Sparks fly on Democrat Day
Thursday, Aug 17, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ILGOP…
“Illinois Democrats are kidding themselves - today is really Madigan Day at the Illinois State Fair. Democrat candidates for governor have nothing to celebrate about Madigan’s record-setting, disastrous reign of terror over Illinois, but that doesn’t stop them from traveling to Springfield to showcase their loyalty and kiss his ring.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
After Speaker Mike Madigan landed the title of “longest-serving state House speaker in U.S. history,” Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair is no longer known as Democrat Day - it’s Madigan Day.
At the helm of the Democratic Party of Illinois since 1998, Madigan has used his Chicago machine to accumulate wealth for himself and his cronies, consolidate political power, hike taxes, and squash reform, all to the detriment of Illinois families and taxpayers.
Now Democrat candidates for governor have made the journey from Chicago to Springfield to showcase their loyalty and kiss Madigan’s ring. With loyalists like these, it’s no surprise Madigan wants an ally in the Governor’s Mansion:
“Reign of terror”? Whew.
* But the incendiary rhetoric was not confined to Republicans today…
Democrats, meanwhile, sought again to link the governor, a wealthy businessman, to Trump. Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar, who has been vocal in accusing Rauner of using race to divide the state, likened the governor’s rewrite of a Democratic-backed school-funding bill known as SB1 to the same tensions that can fuel white-supremacist efforts like the Charlottesville protest.
Rauner has “been a coward from day one on these issues. That’s the thing. What people need to realize is Charlottesville bubbles up when we allow politicians to divide poor white people against poor black and brown people. This is exactly what he’s doing with SB1,” Pawar told reporters, echoing the same thoughts later at the brunch.
“So, Charlottesville is at the extreme end. But what Bruce Rauner is doing with SB1 is on that same spectrum of what white supremacists did in Charlottesville. So dividing the state based on where we live and what we look like, based on public school funding, based on race and class, that’s how we eventually end up with issues like Charlottesville, and he’s contributing to it,” Pawar said. […]
“I think the governor’s hesitation, his lack of moral compass, his unwillingness to take a stand earlier on the president’s moral behavior really encouraging domestic terrorism to try to influence the actions of a town like Charlottesville — I think that’s immoral and stands on its own,” Kennedy said. […]
“It’s so sad that Gov. Rauner feels that the way to address the situation of murder and white supremacy and neo-Nazis is to start by putting his finger in the wind and figuring out where the political winds are blowing. It’s just a shame,” Biss said.
* More…
Billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist J.B. Pritzker took note of a Fox News interview the governor did last week in which he was asked whether Trump is a good president.
“He was afraid to utter a negative word,” Pritzker told thousands at the breakfast. “Well I’m not afraid. Donald Trump is a racist and a bigot and a xenophobe and a liar. And Bruce Rauner’s silence is deafening.” […]
Earlier, Kennedy took shots at what he called Rauner’s “hesitation” to take a stand earlier on Charlottesville.
“I think the governor took his time in being critical of the president and the president took his time in being critical of the folks who tried to intimidate the people in Charlottesville to change a decision … that’s intimidation. That’s terrorism,” Kennedy said. “They’re trying to force somebody to make a decision, to make a political decision and we don’t allow that in this country. And for the governor to be hesitant on that point, for the president to be hesitant on that point is to put democracy at risk.”
* One of Pritzker’s Snapchat geofilters…
- Shake - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 2:42 pm:
Madigan’s Reign Of Terror? That’s Uncalled For. Overboard. That’s The Republicans.
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 2:47 pm:
Shake: Please read Rich’s second paragraph. Is this a race to the bottom?Take a step back and take a deep breath. Then both sides say what is wrong and why and how you will fix it. And leave out personalities.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
“Reign of terror.”
Going-through-the-motions, titillating dirty talk for an audience of one, the dude who writes the checks.
There’s a word for that old profession.
- Amalia - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
unfortunate timing for their “reign of terror” comment. Perspective.
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 2:59 pm:
Don’t you have to wait for a definition on what constitutes “terror”?
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:00 pm:
The Pawar comments are way over the top. The guy had been using incendiary language from the start of this race, probably to up his name recognition. I don’t like what Rauner is doing on SB1 either, but equating it with white supremacists in Charlottesville? C’mon man. The response from Kennedy is spot on, though.
- Whatever - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:00 pm:
That GOP release sounds like a Kass column.
