[Bumped up to Tuesday for visibility.]
* Press release…
Governor Delivers Live Address
On eve of special session, speech to highlight need for unity on compromise balanced budget plan
SPRINGFIELD – Governor Rauner will deliver a live address to the people of Illinois tomorrow night from the Old State Capitol in Springfield. The address will focus on unity and passing a balanced budget to put Illinois on a path to a brighter future.
“Illinois deserves real change, and the time to act has never been more urgent,” Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis said. “As we approach one of the most important legislative sessions in Illinois history, the Governor wants to reiterate his desire to work with all members of the General Assembly to improve the quality of life for the people of Illinois. Governor Rauner supports the compromise budget proposal lawmakers introduced last week, which delivers a truly balanced budget, spending caps, real property tax relief, term limits and other job-creating changes to the system.”
Last week, Governor Rauner announced he was calling lawmakers back to Springfield for a 10-day special session from Wednesday, June 21 to Friday, June 30, which is the fiscal year deadline. In calling the special session, the Governor encouraged the General Assembly to consider legislation that will reach a balanced budget and implement other structural changes. The Governor will cancel any remaining special session days if the General Assembly enacts the compromise balanced budget plan prior to June 30th.
Logistics:
Hit time: 6:03:00 p.m.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Pritzker campaign…
JB Pritzker Statement on Bruce Rauner’s Sham “Unity” Address
Chicago, IL — In response to Bruce Rauner’s sham “unity” address scheduled for tomorrow evening, JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“720 days into a manufactured budget crisis of his own creating, Bruce Rauner either doesn’t have the slightest clue what unity is or just doesn’t care,” said JB Pritzker. “Unity is not introducing a ‘compromise’ budget produced in secret by Republicans and entirely lacking in any actual compromise. Unity is not Bruce Rauner planning to veto school funding reform legislation that he 90% agrees with. Unity and leadership are more than words. Bruce Rauner can’t just say the word ‘unity’ when every single action he has taken as governor has only served his own self-interest and devastated Illinois families along the way. Leadership is having the courage and ability to bring people together, compromise and negotiate, and get results. Rauner has proven time and again that he is not a leader and tomorrow’s speech will do nothing to change that.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Greg Hinz…
Indeed, even before word of the speech officially was released, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown was deriding it in so many words as a political stunt.
“Is he counter-programming the attack ads, mail, door-to-door (flyers), fake news radio?” Brown asked in an email, referring to a new round of attacks on Democrats that Rauner’s campaign committee has launched in recent days. “Apparently taxpayers foot (the) bill for this part of the campaign.” […]
Rauner’s speech tonight is effective theater in one sense, though: It tightens the screws a bit more on Madigan to finally put his own spending plan on the table.
The speaker has not indicated when, or if, that will occur.
*** UPDATE 3 *** ILGOP…
Pritzker and Madigan Sync Up Talking Points
Attack Governor Rauner for Detailing Budget Plan
In a shocking display of partisanship amid crisis, Billionaire J.B. Pritzker and his political patron Mike Madigan synced up their talking points this week – attacking Governor Rauner for detailing a compromise budget plan.
Last week, Governor Rauner and Republicans in both the House and Senate laid out a compromise plan to balance the budget, grow jobs, and reform state government. The plan incorporated ideas from Democrats as well as concessions Republicans had already discussed with the other side.
But Madigan’s office wasted no time criticizing compromise. As the News-Gazette Editorial Board notes, “the words were hardly out of the governor’s mouth before” Madigan started “casting aspersions” on a compromise budget and reform deal.
And just yesterday, J.B. Pritzker issued a press release criticizing a speech he had yet to even listen to, attacking Governor Rauner.
Here’s the funny thing about J.B. Pritker’s attempt to criticize a detailed Republican plan to end the budget impasse, balance the budget, grow jobs, and reform state government – Pritzker has yet to propose any meaningful ideas of his own except a massive tax increase.
Just take a look at Pritzker’s “vision” website full of vague spending increases.
