Question of the day
Tuesday, Aug 9, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Two years ago, Treasurer Frerichs joined with Governor Pritzker to support a radical $3 billion income tax increase plan on Illinois families. During that campaign, Frerichs even took the measure a step further by saying it could be ultimately used to tax retirement income—including pensions and 401ks. While voters temporarily stalled Frerichs’ call for taxing retirement income, State Representative and Republican candidate for Treasurer Tom Demmer wants to ensure that policy never impacts Illinois taxpayers.
Today, Demmer announced two new measures to block Frerichs’ retirement tax, including an online petition and also a House Resolution.
Demmer’s resolution, H.R. 753 asking the Illinois General Assembly to reaffirm Illinois residents’ overwhelming rejection of the progressive tax amendment and Mike Frerich’s push to “discuss'’ taxing retirement income. Demmer also launched an online petition asking voters to register their opposition to Frerich’s tax on retirement income.
“Two years ago, the people of Illinois overwhelmingly rejected the Pritzker-Frerichs $3 billion income tax increase with one of the driving forces behind that opposition being that Mike Frerichs said the plan could open the door to taxing retirement income. As Illinois families suffer from inflation while simultaneously seeing their college savings plans administered by Treasurer Frerichs drop in value, now more than ever we need to take bold action to protect Illinois families from even more taxes—including a tax on retirement income,” said Demmer.
* OK, on to the press conference…
* More…
This is a big challenge for the GOP ticket: Try to get the news media to continuously remind voters that Pritzker “supported” Bailey (by pointing out to Republican primary voters that Bailey was a Trump-loving, far-right Republican and Richard Irvin was flawed) while simultaneously glossing over the fact that they support Bailey’s election and believe he’d be a “good governor.”
* The Question: Do you think the Republicans can successfully make this case against the Democrats while still supporting the top of the ticket? Please be sure to explain your answer.
- ;) - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 2:40 pm:
Nope, but Demmer did a very good job trying. Unfortunately, its probably to convoluted for voters to digest, and especially so for our low-IQ media
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 2:45 pm:
I don’t think they can make the case even if they abandon Bailey.
Pritzker “supported” Bailey by running ads calling him too extreme for Illinois. Then Baily turns around and says something really extreme. No hypocrisy in saying so, it’s entirely consistent with what he did in the primary. It sucks to suck.
Meanwhile, when these guys condemn Dem “support” for extreme Republicans, but endorse those extreme Republicans anyway, it gives the game away. If even Tom Demmer doesn’t think the differences between him and Darren Bailey are very important, why should the rest of us? Pritzker was just wise enough to recognize that they were all the same.
- vern - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 2:45 pm:
They can, but only if they themselves don’t support Bailey. If the ILGOP en mass declared Bailey a Pritzker plant who should drop out, this would look like an authentic complaint and thus stick. If their case is “JB Pritzker got Darren Bailey the nomination and I’m voting for Darren Bailey” it’s just bankshot process nonsense.
Democrats did what needed doing in 2010, forcing Scott Lee Cohen off the ballot. When they couldn’t get that done in 1986, the Democrats straight up formed a new party to avoid being on the ballot with the LaRouchies. That’s what it looks like when you want voters to get that message.
- Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 2:48 pm:
Next time, reporters need to ask Demmer who won the 2020 presidential election.
- Sax - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 2:52 pm:
How can they make this argument when Butler told the press we need to “move on” from Bailey’a horrific comments. They could take a stand and say they’re not going to align themselves with a far right candidate that Dems supported because he’s unelectable. But instead they’re cozying up to the guy and making excuses for what he said. And believe me there’s way more they’re going to have to defend.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:00 pm:
===Do you think the Republicans can successfully make this case against the Democrats while still supporting the top of the ticket?===
Nope.
Why?
Bailey is everything that Chairman Tracy refuses to refute;
Old, angry, white rural… who can’t pry himself from racist thinkers, insurrection apologists and conspiracy theorists.
Demmer saying Bailey could be a good governor?
Demmer is disqualified from being able to be seen as someone serious to the discussion, for me.
Like Bourne, the sooner Demmer (and now Bourne) is out of the governing of Illinois, the better it is for Illinois.
I had such high hopes for them both… Demmer embracing Bailey is as sad as being a mere voting switch for Rauner, hurting Illinois for a whole General Assembly… now embracing a man running for governor who brings the worst elements of Trumpkins and Trumpism.
It can’t work.
