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Rauner doubles down

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* Oy…

.@CraigDellimore asks Rauner how he plans to pay for increased education funding.

— natasha korecki (@natashakorecki) August 28, 2014

Rauner says general growth should pay for education and cuts elsewhere.

— natasha korecki (@natashakorecki) August 28, 2014

“General growth”? C’mon. Does he even have a clue about the sky-high rate of growth we’d need to cut $8 billion in taxes and raise spending on education, infrastructure, IDNR and any other ideas he comes up with?

And if he’s gonna cut lots more than the few million he’s already proposed, then we at least deserve an outline about what he’ll be targeting.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:46 pm

Comments

“Details! Details! What’s with you people?”

Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:50 pm
He must be referring to general growth expected over the next fifty years.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:51 pm
Promise now for deliver later, date uncertain. You hardly ever see that kind of pandering in Illinois…

Comment by Toure's Latte Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:52 pm
General Growth? Didn’t he win the Battle of Cow Pie Mountain?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:52 pm
General growth doesn’t require a Governor Rauner.

Comment by MikeMacD Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:53 pm
Legalized cannabis? Has stooped in Colorado on his way back from his estate in Montana recently? We all say crazy s@#$ when we are high.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:53 pm
===You hardly ever see that kind of pandering in Illinois===

This goes well beyond the usual, dude. If you can’t see that, you’ve got your own problems.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:53 pm
The failure of all… and I do mean that word, “all”…all the governing ideas, ideals, budgeting, pick any…

The failure of the Rauner candidacy in Policy is the complete lack of governing fundamentals; budgeting, separation of powers, constitutionality, taxing at any and all levels of government, and the relationships of everything within the context of the powers and levers of the Executive, Illinois’ governor.

Rauner is either completely disingenuous to an absolute fault, or is utterly clueless to the rigors AND the operations of being governor of the state of Illinois.

Thus is just one more example.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:54 pm
Most voters in Illinois couldn’t care less about the details. They just want to hear that everything can be done, with little or no pain. Rauner knows that, so he is doing what he needs to do in order to win the election. We will worry about details later because voters don’t give two dead flys about details.

Comment by John A Logan Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:54 pm
Free puppies and ice cream! Everyone is a winner!

This guy is a wingnut.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:54 pm
1. Yes he does.

2. He’s counting on voters not to know and buy into the BS.

Comment by Left Leaner Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:55 pm
New Math: “Even though a $1.00 savings in cuts will only result in a 5 cent decrease in Education, we will make it up in volume.

Comment by Rufus Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:56 pm
===couldn’t care less about the details===

We’re not talking about “details” here, we’re talking about a series of gross, provable, undeniable lies.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:56 pm
There was a great Doonesbury cartoon from the 1980 in which the elder George Bush promises to do “tons of neat stuff” if elected.

This is like that.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:57 pm
General Growth is actually an independently wealthy retired general who will be graciously funding the state of Illinois in return for everything being named after him.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:58 pm
==we’re talking about a series of gross, provable, undeniable lies. ==

I don’t disagree. It is a “series of gross, provable, undeniable lies” but the 2006 Governor’s race tells you the above is a winning strategy.

Comment by John A Logan Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:02 pm
The most alarming possibility is that he actually believes what he’s saying. There’s a word for that: extreme supply-side economics. It has never worked (not in terms of making tax cuts produce enough growth to literally pay for themselves), but it’s never gone away either, and quite a few wealthy successful GOP types still clearly believe in it (take a look at Kansas).

Which would mean, at a time of extreme fiscal stress for IL, we’re poised to elect a multi-millionaire, very successful in his own business dealings, who nevertheless is also a right-wink economic crank.

I’m not saying Rauner -is- this, but when you’re this vague about everything, you open yourself to the speculation. Right now I’m projecting him in the 10-20% likely-crank category. Which is enough risk personally for me to back Quinn.

Comment by ZC Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:02 pm
If Rauner allowed any of the companies he acquired to be run the way he proposes to run state government, he would never have made a cent in private equity.

Comment by Slow Down Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:03 pm
He’s going to turn Springfield upside down and shake it out of their pockets …. or um… something.

Comment by bored to zzzzz Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:03 pm
Does Private Equity serve under General Growth?

