* From an Ameya Pawar fundraising appeal…
Across Illinois, social service agencies are closing. Jobs are fleeing the state. Public schools aren’t sure how they open their doors in the fall. Our state universities and colleges are being starved of resources. Nearly 47,000 poor families are no longer eligible for childcare.
This is all because Bruce Rauner has decided that destroying unions and gutting wages for working families is more important than passing a budget that lifts up all Illinois families.
In the midst of all the devastation, does Bruce Rauner feel for all the impacted people? No. Last week he said, he’s never been “so happy in his life.”
Bruce Rauner is happy because the chaos and destruction is by design. His design. A design to divide and rule.
This is personal to me.
My father was born in India under British rule. The British were few, but they were wealthy. The Indians were many but they were kept poor.
They were pit against one another based on what religion they practiced, where they lived, and what language they spoke. The British kept Indians jobless, uneducated, and without medical services.
This was the world my dad grew up in, and it’s the world being created by the broken policies of Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner.
It’s been 21 months and counting without a budget because Rauner wants there to be no budget. In his race to destroy the social safety net, he wants the chaos that comes from slashing school funding, closing health clinics, and encouraging companies to leave the state.
I am running for governor because I’m tired of Bruce Rauner and his billionaire friends being the happiest they’ve ever been as millions of families suffer from lack of jobs, health care, and educational opportunities.
I am running because I want to ensure my daughter doesn’t grow up in the kind of world that oppressed my dad.
That’s a pretty significant leap of logic and ridiculous. Even if you agree with what some of Pawar is saying about Rauner’s actions, to compare them to the bloody and repressive British rule of India is way over the top even for a fundraising plea.
- DHS Jim - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:50 pm:
Me too. Different context but he’s doing the same as British Colonials by keeping people jobless, taking away jobs, bringing down wages for everyone else and using divide and conquer strategies.
- DHS Jim - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:51 pm:
. ..and I think comments like these tap into the frustration and anger of many voters towards Rauner.
- Pawarrior - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:53 pm:
Divide and rule tactics are exactly what Rauner is doing to our state. Instead of working together to get things done (I.e. pass a budget, fund education and social services, invest in communities instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires and million dollar corporations, etc.), he’d rather keep us fighting with each other. So, not a leap of logic at all and hardly ridiculous.
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:54 pm:
The comparison is ridiculous. Pawar loses points with me for making that argument.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:55 pm:
Two comments were already deleted for a sock puppetry rules violation.
Next time that IP address tries something like that, I’m putting it on the permanent banned list.
- Real - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:57 pm:
Either you people are sleep or bought off. The comparison is as true as it can get. Period!
- Mr. K. - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
Well, it’s an odd comparison.
But he has a point.
- DHS Jim - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:02 pm:
@Last Bull Moose, you were probably not the target audience for these comments. Pawar is trying to energize those who have been harmed by Rauner administration, which is an ever growing constituency.
- Stir - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:05 pm:
I just think it’s hysterical that no matter what he says nobody from any party responds.
- William J Kelly - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
Pawhack, if you can’t get the century straight at least try to get the country straight, you might be the only way Rauner gets reelected.
- Sillies - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
Someone ask a southside pol with Irish ancestry if s/he feels the same.
- buffalo soldier - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
I think some folks glossed over the key point he made in this message. That point is exemplified by this passage: “The British were few, but they were wealthy. The Indians were many but they were kept poor.” I argue that his message is less a commentary on colonialism, and more of a commentary about class warfare. I think he is trying to tie his family’s personal history to the message that galvanized many Democrats to vote for Bernie Sanders during the Presidential primary.
Further, the chaos that ensues from severing the safety net ties into the Governor’s own rhetoric about the situation he sought to create in Illinois prior to his own bid: “Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change … and we’ve got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change.”
The message never said “colonial rule” or “race” or any of the other terrible markers of colonial imperialism that marked that terrible time in world history. I think there is a fair critique of Pawar’s message that the lens through which he views the current crisis is too narrow, but we can all agree the new status quo is bad. And it’s horrible for those who rely on the very social safety net that the Governor is supposed to strengthen.
- gopower - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:09 pm:
Without having a bio handy, I’d guess that Pawar’s father was a toddler, or not much older, when India became independent from Great Britain in 1947.
- AlfondoGonz - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:09 pm:
I think Pawar limited the scope of the comparison and employed hyperbole that is not uncommon when rallying support. I’m not sure I see anything egregious here, as when I first saw it independently, I didn’t think twice about it. Pawar is simply trying to demonstrate that he has skin in the game, so to speak.
Rauner saying term limits and property tax freezes balance budgets is infinitely more suspect.
- Earnest - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:15 pm:
>Bruce Rauner is happy because the chaos and destruction is by design.
That was a lot of paragraphs. I couldn’t figure out what to pick out as a clear, cohesive message?
- RNUG - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:19 pm:
From strictly a political perspective, Pawar knows he needs Rauner as the bad guy in contrast … and some of the rich vs poor and divide and conquer parallels are valid.
