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* Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner spoke at the Cumberland County Lincoln Day Dinner last week and had something interesting to say about the AFSCME contract…

“I may have to take a strike and shut down the government for a few weeks [in order to] redo everybody’s contract.”

Here’s the video…

* Rauner’s “exploratory committee” has raised $292,700 since March 5th.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:37 am

Comments

McKenna-ism 4.0, when do we get the goofy ad with admaker that made the sheep ad, the tribune endorsement, and the millions in campaign spending for a 4th place finish?

Comment by Shore Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:48 am
Wasn’t he supposed to be on a “listening” tour?

This guy obviously wants to fight. He picked one with the CTU, now he’s picked one with AFSCME. He has an ever expanding enemies list.

I wonder if any of his high-priced consulting talent has told him that not only are public employees tax-paying citizens with voting rights, but many AFSCME members are part of the GOP base and will be represented in the primary.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:50 am
If AFSCME has learned anything this last couple of years is that they need to set up a strike fund. Rauner is a joke and will never be Governor, but there are real challenges that AFSCME is going to face from their bygone friends, the Democrats.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:50 am
And AFSCME thinks Quinn is the bad guy.

Nearly $300K in two weeks? I think that’s more money for an exploration than Columbus got from Ferdinand and Isabella.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:51 am
“We must make Illinois represent those of us in the room, not special interests…”

Sweet irony considering the McKinney stories…

Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:52 am
The more he talks, the more he seems to have no knowledge.

Heck, at this rate, if I were a candidate against Rauner, I would book Rauner at as many places as possible, and have Rauner speak as much as possible. Heck, have Rauner field questions!

To the comment,

Is Rauner aware this isn’t a private business? While what HE thinks makes total sense in a business model, the Wisconin and Indiana blueprint to be a governor has no legs here in Illinois, if followed “to the letter” of those states. A fear as a Republican is that Rauner’s rhetoric and cash will get him through the Primary, and come General Election time, his view of Illinois, through the rose-colored glasses that see Wisconsin and Indiana, will lead to pluralities in Cook, and the Collars (DuPage ain’t a ‘Red’ County anymore) will make Rauner an impossibility against, say a Lisa Madigan, angling the Moderates, women, unions, minorities, and seniors.

I always thought Dan Proft’s “Illinios ain’t broke, it’s Fixed!” had a good ring and premise, but lacked the rallying cry to bring in Moderates and grow from what is considered Proft’s base. Rauner is going along those lines here, and if Rauner spends his millions, and wins, where is Rauner going to peel Moderates off of the Democrat, if it’s Lisa Madigan?

Economics is the key. Social issues are the Death Nail. You make this a “class warefare” race, threatening to shut down government and redo contracts sounds great, but the reality is those Union folk, they beat Bill Brady on the streets, so if you are going to make this about “Union Warfare” and take it to the people, Rauner needs a heck of alot more people walking precincts to find those voters in Cook and the Collars that agree and get them to the polls. Otherwise, Rauner is setting himself up for a “Brady Day” Election Day, winning the “arguement” but losing the voters in the precincts.

How do you WIN with this rhetoric, without messengers working against the Unions, who will go and defeat you, and you have no ground game to assist you? If you say, “We will outspend them on TV and that should be enough …”, then you just lost the election.

Attention Rutherford, Dillard, and Schock; Keep Rauner talking, not raising money, but talking…for your sakes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:57 am
I do not think Illinois is going to buy WWIII, constant brutal wars between our various interest groups. My guess is that the State is much more likely to choose “unified” and “efficient” government, with a Madigan as Governor, and a Madigan as Speaker of the House.

Comment by Elder Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 10:57 am
“I think that’s more money for an exploration than Columbus got from Ferdinand and Isabella.”

Great line! While thousands of AFSCME members scrimp and save to barely get ahead, Rauner casually raises over a quarter of a million dollars in a few weeks. Special interests indeed.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:00 am
Incredible. And likely spontaneous given the venue.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:03 am
For those of us who look at both parties and see failure, this has a lot of appeal.

We are tired of the way things are going. We are tired of people talking tough and then caving to the unions. We are tired of government payrolls filled with people doing unnecessary work.

