48 Comments - GOPgal - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:01 am: As long as journalists in this state let Rauner get away with ignoring his constitutional budgetary duty under the IL Constitution, he’s going to keep doing it. That segment was hard to listen to. Rauner plays the press in this state like a fiddle. - My New Handle - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:04 am: ” Their solution is always just don’t pay pensions.” In a pants on fire moment for Rauner, the interviewer does not call him out that pensions were being paid down until he wanted the incone tax sunsetted. In this Age of Lies, our leaders seem never to be called accountable. - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:04 am: Rauner continues to win the messaging. How could Rauner not be pleased with this? This will continue until tough questions are pressed for real answers, or if Rauner continues this, someone calls him on it Two years, Rauner wins, daily. - Rich Miller - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:05 am: ===pensions were being paid down until he wanted the incone tax sunsetted=== Um, no. They weren’t properly funded for decades. They were paid under Quinn and are still being paid now. You need a nap. - @misterjayem - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:08 am: “Gov. Bruce Rauner, we will see you back here in June. Maybe you’ll answer my question then.” Is that really so unthinkable? – MrJM - Jocko - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:11 am: Way to go, “Governor See n’ Say”. I’d call him “Governor Woody”, but he looked out for the other toys when his string wasn’t being pulled. - City Zen - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:12 am: Bruce, it was a yes or no question. - Honeybear - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:13 am: Dunning Kruger effect - Lucky Pierre - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:15 am: I must have missed that same question Patti Vasquez asked Speaker Madigan in the patty cake interview she had with him on WGN radio. I also missed the listener calls challenging Speaker Madigan as that did not happen. Wonder why the Speaker is afraid to do an interview where he gets hard questions and the interviewer does not agree with him on all of the issues. Patti Vasquez said Madigan’s tax proposal “made sense”. She did not challenge him at all the unbalanced budgets he has signed off on. - Anon221 - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:18 am: Non-answers are not answers. Rauner needs a good and thorough cross-examination each and every time he is interviewed. Let’s see if he goes Trumpian and starts handing out written press releases at pressers. Right now it wouldn’t be much different, since all we get are the same “pull-the-string” responses with a few new nature stories thrown in (Fairground foxes). https://trialtheater.com/trial-skills/cross-examination/how-to-detect-non-answers-during-cross-examination/ - wordslinger - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:19 am: Not exactly Trumanesque. - My New Handle - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:22 am: “They were paid under Quinn and are still being paid now.” If pensions were paid under Quinn and still being paid, then I erred in suggesting they were not currently being paid. But then how is Rauner’s assertion that ”Their solution is always just don’t pay pensions.” not a lie? - Arsenal - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:28 am: ==I must have missed that same question Patti Vasquez asked Speaker Madigan in the patty cake interview she had with him on WGN radio.== The hypocrisy of different reporters from different stations talking to different politicians not asking the same questions! - Skeptic - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:32 am: “I must have missed that same question Patti Vasquez asked Speaker Madigan” And how does that have *any* bearing on Rauner’s part in this mess? - Scamp640 - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:32 am: This is just depressing. And the rabid supporters of Rauner think his failure to govern is a sign of a success. What a world we live in, where up is down, black is white, and where working class and middle class people believe that billionaires like Trump and Rauner have their best interests at heart. - Anon221 - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:34 am: My New Handle- I think Rauner and Company would classify his pension statement (”Their solution is always just don’t pay pensions.”) as an alternative fact. Although, to avoid “He Who Shall Not Be Named”, they may classify it as a “fallback factor” in their talking points Mad Libs. - Chicago Cynic - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:36 am: LP, Repeat after me. “The answer to every single question is not “But Madigan!”