63 Comments - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:13 am: Bruce Rauner is no friend of the minimum wage, and neither is Pat Quinn. Proof? Who is governor? Quinn is governor. He could have raised the minimum wage anytime he has been governor. It has increased by one single quarter during that time. If the minimum wage is too low in Pat Quinn’s opinion, then it is Pat Quinn’s fault for not raising it. If you don’t like the minimum wage Pat, then you should fix it. This is Pat Quinn’s version of the Bruce Rauner Property Tax Freeze. What Quinn is attempting to do is increase his voter turnout. His goal is to reach those effected by this issue either directly , or sympathetically. This also raises union wages, which is another important voter base for Quinn. So please spare us the charade. As the man who can - you didn’t. - Peoria guy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:17 am: I do not like either candidate, but Rauner appears to be losing ground as I see it. Quinn may pull this out. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:17 am: Bruce Rauner: “I am adamantly, adamantly against raising the minimum wage.” Speaking in absolutes…”always” comes back to haunt. I adamantly, adamantly, believe that Rsuner thinks speaking as he does in absolutes sounds tough, sounds determined , but in reality is sounds Dopey… - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:21 am: - VanillaMan -, Are you going negative again? How about you tell us all the good of Rauner, instead of putting a negative light on Pat Quinn. Don’t you want positive campaigning? Start with yourself. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:30 am: To the “Rate?” For a :30 Ad, using Rauner’s own words against him, making Rauner live and run hypocritically, it’s a great Ad to fram that discussion. To frame it, with a ballot initiative about the minimum wage to dove tail off of to bring voters to the polls… It’s an “A -” because what, Bruce is going to say he “adamantly, adamantly” didn’t say that? Yikes. Perfect for :30 seconds, and it’s simple, and it’s clean. “A -” - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:36 am: The internals on the minimum wage must be off the charts. But when’s the rollout on the nursing home bustouts? - CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:36 am: A+++ Best way to show out of touch is offer simple facts and not waste time on his wealth, unless of course the wealth was created by Atlanta based predatory lenders or sleazy nursing homes or….. The next best way is to run Capt. Fax’s last column that show his fiscal plan is an “outright lie” BTW anybody getting close on Mitt’s full club list? He brought it up some I think Mr. Shrimp ought to sending it out. - MrJM - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:39 am: A- I look forward to the mournful cries of “Class warfare!” in subsequent comments. – MrJM - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:48 am: This is a negative ad. I responded by reminding folks that Quinn is governor and the minimum wage only went up 25 cents since he has been governor. So I find it disingenuous for Quinn to run this ad. It would be more believable if he championed the minimum wage before his reelection campaign. - Johnny Q. Suburban - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:55 am: I’m used to cynicism in politics - you have to be, at this point - but this particular election is so incredibly cynical it’s really and seriously turning me off. Bruce Rauner has his magical budget plan written in fairy dust and Pat Quinn has his “I care passionately about the minimum wage, I just never tried to do anything about it when I was the state’s executive the last 5 years because I was too busy cutting pensions!” I just want them both to go away. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 8:58 am: - lying about Bruce’s position on the minimum wage - Dude, the statement is pretty clear, and the video quality is good enough I’m pretty sure that’s not a Bruce imposter. This ain’t third grade. He said it, multiple times, so stop whining. Solid A. - Cassiopeia - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:00 am: Quinn has not made the case as to why things will be any better if he is re-elected. I know the young ultra-liberals surrounding Quinn think they have a winning issue on the minimum wage. Really, polls may show that in the abstract a majority supports this. That is till they realize that they will be the ones to pay. - Snucka - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:01 am: I know this is a negative campaign on both sides, so this comment is strictly about tone — I find it interesting that Rauner responds to almost any attack by using the words “lying” and “corruption” and not addressing the allegation. I feel like he comes across as angry and thin-skinned when he’s forced to the defensive. It will be interesting to see him on the debate stage with the Governor. - Peoria guy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:04 am: Quinn has never called for the abolishment of the minimum wage. Quinn increased the minimum wage and the IL minimum wage is higher than the national min wage. Rauner is trying to run from what he said over and over. Own it. Explain why you said it. Please. - Peoria guy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:06 am: ^^It will be interesting to see him on the debate stage with the Governor.