his political funds, Rauner has raised tens of millions more from plutocrats around the country who take a special interest in his reactionary agenda.
I guess that would make them “special interests.”
Maybe after the GA smacks them down the governor will get busy on the job he was elected to do.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:13 am:
===As of this moment, for me, this is the similarity driving all others to the comparison of the two.===
Apologies.
“As of this moment, for me, this similarity is the similarity driving all other alleged common traits to the comparison of the two men.”
Better.
- Aldyth - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:14 am:
Is Rauner corrupt? I don’t know. However, he is doing his best to corrupt others by using his money to control them.
- foster brooks - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:14 am:
Corrupt? A governor Showering the legislature with money to influence votes is walking the line big time
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:16 am:
The first Governor Poutypants was so bad I don’t know why voters elected to make a sequel last year.
- CharlieKratos - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:19 am:
cor·rup·tion
kəˈrəpSH(ə)n/
noun
1. dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
“the journalist who wants to expose corruption in high places”
BVR, you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:21 am:
Gov. Rauner is a prisoner of his own privilege. He’s not corrupt himself. He has no problem obviously engaging in corrupting others, campaign contributions (having taken my Ethics exam yesterday, I’m stunned that these campaign contributions aren’t being treated as bribery for “an official act”, voting present) I’ve also come to the conclusion that there is nothing mentally/emotionally wrong with him in a diagnostic sense (DSM 5). The understanding I have of him now is that he is fully encaged in his own privileged world. It seems he is uncompassionate because he really and truly doesn’t get how most folks live. He is uncompromising because in his world/cage he never had to compromise to get what he wanted. He calls those who disagree corrupt because in his world/cage money and it’s misuse (corruption) are of primary importance. He has no problem destroying institutions, departments, whatever because that is what a venture capitalist does, tear it down and rebuild. He’s unconcerned with consequences/repercussions because as a venture capitalist he never had to deal with them. They are simply someone elses problem. He is fully a prisoner of his own privilege.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:22 am:
Rod got into politics to make money. I think Bruce got into politics to feed his ego. Neither one wanted the office to serve the public, they each wanted something for themselves. That’s the common denominator we should all be worried about.
- walker - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:22 am:
===Rauner is trying to deal with an incredibly dismal Illinois economic situation.===
Agree, if you meant to say “fiscal” situation.
Governors have little to do with the overall economy in a state, except for investments for the long term. And the state economy Rauner has now is slightly better than his predecessor had to face.
If fixing our fiscal situation is the key to judging Rauner, then it’s hard to say he’s been making any progress so far.
As to comparisons with Blago, Linus has it right. It’s the apparent arrogance which they share. Also both Blago and Rauner see themselves on a national stage.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:25 am:
I still think he’s closer to Dan Walker than Blago — though there are similarities among all of them.
Last good governor — Dick Ogilvie. It’s been a long time.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:30 am:
Thanks for the share Rich.
I too by no means was implying that Rauner is corrupt. I’m not even sure Blagojevich was ‘corrupt’ back then, I would have to review the transcripts.
But I raised that story yesterday for a few reasons:
1) To remind us that there is not much new or innovative to the Rauner approach here, and to caution us where things are likely to end up;
2) Policywise, the budget battles of 2003-2009 were born from Rod’s stubborn refusal to raise income taxes, which only made fiscal matters worse, and eventually had to go up anyway;
3) To give the Rauner folks time to rethink this worn strategy and write a different ending.
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:31 am:
This is déjà vu all over again.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:35 am:
Oh how I miss the MILF PAC.
- Trajan - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:38 am:
It seems like we are headed for a political showdown in 2016 for control of the General Assembly. Speaker Madigan knows that so he’s going on offense now rather than reacting to Rauner and Koch brothers attacks on his members. It’s very hard not to see a parallel between RB and BR with regard to the state budget and other matters and easy to laugh when Rauner does things likely to push the legislature into overtime and maybe even shutdown the government. However, Rauner’s and other independent Republican organization’s money - and a willingness to spend it freely during an overtime session - is truly a GIGANTIC difference between Rauner and Blago. I think the state will see a whole lot more political campaigning to even establish what is the actual “middle ground” in Illinois between the parties and allow either side to come to the table on a real budget negotiation. This could happen as late as 2017 if the Dems retain strong control of the legislature. But if that happens and nothing is accomplished to address the current debt issues, your guess is as good as mine what will happen to the state, it’s universities and the city of Chicago in this interim political campaigning period.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:40 am:
IMHO, another thing Governors Blagojevich and Rauner have in common is that both believe their elections were personal mandates from the voters. They failed to realize that their victories were primarily votes against the last guy.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:52 am:
===Speaker Madigan knows that so he’s going on offense now rather than reacting to Rauner and Koch brothers attacks on his members.===
Koch brothers? Have they “arrived” or is this a monster under the bed?
