Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Feb 10, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

When gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy sent out his first email to supporters last night, he mentioned incumbent Bruce Rauner’s name—twice. But President Donald Trump’s name appeared three times.

When I asked a top Rauner strategist if they’re worried, he had a two-word reply: Mike Madigan. […]

“Rauner is a failed governor who has made Illinois worse by dividing people and failing to fix the mess,” says Kennedy strategist Eric Adelstein. “There are a lot of parallels with President Trump and his stubbornness and failure to bring people together.”

When I asked Adelstein if voters should expect to hear a lot more about Trump from the Kennedy campaign, he had a one word answer: “Yes.” […]

“Mike Madigan is in far worse shape with voters than Trump,” says [a Rauner source]. And to the extent that Trump is disliked: “Voters understand he has different views from Trump” on issues ranging from abortion rights to abolishing Obamacare and converting Medicaid to a block grant.

I seriously doubt that many voters know the governor is opposed to converting the Medicaid program to a block grant system, but otherwise it’s not a bad point.

Elections are referendums on the incumbent. The idea by the Republicans has always been to make Madigan the incumbent in voters’ minds. Rauner is an outsider, he just got here two years ago. Madigan is the entrenched insider stopping all progress. You know the drill.

It’s like the old story about the two guys around a campfire seeing an approaching bear. One puts on his running shoes. The other says “You’ll never outrun a bear even in those shoes.”

“I don’t have to outrun the bear,” the first guy says, “I just have to outrun you.”

That right there is what Rauner has been doing to Madigan. Yes, the governor is unpopular, but Madigan is more so. He just has to outrun Madigan.

The Trump card wasn’t played much here last year, so we don’t know how effective it’ll be, but, for now, it doesn’t hurt the Democrats at all. Likely primary voters are fired up like we haven’t seen in a long while, so it’s a smart move at the moment.

* Meanwhile, this is from one of Kennedy’s fundraising e-mails…

States controlled by the radical right are losing people and jobs. Banks and investors are reluctant to fund new investments. Meanwhile, Republican legislatures have cut government services for thousands, including kids who are disabled, the sick and elderly, and wounded veterans.

Governor Rauner has supported the same alt-right, anti-woman, anti-immigrant, anti-worker agenda that Donald Trump has promoted. With this election, we have the opportunity to reject that agenda and send a message from Illinois that this behavior won’t be accepted anywhere in the country.

With redistricting coming up soon, this race takes an even bigger importance. We can’t let Governor Rauner and his allies try to gerrymander our maps to elect more Republicans from Illinois who will blindly support President Trump.

With the right leadership, we can oppose the worst of the Trump agenda and embrace the best of economic success and opportunity.

OK, well, that first paragraph could be about Illinois and the Democratic legislature, which hasn’t approved a real budget and has therefore effectively cut lots of services.

That second graf may be over the top, but it’ll probably resonate with Democratic primary voters at this point in the game.

And I’m kinda surprised that the Republicans haven’t whacked Kennedy yet for that third paragraph, because that might possibly imply he wants Madigan to draw the next map. He should’ve probably insisted on remap reform.

…Adding… Another heavily edited video from the ILGOP…

Press release is here.

*** UPDATE *** The predictable press release…

Another day, another sign Chris Kennedy is a Madigan lap dog.

In a fundraising email sent out Wednesday, Kennedy said that “With redistricting coming up soon, this race takes an even bigger importance.”

Governor Rauner believes that the legislature should pass redistricting reform to take the decision out of the hands of politicians.

By refusing to stand for reform, Kennedy is backing Mike Madigan’s position that the legislature he controls should decide how to draw districts.

Illinois’ Madigan-drawn districts are some of the most gerrymandered in the country.

In fact, 2/3 of candidates for the General Assembly faced no opponent in the 2016 election.

That’s not democracy, that’s a rigged system. And Chris Kennedy wants to perpetuate it.

61 Comments

Another stumbling block

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a Monday SJ-R story about the governor’s education funding reform commission’s final report…

Rauner said he’s still digesting the report from the commission. He also said it wasn’t the commission’s job to draft a bill that could be considered by lawmakers.

“What they did was lay out the parameters for a bill to get drafted,” he said. “I’ll talk to the General Assembly about who should draft. My sense is, I think the senators, I don’t know, I think they’re working on something. If they’d like our administration to draft something, we can do that.”

* Emphasis was added above because of what happened today…

When it comes to the complex, politically prickly topic of overhauling public school funding in Illinois, lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office can’t even agree on who should take the first step.

Democrats who run the Senate Education Committee told Rauner’s education adviser Thursday that the Republican governor should draft legislation to reflect recommendations from a school funding report released last week. The adviser, Beth Purvis, countered that the plan should come from the Legislature.

The two sides agree that the formula for financing public education should be changed to ensure poorer districts receive more financial support from the state. The recommendations, which come from a commission created by the governor, said that Illinois must assess how it supports schools on a district-by-district basis but didn’t indicate how legislators could accomplish this.

