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* Whew…
Fifteen months after the wealthy Republican private equity investor was sworn in to his first elected office, the state he was elected to lead is in worse shape by nearly every measure than the state he inherited from his Democratic predecessor.
The backlog of unpaid bills is higher, as is the unemployment rate and the largest-in-the-nation unfunded public pension liability. We were one of just six states that showed a net loss in private sector jobs last year. Accordingly, our credit rating has continued to fall, meaning it will cost us even more than anticipated to dig out of a financial hole that’s growing at an estimated rate of $33 million every day.
Illinois still doesn’t have — and at this rate probably never will have — a budget for the fiscal year that began last July, which has put many human service providers and public colleges and universities into a financial crisis.
Now, yes, it’s quite true that Rauner didn’t create the underlying economic problems facing Illinois — those came about due to decades of irresponsible governance, some of it bipartisan, much of it Democratic.
But he’s made those problems worse.
Go read the whole thing before commenting, please. Thanks.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 9:56 am
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SPOT ON!
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:00 am
I was 100% with Rauner after I got over my hangover from my candidate losing in the primary, but in the past few weeks I’ve been thinking the same things as Mr. Zorn.
Comment by Just Me Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:00 am
No truer words were ever spoken.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:01 am
Rauner’s at least trying to fix it, instead of just giving in - which would be much easier - but much worse for Illinois in the long term.
Comment by JustRight Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:02 am
Is Zorn not part of the brain trust editorial board?
Comment by Johnny Pyle Driver Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:04 am
===Calling him a failure may sound harsh, but it’s fittingly Rauneresque.
After all, he bashed away at Democratic incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn during the 2014 campaign, branding him a “complete failure,” “a massive failure” and so on, even though, under Quinn, the unemployment rate, discretionary spending, and the number of state employees had fallen, and even though Illinois was at last making the required contributions to the state’s pension funds and whittling down the backlog of bills.
Earlier this year, Rauner whacked his wine-drinking buddy, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, by charging that Emanuel has “failed on public safety, he’s failed on schools, he’s failed on jobs in the neighborhoods, he’s failed on taxes, he’s failed on reforms.”
By the governor’s own standards, he’s failed on jobs, on human services, on pensions, on the debt and on the deficit.===
Boy…
I wish I woukdve have thought of using…
“Pat Quinn failed”
… to frame my arguments here.
Like, maybe I could’ve used that Rauner bluster when I was framing Rauner last Septenber, or October, or even as late as last March
“Pat Quinn failed”
I really missed a great angle. I blew it. That’s on me.
Zorn’s freah take should be included in Bakke’s reality show, another great column idea. I guess I’m not cuttin’ edge…
I want to congratulate Mr. Zorn, and I know he reads what I write, he told me does… on such a outwardly… unique… take.
Well done.
I’m a real big fan, I guess you’re a big fan of me too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:04 am
This is the reality. For republicans with an open mind, who are not sticking to the dogmatic talking points this should be the political version of the Hallelujah Chorus. Rauner has got to stop this craziness. He does not have the votes, or the political chops to get done what he wants to get down, therefore we are in a death spiral that is worse than anything we experienced under Quinn, Blago, Ryan, or any other Governor. Zorn gets the win on this one, Rauner unfortunately will still think he is #winnin
Comment by Saluki Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:07 am
A famous Paul said that love does not keep a record.
No love here, ya?
This is a really good piece. Bookmarking this one.
Comment by cdog Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:08 am
JustRight, leveraging the desperation of the state’s most vulnerable to enact a highly partisan agenda which lacks popular support, is not a justifiable attempt “to fix it.”
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:09 am
The comment section is hilarious on the Zorn column. Every Raunarite has come out in defense. So. Much. Funny. (and kinda scary sad also).
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:10 am
No surprise the liberal opinion columnist blames the Repulican Governor and absolves the obstructionist General Assembly for being part of the solution to the problem they helped create
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:12 am
Zorn is spot on!
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:15 am
Oh - Lucky Pierre -
Rauner can’t be held up to the standards Rauner set for Quinn as Rauner said “Pat Quinn failed?”
You’re a dishonest gag, using the same babe in the woods thoughts as you ignore what you know is true.
Be honest, you’ll be respected here by a ten-fold increase…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:15 am
===The comment section is hilarious on the Zorn column. Every Raunarite has come out in defense. So. Much. Funny. (and kinda scary sad also).===
And that’s just the Trib Editorial Board
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:15 am
Madigan and the Eric Zorn he controls.
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:16 am
That Zorn column became real depressing when he reminded me that we have 33 more months of Rauner
Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:17 am
He essentially says what I’ve been saying for a year: it may not have been perfect under Quinn, but it still got done. Universities got their money. Services for the disabled got paid. What changed? There’s your problem. Kudos Zorn. You’re my new print hero.
Comment by Ambrose Chase Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:17 am
“Madigan and the Eric Zorn he controls.”
That’s exactly the comment section over there.
