The biggest hostage of all?
Monday, Oct 26, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Pearson et al totaled up the amount of not yet appropriated or approved state money that Chicago’s city government, school system and transit authority are building into their own budgets and discovered it’s more than $800 million.
The governor doesn’t sound all that willing to open up the spigots…
“One of the reasons that we have some opportunity to force change is that the city of Chicago is so financially mismanaged and so broke that they need help from Springfield,” Rauner said last week in Springfield.
“The city of Chicago is a political machine, government union machine that’s dying of its own weight,” he said. “They’ve been bleeding jobs, they can’t fund their schools properly, they can’t pay their pensions properly, even with a massive property tax hike they are looking at forcing on the people of Chicago.” […]
“What I have said to the mayor is, ‘I will help you if you help us. If you help us restructure this state, I will help you. If you will not help us restructure the state … I will not help you in the city of Chicago,’” Rauner said. “That dynamic is going to be a big part of the impetus to get some compromise on both sides.”
* The mayor, for his part, believes Rauner will eventually have to face reality…
“I don’t think I’m usually seen as an optimist or ‘keep hope alive’ as my operating theory,” Emanuel responded, saying at some point the state will have to pass a budget. “I do believe Springfield will get their job done, and that’s not just a belief. It actually will be forced on them, whether they want to or not, by all the economics and the financial markets.”
Not so, sayeth the governor…
“Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me. I don’t work for credit-rating agencies. I work for the people of Illinois,” Rauner told reporters in Marion. “When we get a truly balanced budget, which we haven’t had in years, and when we’re growing our economy, we’re going to have very high credit ratings. We do the right thing, credit ratings follow.”
Go read the whole thing.
- Demoralized - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:10 am:
From a Facebook post from Bruce Rauner - June 3, 2013.
“Illinois’ credit rating just got downgraded again, the 12th time since Pat Quinn became governor. Unacceptable.”
I guess he changed his mind on credit ratings.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:12 am:
Credit ratings sure meant a whole, whole lot to Rauner under Quinn’s watch.
Wonder what caused the change of heart?
And these people of Illinois that Rauner apparently is working for .. Who are they? Where do they live?
- AnonymousOne - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:13 am:
The people of ILlinois that Rauner is working for? You know who they are! They belong to his wine club!
- Snucka - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:13 am:
“If you don’t help me fix the state’s budget, I will kill the state’s economic engine.” Interesting strategy.
Also, that last line is starting to sound a little Trump-like.
- Apocalypse Now - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:15 am:
Chicago has mismanaged its financial condition for decades. Now, the piper has to be paid and the Rhaminator wants the rest of the state to bail him out. No thanks.
- Wordslinger - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:15 am:
Gee, when Rauner was at World Business Chicago and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau he thought it was the greatest city in the world for business.
Wha’ happen?
Rauner made a little money in Chicago over the years.
Curious that a governor would make up lies and bad mouth the biggest economic engine in his state.
As for all those years of mismanagement in Chicago, he must feel guilty for all those years he was dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars on Daley and Emanuel.
- Juvenal - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:17 am:
It’s like watching the old “Rabbit Season” episode of Bugs Bunny.
You can’t hold the “City” hostage because 1) the city is just a collection of businesses and people and 2) the city’s leaders have the ability to impose all sorts of taxes and fees on people from outside of Chicago and blame it on Rauner.
For example: $5 surcharge for every fare picked up at O-Hare going somewhere besides Chicago.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:18 am:
Ironic that Emanuel himself popularized “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”
- Ray del Camino - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:19 am:
Perhaps he ought to propose a balanced budget, then.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:24 am:
So, the Governor wants to cut services downstate in order to raise taxes to give to Chicago?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:28 am:
===“Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me. I don’t work for credit-rating agencies.===
“Pat Quinn failed… 13 credit rating drops… ”
Rauner wants Rahm to deliver HDem votes to Turnaround Agenda items, including “property tax relief” wrapped in ending aspects of Prevailing Wage and the Collective Bargaining as such.
Rauner, again wants the Cullerton, Rahm, and Rauner triangulation of Madigan…
… at the cost of… Credit Ratings, businesses being hurt, social services being dismantled or destroyed… for the Rauner Agenda, and leveraging Rahm, or leveraging Cullerton, or …embarrassing Diana….
Bruce Rauner can care less, unless Rauner can leverage something… like Pat Quinn failed, but Rauner and his two downgrades don’t matter.