I’m getting a sore neck from watching this ping-pong game. How about they just find a way to somehow do it together?

Wait, wasn’t that the commission’s job? Apparently not.

…Adding… Hey, maybe they could use this bill…

The Funding Illinois’ Future coalition applauds Rep. Will Davis for his leadership in the introduction of HB2808, which aligns with the Illinois School Funding Commission’s Report. HB2808 makes school funding in Illinois more equitable and adequate and has the potential to end a decades-long problem. The bill aligns with equity principles in last week’s Illinois School Funding Reform Commission Report—and the principles of Funding Illinois’ Future—providing any new money to the neediest schools first and taking local contributions to school funding into account. We urge members of the House to co-sponsor the bill as a first step toward passing bipartisan, bicameral legislation this spring. Illinois must end the chronic underfunding of low-income schools and give all students the education they deserve in order to be ready for college and career.

Illinois needs a funding system that is equitable, adequate and fair. Illinois remains worst-in-the-nation in providing resources for low-income school districts. For every dollar Illinois spends on a non-low-income student, it spends 81 cents on a low-income student. Legislative action is needed now so that students in poverty access to resources so that districts may invest in reducing class sizes, providing updated textbooks and modern technology and offering advanced placement and other classes like art, foreign language and music that make up a well-rounded education. Funding Illinois’ Future remains steadfast in its view that new funding legislation must do the following:

1. Recognize individual student need
2. Account for difference in local resources
3. Close funding gaps in five years and keep them closed
4. Provide a stable and sustainable solution

About Funding Illinois’ Future
Funding Illinois’ Future is a coalition of more than 200 school districts, school superintendents, community- and faith-based organizations working toward fixing Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation school funding formula with the goal of giving every student in Illinois the education they deserve.

16 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 - AFSCME responds *** Rauner takes his anti-Madigan message to state workers, threatens to veto payroll bill

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The governor sent an e-mail to state employees today…

Dear State Employees:

As you know, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is attempting to block state employee pay and force a crisis in Illinois. There are two proposals in the General Assembly, but only one is a real solution. Watch this video to know where we stand.

Thank you for your work on behalf of the people of Illinois.

Sincerely,

Bruce

* The video…

* Transcript…

Hi Everybody.

As you know, Attorney General Madigan is going into court asking a judge to end state employee pay. The Attorney General now believes the state should be shut down until a budget is passed. We do not agree.

Two proposals have emerged in Springfield to address this issue. One proposal, sponsored by Rep. Avery Bourne and Rep. CD Davidsmeyer, would ensure state employees get the same treatment as legislators and constitutional officers — making it the law of Illinois to pay state employees on a continual basis regardless of the budget impasse. The other proposal is backed by Speaker Madigan — and it supports the Attorney General’s attempt to shut down government. Rather than stop paying employees and shut down government immediately, Speaker Madigan’s bill would stop employee pay and shut down government on June 30th instead.

Speaker Madigan will try to sell his June 30th government shut down proposal as a solution in case his daughter wins in court. But don’t be fooled. It’s not a solution — it’s a crisis showdown set for June 30th when the Speaker will use the leverage of a forced shut down to finally get the massive tax hike he recommended in December 2015.

There’s only one solution that makes sense: give state employees the same rights as the Speaker, rank-and-file legislators and the Attorney General herself. Give state employees permanent continuing appropriation for their pay just like legislators gave themselves. I will veto the Speaker’s June 30th government shut down proposal should it reach my desk. The General Assembly should fix this problem once and for all by sending the Bourne-Davidsmeyer state employee pay proposal to my desk immediately.

I don’t take a paycheck - never have, never will, but I believe state employees who show up to work every day for the people of Illinois should get their paychecks no matter what.

After all the hooplah over that CPS letter to parents blasting Rauner, this might be a bit much [ADDING: Click here for Greg Hinz’s take on that particular dustup.]. It’s not nearly as blatantly political, of course, but it most certainly mirrors the Rauner political attack machine messaging.

The Bourne bill is here.

…Adding… When the governor promised to veto the Madigan bill, wasn’t he actually threatening to “create a crisis”? Isn’t that what he accuses both Speaker and AG Madigan of trying to do?

…Adding More… The governor’s people strongly disagree. They say they believe Madigan’s bill is designed to take the heat off himself and the attorney general so that he can then flip the pressure on the governor to do a stopgap budget deal by the end of June to avoid a “real” shutdown because there would be no appropriations authority to pay state workers and likely no court order, either.

…Adding Still More… Hmmm…

@GovRauner's plan 2 avoid shutdown is IL employees be paid like legislators? So 7 months behind? Not complaining, but.. #alternativefact https://t.co/GonKJXiIs9

— Christian Mitchell (@cljmitchell) February 9, 2017

*** UPDATE *** From AFSCME Council 31…

Governor Rauner’s latest attempt to mislead state workers is centered on the claim that he wants state employees to be paid ‘like legislators’, but legislators are now paid six months late due to Rauner’s refusal to do his job and sign a budget.

