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* UPDATED x1 * Rauner goes after some Missouri jobs, but no word yet on Indy

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During his stop in O’Fallon, Illinois Monday, Gov. Bruce Rauner was asked about the possibility of building a new NFL stadium in the Metro East.

“Metro East would be a terrific location for that sort of a facility. We’ve got the infrastructure, we’ve got the hard working people to build it. And we’ve got access into St. Louis without a lot of the congestion issues, and I’ll see what I can do to encourage that,” said Rauner.

It’s doubtful, however, that Metro East is in the running.

* The governor also wants to snag a major federal installation for the region…

Rauner and his staff toured Scott Air Force Base, Boeing’s St. Clair County operations and Mid-America Airport. He was asked about the possibility of bringing the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to St. Clair County. He said that it would be the best location for it.

“It would be a huge opportunity for Illinois,” he said. “It’s a great location. It’s a very strategic and safe location as well.”

* But…

“We need to learn financial discipline,” Rauner said. “Right now businesses don’t want to come to Illinois. They don’t have confidence in the state.”

Rauner said the cuts he is making will drive more businesses into Illinois instead of Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. Once those businesses were in place, he said that more revenue would flow.

And that, I believe might be why Rauner isn’t joining Mayor Emanuel’s overt attempt to poach jobs from Indiana. It would undermine his meme that budget and labor reforms need to be in place before the state can hope to begin attracting businesses from Hoosierville. It also puts him in a somewhat tricky political box because it’s about gay rights and Rauner professes not to have a “social agenda,” even though he clearly does.

*** UPDATE *** Virginia lives up to its famous bumper sticker slogan…

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an open letter to Indiana corporations saying Virginia is a business-friendly state that does “not discriminate against our friends and neighbors.”

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* And speaking of Indiana, longtime commenter OneMan sent over this Facebook post by state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit…

Um. OK. As OneMan suggests…

When you are trying to make a point about Indiana, you might not want to use a spoof web site

Oops.

* Other headlines from the National Report…

Starbucks Halts ‘Race Together’ Initiative After Burn Unit Overcrowdings

Sesame Street To Feature News Segment Sourced By Al Jazeera

Amazon Says They Will Be Removing All Bob Marley Music and Merchandise From Their Website

Heh.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:12 am

Comments

You’d be amazed at the goobers that repost things from the National Report, World News Daily Report, Empire News, The Daily Currant, etc… as if they were real news articles. The sad thing is some people are so jaded, that the more sensational an article is, the more they believe in it.

Comment by exbricklayer Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:19 am
- It also puts him in a somewhat tricky political box because it’s about gay rights -

Nonsense, he’s just a coward.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:20 am
No way St. Louis allows a new NFL stadium to be built in Illinois. Pipe dream.

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:22 am
“We need to learn financial discipline,” Rauner said. “Right now businesses don’t want to come to Illinois. They don’t have confidence in the state.”

He is the governor, and as governor he is saying these things? Since Inauguration Day, he is responsible to be a governor who doesn’t insult the state he governs. I can’t believe we are still reading comments made by him that should have ended after he was sworn in.

The past is over, if he is serious about being a good governor. As governor, his language should reveal that he is looking forward and that he has and is, taking action to move the state forward.

Someone has to tell this guy to quit coming off as though he isn’t governor.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:23 am
As the venerable Fozzy Bear would say, “Wocka Wocka!”

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:23 am
Stones - if the Raiders are the odd team out of the LA hat dance, then a stadium in Illinois may not just be a pipe dream. There is a ton of land in the Metro East to make this happen, and there is a certain land developer (whose name makes Oswego Willy froth at the mouth) could broker a deal. Just food for thought.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:26 am
That Bachmann bit is priceless.

Comment by Jorge Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:27 am
Anyone who thinks an NFL football crowd wouldn’t overtax the St. Louis area’s Mississippi River bridges on game days is probably used to flying out of a football game as an owner, in a helicopter.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:27 am
= It also puts him in a somewhat tricky political box because it’s about gay rights =

Yet another issue the Governor could really use having JBT around.

Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:28 am
Yeah - nothing is funnier than regurgitated old jokes about a former congressperson’s effeminate spouse.

Next - Chandler Bing jokes about being mistaken for being gay from “Friends” circa 1992.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:35 am
That piece on Indiana’s new law is silly. The Federal government and 20 other states have similar laws and the legislature has already said it will tweak the law to improve.

Comment by Apocalypse Now Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:41 am
VMan - I attend at least one Rams game a year. It is much closer and cheaper for me than going to Soldier Field. I can tell you that arguably half of the crowd takes the Metro Link to the Ed. So the bridge issue - even with a brand new bridge across the Mississippi - would be remedied with a new Metro Link stop.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:43 am
AN, you apparently missed the discussion yesterday. It ain’t what you say it is. Also, how would they tweak it? By enshrining gay rights into statute? Yeah, that’ll happen.

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:43 am
If businesses didn’t have confidence in Illinois, we wouldn’t have had a steady drop in the unemployment rate. This narrative Rauner is pushing must be tempered, and I can’t pretend I’m not glad my mayor is doing it. Emanuel has strongly criticized right to work zones, for the right reasons.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:44 am
The football stadium is out of the question. Since no NFL team really wants STL Jay Nixon is planning on using public funds to pay for it. On top of being a Monstrous mistake (see ed jones dome) no way MO is paying for it to be built in IL. As for traffic it will suck the Gov ought to try going from Collinsville, to STL at 7:30 A.M. before he shoots his trap.