- Langhorne - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:30 am:
Read this post, then explain to me why the nov 18 mtg will produce anything, anything, other than more of the same.
Anguish and suffering are badges of honor to rauner. No amount of damage is too high a price to pay.
Eliminating collective bargaining for local govt public
employees would be permissive. Who supports the idea? IML? Counties? Can the repubs produce any evidence of its merits?
- Get a Job!! - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:31 am:
=We do the right thing, credit ratings follow.”
Hey Gov, wouldn’t the opposite be true of downgrades? Wouldn’t those be an indicator that you’re not doing the right things?
- zatoichi - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:41 am:
Seems credit ratings were very important for talking points against Quinn. Wonder what changed?
“When we get a truly balanced budget..”. Prepare one.
- Cook County Commoner - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:41 am:
Seems to me we are witnessing an internecine struggle between the government sector “haves” and the private sector “haves.” The “have nots” are merely collateral damage for use as pawns by both sides.
- Mama - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:42 am:
First the governor said, “Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me.” Then he said, “We do the right thing, credit ratings following.” Which is it? Are credit ratings irrelevant or not? Geesh!
- SAP - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:43 am:
==Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me.== Try issuing bonds and see how irrelevant those credit ratings are. Also, meeting on Nov 18th. Are the Governor and the leaders so busy they need to wait another 24 before they can all get into the same room?
- Georg Sande - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:44 am:
“Bruce Rauner can care less …”
Lol. If he could care less, that means he cares at least a little.
- Honeybear - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:48 am:
–Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me–
That is a horrific statement, absolutely horrific. This not a business man. NO BUSINESS MAN WOULD EVER EVER SAY THAT! Oh my God I am wigging out about this. I’m trying to write something that won’t get deleted here. I honestly think the Governor is unwell. I cannot believe that the economic mayhem this will cause is not known to him. He knows what this will do and he pushes ahead with it. This is truly horrifying.
- Mama - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:49 am:
==“What I have said to the mayor is, ‘I will help you if you help us. If you help us restructure this state, I will help you. If you will not help us restructure the state … I will not help you in the city of Chicago,’” Rauner said==
Rauner’s threats make him sound like a Mobster.
- ChicagoVinny - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 10:04 am:
I’d just like to remind the Governor that Chicago alone is ~22% of Illinois population, and, according to the Census Bureau, the IL portion of the Chicagoland metropolitan area including Chicago is ~60-66% of the Illinois population.
Working for the people of Illinois means working for us as well.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 10:11 am:
Everyday we’re reminded how little our governor understands about politics and government. It is a terrifying revelation. Absolutely terrifying.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 10:13 am:
Rauner is so convinced of his own diagnosis of Chicago’s situation, he doesn’t need to listen to anyone who actually knows the situation. Rauner is convinced he knows more than any Chicago official, any Cook County official, or any Democrat actually working in Chicago.
And he not only knows why Chicago is struggling, he also knows that his solution to Chicago’s problem is what is best for it. He knows how to fix Chicago’s problems better than the City’s mayor, former mayors, aldermen, city officials, county officials, civil servants, police, firemen, or any Democrat.
Finally, he wants to see everyone in Chicago suffer. Oh, he feels bad, in a way - but he believes that they have to feel pain at a level so intolerable, they will finally accept Bruce Rauner’s all-knowing solutions over what it is they believe.
Rauner is like a missionary who loves famine and disease because he believes that it is God’s judgment upon them for not accepting his version of salvation. He doesn’t consider his job to be one that helps ease suffering. He believes it is his job to withhold any assistance until they accept him.
Rauner has declared war against everyone in government who questions him, war against everyone who depends upon government, and has a siege mentality as to how to win against them.
How can such an individual with such a flawed and inhumane approach be a governor?
- Carhartt Representative - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 10:14 am:
=“If you don’t help me fix the state’s budget, I will kill the state’s economic engine.” Interesting strategy.
Also, that last line is starting to sound a little Trump-like.=
I believe that’s The Cleavon; named after Cleavon Little from Blazing Saddles.
- Norseman - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 10:46 am:
=== “Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me. I don’t work for credit-rating agencies. ===
Gov. Rauner fastest flip-flopper in the west.
- Reader - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 10:51 am:
“Rauner is like a missionary who loves famine and disease because he believes that it is God’s judgment upon them for not accepting his version of salvation.”
Brilliant.
