Contradictory messaging
Tuesday, Jun 21, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Charles Thomas…
The governor said he remains focused on getting the Democratic leaders back to Springfield to vote on two bills - one for education funding, and another for essential services. It’s the only way, he says, to avoid near-term chaos.
“Speaker Madigan and the supermajority, I believe they wanted to create a crisis. I believe that they’d like to force a tax hike without any reforms,” Rauner said.
* Paris Schutz…
“The supermajority is trying to create a crisis, and my sense is, they would like to force a bailout of Chicago Public Schools,” [Gov. Rauner] said. “The other issue is, Speaker Madigan would like to put pressure to force a tax hike at some point without doing any reforms. And creating a crisis now, where government services melt down, where people are yelling and upset, can create the leverage and the push that he has on that side.”
* Tribune editorial…
Rauner believes a majority of rank-and-file Democrats agree with what is left of his so-called turnaround agenda. The changes he seeks are not radical. They are not union-busting. They are not out of line with what other states are doing. Democrats support him, privately. But they don’t have the guts to call out their leadership and get behind the Republican governor whom Madigan loves to describe as “extreme.”
Let’s be clear: One side is being extreme. It’s the side that is in power. It’s the side that could call its members back to Springfield to fix this. It’s the side that could cut a deal and send it to the governor’s desk within days. It’s the side that claims to represent the interests of the middle class but is doing so, apparently, from political fundraisers at local country clubs with a shrimp skewer in one hand and a cocktail in the other.
If you don’t like Rauner and you blame him for the state’s mess, well, we’ve got some bad news for you. He’s not going anywhere. He’s in this to fix Illinois.
* Tribune article…
“It could certainly happen,” Rauner said of Democrats gaining seats this fall. “The speaker’s senior staff told me they think that this could be a Democratic tidal wave year in Illinois and that they’ll pick up three or four seats” from House Republicans.
“The speaker will move from the most powerful politician in this state to the dictator of the state,” the governor said of such a result, adding later, “I feel very bad for the people of Illinois.”
If Madigan picks up seats, Rauner said, “Then they’ll be in a position where there probably ain’t going to be much in the way of reforms and … they’ll be able to jam through whatever it is their particular goal is.”
* So, to sum up…
1) The Democratic supermajority is currently all-powerful and is attempting to create a crisis to bail out Chicago schools and force through a tax hike;
2) According to the governor, a majority of Democrats actually support the governor’s Turnaround Agenda;
3) If the House Democrats pick up seats, well, then they’ll finally “be able to jam through whatever it is their particular goal is.”
…Adding… One more, thanks to a commenter…
1) Madigan is all powerful;
2) Madigan’s members “don’t have the guts” to call him out;
3) Madigan is afraid of his own members.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:20 am:
Is there any way to bump the record player to get it out of the scratch?
When will his stump speech ever change?
- SweetLou86 - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:22 am:
… … … What?
- Keyrock - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:23 am:
It makes no logical sense. And it misstates the history of how we got here.
But, unlike you, other interviewers rarely — if ever — call him on it. So it frequently gets through to the general public as a coherent message.
The absence of historical perspective in the Tronc editorial was particularly noxious, since the “crisis creates opportunity” mantra was spoken in the very same place.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:28 am:
“Let’s be clear: One side is being extreme. It’s the side that is in power.”
Um, Madigan is governor now?
- RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:29 am:
There seems to be a cognitive disconnect …
- Hamlet's Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:32 am:
Unions are destroying Illinois but the Governor’s agenda isn’t to bust unions. Yeah, okay. Whatever.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:32 am:
Logic, logic Rauner doesn’t need stink’n logic. This is about throwing … against the wall to see what sticks.
- Keyser Soze - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:32 am:
None of this is news.
- JPC - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:37 am:
The Tribune writes: ” apparently, from political fundraisers at local country clubs with a shrimp skewer in one hand and a cocktail in the other.”
But the guy who belongs to the 100k wine club (which entrance fee does NOT include the price of wine) represents the best interests of the middle class. Never mind that he thinks people get paid too much.
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:37 am:
It’s time for the majority of Democrats who support Rauner to speak up.
Seriously — if you support Rauner, say it.
- AC - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:46 am:
Logical consistency is a collectivist concept used by dictators to crush taxpayers! /s
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:48 am:
At this point, I don’t think Rauner will sign anything, not even a stopgap budget. He’s in full campaign mode and with his friends at the Tribune will continue blame the Democrats for the crises he wanted. He will not let a single hostage go.
