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* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
If you want to get things done in government, you have to occasionally be careful with your political rhetoric. That’s easier said than done in this age of anything goes, grab ‘em by the whatever campaigns. But here’s one small but important example.
During the campaign, state Sen. Gary Forby’s Republican opponent Dale Fowler sent out a mailer headlined: “Organized labor can’t trust Gary Forby!”
That would be news to the Illinois AFL-CIO, which endorsed Forby, D-Benton, along with just about every union in his district.
Why can’t labor trust Forby? ”Forby voted to install Rauner appointees to the board deciding the fate of our union contracts,” the mailer said.
So a Republican candidate who, in one way or the other, got most of his money from Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner sent out a mailer denouncing a pro-union Democrat for voting to confirm Rauner’s anti-union appointees.
Cute.
Now, you may have heard that Illinois government is in meltdown mode. The state hasn’t had a real budget since Rauner was inaugurated almost two years ago because the governor won’t negotiate a budget until he obtains some anti-union, pro-business reforms.
Just about nothing can get done in this toxic environment. But one of the few things that has worked so far has been the Illinois Senate’s confirmation process. The governor, to his credit, sat down with Democratic Senate President John Cullerton early in his term and went through the details of how the process worked and what was expected from both sides. Rauner has worked well with Cullerton, who is far more willing to make accommodations than House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Some folks predicted massive appointment confirmation battles between the Democratic Senate and the Republican governor, but it’s been smooth sailing.
Last year, Rauner appointed Alexander “Sandy” Stuart to the Illinois Teachers Retirement System board. Stuart’s father, Robert Stuart Jr., was a former chairman and CEO of Quaker Oats, and the wealthy Lake Forest resident is respected in Republican circles. But the nomination drew an angry response from the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
Stuart’s family foundation gave a six-figure contribution to the Illinois Policy Institute. The economically right-wing group has also received money from Rauner and opposes defined-benefit pensions, and, like Rauner, opposes prevailing wage laws and champions so-called “right to work” legislation.
The Rauner folks claim the Stuart Family Foundation made those contributions when its founder, Robert Stuart Jr., was still alive and making the decisions. The elder Stuart founded the America First Committee, which opposed America’s entrance into World War II. He was a pretty far-right dude.
Sandy Stuart’s nomination sat in limbo while he continued to serve on the TRS board for the past year. The Illinois Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, never publicly opposed his nomination.
However, the governor quietly
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posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 8:48 am
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Senate Dems are fuming over that Forby mailer. Not only do they want vengeance for his defeat, but what little trust they had for the Rauner administration is gone.
Comment by FT Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:12 am
I also believe that the perfidy hinted at by the rhetoric is starting to become clear. For instance that Rauner is trying to remove health insurance as a subject of collective bargaining from the Interest Arbitration with the Fraternal Order of Police. Let me interpret the legal perfidy.
Rauner is almost able to force crap insurance onto Cops when they can’t strike or have a work slowdown.
Sounds like a good idea? Go ahead Blue Lives Matter conservatives. Defend that perfidy. I dare you.
Comment by Honeybear Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:59 am
For months I have been advocating a “no budget no confirmation” approach. Until the Governor submits a balanced budget, nobody gets confirmed and no reorganisations are approved.
Use the power of NO.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:25 am
Those mailers — aside from demonstrating how poorly run whatever mail firm did them was — really sealed the deal that 100% of the Republican Reps and Senators will have to vote in favor of any tax hike for it to happen.
Seriously, though. Getting dozens of mailers for the wrong house district over the course of three weeks of the campaign was kinda entertaining.
Comment by Anon Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:10 am
===So a Republican candidate who, in one way or the other, got most of his money from Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner sent out a mailer denouncing a pro-union Democrat for voting to confirm Rauner’s anti-union appointees.===
Up is down, down is up.
Comment by Boone's is Back Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 3:56 pm
If the union thinks they accomplished something by causing Sandy Stuart to be booted from that board, they’re quite foolish. You think Rauner doesn’t have another, or 10 more, accomplished financial experts who would be willing to take a seat to help the Governor? They might get someone less civil and collegial than Sandy Stuart.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 7:18 pm