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December’s quotable

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Illinois

* I mentioned this to subscribers the other day, so I went back today and watched part of my December 17, 2014 City Club speech to pull the quotes. It was a warning I often mentioned to the governor’s people in subsequent weeks…

The Speaker’s being really nice to the governor-elect right now.

[Steve Brown] disagrees with this analysis, which I brought up to him last night.

Madigan is siding with [Bruce Rauner] on everything, just about.

Um…

I would be wary of that.

I mean, you dig? The man ain’t nice to anybody, except his children and his wife.

Man, I’ve never seen him be this nice to a governor-elect.

And, it’s like, wow, he’s gonna have a big ask, man.

“Oh, yeah, I did this for you. Now, let’s go over the list. I did this. I did this. I did this, you didn’t even ask.

“You’ll just have to figure out what I want.”

By the way, I’m working on dates with the City Club for this December’s annual “Christmas with Rich Miller.” I’ll let you know when tickets go on sale.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:46 am

Comments

So what is the ask? The suspense is killing me.

Comment by me too Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:02 pm
The Speaker’s love often comes at a price.

And he rarely accepts cannoli or apples as payment.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:03 pm
Clear to Rich, and others who can add and subtract, from day one.

And Rauner thought the big ask was something about the Lincoln museum.

Comment by walker Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:14 pm
Speakin’ of being toooooo slow, looks GovPeace was a little late on the DCEO makeover. Scandals in BVR’s role model program has folks runnin’ for cover….
The state’s Republican-led budget committee Thursday retained legislative oversight of Gov. Scott Walker’s troubled job-creation agency, removed the governor from its board and pledged further changes later this fall in the wake of a recent critical audit and a State Journal investigation.

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee voted along party lines for the changes to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., but only after rejecting a series of Democratic ideas to reform the agency and more than an hour of debate during which even Republicans conceded that the agency needs fixing.

“We know that it’s time to reform this,” said Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson. “We can’t do it in the middle of the budget.”

Knudson even made the sobering admission that he didn’t believe in the mission of the agency — to leverage state tax dollars to help create jobs.

Walker made WEDC a focal point of his administration, working with lawmakers to quickly create it to replace the former Commerce Department months after taking office in 2011.

Earlier Thursday, Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, budget committee co-chairman, said the audit and the newspaper’s investigation into a questionable 2011 loan to a struggling Milwaukee construction company have prompted “concerns” among GOP legislators.

The newspaper found that top Walker aides were pressing for the loan even as the company was collapsing, and that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. could not find a record of the underwriting that supported the loan.

The investigation also found that the company had been sued at least three times in 2010 — including once by the state — but that the company’s application stated it had not been sued in the previous five years.

Nygren, speaking with reporters Thursday before the budget committee took up Walker’s proposed changes for WEDC in the 2015-17 budget, said he plans to raise his concerns when the Legislature’s Joint Audit Committee meets to discuss a recent audit of Walker’s troubled job-creation agency

Comment by Anonin' Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:18 pm
Rich,

I can’t be said you didn’t see this coming.

Rauner was heaving with the sledgehammer, and that runs counter to a Velvet Hammer.

Slow motion train wreck…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:24 pm
Anon 12:18 -

This is exactly why I believe the House Democrats have proposed changes to Rauner’s legislation.

I agree with you it is probably time to throw the whole concept out, though.

Rauner’s talking points on the issue contradict one another. The governor wants “control” of the new nonprofit, but doesn’t want to be accountable for their grants. That is a recipe for disaster: just look at Barbara Byrd-Bennett.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:27 pm
“Christmas with Rich Miller.”

Growing up, my folks had a “Christmas with Mitch Miller” album.

Might be a new revenue opportunity for you there.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:28 pm
OW:

Well said.

Rauner loves to pull his Bobby Knight routine: raising his voice, wagging his finger, issuing threats.

Madigan engages in no such theatrics, and if your diplomatic strategy is expecting some sort of saber-rattling as a warning sign, you have goofed.

