Griffin explains why he backs Rauner and Emanuel
Wednesday, Dec 21, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ken Griffin briefly attended a Chicago ceremony today with Mayor Emanuel to honor the state’s wealthiest man for contributing $12 million to create two separate bike and pedestrian paths on the city’s lakefront…
But coaxed back to the microphone to explain his ongoing support for two men who, on the surface, at least, are political foes, Griffin said he saw no contradiction between backing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat Emanuel.
“I’m a proud supporter of the governor and I’m a proud supporter of our mayor — two great men,” he said. “They don’t always agree, but we need great leaders to get through the problems that we face as a state.” […]
“I’d hope that these two great men would find common ground to keep Chicago at the forefront of our country and to meet the needs of our citizens,” he said before bolting again, this time for good. […]
“Ken and I don’t agree about a lot of things on policy,” [Mayor Emanuel said]. “But we do agree that public service is important, leadership is important, that Chicago is the crown jewel of the state of Illinois, and what we are doing today is investing in the city of Chicago so people can enjoy it.”
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 1:57 pm:
I am a puppeteer. I love all my puppets.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:09 pm:
That really explained a lot
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:10 pm:
Griffin could’ve cut through all that BS and just said “Because they’re filthy rich like me!”
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:12 pm:
Griffin…
“Because when I pick up the phone, they do what I say, how I say, and when I want it done”
Kinda, lol
- Signal and Noise - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:13 pm:
Kajillionaire sees no gap between Rauner and Emanuel…you’re kidding.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:14 pm:
“Rahm and I had a chat. He promised that if I donated a bunch of cash he would only flip me off with his half-middle finger instead of the full one.”
- Come on Man! - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:15 pm:
-Cubs in 16-
If Rauner and Griffen woke up with Rahms money they would jump off a building.
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:25 pm:
-Come on Man!-
I know. But to a working slob like me anyone above a certain wealth level is “filthy rich”.
- blue dog dem - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
The crown jewel of Illinois? Billions in debt. Public school system in shambles. Murder rate? Must be one of them jewels Out of CrackerJacks.
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:30 pm:
$12 million for a bike path is a small price to pay to keep the financial transaction tax bottled up. I guess I’m a hippie or something now but I kinda think government should pay for this kind of thing by taxing people like Kenny G not pretending he’s being magnanimous.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:33 pm:
Both the Governor and the Mayor are trying to attract business to Illinois and Chicago.
Wish the Speaker and Senate President and the rest of the Democrats in this state made an effort to do the same
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
Liz - you leave our national treasure Kenny G the Saxophonist out of this!
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:42 pm:
Because Ken, Bruce and Rahm all want to destroy the middle class.
- GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
Simple case of Pay-To-Play. Oh, and they’re all old wine club buddies.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:44 pm:
==Griffin said he saw no contradiction between backing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat Emanuel.==
Me either.
- Carhartt Representative - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
=Both the Governor and the Mayor are trying to attract business to Illinois and Chicago.=
Heckuva job guys
- Jon - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 2:59 pm:
Yesterday was the story about the closing homeless shelter and today we have $12 Million for, not a new path, but to separate bike and pedestrian traffic on an existing path. The Trib story doesn’t give any details if the $12 Million will cover all of the costs or just a portion with the city/state picking up the rest, but aren’t there some more priority funding needs in Chicago?
- Proud Deplorable - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:00 pm:
Chicago is the crown jewel. Wow! Just wow!
- A guy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
I like oysters. I like clams. What of it?
- Suburban Hillbilly - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:03 pm:
LizPhairTax:
The billionaires of the world are not the only people that will be effected by a Financial Transaction Tax. Public/Private pension funds get hit as well on every investment transaction they initiate. The CME Group leaves for New York the next day leaving a large hole in the States revenue base and the jobs the Group creates.
- NAN - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
== Heckuva job guys ==
Actually, Chicago is doing a decent job. Unfortunately, a lot of those jobs are just moving from the suburbs to downtown.
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:14 pm:
Suburban Hillbilly,
I see your point but it is a discussion worth having, don’t you think?
NYC the next day? Sounds kind of improbable to me. I doubt Citadel, et al work so hard against it because they’re concerned about how it will affect pensions.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:17 pm:
Jon - that is a great question. It reminds me of this Onion article from August. Rich may not like the content but the link is okay.
http://www.theonion.com/article/rahm-emanuel-concerned-gun-violence-could-spread-p-54016
- Huh? - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:22 pm:
Griffin donated the $12 million because he needed the tax deduction write off. Not because of any altruistic feelings he has towards the city.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:31 pm:
http://fortune.com/2016/09/15/business-chicago/
http://www.worldbusinesschicago.com/corporate-headquarters-matter/
Rahm is doing a great job attracting business to Chicago. Bike paths are precisely the kind of amenity that young millennials are looking for in a city and is smart to separate the bikers from the runners.
