57 Comments - A guy... - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:16 am: Cartoon music invites you not to take it so seriously. It’s an ad that will support the supporters who are already on board. This one’s borderline pass/fail. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:20 am: “It’s baloney. I’ve donated millions to (insert pivot here) and I have been successful at everything, …everything… I have ever done, and I am not Mitt Romney, cause I’m a hunting, Carhartt wearing, Harley rider, who happens to have 9 homes…” Gets a “B+” for a web Ad, but really, if it ain’t on The TV, it would need to go viral to get more than a “C-” and that is generous. - Obamas Puppy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:20 am: Good news footage, not sure about the Mitt comparison it must poll well. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:20 am: “This Cayman stuff will blow over” - better days - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:22 am: what a joke being played on voters by Quinn and establishment democrats .. here is Illinois with the worst credit rating in all 50 states , 3rd highest unemployment in USA, 2nd most with people leaving the state , bankrupt still after getting an extra 26 BILLION dollars in new taxes,3rd highest workman comp rates and on and on who cares about Cayman islands ..?????? - William j Kelly - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:25 am: Sve the Illinois GOP , replace rauner now! - Wally - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:27 am: “Romney’s tricks certainly didn’t fool Illinois in 2012….” Obama’s tricks certainly DID fool Illinois in 2012…. There, better(I feel like OW) - Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:28 am: Mitt wishes he could be as phony of a regular guy as Bruce. Unfortunately for both,regular folks cant stash the millions they don’t have in tropical bank accounts. - Jimbo - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:30 am: Guy, no one so firmly in the Rauner camp will be affected by an internet video, much less this one. You’re not the target audience, and neither am I. I don’t know how it plays to the undecided or leaners, but generally people don’t hate rich people for being rich, they dislike them for doing the things that rich people do, like use complex accounting schemes to avoid paying the taxes us little folk pay. Having money in the Caymans makes it look like he’s doing just that. That can be seen as unfair. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out, but it is highly unlikely that most folks give Rauner as many passes as you do. They won’t flock to Quinn over this either, but it isn’t the nonissue you claim. - Anon - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:31 am: I can think of plenty of people who would much rather have Mitt than Obama right now, so not so sure this comparison is effective… - VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:35 am: If I was jealous of wealth and believe that rich people don’t earn what they have - the ad would work with me. But I’m not. - Nosmo King - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:35 am: Growing up when asked for $5 to go the the movies Dad would sarcastically respond “Yeah, sure. Let me call my Swiss Bank Account”. It was a given and still is…Rich people shelter money to avoid taxes. They max out their 401(k)s and other legal, US based tax deferred investments, and a whole lotta other legal stuff that would fly over my head, too. I get that it is an order of magnitude (the whole thing boggles most people’s minds) and I am probably not the demographic the ad is targeted at, but it seems to me that a lot of people offended by this would have “Swiss Bank accounts” if they made that kind of money. - A guy... - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:37 am: ===There, better(I feel like OW)=== Here we go again…aspirin, lie down, cool rag on head. Won’t go away, but intensity will diminish almost instantly. - Jimbo - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:38 am: Better days, for all of Illinois’ problems, I still like it here. As for unemployment, it has been stated repeatedly that because of Illinois industry makeup we follow the country into and later out of a recession. When the economy improves manufacturing facilities don’t go back on line right away, and corporate headquarters don’t start staffing back up the month sales start to improve. It isn’t like McJobs where demand increases and immediately front line workers are hired. That’s probably why Texas is doing so well, well that and all the oil. - Downstate GOP Faithless - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:42 am: This stuff sticks in the minds of voters. It doesn’t take much and its not always the hard hit you would expect. While not the same, but at least on the same path, look back to 2010 US Senate race. It was not the issues with the family bank or alleged ties that hurt Alexi, rather his offices inability to manage Brightstart properly…that’s what moved numbers. For all of Quinn’s faults, the fact a candidate is appearing to avoid paying taxes on all his money is something voters remember…accuracy is not terribly important with this type of hit. Rauner’s inability to own some of these things only makes it worse. Jumping subjects, on the Payton Prep stuff, he should have just owned it from the get go and its done. Not taking possession speaks to trust… - Checkers - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:45 am: I thought the audio editing was really well done, but not sure how much of an impact this ad will make. - Wally - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:46 am: Jimbo, the recession officially ended in the summer of 2009, 5 years ago. - A guy... - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:47 am: === Jimbo - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:30 am: Guy, no one so firmly in the Rauner camp will be affected by an internet video, much less this one. You’re not the target audience, and neither am I. I don’t know how it plays to the undecided or leaners, but generally people don’t hate rich people for being rich, they dislike them for doing the things that rich people do, like use complex accounting schemes to avoid paying the taxes us little folk pay. Having money in the Caymans makes it look like he’s doing just that. That can be seen as unfair. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out, but it is highly unlikely that most folks give Rauner as many passes as you do. They won’t flock to Quinn over this either, but it isn’t the nonissue you claim.=== Jimbo, you seem like a nice guy with whom I’d disagree more often than not. Got lots of guys like that in my life. Thoughtful remarks on your part. Here’s a bit of disagreement; they’ve tried to pound the number of houses, the land, the luxury life-style, etc. really to no avail just yet. We’ll see if there’s a multiplier there. At the moment, I’m honestly not seeing it. A lot of folks I’m speaking to just aren’t happy with their circumstances right now. They aren’t recovering or at the very least not quickly enough. Plenty are scared that retirement is coming much quicker than recovery. They see fewer opportunities for kids and grandkids. They fear losing them to moving away, or maybe they’ll have to move away to hedge the income difference. I submit that many more people are concerned about the lack of potential under Pat Quinn. It’s what I’m hearing…”we can’t go 4 more years like this”. There’s nothing but difficult news on the horizon for Pat with bond ratings going down, corruption in the headlines. The only “real” commodity Pat had going for him was his very honest reputation. That’s about to get creamed. There’s really nothing else there that people can latch onto. He’s not toast yet. Illinois politics always gives Democrats more lives than a cat. He’s far from frozen bread though and the headlines coming in the future are likely to demolish him. That’s my honest opinion. Not spin. - DuPage Rep - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:49 am: Ok, got it. What happens if the Cayman/Rich Guy card doesn’t put Quinn in the driver’s seat in this campaign? What is he going to run on? His job performance? Doubt it. If a voter is swayed by this stuff, they were more than likely voting “progressive” anyway. IMHO - Magic Merv - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:51 am: I bet the heavy mouth breathers giggled themselves silly over this one. - walker - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:54 am: VMan: This isn’t primarily about wealth. Calling it just “class warfare” is avoiding the core point. It’s about paying taxes. Any impact on voters will be not be about how much he makes but about “Why do I have to pay taxes when he avoids them?” The same attack is directed at political candidates who are late on their property taxes, regardless of how wealthy they are. How is that so hard to see? I agree, it isn’t that great a piece, but the core point can have some legs. Always with respect. - Jimbo - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:55 am: That just means that we stopped experiencing job losses in consecutive quarters. The economy nationwide is recovering slowly, and that recovery is lagging slightly in Illinois, as every expert said it would. Private sector employment is growing albeit not as fast as we would like, so I don’t understand your point. - Wally - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:06 am: Oh, I know the info that you just posted. Your response at 10:38 simply sounded like excuses. Bad policies have consequences. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:11 am: It’s about paying taxes. Are you claiming that Rauner isn’t paying taxes? Are you claiming that Rauner is doing something illegal? Are you claiming that Rauner is doing something NO DEMOCRAT is doing? This is not about government policies. It isn’t about a need to change the Federal tax laws. It isn’t about anything other than an attempt to make Illinoisans jealous of a gubernatorial candidate who is ahead in the polls against an incumbent. It is a very sad ad. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:17 am: ===I bet the heavy mouth breathers giggled themselves silly over this one.=== Who are those - Magic Merv -? Oh - A Guy… -, “Your Guy” is getting hammered and shaken, don’t blame me, lol - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:20 am: who has more money romney or rauner? - walker - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:22 am: A Guy: We agree that general perceptions of the health of the economy, drive whether or not any of these campaign messages stick, and move the movable. For either side. In that context, the rest of these political messages are noise — to be heard or ignored. Many things we like to argue about here, are trivial in comparison to voter confidence, in driving the election outcome. The economy is certainly getting better on paper, for many sections of it, but apparently not enough to move general perceptions much. - A guy... - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:22 am: ==Oh - A Guy… -, “Your Guy” is getting hammered and shaken, don’t blame me, lol=== His rapid response (or lack thereof) might indicate he’s just not feelin’ it. Don’t worry, you remain blameless here. - A guy... - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:23 am: ===- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:20 am: who has more money romney or rauner?