Whomever developed Rauner’s communications strategy, believing that having Rauner travel the state with this message, and pushing right to work, has failed miserably. Rauner’s removal of RTW from his legislative package is not a “compromise,” it is a confirmation of that failure.

Things would all move forward much more smoothly if Rauner would just admit the idea was a mistake.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:33 pm
Rich, how are you going to keep us updated about the ongoing development of the FY16 budget, if you’re hosting a Christmas event?

Comment by AC Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:38 pm
Well played AC, well played

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:47 pm
Word, I have my parents’ copy of that classic if you ever wanna stroll down Memory Lane. It’s a little warped, though.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:11 pm
– It’s a little warped.–

AA, no worries, so was my family.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:21 pm
Try to pick a date after Session for your City Club thing, would ya?

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:36 pm
While I’m a card carrying member of the GOP, MJM has always fascinated me. On our brief encounters over the years, he was always very kind and amazingly remembered me and the last time we spoke; often even what we spoke about (it was never political stuff).

I’d like to see history evaluate him. I hope I live long enough for that to happen.

I see him as being very wrong on the issues of today. He needs to charge ahead with solutions instead of this Mr. Mystery game he’s been masterfully been playing for decades.

We just may be witnessing the time where time has passed him by. It happens to everyone who stays just a bit too long. I think we’re in that phase.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:43 pm
– We just may be witnessing the time when time has passed him by.–

Somehow, I don’t see how opposing an agenda rooted in the Harding administration is evidence of obselition.

Do you really find back-door ageism an effective and subtle rhetorical device?

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 2:05 pm
I agree Rich, back then just after the election I was immediately worried about a very different situation than has transpired. I thought incoming Governor Rauner and the Speaker would reach some level of agreement on limiting public sector unions power. After all the Speaker at Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association breakfast not that long ago said “Well, promises were made, but if you don’t have the money to pay the promise, I think you have to step back, bring everybody together, talk reality and look to how we can restore fiscal stability to the systems and to the state of Illinois.” Which got the union bent out of shape.

But Governor Rauner has done more to improve relations between the Speaker and the AFL-CIO than thousands of dollars in donations to the Democratic Majority Fund over on Veterans Pkwy.

Comment by Rod Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 2:35 pm
===Do you really find back-door ageism an effective and subtle rhetorical device?===

Paul Konerko retired. Couldn’t catch up to a fastball like he used to. He’s still a viable human being. Different game than when he broke in.

Cal Ripken retired too. They have something in common. They left on their own terms with no anger or spite. Just fans who didn’t watch their skills diminish dramatically over a long time.

Yep, I’m an ageist. Because you said so. Because it’s how you roll. The apple peeling has you hypnotized. It’s probably time.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 2:41 pm
a recollection … no anger …
then splat, there it was, poo on your shoe
_____________
- A guy - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:43 pm:

While I’m a card carrying member of the GOP, MJM has always fascinated me. On our brief encounters over the years, he was always very kind and amazingly remembered me and the last time we spoke; often even what we spoke about (it was never political stuff).

I’d like to see history evaluate him. I hope I live long enough for that to happen.

I see him as being very wrong on the issues of today. He needs to charge ahead with solutions instead of this Mr. Mystery game he’s been masterfully been playing for decades.

We just may be witnessing the time where time has passed him by. It happens to everyone who stays just a bit too long. I think we’re in that phase.

**********************
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 2:05 pm:

– We just may be witnessing the time when time has passed him by.–

Somehow, I don’t see how opposing an agenda rooted in the Harding administration is evidence of obselition.

Do you really find back-door ageism an effective and subtle rhetorical device?

Comment by zonz Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 3:54 pm
==We just may be witnessing the time where time has passed him by.==

What are you basing that on?

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 3:57 pm
Arsenal, his own hopes and dreams for rauner to be victorious in all things.

Comment by me too Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 4:13 pm