Two versions of the “status quo”
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* On child care…
“The failed status quo in Illinois is hurting taxpayers and the state’s long-term fiscal health,” said Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly.
* On local government funding…
“Gov. Rauner is working hard for local governments because his agenda allows them to more easily make decisions that best serve their communities, unlike the status quo,” Kelly said in an email.
* On the state’s bond rating…
“Governor Rauner continues to fight for structural reforms that will put the state on a path to fiscal health, but the legislature continues to protect the failed status quo.”
* On the governor’s tenure to date…
“The people of Illinois understand that status quo is broken and the supermajority in charge of the legislature are blocking any real reforms.”
* From the twitters…
I could go on, but you get the idea.
* Wordslinger in comments today…
“Status quo” is defined as “existing state of affairs.” So that would be today, October 28, 2015.
The “status quo” includes:
– runaway, historic FY16 deficit.
– abandonment of social services.
– squeezing of universities to the point of possible closing.
– stiffing Illinois businesses that contract with the state, resulting in layoffs, drawdowns of cash reserves and addition of debt.
– starving municipalities of dedicated revenues.
– running a fraudulent state lottery scheme.
I’m sure I’ve missed some.
But no, the “status quo” is not acceptable.
Neither is the willful political strategy that caused it, all in the service of an agenda in which no data-driven fiscal or economic benefits have ever been articulated.
The question now is when does the governor own the “current” status quo.
- Jockey - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
I’d like to add this to the status quo, but the timeframe falls under Quinn:
https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2015/october/millennials-living-home-student-debt-housing-labor
At least we’re #1 @ something…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
===The question now is when does the governor own the “current” status quo.===
I was taught;
The first success that an Administration claims should start the clock on all they own…
… since an Administration calls the Inauguration Day a success, the clock starts there.
The choices after the hand (even the wrong hand… ) is lowered after taking the Oath… there is the where any Administration’s ownership begins.
- The Drummer - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
I’d vote for Wordslinger for Governor, just for that analysis. Or at least a Golden Horseshoe.
- illini97 - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the “supermajority in charge of the legislature” was put there by voters, wasn’t it? The same voters that put Rauner in office?
I’m a little tired of either side believing they have a mandate from the voters while the “opponent” must be an evil obstructionist.
To ck, stop it. Your Governor is now part of the status quo. If you are going to say it’s broken, you’re saying the Governor is a failure.
- Moist von Lipwig - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
==supermajority in charge of the legislature are blocking any real reforms==
“Supermajority” is singular, not plural, ck.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:10 pm:
When does he own it?
When he introduces a second budget — or refuses to introduce a second budget — before the first budget it passed.
That — for me, at least — is the point of failure. Utter, utter failure.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:10 pm:
- The Drummer -,
Ironically, but not surprisingly…
The Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe already exists, named for Wordslinger, owning the commenter mantle.
- ottawa otter - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:12 pm:
Hmm, seems like the current status quo is being facilitated by the vendor class that continues to enable this governor to follow this course of action. Perhaps BGA should publish a list of these folks. This would be over if they would just demand their money.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:20 pm:
To me, Rauner’s term began when he asked the General Assembly not to retain the tax rates at their 2014 levels. That was one of his first decisions. That would be when his status got quoed.
- train111 - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Since when does a corporate CEO take responsibility and accept the consequences of his bad decisions? He’s got many underlings to fire for that!
- Mekong Cafe - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
== Jockey ==
The stats of millennialls living at home increases in areas with a higher cost of living (for obvious reasons). The percentage of millennialls living at home in states like NY and CA is much higher because of New York City, LA, SF and the CA coast.
Comparing Illinois, where 1/2 of the states population lives near or in a higher cost of living city with 3M residents, to some very low cost of living and impoverished states that lack major metropolitan areas, is not illustrative of anything. Why do graduates from IU flock to Chicago? It’s because Chicago is the most vibrant and thriving city in the Midwest. Look at Ukrainian Village, Logan Square, Bucktown, real estate prices have tripled in 10 yrs because of Millennialls who have moved from other Midwestern states to live in Chicago.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:24 pm:
As I said earlier: Beef with Madigan, budget chaos, phoney-baloney pension fairy dust, facility closures, credit downgrades- this has all been going on for 12 years. Rauner *is* the status quo.
