52 Comments - Lulu in Lake - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 10:58 am: The modern day GOP is exhausting. - ArchPundit - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:00 am: –“All your base are belong to us!” No fair winning the comments in the original post. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:02 am: From Rauner to today; Stop progress from happening that helps… but blame Dems anyway, that it is coming, stopping it from coming, and/or making it coming a bad thing. Raunerites devolved to Cultists Trumpkins that have a need to burn it all down, blame Dems, but at the same time keep old, angry, white, “rural” folks… angry - Betty Draper’s cigarette - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:04 am: If there were Chinese spies, why would they need a battery factory? Wouldn’t a old ice cream truck work? - Lake villa township dem pc - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:04 am: All for EV Revolution 10000%, a foreign company, much less a foreign company based within an adversary, taking advantage of tax credits is insane. - Sue - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:05 am: At a minimum the deal needs to be vetted by the US agency that oversees all such foreign investments. Why treat it any differently. If approved- great. If not - then make it subject to whatever oversite is necessary - Roadrager - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:07 am: >>VOTE RED, KEEP THE REDS OUT >> This is the sort of crystal clear, sharply targeted messaging that has made the Illinois Republican Party into what it is today. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:07 am: More manufactured outrage. Their leader loves the North Korean communist dictator and tried to overthrow our government. The Chinese didn’t do that. Maybe they’re mad the “Democrats are bad for business” talking point is kaput, because if Illinois doesn’t get an EV battery plant under Pritzker, he and Democrats would be attacked for it. Let the super-minority party whine away. - Annonin' - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:09 am: Maybe they think Rantoul is still operatin’ Sounds a lot like the day when GovJunk “forgot” his administration helped Rivian reopen the plant in Bloomington. - Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:10 am: ===Why treat it any differently=== Literally NOBODY is asking for that. Nobody. - JS Mill - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:11 am: =At a minimum the deal needs to be vetted by the US agency that oversees all such foreign investments.= You should read the post once in a while. - Demoralized - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:12 am: Reason number 5,283 that Illinois Republicans will continue to maintain their super minority status. - Roman - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:24 am: The Illinois GOP should also come out against selling Illinois corn and soybean to China. No more John Deere and Caterpillar tractors or Illinois coal exports to China either. After all, these products only help prop the communist regime. Let’s see how that goes over with their base. - Jocko - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:25 am: I can’t stop shaking my head how, on both the state and national level, they’re committed to the Bizarro platform. It’s like having a sibling that just wants to aggravate you. - a revelator - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:32 am: =with their base= The base doesn’t care. Never let facts get in the way of a poorly constructed argument. - vern - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:38 am: === Why treat it any differently === Unless ILGOP sends out histrionic emails opposing every foreign-owned company doing business in Illinois, they’re the only ones treating it differently. It’ll be interesting to see how Leader Haas responds to her own party’s attempt to sabotage her district. - Arsenal - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:41 am: ==At a minimum the deal needs to be vetted by the US agency that oversees all such foreign investments.== And it’s going to be, as everyone acknowledges. But it’s weird to go from Rauner’s “everyone must take a paycut to attract outside investors” histrionics to THIS when we finally actually get some outside investment. - Jerry - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:45 am: I’m pretty sure the can of chinese food has a camera spying on me that I bought at the multi-national grocery store chain I shop at. (sarcasm intentional) - TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:46 am: –which military base is “right next” to the Manteno site.– Also, the Joliet Army Ammunition site while no longer used today and has mostly been turned into a large protected prairie, was a major ammunition manufacturing facility for the Army back in WWII. It’s about 5 or 10 miles from the Manteno city limits. Which lines up with the period of time the ILGOP seems to be stuck in. - Mr. Middleground - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:51 am: These are good paying, future focused jobs that Illinois desperately needs. Our tax base will benefit and more families will be able to afford to stay here. Of the numerous political messaging opportunities available to the ILGOP…this is what they target. Amateur hour. - OneMan - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:57 am: So the fear is that the CCP will spend millions and millions of dollars to build a facility that will spy on a National Guard facility? If you have an adversary willing to spend that kind of money to spy on a facility like that, you should be thankful you have an adversary willing to be that foolish with their resources. It’s like the ILGOP sees something the GOP is doing elsewhere in the US and is working to apply it here, regardless of the facts or logic. At least try and be a little more creative. There has got to be something Illinois-centric you can accurately complain about. - Rabid - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 11:58 am: “Vote red “ better red than dead - JS Mill - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 12:02 pm: =But it’s weird to go from Rauner’s “everyone must take a paycut to attract outside investors” histrionics to THIS when we finally actually get some outside investment.