Several stories and columns appeared in the national news media shortly before and during the recent Democratic National Convention about Vice President Kamala Harris’ emphasis on the concept of “freedom” in her speeches and messaging.
Convention delegates in Chicago hoisted signs with the word “Freedom” on them all week. Oprah Winfrey even talked about freedom in her speech to the DNC. Quite a few pundits seemed to be caught off guard by how popular the concept had suddenly become with Democrats.
The word has been used by Republicans to define their own party for decades and decades. These days, for instance, far-right congressional Republicans belong to a “Freedom Caucus,” as do several Illinois House Republicans.
I don’t know if he pioneered it or not, but while reading the national commentary, it occurred to me that Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has been pressing home the importance of “freedom” for several years here.
His staff hasn’t always been comfortable with the rhetoric, viewing the word as almost a lost cause. But Pritzker has told his staff that he believed that Republicans were “usurping” freedom and that he and his party were supporting it.
Pritzker has long described abortion rights as “reproductive freedom.”
“The GOP should be ashamed of themselves,” the governor said two years ago on social media. “For a party that says they’re all about individual freedom, they’re hellbent on taking away freedoms for women.”
His use of the word has not been confined to abortion, however. Two years ago, Pritzker said, “As long as I’m governor, Illinois will remain a beacon of freedom among a rising sea of right-wing extremism.” Democrats, he said last year, will keep fighting for “more freedom.”
As far back as 2018, Pritzker said of then-President Donald Trump and then-Gov. Bruce Rauner, “While Trump and Rauner attack the freedom of working people to come together and fight for a better future, we must defend the hardworking men and women of the labor movement.”
“Trump and the anti-democracy, anti-freedom ideology he represents will systematically destroy our constitutional democracy if left unchecked,” the governor warned in January.
Pritzker described marriage equality in 2022 as “the equity and freedom that characterize America.”
In 2021, he described a bill to prevent discrimination against students for their hairstyle choices as “freedom of expression.”
In 2020, he said a bill he signed to excuse students from school for two hours to vote gave kids the “freedom to fit voting into their school day without fear of repercussion for engaging in the very civic education we should all be proud to encourage.” Getting a COVID booster shot in 2021 was, Pritzker said, “freedom from the virus.”
Two years ago, after attending a Juneteenth celebration, Pritzker said, “We’ll continue ensuring Illinois lives up to its promises of freedom for all.”
After I had pulled up all those quotes (and more), I asked the governor’s people why he has leaned so heavily on the concept.
“The governor uses freedom to describe Democratic policies to call out the truth about so many Republican policies: they’re about control,” a spokesperson said. “It is the Democratic Party that stands up for your right to make your own health care decisions, to choose what book you read, to live without fear of gun violence, to build a family on your own terms. It’s Democrats fighting for equal access to these rights. Republicans use buzzwords and branding, but what they don’t say is that their freedom only goes so far as the choices they would make for themselves. The governor truly believes that the Democratic Party is the party of freedom, and is working to ensure that freedom for all Americans.”
Pritzker also said a couple of years ago that he believed the state government standing up for these rights and freedoms will eventually help attract businesses to Illinois. “I do think in the long run it benefits the state of Illinois,” he said during a Crain’s Fast 50 Business Luncheon in 2022. “Does it happen overnight? Like everything, right, creating one tax incentive or creating a benefit for individuals and protecting people’s rights. That’s something that seeps into the groundwater, in my view, for workers and for companies.”
Now, you may understandably disagree with Pritzker over his definition of the word, his attacks on Republicans and how he believes this could eventually help Illinois’ economy, but there can be no doubt that the national party has finally caught up with him, even if he didn’t get the nod for national office.
- H-W - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 8:20 am:
Nice commentary. I always like to ask if we are discussing “freedom from” or “freedom to.” One form is limiting while the other liberating. Republican politics tends to lean too much in one direction (e.g., freedom from social responsibility). The rush toward false libertarian ideals of rugged individualism has always led to the collapse of community and state.
- Downstate - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 8:56 am:
Rich,
With all due respect, Pritzker claims he’s against right wing extremism, ” “As long as I’m governor, Illinois will remain a beacon of freedom among a rising sea of right-wing extremism.”
But JB used his financial heft to involve himself in the 2022 Republican primary and destroy Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s growing candidacy. He undermined Irvin’s candidacy for the sole purpose of promoting Bailey (who he claims is ‘right-winger’).
JB’s words don’t necessarily reflect his actions.
- Red Ketcher - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 8:56 am:
Governor says it well , but the Kris K. & Janis J.
song definition always comes to mind :
“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose,
And nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s free,”
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:02 am:
- He undermined Irvin’s candidacy -
It’s called winning. He didn’t help sink Irvin with the hope that Bailey would then beat him.
I’m glad to see JB and the party pushing the freedom rhetoric. It’s bothered me since I was a kid that republicans pretended to support it while their actions undermined it in every way.