- Vole - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:25 pm:
Reminds me of my HS junior year advanced math class when I walked in, sat down in my first row seat and my teacher called me out — “Mr. Vole, what is your status in here?” I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. I soon was moved to the back row where my obviously poor status would be less noticed.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:28 pm:
==“Status quo” is defined as “existing state of affairs.”==
This is not acceptable, as Rich says. But ==Status quo== in this context clearly refers to Illinois’ longstanding state of affairs which includes
- overwhelming debt
- the worst credit rating in America going on 3 years
- multiple tax and fee increases, with little progress on our balance sheet or in paying those overwhelming debts
- two consecutive unbalanced budgets
- public corruption convictions from local levels up to recent Governors
- corporate handouts and public contracts for campaign supporters
- SEC charges of securities fraud against the state of Illinois
- increased poverty and weak economic growth per capita during America’s recovery from the recession
- and so much more!
Oh, for the glory days prior to January 2015. /s No one knows how this ends, but it is apparent that decades of ==Band-Aids== have accumulated to an unsustainable point where surgery is becoming necessary. imho, Madigan is no more the proper surgeon for this any more than Rauner is.
- Belle - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:32 pm:
It’s time for Rauner to own this issue. He ran for the office, won it and now he’s the Gov.
I wonder if this is the 1st time Rauner has failed in his life? At least in such a public manner? It must not feel very good.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
The governor claimed part ownership of the status quo when he totally vetoed the budget, instead of a line item. That was the first really big choice he made that led us where we are.
I’d say he got the majority ownership when Governor Edgar placed the blame for the budget impasse squarely on his shoulders, and he revelled in the impasse by declaring “we are #winning.”
At the end of the year, it will all be his. Reporters start writing their “Rauner’s first year” piece in the first week of December.
What accomplishments will he point back to?
We know that the state’s backlog of unpaid bills will have tripled, from $4 billion to $12 billion, but what else?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:35 pm:
===multiple tax and fee increases, with little progress on our balance sheet or in paying those overwhelming debts===
Um, didja forget about that huge tax cut? That might be a contributor, y’know…
- Vole - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:36 pm:
Rauner is losing the status quoin’ war here.
- Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:37 pm:
====The governor claimed part ownership of the status quo when he totally vetoed the budget, instead of a line item.===
A line item veto would have done nothing. There’s no way to balance the budget with discretionary spending.
If you make no changes to legally protected spending like Medicaid, pensions, and LDF then you’re not going to balance this budget, period.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:37 pm:
The campaign talking points don’t work anymore. Rauner is now part of the status quo, and he owns his share of everything that’s happened since his term started.
- Newsclown - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:39 pm:
If you copy-paste the full text speeches of Rauner and Madigan into the “wordle” web site, you get a sometimes useful visual representation of what words each side stresses most, called a “word cloud”. You can probably guess those most-common words, but, try it with a couple of Rauner’s complete speeches sometime, very interesting results.
- Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
You can bank on that if you want.
I think his message that, “I’m trying to shake up Springfield but the career politicians are standing in my way” will resonate well with voters.
And I don’t think it’s fair for either side to drag this out until the next election, though that seems like a real possibility now.
- illini - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
Wordslinger has it exactly right and what we continue to get from BVR are more pompous polemics and half truths.
And, Willy @12:06 - the Governor does own it - there I said it, who is taking another drink right now?
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
It could come sooner than the end of the year if there is no salt and we end up just shutting down our interstates when it snows like they do in the south.
Rauner chose to veto the line item for salt, remember.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:41 pm:
==Um, didja forget about that huge tax cut?==
The decrease from 5.00% is definitely a contributing factor, especially recently.
It wasn’t clear, but I was thinking of the fact that our 3.75% rate is still 1/4 higher than the 3.00% rate we were paying in 2010, various fee increases that remain active, and the pending tax increases in Chicago, Cook County and possibly again in the state.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:43 pm:
===is definitely a contributing factor===
lol
- Jockey - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
@ Mekong Cafe: If I understand correctly your point correctly:
Millennials are driving up the price of real estate in those neighborhoods. Is the rising prices in those neighborhoods you stated, driven by purchases by the 21-27 yr olds or by the demand in renting in those neighborhoods by Millenials? As a former resident of Roscoe Village, my experience has been quite different than what you suggested. I have some experience with Mom & Dad buying 3 flats in Bucktown for Jr. and renting it out to his friends. Which I would consider more or less living with Mom and Dad…
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:49 pm:
==I think his message that, “I’m trying to shake up Springfield but the career politicians are standing in my way” will resonate well with voters.==
To the tune of a 35% approval rating, no doubt.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
- Arsenal -,
With due respect.