What’s missing? Term limits, a property tax freeze, pension reform, spending caps, fair maps, or a plan to balance the budget.
That’s because Pritzker is already on record opposing reforms, just like Mike Madigan.
Until J.B. Pritzker proposes a plan to fix Illinois, and until Mike Madigan’s House passes a balanced budget, neither politician has any leg to stand on.
“In a shocking display of partisanship amid crisis”? Hilarious.
*** UPDATE 4 *** JB Pritzker’s Communications Director Galia Slayen…
“In a shocking display of partisanship amid the crisis Bruce Rauner created, the Illinois GOP is once again spewing their tired talking points. While thousands of people suffer, Bruce Rauner and the GOP refuse to let go of their special interest agenda that has nothing to do with passing a budget. 720 days into this crisis Bruce Rauner finally decides he wants to call for unity, but it’s clear he has never stopped campaigning. The Illinois GOP should focus on helping their failed governor clean up his mess, but they’re too busy attacking JB because they know he’s the best candidate to take on their failed leader.”
*** UPDATE 5 *** ILGOP…
“Billionaire Pritzker wants massive tax hikes but thinks term limits, fair maps, a property tax freeze, pension reform, spending caps, and job growth is a special interest agenda? Governor Rauner’s interest is the people of Illinois. J.B. Pritzker’s interest is Mike Madigan.”
*** UPDATE 6 *** JB Pritzker’s Communications Director Galia Slayen…
“Governor Rauner’s interest is the people of Illinois? How about the Illinois children, families, seniors, people with disabilities, domestic and sexual violence survivors and public school teachers who are little more than pawns in his crusade to strip working families of the tools they need to build better lives? This is a sham unity speech from a sham governor who has failed our state.”
*** UPDATE 7 *** Tribune…
“I find it tragically comedic that a governor who has done more to divide this state than probably any other governor in history is going to give a unity address,” said Rep. Christian Mitchell, D-Chicago.
*** UPDATE 8 *** Mayor Emanuel…
“Tonight we’ll hear yet another speech about a state budget from the Governor, the fourth like it he’s given. Since he’s taken office all he’s done is give speeches and run TV ads — and he’s passed zero budgets. Under Governor Rauner today Illinois is dead last in education funding, Illinois has the worst credit rating of any state in the history of the country, and for three years running Illinois is the only state without a budget. Talk is cheap. Actions matter.”
- Saluki - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:17 pm:
Added level of drama using the old Capitol.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:18 pm:
Will Rauner end all the negative ads too?
No snark, no joke.
What is this in the reality of what is happening, not in what Rauner wants to spin all this to be?
- Jibba - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:20 pm:
This full court press suggests to me that he knows the gig is up, and he has only a little time to make the Dems cave. If we go into overtime and/or have a shutdown, he knows the public will expect real compromise.
- Romeo - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:21 pm:
The only unity that Illinois is going to have is next November when we kick Rauner out.
- Henry Can - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:21 pm:
Ahahahaha. I’m laughing so hard it hurts. Please make it stop.
Did Rauner forget about the commercials he’s been running for the last 2 years?
- not again - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:29 pm:
I assume there will be “commercial breaks” during this address
- Annonin' - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:35 pm:
Clown car pauses…hopefully room for studio audience
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:48 pm:
Someone please please please tell me he isn’t going to quote Lincoln’s house divided speech at old state Capitol.
- Former Hillrod - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 9:54 pm:
Well, he is the governor and has the bully pulpit at his disposal. Will he use it wisely? Therein lies the rub.
- cdog - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 10:05 pm:
So GOP has filed a revenue bill?
The only revenue bill I am aware of is the one with only Senate Democrats’ voting yes.
If Rauner thinks he will get away with not having GOP skin in the revenue game, then he’s more of a joke than I already thought.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 10:07 pm:
Skip your trips to the deli, there will be approximately 10 tons of free baloney available at the Old State Capitol tomorrow.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 10:48 pm:
To the Pritzker update,
That’s a really great statement to already redirect this opportunity by Rauner to own the day.
