* Gov. Bruce Rauner spoke to the United Counties Council of Illinois earlier today. From his speech…

“Everybody says ‘Bruce stop talking about unions and start talking about the budget’… Let me tell you something, balancing the budget is not hard. It’s not hard.”

He then rambled on for another 35 minutes without ever once explaining why it’s so easy peasy to balance a budget. I suppose he implied that the solutions are self evident. And, if you “balance” your budget with phony things like a magically nonexistent $2.2 billion pension “savings,” then it is kinda easy, except it isn’t balanced, so it isn’t actually easy.

* Then he admitted this about his weeks-long struggle to patch this fiscal year’s budget hole…

“We’ve got a Legislature that’s 177 members. And, you know, you raise an issue and you’ll get 292 opinions out of 177 people. So, so, you know, this is the process, this is politics, it’s sausage being made… I’m one person. I’ve got a lot of influence, but I’m one person and the Legislature has to approve this process.”

OK, so now you admit that it ain’t so easy. Sheesh. Perhaps a little less blathering on about “right to work” and a little more actual, you know, work is in order here? The advice isn’t wrong, governor.

* And since he chooses not to listen to that advice, he went on and on ad nauseum today about how private sector unions are dying on the vine and how bad public employee unions are, including their work rules…

“You can’t go to the bathroom on your own without getting ten approvals.”

Sigh.

Raw tape…

Click to listen

* Meanwhile, from the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service…

Illinois’ new governor faced a combative crowd in Normal where he presented some of his ideas to turn the state around. During his stop at the Normal City Council chambers for a town hall-style meeting, Governor Bruce Rauner heard from union labor and higher education protesters. The event featured some of Rauner’s ideas he shared with other groups, including right-to-work zones, lifting restrictions on prevailing wage and project labor agreements and other issues.

But, the format of the event allowed for feedback from the crowd. Previous visits around the state had the Governor presenting his ideas without the crowd offering questions or suggestions.

* Some of the attendees weren’t happy…

The governor was greeted by several audience members carrying signs that read, “Don’t Balance the Budget on My Back.” Rauner dismissed the protestors as A “special interest” seeking to derail his efforts to restructure state government.

But Local Catholic Priest Father Gregg Petri says concern over the governor’s proposals is widespread. “We are the people who make up this state. Ordinary people. We’re not a ‘block.’ We’re just people who care for those who are less fortunate and we want to make sure that they’re taken care of.”

Audience members also challenged Rauner’s proposal to cut some spending for higher education and permit counties to decide whether their teachers and other public employees are required to join unions.

* Rauner also got “mic checked” by an organized group of protesters. The silliness starts about the 45-second mark…