Comment by Stones Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:03 pm
===but the 2006 Governor’s race tells you the above is a winning strategy===

Oh, so that’s OK then by you. Figures.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:04 pm
Voodoo economics.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:35 pm
I’m not saying its Ok by me. He should be honest about what he can deliver. It’s disgusting watching this guy campaign on fairy tales. I’m just saying that Rauner has figured out the combination to the lock, at least in terms of how to win this election.

Comment by John A Logan Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:39 pm
—
but it’s never gone away either, and quite a few wealthy successful GOP types still clearly believe in it (take a look at Kansas).
—

Yeah, and the tax cuts have had a terrible, terrible impact on Kansas. This is where Rauner is heading — the rhetoric is certainly similar to what was heard in Kansas — and it will be a disaster. A complete disaster — much like what’s happening in Kansas right now.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:40 pm
Really? We need more General Growth? I didn’t know we needed more debt-ridden bankrupt companies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Growth_Properties

Comment by AlabamaShake Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:41 pm
Actually, General Growth was/ is a Chicago real estate company that went bankrupt in 2009, following the liquidity crisis of 2008. True story! The CEO was forced out, debtors took control, and its still around but much smaller. Parables abound, of you’re so inclined.

Comment by Elo Kiddies Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:43 pm
It is the opposite end of the lie Pat Quinn told us in 2010.

Back then, Pat Quinn UNDERsold his “1% education surcharge” plan in contrast to what it really turned out to be. We got a much larger tax hike than promised and budget cuts to boot.

Today, Bruce Rauner OVERsold his “general growth” plan in contrast to what it will turn out to be. We will get less growth than promised and either a tax hike or budget cuts to boot.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:49 pm
Are his comments ridiculous? Of course, but so is “we are going to put [insert issue where I want to avoid a position] to the voters.”

This is consistent with Rauner’s campaign from the start.

Say what you want about the ethics of it, but Rauner has displayed a strong understanding of Illinois voters.

“A few painless cuts to government hacks, a cut in “burdensome regulation” and we are going to not just balance the budget, but we are going to increase spending for all this cool stuff!”

Voters want to believe it, so they will.

Rauner is going to win, and in four years, Rauner is going to run again blaming his sales tax on Madigan.

And then we all shake our heads and wonder why IL is in the shape that it is in.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:50 pm
Bruce: You may win, but governing is going to be very difficult for you. When this proves false and you can’t follow through, what then?

Campaigning is easy. Governing is very difficult.

Comment by low level Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:51 pm
Didn’t Brady run on a platform of no increase to the income tax, and that he would appoint a commission to find the cuts to balance the budget?

So, this isn’t the first time that the Republican has counted on “magic” as the budget plan.

If not for Brady’s position on abortion, it might have worked.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:54 pm
===the lie Pat Quinn told us in 2010===

The difference is, what PQ said back then wasn’t actually provable. This stuff is.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:55 pm
HEY Natasha?!
Guess my footwear brand!
Bet you think it’s PRADA, eh?

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 1:58 pm
It’s actually somewhat in the middle of both sides. If Illinois’ growth only matched the federal average, we would have billions of additional dollars. Secondly, while he committed to reducing the income tax rate, he didn’t provide a schedule so it could remain at the same rate for two years for example. Finally, he’s talked about service taxes that would generate hundreds of millions. And, revenue must be considered in the context of possible spending reductions in other programs.

I’m not saying its perfect math. But it’s not as bad as Quinn says and not as rosy as Rauner pretends.

Comment by 4 percent Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:01 pm
In 1994, Jim Edgar ridiculed Dawn Clark Netsch for her plan to raise taxes to save our schools. He won. Then he tried to implement Dawn’s plan.
It’s Deja vu all over again.

Comment by Tim Snopes Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:01 pm
===Bet you think it’s PRADA, eh?===

I asked Aaron about that last week I saw him at the Fair but never looked at his shoes. He said they were just loafers, not Prada. “Why would I wear Prada shoes to the State Fair?” he said.

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:24 pm
=== cuts elsewhere ===

Raunervich has been promising so much to so many, those cuts will be good enough to fund a pencil eraser.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:25 pm
== The difference is ==

Strong point, Rich. It seemed bogus at the time to some, but was not blatantly false on its face.

imho, people would have realized the PQ “magic dust” was bogus if we had dug a little bit deeper into the numbers back in 2010. There was no way to make them work back then, and even at today’s higher rates it has still been difficult.

But that at least would have required some digging to realize. This does not.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:27 pm
“Bruce: You may win, but governing is going to be very difficult for you. When this proves false and you can’t follow through, what then?”