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:18 am
I couldn’t agree more.
Rauner is a failure.
Maybe the shortest story that can be written is a list of Rauner’s achievements as Governor.
But I can’t think of anything that Rauner could call an achievement.
Comment by Chicago 20 Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:21 am
Oswego Willy and the Eric Zorns he controls.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:21 am
Zorn wins today, hands down! I only hope that the last remaining honest columnist at the Tribune doesn’t lose his job over this. SPOT ON Zorn!! This is a MUST read for every citizen in the state.
Comment by Big Joe Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:23 am
I think this piece sums things up pretty well. There really is no other conclusion to come to right now other than his time in office has been a failure so far. Some of that failure is of his making. Some is not. Even so, he’s the chief executive so it falls on him regardless. He doesn’t know how to govern. He refuses to accept the political realities he faces. And he has yet to shift from CEO mode where everyone does what you want to Governor mode where you are no longer the sole boss.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:23 am
“Is Zorn not part of the brain trust editorial board?”
He is not.
I’m sure the Trib Editorial Board has someone playing the Alan Colmes gimmick, but I have no idea who that person might be.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:23 am
“a list of Rauner’s achievements as Governor.”
Maybe Monsieur Pierre could work on that for us.
Comment by cdog Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:25 am
Rich Miller for the win!
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:27 am
Agree with Zorn 100%. However, if we judge Rauner by his own standards of what he intended to accomplish, I think he gets an A-. He has done what he set out to do, with the exception of those social services funded by court orders.
Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:29 am
Kamikaze Bruce: he realizes he can’t win, but he will continue his suicidal attacks.
Comment by Hi Maze Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:31 am
Oh to think if only the Dems had not grandfathered the income tax hike.
Comment by Jim'e' Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:32 am
MJM love the Allan Colmes reference.
“And now, for a look inside the mind of a liberal, a fish lipped ghoul.
Alan, take it away”
Comment by Johnny Pyle Driver Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:35 am
Failed Governor Rauner: Hey CK, order up some frozen Perch for ‘that Madigan’ love child Zorn - he wants a problem. And get Zell on the line, pronto! I have some rantin’ and threatin’ to do, cause I am a persistent rascal who LOVEs financial irresponsibility and chaos.
Comment by Beaner Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:40 am
Lucky Pierre - when did criticism of Rauner become an endorsement of decades of financial mismanagement? I know you’ve read how much worse our bill backlog has become, Comptroller Munger has made it difficult to avoid seeing that our financial situation has went from bad to worse, and the numbers don’t lie. How is the current record pace of destruction under Rauner’s leadership deserving of a grade other than an F? It’s not like the bar was set very high, making Pat Quinn look competent by comparison seems to me to epitomize failure.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 10:48 am
What the Speaker means by working cooperatively with 6 previous Governors including 4 Republicans is that they have always kicked the down the road. The Speaker has declined to try to fix the problems, always advocating short term solutions like temporary tax increases. The Governor is pushing back on delaying Chicago pension payments without reforms for good reason. With no reform the problem will repeat itself.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:09 am
Rauner is yet to perform the basic functions of his job. As of now the state cant write a check the courts have not mandated. He had two choices, work the system for incremental change, or lock up the system and harm lots of folks in the hope that somehow the democratic majority in the legislature magically forget who elected them. Like a poker player who goes all in on every hand he is doomed to failure because the legislature (not just Madigan) is calling his bluff.
Comment by relocated Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:11 am
===The Governor is pushing back on delaying Chicago pension payments without reforms for good reason.===
You can’t say its a choice, then not own the consequences of the choice - Lucky Pierre -
Life doesn’t work that way, governing doesn’t work that way either.
If your premise is Rauner is choosing, than Rauner owns the consequences.
Same as it ever was, Governors own.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:15 am
“failed to build political momentum with incremental victories”
That is Zorn’s money quote. It is totally indisputable.
Comment by RTR Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:37 am
Rauner column refuting each and every point in 3- 2- never….
Comment by Slippin' Jimmy Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:38 am
@Lucky Pierre “The Speaker has declined to try to fix the problems, always advocating short term solutions like temporary tax increases”
When you’re short on revenue….you need MORE revenue to cover the shortfall.
Kinda like a business does when it needs to cover higher expenses.
Oh wait, are you still shopping at the 5&Dime? Buying your bread for $.25 loaf and having your milk delivered in glass bottles each day? Movies still cost $.10 (including popcorn!)?
Didn’t think so. The state isn’t operating on a cost basis from 1950 either.
Get. A. Clue. Rauner’s ill advised ‘rollback’ on the tax increase has been an unmitigated disaster.
Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:39 am
The unemployment number is higher because it is more accurate. None of the “hey, what number can we show this month hocus pocus” from the last couple administrations
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:40 am
===Zorn…”absolves the obstructionist General Assembly for being part of the solution to the problem they helped create.”===
Huh. That’s odd. In the version of the column I read, Zorn said, “Now, yes, it’s quite true that Rauner didn’t create the underlying economic problems facing Illinois — those came about due to decades of irresponsible governance, some of it bipartisan, much of it Democratic.”
