Rauner Declines to Hold Trump Accountable on Health Care
Rauner’s Continues to do Nothing While Trump Administration Sabotages Families’ Health Care
Since entering office, President Trump has actively worked to undermine the Affordable Care Act, leading to uncertainty in the markets and causing premiums to rise. This past Wednesday on WGN radio, Governor Bruce Rauner was asked if he blamed the Trump administration for the uncertainty around the health care bill. He passed, and in his tradition, looked to blame the predecessor (audio available here):
Reporter: Governor can I ask you … about health care as well? We’ve seen the headlines lately, about how Obamacare rates in Illinois, the premiums could rise again, the rates could rise again (Rauner: Yes. It’s terrible). They’re pretty tough headlines to look at if you’re relying on that system, but it affects the rest of the system. Federal money coming our way, uncertainty abounds. Do you blame the President for creating that, where do you place blame…
Rauner: Blame which president?
Reporter: President Trump for potentially creating uncertainty in the markets…
Rauner: Look at those insurance rates for the last year, the insurance market under the Affordable Care Act has been breaking down, insurers have been leaving, and the rates have been going through the roof every year.
Reporter: So more importantly, what can you tell the people of Illinois about what to expect?
Rauner: Well what I’ve encouraged…this is a federal issue this is not a state issue. And I’ve encouraged members of congress and this administration please come together to work out what you can. Clearly those exchanges that many people rely on, people I know, personal friends are on those exchanges and they are getting hammered. And it’s not been just this year, this has been going on for four or five years now.
It’s no secret that Governor Bruce Rauner sat out the debate on health care. Rauner could have played a crucial role in the debate, like his Republican peers in other states, but declined to expose himself politically. Had Trumpcare passed (and it may still), the results would have been disastrous for Illinois families.
Sadly, it appears that Rauner is gearing up to sit out another fight.
“Bruce Rauner will not stand up to Donald Trump, and fight for the people of Illinois,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “For months, Bruce Rauner did nothing to stop congressional Republicans from passing Trumpcare, which would have cause premiums to skyrocket and punched a $40 billion hole in the state budget. Now the Trump administration is actively trying to sabotage health insurance markets, a cynical move that will only hurt middle-class families, and Rauner would play politics than hold President Trump accountable for his actions. Bruce Rauner’s failure to lead on health care is enabling President Trump and hurting Illinois families.”
- CEA - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 9:51 am:
Guys with 1-in-3 approval ratings have gotta stick together.
- Chairman McBroom - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 9:53 am:
Yawn. I guess when the DGA has a full-time IL comms staffer, they have to churn out federal garbage to justify their job.
- slow down - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 9:55 am:
Rauner is a Trump Republican. That’s who he is. No one should be surprised by this any longer.
He doesn’t have the interest in calling out Trump because he agrees with Trump. Trump wants to leverage his control of the federal government in how it implements Obamacare, just like Rauner has spent two plus years trying to leverage social services for the state’s most vulnerable.
Both men are more than willing to use the plight of poor people to satisfy their ideological goals. They’re two peas in a pod.
- Blue dog dem - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 10:06 am:
What the governor wants to say and cant….”what group of people voted in Medicaid expansion? Dont they know what that is going to do to the budget?” …and he cant say it why?
- Professor - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 10:08 am:
Rauner has strong Indiana connections- don’t want to upset that. So lets just stick with “Oh gosh, I don’t know - that’s a federal issue.”
- Porgy Tirebiter - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 10:11 am:
Until he can figure out a way to blame Madigan for this he will duck and dodge.
- Nick Name - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 10:17 am:
“Bruce Rauner will not stand up to Donald Trump”
Heck, he won’t even acknowledge that Trump exists. It is the most bizarre thing about Gov. Gaslight. I’ve never seen any politician who exhibits such sheer terror of members of his own party, whether they’re lower on the food chain (”I do not want any f—–g problems”) or higher (”Blame which president?”).
Unreal.
- Chicago 20 - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 10:24 am:
- “people I know, personal friends are on those exchanges and they are getting hammered”
Bruce Rauner admits to being aware of the problem and isn’t publicly going to do a damn thing about it.
This is how Rauner treats his “friends”, God help the people who he is governing.
- SKI - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 10:33 am:
I feel the DGA is really stretching here trying to make a story and generate fake outrage. They are trying to bait him into either openly supporting Trump or being depicted as a Republican going against the GOP in an attempt to enrage his base. With Trumpcare being a long shot on passing anyway (at the time and in the future if they try again), there is no point for him to step in that political mine field if he doesn’t have to.
- Mr B. - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 11:02 am:
Boring. The Rauner-Trump connection is a non issue.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 11:30 am:
Let’s see the DGA attack fellow Democrats for not opposing their party leadership for a while.
I know they are trying (a little too) hard to make this an issue, but asking Rauner to repeatedly buck the party line is getting pretty silly here.
Perhaps the DGA should worry more about the Democratic Governor who just announced he is switching political parties?
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 11:45 am:
“there is no point for him to step in that political mine field”
But I thought he’s not a politician.
Donald Trump is the greatest American president in history, next to Lincoln, and Rauner won’t even say his name. Sad.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 12:27 pm:
=I know they are trying (a little too) hard to make this an issue, but asking Rauner to repeatedly buck the party line is getting pretty silly here.=
Seems like other Republican Governors see this differently than you. I guess they’re just being silly.
- Mama - Friday, Aug 4, 17 @ 2:03 pm:
“Bruce Rauner’s failure to lead on health care is enabling President Trump and hurting Illinois families.”
Perhaps he is not commenting about Trump because he agrees with him. I have a feeling Rauner wants the big tax break that TruumpCare would provide him. Rauner doesn’t really care that the people of IL will be hurt by TrumpCare.