The governor caused this crisis by holding the budget hostage to his political demands. Next week he’s due to present a spending plan for fiscal year 2018. If he introduces a budget, helps pass it and signs it into law on schedule this spring, this entire conversation is moot. Instead Rauner says he’d veto a payroll bill, an action that could shut down state government.

For our part, AFSCME and a dozen other unions representing state workers won the court order upholding payroll even without a budget, and our unions have been working with Rep. Sue Scherer to advance House Bill 1798 to ensure state employee payroll now. That bill wasn’t perfect in its initial form, but Rep. Scherer has been willing to address our concerns, and the bill is moving forward. That’s how compromise and the legislative process work.

In contrast, the governor’s threat to veto a bill not sponsored by his partisan political allies follows a familiar pattern: Rauner makes a demand, refuses to compromise, and bullies those who disagree.

If he wants to make progress, the governor should negotiate, not dictate, both in developing a fully-funded budget and reaching a fair contract for state employees.

106 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Focused like a laser

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* He is just absolutely relentless about his framing…

Chris Kennedy announced his bid for Gov. Now we need your help to hold another Madigan crony accountable #twill https://t.co/6IDTnwjDuM

— Bruce Rauner (@BruceRauner) February 8, 2017

[Hat tip: IR]

I did my usual news search for Speaker Madigan House and it’s mostly stories about Kennedy’s announcement. Those Rauner guys know what they’re doing.

* Chris Kennedy’s response to Korecki…

In an interview with POLITICO, Kennedy lampooned Rauner, calling him a “petulant child” who engages in “revenge politics” and casting him as a dictator who has bought the Republican Party and silenced dissenting voices.

“I’d say the only thing worse than a one-party state is a one-man party and that’s what Rauner has done,” Kennedy said.

When asked about Madigan’s dual role as Democratic Party chair and powerful legislator, and criticism that he wields too much control in the state, Kennedy countered that it’s the Republican Party in Illinois that has grown too fearful of Rauner and his money, to speak out. […]

“Do you think Dick Durbin reports to Mike Madigan? Do you think Rahm Emanuel reports to Mike Madigan? Do you think any congressman or senator reports to Mike Madigan? Our party is a party of enormous diversity and independent voices,” Kennedy said. “The Republican Party has none of that anymore … the Republican Party has become a one-man shop, where one or two men have dominated … Where he uses his wealth to silence them. He’s an economic bully. I think that weakens them, I don’t think that makes them stronger.”

Not bad. But he did stutter through the Madigan questions when pressed by Mary Ann Ahern…

* Marni Pyke at the Daily Herald…

“The governor said he was going to shake up Springfield, instead he’s tried to hold up Springfield. He was sent to heal not hurt, and he’s failed in every way,” said Kennedy, son of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. […]

Asked about the critique, Kennedy faulted Rauner for using his wealth to silence opposition in the GOP. “I have not heard state representatives or senators offering a second way because he bullies them with his money.”

* Tribune…

“I think it’s an insult to me, an insult to the entire Kennedy family and an insult to the voters of Illinois to make a statement like that that anybody’s going to believe,” [Kennedy] told the Chicago Tribune [about the Republican attacks].

“I think Gov. Rauner has spent his entire time blaming others and not leading. Even now, as the state Senate tries to find a compromise on the budget, Gov. Rauner remains on the sideline. We don’t know what his intentions are. And that’s not right. He’s in the big chair. He ought to lead. Otherwise, he’s one (term) and done.”

Following an event in Normal, Rauner did not address Kennedy’s candidacy when reporters asked about it.

“I am very focused, like a laser, on getting a balanced budget with structural changes to our system, but it’s broken and been broken for a long time. And we need to compromise with each other. We need to listen to each other. And I’m very focused on that. I’m really not paying attention to politics,” the governor said.

He’s focused like a laser, alright. On the budget? Maybe not so much. On his Madigan messaging to avoid blame for the impasse and taint his opposition? Yeppers.

*** UPDATE *** Right on schedule…

“Chris Kennedy spent day one of his campaign sticking with Mike Madigan, defending him in TV interviews and even going so far as to proclaim that Madigan bears no responsibility for Illinois’ problems. Kennedy is following rule one of the Chicago machine – never speak an ill word about your political boss.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe

Chris Kennedy’s first day of the 2018 campaign got off to a rocky start. In multiple interviews with Chicago TV, Kennedy would not blame Madigan for any of Illinois’ problems.

Asked about his relationship with Mike Madigan by every Chicago television station, Kennedy either defended Madigan or dodged the question.

WLS reported that Kennedy doesn’t “hold Mike Madigan responsible for any of this” and Kennedy confirmed to NBC Chicago that he met with Speaker Madigan to discuss his campaign.

You can almost see the strings being pulled behind above Kennedy’s head.

The cleverly edited video…

Ouch.

38 Comments

*** LIVE *** Session Coverage

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Follow along with ScribbleLive…

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