^^ Rauner will laugh at any tough question. It is what he does. - Gantt Chart - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:09 am: This is like a bad re-make of “Groundhog Day”! Two elections in a row where most people don’t like either choice… - hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:10 am: VMan, you want to tell me Quinn is incompetent or even corrupt, fine. But to claim the man isn’t a friend of the minimum wage just because he has waited four years after the last minimum wage increase he supported fully kicked in before calling for another one just reeks of desperation. Is the race really tightening that much to justify the amount of angst you’re putting in your posts these days? - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:11 am: This is the first one that gets the coveted Gooner A+. They went into their arsenal and pulled out their best stuff on this one. They did an ad on an issue of great importance and did it exceedingly well. The final line about Rauner not thinking people would find out is brutal. It goes to a perception that Rauner can talk about his cheap watch, but in reality, his policy will be to favor the rich at the expense of the poor. On this issue, it is hard to imagine a better ad. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:12 am: I rate the ad a B+. Rauner has taken different positions on the minimum wage, and it’s fair to hit him on his past position. Rauner is a shape shifter on this issue, and I would pay more attention to what he said before the full scrutiny of a gubernatorial campaign. **”I look forward to the mournful cries of “Class warfare!” in subsequent comments.”** I must say, for the first time, that I’m disappointed in you. Don’t you hear the cries of the super-wealthy, as proverbial nails are being driven into their palms by minimum wage advocates? Don’t you have any compassion for ordinary multimillionaires who are their cheap watches, and billionaires like Ken Griffin who ask why government workers get to retire early while they have to work all their lives? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:16 am: “It should come as no surprise that Pat Quinn is lying about Bruce’s position on the minimum wage…” Which “adamantly” was the lie, the first “adamantly”…or the second…”adamantly”? Dopes. ===I responded by reminding folks that Quinn is governor and the minimum wage only went up 25 cents since he has been governor.=== Really? So it …went…. Up? Bruce Rauner doesn’t want it up, “adamantly, adamantly” against it going up…at all. So Quinn, under his watch, it did go up? Is that what you are saying… just not fast enough “up”, so he is the same as a Carhartt and watch saying “No”…period? Bruce has said, on the ballot initiative, he is not in favor of it. Injecting Quinn negatively, is negative campaigning, - VanillaMan -, something you want stopped. - hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:18 am: @Cassiopeia - Where is your evidence that only an “abstract” majority supports minimum wage increases? Or that this support becomes a minority when people really think about it? Because there is CONCRETE majority support for minimum wage increases in greater voter turnout and voter referendum results, even in Republican-leaning states. Quinn may very well be surrounded by ultra-liberals but support for minimum wage increases is as mainstream Democrat as it gets. - Retired - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:20 am: Where will “None of the Above” be found on the November ballot? - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:21 am: Watched the ad before I read Rauner’s response. Wow. Team Rauner just made things worse. Now Quinn gets to “respond” the “lying” response by repeating that tape over and over. I’ve joked about the Rauner-ites claiming that anything from Quinn is a distraction, but if I was on that team, I would be playing that card in response to this ad. Rather than talk about the merits of the ad, change the subject. My response would have been “Quinn is out with a new ad today, but why isn’t he explaining why the credit rating of the State of Illinois keeps falling . . .” When you have a bad issue, change the subject. Once again, I’m amazed at how well Rauner’s team ran a primary race and how bad they are running a general election race. Did they lose key staff? Did they simply understand GOP primary voters better than they understand IL voters generally? There has been a change and it has not been good. - Rufus - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:24 am: “The fact remains Bruce is the only candidate who has a real plan to raise the minimum wage.” Really? I must have missed that plan. Went to his web site, couldn’t find anything on minimum wage. What is his plan? - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:25 am: This is one of the biggest red herrings in politics over the last decade. Pat Quinn has been governor for six general spring sessions, five veto sessions and two lame duck sessions. During that time, he has had super majorities in the Senate for four years and a current super majority in the House. Yet nothing was done. Hmm. This is just like the inversion issue at the federal level. President Obama had two years of unfettered policy-making ability in 2009 and 2010 and nothing got done. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 4.3% of American workers who are paid an hourly wage actually earn the minimum wage. This is essentially a third of the amount of workers who earned the minimum wage in 1979. That means that we are quibbling over and running ads about a very small percentage of the actual workforce. I understand that it is an important issue to those workers and their advocates, but only 96,000 workers in Illinois were at or below the federal minimum wage in 2013. That is 3.2% of our hourly workforce. 3.2%! In case anyone doubts my stats, here is the BLS handbook on 2013 minimum wage stats: http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2013.pdf. This election is as much (if not more) of a referendum on Governor Quinn as it is Bruce Rauner. Sorry for the Quinn supporters and the Rauner haters, but Quinn has been governor for over 5.5 years. That means that he must defend his record, which includes taking minimal action on an issue that is all of a sudden such a big deal that requires a non-binding referendum and a large media buy that will likely air in one of the most expensive media markets in the country. - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:26 am: Rufus, Take another look. It is right next to where he details how and when he will cut the income tax, and below the section on where he details his plans for improving schools. - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:28 am: Rauner needs to hire Team Sleep. THAT’s how you respond to this ad. “He lied!” is terrible. Team Sleep’s response would have effectively changed the terms of debate. That’s the way it should be done. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:30 am: “Because there is CONCRETE majority support for minimum wage increases in greater voter turnout and voter referendum results” I’m not sure what effect it will have on turnout, but I admire what Madigan did with the minimum wage issue. It wouldn’t pass in the GA, but he’s trying to get more life out of it as a ballot question. Now the minimum wage issue looks like it’s becoming a large part of this election. That’s why, though I sometimes strongly disagree with Madigan, I admire him. He helped shape the narrative that appears to be emerging. If Quinn wins the election, Madigan will be again certified as a political genius. - Snucka - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:31 am: - Cassiopeia - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:00 am: Quinn has not made the case as to why things will be any better if he is re-elected. I know the young ultra-liberals surrounding Quinn think they have a winning issue on the minimum wage. Really, polls may show that in the abstract a majority supports this. That is till they realize that they will be the ones to pay. ======== What is going to make them “realize that they will be the ones who will pay”? Who will be out there making the argument for a lower minimum wage? Maybe someone will, but I haven’t seen any sign of that yet. It sounds more like wishful thinking on your part. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:31 am: ===This election is as much (if not more) of a referendum on Governor Quinn as it is Bruce Rauner.=== That word “referendum”, I don’t think it means what you think it means, lol There is a “choice” for governor, the Executive in government, not the CEO of Illinois, and the choices and positions, the remarks and plans, they dictate to many who they may choose. There is the “lesser of two evils” aspect too. Which one of these two is less hurtful to me, my family, and Illinois. There is no referendum. However… There is a ballot initiative, pertaining to minimum wage. Bruce is not in favor of the initiative on the ballot, Quinn is, and this Ad is also framing that contrast. Contrast. Choice. Decision. Not referendum. - Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:33 am: Quinn isn’t lying about Rauner’s position. Rauner said it. Said it multiple times in multiple ways. The video is there to prove. The only lie is the one Rauner tells himself when he thinks he has an actual political ideology. He doesn’t. We know he doesn’t because he can’t articulate it. Multiple positions on any issue means you’re confused. Rauner is confused. Besides, it doesn’t take much to look at Rauner’s eyes and the way his hands move when he talks about the minimum wage. It clearly is a difficult issue for him because he can’t articulate his actual position. - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:35 am: It should come as no shock that the Rauner campaign said Quinn is lying about what Bruce thinks… since what Bruce thinks changes with what Pat Quinn says, everything Pat Quinn says about Bruce Rauner is a lie!!!! Great spot! Keep it up, Pat! - Skeptic - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:35 am: “Where will “None of the Above” be found on the November ballot?” Vote for Oswego Willy! And then maybe we can convince him to introduce a Constitutional amendment making that a choice. I’d vote for that too. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:36 am: he meant no maximum wage - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:39 am: Gooner - I always enjoy a compliment and kind word before 9:30 a.m. It doesn’t always happen in this business. I’m sure Mr. Rauner could meet my going rate. It’s ain’t much. - Calling u out - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:40 am: The national average of a McD’s worker is 9.00 an hour, this campaign is sad…I’m thinking none of the above on the ballot myself! Rauner/Quinn needs to get into the budget and spending issues, and detail a plan on how they are going to turn the horrid economical situation Il is in around! - Skeptic - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:40 am: Rating the Ad: I give an A-. Clear and concise, although the cliche grainy black-and-white photo of the opponent is wearisome to me. - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:41 am: @Anonymous9:36am He is against raising the maximum wage? What is the maximum wage nowadays??? - Cassandra - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:47 am: Hey, if Rauner said it, he’ll have to take the consequences. Think before you speak and all that, especially if you are contemplating a run for governor. Quinn and his liberal base love to talk about their efforts to raise the minimum wage without mentioning that you can’t raise a family on it. A child born into a family with two minimum wage parents does not have good prospects in this 21st century USA. What are the candidates going to do about that. And no, liberals, a massive tax increase and redistribution of income is not a realistic response. Quinn’s redistribution efforts haven’t worked so far. They just shored up state pensions. Need to do some actual creative thinking here. But that’s hard. - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:52 am: Cassandra? You can’t raise a family on it because it it too low. That’s why Quinn wants to raise it. See how that works? And by the way, when you whine about “redistribution” you really should ask Rauner why he wants to add a massive expansion of the sales tax in order to fund his new spending. Rauner seems OK with redistribution. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 9:58 am: There is no referendum. When voters make it a referendum and votes based on seeing the election as a referendum, then it is a referendum. You have been wrong about this for a long time. You need to open your mind and agree with a lot of other regulars around here, that it is both. It is a referendum on Quinn. It is his reelection. It plays a large part into the final outcome. Bashing the other candidate with barrages of negative ads isn’t going to be enough. More lawn mower ads, less crap like this, please. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:01 am: ===You have been wrong about this for a long time. You need to open your mind and agree with a lot of other regulars around here, that it is both.=== “Both” means a choice, not referendum. It’s not a referendum. Not. lol - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:04 am: –That is till they realize that they will be the ones to pay.– Where’s the polling on that? Let me see if I understand your positions, though: you’re against the concept of a minimum wage, and no one should ever get a bump because it’s always inflationary? Because wages are the only factor that effect price? It’s bizarre the some Republicans want to go down and get stuck in the weeds on an overwhelmingly popular issue that impacts only 2.5% of American workers. They didn’t see this coming? What’s the upside? - MrJM - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:06 am: “Well, who you gonna believe — me or your own eyes and ears?” — Chico Marx, Rauner Rapid Response Team. – MrJM - Chris - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:06 am: “Mr. Rauner does not get ‘do-overs’ ” But Quinn does? PQ is asking (implicitly and directly) for a do over on just about everything he has done: corruption, pensions, education funding, income tax rate, etc etc. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:20 am: That Rauner rapid-response team sure is quick. What’s the hold-up on responding to Rich’s column that his budget and fiscal “plans” are a lie? - Del Clinkton - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:22 am: When Bruce decided to run for P-U-B-L-I-C Office, his life is now officially P-U-B-L-I-C. If you dont want this to happen Bruce, then quit. You cant have it both ways Bruce. Even though you have 50 million dollars. Grow up. - Cassandra - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:22 am: Raising the minimum wage as proposed will not materially improve the economic prospects of low-income families. As Quinn well knows. That’s not a reason not to do it. But it’s tinkering around the politically safe edges of the real problem, which is the disappearance of jobs requiring mid-level skills and education and the stagnation of income for middle and working class Americans. The politicians won’t be able to fix that by raising the minimum wage. Should our best goal be a nation of retail workers waiting for the next minimum wage increase. - Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:23 am: I rate this ad an A. But as an aside, in Saturday’s Ottawa, IL Times newspaper, the poll question was “If the Illinois gubernatorial election were held today, who would receive your vote?” Results: Rauner 66.7 % Quinn 29.5 % I won’t be voting 6.9 % Yard signs in Streator for Rauner seem to outnumber Quinn’s by about 5 to 1. So Cap Fax folks may dislike BR, but he seems to be resonating with voters. Go figure. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:24 am: Patriot, you’re clueless. The government shutdown took a bite out of GDP estimated at $24 billion. http://www.businessinsider.com/sp-cuts-us-growth-view-2013-10 - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:24 am: Cassandra, More money to poor people will not help them? Is “up” called “down” in your world? - Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:35 am: == He could have raised the minimum wage anytime he has been governor. == VM, try taking a look at the state constitution and separation of powers. ==But when’s the rollout on the nursing home bustouts?== There’s a piece of Quinn lit that if you open talks about Quinn being tough on nursing home abuse. It’s not a direct hit, but if know even a little about the nursing home issue, it’s clear. - Cassandra - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:36 am: Goner- I didn’t say it wouldn’t help them. I’m saying it’s not good enough. But not good enough is what we have come to expect from the state legislature and the governor’s office these days-these decades really. Which is why voter turnout will probably be pretty low with or without the min. wage issue. Folks have given up. Not to say that won’t work to Quinn’s benefit. And we won’t be able to say we don’t deserve him. - Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:46 am: ==- Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 10:23 am:== Yard signs and counties! Rauner’s really racking up the votes! - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 11:01 am: – Really, polls may show that in the abstract a majority supports this. That is till they realize that they will be the ones to pay.– You’re already paying for low wages in the form of taxpayer-funded corporate subsidies for low-wage employers. “Forbes” estimates WalMart alone is subsidized to the tune of $6.2 billion in SNAP benefits for its employees. The fast-food industry — $7 billion, with McDonald’s leading the way at $1.2 billion. http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2014/04/15/report-walmart-workers-cost-taxpayers-6-2-billion-in-public-assistance/ - Gooner - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 11:02 am: Cassandra, who said it was the magic bullet? You don’t like Quinn. You think Democrats are bad. We get it. But your idea that more money in the pockets of poor people will not help them is ridiculous. You are not exactly helping the Rauner cause. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 11:06 am: Precinct Captain - he could have issued an order (similar to President Obama’s and Mayor Emanuel’s) requiring vendors and contractors with state contracts to pay their employees a minimum that he set forth. And he has the bully pulpit. He makes two constitutionally-mandated speeches per year in which he can advocate his priorities, and he has a full staff and liaisons who can push whatever agenda he and his agency directors see fit. Again - six years and little-to-no action. - Linebacker II - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 11:22 am: “Eliminate the minimum wage? Taking thousands of dollars out of the pockets of hard-working families.”..while these words were being spoken by the voice over, a baby was shown looking into into the camera - I almost cried when I saw that - Im switching my vote to Quinn…uh NOT. - A guy... - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 11:59 am: Slinger, I don’t know if this polls off the charts or not. It does seem like the only issue that polls well enough to give Quinn leverage. It’s still quite a ways to election day. Hard to imagine this horse has that much stamina. I just don’t hear people outside of these commercials and the discussion of them talking about this. Even in varied circles, I’m just not hearing it in voterland. If I do, it’s in a manner where they are saying he’s worried about the wrong thing if this is all he’s got (self admittedly, those are partisans). The ad rates a “pass” - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 12:05 pm: A Guy, I know, you’re the man on the street and everyone on the street agrees with you. Every time, lol. I was referring to internals in regards to a campaign issue. Polling shows overwhelming support across the country for increasing the minimum wage. - A guy... - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 1:31 pm: Slinger, that charm of yours isn’t going to make me blush. lol. I am on the street. My guess is that Quinn’s polls show few opportunities and this one is better than most. I’m just not hearing it. That doesn’t mean it’s not out there. It just means I’m not hearing it. And I’m listening a lot. - Vanillaman - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 3:09 pm: You are the only one I know to accuse Pat Quinn of being omnipotent. LOL Quinn focused his time and his energy almost Exclusively on the budget and pensions for his first full term. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Sep 9, 14 @ 3:11 pm: Vanillaman- Accident, I swear! That post was mine, everybody! YDD Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.