* Uh-oh…
* To the Brittany Clingen Carl op-ed…
Beyond supporting Rauner during his 2014 campaign, I also briefly worked in his administration this summer. I learned firsthand during that time how strident the Rauners are in their support of abortion, so I’m not going to attempt here to prove to them how morally wrong it is. I won’t try to convince them that abortion is murder; that claiming to fight for women’s rights is contrary to allowing millions of them to be exterminated in utero; that science proves life begins at conception; that pre-born children are more than just “clumps of cells.” (Perhaps on this last item, the Rauners can refer to a recent social media post by the Ounce of Prevention Fund, where Diana Rauner is president. A Sept. 18 Ounce of Prevention Fund Facebook post said: “Parenting begins before your baby is even born: Did you know babies’ taste buds begin developing at 8 weeks? Research suggests that what you eat during your pregnancy impacts what your child eats as they grow up — so time to start developing their taste for veggies now!”)
Since moral arguments will not resonate, I’ll stick to the political and economic ones.
In April, the governor’s office stated he did not support HB 40 due to “the sharp divisions of opinion of taxpayer funding of abortion.” Rauner’s initial assessment of the situation is correct, and he should stick to it. Taxpayers on both sides of the abortion debate are deeply divided over whether taxpayers should pay for abortions, especially abortions that are entirely elective and are not related to rape, incest and/or the life of the mother.
The governor should stick to the theme that was his battle cry during the 2014 campaign: Protect taxpayers. Forcing taxpayers to pay for elective abortions is not consistent with the promises Rauner made when he ran for office. […]
If Rauner wants voters — especially those who comprise his conservative base — to believe anything he says on the campaign trail in 2018, he should veto the abortion bill on his desk. If Gov. Rauner truly believes in doing what’s best for taxpayers, he must veto the legislation.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
This is going GREAT for Rauner.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:39 pm:
===I also briefly worked in his administration this summer===
Why aren’t you still there?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:41 pm:
When Brittany Carl thinks she has the moral high ground over the Rauners…
HBO will never believe this one.
- Anonymiss - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:41 pm:
- Anonish - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:45 pm:
I haven’t seen everything but I’m getting closer
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:47 pm:
===If Rauner wants voters — especially those who comprise his conservative base — to believe anything he says on the campaign trail in 2018, he should veto the abortion bill on his desk.===
That will ruin Diana Rauner’s personal credibility and word and could damage her standing in the Winnetka Circles where she craves a warmth and acceptance.
If Bruce Rauner listens to Brittany Carl, he will be all but ruining the personal credibility of Diana Rauner.
Tough choice.. if personal credibility means anything to Diana Rauner
- former southerner - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:47 pm:
We have a long way to go to challenge Alabama for the political entertainment crown but at least we are trying.
Although there is nothing civil about a civil war in politics it can be very entertaining.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:47 pm:
Being an alleged communications professional, I wonder if Ms. Carl really means “I learned firsthand during that time how strident the Rauners are in their support of abortion….”
Perhaps she left off the word ‘rights’ after the word abortion. If not then being “strident in their support of abortion” is one serious social agenda Bruce is espousing.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:52 pm:
Jr. communications staffer now taking the governor and first lady to task in the state’s largest newspaper.
Really. This is happening.
Seems like only a few weeks ago we were debating whether her radical views were relevant given that she was essentially a nobody in the Rauner admin.
When the governor of the 5th largest state in America is left to respond to junior communications staffers I can’t help but wonder if we’re not teetering on anarchy.
- Deft Wing - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:56 pm:
Pretty compelling arguments.
Many here want to lampoon the author or use the opportunity afforded to mess with the Rauners — I get it.
But to the substance of the Op-Ed, it is well written and well argued.
- Earnest - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:57 pm:
I know this isn’t an “unsolicited advice” thread, but: in business and in government, you’re much better off leaving a position vacant than making a bad hire. A bad hire can cost you a lot more headache over a longer period of time.