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
Yes, it’s a race to the bottom on all sides. But it is interesting that on the list for JB, nothing about helping to create more employment opportunities, especially when we see unemployment rising. Denial on the part of the Dems or do they not care or did JB and his people just miss it.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
===Democrat candidates for governor have nothing to celebrate about Madigan’s record-setting, disastrous reign of terror over Illinois, but that doesn’t stop them from traveling to Springfield to showcase their loyalty and kiss his ring.” ===
… Says DeGroot, the Raunerite Spokesman who’s state party has yet to announce any Secretary of State, Treasurer, or Comptroller candidates.
Focus, focus on candidate recruitment…
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
This morn, I heard this Bannon fellow say something along the lines of ” when Democrats are worried about confederate statues, we know we have won the day.”. I thought it odd and gave it some thought to this point. As a blue collar union loving guy, I believe I gave up on the Dem party when we became more obsessed with union rights than we did about protecting union made products. I will try an articulate. Foreign trade deals and currency manipulation. EPA standards that made the American playing field less competetive. On the illinois level, work comp rates that were $7 to $10/ hr higher than neighboring states. Property taxes that have to be paid regardless of a business’s profitability
Now I am not a Republican either.voted for BO in his first term. I bought into the change theme.
But were the Dem party is losing out, is that although we might still be protecting union rights, we are losing union products. What good is it to have great unions if there is not much left to build(member I coming from steel industry). We can have it both ways. I know we unions can compete because we are d…mm good. But we gotta have product to build.
Its ok to get revved up on social issues, but don’t forget about us blue collar thugs. You need us. We need you.
- Moe Berg - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:21 pm:
Many injured or killed today in Spain by what is likely an act of terrorism. One killed and many injured last weekend in an act of terrorism in Charlottesville.
And this is what the BTIA comes up with? Just how isolated are they from actual real world events?
- Responsa - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:24 pm:
A 1926 monument to Abraham Lincoln was torched and desecrated in Chicago’s Englewood by persons who are apparently a bit foggy on their U.S. history. This was reported by NBC which included it in a piece about confederate civil war monuments being removed across the country. Unless I’ve missed it, so far, Alderman Raymond Lopez, who said “What an absolute disgraceful act of vandalism. This bust of Abraham Lincoln, erected by Phil Bloomquist on August 31, 1926, was damaged & burned. If anyone has any information regarding this act, please contact the police or my office immediately.”, is the only politician I’ve seen who has bothered to notice or address the vandalism. I wonder–since this is The Land of Lincoln might someone in Springfield have something they’d like to say or tweet about this?
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:28 pm:
=== Denial on the part of the Dems or do they not care or did JB and his people just miss it.===
I think they just missed it. JB and the other democrats really need to start hammering a jobs program together. This is a huge issue for most folks.
- Liberty - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
Deplorable
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:34 pm:
== Foreign trade deals and currency manipulation. EPA standards that made the American playing field less competetive. On the illinois level, work comp rates that were $7 to $10/ hr higher than neighboring states. Property taxes that have to be paid regardless of a business’s profitability==
Blue, I’m wholly in agreement with you on the first two - Clinton and Obama sold out on both issues. The second, I don’t think those are mutually exclusive - businesses can be competitive without dumping toxic waste on top of our reservoirs and in our waterways. The third - we’ve got to crack down on insurance companies to fix this problem - this was handled a few years back, but the insurance companies pocketed the money instead of lowering their work comp rates for businesses. GOP will never agree to it though.
The last one, I don’t know what you do about that except change the way Illinois funds schools. Us citizens have to pay property taxes regardless of profitability too.
- Sic semper tyrannis - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:42 pm:
One of Billionaire JB’s goals is to “Guard Civil Rights”?
They’re already enshrined in the US and Illinois Constitutions.
If I were JB I’d move to protect those that claim falsehoods to gain huge property tax reductions.
- Earnest - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:47 pm:
>Madigan’s record-setting, disastrous reign of terror
I thought the country spent days on the definition of “terror” this week.
- Sheesh! - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:57 pm:
Quite a stretch to suggest the BR created the budget crisis without any help from MJM.
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 3:58 pm:
=I will try an articulate. Foreign trade deals and currency manipulation. EPA standards that made the American playing field less competetive. On the illinois level, work comp rates that were $7 to $10/ hr higher than neighboring states. Property taxes that have to be paid regardless of a business’s profitability=
Not sure what point is on foreign trade deals and currency manipulation but I’m sure you have good talking points.
With regards to the EPA, I actually like water that I can drink and air that I can breathe. If you haven’t had the opportunity to do so please travel to China (as I have) and then get back to me on those pesky EPA rules.
Workers’ compensation “rates” to the extent they are higher on an hourly basis (your words not mine) would be reflective of wages. If you’re complaining that wages are too high in Illinois compared to neighboring states I would offer that this is a good thing.
