A health care union is launching its own ad push in an attempt to counter Gov. Bruce Rauner’s statewide TV ad launch.
The ad, called “Wrong Priorities,” features first-person testimonials from family of the elderly and disabled, who say their quality of life — and actual lifespan — improves if they’re able to stay at home.
“Governor Rauner’s dangerous budget cuts target Illinois’ most vulnerable,” a narrator says on the ad.
The ad, on social media and online media, is part of a larger paid effort that could include a cable and TV ad buy, according to the union.
* Keeping in mind that this is only an online purchase, rate the ad…
If they had Gov’s money to put this out there AND connect it to rank and file GOP Members it would be BIG trouble for Gov’s plan. Human stories generally beat populism in the public square.
Anon, the Governor proposed a budget with a large number of specific cuts. He’s already told us what he intends to do if he doesn’t get his agenda through.
The Rauner Cuts, the Rauner Cuts… The Rauner Cuts.
This is the drumbeat. This IS the absolute fear of the “man” Bruce Rauner.
The point was made yesterday, to paraphrase my own take, this also might be about the “man” Bruce Rauner, wanting to be liked, be tough, be a fighter, but in all these battles, Rauner wants to just be “the hero governor” to all.
To the Post,
It’s really powerful, and it’s up to all those that WILL be effected by “The Rauner Cuts” to use their phone trees, YouTube, emails, newsletters, and forget that they can compete with a man who, easily, can go up on TV with a million dollar Ad buy, refuting the actual decisions governors have been making since forever.
This is the drumbeat; “The Rauner Cuts, The Rauner Cuts”
Bruce Rauner owns this Ad. It’s only as powerful as those seeing it, that is the real challenge.
I truly hate to say this but given the very well known enormity of the pension debt of State and Local governments and continuous credit downgrades, the potential for cuts to classrooms and law enforcement, the horrible unaffordability of higher education, and the uncertainty that many folks who have 401(k) plans instead of pensions for their retirement security now face, I don’t think that the sympathy level is there amongst middle class voters for ads like these right now. This seems like this is another “do the right” thing ad but doesn’t offer any solutions on how the bills will get paid and how we catch up from skipped debt payments - all at the same time. For every lower middle class voter it gins up, it loses supports among middle class and upper middle class voters who are now feeling the pinch of having a higher cost of living because of higher taxes, less earnings, more of a burden for individual retirement security, and higher costs for homes, colleges, and healthcare.
Human stories generally beat populism in the public square.
Bruce Rauner is forcing us to decide between the moral values we hold as citizens, and the market values we hold as discount shoppers.
Cheap government that treats citizens as disposable plastic spoons may cost us less in tax money, but costs us more as a society. Governor “Blue-Light Special” wears a Timex, but doesn’t seem to value the time, does he?
- Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:05 am:
Wow. This is extremely powerful. I agree with GOP. Put money behind this sucker, and it would spell big trouble for Brucie.
The ad is a pass. It might just go a bit too far in trying to make the point. The stories are powerful, but they’re not new or unique. People are indeed aware of people in these difficult circumstances now.
Willy can keep calling them Rauner cuts as if this is a simple algebra equation i.e. Cuts = Governor’s cuts. There are enough resources to lay the blame where it belongs. The Dems have trumpeted their care and compassion for people in difficult circumstances, but they’ve put them in this position over and over again over the years.
Messaging is an art and a science. This one may or may not pound a little too hard in reaching the wrong conclusion for why this is happening. It’s a compelling spot, but it may be trying to carry to big of a burden in 15 seconds.
Make it 30 seconds
add Rauner’s own words of deception regarding the Rauner Cuts
sprinkle in the lack of/need for a progressive tax (millionaire tax) and
Voila! It might just be the silver bullet with the right media placement.
===Rauner will wear the jacket for the Rauner Cuts. Like the Edgar Pension Ramp.===
Sure, I don’t go a day without hearing about the Edgar Pension Ramp. Not.
Willy, the electorate (and everyone else in Illinois) will decide who will wear the jacket. It’s time for you to re-evaluate some of the things that you know to be a fact. We’re in a different time my friend.
We’ll see who’s name these cuts carry over time. It won’t be decided on CF, under the dome or in Oswego.
- Albany Park Patriot - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:19 am:
These are real human beings. It contrasts starkly with the Rauner ad in which he promotes himself. My heart breaks for the people Rauner has ground under foot during his career, extending now to this governorship.
Restated– Rauner would have not received crossover votes if his true agenda and Rauner Cuts had been transparent. AND, the majority of people are in favor of the millionaire tax. Somebody with money and conviction needs to tie it all together.
Meh. Tugging on heartstrings doesn’t sole a math problem. You could run ads like this all day and all they point to is higher taxes and bigger government. We all want to help those that need help, but we cannot lose sight of the fact doing so takes cash. We are broke. It’s hard to help people when you’re broke.
===We all want to help those that need help, but we cannot lose sight of the fact doing so takes cash. We are broke. It’s hard to help people when you’re broke.===
Hey, - A Guy -, Rauner can say this…
But, then Rauner would own it. Rauner can’t have that.
Don’t worry @StatehouseChick will write another breathtakingly column about protesters who know who is cutting are just rubes and should be mad at those who didn’t decide to cut programs….
“… will write another breathtakingly shill-like column about protesters who know who is cutting, but they are just rubes, and they should be mad at those who didn’t decide to cut programs….”
