* The front…

There’s that phrase again. “Without any tax increases.”

But, yeah, he so wants a deal.

I think this is basically the same letter he sent out before, but I didn’t have the full letter back then, so let’s take a closer look at it today.

It may seem odd that a man who contributed $50 million to his own campaign and received another $20 million from a buddy would be sending out these fundraising appeals, but raising money helps people feel like they’ve invested in a candidate, which makes them more supportive. Also, even if they don’t contribute, he can still get his message out.

* I’ve cropped the letter a bit to make it more easily readable here…

So, “many times” he’s been the only one standing against “job-killing, taxpayer-crushing policies”? That may be news to some Republican legislators, and even some Democrats.

The bill backlog is solely the fault of Democrats?

And please tell me which of the “nearly every liberal newspaper” are demanding that Rauner “capitulate” to Madigan. A bit Trumpian there, if you ask me.

Governor, I’d truly love to see some of those “problem-solving leadership skills” you boast of.

Also, you may have made “record” promises to education, but the state can’t pay for them. It’s currently $1.1 billion behind on school grant payments, with no resolution in sight.

Two attacks on the media in one fundraising letter. Sweet.

Also, he was a financial planner for families?

But, yes, he most certainly did follow through on his pledge to shake up Springfield. It’s pretty much broken from all the shaking.

And that page is all you really need to know about Rauner 2018.

       