Lastly the ownership of property should dictate whether or not you own tax on it not the profitability of your business.
- Stand Tall - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:00 pm:
The elephant in the room that no one wants to tackle, pension debt/unfunded retiree healthcare. This problem is the root of Illinois financial dilemma and will hold this State back from moving forward. Not far behind is making Illinois attractive for business to want to stay and promote the State as a place to locate a business.
- Fixer - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:00 pm:
blue dog dem, well said.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:04 pm:
Pundent. Work comp rates are not wages. They are overhead costs. Been to China, yea it sucks. But so does 2000 steel workers sitting at home in Granite. Try as I might agree with ya on property taxes. If it means upgrading equipment, buying a truck. Ya gotta pay taxes. A bit high is my claim.
- illdoc - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:12 pm:
Since the ISC has ruled that pensions are off limits the only choice is to pay it. The sooner that is accepted and a plan is made to address this simple fact, the better off we will all be…..
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
I think a good question for the Democratic Cana- dates for governor would be, how they plan on reducing the massive state debt in Illinois. Do they favor cuts, or tax increases? I think the voter knows the answer, but it would be interesting to hear what they have to say. Tired of them promising a bunch of new, costly, spending projects.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:36 pm:
==Tired of them promising a bunch of new, costly, spending projects==
The only new costly spending projects proposed lately is GOP plan to have us taxpayers subsidize 100% of private school donations for the rich. You’ll have to thank Bruce for that one, though, not any of the Democratic candidates.
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:37 pm:
Sorry, Anonymous @4:36 was me
- Tinsel Town - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:44 pm:
ILGOP comments are simply toxic, exactly what is wrong with politics today.
One might say Rauner has served one too many terms.
- Flynn's mom - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:44 pm:
“Reign of terror”???? Really??? I think the BTIA is broken.
- PhD - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:46 pm:
==The elephant in the room that no one wants to tackle, pension debt==
Yes, this is a huge problem in the long term. However, the state is so dysfunctional in the short term that the long term seems largely irrelevant. During the budget crisis, the backlog of bills reached about 10% of the unfunded pension liability. The interest penalty on the backlog alone is about $1.5 billion per year. So, let us start by quickly lowering the backlog and by paying these private businesses in a timely manner in the future.
- Molly Maguire - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
All this ever-heightened, toxic, take-no-prisoners rhetoric. Ugh.
- CrazyHorse - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 4:57 pm:
==Since the ISC has ruled that pensions are off limits the only choice is to pay it. The sooner that is accepted and a plan is made to address this simple fact, the better off we will all be…..==
This. Exactly this. Running up a credit card bill and complaining how the interest and monthly minimums make it tougher to pay other bills isn’t going to make even a small dent in the balance due.
It looks as if the strategy going forward is going to be to continue throwing things at the ILSC and hope something sticks. At this point I’m wondering if they are hoping SCOTUS declares it constitutional for states to declare bankruptcy.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 6:12 pm:
Lester Holt’s Mustache
Guess you have not listened to some of Pritzker’s commercials lately.
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 7:09 pm:
“Elect a ‘Democrat’ Governor”. Isn’t that that right wing Republicans call members of the Democratic party? Come on, JB, has all that money confused you about what party you’re running in?
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 7:29 pm:
Anonymous- you are 100% correct. I don’t doubt your word, but the Dems are not the only ones proposing new costly programs. I also notice that you don’t seem too concerned about how our Republican governor has run up $10 billion dollars in debt since 2014. Compared to Rauner, Dem candidates are practically fiscal conservatives.
- Mr B. - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 7:33 pm:
JB’s checklist needs to say something about pensions. Can’t vote for a candidate who will kick the can again. This is not a Rauner defense.
- DoneDeal - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 7:50 pm:
Mr B. Unless your talking about a dedicated funding source for the unfunded liability as pension reform, a hybrid tier 3 just became law for tier 2 w/o SOC SEC to transfer into. Tier 1 employees can’t be changed, ISC has decided. Pension reform does not include those hired as tier 1, period.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 10:25 pm:
Unless your going to ‘guarantee’ a progrssive income tax. Your only other option is a 9% across the board income tax with all new revenue dedicated to pension. Have at it.
- DoneDeal - Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 8:22 am:
I support a progressive income tax. Iowa’s is around 6.75 on income above $80,000, for example. That’s how responsible people, (fiscal conservatives if you will), pay their bills. The point I was making earlier is that pension reform is happening on a realistic, doable scale. Tier 2 in 2011 and now this year with the new hybrid tier 3.