In the meantime, the Starve-the-Beast plan continues. It’s a four year plan, now, not just until after the November elections.
- Delbert Grady - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:53 am:
Bruce,
FYI…you were elected Governor. Do the job or go back to the nursing home cafeteria and make the mashed peas for the elders.
Your choice.
Love,
Del
- BluegrassBoy - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:57 am:
This is what the tech blogs refer to as a Reality Distortion Field.
Supposedly Steve Jobs was famous for using this to be able to accomplish Apple’s goals. Wikipedia describes it as “an ability to convince himself and others to believe almost anything with a mix of charm, charisma, bravado, hyperbole, marketing, appeasement and persistence”
Sadly the majority of the media continues to let him get away with it so he can keep foolin’ a lot of people a lot of the time.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:59 am:
===But they don’t have the guts to call out their leadership and get behind the Republican governor whom Madigan loves to describe as “extreme.”===
I think there are some Democrats in the House that would go along with Rauner’s watered down agenda. I could probably name some, but by my count, it’s less than 10, at most.
There are not enough of these Dems to vote with the Republicans and get to 60 votes. And the climate is worse in the Senate. The Tribune needs to wake up and accept that Rauner cannot get his agenda passed.
Find another way.
- Scamp640 - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:59 am:
The note from the Tribune that Rauner “is in this to fix Illinois” reminded me of the old medical quip, “the operation was a success, but the patient died.”
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
So, does the governor want to force a tax hike after his “reforms”? And P.S. It’s not a supermajority when they fail to override 60+ of your vetoes.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
@Scamp640
“Fixing Illinois” can be interpreted in various ways. Getting the dog fixed isn’t something the dog actually wants.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
–The absence of historical perspective in the Tronc editorial was particularly noxious, since the “crisis creates opportunity” mantra was spoken in the very same place. –
LOL, can you believe it?
Rauner, literally, rolled out the whole “crisis creates opportunity” game plan at the troncosaurus table, and now they’re pretending it never happened.
Indeed, Rauner is, of course, a victim of the crisis.
Then there’s this whopper:
–Democrats support him, privately.–
Katrina presents that as a true statement of fact. How is that possible? Did, for example, 60 or 70 Democratic legislators share with her their “private” beliefs? On what basis can she make that statement?
It is, in fact, a lie, presented by a newspaper editorial board as the truth. Give that a think.
These guys give hacks a bad name.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
The phrase “to fix” can have various meanings.
For example, having the dog “fixed” isn’t something the dog wants and I don’t believe Illinois would benefit from being fixed in the manner proposed by the Governor.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
===troncosaurus===
Troncnosaur?
Tronceratops?
Tronciraptor?
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:16 pm:
Troncosaurus Rex.
That should be Rauner’s new handle, given to him by the Tribbies.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:16 pm:
===It is, in fact, a lie, presented by a newspaper editorial board as the truth. Give that a think.===
This is content, not journalism. This is tronc.
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:18 pm:
“Contradictory messaging”? Over at the Trib, they call that “shifting rhetoric”.
But no matter what you call it, it should no longer be a surprise.
“The key is to obscure your intentions and make them unpredictable to your opponent while you simultaneously clarify his intentions. *** Thus, a hodgepodge of confusion and disorder occur to cause him to over- or under-react to conditions or activities that appear to be uncertain, ambiguous, or incomprehensible. *** In very simple terms, be unpredictable.” — Harry Hillaker describing OODA Loops.
For Rauner’s crew, contradictory messaging is a feature not a bug.
– MrJM
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:21 pm:
Madigan should just pass the gov proposed budget spending. not do the reforms but send the gov his balanced budget. heck pass the govs pension reform, the court can atrike it down again.
- titan - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:36 pm:
+++ Trib Editorial
“If you don’t like Rauner and you blame him for the state’s mess, well, we’ve got some bad news for you. He’s not going anywhere. He’s in this to fix Illinois.” +++
Realistically speaking, the odds would appear to be greater that the Governor will be gone before the Democratic Party majority in the GA is gone.
I would say that the Trib Editorial Board has to know this, but reading their output over the years leaves me with the impression that there are a lot of very obvious truths that the Trib Editorial Board is totally clueless about (and impervious, not to mention unwilling, to being educated about).
