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Today’s quotable

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* The Tribune on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s speech to the Chicago City Council…

Rauner said that south of Interstate 80, the most common response he gets on how to solve the state’s problems is to “secede from Chicago.” The governor noted that he got 20 percent of the vote in Chicago in the governor’s race last November. The governor said seceding would make his life easier, but Illinois “is one state.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 1:57 pm

Comments

===The governor said seceding would make his life easier,===

How exactly?

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:00 pm
First thing Rauner has said since elected that I agree with.

Comment by John A Logan Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:01 pm
Wow, I guess he just realized he has to represent the WHOLE state. He didn’t realize that during the election though as he never reads the news.

Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:01 pm
The governor said seceding would make his life easier, but Illinois “is one state.”

Resign, and let us all have it easier.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:02 pm
Bruce Rauner is showing himself to be politically naive and incredibly self-serving. The fact is, without Chicago Illinois would be Iowa. If Rauner loves all white, red-neck, anti-women, cow-poke locations why doesn’t he move to Iowa or Indiana?

Comment by PoliticalPro Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:07 pm
Well said!

Comment by illini Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:09 pm
How does he plan to make up the unfunded balance in TRS without Chicago taxpayers? Good luck with your pension problem, we’re happy to be rid of it.

Also, you left your junk here. Please come pick up your Thompson Center and take it with you or we’ll be forced to throw it out.

Comment by The Captain Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:09 pm
pardon my spelling. my math skills are better

Comment by Filmmaker Professor Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:10 pm
Rauner sounds like a newspaper Internet commenter.

To the Post,

A lame-duck City Council, waiting to seat a new Council that won’t, personally, face voters the rest of Rauner’s first term won’t be swayed by a Dope talking about 20% of the voters they won’t face for another four years supporting him.

Rauner lacks the fundamentals necessary to understand “political” leverage, and what exactly qualifies as political leverage, and worst of all, how to maximize political leverage.

This “field trip” did a few things;

Weakened Rauner, as a governor of the state pleads with Alderman…

Satirized Rauner, with his breathtaking lack of pecking order politics, while talking and dropping his “G”s..,

Humbled Rauner, by having to personally go face the Chicago City Council because the Dopey resolutions needed… something…

And sadly, Exposed Rauner, because, when you take away the rhetoric, and the Ads, and the Harley, and the refusing to answer questions, and having no budget if legislative agenda… Rauner is over his head, and he’s the only one who doesn’t know it.

But… as far as a newspaper comment, man, Rauner tries to sell that comment, doesn’t he?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:10 pm
He sure knows how to win over people, doesn’t he? Invites himself before a local community and tell it that the rest of the state wished it didn’t exist, it doesn’t support him politically, but he can’t do anything because he is a governor committed to the entire state, including them.

It is remarkable. Could you imagine other GOP leaders saying anything like that? Thompson? Edgar? Any other governor?

He might get only 20% of the Chicago vote, but he can’t live off of what he gets south of I-80 in the rest of Illinois. Illinois cannot survive on its own south of I-80.

Are there any other misconceptions the governor would like to embrace publically, you know, in order to show that he is a voice of moderation?

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:11 pm
It’s really weird for the Governor of Illinois to act like Illinois’ biggest city, with 1/3rd of the state’s population, is an enemy combatant. I was too young to pay attention to Edgar or Ryan- were they this contemptuous of Chicago?

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:13 pm
There’s your money quote for every Downstate media outlet, and the purpose of the exercise.

Dude loves his divide and conquer, or at least “divide.”

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:14 pm
Such a naïve attitude that you hear sometimes - take Chicago out of the State. Chicago produces about 80% of the State’s GDP, about 1/2 of the State’s income taxes, 1/3 of the sales taxes (source - Civic Federation).

Yeah - the Governor job would be a lot easier without Chicago. More jobs and a balanced budget would be a piece of cake.

Comment by archimedes Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:14 pm
Well, for what it’s worth:

1) I think he might have been attempting humor. 2) he does have a point!

Comment by Nick Naylor Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:15 pm
“If Rauner loves all white, red-neck, anti-women, cow-poke locations why doesn’t he move to Iowa or Indiana?”

Well that’s just awesome. Words fail me.

Comment by State employee Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:15 pm
You can’t shame Chicago for being Chicago, Bruce.