==
Rauner will wear the jacket for the Rauner Cuts. Like the Edgar Pension Ramp.==
That may be the worst possible example possible to use to try and prove a theory that Governors always own these decisions. To the general public, Edgar has had a reputation of being the last Governor to balance a budget. I would wager a small fraction trace the pension problems that far back or even know about the pension ramp.
I think Rauner is going to blame all of his cuts (and other cost savings actions) on the State’s enormous debt - which is very well know globally. I suspect we will soon see him blaming the debt in seeking changes in the current labor contract.
‘We are broke. It’s hard to help people when you’re broke.’ Please. As Judge Thomas asked during the ISC hearing: “Didn’t the State decide to lower taxes 25%”. Rauner asked the tax not be reinstated after it sunsetted as planned by law. He has already expressed a willingness to raise taxes after he gets his Turnaround Agenda approved. Choosing is far different than being forced.
**I think Rauner is going to blame all of his cuts (and other cost savings actions) on the State’s enormous debt - which is very well know globally. I suspect we will soon see him blaming the debt in seeking changes in the current labor contract.**
Have you been paying attention at all? He isnt blaming debt.
He’s blaming Madigan. And his blaming union bosses.
He doesn’t care about the debt. He cares about crushing Madigan and the unions.
Why do (some) people (or some “guy”) think the Dems should wear the jacket for these cuts? The Dem aren’t proposing these cuts, Rauner is.
If I understand the “logic” of those who make the argument that the Dems deserve the blame, it’s that the cuts are necessitated by years of wasteful spending, and thus the piper must now be paid in the form of these cuts. First, both parties, principally through the pension holidays, contributed to the current situation. Second, if the (lower) revenue stream were not of Rauner’s choosing, we would have the revenue to cover these programs. Third, and most importantly, it is Rauner who is proposing these cuts, not the Dems.
Bedbug, i do not no how old you are but soon you will need these services and your mind will change. Life is to short to not concern your self with the consequences of not taking care of the our sick and elderly. do not believe all you read for it is a twisted truth Illinois has plenty of places that can cut that will only harm the one’s who already have it.
VanillaMan, very well put. Reminds me of this exchange:
“Cecil Graham: What is a cynic [read, Rauner]?
Lord Darlington: A man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
Oscar Wilde
“man crush”, “hero worship”. Really dude, listen to yourself.
Rauner has a quite different philosophical approach than Madigan. They’re doing their level best (each of them are) to impose their own philosophies and wills. For you, it’s a lot more complicated than that. For me, it isn’t.
The goofy man crush, hero worship stuff is a bit beneath you. But if it makes you feel better, whatever.
Tugging on heartstrings doesn’t sole a math problem.
What you are seeing as a math problem - is the problem. These people are not numbers. They are more important. They are more important than money. They are more important than returning the income tax rate to where it was last year. Fact is, there is ZERO evidence that the higher tax rate last year impacted anything enough to justify treating people like they are inhuman numbers.
Your comments make you look like an unfeeling, immoral individual. Trashing your own humanity to prove a political point in an debate should be too high a price to pay.
VanMan, your comments over the last couple of days regarding citizens vs. consumers have been very worthwhile additions to the discussion - especially as we now live in the Age of Hubristic Billionaires and financial extremism. Slowly, more people are paying attention to a situation that has gotten out of hand and is dangerous for the proper functioning of republican democracy. Thank you.
Bedbug, i do not no how old you are but soon you will need these services and your mind will change. Life is to short to not concern your self with the consequences of not taking care of the our sick and elderly. do not believe all you read for it is a twisted truth Illinois has plenty of places that can cut that will only harm the one’s who already have it.
Good points. Yet what about asking Bedbug if he has any interest in making sacrifices as a citizen? Is this about whether he can imagine pushing his Wal-Mart shopping cart down the adult diaper aisle and needing any? Or should these folks be reminded that as a citizen in a modern moral society, it is a duty to assist in paying for something that helps others - but not them?
It seems that we are debating people who believe that they have no responsibilities to their fellow citizens if it means doing so inconveniences them in any way. We have a governor appealing to them because he is promising Discount Government, without telling them that it means less for the same price.
Governor Rauner will not save you money, folks. Get over the idea that he will help you gain a tax windfall.
Anon “Life is to short to not concern your self with the consequences of not taking care of the our sick and elderly. do not believe all you read for it is a twisted truth Illinois has plenty of places that can cut that will only harm the one’s who already have it.”
I don’t disagree with you but if elected officials are going to be talking about new revenue to save these safety net programs, they also need to have serious plans for private sector retirement security, k-12 education funding, college affordability, and reducing current healthcare costs that are weighing very heavy on Illinois’ middle class standard of living. Right now, the middle class - for better or worse - sees only tax cuts and freezes as the best - and possibly only way - to preserve their middle class lifestyles. Unions and Democrats need something to counter this belief or the run the risk of losing the war for the middle class that’s going on right now.
Vman: “It seems that we are debating people who believe that they have no responsibilities to their fellow citizens if it means doing so inconveniences them in any way.”
I don’t see it this way. Elected officials are soon going to be asking one generation of taxpayers to both (a) shoulder the current costs of government and (b) catch up for 40 years of skipped pension payments and retiree healthcare debt. What’s your plan for giving the current generation of private sector middle taxpayers something substantive in return for this massive sacrifice? Ignore their financial realities and chastising them for not being responsible won’t win you many votes.
Please be aware that we are in Year 7 of a very severe economic downturn. Boomers are retiring. We are seeing a huge generational shift which is going to cost us all a lot of money.
Don’t panic. Things will get better. Don’t throw our humanity overboard to the sharks because we still aren’t seeing land on the horizon. We will be OK if we stop reminding our society’s weakest that they are unworthy of our support.