34 Comments - 47th Ward - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:05 pm: ===“Without any tax increases.”=== Incompetent babble. - Ole' Nelson - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:06 pm: So this is what running on no accomplishments looks like. As long as voters aren’t to be bothered with the truth, it just might work. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:08 pm: FIVE PAGES of malarkey? Couldn’t he have done it in one or two? - Cindy Lou - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:10 pm: Well, I guess I should get a check in the mail out right now then…to my choice of Democrat for governor. I’ve had about all the shaking up I can handle. - walker - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:12 pm: Picky, picky, picky. What’s truth got to do with it? - AC - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:14 pm: If only there was a mechanism by which the Governor could truly express his spending priorities that would allow him to propose a balanced budget without any tax increases. - Montrose - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:16 pm: The only thing I agree with in that letter is (over, please) - Shark Sandwich - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:21 pm: I gotta think the ‘typewritten’ look is very intentional, just leaves me wondering where all the missing pages that say “All work and no play makes Bruce a dull boy” ended up. - Huh? - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:22 pm: I like the line that a $35 donation is vital to get his campaign off to a strong start, says the guy with $70 million in the bank. Perhaps I will take a penny to a post card and mail it to him. - Flynn's mom - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:22 pm: Why doesn’t he drop his g’s when he writes. It seems a bit disingenuous. What is the “shaking up” that he has done? - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:26 pm: – he so wants a deal– No, the squeeze the beast plan is going swell. But it’s no misanthropic that in some circles you have to pretend you want a deal. And project your own willful malicious actions on to your opponents, who are too incompetent or lazy to fight back. - Juice - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:30 pm: Umm…is it fair to point out that in a letter accusing the Speaker and Democrats of doing nothing to stand up to “special interests” that they use a picture of Madigan testifying in favor of a pension reform bill that those same “special interests” absolutely loathed? - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:37 pm: He was sent to restore common sense responsible leadership, huh. Not sure where billions more in unpaid bills, multiple credit downgrades, and no budget for 2 1/2 years fits into that “common sense responsible leadership.” Actually, I’m not sure we’ve even got the leadership part, let alone common sense or responsible leadership. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:37 pm: Meh. Rauner has some interns using a dot matrix word processor in some office with a lone light bulb swinging from a ceiling cord swaying to the winds generated from a 1960’s oscillating fan. That’s how I know the font on the letter makes sense. - G'Kar - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:37 pm: Technically, I am registered as a Republican, so I received one of these letters. I returned the “Pledge of Support” with the following written all over it: You have $70 million in the bank, you don’t need anything from me. P. S. Stop holding sham photo ops all over the state and go back to Springfield to do your job and get us a budget! I suspect I won’t get a reply. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:41 pm: Real quick question, if anyone can answer, golly, I’d appreciate it… Why is Democrat Diana Rauner pictures on the front of a Republican Fundraising Letter. Is Diana Rauner a Phony Democrat. Nevermind, question withdrawn. - DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:42 pm: Please stop comparing Rauner to Trump. It gives Trump a bad name. I thought no way Rauner could be re elected but his campaign never ceases and OW has frightened me. Buckle up and enjoy the second term - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 1:49 pm: - DuPage Saint - Real life Raunerite campaignin’ is a scary business. I said… too much. - Church maLady - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:00 pm: Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game - Don't Worry, Be Happy - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:09 pm: “Speaker Mike Madigan and the Springfield Democrats refuse to support the balanced budget plan, without any tax increases, that I introduced during my budget address earlier this year, and as I’ve done every year since taking office.” Uh, hmmm, oh, wait. Never mind. - Don't Worry, Be Happy - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:12 pm: On a serious note, how come he’s attacking Springfield Democrats, and not Chicago Democrats? Seems to be muddying his message. Odd coming from someone who stays so tightly on script. - milkman - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:20 pm: Governor you been in office 2.5 years. Name one accomplishment? You have to actually negotiate to achieve a real budget sir - zatoichi - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:23 pm: It is really sad that the GA simply will not do their job while the Governor is putting so much effort into splaining why he is workin and fightin tooth and nail to get the state back on track. The Democrats are causin the increase in unpaid bills to $14 billion dollars and that is not good. - (un)Happy - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:39 pm: Anyone else see the irony of the message? ‘Those Dems want to raise your taxes and Ima keep fightin’ them for ya’….so you should give your money to me …ASAP!’ - DuPage Bard - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 2:54 pm: Agree with Rich- Financial planner helping individual families save for retirement? I thought he ran a hedge fund? - Anon - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 3:25 pm: Several democratic friends of mine have received this letter. Rauner must have mailed to every registered voter! Giangreco must be advising him on his mail strategy! - Lt Guv - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 4:07 pm: Yeah, I’m a lifelong and well identified Democrat and I received it. I was happy to have wasted a few cents of Bruce’s $$$$. - Steve Polite - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 7:34 pm: walker =What’s truth got to do with it?= “What’s truth got to do with it,” “Got to do with it?” “What’s a budget but a secondary goal?” “What’s truth got to do with it,” “Got to do with it?” “Who needs a state when a state can be broken?” - Rabid - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 8:44 pm: Kidnapper sends his manifesto with instructions for the drop - Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 8:52 pm: The only question is, which of Rauner’s 9 mansions will he go to when he loses? - Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 9:22 pm: I am writing a check for.41 cents. My age plus 1 for his efforts Congrats bruce - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 9:34 pm: In case you are doing the Madigan drinkin’ game… The letter plus the pledge is fourteen shots! - RNUG - Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 11:57 pm: == If only there was a mechanism by which the Governor could truly express his spending priorities == If only there was a process to remove a Governor who refused to do his job … - Carhartt Union Negotiating Team - Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 9:55 am: I’d love to see the mailing universe of this thing. It’s been observation that far-right, lunatic fringe groups tend to send out long emotional letters to their supporters and likely supporters. They cull the lists from hard-core gun fans, passionate anti-abortion advocates, the Rush Limbaugh crowd and anyone they think they can convince that the nation is being run by shapeshifting alien lizard people. The effort is far more important than raising money. It’s more likely communication to a population of working class, middle income white men who Rauner cannot lose. So, they drop these long letters to them to give them something to talk about with the other journeymen on the line, at the bar, and the poker runs. if they give him $25, $50, $100 all the better. But facts or his own word salad hypocrisy aren’t considerations. Because the kind of political drivel that these die-hard Trump supporters receive in their mailboxes is often so blatantly fake, false, misleading, they begin to realize it’s all complete fact. Its a terrible way to govern. But it’s damned good politics. All he’s doing here is shoring the loony vote up. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.