Fourth time was not the charm
Monday, Feb 5, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
Illinoisans “want a government where people come together to solve problems and get things done,” Gov. Bruce Rauner said during his 2015 State of the State address. “They don’t want partisan bickering, political infighting or personal conflict to get in the way of serving the needs of the families of Illinois.”
“Together, we will do great things for the people of Illinois,” he said. “The task ahead of us is daunting, and we have no time to waste.”
A wasted year later, after months and months of hardheaded, partisan gridlock and no state budget, the governor delivered his second State of the State address.
“I understand that union leaders and trial lawyers are putting pressure on you to keep the status quo,” Rauner told his audience of state legislators, many of whom (particularly the Democrats) didn’t react so well. They believed (and still do) that they were legitimately resisting Rauner’s attempts to bust unions with “right to work” laws and other proposals that went against their own principles.
“We must fix our workers’ comp system, labor regulations, liability costs and property taxes that make us uncompetitive and push job creators out. . . .Let’s get it done!” Rauner implored.
“If each of us commits to serious negotiation based on mutual respect for our co-equal branches of government, there’s not a doubt in my mind we can come together to pass a balanced budget alongside reforms,” Rauner told the General Assembly in January 2016.
A year later, with no budget passed and the Democratic-controlled Legislature continuing to resist his pro-business, anti-union agenda, Rauner delivered his third State of the State address.
Go read the rest before commenting, please.
* Meanwhile…
“Abraham Lincoln once said: ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it,’” said the Republican governor.
But there’s a problem.
Lincoln never said that, according to three top Lincoln scholars.
And with that gaffe, Rauner became an unwitting circulator of fake history, committing a cardinal oratorical sin for the chief executive of a state called the “Land of Lincoln.”
Oops.
One can only wonder why the governor’s people didn’t check in with somebody over at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum down the street.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:08 am:
–But there’s a problem.
Lincoln never said that, according to three top Lincoln scholars.–
Memo to BTIA(TM): Shockingly, the Innertubes is full of incorrect information. Read a book, already.
- Back to the Mountains - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:11 am:
==“If each of us commits to serious negotiation based on mutual respect for our co-equal branches of government, there’s not a doubt in my mind we can come together to pass a balanced budget alongside reforms,” Rauner told the General Assembly in January 2016.==
Respect is earned, not given. You want respect? Act like the Governor.
- Roman - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:11 am:
More amateur hour stuff from Rauner’s crew. Lincoln, Churchill and Mark Twain have almost as many fake quotes floating around on the internet as authentic ones. Most professional speech writer know this and tread carefully.
- Keyrock - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:12 am:
Why should a Lincoln quote be more accurate than anything else Rauner says?
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:12 am:
“I understand that union leaders and trial lawyers are putting pressure on you to keep the status quo”
Rauner does not want to govern with Democrats. Period. He wouldn’t be scapegoating his opponents out of one side of his mouth and asking for bipartisanship out of the other if he was serious about governing.
“alongside reforms”
More hostage taking? Democrats offered reforms. Rauner slammed them. What would be different this time?
- Michael Westen - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:18 am:
Maybe Rauner’s immigrant grand father actually said it.
- Skeptic - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:26 am:
“based on mutual respect for our co-equal branches of government” As long as Madigan isn’t the leader of one of them?
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:32 am:
I Love the Lincoln story for two reasons. 1) BTIA. 2) Right wingers love to create memes where liberal icons say something they never really said. But because it’s typed…on an image…with the picture of the person…on the Internet, it must be real. This quote has appeared on these ridiculous memes. And it’s totally bogus.
- Sir Reel - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:32 am:
I understand why the Governor’s staff didn’t talk to anyone at the Muesem. They might have had to talk to a union member.
- downstate commissioner - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:41 am:
Why does anyone listen to him? If his mouth is open, he is either lying, criticizing Madigan, or just making a fool of himself….
- Henry Francis - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 10:51 am:
Kip wasn’t there to talk bidness. He was there to talk Abraham Lincoln quotes.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 11:15 am:
We saw great cooperation from the Senate Democrats but the usual brick wall and failure to acknowledge there are even problems with our business environment from the House Democrats led by Speaker Madigan.