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:40 pm:
Perfidy, perfidy, perfidy
- RIJ - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:55 pm:
Good news! The Trbune is getting testy - a sure sign that they are not getting their way. Heh.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:26 pm:
=== “The speaker’s senior staff told me they think that this could be a Democratic tidal wave year in Illinois and that they’ll pick up three or four seats” ===
Ah, those famous poker nights at the Governor’s mansion, when Rauner hangs out with top Democratic staff, drinks some Old Mills, and just shoots the breeze.
- Whatever - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:42 pm:
==“The supermajority is trying to create a crisis, and my sense is, they would like to force a bailout of Chicago Public Schools,” [Gov. Rauner] said==
When people say that Madigan is always 5 steps ahead of everyone else, I never believed them until now. He actually maneuvered the Governor into vetoing the budget appropriation bill a year ago, knowing that the CPS crisis was going to come to a head this year, so that there would be a nice big crisis coming to a head at the same time that he could use to force everyone to accept his CPS bailout package! What a genius!
- d.p.gumby - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:03 pm:
Brucie and the Fantasy he controls…
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:03 pm:
You can’t say that you are going to “shut things down for awhile” to pass your agenda, and then claim someone else is trying to create a crisis. Well, I mean you can say it, but it might make you look horrendously incompetent….
- Bemused - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:20 pm:
I have to wonder if this simple exercise is possible.
Set up a voting booth somewhere at the Capitol with a simple old ballot box. Give every member of the GA a piece of paper that asks “Would you vote for the Governor’s Turn Around Agenda” and has two boxes, one yes and one no.
They go in and mark a box and drop the paper in the ballot box.
Nobody is held to nothing but maybe the BS stops.
If BVR has the vote’s then more power to him, let’s do his will and move on with life.
If not he needs to accept that his brilliant stratagem to overcome being in the minority will not fly and do what is needed to produce a realistic budget.
- cdog - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:29 pm:
Mr. Rauner’s habit of projecting what is happening to him, and what he is thinking, is always interesting.
This one caught my attention, “a crisis now, where government services melt down, where people are yelling and upset.”
Agencies melting down? People yelling and upset?
I am sure those heroic superstars handle it./s
Unless they are the ones melting down and yelling…
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:46 pm:
Interesting comparison of economic growth post 2012 California tax hike and and post 2011 Kansas tax reduction.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/what-happened-after-california-raised-taxes-and-kansas-cut-them
How is it possible, based on current standard Rauner narrative, for California to grow it’s economy after an additional job crushing tax increase on the “job creators” (snark)?
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:59 pm:
Nice hit JS MILL… that was surgical.
- Qui Tam - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:16 pm:
=He’s in this to fix Illinois.=
Just when you think it can’t get any more bizarre at Tronc Tower.
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:13 pm:
“If you don’t like Rauner and you blame him for the state’s mess, well, we’ve got some bad news for you. He’s not going anywhere. He’s in this to fix Illinois.”
OMG… I choked when I read that statement! We are still waiting for Rauner to fix the State, but so far, he has only been interested in destroying the unions, the universities and social services. Please tell how he is helping the State?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:24 pm:
===troncosaurus===
Troncnosaur?
Tronceratops?
Tronciraptor?–
Upon further review…..
Tronclodytes?
In these dark days, when hard-working people who have done their jobs in good faith are getting thrown out of work and our neediest citizens are being tuned up due to the willful GOP strategy of “squeezing the beast,” tronc is a welcome ray of sunshine hilarity.
How’d that great unveiling meeting go, you think, with Ferro surrounded by his sycophants?
Ferro: “Tronc.”
Sycophants: “Wow, you nailed it, boss! Got our checks?!”
Can you imagine what the alternatives were, before landing on that winner?
In just a few short weeks, the visionary Ferro has abandoned more than 150 years of historic, iconic brand equity and goodwill that you can put on the books for a name that’s onomatopoeia for an old man passing gas.
… or a semi hitting the engine brakes.
…or steppin’ on a duck.
“tronnnnnnnnccccccccccc”
…or the Patriots tight end’s less-talented cousin.
…or a straight-to-video bad remake of an old bad Jeff Bridges movie.
This Dude, though, abides. Thanks for the unexpected wackiness, tronclodytes.
And like the Man from Maywood said, “onomatopoeia, I don’t wanna see ya, speaking in a foreign tongue!”
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:56 pm:
“He’s in this to fix Illinois.”
Could you be a little more specific, Katrina? The whatfors and the howsits?