The minimum wage and an upscale biker club
Monday, Sep 8, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Natasha Korecki is absolutely right when she wrote that the key ingredient missing from Gov. Pat Quinn’s minimum wage challenge last week was “stress”…
It’s not really something you can put a dollar amount on. Quinn gobbled his banana and presumably stepped right back into a car driven by his security detail. At night he rested his head at his Galewood home.
People like Dollie Brewer, who works with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, see the stress first-hand.
“Anytime you don’t have enough money, you go to bed thinking: ‘Where am I going to sleep?’ You think: ‘What am I going to eat? I would like to eat quality food, but I have to eat what’s left over,’ ” Brewer said. […]
“We’re working and can’t even afford to pay the parking if we work downtown. And we’ve got parking meters in the parks, parking meters are in the schools, parking meters are everywhere. And where’s the money coming from?” Brewer said. “Raising the minimum wage and trying to have the minimum wage keep up with inflation will at least give us the opportunity to try to have a quality lifestyle, to pay a few bills. No, you won’t have enough to pay all your bills, but at least you won’t have to be on public assistance. You will get your dignity back.”
Quinn kept the issue on the front burner last week, but it could have been handled so much better. Then again, it’s not every day that Dollie Brewer is quoted in a big city newspaper.
* On the other side of the spectrum, Kurt Erickson writes that Bruce Rauner’s $140,000 wine club isn’t the only organization he belongs to. He’s also a member of a “motorcycle club”…
Rather than go on poker runs and cruise through the corridors of corn and beans in Illinois, this club takes its members to places like Spain, Italy, Croatia and Turkey.
According to the website for the American Flyers Motorcycle Club, Rauner has gone on three tours with the group since 2009, including one in West Virginia and two in Utah.
Photos on the club website show members relaxing after a day in the saddle, drinking wine and smoking cigars. None of the photos show members crumpling cans of Natty Light on their foreheads.
On the West Virginia trip, club members stayed at least one day just over the border in Pennsylvania at the Bedford Springs Resort. Safe to say it is not the Super 8. A basic room at the inn starts at $455 a night.
* Rauner also explained to reporters on Friday about why he used his $18 watch in his early TV ads…
“My watch, it is what it is. The campaign wanted to make sure the voters knew who I am. That’s who I am.”
- Formerly Known As... - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:26 pm:
Nice to see Dollie Brewer quoted.
Also nice to see the downward spiral continues.
- circularfiringsquad - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:38 pm:
Mitt said he belonged to a lot of clubs…what else newsies
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:41 pm:
Jeez!
Is this the kind of Rauner lifestyle crap we’re going to have to endure until November?
Ms. Prados Korecki is correct. While she might incorrectly see luxury footwear at our state fair, she does understand that Quinn needed to spin his minimum wage stunt in a way that folks could really understand and feel.
If Quinn wanted to really sell himself with his version of the Rauner Property Tax Freeze, he needed to have personalized the plight of Illinoisans on minimum wage.
Quinn’s campaign has been painful to watch. He shouldn’t be struggling as he is, in the polls. Rauner wins when Quinn’s supporters from 2010 aren’t reminded about what they liked about Pat.
But then, Quinn isn’t too great of a listener when it comes to this kind of stuff, is he?
- Raymond - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:41 pm:
Check out the parenthetical next to Rauner’s name on the bike club membership list:
=== Bruce Rauner (full member as long as wine is provided) ===
So, the other bikers will tolerate Rauner so long as he brings enough fancy wine for everybody?
Or, read another way, Rauner will participate in membership but only if the club provides him with wine?
- better days - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:46 pm:
more Illinois democrat nonsense.. The Ill. house ..democrat .. The Ill Senate democrat .. .
why didn’t a wage hike pass this year
- Mighty M. Mouse - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
===“My watch, it is what it is. The campaign wanted to make sure the voters knew who I am. That’s who I am.”===
I’m 100% phony, through and through.
- Primary Target - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:52 pm:
Rauner states “The campaign wanted to make sure the voters knew who I am. That’s who I am”. Think about how deceptive that statement is! In the primary Rauner did everything to hide who he was and what his positions were. However, I will focus on the most recent example in the Ditka Ad. Rauner states “What was I thinking”. Does this reflect his statement that he now will again not support a minimum wage increase? After all he flip flops worse than a fish out of water. Maybe it refers to his supposed concern for teachers and public workers verses his statement that we should fire them all. Two things are for sure it will be hard pressed to get him to explain which issues that Ditka’s stare got him to reverse position. The other and more concerning issue is the realization that many more like Ditka will be staring at him after the election if he wins. They will be demanding he not raise minimum wage, demanding he stick it to teachers and public workers, and we just got a demonstration of what will happen!