I don’t believe Boomers paid enough into their future costs, so I support implementing a retirement income tax that would effect those earning more than the current Federal poverty rate. This would help poor retirees stay solvent, and help the Boomer generation pay for their own costs.
I don’t want to see working mothers being taxed so that their grandparents can keep their $300,000 retirement condos in Sun City.
I give it a B. Super powerful - I don’t know how you can watch the guy say he’ll die, too if his loved one goes into a nursing home, and not tear up.
But much more than Rauner’s ad, this ad needs a call to action - I mean as an web-only ad, it’s not hard to ad the tools to share the ad, sign up to support seniors, etc. Mobilizing people is critical, since they don’t have the money to air this ad, much less air ongoing ads.
The last five words of the ad “especially the working class People” offers the typical democrat class envy. This is nothing new: bash a prosperous Republican rather than confronting the real issues of high taxation, low job creation and special interests that jack up the cost of government. At least in his tepid ad, Bruce Rauner offered some solutions.
If SEIU was truly compassionate, they’d use that money to care for people, not produce propaganda.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:18 am:
A very powerful and sad video. I can relate because I have friends in this situation. I rate the video an A.
I support corporate tax breaks and help for businesses in general but think it was terrible to cut the most vulnerable on the same day or around the day that $100 million in corporate tax breaks were given. It sends a terrible message about people’s worth and what we value as Illinoisans and Americans.
Allen, so you would propose that state workers and their union be the ones to fund essential services for our most vulnerable? How positively medieval of you. And by producing that truthful ad, they are caring for people. Sheesh.
I couldn’t get the sound to work, but the visuals are fine.
More clarification is needed, however. I doubt many folks, even the evil mogul Rauner, are against home care aides for those who need them; the question is, who pays. Should it be free for all. If not, what should the cutoff be. Should there be a cutoff, or should all receive the service from the government and pay something according to income. And how is need defined. What about long term care insurance. Do we reward those who don’t buy it by providing free or low-cost services anyway. But then, why would anyone buy it. And if I give all my money to my kids, should the taxpayers pay for my LTC because I am technically “low-income.”
The ad doesn’t seem to help with those questions.
The Obama admin was looking at a national long-term care insurance program I believe, but they couldn’t make it come together. Maybe Hillary will take another run at it. I’d advocate for something like Social Security-everybody pays into a mandatory long term care program with payments adjusted for income. With a rapidly aging population, there might be more political support for such a national approach.
As to current recipients of these free or almost free services, I would take this ad with a grain of salt. Both the Democrats and Rauner want to raises taxes on the middle class (and on the wealthy, but with way less impact). This is just about who wears the jacket. It’ll pass.
Is it better for the community as a whole to “invest” $20 million in the “legalized gambling” of politics, or would that money better be used to leverage other dollars, volunteerism, and generational investments to strengthen a community (ALL of US) that has been fragmented?
Showing the human face is important, and I truly hope some of you will put aside your cynicism and think, just for a minute (time it out!), what it is like to have a serious disability or to have to be forced to go into a nursing home knowing you will never see your own home again. And please, don’t use the “hole” card of “it’s not going to happen to me- I planned better for my future.” That is a false and selfish premise.
=If SEIU was truly compassionate, they’d use that money to care for people, not produce propaganda.=
Oy. So any organization that is created to advocate for it’s membership should instead use the funds for the job they perform instead? Ok.
I am sure you would agree that groups like local and state chambers of commerce (and other business advocacy groups) should quit complaining about taxes etc. and give the money back to their members instead. That would increase profits and offset taxes.
I am sure you would agree, unless you are a complete hypocrite, that is.
Vman @ 10:15,
So how high to raise taxes to pay for all of this? At some point we have to realize we can’t do everything for everyone. I’m compassionate, but I too only have so much income. Keep asking me to fork over more and sooner or later I will have nothing left to give. Balance. Gotta keep it in balance.
Anon @ 12:54,
Balance. Gotta keep it in balance. Never said I was asked to give everything I have… but when is more too much? Reading is a skill. Try it sometime.
Sheesh.
8 states with one income tax bracket–
IL - 3.75 (state sales tax 6.25)
IN - 3.30 (sst 7.0)
MA - 5.15 (sst 6.25)
MI - 4.25 (sst 6.0)
NC - 5.75 (sst 4.75)
PA - 3.07 (sst 6.0)
UT - 5.00 (sst 4.7)
When combining the above income tax rate plus the sales tax rate, Illinois is THIRD CHEAPEST IN THE COUNTRY, only beaten by PA and UT. We have obviously been terribly mismanaged for years! /s
All the other states have progressive income tax rates that top out higher than Illinois, except AZ, KS, and ND. However if combining (scoring) their top income tax rate plus sales tax rate, only ND is less than Illinois.
It appears that there are 46 states collecting more revenue from there citizens than IL, PA, UT, and ND.
source Federation of Tax Administrators Feb 2015 tables
How long has it been since we’ve had a functional governor? Lets stop blaming the current speaker of the house for not being the governor. Slapping Madigan around because he is all we got running things while we handcuff governors is not putting the blame where it needs to be put. Imagine how much better Illinois would be if it didn’t have the Three Horsemen of the Incompetents as governors for the past seventeen years! That is a long time, dude!
Illinois has gone adrift for almost two decades. What we need is STABILITY. We need a governor who shows us that he can govern. We don’t have that, do we? I don’t even care which party. (I’d take Roland Burris right now, sadly.)
