67 Comments - Ex Spsa - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:06 am: A Enough just be a governor for your remaining time. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:08 am: I’m going to be brutally honest. This is something a challenger rolls out when running against an inept incumbent with no measurable budgetary wins, and when the state is sliding, nay, spiraling downward, a death spiral, and that challenger is taking advantage of that incumbent’s failure. This reminds me Rauner has no measurable budgetary wins. Rauner still thinks people will ignore the past two years. If you are an incumbent and “this” is you touting your budget, you are 100% failing as a governor… up to now. - Pres. D Duck - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:09 am: This state, he does not own it. It’s not his it’s all of us, all. - Honeybear - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:13 am: Okay….so when I was “hysterical” and should “take a break” at the start of this every thought I was full of it (Don’t start with me PoW) Now do you get why I keep coming back again and again and again to one word? Perfidy Perfidy to execute “malum in se” Look at Just War Theory OW likes his Godfather and old WWII movies. They are his touchstone. Just War Theory is mine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfidy malum in se Combatants may not use weapons or other methods of warfare that are considered evil, such as mass rape, forcing enemy combatants to fight against their own side or using weapons whose effects cannot be controlled. (obviously Rauner is not using rape but if you change the context, one can see that Rauner is using economics, an uncontrolled weapon, and forcing a side to fight itself) Call me hysterical. Call me whatever you want but Rauner is economically destroying lives in a way that hurts the innocent and vulnerable. - Hamlet's Ghost - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:15 am: The ad says Illinois needs a budget and directs people to a Rauner campaign website. www.budgetandreform.com/ Not 24 hours has passed since the Governor’s budget plan was released and he’s already directing people away from the official budget website. www.illinois.gov/gov/budget/Pages/default.aspx - LizPhairTax - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:17 am: “Whatever it takes” for sure. A for honesty there. - Anon - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:19 am: === Bruce Rauner’s plan to balance the budget === Maybe I missed something, but was his proposed budget balanced? - Ryan - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:22 am: I find it extremely hard to believe he can win re-election. He has done absolutely nothing for the last 2 years. Well he has dropped a lot of g’s, but other than that, nothin’! - Enviro - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:24 am: === Bruce Rauner’s plan to balance the budget === Bruce Rauner’s plan is to balance the budget on the backs of middle class workers. - facts are stubborn things - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:24 am: “Whatever it takes”….quite a statement! I am afraid he means it. I wish he would negotiate a tough but honest budget and AFSCME contract. He needs to get a budget done and then make the 2018 election a mandate on non budget turn around agenda items. It is just wrong to cause so much harm to so many (what ever it takes) to get his agenda through. Budget first, as MJM has been stating almost daily. You must grasp 60-30! - very old soil - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:25 am: He plans on doing it, He just hasn’t had time to actually do it. - Tommydanger - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:36 am: Mr. Governor 220, 221, whatever it takes! - Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:43 am: Somebody needs to tell Bruce that he won in 2014. - PublicServant - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:53 am: ===Whatever it takes.=== It takes you dropping your TA fantasies, and negotiating on a mix of revenue and cuts. - Good - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:56 am: Campaign ON the budget or campaigning FOR a budget? I choose to see this as a good sign. - DHS Jim - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:58 am: Whatever it takes, Rauner will destroy the power of organized labor in Illinois for his corpirate masters the Koch brothers. - theq - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:01 am: “Illinois needs a budget” That’s a cool idea maybe he should think about writing one - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:04 am: It’s going to take acknowledging that illinois state government spends more than it brings in It’s going to take accepting responsibility for budget cuts that will hurt some people. It’s going to take owning revenue increases (taxes, fees, whatever) that will hurt some people. It’s going to take a governor willing to spend some political capital to provide support for legislators of both parties who are willing to get our finances off of autopilot and into some kind of order. It’s going to take a willingness to acknoeledge the harm done to state (and local, and private) institutions by the last two years’ failed budget processes. The governor still has time