I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but…
Friday, Feb 20, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* While some folks are encouraging you to ignore all the specifics of the governor’s proposed budget cuts, the governor’s own wife is taking those proposals quite seriously…
The Ounce of Prevention Fund, an early-childhood nonprofit headed by first lady of Illinois Diana Rauner, issued statements to the media and supporters this week criticizing cuts proposed by the governor that target the state’s Child Care Assistance Program and Early Intervention programs.
A statement to the media reads, “We are opposed to the many proposed cuts in health, social service and education programs that would directly impact vulnerable children and families and their communities. We will oppose any changes to the Child Care Assistance Program that would adversely affect low-income families.” […]
A spokeswoman for the Ounce says Diana Rauner approved the statement and though she didn’t see the Action Alert, “everything in it reflects the position of the Ounce organization, including our president Diana Rauner.”
The governor’s office declined to talk about any discussion he had with his wife about the budget-cutting plans
Discuss.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:13 am:
That must have been an awkward dinner conversation on Wednesday.
“Bruce, how could you cut funding for children on ventilators?”
- Mason born - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:14 am:
This is why she should have either stepped down or took a hiatus.
- man with a plan - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Two twin beds…
- slow down - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:16 am:
“Bruce has no social agenda.”
- Gooner - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:17 am:
“I’m so fair and unbiased that I even cut spending for my wife’s programs.”
That would be a nice defense of some of his cuts, but is he that smart?
Based on his performance over the past month, I have to say no and suspect that he didn’t bother talking to her about it.
- Anonymiss - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:18 am:
It’s also possible/likely that they (the Rauners) are intentionally reaching out with this opposition, to demonstrate no conflict of interest.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:21 am:
===The governor’s office declined to talk about any discussion he had with his wife about the budget-cutting plans.===
How about with that CoS for the First Lady, paid for with state funds? Any discussion with the CoS?
Every single time Ounce, the First Lady, and the Administration talk “around” each other where the First Lady’s full-time job intersects with policy, funding, and even optics, there is a state worker, working with the First Lady AND the Governor’s Office…
It’s not just the Governor and the President of Ounce with glaring optic inconsistencies.
- Demoralized - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:21 am:
One thing all men know is don’t tick off your wife. One of those aspects of “Governing is hard” that nobody thinks about.
- Wensicia - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:23 am:
Diana: “Bruce, this is not what we discussed.”
Bruce: “Oops! Sorry, I’ll fix it!”
- PMcP - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:25 am:
Perhaps part of the ‘Shake up Springfield’ agenda he never detailed included open spousal disputes? For all we know, everything could be going ‘according to plan’ at this point…..
- Bob the Slob with a Cushy State Job - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:26 am:
Maybe the best way to take care of the kids and make the unions happy is to give the kids jobs in state government.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:32 am:
Hey. I have heard of couples complimenting each other well, but this is going a bit too far. Diana makes sure people in need get taken care of, and Bruce makes sure there are plenty of people in need.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:34 am:
I smell reality show!
“He’s a reactionary plutocrat. She’s a progressive do-gooder. They don’t share priorities — just the same ten roofs.”
“Tune in this week for Budget Blues.”
“Brucie, you’ve got some ’splainin’ to do!”
“Don’t ask me about my work, D, don’t ever ask me about my work!”
Sell it to “Bravo” or “Discovery” and put it to GRF. Might as well get something out of this comedy.
- Weltschmerz - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:37 am:
Any one else think that he is forcing Cullerton and Madigan to cut some place else? Kike maybe the Illiana highway or the Peotone Airport.
- A guy - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:39 am:
===I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but…====
Since when? lol
- Apocalypse Now - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:40 am:
Smart politics by Governor Rauner.
- anon - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:43 am:
I really am not buying all the game playing going on here. Rauner delivers a budget with drastic cuts. Diana Rauner criticizes her husband’s budget. Rahm criticizes the budget - and the mayoral election just happens to be next week. We, the people are being played for fools and it disgusts me. Are we supposed to buy this fake political soak opera? All of these people knew and were behind what Rauner was about. He isn’t fooling me.
- flea - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:43 am:
Hey Mr. Rockin’, Sockin’ Robot Rauner, get ready to pay for this out of your own pocket! Diana Rauner
- anon - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:43 am:
@wordslinger I agree with you…for once.