Restore the income tax to where it was before January. It would give us room to breath as we sort out what has been happening. We also know that the income tax increase didn’t wreck the Illinois economy. We survived. It didn’t bring down our world. Put it back. We need the dough.
Find a way to pay the pension. I am on record advocating a retirement income tax. The Boomers have to help pay their own way, so that their kids and grandkids aren’t paying off Boomer Viagra prescriptions and retirement condos, instead of feeding their kids.
The Boomers didn’t have enough kids. The actuaries didn’t seem to expect that the generation after the Boomers would be so small. So not having kids wrecked our social plans. So the Boomers need to help pay in retirement, so that future citizens won’t have to be burdened by the costs that will die off when the last Boomer is buried.
I support reform. Right now though, we need a functional governor providing stable government in a bipartisan atmosphere. Please - just give us a couple of years after all we’ve been through!
Vman,
Yes. Let’s get to work. Work comp is the lowest hanging fruit. Let’s get work comp reform passed and I will work with you on new/increased revenue. You know, compromise.
This governin’ thing ain’t hard at all!
=Throw property taxes in there and you get a very different result. Cherry picking data can be a dangerous game.=
I believe he was talking State Level not local, property tax is local revenue and rates vary from place to place. That makes using anything but an average a challenge.
TIF’s and enterprise zones, which are abundant in Illinois, are often not considered in the cost analysis. They can tilt the advantage toward some areas heavily versus the state level costs in other states.
JS MIll–knock off 30% of whatever Illinoisans pay for property taxes owed–fed and state income tax deductions and credits for property taxes paid result in deep discounts to real cost to property taxpayers.
Agreed that cherry picking is dangerous, but as stated property taxes are local.
These numbers do encourage a pause to think about what if the state did increase revenue (progressively please)and thus could fund education at the state level, not the local level, etc.
==TIF’s and enterprise zones, which are abundant in Illinois, are often not considered in the cost analysis. They can tilt the advantage toward some areas heavily versus the state level costs in other states.==
TIF Districts, or similar variations, are not unique to Illinois
Impact A, even if the production seems a bit off somehow. feel so badly for the people in the piece. their lives will be more difficult if the governor makes cuts.
A+ but as others have said, it’s irrelevant if no one sees it. I would like to respond to the posters that said it doesn’t make much of a difference because we know people are struggling. You couldn’t be more wrong.
Visuals hit home. I know dog fighting exists and don’t really think about it but if you show 100 pics of mutilated dogs I’d care a helluva lot more. Domestic abuse? It’s someone else’s problem until you see an infant with a cigarette burn on her face then it resonates. The ad hits home but will it be seen enough to make a difference?
revising and correcting.
17 states with lower sales tax and income tax combined than Illinois, including those with zero in either. (Includes TX and NH that make high property tax lists)
31 states with higher than Illinois combined sales and income tax.
Did not include AK as they have their oil production revenue which benefits all citizens of Alaska.
Illinois’ neighboring states have higher combined taxes, sans property tax, than Illinois.
I would gladly pay more in taxes for worthy programs, like shown in the video. If Rauner had been transparent about his cuts this would not be happening to the fragile people in Illinois because he would not have been elected.
- x ace - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:45 am:
Strong Message = A
persons with personal experience will be moved
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:49 am:
Powerful, powerful stuff.
This ad will have a huge impact on the debate for months to come.
- GOP - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:51 am:
If they had Gov’s money to put this out there AND connect it to rank and file GOP Members it would be BIG trouble for Gov’s plan. Human stories generally beat populism in the public square.
- Anon - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:54 am:
The Governor doesn’t have a budget to cut yet.
- slow down - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:56 am:
Anon, the Governor proposed a budget with a large number of specific cuts. He’s already told us what he intends to do if he doesn’t get his agenda through.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:57 am:
The Rauner Cuts, the Rauner Cuts… The Rauner Cuts.
This is the drumbeat. This IS the absolute fear of the “man” Bruce Rauner.
The point was made yesterday, to paraphrase my own take, this also might be about the “man” Bruce Rauner, wanting to be liked, be tough, be a fighter, but in all these battles, Rauner wants to just be “the hero governor” to all.
To the Post,
It’s really powerful, and it’s up to all those that WILL be effected by “The Rauner Cuts” to use their phone trees, YouTube, emails, newsletters, and forget that they can compete with a man who, easily, can go up on TV with a million dollar Ad buy, refuting the actual decisions governors have been making since forever.
This is the drumbeat; “The Rauner Cuts, The Rauner Cuts”
Bruce Rauner owns this Ad. It’s only as powerful as those seeing it, that is the real challenge.
- Bedbug - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 8:59 am:
I truly hate to say this but given the very well known enormity of the pension debt of State and Local governments and continuous credit downgrades, the potential for cuts to classrooms and law enforcement, the horrible unaffordability of higher education, and the uncertainty that many folks who have 401(k) plans instead of pensions for their retirement security now face, I don’t think that the sympathy level is there amongst middle class voters for ads like these right now. This seems like this is another “do the right” thing ad but doesn’t offer any solutions on how the bills will get paid and how we catch up from skipped debt payments - all at the same time. For every lower middle class voter it gins up, it loses supports among middle class and upper middle class voters who are now feeling the pinch of having a higher cost of living because of higher taxes, less earnings, more of a burden for individual retirement security, and higher costs for homes, colleges, and healthcare.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:04 am:
Human stories generally beat populism in the public square.
Bruce Rauner is forcing us to decide between the moral values we hold as citizens, and the market values we hold as discount shoppers.
