Everything old is new again
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. When the Democrats passed a temporary income tax increase under Gov. Pat Quinn, the Senate Republicans unveiled a “menu” of budget cuts as an alternative to a tax hike. The Senate Democrats used those cut ideas to blast Republican incumbents and candidates in the 2012 election cycle and prevailed in every contest. The SGOPs’ attacks on a very real tax hike were essentially outdone by the Democrats’ attacks on a hypothetical list of possible cuts. The Democratic Party of Illinois is using a tried and true angle…
Illinois Republicans Play “DOGE” Dress Up While Proposing Devastating Cuts
Springfield, IL — In response to members of the MAGA wannabe Illinois Freedom Caucus proposing a doomed plan to cut billions in state funding for education, health care, and pensions, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez released the following statement:
“Determined to bring Trump’s trademarked chaos home, the ILGOP unveiled their latest haphazard scheme to take us backwards. Despite their clear lack of understanding of how any of this actually works, the Freedom Caucus’s ridiculous proposal would mean devastating consequences for Illinoisans. These cuts would result in massive rollbacks in family services, children’s food assistance, and infrastructure repairs.”
What the Laughable ILGOP Plan Would Mean for Illinois’ Working Families:
• The ILGOP plan aims to destroy the program supporting children with lunches during summer vacation and school breaks.
• From highway repairs to rural broadband expansion, the ILGOP plan would put a halt on much needed infrastructure improvements across Illinois and wouldn’t result in any savings for the general operating budget.
• Their plan shorts pension payments by millions of dollars, jeopardizing the retirement of hardworking teachers, first responders, and public employees.
• Eliminates workforce training initiatives and programs that connect youth with employment opportunities.
• While record-high housing costs are hitting working families hard, Republicans want to eliminate essential housing assistance programs.
• The cuts to DCFS’ budget would have a devastating impact on programs that support the state’s most vulnerable children and families.
• Thousands of high-paying jobs in Illinois would be under threat if these Republicans get their way and cancel support for clean energy projects.
• Republican representatives want to cut benefits for hard-working, rank-and-file state employees.
Discuss.
- Steve - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 9:18 am:
A majority doesn’t want to cut spending. Taxes will have to go up: that’s what Illinois voters want. If you can’t cut “clean energy projects” which aren’t profitable .. you really aren’t interested in cutting anything.
- NotRich - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 9:23 am:
The “map” covers up a lot of political stupidity.
- Adams St Stan - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 9:27 am:
Cuts are easy when you’re not the one making decisions.
- H-W - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 9:32 am:
Dear ILGOP,
How about we just wait a couple years and see what the federal trial run looks like. Your theory of life in the contemporary era without government is being tested in Washington. Should there be reason to pursue your theory, we will know soon enough. But following blindly is foolishness.
- Homebody - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 9:32 am:
Such an unnecessary unforced error by the ILGOP. Fundamentally, every single plank of the GOP platform is wildly unpopular when actually put into practice. The only reason they can campaign on their ideas is by being very vague about everything.
But as soon as you specifically itemize the actual terrible things you want to do, you lose the protection of the vague, hand-wavey, “we’ll figure it out later, just trust us bro” approach that the GOP has been running on for decades at both state and federal level.
- Peoples Republic of Oak Park - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 10:04 am:
People like society, society cost money, that money is collected via taxes.
Politicians raising taxes as a hit is kind of baked in the cake. I think the calculus of elected officials being tax averse because of that hit need more nuance. A more salient attack are the ones outlined in this communication. If you are trying to kill a tax increase you need to point out this money isn’t for you its for the other group you don’t trust.
- low level - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 10:37 am:
They should be called the “Freedom” Caucus. There is nothing “free” about them. That or the Clown Caucus, which is certainly a much more accurate description.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 11:22 am:
The ILGOP is resigned to being a super-minority party and winning only its deep red districts. With proposals like these, Pritzker can run for president and senator at the same time and still do a better job as governor. /s
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 11:34 am:
“People like society, society cost money, that money is collected via taxes.”
That’s a rational description, yes. Is that how a frighteningly large segment of the population understands it? Nope.
I like civilization, why do I need to pay for it every year when it’s already here, set my taxes to be lower.
It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out how this plays out.
If you haven’t seen it yet, the latest talking point being circulated in the right-wing echo chambers, is that seniors should have to pay zero dollars in property taxes. The line of thinking(and I use that term very loosely) is that because they have paid off their mortgage why should they have to keep paying for their house.
There are so many things factually wrong with that argument, I barely know where to start. But it has gained a lot of traction and I’d bet real money there will be bills like that submitted in the next legislative session as the propaganda pipeline moves itself predictably along. Jed Davis looks like the most likely one to be filing those bills when that times comes. Which will of course be another misstep for ILGOP as his district is not as far-right as the freedom caucus thinks it is. Push too hard, and this district will flip from R to D for the same reasons Batinicks old district flipped from R to D.
- Samantha - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 11:50 am:
These Illinois Republicans definitely lack Donald Trump’s salesmanship & communication skills that’s for sure.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Thursday, May 15, 25 @ 1:38 pm:
They want the freight but don’t want to pay for it.