As the state budget impasse wears on, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner today said he thinks Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan wants the ongoing pressure of a partial government shutdown to eventually spark some action.
The governor pointed to the spring, when the state ran out of money to pay for a program that helps low-income families pay for day care before doing something.
“The reality is the speaker wanted pressure to build,” Rauner said today. “He wanted child care services to be cut and impacted and pressure folks to feel that before he would take action, as sort of a cover for taking action.
“I think that’s wrong,” Rauner said. “I think the speaker wants pressure, wants impact now before he’ll do the right thing.”
I’m not saying the governor is wrong about Madigan. He’s most likely right.
I’m just saying that Rauner’s hands ain’t exactly clean, either.
He refused to use his reduction and line-item veto powers on the budget that the Democrats sent him. Why? Likely because he would then own the cuts, and he wants the blame to fall solely on the Democrats. Also, probably because he eventually wants a tax hike and doesn’t really want huge cuts. Also, to use the veto as leverage.
* Let’s mosey down memory lane. From an August, 2014 CNN story about a video that had surfaced of a speech by gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner…
“I apologize but we may have to go through a little rough times and we have to do what Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers,” Rauner said referencing Reagan’s decision in 1981 to fire 11,000 striking air traffic controllers.
“We sort of have to do a do-over and shut things down for a little while, that’s what we’re going to do,” Rauner said. […]
In response to the outcry, Rauner’s campaign said their candidate “has put forth a detailed plan for reviving Illinois, and shutting down state government is not among those plans.”
“But if the choice is between that and four more years of failed leadership, higher taxes, and high unemployment from Quinn and Madigan, a whole lot of Illinoisans might think less government is a pretty good idea,” spokesman Mike Schrimpf told CNN.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner kicked off a campaign-style statewide tour Monday by indicating he’ll try to “leverage” the state’s money woes into securing a series of pro-business changes from a General Assembly controlled by Democrats likely to fiercely oppose them.
The first stop was at Tribune Tower, where the governor sought to frame up the last seven scheduled weeks of the spring session during an appearance before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. The governor and legislative leaders will try to craft a new budget before the May 31 adjournment deadline against the backdrop of a projected deficit of $6 billion and Rauner calling for major cuts.
“Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change … and we’ve got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change,” said Rauner, borrowing from a political philosophy famously coined by his friend Rahm Emanuel that “you never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”
It’s as though Rauner forgot everything he ever uttered from “yesterday” until this morning, and refuses to 1) Do his job, 2) Own the consequences, 3) Move the ball forward on his real intent(s).
Tough way to govern, but if you keep campaigning, it don’t matter too much…
- Former State Employee - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:12 pm:
If that’s the analogy Rauner is basing his strategy on, we are in real trouble.
The 1981 PATCO strike was illegal and the illegal strikers were subject to discipline up to and including termination.
In Illinois right now, nobody has done anything illegal that would open any door to retributive action. This is an artificial crisis concocted for political purposes, and Rauner has a heck of a nerve accusing Madigan of being the politically motivated one.
Why would my hero Bruce want to fire State Employees? Were all those e-mails that he sent us insincere?
Aren’t we six+ months in to failed leadership and stagnant job growth, Mr. Schrimpf? When will my hero Bruce turn things aroundsidewaysupsidedown? Perhaps he should outline an agenda and not budge from it?
Foo Fighters:
The Pretender Excerpt:
……
Spinning infinity
Boy, the wheel is spinning me
It’s never ending, never ending
Same old story
What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say that I will never surrender?…….
I have to wonder how what has played out, compares to what Rauner and Madigan THOUGHT would play out six months ago? I mean, both sides likely had a strategy, where your moves change depending on how your opponent moves, and a lot of these scenarios are laid out up front? Or am I giving both sides too much credit for believing they think through their moves (ala “Chess Masters”) before they are made? Both sides may have anticipated exactly what is playing out right now, and all of this is going according to “plan”.
I look at guys like Scott Walker and Bruce Rauner and marvel at how well they can deceive middle class voters into voting for them. With Walker, I think it is pretty much blind ambition and a willingness to do and say about anything to appeal to the voting block that he is courting today and of course to keep that Koch tap of money flowing. Rauner seems different to me. He’s already got the money, so is single mindedly pursuing the agenda of the one-percenters. Clearly, he thinks that people who are teachers, state workers, pipefitters, truck drivers etc. make too much money and have too many benefits. These middle class folks don’t realize that they don’t deserve this stuff and maybe the bruce can cheat them out these things before they know what hit them. Just keep saying reform.
It is truly amazing that Rauner ever thought his plans of total global domination..err, I mean turning Illinois around, would ever work. Did he think the Dems would just roll over after a barely 50% “mandate for change” and firm control of both chambers?? Are his political advisors asleep? He’s not governing, and as we see his agenda rejected and collapsing, we also see him not leading.
Rauners reforms pull money from illinois economy….. That would be good for the 6-7 people who will get the money but bad for the rest of the population.
=== I’m not saying the governor is wrong about Madigan. He’s most likely right.
I’m just saying that Rauner’s hands ain’t exactly clean, either ===
So, we’re talking about politicians in total conflict with each other. It’s about time someone went toe to toe with Madigan. I just wish it was someone with a bit more acumen that Rauner. But, in the meantime, it is interesting to watch. I wonder what the Vegas line is on this?
Following Rauner’s comments makes me believe Naomi Klein was correct in her book, “The Shock Doctrine,” when she cited plenty of examples of leaders following prepared think tank scripts to use every and any budget problem and natural or unnatural catastrophe to cut public programs and pensions and privatize government services for the benefit of their supporters.