- Illinois Native - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:57 pm:
HB 40 clearly is about a social issue. During his bid for Illinois governor Bruce Rauner’s wife clearly said in a television commercial that he “doesn’t have a social agenda”. I think that he needs to keep that election campaign promise.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:58 pm:
Is it “Radical Candor” when the junior Comms staffer lets loose on moral integrity, and given her own writings, how must Kristina Rasmussen feel, since hiring Carl was seen as a Comms upgrade…
Would make a heck of a “Dad’s Home State” episode …
- Texas Red - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 3:59 pm:
“When the governor of the 5th largest state in America”
I would not be so sure of that - Pennsylvania is now 5th. We have been losing between 20-40K a year for the past 3 years
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:01 pm:
“I also briefly worked in his administration this summer” is the equivalent of “this one time, at band camp, …”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:02 pm:
===Forcing taxpayers to pay for elective abortions is not consistent with the promises Rauner made when he ran for office.===
… and yet, ignoring the “no social agenda” and the questionnaire is a convenient “out”, since it will be the personal credibility of Diana, and Bruce’s word to suburban women that will be tarnished… the price to pay.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:02 pm:
If the Rauners’ stance on the issue is “strident”, how would one characterize Ms. Carl’s stance?
As for the nobody ex-staffer taking big shots at the Guv, what should he expect when he has been playing the victim consistently for the last 2 + years. Radical Candor has been taking shots at him regularly now. It’s like the only ones who still respect (fear) him are the handful of GOPs in the legislature who haven’t announced their retirements.
- Chris - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:02 pm:
She makes relevant points. Politically speaking, conservatives and moderates don’t want to pay for abortion in their taxes (including suburban women). Bruce and Diana were on the campaign trail together and the message to voters was that Bruce has no social agenda which voters interpret to mean, leaving things “as is.” Therefore, HB40 deserves a veto.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
–Jr. communications staffer now taking the governor and first lady to task in the state’s largest newspaper.–
Very strange. How long was she there, a couple of weeks? And the tronclodytes give up their page for her to diss on the Rauners like she was a long-time big-shot in the administration?
Quite a civil war going on among the GOP usual suspects.
Who’s running the show for Rauner these days? He spent a lot of money buying the governor’s office and the ILGOP, and it’s all messed up like the proverbial one-car funeral.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:06 pm:
===Therefore, HB40 deserves a veto.===
Lol. Diana Rauner said there was no difference between Bruce Rauner’s position on choice and Pat Quinn’s. Therefore, HB40 should be signed as is.
We can play this all day. Let’s wait and see what he actually does now.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:08 pm:
===Bruce and Diana were on the campaign trail together and the message to voters was that Bruce has no social agenda which voters interpret to mean, leaving things “as is.”===
For the 65th time…
The questionnaire and the commercials frame what “no social agenda” is. Not your interpretation.
Bruce and Diana Rauner themselves told us, thanks.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:15 pm:
==Bruce and Diana were on the campaign trail together and the message to voters was that Bruce has no social agenda which voters interpret to mean, leaving things “as is.”==
They also said that Rauner would support the elements of HB40 and that his position on abortion only different from Pat Quinn’s in that he believed in parental notification. Why weren’t the called out for this obvious inconsistency at the time? Because voters didn’t see it as an inconsistency, because they didn’t see “no social agenda” the way you wish they would have now that Rauner’s in trouble.
- Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:15 pm:
Please remember. Rauner is neither a fiscal or social conservative.
- Molly Maguire - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:16 pm:
Just rewards for bringing those kind of idealogues in-house. Can happen on the Left too. As far as Rauner’s election calculations, which this is all about, the question is whether he can grow beyond his shrinking base. IMHO, more votes in expahding the base (signing the bill) than in placating his old base (not signing). Remember, he’s not running against other Repubs.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
HBO - “Dad’s Home State” - Season 3B, Episode 8
Bruce visits places and people that he’s either alienated or hurt, takes with him Humble Pie. Diana looks at her fall cocktail schedule, asks her friend Shirley to send her fun emojis to feel better. Diana’s State Employee hides the Newspaper Op-Ed section from both Bruce and Diana. Kristina watches from her office while everyone meets without her input, reads a lone newspaper Op-Ed section left on a table and smiles. Hud writes stock excuses for the next exodus of staffers, Ann disagrees with Hud’s work, writes her own just in case. The Looch tweets information with state agency acronyms at the wrong corresponding state agency heads. Comedy, 71 minutes
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
“Since moral arguments will not resonate, I’ll stick to the political and economic ones.”
Um, I’m guessing Bruce used the same logic in Carl’s hiring/firing.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:30 pm:
I would suggest the Rauners start going to different cocktail parties. The talk from the circuit that led them to perform the purge hasn’t worked too well.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:32 pm:
Younger generation telling oldersters where to get off on abortion. A young woman. Telling a 60+ year old governor.