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:54 am:
@GA Watcher:
I think your right.
- BlameBruceRauner - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:55 am:
47th so true. Sad but factual.
“Neither one wanted the office to serve the public, they each wanted something for themselves”
- sss - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:57 am:
Just wait until Rauner embarks on Rewrite to Do Right this summer!
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 10:59 am:
===Neither one wanted the office to serve the public, they each wanted something for themselves.===
That is the core of the story, isn’t it?
Well said - 47th Ward -
- DuPage - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Rauner is unique in one way. Most dishonest politicians look for financial gain for using their influence to do or not do something, similar to a cop taking a bribe from a driver to not write a ticket.
Rauner is not like that at all. He has no need of money. He has so much that he is used to using it to influence others, and sees nothing wrong with it. Sort of like the driver offering the bribe, thinking “cops are corrupt anyway”. Similar to Rauner saying the “legislators are corrupt”. An honest cop would arrest a driver for attempted bribery. What would an honest legislator do?
- Trooper - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:10 am:
Could anyone imagine what would have happened if the governor had majorities in Congress?
Can you say Governor Joffery Lannister?
- Skeptical - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:10 am:
==47th Ward - Rod got into politics to make money. I think Bruce got into politics to feed his ego. Neither one wanted the office to serve the public, they each wanted something for themselves. That’s the common denominator we should all be worried about.==
Can’t help but wonder how many of our “Public Servants” are actually in politics to “serve” the public? In my opine, some of the best public servants are to be found among the ranks of the oft maligned, lowly state employees, who show up and do the best they can every day to actually serve the people of Illinois. Just sayin…
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:17 am:
47, I’d add that for quite some time Blago thought he was on the glory road to the White House. Joe Cari testified to a conversation where Blago laid out the game plan.
- SAP - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:20 am:
Blago stubbornly refused to raise income and sales taxes while trying to push through the Gross Receipts Tax as he attempted the Mother of all Jedi Mind Tricks by trying to convince us that GRT was not a tax increase. Rauner calls himself a tax cutter as he proposes service taxes, advertising taxes, taxes on attorney fees, and so on. Rauner’s new taxes are not on the same scale as the GRT, but the approach is similar.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:33 am:
=== Rauner is unique in one way…He has no need of money. ===
DuPage: Anyone who believes the super-rich are beyond corruption is ignorant of history. And again, this is not to suggest Rauner is corrupt, but greed is very different from need.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 11:35 am:
===greed is very different from need===
Indeed. None of GHR’s or RRB’s pals were broke, yet they stole like crazy. Aaron Schock had plenty of money.
But that’s not to say BVR is one of them. I’m just sayin…
- Vote Quimby! - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 12:19 pm:
“Rewrite to Do Right”…..that flashback made me literally LOL. That’s not where we are headed, is it?
- Casual Observer - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 12:51 pm:
How many memorandums of understanding did Blago have to sign. If Rauner can get close to that number than the comparison is valid.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 1:25 pm:
Casual Observer:
Rauner set the Guinness Record for Breaking Promises with the Legislature.
That comparison with RB is sealed.
There is no “I had my fingers crossed” in Springfield, no legal loopholes in a handshake accord.
- Casual Observer - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
Juvenal,
Still, I’m curious if Madigan will require Rauner to sign MOAs after the good Friday cross.
- downstate commissioner - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 2:12 pm:
Okay, the big question is Rich’s last one: is Madigan ready to start a mission to take Rauner down? Sure beginning to look that way…
- One of the 35 - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 2:33 pm:
Both Bruce and Rod had great confidence. Their confidence led them to believe they could accomplish great things in state government. Bruce is much smarter than Rod. I also think Bruce has better judgment about what is legal and acceptable in regard to government and political tactics. Rod miscalculated on what he thought he could do. Bruce seems to be heading down that same path.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 2:42 pm:
CO:
They would have to find something else to agree upon first.
- zonz - Tuesday, May 19, 15 @ 5:01 pm:
Blago was
1) not a very smart guy,
2) not adept at dealing with the adults in the room, i.e., other folks that are part of the power structure,
3) not adept at efficiently and wisely using the levers of power, and
4) willing to conceive (or have staff conceive) and run with a bonehead idea - - if it helped his popularity.
I see some similarities with Rauner, but the jury is still out.
- Stuck in the middle - Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 6:49 am:
It would seem that the Governor believes people will do anything for money, the larger amount of money the more they will comprise their own personel values. The gift to the south Chicago credit union during the campaign, the donations to the republican reps last week before the RTW vote. The pattern seems to be anything you want can be bought, if you willing to spend enough money. My question is if the person, in this case the Governor, believes this is the way all people really are, what does it say about the Governor?