If services currently provided by IL state agencies are cut, time will tell which companies pick up the business. Then we’ll see what their employees get (or don’t get) paid.
Why doesn’t one of the Unions (or Democratic allies) run commercials of those videos on TV? It seems to me, it would be hard for the Governor to blame Madigan when the public has seen footage of Candidate Rauner saying he WANTS a government shutdown.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:01 pm:
Insane accusation.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
It’s as though Rauner forgot everything he ever uttered from “yesterday” until this morning, and refuses to 1) Do his job, 2) Own the consequences, 3) Move the ball forward on his real intent(s).
Tough way to govern, but if you keep campaigning, it don’t matter too much…
- Former State Employee - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:12 pm:
Amen, Union Leader
- Harry - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
If that’s the analogy Rauner is basing his strategy on, we are in real trouble.
The 1981 PATCO strike was illegal and the illegal strikers were subject to discipline up to and including termination.
In Illinois right now, nobody has done anything illegal that would open any door to retributive action. This is an artificial crisis concocted for political purposes, and Rauner has a heck of a nerve accusing Madigan of being the politically motivated one.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Rauner also said a shutdown would be “worth the pain”.
- ihpsdm - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:20 pm:
Why would my hero Bruce want to fire State Employees? Were all those e-mails that he sent us insincere?
Aren’t we six+ months in to failed leadership and stagnant job growth, Mr. Schrimpf? When will my hero Bruce turn things aroundsidewaysupsidedown? Perhaps he should outline an agenda and not budge from it?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:41 pm:
Foo Fighters:
The Pretender Excerpt:
……
Spinning infinity
Boy, the wheel is spinning me
It’s never ending, never ending
Same old story
What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say that I will never surrender?…….
- Tom K. - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
I have to wonder how what has played out, compares to what Rauner and Madigan THOUGHT would play out six months ago? I mean, both sides likely had a strategy, where your moves change depending on how your opponent moves, and a lot of these scenarios are laid out up front? Or am I giving both sides too much credit for believing they think through their moves (ala “Chess Masters”) before they are made? Both sides may have anticipated exactly what is playing out right now, and all of this is going according to “plan”.
- kimocat - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
I look at guys like Scott Walker and Bruce Rauner and marvel at how well they can deceive middle class voters into voting for them. With Walker, I think it is pretty much blind ambition and a willingness to do and say about anything to appeal to the voting block that he is courting today and of course to keep that Koch tap of money flowing. Rauner seems different to me. He’s already got the money, so is single mindedly pursuing the agenda of the one-percenters. Clearly, he thinks that people who are teachers, state workers, pipefitters, truck drivers etc. make too much money and have too many benefits. These middle class folks don’t realize that they don’t deserve this stuff and maybe the bruce can cheat them out these things before they know what hit them. Just keep saying reform.
- walker - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
Old Saul Alinsky tactic, reformulated and taught by Karl Rove: co-opt your opponent’s best message against you.
- CrookCounty60827 - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
It is truly amazing that Rauner ever thought his plans of total global domination..err, I mean turning Illinois around, would ever work. Did he think the Dems would just roll over after a barely 50% “mandate for change” and firm control of both chambers?? Are his political advisors asleep? He’s not governing, and as we see his agenda rejected and collapsing, we also see him not leading.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 12:58 pm:
Rauners reforms pull money from illinois economy….. That would be good for the 6-7 people who will get the money but bad for the rest of the population.
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 1:09 pm:
=== I’m not saying the governor is wrong about Madigan. He’s most likely right.
I’m just saying that Rauner’s hands ain’t exactly clean, either ===
So, we’re talking about politicians in total conflict with each other. It’s about time someone went toe to toe with Madigan. I just wish it was someone with a bit more acumen that Rauner. But, in the meantime, it is interesting to watch. I wonder what the Vegas line is on this?
- Tommydanger - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 1:12 pm:
The ‘pressure’ that Madigan wants is somehow different than the ‘leverage’ that Rauner wants?
- Katich Walker, Jr. - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Following Rauner’s comments makes me believe Naomi Klein was correct in her book, “The Shock Doctrine,” when she cited plenty of examples of leaders following prepared think tank scripts to use every and any budget problem and natural or unnatural catastrophe to cut public programs and pensions and privatize government services for the benefit of their supporters.
If services currently provided by IL state agencies are cut, time will tell which companies pick up the business. Then we’ll see what their employees get (or don’t get) paid.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
=I’m just saying that Rauner’s hands ain’t exactly clean, either. =
Understatement of the day.
2nd place =I’m not saying the governor is wrong about Madigan. He’s most likely right.=
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 2:47 pm:
Rauner believes that the best way to fix a car is to first wreck it to show everyone that it needed to be fixed.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 4:33 pm:
Rauner seems to have become quite obsessed about Madigan, like it’s all personal now.
Dude, just sell your agenda.
Take your $20 million, for starters, and sell it on the TV.
No one will be able to withstand the public tsunami in favor of ending collective bargaining and killing prevailing wage.
- Canada Joe - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 4:54 pm:
Really
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 8:30 pm:
Walker- the Alinsky idea is “push the negative through to the positive”. Good call
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 21, 15 @ 9:21 pm:
–It’s about time someone went toe to toe with Madigan.–
Have a nice sleep, Rip?
Or maybe it’s like “Memento.” Can’t remember anything that happened before.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jul 22, 15 @ 7:03 am:
Why doesn’t one of the Unions (or Democratic allies) run commercials of those videos on TV? It seems to me, it would be hard for the Governor to blame Madigan when the public has seen footage of Candidate Rauner saying he WANTS a government shutdown.