Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Northwestern to hold Netsch memorial service
Next Post: Question of the day
Posted in:
* Dan Proft on Bruce Rauner’s contention that the governor should run Illinois like a business…
The job is not CEO. I agree actually with Bill Daley on this; it’s not a CEO job because you don’t get to fire the General Assembly.
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:21 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Northwestern to hold Netsch memorial service
Next Post: Question of the day
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
The principle goal of a business is to earn money for the owners/share holder of the company.
The principle goal of state government is to SPEND money to the betterment of the residents.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:30 pm
God Save the Queen!
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:32 pm
You can’t fire (or direct) the AG or SoS or Treasurer or Comptroller either
Comment by titan Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:36 pm
When any politician campaigns on running government like a business I always cross them off my list. If they campaign on it but know it’s not so, they’re lying. If they really believe it they’re idiots.
Comment by Calhoun Native Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:42 pm
It is apparent that Dan Proft doesn’t understand how corporations are run. The General Assembly is, arguably, the “board of directors” of the state. The legislators, like board members in a publicly traded corporation, are elected by the shareholders, in the state’s case, the citizens.
Comment by Knome Sane Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:48 pm
Many a millionare business executive has run for public office saying the exact same thing as Rauner. In Illinois at least, few get the chance to find out.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:51 pm
I agree with Huh? Businesses accumulate profits and spend them with the aim of getting wealthier. Governments spend money to better the lives of others, and to invest economically in others. Wisconsin is a great example. The state made budget cuts and now has a budget surplus, which is fine, but the state’s job-creation ranking sank to 44th. Wisconsin seems to be going through austerity. Why not spend the $425 million or thereabouts budget surplus to stimulate the economy?
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:57 pm
@Knome Sane:
If that’s your analogy then you don’t understand government. Government isn’t a business and can’t be run like one. I’m with @Calhoun Native. The minute a candidate says they want to run government like a business they are off my list. They are clueless about government from the outset.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:58 pm
A broken clock is right twice a day. Proft points out the lameness of Rauner’s tired old platitude.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 1:16 pm
I would ask how that CEO stuff worked out with our last President, a Harvard MBA grad. There are applicable lessons that can be brought over from business to government. But they are two very different creatures.
Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 1:16 pm
My world was turning upside down with the painful thought that I agreed with something Proft said. Thankfully Word brought sanity back to me with his reminder of the broken clock.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 1:29 pm
I agree that running the government is not like running a business,…. But there has to be a better way of running the government than the way it is run today.
Comment by Rufus Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 1:59 pm
“Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” Churchill.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:05 pm
This statement encapsules Rauner and his Dopey ideas, like shutting down the state, and collapsing the pensions. Bruce Rauner has no idea what it means to be a governor and 1/3 of the Illinois’ governemnt, and further, Rauner has no idea that a governor and the General Assembly working TOGHETER get things done.
A governor who thinks his/her 1/3rd is greater than the other 2/3rd is a failed/failing governor. Throw in that pesky constitution and you have a governor clueless, helpless, and hopeless.
All that being said, run Bruce Rauner, I want everyone in the GOP who wants to run, to run.
Then, when your time on the stage is through, back the Nominee so we can get the Mansion back.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:31 pm
The big (and this is huge) is that the CEO is elected by the board, not directly by the shareholders. If Illinois ran under a parliamentary system (that’s an interesting idea) this would make a lot more sense.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:44 pm
has anyone explained to CousinBrucey that IL does not change laws via referendums. Marriage Equality sign or veto?
Perhaps CousinBrucey and DopeyDan can come understand unlike business government has the legal obligation to provide services and programs in good times and bad. Biz can fire workers and close plants.Unless DopeyDan can give us a list of repealers he is just whistling in the dark
Surprised?
Fire. Aim, Ready
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:46 pm
- Knome Sane -,
I keep looking at “How Illinois Government is Set Up”… and I have yet to read/see/hear that the ILGA is a Board of Directors, and THAT Board of Directors “Hire” a CEO.
On this one, - Knome Sane -, you may be a bit off, unless its snark.
- OneMan -, well done on the “Parliament” point. Great way of explaining and pointing out Rauner’s lack of …knowledge(?) of even different “types” of government?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:48 pm
A nice saying but impossible since government has a different objective than a business. A business is supposed to make money government on the other hand…..
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:49 pm
Glad to see SOMEone has some horse sense–in this case Dan Proft and NOT Rauner, as usual–when it comes to how the Citizenry naturally expects how its’ top Elected Leader should approach formulating public policy and running our State’s–or ANY State’s–Government!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:54 pm
Advisory referendum questions are permitted in Illinois. If this is what Rauner meant, his position is not out of line. His response was not a model of clarity.
Binding referenda are much more limited under Illinois law. I wonder if Pat Quinn has ever had cause to regret the “Cutback Amendment” which helped champion. I think that he might appreciate a different line up in the GA now that he is governor.
Comment by Esquire Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 3:28 pm
Rauner is more of an entrepreneur, who are famously incapable of running larger and more established businesses. That is because managing, vs. creating, requires the ability to work with a range of stakeholders. Some CEO’s can do that well (John Rowe), some military men can do that well (Eisenhower), and some politicians can do that well (Jim Thompson). But not every businessman, military leader, nor elected official has the necessary skills. My guess: Rauner would cause four years of unceasing, unproductive warfare!
Comment by Elder Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 4:02 pm
-A governor who thinks his/her 1/3rd is greater than the other 2/3rd-
Willy, Rauner is just using “Private Equity Math.”
He made a gazillion, to use Rich’s term, leveraging his 1/3rd with 2/3rds of “OPM” from those stupid, wasteful pension funds that he wants to throw overboard.
Good con$ulting will get that all $traightened out.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 4:06 pm
Could use someone with business experience to clean up our financial health, including our long term debts. The “non-business people” we elected have absolutely screwed it up. Time for a radical change.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 4:10 pm
===Good con$ulting will get that all $traightened out.===
Make sure you leave Rauner a number to call so we can “help”…
Rauner’s, specifically, complete lack of understanding of HOW government works, the checks and balances, and what is EXACTLY in the constitution, seem to go completely against Rauner’s belief that Illinois IS Wisconsin or Indiana, with the given legislative make-ups that Republicans control NONE of the legislature and the guarantees of the pension, constitutionally … all the while, throwing in crashing those pensions, would be a “governor” going against his/her Oath about protecting Illinois’ constution …Other than that … I wouldn’t mind some business experince!
Yikes!
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 4:32 pm
-the checks and balances-
This is the only part Bruce understands, and not in the right way.
“Pick up that check from the pension fund, and we’ll grow our balance!”
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 4:45 pm
The governor and his cronies plus the General Assembly and their cronies get the best retirement benefits and perks while voting to take away retirement benefits from front line workers…wait, that’s the same way Big Business does it!
Not sure what Rauner’s problem is then…
Comment by Flan Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 5:32 pm
I agree that it’s not 100% a match between CEO and governor but Proft’s reasoning in the quote isn’t sound. Under no scenario would the duties/power of the GA be considered subordinate to the gov such that he could fire them. The closest match to business would be the board of directors which the CEO can’t fire. Of course, as others pointed out, this isn’t a perfect match…probably more like 80%.
Comment by thechampaignlife Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 7:32 pm