“And then Rauner touted the bipartisan budget and reform negotiations in the Senate, which were known back then as the “grand bargain.”
“It’s heartening,” Rauner said, “to see the Senate coming together on a bipartisan basis to acknowledge these changes are needed. Let’s build on that cooperation to achieve a truly balanced budget and changes that really move the needle on job creation and property tax relief.”
In the ensuing months, Rauner repeatedly derailed the Senate’s bipartisan negotiations because they were just never good enough for him. The Senate Democrats finally gave up, and then a disgusted group of rank-and-file House Republicans crossed the aisle to team up with their Democratic colleagues to pass a budget and a tax hike over Rauner’s veto.”
There was zero cooperation in the House on these needed reforms, just a permanent income tax increase.
For that we get another blame Rauner only for Illinois dysfunction column.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 11:20 am:
It’s a good line, anyway. He should have just said he thought it up. Wouldn’t be any better/worse off.
- Whatever - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 11:23 am:
The best way to find a Lincoln quote to give weight to your position is to make it up.
BTW, Chicago Cynic, that goes for liberals, too, and everyone in between.
- I Miss Bentohs - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 11:47 am:
== Oops.
One can only wonder why the governor’s people didn’t check in with somebody over at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum down the street ==
Maybe he did and they lied to him. I would the way he has treated them and other institutions, especially museums.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 12:29 pm:
===“And then Rauner touted the bipartisan budget and reform negotiations in the Senate, which were known back then as the “grand bargain.”
“It’s heartening,” Rauner said, “to see the Senate coming together on a bipartisan basis to acknowledge these changes are needed. Let’s build on that cooperation to achieve a truly balanced budget and changes that really move the needle on job creation and property tax relief.”===
Ask former Leader Radogno about all that stone walking and who caused it.
She’s retired now, so she may have time to explain it to you.
- Demoralized - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 12:58 pm:
==For that we get another blame Rauner only for Illinois dysfunction column.==
You are a perpetual victim. It was funny for a while. Now it’s just sad.
You know what you can blame Rauner for? What has occurred while he has been Governor. He’s been a complete and total failure as far as governing goes. But for you? It’s not his fault. He’s just the victim. Poor Governor Rauner.
Enough. He’s the chief executive. If he can’t do the job then he needs to get out of the way. This victimhood has to stop.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 1:17 pm:
Victim? Hardly.
Middle class Illinois residents are the victims of the Speaker’s agenda of protecting hi special interest groups above all else.
The Governor cannot lead the Speaker who refuses to budge.
The only way to fix Illinois is to have less Democrats beholden to the Speaker in the legislature.
Why no Grand bargain bipartisan talks in the House? Because the Speaker cannot even compromise with the Democratic Senate.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 1:28 pm:
–This victimhood has to stop.–
It’s the strategy, the whole schmear. Re-elect the CEO who is not in charge and is not accountable.
A very weird pursuit, so late in life, when you could do anything you want. I wonder what other options he considered before landing on it.
- Demoralized - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 1:30 pm:
Yes LP. The Governor is absolutely blameless /s/.
Please. He shares the blame for what has happened while he has been in office.
And, yes, you are a perpetual victim . . . along with the Governor.
And you’re living in fantasy land if you think the results would be any different if only Madigan wasn’t around. The Democrats aren’t all of a sudden going to pass the Governor’s agenda.
You don’t expect a lot from your Governor do you?
- Demoralized - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 1:32 pm:
==A very weird pursuit==
Especially given the cost. He’s spent and is spending an awful lot of money to not be in charge.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 5, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
–We saw great cooperation from the Senate Democrats but the usual brick wall and failure to acknowledge there are even problems with our business environment from the House Democrats led by Speaker Madigan.–
LP, that’s what you said. But this guy disagrees with you:
–In the ensuing months, Rauner repeatedly derailed the Senate’s bipartisan negotiations because they were just never good enough for him. The Senate Democrats finally gave up, and then a disgusted group of rank-and-file House Republicans crossed the aisle to team up with their Democratic colleagues to pass a budget and a tax hike over Rauner’s veto.”–
Oops, that was you, too.
Kind of careless with the cut-and-paste, aren’t you? Back to the Island of Misfit Bots.