Ice fallen into the - Political Animal - trolling. Go into that with eyes open, lol
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
“I’ve”
- burbanite - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
The Donald Trump school of repeating the same word over and over and over again.
- illini - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:05 pm:
I was wondering when someone else would pick up on Political Animal - Thanks Willy
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:06 pm:
@ OW- Yeah, I saw the other day. But I’m not here to actually change anyone’s mind (and I couldn’t even if I was). I just do it ’cause it’s fun.
- Tommydanger - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:09 pm:
>>It wasn’t clear, but I was thinking of the fact that our 3.75% rate is still 1/4 higher than the 3.00% rate we were paying in 2010
- Tommydanger - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:10 pm:
More importantly, even when we had the higher rate in place, our rate was still lower than all surrounding states, except Missouri.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
Rauner has set the new bar for status quo.
- Jack Stephens - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
Ron,
Please defend your “status quo” of the wealthy.
A concerned Illinois citizen,
Jack Stephens
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
RAUNER believes he is winning handily.
In his mind, he is leading late in the third quarter.
He has succeeded at everything. Dems are scared.
Nov 18 is a pep rally to him. Time to start dogging him w protesters who are hurtin’
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
- Arsenal -
Have at it, bud. OW
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:33 pm:
By any objective standard the state’s fiscal position, delivery of services and ability to meet its obligation has deteriorated alarmingly from a year ago.
That’s not due to a recession or some cleansing storm, but a political strategy.
This is the leverage. This is the plan, in action.
What continues to amaze me is that the governor can continue to willfully wreak this short- and long-term damage and promise nothing but platitudes as to what that sunny day would look like if his agenda were passed.
Baby, you’d never get away with that kind of
snake oil in big business. You have measurable, quantifiable annual, if not quarterly, numbers you have to hit to justify a course of action.
If you don’t hit your numbers internally, or the Street’s expectations, someone’s out in the street and strategy is reviewed.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:38 pm:
It isn’t that the “status quo” is keeping Rauner from succeeding, it is that Rauner doesn’t know how to succeed with the “status quo”.
Governors don’t get fresh starts. They inherit the job and keep it for one term at a time. Failing to handle the job they inherited is not the fault of the job. It is the fault of the governor.
Failing to be an effective governor isn’t the fault of the problems awaiting each governor who enters into office. Rauner was more capable of being aware of the problems awaiting him as most Illinoisans. He sought the job. He spent millions to convince voters to choose him. The fact that he can’t do the job, can’t handle the issues in the job, and cannot build support for his policies is his fault - alone.
Every time Bruce Rauner blames the “status quo” is an admission that he cannot govern well enough to make the changes he sees necessary.
Enough with these pathetic excuses. Bruce Rauner’s administration has had the worst first year of any administration in living history. He is responsible for his inabilities, not any “status quo”.
- GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 1:57 pm:
This impasse created by Rauner’s refusal to negotiate on a balanced budget has left Illinois on a unsustainable fical path. Taxpayers deserve better than these failed status quo hostage taking techniques.
- Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 2:05 pm:
-OW-,
So instead of engaging with me or trying to refute my ideas, you fall back on the claim that I’m “trolling.”
News flash: not everyone agrees with you. Among that group, there are smart, well meaning, honest people.
When everyone accepts that basic fact we can hopefully repair the broken tone of discourse in our democracy.
Respectfully not insulting you even though I disagree with you,
-PA
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
===I think his message that, “I’m trying to shake up Springfield but the career politicians are standing in my way” will resonate well with voters.===
Rauner is at 35% approval, and upside down on his approval. Ugh.
===News flash: not everyone agrees with you. Among that group, there are smart, well meaning, honest people.===
I’m not needing anyone to agree with me, but if you’re going to engage, be honest, and try to shy away from the talking points.