Driving Rauner’s numbers down further is one way to offset the money advantage. Plus you have to admit it definitely takes the attack to the “enemy”.
Given the amount of money floating around, the number of competitors, and the need to present a seperate / unique view, we can probably expect more over the top comparisons.
This election is going to be a real dog and cat fight. I predict we’ll look back a year from now and consider this a relatively mild attack.
- Patchin' - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:20 pm:
Well, at least he didn’t compare the Governor to ISIS. These analogies are in poor taste and regardless of what side of the aisle you are on, you should be able to recogize that.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:21 pm:
–In the midst of all the devastation, does Bruce Rauner feel for all the impacted people? No. Last week he said, he’s never been “so happy in his life.”–
I probably would just knock the stuff out of that for a long, long time.
Meh, at least Pawar is on the right of the British colonialism “debate.”
Newt said Obama was bad news because he had an “anti-British-colonialism” attitude.
Like Washington, Adams, Jefferson and those cats.
- Beaker - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:25 pm:
pawar is the only minority candidate in the race so his family’s experience and drawing parallels to experience is valid. we should avoid whitesplainin.
- Nickname - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:26 pm:
Interesting how he mentions his parents’ struggles so much, and cannot speak to his own.
- W.S. Wolcott - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:30 pm:
Maybe it’s less ridiculous if your immediate ancestors lived it. No doubt, the hyperbole serves a political purpose, but maybe it rings more true to him given his specific background. Having lived in Illinois all my life I’ve never felt repressed or been bloodied. I know it happens everyday all around the world. But government oppression is so last century in first world countries. The oppression might now be coming from billionaires rigging the political game in their own favor. I see danger in that. I’m not defending his comment just saying many of us would have no reference point regarding oppression.
- Beaker - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:33 pm:
Walcott-
You may want to ask people in Black Lives Matter or anyone impacted by Burge if they feel oppressed or if they’ve been bloodied. Background matters
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:47 pm:
I agree with the aldermen. That’s precisely what Rauner is doing, only without the redcoated thugs.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:47 pm:
Sure, why not?
- Team Warwick - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
I agree with Pawar. And Rich your comments about his analogy show cultural tone deafness.
- Smitty Irving - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:52 pm:
Note to Pawar. After British include “, and John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carneige, J. P. Morgan, and what was done to the Homestead Steel workers” …
- Responsa - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:52 pm:
==“The British were few, but they were wealthy. The Indians were many but they were kept poor.” ==
Have any other exceedingly rich men announced their candidacy for governor of Illinois?
- Nickname - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
Warwick, your comments reveal ignorance of history.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
===cultural tone deafness===
You want a safe space?
- Beaker - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
Lots of privilege and whitesplainin in a safe space for politicos
- blue dog dem - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:33 pm:
Again I ask. If Pawar is for a progressive income tax, what is he as the Democratic nominee or governor going to do to ensure this happens. Or will he be like most progresive Democratic demogogues and just talk about it.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:55 pm:
I agree that Rauner’s comment that he’s never been so happy in his life should be used to repeatedly hammer him over the devastation of so many people–a million or more losing social services, drastic higher ed cuts, vendors getting stiffed, etc.
- walker - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:58 pm:
The colonialism meme has become very popular among US progressives, criticizing our increasing economic and power inequalities, backed up by cultural presumption. He just personalized it.
Hard to see it moving many voters, here and now.
- Beaker - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:00 pm:
Entire post splained to the few whitesplainin. A minority candidate talks his family experience and compares to Rauner agenda and his experience is written off. Splained.
- Veil of Ignorance - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:01 pm:
@Rich: I don’t see it so much a leap of logic in that Pawar is correct that Rauner’s divide and rule tactic plays on race and geography, which is a poor man’s version of what Trump is doing. I’d say Pawar’s rhetoric was aggressive, but I don’t know if it’s ridiculous to his progressive base; we should remember fundraising emails are always pumped up for max emotional response.
- Veil of Ignorance - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
And let’s not mock safe spaces please. That’s a real thing for folks who are constantly and historically marginlized.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
===pawar is the only minority candidate in the race so his family’s experience and drawing parallels to experience is valid===
Rauner is the only Republican candidate in the race, so are all of his claims valid?
- William j Kelly - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:13 pm:
Pawack, let me Chicagosplain something, this rhetoric won’t play off-campus and will only re-elect rauner.
- WTF - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:24 pm:
Pawer has a powerful story. It might not resonate with those deeply focused on politics to the point of cynicism, but I’ve seen him speak to a large group of mostly white working class people. They were from outside Chicago and had never heard of him. But they were deeply moved. They got it.
If he can figure out a way to get his story out to more those folks, he’ll give the big names a run for their vast amounts of money.
- Responsa - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:27 pm:
==And let’s not mock safe spaces please.==
The idea of mental “safe spaces” in politics and on college campuses is highly mockable. Sorry.
- Me Again - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:44 pm:
Rich, You disagreed with my comment, so you deleted it! Nice!
