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* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
Gov. Bruce Rauner has often been compared to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
“So when anyone says Trump will be like Rauner, who has had the courage to stand up against the corrupt Illinois establishment and (House Speaker Michael) Madigan, I say, ‘I certainly hope so,’ “ says a recent letter to the editor published by the Daily Herald. It is just one of many such letters I’ve seen.
Madigan, for his part, has also made the comparison, albeit in a far less kindly manner. The Democrats “are coming together against the extremism of Trump and Gov. Rauner,” he told WGN-TV/Channel 9 during the Democratic National Convention.
On the surface, there are most definitely some striking similarities. Both politicians are wealthy outsider businessmen, opposed first by their own Republican Party establishments during long and bitter primaries, and eventually pounced upon for business deals gone bad.
They both frequently paint the fiscal and economic environment in stark, dystopian terms. Rauner has often said that Illinois is in a “death spiral.” In his Republican National Convention acceptance speech, Trump said Americans were enduring a “domestic disaster” and have “lived through one international humiliation after another.”
They share some policy similarities, particularly when it comes to public employee and teachers unions. Hint: Both men despise them.
There are twists and turns ahead in this piece, so please read the whole thing before commenting, please.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 9:27 am
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Pretty much. Succinctly summarized.
Comment by Ray del Camino Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 9:33 am
I am glad I read the whole article. I would have stuck my foot in my mouth, and missed an interesting read. I’m still processing, so that’s all I can say for now.
Comment by Delimma Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 9:35 am
They are virtually identical in this way: taking over (or seeking to take over) an institution with zero experience in that arena. The tactics that work for private-sector CEOs do not automatically — or even usually — work when dealing with co-equal branches of government.
It’s great to talk about being an outsider, but when that outsider status means you are utterly clueless about the machinery you are attempting to operate, it’s a recipe for disaster.
Comment by South of Sherman Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 9:39 am
The both recall conversations/communications that never happened….
Comment by burbanite Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:13 am
Good read. I would add another similarity: neither is at all interested in learning the political process. BVR has walked back precious little of his rhetorical bombs and even placed some verbal knives in the backs of people earnestly trying to find compromise. I don’t believe Trump’s dictionary (however thin it probably is) has the word ‘compromise’ in it. That bodes very poorly for both men.
Comment by Not quite a majority Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:23 am
===It’s great to talk about being an outsider, but when that outsider status means you are utterly clueless about the machinery you are attempting to operate, it’s a recipe for disaster.===
Yep. Exactly. I always chide the “we need an outsider” people simply because, what job would you ever want an outsider? Chef? Landscaper? Dentist? These are all jobs that require a certain skill and experience. Why in the world would we want a president or governor who doesn’t know the job and has no desire to learn how to do the job?!
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:28 am
@ducky:
Couldnt agree more. Just because Bruce claimed to know how to manage the cafeteria in the nursing home, does not mean he has any skill in building a coalition to get the votes needed to pass a law.
Comment by Doug Simpson Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:39 am
I agree with Rich that Rauner is more intelligent than Trump, but sadly I think he shows some of the same traits as Trump when it comes to believing that business success translates into abilities in solving everything else.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:49 am
I think that’s a great column, Rich.
The disconnect between Rauner talking about doing the job and actually doing the job is huge. Like with budget addresses that discuss a balanced budget that relies on unconstitutional reforms, massive cuts, and tax increases that turns into simply not having a budget for an entire fiscal year, and then half a budget for the next fiscal year that has a huge deficit.
It’s just nuts and that’s probably how Trump would govern. “You should see my policy! It’s going to be great.” followed by the failure to actually present a policy.
Comment by Anon Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:56 am
I think Trump is a lot more like Blago. A narcissist that thinks by him saying something it will just happen. I don’t think Trump realizes that the federal bureaucracy won’t jump at his every utterance.
Comment by LTSW Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:13 am
People often hate in others those things that they secretly hate in themselves.
Comment by RIJ Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:29 am
Former Mayor Bloomberg also said when he has encouraged business people to run for office, it’s because they know how to compromise…but not Trump…or Rauner.
Legislators compromise; dictators do not.
Sadly, the Republican party has raised the refusal to compromise to be a virtue. They have no one to blame but themselves for these two men.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:38 am
Neither has any experience at all in governing. “Outsider” is more of a word for someone like an IVI-IPO candidate for water commissioner, not a man who believes himself to be above taking any paid or unpaid position in the sector he expects to rule as CEO.
Rauner is only tactically different on race. He’s a man who ran for statewide office in very blue Illinois and is not contending for Tea Party-influenced swing state votes. He would tap into racial paranoia in a heartbeat if it were a winning strategy here. And when it is, he does. Rauner considers himself clever enough to contend for moderates by spending big on black and Latino cover…and then put the band on hold while he jams out with an extended dogwhistle solo.
Tell us again all about Chicagoans vs. hardworking Illinoisians.
Freebird!
Comment by crazybleedingheart Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:06 pm
Some people make their millions walking away from bankrupt business schemes, while other people make their millions walking away from bust-out business schemes.
If the people left holding the bag can’t tell the difference, who can blame them?
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:07 pm
My 12:06 comment did not post.
Comment by crazybleedingheart Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:08 pm
Good points. I’d add two other impressions –
Rauner aims for as much profit, (or as little loss) out of what his company invests in, because he feels it is his professional role and responsibility.
Trump squeezes the last dime out of everything he does, because his self-image depends on it. Years ago in NY, I saw him stiff someone for less than $10, just to show who was the stronger guy at the table. (Maybe he’s matured since then. We all were grass bowls once.)
Rauner can publicly admit he fell short or was mistaken, every once in a while. Trump apparently cannot.
Caricatures aside, Rauner does seem like a reasonably nice person … even if we think he’s way wrong.
Comment by walker Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:27 pm
After listening to both of them, I feel they are more alike than they are different. The only difference I can see is their style of communication. Neither Rauner or Trump stated their plans for the state or the country while running for office.
Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:25 pm
Neither Rauner nor Trump appear to respect their workers.
Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:26 pm
Why repeat an unsourced claim that Rauner allegedly said he “can’t stand” Trump when in reality he publicly said he would support the GOP nominee?
Comment by SkotBayo Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:38 pm