- qcexaminer - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:56 pm:
In Quinn’s defense, he may not be rich, but at least he’s corrupt.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
—
“My watch, it is what it is. The campaign wanted to make sure the voters knew who I am. That’s who I am.”
—
Yeah, but you’re also the guy that had a “smoking room” in the Sears Tower. Maybe you still do.
Wear an 18 dollar watch — great. But that’s not who you are any more than you are the guy that has a private smoking room, thousands of acres of land, mansions, and an ability to bilk senior citizens of their money.
So, yeah, if you are your material things? Great. But when you make the claim that’s who are, you can’t pick and choose.
I have a cheap watch, too. But that’s not who I am.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:01 pm:
I should say “… allegedly bilk.”
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:24 pm:
Funny thing about props…and gags…and spoofs…
The Truth, …the truth is when the prop, and the gag, and the spoof, become what defines the character.
===“My watch, it is what it is. The campaign wanted to make sure the voters knew who I am. That’s who I am.”===
It is who you are; a parody of the prop “Bruce Rauner” you wanted us all to think was real.
- Shark Sandwich - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:24 pm:
‘It’s who I am.’
As noted critic of materialism and consumer culture Tyler Durden said: ” You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your .. khakis.”
I guess you could say some carhart jackets are sort of khaki colored..
- low level - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:28 pm:
So the criticism is the Gov doesent fully match someone living on the minimum wage? Well I give him credit for trying to raise awareness of the need to raise it and the struggles of the working poor!
Then Rauner (or whatever con artist Republican it was this time) calls it a “stunt”?? This from the same guy who still has the $100K wine club, the wealthy biker crew, etc etc.?!
Right, Bruce.
By the way, the ad of him with the van could very well become as believeable and famous as the Dukakis tank commercial in 1988.
- too obvious - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:31 pm:
Great story by Erickson. Someone now needs to cover the cigar club. Make it an elite club hat trick.
I’m sure there is no Cuban cigar smoking going on because that would be a federal crime.
But as long as Rauner drives the “trash can” to all of this however I’m fine. He’s clearly just a regular guy.
- Nonplussed - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:42 pm:
“Sons of Prosperity”
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:48 pm:
Rauner has probably a thousand other everyday items that could be used by you or me. Having that stuff doesn’t make him any phonier than you or me, either.
You are thinking that being rich means owning expensive stuff. That isn’t true. If you want to believe Rauner is a rich guy who owns nine houses, Cayman accounts, wine clubs, motorcycle clubs, and things you can’t afford - it is probably true. What you are missing is that having this stuff doesn’t mean having and using inexpensive items at the same time, or preferring those inexpensive Wal-Mart items, makes him a phony.
You don’t know rich people if you believe that they all wear the most expensive stuff they can buy, live in all the expensive places they can live, and do all the expensive things they can do. So, your argument that Rauner using a Bic pen, a Timex watch, a Carhart jacket, or driving an old van is fake - is provably false.
Find a new reason to support Pat Quinn over Bruce Rauner, because your logic using these debating points - isn’t logical upon closer examination.
Sell Pat Quinn. Don’t lose your mind over how and what Bruce Rauner lives, owns or drives.
- Chi - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 1:56 pm:
OK;
Rauner wearing a neatly pressed carhartt, running ads about his $18 watch and trashcan van to portray himself as an everyman, while simultaneously having a membership in a $140k wine club, private cigar room in the Willis Tower, advocating cutting or eliminating the minimum wage, saying government employees are overpaid, etc. That is phony and hypocritical behavior.
Karen Lewis contributing $40k to her campaign, owning her house plus a ~$250k condo with her husband and part of an inherited cottage with her sister, while simultaneously advocating a higher minimum wage, strong pension systems and a tax on financial transactions to fund them, a democratically elected school board, art and gym classes, etc. That does NOT equal phony or hypocritical.
- Team Sleep - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 2:16 pm:
Chi - she may not be as much of a phony, but she is still a phony.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 2:23 pm:
==it is probably true==
It is demonstrably and verifiably true, with public records to boot, not “probably true.”
- A guy... - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 2:32 pm:
Chi chi, you’re rationalizing. Not that I think she’s fake. I think she’s exactly what I think she is. She’s more Rahm than Rahm in a pant suit.
She’s living very high on the hog compared to her membership. If they resent Rauner for it (who isn’t their leader) what makes you think they don’t resent her for the same reason? It’s relative of course. But she’s more than relatively wealthy.
