48 Comments - Over It - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:13 pm: Florida: highest % of new residents in 2022 among all 50 states Illinois: highest % of residents leaving among all 50 states - New Day - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:16 pm: It is such a striking contrast between our governor who is focused on improving the lives of the people of his state vs. Trump-lite Ron DeSantis whose primary focus seems to be on generating the most buzz among the GOP base. Does JB enjoy the political benefits of some of his actions, absolutely. But they aren’t the point. Does anyone doubt his commitment to Choice or sane gun control or improving the economic welfare for the most fortunate or helping asylum seekers. These are all things he has devoted himself to for decades. DeSantis? It’s not about people. It’s just about politics. And before someone chimes in with, “but he handled Covid better.” I suggest you look again. Despite it’s weather disadvantages, Illinois went from one of the highest deaths per capita from Covid to the bottom middle of the pack (currently 31 out of 50 states. Florida, by contrast and despite the ability to be outside most of the year, went from one of the best to one of the worst (currently #13). So don’t even think about it. The facts on this one are not your friends. - Streator Curmudgeon - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:19 pm: I’ll take the freedom in Illinois over the so-called “freedom” in Florida any day. DeSantis seems like a bully with dictator tendencies. I see nothing authoritarian in J.B. Pritzker. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:22 pm: I think Rich has it down cold. As was a post here recently, the GOP is the party of negativity and doom, the party of divide and racist thinking, the party of wanting “law and order” for the purpose to keep persons of color concerned and the party of “life” while restricting women, all women, the rights to their own bodies. What is the most glaring is the optimism and the want for inclusion by Pritzker, the want to defeat racist thinkers, to save democracy, to enshrine a woman’s right to her body, and the safety of all by banning weapons that can cause death to the innocent. This keeping ringing in my ears, haunting my thoughts to this post now… “GOP pollster: ‘The Republican strategy of screaming “the sky is falling” and “all is lost” is clearly not working’” What Florida has become is the haven for the hatred of all things not old, angry, or white… the Arcadia for the Aggrieved… It’s truly more about philosophy of politics then a comparison of conscience… that’s the real. - Lt Guv - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:29 pm: Great compare & contrast. - Commissar Gritty - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:30 pm: While I’m not trying to pretend that JB is the best debater we have in the party right now, DeSantis is terrible when pushed back upon. The man crumbles. Heard a recent interview with a Republican pollster who basically said Ron is enjoying high favorability largely because of his high name ID, and his association among Republicans as being “Anti-Woke”. That same pollster said that his support fell through the floor after showing them clips of him speaking. A phrase common among Florida journalists who know him well is that, “he has negative charisma”, and all seem convinced that Trump would eat his lunch in a heartbeat. I’m just concerned by how freely he uses to power of government to punish people and corporations that do not agree with his extreme agenda. Actual first amendment violations and Republicans laud him for it. - Google Is Your Friend - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:31 pm: Remeber when DeSantis yelled at kids to take off their respiratory protection face coverings? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gnJhzy_bAE That’s a key difference already. DeSantis is fundamentally a bully and a jerk and Pritzker is nice and kind. - Norseman - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:35 pm: I can’t top OW. He’s on the mark. Don’t take anyone seriously if they claim DeSantis is an improvement over Trump. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:36 pm: The contrast couldn’t be clearer, like as presidential candidates. Very proud of JB. Illinois has its own unique challenges, and he’s greatly helped improve our state, though there are still big problems. Florida has become a deeply backward state. Banning books and teachings of minorities. That would shame even George Wallace. - NIU Grad - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:36 pm: On the negativity point, saying “Florida is where ___ goes to die” is gloomy messaging no matter what you put in that space. I’m not sure how he’ll adapt to the national stage, particularly since he’s reinvented himself at least half a dozen times already since his entrance into politics. - 48th Ward Heel - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:39 pm: ==Florida is where woke goes to die== Florida is where everything goes to die - Amalia - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:39 pm: that’s some compare and contrast. do think Rich is correct. but if you see the commercial for DeSantis that his wife crafted, it is a weird mix of conservative (so called) Christian positivity/world viewand doom. with whomever, beat DeSantis if he runs. bad dude. - Nick Name - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:44 pm: I like to call the Florida governor “DeSadness.” Never have I seen a more dour, bitter, resentful individual. - very old soil - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:47 pm: My friends in Florida call it heaven’s waiting room. - Arsenal - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:50 pm: I think charisma still plays a big role, too. JB is no Obama, but holy cow, DeSantis just does not have It. He seems whiney and annoyed all the time. - Hahaha - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:50 pm: “What Florida has become is the haven for the hatred of all things not old, angry, or white… the Arcadia for the Aggrieved…” Florida is a multi-cultural paradise that millions