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* For whatever reason, the Chicago media has mostly taken a pass on covering the day to day aspects of the Republican gubernatorial primary. I’ve found it fascinating and at times more than little entertaining. But, hey, this is a state politics blog. It’s what we do.
But because of this lack of coverage, things like Sen. Kirk Dillard’s much more strenuous effort to accentuate his right-wing credentials this time around are going mostly unnoticed. Tom Kacich at the Champaign News Gazette got a first hand look at a Dillard event this week, however, and covered what he saw…
Dillard is a state senator from Hinsdale and a disciple of former Gov. Jim Edgar. But unlike Edgar, his gubernatorial campaign has taken a hard right turn this year, and he spoke out Wednesday against gay marriage, gun control and welfare spending.
* Dillard on welfare…
Dillard attacked Illinois Democrats for welfare and social service spending, saying that “the lion’s share” of the 2011 income tax increase “went to expand the welfare rolls in Illinois.”
Um, the “lion’s share” of the $7+ billion tax hike money has been spent on funding the state’s pension payments, which had been skipped, or skimped on or borrowed to cover for years.
Human service program spending has risen, but not by a huge amount, and state Medicaid spending took some big cuts last year.
* Gay marriage…
“I saw a couple of you at the traditional marriage rally at the state Capitol a week ago. I found it incredible that I had to stand in the Capitol building in my own state and defend traditional marriage and then get criticized for it,” he said. “I kind of shook my head as the father of a 12-year-old and a 10-year-old, wondering where society is going when I’ve got to do that.”
When does he start pushing for repeal?
* Madigan…
“…I am the antidote to Pat Quinn, and I am the guy who can get (Democratic House Speaker) Mike Madigan to do things he doesn’t want to do.”
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:49 am
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Well, to be fair, pensions are the new welfare, so he’s got a point. It’s your hard earned money being given to a lazy, no good, retired teacher who probably drives a Cadillac and uses her pension money to buy steaks and lobster.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:53 am
Welfare bashing and gay bashing will certainly garner him favor with the ultra-conservative wing of the party. I guess he’s counting on them in the primary.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:54 am
“a lazy, no good, retired teacher who probably drives a Cadillac and uses her pension money to buy steaks and lobster”
…at her condo in Boca.
Comment by Chris Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:00 pm
“I am the guy who can get Mike Madigan to do the things he doesn’t want to.”
That loud thud you just heard was MJM falling out of his chair from laughing so loud!!!
Comment by train111 Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:01 pm
Pander Man will say anything to show the hard right how pure he is.
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:02 pm
- wondering where society is going -
I’ll bet he is, and he doesn’t appear to be getting any closer to figuring it out.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:03 pm
The very phrase gay bashing is deplorable. I’m not against people having their own views. I’m against repetitive ignorance on an issue. Same sex relationships are here, Kirk, and they aren’t going away. Hopefully, Kirk, your public views go away.
Comment by E Man Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:10 pm
I think he just earned himself a new nickname: “The Antidote.”
Comment by Hamilton Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:12 pm
It’s hard to watch. He must have a note in his pocket with his name and resume on it. He should look at it more often.
Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:14 pm
“I am the guy who can get Mike Madigan to do the things he doesn’t want to.”
It’s easy to get Mike Madigan to do things he doesn’t want to do. Ain’t no big thing. You just have to hold a gun to his head.
Comment by Mighty M. Mouse Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:14 pm
Sir Reel-
I tend to think of Kirk Dillard as a cuddly Pander Bear.
Comment by just saying Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:16 pm
With a divorce rate exceeding 50%, I find it incredible that the “pro-family” guardians (and their pandering enablers like Kirk Dillard) aren’t seeking ways to strengthen families instead of keeping the institution crumbling under their watch.
Comment by LincolnLounger Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:23 pm
Boy this has Madigan trembling in fear. I can feel the ground tremors all the way up here.
“…I am the antidote to Pat Quinn, and I am the guy who can get (Democratic House Speaker) Mike Madigan to do things he doesn’t want to do.”
Comment by AFSCME Steward Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:28 pm
47th–I hope you were being sarcastic. Most of us downstate retired teachers do not live that way! One of my retired pals is living on a pension of less than $30,000 a year. She is in her 80s and does not have Medicare so her health insurance is expensive even through TRIP. Doubt she has steak and lobster except if someone else treats her.
Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:30 pm
But with conceal carry MJM could be armed.
“It’s easy to get Mike Madigan to do things he doesn’t want to do. Ain’t no big thing. You just have to hold a gun to his head.”
Comment by AFSCME Steward Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:30 pm
What, nothing on fluoride in the drinking water?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:36 pm
Gay marriage?
Gun grabbers?