= Cognitive dissonance at its’ finest. - Frida's boss - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 12:16 pm: >>VOTE RED, KEEP THE REDS OUT >> Oh lord - TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 12:18 pm: >>VOTE RED, KEEP THE REDS OUT >> Something is very broken with whoever wrote this. - Suburban Mom - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 12:40 pm: ===>>VOTE RED, KEEP THE REDS OUT >>=== Whelp. Brain officially broken. - Siualum - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 12:42 pm: Its a world economy. They’ll pay taxes. - Whitehat76 - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 1:02 pm: I have concern with this incredible amount of tax incentives going to a CCP company but yet we can’t afford a $75million credit for invest in kids? - Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 1:08 pm: Appreciate the concern of over a half a Billion tax dollars going to a company like this one with its connections to the CCP. Of course, leave it to the ILGOP to do a poor job of presenting their concerns. - Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 1:14 pm: === but yet we can’t afford=== Has any legislator said that? - Steve Rogers - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 1:18 pm: To maintain their purity, there is no Illinois Republican who owns anything made in China. They’re so noble. /s - 47th Ward - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 2:32 pm: >>VOTE RED, KEEP THE REDS OUT >> The ILGOP has moved beyond self-parody to some new paradigm level of bizzare that has no name yet. - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 2:33 pm: Everyone rushing to their “made in China” devices to express their opposition to China. - JS Mill - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 2:48 pm: =yet we can’t afford a $75million credit for invest in kids?= We can, we don’t want to. It is not the citizens of Illinois job to subsidize private and parochial schools that follow a different set of rules and have exclusionary enrollment practices. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 2:52 pm: ===We can, we don’t want to.=== Winners. Make. Policy. It was a “give” when the program was created. It’s not a want to the larger ideas of Democratic policies, so it seems. Why aren’t these schools who crave these monies ask donors to forgo the program and altruistically just give to the schools so kids can go? Why aren’t these schools touting the program discussing it… that if funding does end, as a safety, to help “the kids”? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 2:55 pm: To finish my thought to bring it back to the post… Winners make policy and when policy can create jobs, help local economies. The problem with a past governor’s policies was they couldn’t get 60/30, no “gives” towards them… because the policy was “allowing” Dems to *raise* taxes after gutting labor. This post is about policy and winning when we see what happens in governing to the winner’s policy - Frida's boss - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 2:56 pm: @Whitehat “we can’t afford a $75 million credit for Invest in Kids?” It’s not a matter of affording, it’s a matter of deciding whether or not the political will is there to reach 60, 30, and 1. So far with the way CTU is pounding city politicians and suburban IEA members are pressuring suburban legislators, there may not be the political backbone to continue to keep the program. Don’t for any reason think that $75 million out of a $50 billion dollar budget isn’t something the legislature couldn’t accomplish if they wanted to. If they wanted to keep it they would keep it. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 3:04 pm: ===So far with the way CTU is pounding city politicians and suburban IEA members are pressuring suburban legislators, there may not be the political backbone to continue to keep the program=== So the Dem legislators are wanting the program to continue but are afraid? Really? Which legislators? Your want of this spin to CTU wholly ignores that the policies of the party and legislators seemingly are not wanting the policy, not the other way around, scared to be for it. If you have a cite to this, please share. The continuation of the program lacks support. It definitely doesn’t lack spin trying to deflect that. ===If they wanted to keep it they would keep it.=== Winners make policy. The want lacks, the fear isn’t driving it. - Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 3:35 pm: As to the post, winners do make policy. Whether or not it is good policy or bad policy remains to be seen. Certainly the General Assembly could have a hearing on this use of taxpayers money. The GOP could make its case in an open hearing and Pritzker could make his case. Why not have a vote so GA members could go on the record on this particular investment? This is a lot of money and the issues around the involvement of the CCP in this venture should have an open public hearing. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 3:39 pm: === the issues around the involvement of the CCP in this venture should have an open public hearing.=== Can the governor and the state do what they are doing? A hearing seems needlessly redundant and plays into the hands of the minority, empowering them needlessly and setting a precedent needlessly too - Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 3:53 pm: Not sure a majority of taxpayers in Illinois would give 536 million dollars to a corporation allegedly controlled by the CCP. Lot’s put a little light on this Pritzker policy. What is the harm in having a hearing and have Team Pritzker explain under oath the due diligence that went into this decision? Maybe we could have gotten a few more “benefits” if we brought North Korea, Russia or Iran into the process. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 3:57 pm: === What is the harm in having a hearing=== Needlessly having hearing will detract from other businesses looking to Illinois because of needless red tape. === Not sure a majority of taxpayers=== We are all taxpayers, the voters elected a governor to be the executive. === Maybe we could have gotten a few more “benefits” if we brought North Korea, Russia or Iran into the process.