That’s really the rub here, isn’t it?
If you have a bully pulpit to get things done, how can you, literally, use a bully pulpit to claim you’re inept at being the governor?
How can an Illinois governor give a speech at the Old State Capitol that has a theme of… my hands are tied, you guys do my job too.
Geez, Louise, Bruce Rauner, after two years of failures, decides to give a prime time address in which Rauner says “Hey, I can’t do anything. You guys do something.”
What real leader does THAT?
If Rauner comes off like off-center CEO with half baked ideas and thinks that the GA is a bunch of middle managers, this will be an epic fail.
The one thing I absolutely know, 100%, bank it… a governor that decides to pull the “bully pulpit in prime time to get a deal” and comes up empty….
…
That governor will come off AS a failure.
That governor will be seen as terribly inept, and unable to get anything done.
It’s risky. It’s a huge risk to get up and say “I’m unable to do much, so I’ll give a speech, you guys bail me out”… and zero gets done.
This could be colossal.
A colossal triumph… or a colossal failure.
It could be colossal, but which one.
Pritzker’s Crew has the feel where this is. Rauner gets to dictate, himself, on his own, if Pritzker is right, or so very wrong.
It’s THAT big… governmentally… and politically.
- Rabid - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 11:30 pm:
The govenor thinks his pants on fire is fire in his belly
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:39 am:
Hijacking the evening news cycle. Cheap, and very Trumpian way, to “buy” free campaignin’. Based on the press release, it will once again be See and Say time by Rauner. Hopefully after analysis of this stunt will be thorough and well fact checked and not a pass by the media.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 5:30 am:
Rauner is a failed leader!
- Thoughts Matter - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 6:06 am:
I might believe he knew what unity was If he stopped running campaign ads against a guy not running against him in an election.i might believe it if he actually tried to develop a working knowledge of how to govern.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 6:26 am:
A press conference with questions and answers to follow, he’s had over two years to prepare himself
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 6:50 am:
I give the Governor credit. Speeches are where he shines. Speeches that do not involve questions from the press.
Unfortunately for this governor, JB Pritzker will be taking questions, apparently.
And what happened, BTW, to the rest of the Democratic field? It seems as of late that Pritzker is the only one willing to stand up to Rauner.
Back to the speech: unless Rauner is willing to stand up there and say that he is for the GOP plan, and that he is proposing a $5 billion tax hike, his speech is not going to move us any closer to passing an actual bill.
And then Illinois will be downgraded to junk bond status.
And then schools will start announcing they are not opening.
And then our economy will come to a crashing halt as parents are unable to find child care and unable to go to work.
- dude - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 7:31 am:
Please tell me he has gone to Farm & Fleet to purchase a new Summer short sleeve plaid shirt and John Deere ball cap for the “Unity” speech. This guy has truly got to go. The phrase “out of touch” doesn’t even come close to summarizing his thoughts and actions.
- Really - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 7:36 am:
I think the only thing that could unify thenleguslature is for Rauner to admit he caused this crisis and that he would resign for all the harm he has caused people through out the state
Governor as one of your employers I request your resignation
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 7:40 am:
First of all, if he really has a desire to work with all members of the General Assembly he might want to knock off the campaigning and constant barrage of attack mailers.
Second, it’s not a compromise when you submit a budget drafted entirely by the Republicans and then say this is the budget you have to pass.
This is nothing more than a PR play.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 7:51 am:
Unity, Rauner talking about unity! It took me 10 minutes before I could type this, as I couldn’t stop laughing!
It’s a joke right? Really it IS a joke!
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 8:29 am:
How many people will view this “unity” speech?
How many people will view his commercials demonizing MJM and all the other “corrupt” career politicians?
Which will be the prevailing message?
