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Question of the day

Wednesday, Feb 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the governor’s address

This is my seventh state of the state address. I’ve come before you to present a budget in good years and in bad, in years of crisis and years of relative stability. There is a whole industry of backseat bellyachers in this state and around the country who make a profession out of rhetorically tearing down Illinois and suggesting that if we would just enact one of their magic bean fixes we would never face another difficult budget year.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned as Governor – there are no magic bean fixes. And each year there’s some difficulty that requires us to work hard to overcome it. This year the surfacing difficulty is Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s plan to steal Illinois’ tax dollars and deny our citizens the protection and services they need.

* A quick search turns up these Pritzker jabs at the Illinois doomer industrial complex…

* The Question: Which one is your favorite, or should the governor stop hitting back? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.


       

48 Comments
  1. - Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:17 pm:

    Backseat Bellyachers. Although, I would use a different B word for Bellyachers.


  2. - Homebody - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:20 pm:

    Never stop hitting back. It is embarrassing how many national level dems seem to have forgotten how to have a spine. Not everyone needs to be AOC, but I’d still prefer to have more JB’s and fewer Durbins.


  3. - Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:21 pm:

    Doom Grifters is just awesome trolling.

    And I think I may be watching the punk band Doom Grifters at my local watering hole this weekend.


  4. - RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:24 pm:

    He should keep hitting back with the actual facts at the groups that use half truths to make their point.


  5. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:26 pm:

    Really liked the part when JB talked about trying to place nice with Trump and he would never try that again.


  6. - Merica - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:27 pm:

    this last election was a reset. the electorate communicated that they are very displeased with the Democrats platform. You need to acknowledge that your adversaries are Americans, agree with them on the things that you agree with, and challenge them on the things that you most strenuously disagree with.


  7. - JS Mill - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:33 pm:

    Backseat Bellyachers is my new favorite.

    =this last election was a reset.=

    2024 was not Reagan 1984. People forget what a real landslide is. Just because trump and his people said it was a landslide does not mean math agrees.

    That said, there was something to be learned by the democrats in their 1.3% popular vote loss and losing the entire legislative branch, albeit by a thin margin.


  8. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:34 pm:

    I loved spelunkers of misery, but I voted for Doom Grifters because it is spot-on accurate. Many of these people (Tom Devore) are making bank by fueling the false narrative of a downward spiral. This narrative apparently absolves many Republicans from even trying to do their part in government. That’s pathetic during good times, and downright dangerous in bad times.


  9. - TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:35 pm:

    Hard to pick a favorite.

    No matter which one, I’m just happy we have a governor who doesn’t self-censor his words based on an false concept of being civil in language to your opposition under every circumstance.


  10. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:36 pm:

    Wanted doom grifters but voted for Pritzker’s coined phrase, spelunkers. Pritzker should absolutely not stop hitting back. The doomers cause big damage to the state without any pushback from local corporate news media, who let the state they live and work in be wrongfully and repeatedly trashed. Democrats don’t fight enough and have no message discipline.


  11. - wildcat12 - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:36 pm:

    Spelunkers of Misery because spelunker is a fun word.


  12. - AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:37 pm:

    “Doom grifters” is the most accurate, but “Spelunkers of Misery” has a je ne sais quoi that is undeniable, and therefore has my vote.


  13. - don the legend - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:39 pm:

    ==You need to acknowledge that your adversaries are Americans, agree with them on the things that you agree with, and challenge them on the things that you most strenuously disagree with.==

    Maybe start with the red baseball cap folks and the Russian sympathizers.


  14. - TNR - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:41 pm:

    I like “doomer industrial complex” best. Is that a Rich Miller or Anne Caprara line?


  15. - Josh Evans - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:42 pm:

    Spelunkers of misery - evokes cave imagery and reminds me of the movie the Descent. Have you seen that movie? Ugh.


  16. - Yabba Dabba Doo - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:48 pm:

    Doom Grifters is the only right answer to this question.


  17. - Brandon - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:49 pm:

    @Merica

    And you ne3d to realize that nazis were defeated here in Illinois. You are free to move to a red state where all your benefits you get here will be gone but you will be free to tout how great it is for Billionaires in your new state.

    Plz. Leave.


  18. - The Truth - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:53 pm:

    I have to vote “Doom Grifters” - I already have these 5,000 T-shirts printed!


  19. - Siualum - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 1:58 pm:

    I like Backseat Bellyachers best, and think it would be a great name for a garage band. The others are also good, and JB should continue with these comparatively light-hearted comments. A whole lot classier than what comes out of the criminal-in-chief’s little brain.


  20. - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:07 pm:

    I voted ‘spelunkers of misery.’ I figure if you don’t understand policy, why should you understand the insult?


  21. - Here - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:10 pm:

    I like Backseat Bellyachers — slightly amusing, describes GOP critics, easy to understand


  22. - Inverted Pyramid - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:10 pm:

    Spelunkers of Misery.
    The Guv started his speech harkening back to our state’s founding. And since this state was settled from the bottom up, we should celebrate spelunking at Cave in Rock, the home of famous Ohio River pirates back in the day.