- walker - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 2:41 pm:
Bruce should get off the “This is who I am” schtick, pointing to his watch. It gets more and more grating and false-sounding as time goes by.
- crazybleedingheart - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 2:50 pm:
“She’s more Rahm than Rahm in a pant suit.”
I was unaware that Karen Lewis wore many pant suits. Or is this just how you generally like to talk about political women?
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 3:12 pm:
–“My watch, it is what it is. The campaign wanted to make sure the voters knew who I am. That’s who I am.”–
No, it’s not.
You’re a snake-oil salesman who will say anything and play any role to close the deal.
You’re a dude who made a fortune in Illinois who claims Illinois is an economic jerkwater that’s bad for business.
You'’re a hustler who spent a career drumming up business with pay-to-play campaign contributions who claims the political system is corrupt.
You’re a guy who can buy whatever he wants and what you want to buy now is the governor’s mansion.
That’s who you are.
- Mad Brown - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 3:16 pm:
VM Bruce wants everyone to not look at his rich man stuff, and he’s got a lot. I could care less, but all that stuff puts him out of reach to REALLY understand the not so rich man’s plight. That makes him phony. With a capital PH.
- A guy... - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 4:51 pm:
===crazybleedingheart - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 2:50 pm:
“She’s more Rahm than Rahm in a pant suit.”
I was unaware that Karen Lewis wore many pant suits. Or is this just how you generally like to talk about political women?====
Nice try Crazy BH. Karen Lewis is a lewd, rough and tumble ogre who can hold her own with any of the members of the political sty. Is that PC enough for you.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 5:12 pm:
So how much money can a candidate have that disqualifies them?
The wealthiest Congresspeople are Democrats. The top political donors are Democrats. Rauner had to show sincerity as a Republican because so much of his donations went to, you guessed it, Democrats.
What standards are there, and why are the wealthiest political party, the one in majority rule here in Illinois and across the US, in the Oval Office and the U S Senate, going out of its way to disengenuoisly attack any candidate, due to their wealth?
If the Democrats have a standard here, I’d like to know what it is, and why they ignore their wealthiest power players.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 5:28 pm:
–What standards are there, and why are the wealthiest political party, the one in majority rule here in Illinois and across the US, in the Oval Office and the U S Senate, going out of its way to disengenuoisly attack any candidate, due to their wealth?–
Because Rauner’s a rich dude who plays poor and runs around the state saying everybody else makes too much money?
I know every day is new to you, but going negative on an opponent for wealth or elite status has been a universal staple in American politics since Andrew Jackson. Try to cope.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 9:46 pm:
Listen up.
Bash Rauner for his proposals. Bash him over his experience. But stop thinking you can lead us into some type of enlightenment, based on how you feel about him.
Telling me it is just politics as usual, yet you obviously don’t like politics as usual when played by Rauner, makes you sound illogical and pathetic.
I’m not having Penny Pritzker’s political party tell me it is ok for her rich butt to play politics, but somehow being rich is a disqualifier now. It isn’t.
And the guy you claim is playing poor just happens to also be the guy telling folks he is in the top .01% when asked.
None of this wealth bashing would have been necessary if the Governor knew how to campaign for reelection. You don’t see Durbin bashing Oberweis over it, do you? The attacks are foolish, whether it is typical politics or not.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 8, 14 @ 10:38 pm:
VMan, you’re clueless. There are rich politicians whose wealth has never been an issue.
That’s because they didn’t create fictions about beimg some kind of s-kicker for the purpose of a campaign, complaining that everyone else makes too much money.
It goes to Rauner’s whole phoniness. The ultimate insider who plays the outsider. The pay-to-play bankroller of the political status quo who plays the corruption buster who’s going to shake things up.
Only an idiot would allow him to define himself with such fictions unchallenged. Just as his ridiculous tax and spending ‘plans” have not gone unchallenged.
- low level - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 6:07 am:
Added to what Wordslinger put: the Dems mentioned, even if wealthy, all want to help working people and the policies they advocate would do that, as well as increasing taxes on wealthy people like themselves.
Billionaire Bruce comes off like Scrooge when you look at him further. He’s rich and could care less about those on the margains. He wants policies that would help him get even wealthier. Then he makes it worse with the $18 watch, the van, etc. Rauner made an issue of his wealth early on with the nonsense watch and now with the van.
That’s the standard. If you advocate policies that are likely to result in only people like yourself paying more, you will get more credibility than a guy who advocates policies that will only add to his wealth.