96 Comments - too obvious - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:01 am: Yes definitely. One of many examples of Rauner’s pay-to-play. Political contributions to public officials and getting more government business in return is another obvious one. Rauner would take Illinois back to its slimiest days. I can’t get over how Rauner’s opponents in this race haven’t already driven his support to single digits - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:07 am: I guess I was wrong. This Payton Prep thing has no legs, is misunderstood, and Bruce Rauner acted exactly as anyone, period. … - Judgment Day (Road Trip) - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:10 am: “….Rauner’s relationship with convicted serial con man Stuart Levine.” Be careful what you wish for. Stuart Levine had a whole lot of ‘business’ relationships in both parties that were not pursued in court. Bruce Rauner’s name really didn’t show up. Other people’s names did. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:36 am: To the Post, ===The Rauner Family Foundation gave $250,000 to the Payton Prep Initiative for Education on Dec. 14, 2009 — about a year and a half after Rauner called then-Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan to overturn his daughter’s rejection for admission, records examined by the Chicago Sun-Times reveal.=== Make no mistake, Bruce Rauner opened a Charter School, had it running, and made it clear his child, his daughter, was “special”, better than the system, and like any good influencer to the system, like any good insider would do, like any affluent and aloof non-Chicagoan, Bruce Rauner used clout and influence to deny a Child, because “he could”, and then when it doesn’t look like quid pro quo, monies that even a political foot soldier makes in a career after walking precincts could drop, becomes a major money drop, out of the goodness of Bruce Rauner’s heart. The apologists, the “anyone would do this”, all these excuses need to warm up to these facts; The Denied New Trier Daughter had an incredible school in Winnetka, but that wasn’t good enough. One child, a Worthy Child, was personally denied a seat to the best school in Illinois, by Bruce Rauner. Money and influence taint the moves, and prove, beyond a shadow of doubt that Bruce Rauner is an insider, and using that influence (including monies) for his, and in this case, his Denied New Trier Daughter’s … personal… gain, at that expense of a Worthy Child. Not hyperbole, not opinion, not even reverse snark. This happened, and had a cost well beyond the hundreds of thousands of dollars in Bruce Rauner’s bank account, that could be earned in 3 work days for Bruce Rauner. Insider. Clouter. Elitist, Denier… of a Child. That…is the candidate you back if you support Bruce Rauner. - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:41 am: Rauner and Levine have never met? You’d think they would have chatted a little bit at the ITRS meeting where Rauner landed the $50 million in business after putting Levine on the payroll for $25K a month. Rauner was there. Levine was there. A friendly “hello” would have been in order. - Cassandra - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:44 am: “Take Illinois back to its slimiest days” Rauner aside, I don’t believe things have gotten a lot less slimy in Illinois state government. - Nonplussed - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:45 am: OW: Rauner may have acted “exactly as anyone” but not anyone could act like Rauner. Most people with $18 watches and Carhartt coats specifically. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:46 am: As someone who said they didn’t fault Rauner for making a call for his kid (and I still don’t for that), I have to say this is rather dumb for someone who is running for office. The appearance of quid pro quo on this is bad, I guess I can get wanting to help your kid’s school, but man does the donation look bad. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:46 am: Also why do I suspect there are calls to media folks telling them to redo the commercials right now… - Bill White - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:50 am: Timing is everything. The 18th century military adage . . . “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” . . . appears to be good political advice as well. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:53 am: - Nonplussed -, I think that was my point; Someone with New Trier as your high school, and cares about children and really giving opportunities, and despises “business as usual” they would never do what Bruce Rauner did. - OneMan -, So the role model you want for kids is Bruce Rauner? “Look, kids, being rich, and having no ethics, and doing something to prove that ‘you can’ is America. Ethics don’t matter, so don’t vote like they do” You should put that spiel in one of “Jack!” Ryan’s newspapers. lol - Chi - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:54 am: Levine was Rauner’s employee. Levine’s job was to get business for CompBenefits. He did this through bribing public officials. Levine has testified in federal court to this business model. - Chicago Cynic - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:54 am: While I have said Rauner will be a big player and win the nomination from early on, I’ve always agreed that the scandal with the longest legs was the “I clouted my daughter into Payton because New Trier wasn’t good enough.” And I know nobody who thinks “anyone would do the same.” It’s a problem and will continue to be so. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 9:59 am: - Bill White -, My points so long ago had a two prong plan leading to this barrage; Get the narrative set, for these shots to resonate quickly. Get the “3″ to understand, Bruce Rauner was/ is not your typical “rich guy” and only waiting for this the evaporate on Bruce Rauner when Rauner is dropping cash by the millions is not going about taking on Bruce Rauner in a target-rich OR window, where the “3″ can guarantee the counter to Rauner will offset those millions. At times, the “3″ still think Rauner is a typical “rich guy”, and it’s still a major mistake. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:01 am: OswegoWilly – Wow, really missed my point. To be blunt, yeah I didn’t and don’t have a problem with him making the phone call. If that is the ‘problem’ we should toss everyone who was an elected who made a phone call on behalf of someone who was trying to get into a state college as well… I think making the donation after making the phone call was stupid because regardless of intent it just looks bad and it calls his general judgement into account. - Bill White - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:05 am: === At times, the “3″ still think Rauner is a typical “rich guy”, and it’s still a major mistake. === I’ve been thinking about this and I’ve been wondering about Rauner’s motivations. Why does this rich guy even want to be Governor? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:08 am: - OneMan -, I think, no, I got your point. 100% what you want to say; “Clout your kid all you want, corrupt the system, but don’t put a price tag on it, cause then it looks bad, but still ‘cool’ with me”. “Jack!” Ryan cam put that as an editorial. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:12 am: - OneMan -, Rauner and his Denied Daughter were not even remotely from Chicago. Calling to get into the U of I sickened me, but call it as it is, denying a Chicago child by a non- Chicagoan, who can go to New Trier speaks volumes more, when residency is a mitigating factor, and denying a worthy child living in you new “home town” is quite disgusting and elitist. - Steve - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:13 am: If Bruce wins the primary and the general election it will inspire even more people that pay to play is the way in Illinois. - Judgment Day (Road Trip) - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:16 am: “Levine was Rauner’s employee. Levine’s job was to get business for CompBenefits. He did this through bribing public officials. Levine has testified in federal court to this business model.” Stuart Levine was not “Rauner’s employee”. He was a ‘hired gun’ for most of the work - a cross between a consultant and a lobbyist. If you think he was the only one doing that, you’re wrong. That’s the way Chicago politics work, and that was what was required. At the time, the CTU had real pull (Read: They want, they get) over the health benefit package. The major medical portion of the healthcare was coming up and that was the real prize. The dental contract was small change compared to the major medical, and everybody was getting their ‘teams’ of influence peddlers lined up for the serious money. You got no idea where all of those strings go. I’d look forward to the day when ALL of Levine’s plea deal (with all the supporting detail) is released, with nothing redacted. Never gonna happen. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:23 am: - Judgment Day (Road Trip) -, Gotta “eat it”, gotta “own it” Checks were written and cashed. What, does Bruce Rauner have all these “buffers” betwee the “pocket change” insiders making $25K a month? Let us all know what Bruce Rauner can claim, both good and bad, private and business, quote or video. Gotta “eat it”, gotta “own it” - Bill White - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:23 am: @Judgment Day (Road Trip) Okay, lets go with this . . . === He was a ‘hired gun’ for most of the work - a cross between a consultant and a lobbyist. If you think he was the only one doing that, you’re wrong He was a ‘hired gun’ for most of the work - a cross between a consultant and a lobbyist. If you think he was the only one doing that, you’re wrong == Rauner has a history of buying influence - Ed Rendell, Jonah Edelman (Stand with Children), Levine paid as a “hired gun” and Peyton Prep - are but a few examples. So, riddle me this - Why does Bruce Rauner even want to be governor? - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:28 am: ===Why does Bruce Rauner even want to be governor? === From the Train Robbers… [First scene — Lane has summoned his gun-toting friends to a rendezvous] Grady: Alright, what’s it all about, Jess? Jesse: Beats me. All Lane said was meet him here at the train stop. It’d be worth it. Calhoun: To him or us? Grady: Oh, what difference does it make? It’s something to do, isn’t it? - Chi - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:30 am: And the difference between an employee who bribes public officials and a “hired gun” who bribes public officials for your company is… Also, “everyone was doing it” isn’t the best defense I’ve heard. Neither is “some people bribed officials for bigger contracts than this one”; especially without any evidence, and the nice qualifier at the end that all that needs to happen is for the WHOLE plea deal to come to light, because then we would see who REALLY is corrupt. Sounds kind of like Blago’s defense, now that I think about it. Sidenote: There was a time when CTU got everything they wanted? So why are there still charters? How come teachers aren’t millionaires? Why isn’t summer break 11 months long? - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:31 am: And… Sam Turner: All we want to know is what we rode here for. Lane: What a gun rides anywhere for - money. The more of it the more chances you take. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:32 am: Really, it’s the geography on this and ticks you off so much? I knew lots of kids in HS who had guardians so they didn’t have to go to a specific HS in our district (we were an integrated district, so you could go by one HS to get to the one you were supposed to attend) and I am sure there were kids at the ‘nicest’ HS in the district who also had guardians. Heck, we likely even had kids from Chicago who had guardians so they could attend my suburban HS, it was just the way it was. So I guess I don’t see the geography thing as a big deal, at least he had real estate in Chicago. Also I guess I have a different definition of ‘bad use of clout’ than you do, to be blunt, to some degree I can’t fault the use of clout for your own kids when you ARE NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.. So Raunners ‘clout’ likely came from the fact he was rich and a donor to politicians, does that make him a hypocrite for calling out the teachers union… Yeah it does. But lots of folks use their influence to help their kids in public school all the time… Think about it locally, when 308 had the boundary stuff going on the last time, do you really think the discussion about which elementary school was going to send kids to Murphy and past Bednarcik didn’t have people making calls and trying to influence it so their kid got to go where they wanted them to? Yeah, I know it’s different, but still. When they talked about sending our kids to Boulder Hill Elementary, it wasn’t just the challenge of busing them on 30 that far that motivated people, it was the desire to keep the kids in the highest scoring grade school in the district. I know at least a couple of aldermen got involved in Aurora. I also know that is different than a selective admissions school, but still, people are going to use their influence to try and help their own kids, hell it is human nature. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:33 am: One Man – I can go halfway down the road with you. A dear friend of mine once said, “Every venal, ethically questionable thing I have done in my life, I have done for my children.” That resonated with me, and I think it does for a lot of us. But the Rauner situation is different (and no, I am not working from the Oswego Willy talking points.) Sadly, there aren’t many Chicago public high schools that can offer students the kind of high-quality educational opportunities that most suburban kids take for granted. Payton Prep is one of them, and city kids work hard and compete fiercely to get in. When Bruce Rauner’s daughter decided, for whatever reason, that New Trier wasn’t working for her, Bruce had an almost limited range of options at his disposal. (Think Latin, Parker, Lab, Lycee Francais, North Shore Country Day, St. Scholastica — the list goes on and on.) I think any of those private institutions would have been delighted to offer a place to a child whose father was willing to, um, “work closely with the development office.” Instead, Rauner picked up the phone and made a call to Arne Duncan. And with that call, he closed a door for a Chicago child who most likely did not have anywhere close to the same range of available options. Because hey — do we think that Duncan knocked out a clout-heavy family to make way for the Rauners? Of course not. And did Arne Duncan find a place for that kid in another one of the city’s limited high-performance high schools? I doubt it. So with one phone call, Bruce Rauner changed the life of a bright, dedicated young city kid. (And we know the kid was bright and dedicated because we know how hard it is to get into Payton Prep.) With one phone call, he created a new privilege for his already unimaginably privileged daughter, at the expense of some child who will probably never know what happened, or why. And that’s not okay. - Pete - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:44 am: Flip side: 1. We didn’t elect B. Rauner to protect the interests of the school. The man that appointed A. Duncan should be taking more heat. The fact that “Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan to overturn his daughter’s rejection for admission” says more about the education system than it should. You can’t buy something that is not for sale. Why is the Sun-Times not calling the White House asking for Arne Duncan’s thoughts on Pay to Play in the CPS? 2. $250K helps alot of children that don’t have that money. Maybe with that $250 another teach was hired or another classroom was made available for students that might not have been otherwise able to attend. For $250K Rauner could have hired a tutor at home. The guy decided to get his daughter into an environment with other top tier students across the city. That’s not elitist. 3. I haven’t seen anything that suggests that adding one required that another was turned away. - walker - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:45 am: When will the good government types openly admit that we hold our politicians to higher ethical standards than we hold ourselves? And rightly so. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:47 am: - OneMan -, The second you parse away your ethics is the moment your line for integrity and ethics is drawn with an erasable marker. I was there too, during the 308 “redistricting” of the grade schools and Jr. Highs, and not to bore everyone but you and I, and with respect here; OHS & OEHS and all our schools are not New Trier schools. They are also not Chicago, inner-city schools, and the moment Bruce Rauner and his denied Daughter took away opportunity, no hyperbole, from a child, that child ain’t goin’ to a 308 high school. Parse your ethics, that lesson is a karma lesson taught when you don’t need that lesson most. Teaching a denied daughter that other kids are chattel, to be moved because they own them, and the game for the Denied Daughter is not a lesson that should be excused. Period. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:53 am: Ok, Not going to convince anyone and I can’t fault the logic of those who disagree with me… But here is my follow-up question then… How culpable are those who let a guy who wasn’t even an elected official influence an admissions decision? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:54 am: I love me an apologist! - Pete -, there are finite seats. Every single kid clouted, and were denied, by finite numbers, automatically means a Worthy Child was denied, by just basic math. Can’t explain it away. Further, Your ethics are cheap at $250K for a Public High School. Putting a price on children’s futures is a sick peverted game where kids are chattel, owned by those who can buy their worthy place right out from under those kids. Sickening and pathetic excuse - Pete -. Arne Duncan ain’t runnin’ for governor. Keep your eyes on Rauner, like we do. When Arne runs, I will make sure to ding him too. - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:55 am: –So with one phone call, Bruce Rauner changed the life of a bright, dedicated young city kid. (And we know the kid was bright and dedicated because –we know how hard it is to get into Payton Prep.) With one phone call, he created a new privilege for his already unimaginably privileged daughter, at the expense of some child who will probably never know what happened, or why. And that’s not okay. – Exactly. It was an immoral act. The other kid didn’t have the bread. Maybe the kid can eat cake. Let’s not give Arne Duncan a pass in this travesty. I don’t know that he’s ever explained his action, but he sure could have stopped it. The fact that he didn’t says it all about him. He sold out a deserving kid for money. Anytime he wants to go away is fine with me. I’m sure he’ll make a bundle as a private consultant for charter schools. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:57 am: One Man — As I say to my children (when I’m not being venal on their behalf) — “How many wrongs make a right?” If I ask you to help me carry out a robbery, and you do it, am I absolved of culpability? No question — this is an unpleasant glimpse of how clout and money pervert the system. And no question that it takes at least two to tango. And no question that Arne Duncan should have politely told Rauner to go chew on a rope. But at the end of the day — it was Rauner who picked up the phone. And now he wants to be Governor. And do we really need another Governor who sees nothing wrong in letting the folks with the biggest checkbooks make policy on their own behalf? - Pete - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:02 am: OW: - Pete -, there are finite seats. Every single kid clouted, and were denied, by finite numbers, automatically means a Worthy Child was denied, by just basic math. Can’t explain it away. Ask the Teachers Union about finite seats. Last I looked CPS was a poster child for overcrowding. Either CPS is packing the schools or they are capping them at a finite number. We can’t have it both ways. I know that the elite schools are set for the best of the best with a set teacher to student ratio. But 25:1 (.04) versus 26:1 (.038) isn’t the straw that will break the back at a school. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:03 am: - Pete -, When Payton Prep has 125,000 high school students attending, you give me a call. Dope! - Century Club - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:08 am: Kudo’s to Willy for the foresight on the Payton Prep issue. I’m having a hard time seeing how people can be so dismissive of this. I know how hard it is to find a slot in good CPS high school, and the idea that someone who could send their kid to New Trier gamed the system to take one of those slots infuriates me. One Man, I’m not a purist, but clouting your daughter in to Payton instead of New Trier is capricious and greedy. I’d be happy to talk gray areas, but this isn’t one of them. Pete, the waiting list for Payton must be insane, but there’s a hypothetical open slot that doesn’t require someone else get turned away? And someone who isn’t a resident of Chicago get that slot? Come on. Also, ‘we didn’t elect B. Rauner to protect the interests of the school.’ True - this is a good reason not to elect him to do that now. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:11 am: == And do we really need another Governor who sees nothing wrong in letting the folks with the biggest checkbooks make policy on their own behalf? == It’s that true in general? Lots of folks and entities use their cash to try and make policy (and usually succeed). Look no further than Chicago’s food truck law. - Tracking it - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:14 am: Rauner is a side show to make the other republican candidates look reasonable and electable, Rauner may then be rewarded with state contracts. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:16 am: Under the heading of thing you don’t see on CapFax too often.. I think you guys have convinced me. I understand why he did it, I am also starting to see how that is wrong and how understanding (and realizing I might have done the same) doesn’t make it right. It may make it understandable, but not right… - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:21 am: Here’s a little free political advice (although I am available for one of those “I never met you, but here’s 25k a month” gigs): There are some things that you just can’t justify. Things like pressuring your wife to go to a swingers’ club, or clouting your child into a Chicago public school when you live on the North Shore, or failing to file your income taxes for almost two decades (Harold Washington, remember?) If you keep trying to put lipstick on the pig, you’re going to keep the story alive indefinitely. So stand up, admit you made a mistake, talk briefly about why you made the mistake, talk about the lessons you learned, and move on. Personally, I think Jack Ryan might have been able to salvage his candidacy if he had had the courage and self-awareness to stand up in front of a microphone and said, “Those were the darkest times of my life. I was desperate at the idea of losing my wife, and I did some incredibly stupid and hurtful things. I was crazy in love, and my heart was breaking. I wish with all my heart I hadn’t behaved that way, but I did. It was inexcusable, and I am so very sorry that I caused my ex-wife so much pain. I’m just glad those times are far behind me now. Thank you.” So Rauner has a choice: He can do the Ryan thing, and keep on trying to persuade voters that what he did wasn’t so bad compared with lots of things, like Hitler and stuff, or he can do the Washington thing, fess up, pay the two dollars and move on. Every person on those voter rolls has made mistakes — some of them serious. Many of us have made amends and learned lessons. We want elected officials who have done the same. - Pete - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:23 am: OK. So let me try and figure this out. We want our governor to do everything he can to bring jobs into the State of Illinois. He can’t lower the minimum wage to do it. He can’t offer a cash donation/infusion like he did to help bring his daughter there. -He had provided money to the Rauner’s gift to the Payton Prep Initiative came two months after his foundation gave $500,000 to the Chicago Public Schools Foundation, run by the school system’s top administrators. His foundation previously had given money to that organization. (Obviously that group wasn’t the one that controlled who went where.) He can’t be able to work both sides of the aisle. (He’s too close of a personal friend to the Chi Mayor.) He shouldn’t understand Illinois Politics. (He should be a rube with no history of understanding or working the system.) Come on. If you ask me, Rauner understands how the system works and has worked it. It’s that understanding that will bring about change. I thought after George Ryan and the License for Bribes scandal it couldn’t get worse. It did. The state is still suffering 15 years later. My governor doesn’t have to be a saint to get my vote. These are the skeletons in his closet? I think most people could live with that. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:23 am: - OneMan -, You are my 308 buddy. Bruce Rauner won’t change that, or that I do respect you very much and enjoy and appreciate your take on loads of things effecting Illinois. I think I go back and forth with you because I hold you in such high regard and just hope you could see what some see that is different. Always with respect, - OneMan -, always. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:27 am: ===If you ask me, Rauner understands how the system works and has worked it. It’s that understanding that will bring about change. I thought after George Ryan and the License for Bribes scandal it couldn’t get worse. It did. The state is still suffering 15 years later. My governor doesn’t have to be a saint to get my vote. These are the skeletons in his closet? I think most people could live with that.