Comment by Politix Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Ummm, he never indicated which part he would live in after the break-up.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:19 pm
It’s a good thing he clouted his kid into Payton Prep before he became Governor. It’d be a shame if his daughter had to live out of state in high school.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:19 pm
Spin off state’s most valuable assest - Chicago. Then break up and sell off remaning parts to Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and Kentucky. Just like a private equity guys mindset

Comment by Aschockedobserver Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:21 pm
==The governor noted that he got 20 percent of the vote in Chicago in the governor’s race last November. ==

And he’ll be working hard to reduce that number down to zero percent in 2018.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:21 pm
How Ironic———Rauner criss crossed the entire state many times during the election. Of course you wouldn’t know that, living in CA and all.

Comment by anon Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:23 pm
We are entering the 5th month of this turnaround tour. I think Chicago’s a good place to wrap it up.

Comment by Politix Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:24 pm
===It’d be a shame if his daughter had to live out of state in high school.===

The denied daughter got that perfect score, maybe she would’ve got a scholarship to go along with the Psyton Prep clouting, so Bruce could afford another house in the state of Chicago…

I mean, the daughter wasn’t even living in Chicago during her application, so applying out of a district can’t be much different than applying out of state(?)

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:25 pm
I’m from downstate and live downstate, and do not like Chicago, but I also believe that “seceding from Chicago” would solve a lot more problems for Chicago than for the rest of the state.

Comment by Anon. Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:25 pm
If Rauner received 15% of the Chicago vote instead of 20%, Quinn wins the election.

Comment by Darnell McAllister Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:25 pm
Rauner is already used to living out of state, amirite?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:30 pm
The gov’s losing his timing.
After slashing autism programs on World Autism Day he really should have stepped up and done the secession talk as we memorialized President Lincoln.
Opportunity lost.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:32 pm
Brucie, if you hate Illinois so much please leave for one of your other houses. Perhaps you can clout your kids into Montana State and completely avoid people who don’t think or look like you. Just go. Now. I have never seen a politician so contemptuous of his constituents. If I were the other Illinois political leaders I would make him beg and scrounge for everything and give nothing until he shows a modicum of respect for our hard-working, decent people.

Comment by orzo Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:35 pm
If Chicago were Chuck Norris, there would be no downstate.

Anywhere.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:35 pm
If you bring up the “Illinois without Chicago would be Iowa” comment, then Mike Royko should be cited as the source… Just saying…

Comment by Kippax Blue Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:36 pm
BTW — yeah — the idea of talking about secession — and acting as though that’s what every downstate resident wants — is in weirdly bad taste — considering that this is Illinois and given our legacy of leaders.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:37 pm
Arsenal: Chicago is not 1/3 of the state population. Not even 1/4. But your point is well taken.

Comment by Aldermanic Panic Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:37 pm
This weekend is Mother’s Day.
Perhaps the Governor can insult them tomorrow.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:39 pm
Chicago is not only the heart of Illinois it is the big economic engine for the Midwest…..Cook cty tax money goes and the whole state is a disaster. ALL you downstate state employees that distain Chicago should think twice about loosing the rev from up here.

Comment by scott aster Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:42 pm
Well, sure, if you want to believe NUMBERS…

Thinking about this further, I rather suspect the “secessionist” tendencies don’t extend to Will, Lake, DuPage Counties, etc.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:44 pm
Much ado.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:45 pm
@ Scott, no one is really considering secession, that’s what makes it so odd for the Governor to raise it in talking to the Chicago City Council.

1/5 of the city voted for Rauner. He really wants to act like that place is a cancer on the state?

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:47 pm
===Much ado.===

Hmm.

===”no other Governor in the history of our state has ever gone there”.===

So no other governor in history did this and THIS is what he says?

Yikes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:50 pm
“Actually I was told the best way to solve Illinois’ problems is to raise revenue, but I ain’t even thinkin’ of down’ that. Y’all are corrupt.”

Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:53 pm
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 2:54 pm
In addition to bringing up secession, he also told the City Council they will not be getting a bail-out that no one has asked for. False premise much?

What was the point of this exercise?

Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:03 pm
He’s got to stop talking to uninformed culture warriors and start talking to people who know and care about State government. Getting rid of Chicago would be a disaster for what would be left of the State. Five years after secession, the train wouldn’t even slow down between Chicago and St. Louis.

Comment by Quizzical Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:05 pm
– He can’t be summarily dismissed.–

–Much ado.–

Guy, in situations like this, do you have a third voice in your head to serve as a tie-breaker?

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:07 pm
Five years after secession, the train wouldn’t even slow down between Chicago and St. Louis.