‘ - Never Politically Correct - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:37 am: It’s everyone’s fault at this point. No more excuses from anyone. “No Budget No Job” should be the mantra for the next election for everyone. - GOPgal - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:38 am: Mystery to me why the same NPR that constantly harps on Trump, even if it means making things up, lets Rauner play them for chumps. Very odd. Maybe he and the spouse have been big contributors, but I have no idea. - Hamlet's Ghost - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:39 am: Actually, Rauner is being very clear with this: … do what’s right for the people of Illinois for the long-term, so our children and our grandchildren have a better future in Illinois. It is immoral what has happened in our state government for the last 35 years, we, it is wrong for us to leave a hundred and ninety billion dollars in debt to our children and grandchildren, we are not gonna let that happen . . . State workers and public school teachers have been overpaid for 35-40 years (so much so that their compensation is immoral) and he intends to claw back those pension benefits to make things fair for Illinois taxpayers. Ordinary people are overpaid and the wealthy are under-compensated for their contributions to society. - Shake - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:39 am: When Has Rauner Compromised On Anything? It’s Always His Way, Or Nothing.. - Chicago Cynic - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:40 am: What’s sad about responses like LP is that when you talk to actual GOP consultants, advisers and analysts, they’re furious with Rauner and place the blame for our current situation not on Madigan but on Rauner. I’ve had probably a dozen conversations with folks like that who are quite clear and quite frustrated. They know Rauner has completely screwed this whole governing thing up. Sadly, dead enders like LP will keep spewing their talking points until the end. But Madigan…but madigan…but madigan… - Saluki - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:40 am: “Things are worse off now than during the Blagojevich years.” Jim Edgar #truth - Chicago Cynic - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:43 am: “State workers and public school teachers have been overpaid for 35-40 years (so much so that their compensation is immoral) and he intends to claw back those pension benefits to make things fair for Illinois taxpayers.” So much misinformation to unpack there. First, the governor can’t “claw back those pension benefits.” The Supreme Court has made that crystal clear. And “State workers and public school teachers have been overpaid for 35-40 years”???? In what universe do you live? You can make an argument that pension benefits are too generous and too easily gamed and I’d probably agree with you. But their pay???? State workers are compensated fairly. Teachers are probably underpaid. I have no idea on what basis you would make those claims. - Anon221 - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:47 am: Chicago Cynic- I’m pretty sure Hamlet’s Ghost’s comments were snark. - Hamlet's Ghost - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:48 am: @Chicago Cynic This is exactly what Rauner is saying. I disagree strenuously with that point of view. - Anonymous - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 10:48 am: I always laugh when I see a post on Facebook or other media inviting folks to submit their questions to Rauner. Why waste your time, he never answers the questions! The media has always had an unofficial duty of calling out their political leaders when they are failing us. Some, like Rich and a few others are doing so. Too many aren’t though. - Demoralized - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:01 am: I don’t blame the Governor for everything but I do place partial blame on him for the past 2 + years. Just once I’d like for him to take some responsibility instead of constantly playing the victim. - VanillaMan - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:01 am: The first mistake was phrasing the queston to include the words, “…do you think…” “How can governors do their duties when their most important - their first step after inauguration, is passing a bipartisan budget?” - Demoralized - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:02 am: Always with the “yeah, but” answer L.P. You’re as much of a victim as the Governor. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:04 am: The Governor goes on NPR regulary to answer questions from a left leaning host and audience. He also is out there all across Illinois engaging with the media and both supporters and critics. You might not like his answers but he is not afraid to go into the Lion’s Den at Chicago State and Chicago’s city council and take hard questions. The Speaker on the other hand has not done a whole lot of speaking all session. One softball interview with a sympathetic host and no calls from listeners. Does he accept any responsibility? Does he still claim he is working cooperatively and professionally with the Governor and the other legislative leaders? Does he consider the consider the budget shenanigans from last year, working cooperatively and professionally with the minority in the House, the Senate and the Governor? Does he accept any responsibility for the unbalanced budgets since 2001? He considers the last 7 unbalanced stop gap budgets “successful” even though they were not balanced. The Speaker who advocated for cuts and revenues has not spent the session cutting the budget and supports expanding Medicaid and State employee taxpayer funded abortion. Does he think this is a moderate position? Only 4 states currently allow this. - Flapdoodle - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:04 am: Why expect an honest answer from a dishonest man? - Ron - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:07 am: Things are worse off now than during the Blagojevich years.” Jim Edgar #truth And we can all thank Mr. Edgar for that. - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:09 am: Don’t feed the Troll. Thanks. - Ratso Rizzo - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:15 am: Teachers and state workers overpaid? Push-lease. Even though productivity has been higher than ever, middle class wages has only risen 15% since the 1970s while the top 1% income has increased 138%. When DopeyDuct talks about inflated wages, he needs to look in the mirror. - Ratso Rizzo - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:18 am: Here is my evidence against Rauners wage argument: http://www.epi.org/publication/charting-wage-stagnation/ Middle class wages have only rose 15% since the 1979s, while the top 1% has risen 138%. When Rauner talks about overpaying people, he needs to look in the mirror. - Demoralized - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:18 am: =It is very difficult because the General Assembly has never passed balanced budgets for decades== Fair enough. But you haven’t proposed one yet either. ==we all have a job to do== Yes, you do. It would be nice if you started to do yours. Your job involves more than blaming other people. ==It is immoral what has happened in our state government for the last 35 years== I hope you’re including the last 2 in that number. I can think of nothing more immoral than starving our social service providers financially and driving them out of business. - Ed Higher - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:20 am: From my experience, state pay is inferior to private sector. The implied trade-off is, greater job stability is worth a cut in pay. Most state workers I know work side jobs to get by (ie for luxuries like a mortgage and car). One state university has an EMPLOYEE food bank. Also, since doctors won’t take deadbeat state insurance, state workers get to pay ins premiums AND the doctor’s bill. - Juice - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:28 am: “Their solution is always just don’t pay pensions.” Governor, you’ve introduced three budgets. Your first recommended making pension contributions $2.2 billion below the certified contribution. Your second recommended reducing the pension contributions by $750 million below th certified amount. Your third and most recent recommended reducing the contributions $1.25 billion below the certified amount. I don’t have a problem with the Governor accusing the General Assembly of preferring to short the pensions, because historically, it’s not like he’s wrong. But since he’s been in office he continues to perpetuate and exacerbate the fiscal bad behavior that he feels so free to criticize. - VanillaMan - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:37 am: Rauner has accomplished bumpkus as governor. Defending him considering how badly he’s scewed up is an act of delusional desperation. Quit defending a governor who’s so bad, other governors from the same political party can’t or we’ll stop reading your posts. - Teach - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:40 am: This is a good insight into how business works for those at the top like Rauner and Trump. They are always right and those who dare to oppose them are expendable. They also use many delaying and dividing tactics to offer up scapegoats and attempt to divide their opponents. Rauner has been trying for 2 years to set labor against each other (Cadillac pensions–give me a break; there is no comparison of retirement plans between state workers and billionaires) and to make the Democrats the scapegoats. Judging by the no. Of democratic opponents Rauner will have, that tactic may not work in the end, either. - Pundent - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:47 am: I think the term “interview” needs to be used loosely here. Rauner does an excellent job of messaging, but rarely allows himself to be interviewed. It’s not all that different than “commenters” who post the same messages day in and day out. - nearspringfield - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:49 am: I rarely post, but they always are on the same to points: 1. Rauner does not want a budget. Never has unless it is all on his terms. He just keeps saying he does. 2. Even Blagojevich could get budgets passed with Madigan. Just saying…. Seems that I should repeat it again. - Earnest - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 11:56 am: >Rauner does not want a budget. Never has unless it is all on his terms. I’m not sure he even wants it on his terms. At that point, instead of political messaging and distraction, you actually have to identify both cuts and revenue increases, all of which will be unpopular with someone or another. Unless he can get to do it after he’s drawn the map, I suppose. - Mama - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 12:07 pm: “do you think you bear any responsibility for the impasse” Rauner should put his big boy pants on, and start being honest with the public. - JS Mill - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 1:04 pm: =I don’t have a problem with the Governor accusing the General Assembly of preferring to short the pensions, because historically, it’s not like he’s wrong. But since he’s been in office he continues to perpetuate and exacerbate the fiscal bad behavior that he feels so free to criticize.= For me, this is really the essence of Rauner. It seems pretty much common knowledge that Democrats bare significant responsibility for shorting the pensions. Republicans too, but the democrats have been the majority party for many years. Rauner was supposed to come in and dispense with the shenanigans (his words) and he absolutely has not, he is doing the same things with fund sweeps etc. and has been even more dishonest about it. Excellent comment @juice. - Pundent - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 1:19 pm: @Juice Thank you for so clearly and succinctly capturing why Rauner’s outsider shtick no longer works. - Ed Higher - Friday, May 12, 17 @ 1:47 pm: Re: middle class wages… Many state workers I know have side gigs to make ends meet. If Rauner’s “highly-paid state employee” exists, I sure don’t know them. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.