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Sun-Times pushes their guy to cut a gun control deal

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Illinois

* The Sun-Times editorial board is hopeful that the man they helped elect governor will now pursue some “sensible” gun control laws…

Rauner must build a bridge to Democratic leaders such as Senate President John Cullerton — a strong proponent of sensible gun measures — if he hopes to have any chance of achieving his ambitious agenda of financial, budgetary and business reforms. This is his bargaining chip. This is how true bipartisanship in Springfield begins.

Even the most obviously worthy and unthreatening gun-control measures, such as strengthening penalties for folks who fail to report when a gun is lost or stolen, will never become law in Illinois without bipartisan support. Democrats don’t have the votes to do it alone, and members of both parties, especially Downstate, fear the wrath of the extremist NRA. But a Republican governor unbeholden to the gun lobby, one who appeals directly to the good conscience of Illinois gun owners — who, according to surveys, are much more open to gun reforms than the NRA leadership — can build real bipartisanship.

The thing about Cullerton is he’s always willing and open to cutting a deal. It’s in his bones. So, they may have a point.

* The paper asked the Rauner campaign for a response…

“Bruce supports background checks and measures that keep guns away from criminals and the mentally ill. He looks forward to working with the General Assembly on common-sense proposals that keep our citizens safe while respecting law-abiding citizens.”

How should we take that?

Most likely it’s just the usual noncommittal nothing that his team perfected to a high art during the campaign.

But the statement did say “looks forward to working” with the Legislature on “common-sense proposals.”

Just maybe that’s the sound of an opening door.

Or not.

But Rauner did say repeatedly during the campaign that Gov. Quinn had “failed” on the crime issue. It’s on him now to fix it.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 10:39 am

Comments

Governor-elect: Stay away from this issue, and all others that divide members, until you have a plan for a real budget that works — and then trade if you must.

This might be the year for trying my favorite nasty rule: no bills reach the floor that don’t directly deal with our fiscal problems, until a budget agreement is getting close. That would be a shake-up worth watching.

Comment by walker Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 10:50 am
I’m talking about the new session, starting in January with new members, above.

Comment by walker Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 10:52 am
Where in the world did this come from? I’m way confused.

First off, perhaps the Sun-Times could fill us in on Rauner’s “ambitious agenda of financial, budgetary and business reforms.” Does anyone have a clue as to what they’re talking about? Does Rauner?

Secondly, how do you figure on gun linkage? Thats a knock-down drag out fight. The hole in this year’s budget needs to be fixed on Day One, and right behind it is FY16.

Those will be major lifts on their own. Tying them to guns is insane.

What a bizarre edit. What planet are they from?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 10:53 am
-Word-,

Doesn’t make sense unless they figure that is the only lever to move Culelrton on other issues. Otherwise, it must be coming from some national agenda somewhere because the gun control people need a win somewhere to stay relevant.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 10:59 am
Never has a gubernatorial candidate said so little so loudly.

#governingishard

Comment by Abe the Babe Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 10:59 am
It’s still November. I’ll forgive the post election campaigning until January. That is when you have to deliver something other than the lame (but effective) platitudes that has been Bruce Rauner.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:02 am
I like how the Sun Times kept using the phrase illegal guns. At least 4 times, maybe 5. What do they want Rauner to do, make them more illegal?

“Stiffer penalties on people who don’t report a gun lost or stolen” Yep, that’s gonna solve the Chicago violence issue, and if the guns are already illegal, how will further restrictions on legal gun sales solve that problem? You don’t like guns…we get it…move on.

Comment by Jaded Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:04 am
…Even the most obviously worthy and unthreatening….measures will never become law in Illinois without Democrats who fear the wrath of Downstate extremists. But a Republican governor unbeholden…to those extremists…can directly appeal to good conscience…

How many stupid and insulting stereotypes can one newspaper pack into one editorial?

You first have to respect differing opinions before attempting any bridge to bipartisanship.

Not this crap.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:07 am
Rauner’s big win was due in part to overwhelming support downstate. Some counties down south were 65% to 70% for Rauner. He touches guns and it’s over. Rauner is a lot of things, but stupid isn’t one of them.

Comment by HoosierDaddy Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:12 am
@ Abe the Babe

Isn’t that a Fake Jason Plummer hash tag?

Comment by historic66 Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:21 am
Rauner to the Sun Times. It’s about the economy stupid.

Gun control is not going to be an issue Rauner will benefit from. He’ll stay arms length from any debate and focus on the budgetary/economic issues.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:25 am
I really don’t believe that Rauner would ever be that stupid. Not quite sure why the Sun Times would write something like this….????

Comment by Down South Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:30 am
The Chicago Sun-Times was right to back Bruce Rauner and Illinois voters agreed. Pursuing sensible gun control laws makes good common sense to me!

Comment by Black Ivy Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:36 am
@Down South

Tampering with the newsroom by management led to a forced Bruce Rauner endorsement. Perhaps the newsies want to create a little havoc for Rauner now that management isn’t laser-focused on them?

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:39 am
Are we ever going to hear directly from the Gov. elect? I am tired of reading his policies in the third person.

Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:42 am
Wake me up when there is some consensus on what “common-sense proposals” would be.

Comment by Ken_in_Aurora Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:49 am
Rauner is going to need R’s to taek some tough votes coming up. Some of which are going to be insanely unpopular. Either painful cuts or tax increases. Why on earth would he open this front? For the most part if your a republican south of I-80 supporting this is akin to making a second tax increase.