  23. - NIU Grad - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:15 pm:

    All of these would make wonderful metal band names.

    I’m still on Team Spelunkers of Misery.


  24. - ChicagoBars - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:16 pm:

    Spelunkers of misery can’t be beat, so obscure a word you actually think about this point while you figure out what a spelunker is.


  25. - @misterjayem - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:16 pm:

    “the electorate communicated that they are very displeased with the Democrats platform”

    Not in Illinois — the state that is the subject of our conversation.

    – MrJM


  26. - Arsenal - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:18 pm:

    I voted for “spelunkers of misery” because it was just so unique.


  27. - Inverted Pyramid - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:20 pm:

    @NIU Grad
    Great call on band names.
    The Boat Drink Caucus should have a Boone’s one-off show under their pseudonym: Carnival Barkers.


  28. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:27 pm:

    ==the electorate communicated that they are very displeased with the Democrats platform==

    Not in Illinois they didn’t.


  29. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:34 pm:

    I like backseat bellyachers.

    And, yes, he should keep pushing back on and calling out the nonsense these people constantly spout.


  30. - taskmaster - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:34 pm:

    - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:27 pm:

    ==the electorate communicated that they are very displeased with the Democrats platform==

    Not in Illinois they didn’t.

    how many counties voted for Trump vs voting for Harris? This website ignores that the majority of land mass voted for Trump and Harris only won the state by 4% Not exactly a mandate

    https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/map-breakdown-of-how-illinois-voted-in-the-2024-election-county-by-county/3595324/


  31. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:38 pm:

    ===This website ignores that the majority of land mass voted for Trump and Harris only won the state by 4%===

    You are a complete idiot. Land doesn’t vote. And Harris won by about 11 points: https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx


  32. - Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:40 pm:

    === Spelunkers of Misery ===

    Backseat is good too, but it’s something I would use/am using to comment on complainers. I had to go spelunkers because it so unique and catchy.


  33. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:42 pm:

    == This website ignores==

    This website ignores stupidity, which you have laid bare for all to see. Congratulations.


  34. - Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 2:48 pm:

    Why emulate Trump by name calling? Call me confused. Call me whatever you want. But I voted to stop hitting back. Being smart is no longer part of the Democratic political vocabulary these days. A decade of shrieking about Trump has gotten tiresome. Trump names the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America and his opposition shrugs. Trying to out silly him actually got Trump elected.


  35. - Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:13 pm:

    Gotta be Doom Grifters. Like the song says, simply the best.

    Bellyachers has alliteration going for it, but implies mere complaining rather than grifting. Not enough people could define Spelunker.


  36. - BE - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:15 pm:

    Hmm, Spelunkers is just such a fun word…
    May I suggest the gov. take suggestions for other ones? ‘Squeaking titmice’ might work.

    taskmaster - uh, corn doesn’t get a vote. Land ownership in order to vote hasn’t been necessary for how long? Which is good, especially given history about various non-white-men not being allowed to own land in the US…oh, wait…


  37. - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:17 pm:

    “A decade of shrieking about Trump has gotten tiresome.”

    Then the Republicans should have picked someone with decency and intelligence.

    “Trying to out silly him actually got Trump elected.”

    Can I get a citation for that, please? That is not only objectively incorrect, it’s batty.


  38. - H-W - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:23 pm:

    I chose “Doom Grifters” because it is in fact a double entendre. The original root was a direct reference to Tom DeVore, a grifter who took money from people in almost every school district, promising to win them freedom (which they were already to be given when the pandemic declined). DeVore promised to sue, and then waited long enough to not win (chose to lose?). But he did grift more than a million dollars for his snake venom.


  39. - Annonin' - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:24 pm:

    DG for sure. Embrace es Trump, Griffin, Uline,Rauner and IL Goppies in one breath.


  40. - ste_with a v_en - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:27 pm:

    Doom Grifters for sure.


  41. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:36 pm:

    Doom Grifters. Because I have eyes to read and ears to listen.


  42. - Morty - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 3:48 pm:

    Personally, I’ve refered to them as the (Doomsday) Bunker Buddies, so Doomsday Grifters is the closest in intent to what I’ve been saying for years.


  43. - Leslie K - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 4:05 pm:

    Voted for Spelunkers of misery. It’s clever, accurate, has opponents who can only hurl insults based on immutable or physical traits confused, and has a hint of reference to Illinois’ many great caves. An all-around winner for me.


  44. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 4:23 pm:

    Doom Grifters. Best band name.


  45. - Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 4:25 pm:

    “…majority of land mass…” from a comment. could be another band name, used with deep snark


  46. - G'Kar - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 4:38 pm:

    I liked them all–but there is something special about Spelunkers of Misery!


  47. - Blitz - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 5:33 pm:

    Doom Grifters was close for me, but I went with Backseat Bellyachers because I’m a simple man and I like me some alliteration.


  48. - Saluki24 - Wednesday, Feb 19, 25 @ 9:44 pm:

    Vote Doom Grifters. The image of a heavy metal band t-shirt was too good to pass up.

    If JB’s election team sees this, there’s a fantastic line of shirts to make off these slogans.


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