==== Soros, Koch, Buffet and Gates. Why in the heck would it matter? They all have plenty. - walker - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:40 am: VMan: I am not “claiming” any of the three things you listed. I was commenting on the message and its political impact. I simply think this issue will be generally heard as more about paying taxes, than about “class warfare.” I could be wrong. You’ll note that I commented I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of taxes Rauner did report as having paid. - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:43 am: For crying out loud, enough whining already. Did anyone think Rauner’s wealth wasn’t going to be an issue in the general election? Why is that? It sure was in the GOP primary, where the other candidates railed against his “trying to buy the nomination.” The Quinn supporters aren’t trying to change the minds of Rauner voters. They’re trying to rally the base and nudge Undecideds. Painting your opponent in the worst possible light has been SOP in American politics for more than 200 years. Whining about it when it happens to your guy is just silly. - Jose Abreu's next homer - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:48 am: I really hope we find out the GTCR uses Madigan’s law firm to get a lower property tax bill. They have to use Madigan, right? - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:58 am: –I really hope we find out the GTCR uses Madigan’s law firm to get a lower property tax bill. – They don’t own the building. - Roadiepig - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 11:59 am: - Magic Merv - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:51 am: I bet the heavy mouth breathers giggled themselves silly over this one. Merv- you might want to go back to Tuesday’s Cap Fax and spend a few minutes reading the question of the day. In it, Vanillaman (a fellow supporter of Mr. Rauner, btw) bemoans the totally lack of civility and name calling here on the comments board. Calling someone who believes differently than you a mouth breeder won’t win you any converts to your side, and is more likely to chase them to the other (bad) option. Many of those writing here (myself included) are NOT supporters of Mr. Quinn. We are stuck making a choice between bad and worse. Keep hammering and shaking home those insults and you might just push the one you don’t want to win over the top… - the unknown poster - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 12:15 pm: Who in here wouldn’t use any and all legal means available to lessen their tax bill regardless of the level of income? I itemize my tax return and you can bet I will take any deduction or credit I am entitled to in order to keep more money in my pocket. Why is that any different for someone as wealthy as Mitt Romney or Bruce Rauner? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 12:36 pm: Well said - Roadiepig -, well done. - the unknown poster -, If it didn’t matter, no one would “hide” that they stash cash in the Cayman Islands. Perception. Plain and simple, perception. - William j Kelly - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 12:44 pm: The Illinois Republican Party needs to recognize the rauner problem and address it, by replacing rauner on the ballet, before rauner takes down the whole party in November. - A guy... - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 12:52 pm: WjK, Please tell me you’ve got a grade school intern making posts for you these days. - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 1:06 pm: –The Illinois Republican Party needs to recognize the rauner problem and address it, by replacing rauner on the ballet…” Emanuel took ballet. Is that who you want? You might want to take a nap there, generalissimo. In this country, Banana Republic refers to a clothing store. I know you don’t (and won’t) have any experience in winning elections, but those who win get to keep playing. Seriously, dude, what’s your story? Is it a bit? Do you make money off of it? I can’t see rhyme or reason to it. - Skeptic - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 1:37 pm: Did the trolls set their alarm clocks for “State Fair week” or something? - Anon. - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 1:59 pm: ==If it didn’t matter, no one would “hide” that they stash cash in the Cayman Islands.== But Rauner didn’t hide the accounts everyone is talking about. They were disclosed. That’s how the Sun-Times “found” them. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:06 pm: ===But Rauner didn’t hide the accounts everyone is talking about. They were disclosed. That’s how the Sun-Times “found” them.=== Hmm. Then I look forward to Rauner to campaign with Romney talking about the Cayman Islands… Oh, and what was it that they told the Tribune about it. Which story is what about those accounts? It’s the perception. It’s always the perception. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:22 pm: no comparison, unless rauner tied his dog to the top of the car on the way to montana - VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:26 pm: In it, Vanillaman (a fellow supporter of Mr. Rauner, btw Not true. - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:42 pm: The U.S. tax code is nearly four million words. Lot of high-priced lobster and legal talent and campaign contributions went into these “legal” dodges. More related to the corporate dodges, but some interesting perspective in the NYT today. For one, like you didn’t know already, the 35% corporate income tax rate is fiction. –According to a study of scores of Fortune 500 companies released this year by Mr. McIntyre’s group and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the average tax rate from 2008 to 2012 on utility, gas and electric companies was 2.8 percent. The rate for the industrial machinery sector was 4.3 percent, while the telecommunications industry averaged 9.8 percent. For the aerospace and military industry, it was 19.7 percent. Dozens of corporations including Verizon, Boeing and Corning paid the government absolutely nothing. – And corporations’ share of federal spending has been on a 60-year downward slope –In the 1950s, corporations paid for about a quarter of total federal spending, but it has generally dropped since, accounting for about a fifth in the 1960s and about 13 percent in the ‘70s. That proportion has seesawed since then and now covers about 7 percent of the country’s bills.– Just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean you have to be a chump about it. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/business/the-muddled-road-to-overhauling-corporate-taxes.html?ref=business&_r=0 - mcb - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:52 pm: Romney lost by 4%. Let me say that again 4%. That was against a guy who still has a large chunk of the voting public that would support him no matter what he does. A historic presidency. And Romney was within 4%. I don’t think what “worked” against Romney is the best bet for Quinn here. I understand when the progs are sitting around talking about this, they just absolutely love the “Mitt Rauner” line. But I think it has next to no impact on the middle. Romney would probably poll better than Obama today, especially in the middle. - mcb - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:55 pm: I would love to see someone with money and nothing better to do commission a Pat Quinn vs Mitt Romney poll. Rich, you have pollsters, right? I just think it’s ludicrous to try to connect your opponent to someone that is likely more popular than you are. Bad idea. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:55 pm: ===I don’t think what “worked” against Romney is the best bet for Quinn here.=== Dude, Obama’s 2012 campaign was based heavily on Quinn’s 2010 campaign. So adopting the same tactic in 2014 doesn’t seem on its face to be a bad idea. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 3:05 pm: Also, mcb, you are hugely failing to understand something very important. Quinn isn’t running nationally. He’s running in Illinois. And in Illinois, Obama won by 17 percent. Not 4. 17 big ones. So, yeah, it’s a valid approach. - the unknown poster - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 3:12 pm: OW Yes it is all about the perception but it really shouldn’t be. It’s like carrying your legally purchased case of beer home in a paper bag because you really don’t want your busybody teetotaling neighbor to see it. Yet that really isn’t anyone’s business like it shouldn’t be anyone’s business what rich people legally do with their money. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 3:15 pm: The national talking points on “Well, Romney is now chosen…” or, “Obama’s numbers are awful” fail to see what’s really going on; If Rauner thought Romney played well in Illinois, he would be using it. Rauner goes out if his way to say two important things to him and his campaign; “I’m not a Billionaire.” “I’m nothing like Mitt Romney.” Why? Rauner’s Crew polls everything, that’s all I hear, “He has the pulse!”. Welp, that pulse is “No Romney, No Billionaire.” Obama, last polling indicating, is still over 50% here. Making Rauner…Romney…is brutal for Rauner’s Crew. Having Obama help Quinn will be ridiculed by the Rauner crowd, but could be devastating to Rauner too. That is what’s at play. All of it; Caymans/Romney/Billionaire/Stashing … If it was nothing, Rauner never would have said the two statements above as he did. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 3:16 pm: ===Yes it is all about the perception but it really shouldn’t be.=== My friend, with respect, welcome to politics. It ain’t beanbag. - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 3:46 pm: meh this just does not bother me. - modest proposal - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 5:14 pm: Its true what they say, “Sub-par Quinn videos come in threes.” - Roadiepig - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 7:54 pm: VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 2:26 My sincerest apologies. - Just The Way It Is One - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 2:20 am: BAM! Quite hilarious dubbing in the “Mitt” part alone actually…people pretty much have heard how filthy rich the guy is and this Ad hammers it home…they’ll GET it, as the saying goes, and THAT’S the Main thing/image the Quinn Folks want to have stick in People’s minds, that, like Mitt, he just doesn’t understand, and more so CAN’T RELATE TO, the “Common Man,” and as such One wonders, “Can I really TRUST this guy?” And the Answer for MANY becomes obvious…just like it did, when all was said and done, with Mitt…. The Ad would get through to the Average Illinois Democrat, and especially Swing/Independent Voters far BETTER/more eFFECTively, though, if they throw it out on TV, TOO, instead of just YouTube…! - Marcela - Thursday, Aug 14, 14 @ 9:59 pm: Hi there to every body, it’s my first visit of this website; this blog contains remarkable and in fact fine data in favor of readers. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.