Rauner’s budget ideas are another reason why state employees and public unions should and do fear him. Who will take the hit to make these fairy dust budget plans come true?

If Rauner wins, what’s to stop him from trying some harsh executive actions toward employees and their unions? He already implied or said he would do certain things, like shutting down the government and terminating contracts.

He could then say it’s the voters’ will to do it, which of course it would be, at least partially.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:29 pm
Dive around the state in a Million Dollar bus or your motorcycle spilling LIES could win this man an election. SCARY! I hope the teachers in this state stand up for what they believe in, they could be in a world of hurt a year from now. #nightmares

Comment by On The Fence Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:33 pm
“What’s good for General Growth is good for the country!” — Charles Erwin Wilson (attributed)

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:38 pm
Sgt. Schultz is definitely the PIO of General Growth’s battalion.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:39 pm
Rauner must own a whole field full of magic beans.

Comment by Aldyth Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:39 pm
Bruce Rauner just announced “The Illinois economy is booming! Booming I tell you!”

There’s no other rational explanation.

Comment by walker Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:43 pm
“The failure of the Rauner candidacy in Policy is the complete lack of governing fundamentals; . . .” But hey! At least he’s not Quinn! *guffaw*

Remember, vote OW on November 4th.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:46 pm
Privates rule in Rauner’s Army

General Growth
Colonel Klink
Major Mindless
Captain Underpants
Lieutenant Luck
Sergeant Schultz
Corporal Carhartt
Private Equity

Comment by Bill White Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 2:50 pm
Rauner is Blagojevich II

At least Blago admitted he made so many promises he could not honestly keep most of them. Rauner won’t go off script so we will never know what he really thinks.

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:04 pm
Here is some simple math for general growth.
$8 billion would need $160 bil in new wages at 5% income tax and $266 bil at 3%. (Not sure what he is willing to leave the tax rate at during this growth spurt). Lets say his general growth creates on avg wages of $50,000 per job. That means we would have around 3 to 5 million new jobs in this state.
Easily done.

Comment by Been There Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:17 pm
Slip and Sue will be busy.

Either hiding or doing magic, whichever is actually helpful.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:18 pm
This ain’t the day to poke a stick in the Tiger’s cage. He’s hungry today! lol.

Let’s hope the future is Fracking Golden. No explanations on this one, just healthy respect for an angry, growling tiger. lol.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:28 pm
I saw him at lunch today and was impressed that he wore a tie. I didn’t know he owned one. Once again, he managed to speak for close to 25 minutes without saying anything. That’s a real talent if you ask me.

He started every answer with, “that’s a critical question.” and then went on to spout whatever pablum he could come up with. Asked how to increase education funding, he responded with six minutes on how important education is. Pure genius. Dellimore let him get away with it without so much as an “ahem.”

But don’t worry. Rauner said he’d bring in the MPC to help tackle these problems, from trasit infrastructire to water to education to state budgets, the Metropolitan Planning Council could teach him a lot about how to implement solutions. In other words, MPC is the backbone of Illinois.

After all of that gratuitous pandering, I wondered why we needed Bruce Rauner as Governor when we could just outsource the executive function to MPC. Rauner is as hollow as a snare drum.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:33 pm
In the couple of years I’ve begun to deal more and more in a barter economy. We’ve had to do so as my wages are stagnant and my pension is threatened, and we’re trying to save money for a safe retirement.

Some things are small - veggies from a neighbor’s garden in return for some tailoring. But it’s surprising what you can barter for, especially services.

Comment by PolPal56 Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:35 pm
- Skeptic -, your yard sign should be delivered this weekend, look out for it.

=== Dellimore let him get away with it without so much as an “ahem.”===

That is one of the problems, but Quinn hasn’t done the needed workings to get the Press off the NRI issues to take to task Rauner.

It’s part of the game. Quinn is losing the freebies.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:47 pm
He better have a budget director and liaisons who can do magic. Or maybe he thinks his Democrat wife can handle it?

I mean, with a guy at the top saying that, who would want those positions in a Rauner Admin???

Comment by low level Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:51 pm
OW: I’ll put it up with pride. Unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere so no one will see it.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:54 pm
I wonder why the guy truly wants to be governor. I don’t sense that he cares much about the nuts and bolts of state operations, or how agencies function and such. There’s nothing wonkish in his messages. So what’s his motivation?