Cheap government that treats citizens as disposable plastic spoons may cost us less in tax money, but costs us more as a society. Governor “Blue-Light Special” wears a Timex, but doesn’t seem to value the time, does he?
- Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:05 am:
Wow. This is extremely powerful. I agree with GOP. Put money behind this sucker, and it would spell big trouble for Brucie.
- A guy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:06 am:
Except Willy, there is no drumbeat.
The ad is a pass. It might just go a bit too far in trying to make the point. The stories are powerful, but they’re not new or unique. People are indeed aware of people in these difficult circumstances now.
Willy can keep calling them Rauner cuts as if this is a simple algebra equation i.e. Cuts = Governor’s cuts. There are enough resources to lay the blame where it belongs. The Dems have trumpeted their care and compassion for people in difficult circumstances, but they’ve put them in this position over and over again over the years.
Messaging is an art and a science. This one may or may not pound a little too hard in reaching the wrong conclusion for why this is happening. It’s a compelling spot, but it may be trying to carry to big of a burden in 15 seconds.
- AC - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:06 am:
A compelling ad, but it’d have more of an impact if it was as well funded as Rauner’s efforts.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:09 am:
- A Guy -,
Governors own their decisions;
Budgets, hires, fires, “fires”, agencies, programs, spending… and Cuts.
Rauner will wear the jacket for the Rauner Cuts. Like the Edgar Pension Ramp.
You and @StatehouseChick, lol
- Reality Check - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:15 am:
The subliminal link to folks who died in Rauner nursing homes. Oof.
- cdog - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:18 am:
Make it 30 seconds
add Rauner’s own words of deception regarding the Rauner Cuts
sprinkle in the lack of/need for a progressive tax (millionaire tax) and
Voila! It might just be the silver bullet with the right media placement.
- A guy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:19 am:
===Rauner will wear the jacket for the Rauner Cuts. Like the Edgar Pension Ramp.===
Sure, I don’t go a day without hearing about the Edgar Pension Ramp. Not.
Willy, the electorate (and everyone else in Illinois) will decide who will wear the jacket. It’s time for you to re-evaluate some of the things that you know to be a fact. We’re in a different time my friend.
We’ll see who’s name these cuts carry over time. It won’t be decided on CF, under the dome or in Oswego.
- Albany Park Patriot - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:19 am:
These are real human beings. It contrasts starkly with the Rauner ad in which he promotes himself. My heart breaks for the people Rauner has ground under foot during his career, extending now to this governorship.
- cdog - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:27 am:
Restated– Rauner would have not received crossover votes if his true agenda and Rauner Cuts had been transparent. AND, the majority of people are in favor of the millionaire tax. Somebody with money and conviction needs to tie it all together.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:28 am:
- A Guy -,
The “man-crush” you have for Rauner is now based on a premise that Bruce Rauner will spend millions to deny anythivg he chooses to do?
That is THE most sad thing I have ever hear. Your hero-worship is based on making sure Rauner takes no slings, and takes no arrows.
BTW, the more you cheer whatever “Rauner does” for the goid of the state, I guess he doesn’t own that too?
Rauner will wear the jacket. Rauner blamed Quinn for “everything”, saying Rauner “failed” over and over.
Now, according to you, the dynamics change?
Good. Luck. With. That.
It comes with the job, even when Rauner refuses to govern.
- Anon2U - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:35 am:
Meh. Tugging on heartstrings doesn’t sole a math problem. You could run ads like this all day and all they point to is higher taxes and bigger government. We all want to help those that need help, but we cannot lose sight of the fact doing so takes cash. We are broke. It’s hard to help people when you’re broke.
- Publius - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:39 am:
A powerful ad, I rate it an A. Made me really feel for these people
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:41 am:
- Anon2U -
Rauner is choosing.
===We all want to help those that need help, but we cannot lose sight of the fact doing so takes cash. We are broke. It’s hard to help people when you’re broke.===
Hey, - A Guy -, Rauner can say this…
But, then Rauner would own it. Rauner can’t have that.
Don’t worry @StatehouseChick will write another breathtakingly column about protesters who know who is cutting are just rubes and should be mad at those who didn’t decide to cut programs….
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:43 am:
“… will write another breathtakingly shill-like column about protesters who know who is cutting, but they are just rubes, and they should be mad at those who didn’t decide to cut programs….”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:44 am:
==
Rauner will wear the jacket for the Rauner Cuts. Like the Edgar Pension Ramp.==
That may be the worst possible example possible to use to try and prove a theory that Governors always own these decisions. To the general public, Edgar has had a reputation of being the last Governor to balance a budget. I would wager a small fraction trace the pension problems that far back or even know about the pension ramp.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:47 am:
It’s the labeling. Its the branding. It’s the point.
Governmental action is framed by the governors sitting.
That’s the point, not the feelings surrounding the point.
- Bedbug - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:48 am:
I think Rauner is going to blame all of his cuts (and other cost savings actions) on the State’s enormous debt - which is very well know globally. I suspect we will soon see him blaming the debt in seeking changes in the current labor contract.
- zatoichi - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:50 am:
‘We are broke. It’s hard to help people when you’re broke.’ Please. As Judge Thomas asked during the ISC hearing: “Didn’t the State decide to lower taxes 25%”. Rauner asked the tax not be reinstated after it sunsetted as planned by law. He has already expressed a willingness to raise taxes after he gets his Turnaround Agenda approved. Choosing is far different than being forced.