As for GIA that at least makes sense. Cheaper leasing options as well as within commuting distance for most of the current employees. who coincidently will be going against the rush for most of the drive.

Comment by Mason born Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:50 am
I believe the logistics of getting people into an out of a Metro East NFL game could be worked out. But it will never happen as Missourians believe the river is about 200 miles wide. They’d sooner drive an hour to St. Charles, Missouri than 20 minutes to Granite City, Illinois.

The opportunity for the NGA complex moving to Scott AFB is far more likely. It represents thousands of well-paying, secure jobs for the region. In all likelihood, it would entice a number of current employees to move across the river as well.

Comment by Illini97 Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:57 am
Like Vman said, I’m tired of Bruce trashing Illinois to stick to his narrative. Unless Bruce does some name-dropping (”While having scones with Rockefeller…”) he should shut his mouth.

I can’t see why Bruce doesn’t pile on with regard to RFRA. Perhaps a staffer could mention Civil Unions and see if that gets him going.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:03 am
– Right now businesses don’t want to come to Illinois. Tney don’t have confidence in the state.–

Huh. GTCR, Citadel and Uline, among others, seemed to have done well.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:04 am
thanks Stephanie, cause the Daily Show is not on tonight to feature that story.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:07 am
Just what the Tax payers of Illinois need an NFL stadium! Maybe Bruce could just use it as multipurpose facility, housing all the DCFS wards there! What a waste of time and words. The NGA idea is a good one to promote. High paying jobs all the way around.

Comment by BlameBruceRauner Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:08 am
–When you are trying to make a point about Indiana, you might not want to use a spoof web site–

That’s exactly why I don’t re-post Fox News. It’s about as accurate as the Onion but a whole lot more dangerous.

Comment by Grandpa Chupacabra Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:12 am
== new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ==

Highly likely. Would be a good fit with a couple of other federal intelligence installations already in the greater St Louis area.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:13 am
++He is the governor, and as governor he is saying these things? Since Inauguration Day, he is responsible to be a governor who doesn’t insult the state he governs. I can’t believe we are still reading comments made by him that should have ended after he was sworn in.++ I agree VM. However, Rauner is not in office to make Illinois a better state. Rauner is governor for a reason, it is to line his pockets. Plus he wants to change IL from a Democrat state to a Tea Party-Republican state.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:18 am
RNUG, that agency is already in the St Louis area. Next to Anheuser Busch, actually. But the facility is undersized and a century old. They need a new location. Placing it next to the head of the Air Force Transportation Command is good for all involved. The infrastructure is largely there and can be expanded to handle thousands more Federal employees. They are high paying jobs, indeed, some civil service and some military.

Comment by Illini97 Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 10:54 am
Where everyone is trained up in gaydar!

Comment by AJ_yooper Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:00 am
There are intelligence agencies next to the AB brewery? Suddenly, some things make sense.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:04 am
LOL Word.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:10 am
The idea of using taxpayer dollars/subsidies/guarantees for getting an NFL team in metro east is outrageous given who, where, and how we are cutting. Modern American capitalism st its finest. Socialize costs, privatize profits

Comment by The Way I See It Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:12 am
=== Rauner said the cuts he is making will drive more businesses into Illinois instead of Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. ===

What business would not want to move into a state that cuts funding for orphanages and higher education.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:12 am
Word

The Army Corps of engineers office is down there too.

Comment by Mason born Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:37 am
- Illini97 -

I was being a bit circumspect … in a past life, I interacted with a few of them.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 12:12 pm
Mason, if I recall, back in the day, Capt. Robert E. Lee of the Army Corps of Engineers built jetties to scour the sandbars plaguing the Port of St. Louis.

I used to live at the corner of Mississippi and River across from Rock Island. Believe me, I know how the corps runs the show on the river.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 12:27 pm
I suspect the Governor might be serious about the NFL stadium. These projects have been know to involve huge public subsidies used to bolster very wealthy team owners.

Comment by Qui Tam Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 12:40 pm
Word

I wasn’t questioning your knowledge base. just letting you know their office is also roughly next to the AB inbev brewery.

Comment by Mason born Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 1:06 pm
I think RFRA’s are comedic and I’m glad to see people are speaking out.

Now, I wish people would be just as dialed in on RTW laws that these same states are also passing and protest those laws just as strongly!

Comment by Now What? Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 1:55 pm
Note to Bruce:
There are many reasons people go into busines, stay in business, or close up shop. I doubt that “financial discipline” is one of them.

Let me put it another way. When Ray Kroc saw the MacDonald Brothers milk shake machine….I don’t think he thought since Illinois does or doesn’t have financial discipline I’ll bring this machine there and make millions.

Respectfully,
Jack

Comment by Jack Stephens Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:06 pm
Was driving across MO today, and Bruce’s comments were big news on St. Louis radio. And yes we don’t want to become Missouri East. Even their farmers don’t seem to be doing as well, to say nothing of their highways.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 7:27 pm
Thanks Rich. I did acknowledge it was a spoof in the comments, however the discussion was robust, respectful and interesting. Thus I left the thread open to continue dialogue.

Comment by Rep Kifowit Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 9:13 pm
more on Indiana law

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2015/03/a-few-more-words-on-indianas-rfra-law/

Comment by lost in the weeds Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 11:38 pm