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 8:49 am:
You know labor unions are all about unity too…just sayin’.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 8:53 am:
The purpose of the speech is to produce clips of local TV talking heads and headlines saying “governor calls for unity and balanced budget,” that can then be used in the next round of ads.
That’s it. There’s no governing substance. Squeeze the beast will continue.
- sidekick - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 8:55 am:
If I offered you an olive branch with one hand while swinging a hammer at you with the other hand, which would you pay more attention to?
- Chicago Guy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:08 am:
Rauner has done more damage to Illinois than Blago.
- Franklin Delano Bluth - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:09 am:
It is just so clearly obvious that J.B. is not writing these responses, just simply signing off on them.
He’s too robotic for my taste, let’s hope he figures this out because as much as I hate to say it I think he’s the frontrunner
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:15 am:
===The purpose of the speech is to produce clips of local TV talking heads and headlines saying “governor calls for unity and balanced budget,” that can then be used in the next round of ads.===
This is not wrong. The last round of ads before the attack ads now (yikes, the ads with these guys) were all about using news clips to tell their “story”, their “narrative”.
You only need to be “honest” for :30 seconds or a minute. The Rauner Crew can manage that with the built-in talking heads.
A real challenger campaign would take the speech and really hold Rauner accountable in a minute ad to show the hypocrisy and where Rauner fails, purposely.
We’ll see on the challengers, but - Wordslinger - ain’t wrong.
- Team Warwick - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:26 am:
Moodys has set his unity creditability to junk status
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:28 am:
@Franklin
It is just so clearly obvious that J.B. is not writing these responses, just simply signing off on them.
……
Have you not heard a JB interview or speech? He is far from robotic and he says the same things thats in his responses. Rauner would be the broken record or robot.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:32 am:
You have to take the govenor for his word, when he said he was going to take a sledge hammer to illinois, and he’s the baddest negotiator, he ment it
- Flippy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:36 am:
The Governor does not want a budget. A waste of bandwidth.
- Lolz - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:41 am:
Rauner is done and all his raunerites will be gone soon. Goodbye Jimenez Goodbye Bourne.
- DeseDemDose - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:42 am:
The media needs to step up and help get to the truth of the how, what, and why, Rauner operates.
- Dread Pirate Roberts - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:44 am:
I bet Rauner doesn’t even lift
- Real - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:47 am:
- Lolz
Rauner is done and all his raunerites will be gone soon. Goodbye Jimenez Goodbye Bourne
…..
You sound confident. I hope you’re right.
- resistanceisfutile - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 9:56 am:
As the General Assembly begins its special sessions I am concerned that some who contribute to this blog do not understand the fixed hostility to new revenue that comes from a lot of the population. Beginning in the exurban collar around Chicago, it is almost a matter of religious dogma to hate the city and resent all public spending that does not immediately return to their benefit. As one person put it several years ago, “I’m sorry they didn’t contribute to those teachers’ pensions when they should have, but you can’t expect us to pay for all that now. There’s no way you are going to get us to make all the payments for what they did in the past. We can’t afford it. I’m real sorry, but they’re just going to have to find a way to declare bankruptcy and do without the money.”
Notice how everyone except “me here now” becomes “they,” and the speakers disavow any responsibility for what “they” have done.
Never mind that the speakers themselves were the recipients of public spending made possible by deferring pension contributions, since they think they got nothing more than they deserved.
Never mind that their own businesses and jobs are dependent on the economic engine of the Chicago economy. Their dogma is stronger than reason.
The people in this demographic would be perfectly willing to let a big chunk of the public sector collapse, as long as they don’t have to pay anything more. They don’t believe any harm will come to them, personally, and they will be able to “stick it” — to “them.”
Many members of this demographic want to sell their homes, businesses, and rental properties, either now or in the near future. But values have dropped so much that properties linger on the market and, when they do sell, do so at greatly reduced rates. But instead of understanding that this is the consequence of thirty-five years of demanding to have their cake and eat it, too, it just increases their rage.