to prove he can lead. But his past performance does not bode well. - kitty - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:06 am: More campaigning for an agenda for which he has no mandate (30 and 60), namely his obsession with destroying organized labor. Rauner has not fulfilled the most fundamental requirements of his office and likely will be remembered as the most destructive and least accomplished governor in Illinois history. He is worthy of impeachment for incompetence and malfeasance. - Gooner - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:12 am: So, after all these years, is Gov. Rauner finally going to reveal his Top Secret Plan to Balance the Budget? I can’t WAIT to check out that website! This is gonna be great! - Honeybear - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:14 am: Over a million effected by loss of services “Whatever it takes” Thousands of jobs lost because of the impasse “Whatever it takes” Destruction of private social service agencies “Whatever it takes” Starving of government agencies “Whatever it takes” Non payment of lawful contracts “Whatever it takes” Calling the judicial system “corrupt” “Whatever it takes” Accepting dark money during the campaigns “Whatever it takes” Authorizing hundreds of millions in EDGE “Whatever it takes” Not fulfilling constitutional duties “Whatever it takes” betraying your oath “Whatever it takes” hurting the innocent and vulnerable “Whatever it takes” hurting your own employees “Whatever it takes” Blaming every and anyone else for the damage “Whatever it takes” Not governing “Whatever it takes” wearing costumes to make you seem “of the people” “Whatever it takes” malum in se “Whatever it takes” perfidy “Whatever it takes” Thanks for the gift Governor. I’m going to use your words often. Bring you down “Whatever it takes” - Workin' together on "grand bargain" - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:15 am: I’m sure the new website isn’t yet complete. I couldn’t find any information on the site to help Senators identify the $4.752 billion in cuts left out of the budget. - Mr. Smith - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:20 am: I find it very interesting that he is running on a record of failing to perform his primary duty as Governor - to present a BALANCED budget for the General Assembly to consider, amend, and pass. I would really appreciate it if someone - preferably my political leadership - would publicly call him on the violation of statute and make that one of the centerpieces of an ongoing media campaign. And every single day of every session of the House and Senate, his failure to present a balanced budget should be officially noted in the record. - Mokenavince - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:22 am: This commercial has a hollow ring too it. It’s like he’s in a beauty contest. - Earnest - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:24 am: >I find it extremely hard to believe he can win re-election. I find it hard to believe he can lose. My scan of headlines today tells me my Governor is standing up for no taxes on retirement income, food and medicine. They tell me he wants to make changes that will grow our economy and that he wants to spend more on education. I’m not seeing any strong counter-messages out there from the Illinois Democratic Party. Mike Madigan’s comment on the Budget Address yesterday did well at identifying the negative impact of the Governor’s approach, but didn’t offer any positive vision other than vague reforms to help the middle class. Heck, Quinn might at least have hired Rauner’s chicken suit to say something about the lack of a balanced budgegt proposal and gotten a photo in the paper. - gdubya - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:26 am: I’m wondering how the man tripled his income in the last year while workin’ hard for the people of Illinois. Did he triple it because he IS governor? Some connection there? - A Jack - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:30 am: You should reelect me Bruce Rauner because even though I have increased the debt through my budget failures, I have a plan to reduce the debt. - Johnnie F. - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:31 am: Whatever it takes. That should be the battle cry of the fraidy-cat house and senate republicans. Time to find a solution that cuts Rauner out. - Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:33 am: ===Bruce Rauner’s plan is to balance the budget on the backs of middle class workers.=== Don’t forget the poor as well. Rauner has said “We have to be competitive so we can afford to be compassionate” multiple times. - wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:40 am: ===Bruce Rauner’s plan is to balance the budget on the backs of middle class workers.=== He might want to stick it to workers and the poor, but his proposal is not even in the area code of being balanced. Between his $4.6 billion “working together” line item and phantom savings in pensions, procurement and health insurance, his proposal is out of whack by more than $7 billion. Plus, he’s “building a new economy.” What could that possibly even mean, even by the low bar of word-salad? It’s gibberish. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:45 am: What are the Democrats budgetary wins over the past decade? A pile of debt passed on to the next generation? What makes you think voters will ignore Democratic obstructionism and a failure to address the problems in this state for decades? You can’t beat someone with nothing and so far other than Ameya Pawar there are are no specifics about the budget from Chris Kennedy or Speaker Madigan. President Cullerton and Governor Rauner are in the arena, the House Democrats look more like paid protesters with their sophomoric signs and heckling. - Archiesmom - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:46 am: Nice campaign ad. I have finally decided that he will never stop campaigning and begin to govern. It is useless to help for anything more. - Gooner - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:48 am: Lucky P, You really think a blue-leaning state is going to vote to re-elect a Governor who has failed? That sounds like a stretch. I can’t rule it out, but it seems unlikely. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:50 am: ===What are the Democrats budgetary wins over the past decade?=== I’m gonna stop ya there. Gov. Rauner’s proposed budget is between $4-7 billion out of whack. You have no case if Rauner has no balanced budget. Capiche? The rest of your comment is gibberish to something we won’t know about until campaign season (not Rauner’s 24/7/365 kind) has voters saying “Bruce Rauner failed” Where is your “outrage” - Lucky Pierre -, Rauner proposed a phony budget… - wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 9:52 am: Now, now, LP, The Boss said no more finger pointin’ and dredgin’ up the past. We are where we are and it’s time to move forward. How do you like Rauner’s proposed budget with the $7 billion hole? Perhaps you could compare and contrast with the Madigan proposed budget with the $7 billion hole from last year. You thought that one was an abomination. I’m guessin’ you think Rauner’s is just dreamy, in your own objective way. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:03 am: I am a little perplexed by the House and Senate Democrats boulder throwing from their glass houses about balanced budgets. it seems like kindergarten, childish signs pointing to the Governor’s failures while excusing their own, which have been going on for far longer. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:06 am: - Lucky Pierre - Hmm. Still no outrage at the “grossly” out of balance Rauner budget proposal? Are you confused or waiting for Raunerbot talking points? Here’s a hint; use all those talking points you complain about “grossly” out of whack budgets, insert Rauner’s name. “Aw, you’re welcome” - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:14 am: The House, Senate and Governor Rauner all proposed out of balance budgets last year, none of which were reconciled or barely debated. We had the usual end of season shenanigans before the clock ran out and legislators left Springfield after another failed session. After all there was an election in the Fall and they would wait until after to solve the state’s problems. All three agreed on an unbalanced stop gap budget. Cue all the outrage towards only one of the three- the fellow Republican OW. Seems fair - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:19 am: - Lucky Pierre - I’m a Republican, Rauner is a Raunerite. If you can’t see how you have no clothes with another phony pivot, you have no chance to be taken seriously. ===All three agreed on an unbalanced stop gap budget. Cue all the outrage towards only one of the three=== Oh, - Lucky Pierre -… Rauner signed the out of whack budget, a stopgap budget, 2 things Rauner swore he’d never do. You want to keep going? You keep failing like Rauner, lol - Gooner - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:20 am: Lucky, You can point the finger wherever you want. However, that does not change basic facts: 1. The IL Constitution require the Gov. to submit a balanced budget; 2. Governor Rauner promised to balance the budget without raising taxes; 3. Governor Rauner has never come close on any of those three. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:20 am: ===All three agreed on an unbalanced stop gap budget. Cue all the outrage towards only one of the three=== “Bruce Rauner, part of the Status Quo” - Handle Bar Mustache - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:22 am: Lucky Pierre, Your guy has made Illinois a financial basket case / laughingstock again. Way to go. Shake up Springfield, Bring Back Illinois. MAGA Look, when the state has less than 5 billion in bills, it can pay vendors in 60-70 days. Quinn did that. https://www.illinois.gov/gov/budget/Documents/Bill_Backlog_Presentation_for_January_FY17.pdf 5 year blueprint from Quinn - don’t pretend there weren’t real, balanced budgets from democrats in years past: https://www.illinois.gov/gov/budget/Documents/Budget%20Book/FY%202015%20Budget%20Book/FY15%205yr%20blueprint%20to%20secure%20Illinois%20Financial%20Future.pdf - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:31 am: Watch the 15 second Rauner ad and compare to the two minute Kennedy rollout with zero specifics Rauner wants to: Build a new economy- only the Chicago area is happy with the current one. Almost 85 % of the economic growth is there Freezes property taxes- We have the