* National liberal pundits have mostly ignored Illinois’ political war, which is kind of odd since Illinois is such a large and important state. They write about Kansas all the time, yet haven’t taken notice of a similar economic fight here, even though that little state means far less to the nation as a whole than Illinois.
But our comptroller’s race and the implications for the economic/budget battle did get some pixels in Esquire this week…
So this is an obvious proxy war, but it’s an obvious proxy war in a state in which the entire state government is engaged in an ongoing rockfight over its budget—not simply over the budget itself but, apparently, over whether to have a budget at all. Inspired by success stories like Sam Brownback’s Kansas and Scott Walker’s Wisconsin, Illinois’ Tea Party plutocrat governor, Bruce Rauner, has tried to create a similar dark miracle in Illinois, only to be thwarted by the Democrats in the state legislature, especially Madigan.
The result has been political bloodletting remarkable even by the standards of Illinois politics, which are considerable, and policy wreckage better suited to a failed state. So maybe Rauner’s producing the Kansas he wanted after all. […]
There seems to be little doubt that both sides see this race as a possible break in the logjam over the state budget. It can be argued that the difference is that only one of the two sides—the Democrats in the state legislature—see a break in the logjam as a good thing. Right now, with a governor and the comptroller both being Republicans, the Democrats have fought Rauner to a standstill. With a Democratic comptroller, they could force a settlement on their terms.
And the people who finance both sides have backed their cash barges up the Sangamon River to Springfield. […]
This is the kind of race that is just obscure enough to hide real and important issues and Illinois is a helluva big and important state. Keep an eye on this. It’s going to matter.
Over-heated rhetoric, for sure, but at least it’s something.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:01 am:
“Keep an eye on this. It’s going to matter.”
More will come from other sources. The story(ies) will be just too good to pass up.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:16 am:
This rhetoric is no worse than any mailer or TV ad produced this season.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:19 am:
“Rock fight” that’s so appropriate.
Of course I LOVED the rhetoric.
Honeybear approves this message!
I can honestly say labor has throw every rock we can.
From 2/5 to 1/25 will is the best we can do.
We’ll see what kind of effect on Tuesday
- People over Parties - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:19 am:
Not one-sided at all..
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:23 am:
When I want to get a balanced view of the news, Esquire and Rolling Stone aren’t exactly on the radar.
In Kansas, the Governor is lowering taxes. In Illinois our Governor has said many times he would raise taxes if reform of state government was part of the deal.
“It can be argued that the difference is that only one of the two sides—the Democrats in the state legislature—see a break in the logjam as a good thing.” Could it be the reason they didn’t back that argument up with any facts is because there aren’t any?
These are the same Democrats who have not lifted a finger to break the logjam by offering some compromises with the Governor. But they are on the high ground as the only party that wants to break the impasse?
Stick to fashion Esquire, politics isn’t your thing.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:24 am:
California has wild fires and drought.
Florida has hurricanes.
Texas has gun shootings.
Nevada has prostitution.
Oklahoma has tornadoes.
Illinois has criminal governors and crappy government.
If you didn’t live there, what would be newsworthy about these things? It’s not our fly-over image that does all the harm, it’s the fact that we’ve become numb and bound no longer shocked by it.
- HRC2016 - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:25 am:
Inspired by success stories like Sam Brownback’s Kansas and Scott Walker’s Wisconsin, Illinois’ Tea Party plutocrat governor, Bruce Rauner, has tried to create a similar dark miracle in Illinois, only to be thwarted by the Democrats in the state legislature, especially Madigan
Success stories? LOL
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:28 am:
My understanding of Illinois government is incomplete, but how can a Democratic Comptroller force a compromise?
- Amalia - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:31 am:
unless it is in play for the presidential, they are ignoring. plus probably not in play for legislature control, and no redistricting timing.
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:32 am:
===Illinois has criminal governors and crappy government.===
And also shootings. Lots and lots of shootings.
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:33 am:
===only to be thwarted by the Democrats in the state legislature, especially Madigan.===
I suppose an interesting consequence of the idea of painting Madigan as a villain is that if the narrative fails he may wind up given credit for the /heroic/ opposition.
- Not quite a majority - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:41 am:
My favorite line:
“Illinois’ Tea Party plutocrat governor, Bruce Rauner”
Whatever you think of Madigan, that is just about a perfect description of the man in the Directors House at the Fairgrounds (or wherever he is actually).
- RNUG - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:43 am:
== My understanding of Illinois government is incomplete, but how can a Democratic Comptroller force a compromise? ==
Determining which order the pending bills get paid with the limited cash on hand is another form of leverage.
