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* AP…

Former Gov. Pat Quinn says pushing consumer rights and organizing are in his immediate future during his first public appearance since leaving office.

Quinn addressed students and lawyers Friday at a Loyola University School of Law panel on forced arbitration.

The Democrat later told reporters that Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed budget is the “worst” he’s seen in Illinois history because it’s unfair to “everyday people.”

There wouldn’t have been a problem in the first place if A) Quinn hadn’t made the income tax hike temporary, or had at least ramped it down in a more responsible manner; or B) Quinn hadn’t signed this fiscal year’s horrifically irresponsible budget into law.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 2:54 pm

Comments

Alright. Rauner had no plan during the campaign other than - hey, wait until after the election and I will tell you my plan. This is dishonest politics and the media said nothing. Y’all endorsed this baloney talk anyway. Y’all can’t get high and mighty now when Quinn chirps up. We aren’t buying it now that we see the game Rauner is playing and y’all still aren’t criticizing it.

Comment by Missy Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 2:59 pm
Pat, Pat, Pat—-Time to retire to Florida and enjoy the beach and appreciate what you were handed.

Comment by anon Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 2:59 pm
If the only problem is that Quinn didn’t make the tax hike permanent, then Rauner has the power to fix the problem.

Comment by chi Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:00 pm
===Y’all endorsed this baloney talk anyway===

I didn’t, so buzz off.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:02 pm
I’m not following. The fact that Rauner won’t renew the income tax increase is Quinn’s problem?

Rauner would have been happy to have the income tax hike in place if he could blame Quinn, but he’s not willing to do it himself. That’s not Quinn’s problem.

Comment by Stuff Happens Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:02 pm
Reporters schlepped in the cold to a Loyola law class to get quotes from Quinn ripping Rauner?

Geez, just call. He’ll give you an earful, any time.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:02 pm
===The fact that Rauner won’t renew the income tax increase is Quinn’s problem?===

Huh?

Quinn signed the tax hike into law after he negotiated it. That’s on Quinn. Period.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:03 pm
==If the only problem is that Quinn didn’t make the tax hike permanent, then Rauner has the power to fix the problem.==

Absolutely correct. First, he introduces the bill in the house. Then, in his capacity as chairman of the rules committee, he gets the bill assigned to revenue, . . .

Allowing the tax rates to go down as they did may be exactly what Rauner wanted, but you can’t blame it on him any more than you can blame it on Howard Jarvis.

Comment by Anon. Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:06 pm
Quinn fails to see the windfall revenue resulting from his tax cut thanks to “general growth.”

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:09 pm
Now that Spock (Nimoy) has died and Brucie elected, there is no hope of logic ruling anywhere.

Comment by D.P.Gumby Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:10 pm
Always a better back seat driver than a front seat one.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:12 pm
=== Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:03 pm:

===The fact that Rauner won’t renew the income tax increase is Quinn’s problem?===

Huh?

Quinn signed the tax hike into law after he negotiated it. That’s on Quinn. Period.====

Gonna have to start wearing uniforms on this site. The biggest critics are confused.

Hearing Pat discuss anything to do with a budget is wacky. I wouldn’t say it’s too soon. I’d say it should be never.

Comment by A guy Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:14 pm
Speaking for myself only - I’m tired of the sniping going on here by both sides.

Rauner is Governor and he needs to concentrate on running the State. Quinn lost and he needs to move on to his next endeavor.

One thing I admire about Ex-Presidents - they generally don’t spend their years after leaving office critiquing and complaining about their successor.

Comment by Stones Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:15 pm
I think I remember a Pat Quinn once - a state treasurer a while ago, right?

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:15 pm
Scheduling the expiration so that it would dominate a statewide election year was a real bonehead play, politically and governmentally.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:18 pm
Between Rauner and Quinn’s sniping, it seems like the campaign for governor will never go away.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:19 pm
Maybe Quinn and the Democrats were giving Rauner and the Republicans a chance to show how they could solve Illinois’ fiscal problems without raising taxes. As I recall even the Tribune thought the 5% tax was hurting our state economy.

With that said, I doubt if there will be cooperation between the Governor and the General Assembly on either a budget or revenue solution to our state’s problems. It looks like a season of confrontation in Illinois state government.

Comment by Enviro Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:20 pm
“…..thank God and Greyhound you’re gone.”

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:25 pm
Well if anyone would know bad budgets it would be Quinn…

Also anyone want to bet Quinn spends a lot of time in that office space by the Thompson center looking out the window and sighing…

Comment by OneMan Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:27 pm
Quinn didn’t have any problem dinging public workers who’ve always paid into their pension plans. They are everyday people. Or are they some subspecies who don’t count?

Comment by AnonymousOne Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:27 pm
The only reason Rauner won…? He’s not and never has been Pat Quinn. That’s it.

And I say that as someone who thinks Pat Quinn is a decent, honorable human being. He just failed to connect with 50.1 percent of the electorate in Illinois this time around.

Comment by Owen, son of Gus Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:29 pm
- A guy - Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:14 pm:

Adequate revenue. Cutting the backlog of unpaid bills. Increasing education funding. Making pension payments. Of course you never want to discuss responsible budgeting.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:31 pm
This is harsh, but, I think, very fair criticism of Quinn.

Separately, it was very easy for citizen Bruce Rauner to criticize the way Governor PQ was running the state, just as it’s easy for citizen Pat Quinn to criticize Governor Rauner now that Rauner is in the big chair.
But for the media to run Quinn’s comments like it’s a big deal? What did they think he was going to say?

Comment by PJ Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:46 pm
I don’t know haw Quinn could say what he did without choking. The last disaster of a budget is squarely on his shoulders. He needs to put a cork in it and talk about something else.

Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:54 pm
Quinn = forked-tongue.

Comment by Biliary Sludge Report Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:54 pm
Ok, if I had more time, I’d tweet it a bit.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 3:59 pm
Tweek

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 4:00 pm
Based on the behavior of the current and former governor, I’m convinced that we need to recognize that both have a dangerous addiction to campaign rhetoric. Once exposed to campaign rhetoric, it’s so addictive it’s nearly impossible to stop.

In all seriousness, it’s sad to see Quinn, former champion of the little guy, reduced to sore loser status. In this case comments that were more subtle would have said a lot more.

Comment by AC Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 4:01 pm
I was kind of hoping Pat might sneak in here to read some of the insightful comments about another former governor–Jim Thompson–and how he operated both in office and comported himself afterward.

Comment by Responsa Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 4:02 pm
Stones I hope you are right about the current guy the WH but since he just mainly talks he might be the first wise guy ex-pres.

Comment by scott aster Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 4:05 pm
Quinn really is beginning to rehabilitate. When he was Governor he went around to grade schools bashing public employees. Now he’s on to college challenging forced arbitration.

Comment by Qui Tam Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 4:19 pm
Hey Quinn is a proven expert at lousy budgets so when he speaks people should listen.

Comment by Toure's Latte Friday, Feb 27, 15 @ 4:24 pm