What makes anyone think the CME would stay here if Chicago implemented the only financial transaction tax in the world? They would leave in a heartbeat and taking billions of dollars with them.
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:50 pm:
Yes. Lucky Pierre. Of course they would. Jimmy John would help them move. Are there old millennials?
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 3:54 pm:
Yes an old millennial would be more like mid 30’s as opposed to right out of college smarty
- Tron - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
Lucky P, the interwikitubes say that 40 countries have some form of FTT. Perhaps you meant only one in the country?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 4:13 pm:
http://www.cmegroup.com/education/financial-transaction-tax-myths-vs-facts.html
I don’t believe there are any transaction taxes on derivatives markets in the world.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 5:38 pm:
The two separate trails are but an analogy of the Rahm and the Rauner, Little Grasshopper
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 6:00 pm:
–What makes anyone think the CME would stay here if Chicago implemented the only financial transaction tax in the world–
You really don’t have any hesitation to yammer on about things you demonstrate that you obviously know nothing about.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 6:12 pm:
The whole “CME will leave” was a joke back during the Great Shakedown in the Great Recession. Geez, that one still gets the blood pressure going…
Where would they go? Low-tax, low-cost of living NYC, DC, LA or the Bay Area? For fractions of pennies you lay off on the trading parties?
Those are the only places in the country that have the pipes Chicago does, and the pipes are everything, when microseconds count.
That’s why traders still come down to LaSalle Street, even though the pits are dark, proximity to the pipes.
Plus, the booze, blow and strange…..
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 6:59 pm:
=You really don’t have any hesitation to yammer on about things you demonstrate that you obviously know nothing about.=
Millennial bonafides from a 35 year old republican apologist
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 7:53 pm:
I noticed there was no way a transaction tax would pass even through a Democrat city council or General Assembly.
The reason it did not is because the customers of the CME would take their business to the every other exchange around the world who don’t tax transactions
Not a difficult concept to understand
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 8:00 pm:
===…Democrat city council or General Assembly.===
“Democrat”
That’s adorbs…
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 8:06 pm:
Are you in your safe space OW? Hope you weren’t offended by a capital D
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 8:08 pm:
- Lucky Pierre -
Your “Democrat” dog whistle is adorbs is all.
lol
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 8:24 pm:
Only “Republican” in America who is offended by non-existant dog whistles designed to often Democrats.
I phone auto corrects to that so take it up with them. Apple management are not Republicans
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 8:29 pm:
When Republicans refuse to use “Democratic” and choose to use “Democrat” (Democrat City Council), we Republicans look ignorant.
I’m tired of the dog whistle ignorance.
It’s a Kass-like dog whistle simpleton way instead of making a point on the subject.
It reflects badly on Republicans, like me, who understand this dog whistle adds nothing.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:06 pm:
Lessons in Civility from Professor OW, dog whistling the Republican pro Madigan anti Rauner perspective on state government to all Cap Fax readers 24/7.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:26 pm:
I’m a Republican, not a Raunerite.
There’s a huge difference. Rauner explains it daily.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:28 pm:
You might want to defend the Republicans in the GA from time to time instead of being the Speaker’s biggest defender,
- justacitizen - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:53 pm:
LP, agree.
===You might want to defend the Republicans in the GA from time to time instead of being the Speaker’s biggest defender,===
OW is not a Republican.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:04 pm:
I’m with Jim Edgar.
Raunerites that infest the GA have now infiltrated the GOP.
Keep up, please.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:22 pm:
Author of the Edgar ramp, spend today tax tomorrow. Incredibly popular among those who benefit from the spending, future generations feel differently.
- blue dog dem - Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:46 pm:
Please. It is the season. No more Edgar references.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:02 am:
Hmmmm…… carried-interest loophole minus $12 million.
Close the loophole and we won’t need his “charity.”
- Ron - Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 7:52 am:
Of course Chicago is the crown jewel of Illinois. The state without it would be like West Virginia. Have you folks traveled at all? Rockford? Springfield? Rock Island? East St. Louis? Cairo? LOL!
- Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 10:04 am:
$12 million for bike paths. Disgraceful. Tone deaf. Obscene. And that includes emanual for PR’ing this with homeless & gun violence. But a clear idea of what & how Billionaires think. How very sad for IL and America the Plutarchy.