We are ready for a guy who is ready to shut things down rather than cave yet again.

Is he guy? I don’t know. But I sure am not voting a for a Dem again, and the rest of the GOP field doesn’t have much appeal.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:05 am
Herein lies the problems of the GOP. While some of their leaders are calling for more inclusion of those who are not the ultra rich. The loudest voices are those who do not want middle class or poor people to have anything.

There was a piece on the news yesterday or Sunday where the leader of the IlGOP and the leader of the National party were both saying that they needed to work harder to include minorities, young people, and the middle class, in their message and in their platforms. They interviewed a college student and she said she was not drawn to the GOP because their message seemed to come from the very rich and it was ” I got mine, good luck trying to get yours.” She doubted that she or her classmates could support candidates like that.

And then you have people like Rauner, the Koch brothers, and the likes of Ty Fahner controlling the message.

The real problem is that people seem to think that having a weak, out of touch, second party is no big deal. They figure that the GOP is only hurting itself. They don’t understand that our system is based on competition between legitimate candidates. And when one side puts forward candidates who have no chance the whole system gets out of whack. And that’s a problem that afffects everyone.

Comment by Irish Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:08 am
–I think that’s more money for an exploration than Columbus got from Ferdinand and Isabella–

That guy didn’t know where he was going, as well.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:11 am
Skeeter - Just curious - what do you consider “caving”?

Comment by lincolnlover Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:15 am
so thats his plan? go to war with state employees? shut down government for a few weeks? run government like a business. except its not a business. we dont make widgets. government provides vital services. things are bad enough now, with massive overdue bills and mismanagement of blago and quinn. attack employees, and “take a strike for a few weeks”—but still expect state cops, prison guards, workers taking care of the ill, aged and disabled to keep getting the job done?

accelerating the downward spiral is not the answer. rauner needs to take some tutoring in public finance.

Comment by langhorne Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:19 am
Noticed more than half of his “exploratory committee” have addresses out of state. And those who were in Illinois were heavily North Shore.

Comment by Darienite Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:21 am
So are state employees going to spend the first few weeks of every new governors’s term on pins and needles about their pay status?

Comment by mythoughtis Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:24 am
Lincoln.
Giving raises while the rest of us have our wages wages cut.
Protecting useless jobs.
That’s a start.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:25 am
Yes, there are raises in this contract, but they will be eaten up by the rise in health care premiums. And, while you may not have received a raise in a few years, almost everyone I know in the corporate world has. If you want to talk about undeserved raises, check out Quinn’s staff. They got large raises at the same time he was withholding them from union members.

Comment by lincolnlover Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:28 am
Skeeter means this when he (or she) says “caving”: that state employees weren’t punished enough.

Rauner is the same way — assuming that, sure, a strike of two weeks will allow me time to redo the contracts to punish the employees who work for the state. And, of course, Rauner assumes that once he’s crafted the contracts those striking employees will simply stop striking, ratify the contract, and go back to work with a “redone” contract. Because, as he points out, the governor is a powerful person. Someone who doesn’t need a legislature to spend or save money. Someone who (like most of the GOP — and apparently like Skeeter) refuse to compromise — and look upon this refusal as a good thing. Because, as we all know, politics is not about compromise. It’s about pushing one’s agenda at all costs — and punishing those who aren’t on board.

The entire GOP platform — here and nationally — sits on the concept of punishment — punish those who aren’t rich, aren’t white, and aren’t working. Rauner (after watching the video and the weird way he’s holding the microphone — like it might hurt him if he grips it with more than just the tips of his fingers) is a perfect example of the idea of punishment — anger at the CTU, anger at AFSCME for negotiating a contact that saves the state 900 million dollars. However — and this is probably where Skeeter comes in — the employees didn’t get punished *enough*. They didn’t suffer. They’ve still got their 37.5 hour work week and two day Thanksgiving holiday and all those other days off. You know, the things that simply don’t exist in the “private sector.”

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:28 am
I think AFSCME’s leaders are smart enough to see that Rauner is not a threat but rather another delusional billionaire with time on his hands.