Anyone who wants to succeed in doing the fiscally responsible thing must find a way to communicate with this demographic. Otherwise the Governor and his pals will be able to keep their allegiance, and will be able to penalize any legislators who step out of line.
The Governor understands how to appeal to the Religion of Resentment. Every appearance, every word from his mouth, every video and door hanger, reflect carefully honed “image advertising.” Everyone who thinks is it enough to say, “time to pay up,” or who assumes the Governor will be defeated at the next election, would do well to think again.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:01 am:
- resistanceisfutile -
You typed allota words there. I don’t think it will be remotely easy to beat Rauner either.
But…
… in all those words, and all that analysis…
Rauner last polled at 58% disapproval and Rauner has been polled losing by double-digits to an unnamed Dem.
Rauner isn’t speaking to any large majority of people. The more myopic Rauner continues to be, the tougher it will be on Bruce Rauner.
Meanwhile, Rauner destroying Illinois continues uninhibited.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:05 am:
== The Governor understands how to appeal to the Religion of Resentment. Every appearance, every word from his mouth, every video and door hanger, reflect carefully honed “image advertising.” Everyone who thinks is it enough to say, “time to pay up,” or who assumes the Governor will be defeated at the next election, would do well to think again. ==
This may very well be true.
The corollary is that every GOP member of the General Assembly is an accomplice to this:
== Rauner’s destroying Illinois continues uninhibited. ==
- Jack Kemp - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:06 am:
@Lolz
You legitimately believe this? Where is the line for the Koolaid? Jimenez and Bourne both won in landslides after two years of AFSCME hammering on them day in and day out. They are beyond safe. Please keep up.
- Real - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:10 am:
resistanceisfutile
You sound like Jim Durkin there..
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:12 am:
We are supposed to believe JB will bring us all together even though he will not outline any specific policies for reforming Illinois state government and our business environment.
He will not tell us what he would cut or how much money he would propose we spend in our state budget. He will not address the unaffordable pensions or criticize Speaker Madigan and the unfair property tax system he was a beneficiary of. He will not lay out the additional tax burden required on Illinois residents to continue the Madigan agenda.
He will support a graduated income tax, but will not acknowledge the super majority democratic general assembly did not have the votes to pass one.
Yes JB will bring us all together by continuing Speaker Madigan’s agenda that has failed Illinois for so long.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:20 am:
===We are supposed to believe JB will bring us all together even though he will not outline any specific policies for reforming Illinois state government and our business environment.===
Raunef has yet to show 60/30 or 71/36 for his own plans. Bruce Rauner fails to get enough support for his alleged 1.4% or $500+ million to cover the possible $20+ billion in debt. So… there’s that.
===He will not tell us what he would cut or how much money he would propose we spend in our state budget.===
Neither did Rauner’s budget director or Rauner’s agency heads.
Now you’re worried about Pritzker, lol
===He will not lay out the additional tax burden required on Illinois residents to continue the … agenda===
Did I miss Rauner abandoning SB9 and Rauner put up his own Rauner Tax bill for his budget bills, that have Raunerite sponsors?
===He will support a graduated income tax, but will not acknowledge the super majority democratic general assembly did not have the votes to pass one.===
Rauner says he supports ending prevailing wage and collective bargaining. Rauner doesn’t have the votes to pass that. I dunno what you’re saying, governors work to get votes, are you pointing out Rauner’s own failures?
===Yes JB will bring us all together by continuing Speaker Madigan’s agenda that has failed Illinois for so long.===
… and yet, by nearly every measure, Illinois is worse off since Rauner became governor.
Also, your property tax stuff, until Pritzker gets a handle on that, it will dog him daily.
- Real - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:22 am:
I typed up a comment and re-submitted it several times, but it isn’t displaying on the board. Why?
- Rabid - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:25 am:
The GOP demanding a plan, the plan is to release it right after the election like your boss did
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:26 am:
I feel Rauner is all about making the Dems take the blame for the tax increase. He knows there is no way around raising taxes.
