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When a “cut” is actually an increase

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Illinois

* Here’s my latest Crain’s Chicago Business column, which begins…

The most easily disprovable falsehood of this year’s gubernatorial campaign also is one that the mainstream media has not bothered to correct, possibly because the purveyors of the tall tale push back so hard when somebody tries to write the facts.

The Associated Press in April uncritically reported a statement by Republican nominee Bruce Rauner, who “criticized Quinn for cutting funding to schools by some $600 million—cuts that led to teacher layoffs and larger class sizes.”

Mr. Rauner then footnoted that AP story in a July television ad: “Quinn cut $500 million, causing teacher layoffs and crowded classrooms”

Wait. Now it’s just $500 million?

And ends…

Instead of a big cut, state education funding actually has risen roughly $440 million, to about $6.81 billion in 2015, from nearly $6.37 billion in 2010. Nothing to cheer about but not horrible when you consider that teacher pension spending has increased by about $2 billion during the same period.

“You’re just wrong on this,” I emailed Mr. Rauner’s spokesman.

“It is true and we will keep correcting you,” he wrote back.

At that point, I rose from my computer and banged my head against the wall.

Go read the whole thing before commenting, please. You’ll see how I came to my conclusion and some of the silliness I had to endure before I wound up banging my head against the wall… and banging out that column.

* And speaking of suffering through endless attempts at “working the ref,” here’s Kurt Erickson…

The campaign for governor has been the most frantic I’ve ever covered. Both sides are loaded with staffers who are super-committed to getting their man elected.

Press aides from both sides are constantly badgering reporters about potential negative stories that later could be — and oftentimes are — transformed into hard-hitting television ads.

As an example of the hyper-attention being paid to the race by the campaign staffers, I recently wrote a story about a plan to auction off half of the state’s fleet of airplanes.

Once the story was up on the newspaper’s website, I tweeted the link to my Twitter account, @Illinois_Stage.

Within a mere three minutes of the tweet I received a text message from a Rauner operative complaining that I didn’t mention in the story that Rauner had proposed the sale before Quinn did.

* That’s pretty standard stuff, but as Kurt says it’s relentless this year.

Both campaigns have sophisticated war rooms where operatives monitor everything - news stories, tweets, even sometimes comments - in real time. Responses are lightening fast. Sometimes they’re pleasant, sometimes they’re overtly hostile, sometimes they’re drenched with sarcasm.

Because I have a different sort of publication, I can - and do - quickly accommodate any legit criticisms with an update. I have zero problem with that. If something is incomplete, inaccurate or whatever, it deserves an update. I don’t mind doing that at all.

Sometimes, the campaigns’ responses aren’t so legit, but I often post those as well, which are then usually followed up by stinging rebukes from myself, and/or commenters and/or from the other side, ad infinitum.

The public and private back and forth has all been unendingly fascinating to me, and quite entertaining.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 8:59 am

Comments

===The campaign for governor has been the most frantic I’ve ever covered.===

Like their candidate, it seems the only thing the Rauner campaign is not anxious to do is to admit that they made a mistake.

In retrospect, they probably wish they played their hand differently with Rich.

Jerk Rich around too much and you run the risk getting burned. Not a flattering article for the Rauner campaign, is it?

Comment by Mighty M. Mouse Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:19 am
What actually happened rarely matters to the partisan critic.

But to say “we will keep correcting you” after having their own misleading statement exposed, is the height of arrogance.

I seriously doubt the spokesperson actually knows the facts. He just knows the story he’s been fed.

Comment by walker Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:28 am
Good to see the Rauner crew in favor of more federal stimulus spending to pay for public employees and pension funding.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:30 am
I really enjoyed your column, Rich.

It speaks, for me, to this idea that the Rauner Crew and Bruce Rauner go beyond just being misleading, they double-down in hopes to either wear anyone down, or shout anyone down, to be “right” when everything beyond the face value says otherwise.

What the column does, and probably where I fail, is that I understand Rauner and his Crew have a job to do to put their beliefs and the facts into a nicely packaged narrative. That is the goal, but in reality, packaging your own “truth” to be seen as true, that doesn’t make a narrative.

Where I fail, is explaining to Raunerites that their truth, and THE truth aren’t working in making your guy trustworthy. The Payton Prep prism is part of this. Tell the truth. It’s your “truth” and THE truth that makes the Rauner narrative reek of being dishonest for the sake of protection of a narrative that is flawed from the beginning. If you accept the wearing down aspect of the Rauner “truth”, or allow to be shouted down by their narrative of the alleged truth, what are we learning that IS true?

Nothing.

I get dinged, and hammered and shook, for not accepting, and going along with what I know, just in its simplistic form, to not be true. Honesty, integrity, ethics and morals enter the picture when a Crew and a Candidate look more at their truth to push their narrative, instead of looking at themselves to make the best argument of the truth seen by everyone else but them.