- AlabamaShake - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:56 am:
**I think Rauner is going to blame all of his cuts (and other cost savings actions) on the State’s enormous debt - which is very well know globally. I suspect we will soon see him blaming the debt in seeking changes in the current labor contract.**
Have you been paying attention at all? He isnt blaming debt.
He’s blaming Madigan. And his blaming union bosses.
He doesn’t care about the debt. He cares about crushing Madigan and the unions.
- Concerned - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 9:56 am:
Why do (some) people (or some “guy”) think the Dems should wear the jacket for these cuts? The Dem aren’t proposing these cuts, Rauner is.
If I understand the “logic” of those who make the argument that the Dems deserve the blame, it’s that the cuts are necessitated by years of wasteful spending, and thus the piper must now be paid in the form of these cuts. First, both parties, principally through the pension holidays, contributed to the current situation. Second, if the (lower) revenue stream were not of Rauner’s choosing, we would have the revenue to cover these programs. Third, and most importantly, it is Rauner who is proposing these cuts, not the Dems.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:01 am:
Bedbug, i do not no how old you are but soon you will need these services and your mind will change. Life is to short to not concern your self with the consequences of not taking care of the our sick and elderly. do not believe all you read for it is a twisted truth Illinois has plenty of places that can cut that will only harm the one’s who already have it.
- Concerned - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:06 am:
VanillaMan, very well put. Reminds me of this exchange:
“Cecil Graham: What is a cynic [read, Rauner]?
Lord Darlington: A man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
Oscar Wilde
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:08 am:
I love spots with real people. They’re very powerful and credible. But who’s going to see this one?
Maybe that new “progressive Democratic” PAC will put some money behind it. I think they’re called ILGO.
- A guy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:14 am:
Willy, lol.
“man crush”, “hero worship”. Really dude, listen to yourself.
Rauner has a quite different philosophical approach than Madigan. They’re doing their level best (each of them are) to impose their own philosophies and wills. For you, it’s a lot more complicated than that. For me, it isn’t.
The goofy man crush, hero worship stuff is a bit beneath you. But if it makes you feel better, whatever.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:15 am:
Tugging on heartstrings doesn’t sole a math problem.
What you are seeing as a math problem - is the problem. These people are not numbers. They are more important. They are more important than money. They are more important than returning the income tax rate to where it was last year. Fact is, there is ZERO evidence that the higher tax rate last year impacted anything enough to justify treating people like they are inhuman numbers.
Your comments make you look like an unfeeling, immoral individual. Trashing your own humanity to prove a political point in an debate should be too high a price to pay.
- A guy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:15 am:
Now we should let folks get back to rating this ad.
- Willie Stark - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:15 am:
VanMan, your comments over the last couple of days regarding citizens vs. consumers have been very worthwhile additions to the discussion - especially as we now live in the Age of Hubristic Billionaires and financial extremism. Slowly, more people are paying attention to a situation that has gotten out of hand and is dangerous for the proper functioning of republican democracy. Thank you.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:29 am:
Bedbug, i do not no how old you are but soon you will need these services and your mind will change. Life is to short to not concern your self with the consequences of not taking care of the our sick and elderly. do not believe all you read for it is a twisted truth Illinois has plenty of places that can cut that will only harm the one’s who already have it.
Good points. Yet what about asking Bedbug if he has any interest in making sacrifices as a citizen? Is this about whether he can imagine pushing his Wal-Mart shopping cart down the adult diaper aisle and needing any? Or should these folks be reminded that as a citizen in a modern moral society, it is a duty to assist in paying for something that helps others - but not them?
It seems that we are debating people who believe that they have no responsibilities to their fellow citizens if it means doing so inconveniences them in any way. We have a governor appealing to them because he is promising Discount Government, without telling them that it means less for the same price.
Governor Rauner will not save you money, folks. Get over the idea that he will help you gain a tax windfall.
- Bedbug - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:34 am:
Anon “Life is to short to not concern your self with the consequences of not taking care of the our sick and elderly. do not believe all you read for it is a twisted truth Illinois has plenty of places that can cut that will only harm the one’s who already have it.”
I don’t disagree with you but if elected officials are going to be talking about new revenue to save these safety net programs, they also need to have serious plans for private sector retirement security, k-12 education funding, college affordability, and reducing current healthcare costs that are weighing very heavy on Illinois’ middle class standard of living. Right now, the middle class - for better or worse - sees only tax cuts and freezes as the best - and possibly only way - to preserve their middle class lifestyles. Unions and Democrats need something to counter this belief or the run the risk of losing the war for the middle class that’s going on right now.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:40 am:
===For you, it’s a lot more complicated than that. For me, it isn’t.===
Willfully blind.
I gave it a B+, but if no one see it, it can be an A or an F and it won’t matter.
- Bedbug - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:41 am:
Vman: “It seems that we are debating people who believe that they have no responsibilities to their fellow citizens if it means doing so inconveniences them in any way.”
I don’t see it this way. Elected officials are soon going to be asking one generation of taxpayers to both (a) shoulder the current costs of government and (b) catch up for 40 years of skipped pension payments and retiree healthcare debt. What’s your plan for giving the current generation of private sector middle taxpayers something substantive in return for this massive sacrifice? Ignore their financial realities and chastising them for not being responsible won’t win you many votes.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:44 am:
Please be aware that we are in Year 7 of a very severe economic downturn. Boomers are retiring. We are seeing a huge generational shift which is going to cost us all a lot of money.
Don’t panic. Things will get better. Don’t throw our humanity overboard to the sharks because we still aren’t seeing land on the horizon. We will be OK if we stop reminding our society’s weakest that they are unworthy of our support.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:49 am:
What’s your plan…
I don’t believe Boomers paid enough into their future costs, so I support implementing a retirement income tax that would effect those earning more than the current Federal poverty rate. This would help poor retirees stay solvent, and help the Boomer generation pay for their own costs.