Tax raisers?
Powerful MJM?
Gov. Quinn?
Poor people?
Name your poison and don’t worry, says Mr. Dillard, who is jockeying to become the biggest joke of them all, “I’m The Antidote.”
Comment by Hamilton Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:44 pm
Kirk’s support of traditional marriage between a man and a woman, based upon his religious views, is not gay bashing.
Comment by for the record Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:48 pm
I wonder if Brady is giving Dillard money to make him look more mainstream?
Comment by Mason born Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:49 pm
===She is in her 80s and does not have Medicare so her health insurance is expensive even through TRIP. Doubt she has steak and lobster except if someone else treats her.===
But she drives a Cadillac, right?
Sorry if I was playing that too straight. Of course I was being sarcastic. But if people can’t see how politicians maniplulate people’s resentment to divide and conquer the middle class, they are blind. In the 1990s, it was Welfare Queens who were bakrupting America. Today, it’s public pensioners who are forcing the state into massive budget cuts and default.
Politicians need someone else to blame for our problems or the voters might start blaming them. Dillard is pathetic. He knows better and still says this stuff.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:54 pm
Of course it’s gay bashing to insinuate that gay people don’t deserve the same rights as straight people. Why should some 12 year child of a gay couple be told his family is a sham?
Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:54 pm
=== 47th–I hope you were being sarcastic. ===
I’m quite sure s/he was.
Comment by Just Observing Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:55 pm
It is a primary in a state that with a GOP base that has been unwilling to nominate an electable moderate. Unless for some unknown reason the base embraces Rauner, which would show a large degree of hypocrisy. In the meantime, Dillard is still stung and frustrated by the 193 vote loss to Brady in 2010. “Run from the right and govern from the center.”
Comment by Samurai Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:59 pm
===Sorry if I was playing that too straight===
You weren’t. It was just the usual over-reactive state worker rant. Welcome to my world. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:02 pm
I’m not going to sit here and defend Dillard, I voted for him last time and will not do so again due to his extreme right turn. He’s flat wrong on gay marriage. I’m a father of two small children and we teach them about acceptance and equality and I don’t have to hang my head.
Dillard is also wrong about what he said, the lions share is obviously going to pay for the pension debt, did he say where he stood on that?
I will admit though that he does have a point on Medicaid spending in Illinois. Enrollment has doubled since 2000 and and spending has more than doubled. It’s safe to say that Medicaid is part of the financial drag on the Illinois budget even with the cuts. Dillard needs to frame it better and be more honest.
Comment by Ahoy! Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:02 pm
===that has been unwilling to nominate an electable moderate===
Mark Kirk, JBT, Dan Rutherford. And that was just a few years ago.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:04 pm
Interesting he used the Vallas pick to claim that means the GOP needs to pick a suburbanite. I guess that’s all he has to contrast himself with Brady now that he’s adopted all his positions.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:10 pm
Rich, ok but aside from them. What is it about the Governor’s office.
Comment by Samurai Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:10 pm
==Kirk’s support of traditional marriage between a man and a woman, based upon his religious views, is not gay bashing.==
It is in the context of how he did it. Anybody that views the “anti-gay marriage” rally as anything other than gay bashing is fooling themselves.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:13 pm
Just how many votes does Kirk Dillard need to become Bishop of the Springfield Diocese?
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:13 pm
a lazy, no good, retired teacher who probably drives a Cadillac and uses her pension money to buy steaks and lobster”…at her condo in Boca.
I know a retired city worker who built a house on Hilton Head. It’s a wee house, and she saved every penny she could above and beyond the pension she most certainly deserves. And I think she drives an older Honda.
Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:26 pm
As always, people should be mindful of the old addage that “listening is a skill”. I did not construe Dillard’s comments to be gay bashing, but rather a respectful statement of his personal belief in and support of traditional marriage. It is troubling to me that on this issue…or any other …if someone expresses a view that is nis different it is by default “bashing”. Although I may not personally agree with all he has to say, I applaud his integrity in stating how he really feels and not simply what he thinks will be safe. Kind of refreshing.
Comment by For the Record Too Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:31 pm
You weren’t. It was just the usual over-reactive state worker rant. Welcome to my world. lol
True, but I think state workers have been given a pretty good reason in recent years to be a bit touchy. After all, when was the last time we didn’t hear about efforts to cut their pay? Or, when was the last time they weren’t demonized?
I think anyone would get a bit touchy when faced with pay cut upon pay cut (pay ‘freezes’, furloughs, pension cuts, etc), especially with so many politicians and talking heads blaming you for all sorts of problems that you didn’t cause, just because you’re doing your job.
For government workers in general, all this stuff is a very real assault on their ability to earn a decent living. While I’m sure Rich is well aware of this, too many people aren’t.