I don’t think “absolves” means what you think it means Pierre.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:43 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKhEw7nD9C4
Bruce Rauner is the Black Knight…..
Comment by Saluki Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:47 am
Maybe in Bizarro RaunerWorld, failing is…succeeding.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:56 am
Zorn has it completely wrong. Rauner is succeeding at what he wants to do, spectacularly.
The man ain’t an idiot. There’s no accident here. If you were the governor, and this stuff was going on, and you didn’t want it to go on, wouldn’t you do something about it?
What the governor wants to do is squeeze the beast, and put as many goo-goo social service and pointy-head higher ed types out of business so they don’t come around no more. If he can bust the unions, too, then that’s double-sweet.
For crying out loud, the dude poured millions into Ken Dunkin so he could keep doing what he’s doing. You put millions into Ken Dunkin, you have a plan in mind.
I don’t understand why the governor’s doing it. He could do anything in the world, the Bill and Melinda thing, or just chill in the south of France.
But don’t sell the guy short. He has dedicated his fortune and the third act of his life to doing just this.
And baby, on his terms, he’s winning, big.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 11:59 am
This again is the odd thing about the Chicago Tribune and why I continue to subscribe; the editorial page is now way out there, but the front page reporting and many of the independent columnists (Zorn among them) continues to do quite credible work.
It has truly metamorphosed into the Midwest’s answer to the Wall Street Journal.
Comment by ZC Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 12:14 pm
i agree. in a State where we have sent recent back to back govs to jail, Rauner is the worst gov of all.
Now to get Jim Thompson to run again….
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:13 pm
@lucky
“liberal opinion columnist”. Do “cons” still cling to the now disproved notion that calling someone a “liberal” is some kind of putdown?
No one is paying attention to that anymore. Cons are focused on the bathroom police in North Carolina. Well, at least that Governor is creating jobs.
Comment by Jack Stephens Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:18 pm
Calling Eric Zorn a liberal is not an insult but it does define his views. He is a opinion columnist often sparring with another columnist with a conservative one in a very civil manner. I find those point counterpoint columns very interesting.
I don’t think conservatives in North Carolina are the only ones focused on the “bathroom police”. You might recall an uproar in Palatine over locker room issues with a transgender student.
Anyone with a teen age son or daughter concerned about adults and children who identify with the opposite sex being in a locker room with their children is not a homophobe bigot.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 1:38 pm
@ Lucky Pierre: “Anyone with a teen age son or daughter concerned about adults and children who identify with the opposite sex being in a locker room with their children is not a homophobe bigot. ”
I think you are confused. These people are concerned about adults and children who identify with the SAME sex as their sons/daughters being in the locker room.
They want this person https://api.wbez.org/v2/images/38b2af6d-b70e-4605-b5e8-4dfa3670e52c.jpg?width=640&height=312&mode=FILL&threshold=0 to use the women’s room and this person http://www.tipsonlifeandlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/JanetMock_300.jpg to use the men’s room.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 2:28 pm
I can’t believe I am agreeing with wordslinger, but indeed, Rauner will never see this as a failure or anything close to it. If academics look back and rate him the worst governor of Illinois, he will still look back in his mind as having fought the good fight. Is it a grade F? Not quite. If the GA (Madigan) had thrown him a couple of bones toward the “Turnaround Agenda” to show compromise and Rauner refused, then he gets an F, but until then, we just have a D for disaster.
Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 2:32 pm
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I think this an example of convergent evolution around a meme.
Rich had a great column in Crain’s around the start of the year on the same topic: Rauner the businessman would fire Rauner the Governor.
Zorn’s piece is noteworthy for its encyclopedic breadth, but it is by no means exhaustive. Still more of a highlight reel.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 2:43 pm
A lot of people never thought they’d miss Gov. Quinn. Zorn is accurate in saying things are worse today than the day Quinn left office. And the prospects are for the downward spiral to continue, perhaps for the rest of this administration.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 3:54 pm
If anyone reads history they would understand why unions exist in the first place. Government wasn’t doing their job and corporate America treated workers like crap. Everything Rauner is proposing could result ultimately in the same back lash. If his agenda was Unions step aside you are an extra cost and my administration will guarantee workers are treated fairly (compensation, sick time, safe work sites etc) that is a different argument. To me his argument is “let them eat cake”. Not good.
Comment by Denisquared Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 4:55 pm
Rauner was referred to as a “private equity investor” 2X in the Trib, 1X by Zorn and the other by Garcia. Which is a big change for the Trib. Rauner said he wanted to shut down the government in a speech he gave in Tazewell County. He wants to the same thing Reagan did w/ PATCO.
Comment by Emily Booth Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 6:13 pm
These ideas are intriguing and I would like to read more.
Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Wednesday, Apr 13, 16 @ 6:52 pm