=== That is “Apologist 101 - never answer but compare to deflect” If you strive for mediocrity, guess what, you get it. Dopey way to elect and select a governor. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:34 am: - Soccermom -, I Posted it months and months ago; You had the best advice for Bruce Rauner on Payton Prep. Strategy-Wise, I would be honored if you ever asked me to share a desk with you in a campaign office. I would learn tons, no snark. To your Post, Rauner’s failure is two fold(?) 1. Hubris and a lack of understanding voters and how voters will understand him. 2. Staff is either personally intimidated, or lacking the guts to tell Rauner what he needs to hear, not what will make Rauner feel better about these missteps, even going back months and months. Those two together is a train wreck without brakes and more wreckage to hit. You are one of the best -Soccermom -, wouldn’t want to be on the other side of you. Much respect. - Pete - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:35 am: That is “Apologist 101 - never answer but compare to deflect” If you strive for mediocrity, guess what, you get it. Dopey way to elect and select a governor. Isn’t that what we’re doing on this blog. Comparing previous actions that are a psuedo similarity to the decisions a governor would make? Getting your kid into a top notch school. If the guy goes to bat for the state with the same fortitude that he went into getting his daughter into school, isn’t that what we want. Don’t we want that guy to step up and not accept “no” for an answer and make that extra call to see if that company on the fence will change thier mind from Florida to come to Illinois? Isn’t that why we have the Edge credits, so that our Governor can take a shot at keeping our jobs in the state?? You call it “compare to deflect”, I call it “Once bitten, Twice Shy!” - Loop Lady - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:41 am: Pete: How much is Rauner paying you to post this nonsense? Rauner reminds me of a line from Seinfeld about Newman… Kramer: There’s more to Newman than you think… Seinfeld: No, there’s less… - Arthur Andersen - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:49 am: word, he is a flat out liar if he says he never met Levine. You picked the perfect example. Those meetings are recorded and have very nice minutes with a list of all present, too. - Konda Chilly - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:52 am: So if this was a clout job, shouldn’t Barack’s failure of an education secretary be on the hot seat? If this practice is wrong, the only person who could make it happen is Duncan. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:55 am: - Pete -, The only thing Bruce Rauner has proven is that if something he personally… personally … wants, Bruce Rauner has no ethics or integrity in how he approaches to get what he wants, and is not above trampling on “little people” to enrich… himself.., not at the benefit of all, or others, unless doing something gives the image that it benefits others, while either cashing checks, buying houses, clouting his Daughter, or securing more ways to make money off pensions. There is no love of Illinois, but love of wealth, family prestige, ego, living a life of Hubris. - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:57 am: –Stuart Levine was not “Rauner’s employee”. He was a ‘hired gun’ for most of the work - a cross between a consultant and a lobbyist. If you think he was the only one doing that, you’re wrong. That’s the way Chicago politics work, and that was what was required.– No one thinks Rauner was the only one doing it. But Rauner is running a campaign as an “outsider” who’s going to “shake up” the “corrupt” way of doing business with the state. In other words, Rauner is running a campaign against pay-to-players like himself who made fortunes at the public trough by hiring guys like Levine. Why doesn’t Rauner run on his record of getting state business and bankrolling Illinois politicians? - Tommydanger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:00 pm: OW, I agree that Rauner’s failure is two fold: just a different two than yours. 1. He clumsily and heavy handedly clouted his kid into Payton Prep. 2. He portrays himself as someone who won’t accept business as usual and then does business as usual. In Illinois we are always ’shocked’ that there is gambling going on in Rick’s establishment, but we are downright unaccepting of anyone who pretends he is above it all while he is wallowing in the mire with the rest of them. - Bill White - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:04 pm: @Pete You say Rauner knows the system and is the guy to change it. You recent comments are making me think that maybe - just maybe - Rauner is miffed that someone he “bought” down in Springfield didn’t stay “bought” and Rauner and his billionaires club buddies are annoyed by that. It’s just a theory . . . Or maybe Bruce Rauner is an altruistic Boy Scout. That’s another theory . . . - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:06 pm: @Pete Have you guys trademarked “No Worse Than Blago!”? Because I think that one’s a winner… - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:07 pm: - Tommydanger -, Well done and very well put. As I was wearing my “campaign hat”, you cut to the quick what needed to be said when looking at Bruce Rauner from the election prism. Awesome. - wordslinger -, That is where I was and have been since Jump Street. You can not run a campaign for governor of the 5th largest state as someone who lives/d their life in exact contrast as they want to be seen and campaign the complete opposite as you are/were in the business/government world. Bruce Rauner lost me the second he ran against who he is/was and told me to ignore that. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:12 pm: @Pete – “Maybe with that $250 another teach was hired or another classroom was made available for students that might not have been otherwise able to attend.” Now I understand why Rauner is so angry about public employees’ salaries — he thinks CPS teachers make $250k! Pete, please keep posting. You’re providing lots of entertainment on a chilly January day… - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:16 pm: Whew! I was afraid I was feeding - Pete -… lol - Pete - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:17 pm: @Soccermom I think Quinn won on that platform before he stated his election was a mandate to raise income taxes for schools. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-06/news/ct-met-quinn-tax-increase-20101106_1_tax-hike-income-tax-pat-quinn - Chicago Mom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:17 pm: It’s stunning the read OneMan’s defense of Rauner here. OW and soccermom have nailed it right on the head. If I could like a post or two I would. Rich, you also are right on point with your explanation of why BR is running for governor. To OneMan, the name were changed from Bruce Rauner to Rod Blagojevich (or even) Mike Madigan, would you still defend the action? People would all over it. Pay-to-play, scandal, etc. From a Regular Joe point of view, his actions are highly appalling. Rauner probably doesn’t even see the offense, living in a bubble of privilege and access. He has no idea how real people live. - Conservative Republican - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:19 pm: From the Sun Times article: Rauner called Duncan, and a top Duncan aide reached out to Estrada, the Payton principal who admitted Rauner’s daughter, according to the source. … ——– To Oswego Willy and others, first, there’s no proof here of exactly what went on. “The source” is, of course, anonymous and not identified. “The source” says that Rauner called Arne Duncan. Neither is going to either confirm the conversation or repeat what was said. The principal is now gone and not available for comments — anything she could say would be hearsay anyway as she never, according to the accusation, spoke directly with Rauner. There is not enough substance in this story to sustain a Christie-like accusation against Rauner. Move along. Further, the way the story is reported, who are the real bad guys? Rauner, who wanted to get his kid into the school, or the entire CPS heirarchy, who jumped at the chance to curry favor with the multi-millionaire? Oswego Willy, that “bright…Worthy Child” probably went to Whitney, or Sacred Heart, or another school next on the list…your strawman, or strawChild, argument won’t take you very far. - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:28 pm: CR, just a lot of coincidences at work there. Who are you trying to kid, anyway? TeIll Dillard to “move along,” too. He’s holding a press conference on the issue this afternoon. I’ve always wondered why Rauner didn’t clout his kid into Rauner College Prep? I guess if New Trier wasn’t good enough, maybe Rauner wasn’t either. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:29 pm: @Pete — You’re gonna tell me what’s wrong with Pat Quinn? Gosh, I appreciate your insights. (Soccermom is sitting cheerfully by the bridge, encouraging the billy goats gruff. “Perfectly safe to cross. You’ll be fine, guys — the troll doesn’t look hungry to me. Just trot right over….”) - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:31 pm: - Conservative Republican -, lol Crain’s http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130424/BLOGS02/130429892?template=mobile ===Mr. Rauner’s spokesman says the family will not waive privacy rights that would allow us all to read the report for ourselves. But my sources have first-hand knowledge of this matter. Moreover, another source with direct knowledge confirms that Ms. Rauner was not admitted to Payton via the normal best-score route but by way of a supplemental, alternate procedure.=== Bruce Rauner could release everything ya know! Hmmm. Sounds alot like NOT like your spin. How about you go read the whole thing and do a report.., Further, Bruce Rauner IS the bad guy, and I stand by my posts saying so. Every. Word. Yeah, this has no legs. Keep fooling yourself. An elitist form Winnetka denied a worthy Chicago kid a chance. Finally, you can guarantee every worthy child is “ok”? According to Bruce Rauner himself, the CPS is ” abusing kids” by their schools, remember? Dope! lol - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:34 pm: Rich is a gracious host. I think I will stay, post, mock, defend my stance as long as Rich allows me, and post on whatever posts I want, with my take, as long as I follow Rich’s rules, and always remember I am but a guest here. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:35 pm: Just fyi — from the CPS website SELECTION QUESTIONS How are students selected for Selective Enrollment High Schools? Students are selected for Selective Enrollment High Schools based on a final point score and in accordance with the admissions policy for magnet, selective enrollment and other Options for Knowledge programs. If my child is not selected, is it possible for her to be selected later? After the seats at each school are filled, the non-selected students will remain in an applicant pool. This is not a traditional waiting list, where students are assigned numbers – students are ranked in the applicant pool by score. In addition, the Principal Discretion process takes place in March, following the first round of regular selection. This process allows principals of Selective Enrollment High Schools to fill up to five percent of the total available seats for the coming school year, outside of the regular selection process, and in strict compliance with the CEO’s guidelines. Principal Discretion only applies to the 10 Selective Enrollment High Schools. My child applied to four Selective Enrollment High Schools. How many offers can she get? The Selective Enrollment process is a single-offer model. If qualified, your child will receive an offer from the highest ranked school on her application for which she qualifies. If my child accepts an offer to a Selective Enrollment High School, can she be selected to another Selective Enrollment High School later? Once you accept an offer from a Selective Enrollment High School, your child cannot receive an offer in a subsequent selection round to another Selective Enrollment High School. If you wish, your child can accept an offer from a Selective Enrollment High School and apply for a different Selective Enrollment High School through Principal Discretion. Please be aware that there is no guarantee that all, or any, schools will have more than one selection round. Subsequent selection rounds are based on remaining seats available after the first selection round. If a school does not have seats available after the first round, no subsequent rounds will be held for that school. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:40 pm: Thanks - Soccermom - I especially like the… ===If a school does not have seats available after the first round, no subsequent rounds will be held for that school.