Comment by Budget Watcher Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 3:55 pm
” supply-side economics. It has never worked (not in terms of making tax cuts produce enough growth to literally pay for themselves)”

Let’s see (in Billions)

Yr. Total Federal Revenue
2000 3457.77
2001 3756.33
2002 3388.04
2003 3671.43
2004 3594.74
2005 4017.01
2006 4435.76
2007 4733.21
2008 4814.30

So total Federal Revenue was up …41% during the Bush Era along with two major Federal Income tax cuts.

I am not sure we have enough income tax in Illinois to get a significant boost with a cut, but the Left is just pulling their own chain around when they claim tax cuts “never” work.

Comment by Backwards Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 4:07 pm
I was also in the audience to which 47th Ward refers and agree fully with 47th as to Rauner. Quinn, on the other hand, greatly exceeded my expectations (and, I suspect, the expectations of many others in the audience). He was specific, articulate, focused on the questions asked by Dellimore. He well and effectively defended his record as relevant to those questions. He demonstrated a command of statewide facts, networks and examples that Rauner simply could not match.

Comment by SilverStreak Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 4:08 pm
Backwards, where did you dig up those numbers? Do they make sense to you? They’re totally whack.

The federal government has yet to collect $3 trillion in one fiscal year. You have it collecting $3.5 trillion in 2000!

Dude, you’re off by trillions of dollars every year!

Was that a gag?

Table 1.1 on the link.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/historicals

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 4:28 pm
Backwards and Bruce

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 4:39 pm
Just tell them what they want to hear. We get what we deserve.

Comment by facts are stubborn things Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 4:51 pm
===. So what’s his motivation?===
He collects houses.

Comment by Been There Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 4:54 pm
Here is my greatest fear: that Rauner wins and he makes up for the expiration of the income tax increase by not making pension contributions, which is, of course, what the state did for 40 years until very recently. Apparently, that would be OK with the ISC because they allowed the state to get away with that in the past. Even with zero contributions from the state, the pension funds will probably have enough reserves to make benefit payments for 8-10 years before they run out. Of course, when they do run out benefits will still have to be paid out of current revenues, and Illinois will be in far worse shape even than it is now, but by then Rauner will no longer be Governor, and it will be someone else’s problem.

Now if only we had a Supreme Court whose members had some basic financial literacy, and compelled the state to fund the pensions properly….

Comment by Andrew Szakmary Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 5:13 pm
=== Here is my greatest fear: that Rauner wins and he makes up for the expiration of the income tax increase by not making pension contributions … ===

Possible, but the rating agencies have been paying more attention to this lately. Mr. Run Gov. Like a Biz shouldn’t be happy about ratings in the toilet. It’s going to be hard enough for him to deal with the retiring of the debt if he wants all new employees to be in a 401k. No new employee money means more state money needed to cover the debt.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 5:22 pm
Maybe Rauner’s wife, the liberal, will just write a check. Cause you know we’re good at throwing money at problems.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 5:30 pm
==- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 12:53 pm:

===You hardly ever see that kind of pandering in Illinois===

This goes well beyond the usual, dude. If you can’t see that, you’ve got your own problems.==

I’ll add the /sarcasm tag next time.

Comment by Toure's Latte Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 5:58 pm
tax the pensions,that will put the baby boomers back to work

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 6:30 pm
=tax the pensions, that will put the boomers back to work==

With all the millions of jobs the job creators will create just for them.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 7:21 pm
===He better have a budget director and liaisons who can do magic.===

- low level -, the one job in a Rauner Administration that would be the toughest to do would be LL. Half-snarky, I would enjoy watching them in action with the 4 Tops Crews, just for starters.

- Skeptic -, the sign is only as good as the votes it can deliver, and being on a lawn, sometimes, is better than a busy street. The signs don’t vote, but I appreciate the effort.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 28, 14 @ 8:37 pm
OW - I was thinking the exact same thing, about the legislative liaisons. Spot on. Get the popcorn. a soft drink and sit tight. That would have me glued to the screen / I wouldn’t want to get up at all during that show!

Comment by low level Friday, Aug 29, 14 @ 6:11 am
Rauner can’t unilaterally decide not to make the pension payments. Although the current pension ramp law can be replaced or rescinded, that would take the legislature to get together and decide to give Bruce cover on his promise to allow the much-needed 2% tax-hike to expire.

I don’t see that happening.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Aug 29, 14 @ 6:13 am

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