It is the Illinois Democrats, after all, who are spearheading the attempt to cut the pensions of (mostly) middle class public employees and retirees. This despite their purported grave concerns for the fiscal health of middle class citizens. True, the Republicans are cheering them from their shaky sidelines perch. But it is mostly a Democrats’ game now.

And all this despite polling which suggests that public support for such measures is rather squishy. Maybe “the public” has figured out that a successful attack on one set of middle class citizens does affect all of them.

Comment by cassandra Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:31 am
Sure Frenchie.

I sure wish my employer would punish me with a nice raise while everybody else got wages cut.

But in all seriousness, Frenchie. You all got a nice raise, and they can’t even say thanks? Unemployment is way up, people are giving up on getting jobs and just leaving the work force, and government workers feel they are punished for not getting enough.

Unbelievable.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:33 am
Spoken like a Scott Walker wannabe.

I had hoped Rauner was at least smarter than that.

Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:46 am
Skeeter –

That’s why state employees are unionized. If the employers weren’t, they wouldn’t get anything — and would have gotten much, much less.

Point is: it’s nothing more than sorry grapes. Collective bargaining is a powerful tool. Folks don’t always like the unions or agree with the unions, but when the unions threatened to strike (and did strike, in the case of the CTU) folks were compelled to compromise. Nevermind that state workers get no bonuses, get paid 18% less than their private sector counterparts, and have no stock options.

AFSCME folks don’t need to say “thanks.” The union did what they were paid to do. It’s a business transaction. You folks in the private sector — and future GOP voters — should understand that. It’s business. That’s all. It’ll happen again in a couple years.

Vote for Rauner, and you might get lucky and see — finally, finally — state workers really punished. You know, they’ll get their contracts redone. That’ll show ‘em.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:49 am
sour grapes, I mean. Although, “sorry grapes” is probably accurate, too in some weird poetic way.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:49 am
Anyone else look at his filing? Am I the only one surprised by the amount of out of state money?

Seems a lot for an exploratory for governor.

Comment by oneman Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:58 am
Walkinfool: that’s GOVERNOR Scott Walker

Comment by Veritas Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 11:59 am
the name dave checketts on his filing is absolutely great. the guy used to run the new york knicks basketball team when they were in those epic battles with the bulls in the early 1990s, the rest of it looks like harvard business school classmates with the suburban boston flair.

Comment by Shore Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 12:03 pm
==Giving raises while the rest of us have our wages wages cut.==

That argument is bogus. I don’t know what “the rest of us” means but I can tell you that every single one of my friends in the private sector continues to get raises and bonuses. You can’t paint with such a large brush. It dilutes your argument.

Also, if you don’t like your pay or your job get a new one. There are 3 million jobs in this country that employers can’t find qualified individuals to work in. I’m going back to school right now to add to my skill set. Maybe you should do the same and stop whining if you are unhappy with your situation.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 12:04 pm
oneman - I made a similar observation 1/2 hour ago. If you remember there was a influx of out-of-state funds in the 2nd Cong. District race a few weeks back. Good thing Bloomberg is a Democrat.

Comment by Darienite Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 12:06 pm
Frenchie,

You are absolutely right. The union did what it was paid to do. And Quinn caved.

And next year I will vote for somebody with a backbone. Just like I noted above.

Welcome to democracy. That’s how it works.

In the meantime though, have the courtesy of not whining after you people got a raise while the rest of us struggle. It is bad form to whine after winning. Show some class.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 12:07 pm
Last time I checked the pension problem was caused by politicians who made promises that we’re unrealistic & the compounded the problem by looting the pension funds. Bruce Rauner wasn’t involved in either deceit. The “enlightened electorate” keeps re-electing the culprits and the unions deduct dues from member’s paychecks to support them!! Rauner may not be the solution, but he certainly had nothing to do with the problem

Comment by Veritas Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 12:09 pm
Well, at least we didn’t need a hidden video to see what an elitest whackjob he is.

Comment by D P Gumby Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 12:39 pm
===Walkinfool: that’s GOVERNOR Scott Walker===

Of Wisconsin …NOT …Illinois.