Right now the Comptroller appears to be using that discretion to keep some organizations on life support and let other organizations expire, based on (what appears to be) priorities of the Rauner administration, augmented occasionally by public and private pressure.
A more independent Comptroller might be less inclined to serve as a safety valve. They might also use the office as a “bully pulpit” to try to effect compromise, something most of us believe Judy would have done.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:51 am:
Bull - my guess (and I’m throwing darts here) is that the assumption is the “prioritization” game and the threat of certainly bills/projects not being paid is what they’re trying to convey. If there’s more gridlock and budget shenanigans then I’m with you and I don’t know how a potential Comptroller Mendoza would impact that enough to tilt the playing field.
- A guy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:58 am:
How about it? If the Cubs weren’t in the 7th game of the WS, we might not have seen a single National Ad for President.
- Liberty - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 11:59 am:
The national media made Trump in the primary and roasted him in the election. I would say they have been too engaged to find a story anywhere else.
- Union Man - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:01 pm:
Kinda funny the writer described Brownback’s as a success story for Kansas. Partisans are, at least, realiably partisan. Hopefully, IL GOP will be like KS GOP. Now THAT would be a success: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/us/kansas-republicans-reject-gov-brownbacks-conservatives-in-primary.html?_r=0
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:07 pm:
There is NO race right now, not one, that has my attention like the Comptroller’s race.
It’s not even close.
The hyperbole aside (hysterical, all definitions) this race is a defining race for Rauner, and the first message Democrats and Labor will send to their commitment to making Rauner’s agenda a referendum.
Statewide.
Huge race, huge.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
Thanks Team. The Comptroller may have been a party to some of the lawsuits about paying workers. New positions in those cases could have an effect. That is speculation.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
Guy - it would have been fine with me if I had never seen an ad from either presidential candidate. Good Lord.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:14 pm:
Union Man @ 12:01–that was writer’s attempt at sarcasm.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:16 pm:
Bull - yeah, I think the legal and court order components are huge. What will the Comptroller pay or try to rectify through the courts? Would the Governor and his staff sue Comptroller Mendoza if she digs in her heels? Given how often Rauner has been at odds with AG Madigan it certainly stands to reason that Rauner would be at odds with a Comptroller Mendoza.
- Rabid - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:28 pm:
This is a referendum on my governor’s critical thinking skills on his selection for comptroller
- Deft Wing - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:33 pm:
–”Over-heated rhetoric, for sure, but at least it’s something.”–
Nope. It’s worthless.
- Anon. - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:39 pm:
What about the Robert Creamer/Jan Schakowsky story that has gotten national attention but nothing in IL? You are getting to that, right, Rich?
- walker - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:53 pm:
Nor sure a Dem Comptroller does anything to break the logjam, but the political symbol of the win, might have some eventual impact.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:59 pm:
===You are getting to that, right, Rich? ===
Already did.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
===how can a Democratic Comptroller force a compromise?===
See my Crain’s column: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20161001/ISSUE11/310019992/how-mendoza-could-make-life-miserable-for-rauner
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 1:13 pm:
==These are the same Democrats who have not lifted a finger to break the logjam by offering some compromises with the Governor. ==
You once again continue with this silly argument. I hate to tell you this Lucky but contrary to your hyper-partisan rantings NOBODY has been willing to compromise, INCLUDING the Governor. When you want to have an honest discussion let us all know.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
I don’t think “Tea Party Republican” is how I would describe the Governor. He’s a “Rauner Republican.”
As for the Comptroller impacting the situation, Mendoza absolutely could muck stuff up. She could do something like go into court and ask the court to reconsider paying employees. She could cut off payments (umm . . . slow down payments) for things Rauner wants paid.
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 1:28 pm:
Demoralized we finally agree on something. The Democrats are not the only ones who see a break in the logjam as a good thing.
As far as compromising, Rauner has dropped numerous parts of the Turnaround Agenda like RTW zones and would settle for 2 or 3- term limits, redistricting, workers comp. There have been working groups and numerous Democrat legislators have said reforms are necessary but somehow they never make it out of the rules committee. Wonder why?
- Roman - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 1:39 pm:
To the larger point, it is interesting how little attention the national media have paid to politics in Illinois. If the governor of New York, Massachusetts or California was personally funding his party’s legislative candidates with tens of millions of dollars it would be getting a lot of nation coverage.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 2:01 pm:
LP- I guess we’ll see soon if Rauner has really dropped down to only 2-3 TA items. He has said that in the past and then, poof, they appear as poison pills in various bills.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 2:17 pm:
“It can be argued that the difference is that only one of the two sides—the Democrats in the state legislature—see a break in the logjam as a good thing.”