Griffin left because the brand and folks like Demmer are bankrupt to the honest my of their bad Bailey represents.
- New Day - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:01 pm:
Nope. Not a chance. It’s a total trick bag.
- MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:03 pm:
“Do you think the Republicans can successfully make this case against the Democrats while still supporting the top of the ticket?”
No.
And the more time they spend trying to do so, the better.
– MrJM
- Pundent - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:03 pm:
No, which is why Bailey was a major concern for party leadership and an opportunity for Pritzker to put his thumb on the scale. But as powerful as Pritzker may be, he didn’t convince 56% of GOP voters to support Bailey. And at this moment he is the ILGOP. And no, he won’t be dropping out.
Darren Bailey’s relevancy today is due in some measure to the ILGOP not taking him seriously when they had the chance to. Demmer needs the energy of Bailey’s supporters along with the support of his detractors. Good luck threading that needle.
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:12 pm:
South of I-80, bailey will get the most votes, no matter what the Democrats do or say.
North of I-80 Pritzker will get the most votes, no matter what the Republicans do or say.
I think the same results would have happened with Irvin as the nominee.
The question is the margin.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:20 pm:
If Demmer feels Bailer will be a good governor, I’d expect Demmer to share a stage with Bailey, amirite?
So either Demmer is fibbing or a fool saying Bailey will be a good governor… the proof of that foolishness will be sharing that stage.
If Demmer doesn’t share a stage, after the fib, or after foolishly saying what he said… then why even say that Bailey would be a good governor at all?
Like I said, for me, after “this”… can’t get out of Illinois governing soon enough.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:24 pm:
Logically, no.
But, then again, logic has long been absent from the Illinois GOP, so …
- B Team - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:27 pm:
No, the GOP ticket has no money to get a consistent message out.
- Lurker - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:29 pm:
It may be only anecdotal but 100% of the people I know that are voting for Bailey and his ilk, do NOT do nuance. Now if Bailey were anything close to intelligent or a decent man, then these things would work for fiscal conservatives like myself … but alas, no.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:31 pm:
Waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much inside baseball.
What is even the argument? They supported him because he seemed the most out there, so vote for him.
- Publius - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:36 pm:
I agree with the above. That line only works if they get Bailey to drop out as a Pritzker plant. That also assumes that the majority of ILGOP primary voters are wrong. I doubt that would work.
- Benjamin - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:37 pm:
No. But it doesn’t matter–Bailey was toast the moment he locked up the nomination. Bruce’s comments above are right on.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:42 pm:
===and especially so for our low-IQ media===
Turn off FoxNews… it’s not the media’s fault that the GOP is a party now with a majority of folks who are racist thinkers, insurrection apologists and conspiracy theorists. That’s not the media’s fault.
===If the ILGOP en mass declared Bailey a Pritzker plant who should drop out, this would look like an authentic complaint and thus stick. ===
‘Cept 56% plus of GOP voters in the primary *want* Bailey.
No one was too thrilled about Scott Lee Cohen… Cohen had no base, Bailey has a real base.
- Phineas - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:43 pm:
No. Not when the top of the ticket continues to try to underperform Alan Keyes.
- Fayette County - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:51 pm:
Bruce (no not him) I agree completely. I think the margin will be larger with Bailey on the ticket versus Irvin. Especially if his speeches in Effingham are compared to his speeches in Chicago and that information gets publicized.
- jimbo - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 3:58 pm:
==South of I-80, bailey will get the most votes, … North of I-80 Pritzker will get the most votes==
In other news, the GOP submits moving that line 20 miles North by renaming I88 as I80 in a misguided attempt to gain votes and relevancy in IL
- Earnest - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 4:22 pm:
No, because Pritzker didn’t support him. Pritzker had the political acumen to know Bailey would be his general election opponent and spent money to define his positions so Baily couldn’t pivot to moderate positions for the general. I can’t believe I typed that with a straight, so to speak, face.
- AlfondoGonz - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 4:47 pm:
A lot of people had high hopes for Tom Demmer when I was in Springfield some 7 years ago. I was not one of them.
- filmmaker prof - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 5:22 pm:
Bailey would make a great governor … of Indiana.
- For the Record - Tuesday, Aug 9, 22 @ 5:34 pm:
==Mike Frerichs said the plan could open the door to taxing retirement income==
Which is something that needs to be considered even though the 60-30-1 and 71-36-1 is not there for it, yet.