Wisconsin is not Illinois

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:00 pm
- In the meantime though, have the courtesy of not whining after you people got a raise while the rest of us struggle. It is bad form to whine after winning. Show some class. -

You people?
http://assets.diylol.com/hfs/2d8/fae/06c/resized/kirk-lazarus-meme-generator-what-do-you-mean-you-people-ef1549.jpg?1333837883.jpg

Comment by Colossus Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:04 pm
Strikes are not good governing. They are to be avoided, not encouraged. A governor is to be the leader of thousands of public servants. Striking out against those you lead is not good policy.

Running for office and pooh-poohing or condoning a political position that would result in a massive statewide strike is not smart.

Even Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Former governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana, and Governor John Kasich of Ohio, whom Mr. Rauner publically has stated he admired, would not, and did not do something this foolish.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:06 pm
Skeeter –

You seem to miss the idea that in a negotiation, there’s compromise. Quinn didn’t cave. He compromised. He — and AFSCME — did exactly what they were supposed to do. Quinn saved the state money while still giving AFSCME a reasonable pay increase. Remember, state works have to pay *more* for their insurance — just like folks in the private sector — so I don’t think anyone gave away the store here.

Quinn only “caved” if you think that his initial demands were fair and reasonable. You make my point for me: compromise is a dirty word for the GOP. This is why we get folks like Rauner right out of the gate skewering AFSCME — as if AFSCME (or CTU) are enemies. They may be to some, but to many they’re the only things that force the rich, powerful folks to compromise. Without ‘em, workers and teachers would be making far less and working far more.

It’s sour — or sorry — grapes. The folks who most could benefit from a union are often those who decry unions the loudest. It’s one of the more mystifying things about the rise of the shrill right — a weird groupthink perpetrated on the middle class by the wealthy 1%.

It stumps me — but whatever the GOP is doing — or saying, at least — they always get folks to listen. More power to folks like Rauner. It makes for great media — great blog fodder here and elsewhere — but it won’t get the majority of the votes. I mean, yeah, the rich dudes will vote for him because they think it’ll mean more money in their pockets.

Whatever. Rauner will get his 15 minutes, and then go the way of the many voices who step to the background and then get the preach to the choir at CPAC.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:08 pm
Demoralized–

Sometimes your comments raise my blood pressure, but not today. To your 12:04 post, I have to say “right on!”

Comment by Ready To Get Out Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:24 pm
Demoralized,
Where can I find a company that can just give out pay raises and not worry about balancing the books?
Any leads?
Thanks!

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:26 pm
Skeeter - American Airlines!

Comment by Ready To Get Out Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:35 pm
===
Where can I find a company that can just give out pay raises and not worry about balancing the books?
===

Wait — wait … I know the answer to this one!

Um, well. Okay:

- Fannie Mae
- Fannie Mac
- AIG
- General Motors

I’ll bet there’s a bunch more.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:35 pm
Skeeter - If you’re the CEO, then that’s always the case. See: Dimon, et al.

Comment by Colossus Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:38 pm
Nice list.

Of course, in all of those the people who handed out the big contracts were fired.

How many government employees were fired for driving Illinois into the current condition?

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:39 pm
===
How many government employees were fired for driving Illinois into the current condition?
===

Oooh! I know that one, too.

The answer is: zero.

The government employees aren’t to blame for driving Illinois into the current condition.

Now, if you rephrase the question and ask how many “politicians” were fired? The answer is — only 1 really. If you count impeachment as a firing. And if you consider being sent to jail part of the that firing. So, yeah — only 1 that really got fired in the private sector sense.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:44 pm
===How many government employees were fired for driving Illinois into the current condition? ===

One: RRB.

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:44 pm
Well, we should “Fire Madigan” …

Sorry.

Too soon?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:47 pm
There’s a reason that so few rank-and-file Republicans are reluctant to step out and vote for pension reform. Rauner should ask them what it is before he declares war on public employees.

Comment by Math Counts Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:54 pm
OW, that’s actually a good point.

Sure, the GOP managed to screw that up.

But how do we get into the condition that we are currently in, and still go with same leaders who got us there in the first place?

