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* As the Illinois Review rightly notes, this op-ed by former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar appears to be more about the never-mentioned Bruce Rauner than it is about Congressman Rodney Davis…
When faced with the choice to fund the government or face another government shutdown, he voted for progress. It was the responsible vote to cast. The economic losses from a government shutdown would have been astronomical. Continuing dysfunctional government in Washington is not governing and it is not leadership. Unfortunately, some in politics allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good.
In my experience, you don’t always get everything you want. But it is important to keep making progress and stay focused on solving problems. Davis voted to lead, to govern and to make progress. He did the right thing.
Governing is challenging. Negotiating with divided branches is difficult and success comes slowly. When I was governor, for all but two years, we had a divided government and I often faced situations where I didn’t always get the reform I wanted. But even in divided government, we were able to work together to eliminate a massive backlog of state bill payments, build historic state budget surpluses and reduce the size of government.
We made progress together because we were disciplined, kept lines of communication open between the divided branches of government and recognized the need to compromise for the good of the people. […]
In this time of polarizing politics, our country needs to make progress. I appreciate true leaders who will make the tough decisions to strengthen America and tackle problems. And I count Rodney Davis as one of them.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 10:34 am
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Wow, you really can’t get over on Illinois Review!
I’m sure there would have been at least a dozen SJR readers who would not have made the Rauner connection without their pointing out all the subtle clues.
This Just In from IR: Spoiler Alert! Soylent Green is people! It’s people!
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 10:49 am
Good on Jim Edgar! Well said!
Sense and Sensibility!
Comment by Retired Firefighter Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 10:52 am
Davis has a lot of universities in his district but has been awfully quiet about the state higher ed funding crisis and all the associated harm to students. For that matter, so has U of I employee Gov Edgar.
Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 10:53 am
Word, you just spoiled the Rauner 2017 Soylent Green for the poor initiative.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 10:58 am
I wish FELLOW Edgar would define “progress”?
Comment by Blue dog dem Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:00 am
I’ll believe it when I see Edgar refusing to endorse Rauner in the next election. Until then … it’s just talk from a statesman to a businessman.
Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:05 am
Jim Edgar is really overplaying his hand, and putting Davis in a tough spot.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:05 am
I’m with Gov. Jim Edgar.
All day, every day, twice on Sunday because the people of Illinois are first, and that’s how it should always be.
At what point will the GOP GA decide that being a Raunerite isn’t being a Republican?
Did all those Local 150… the Trades… The Teachers… did ALL those ties to Republican candidates, when those candidates… candidates… needed these groups most,… when the policy …matched constituencies… did all those groups that made up these winning coalitions… mean less ow… than $20 million to hold y’all hostage?
Is diversity outside being a Raunerite… “discouraged”… because diversity won’t help governing?
Will Carbondale, B-N, DeKalb, Quincy, Charleston… Champaign need to emptied of students and faculty before y’all realize hostage-takin’ is actually destroyin’, not leveragin’?
Will we all see “People need to make less money” as a building block that seems to go counter to Republican Ideals?
Is this the same group that voted 4-62 against SSM, and saw it as a slap at the GOP platform, as I watched President GHW Bush talk and make clear his feelings on SSM and its place in society?
If anything;
Jim Edgar isn’t out of touch, Jim Edgar isca touchstone to building Republicans, and that’s counter to building Raunerite Caucuses.
We need the “Gorillas of Pate”. They added the balance and made the counting of 30 in the Upper Chamber work, not perfunctory.
The more the GOP GA ignores Edgar, the more groups, organizations,… people… will align to vote against the ILGOP, and if we’re being honest, vote against the Raunerite Agenda.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:06 am
God bless him, Gov. Edgar, but I think he still hasn’t realized that Gov. Rauner is not interested in governing. He will not govern, he is only interested in installing his Turnaround Agenda. That is all. The State is going down now. Too little too late. Elections have consequences. He was fooled like everyone else by the businessman/venture capitalist ruse. Edgar will have to live with his contribution to the destruction of the state. At least he’s doing something about it. Maybe he should start outlining the differences between Raunerites and Republicans. That might help.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:07 am
Edgar comes from the pre-Tea Party era when confrontation and ideology were not the top priorities. Politics mattered back then, but so did the public interest.
Comment by nona Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:22 am
Edgar and McCann are the only 2 Republicans left in Illinois. Everyone else with an (R) after their name is a Raunerite in deed if not in spirit.
Comment by CharlieKratos Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:41 am
Some issues I agree with Edgar, some I do not.
My opinion is worthless and at this point any comments or advice he gives is as worthless as mine.
He is largely persona non grata in the Republican Party, particularly among its voters. And especially so where it really counts at this time and that is with Rauner.
Comment by Federalist Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 12:03 pm
And how did Rodney Davis vote the 40 or 50 times there was a bill to abolish Obamacare? That’s responsible governoring, huh? And where’s Rodney’s alternative to Obamacare which he wants to abolish? Yeah, that’s leaderships.
It sure says a lot about the state of our country when have to praise people for NOT shutting down the government!
Comment by Filmmaker prof Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 12:30 pm
Who is Jim Edgar?
Comment by westsider Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 1:30 pm
- westsider -
===Who is Jim Edgar?===
The former governor Candidate Rauner used and asked for an endorsement from, spending the last weekend of the campaign sharing a stage with, so Rauner had credibility.
That help?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 1:40 pm
===Who is Jim Edgar?===
The guy who did his job.
You must be with the other guy.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 1:44 pm
- Wordslinger - goes The Departed. Well played.
I guess being a successful Illinois Republican governor doesn’t hold much sway anyone…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 1:47 pm
“kept lines of communication open,” keeping communication going doesn’t seem to be a strength of Rauner. Neither in labor negotiations or with the legislature. I have trouble thinking he communicates very well with the electorate. I wish this was a gubernatorial election year rather than a presidential election.
Comment by WETHEPEOPLE Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Federalist, he’s probably the most popular republican in Illinois
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 2:52 pm
Who pays attention to Jim Edgar, who served as Governor 20 years. His pension changes started Illinois down this slippery slope to financial ruin. I thought, Jim Edgar could retire from his government gig. Maybe, he is concerned about his Pension!!??
Comment by Apocalypse Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 3:22 pm
===Who pays attention to Jim Edgar, who served as Governor 20 years.===
Really? What 20?
===His pension changes started Illinois down this slippery slope to financial ruin===
The Edgar Ramp.
Governors own, you agree I see…
You did spell - Apocalypse - right, so that’s one for you, I guess…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 3:26 pm
===Who pays attention to Jim Edgar===
Oh, and Bruce Rauner begged people to just 14 short months ago, even travelin’ with Edgar to gin up press…
So, there’s that too, I guess.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 3:29 pm
@Anonymous
Not among Republicans he isn’t and that is what I said if you take the time to read.
And if you really believe he is popular among Republican rank and file voters then you are extraordinarily unaware of political realities.
Comment by Federalist Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:10 pm
During the ’90s, Edgar and Madigan rode the epic bull market and bubble economy for all it was worth, awarding large pension raises and budgeting as though the boom would continue indefinitely. We know how that turned out.
Of course they had plenty of company. Remember those federal budget surpluses as far as the eye could see?
Edgar epitomizes the phrase “timing is everything.” He got in at the beginning of the bull run and bowed out more than a year before it all went south.
Edgar is a decent fellow and may have some useful things to say, but Rauner’s economic and fiscal environment is far more challenging.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 6:40 pm
@Anon,
Well stated!
Comment by Federalist Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 7:12 pm