Try not trolling, make your case, be honest in your thoughts, that’ll help.
- Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 2:20 pm:
===Try not trolling, make your case, be honest in your thoughts, that’ll help.===
I’m doing all of the above. A poll one year into his term, with no advertising or door knocking going on, does not tell me all that much about how he will run three years from now.
Voters have short memories and there’s plenty of room for messaging between now and then.
That specific line I quoted was one that did well in Rauner’s internal polls. I suspect it’s a messaging point he’ll emphasis in 3 years.
- GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 2:33 pm:
PA
A more civil discourse might be possible if the Governor was playing by the rules. Three co-equal branches and it takes the votes to get things done. The more extreme a proposal is, the harder it is to find those votes. Leveraging pain in order to by pass a duely elected super majority is not part of the democratic process.
- illini - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 2:50 pm:
FYI - Political Animal @ 2:20 - I am a personal friend of several downstate members of the GOP GA. We can speak openly and as friends even though affiliated with opposite parties. They are very cautious and circumspect when talking about the Rauner Agenda. Yet they recognize, but will not admit it to me, about the $20 million hammer BVR has hanging over their head.
“Voters have short memories and there’s plenty of room for messaging between now and then.” Damn, you have a very low opinion of those of us who live and work in Illinois!!!!!!!!!!
Do you intend to say that we are going to have to listen to 3 more years of the BVR delusional polemics?????
We can’t wait that long for him to realize what being Governor is all about and how his intransigence is hurting the Staete and all of us who live here.
Get real.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 3:56 pm:
==The more extreme a proposal is, the harder it is to find those votes.==
Well said. A recent example is the ==extreme== AFSCME veto override that failed.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 4:40 pm:
==I suspect it’s a messaging point he’ll emphasis in 3 years.==
It’s one he’s been emphasizing NOW, and since he’s got no real accomplishments to his name, it’s basically the only thing voters know about him. And his approval rating is 35%.
- illini - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 4:56 pm:
Arsenal - to my point, when will he ever acknowledge that his entire campaign was a sham and delusional in its emphasis on “shaking up Springfield”. Oops, I forgot about his $20 million sledge hammer over the GOP!!!!
- Bulldog58 - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 5:05 pm:
My fear is that the longer this drags out the bigger the tax increase is going to be to fix this mess. People may wish for that ‘huge’ tax increase that was rolled back Jan 1st, what’s coming may make that look comical.
- cdog - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 5:17 pm:
I meant to add, I know I was playing on the troll bridge. Had my troll gear on.
- Bulldog58 - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 5:19 pm:
I’m noticing more and more articles looking at the budget mess…whether Rauner likes it or not, whether he’s willing to accept it or not, the media is slowly placing ownership at his feet through these articles. The more the media explores this topic and puts it and Rauner’s name into the public arena, the more he owns this. There will come a point where even his supporters admit this is Rauner’s to own, they will say it’s all worth it (they are supporters after all) but they will eventually give him a full and clear title to the deed on this mess.
- walker - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 5:29 pm:
Our reactions to the anti-status quo message don’t matter. What matters is when it will lose its power to move voters. As we slowly gain traction in a broader recovery, and consumer confidence continues at higher levels, hating where we are becomes less of an overwhelming driver. It lingers, but other political messages will become more effective. Less what we must leave; more where we are going.
Interestingly, Words’ message to Rauner Team that they must clearly define the benefits of the Turnaround Agenda, actually is their route to success — if only they could do it.
Word shouldn’t be Governor, he should be a confidential advisor.
- illini - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 5:43 pm:
50.3% of the popular vote and a 35% approval rating at this point in his term ( 6 months into a 4 year term ) - Get Real, This Is the Real World, This Is not A Delusional Universe You Imagined Would Happen When You Were Elected.
Real people are effected by your intransigence and your unreal perception of the political realities in Illinois - you are not the CEO of a Corp where you control the votes - this is a State of 12 Million residents who are relying on you to respect ( oh, sorry, you don’t know how to do that ) the people that live in the State that you supposedly “govern” - get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 6:00 pm:
- illini -,
Thanks for yiyr kind words.