of people flock to every year - for vacation and permanently. Its a purple state that elected a conservative Republican governor by 20 points. Also, the idea that the Democrats are the eternal optimists when they believe that America is fundamentally racist and oppressive towards women is hilarious. You can pretend it’s West Virginia or you can get real. - Henry Francis - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:51 pm: I hope Ken Griffin can find happiness now that he has the kind of Governor he’s always wanted. (Ironic that his fellow Floridians Bruce and Dan couldn’t deliver that for him in IL) - JS Mill - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:56 pm: OW, just capital effort there. Spot on. =We will never surrender to the woke mob= There is an new and emerging “woke” these days. It is the “Right Wing Woke”. They are easily triggered and run for the hills and swamps for safety. Desantis is the embodiment of reactionary right wing woke that runs to ban everything that upsets their 1930’s sensibilities. Snowflakes one and all. - Arsenal - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:56 pm: Also, I’ve seen very few people mention this, but with the wave of recrminations immediately after the midterms over, Trump seems to have gotten back to a comfortable lead over DeSantis in the polls. Trump is definitely still vulnerable, but the voters don’t seem super motivated to leave him behind just yet. - Arsenal - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 1:57 pm: …and now that I think about it, I guess that makes the comparison of Pritker and DeSantis seem silly, since neither one of them is likely to be on a national ticket next year. I mean, it’s fun, tho. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:06 pm: - Hahaha - You’re adorable. ===the idea that the Democrats are the eternal optimists when they believe that America is fundamentally racist and oppressive towards women is hilarious.=== It’s like you can’t listen what DeSantis is actually saying because the mindless want to be heard as aggrieved is too great. Aren’t you one, I think I recall, that complained/cheered about Republicans leaving to Florida, like Rauner, like Proft, and now want this diversity thingy from all the ex-pats? “That’s hilarious” Also, if you’d like to discuss the demographics of, say, “The Villages”, and also discuss the voting as a group, I’d enjoy that very much, as the old, angry, white, aggrieved living at The Villages let their voting muscle talk. ===West Virginia=== There were “wealthy” and “poor” confederate states too. Doesn’t mean they didn’t align philosophically I’ll wait in that stuff on The Villages. (Tips hat humbly to - Norseman - and - JS Mill -) - The Truth - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:14 pm: ==Florida is where everything goes to die== Winner of the thread right here - Occasional Quipper - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:14 pm: == I think this has more to do with negativity vs. positivity. == I think it all depends on your political leaning. For example, DeSantis wants to make sure that sex education material is age-appropriate. Conservatives see that as a positive thing while liberals see that as book banning. Pritzker wants to ban assault rifles. Liberals see that as a positive thing while conservatives see that as a violation of the 2nd amendment. So I don’t think you can objectively say that one governor has a more positive message than the other. It’s all relative. - SWIL_Voter - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:20 pm: “DeSantis wants to make sure that sex education material is age-appropriate.” No he doesn’t. This is 100% a campaign against the LGBTQ community. It’s very obviously that, which is why they’re not focused on sex Ed classes or the materials taught therein. They’re attacking specific authors with specific backgrounds and they’re waging this war in libraries. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:20 pm: ===book banning=== Yeah, here’s the sitch, if you’re banning a book, it’s book banning. That’s how that works. Every time. If you support book bannings… A dear friend out “west” texted me these many weeks specifically to the comic tragedy of certain scenes now seen different. The “book banning” scene in “Field of Dreams” hits far more differently now, they texted, that was once seen so perfectly wrong in context, now that scene is a reality far too often now… for freedom. But… - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:23 pm: This alone… ===So I don’t think you can objectively say that one governor has a more positive message than the other. It’s all relative.=== It’s worrisome that the facist style delivery is seen as positive, as the only way the positivity exists is cheering that the aggrieved find a way to make society regress or hurt all who aren’t the aggrieved… well, the “demographic” - Arsenal - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:23 pm: ==Its a purple state== It’s not, though. It’s had a Republican trifecta for 24 years, and the Republicans enjoy greater than 2-1 margins in both the State House and the State Senate. No statewide officer holders are Dems, and the Republicans hold a 20-7 advantage in the Congressional delegation. Florida is at least as red as Illinois is blue. - Arsenal - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:25 pm: ==DeSantis wants to make sure that sex education material is age-appropriate== Well, that’s his cover story, but in practice the result has been that LGBTQ teachers can’t mention their partners. - Jibba - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:26 pm: ===So I don’t think you can objectively say that one governor has a more positive message than the other=== DeSantis’ world view is that Dems are evil Marxists who hate God and America. He doesn’t say what he wants, other than Democrats to be defeated and humiliated. That is a negative message by definition. - Arsenal - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:32 pm: ==It’s all relative.