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 11:04 am:
Rahm’s made a mess of Chicago Finance. He hasn’t been strong on even the most simple of necessary reforms such as reducing sanitation crew size or increasing the number of cops on the street rather than having them wait for retirement at their desks.
With the growth of spending in CPS, he should be screaming for a strike prohibition from Springfield like CPS received when reform began under Vallas.
The problem is that the unions and city workers and contractors are still his power base, and he needs them to be taken care of if he wants to stay in power.
If Rauner, Madigan and Cullerton bail him out, every suburban Democrat should be thrown out of the House and Senate.
When your broke and in debt you don’t go picking up the tab for dinner…..
- Former Hoosier - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 11:21 am:
Van. Man., well said.= How can such an individual with such a flawed and inhumane approach be a governor?= I believe Rahm said (about Rauner) He sees government as the problem. I see it as a solution.
- Union Man - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 11:37 am:
When will Bruce realize that aircraft carriers can’t turn around on a dime? States can’t either and both require teamwork to get them to turn around.
- Blue dog dem - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
I truly believe that the Raun man is going to drag this whole budget thing out until after the Nov/16 election regardless of the pain and suffering of everybody unless he gets the Rahm man to get him the legislative votes he needs for his agenda. If he doesn’t get them by then, I don’t think the Windy City gets the pension bailout money it needs.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
==“Credit rating is pretty irrelevant to me.==
It must be as irrelevant as the polls he doesn’t listen to.
- Cwywf - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
Not saying I agree or that it will work, but other than the daily beating he takes on Rich’s site, I’m not seeing any motivation for the governor to give in on his agenda. Democratic constituents are taking the brunt of the pain from the “shutdown”. Rahm is clearly feeling some heat. Public sector employees are still getting paid. Kids are in school. Unless one of Bruce’s buddies hits it big in the lotto, it’s just a waiting game for him until the pain in the legislature (possibly from the city) is sufficient for them to negotiate.
- btowntruth - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 12:46 pm:
Honeybear,
“Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change … and we’ve got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change.”
Bruce Rauner April of 2015.
More than likely he is giddy about downgrades in credit ratings because in his mind it gives him ammo.
- btowntruth - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 1:00 pm:
VanillaMan:
Excellent observations again.
Opinion time here for what it is worth on how he got to be Governor…
Rauner is Governor because people voted for him because he “Wasn’t Quinn.”
Rauner is Governor because 40% of voters in union households ignored his anti-union views and rhetoric and voted for him anyway.
He is Governor because enough voters fell for the “We need a businessman to run things in government” line ignoring the fact that compromise is a key in running government and a businessman like Rauner is not one to compromise.
He is Governor because enough voters fell for him trying to act like “just plain folks” with his Carhartt and his trashcan van and his motorcycle.
And VanillaMan,you hammered it with this:
“Rauner is like a missionary who loves famine and disease because he believes that it is God’s judgment upon them for not accepting his version of salvation. He doesn’t consider his job to be one that helps ease suffering. He believes it is his job to withhold any assistance until they accept him.
Rauner has declared war against everyone in government who questions him, war against everyone who depends upon government, and has a siege mentality as to how to win against them.”
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 1:05 pm:
Chicago has the financial ability to solve its financial problems. It lacks political will to do so.
If Chicago waits for the State to act, then it makes itself the hostage. This is a dangerous time to be a hostage.
- Johnnie F. - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 1:25 pm:
Actually, I think Rauner is more like Annie Wilkes from the Stephen King novel “Misery”. The IL citizens are novelist Paul Sheldon; Rauner is our #1 fan.
- Honeybear - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 1:36 pm:
btowntruth- I’m afraid you’re right. It’s hard not despair when our governor and those he inspires ethics and morality have rotted so much.
- nona - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 3:17 pm:
Do the GOP legislators who excoriated Quinn for credit downgrades on his watch now subscribe to Rauner’s belated view that credit ratings don’t matter after all? If so, perhaps one of them would explain why this abrupt change isn’t partisan hypocrisy.
- RNUG - Monday, Oct 26, 15 @ 9:12 pm:
== This not a business man. ==
Rauner never was a traditional businessman who built value and jobs. He was a vulture capitalist raider who destroyed companies for their wealth … and he’s trying to do the same to the State.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 6:45 am:
We don’t need credit. We just loan out vendors money to pay their staff and buy supplies to provide us with a service and they pay us back with interest. Then we pay them in arrears. We don’t need credit, they do. /s