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:47 pm:
===You disagreed with my comment, so you deleted it===
Not sure what your comment was.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:02 pm:
===You disagreed with my comment, so you deleted it===
But could it have been the two I deleted right at the top of the thread with two different names and the same IP address saying basically the same thing? That would be a clear TOS violation, no matter what you were saying.
- Come on man! - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:03 pm:
And calling the people affect by the budget stalemate is not a hyperbolic analogy?
Rhetoric is rhetoric. Pawar needs to be a bomb thrower and you have given him a venue to air these out beyond his email list.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:08 pm:
===And calling the people affect by the budget stalemate is not a hyperbolic analogy?===
I can’t answer a question when it’s written so poorly.
- Ok - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:12 pm:
I also had a comment deleted because Rich disagreed with it. Smh
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:20 pm:
===I also had a comment deleted because Rich disagreed with it. Smh===
And you’re the same person, with a different screen name, who accused everyone here of being bought off. Sock puppetry is a TOS violation.
- Me Again - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:21 pm:
I only posted once, in support of Mr Pawar. I don’t think that his statement was “over the top”, considering the absolutely terrible state that Illinois is in.
- Ok - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:32 pm:
Apparently this is a censored comment board. You can’t tell the real truth about Bruce Rauner here.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:35 pm:
Speaking of sock puppetry, or lack therein, I need some capfax opinions. Over the weekend, the weather down here in SoIl was beautiful, so old Blue got out his sandals. My fashion statement daughter told me 71 year old guys should be wearing socks and shoes. My question, “am I too old to let my paws show?”
- RNUG - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:57 pm:
-blue dog-
At our age, part of the job description is embarrassing our kids …
- Veil of Ignorance - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:00 pm:
@Responsa:I’m not sure where the college campus reference comes in but if that’s your burning pet peeve issue (as opposed to no budget) no problem. But given this comment feed is normally folks who care about our state and pay attention to what’s going on, it would be great if we treat each other with the some basic level of respect. Finally, while I can’t say for sure, it’s always been my sense that the majority of commenters here are white men and does sometimes fail to account for other possible and equally valid perspectives. You may not need a safe space, but i assure you there are those that do. Mocking the term entirely is imho not cool.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:02 pm:
===You can’t tell the real truth about Bruce Rauner here===
I just had to let this one go through for its supremely comedic value.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:06 pm:
===You can’t tell the real truth about Bruce Rauner here===
So he really is a truth-tellin’, regular guy, fiscal conservative, ethical executive who gives a hoot about the social service infrastructure, higher ed and workin’ stiffs?
I’m so ashamed. My apologies for these two years of getting it so wrong.
- Jim O - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 6:51 pm:
Pawar’s commentary is neither a ‘leap of logic’ or ridiculous! The British ruled India (and numerous other counties) in with hash repression (as the US revolution demonstrated) by the wealth of the many poor. After YEARS of the repressive British colonial rule the Indian people (and African colonies) were fed up and revolted resulting in blood shed. The Arab Spring events of the few years are a continuation of the same. Years of repression (by Kings, Tyrants, CEO’s, or Capitalists) will often lead to revolt.
Repression of the poor is a hallmark of Rauner agenda. Every budget harmful action has been against those with the least or least capable. NOTHING in Rauner’s actions has drawn a dime from his 1%ers. So far the revolt has been via rhetoric and the ballot box.
There is nothing ridiculous about Pawar’s comments.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 7:00 pm:
===So far the revolt has been via rhetoric and the ballot box===
The people voted him in a couple years back. It was in all the papers, and there was no mention that I recall of Illinois being conquered by a foreign military force. And it was Rauner’s Democratic opponents who suffered a net loss of seats this past November, not his GOP allies.
Also, are you hoping for an Arab Spring here? I’m not sure by reading your comment.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 7:20 pm:
Rich. Please ignore Jim O. You know us crazy right wingers are always looking for an armed revolution
- Responsa - Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 7:53 pm:
This has to be one of the more (unintentionally) entertaining CapFax threads ever.
- Me Again - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 6:54 am:
Just don’t disagree with Rich Miller or he will confuse your IP address with someone else and he will threaten to ban you! Rich, check your logs (if you can). I WAS ONLY POSTING FOR MYSELF!
- Steve - Wednesday, Apr 12, 17 @ 10:54 am:
Pawar sounds like a committed socialist with comments like he made about rich people being happy at the expense of poor people. He’s testing the radical waters. I encourage everyone to read Pawar’s website: a lot of talk about FDR’s New Deal. How futuristic to talk about the 1930’s…. There’s no doubt that Kennedy , Pritzker , and Bliss are much better candidates. If Illinois ever become a Third World style state: Pawar would be an excellent candidate.
- Steve - Wednesday, Apr 12, 17 @ 11:02 am:
Ameya Pawar has a big test coming up. He will have to interact with voters who actually don’t have the same political views has him. Can’ Ameya Pawar go beyond his comfort zone of one party rule like Chicago’s 50 to 0 City Council?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 12, 17 @ 11:04 am:
Steve, could you expand on your connection between Pawar and “Third World State?” It’s unsupported as you’ve written it so far.