Personally I think Quinn lost Downstate support because of his push for gun control issues especially vetoing the CCW bill. Most people saw it aas a compromise that favored the Anti-gun crowd to begin with and then he vetoed it to make it worse. I’ve talked to two self admitted straight Ticket D voters who told me they were voting against Quinn because “I’m tired of him blaming me for every crime comitted in Chicago.”

Comment by Mason born Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:50 am
There is no such thing as “common sense proposals”. Suggesting that mental illness or the retail sale of guns to criminals is at the heart of our violence epidemic simply plays into silly perceptions. The problem isn’t the sale of guns to criminals or the mentally ill it’s that there are too many in circulation and there’s nothing that we can do about that at this point.

Comment by pundent Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:58 am
‘Democrats don’t have the votes to do it alone’……or should that be supporters of gun control don’t have the votes? Last time I checked the D’s have a super majority and can pass anything they like without a single R in the room. #lamequack

Comment by Not in the Know Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 12:05 pm
It’s a big universe with any number of asteroids flying around ripe to be shot at. If this is leverage with Cullerton and he can trade Quarters for Dimes, it may surface. The minimum wage, SSM, heck, even pension reform were periphery issues for plenty of time until they were raked into the pot. You just never know. A few golden cows might turn into silver over a few discussions.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 12:05 pm
Mason, it’s just a weird linkage out of some other solar system, no matter where you are on budgetary or gun issues.

For the life of me, I can’t conceive of how anyone would think you could “fix” the FY15 and FY16 budgets by throwing any gun legislation in the mix.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 12:08 pm
“asteroids flying around ripe to be shot at…”

“golden cows might turn into silver….”

Dude, are you okay? Because you’ve got crazy mouth going on.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 12:24 pm
=== Wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 12:24 pm:

“asteroids flying around ripe to be shot at…”

“golden cows might turn into silver….”

Dude, are you okay? Because you’ve got crazy mouth going on.====

I’m pretty much only here to please you Sling. When you act coy I’ve gotta pull out the metaphors to help you out. If that means going all crazy mouth, well, dude you’re worth it. It’s Common Core blogging and I dig it.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 12:33 pm
Crazy talk coming from the Sun Times. Rauner needs to find a way to balance the budget and focus on the fiscal mess our state is in. The laughable ideas in the editorial will do nothing to combat crime and is simply some gun banner’s wish list.

Comment by Storm Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 1:33 pm
=== Rauner did say repeatedly during the campaign that Gov. Quinn had “failed” on the crime issue. It’s on him now to fix it. ===

Rich -

You should compile a list for the next four years.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 1:39 pm
===- Black Ivy - Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 11:36 am:
The Chicago Sun-Times was right to back Bruce Rauner and Illinois voters agreed. Pursuing sensible gun control laws makes good common sense to me!===

are you running for something?

Comment by Taller- Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 2:19 pm
=== Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 1:39 pm:

=== Rauner did say repeatedly during the campaign that Gov. Quinn had “failed” on the crime issue. It’s on him now to fix it. ===

Rich -

You should compile a list for the next four years.===

Y Dog, just ask him to archive your posts. lol

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 3:11 pm
…“Bruce supports background checks and measures that keep guns away from criminals and the mentally ill…

So in other words; William J. Kelly could never get a gun permit, on the grounds of the latter???

Comment by Chicago poll watcher Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 4:38 pm
Some may be in favor; but I really doubt if either the Governor elect nor majority of the legislature want to go there.

I don’t think the answer to the crime issue is gun control placed upon the law abiding segment.

Comment by logic not emotion Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 4:48 pm
Guy, I’m glad you’re okay.

But throw me a bone, dude, at least on “golden cows into silver.”

What? I’m just trying to understand.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 6:00 pm
They have an enormous problem in that these laws are useless unless the criminals can be made to obey them.
They will only effect those who OBEY the law.

Comment by reviewer007 Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 6:25 pm
I’m old but gullible; therefore I’m always amazed when editorial boards don’t read the stories in their own papers. Stories that chronicle a parade of thugs and killers with multiple gun related offenses that have received reduced sentences and even probation. As I said I’m gullible so I believe that more laws for felons, prosecutors and judges to ignore is a good thing.

Comment by Weltschmerz Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 7:31 pm
From the editorial: ” License all gun dealers. The federal licensing system is weak and lightly enforced. State licensing would empower authorities to act against known sources of illegal firearms. Nearly 20 percent of all Chicago crime guns come from just four local dealers. We don’t have to accept that.”

Just what solutions to that are there? Refuse to sell guns to minorities because they might be straw purchasing for street gangs? All they can do is follow the laws, and there’s no indication those gun dealers aren’t. If they go out of business the straw purchasers will just go to the next closest gun store to Chicago. And I don’t know what the point of videotaping gun sales is, the gun store already keeps a record who bought them per federal law. What additional value does a video bring?

Comment by Chicago Gunowner Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 7:32 pm
OK Sling. 1 bone! Took some poetic license with the “golden idol” and “fatted calf” hybrid, let the calf age into a cow. Went from gold to silver to demonstrate value with some compromise. Now it makes sense, right? Common Core Blogging. It’s catchy.

Comment by À guy Thursday, Nov 13, 14 @ 9:49 pm