Comment by jerry 101 Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:33 pm
=== I am the guy who can get (Democratic House Speaker) Mike Madigan to do things he doesn’t want to do. ===
As I said to Raunerbo’s similar rhetorical statement, “good luck with that!”
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:51 pm
With quotes like the one about Madigan, you start to wonder if Dillard is trying to convince us or himself.
I’m still trying to figure out Dillard’s game. He must think the financial condition of the state is so bad that moderates will forgive his extreme views.
That didn’t work for Brady and will not work for him.
Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:53 pm
“I applaud his integrity in stating how he really feels and not simply what he thinks will be safe. Kind of refreshing.”
Refreshing? Dillard is asking out loud where society is going and this is a guy whose head is straight? I’m not knocking Dillard for his views. I’m knocking Dillard for his dark ages rhetoric and ignorance on the issue. He needs to move on to another issue. He’s looking like he stole Paprocki’s miter.
Comment by E Man Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:30 pm
Just when you thought Dillard couldn’t be more shameless. Yeah marriage is just for guys like him, now on his second one. Yes very sacred.
Comment by too obvious Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:33 pm
the political pretzel making started with his endorsement of Rick Perry in the 2012 primary, but I’m sure those of you who watch springfield more closely than I do can find votes earlier.
It’s an ugly way for him to go out, but hey c’est la vie.
Comment by shore Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:37 pm
Does he keep mentioning that he has a 12 year old and a 10 year old because he can hardly believe it himself?
Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:58 pm
Since interest payments on most municipal (state and local govt.) bonds are exempt from the federal income tax, these are almost certainly held by investors in high tax brackets who, with their correspondingly high incomes, are far more likely to drive cadillacs and eat steak and lobster than the average pension recipient. Funny, I have not seen any proposals to unilaterally cut interest payments on the state’s bonds.
Comment by Andrew Szakmary Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:58 pm
Madigan’s positions can be changed with clear facts and logical argument. I’ve witnessed it more than once. He might not always give you public credit, but he will run with the idea.
But you’d better be right, and leave your political/ideological talking points behind.
I don’t see Dillard doing it, but maybe he can, given his knowledge of how the Executive actually works.
Comment by walkinfool Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:00 pm
This guy is sinking faster than the Titanic. Someone send out an SOS signal.
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:01 pm
What is the state supposed to spend money on besides social services? We don’t keep a standing army and lots of roads get paid for with federal funds.
Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:20 pm
That Madigan line is laugh out loud funny. Really, Kirk? Are ya?
Comment by horse w/ no name Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:24 pm
Hey Chavez—-
Please do some basic research before you comment here. Most roads in Illinois are built and maintained from local/state funds, not the Feds.
Washington isn’t the source of all funds, just the home of the printing presses that make it.
Comment by for the record Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:43 pm
in simple terms….
Um, the “lion’s share” of the $7+ billion tax hike money has been spent on funding the state’s pension payments, which had been skipped, or skimped on or borrowed to cover for years….after expanding the welfare rolls in Illinois beyond any imaginable level of reasonability or responsibility.
How else do you buy votes?
Comment by OLD BRASS Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:44 pm
I kinda took a “pass” on this until I was good and ready to Post something…helpful(?)…
I don’t think I can.
For the only candidate on the GOP side that took the responsiblity of finding “his” (they are all men, ok) replacement if he can’t finish his term, you just can’t find it in your campaign to realize the 2010 Dillard lost it on “the streets” and not “in the hearts/souls” of the GOP Primary voters.
Someone tackle “Dillard 2014″ and tell him he doesn’t need to be “all this” … it just might be too late… it just might be.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 4:03 pm
=defend traditional marriage and then get criticized for it,=
Not to put Mr. Rutherford, a “moderate” who won statewide on the spot, but how is his position any different from Mr. Dillard’s–aside from the “criticized” part of the statement?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 4:16 pm
How about Bruce Rauner’s leadership position on gay marriage?
He’s for a public referendum.
What a brave stance.
Comment by truth hurts sometimes Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:54 pm
The shallowness of some shocks me. When someone like Dillard talks of “being the antidote” or “being the guy that gets Madigan to do what he doesn’t want to do”, he is not arrogantly suggesting he knows all or that others quiver in fear at his presence. It is simply their way of explaining that they have a demonstrated ability to work with others to achieve results. Quinn has utterly failed in that regard.
Comment by Let's Get Real Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 8:15 pm
Pander, what do you think the whole gay marriage movement for liberals has been. Five years ago most were to the right of Dick Cheney on this issue. Now all of the sudden, they are enlightened and everyone against them is now bigoted. Will they now admit that they were once former bigots?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 9:15 pm