I don’t want to see working mothers being taxed so that their grandparents can keep their $300,000 retirement condos in Sun City.
Right Arizona Bob?
- Century Club - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:56 am:
I give it a B. Super powerful - I don’t know how you can watch the guy say he’ll die, too if his loved one goes into a nursing home, and not tear up.
But much more than Rauner’s ad, this ad needs a call to action - I mean as an web-only ad, it’s not hard to ad the tools to share the ad, sign up to support seniors, etc. Mobilizing people is critical, since they don’t have the money to air this ad, much less air ongoing ads.
- Muscular - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 10:56 am:
The last five words of the ad “especially the working class People” offers the typical democrat class envy. This is nothing new: bash a prosperous Republican rather than confronting the real issues of high taxation, low job creation and special interests that jack up the cost of government. At least in his tepid ad, Bruce Rauner offered some solutions.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:00 am:
===…democrat class envy.===
It’s Democratic. Why make yourself sound foolish?
===At least in his tepid ad, Bruce Rauner offered some solutions.===
lol, what solutions?
- walker - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:03 am:
B+ To the point. And always better to make concepts concrete for folks.
- Allen Skillicorn - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:09 am:
If SEIU was truly compassionate, they’d use that money to care for people, not produce propaganda.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:18 am:
A very powerful and sad video. I can relate because I have friends in this situation. I rate the video an A.
I support corporate tax breaks and help for businesses in general but think it was terrible to cut the most vulnerable on the same day or around the day that $100 million in corporate tax breaks were given. It sends a terrible message about people’s worth and what we value as Illinoisans and Americans.
- Concerned - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:20 am:
Allen, so you would propose that state workers and their union be the ones to fund essential services for our most vulnerable? How positively medieval of you. And by producing that truthful ad, they are caring for people. Sheesh.
- Quill - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:47 am:
I’m joining Team VanillaMan, here.
- Cassandra - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:47 am:
I couldn’t get the sound to work, but the visuals are fine.
More clarification is needed, however. I doubt many folks, even the evil mogul Rauner, are against home care aides for those who need them; the question is, who pays. Should it be free for all. If not, what should the cutoff be. Should there be a cutoff, or should all receive the service from the government and pay something according to income. And how is need defined. What about long term care insurance. Do we reward those who don’t buy it by providing free or low-cost services anyway. But then, why would anyone buy it. And if I give all my money to my kids, should the taxpayers pay for my LTC because I am technically “low-income.”
The ad doesn’t seem to help with those questions.
The Obama admin was looking at a national long-term care insurance program I believe, but they couldn’t make it come together. Maybe Hillary will take another run at it. I’d advocate for something like Social Security-everybody pays into a mandatory long term care program with payments adjusted for income. With a rapidly aging population, there might be more political support for such a national approach.
As to current recipients of these free or almost free services, I would take this ad with a grain of salt. Both the Democrats and Rauner want to raises taxes on the middle class (and on the wealthy, but with way less impact). This is just about who wears the jacket. It’ll pass.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 11:48 am:
How should we fund, how should we tax….
Is it better for the community as a whole to “invest” $20 million in the “legalized gambling” of politics, or would that money better be used to leverage other dollars, volunteerism, and generational investments to strengthen a community (ALL of US) that has been fragmented?
Showing the human face is important, and I truly hope some of you will put aside your cynicism and think, just for a minute (time it out!), what it is like to have a serious disability or to have to be forced to go into a nursing home knowing you will never see your own home again. And please, don’t use the “hole” card of “it’s not going to happen to me- I planned better for my future.” That is a false and selfish premise.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 12:00 pm:
=If SEIU was truly compassionate, they’d use that money to care for people, not produce propaganda.=
Oy. So any organization that is created to advocate for it’s membership should instead use the funds for the job they perform instead? Ok.
I am sure you would agree that groups like local and state chambers of commerce (and other business advocacy groups) should quit complaining about taxes etc. and give the money back to their members instead. That would increase profits and offset taxes.
I am sure you would agree, unless you are a complete hypocrite, that is.
- Anon2U - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 12:12 pm:
Vman @ 10:15,
So how high to raise taxes to pay for all of this? At some point we have to realize we can’t do everything for everyone. I’m compassionate, but I too only have so much income. Keep asking me to fork over more and sooner or later I will have nothing left to give. Balance. Gotta keep it in balance.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 12:54 pm:
Anon2U - please stop being hyperbolic. No one is asking you to give everything you have.
Sheesh.
- A guy - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:12 pm:
SEIU might be smart to shrink the size of their disclaimer at the end. It’s a bit of cold water at the end of a compelling video.
- Anon2U - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:13 pm:
Anon @ 12:54,
Balance. Gotta keep it in balance. Never said I was asked to give everything I have… but when is more too much? Reading is a skill. Try it sometime.
Sheesh.
- Sunshine - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
Cassandra makes some great points. Unfortunately this ad appears to me to be more about the ‘worker’ than the recipient.
- cdog - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:23 pm:
8 states with one income tax bracket–
IL - 3.75 (state sales tax 6.25)
IN - 3.30 (sst 7.0)
MA - 5.15 (sst 6.25)
MI - 4.25 (sst 6.0)
NC - 5.75 (sst 4.75)
PA - 3.07 (sst 6.0)
UT - 5.00 (sst 4.7)
When combining the above income tax rate plus the sales tax rate, Illinois is THIRD CHEAPEST IN THE COUNTRY, only beaten by PA and UT. We have obviously been terribly mismanaged for years! /s
All the other states have progressive income tax rates that top out higher than Illinois, except AZ, KS, and ND. However if combining (scoring) their top income tax rate plus sales tax rate, only ND is less than Illinois.