=== Sounds like pretty finite seating to me, lol - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:42 pm: @Pete And maybe I am confused, given that I didn’t pay much attention to the last couple of elections. But I thought that Quinn campaigned straightforwardly on the need to increase Illinois’ income tax rate, which is very low in comparison with other states. And that the increased revenues were necessary to close a structural deficit created by Governor Blagojevich’s unwillingness to raise income or sales taxes, because he thought an increase would be politically unpalatable. And I believe (again, you may want to google this to check) that a majority of Illinois voters elected Pat Quinn as Governor, in both the primary and the general, after he went on the record repeatedly about the need from an increase in the income tax rate. - Tommydanger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:44 pm: CR: What changes the equation to the question you asked, ‘whose worse, the guy who tried to get his kid into school or the school system that allowed to cuury favor with a multi-millionaire’, is the fact that the multi-millionaire apparently bought the admission and the fact that he’s running for Governor! If it was ‘just’ a muti-millionaire buying his kid into to Payton Prep, then, yes, it would all be on the school system, but its not, so its not. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:49 pm: - Century Club -, Thanks for the props. It resonates, 60+ Posts here, the CST, and Crain’s, lots were in this too. Thanks for adding me to a very large chorus. (Tips hat to - Chicago Mom - for me & -Soccermom -) - OneMan - can be one of the most thoughtful posters here, and his open mind proved that once again. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:49 pm: Adding props to One Man. - steve schnorf - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:50 pm: Tommy, we punish hypocrisy in political wannabes much more harshly than we punish human imperfection - PolPal56 - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:52 pm: OneMan @ 11:16 - I, too, have learned a great deal through the discussions here on CapFax and upon occasion have had reason to reassess my stance on a topic. Better yet, I learn something about political topics I really have little interest in but add to my understanding of politics and government in Illinois. Thank you for sharing your “Aha!” moment. - Tommydanger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:53 pm: steve schnorf: Amen brother. Amen. - Pete - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:54 pm: And I believe (again, you may want to google this to check) that a majority of Illinois voters elected Pat Quinn as Governor, in both the primary and the general, after he went on the record repeatedly about the need from an increase in the income tax rate. -It was the closest election in 30 years. -The campaign was on a 50% increase, we recieved a 66% increase. Minor issues I guess. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:55 pm: - Tommydanger -, Great point. Had that same argument this weekend, and I responded … “If 100 kids were clouted like Rauner’s daughter, when all 100 run for governor, and run a campaign based on stopping business as usual, I will ding them too. If 99 decide to lay low and move on, then the 1 who decides to take this on gets all the grief they brought on themselves.” On Point, - Tommydanger -, 100% agree. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:56 pm: hey, Pete — here’s a pro tip for you: Close only counts in horseshoes and atom bombs. Do you know what you call a guy who wins an election by one vote? (Help me out, anybody…) - Conservative Republican - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:57 pm: Tommyslinger: The Greg Hinz story stated that many, many clout-heavy parents lobbied Duncan for special admissions considerations for their kids, and he helped them all out. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:57 pm: - Steve Schnorf -, Thanks. Wow. Well said. - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 12:59 pm: ===It was the closest election in 30 years.=== It was also the greatest GOP landslide since Truman’s midterm. Quinn overcame a lot to win that thing when just about nobody but Quinn and maybe his mother thought he’d prevail. No small feat. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 1:00 pm: *cough* “Winner”? Or for Quinn…*cough* “Governor”? - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 1:02 pm: Thanks, OW. I knew I could depend on you. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 1:04 pm: “All” The list had all that were helped, maybe it didn’t include those who were not “aided” like Rauner’s Daughter, so no need to add them to the list. Are you saying every single “ask” Ducan obliged? Yeah, ok..,, and no. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 1:06 pm: - Soccermom - my “tip in” punchine is just reaping your good setup! - Demoralized - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 1:35 pm: @CR: And none of those “many, many people” are running for Governor are they? To say “move on” is absolutely laughable. - Irish - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 1:43 pm: To me this issue speaks to Rauner the individual and his total disconnect from the general populace. As I have posted on other subjects, he reminds me a lot of Romney. Both are multi-millionaires trying to convince the general public they are “regular guys”. They aren’t. Ranuer makes a political ad degrading the CPS system and public schools in general, and touts his great work in starting a charter school. This would seem to say “my charter school is the answer to terrible public schools and I will do more of the same if I am elected. But wait, he took his daughter out of one of the best public schools in the State and got her into another one of the best public schools in the State through his clout. Did she qualify? No. Doesn’t matter, money talks. Did he put her into his “great” charter school? No. Wasn’t good enough for her. It is good enough for everyone else’s child, but not his. So my take on this is if Bruce Rauner is elected he will push to create more charter schools that will not measure up to the education he feels his daughter is entitled to. They will be good enough for your kid but not his. And apparently he will condone eliminating the need for kids to qualify for top schools academically and favor use of clout and elitist tactics. And then the icing on the cake: Rauner dismissed the whole