Golly, where would anybody get such a wacky idea?
“In Illinois there’s been a long-time history of what I would call social service, social justice, a bigger role for government in the safety net than in many other states. I think we can drive a wedge issue in the Democratic Party on that topic” — Bruce Rauner, September 18, 2012.
Logjam, wedge, impasse, leverage, whatever…
This is his plan.
– MrJM
- Rabid - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 3:03 pm:
Making madigan the boogeyman as the only thing between the vulnerable and the govenor with no social agenda. I don’t get it
- A guy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 3:04 pm:
==- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
Guy - it would have been fine with me if I had never seen an ad from either presidential candidate. Good Lord.===
I’m totally with you on that T Sleep. It was just an interesting diversion. Our state is so little a player on the national scene. CA and NY have the same status. As TX has had for the other side. But OH, PA, MI, FL are of similar size. It would be interesting to be a factor some day, don’t you think? (little chuckle)
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
Thanks Rich for the link.
JBT had the personal credibility to make the Comptrollers position a “bully pulpit”. Mendoza does not have that. At least not yet.
- A guy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 3:09 pm:
===Making madigan the boogeyman===
The GOP didn’t make him the bogeyman. They just bought into it for far too long. That’s an even worse offense in my opinion. It’s all noise until we steal his lunch in enough districts to make a difference.
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 4:09 pm:
MJM, what are the Democrat’s plans to break the logjam?
Because they are so eager, I am sure it will be easy to articulate.
I have been paying attention to their actions as well as their ads.
Other than Donald Trump is bad, the billionaires who fund Rauner are trying to lower their own taxes, and that they will protect planned parenthood I can’t think if anything else the democrats are running on.
They don’t like to talk about the fact that because:
“In Illinois there’s been a long-time history of what I would call social service, social justice, a bigger role for government in the safety net than in many other states. I think we can drive a wedge issue in the Democratic Party on that topic”
Because the Democrat’s agenda involves a bigger government (for higher pensions, and union salaries and health care benefits as well as expanded social services) and higher taxes that accompany that.
Madigan has said to solve the budget we will need revenues and cuts. So far no new cuts and other than a millionaires tax that will require a constitutional amendment, no new revenue proposals.
They won’t even call their own pension bill or propose an amendment to the constitution reducing future pension benefits. We have yet to see what they will compromise on until after the election.
But we supposed to take Esquire Magazine’s word that they are eager to end the logjam.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 4:15 pm:
==As far as compromising, Rauner has dropped numerous parts of the Turnaround Agenda==
You mistake that for compromise. Dropping, for example, something like RTW isn’t compromise. It’s a recognition of political reality.
Compromise would be adjusting the proposals to get buy in by all involved. Simply dropping items, then telling everyone that those items must be passed in the exact form he wants them (which he has done - see the property tax freeze bill he vetoed) isn’t compromise.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
Clarification - dropping some items, and then demanding that the remaining items be passed unchanged, is not compromise.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 4:25 pm:
===It’s all noise until we steal his lunch in enough districts to make a difference===
The only way is when there are 60 Raunerites, not Republicans.
Democrats won’t yield on Labor. That’s just not going to happen. That’s the only Rauner want.
The rest is long term Raunerite malaise dusguised as an agenda.
Like property taxes… which require Union gives.
lol.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
Any governor willing to negotiate away the biggest change tool a governor has… a budget… to leverage hurting Illinois’ most vulnerable to close state universities and destroy labor…
Rauner just wants labor gone. That’s the only end game.
Get 60 and 30, Governor, lol.
By nearly every measure, Illinois is worse off since Rauner became governor.
That’s not Esquire, that’s Crain’s.
The Decatur Mistake defines the Crain’s quote.
Rauner is a failure.
- Ron - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 5:18 pm:
Illinois is actually better off so far under Rauner. Job growth has been robust and economic growth last year was the highest in many years.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 5:33 pm:
- Ron -
Tell that to the Governor, he could use my sloppy press release too!
LOL
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Nov 3, 16 @ 8:31 pm:
Like property taxes which require a union give
What makes a give by the unions totally out of the question?
Are the democrats holding a budget compromise hostage so they can protect the 15% of Illinois workforce that is unionized?
I thought hostage taking was bad
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 7:02 am:
- Lucky Pierre -
There’s no 60 votes for it.
It’s that “simple”
Rauner needs things that can get 60 and 30.
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 8:37 am:
If that is true OW, since we know cuts are coming (both Speaker Madigan and Governor Rauner have said so),
Democrats are choosing to cut social services, not labor or pensions.
Vote accordingly