=== Thank you for proving the point that it would be a needless circus of grandstanding buffoonery designed for the politics not the policy. (Sigh) - Demoralized - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 4:20 pm: @Back to the Future: How about you try reading the post. The post specifically states that they will “need to obtain certification from the U.S. Treasury Department that it poses no risk to U.S. national security.” So you and the Republicans can stop your hyperventilating. Your comments are absolutely absurd and show you aren’t a serious person. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 4:22 pm: === The post specifically states that they will “need to obtain certification from the U.S. Treasury Department that it poses no risk to U.S. national security.”=== Was on “Strike Two”, but glad you cut this thinking to the quick. - Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 4:59 pm: May be headed to Strike Three, but believe that folks have a right to be concerned about this transaction and the best place to deal with those concerns is in our own Illinois General Assembly or the US Congress rather than an administrative agency. I actually did read the post and appreciate the reference to the Treasury Department. Of course, their may be National Security issues, but really think this is about who you choose to invest taxpayers money with. Frankly a CCP controlled group would not make my top 10 list. - Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 5:12 pm: ===Frankly a CCP controlled group=== You really need to take a pause from the media you’re watching. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 5:15 pm: ===the best place to deal with those concerns is in our own Illinois General Assembly or the US Congress rather than an administrative agency.=== That’s like asking your fast food server if the food they are serving meets FDA approval. Sure, they can say so, but it sure ain’t no FDA. You can’t trust the Department of Treasury now? Friend, you have bigger problems than me… and my in-law uncle. The politics to it? Next election, if all things stay equal, don’t vote for Pritzker Problem solved. - OneMan - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 6:07 pm: == Not sure a majority of taxpayers in Illinois would give 536 million dollars to a corporation allegedly controlled by the CCP. Lot’s put a little light on this Pritzker policy. What is the harm in having a hearing and have Team Pritzker explain under oath the due diligence that went into this decision? Maybe we could have gotten a few more “benefits” if we brought North Korea, Russia or Iran into the process. == You see, those are, in many ways, legitimate questions and a persuasive argument for some. But they didn’t go in the direction of ‘Subisides for a CCP company’, did they? Nope, they didn’t. They went with an easily debunked argument that made them look foolish. == They are a company that builds batteries for electric vehicles, and they just so happen to be building a new manufacturing facility right here in Illinois, and RIGHT NEXT to a military base. == Because for most folks of a certain age, Manteno was the home of the state mental hospital. Not some military base. If you are the Illinois GOP, you should go ahead and reference the WTTW story (along with others) about the subsidy. https://news.wttw.com/2023/09/08/battery-manufacturing-plant-coming-illinois-530m-incentive-deal Then ask, is this the sort of company Illinois wants to give a subsidy to? You have an argument (and a more compelling fundraising argument, IMHO), but instead, you go with something that sounds silly to anyone who knows where Manteno is. They are gonna spy, no kidding, they are going to spy no matter what or where. We will give hundreds of millions of dollars of subsidies to a company that may have links to the CCP, which is a much better pitch. It brings in the whole ’subsidies to large companies and how they often don’t result in the gains expected’ and ‘red communists’ all at one. All sorts of better arguments to make than ‘it’s next to some imaginary military base.’ The spies everywhere might get you $5 from grandma, but you need a lot more cash than that. - JS Mill - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 7:10 pm: @Back to the future- have you ever shopped at Walmart,Amazon, bought a car or TV? Ever been a consumer in the last 50yo are? Spoiler alert, you have been helping China. - Back to the Future - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 7:31 pm: Appreciate your concerns and advice. Hope this turns out ok. We could always use more jobs. - Frida's boss - Monday, Sep 25, 23 @ 8:17 pm: @OW- I don’t really need to prove conversations, just listening to what I’m hearing. Not everything needs to be a media source to have a substance that actual conversations from both sides are happening, and that both sides want what they want. You would be playing ignorant if you think either side is just sitting on their hands and hoping their position wins by the time veto is done. Now will it change anything… can’t say, as I said before without 60, 30, and 1 it ends. That said you usually have all the answers so enlighten us if the Invest in Kids people have given up or if the CTU and IEA are so confident that they aren’t making the rounds. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 26, 23 @ 7:27 am: ===I don’t really need to prove=== This… ===Now will it change anything… can’t say, as I said before without 60, 30, and 1 it ends.=== Again, any discussion to this idea that CTU is running anything over any Dems when it’s the policy of Dems that have been against it, and it was a “give” deal, not a policy want… it’s tough for you to state… ===So far with the way CTU is pounding city politicians and suburban IEA members are pressuring suburban legislators, there may not be the political backbone to continue to keep the program=== … it’s utterly ridiculous to say “backbone” is what you are hearing, that would be an opinion to the tactic, not an observation of the lobbying. There’s a difference. Until it’s seen that CTU is holding off an organic 60/30, that observation is inaccurate, no what what opinion exists. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.