- Markus - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:27 am:
==Anyone who wants to succeed in doing the fiscally responsible thing must find a way to communicate with this demographic. Otherwise the Governor and his pals will be able to keep their allegiance, and will be able to penalize any legislators who step out of line.==
If that be the case and the special session is unproductive, the demographic of which you speak ought to get the message when schools don’t open.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:27 am:
To the ILGOP Update…
===In a shocking display of partisanship amid crisis, Billionaire J.B. Pritzker and his political patron …===
“In a shocking display of partisanship amid crisis, Governor Bruce Rauner continues to run negative political ads on the day Rauner plans to give a speech about unity”
So… that’s about it, really.
A competent Dem rapid response team should eat this up, decimate it, mock it, hammer and shake it.
The reason that the ILGOP does ridiculously silly responses like these is because…
…
… they can.
- northsider (the original) - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:27 am:
Lyin Bruce does not want a budget. Just as he dresses in costumes and memorizes scripts, this speech and the “special session” are just scenes in his play. He should personally foot the bill for the purposeless “special session”.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:30 am:
resistanceisfutile: Many (probably most) of the commenters on this blog have deeply vested interests either in pensions, public service unions, or have strong ties to the opponents on the other side. They understand what you’re saying just fine - they’re just working to overcome it. And if the case is made that while the state needs different pro-business/growth concessions like the one Rauner is pushing, or more tax fairness than the state’s flat income tax, they’d ignore those arguments too.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:33 am:
When you can’t make a case against the comments, you try to make a slanted case against the commenters.
Losing arguments eventually go after the commenters.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:35 am:
Does Steve Brown still have his second gig as the spokesman for Chicago State University?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:40 am:
LOL, gee, LCD, there just had to be universal, sinister motives as to why anyone would ever have a different take than you.
I mean your usual talking points are so good, any actual facts, data or evidence in support of them are superfluous.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:48 am:
Rauner delivering a message of unity? I’m not sure that word means what he thinks it means.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 10:51 am:
To the ILGOP update: weapons grade Gov. Gaslight. Holy shlamoley.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:04 am:
Losing arguments eventually go after the commenters.
Blissfully lacking in self awareness OW.
Is that why you personally attack/ respond to everything I post?
I think we have been waiting quite a while for Speaker Madigan to be fiscally responsible, why would anyone expect the overtime would be any different?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:09 am:
===Is that why you personally attack/ respond to everything I post?===
Oh - Lucky Pierre -… You’re “special”
You’re a rare breed… that when you are given facts 5,263 times, you continue with the same talking points refuted the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 23rd time before.
You lack honesty to the argument.
You must be either willfully ignorant or blissfully unaware, or never read what is put forth in discussions.
===I think we have been waiting quite a while for Speaker Madigan to be fiscally responsible, why would anyone expect the overtime would be any different===
If Rauner wanted to be fiscally responsible with his own budget bills, why won’t Raunerites sponsor their own Rauner Tax bill to pay for that budget and have Raunerites sponsor that Rauner Tax?
- Help - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:12 am:
This is great. After the speech all the leaders can walk up to the Governors office and unify. Oh wait, his office is in another building. The Old State Capitol is just used for political speeches, not governing. Do your job, Bruce.
- Mr. 305 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:14 am:
The concept that seems to be lost on those that argue Illinois is not in need of reforms is interesting. People point to Chicago and say, “look, businesses! We do not need refoms.” Yes, Chicago can sustain without reforms. It is the third largest city in the country and home to two major airports. Recruiting businesses and starting business is easy in that environment. Chicago does not need pro business reforms, but Illinois does. Outside of the agricultural industry downstate is dying a slow death. If we look at what states like Indiana or former rust belt cities that are beginning to thrive again, we see a common trend: lower taxes, pro business environments. It is not about immediate budget savings to the state, it is about creating a climate were unemployment is low and thriving communities. Nashville, TN, has nearly doubled in population in the past 15 years because of its business climate. If Springfield did not have state agencies, it would be just as dumpy as the rest of downstate.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:25 am:
Chicago has a much healthier economy but faces a staggering pension debt load that can only be fixed by courageous democrats.
