Two-term Republican Governor Jim Edgar refuses to endorse @GovRauner for a second term. Says he won’t be making any endorsement, but recalls brief encounters with @JBPritzker and calls him “bright” and believes he will learn on the job.
Geez, Rauner’s havin’ a time holdin’ on to the ol’ Illinois GOP base. He’s catchin’ flack from both ends still at the tail end of September.
Maybe if he hadn’t been such a prevaricatin’, back-stabbin, thin-skinned, my-way-or-the highway bully who routinely tossed loyal supporters under the bus, all that money might have bought some friends.
You can have policy differences with him and many do when it comes to the pension ramp that then wasn’t implemented as it should have been. But Jim Edgar knew how to govern. Bruce Rauner hasn’t figured out how to govern for 4 years.
- Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:02 pm:
This is bad.
Where are Rauner’s votes coming from?
Really surprised at Jim Edgar position, but I have a feeling that a lot that are close to Edgar are not surprised at all.
Rauner is endorsed by that nice police dispatcher guy in that commercial. Why would Bruce need the endorsement of a guy who was the last good governor we had?
@Michael Westen, huh? I have no problem with Edgar, but you think the Ramp is an accomplishment to be lauded? I do have a problem with the Ramp. It is the definition of kicking the problem down to road, while making it harder to eventually solve. Heck even now the unfunded liability is projected to increase for another decade before it starts to go down, as in the plan is to sit back and watch the problem gets worse, for yet another decade. That’s an accomplishment?
Perrid then you apparently have no understanding of what the ramp was and the political situation at the time. Before the ramp, there was NO plan to reduce the pension liability problem. There was also NO appetite to deal with it 100% at that time. That was not doable. Would YOU have supported a $20 billion tax increase? Neither would anyone else. And, then as now, the Supreme Court wouldn’t allow the kind of pension changes you want. So exactly what should Edgar have done?
At least Edgar made an effort to alleviate the pension problem. That is more than Rauner did. Advocating legislation that will eventually be thrown out by the courts is the definition of kicking the can down the road. There’s a good reason that Edgar was reelected by a big margin and Rauner will lose badly. It’s very obvious to anyone who has been paying attention. Worst Governor in state history is a great legacy Bruce.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 9:06 am:
Does it even matter? The GOP under Rauner/Trump/Midwestern state governments is a different animal. It’s about anti-unionism, serving the super-rich donors and nativism/racism. How many states went RTWFL? Where does an Edgar fit in?
==At least Edgar made an effort to alleviate the pension problem.==
An effort to make them smallest pension payments over a 45 year span.
Smooth out the Edgar Ramp, take the difference between the smooth payment that should have been made vs the ramp payment made, and you have the amount Edgar borrowed from future budgets. For a good scare, plug the result into an inflation calculator.
==Jim Edgar is not a Republican, and the Party should recognize that and outracize him. ==
As a Democrat, I fully endorse and support your desire to push more and more people away from the Republican Party, especially when they’re popular public figures.
Seems to me Jim Edgar values an ability to actually govern over the letter after a candidate’s name. He quickly discovered Rauner had no interest in governing and was one of the first to be thrown under the bus by Rauner. Absolute party purity is dangerous and ignorant.
- Norseman - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:23 pm:
Smart move by Edgar.
Anti-Edgar trolls will start typing in 3…2…1
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
Edgar in the past has endorsered Republicans.
Besides “Rauner being Rauner” and how Rauner ignored Edgar, chastised Edgar…
… outside that…
Rauner isn’t a Republican.
- Anoniphone - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
Good for Edgar. Glad to see common sense for once.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
Also… again… why I’m with Edgar… all day, every day.
Makes feel better for a time in the ILGOP after the “Rauner Occupation” ends.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
He’s bright and will learn on the job…is a non-endorsement endorsement…ain’t it?
- blue dog dem - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
I promised myself to sit this governors race out. This might drive me to vote for Rauner. Never mind . going to vote for McCann.
Why can’t Edgar go away?
- Lt Guv - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:30 pm:
Disagreed with him a lot during his tenture. Still, I never thought Edgar to be a “bad man.” Good for him. I’ve done the same the other way.
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
Edgar knows that Rauner is not going to win.
- Arsenal - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:34 pm:
==Why can’t Edgar go away?==
Blame ILGOP, which kept floating his name for every statewide office from 1999 through 2015.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:35 pm:
Hey Miller…this is off topic …but Coca-cola just announced they will enter the cannabis infused drink market…signaling the end of the war on weed!