- Come on - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:46 am:
Wordslinger - thank you.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:53 am:
To quote our esteemed Governor, “Baloney.”
Diana has sat in on budget talks, this babe in the woods routine would be comical if it did affect real people. This is just face saving for Diana to maintain her image of caring for the less fortunate while she supports her husband’s effort to make them even less fortunate.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:54 am:
@anon 11:43
I totally thought about that possibility. But then I remembered how prideful and arrogant the governor is and disregarded the whole notion.
- olddog - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:00 pm:
=== Are we supposed to buy this fake political soak opera? ===
Freudian slip? We’re all going to get soaked before this plays out.
- 11 ward dem - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
anon- spot on . Can they really think people will buy what they are saying?
- alas - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
Doubt the Gubernatorial Couple differ that much.
- PublicServant - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Diana: Pass the catsup, please.
Bruce: We cut vegetables from the household budget, remember?
- Just Sayin... - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:32 pm:
Dianna will prevail in getting most of these important programs reinstated.
Like it is with all our relationships…. the Governor will have the last words.. “Yes, Dear.”
- PublicServant - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:38 pm:
You can lead a dead beaten horse to water, but it’s a real pain, and then you can’t make it drink.
- Observation - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
===Any one else think that he is forcing Cullerton and Madigan to cut some place else? Kike maybe the Illiana highway or the Peotone Airport.===
Or agency programs that have little or no actual results? This reminds me of the movie “Dave” during which the fake President spends the day with cabinet members cutting or eliminating posh programs in order to get the first lady’s kids program funded. With the state so deeply in debt, why not put a bunch of popular programs on the table to get the attention of the GA (and the public) and see if the GA is willing to make some serious cuts in other things as well. Such cuts won’t solve the entire budget problem, but the cuts would play very well with the general public.
- Lil Squeezy - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 12:51 pm:
Diana Rauner for Governor in 2018! snark intended.
- Arsenal - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 1:04 pm:
The idea that the cuts Rauner put on the table are just a bluff or something is foolish. Look, Rauner gave a big old speech right in the Capitol extolling the virtue of those cuts. Everyone has spent the week talking about them, and will probably spend another week on it. If they don’t pass, every Dem in 2016 is going to run an ad saying, “Bruce Rauner wanted to cut state aid to kids on ventilators, and I stopped him.” Pass or not, he owns these cuts.
That’s always been the folly of the idea that you can legislate via public bluffs. You give your opponent a public win.
- Weltschmerz - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 1:14 pm:
@ Arsenal - We both know politics ain’t beanbag, but I also know that this guy has played plenty of hardball with some big boys (and girls) and came out a winner. Anyone who thinks they “know” him after a campaign and a month or so in office is delusional.
- Arsenal - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 1:37 pm:
And anyway, didn’t he at least stall out Illiana with the first round of EOs?
- Rufus - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 1:48 pm:
@Weltschmerz - Agreed, this guy isn’t dumb. However, he is in a different game, with very experienced players. How well he does will depend on well he learns the rules to this extremely difficult game.
- whetstone - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 1:49 pm:
==I really am not buying all the game playing going on here. Rauner delivers a budget with drastic cuts. Diana Rauner criticizes her husband’s budget.==
Does it really have to be a game? Diana Rauner married a guy with different political beliefs, which happens. 20-some years later, he’s a governor.
He proposes some cuts which are appropriate to his political party, broadly speaking, but which run counter to the goals of her organization. She allows her organization to inveigh against them (which is its, and her, job).
There are obviously a lot of complications and potential conflicts of interest, but if they’re both going to continue to do their jobs, which seems to be the current plan, this is exactly what I’d expect to happen.
- Federalist - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 2:10 pm:
Not even a consensus in their own household as to who should get cut the most.
WOW! You ain’t seen nothing yet.
- unbelievable - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 2:32 pm:
===Any one else think that he is forcing Cullerton and Madigan to cut some place else? Kike maybe the Illiana highway or the Peotone Airport.===
Capitol projects don’t come out of GRF.
- northshore cynic - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 4:26 pm:
I hope the Gov likes sleeping on the couch…a lot.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 5:05 pm:
Who does the family budget?
- GA Watcher - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 5:10 pm:
If he keeps this up, hope he has a pre-nup.
- Mama - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 5:29 pm:
==- anon - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 11:43 am: == I have been thinking the same thing. It’s a joke.