Expecting a Republican Governor to fix Chicago’s problems all by himself with no give from the Speaker, Senate President and Mayor is absurd.
Waiting for JB to fix it is also absurd
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:26 am:
Mr. 305 what are your “reforms” and their projected ROI?
When will they cover the projected $24B backlog in bills? Or the thousands in layoffs from the state not paying its bills?
You can teach a parrot to repeatedly squawk “reform,” but that does not make for a rational public policy argument.
Do you have one, or does Polly just wanna cracker?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:31 am:
Dear Galia Slayen,
To Update x4,
There ya go. That’s the ball game.
Well done.
OW
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:47 am:
OW,
I thought you might be happy with the Pritzker camp’s response to the ILGOP. It sounds to me exactly what you and other commenters have been asking (begging) for. Looks like JB’s in it to win it. Nary a peep from the other candidates.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 11:58 am:
- Cubs in ‘16 -,
I am/was very pleased to see it, and while I do thank you for myself and the others who give our opinions often, I can all but guarantee, 100%, be it Pritzker, Kennedy, even Rauner…
…when it comes to me, personally, they ain’t taking what I’m saying to any heart or consideration. That’s not phony dismissal of a compliment, that’s being brutally honest.
They’re all bright people. They see all this way before I have even thought about it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
Why o why is the Pritzker response so perfectly presented?
This is the embarrassingly weak response by…
… The Rauner Word Jumble.
===“Billionaire Pritzker wants massive tax hikes but thinks term limits, fair maps, a property tax freeze, pension reform, spending caps, and job growth is a special interest agenda? Governor Rauner’s interest if the people of Illinois. J.B. Pritzker’s interest is Mike Madigan.”===
“Billionaire Pritzker… massive tax hikes… term limits, fair maps, a property tax freeze, pension reform, spending caps, and job growth… special interest agenda?…Governor Rauner… the people of Illinois. J.B. Pritzker’s interest … Mike Madigan.”
How embarrassingly pathetic.
Lookie-lookie at the Rauner Word Jumble response… less “connecting words”
Dems. Pritzker. Kennedy. …
Get engaged in the process of making it about real campaign issues… this is blowback you get.
Capiche?
- LTSW - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
Whether you want to label it “fake news” or political puffery, among my friends and aquaintences who are not affiliated with state government Rauner is winning the messaging hands down. Plus, the Kennedy, Biss and Pawar campaigns messages are essentially the same as Rauner’s, the establishment is bad. Not sure how that will play out if one of them wins the primary.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:32 pm:
Mr 305. You are correct that downstate is whithering fast. This will accelerate. Is going to get a million times worse.
But here’s the thing. Rauner has actively destroyed DCEO to get his unaccountible Intersect Illinois off the ground.
They haven’t done a thing for the small business centers, or the Rural Development folks. DCEO is a hollow husk.
It is all going to EDGE grants
Hundreds of millions
To up north.
Big business gobbling at the trough.
Rauners reforms were a sham to destroy unions.
Go to the DCEO website and look for yourself.
Seeing is believing
Rauner doesn’t care about us in the South
Going pl
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:35 pm:
Sorry I’m on my phone. “going pl” was a mistake.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:42 pm:
To Update x6,
That’s the pushback necessary against the Rauner rapid messaging.
Get it back away from Rauner Word Jumble and really make it about where Rauner fails, as candidate Rauner made it clear, Pat Quinn failed
Galia Slayen, well done.
OW
- GLG - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 12:44 pm:
Carhart Blue or Red or the ole Harley leather vest?
- cdog - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:06 pm:
I will be surprised if Rauner says the word “revenue.”
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Not sure the Rauner camp should continue to pick fights with Galia Slayen.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:26 pm:
:Galia Slayen .. I applaud you, I don’t think I’ve seen the truth laid out any better anywhere
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:34 pm:
To Update 6 - Keep on Slayen, Galia!