- Real - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:35 pm:
I promised myself to sit this governors race out. This might drive me to vote for Rauner. Never mind . going to vote for McCann.
Why can’t Edgar go away?
-Why can’t you and Rauner go away?
#ByeFelicia
- Synonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:36 pm:
I think the most important thing Edgar could do is propose a pension fix that doesn’t include raising taxes.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:37 pm:
Geez, Rauner’s havin’ a time holdin’ on to the ol’ Illinois GOP base. He’s catchin’ flack from both ends still at the tail end of September.
Maybe if he hadn’t been such a prevaricatin’, back-stabbin, thin-skinned, my-way-or-the highway bully who routinely tossed loyal supporters under the bus, all that money might have bought some friends.
- slow down - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:39 pm:
It says an awful lot about Rauner’s 4 years that a lifelong Republican like Edgar can’t support him.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:44 pm:
Raunerites,
Serious question.
Ok, you’ll probably say, as Rauner said for 4 years “Edgar was part of the problem, 40 years, yada, yada, yada…”
At any point, do y’all wonder why Raunerism is losing so many Republicans, and have few Republicans going out of their way to support Raunerism?
Who is the Rauner constituency?
Edgar says it’s not him. What do you think that says?
- Lt Guv - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:46 pm:
OW - no, they don’t think about it. I’ve dealt with it on the campaign trail. . . it’s about purity, and it’s foolish.
- Henry Francis - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:50 pm:
Sure, Edgar wasn’t perfect. But answer me this Raunerbots: 4 years from now will Bruce Rauner’s endorsement be worth anything?
- Pick a Name - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:51 pm:
The Edgar Pension Ramp waves hello.
Not sure Jim ever accepted his role in the current pension debacle that is taking Illinois to its knees and beyond.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:52 pm:
===The Edgar Pension Ramp===
Governors own. They always do.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:53 pm:
Rauner: Alienating moderate and conservative Republicans since 2015.
- Demoralized - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:56 pm:
Pick a Name:
You can have policy differences with him and many do when it comes to the pension ramp that then wasn’t implemented as it should have been. But Jim Edgar knew how to govern. Bruce Rauner hasn’t figured out how to govern for 4 years.
- Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:02 pm:
This is bad.
Where are Rauner’s votes coming from?
Really surprised at Jim Edgar position, but I have a feeling that a lot that are close to Edgar are not surprised at all.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:15 pm:
—..taking Illinois to its knees and beyond.–
What’s beyond the knees, in word-salad land?
- City Zen - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:22 pm:
==Anti-Edgar trolls will start typing in 3…2…1…==
They’re certainly not as quick as the Edgaramplings.
- Huh? - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:38 pm:
“What’s beyond the knees, in word-salad land?”
Face down in a ditch.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:44 pm:
Well, I guess that makes me an “Edgarampling.” Take that over “Raunerbot” every time.
- Leatherneck - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:09 pm:
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
Edgar in the past has endorsered Republicans.
————–
Edgar could instead support Sam McCann.
- Turn Around For What? - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:11 pm:
Just in time for a Thursday night debate question for Rauner. Why do you think Edgar and Ives refuse to endorse you?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:13 pm:
===Edgar could instead support Sam McCann.===
Could.
But, Edgar not endorsing Rauner is as far as Edgar will go.
Edgar won’t go out of his lane and endorse another “party” candidate.
Would be fun, but not the political move Edgar would do.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:32 pm:
Rauner is endorsed by that nice police dispatcher guy in that commercial. Why would Bruce need the endorsement of a guy who was the last good governor we had?
- Smitty Irving - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:34 pm:
Somewhere Steve Schnorf is smiling …
- downstate hack - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:53 pm:
Jim Edgar is not a Republican, and the Party should recognize that and outracize him.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 7:09 pm:
Well Edgar is not of the Rauner/Trump/Proft school, if that is your current definition of Republican,
- Hickory - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 7:18 pm:
Pension ramp tells it all.
The only good thing about Gov Edgar is he went to EIU.
- Pundent - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 7:23 pm:
If Jim Edgar doesn’t meet your definition of a Republican it’s going to be a long, long, time before we see another Republican Governor in this state.
- G'Kar - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 8:48 pm:
==Jim Edgar is not a Republican, and the Party should recognize that and outracize him. ==
Another Slytheran heard from.
- The Dude Abides - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 9:07 pm:
Jim Edgar is not a Republican? Are you telling me that Bruce Rauner is?
- Baloneymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 9:08 pm:
==Jim Edgar is not a Republican, and the Party should recognize that and outracize him. ==
neither is Rauner dude. where have you been the last 4 years. good grief.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 9:33 pm:
==Jim Edgar is not a Republican, and the Party should recognize that and outracize him. ==
If “outracize” means what I think it does, then mission accomplished, in many quarters.
- DuPage - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 9:48 pm:
@- Hickory - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 7:18 pm:
===Pension ramp tells it all.
The only good thing about Gov Edgar is he went to EIU.===
Not Edgars fault that after he left they took “pension holidays”.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 10:30 pm:
Edgar has always been for higher income taxes.
- LilLebowskiUrbanAchiever - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 11:41 pm:
Edgar was Rauner’s Campaign Chairman. Even flew around the state with him for a final push.
He was also the Co-Chair of Rauner’s Transition Team. Edgar truly wanted Rauner to succeed. But Rauner refused to listen him.
Pretty stinging indictment from the most popular Republican in the state.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 6:57 am:
In hindsight Rauner is a grass bowl
- Jo Daviess Joe - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 7:34 am:
Remember when Jim Edgar had to testify at the trial of his subordinates in the MSI scandal?
Remember the Edgar Pension Ramp?
What about that, Oswego Willy?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 7:40 am:
===Remember when Jim Edgar had to testify at the trial of his subordinates in the MSI scandal?===
I believe James Berger was acquitted.
===Remember the Edgar Pension Ramp?===
I do. I remember payments were skipped too.
Ok, now what?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 7:55 am:
Sounds like Jim can’t wait to mentor JB
- Michael Westen - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 8:08 am:
“Pension ramp tells it all.”
Yes it does. One of the many reasons he was a great Governor.
- Perrid - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 8:31 am:
@Michael Westen, huh? I have no problem with Edgar, but you think the Ramp is an accomplishment to be lauded? I do have a problem with the Ramp. It is the definition of kicking the problem down to road, while making it harder to eventually solve. Heck even now the unfunded liability is projected to increase for another decade before it starts to go down, as in the plan is to sit back and watch the problem gets worse, for yet another decade. That’s an accomplishment?
- Michael Westen - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 8:40 am:
Perrid then you apparently have no understanding of what the ramp was and the political situation at the time. Before the ramp, there was NO plan to reduce the pension liability problem. There was also NO appetite to deal with it 100% at that time. That was not doable. Would YOU have supported a $20 billion tax increase? Neither would anyone else. And, then as now, the Supreme Court wouldn’t allow the kind of pension changes you want. So exactly what should Edgar have done?
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 8:44 am:
At least Edgar made an effort to alleviate the pension problem. That is more than Rauner did. Advocating legislation that will eventually be thrown out by the courts is the definition of kicking the can down the road. There’s a good reason that Edgar was reelected by a big margin and Rauner will lose badly. It’s very obvious to anyone who has been paying attention. Worst Governor in state history is a great legacy Bruce.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 9:06 am:
Does it even matter? The GOP under Rauner/Trump/Midwestern state governments is a different animal. It’s about anti-unionism, serving the super-rich donors and nativism/racism. How many states went RTWFL? Where does an Edgar fit in?
- City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 9:22 am:
==At least Edgar made an effort to alleviate the pension problem.==
An effort to make them smallest pension payments over a 45 year span.
Smooth out the Edgar Ramp, take the difference between the smooth payment that should have been made vs the ramp payment made, and you have the amount Edgar borrowed from future budgets. For a good scare, plug the result into an inflation calculator.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 9:25 am:
==Jim Edgar is not a Republican, and the Party should recognize that and outracize him. ==
As a Democrat, I fully endorse and support your desire to push more and more people away from the Republican Party, especially when they’re popular public figures.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 9:35 am:
Seems to me Jim Edgar values an ability to actually govern over the letter after a candidate’s name. He quickly discovered Rauner had no interest in governing and was one of the first to be thrown under the bus by Rauner. Absolute party purity is dangerous and ignorant.
- A guy - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:20 am:
A twig blew around in the forest and no one was there to hear it…did it make a sound?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:23 am:
===A twig blew around in the forest and no one was there to hear it…did it make a sound?===
… and yet is being reported on.
Oh - A Guy -, when it is eventually over with Rauner, in 7 weeks or 4 years… those choosing Rauner over Edgar… that will be remembered.
- A guy - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Oh Willy…I wouldn’t wax nostalgic about either of them. At all.
- James Knell - Monday, Oct 1, 18 @ 10:55 am:
“Edgar has always been for higher income taxes.”
Evidence please.