It seems like an obvious call, unless the only real job is to get people elected. If leadership’s function is to elect others from the same party, then rank and file was right to keep Madigan in his current position. If leadership’s function is to make Illinois a better place, rank and file should have found somebody new.

Which then takes back to Rauner and the appeal of somebody who has the primary virtue of being different.

I don’t know Rauner. Will I support him? Maybe, but I doubt it. I assume I will be back on the sidelines rather than supporting any in the projected field. But I sure will not vote for people who directly contributed to the problem over the past 20 years.

We’ve got to find a new approach.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 1:55 pm
Math Counts: if all of the Republicans voted for pension reform could they enact anything ?? Why can’t the double super majority & Dem Gov pass pension reform?? At least the have the votes to do something.

Comment by Veritas Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 2:12 pm
- Skeeter -,

It reminds me of a really good recipe, but the cooks made the dish all wrong. The madigan angle was ripe, but prepared, cooked, and served so poorly, it was served back to My Party for us to eat it.

My hope is that My Party … will find its way and lead, and forget the slogans. They ain’t good at that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 2:19 pm
Pay raises? where do I get one of those??? not on the gov’s staff - not in the union been more then a decade Rauner- wonder if he would like that - by the way when can some Illinois citizen say thank you to a state employee

Comment by Elise Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 2:28 pm
The audience applauded for his “I’d be happy to shut down the gubbermint….” bit.

Maybe they hire their own security force.

Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 2:40 pm
@Ready to Get Out:

It’s nice to know somebody pays attention to what I say, but I don’t want to cause anybody to have a stroke. LOL.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 4:06 pm
“- Fannie Mae
- Fannie Mac
- AIG
- General Motors”

Now, what else do they all have in common? Oh, yeah, that’s right…

Federal Government Bailouts….

Am I a big fan of Bruce Rauner? No.

But he’s doing something that everybody has been saying the Republicans should be doing - spent less time on social issues, and focus more on economic issues. So, that’s what he’s doing. He’s talking economics and numbers.

You may not like it, but Rauner is taking an economic hard line as his opening position. Just like AFSCME does in their negotiations. It’s not personal, it’s just business.

Comment by Judgment Day Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 4:12 pm
Interesting timing. Yesterday I received the following “suggested page” on my FB wall:

Bruce Rauner · Suggested Page
Do government union bosses have too much power? I think so. Like if you agree.

Even more interesting–I’m a former local president–not exactly the demographic Rauner appeals to!

Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 4:52 pm
the kings and royalty of chicago want to break the unions bring back the slave labor from over seas and make are children and grand children work below minimum wage there has to be a compromise

Comment by county chairman Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 8:17 pm
if mr r wants to do some thing great for illinois open a twinkies factory here in illinois woody harellson wont have to fight all those zombies like in the movie

Comment by county chairman Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 8:28 pm
” I might have to shut state government down…..” No worries Bruce, you will never be in a position to do any such thing. You have about the same chance of winning as Adam A and he announced he isn’t running for anything! When are these Mc Kenna, Gidwitz, Adam types gonna figure it out???? They will not appeal to the electorate by condemnation of working people……

Comment by Seriously Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 8:47 pm
Just another Chicago politician who has no connection to average citizens. Lets stop electing politicians and start electing Americans.

Comment by Darren Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 7:00 am
===Lets stop electing politicians and start electing Americans. ===

Perhaps you should go elsewhere.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 9:16 am
I am a state worker from the southern part of IL. I am concervative but I do not agree with Rauner at all on this. People in his postition will say things that sound good in a sound bite but have no legs to stand on when it comes to getting it done. While I agree with Frenchie that the compromise is the key to negotiations. THis following statement is out of line. “The entire GOP platform — here and nationally — sits on the concept of punishment — punish those who aren’t rich, aren’t white, and aren’t working.” Only one of this is even partily right. the last statement should read ‘aren’t trying to work’. And as for “aren’t white” I am white, most of my coworkers at my location are white. At other locations that is not the case. Putting a blanket race issue on topics shows ignorance of the topic.

Comment by Southern State Worker Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 9:41 am