- Leap Day William - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:11 am:
== But JB used his financial heft to involve himself in the 2022 Republican primary and destroy Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s growing candidacy. He undermined Irvin’s candidacy for the sole purpose of promoting Bailey (who he claims is ‘right-winger’). ==
So you are saying you believe Republican primary voters are so simple-minded they are easily swayed by ads, and they have no sense of agency when it comes to who they vote to be their candidate?
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:20 am:
==It’s called winning. He didn’t help sink Irvin with the hope that Bailey would then beat him.==
Pritzker remains a B+ governor (which is very, very good, compared to IL historically), but this is his biggest flaw.
Either right-wing extremism is a severe threat to the American experiment (which it is) or it’s something that is OK to route tens of millions of dollars to, in order to help support in the short-term. Can’t be both.
- TJ - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:21 am:
== He undermined Irvin’s candidacy for the sole purpose of promoting Bailey (who he claims is ‘right-winger’) ==
His “undermining” of Irvin amounted to taking out ads saying that Bailey was bad, and primary GOP voters took that message and their takeaway was, “Well golly gee, this guy would make for a good governor.”
I get that was the entire point of said ads, to disgust the general electorate with Bailey while simultaneously appealing to the GOP base to support the guy instead of another more meaningful candidate, but if you asked me Pritzker pointing out that Bailey is an extremist and that message appealing to GOP voters is an indictment against those GOP voters, not Pritzker.
And woe is Irvin. Dude was the most astro-turfed candidate in living memory, least not we forget that he was almost entirely bankrolled by Griffin.
- blues - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:37 am:
Downstate, Irvin had $50 mil from the state’s richest person. He could have run a good campaign, but he didn’t. You gotta fight to win elections, it’s not just about money and Irvin was a flawed candidate from the get go. Takes more than just money to win a race and Irvin is the textbook example of that.
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:49 am:
- He undermined Irvin’s candidacy -
So he duped Ken Griffin’s hand picked candidate and the $50 million that went with it? All so Irvin could finish 3rd?
To the topic:
I’ve noticed the use of the word by JB for a while now and I like it. I do believe Illinois is a freer state than Indiana or Missouri. I like how Tim Walz tells’ people to “mind their own darn business”.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:50 am:
You have it all figured out Downstater. Richard Irvin didn’t get the hard right vote in the Rep. primary because of JB Pritzker and his nefarious ‘financial heft.’
Couldn’t have been anything else at play in the minds of the republican primary base.
Maybe instead of all this pathetic bleating about democrats making them do things the party of “personal responsibility” can figure out how to take responsibility for the people it votes for.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 9:51 am:
==and destroy Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s growing candidacy==
They’re called elections and people spend money to trash their opponents. And besides this argument cracks me up in that people are essentially saying Republicans are too stupid and are so gullible they can be tricked into voting for someone.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:09 am:
Walz was blasting Republicans as enemies of freedom (against reproductive rights; in favor of book banning) this weekend too. It is refreshing. There i more to freedom than a stupid Lee Greenwood song.
- Lincoln Lad - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:10 am:
What -blues- says above is exactly right. Irvin proved money doesn’t make the candidate.
- levivotedforjudy - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:24 am:
JB has great instincts, like on using the word “freedome” and how he used Bailey’s own statements and images to let people know who he was. It turned a lot of people off and a lot of people in the GOP were attracted to it. It was the party preference. Plus, from some old clips I saw, Mayor Irvin did not runfor guv. That campaign team created someone else.
- So_Ill - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:26 am:
JB could’ve saved his $50 million and Irvin still would’ve lost.
Thinking the republican primary electorate was going to elect him is kind of foolish, IMO.
- Downstate - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:27 am:
“Downstate, Irvin had $50 mil from the state’s richest person.”
That doesn’t excuse JB’s actions. He denounces “right-wing” candidates while promoting their nomination.
He promotes the very thing he condemns.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:27 am:
Interesting column that brings up something that should be on the minds of voters in our state. Had to have been a tough area in the column to wrestle with. Appreciate the effort that went into the column on Sunday.
Freedom is a tough word in politics. Everyone uses it, but is it a core belief of Governor Pritzker?
In IMHO, hard to have a record as Governor Gerrymander and claim “freedom” as a core belief. JBP should work on another buzzword.
- Levois - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:30 am:
Both parties should be talking about freedom. It’s what America is all about. The idea of individual rights which is the point here, and perhaps other rights. One thing is for certain freedom shouldn’t just be a word that can be thrown around frivolously.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:32 am:
=He denounces “right-wing” candidates while promoting their nomination.=
I believe he called Bailey out for being too extreme. Republican voters did the rest. Not sure how that flies in the face of freedom. Perhaps you should take the issue up with ILGOP since they don’t share your warm feelings about Richard Irvin.
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:33 am:
- He denounces “right-wing” candidates while promoting their nomination. -
So he can beat them, by double digits. Is it JB’s responsibility to make sure the opposing party nominates a sane candidate?
I’ve said it a hundred times, you ILGOPers are simply lazy.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:35 am:
===He denounces “right-wing” candidates while promoting their nomination.===
It’s called playing the long game.
- smile politely - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:35 am:
Does Freedom include the 2nd amendment?