highest in the nation Caps spending- Does this sound unpopular? Pays down debt- Instead of running up more? Term limits- incredibly popular with bipartisan majorities who have the least faith in their government of any state in America He will have 50 million dollars to take this message to the voters and there is no message from the other side. - AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:35 am: LP “Democrats look more like paid protesters with their sophomoric signs and heckling.” Obviously you’re incapable of sharing your thoughts on the Governor’s budget; perhaps you’d like to share your thoughts on his costumes? - Now What? - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:36 am: Democrats: please take note and address accordingly. Do not anticipate nor assume that people see how right you can be. Shelve the hubris, act hungry, and lay out your plan accordingly. See Hillary Clinton for more details. - Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:43 am: MENDACITY. I know we’re not supposed to compare Rauner to Trump but the Orwellian nature of their words is the same. Black is white. Day is night. And 2+2=7. - Gooner - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:45 am: Lucky Pierre, Let’s look at that property tax freeze. Suppose Savannah IL wants to raise property taxes. Who do you think knows more about the needs of the people of Savannah? The Mayor and City Council of Savannah, or a bunch of State Reps. from places like Effingham and Watseka, an and Governor from the north shore? Why should those people tell the people of Savannah how much money they should raise through property taxes? - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:50 am: The mechanism for raising property taxes above the freeze is through referendum. That way the people from Savannah Illinois would decide how much they want to spend and what they want to cut. I agree wholeheartedly, the people of Savannah should decide how much money they should raise through property taxes and not have mandates from Springfield shoved down their throat. - Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:51 am: Hey LP, how do you “pay down debt” when you put the state $7 billion deeper in the hole and still won’t propose a specific revenue plan? Dude - 2+2=4. It doesn’t equal 7 no matter how many times you say it. - wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 10:54 am: –Build a new economy– And how would General Secretary Rauner accomplish this glorious victory for the proletariat of the Union of Soviet Socialist Illinois Counties? A Five Year Plan, issued by the Central Committee in Springfield? Tell us more, Comrade LP, on your central planning and model for the New Economy engineered by the state. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:02 am: Wordlsinger you sound like one of the few who is happy with the current state of our economy. 5th highest unemployment, record outmigration, and the fact that Illinois has 4 of the 8 cities in the Midwest in recession. Government can create an environment where the private sector wants to invest more in Illinois, which would grow our economy , raise more revenue and stop the outward migration and maybe even attract more people to come here for better opportunities like they used to. Rauner is not a socialist advocating for the government to control the means of production but you sure sound like one - lake county democrat - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:03 am: Democrats cheering a massive regressive-in-effect tax increase. Republicans embracing public service unions in a state where they wield outsized power. The only thing that makes sense is how little they care about real political reform (”leadership term limits” - I’d laugh if I didn’t feel like crying). - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:04 am: ===Watch the 15 second Rauner ad and compare to the two minute Kennedy rollout with zero specifics=== LOL! In the 15 seconds… Rauner has zero specifics for a budget that $4-7 billion out of whack and you think it’s “great”? Where is the outrage? Rauner is proposing a phony out of balance budget. You keep forgetting that. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:07 am: ===…you sound like one of the few who is happy with the current state of our economy. 5th highest unemployment, record outmigration, and the fact that Illinois has 4 of the 8 cities in the Midwest in recession=== Rauner has had 6 bond downgrades “Bruce Rauner failed” Rauner has no budget in 2 years “Bruce Rauner failed” Rauner has continued the Status Quo, signing a stopgap budget, a stopgap budget grossly out of whack “Bruce Rauner failed” Where is the Shake Up? Where is the Bring Back? Comical - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:09 am: The Governor supports revenue as part of the compromise which would make his budget balance OW. Did you miss that part of the speech? It’s in there, taxes on services as well as an increased income tax. I suppose when you are playing poker you just lay your cards out for everyone to see. I don’t think you would win many hands if you did that. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:13 am: ===The Governor supports revenue as part of…=== Again, I’m gonna haveta stop ya there. When your budget is $4-7 billion out of whack, you don’t get to dictate any “terms” Rauner requires revenue. It’s not up for discussion, it’s not up for debate, it’s not a “give” or option. That’s how numbers work. - wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:17 am: –Government can create an environment where the private sector wants to invest more in Illinois,..– Yes it can. Fiscal stability, paying bills on time for goods and services, supporting an educated adult workforce and maintaining and improving infrastructure are among the traditional ways. How we doin’ there? But, please, you’re talking economics, so it must be based in some sort of scholarship, this model for a New Economy. Where could we find that? Especially how term limits attract private capital. I bet that’s a great read. I don’t really think Rauner’s a socialist — if he was, he would get some ownership equity for the citizenry when he gives away their money to the likes of profitable corporations like Exelon, Capitol One and Amazon. Right now, he’s just Robin Hood in Reverse. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:20 am: “You don’t get to dictate any terms” All of the horse trading that went on in previous budgets now doesn’t apply because there is a Republican Governor? In a divided government where compromise is essential and has been sorely lacking only the Speaker can dictate terms right? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:35 am: ===All of the horse trading that went on in previous budgets now doesn’t apply because there is a Republican Governor?=== You said, only yesterday… This… ======Why do you think a Republican Governor would be able to work with him?=== Which is it, Democrats CAN work with Republicans, or Democrats CAN’T work with Republicans. LOL Pick a lane already. Also, Rauner is a Raunerite, not a Republican. This is the second time I’ve had to point this out to you… ===In a divided government where compromise is essential and has been sorely lacking only the Speaker can dictate terms right?=== You roll out a budget that’s $4-7 billion out of whack, “how are you going to pay off it?” Why aren’t you angry, Rauner is going to sign the “Rauner Tax”…LOL - Demoralized - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:39 am: ==It’s in there== Um, it is not in there. Please don’t play the game where you attempt to argue that his budget is balanced. It’s a laughable argument and easily refuted. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:39 am: The horse trading went on before Rauner with both Democrat and Republican Governors especially kicking the manure to future generations. There has been no horse trading since Rauner was elected because the Democrats were not used to dealing with a Republican Governor after twelve years of total control of state government. What percentage of the Democratic caucus that compromised with Governor Ryan are still in Springfield? - Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:48 am: ===What percentage of the Democratic caucus that compromised with Governor Ryan are still in Springfield? === Not sure, but here are two: Madigan and Cullerton. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:48 am: Are you saying the Governor did not support increased revenue and more flexibility in cutting the budget in his speech yesterday which would balance it? “A good deal for taxpayers lays the foundation for balanced budgets for years to come. The budget must truly balance by the end of Fiscal Year 2018 – and it must balance in a way that doesn’t send us right back into deficit a few years from now. That means a hard cap on spending that forces state government to live within its means, balance the budget and pay off the state’s debt. Spending reductions in the budget need to be real – not smoke and mirrors. Long-term pension reform needs to maximize savings in all pension systems. As for revenue, we’ve always said that we’d consider revenue if it comes with changes that create jobs and grow the economy.” He also talked about how he cannot line item the budget to balance inspire of what many argue here: “Today, over 60 percent of the state’s general revenues – roughly $20 billion – are locked up by statute. No Governor can effectively reduce spending until we address automatic spending categories like pensions, Medicaid and transfers out.” - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:50 am: ===What percentage of the Democratic caucus that compromised with Governor Ryan are still in Springfield?=== To counter, If it’s “low”, what the need for term limits if in 12 years most aren’t sitting in the Chambers? How can you be for Term Limits, and then say what you just said? Think on that. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:52 am: ===…we’d consider revenue if… === Again, it’s big an option when a budget, “touted”, is $4-7 billion out of whack. Your ridiculousness can’t out-talk numbers. Sorry. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 11:55 am: “not an option” - apologies. - Lucky Pierre - You need to come to terms, quickly… Rauner requires $4-7 billion in revenues. You can’t have “asks” for admitted “requires” Never works that way. - Rabid - Friday, Feb 17, 17 @ 6:53 am: The whatever campain being run by valley girls? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.