episode last summer, telling the Chicago Sun-Times it was “just minor. It’s stuff that doesn’t matter.” Really? Tell that to the kid that didn’t get into Payton Prep even though he/she qualified. Tell that to the hundreds of other kids who will get an education that is not good enough for Rauner’s daughter because they are attending his charter school. Is this the education model you want your next Governor to be pushing?? Sorry Bruce, but it does matter. And the fact that you don’t think it matters speaks volumes. - Skeptic - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 2:03 pm: “There is not enough substance in this story to sustain a Christie-like accusation against Rauner. Move along.” Ok, everybody sing along with me: “The Governor has not been charged with any wrongdoing.” - chad - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 2:12 pm: Rauner repeatedly demonstrates a knowing tendency to use ethically barren tactics by blocking opportunity to that young minority student-applicant, appearing at a state governing board meeting with a known purveyor of pay-to-play, and cloaking disgust for low wage-earners by brazenly misrepresenting his minimum wage statements — among other incidents. He has exhibited cruel and dishonest behavior. His absolutist assertions that these events are unworthy of media examination or citizen contemplation draw the reasonable person to examine and judge his character. Everyone has faults and experiences occasional fall from grace. But this man has systemically and repeatedly clawed dignity and resources from those he has dominated, and cockily demands the reasonable observer to suspend rational skepticism. I cannot say this about any other candidate for Governor. I know this sounds tough, but this is a proportional response to what he has presented. - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 2:12 pm: Pete appears to be the new Bill. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 2:47 pm: “Pete appears to be the new Bill.” (mic drop) - Judgment Day (Road Trip) - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:05 pm: ” There was a time when CTU got everything they wanted? So why are there still charters? How come teachers aren’t millionaires? Why isn’t summer break 11 months long?” I’ll tell you why. There’s a big time ‘reality check’ that comes into play when the feds start sniffing around, and empanel federal special grand juries. All the sudden a LOT of people get ‘religion’, if you will. I mean “A LOT”. And it happened. Btw, I’m not excusing any of it. Personally, there’s a whole lot of people who should have been (IMO) indicted, but the feds, again in IMO, backed off. Why? - ask somebody smarter than me. But I saw it all unfold up close. Btw, if some of that stuff which had been going on had hit the street about the games and influence peddling being played inside the CPS, it would of likely had impacts in ways none of us can fully appreciate. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:26 pm: Before I forget again, Rich’s movie scene is so spot on. Crystallized perfectly. - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:42 pm: Lost in some of all this weirdness…. New Trier, by any measure, is considered one of the best public schools in the country. People who are well-off, but maybe not as rich as they have to be, sweat blood to get into that district for their kids. What a strange slap in the face to them from their “future governor” — and every other parent whose kids don’t go to schools as “good” as New Trier. Parents in the city bust their humps to get their kids into Payton. What a betrayal this is to them. Rev. Meeks, where are you? You’re a Rauner guy, right? Had a meeting of the minds across some powerful checks? Can’t you get your guy, the Education Guy, to back open enrollment in Illinois schools? That way, kids from Winnetka could go to Payton with no question. And kids from Englewood could go to New Trier the same way. Criss-cross, savvy? Everybody happy, right? - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:49 pm: Willie, what’s the flick? I’m not catching it. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 11:01 pm: A “sleeper” - The Train Robbers…1973 John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Bobby Vinton, Jerry Gatlin, and Ricardo Montalban. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:24 am: –John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Bobby Vinton, Jerry Gatlin, and Ricardo Montalban.– I can’t believe I was totally unaware of that flick. Trippy cast for 1973. I thought I knew everything about The Duke from “Stagecoach” on. In ‘73, Wayne was really sick, one lung, and working his tukkus off to make money for his family before he died (he went broke in the 60s). Here’s my favorite Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda story: They were best friends, although their politics were way different. Fonda was the original Hollywood Liberal.Stewart was the first California Republican. Wayne was a Bircher who thought Ike was a communist. Still, they were compardes for decades. Larry McMurtry first wrote “Lonesome Dove” as a movie treatment. Wayne was to play Call, Stewart to play McCrae and Fonda to play Jake Spoon. It fell through because Wayne was making “The Green Berets” (an awful movie, by any measure, he lost a bundle on it as producer). McMurtry took back the treatment and turned “Lonesome Dove” jnto a Pulitzer-winning novel. The great mini-series had Tommy Lee Jones as Call, Robert Duvall as McCrae and Robert Urich as Jake Spoon. It was brilliant — but it would have been one hell of a movie with Wayne, Stewart and Fonda, back in the day. After “The Shootist,” (a great sendoff for The Duke), Wayne’s last public appearance was at the Oscars in 1979, where he presented the Best Picture Award to the “The Deer Hunter,” of all movies. He was dead from the cancer a couple of months later. When he was dying at Mt. Sinai, in LA, Wayne’s old buddy, Fonda, went to pay his last respects. A security guard tried to bar him. Fonda, 74, old Tom Joad, dropped him and went right in. That’s friendship, and it has a lot more meaning than politics. If you want to check out Wayne’s last public appearance, tune in about 4:10 below. You’ll get Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og8pywu8gbU - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 9:13 am: “John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda…” Giants; on-screen and off-screen. Great stories - wordslinger -, good stuff there. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.