LOL.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:38 pm:
No Toni, really, I swear, I said it was “impressive,” not regressive. I don’t know how that got so twisted.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:40 pm:
Oops, wrong thread.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:48 pm:
I’m trying to get my head around how you can take two positions that are the polar opposite of one another and be called “strident”. And if “protect taxpayers” truly is Rauner’s battle cry, how do you explain running up the debt to $15B? Perhaps Rauner isn’t as “strident” as Ms. Carl would think.
- DeseDemDose - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:52 pm:
How can anybody think the Rauners care about credibility at this point with his track record. He will do what advice is given to him at the time and change his tune 3 or 4 times and babble about some talking point or ignore the question when asked his position.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 4:58 pm:
Anyone ask what Rauner’s former body man thinks?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 5:05 pm:
Mistakenly posted this on the wrong thread.
Curious that Ferro ran McKinney out of the Sun-Times for doing his job (well), but puts this broadside against the Rauners from a junior flack in prime troncsylvania real estate.
Seems all the GOP poohbahs have serious beef with each other, and not just on this issue.
It appears to have started when the Rauner/IPI summer romance blew up.
And what about that $30M so Proft could run the GA races?
- walker - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 5:45 pm:
Sorry Brit, you didn’t make any “moral” arguments. You made controversial claims of “fact,” and let the implications flow to your position. That the Rauners are strident defenders of individual rights, not abortion, couldn’t fit in your worldview.
Politically they will lose more votes with a veto than a yes, because the remaining movable voters are more likely pro-choice — though I admit it’s a close call.
- Cleric dcn - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 6:16 pm:
This is not a social or political agenda of Ruaner. The real question is all about life. You are either for life and life abundant or you are not. The governor is only for money.
- The Snowman - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 6:16 pm:
People with a “Pro-Choice” position can be against taxpayer dollars funding what some call ” a simple medical procedure” and what others call…(fill in the blank).
- Under Influenced... - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 6:27 pm:
Taxpayer dollars to fund abortions…wouldn’t the same logic run that taxpayers pay state employees, who may or may not choose to use their paychecks to cover the cost of an abortion, therefore, taxpayers already pay for abortions…
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 6:37 pm:
==Politically speaking, conservatives and moderates don’t want to pay for abortion in their taxes (including suburban women)==
I’d like to see the polling on that.
- HoneyBadger - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 6:49 pm:
Words of wisdom from Brittany and it couldn’t happen to a better person, than Gov.Rauner.
- ChrisB - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 7:33 pm:
==I also briefly worked in his administration this summer.==
So did my interns, many of them longer than Ms. Carl’s tenure.
- Bitter - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 8:29 pm:
Brittany, stand strong in your opposition to abortion. You have been unjustly maligned for your positions on that issue. But I think you need to change your position on taxation, because we need more resources for DCFS, SNAP, and Medicaid. Pro-Life means being for life from conception to the old age grave, not just in the the womb and then your on your own. Veto HB 40.
- theCardinal - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 9:48 pm:
So if he signs the bill but pledges a to pass a bill that reinstates the deaath penalty with the Pro life peepsbe placated ? Just wondering.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 9:58 pm:
==Very strange. How long was she there, a couple of weeks? And the tronclodytes give up their page for her to diss on the Rauners like she was a long-time big-shot in the administration?==
Strange indeed. I think the real questions here are who is she working for and/or who shopped the op-ed to Trina. Doubtful that she took the initiative and they just said “ok.”
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 10:06 pm:
*tronc not “Trina” (in the first post) or “front” in the second.
Thought autocorrect changing tronc to Trina *is” kinda funny…
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 10:24 pm:
Joe B, I get the impression that the Uiehlein money/minions aren’t feeling appreciated by Boss Rauner and are acting up.
Going back to that story Hinz had, they apparently wanted to fund and run the GOP GA races, and it seems the Boss said no.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 11:26 pm:
Is she a Brittany? or a Clingen? can’t decide which. if women’s lives weren’t in such peril, this would be officially amusing.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Sep 26, 17 @ 11:55 pm:
== get the impression that the Uiehlein money/minions aren’t feeling appreciate==
Concur. And look, no one really knows what crazy ol’ Dick is really worth - but it’s probably orders of magnitude more than the “governor” - or what he’s really willing to do. Maybe he just gets jollies from making the beev soil his drawers. Maybe he just likes to let Proft run wild and will rein him in. Or maybe he and his buddies will seriously fund a primary.
All very fascinating
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Sep 27, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
==Pennsylvania is now 5th==
Nope. Per US Census Quick facts IL is still 5th at 12,801,539. IL lost .2% population since 2010. PA is 12,784,227.