32 Comments - 47th Ward - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:14 pm: Silence is acquiescence. And in this case, cowardly too. Governor Rauner owns the Illinois Republican Party. A lot of people would like to know where he stands on this issue. Taking stands comes with the job. In fact, taking stands is 90% of the job. And yet… - Earnest - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:20 pm: Lay off everybody! It’s not like he’s Chair of the party or anything like that! /s - Red Ranger - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:21 pm: The Governor has said on multiple occasions that he is the “head of the Republican party. Sorry Governor, if you are truly the head of the party, you don’t get to ditch out on the hard questions. - Nick Name - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:21 pm: “If changing a plank in the party platform solved problems, Illinois wouldn’t have any problems.” - Rabid - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:24 pm: That’s weird - Anonymous - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:25 pm: Leader - Huh? - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:28 pm: Governor 1.4% is supposed to be a leader. I wonder if he knows what the word means. - Flynn's mom - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:31 pm: No surprise here. This governor does not make decisions unless they are simple. He just criticizes others and wonders why nothing gets done. - Truthteller - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm: Maybe he wants to leave it up to the localities like right-to-work and collective bargaining. - steward - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm: Remember, he doesn’t have a social agenda. /s - Cubs in '16 - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm: “You mean I have to publically state my opinions on things? I thought I’d just bust a few unions and call it a day!”–fake Gov - Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm: He views this like deciding on a state pie or decriminalizing marijuana. It’s nothing. And for those who think it’s something … well, they’re missing the bigger picture. It’s more jobs, fewer regulations, less oversight Now, if this was inserting a plank about how collective bargaining has no place in public employment … well, by golly, he’d be on it and bouncing around from school to school like a sad chunk of silly putty. - very old soil - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:33 pm: A new chapter in “Profiles in Courage” - Cubs in '16 - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:34 pm: *publicly—sorry - A guy - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:40 pm: OR…he’s just letting the system work the way it’s supposed to. Can someone explain how it takes “courage” to come out on either side of this? They’re debating their view of already settled law in Peoria. I’m not even sure why they’re looking at it. - Union Leader - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:40 pm: Other than his Turnaround Agenda, what does he have an opinion on? - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:43 pm: If Rauner refuses to own a position as Head of the ILGOP, then Rauner owns the position OF the Illinois Republican Party. “Simple” - @MisterJayEm - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:46 pm: The $5,000,000,000 Pyramid “Medical marijuana… Gay Marriage… The Budget…” “Issues where Bruce Rauner refuses to lead despite being governor of Illinois!” >>ding - steward - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:46 pm: What’s funny is he will spend millions to TELL the ILGOP what their position will be on collective bargaining rights. But gay marriage? “Not gonna weigh in.” - Del Clinkton - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:47 pm: Agreed OW. With respect (and some snark), using your logic does that also mean he owns the position of the presumptive nominee for his party? Best, Del - Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:48 pm: Rauner is afraid if the voters knew his secrets they might throw him out of office. - Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:50 pm: - Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm: +1 - Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:51 pm: Almost 2 years in, and I’ve love — love — to hear Rauner articulate a cogent policy position on anything. Not the neoliberal voodoo stuff he touts to every sleeping schoolkid that’ll remain mostly upright and apparently listening. The fact that he missed the opportunity to tie (for example) the marijuana decriminalization into his larger criminal justice initiative is bewildering. It’s a *win* — and Rauner missed it. He kinda shrugged, said, “Whatever.” What this means, I think — I think — is that Rauner doesn’t have any deep-seated political beliefs in anything except the decimation of unions. That’s what gets him fired up — and that’s the only — only — policy position he has any passion for. Everything else? “Yeah, whatever.” And this *includes* his other bipartisan win — criminal justice overhaul. He doesn’t believe it — or in it. It’s a policy bone to get feelie points. That’s it. There’s no moral directive in it for him. It doesn’t point anywhere except to (for Rauner) some vague liberal idea that he … well, isn’t really sure if he can take a stand on it. He might takes a stand, but he probably won’t. Here, too — guy who heads the party — take a stand? Are you kidding? - Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:52 pm: ==Red Ranger @ 3:21 pm: The Governor has said on multiple occasions that he is the “head of the Republican party. Sorry Governor, if you are truly the head of the party, you don’t get to ditch out on the hard questions.== Since when has he NOT ditched on the hard questions? Where have you been? - Bleh - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:53 pm: I mean, to his defense (and I hate doing this) Madigan did not have an opinion during the campaign to get it passed until the very end of course. So they, Madigan and Rauner, share more in common than they think. Although I’m sure they know that. - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:55 pm: Del, Sometimes it’s too easy. Have a good weekend. OW - Flynn's mom - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:04 pm: Does anyone else find themselves humming an MC Hammer song? - Earnest - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:09 pm: >>ding! Governor of Illinois, Republican house members, Ken Dunkin, senate and house minority leaders… People who believe one man has too much control over his party? People whose elections campaigns were/will be well-funded? People who don’t believe they have any influence over Illinois Government because Mike Madigan is all powerful? I’m terrible at Pyramid. - Wensicia - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:14 pm: Rauner: I long as they vote the way I tell them to vote, I’m not goin’ to get involved with their platform. - Wensicia - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:15 pm: AS long, not I long. Sorry. - Anonymous - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:23 pm: This is the same guy who said he doesn’t believe in term limits at the federal level as long as republicans are kept in charge. - Norseman - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:27 pm: Rauner doesn’t care about social issues. He’s too busy destroying social services. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.