== Not really. DeSantis is fundamentally negative- he defines himself as in opposition to something he doesn’t like and promises to fight it. In this case, it’s “woke” he doesn’t like, so he promises to be the state where it will die. You may not like “woke” either (though how would you know? The word has been stripped of all meaning) and you may want to see it die, too (though what does it even mean for such a concept to die?), but DeSantis is nonetheless negatively defining himself. Of course, everyone engages in negative messaging, and picking the right enemies is a really good PR move. And maybe there’s some speech out there where DeSantis lays out a vision of what he wants to do that is independent of “I’m against those guys you don’t like”. But it’s not in this side-by-side comparison. - Nick - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:36 pm: The less said about DeSantis the better. But it’s an especially nice contrast to Rauner who really couldn’t help but trash our state to anyone who would listen. - Dotnonymous - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:40 pm: “I hope Ken Griffin can find happiness…” I’ve never seen a picture of Griffin or DeSantis wherein either looked happy or satisfied…more money and more power will help?…the wrong road leads to the wrong place. - Dotnonymous - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 2:47 pm: One has a concerned heart and one seems to have a hole where his heart should be…guess? - Jerry - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 3:00 pm: Illinois is more of a “free state” than Florida. I mean we let people make their own decisions about their healthcare, what books they can read, speak freely in public. - Jerry - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 3:16 pm: Illinois has a source of “woke” Fresh Water. Where “woke” can live. - Tony DeKalb - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 3:29 pm: I’ve never been prouder to be from Illinois than right now. JB is a great leader for this time in the state’s history. - Norseman - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 3:31 pm: === DeSantis wants to make sure that sex education material is age-appropriate. === Nobody, and I mean nobody is going to disagree with age-appropriate material. Kids don’t learn if the material is beyond their level of understanding. Nobody is teaching physics to a first grader. The problem is that DeSantis and the right is misrepresenting (lying) about what is actually available and being taught to students. Age appropriate is the trope used to target information that educates kids about persons the right hate. We see the same type of lying - CRT - being used as an excuse to whitewash history. - Suburban Mom - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 3:40 pm: You do definitely notice that JB gives a list of specific things he’s accomplished/Dems have done, and highlights policy priorities going forward, where DeSantis mostly has a list of conservative buzzwords and things he’s against. - Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 3:52 pm: DeSantis is lecturing and hectoring while JB speaks to his audience. Not everyone has a gift for public speaking. - Betty Draper’s cigarette - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 4:41 pm: == Florida: highest % of new residents in 2022 among all 50 states, Illinois: highest % of residents leaving among all 50 states== Oh, you think the US Census has finally learned to count? - Northsider - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 4:45 pm: Given what climate change will do, I’d short Florida. Bigly. - TimO - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 4:56 pm: The biggest miscalculation of all time was the safe-t act. The American electorate will not be interested in any candidate involved, even though he has been a fantastic gov otherwise. - ChicagoVinny - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 4:57 pm: To paraphrase Jamelle Bouie “DeSantis doesn’t have the juice to be President”. - G'Kar - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 6:33 pm: And now DeSantis rejects a College Board’s AP African American History class because his administration has found that the course “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.” - Captain Obvious - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 7:08 pm: Interesting that a state with such a positive outlook is shrinking in population and a state populated by negative nellies is the fastest growing state. In fact, among those moving to Florida the second most come from Illinois, a state where positive thinking is dominant. The most come from New York, another bastion of positivity run by liberals. (Not census data, measured by number of transfers of drivers licenses, a much more reliable stat.) I guess all those people must not be all that sharp. They will miss out on all the positivity gushing everywhere here. I am sure it’s just because of the weather though. Good weather will spackle over all that negativity. - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 7:23 pm: ===state populated by negative nellies=== You are a dishonest hack. Nowhere in this post is there one iota of criticism of Florida residents for their negativity. Dope. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 7:26 pm: ===Interesting that a state with such a positive outlook is shrinking in population and a state populated by negative nellies is the fastest growing state.=== Been that way for… decades. It’s only recently that racist thinkers, conspiracy theorists and insurrection apologists are so brazenly wanting to be Floridians. Well, the overt part, at least. ===I guess all those people must not be all that sharp== Look at the big brain on you, staying here in Illinois. Those fools going to Florida, amirite. You. Here. With us. :) - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 23, 23 @ 7:31 pm: The reality is DeSantis is trying to appeal to thinkers of the GOP thinking The reality is Pritzker is trying to fight for what good can exist. How successful each is to either populations or redirects of the states of Florida or Illinois is not about the philosophy of politics but a comparison of conscience… that’s the real. My mocking of your thoughts won’t take away that real Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.