To your comments,
===50.3% of the popular vote and a 35% approval rating at this point in his term…===
The honeymoon is way over. What isn’t over is the impasse. Dragging around a 35% isn’t much to claim a mandate now…
- burbanite - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 6:19 pm:
Here is the thing. The Gov won’t even be here 5 years from now, what does he care? I don’t believe for a second that he wants what is best for the State of Illinois because if he did, this wouldn’t be happening. He won’t even look in the rear view mirror at the wasteland he leaves when his term is up. 35% so what? He doesn’t need the job, he wanted it, and darn it, he gets what he wants.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 7:42 pm:
Walker, there is no economic or fiscal ROI to the governor’s agenda. It’s a cult-like plan of faith based on yammering Randian gibberish.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the state is collecting taxes, every day. but running enormous deficits while’ at fhe same fime abandoning basic services and not paying for services rendered.
Baby, this aint an “on the other hand” situation.
JHC Almighty, this is the plan of one party, and that party is the governor. He ain’t hiding his light under a bushel.
Give it a think: there’s no way in hell that the governor’s “agenda” could pay off in 30 years the damage that has already been done since January.
“Permanent damage,” as Gov. Edgar said.
Am I wrong?
Show, me.
- walker - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 9:16 pm:
Word: Hey, I’m just trying to smoke them out of their den.
If they got something to show us how the future numbers will be better, let’s see it.
I’m ever the naive optimist. Am not willing to say that they got zero. But you and I both know the costs are high, the damage will last, and the numbers show no signs of working now or in the next few years.
- walker - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 9:53 pm:
Word: And to repeat my comment from yesterday: to make their numbers work many years out, requires entering into a dreamlike state.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 10:15 pm:
Walk, I’m way way past the “on the other hand” and “they’re all equally to blame” copouts.
BS.
This guy, on purpose, is a fiscal disaster, for despicable motives. They ain’t economic, they ain’t fiscal, theyre personal.
For 5.5 years, Quinn and the Four Tops agreed on revenue, spending, and paid down bills. Responsible government, in the midst of a recession.
Look where we are now, feeding this goofs ego?
Look what’s happening now?
For six fiscal years, Quimn,
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 10:32 pm:
There’s something to be said to have a functioning government.
I would give anythjng right now for a functioning government.
Holding the state, and people of the state, hostage isn’t functioing government.
- walker - Wednesday, Oct 28, 15 @ 11:07 pm:
Word: I am also way past “0n the other hand” and “they’re all equally to blame” BS. If you’re ranting at me, you’re misreading my comments.
I’m probably not being clear enough. Where I don’t go as far is to assume either intelligence or motives. Rauner seems to have bought into some vision of growth from no unions, which is demonstrable nonsense. What other Randian myths has he bought into? How much is he delusional, or missing key economic knowledge, or how much is he purely manipulative to achieve other ambitions? Rich gave me pause, months ago when he called him a “true believer.” My comments are partly to bring Rauner and allies out into the open so we can all more clearly see how to deal with him.
Agree entirely on Quinn, especially in comparison to Rauner’s behavior and results.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 29, 15 @ 6:42 am:
Rauner has done more harm to the Illinois Republican Party and possible damage on the national level than anyone can imagine. I do believe during the next election, Democrats will have an overwhelming victory on every level.
- Me too - Thursday, Oct 29, 15 @ 8:58 am:
Anon@6:42 unfortunately because of gerrymandering Congress ain’t changing until the next redistricting. Also a bummer is that the rest of the country is barely paying attention. Here at home once people start hurting, hopefully they don’t get in a “throw the bums out” mindset as that could leave us with way too many raunerite dems and republicans. I have to believe though that soon, Rauner’s name and money will be toxic enough that the GA will begin to rule in a bipatisan manner iverriding the governor at every turn. Maybe I’m dreaming, but I think the folks who didn’t cash his checks are going to be the first to bail. People like Poe for instance can’t be beaten as long as State employees support him. Rauner could spend millions on a challenger and thry still couldn’t beat him. Representative, I hope you read this. I’m a strong dem who votes for you. Many of us do, and more still will do so if you stand with labor.
- Me too - Thursday, Oct 29, 15 @ 9:00 am:
Sorry for the typos. Darned phone wont let me use the google keyboard