- Huh? - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:40 am:
Freedom Pledge
“I am an American, a free American. Free to speak without fear. Free to worship God in my own way. Free to stand for what I think right. Free to oppose what I believe wrong. Free to choose those who govern my country.
This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.”
Dedicated August 27, 1948. Commemorating the visit of “The Freedom Train”
Inscription on a monument in park, Port Huron, MI.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Train
- low level - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:42 am:
==I’ve said it a hundred times, you ILGOPers are simply lazy.==
Lazy with an odd sense of victimhood. A rather incredible turnaround for a once strong and principled political party.
- So_Ill - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:47 am:
== Pundent - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:32 am:
I believe he called Bailey out for being too extreme. Republican voters did the rest. Not sure how that flies in the face of freedom. Perhaps you should take the issue up with ILGOP since they don’t share your warm feelings about Richard Irvin.==
And it wasn’t even close. Irvin lost by 42 points. I don’t think you can blame a 42 point loss on the other party.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:48 am:
First, good article Rich.
2nd, it’s ridiculous to compare JB’s gov campaign tactic with government restrictions on the rights of individuals for the benefit of a party of religious groups.
JB didn’t advertise for Bailey, he advertised against Irvin. He was using his resources to weaken an opponent of his. While too many got their knickers in a bunch, it was an age-old move to win. That same tactic worked well for the Dems in 2022.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:53 am:
Oops “party or religious groups”.
Which most of the times include both, i.e. the MAGA GOP pushing restrictions to placate their extremist and religious base.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:57 am:
Never has this Democratic strategy been more necessary. Republicans are now an authoritarian party, supporting a movement that wants to turn millions of Americans into ruling subjects and not free citizens choosing their government. Thankfully Pritzker and others are calling them out, but it’s not enough. It’s literally the job of political news media to honestly name the problem and warn about it. The National Weather Service issues watches and warnings for dangerous weather, news media ought to do the same for the threat to democracy.
- Homebody - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 10:59 am:
Thing that kills me is the GOP has always been this way, at least during my lifetime. Their idea of “freedom” was always “they get to do whatever they want, and you can’t stop them, but you have to live your life the way they want to.”
This is who they have always been.
I’m glad more people are talking about it, but why the (expletive) weren’t more people talking about it before?
- TJ - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 11:02 am:
== And it wasn’t even close. Irvin lost by 42 points. I don’t think you can blame a 42 point loss on the other party. ==
To add on to this, 85% of the GOP primary electorate voted against Irvin. For a person bankrolled to borderline infinity and back to only finish a distant third and not even win a single county? He’s an astro-turfed nobody. Pick basically any random Illinoisan, and Griffin money could’ve probably gotten them to 15% of the vote in an ILGOP primary in all likelihood.
- bored now - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 11:10 am:
harris’ usage stems from the successful abortion amendment to the state constituion in kansas…
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 11:22 am:
===He undermined Irvin’s candidacy for the sole purpose of promoting Bailey===
If you’ll recall, Irvin began his campaign with a barrage of ads attacking Pritzker. Brand protection gave Pritzker the excuse to whack Irvin.
Now, move along.
- This - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 11:23 am:
Dems for many years have been trying to reclaim issues like faith, freedom and patriotism since at least Bush beat Kerry in 2004. Former DNC Chair David Wilhelm hosted a pow wow of about 50 after Kerry lost on ways to reclaim faith, patriotism and freedom from the GOP. Dems are more used to pkaying defense and let the GOP define the narratives the last couple decades and good for Gov Pritzker for renewing the effort.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 11:45 am:
=== GOP has always been this way ===
Uh, NO. There are examples of extremism throughout the history of the party, some led to things like the 13th and 14th Amendments. Don’t forget the progressive changes pushed by the GOP in early 20th century. Others led to McCarthyism and John Birch. Then we saw a core of folks who eventually stood up to them. Don’t forget IL GOP’s role - Sen. Ev - in passing the Civil Rights Act. To cut to the quick lest I anger the blog gods, a variety of factors have enabled the GOP extremists to take over the party and turn it into MAGA. (Plenty of books on it if you care to read.)
- Huh? - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 11:47 am:
“I am an American, a free American.” Only if you can prove it with a birth certificate and even then it might be fake.
“Free to speak without fear.” If only this were true.
“Free to worship God in my own way.” As long as you believe in a white evangelical, nationalistic denomination.
“Free to stand for what I think right.” Only if you agree with me. Then you are wrong.
“Free to oppose what I believe wrong.” Only if you agree with me. If you don’t, then you are wrong.
“Free to choose those who govern my country.” The election was stolen if my guy doesn’t win.
- Bob - Tuesday, Sep 3, 24 @ 12:13 pm:
@Norseman
I’m not going to pretend the Southern Strategy didn’t come in with Nixon. “Democrat” and “Republican” are party labels adopted by liberals and conservatives respectively.
Progressives drove those changes. Conservatives fought those changes. During the civil war, it was conservatives who fought via the Confederacy to preserve slavery.
Party labels don’t mean anything. It’s the ideology using the label that matters.