Rauner and his Crew have decided to “yell” the loudest, and double-down, as a strategy to wear anyone down. Get in line, or get run over, the truth is not a choice.

You can’t look those who know better about governing and politics and tell them your “truth” is true, and expect that narrative to be embraced and welcomed. The IRMA non-endorsement captures it best at this point saying;

“Bruce Rauner’s passion and dedication to Illinois are evident and his desire to limit the growth of government and return Illinois to economic prosperity cannot be questioned and are shared by retailers. At this time, it is unclear how Mr. Rauner would accomplish these goals.”

That is your fail, Bruce Rauner, and your Crew. My fail seems to be not getting in line and being quiet.

I will stick with those who know better, and look to find the truthful rhetoric, be non-endorsing of the narrative, and the style embraced push it, and hopefully not bang my head against the wall too often.

Great stuff, Rich. Thanks for your insight.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:34 am
Rich,

Do you write the headlines on your pieces — “Rauner is wrong: School funds rising under Quinn” — or does somebody else at Crain’s do that?

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:35 am
MrJM, editors, not writers, come up with the headlines.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:50 am
It’s all just moving too fast for the average voter to keep up with. The most disconnected voters, ones who often don’t vote in mid-terms will have a huge influence on this election. They purposely stay away from most of the bitter back and forth. The mainstream media will have more than their usual influence this time. Editorial endorsements will be important.

Comment by A guy... Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:08 am
- Editorial endorsements will be important. -

Hahaha, thanks, needed a good Monday laugh.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:13 am
Thanks, Rich. Didn’t want to put those words in your mouth as a quote, when I suspected they weren’t exactly yours.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:16 am
===Editorial endorsements will be important.===

They are as important, as they are unimportant.

If they’re so important, why does Bruce blow off debates with editors or reporters possibly on the panels?

The road is littered with “endorsed” candidates that lose, and seats are filled by “Honorable” candidates who got sworn-in despite the blowback of newspapers.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:22 am
When I look at General Funds spent on education in FY10 ISBE’s budget shows the appropriation at $7.3 billion. http://isbe.net/budget/FY10/FY10_budget.pdf

Same process shows spending at $6.8 billion in FY15, and $6.7 billion in FY14. http://isbe.net/budget/fy15/fy15-budget.pdf

Were Fed funds reclassified as GRF in FY10? What am I missing?

Comment by Phenomynous Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:34 am
=== What am I missing?===

A closer read of the column. It’s explained.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:38 am
Rich,

As a citizen in the increasingly shrinking fact-based world, I really appreciate your attempts to expose the lies on both sides. It strikes me that in this campaign, the Rauner folks are less anchored to anything resembling facts but it’s equally preposterous to just pretend facts are opinions.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:46 am
Very good column. But as a conservative Republican, Rauner has me banging my head against the wall. As a Republican, Rauner should use his campaign to explain to voters why more government spending on education does not equal better results. Instead he’s trying to out-bid Quinn! Never get into a bidding war with a Democrat!!

Comment by Fake Herzog Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:48 am
If and when Quinn is endorsed by a major paper around the state, I would expect to read how unimportant they are in a race that almost every sane person understands is a virtual dead heat with 10% undecided- all of whom are independents who often miss off year elections.

Comment by A guy... Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 10:53 am
===If and when Quinn is endorsed by a major paper around the state, I would expect to read how unimportant they are in a race that almost every sane person understands is a virtual dead heat with 10% undecided- all of whom are independents who often miss off year elections.===

Whose “insane”?

Again, for every fully endorsed candidacies littered along the trail, there are as many unendorsed “Honorables” sitting in seats.

The Tribune, Sun-Times, BND, Daily Herald, Pantagraph…many others…

They are nice enough to endorse, but in the 21st Century, YouTube, Facebook, texting, twitter world, it’s a rare voter these days asking aloud…

“Who did the Paper endorse?”

It’s not the same cache.

I don’t expect Quinn to get many endorsements from media outlets. Maybe, but not seeing it fall out that way.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 11:27 am
OW, your expectations appear at the moment not to be misplaced.

Comment by A guy... Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 12:33 pm
Commenter from the article said it best-> “In this incredibly difficult political year, it is wonderful that you are doing some important homework for all of us. Thank you for your contribution to this conversation.”

And I totally agree.
I might be confused when I hold my nose and “Pick a Winner!” in November, but I won’t be un-informed!
Thanks!

Comment by WhoKnew Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 12:40 pm
“When there’s a conflict between partisan belief and plain evidence, it’s the beliefs that win.” — Marty Kaplan

Comment by Anon Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:56 pm