- Politix - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:40 pm:
OK whatever they’re paying Gailen, they need to double it.
- Free Set of Steak Knives - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:42 pm:
I think this exchange shows why the Governor’s speech tonight is such a terrible idea.
The discord of Rauner giving a “Unity” speech while running campaign ads and the ILGOP sends out statement after statement is monumental. It’s not credible leadership.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:45 pm:
Gotta love JB’s team’s frequent use of the word sham. They are making this personal by using his own buzz words against him.
It would really be funny if JB starts droppin his g’s.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:47 pm:
===…when it comes to me, personally, they ain’t taking what I’m saying to any heart or consideration.===
I apologize for the confusion OW. I didn’t mean to imply anyone was following your lead per se. I’m just happy to finally see some effective counter-messaging. Sadly, JB’s crew seems to be the only ones to have ‘caught on’ so far.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 1:54 pm:
==I think we have been waiting quite a while for Speaker Madigan to be fiscally responsible==
This is really becoming quite the laugh fest listening to this day in and day out. You make statements like this and then turn around and defend the Governor as the simple victim in all of this while refusing to recognize that the Governor has been fiscally irresponsible for the 2 1/2 years he’s been here. Yeah, it’s only been 2 1/2 years. But he owns those 2 1/2 years and shares a great deal of the responsibility for the mess we’re in right this second. Perhaps you could focus on honesty rather than your Raunerite victimhood defense.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 2:03 pm:
- Cubs in ‘16 -,
It’s all good, I sometimes need to make clear that I don’t think in any way there is/are (a) thought(s) by any campaign to me… or that I’m a swaying voice to any. It’s a false premise.
It’s as simple as that.
To “this”
===Expecting a Republican Governor to fix Chicago’s problems all by himself with no give from the Speaker, Senate President and Mayor is absurd.===
If the “give” is a 1.4% or $500+ million agenda, it is absurd to think that 60 and 30 votes exist with that “give” as the deal. Today.
On its face…
“Expecting a … Governor to fix Chicago’s problems all by himself with no compromise within the issue from the Speaker, Senate President and Mayor is absurd”
That I agree with, Democratic or Republican governor, Rauner and Pritzker included.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 2:34 pm:
UPDATE 8: “I know you are but what am I!”
- Jack Kemp - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
Ms. Slaylen may want to pump the breaks a bit and try a little thing called “self-awareness.” She uses the phrase “talking points” in about 50% of her Tweets and press releases and yet they all read like madlibs.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 3:37 pm:
The level of rank hypocrisy and cynical calculation evident in Governor Gaslight and the GOP would be comical if not for the utter devastation they are wreaking across the state. My brain would hurt if it had that much cognitive dissonance.
When Governor Gaslight takes down his attack ads, he can talk about unity. Until then, in the immortal words of Rich Miller, he can bite me.
And to my GOP friends and colleagues, of which there are many, your continued support of these shameful tactics - or rather, your refusal to denounce them and the way you cow - is exposing your true character, and I’m not the only one noticing.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 3:53 pm:
To Rahm,
That’s a “major-leaguer” response to a direct “softball” question.
Long enough to include “everything”, short enough to be a snippet, no need to look for the takeaway.
Rahm’s not wrong. He covered it all.
Galia Slayen has approached it exactly as a campaign needs to go after it so its interesting Comms to read both Galia Slayen and Rahm coming at it two ways, meeting in the middle.
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 3:55 pm:
8 updates. That may be a record. Doesn’t sound like unity to me…just sayin.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 4:05 pm:
Why am I reminded of this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bphR-6Xi1_I
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 4:38 pm:
The updates are starting to feel like Mystery Science Theater 3000, and I’d love to see that type of live commentary during the short address tonight.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Jun 20, 17 @ 4:58 pm:
Last year I was going to ride the train and get back on track now I have to follow a path into the unknown, lowered expectations
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