It appears that there are 46 states collecting more revenue from there citizens than IL, PA, UT, and ND.
source Federation of Tax Administrators Feb 2015 tables
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:29 pm:
I’m compassionate…
Good. Then lets get to work my new friend!
How long has it been since we’ve had a functional governor? Lets stop blaming the current speaker of the house for not being the governor. Slapping Madigan around because he is all we got running things while we handcuff governors is not putting the blame where it needs to be put. Imagine how much better Illinois would be if it didn’t have the Three Horsemen of the Incompetents as governors for the past seventeen years! That is a long time, dude!
Illinois has gone adrift for almost two decades. What we need is STABILITY. We need a governor who shows us that he can govern. We don’t have that, do we? I don’t even care which party. (I’d take Roland Burris right now, sadly.)
Restore the income tax to where it was before January. It would give us room to breath as we sort out what has been happening. We also know that the income tax increase didn’t wreck the Illinois economy. We survived. It didn’t bring down our world. Put it back. We need the dough.
Find a way to pay the pension. I am on record advocating a retirement income tax. The Boomers have to help pay their own way, so that their kids and grandkids aren’t paying off Boomer Viagra prescriptions and retirement condos, instead of feeding their kids.
The Boomers didn’t have enough kids. The actuaries didn’t seem to expect that the generation after the Boomers would be so small. So not having kids wrecked our social plans. So the Boomers need to help pay in retirement, so that future citizens won’t have to be burdened by the costs that will die off when the last Boomer is buried.
I support reform. Right now though, we need a functional governor providing stable government in a bipartisan atmosphere. Please - just give us a couple of years after all we’ve been through!
- Anon2U - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:35 pm:
cdog,
Throw property taxes in there and you get a very different result. Cherry picking data can be a dangerous game.
- Anon2U - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Vman,
Yes. Let’s get to work. Work comp is the lowest hanging fruit. Let’s get work comp reform passed and I will work with you on new/increased revenue. You know, compromise.
This governin’ thing ain’t hard at all!
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 1:58 pm:
=Throw property taxes in there and you get a very different result. Cherry picking data can be a dangerous game.=
I believe he was talking State Level not local, property tax is local revenue and rates vary from place to place. That makes using anything but an average a challenge.
TIF’s and enterprise zones, which are abundant in Illinois, are often not considered in the cost analysis. They can tilt the advantage toward some areas heavily versus the state level costs in other states.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 2:00 pm:
==If Bruce Rauner was truly compassionate, he’d use that money to care for people, not produce propaganda.==
See how that works Allen? Or do that not teach that in East Dundee?
- anon - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 2:42 pm:
JS MIll–knock off 30% of whatever Illinoisans pay for property taxes owed–fed and state income tax deductions and credits for property taxes paid result in deep discounts to real cost to property taxpayers.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 2:49 pm:
=JS MIll–knock off 30% of whatever Illinoisans pay for property taxes owed=
Yep, good call.
- cdog - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 2:59 pm:
Agreed that cherry picking is dangerous, but as stated property taxes are local.
These numbers do encourage a pause to think about what if the state did increase revenue (progressively please)and thus could fund education at the state level, not the local level, etc.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 3:07 pm:
==All the other states==
Except those States that have no income tax, which you conveniently leave out
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 3:38 pm:
=Except those States that have no income tax, which you conveniently leave out =
Kinda does not need to be explained, but if need be….theirs is zero (0).
Hope that helps!
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 3:43 pm:
==Kinda does not need to be explained, but if need be….theirs is zero (0).
Hope that helps!==
Which means cdog needs to redo his math when he claims we’re taxed less (income+sales) than 46 States. Unless he thinks there are about 59 States.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 3:57 pm:
==TIF’s and enterprise zones, which are abundant in Illinois, are often not considered in the cost analysis. They can tilt the advantage toward some areas heavily versus the state level costs in other states.==
TIF Districts, or similar variations, are not unique to Illinois
- Amalia - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 4:15 pm:
Impact A, even if the production seems a bit off somehow. feel so badly for the people in the piece. their lives will be more difficult if the governor makes cuts.
- CrazyHorse - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 6:06 pm:
A+ but as others have said, it’s irrelevant if no one sees it. I would like to respond to the posters that said it doesn’t make much of a difference because we know people are struggling. You couldn’t be more wrong.
Visuals hit home. I know dog fighting exists and don’t really think about it but if you show 100 pics of mutilated dogs I’d care a helluva lot more. Domestic abuse? It’s someone else’s problem until you see an infant with a cigarette burn on her face then it resonates. The ad hits home but will it be seen enough to make a difference?
- cdog - Thursday, Jun 18, 15 @ 6:45 pm:
revising and correcting.
17 states with lower sales tax and income tax combined than Illinois, including those with zero in either. (Includes TX and NH that make high property tax lists)
31 states with higher than Illinois combined sales and income tax.
Did not include AK as they have their oil production revenue which benefits all citizens of Alaska.
Illinois’ neighboring states have higher combined taxes, sans property tax, than Illinois.
I would gladly pay more in taxes for worthy programs, like shown in the video. If Rauner had been transparent about his cuts this would not be happening to the fragile people in Illinois because he would not have been elected.