I dunno, Springpatch might be booming with all those state jobs that would no longer be outsourced to the colossus of the north as during the last 10 years, LOL. OTOH, the train still doesn’t stop in, or even go through, Des Moines.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:14 pm
Word nailed it again - pablum for the downstate media audience, but for anyone who does want out, I hear Indiana’s water is warm so you might as well go for a swim.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:15 pm
This is a lesson in how to ensure a lack of political cooperation. I can’t even pretend to understand how this man’s mind works.

Comment by Archiesmom Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:15 pm
@2:07 pm: “without Chicago Illinois would be Iowa.”

Illinois would never be Iowa or Indiana, with or without Chicago. But together in Illinois we have the best of both worlds, the world class city of Chicago combined with the best rural and midsize towns in the midwest if not the country.

Comment by Enviro Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:37 pm
Seemed so out of place, I wondered if Rauner was joking and it didn’t quite get the laughs he expected.

The City Council might get quirky sometimes, but this wasn’t the Washington Press event.

Comment by walker Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:15 pm
I always get a kick out of the people on this blog who think Governor Rauner is the worst Governor imaginable. He’s naive, he doesn’t understand, he’s just a simple minded businessman, he is uncaring, etc. etc.

Like Pat Quinn and Rod Blagojevich were so awesome!

Comment by Just Me Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:36 pm
if Illinois didn’t have Chicago, then there would no longer be the hardcore Cubs haters in the state. I guess I could live with that.

Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:37 pm
Just Me, you forgot Dan Walker. Get ready for the incoming grenades, there are plenty of posters on here that reside left of center.

Comment by anon Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:38 pm
===Get ready for the incoming grenades, there are plenty of posters on here that reside left of center.===

I don’t remember that many kisses and bouquets for Quinn or Rod here during their terms.

Use the search key.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:41 pm
Literally tonnes of bud are crossing this great nation of ours annually in Canada Post packages.

Comment by mail order marijuana usa 2013 Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:54 pm
I can attest OW, Quinn got no love and most of it deservedly so.

Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 4:54 pm
guy, is that you or a close friend at 4:54? Would explain a lot.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 5:09 pm
=== Wordslinger - Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 3:07 pm:

– He can’t be summarily dismissed.–

–Much ado.–

Guy, in situations like this, do you have a third voice in your head to serve as a tie-breaker?====

Lucky for you Sling, I do!
First, he was not summarily dismissed unless you saw and heard something I did not.

Out of 12 or so minutes, we’re commenting on one quote listed at the top of this post, to which my comment is; Much ado…

You yourself declared such a comment as a “victory” in a divide and conquer strategy (to be fair, you later amended it to only…divide) This quote represents no new territory of thought. Though, unrealistic and somewhat silly on it’s face, its true that this statement is heard over and over.

Heck I live in the suburbs and I’ve heard those south of I-80 repeat that the suburbs could go right along with the city in the secession. It’s a repeating of something we’ve all heard over and over before.

In my book, this quote and reacting to it is…much ado about nothing.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 5:10 pm
=== Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 5:09 pm:

guy, is that you or a close friend at 4:54? Would explain a lot.===

No Artie. You sure it’s not your alter-ego. That would explain even more.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 5:14 pm
Guy, you’ll fall down spinning yourself dizzy like that. I’m sure you’re still a Raunerbot in good standing despite your summary dismissal of the governor’s remarks.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 5:35 pm
– You yourself declared such a comment as a “victory” in a divide and conquer strategy…–

Guy, I did not. It’s all in writing, right on this thread, for all to see. It’s not there.

Do you see that, or are you just making stuff up?

Is it a figment of your imagination, or are you being dishonest, for some strange reason, in a manner that’s readily apparent?

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 5:55 pm
Do you see that, or are you just making stuff up?

Is it a figment of your imagination, or are you being dishonest, for some strange reason, in a manner that’s readily apparent?

I presume these are rhetorical questions…

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 10:05 pm
I am so tired of property taxes….Bruce is a breath of fresh air. Boy Howdy so many properties to keep track of. When property taxes are capped municipalities will have less options to increase revenues thus making bankruptcy a less inconvenient option….. Can’t wait…..

Comment by truthurts Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 10:10 pm
Go to a small town of 2000 people or less. Look at what businesses exist compared to 50 years ago. Look at what new or still operating businesses remain. You will find a shiny bank or bank branch or two. So where do the locals get theire tax base? Property taxes. And possibly some sales tax if a business remains that sells something that requires sales tax collection.

Comment by lost in the weeds Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 7:19 am